It is really bizzare coming back to GameSpot after 5 years and seeing everything changed. Worst of all is that I can't look up any old friends because there are no comments on my blog, my list is wiped clean (as are my messages) and I can't check to see if they're still active on our old Unions. This is BEYOND weird.

Well the idea was to do the first chapter then flip back throughout the story to see how it reached that point. Also that little dream in there didn't happen.

Also I thought about using google docs but I really hate it :| And GameSpot's tex editor really does do havoc with the spacing and paragraphs :evil:

Chapter Two
One Year Ago

There she was. Zeke had been admiring her for the past month or two now. Adara Palette. He was thoroughly enthralled by her, if the fifteen year old could find any example of perfection he would pinpoint it as Adara.

It was her physical being that first piqued Zeke's interest. Natural beauty beyond comparison, about the only girl he knew that didn't come to school looking like she'd applied her make-up with a trowel. Cobalt blue eyes that pierced his flesh, on the off chance she should look at him his stomach knotted itself and he quickly found something which he then pretended to be staring at. Then came the finishing blow: supple curves. Though she was always clad in baggy clothes Zeke couldn't help but notice her curves.

But as the attraction grew it wasn't just the physical attributes he'd come to adore. Though they'd never shared more than a brief exchange of greetings she seemed nice enough and there wasn't a bad word to her name. When he'd thought about it she'd been here a while, but it wasn't until a month or two ago he'd noticed her. It seemed she'd always blended into the background but something about her recently stuck out to him. Nothing had changed-well maybe he had-but something was different... if that made sense. It did to him at least.

Ms. Jones waltzed into the (c)lassroom and set a box of books onto her desk and slid her glasses on.
"Everyone sit down and keep it shut, it's time to appreciate literature." The teacher handed twenty four copies of 'Of Mice And Men' out to the twenty four students, "We'll continue from page sixty four." And as the literature teacher began to read aloud, Zeke popped in his ear buds and slumped in his chair as the steady introduction of heavy metal encased his thoughts and shaped his daydreams.

A vast plane that seemed to stretch for miles laid in Zeke's wake. Calm at first, the tranquil field was soon disturbed by the roar of marching. Soldiers soon came into view, hundreds and hundreds soon piled into Zeke's view, the field of green now dominated by the infantry.

Clad in a full-dress uniform of hunter green tunics, the intimidating force halted metres away from Zeke and parted. Turning inwards to the parting the infantry watched as a man rode through the gangway. Garbed in an emerald tunic and white dress pants it was apparent this man was a figure of authority. A sheathed briquet sabre bounced on his left hip as he galloped towards Zeke, a look of disgust dawning as he got closer.

"Lord Janus Grammyre, God's Consort." One of the soldiers announced as the man on horseback came to a halt a few metres away from Zeke.
"Tell me foreigner, which god do you follow?" Janus asked, gesturing his hand forward.
Zeke flicked his hair from his eyes and shook his head, "I follow no God."
Shock rippled through the crowd and Janus reared his horse around to face his men "Kill the heretic!"

Zeke jolted awake in his seat as the teacher slammed her palm down on his desk. His daydream disturbed, the rest of the (c)lass looked on amused as Ms. Jones fired a volley of reprimands his way. He wasn't listening, instead his gaze drifted to a subtly slumbering Adara.

And here's a little of the next Chapter, I just wanted you guys (and gals?) to know where exactly I'm taking it... Also does my... errrr, "writing ****" bother anyone? I mean I know it's a bit... odd but does it make the story any less enjoyable to read?

Well my writing style is anything but conventional... and looking at it, it's always hard to see my own screwed up grammar when I'm writing... hell even after reading over it I struggle to pick it out because I write how I would talk.

And my issue with tense is a persistent threat :? I don't know why but I just can't seem to stick to one tense :|

Chapter One
Final Judgement

He stood opposing his friend. His hair was red like a foxes coat and his green eyes filled with desperation. Though he knew it was useless to resist he held his ground with the remains of a spear in his left hand.

Opposite was Zeke. The powerful blue irises were gone and replaced by a menacing purple, both dead set on the red haired youth before them. Through his fringe Zeke could barely see Rufus, if it weren't for his hair there would be no indication as to where Rufus stood. His eyes shifted to the right and spotted his second opponent.

Alice was taller than both boys. Her dark skin was flecked with blood and her eyes were all but hollow. The sorrows of death had almost consumed her. Not without a damn good fight though. She had chosen to stand with Rufus against their ally-whom by now had lost his mind completely-for one simple reason: she didn't want to see him change.

But it was already too late. Zeke had waited long enough and begun a stroll towards them. Rufus came first and thrust at Zeke's shin. It failed and he stumbled forward leaving him open for Zeke to render him unconscious with a blow to the head. Alice trembled as Rufus dropped and then reached for a four inch blade she kept tucked away in a calf sheath. Before she could even attempt to assault her friend he had twisted the knife from her hand and flung it into the wall where it remained embedded in the stone. A quick blow to the gut and she joined Rufus on the floor.
Zeke's real target was in view. A crumpled heap on the floor, an emerald cloak atop a puddle of blood. When he reached the man Zeke tore the cloak from him and kicked it's contents in the chest. A tall brooding man sporting a dark green frock coat and grey trousers mottled with blood. His most defining feature however would be the iron life mask that covered his face.

Bending down Zeke examined the mask and saw it fused to his skin. Not enough. He wanted to see his face. He jabbed the mask and the man cried in agony, his nose shattered. Zeke poked his fingers through the eye slats and began to pull. At first nothing, a little resistance from the man but then nothing as the skin began to tear from the cold iron. Blood trickled out of the wounds, it could have been torn away right now but Zeke wanted him to suffer.

