A wrathful melody

[Robyn]

It had been a total of seven days that Reaver had stayed still. Eye rotating round the room pulsing and bleeding out. Seven day's Barry had stayed by his master's side diligently not daring to leave. Worried for what would happen if the man never stirred.

Seven days of quiet in this section of the Gothic castle. Till today.

The guard's that had been posted at the end of the corridor had spent there working shifts standing still monitoring the area and generally being good staff enjoying a quiet shift. The dead shift where one could relax a bit and just reflect on themselves.

But something had gone wrong during this shift. First a bit of unease. Then a pure state of utter chaos. Only capture but mechanical eye's both guard's had both gone insane. Both seeming to have had a great disturbance that lead to an abrupt end. The end being a 48. calibre bullet into the temple fired by there own weapons the trigger's by there own fingers. A quick suicide.

Barry had looked up from his task of giving his master a manicure when his sensitive hearing picked up two pops. For a second he taught to leave the room to investigate but decided against it. Shaking his head he returned to his careful work with the file. After all maybe someone was training there aim. Who was he to interfere with the workings of this castle.

[Murazar Dauthi]

Reaver had better be worth it. Those violent thoughts were inside his head, the damned homonculous killed two of his men! Indirectly of course, but the details were obvious. Poor bastards. As he crossed past the checkpoint and entered Reavers room without any prior warning. He figured Barry would hear his footsteps and that was enough of a warning at all. He scowled at Barry as if his face alone dared barry to say something just so he could beat on him. It was a warning.

He walked over to Reavers side and looked straight into the eye of Wrath before speaking with great irritation,”What the hell did you do to my two men?” It was obvious he mean’t the dead ones. The ones who shot their own brains and gray matter straight out of their skull for no apparent reason. His rage was seething just under the surface. It was cold and lethal, ready to hop above the surface of the lake of fire and incinerate reaver a thousand times if it took that to kill him permanently.

Wrath meets Wrath. Irony isnt it?

If anything it seemed ridiculous, this man was rage incarnate and yet there was another man who could match his anger and danger. Murazar at the least was a valuable resource to any homonculous if they thought hard enough about it and became creative. So how would this play out?

[Xan]

A darkness wandered the halls of the Ebon Citadel with soundless motions that even highly sensitive ears would not have been able to pick up. This darkness brought with it a feeling of absolute power; undeniable, unstoppable, unbelievable power. Where the shadows tread, men seemed to realize their own lack thereof and tremble lightly. Others however, seemed to feel invigorated by the darkness, knowing a pride in their own strength that they had not known before. This darkness was at once everywhere, and nowhere within the vast fortress. It saw all, heard all, and within certain realms, it knew all things that occurred within the impregnable walls.

Thus it had sensed the murderous intent that had seized the two men under its command. It had known without much of a doubt what had overcome them, and it did not come as a surprise when both of them blew out their respective minds onto the dark walls around them. The Presence grew slightly annoyed by this; new men were joining the ranks of the Black Company en masse, however that did not mean that the shadow enjoyed needless death. Particularly when those deaths involved its personnel.

This annoyed presence appeared to coalesce within the section that contained Wrath the Furious' maddening aura. Oddly enough, Gluttony had gone through something similar to what Wrath was apparently experiencing. The furious aura that permeated the air parted before the sheer overpowering influence of Xanthus' own prideful air. He entered into the room as Murazar asked his question of Reaver's still body, and brushed a few strands of silver-white hair from his face before answering in a tone that suggested that he was himself not highly amused.

"To put it as simply as possible Mura, I believe that Wrath is leaking out an aura of his own fury. How this is happening, and why it is happening I do not know. I do know that Gluttony experienced something similar to this however. The more men we place outside the door, the more men we are going to lose to suicide. If not something more dramatic."

