Post by oddball on Feb 19, 2007 13:36:43 GMT -5
Trial by Fire
Path of Memory
“I used to walk this path a lot as a child…”
“I’m sure this road holds lots of memories for you.”
“It does, but now it only reminds me of the pain I felt.”
“Because of your parents?”
“And my sister as well. I miss her so much.”
“Someday I hope you can return home without the pain.”
“Thank you. I hope for that day as well. But for now I feel only the pain of loss and the guilt that comes with it.”
“Has anyone besides Oddy seen your face since that day?”
“Why do you ask? Curious about my face so you can kill me easier?”
“I’m curious, that’s the only reason… I just thought I’d ask.”
“No one except Oddy. If you want to see my face, have Celeste show you my photo when you get to my old home. Providing it hasn’t been reclaimed…”
“I’d rather just see your face here and now…” Rose leans into Vincent’s hooded head for a closer look. “Please?”
“Maybe some other time Miss DeMaria. I don’t think it would be a smart idea…” Vincent grabbed the base of the hood and drew it around his face more, further obscuring his face. Rose caught a quick glimpse of a red glint from the hood’s depths.
“What color are your eyes?” Asked Rose as she focused her green eyes into the darkened abyss of the hood.
“Why?” Vincent looked at her.
“I want to know…”
“Why do you want to know?” Vincent was growing tense, why was she asking him questions?
“I just do…”
“Red… Happy now?” Vincent turned his back to her, and looked up the path to where Oddy and Celeste were now walking.
“Yes. Now I’ll have an idea of what to look for if I’m ever around you without the cloak.” Rose said as she walked past him, she quickly ran her paw over his shoulder in passing.
“What was that?”
“What was what?” Rose turned to face him again, looking confused.
“You touched my shoulder…"
“Did I? Sorry…” Rose turned away again and walked towards Oddy and Celeste, giggling to herself. Vincent watched her walk away, shaking his head slightly.
“Miss DeMaria?” Rose stopped and looked back.
“Yes? Mr. Dal?” Rose stepped back towards him as he raised his paws to the hood over his head.
“I must admit, I’m curious about you Miss DeMaria. Most believe me to be dead, and yet Oddy tells you the truth about me and you aren’t the least bit surprised.”
“Why should I be surprised?” Rose took a few more steps towards Vincent as he slowly began to drop the hood. His nose was exposed first, followed by the surrounding area of his muzzle. Two old scars shown on his upper lip on the right side, as he moved the hood more.
“You should see a picture of me when you get to my house… My current appearance is quite different from the days of my innocence.” Vincent hesitated before dropping the hood the rest of the way. His eyes were closed, the X scar over his left eye was immediately noticeable, his scarred left ear came to light as well. “Well?”
“The way you were acting Mr. Dal…”
“Vincent please…”
“Vincent… The way you were acting, it seemed as though part of your face was missing. You look fine, better than I had anticipated.” She smiled at him softly and approached him more. “You shouldn’t need to hide who you are Vincent, the world will accept you for what is here…” She placed a paw on his chest and looked at his face, he slowly opened his eyes at the touch of her paw. His blood red eyes looked into her eyes and he simply smiled.
“You are the first to see my face in the last seven months. But I am not ready to show myself to the world as yet. I have to kill him, and I won’t show this face again until everything is in place.”
“In place?”
“I’m sorry Miss DeMaria…”
“Rose…” She looked at him for a moment. “We’re on a first name basis now Vincent. You can call me Rose…”
“I’m sorry Rose, but I can’t tell you anything. No offense, but you are still under the employ of my target and I don’t want him to hear about my plans.”
“Do you think I’d tell?”
“I don’t want to take the risk. And besides, aren’t you supposed to be killing me?” Vincent asked with a smirk. In his partial smile, Rose saw that there was still a kind heart inside his scarred and pained body.
