History:
Kiersa couldn't recall her parents much, just vague impressions of smells and shapes. Not that such information truly mattered to her anymore... sometimes. She had been left on the doorstep of the nearby convent when she was just a baby, a note pinned to her basked letting them, and her future self understand the reasons for this action. They were poor and could barely afford to keep themselves, let alone a newborn baby.
The young girl learned to not resent them for this, for whilst she lived in the convent, she grew to be happy and content. When she was old enough to walk and understand words, she was taught her numbers and words so she would not be illiterate. As everyone there had to pitch in, Kiersa was given the task of tending to the rabbits the convent kept for trading. Pet rabbits, rabbit fur, rabbit leather, rabbits feet and other such items drawn from the creatures helped keep the convent afloat, along with regular sales of their strawberries, and the occasional teaching of students who had come from neighbouring towns and villages.
It was a peaceful existence, although she did grow curious about one thing, the singular thing that she was absolutely forbidden to do by the Mother Superior.
Go into the basement catacombs.
Every six months the convent received visitors wearing very official looking robes, who were all immediately escorted down to the catacombs where they stayed for the day before they left. This one activity always pressed at the young nun's mind, and the words that she'd learn about it one day were not the soothing balm they should have been.
It was on her 13th birthday that she decided to investigate. She'd learned the rotations and patrol patterns of the sisters by now, and knew where the best hiding spots were. And so, in the dead of night, under the dark cover of the New Moon she sneaked into the catacombs.
It was so dark that she couldn't even see her own nose on her face. She hadn't dared to bring a torch in case she had been discovered before she could reach this far, but now she was wishing that she had. The darkness down here in the depths felt oppressive... claustrophobic... and hungry. "What isss thisss?" came a sibilant voice from the darkness beyond her. Kiersa immediately squeaked at the voice, clamping a hand over her mouth as she tried to pierce the gloom. A chuckle rolled over her like a wave on the beach. "Sssso... a little bunny hasss wandered into my home... Do the ssssissstersss know you are here child?" asked the voice.
She shook her head before realising the owner of the voice probably couldn't see her either. "N-no... I... I'm sorry... I... I was... I was just..." she stammered out before the voice spoke. "Curioussss?" he offered, the voice definitely sounding like a mans the closer she got to it. She did not know why she moved towards the voice, when every nerve in her body was screaming at her to run, run back to her room and hide under the cloth sheets... But still she walked.
Until she hit the bars. "Ouch..." she groaned before realising there was a very soft light. Kiersa narrowed her eyes as she tried to make out where the light was coming from, before a clinking sound was heard. "Aaaah... there you are my little bunny... Come... ssssee what lurkssss beneath your home... what liesssss beneath your bed..." he hissed, a sudden burst of light flashing illuminating the room, allowing the young nun a terrifying sight to behold.
It looked like a massive spider, only human shaped. It had six arms, each held fast by chains upon chains like an intricate web. Its two legs were similarly held tight. The creature had eight eyes glinting at her, and a four pronged maw that seemed to drip with saliva as it saw her. "Sssso young!" it exclaimed, the light fading back into the darkness. The light, she would come to learn far too late had come from the runes inscribed throughout the beasts restraints... But she would not realise this yet.
"I... I should go..." she said, walking backwards for a few steps before the beast spoke again. "Pleasssse... do not leave yet... I apologisssse if my appearance ssscared you..." he pleaded, Kiersa stopping for a moment. "I am jusssst a poor man... curssssed by a wicked demonssss cursssse... No doubt you've sssseen the magessss that come to visssit me here?" he asked, the young nun believing his words, for what reason did he have to lie to her?
"They sssseek to find a way to ressssstore me to my true form... but alasss, they lack the meanssss... And their visssitsss are ssso sssshort... I do not get to even learn of the world beyond my cell..." he moaned softly before Kiersa struck upon a thought. "Maybe... maybe I could... I could tell you? I mean..." she trailed off, wondering what would happen if she were caught down here with this poor soul.
