Timestamp: Fall 400 AV
The day had come and gone on the fifth day after the ritual, and it was that, finally, Evalin could summon the strength to move once more. At first it was simply the movement of one finger… and then a small motion of one arm that escalated to the raising of her hand to examine the new digits before someone else’s eyes.
Slowly that hand came to touch upon a single high cheekbone, to trace along long locks of straight blond hair. Though she could not actually feel what it was she touched, she knew the skin to be smooth, near flawless. A small smile touched cold lips at the thought,
A new body, and a new face… And so the time for my experiments has been extended once more.Groaning slightly, more out of habit than actual need, Evalin forced this body to move, to sit up and swing its legs over the side of the bed onto the cold stone floor. Turning her head experimentally, Evalin blinked her eyes once, twice and three times.
Her response time is a bit sluggish… or is it simply how it always is? Evalin turned her head, testing out the limits of its rotation, They are always so stiff when I first begin to move, but soon enough it shall be broken in.Gripping the edge of the bed she stood, extending her arms to balance upon these strange legs. With a minor bit of amusement Evalin noted that this body was almost a full inch taller than her last host,
But then that was, in part, a reason for my choice.This thought brought a chuckle from the Nuits chest, a hollow, rasping sound reminiscent of one who had not spoken in quite some time. Clearing her throat, Eva spit out a large gob of spit and blood, reminiscent of the girl’s screams, as she had attempted to avoid her fate. Walking slowly, with careful steps Evalin made her way to the lab bench, setting her hands against the flat surface and leaning upon it’s sturdiness for support,
“It will take some time for this body to move as it must…”For every body that I acquire, the time it takes for my mind to command complete control grows slightly longer… or perhaps this is only my imagination?Shaking her head, Evalin’s mind fell backwards in time, coming upon memories of her former self. The girl at that time had, indeed, been more fragile, weaker than her other human counterparts, but she had still been of far better fitness that her current physical self.
Perhaps the greatest flaw, the worst of drawbacks of this existence, mused Evalin as she straighter,
Is the simple fact that I, as a corpse held up by the will of my soul, am in no way a creature meant for physical confrontations.This, indeed, was a problem that often vexed Evalin in her new life. It had forced the woman to resort to more… creative measures when obtaining her bodies, and while this was of no real concern to Evalin, she still could not help but feel that her endeavors would be much more easily obtained had she a form that could stand to lift more than a few pounds.
“If that is your only desire, I can make it true.”For the first time in 87 years, Evalin was startled. Turning suddenly, she cast her gaze around the empty room, but there was no one to be found.
“Who is there?” There was no fear in her voice, but there was a small amount of unease. One who has neither breath nor heartbeat should not fear the unknown, but even so there were still a few lingering shreds of her humanity left,
“If you be of this world then show yourself,” She paused a moment,
“But if you be of my own mind then be silent once more.”Seconds stretched on into minutes, and the voice did not speak again. Evalin’s eyes scoured the room, looking about for any sign of… What?
Evalin sighed and shook her head,
Of my mind it seems… Perhaps this is what happens to those who live past their allotted time in this world. The voice of madness begins to creep upon the mind perhaps…After one final glance Evalin turned, intent on looking to one of her texts upon the table, but instead of pages of summoning she was instead met with two shining points directly on eye level with her.
If she still drew breath Eva would have gasped in surprise, but instead she mealy stumbled back into the cold wall behind her. Upon the table, where only moments ago there was nothing, there now sat a child, a boy who appeared to be little more than a toddler. His manner of dress was, in a word, elegant. An elaborate jacket of black silk rested upon thin shoulders, covering up a fine shirt of red material. Upon his feet were shoes of molded leather, and silken pants fell just far enough to cover the very tops of the shoes. This child’s hair was cut short, rounded off around the ears with bangs ending just above his eyebrows, and his eyes… They were black as pitch, and from them streamed tears of the deepest ruby… tears of blood.
