Why was I one of the chosen ones? Until the fight I could not see The magic and the strength of my power It was beyond my wildest dreams Dark Wings By Within Temptation

One hand broke from the grip upon the hard wood railing to rub at her temple. The throbbing ache she had there lately was starting to irritate her. She wasn't prone to headaches but seemed plagued by them. This one had been lingering.

As those first cold fat drops of rain fell, she backed up, returning to the warmth within. Her room was dark, only lit by the fire blazing within the hearth and sending shadows writing in a macabre dance against the pale walls. Their movements matching the steady patter of the rain she was now seeking to avoid.

Dropping into the high winged back chair near that welcoming warmth. She warmed her chilled fingers but running them along the lush purple velvet arms and settled back. Thoughts turning inward to days before she had returned. It was a habit that when things got too much, she took off. Usually it was just for a few days to clear her head. She had actually planned to return far sooner then she had.

Tasha had simply lost track of time. Wallowing in a wealth of knowledge she had become engrossed to the point of being indistractable. Revelations of her own dueling natures had only enhanced her ever constant, craving for information. She was curious. Some would call that a flaw considering it was that very inquisitive bend that did tend to get her into trouble.

Her little experiment with Veighn had been due to that, along with getting tangled up with him from the start. He was an enigma. She had wanted to know what he was, identify his source of power. In the end she had been tricked and it really was that which had sent her running. Annoyance as her self for being so fooled by him, but she now knew there had been more to it. It was one of those unseen flaws that she hadn't actually knew she had, but recognized it for what it was now. In her constant search for knowledge she also was drawn to darkness. Not just any old darkness of course, but one laden with apparent power.

I fear who I am becoming, I feel that I'm losing all beauty within I can no longer restrain it, My strength, it is fading I have to give in It's The Fear by Within Temptation

Perhaps it had been the talk of him, the ?him' being Simon. Tasha didn't know but she ended up dreaming about it anyway. Memories overlapping into a horrifying twisting, or contortion of facts, of what actually had happened that night, with the turning of images into something even more terrifying then she could handle. Awareness in dreaming was an instant thing. That moment when you just know something is wrong. To Tasha she knew all to keenly just how it had happened. So any deviations from that brought her instantly awake. Energy spiking high from her that the walls shook from the force of it.

Holding her head tightly, palms flat against her temples she just groaned in disgust. This just couldn't be normal she was sure. She couldn't get comfortable. Cold hurt, heat hurt. Cloth against her skin bothered her. Wind moving through her hair, a sensation she used to love, seemed to intensify the pain pulsating behind her dark shadowed violet eyes. Kicking the weight of the quilts from her bone thin form, she hisses faintly. They had become stifling, constrictive and unsettling. It felt as if the very walls were closing down around her. Still, she fought back that instinctive surge of panic. That press to take flight clamped down on.

It was all about steps. That's what she had been told. Every step from the moment one was born to the here and now was the tool that molded. Created what an individual was. That suffering she had endured as a child, had apparently made her current agony perhaps more bearable. She could take the pain far more then others might. Not that she liked it, but this wasn't some outside source heaping abuse down upon her but a natural progression.

The night terrors however, she loathed. While they had taken to changing, something that normally Tasha wouldn't have minded, for anything was better then bitter memories, these still held the echoes of that time, just their edges were sharper, tension thicker, and that feeling of being chased oppressing and chillingly threatening. The hate was dense and ever present. It also lingered upon wakening. A pall about her she felt like she couldn't shake off. To the point that things she didn't like, called forth hard words from her. That nasty edge cutting, cold and sharp as any knife.

It seemed the smallest dislikes were becoming major ones lately. Pushing her closer and closer to the edge of reason. She couldn't control her tongue when anything that made her skin crawl or teeth clench came near. Tasha could not find the ability to remain silent. Indeed she had taken to making some rather unpleasant remarks.

This is like a dream Too many sleepless nights staring into Nowhere Too many silent cries trap me in this Nightmare I close my eyes and try to find Someone to talk to

Dream Baby - My Life with the Thrill Kill Kult

Stumbling from "The Paths" into the safety of her own room, she stood shivering and cold. Silver hair damp from her flight through the barren wasteland she had avoided for more then three long years. The place had changed in ways she hadn't thought possible. Warped and twisted with shadows and misery throughout, that it wasn't any wonder that few seemed as willing to navigate the realm to reach the other side. Instead they lingered about.

