Sanguis Anthology

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Shaana

APPEARANCE: Shaana has a tall (170 cm), fit body with light muscles, and darker olive skin with bronze undertones. Her hair is straight, dark brown, almost black, and is cut in a chin-length bob style. Shaana isn’t pretty in a conventional way. Hers is a cold and seductive beauty, with her soft features, pointed chin, narrow eyes and thick lashes. She has cinnamon colored iris and likes to wear smokey eyeliner.

Shaana almost always dresses in skin-tight, cover-all clothes. In her experience, having clothes which highlights every line of her body works better with men than having parts of her skin uncovered and in display. Plus, it’s more convenient in her line of work. Her dark grey cloth resembles leather but in truth it’s a highly resistant, resilient and heat-retaining fabric. She has her firearms strapped to her thighs. As a casual attire, she likes to wear a black tank-top, actual leather trousers and a short leather jacket.

PERSONALITY: Shaana is impatient, hot tempered and aggressive. She knows there are two ways of getting what she wants: seduction and intimidation, and she doesn’t mind if things get physical in either method. She is though, forceful and generally not amused when someone tries to treat her as a helpless damsel. Because she grew up among criminals, she has a foul mouth and a brutally honest way of giving voice of her opinions. She is also a misandrist and has a deep loathing towards men in general; she believes them to be inferior, easy to manipulate and use as they can only think with their dicks.

Due to the sexual abuse in her childhood Shaana has deep mental wounds and vowed that never again could anybody have the power over her to make her vulnerable. In her experience every man is interested only in her body, therefore Shaana learned to use it against them. She views sex as physical pleasure without tenderness or intimacy; a tool and nothing more. Sex for her is always about domination – she needs to confirm again and again that she is in power, that she is in control of her surroundings and not the victim. She can only express herself through this. All in all, she is both icy and unprocurable, and the sinful wet-dream of every man.

Shaana knows her life is messed up, that she has serious issues but she believes that this is what she deserves. She was born on a dustbowl planet full of lowlife scums; she lives from day to day on the fringe of society and she doesn’t care enough to try to get out. The world Asumu showed him after they met, the potential life she could have had, was like a fairytale compared to the dark place she called home, and for a long time Shaana couldn’t believe it to be real at all.

MAGIC AND FIGHTING ABILITY: Shaana is a skilled hand-to-hand fighter and an expert marksman – abilities she honed to perfection during her years as an outlaw and bounty hunter. She was also born with great magical potential but she subconsciously sealed away her power as a result of her childhood trauma. Only after meeting with her soulmate, did her magic reawaken, and that was mainly thanks to Asumu’s influence on her – as her soul healed, so did her memories and her powers came forth.

Shaana has a unique magical ability called magicbending. Although she is human, someone among her remote ancestors was a magical creature and she inherited their power through atavism. It means she can manipulate any kind of magical energy; it’s easier if it’s natural magic, though she can influence others’ own magic or even hijack their spells. As magic is in the blood, with a magical creature like the redeyes, she can even move their bodies according to her will by controlling their blood-flow. Of course it will only work if the victim’s willpower is weaker than Shaana’s.

To help focus her ability Shaana uses hand-movements similar to tai-chi while she bends magic. However, she rarely uses her power as she prefers the straightforward way of fighting. When she became part of the mage community she had to learn a new type of combat and she chose a spear as her melee weapon. Her master, who taught her how to use her magic and how to fight like a mage was again Asumu.

With magicbending Shaana can also manipulate her own magic to her will, giving herself bloodmagic abilities, such as superior regeneration to the point of immortality.

SHORT HISTORY: Shaana was born on a backwater, overpopulated planet at the rim of Maszangar territories. She didn’t know her parents; she grew up in an orphanage where she had been subjected to sexual abuse by the principal since her adolescence. After getting out of that hellhole, she didn’t have many choices in her life. Her planet was the assembly point of criminals and low-lives as its remote location and crowded space-ports made a perfect hiding spots for outlaws. Knowing no other life, Shaana joined a criminal organization. With her ruthlessness and boiling anger towards everyone and everything she fit right in. However, her ultimate goal was always to be independent; to be strong enough to stand on her own – or as it went on her homeworld, to be intimidating enough to scare away anyone who might have attempted to step on her.

With sufficient experience and reputation under her belt Shaana left the organization and became a bounty hunter. She was content with her life: the adrenalin rush of the hunt, the danger, the occasional bar-fights, a different guy every night to enjoy… Until somewhere in her mid-twenties (she never knew her exact birthday) she met Asumu. Because of her deep wounds Shaana was unable to trust anybody; she didn’t believe in love and happiness just the cold, harsh laws of her homeworld. She was so adamant on remaining independent, that when she started to realize that she had deeper feelings for Asumu, that she no longer could imagine her life without him, her first instinct was to cut every ties. And after the initial shock of the discovery of soulmates, she soon learned that she had magic in her blood. Then came the dreams about her previous lives. It took a long time for Shaana to adjust to her new life as an old soul, powerful mage and immortal human.

Currently she has one daughter from Asumu, Rinne.

+1 INFORMATION: Shaana (that is, her incarnations) met with Asumu many times in her previous lives, as well as with Mira, Reijin and also with Narek.

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Another chapter upload for the Stargate/Asumu crossover.

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Visit Original Link

This song, Csillagnász (Star-nuptials) by The Moon and the Nightspirit, is my theme song for the Star and the Darkness. I always imagined two ballet-dancers - a woman in white clothes and a man in black clothes – performing a passionate dance to this song, retelling the story of creation and the beginning of disharmony through pure motions. 

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Yin-Yang

I am Order and Life.

                                                                                        I am Chaos and Death.

I am the pale glow of the Moon and the Day-light.

                                               I am the ever-present Darkness and the Nightfall.

    I am the thirst-quenching water and the protective fire.

                                                 I am the raging sea and the devastating inferno.

    I am the refreshing breeze and the life-giving soil.

                                           I am the unrelenting wind and the consuming earth.

         Everything that lives comes from me.

                                                            Everything that lived returns back to me.

         I am the memory that comforts you.

                                                                I am the memory that drives you mad.

             I am the soothing dream.

                                                                                     I am the grim nightmare.

             Healing comes from me.

                                                                                     Preying comes from me.

                  Love comes from me.

                                                                                     Hate comes from me.

                  Forgiveness comes from me.

                                                                           Vengeance comes from me.

                       I am the parent.

                                                                                              I am the killer.

                       I am Hope.

                                                                                               I am Despair.

                           I am the highest mountaintop.

                                                                        I am the bottomless deep.

                           I care for everything that lives.

                                             And everything that lives bows before me.

                                A just king.

                                                                                A ruthless mistress.

                                Nurturer of children.

                                                                     Murderer of the innocent.

                                     Shielding shadows.

                                                                                 Cruel brightness.

                                     I am the whiteness.

                                                                             I am the blackness.

                                          I am all the colors together.

                                                                     I am the lack of them.

                                          I carry black.

                                                                   And white is inside me.

                                              Absence in wholeness.

                                                                Wholeness in absence.

