From Unofficial Handbook of the Virtue Universe

Nether Striker
Player: @ Freeze Flare
Origin:	Magic
Archetype:	Scrapper
Security Level:	50
Personal Data
Real Name:	Unknown
Known Aliases:	None
Species:	Human
Age:	35
Height:	6'2"
Weight:	250
Eye Color:	brown
Hair Color:	Black
Biographical Data
Nationality:	Unknown
Occupation:	Unknown
Place of Birth:	Unknown
Base of Operations:	Unknown
Marital Status:	Engaged
Known Relatives:	Unknown
Known Powers
N/A
Known Abilities
N/A
Equipment
N/A
N/A

OOC Note

The story of Nether Striker continues on and you are taken with him on his journey. Please enjoy.

Story Continued

The darkened bliss washed upon me, bathing me in the cooled comfort my spirit possessed. Long had it been since my spirit called out into the realm of shadow, pulling forth it's power to sustain me. But why now, what had changed in these moments past? Where was Hereon, or even the imposter? Standing glancing at nothingness, peering deep within the fog that began to build I saw her gracefully coming towards me. A woman slight in build with an aura of red fire light gleaming from her, illuminating and terrorizing the spirits of oblivion from surrounding her. Their screams echoed as they fled, stabbing my chest with their songs of pain, the woman just smiled softly continuing her approach. I questioned if I had ever seen this woman before, was she known to me, or I to her? Closer she threw out her arms and wailed, a horrid sound that taunted, pushing me back, breath escaped me and could not be caught. Large leathery wings outstretched from her back as she grabbed at me with her clawed hands tarring at my flesh. Her words spoke into me like none had in the past.

"You would never listen would you?" Her words came out in sharp tones but with a concern one would reserve for a friend in trouble. She bowed her head releasing her grip on me slightly. The claws that dug into my flesh released but the pain of them remained. "Why would you do this Nether, you know that nothing is going to change. All the sacrifice I made for you was for nothing." She shook, shivering from an unknown cold that surrounded her. Her hair as black as the night sky falling past her shoulders keeping the sight of her eyes from my gaze. Her breathing was deliberate and slowed, every breath seemed to pain her deep within her soul. "Why now, you had it safe and locked away. I can't keep it from you anymore, it will consume you before it will release you." The pain in her voice gripped me and would not let go, I wished to hold her forever. Her scent was intoxicating, breathing in the freshness of field lilies it flooded my mind, reminding me of a time long ago. Memories of being a child laying gazing at the sky sorrounding myself in the scent of her beauty. My heart raced recalling these tender moments of my youth.

Placing my hand under her chin I raised her head to look at her clearly. Her eyes were red rimmed with gold, horns petruded from her shoulders and head. Her wings were tattered and smoldering, embers still clung to them releasing small fires. I starred into her eyes for warmth but found only hollow sight. She continued to speak to me softly unmoved by the shadows hovering close by ready to take her away. The whites of her eyes beginging to turn an ashen grey she continued to speak to me. "I must say though that I have missed you, and so have your armies."

Releasing my hand from her supple skin my words come out calmly though my mind raced with questions. "Armies? Who are you? Why do I feel I know you, and maybe have known you all my life."

She laughed sweetly and her eyes gleamed with a gold hue, her wings folded gracefully on her back and she lowered her hand from my chest. That laugh, I know that laugh... the brightness of her eyes, Ashen the Lady of Disire and Despair. A high lord of the shadows. She never left my side in combat, never did she allow me to taste defeat. How glorious she was in combat, her wail lite up the skies of oblivion pushing back any shadow in sight, the blood of her enemies dripping from her clawed hands and her wings full flamed. What could have happened to her in these times I had been away. Ashens spirit seemed broken and lost, her eyes no longer shinned with the gold that only rimmed them now.

"Ashen, what happened to you?" Taking her hand and pulling her in close I held her. She shook in my grasp, cold to the touch I wished to warm her. I could keep her from the pain she was feeling, bring her to the light she once shinned with. But the cold that gripped her pulled at any warmth I had to steal it. I shivered with her but refused to release her to the brutal mercy of the shadows.

"It doesn't matter Nether you will not be staying long enough to do anything about it." pulling away from me she turned to leave "Come on I'll get you out of here."

Taking a step forward I reached out taking hold of her arm. "Ashen, come with me. We can both leave." Turning her head to face me I could see the tears of blackened ash rolling down her soft skin falling the the ground exploding into sparks of flame. Through the tears she shed a smile creeped slowly across her lips.

"I can't, no longer am I remebered love. My memory has faded from the prime you call home." She brushed the tears from her face and continued to walk with me. She floated across the uneven ground as I stumbled along.

