Topic: A Soul Once Taken

Lyllianne DeWil

Date: 2008-08-10 15:34 EST
There are things known between heaven and hell and apparently places not to be tread beyond. ~Lyllianne at the First High Counsel

"She is of your blood. Tend to it, and come not to me again until it has been taken care of."

Thus she had been sent from his presence this time, not with a list of souls to collect in payment of debt. This time she had a family matter to attend, and that could be even more dangerous. Most souls allowed themselves to be taken by their own greed and avarice. The one she was to go after this time did not tend to give himself easily to either.

She was not physically the strongest of her kind. She had survived and thrived as long as she had using what she had been granted upon her creation. They had often served her well. She had taken what had been gifted her and used them to full advantage. As a result, she often drew her prey to her, much like a spider did with the web it wove.

Looking over her shoulder from where she stood gazing out the window, she noted the latest of such workings as she did upon the world. One, whose name had been given to her, but whom she had not yet been able to corner. His sins had been great indeed, and it was beyond the time to collect on that debt. However, he had managed to maintain an elusiveness with the help of a well-paid mage. Charms and wardings really could be her bane sometimes.

Her true reason for being in Rhy?Din, this time, however was completely different. Few came to the attention of great powers unless they touched something of greater importance to them. This one had, and he was still an unknown. Neither those in heaven, nor those in hell like unknowns. It tends to make them nervous.

She had already sent word to the counsel that she would soon return with this debt collected. However, she had one more to pay visit to before she would be able to make that return. Fortunately, she had been able to sense her granddaughter's tug upon familial ties and that would grant her the opening she needed to accomplish her task.

So it was, that she stepped into shadows and gained transport to where she knew she might find her prey.

Lyllianne DeWil

Date: 2013-03-16 12:00 EST
Catching the scent

Unlike when she was moving about freely, now that she was on the hunt, she was cautious. Smoke and mirrors didn't work well when you were trying to snag your prey. For this, a bit more finesse was needed. So, for now, she used the shadows to slip through.

The scent of fear hung heavy about her as she emerged from the veil. While it was not him that she was able to home in on just yet, this would lead her to him. Of that one fact, she was certain. This fear was one flavor with which she was very familiar.

The one thought now was quite simple. "Find the girl and find her captor." Strange how, after all these centuries, that one truth remained the same. It never changed. It never varied. They always acted like they were the first to come up with their brilliant schemes. This one, like so many others, made a young girl a victim. The terror he brought to her screamed out for vengeance. That was all it took to draw Lyllianne's attention.

There were other smells, sounds and sights around her which came to her attention slowly. The horse which drew up short and refused to move further as it caught sight of her in the alleyway she had stepped into. The clatter of the carriage and cursing of the driver as he tried to prod the animal forward. The heat from the oil lamp which lined the street with its counterparts, in perfect shimmering glory.

All of these things had once confused her. Now they were a backdrop to the familiar. An anchor. Without them, she could become easily lost within the shadows. Yet sometimes they seemed more shadow than real themselves.

"Focus."

She drew in a breath, seeking her prey once more. He was elusive. That meant a special kind of arrogance that allowed him no opportunity to fear being caught. No reason to believe he would actually become the victim of his own designs.

Without that fear. Without a scent to follow. That meant only one thing. This was going to take a while.

She closed her hand, as if grasping a purse, which appeared. As it took form, her own shifted. As she stepped from the shadows of the alleyway and into the light of the street lamps, the graceful elegance of her stride was all that drew the attention of the men around her. Her smile and nod to those she passed, if not heartfelt, at least appeared warm enough to gain theirs in return.

Lyllianne DeWil

Date: 2015-06-13 19:29 EST
Right Trail, Wrong Girl

"What do you mean you haven't located her" It's one girl."

Of course she hadn't expected the search to end so quickly and easily. Even so, she was annoyed by how well this one had eluded her. She wasn't one for making excuses. Still...

"It isn't like he stands in the middle of the street with a sign telling us to come snatch his soul."

"Well if this one is too much..."

"Don't even go there."

That last had come out as a growl. It was one thing to call to check on her progress. It was another to insult her with such an offer. She had long ago left the days of being a novice.

Another annoyance was that this one had even called on her. This was wasting time she needed to be using to conduct the search. That Sable knew she was being such a nuisance to her and was thrilled about it wasn't helping her calm any.