                                                   Nothing in something.

                                                            Something in nothing.

                                                        Together a full circle.

                                                                Separately useless.

                                                             United a world.

                                                        Divided only suffering.

[sanguisanthology]

Thanks to Morrandir, I have these wonderful Magic: The Gathering cards of my characters. He assures me that more are coming later. :D

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I didn’t upload last weekend because I was finishing up my new chapter of the Stargate/Asumu crossover. :)

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The Sanguis Family Tree

(That is, as it stands now. Obviously in the future it will expand and branch out more. :D)

I tried finding initials which style reflected our characters’ personality and I had real fun picking them out. :)

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To the Soirée

Act 2B

Narek leant against the ballroom’s wall and observed the whirling and dizzying mass of people on the dancefloor. Heavy skirts adorned by precious metals were swirling around, pearls and jewels were glimmering on the corsets and ornamented gowns swam in the air at the rhythm of the music. The lights of the crystal-chandeliers were glittering reflections on the mirror-smooth surface of the marble floor and the colorful glasses of the seemingly endless row of windows. Soft, silken melodies floated in the air; chatting, laughing and glasses clinking composed the ever fading and rising background noise.

Unlike usual Narek did not care about who watched him and with what intent; he focused all of his attention on one man at the far end of the room.

Atum stood in the circle of numerous ladies. The Sanguis had refused dancing as he didn’t know the steps which had gained a round of merry laughter among the women. From then on more and more girls joined their little group and Atum, with his boyish face, constant beaming and honest answers, won all their hearts. And he didn’t even realize it! The Sanguis was oblivious to the flirting and subtle seductions; he simply enjoyed the company of his new friends. He was naturally warm and friendly and his innocent charm resulted in older women doting over him and young girls stupidly giggling behind them.

Narek watched the scene with a darkening expression. Atum seemed ignorant of his admirers’ true intentions but the cubus could sense everything. He saw the fake blushing, the hungry eyes that roamed over the Sanguis’ body, and he understood every implication hidden in those words muttered over laced fans. He could practically taste the fascination and desire emanating from the women. They were like she-vultures, stalking their prey, this young and naive stranger who seemed such an easy catch, such an interesting toy to try out.

Narek had to gather every ounce of his willpower not to strode there and make it clear to everybody that Atum was his, and his alone. Since the society in this world did not tolerate a relationship between those of the same sex the cubus was forced to remain still. He could only watch from a distance while raging jealousy filled up his insides. However, when one daring girl stepped closer and possessively caressed Atum’s arm the cubus snapped. He pushed himself away from the wall and stalked through the crowd elegantly and unnoticeably like a predator.

“Excuse me, ladies,” he announced himself with the most ravishing smile he could muster as he stepped inside the admirer’s circle. He needed all his self-control not to snarl the words. “I need to have a word with my friend here. Don’t worry, I won’t deprive you from his company for long,” he lied flawlessly. His polite demeanor almost cracked when the women tried to object and fluttered their eyelashes at Atum but he simply grabbed the baffled Sanguis and dragged him out with an apologetic, unwavering smile.

Atum obediently followed him out the ballroom’s door, through corridors and other halls. Narek led them further and further away in the mansion but no matter how far they went his frustration didn’t lessen. Atum was looking at him with his wide puppy-eyes and it drove the cubus crazy. That insufferable idiot couldn’t even comprehend why Narek pulled him away from his ‘new friends.’ He didn’t understand the cubus’ anger and reprobation; he was hopelessly confused by them and started to grew dispirited by his only knowledge that he did something wrong even if he didn’t know what it was.

Narek couldn’t take it anymore. When they arrived to a hallway which was deserted and far enough from the party that the music was barely audible, he pushed Atum against the wall. He trapped him between the cold surface and his body and latched onto his lips. He couldn’t help himself, he needed to taste Atum’s passion, to eat from his ever-present fervor. The kiss was rough and intense, almost violent, and Narek’s every move was aimed to make the other a senseless, incoherent mess. When he finally broke off Atum’s legs were giving out under him and his clouded eyes remained fixated on the cubus’ mouth. The demon inside Narek finally purred from joy. This was the state the Sanguis should have been, should have always been in, and nobody else could have him like this!

[sanguisanthology]

To the Soirée

Act 2A

Narek leant against the ballroom’s wall and observed the whirling and dizzying mass of people on the dancefloor. Heavy skirts adorned by precious metals were swirling around, pearls and jewels were glimmering on the corsets and ornamented gowns swam in the air at the rhythm of the music. The lights of the crystal-chandeliers were glittering reflections on the mirror-smooth surface of the marble floor and the colorful glasses of the seemingly endless row of windows. Soft, silken melodies floated in the air; chatting, laughing and glasses clinking composed the ever fading and rising background noise.

Unlike usual Narek did not care about who watched him and with what intent; he focused all of his attention on one elegantly waltzing pair.

Rhea had been led to the dancefloor by numerous men but the cubus did not grow tired of analyzing them over and over again. He studied the suitors, how closely they stood to the woman, how they embraced her, how they moved while dancing and how much they talked. But above all else, he paid close attention to Rhea’s reactions. Whenever he saw that she enjoyed the company the muscles in his body tensed and his eyes became darker; then as Rhea changed partner for the next dance Narek relaxed and the survey began anew.

However, the currant suitor was different. He asked Rhea for a dance the second time and they were in the middle of their third waltz in a row. Narek watched with narrowed eyes. The pair stood closer to each other than it was befitting – it wasn’t too close of course, but Rhea did not seem to be concerned about her partner’s improper nearness. The man was also talking and smiling, and judging by Rhea’s attitude he was fascinating. She focused her whole attention on him, smiled back, laughed and kept the conversation going – apparently she not just tolerated the man but truly had fun with him.

Narek clenched his hands as he concentrated on the suitor’s desires. He sensed his attraction and lust; he could practically see the images the man was fantasizing about. No matter that he didn’t feel anything from Rhea towards that toff, when the woman tossed her head back to laugh aloud on a joke he pushed himself away from the wall. He skimmed through the women who gathered at the corner of the room waiting for a suitor to invite them to the dancefloor, and when the music died down he walked to an adequately pretty ginger and asked her out with a courteous bow. The girl smiled happily and blushingly accepted the cubus’ arm as he escorted her to the edge of the dancing crowd. Then the music started again and the pair blended into the twirling swarm of people.

Narek’s vanity did not allow him to neglect the girl in his arms. He kept the respectful distance and followed the steps with the ease and grace of someone who had thousands of years to practice and perfect his moves. He smiled and talked pleasantly, masquerading as a charming gentleman effortlessly. However, he only focused on the girl on the surface, his real attention was directed elsewhere. He watched from the corner of his eyes and counted the steps and the time. He waited for the right moment and timed his steps just so when they got closer to Rhea, the traditional bell in the music signaled that if somebody wanted it he could now change partner. Narek lived with the opportunity. He performed the customary bow, took the surprised Sanguis from her reluctant suitor, then without a second glance at his previous dancing partner he let themselves swept away by the moving crowd. His attention shifted: his focus was now largely on the irate woman before him while he kept an eye out on the suitor – he did not want to give him a chance to remake the exchange.