“Technically I am… But I’ll wait awhile. Besides, I haven’t found any trace of you yet, so I don’t know where to look. By the looks of it, I’m chasing a phantom.” Rose winked at Vincent, who smiled back.
“Right… I got it.” Vincent covered his head again and placed a paw on Rose’s shoulder. “Until we meet again Rose… Stay well.”
“You as well, Vincent…” And with Rose’s words, he vanished in a swirl of dust.
“Rose! You coming?” Shouted Celeste from up the road. “We’re waiting!”
“Coming!!” Said Rose as she turned away and began running up the path to catch up. So that was the infamous Vincent Dal? The one Eebrum had ordered her to kill? He didn’t seem that bad. Maybe she should let him go, and see what he could do? Rose came up to Oddy and Celeste slightly out of breath. “Sorry…”
“Have a nice conversation back there?” Asked Oddy.
“Conversation? With who?” Asked Celeste, looking from Oddy to Rose like a curious child.
“My student…” replied Oddy.
“Vincent was back there? And you didn’t tell me?”
“I was asked not to…”
“By whom? I’m his sister… I have as much right as any to see him!” Celeste was getting visibly upset about not being included.
“Vincent asked me long ago not to tell you he was still alive. But when I told him that you found out on your own, and wanted to see him again, he asked me not to let you know where he was or if he was nearby.”
“Why won’t he let me see him?”
“That I don’t know…” Answered Oddy as he put his arms up. “I only know what you guys tell me.”
“For all your ways of gathering information Oddy you can’t tell a girl why her own brother won’t see her?” Said Rose as she placed an arm around Celeste.
“He doesn’t want her to see what happened to him, he doesn’t want her to see what Eebrum did to him, he wants her to remember him as he was before all of this…” Oddy said as he dropped himself down on a tree stump, his bag falling to the ground at his feet with a soft thud.
“He doesn’t want me to see what happened? I know Eebrum had attacked him, and I saw him get stabbed through Mom. But I never had a chance to see what actually happened. Eebrum was on me before I even went three paces. Vaughn didn’t move at all, he stared at Eebrum. Then he struck me here…” Celeste moved her paw down the scar on her jaw. “And then he ripped my ear, he was enjoying causing me pain.” Celeste began to shake as she remembered the events that had occurred. Tears were forming in her eyes, and she quickly buried her face in Rose’s chest. “I couldn’t help him… My brother was bleeding and I couldn’t help him at all. I didn’t even hear anything until Mom screamed and dropped the tray…” Celeste was now crying openly, her tears dampening the front of Rose’s shirt.
“Then I showed up at he last moment. Eebrum saw me coming and ran… Vaughn followed him back to Caina.” Oddy held his face in his paws and was facing the ground. “I wish I could’ve gotten there sooner to save Morgan and Mira… They truly were my closest friends until now.” Oddy stood and looked over at Rose, who was now cradling Celeste in her arms.
“Vincent is scarred yes, but I saw him…” Rose said at last. “The damage Eebrum inflicted will last for a long time, but it doesn’t appear to have changed him much on the inside…”
“He’s okay?” Celeste said, looking up at Rose through tear flooded eyes.
“Ye…”
“No… He’s not okay. You don’t know what’s been going on with him over the last seven months.” Oddy said sternly to Rose and Celeste. “He’s tormented by the memories of that day, he hates himself for being so weak that he couldn’t save Morgan or Mira… He’s slowly losing himself to his anger and hatred for Vaughn and Eebrum. You got him on a good day Miss DeMaria…”
“What?” Asked Celeste through a horrified expression.
“The brother you knew is slowly disappearing from this world. He is driven on by his hatred and vengeance. I’m afraid it is only a matter of time before we lose him…” Oddy bowed his head again and stared at his feet. “There’s nothing we can do for him… Except leave him be and obey his wishes.”
“Oddy? What are you talking about? I just spoke to him… He seems fine!” Rose yelled, still holding Celeste, who had again buried her face from sight.
