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Eve of Destruction

"As the powers of the Mother of Light waxes, the powers of the Child of Promise shall wane. Destruction awaits at the door."

- The Terith Codex

Arianna took another deep breath. Her eyes slowly closed, immersing her into a momentary darkness as she tried to sort out the events that had recently unfolded in her life that night. It was wrong. Terribly wrong. She lowered her head gently into her arms again. Why? Why did it have to happen this way? Tears slowly began to pour down the once proud full cheeks. Now only distress, fear and sorrow paraded across her once joyous and life-filled face. Arianna lifted her gray-blue orbs, now filled with the salty waters of her heart's languish and sorrow.

Elloise, the kind-hearted older sister that Arianna never had, was the first thing those once bright orbs gazed upon. She loved Elloise very much. So much that the very thought of losing her had brought a deep, dark pain to Arianna's soul that she had never experienced before. But, was this love too much? Had it clouded her proper judgement? Did this love for Elloise place an impenetrable veil across her common sense that may have now caused the irrevocable destruction of all she had loved and held dear to her heart?

Arianna allowed those eyes that had been searching the willows and inquiring of the fireflies for answers to lay once more upon her dear sister. As her eyes plead for forgiveness from her sister, Arianna knew already that she was beyond any redemption for what she had done. The sight that her now drowning orbs revealed only strengthened this conviction.

The once shimmering, angelic face that was her sister's was now more fearsome, more grotesque, and more pitiful than the mascarons, those grotesquely disfigured sculptures that had adorned the fountains in the eloquent hanging gardens of the palace in Kraconia. Her eyes were death. Life had already long fled the haven of those bright green jewels. The once luscious red lips that would radiate happiness and speak peace and well-being to all who had the privilege of basking in their presence were now dark and contorted with the pain of the torturer's rack. The once feathery tuft of fiery radiance that had proudly held a jewel-encrusted crown that paled in comparison to the beauty and eloquence of its wearer was now a raven's nest, a crown fit only for the lowest of beggars of Brenin Lagu to the far west.

"Elloise...", Arianna painfully forced the name from her lips. She didn't know what to say. What could she say? Because of her, Elloise now had no future in this world. In fact, she would be hunted now where ever she would go just as Arianna was. Society would not be appeased now until they were both wiped from the annals of history; lost in the obscurity of time; legends only in the circles of outcasts known as the Crean Lewth.

"Elloise, I...", Arianna tried once more to beat her voice into submission. With all the strength she could muster, she succeeded in influencing her mouth to form another word. "I'm...", she stammered. It was too much. She couldn't control herself any longer. Rivers gushed forth from their reservoirs hidden behind the gray-blue stones, once hardened and sealed impenetrable and impervious to any outside influence or assault, now as open and soft as the mellow gengra fruit of the Alderieth Mountains. Now, with an openness and honesty like one who has eaten of the gengra fruit, Arianna began to speak.

"Elloise, I'm sorry...", Arianna gasped through the uncontrollable sobs that now held a noose around her neck. She found it hard to breathe. "Please...", she continued through the harsh tugging and tightening around her larynx caused by the now rebellious emotions that welled up in her. The coup d'etat was now underway. Arianna was no longer in control. It was no longer Arianna who spoke, "Please forgive me for what I have done!"

Arianna felt the noose around her neck tighten even more. She couldn't breath. Arianna knew not how, but she was now facing Elloise. On her knees like the obedient dog she knew she was, she was now crying hysterically. Arianna could do nothing but allow the groannings of her innermost being spew forth from her lips, the lips of betrayal. These lips had lied. They had betrayed the very ones whom they claimed to have loved. They spoke absurdities. They lavished and basked in deception. These lips of hers; these rebellious, wicked, disgusting things that had attached themselves to her face only to destroy her loved ones. Arianna wanted to rip them off and cast them away from her as one casts away a maggot infested loaf of bread to the ground.

Disgust! She was full of disgust for herself. What right had she to do what she had done?

Suddenly, the salty rivers of despair ceased to flow.

The mellow gengra fruit hardened once more into the immovable sentinels that keep watch over her soul.

Life flashed once more into her countenance.

"Because I'm not human, that's why I have the right", Arianna said steadfastly, the firmness of her voice echoing in her own mind like the singing of the midday minstrel in Paddock Square in far off Aloria.