What she didn't tell Sable was that she had found a girl. The girl had even been one of his victims. It was seldom that Lyllianne felt anything akin to sorrow or remorse. However, as she lifted this crumpled body from its makeshift grave, she felt that and so much more. While this child was too old to be considered an innocent, she was still too young to have chosen a path. Lyl sat there for a long time cradling the body, and brushing her hair from her face, much as a mother would do, had her mother been here.

"Kin ye help me?" That sad, small voice drew her gaze up and dragged a sigh from her. This was not what she had wanted to see. The spirit before her was none other than that of the little girl. It was known that if a life was torn apart too soon, or too violently, the spirit could become trapped. Once stuck, it would remain, possibly forever, never able to experience the redemption or retribution that it desired. In the case of this child, she had been both, too young and too violently removed from this life, to move forward.

She gently replaced the body back into its makeshift grave, being sure to cover it just enough to draw attention to it, but not make it look as if someone had meddled with it. Then she rose and made her way to the small spirit, crouching in front of her. "I think I can."

The little girl smiled. It was probably the first one she had given in a very long time. "I canna find m"mommy."

"It's alright. I know someone who can find her for you." One advantage to being who and what she was, she could actually reach out and scoop the child up in her arms. "I know a woman who knows how to help you get home." While home would not give the child her mother, others would be there waiting to welcome and comfort her. The child would once more be at peace.

Lyllianne DeWil

Date: 2015-06-20 17:08 EST
RETURN OF THE CHILD She had considered the various places to go to find Tasha. Going to The Blood House had been one option. However, it was so warded against even the slightest attacks these days that that would probably not have been her best choice. It certainly would not have been her easiest. She had heard rumors that the Oak and Ash was in the process of being rebuilt. Perhaps one of those around there would be able to get word to Tasha that she needed to meet with the young elf. In any case, that was where she decided to take the child.

Normally she would have flashed in with a lot of smoke and fire and brimstone. Clich's were always so much fun, and playing with them amused her. However, that particular little one always seemed to annoy Tral, and she happened to like him. So it was that instead of entering in a ball of flame, she came into the scene couched in shadows.

As it was, the bar was further along than rumor had led her to believe. What surprised her was who was there. There were actually a couple of occupants this evening all wrapped up in their conversation.

Sticking to the shadows for the moment, she held the little ghostly girl in her arms, cradling her gently as she observed the two conversing. The first of the conversation was much of what she considered sweet chit-chat. The explanations for being late and flirtatious forgiveness. A necessary dance in just about any society, but easily bypassed by those outside the conversation for more juicy details.

As they continued talking, Belial mentioned the stealing of a soul, and that caught Lyllianne's attention. Apparently, from the conversation the two were having, it was the drow's soul which was being discussed. Her excitement at hearing this bit of news must have translated to the child, because it was right at that moment that the girl chose to wake up. Fortunately even ghost children respond to the "kiss" and this one fell promptly back into her deep and dreamless sleep.

It was at that point that Tasha entered the room. She was soaked to the teeth and obviously none too happy with that. After a moment of dripping on the floor, she stalked over to the bar, giving her drink order to Tral. Lyllianne decided to follow, albeit quietly and still cloaked by shadows. When they finally slid from around her, she offered her customary greeting to those in the room, "Darkest eve."

Of course, that entrance won her a little tease from Bel, "What' No Star to play with tonight, sister?"

To which she rejoined, "Not this evening."

With so many conversing around the child, Lyllianne realized the girl was not going to remain asleep for long, not even with the spell which Lyllianne had used. Just as the little girl stirred in Lyllianne's arms, Bel decided that was the perfect moment to reintroduce Welverin and Lyllianne, "Welv, have you met my sister Lyllianne" Lyl, this is Welverin."

By the time Tral offered Lyl a room, the girl was fully awake and looking around. She wasn't quite used to this many strangers at one time. Had she been a flesh and blood little girl, she probably would have ducked her head onto Lyl's shoulder and hidden her face. Instead, in very ghostlike fashion, she had begun to fade until she was barely visible and one had to look hard to see the girl in Lyl's arms.

It was probably because of Lyl's line of work, but Tasha seemed a bit uneasy as she asked, "Why are you walking around with a ghostly child" Did you . . . ?" That unspoken question just hung between them for a moment before Lyllianne responded.

"Actually that is why I am here. And no, to the question. I found her this way."

That was when Bel's agitation first became very apparent, "Someone care to share with the suddenly oh-so-blind among us?"

