Dark Companions

[Requiem of Insanity]

(Solo)

The night was young as the wind blew casually against the world the leaves of fall stirring in small circles a slave to the billowing breeze. The path was bare, nothing could be seen but a few slivers of the moon trying desperately to break through the heavy fog of leaves. Though the seasons were changing, the transition hadn't yet hit. The final vestiges of the hot summer sun would defiantly heat the earth's atmosphere, but at night fall was the master, and the soft breeze its herald.

Walking down those barren roads was a solitary figure. A woman, with long hair carrying a large back pack and wearing a simple traveler's outfit, her oversize sun hat off her head and resting on the nape of her neck. She sashayed from side to side, as if smitten with a lover who was walking her down this dark road. To her she was with the most interesting person in the whole world. This man was her own twisted dark desires, and she breathed for this man. Her steps were soft as she giggled to herself, a joke from him here, a small sweet whisper there. She couldn't resist him, for his charm was overwhelming. His words were for her only, and she loved him.

His words were not of love however, but of sick satisfaction. His mistress was Cassandra Remi, a very much plain and unknown actress with no qualities other than her stunning looks. Even those however could be trumped by other woman, for she had no desire to compete for men's attentions. Her focus was solely on her deep ambitions for her favorite pastime. She was a serial killer as a side job. Nothing fancy, mostly torture and the like. However her kills needed to be a special breed of sinners and degenerate scum. Not just anyone would please her darker companion.

She lovingly would search when the urge would arise for a special target. Someone who was of a particular brand of vile scum. She loved murder's and rapists. They screamed the loudest. For each crime they committed the octave would grow higher as their bodies produced sounds they didn't know they could. She loved to test their limits, and after a while she became very proficient at what she did. There were other types of people she would settle for, mostly warlords of small towns, gang leaders and the like. If a particular politician abused his power for gain than she may pay attention. But a politician who killed for gain, that was a special breed of scum and she relished in those rare opportunities to kill a prey such as that, taking her sweet time as her companion relished in each drop of spilt blood.

Most of her prey asked her why she felt she needed to act like this. It wasn't a need per say, it was more like a necessity to her. To not kill in that manner for her was like going a day without eating. However she knew she had to have some control in her relationship with her darker half. She fought the urges he gave her, laughing with him to calm down, but eventually the monster inside wanted to play, and she could only nod in agreement. To not listen to her urges was unthinkable to her. Once those urges grew strong the hunt was on, a prey needed to be found in order to satisfy her cravings. Others would call it a sacrifice to a darker being that dwelled within her. But this was no religious act of righteousness. She had killed innocents before, but the screams were disgusting to her. They had no flair of regret or remorse for actions they committed. No, sacrifice wasn't the correct word. This was life, a necessity.

The prey would be tracked down and she would strike, bringing her victim to the play house naked and tied up. The naked body wasn't anything sexual to her, far from it. The shame in knowing you were naked only made the experience that much more satisfying for her. If you could enjoy your favorite hobby with one simple thing, would you not do it?

This was who she was, and she never felt ashamed for it. Other monsters let their wilder side out nearly on a constant basis. Some even letting it consume who they are and becoming a fragile former shell of their original state of mind. Some would argue with her for the right to be considered crazier than she, more insane and more atrocious than her. That their crimes had to be greater than hers, their atrocities had to be grander and more satisfying. She thought those people were crazy.

And so it was that her friend had come out to play. It had been months since her last kill and he was getting bored being quiet. He wanted to play and play soon. So she tracked down the hired goon of a wealthy politician, a particularly nasty person with a very dark soul renting room inside his own psyche. A tall and muscular man where he had a muscle in places people didn't even have. He was a walking monstrosity of bulk and power, yet he was no idiot brute, he was a cool, methodical thinker with a knack for killing precision. He was like her, a person with a need to visit with their other darker half. He wasn't all that bad, and should he even had a higher code she may find respect for the man. But feelings were void to her. She cast them aside for more room to be closer to her dark companion. The only feeling she had towards this man was the urge to kill him, to hear him scream with the blood pooling all around him.

Her urges were high and she couldn't control them anymore.The hunt was on and Huang Lo was the prey. She giggled with delight as she looked forward. The town was before her. Her prey inside. She licked her chops as she was already thinking of the fun the two would have.

[Requiem of Insanity]

The town was still busy despite the late hour. Street lights were still on and the villagers of the town walked around the streets with quiet enthusiasm. The bars all were full of drunken merchants and bar flunkies. The hostels were a lite with life as people moved in and out of them freely as water flows from a faucet. No signs were visible to dedicate an event of such hustle and bustle, but the town need not for such a day. It was celebrating life, as simple as it sounded it was a big deal to the people of the town, when death was always just around the corner.

Cassandra felt awkward and out of place. So much life and enthusiasm seemed almost anathema to her ideals and morals. It seemed all walks of life were just walking around in this festival of longevity, all manners of corrupt and vile people darted around and ran to the next high. It was like a port of call for degenerates, a safe haven for the crooked people of the area. Paradise created from a maelstrom of gore and deceit. The more she thought of it the more the place started to grow on Cassandra.

Already four men had made very obvious advances to her, but she declined them all swiftly, her darker half already silent so she could work in peace. She looked around for a cheap and easy hostel to stay in, and to her luck it was just in front of her. As she approached the doors two men opened them dressed in tight leather garments, laughing wildly and twiddling their fingers at each other before gawfing over each other. Cassandra moved past them and one spun on his heel slapping her ass. Calm, I am calm, I will not drag him to his death. She thought like a religious mantra.

"What's wrong baby?" the perpetrator had neon green hair, an obvious spell enhancement gone horribly wrong. Cassandra looked to him with a look of disgust, for once an emotion she didn't have to pretend and turned walking back towards the doors ignoring him. He slapped her on the ass again following her. "Come on, baby? How about a drink?" How about a breath mint you booze hound?