“Vincent Dal was killed seven months ago by Eebrum Venuchi… The Vincent Dal we just spoke to is not the same Vincent Dal that I saw after he was born, he’s not the same Vincent Dal I saw when he first flew, he’s not the same Vincent Dal that was playing calmly in the yard with his siblings two years ago, and he is definitely not the same Vincent Dal that was sitting in a chair behind his home while I had tea with his parents seven and a half months ago. Vincent Dal was a kind and caring young pup, who was brutally slain by a sick and demented mind.”
“Stop it!!” Celeste broke free of Rose’s hold and slapped Oddy across the face. “My brother isn’t dead. He’s just injured, injured below the surface. He’s hurt somewhere we can’t see, and somewhere that can’t be healed easily. He was wounded physically and emotionally, that’s not the same as being dead…” Oddy still faced in the direction of ýCeleste’s slap, a deep red mark was visible through the fur on his face.
“You’re right Celeste. He’s injured and bleeding… And none of us can heal that wound.” Oddy now looked at Celeste and Rose. Rose’s shirt was stained by the tears Celeste had shed, but she didn’t care. Celeste was so upset she was shaking badly, so badly in fact ýthat she collapsed to her knees in front of Oddy. “He is soon to be dead emotionally… Bleeding to death from the wounds to his heart. You won’t be able to help him… That is the true nature behind his request. He doesn’t want you there to see him fall into the darkness.” Oddy now turned to Rose as he knelt down to Celeste. “He needs something else in his life. Someone to help him see the light, so to speak…” Oddy now helped Celeste to her feet and gave her a hug.
“To those lost in the darkness, even the smallest glimmer of light can save them…” Rose looked at Oddy. “You knew this. You’re trying to help Vincent while pretending to give up on him…”
“You caught on quickly Rose… Celeste knew I was interested in seeing you and Vincent together. But she never knew my reasons for it, until now.”
“That’s why you had him tailing me… So he could see me, and so he’d become interested."
“Right…”
“But I can’t help him…”
“Vincent is bleeding to death emotionally. The only one in this world he has left is Celeste here, but he doesn’t have the courage to see her again. He’s determined to have his revenge on Eebrum and Vaughn. He sits alone all the time stewing in those feelings. If he continues on like this, he will simply become a cold hearted killer, that will kill anyone who gets between him and his goal.”
“That’s good though… Eebrum’s men won’t stand a chance.”
“But what happens if he comes across someone who is his friend? Or even family?” Oddy asked.
“I don’t know…”
“They’d die by his paws…” Rose’s eyes went wide as the thought of Vincent killing his own sister in cold blood entered her mind.
“He’d become… a killing machine.” Rose now understood Oddy’s plans, she was to be a bandage for the wound on Vincent’s heart. And to also be there to help him recover his humanity. “But I’m confused, how exactly can I help?”
“I’ll explain it later… We should get moving, despite that Vincent said the road to my home is clear, these woods become dangerous after the sun, sets. These hills crawl with thieves, bandits, and mercenaries…”
“We’ll be fine… We have a Dragon on our side.” Said Celeste as she dried her tears and looked at Oddy. “I’m sorry I slapped you…”
“No apologies required… I am the one who should be sorry. I spoke ill of your brother, please forgive me.”
“It’s alright Oddy… I just don’t want to believe that he could have changed as much as you say…”
“Change is a difficult thing to deal with… But come, my home is over the next rise. And Celeste’s old home is not far from there. We can visit Morgan and Mira’s grave at first light tomorrow.”
“And you and I can discuss this plan of yours…”
“Don’t worry Rose. If it all works out as I plan, Vincent will be able to accomplish his goals, and we won’t lose him to the darkness that he’s falling into.”
“I hope so…” Said Celeste as she hugged Rose. “I hope you will stay for awhile when we get there.”
“I have no dealine for my mission, and as far as my reports to Eebrum will be concerned, I’m following leads to find his phantom Dal…”
“Glad to hear it.” Said Oddy as he raised his bag and led them on towards the setting sun.
