Necrophilia At It's Best. ((Open))

[I Am Zee]

This thread is now closed to wizardmon599.

Underwood was a pleasant enough town. It had it's shadows, just as any town did, but something gave the place an air of peace, of calm. Perhaps it was the surrounding forest. Perhaps in all those years the mighty oaks and tall pines had stood, their very presence had grown to exude the essence of life. Perhaps it was this that made Zee uneasy.

So many happy citizens, so many smiling faces filled the tiny town. Even the tavern in which he sat was alive with joyous laughter. The men drank, the women danced, the band played, all was well within the Promenade. All but Zee. All Zee knew was fear. He was afraid to be discovered. He was afraid someone might catch a glimpse of his eyes, or notice the smell. If there was anything happy citizens despised, especially in these times of war, it was a buzz kill. That is exactly was Zee was- nothing but a big buzz kill.

It was late out and the Promenade was as busy as it ever got. Well, perhaps not that busy, as Zee managed to secure a lone table in the furthest corner of the tavern. He prefered the wall to his back. Even in life, he always hated sitting in the middle of a room. He felt like he could be attacked at any moment, from any angle.

Each table had it's own candle, which did well enough to light the entire tavern, if a bit dimly. Most of the tables, aswell as the floor were made of oak- unfinished and unstained. Though the Peaceful Promenade always seemed to be busy, it appeared as though they didn't get enough cash flow to aquire renovations.

" What can I getcha' darlin'? "

The bubbly sound of a young woman's voice jerked the newly undead young man out of his contemplative state. She had appeared so suddenly, he couldn't help but jump nearly out of his seat.

" Woah! Easy now! ", said the young woman with a giggle. " Almost lost ya' there! Hehe! "

Zee replied with an awkward chuckle. He made sure not to make eye contact, and did his best to keep the majority of his face hidden beneath his hood. The waitress smiled widely, admiring the young boys odd demeanor. Intrigue was painted on her face, as vibrant as the blue of her eyes.

" Don't think I've seen you 'round here before. You new in town? "

Zee coughed at the question, making his best effort to clear his throat. He had only been under for a short time, but nature had already done some damage to his vocal chords. He spoke up quietly, attempting to muffle the rasp in his voice.

" Uh n-no I uh...Yeah. Yeah I'm new in town. "

The waitress rested a soft, fair hand on her hip and shifted her weight to one side. It was clear she intended to stay for at least a short while. Small talk, as they say, is only the first step.

" Oh yeah? Where ya from? "

She smiled again. The glow in her eyes was unmistakable. Unfortunately, all it served to do was remind Zee that the glow of his eyes had faded, and never would it be returned to him. He didn't want to be rude, but the situation was no longer innocently awkward, but genuinely upsetting. The ice would be best left unbroken.

" I'm sorry, but uh could you just take my order? "

The waitress puffed out her lip and crossed her arms. The typical pout- one of many little tricks women pull.

" Aww what's the matter sweety? Rough night? "

Zee chuckled at the thought.

" Yeah, you could say that. I'll have chicken. "

The waitress sighed and stood up right once again.

" Have it your way tough guy. How ya' want it cooked? "

" Raw. "

The waitress paused. She had never recieved such a request. She seemed confused, but it was not her place to judge. She scribbled the order onto her pad and made her way to the bar. As she walked away, she made a half turn and shouted back to Zee.

" You change your mind, be sure to let me know! A sober conversation is rarely had here! "

Zee smirked and gave her a short wave. Perhaps, in life, he would have taken her up on her offer, but it was too risky now. All it would take is one scream and the entire town would have their torches and pitchforks ready. Perhaps when the tavern lights were dimmed, he would take the time to get to know the young woman, but for now, he needed to eat.

[wizardmon599]

Her elven ears perked at the sound of the odd request.
Did he just say raw...?
She'd been there, silent, for quite some time, and had been watching the strange man curiously. In her old village, she'd had human-like friends who would have ordered the same thing, if anything at all... The stranger ones seemed to be more accepted by her village standards. In fact, the only reason her village did not have a problem with her old Forsaken friends was because they'd had an alliance. Of course, only in times of war could her people ever get along with anyone outside of their circle.

