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He was a night owl. He always was, and always would be. It defined him. The night was even is his old name, the one he was trying to earn back. Bloodyrondo didn't know this, nor did he know the other part: fury. Ghazen defined stoicism. He lived it, minus the morality part, but he controlled his emotions; however, something clicked recently. Maybe not clicked. Ruptured. At the Ceremonies the other day, Bloodyrondo had the idea to marry him to some daughter of Littlestar. It disgusted the initiate. He had loved before. He knew what it should feel like. He could never feel that way with a stranger, yet they were supposed to be wed. Bloodyrondo's actions stirred the fury he had worked so hard to mask. No one in SunClan really knew who he was, and the High Priest would first to learn.
Still, this was a tactful beast. He knew an assassination attempt was poor judgement. Failure was certainly a possibility there, and he would have no tolerance for the prison either. He lost some freedom during those ceremonies, and he didn't want to lose anymore. Besides, he didn't need the High Priest dead. He wanted answers, so he went for intimidation. His paws glided over the smooth sandstone as he moved towards the High Priest's den. His steps made no sound whatsoever from his years of practice, even with some perfectly cut flesh in his jaws.
He found a ginger, long haired rogue at the border after sunset. It didn't take the initiate long to dispatch the poor thing, nor did it take him long to skin the tom's forehead and neck, but the point of the message was in the ears. They stayed attached to this bloody flap of fur and flesh to tell Bloodyrondo one thing: listen. Soon enough the tom walked into Bloodyrondo's den. The lack of security baffled him, but that was another conversation. His pawsteps were noiseless as he approached the sleeping tom. Ghazen placed the skin in front of Bloodyrondo's face for him to see when he woke before unsheathing his claws and putting them right next to the leader's neck. With that, one powerful word resonated from his mouth. "Wake."
Bloodystar needed to take herbs to sleep restfully these days. Jetfire and the kits never seemed to be able to settle, always getting up in the night to make dirt or worse, never staying still long enough for him to truly find peace. Today was no different that any other night except, following the wedding and disastrousceremonies that followed, he was too emotionally drained to deal with it. Instead, he rested in a sick bed just outside of the High Priest's den entrance. It was not as comfortable but it would work.
"Wake."
His celadon eyes snapped open and the first thing he was met with was a true horror. A skinned cat, a reflection of himself, glaring at him through dark pits that used to hold eyes. Bloodystar's first reaction was to leap to his feet but when he did so he felt razer-sharp claws bit into his neck, forcing him to stay in his nest.
"Ghazen?" What was that old initiate doing here? He was supposed to be in the prison with his betrothed, but it was also true that he had the power to release himself so long as Sunnysmiles was kept under control. What a big loophole he'd left, one that could cost him a life, "What in the... what do you want? What is this?"
Ghazen stayed silent during his first struggle. He'd learn his life was in the hands of an initiate, and that was almost humiliating enough for the pitch-black tom. He dug his claws deeper into the leader's neck, just deep enough that small, red droplets formed around his claws. He gave his paw a quick twist an either direction. It was certainly painful, but nothing scarring or life threatening.
"Answers." He placed all of his weight onto the paw holding down the High Priest's neck as he traced out a moon on the High Priests forehead with his free paw. "Reasons." His paw moved down the side of his face and came to rest underneath his chin. The initiate's voice was barely above a whisper. "Truth. Remember, 9 lives, 9 deaths." Ghazen drew the paw away from the High Priest's chin. "Explain yourself. Why me?" His hoarse voice dwindled to nothing. This was the most he had spoken since leaving MoonClan a long time ago. "No Sun God lies."
"I'll kill you for this," Bloodystar chocked out against the pain, cursing himself for letting him get into this situation at all.
He did not sleep with the amulet, his source of nearly God-level power, as it was still subject to his desires even when he was asleep. In other words, nightmares and dreams would play out for anyone to watch, and he couldn't have that. So he always hid it in a very secure place... a place that he was not about to reveal to Ghazen. This meant all he had were his claws and extra lives, that is, until help arrived.
So, we would play this game, the longer he talked the more likely he would be able to get out of this mess or wake up Duskslayer in the den across the the entryway, "Is this about Sunnysmiles? I thought a tom like you would be happy. She's a beautiful, sweet she-cat, with royal blood and a gentle disposition." It wasn't quite the answer Ghazen wanted, but it was a start.
