|
Post by odette on Dec 7, 2016 5:18:46 GMT
Korso froze at her question and he slowly turned to look at her. "How do you know that name?" He growled and took a few steps towards her. Though he stopped when she mentioned he had been saying her name and he dropped his gaze. He had been dreaming of that night again...Gods, he'd never escape it. Even on the brink of death, Maria was still haunting him. Korso didn't look at Wendy as he started gathering their things and loaded up the horse. He had lost track of how long it had been since one of them spoke but the tension in the air around them was almost too much to handle. Once they were set, he stood there for a moment with his back to her. "She was my wife..." He suddenly said without even really thinking about it. His fingers tugged on the saddle of the horse to make sure it was secure before he turned to face her, crossing his arms over his chest. "It was a long time ago. She died in childbirth...I wasn't strong enough to protect her or our child." He ran a hand through his hair and cleared his throat. "She would have been about your age by now...my daughter. But I lost her too. That's all you need to know." With that, Korso led the horse outside before climbing on. When she came out, he held his hand down to her to help her up if she needed it. They were almost to the border anyway...he didn't have time to tell his life story to a stranger. He shouldn't have even said as much as he did. It made him vulnerable. That was something he never took the opportunity to be.
|
|
|
Post by su on Dec 7, 2016 5:34:27 GMT
It had been a week since that night spent at the cave, and ever since Korso had avoided her. She hated it but she also knew that it had been partly her fault for asking too many questions. They had just crossed the border when they were suddenly met by a group of riders. Korso didn't look too surprised to see them and Wendy started to feel uneasy. That uneasiness grew as she recognized the lead rider, it was Gaston and she shrank behind Korso as if that would somehow shield her. They were surrounded in a matter of minutes before Gaston pulled up in front of them on his black horse. "Thank you for bringing her...here's your payment as requested." He said and tossed Korso a hefty bag of coins. Then he snapped his fingers so Wendy was forcibly yanked off of the horse and brought to Gaston's horse. "You sold me to him?" She demanded as she glanced back at Korso, anger in her eyes as Gaston smirked down at her. "I did say that he wouldn't last forever now didn't I dear?" He said smirking down at her. Wendy spat at him, making one of the guards grab her roughly by the hair and pull her back. She cried out in pain and Gaston sighed, "Come now Wendy...don't behave so childishly. It hardly suits you, besides your father will be thrilled to see you." Wendy froze at those words and turned pale. "He's here?" She asked quietly and Gaston smirked as he hoisted her onto his saddle in front of him. His arms sliding around her waist, pulling her uncomfortably close to him. "Yes he is...farewell Korso. Your services are no longer required." He said in a dismissive tone to Korso as he turned his horse and galloped off with his men following suit.
|
|
|
Post by odette on Dec 8, 2016 4:09:04 GMT
Korso was silent after riding on his own for hours. It seemed almost too quiet now that he didn't have Wendy with him. He could still see that look of betrayal on her face...though there were times that he didn't see her...he saw Maria. The coins in his bag seemed to weigh him down. Why was he feeling so...broken? Like he was missing something. He never should have gotten attached to that girl. Though ever since that night in the cave, he had a sinking feeling about her. The way she acted, the way she spoke...her powers and her features. It was all almost a spitting image of his wife. After Maria's death, his daughter had been taken from him and all this time he thought she was dead. But now...could it be possible that Wendy could be his daughter? Korso pulled his horse to a stop and ran a hand over his face. Even if she wasn't...he had betrayed her. Normally he wouldn't have cared but now, he had been developing feelings for the girl. He was a sick man...but he had to save her. Without second guessing himself, Korso redirected his horse and rode towards where he had exchanged her. If he could pick up on their trail, he'd be able to get to her...Gods he hoped he wasn't too late.