The crowd was different than her embarrassing first visit, and she could currently crowd-watch without having to worry about drunk people harrassing her, thanks to last time.
The way he acts... He reminds me of my old Forsaken friends...
She felt a little guilty for staring, and it was hard not for anyone to notice with her glowing eyes, but this man fascinated her.
The thought that there may be someone that she knew, or at least somone that knew of her old homeland, excited her.
I wonder if he knows any blood elves...? If he's Forsaken, maybe my friends knew him... Maybe even I did...! I'll bet he knows of Undercity, then!
She stopped her thought process abruptly.

She hadn't even talked to him, and didn't plan to, her mind added. There'd been no one that knew of her homeland. No trolls, orcs, or goblins...
"...Or undead," she muttered uncer her breath.

She turned away from the man for a moment, to take a small sip of her non-alchoholic fruit drink that she didn't remember ordering but had taken when the waitres had bought it over. She didn't manage to look away for long, though.
Although her mind had attempted to rationalize and crush her hopes, there was still a small sliver of them that remained.

Even if he isn't from my homeland, it sure would be refreshing to see a species I'm familiar with that my village would actually aprrove of...
She let out a distainful sigh.
If I was outgoing like Corsana, I would be able to go over there and see....
Finally, she looked away from him.
...But I'm not, so I guess I'll never know...

[I Am Zee]

The young undead sat impatiently, tapping his cold, dry fingers on the oak table. He didn't like being surrounded by all these people. All those eyes, watching, inspecting, judging. If his sweat glands still functioned they would have been producing bullets.

Zee looked up slowly, careful not to reveal too much of his face. He scanned the room, making sure no one had noticed him. For the most part everyone was too drunk or distracted by the dancing women to pay him any heed. It seemed that for now he was in the cle- ... And then he saw her. He looked down immediately, staring at his hands that now lay flat on the table, shaking. He hadn't gotten a good look at her, but some woman was staring him down. No doubt she was aware of his 'condition'.

He tried to calm himself. She had not simply screamed 'zombie', so perhaps she had no intention of doing so. But still, she was looking right at him. Zee very slowly inched his head upright. He kept his eyes locked on the position of the woman.

For the moment all he could see was her bottom half. A long, elegant skirt made of a fine green fabric worked it's way up her legs, stopping at her hips. From there, her belly was exposed. Her skin was as ivory. The tattoo painted upon her was quite impressive, actually. A shirt of the same color and, most likely, the same material, fit snuggly around her torso. Zee could already see her flowing red hair. Even in the dim light of the tavern it shimmered. Her form was thin, gaunt, but pleasing to the eye. Her eyes were an anomaly all their own. In place of the typical pair of greens were two glowing emeralds, their glow as bright as the candle on his table. Even now, as he looked her up and down, she continued to stare. Perhaps she was lost in her own thoughts. Or perhaps, more likely, she was frozen in fear.

Zee scoffed at himself. Overwhelmed with disgust, he abruptly rose to his feet and exited the Promenade. His feet did not carry him far. He sat with his back against the wall of the tavern, just beyond the stretch of its glow. The night was a quiet one, aside from the muffled music and laughter still resonating within the Promenade.

The young undead looked up to the heavens. Heavens- what a rediculous thought. No all-powerful dieties would ever allow a monstrosity such as him to exist.

A tiny squeak brought Zee's attention down from the heavens. His eyes followed the sound of tiny feet. The lights of the tavern revealed the pitter patter to belong to a small rat. The rodent scampered about, sifting through an over-turned garbage can. Zee stared at the small creature in wonderment as it left the can and made its way towards him. It sniffed at his mud-spattered boots, perhaps to say, 'hello'. Zee reached out with a cold hand, and welcomed the small creature to his open palm. Zee held it for a moment, staring into its marble eyes.

" Technically speaking, little buddy, you're higher up on the social ladder than I am. ", said the young undead with a melancholy smirk.

[wizardmon599]

Livane sat in the dim light, utterly confused, as she watched him leave.
Her desire to follow the supposed "undead" was overpowered only by her overwhelming shyness. She took another drink.

I see a species I can relate to, and he gets up and walks away...
She let out another disgusted sigh in spite of herself.
...And every second I sit here thinking, he gets another step away from me...
She wanted more than anything to move, but it seemed her legs would not oblige.

If only I wasn't so shy... It wasn't like this in my homeland... Why couldn't I have turned out like any of them...?!
Her head sank to the table.
...Because then I wouldn't be here...
It seemed that she was the only one in the tavern without a smile, and the music did nothing to lift her spirits.
I bet he thought I was weird... Maybe it was my eyes...? She tightly closed them and sat with her head in her arms. Curse these stupid eyes... Her natural royal appearence was most apparent in her eyes---she was of the last generation to be born in the High Years. Before the war. Before blood had tainted her kin and dimmed their magnificent glow.
She opened her emeralds in small slits and glared around the room.
No one here is like me. There are elves everywhere, but they don't have these wretched eyes and terrible ears... They're normal. It's almost like these people are mocking me with their smiles...
Everyone was laughing, dancing, having a grand time.