As the mask came away Zeke's purple irises flickered with uncharacteristic delight. He saw what the life mask had been hiding. Brutal scars and mutilation. The likeness on the mask was obviously meant to represent what the man had once resembled. Zeke tossed the iron aside and mounted his targets chest, lowering his head until their noses were almost touching.

He opened his mouth to speak but no words departed. Zeke simply drew his hand across his chest to his cheek and backhanded the man sharply.
"Bastard!" He uttered as his hand made contact again, Zeke brought his hand up to his cheek again and his fury found him. This was the man who had hurt and killed the woman he loved. This man was scum and his life needed to be ended, not without the necessary pain issued of course.
"You. Know. Me. Then." Each word was laboured, Zeke was pleased his enemy was suffering so much. A malicious grin soon thwarted his twisted glee. "Then you'll know. Why. I Wanted. This to. Happen."

"F*ck you Janus!" Zeke's hand dropped and unloaded a tremendous blow on Janus' cheek. He reasserted his control and raked his hand through his blond hair, sighing in relief and spitting on the floor. "Of course I know who you are. I gave you those scars, I'd recognise my handiwork any day. So of-"

"You. You're a real. Piece. Of work. Just like me." Janus was enjoying his death. Not something he expected but seeing as he'd pushed his rival to the limits; forced him to fight his own friends and lover; he was satisfied. When the night reached it's pinnacle Adara had died because of Zeke and that meant Janus' mission was complete. His usefulness had run out.
Looking down upon him Zeke's face morphed from anger to malice. His fist drew back and he drove it straight into Janus' already broken nose. And again and again and again until Zeke's hand was bathed in blood.
"Don't you-"
A sharp blow to Janus' jaw made him scream, which only intensified as he discovered it hurt to scream.
"Ever-"
Another blow struck his left eye, bursting the fragile organ like a grape. Janus instinctively raised his hand to cover his eye. Zeke noticed, caught it and then pinned both arms beneath his knees.
"Compare me-"
A final recklessly forceful jab to Janus' remaining eye curled slightly and instead of bursting the eye-like he had done to it's counterpart-the fist caught the side of his face and shattered the edge of his skull.
"TO YOU! Good. You can watch me as I destroy the rest of you!" Zeke said maniacally. All his previous inclinations to murder were gone, if it was for a good cause then why shouldn't he kill.
Janus was too dazed to respond. Half of his body was already dead from the blood he had lost in the battle prior to his defeat and then Zeke has just destroyed a good portion of his skull. He was bleeding inside and out, but Janus knew he wouldn't die from that, Zeke wouldn't let him have that luxury.

He hovered his hand over Janus' limp hand and grabbed it, lifting the appendage into it's owners view. Without the energy to move Janus had no choice but to watch as Zeke's hand curled around his thumb and bent it back until it popped from it's socket. He repeated the method with his fingers and dropped Janus' mangled hand. Zeke repeated with the other hand and then hovered over Janus, their noses apart by a mere inch again.
"How does it feel Janus? Painful? To have to sit there and accept death, whether you want it or not. There's no way anyone-no anything-could save you now." His fist was already raised and poised to strike. This would be the final blow until Janus' skull caved in and shards of bone would pierce his brain, fuelled by Zeke's fist.

It dropped like a hammer and the hole it left in it's wake filled with blood, cerebrospinal fluid and chunks of bloodied tissue. Zeke stood, by now Rufus stirred, and shot a gaze at his friend. He stepped away from the corpse and sunk to his knees before he reached Rufus. Zeke's malice died along with Janus and now all the sorrow, the pain, the sadness, the longing. All of it consumed him, forcing him to become nothing more than a whimpering mess.

Rufus checked Alice for a pulse, Zeke hadn't killed her. Then he made his way to his oldest friend and sank in front of him. He knew he should be infuriated with Zeke, but something about seeing him revert to a childlike state quelled the intense fury he once possessed. Rufus embraced his best friend in a hug and held him to his shoulder, blood and tears staining Rufus' clothes. But he didn't care. He had his friend back, no longer a slave to his emotions. Then he spied the corpse of Janus, then the corpse of Adara. His eyes flicked back and forth as he mapped out Zeke's thoughts. Equivalent exchange.

The two sat in each others' arms for what felt to be an eternity. Finally Alice groaned as she awoke, a sizable bruise already forming on her stomach. She saw Rufus and Zeke clinging to each other. Exactly how they had been ten years ago as children of six, huddling together for warmth. She smiled despite her anger towards Zeke slowly stood before joining the group hug. They were a family again. One short but a family nonetheless.
Zeke finally raised his head and looked into Alice's hazel eyes, his irises were azure once again. All three smiled for a moment and then cast a sorrowful gaze towards their missing member.
Adara laid on her side facing away from her friends. Zeke shuffled over to her and scooped her up, making sure to support her head. She was dead. But her beauty still melted his insides, her lips still full and her skin so bright. Not twenty minutes could have passed since she'd died and warmth still clung to her being.
Rufus and Alice looked on in each other's arms as Zeke's tears spilled onto Adara's dull cream gown. He brought her up to his chest and held her there as if her body were about to be snatched away by Death's Angels.
"Come on Zeke... we'll see her off properly eh?" his red headed friend clapped his hand onto Zeke's shoulder gently and shook him lightly, Alice did the same on his other shoulder. Though he couldn't think Zeke nodded in approval and stood, still clinging tightly to Adara's body.

Just a little input, a quick scan by some grammar nazi's would be appreciated too just incase I've royally screwed up somewhere :D Thankies in advance your excellencies 8)