Xanthus made a mental note to not allow any more guards to be stationed anywhere near this section of the Citadel. Barry would be more than enough protection as it were. Besides, this was the Ebon Citadel for Truth's sake! The only fortress more heavily defended was Fort Briggs, and even then the Ebon Citadel would probably be the more defensible location. It would take a literal army to get to Reaver while he was 'resting' here, and even then that army would have to contend with Murazar Dauthi and Xanthus Icarus. With something of a wry smile, Xanthus amended his previous thought. Not even an army would be able to reach Reaver while he was here. Unless perhaps that army was of seven nations.

[Robyn]

Ah how interesting a wrathful aura almost as much as his own flew into the room causing the chimera to yelp and panic dropping the nail file with a clatter. The boy stuttered. "Mi..Mister Dauthai....Please don't yell....he's...resting." The ginger quickly rose to make Mura tea from his make shift station when one other appeared from no where. Oh it was Master Icarus. The boy smiled almost puppy like. "Greeting's Master Icarus! I was hoping you might visit Master Reaver while he was ill." The boy quickly poured another cup for Xan as well as one for Mura.

Wrath on the other hand chuckled. "As always pride, you don't miss a thing. Forgive me Mr Dauthi but a part of me leaked out. It was a simple accident. But tell me Did they go mad? Did they kill each other or paint the walls red themselves with there own blood?" A small chuckle played on the lip's of the sleeping homunculus. It was nearly done. Soon Reaver would awaken and wrath's powers would of been nothing like before. Yet still there was potential. So much potential.

"Don't be mad Mr Dauthi think of it as...a sacrifice to the future." The eye rotated before stopping on Xan. "Pride it is good to see you once more."

[Murazar Dauthi]

Murazar stopped and listened to his brother and Reaver explain and speak. Those were his men! He didn't give a shit if they were the lowest of the low, they were in his brotherhood and he held responsibility for them. He spoke in an even and chill tone, his fist tightening the metal gears within them whirring without a sound." I highly recommend not letting anything or causing anything like that to happen again. In effect you owe me something money wont solve, so keep that in mind since I know you hold honor to yourself."

Reaver owed him for that, a morale smash and taking away two highly skilled and experienced personell that he trusted to some extent was beyond money or material wealth. He took the cup of tea from barry before glancing at him in cool distrust. A man who could fight, but was hampered by his meekness was utterly useless in the face of ruthless power at any level. Anyone with an iota of skill and insane ruthless bravery could cow barry and defeat him. The man held no self-respect.

He spoke once more this time turn to Xan and holding out his hand and arm for a brotherly hug." Ready for the war Xan? This ones gonig to be bigger than the rest. All those supply lines moving men, equipment and everything else to their positions in preparing for assaults. Seems like the worlds always on fire." War was nothing secret to master spies with large international networks such as Xans and Muras.

You couldn't move armies or attack a country in a large scale fight without being obvious to other countries. So far Aerugo and Drachma seemed fully prepared to war with Amestris while in Xing it was primarily just Drachma. Anything else could go considering all the countries involved and their unknown motivations. It felt like a powder keg was about to go off. Another day at the office he supposed.

[Xan]

'Master Icarus' fixed Barry with a smile that would have outright chilled the souls of lesser men as the chimera greeted him, and quickly prepared for him a cup of tea. He nodded his thanks as well before gesturing that Barry would do well to not speak overmuch within the next few minutes. The ginger chimera more than likely already knew this, but sometimes it just felt good to issue commands knowing that they would be followed; even the ones that did not require actual 'commanding.'

Naturally, Pride did not miss Wrath's words, but merely chuckled instead of responding. 'You don't miss a thing.' How many times had he been told these words within the past few years? When he had first joined the Amestrian military, he had been as 'green' as any other fresh recruit, if not somewhat smarter and more ambitious. Now, through connections made and contacts gained over the years, he had an intelligence network that the intelligence agencies of some countries could envy. Part of this network of course, included operatives within the Black Company, led by his brother, who now had his arm out for a brotherly hug.

Xanthus mused that hugs were literally the only 'normal' thing that he and Mura probably did as he gave Mura the 'bro hug,' for a few moments before releasing him again. Then again, when one was an immortal being of nearly unfathomable power, and the other was literally one of the most powerful mortals alive...what chance for normalcy was one to expect? They played by different rules now, and their world was simply different than it had been only a few years ago. However, it seemed that the world was about to change again...a war like none other was being prepared for.

