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Post by Seraphim on Mar 9, 2005 10:29:58 GMT -5
Appearance:Sephirah is not a very intimidating physical specimen, but the ominous presence he exudes, and the vast power he wields, make him look and feel as dangerous as he truly is. Standing at an even six feet, two inches, Sephirah has a very toned, slender build, allowing maximum performance in both the speed and strength areas. His hair is silver in color, almost platinum in the correct light, and just a bit longer than chin length. His eyes are an odd color, onyx black, giving him a look of no emotion whatsoever. Though not visible normally, Sephirah's Omnis lineage provided one wing on his right side, quite decent in size. The wing, though normally thought to be white, is pure black, with dark blue razor-sharp tips at the ends. His most noticeable feature, however, is the marking he bears on his right arm and shoulder. The marking is a series of symbols in which he has not yet learned to decipher, given to him by the 'mother' Omnis, Shuinia. Sephirah's Evolution:I believe every character has stages in which it becomes the character you want it to be, but with everything, time changes things, and the only way to a successful character is to change it with the times. To let it go through its natural evolution until it becomes apparent that it fits in with the current story. Sephirah's role in the story of Zephyr Stigma is to be the tormented Omnis, one who uses his full potential to harm those that have wronged him. This role makes Sephirah the "Calamity From The Skies", an ancient being who has the power to destroy whatever he touches. This is Sephirah's evolution. Behind The Character:The legend of Sephirah continues on in Zephyr Stigma, adding more and more to quite possibly the greatest character ever developed, ranging from all aspects. As a roleplayer, a character like Sephirah is a -privledge- to use. His omnipotent-like stature is second to none, and though I've enjoyed playing Sephirah in the past, this new story in Zephyr Stigma is bringing this character new life. He's finally going to be able to test his limits, and perhaps help tell one of the greatest stories we've ever had.
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Post by Seraphim on Mar 9, 2005 11:59:16 GMT -5
Muramasa:Swords made by Muramasa and Masamune were held upright in a running stream; every dead leaf floating down the stream that drifted against Muramasa's sword was cut in two. The leaves approaching the blade of Masamune passed by either side uncut. True compassion cuts in a similar fashion. It does not blindly cut simply because it can. True compassion sees the Ascendant floating in all things and clearly recognizes the perfect moment for action. The Ascendant is infinitely patient. It recognizes no need to push the river. From the standpoint of infinity there is infinite time. Only those who are truly ready and willing receive the most deft cuts. With this cutting, the ego-based self more quickly falls away, revealing the infinite, unbounded shining from within. Sephirah had crafted the Muramasa in accordance to these principles, adding the destructive power of his Masamune to the dual-bladed weapon. As before, anything that touches the blade is inhibited by it's power, and paralyzed while still in contact with it. The dual-blades are forms of light and darkness, making each swing twice as fast as normal, also leaving behind a shadow arc that is just as deadly as the original cut. Specifications:Height: 51 inches (4 feet, 3 inches) Width: 3 inches Type: Nodachi Material: Unknown Synopsis: The Muramasa is only apt to be handled by its master, reacting quite maliciously towards anything else to touch its blade. When the blade comes in contact with another being, it sends a shriek that disrupts the users nervous system, causing temporary paralysis, or until the being is brought apart from the blade.
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Post by Seraphim on Mar 9, 2005 12:02:32 GMT -5
Sephirah's Abilities:Sephirah's power is quite possibly one of the most destructive forces ever to be witnessed, and few have ever lived through an encounter to tell the story.. Completely mastering the properties of energy and the currents they flow through, Sephirahs control over the atoms and currents is his ultimate weapon. As well as being well-versed with the black and white magic arts, Sephirah has one wing that rests on his right side. More often than not, Sephirah doesn't have this appendage showing, but it's structure is unbelieveably strong, and it's feathers are just as sharp as the blade he wields. Doors to Tomorrow:Ability Name: Doors to Tomorrow Type: Non-elemental/Status Origin: Doors of Tomorrow (Offensive) Synopsis: The evolved form of the Doors of Tomorrow, and the one technique Sephirah is not prone to use. The techniques begins when a black/purple sphere forms before Sephirah, the energy currents opening up to the spheres will. Several of the currents begin to form into lines, coursed with the raw energy within the air, surrounding the opponent in an invisible prison of energy lines. When the lines are visable, the energy before Sephirah begins expanding outwards, bonding with the 'Iae' lines, causing an instant catastrophic pulsar to be set off, covering all the energy Iae lines before him. The Iae lines are simply the channels in which energy travels, and this move is basically a way of controlling them. Seraphical Sin:Ability Name: Seraphical Sin Type: Non-elemental/Status Potency: Deadly Origin: Doors of Tomorrow (Offensive) Synopsis: The trademark move of Sephirah, Seraphical Sin has only altered slightly due to the evolution of it's user. Sephirah buries his Muramasa into the ground tip-first, creating a shockwave emitting from its power to form a circle of blue/white spheres around the victim, in a slightly wider radius. The spheres send an energy disruption through the currents to disallow the forming of any raw energy into a spell or ability, only allowing energy already formed into a spell to remain in effect. Sephirah then grabs the hilt of his Muramasa and rips it out of the ground, coming into a whirlwind swipe that sends the spheres inwards towards his victim. The spheres come forth towards the opponent in