BlackRosesDamianTheCrucifixion1

He stood back admiring the painted work he had just completed. Angels and mortals frolicking about on the large sheets of frosty glass. Made to look more like the ancient garden than any real place of the current age. The angelic beings looking for the entire world as if they were about to spring to life. Announce the coming of the white god in all his glory to the waiting public

Not that he was a believer. No, he could never believe in such fantasy. The gods were nothing more than beings of greater comprehension and knowledge fooling the living world with their smoke and light shows. All of it explainable if you could grasp the wisdom of the universe. The wonderment that was higher technology

Of course he had no interest in such things. He simply enjoyed the beauty that was art. The way the colors seemed to flow from the tips of the brushes of their own accord. It was more like the paintings created themselves. He was only the tool that they used to be born.

The rainbow splattered across his slim well-defined chest showed the bounty of oil-color that had been laid out for his use. He had utilized of the entire scheme. Brought the world before him to life with an almost unearthly flare.

The time it took him to paint the panels might have taken another a lifetime. However Daniel Machal Leviathan had a gift. One graced upon him by his genealogy. His make up included the bits and parts that made up the gods.

The light rap against the large metal door startled him out of his musings. A welcome intrusion to the confusing mixture of emotions the thoughts always stirred up inside his soul..

"I bid entrance my lord prince." The crystalline voice carried into the room as though it were delivered by the legends of the past. A mere whisper of a soul who chose to grace the time in which he lived in. Shared it by preference with the creatures that the white god created to live under the cloud-covered sky of this new world. Even with all the beauty his voice could command, he chose to speak as though he were a simple man. So far from the truth this was, that it always made the young prince laugh

"Enter! You know you are always welcome." The amusement in the prince's voice was light. It reflected his mood perfectly for once. A rarity in a world where feelings had to remain hidden for fear of persecution. "Must we always be so formal Lord teacher?"

The practically ancient man bowed at his waist, his locks of soft crystal-white waves touched in their entirety by the passing of time fell down to cover his supernatural beauty. Certainly not an old man, however he was also not a young man.

From a distance many mistook him for an elderly gentleman. Unhurried and serene in every movement. Hair as white as a man in his hundreds but with the glimmer of fine crystal in the sun.

Up close it became apparent he was far younger, In appearance that was. Being one of the oldest living immortals he had taken on a somewhat mythological air. Soon being dubbed Mystic by Daniel's youngest brother Prince Alexei who couldn't say Lord Nathaniel Tralin-lay having only been three at the time.

He rose to greet his prince with a glowing smile. Pushing his hair back from his dazzling blue ice eyes. He casually turned to gaze at the magnificent sheets of painted glass. Examining them with a sharp eye. "Formal greetings establish a certain atmosphere to which we shall aspire to conduct ourselves as men of honor. It's what separates the gentlemen from the boys my lord prince."

"The death of Eden is a figment of mortal imaginations. It breathes among the heavens now. As it had choked for air on this world. Smothered by human souls that tried to douse its splendorous wonder. A living thing such as Eden couldn't survive in the hands of man or immortal." His teacher only smiled at the disbelieving eyes of a prince barely more than a babe. "You paint yourself with white wings?" The smile on his lips spoke volumes. Pleased as well as amused.

"Would you scream the Devil's battle cry? How did it go again, It's better to die on your feet in battle than spend a lifetime on your knees?" Mystic laughed almost lovingly "It was quite an inspirational speech, He delivered it with such flare. As only a great motivational-speaker can. It was a pity his loyalties were misdirected."

"You were at the battle, where Lucifer fell?" He couldn't keep the excitement from his voice. "It must have been a grand thing. The battle fierce. And me having not even been born yet."

"You'd better watch it little god-man; you are one of us, remember? Only the barest fraction of mortal blood flows through your veins. Certainly not enough to spare you godhood."

"Of this you are fated." The words were barely out of his mouth when he turned abruptly as if to listen to some noise only he could hear. "Get your sword."

Daniel followed Mystic out the door of the church, sword already in hand and prepared for a strike. However his heart froze upon the sight that greeted him. He jolted violently as his own blade clattered against the marble stone steps. Impossibly loud to his own ears. He found himself actually backing away from the nightmare laid before him.

"Perfectly." His tone was shaky at best. Some chosen one he was turning out to be. "I've done nothing wrong, broken no treaty----they can't"

"They can and they will, you are perceived as a threat to many universal powers. In their ignorance they have already found you guilty----now please pick up your blade"

"No." He snapped as he turned back into the church, Mystic following behind. "I will not kill sworn defenders of Rogue----I will not kill my brothers sons."