"Yessss, yesss you could... But of courssse we musssstn't let the ssssissstersss know about your vissssitssss... they are sssadly not... tolerant of rule-breakerssss... But I can keep your sssecret..." he whispered conspiratorially, the voice echoing across the walls. "Of course. And don't worry sir, I'm sure that you'll be cured soon." said Kiersa sweetly, the creature chuckling softly. "I'm ssssure I ssshall... ah, my mannerssss. If we are to be friendssss, we musssst know namesssss. I am called Uru." said the creature politely. Kiersa, even though it was dark and was certain the creature could not see her, curtsied as she had been taught and answered, "Kiersa Bec is what the sister's named me Mr Uru."
And so it was for the next 8 months that Kiersa would slip into the catacombs when the Moon was New and tell Uru all about the world outside the walls, what she knew of them anyway from the history tomes in the library and the travellers that came to the convent. During this time she also studied the Holy magic that the sisters used, having deemed her sufficiently ready to begin her tutelage in this regard.
On her eighth visit Uru began to grumble for some reason. "What's wrong Mr Uru?" asked the nun. "It issss thesssse bindingsss... the ssssissssterssss and magessss wound them far too tight thissss time... I know it issss only for sssafety... But I do not think I could sssstand a month with thissss dissscomfort..." he explained before pausing for a moment. "Perhapsss... you could..." he suggested, Kiersa already feeling around the bars of the cell for the entrance. "Of course Mr Uru. Nobody should suffer so." Once she had found the door, it was easy enough to open as it was not locked. She entered the cell and felt around, her fingers running along the chains before she found each manacle, wriggling each for a moment. "That feel any better Mr Uru?" she asked of her friend.
A much more sinister chuckle emanated from his maw that was directly before her face. "Much better. My thankssss little bunny..." he hissed before a great clattering resounded throughout the cell, flashes of light as the runes tried to contain the now released beast. Kiersa screamed from the sudden bursts of light and sound, curling into a ball, her hands clutching the top of her head. "W-what's going on?! Mr Uru?!" she called out, suddenly holding still as something cold touched her chin, lifting her head up as if to look upon something. All she could see was darkness, although it now appeared that Uru could see her as clear as day. "I'm afraid I have deccceived you my pet bunny... I wassss never a cursssed man... But a demon. The magessss came to interrogate me... disssscover where my victimssss and comradesss lie... And now, thankssss to you, I am free to roam and ssslaughter oncccce more."
Kiersa found herself trembling, wet tears falling from her eyes as she realised the momentous error she had committed... all because she had been curious! "Oh do not cry my bunny nun..." cooed the demon, using a taloned finger to almost tenderly wipe away her tears. "You ssshall live... assss my thankssss for the nightssss you sssspent with me here... all the wonderful newssss of the world you gave me... and of coursssse for freeing me..." he said, the reminders of what she had done causing her to shudder and cry even more before a sharp pain filled her back. "But we can't have you warning anyone... now can we my little rabbit? Oh don't worry, the venom only paralyssssesss you... you'll sssstill be able to hear all the lovely sssscreams of your beloved ssssisssstersssss assss I ssslaughter them for their treatment of me... Farewell my little Kiersssa Bec... Do enjoy life won't you? I know I ssshall!" cackled the spider-demon as she fell to the hard stone floor, the creatures loping filling the corridor.
It felt like hours before Kiersa could hear it when in fact it was mere minutes... the sounds echoing in the darkness... The screams of terror and pain of the ones she loved... the women she had know her whole life... the women who had raised her, had taught her... had trusted her... The mothers she had betrayed for the sake of curiosity...
An hour later she heard a new sound... like the crackling of the fire in the hearth in the great hall they used for visitors... but only, much larger. It took her a moment to realise what had happened. The convent was on fire. And so Kiersa lay there, in a puddle of her own tears and shame, unable to move, unable to call out.
Another hour passed, then another, then upon the fourth hour she felt warmth returning to her limbs. Kiersa slowly got to her hands and knees, shakily rising to her feet as she began to leave the darkness of the catacombs. What she saw on the surface made her wish Uru had killed her then and there. The convent was reduced to rubble, the sisters corpses severed and splayed all around in various stages of dismemberment... almost placed around the ruins artistically. Their faces all set in the moment of their deaths, some shrieking silently forever in terror, some roaring in fury as they had tried to fight back, some confused as if they had just woken up... But that was not what truly struck into the young nuns soul.