“You couldn’t stay still, could you?” hissed Rhea as they harmoniously waltzed along the music. Narek flashed a smile at her which was toothier than charming, while he made sure not to step closer to the woman than it was seemly. He didn’t wish to make her angrier.

“I merely couldn’t stand his dancing skills anymore. He had much to practice and polish in that regard,” he replied smugly.

“He danced excellently and you know it!”

The smirk on Narek’s face melted. Yes, he was very well aware of that. Rage crawled up inside his chest and he had to fight back the growl trying to escape his throat. Rhea saw it right. The man truly danced excellently and he would have liked to prove his excellence in other areas, too. However, Rhea was his and his alone, and nobody else – especially not some short-lived courtier – could have her!

[sanguisanthology]

To the Soirée

Act 1

“Don’t you think this is unnecessary sexualization?”

Rhea’s voice was chilly and her expression unamused as she had to stand in the middle of the room wearing nothing but her underwear. Atum, who suffered from the same treatment, stood next to her with an unyielding grin; stripping them from their clothes didn’t affect his cheerfulness. Rhea sometimes wondered if his brother ever knew the word ‘dignity.’

“Nope,” Narek answer leisurely while flashing a charming smile at her. The incubus sat in an armchair in front of them comfortably leaning back in his seat and unabashedly surveyed the twins’ bodies with a satisfied look on his face and a hungry, downright possessive glint in his eyes. “Turn around,” he instructed with a twirl of his finger while his smile widened. He openly enjoyed the situation and Rhea’s hands itched to strangle the bastard for that. It didn’t help the situation that Atum happily and with great enthusiasm obeyed the command and spun around to face the door behind them.

Rhea folded her arms and didn’t move. “I still don’t know why we are doing this,” she huffed with an annoyed grimace.

“Because to get inside the mansion you need proper attire,” explained Narek with a silky tone. He got up from his armchair and walked to the left-side wall which was stacked with male clothes from ceiling to floor in an orderly manner.

The room they were currently in was his spacious walk-in closet. Well, one of the many.

“We can do it your way, which means carnage and destruction,” he continued as he went through one section of the formal attires and selected a black suit, “or we can do it my way which is subtler and far more sophisticated.” He turned back towards them with the chosen clothes, a few accessories in his hands and a smirk on his face. He beckoned Atum to himself and handed them to him. “Put them on.”

With that done Narek stepped to Rhea and arched one of his eyebrows questioningly. The woman rolled her eyes but complied. The cubus hummed a little as he studied her figure then went to the right-side wall which was full with woman’s clothing.

“Why do you have this many clothes, anyway?” Rhea’s tone was still biting as she watched Narek sort through his fashion collection.

“I’m prepared for any occasion.”

Calm and arrogant as ever, the cubus picked an elegant but low-cut, backless dress and offered it to her. For a minute or two none of them moved as their wills wrestled against each other. In the end Rhea grumpily took the dress. Narek nodded approvingly and turned around to check on Atum… and had to forcefully stop himself from burying his face in his hand. “No, Atum, that’s not how you wear it.”

He should have known better than to trust the idiotic twin to know how to wear elegant clothing. He was more a redeye than a human after all, and as such he lacked any sense of fashion. Narek was now confident that the Executor was dressed by his soulmate, too.

The shirt on Atum wasn’t tucked in his trousers, the vest’s buttons were miss-matched and the collar was crooked. The ornamented belt, the neckcloth and other accessories were deemed unimportant and left on the floor. And the Sanguis himself was blinking at him blankly and innocently, not understanding the rebuke.

Narek sighed and helped him dress properly. It proved to be a more difficult task than he expected as Atum fidgeted nonstop, constantly trying to take advantage of the closeness they shared. He was all hands, lips and lust – he was interested more in the cubus himself than in dressing up.

What started as annoying and tiresome soon turned into an exciting game. Narek savored Atum’s desire and appreciated his clumsy but zealous attempts to seduce him. As an incubus he had experience of how to dodge these kind of ‘attacks.’ He feigned nonchalance as he calmly continued adjusting the other’s suit while their hips brushed together, his fingers grazed bare skin and his hands stroked over fine muscles clad in a thin layer of cloth – all that accidental, of course. Narek enjoyed the Sanguis’ reaction; how he leant against his touch and longed for more, how he craned for a kiss, and how his pupils dilated and his breathing became ragged. He teased the half-redeye mercilessly, however before it could turn into something else, something requiring less clothes and not more dressing, Narek stepped back with a pleased smile.

“There. It’s perfect,” he purred as he smoothed out the last wrinkle on the Sanguis’ shirt, taking delight in the desperate need in the other’s eyes. “See Rhea,” he turned around to look at the woman, “you could take an example from your bro–”

The words died away on Narek’s lips as he came face to face with a fully and neatly dressed Rhea who looked at him challengingly with one raised eyebrow.

“Are you boys done?”

[sanguisanthology]

Narek

APPEARANCE: Narek has an average height (177 cm) and masculine built with a narrow hip and a slim, desirably but not ostentatiously muscular body. He has smooth, tanned skin and a face that’s so perfect and handsome it’s like he stepped out from a painting where the artist tried to capture divine fairness. His eyes are dark chocolate brown and so is his shoulder-long hair.

Narek’s beauty comes from the fact that he is an incubus who seduces mainly with his looks (and secondarily with his voice and words). Although he appears to be human, he maintains it with concentration and energy; in his true form he looks like a real incubus: his hair shines with a red undertone while bright honey-color seeps through the brown of his eyes. In this state an incubus is so beautiful that he is irresistible and can drive anybody crazy with lust.

Narek likes to dress immaculately and stylishly. He has charm and class and his wardrobe reflects that. From his hair to the tip his shoes he is always impeccable; he’s the embodiment of sinful elegance.

PERSONALITY: Narek has a constant battle inside him between his human and demon self and that makes his life a nonstop dancing on a tip of a knife. He has a very hard-earned balance and anything that threatens to disrupt the fragile peace inside him he kills or runs from. He had thousands of years to perfect his masquerades and became very good at avoiding situations and problems he dislikes. That self-mechanism kept his pride and self-esteem intact.

Narek is a proud person, proud of his lineage and his own achievements. He is also proud about the fact that he can seduce anybody and acquire anything he wants. As a cubus he has a passion for gathering and he considers his soulmates the crown jewels of his collection.

Narek is overly possessive and territorial – if he considers something or someone as his, he will never let it go and will guard it like a fire-breathing dragon. Angering him by hurting what is most precious to him… let’s just say there are less painful forms of suicide than that.

Narek is a very confident, arrogant and egoistic person who only cares about his interests. He can be a real a-hole sometimes. But this behavior shields deep-routed vulnerability. Narek was hurt a lot of times because his dual character. As a cubus he cannot feel love and can only regard humans as food. He looks down every human except his father. He categorizes them and sees the patterns and the same mistakes committed over and over again and it just bores him. On the other hand, he is half human, and that half longs for connections, for love and acceptance; however pureblood cubi despise him for his mixed blood, and a human… a human could never love or accept someone who needs to regularly sleep with others to stay alive. Narek can never be monogamous no matter how desperately he tries; his demon will rebel sooner or later. But likewise, he can never be fully cubus and live like them, because he can never shut out his human side. Although the demon doesn’t care if another human only uses him to satisfy herself since he also just used her for food, his human self gets hurt a little every time.

