"The Fork in the Road...Becoming a Knight" (Ambrose & Miranda ::Closed::)

[Lord Soth]

High above on one of the many upper rampart’s of the Shrine Keep, a lone silhouetted figure stood over looking the haunting landscape of Roon below. The cool night wind blew the Death Knight's raven lock's and ebony robes in chaotic pattern’s around his armored form and porcelain face as he called out to his apprentice through the Dark Side of the Force. It was now time to test the valiant warrior and what he had learned thus far under Soth's tutelage and his watchful, scrutinizing eye's. Nevertheless, this would prove to be a strenuous test that even the young apprentice had not anticipated from his unpredictable master…A challenge that would test Ambrose mind and mettle in ways he never dreamed of.

"Come hither Ambrose...I am awaiting your presence on the roof top of the Shrine." The Death Knight's word's reached out to the place where the young Vampyre sat in his chamber far below the upper levels of the Keep's foreboding structure. Like gentle wave's that washed ashore on some distant planet, so did the echoing message caress Ambrose open mind.

[imported_Ambrose Braeden]

Ambrose slept silently through the day, knowing that he would wake at sunset, only to find that he was to do more than he had bargained for. Hearing words in his head, knowing only that they were the words of his master, Lord Soth. Come hither Ambrose...I am awaiting your presence on the roof top of the Shrine. The words sounded as if the Death Knight were right there in the room, watching the Ambrose's every move. Wating...

The lid to the coffin which held Ambrose in side slid open with a hissing sound. Buttons where flashing atop the archaic mohogony wood top. Liftng himself out of his coffin, Ambrose aqquired his clothes and his saber. Clipping the saber hilt to his belt, Ambrose walked out of his room. Shuttin the door behind him...


A little while later...

The vampire warrior stood on the roof top of the Shrine of the Damned. Seeing his master stand there was like a painting. His cloak was whipping about his legs as he stood, poised. The Sith Master's long hair was whipping about his face, making it hard to indentify who he was. Walking over to stand next to the Shrine Master, he looked into his dark, forboding eyes.

What is thy bidding my master...

[Lord Soth]

A long moment seemed to pass between the two Vampyre's before Soth spoke. His endless eye's continued to survey the landscape as if transfixed on the beauty of it. However, Soth’s thoughts were far from what he beheld. The Death Knight's armored form did not waver as the brisk night wind blew past him like a great sentinel upon a high mountain peak.

"The time has come Ambrose…" Soth words were sudden, breaking the silence that was once there as he continued to speak without looking in his understudy’s direction.

"Are ready for the trials that will be set before you?" The Death Knight's pointed question seemed to confront Ambrose like the harsh wind that blew about him.

[imported_Ambrose Braeden]

The poised form of the Death Knight would have sent chills up any normal mans spine, but Ambrose was fasinated by it. The way his hair flew about his face in the chill wind. Although the Vampire warrior had much respect for his master, Soth Nuevole's heart was as ruthless as th chill wind. Lord Soth looked as if he was a living statue, standing there.

Whatever shall await me master, I am ready...I have always been ready for the challenges you test me with...

Ambrose looked into the eyes of the menevolent being, the one person who Ambrose had respect for. Soth was his maker, he was the one who had embude into him the Dark Gift. Soth was more of a father than a mentor to the young vampire. Whatever events lie ahead, let them be...For the future is always in motion...

[Miranda Dunleavy]

Further up along one of the impressive tower walls, the red headed assassin sat crouched atop it. The winds were much stronger at this height but the only thing that stirred against it was her rippling black cloak. She made certain her position would not alert Ambrose by scent and her presence was severely masked by the Dark Side, as well as her own natural mental abilities. Shadows clung to her like a lover's embrace to ensure that her entire body was a part of the tower itself. The only being down there that knew Miranda had perched herself up here was Soth. It would remain as such until she saw fit to inform Ambrose otherwise.

Her emerald eyes were filled with concentration, watching the conversation and using her Vampyric hearing to listen to every word uttered between them.

[Lord Soth]

"Whatever shall await me master, I am ready...I have always been ready for the challenges you test me with..."

Soth's gaze slowly shifted to his apprentice as Ambrose finished his statement. The Death Knight's eye's turning the rest of the way until they met with his own.

"Really,...Ready for anything?" Soth said in an almost mocking tone, turning his eye's back once again to the natural serenity of Roon's expanse.

"Have I not taught you Ambrose that it is the unexpected, those things which are unforeseen that one should be mindful of?" The Death Knight finished in a subtle, yet reprimanding tone as he pulled his black robes tightly about him as if shielding himself from the harsh wind.

[Miranda Dunleavy]

Nothing was in the air for Ambrose to latch onto to warn him of the immediate danger that had begun its descent fifteen stories above. The wind remained eternally quiet until the sound of impact that came from no where! The figure was shrouded within shadows and was moving so fast when Ambrose was shoulder blocked into the stone rampart. The force alone was enough for it to break and send the Apprentice spiraling downwards within the rain of various fractured stones.