The happiness was suffocating.

She slowly lifted her head from the table and leaned back. She traced the elegant engravings on the ceiling with her tired eyes.
I can't believe I let him get away! If I was not so unsociable he would not have been so aware of my staring...! I am so stupid!
Her heartbeat rose, and her palms, still flat on the table, felt as if they were on fire...
Very similar to the heat when she casted a fire spell...

"...FIRE!" She shot from her chair and awkwardly glanced around the tavern.
Surely enough, every pair of eyes was staring at her....again.
Reluctantly, she turned her eyes toward the table to find two smoldering handprints scarring its top.

Without thinking, she hurried towards the door---and their eyes followed her as she went.

She hesitated outside for a moment, then slammed her back hard against the wall a few feet from the door. Frustrated at yet another awkward scene, she slid down the wall. With her head in her hands, she began to sob.
"I am such an idiot...! Why was I born so stupid?! I've creeped out two entire crowds! Everyone in this place must think I'm just a big freak..."
She was fine with talking---as long as no one was around to hear her.

[I Am Zee]

Zee had barely finished croaking out is short, self mournful speech to his street-dwelling companion, when the front door of the tavern was flung open, nearly off its hinges. Both the undead and the rat were spooked nearly out of their skin. Each of them took off into the darkness of the alleyway as soon as it had been opened.

Zee's fuzzy friend had disappeared into the night and was likely never to be seen again. The young undead was disheartened a bit, but his focus was on the door. Whoever exited the tavern had done so quite abruptly- similar to how a pursuer might exit a place.

Zee kept low, hiding most of his form behind the over-turned garbage can. From here he could see the tavern door, and hopefully could determine whether or not a quick exit would be necessary.

The figure that exited the tavern was a newly familiar one. The young elven woman, from just moments ago, sat against the tavern wall, very near the spot Zee himself had just been in. She was...crying. She buried her face in her palms and sobbed. She was so upset. Zee had only seen people mourn in such a way when they had lost a loved one. To see such a flawless creature in such a state was...quite saddening. For possibly the first time since he had turned, Zee felt pity for another being.

A barely audible squeak momentarily turned Zee's attention away from the woman and shifted it to his feet. There, nestled between his left and right, was the tiny rat. His oily eyes looked up into Zee's milky pair. It seemed as though the rodent had deduced the same conclusion that Zee did. This woman was no threat. She wasn't a witch hunter or anything of the sort. Perhaps, like Zee, she was just lonesome.

The undead knelt low, resting his hand on the cold dirt, allowing his small friend to climb aboard his shoulders. Slowly, cautiously, Zee stepped into the light. He made no effort to get any closer, lest he get her attention before he spoke and startle her. He cleared his throat, as had become his custom before speaking, and mumbled a kind word.

" Are uh...Are you alright? "

[wizardmon599]

"Perfectly fine for an idiot."
The broken words had been forced out before her mind had time to rationalize that she was no longer talking to herself.
She clammed up almost immediately after her outburst and could not look at her newfound company. Her eyes glowed in the darkness, though only through the small slits that her elegant fingers provided. Every time she blinked it was as if a lantern was being blown out.

"I am...so sorry..." Her voice was much softer. "I just...did something stupid.... Don't let me waste your time..." Words were definately not her specialty.

I shouldn't even be saying anything... I'll just make a fool of myself again... Livane hugged her knees close to her chest without waiting for her unknown company to reply. She had assumed that he'd already walked away, just like any average person would have.
Slowly, she put her head down, running through her series of unfortunate and unpractical events.
And to think this night started out so well... I'll offer to pay for the damage as soon as I get the guts to go back in there... Well, at least I didn't actually break the table this time... She could always be optimistic after going over what made the situation bad. Livane heaved another sigh and tagged a quiet chuckle on the end of it.
"For someone who doesn't like attention, I sure know how to draw it..."

She suddenly remembered hearing no distinct footsteps.
Was the mysterious man still with her...?