That’s why when he finally met his soulmates, an incident that threatened to flip his world upside down, Narek turned the other way and ran from it. He was terrified that his hard-earned balance could be shattered and he would be naked and vulnerable again. But then again, his soulmates were the only chance for him to experience the love and belonging he always craved for. When it was about his soulmates the demon and the human were in agreement, and that was an occurrence Narek never experienced before. It took a long time full of hardships and injuries, but in the end he reached a new and permanent harmony.

MAGIC AND FIGHTING ABILITY: As the son of the Dark Mage Narek got extensive education covering every form of magic. Growing up in the court of the Darkfolk he learnt the use of trickery, lying and backstabbing at an early age. He learnt that the end justifies the means, that ambition and self-interest helps the most to achieve one’s goals, and that it’s better to overestimate one’s enemies and be underestimated by them.

As a cubus Narek needs to feed from others; he eats the life-force through lust and pleasure. Cubi are natural predators, they seduce their victims to feed from them but never kill them; killing is inefficient, inelegant and wasteful. If cubi feed regularly, they will be immortal, if they are denied, they will go mad and die. Therefore a cubus’ every sense is focused on human’s sexual desire. They can feel what the others crave for and will give exactly what will satisfy their food-source. This keen sense of other’s desires and pleasures is a unique, ever-present perception of every cubus.

Narek likes to appear to the world as an incubus and that makes a lot of people ignorant to the fact that he is also a highly trained and powerful mage. That’s a leverage he likes to use. His favorite form of magic is casting curses. Narek is a vengeful type; no matter if revenge was served hot or cold, nobody can escape his wrath, and cursing is the best way to assure that. A curse can be extremely infectious, savage and merciless. A truly malicious curse can rebound to its caster hence it requires purifying rituals in which Narek also very skilled.

Another thing he’s very proud of is his magical shielding, i.e. constructing protective walls from pure magic.

SHORT HISTORY: Narek is the only child of the Dark Mage Nétus and the human-succubus hybrid Lilith. He was born before the Golden Age, in the federal year of 3666 – during the era of wars, conflict and disharmony. In the court of the Darkfolk he had to learn quickly that only the strong and shrewd could remain alive. His younger years were a series of lessons for him how to survive and utilize his brain and magic. At the age of fourteen his cubus heritage finally came forth and that brought along a whole new set of problems. In the coming years he not only had to learn to control his new power but to balance out his two inner selves, the human and the demon. He was divided, bitter and angry, and after a few decades he left the Folk of Darkness and his parents to try to make his own path.

Once, for the sake of love, he tried to surpass his cubus side which ended in a near tragedy. Then for a time he abandoned his human side but that wasn’t the answer, either. After a long period of time he finally reconciled with himself and found a tightrope balance between his two halves. He made amends with his parents then continued on his own path. He created some disarray here and there, benefited from it but never sided with any party. He made a fortune from equilibrating on the middle of the web of interests – which was child’s play compared to the constant tightroping inside himself.

Narek had always kept an eye on his family’s rival bloodline, the Sanguises. First the Light Mage and the Executor, then their daughter, then her twins – Narek always made a point to keep them at distance. A big distance. Then he met said twins, Rhea and Atum, and had to make peace with the fact that they were his soulmates, one soul in two bodies. This was not an easy and quick thing to accept but in the end the three of them got together and got to know each other better. They usually stayed in Narek’s estates while the twins did their work as the leaders of the Mage Alliance and the cubus continued his businesses.

Narek’s sweet little demon, the apple of his eyes is Lamia, her succubus-redeye-human hybrid daughter.

+1 INFORMATION: He had every house and flat he owned rebuilt so that his soulmates could be comfortable in each and every one of them.

[sanguisanthology]

Atum Sanguis

APPEARANCE: Like any Sanguis, Atum is a descendant of a redeye and that shows in his looks. Slimness paired with medium height (171 cm), the fine muscle tone of an athlete, it all results in a nimble and agile body. Atum has a slightly broader chest but all in all possesses the typical feminine built. Due to his mixed blood Atum’s features lack the Asian complexion, only his hair has the distinctive thick quality and black color, which he cuts hipster style (curtesy of Narek’s fashion sense). His eyes are of course Sanguis-red (brownish red).

Atum is the twin brother of Rhea and the two of them are like two sides of the same coin. Their faces are much alike; the basic features, the oval face, the shape of the eyes, the nose are all the same, only Atum has additional masculine characteristics like thinner lips, while Rhea has feminine ones, like thicker eyelashes. But with a little make-up they could easily masquerade as one another.

Atum’s usual set of clothing consists of short-sleeved, skin-tight shirts and trousers with boots, all in black color. He doesn’t care about clothing – apart from being practical – to the point that he doesn’t know how to put on elegant or formal attire. He wears his scabbard-less sword horizontally strapped to the back of his waist-belt, the hilt facing his right side.

PERSONALITY: Atum is an upbeat person; he is constantly happy and his boyish grin cannot be wiped from his face. Or if you wipe it be prepared to meet with a pair of kicked puppy eyes. Atum has a cute and innocent charm which he’s totally unaware of. He is so oblivious to others’ flirts and hints that it’s painful to watch. With his childish and pure heart, he’s fully blind to seduction, which often results in awkward moments.

Atum has an undying optimism. He sees the good qualities in everybody and a chance to enjoy himself in every situation. He only sees wonders and not the ugliness of the worlds. He is a go-with-the-flow type who doesn’t have a plan to any occasion but simply lets events unfold and makes the best with them. He doesn’t have big goals; he’s satisfied with anything because there are always small pleasures in life. If you get a lemon, then make lemonade.

Atum is extremely energetic. He’s constantly on the move, always doing something and can’t remain in one place patiently. He has almost infinite stamina and a childishly playful character, a combination that often causes headaches for Narek. He cannot be angry with anybody for long, he has too much going on in his head for that. He forgives easily.

If Atum and Rhea are the two sides of the same coin, then Atum is the one with the more redeye mindset. His mind operates on an instinctive level – he has feelings and intuitions and not an intricate thinking process based on the principles of logic. And to top it all, he’s honest and straightforward and doesn’t believe in bad intentions even in others. He’s highly intelligent but because he sees the world in a different way people often think he’s an idiot; only the muscle next to his cunning sister.

Since Rhea has a more dominant, no-nonsense personality she acts as a leader and spokeswoman for the two of them. She is also the older one with one and a half minutes, and therefore treats Atum as his sweet little brother whom she has to protect at all costs. Atum has no problem with these roles. He loves his sister, knows she would never lead them in the wrong direction, and completely trusts her. He’s content with the way things are.