Soth's eyes gleamed a look of the attacker momentarily, nodding to each other in silent agreement, before Miranda flipped over the broken rampart. The fall was only twelve stories Both Vampyres would survive but Ambrose would still have the newest Master Vampyre to contend with at the bottom.

Metal was drawn on the descent as she straightened out her body tightly, increasing her speed. Ambrose was still in free fall as the Assassin shot down like a bullet towards him and as soon as he impacted against the ground, she twisted herself in the air to bring her feet around and kneeing him hard in the chest. She could have easily killed him with the silver sword in hand when he landed and that message was loud and clear in the intense emerald eyes that glared at Ambrose. "Soth has given your life to me. As of right now, it's forfeit until you prove otherwise!"

Her knee crushed into him further as Miranda lept up and over him. Only his Vampiric hearing could tell that she landed several yards away behind him.

[imported_Ambrose Braeden]

Every Vampire inherited the ability to heal quickly. That was one of the many traits that a Vampire would inherit when they were given the Dark Gift. The Gift was given to ambrose many moons ago by the Death Knight Lord Soth. The trait of accelerated healing would come in handy many a time durring this night. If he would survive.

After a moment of recouperating and recovering from the extensive blow deliverd by the Master Vampire, Ambrose rose to his feet. While doing so, his hand slipped past his thigh, unclipping the hilt of his ornate Lightsaber. Ambrose's body was in a position where the hilt of the lightsaber was out of sight.

Ambrose stood there in that spot, letting the broken rib bones finally mend. Becoming whole again, the way he was before Miranda had nearly killed him when she had landed atop his chest.

"My life rests in my own hands...What I do with it is up to me...If you want it...Come and get it..."

[Miranda Dunleavy]

The sword was sheathed at this time when Ambrose looked upon her. There was no weapon in sight at all either. The Assassin merely stood there, limbs veiled within her black cloak and looking at him in an oddly adoring manner. "Brave words. Perhaps you could forsake your Master and join with me."

Her emerald eyes flashed softly in the moonlight. Ambrose could feel himself being mesmerized by them and her words were quite inviting that were only enhanced by her words. "I'm much more powerful then he is and your life wouldn't be forfeit anymore by mine or his eyes. Think about it. I was transformed by the father. My blood rivals the Queen. Imagine the possibilities that I could give you."

[imported_Ambrose Braeden]

The words spoken by Miranda Dunleavy were like a light saber taking his life. Ambrose winced at the words as he heard them. The Vampire thought about his master, Lord Soth, his maker. The Death Knight is the one who had given him the Dark Gift. There was a bond between teacher and student, a bond which is not easily broken. All of the memories that Ambrose held within his mind were set free, Ambrose watched them as if they were happening that very moment. The hours that Soth had taken out of his time to train his pupil were like a mother taking time out of her day to show her child new things of life. Coming back to consciousness, Ambrose's eyes flared red as he looked at Miranda. The one who was trying to rip Soth from his hands, the one who was trying to make the Vampire turn against his master, his teacher, his father...

"Your lying words are so unbefitting of you Miranda Dunleavy. Is it not so that Chriton was the right hand servant of the patriarch king himself? Did you not think that my master would have not taught me of our extensive linage? You assume too much my’ lady."

Ambrose was aware of one of the loose bars that made up the wrought iron gate that surrounded the Shrine Keep. With blinding speed, Miranda felt her body jerked from the very ground from which she stood, only feet from where the lethal bar protruded from the gate. The sound of tearing flesh could be heard as Miranda was impaled upon it. The rusty shard went cleanly through the soft delectate flesh of her right side, and protruded out her front side of her form.

What seemed only seconds later, Miranda could hear the awful sound of Ambrose's Saber ignite to life, along with the smell of burning ozone as he neared her. With a sideward slash to her right side, Ambrose was about to deliver a deadly blow.

[Miranda Dunleavy]

Miranda neither moved, nor attempted to block the blow as Ambrose charged at her. Merely her smirking visage was the only discernable change in that stance of the Master Vampyre. The was just about to hit its mark when the form of the Assassin shimmered awkwardly, sending Ambrose's heightened senses racing, trying to understand that subtle shift. When the blade hit his mark unexpectedly, it literally sliced through Miranda like butter and with no resistance ... There was no look of shock or sign of horror at her death. Only that same sinister smile remained as her upper torso slid off and flopped to the ground. With that weight gone, the lower half fell backwards.

"I am pleased to know your mind cannot be easily tricked through words." Came Miranda's voice from behind Ambrose as he watched the Miranda that he killed disappear as if it was made from dreams. "Soth has indeed taught you well in that respect." As the young Apprentice turned around, Miranda was waiting in the same spot where he had hit the ground when they fell off the keep. Her cloak was pulled back over her right shoulder, showing him that her sabre was drawn, not yet ignited. "There is still yet so much to learn."