She rolled her eyes from the ground to the place where she thought his voice had come from. Surely enough, he was still there. But now that she'd actually looked at him, she realized that he was the same man from before.
His patchwork sweater with the stitched hood was the first thing that gave him away, then his pants and working boots helped complete the picture. His figure was slightly more muscular than she'd noticed before and she noted that it would be very easy to look at him for long amounts of time.

Her eyes moved from his clothes to his face.
His hair, which was blonde she presumed, looked like a silverish-white in the light that sneaked out from the tavern door. It shimmered like the moon on a clear, starry night.
His skin contrasted nicely with his hair, though it looked cold and untouchable.
And then she saw his eyes.

She was taken aback and couldn't help letting out a small gasp.
They glowed an icy white, much in the same manner as hers, but they also told her what she had first intended to find out herself. He was an undead.
She looked away for a moment and hugged her knees closer.

"I am...so sorry...I didn't think that you were...still around..." She paused for what seemed like a long time, then cautiously continued.
"I'm very sorry for staring, but..." She found her gaze tracing back to his eyes.
"Y-You...are undead...am I c-correct...?"
She hoped he didn't find her fear offensive. Many had in the past. She had no fear of any undead, but she was afraid of messing up casual conversation and getting others angry. The last thing she wanted was to give her people an even worse name than what they'd already aquired, though it would seem that no one from this strange place would even know what a 'blood elf' was....

[I Am Zee]

She sure did talk alot. Whether it was to herself or to Zee was difficult to tell at times. Even so, something in her voice was calming. Her words, however, were saturated in gloom. It seemed she too had a self loathsome personality. In that way, if no other, they could relate.

When their eyes met, Zee could see the fear in hers. A knot formed in his stomach. He nearly turned and walked away at that exact moment, but a gentle query stopped him.

"Y-You...are undead...am I c-correct...?", she had said.

She spoke the sentence with such ease, such tranquility- It was as though she was familiar with people of his...ilk. Strange, in that, Zee had never seen an elf like before, not in life or undeath. But again, Zee was new to this whole living dead thing. Perhaps his kind and hers ran in the same circles?

The small rat on Zee's shoulder made it's way down his shirt, along his pants and onto the ground below. He scurried cautiously over to the young woman and ran a wiggling nose along the ends of her skirt. Zee smiled, almost chuckling at the sight. He made his way to her side and took a seat of his own, crossing his legs and folding his hands in his lap as he did so.

It was difficult to answer her question. The answer was easy, but actually speaking it aloud was hard. Zee himself had just barely acknowledged the truth of his 'condition', let alone come to terms with it.

Out of habit, not necessity, he drew in a deep breath of the cool night air. His thumbs danced with one another as he summed up the courage to speak. He couldn't help but laugh inside at his current situation. Here he was, having a conversation with a living sentient. Not since the care taker had he spoken to anyone who knew what he was, and accepted it.

" Yeah, I suppose I am. Though I haven't been this way long. "

Zee turned to look at the small rodent that now rested between the unconventional pair. He ran a cold hand along its matted, greasy fur.

" I gotta' say that I'm surprised you aren't trying to burn me right now. ", he said with a chuckle. " As far as I know, that's the norm around here. Especially given the situation in Raiaera. "

It didn't occur to him until after he spoke that such things may be sensitive subjects. He could already feel the tension building and opted to quickly change the conversation.

" But uh, my name is Zee. What's yours? "

[wizardmon599]

"Burn you?!" Her eyes widened as she studied him. "That's.....normal...?" Her expression quickly changed from worried to absolutely horrified. How could anyone do that to a living creature?! Livane knew there were cruel beings in the world, after all, she'd come from an entire race of them---but, burning someone?! Her people were heartless, but they would never even have a passing thought of re-killing an undead. They were loyal allies and very powerful people---where she came from, anyway.

"I would...never do that...to anyone..." She said it softly, almost as if reassuring herself that she would not use her fire spells for any such purpose. Her expression saddened when she discovered the tiny mouse.

"I am Livane...a wandering mage...It is very nice to meet you..."
The man made her feel at ease. She did not feel inferrior or timid as usual, though traces of the two could still be found in her voice.

"...I...am from very far away. I don't know what is 'normal' here... But that is not right."
Although she sounded justified, it was a quiet kind of justification. A pained smile spread slowly across her face as she stroked the small animal with only a finger.
"Everywhere I've traveled, there has always been pointless fighting, blood, and death... Sometimes for a black-and-white purpose, sometimes for vengance or pride...."
She paused and took a heavy breath.
"...Forgive me for my long-windedness... I seem to talk too much when I get the chance... It really doesn't happen often..."
It was strange to use her vocal chords for such a long period of time. It felt as if her last speech took up an entire month's worth of words.