Something had chased her. She had felt it's cold mindless eyes watching, had heard the hungry growls and did one of the things she was actually rather good at, Tasha ran. Getting confused in the maze it had become she had a time finding the right exit. The landscape there had never been interesting, but now it was deformed, almost unrecognizable to her and she feared it. Her Da didn't want her to go into the realms of death, but her rage and hurt had spawned her need to escape. Dae's assumption she was nothing more then a problem had stung more then she cared to admit. In her need to be free of him and his condescending ways she had gone into the place she "knew" he couldn't follow. It had been far too easy and left her more terrified then ever.

Tossing her jacket into the chair by the cheerfully blazing hearth, her hands rose, dragging the bedraggled mess of hair from her pallid features. Her head was pounding heavily, making her stomach curl and roll and she was feeling the edges of fatigue setting in. First thing in the morning she was going to find Belial and tell her to do something with Dae. Get him off her back. Tasha had few things she loved, and suspected that systematically he planned to strip her of those. One by one she would find little pleasure left in life. It infuriated her to no end. He had thought her a liar. She had warned him of her issues with sleep but apparently he thought it just an excuse to make trouble.

In truth, she had stayed out of a lot of that over the recent years. Wasn't until that damned Mage that it found her again. But Tasha was avoiding that one now. Wasn't at all hard either, as it didn't seem like he was around anyway. She did think she should find out where that evil manipulator went, but that would come another day.

For a few days, Tasha fought against the battle to avoid sleeping. She used a variety of methods, since she wasn't able to find a single bottle of coke in the house, with the exception of those Daniel had brought over. She walked a lot, using the icy air outside to push her just a little longer. Tasha ran up and down the stairs more then a few times in the dead of night. Took cold showers. Through it all the headaches just got worse and the energy bled more frequently. Leaving a tracer of lines in the air wherever she passed for those that had mage sight.

Eventually however, she lost the war. Her frail thin form, the lack of any regular meals, combined with those painkillers finally did catch up. Making her weak and drained of any physical energy. Tasha simply couldn't prevent what came naturally. The urge to sleep finally overcoming her, but she hoped it would send her deep enough to avoid any night terrors.

Popping more of the pills she had been given by Indigo, she headed off for her bathroom. Exiting nearly an hour later in a cloud of steam and scents of lemon grass and herbs wearing a simple lavender tee shirt that hung well past her knees. Each day she was becoming thinner. Didn't eat right if she remembered to eat at all, for it nothing much sat well on her tummy due to the pounding in her skull. Coke did seem to sooth that, but she wasn't supposed to drink anymore of it. Now, she was exhausted, but still worried it wasn't enough to let her sleep dream free.

A somber sigh drifted as she trudged towards the bed. Maybe if she slept a little and woke herself up it might work. Before she reached that point of dreaming. Grabbing up the wind up clock on the nightstand she set it for a two-hour stretch. Yanking back the quilts she climbed into the bed and with a snick of sound the light was turned off. Leaving her room lit by just the flames in the hearth. There wasn't that many things in her life Tasha dreaded. Sleep however was one of the biggest. To many memories to haunt her, and far too much pain to ever ignore.

And you reel to the snap From the jaws of the trap Out of the night It'll come without warning Or out of the blue On a bright sunny morning But darker than dark It will mark you And scar you for life 60 Second Nightmare

60 Second Nightmare - Gowen

A growl that rolled like a cannonade sent another trembling through out the walls and floor. It assaulted Tasha's pointed ears with an unexpected volume. A second later, it swung out towards her, missing her by inches and leaving gouging claw marks deep within the once unmarred wood.

"Crash!" the door flew open in a rush, slamming back into the wall with a sound that rolled off in waves of noise. The small elf didn't even pause she shot from her room in a reckless dash. Small feet leaving vita soaked prints upon the glossy wood planked floor and followed by the thundering galloping resonance of her mad careen down the sweeping stairs. Leaving behind gore soaked sheets as a testament of the effect of her Night Terrors.

The once lavender nightshirt was nearly covered now, saturated it turned due to the deep flow from the torn flesh hidden under the cloth. The color looking blacker in the dim darkness as she ran from what ever was following her. The ability to scream seemed lost even as her mouth twisted, seeking to unleash another, but no sound emitted.

