The beginning of the End

[Grimm]

The forest was quiet this time of hour, as the lone figure walks down the desserted path. Fallen leaves were wilted and dried, crumbled up against the bottoms of the trees. The air was crisp, stinging his lung with each intake. The sun was beginning to set, probably about an hour left before the night took over. The man was wearing a warm peacoat, fitted blue jeans, a slim collared shirt, and a path of leather gloves. His hair was dark as coal, swooping over his crimson gaze as he twist the ends of a cigarette between his lips. The guild was dead at this moment, and he didn't know how much longer things would stay this dorment. If his plan was going to happen, it needed to happen at the proper moment. Something that would cause the biggest shock to this country, and hopefully allow him to acquire the power he so badly desired.

"Almost time." He mumbles to himself as he inhales a puff of smoke deep within his pits. The smoke releases quickly out his mouth, trailing behind him as he walks. He didn't have a particular destination in mind, he just needed time to enjoy this world before things went to chaos. He shifts his eyes to the right for a moment, hearing a scuffle in the bush. Had to be a rabbit, or some other little creature he told himself confidently before continuing down the path.

[Sofia A. Simonide]

ooc: I took a while...then I went overboard. >.<

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”Don’t step on that. Move slower, we’re not in a terrible hurry. What are you doing? Stop looking back at me.” Orders, demands, a man only Sofia could see barked at her endlessly as he tried to keep her safe in this setting of desolation, of abandonment. Yet, every time, Sofia responded with a happy smile and shouted in affirmation, ”Yeah!” As always, Sofia donned the usual ivory-white turtleneck sweater and ragged violet long-skirt; except, certain shades on her body seem off. Her frilly waist long hair is unnaturally white, not gray from age, or silver from hair dye, but as white as a snow covered landscape.

Pikels himself, unknown to all but Sofia, looked as he always does. Handsome, amazing, strong, the best; he is the most amazing person in the entire world. Noticing her daydreaming, Pikels commanded sharply, ”Watch your step! If you’re not careful, you’ll trip and fall and we’ll have to stop and disinfect it.” She reacted pitifully with a sudden lost skip in her step, and as if she were moments away from tearing up, she hung her head where she could hide in the safety of her chest. But lo and behold! Just as quickly as she had shrunk into herself had Sofia unveiled her dastardly plan; as soon as Pikels turned his back told her with evidence of exasperation, ”I’m leaving you behind if you don’t catch up,” Sofia rebutted with an explosive jump in her step, and burst in her voice. Clinging onto him, she playfully squealed, ”Yeah! I wouldn’t wanna be left behind again!”

If it were but one time, Pikels could’ve tolerated it. But twice, thrice…many more times had this occasion repeated itself. If he were visible to anyone but Sofia, one would see a formally dressed man with his head bent over, gasping, ”It had to be a girl who found me…” Pikels had promised Sofia, much to his irritation, to take her wherever she wants if she worked hard; which, much to both of their surprise, she did. And where did Sofia request Pikels take her?

-Earlier-

”I wanna see the sunset with you! Alone!

-Present-

He had promised, and he must deliver, lest Sofia’s motivation fall further and further before it reaches the valley of no return.

But now, the hour has past. The sun is falling, the air is biting, and desolation surrounded them. Sofia, though still as exuberant as ever with Pikels by her side, fell more and more exhausted with each step, struggling to fight through this unworn path. Pushing roughly past bushes, huffing and puffing and trying to hold on to whatever strength still lingered, all because she wants to see this sunset. Like the light at the end of a tunnel, Sofia painfully rushed for the exit, ruffling all manner of shrubbery along the way.

--Only to find, to their immense displeasure, another man. ”Who…” she stood still, her heavy breathing heaving with no trace of fear, surprise, happiness, sadness, no trace of anything considered human in a face. ”Who are you…?” Using a voice which mimicked her face; devoid of feeling, of revealing feeling, of any soul whatsoever.

[Grimm]

Life sometime worked out like they did in books. The plot was easy to spot, there came a point where the climax was reached, and the villain quickly fades off into the distant space. The hero was easy to identify from the start, and the heroin would need to be rescued within seconds of starting the second chapter. However, this was not one of those times. The first chapter was just now being read, and from here it was a mystery where things would lead too. Obscura Fabula was starting to gain some recognition, but that didn't matter to Devron Grimm. All that mattered to him at this moment was seeing through to the plan.

Summoning Ra.

He was lost in the middle of his lustful desire for power, to even notice someone was walking closely behind. Her voice however broke his concentration, sending a shiver up his spine.

”Who are you…?” The blank canvas spoke to him, but he didn't turn around to meet her gaze. Her voice was fragile, or so he took it that way. With his heart beating, the man slowly turns around with a crooked smile. He stares longingly into her eyes, searching past the masked she put up.

"Why does that matter to you, little girl?" He casually shoves his hands into his pant pockets, as he inhales and exhales smoke from the cigarette clenched between his teeth. His charcoal hair was swayed back past his eyes, as he looks directly at her with a grin upon his lips. "But if it means anything at all, the names Devron. And you would be?" He had to have a little fun with the girl before he sent her off. Seeing the blank expression on her face, made him quite curious. Curiosity often times killed the cat, but this time it might just kill the mouse whom the cat is curious after.

