As the Guardian Watches..

I stood on the highest part of the castle, and looked out over the city. My claws of covered in molten rock gripped the sides of the tower as i leaned out. My cloak of ever lasting rain draped around me. I looked out with wolven eyes and watched as my city thrived. It was a glorious site. The spirits once again free amongst the people. I stood and looked over into the meadow where the warriors that had volunteered their arms for the up coming battle. With one leap i vaulted to the meadow, spreading my large onyx wings to help me make the distance and landed a short way off from the warriors. Get, Fiana, Shadow Lords, Red Talons, even some Silent Striders were among them. And this was just the wolves. The Bastet, the Aviana, and the most unlikely of friends, the Vampires were else where training. The warriors stopped to look at me. I walked towards them with no hostility, and slowly shifted back down, the cloak disappearing, the molten rock replaced by flesh, the licks of lightning giving way for my human eye, then lastly my wings melding back into my skin to once again become tattooing on my back. I stopped in front of them and picked up one of their training weapons and asked with a smile"Mind if i join in?.

We sparred for hours me and the warriors did. But once it was over they all were smiling, and laughing, and pride filled my heart. It was wonderful to see the Wolves stand beside each other once more like this, as brothers and sisters. I only hoped that it could be the same with the other species to us. We all walked back into the city and stopped at an inn. They ordered a round of drinks and we began to unwind. One of them stood and raised his glass towards me and said "To the King of Asgard, and the Ulfric of the Garou. If it were not for him, none of this would have been possible" The inn roared with responses all of them positive. Everyone held their glasses in the air and toasted. As everything quieted down I stood as well "I can not take all of the credit for this glorious city. I merely gave all of the opprotunity you needed to prove that we are not the savage beasts that society has made us out to be today. All of you have proven to me, that you all are still the proud warriors, the strong fighters, but also that you are caring, and can be just and gentle with your fellow Garou. You all treat one another as if you are Brother, as if you are Sister. I say to the Garou Nation! May it always thrive and be strong!" I raised my glass in the air, but instead of cheering they all looked at me for a moment before a great howl was let loose, followed closely by another then another, until the entire inn echoed with the pride filled howls of the Garou, even my own.

Tempest stretched, long form shifting over as hands rose over her head and several popping sounds issued as things realigned. The sound of cheering had woken her, a roar of triumph, of valiance. Lightning's voice rising above all of them as a true Ulfric's should, or maybe she was just used to listening for the sound of it. That was an amusing thought, he typically didn't care enough to listen for anyone specific.

Lightning.

Miss-matched eyes stared at the ceiling and for a few fleeting seconds, though she would forever deny it if asked, a smile beamed across her expression at the mere thought of him. It wasn't as if he was her first, but just maybe she would be okay if he was her last. Which was silly, since logic dictated it wouldn't last. The realization wiped the smile from her expression like a light being switched off. The much softer quality, reminiscent from when she had been mortal, returned to the hard lines of the much more commonly observed Tempest Azarious.

Back before she had been trained out of being a hopeless romantic, the blood flowed to freely, the death numbered too high. Too many people would never walk smiling trough the doorway, ever again.

Sitting up, black hair billowed about bare shoulders. Soft as silk where it brushed smooth pale skin. She stood, and the blanket fell aside forgotten as she crossed the room heading toward the shower. Or whatever equivalent this place had. She paused as she passed the full length mirror that took up several feet of the wall. Thick black curtains on either side that could be drawn to cover it. One emerald, and one cerulean eye staring back into themselves.

While she hadn't been unpleasing to the eyes while she was human, Lazerus had sculpted her into pure perfection. It was still strange to look at her reflection and find no flaws. No bit disproportionate. Though it had cost her far more then any plastic surgeon could have ever taken. A few scripted words stood against her skin, additions since she had freed herself from the chains that bound her. Along the curve of her left side rode the scripted words. 'If you want something you've never had, do something you've never done.' Then along the inside of her right forearm 'Never a failure, always a lesson.' Both were typically hidden by her obfuscate. As were the feathered black wings that were inked into her back. The artist so skilled that the feathers themselves seemed to gleam in oil-slick hues. Someone would never worry about money again for that particular masterpiece.

Turning from the memories that wanted to swell into life, she continued on her original path toward the shower, and strolled directly into a sunbeam. Her initial reaction was to recoil from it. To call on her supernatural speed to get clear before too much damage was done. Two things occurred to her in that moment. The sunlight didn't burn, and she had nothing to reach for.

It was quiet inside her head. No distant hunger, held at bay by sheer willpower, no pacing discomfort of her beast inside her...

