My Dearest Cassandra, I Will Always Love You

[Enigmatic Immortal]

Groggily Tobias looked to her little alarm clock, the ringing spell of the metal not only echoing in the room, but inside her head as well. She knew it was stupid as hell to go drinking with Jensen and Stephanie last night, but the female knight insisted the elf make her presence as a drunken Jensen was usually no fun at all.

With a half grimace, half smile Tobias looked to her mirror rubbing her head and pushing the green tufts of hair aside. Jensen wasn’t all that bad when drunk, the elf thought in a haze. Stretching and yawning the nimble woman touched her toes to the cold castle floor, feeling a chill run up and down her spine.

The move to the castle took two weeks, as most of the higher reaches of the Ixian Knights now resided inside Ixian Castle. Ta’gaz and Hotori bunked in the same room across the hall, and next door to her was Oreo Jones. Adolph Gretzel and Harold Andres flanked her other side of her own personal room. It was like the little family of trainers in this wing of the castle, and she was happy to have so many strong guys around. Made lifting all her stuff a breeze.

She got into her shower and began to prepare for the day. She had three classes to monitor and training with Jensen that afternoon, and after the initial morning breakfast she promised Stephanie and Anita to go shopping with them. But first, she had to get downstairs to her training halls. It was a simple gymnasium, and the newest wave of recruits were supposed to be greeted by her this time. She drew straws with Ta’gaz and Harold and came up short for that honor.

Dressed and ready for the day she opened her door to find a rather loud and obnoxious surprise. A pair of cymbals began crashing in front of her face and the headache she worked so hard to keep down returned with a vengeance. Jensen laughed, somehow even more obnoxiously than the cymbals being beat as Tobias grabbed her head and kicked at the immortal. Angrily doors ripped open as Ta’gaz stumbled out his room, Hotori clearly visible behind him still meditating. Adolph’s door nearly flew off the hinges as the stoic knight entered the hall.

“Time to get up!” Jensen joked. Without warning Ta’gaz gripped Jensen by the back of the head and lifted him up in the air as Adolph punched him once in the gut before he dropped like a stack of bricks to the ground. Tobias glared to the immortal and kicked him once before apologizing to the other trainers.

She turned to leave when Jensen poked his head up, scrambling to chase after her as Adolph muttered crude words under his breath while he returned to his room. The two walked while Jensen wheezed and giggled at the same time, quite the feat, and managed to start talking after twenty pained steps.

“Can’t train tonight,” Jensen managed to say in one go. “Can I train this morning, leaf licker?” Tobias smiled as she usually did when the immortal made racial slurs at her.

“No.” She turned down the spiral staircase.

“Oh come on, bush humper,” Jensen whined. “If you thought the cymbals were annoying wait until I start to try!” That wasn’t a pleasant thought and Tobias turned to the immortal and grabbed him by his collar and brought him down to her chest as she shoved her other hand in his hair ruffling it.

“Oh how can I say no to such a stupid-woopid little hooman!” She cooed like a baby as Jensen snarled. That training with Ta’gaz was starting to pay off, she thought happily. At last she released Jensen from his confines and the immortal put on a grumpy face as they walked down the carpeted hallways. The sun shone through the ceiling high windows casting a glow upon the blue and gold fabric as they marched towards the gyms.

“How’s your head?” Jensen asked.

“Killing me, you really drink, don’t you?” Jensen shrugged.

“I pack it away so I don’t have to listen to Stephanie’s drunken whining.”

“Really, you should have paid more attention. I was about this close,” She lifted her fingers and placed them just a hairs length away from touching. “To convincing her to have a threesome with you and I.” Jensen’s eyes rose to that.

“Missed that conversation,” Jensen laughed. Tobias smiled. Whether the immortal knew it or not, the conversation actually happened, and Tobias almost woke up in the wrong bed. She would be positive she was far drunker than she first imagined.

“You were busy smooching the side of Stephanie’s chair.” Jensen snapped his fingers at once.

“That’s where the splinters came from!” Tobias now laughed, even though it hurt her hung-over head. She moved close to Jensen and leaned on the immortal for support and angrily he pushed her off. “Stop getting fresh with me, fairy fucker,” Jensen warned. “I may tolerate you, but that don’t mean I like you!”

Tobias shrugged. “I like you just fine, cock sucking human,” She said with a flashy smile and Jensen grinned to that. They both changed the topic to the lesson for the day as Adolph and Harold passed them by, heading over towards the chapel where they trained the newly formed Chaplains.

When they approached the locked doors to the gymnasium Jensen smelled the air and nearly wretched. Tobias took a whiff and she too felt her stomach churning as they both shied away from their door. Several knights were standing by, smelling the stench and hushed whispers of what it could be started to circulate the air. Jensen looked down the hall and Tobias noted that Ta’gaz stood before his new training dojo like a guardian, pushing anybody who attempted to enter away with Stephanie’s help.

She glanced to where Jensen looked to find Harold cursing loudly, hand over mouth as Adolph began to shout loudly to remove everyone from the area immediately. Taka’s personal training room he shared with Hotori was kicked open, followed by a flow of mercenaries who all began to lose their breakfast as some doubled over at the waist and threw up. Taka was wearing his porcelain mask and shouting in his native tongue about some Oni of the moon.

“What’s going on?” Jensen said feebly as he looked to Tobias. The elf shrugged as she headed for her door. Without even asking him the immortal lifted up his weapons and headed into the room. As the door opened the stench got worse, and Jensen lifted his shirt over his nose as if that would stop the putrid smell of decay. Tobias looked into the room and her eyes focused upon the center of her training room, going wide before she screamed in horror and slammed her frail frame into the immortal’s hiding her face in his chest.

Jensen wrapped his arms protectively around the elf, turning and looking at the mess before he began to growl angrily. Tobias could hear his heart beat with his anger, boiling his blood into rage. “What…What is going on!” Tobias whispered in fear. Jensen’s growling became louder as more curious people entered the room before retreating. Some threw up and others began to whisper to their comrades. “I thought…I thought Sei had you kill her! I thought she was dead!” Tobias continued on.

Jensen continued to stare at the disemboweled elf on the tarp, the mark of the Ixian Knights carved into the chest where the breasts were neatly cut off. Fingers were placed around the head like a halo as blood pooled into tiny recesses over the hay filled mat. The legs were positioned with the arms beneath the torso in the sigil of the Ixian Knights, The I standing tall with the K lowered just a bit to flow into one symbol. The face, what was left of it, had endured a hellish torture and screamed so loud it made stretch marks around the lips. Tobias knew about this work, heard of these deeds before. Only one person could do all this, and that was Cassandra Remi, and she was supposed to be dead. Jensen cut her head off in front of the raging crowd months ago.

With a snarl of spite Jensen turned to the knights. “GET ME LORD ORLOUGE, NOW!” The immortal bellowed. Tobias looked to the elf again, and began sobbing as she clutched Jensen’s coat tighter.

[Silence Sei]

"I need answers." Sei said plainly. Around the circular table were Sei's Nine Generals, the leaders of the Ixian Knights. In the spot of Cassandra Remi sat Jensen Ambrose, who quickly slammed a fist on the livol wood.

"You're damn right, faggot fairy King!" Jensen slammed his fist down once more "We have five, -five- mutilated bodies on our hands. Each one with the same fucking motif. You -know- who is doing this, and I was under the impression that she was gone for good!" The rest of the generals nodded in unison, unaware that Jensen had meant 'gone for good' in a different way.

It seemed like only yesterday that Sei and Jensen had faked the death of Cassandra Remi. The robot Laconic had temporarily replaced the girl just in time for her execution. Sei had told the Midnight Monster to leave and lay low for a long time if she hoped to survive. Cassandra had reluctantly agreed to the request, and everything seemed so peaceful until this happened.

"It's not here Jensen!" Sei shouted in the immortal's mind, causing Jensen to hold his ears in pain. Sometimes the telepath forgot just how badly he could hurt people by simply raising his 'voice'. "Think about it, how often does she leave her signature at the scene?! For that matter, how often does she leave enough of a body to make such a symbol?!"

Realizing that, like usual, the mute Mystic was right, Jensen began to settle down in his chair. "Talen, I want your scouts on high alert. Make sure I get any information on who can be doing such terrible things. Kyla, send your team out to question people, anybody who may have seen anything or know something. Duffy, question your men, if they don't give you the answers you like, feel free to give them a little mental jolt to jog their memories. Taka, have Jones offer a 500GP bonus to any of your men willing to loosen lips with information. Zerith is on crowd control, making sure his team deals with the fallout from this situation and easing public fears that Cassandra Remi is back from the dead. The rest of you go about your business, Jensen stays with me. Dismissed."

Not wishing to incur the wrath of the youngest Orlouge, the Generals nodded and went about their respective new missions. Cassandra Remi was once again proving to be a thorn in Sei's side. The mute shifted his eyes over to Jensen Ambrose, who growled a bit. "You lied to me."

"I did no such thing. I said she would go away for a while, I never said she would not be welcomed back."

"So then it has to be---"

"She's currently in Salvar on a mission I personally gave her. I made sure that there was a little mental tracer on her when I dismissed her from the Tomb. She's been there the entire time. It's. Not. Her."

"Well then, what should we do?"

"The only thing we can do. I'll contact Cassandra and bring her home. After all, it may take a sadistic killer to catch a sadistic killer."

"This leaves a bad taste in my mouth Sei. I hope you know what you're doing."

By the Thaynes so do I Jensen. Sei thought to himself, So do I.

[Enigmatic Immortal]

The caverns of Sei’s tomb were rarely used anymore. Only the larger housing districts and training rooms held any people during the brighter times of the Ixian Knight’s exploits. Still, some sections were locked off, left chained and boarded by the building team. Some areas of the caverns were of no use other than to hold supplies, and even then the spider web like network of tunnels had to be somewhat closed off in the event of an invasion.

But one area above all else was shut down and left to rot, not because it was a bad network of tunnels, not because it was outdated and unusable to the current needs of the ever growing army, but because the memories that lurked behind those chains and boarded doors were a haunting, unwelcoming presence to those in the army who could remember the times when the General Cassandra Remi lurked there.

