Hunting.., What we're good at

[Ryu]

<< Aurelia & Ryu - In - Courtyard >>

Dragons seemed to have an internal mapping device because he didn’t seemed bothered about the length of time spent above the clouds. His wings beat softly, just as quiet in the wind as any small bird. He did try to give as much familiarity and comfort to Aurelia as he could. At first he had been hesitant to take her above a certain altitude; his younger self had a hard time grasping the undead aspect for a while. It really did open up a lot more options when war came. Ryu grunted slightly, Lucius was always a pain come hatching season, minding that it only came every 10 years. “They know when the time is close.” He answered evenly. It never failed that the eggs were silent and still until a week before they sense the charges finishing their training. It’s said that an egg, active as the others, suddenly went still when a trainee was held back and was like that until the trainee graduated. The creature near exploded on graduation day. These stories only helped strengthen the theory of the pre-destined bond between charge and protector…mere school stories told to the monsters of course.

Ryu finally dipped back below the surface of the clouds, running close enough to the trees to make the tops bend from the current he created. He tensed when thinking about Lucius putting Aurelia through these ‘scare tactics’. The first time he had learned of this nearly had Ryu chained and demolished. At least Lucius never turns his back towards Ryu anymore. His own sharp toothed grin flashed briefly at the memory. A small sound almost like the squawking of a hawk brought him back to reality. The humanoids had moved quickly and they were still on the run. Ryu had time of course as their stumbling run wasn’t really a competition to keep up with or surpass for that matter. The humanoids figures flashed in and out and they weaved through the forest, heading for sparser cover, dumbasses. Ryu slowed down his pursuit to follow at a leisurely half block distance behind as he considered his next words carefully, finally answering in monotone, “Peace follows war.” He glanced back at Aurelia. “War will come, Aurelia…war always comes after peace too. Now, are you ready?” He lowered again to follow the inarticulate beasts as they took to a large open field, his wings creating a whirlwind when he lowered to skim only a story above the earth now. The humanoids, a group of at least 7, were in full run now, not so much in flee mode but in traveling mode. There were more than Ryu had thought which made things a bit more complicated yet exciting. Boy was Aurelia lucky the bond had been dragon.

[Aurelia]

Aurelia's attention didn't bother to make a point to listen to Ryu's reply of her complaints. Dinner had just been spotted and a butterfly feeling had exploded in her stomach, she was in ecstasy. Saliva had began to be more abundant in her mouth, her lips parted, her fangs flashing. The vampire hardly waited for Ryu, she trusted her balance and slowly, carefully raised onto her feet on his back. Her body flowed with the rhythm of his till they were, temporarily, one. Her knees bended slightly till the dragon was just a story over them....and then she leaped. It was a death defying move, something completely reckless but she did not fear death, she wasn't worried of breaking her legs, or worse, her neck. Aurelia had no rational fears, in fact, she hardly had any. She was callous in everything she did, why? She had no reason to be other wise. Emotions had become beyond her grasp and sometimes she regretted that...but only sometimes.

Her hair fluttered about her as her body fell with a dizzying speed, however, the fall was short and so soon she found herself on the back of one of the creatures. She knew there would only be moments before the others realized her sudden charade yet the vampire was sure that Ryu would cover her. Her mouth opened wide as the two tumbled down onto the ground. The humanoid beneath her hit with a thud and hardly had time to react before her fangs had pierced his flesh. Her hands came up beneath her, pushing her body up enough for her to grasp his neck as she sucked on his shoulder. The female knew she would have to kill him quickly to disperse with the rest, she could hear the shuffle in their food steps and their cry which shouted "food". Still, she wanted just a little before she had to kill them too...a quick jerk and she had snapped his neck, Aurelia regretted it, her desire to feed had taken over.

She glanced up, her ruby eyes glaring at the oncoming figures. Her brain screamed "let go! kill them first!" but in a way it was too late. The liquid was warm, if she let go it would becomes cold....it'd be cold soon anyways and it always tasted better warm....always.