***

A piercing scream cut through the peaceful feel of Asgard, not afraid but seething with a rage that knew no boundaries.

Pristine white sand was a silken caress beneath skin that was inflamed from the mere closeness of the men that rested, one on either side of me. Both had been mentor, both had been friend, and now both were lover as well. Different from one another as night was from day, I didn't know how I had ever existed without either one, much less the both of them. The trial that had been the prophecy to this had nearly destroyed me, the awareness that Anatole had went, or at least somehow ended up back beneath Lillith sending me into a downward spiral that I had hidden from everyone. I loved Kreeger unequivocally but there was something about the Malkavian, some level of connection that Kreeger and I would never achieve. Not from lack of trying, it simply was. I could have lain here for an eternity, bare skin on bare skin, never moving to deal with another struggle whatsoever when a sudden hiss of air just milometers from my ear had me yanked from my daydream. And that's exactly what it was, a Daydream.

My eyes going to my surroundings with a razor sharp awareness, a young Kinfolk stood there, bow in shaking hand as he stared at the bolt that quivered in the bulls-eye of one of the targets I had set up. Daring to cast a sideways gaze in my direction, i realized I had faded away while standing in the very center of the field. A field that thankfully avoided the full on rays of the sun even when it was at it's brightest so that should ever a potential student have need of me, I could be there. Listen to me, speaking as if I had been going at this for years now when in reality it had barely been a day, and that daring young male the only student to show interest. Kreeger would likely be abed by now, awaiting my return with that patience he was learning to be so imperative when dealing with me. A hand went more of sub-conscious nature then actual thought out motion to the bow that rested across my back. My first and thus far only, it was the one I would use until the day that my hand could no longer control it, or the day that it failed to serve me well due to time itself.

Motioning with a wry smile of approval to the soon would be man that stood awaiting my judgement for both actions, my hand waved the agreed signal that he was done for the day and free to leave. Well more like done for the night in this case. While it seemed that Asgard had some unique property that allowed me to remain awake during the day, I didn't like to press the issue and felt no need to over worry my partner. So much had happened, even before our arrival to Asgard, and the trials it had required, much less the information and the events AFTER our arrival. If he could learn the patience of a Saint for me, it was the least I could do for him. I was breaking down the targets, packing them away for storage when I heard the scream. Instantly snapping to hyper awareness, my gaze spun a full circle, supernatural senses allowing me to see further than most. Seeing, nor hearing the sounds of an attack, it was then that I realized the sound wasn't one of fear, but of pure and potent Rage. A high pitched, volatile scream in a voice that was now so familiar as to be...Blinking at the realization of the female vocal chords it came from, my jump to the Maelstrom was instantaneous.

While my speed was not as great as that as some of the others, in this place I was unhindered. Tearing through the darkness that was now a second home to me, I came to the awareness that I had no clue what I would be stepping out into. For a cry like that to come from Tempest...please let nothing have happened to Lightning or Raven. I wasn't sure which would be worst, but as feet sped with a sure swiftness, I wasn't sure that I really wanted to contemplate the answer to such a question. Nor did I want to ponder over what could have been powerful enough a foe to truly harm either of them. Muttering a silent apology to my Brujah mentor who had done so much to assist in my personal growth, I vaulted from the Maelstrom's embrace, mirrored black eyes already beginning to lace through with ultra violet lightning. Dropping out almost directly atop a stream of pure sunlight, my beast reared it's head, it's sharp snarl escaping my own lips as I rolled free of it, coming up in a crouch, a bolt already notched and just awaiting a target into which to be released with an all too deadly accuracy. For the briefest second, I wished for Rase's presence, my old companion's own skill in battle as well as his usually surprisingly calm head one that would have likely done well.

That was when I saw her. While I may not have been a direct lover of woman, Tempest was a work of sheer, majestic art. Somehow her rage only enhanced it to an utmost extent. Two things hit me one directly on the tail of the other. One was that I was in what had to be her and the Ulfric's personal chambers. Bully me. The other was that something about her scent was off. Not prey, Gods no she would never be that, but her entire...My beast was confused, as was i when I realized that her scent smelled that of a....No, by hell no. Please let me be wrong. For if I wasn't, we were going to have War on our hands. One that we could ill afford with current circumstances. Yet if there was someone, something running around that could do what I believed to have been done to her....Things had just jumped from the pan straight into the damned fire.