|
|
|
Post by su on Dec 8, 2016 5:19:31 GMT
Wendy was brought to a farmhouse that was by itself, Gaston didn't say a word the entire trip. Finally they brought her inside and then she was tossed her into a study area. Wendy jerked as she landed on the ground and froze as she heard her father's voice, "So good of you to join us Wendy." She slowly looked up at him and flinched when he stepped towards her. "Dad I-" He slapped her across the face and she looked away from him with her body shaking. "Don't placate to me, you have disappointed me for the last time. You're lucky that I was only testing you, but now you need to pay up." He continued making Wendy wince a little bit as he stepped towards her. She stepped back but he kept advancing until she was up against the wall. "It's time for the ritual." He said and the door opened to reveal Gaston standing there with Alice and Melody next to him. Wendy whirled around and stared over at him in horror, knowing full well the ritual he was talking about. "No...please not that." She whispered with a pleading expression on her face. Rourke gripped her arm and tossed her towards Gaston, "Get her ready like the others." He said and Wendy didn't even feel the needle sinking into her neck from Gaston. She sagged in his grip before he dragged her down the corridor. Later on that night in the basement of the farmhouse a group of people were gathered there. In the front were the three girls all standing together, the three of them were dressed in white transparent dresses. "Tonight we will celebrate the harvest moon...each of these girls has been chosen to carry out the most important duty of our people." He held up a bowl and went down the line of girls marking them each on the forehead with a line of dirt before he stepped back. "Alice step forward." Alice did so, she was smiling and acting as if she was completely unaware of her current surroundings. "Are you prepared to serve Mother Earth?" He asked watching as Alice nodded. His hand moved and before Alice could react his knife flashed upward and sliced Alice's throat. Wendy who was still drugged immediately reacted as Alice's throat was cut. "No! No! Not Alice!" She screamed watching in horror as Alice's body crumpled to the ground. She was grabbed by Gaston and dragged towards Rourke kicking and screaming. It was like Alice's death had set her body into flight or fight mode, everywhere she looked though no one else had even reacted to Alice's death. Almost as if they had been expecting it, "It is your turn my dear." Rourke whispered as he held up his knife. "You monster! How could you?! She was my friend...my friend!" She screamed and whipped her head back so Gaston's nose broke with a satisfying crunch. Rourke grabbed her wrist and yanked her forward, "You will die just like your whore of a mother." He growled as he bent down towards her with the knife in his hands.
|
|
|
Post by odette on Dec 8, 2016 15:11:01 GMT
Suddenly an arrow shot through the room, piercing Rourke through the shoulder so the knife fell to the ground. Then an inhuman growl echoed through the room and Korso came racing in, his eyes holding that piercing green color of his animal form. He managed to grab Wendy away from the men and threw her so she was trapped in a corner, using his body to protect her. "If you insult my wife like that again, I will make your death more painful than it ever could be." He growled. "The deal is off." Korso shot a glance at Gaston. He thought this had just been another job. Something to get him by but now...He was being stupid and reckless once again but Maria couldn't be upset with him about it. Not if he was saving their daughter.
|
|
|
Post by su on Dec 8, 2016 19:25:52 GMT
Before Wendy even knew it, Rourke doubled over with an arrow jutting out of his shoulder. Then in a blur she was tossed into a corner, she landed with a pained cry and scrambled to sit up. Korso was standing protectively in front of her, of all the people she had been expecting he wasn't it. "Your wife?" She whispered in confusion. She must have hit her head harder then she had thought. Rourke stood up, yanking the arrow out of his shoulder with a grimace. "Finally figured it out did you?" He demanded with a little chuckle. Wendy felt even more confused, "What are you talking about?" She asked quietly. Rourke moved to stand in the front of the crowd and before she could react he grabbed Melody to bring her forward. Wendy let out a little cry as she realized just what Rourke was intending to do. "No! Please...please don't hurt her!" She begged with her eyes wide. Rourke held the knife to Melody's throat, "Wendy...you are the entire reason for this Harvest....with your blood everyone gathered here can become all powerful." He said. Wendy froze, what he was saying sounded all kinds of crazy. "You're lying...that's just-" Rourke stepped even closer towards them, "I'm not lying, the only reason it didn't work for your mother was because she had been with him before the Ritual could begin. Otherwise she might have survived the process." He sneered. Wendy's body trembled at his words, "You really are a monster...what kind of person sacrifices innocent people?" She demanded. Rourke pressed the blade even deeper into Melody's neck. "Your little friend is going to die...and once you join her in death then everyone willing will become powerful...even you." He all but purred making Wendy's eyes widen in horror. "You're insane." She breathed. Everything she had thought about her father was a lie...how could he have done that to her mother? "Well that doesn't matter now does it?" He asked before he slit Melody's throat. Wendy screamed and thrust her hand out, a white light streamed from Melody's body and then into her own. She sagged a little bit and stared down at her hand which still glowed a little bit. "You wretch!" Rourke bellowed. Wendy didn't quite hear him as she stared down at her hand, she felt amazing...untouchable really. Rourke was screaming something and then everyone rushed them, Wendy held up a hand and a glowing shield encased them both.
