The Inbetween

There was nothing. Blackness everywhere. Death was peaceful. Nice even. No feelings. No emotion. No pain. Not even a body to muck it all up. Yet it was lonely as well. The blackness didn't talk. It wasn't your friend. Your family, or what passed for one, didn't greet you in the dark. All those religious pricks had gotten it wrong. There was nothing after death. Nothing at all. Only the blackness and an acute awareness of everything that was missing here. If the being could have cried, it might have. The loneliness was crushing it. It wasn't even aware of who or what it was missing. All it knew was that it couldn't handle all this loneliness.

"YOUNG ONE." A voice bellowed through the void. Maybe it was bellowing. The being couldn't be sure. Perhaps it was merely speaking. "IT IS NOT YOUR TIME YET. YOU ARE TETHERED TO LIFE BY UNHOLY MAGIC." A shape began to form before the being. It was a muscular male with bright red skin. Golden eyes missing an iris or a pupil dominated a face lacking any other features. The lower body of the being disappeared into a red wisp. The wisp curled off into the darkness. The eyes looked over the being. They almost appeared to be confused. Sad as well if that were possible. "YOU DO NOT EVEN REMEMBER WHO YOU ARE. LET ME ENLIGHTEN YOU."

The god-like being reached down to touch the other being. As the red fingers brushed against the outer bits of the glowing ball, knowledge flooded into it. Memories, identity, a sense of belonging came with the knowledge. The being felt once more a sense of self. Masha had been her name in life. She'd done some terrible things. She'd also done some amazing things. She'd met many people. Masha had killed a few and saved others. People had been left behind when she died. The being before her chuckled softly. "YOU ARE NOT DEAD, MASHA DYMONREL"

Masha's ball turned to the being in confusion. How did this not qualify as dead? "YOUR CREATORS TETHERED YOU TO THE LAND OF THE LIVING WITH UNHOLY MAGIC. THIS IS A LAND OF INBETWEEN. A PLACE CREATED FOR THOSE IN TRANSITION." Masha wished she had a brow to furrow. If she wasn't dead, wasn't dying and was held in the land of the living, why was she in the land of transition? The being stroked a beard that appeared upon its face. "I DREW YOU HERE, MASHA DYMONREL. THE UNHOLY MAGIC HOLDING ONTO YOU IS NO MATCH FOR YOUR PASSION. THAT PASSION BROUGHT MY ATTENTION TO YOU. I WISH TO GIVE YOU A CHOICE."

"A choice?" Masha croaked. Despite lacking a throat, she somehow managed to speak. An interesting change of pace. She could function as if she possessed a body. Masha wondered for a moment. The ball that had made up her form morphed into an image of her body that she remembered. The new form was clothed in a cute little skirt and a blouse. Nothing too showy but still nice to observe. Masha admired herself before turning back to the red man.

He nodded, his eyes not even appearing to register Masha's new form. "A CHOICE. ON ONE HAND, I WILL ALLOW YOU TO DIE. TO PASS ON AS YOU SHOULD HAVE. THE MAGIC BINDING YOU TO THE WORLD WILL BE SEVERED. ON THE OTHER, I WILL SEND YOU BACK TO THE WORLD. I WILL PLACE MY MAGIC IN YOUR HANDS. HOWEVER, THIS CHOICE HAS A COST. YOUR MEMORIES WILL BE CONSUMED. YOU WILL REMEMBER NOTHING, HAVE NO CONNECTIONS TO THE WORLD, BE IGNORANT OF ANY DANGERS." The being floated down towards Masha. His hand continued to stroke his beard. He appeared to be waiting for her answer.

WC: 632

The being waved his hand. Great mirrors appeared all around Masha. Each one showed a memory within. Masha saw Artemis, Leona, and a few other people. Aodhfin, Caius, even Dewi were within the mirrors. The redhead turned toward the red-skinned being. Her eyebrow raised in askance. "YOUR LIFE AS YOU KNOW IT. ALL SHALL BE ERASED, SHOULD YOU CHOSE LIFE." He boomed. A door appeared behind Masha. The being gently turned her to face it. She blinked looking up at the male. "THE DOOR TO THE NEXT LIFE, SHOULD YOU CHOSE TO PASS ON."

Both choices were tempting for the succubus. She'd forget everything if she lived. All the terrors she'd experienced. All the evil she had committed. All the people she wished to forget. It would all fade into the ether. On top of this, this entity would grant her another magic. The temptation to simply continue for all of that hit her like a truck. Yet, she was tired. To pass on, to finally rest as she wished to... Masha nearly touched the door from her desire. The world would continue without her.  Others could take up the cause, protect it in her place. Death would be the sweet release that she needed.

"YOU HAVE NOTHING TO FEAR. THE WORLD WILL CONTINUE WITHOUT YOU." The entity said softly. Masha assumed it was attempting to speak softly. The succubus turned toward him. "Why me? Why offer all this to me? I'm not worth the effort of... what are you?" The entity appeared to smile. He slowly shrunk down to her size. "I am Jarovit, the Bright Lord. I was drawn to the passion of your life, the strength of your emotions. I can sense your conflict." Jarovit touched Masha's forehead. Lips appeared on his face in a smile. "Perhaps you're not as conflicted as I thought. Your heart has already chosen."

Magic flashed across Masha. She blinked in surprise. Her heart had chosen? What had her heart chosen? The magic moved the darkness back. A bright light quickly swallowed Masha. She was unsure still of what her heart had chosen. However, whatever it had chosen, she would accept it. Whether it be death or life.

