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Post by neverlandlostgirl on Jan 3, 2017 3:29:02 GMT
As soon as Adeline lost her focus and faltered, the shadows descended upon her. Where the tendrils came into contact with her, they wrapped around her and began to tightened. However, instead of constricting her until she couldn't breath, they began to attack her mind and feed on the fears that lurked there.
Pitch paused in his pacing when the shadows grasped onto Adeline and held her fast but he didn't stop them. No, this was just as much a part of the test as being able to avoid a Demon's attacks. In fact, it was the most important part of all, the very thing for which he had tried to prepare the young witch. For in order to defeat Thrax, she would have to confront her own fears and weaknesses and rise above them. Otherwise, she would be lost.
As the shadows went to work on her, Pitch felt her fears himself and the strength they could give him. However, where before he had to resist giving into his darker nature with others, he found tapping into Adeline's fears unpleasant and almost, well, vile. Never before had he experienced such a response when feeding on someone's fears. Why was it that Adeline always seemed to bring about such responses in him that were contrary to his nature?
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Post by angelofmusic1992 on Jan 3, 2017 4:29:13 GMT
Adeline felt the shadows latch onto her before she saw it. It was like someone had suddenly turned her skin to ice. The shadows were cold, and she could feel herself starting to panic. "No, no, no..." She struggled to move, and her vision began to blur. Suddenly, she couldn't see the other shadows around her, or the dirt beneath her feet, or the headstones that littered the graveyard. Instead, she saw her worst fear play out before her eyes. Bellerouge was in flames, buildings obliterated into dust, citizens screaming in fear. She could hear Thrax laughing, the sound chilling her to the bone. But that wasn't what scared her the most. The worst thing was when she saw herself, her eyes red, a devilish grin on her face. She had destroyed the city. She was the reason why people screamed and ran. And she enjoyed it. She had become what Thrax wanted her to be, just as he had planned, and she liked it. Adeline's mind spun, the image burning into her mind like a brand. She couldn't let this happen. She just couldn't. She didn't want to become some horrible monster that everyone feared. She didn't want to enjoy destroying things and hurting people. She didn't want to be like Thrax.
As that thought ran through her mind, it was like a bell went off in her head. Something clicked as a memory resurfaced. She was in her house, Pitch in front of her, his fingers gently tilting her chin up as their eyes locked. He had asked her if she was like Thrax, and she had said no. He had assured her that that was all she needed to remember. And he was right. She wasn't like Thrax, and she never would be. She had a good heart. She was kind. She cared about people. She had to have faith in herself. If she lost that, then she was as good as gone. She would not let this fear consume her.
"NO!"
The word came out loud, and explosive. And Adeline's powers reacted in a very similar way. There was a burst of magical energy, like a firecracker had gone off. For a moment, all Adeline could see were sparks. But, the vision of her worst fear started to fade, and she could begin to see the gravestones again, and the ground she was standing on. She just had to pull a little more, and she could break out of the shadows' grasp.
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Post by neverlandlostgirl on Jan 3, 2017 5:20:09 GMT
Pitch watched and waited as the shadows continued to wrap around Adeline, slowly but surely encasing her and growing stronger as fear and uncertainty fed them. However, just as the darkness was about to cover her face, something shifted.
The Demon felt it like the sudden calm just before the storm, a time when everything seems to grow still and silent, when the wind itself dies away and a deep breathlessness fills the air. And then the storm broke.
As Pitch looked on, a pulse of pure energy radiated out from Adeline, a magical force so strong that it pushed him so violently that he was forced into a low crouch so as not to be thrown backwards. Even then, he was pushed back several feet while several tombstones collapsed to the ground and the trunks of nearby willows rocked, their branches flailing about.
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Post by angelofmusic1992 on Jan 3, 2017 17:17:39 GMT
Adeline could feel the shadows pulling on her, trying to bring her back. The vision of Bellerouge in flames, Thrax's laughter, her red eyes glowing, it flickered back into her vision every now and again, like a TV station desperately trying to catch a signal. But the more Adeline focused, the more she believed in herself, the fuzzier the image became, and the sight of the graveyard became more solid. "I'm not like him. I'm not like him. I'm not like him." She kept saying the words to herself, over and over, letting them fuel her magic power. It was the truth, and she knew it. She wasn't Thrax. She was Adeline. She was herself. And no matter how much Thrax, or Vanitas, or anyone tried, they couldn't change that. She may be part demon now, but she was still Adeline. There was another burst of magic sparks, and Adeline stood on her feet, feeling the shadows' grip on her slowly ebb away.
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Post by neverlandlostgirl on Jan 3, 2017 20:14:46 GMT
As Pitch remained crouched low to the ground, he could sense the fear within Adeline starting to crumble away and her own will slowly taking control once again. Even the shadows that had wrapped around her began to tatter and rip as if some invisible force beneath her were expanding, becoming too much for them to contain.