[Ryu]

Ryu was well used to the maneuver; sometimes the war had forced Aurelia to fight standing on his back. It was not very easy to master with a human charge and because of that Ryu and Aurelia had easily climbed to high ranks in their division. He steadied his movements and leveled his body to be even with the tilt of the earth just before he felt her light weight disappear. He had expected to just swoop by and let her nab one and to keep on flying but she jumped! Ryu sighed heavily and rolled his eyes, twisting his wings to act like a parachute against his front moving mass and dropped his feet. He left a massive cleft in the earth and tall grass as he collided with the earth. He quickly folded his wings against his body and his tail took over, arching wide to help turn him around to face Aurelia and the backs of the humanoids. Human flesh, even if cursed with eternity, was more edible to them than a scaly dragon.

He normally wouldn’t have worried except a vampire is immortal in time not from death, sometimes Aurelia still forgot that pieces can not be put together. He also recognized the ruby glint in her eyes, glaring angrily up at the humanoid mob coming at her like they were demanding a piece of it too. There was no intention to stop the feeding. A shrieking roar escaped Ryu’s throat as he charged forward. Dragons used their fire ability as little as possible so this was a brute battle. The earth around him quaked with each thundering step he took at the humanoids. It wasn’t much of a fight, war had been worse, he was more or less just ticked off. He was everywhere at once. His tail swung about, crushing through a humanoid’s chest then flinging the remains elsewhere, he opened his shark tooth mouth and tore through three more before squishing one like a bug beneath his left foot. The last one he was a bit more careful with. He brought his taloned foot down on the thing but from its back so it was trapped face down between dragon and earth. She had broken the current ones neck which meant colder blood sooner so she might as well have a second chance to drain until dead this time. Still…he was upset. “Foolish.” He lowered his head to glare into those blood filled eyes, snorting little puffs of black smoke to further show his disposition.

[Aurelia]

OOC: If I counted right...that means there is one still running around....somewhere...which is okay! Cause that gives me an idea...-giggles-

At the appearance of a massive azure tail, the vampire relaxed slightly, her eyes following his quick movements with ease. Her mouth appeared glued to her captured victim. Aurelia looked on with glee as one squirmed under his massive claws, ripe for the taking. She dropped her prey like it was a rag doll and quickly was over at it's side, the life giving liquid streaming down from her lips in delicate ribbons. Her tongue quickly dashed over ruby lips, tasting her last victim and cleaning herself before her fangs plunged in once more to the body held beneath her companion. She had heard his words of anger but hardly paid heed. Her thirst was strong and once sedated she would become the rational Aurelia once more.

Her fangs pierced flesh with precision, a sucking noise wafted through the air. She drank long and deep till the creature sluggishly stopped his struggling movements. Once dead the vampire stood. She carefully wiped her mouth with her ivory fingers before sucking ever last drop of blood from them with satisfaction. A high girlish giggle left her throat. Aurelia was drunk on an over indulgence of blood. She batted playfully at those puffs of smoke that fumed from his nostrils. "Ryyuuu...." Her hips moved seductively from side to side, like the whores in down that where beckoning. "I love you!" She proclaimed, throwing her arms around his maw.

Her affectionate gesture didn't last for long, however, she heard a crunch and whipped her head around with alertness that had not been as sharp before. Her figure moved away from her pet, her eyes scanning with a devilish grin. "Come out come out." She spoke softly to the air. A flash of movement, a tinge of color, "FOUND YOU!" Aurelia cried, bounding after the last fleeting humanoid. "Ryu! The hunt is on!" She said with joy, taking a second to glance back at the dragon before sprinting off after it like a doe.

[Ryu]

It was only human blood that went to her head like this, anything else and she’s tame and grumpy again. Why hadn’t he just let the humanoids go and find her a nice bear to take down? Because he would do anything to see her happy. Ryu sighed heavily when Aurelia latched herself to his face. His anger began to sizzle away and he started to unfold his wings again. “You’ve had your fun.” And that was normally that. Hunt, feed, leave. But the hunt hadn’t yet finished. Aurelia’s shout cracked through the air and she shot off through the grass towards the woods. Ryu stood dazed for a moment before following suit.

