Things Go Wonderfully Right..Or Horribly Wrong//Private W/Chogiwae //Closed

Elyse watched him as he tied the bandage, nodding in thanks. He seemed affected by the blood, but yet he didn't do anything to harm her. She made sure to keep her arm still, hoping it would help the blood flow slow down and keep from soaking any further through her bandages.

"I'm..not sure. How long are you staying around here?" She looked up at him, trying to think of the next mission she was supposed to be on, or when she could next use an excuse to get out, "In exactly two weeks, I'm scheduled to go out again..that could work…I could make another excuse to meet you here again if you want to meet sooner though." Bringing up missions to anyone outside of the rebellion was strictly forbidden, but for some reason, she didn't care. She wanted to see Elijah again.

As long as I have to be. Until Lilith realizes I'm not following her orders and tracks me down, possibly kill me this time to make an example. That was what Elijah really wanted to say, but instead, he turned slightly to look behind him, the path where they entered the woods.

"I don't think I can stay or be here for two weeks," Elijah said quietly. If he didn't return in a week, Lilith would know what he'd been up to. He couldn't even imagine what she'd do to him. Maybe kill him, yes, but for her, death would be too merciful. She'd control his mind and make him kill Elyse slowly, and then make sure he kept reliving the scene again and again. "But I'll try my best. Don't get into unnecessary trouble."

She nodded, then somehow found herself cracking a tiny grin, "I don't think either of us are good at keeping out of unnecessary trouble." Elyse wanted desperately to give him a hug, to be able to pretend that everything was alright one last time before she would have to go back to base. She didn't know what Elijah would think though, if he even would mind her hugging him. "I..I should probably get going..Westly is probably getting impatient.." Her eyes flicked around the woods for a moment and she looked up at him again, her voice soft, "Would it be alright if I gave you a hug before I leave though?"

Elijah had already prepared to say goodbye, biting back a frustrated growl at the other boy's name, when her question, as well as the tone of her voice, caught him off guard. At first, Elijah couldn't believe his ears. He clearly heard wrong. There was no way Elyse would want to initiate contact with him, not when he was everything she hated.

But he knew he hadn't heard wrong.

"Yeah, of course," he replied, still surprised. "It'll be all right."

Elyse nodded, walking over to him slowly and wrapping her arms around him in one fluid motion. "Stay out of trouble Elijah." She hugged him tightly for a minute longer before stepping back and looking around the woods again. It had felt nice, to be able to give him a hug, even if she was well aware of the lack of heartbeat coming from his chest. The silent reminder that he wasn't human anymore.

"I have to get back, be safe," She whispered, looking up at him one more time before turning and starting walking back through the woods. Walking away from him felt wrong, but she had to get back. To keep anyone from getting suspicious.

Elijah stiffened and tensed when she hugged him, making it clear that he hadn't really had much physical contact in years. Not since he'd been turned. But before he could properly hug her back, she was pulling away, and taking all of her warmth with her. The human body was so warm, it shocked him, even though he was a human himself once.

"Elyse," he called after her before she left. "Don't let your guard down around me at all. Remember what I told you. I'm the vampire of a bloodthirsty monster. I don't want to hurt you."

Then he, too, vanished, leaving nothing of his presence behind.

She heard his words, repeated them over in her head as she got back to the entrance. Elyse had already subtly let her guard down around him just because he hadn't hurt her, and she didn't want to put it back up..so she didn't. Even as she climbed back down the ladder and landed next to a sleeping Westly.

"Took you long enough," He said, joking awake as her footsteps woke him up. Westly yawned and looked up at her expectantly, "Well, did you find one you liked."

Elyse pulled out the hidden stake and shrugged, "Yeah, I found a good one." In reality, it was the same one she had been using for months now, just with the outer layer scraped off so it was no longer blood-stained.

He smiled and nodded, getting to his feet, "That's good. Now, don't bother me unless you're going to train with me, at least for a few days." Westly smacked her on the back of the head, then laughed shortly and walked off.

Elijah would be lying if he said he hadn't still followed Elyse, but he didn't dare memorize the path to her base. If Lilith ever caught him, she'd demand answers. The entrance to the rebellion was something Elijah didn't want to disclose.

He just wanted to make sure she got back safely, but then heard a man's voice alongside Elyse's own, and it made Elijah clench his fists. He didn't know how much of her life had changed. She was all grown up now. She was old enough. It was a given that she'd get on with her life and find a partner.

With a shake of his head, Elijah went back to scouring for a safe place to be. Away from Lilith's watchful eyes.

"I'll train with you when my arm heals, idiot," She called after him, watching as he flipped her off in a way that he clearly inherited from Elyse. For a moment, she looked up at the ladder, replaying her conversation with Elijah. She wanted to go up there again and spend longer with him, learn what his life had been like being a vampire. It was nothing more than a wish though, she knew that.