He chuckled and swung his head from side to side. "I said, no lies. And you lied. Twice." The claws in Bloodyrondo's neck dug in deeper until Ghazen could feel his pulsing artery against the backside of his claws. He let out a quivering sigh at sensation of the steady but rapid beating against his claws. "You won't kill me for this. I can kill you nine times over before anyone finds us, and I will savor every. Single. Time." With that he curled his paw inward, cutting even deeper into the High Priest's neck. "As for me, I can make as many threats as I want."
Ghazen knew this was wrong, and he was giving in to what he tried to pledge away, but he couldn't bring himself to stop. Something drove him forward, something beyond his reason for coming here. "This 'royal blood' did great things for Littlecrow, hmm? It's done wonders for her family too. I would even venture you want me to miserable. Another lie." Another chuckle bellowed from his lips. "Already three. What a shame." He paused, considering something for a moment. "Tell me, what do you know about me? What do you think I will do to you if you keep lying?"
Bloodystar's gut reaction was to pull away from Ghazen, although the pressure on his throat kept him glued in place. What was this guy's problem? No other initiates had been chosen for the arranged marriages, just Ghazen, because Bloody had thought he had seen something special in this tom. Sure. He'd explain, he didn't really like to share these inner thoughts of him with anyone, but Ghazen was being pretty convincing, all gloom and doom, "I know that you have a long history of leadership as well as connections to MoonClan. If you pass initiation, you will be a powerful ally, and having a SunClan mate - and kits - would further anchor your loyalty to SunClan. I have no intentions of making your miserable, as you say. I want you to thrive. I want all of the Sun God's chosen to thrive. The way you get there may not be the way that you expected, but it's all part of the Sun God's plan... Now, would you get your claws off my throat?"
Post by stardance on Sept 19, 2020 20:06:34 GMT -5
"Yes, yes. Lunar Captain and Absum Lux Second. Of course you know that. Let me tell you something else. Two secrets of mine, for my dear, righteous leader." He put a little more pressure on his throat. A quivering sigh left his lips. He was drawing on memories he locked away deep inside his mind. He didn't like remembering them for the simple reason that he wasn't that cat anymore. It too was locked away like the caged beast it was, and, like a caged beast, it fought for control. "Number one: I've killed kits in front of their mother. I've tortured kits because they didn't tell me what I needed to know."
His claws lifted from Bloodyrondo's neck, and walked in front of the High Priest. He then placed his claws on his own leg. With one quick swipe the tom cut through his own flesh with a grunt, and black blood spilled from the wound. His eyes rose to meet Bloodystar's as a smirk grew on his face. Of course, the leadership knew he had an element, but he never told them what it was. He didn't know for a long time either, but this seemed like the perfect time to bring it to light. "Number two: I don't need to touch them now to do it." The wound on the pitch black tom's leg rapidly closed and the blood dried onto his flesh as the same wound opened itself up Bloodystar's leg and began to bleed. "Let's talk truths, monster to monster."
Bloodystar's heart began to beat rapidly and he choked back a yowl as invisible claws torn into his forearm. That's right. Soft-hearted Littlecrow had allowed a tom like Ghazen to initiate without revealing the true nature of his element, either that or she'd kept it a secret from him. Being able to inflict wounds from a distance reminded him of Leucisticcrow's ability, although he'd never been on the receiving end of it. An assassin's dream. A powerful ally. A terrifying enemy.
"A kit-killer has no place in SunClan... but the fact that you are here at all tells me that the Sun God has it in his heart to forgive your past transgressions. If you pass initiation, I will forgive you, too," Bloodystar began carefully. Ghazen's element was a fun party trick but he didn't need to use that ability to kill the High Priest right now. He gulped, feeling the other tom's claws bite into his neck, "I've been honest from the beginning, Ghazen. If you think that a skinned kittypet and a magic trick is going to scare me straight, then think again."
His paws were beginning to feel numb. He was forgetting to breathe.
A cackle escaped his jaws as the tom released Bloodystar from his grip. "You... just drive me CRAZY!" The tom lashed out and ripped apart the nest in front the High Priest and carved ridges into the sandstone beneath. It was clear that the tom found some suppressed inner madness. Turbulence blanketed his normally calm blue eyes in a sea of chaos. He was reaching for every emotion that he could find, and experiencing them all at once. Anger, fear, frustration... literally anything. It all came a boil in the word 'crazy'.