This part of the forest was far more condensed than he had had to barrel through before. Even though he head his head low and his wings tucked tightly against his body, he still managed to scrape against the trees, feeling squeezed from all sides. It was only his wings he cared about anyhow, even a small tear could throw off his balance. His summer day’s eyes darted back and forth keeping Aurelia locked into vision. Was it just him or were the trees growing? He no longer felt squeezed; he could relax his wings more and let his head up some. The trees stretched higher and the canopy grew thicker to block out the nights sky above. “Aurelia..” His tone was warning, the single word spoken calling for immediate halt. Ryu slowed his steps as the unfamiliar territory made him wary. It wasn’t often he found land he hadn’t seen before and with Aurelia high off blood he didn’t want her too far from him. He took a few more steps in her direction, “Aurelia, we should-“ His words turned to a surprised bellow as the earth beneath him gave a shudder at the foreign mass and collapsed. It was a considerable 3 story depth. Ryu grunted and rolled off his side where he had landed on his left wing. He stood up with his wing laying limp against his body to trail down on the floor while his other was folded neatly against his body. The dust had settled more for him to see what had happened and where he was. He glanced to the opening above before looking into a large tunnel or chamber-like area that he had fallen into. Damn humanoids.

[Aurelia]

Aurelia hardly heeded his warning tone, she shot through the forest with careful ease, her shoes landed easily upon the limbs that decorated the ground. She was gaining quickly. The vampire could almost smell her prey now. Suddenly, a loud thud echoed through the oh too quiet forest, followed by silence. The female halted immediately. She tilted her head, waiting for Ryu's 'I'm okay' signal, once it didn't come, she turned and began down the path she had only moments before taken. The woods had turned too quiet for her ears, it made her silently uneasy and for a moment her warrior self took over her demeanor. Something was wrong, that was obvious. Slow minutes passed but shortly she was at the brink of the hole, only found by almost falling into it. She could see the cerulean scales glimmering down within the dim darkness and a grin once more returned to her face, her worry vanishing.

She screamed with a shout of glee and then, the vampire jumped. She shot through the air with lithe ease. Butterflies fluttered in her stomach as the ground quickly spiraled up at her. She landed with a soft thud. She landed on her feet with ease though allowed herself to fall back on her butt with a giggle. "That was fun! We should....oooo..." She glanced at the building which had just fallen into a pile of beams and plaster. Aurelia slowly stood up, she maneuvered around towards her dragon, her hands feeling over his wing as she eyes the structure before us. "Well Ryu, I think you found us something much more fun." She said with a giggle, after being throughly satisfied that her creature would fly once more, she began to creep forward. She took a backwards glance at Ryu before commanding with her hands on her hips. "Stay! I can't have you getting into more trouble!"

The female slowly trudged through the rubble, her fingers lingered on the cold metal tables and test tube. She eyed the furniture with wonder. It wasn't long till she got to a metal door that appeared still in tact, closed tightly from the world. She placed her hand against the door and pushed gently, a frustrated look appeared on her face when it didn't budge, and so she tried once more with that inhuman strength that laid within those fragile looking muscles. A satisfied smile plastered it's self on her face as the door snapped inwards with a crunch. She delicately stepped inside, "Helllloooo" she cried, knowing there would be no answer. A giggle left her throat as she skipped down the stairs and into the darkness within.

The female was amazed by the sights that lingered before her, test tubes and ancient machines that were still in pristine state, though she knew they would no longer work. Still, she was intrigued and perhaps that is why the trouble would start.

[Avaras]

The place into which the two fell had once been a shining example of the civilization that predated theirs. The walls, floors, and ceilings had always been kept polished so that the light from the now-dead fluorescent lights would shine off them, almost like living in a building of pure light. Now there was none of that light. The whole of the underground complex was dark, dirty, covered in the dust of centuries, many of the sprawling networks of tunnels had been blocked off by cave-ins, both from the bombs that had ended the lives of the people there, and simple time taking its toll on the works of man.

Still, there were a few parts of the place where one could see how it might have been. What Ryu had fallen through had once been a massive skylight, a set of glass panes in the ground that led down into the massive atrium he had fallen into. It had been the cafeteria of sorts, where the researchers who had worked in this place had shared meals, discussed their work, often as not bringing their work with them, tirelessly trying to come up with something that could save their lives and their country.

Evidently, of course, they had been unsuccessful.

Still, there were many skeletons, workers who had been caught unaware by the neutron bomb attack – killed almost instantly by the intense radiation while most of the facility was left almost intact. Of course, the forces intended to swoop in and capture the now-dead facility had been killed as well, and the place had simply been bombed in a more conventional manner. After all, if one nation could not have it, they would never let a rival have it.