Elloise lifted her head to gaze at Arianna. Her eyes penetrated past the image of the person she had for so long considered to be her younger sister. Her gaze penetrated, not deep down into the soul of the person who was now on hands and knees gazing back into her own emeralds, but past, further past, into some distant land that she could not remember the name of.

"Not...human...", Elloise breathed, much as the midsummer breeze breathes its breath through the cat-tails of the Lewid Nidth bogs, a sound that some say is akin to the calm whisperings of the invisible messengers of Allethorien, the keeper and guardian of the world. "Not...human...", Elloise croaked as emerald flames began to leap within the orbs that allowed her soul to examine and contemplate all that surrounded it.

Elloise stood up.

She took the few steps needed to close the span between herself and her sister.

Slowly, Arianna rose to her feet to face this towering inferno.

Dwarfed by her sister, Arianna raised her face to the blackened evening sky. Her eyes spanned the heavens, filled with the dimly lit stars that kept watch over all the lands of Plenethor. The blood encrusted moon hung lazily overhead, eager to attend the spectacle about to be performed under its watchful eye. Blood. It seemed her whole life has revolved around blood. Arianna looked slowly down to her hands, hands that knew nothing but betrayal and the blood of the innocent. Strangely enough, there was no blood on them, though they should have been dripping in the blood of her family...of Elloise's family.

She had no choice. Elloise would be dead now if she didn't make that decision. And when she did, they tried to kill Elloise. "Not human...", Arianna said again staring at the hands of murder that should have been soaked in the blood of those she had murdered.

With tear-filled eyes, Arianna looked up to her sister. And her sister, the only one who had ever shown her affection as a human being, looked down upon her with loving eyes. Her sister was the only one who didn't treat her as a monster, a freak of nature. Her sister was the only one to show her true unquestioning love. Her sister was the only one who would never leave her side even when the whole world was against Arianna. Her sister reached out her hand, a hand that had always given a soft touch, a loving caress, and gentle, soothing encouragement. That hand came unexpectedly, and rather firmly, across Arianna's cheek with such force that Arianna was lifted from her feet, her body now a swallow's feather at the mercy of the winds of a hurricane.

Arianna came crashing to the ground, the force of which caused her breathe to escape her. Arianna was dazed and confused, not from the actual brute force of the offending blow, but rather from the very idea that her sister actually hit her. She was not really hurt, actually. In fact, she had suffered greater harm years before when she fell from one of the cliffs of the Alendale Gorge after accidentally eating from a brozzleberry bush. Even then, her mind wasn't in such a daze, racing in confusion, trying to apprehend the situation and evaluate and execute a proper response.

"Not Human!?", Elloise screamed at her bewildered sister. Tears welled up once again, and Elloise had to fight to conitnue, "I don't care, Arianna", she breathed in agony. "I don't care if you are Human or Dyphilla or Groche or if you crossed over from Illerieth itself...", Elloise began to lose control, "What is it to me if you support your life by feeding off the life force of others or if you take life for pleasure and fun like those wretched shapeshifters, or if you are a Cursed One!" Elloise halted for a moment, then continued quietly, "You are my sister, Arianna. We may not have been sired by the same father, and we may not have blood from the same mother, but, Arianna, you are and always will be my baby sister."

Elloise dropped to the ground as life escaped her once again. Overcome with the weight of that night's events, this once proud tower of strength fought with herself to gain control again of her senses. As she sat there, drowning in tears of sorrow, Elloise repeatedly asked herself the one question she could not answer.

Arianna watched helpless as a shadow fights against the mid-day sun. She was the only one who could enlighten Elloise as to the answer to her question, but neither of them spoke again. The two sisters sat silent save for the soft wailing coming from beneath the tufts of red hair, which was Elloise's.

The hairs on Arianna's neck rose abruptly as she sensed another presence approaching. Like an alley cat spooked by the sudden blowing of cold gust of wind, Arianna was on her feet, crouched and ready to pounce its prey. Slowly, she raised her head above the cat-tails.

Her grey-blue orbs diligently assessed every shadow across the landscape, searching for her would-be victim. First, one wisp of flame was seen off in the distance. It was quickly followed by another, and another, and another. Within moments, a multitude of lights emanating from the torches of the townfolk began to cover the landscape.

Elloise suddenly sprang to her feet with the swiftness of a cobra's strike. Her eyes suddenly went wide with fear as she screamed, "Arianna! NO! It's too close! RUN!"

