Complete - Prologue: Ring of Countless Horrors [18+] | Page 2

The comments about her body left her blushing. When she was remaking her avatar, she hadn’t thought about appearance, only function…at least, that was the lie she told herself. Faerin, while adorable, were not…conventionally attractive. It was the plight of many small races such as gnomes and halflings and the like. The more humanoid the appearance, the more attractive they were overall, or so it seemed.

She said nothing to the comment, but she secretly did like her new appearance much more than her old one. The slight muscles, the increased stamina, the ability to wield her massive weapon with little to no drag because of the height/weight difference. She should have been a human to begin with, but…well…you die, and you learn.

Anti-paladins are already defiled, Savannah grumbled in reply, her words lost to the wind as Vivian detailed their possible plan. Originally, she wanted nothing to do with it. She was content to pose as a look out or rush in if the Dark Witch got in over her head, but the idea of severing his head from his body at the apex of climax, well…there was a light to Savannah’s eyes that hadn’t been there before.

Her attention was drawn back to Vivian upon the mention of them both seducing the foe in question and Savannah shook her head, cleared her mind, and took a step away from her, the nails scoring her flesh from the movement.

Whoa, whoa, she said, holding her hands up in the familiar surrender gesture in front of her chest. I only suggested it because it seems like something you’d be into. And we don’t know much about this paladin, but everyone generally likes sex so…and hey, it won’t even matter what gender they are considering you swing both ways. She gave Vivian a thumbs up and a wink before her features turned serious once more.

If you want me to kill him or her, fine. But I’m only here as backup, Vivian.

Savannah surprised herself when her hands reached out to Vivian’s shoulders, halting her from clouding Savannah’s personal space. She looked the woman square in the eye – another surprise – before clearing her throat and giving her shoulders a squeeze.

You don’t need me to blow smoke up your ass. You know you’re beautiful. I’m not gonna sit here all night and tell you that. But I’m not…I find you beautiful in the same way I’d find a painting beautiful. Granted, there was a sliver of a lie there, but Savannah did well to hide it. She wasn’t sure what was going on in her head or, well, much lower than her shoulders, but tonight wasn’t the night to entertain it and certainly not with Vivian.

Let’s just get you your screaming ring and call it a night, yeah?​

 

"No." Vivian said in protest to her question. Being rejected was one thing, but trying to escape her charms was another. The Dark Witch was not one to just back down because she was told or even asked to do so. "If I wanted things to be over with quickly, I would just do this myself. I will not be rushed especially when one said they had all night to do anything. You are bound by honor to the Lady Lucia, correct? We are lovers, so if anything ends up happening to me...How do you think she will feel about that? And when I decide to tell her, the oh great Savannah wanted me to rush in battle without a proper strategy?" Vivian's mauve lips curled in a grin.

She was not so much a Bitch that she would subject Savannah to such low crimes of honor between herself and Lucia, but rather she'd open her eyes to see how darkness of the world worked. "Now, now. Before you fume and blow, I won't do anything of the kind. But, I am one type of woman who dislikes being rushed and getting it on and just finishing things quick has never been my forte. I like to take things nice and slow." She explained, her wrist would flick back and forth as she talked, hand gestures were her thing when she explained anything to people.

"Now then. I won't press myself to you any longer, I am respectable enough not to take advantage of you especially if you are one of Mistress Lucia's little toys. Such a shame though, I could have done such amazing things with that body of yours. I guess I'll have to take the leftovers when you have finally been broken." Vivian sighed melodramatically only to have hummed laughter from her closed lips. The woman leaned against the side of the building and thought of her master plan, although her mind was on the ring, there was more of it doing indecent things to the soft, shimmering blue skinned warrior girl who had grown up from the mouse girl from before. But even then, she was cute and adorable. Now she was...curvy and deadly.

She kicked off the building and paced in small circles, rubbing her chin all the while why she thought of a way to get the ring if the Fallen Paladin still had it on him, or her as Savannah had explained moments ago. For sure though, this would be a male warrior. Most likely at least, Vivian didn't even think about it being a woman. How cruel would that be? To seduce the man would be no problem for a woman of her stature. She had everything a man wanted and dreamed of such creatures. But was that the best option? A Fallen Paladin could easily have some access of Dark Magic as well, the two combined could cause a disaster.

