A Land Far Away

Alexa held the cloak clasp in her hand, carefully now because the sharpened spikes that made up the gauntlet had already drawn blood once. She stared at the pin wondering what manner of Tormite had dreamt up such a wickedly sharp symbol for their order. The deeper grooves of the spikes were now stained dark rust by her blood.

“Focus on the object and let all other things fade, except for my voice to instruct you.” The voice seemed far away as she continued to concentrate. Lights from the Inn caught the her eyes as she sat quietly. The reflection of the pin caught in the pupil of her eye reflecting the gauntlet in black while her emerald green iris made a halo around the darkened gauntlet. She didn’t hear the soft gasp and murmured words, so intent was she on the task of meditation.

“Now close your eyes and picture the object in your mind. Every detail of it exactly as you remember it. Nod when you have done this.” Slowly her eyes closed, the dark metal of the clasp illuminated against the darker black inside her mind, even the pattern her blood had made in the deep grooves by the spikes. Alexa nodded slowly, keeping the image in her mind.

“Now let your emotions drift into the gauntlet, let all your emotions drift into its grasp. As you do, picture the gauntlet growing bigger to contain each until you are settled and calm.” Slowly she relaxed, letting go of the tensions and frustrations that seemed to always be with her. “When you are done, open your eyes.” Her eyes opened, Darius sat near her, watching as he always did an impassive gaze upon his face. Alexa met his eyes and sat quietly feeling rather empty. What a strange feeling, she thought distractedly, no wonder he always acts like that, so different to not be full of doubts or worries.

“Whom do you worship?” His voice was quiet and controlled, and without thinking she answered the truth. “Loviatar,” her own voice shocked her out of her supposed calm. Eyes widening she began to stammer excuses, “I was younger then..”

“The Maiden of Pain is a respectable deity, though pain without reason or order is useless. Do you know who I worship?” His eyes bored into her own startled green ones. She shook her head wordlessly as he continued, “Bane.” The simple word seemed to stop her breath in her throat. “You may also Alexa, you are worthy.”

Her denial of his words seemed hollow even to herself, “But you cannot be a Banite, you seem so.. reasonable.” Darius smiled, the expression comforting even as his words chilled, “We are not all like that Milady. Tonight I go to help the city against a grave foe, if you come downstairs you may join us.” Alexa watched him walk to the door and pause, “The key Milady.” She hurriedly unlocked the door, and watched him leave. Shaking like a leaf she sat upon the bed nervously looking at the door until at last sleep overcame her. Her sleep that night was haunted by dark dreams, though none she could remember upon waking.

Awesome mel

Finally a pc of mine in a library thread! w00t.

“You shall submit!” The gauntleted hand across her throat held her pinned to the wall, the plaster cracked and broken where he had thrown her up against it. His eyes were full of icy fury as they stared into her own, dark hair coming loose from it’s binding to drift around his face like a shroud. Alexa struggled against the hand, trying to lift herself to take a breath, plaster dust tickling her nose. Her laughter infuriated him further and she felt the cold iron gauntlet tighten around the pale column of throat that held her against the wall. She thought back on her own stupidity that had led her to such a pass…

The rain had been comming down in sheets too thick to see through, streaming past the windows of the Inn. Alexa watched Darius toss the darts at the board with the unconscious ease of someone who has handled weapons all his life. He shrugged casually, “I do not often use ranged weapons Milady.” A glance at the board revealed the darts had each nearly found the center of the board, belying his skill. Alexa wet dry lips as she watched the supple leather of the whip flex over the dark iron of the gauntlet. Memories of her childhood flooded her senses, the candle light flickering, the coppery scent of blood, the sounds of her screams mingled with the others until there was nothing except a single cry of torment. “Is there something the matter Milady?” Darius looked at her, his normally impassive gaze mildly curious.

“Only the whip,” Alexa teased, falling into her habit of hiding her feelings behind shallow words. “Does it bother you?” Darius’ dark eyes regarded her as he coiled the whip and put it away. “Not in the way you would imagine.” Alexa smiled playfully, hoping that the innuendo would distract him from how truly scared she felt. She paced towards him closing the distance.

“Ey, you two should get a room,” this from Rudy, the Dripping Dagger’s resident dart champion. Darius frowned at the interruption, turning a cold glance to the diminutive man standing beside the dartboard. “Hold your tongue unless spoken to hin.” Alexa shivered at the words and began to draw Darius out of the room in a hurry to avoid causing an even bigger scene. Rudy’s last words echoed as the door shut behind them, “Filare, this guy’s bein’ an ass.”

The rain pounded against the well oiled fabric of her hood, forcing them to hurry down the darkened streets. The inclement weather had also driven away the thugs that usually lurked in alleyways of Waterdeep, for they quickly reached the comparative safety of the Inn and walked inside. A room full of faces watched as they went up the stairs to continue their interrupted conversation, Darius gestured her inside and closed the door locking it behind him.

Alexa brought herself back to the present, her vision focusing on the belt pouch which held the key to the door. If she couldn’t get her hands on that key it wouldn’t matter that she couldn’t breathe much longer. Her legs wrapped around his waist, soft skin bruised by the dark metal armor he always wore, the emblem of his faith cutting through her clothes and scratching the skin, digging bloody furrows. She tried to push herself up against the grip on her neck. “You will enter the Oneness and shall submit to Lord Bane’s will! Submit!!” His free hand reached down and gripped her painfully at the thigh, slamming her again into the wall, driving the breath from her lungs. Alexa dimly hoped that the cracking sound behind her was the plaster again, and not some part of her that had broken.

Quickly she brought her legs up between them, his long arm giving her barely enough room to plant her feet against his chest. She shoved with strength borne of desperation, momentarily pushing him away from her. She landed lightly on the worn wooden floorboards, her hand darting out, snatching the belt pouch and digging the key from the bag. Her eyes measured the few feet to the door as he unlimbered his whip from where it coiled upon his hip. She swallowed her fear and dove for the door, key in hand. The whip sang as she struggled to turn the key in the lock, moving like fire across her back as the final tumbler fell into place. She stumbled and fell as the door swung open into the empty corridor beyond, her vision slowly darkening to black. Alexa felt more than heard Darius’ footsteps as he stepped over her body, the sound of the door closing, leaden like a tomb.

Outstanding.

Excellent!


So... what happens next?

Very good.