The momentary confusion Elloise's outburst caused was all the stalker needed to take Arianna's life. The young assassin had already drawn his dagger in anticipation of the kill. He was not quite out of Arianna's peripheral view at the moment he decided to make his move, so he was grateful to Elloise.

Because of her outburst, Arianna's head was now turned away from him. His kill was sure. He placed a thought to the back of his mind to thank Elloise for making his kill of Arianna easier...right before he took her own life.

The young man crouched down, placing his weight firmly to his strongest leg. As he gained absolute control of his balance, he struck. He catapulted his body straight at his victim bringing his dagger behind him to place the fullest force into his swing. He allowed his eyes to only momentarily glance in the direction Elloise was in as he swung full force with his dagger. As his eyes shot back to their victim, the young assassin hopelessly tried to pull back his arm.

Arianna had vanished!

It was only as the full force of his swing brought him tumbling through the willows that he saw his prey turned hunter. He did not have time to fully comprehend what had just occurred. Nor did he have time for regret that surely would have swam freely in his mind had it not been for the sudden warmth that grabbed him on each side of his head.

It was the last thing the would-be assassin felt as Arianna's hands clasped firmly on his head and without thought nor regret, twisted it, snapping the neck like one snaps a toothpick in half prior to discarding it.

Arianna was breathing hard. Yet another life taken by these hands. "He deserved it, though", the voice inside her commented. It took Arianna a few moments to finally drop the lifeless corpse. She raised her hands before her and took a closer look. She had not intended to kill the young man. Why had her hands disobeyed her yet again and taken that which she held dearest above all else...the First Gift of Allethlorien: The Gift of Life.

Arianna had little time for such thought. Elloise had already grabbed one of those dispecable hands and was running off through the willows once again. "How many more?", she asked herself. She did not need an answer to that question. Like a message in blood dripping from the bathroom mirror, the answer was obviously blatant. As many as need be to protect Elloise.

Tears began to fly from the grey-blue orbs as they gazed upon the tufts of radiance ahead of her. She and her sister ran aimlessly away from those who would do them harm. Those tears began to run more swiftly as Elloise unexpectedly found the courage to ask her unanswered question. Perhaps, though, it wasn't courage, but, rather simply a new found inner strength and willingness to accept the truth.

"Why, Arianna?", the soft voice was filled with a mixture of pain and love. Arianna felt a burning knife penetrate through her heart and twist with the intent of causing as much pain as possible. The small trickle of tears that had begun upon the thought of her betrayal of the one she loved most, now turned into a rushing torrent that even the highest mountains could not protect against. Arianna already knew what her question was.

"WHY!?", Elloise cried out in pain as her heart was ripped from her body and crushed under malicious feet. "Why did you have to kill him!? I loved him, Arianna..." Elloise lost her step, her body falling toward the welcoming cold of the midnight ground.

Arianna effortlessly pulled Elloise away from the tomb cold ground and continued to run. As if explaining herself to her sister, Arianna commented, "If we can make it to Brenin Lagu, to the Temple of Tears, then we can obtain help, Elloise. Please, we must not tarry." As if as an afterthought, she added, "The High Priest of Allethlorien and the Crean Lewth, the Council of The Five, they will surely help us."

Elloise stopped in sudden rage. Arianna was pulled back by the immovable force that was her sister, that she landed firmly on her back. The sight she beheld above her brought a fear to her that she had never known before.

Enraged like a bull at the site of a red cape, Elloise screamed, "Answer me, Arianna! Why did you kill the man I loved!?" Elloise grabbed Arianna with both hands and lifted her sister well off the ground to view her eye to eye.

Arianna had seen eyes like those before. They were the eyes of murder and disgust. They were the eyes of the men that had slaughtered her true family ages past. Eyes that told a story of unquenchable hatred. The blade that had already penetrated through Arianna's heart was no longer enough. There was no forgiveness for her. She yielded her life to whatever fate her sister found suitable.

"Because the man that I love told me to", the inner voice inside her shouted. Arianna was torn. To tell her the truth meant to seal the betrayal of trust the two of them had held for so long. To lie to her would only prolong that betrayal. Arianna's eyes filled with an eternal sadness as she began to pour herself out.

"That particular man that I am fond of. He came to me last night. He told me that when the moon is full and a binding is made, beware the man with the midnight sword. He said that the night would be filled with bloodshed. He warned me that there would be an uprising and that the only way to protect you would be to kill the one with that sword.", Arianna found a new light flare up inside her. She had found her salvation in the truth of the matter.