However, he wasn't finished yet. He knew that Thrax wouldn't give up without a fight to claim Adeline as his own and would use whatever tricks he could to defeat her. And so he began another attack and spoke to Adeline.
Do you honestly think defeating Thrax will change anything?
His voice spoke to Adeline within her own mind, a voice filled with cold contempt and sneering humor.
Even if you somehow overcome him, you will never rid yourself of the demonic presence inside of you. It's part of you now, perhaps it always was. And everyone will know and judge you for it. Humans? Others? They'll never accept you as one of them and you will spend your days alone, hated and reviled for what you have become. Give up this hopeless fight and accept your fate.
His voice seemed to fill every part of her mind and even the surrounding graveyard, tempting her to give in. It was a low and dirty trick and Pitch knew that it was a violation of Adeline's mind. After this was over, she might very well come to despise him for what he was doing, but it was the only way to ensure her future protection.
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Post by angelofmusic1992 on Jan 4, 2017 0:27:56 GMT
It was at that point that things started to shift. The shadows stopped lashing out at Adeline, but another attack was gong on now. She could hear the voice in her head, cold and malicious. It almost sounded like Pitch's, but...Adeline felt like it couldn't. Was it really him? Was it just part of the test? Either way, she couldn't let the words get to her, no matter what. "You're wrong. It will change things," she said, her words spoken aloud. "With him gone, everyone will be safer. Nobody else will get hurt because of him." In all honesty, that was one of the main reasons why Adeline wanted Thrax gone. The idea of him hurting someone because he was trying to get to her, it had haunted her thoughts many times, especially after the ball. Thrax had hurt a lot of people then. Adeline wanted to avoid something like that happening again.
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Post by neverlandlostgirl on Jan 4, 2017 5:25:26 GMT
And what of me?
By this point, the shadows ensnaring Adeline were disintegrating rapidly and the black flames surrounding her were starting to die out, but Pitch wasn't finished just yet. There was one last thing to test the young witch with, one more weakness that might make or break her in the battle to come with Thrax. And that was betrayal.
Oh Adeline, so young and naïve. Do you honestly believe I helped you because I actually cared for you? Did you really think I did all this out of empathy or kindness for you plight? You're a means to an end, a way to remove another bothersome Demon and nothing more. And once you've defeated Thrax, your usefulness will have run its course and I'll have no further need of you. It's in my very nature, girl. Did you honestly believe you could change a Demon?
Pitch slowly rose outside of the circle as he broadcasted the thoughts to Adeline, testing the last chink in her armor and seeing if she would break. However, although the thoughts rang with steeling resolve and truth in the young woman's mind, the same could not be said for him. The words.....they seemed so hollow within his own consciousness, almost as if he were trying to make himself believe them and not just Adeline....
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Post by angelofmusic1992 on Jan 4, 2017 21:31:51 GMT
Adeline felt herself freeze. Those words hurt, more than she had expected. Pitch just using her to get rid of Thrax...was it possible? Adeline couldn't accept that, although her doubts said otherwise. Would Pitch really want to spend time with her, even after Thrax was gone? His main job was to teach her how to defend herself against him. That job would be gone once Thrax was caught.
No, he's not like that. He's not. He wouldn't just dump me out of the blue like that. He wouldn't.
Are you sure about that? Adeline struggled to concentrate as her thoughts bounced back and forth. He's way out of your league. He probably has better things to do than hang out with some kid. You've said that to yourself plenty of times before.
"No, that's not...that's not you. You're not like that." She said the words through gritted teeth, as if saying them out loud would make them true. She had to believe in Pitch. If she couldn't trust him, then what was the point?
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Post by neverlandlostgirl on Jan 4, 2017 22:12:58 GMT
Do you really know me at all, girl? Or do you just pretend to?
Pitch was back on his feet and walked slowly towards Adeline, the shadows around her tattered but still holding fast. It was clear that this was her weakest point now, that her fear of betrayal was the thing that might see her defeated. And yet Pitch couldn't tell if it was anyone's betrayal that the young woman feared......or just his own. Even now, as he continued to attack her, the voice in her mind became more aggressive, more determined to prove the words true, and yet a smallest hint of uncertainty remained.
I was born from darkness and shadows, I thrive on the fear that exists in all thinking creatures, I possess powers that bend even the fabric of nightmares to my will, and I have lived longer then even I can remember. Do you really believe one mortal could change me?
However, as Pitch threw these last thoughts at the witch, everything around him suddenly seemed to freeze. And in that moment, he realized something that shook him to the very core of his existence. His words.....they were his own attempt to assure himself that he truly hadn't changed, but they weren't true.....not completely anymore.
