Aleria, Daughter of Domination
A swathe of Burning Energy sears the air before her, narrowly missing her Older Sister...
Aleria sucks her teeth in annoyance while her eyes struggle tracking Lahavera's airborne movements from the uneven and craggy limestone ground. The white-haired woman's rather snug-fitting trench coat tails flutter in her wake as she then fluidly weaves and dodges through a rain of falling BloodFrost spears coming at her at subsonic speeds; Lahavera isn't going easy on her Kin. Every spear shatters with force strong enough to rattle the rigid, long-lasting stonework beneath their castle's deepest depths. They're deep underground in a vast cavern filled with uneven footholds of limestone illuminated with various-sized pools and streams of water filled with naturally bioluminescent plant life and rocks. This hidden space is a common training ground for them that's been shaped through many battles both internal and foreign...
"All you do is run..." the Icy Vampire taunts, her words filled with contempt.
Lahavera keeps the offensive and as she mocks her younger sister, patches of BloodFrost slowly expand over her pale-featured, beautifully majestic features like a gloss; She's about to Trance. Lahavera starts chanting a Full Incantation of Awakening that in full view and retrospect mirrors an oddly familiar Ritual used by an Enemy...
"When Shiva rises, all shall freeze..."
Lahavera's once warm and sensual flesh is cold, dead, and bitter as the power keeping her alive now...
"My judgment is Her sword, and as her vessel, I decree..."
Lahavera's transformation is nearly complete. Her long black hair is now icy blue and glistens like diamonds in the blindingly light of the illuminated cavern...
Aleria needs to stop Her now!
Those BloodFrost spears keep manifesting and firing upon Aleria with no relent, though; Lahavera's so skilled and experienced with her powers that she's long lost the weakness of needing focus to Trance. It's a near-perfect defense predating the perfect offense to most. However, instead of showing fear or hesitation, Aleria's red eyes intensify into something more akin to a Beast waiting in anticipation for the slaughter that's about to happen. Her alluringly predatory features flawlessly melt together into an expression of deranged Bloodlust as a wave of Karmic Debt arcs out in waves from her running form dressed in black. She transitions as if to jump high into the air over a barrage of incoming attacks, but then She vanishes without a sound in a flash of accursed Black.
The projectiles smash into the cavern walls before scattering amidst the stone and water overtaking Lahavera's gasping voice when Aleria disappears; No matter how many times Lahavera's prepared for and witnessed that power in her life, she's always momentarily shaken with fear upon seeing it, and that brief moment is all Aleria needs to slip behind her older Sister with a twisted smile!
And then that side awakened...
A Power born from a Traitor's betrayal of Herself and those She cared about...
A Power birthed from the Slaughtered that never forgave Her sins even in Death...
And from the Man that suffered loving Her so much that he cursed Himself as well...
"I'm goInG tO EaT yOU!" the white-haired Vampire screams in pure ecstasy. She's Cursed...
Aleria grasps the air as if holding a weapon, then swings her arms forward at a perfect arc for Lahavera's neck. A Burning Scythe of Blood manifests at the lethal moment of her imaginary swipe. Still, it sparks off a shattering shield of Divine Frost that saves Lahavera's neck from a clean decapitation. Aleria is briefly repelled by her sister's counter-attack, giving Lahavera time to meet her faster sibling head on this time with a move of her own; she's no slouch in close combat.
Lahavera flash-freezes an Icy Glaive into her hands and simultaneously swings as Aleria attacks with a shrill cry of joy! The two sister's words predating a violent clash!
"DIE!"
"You first!"
BOOM!!!
The intense thermal explosion blasts them BOTH backward across the vast limestone cavern. Aleria smashes backside first into a series of sharp rocks sticking from a nearby cavern wall, skewering her left flank, right thigh, and neck against the rocks in a bloody gruesome way. She's a mangled site inside of the massive impact crater she's created. However, these wounds are laughed off with a smile as she wedges herself from the stone, her wounds sizzling and burning shut before vanishing as if they never happened to begin with. She rolls her shoulders and cranes her neck until it cracks while effortlessly balancing on the narrow strip of rock beneath her boots; she's walking with a confidently ecstatic swagger toward her recovering prey nearly a kilometer away.