She gazed at the man's face again as she let silence overtake her.
As it should, she thought.
His features were very beautiful, especially since they were not scrunched into a glare. Although they were not extrordinarily mean people, the undead were very bitter. Livane had always understood why, though. No one ever actually wanted to be a walking piece of earth. Of course, that was not what she thought of them....just the words others had said...
The Forsaken had always been very kind to her, and she was always kind to them in return. The majority of her friends in her old life had actually been undead.
The notion of buring them made her want to both laugh and cry.

[I Am Zee]

As the young undead listened to the elf's words, he couldn't help but be surprised by her sincerity. She was so surprised by what he had said, so disgusted, it was though he had offended her. He felt guilty of course, but was more curious than anything. Where could she have possibly come from? What strange, backwards land did she come from that it tolerated the presence of the undead?

Perhaps she was not aware of what happened to the elves of Raiaera after all. If that were the case, she could not have known what an anomaly Zee was.

" I don't know how things go where you're from, but in these lands, the undead are regarded by almost everyone as an abomination- a plague. "

Zee shifted himself to face the young woman. He gazed deep into her strobe-like eyes as he spoke.

" The undead in this land are not like me. Truth be told, in life, I had never even heard of an undead who could think, let alone talk. The undead in this land are ravenous, blood thirsty monsters who know only how to consume the flesh of the living. They have no mercy for anyone. They do not distinguish man from woman, adult from child, no matter who you are, if you're heart beats they will tear it out and make it their dinner!"

Zee found himself getting worked up. It seemed as though he himself had harbored some distaste for his new found brethren. Perhaps he blamed them for what he was. But that was unreasonable. It was he who took his own life away. Perhaps the gods he had rejected all his life were punishing him for his selfish deed.

Zee slouched low, his eyes now locked on the ground in front of him. Slowly, he rolled back the sleeves of his shirt, revealing the twin scars on his wrists. He stared at them for a moment, trying hard to recall why he had done this to himself.

" That's why the people of this land hate my kind. That is why, if I tried to reason with them, they would only shriek in horror at the fact that I could speak. But...as you can see, it is my own fault that I am in this position. "

The gloom of the moonless night had filled what little heart Zee had left. Was there no way to undue this curse? Had all undead begun as he did? Were they too aware of their plight before losing themselves to their hunger? Was it his fate to shuffle and moan until decapitation? ...Who would even know?

[wizardmon599]

Her eyes traced his scars as if trying to decide is her assumptions were true. They'd worriedly moved between his wrists and eyes for several seconds before she spoke.

"Bloodthirsty..." The word made her throat dry. Her concerned gaze returned only to his eyes. "No matter what the rest of the undead in your world are like, I am very sure that you'll remain the same. Raw chicken or not." She smiled ever so slightly, feeling completely at ease. She chuckled softly and her eyes glittered in the light of the tavern. "No matter what the others are like, you're you, not them. No matter how vicious they are, I'd never be afraid of you." As she stared into his eyes, they seemed to deepen. She'd never felt this comfortable with anyone before.

Heat rose to her cheeks as her smile widened slightly. "Others may hate you, but I never will. I know I'm new...a-and I may not know much about this place... But whatever happens... Even though we've just met... I will be here, for whatever you may want or need....Whether its a friend, or...or..."
For some reason, her voice wouldn't let her finish the sentence.
...Or more, she thought.

She felt a cold heat rise within her body. It didn't take her long to notice that her hands were shaking. Livane prayed that if Zee had seen her unusual movements he would not take them in a bad way... That was the last thing she wanted... In fact---she didn't want it at all. It felt like a labor to breathe, yet she could not yet put her finger on why... A heavy feeling was numbing her heart, though she still felt positively giddy.

Suddenly, her arm moved on its own. She didn't even realize what had happened until it was too late... Her slightly unsteady fingers gently stroked the dried scars that covered the young man's arm.
The scabs and cold skin seemed like ice against her slender fingers. The feeling she could not place kept growing---so much so that it made her want to cry. It seemed nothing could cure the new ailment. She felt...very sorry for the poor man.

"I could...never hate you...." She hadn't even realized that she'd whispered the words. "...will never be afraid of you..." She felt an immense sadness. He seemed so distant, although she was touching his flesh as she thought.