MAGIC AND FIGHTING ABILITY: As magical creatures the twins have a proficiency in almost any kind of magic. Being part-redeye of course means a natural talent in bloodmagic, and thanks to their parents Rhea and Atum are also excellent in soulanimal summoning and sealscribing. Apart from that Atum has an affinity for elemental magic and likes to use this type of magic in fights. He prefers the elements of water and earth as those stands closer to his personality than fire or air.

Alone Atum has a magic potential of a lower 10, but when he and Rhea fights together they can reach middle 10.

With a Sanguis magic is always combined with sword-fighting, and Atum wields a one-edged shortsword with a slightly curved blade. He alternates between the traditional and his grandfather Reijin’s unorthodox reversed-grip style during fights, while he uses his free hand to control the elements.

SHORT HISTORY: Atum and Rhea are the children of Liza and Emrys, born in the Golden Age. The two of them grew up in Enola, Mira’s City, often visiting other places and meeting with new people. Reaching adulthood with strong wills and readiness the twins took over many of their mother’s duties and roles. They became members of the Starfolk’s court, titleholders in Maszangar and leaders of the Alliance of Mages. They also adopted their mother’s nickname-turned-surname ‘Sanguis,’ and made it a wide-known name for themselves and their bloodline. They performed several heroic acts, fought in numerous wars and inspired a great deal of stories and legends – almost as many as their parents and grandparents.

The twins, being one soul in two bodies, never leave each other’s side. They met their soulmate relatively young (just a few thousand years), a half-human half-incubus, Narek. Who happened to be the son of Lilith and Nétus, the Dark Mage and all-time rival of Mira. Well, Fate works in mysterious ways.

Although the war between the Folk of Star and the Folk of Darkness was already over, Narek really wanted nothing to do with the troublesome Sanguis twins. Incubi and redeyes have so different mindsets that it was a hard work full of conflicts, hurt and miscommunication until Narek finally accepted the twins and settled down with them. After that Rhea and Atum carried on their responsibilities while Narek remained in the background continuing his own businesses, never too far from them.

Rhea and Narek have a daughter, Lamia, who is part human, part redeye and part succubus, and whom Atum considers a child of his own.

Atum has also another daughter, Saja, who was conceived when Lajla, a mad woman who wanted revenge against Emrys, captured his hated enemy’s son and tortured and raped him. Saja was raised with the belief that Atum was a vile, disgusting creature whom she loathed. When she set out to kill Atum she was shocked to discover the complete opposite what she was taught and believed to be true. Now she lives with the twins and their family.

+1 INFORMATION: He has a sweet-tooth.

[sanguisanthology]

Rhea Sanguis

APPEARANCE: Although technically being only quarter part redeye Rhea carries almost all the external characteristics of the redeyes. She has an average height (171 cm) and a gracile body. She has the same androgynous built as any redeye which makes her shoulders a little wider and her hip a bit narrower. Unlike pureblood redeyes Rhea’s features lack the Asian complexion, only her hair has the distinctive thick quality and black color. It reaches to the middle of her back and she likes to wear it let down. Her eyes are of course Sanguis-red (brownish red).

Rhea is the twin sister of Atum and the two of them are like the two sides of the same coin. Their faces are much alike; the basic features, the oval face, the shape of the eyes, the nose are all the same, only Rhea has additional feminine characteristics like thicker eyelashes, while Atum has masculine ones, like thinner lips. But with a little make-up they could easily masquerade as one another.

Rhea likes casual, everyday clothes not necessarily black in color. She usually wears light shirts and skirts that can be nifty and practical at the same time. She is always trim and can dress for an occasion. She wears her bare sword on her back, the hilt facing her right shoulder.

PERSONALITY: Rhea has a temper – she is cunning and collected but could get angry easily. She can be cold and calculating in one moment then in the other she is a devastating storm letting all hell break loose. She’s not a person who can be trifled with. If Rhea sets her mind to something she will accomplish that. Among the twins she is the more dangerous one who you really shouldn’t piss off.

As a redeye trait, Rhea has an instinct to only care about her loved ones. However, her human blood makes her socially sensitive, and the strict teachings of her mother, Liza (the Peacebringer), compels her to try to help anybody in need. Atum is kind enough but he’s also more of a redeye – compared to him Rhea has, as Narek annoyingly puts it, a hero-complex.

If Rhea and Atum are the two sides of the same coin, then Rhea is the one with the more human mindset. She is logical and rational; she works a problem from different angles and estimates odds. Naturally she has good instincts, too, but being spontaneous is his brother’s thing. Rhea likes astute plans and careful considerations.

Rhea always consults with Atum before making a big decision. In the surface it looks like she is the leader of the two of them, the brain, but in reality she is just the spokeswoman. She is more dominant, yes, but would never make a decision that’s not okay with Atum. Rhea knows that her brother would follow her anywhere even if he doesn’t agree with her, and that’s why she won’t make decisions without consent.

Rhea is the older twin with one and a half minutes and therefore she acts like a big sister. In her mind almost everything revolves around his little brother – she has to protect him at all costs. Atum is sincere to a fault and can be hurt easily which Rhea does not permit. She loves Atum and doesn’t want him to change, to be corrupted by the wrongs of the universe, that’s why Rhea always looks out for him.

Atum and Rhea balance each other out. When Rhea is too worried and edgy then Atum is calm and happy. When Atum is confused and afraid then Rhea is strong and determined. When one of them is hurt the other would cry for them. They are one soul in two body.

MAGIC AND FIGHTING ABILITY: As magical creatures the twins have a proficiency in almost any kind of magic. Being part-redeye of course means a natural talent in bloodmagic, and thanks to their parents Rhea and Atum are also excellent in soulanimal summoning and sealscribing. The latter is especially true for Rhea – she has an aptitude for magic-circles inherited from her father. Her talent is to make shortcuts when drawing an elaborate magic-circle, that is to shorten the time of scribing so that it can be used in the haste of a battle. Opposed to his brother Rhea is not averse to use trickery in a fight.

Alone Rhea has a magic potential of a lower 10, but when she and Atum fights together they can reach middle 10.

Magic and swordfight goes hand-in-hand for a Sanguis, and Rhea wields a two-edged, jian-style sword which is lighter and limber than any other kind of sword. Fighting with this sword is like an elegant dance – it uses wide, circular movements, in which time Rhea can scribe with her other hand. With the sword she can also slash, stab and slap with the flat side of the blade.

SHORT HISTORY: Atum and Rhea are the children of Liza and Emrys, born in the Golden Age. The two of them grew up in Enola, Mira’s City, often visiting other places and meeting with new people. Reaching adulthood with strong wills and readiness the twins took over many of their mother’s duties and roles. They became members of the Starfolk’s court, titleholders in Maszangar and leaders of the Alliance of Mages. They also adopted their mother’s nickname-turned-surname ‘Sanguis,’ and made it a wide-known name for themselves and their bloodline. They performed several heroic acts, fought in numerous wars and inspired a great deal of stories and legends – almost as many as their parents and grandparents.

The twins, being one soul in two bodies, never leave each other’s side. They met their soulmate relatively young (just a few thousand years), The half-human half-incubus, Narek. Who happened to be the son of Lilith and Nétus, the Dark Mage and all-time rival of Mira. Well, Fate works in mysterious ways.