|
|
|
Post by odette on Dec 8, 2016 23:46:13 GMT
Korso barely responded to Wendy's confusion. He'd explain everything to her later but right now he had to focus on getting her out of here alive. He had experienced this with Rourke before...this ritual was why his wife was dead. And that man would pay. Though when Rourke grabbed Wendy's friend, he held up his arm to keep her behind him for her protection. Before he could do anything to save her, Rourke slashed the girl's throat and Korso growled. Things were getting worse. He had to leave. Now. He turned to grab Wendy but she raised her hand and a sudden light blinded him. "What the hell-" Korso looked up to see a strange light transferring from Melody's body to Wendy's. He had never felt such magic before...Maria wasn't even that strong. That was just one more reason to take Wendy to safety. Korso growled and shifted into his wolf form before he jumped from the shielded area. Suddenly he tackled Rourke to the ground, his teeth barring as he stared down at the man. Before Rourke could react, Korso ripped into the man's throat, his claws tearing into the skin of his stomach. Blood pooled around them and Korso flicked his head up, his green eyes locking onto Gaston's form. Within moments, he was on him, attacking in the same manner. Though he seemed to remember Wendy halfway through. There were less people now, he could get her out. He raced around the room and butted his head beneath her legs, knocking her into the air and he caught her on his back. Korso took her out of the farmhouse and raced back into the woods, not looking back.
|
|
|
Post by su on Dec 9, 2016 2:43:43 GMT
Wendy wasn't sure what happened next, all she saw was Korso suddenly lunging forward in his wolf form and then he was attacking Rourke. She was pulled out of her thoughts as one of the villagers tried slitting her throat from behind. Her hand automatically moved and he was thrown back with a cry, she stumbled only a little. Keeping the shield up was a lot more draining then she had realized and she wasn't sure how to stop using it. She let out a muffled sound as Korso suddenly lifted her from behind so she landed on his back. The shield dissolved much to her relief, she'd have to figure out how to use her new powers and soon. Her hands gripped Korso's wolf fur in order to keep herself on as he escaped the farmhouse. Tears fell down her face as she thought about her two childhood friends that she had just lost. It was all she could do to keep herself on Korso's back as he kept running, she had never noticed before just how huge he was. He was twice the size of any normal wolf that she had ever seen and even more intimidating. Korso hadn't given her a reason to fear him in his wolf form but she still remembered how easily he had just sold her off. She knew it would be awhile before she could trust him, especially now that she knew about their relationship. How long had he known anyway? Had he led her on because she reminded him of her mother? The thought pained her, even more so now that she knew she probably had only caught his eye because she resembled her mother. A woman she had never known...a woman who Korso still cared about, and who could compete to a ghost? Finally Korso ran to a full stop in a tiny glen, they had run for miles it seemed and she didn't recognize their surroundings. She slid off of his back and collapsed to the ground with a little whimper...her body was sore and she felt drained. The magic she had used had sapped her energy and she could barely stand...the power Melody and Alice had had now ran through her veins. Magic that she had accidentally stolen, magic that wasn't even hers...she stared down at her hands blankly. She could feel the magic rippling through her body, it was more intense then anything she had used before. Before her magic had felt like a dull roar...this was almost too much and she wasn't used too it. "You came back...I thought you-" She broke off and kept her gaze lowered, "What changed your mind?" She asked quietly as she looked up at him.