Now those chains had been removed, the powerful locks that were enchanted by one of Dorian’s close friends could only be broken by a more powerful enchanter, or Sei himself. So it was the mute opened those locks, feeling the coldness of the tunnel leak out like the crypts of the barrows. A lingering stench of a charnel house waffed into his nose and he wrapped his scarf over his nose before stepping forwards. With a low growl of a barely obedient dog Jensen followed, eyes cast out into angry slits as he observed all that was going on.

The mute cast a side ways glance at the immortal bodyguard. He knew Jensen was upset, and to be fair he admitted the man had every right to be. Cassandra Remi had tortured Jensen by using his family, breaking him piece by piece and manipulating his actions so that he was forced to choose to play Cassandra’s life or risk hurting someone he loved. Now with his gun in hand he watched every shadow and bared his teeth in challenge to anything nearby.

“You know I can handle her myself,” Sei told Jensen, but the immortal shook his head. “What do you hope to gain, Jensen?” Sei asked softly as they both walked into the abyss of Cassandra’s old domain. Jensen remained silent and the mute had figured as much. Jensen didn’t talk much when he was around Cassandra, focusing his hatred. He resolved to keep a tighter eye on the immortal during the proceedings.

Sei moved deeper into the tunnels, listening to the sound the boots made as they echoed off the walls. Unlike Cassandra he had nothing to hide from her, and confident his mental tracer would keep him up to date on Cassandra’s whereabouts made him feel at ease. Yet despite all that, he noticed his fingers were closing into tight fists. By pure will power he commanded his fingers to open, seeing the color return to his flesh.

“She should be dead,” Jensen snarled. “Or at least gone for good. Stephanie and I are Jesters of the Apocalypse! We are trained assassins! We can be the ones to stop that sick sonouvabitch!” Jensen turned to the Mystic for the first time and the mute remained calm as he felt the intensity of Jensen’s glare.

“You have Azza to think of,” Sei replied calmly not looking to stroke the embers of Jensen’s rage by flat out denying him his wish to get himself killed. “And Stephanie as well. Serial killers do not play by the rules, Jensen, you learned that first hand.” Sei spoke to Jensen in a stern manner, bringing up the incident where Cassandra had used Azza in a fight to defeat the immortal. Even though the girl had nothing to do with it, she still used Azza. She challenged anybody who knew her to come after her, for she would find a way to make them pause. When emptying her room Sei had found a list of things to use against the other Ixian generals. He burned the paper that night.

Jensen growled again like a leashed animal testing its bonds. He instinctively popped his neck and looked ahead, lifting his gun out in a controlled state like Oreo Jones had taught him. Sei watched Jensen go and knew his control over the immortal was slipping. Jensen was letting his emotions cloud his judgment, and this time he wasn’t so sure how Jensen would react. The man had a point to hate the woman, but Sei still needed her. “I need you to trust my judgment, Jensen,” Sei thought to him softly. Both men looked to each other and slowly, softly Jensen nodded in understanding. His muscles relaxed and he stood a bit more loosely now, yet he didn’t lower his gun at all.

Sei had been so focused on making sure Jensen would obey him that he hadn’t felt the presence behind him. Quickly he turned, in time to find something drop from the ceiling and rise. Slowly the body shifted, the light of the dim lights unable to find a surface to cling to on the frame as it blended into the shadows.

Jensen snarled again and lifted his gun, but his eyes went wide with confusion as they slowly, softly began to lower against his will. A childish giggle echoed into the cave from all directions and the immortal began to curse loudly as he broke into a cold sweat. Sei observed the shadows and noticed one was attacking Jensen’s reflected image of darkness, making him do the things he didn’t wish to do.

“I see the dog is disobedient as always!” A voice quipped from behind them, Sei caught off guard as he turned and looked at the originator. Jensen was breathing harder now as he cursed under his breath, his gun pointed at the floor as he shivered like he was in the center of a blizzard. He dropped the weapon and gasped as he fell to his knees, the power that held him at bay gone. He took deep breaths in but each time he tried to retrieve his gun he began to shiver uncontrollably.

Sei’s eyes watched as dirty blond hair fanned outwards as a mask was softly removed, hazel eyes as piercing as any blade cut through him and a set of perfectly white teeth grinned devilishly at him. An large sword was strapped to the back of a perfectly jet black sneaking suit, bending the light around her so she was nearly invisible, and Sei could feel a presence standing before her, one clawed hand draped forwards in taunting, the other shielding her mind as it’s black hand covered her face invisibly. Another chuckle as vile as a snakes echoed in the hall and Jensen began to seethe with frustration.

“My Lord Orlouge,” Cassandra Remi said happily as she bent over in an over-exaggerated bow. “How can I serve you again?”

[Requiem of Insanity]

Eyeing Sei and Jensen made the Midnight Monster feel most at home. The wave of dread she had once exuded no longer was just an uncomfortable feeling, but now a part of her. Her companion and she melted now it seemed, powered by their sick and twisted love no sane soul would ever want. She could feel his presence ever part of her, and he spoke to her fondly now that returned from Salvar.

Her toes wiggled in her boots as she ground her heel into the rocks, feeling the coldness of the cave and the smell. It was like she had been on a vacation and returned home, refreshed, happy, and enjoying life once again. Yes, she always felt this way when returning from a kill, and Sei had sent her on a particularly fun one. The enemy had a few gang leaders to rally up the local bandits to create scouts with, and she murdered them all. How beautiful their screams were, but the real treat was her pit-stop in Akashima, returning to the place where the people called her the Demon of the Moon. She had a grand affair with a leader of the samurai caste who had a particular nasty secret of killing his servants late at night in rituals for power.

Sei looked back to Jensen and she frowned to see the immortal. He was like the small animal she grew up with, annoying, constantly wanting attention, and never learning its place in the world. She had begged her Lord to give her three nights to temper the man’s attitude to a submissive role, but the mute had refused her that luxury. Still, she did feel satisfaction in slitting the man’s throat once…

“I called you back here, and you returned rather quickly,” Sei said sternly in his telepathic voice. Cassandra smiled.

“I had finished early and decided to have a little ‘me’ time,” Cassandra explained with a smile, looking over the Mystic’s shoulder and looking to her daughter, Aerith. “Go to my room and wait for me,” She ordered politely. Her child nodded and retreated into the shadows, no longer in view of the light as she melted into the shadows.

“You call killing five of our own guys personal time, blood sucker!” Jensen barked loudly. Cassandra tisked her tongue at him, shaking her head in disappointment. The immortal always had a belief she was some sort of vampire, but that was ludicrous. She was far worse than those shade crawlers on the monster hierarchy chart.

“What is the little puppy yipping about?” Cassandra looked to Sei who cast her a warning look before reaching into his robes and pulling out five file folders. He tossed them to her in a manner in which they all flew open, the pictures inside spilling out. She observed the bodies with a curious eye, feeling her dark attentions call to her as she felt her darling, dutiful Dark Companion nuzzle against her neck and peek, musing about the cuts.

“They were found inside my training rooms and chapel.” Cassandra bent down to observe them closer, and her fingers delicately caressed the horrified faces in longing. Tenderly her nails grazed their cheeks, as if wiping away their tears as she smiled.

“Sick fuck!” Jensen shouted again, standing to his full height. “You getting off to that?” Jensen asked her pointing an accusing finger. “That how you get off? Diced up bodies?” Cassandra slowly turned her gaze to Jensen, and again the powerful feeling of her deepest desires made manifest ran to the immortal and washed over him. He began to shiver again as Cassandra returned to her pictures. Sei stood silently, keeping his counsel to himself until he got the expert opinion of a monster who dwelled this deep in the murky waters of the abyss.

The horror, the terror in their eyes. These people didn’t just scream, they wailed and raged. They fought, they barked, they bellowed as they were cut, and her eyes narrowed a bit in concentration as she observed them all again. Slowly her eyes looked back to Sei, and the mute just waited. Cassandra observed the pictures again, and when she felt her Dark Companion return to her she smiled as he whispered into her ear.

“Yes my love,” Cassandra cooed to him, pointing to the mouth again. “I do believe a note has been left for us. The bodies, did you dispose of them?” Cassandra asked Sei scooping up the folders and standing. A few strands covered her right eye, but she didn’t bother to push them aside. The Mystic looked one last time at her before looking to Jensen.

“It’s imperative to this army that she remains unseen, I asked her back here to track down this killer, and we need her skills to do that,” Sei looked back to her. “Then I’ll set you…loose…again, until I need of you once more.” Cassandra smiled as Jensen looked to Sei. They gave each other a long look, a mental conversation passing between them before Jensen snorted in anger and stormed off.

“Fucking faggot fairy king,” Jensen stormed away. “God damn keep playing general. I don’t fucking care anymore. As far as I am concerned she’s dead. Keep it that way.” He holstered his gun as he stormed off, kicking a rock on his way out. Cassandra giggled to Jensen, lifting one hand to her mouth.

Cassandra please do- Sei tried to stop her.

“Oh Jensen, my mangy mutt, It’s so good to see you again!” Cassandra laughed as the dark chuckle echoed in the tunnel. In response Jensen looked to her and a loud ringing noise filled her ears as he fired his gun, hitting just inches from her face. She didn’t even flinch as she continued to laugh, her dark companion chuckling and harassing the immortal as he walked away.

“Please, My lord, forgive me, but it is so good to be home,” She teased as she made way for the morgue.

[Requiem of Insanity]

Starlight was the only source of illumination in the darker parts of the evening. Castle Ixian slept as the few guards on duty went about their chore of walking in preset lines with the boredom one would expect them to. It made sneaking around especially easier since they were merely looking for signs of the enemy approaching, but two insignificant specs of darkness that was nigh invisible in the shadows could easily move with impetuous ease.

Sei had stressed the importance that Cassandra not reveal herself to the other knights, and that was fine with the Gisela Reaper. Less people who knew about her meant more freedom to wander. Moving in the night, sneaking into the building made her feel most relaxed, but Aerith seemed to be a little hesitant. Truth was only a handful of people knew Aerith associated with Cassandra, and unlike her mother she was rather sociable. She had friends and other tangible character traits Cassandra had found utterly useless. It was natural for her to be concerned to be sneaking around with the Midnight Monster, as her carefully built plan was now in jeopardy of being blown.

The morgue was pitch black at night as Aerith finished picking the lock. It was a small building about twenty feet aside from the black smiths of the castle grounds. The stone mausoleum had been changed into a makeshift surgical lab, and Aislinn Orlouge, chief medical officer of the Ixian Knights, was out and about with her sister Felicity.