Elyse turned on her heel and headed back to her room on that thought. It had been a dangerous meeting, if her leaders ever found out she was talking to a vampire, they would hunt him down and kill him, most likely in front of her as punishment. She would have to live knowing his death was her fault..again. No one could know about what she had been doing, she decided when she reached her room and laid down. No one besides herself and Elijah.

[TIME SKIP: A COUPLE OF DAYS]

Elijah had decided it might be a good idea to return. He couldn’t make Lilith suspicious, and she knew he hadn’t killed Elyse yet.

Thankfully, Elijah had learnt how to close off certain memories. He’d told Lilith he was planning on getting Elyse’s trust and then get information on the rebellion. She didn’t believe him, as expected, so she divulged into his mind. He closed off some memories until they didn’t seem to exist, and only showed the ones in which it was clear he was only gaining Elyse’s trust.

So Lilith allowed him to continue doing what he was doing, and slowly eliminate rebellion pests, all the while reporting to her directly.

All that was left to do was find Elyse again, and fill her in.

"Harder Elyse, you have to hit harder," Westly huffed, watching her as she pushed one of the punching bags. Her arm was still not healed fully, but she could move it and Westly had decided that it was the best option to start training with it again, to keep her in relatively good shape.

"I'm tired Westly, I can't hit any harder," She snapped back, throwing one last punch with her uninjured arm before turning and glaring at him, "Alright? I don't work out twenty-seven times a day like you do, I'm not that strong." Her arm was throbbing with pain again and she was at the end of her patience after listening to him point out what she was doing wrong for the last hour. "I need some fresh air."

She hadn't been above ground since talking to Elijah a few days ago. It was fairly normal for her to not go above ground for a week or so, but the walls and rooms already felt like they were closing in on her the longer she went without seeing the sun.

Plus, maybe she would catch a glimpse of Elijah. That's what she told herself at least as she stormed out of the training room, hearing Westly reluctantly follow after her down the hall.

“Please, spare me,” the human whimpered, blood dripping down his chin as he tried to scramble away. Elijah simply looked blankly at the man, taking a step closer, watching as the man kept backing away. “I didn’t do anything!”

Elijah’s sword was dripping red, sticky, and his clothes were splattered with guts and blood. The only reason his face was spared was because he wore a mask, only his eyes visible, a bright, burning glow meant to scare further.

“I’ll ask again,” the vampire’s was raspy, emotionless. “What is the Rebellion planning? Why were you were? Where is all the weaponry?”

“I don’t know!”

Elijah’s eyes narrowed slightly, only a fraction.

“Please, I’ve done nothing—“

A sword slashed in the wind. Blood sprayed out. A severed head fell to the ground and rolled over at Elijah’s feet. The vampire didn’t spare the dead humans a single glance as he sheathed his sword and walked away.

Elijah sighed as he washed himself clean, getting rid of all the blood he’d practically bathed in. It didn’t horrify him, what he did. He grew up in it. It was second nature. He liked seeing the life leave his enemy’s eyes. He liked seeing all the blood.

But at the end of the day, when he was back, when he was washing himself clean… Elijah let himself feel. He let himself mourn. If Elyse found out what he did, she’d hate him.

He wanted to see her. He wondered when he would do so next.

Gritting his teeth, Elijah turned the shower off, dried himself up, and wore his clothes. Two more humans dead, no new information.

He needed to get something for Lilith.

Elyse had reached the enterance to the base and was about to climb up when Westly spoke up again, leaning against the doorway, "I'm coming with you. You can't be alone out there."

"No. You're not." She huffed back, glaring over her shoulder at him, "I'm getting fresh air because I'm trying not to punch you. If you come with then it makes more sense for me to just punch you and not go out at all." It was also because she didn't want Elijah and Westly to meet if she did end up finding him. They were both males who clearly thought they were alpha, and she knew it would end in a blood bath if they started fighting.

"You know I'm pushing you this hard when you train so that you can fight harder when you're out there, right?" He asked, pointing up at the ladder that she was slowly climbing, "I can tone it down, but I'm not going to go easy on you."

For a minute she didn't answer, climbing to the top of the ladder and looking back down at him, "I'll be back in a bit." She left with those words, gently closing the metal door behind her and lowering the boards back into place overtop of the enterance.

Elijah reported the dissatisfying hunt to his coven leader, who simply pursed her lips. She didn’t demand anything more, just smiled sweetly and told him to work harder.

So Elijah left the manor again and made his way to the woods where he last met Elyse. He spent at least an hour there waiting usually. Since his sense of smell was strong, he could catch her scent easily at a distance.