Xanthus sighed briefly before addressing Wrath first. "It is good to see you again as well, Wrath the Furious. Hmm...I haven't actually addressed you by that name in a while, if memory serves correctly. No matter...tell me, are we to expect a large power boost similarly to what befell Gluttony?" Without truly waiting for an answer, Xanthus turned towards Mura with something of an ironic smile etched onto his face. "Yes, the world is always on fire, which is especially easy for us to see, being able to look down into the wood and the coals. I have kept a watchful eye on the world, and I can tell that this will be one that shapes the course of human history. Am I ready?" Here Xanthus made a sound suspiciously similar to a chuckle before continuing, adding a metallic note into his voice. "I am Pride the Arrogant, and the Lord Captain of the Black Company. I have no choice but to be at all times ready for war; ready to make history." Dramatic, but then again Xanthus did have a point. If men like him and Mura were not prepared for this war, then there would be dire consequences, and not only for the Black Company either.

[Robyn]

Wrath chuckled from his bed as the eye concentrated on Xan pulsing slightly. A soft chuckle passing lips that barely moved.

"Well Pride the arrogant it has been a while since someone this wrathful has come along. Though this man need to realise what he is truly mad at." He looked over letting them bicker about there war. looking in on himself to see the man inside.

"Reaver...have you seen what you truly hate....the disgusting wrath that eats at you alive from the inside?" The sin chuckled as the screams gathered.
Dreams where truly a strange thing. Reaver's where no different in the level of strangeness but more a mad hatters tea party of sorts. puppets of people he once knew playing along with the man's whims. laughter and praise echoing amongst the wooden party goers in matinée.

"You are so beautiful..."
"No one is more charming."
"None are as witty or clever?"
"Reaver has the best shot..."

The puppets all praised one who all looked like people he knew. One of Xanthas, Sal and Mura sitting across were puppets of Vanity, Toss and Lust all singing praises with many other from his past. Wrath watched eye staring. "What is it you hate most?" A soft whispered question causing Reaver to frown. His eyes cast over to a bunch of puppet all battered and worn and ugly. "They were to ugly to be my family...." A soft murmur as the cup went down.

Eyes flicked over to rich looking puppets in the corner whispering and murmuring. "They had the life I deserved..." His eyes turned to Xan and Sal's puppets. "You filled me with emotions I didn't need." His fury grew and he slammed his fist into the table teeth bared and grinding. "Making me feel need and want! Making me miss them Making me regret leaving them! Making me regret being myself...."

Like a bullet had passed through him Reaver slowly sank into his chair. "I regret the choices.....The life I have...the people I left behind.....The people I used I threw away......" Wrath's lips curled into a hungry grin. "[color]I hate...myself....and all my selfishness[/color]" Was the soft whisper that escaped chapped lips as the world broke around him and screams invaded his senses. Claws digging into his arms and legs dragging him in. His eyes widened. "NO WRATH WHAT ARE YOU DOING!!" He thrashed and panicked clawing for purchase at what ever he could find. "WRATH! WRATH!! THIS WAS NOT PART OF OUR DEAL!"

Wrath chuckled darkly as Reaver was pulled closer the screams building in tempo and volume. "No Reaver this is part of the deal....A power you had only dreamed of..." Then everything went black.

~~

Nails dug into the bed spread as his back arched more then ever before. Even during there romps he had shared with Xan. The covers where thrown off as the head threw back letting out shouts and curses. Barry scattered from the bed eyes wide. "Master Reaver!" He shouted in panic looking to Mura and Xan for help. "HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE!" Reaver Chanted in not just his own voice but in the voices of many. "THAT BITCH DESERVED IT!" "I WILL MURDER HIM!" "HOW DARE HE!!!" All in different voices echoing in the room as the eye pulsed and bleed. "Is the stone rejecting him?" Asked Barry in a panic.

Nail's Ripping the sheet as they dragged like Talon's, skin steaming and smoking. As His ranting carried on filling the room with a thick haze. Screams echoing around the room before one shrill cry broke the madness into a single note before dieing.

