#the fallacy of the damned | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

dracolichbitch · 2 months

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Vinari didn’t much fancy going to another temple dedicated to a light deity but she recognized she didn’t have a choice in the matter. It would just be uncomfortable, although the discomfort she’d experience on that sacred ground couldn’t possibly compare to the discomfort she now faced with Lucien’s body pressed up against her back, his arms around her waist, his breath in her ear.

She wasn’t sure why the man had insisted on coming along with her since all she was doing was retrieving someones ashes for Lucretia but she supposed that he must be bored without an assignment from Shida. It was a long three day flight with him pressed up against her though, his arms squeezing tighter around her every time Nocturne so much as adjusted his altitude or turned a bit. The man had quietly swore under his breath when he saw she traveled without a saddle but perhaps Vinari might’ve bothered to get one at least for him if she’d known Lucien would spend the entire flight clinging to her like a babe to its mother’s tit.

It was all too soon that they arrived at the one magnificent temple, now reduced to little more than a crumbling ruin. Time and a lack of maintainence had eroded it down to a fragment of its former glory. The roof had been ripped off even if the walls and pillars still stood, but Nocturne didn’t dare land inside.

Even from the sky, they could both feel the radiance clinging to the area. This temple might see worshippers no more but it was still holy ground.

Nocturne landed in the forest outside the temple, settling down on his forelegs so they could hop off his shoulders. Vinari promptly did exactly that, throwing herself to the ground, and righting herself with a roll to her feet rather than sticking the landing. She brushed not so imaginary dirt from the front of her clothes once she was on her feet again and looked over to Lucien to see him carefully lowering himself from his shoulders, looking more than a little unsteady on his feet.

Vinari gave him a single nod before looking to Nocturne.

“You’re going to stay out of trouble while we’re gone, right?”

Nocturne snorted and shuffled his wings as he sat down on his haunches. “I’m more worried about you getting in trouble in that sacred ground.”

Vinari laughed, giving her head a toss as she glanced over to the temple. “It’s an old, crumbling temple, and not one that’s bound to be rife with undead down below. What trouble could possibly await us here?”

Nocturne’s nostrils flared as he took in her words before shaking his own head and laying down on the forest floor, the sunlight dappling in through the leaves of the trees playing on his abyssal scales, coloring them red in a vibrant dance of light. “Perhaps you are right. Be safe, all the same.”

Vinari offered him a wolfish grin, blowing him a kiss before glancing over to Lucien who watched them both with nearly cold, impassive eyes. “Shall we be going?”

“I was waiting on you.” Lucien stated stiffly before turning away.

“How wicked of me to keep a man waiting.” Vinari chuckled as she stepped away from Nocturne with reluctance growing in her heart. She never liked leaving his side.

Without another word, she passed Lucien to take the lead into the temple.

The temple’s front doors were still there, though they were clearly damaged from whatever natural disaster befell the rest of the temple. One door was still standing straight in the door way while the other had come loose and now was lodged crooked and at a turn in the doorway. It was wedged well in there, forcing them to duck under it to go inside. The rest of the temple inside was just as damaged with wooden benches that were probably a nice birch once now scattered throughout the worship hall, many of them broken into pieces and even a few tossed up sideways against the walls and one had gone straight through one of the stained glass windows, destroying whatever scene it probably once displayed. The floor of the temple was strewn with debris both from the temple as well as foliage that’d blown in from the missing roof and broken windows.

Despite the damage to the temple, its golden braziers on either side of the altar at the end of the walkway were still lit with undying golden fire.

Vinari pulled her visor from its pouch on her belt and slipped it over her eyes.

Blessed darkness.

A quick glance behind her showed that Lucien was silently following her, his eyes darting around like a lashing viper from side to side as if in search of something. He wore a scowl on his lips, and his brow was furrowed.