a destructive energy display, sending it's disruptive pulse through throughout the area around the opponent, nulling his energy preperations to nothing if the energy somehow comes in contact with the opponent. Apocrypha:Ability Name: Apocrypha Type: Non-elemental Origin: Apocrypha (Defensive) Synopsis: Due to Sephirah's mastery of the energy currents, Apocrypha was formed to slow down the process of energy gathering and usage by his opponent. Several blue flashes erupt around the certain areas where the opponents energy is gathered the most, creating 'bursts' that cover a large radius outside of the energy gathering, slowing down the currents to a stagnant point. When the currents slow down, the energy gathered, if tried to use offensively, is caught within the currents, and deemed useless. The energy is then stuck there, remaining dorment until Sephirah decides to use it for his own purposes. Apocrypha is only usable against gathered energy outside the body, so if the energy is being gathered within, the ability is useless. Once the energy is brought outside the body, Apocrypha is able to target it. Song of Shuinia:Ability Name: Song of Shuinia Type: Non-elemental Origin: Apocrypha (Offensive) Synopsis: Song of Shuinia is Sephirah's most devastating ability, surpassing the destructive power of even the Doors to Tomorrow. The Song of Shuinia can only be used in conjunction with Apocrypha, needing the power brought forth by the spell to reach its zenith point. After Apocrypha makes the energy dorment within the air, 9 points are marked out in a star-like shape around the area, letting the Song of Shuinia begin. Blue lines of pure energy radiate from the earth to the 9 points, creating a visible 'star' around the opponent, leaving them at the mercy of Sephirahs power. When the star is aligned, the energy shoots out in a shockwave, bonding with the dorment energy in the air, creating a massive cataclysmic energy release that envelops the entire area. Ultima:Ability Name: Ultima Type: Non-elemental/Status Potency: Strong Origin: Sephirah Synopsis: The most potent form of dark magic, Ultima is Sephirah's prized technique, one that he has perfected through it's time. The spell starts as a form of energy within Sephirah's hand, and then is released into the energy currents before him, where he can wield it's power however he wishes. Ultima is most commonly used as a destroy-all move, though it has also served it's purpose as a defensive 'barrier' as well. The energy either expands infront of him, releasing into the currents to take to the air, raining down upon the opponent in a shower of cataclysmic energy, or simply expands outwards into the currents, creating the dreaded "Super Nova" effect, in which it covers a large radius in the same type of energy very quickly. Ability Name: Meteora Type: Non-elemental Potency: Strong Origin: Seraphim (Offensive) Synopsis: Meteora (the real version), is Sephirah's most standard ability. The green energy forms into a small globe in his right hand, which is then released outwards in a flurry of blue waves. The air behind the waves, which inter-cross, becomes a pale white, black blotches of exploding raw energy following behind the waves until it reaches it's destination, in which it sets off a bonding of the two energies. The result is simply a spherical outburst of combined energies around the victim. A black/white abyss of pure radiating energy that envelops the opponent and begins to destroy their body on contact. Ability Name: Seraphim Harvest Type: Defensive/Status Origin: Seraphim Synopsis: During the course of many battles, Sephirah has noticed his opponents dependancy on their artifacts or special weapons, and through his mastery of everything around him, he devised a way of stopping all those nuisances. The Seraphim Harvest is a defensive aura that forms itself around Sephirah when gathered into a bright light around one of his hands. It also emits a pulse that disrupts the enchantments and status altering-effects put on armor or anything else within the area, causing them to be nullified. The aura is infinitely stronger than his regular energy, amplified through the spell to defend against even higher-level energy. Requiem:Overdrive Name: Requiem Type: Non-elemental (Offensive) Origin: Seraphical Sin Synopsis: The evolution Sephirah has gone through has changed many things, but the torture and anguish his life has brought upon him is still very much alive inside of him. Requiem, Sephirah's overdrive, utilizes the unparallel power within, causing the chain of events that have led him to this very point to come to the surface, and manifest into a truly horrifying scene. The intense energy and flames that once surrounded the city of Guya explodes outwards in a pillar of catastrophic power, extending the radius mile after mile. Once it reaches its zenith point, Sephirah's one wing extends out of his back, and he raises his arms to the sky, causing a meteor shower of the same energy used for Seraphical Sin to blanket the ground within the radius.
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Post by Seraphim on Mar 9, 2005 12:54:58 GMT -5
Seraphiel:Name: Seraphiel (Kadosh) Type: Dragon/Seraphim Height: 13 feet Origin: Sephirah Synopsis: The first of the nine orders of angels in medieval angelology, the Seraphim is linked to the origin of the Omnis. Seraphiel is the manifestation of the sins and purity reborn through the Doors to Tomorrow, in which Sephirah controls. Taking resemblance to the Seraphim by the six wings it has, Seraphiel is a creature like no other. His dragon-like features confuse his onlookers, though it's clear he's a holy being by the white wings he bears. Though intimidating by appearance, Seraphiel's power is what really captivates his master. The summon is capable of executing both the Song of Shuinia spell, as well as the Ultima spell, and is well-versed in the art of white magic, which it uses in conjunction with it's dark magic to perform highly-potent spells that can disable his opponents with ease. It's razor-sharp wings are highly durable against physical strikes, as well as energy excursions. It's tail, about eight feet in length, is spiked with horns all the way down it's shaft, finally leading to a large four-foot blade that curves out of it's tail base.