As the howls ceased i sat there with these Garou, and finally relaxed. But it was short lived. As we laughed and drank and were merry, a piercing scream came from the castle, and i felt rage. I knew who it was, and was instantly on my feet and out the door, instantly in my Crinos form. Black wings beat hard and shot me high into the air. I beelined for Tempest and I's chamber window. As I burst through the window i witnessed Jezz step from the Maelstrom into the pillar of sunlight, but i also saw Temp standing in the sunlight, looking very irate. The growl that threatened to escape was squelched as her scent plowed into me. I knew she had been blessed by her ability to walk below Helios, but i didnt realize that she could have been cursed like this. My shift was almost involuntary. With my Homid feet i took one step towards her unsure of weather she would turn her rage upon me or not, but quickly found myself not caring. I finally stopped walking as i stepped in front of her. "Whats wrong Temp?"

She kept waiting for her beast to rear it's head, for her control to snap. If ever anything would bring about a frenzy it would be this thing. Miss-matched eyes snapped first to Jezz as she appeared, then to Lightening as he appeared like an obsidian vision at the balcony. She kept waiting, but nothing happened. Her fury was indescribable, but it was only anger. There was no preternatural rage to back it. No blood to call upon for speed or strength. No way to vent the maelstrom of things that twisted through her at the sight of him. At the concerned expression that stole over his features, for her.

That more then anything set her off again, turning to the dresser that sat at the foot of the bed she grabbed the nearest object, a potted plant, and flung it at him. The clay pot shattered against the floor, falling short of the far wall, missing him by a foot or so. Her chest heaved, breath shallow, breathed out past the baring of her teeth. "This wasn't part of our deal Lightening." Beast or no, her voice vibrated with a low growl.

Reaching out she grabbed the sheet from the bed and wrapped it around herself, gaze only leaving him for an instant, turning back her gaze glittered with unspoken words. Her control was also slightly improved, allowing her to speak without screaming. "You have to fix this..."

Check, I was definitely in their room. Check 2.0, Tempest was definitely human. Fuck. The bow I had drawn was lowered, the tension, the readiness in my hands lessened, but not forgotten. Not truly sent away. While shooting it was most likely not the solution, at least not at the current moment, I didn't know that there wasn't a potential for that to change with little to no warning. Knowing the group that I associated with the way that I did, I was surprised that someone hadn't tried blowing Asgard up or that another assassination hadn't been attempted already. In fact it had been down right quiet, the calm before the Storm you might say. We almost should have been expecting something, especially with the current state of affairs. There was a new Ulfric. One of a tribe that hadn't been in existence, well hadn't been in known, powerful existence for quite sometime. When you count in the fact that his Lupa was a Vampire, well had been a Vampire, it was surprising that that we'd had the small amount of calm that we had. That was even without considering who he counted among his most powerful allies. Yet who could even have the power needed to take her beast from her like this without there being some type of cataclysmic power surge felt all throughout Asg....Scratch that.

I winced for Lightning at Tempest's words, though more for the plant that hadn't done anything save for have the bad luck to be the closest thing to arm's reach. The simplest thought was that he was lucky there hadn't been a blade, a weapon of any form within her sight. The wince turned to a frown. The Tempest I knew, or thought I had known didn't sleep without a weapon in instant reach. Hell, she was a weapon. It was impressive that she hadn't actually lashed out more then she had. Maybe it was easier to control one's self without their Beast... I almost pondered that for a second being as even without a Beast I'd never been the most mild tempered.

This was their fight though, specifically the intimacies of what Temp was saying. Yet I wasn't going to leave, at least not completely. The bolt was slipped back into it's casing, the bow slipped back over my shoulder as I let myself step back into the embrace of the cataclysmic screams. Once I felt it envelop me, the madness of it roil over me like a comforting blanket, I shifted sight. Let my vision become one with the chaos rather then fighting it. Bit by bit, pale, sheet shrouded flesh became visible. Her emotions seemed to ripple on this side like a halo around her skin. Well huh. Maybe I needed to spend more time this side, studying how things looked on thee other side. Settling down into a crouch, chin dropped into palm, elbow resting lightly on my knee. I knew Able was here, somewhere, his protege most likely in tow. Ears were kept open for them as well as attuned to the show that was likely to happen about any moment. Heaven, Hades...Gods, I don't know if there was anyone who would be able to help Lightning if he said or did the wrong thing right now.

