finally loosing it

Taylor....was at the edge

she was sitting in the forest, curled up and fetal position and rocking slightly as she clutched her head

her eyes were wide, dark shadows under them as her pupils went to pinpoints

she hear voices...lots of them...in her head

she shook slightly as she tried to ignore the voices and memories running through her head

they're all together now

you're all alone

they'll leave you now....no need for you

killer

murderer

could of had a family

let them die

like those humans

always alone

no one stays

sadist

broken

outcast

loner

they'll leave...they'll hurt you...like the others. keep them away. don't let them come near. hurt them if they hurt you, like you do with enemies. others are enemies.....everyone is an enemy!

the voices all whispered at the same time, seeming to surround her as they dredged up images of the life she could of have

Taylor tried to deny it all, but it was tearing up a hole in her heart that was left there when her lover had died, something for madness to take advantage

YOU KILLER! YOU LET HIM DIE! HE DIED BECAUSE OF YOU! YOU'RE WEAK! IF YOU HADN'T OF GONE NEAR HIM, HE'D STILL BE ALIVE!!!!

NO! THAT'S NOT TRUE! she wailed into her hands, feeling her last bits of herself slipping away

then an image of Kyler stood before her as she looked up

her eyes flew even wider and an expression of pure shock decorated her face

i wish i'd never met you....i can't see why i fell for you. you're nothing but a killer. it sickens me to think i loved you. good bye Taylor......or should i say, Manaba the image said before dissolving into shadows

tears ran down her face, feeling something snap and break inside her

to be called Manaba....was an ultimate disgrace...it meant you were a pariha as you brought about war and death, the litteral meaning being 'return to war'....something that no elf wanted

and for Taylor to be called such a thing by Kyler...her soul mate.....

Taylor felt the last thread snap, and a grin spread across her face, who she was completely gone as the tears continued to run down her face in steams

see? they all leave...even your soul mate....we won't leave though.....we'll stay as long as we can. until master calls us...we'll stay the voices whispered, and Taylor got the feeling of being carressed by many small hands

she simply snickered, eyes wide, pupils as pinpoints and drowned in madness, and dark shadows much denser and more dangerous than she'd ever created before danced around her, the dark shadows under her eyes darkening, and the black veins returning.

Taylor Longwood, Bounty Hunter, Head Huntress of her Tribe, Sparrow of the Longwoods........was gone

she let out a loud manical cackle, putting a hand to her forehead as she continued to laugh

Alexis had been resting when she was startled awake by the feeling of absolute dread, her tentative hand reached for her collar, the metal vibrated and writhed under her hands.

What the hell what happening...Taylor...

That thought ceased her and she jumped from her coffin and running down the hallways toward the forest, something was definitely very wrong.

She winced slightly, a throbbing pain in her head blurring her vision, this was not good, her master was slipping.

The vampire was forced to her knees as the sound of her masters wails filled the air, the metal collar around her neck seared for a moment before an audible crack filled the now foreboding silence.

"Aghhh..."

Alexis clutched her head, her eyes locked onto the now worthless metal that lay discarded on the floor.
Her golden eyes flashed red, the once forgotten colour now seeping back into her eyes.
Gold and white were replaced with red and black, Alexis was unbound once again.

After a few moments the vampire go to her feet, an audible growl rumbling in her chest and she walked towards to sounds of laughter.

"What have you done."

She snarled as she approached the woman, her eyes still flashing from gold to red as she struggled to control herself, a slightly less impossible task since her madness had taken a new host.

Her eyes narrowed, Taylor had absorbed Alexis' very essence.

Taylor felt something else snap, but she was far too gone to care, she simply continued to grin and laugh

she felt someone's presence nearing her rapidly

someone's coming...someone angry. she will hurt you. keep her away the voices whispered

Taylor nodded and shadows coiled up her arms and lashed around, forming into long and dangerous whips as more shadows crawled up her legs

her own shadow was even writhing and dancing around, contorting and lashing out as it leapt up from the ground

wooooooooooooooheeeeee~ this is fun!~ she giggled, dancing around with the shadows flowing with her as she headed towards the edge of the forest

there she saw Alexis and without a collar, her eyes changing colour

snickering, looking derranged as her eyes turned black instead of their violet, she grinned at the woman, her head tilted to the side

heeeeeeeeya~ i didn't expet to see you for a looooooooong time after i took your will!!~ and your eyes look pretty when they change like that!~ she giggled and pushed the woman over, now standing over her i wonder if yur blood is just as pretty!~ she laughed, and raised her Shadow Whip and made it lash across the side of her face

Taylor crouched down over the woman, looking at the blood and snickering

yes! it's perdy!~ i'm so glad! cuz i wanna see more!~ she giggled, bringing a hand to her mouth before wiping the blood from Alexis's cheek and simply looking at it before dancing backwards, shadows coiling around her still

Alexis eyes widened as she saw the state that Taylor was in, the growling in her chest becoming louder, she was beginning to understand.