The child merely sat, his eyes staring deeply into Eva’s as he seemed to await her next voice. Slowly, Evalin broke free of her old human frailties, slipping once more into the steady mindset of one who had little to fear in life. Her eyes searched this new oddity, this strange occurrence that had broken the usual cycle of day-to-day life. For the first time in quite a while, Evalin had found something that was truly unusual.
Straightening to stand to her full height once more, Evalin’s voice broke the silence,
“It seems I have not fallen to madness just yet, for indeed there was another voice I see.”Nodding his head, the boy responded, his own voice slow and forlorn,
“The claws of insanity have yet to ensnare you Evalin. That is good, for I have a purpose for you.”No, this was no child. From him there oozed a presence, a consuming sense of loneliness and utter misery that caused even Eva’s long dead heart to feel chilled. Her arms found themselves folded before her chest; an unconscious shield between her and the apparition, for surely this could not simply be a child.
“Of purpose you speak? Then yes, indeed I have a purpose, and a goal to achieve as well. However, these are mine and mine alone, neither are gifted me by any other.”The boy nodded slowly, his eyes never blinking as they pondered the woman before him,
“You are correct in this… You do have a true purpose in your unlife, and I have seen you use your gift of eternity to its fullest. Tell me, are you pleased with your state of existence?”Evalin blinked,
His question… it is as if he…When she replied it was slow, calculated words. Her eyes never left the child’s,
“I am pleased yes… I had lived a life of such fleeting existence before that now, as I gaze upon eternity I can see my dreams are, indeed, a reality. Truly, this is how it should be, for now time is no longer an obstacle between me and what I desire.”The barest hint of a smile touched the child’s lips, but it was gone before Eva could be sure of its existence,
“That is… good. You have been given the ultimate gift, the greatest of honors. You are now in the highest state of being, for it is in this state of between life and death that one can truly exist to their fullest potential.” He paused, seeming to contemplate his next sentence carefully,
“Have you no… vexations with your form?”There it was once more… this child had hit upon a point that Eva had never spoken of to any… Mere moments ago she had, herself, discussed with herself the limitations that had come with her gift, and yet this boy knew of them as well? Shaking her head, Evalin looked at the one who read her every misgiving as if they were written clearly upon her forehead,
“I have accepted that you are no child, but if you be neither mortal or of my own madness, then who is this form I see before me?”A chuckle escaped sealed lips before he spoke,
“I am one who knows your kind more deeply than you know yourselves. I am he who came first. I am the giver of the gift, provider of eternity. I am the matriarch of the unlife… I am Uldr.”Evalin’s arms came uncrossed, and her eyes widened only slightly as she looked upon this visage more closely. Certainly she had heard the name, had heard its importance, but never had she felt inclined to accept such a creature to exist.
Then it is true… the gods walk among the mortals, and some even deigning to speak as well… A smile broadened her lips,
How interesting.With one step she brought herself closer to this child who claimed to be a god, but dared not step closer lest… but then what have she to fear? Her life was already lost to her, and so what was there to fear of this child? However… despite such logic Evalin could not bring herself to venture any closer.
“Then you are he who created the first… the father of our race? I must say that I would never have expected one of such standing to grace my humble residence, and so you must have a purpose in doing so. Do you not?”“I do.” Uldr nodded.
Evalin waited for the god to continue, but when he did not she ventured forth with another question,
“If I may, my honored god, to what do I owe the pleasure of your visit this evening? Surely there are many others who would be far better worth your attention.”Uldr smiled that fleeing smile once more, and then it was gone as quickly as it had come,
“Indeed there are…”Slightly taken aback, Evalin mouthed a few silent syllables, grasping for another phrase to speak to win over this god’s tongue, but she was spared such efforts.