"Then I will die----you taught me about honor----you gave me the wisdom I needed to die without regret. I will not kill innocent pawns. I cannot."

"Daniel?" He watched as a single crystal tear slid down Mystic's cheek. "You don't understand the cost of this----you don't know the things I know----The things I am forbidden to tell you."

"You will not!" The prince's voice rose from the ashes of the doubtful child. "If you raise your blade against them for a kill, I will denounce you."

" My lord prince!" New silent tears flowed down those porcelain chiseled cheeks, the words taking on an almost pleading quality. However the man before him never broke down. Simply pleaded with all his soul till his defeat was clear. His eyes showing his surrender to that which he could not conquer. This man, who had been his teacher and mentor over his almost seventeen years of life suddenly, for the first time in all their years together folded to his knees at his prince's feet, bowed his head to rest on the soft leather slippers. "You are like a son to me but you are also my prince in this world as well as the next. I shall honor your wishes."

When he was standing again Daniel looked up into the mesmerizing eyes of one who had been utterly defeated. It almost broke his heart. "Go and fetch my father, bring him here." They both knew the ride would take days, far to long to have served any purpose toward his rescue. "Tell Alexei that Daniel sends his love."

"Yes my prince." He bowed formally as he turned to go. Drawing out his short-blade, Mystic sliced open the palm of his left hand, held it out and allowed the blood to drip onto the floor and down the steps as he left the church. One of the larger White counsel warriors watching him with total respect, bowed slightly as he mounted his steed. "Save your blasted shows of honor, your god sends you to crucify an innocent----he brings on the darkness and all of you are too blind to see it----that boy just saved half your lives----I would have sent you to hell for this sin you intend to commit." With those final words he rode off in the direction of the Leviathan realm.

Daniel simply stood there staring at the painting he had created over the past few months. Looking at each and every stroke of his brush. For some reason they became vividly clear as he listened to the soft clank of boot heels approach his being. It seemed strange to end life this way. Before he had ever really begun to live it.

Four months worth of freedom, out from underneath his father's watchful eye. Oh he'd had a glorious time. He had finally after all these years been able to be the artist he had longed to be. Creating something he could be proud of. At the very least, it was a legacy to be left behind. It seemed almost hysterical that it would grace the walls of a white church.

"Daniel Leviathan, we are here by order of the earthly white counsel. You have been found to be possessed by the spirit of evil. In its hands your spirit lays. We have been sent here to cleanse your soul before you are sent back to the place from which we all came. May the only true god have mercy on your soul."

"Our god tortures no one, we simply wish to cleanse your soul of its evil presence." The man actually believed this line of shit. Daniel couldn't help but smile and shake his head.

Daniel watched as the priest approached, his eyes dangerously on the glass mural. "You painted this." It was a statement not a question "Destroy it!"

"No!" He tried to move forward only to be stopped by several sets of arms. The sword that crashed into the first painting only fueled his fire; trying desperately to get loose, stop them before they damaged the rest of the precious panels. "Why are you doing this? STOP!" He couldn't do anything as they systematically moved from panel to panel. "It's just art! It offers no harm to you. DON"T!" He could feel the tears on his face, as he was helpless to stop the destruction that had been his only proof of freedom.

The glass littered the floor his feet slipping against the numerous shards as he struggled for freedom. His shoes being lost somewhere in the struggle. Glass ripping through the flesh of his feet as the last panel was demolished

He fell limp in their grip, having nothing else to fight for. His eyes on a broken dream of brightly colored glass as he was dragged ruthlessly from the church, prayers that sounded more like curses being thundered in his direction.