To Be Continued
Path of Memory
“I used to walk this path a lot as a child…”
“I’m sure this road holds lots of memories for you.”
“It does, but now it only reminds me of the pain I felt.”
“Because of your parents?”
“And my sister as well. I miss her so much.”
“Someday I hope you can return home without the pain.”
“Thank you. I hope for that day as well. But for now I feel only the pain of loss and the guilt that comes with it.”
“Has anyone besides Oddy seen your face since that day?”
“Why do you ask? Curious about my face so you can kill me easier?”
“I’m curious, that’s the only reason… I just thought I’d ask.”
“No one except Oddy. If you want to see my face, have Celeste show you my photo when you get to my old home. Providing it hasn’t been reclaimed…”
“I’d rather just see your face here and now…” Rose leans into Vincent’s hooded head for a closer look. “Please?”
“Maybe some other time Miss DeMaria. I don’t think it would be a smart idea…” Vincent grabbed the base of the hood and drew it around his face more, further obscuring his face. Rose caught a quick glimpse of a red glint from the hood’s depths.
“What color are your eyes?” Asked Rose as she focused her green eyes into the darkened abyss of the hood.
“Why?” Vincent looked at her.
“I want to know…”
“Why do you want to know?” Vincent was growing tense, why was she asking him questions?
“I just do…”
“Red… Happy now?” Vincent turned his back to her, and looked up the path to where Oddy and Celeste were now walking.
“Yes. Now I’ll have an idea of what to look for if I’m ever around you without the cloak.” Rose said as she walked past him, she quickly ran her paw over his shoulder in passing.
“What was that?”
“What was what?” Rose turned to face him again, looking confused.
“You touched my shoulder…"
“Did I? Sorry…” Rose turned away again and walked towards Oddy and Celeste, giggling to herself. Vincent watched her walk away, shaking his head slightly.
“Miss DeMaria?” Rose stopped and looked back.
“Yes? Mr. Dal?” Rose stepped back towards him as he raised his paws to the hood over his head.
“I must admit, I’m curious about you Miss DeMaria. Most believe me to be dead, and yet Oddy tells you the truth about me and you aren’t the least bit surprised.”
“Why should I be surprised?” Rose took a few more steps towards Vincent as he slowly began to drop the hood. His nose was exposed first, followed by the surrounding area of his muzzle. Two old scars shown on his upper lip on the right side, as he moved the hood more.
“You should see a picture of me when you get to my house… My current appearance is quite different from the days of my innocence.” Vincent hesitated before dropping the hood the rest of the way. His eyes were closed, the X scar over his left eye was immediately noticeable, his scarred left ear came to light as well. “Well?”
“The way you were acting Mr. Dal…”
“Vincent please…”
“Vincent… The way you were acting, it seemed as though part of your face was missing. You look fine, better than I had anticipated.” She smiled at him softly and approached him more. “You shouldn’t need to hide who you are Vincent, the world will accept you for what is here…” She placed a paw on his chest and looked at his face, he slowly opened his eyes at the touch of her paw. His blood red eyes looked into her eyes and he simply smiled.
“You are the first to see my face in the last seven months. But I am not ready to show myself to the world as yet. I have to kill him, and I won’t show this face again until everything is in place.”
“In place?”
“I’m sorry Miss DeMaria…”
“Rose…” She looked at him for a moment. “We’re on a first name basis now Vincent. You can call me Rose…”
“I’m sorry Rose, but I can’t tell you anything. No offense, but you are still under the employ of my target and I don’t want him to hear about my plans.”
“Do you think I’d tell?”
“I don’t want to take the risk. And besides, aren’t you supposed to be killing me?” Vincent asked with a smirk. In his partial smile, Rose saw that there was still a kind heart inside his scarred and pained body.
“Technically I am… But I’ll wait awhile. Besides, I haven’t found any trace of you yet, so I don’t know where to look. By the looks of it, I’m chasing a phantom.” Rose winked at Vincent, who smiled back.