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Post by Seraphim on Mar 9, 2005 12:56:13 GMT -5
The Omnis:Name: The Omnis Appearance: Human Hair Color: Silver Eye Color: Varies (Mostly blue/green) Synopsis: From the very beginning, the Omnis were created as beings that held the keys to the gate, the protectors of what was in the planets best interest. There were 7 Omnis created to begin with, Shuinia being the first, and the 6 others followed. They were simply guardians of the planet, watchers that made sure that the planet, if it were ever in trouble, would be saved to the best of their ability. Each Omnis was particularly strong with energy, and through that, their hold on the world was very formidable. They were never seen by the people, as they were only hooded figures that slept in stasis deep within the caverns of the planet. When the world was presumed to be in danger, the 7 arose to find themselves disappearing from the plane of existance. As a young mother-to-be sat in Guya City singing her beautiful song, a hooded stranger placed his hand on her pregnant belly, transfering his essence into her unborn child. That child, however, was Sephirah, the 8th Omnis. As Sephirah was human as well, the essence of the Omnis made him infinitely stronger, giving him almost God-like abilities compared to those around him. The unique dycotomy of his human self and the Omnis energy made Sephirah much more capable than any of his predecessors. He is virtually immune to all human ailments, such as hunger/thirst, disease, and the normal weaknesses towards fire and ice seemed to be nothing to him at all. His energy capabilties soared beyond belief as well, as all Omnis were very adept anyways, and the usual two wings that signified the Omnis was cut down to only one for Sephirah.
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Post by Seraphim on Mar 9, 2005 14:17:04 GMT -5
"I do not know
Who you are
What your name may be
I’ve only watched you from afar"
I still remember the first time I saw him. He was beautiful if the term could truly be applied to a man. Smartly cut black hair that shined with the gleam of a raven’s wing and eyes so light a gray that they appeared silver. I was waiting at the main lobby in the Shiranui Building, reporting for my first day of work when he walked by.
A tall, lean man dressed in the dark navy suit that soon I was to learn the official uniform of the special Shiranui agents known as SENTINEL. Surprisingly, the severe color only served to enhance his fine features, drawing my attention to him more firmly. He strolled across the hallway, seemingly heedless of the world around him but I was sure that little escaped him. He felt my glance and paused so ever briefly, looking at my direction. Embarrassed to be caught like a staring teenager, I quickly lowered my head, hoping that he could not tell I was the one.
" Professor Ilfaria? I’m sorry to keep you waiting. Security has just cleared your documents; I will take you to the Science Division now. Follow me, please. "
" Oh! Thank you! "
I flushed a little, startled out of my reverie by the receptionist’s voice. I would be deeply mortified if the woman thought I was acting like an old maid, mooning over the first attractive man I saw. Then again, it was exceedingly rare to see a handsome man in my line of work so why should I stop myself from looking my fill when I had a chance?
A small smile touched my lips as I picked up my briefcase and hurried after the receptionist. As I stepped into one of the huge glass lifts, I could not resist the impulse to turn and see if the man was still around. Much to my disappointment, he was already gone.
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Post by Seraphim on Mar 9, 2005 14:18:06 GMT -5
"Aeons you slept,
Deep in ice embedded.
Until the day
We woke you once again…"
"Professor Vaerin, I’ve just received another warning that a blizzard is approaching. I think it would be a good idea to call it a day and get back to base camp," I could barely get the words out with my teeth chattering from the cold.
"Yes, we better get back. My hands are starting to lose their sense of feeling. Ilfaria, let’s pack up and go before the storm breaks. It’ll be our deaths if we are caught out here." Vaerin turned away from the glacier he was studying with oblivious reluctance.
I motioned our two escorts over and hurried to stow away our equipment. I pitied the two men unfortunate to be out with us, as they had to stand around in the cold and guard the two of us from any danger. It did not help at all that the temperature plunged sharply today. The first snowfall hit us as we were piling into the snowmobile. I could not see anything at all; there was only stark whiteness all around us and the icy wind that howled like a banshee foretelling the visit of Death.
There was no way in which I could tell where we were going; I could only put my faith in the technology vested in the machine in which we were travelling. I wondered if we would perish out here, in this land of snow and ice far away from the world. Perhaps dying in this vast wintry landscape would be better than drawing one’s last breath in dark, polluted Guya where one never saw the color of the sky. The northern world was a beautiful place, belonging solely to nature, untouched by man, and untouched by the Shiranui. This was the only place where the aurora could be seen and the shifting rainbow colors across the sky never failed to lift my spirits every cold morning.
"Are you alright, Ilfaria? You are usually not so quiet. Is anything wrong?" Vaerin’s voice was full of concern.
That was the one quality that endeared the kindly professor to all. He truly cared for the people around him regardless of who they might be. While I admired him for this, I could not decide if it was more of an asset or a liability.
"It’s nothing, I’m just a little tired. I stayed up last night, finishing a report," I forced my stiff lips into a reassuring smile.
"I think you work too hard. Do take care of yourself, I wouldn’t want to lose such an able assistant."
"Thank you, Professor. I’ll take care."