No, it was their eyes. All of their eyes were focused on a single solitary point. No doubt done so by Uru before he had left. The entrance to the catacombs, that was where they all stared at... all their eyes staring straight at her... unblinking, eternally gazing at her. "I... I'm sorry... I'm sorry... I'm sorry!" she cried out, falling to her knees, crying into her hands as she couldn't bear to see them watching her in death. It took her half an hour to get the strength to stand once more, to head for the exit of the ruined convent... only for a worse sight to befall her eyes.
The nearby village was lit up in flames.
Not satisfied with the convent, Uru had gone on to slaughter the village... the village she had been born in... her neighbours... Kiersa recalled vividly playing with the children the day earlier during one of her free times from study and prayer...
She simply stared blankly upon the flames, before kneeling into prayer. "Please... please forgive me... Please Maker... if you can hear me... and... if you can forgive me... please... tell me what I must do to right this wrong... Please... give me a sign..." she prayed, before an explosion occured behind her in the convent ruins. A backdraft had opened a room that allowed a new blaze to come forth before it sputtered out of existence. Kiersa went to investigate this, finding three scrolls in the chamber that appeared to be unscathed by the flames. They were sealed with the mark of the convent, with the mark of the Stigmata magic they had been teaching her. There were other marks on them as well... marks of sealing, with a letter on them... Letters she understood to mean the ranks of such spells.
Kiersa clasped her hands together once more in prayer. "Thank you Maker... I understand... I will get stronger, I will learn this magic... and then I will make Uru pay for what he has done... for what I have done. May it cost me my life." The young nun collected the scrolls and then set off, collecting what few supplies she could find that had survived the blazes of the convent and village, finding no other survivors. Armed with purpose and destiny, she set off across the desert in search of somewhere, or someone who could make her stronger.
And so the bunny wandered for 3 months before stumbling upon an ancient hall in the desert by the mountains... the hall, of Sabertooth.
Face Claim: Asia Argento from Highschool DxD
Kiersa couldn't recall her parents much, just vague impressions of smells and shapes. Not that such information truly mattered to her anymore... sometimes. She had been left on the doorstep of the nearby convent when she was just a baby, a note pinned to her basked letting them, and her future self understand the reasons for this action. They were poor and could barely afford to keep themselves, let alone a newborn baby.
The young girl learned to not resent them for this, for whilst she lived in the convent, she grew to be happy and content. When she was old enough to walk and understand words, she was taught her numbers and words so she would not be illiterate. As everyone there had to pitch in, Kiersa was given the task of tending to the rabbits the convent kept for trading. Pet rabbits, rabbit fur, rabbit leather, rabbits feet and other such items drawn from the creatures helped keep the convent afloat, along with regular sales of their strawberries, and the occasional teaching of students who had come from neighbouring towns and villages.
It was a peaceful existence, although she did grow curious about one thing, the singular thing that she was absolutely forbidden to do by the Mother Superior.
Go into the basement catacombs.
Every six months the convent received visitors wearing very official looking robes, who were all immediately escorted down to the catacombs where they stayed for the day before they left. This one activity always pressed at the young nun's mind, and the words that she'd learn about it one day were not the soothing balm they should have been.
It was on her 13th birthday that she decided to investigate. She'd learned the rotations and patrol patterns of the sisters by now, and knew where the best hiding spots were. And so, in the dead of night, under the dark cover of the New Moon she sneaked into the catacombs.
It was so dark that she couldn't even see her own nose on her face. She hadn't dared to bring a torch in case she had been discovered before she could reach this far, but now she was wishing that she had. The darkness down here in the depths felt oppressive... claustrophobic... and hungry. "What isss thisss?" came a sibilant voice from the darkness beyond her. Kiersa immediately squeaked at the voice, clamping a hand over her mouth as she tried to pierce the gloom. A chuckle rolled over her like a wave on the beach. "Sssso... a little bunny hasss wandered into my home... Do the ssssissstersss know you are here child?" asked the voice.
