RP:You're Going To Be Alright, I Promise.

Summary: Pilar shows mercy when it is needed most.

Northern Sage Forest

Pilar hadn't had a great night. Witnessing an acquaintance die and turn to dust wasn't exactly on her list of top ten favorite things, after all. She had taken his remains back to her home to prepare them for burial, and was now wandering the forest, just trying to get her head together. So much was going on. The necromancer attack, getting back with her sort-of ex, and now this... Things were just so crazy. She hoped she'd have a calm day before the ball.

Revan :: If it were peace the young vampire hoped to find in the lush greens of the sage forest she would be sorely disappointed this day. The sun is bright and shining with it's rays breaking through the branches and leaves illuminating the woods in a beautiful glow, an odd sight to see for a cool winter's day. Perched atop a low hanging branch rests an eerie raven colored bird who refuses to break eye contact with Pilar as she approaches, his call ringing out through the forest while she passes beneath him leaving the silence of the forest broken as cries of help ring out and panicked footsteps can be heard within close distance. Before she has time to relocate two young travelers, a male orc and female drow would burst through the brush both wearing dirty bandit gear and fitting the description of every tale of criminal scum in Hollow. The orc is bleeding badly with large wounds uncovered through shredded leather armor that ooze causing his green skin takes a lighter hue. The drow carrying her companion with his arm slung around her shoulder spots Pilar and with fear in her eyes pleads with the woman for aid, "Please, you must help us! That beast is coming! A-a-and he's already taken the camp! You must help us get to Larket, please! We must leave! NOW!" her words crack and her voice falters while she begs for mercy from the passing youth, the ear shattering cries of pain in the distance backing up her tale.

Pilar 's head whipped around as she heard the screams. She jumped as the couple crashed through the forest, and soon found herself face-to-face with a frightening sight. A bloodied man and a frantic woman was what she saw, and that was enough to make her begin to shake a little. The idea of some terrible beast scared her, but this was no time for her to turn and flee. Taking a deep breath, she said, "A-Alright... H-Here, l-l-let me help." As a vampire, she was gifted with strength far greater than one would think to find in a woman of such slight frame. She lifted the man onto her shoulder with ease, and took the woman's hand in her own. She was shaking just as badly as the vampire. "C-Come, this way."

Revan :: Pilar wouldn't be able to count the number of thank you's she would receive from the drow as she helped lighten the load of their wounded companion, the orc mustering the strength to mutter out something that one might interpret as a sign of gratitude. As they began hastily moving to the west the drow spilled out her plans, "We need to get to Larket for help from the guards but the healer in sage can help Orion if we're quick." Her yellow eyes scan her fellow bandit before flashing over to Pilar with a grave look that admits despite their efforts it was unlikely the orc would make it and her talk was just for reassuring him. "We left a cart with a horse not far from here, if w-" the trio freeze as a bone chilling howl is heard echoing through the forest, tears filling the drow's eyes as she suddenly drops the orc and begins sprinting away towards Larket, "I'm sorry! I can't let that thing get me! I won't become one of them!" The lanky dark elf is gone before any sort of reasoning can be had leaving Pilar alone with the wounded orc, he's staring at her with aging green eyes that seem to be fading when he manages to speak a single word "Go".

Pilar could hardly believe the woman would just run off like that. She looked at the orc, who seemed to be fading fast. What to do? He was dying, and with him weighing her down, she might be caught by whatever it was that was chasing them. But could she abandon him to a grisly death just to buy herself some time? She looked behind her, around her, trying to find the source of the noise. The man was starting to slip from her grasp. She shifted him into a better position and continued toward Larket. He'd said go, so she'd go. She'd just bring him with her.