It had been almost a year since I joined the Shiranuis Science Division as a biologist. While young women my age should be enjoying an active social life, I never had the inclination to widen my social circle and meet more people besides those I worked with. Most of the men I came across, even though there were not many, were shallow individuals who only pretended interest in me and my work. Science was my passion; it had always been since the time I was a child. I was satisfied as long as I had my work and it was work that brought me to the northern part of the world. I came along with Professor Vaerin to survey the area surrounding the giant crater on this frigid, forbidding land and found the "thing" that changed my life forever.
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Post by Seraphim on Mar 9, 2005 14:18:48 GMT -5
"Survivor and destroyer
Of a forgotten time and age.
Your hunger remains unabated
Your existence, desolation unceasing"
The storm blew itself out during the night and the morning dawned peacefully. Looking at the unchanging white horizon, the blizzard seemed not to have left any trace of its fury. We only suffered a minor loss of a supply tent ripped away by the raging winds. Its contents were only buried and after some digging, recovered. In a way I was glad because if we lost the supplies, the expedition would have to be cut short. Even though the temperature was extreme, I was strangely reluctant to leave this place.
After the supplies had been secured, we set out once again for our last location. Vaerin was anxious to get back to the glacier and collect some core samples. Our primary purpose was to study the crater but the climate and the huge glaciers hampered our progress, making it extremely difficult to get close enough. We soon shifted our focus to studying the glaciers instead.
"Ilfaria? Can you give me a hand here? " Vaerin called out.
"Hold on a second, I’ll be right over," I answered as I picked out the equipment needed.
The two of us worked diligently, using pen-lasers to cut away clips from the gigantic block of ice. For once, we were grateful for the freezing temperature for it ensured the chips from melting. Samples from different glaciers were carefully tagged and labeled to facilitate analysis, the batch from the glacier we were presently working on was tagged as "G5". I carefully put the G5 batch away and moved on to take samples from another block of ice. The whole process continued until the cold forced us back to base camp again.
My eyes were too dry from an entire evening spend poring over the microscope, scrutinizing each and every sample. There was only one more batch to go and I wanted to finish studying them before I retired for the night. I returned my rapidly dwindling concentration to the latest sample at hand; recording down what I saw when I was interrupted by Professor Vaerin who was working at the next table.
"Ilfaria! Look at this and tell me I’m not dreaming!" I had never heard the professor so excited before.
I looked into his microscope and I could not speak.
There were cells embedded inside the piece of ice.
Cells of a living organism.
Throughout the remainder of the night, we worked none stop examining all the core samples from the entire G5 batch. They all contained the same kind of cells that pulsed with a strange biorhythm. A biorhythm that none of us had ever seen before. Yet, its structure was vaguely humanlike.
"Could it be? Could it really be… that I have found one of them?"
I did not understand what Vaerin was saying at that moment, but in time I would know everything there was to know and know everything too late to change the choices that I made.
Intrigued and eager, we immediately sent reports back to Guya, requesting for heavier equipment to retrieve the whole organism. Within the space of two days, we had our answer. With the necessary machines, the recovery work was a breeze. I could barely contain my excitement, it was the discovery of a lifetime and I wanted to start studying this living entity the moment I set foot in Guya.
We had found an Omnis.
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Post by Seraphim on Mar 9, 2005 14:19:49 GMT -5
"An angel with silver eyes,
Fell into my life.
I could have tasted heaven
Yet I chose to step into hell…"
Three months had gone by without my notice. The laboratories were my life. Nothing mattered more to me than Shuinia. The honor of the naming was Vaerin and he christened the Omnis after his late wife. There was so much to learn and discover about this forgotten race. It was an uphill battle to separate the myths from the facts from the scant records that were available. In a sense, Shuinia became an obsession. Every waking moment I had was devoted to research, I wanted to know everything about the Omnis, the name the protectors called themselves. Never in my wildest dreams did I expecting him to come crashing into my world or more accurately, me to crash into his.
"Now where is that book again? I thought it was supposed to be here somewhere." I mumbled to myself absently as my eyes roamed shelf after shelf.
I simply could not comprehend why the blasted book was missing. No one would read the book; much less take anything from this forgotten section provided that people actually knew it existed in the first place. Sequestered in a musty little corner room on the 62nd floor, which was entirely the level for the Science Research Library, with its door semi-blocked by a shelf was the section devoted to the Omnis.
I had no idea how long it has been since someone used the little room so I was surprised when the door could be open without any difficulty. I thought the hinges would have been terribly rusted by now but the door swung opened without so much as a squeak. I was further amazed to discover that the whole place showed little trace of dust. It was as if time had frozen and preserved everything as it was years ago.
"No, it’s not here. Hmmm…. Maybe Professor Vaerin took it? Guess I’ll have to ask him for it then," I sighed with disappointment.
I was turning to leave when I thought I saw a shadow moved. Startled, I reared my head and glanced into a pair of cool gray eyes. I could not move nor could I look away. Yet there he was, so nonchalant, perched on the high window ledge with his profile half in shadow from the evening sun, gazing down at me. I had forgotten all about him, the man I saw in the lobby so long ago. Flustered and unsure of myself, I did not know what to say and the moment stretched into silence.
"Hello."
His voice was a rich, deep baritone, and it brought me back to reality.
"Oh hello! Sorry to have disturbed you. I’m just about to leave." Never having been caught in this kind of situation before, the only thought I had in my mind to flee.
"Wait… It’s all right. I presume you are looking for this?" He reached out, holding the very book I wanted.