"I do hate to go in with guns blasting. This will take some time, Savannah. Maybe I'll just meet him and have a conversation with the guy or girl, as you say. But I don't think making a move without a proper plan would settle well for either of us. Once we have met the Paladin Fallen from Grace, perhaps I can devise a plan at a later date. I would need to properly prepare for any special engagement with then."

Vivian lifted her hands to the brim of her hat and stroked it once and popped her hip out. "Let's go take a look at that Temple of Tyl, Savannah."

 

Fuck.

Savannah dropped her hands from Vivian’s shoulders and winced at the tone of her voice. She had a point. Though she didn’t necessarily agree, Lucia and Vivian had some type of relationship together and rushing into danger, thus putting Vivian in danger, would not do. She knew Lucia wouldn’t cast her away, but she also didn’t want to get on the Dark Lady’s bad side. And if that meant keeping the Witch Woman safe, then so be it.

Preparing to apologize and defend herself, she instead snapped her mouth closed when Vivian mentioned her being a toy. She felt the anger bubble up inside her and a red haze swept through her vision. Her hand lashed out as Vivian tried to kick off the building and with a strength that Savannah hardly, if ever, used outside of combat, she slammed her back into the wall of the building and stepped into her personal space. Her nose was mere centimeters from her face.

I am not a toy to be played with Witch, she snarled, her silver eyes sparking with fury. No one, none the less you, will ever break me. I am a loyal guardian to the Dark Lady and if you or anyone else ever tries to jeopardize that in any way, I will clear that beautiful fucking head from your shoulders without a care in the world, Lucia’s wrath be damned.

A malicious smile covered her dark blue lips as her right hand came up, her thumb roughly coasting over Vivian’s cheekbone. Her skin was soft to the touch and warm, warmer than Savannah’s own internal body temperature. She was chaos and destruction wrapped in human skin.

The Death Knight took a step back, the rage slowly subsiding. She consciously made the effort to slow her breathing, her legs taking her another step back until they were an arm’s length away from each other. She cleared her throat and dropped her eyes, feeling the adrenaline of the moment ebb and flow until her emotions were raw and frayed, hanging out in the open only to be torn at by the passing wind.

She wanted to apologize, but the words would not form in her brain and the highway between her brain and her mouth was under construction. Instead, she merely nodded her head and followed behind the woman, much more subdued and demure than she previously was. ​

 

Vivian had the scene in her head running on repeat after what happened between her and Savannah. Such the timid, squeaky girl she was that one time and now, she was full of confidence, power and wrath. It made her heart beat in her chest a bit more rapid giving her the sensation she was in lust with the woman. Although her back had been turned to the blue skinned player, the Dark Witch had been playing sexual thoughts in her head with the woman and licking her lips wet in anticipation of it coming in the future.

She was not bruised, nor was her ego. It only fueled her drive to break the woman if Lucia would not do it herself. After that little scene, she was sure, she would make love to that woman in some hot, fiery hate sex. It made her tingle between her legs of just thinking about it. Screw the ritual, screw the preparation. They would meet in hate and fuck in it until their bodies were soiled and damned for eternity.

She started to laugh and then took off that thick witch hat as she turned and looked over her rolling shoulder towards Savannah, "Is it hot out here or just me? Hahahah~" the tone of her laugh matching the honey in her voice. She smiled at the Death Knight, her plump lips wet and moist of that mauve shimmer and she licked them as if cleaning remnants of the woman off her flesh.

As they traveled through the Astorean City, they were coming up upon one of the many Temples in the district. Wide and marbled, Vivian stopped at the gates of the holy sanctuary and gave a rather disturbed look. "You think I might burn up in holy hellfire if I step onto these grounds, huh?" She asked with a flick of her wrist towards the other woman.