The wooden door yawned as it opened, a loud creaking sound that echoed in the stillness. Most people had thought if you opened a creaking door slowly, it wouldn’t make much sound, but Cassandra knew this was just fool’s logic. The best thing to do with a door that groaned when opened was to simply just open it, quickly. She kicked the door out of her daughter’s fingers, the pitching sound making one last defiant squeak before it stood open and silent.

Cassandra hooked one finger to the front of her mask that covered her face and pulled the fabric down to her neck. She stepped into the morgue and the first thing she could smell was the scent of death in a large, wafting dose. Aerith stepped in and likewise lowered her mask as her nose wrinkled in disgust. Though unlike most the Ixian Knights, Aerith didn’t gag or shy away. A pure bred killer, like her mother. If she cared to have human emotions, she supposed this would be the time to have pride.

“We need to find the bodies,” Cassandra ordered. Aerith lifted one hand up to the back of the room and they both moved to see five bodies of Ixian soldiers, all dismembered and still looking to the sky where the gods they worshipped sat, soulless and fearful. Aerith began to examine the bodies while Cassandra looked to them as if they were art. While it was indeed similar to her style of killing, there was a hint of pride that only a serial killer could appreciate. Someone who knew deep down that what they did was for them and them alone. No copy cat, no poser who emulated an idol. A unique killer all their own.

Aerith began to speak to Cassandra, asking where to look for clues as to who this killer was, but Cassandra lifted a solitary hand to silence her. She knew exactly what she was looking for when she studied the pictures Sei had given her. She felt a cold wind pass against her back and her Dark Companion lovingly moved around her, arms draped like a lover’s across her shoulders. She smiled as she stepped forwards, and with two fingers she squeezed the cheeks and felt something resist back, the sound of something crinkling escaping the mutilated lips.

Cassandra placed the tip of one of her fingers onto the lower lip, opening the mouth some more as she peered inside. Her daughter Aerith looked inside and smiled to her mother, whispering about how smart the one she idolized was. Cassandra let her words wash off her easily as she stuck her hand into the mouth and pulled out a tiny parchment paper. She shook it, though it was long since dry, and opened it up.

“You belong,” Cassandra read aloud. She looked to the edges of the paper and pointed to them. “It’s ripped, check the other mouths.” Aerith nodded as she turned, Cassandra doing likewise and gripping into people’s mouths and pulling out a small crumbled note. In less than a minute five pieces of paper formed one large piece of paper.

“You do not belong in the light, you belong with me in the darkness.” Cassandra looked to the note and smiled. “Cute,” She placed them all back into one pile and turned leaving the morgue. Aerith followed after her as she wondered exactly where her mother was going and what the hell she was thinking. After a few moments of sneaking back into the caves Aerith at last asked what was going on.

“I don’t get it, mother,” Aerith said. Cassandra looked to her and sighed before she opened the door to her old room. Aerith stepped forwards and began the task of reorganizing the place. Cassandra looked to the bed and ignored it calls as she moved to her desk and began to turn on the burners and start slowly taking out the supplies she needed to brew her poisons. Aerith looked to Cassandra again, and at last Cassandra looked to her daughter with a smile.

“Well?” Aerith asked with a bit of a laugh. “What does it mean?” Cassandra gave her one of her widest grins before looking to her poisons and sighing blissfully as if she was in total peace with the world.

“I haven’t the foggiest idea.”

[Jasmine]

Jasmine sat curled up on a couch in the Ixian Knights’ common room reading a book. This was a rare treat for her these days. Siela was in the children’s ward with several other children, leaving Jasmine to amuse herself for a little while. It wasn’t something that Jasmine did often, but she hadn’t had any alone time since before Siela’s birth. While she loved her daughter dearly, sometimes even a mother needed a break from her child.

She pushed a stray strand of her long black hair, worn loose today, over her ear as her blue eyes continued to move steadily over the words of the book. This was one she’d not heard of before. She’d seen the title, “Mother in the Dark,” briefly scanned over the first chapter, then immediately took the book to comfortable place to read. So engrossed was she in the book, that she paid no attention to the comings and goings of the other Castle Ixian residents. As she read, sometimes she would unknowingly read a line or two aloud.

“’You do not belong in the light; you belong with me in the darkness.’ Creepy…”

Aerith had not visited Castle Ixian before. Bored of watching her mother brew poison, the young woman had decided to slip out and explore this place. Her wanderings had brought her to the common room. As she passed by a young woman in blue reading a book, the woman’s words reached her carefully trained ears. They stopped her in her tracks and she turned to look at the woman who had just uttered them. Engrossed in her book, the other woman did not appear to notice that Aerith was standing there.

“What was that?” she asked politely.

“Hmm?” Jasmine looked up from her book, surprised to see someone speaking to her. “What was what?”

“What you just said, what was it?” Aerith asked as she took a seat beside Jasmine.

“Oh! I’m sorry, I didn’t realize I’d said anything aloud. I have this habit of reading lines of books out loud while I’m reading them. It drives my husband nuts. The line was, ’You do not belong in the light; you belong with me in the darkness.’ It’s out of this book, ‘Mother in the Dark.’ It’s an interesting read. I don’t think I’ve seen you here before, I’m Jasmine.”

“Aerith. What’s the book about?” she asked, smiling sweetly.

“Well, this is the first time I’ve read it, but in a nutshell, it seems that this mother had pushed her daughter into the light so far and for so long, that she now misses her. Not really sure how it’s going to end. I think the library had two other copies if you’d like to read it for yourself. Do you know the way?”

“Oh, I’m sure I can find it,” Aerith said confidently, “It was nice meeting you, Jasmine. I’ll let you get back to your book. Bye.” With a quick wave, Aerith was on her way back out of the common room to find the library.

Jasmine watched her go then returned to her book. Like most good books, this one had pulled her in. It was quite likely that she would finish the book that night and return it to the library before bed.

((OOC: Just a note, this is a guest post as was requested by EI and bunnying is approved))

[Requiem of Insanity]

The door to the cave slammed open and Cassandra was still perched at her table, eyes deep in a book. Her forehead had little ruffles of frustration as a brewed potion sat before her. Angrily she turned a page, back and forth as she sniffed the vile liquid and looked back to her ledger of poisons.

“It’s from a book!” Aerith said hastily dropping the tome on the table. Jasmine was correct in that it was a popular book. The castle library, several stories high, had three volumes. Two were checked out, and Aerith nabbed the final one. She hastily made her way back to her mother’s room and nearly out of breath she tapped a finger upon the book’s edge.

“Whatever do you mean?” Cassandra said with a yawn of boredom, not even bothering to look at the hard work her daughter put into finding it. Aerith’s eyes twitched as she debated whether to choke the life out of her mother or not. “Oh right, Sei’s stupid problem.”

“Mother!” Aerith blurted in rage. “We have a mission, why are you being so…ugh, aggravating?” Aerith wanted to shout, but knew better than to cross her mother like that. She already was pushing it with her outburst. Cassandra lowered her ledger of poisons and looked to Aerith with a warning glare, but simply ignored her and looked to the book on the table.

Cassandra’s eyes narrowed more than they were when she worked on her poisons and began to look at the book with more intent. She fingered through the pages, read a couple lines, and then turned to the back of the book and read the synopsis. Her face turned a shade of white, but she didn’t speak for a long moment. Then with a shove to her chair she pushed it away, a long dragging sound echoing in the cavern room. She moved to her closet and pulled out a white summer dress with a violet stitched into the side and looked to it before she turned back to her daughter.

“That book, it’s meaning is not lost to me. Whoever left these presents on Sei’s doorstep…” Cassandra sighed in frustration as she moved back to her daughter and slumped into the chair. “Do you know why I like this dress?” Aerith shook her head and Cassandra looked to it again.

“It reminds me of my childhood. I head a dress very similar to this. Fond memories of when I was kid, starting my path to damnation,” Cassandra’s eyes glossed over as she began her trip down memory lane. “At night I would read a book, and guess what that book was?” Cassandra eyed the pages again and shivered.

“So then this person…” Cassandra looked to the book and nodded.

“They know who I am, and that I’m not dead. This person however left a clue for me, and I have my own theories.” Cassandra pushed the dress on the table and stood heading to her book bag and pulling out the Book of Catrina Ferman.

“A kill long ago was of a woman named Catrina Ferman, she taught me more about my love, and shared with me, but then died by my hands. I took this book and left her for dead, but sadly her past has caught up to me it seems more than once. Catrina’s sister attempted to have me raped and left to rot in a hell in some dream plane, but I survived that encounter thanks to Anima Revixi.” She touched the golden amulet that was draped across her neck. A solid golden ring with three silver pendulums adorned the bottom had the power to net a soul from the sea of death and return it to the body, or in the right circumstances bring a soul back from even the worst death, mind and body all as one.

“Later in my early days I had Jensen Ambrose look to the zoo to spy upon the enemy. Though he ended up adopting that little shit, Azza, he did return with interesting news. It seems Catrina had a daughter, and she now comes for vengeance.” Cassandra looked to Aerith and smiled touching her hand with hers. “Unlike her, I care about you. This book, the story goes the mother is so afraid her daughter will turn out like her, a devious, dark person, and so she shuns her own daughter. But in the end she realizes she wants her daughter back, and goes through any lengths to do so. Catrina’s daughter was a fool for thinking I wouldn’t catch onto her.”

She looked to the clock and smiled. “It’s Saturday, if my informational skills of gathering have been fruitful I suggest you go to find Jensen near the training halls. He meets with that new general, Zerith every Saturday to do battle against some historical champion. Ask Mr. Ambrose if he remembers anything about that woman, her name was, was…dammit to hell I can’t remember. Go, hurry, it’s not that important anyway. I want you to inquire with Jensen who her liaisons were, anything he can remember. I want to know who’s helping her because she can’t do all this by herself.”