"I'm rather weary from my travels," She said politely. "Maybe some other time." In the afterlife. He just moved in on her, his friend laughing hard as he walked slowly behind her.

"Let me just help you to your room and I can massage those pretty legs for you." Alright, that does it! Cassandra smiled sweetly before she put on a dour face of anger, dropping her back pack and using a single finger to find the location near the collar bone and just beneath the Adam's apple. He may be a swift person for all she knew, a decent sell sword while sober, but tonight, he was a bumbling idiot, and Cassandra made note to force him to pay while his brain wouldn't bother remembering her. As the finger hit home he instantly dropped to his knees in pain, his eyes suddenly full of fear as he couldn't think of anyway to counter her. His friend stopped laughing and drew out a switchblade getting ready to assault her before she rose a single finger to him.

"I just brought this little bitch to his knees using one finger," She gave a seductive smile as she pushed him away from his pressure point, causing him to gasp and start coughing. "Imagine what I can do with my whole hand." He got the hint, nodding to her with a stupid smile, looking at his blade in shock, amazed it got there in the first place. Ugh...Leeave. She thought stressing it out in her mind. The fool ran for his life into the sea of people, hopefully never to be seen again. She stepped onto the groin area of her newly found friend and made a point to use him as a stepping stone on her way to her destination. Psychos. She mused.

As she approached the counter she found a small blond petite girl of the age sixteen cleaning up a very disgusting mess of puke, broken statues, and a smashed table. Cassandra looked at her as she diligently worked to clean up the mess, stopping only when she noticed Cassandra was there. "Oh my," She said startled dropping her mop and running to the counter. "I hope you didn't wait to long." She placed her left hand on the counter top and leapt over before she popped up in front of Cassandra.

"No not at all!" Cassandra insisted with a positive smile. Does ten minutes constitute long? She signed her paperwork handing over her money to the girl before she looked at the mess again. "Hooligans?" Cassandra asked in a pretend caring tone. The teenager nodded grimly.

"Every night is another game of mindless destruction. Some punk thinks he's the gods gift to woman and smashes stuff when he doesn't get what he wants. Today was easy though. I'm actually having a good day by these standards." She gave a weak smile. "My name is Veronica, and yours?" She offered her hand politely and Cassandra took it. I don't care what your name is.

"Beth Valentine." She took the hand and shook it quickly. "Did you need help cleaning this up?" She offered in a very 'Don't-Ask-Me-I'm-Being-Polite' way. Veronica looked to her as if she was a goddess and then looked away. Pretty blue eyes. I always liked blue eyed people. They scream loud.

"I really couldn't," Don't you dare "But if you wouldn't mind?" Cassandra made every inch of her body rebel against the urge to snap like a twig, and she squirmed awkwardly not bothering to say a word, but nodding anyway.

"Of," She said through gritting teeth. "Course." Veronica smiled and shook her head.

"Naw, you go to your room." She smiled waving her off. "I was just kidding." Bitch! Cassandra just laughed playfully and grabbed her keys, making no more small talk so she could get back to the hunt. "Madam Valentine?" Cassandra kept walking, oblivious to the name she just made up. "Mam?" She said louder. Ugh, What now you pathetic puppy? Cassandra turned to her and smiled. "What time should I wake you?" Cassandra looked at her and could tell she was very smitten with her. My gods, even the woman can't resist the call for sex!

"I shall wake up at noon and no later, and no earlier." She said happily. "Thank you." Veronica gave her a huge goofy smile before her face turned red and she started to clean up the mess again, a spring in her step. Cassandra walked up the stairs and could only think of one thing.

This place is full of Psychos, She smiled deeply only to herself, the dark companion brushing her shoulder in a playful way. I must be home.

[Requiem of Insanity]

The morning rays showed a very different side of the town, the activity of the night no longer in high demand, but business was booming in the town square. Despite that odd conglomeration of people and traders, the town seemed near deserted. The wind blew softly, picking up clouds of dirt and dancing in the emptiness of the streets before dropping it and moving forward.

Cassandra looked out the window to see Huang Lo and an entourage of thugs walking the streets, she smiled seeing her green haired friend walking in tow, every four steps reaching for his throat. She marveled at the specimen that was Huang Lo, envisioning just how many lengths of rope she would need to use to tie him down. A table had to be used, and he needed to be elevated slightly in an inverse position, so he couldn't make use of his strength to escape as his brain filled slowly but surely with blood. He would be a prize catch, and she quivered with delight at the day he would belong to her.

A sharp knock came at the door, and Cassandra busied herself to put on her robe, still dressed in just her under garments. As she opened the door, her robe fell open and she didn't bother to close it, realizing it was only Veronica. This small treat for her wouldn't be such a bad thing for a kid her age. Go ahead you little pervert, it's okay to look. She smiled as Veronica blushed turning away.

"No-Noon on the dot mam." Cassandra smiled turning and motioning for the girl to follow. Vernoica did as she was told, closing the door behind her.

"What's that place, just near the edge of the town with the high walls?" Look at where I am pointing, not my breasts you ingrate! Veronica took to long to answer the question and Cassandra hurriedly fastened her robe with one hand. "The place?" She said again, a little more forceful.

"Hunag Lo's place." She said embarrassed. "Why did you want to know?" Cassandra's face didn't hide her bitter disappointment. Was I really so dumb to think he didn't live in anywhere but a security pit? she thought dismally. Cassandra nodded and went to the bathroom, taking her robe off, but purposely not closing the door. Good little girl, now let's see if you get the prize.

"Do you know the man who built that place?" Cassandra asked fishing around with her bra on purpose. Veronica starred at Cassandra's body in complete admiration and once again Cassandra nearly shut the door in frustration as she didn't respond, but as her hands hit the edge of the wood Veronica pipped up quickly.