Aleria's eyes flare with energy, that drooling lust painting her usually cold and apathetic features a blatant distraction from the hunger in her eyes as she scans for her Sister. The white-haired Vampire almost looks like a blood-starved dog in a sense with how she's shivering with anticipation. Then, a brief chirp of taunting laughter accompanies a mocking grin as Aleria vanishes in another flare of black and red moments before more subsonic BloodFrost Spears impale her. Lahavera sucks her teeth, then exhales frost as her half-bloody expression scowls at the vanishing woman far across the cavern; she didn't expect Aleria to be that fast and realizes the critical weakness in her supposedly ultimate defense on its first use. Speed. And, unfortunately for Lahavera...
Aleria is usually the second fastest Trueblood after Serah...
Until she's trying to kill you...
"My sincerest apologies, Lady Shiva..." Lahavera softly says under her breath while struggling to stand, eventually pulling herself to her feet. Several wisps of Freezing Winds quickly rise and gather around her person before lashing out as icy whips of air strong enough to slash rocks. This amassing aura of Divine Frost quickly becomes so dense that it's vibrantly visible to the naked eye, and magnificent feat and expression of control and power in and of itself. Even if this Glacial Shield crumbles beneath a single attack from Aleria's Blood Weapon, it'll buy all the time she'll need to finish her Trance and finally crush her sister's ego once and for all, ending this sibling rivalry no longer worth Shiva's attention.
Aleria appears in a flare of burning black that looks like a tear in reality behind Lahavera, and lunges at her sister with a vicious swing of her Cursed Scythe. The scythe's black-tinted flames roar with an energy so intense upon biting into Lahavera's greatest defense that the following thermal explosion nearly tears them both apart. Or, it would've if they'd been unprepared like the first time. Instead, the skin-melting HEAT, bone-chilling COLD, and blinding Flash of the EXPLOSION barely phase either sister as they stare each other down, a wall of impossibly chaotic energy keeping them away from each other like a fence does wolves...
Aleria's quickly tearing through that metaphorical fence, though; her sadistic smile proudly displays the joy she'll have when her scythe reaches Lahavera's flesh, and those eyes beam with a psychotic lust akin to hunger for one's favorite food; she wants to drink blood. But it's not her sister's blood that She wants...
"GIvE mE ShIIIIvAAAA!!!" Aleria demands with a tone akin to psychotic begging. She wants that blood so bad. She wants it so, so bad...
"GIVE. ME. YOUR. BLOOD!"
Aleria SCREAMS as another surge of strength lets her effortlessly shred through Lahavera's strongest defense, splashing her gathered energy everywhere around them as a fleeting vapor moments from dispersing. Lahavera is exposed and vulnerable, yet her eyes remain cold and unmoving as they watch Aleria move in for the kill!
At this moment, She's faster than her sister. The destruction of her Glacial Shield left her a departing passive effect: Her speed and agility are significantly increased for three seconds, and if it'd been any less, Aleria would've won...
"Sparkle like Diamonds..."
Killer Frost snaps her fingers and Flash Freezes everything around her for a single additional second. And that's all she needs to win as she points her index finger at Aleria's form, her frozen sister's grin of ecstasy encased in ice like her flesh. The Goddess of BloodFrost doesn't share the same love for this twisted spawn of Historia as her vessel does. She aims to execute this threat to EVERY Pantheon's existence.
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"Then scatter like du-..."
A BURST of Black Fire flash thaws Aleria, who has lost the momentum of her swing through being frozen, and simply adjusts as she cocks her arms and twists her torso in preparation to cleave Shiva in half, but Killer Frost isn't as slow as this Vampire's sister and prepares a cold counter with a waft of her hands as she leans into an attack at the same time Aleria executes her swing; they're going to --
"Enough..."