"Unfortunately for you. There is no alignment system in the game and the holy ground does not care if a Dark Witch proceeds upon its land!" She said in a defiant tone, she would not let some game or its mechanic get between her wants and desires. She pushed open those white gates, and took a step onto the fertile ground. She stopped immediately though to make sure she was not burning in Holy Fire or something. And then quickened her pace towards the doors before stopping abruptly. She was going to open them but she turned to face Savannah.

"Be a Doll and see if he or she is in there will you...Pretty please?"

 

Following behind Vivian as she was, she said nothing while they walked. Two sides of Savannah warred in her mind; the first belonging to the demurer personality that was her usual day-to-day persona and the…fiery warrior with a great axe who refused to take shit from other people, even if said other person was banging her employer. She winced at that thought. Lucia was more than her employer and to think of her in that light felt…wrong. Employers didn’t go to the lengths to make their employees feel welcomed that Lucia did.

She couldn’t help but roll her eyes at the quip Vivian tossed over her shoulder. Already she was regretting their…heated exchange, but, as Savannah was coming to learn, there were certain buttons she couldn’t allow someone to push and get away with. The anger she felt was familiar, similar in time to the incident that rendered her jobless. It had been a sudden thing there, hauling off and decking the guy in the face, but necessary...

Vivian might like to play her games with others, but Savannah wasn’t much for her brand and flavor of fun.

Upon reaching the gates that led into the temple district, Savannah cleared her throat and shook her shoulders. She needed to dust off the self-doubt. She had done the right thing and she shouldn’t have felt guilty for doing what was right for her. If she didn’t get agency over herself, who the fuck would?

To think, I wanted to be a paladin when I first started this game, she murmured to herself, a small smile twisting over her lips. The temples within were grandiose and ornate, the columns depicting scenes of miracles and redemption. The faces of the Elysid were expertly carved as well and, glancing at them now, Savannah would chance to say that they looked almost lifelike.

You mean fortunately for you there’s no alignment system in this game. Therefore no, you shouldn’t dissolve into ash or combust into flames when entering the temples.

Vivian cast open the gates and strode purposefully forward. Savannah couldn’t help but follow even as a feeling of unease settled in her stomach. They were here to kill (or seduce) someone and would be doing such under the personified eye of the gods. If there was a hell, or something similar, and they went through with this…crazy plan, they were reserving their front row seats tonight.

She rolled her eyes at Vivian’s request, but saw no reason to call her out on it. Instead, she swept past the svelte woman, ascended the stairs to Tyl’s temple and pushed open the heaven oaken doors.

The interior was familiar in style to many catholic churches that Addison had visited while growing up. Pews lined a blood red carpet that led to an altar, candles danced in the stand glass windows and nearest the altar as well. There was a chandelier overhead that also held burning candles, these seeming to be red in color while the flame was ivory.

Tyl’s statue stood as a guardian near the front of the temple, his chiseled features looking off into some distance that Savannah couldn’t see nor really care about. He looked…like someone a paladin would swear oaths to. And, in that instant, Savannah knew that paladin hood wasn’t ever meant to be her calling in TerraSphere.

She was prepared to turn around and call out to Vivian, explain that perhaps they had gotten it all wrong, when the squeak of a door opening sounded through the temple, the echo giving Savannah pause. Her silver eyes turned back to the statue and, to her surprise, a red-head woman appeared clad in black armor, Tyl’s symbol emblazoned on her chest. In her arms she carried what Savannah could assume used to be a white sheet (now stained entirely crimson) and the length of it inferred that it was a body.

She barely caught the sound of a whistle coming from the anti-paladin, but she could hear it now as the woman came around to the front of the statue, oblivious that others were around. On her hip was a longsword, the blade glittering a murderous ruby color.

She settled into a kneeling position at the foot of Tyl’s statue, the body in front of her and she looked up, peeling her hood back as well. Blond tresses cascaded down her back, touching her shoulder blades.

Savannah turned back towards Vivian and gave a furious nod of her head to indicate they had found their foe.​

 

There was a swift movement of the Death Knight's head to tell Vivian that their target was inside. She took the time to wonder how to go about this once more, not allowing her mind to move too quickly through her thoughts as she summoned up a plan. The Dark Witch also did not know if the player in question was a man or a woman which could make things different with the possible scenarios running through her mind.

