QUICK UPDATE ABOUT ME~

I'm getting to go to Corpus Christi to a beachside hotel for free, because my old theatre teacher in high school needed a chaperone. So I'm taking off Wednesday and running off there. Hopefully I'll get in some kickass sketches and get some awesome inspiration. I'm pretty damn excited.

Also, here is a chapter I just wrote for Kakumei for NaNoWriMo. I am ONLY writing out Kakumei's half of the story because it's already good, and I'm scrapping Dyrico's and rewriting it. Essentially, I am writing two books at once, but I'm going to be doing some storyboarding and outlining with my brother over Thanksgiving and Christmas break, and then write out her half and have each chapter kind of mirror each other.


SO BIG BLOCK OF TEXT IS INTIMIDATING:

(Keep in mind, Kakumei knows he is half-demon, and has been lying to Aedan about his heritage. Aedan is an elder knight and save Kakumei from his home when he was a child and nearly died. He essentially has been raising and training Kakumei to be a knight and sees him as his son, and Kakumei is only just now coming to realization how important Aedan is to him in his life. He was sent with several other squires and Aedan on a scouting mission, but Kakumei, in a fit of fury, went beyond expectations. He just killed a horde of demons the previous night, and it is now morning on the last day of their scouting mission.)


Kakumei's POV


I struggled and fought for consciousness as the light pierced through my lids. It was difficult to move. My muscles ached and screamed as I tried to pull myself from sleep. I heard one of the other squires, "Aedan, he's waking up!" His voice hurt my head and I could hear myself groan. I felt a hand steadying my back as I involuntarily sat up. My eyes were squinted shut, and finally released open, blinking rapidly against the sunlight. It seemed so bright at first, but as my eyes adjusted, it was the same cold and gloomy sky, hardly what one would call bright. Aedan was glaring down at me and I could only look around in confusion.


"What happened?" I managed to creak out. My throat felt raw and dry.


"I believe, lad, you need to tell me." Aedan helped me sit up fully but did not stop glaring. "The rest of you, leave. You had better pray to the gods that I don't find you eavesdropping anywhere NEAR this tent!" He yelled at the scattering squires, his voice so dark and stern it even frightened me. When he was sure the others were gone, he moved away and reached for a bottle of wine, handing it to me. "Drink."


And I obeyed. The pain dulled only slightly, but my throat was relieved.


"Tell me what the hell you did." Aedan's voice was full of venom.


I swallowed and cleared my throat, "I killed them. All of them." I shakily leaned on my hands, adjusting myself to sit up further. It ached and pained me, and I winced.


"Why did you think you could do that? Why did you so recklessly charge down there and call them out?! You could have brought down such an unspeakable plague on all of Regnum!" Aedan's face was turning dark, he clenched his fists tightly. He was upset that I had acted impulsively, that I did not follow orders.


"But I didn't, did I?" I tried to keep my voice steady, despite my elbow buckling underneath me, trying to support myself sitting up. "They're all dead." I could hear the nervousness in my voice, and flinched.


"How?" Aedan spoke lowly.


"I just... killed them." My voice faltered, and I saw Aedan's eyes widen.


"Kakumei, for the gods' sake, stop lying to me!" His voice became desperate and quiet. "I found you orphaned, I took you in, I've done everything I could to get you into the Council and I've brought you this far. Do you think I'm stupid? Blind? I know what you are!" He leaned close as he spoke this, almost reaching to shake me, but refraining.


I gaped at him, unsure of how to respond. "What... what am I, then?" I regained control and set my face into a glare.


"Dammit, boy, you're a half-demon." Aedan glared back, intense and his presence far stronger than I'd ever recalled it being. "Your father, when I found you, I knew what he was. I could tell, just like I can with all demons. You're lucky I got rid of the body for you, you're lucky I took you in because I saw some good in you." Aedan was very close to my face as he spoke quietly and fiercely. "I could have killed you, but I saw what you had done and the potential you had. You killed your father because you knew what he had done was wrong, you had a sense of justice, you were perfect material for Knighthood. You weren't evil." Aedan sighed and pulled away, sitting back from me. "I knew the day I met you, and I was proud that you told me you were a half-elf. Everyone could believe that. But I knew because I saw your father." Aedan closed his eyes a moment, and I could only sit in silence at his presence. "Your father was Fenrir, and he was a horrific demon. How you managed to kill him, I will never know. But you did, and if you could kill the King of the Demons, then you were fit for a second chance."


"My father... was king of the demons?" I was taken aback. I knew little of my father besides his cruelty. I felt nauseous, learning more of who I was and trying to not let that control me. Fenrir would be laughing in my dreams at me.


"Oh yes, and he had destroyed so much of our city. He had killed more women than you would know. Why he allowed your mother to live so long... It's just a miracle. You're a miracle." Aedan opened his eyes calmly, a slow smile crossing his face. "I'm protecting you, Kakumei, because of that. You must learn to trust me. I will not betray your secrets. I did not even betray them to you until now."


I nodded slowly, lowering my eyes from his. My guilt of my doubt in him, of my mistrust, weighed on me.


"Now all that we must do is figure out how to explain you killed an entire demon horde with so little injury." Aedan sighed with heaviness.


"Divine intervention?" I smirked, not daring to make eye contact with Aedan. I desperately wanted to lift the tension.


"Not reasonable enough," he smirked back, and I felt relief in my chest. "Although, it could be used as an excuse in tandem to an adrenaline rush and armor... Although we didn't find you with any on," Aedan looked annoyed, for wearing armor was essential when going into any battle, "We could claim it was melted off."


"With these burns," I murmured, lifting my arm and gazing at the scarred patterns blistering my skin, "I think it would be believed."


"It just is imperative you come back in a little worse shape." Aedan's voice was straight and quite serious.


