Hector raises his ax bringin it down on teh man nearly splitting him in half with the giant war ax. Sane stood behind him panting in excitement adrenaline pumping through his blood. He had a wild grin on his face his sword stained with fresh blood looked almost completely scarlet. He walked overto the man whom he had damged by breaking his nose and jerks him off the floor with one hand holding him p the taking his sword and stabbing him in the stomach while smiling. Ice just looks on in horror at what was happening, he taps Sane on the shouler.
"Sane... we have to move on... The royal chamber is down the hall. I want you to go with the girl to dispose of the soldiers downstairs me and Hector will go to the royal chamber." Ice says.
"So you've changed you mind about me joining you in the royal chambers... I see... Well there have to be more men downstairs anyways." Sane says smiling.
Hector just shakes his head and laughs looking around poised ready to fight.
::Kari, feeling all emotion leave her as her heart turned to stone in the rush of batte, spoke coldly to Sane as she passed him, moving to the door to the main courtyard:: Come on. Let's get going.
::She moved out the door and into the stone courtyard, bloody sword in hand. Numerous soldiers rushed at her at once, and she was soon lost among them, moving like water through the masses. A few managed to land their blades on her, but as she slowly slipped into her own darkness, she could feel nothing. Her bright green eyes slowly faded to a deep blood red, and glowed maliciously as she slaughtered man after man::
Sane ran after her sword in hand seeing the soldiers aroudn him the smile on his face turned into a wide sickening grin his eye deepening black voids of emptyness filled his heart as he battled the soldiers that soon had him surrounded, he didn't care as they came at him instead he bagan to one by one slaughter them enjoying the blood that spurted from their bodies. It covered Sane face and stained his hands red, just then as he turned to attack another soldier a blade was run straight through his shoulder. Sane fell to one knee swinging his sowrd cuttign off the mans legs then try to get up he stumbled back against the wall still battling back the soldiers who were now thinning down to just a few. Sane was losing blood fast yet he kept on fighting his hunger for death was unbareable now.
::As Kari finished off the last few soldiers in the courtyard, with Sane's aid of course, she felt a warmth coming from her chest. She looked down to see the silver pendant around her neck, given to her by her mother, glowing softly. The red faded from her eyes as the Elvish magic purified her heart once more, pulling her back from the edge of insanity. She ached all over, feeling somewhat strange. She didn't notice the wolf-like ears that had sprouted from her head, poking up through her long black hair. Her fangs were a bit longer than usual, and gleamed. Though she felt like herself again, her entire body was pained by numerous cuts that leaked blood down her body. She spotted Sane near the wall and moved over to him. She saw the deep wound in his shoulder:: You're badly hurt. Hold still. ::She tore a piece from her cape and wrapped his shoulder tightly. She cursed under her breath as the wound continued to bleed profusely. SHe knew he'd die from bloodloss, but she didn't want to use magic, for fear of him realizing who she really was:: Dammit... ::She removed the makeshift bandage and pulled aside his armor, placing a hand over the wound and muttering in Elvish. The flesh mended and healed in a glow of red light. She looked back to Sane's eyes, searching them for any sign that he was still the man she loved::
Sane looked back at her his eye pure black no warmth in sight. His heart wanted death... Yet... Something strange tugged at his heart. A weird feeling... his eyes brightened a little and a half smile came to his face.
"K... Ka... Kari. Is... that... NO! She's gone! Death... Only death can satisfy my emptiness."
His eyes turn completely black once more and Sane lurches foward towards the main hall, he was planning on plowing straight through the soldiers to open the main gate. He moved into the main hall grabbing a sevant girl by the hair throwing her against the wall her head hitting it with a sickening twack! A soldier come running at Sane from the side yet Sane sees him coming impales him with his sowrd then pulls it out watching the blood trickle down the cold blade. He moves foward and then kicks the havy doors that lead into the front courtyard where the gate it wide open his dark powers lurching the doors off their heavy hinges. There in eth courtyard stood about forty men their swords and shield ready. Sane returned his sword to his side and took out his two dagger. He was going to enjoy the killing...
::Kari stepped back in recoil when she hear him utter her name... When he pushed past her, she turned and chased after him. She saw the servant girl crumpled against the wall, her head gushing blood, and rushed to her, quickly healing her. She looked the girl in the eyes:: You must get everyone out of here! All the other servants, women, children, all of them! Do you understand?!
::THe terrified girl nodded weakly before dashing off::
::Kari turned and rushed after Sane, who was now through the gate. She looked at Sane, now engulfed in his own Shadow, and then to the guards. Fear was written all over their faces. They didn't want to die. They didn't even want to fight for their lord. They only wanted to feed their families and survive another week under this cruel tyrants rule. Kari saw Sane ready to slaughter every last one of them and knew what she had to do. She ran forward and put herself between him and the host of men, facing Sane with a solid look to her gleaming emerald eyes:: Stop this madness, Sane!