The smoke slowly dissipating out of the room before clearing. The sheets and mattress he had lay on had lions like if one had dragged a protesting cat or lion up it. His hair was a mess and mattered plastered to his skin with a light sheen of sweat. Tired weary eyes slowly opened and a raspy voice raw and exhausted meekly called out. "Barry...be a dear and fetch me a cup of tea..." Reaver was back.

[Murazar Dauthi]

Murazar bro-hugged Xanthus, the man was his brother in arms and the only one he trusted with almost everything. The man mean’t more to him than all, but one person who was equal in his eyes. Luckily he would never have to die for xan and if xan had to die for him it’d only be one life that was easily replaced. He spoke softly with great willpower in his voice,”We fight so most don’t have to. We fight to uphold everything that makes this world civilized and worth living. We fight so others don’t have to die in our place. We gave everything up not to be a hero, but to simply a normal person doing their duties to what has to be done. We are the only ones who truly understand what it means to fight and to serve. Even mercenaries hold to those values of justice and honor from our company. It is our true creed, Brother.”

He glanced at Reavers/Wrath’s screams in multiple different voices. Was reaver a brother to him too? They were so alike in the terms of the unusual. He spoke in many different voices that changed per word that was spoken. The calm detached tone remained on each voice as it changed over.”Glad your back to the realm, Reaver. Guess we both have similarities that neither of us expected, eh?” Suddenly he laughed, the laughter shifted and changed throughout its short duration.

His voice returned to normal as he smiled softly and spoke to Xan. ” So how is Sal by the way? I haven’t had a chance to talk to him lately, although he probably thinks im some scary man still.” The last he met Sal, the poor kid thought he was death incarnate with a frozen smell of destruction and cold fire about him.

[Xan]

Xanthus nodded in return to Mura's speech, feeling that to do anything more would have simply been overkill. In his mind, he thought about the reasons that he had to fight. With a mirthless smile, he admitted to himself that his personal reasons were not entirely noble. This smile quickly changed into a curious frown as Xanthus felt something shift rather dangerously within the being lying down before him. Soon enough, the form of Reaver began to writhe, and convulse in a manner that was seemed oddly familiar. Even as Barry offered Xan his most panicked expression, the Homunculus simply raised a hand in a manner that clearly meant 'patience.' He appeared to be oddly calm in the face of this chaotic storm of Wrath.

Eventually the convulsions ceased, and apparently Reaver had returned to the realm of mortal men once more. When the more than likely newly empowered homunculus asked for a cup of tea, Xanthus gave Barry a gesture that more than likely meant 'quickly now.' He then simply kept still, looking upon Reaver's now normal form with a slightly raised eyebrow. He found himself wondering if Sal had ever gone through anything of the sort of painful-looking process that Reaver had. Of course he had; all Homunculi had to experience that pain. Even Xanthus himself had gone through it, though it was just now that he was able to remember...

Using a minor amount of willpower to keep himself from shuddering lightly, Xanthus looked up in time to realize that he was being spoken to. Ironically, it was about the very person whom he was just thinking about. The Ishvallan put on his best 'everything is well smile' and answered the question. "Oh you know, Sal is doing rather well. He has adjusted rather well to being this era's Gluttony, and his Pirate Crew is simply swelling. I imagine that he does think that you're a rather scary person though; half of the sane world thinks the same thing." Xanthus gave Mura a friendly elbow to the ribs as he made his last comment. Truth only knew that three of the most feared beings in the known world were standing together within the same room, within one of the most impregnable areas on the planet. Again Xanthus found himself thinking that it was impossible for him to have been who he was two years ago. How the low had truly risen...

[Robyn]

Gulping dryly he gave Xan and Mura a small hum of acknowledgement. Staring dumbly at his lap. The slow skinning in of what had happen hit him like a ton of bricks. All his life....he had hated himself. Pure hatred of what the ugly type of person he was. Who fled in the fear of being attached to someone...in fear of them seeing the true ugly person who wore the beautiful mask that was he.