Aerith nodded and ran out the room as Cassandra looked to the book and the dress. Things inside her cold room seemed to somehow get colder as she glared to the articles. She hated anybody who brought up her past, as like she had done to the last idiot who tried, she buried it with a knife in the chest. That was her father, and she despised the notion of somebody knowing all about her past. Catrina Ferman’s legacy was coming back, and she make her regret the day she met Cassandra Remi…

[Zerith]

In the training halls, Zerith had been busy with taking the first few steps of creating the polearm division for Sei’s growing army. While none of the new soldier came close to matching the general in terms of skill, they could at least take comfort in the fact that the halberdier was nowhere near as brutal as Ta’gaz. Yes, he would strike at an arm with the shaft of his halberd should one of the recruits form be a little off, but it wasn’t like he was running their heads into the ground. At the current moment he had just finishing sparring against one of the soldiers and crushed the warrior in five moves. At least he was able to give the man a few suggestions on where to improve. One thing was certain though, this task was going to take a lot of time and be quite frustrating before it began to pay off.

Just then, Aerith entered the room and scanned the area for any sign of the immortal but frowned when she found none. However not all was lost, as she quickly recognized Zerith as the man her mother had mentioned and immediately approached him. “Excuse me, are you Zerith?” she asked innocently. “I’m looking for Jensen Ambrose. I was told you and him usually do battle with a historical champion every Saturday. So I was hoping you would be able to tell me where I could find him.”

“Sorry, I haven’t had the chance to meet up with him yet,” Zerith answered and he grabbed the bottom of his burgundy shirt and used it to wipe the sweat of his face. “What’s this concerning anyways?”

“Oh, it’s nothing for you to worry about. It’s just a small matter regarding Cassandra Remi.”

“Ah, the Dragon Lady,” the warder nodded, though obviously not happy to hear the name. “It’s a good thing she’s dead. She was nothing but a manipulative, sadistic coward.”

“Excuse me?” Aerith answered in an obvious offended tone. “You don’t know anything about Lady Remi,” she countered, paying careful attention to not mention her relationship to the Gisela Reaper. Yet she certainly took a stand to defend her mother.

“I’ve heard enough about her,” the prince went on. “A woman who needed to use poison to get the job done and the things she did to people disgusts me. People like her don’t deserve to be shown mercy, and after hearing what she pulled with Jensen only makes is clear that she doesn’t even have the courage to face a problem head on. She was just a coward who needed to hide in shadows, because that was the only thing she was good at. If she dared to try and pull a similar stunt with me if I was in Jensen’s shoes, not even Sei would stop me from cutting her into pieces and feeding her to the dogs.”

“Well your opinions of her are only based on hearsay, but I didn’t come here to discuss her. I came to ask Jensen what he knew about a Catrina Ferman, as Sei Orlouge believes she may have something to do with these pieces of parchment we mysterious found,” she said as she pulled one of the small pieces and showed it to the halberdier. “We have no idea what it is.”

The halberdier took one look at the parchment and laughed, “Are you kidding me? You people didn’t notice it looked familiar?” he took the item from Aerith’s hand and held it in front of her face. “In the main hall of the Citadel, there is a large piece of parchment that hangs on the wall. On it are symbols representing rooms and ongoing battles, along with names of the fighters involved. This here seems to a small piece ripped off of main one. So you can go tell Sei to try going to the Citadel, maybe he’ll find something there.”

“Really, the Citadel?” the young girl asked as he took the parchment back and examined it. “I never would have guessed. Thank you, Zerith. You just saved me the trouble of trying to find Jensen.”

“Don’t mention it,” Zerith replied as he turned away from Aerith to resume what he was doing before she interrupted him. He motioned for another recruit to step forward and try his luck against the halberdier. “Just be sure to tell Sei to ask the monks for some answers.”

Aerith never did hear the last suggestion. As by the time Zerith spoke those words, she was already gone.

[Requiem of Insanity]

Earlier

Cassandra’s fingers touched the side of the book as she watched Aerith go on her goose chase. Deep down inside she had already known full well what was going on, but it was important for her daughter to learn how to work out obstacles and convoluted clues. She had a sneaking suspicion that these kills were done by Catrina’s daughter, for she had been tailing the enemy assassin for months before her alleged death.

At first the girl was choppy in her art, but slowly, over time she began to learn the nuances of care and patience. She even created her own song when butchering the masses, and Cassandra felt a tingling sensation to watch a serial killer being formed. Aerith was learning all that was required of her to be a perfectly normal serial killer. She learned how to hide her tracks, hunt her prey, and even don her mask. With pride she watched her daughter go, knowing how difficult this path was her daughter walked.

Most people had thought a serial killer was born with these obsessions, these desires to kill in some ritualistic way. But most, those who usually were caught within moments of their infantile first steps, were mindless animals. Those were murderers and the psychosis they had wouldn’t allow for such pleasurable satisfaction.

Those thoughts couldn’t be further from the truth. A serial killer was bred, like a fine stock of animals or a crop of food. A serial killer was born, in essence, from blood. It was always an event; some horrifying, traumatic event that created the monster within them and let its mewling cries warp their fragile mind. For Aerith, it was the brother she loved who raped her. For her father it was watching his parents brutally tortured in front of him. People like Catrina Ferman were created in similar fashions, letting the surgical knife cut her victims similar to how a doctor cut up her husband. Cassandra Remi was even no different. She was baptized in the crimson life-force, and her sob story was the same as anyone else.

These who were born like this had the rockiest of roads to tread, and even then most would be killed or caught in their opening walks of their new dark life.

However, like called to like, and those who are born from blood cannot hope to walk in the real world without another of their kind being attracted to them. All one had to do was look into their eyes and see the black pit of their soul. In social gatherings, people would be put off by their stare, find something a bit off, or admit they received a creepy vibe from what would look like a normal human being. It took years of practice, patience, and discipline to create the mask to hide all that they are. These masks allowed them to interact with life without being caught. But even the finest mask is all but noting when a monster meets a monster.

Monsters like Cassandra and Aerith, her father and even Catrina Ferman had one glaring weakness however. The flaw that exposes their ugly self and shatters their mask. Intuitively all born of blood also know how one is created with just the tiniest bits of history. This is why when monsters meet, most kill the other off. For to know what made you also knows your weakness. That’s power, it’s similar to knowing a demon’s name, so powerful is the impact.

And Catrina Ferman’s daughter knew Cassandra’s weakness.

Cassandra looked to the book again, remembering that event that forged her, and with a snarl she swiped it across the room into the wall, shattering many of her poisons in the process. She held herself tightly and seethed, breathing deeply and looking to the book as if it was a poison.

“You will die for this, bitch,” Cassandra swore.

[Requiem of Insanity]

Cassandra and Aerith both stood before the citadel in full hunting gear. Both lifted their sneaking suit’s masks over the bridge of their nose and Cassandra tied her hair into a tight ponytail before lifting her hood over her hair. She patted the assortment of vials that held the different poisons in her secret pockets along the leg of her pants. Aerith’s fingers lovingly touched the edge of the butterfly knife, Absolute Zero, and with a determined face she nodded to her mother and ran in.

The grand citadel at night still hosted the different violent battles that raged on. Inside these walls she had fought that damned immortal, Jensen, and nearly was killed, but it was her knife on his throat, and the same situation would happen to Catrina Ferman’s daughter. All she needed to do was track her down. Though she had already planned for most of the night, she still felt that thrill of the unknown creep into her spine.

Her feet moved her forwards and into the shadows she went, masked from total sight of the light and the moon that called to her by the properties her suit gave her. When submerged in darkness, Cassandra couldn’t be seen and all light reflected off her body. Unless you were looking for her, you’d never find the Gisela Reaper.

She allowed herself a small predatory grin as she entered into the chambers of the grand halls, feeling a powerful dark aura in the building. When on the hunt her ambitions and mind became focused on only the kill, and even the callings of her dutiful and darling Dark Companion were feint echoes in a canyon to her. Her obsession with all aspects of making someone suffer had clouded her judgment several times in the past, but she was who she was, and tonight that whore child of Catrina would learn exactly what Cassandra Remi was.

Her footsteps made no sound as she stopped before the doors to the room she knew her prey would be in, and with a deep breath she opened the portal and walked in. She felt confident that should something happen to her, Aerith could make the save. With everything set up into position, Cassandra looked inside the room created by her new playmate.

What she expected was nothing at all compared to what she saw. It was as if a nightmare had come true before her very eyes, and Cassandra nearly sank to her knees as a tidal wave of emotions slammed into her. The voice of her Dark Companion was drowned out by the millions of memories coming back to her and with a violent wretch Cassandra doubled over, pulling her mask down and vomiting on the floor.

What she had saw made her heart race and face grow pale. She had known the daughter of her dead foe was aware of who Cassandra was, but to have this much detail on her life was terrifying and Cassandra felt completely out of her element.

The arena in the citadel room was nothing more than a simple farm, with a pig pen, a roost, and a white house. The farm had a screen door with a handle that was snapped off, and as the wind blew in the arena it began to clatter loudly like a series of applause. Cassandra placed her hand on her ears to drown out the noise she had hated since she was old enough to remember. Strolling across the dirt road to the house was a small white house cat with black paws that looked like cute little boots. Boots, her cat, the first victim to sate her urges.

A solitary wooden slab was held aloft by two chains tied to a tree, and the wind made the chains rustle as they swayed side to side. So many dark thoughts were spawned from that tree, and it was there her Dark Companion would push her so she could fly high in the air.

She looked to her house and with a quivering lip she actually debated turning around and fleeing. For the first time ever Cassandra had actually considered running away from the hunt. She had known fear, she had known terror, but this was hitting at such a point it was as if a fireball had obliterated every layer of defenses she had built up. The mask, the symbol of her desires to hide what she really was had been sundered in the first three seconds of looking into the arena.

“It’s so homey, isn’t it?” A voice called out from the shadows. Cassandra shuddered as she tried to regain herself, but no matter what she did she would collapse again as another memory sparked up. “Such a nice place. A swing, cute little kitty cat, rickety screen door. Serenity couldn’t be found nearly anywhere else. Yes, home is where the heart is, isn’t Cassandra Remi?”

Where once there was a paralyzing confusion, it was replaced with rage and intolerance of what she was suffering. Her fingers clawed the dirt and she stood again, ripping her dehlar blade out into her hands and looking all over the farmstead for her prey.

“Oh, that’s right, you have a black, callous heart!” The voice giggled like a school girl and Cassandra ran towards the sound. “It’s not capable of feeling emotions!” The voice changed pitched, as if running to a new spot and Cassandra turned to match it. “So then, what’s this, Midnight Monster? What am I witnessing before my very eyes? Is this…is this emotion? Feelings? Are you…dare I say it,” The voice chuckled again, and Cassandra spun on her heels like a dog chasing a ball. “Having a feeling of Anger?” Laughter echoed throughout the entire arena, and Cassandra screamed in frustration.