"I'm sorry I don't." Cassandra gave a very sour face and was about to close the door before she spoke up again in excitement. "The Town Hall however should have the blue prints and those would have the name of the contractor!" Good girl! Cassandra kicked the door open lazily with her foot. She unfastened her bra and pretended to look in the mirror, admiring herself and heaving her chest out swinging side to side. I can see the erection from here you sick little girl, but you are useful, so enjoy. Veronica was sitting now, looking blatantly at her body and Cassandra smiled grabbing her towel.

"Whoops!" She laughed playfully. "Silly me." Now go pet. I have work to do. Veronica stood and walked towards the door, each step clearly in protest of what her inhibitions wanted.

"I should," She coughed and cleared her throat. "Get back to work." As do I. Leave. Veronica opened the door and left quickly. Cassandra smiled to herself as she got dressed and ready for the day. As she looked up at the mirror she smiled at her own reflection, her dark companion teasing her for her methods.

[Requiem of Insanity]

The favorite part of the hunt was always the chase for Cassandra. She loved each and every moment of exhilarating heart beat step closer to her prey. The stalking was particularly fun, learning all about the person she was going to kill. Their mannerisms were exceptionally fun to learn, for it gave her a great insight into the type of person they were. Most of her prey was terribly OCD, each having a set routine they had to follow. Get up, get dressed, eat breakfast, go to the office, kill a person, call it a day.

Cassandra sat at the table of a local pub area, watching Huang Lo eat at the bar across the street. His thug attendees were all sitting at a large table with him in the most prominent seat. He didn't eat heavy, despite his size. She figured it was just a habit for him. How cute, a garden salad. She saw him devour the tomato in a very brutish bite as he laughed with his cronies.

She sighed as she waited for her contact at the Town Hall to come, figuring she had an hour to kill before Huang Lo would start his rounds with the local businesses. This was a good time to learn about who made his little fortress and possibly get a chance to see the blue prints. It wasn't like she was asking for the front door key, just some simple information. She took a sip of her water and gently put it down writing some more on her notepad about casual observations. He has a complete phobia of being dirty it seems. After each bite, whether he made a mess or not, he had this need for cleaning up his face with a napkin. How very polite of him. She laughed to herself as she wrote out the final thought before putting her notepad away. She looked around for her contact and sighed. Why do politicians have the need to be compulsively late.

She really had to thank Veronica somehow, for it was her going out of her way to set up this meeting for Cassandra. Her usefulness seemed more apparent with each deed she did, and it started to cross her mind to ask her to join her. Besides, a pet is always great for company. But, the biggest problem she had with the idea was the whole being a killer part. It wasn't exactly something that people would just ignore for the sake of love, and if she did except her for who she was, than Cassandra would be more uncomfortable with her than she would be now. The idea of someone excepting her for who she was just boggled her mind, because she was a killer, and it would take a seriously damaged soul to just accept that for who she was.

The whole idea was put on hold as a young gentleman introduced himself as a man named Chase. Without preamble he sat at her table dropping a briefcase next to his seat and started talking. Chase went into incredible detail about his knowledge of the town and how important he was in the office back in the Town Hall. Of course he wasn't trying to brag or anything, but for some reason he decided that was a fine moment to pick at the dirt under his nails. Putz. Cassandra just gave him her flashy toothy smile of acceptance, shook his hand, and nodded in an over reacting way to his words of boring detail as to what exactly it was he did. I have spent five minutes with you and I didn't even get to say a sentence yet. Dear dark lords, I wish you would die. At the end of that thought he began to choke to on the bread he helped himself to, without prompt, and he began to jerk his head trying to cough. Soon his eyes grew into two wide orbs as he pointed to his throat.

Cassandra just smiled at him, laughing playfully. Squirm for me worm, today the dark lords favor me. His face started to turn blue and he attempted to hit himself in the stomach to dislodge whatever was affecting his wind pipe. Just a little longer, the asphyxiation will do a little more brain damage. He began to turn a very dark shade of blue around his cheeks as his eyes bled salty tears, his face begging for her to do something. And I wonder, just who the hell would miss you? Be grateful you insignificant speck. I have a use for you, and unfortunately being dead isn't part of the plan. She stood quickly as she pretended to be concerned, and she got behind the man to perform a Heimlich maneuver upon his body. As the piece of bread moved out of his body she dropped his body like a sack of potatoes as she sat back at her chair, scooting in to the table and folding her hands on themselves. "So," She said happily as if nothing happened. "To business?" She pushed a glass of water to him, which he chugged very quickly. After a few deep breaths he calmed himself and nodded to her.

"I heard you needed plans or something for the Lo Manor. I'm afraid I can't just let those papers..." he looked around and then gave a devilish smile. "Get out of the office unless their is very good reason." Can one operation go without some sexual favor being asked of me? Cassandra smiled to him as she leaned in, one hand holding his, the other playfully walking up his arm to his face.

"Please? Could the big strong Town Hall master Chase help me out?" He shivered in pleasure at her touch, she trying desperately not to shiver in disgust at his. He coughed again, a bit of spit hitting her on the hand. Ew.

"I'd love to but first," He looked around again and then leaned into her. "I want to give it to you in the worst way. I want you to service me with that beautiful smile. Otherwise I am not sticking my neck out unless my head gets treated first." He flashed a very stupid smile. "If you know what I mean." he added. Cassandra didn't let her face drop in the face of the proposition, her face still smiling, even curling into a grin herself. That was the biggest mistake of your life. She let her hand wander until she danced her finger down his throat, finding the spot just between the Adams apple and the collar bone. She rested her finger there for a brief moment.

"Do you really want to do that?" She said in a teasing manner. "I'm very fragile and you could break me." He nodded to her, his grin bigger than anything she had seen in her life.