I fought an inner battle. Half of me wanted desperately to escape while the other half wanted just as desperately to step closer and take the book from his outstretched hand. Feeling my unease, he smiled tentatively and made my decision for me. I crossed the distance between us and received the book. Finally remembering my manners, I introduced myself.
"I’m Ilfaria."
"Ilfaria? Assistant to Professor Vaerin? I’ve read your journals. They are very well written."
"Oh, thank you. What I have in those scientific articles are only purely my personal views. Many may not agree totally." I smiled, pleasantly surprised that he actually knew about me.
"I'm Caeladius, co-leader of SENTINEL with Ash Silvestri"
"Caeladius…I heard about you." It was the truth, I have been in the Shiranui long enough to know all about the covert operations that SENTINEL are highly proficient at.
"Sorry." He apologized, expecting that I would not want anything to do with a professional assassin.
"Don’t be. It’s no crime to be an adept at your job. Science is practically my life." I spoke understandingly.
"I would really like to talk to you regarding your works. Would you be free tomorrow at this time?"
"Let me see… I’ll be in the labs in the morning… Yes, I’m free."
"Good. I’ll meet you at the Staff Lounge on the 61st floor then."
"Good-bye, Ilfaria."
"See you tomorrow, Caeladius."
That was how everything started. An affair without an end and a love that should never have begun.
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Post by Seraphim on Mar 9, 2005 14:20:33 GMT -5
"Must pain be felt
If one is to love?
Must tears then fall
When it all turns to hate?"
We saw each other almost everyday after that except during the times Caeladius was away on an assignment. Without realizing it, our little meetings and discussions became a source of joy in my otherwise mundane existence. I was slowly starting to contemplate that could be more in my life than science. It was so easy to talk to him about anything; he was such a good listener. Caeladius paid careful attention to everything I had to say, and while his responses were usually succinct, they were always full of insight. Very soon, our topics progressed from work to more personal matters.
Bit by bit I learned about his past and discovered that lying beneath the stoic demeanor was a sensitive soul. I had to admit to myself; I was becoming hopelessly drawn to Caeladius. His infrequent smiles were like the rays of sunlight that could never penetrate through the dark smokey atmosphere that shrouded the entire city of Guya. No man had ever made me feel this way, basking in the warm of his smiles, I could almost believe that I was a beautiful, attractive woman.
I had fallen for him.
It was so natural, the way I felt about Caeladius, but I did not dare to let him know. It was all too new and foreign a concept for me to understand. I was in love and I had never been in love before. I did not dare dream that Caeladius could feel the same way about me. I was so dull; all I knew about was science. I was not even remotely pretty with a face that was so forgettable. How could such a handsome man possibly care for me in that way?
Caeladius proved me wrong.
"I’ve got to go now. Still have a report to write,"
I said it so casually yet inside I was so filled with reluctance. I wished desperately that I could only stay a little while longer and enjoy his company. I was about to push back my chair when Caeladius suddenly caught hold of my hand. Confused and disconcerted, I glanced at his face and was struck silent by the look in his eyes. Like silver mirrors, I saw myself reflected inside. I once thought Caeladius’s eyes were so cold, yet now they seemed to burn. Burn with a pale flame that warmed my heart. His voice was so gentle when he spoke.
"Stay with me, just a little longer?"
I hesitated, unable to answer. There were still doubts at the back of my mind but a sudden impulse made me took this chance. Looking once more at the silent entreaty in those light gray orbs, I nodded my head.
That night, Vincent took me out of Guya on a drive. I did not know where we were going but there was little need to know. All that matters was that I was with him. Leaving the perpetually polluted darkness that was Guya behind, the landscape flowed by, everything rendered into a blur by the speed of the land cruiser which we traveled in. It was a while before we finally stopped.
"Come," Vincent offered his hand to help me down.
Taking his hand, I stepped into another world. We were standing all alone in the midst of a vast open plain. I could not tell where it all begun and where it ended. It was a living emerald sea that met the sable sky, a tapestry woven with only the colors black and green. The full serene moon shone down, high up from the heavens, cleansing the world with its gentle light, a benediction. For the first time, I could see the stars that speckled the boundless night like tiny diamonds.
The night wind blew across the plain, caressing my face with my wind-tossed chestnut tresses. I opened my arms, abandoning all my cares to indulge in the unconditional freedom that was offered and like a guileless child, I laughed delightedly. Vincent watched me all this while, taking quiet pleasure in my joy.
"It’s beautiful out here. So pure and untouched." Wonder filled my voice.
"Yes, that’s why I wanted you to see it."
He was so close; the words fell like a breath in my ear. Ever so slowly, his arms encircle me from behind, drawing me into his tender, inescapable embrace. There was not a single word between us yet it was all so clear. Holding me under the glowing moonlight, he gave me the most precious gift I would ever receive.
His heart.
His love.
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Post by Seraphim on Mar 9, 2005 14:21:27 GMT -5
"My heart is a shard of glass,
Brittle and fragile.
Broken with ease
Into a million pieces…"
My life was complete.
I had everything, my cherished work and Caeladius’s love. I viewed life through a rosy glow, nothing could go wrong. We meet even more frequently, spending every spare moment in each other’s company. I missed Caeladius terribly whenever he had to travel away on his missions and never was he far from my thoughts. However, I was hesitant about announcing our relationship to the world. It was bliss being with him yet something I could not name troubled me. Caeladius accepted this without any questions and for that I loved him even more.