“I dropped the mighty Cassandra Remi to her knees with but a farm and a kitten! How the masses will praise me for truly eliminating the Gisela Reaper, the Carthage Calamity! I will be a hero of the light, and vanquisher of the dark!” More giggling, more laughter.

“Just like your mother?” Cassandra spat in spite. The laughter ended immediately.

“You stole from me, Cassandra. You stole from me my mother!” Cassandra let her own laugh fill the air.

“I took the life of a woman who deserved her pain. Someone who screams so loudly as her has truly done much wrong in this life,” Cassandra thought loudly with a bemused smile. Her eyes scanned the darkness, searching for her target as a cry filled the night. This cry however wasn’t from the voice of Catrina Ferman’s daughter, but from another source, one she knew well.

“Did you think I wouldn’t know you’d bring your pet along! You stole everything my mother and I worked for, you bitch! You cut her body up, left her a mutilated shell of her former self, and then you stole her book! Do you realize what you did to me?”

“AERITH!” Cassandra shouted, but there was no reply. She turned to the front of the farm, and charged forwards, sword raised high as she slammed into the house. The door flew open, bouncing off the wall as Cassandra rushed through the family room. The couch, the rug, all of it was the same as when she grew up and she turned and slammed into the wall, feeling more emotions and memories spring outwards.

“Anger wasn’t even the tip of what I had felt. You left me broken, useless and a tool! It wasn’t until my Aunt Lucia came to cheer me up that I was able to function again!” There was a sharp intake of breath, as if suppressing a sob. “Then, you killed her too!” The voice was on the verge of tears now as Cassandra growled and moved down the halls, opening doors to her past and doing her best to block them out as she searched for her foe. “You took her mind, her body, and her soul! You shoved…things…into her body like a child playing with sticks! But I didn’t collapse this time, no-no-no, I stood up immediately and searched far and wide for you! I found your past, Cassandra, and I intend to make you suffer just like you made me suffer!”

Cassandra stopped at the room where her father slept. She lifted the Butcher’s Bill, ready to kick down the door, but a childhood memory sprang forwards and held her at bay. Her father had nearly killed her for barging into his room when she was just a girl, and that childhood event prevented her from doing something so easily as opening the door. Her father couldn’t reprimand her now, she had killed him, but still she couldn’t do it. Slowly lowering the sword she roared in frustration, turning to the door across from her father’s and looking at the white wood. The door to her room, her soul.

Hesitantly she lifted her hand to the knob, not kicking it down like she had done to all the previous doors before her. She fingered it twice, lost her grip and turned away, running out of the house. As she pounded her boots down the hallway the laughter picked up and Cassandra fought the swell of feelings clawing at her heart. Terror washed up and down her spine as she stumbled on her feet and tripped rolling out the front door and onto the dirt, scrambling to run away. She couldn’t handle it, she couldn’t handle these memories and these feelings so quickly and so suddenly.

As she made way to escape she saw something she hadn’t seen before, and she slid in the dirt kicking up dust to turn and look at Catrina Ferman’s daughter as she swung on the swing, wearing the same white dress with violet flower stitching on the side.

“Welcome to hell, Cassandra Remi,” She said with a giggle as she swung lazily, her feet kicking back and forth playfully. Before she could retort she felt a powerful force hit the back of her head, and she crumbled like a sack of bricks onto the dirt, her world going black.

[Requiem of Insanity]

Cassandra’s eyes rolled in the back of her head, her head turning softly to the side like she had awoken from a long nap. Her arms and feet refused to budge, and as her eyes lifted open she could see the moon shining down to her, it’s calls of seduction bringing her back to her senses. When she fluttered her eyes a few times to regain her bearings she felt an enormous wave of nausea rush over her. She had to close her eyes and breath softly just to get over the feeling, and then her head began to throb.

Her back felt cold and she wiggled to find herself naked upon a metal table of some kind. She lifted her head as far as she could up, and saw she was strapped to an operating table. Movement was heard and Cassandra’s eyes shut quickly as a bright light turned on above her.

“So different when in the light, isn’t it?” A giggle followed up the words, their tone honey and sweet like. Cassandra turned her head and found Catrina Ferman’s daughter dressed in a surgical gown, the same one that Cassandra had stripped off Catrina when she had done the deed. The blood stains from the encounter were still upon the apron as the girl flashed a toothy smile, revealing a scalpel in her right hand as she pressed the tip to her chin and tapped it three times in contemplation.

“Do you even know my name?” She asked, head titling like a confused dog as the girl sauntered to Cassandra’s feet. “Do you even have any clue who you are dealing with?” She asked again, this time with more hate in her tone. Long blonde hair fell to her shoulders as she unbound the knot keeping it tied up, and she shook the hair around to let it be free. Her cold blue eyes met the intense stare of Cassandra Remi and the two had a standoff before she turned to the shadows and walked away out of sight.

“I think it’s only proper to know the name of your killer. It’s also proper to pay respect to the one who you will kill. They must leave life the way they lived it. Mother and I argued this, but she always understood that I am who I am. She loved me, and then you took her from me,” She spat as she repeated her anger again. Cassandra tested her bonds one more time and realizing they were tight she felt powerless. She let out a sigh of defeat, looking to the darkness as the girl returned.

“My name is Reina,” She said loudly as if this was the most important thing in the world. “The name of the little girl’s life you ruined is Reina Ferman!” Cassandra felt her body grow cold, and the feeling was wholly unnatural for her. “Now it’s time to extract my revenge.” Cassandra closed her eyes and listened to the shadows and the moon. She let the song she heard wash through her mind as she prepared for her death. How fitting, she figured. Outsmarted by one who knew her own history. Yet the knife never came, and Cassandra slowly opened her eyes.

“I never said I would be the one to do it,” Reina spoke coldly. “Oh how I would love to sink my scalpel into your flesh, but that is not for me to do,” Cassandra’s eyes narrowed in confusion, as Reina slowly lifted a hand to her cheek and giggled again, enjoying Cassandra’s squirming. “I plan to kill your so called daughter first. Aerith, right? I’ll enjoy cutting her to pieces, then, then after I got what I need I’ll finish you off.” Cassandra’s eyes opened wider, seeing a dark shadowy apparition forming behind Reina. In hand was a long axe, an axe she recognized as belonging to the only man who ever truly loved her.

But he was dead. Cassandra stabbed Kane long ago in the heart with her knife. She couldn’t love him back, and she couldn’t keep feeling those human emotions. Yet, there he was, standing behind Reina in the darkness like her servant! Reina had really done her homework to even dig up the information on Kane. Yet as she looked to the shadow something felt wrong. Reina lifted her mouth wide open, loudly laughing as she watched Cassandra Remi’s expression.

It was all silenced when a long fillet knife went through the back of her skull and out her mouth. Reina’s eyes turned to shock, the movement so swift she hadn’t time to scream, and she managed to half turn before her body collapsed, bleeding out on the floor. The axe rose up and down in one violent swipe, and the muttering moans of agony were swiftly ended. Reina Ferman was dead on the floor as the shadowy man stepped one step closer to the light, as if terrified by it.

“No,” Cassandra whispered at last. She looked to the boots and saw the dirt and dried blood, she saw the denim pants. “No, no!” She begged. Another step closer revealed the overalls and white shirt. “No, you‘re dead!” Cassandra bellowed. Now she fought her bonds, now she was beyond terrified. She was scared so badly she let the ropes cut her flesh. She willed them to saw her hands and feet off so she could get away. The shadow lifted the axe slowly upwards and pushed the light away, leaving the two in the darkness.

“Go away, ghoulish fiend! You died! I killed you!” Cassandra spat, one bloodied hand escaping her bonds. She pointed to the man and her Dark Companion howled as he twirled in the air and attacked, but a wave of dread more powerful than even she was capable of producing pushed her deepest desires back into the cockles of her heart. The feeling made her whimper as the body shifted forwards standing over her, and one hand reached out, gently, lovingly holding her arm at the wrist tenderly.

The body leaned in, his scent, his most familiar scent wafted into her nostrils and she cried large tears of fear. The mouth hovered by her ear, holding her in place as she was paralyzed, her eyes wide open as she continued to cry in terror.

“My dearest Cassandra, I will always love you,” The voice whispered into her ear. Cassandra whimpered as she shivered uncontrollably, and with ease he twisted her wrist and caused her to scream, to bring her out of her terror and back to reality where she couldn’t hide in ignorance. Cassandra’s wails echoed throughout the room, escaping into the night.

She looked once more in terror at her father, Jebb Remi, and felt the meaning of true despair.

[Requiem of Insanity]

Cassandra Remi looked into the eyes of her father and knew the true meaning of fear. How he lived, how he was standing before her when she killed him was destroying her mind. Reina hadn’t discovered all these things by herself! Jebb had done all the work. Who would know more about the mind of Cassandra Remi than the man who created her? He was the one who bathed her in the blood that created the monster that lurked within her heart. He was the man who broke her down, built her into what she was. Everything she knew was because this man taught her. She had killed him, in Emprea, long ago. A knife in the heart, he didn’t breath at all for several minutes. There was no way he could be alive! It was impossible!

One more twist on her injured wrist and Cassandra knew he lived again. “Oh my darling Cassandra,” Jebb said again with a laugh. “Look at you now, my beautiful little girl turned into such a fine grown woman.” He pointed to her body and even felt the curves of her hip with his fingers. She squirmed from his touch like a cat, and another twist broke her wrist completely as she cried out in anguish.

“Do you still love me, Cassandra?” Jebb asked, before chuckling darkly and retreating to the shadows. “My greatest sin, my legacy!” Jebb reached to the moon and opened his arms to them like a circus leader. “I have missed you, my companion! It’s so good to hear your familiar song again!” Jebb kicked to his left and twirled, his exuberance clear as day as Cassandra whimpered from her broken arm.

“So,” Jebb said slapping his knee and moving towards his daughter, smiling to move things along. “You are probably wondering why I am here,” Jebb now laughed riotously, finding great pleasure in using the trademark catch phrase Cassandra had used on all her victims. “Oh man, I didn’t even mean to use it like that! Guess that’s what you get for using something so cliché! Then again, you were my little drama queen,” Jebb pinched Cassandra’s cheeks so hard she grunted in pain and his fingers left large red marks on her pale flesh.