Sane gives Kari a sharp look tightening the grip on his daggers, he could taste the blood almost that was going to be spilled... Yet this woman was in his way she was supposed to be on his side.
"Move... I do not want to hurt you. They are all I want..."
Sane smirks and looks at the men smiling suddenly. He turns to Kari and shakes his head.
"If you will not let me pass... I will be forced to make you my enemy."
::Kari looked at her sword. It was also glowing black with her inner Shadow, threatening to swallow her again. She threw it to the ground, refusing to let it consumer her like it had Sane. She looked back to him, and then gestured to the frightened men behind her, pleading with the man she loved:: Then make me your enemy. Look into their eyes, Sane! It is their lord who has done ill, not them! They no more wish to fight you than they would wish for death! It is your Shadow which burdons you and makes you thirst for the blood of the innocent! It is the same Shadow that lives inside me! You cannot let it consume you!
Sane's grip relaxes a bit on the daggers in his hands. He shakes his head trying to clear it his eyes becoming a shade lighter.
"Shadow... there is no shadow in me... This world is a shadow... One that whould be consumed by light... I am that light and these men... They... are the darkness."
Sane shakes his head obviously trying to decide something he lets out a yell falling to one knee.
"Damn it! Who are you woman?! Why do you plague be with your begging of these mens live? They are nothing... They do not deserve... to... live."
::Kari narrowed her eyes, growing angry at his words:: Who are you to judge such things?! You think you should be the one to say who deserves to live and who deserves death?! Such decisions are beyond our comprehension. These men guard this place as their duty. To feed their families. To be able to pay their tyrant lord's unbearable taxes. They have no loyalty to him. Can you not see that in their eyes?!
Sane shakes his head...
"No... These men... their eyes... You... Maybe you're right..."
Sane shakes his head trying to clear it again... His eyes return to normal and he gasps for breath his chest heathing his heart returning to normal speed. He looks around in disbelief.
"Wah... What... What happened?"
::The knights stood there, dumbfounded, as Kari let out a sigh of relief. She was relieved that she hadn't had to reveal her true identity. She moved forward, looking Sane in the eyes, touching his cheek gently:: Sane...good. You fell into your Shadow... It nearly consumed you... You need to learn to control it. To lock it away.
Sane stands up smiling looking at the girl closely... She reminded him of Kari... Yet he knew it was stupid... She could never be Kari.
"Darkness... oh... no... just like the village... my god..."
Sane puts away his daggers and looks at the soldiers... They were slowly recovering from their disbelief.
::Kari spoke softly:: Come on... let's go find the others... ::She turned to the soldiers, who looked to her with blank expressions:: Please, let us pass... if we accomplish our goal here, then you can live on your own accord under a kind, understanding lord who will make this land flourish again... I have seen inside him just as I have seen inside of all of you... please...let us pass....
Sane nodded and smiled as the soldiers slowly moved aside. He looked around and a worried look came across his face.
"I can't remember the way back..."
::Kari looked to him:: It's alright... we'll meet with the others in the throne room and go from there. ::They moved through the soldiers and up the steps through the large wooden doors and into the large, luxurious throne room, obviously furnished by the outrageous taxes put on the people of the fort::
There on the throne sat Ice's uncle Ice's sword pressing against his neck. Hector stood beside Ice leanign on his ax a grin on his face he looks at the doors as they open smiling when he sees Kari and Sane enter the room.
"Sane... glad to see you're not hurt." Hector shouts.
Sane nods, "My my Hector it seems that you and Ice have to tyrant at sword point."
Hector laughs, "That we do question is though. What shall we do with him?"
Sane walks over to the throne and leans against it, "I suppose it is up to Ice. What do you say Ice? What shall we do with him?"
Ice smiles, "I can think of many ways to punish him... All of them are too kind for him though."
Hector looks at Kari, "What say you? What shall we do with him?"
::Kari was surprised that he would ask her, but turned her eyes to the malicious ruler and read him. He was nothing but greed and selfishness. She saw things he had done to his people from raising taxes to hanging men for stealing bread for their starving families. Her eyes flashed with anger, but she remembered her words to Sane just before. Who are you to judge who should live and who deserves death? She spoke:: Put him to work under whip and chain, just as he has done to the people he starves out of his own gluttony.
Sane smiled at Kari and nodded, "I kind of like that idea Ice... How about you?"
Ice nods, "Yes... I think a punishment like that would give him a lifetime to think about the pain he has brought my people."
Sane nods, "I believe our young Maiden has stumbled upon a fit punishment for our gracious Lord."
Ice grabs his uncle by the collar and jerks him off the throne throwing him to the ground.
"I shall see to it that you will be worked to the bone." Ice stammers his anger rising.
Sane put his hand on Ice's shoulder, "Don't Ice... It's over... put him to work... Do not hurt him..."
Ice grinds his teeth but nods, "I won't hurt him..."
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