Post by oddball on Feb 21, 2007 13:14:10 GMT -5
Trial by Fire
Twist of Fate
The morning air was cool and comfortable; the sun was just peaking over the horizon. The ocean waves echoed in the distance as a lone figure stood on the rocky brink of a cliff, below his feet a choice. Eyes stared across the sky and met the sun as it rose into the clouds. A single step forward and the water was rushing to meet him, the end seemed a certain fact. All at once the sensation of falling was replaced by the thrill of a sudden climb, higher and higher, reaching out to meet the day on crimson wings. If only for a moment, memory slipped away, time ceased it’s eternal chase, and the world was as it should be. Simple. But all to soon, feet touched the solid earth again, and was greeted by something unexpected.
“You fly well…”
“I’ve had lots of practice on these cliffs. What brings you here this early?”
“Visiting my memories…”
“You seem different this morning. Perhaps you’ve been considering an alternate path?”
“I’m in far too deep to turn away now.”
“It’s never to late to go back…”
“Go back? To what?”
“Where does one go, when they has nothing left?”
“They fall into nothingness, consumed by the emptiness they feel. I’m on that path, with no escape…”
“There is an escape… You still have options.”
“What? Kill or be killed?”
“Live for revenge, or live for love…”
“Another mystery revealed…”
“Eh?”
“The mystery of why you introduced me to Rose DeMaria…”
“I don’t want you to vanish into darkness Vince. Your parents were my dearest friends, but now I see Rose, Celeste, and yourself as my friends. I won’t stand and watch you disappear…”
“Thanks Oddy, but that isn’t your decision. I control my own life…”
“You call sitting around in loneliness and anger a life?”
“It’s all I have right now…”
“You’re wrong Vince. You have a sister who loves you, a friend who cares deeply for you, and you have Rose…”
“Rose? What does she have to do with anything?”
“You’ve been thinking about her right?”
“Well yes… I mean she’s…” Vincent was acting nervous. Oddy looked at him, then turned to face the rising sun again.
“You’re starting to care for her. You’ve been different when she’s around. You don’t obsess about your revenge or hatred. You even went so far as to help her, when I told you to stay out of sight at all times.”
“Why so surprised? You knew it would happen…”
“I set it up yes, but I didn’t know it would actually happen. You’re falling in love with her, aren’t you?” Vincent looks surprised, but blushed deeply.
“No… I’m not… I… Just worry about her…”
“Worrying about her says you care. Is it possible that you’re beginning to heal emotionally?”
“Was that your real plan Oddy?” Vincent looked at him accusingly.
“I want to help you feel again.”
“Feel?”
“I want you to be how I remember you, a kind and caring pup…” Oddy placed a paw on Vincent’s shoulder and looked at him, the sun was reflecting off the smoother skin of his scars. “I support your goals, but I don’t want you turning into a heartless killer.”
“And you think Rose can help you with that?”
“Yes he does…” Rose approached from behind and stood on the other side of Vincent. “I know the feeling of losing a family, I was abandoned by my parents at a young age. Oddy helped me to survive, but I never lived with him like Celeste. He found me shelter, and a steady job. I chose my path then, I became a contract killer… But it’s an empty existence, the side of you I saw last night on the way here, I don’t want to see you become something you weren’t meant to be…”
“And how do you plan to stop me?”
“I won’t stop you… But just remember this Vincent; I was hired by Eebrum himself to kill you. He fears you; he knows you have strength enough to cause him trouble, or even to kill him. I don’t like the idea of having to kill you, not after finally seeing you, talking to you, and after getting to know your sister.”
“My sister?”
“Do you have any idea what you’re doing to her?” Rose looked him in the eye. “She felt she lost you once already. Can you honestly continue making her feel she’ll never see you again?”
“She’s better off without me around…”
“No she’s not Vince… She needs you just as much as you need her. Don’t lose sight of what you have left.” Oddy spoke softly to Vincent, but with just enough tone to state he was serious. “You can’t continue on alone anymore… I’ve taught you how to use a sword, how to harness your power and use them both to fight. But ignoring your sister, and your friends, will only cause your defeat…”
“My defeat?”
“We’re here for you Vincent… I’m not carrying out my mission right now, because I have faith in you. I know you can stand up to Eebrum and win. But I also can’t avoid a confrontation with you someday, because as you said I am in the employ of your target.” Rose looked down at the waves below. “Falling into darkness, no hopes for escape…”
“A helping paw, can save an injured heart from a dark existence. Let us help Vincent…”
“I’ll consider it… But for now, I don’t need the help.” Vincent looked at Rose’s face, his expression had hardened and was cold as ice. Fire burned in his gaze, sending a shiver down Rose’s spine. “Miss DeMaria…” He began walking away.
