Halcyon Halls

When: Late night
Where: Far from the school
Who: Diarmad – Narrative

The hour was late; a heavy darkness blanketed the island and seemed to hide away every speck of light. Yet buried far away from the school was a gargoyle hunched over burning embers that heated the steel of a swords blade. For hours now he had taken his leave here, leaving behind all duties with the fall of the night. It was not often that he did, so consumed with that task. But he had need for time away, time to immerse himself in an act that brought him back home. It was here, tonight, that he let all else bleed away. There was nothing save the familiar beat of metal against metal as the sword was formed. He remembered a time long ago when the air was filled with that sound, where the young and old alike watched on as such weapons were forged. But then they were more then that. Tools of the trade…pieces of art. Such respect had been lost with this new age.

( Eyes watched from the shadows, ears perked up at every resounding clank. )

When: After Sunset
Where: In the city
Who: Asya and Diarmad
What: Confession time

So much to talk about, so much Asya didn’t want to say. So much she had no desire to face. She just wanted all of this to be over. To leave and never look back. There was so much she feared now, fears that she’d never held before but now nearly crippled her. She feared the demon, of course, Sergio. She feared what he would do to her, and what he might do to others. But most of all she feared what he would do to Diarmad. She was a fool, such a fool to risk telling him anything. Diarmad was already in such danger. This would only make it worse.

And of course, Sergio was not all she feared. In fact, he, and what he might do, was not even the worst of her fears. No. More than anything else she feared Diarmad knowing the truth. She feared the disappointment in his eyes. She feared the hate she knew he would hold for he.

Where once she had expected it, and been accustomed to it, now she feared it. The memory of that loathing was so fresh, and the hint of it’s opposite… so inviting. Asya clung to the truth, keeping it buried deep away, hidden so that Diarmad might never see the truth. Maybe then he might look beyond all she once had been, and see only what she now wished to be. If he knew all the truth he might only hate her even more than ever.

Then again, on the plus side, maybe he’d then actually take that freedom she had given. Maybe then he’d accept it. He’d be safe then, wouldn’t he? Maybe it would all be for the best.

Funny… that thought did nothing to hasten the vampiress’ uncharacteristically heavy steps as she found her seat in the back of the dimly lit bar. With a glass of wine in her hand, she waited, knowing he would be right behind her. Feeling him near already. With a shaky, unneeded breath, she took a drink, and steeled herself for what she must do.

Who: Open to all
Where: Main Hall
When: Saturday Evening into Night
What: Spring Fling

No one throws parties like the supernatural, or so many like to believe. Call it vanity, but most do have decades, if not centuries, experience to bring to the venture. The Spring Fling at Halcyon is no exception, except in one respect, this dance, far more than any of the other affairs thrown on this campus, most closely resembles a high school prom. Worse, it resembles the high school proms presented in American movies. After at least fifty years however, they are pretty damn close to the actuality, if not the simulation.

Tonight’s theme was a no-brainer. In fact, though the committee had been at work before the announcement of the Friday night auction, that news prompted the decision to give a beach theme to the Spring Fling as well.

Saturday morning the east wing with the exception of the cafeteria was closed off and by Saturday evening all those entering the main hall saw a transformation many might find difficult to believe.


Lights dim to reveal a twinkling array of “stars” in the blue black ceiling. The whole of the hall is covered in sand. To one side is a volleyball net, in the center wall away from the entrance, a stage set up, on which a band in Hawaiin shirts play beach themed music. On this stage the winners of the superlative voting will be announced later in the evening. All about are tiki torches, palm trees, and in the midst of it all, a roaring bon fire. A fine mist earlier has given the sand that slight dampness for the cool feel between your toes, and every there are now as many building castle as there are dancing.

Whichever your preference, kick off your shoes and stay a while.

When: Night
Where: Forest outside of the school
Who: Diarmad and Cora

No need for concern. No need to care. Yes perhaps Diarmad had no real reason to care at all. He should be pleased for her absence and savor the hours she was away and he did not have to utter the word mistress so loathfully from his lips. Time not spent at her side should be a joyous thing that did nothing to leave Diarmad in a sour mood. And yet that was so far from the case. Yes he held concern. And yes he cared in ways he wished to not.