Yeah, I do not care for this place either. Vinari noted as she turned her gaze forward. She could feel the ambient radiant energy in the ruin gently sizzling against her skin, and though it wasn’t strong enough to hurt, it was enough to make her nauseous as she breathed it in. I shouldn’t stay here long. Nothing good will come from continuously breathing in this radiance. She noted as she stepped forward into the ruin, passing by the first few benches that were still in a crooked semblance of rows.

She heard the wind whistling before she felt it, but it wasn’t enough warning to act before an arrow thudded into her shoulder. Burning pain began to spread through out her shoulder immediately upon impact, but she knew it wasn’t from the impact itself because the actual wounds the arrow made seemed minor. The impact had been minor, little more than a love tap really, like the bow had a low draw weight, and thus she indulged her first instinct, after a quick moment to consider it, and pulled the arrow out.

A swift examination of the arrow head revealed twin needles attached to a syringe where the arrow head should be.

Vinari swore under her breath.

A poisoner’s arrow. Damnation.

Vinari wasn’t sure whether to feel dread or relief when she realized she recognized the burning sensation flooding through her body now, the light based poison moving rapidly through her bloodstream.

If they chose to use a lethal poison, I wouldn’t be long for this world. But they didn’t. Why?

“Tears of Celeste, eh? You think that cutting off shade shifting will be enough to save you?” She called out, snapping the arrow in her hands as she cast her gaze around the room, eyes straining to pick out who and where her attacker might be.

“A Voidborne that can’t use their foul magic is helpless.” Vinari could practically hear the sneer in the woman’s voice as she materialized in front of Zakara’s altar. “On this sacred ground, you’re already as good as dead.”

The woman had long golden blonde hair pulled back into an elaborate braid, and wore no makeup except for a single line of metallic gold eyeliner. She wore burnished scale mail for armor, and enclosing her arms were gold plated gauntlets. Her boots appeared to be simple leather, minus the steel toe. In her hands was a small bow, and at her waist was a sheathed claymore. Emblazoned on the front of her armor was the motif of a sun in eclipse.

Vinari knew what she was. There was no mistaking one of them.

A Meridian Paladin. Warriors of light who specialize in hunting diamancers. The enemies of Nishoku and Voidborne alike.

A bead of sweat started forming at the back of Vinari’s neck. It wasn’t her first time dealing with a Paladin but it was never a pleasant encounter.

Before she could say anything else, it was Lucien who stepped forward and spoke. “You have quite the bravado in thinking you have us pinned. Do you really think the Drakengard will overlook the Paladin Order sticking its nose where it shouldn’t?”

“Hold your tongue, halfbreed. Those in the Drakengard are the ones who sent me here ahead of you. Do you think your being here is a coincidence? They’ve finally come to their senses and have chosen to purge their ranks of the Void tainted filth that has infected it.” The paladin whipped a scroll out from the holster at her belt and with a flourish of her hand, it unraveled and even with her visor on, Vinari could see the gleam of golden light magic as the runes enscribed on the paper glowed as the paladin invoked the spell written upon it. “I was only expecting the Vidrus whore today but I’ve been told to take your head as soon as possible as well, halfbreed bastard.”

Vinari had to leap forward to avoid the sudden array of golden magic crashing to the ground behind her. An impenetrable row of golden swords composed of pure light cut her off from Lucien. She’d never dealt with such a spell before but she doubted that trying to cross the barrier they created was a good idea. Even a few paces away, she could feel the heat radiating off of them searing into her back even through her clothes. It was almost painful how hot it was and though she was sure that was the point of them, she was quick to put distance between them and herself, even as it brought her closer to the Paladin.

That was fine. She’d have to come closer to stab her anyway.

Vinari drew the dagger at her waist and flipped it around in her fingers as she eyed the Paladin. Even though she’d fought Paladins before, she had a feeling this one had a bit more skill than the few that merely chanced upon her in the past.

This woman was specifically sent to kill me. I shouldn’t underestimate her. Vinari noted, even as she bristled at the smug smirk plastered on her face. She’s wearing heavy armor and her weapon is a large blade. She’ll be much slower than I am. I can use that. The only problem is my blade probably can’t penetrate her armor. It’s probably Celestial steel.