Flying through the large heavy oak door that marked the entrance to Onyx, she stumbled and fell down the steps, landing hard upon the walk but simply rocked back upwards with one arm dangling useless at her side, and breath rasping in terror. Another harsh bloody silhouette to mark her movements was left upon the stone. She thought she was still caught in the throes of a nightmare.

Winter had arrived in RhyDin with a vengeance, cold days leading into bitter nights. Add in the low-lying clouds and drizzling rain threatening to turn into sleet, and it was a miserable night indeed. Lucius leveled a soft curse on the weather and RhyDin in general as he made his way toward the Onyx manor house, a hand clutching the hood of his cloak to keep the heavy material in place and sheltering his face.

And why was he even here right now" By all rights he should be home in The Underhalls, asleep beside Fiona. But he had been awakened late in the night by troubling dreams. Chaotic, disjointed images had disturbed the already unsettled dreamscape, and the soft echoes of a scream had yanked him from restless slumber. Rousing up and getting dressed, he had walked the halls of his home, but the quiet of the tunnels did nothing to ease the unease. Finally, grabbing a heavy cloak and Drachmel, he had passed through the portal to RhyDin.

Even through the layers of heavy wool cloak, armor and his preternatural constitution, he found the night air having a bite to it, and his step carried a bit more speed as he walked the road to the gates of Onyx. A brow rose slightly when he spotted no guards, but given the temperature figured they were sheltering behind the walls that lined the gardens. But, rounding the last corner of the gravel roadway leading to the doors he saw a small gathering on the expansive porch and the nagging unease blossomed. "What's going on here?" He asked as he arrived, and the Truebloods that had been standing in a loose circle turned toward him.

"There's a problem." One of the taller males, Jaxk, as Lucius belatedly remembered pointed toward the ground. Steel-grey eyes narrowed as the Chaos Lord squatted to examine the gravel, a leather-clad fingertip pressing into the tiny rocks for a second before being brought up close for inspection. "It's blood. Found a trail of it leading into the manor." Jaxk continued, even as Lucius stood again.

"Or away from it!" He replied, glancing back down the walkway. "And none saw anything?"

"Nothing tripped the wards, and none of the patrols spotted anything unusual." Jaxk looked to say more, but the arrival of another Blood from within the manorhouse stopped him.

"There's blood all the way to the second story. Coming from Anastasia's room. And she's not in there either." The female looked to Jaxk, then to Lucius, finally spotting him standing behind the tall Trueblood. "Looks like she didn't go willingly."

"The mage?" Another of the group ventured the guess, but Lucius shook his head after a few seconds.

"No. The pact with Lankyn holds him still." At least he fervently held on to that belief. But another thought came, chilling in its implication, and leather creaked as his fists clenched, the curse bursting forth before he could stop himself. "That fething bastard!"

Quickly Lucius glanced around the small group, his mind already moving to what needed to be done. "Jaxk, call up all the guards. The grounds are on lockdown as of now. No one gets in or out." He pointed to the female who had followed the trail inside the manor next. "Rouse up everyone, make certain we haven't lost anyone else. And alert Wylde and Lankyn as to what?s happened." As he spoke he reached over his back and took Drachmel in hand, the greataxe hissing softly as it caught its master's mood. "And find that shavarst DeVir. I want him in the cages when I get back."

"What if he refuses to come?" Jaxk asked as Lucius turned, and the question stopped the chaos lord long enough to look back at the Trueblood.

"Then break his fething legs and DRAG HIM HERE!" The normally soft tones were being lost in the wash of rage, and he quickly pointed to one of the men that were with Jaxk. "You, come with me."

*****

The two jogged down the drive, using the sputtering torch the Blood held to track the trail of lost vitae. It was too easy, and that worried Lucius. Too much".too much lost?"This is the last fething time I extend my hand to an enemy." He muttered to himself as they turned toward the cliffs leading to the beach.

"What was that?" The lanky Blood asked, and Lucius realized he had spoken that aloud. He looked over and shook his head, sending droplets of water flying from the edge of his hood.

"Nothing." He growled, nearly slipping on the muddy embankment that led to the beach. Near the bottom he paused, then soundly cursed the elements, as the trail he had been following disappeared, washed away by the pounding surf. He brought up a hand to shield his eyes as he looked in either direction, before pointing to his right. "Head that way, and go down here. First one to find her yells out."

