The Crazy Hunt

[Eliza Downheart]

Planet: Effekt
Time of year: Winter


Since she had met her sister Eliza had felt out of her normal state. She was no longer feeling that she could live a normal life, especially around those she had come to know. When the emotions of learning about her family became too much she fled. Leaving everything behind. She told nobody that she was leaving, she knew it was too risky. She was able to convince some travelers to bring her to the planet of Effekt. They were going to the near planet of Rendar when they agreed to make a quick stop to bring her there. From the moment she got there she got there she felt something inside if her begin to worsen. Her emotions were losing touch with reality and she could feel herself going crazy.

When this began to happen she ran off to hide in the mountains near Halaban. She began to live off what was around going more insane as each day passed. One night she heard a rustling below her, something to someone was moving. She had learned of the Dwergi but had never seen them up close, and when she finally caught a glimpse of them her mind felt like it had shattered. The need to kill rushed through her as she grabbed a knife from her holster and jumped down from her ledge, impaling the caveman like beast. When the blood leaked from the wound she pulled the knife out and sunk her teeth into him. Not just drinking the blood from the wound but tearing at the muscle and feeding on it.

She had never felt so alive, and with a crazed look in her eyes she finished the Dwergi off and ran off into the trees looking for another to feast upon. As the night went on she had killed almost a full pack of Dwergi, not able to find those who ran off she made her way back to cave she was staying in. Blood dripped down her chin and onto her chest, she felt empowered. It was winter here so she didn’t have to worry as morning hit. The cold was what she liked, forming ice crystals and balls of ice as she sat in her cave waiting for the moment when she would look for her next victim.

[member="Nimue Stormson"]

 

[Nimue Stormson]

For weeks the odd reports of attacks had been coming in from all over the land. Livestock ripped apart. Hunters gone missing. Dwergi found dead, attacked by some sort of wild animal. And all of it during winter, the one time it was hardest for anyone to do any real sort of investigations.​

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On Effekt winter lasted a long time. The shortest winter in history lasted five months, and that was over six-hundred years ago. The wheatear tended to be cold as ever, reaching near freezing and staying like that for long stretches of time. It was only the first month into winter and already people were lighting as big or fires as they could while huddling around them for warmth while wearing layer upon layer of clothing. The technology they’d integrated into their society had helped but one could not deny that winter on Effekt was like during Hoth.​

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With these reports of the attacks brought to her Empress Nimue, the ruler of the planet, had not taken the matter as serious at first. Given the nature of set attacks she thought it was a dwergi with rabies or the like. In order to calm her people she did order her best hunters to go in search of the beast at hand. However a few days later, upon their return, they’d found no sight of any dwergi attacks and they’d brought back a dead one to show what sort of beast they were dealing with.​

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The corpse looked as though its life had been drained out of it after the blood was gone. Everything was withered and unsettling to look at. The empress, however, could sense more from it. There were traces of the force all over it, meaning this was some sort of magic or the like.​

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Wanting to know for herself the empress elected to find this beast alone, much to the dismay of her people. She made the excuse that this would be her means of showing her people how strong she was and to not fear any “daemons” in the woods. In truth this was her chance to see if this animal, or whatever it was, had some connection to the force she could use to her advantage.​

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Taking a Selpin, a six-legged horse native to the planet, a large furred coat and wielding not but her scepter and a sword the empress set off. She rode for the mountains where a majority of these attacks took place, wanting to see for herself if this beast had a dwelling place. Likely a cave or the like.​

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[SIZE=11pt]She’d set out in the morning and by mid-day she’d come to the area of interest. Keeping her senses tensed and her wits about her Nimue, still riding her mount, kept herself bundled as she searched. The woods around were dense and covered in snow, as everything else was. Even with the sun hidden behind thick clouds everything seemed to unsettling. She had a odd feeling she was being watched.[/SIZE]​

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[member="Eliza Downheart"]​

 

[Eliza Downheart]

Eliza welcomed the cold air and snow, she found it refreshing. Though for some reason the snow was telling her something, hinting at her in a way she had never felt before. She could feel a pull in the back of her mind but couldn't figure out what it was, all she could feel was cold and hunger. Even though she had spent the night killing her mind begged her for more, she didn't want anything but blood at that very moment.

Without even thinking she stood and took off running in the direction of the trees, letting her mind pull her towards the energies around her. She could feel a presence but it wasn't like those before, it felt calm. Almost reassuring, something about this presence scared her, like it wanted her dead.