Although the war between the Folk of Star and the Folk of Darkness was already over, Narek really wanted nothing to do with the troublesome Sanguis twins. Incubi and redeyes have so different mindsets that it was a hard work full of conflicts, hurt and miscommunication until Narek finally accepted the twins and settled down with them. After that Rhea and Atum carried on their responsibilities while Narek remained in the background continuing his own businesses, never too far from them.

Rhea and Narek have a daughter, Lamia, who is part human, part redeye and part succubus. They also have a fourth family member, Saja, who is the daughter of Atum.

+1 INFORMATION: She sometimes thinks that she and Narek are the responsible adults and Atum is their hyperactive kid.

[sanguisanthology]

I admit, I can’t draw very well; this is the best I can do, sorry.

The Regis is an AU version of Asumu, a version I created for a crossover with the Stargate universe. That fanfiction, ‘The Sun Hasn’t Died’ was the first project I started to write with our characters in it. If you like the SG-1 series and you’re interested, you can read my fanfiction on ff.net or ao3. :)

[sanguisanthology]

Weapon of Choice

Asumu hastily dodged another swing from the massive warhammer and successfully backed himself into a corner. The huge and altogether pretty crazy warmage before him couldn’t have looked happier. Asumu was more jumpy. Literally. With a shattered collarbone, broken shoulder and useless right arm, he really didn’t want another close encounter with that hammer.

The pain didn’t bother him. He was only partly human, and as a half-redeye, his pain tolerance was much higher. The damage was more of an annoyance than a hindrance. He got more severe injuries in a friendly spar with his dad. This truly was nothing and normally Asumu would just ignore it and go for the kill. He would step inside the range of the hammer and deliver a close and deadly blow.

Unfortunately, there were numerous problems with that plan. His own sword was the first thing to break upon meeting with that damned warhammer, and now he was unarmed. Still, that wouldn’t be much of an obstacle if the bloodcrazed mage wouldn’t be protecting his body with magical seals. Again, not a big deal. On any other day Asumu would have had no trouble breaking some mediocre magical seals. However, this day was not any other day. He was already exhausted. Like really-freaking exhausted.

The whole fiasco started as an excellent idea for a vacation. Asumu was all for vacations. The one thing he loved more than traveling around interesting places was to get into trouble at interesting places. Go to a populated space-port, find the tavern with the worst reputation and stir up some conflict. He was outstandingly masterful at that. He could laugh in the face of any danger.

There were times however, when danger laughed back.

The stone city of Harabal was a favored pilgrimage destination for thousands of years. The city was mostly carved out of the side of a gigantic rock barely deserving the name of mountain. It was the only landmark in the middle of a desert which stretched through half of the planet. Red was the only thing the eye could see: red sand, red rocks, even the atmosphere had a red hue to it. The sole exception were the dancing green lights on the sky thanks to the ever present solar winds of the planet’s sun.

Nobody in Harabal tried to paint their stone-carved houses; that would have broken the unified frontage of the city. The citizens were, let’s say, minimalists. And few in numbers. The giant rock was crisscrossed with tunnels and caves and held a waterhole in the middle, which made it a true paradise on this bare planet, but it could only support a pitiable amount of corp. The inhabitants mostly lived from the trading and the offerings of the pilgrims.

In truth, Harabal was more like an extended monastery rather than a real city. It was said that inside the tunnel-system laid a secret cave where an ancient and all-powerful magical relic rested. Nobody knew how it got there, but it certainly hadn’t been present when the first colonists started to build the city. Legends were always sketchy. Anyway, the main point was that the locals believed the relic to be a powerful magical weapon so they built the monastery around it and appointed a Sacred Order to guard it. As it quickly turned out, nobody could pick up the magical object. Literally. It wasn’t stuck inside of a rock but had been simply lying on a stone altar, undisturbed. Naturally the legend said that only the true master of the weapon could lift it up. Who was this true master? That was up to the picky magical item to choose.

As years went by and nobody could claim the treasure, more and more stories were born. The relic was really powerful… Whoever could wield it, could rule the entire universe… It was the prophesied token of the most powerful mage ever lived. This made Harabal even more popular and sure enough every megalomaniac idiot wanted to try to own the magical weapon. However, the monks did not want to allow every self-appointed world-ruler near their sacred treasure. Mages and warriors with big hopes could only petition for a visit once per year and must pass through a strict sorting. A real bummer.

Then came a lunatic warmage with an army, who couldn’t take no for an answer. He started to besiege the city, demanding the weapon, and the monastery went full defensive mode. It continued like this for years while every trade and pilgrimage stopped and the citizens slowly but surely starved. The monks became desperate: they would not survive another year like this but could not give up either. They needed help, but from who? What if their savior would want to seize the sacred relic, too?

That was the moment when Asumu arrived to Harabal, smelled adventure and jumped head first into it. Fighting against a whole army was fun. Fighting off an invading army and saving innocent lives in the process was even more fun.

The monks accepted his help; they didn’t have any other choice. Follow a young and ambitious mage or face certain death. Asumu persuaded them to go for the offensive. Well, not everything went as planned.

The battle lasted several days, and Asumu was in the middle of it every minute of every day. He wouldn’t have missed a thing. Though, frankly, he wanted to rest a little here and there, but a crazed warmage who was hell-bent on conquering the whole universe with the powerful relic in his hand, sadly had the strategic mind to organize a very effective assault. The residents of Harabal the city itself weren’t prepared for a battle of this scale. Asumu himself was the only decent mage present and he could fight nonstop for days. So he did. With varying degrees of success.

Finally facing some real challenge, the warmage had a new rush of joy and doubled his army’s effort. After ten days they broke through the monastery’s walls. That was one insane explosion. Asumu flew backwards like an ungraceful duck; only without wings his impromptu soaring came to an early end. He still had a minor concussion as a memento from that helpful stone wall. Not that another bruise mattered at that point.

The warmage went inside the tunnels to find the sacred weapon himself and Asumu had no choice but to follow him. He had the brilliant idea to challenge the mad man to a duel – that way no other soldier could interfere. A one-on-one duel between two mages had strict rules. Watchful soldiers and nervous monks on the sidelines, Asumu had the confidence to make the first move in their fight.

And now he was backing up deeper and deeper inside the caves until his back hit hard rock. That last jump he took to avoid the bloody warhammer wasn’t his best choice. The carved alcove where he currently stood was not big enough for another evasion. More precisely, his opponent was big enough to fill the whole space, not allowing Asumu any way to run.

Asumu’s whole focus was on that damned warhammer. The alcove’s low ceiling was temporally protecting him from a wide swing but that wasn’t much of a relief. With the warmage’s brute strength it was possible to smash him while demolishing half of the alcove in the process. It would be a really undignified end for a Sanguis, to be beaten to a bloody pulp with a warhammer.

He was too young to die. He hadn’t even met his soulmate yet! Life was unfair.