"Oh yes, I want your body tonight." He breathed thinking he was being smooth. She sighed loudly her smile dropping in an instant. Fucking perverted dick, my way now! She let her finger curl into the inside of his collar bone and he began to thrash about, but her other hand locked his index finger between three of hers as she torqued the finger in a way it wasn't meant to be bent.

"Listen to me you degenerate pile of filth. I have business to attend to with Huang Lo and you are in the way of that job getting done. So let me be succinct with you," She scowled at him with her cold hazel eyes as she bored into his soul. "I want those plans, right now, in my hand. I know you got them in your stupid little briefcase, so pop it out with your newly busted hand." She freed his hand, and he quickly got his briefcase and fumbled trying to use his busted finger. After he opened the case and grabbed the correct papers she placed his finger back into the lock and he tried to yelp, but his throat was currently being ripped into by her finger. She looked at him with deadly eyes. "I want you to forget this ever happened. Period. You even breathe this back to anyone I'll know, and this pain you are feeling," She put all her pressure into his body as he managed a very scratchy yelp of pain, his salty tears dripping all over the table. "And this pain will feel like a vacation from the world of pain I'll take you to. And then, after you're done going into the pits of hell, I'll kill you." He looked at her with blurry eyes, his face murmuring words of pain. She released him taking the papers and getting up walking away towards the hostel. She didn't bother to look at Chase as she walked away, his coughing and deep breaths making her smile brightly.

Ah what a gorgeous day. She thought smugly.

[Requiem of Insanity]

Night time. A time of darkness and shadows. A place where monsters can roam free of the light, of the good in the world and be what they are. Nothing but the stars and moon to judge them, and they were no harsh critic. It was a time of peace for one who associated with the darkness, for where else can one be secure and calm than in the oasis of blackness that surrounds them. This night the moon showed only half of its face. Tonight the moon wouldn't be watching.

Cassandra danced lightly in the shadows, despite the festivities of the night once again. Loud music, roaring laughter, the sounds plagued her as she lifted her burlap mask over her mouth and nose, tightly pulling her nail into a ponytail and tying it off. She walked with cat like grace as she sauntered in the shadows. Her urges were haywire, and she felt the calming presence of her dark ambitions near her, helping her stay focused. Tonight was Huang Lo's death night, and with that peace of mind she was able to remain calm despite her growing need to kill.

A drunk had walked near her hiding place, a pile of garbage bags that she hid next to, as he dropped his pants to relieve himself she snuck up behind him and grabbed his head tightly, wrapping her arm around his neck. He struggled against her, but his state of mind was no match for her sleeper hold as he collapsed to sleep. With the way clear she made a dash for the outlining woods, and stayed within the shadows of the trees as she approached the home of her prey.

She had studied his home layout and found one wall where it was a foot and a half deeper because of the incline of the hill. That section of his home was only six feet high as apposed to the seven and a half feet of the other three walls. She could easily jump that and pull herself up. As she reached the part in the wall where the garden was located she tossed her bag of weapons and other 'tools' up, hitting the top of the wall and sitting lazily upon it, waiting for her to come. Rubbing her hands together and curling her body she leaped up and missed the first time by three inches easy. Damn, I am so out of shape! She cursed to herself, but the calming hand of her dark companion chilled her nerves, and she took a deep breath. Up she jumped, again to short but getting closer. Almost got it... She ran up to the wall, climbed it with her feet a bit jumping into it, and this time her fingers scratched the top of the wall. Dammit all! She kicked the wall turning around. She closed her eyes and took two deep breaths, and then she giggled. Of course, grab a rock. she replied back to her darker friend smiling.

Cassandra dove into the forest with searching eyes and located a particularly large shaped rock about a foot high no more than twenty feet away from the house. Using all her might she rolled her newly found rock forward to the wall. Taking a deep breath she stood on her wobbly ladder like helper and jumped, this time easily making the jump. With little motions she had her bag in hand, a knee resting on the dirt of the garden. She smiled as she rushed forward, her heart beating at the idea of her prey being so close.

The Lo manor was a relatively small estate, five rooms, one in each corner of the house, and the last in the middle. The floor on the north eastern side was the room that led directly to Huang Lo's room, and she made sure she found every subtle thing about the house as much as she would take notes on her prey. Cassandra had the entire floor plan of the place memorized, and it was simple to find the one room that would lead to the inner sanctum. The window had no lights on, and using all her skills in breaking in she found the window to be unlocked, and it slid open easily. She looked inside, drawing out her throwing knife for defense from her bag of tricks, and once she felt confident she was clear, she moved into the room one foot at a time. After she was inside, she immediately moved toward his room, opening the door into the hall and seeing nobody in the building. She grew concerned, but her urges pressed her onwards. She ran for Huang Lo's room, and to her shock, it was unlocked. Warning signs, Cassandra. She thought in a dull manner. The kill was more important to her, but she knew she had to be patient. She creaked the door open, checked to see if anyone was in hiding, and to her frustrations she came to a sad realization. This place is empty. She sighed as kicked the door open, and found a note sitting on the bed.

Picking it up Cassandra read it aloud softly to herself, in a very sarcastic tone, knowing it was written to be read in that style. "Dear Playmate. I find it so enthralling your gall to think that I would be so dumb as to not catch onto your threat to kill me. You are good, no doubt, but let's face it. I do this for a living, and you do not." She rolled her eyes. Like hell I don't. She read on. "However I am very amused as to the fact you squashed two of my men like bugs, and was -dare I say it- even enraptured by your casual disdain for the town hall fool. The performance deserves a standing ovation, which pains me to tell you I will not be able to provide in person." At least he knows good work when he sees it. "Alas this note is getting bit lengthy and I did have a special surprise for you. The girl Veronica at your hostel will as we speak feel the fury of my 'artistic talents' and will probably scream your name like the bitch you are. Take this time kind lady, for I admire what you do, to run away and leave me be. If you stay another day I will not hesitate to kill you next. Consider it a professional courtesy, Huang Lo." How cute, he even put a drop of his blood upon the page.