“Vincent… I see in you something that has stirred my emotions. I can’t help but say I’m beginning to care more and more about you.” Rose had tears rolling down her cheeks as she spoke, her back to Vincent, and his back to her. There they stood, time passed unnoticed. Neither turned or spoke for a long time, until finally.
“I appreciate your sentiments Miss DeMaria, but at this moment I see you only as someone I was asked to watch and observe…” Vincent tone now matched his ýexpressions, cold.
“But you have feelings for her? Right Vince?” Asked Oddy, his hopes to awaken Vincent’s humanities seemed to be slipping from his grip.
“I do feel something for her, but it can’t help me in my quest anymore than she can… I fight for my own satisfaction. I swore I’d kill him for what he did, and I won’t rest until I see my sword through his black heart!” Vincent shouted as he spun around and looked at Rose, his expression seemed crazed and demented. She felt terror for the first time in his presence. Oddy stared at him as he always did, looking beyond the scarred exterior and seeing the pup he’d seen so many times in the past. Vincent lunged out at Rose and Oddy, Rose dropped to the ground and cowered as Vincent leapt over her head and off the cliff, vanishing just below it’s surface.
“He’s… cr… crazy!” Rose stuttered, as she was shaking so bad.
“Like I said, you caught him on a good day.” Oddy helped Rose to her feet and held her close, her shaking slowly vanishing as the sun climbed higher overhead. “Come, Celeste is waiting. We should go pay our respects.”
“Yes… Let’s…” Rose walked behind Oddy as they returned to the house. Celeste stood in the door with a basket in tow, waiting patiently for their return.
“I figured we’d make a day of it. So here’s some food I made. Figured I could explain my brother to Rose as we sift through the remnants of my house.”
“A path to memories and the goal of understanding that which confuses us.”
“That’s Vincent alright… A confusion, and headache.” Celeste stuck her tongue out at her own remark and giggled. She was obviously unaware of what had just transpired a short distance from her. And so the trio set off farther down the coast to the grave of Morgan and Mira Dal, and the epicenter of Vincent’s torment.
To Be Continued
Twist of Fate
The morning air was cool and comfortable; the sun was just peaking over the horizon. The ocean waves echoed in the distance as a lone figure stood on the rocky brink of a cliff, below his feet a choice. Eyes stared across the sky and met the sun as it rose into the clouds. A single step forward and the water was rushing to meet him, the end seemed a certain fact. All at once the sensation of falling was replaced by the thrill of a sudden climb, higher and higher, reaching out to meet the day on crimson wings. If only for a moment, memory slipped away, time ceased it’s eternal chase, and the world was as it should be. Simple. But all to soon, feet touched the solid earth again, and was greeted by something unexpected.
“You fly well…”
“I’ve had lots of practice on these cliffs. What brings you here this early?”
“Visiting my memories…”
“You seem different this morning. Perhaps you’ve been considering an alternate path?”
“I’m in far too deep to turn away now.”
“It’s never to late to go back…”
“Go back? To what?”
“Where does one go, when they has nothing left?”
“They fall into nothingness, consumed by the emptiness they feel. I’m on that path, with no escape…”
“There is an escape… You still have options.”
“What? Kill or be killed?”
“Live for revenge, or live for love…”
“Another mystery revealed…”
“Eh?”
“The mystery of why you introduced me to Rose DeMaria…”
“I don’t want you to vanish into darkness Vince. Your parents were my dearest friends, but now I see Rose, Celeste, and yourself as my friends. I won’t stand and watch you disappear…”
“Thanks Oddy, but that isn’t your decision. I control my own life…”
“You call sitting around in loneliness and anger a life?”
“It’s all I have right now…”
“You’re wrong Vince. You have a sister who loves you, a friend who cares deeply for you, and you have Rose…”
“Rose? What does she have to do with anything?”
“You’ve been thinking about her right?”
“Well yes… I mean she’s…” Vincent was acting nervous. Oddy looked at him, then turned to face the rising sun again.
“You’re starting to care for her. You’ve been different when she’s around. You don’t obsess about your revenge or hatred. You even went so far as to help her, when I told you to stay out of sight at all times.”
“Why so surprised? You knew it would happen…”
“I set it up yes, but I didn’t know it would actually happen. You’re falling in love with her, aren’t you?” Vincent looks surprised, but blushed deeply.