“Right… I got it.” Vincent covered his head again and placed a paw on Rose’s shoulder. “Until we meet again Rose… Stay well.”
“You as well, Vincent…” And with Rose’s words, he vanished in a swirl of dust.
“Rose! You coming?” Shouted Celeste from up the road. “We’re waiting!”
“Coming!!” Said Rose as she turned away and began running up the path to catch up. So that was the infamous Vincent Dal? The one Eebrum had ordered her to kill? He didn’t seem that bad. Maybe she should let him go, and see what he could do? Rose came up to Oddy and Celeste slightly out of breath. “Sorry…”
“Have a nice conversation back there?” Asked Oddy.
“Conversation? With who?” Asked Celeste, looking from Oddy to Rose like a curious child.
“My student…” replied Oddy.
“Vincent was back there? And you didn’t tell me?”
“I was asked not to…”
“By whom? I’m his sister… I have as much right as any to see him!” Celeste was getting visibly upset about not being included.
“Vincent asked me long ago not to tell you he was still alive. But when I told him that you found out on your own, and wanted to see him again, he asked me not to let you know where he was or if he was nearby.”
“Why won’t he let me see him?”
“That I don’t know…” Answered Oddy as he put his arms up. “I only know what you guys tell me.”
“For all your ways of gathering information Oddy you can’t tell a girl why her own brother won’t see her?” Said Rose as she placed an arm around Celeste.
“He doesn’t want her to see what happened to him, he doesn’t want her to see what Eebrum did to him, he wants her to remember him as he was before all of this…” Oddy said as he dropped himself down on a tree stump, his bag falling to the ground at his feet with a soft thud.
“He doesn’t want me to see what happened? I know Eebrum had attacked him, and I saw him get stabbed through Mom. But I never had a chance to see what actually happened. Eebrum was on me before I even went three paces. Vaughn didn’t move at all, he stared at Eebrum. Then he struck me here…” Celeste moved her paw down the scar on her jaw. “And then he ripped my ear, he was enjoying causing me pain.” Celeste began to shake as she remembered the events that had occurred. Tears were forming in her eyes, and she quickly buried her face in Rose’s chest. “I couldn’t help him… My brother was bleeding and I couldn’t help him at all. I didn’t even hear anything until Mom screamed and dropped the tray…” Celeste was now crying openly, her tears dampening the front of Rose’s shirt.
“Then I showed up at he last moment. Eebrum saw me coming and ran… Vaughn followed him back to Caina.” Oddy held his face in his paws and was facing the ground. “I wish I could’ve gotten there sooner to save Morgan and Mira… They truly were my closest friends until now.” Oddy stood and looked over at Rose, who was now cradling Celeste in her arms.
“Vincent is scarred yes, but I saw him…” Rose said at last. “The damage Eebrum inflicted will last for a long time, but it doesn’t appear to have changed him much on the inside…”
“He’s okay?” Celeste said, looking up at Rose through tear flooded eyes.
“Ye…”
“No… He’s not okay. You don’t know what’s been going on with him over the last seven months.” Oddy said sternly to Rose and Celeste. “He’s tormented by the memories of that day, he hates himself for being so weak that he couldn’t save Morgan or Mira… He’s slowly losing himself to his anger and hatred for Vaughn and Eebrum. You got him on a good day Miss DeMaria…”
“What?” Asked Celeste through a horrified expression.
“The brother you knew is slowly disappearing from this world. He is driven on by his hatred and vengeance. I’m afraid it is only a matter of time before we lose him…” Oddy bowed his head again and stared at his feet. “There’s nothing we can do for him… Except leave him be and obey his wishes.”
“Oddy? What are you talking about? I just spoke to him… He seems fine!” Rose yelled, still holding Celeste, who had again buried her face from sight.