She shook her head before realising the owner of the voice probably couldn't see her either. "N-no... I... I'm sorry... I... I was... I was just..." she stammered out before the voice spoke. "Curioussss?" he offered, the voice definitely sounding like a mans the closer she got to it. She did not know why she moved towards the voice, when every nerve in her body was screaming at her to run, run back to her room and hide under the cloth sheets... But still she walked.
Until she hit the bars. "Ouch..." she groaned before realising there was a very soft light. Kiersa narrowed her eyes as she tried to make out where the light was coming from, before a clinking sound was heard. "Aaaah... there you are my little bunny... Come... ssssee what lurkssss beneath your home... what liesssss beneath your bed..." he hissed, a sudden burst of light flashing illuminating the room, allowing the young nun a terrifying sight to behold.
It looked like a massive spider, only human shaped. It had six arms, each held fast by chains upon chains like an intricate web. Its two legs were similarly held tight. The creature had eight eyes glinting at her, and a four pronged maw that seemed to drip with saliva as it saw her. "Sssso young!" it exclaimed, the light fading back into the darkness. The light, she would come to learn far too late had come from the runes inscribed throughout the beasts restraints... But she would not realise this yet.
"I... I should go..." she said, walking backwards for a few steps before the beast spoke again. "Pleasssse... do not leave yet... I apologisssse if my appearance ssscared you..." he pleaded, Kiersa stopping for a moment. "I am jusssst a poor man... curssssed by a wicked demonssss cursssse... No doubt you've sssseen the magessss that come to visssit me here?" he asked, the young nun believing his words, for what reason did he have to lie to her?
"They sssseek to find a way to ressssstore me to my true form... but alasss, they lack the meanssss... And their visssitsss are ssso sssshort... I do not get to even learn of the world beyond my cell..." he moaned softly before Kiersa struck upon a thought. "Maybe... maybe I could... I could tell you? I mean..." she trailed off, wondering what would happen if she were caught down here with this poor soul.
"Yessss, yesss you could... But of courssse we musssstn't let the ssssissstersss know about your vissssitssss... they are sssadly not... tolerant of rule-breakerssss... But I can keep your sssecret..." he whispered conspiratorially, the voice echoing across the walls. "Of course. And don't worry sir, I'm sure that you'll be cured soon." said Kiersa sweetly, the creature chuckling softly. "I'm ssssure I ssshall... ah, my mannerssss. If we are to be friendssss, we musssst know namesssss. I am called Uru." said the creature politely. Kiersa, even though it was dark and was certain the creature could not see her, curtsied as she had been taught and answered, "Kiersa Bec is what the sister's named me Mr Uru."
And so it was for the next 8 months that Kiersa would slip into the catacombs when the Moon was New and tell Uru all about the world outside the walls, what she knew of them anyway from the history tomes in the library and the travellers that came to the convent. During this time she also studied the Holy magic that the sisters used, having deemed her sufficiently ready to begin her tutelage in this regard.
On her eighth visit Uru began to grumble for some reason. "What's wrong Mr Uru?" asked the nun. "It issss thesssse bindingsss... the ssssissssterssss and magessss wound them far too tight thissss time... I know it issss only for sssafety... But I do not think I could sssstand a month with thissss dissscomfort..." he explained before pausing for a moment. "Perhapsss... you could..." he suggested, Kiersa already feeling around the bars of the cell for the entrance. "Of course Mr Uru. Nobody should suffer so." Once she had found the door, it was easy enough to open as it was not locked. She entered the cell and felt around, her fingers running along the chains before she found each manacle, wriggling each for a moment. "That feel any better Mr Uru?" she asked of her friend.
A much more sinister chuckle emanated from his maw that was directly before her face. "Much better. My thankssss little bunny..." he hissed before a great clattering resounded throughout the cell, flashes of light as the runes tried to contain the now released beast. Kiersa screamed from the sudden bursts of light and sound, curling into a ball, her hands clutching the top of her head. "W-what's going on?! Mr Uru?!" she called out, suddenly holding still as something cold touched her chin, lifting her head up as if to look upon something. All she could see was darkness, although it now appeared that Uru could see her as clear as day. "I'm afraid I have deccceived you my pet bunny... I wassss never a cursssed man... But a demon. The magessss came to interrogate me... disssscover where my victimssss and comradesss lie... And now, thankssss to you, I am free to roam and ssslaughter oncccce more."