It had not occurred to Lyllianne to question Bel's state of being until that moment. However, she was distracted from the line of thinking that Bel's question should have taken her down as the child looked up at her and matter-of-factly stated, "She canna see me." It was a statement, not the question one would have expected. Apparently even in death, children could speak words of wisdom without realizing the impact their words could have. These would be revisited later to decide what to do with them.

While the little girl might have come to terms with her status as a ghost, Lyllianne still did not wish to upset the girl further. Still, she needed to explain to Tasha what she needed from her. "She's not one of mine, and I have no means of carrying her where she belongs. But it has been whispered that you have contacts. She needs someone to help her find her way home."

Then with a look to Bel that said she had taken note of a few things, and they were going to be discussed later, she offered her own insight, "Every soul needs a home.?

While it took Belial time, Lyllianne felt the moment that understanding dawned on her sister. Oh yes, they were going to have a long needed discussion.

For now though, much as life often does, Lyllianne was presented with the next distraction as Tasha's friend Kaspie entered the picture. As the child was turned over to the ghostly elf and started prattling about wings, Lyllianne once again slipped back into the shadows, but not before taking a really close look at Bel. While some of Bel's choices of the past had been expected, this one had come as a huge surprise. Again, they were really going to have to have a long talk.

Lyllianne DeWil

Date: 2015-06-30 21:20 EST
CLUES LEFT BY A MADMAN Lyllianne had returned to the place where she had found the small girl's body. This time she was able to observe the surroundings without the distraction created by the young ghost. She simply needed time to take note of the minute details that otherwise could so easily be missed.

Carefully she moved in close, this time without actually coming into contact with the body. With a careful lean in close to the ground, she looked for any unevenness that would tell her where footprints had been left behind. There were two obstacles to her doing this quickly. Because daylight was still shining most deliberately upon the area, she was forced to remain in human form so as not to be detected. The other problem was the amount of leaves scattered over the area. So much of the ground was covered with them that very little of the ground was actually visible.

While she had already disturbed the place where the child had been buried in the shallow grave, she didn't want to do more damage, at least not until she could gather some information from the scene around the girl. As a result, she decided to remain out of sight while observing the comings and goings about the place. People walked passed the area from time to time. Some of the passersby were alone while some were with others, either lovers or friends. It seemed the area was quite well traversed, but none made their way to where the little girl lay. It simply was too far off the regularly traveled path.

Time passed, and the sun set behind the trees, enveloping the ground in shadows. Those shadows grew, and the stars came out to watch as she began to probe her surroundings. Finally she decided to lower her mask, allowing her to take in more than she ever could in her human form. Now she would be able to see heat, taste scents, and hear the wails of the child's blood as it cried up from the earth beneath her seeking revenge for the crimes committed against innocence.

She leaned closer to the earth as she listened and tasted the essence of all that had been the child and her attacker. Slowly she sifted through and separated each of them until she could finally hear each cry and moan the girl had made in the last moments of her life. Though she could not make out the details of the one who had been the cause the child's torment, she could now more easily make out his scent. For a moment, she actually drew back, almost startled by what she had found.

Putting the thought aside for the moment, she focused once more on the girl. This time as she brushed away the leaves and dirt from the child's body, she noticed tiny details she had missed the first time. The young girl's ghost had not been able to tell her much about the last moments of her life. That, of course, was often the way of those who were just recently crossed over. They needed time to process what had happened or how they had gotten there.

This time, however, as Lyllianne finally looked more closely at the body, unhindered in what she saw, smelled or heard, she was finally able to discern each of the small details of the child's death. She could see where the rope had cut into the child's throat as it had been pulled chokingly tight. She could now hear the blood screaming out from the earth as it sought retribution for the cruelty of this injustice. As she rolled the girl to her side, Lyllianne saw the wound which had helped release the child's life into the earth.

Again, she tried to find the scent of the monster who would do this to a child to innocent to have been witness to this level of cruelty. That scent, however, was beginning to dissipate. It soon would be masked by all the other scents in the area. So, Lyllianne rose, retaking her mask and making her way to the trail so many had used earlier that day. The huntress was now more resolute in finding her quarry.