Cassandra sighed as she walked out of the room, completely de-railed at the thought she was discovered so casually. Her urges were non exsistant to her for she was feeling sorrow and regret. The kill of a lifetime was actually letting her walk away tonight scott free. A slap on the wrist or a bat on the nose. Bad little dog, don't do that again. All these feelings eventually boiled to hatred and she felt like kicking somebody's head in. But she kept her cool despite the growing tension, and she left the way she came climbing up the wall. She hid amongst the shadows of the trees and went back into the alleyway where the drunkard she knocked out came to.

As she saw him there, pitiful and alone she felt her urges rise. She was losing her grip and her touch. She was waiting to long to make the kill. She spent to much time entertaining a young girls fantasies about the possibility of sex with her. She took to much time playing and toying with Huang Lo, that she didn't even realize she was the one being played with. But Huang Lo was done with his toy, and he told her he was putting her away. He didn't want to play anymore because he was bored with her. She couldn't keep thinking like this, not this way. This was a dark road, a road she didn't want to walk. It was sloppy and full of feelings she didn't need.

Then it happened. The casual brush against her shoulder. The touch of approval. Her companion understood. He was patient. He could wait just a little longer for Huang Lo. She just needed to focus. Pulling out her dagger she stabbed the man in the back of his lung so he produced no sound, but to make sure she covered his mouth. She stabbed him again in the other lung. She felt the blood dripping all over her hand and clothes. She stabbed again, this time in between the neck and shoulder bone hitting a juicy piece of meat. She stabbed him all over as she let his blood run all over her hands. She felt her urges calming down, but they were only at a small simmer. This death was nice, but nothing like she wanted. Just a small snack before dinner.

Ah, now I can focus again. she said smiling to herself as she wiped the blood off her hands.

[Requiem of Insanity]

The hostel wasn't as hard to sneak back into as she thought it would be. Most of the staff members were in the front greeting area sobbing and crying. It was with a few quick movements that allowed Cassandra to escape to her room for the evening, but she didn't change completely. She kept the under garments of her sneaking suit on, but changed out of her bloody traveling clothes into her back up set. She quickly washed up and moved down the stairs, her kit bag in hand as she walked into the scene of the crime.

Prominently displayed upon the counter was the head of Veronica, her body limp off to the side in a chair, a book was in her hands, a simple fairy tale about a princess who learned to stay in the castle instead of travel outside the safety of her borders. How absolutely brilliant. she mused as she realized it was a message for her. Leave my castle and I will die. She almost felt like laughing, but had an act to keep up of pretending to be mortified. Veronica's mother was sobbing like a new born babe to what she could only assume was the father. The tears, the crying, the wailing for a mother's baby. These sounds were asinine to her. Veronica was dead, that was all there was to it. To her, the feeling of sadness and remorse for her passing was unfathomable. She supposed this could have been her flat for dragging her in, but her mind cared not. Veronica was dead, her life wouldn't be avenged by Cassandra for the sake of revenge. This had nothing to her with her before, and she felt no need for it to be about her now.

Taking one last look at the head she did feel a slight twinge of pain. A certain sadness for the loss of life of something so useful. But she couldn't grasp anything from the emotion that was swelling up inside. She had no idea how to grieve or feel the sorrow of a passing friend or family member. Veronica, as much as it was hard for others to accept, was nothing more than a tool. And like any tool, they can break, but also be replaced. With cold emptiness in her eyes she went over to the body and grabbed the book. This is going to come in handy later.

"Excuse me," A gentle voice said from behind her. Cassandra turned around smiling. "Are you Miss Valentine?" Cassandra nodded and extended her hand out, and the woman who was speaking to her took the hand, and instantly she knew it was the mother. "Veronica always talked of you, non-stop for the last two or three days. She was never so excited about anything in her life." Why should I care? She thought. The mother's eyes opened in alarm, and Cassandra suddenly realized her thoughts weren't as private as she thought, bringing a hand up to her face. "Excuse me?" She asked with indignity.

"Mam," she said stumbled for words. "I am sorry, I didn't say what you," The mother cut her off quickly.

"You sick she devil!" She shouted in rage pointing at Cassandra. "You, you...YOU MONSTER!" She shouted again backing away. "My daughter died, and all she cared about was you it seemed! Yet you have no soul in that black heart of yours to feel any form of care at all! Your devoid of a simple emotion as regret! You whore-child!" She cursed as some of the staff started to hold her and walk her back. "She is the reason I lost my baby! She's the monster who did this!" Cassandra didn't blink at all, but her face didn't change to shock or remorse. She kept her face very neutral as her Hazel eyes pierced into the soul of the mother. "LOOK AT HER EYES! SHE HAS NO SOUL!" She bellowed in a murderous rage. Cassandra knew that a normal person would have defended themselves, or a smart killer would have done some act to break the heat off her, but she let the verbal abuse hit her like a wave of water. She was a monster, and as the words came at her quickly and destructively she could only agree with them. Look into the mirror of a persons soul and you'd be surprised how ugly they really are. Without no other thought she walked out of the hostel, the intent to never return clearly in her mind.

She looked back at the mother one last time. I am who I am. She turned back around towards Huang Lo's place and smiled to herself. The moon was still shining brightly in the night sky as she lifted the mask to cover her face. The hunt was on again, and this time she would have her prey.