More so, it was time for the decision. Lifting her chin, and showing off her bust as she gave that 'superior than thou'. Her body irradiated with confidence as she took on the walk of a model as if going down the stretch in a show. A hand on her hip as theys wayed, and the other at her side swinging casually. She had seen the statue, gave a look at it and then shook her head. Religious totems never settled well with the woman, or the so called bible books and scriptures. It was all nonsense to her.

She continued her gait, and stopped at the backside of the Temple. The crimson carpet, the candles dangling from the chandelier above her head, the glow of the others all around the temple giving it a rather eerie atmosphere. Even for Vivian, these church settings gave her the creeps as ironic as that was. She was standing just in front of Savannah who was hunched over behind the pews. Vivian's eyes looked down and she curved her mauve lips at the woman, placing her finger over her mouth as to say 'stay put, stay quiet.'

Even though she was confident with herself, she was running into something of a weird scene her that made her gut twist and turn with a slight bit of anxiety. Vivian stood there as she was about to make her presence know only to be hushed by the babbling of the Dark Paladin.

Thud. The body, as it were, draped in a white silk now stained with blood, dropped onto the Altar of Tyl. "Oh how I ravaged them to silence their screams. How many was it? One? Two...? Ten? I lost count. But I quieted the noises, their screams. They won't be talking anymore nor will they yell. Each one fell, plop-plop with my sword. Oh sweet and merciful Deity! I bring you great news! These heretics I have slain for you! Why do you continue to PUSH ME AWAY!??" Anger and menace spat from the voice of the female. She unsheathed her blade and began hacking and slashing away at the bloody body in front of her upon the altar. The thick sounds of meat being cut into, the dull thud of her blade slicing into the already broken bone continued as the sheet was sprayed until it was no longer that crisp white purity.

With each swing of her blood stained sword, the blonde hair unfurled from her face showing off the beautiful features only to be sprayed with an avalanche of ruby. The blood dripped from her cheeks and chin, her eyes maddening and wide as she drew back her blade to cut right down in the middle of the body and nearly cracking the altar in half. She laughed with a hand against her head, covering her eye. "What!? WHAT!? WHAT?????" She screamed and hissed then there was unnerving silence as she stood there looking down.

Vivian's mouth was wide open. She was a Dark Witch, she had seen the darkness in people. But what the hell was this? For a moment she took a step back, her breath hitched in her throat. She sensed something, something most foul it was becoming thick in the air. Like an invisible fog wrapping around her sucking the life from her chest. Vivian heaved, "Dark Magic..." she said low to Savannah. It took a moment for to catch her breath and re-align herself to this odd feeling.

Vivian took a few steps forward, the dull thuds caught wind of the Dark Paladin as she looked over her shoulder, a bored expression on her face as she would every once in awhile shake her head as if dismissing the voices she was hearing, "More heretics, Oh Lord Tyl? Why do you persist? Why!?"

Vivian for the first time was at a loss for words, "I ugh..." she cleared her throat, "Yes, I was here because I heard screaming. That damn infernal yelling, all night long it goes. I was coming here to silence those screams myself, you see? I too am not fond of such voices."

"Oh!? The screams of the heretics are so bold with their words! I have not rested for nights until...until....hahahaha~ I think I made a small little mess." She said waving her sword about and then pointing to the dripping mess on the altar.

"I see. So you have slain the heretics. That is good. Perhaps you put down the sword and we can have ourselves a nice little chat?"

 

She hadn’t needed to be told twice. Savannah was more than okay with hunkering down and remaining as quite as a church mouse, quieter, really, considering the sounds that were reaching her. The squish of meat being torn, the crunch of broken bone, the scent of metal that invaded the air; all of it was more than the Death Knight had bargained for. Her stomach clenched, and she lifted a single gauntlet-clad hand up to her mouth. She felt as if she would retch.

Vivian was crazy. One minute she was standing there next to her and the next, the woman was walking forward, engaging in conversation with this lunatic. Savannah could only watch in horror while peeking out from her crouched position as Vivian continued down the aisle. She counted the steps, tried to figure out how much movement she would need to engage the crazed paladin if things went sour. Voices? Heretics? Were all of them that threw away the tenants of their gods so crazed as she?