Kiersa found herself trembling, wet tears falling from her eyes as she realised the momentous error she had committed... all because she had been curious! "Oh do not cry my bunny nun..." cooed the demon, using a taloned finger to almost tenderly wipe away her tears. "You ssshall live... assss my thankssss for the nightssss you sssspent with me here... all the wonderful newssss of the world you gave me... and of coursssse for freeing me..." he said, the reminders of what she had done causing her to shudder and cry even more before a sharp pain filled her back. "But we can't have you warning anyone... now can we my little rabbit? Oh don't worry, the venom only paralyssssesss you... you'll sssstill be able to hear all the lovely sssscreams of your beloved ssssisssstersssss assss I ssslaughter them for their treatment of me... Farewell my little Kiersssa Bec... Do enjoy life won't you? I know I ssshall!" cackled the spider-demon as she fell to the hard stone floor, the creatures loping filling the corridor.
It felt like hours before Kiersa could hear it when in fact it was mere minutes... the sounds echoing in the darkness... The screams of terror and pain of the ones she loved... the women she had know her whole life... the women who had raised her, had taught her... had trusted her... The mothers she had betrayed for the sake of curiosity...
An hour later she heard a new sound... like the crackling of the fire in the hearth in the great hall they used for visitors... but only, much larger. It took her a moment to realise what had happened. The convent was on fire. And so Kiersa lay there, in a puddle of her own tears and shame, unable to move, unable to call out.
Another hour passed, then another, then upon the fourth hour she felt warmth returning to her limbs. Kiersa slowly got to her hands and knees, shakily rising to her feet as she began to leave the darkness of the catacombs. What she saw on the surface made her wish Uru had killed her then and there. The convent was reduced to rubble, the sisters corpses severed and splayed all around in various stages of dismemberment... almost placed around the ruins artistically. Their faces all set in the moment of their deaths, some shrieking silently forever in terror, some roaring in fury as they had tried to fight back, some confused as if they had just woken up... But that was not what truly struck into the young nuns soul.
No, it was their eyes. All of their eyes were focused on a single solitary point. No doubt done so by Uru before he had left. The entrance to the catacombs, that was where they all stared at... all their eyes staring straight at her... unblinking, eternally gazing at her. "I... I'm sorry... I'm sorry... I'm sorry!" she cried out, falling to her knees, crying into her hands as she couldn't bear to see them watching her in death. It took her half an hour to get the strength to stand once more, to head for the exit of the ruined convent... only for a worse sight to befall her eyes.
The nearby village was lit up in flames.
Not satisfied with the convent, Uru had gone on to slaughter the village... the village she had been born in... her neighbours... Kiersa recalled vividly playing with the children the day earlier during one of her free times from study and prayer...
She simply stared blankly upon the flames, before kneeling into prayer. "Please... please forgive me... Please Maker... if you can hear me... and... if you can forgive me... please... tell me what I must do to right this wrong... Please... give me a sign..." she prayed, before an explosion occured behind her in the convent ruins. A backdraft had opened a room that allowed a new blaze to come forth before it sputtered out of existence. Kiersa went to investigate this, finding three scrolls in the chamber that appeared to be unscathed by the flames. They were sealed with the mark of the convent, with the mark of the Stigmata magic they had been teaching her. There were other marks on them as well... marks of sealing, with a letter on them... Letters she understood to mean the ranks of such spells.
Kiersa clasped her hands together once more in prayer. "Thank you Maker... I understand... I will get stronger, I will learn this magic... and then I will make Uru pay for what he has done... for what I have done. May it cost me my life." The young nun collected the scrolls and then set off, collecting what few supplies she could find that had survived the blazes of the convent and village, finding no other survivors. Armed with purpose and destiny, she set off across the desert in search of somewhere, or someone who could make her stronger.
And so the bunny wandered for 3 months before stumbling upon an ancient hall in the desert by the mountains... the hall, of Sabertooth.
Face Claim: Asia Argento from Highschool DxD
Last edited by JaffaArchfiend on 2nd August 2014, 4:45 pm; edited 1 time in total