Lyllianne DeWil

Date: 2016-05-01 13:56 EST
Inspiring Song: Oh My My Artist: Ruelle YouTube: https://youtu.be/4wFFZLf19bk

THE GIRL IS FOUND There are tales of the things that the kiss of my kind can do. Among them is the arousal of young men and women in their dreams. While this is one of the effects, it is not the most potent. One that I always find the best use is the setting up of The Hunt. Those that are hunted finally make mistakes. They leave something of theirs behind, a glass they drank from or a cigarette which they had just finished and stubbed out. For this one, he had made the mistake of coming into my bar while the girl was fresh on his mind. His level of emotions from having just spent time with her was high. He hadn't yet been able to break her or even make her cry, so it was his frustration that I received from him. However, the frustration was not telling me where the child was being kept. To find that, now that I had located him, I would need his fear. Words only carry so much information. Most of it is completely useless in a true hunt. For that, you need an intimate knowledge of the prey. Like most creatures in nature, my kind do not exchange that knowledge through words, but through something much more intimate. With that in mind, I called first my sons and daughters to me. As each one came, they were pulled into a kiss, and as they tasted me, they also received the first tang of the one they would hunt this night. When each had fully received the flavor of the prey, they called lovers, and their progeny. The hunt was now growing rapidly until all were there waiting and filled with the anticipation of what was to come. Finally I spoke and my instructions were simple. "The kill is mine, but drive his fear, and feed from it." ***** The night's hunt had gone well and had revealed the information she needed. Now finding the young one was just a matter of following the path his thoughts had laid out, the direction he would run when given the chance. So, as she approached the child, with the girl pulling back as far away as her bindings would allow, Lyllianne paused and held her hands up, showing her that they were empty. All the while she spoke softly to the girl until the child calmed and curled up on the bed in the corner of the room. While the young one had been found, Lyllianne's prey was not there. Leaving was not an option at this point, and so she decided to distract the child by asking, "Have you ever heard the story of The King and The Widow?? The child nodded as her eyes lit up. Children and stories really do go hand and hand. So it was that Lyl's story began.

Lyllianne DeWil

Date: 2016-05-02 20:23 EST
The King and The Widow

Once there was a king who was planning to go to war with an enemy of his lands. He sent out a call for all men of age and able to hold a sword to present themselves for conscription into his army. From all corners of the kingdom both rich and poor came. However, there was one widow who lived in the farthest reaches of the kingdom, and she had only one son.

While the widow had heard that the king could be a harsh and cruel ruler, she decided to make the journey to present her petition to the courts. She chose not to come in fineries, but as the simple peasant that she was. As others observed her approach, they whispered amongst themselves concerning what her fate would likely be.

In time, as all things happen, the king received the petitioners of his court. The widow, though fearful, presented herself to him and begged, "High king, I beg that my son be released from his obligation to attend to the war. I am a widow with only one son, and he has only just come of age. He has not yet married and I have none to care for me if he is taken away."

At first, the widow's presumption angered the king. "Do you dare to think that your need is greater than my own" Are you not aware that I could throw your son into prison for failing to present himself to me." She confessed that she had known that he could be harsh, and so could only throw herself upon his mercy. As he heard her tale and saw how she humbled herself before him, he chose to have mercy upon her. "Return to your home, and it will be as you requested.?

The word of the king's mercy toward the widow travelled throughout the kingdom and as his men fought in battle, it was as if ten men swung each sword. The army became one that was unstoppable against any foe.

Lyllianne DeWil

Date: 2016-05-08 11:35 EST
Lyl was well aware of when the man had first run into the room just beyond the door. She could feel his fear from having been chased in there by the hunters. She felt him stopping to catch his breath as the hunters withdrew. She even knew when he had become aware of her presence in here with the girl. When he moved to stand in the doorway just a minute before she finished the story, she had been aware of that too. He had just stood there watching the two and listening and gathering back his bravado. "Well now, isn't this just cozy." The girl pulled back away from the door and the man instinctively. He came in looking as if he had reached his haven and was comforted in the ownership of her and everything in here. Lyllianne somehow managed to control the desire to smile. It would do no good to let him escape because she jumped into this too quick. However, when he was a few feet in, she just nodded and the door closed behind him, locking into place. He turned around for just a split second as he heard the tale-tell double click. That was the split second she needed. The creature at his throat was terrifying to say the least. There were only claws, wings, and teeth moving at a speed so fast, he had no time to respond. With great dispatch he was laid out on the floor, his blood splattered against the walls. It was then that she sat on his chest, her hand over his heart. In that moment, despite the fact that he was already a dead man, he made the mistake of believing he could still regain the upper hand. "I would have never begged for my son's life." She leaned close and drew in a deep breath, ripping his soul from the shell before she rose to drop the orb in her hand, "I never expected you to beg for anything, and I'm not the kind to grant you a boon." Once her mask was again in place, she turned to the girl and asked, "Are you ready to leave this place?" As the girl nodded, she scooped her up. The door opened and the chains that had been holding her there fell easily away.