[I Am Zee]

Her touch was...so gentle. So gentle in fact, Zee's deadened nerves failed to tell him what his eyes did. He could not feel her delicate fingers glide across the thin mounds of tissue that would forever mark him as a broken soul. His damned nerves- they failed to show him just how warm he knew she must have been. How he longed to know- longed to feel warm again.

Where his nerves failed him, his eyes served him well. Glued to her form, they could not cease staring. The milky orbs darted from her hands, to her angelic figure, to her eyes. Finally they locked in place, enthralled by the emerald stars that were her eyes. Just as stars, they radiated light, warmth, life- she was his opposite, a whole mirror reflecting a shattered image.

Oh and her words...her words were as music. She had such compassion- unlike any he had ever seen. Every word spoken breathed life back into his rotting heart. What merciful deity had graced him this eve with an angel?

The young undead found himself reaching for her. His hand trembled as his arm forced it forward, resting it upon hers. He could feel her, just barely. She must have been so soft, as if she bathed in silks and oils.

His skin upon hers, what a sight; Grey for him, and white for her. The colors mingled well. He laced his fingers with hers, and struggled to speak.

" W-why? Why...are you so kind to me? I am...not even..."

His head sank low as he neared the end of the sentence. Staring at their hands intertwined, he felt as though he were weeping. No tears came, but the feeling was unmistakable. Guilt, frustration, joy...love, he felt them all. He felt so many things that had been only fond memories. Until this moment he only wished to be laid to rest, but now...now he wanted life! He wanted to be alive again! He wanted not to just see her, he wanted to feel her, entirely, not through this eternal numbness.

He raised his head and locked his eyes onto hers. His lip quivered, his hands shook, and surely if it were still beating, his heart would have been racing. He let loose of her hand and brought his own to rest on her face. He wanted so bad to feel her.

"...Livane.."

[wizardmon599]

Her heart stopped when he uttered her name... His voice was sweet enough to bring a tear to both of her eyes.
At last, the feeling could be placed... She longed to be the one to take his pain away forever.
More than anything, she wanted him to gaze at her like this for all of eternity....
It was then that she realized that she would do anything for this man, whom she barely knew. She wanted to make his dead soul feel alive again, if only for a moment... There was a good chance they would never meet again, but even war seemed insignificant in the presence of Zee. A part of her wanted to block her emotions---to speak to him and never think of him again. But this was different.
She had never met anyone that made her feel like Zee had... Even the stinging pain in her heart felt good when she looked into his eyes...

Slowly, her hand made its way from the scars on his arms to the nape of his neck.
There it lingered for a moment, before gently gliding to his cheek and through his hair. The flesh of his beautiful face was actually much warmer than that of his hands....
He held the light of the moon in his milky eyes, and when he raised his head, his glowing orbs had come up only inches away from her own.
Unconsciously, she slid her other arm upward until her hand reached the base of his neck. His gaze was tender and bittersweet. Just through his eyes, she could feel the guilt he harbored. She wished she could scoop it out and throw it away and make him feel only good things... Though when she searched his face for doubt, she saw that he had none. His eyes were honest, and they searched hers to their depths, it seemed...

Her thumb brushed lightly against his lips....
They were neither cold, nor hard in any way. They had suffered no apparent damage from death or the earth---though even if they had, it would not have mattered to Livane. She felt as if she held perfection in her hand as she studied every gorgeous feature his face had to offer. With every second that passed, their lips edged closer and closer.... The pressure building within her wild heart caused her lips to burn more for him every second... Her eyes slipped closed...

At long last, her lips locked with his in the passion they'd both been yearning for, for so very long....
His lips felt alive entangled with her own, and every second she felt them she wanted more... She wanted to pull him closer---to keep him close always... To never let him go... She felt her own body tremble, but she did not draw away. She thought of their mingled fingers, and the way he had looked into her eyes... And most distinctly, his words...

" W-Why? Why...are you so kind to me?"

There had been many things she'd wanted to say... But she did not dare pull away from him from fear of losing the feeling they seemed to share.
Zee tasted good, and his lips were like feathers against her own.

Another new sensation overtook her chest. It felt as if a blaze was ripping her heart into tiny shreds.
She knew the moment would not last forever, but for now she just wanted him closer... If he would only wrap her in his arms, she would fall into him without hesitation. She softly stroked his face as the fingers of her other hand ran through his delicate, hooded hair.
She wanted him to feel her, somehow, with his dead senses. She wanted him to feel the passion that he gave her... She prayed to the gods that at least some of her emotions crossed over to him...
She wanted to hold him, and be held by him... To love him, and be loved by him...
If only he would pull her closer...!