“Seriously though,” Jebb said more in tune with his usual tone Cassandra remembered. “You are most likely confused why I am standing before you, living and breathing.” Jebb sat on the edge of the table and stroked Cassandra’s tears away. “Would you mind if daddy told you a bedtime story?” Jebb asked sweetly. “It’s been so long since I read anything to you,” He confessed. Cassandra was about to speak when Jebb’s fist slammed into her cheek in a backhand slap.

“Good, glad you want to hear a story! Ya know, I always loved reading you bedtime stories and making up the monster’s noises. Rawr! Grr!” Jebb laughed as he mimicked the actions and Cassandra squirmed more. Jebb laughed at her discomfort as he began to run his fingers through her hair. “You were always so beautiful to me, Cassandra.” Jebb leaned down and kissed Cassandra’s forehead before lifting himself up and walking to a table beyond her head. A chain lifted up and something dangled in the air before it dropped right before Cassandra’s face. The Anima Revixi was held before her gaze and Jebb laughed.

“This isn’t the sole reason, but pay attention, sweetie,” Jebb chided. “You see, I was dead. A long time if I recall it correctly. That was until someone made a pact with a certain power to be able to view your past and find something to use against you. Reina had such a desire to kill you,” Jebb whistled lowly, his impressed intent clear. “I was so proud of you sweetie. Yet she did offer me something that I was quite fond of. You don’t know this, but you see I once carried the Anima Revixi before you did. It’s a very powerful artifact from before the demon wars. But I’m getting ahead of myself.”

Jebb walked to her side and lifted the scalpel up to his fingers, twirling them in each digit with ease as he slipped the Anima Revixi over his head. “Reina worked for some guy name Johnny, who happens to have beef with Sei Orlouge. Johnny was tasked with all the dirty deeds the army needed, and since he’s a useless sack of crap he hired others to do the work. Reina was one of them. Well she knew all about me, and asked if Johnny could convince the citadel to do some work.”

“It was that Jensen Ambrose person who gave Reina the idea. She had heard that he came every Saturday to challenge legendary warriors of old. She learned what she needed to bring a soul back to the citadel, but the trick was that soul couldn’t leave the room they were created in. Well, that’s a useless existence, but then again, isn’t there a tool you know of that can do a special trick for souls?” Jebb lovingly touched the ring of the Anima Revixi.

“As you know, sweetheart, this ring is very powerful. It can net a soul from the afterlife and bring it back to the land of the living. If you even perform the act of returning somebody in their entirety. Mind, body, and spirit. But it also can protect the soul once it finds a vessel to stay in. It prevents the soul from being disconnected with the body. When you wear it for whatever length is determined by the ring, you will eventually have your soul back in all its glory.”

Jebb looked down to Cassandra and she narrowed her eyes, piecing together the information. “In short, sweetie, I had a body built, returned my soul, and now that I took your Anima Revixi I can leave the citadel! Talk about family love!” Jebb sassed as he slapped Cassandra across the face.

“Now, that’s not all the Anima Revixi could do! Like I said earlier, I once carried it around with me. I lost it to a bunch of dwarves and they got real pissy with me when I killed all their ancestors or some garbage like that,” Jebb said with dry humor before retreating into the darkness. “Never-the-less, during the time I owned it I had learned something rather special about it! You see, if you bring back a soul, and then perform the correct ritual, you can lengthen your life span. But the best trick to the Anima Revixi, is the gift of immortality.”

Jebb returned with a pair of knives, and set one on the table. “With your screams I’m going to net your essence into the Anima Revixi, and bind your soul to mine. In doing so, I’ll become immortal! Nobody can kill me and I’ll be able to hunt forever!” Cassandra listened to all this, and then she at last found her voice.

“I don’t understand,” She talked in a little girl’s voice, the same tone she always used with her father despite how much she hated it.

“No, of course not, sweetie. You’ll be dead anyways. I kill you, and I become immortal. Though honestly I don’t have to actually kill you per say. I could just cut you to pieces and leave you a wailing potato and I’d still be immortal.” He mused. “But then again, you did kill daddy. I can’t let that go unpunished, now can I? What kind of father would I be if I let you get away with that? No, you must discipline your kids when they misbehaved. And you, my dearest Cassandra, have most defiantly misbehaved!”

Jebb took the knife up and watched the moon in its reflection. His hands shook and he laughed. “It’s been so long,” Jebb whispered. “So long since I cut something. This is going to be such a wonderful experience. I’ll at long last get you to sing for me, my darling love. You said you had no regrets for me to cut out of you, but this time, I do have something to cut. I can see it in your eyes now, the fear, the terror. Let me manifest those emotions for you and show you what weakness that truly is!” Jebb’s tone turned far more dark, as if he was snarling

The knife cut along the side of her body, from her armpit to her hip and she moaned as blood dripped off the edge and onto the table. Jebb’s body shuddered as he did the cut, and with a deep sigh of satisfaction he turned to her daughter and smiled. “I love you, Cassandra,” He said to her. Cassandra’s eyes pleaded as she cried, and Jebb let all her attempts go unheeded as he took the knife and began to hack at her in brutal, un-elegant swipes. Chucks of flesh flew in the air and Cassandra screamed as Jebb tore into her, but he pulled back before diving in too deep. He hovered over her stomach, and carefully, lovingly he lifted up another knife he had set on the table earlier.

“STOP IT!” Cassandra begged. Jebb cut along her belly button to her chest just below her breasts. The Anima Revixi glowed as blood was shed, her screams making the light grow brighter. “FATHER PLEASE!” Cassandra begged again. Another cut dragged down from her shoulder to her elbow.

“Stop whining!” Jebb shouted angrily. “I didn’t teach you to beg like a dog!” Jebb retreated to the shadows and returned with a full wrap of kitchen utensils. He unraveled the roll and dumped all the knives onto Cassandra’s body, Jebb cackling with sinister intent. A few of the knives had pierced her flesh and made small holes. Jebb crabbed a santoku knife and moved to her face.

Cassandra whimpered as he cut her face, making careful, loving lines along her cheek line. Blood caked down her face, but he never did a deep cut. She felt feint from the blood loss, but her father would continue to slap her awake as she screamed and moaned. It went on for hours and hours, Jebb slowly cutting in a particular pattern. He traced her bone lines, then her major veins to her arteries, eliciting a squeal of terror and anguish. Cassandra had never felt so vulnerable and so alone. The cries of her Dark Companion were so feint, washed away by her father’s own darkness as the moon hid from her. She was totally alone and she sniffled and cried salty tears that mixed with her blood. The tears reached wounds on her face and stung horribly, and she whimpered even more.

Each cut Jebb let out a slight stiff breath, like an artist performing the final touches on a masterpiece. He bred Cassandra for this moment. He had always anticipated on killing her, she knew that. He taught her how to be a kill worthy of his full attention, and now she was his. At last Jebb stood over Cassandra, the Anima Revixi’s triangle glowing bright gold and silver. The pendulums upon the rings bottom stood out stiff, and Jebb rose the ring to his face, laughing with insanity.

“It’s done! It’s done! I did it! I did it! Forty years! Forty years and I have at last achieved immortality!” Jebb fell to his knees before Cassandra, weeping with joy before he slowly crawled his way to her table, looking over her like a demon as smiled wide and with deadly intent.

“Now, now you die!” Jebb said. “I no longer need you! I got all I wanted. Immortality and revenge! How sweet a daughter it is for you to think to give me such grand gifts!" Cassandra watched as Jebb gave into his madness, letting the urgings of the Dark Companion take over his senses. The moon, the song the moon sang in its luminescence, she had once thought its chorus only played for her, but she learned a cruel lesson that the moon has many lovers, and will play no favorites in its dark game.

The frenzied Jebb ran at her, a large butcher's knife in hand as he screamed in rage, a blood curdling cry of one who had witnessed so much that they could only scream to manifest it. His knife clipped her ear as she flinched away, taking a meaty chunk from the tip and she bellowed as the pain engulfed her. Jebb touched her delicate ear, dabbling his fingers in her blood and lifting up, watching it pour off his nails like a thick sauce. His eyes became entranced with the motion, and then again he angrily slammed the knife into her, eliciting more screams from Cassandra.

While Cassandra savored the screams, was delicate in her work, Jebb was brutal and violent. His ritual was born from the murders he had witnessed at his creation in blood. He mirrored the monster who created him, degenerating with each sweep of the blade.

As he lifted the knife he snarled to her, but another voice filled into the air. A sinister laugh echoed behind Jebb Remi and he gave a moments pause. Cassandra’s eyes turned to the darkness, seeing a shape emerge as a glaive flew outwards, hammering Jebb’s wrist as the knife collapsed to the ground, another maddening laugh echoing as Jebb furiously turned to the table, grabbing a pair of knives.

[Enigmatic Immortal]

Jensen Ambrose let out another wail of tormented laughter, the sick cruel world he was forced to live in made all his blood sing with unrighteous indignity as he defended a woman he loathed. Sei had stressed that Cassandra was in danger, and dispatched as many people as he could to find her. Jensen was the first to hear her screams and he acted upon them quickly. He moved to intercept Jebb Remi, both men insanely charging as the immortals did battle in the small room.

Jebb was wild with his swings, brutal and crazed, but not without grace in its own small way. The man knew how to knife fight, and Jensen felt his flesh get cut several times. He danced around Jebb’s more wilder swings, bringing his foot up in a roundhouse, but the serial killer was aware of the follow up, rolling next to Cassandra and grabbing a knife next to her leg and tossing it.

The knight turned and let his coat flutter before him, catching the knife and pushing it aside as he let out a howl of adrenaline and laughter that had bubbled up from the deepest part of his stomach. They met once again, and Jensen’s hand reached for his throwing knife to parry Jebb’s attacking hand. The metal striking each other sent off sparks as the two came to grips with each other, fighting like psychotic animals. Each move they did was another spark in their dance as Jensen twirled around Jebb and drop kicked the man’s exposed side.

Jebb slammed into the wall, crashing into a chair where he stumbled, and with a angry growl he kicked the chair at Jensen. The force slammed into the knight's knees and Jensen let out a yelp of pain, giggling as he sat in the chair and kicked his feet over the back to face Jebb Remi again.