Lyllianne DeWil

Date: 2016-05-08 20:47 EST
A FAMILY REUNION The girl had come easily enough into Lyl's arms, almost as if what she had just seen didn't seem strange to her at all. Perhaps it was the girl's innocence, or that she had already seen too many monsters to let one more frighten her. In any case, there didn't seem to be any need to shield the child's eyes, even as they left the horror. After a time, the girl finally spoke, and the wonder in her voice made Lyl smile, "What's you?" It wasn't a query for a name, but for Lyl's very being. So Lyl responded as frankly as the child had. "I'm one of the angelics." Well, that was a partial truth. After all, it had been a long time since she considered herself one of The Creator's minions or labored to fulfill The One's will. "You an angel?" The awe in the child's voice was unmistakable. "Not exactly." "What ya mean?" Lyl turned to look at the child she carried, letting down part of the mask she wore to protect mortals from fears they were not ready to face. The child would only see the eyes that were anything but human, as they turned a brilliant crimson red, but that would be enough, "I am a demon." That was close enough to the truth to quench the child's thirst for knowledge. The child didn't even cringe in her arms. Instead she asked, "Wha's a demon?" Lyl couldn't help but smile. That answer wasn't always a simple one. But sometimes starting with a childlike answer was the only one that really counted. "A demon is the first children of The Creator. And we are the first who grew up and chose to leave home." As Lyllianne continued talking to her, she felt Aleron approach. Before he came into view, she gave the child a kiss on her forehead and whispered, "Sleep." Of course the child couldn't help but obey, and instantly went limp in my arms. Lyllianne then looked up at Aleron as she handed the girl to him. The look they passed between them carried all the understanding they needed. He then turned and headed off into the night with the child held close.

Lyllianne DeWil

Date: 2016-05-15 13:51 EST
Inspiring Song: Torn Artist: Michele McLaughlin YouTube: https://youtu.be/HpUytOTrEyA

TIME WITH AN ANGEL From the distance she saw him, perched upon one of the oversized gravestones, looking for all intents and purposes like a crow. Even the cant of his head looked birdlike to her at the moment. She paused as she watched him sitting there and then she crossed the distance between them. The timbre of his voice was cast low. Despite the fact that they were not able to be seen by those standing around another grave just a few plots over, they both still spoke softly, as if the sound of their voices would awaken the dead which slept there. "You know they will never know what you have done. She has forgotten almost everything." "Of course not. That wasn't the point." "They may even blame you for what happened to her." "I know that too." A pause in the conversation had her turning her attention to him. He could sometimes be cryptic. It was a habit they had both grown accustomed to over the ages. He didn't show her too much of himself and she didn't pry too deep. Now though she had to ask, "So, why does this seem to bother you so much?" He frowned slightly before continuing, "Don't you get tired of being blamed for all the ills, and the war that happened so long ago that not even Gabriel can really explain what started it?" She shrugged slightly, "Does it really matter" The fact is, people need monsters under their beds to explain their fears. We serve that purpose." Aleron was seldom ever this chatty. Something must have really troubled him about this. After what seemed like a long pause, he finally spoke his thoughts, "She didn't seem to fear you as that monster. Yet you took her memory of what you did for her." Again she shrugged, "Some things are best not revealed until their proper time.? With that answer, she gave him her most enigmatically wicked smile. Then, she simply turned and walked away as he shook his head, his own smile offered at her retreat.

Lyllianne DeWil

Date: 2016-05-21 15:01 EST
THE PAYMENT

The click of her heels were the only thing heard as she crossed the length to the hallway. The door swung open a few seconds later, and she passed over the threshold with barely a pause. With his back to her, she wasn't able to read his face. Still she greeted him as she had so many times before. One long slender finger was traced from the small of his back upward to the base of his neck.

"Darkest eve," was all she purred in a whispered voice into his ear. The shiver she felt run through him was enough to let her know that this visit would be a good one.

"Still haven't lost your touch my little minx," was his growled reply. Of course this caused a smile to touch her lips.

"I have a gift for you." Upon hearing these words, he finally turned to study her. He watched as she dipped finger and thumb between her breast. Though her smile seldom touched more than her lips, this time her eyes actually sparkled with delight as she drew out the gift. One small orb glowed bright within her grasp.

"So, is this who I think it is?"