“No… I’m not… I… Just worry about her…”
“Worrying about her says you care. Is it possible that you’re beginning to heal emotionally?”
“Was that your real plan Oddy?” Vincent looked at him accusingly.
“I want to help you feel again.”
“Feel?”
“I want you to be how I remember you, a kind and caring pup…” Oddy placed a paw on Vincent’s shoulder and looked at him, the sun was reflecting off the smoother skin of his scars. “I support your goals, but I don’t want you turning into a heartless killer.”
“And you think Rose can help you with that?”
“Yes he does…” Rose approached from behind and stood on the other side of Vincent. “I know the feeling of losing a family, I was abandoned by my parents at a young age. Oddy helped me to survive, but I never lived with him like Celeste. He found me shelter, and a steady job. I chose my path then, I became a contract killer… But it’s an empty existence, the side of you I saw last night on the way here, I don’t want to see you become something you weren’t meant to be…”
“And how do you plan to stop me?”
“I won’t stop you… But just remember this Vincent; I was hired by Eebrum himself to kill you. He fears you; he knows you have strength enough to cause him trouble, or even to kill him. I don’t like the idea of having to kill you, not after finally seeing you, talking to you, and after getting to know your sister.”
“My sister?”
“Do you have any idea what you’re doing to her?” Rose looked him in the eye. “She felt she lost you once already. Can you honestly continue making her feel she’ll never see you again?”
“She’s better off without me around…”
“No she’s not Vince… She needs you just as much as you need her. Don’t lose sight of what you have left.” Oddy spoke softly to Vincent, but with just enough tone to state he was serious. “You can’t continue on alone anymore… I’ve taught you how to use a sword, how to harness your power and use them both to fight. But ignoring your sister, and your friends, will only cause your defeat…”
“My defeat?”
“We’re here for you Vincent… I’m not carrying out my mission right now, because I have faith in you. I know you can stand up to Eebrum and win. But I also can’t avoid a confrontation with you someday, because as you said I am in the employ of your target.” Rose looked down at the waves below. “Falling into darkness, no hopes for escape…”
“A helping paw, can save an injured heart from a dark existence. Let us help Vincent…”
“I’ll consider it… But for now, I don’t need the help.” Vincent looked at Rose’s face, his expression had hardened and was cold as ice. Fire burned in his gaze, sending a shiver down Rose’s spine. “Miss DeMaria…” He began walking away.
“Vincent… I see in you something that has stirred my emotions. I can’t help but say I’m beginning to care more and more about you.” Rose had tears rolling down her cheeks as she spoke, her back to Vincent, and his back to her. There they stood, time passed unnoticed. Neither turned or spoke for a long time, until finally.
“I appreciate your sentiments Miss DeMaria, but at this moment I see you only as someone I was asked to watch and observe…” Vincent tone now matched his ýexpressions, cold.
“But you have feelings for her? Right Vince?” Asked Oddy, his hopes to awaken Vincent’s humanities seemed to be slipping from his grip.
“I do feel something for her, but it can’t help me in my quest anymore than she can… I fight for my own satisfaction. I swore I’d kill him for what he did, and I won’t rest until I see my sword through his black heart!” Vincent shouted as he spun around and looked at Rose, his expression seemed crazed and demented. She felt terror for the first time in his presence. Oddy stared at him as he always did, looking beyond the scarred exterior and seeing the pup he’d seen so many times in the past. Vincent lunged out at Rose and Oddy, Rose dropped to the ground and cowered as Vincent leapt over her head and off the cliff, vanishing just below it’s surface.
“He’s… cr… crazy!” Rose stuttered, as she was shaking so bad.
“Like I said, you caught him on a good day.” Oddy helped Rose to her feet and held her close, her shaking slowly vanishing as the sun climbed higher overhead. “Come, Celeste is waiting. We should go pay our respects.”
“Yes… Let’s…” Rose walked behind Oddy as they returned to the house. Celeste stood in the door with a basket in tow, waiting patiently for their return.
“I figured we’d make a day of it. So here’s some food I made. Figured I could explain my brother to Rose as we sift through the remnants of my house.”
“A path to memories and the goal of understanding that which confuses us.”
“That’s Vincent alright… A confusion, and headache.” Celeste stuck her tongue out at her own remark and giggled. She was obviously unaware of what had just transpired a short distance from her. And so the trio set off farther down the coast to the grave of Morgan and Mira Dal, and the epicenter of Vincent’s torment.
To Be Continued