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[Kaylor]

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Kaylor knelt at the roadside, the moon a clandestine ally as it slipped behind the nearest cloud allowing concealment of the blood bathing his gauntlets in crimson corruption. Would that a tear might rain down upon his cheek, some sense of guilt overtake him, however such blessed release remained forever out of reach in this cursed eternal damnation. The darkness crept ever closer to Stonegate just as it had to The Guardians of Honour the time before. He knew it wasn't a question of possibility, but simply when. His control was great yet hardly perfect and, were it not for nights as these when the occasional murder of an innocent provided him some semblance of serenity, there could be no control at all.
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*Even if you be otherwise perfect, you fail without humility. ~ The Talmud*

[Kaylor]

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The most treasured of gifts are often those given without prepense; the path to serenity priceless no matter the toll. Cimmerian shade cannot claim that which affords it no ability to avail its demands. The sun has never blessed my skies with greater brightness nor have my nights known greater bliss. Temporary as it may be, I look forward to the bane.
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*Even if you be otherwise perfect, you fail without humility. ~ The Talmud*

[Eclyse Christian]

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How strange that a promise so solemnly borne upon our darkest midnight whispers should so completely hail your soul from its nocturnal sojourn.

Eclyse watched from the balcony as Kaylor tousled his charger’s mane below. He exhaled a shimmering grey spectre in the morning air as his azure gaze lifted to the balcony, and he smiled at her brilliantly. In the snow, when he stood just so, he looked like an angel.

And how rarely have ever I seen such life alight in your face. Something has changed. And by faith, I believe it to be genuine.

[Kaylor]

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XFlfhxGwHLI

. . . upon the morrow.
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*Even if you be otherwise perfect, you fail without humility. ~ The Talmud*

[Kaylor]

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"Flee Eclyse!"

Those were the last words he managed before the shadow gargoyle's talons tore through his sleeve, the bones of his weapon arm snapping like winter wizened twigs within its viselike hold. His axe fell from his grasp as nerves severed from sinews, loss of sensation buried beneath a torrent of agony. Silver serpents slithered over his boots while undead guardians advanced their approach.

The Tomb of Kings indeed, but not this king. At least not yet. A vow was a vow no matter how transitory and the serenity far more than welcome.
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*Even if you be otherwise perfect, you fail without humility. ~ The Talmud*

[Eclyse Christian]

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“Flee Eclyse!”

She knew better than to disobey such a frantic command. She trusted his judgement, but he held the brunt of the attack to clear the way for her escape. Against every instinct she had to charge into the fray and help him, she reigned her steed toward the darkened entrance and the daylight that lay beyond it. She spurred him on in haste. C’mon Saint, th’ faster we’re safe, the sooner ‘e will be, too.

Eclyse blinked in the stark daylight that bathed her as she emerged. She turned immediately, watching frantically for him to follow. Moments ticked by. Too long. Where are you? Resignedly, she reigned Saint again toward the darkened hallway to return to the chaos waiting inside, just as Kay emerged from the darkness. He crawled out of the shadows and looked up at her, then collapsed in the sunlight. She slid down from her mount and knelt beside him in a state of panic.

“Kay? What’s wrong, what’s hurt?” His eyes opened again and he sought her out, as if her voice emanated from someplace else, and he sought its source. He did not answer. Blood soaked his robes and soot scorched his cheek. His hair was drenched in the cold sweat that soaked his leather armour and glistened on his brow. Without warning, his muscles convulsed, tensing and contorting his face in pain.

“The venom.” Eclyse removed her gloves and hastily pulled a flask of orange liquid from her pack as she knelt over him. She snaked an arm beneath his neck to support his head, then uncorked the flask and lifted it to his lips. “Can ye ‘ear me Kay? This will ‘elp wi’ the poison, but ye ‘ave to help me.”

Kaylor’s eyes sought her, and his gaze locked with hers. He did not respond, but she knew he had heard her. She allowed the liquid to touch his lips as he stared glassily into her eyes. She halted her efforts for a few seconds to watch for any reflexive attempt to swallow. It wouldn’t do to choke him with an elixir meant to help. Hesitantly, his lips parted and she poured the potion slowly into his mouth. He sputtered, but managed to swallow a mouthful at a time.

Eclyse watched his face as he trembled, his muscles spasming hatefully from the venom. She smoothed back his hair lightly and gentled her hand against his cheek. Slowly, the convulsion of muscles began to relent. A touch of relief washed over his expression, and a look of recognition finally settled into his shadowy blue eyes.

Silver serpent venom doesn’t account for th’ blood.