With this feeling in her heart she ran to what she expected was the most dense part of the trees and climbed one, hiding there until this energy went away[member="Nimue Stormson"].

 

[Nimue Stormson]

As she still rode her horse through the woods Nimue kept her scepter at the ready. It while it was mainly a sign of power it was also a useful weapon. Plus there was the sword on her belt for use as well. Even as an Empress, Nimue knew that being prepared for combat was a productive skill to have for any ruler.​

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Suddenly she’d sensed it before her steed began to react to it. Something was coming. She looked towards the direction it was while her Selpin had started to get fussy. The great beast kicked its legs up while Nimue tried to settle it. This had made it turn a few times, meaning she didn’t see as the strange girl had leapt into the tress above.​

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When everything settled Nimue realized it had become far too quiet. Something was here for sure. Something with the force. She could feel that whatever it was had a sense of cold, meaning that the winters of Effekt were perfect for it. Whatever it was it was nearby but out of sight. It wasn’t until a moment of peeking around trees that the Empress realized it might have been up in the tress.​

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Her gaze turned up as she tried to spot where it could be. Her steed still seemed restless but she kept her eyes fixed above, thinking whatever it was could be hiding among the leaves. Human or not she needed to know what it was.​

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[member="Eliza Downheart"]​

 

[Eliza Downheart]

Eliza sat there holding her breath, she could feel something looking at her. She didn't dare look down, instead she jumped landing on the back on the horse knife at the ready she cut its leg and ran off once again. She noticed that the lady was on top of the horse wielded a sword, she could fight if she had to but she just wanted to get out of here.

Normally she was ready to fight anyone but something about this situation said run and don't stop. When she thought she was far enough away she stopped to look back, then the scent of blood came. Oh the lovely scent. She couldn't help but follow the smell as the hunger took over once again. When she found where the blood was coming from she looked deeply at it before pouncing on it and biting deep into its shoulder.
The blood welled on her lips as she drank and bit the beast thing over and over again. By the time she was done she was covered in blood and running once again.

This time she chose to look back without stopping and she ran straight into a tree, knocking herself out.

[member="Nimue Stormson"]

 

[Nimue Stormson]

Nimue had not seen but heard something fall from above onto the snow covered ground. Her Selpin whinnied in pain as it jumped up, Nimue losing grip and falling back and off of it onto the snow. As she tried to recover the six-legged horse was attacked by this odd creature that began to brain blood from it. When enough was drained it fell over, half-dead.​

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Nimue, finally getting to her feet, had seen what had happened before noting the tracks in the snow. Given where they were headed she regrouped, grabbing her scepter and sword, before hauling her way through the deep snow towards the source. Given how fast the tracks seemed whatever it was had speed aided by the force for sure.​

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Upon arriving at the end, however, Nimue was surprised to find out the so-called monster was just a girl. She might have been pale and covered in blood but a girl nonetheless. A force user like her, as she could tell, Nimue was careful as she approached, trying to see if she was alive or not. She withdrew the sword, needing one hand free, as she reached down to try and examine her closer.​

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[member="Eliza Downheart"]​

 

[Eliza Downheart]

Eliza didn't know what had happened when she hit the tree but she sure felt bad when she woke up. Something was holding her down, though should couldn't tell what. A sharp pain was deep in her head, it shot back and forth between her temples before she even opened her eyes. When she did she saw the sky above her still but she was no longer in the snow.
"What's going on? Where am I?" Eliza's mood had settled for the time being, the tree seemed to knock some sanity back into her brain. When she did speak she could feel the dried blood stick to her face and make it hard for her to talk. She truly wandered where she was, and why she was here.

[member="Nimue Stormson"]

 

[Nimue Stormson]

When the girl stirred Nimue tensed, keeping her weapon pointed at her. If this child was as dangerous as she seemed before then the Empress would be ready to defend herself. However from the sounds of it the girl seemed to be more confused. Perhaps the tree had knocked the senses out of her after she’d hit it so hard; indicated by the impact point clear on the tree itself. She glanced between it and her, seeing as she did seem truly confused, before growing a little less tense. ​

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Relaxing her arm a little, but still keeping her scepter at the ready, she answered “You’re in the middle of a forest which happens to be within my kingdom. Are you….alright?”​

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[member="Eliza Downheart"]​

 

[Eliza Downheart]

When a voice replied to Eliza's question her body tensed then slowly tried to sit up. Standing above her with a scepter stood a lovely lady with dark hair. The lady had a certain look on her face which was curious yet cautious.