The two parted, the graceful elf running north while Lucius started south. He couldn't see anything in the darkness, and worry for his dear friend was eating at him, mixing with the mounting anger. "Tasha!" He cupped his hands around his mouth, as though it would help to be heard over the waves crashing ashore so near to him. He hated yelling out, and possibly giving his position away to an enemy, but the thought that time was running out gave him little option. "Tasha!"

At first the thought was his eyes were playing tricks on him, seeing the wisp-form in the murky darkness. But the idea was blasted away by sudden awareness, his heightened senses catching hold of Tasha's aura, the red glare moving toward the cliff. Rushing past the spectre Lucius knelt beside the cubby, his heart sinking as he saw her huddled into the rock. Quickly kneeling down beside her, he didn't notice the ghostly watcher over his shoulder as he brushed back her hair, noting with alarm the ashen pallor.

"Tasha!" if the young Trueblood said anything he couldn't hear, and the touch of her lifeforce, the aura that all living things generated, was so faint he was having trouble even detecting it. "Don't you do this to me!" He growled, his concentration wavering from her long enough to call a pocket of shadows, into which he deposited Drachmel for safekeeping. Quickly unclipping his cloak he laid the heavy garment over the still elf-lass as he quickly considered his options.

The quickest way back to the manor would be through the Shadow-Weave. But with her apparent injuries, which even the rain and forming sleet couldn't mask the blood staining her nightclothes, taking Tasha into the shadows would kill her as effectively as leaving her in the cliffs. There was another way, however, and Lucius took it without further consideration. Letting the controls slip away, he bent over as his body shuddered, teeth clenching from the pain of popping joints and bones. While the change for the rest of his family was relatively painless, allowing the Beast reign for him was agony, each tearing and remolding of tissue, muscle and bone sharp torment that only fueled the fires within.

The pauldrons were designed especially for this, folding up and back to accommodate the fleshy protrusions sprouting from his shoulders, each snapping outward then back as the wings took shape. Other changes were also wrought, and the Chaos Lord's head fell back in an inarticulate roar of pain as the wings finished unfurling, the black leathery skin tingling as the wind and rain beat down on him. Slitted crimson eyes opened as he looked back down to Tasha, and the daemon prince reached out to gently cradle the young woman to him, mindful of the black talons that had ripped through his gloves. "Stay with me, Tash." The words were guttural, and he had no idea if she heard him or not as the wings folded down, wrapping around her and hiding her from view, a warm cocoon against the wintery elements.

The elf that had accompanied him met Lucius near the path back up the cliffs, and the Trueblood skidded to a stop at the sight. "I found her." Lucius growled without stopping, fighting his way up the slippery path while trying not to jostle Tasha. The Blood ran ahead, the inherent grace of his race making short work of the path.

By the time Lucius turned the corner of the drive to the front of Onyx House the healers were standing by the door waiting for him. He ignored the soft mutters of the guards, most having never seen this aspect before, as the wings slowly folded back, allowing the healers to take a look at Tasha. "Bring her." The female said briskly, and led Lucius into the manorhouse, and to the suite that served the Onyx as a healing ward. As gently as he could Lucius laid Tasha on one of the beds, then stepped back as the healers clustered around her.

"You'll have to leave." Either ignoring or, more likely used to the strangeness that was RhyDin, the fearsome visage, the female that had met him at the front stepped in front of Lucius and pointed toward the door. She also ignored the soft snarl that was Lucius's reply. "Out. We can help her, but you'll be in the way." The baleful red gaze locked on tri-colored eyes for several seconds, then moved over to where Tasha lay. Slowly he turned, the wings folding down over his shoulders like a living cloak, and the daemon headed for the doorway back into the main hallway.

Distance had been given him, as he had needed time to calm down and reign back in. And, truth be told, most of the Truebloods didn't want to be around him when he was "all wonked out", as one had whispered to her friend. Thus, he had been standing near the end of the hall, staring out at the dark grounds and the wintry mix still falling.

Indigo's words did not help, as he was well aware of what the terrors could do in manifest, having to have healed the young Trueblood in the past when they had grown out of control. But Tasha had ways of fighting the terrors, so the fact that they had surfaced again was more than a bit troubling. And, it seemed, the drow was possibly innocent this time.