“You can’t interrupt this! I'm immortal now! Nothing you do here will matter anymore! You can't kill me as surely as you can save her! You do not have the blessings such as I!”

“Immortal‘s suck, pal! It‘s a fucking curse, and I‘d know!” Jensen moved with the rhythm in his head as Cassandra’s eyes watched them both fight. Her hands reached for one of the knives on the table she was locked to, and grabbing the santoku knife she reversed gripped the blade on the flat edge and began to saw at her bonds.

“Why do you help her? Why? I thought you two hated each other!” Jebb prodded as he stiffly kicked Jensen in the stomach. The immortal doubled over, but held the foot and rolled knocking Jebb down and away from him. Jensen took in a few breaths, laughed again with more pain this time as he stood up.

“I don’t want to!” Jensen admitted with full hatred. “I really don’t want to, but damn it all to hell, I have to! I have to save her!” Jensen let out another maddened cry, howling insanely as he charged again. Jebb snarled with him, letting his better instincts go as he gave into his desires to cut flesh take over.

“Come, let me cut your weakness out of you!” Jebb ran at Jensen, and the immortal let out another cry of mirth as they met once again. Jebb’s fist flew out and Jensen ducked it, rolling his shoulders and sliding into Jebb’s exposed stomach. Fist after fist clubbed into Jebb’s stomach and the man wheezed out his rage as Jensen finished with a mighty uppercut.

Jebb’s body pirouetted and he stumbled, touching the floor to keep his balance as he jumped his body into Jensen’s charge. The two collided and Jebb’s mass far outclassed the younger knights knocking him aside. Jensen bounced on the floor and rotated his legs in a sweep to stand upright again, moving at Jebb once more.

“Come on over and play!” Jensen called out, tossing a hooked chain rope at Jebb. The barbed weapon struck the Denim overalls of Jebb Remi, and the immortal tugged tripping the man up. Like a tiger pouncing prey Jensen slammed his full force at Jebb, mounting him and punching the bastard in the face repeatedly.

“BA-HA, HA-HA-HA-HA!” Jensen let all his frustrations out in laughter as each hit of his fists created another jovial shout. Jebb let out a sickening groan, pushed Jensen off him with a stiff punch to the knight's ribs, and scrambled to the table. When he reached for a knife a bloodied foot caught him in the nose as Cassandra kicked him with her only free leg, letting out a yelp of pain as she did so. When Jebb turned around a knife impaled his shoulder deeply and his anger turned to panic as the serial killer came to a conclusion that this fight wasn’t going to end in his victory.

Realizing he was outmatched and outnumbered, Jebb took out a small glowing vial of powder. He threw it at Jensen, cursing his name as the immortal cackled to get at Jebb's blood, but the vial popped and exploded, knocking the knight high in the air towards the ceiling. Jebb then turned to Cassandra, found her looking to him fearfully, and smiled to his daughter.

“I will always love you!” Jebb said in a low, dark foreboding tone, turning and running away as he ripped the throwing knife out of his shoulder with a pained grunt. Jensen slowly picked himself up, body woozily looking to the area as Cassandra sighed and collapsed, her body looking paler than usual and Jensen observed she was cut rather badly when the man went at it.

The immortal looked to his surroundings and cracked his neck walking over to the general of the Ixian Knights. His face was masked with confusion and anger at the situation as he gazed upon her flesh. He had expected to see her face in pain, but what he saw made him pause in his steps. She had been sobbing, she had been screaming, and she had a look he had seen on many of his enemies faces. Cassandra Remi was broken.

Jensen had no clue what to do, so he carefully lifted a knife and broke her bonds. When she was freed she didn’t move a muscle, looking to the sky and crying. Jensen really felt uncomfortable as he turned away from her, looking to find her bag of tricks and her sneaking suit. Cassandra’s gaze softly turned to Jensen, and the immortal felt her piercing eyes look to him, but they had lost all the hostility they once held. If anything, her look was rather pathetic.

“I’m taking you back to base,” Jensen said sternly. “Here’s your suit.” Jensen tossed it to her, and feebly Cassandra lifted it up, but her body shuddered and she dropped it. Jensen watched her fingers lose their dexterity as she sighed hopelessly.

“I’m going to die,” Cassandra whispered. Jensen snarled as he walked to the table. “I can’t lift my arms, it hurts to much.” Jensen looked to the article of clothing and nodded as he pulled out his knife and cut the fabric making a pair of ratty shorts. Then he moved to her feet and slipped the fabric onto her body, carefully tugging it along her flesh. She winced in pain several times, but didn’t make much more sound. He supposed compared to what she just went through was enough to dull the senses. Jensen looked to Cassandra, and with a sigh he helped her up as she sat upon the table, leaning on her right side as her left was cut up very badly.

Jensen then debated something, looked to her tattered remains of her suit, and sighed shoving them in her bag along with her knives. She shivered in the cold air, and Jensen looked at her naked back and sighed again, rubbing his head in the back. With careful motions he removed his jacket and wrapped it around Cassandra. Without even waiting to hear her speak Jensen moved to collect her knives. Slowly Cassandra’s fingers wrapped the leather around her body as she looked to her feet.

When everything was packed up he whipped her bag over his back and looked to her. “Come on, we’re leaving.” Jensen ordered her. Cassandra nodded and pushed herself to her feet, but collapsed with a yelp as she lost the ability to stand. She crumbled to the floor and began to sob again, whining as she spoke.

“I can’t move!” Jensen let out a growl of frustrations as he moved towards the door. “Please don’t leave me!” Cassandra begged, honest terror that Jensen would abandon her. The immortal looked back to her, saw her tears lining her face and he grumbled as he moved towards her face and squatted.

“Get up, Cassandra.” Jensen was deadly with his tone, but Cassandra couldn’t stand. She had tried, several times, but her body gave out and Jensen knew it was no lie. The blood she was losing wasn’t helping either and with grunt he moved to her side and kneeled. His arms scooped her legs and arms as he supported her in a cradle, lifting himself up and turning towards the door and heading out into the night sky.

Cassandra said nothing as they headed back to Ixian Castle, and Jensen didn’t say anything either. He just carried the woman he detested with all his bones and soul saying nothing. At last Cassandra’s eyes looked up to the moon and she sniveled.

“You must…” She tried to speak without sobbing, and after another breath she started to get the hang of it. “You must be happy to see me in such a state,” One finger wiped a tear away from her face as she lowered her hand.

“Not really,” Jensen admitted. “You look disgusting to me. Your fear and frightened looks make me want to puke. They are the looks of a coward. I can’t stand a coward.” Cassandra nodded to his words, and that made Jensen feel more uncomfortable. He decided to go with what he knew to liven the atmosphere. “Though I have to admit, you got a nice rack.” There was a moment of silence, and then Cassandra began to laugh.

“Thank you,” Cassandra whispered.

“Shut up,” Jensen replied. “Save your strength until I can get you to Aislinn.”

“You could have left me for dead. Said you were to late,” Cassandra continued to speak. “I wouldn’t have blamed you after all I did to you,” Cassandra looked to him to show her earnestness. Jensen looked at her eyes and shook his head again.

“No, I won’t leave you behind,” Jensen said at last. “I’m not doing this because I like you. I’m not doing this because I have to, honestly. I’m doing this because this, this right here,” Jensen jiggled Cassandra in his arms. “Is the big difference between you and I. It’s our heart. Sure, I may be an idiot for saving your life, I may be called foolish for aiding and comforting the enemy, but this is the difference between us, Cassandra Remi.”

Cassandra looked as Jensen stared ahead, his eyes burning with passion at knowing that he believed in his words. Cassandra’s finger lined his cheek, and he looked down to her confused before she looked back to the moon. “I used to sit up all night looking at the moon. But now…now I do not want to listen to its siren song anymore. My father ruined it for me. He poisoned it with a serum so potent I can’t see the antidote without first killing him.”

“You aren’t the only one with dad issues,” Jensen mused. “My dad slammed my head into a wall when I was a kid. And by kid I mean baby. Called my Cry Baby. He hated me and killed me a lot. Then he abandoned me.” Cassandra looked back to Jensen.

“So maybe we aren’t all that different then?” She whispered to him. Jensen cocked his eyebrow at her, and Cassandra closed her eyes, nuzzling his chest as she clung to him tightly. “I’ll be quiet now…” Cassandra barely whispered her thanks as Jensen continued to walk.

“Ya, you do that,” Jensen whispered back.

[Silence Sei]

"And that's all that happened," Jensen Ambrose spoke, a bit of sympathy in his tone for what the once feared Cassandra Remi had gone through. Sei had stood in his chambers, looking out of the window during the immortal's entire report, listening intently to every word that had happened. Outside, Sei could make out the shadowy forms of several knights patrolling the grounds for intruders. When Jensen had returned with Cassandra, the mute had doubled security around the fortress.

"So the enemy possesses their own Gisela Reaper now" Sei spoke out loud, hand behind his back. Jensen nodded in response, not thinking about the telepath not seeing the action. "Thank you for your report Jensen, that is all." Jensen blinked at Sei's response to the news, expecting a bit more from the 'fearless leader' than just an 'okay, thanks'. Regardless, Jensen nodded once more and left the room.

When Sei heard the door shut, he turned and walked over to a large desk, sitting down at the chair behind hit. He rasped his fingers against one another, completely lost in thought. It seemed that every member of his crew had an equal and opposite enemy for his opposition. At first, Sei had expected an infiltrator, but as the fame of the Knights grew, such things seemed more and more unlikely.