	Damian The Crucifixion He stood back admiring the painted work he had just completed. Angels and mortals frolicking about on the large sheets of frosty glass. Made to look more like the ancient garden than any real place of the current age. The angelic beings looking for the entire world as if they were about to spring to life. Announce the coming of the white god in all his glory to the waiting public It was an inspiration for the masses of religious supporters in this territory. Not that he was a believer. No, he could never believe in such fantasy. The gods were nothing more than beings of greater comprehension and knowledge fooling the living world with their smoke and light shows. All of it explainable if you could grasp the wisdom of the universe. The wonderment that was higher technology Of course he had no interest in such things. He simply enjoyed the beauty that was art. The way the colors seemed to flow from the tips of the brushes of their own accord. It was more like the paintings created themselves. He was only the tool that they used to be born. This production had been three months worth of serious time-consuming work that he could be proud of. The rainbow splattered across his slim well-defined chest showed the bounty of oil-color that had been laid out for his use. He had utilized of the entire scheme. Brought the world before him to life with an almost unearthly flare. The time it took him to paint the panels might have taken another a lifetime. However Daniel Machal Leviathan had a gift. One graced upon him by his genealogy. His make up included the bits and parts that made up the gods. An extremely unimpressive and worthless thing in his mind for the most part. The light rap against the large metal door startled him out of his musings. A welcome intrusion to the confusing mixture of emotions the thoughts always stirred up inside his soul.. "I bid entrance my lord prince." The crystalline voice carried into the room as though it were delivered by the legends of the past. A mere whisper of a soul who chose to grace the time in which he lived in. Shared it by preference with the creatures that the white god created to live under the cloud-covered sky of this new world. Even with all the beauty his voice could command, he chose to speak as though he were a simple man. So far from the truth this was, that it always made the young prince laugh "Enter! You know you are always welcome." The amusement in the prince's voice was light. It reflected his mood perfectly for once. A rarity in a world where feelings had to remain hidden for fear of persecution. "Must we always be so formal Lord teacher?" The practically ancient man bowed at his waist, his locks of soft crystal-white waves touched in their entirety by the passing of time fell down to cover his supernatural beauty. Certainly not an old man, however he was also not a young man. From a distance many mistook him for an elderly gentleman. Unhurried and serene in every movement. Hair as white as a man in his hundreds but with the glimmer of fine crystal in the sun. Up close it became apparent he was far younger, In appearance that was. Being one of the oldest living immortals he had taken on a somewhat mythological air. Soon being dubbed Mystic by Daniel's youngest brother Prince Alexei who couldn't say Lord Nathaniel Tralin-lay having only been three at the time. His teacher had accepted the name with an enormous pleasure. As though the child had bid him some private honor in its giving. The man was strikingly beautiful; like cut crystal of the finest quality. His eyes, like diamonds proclaiming his godly heritage. He rose to greet his prince with a glowing smile. Pushing his hair back from his dazzling blue ice eyes. He casually turned to gaze at the magnificent sheets of painted glass. Examining them with a sharp eye. "Formal greetings establish a certain atmosphere to which we shall aspire to conduct ourselves as men of honor. It's what separates the gentlemen from the boys my lord prince." "As you've pointed out on so many previous occasions. What do you think of my latest work?" "You paint Eden with the wisdom of one who has seen it. Placing yourself among the angels was an interesting touch." "I have never laid eyes on Eden my Lord teacher. This place died long before my birth." "The death of Eden is a figment of mortal imaginations. It breathes among the heavens now. As it had choked for air on this world. Smothered by human souls that tried to douse its splendorous wonder. A living thing such as Eden couldn't survive in the hands of man or immortal." His teacher only smiled at the disbelieving eyes of a prince barely more than a babe. "You paint yourself with white wings?" The smile on his lips spoke volumes. Pleased as well as amused. "I would have painted Lucifer's fall from heaven, I doubt the attending members would have found it as inspirational as I." "Would you scream the Devil's battle cry? How did it go again, It's better to die on your feet in battle than spend a lifetime on your knees?" Mystic laughed almost lovingly "It was quite an inspirational speech, He delivered it with such flare. As only a great motivational-speaker can. It was a pity his loyalties were misdirected." "You were at the battle, where Lucifer fell?" He couldn't keep the excitement from his voice. "It must have been a grand thing. The battle fierce. And me having not even been born yet." "Birth has little to do with attendance at such events." " Riddles, as always. Gods! The lot of you are game players." "You'd better watch it little god-man; you are one of us, remember? Only the barest fraction of mortal blood flows through your veins. Certainly not enough to spare you godhood." "And of this you must remind me?" "Of this you are fated." The words were barely out of his mouth when he turned abruptly as if to listen to some noise only he could hear. "Get your sword." "Why?" "Do as I say, child." This was his teacher's voice, the one that left no room for argument as he turned toward the