“Vincent Dal was killed seven months ago by Eebrum Venuchi… The Vincent Dal we just spoke to is not the same Vincent Dal that I saw after he was born, he’s not the same Vincent Dal I saw when he first flew, he’s not the same Vincent Dal that was playing calmly in the yard with his siblings two years ago, and he is definitely not the same Vincent Dal that was sitting in a chair behind his home while I had tea with his parents seven and a half months ago. Vincent Dal was a kind and caring young pup, who was brutally slain by a sick and demented mind.”
“Stop it!!” Celeste broke free of Rose’s hold and slapped Oddy across the face. “My brother isn’t dead. He’s just injured, injured below the surface. He’s hurt somewhere we can’t see, and somewhere that can’t be healed easily. He was wounded physically and emotionally, that’s not the same as being dead…” Oddy still faced in the direction of ýCeleste’s slap, a deep red mark was visible through the fur on his face.
“You’re right Celeste. He’s injured and bleeding… And none of us can heal that wound.” Oddy now looked at Celeste and Rose. Rose’s shirt was stained by the tears Celeste had shed, but she didn’t care. Celeste was so upset she was shaking badly, so badly in fact ýthat she collapsed to her knees in front of Oddy. “He is soon to be dead emotionally… Bleeding to death from the wounds to his heart. You won’t be able to help him… That is the true nature behind his request. He doesn’t want you there to see him fall into the darkness.” Oddy now turned to Rose as he knelt down to Celeste. “He needs something else in his life. Someone to help him see the light, so to speak…” Oddy now helped Celeste to her feet and gave her a hug.
“To those lost in the darkness, even the smallest glimmer of light can save them…” Rose looked at Oddy. “You knew this. You’re trying to help Vincent while pretending to give up on him…”
“You caught on quickly Rose… Celeste knew I was interested in seeing you and Vincent together. But she never knew my reasons for it, until now.”
“That’s why you had him tailing me… So he could see me, and so he’d become interested."
“Right…”
“But I can’t help him…”
“Vincent is bleeding to death emotionally. The only one in this world he has left is Celeste here, but he doesn’t have the courage to see her again. He’s determined to have his revenge on Eebrum and Vaughn. He sits alone all the time stewing in those feelings. If he continues on like this, he will simply become a cold hearted killer, that will kill anyone who gets between him and his goal.”
“That’s good though… Eebrum’s men won’t stand a chance.”
“But what happens if he comes across someone who is his friend? Or even family?” Oddy asked.
“I don’t know…”
“They’d die by his paws…” Rose’s eyes went wide as the thought of Vincent killing his own sister in cold blood entered her mind.
“He’d become… a killing machine.” Rose now understood Oddy’s plans, she was to be a bandage for the wound on Vincent’s heart. And to also be there to help him recover his humanity. “But I’m confused, how exactly can I help?”
“I’ll explain it later… We should get moving, despite that Vincent said the road to my home is clear, these woods become dangerous after the sun, sets. These hills crawl with thieves, bandits, and mercenaries…”
“We’ll be fine… We have a Dragon on our side.” Said Celeste as she dried her tears and looked at Oddy. “I’m sorry I slapped you…”
“No apologies required… I am the one who should be sorry. I spoke ill of your brother, please forgive me.”
“It’s alright Oddy… I just don’t want to believe that he could have changed as much as you say…”
“Change is a difficult thing to deal with… But come, my home is over the next rise. And Celeste’s old home is not far from there. We can visit Morgan and Mira’s grave at first light tomorrow.”
“And you and I can discuss this plan of yours…”
“Don’t worry Rose. If it all works out as I plan, Vincent will be able to accomplish his goals, and we won’t lose him to the darkness that he’s falling into.”
“I hope so…” Said Celeste as she hugged Rose. “I hope you will stay for awhile when we get there.”
“I have no dealine for my mission, and as far as my reports to Eebrum will be concerned, I’m following leads to find his phantom Dal…”
“Glad to hear it.” Said Oddy as he raised his bag and led them on towards the setting sun.
To Be Continued