“Do you really think you’ll be able to kill me so easily just by separating me from him? You’re a fool if that’s the case.” Vinari stated simply, her voice clipped and devoid of emotion as she watched the paladin like a hawk, just waiting for her to make the first move. She couldn’t deny the woman had an advantage with the poison burning hot through her veins. It was more than a little distracting, not to mention it barred her from shade shifting.

The paladin stared at her blankly before smiling bitterly and shaking her head. “No, I don’t. I’ve heard how handy you are with that little butterfly killer. I know that all it will take is one mis-step and you’ll have me bleeding out from the throat sooner than I can blink. I’d be a fool to underestimate the training the Vidrus gave you. But that’s why I have no intention of dueling you myself.” The paladin pulled out a second scroll from the collection at her belt, and this one she unraveled slowly.

Vinari immediately recognized the summoning sigil for what it was, and hissed under her breath as she leapt back from glowing symbols appearing on the ground before her.

The patiere that clawed its way out of the portal that grew from the symbols was like a monster from the stories she was told as a child to scare her and the other Vidrus children into behaving. Its body shape was just the same as a Void patiere, with the retractable scythe like blades protruding from its legs, and the sickle like tail whipping around like an angry snake but as a convergent evolution of the Void patiere, it’s claws glowed with light, and the foliage littering the temple floor smoked from where its paws came into contact with them. Its pelt was bronze and metallic and reflected the light in the temple in a dazzling array of colors that would’ve been blinding if it weren’t for her visor. Light floated from its fanged beak like a dragon blew smoke, and its eerie white eyes flickered from side to side before landing on her.

The patiere didn’t need any command from its summoner to lunge for her.

Vinari leapt out of the way of the beast’s pounce, jumping forward and to the side from where the beast came at her from, rolling to her feet alongside it’s body and lashed out with her dagger to its side, only for her blade to ricochet off of one of the spines hidden in its mane. Vinari was quick to jump away from the patiere as it pivoted on its hind feet towards her, extending and lashing out with the blade on its foreleg as it did so.

Vinari barely managed to block the swipe with her dagger as she dodged, and it was only with some clever footwork that she was able to maintain her balance and stay on her feet as she whirled away from the patiere.

The patiere paused in the low crouch it landed in as it observed Vinari, beak parting to reveal its two rows of jagged teeth. The beast panted heavily as it stared directly at her, saliva dripping from its tongue as it slowly took a step towards her.

Vinari took a step back.

“Oh dear, did I forget to mention that my little pet’s favorite food is Voidborne?” The paladin giggled. “How silly of me not to bring this up before now. Most patiere prefer feeding on humans but it seems there’s just something about your Void corrupted flesh that is utterly appetizing to her. I’m quite fortunate to have such a powerful ally that literally feeds on evil.”

Vinari didn’t dare take her eyes off the patiere. Not when it seemed the Paladin was quite content to watch it try and eat her. She didn’t have to look her way to know she was grinning wickedly. She could tell just from the tone of her voice.

“Those horns of yours would make for a good chew toy, but then again, I might just mount your head on my wall.”

“How nice to know.” Vinari muttered bitterly as she struggled to keep her distance from the patiere. Even though it wasn’t her first time fighting one, she was used to being able to shade shift to avoid attacks as well as to get in close to strike. This time, she was struggling to ignore the burning in her blood stream, and her shoulder starting to throb from where the arrow struck her.

Seemingly growing impatient from the failed attempts to prowl closer, the patiere leapt towards her once again, claws outstretched.

Without waiting to see where it would land, Vinari was quick to dive to the side.

Except she misjudged the patiere’s path, and it landed almost directly beside her.

Landing on her left leg, her bad knee buckled under her weight, sending her tumbling down into a crouch. Panic flittering through her mind, Vinari scrambled to force herself out of the way of the patiere swinging its blade on her again. She forwent forcing herself back to her feet, instead threw herself into a roll to avoid the attack, only for searing pain to rip down her left arm.

