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Post by Christian Ward on Jan 16, 2017 22:41:23 GMT -5
As Steele addressed him Christian sneered. It was true and a low blow against Diana to point it out. But then, whomever was behind this version of Steele didn't care for Diana very much. Christian assumed it was Diana's subconscious but perhaps they were not alone.
"He's not real, Diana," he cautioned her again. "It's your insecurities manifesting. But you know its not real."
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Post by Diana Ward on Jan 17, 2017 0:11:48 GMT -5
The next moment happened all too fast as Diana's 'manifestation' physically cold cocked Christian from behind using a nearby statue.
Diana jumped back, surprise clearly written on her face.
"So much for that theory." Steele smiled, "Where was I? Oh that's right...you were begging for something." he said with a menacing look as he approached her. She kept pace backing away from him.
His image changed suddenly and Diana froze peering into the same green eyes she had loved for most of her life.
"Is this better wife?"
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Post by Christian Ward on Jan 17, 2017 0:25:54 GMT -5
Christian was looking reassuringly into Diana's eyes when suddenly everything went bright white and then black. The next thing he realized he was on the floor and someone, not Steele, was moving towards Diana. He ignored the pulsing pain in the back of his head as he got to his feet.
"She's my f*cking wife," Christian growled territorially. He grabbed the man by the shoulder and pulled him around, swinging his fist into the man's jaw. Just as he connected he realized who the man was; it was Christian. He only hesitated for a moment out of shock before pulling his wand.
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Post by Diana Ward on Jan 17, 2017 0:42:36 GMT -5
"That's not going to work in here." the manifestation smirked arrogantly. He fought nearly as well as Christian did, but when he hit, he hit harder, and when he moved, he moved faster.
Diana stumbled backward. She wasn't sure why she was running other than the fact that this entire experience had been too much for her. All of her fears, insecurities, and nightmares converged on this one moment in her past that she couldn't escape. The innocent lives that were lost because of her. It wasn't just the past that she was afraid of, the manifestation of Christian correctly called Diana out on her real fears.
"I finally show you the way, and you still don't get it do you Ward? I'm not the one who kills her. You are. It's what you want. It's what will set you free."
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Post by Christian Ward on Jan 17, 2017 1:00:39 GMT -5
Despite the fake-Christian's warning, Christian fired a hex at his counterpart. He wasn't trusting that whomever was behind the manifestation was telling the truth and Christian was deadly with a wand. Sure enough, the spell was useless.
"And you're a f*cking expert on what I want, is that it?" Killing Diana would only end up killing Christian, too. It was the last thing he would do, even if he did wish the woman dead which he didn't.
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Post by Diana Ward on Jan 17, 2017 1:07:17 GMT -5
"No." he chuckled, "But she is."
Diana froze. She glanced between the two men as her heart rate increased as the fear set in. She had forgotten all about their vow's little loophole.
Christian's doppelganger smirked as soon as he could tell Diana was aware of what he was talking about.
"Why don't you tell him." he offered.
Diana remained silent, but she held a worried expression.
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Post by Christian Ward on Jan 17, 2017 1:19:15 GMT -5
Christian remained focused on his opponent but when a sly smirk graced his handsome face, Christian's eyes flicked over to Diana. She looked worried, as if Christian's other self was on to something. Once against Christian was in the dark.
"What the f*ck's he on about?"
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Post by Diana Ward on Jan 17, 2017 1:30:17 GMT -5
She looked between the two men, caught between a rock and hard place. Her anxiety was already sky rocketing, and she didn't know it but that anxiety and fear made the imitation Christian's strength grow.
"You're not going to tell him are you?"
Diana swallowed.
"Well you can't blame her mate. You did knock her up and abandon her. You've taken a contract out on her life, twice. You pretended to love her to get a negotiate a better deal, and when she found out she still couldn't kill you." he looked at his mirror image, "Now you might be thinking that she couldn't what with the life bond and everything, but that's not entirely accurate is it?"
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Post by Christian Ward on Jan 17, 2017 1:46:41 GMT -5
Some of what his doppelganger said, Christian already had confirmed. He had taken a contract on Diana before, the exposure of that secret was what caused Diana to steal his memories. Free from the knowledge and burden said memories presented, Christian attempted to claim the bounty on Diana's head. Through a supernatural compulsion he discovered that Diana's first child was his, as well as the baby she currently carried inside her. And there was certainly no denying that he had abandoned her almost 17 years ago. Diana's subconscious drove home that fact quite fiercely.
What he couldn't confirm were his feelings for Diana and whether he used that as leverage in bargaining for a higher return on his efforts. If asked a week ago whether Christian thought it possible to fall in love with Diana and grow into a man who was looking forward to life as a family man, he would have not only laughed in your face but also cursed you for good measure. But now...He wasn't sure what had changed. The obvious factors were his new-found offspring, however that didn't account for the sense of protection he felt when Diana was threatened or the aroused feelings she elicited when she was fighting Steele only a few memories ago. If asked directly, he would likely still deny any such feelings, but there would certainly be hesitation.
He looked between Diana and his lookalike, not wanting to take his eyes off his opponent but also sternly demanding with his eyes that Diana explain what the f*ck this prick was talking about.
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Post by Diana Ward on Jan 17, 2017 1:57:53 GMT -5
Diana didn't clear anything up. She wanted to. She wanted to turn the whole thing around and muster up some kind of semblance of strength, but none came to her. She felt choked, lost, broken.
"I..." she shook her head.
"Let me spell it out for you. Loophole." he said having grown bored drawing it out. "Now if she dies, you die. And if you die, she dies. But if either of you kills the other..." he made a hand motion as if to say 'ta-da', "You're free...as in you killing her and going back to...whatever it is you were doing before a mark turned your life upside down."