As Aurelia descended further into the complex, away from the common areas and into what had once been restricted territory, things changed slightly. There was less dust, and none of the decomposed bodies that had rested in the other portions. Indeed, when she made it to the last room, the door to which was labeled 'PHOENIX – A level clearance ONLY', there was almost no dust at all. There were thirty six pods, all leaning back at an angle, mostly glass to the front so that the contents were easily enough visible. Several of them were open and empty, whereas many more were shattered, the floor still stained where the fluids inside had leaked out. And one, the one at the center of the room, still held a very faint blue glow from the iridescent fluid inside.

Inside the pod (or tube, since it was close enough in shape), immersed in the faintly glowing fluid, was a man. He was tall, strong at least in appearance, with dark rust-red hair. He was clad in a skintight uniform of some sort, black and dark gray in color, though the color of the fluid distorted that slightly. Beside the pod, a long, slightly curved blade had been stuck into the tiled floor, and the black, rectangular computer screen slowly came back to life. It emitted a harsh blue test screen for a moment, then went black again as green letters started appearing on its surface.

”COMPOUND SECURITY COMPROMISED. SUBJECT READINESS AT 88%. ACTIVATION VIABLE...”

It paused for a second, then went on.

”UNIT 001 AWAKENING COMMENCING. PURGING GROWTH POD...” True to the words on the screen, there was a hissing sound, and the blue liquid started to drain away – not onto the floor, however, it seemed to go somewhere else – and was gone quickly. The process only took a few seconds, then the screen's message continued. ”RECUSSITATION PROCESS COMPLETE. SUBJECT 001 REMOVED FROM STASIS. OPENING SEAL.”

Finally, there was another loud hiss, and a sudden fog frosted over the glass covering of the pod just before it started to lift up. There was no movement behind the fog and steam at first, but then a gloved hand shot out, gripped the hilt of the blade, and pulled it from the ground. The fog started to clear, revealing the man from within the pod, standing just at the edge of it, blade at the ready. His golden eyes stayed locked on the vampiress in front of him, but they seemed more confused than malevolent.

“Who are you...? Where am I...?” His voice was barely above a whisper, but then he had never spoken before. He could manage little else.

[Aurelia]

Aurelia slowly stumbled back as the blue liquid had began to disappear before her eyes, an audible gasp came out of her mouth as her ruby optics glared at the figure that leaped out before her. She jumped back, knocking into a table which sent test tubes flying. Another moment and she was on top of another cold metallic table, she was knelt down hissing like a cat as he grabbed his sword in a dramatic motion. She hardly stuck around to hear his words, she backed up hesitantly up the stairs that she had previously taken down. "Keep away." She demanded, her voice sharp and low. The vampire turned quickly, taking the stairs two at a time, half way through she paused enough to ensure he wasn't following before going back up the stair case. Once through the silver pigmented door, the female made a mad dash. She leaped over bodies and chairs, jumped with ease onto tables all the while crying, "RYU! RRRRYYYYUUUU!!!" There were hardly times that Aurelia was taken back from things, or even showed a hint of fear. But that was forbidden knowledge down there. In her mind, that meant death and if she took that back to the city, bad things would surely follow, perhaps even her only companion being taken away and THAT was something to fear. She slid across the slick floor and stumbled outside where her eyes could easily adjust to the night light. She quickly glanced up at the sky. "Ryu! We must go! Day is coming! We must go!" Day was not normally something to fear either, however, flying back to the city would mean direct light and that would mean she would have to stay here with that.....thing.

[Avaras]

He wasn't even sure if it WAS his sword, it had just been a handy weapon, and something in him had decided that he might need one, so it was the first thing he had gone for when he had opened his eyes. Now, though, he was just confused. Who was the female with the red eyes...? And why did she seems so afraid? That was the part that he had a hard time making sense of... was there something he had done wrong? All he'd done was wake up and take a moment to worry for his own safety. He stumbled slightly as he tried to walk after her, and wound up having to stick the blade into the ground to use as a cane to keep himself from falling. He looked around, and then behind him. The screen was all black now, its power finally run out, whatever electricity or magic that had powered it was finally gone, used up in its last attempt to bring the man it had kept preserved to life.