So to everybody at Shiranui, we put up the appearance that we were merely friends. Our intimate moments were stolen in the deep of night, out in the grasslands far away from Guya where no one knew who we are. It was beneath starry night sky, surrounded by nature when we first knew each other as man and woman. He never blamed me nor demanded anything from me but it only started to make me feel more and more guilty.
I felt as if I was cheating him because I could not return his love with the same intensity. Tried as hard as I might, but there was a barrier between us that I could not breach. I only realized much later that I could have broken that obstacle easily had I dared to but I was afraid. I was frightened of the changes that Caeladius’s love had wrought on me. I was metamorphosing into a person that I did not recognize. A person that displayed her emotions openly, who laughed and smile. A complete opposite from the shy wallflower that was content to hide behind the shell that was her work. Everything happened too fast, unlike the ironbound rules of science, emotions followed entirely different principles that I did not understand. Swept away by the maelstrom that sprung from my confusion, I was lost. Caeladius could sense that something was wrong, but I refused to talk to him about it. My foolish pride believed that I could ultimately find the answer that would make all the wrongs right again.
Unwittingly, our relationship hanged in a status quo and we begun to have small arguments, mostly sparked off by me. Yet always he was the one who apologized but that only added fuel to the fire that was my anger. My work was not going well with problems hampering the progress of the Shuinia project which we had code-named "G5" and it affected me. I knew I hurt Caeladius whenever we quarrel and in turn that hurt myself. Waves of guilt engulfed me to see the worried concern in his eyes. In fact sometimes, I started to feel like a bird trapped in a cage that was too small.
It was during this turbulent time when she appeared.
I made my way towards Professor Vaerins office, with a stack of reports in my arms. Vaerin had announced earlier today that another scientist would be joining the "G5" project. His name was Halo and I must admit after reading through some of his articles that he thinking was unconventional and sometimes even strange. However, he may be the one who could inject some fresh insights to spur the project on. Preoccupied, I strolled through the open door to Vaerins cluttered office without knocking, as was my habit.
"Professor, these are the reports you wanted" I trailed off, realizing belatedly that he was not alone.
"Ilfaria! Just the person I wanted to see. Come, I have someone to introduce you to. Ash, this is my most able assistant, Ilfaria and Ilfaria meet Ash." I could hear the pride in Vaerin’s voice.
Ash Silvestri, 1st Company Commander of SENTINEL, the elite group of soldiers that the Shiranui employed before the creation of Valkyrie. I heard so much about her, both from Professor Vaerin and from rumors and gossips and she was everything I was not. Confident, poised, Ash possessed an unconscious lithe grace that flowed into all her movements. She had something about her, a presence that was almost tangible that I could feel. Ash shook my limp hand and greeted me with a smile that lighted up her dazzling azure eyes.
Standing beside her, I had never felt so aware of my own appearance. Long raven hair so dark that it shone with indigo highlights matched with sapphire eyes, Ash was a magnificent hawk and I was the common sparrow. The inferiority complex I thought I had buried long ago came surging back with revenge. From that moment forth, a seed that had lain dormant, germinated in my heart. Nurtured by my envy, it grew day by day and borne me the bitter fruit known as jealousy.
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Post by Seraphim on Mar 9, 2005 14:22:42 GMT -5
"I burned with jealousy,
A wound that never heals.
Self-inflicted pain,
A punishment without end.."
As usual, I headed towards the table we had shared for almost two years. By now, people should have guessed that we were more than casual friends, but no one asked so I was contend to keep it that way. I had my first glimpse of Halo and he struck me as a highly intelligence individual, someone who I would enjoy working with.
I rounded a corner and stopped dead in my tracks, unable to believe what I saw. Caeladius was not only talking, but was smiling at the person sitting directly across to him. The sight hit me almost like a physical blow, because the person was none other than Ash and compounding the fact that Caeladius never treated any one else in that same manner, I drew the obvious conclusion that she was definitely more than a colleague. They made such a striking couple, two beautiful people that belonged together naturally. By rights I should be storming my way over to demand an explanation as to what was going on but sadly, I felt like the interloper instead.
I was about to crept away when Ash noticed me and called out. Unable to back out of this gracefully, I summoned the last of my crumbling pride and made my way over. Talk was strained despite repeated attempts by Caeladius to draw me into the conversation, I did not want her company and I made it plain by giving short clipped answers to her questions. Embarrassed to be caught between us, Ash excused herself pleading duty. Finally, we were alone but a cold silence had settled around us.
I was reticent; my pride would not allow me to ask the question that was echoing in my head and I did not have to because Caeladius gave me the answer to my unspoken question. Ash and he were childhood friends that had grew up together in the Shiranui and being an only child, Caeladius regarded Ash as the younger sister he never had. Younger sister? I was not convinced, call it a woman’s intuition, I somehow just knew that it was not so innocent. Sitting next to him in silence, I suddenly realized that there was too much that we did not know about each other. Caeladius was so near, yet at that moment he was like a virtual stranger.
"It’s getting late and I still have things to do." I got up abruptly.
"Ilfaria? "
I heard the confusion in his voice but choose to ignore it. There was nothing more to say and my gait did not falter as I walked away.