This time, he didn’t have to wait. He smelled her instantly, and when he knew she was away from sight and they were safe, he stepped behind her.

“You’re doing well,” he commented, hands in his pockets, his mismatched eyes blinking. “Your arm is better, too.”

"It's not fully healed yet," She said simply, turning around to look up at him, "Slowly getting there though." His sudden appearance had spooked her but she was more impressed than anything. That's one of the only things that impressed her about his kind, how quiet they could walk around. Being impressed didn't push away her frustration away for long though, the training session and her frustration with Westly popping back into her mind.

She wouldn't bring it up though. Elijah didn't need to hear about her complaining.

"How are things in the vampire world?" Elyse asked, taking a moment to walk over to a nearby tree. She simply leaned against it as she looked back over at him, rolling her shoulders to relieve some of the soreness in her muscles. Westly definitely needed to tone back his training.

Elijah was silent for a couple of minutes, tilting his head as he observed her. She clearly looked stressed and worn out, but he didn't comment. He knew most of the struggles of the Rebellion. The lack of food, the intense training, the need to hide.

"I may have a very late birthday present for you, Elyse," he said softly, bringing his eyes back to hers. "There's a vampire I'm positive you want to kill. He'll be at the East River, hunting, leaving his manor mostly undefended. You can get your revenge and…" he straightened his posture, standing on his feet almost as if he was floating, "and you can fill up more of your resources."

Her interest was instantly caught when he mentioned a late birthday present. "When?" She asked softly, locking eyes with him. She was sure she knew exactly what vampire he was talking about, the one she had been trying to hunt down for what felt like forever. If she was able to finally add killing him to her count… "When is he going to leave his manor?"

It would be amazing.

Elyse straightened and stepped away from the tree, the barest form of a smile flashing over her face. "It'll be hard to outdo that birthday present, plus I have a few years worth of missed presents to make up..but thank you Elijah."

"In five nights," he replied. "Since he's a coven leader as well, he takes two of his strongest soldiers with him. One is a female, who is a bit crazed in the head. She doesn't think straight. Outsmarting her is the best chance to kill her. As for the other one, the male, he's blind, but the rest of his senses are enhanced. The best chance to win is to trick his nose, which is through blood. And for Maverick… he's dangerous, but not impossible to kill. He's too arrogant. His anger is his flaw, and his overconfidence is his downfall. The best way for you to win is to get a headstart with an ambush. The East River has terrains surrounding it, which is best for archers."

Then he caught a faint smile on her lips and couldn't help a small one of his own.

"It's the least I can do. I want him dead as much as you do, but you deserve to take the kill. Make sure he knows true suffering when you do."

"He doesn't deserve a quick death, and so he's not going to get one," She promised, "I'll make sure of that." It had been years since she had seen Elijah smile, and even though it was a small one, she tried to memorize how it looked on his face. In case anything went wrong ever. The information he had just given her was priceless, and after her superiors heard of it, she would surely become the one to lead the ambush. The only problem would be trying to think of how she found out the information. A quick lie would be easy enough though.

Elyse couldn't wait for the days to pass now, but she wanted to spend at least another minute with her friend here. "This is random..but do you know what day it is?" She asked, the subject switching just like that, "We don't have access to a reliable calendar all of the time..and I actually don't know the date." The rebellion was lacking in a lot of things, but especially a calendar. Most of the time she was just told that things were in a few days.

(sorry for the short reply)

Elijah pursed his lips, though he was satisfied with her promise. He knew he'd be there, though, in case something went wrong. He knew he'd want to protect Elyse no matter what the cost would be.

"It's the fifteenth of February," he told her, letting her change the subject, and sitting on a rock. He was pleased she didn't decide to leave. He wanted to spend some more time with her. "If you choose to attack Maverick's manor, he may have several calendars, as well as a variety of weapons. Have you ever taken over a vampire's base, Elyse?"

(It's totally ok! My response is short too)
When he sat down, she did too, though she sat on the ground a few feet in front of him. "I've never taken over a vampire's base, no," She admitted, looking up at him, "Do you have any advice if we tried to take his manor?" Elyse knew that she had to get back to the base eventually, mostly since she was worried that Westly would be stupid and try to look for her soon. A few more minutes wouldn't hurt though. She didn't want to leave just yet.

Elijah returned the eye-contact, one leg crossed over the other as he mulled over her question.

"Each base is different," he finally said. "For instance, Lilith keeps monsters with the ability to camouflage. Since her coven is the largest, it's crawling with vampires. Most of them are linked through blood. I've never had the opportunity to explore his base, but I assume it's the same with him, except he likes to be a little… extra. His guard dogs would be bigger, but since he doesn't expect a Rebellion attack, most of his defenses would be down. I would suggest more Demon Contractors at the manor than at the ambush as monsters are easily slain with that ability."