Normally Asumu was a pretty unruffled guy. He knew his own strength, he knew the competency of his enemies and he knew the odds of a fight. He trusted his own capabilities and skills and he never started a duel when his opponent was way over his head. Asumu was neither stupid nor egotistic but frankly, he had never met an opponent who was stronger than him. Knowing his kind, his bloodline and his training, that just wasn’t possible.

And if, in a strange twist of fate, he would face a scenario where he could truly leave his teeth behind, his brother, Foe, would have warned him before. Or sent somebody after him to help.

Well, no rescuers here. No divine intervention. That left his own wits to help him in his current situation.

Asumu franticly searched for a way out of his (not so) certain doom and abruptly, in the corner of his eye, he saw something black. Something that definitely wasn’t a rock. As the warmage swung down his hammer, smashing through stone and air, Asumu grabbed the ebony item with his left hand to block it. Whatever was that thing, he didn’t hope that it could withstand the full force of the warhammer; he only wanted to redirect the force of the blow a bit.

What happened after that was nothing either of them anticipated.

As it turned out, the black thingy was a sword. And it sliced through the warhammer like a hot knife goes through a stick of butter. Asumu only held the weapon (luckily) blade up to block the attack and the head of the hammer simply passed through it and hit the floor in two separate pieces. The warmage stared at him with eyes double the size what was healthy. Asumu stared at the weapon in his hand in the same way. Then his astonishment slowly gave way to admiration.

The sword in his grip was elegant and beautiful. At first glance it didn’t really look like a weapon at all, more like a simple rod. The whole thing from the hilt to the tip of the blade was made out of one big onyx crystal. It was blacker than the night sky, devoid of colors like a black hole. There was no crossguard on it; the blade was straight and one-edged. It didn’t have a narrowing tip but an angular one. The surface of the whole sword was not flintlike but smooth, shining and perfect.

It was a true masterpiece.

Like everything else made from the right crystal, the sword hummed with magic. It was light like a feather but could cut through anything. Not just material, magical seals, too.

The warmage was still in complete shock when Asumu liberated his head from his neck. The huge body crumbled next to the useless warhammer while the wide-eyed head rolled away in the dust. Asumu stepped over it, not bothering with a second glance. He had more interesting things in his hands now.

He did a few experimental swings with the onyx sword. Light and deadly. In the utter silence around him he could even hear the air getting sliced apart. He was so excited he couldn’t even feel his exhaustion anymore.

“This sword is brilliant!” Happily, Asumu turned towards the monks who stood at the entrance of the cave in stunned motionlessness with their chins on the ground and their eyes yo-yoing between him and the dangling weapon. “Who made it? Why did you leave it here to gather dust? And– why are you looking at me like that?”

One of the monks gulped audibly and stepped forward. “My lord…” He swallowed again. “My most honorable lord, that is our sacred sword, the– the Black Claw.”

“Oh… ooooh!” Realization drew on Asumu’s face. “Sorry, really sorry! Didn’t know.” Desacralizing a basically holy relic was not the best way to make friends with the locals. If his mother had been here she would have scolded him into oblivion. “Sorry. I will just… put it back… there.” With an awkward smile he sidelined to the altar from where he snatched off the sword, and proceeded to place it back while apologizing feverishly.

“No-no,” objected the monk after he shook himself out of another fit of shock, “you don’t need to. Whoever could lift up the sword and wield it, that one is the true master of it. The Black Claw is yours.” Then he bowed his head deeply and after a beat his fellow monks rashly copied him. It wouldn’t be a good idea to be at the bad side of the future ruler of the universe.

“Really? Mine?” Asumu just blinked, then a childish smile lit up his face. “Thanks! I will take care of it, promise!” And with that Asumu walked away, humming happily. World domination was a boring prospect but he couldn’t wait to see his cousins’ face when he showed them his new, incredible weapon!

The monks simply stared after him and the remaining soldiers of the warmage run away in terror.

[sanguisanthology]

Asumu Sanguis

APPEARANCE: As a usual redeye, Asumu is moderately tall (175 cm) and has a slender, feminine built. His body is more sinewy than muscular, and he’s extremely acrobatic and flexible. He wears his shoulder-long black hair tied up in different styles. His face has a strong resemblance to his father’s – a mixture of Caucasian and Asian complexion. He has pale skin, almond-shaped eyes and soft, androgynous features with a hint of masculinity. His eyes are the typical Sanguis reddish-brown ones.

He prefers black, long-sleeved, close-fitting clothes and laced-up boots. He wears his sword, the Black Claw (a ninjato sword made out of an onyx crystal), at his left hip in a fashion that the blade stands almost behind him rather than at his side. As is the case with the Sanguis family, his sword does not have a scabbard.

PERSONALITY: Asumu is confident, carefree and easygoing. He has a laidback, relaxed, constantly cheerful character. Since he grew up in a big, loving family during peacetime and in a harmonious environment, he has a healthy self-esteem and a balanced personality (in another word, an ego). He’s self-assured to the point that you can rarely see him anything but playful and untroubled. His unwavering gleefulness and his total disregard of the mood of his surroundings can irritate many people.

Asumu is a free spirit; he doesn’t like responsibilities, only doing what he wants. As a redeye, he loves traveling around alone, discovering new and beautiful places. Also, he loves getting into trouble. They say the Sanguises are walking trouble-magnets. Asumu embraced that ill luck with both hands. Contrary to pureblood redeyes he likes to visit populated cities and find any conflict or fight wherein he can dive head first. He’s an excellent actor; he usually plays an unimportant role, helping the party he chooses from behind. He doesn’t want credit for his actions just a good brawl he could participate in. He’s always confident about his victory but also knows when to back up. In contrast to many of his relatives he prefers trickery and seduction to straightforward and honest ways.

To Shaana’s greatest annoyance Asumu positively likes bashing and can turn any trash-talk into flirting with a charming little smile on his face.

MAGIC AND FIGHTING ABILITY: Conceived in the Heart of Enola during a magical ceremony, Asumu was born with extraordinary magical potential. Although the maximum scaling of magical power goes to upper 10, Asumu in his top condition can reach 11. He is a magical creature through and through; he can learn and wield any kind of magic. As half redeye bloodmagic comes natural to him. He is also a master of elemental-magic, sealscribing, illusions, telepathy, healing, bardic-magic, soulanimal summoning… Frankly, it would be easier to say what he’s not good at: he’s not a Seer. And that’s it.

Besides magic Asumu is trained in sword fighting. Swords being the favored weapons of the Sanguis family, Asumu has his own unique blade, the magical Black Claw (known to be able to cut through anything, and can only be held by its true master), which he wields in his father’s trademark style (that is, using an unorthodox reverse grip). Although a redeye can use any of their hands for combat, Asumu, unlike his other family members, prefers his left hand.

With good instincts, inhuman reflexes and an athletic body, Asumu has no problem fighting without a weapon. He’s nimble, quick and hard to catch. His favorite technic is the midair neck-lock with his legs, which uses the rotational force of his movement to flip the other body to the ground (Vovinam style).

