<b><span style="font-family: 'Bad Script', 'cursive'"><span style="font-size: 22px">Dark Solace - 550 AD</span></span></b><br/><br/>Ceiro Varisi stood on top of the ridge, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. He could feel the seven other huntsmen fanned out throughout the woods, encircling the area where they knew their prey to be. The wind clipped through his short brown hair, though the chill of the night did not touch him. He was Carpathian, and such things were not an issue thanks to their innate gifts and learned magics. When he opened his eyes, they glittered with a golden light in the rays of the narrow crescent moon. A voice crossed through his mind, the leader of their hunt, and the man’s father. Adric had been friends with the creature they hunted, before he’d turned. They’d done their best to help him, even begging him to spend more time with their family and less time alone. Valentin had held Ceiro’s little sister, carried her on his shoulders, laughed at her attempts to mimic her brother’s Illusions. But that man was gone and not even the light of a child’s presence had been enough to save him.<br/><br/>Close the ring. Make this quick.<br/><br/>He could hear the pain in his father’s voice, though it didn’t affect him the way it should have. It was something he had tried to keep from them. If his father knew how much his own son was struggling with the darkness, he would not have allowed him to join the others on this hunt. But Ceiro had to. The man had made his little sister cry. She’d loved him dearly, and he’d abandoned her. Ceiro would not allow himself to go down that same path. Valla’s eyes deserved to be filled with joy, not sorrow. That was what kept him from crossing the line, and until he found his lifemate, it would have to be enough. They closed ranks, streaming into the cave systems through the various entrances, dismantling the traps as they went, up through the chutes into the heart of the mountain. There were eight entrances they’d been able to find. And eight of them, an intentional act. Bursting into the room, his breath caught in his throat at the sight of the withered creature that stood there, watching all of them as they landed.<br/><br/><span class="fixed-color" style="color:#ff9999">"You think you all can stop me? You don’t know my PAIN! You found love. You found her, the other half of your souls. And so young. NOT one of you understands!" </span>His eyes fell on Ceiro as his ragged voice echoed throughout the chamber, though he did not let his guard down to those behind him. It was only than that he spoke out loud, a voice filled with sorrow and agony.<span class="fixed-color" style="color:#ff9999"> “Get out, little one. You are already suffering. You alone understand.” </span>he waved his hand dismissively, as some of the others looked over to him with doubt in their eyes. It only served to harden his resolve.<br/><br/><span class="fixed-color" style="color:#4da6ff">“No. I don't understand. the darkness is strong, but I am stronger. Stronger than you. We’re done listening to your words.”</span>he took a step forwards even as his voice growled, tinged with betrayal. he was feeling one of the few emotions he had left that were his own. Anger. A shout from one of the other hunters came too late, and he caught himself just before he slammed into the wall behind him, the others shaken as well, the blast aimed outwards at them all. With the quickness of their kind, the Vampire formerly known as Valentin sliced his hand and let a drop of blood fall to the ground, the wind swirling around him and revealing the large and complex ritual painstakingly carved into the floor. Several dove at him, Ceiro at the front, but it was too late. Forced from their mist forms, they were slammed back into the wall.<br/><br/>Ceiro recovered first, diving once more at the man, catching him off guard. It was only than that he realized the silence in his mind. No longer could he feel the occasional touch of Valla checking up on him. No longer would his form change to mist when he called for it to do so. The startled realization that hit him was enough to throw him off guard even as he tried to call fire to his hand, but to no avail. The vampire struck, knocking him back, before falling on him.<br/><br/><span class="fixed-color" style="color:#ff9999">“I tried to spare you this, Ceiro. I tried to show them what we go through!” </span>he shrieked as the two fought, the others shaken by the lack of touch from their lifemates. Their worlds plunging into darkness once more without their other halves.<span class="fixed-color" style="color:#ff9999">“But you like suffering! That much is clear. So SUFFER YOU SHALL!”</span>Ceiro let out a cry of agony as the vampire’s talons sank into his eyes, clawing at the creature as he was unable to summon even a dagger to his aid. He kicked, throwing the Vampire off him and struggled to his feet, blood dripping down his cheeks like tears, his ruined eyes useless to him now. A weight slammed into him suddenly, and he was flung back, through one of the steeper passages, rolling along the ground as his hands flailed out, trying to catch anything that would aid him to slow his descent. He could hear his father cry out, hear the others shocked back into reality, even without their powers, it was still seven against one. Valentin had to die. And quickly, lest their life mates think them truly lost.<br/><br/>And suddenly he was airborne, rolling out the side of the cliff as he let out a scream, arms and legs flailing. He did not know how long the plunge, only that it was certainly to his death. Fingers caught branches, slowing the fall but not enough. The impact of him hitting the ground broke bone with a sickening crunch, plunging him into the bliss of painless unconsciousness. One from which he did not expect to wake.<br/><br/><a class="username" data-user-id="228" data-username="@Zira Wolvenbllod" data-xf-init="member-tooltip" href="https://blackdahliaroleplaying.com/members/228/">@Zira Wolvenbllod</a>