Her life was not just her own, how often she seemed to forget that. Rushing off in half thought out acts that could send them both to the grave. She gave words that it was all nothing but some trip. But Diarmad knew better. He had spent centuries at her side; did she truly believe he had learned nothing of her in that time? The only time she cast him away from her side was when she was about to do something she knew he'd not condone or allow. In the past often that was when she drew him to her most, enjoying to watch him squirm in anger.

This time he knew whatever she was about to do it posed risk. Had it not she would not have restrained him. Were it truly nothing then his want to be there would be allowed only so she could chastise him later for being so paranoid, for not believing in her words.

The night before Diarmad spent outdoors in the air. Through it all tension raced through his muscles and there came a time where even he had to still his flight, a feeling deep within the gut that spoke of something being so very wrong. It raised concern, and it raised that anger that was so rare to see upon Diarmad’s features. He and his kind knew the importance of calm, they knew how to take orders and how to keep their guard above all else....

His place was supposed to be at her side. He had failed in that task and he knew, he knew, something had gone wrong. Her words the next day did nothing to sooth that belief. If anything it only aided them. And yet he could do nothing. Nothing at all. It was a frustration. It was a sense of....worthlessness. A well controlled man he buried the anger as best he could trough his classes but he spoke no more then he had to and when those classes ended he was quickly away from all crowds. Pacing through empty halls, keeping watch, keeping guard...

The hours of daylight seemed like an eternity. Through the protected glass he watched the sun in its slow decent. Night could not come quick enough. He needed it, the touch of the chill of the night upon his skin. He needed the wind against his wings; he needed the vague sense of freedom found in flight. A freedom that was nothing but false for the gargoyle. All freedom had been lost to him long ago.

The night should have held more hours of guarding. Hours perched atop the school watching the ground below; ensuring all were safe. But armed with blade in hand Diarmad took escape into the night when it came. Guards took his place as he moved; his large form cutting through the air till the school was lost to the sight of forest. Yet all guards knew where he was, all knew how to find him should any have need.

The jacket worn was tossed aside, large wings folded against his back as he began to move. The sword cutting silently and yet brutally through the air around him. He needed a means to bled the anger out of himself…

Who: Rebecca & Diarmad
What: Someone needs a hug
When: Friday ten thirty
Where: Hallways, library, pretty much everywhere until she finds him

The fact that she couldn't find Diarmad right away didn't deter Rebecca from her mission. She felt he was being evasive, but not with her. Like he was being too quiet lately, not responding to a single post she had made earlier in the week and that troubled her. Not too much trouble though, she was in a mindframe of finding him until she turned blue in the face, so to speak. But finding him was not of an easy task as it should have been. She sought out the hallways and everytime she thought she saw him, she didn't. It was just some large demon kid, or something else with wings turning a corner. Bec could have sworn she was chasing a ghost. When she didn't want to find him, he was avaliable and when she did want to find him, she couldn't. He wasn't a hard man to find. It was fate, to be poor timing on her search.

Nothing was ever simple between them and she had little time to make things simple enough to actually communicate how she was feeling. He gave her the chance and yet, she found she turned it down without thinking about it. Convinced she could find her comfort in her friends, she tried to build a bridge between herself and people she liked. Except with Clover gone, it had gotten a little more then lonely lately, even though she was still talking to people. Now roommateless and returned back to the Zephir house, she couldn't stand it. Homework was easily accomplished in class, if not a poor distraction from the four walls that stared back at her. Tapping her pencil impatiently while waiting for night only prolonged hours into extended boredom, and broadening. And it had only been morning.