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Post by Christian Ward on Jan 17, 2017 2:05:57 GMT -5
The explanation elicited a violent response from Christian, but it wasn't directed at Diana. He was unable to fight like a proper wizard, but he had learned more than enough to kill a man without any magic whatsoever. The only thing Christian was uncertain of was whether or not he could actually get rid of this imposter by killing him here.
There was one way to find out. Christian lunged at his doppelganger, fists flying at the man's head.
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Post by Diana Ward on Jan 17, 2017 2:16:14 GMT -5
Diana jumped, startled as Christian attacked the image of himself. She couldn't think clearly, everything was a haze.
She felt impotent and helpless, which only fed into the manifestation's power.
He was surprised by the blows, but began defending and countering with a few of his own, "Fine. There's more than one way to skin a cat. You die. She dies." he snarled, "Works for me."
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Post by Christian Ward on Jan 17, 2017 2:28:49 GMT -5
"How about just you die instead?" he snarled as he knocked the man backwards. Christian was surprised at how skilled the lookalike was. He was able to return every hit, blow for blow. But Christian wasn't about to give up. Dying now only left Diana vulnerable, not to mention what would happen to his son. He assumed by the villain's response that it was, in fact, possible to kill one another inside of Diana's mind. That was perfectly alright with him.
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Post by Diana Ward on Jan 17, 2017 2:42:12 GMT -5
As Christian fought his doppelganger, Diana was rooted to the spot. She was fighting another demon all together.
Don't you know you break everything you touch? He doesn't love you. He never did. He abandoned you before, he'll abandon you again. What kind of mother would you make? Your father didn't even love you how can you expect anyone else to? All the sacrifices you made, all the fighting and torment, what was it for? You're never going to see your children, and if you did they'd end up just like Simm's did.
Suddenly the dream shifted and she was confronted with the tragic display of Emma and Jessie, but their images changed quickly into what her subconscious recognized as Alyx and Liam.
"No! No, no, no, no, no..." she cried shaking her head as the voices grew louder. She covered her ears and crouched in the corner closing her eyes, but she couldn't escape the glass eyed look from her children's mangled bodies.
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Post by Christian Ward on Jan 17, 2017 2:53:53 GMT -5
Christian was too busy with his other self to realize their surrounding were changing yet again. He was knocked to the ground as his opponent seemed to grow stronger. Christian made a sweeping motion with his leg and knocked the other man off balance, giving himself the opportunity to get back on his feet. But Diana's wails claimed his attention.
He looked to her and as his head turned in her direction he caught sight of the gruesome scene around them. These weren't the twin girls he had seen earlier. Sprawled out in unnatural positions was a teenage girl, the spitting image of Diana and Christian, and a small baby boy with olive skin, dark brown hair, and bright green eyes that didn't blink. Christian felt as though he was going to be sick again, although this time the feeling was much more intense and he had to look away to keep from crying out as Diana was.
Diana. "F*ck," he exclaimed as he looked in her direction. She was cowering in the corner. He needed to get to her.
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Post by Diana Ward on Jan 17, 2017 3:01:23 GMT -5
Diana was sobbing, she wanted to hold her children but she couldn't touch them. In that moment she wanted to die. Life was too painful it was too hard. She had nothing left and she wanted to be free of the pain. Her eyes truly begged for an end as she saw Christian looking at her, she shook her head at him.
"She's gone now." 'Christian' said to the other man. "She'll never come back to you now, and I don't know what would be sweeter...killing you and her at the same time, or letting you live and suffer."
The statement was just a tad too personal and had nothing to do with Diana. The manifestation wasn't simply Diana's subconscious, there was something malicious in his tone, in the way he interacted with Christian. It was personal.
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Post by Christian Ward on Jan 17, 2017 3:24:53 GMT -5
Christian's brow furrowed as he listened to the imposter speak about Diana. His words were more removed than they had been before, as if they weren't coming from Diana's mind at all. His eyes narrowed.
"You'd want to be around to watch the suffering, I would think. I know I would," he lied. He turned away from Diana to face the assassin who manipulated Diana's mind so that he could wear Christian's face. "Who the f*ck should I be expecting to find when I get out of here?"
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Post by Diana Ward on Jan 17, 2017 3:33:14 GMT -5
"Oh I wouldn't want to ruin the surprise mate. But right now I've got a job to do, and I'm just about finished." he said in a confident way, "She's too broken now to escape." he said looking back at the shell of a woman who used to be strong. She was nothing but fragments of a shattered soul.
He turned back to face the real Christian, "Go ahead. Try and save her." he smirked at the man whose face he had stolen, "She won't last the night. The real question is whether or not you let her take you with her." He laughed, something dark and menacing, and then he was gone.
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Post by Christian Ward on Jan 17, 2017 3:42:10 GMT -5
Christian lunged at his other self but it was too late. The dream assassin was gone and Christian was left with nothing but the remnants of his ruined family around him. He turned back to Diana.
He now understood what was happening in Diana's dreams when she thrashed about on the spare bed before the assassin took control of her body. His chest tightened.
"It's not real," he said as he knelt beside her. He pulled her chin toward his face and looked into her wet eyes. "I won't let this happen, Diana. None of this is real."
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Post by Diana Ward on Jan 17, 2017 3:47:37 GMT -5
She looked up at him, but she wasn't seeing him. She wasn't even sure if it really was 'her' Christian. Did he ever belong to her to begin with?
She repeated what the voices told her in a thin hollow voice, "I break everything I touch...What kind of mother would I even make?" she asked in disgust, "My father couldn't even love me...why did I ever think you could?"
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