"Elloise, my dearest sister, I love you. I would never do anything to intentionally hurt you", Adrianna's eye sought forgiveness and understanding as they gazed upon the broken vessel that was her sister. "I did it, Elloise", she continued, "because he was going to kill you! Don't you understand that!? I had no choice but to do it!"

Arianna did not know why exactly she said that. It was not completely true. In fact, she had the intent of simply subduing him. Surely, he had been bewitched or placed under some kind of spell. She looked once again at her sister.

Elloise was now curled into a ball, clutching at her chest as if her heart were about to escape from it's prison. Between whimpers, Arianna heard her whisper absurdities such as "must have been mistaken", "cannot be possible", and "what if". Arianna could not hold back any longer. She thrust herself forward to grasp Elloise and share her strength and her life force with her once more.

Arianna really could not explain what actually happened next. Perhaps it was fate, or perhaps some divine intervention by a wolmoth, the fearsome warrior-messengers of Allethlorien. But, whatever the case may have been, Arianna felt a sharp pain to the side of her neck, like a bite from a spider.

She flenched just slightly to the side as her mind registered the pain in her neck. All thoughts of that pain vanished instantly, however, as the cold steel of a short blade brushed just behind her ear. Both sisters reacted with the reflexes of a panther, each fleeing to opposite sides of the small clearing that they had not realized they had stopped in.

Each of them had only a moment to grasp their situation as their attacker's blade sank deep into the dirt, shooting rock and debris throughout the clearing. The attacker found himself on all fours for just a moment as he realized that he had missed his intended victim. Pulling his blade out of the ground as one does a knife from butter, the cloaked figure let out a soft chuckle.

"Well done, Witch of the West!", the cloaked man croaked in Arianna's direction. "I would expect nothing less of a daughter of the nobles of the Desmodontidae."

The attacker let back his hood slightly as he raised his sword to his face. Slowly, he let his tongue ride the length of his sword as he caught taste of his victim's blood that had been selfishly stolen by the cold blade. The man began to literally giggle with glee. As a cloud had slowly revealed the fullness of the moon once more, Elloise thought she had seen the illusion of the man's face begin to contort and transform.

"Such delicious blood, too!", the man giggled once again.

Although she had no weapon, Arianna stood her ground against this new assailant. She had no fear of this attacker, nor concern about her abilities against him. However, something was nagging her in the back of her mind as her inner voice shouted out a warning, "Why couldn't we detect his presence!?"

Arianna did not allow that to bother her. She gave a curt smirk in the man's direction, "Witch, eh? Let me show you what this 'witch' can really do!" It was but a fleeting moment and she was already behind her prey. She used a form rarely used by her kind when she attacked. She had learned it ages ago from a very kind hearted shapeshifter who had taken her in for a time.

She brought her legs down into a short crouch, twisting them around each other. She formed a three fingered claw with each hand and brought them to each side of her face. With the force of ten men, she spun herself around in three full circles, gaining enough force to puncture a hole three feet deep into solid rock.

When she struck, the blow was not unexpected, nor unprepared for. Although she had moved with the speed and swiftness of five panthers, her prey had already turned to face her and positioned his sword in a blocking formation in front of himself. When she hit with her clawed hand, he met the force with his own strength and parried the blow with a flick of his sword.

As the two opponents hurled each other to opposite ends of the clearing, it became evident to Arianna that this person was not only a skilled swordsman, but also had strength that could not possibly be human.

As she stood watching helplessly, Elloise had already realized what was happening. What she had first thought was a play from the moonlight, was in fact the truth. This man indeed was transforming before her very eyes.

Elloise had only a moment to warn Arianna of what she had discovered before the man lept to attack again. "Arianna!" Elloise began to position herself to join the foray, "Be careful, sister! He's a Groche! He has already begun to use the power of the moon to transform!"

Even as Elloise had given her warning, the man's transformation was complete. What came after her in such speed and fury was no longer a cloaked man, but a transformed half figure of a leopard Groche. The claw that Arianna had presumptuously imitated were real with razor sharpness on this creature before her. The ears on this man-beast were tuft and pointed, hearing the softest heartbeat with precision. The teeth that now filled the smiling mouth called out for blood as they dripped saliva in anticipation.