"I remember you Ashen." My words harsh with conviction could not keep her paused in her stride.

"No Nether you don't, just a dream that will fade as soon as you wake." Confused I halted my step.

"You are Ashen and we were together once, fought side by side. I remeber and I won't just leave you here." Turning around with a blur my eyes could not focus on she grabbed my throat and lifted me into the air, off my feet my lungs began to cry out for air. The warmth of my blood began to wash my chest, mouthing her name trying desperately to speak.

"No Nether, You remeber a dream. This is all I am now. A bitter spirit in the coldness that keeps your beast in line, you released that now and spiilled the blood of one your heart cares for. I can't help you anymore with this. Because of my love for you I will give you this once, freedom of the shadows to the prime above you." She pushed me back effortlessly to the ground, and continued her pace to wherever she was leading me. Getting to my knees I watched her intently as flames gathered at her feet lighting my path home, my blood dripping from the hand that held me.

She led me to a river of black waters, wading through lost souls to get there she kept me close. lifting her skirt above her knees sheltering it from the water she walked into. Outstretching her hand she beconed me in. Once within her reach she pulled me into her, embracing me gently. Whispers from her forced my eyes to close, a strong longing crept over me making me wish she were mine to hold for eternity.

"I wish you could remeber me once you wake Nether, I wish I could come with you to a warmth I remeber. By the hand of Charon I wish." Small sites of burning began to grow on me shoulder, her tears were falling once more.

A gauntleted hand pulled her from my roughly and without mercy. An armour man towering in height spun her around, lifting her of her feet by her neck. Trying to move to her the water clung to me keeping me still. The man omitted shrieks ceasing my hearing for a moment, as Ashen responded in kind to her attacker I could feel my life begin to ebb from me. I began to fall into the water of the black river as shadows started a mad dash towards Ashen. My sight grew dim but I tried in desperation to keep them open and focused on the vixen before me. She spoke through clentched teeth letting the last of her air escape. "Nether, just go. Let yourself fall to the water"

As I reached out my hand wishing to grasp onto her a sword past through the lady befor me, her screams echoed across the wasteland chasing the sorrow of all the shadows screaming out for her. They logged to keep her safe as I did. Her blood set the the river a blaze, burning my flesh and scorching my lungs. I sheltered my eyes with my arm wishing my hearing would just cease, releive me from the pain of her screams. When my eyes opened I was starring at my blood soaked flesh. But the burns were a dream. Was she right, was it all a dream?

Getting to my feet I looked down just to have my thoughts of Ashen halted by the sight before me. The blood on my hands was no dream, but nor was it the blood of Ashen. Five people laid still at my feet, bleeding, dying, and spirits of the dead started to sorround three of the five. Had I killed them and why. What force did this beast have, what right did I have to hold onto it. Forcing my eyes closed did not take the image from me, it made two of the faces become more clear. Hereon laid closest to me in a pool of his own blood, and curled up beside him with his arm around her was a woman I swore I would never hurt, Tam.

The blood on her was not her own but that of the man beside her. She laid so peacefully still that at one glance one might believe she were dead. Her hair soaking in the blood pooling beneath the two of them I crouched down and picked her up gently in my arms. All of my focus on her I couldn't hear the screaming of people passing by at the sight of her. I walked for eternity to her home, walking in and finding no one in the halls was a blessing, they wouldn't take to kindly to me I was sure. I laid her down on her bed with a kiss to her forehead. She laid so still and calm I had never seen her this way before. I didn't see the doctor come in from behind me but the gasp caught my attention clearly. The small voice of the doctor sounded like a childs but the words were educated and direct.

"What have you done to her?" spinning around I had to look down to the small woman walking towards me with her hands held outward. Shaking my head I didn't know what to say. "Get out of here before I call security." I could feel my rage begin to build and my breathing cease within me, my lungs screamed for air, I knew it was time for me to go and far. I had to run until I could no longer do so.

For nights I sat alone, in the darkened shadows I had started in. The hollowed streets bore witness to my tears and them alone could keep the secrets of my pain. Once again in this life time I was alone, how could they forgive me now for this, I wouldn't. The shadows spoke of games to my somber mind, telling of tales long forgotten. A calling to betray as I had done before, blood letting of friends and family, they didn't matter anymore. What use could they be to me now?