He watched her run, frowning slightly, and he took another moment to look around. There was nothing, though. Just broken equipment, and a crystal laying on the ground under the screen, cables leading from it into the pod. What was that? It didn't seem like it belonged there... the man shook off the feeling, though, and started after the girl. Not intentionally, mind you, but it was the only way out. He came out into the main atrium not far behind her, though he stopped when he saw the massive thing she was running towards. Golden eyes widened and he took a step back. He was still holding the sword, but he did not lift it. In truth he held it only because he did not have a sheath or anything of the sort. The skinsuit he was wearing did not even have pockets much less anything like that...

“I... do not mean to frighten... can you tell me where this is...?” Not that he really expected an answer...

[Ryu]

It was hard for Ryu to just let Aurelia go but then again it wasn’t like he could argue seeing as the passageway narrowed and became too small for him. This all went with assuming he could move his wing. “Be careful.” He whispered to her back, watching until the abyss swallowed her and even the echo of her curious voice reached its limit. If they were the first ones down here then he assumed it was safer than allowing her to chase after a humanoid in unknown terrain. Ryu kept an ear out for Aurelia just in case as he examined his wing again. He spread the leathery limb as far as he could manage, wincing in pain at first but was able to work it out like a bad sport cramp. The challenge would come when they needed to go back to the surface though.

He was just contemplating on the stableness of his wing when Aurelia’s cry reached him. Immediately the massive beast stuck his head near the opening of the tunnel and let out a low bellow. The tone of desperation was rare and caused fear to leap into Ryu’s throat. No sooner had Aurelia come shooting out of the tunnel than Ryu’s tail whipped around to shove her as far as was possible away from the opening, leaving space for Ryu to place himself between her and the opening. “Daylight...” She had never been so freaked out about daylight before. He didn’t know if she was running from anything but it was a precaution. It was a good thing he had because a man came into view carrying a weapon. He didn’t look like enough for Aurelia to be running from him. Odd girl, maybe the blood had gone more to her head than he had thought….maybe the humanoids had eaten something then given it to her when she ate them. Both of Ryu’s wings expanded upward into two points as he let a continuous stream of smoke rise from his nostrils. It was all done in warning mind you. Oh he was good, a born actor this one. Ryu snorted once, glancing to Aurelia for some sort of explanation before back to the man. “State your purpose, stranger, then perhaps you will find out your whereabouts.”

[Aurelia]

Aurelia eyed the man with uncertainty, what she had seen was forbidden but what stood before her now appeared a man, human in every shape and form. The vampiress with drew into herself, uncertainty had that effect upon her. Her ivory hands gently flicked up the ebony hood to cover her obsidian locks of hair and forehead. She growled softly, a threatening unpleased sort of noise but still her lips part, void of all emotion, "Several hundreds of yards outside Avadera. What are you doing here. Who are you." They were not questions, not statements, but low threatening demands. The female stayed behind the protection of the fierce dragon and she was quiet pleased to see the effect it had upon him. Still, she knew the town would want him, likely he would be tried and killed and it had little matter to her. She turned away from the duo, moving under the protective canopy of near by foliage. "The town will want him. They have old things in there." She muttered to Ryu. "They will search the place and burn it down. We should leave."

Aurelia glanced back at the dragon, her optics still glaring at the unknown figure. The vampire was more certain of herself now, even though she wasn't sure of her stance upon him. Another growl left her throat as she leaned against a nearby trunk. It was her way of saying she was done with them and would have nothing more of the matter. She much more preferred the protection of silk blankets and curtains that blacked out the sun.

[Avaras]

The man blinked a few times at their hostility – he wasn't sure how to think of it... were they enemies? He had no direction as to what an enemy was supposed to be... that meant he would have to figure it out on his own. He frowned slightly, still confused as they replied to his questions for the most part only with more questions. If they were not enemies, and since they had not attacked him yet he would not treat them as such.

“My name is Avaras. Serial number zero zero zero zero zero zero one.” He paused a moment, as though trying to figure out how he knew that, or where he had learned it, then he shook his head again and looked back up to the two. “I do not know what that place is that you are talking about... as for what I am doing here, I have only just awoken... I do not know... my purpose... I have none.” Avaras looked up to the hole in the ceiling, then back down to the two mismatched companions, golden eyes resting on the vampire girl.

