Desires of the Obsessed

Chapter 2

Here's Chapter 2! And I'd just like to say - regarding the songs - that they were what I was listening too at the time in order to try and create the right mood. The winter collection (Majesty, Knight; Eve) by Nox Aracana really suit the setting of the story in my opinion. If you like this type of music then I recommend you look them up, they do some cool stuff.

Now, onward with the tale!

--

Cold.

She felt cold, ridged even as she tried to move her aching joints. Groaning, she pushed against the snow and up into a comfier position, a sheet of pure white falling off of her as her bones creaked from their lack of use. With enough force and willpower, her blue, with flecks of yellow eyes fluttered open revealing the frozen landscape and surrounding structure.

The sky was no longer a monochrome of grey, filled with frozen water, but was now a deep sea blue with faint remnants of the sun's golden rays illuminating the top of the three story building and surrounding trees. The snow was still present however, gently beating against her and wrapping her in a white blanket. Slowly bringing her hand to her face she lazily rubbed her eyes, snow still silently sliding off her frame as her right hand held her right eye, staring out in a daze.

She couldn't yet remember what had happened.

The eerie yet ever beautiful sound of a crow cawing dragged her out of her haze, her head sluggishly being forced up as her half-lidded eyes glanced toward the direction of the ill-omened sound. In a snow covered tree on the edge of the forest stood the ever watchful crow, its midnight feathers a stark contrast to the white backdrop that lay around them.

Her still foggy mind moved from the crow towards the hollowed building in front of her, slowly repairing the shattered glass that was her memory. With a weak groan she rested her arm atop the rim of the fountain, pulling herself, with all the strength she could muster, to her feet.

The crow continued to watch her as her legs quickly gave out from under her, her ribs digging almost painfully into the fountain as she supported herself against it. With a ragged breath she tried again, pulling herself onto the fountain and knocking the peaceful snow violently away in her struggle.

Taking deep, meaningful breaths she pushed herself up and slouched forward, her elbows resting on her knees; the balls of her hands gently pushing against her eyes, covering them as her fingers slipping their way under her hat, raising it slightly above her head as she ran her fingers through her chocolate hair.

The glass within her mind was suddenly clear again as images of what happened came rushing back to greet her, eager to regale her on her embarrassing failure. But she wouldn't give up that easily. She hadn't been searching for this place for over a week, with no rest whatsoever, just to get this far and give up. It wasn't in her nature.

"... I have to find her." She growled in determination, her hands dropping to rest on her knees as she groggily rose to her feet.

She fully expected to see the monster and crimson display again when she looked up, and when she did she was going to... well, let's just say there'd be next to nothing left of the thing. Her pride would not let her do anything less.

But the joyous event of getting her revenge was swiftly dashed as her spectral eyes looked up toward the imposing structure. Her brow furrowed at the sight, her mouth slightly gaping like a fish out of water as words came only to then dry within her mouth.

She didn't understand.

Gone. That was the only word that she could comprehend as emotions and thoughts clashed like Titans deep within her cranium, confusion ringing out as she looked over the building. The body, it was gone! There was no trace of it; the black smoke that it had turned into was long since gone with the racing wind.

It hurt her pride knowing that she would not be getting her revenge any time soon.

However, her pride didn't remain damaged for long as she remembered that her opponent had in fact been a corpse - a Unadekin. Corpses don't rise by themselves, they aren't alive, and when they do it's normally a Necromancers doing, controlling and manipulating the bound soul within to do their bidding. Sometimes, Necromancers even went so far as to exchange something of value in order to summon and command a creature of great power from the depths of Odii'gahenn - a sort of Underworld.

It's the main reason why so many frown upon the school of Conjuration.

Her right hand gradually moved to the back of her head; gently grazing over the back of her skull where a dull throbbing pain resounded. She winced, her hand flinching away as if it had been burnt from the sharp pain of coming from her head. Looking down at her hand she frowned as she noticed the drying blood coating the tips of her fingers. Her wound had healed - 'Bless the Makers for fast healing' - but a small bit of blood remained.

Taking a deep breath, a yawn slightly escaping her, she pushed the dull pain aside and continued onward into the strange building, noting how the once malicious aura was nowhere to be felt. But the feeling of nothing did very little to calm her growing worries.

So engrossed in opening the large double doors of the building, she never noticed the crows oddly coloured eyes still trained on her, not once leaving her slim form until she finally entered the worn structure, the large doors creating a sickening 'bang' as they shut behind her.

--

Elsewhere, deep beneath the ruin in the labyrinth of a laboratory stood the same figure as the one in the window a few hours before, looking over a shelf filled with embalming chemicals and preserved body parts.

A dark, sardonic chuckle echoed throughout the room.

He had seen her enter the building through the eyes of his magic. With not even a twitch of his finger, the crow evaporated into a black mist, fading into nothing.

He was close now.

She was close now.

All he had to do was wait for her to enter the tunnels in which he dwelt, and then he'd make his move.

He would finally have her.

Another deep chuckle rumbled through his chest, his glittering eyes lighting up within the dimly lit room like the fire he was forged in. Dark promises finally coming to fruition.

"Let the game begin again, my dear Vecarus."