Revan :: Could the young Pilar honestly be surprised by the abandonment of such a woman? These were thugs she was aiding - robbers, rapists and murderers. They provided no aid to the world other than ensuring the emotion fear would not be soon forgotten and though she displayed a great sense of care by continuing to support the wounded orc gratitude isn't something she would receive in return as the green skin growled through gritted teeth "Stop being foolish girl! You can't save me, no one can! That damn thing tore our camp to pieces and picked almost all of us off before we could even think! I'm done fo~" A heavy cough produces blood that crashes to the forest floor staining the leaves a crimson red, the orc halting his movements as he knocks Pilar away from him. Another cough precedes a heavy twitch in his right shoulder as his moan turns from humane to something... else. "G-...Get the hell away from me. It's-..." The voice of the orc is rough and horrific as he looks up to Pilar from the ground revealing those green hues of his have become to bloody flowing reds, sclera and all, "It's changing me!" What happens next is a violent display of transformation that is compromised of bones popping, skin ripping and teeth growing as the orc becomes an eight foot tall behemoth of a Lycanthrope with hunger in his eyes. As he howls to the heavens above the sky clouds to a darker shade and a returning howl hints that the pack wouldn't be far behind and in the same demonic voice he taunts the vampire, "You should've left me to die, girl." before charging towards Pilar with his massive maw agape as he makes an effort to bite her torso clean in half.

Pilar shrieked and dove out of the way. Oh good, for once she wasn't paralyzed by her terror. She hit the ground with a grunt and turned onto her back to stare. She scrambled to her feet and started to run. Where to go, what to do? She needed help, that much was certain, but could she lead the monster into a populated area? She sure as hell couldn't fight him. Even if she had the ability, did she have the will to end another's life? No, no, she did not have the heart to do it. She grabbed onto a low-hanging branch and hoisted herself up. She continued to climb as her thoughts raced in panic, tears flowing from her eyes. She cursed herself for a coward, unable to protect herself or... or others... Oh, gods, if he wasn't stopped, he'd... Pilar leaned against the tree, a hand over her mouth. What was she supposed to do?

Revan :: As Pilar scurries up the branch the raven colored bird spreads it's wings and spits in her direction, picking at her hands before flying off to find another resting place while the lycan below cackles and taunts the girl from the bottom of the tree as two more of his pack mates emerge from the foliage and spot Pilar with that same insatiable hunger in their eyes. Clawing at the tree they one by one begin their ascent with the bark cracking under their weight causing them to slide back to the forest floor before trying again. Beside Pilar, a young man wearing all white robes with messy blue hair suddenly appears on the branch beside her with his hand stretched out with an open palm, he speaks to her in a calming tone "Take it. You're going to be alright."

Pilar squeaked when the crow bit at her hands, possibly in disgust at her cowardice. She looked down at the lycans as they attempted to make their way up towards her. When the young man appeared, she was nearly startled into letting go. She looked at him, still trembling violently. Had he come to save her, or was this some sort of vile trick? Below, the wood continued to crack. At this rate, the tree would fall before she did. Having no other options, she slowly reached out to take the offered hand. "W-we need to warn someone," she said. The lives of others were in danger so long as the pack was on the loose.

Revan :: Not a second can pass from the time Pilar touches the man's hand until his flawless complexion disintegrates to reveal sickly rotting green and white flesh and a gaping hole in his throat. Pushing forward with all of his might, time seems to slow as Revan knocks Pilar from her perch to the pack of Lycan's below but as she falls before the beasts the ground shatters like glass upon impact casting her into complete darkness, the beasts cursing through the hole above as she falls further and further from the light. Minutes fell like hours during the descent until it ceases. Pilar would find herself on solid ground though there would be no collision, no direct impact as she is left sitting in complete darkness until a match ignites a few inches in front of her face. "Our savior!", "You've come for us!", "Thank the gods!" Matches come to life all around her with only black decayed fingers gripping the sticks visible by their light, the voices praising Pilar as their messiah while they beg her to bring forth their salvation. A boom cracks out along with the appearance of a lit candelabra hanging from above that illuminates hundreds of vile creatures as the source of the voices, they begin to grab at Pilar's clothes pulling her towards them as they continues to beg for release.

Pilar should have known better, she really should have. She gasped in shock as the man turned into a corpse, and then let out a scream as she fell. She expected to be caught and ripped to shreds by the lycans, not to fall through the earth into some void. She had no idea what was going on, and her scream died on her lips. She'd had dreams like this before, where she was just falling. Was this a dream, now? She landed without landing, soon sitting as if she hadn't been plummeting for several minutes. She heard the cries of the creatures around her before she saw them. She gasped again in horror to see them and tried to back away, only to find herself surrounded. She looked all around her at these pitiful creatures, and from their cries she realized they did not mean her harm. Even if they were dragging her towards them. She pulled herself free and stood up. "I... I am so sorry, but I am... I am no savior." How could she help these poor things, when she couldn't even help herself?