"His soul is crying out for your blood, lamia," the man-beast's voice spat at Arianna. The pale green eyes pierced deep into her soul, searching for a reaction. Arianna returned a confused gaze at this transformed man.

"Who," Arianna began to inquire as she searched those green eyes for some hint of why this man-beast was so intent on her death. But, she quickly dropped her inquiry as the beast brought his finger to his whiskered mouth and began his tale.

"Shhhh..." he coaxed, then began when he knew his audience was attentive to what he had to say. "Who am I, you would ask?" The man let out a short snicker, the resulting sneer revealing a full mouth of sharp teeth.

"You should know who I am, Arianna Nacin!" Anger and rage began to fill the eyes as they glistened in the moonlight. "YOU! You are the reason my family now lives in disgrace! You are the reason my brother is dead! Though my father still lives, he is dead to all who have tried to comfort him these many years. My sisters are outcast and unmarried, aged maids never to know the happiness of love. You are the reason for what you behold before you!"

The man-beast was breathing heavily now, his muscles trembling under the stress of withholding any attack on the two sisters until their master had said his peace.

"My father was once High Protectorate of Asheloth. A true and just advocate amongst the people. He loved his Prince and he loved his family. When my brother, Arlin, lost control of his cursed powers, my father had already planned to put him away quietly. But, your interference..." The beast was suddenly cut off.

"Adrian! Adrian Brent?" The woman's voice was shocked.

The feline eyes turned themselves from their prey and glared irritably at the one who would dare to interrupt their owner's dialog. "Elloise Nacin," the voice hissed in annoyance. "You shall suffer the same fate for your family's interference and usurpation of my father's position as High Protectorate. It was your father's serpentine whisperings in Prince Ashton's ears, wicked lies the whole lot of them, that resulted in my brother's death and my father's demise. And now, the two of you shall pay with your own lives!"

Adrian's pale green eyes turned once again toward Arianna. Years of heartache and suffering were evident to the young girl as she tried to fully comprehend this tortured soul's reasoning and logic. She could understand his reasoning regarding her late guardian, Therin Nacin, and this man's hatred of Therin's entire family, but what had she to do with his brother's death?

As memory served her, Arianna had been framed by Arlin Brent. He had used information about her true race to create fear amongst the inhabitants of the city when his murders had been discovered. His plan had been so precise and well deployed that she had even been arrested and stood trial for the mass murders which he had committed with no hope being found innocent.

It was then that Therin Nacin had come unexpectedly to her aid. Protectorate Therin had been one of the High Protectorate's investigators for her case. After uncovering some hidden evidence that helped to prove that Arianna was innocent of the murders. When it had become known that the evidence had been hidden by the High Protectorate purposefully, Harl Brent lost his position in disgrace. Shortly afterward, the perpetrator of the crimes was caught in the act of murder.

The creature that had been captured for the murder was a fox-man. After the transformation had worn off, it was found to have been Arlin Brent, the ex-High Protectorate's son. This had only further compounded the disgrace that Harl Brent and his family had to live on with.

Still, Arianna could find no reason for the rage that ensnared Adrian, except the plain fact that Adrian was currently under the influence of the grodilan fruit. She lifted her face briefly up to the moon which hung full and bright overhead.

If only I could transform, she thought, it would be over fairly quickly. All of her kind, at least the female of her kind, lost a portion of their power during the fullness of the moon, and the greater portion during the midnight hour. To complicate Arianna's position, there were other unmentionable conditions that kept her from using her powers. She gave a wince at the thought.

"Come now, demon-spawn," Adrian taunted her, "Show me this 'power' you possess!"

Arianna knew that she could not use her powers. This is truly the worse possible scenario, she thought. There was only one possible way out for them now. She had been schooled in many ancient ways of fighting throughout the years. And there was only one fighting form that would give them a chance now.

Elloise gazed at the silhouette of the two enemies against the shine of the midnight moon. She watched as the figure that was Adrian began to shake and heave in apprehension. The much smaller figure that was Arianna took on a crouching position with her arms braced firmly against her, ready to pounce.

"No, Adrian," came the soft, yet firm voice, "You will not see the power of the Diphylla tonight." Her eyes began to glow a faint blue, or at least that is what Elloise thought she saw. "Tonight, I will only need the ways of the Eldirin to defeat the likes of you," she spat.

At first, Adrian was taken aback by such a reaction. This quickly turned to curiosity, then irritation, then to anger, "Don't play with me demon-wench! If you do not even attempt to protect yourself then I will make this kill quickly."