|
|
|
Post by odette on Dec 9, 2016 4:25:25 GMT
Korso finally stumbled to a stop, his body huffing and puffing as he caught his breath. He didn't realize they had been running for so long and his legs ached. Once she slid off of him, Korso groaned and shifted into his human form. He glanced over at her when she spoke and pushed himself to his feet. "I realized I made a mistake..." He whispered and held his hand out towards her to help her up. "We can't be out in the open right now. Come on." Korso led her through a break in the valley walls that opened up into a small cavern. There was a stream that she could clean up in and plenty of space for them to stay as long as they needed for her to adjust. Though suddenly he turned and brought her hand up, turning her arm over so he could see the underside of her wrist. There, just as it had been all those years ago, was a small scar right on her pulse point. The skin there was light and raised in a small crescent shape that resembled the moon on certain nights. "She would haunt me for the rest of my days if I abandoned you again..." Without even realizing it, he brought her wrist up and placed a gentle kiss against the mark. Then he came back to his senses and pulled away from her, taking a few steps back. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that." Korso ran a hand through his hair and turned his back to her. "Are you alright?" He glanced at her over his shoulder as he knelt down next to the stream and washed the blood from his arms.
|
|
|
Post by su on Dec 9, 2016 5:15:06 GMT
Wendy stared down at the hand that he offered her before she hesitantly accepted it. She mumbled a quiet word of thanks before letting him lead her towards a nearby cave. It instantly reminded her of the cave they had spent together in that night he had been wounded. She glanced down at him as he suddenly turned her arm in his grasp and studied a small scar on her pulse point. It had been there for as long as Wendy could remember, but Korso was looking at it as if it brought back some painful memories. She swallowed hard at his words and looked away trying not to show her immediate reaction to his lips on her skin. It had been far too long since he had touched her like that, after that night in the cave he had avoided her like the plague. She watched as he pulled away as if he had been burned and she hastily stepped away from him. More distance between them would probably be a good idea, seeing as how he seemed to not want to be anywhere near her. It hurt and the past few hours were really not helping her current mind set. "I just watched my two childhood friends get murdered by someone I thought was my father. And I got their power...power that I have no idea how to control. On top of that I just found out that you are my real father, and you sold me off to a man who tried killing me for said power. To answer your question, no I'm not fine. I feel like I'm going to explode at any moment and you keep looking at me like I'm some kind of freak. A freak that you can't stand to be near or touch for that matter...and I am still trying to deal with the fact that I have feelings for you!" That last bit burst out of her with sudden force and she immediately slapped her hand over her mouth when she realized what she had just said. After a moment she cleared her throat and looked away from him, "You still love my mother...I can see it in your eyes and whenever you talk about her. Please be honest with me...is that the only reason you ever...kissed me? Because I reminded you of her?" She asked hating how vulnerable she sounded in that moment.
|
|
|
Post by odette on Dec 9, 2016 5:42:24 GMT
Korso flinched at her response and he returned to his feet, turning to look at her as he dried off his arms with the bottom of his shirt. "I didn't know when we met...I questioned it that night in the cave but I thought I was being nostalgic. Yes, you remind me of her. But no...that's not why I kissed you." He looked at her, a tinge of awkwardness in the air. How was he going to say this without sounding disgusting? Korso sighed and ran a hand through his hair, every muscle in his body tense. "You started out as just a job to pay off my debt but after just one day with you...I realized you were more than that. I was developing feelings for you. After that night in the cave...when you helped me, I started to consider the option that you could be and I started distancing myself. I mean, what kind of a father would I be if I was in love with my own daughter?" He looked away from her, realizing he had just admitted his feelings outright to her. "Both Maria and you were ripped from me so quickly...I never got to say goodbye. That changed me. I started killing and lying just to distract myself. And then I run into you and I'm changing again. I see a lot of her in you. I do. But I love you for you...not for your mother."
|
|
|
Post by su on Dec 9, 2016 6:12:57 GMT
Wendy let out a heavy sigh at his words, feeling some relief at what he said although she still felt like it was unbelievable. It was hard to think that anyone would have those kinds of feelings for her..and yet she loved him. She was too afraid to openly admit that she loved him though, fearing that he'd reject her again. And even though he had insisted otherwise, she still worried that she wouldn't measure up to the ghost of her long dead mother. "So what happens now? What do we do? The new powers I have...they're not exactly manageable." She confessed with a small frown. It felt like she was balancing on a beam, and one wrong step would send her reeling. Of course she didn't want Korso to worry...he had enough to worry about on his own. "And I'm afraid I might accidentally hurt you." She continued quietly, holding up the shield had almost drained her earlier on. If she got too angry or too emotionally conflicted, her new powers could react instinctually. And Wendy didn't want to hurt anyone...least of all him. "You should go...I don't want to hurt you." She said as she stepped back.