"I... I came here to get away from my sister but I don't remember much, I know I have been growing very... angry and hungry for blood. That is all I know."

Eliza stood slowly and hopped once in the snow before making a ball of snow to put to her forehead. "I think, I'm okay. I feel normal again." The look on Eliza's face was confusion and shock at this point. She didn't know why this was happening to her but she needed to find out soon.

"I could sense your energy, you are a user aren't you?"

[member="Nimue Stormson"]

 

[Nimue Stormson]

Given what was said by the girl Empress Nimue looked more oddly at her. This girl was running from a sister? Given her clothing it was clear she wasn’t from Effekt itself, meaning this was a matter from somewhere in the galaxy. How far outside of the system she was unsure.​

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Her talk of hungry for blood and feeling “normal” gave her more suspicion. This girl needed blood? Well that would explain all the attacks that had happened. Nimue was still unsure if this girl was a real threat or not, but that didn’t stop her from lowering her scepter before hearing her ask if she was a user.​

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“Magic you mean? Or, judging by your appearance, you’d call it the Force where you come from.” She began. “But yes, I am. As you are too. Though I didn’t know they needed blood in order to sustain themselves. You’re not a Blood Elf are you?” After she gave the obvious answer of not being one the Empress asked “Who are you, child?”​

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[member="Eliza Downheart"]​

 

[Eliza Downheart]

Eliza studied her surroundings quickly while she listened to this interesting lady, she didn't look like anyone she had met before. There were horns of some nature on her head but she couldn't tell if they were a part of her body or something she put on herself. When she spoke of magic she laughed, she had never heard it called that before.

"Yes I am a force user, as for blood elf no. I am what you would call an Energy Vampire, I live off the energies of others. I have never needed blood before you see." Eliza shook her head to try and untangle some of her hair, "My name is Eliza Downheart, and you are?"

[member="Nimue Stormson"]

 

[Nimue Stormson]

Given her look Nimue had trouble telling if this girl, Eliza, was serious or not when she called herself an “energy vampire”. Obviously the idea of a vampire wasn’t fully known to Nimnue, or most of the people of Effekt. They had stories of blood elves, which sort of the same thing. But the idea that a girl like this needed to feed off other people’s energy seemed very odd indeed.​

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The look on Nimue’s face spoke for itself.​

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After she’d introduced herself Nimue cleared her throat before responded “I’m Nimue. Empress Nimue Stormson of Effekt. The planet you’re currently on, I might add. And the place where you’ve attack my people, their livestock, and finally me.” She emphasized on a few words before expressing an obviously annoyed tone for the things she'd done.​

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[member="Eliza Downheart"]​

 

[Dōkeshi]

If only Kobayashi still let himself feel regret, he might have regretted coming to this planet that was in the grip of winter. Already, only a half hour after crashing his ship into the little planet, he was being attacked by primitive humanoids that couldn't seem to understand that a man all in white, with a clawed hand, was a bad person to pick a fight with.

His claw drew blood as it raked the largest one's face, sending him running and screaming with pain. Another made no noise as it had its heart ripped out through its chest. The White Dōkeshi was forced to draw his sword to block that of yet another primitive, and the badly forged weapon was shattered by the black and white one.

Seeing the primitives back away, Kobayashi walked away. As he walked, his fur expanded over his whole body and he turned into a huge snow leopard, the size of a speeder. Its long-clawed left paw dug ruts into the snow as it began to walk towards what looked like a castle.

He sensed that a similar act of destruction had happened nearby. Fascinating.

[member="Nimue Stormson"] [member="Eliza Downheart"]

 

[Eliza Downheart]

"I apologize for the destruction, I don't know what has been going on with my head." Eliza looked and felt sad with herself. She knew deep down this was not her normal self, she liked the smell and taste of blood but she would never kill to get it. She knew she could seduce to get what she wanted.

"I know something isn't right, something is missing now. Something in my life has gone wrong." A tear slipped from Eliza's eyes, "Sorry, this really isn't like me." She could tell that Nimue was annoyed with her and she wanted to somehow make it up to her.