Alexis glared up at the woman, wincing as the shadows cut her face. She lay there absolutely shocked for a moment as the woman moved backwards.

Her body began to tremble as rage gripped her, she pushed herself to her feet and lunged at the woman, gripping her around her throat and slamming her head against a tree.

"I wouldn't let my will be broken by a lowly little elf like you."
She snarled, slamming the woman against the tree again.

"I will break your body and take back what is mine, then you will know how it feels to kneel at my feet."

She growled and threw the woman aside, her hand stretching out to summon her scythe.

She would take great joy in tearing this elf apart for everything that she had put her through.

Taylor just continued to grin as she was slammed against the tree and having the skin on her scalp splitting at the force, laughing as she was thrown to the side and not really registering what Lex was saying

she rolled as she was thrown and swiftly stumbled to her feet, throwing out a shadow to coil around Lex's arm, bringing it down so she couldn't summon the weapon at that point, and threw out another shadow to lash out at the girl's knees and brought her too them as Taylor danced in front of her

naaaaaw, but you're already on yoooooour knees before me~ silly vampire...i'm the master, aren't i?~ she giggled, the shadows getting darker around her

that's right....make her fall....break her again. she's supposed to be your servant. make her bow to you again the shadows whispered

Taylor giggled and grinned wider, psychotically.

okie dokie! will doooooo Mr. Voice!~ she snickered, a spike of shadow reaching up from the ground and coiling around Lex's neck, going painfully tight and yanking her forwards to make her bow

Taylor laughed insanely

how do you expect me to kneel in front of you when you're bowing before me?!~ she laughed, throwing her arms wide

that was when she noticed the blood dripping down the front of her face, from the split on her scalp from when she was smashed against the tree

she reached up and touched it, distracted by it for a moment and snickered

oooh, pretty~ she giggled, and then looked at Lex with a painfully innocent face

Alexis writhed and choked under the strangle hold the shadows had on her throat.

Taylor's words were awakening the dormant hatred that she felt for this woman, she was not this woman's slave any longer and would never bow down to her again.

Her eyes glared ferociously at the elf when she addressed the voices in her head, the woman had fallen further than she could have imagined.

She snarled loudly, the blacks of her eyes consumed by the red as her eyes flamed with anger. The elf was using her own powers against her, powers she had stolen through the bond.

"I am a creature of the darkness, Sparrow, born of the shadows, you think you can use them against me?"

She choked the words as the shadows coiled tighter around her neck.

"You would be mistaken, this is power you have stolen from me and I will reclaim it!"

She roared, the shadows writhed against her, recognizing their true master as she gave into her rage.

The vampire tore free of the shadow wrapping around her, they retreated under her blazing red gaze as she rose to her feet.

"You will pay dearly for this."
She said, her words quite but deadly as she stepped forward, raising her hand in front of her and slowly forming a fist, as she did so the shadows mimicked the actions of her hand, wrapping themselves around the elf, crushing her body.

Taylor chocked as she was being crushed, but the grin still wouldn't leave her face

ouch! this kinda hurts she giggled, and yanked back on the shadows just as they began cracking her ribs

when she tore free of the shadows eventually, she stood with a drunken and lazy grace as she continued to giggle

well! my dear! haven't you forgotten?~ i've got a cratain immunity to most shadow things! she laughed, licking away some of her blood that was running down her face ya see, your shadow abilities are nothing compared to a Greater Shadow Demon!~ and i got a direct hit from it, yet survived! *snicker* you have baaaaaaaaaaaby shadow magic!~ she laughed

mistress calls to us.....use us while you can, Sparrow the voices whispered she will try to grab you again with the shadows out of rage

Taylor grinned and began dancing away yup yup!~

at that, she brought up her shadow whips and lashed out with her own shadows at any of Lex's, her abilities slightly increased with the Demon Taint from many years ago

"Enough!"
She shouted, she was getting sick of the woman's chatter.

"The only sound I want to hear come out of you is a little whimper as you take your final breath."

Alexis' shadow control was still better than Taylor's, regardless of the demon taint. She successfully summoned her scythe, the long silver blade gleaming brightly, she slashed it in Taylor's direction, despite the fact the elf was a few meters away from her.