[Requiem of Insanity]

The night was still roaring with activity as Cassandra hid peacefully in the shadows of the alleyway. She didn't want to go back the route she used before, the need to sneak in no longer amusing to her. She wanted to get Huang Lo this time, and the only way to do it would be to make sure he was at home, resting. The man was very patient and smart, so he wouldn't be out partying with the rest of his thugs, but he wouldn't be alone tonight either. It should be light security and she smiled seeing three out of his eight cronies walking by. That was all she needed as she walked towards the house in the dim light of the moon, enjoying the opportunities that were offered to her as she grabbed a small three foot step stool from a street shop.

Approaching the walls of the front of the manor Cassandra shifted her pack of tools around to her back securely as she set the stool up. The security would be loose inside and tight outside, but she already knew this area was going to be secure. It was the least liekly place for anyone to sneak in. The wall portion was the highest at 8 feet tall, but with the use of her stool she easily jumped up and climbed up and over landing softly on the grass. She swayed her hips casually as she walked up the front door and turned the knob to open it. Unlocked, just as she figured it would be.

The inside of the house was very quiet, with only one person guarding the place, and by guarding it he was sitting on a stool snoozing in the corner. With one swift motion of her hands his little land of sleep was put into overdrive, the sleeper hold easily knocking him unconscious. She approached the door to Huang Lo's room and she rested her palm against the door handle, leaning her ear against the wood. How sweet, Huang is a snorer. She eased her hand off the door and looked around before she found a great idea to use first. She tied a piece of rope to a ceiling chandelier near his door, and with the other grabbed a large flower pot and tied it around pot securely. Nodding to herself in satisfaction she started to tap her fingers rapidly on the door, waking up Huang as he grumbled threats of death if whatever woke him up wasn't important. I assure you it is important. Huang opened the door and Cassandra used her makeshift weapon with deadly accuracy, swinging the pot into the head of Huang Lo. It shattered against his face, and he stumbled down to his knees in shock, cringing in pain as he screamed in alarm. But what Cassandra didn't know was that this man wasn't out yet. As she walked over to his body she felt her urges go haywire, and her careful nature was left to the side of the road as she reached down for him, but to her own surprise Huang grabbed her hand and tossed her behind him into his room, her body hitting a small circular table in the middle of the room. Papers and ink flew all over the room as Cassandra's weight smashed the tiny desk to pieces. Woozily she got up only to be picked up angrily by Huang Lo, his massive girth easily over matching her own. He held her body up over his head as stalked his way over to his large closet and tossed her body through the door smashing it to pieces. She rolled around in the small walk in room grasping her sides.

"I asked you politly to leave you hell bat." He wiped blood from his nose as he moved closer to her. "Why didn't you just leave?" Cassandra slowly got up as she grabbed something tossing it at him. He easily batted the object aside as she reached for anything else, but all she managed to find was a small lever that opened a hidden door in to her left. She scurried off running down a narrow earth tunnel until she reached a small room with one window that led into the forest area behind the garden. The moon was only source of light and she retracted quickly into the shadows. Huang ran into the room and stayed centered upon it as he looked around for her. Stay calm, Cassandra. She felt her fingers lodge onto something big and heavy. "Come out, come out, come out little girl. I just want to rip you limb from limb!" he roared slamming into the opposite wall exposing her back. With all her might she jumped out slamming the object which turned out to be a granite statue hitting him in the back of the head. He fell to his knees, but she already could tell he wasn't out yet. Using the last thing she knew she wrapped her arms around his neck and head, and held on for dear life.

Huang's arms flailed around as he tried to reach her, realizing he had few precious moments before her hold would knock him out. He found her leg and ran his body backwards so her body slammed against a wall made of weak material, dust flying everywhere. He backed up again and this time jumped into the wall, and she knew her body was starting to slip from the hold. With renewed vigor he walked forward a few more steps before running and jumping backwards again. Her body felt like it was on fire as she felt her arm and leg grow numb.

Her body was taxed beyond what it could handle, and she felt her hands giving up as Huang began to regain his strength. She felt the urges fading, and whispers of her friend dying down. This was to tall an order for Cassandra to handle. She met a person who was just as one with their monster inside as she was. She was ready to give in when suddenly she felt a cold grasp upon her arm.

Her body was starting to chill, but the sensation was thrilling. She gripped all the harder and Haung screamed in rage as she focused hard upon her growing urges. Huang Lo must die. That was all there was to it. As he ran backwards, she shifted her weight like a swinging monkey causing him to rotate and run right into the wall head first. He backed up a few steps in stumbling pain before she relocked him in the sleeper hold, this time applying pressure in a new unique way using his arm for added leverage. He tried to swing his arm, but suddenly his feet buckled and he was on his knees. Before long Huang Lo was falling over, at last defeated.

Cassandra rolled off next to him and breathed heavily. A brute of his size wouldn't be asleep for long, but she had a little time. She slowly got up and looked around the room, finding a torture table and nice iron shackles upon the floor near by it. She turned back to him and gave him the biggest smile she could produce as she walked back over to him grabbing his limp arms. For me? You set this all up for me? You shouldn't have. She said preparing her victim.

[Requiem of Insanity]

"You're probably wondering why I decided to stay and kill you." A voice said from the shadows as Huang Lo, mercenary for hire and hired thug overlord, slowly came to. He immediately checked his surroundings, pulling upon his arms and feet finding himself chained by iron shackles to a freezing table. He looked around for the source of the voice, but found nothing in the silence.

"I guess you could say the thought crossed my mind." Huang replied in a low angry tone. He looked to see the woman who had been following him for the last few days walk into the moonlight, a large foot long knife in her hand as she flashed a wicked smile of pure dark joy. He felt his body chill at the sight, but he kept his face calm and neutral. "Who are you?" He asked.

"Cassandra Remi, serial killer." She said with pride. "And tonight you're just the playmate of my dark companion." Huang raised an eyebrow of amusement as she walked over to him hovering the knife around his body, looking for the right spot to cut into.