Fix it? How in the world was i supposed to fix something that i didnt do, nor have the knowledge of how it was done? She was angry with me because of whats happened to her, yet i didnt know this was going to happen. I didnt even know it was possible. "Temp, I dont know how this was done, nor did i even know that it was possible to be done. Believe me, i am just as lost and confused as you are about this." I stepped towards Tempest, for this woman i would take any punishment she could dish out. "But i swear we will figure this out. We will make it right." I stopped in front of Tempest and let all of the love i felt for her wash away any anger, worry, or negative energies that i had roaming around in my mind. I let her see that love, and hoped that it was enough to calm her down even slightly. Because this woman was dangerous, even without her beast, and her angry is not something i would wish on even my enemies.

Her eyes snapped toward Jezz as she moved, watching her back away into the Maelstrom. Crossing her arms over her chest the vampire turned mortal struggle to calm herself. To come to grips with what was going on. It seemed she believed Lightening, but she couldn't meet that loving gaze he was giving her. There was a part of it that knew it was there however, cautious but open. He was trying to comfort her, and she wasn't sure she didn't hate him a little bit for it. It shouldn't have been necessary, she didn't need to be comforted, or treated like she was delicate, that could be broken by so small a thing. "Ulric I cant..." She left the sentence unfinished, dispising the weakness that touched the edge of her words.

He couldn't have done it, a werewolf didn't have that kind of power. But Helios did, Luna might... The great totems had made her human, stolen not just her vampiric nature but her ability to provide for herself everything she needed. Like this... Her expression fell and she turned away from her mate her mate, black hair cascading down her back , an obsidian curtain against the pale sheet. Inside her head she cursed at herself for not being in better control. She had forgotten how difficult it was to rein in emotions, they were almost as powerful a force as her beast itself. Though that she had learned to keep on a short, unbreakable leash.

Torn someplace between her anger, and her fear it took every bit of her self control to stand still and tremble with the fine edge of both. To do more would invoke one of them. The fury that was familiar safe, the fear it was unacceptable, but she just couldn't seem to shake it.

I'd felt her gaze follow me, though I knew she wouldn't be able to see me watching her. Sighing as Lightning just kept throwing himself at her, expecting her to react as any other Female might in this given situation, I made a decision. One that would likely not work, or at the very least end up with me being bitch smacked into oblivion. But she needed the time to compose herself, I could see that much the more he pushed. The more he tried to...Hell, I didn't even know what he was attempting. Tempest though had done too much for me to let me sit here, guilt free and watch her struggle like this, especially before her Mate. If there was anything I was almost positive she held dear, it was her strength, as well as her showing of it.

So it was with hesitant breath, one that I didn't even need, yet still found myself clinging to in moments like this, that I focused on the Maelstrom. As I had called those souls to me once, this time I focused on separating enough space that I could reach out, hands not of pale flesh but rather of ebony and luminescent purple swirl to settle upon Tempest's shoulders. Clasping tightly enough in that brief instance, I gave a sudden yank, drawing her back into me. Into the Maelstrom, a place that Lightning could not easily follow to, if follow to at all. Even as I did, I let my voice carry to her quietly. Hoping that she would hear it before deciding she was being attacked and panic, causing Gods only knew what to happen.

"Temp...It's me. Jezz. Don't be mad....Please...You looked like you needed a get out of jail free card. Let me know you're okay and I'll let you go."

It happened in an instant, one moment she was standing with her back to me, the next the swirling black purple clouds of the maelstrom swirled around her and hands appeared from no where and yanked Tempest into nothingness. It was so quick that if i had blinked i would have missed it. I knew of only one person that could control the Maelstrom like that, or was even connected to the Maelstrom. Regardless of that fact the fear and anger that came with it roared through my body. I dont even know why, I knew that Temp needed to gather herself, she wasn't in a good place right now, and that put me in a really bad place. But now i didnt have her in front of me, and where she was now at i couldnt sense her, i couldnt feel her! The Anger, the Fear, the Rage boiled and roiled, and tossed and turned inside of me. I knew what was happening, it happened again in a n instant. The spirits sensed it and were moving to aid me but they were not fast enough. The roar as my body exploded was full of that anger and fear that ripped through my body, I didnt know what was happening. I felt myself split into six pieces. The first was made of solid stone, in the shape of a large dire wolf, his fur solid earthen stone his eyes pure emeralds. The second almost human, but definitely with its wolven traits was a raging blaze that his body consisted of. The third was a smaller wolf that was azure blue, and seemed to swirl and ripple as the surface of water. The fourth was but a wisp of air that faded in and out his shape always changing between wolf and man but never settling. The fifth was a large Wolf/Man Hybrid, The Crinos. He stood so tall, and he crackled with blue electricity much like that of Grandfather. The smile he wore would have struck fear in any man wolf or vampire. And the last was myself, nothing but a man, no rage to consume me, no anger to fuel me. Nothing, but flesh and bone. The Crinos looked around at the rest of them and spoke with a voice slightly deeper than my own "Come brothers, We are finally free. Let us leave this weakling to his torture." As i heard his voice and his words I suddenly had no strength left and fell to my knees. I watched them, the other four as they looked between me and him. The third and fourth, the two closer to me stepped away from him and closer to me and spoke together "We will not leave him" The dire wolf and the Galabro stepped over to the Crinos "Then you choose weakness over strength. Come you two, let us leave this place" The three turned and spread their black onyx wings that we all had and took to the skies and were gone. The spirits surrounded me. They felt the emptiness in my heart now, the holes left in my soul. The two that stayed with me sat beside me, but didnt speak. They didnt need to. I knew what this was, and i was beginning to think that Grandfather was more cruel than i orignally thought. He wished to test my strength once again, and he was starting to think that he was also testing Tempest.