“I have come for the simplest of reasons my dear Evalin. I have heard your frustrations, tasted your hatred of weakness in yourself and others… and I would offer you an escape from your frustrations.”The light of curiosity blossomed within Evalin’s soul, a warmth that she had not felt since before her turning. Clearing her throat, she tried to speak with as little interest as possible,
“Such offers mean nothing to me. I have fallen from the cycle of rebirth, and so my life is stretched far into the endless expanse of eternity. What little frustrations I may have shall be lost in time, for none shall walk upon the same plane as I.”Uldr’s hands steepled before his eyes,
“Certainly you shall outlast one minor inconvenience or another, for no human or mortal may walk the path you have chosen… but what of the difficulties of your own existence? Have you not felt the limitations of your new self as truly as you feel the vexations from the living?” Holding up a hand to halt her retort, Uldr continued,
“Your life… no, your unlife will, in time, show itself to be equally trying and inconvenient. You shall forever more be forced to flee from one body to the next as time claws away flesh and bone, and never shall you be able to run, fight or DO all that those of living flesh and blood may do…”He allowed these simple facts to settle in to Eva’s mind, letting her soak in the limitations of her very existence,
“I, however, can offer you respite from such troubles as these Evalin. With what I offer you will stand on equal footing with the living, no longer trapped by the fragility of a corpse, and the time in which you may reside within a form shall be extended as well.”Falling to silence, Uldr gazed upon Evalin with eyes that sought an answer, and it was made clear that there was, truly, only one really path to follow. The woman was caught in a place between suspicion and wholehearted agreement…
Sighing, Evalin brushed a hand through her hair, pulling a few of the golden locks before her eyes for inspection,
“What you offer… it is what I have always wished for… I do feel my limitations, the fallings of my existence, but until this moment I had accepted them as an inevitable truth…” There must be something… something that he wishes in return, but what could it be?Her eyes came up to look upon Uldr once more,
“Forgive me if I seem ungracious of your offer, but for what reason have you come to me offering such gifts?”
The boy folded his hands in his lap, straightening slightly, [b]“I offer this gift to any who will accept it Evalin. It is, for me, the ultimate show of grace to offer what I can to those who wish it. However, I would ask you for one thing in return for my mark.” He leaned forward, his eyes intent,
“In return for my gift you must, in turn, spread my will about this world. Call others to join you in your existence, and then you will have earned my favor.”Was this it? To spread the gift of unlife seemed… like such a small token when compared to the measure of what she would gain. Could it truly be that this man… this GOD, truly wished such from her?
If this be true then, surely, I may meet his expectations. I had intended, after all, to offer the gift to others as they came in any case did I not?Nodding slowly, Eva stepped closer to the boy,
“If this be your will, oh god of unlife, then so shall I carry out your wishes in return for your gracious gift, but I must ask you… is this truly what you would wish of me?”The boy’s hand reached forward, and the smile spread broadly over his lips. It was… a rather grotesque expression, this grin of a child marred by tears of blood. If there were still life with her veins Evalin would have felt them go cold, but without a second thought she reached forward and grasped what was offered her.
“I do have other purposes for you Evalin, but for now simply do as I have asked and my gift is yours.”Lightning, a scorching energy flooded Evalin’s entire being, causing her to arch her back and cry out in a wordless scream. Never before had she thought that she could feel such pain in her death, and yet…
It must be the touch of a god…*****
Her eyes fluttered open to stare upon the ceiling, a strange feeling of cold had embraced her entire body. Slowly, Eva made to rice, the movements of her body rather sluggish at first. A hand came up to touch her head, and her eyes swept the room for any sign of the child god.
Then has it been done?The Nuit rose to her feet, and as she straighten she noticed something odd. Her hand… it’s movements were different… Looking down upon her legs she commanded them to move, and so they did the instant the signal was sent. Blinking in surprise Eva tried this once more, and she was again astonished by the bodies immediate response to her will. Turning her head Evalin surveyed the room, but all was quiet… silence had come to rule once more.
Then it is done. His gift has been given, and now I must do as he bids…For the briefest of moments Evalin was filled with a feeling of dread, regretting her hasty acceptance of a gift without further examining what the consequences might be… but then she shrugged.
My life is an endless eternity. I have time yet to worry on such things as this, so for now I shall return to my work. My goals are yet unchanged.And so she turned, grasping a book from the counter top and pulling it closer to leaf through its pages. Her eyes gazed upon the text, a strange glint of red now present within them. Also… Eva could not help but notice a gnawing hunger growing in the very back of her subconscious…