|
|
|
Post by odette on Dec 10, 2016 6:03:17 GMT
Korso looked over at her the moment she told him to leave and he closed the space between him, his hands gently yet firmly holding her arms. "No. I will not leave you again, even if you tell me to. You can hate me all you want but the moment I leave you again, they will come for you. They always will. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if you were hurt again..." His gaze took in her small form beneath him. It was taking everything he had to not lean down and kiss her lips. What was wrong with him? She was dangerous...he knew she was. But so was he. Korso had used his shifting powers more in the past week than he had in the past fifteen years. He could feel a tinge of something different. He had to be more careful. Korso sighed and pulled away from her and started to set up a fire towards the middle of the cave. He wasn't sure how long they could stay here but at least right now it was better than nothing. At least they had somewhere to sleep and plan their next move.
|
|
|
Post by su on Dec 10, 2016 8:14:50 GMT
Later on that night, Wendy started tossing and turning. Her hands dug into her nightgown as she let out little whimpers of fear. In the dream, she was back inside the farmhouse only this time Rourke was holding her down. "Your power belongs to me....give it back." He growled, his very grip seeming to burn her as she tried fighting him off. "No!! I'm not going to give it to you." She cried, and that was when Gaston appeared. In his hands he held Korso like he was nothing more then a rag doll. It was hard to tell what Korso's injuries were but she feared the worst, "Please...let him go." She begged, tears falling down her face as she stared pleadingly up at Rourke. Gaston didn't seem to hear her and before she could react he had snapped Korso's neck making Wendy scream in both fear and anger. "You could have saved him had you given us the power that rightfully belonged to me."Rourke growled as Korso's body collapsed to the ground. Wendy stared at Korso's body willing him to wake up but he kept staring at her blankly, no sign of life in his eyes. "You'll never get that power...not ever. I'll destroy anyone who threatens him...you understand?" She said as she glared up at him. Her body trembling only now it was her anger that was making her shake. Rourke laughed, "Would that include you by any chance?" He said a sly look in his eyes as he asked her this. Wendy froze not understanding the question even though she had a sinking feeling that she soon would. As if on cue he raised a hand and she suddenly saw herself and Korso...he was on the ground next to her writhing in pain. He hadn't been near her earlier on and she was still fast asleep, "No...that's not real." She whispered as she stared at the image in horror. She looked over at Rourke but he was smiling in amusement, "Oh it's real...and you're killing him." Wendy staggered backwards as she tried desperately to think of a way to wake herself up. She couldn't let Korso die...she'd die first and seeing him like this was scaring her.
|
|
|
Post by odette on Dec 11, 2016 1:41:53 GMT
Korso had left distance between the two of them throughout the night. He didn't want to invade her space. She had been through enough that night, she didn't need to worry about him. She had dozed off finally and Korso watched her from the other side of the cave. He decided to stay awake in case they had been followed...it wasn't like he could sleep anyway. A few hours in, Wendy started to move more in her sleep and Korso frowned. He was very familiar with nights like that...the nightmares that ate from the inside out. As she tossed around, Korso gradually made his way to her. He made sure to keep quiet so he wouldn't scare her even more and stopped on his knees beside her. "Wendy...it's alright Wendy..." Korso whispered as he reached down to take her hand. Though the moment his fingers touched her skin, he felt something crash inside of him and his heart rate started racing. His head pounded like it would burst out of his head. As he looked down, he noticed how his skin paled where her hand touched his. The paleness spread up his arm until it covered his whole body and his veins seemed to show like a brilliant blue map across his body. His body fell to the side as he was paralyzed by her power and his muscles twitched out of control. He had to wake her up somehow...this wasn't healthy for her and it certainly wasn't good for him either. If he wasn't released from her soon, Korso knew what would happen. He couldn't die on her now. Not when she needed him. Korso tried to will his muscles to pull away but he had no control. Then everything went black.
|
|