Without another word, the man-beast attacked. He lept at his prey with animal instinct. He inherently knew the amount of strength to throw into his legs to reach her. He also knew exactly how much pressure to put into his wrist as he extended his claws to smash this impudent bug into the ground. When he swung his arm down, he swung it hard.

Elloise gasped as she witnessed the attack. If she were merely human, she would not have even seen all that had happened. Surprisingly, even Adrian did not see everything that had happened. He stood hunched over and motionless as his brain tried to comprehend his current situation.

One moment, he had a fully calculated kill in progress, the next moment, he was clutching a handful of dirt and broken earth. He had swung hard, indeed. In fact, he had swung so fast and hard that an impression in the earth three inches deep now exposed itself before him.

As Elloise watched, a new hope began to stir inside her. It was possible they could defeat this Groche. It was possible that they may be able to escape disaster after all. But it would take both of them to do it. Elloise stood full height and looked the Groche in the eye.

"You were a fool to believe that we would die so easily, Adrian Brent," her confidence continued to rise as she went on, "And do not believe that just because there is a full moon and the powers of the children of abomination wax while the powers of the children of promise wane, beast-man, do not believe that your kill will be so easily won."

Elloise looked at her sister. Arianna stood crouched once again, but this time a few feet behind Adrian. She gave her little sister a curt nod and continued her lecture.

"There is more to us than simple racial powers of the Desmodontidae. We may have a need to feed off the spiritual quickening of the living, but we do not kill and murder for the pure enjoyment of it as your kind does." She began to consider the strategy that would save her and her sister. "I can see your weakness already," she lied and gave a wide grin.

Without another word, she assumed a martial arts form that she had learned from a wandering master from the Eastern Reaches. She knew that this form did not have much power behind its attacks, and its defense was in the swiftness of the movements. But, her intent was to wary the endurance of this creature, so that Arianna's eldirin ways could prevail against him.

Adrian began to stand up again. Curiously, he was beginning to laugh. Elloise cared not and did not leave any more time for the man-beast to regain the upper hand. She lounged at Adrian with full force.

Arianna was almost taken by her sister's sudden attack. She watched as Elloise's brilliant red tuft of hair flowed elegantly through the air following it's owner as a finely positioned fist made a deadly jab at Adrian's throat. Arianna saw life explode back into Elloise as her sister began to shimmer with a faint green glow.

Adrian barely dodged the first swing. He also noticed the aura forming around Elloise. "What are you!?" he screamed as he dodge yet another attempt at his larynx.

The question remained unanswered, and would be so for eternity. The sisters were now fighting seriously. Adrian had made the mistake of taking their initial complacency as weakness. He now saw his mistake, and couldn't help but to wonder why Elloise, a human-born child of a human mother and father, seemed to be absorbing the power and aura of the life around her.

He had heard of such things happening with Wiaralde when they are in need of more power to protect their lives, and sometimes Saiwala, and even the humans who have taken up the Saiwala ways of magic. But, Elloise was no sorceress or mage. And Adrian knew she was not a Wiaralde, because he was there when she was born, along with his whole family.

Adrian did not have the luxury of contemplating further on the subject. The voice behind him brought him back to the grim reality of his current situation. "Tag!" twilled Arianna's voice in an overly girlish tone. Her fist connected firmly to his back and he was heaved several feet before the rest of his body felt the pain of landing in full force with Arianna's fist still attached to him.

"You're it," she whispered into his ear as pain shot up his spine. The young girl gave a rather malicious grin as she used both her legs to spring herself safely away from the dangerous creature she had just attacked.

Adrian slowly raised himself up unto all fours and gazed with a look of hatred in Arianna's direction. He was begin to breath hard now. His senses could smell blood and the internal instincts of the animal inside of him was screaming for blood.

Adrian gave a short crouch ready to pounce at the young girl who could appease the blood lust inside of him. He was instantly stopped, however, as a foot went flying past his left ear. The scent of soft flowers enticed his senses as a tuft of red hair fell flatly into his face.

Arianna gazed at the spectacle as Elloise had soundlessly flown in Adrian's direction and planted her foot squarely into the air next to his head. Elloise had then half flipped herself toward the crouching beast, her hair falling into it's face blocking its view of everything around it. Arianna took her openning as Elloise brought her arm full circle following the rest of her body, dagger in hand.