"You got a buddy who puts you up to this?" He asked with morbid curiosity. She nodded in a fashion, observing an area of his upper left arm. "You are a whack job aren't you?" She paused for a moment as she looked to him with bewilderment.

"So you can't hear yours?" She asked plainly. "The voice inside that tells you that you need to kill? That voice is silent to you?" Huang looked at her with an odd expression of concern as he shook his head shrugging in his chains.

"I don't hear any voices, psycho lady. I'm a killer, like you. But I don't wait for permission first." He laughed a little. "I just get up and kill whoever I want." She cut deep into the inside of his arm causing him to cringe in pain, the blood pooling down his arm as he realized he was naked. She shook her head in frustration as she looked around his body again for a better cut for her plans.

"It's so sad, when you can't talk or feel the urges like I do. You miss out on so much of the fun of the act. In the end it just turns to mindless violence, and you lose your self respect." She went back to the shadows and returned with a book he deemed as familiar. After a while he realized what the book was and laughed.

"She was fun! She screamed your name each time I cut you, but she called you Beth or something idiotic like that. It was a beautiful sight of absolute patheticness." He said in a taunting manner to show how unafraid of her he was. Instead she dropped the book moving in closer to his face.

"That's it! That's your companion! He wants you to do those things! Go back to that place! Listen deeply inside your soul." She commanded. Huang just glared at her before he closed his eyes. "Don't you feel it. Remember the way the blood splattered on the ground, how her head just fell from her shoulders." Huang started to feel his body grow cold again. Before long he snapped his eyes open. "No Huang, No!" She moaned. But Huang just gave her a look of disgust.

"What's wrong with you don't you care she died?" Cassandra now was the one laughing as she went back into the shadows.

"You're afraid because I didn't care you killed the girl. And you are right in that regard. I don't care for the life of a tool. A stepping stone on my way to satisfy my dark companion. You do it to, but your companion has had to mislead you into playing with him. He has had to trick you where mine waits patiently for me. You saw him when I was describing how you killed her. You two just now met. I feel so special to bring you to each other."

"You have got some messed up issues you whack job!" He shouted to her. But she just laughed as she went into the shadows, shuffling around inside a bag before she returned with two knives and something sticking out her pocket, and a mirror in her hand.

"Huang Lo, meet you're monster." She said happily as he showed her his own reflection. For whatever reason he couldn't fathom he was no longer calm or thinking straight. Suddenly he felt this darkness inside him begin to grow and bubble from the recesses of the darkest pit of his own soul that he realized he never bothered to explore. Cassandra was right. All along, subtly manipulating him with what he thought were his own words was his own dark harbinger, whispering him sweet words of violence and rage so he could play.He almost felt like puking but kept it in, now that the presence was out in the open he no longer felt alone.

"So what now?" He asked as he felt a calming hand upon his shoulder. Cassandra looked back to him with a smile, suddenly finding the right place as she cut into his forearm with the small throwing knife. She tossed the knife to the side and it clattered on the ground as she reached for the device in her pocket, which to Huang Lo's instant squeamish surprise was a simple potato knife. She moved it closer towards her newly inflicted wound and began to peel at his flesh, one juicy meaty layer coming up like the skin of a potato, easily and smoothly cutting the top layer off. Huang Lo screamed in agony as she laughed at his cries, taking another layer off and dangling them before his face.

"The difference between our monsters that lurk inside is mine has a finer taste for the carnage and violence. And he was very patiently for me to tie you up. He and I are going to enjoy this very much. And unfortunately you'll die from all this fun we will have. But I do feel peaceful in knowing I was able to unite you and your darker ambitions. Now can you see what I see, the thrill, the needs, the urges all make sense suddenly don't they!" She cried out like a mad scientist as she laughed wildly. It was strange to him to yell it at all, but he cried out in agonizing glory, "YES! I FEEL IT NOW!" as she cut his ear off in one swoop of her knife and dropped it to the side, getting a hint of his blood on her dagger and licking it. She was surprised in her expression.

"I'm intrigued. You suddenly feel regret don't you? You wanted to do it all over again, kill those people with your new friend, don't you?" He nodded stupidly in his pool of blood as she took the knife and cut down his cheek line. She grabbed the potato peeler again. "I'm sorry you filthy vermin, but the finer taste I acquire is for monsters like you. You have no conscience, no soul. You just kill on a whim. That's not mayhem and violence, that's just being an animal. I on the other hand find rapists, murder's like yourself, and people who have done gross wrong to this world. For when they scream I feel so alive. Innocents can't scream like they do. Agonizing terror is utter painless joy for me." She started to scrape his face off one piece at a time, taking her strides slowly as he screamed with each cut.

All night she cut into Huang Lo. Each piece of flesh she shaved off she offered to Huang Lo. As she grabbed her knives and started to cut into him with butcher's precision, his cries all started to die out before she lovingly slit his throat, the blood pooling and mixing with the rest of his body. The last look on Huang Lo's face was the look of regret and terror. And she could feel his mis-deeds festering inside his blood, the realization that he was a monster only dawning in the last few precious moments of life.

At the end, Cassandra realized she felt sadness, an emotion she never really felt before and wept feeling sorrow for Huang Lo's passing, for she truly felt sorry he would never get the chance to be one with his darker ambitions.

[Requiem of Insanity]

The moonlight was now no longer visible, the lunar phase ending the light it once offered, but the cold seldom trodden road had no need for it. Only a solitary lone figure walked upon the dirt lazily, her body sprung with a spark of excitement as she danced around the barren path. Her steps were full of life despite the deathless feeling in the air, and she reveled in the freezing weather.