Using the momentum of her roll, she staggered back to her feet, clutching the gash going vertically down her arm. Blood blossomed from the cut, clinging to her hand like black ink, and dripped from her fingertips to the floor beneath her feet.

“Vinari!” She could hear Lucien’s voice call out to her but she didn’t dare look for him past the barrier of light.

“Merely a scratch!” She called back to reassure him even as her lips twisted into a snarl as she watched the patiere languidly lick her blood from its blade.

It would’ve been the perfect opportunity to strike while it was distracted, if only Vinari hadn’t dropped her dagger in her frantic attempt to get away from the beast.

“Go on! Keep jumping around like that!” The paladin laughed from where she lounged atop the altar. “My pet could use the exercise!”

Vinari didn’t grace her with a response. Instead her eyes darted away from the patiere to scan the ground in search of her dagger. Instead of the knife she dropped, something else caught her eye.

The black pool of her blood that dripped onto the floor began to glow with a crimson light and from within, a hilt rose up from her blood transformed into a portal, and though she didn’t recognize the blade that appeared before her, Vinari didn’t hesitate to wrap her bloody hand around the hilt.

The blade of the long sword appeared black at first until the light hitting it just right revealed it to be a bloody crimson translucent material. It possessed no crossguard, instead the blade lead into the mouth of a skull at the hilt, the metal undoubtedly black tenebrium. In the skull’s eye sockets appeared to be two large rubies. Her hand wrapped around the hilt as if it were made specifically for her and its weight couldn’t be more perfect for her.

As she wrapped her hand around the hilt and held the blade aloft, the rubies in the skull’s eye sockets glowed, and a familiar voice floated through her head.

Quite the predicament you find yourself in, hatchling. Carnage’s voice was utterly nonchalant as if he were commenting on the weather.

Vinari didn’t have time to formulate a response as it seemed the patiere sensed the danger and was leaping at her once more.

She tried to dodge out of the way once more, only to find that her body wouldn’t answer her mind’s commands.

Oh please hatchling. You’ll never win if all you do is dodge. Allow me. Carnage chuckled, the malevolent sound reverberating through the expanse of her mind.

Considering he’d taken over her body and reduced her to nothing more than a witness, Vinari decided to trust in him, and wait to see what he would do. It wasn’t as though she had any other choice.

The patiere was nearly upon her when Carnage acted, throwing her body down and forward, sliding towards and under the patiere as it jumped overhead, Mournbringer swinging forward as she moved.

Blood, burning hot and wet splattered across her face as the blade sliced clean down the patiere’s torso. The black blade cut through its chest and down its stomach, dumping its entrails onto the floor behind her.

The patiere landed on its feet behind her, but no sooner than she turned to face it, it wobbled before collapsing to the ground, an agonized mewling crying from its beak.

Minds separate but body as one, Carnage and Vinari rose to their feet and turned on the beast. Blood as golden and sunlight and just as hot pooled underneath the patiere’s body, and it lifted its head in weak defiance at their approach. They raised their arm, and in a single motion, severed its head from its neck.

With the beast slain, Vinari turned to the paladin, and was surprised Carnage returned control of her body to her. For now at least.

“Please forgive me, but I fear I did not quite catch your words earlier. What was that you were saying about my horns and mounting my head?” Vinari asked, baring her fangs in a feral snarl.

The Paladin was fury incarnate as she slipped from the top of the altar and took a step forward, drawing the claymore at her waist.

“You little monster. This is sacred ground! How did you perform a summon here?”

Vinari smiled wickedly at her but didn’t deign to answer. She didn’t know how Mournbringer appeared before her either.