• * * * *

The road that travels alone is a long a dangerous path, it crosses many waters that could break you. You rmind plays tricks and demons come out to play with your soul. Loss is just another game isn't it? To be turned away from something or someone you cared for or loved, to be at arms reach and never again being able to hold it. I found myself many of night starring at the woman I loved but at a distance she could not see me, she helped everyone in her path, from the homeless to criminals themselves, this I new was my Tamarilla. Not the intruder that spawned before, but who was that other woman? Why did she take Tam, and when did she return? The unanswered questions in my mind plagued me with pained shouts, was my mind trying to remember something?

"What to do now huh Nether?" The voice startled me and came from all around, a soft female voice, whispers. "Forgot your path yet again? You need guidance? A moment of time? Or death perhapes would be your only comfort, saviour, friend?" I spun in circles trying to find the embodied voice, frustrated I yelled cursing out for answers,

"WHERE ARE YOU?" a light laughter filled the air, taunting me to come forth, but to where?

"You never were good at the game, you haven't forgottne how to play have you? Such a shame. I guess all of that will end now, she doesn't want you does she, I can just claim her for you." Moving quickly trying in a desperation to find the voice I found it by a sword at my thoat. Raising my head for it not to cut me, I was starring at a woman whoes appearence was that of Tam's.

"Leave her alone!" I spoke out to the imposter before me.

"ah hit a nerve did I? I don't plan on killing her Nether. But you really should remember this game, hide and seek." A malicious smile crossed her face as she backed up still keeping the sword on me. "But I will make you feel as though you were dead." Only the tip of the blade at my throat she ceased her movement. "What do they mean to you? Hereon, Fen, Flares? I don't need to ask about Kaylin or Angelic, they aren't here to torment you with anymore." She laughed quietly.

My mind raced, Angelic? No this wasn't happening, not now. Why Angelic? Only one could have gotten to her, Smasher. In the moment it took me to think of the posibilities she was gone, again I let the intruder get away. I had to warn them, Hereon and Tam. Fen, I couldn't let anything happen to her. Tam would die without her daughter. But Heron would protect her I could protect Tam.

I ran to the extent my body could carry me, I was running to Tam, her home. The imposter could move fast I had to be faster. As I ran up the stairs to Grey Enterprises I was stopped by Jaccob Shaw, his hand on my chest he shook his head. "You don't want to go in there Nether." A comment that only made me want to get in faster. I pushed past him and walked in to hear two voices, Hereon's and Val's. My forward momentum stopped as I listened, they were laughing and talking. Looking around the corner to them they were embracing holding onto one another, a kiss shortly followed.

I walked defeated out of the building my mind raced with visions of Fen, how many times did she need to be hurt by men in her life before she found one that could care for her. How many women did Hereon need to keep in his bed before he realized the woman of his dreams was waiting at home for him, alone. I reached into my pocket outside and dialed the number without thinking. Raising the phone to my ear she answered,

"Hello." The upbeat sound of her voice one could see the smile she bore, not knowing that the man she loved was kissing her cousin at this very moment.

"Hey fen, how are you doing?" My voice came out as even as I could make it.

"Great Nether, How you doing? Heard you had some problems lately, mom is worried about you." She spoke to me like everything I had done was nothing to be concerned about. She seemed to let nothing get to her.

"I wanted to talk to you about something Fen, where are you?" There was a pause before she answered

"At home Nether, whatever it is it's ok. I know you didn't mean it you just frenzied, we all know it." I stood in the street letting the now cool rain wash me. I let out an audible sigh that I know she could hear. "Nether, you have always been good to my mom I know that, and I know you would never hurt her. You would never hurt any of us" She didn't know, no one told her I hurt Hereon.

"Fen, it's not about me... it's..." I trailed off closing my eyes, if Hereon kept my shame sevret was it right of me to tell her before giving him a chance to?

"Nether whatever it is you can tell me." Her voice broke through with concern.

"I'm just concerned about you Fen, alot of stuff is happening and I don't want you hurt or caught up in it is all." Shaking my head at the half truth that escaped me.

"Hey I will be ok, I got friends here. Nothing is going to happen." A light chuckle came through the phone bringing a smile to my face "But you know, mom sure could use the protection you offer." we shared a moment of laughter before we hung up the phone.

I starred at my phone and breathed in slowly before dialing the number I had in mind. It rang only once before the worried voice answered. "Nether! Where are you?" Tam voice though harsh releived me, and soothed me.

"Hello Tam, I am on my way home accually...." Cutting me off she continued.

"I'm coming over love, I will be there soon." The phone cut off as she hung up.

I placed the phone back in my pocket as a flash of lightning crashed through the sky. Looking up I had the rain falling on my face, comforting me washing away all the worries I had. Hereon would be fine, that is if Fen's family didn't get to him before the imposter. Fen was at home with others that would guard her, and Tam was coming to my side.

(( to be continued ))