By my own hand, I started the cold war between us. Caeladius waited for me to meet him on the 61st floor without fail, but I stood him up time and again without any explanations. I refused to answer his calls and whenever he tried to see me, I used work as an excuse. I thought that spending time away from each other would help me puzzle out our relationship. I was listening to my head; not my heart and perceptibly, I began to convince myself that loving Caeladius was a big mistake.
Strengthening this train of thought was the fact that I spent close to a year working together on the "G5" with Halo. The presence of another man brought the differences between Caeladius and me out in glaring contrast. There was nothing we shared in common. His knowledge in my field was limited and while his comments were insightful, they could not compare to those that Halo put forward in our discussions. It was Halo who came up with the brilliant idea to reconstruct Shuinia by cell regeneration.
Being with Halo, I did not have doubts about my accomplishments and myself, but when I was with Caeladius, I was not sure anymore. In the world of science, I was a gifted professor, yet when I ventured into his world, I became insecure and vulnerable. In order to be with Caeladius, I felt that I had to change and I was frightened and not prepared for such a sacrifice.
While Caeladius may think of Ash as a sister, I could discern that she did not however think of him as a brother in return. I had seen the way she looked at him and it was the look of a woman in love. Increasingly, Ash was filling in my absence. I watched them sometimes and while it hurt, I still thought that it was better for us this way.
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Post by Seraphim on Mar 9, 2005 14:24:21 GMT -5
"What if I never feel again,
My heart beating no more,
Vanishing warmth, once living
Now stone cold.."
"Ilfaria, we’ll be departing for Naharia tonight at 11.00P.M. sharp. Have you got all the materials needed? We won’t be coming back to Guya for quite some time," Vaerin asked.
"Everything ready, Professor. By the way, besides Halo, you and me, who else will be going to Naharia with us?"
"No one except for a member of SENTINEL. The lesser people involved the better." Halo remarked absently as he studied the latest progress report on Shuinia.
SENTINEL? I prayed that he was not the one. It would be impossible to avoid him if we were at Naharia. No place for me to hide away, and I was not ready to tell Caeladius that I wanted to end our relationship. I finally knew what it was to feel like being caught between a rock and a hard place. My mind keep repeating, telling me to let go and be with Halo, yet my heart could not bear the thought of never seeing him again. It was driving me insane.
"I believe you already know our SENTINEL companion, he’s called Caeladius… I’m afraid I can’t remember his last name," Halo had to mention his name.
"Caeladius…" I said with a sinking heart.
I endured the journey to Naharia in silence. Halo sat with me, but as usual he was engrossed in a science journal. Caeladius was opposite me and I knew he wanted to talk so I was grateful when Vaerin started asking questions about his job, keeping him occupied. I did not want to be so near Caeladius, until I could sort out my internal turmoil, I wanted to stay as far away as I possibly can. Yet as much as I needed to shut him away from my sight, my eyes betrayed me. I could not refrain from stealing glances at him. This was my one last chance to engrave his image into my mind; a memory that would be buried deep in time.
It took us about three hours to reach Naharia. I could not believe my eyes as I watched the night sky. The stars were so much more brilliant, illuminating the darkness like tiny lamps to guide the lost. Looking at them I could not help but recall what we shared not so long ago.
"Ilfaria…" Caeladius spoke softly as he helped me down from the helicopter.
" Yes? " My voice was cold, cutting him off.
He turned away without saying another word. This was what I wanted him to do, but why did my heart feel like as if someone had just slashed it? Resolvedly, I told myself over and over again, soon there would be no pain, everything including him would fade away given enough time. Yes, it would all dim and wane.
There was no time to waste on contemplating what was to become of Caeladius and me. I was in Naharia for the sake of Shuinia, the achievement of my life; I would not allow anything to distract me. Given the best of what technology had to offer, the laboratory was even better than what Guya had, no expenses had been spared. Cell regeneration was a slow and dangerous process, every step had to be planned and executed with extreme caution, we could not risk losing the Omnis due to carelessness. Cut off from the world in the basement of the Naharia research center, I was myself once again: Ilfaria, professor of microbiology, and not a jealous, insecure woman.
Yet once night fell and work stopped, I was back where I started, like a Cinderella without the trappings of a fairy godmother’s magic. My story had no fairy tale ending, no living happily ever after with my prince. I had to say goodbye and say it soon, but I could not find the words to say. Like a serpent that bit its tail, I was on the circle of self-destruction, slowly devouring myself. Maybe it was an answer to my unspoken prayer or maybe it was a curse, I was given a reason I needed to sever my ties with Caeladius.
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Post by Seraphim on Mar 9, 2005 14:25:30 GMT -5
"We came to the end,
Now we say goodbye.
We once had love,
Yet all that remains is loss…"
He was looking up at what was in the holding chamber with an expression on his face that was almost akin to reverence. Encased in metal and glass was a woman, a woman that could not possibly exist. She was perfection, her beauty flawless and empyreal. Her lips was curved in an enigmatic smile that made me wondered what was the last thought on her mind before she was buried under tons of ice.
Shuinia… Omnis… To me she was Eve, the first woman created according to a forgotten religion. But the longer I looked at her features; she was more, much more than a mere human. Shuinias body was so close to being reconstructed. Eyes closed, she seemed asleep, her face peaceful yet something disquieted me. Shuinia's beauty was like that of an angel’s, however, instead of light, there was a shadow about her. My thoughts took a fanciful turn; maybe she was a fallen angel, condemned to a prison of ice for some unspeakable sin.