Lysander's words calmly echo through the vast cavern and accompany a rush of black burning chains that swiftly and easily drag and restrain his two sisters toward the limestone foundation they're fighting on. These burning black shackles sear deeper than mere flesh, and Killer Frost screams out in the most painfully intense scream until that presence completely fades, leaving only his sister in control.
Meanwhile, Aleria's thrashing and resisting with as much violence as she can muster; she's fighting the restraints like an enraged and bloodthirsty Beast consumed beyond reason. Lysander appears a few feet or so from the flailing woman as he steps out of a burning shadow like he's walking up some stairs. His voice is as nonchalant as his body language and facial expressions.
"Sometimes, I really question the intelligence of the Gods, you know?" Lysander talks to the raging Aleria as if she understands anything he's saying. Those shadowy chains continue keeping a firm grasp on the white-haired woman's extremities; they keep her chained to the ground and continue tightening till not even her strength can resist anymore. Lysander doesn't finish his teachable moment until Aleria's regained enough of her Humanity that she's able to comprehend his voice and his words, whether she wishes to or not.
"They always seem to bless the most incompetent people they can find with their strongest Gazes..." Lysander starts pacing while he talks, and as he talks, every following word grows increasingly full of snide, mockery, and sarcasm. "Like, take me and the rest of you for example," he pauses and gestures at Aleria, then Lahavera across the cavern as the latter slowly makes her way over, and then upward as if gesturing to the other two in the castle.
"Lahavera is blessed by the literal Vampiric Frost Goddess," he chuckles as if he can't believe it as he paces between the two and ignores his injured sister's scowl at him; she looks like a mess. "A once parasitic Vampire that rose to Godhood-like Historia after drinking Eve's blood. You're literally a purebred vessel and textbook definition of a Trueblood Vampire.." Lysander's words turn sour as his crimson eyes flash disgust at Lahavera when he leans toward her general direction and boldly says...
"Yet, you're fucking weak..."
"How about you fight me and say that again?" Lahavera growls and Lysander's eyes flick toward the rapidly regenerating frost forming over her features. However, the black-haired man rolls his eyes in response, sighing as he turns his back on Lahavera.
"Another example of how women don't listen to understand, only to respond," Lysander pinches the bridge of his nose and dumbs his voice down for his beloved sibling. "I said that you are fucking weak. That means I am referring to the Vampire Lahavera, not that fused bitch you trance into. Elsa, or whatever her damned name is," he tries to explain it as nicely as possible but loses it when Lahavera responds with the same prideful arrogance she always maintains even when losing.
"A bold statement coming from the only one of us not blessed by any of our ancestor's Gazes..." Lahavera snaps with a disgusted huff then immediately is gasping and struggling for air as Lysander's black chains of burning shadows suddenly snatch her by her throat like a noose, suspending her above the ground moments later; she's being hanged by her brother. Lysander calmly approaches his beloved sister with an air of indifference; he even stands there for a few seconds and nonchalantly enjoys watching Lahavera struggle and gasp for air until her eyes water from asphyxiation.
"... Well?" Lysander suddenly says as if waiting for something to happen while casually watching the life slowly drain from Lahavera's eyes. The young red-eyed man tilts his head while wearing a vaguely expecting expression now, slightly shaking his head as he says... "I'm waiting for you to fight me? Why are you hanging there dying instead?" he asks as the chains tighten more, threatening to snap Lahavera's neck like a toothpick. The woman's throat is so constricted by those chains that it looks deformed; there's no way Lahavera's still alive and yet, she is...
The chains vanish and Lahavera suddenly hits the ground lifeless for several seconds before coming to...
All while Lysander nonchalantly looms over her, staring at her with inquisitive eyes; he's waiting for her to wake up...