Barry smiled rushing to brew his master his tea ignoring Xan's and Mura's conversation. Reaver was awake. And the world was safe once more. Everything was right. As he poured the tea and mixed in the correct sugars and milks he wondered why Reaver sat so oddly quiet in the torn bed. Staring down hair flopped over his eyes. Placing the cup on a tray and walking over he smiled. "Here's your tea mas....ter..." The word caught in his throat as he watched in horror the glistening of tears trailing down the man’s cheeks.

"MASTER REAVER!!" He panicked. "What's wrong...are you hurt?" He dropped the tray ignoring the shattering of glass kneeling at the bed side. "Master....what's wrong?" He panicked Reaching out for Reaver. The man snatched his arm out of reach. "Don't touch me!" He snarled lip curling. Tear's wouldn't stop flowing down his cheeks but he couldn't let them see. See how disgusting and horrible he was inside.

[Murazar Dauthi]

Murazar smiled to Xan and elbowed him back with his own comments in a friendly tone, ”Best of the best bro. If we weren’t, we’d be back at square one again. If I remember right, that wasn’t very fun at all. Even though we did fight each other that one time, with niko I believe. Or was it someone else?” It was a long time ago, in Creta he believed. Come to think of it he never held a good reputation with them from the start. Kinda funny to say the least and ironic.





He glanced over to Reaver yelling at Barry who was only concerned for his master’s wellbeing. Murazar frowned lightly before tapping barry on the shoulder and motioning for him to stay back and out of the way. He walked to the side of Reavers bed and looked upon him before noticing that Reaver was crying. He was doing a decent job of covering it up, but its not exactly something you can hide completely when in front of someone. He waited a few moments to gather his thoughts before speaking as if he knew more than he spoke of.





”Sudden realizations are painful and dramatic. Aren’t they, Wrath-chan? You figure out what your so angry about? Even why your so angry would be a good discovery. Trust this as I say it. Speaking of these things to those that would not tell another soul helps greatly. That is if you consider me and/or Xan among those people. If you do not wish to speak of it, then by all means you dont have to.” No pressure whatsoever, purely freedom of choice. Just with a good outcome on one end, while the other was unknown. Or rather left to the imagination. Murazar obviously seemed to know how to help and Xan had finished all of his transformations so he knew first-hand what it was sort of like.

[Xan]

Xanthus gave a small smirk in Mura's direction before assuming a false thinking posture. He held onto this posture for one moment before finally saying: "No, I am afraid that it was not Niko. It was in fact someone altogether more interesting, as well as altogether more powerful. As I recall we literally decimated a city block." Icarus spoke rather slowly, as though struggling to recall the time wherein he, Mura, and a Drachman officer had a three-way alchemy duel in the middle of Creta. A building of several stories had been leveled, with the damage spreading to several structures besides. That had been a rather interesting and glorious day, and had occurred long before Xanthus and Mura had discovered the fact that they were related. In fact..."I am pretty sure that we were having a near death match that day. We should have round two sometime." This time Pride gave Murazar the equivalent to his soul-chilling smile; however he knew that Mura would probably just laugh at him for it.

Turning his face away from Murazar, Xanthus reminded himself that this was perhaps a conversation best saved for when Reaver was not having the after-effects of his empowerment occur within the Ebon Citadel. Walking past Barry, he gave the chimera a very unXanlike look of absolute pity before approaching Reaver himself. Knowing that what he was about to do could very well be the wrong thing to do, Xanthus simply leaned down and spoke to the now crying Reaver."You really should be nicer to Barry, my dear Wrath. He's only concerned for your health, just like Mura and I. Care to talk about what's on your mind? Or should I ask later?" Icarus was now hovering just a small distance away from Reaver, to the point that he was essentially speaking at just above a whisper without worrying about being heard. In all honesty, he did want to know exactly what was going on inside Reaver's mind. Despite his typically nonchalant attitude, he actually did care about the other homunculus, moreso than he cared about most of the others.