WC: 367
TWC: 999

Masha emerged into a strange area. It didn't look like the street she'd left behind. There as no road, cobblestones or people in sight. It was a room. Wood planks covered the floor. Transparent walls, half red, half white, rose on every side. Red pillars rose from the floor to support a pointed black roof. The redhead was confused as to why she had appeared in this place. Was this the afterlife then? No. She felt alive. Her heart beat steadily in her chest. Besides, the Bright Lord had said she'd already chosen in her heart. What more was there to this experience?

Booming laughter filled the room. Jarovit lowered into the room. The god was enormous, nearly filling the room. His body passed through the ceiling without effort. Masha wondered if the room was real or if it was merely a construct of her mind. The Bright Lord laughed once again. It was impossible to tell if he'd read her mind or not. "How quickly you forget, my dear. I am taking your memory. In return, I will grant you a boon. Magic, fueled by your passion." Masha peered up at the god. A question burned in her mind. Jarovit bent down. His face hovered near Masha. "To answer the question - well questions - in your mind: No, the memories are the price for bringing you back to life. Also, yes I can read your mind if you couldn't tell."

The god straightened back to his full height. "The magic I am granting you is of goodwill. I wish to see your passion grow. Wish to feel the thrum of your emotions. This magic will increase your disposition to be more emotional, at least during battle. You may accept it or not. Your memories will be taken regardless. Nothing can change that." Masha hung her head for a moment. The power of a god in the palm of her hand. There was little she could see that screamed 'Don't do it'. The redhead raised her eyes to look at the Bright Lord. "Then I will accept your gift!" She'd meant to sound commanding and confident. The voice that came out of her throat was raspy, old sounding. Masha didn't even know where that voice came from.

WC: 379
TWC: 1378

Jarovit let out a thunderous laugh. "That is the spirit! Let us begin!" His fist began to glow with power. One moment, he was standing tall, powerful. The next he was striking at the beautiful redhead. Masha barely had time to move. His fist grazed against her side. Her next breath brought blood with it. Crimson coated the floor of the dojo. The Bright Lord didn't stop. His foot connected with Masha's ribs. She flew through the air, crashing into one of the pillars. Sliding to the floor, the summoner remained motionless. "Come now! You must show me your spirit! Attack me! Feel your passion flowing through you!"

Masha spat blood. She shakily pushed herself up off the floor. "How... can I... fight back? You're a god!" Jarovit shrugged his shoulders, barely visible to Masha. Her head fell back to the floor. Blackness flickered around the edges of her vision. Suddenly. his feet beat a steady staccato into the floor. Masha's eyes widened. Her body moved, rolling away from the attack. Hands came up. Flickering pink covered her fingers. The bolts of magic didn't even affect the god. His foot caught the side of Masha's head. She spun in place sinking back to the floor. The darkness rushed in quickly. Masha glared up at the god as he approached once again. One last thought filled her mind. Why did he bother giving me a choice... if he was just going to kill me?

Jarovit smiled down at the unconscious body before him. "It is better this way. My magic is not a gentle thing. Receiving it is more painful than a beating such as this." A glowing red orb filled his fist. Kneeling down, the Bright Lord pressed the orb into Masha's chest. Her entire body went taut. Her back bent backward trying to escape the pain. Jarovit turned away from the writhing body. He had no desire to see this child in more pain. She had suffered much already in this lifetime. Her memories floated in a small room off to the side. Those memories were some of the worst he'd taken from mortals.

The Bright Lord looked over his shoulder. The spasming was nearing its end. The magic had settled into her body. Time to send her back to the mortal plane. A red glow spread over the entirety of Masha. "Goodbye, Masha Dymonrel."

WC: 396
TWC: 1774

Jarovit sat silently, watching the mortal plane. A wide window of sorts allowed him to peer at his most recent charge. The redhead had made it back safely. The magic he'd granted her had settled into her body. Several friends had gathered close around the succubus. Each was yammering incessantly. The scene brought a smile to the god's lips. Masha would be alright. Despite several attempts by a vampire to convince the new amnesic of lies, that is. The Bright Lord made the window disappear with a wave of his hand.

With those duties finished, Jarovit looked at the reason Masha had been sent here. Most mortals passed on directly, stopping only briefly in this place. The succubus had been tethered to the Mortal Realm. A spiky amoeba of power floated gently there. It was an unholy thing. Unfortunately, Jarovit could not sever its connection to Masha. Whoever had placed it within her intended for it to stay put. The god wasn't quite sure what to make of the thing. It had to be placed back within the mortal plane. That could not be avoided. Otherwise, the succubus would slowly wither away. The Bright Lord intended for his servants to find the responsible party. First, this thing had to be dealt with.

Jarovit split the power into pieces. Each piece was placed inside of an object. Opening a portal into the mortal realm, the god tossed the objects through. They would be distributed randomly. For a time, Masha would be free. The succubus would eventually be drawn to the items, to the power within. This power would be her curse for as long as she lived. It was an inevitable fact. Jarovit only hoped she'd be strong enough to resist temptation. If Masha gathered all the items, the being who had cursed her would be brought forth. They would wish for either the items or Masha herself. Only time would tell if his plan helped or harmed the succubus. Jarovit settled back in to watch the mortal plane. Masha's fate was out of his hands now.

WC: 346
Total: 2120