The gust of wind caused by the slash disbursed Taylor's shadow whips, leaving her exposed.

She summoned her tendrils, one curling around each of Taylor's limbs, forcing her to her hands and knees.

The vampire stood over her, she was completely pinned.
She grabbed the woman's chin, forcing her to look the vampire in the eyes as she sneered at her.

This woman was no longer Sparrow, no longer her nemesis.
She growled and stood up straight, kicking the woman in the face with great force, the sounds of crunching bones coming from beneath her boot. She had broken the woman's nose.

She kicked the woman again, this time in the ribs. the shadows released her, allowing her to tumble onto her side.

Taylor hacked and coughed on her blood as she was kicked in the face and ribs, not caring about the pain or the fact she was on her hands and knees in front of the other

she couldn't care less about anything

after hacking up her blood, she began laughing and giggling again, rolling onto her back and then flipping to her feet so her back was to Lex

she looked over her shoulder in a creepy fashion, blood streaming down her face, insanity clear in every line of her

that all you go, Lex? such a shame! she snickered, large shadows suddenly erupting from the ground and rushed towards Lex with such force, she was forced off of her feet and went flying

Taylor put a hand over her eyes as if shielding tehm from bright light and watched Lex fly

hahahahahaha, she fleeeeeeew!~ she giggled, eyes wide and grin wider

the shadows came back to her and beganswirling around her feet

see? she gets heavier with her hitting when angered....be careful of getting wounded now the voices whispered

Taylor nodded and giggled

okay Mr Voice. i'll be careful about being injured, i don't wanna upset Mr Voice she giggled, licking away some of the blood again

Alexis shrieked as she was forced into the air, landing on the ground with a heavy thud.

She had not been expecting that and bore the full force of the blow.

Her body shuddered in protest as she forced herself to her feet, she had a large graze down the entire left side of her body, spread from her shoulder to her feet.

"Lets see how tough she is without my power in her."
Alexis growled to herself, her large raven wings ripping out of her back, her scythe had been damaged in the blast but the katana hidden in the handle was still in one piece.

She pulled it out and leaped into the air, spreading her wings and flying up.

Summon a giant tendril she used it to pick up Taylor by the ankle, flinging the elf into the air.

Alexis swooped, striking the woman in the back with her blade, pushing her up into the air again before darting around her, striking her again and again at every angle before letting her body plummet to the ground.

Taylor cried out as she hit the ground, a pained grin on her face as she simply laid there

she felt her ribs shatter as she hit the ground, and things dig into the cuts that Lex had just given her

Taylor could feel the voices draining away from her as their real master gained her strength back

we waited in you until our master was set free again...we knew you'd break like she did with us.......and so destroying your master servant relationship...she is free again....but she won't be able to kill you she voice whispered before fading away

TAylor slowly became aware of herself once more, her strenght leaving her and the pain becoming apparent

her breathing and heartrate accelerated and increased, her grin controting into a look of sheer agony

she brought her hands up to her face and scrunched her eyes closed

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! she wailed, unable to to anything more about the agony she was in

she didn't want to hurt any more.....yet she kept on getting hurt

she felt tears running down her face as the binding runes faded away from her arms, leaving only one meaning that Lex wouldn't be able to kill her

her screams calmed down to simple writhing and harsh breathing as she tried to calm herself down, feeling a weight lift off of her shoulders as the binding faded to just a single strong thread

Alexis landed on her feet, her wings looming behind her as she walked up to the elf, blood streaming down her own face as a result of the earlier blast.

She grabbed her elf by the her throat and picked her up, pressing her limp body against a tree so she could stare the woman in the face.

Her face was in a hardened glare as she stared at the woman.
"I'll be taking my powers back."
She growled, plunging her katana through the woman's stomach, pinning her against the tree as she leaned up.

She extended her fangs to their full length, bringing them to the woman's throat, pausing as her lips pressed against her flesh.
She could not bring herself to bite down, after everything the elf had put her through, the years of solitude, the forced submission...she could not kill her, it would only take one bite to end it all.

Alexis looked at the woman, a growl rumbling in her chest as her hand reached up to grip her own head, the voices were back, whispering to her like they had for most of her life, tormenting her thoughts.

"I'm taking back the power that has cursed me for so long, damning myself once again to its madness." ....Saving you from it....
She exhaled heavily as her body shuddered, she still could not control herself, she looked back at the mansion then back to the elf, she could not stay here in such an unstable form now that she was unbound.

"Don't say I never did anything for you elf."