[Shula Brighton]

{BUMP}

[Robyn]

Barry backed down. Hopeless to aid his master who had never looked so frail before. Fearing the man would break apart he stepped back to let Mura and Xan take over. Trying not to growl in warning at them in his basic protective instinct. His master may of sent him aside but he had to be strong and carry on his duty.

”Sudden realizations are painful and dramatic. Aren’t they, Wrath-chan? You figure out what your so angry about? Even why your so angry would be a good discovery. Trust this as I say it. Speaking of these things to those that would not tell another soul helps greatly. That is if you consider me and/or Xan among those people. If you do not wish to speak of it, then by all means you dont have to.” Reaver's eye looked up to mura. chan? The man was lucky he had no clue where his pistol was otherwise Mura would had a bullet planted in his face. But his comforting voice. Why? "You really should be nicer to Barry, my dear Wrath. He's only concerned for your health, just like Mura and I. Care to talk about what's on your mind? Or should I ask later?" Xanthus to? People who did not deserve his awful presence in there lives....

Why?

His lips did not move but his voice, feeble unlike it's usual cocky charm. His voice touching there minds in a oddly soothing warmth. But spreading the sadness and self loathing that burdened Reaver's heart.

Why do you care for someone as disgusting as me?

His shoulder shook as he hugged himself. Why did wrath have to reveal it all....His disgusting selfishness, his vanity and his complete disregard for anyone else. Yet....they stayed...Xanthus, Vanity, Sal, Barry and now Mura.

[Murazar Dauthi]

Murazar smiled to Xan playfully before lightly punching his shoulder while joking,"Round two would costs one of these countries an entire city by dear brother. We might have to do it one day, it'd be kinda fun too." He grinned, the seriousness behind the statement was obvious. Just them fighting each other would eventually level a city. That would be before they got serious or if collateral damage didn't matter.

Then as they watched reaver and spoke gentle counsel to him he spoke... Not in a manner either would have expected at any rate. Murazar raised an eyebrow in something akin to annoyance in a playful manner. The homonculous was speaking inside his head wasn't he? Murazar replied outloud with a light flick to reavers forehead, his mannerisms kept playful."Well, your a friend and part of the family. You're a decent fellow at heart even if you cover it up in all those masks and acts. On the plus side we're all just as bad if not worse than you are. "

He seemed to pause with a small smile before speaking as if he just remembered something,"Please dont speak in my head, I might confuse your voice for one of the many others in there blabbering and screaming. It gets quite rowdy in there." His own insanity was quite interestingly similar to reavers. In some fashion, it sort of made them brothers or cousins in mura's head.

[Xan]

Briefly Xanthus found himself wondering about the exact levels of catastrophe a battle between himself, Mura, and an unknown third could cause. Although he had undoubtedly meant for his comment to be taken as something of a joke, Xanthus had to admit that between Mura's being one of the most powerful alchemists in the world, and Pride's own power as the most powerful homunculus...it was likely that they could together level much more than just a Cretan city block. The thought brought another smile to the Homunculus's face, and he had to admit that it tempted him rather greatly. Though he did soon realize that it would not be quite the same, considering that at the time they were literally mortal enemies and whatnot...

At that point Xanthus heard Reaver speak inside of his head again, questioning why he was still here with the other Homunculus. Pride found himself chuckling at the question, as it was actually rather funny that Reaver should ask. The Ishvallan put his hand to his chin and pretended to think about how best to answer the question for a moment. Eventually he simply gave Reaver a shrug leaned against a nearby wall, moving a bit of hair from in front of his eyes as he did so. "Well it's not like you have done anything that's any worse than the various crimes that I have committed over time and around the world. Within that list t'would be at least two betrayals, genocide, and the assassination of the leader of a country. What could you possibly have done that would make a guy like me feel disgusted by a guy like you?"

The way that Xanthus asked his question made it sound like something of a joke, but to be honest it was only half rhetorical. Personally Xanthus could have cared less about what Reaver had done in his past. Though the prideful Homunculus had not exactly stated as much, he liked Reaver; the other Homunculus was at the least very entertaining to be around.

[Csilla Angelis]

{BUMP}

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