She listened intently, nodding along and trying to remember everything he said. "His guard dogs are still going to be dogs though..right? Not monster hybrids?" Elyse had run into hybrids before and they were scary, usually only killed by Demon contractors or very badass humans because of how bloodthirsty the creatures were. She couldn't have many non-Demon contacted humans at the manor for the ambush if there were hybrids and monsters, "Do you know how many vampires are in his coven?"

It felt like grilling him for information, even if she knew he was willingly telling her all of this. He was turning over one of his own kind. She knew it was mostly because of his mutual hatred of Maverick, but it just boosted her trust in him. Elijah wasn't a loyal vampire, a fact that she loved. It meant that somewhere in there the Elijah she grew up with was still there.

Elijah shook his head, though there was a little fact he was incredibly proud of. “There’s one hybrid dog. It’s a level three, and is viscous. I has two heads. With the help of a Demon Contractor or two, if you successfully manage to sever its heads, it’s basically useless. However, the heads are the worst spots to go for. Its belly is its weakness, but you’d best be careful to not get trampled. Another thing I’d recommend is having a flame Contractor.”

There was a sudden shift in Elyse’s demeanor, and Elijah felt pleased knowing she was opening up to him again.

“He had over a hundred and fifty prior to a year or two ago,” he answered her second question. “Now he has about fifty, and won’t be getting any more unless he proves himself.”

She went silent as she tried to think if she knew any flame Contractors. They were rarer than the demon ones. "I'll work on getting a flame Contractor or two," Elyse said simply, nodding as she asked two more of her own questions, "Do all fifty or so live at the manor? Any weapons beyond wooden stakes that you would recommend?" She had to get all the details, otherwise, this was going to be much more of a bloody ambush. These details would be the difference between this going smoothly or becoming an absolute massacre."

If Maverick had that many vampires just a few years ago, she wondered how big Lilith's coven was. Any amount more than two hundred already seemed huge, but Elyse guessed it was well over that.

“I’d recommend a crossbow, too,” Elijah nodded, his hand on his chin as he mused things over. “Half of them would be with Maverick, I suppose. He’s quite arrogant; he doesn’t think he needs more, especially when dealing with what he deems as a lesser specie. I wouldn’t put it past the other coven leaders lending him more of their vampires.”

When his words registered, he let out a curse.

“Lilith might assign me to him,” he grunted out, a disgusted emotion flickering in his eyes. “Especially when she knows the history between us.”

Especially when the reason Maverick’s vampires decreased to a fifty for Elijah’s own little rampage. He never got Maverick’s head, though.

"Would the vampires they lend him be there in time to stop the ambush?" She asked quietly, not trying to hide the anger and equal disgust flashing across her face at the thought of him having to fight not only against her but with the vampire that had 'killed' him all those years ago.

Elyse slowly got to her feet after the question, looking over at Elijah and sighing, "I have to get going, otherwise they'll send someone out looking for me." She really didn't want to go, but talking to him had calmed her down. No longer did she want to punch Westly, though she knew she wasn't going to speak to him until she had to. "Can I give you another hug?" She asked in the same quiet voice, knowing that she wouldn't be able to see him until after the ambush..if she survived.

“They would,” Elijah nodded with a sigh, but looked at her when her question filled his ears. He blinked. She wanted to hug him again? This time, instead of giving her a reply, he stood up, walked over, and gently wrapped his arms around her.

He buried his hand in her hair at the back of her head, closed his eyes, and breathed her in deeply. How lucky he was to still have her alive.

“Be safe,” he murmured. “I can’t lose you again.”

She returned the hug without complaint, surprised that he had hugged her back this time. Her arms slipped around his sides and she buried her head against his chest, very aware again of his lack of a heartbeat. "You too..no matter if you're fighting against me or not," She mumbled.

Elyse couldn't bear to lose him for good, so she promised herself that she would see him again after the ambush. Her hold around him tightened for a second before she stepped away slowly. "I won't be able to meet you until after the ambush, just to let you know." Her voice was soft but strong, a silent reassurance that she would see him again.

It would just lead to her staying if she didn't leave now, so she slowly started walking away, facing him for a moment to say, "Goodbye, for now, Elijah." With that, she turned and tried to be as quiet as she could when walking back to the base.

Time to deliver some good news to her superiors.

Elijah didn’t walk away without making sure she was safe. When she finally disappeared, so did he. She’d be okay. She was strong, that much he knew. He’d seen her fight before. And if he faced her at the battlefield again… he knew he’d rather have his head removed than hurt her.

But just like he suspected, Lilith assigned him to Maverick. Lucky for Lilith, the vampire leader would do anything to make things miserable for Elijah. Unlucky for both him and Lilith…

His leader hadn’t given him explicit orders.