Lucius grunted softly as Indigo finished speaking. "So he still lives?" Her nod brought another soft growl of annoyance. "Too bad." The weather-witch rolled her eyes a bit as she caught the muttered words, as the enmity the Chaos Lord held was well known.

"Not everyone is an enemy." She said softly, turning to glance down the hall toward the door leading to the medical wing. "And you have more to think about right now than fighting the ghosts of the past."

"Not when there apparently is a ghost in the present to contend with." Mangled leather creaked as his fists slowly closed, and Lucius glanced over to Indigo. "Thank you. And please, look after her."

"Aye, I will." She stepped aside as Lucius started toward the door, and followed behind as he neared the clump standing near the door. Orders were quickly given, dispersing the guards back to their duties, and sending a runner to bring those he had ordered to collect DeVir back to the household. As for him, the bleak night beckoned.

It was time to hunt a ghost.

I don't know why A soul deceased A broken hope A choking breeze War, destruction

Angel's Punishment - Lacuna Coil

Pulling her own energy around herself, she felt the aura growing stronger. The air taking on a sour stink that made her nose crinkle but she didn't falter, just kept moving steadily towards it. Above her the sky sent forth a sudden jagged display of electric light in a myriad of colors that played amidst the backdrop of dismal gray clouds. A mere second later, Tasha went flying backwards. A blast of furious energy slamming into her and knocking the breath clean out of her as she skidded across wet sand on her back.

Gasping, she hauled herself right back up, struggling to recapture that stolen wind and scowled darkly. Her already dark eyes taking on the sheen of obsidian jet as they narrowed, anger simmering there and instantly words flew from her lips. It was a dark, ancient and gutteral tongue she spoke. Laden with inherent power and command. She was calling the creature out, demanding it take heed, as her tone was harsh and sharp.

It moved from the shadows of the sharp, ragged rocks, cloaked in a black shroud of fury. To Tasha it looked more humanoid somehow, as if it was adjusting to its surroundings. Seeking to blend in perhaps? In truth she didn't really know, and considering it's visage was still twisted and horrific it had a ways to go. Yet, she caught cold deadly reason and furious understanding in those putrid blood flecked yellow eyes.

A cold, sickly purple glow radiated from her glove-covered hands as she held out the jar with the lid removed. Her voice rose, breaking through the suddenly howling wind. Calling out sharp cutting words in that abysmal tongue. Before her that monster shuddered, seeming to disintegrate in slow bits, pieces flying from it like torn ripped flesh as it flew into the container she held.

Tasha hadn't actually been sure it would work, so was rather surprised it seemed to be doing just what the book said. It was almost too easy, which should have been a warning really. A master lich had created it, and Tasha was quite a ways from that status of necro magics. True, she was said to carrying a staggering amount of power, but much of that was not yet even tapped. Thus as she watched the Dream Beast being disassembled with the mingling of souls being drawn rapidly into the Jar, she was surprised, but did have the mind to start counting.

Even though the gloves she felt the heat growing through the slick cold surface of that soul cage she had crafted. The fury, rage and misery it released tangible and unsettling, that it sent a nervous chill through her. So many unhappy, lost and angry individuals had made up this thing from Nightmares. Far more then Tasha had even realized and in truth had planned for, and yet her words didn't falter for she clung to the hope it would actually work as intended.

An ear splitting wailing echoed as the last of it flew and in a flash she clamped the lid down upon it, snapping the locks into place. Within the transparent smoky blue glass was a swirling black mass of misery and bone chilling hate. So strong it was the glass was becoming hard to hold due to the blistering heat it radiated. Tasha fumbled for a moment, pulling out a sweater from her ever present backpack and wrapped it within that, so she could carry it back from whence it came, for that was the plan.

The weather of RhyDin was such a fickle thing. Cold one moment, warming up the next, and one had to wonder when the next deluge would fall. Lucius growled softly in annoyance as he stood looking out over the grounds gently sloping toward the shoreline, doing his best to ignore the droplets of water dripping from the edge of his drawn hood.

"Aw, man! I thought the weather in B-Town was crazy?" The Trueblood standing beside him, one of the new arrivals, cursed softly as he looked up at the low-lying clouds. "This is nuts, man. I mean, what do you hope to find out here in this weather?"