Did he feel the same? Did he want more of her, the way she wanted him...? Did he want to pull away...?!
The last question almost made her suddenly draw back, which she would have regretted instantly... But it needed to be done...
She wanted to memorize the feeling of his lips against hers before she had to leave them...
Reluctantly, she began to draw back and open her eyes... Her mind and body screamed that there was still time to fix her mistake, though she hesitantly resisted them... But only barely.

She silently looked Zee up and down, then gave him a soft smile. The space between them was choking her, but she felt that for his sake, she couldn't scoot closer. The pain in her heart and lungs was now ringing through her entire body. All she wanted was to touch him again, but she remained frozen. Unable to even speak.
If he would draw her closer, into his arms, she would kiss him until he tired of the exercise, for it felt warm having him so close, even though his skin was so icy cold. She longed for it, even now.

She would do anything for this man that she barely knew---because she loved him very much, though it was exceedingly strange to think about.

...She would never tire of the exercise. As long as his eyes were hers to look into, his hair was hers to play with, and his handsome face was hers to touch, she could have kissed him forever and nothing would have changed... She could only hope that he got as much feeling out of the kiss they shared as she did...

[I Am Zee]

The answer to his question was given to him, not with words, but with the simplest of actions. Truth be told it took him a moment to realize just what was happening, as it was the last thing he expected her to do. However, he most certainly did not object.

He...could feel her- Really feel her. Not just in his heart, but in his face as well. It seemed as though nature had spared him some of the nerve endings in his lips and tongue. This should have been obvious to him before, as he could still taste and smell, and what a taste she was.

Her lips were soft, moist- the perfect pair. Her tongue, as it passed so gently over his own, was warm and tasted sweet, like freshly made caramel, just before it hardened. It was a creamy, buttery sweet. Never had he tasted such a thing in all his years- living or dead.

But it was more than the taste, more than the smell of her rosy hair. It even was more than her gentle hands upon his face and more than her lips against his. It was his heart, that had truly been affected. His heart, so cold and so lifeless, felt warm again. It remained still in his chest of course, but the feeling of life, the joy of companionship- that is what had been missing, and was now granted to him.

Oh ecstasy, oh rapture! What glorified deity had blessed him with this maiden? This gorgeous woman who took such pity on him- who had sent her? He wanted to know, that he might thank them and praise for the rest of his days!

Suddenly, he could feel her pulling away... No! He wanted more! He needed to feel her longer! His hands, though restlessly trembling, reached out to her. They longed, just as he did, to embrace her- to bring their lips together once again and never part them. His cold, stiff fingers brushed against her bare ribs, slowly working their way up her side, and eventually, around her back. He inched her forward, unable to resist having her away from him a second longer. This was it, this moment in time would never end. He would return here every night and relive this wondrous event! But, unfortunately, the fates are not kind by nature.

The tavern door just behind them swung open with similar speed as when Livane had exited the place. A middle aged, obviously drunk man tumbled to the ground and lay face first in the dirt. The bartender stood in the open doorway, shaking his fist.

" Keep your hands to yourself next time, ya filthy drunk! ", he shouted. An ironic statement, given his profession. The man's drunken state was just as much the bartender's doing as it was his own.

The bartender glanced at Zee and the young woman, thinking nothing of it at first. But of course, Zee's eyes left the warm embrace of his elven companion's, and averted to the bartender. Perhaps if Zee had paid him no heed, perhaps if he had kept his attention on that perfect woman, all would have been well...but it was not.

The bartender ceased his progress back inside, and leaned in closer, peering into Zee's face. The young undead quickly turned his head, hoping to remain a mystery, but it was too late- he had been seen. The bartender's eyes grew wide. It was painfully obvious that, in the glow of the tavern, he had seen Zee's eyes and skin, putting two and two together.

Zee could see the fear in him, and as the man drew a large breath into his lungs, the young undead's heart sank. He knew what would come next. He knew exactly what was going to happen. Quickly, as quickly as he could, he turned to face Lavine, bringing her eyes in line with his. With as much feeling as he could muster, and as much honesty as was possible, he spoke the words.