As Adrianna literally lept up and flew into the air toward the beast, ready to add to the force of the dagger already approaching the beast's spinal cord, Adrian sensed his impending doom.

As Elloise flung her dagger down, Adrian flicked his neck slightly to the left. His whiskers touched the offending foot that had flew past his ear only moments before as Elloise's dagger lightly grazed the right side of his neck. At the same time, Arianna's hands grasped the dagger's hilt as she came full forced down upon the animal.

Adrian smiled inwardly to himself. Too easy, he thought.

He opened his maw and clamped firmly around Elloise's ankle. The voice inside of him began to shout with glee as he heard his teeth break through bone. Irritating, he thought, as Elloise screamed in agony and fell to the ground, ankle still attached to Adrian's teeth. Her sister's sudden scream added to Arianna's own demise as she found herself hurled to the ground with the brunt force of her body's weight, hands still clutching the dagger as it pierced through thin air and landed deep into the ground.

Now gnawing at Elloise's ankle as if to severe the foot from the leg, Adrian grabbed Arianna but the hair and flung her through the meadow reeds. Yards away, a loud splash could be heard as Arianna crashed into a pool of water.

Elloise's world was filled with nothing but pain. The beast continued gnawing away at it's new found toy as Elloise continued to scream in agony. She could bear it no more. With all of her might, Elloise began to beat her fists upon the creatures face.

This simply irritated Adrian even further. Easy kill, said the animal inside of him as he raised his clawed paw up to put this bleeding human before him out of her misery. As his claws came down to rip open Elloise's chest, a sudden pain could be felt through his paw.

Adrian let go of the girl's ankle to investigate this new found pain.

Where there should have been a gouged open wound in his victim, was the small hand of a young girl. Two fingers were extended out with the palm facing up and touching the bottom of the claw lined paw. Two more fingers from another hand were putting pressure from the opposite side.

"It's not nice to pull someone's hair, you know," Arianna growled coldly as she used the thumb of the top hand to pinched at the hair on the top side of the paw. With a quick movement, she ripped the hair upward as the fingers under the paw gave just the slightest pressure up.

Adrian didn't know what to think or do at first. His first reaction was to scream in rage. Another thought that entered his mind was to swipe at the young girl with his other paw and go after his other prey at a later time. The thought of running away actually entered his mind.

But all he could do was scream in pain as Arianna pushed a hole right through his hand, ripping a rather large chunk out and tossing it away. She stood full up in front of the beast, her cold eyes piercing deep into his own as she contemplated hundreds of ways to kill him right then and there.

Adrian fell back away from Elloise, at first with his heart full of fear of Arianna. The fear quickly melted. Hatred. Murder. Revenge. It all began to suffocate his sanity as thoughts of evil began to poor into his mind. Not just these two, said the voice inside of him, but the search party as well. Kill them all, it taunted his humanity as it continued, and feed on their flesh all night long.

Adrian's eyes went wide in fear as the voice inside of him continued to bask in its new found freedom. Adrian knew that he could not allow this inner being to take control of him. Not like his brother had allowed. Adrian fought to gain control.

He stood up, holding himself. Adrian began to slowly walk away from the two sisters. As they watched, the sisters could see the inward struggle as Adrian's shape began to shimmer and falter.

"Get away," he whispered, "run." His eyes went wide and he yelled the last words he would ever say as Adrian Brent...as a human being, "Run, Arianna and Eloise. RUN!"

His body went limp, standing there slouched over in the warmth of the moon. The sisters sat where they were, perplexed by Adrian's behavior. Elloise would have asked Adrian what was going on, but she began to feel faint from the pain that still infused itself into her innermost being as well as the loss of blood she had suffered.

Adrian regained his composure rather quickly. He stood once again full and as tall as any man, but still in the form of a man-beast. He cocked his head in Arianna's direction. Elloise saw in horror as what seemed to be the smile of a devil surfaced across Adrian's transformed face as he drew his sword.

Elloise continued to lose consciousness as the sound of metal being removed from its scabbard rang out through the night. The last thing Elloise saw was Arianna trying to position herself to defend against the impending onslaught. Then all went black. A scream was heard. A girl's scream. Then the sound of metal piercing through flesh and bone.

"Now, it's almost finally over," the voice was not Arianna's. This saddened Elloise. The last thing she heard were the heavy steps coming her way. Then all went silent. Her world became dark and silent.