I leant back and swallowed, "What do you mean?"


"Kakumei, you disobeyed orders. You left without your armor. You nearly brought Hell upon the people of Regnum." Aedan's face was serious and dark, "For that, your actions cannot go unpunished."


"Aedan, I killed an entire horde! I saved Regnum! I acted on my own and ended up saving countless others!" I sputtered, unsettled by his distanced demeanor.


"I swear to you, this will be for the best. You have to come back battered, you have to come back looking half human. You have to suffer the consequences," Aedan shut his eyes tight, shaking ever so slightly, and bowing his head. "And my order goes. I am your superior, you are my squire. Deal with it." Aedan nodded, lifting his eyes and locking with mine. He rose quickly and left the tent, I had no more say in the matter. My heart raced. Though I knew I could handle whatever he threw at me despite my wounds and fatigue from the previous night, I could not stand the idea of Aedan wishing me pain, being against me.


I stayed in the tent, fearful of losing the only one looking out for me in Regnum. Aedan had saved my life, and now he was planning my punishment. I rocked myself slowly, without realizing it, and Fenrir loomed in my mind, mocking me. All of the demons that I had killed mocked me.


Aedan returned, poking his head into the tent and motioning for me to come out, emotionlessly. I slowly crawled out, feeling subjugated and weak. I hated this, I hated feeling weak and afraid. I hated the fear of losing Aedan as my friend and mentor.


"Squires," Aedan spoke as I stood up before the others circled, "We know what Kakumei did. We know that he killed the demons and destroyed their encampment. Surely he is blessed, and he deserves to be a hero. But he has disobeyed orders. He has mocked the king and endangered the lives of the people of Regnum. For that, he will be made an example for all of you," Aedan paced slowly, not daring to look at me, but keeping his eyes on the other squires. "None of you have suffered punishment for disobeying orders, and it is high time you learn that in this world, you will follow orders, or you will get the hell out of the way," Aedan spat and spoke venomously, and it infuriated me. "None of you will ever speak of this to any of the other knights, squires, priests, servants, not even a damn prostitute," he flew into the faces of the other squires, causing them to flinch ever so slightly, nearly yelling in their faces. "If I ever hear you speaking of it ever when we leave here, I will make sure you are out on the streets as beggars. All of you." Aedan glared, turning away from them and facing me. His eyes betrayed his compassion before they were glazed over with trained heartlessness. "Fifty lashes, and whatever else I wish to inflict on you." Aedan spoke quietly, his stance at attention.


I heard his voice quiver.


No one else did.


He immediately lunged forward and pushed my head down, and I did not resist. He ordered the others about, one ripping the back of my shirt open, another dragging me to the tree where our horses were tied, Amicus securing me to the tree so that my back was fully exposed. I glanced at him as I felt the bark scrape at my skin, and his face was glazed in mindlessly obeying orders. His eyes betrayed his outrage and his sadness. Amicus was truly a friend, but he was a squire and a knight first. He tightened the ropes, and Aedan inspected his work. He glared at Amicus and shoved him away, tightening the ropes even more and I clenched my teeth, restraining any sound of pain as the ropes cut into my skin. I was not going to be weak.


I was tied there for some time, when I felt cold water douse my back, and I heard a whip crack. I braced myself and set my jaw, keeping my eyes closed. I swallowed my anger and focused on the image of my mother.


Lash one, I fought back a groan.


An image that would never come to fruition.


Lash two, I clenched my teeth and hissed.


She stood watching me while I was knighted by the King and sat by my side at my celebration and induction. She watched me rise to power. She aided in my courtship of a princess. She stood with tears in her eyes at my coronation. She magicked play images and illusions for my children. She bid me farewell to battle. She held me tight at my successful return.


Lash seven, my knees buckled.


I imagined my life with my mother still alive, helping me and caring for me, keeping an eye out for me, even marrying Aedan and being happy in the kingdom with me. I tried very hard to focus on only this, yet with each lash I became increasingly aware of my body and how badly it hurt. Blood filled my mouth, though I did not remember biting down on my tongue. The bark scraped my chest as I kept losing my strength to stand, and I could not tell if I felt blood or perspiration running down my back. I could not feel my fingers or hands anymore, and I was not sure if I was screaming or if someone was crying out in my defense to end this punishment.


I let my mother's hand slip from mine as she fell peacefully into eternal sleep, beautiful as a young maiden, and her casket emblazoned with diamonds. She was set to sea, and drifted off to the lands of Eternal Summer. I let her lead a happy life, I let her die at an old age, I let her go instead of having her ripped from me.


Lash forty, she was already gone and I had nothing left. I could only taste iron and I could only feel heat radiating from my back. I was on my knees, my arms above my head, and I flinched at every strike, my entire body reacting to the whip. I was surprised as I realized I was looking up to the sky through the branches. A raven flew over head and reeled, its mate diving to whirl with it in the sky. Two ravens dancing, and never touching.


I swallowed the blood in my mouth and felt my hands fall to my sides, my forehead heavy on the bark. Aedan came into view, my jaw now in his hands as he lifted me to my feet. I reached out and steadied myself, gripping his shoulders. He called for someone to bring him his knapsack, and then slammed his fist into my mouth. His face was focused for a second before I registered the pain and I closed my eyes to rest.


(There has been no editing done to this so far, this is a fresh piece I wrote in about an hour).

PS. I'm trying to match up celebrities/actors/models to Kakumei and Dyrico. Right now, Natalie Portman has a good look to be Dyrico, but I cannot seem to find a good, dark skinned man (not black, more like... Native American or Indian [India]) that would be a good Kakumei. Suggestioonnss? Ideas? This is more for drawing purposes.

K, I love you, byebye.