Still, Jebb Remi? Sei had vague recollections of the man's image with a dream he once had about Cassandra. As he recalled, the girl was deathly afraid of her father, the one thing she was truly terrified of. Sei bit his lip in concern. If Cassandra Remi could be so scared of a single person, what were the odds that the army could stand up to him? As much as it pained the telepath, he knew what he had to do...

~~~~~~~~~~~~

At this hour, the infirmary was all but abandoned, save for those in the beds. Sei carefully made each step with precision, trying not to alert the other patients. He slowly made his way over to where Cassandra Remi lay, still shivering underneath the covers of the bed. It was odd, with the girl looking so scared and helpless; she had an angelic look to her. A few strands of hair fell over the murderer's face, which Sei stroked back into their rightful place on the top of her head.

The motion seemed to cause Cassandra to shiver less. Sei had come to ask her if she was willing to continue her work. She did, after all, hold a vendetta against Jebb Remi. Who else would be more qualified for killing him, and ridding Althanas of a threat worse than his daughter? It seemed, however, that the woman before him had finally drifted off to bed, and this time without nightmares. Sei turned around and began walking out of the infirmary, turning towards Cassandra as a smile filled his face.

There are true bogeymen inn this world, Cassandra Remi, but I still don't believe you are one of them. Sei turned and left the room, content knowing that his soldiers did what they were ordered to do, even if they were totally against it.

He had become what he had always aspired to be; A true leader.

[Requiem of Insanity]

Cassandra slept soundly for the night, and in the morning she had found a veil around her bed with thick curtains and a guard outside her door. When she shuffled on her bed, the guard’s shadow moved and quickly entered her sanctum, and she was thrilled to see a familiar face. For to long had nasty images of her past sprang forwards, it was a relief to see something more pleasant.

“Good morning, Adolph,” Cassandra whispered hoarsely, her throat parched after screaming all night long. The chaplain of the Ixian Knights reached to her table and poured her a glass of water and handed her the cup. She thanked him a drank deeply from the cup, gulping loudly as she looked to her body seeing a few stitches and several lines of medical tape and gauze. “Do I still look beautiful?” Cassandra mused to herself.

“Aislinn says in few days time your wounds will heal and we can remove the tape. Outside that you’ll have a bit of scarring on your side. Nothing a week with her can’t reduce. You are in good hands now, and you are safe,” Adolph insisted as he turned back to the curtains to make sure nobody was peering in. “Sei still would like you to be dead in the public’s eyes. We will relocate you shortly.”

“No, that won’t be necessary,” Cassandra said placing the cup on the table. “Please, retrieve our lord and doctor for me.” Her voice gained a bit of strength again after the drink and Adolph nodded, leaning down and pulling open a drawer that was built into the bed. He took out a few pillows and patted them before putting them behind her head and back. Cassandra watched the knight go away and Cassandra closed her eyes.

There was soft muttering, followed by footsteps as the loin clothed red head entered the space. The two looked to each other and Cassandra wished she could use her wave of dread to intimidate the witch, but she just didn’t have the strength nor the desire to call upon it. Aislinn waited a moment before moving forwards and looking to the bandaged ear of Cassandra as the Midnight Monster waited patiently.

When Aislinn was done, Cassandra touched her hand. “My daughter,” Cassandra gave her a concerned look, but Aislinn merely pointed to the other side of her little sanctuary. Sitting in a chair was Aerith, Jensen’s jacket resting upon her shoulders like a blanket. Cassandra sighed in relief as Aislinn looked to Cassandra and removed one of her pillows.

“You shouldn’t be upright so quickly.” She insisted. “You should be resting more than anything else, but then again, nobody in the higher ranks tends to listen to me,” Aislinn muttered as an aside. Cassandra looked up to her eyes and gave a very weak smile.

“Thank you, for taking care of me,” Cassandra said honestly. Aislinn looked to her, and with a frown she nodded, but turned walking away. Like most people in the army, they tolerated Cassandra, but didn’t like her. She was okay with that, but she would be damned to burn bridges at this point. Last night she had learned she was most definitely touchable, and her confidence had been shaken all the way to her core. She would need everything she could get to regain her footing and reassemble the mask.

Aislinn whispered her greetings to her uncle, and Jensen’s voice was cut clear across the hospital wing as several doctor’s called for quiet. To this the immortal chuckled vilely before he was shut up by Sei. There was a brief moment, and then Sei entered her fort and looked to her.

“Hello my lord,” Cassandra said feebly. Sei sat upon her bed, and smiled to her. Strange he would smile to her, but Cassandra didn’t dwell on it. “I am here to report the identity of the killer of our army. It was-”

“Are you okay? Sei asked, his intent clear as day that he didn’t give a damn about the mission. It was the first time someone actually had asked how she was doing. And not just the ordeal with the torture, but the meeting of her father and the whirlwind of emotions she went through. Cassandra looked to Aerith, saw her peacefully asleep and then turned to her commander.

“No,” She admitted with a sniffle. “But I don’t have the luxury to be falling into pieces. Honestly, my lord, I want nothing more than to run away and find the deepest hole I can and hide. You don’t understand my father,” Cassandra said forcefully. “I don’t understand my father! He’s an abusive, egotistical jackass and I had hoped, I had prayed when I jabbed the knife in his heart that it would be over…” Sei lifted a hand to hers as Cassandra wiped her tears away with her free hand. She took a moment to regain herself, and then looked back to Sei.

“I’m not sure I can fight him again! I had my love last time, but this time he just pushed him aside like garbage!” She nearly went into hysterics, but Sei calmed her down with a reassuring pat on her arm as he stood and brought her more water. “I can’t hear him, I can’t hear my deepest desires and for the first time I feel alone!” Cassandra whispered as she took the glass and sipped from it.

“You are not alone, Cassandra. You have Aerith,” Sei pointed to the sleeping girl. “You have Anita, myself, and you have Jensen, despite how much he hates you.” Jensen, who was outside the curtain, opened it, looked to Cassandra, and flipped her off before storming off.

“You do one nice thing and I swear to god it bites you in the ass!” Jensen shouted back to Sei. Aislinn began running after him to make him be silent, but the immortal pushed her away as he argued with her out the infirmary door.

“I suppose I have him in spirit,” Cassandra joked. Sei smiled to her as Cassandra looked to her daughter and smiled. “I’m still not sure I can fight him, Sei,” Cassandra returned her gaze to Sei’s. “I may not be able to defeat him. He did teach me everything I know, but I have new tricks up my sleeve. I need to be ready for it, and in order to do that I have to weaken him as well.” Cassandra locked her jaw in place as she grimly looked ahead at the curtains, but what she saw was herself on the torture rack as her father howled in her ears.

“I am ready, Sei,” Cassandra said with seriousness. “I am ready to be a part of your army and serve you in whatever capacity you require of me. I am ready to take my role in the prophecy seriously now, and I bend my knee to your will. I need your help, if I am to kill my father again.”

Cassandra lowered her head to him, the best she could do to show signs of her fealty, and Sei nodded once getting up and holding her on the shoulder. He rubbed her shoulder gently, and then gave her one last parting thought. Welcome to the family, Cassandra. As hokey as Sei made the situation feel, Cassandra smiled to him warmly.


~*~*~

Jebb Remi walked towards a large manor. Ciato’s home seemed regal in its look from afar and has he neared the large house he began to notice several guards. While normally he would take his time to scout a way to sneak in, he didn’t bother with the notion. He would be welcomed here as a comrade, the second he told the guards who he was.

When he hit the iron wrought gate the soldiers surrounded him, and Jebb lifted up the Anima Revixi and smiled explaining that he was with Johnny, the one he’s been expecting. With a little wait to confirm his words, Jebb was escorted to the front double doors, a white mahogany wood that was polished to sheen with no signs of weathering. Left to wander upon his own the serial killer smiled looking to his new home and patted his stomach.

The inside of the manor was full of many artifacts that would each be a prince’s ransom in their own right. Portraits of wars, statues of mighty heroes of legend. Ciato even had a few weapons on display in enchanted glass cases. Above the railings he watched a muscular man look to him, licking his chops as he patted a six shooter hand gun and Jebb knew he was looking into the eyes of the legend killer Andy Rorton. With a respectful nod of one hunter to another Jebb moved on, debating on when a good time to gut the bastard would be. Now that he was immortal he had a long time to plan it out.

A samurai looking warrior stood off in the shadows near a statue of a similar warrior from Akashima, eyes casting doubtful glances to the man as he shook his head and turned walking down a long hallway. Similar glances opened up from the servants and soldiers as Jebb made his way for the basement. He had found it towards the western halls and smiled as he looked to the stairs.

Jebb Remi lifted the falling shawl over his mouth and nose as he entered into the basement of a large manor. It’s rooms were large and even the hallway down the stairs were brilliant in all their splendor. What had passed for a basement would have been a four class hotel room dance hall, such was the majesty put into it. He tapped the polished wood walls, tapped his feet on the marble, and walked by the onyx pillars as he entered into the sanctum of Johnny.

The corrupt individual was close to five foot ten, wearing a very expensive looking vlince suit made of a creamy ash grey. They matched the color of his soulless silver pupils. He turned to look at Jebb and his eyes widened as the serial killer lowered his face guard and smiled. Johnny was looking at a folder, but he quickly tossed it up in the air onto his desk as his hands opened wide in greeting.

“At last,” Johnny said with pride. “The real Gisela Reaper is where he belongs!”

[Revenant]

Condensed rubric requested.

STORY: 18

CHARACTER: 21

WRITING STYLE: 18

WILD CARD: 7

TOTAL: 64

Enigmatic Immortal gets 1484 exp and 60 gp.
Silence Sei gets 1442 exp and 40 gp.
Requiem of Insanity gets 2060 exp and 155 gp.
Jasmine gets 298 exp and 20 gp.
Zerith get 265 exp and 20 gp.

Spoils:
Fear and Loathing: Whenever Cassandra is an area with her father in it, until she gets the upper hand she has -1 to her entire stat line. (At level update, which should be after this thread, but if not I got one saved anyway, I will post her stat line.) However, once she gets into a fighting groove and to grips with her father, she gains +1 to all her stat lines.

I take this that once she actually gets into grips with her father then her stats return to normal (-1 then +1) which is approved.

Unwanted Attention: Because Jebb Remi and Cassandra Remi's style of torture are so similar, whenever Jebb kills a victim all fingers will immediately point to Cassandra. Her infamy level has now risen to Public Detestation and the general populace will begin attacking her on the street if she is not with guards or lurking around.

Why wouldn't people already attack her on sight aside from not knowing who she is? Approved.

The Monster and The Immortal: Jensen and Cassandra have come to realize that unfortunately, they have to put their hate on hold for the greater good of the Ixian Knights. Neither one will offer bonuses to the other when in proximity to each other. (This will reflect in the level 8 update to Enigmatic Immortal.)

No, nothing that can actually benefit Jensen is allowed. Ok, fine approved.

Cassandra Loses:
1 Titanium Fillet Knife
1 Titanium Butcher's Knife
1 Dehlar Searing Knife

Sure, take 'em away.

[Silence Sei]

GP-Exp added.

Requiem leveled.