“I am sorry. I know nothing else... you are the first thing I have seen, I know some things... but I have no memory before waking just now.”

[Ryu]

Ryu knew nothing more about the old art than Aurelia. Old art consisted of things that rolled by themselves and talked with no one behind them. Things that were dangerous. It was said the historians knew and guarded the knowledge like ravenous wolves, anyone else who was found in possession of it were killed immediately. Aurelia was right though, the King would order this place destroyed immediately and the man along with it. It would fall on his shoulders to lead the order as well. How did he always manage to burden himself with more jobs? Ryu grunted inwardly as all this processed, followed by the strangers words.

He let his wings fold against his body, his left one still a little crinkled, and lowered his head to hover a yard in front of Avaras. His head tilted slightly so that only his left eye was visible and focused on him. “A very long sleep, Mr.Avaras. Old things have not been around in hundreds of year. The King will want to meet you, so before we leave, do tell us the knowledge that you do hold. If it is not much then it will not take long.” As well as Ryu didn’t trust his wing to hold even his weight just yet. He did not move away from Avaras, testing him really to see if at this close distance the man dared strike out at him. If Avaras did, then Aurelia was really in luck for a feast tonight.

[Aurelia]

A soft sigh left Aurelia's parted lips. She would have been fine had she not gotten to know him, then she could look away with ease once they killed him but now, now Ryu had to go and mess things up and get involved. It made her slightly exasperated. Now, she would find herself starting to care. She turned back towards the man, ruby orbs watching his interaction with the massive creature in disdain, which quickly followed by pity. He reminded her too much of a child for her own comfort, and sadly she still had a slight soft spot in that hard exterior for children. She shook her head slightly, her ebony locks gently brushing against her cheeks. "You'll want food I am sure." She spoke from her spot, unmoving though her demeanor might have softened. "And we should find shelter." She added with a point and nodded towards Ryu. "I'm assuming we're staying here for the day?"

She turned from them once more, pausing to glance over her shoulder. "Come, you must tell us everything you know as it is, perhaps you will be sparred." The female stepped into the dying shadows, glancing worriedly over head. The night was close to ending, could she see the sky she knew there would be threads of a lighter blue, followed by pinks and oranges. The female wandered deeper into the shadows, listening to the noise of the night life slowly die. A cave, that would be best, but of course what was best was not always what was possible.

OOC: Not entirely sure if where they are is like....just a hole... so I just kinda guessed.

[Avaras]

"I just told you, I hold no knowledge..." Avaras said, shaking his head slightly in what was much like exasperation. "I have only just awoken... I know nothing of what has happened to this place, or this King you speak of... what you call Old is what I was made with, it seems, but I do not remember that either..." His voice became slightly more desperate as he finished, then he moved over to one of the steel chairs, which obviously still seemed intact, and sat down on it, looking at the skeleton beside the chair. He set the sword on the table beside it, then reached down for the side of the corpse.

He pulled an ancient pistol from what was left of the rotting holster, and looked at the weapon for a moment before, nearly in the blink of an eye, he had disassembled it, and put the pieces neatly in order on the table in front of him. He looked at the old metal parts with a certain wonder, then pressed a hand to his head.

"I know how it works... I know how to take it apart, these parts are old but I know how to fix them, and yet I do not know how I know... I know everything here, I know what it all is... but again I do not know..." His eyes moved to the sword, and he picked it up, swinging it to the side - away from the dragon and the vampire, so as not to appear threatening. "And I know how to use this as well... I can think without even trying of countless ways I could use this weapon to kill you..." his eyes moved to Aurelia, "and I know that if I were to attempt to use this to kill a creature as large as yourself my best option would be to move close, where your movements would be necessarily awkward due to he proximity, and cut until I was able to open enough holes in you to bleed you out."

He dropped the sword to the ground with a loud clatter, and put his head on the table. "I am sorry... but I simply do not know anything that might help you. I know I was supposed to fight... something... but I was supposed to do so to protect those here... and these people are dead. If what you say is true then they have been dead for many years... and I should have been as well. But I do not know why I remain..."