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Post by angelofmusic1992 on Jan 4, 2017 22:28:57 GMT
Adeline took a step back, not wanting to believe Pitch's words. It might still just be a test, but the words hit too close to home to make it feel like one. Did Adeline really know Pitch that well? There was still a lot of mystery surrounding him. Besides, even if he did decided to talk about himself, he probably wouldn't do it with her. He was an ancient demon, and a powerful one. She was just a teenager. She was practically a little girl compared to him. And if he ever found out about that fluttery feeling she got around him sometimes...
"Shut up!"
The words were directed more at herself than Pitch. She couldn't let her do this to herself. Pitch was already sending negative thoughts her way. She didn't need her mind helping her out. Her eyes sought out Pitch's, struggling to look at him through the shadows gathered around her.
"I know you. You told me about the promise you made. You showed me that scar that you have on your chest. You expect me to believe that was out of pity?" Pitch hardly talked about himself at all. Adeline knew that much. But he had trusted her enough to show her his scar, and shed some light on the promise he had made that led to him becoming a police officer. And that same day, he had let her heal his injuries. If he was just using her, he wouldn't have trusted her like that.
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Post by neverlandlostgirl on Jan 4, 2017 22:57:15 GMT
"Enough."
Suddenly, the whole graveyard seemed to be cast into shadows and the wind stopped. Pitch's mouth had barely moved as he spoke, the sound so low it might have been impossible to hear if not for the fact that all other sound had died away. He didn't move, didn't react to Adeline's words or even appear to be breathing in that moment and his whole face was lost to the shadows.
It was as if Adeline's words had conjured up some spell that had frozen the graveyard in time and stolen the very sun from it, but it wasn't her creating it.
Slowly, the shadows on Adeline began to unwrap themselves like so many bandages falling away. They retreated from her figure and drew back to Pitch, joining once more with his own shadow as the circle of dark flames around the witch sputtered and died out. However, even after the last trace of darkness had receded, still everything was held in a deep breathlessness that covered the graveyard.
"That is enough."
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Post by angelofmusic1992 on Jan 5, 2017 2:12:36 GMT
It was as if someone had suddenly flipped a switch and froze everything. All noise ceased, all movement stopped, everything. For a moment, Adeline was nervous, wondering if another wave of attacks was about to happen. But, the shadows slowly drew away and retreated towards Pitch. His face was unreadable. Adeline had no idea what he was thinking. Had she passed? Had she failed? Was anything he said at the end true? However, any questions that were running through her head stopped when she realized her legs were shaking from exhaustion. She fell to one knee, unable to stand any longer. Using so much magic had sapped a lot of her strength.
It's okay, you're okay. You're just tired, that's all. You're going to be fine.
Adeline kept thinking that to herself as she took deep breaths. She could feel the adrenaline slowly fading away, and the magic inside her died down.
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Post by neverlandlostgirl on Jan 6, 2017 1:41:29 GMT
It was impossible to say how long the graveyard was held in tension. Time didn't seem to have any meaning in the wake of what had just happened, but slowly the color began to creep back into the tombstones and trees, sounds of distant traffic and the gently blowing wind returned, and the oppressive force gave way.
However, Pitch remained as still and silent as before, his face impossible to read. When he finally spoke, it gave nothing away as to what he was thinking in that moment.
"Congratulations, Adeline. You managed to withstand an attack from a Terror Demon."
It should have been a complement but the complete lack of any feeling or tone made it sound hollow, as if Pitch were obliged to say the words and nothing more. He still hadn't moved from his spot, a shadow that refused to move in that moment.
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Post by angelofmusic1992 on Jan 6, 2017 2:23:53 GMT
Adeline just focused on her breathing until she heard Pitch speak. From what he said, it sounded like she had passed the test. But when she looked up, his face was still...blank, for lack of a better word. It reminded her of when they had first met, and they had no idea of how to act around each other. She wasn't sure if she liked it. She let out another breath before slowly standing up straight. She felt a little better, but she already knew she was going to sleep like a rock tonight. She hadn't used that much magic in one sitting in a long time. "Guess I finally learned a thing or two, huh?" she said, trying to liven up the atmosphere a little bit. She did pass, after all. That was cause for celebration, right?
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Post by neverlandlostgirl on Jan 6, 2017 17:27:35 GMT
"Truly. In fact you have exceeded my expectations."
Pitch paused here, his sudden realization offering him a choice in that moment. He might tell himself that he hadn't changed since meeting Adeline, that he was still the same Demon he had been before coming across her in this exact same graveyard. He could tell himself that she meant nothing more or less to him then anyone else he had known....but it would be a lie.
Suddenly, he finally raised his head so that his gaze was staring directly into her own eyes, eyes that reminded him too much of the last person he had cared too much for..... and who had died for it. And now that he could no longer ignore the fact that he was developing feelings for Adeline, he had a choice.
In the graveyard it only took a few short seconds for him to choose, but to him it felt like an eternity had passed before him.
"Therefore I see no reason for us to continue with your lessons."
He spoke the words clearly and without any emotion, his eyes never once leaving Adeline's.
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