By ten thirty, she was more then ready to go hunting for her uncle, especially after creative writing sucked all the creativity from her brain. She had Blades, other forms but wanted to go see her uncle rather then sit through that class. She liked the class, she really did, but distraction had a way of focusing her mind elsewhere, espeically when her heart lay with the sword. One day of skipping class wouldn't hurt, right? She was diligant in attendance and Axel wouldn't miss her, would he? She supposed she was annoying him anyways, she reasoned. Exiting her class, she turned the corner down the hallway with the intent to be rid of her books. She did ask him a lot of questions. Either he covered up his annoyance really well or he was a really patient man at all times of the day.

Arriving at her locker, she tossed her books inside, careless of the way they were stacked. She loved books, but they took up too much room and hauling them around everywhere was less then desirable. Other students around her paused at their lockers to do the same and she slammed hers shut, moving away at a deliberate pace - she had one goal in mind and that was to find him.

Half an hour passed, and that goal was slowly dwindling down to blatantly skipping her class and going to the cafeteria to study when she spotted him in the near empty hallway. "Uncle!" she beamed, practically skipping, and made one last jump right next to him, linking her arm around his as she did so. "I am so. bored! Creative writing isn't anything what I thought it would be when I signed up. I'm terrible at it. I've decided to change my courses as soon as we can, like, next term and -- hey. Did you miss me?" she smiled at him, letting go of his arm and walking backwards as she blurted out only a fraction of what she was thinking. She didn't even wait for him to respond. "Because I was thinking about you and you never even responded to any of my journal posts. Which is so unlike you, might I add. Did you know I wanted an ipod for Christmas? I know. Christmas is so yesterday news, like four months ago old but my birthday isn't until August and I really like music. You knew that right? That I really liked music? - Oh! Kiernan's birthday is around the same time as mine and I thought I could do something special for him since he doesn't age and he's so miserable about it. What do you think?"

Unhappy. That would be one way to put what Diarmad felt in this moment. Displeased. Angry. Wounded. Frustrated. All of those would fit as well. It was obvious in his stance that he was not his typical calm today; it was obvious that he had not been for days now in fact. Everything was wrong. Every aspect of his life felt as though it were not as it should be and he could do nothing to change it. He was a man used to having some…say in how his life was run. He was used to guarding those that wished to be guarded. Now all he cared for kept their distance. They avoided as though Diarmad had done wrong and yet he could not find fault in his actions. Was it wrong to wish to know what they did? Was it wrong to wish to know them?

Wrong or right, Diarmad was here. He stayed to the school as his mistress had demanded though it was not by his choosing that he had. No he was forcefully kept to this place until she was too far gone to easily track. She knew he’d not leave and spend endless days hunting down her path instead of being at the school. She knew he’d feel as though he had to stay for Rebecca and for Cora though he’d not seen either in some time. She played on those ties, using them to her benefit.

The why was one unknown and yet Diarmad had his guesses. None of which put him at ease.

Could she not understand why he had desire to be at her side? Could she not remember that if she fell to her own foolish plans and acts that it was he he too that would crumble? He could not believe that separate was better in any plan. All it did was put them both at risk….she simply was able to face that risk head on while Diarmad was left in the dark. Left to fall without warning or explanation should she make the wrong move.

Was it wrong for him to not wish her harm? Yet he was in the wrong for wishing to be involved. For wanting to face such dangers at her side where it was she made him belong. Demanding he protect and serve and yet shoving him away the moment it was truly, unquestionably, needed.

His classes he had seen to through the days, attempting to keep focused and not allow that inner anger and worry show outwardly to any student. After classes he took place as guard, wandering the halls until the night fell. With the night he’d fly, circling the island, watching all that took place below him. It was only with the rise of the sun that he’d return to start again. No rest, no true pause.

Allowing himself a break to it all allowed his mind to wander, to reach out to one that had no want for him to be with her now. To give himself time to rest gave that anger means to spread till that calm was shaken down to the core. Diarmad did not enjoy such emotions, he could not let them control him when he had so many important tasks to see to.

In the night sky Diarmad flew, wings beating through the air in a near violent rythem to help bleed away that tension. Narrowed eyes watched the school below, ensuring the safety of those inside. Guarding. Protecting. Doing as he was meant to do. It was all he could do for now...