Soundtrack
The Tales begin with Shieyu, Dark Huntress of the Shaitan
The Tales of the Clouded Leopard
She had been dispatched through the Southern Glen to a far corner distantly positioned from the Institute. It had not escaped the notice of the Shaitan that the Beryl Crow had arrived in RhyDin.
As the industrious people of the fallen world began to carve out their place in this foreign land, she watched.
The farmlands tilled, the village hamlets raised, the estate of the Lord and Lady protected. She watched.
As more refugees arrived and filtered into the steadily growing populace, she watched.
Surprise was a nearly foreign emotion for the hengeyokai and it took much to initiate such a response. But as she watched and waited, the foremost object of their fascination actually slept within the halls of the Institute. Passing him on his return path she could not contain the chuffing sound of a coughed shock. But again, she did nothing but watch.
Later when he was abducted, she made no move to interfere. Bound by the dictates of her mission. She simply watched.
********************
It had been a week since de Montesquieu's disappearance and his bride apparently had not grown lax on protection.
In fact, the increased patrols had sent the clouded leopard into the comfort of the trees.
One particularly dedicated scout had noticed her and thought to claim her pelt as his own. Their's had been an interesting dance as he had pursued her into an isolated valley not far from the Estate house. She had been enjoying the game of it, twisting back around and turning the predator into prey.
His death was to be an agonizing one as she toyed with him. Darting inside his guard to deliver a rake of her claws in the sweet meat of his flesh before slipping back into the foliage and leaving him bloody and swinging at nothing.
Blooded, he had grown enraged, his foolish brash reaction making it much easier to circle him and rush in with her nipping, raking, taunting attacks.
As his rich crimson spray dotted the leaves and coated the forested floor, he grew less and less steady, stumbling about in a mockery of his skills. He hadn't expected the intelligence of this creature, nor its cruelty.
His angered dying yells echoed off the rocky hills that swept up in a protective bowl over this area of land.
And as he stumbled to his knees, swiping stinging blood from his eyes he could have sworn that the clouded leopard was grinning at him as she exploded from the dark greenery and brought with her the kissing finality of death.
In a Distant Past of a Distant Realm...
Blood eked from the gash in the man's side. A slow ooze of ebon-laced crimson. She had wondered if it was the Shard that had poisoned his bloodstream or if it were part of his own nature that caused his blood to appear thickly dark.
But that thought had been dismissed on a wave of triumph. Finally, after months of hardship, her people would have their first victory. One of the Shaitan would die this day and their precious Shard destroyed in her own strong hand.
Hadrian drew her lips back from her teeth in a snarled smile of victory and thrust her hand into his wound, digging for the ebon crystal that the Covenant prized so highly. The flesh parted beneath her forceful hands, the man's howl of agony doing nothing to subside her search. Elation was hers when the solid surface slid teasingly beneath her fingertips immersed in the bloody meat of his innards.
"Yes!"
Pulling forth her blood soaked fist she stared in awe at the black ribbon of crystalline power that lay curled in the palm of her hand. The gaping wound she left behind now poured freely and the man she had assaulted uttered a choked groan at approaching death.
She paid no heed to the monstrous villain who had wreaked such havoc on her people. His murderous, psychopathic rampages had destroyed the townships that had once spoke to the pride of the people of Verullus.
Instead she turned her frighteningly proud grin at her husband, his warrior's face mirroring her own. They had battled side by side, swung their swords and raised their shields in defense of their people. She could read the victory in his gaze, the love in his smile, and the shared triumph of the moment. Raising her own blood-stained sword high she let forth a warrior's cry that was echoed by the troops that surrounded them.
"Let us be done with these Monstrous BRETHREN!" Her valiant cry was echoed fiercely.
Her husband strode forward and his sword descended in a cleaving motion that swept the Villain's head from his shoulders.
Grinning on a wave of fiery success, Hadrian turned to face the young liege, "Lord Leoline! For you do I destroy our enemy!"
Focusing her power inward she gathered the arcana that was hers to command and unfurled her fingers from around the shard that pulsated in her palm. She would destroy this relic of the Covenant's.
As her magic flowed forth and pooled around the Shard, she looked up from her task to smile into the loving face of her devoted husband.
There had come an odd sensation, a bubbling warning that she had felt on an arcane level that would resist explanation later in the telling, her last conscious thought before the agony tore her apart was that of her husband and their success.
***********
She awoke screaming, the memory searing her mind with the painful remembrance of her agony.
"It's only a dream. It's only a memory." She panted for each painful breath as she battled for control.
As she slowly settled her pounding heart and her fears she came to a realization that left her stomach clenching...