"She’s everything I thought she would be, so beautiful," I sighed in appreciation.
"Mhnnmm… yes, that she is," Halo answered distractedly, so deeply was he enthralled by her.
"Halo? About your proposal… I need more time to consider…"
"Fine, but remember I want an answer before we leave for Guya."
I went to search for the answer, leaving behind him, staring upon Shuinia in rapt fascination.
My heart was bleak, a reflection of the cold, craggy mountains that surrounded this backwater town. We would never have chosen this place except for the presence of the reactor. A large amount of energy was needed for the regeneration process and no other place offered both the seclusion and the power. Even though, it has been almost a full year since we moved here from Guya, I did not enjoy our stay in Naharia. During the day, the whole town was perpetually shrouded in haze, making everything gray and dismal. If the sun ever choose to shine upon this piece of earth, I never knew, sequestered away as I often was beneath the ground.
I disliked the night because of the stars. Being so far north, the sky seemed so near that all I had to do was to reach out and I could close my hand around the shining novas. If only I could pluck them from the night, leaving everything in darkness so that they would not make me recall the things I wish to forget. A wintry wind blew, scattering scraps of paper and stirring up the dust. I shivered, wrapping my coat more tightly around me to ward out the chill. It was very late and the streets were deserted, all the town folk most probably asleep in warm beds.
I needed to be alone, that was why I was out here in the cold. What would my answer to Halo's proposal be? The question was spinning around in my head when I thought I heard voices. I stopped and glanced around to get my bearings. Preoccupied, my roving has taken me to the town square where the water clock was situated. I listened for a moment but there was only silence. Dismissing it as my imagination, I was about to move when I heard the voices once again. They belonged to two people, a man and a woman. Trying not to intrude and ruin the mood for a pair of lovers, I stepped back into the shadows.
"Caeladius, I can’t tell you how glad I am to find you here. "
Vincent?! The name rooted me to the ground. I could not imagine him on a rendezvous. It had to be a coincidence.
My hopes were dashed when I caught sight of the lovers as they made their way up to the water clock. The moon shone full on their faces and there could be no error. It was Caeladius and …Ash. How I wish I were blind so that I would not have to see their intimacy. I questioned how she knew to find him in Naharia and the reason for her being here and I was rewarded. Sitting side by side on the old water clock, Ash handed Caeladius an exquisitely wrapped package.
"Happy Birthday," Her smile was full of love.
Today was his birthday and I had forgotten all about it. Forgotten…the bits and pieces about him.
There was nothing left for me to hold on to. Caeladius was no longer mine, my plan had worked, I had driven him away into the arms of another woman. I crept away, my head bent in defeat. Swallowed by the shadows of the deserted streets, I wished them happiness as the tears rolled unheeded down my face, streaking my cheeks with the mark of my misery.
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Post by Seraphim on Mar 9, 2005 14:26:28 GMT -5
"With my own hands
I severed the ties that once bind
Two hearts, two soul
Devastating us together…"
"Brain wave activity registered from Shuinia is getting stronger, this is simply amazing," Vaerin could not help exclaiming excitedly.
"The President will be delighted to hear about our progress and now that everything has stabilized, we can return to Guya." He carried on exuberantly.
Return to Guya where a new chapter of my life would begin, where I would put all the past behind. There was neither sorrow nor joy but a resigned feeling. Our love started too fast and ended too soon, such a bittersweet and poignant relationship. I had left Caeladius a note, asking to meet me near the square at dusk. It was time to say farewell.
"Well, I’ll see to the preparation for our journey back then," Vaerin gave a jaunty wave as he left the room, whistling the strain of an old tune.
Now that we were alone, Halo turned his attention away from Shuinia to me. I would have said that I was flattered because ever since Shuinia was reconstructed, Halo had only eyes for her inhuman beauty. Sometimes, I could have sworn that the looks he gave were almost like that of a man for his lover.
"I’ve been a patient man, Ilfaria. What is your answer?" Halo did not bother to conceal his irritation.
"You will have your answer this evening, I promise. I’ll see you at the entrance to the square."
"Dare I hope that I won’t be disappointed?" His voice was filled with sarcasm, which he directed fully at my retreating back.
Hours had passed, and I had ventured into the townsquare, where Halo was waiting for me.
" Well? So what will it be? " Halo grabbed my arms with enough force to bruise, his eyes aglow with fevered intensity. There was not one single gentle pane in that thin sharp-featured face so near my own.
"The answer is yes, Halo. I will marry you and give you my aid on that experiment." My voice was toneless.
"Good, at least this will not be wasted," His smile was more of a derisive grin as he fished out a plain platinum ring from a pocket.
It hurt when Halo forced the band onto my rigid, resisting finger. I stared at the small, gleaming circle of metal that I now wore. This was to be the manacle that would chain me to the very depths of hell. Having gained what he wanted, Halo left me standing alone, hurrying back to his precious Shuinia. A peal of deranged laughter escaped from my throat. I could not control myself, laughing and crying at the same time. If only I was truly mad, it would have been such an easy way out. What a travesty, to wed a man I did not love and to forsake the one who I did.
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