door. Daniel followed Mystic out the door of the church, sword already in hand and prepared for a strike. However his heart froze upon the sight that greeted him. He jolted violently as his own blade clattered against the marble stone steps. Impossibly loud to his own ears. He found himself actually backing away from the nightmare laid before him. "Young one, please----you must defend yourself." Mystic's eyes were already summing up a one-man defense against the white warriors. "I won't raise my blade to them----I can't----many of them wear the Carlonday coat-of-arms." "They are here to end your life. Do you understand this?" "Perfectly." His tone was shaky at best. Some chosen one he was turning out to be. "I've done nothing wrong, broken no treaty----they can't" "They can and they will, you are perceived as a threat to many universal powers. In their ignorance they have already found you guilty----now please pick up your blade" "No." He snapped as he turned back into the church, Mystic following behind. "I will not kill sworn defenders of Rogue----I will not kill my brothers sons." "You will die by their hand if you don't!" Daniel turned to face at Mystic, surprised by his sudden raising of tone. "Then I will die----you taught me about honor----you gave me the wisdom I needed to die without regret. I will not kill innocent pawns. I cannot." "Daniel?" He watched as a single crystal tear slid down Mystic's cheek. "You don't understand the cost of this----you don't know the things I know----The things I am forbidden to tell you." "Whatever it is, it's not worth the blood of my brother's children." "I will defend you----Kill the lot----" "You will not!" The prince's voice rose from the ashes of the doubtful child. "If you raise your blade against them for a kill, I will denounce you." " My lord prince!" New silent tears flowed down those porcelain chiseled cheeks, the words taking on an almost pleading quality. However the man before him never broke down. Simply pleaded with all his soul till his defeat was clear. His eyes showing his surrender to that which he could not conquer. This man, who had been his teacher and mentor over his almost seventeen years of life suddenly, for the first time in all their years together folded to his knees at his prince's feet, bowed his head to rest on the soft leather slippers. "You are like a son to me but you are also my prince in this world as well as the next. I shall honor your wishes." "Never bow to me." Daniel said reaching down to pull the slight figure to his feet. When he was standing again Daniel looked up into the mesmerizing eyes of one who had been utterly defeated. It almost broke his heart. "Go and fetch my father, bring him here." They both knew the ride would take days, far to long to have served any purpose toward his rescue. "Tell Alexei that Daniel sends his love." "Yes my prince." He bowed formally as he turned to go. Drawing out his short-blade, Mystic sliced open the palm of his left hand, held it out and allowed the blood to drip onto the floor and down the steps as he left the church. One of the larger White counsel warriors watching him with total respect, bowed slightly as he mounted his steed. "Save your blasted shows of honor, your god sends you to crucify an innocent----he brings on the darkness and all of you are too blind to see it----that boy just saved half your lives----I would have sent you to hell for this sin you intend to commit." With those final words he rode off in the direction of the Leviathan realm. Daniel simply stood there staring at the painting he had created over the past few months. Looking at each and every stroke of his brush. For some reason they became vividly clear as he listened to the soft clank of boot heels approach his being. It seemed strange to end life this way. Before he had ever really begun to live it. Four months worth of freedom, out from underneath his father's watchful eye. Oh he'd had a glorious time. He had finally after all these years been able to be the artist he had longed to be. Creating something he could be proud of. At the very least, it was a legacy to be left behind. It seemed almost hysterical that it would grace the walls of a white church. "Daniel Leviathan, we are here by order of the earthly white counsel. You have been found to be possessed by the spirit of evil. In its hands your spirit lays. We have been sent here to cleanse your soul before you are sent back to the place from which we all came. May the only true god have mercy on your soul." "You've been sent here to torture and kill me, let's at least put this in its proper prospective." The man gave him a long cold look. "Our god tortures no one, we simply wish to cleanse your soul of its evil presence." The man actually believed this line of shit. Daniel couldn't help but smile and shake his head. "Keep telling yourself that, maybe it will help you sleep at night." Daniel watched as the priest approached, his eyes dangerously on the glass mural. "You painted this." It was a statement not a question "Destroy it!" "No!" He tried to move forward only to be stopped by several sets of arms. The sword that crashed into the first painting only fueled his fire; trying desperately to get loose, stop them before they damaged the rest of the precious panels. "Why are you doing this? STOP!" He couldn't do anything as they systematically moved from panel to panel. "It's just art! It offers no harm to you. DON"T!" He could feel the tears on his face, as he was helpless to stop the destruction that had been his only proof of freedom. The glass littered the floor his feet slipping against the numerous shards as he struggled for freedom. His shoes being lost somewhere in the struggle. Glass ripping through the flesh of his feet as the last panel was demolished He fell limp in their grip, having nothing else to fight for. His eyes on a broken dream of brightly colored glass as he was dragged ruthlessly from the church, prayers that sounded more like curses being thundered in his direction. TBC