As if responding to her thoughts, Mournbringer pulsed in her grip. Darkness began to seep from the blade as if it were bleeding and it traveled down the length of the blade and up the hilt as if it had a mind of its own, and in a manner of speaking, she supposed it did. She kept her cool as the darkness slipped up her sword arm and slipped across her chest to seemingly find its destination in the wound on her other arm. The darkness engulfed the gash going down her arm and seeped into the wound, and as it did so, the pain in her arm began to fade before disappearing entirely. She wiggled the fingers of that hand before clenching them into a fist. Finding no discomfort, she sent a silent ‘thank you’ to Carnage.

Rather than to respond in words, the skull’s ruby eyes flashed in acknowledgment.

Rejuvenated by Carnage’s energy, Vinari returned her eyes to the Paladin, only to be caught off guard seeing her now at Lucien’s mercy with his blade at her throat.

A glance back showed the Paladin’s barrier still stood, so she wasn’t sure how he ended up on the other side of it, but assumed he found another way around.

She lowered Mournbringer as she approached the two of them.

“Now then. Who among the Drakengard sent you after us?” Vinari questioned, her voice calm, cool, and collected as she eyed the Paladin.

The Paladin clenched her jaw shut and scoffed. “I’m not telling you monsters a damn thing.”

Vinari’s drifted half shut and she shook her head slowly. “Can’t you see we’re not what you think we are? We are people just trying to survive, just like you.”

The Paladin spat at her feet.

Vinari’s jaw tightened but she didn’t let her smile fall.

“I will make you an offer. Tell us who sent you and we will show you mercy. This I swear on my flesh and blood with the mighty Diabolos as my witness.”

The Paladin gawked at her as if she were a three legged donkey drunkenly dancing the tango. Slowly her jaw worked, though it took a moment for the words to come forth.

“Fyros. Ulrich Fyros. He wishes for your head as recompense for the death of Inara Fyros, and his for being a blight on his family’s honor.” The Paladin’s voice was laced with utter defeat as she spoke.

Vinari inhaled slowly before letting out the breath through her nose.

“I see. I suppose I should’ve suspected as much.” She closed her eyes for a single moment, nodding to herself. “Thank you for your cooperation.” She passed Mournbringer to her left hand.

“So you’ll let me go?”

Vinari smiled at her softly. Genuinely.

Before plunging her hand into the Paladin’s chest. Her claws tore through her armor as if it were made of parchment before wrapping around her heart. With a sharp yank, Vinari ripped the frantically beating organ from her chest.

Vinari’s eyes drifted from the heart in her bloody hand to the Paladin’s eyes, and it was with a grim satisfaction that she watched the light leave them.

Despite herself, she smirked as Lucien unceremoniously dropped the body.

He turned to her with his brow half raised, and what seemed to be the ghost of a smirk across his lips.

“What happened to mercy? You swore to Diabolos.”

Vinari offered him a self satisfied smile.

“I did show her mercy. I gave her a quick death, as opposed to the slow one she tried to give me. There is nothing more she could ask for.”

Lucien’s smirk grew wider. “I do so love the wicked ways words can be woven, don’t you?”

“Very much so.” Vinari gazed into his dark eyes for only a moment longer before flickering her gaze downward to the corpse at her feet. “Would you be a dear and take her head? I want to see the look on Ulrich’s face when I set it on his desk.”

“Lady Vidrus, it would be my genuine pleasure.”

Vinari stepped away to give him space to cut off the head, a lopsided grin on her face as she returned her gaze to the heart in her hand.

You’re more vicious than I originally thought. That’s good. Sometimes cruelty is required to keep oneself alive. Carnage spoke into her mind once more.

Vinari’s gaze flickered down to the blade she still held in her hand.

I’m glad you approve. By the way, how did you summon yourself to me? She was right. This is sacred ground.

Oh please, as if the weak aura permeating this temple would be enough to keep me from you. The blood of our same sire runs through your veins. You are the blood of my blood, and it was through our joined blood that I was able to come to you. I will always be able to come to you for so long as you have blood to bleed. We may not be soul bound but we are nevertheless connected.

Vinari’s breath stilled in her chest. For them to possess the same sire… Well, she’d always had suspicions as to who her father was, but it was another thing entirely for someone else to confirm them.