SHORT HISTORY: Asumu is the third and last child of Reijin and Mira, born when the two of them retired to Enola after the coming of the Golden Age. Asumu lives in a mostly peaceful universe, after the times of devastating wars and disharmony. He spent his childhood (roughly two hundred years) in the secure Enola, Mira’s City. When he reached adulthood he set out to wander around the universe alone. He doesn’t work for the intergalactic empire, Maszangar like his siblings, but occasionally helps out if they ask him. He temporarily took over the leadership of the Mage Alliance from his nephew and niece when they had problems in their private life. He only maintains connections with his family, but apart from that he acts freely, without any responsibilities.

Asumu met his soulmate, Shaana, later in life, and had a hard time winning her over. Currently they have one daughter, Rinne.

+1 INFORMATION: He loves singing so much he wouldn’t mind if his life would be a musical with random songs in every five minutes.

[sanguisanthology]

Meeting Your Heroes

Liza felt like her heart was beating in her throat and took a deep, ragged breath.

“Calm down,” she rebuked herself. “No need to worry, everything will be fine.”

She didn’t convince herself. She tried to look confident and collected but her hand trembled on the doorknob. She still couldn’t believe this was real, that she wasn’t just dreaming. That on the other side of the door the legendary Mage and the Executor were having tea with her foster parents. That she could personally meet with the famed Mira and Reijin.

Ever since Liza could remember she loved the stories and fables about the Star’s Chosen One and her soulmate. She knew every tale and legend by heart and she was convinced of the truth of every word of them.

Although many travelers from different worlds visited the royal palace who gladly told stories to an eager little princess, Liza heard most of the tales from Zília, her old-time friend. The woman was immortal and powerful like her legendary heroes, and she knew numerous fables which she willingly shared. She stuffed Liza’s head full with the heroic adventures of Mira and Reijin. When she was younger her favorite ones were the retellings of their undying love – how the Mage chose immortality, something she rejected before, just to be with her soulmate forever. Every time Zília came to visit she demanded this story from her to be told over and over again!

And now the Mage and the Executor had personally come to their little planet! Liza had had to sit down when the king, her father had told her the news that the Starfederation had sent them as a delegation. And now they were here, in the other room, and Liza couldn’t stop shaking. Would they live up to her expectations? Would they be more?

She took another deep breath and opened the door.

The tea-room was a cozy and bright chamber which ended as a wide balcony. The glazy double-door was open and the light breeze coming from the ocean gently fluttered the white curtains. Colorful and lush plants filled the place and with the matching flower-patterned tapestry on the walls the room looked more like a greenhouse than a meeting area. All this with the two cushy, double armchairs placed around a small, artistic table created a snug, intimate atmosphere.

The king and queen occupied the armchair facing the door; as their adopted daughter stepped inside they smiled at her reassuringly and the icy grip inside Liza’s stomach lessened. Sitting on the other armchair, with her back to her, was a foreign woman. When the royal couple looked up she also turned around to see who entered the room.

Liza saw many portraits of the Star’s Mage but none of them made any justice to the young woman who was facing her now. She was beautiful with her dainty features and curly, golden-brown cascade of hair, while intense warmth radiated from her eyes. The latter confused Liza; she was pretty sure this was the first time they met yet the other woman looked at her like she knew her. Like she was proud of her.

Liza couldn’t help herself, she embarrassedly combed through her straight, dark brown hair, effectively messing up the elaborate bun. She totally forgot about that. Quickly, she hid her hands behind her back and forcefully stopped biting her lower lip. Never in her sixteen years of life had she been this nervous.

The king cleared his throat and saved her. “Lady Mira and Lord Reijin, may I introduce you Princess Lizandra,” he announced ceremonially.

Liza stopped fidgeting, puzzled; she didn’t sense any other presence in the room. It was only the four of them, her parents, the Mage and her…

She caught a movement from the corner of her eye and spun around. From the shade of two greeneries near the wall another person stepped out. Liza watched stunned as the man leisurely walked towards her– no, not a man. A redeye.

Reijin was all that the legends described. He had an agelessness in his calm features and the lithe and silent movement of a predator. He had the black clothes, white hair and blood-red eyes like in every picture – only, he now had both of his eyes uncovered. Liza was sure that in every story and portrait she knew the Executor had only one good eye while the other was hidden under an eyepatch. Legends said he lost that left eye in a horrible way when he was young. Or that was what Zília had told her, anyway.

Reijin stopped within arm’s reach and tilted his head sideways. Liza didn’t dare to move while he studied her with piercing, curious eyes. Then Reijin raised his hand and that moment the hair on the back of her neck stood up and she felt dizzy…

“Reijin, stop testing her!”

The moment broke and Liza remembered to breath. Reijin’s hand stopped midway and the redeye glanced over his shoulder to look at the fussing Mira. There was a beat of silence between them and Liza had the distinct impression that the two of them were communicating… Then Reijin turned back to her.

“Sorry.” Although he said that his tone and smile was more absentminded than apologetic. Not that Liza minded – she was too busy with the realization that what she felt earlier was probably Reijin’s magic.

And it had been overwhelming!

There were two things Liza had always known: one, that she was adopted – her parents did not hide that as a shameful secret – and two, that she had magic. Knowing the latter, they could hardly keep the truth from her about her parentage, for in their home-world magic was scarce. There were sorcerers, yes, but nobody as powerful as a mage. Liza knew her potential was of the later; only there was nobody there who could teach her. She was mostly self-taught, had keen intuitions in many forms of magic and learned fast, but that was nowhere near enough. She was capable of much more; she knew it.

“You are beyond help,” sighed Mira as Reijin stepped next to her armchair.

“You are nearly crying you know that?” he replied nonchalantly which gained him a Look, with capital letters.

Liza tentatively moved closer to stood at her mother’s side but Mira patted the empty seat beside her invitingly. She hesitated for a minute then sat there instead. It was a weird feeling, sitting near the legendary Mage while the equally famed redeye stood behind them like a sentinel. Liza only dared to glance at them from the corner of her eye and what she saw was Reijin resting his hand on Mira’s shoulder and Mira reassuringly gripping that hand while stroking slow circles on it with her thumb. None of them looked at her but stared ahead, the Mage with unshed tears in her eyes and the redeye with a soft smile playing on his lips.

And that was all that Liza needed. She also turned ahead and poured herself a cup of tea. Just as the steam towered from the hot drink her nervousness evaporated, too. The lump in her throat disappeared and her shaking stopped. She did not imagine her heroes quite like this – she expected them to be more stern, more commanding – but something was no doubt true: Mira and Reijin loved each other deeply. It was like the last pieces of a puzzle that finally fit together and with it Liza was sure that the pair was one and the same with the ones in the legends, and that she – thanks to Zília – already knew the two of them from the bottom of her heart.

She felt as if nothing could twist and shatter her world now. Weeks later she could only marvel at her own naivety. How could she not have known? Zília with her cheeky smile and obsessed story-telling, the fact that she was adopted by an elderly royal couple of a small, peaceful, fringe planet of the Starfederation, or her own reddish-brown eyes and extraordinary potential of magic… How could she not have figured it out sooner?

Why could she not have realized that Mira and Reijin were her real parents before everything went wrong?