The lithe tom panted as if that one strike exhausted him. "From what I heard the Sun God did, I am right at home here. Hell, I'm probably one of the purest souls here. At least I recognize what I am." He rushed forward until the two bumped head. "I am the monster you tell your kits about night. I am... irredeemable. I know it. You know it." He reached over and grabbed the skinned fur and shoved it in the leader's face. "HE KNOWS IT! HE REALLY KNOWS IT! WHY CAN'T YOU SEE IT!?" With that the tom backed away and again his claws came out. His voice fell to a soft whisper as he rocked back and forth. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry..." With each time he said it, the tom's claws lashed his leg. Black blood oozed, and the wound closed as the same opened up on Bloody's legs. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry..." He didn't seem to be saying it to the High Priest, but rather... everything.
(In case you were wondering why this happened so suddenly, using his element hastens an emotional collapse, which pushes him to use his element and further collapse. Feel free to have Bloody just knock the guy unconscious or talk him down or whatever he wants to do.)
He felt the pressure release from his throat and change to his face but, before he could take the opportunity to bite back, Ghazen pulled away, rolling back and forth like a kit who tore a claw.
"He's unhinged," Bloodystar murmured, his eyes going wide and then narrowing dramatically. He finally had his opening. Paws sting tingling, got to his feet and charged at his wound-be murderer. He slammed Ghazen to the ground and pinned him there, paw to his throat, the same stile of pin that he had been in just moments before, and a smile on his face.
"If you are right at home here, then why in the world are you fighting me?" He growled, his voice low. He made sure his claws were unsheathed but he didn't draw blood, "Give in to who you are... but channel those desires to something more constructive. You don't have to kill the weak and defenseless anymore. Up until now you've been wasted by all others you have served. I'll send you after cats that matter, cats that can change the tide of a war."
Bloodystar removed the pressure and stepped back. A gamble, "Take Sunnysmiles as your mate. Break her, you know how to do it, prove to me that you are loyal by marrying her. I never asked you to love her."
In his decrepit state he hardly noticed the golden tom pinning him to the ground. He just kept on apologizing to someone. Tears flowed from his icy eyes. Why? Why did it have to happen to him?
Give in to who you are. Those words made him stop sobbing, and he could feel himself split in two. One half of him realized what he had done: he showed Bloodystar the side of him that he wanted to hide. The part that clung to the past and drove him forward with an undying hunger. His curse, or another's asset. It was mortified at what just happened. The other part of him, the demon tainting his blood, reveled in the words. Even the new Ghazen knew who he really was, and it was a matter of time until he went over a cliff rather than falling over an edge. Why not do that and gain influence?
He breathing slowed as the tom released him. He stayed there motionless and panting for almost a minute before words escaped his mouth. First, his demons. The Nightfury in him. "I will help you. I can be your assassin. I will be loyal, but I will be silent. I won't voice my support." His gaze shot up to Bloodystar's. Now for the Ghazen. "But I will not break her. She doesn't deserve it. I cannot promise you any kits."
Bloodystar didn't respond to the disobedience. In time he truly believed the Sun God would steer Ghazen and Sunnysmiles to one another, whether or not they were willing right now mattered little to him.
"Thank you, Ghazen. Now take this horror mask of yours away and let me get some rest," He said, pointing at the ginger cat skull. If not for all of the herbs lining his den, surely the cent of death would have woken the other cats within, "I will call on you when the time is right. For you proceed as you always have. And also...
"When the time comes for your initiation, when I ask you to jump, jump."
He already felt sick from what he just promised the High Priest. He had come to SunClan to avoid these urges and cleanse himself from his prior sins, and here he was indulging in them again. Maybe it was who he'd always be. It would certainly be easier to just give in, and let his ocean of sins wash him away...
He rose to his paws and started to walk out. "I meant what I said. That skin is yours, and very well still could be." He paused. "Don't cross me. I'm not a very forgiving cat, and I don't take betrayal lightly." With that he left Bloodystar and the skin behind, not bothering to acknowledge the last part. So, the divinity in the Clan was really dead.