[Sofia A. Simonide]

Sofia doesn’t like him. Her face stayed still, if only for Pikels sake. Her spirit, so animate, so joyful just a few seconds ago turned solid and desolate. As if there were a wall surrounding her, nothing came in, and nothing came out. Her breaths were neither sharp nor shallow, or even normal; they seemed suspicious, but not fearful. And though she detested it, she stared back into his eyes with the same wall preventing anyone from gleaming too deep into her soul. Yet, on the other hand, Sofia’s true friend watched with possibly the biggest smile he had made since the day began. ”My my my, how you’ve grown Sofia,” he honestly praised Sofia with all his heart with a pat on her shoulder, visible to the man before him as a light ruffle on her sweater. Even with this praise, Pikels’ true interest lay in the man Sofia stayed strong against, ”And oh my my my, he has the most delicious aroma. A pity he wasn’t the one who found me.”

Leaning down, he whispered into Sofia’s ears, ”Be nice to him, but betray nothing. You’ve no way of resisting the man before you now, understood?”

Nodding in affirmation, to Devron’s question as well as Pikels’ advice, Sofia finally opened her mouth and stalely replied, ”My mama and papa named me Sofia. My friends call me Sofia. Strangers call me Sofia, so just call me Sofia, Devron.” Keeping her eyes as empty as she could as this point, quite an amazing feat considering how they were when she was alone with Pikels, she scanned the area around him for any clues as to who he is and why he’s here. While doing this, Sofia returned to his earlier question as if it were only natural she try to figure it out herself first, ”It matters because I was going to see the sunset alone today, and by the looks of it, the only reason I can guess you’ve come here was to see the setting sun alone too.”

And like that, Sofia revealed some resentment in the grating of her teeth. She was supposed to be alone with Pikels this day, and this man, Devron, ruined it. How dare he…

Pinning her hatred aside, Sofia continued with the identity of an unfeeling girl protecting her, ”I told you my reason. Be fair and tell me yours.”

[Grimm]

Devron stands there awkwardly, staring into the lifeless pair of eyes next to him. They continued to lock their gaze before he slowly lets up and stares off into the distance. This woman was unlike anyone he expected to meet here in the blackwood forest. There was stories of the undead living here, who feasted on the lonesome travelers. Yet this girl, as fragile as she looked, was wondering here alone... Things didn't add up in his mind, and the man shakes his head attempting to forget the logical thought process he was going through.

”My mama and papa named me Sofia. My friends call me Sofia. Strangers call me Sofia, so just call me Sofia, Devron.”Her voice penetrated the silence of the forest, strikingly calm and collected. He looks back over at her, making eye contact once again as he released another exhale of smoke from his mouth into the open air. ”It matters because I was going to see the sunset alone today, and by the looks of it, the only reason I can guess you’ve come here was to see the setting sun alone too.” The statement would of been cute, if it didn't feel so robotic in his mind. This young girl came all the way to the zombie graveyard to see a sun set? He couldn't help but laugh at himself as he stood there in the crisp winter air. ”I told you my reason. Be fair and tell me yours.” Apparently the young girl didn't find it as funny as he did, and she snaps back with a little extra punch in her voice.

"Right. Right. Well, I suppose you can say that I'm looking for something in these woods." He pauses for a quick second, trying his best to figure out exactly what to say and how to word it. After all, he couldn't just let anyone know of his devious plan. "You see there is an old wise tale about this forest, apparently there is an ancient artifact that raises old spirits from the ground with the drop of a mages blood." His keep his perfectly boyish confident grin on his lips as he spoke to her. "So, I'm here looking for this thing." It wasn't a lie, but not completely the truth. Somewhere in between. A perfect spot for someone Devron didn't quite know, let alone trust. He took a step forward, slowly reaching his hand up to her cheek bone, stroking the edges once and smirking. "A little girl like yourself shouldn't be wondering here alone. You're more than welcome to come along with me... I suppose." He drops his hand shoving them deep into his pocket as he brushes past her and continues to walk down the path which he started.

[Sofia A. Simonide]

She wanted to talk to Pikels, she wanted to let him hear her voice again, but she can’t. Not with this man in front of them, not as long as Pikels continually tells her, ”I’m not here~,” in such a soothing voice. But as sweet as he sounds now, Sofia can almost hear the scathing tongue lashing Pikels will deliver if she even motions to him with a mere bat of an eye. Lightly squeezing the bones of her hands with the muscle around them, Sofia added once more, ”Well? I like to watch sunsets alone and you’re ruining it right now.” Pikels, in his greater wisdom, gently brushed Sofia’s hair and added with a subtle hint of pleasure, ”Hush, Sofia. Let him talk. Maybe you’ll make a very valuable friend this day; therefore, treasure it! For if you miss it this day, and never again will you have this opportunity.” Twirling her hair playfully, an action visible to all, Pikels reassured her, ”So relax. Don’t be so moody, so utterly tense. Keep up your act until you see fit a time to deliver a punishment smile. Then, let it all flow from there.”

A simple wave of pat on her head almost broke Sofia’s resolve, her lips inching towards happiness; but what Pikels wants, Sofia wants. She quickly bit down, forcing his mouth shut until such a time. Cutting in the middle of the man’s little speech, Sofia interrupted rather politely, ”Mister? If you don’t want to tell me why you’re out here, you don’t have to tell me. I was just curious.”

Dropping a part of the wall around her, Sofia glazed her eyes over him from top to bottom, left to right for any indication of what kind of man he is, and as a restoration of her normal personality. ”Mister?” Sofia began, her voice showing small signs of fluctuation rather than its previous monotone attitude, ”I’m not a little girl, and I never wander alone. But you’ve gotten me curious now. What am I supposed to do?” Sofia’s eyes danced around, as if questioning her options; but in reality, Sofia had already decided what to do seconds before, ”Mister. I’ll help.” Her response was quick, terse, and to the point. Though she wanted to watch the sunset with Pikels alone, this is more important.

Sofia turned, and followed, her hands folded behind her back and a slight skip in her step; yet, though her face softened, there was little in the ways of a happy child.

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