The elf would live, she had purposefully missed all vital organs with her katana, after everything she had taken mercy, even if it was not apparent in her actions.

"I can't stay here any longer."
She whispered to herself, her face falling into a blank yet pained expression.

With that the vampire spread her wings, leaping into the sky and flying off, she had no destination, she just needed to escape.
Escape the woman that had long since been the bane of her existence, and those who she held dear, she was too dangerous in her unbound state to be around these people without causing more pain.

Alexis flew without direction, tears streaming down her face as she thought about everything she was leaving behind.

Taylor cried out again as the sword was forced through her and pinned her to the tree

she coughed a few times, noting the little things, what was left of their bond making her see it, and she pulled on a small smile just as the woman flew away

y-you.....w-will always.....have a....p-place here........ she whispered raspily, slumping forwards and coughing up more blood c-come back....s-soon.....'n' thanks..... she coughed/laughed

she lifted her head and arm, glaring at the binding that stopped the woman killing her

it caused so much trouble...when she had agreed with lex's brother to try and use it to help the woman....now she simply made her run because the voices broke her....she should have been stronger!

tears running down her face at yet another failure, she roared and ripped the sword out of her that was pinning her to the tree, only to fall forwards onto the grass, her blood staining the fresh green a dark red

she slammed her fists against the ground, yelling ut again, ignoring her pain.

again...again she had failed

Aeker came sprinting out of the mansion, he could tell something was wrong with his sister, something deep with in him stirred and worry over came him.

He dashed through the forest, following the sound of shouting, he stopped for a moment when he saw something silver glinting at him from the ground.

He leaned down and grasped the discarded the collar, his face setting in a frown as he clutched it to his chest.

Where was his sister?

He kept running forward, seeing his sisters scythe dropped in the grass, it was heavily damaged, what the hell had happened.

The man stopped dead in his tracks, the broken collar still dangling from his hands as his eyes set on the elf to knelt on the floor, head down cast.

"Where is she."
He asked coldly, his crimson eyes staring at the back of her head.
The man was completely still, his face blank but his eyes burning.

Taylor flinched at the half familiar scent, recognising it was Aeker, Lex's twin

forcing herself to her knees, she held onto her stomach wound and looked up at the vampire, still unable to stop crying

i....don't know.....the bond....it was too close.....as her Master, i took her Madness away from her.....it consumed me.....to the point i lost myself and it shattered a majority of the bond. i can't do anything to her....but she can't kill me....but...*cough* sh-she only has a little control left...because of the final thread of the bond.....i....everything happened so fast she breathed, falling backwards to slump against the tree and continue to look up at Aeker

she sighed heavily, and brought a cigarette to her lips lethargically, lighting it and then dropping the lighter as her strength leaked away from her

inhaling slowly, ignoring the cracked ribs that she could already feel healing, for some reason, her shadows beginning to knit her back together

i.....couldn't stop her.....any of it....madness took over..... she mumbled around her cigarette, smoke drfting from her mouth would have stopped her otherwise she chocked out, tears still running down her face

after seeing what the madness showed her, her mental state was still unstable, but not like before the incident or during it...she had a certain control over it

His eyes bore into her, as she speaks and agonizingly slowly the tension begins to build as silence follows Taylor's explanation.

He stood before her, looking taller, colder, more foreboding then he had on their previous encounter.

"I ask one thing of you..."
He spoke slowly, deftly quiet, his voice as cold as a shard of ice.

"...One thing, and you have failed."
Anger boiled beneath his blank exterior but as he spoke his face wore a raw expression, full of some unnamed emotion, fury, wrath, hatred...any number of things.

The elf had betrayed him, his sister and her duty as a master.

Taylor's hands twitched, her lip curling and teeth gritting as she took a long drag on her cigarette, making the end glow brightly

ignoring her pain, she was suddenly on her feet and knocked Aeker over, growling low in her throat and pinned him down

yeah, she knew he would easily bat her off, yes, she knew she was practically signing a death warrent, but she didn't care

bastard! you think i don't know that!? you really think i don't know how i broke a promis!? to me, breaking a promise meant i lied about the promis...and i hate lying....i hate failing....I HATE THIS!!! I HATE IT ALL!!! NOW YOU CAN SEE WHY I STRIVE TO BE THE BEST OF EVERYTHING! I HAVE TO BE TO BE STRONGER! THE KEEP GOING!!! BUT I WASN'T STRONG ENOUGH!........i just wasn't!.........i...i couldn't be strong for Alexis.....i saw what she went through, felt it, and now experienced it.......and now i broke that bond...she's back to experiencing it herself! i was beginning to actually like her! she was a decent person without that insanity in her!!! when i saw what she went through i wanted to help her! i really did! but i couldn't even do that! she wailed, holding Akere's arms under her hands, tears mingling with the blood on her face i bare the scars of our fights....of everything i've done to Alexis.........i tried so hard to do something right.....i came here wanting to rest.....to try and sort myself out....but i only got into fights, and with her as well. i wanted...i wanted to help.....but i couldn't...i'm weak.........i'm so fucking weak it hurts she sobbed, shoulders shaking as she bowed her head

she tried to help and failed...she tried to protect and failed....she tried to be a good master that wouldn't hurt the servant....and failed.....