I see. Well you have my sincere gratitude for your timely arrival.

But of course. I swore to allow you use of my blade, and I don’t intend for you to die until you’ve made good use of me. I wish to bear witness to your wicked will.

Before she could respond, Lucien had returned to her side, severed head dripping blood in his hand.

“Here. What do you propose we do now? Should we try to find the ruins underneath the temple?”

Vinari shook her head. “No point. I have no doubt this was a set up from the start. The ashes of Valkyra probably aren’t even here.”

Lucien’s brow furrowed even as he nodded to her words. “Do you think Frey was in on it?”

Vinari had to think about it for a moment before shaking her head.

“Considering her effort in convincing me to join the Drakengard, I do not believe she would knowingly send me into a trap.”

Lucien’s eyes narrowed ever so slightly. “You have more faith in her than I do.”

Vinari shook her head. “Faith is for fools. I believe in what I can see.”

Lucien met her gaze, though he remained silent for a long moment before a faint smile flickered across his face, though it was gone in a flash.

“You’re rather intriguing, Vinari.” He noted.

His gaze flickered downward, to her bloodied hand still grasping the heart. “What do you intend to do with that, by the way? I assume there’s a reason you haven’t tossed it to the side yet.”

Vinari actually hadn’t decided what she wanted to do with it before that moment he asked, and once he had, she was moving before she thought twice about what she was about to do.

She brought the bloody heart to her lips and took a bite out of it.

The meat was still warm on her tongue and as she chewed it, she found the texture to be rather rubbery and unpleasant, and that wasn’t even taking into consideration the distasteful sliminess of the congealed blood clinging to it.

Still, it was worth it if only to witness the way Lucien’s eyes widened ever so slightly at the sight of her do so, even if they were quick to drift half shut as he watched her.

“Is it any good?”

Wordlessly, she offered it to him.

His eyes flickered to the heart in her hand and then back to her eyes, and then, without diverting his gaze, he took a bite.

Vinari steadily met his gaze as he chewed slowly, her eyes only flickering away from his to glance at his throat when he swallowed.

“Could use some salt.” He stated nonchalant.

A little laugh slipped past Vinari’s lips before she could even think to stop it, and she ripped her eyes away from his, looking off and to the side instead as she casually tossed the heart away.

“True. Not worth finishing.”

“I’ll admit, I’m rather impressed that you were able to penetrate her flesh so easily. It seems you’re much stronger than you look.”

Vinari was quick to shake her head, even as she gestured for him to follow her out. “I wasn’t sure I’d be able to with her armor at first, but it turns out it only looked like Celestial steel. Considering her pet, it was probably more for show than anything.”

Lucien followed her outside to where Nocturne lounged, patiently waiting for them.

“I can only imagine how many Voidborne she’d fed to that thing. No matter. It will never feed on another.”

To her surprise, he offered her a boost onto Nocturne’s shoulders, and even though she was more than capable of climbing up there by herself, she accepted. It was only once she was settled securely between his spikes and Lucien’s chest was pressed up against her back once more that all the tension from the ambush began to drain out of her shoulders.

You were right to be concerned. She told Nocturne, though she wasn’t sure if her voice would reach him with Mournbringer held in her grip.

Normally I’d bask in your admitting I was correct but considering the circumstances you faced, I think I will merely bask in your safety. Nocturne’s deep timbre rumbled through her mind like the rolling of thunder as he rose to his feet, rearing back on his hind legs.

Quick as a snake, Lucien’s arm latched around her waist once more.

You and I both, Nocturne. Vinari admitted quietly.

A soft snort left Nocturne’s nostrils along with the trailing of black smoke, but rather than respond with words, he lunged into the air with a mighty beat of his wings.

They cut into the sky like a dagger slit throats, and as the ground fell away, so did Vinari’s worries. Like the temple ruins fading into the distance, they were left in the past behind them.

#the fallacy of the damned #oc: vinari vidrus #oc: lucien fyros #tw: cannibalism

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