Savannah shuddered, again thanking fate that things had worked out the way they had. She couldn’t imagine binding herself to a god or a goddess and receive no real knowledge on whether she was succeeding or failing in her quest to spread their knowledge throughout the land.

As much as she wanted to draw her weapon and hold it in her hands, she knew it would make too much noise. So she continued to watch and wait, her resolve a thing of steel on what actions she would take if it were necessary to intervene and save Vivian’s life. The paladin would lose her head. Savannah’s fingers itched at the prospect.

Heh, wouldn’t that be something: saving Vivian’s life again…no broken or ravaged toy would be able to do that!​

 

"Put down my sword?" The woman questioned looking at her hand. "This is not a sword? Its is a banner to Tyl, my Lord! Why would you think this a weapon? It is a righteous tool-- NO! SHUT UP! GET OUT!" Vivian stopped walking, her eyes getting big as the woman thrust her blade spraying the dripping crimson all over the floor and all over the pews. She shook her head as if trying to drive out some sort of madness, and once again...silence.

Vivian gulped. Her eyes examined the Dark Paladin closely trying to find out if she wore the ring or this would have been a massive waste of time. Her hands were steady as her breath, but her eyes were focused on the floor and she mumbled something, continued mumbling the same thing over and over. "Hey, babe...are you alright?" Vivian would ask.

"Babe?" She questioned, her chin and eyes lifting to meet Vivians. They were so blank and so empty, just dull color dancing over the red splotches of blood over her face. "I am not a babe. I am a warrrrrrr---" she said attempting to say her title, "Warrrrrrrrr~~~~~~ I am. WAR!"

The blade shined brightly, darkness swelling around it to keep such the pristine blade tainted. The blonde agonizing woman shouted the word 'War' over and over and over again, stomping her feet in the process. "A little help, Savvy!" Deafening roars erupted from the Dark Paladin as her suit of armor clanked and her bloodthirsty eyes sought out Vivian the Dark Witch. "YOU! WILL PAY!!!!" A screech so loud that it made Vivian fall to her hands and knees. The woman charged at her, the thick blade coming down into a pew and shattering it in a single blow.

"Ugghhh!!!!" Vivian screamed, her hand shielding her body from the blow it might have took but saved from the busted pew. The woman wretched free her blade as she eyed the Demons all around her. Yes! They were demons and heretics of the law of Tyl! They had to be mowed down just like the others! The Dark Paladin lifted her blade and cross slashed the air causing everything in its sweeping path to be blasted away.

"OK! So it was LOVELY speaking to you, my Lady! But we really should be going--"

"GET! OUTTTT!!!!!!"

Grabbing a hold of Savannah's arm, she jerked the girl from the floor as they rushed for the exit of the Temple with the suit of armor clanking behind them only to feel the cold rush of wind and the slamming of the temple door behind them. Vivian was huffing and wheezing, her heartbeat racing a million miles a second. Her hands on her knees, her busty chest finding course with her rhythm. She attempted to shake the jittery mess of her body and calm her breathing.

"Yes, well..." she started to say fixing her hat in the process, "That was a good start for open dialogue, don't you think?"

 

Everything unfolded before her much too quickly for her to react in time. She cursed her slow movements as Vivian’s hand grabbed at the piece of cloth under her armor and tugged her, the momentum enough to get Savannah on her feet and out the door alongside the lavender-hair witch. Outside of the temple, it was quite and a few snowflakes fell from a cloudy sky overhead. Savannah glanced up, noticing the snow, before looking back toward the woman at her side with a scoff and a shake of her head.

She’s fucking insane, the Death Knight growled, her lithe figure turning to face Vivian directly. And I bet it’s because of that fucking ring. You wanna be her? Hacking bodies to pieces and screaming at imaginary people because they’re driving you batshit crazy?

Savannah couldn’t understand the lust for power. It was never something that drove her, inside or outside of the game. She was content with her lot in life, frustrated sometimes that things weren’t better, but she wasn’t one to go reaching into the dark beyond for power that she knew she couldn’t control. Perhaps that was Vivian’s folly: she believed herself so powerful that there was nothing that could stop her.