As Lahavera finally comes to consciousness and gasps for that first breath of air, Lysander smashes his boot into her solar plexus, kicking her across the limestone with such force that she SHATTERS an entire rock face upon impact, crumbling beneath the debris.
Silence falls...
Lysander waits and waits...
He looks like he's disappointed he even bothered...
... ... ...
"Weak, as I said."
With a casual extension of his arm and flex of his wrist, Lysander pulls Lahavera's corpse from the fallen rumbling through instantly appearing shadow chains. Once his sister's corpse rolls to his feet, Lysander calls for his other sister with a casual whistle to his words.
"Vanessa! Lahavera kept talking shit to me, so I killed her. Come fix it before it's permanent," he says with nonchalance, and a blonde-haired, petite woman with pigtails and lively red eyes that matched her flushed skin pops into the scene amidst a moving wave of purplish-colored fog. She wears the robes and furs of someone deep into the fantasy of witchcraft and science but looks like an annoyed parent the moment her eyes fall on Lahavera's lifeless eyes. Vanessa scolds Lysander with a mildly irritated tone.
"Is this what we fucking do, Lysander? Murder our siblings!?" Vanessa says while clasping her dainty-looking hands together and conjuring a flare of energy over her palms. The veins running through her arms into her hands and fingers glow as her blood turns into an external vapor blanketing Lahavera's still corpse, slowly breathing life back into the deceased woman as Lysander defends his actions while looking at Aleria, who eyes him in disgust for interrupting her fight.
"I only killed her because I know you'll bring her back; I did, though, need to kill her to prove a point that I'm very confident has been recognized," Lysander replies, confidently looking Lahavera in her eyes when the woman comes to and sees him; he's smiling at her. "Did you sleep well? I hope you didn't. That way, you won't be inclined to challenge me again without your Goddess being in control first, yeah?" he says with a hint of happiness at his technical victory, then turns to Aleria. She's not say from his brotherly advice either. However, Lysander doesn't attack her like he did Lahavera.
"Aleria, you need to work on controlling the amount of Eve's Karmic Debt you infuse into your BloodFire," Lysander pinches his nose, then finally releases Aleria from his chains. The white-haired woman slowly pulls herself to her feet and dusts her form-fitting coat off while halfway listening to Lysander's scolding. Though the look on her face implies she's not listening at all. Unfortunately for her, that's not going to stop Lysander from talking.
"Eve's Karmic Debt affects Vampires just like Humans, even if to a proportionately lesser extent. Just because you are Historia's Last Daughter and possess the Eyes of Domination gifted by the Trinity does not mean you are immune from the effects of Eve's Sins," Lysander tries reminding his barely listening sister for the likely millionth or so time, gesturing to the charcoal black patches of flesh covering Aleria's burned hands and forearms. The rough, flaky, and darkened skin is a stark contrast from the rest of Aleria's pristine and flawless, pale-colored flesh. Aleria merely rips the ugly flesh away, her facial features unfazed at the sight of her sharpened vampiric nails effortlessly slicing away at her epidermis; it's a bloody gross sight.
"When I want your opinion on how I use my powers, I'll demand it from you," Aleria coldly replies to Lysander without even looking his way. Her brother closes his eyes and takes a deep breath to calm himself while she finishes her emergency surgery and admires her eviscerated forearms. A bubbling and sizzling noise comes moments later and accompanies the gross sight of Aleria's flesh and bones regenerating till they once again match her alluringly deadly aesthetic. She lowers her pale hands and retracts her sharpened nails, meeting Lysander's eyes the moment he wrestles control of his emotions. Lysander speaks first, as big brothers do.
"I feel that there's a misunderstanding here that needs to be corrected," Lysander politely starts, looking toward Lahavera, then Vanessa, and finally Aleria again. His words address them in that order as well, and his tone simultaneously flows from apologetic to Lahavera, defensive to Vanessa, and lastly, threatening to Aleria.