Tempest watched Lightening shatter apart metaphysically. Watched as the pieces of him had their say in this predicament. Pale brows knitted together, but the expression of the vampire turned human didn't hold concern. In fact Tempest seemed resigned, though it was hard to tell exactly what gave that away. The tightness at the corner of her lips, or the narrowing of those mismatched eyes. Arms crossed over her chest she made no movement, no sound indicating that Jezz should send her back.

When she did speak, her voice was low, impossible for anyone but the avatar herself to pick it up. Not that any of the souls twisting around them retained the sense of mind to overhear. "Call your mistress, tell her I'm calling in part of the debt she owes. I want transportation, and I don't want to be followed." Finally she tore her gaze from her promised and looked at the figure that had teleported her here. "You wanted to be involved, you wanted to help? Here's how you do it." Arms unfolded, on hand running absently over her still flat stomach.

It only took a few seconds to pull her ring free from it's place on her finger, and loop it through a simple chain necklace that she tucked under her shirt. "The other part is, if you wont simply leave me in peace, swear to me on those you love that you will never tell him where I have gone." There were a million other things to say, enough that you could number the pieces of a broken heart with them. neither did she point out that she was human, that the world had suddenly become a much more dangerous place for her, and she... She was ripe for the picking, if her numerous enemies figured it out. Then again, she'd bet more then her life on an if before, and come out ahead.

I couldn't help but wince at the scene that was unfolding before our very eyes. There Lightning was falling apart when his Mate most needed him. That was going to go over so well. Things seemed a general mess as I let my hands slip from her, though I didn't move far. The last thing that I needed was for a Human Tempest to get lost in here. If there was a way to get any further into the fire than we already were, that would likely be it. So it was side by side that we stood, watching as her Mate and the closest thing I had ever had to a brother fell apart. When she made no sound, no request for me to send her back to the other side, back to him... I knew then just how bad off things had become. They couldn't get any worse from this point on, could they ?

"I'll call her Tempest, just make sure this is what you want while I do. One doesn't just go around paging their boss, especially a boss like this one for nothing. I mean Hell, depending on where you want to go, there's a good chance I could just take you myself without ever having to ring the Big Lady herself."

I moved a few steps away then, giving her the time to herself that it took me to figure out how exactly to go about getting a hold of my Boss. A Vampire with a Totem wasn't exactly the most regular, most learned thing out there. If there was a Vampire with a Totem for Dummies, I was here and now demanding a copy. When one of those damned annoying yellow and white books didn't fall into my hand, I think the answer was pretty clear. So rather than being annoyed over something I couldn't currently change, I instead made a mental note to write and publish one when this all was over.

Peripheral showed Tempest removing her ring as I merely shook my head. It wasn't like I blamed her or anything like that. I mean if I had been in her shoes and it was Kreager that was falling apart like this...I couldn't do anymore than shake my head and be thankful that it wasn't as I strove to clear my mind. When there was no response, not even a hint of one after several long moments, I stopped trying and thought for a moment. It came to me like a lucid lightning bolt from the twisting vortex of screams. I DIDN'T want to clear my mind to try to call her. She was the maelstrom, NOT order. She was chaos, not organized thought. I was going about this all the wrong way.

Letting my eyes open once more, I let my thoughts flood back into my mind from behind the gates that had been erected to hold them at bay. There was no cohesiveness, no structure. Just a melding of the emotions, a sudden rush of the thoughts that plagued me more often than not. Embracing rather than trying to cage them, I wrapped them around me as I sent my essence screaming along the Maelstrom, reaching for that illusive woman whose kiss had given me a new sense of Faith.