[member="Nimue Stormson"] [member="Dokeshi"]

 

[Nimue Stormson]

Nimue hated it when people cried over something they weren’t in full control over. Apparently with this girl it was her sudden violent outbreak. She could tell she felt genuinely sorry for what she did yet that didn’t exactly excuse her for doing it in the first place. But it was hard to make an argument when she was sobbing like that. She sighed and rolled her eyes before reaching out and patting the girl on the head, trying to coddle her as best she knew how.​

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“It’s alright. It’s done for now.” She waited until Eliza relaxed enough to speak with her more plainly. “You may or may not still have to answer for these charges, but if you’re sure you’re in enough control now perhaps we can at least see you someplace a little more accommodating. Do you want to come with me? I can promise you that under my protection no one will harm you, unless I say otherwise.”​

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[member="Eliza Downheart"]​

 

[Eliza Downheart]

Eliza could have never imagined that she would turn into such a broken person, going from rage and murder to tears. She was about to put her life into Nimue's hands, she had to trust her though she was afraid she would try and hurt her. What if the rage cam back which she was sure it would.

"Take me where you feel I should go." Eliza spoke quickly, "I cannot promise the rage will not come back." She looked at Nimue, and nodded before brushing herself off. She was about to go on one wild journey. In respect and to thank Nimue she bowed her head, "Thank you."

She took a second to think about what was going on and then she realized something, "Oh my, I have killed your, uh, Selpin. Again I am so sorry."

[member="Nimue Stormson"]

 

[Nimue Stormson]

Given her remark about her steed being dead the Empress sighed and said “Yes. So I hope you’re in the mood for walking because we have a lot to do, Miss Downheart. About 10 miles of it. In the snow.” Each sentence she followed with emphasized on how annoyed she was by the face. “But in the meantime, let’s talk more about this sister of yours. And, as conciliation, I’ll tell you my story.”​

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And so as they walked the Empress heard Eliza’s story about her sister. During this time she told her about her own life. Her time as a handmaiden to the original Emperor, who later became her husband, and his unfortunate death before her accession to the only rule of power. On top of that she added part of Effekt’s own history to explain its situation in the galaxy both before and after Nimue had opened up relations with the rest of the galactic community. It was both a history lesson and means of conversation between the two, but it was also partly a way of trying to pass the time since they still had a ways to go before coming back to the city of Halaban.​

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[member="Eliza Downheart"]​

 

[Dōkeshi]

The guards at the gate of the city didn't even try to stop the huge leopard that walked past them, into the streets. They simply watched in awe as the huge cat turned into an unsmiling white-covered man with a silver mask. With a single clawed finger, he made a shushing motion on his lips, and began to walk towards what looked like the royal palace.

Kobayashi was having fun, even if he would never be able to show it. Scaring the hell out of people brought him slight amusement, and his next trick would bring him a lot more than this one. Looking around to make sure the coast was clear, he coiled up like a leaping cat, and propelled himself up to a low-slanting roof. Another quick leap had him rapidly ascending the tiered houses, running towards what looked like the window of the highest tower of the nearby castle.

What fun for the galaxy's only Solemn Jester.

[member="Nimue Stormson"] [member="Eliza Downheart"]

 

[Eliza Downheart]

"Will we make it back by nightfall?" Her thoughts felt a little bit a skew again, "It will be very dangerous here soon, you should get somewhere safe. You are the Empress and all, wouldn't want you to get hurt now." Eliza pushed her hair behind her back showing deep red marks on her neck, her crazed mind set had made her scratch the marks into her neck. Her eyes starting to look fuller.

Eliza took a deep breath when she felt something was wrong, "It is happening again. I can feel something disturbing close by as well though. Something died, just now." She turned around to look away from Nimue. "I'm sorry, this may not be pretty if it happens again. Start going back, I'll meet you there." She didn't wait for Nimue to answer, she just ran off in the direction of the city.

[member="Nimue Stormson"]
[member="Dōkeshi"]

 

[Nimue Stormson]

Hearing Eliza ask about making it back by nightfall had made Nimue think for a moment. Given how much more they had to go, and hopefully on the off chance someone would spot them from outside the city, there was a good chance for that. However before she could give a direct answer Eliza had said how she sensed something dying before needing to run off. Nimue didn’t even get the chance to speak before she was already gone. She sighed, annoyed by this before deciding to continue onward. No sense in waiting around. And besides it wouldn’t be too hard to find the one city for over hundreds of miles from here.​

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[member="Eliza Downheart"] [member="Dōkeshi"]​