She wasn't alone as far as she knew. A dark compass guided her towards a new destination, her heart swimming at the thought her companion would come again, but for now he needed to be calm and quiet. Her heart ached to feel his embrace on her soul, but she had just killed the most prominent thug in this area, and the waves it sent would be a vicious backlash if she had stayed. No matter she figured. She was done with that useless place anyway now that she satisfied her urges. The hunt was over, and she felt a calming rhythm of peace inside her body. But one day, soon probably, the need would rise again, her urge uncontrollable to the point of mental anguish and the hunt would be off again, her prey and her getting closer to let her companion play. But that was another day for today she had to run.

Huang Lo's death was met with equal parts of joy and anger. The townspeople who were bullied by the monster that lurked within him rejoiced to see his body in a casket. His deeds a legend of the hate they felt for him. His thugs on the other hand lived in fear, for now their bulk of a spine became severed when they at last found him. His body was mutilated, chunks of his skin laid at his feet like potato shavings, the child's book about the princess who should have stayed in her castle rested open next to the plate that held the ugly little slivers of epidermis meat. He had his eyelids cut off and one ear completely missing, later to be found inside a cut on his side that stretched from his armpit to his waist. His limp body hid the greatness of physique he once had, but the craziest thing of all was the look of horror in his eyes, but the smile that was clearly forced on his lips.

Veronica's parents had no clue as to who would do such a thing for them, but they were grateful the bastard who killed her daughter was dead, and in the most gruesome way imaginable. It was a small payment that Cassandra left for them, one they hopefully would never know she did as a thank you for the services that Veronica had performed for her. As for the towns hall man Chase, he had fled the town in fear Cassandra managed to hear. He was terrified for the blue prints to Huang Lo's house were in Cassandra's hands because of his own sexual deviations. Dark desires he never got to play out and now was paying for. She suspected he would never be a threat to anyone again.

The town itself would most likely have another monster take the place of Huang Lo, but this new hired goon would think twice now before mindless killing lest the same fate happen to them. Policing the world was just a by product of her work, but her brutal messages always left the next runner up a clear thinker who never made an action without deliberate thought.

Without missing a beat Cassandra was off again into the world, not a care upon her soul as she laughed at the jokes her Dark Companion told her as she walked. He made a particularly funny reference to the way Huang screamed as his eyelids were sliced off delicately, on section at a time with the rusted potato peeler. Looking up to the sky she sighed loudly in satisfaction, her heart beating quicker and quicker. Huang Lo should be a proud kill, and she had every right deserve the glory and fame her dark companion gave her. And like a trophy wife she batted her eyes and let the compliments wash over her in a tidal wave of praise.

Her thoughts led her to wonder where her feat were taking her. And as she let her Darker ambitions guide her she smiled as she realized the best place to go. Where else could one hide in a sea of people and lose the trail of the predators for ever? Skipping now she knew which boat she would take as she laughed wildly at the thoughts that lurked in her mind. This place was full of new potential playmates for her dark ambitions, and she knew she could get away with whatever she wanted if she was smart. This would be the greatest test of her skills, and an excellent way to brush on her skills and learn a few new tricks. Her heart raced as she pondered what new exotic things she would see before she giggled to herself like a school girl, her dark harbinger brushing her shoulder with a firm hand of focus and reason.

With steely resolve she made up her mind and walked with determination, shrugging her back pack to the other shoulder as the iron shackles increased the weight exponentially. But it was a burden of love to her as she smiled watching the sun start to creep up over the mountains.

Hello new day, She thought to herself with a smug look on her face. I'm going to Lavinya. I wonder if she'll let me play?

[Ataraxis]

Here's another from your mysterious judge and masked benefactor! Again, should you have any questions, I'll be glad to relay them and return with the adequate answers.


Quest Judging
Dark Companions

I don't have any comments for this thread that don't go in the rubric, so let's just get to the numbers.

Continuity - 4

Unlike in Sins of the Father, there wasn't so clear an idea that this was all just status quo for Cassandra. I didn't have a clue to her past or how she'd learned of Huang Lo and come to kill him. There just aren't any answers to why she's doing what she's doing.

Pacing - 6

The pacing was smooth, but actually could have been slowed down. You could have elaborated, for example, some more of her stalking Huang or just acknowledged that time had passed. In post 2, she was barely meeting Veronica, in post 3 it was the next afternoon, in post 4 you called it morning without making any real transition to a new day so it could have still been day 2, but apparently, as intimated in post 6, it was actually a couple of days later. At least make it clear that time has passed, it feels odd not tracking time in sync with the story.

Setting - 4

You didn't make much use of setting this time around, which was a pity, you did it so well last time. In fact, the only real use of setting you made was the six-foot high wall that she had trouble jumping...despite the fact that she's 5'6" and should have had no problem with a 6' wall. If it was a 7.5' wall, like most of the rest of it was, I could see her having some trouble.

Persona - 7

Cassy's shaken some of the new character oddness, you seem to have found her. Huang seemed off, but minor NPCs seem to do that.

Action - 6

You were detailed in describing violent encounters, and in describing seduction, but eerything else fell pretty flat.

Dialogue - 7

The dialogue was solid this time around, not awkward. Some of the sarcastic side thoughts still seemed kind of strange, considering who she is, but this will probably get better and smoother in time.

Mechanics - 7

You dropped some words, used "to" instead of "too" again, and did some word exchange and had some issues with commas, but it was a better job than last time.

Technique - 5

There wasn't much here. I don't really remember anything but a couple of metaphors and similes.

Clarity - 8

I didn't see anything that made me stop and go "what?"

Wild Card - 8

The rubric was a bit hard on you, but I feel that you really improved quite a bit from Sins of the Father to this.

Total: 62 Congratulations!

Requiem of Insanity gains: 680 EXP!
Requiem of Insanity gains:110 GP!
Requiem of Insanity also gains:2 sets of iron shackles with 18" chains!

[Witchblade]

EXP and GP added!