Yeah, great open dialogue. She’ll probably send you a message tomorrow asking for tea and fucking biscuits and maybe a Sunday stroll through the fucking temple district. Sarcasm dripped like venom from each word she spit at the Dark Magician, her eyes narrowing to slits. I’m out of here, she said, pointing an accusatory finger at the woman. You’re gonna get killed chasing after demons that you can’t control, Vivian.​

 

"My, my, my. Such naughty language, dropping the F-Bomb everywhere. Your tender, young age is showing through the mask that you call the in-game avatar." She pointed out. With a flick of her wrist, the soft tendrils of violet hair swept off her shoulder as she looked to the Death Knight.

Her explanation was a valid one though, as harsh wording as it seemed to be heard, but there was always a way to get around that sort of thing. As she had pointed out, this would be necessary to plan out a correct strategy.

"Well, we did learn a few things..." Despite being pointed at and despite the harrowing adventure they just had, Vivian hugged the woman's arm to her heavy bosom, "We know she has Slashing Mastery, not to mention Dark Magic as well. I saw flickers of Light Magic as well, and possibly Awakened Berserk or Heroic Might. So as you can see, we are not at a total loss. We just need to develop a solid plan."

Vivian used the word 'we' extensively to the Death Knight that she was holding. She had noticed the snow flakes coming and going, but it collected mostly on the brim of her hat. It was a good night though, she got the information she wanted from the Broker, had some fun with Savannah and made a new friend at the Church!

"Are you really going to leave me now? After all we have been through?" She said dramatically, sweeping a hand over her forehead in a mock pose. Her eyes turned to the female and sighed, erecting herself while crossing her arms. "You rejected a drink with me last time. You rejected my massage as well. The only thing keeping you at my side is our bond with Lucia. Am I such a horrible person to you?"

 

Tender young age my right ass-cheek, Savannah growled in response. She could feel the heat of anger crawling up her spine, but it was mixed with a healthy dose of fear. She didn’t want to die again. The grave scared her more than she wanted to admit and to a woman of Vivian’s caliber, she wouldn’t speak a word. But it was there, on the inside of her eyelids, the Woman Who Waits, standing, silent, with her patient smile and the cold marble beneath Savannah’s back.

Just thinking about her singular death experience was enough to throw her into a mild panic attack. On impulse, she began to pace, even as Vivian listed off her newfound knowledge.

All I’m hearing is how much more powerful this bitch is in comparison to me, Vivian. I have two masteries, that’s it. That awakened shit is end-game material, way outta reach for a pleb like me. You may have your bag of holding of tricks, but I’m literally a one-trick pony. I kill shit and take hits, that’s it. She ran her hands over her face, a low groan coming from her throat. Why in the fuck did I even decide to come with, she whispered to herself, her voice tinged with regret, her shoulders once more hunched up around her ears.

Her boots made a little path in the snow as she walked, but the temperature was just background noise. Savannah didn’t feel the cold of it at all, too worried as she was about the lunatic woman inside Tyl’s church making hamburger meat out of whatever poor soul happened to cross her path. The Death Knight gulped, silver eyes fixing on the doors they had rushed through before they sliced through the air and landed on the Witch.

Sorry, but your woe is me bullshit doesn’t work on me. Sell those dark charms on some other street corner because I ain’t buying. As if to prove her point, she stood another step away from the woman and crossed her arms over her chest, her gaze sweeping over Vivian in a single long look. The cold made her nipples stand out under her clothes.

Look, what exactly do you want from me, Vivian? she asked, quickly turning her head away and pinching the bridge of her nose in exasperation. Yes, your bond with Lucia is why I agreed, ultimately, to tag along, but you knew that. You know that. So…what, you want to spend time together? Savannah scoffed, dropping her hand and looking back towards the other woman. Her gaze was cold, almost detached in a way, but she stood straight and her voice rang out clear between them.