"I do not like fighting my family, much less killing them. I did that to you, Lahavera because I wanted to teach you some humility. You are not the strongest thing walking this planet: so stop acting like it and think before you pop off at the mouth toward someone," Lysander says and steps closer to Lahavera, noting her eyes and how they stay locked on his: she's actually listening to him. "It'll keep you from making the same mistake you did against Garmr's Vessel," he then turns to Vanessa, noting his oldest sister's glare of annoyance.
"Pride is the wellspring of a Vampire's strength, Vanessa. Lahavera has the most pride out of us all because she's a vessel for one of the strongest Vampires that ever lived. However, her greatest weakness is she has too much of it. That is why I took my time and gently murdered her before brutally doing it the second time. I wanted her to truly understand how easy it is for me to kill her, despite her pride-born power," he glances Lahavera's way again with a smile. "I also did it for shits and giggles after your comment; you know the one I'm referring to. Anyway..." he turns to Aleria, his expression scowling and threatening, but not as murderous as it could be. He approaches the stalwart, white-haired Vampire until he's a few feet from her, reminding her of his larger size first and foremost.
"But, you do not have Pride, little sister..." Lysander says, meeting the woman's stale expression with a more disappointed one. "You have an ego. That is not the origin of our strength, and it's what cost us our victory against those Lycans ages ago..." Lysander steps closer, invading Aleria's space and daring her through his body language to do anything but stand there and listen to him. Aleria remains still and stands tall as anticipated, fearlessly staring down her larger brother but also surprisingly staying silent. She's listening to him...
"Pride is ones pleasure and satisfaction from one's achievements; ego is undeserved pleasure born from exaggerated self-importance. What does this mean, you're probably wondering?" he stops and paces away from Aleria, now monologuing to almost all of his siblings amidst the beautifully destroyed scenery of this limestone cavern and all of its bioluminescent lighting.
"Eve's betrayal of Adam stemmed from her ego of wanting to be Adam's equal in all ways instead of acknowledging how she was equal in Her way. This ego caused her destruction in the end and also ours by extension shortly after the Lycan Massacre under the Blood Moon. The thing about emotions is that they can be very powerful in the hands of supernatural monstrosities like us..." he pauses again, gesturing to Vanessa with a quick handwave.
"Trueblood Vampires would've been a dime a dozen today had Historia killed Eve first instead of Adam. Because women are emotional creatures, and emotions can create some powerful Karmic Debt..." Lysander suddenly laughs as everyone else remains silent, and even Aleria looks aside in subtle solemnity. Lysander takes a moment for himself, realizing he's starting to ramble, and then looks Aleria's way again.
"Eve's ego infected her Pride, which in turn festered and spread to Historia and the Original Truebloods after drinking Eve's Blood. This sickness was finalized with Eve's greatest and final sin and thus..." Lysander holds out his arms while taking a few steps away from everyone to showcase the appearing black chains dangling from the arms of his puffy black and silver fur coat sleeves; his usually sarcastic expression is more solemn.
"Thus were the Chains of Crucifixion and the Abyssal Flame born. Curses so powerful that they devour even death like Fenrir & Garmr..." Lysander snaps his fingers and disperses the chains, approaching them all again with a huff. "If we're to cleanse this curse and create the world our mother Historia wanted all those years ago, we need to learn to control these powers and use them to wipe out the Lycans. Because as long as Fenrir and His Chosen are alive or have the potential to resurrect, Adam's Seal will keep Historia caged..." Lysander reminds his sisters as they all exchange glances. Their brother's got the spotlight, and he's doing what he does best: motivating his Family to come together.
"So, let's temporarily put aside these sibling rivalries and kill some dogs."
"And, I know how we're going to accomplish that this time," the Vampire smirks...
Eve is going to suffer even in Death,,,
And Adam is going to burn with Her...
Next Chapter: Ambition, Hatred, and Sacrifice