....i failed.........so badly... she whispered

Aeker's eyes softened slightly as Taylor sobbed, the elf at least felt the pain of her convictions.

He shook his head and rose to his feet with ease, leaning down and scooping up the broken elf.

"I'm taking you to the infirmary then going to find my sister."
He replied in a cold tone.

There was no need to punish the woman, she was beating herself up enough as it was.

He still hated her for what she had done to his family, but that could be dealt with later when she wasn't in hysterics.

Right now all he wanted was to find Alexis, she had no where to go and he suspected she was also injured, though with daylight swiftly approaching he would have to wait for nightfall, he just prayed that she found somewhere safe to rest for the day.
And that he was not too late.

Taylor wriggled back out of his hold and onto her feet, moving to clutch onto the tree

no. i won't go there. i'll heal by myself. why the fuck are you helping me when i just did what i did? she half growled scrubbing the blood from her face. if it's patronisation, i don't need it. even if it'sjust helping me, don't. you'r sister is suffering because of me, so i should as well

she held onto the tree so she'd stay standing, not caring that her wounds were screaming at her

she held her arm up showing the last bit of the bond

this means that she can't kill me...and still binds me slightly to her. if i concentrate, i should be able to trace her, then i will tell you. i can also say that she's not stupid, as if you don't know, and will have found some form of shelter...not only that.....she may be able to control her insanity a little and learn to work with it.....her insanity, a small part still resides in me. i can feel it like an infection. i'm still partially her master, but i can't order her now....i can simply help. maybe this time i'll actually be able to hold my end of the bargin...i failed now.....but i won't fail again....to fail again....is unthinkable. you can hate me, and hell, you can even beat me within an inch of my life.....but i will help her she said a fierce fire in her eyes as she pushed away from the tree

she stumbled slightly, holding her hands to get her balance before she began limping away, a hand across her torso

she paused and looked over her shoulder

likelyhood is that she's gone to the coast. i've been smelling salt on her a lot more, and i think it may hold a good memory for her...and it'll be best, probably, to let her come back herself......she may not know it, but i had been watching her through the bond. she's got things to come back to. she will come back eventually. she's a much stronger person than i. she muttered, and continued to limp away.

instead of going to the forest, she headed towards the gardens. they had the healing herbs and plants and a flowing source of water....and it didn't hold horrible memories of battles and hurt....she wouldn't be going there any time soon

"Fine, suffer then, I no longer care."

A crack appeared in his decorum as a his lips pulled down, his face set in a stern frown.

"You have no right to call yourself her master any longer."
He replied, dropping the broken collar to the floor as the elf limped away.

"As for letting her come back herself, I don't think she will, she is a smart girl, she knows by now how unstable she is.
At nightfall I'll go searching for her, even if she refuses to return I need to know that she is alright."

He added, looking up at the slowly lightening sky, dawn was coming.

He had failed is sister just as much as the elf had failed her, he should of been here to protect her like he had promised.

she paused, a finger twitching and shadows coiled up her arms

i'm aware of this....but if there is just this one mark on my arm, it still holds me reponsible for her, and i will take responsibility. i'm sur ei've already elaborated this she grumbled dangerously

though she had calmed down, a small amount of Lex's insanity may effect her temper and the way she acts

as the shadows coiled around Taylor, you could almost see her aging right before your eyes, her Elf Blood deciding she has matured enough to move onto the next stage, to start progressing to being an Elder slowly but surley

of course, that wouldn't be for another few centuries.

instead of the constant buzz of energy that used to surround her, there was a calmer energy that still screamed life, but now had control and was no longer raw.

her eyes were calm and clear, without the mischief

and she stood slightly taller and prouder, now more sure of herself and her current abilities

she knew where to go from this point

of course, it was easy to see she was still Taylor Longwood...she still had arrogance about her, and will always be blunt, harsh, and truthful to a fault, and will always be protective of those she cares for....but now she wouldn't act so childishly