Revan :: Groans of agony and cries of despair fill the void as the creatures hear Pilar's heresy, she had not come to free despite being their holy one. As they continue their frantic pleas the blue haired man appears behind PIlar's right shoulder speaking in the same genuine tone, "You stare at a sea of pained souls begging to be released from the void. You are their savior." The undead spawns to her left with a voice that cannot be described, "But while you show compassion for the living you refuse to bring death to cease suffering." The human reaches into his robe and pulls out a beautiful jeweled dagger with a golden hilt and presents it to Pilar before placing it into her hand. "Will you be their salvation?" he asks, "Or will you leave them to their damnation?" the undead concludes. After their pieces are said the two disappear into the darkness leaving Pilar alone once more with those that beg her for slaughter, to bring an end to their suffering with her own hand and the golden blade.

Pilar looked down at the presented dagger, then back at the suffering creatures. "Is... is this what you all want?" she asked. As the creatures moaned their ascent, tears came to her eyes. She knelt next to the nearest one and gripped its hand in hers. She knew there were worse things than death, but she valued life so much... With a shaking hand, she pressed the knife to its throat. "You are... sure?" "Yeeeessss..." it groaned. Closing her eyes, Pilar slashed through its skin, spilling its blood upon the ground. She let out a sob. This was the second life she'd taken, but the first one done on purpose. She didn't know if she could do it again, but they were begging, pleading for it. She moved on to the next one.

Revan :: Cheers erupted through the void as PIlar took the first life of the creature, they begged for more and crawled closer to her awaiting their turns to be eliminated.

Pilar continued to sob as she did the dark work. She would hold their hand as she ended their lives, giving each one individual attention and trying to kill them as quickly as possible. Once she was done, and thoroughly soaked in blood, she just sat there amid the corpses. She threw the dagger away and curled up, holding her knees to her chest and weeping.

Revan :: Flames flood the void to cleanse the area of corpses as Pilar weeps to herself, the crackling of the fire drowning out her sniffling. The inferno slowly grows up the 'walls' until light can be seen over head as the darkness around them burns to ash. Pilar finds herself seated just below the tree with the raven colored bird resting upon her shoulder and the corpse of the orc before her - covered in hundreds of dagger wounds with his blood splattered across her dress and the surrounding dirt. A cloaked figure stands just beyond the corpse and stares to the downed girl with a pair of glowing blue eyes, "You believe killing to be an unneeded evil, an act of anger and hatred." The bottom of his robe flows fluidly as he steps over the corpse and moves closer to the vampire, kneeling down to become face to face with her though his features somehow remain hidden excluding his eyes. "Death comes in many forms... nature, revenge, mercy... It's all a very important part of a very delicate existence." His hand shifts beneath his robe sleeve until it emerges with a single white rose clutched tightly in his grasp. "I sense great fear in you, but through the fear you still manage to act for others and present mercy when it is needed the most." His left hand grabs Pilar's chin and forces her to lock eyes with him while he offers the white rose to her. "Whenever you feel discouraged or scared, pick a petal from this rose and you will find what you are looking for." The features upon his face lighten to reveal the blue haired man "Take it. You're going to be alright, I promise."

Pilar , confused, shaking, and bloodied, looked up at the bird on her shoulder, then to the dead orc before her. Her eyes then lifted to look at the cloaked figure as he approached her. She stared into his eyes when he forced her to, though they kept glancing away. She hesitated to take the gift from this man. Hadn't he just put her through hell? And now he was offering her a rose, a magical rose to give her guidance. She didn't know what to think. "How... how much was real?" she asked, hand slowly lifting to take the rose.

Revan gave 1 white rose to Pilar.

Revan smiles revealing pearly white teeth and exclaims, "All of it" before vanishing with his bird leaving her alone with the corpse of the orc.

Pilar leaned against the tree and wept anew, for all the poor souls she'd killed, for the orc, for herself.