" I love y- "

" Z-ZOMBIE! ZOMBIE!! ", shouted the bartender, alerting not only everyone in the tavern, but the nearby guard patrol as well. " Guards! GUARDS! There is an undead in front of my bar! An undead! Here in Underwood! "

In the tavern, anyone sober enough to stand ran over to the window and pressed their faces against the glass, only to pull themselves back with a gasp. The guards, just a few paces away, ran, swords drawn, directly for Zee. The love he had gone so long without, was quickly overshadowed by fear. He turned to Livane one last time, and simply stared at her. He wanted to remember her face. He wanted to be able to recall every last detail, so that if he met with death again, she could be in his mind as he went.

" Everyone stand back! We're going to kill it! ", shouted one of the guards. His gruff voice was like nails on a blackboard. Zee's eyes shot left again. The armored men were almost close enough to rend him in two. Without a second glance, he took off, running in the direction of the dark alley. He ran fast and hard, not stopping for even a moment. He never looked back, never so much as turned his head. He could hear them pursuing, and could not afford to stop. His mind battled against itself, flashing images of impending doom, and images of her. Zee gritted his teeth, and let out a shrill, deep groan that pierced the veil of night, awakening all that slept for miles. A lone droplet of moisture escaped his eye, falling onto the soft earth below, seeping into the soil.

[wizardmon599]

And now she regretted pulling away from him more than anything she'd done in her enrite life...

The light from the tavern door---the terrified man's scream... If only she'd kept her lips upon his, and his eyes only toward her... His beautiful orbs of stardust...
Her heart sank as he stared at her for the last time. His words were honest, but painful to hear.
She searched him for any sort of reassurance, but there was none.

He started to run.
Zee! Wait-! She wanted to scream, but her voice would not comply. Even the tiny mouse was able to take more action then her... At least it was smart enough to run away. Following him, even. ...But she couldn't move.
Her legs felt of lead, and her voice was bound by a curse that she couldn't dispell.

She was frightened back into reality by the guffawing of a nearby human man. "They'll get that vile thing!"

"VILE?!" Livane turned to face the man, with tears in her eyes. "YOU are the VILE ones here..." She'd never sounded so painfully confident in her life. "If you were ANY sort of man, you'd be HELPING the innocent---not condemning them to a life of fear like you live everyday...!" She could not hold back her sob.

The man, who was now joined with numerous other humans, stared at the elf in a stupid wonder.

She glared at them like a statue.
"...What your eyes tell you, isn't always the truth..."

She had never before felt hatred for another being. Her heart had always been pure and innocent to all...
But with happiness, always comes sadness. Like lovers, they walk hand-in-hand.

It is better to have loved and lost, then never to have loved at all.
She couldn't remember who said it, but it didn't matter. Nothing could change but the hearts of man, which didn't seem likely.

Before the others could speak, Livane ran into the darkness--- following his path. The road would not take her to him, she knew, but she couldn't just do nothing. Then she would have been as bad as them.

Things would never change on their own.

With a heavy heart, and a new mission---even bigger than she could imagine---Livane ran.

[Taskmienster]

I apologize for the wait, it’ll be short and if you want clarity on anything just send me a message and I’ll gladly help you out with whatever I can.


Story

Continuity: 6

~Neither of you really gave too much of your background, though Zee’s way of showing the character’s past came through small blips per post.

Setting: 5

~Setting was ok, but it just seemed that you repeatedly described the darkness more than anything.

Pacing: 4

~The pacing is killed by the use of multiple single sentence ideas, which Liv used almost exclusively to create her paragraphs. Try and put in more thought per ‘paragraph’ than a single sentence.

Writing Technique

Mechanics: 8

~Only a few mistakes, real mistakes in the way your wrote. Good job.

Technique: 6

~ Liv, you use way too many ellipses (…) in your dialogue. It detracts A LOT from the reader’s view.

Clarity: 5

~Liv, you need to put a paragraph space between the ends of each of your sentences. Without those it looks like a very large clutter of words. It is very difficult to follow and figure out where one idea ends and the next begins.

Character

Dialogue: 5

~Lots of internal dialogue, but on Liv’s part it was almost too much short, quick thoughts. Towards the end, when you were yelling at the people just after they called out Zee, you used a lot of ALL CAPS, bold, and even underline. Italics denotes ferocity in the way your character speaks without making it unappealing to the eye.

Action: 5

Persona: 6

Wild Card 6


Total 56/100


Rewards

I Am Zee gains 575 exp and 120 gold

Wizardmon599 gains 445 exp and 120 gold

[Witchblade]

EXP and GP added!