...it was not her cries that were echoing in the Valley.
http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/img-set/BQcDAAAAAwoDanBnAAAABC5vdXQKFlpFM05GOXJMM3hHRWJPcVJvMmVKWXcAAAACaWQKAWUAAAAEc2l6ZQ.jpg
The Tales begin with Shieyu, Dark Huntress of the Shaitan
The Tales of the Clouded Leopard
She had been dispatched through the Southern Glen to a far corner distantly positioned from the Institute. It had not escaped the notice of the Shaitan that the Beryl Crow had arrived in RhyDin.
As the industrious people of the fallen world began to carve out their place in this foreign land, she watched.
The farmlands tilled, the village hamlets raised, the estate of the Lord and Lady protected. She watched.
As more refugees arrived and filtered into the steadily growing populace, she watched.
Surprise was a nearly foreign emotion for the hengeyokai and it took much to initiate such a response. But as she watched and waited, the foremost object of their fascination actually slept within the halls of the Institute. Passing him on his return path she could not contain the chuffing sound of a coughed shock. But again, she did nothing but watch.
Later when he was abducted, she made no move to interfere. Bound by the dictates of her mission. She simply watched.
********************
It had been a week since de Montesquieu's disappearance and his bride apparently had not grown lax on protection.
In fact, the increased patrols had sent the clouded leopard into the comfort of the trees.
One particularly dedicated scout had noticed her and thought to claim her pelt as his own. Their's had been an interesting dance as he had pursued her into an isolated valley not far from the Estate house. She had been enjoying the game of it, twisting back around and turning the predator into prey.
His death was to be an agonizing one as she toyed with him. Darting inside his guard to deliver a rake of her claws in the sweet meat of his flesh before slipping back into the foliage and leaving him bloody and swinging at nothing.
Blooded, he had grown enraged, his foolish brash reaction making it much easier to circle him and rush in with her nipping, raking, taunting attacks.
As his rich crimson spray dotted the leaves and coated the forested floor, he grew less and less steady, stumbling about in a mockery of his skills. He hadn't expected the intelligence of this creature, nor its cruelty.
His angered dying yells echoed off the rocky hills that swept up in a protective bowl over this area of land.
And as he stumbled to his knees, swiping stinging blood from his eyes he could have sworn that the clouded leopard was grinning at him as she exploded from the dark greenery and brought with her the kissing finality of death.
In a Distant Past of a Distant Realm...
Blood eked from the gash in the man's side. A slow ooze of ebon-laced crimson. She had wondered if it was the Shard that had poisoned his bloodstream or if it were part of his own nature that caused his blood to appear thickly dark.
But that thought had been dismissed on a wave of triumph. Finally, after months of hardship, her people would have their first victory. One of the Shaitan would die this day and their precious Shard destroyed in her own strong hand.
Hadrian drew her lips back from her teeth in a snarled smile of victory and thrust her hand into his wound, digging for the ebon crystal that the Covenant prized so highly. The flesh parted beneath her forceful hands, the man's howl of agony doing nothing to subside her search. Elation was hers when the solid surface slid teasingly beneath her fingertips immersed in the bloody meat of his innards.
"Yes!"
Pulling forth her blood soaked fist she stared in awe at the black ribbon of crystalline power that lay curled in the palm of her hand. The gaping wound she left behind now poured freely and the man she had assaulted uttered a choked groan at approaching death.
She paid no heed to the monstrous villain who had wreaked such havoc on her people. His murderous, psychopathic rampages had destroyed the townships that had once spoke to the pride of the people of Verullus.
Instead she turned her frighteningly proud grin at her husband, his warrior's face mirroring her own. They had battled side by side, swung their swords and raised their shields in defense of their people. She could read the victory in his gaze, the love in his smile, and the shared triumph of the moment. Raising her own blood-stained sword high she let forth a warrior's cry that was echoed by the troops that surrounded them.
"Let us be done with these Monstrous BRETHREN!" Her valiant cry was echoed fiercely.
Her husband strode forward and his sword descended in a cleaving motion that swept the Villain's head from his shoulders.
Grinning on a wave of fiery success, Hadrian turned to face the young liege, "Lord Leoline! For you do I destroy our enemy!"
Focusing her power inward she gathered the arcana that was hers to command and unfurled her fingers from around the shard that pulsated in her palm. She would destroy this relic of the Covenant's.
As her magic flowed forth and pooled around the Shard, she looked up from her task to smile into the loving face of her devoted husband.
There had come an odd sensation, a bubbling warning that she had felt on an arcane level that would resist explanation later in the telling, her last conscious thought before the agony tore her apart was that of her husband and their success.
***********
She awoke screaming, the memory searing her mind with the painful remembrance of her agony.
"It's only a dream. It's only a memory." She panted for each painful breath as she battled for control.
As she slowly settled her pounding heart and her fears she came to a realization that left her stomach clenching...
...it was not her cries that were echoing in the Valley.
http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/img-set/BQcDAAAAAwoDanBnAAAABC5vdXQKFlpFM05GOXJMM3hHRWJPcVJvMmVKWXcAAAACaWQKAWUAAAAEc2l6ZQ.jpg