Why? So you can…use all your dark magic on me and shit? No thank you. Fighters naturally have a low will save and I’m surprised I’ve resisted all your charming shit as it stands so the quicker I get outta here, the less I have to worry about waking up beside you in a bed somewhere, naked, wondering what the fuck just happened and why I don’t remember it.​

 

Vivian was...mostly shocked, but she didn't let her expression change. Perhaps she was too cruel of a woman at the beginning of their adventure when they slayed the dire rats that one time. First time impressions were usually her strong suit, but sometimes she was just an irritating bitch and she knew that, oh gods she knew it because she was told it so many times. The Princess Vivian remark so long ago was pretty much true, she never had to lift heavy weights in her life, she did everything with ease from strangers helping her, but she was a hard worker too. She fought tooth and nail for all the things she thought she deserved, even getting the permits and licenses to have her own massage parlor. Now near in her thirties, she was a woman that wanted to make a real name for herself with a little fun on the side.

When Savannah verbally assaulted Vivian, she took it as a mature woman. She waited for the girl to calm down before she nearly exploded at her again. The Dark Witch bit her lower lip, a comment of "You are hot as hell when you are angry," seemed to come to mind, but making such a comment would probably only fuel her burning desire to cut down the witch even more. So she stayed silent during her verbal rampage. When she was through then, Vivian would speak calmly.

"I would not use my dark magic on you. You are Lucia's Death Knight. I would not jeopardize one of her friends on my selfish desires. Yes, I am selfish. That is true, and I generally get what I want. BUT, there is a fine line that is also drawn when it comes to certain individuals. Friends of those who are close to my Love are people I too would protect. I wish to get to know...YOU, Savannah. I'm not asking for a quickie in the back of a sleazy motel or something, I am a classy woman after all."

She had explained. While she was given ice dagger stares, they were met with powerful azure stares. Her arm folded over her chest but she would let that guard break as she stepped a few inches closer to the Death Knight, she would make sure to respect the distance between the two. "I did make the effort of attempting to apologize not only once but twice now. A drink, if I remember and a massage earlier in the night. These are the ways I say 'I'm sorry' without actually having to say it. I might not be a woman like Lucia, I might even be much more dangerous than her because of who I am, but I am not evil incarnate. I just simply...live a more extreme sort of lifestyle within the game."

She tilted her head down and then up to look into the pools of angry silver eyes that came at her like swords of death, Vivian tried her best but sometimes, her best was not good enough. She could not win everyone over. So she dusted off the brim of her hat and stood with a hand stretched out, "If you hate me so much, Savannah, I will leave you on this night and will not ask anything more of you. Your services in protecting me were very much appreciated, and although you might hate me, I still find you worthy of my friendship. Perhaps one day you will see me in equal lighting. The massage is still on the table, as well as that drink. You let me know if you ever need anything in return."

She would make peace with the Death Knight and allow the night to do what it was best to do.

 

Savannah looked from the outstretched hand to Vivian’s face, her own features warring between acceptance and disbelief. She wanted to believe her. Savannah really wanted to grasp Vivian’s hand, apologize, and suggest they go get something warm to drink and come up with a better plan if she was sure she wanted that ring. That plan would probably include Lucia, if Savannah had anything to say about it. But something stopped her from extending her azure palm and shaking Vivian’s hand.

The end all, be all of the situation boiled down to trust. Savannah did not trust Vivian. The Dark Witch could lay her claims, her vows, and her promises at Savannah’s feet and seal with them Lucia’s name and the Death Knight would still think twice – or thrice as it were – about accepting them. The lithe Knight also found the magician dangerous, in the same way a mouse was afraid of the house cat because at any moment, they could be placed under paw and gnawed on.

Granted, Vivian had adamantly expressed that this wasn’t the case. The bond that was behind Savannah accompanying her tonight was the same in that Vivian wouldn’t kill her; because both were special to their Mistress.

On impulse, Savannah shoved her hand forward and gave Vivian a quick shake.

I don’t hate you, she said, the impulse carrying her forward. I don’t trust you and I don’t see what Lucia sees in you, but that’s none of my business. I’m done for the evening. Maybe…maybe another night on the massage.

Hastily, she dropped Vivian’s hand and pivoted, quickly leaving the temple district and wandering towards the outskirts of the city. ​