"If the weather bothers you so much, the go back to the manor." The words were snapped, tossed back as Lucius started forward, moving toward the rocky edge. The elf followed behind, keeping his grumbling low so as not to further rile the volatile Chaos Lord. And thus had it been nearly every day, as Lucius sought out whatever had attacked Tasha. And each day the beast eluded capture his ire grew. The beast was crafty, managing to remain a step ahead of the hunting parties that had been sent out after it, and even had managed to keep itself hidden from the scrying of the Spider Mages, a fact they had found quite vexing.

The occasional peals of thunder gave the grey day an ominous feel, as though something waited on the edge of consciousness, coiling like a snake prepared to strike. Stopping near the cliff down to the sea and the private dock the Bloods maintained he looked out over the angry water, muttering darkly about the weather and thus-far fruitless search. A small measure of comfort, the beast had yet to make its way out of the wards protecting the estate. Turning away from the stormy sea, he had taken two steps when the ground rumbled beneath him, causing him to sway in place and blink in surprise. "What the feth??"

A cry of warning came as he turned toward the direction of the loud roar that had accompanied the small quake, and he was nearly bowled over by the Trueblood who was backing up. "I think we found it!" He glanced backward to Lucius, then back toward the roiling cloud settling to earth.

"So it would seem." His grip tightening on Drachmel's haft, Lucius stepped around the elf and started forward. The snarl erupted from curled-back lips as he charged in, the daemon-possessed greataxe hissing as it came up and over, driving into the mass of the creature.

So bury fear for fate draws near and hide the signs of pain With noble acts, the bravest souls endure the heart's remains Discard regret, that in this debt a better world is made That children of a newer day might remember, and avoid our fate. And in the fury of this darkest hour we will be your light You've asked me for my sacrifice and I am Winterborn

Cruxshadows- Winterborn All Tasha saw was the ground rushing up towards her. Not just any ground either, these were jagged, cutting rocks, whose edges had been honed to a fine razor edge by centuries of those hard crashing waves and the washing of gained sandy glass. The air wailed as she fell. Grabbing and tugging at her like she was some broken paper doll, whipping at her and yanking her about with limbs flailing wildly in panic and obvious horror. This was not supposed to happen! That was her final thought before she lapsed into unconscious bliss.

Funny how the mind and body do that actually, for in moments of utter, unmitigated terror, everything sort of just shuts off, like the flipping of some switch. Tasha wasn't any different in regards to not wanting to witness her own death. Considering she hadn't planned to die in such a fashion, she would later be grateful she missed it.

Fate was a funny thing. Situations in the past, combined with the present had a way of spurring strange unusual results. Considering Tasha's irresistible inability to avoid trouble in most forms usually meant that eventually, something would catch up to her.

Such was the case now. Her run ins with a certain "Black Wizard" would be the culprit for this unplanned but opportune salvation, if one might call it that. Infused as she was with those shades of Veighn, it was a certainty they had more then a passing interest in their current host being killed by some rather deadly looking granite spikes, thus they in their own freakish and mysterious way had taken matters into their own hands. (Not that they actually had hands, we are talking metaphorically here.)

Darkness. So black that no light would penetrate. This was the kind of situation Tasha had never been able to handle well. The pitch-blackness instantly brought to mind pain and screams. Locked away for days on end without hope or rescue. Thus upon recovering awareness soon madness prevailed. Panicked magics couldn't cut the gloom as she sought a way free, stumbling about blindly. Never finding a wall or a door, just vacant air and the stifling sensation of "nothing".

What went on within that darkness, she would never speak of later. Perhaps she might not even remember. For the mind and it's ways sought safety behind mental barriers. Time was lost within that maw of black, she didn't know if it was just a day, or weeks. The whispers didn't say that she could recall.

Instead those devious voices hidden within the void, offered promises of power, of knowledge, and strength. Alluring songs that broke through her resistances and amidst it all another deal was made. One that would change her forever and there wasn't any way of knowing if such an alteration was for the good or the bad. Only time knew the answers to that.

Thus the mild taint became a small dark storm upon her senses as well as her aura. Feeding upon the excess energy of which there was plenty. Tasha had always been a battery of power, carrying the innate ability to channel it. Now it was being used towards some unknown end.