Kaylor’s hands went up to stay her efforts as she began to search him for further injury, and he spoke softly. “Are you all right, Eclyse?”

“I’m fine, Kay, don’t you fret. Please, tell me what hurts, I need to know where t’ start.” His eyes looked somewhat bewildered by the question, as if he could not untangle what hurt from what did not. Then it seemed his body reached a breaking point.

Kaylor’s eyes caught hers again. His were alight with a strange, almost blissful shine as he reached up with one hand toward her face. He winced in pain, and his eyes closed. His body went limp, his hand falling away again to his side as he slipped into unconsciousness.

Eclyse’s heart plummeted, but once she had assured he was breathing easily, she calmed. Sleep for now, Love. I’d rather you weren’t awake for what I ‘ave to do now anyway.

Carefully, with all her strength, she lifted him and draped him across Saint’s back, then hastily began leading the horse to a healer’s shack they had passed along the way. Eclyse spoke calmly to him as his mind and body rested in the calm recesses of unconsciousness. “This is bad, Kay. It’s beyond my skills. I ‘ave to get ye to someone who can help.”

[Kaylor]

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Inspiration borne of innocence; vengeance borne of pain. Ethereal concepts given substance by way of inauspicious intentions. Allotted chance to sway, battlements built to thwart invasion eventually acknowledged love's dominion cautiously allowing precious access to the heart. Gladness illuminates tenebrious isolation; hatred hastens from the light. Dreams once fearfully forbidden now radiate the brilliance of exuberant realities. Her hand in mine. Serenity.
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*Even if you be otherwise perfect, you fail without humility. ~ The Talmud*

[Kaylor]

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PG 13 WARNING!

**“Kay…” Eclyse knew the protest was futile by the intensity of his eyes. His body pressed her back roughly against the cold, smooth marble of the wall. “It’s snowing out here… what if someone sees—“

His eyes explored her eagerly as though shamelessly peeling away the delicate fabric of her dress, then quickly silenced her, capturing her mouth in a hungry kiss. Slowly breaking their rapture, he heatedly trailed his lips along the side of her neck. “Let them see,” he whispered huskily, reveling in the tantalizing taste of the sweet nectar of her tender flesh.

She closed her eyes and shivered, holding him tightly as his hands moved down her sides, settling on her hips and pulling her possessively against him.

“Kay, I’m not so sure—“ Eclyse started a half-hearted protest, but found herself silenced again, this time with a gasp as he gave a low unconcerned growl in reply, smiling wickedly as he claimed her - heart, body and soul.**

A smile crept slowly over Kaylor's countenance at the recollection of his game in the snow with his beloved Eclyse the night before he'd ventured forth with her to The Tomb of Kings. Precious were the moments spent entwined within the purity of her enchanting incorruption. They were so very different and yet shared so very much: a Templar shorn of his vows by the bitter acceptance of evil's reigning eventuality and a Noblewoman whose pious adherence to virtue illuminated his darkness in boundless angelic resplendence. A man who murdered without regret surely had no right to the blessing of such grace. She'd begged him to control the darkness, pleaded that he stop the killing, and he'd promised that he would. Initially uncertain as to how, his course solidifed within the misted veils of an ebon inconsistency which, once trespassed upon, permitted no retreat but allowed the necessary means. Now it was done and he had only to contrive the counterbalance.

His weapon arm was presently useless, the bones crushed beyond imaginative belief. His clavicle and shoulder on that self-same side had suffered extensive damage as well. And his right leg had lost all sensation, leaving him without the slightest ability to even wiggle his toes. Time alone would reveal whether or not this affliction was permanent. In the meanwhile, however, his left side remained unimpaired and he intented to take full advantage in forcing its compliance to serve in compensation. If by nothing more than strength of will, he would seek solace in the knowledge that true love had finally found him and cleave to its bounty in the fight that was to come. The Black Knight would not be bound by physical incapacities. Serenity would be short-lived. Until then, however, he would dwell in the light of that which he had and take pleasure in its radiance.

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** written by Eclyse Christian
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*Even if you be otherwise perfect, you fail without humility. ~ The Talmud*

[Kaylor]

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Journal Note

The bones are beginning to mend, but the loss of sensation to my leg yet lingers. I've managed concealment of this through instinct and magic, but the potions Ancyous left behind are in limited supply. The brace I'm having made by the smith in Luna should be ready upon the morrow. 'Twill serve convenient to retrieve it near the hour of Lord Isk's planned dissertation on Humanis for his theories are becoming of great interest to this knight.
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*Even if you be otherwise perfect, you fail without humility. ~ The Talmud*