con fro nta tion (Isabelle)

[broadway]

Raychel looped around the castle, heading towards the Lake. Her nights had been plagued by nightmares since the fateful meeting with the vampire overlord and her near-death experience. This was just a late-night run to get her blood pumping and her mind numb. She circled the Black Lake, coming next to the Forbidden Forest. Suddnely, everything went wrong. A strong, cold hand gripped her mouth and her waist, pulling her forcefully into the darkness. Before she could even utter a sound, a crushing blow was landed to her stomach. Raychel clutched her gut, lying on her back. She wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth, looking up to see...

[gaspevil]

Isabelle looked down at Raychel, the pitiful mortal that she was. She almost regretted not killing her that day in the hospital wing. "Do you not know that it is dangerous to leave the castle after dark?" Isabelle said simply, as if she were stating a fact, not trying to be menacing. She placed her foot on the girl's throat to pin her to the ground, one forceful step and she could break her neck. "Give me one good reason I shouldn't kill you now," Isabelle demanded. She was going to have fun with this one. Make her cry, maybe throw in a little torture until she begged for death.

[broadway]

Raychel stared up into the face of the menacing vampire. She shouldn't have been so careless. Obviously someone as cunning as Isabelle liked to finish what she started. Raychel grabbed the foot resting on her throat, but only weakly. "Unfortunately for you, my life is no longer for sale. Sorry to disappoint." She spat sarcastically. Raychel, in truth, was terrified. She refused to let it show, her pride being taken into account. Already visions of death were flooding her mind. "Didn't think I was important enough for you to come back." She snarled.

[gaspevil]

Isabelle laughed coldly for a few seconds. "You seriously believed that I thought you of all people to be of any importance?" said Isabelle, almost amused. "If I were going for importance I would have long ago killed the Minister." She knew that she was cunning enough to get into the minister's office undetected and kill the man without much a struggle, but the path she was taking now brought her more satisfaction than an easy victory. "However, unanswered my question still remains," said Isabelle, pressing on Raychel's neck with her foot to the point of discomfort. "Why should I spare your life? Why do you deserve to see the light of another day?"

[broadway]

Raychel coughed as the foot dug deeper into her throat. "Because I did nothing to you. Obviously, that has no effect on you however. So, the answer is you shouldn't, if that suits you." she spat sarcastically. Of course, she would have rather just stuck with her first answer, but that wouldn't have done her any good either. She would rather go out swinging then it a corner curled up like a coward. She definitely did not want to die a coward. Even if her opponent was ten times stronger than she was, and had the upper hand at the moment, she wasn't going to give up. Even on the brink of death, Raychel would find a way to survive. As long as she wouldn't be labeled a coward, she was actually fine with death. But first, she wanted to see this witch dead.

[gaspevil]

"Well, it seems as if you've got some fight in you," said Isabelle. She wanted to degrade Raychel before killing her, have her literally begging for mercy. Everyone had their breaking points, it was just the matter of finding them, even if it would take all night. It wasn't like there was anything better to do. She pointed her wand at the girl. "Crucio," Isabelle spat, her malicious intent showing clearly through her excited burgundy eyes. She wanted to hear the screams, find Raychel's breaking point and go a bit beyond before finally killing her.

[broadway]

Raychel had been anticipating Isabelle's move by the glint in her eyes seconds before it occurred. She braced herself for the pain to come. When the curse hit her, it was hard to stifle her screams to mere whimpers. She didn't need anyone to come and find them, even though it was likely they wouldn't if they heard her. A lot of strange noises had been coming from the Forest lately, and screaming would be seen as one of those strange noises. Raychel's grip on Isabelle's ankle loosened almost immediately, for her limbs were becoming immobile. Raychel was biting her tongue in an effort to keep from screaming so hard, her blood was metallic in her mouth.

[gaspevil]

Isabelle laughed as she tortured Raychel, the increase in her heart rate made her blood flow more strongly, smell more inviting. It took a lot of self control on her part to not gorge herself on the girl, she needed her alive. After she killed her she would drink her blood. She paused, keeping her foot on the girl's throat. "Didn't like that?" said Isabelle. "Ask me not to do it again." She was in a sense, "playing with her food before eating it," but that made it all the more fun for her.

[broadway]

Raychel spat the blood from her mouth, heart pounding. "I would never give you the satisfaction." She hissed. That was one of the most arrogant moves she could have made, but she didn't regret it. The retaliation was causing her blood to pump faster, the adreline flowing. Before Isabelle had the chance to attack once more, she grasped firmly onto her ankle. Her hands heated up to extremes, ones that would burn even a magical creature. "My turn." She snarled.

[gaspevil]

Isabelle gave a yelp of surprise, and had no choice but to jump backward to escape Raychel's grasp. "No, it isn't. Crucio." she said cruelly. She did like a bit of a fight, most people begged for mercy after the first time she tortured them. Isabelle could not pretend to not enjoy herself, duels were the things that fueled her. She liked winning a battle, rather than just a simple curse to end it before it even began.

[broadway]

Raychel rolled away, the curse barely missing her body. The spell sizzled into the ground and Raychel sprung to her feet. Retrieving her wand was going to have to wait, for that would give Isabelle an opening. Raychel threw a fireball at Isabelle. If it missed, she was going to have to be quick to douse the flames. The last thing she wanted was for someone to come upon the little duel. She didn't need anyone but her suffering for this. Isabelle sent another curse flying at her, hitting her in the stomach. She keeled to the ground, gasping for breath. She didn't hear the curse, so it's effect was unknown at the current time.

[gaspevil]

Isabelle, now no longer at a landslide of an upper hand had to teleport to dodge the flames. They ignited a nearby tree. The vampire was not fazed by the flames, sure fire was one of the worst weaknesses of her kind, it wouldn't kill her straightaway. Isabelle decided to switch to nonverbal spells, to put her at an advantage once more. Her form melted away into the darkness, invisibility was always an asset to any duel, it would make her even harder to predict. Isabelle half wondered if she should kill the girl now to save herself the time, but decided that she was having far too much fun with her to take her life then.

[broadway]

Raychel's vision grew hazy, but the fire was obvious. Still clutching her stomach and now coughing violently from the smoke, she opened and closed her fist. The fire extinguished itself into a pile of ashes, the tree forever scarred. She got her her feet shakily, eyes tearing up from the disappearing smoke. Once her vision was clear, she turned around in a circle, retrieving her wand. It unnerved her completely to find that Isabelle was no where to be seen. It was unlikely that she had fled, for a vampire like her did not back down from a fight. "Come out you coward." she hissed menacingly.

[gaspevil]

I a coward? You've really got to work on something more insulting to say, Isabelle projected from her hiding place, thinking that she would let Raychel be a bit unnerved by not being able to get a visual on her foe. She didn't move an inch, she didn't even breathe. She blocked off her mind, as to not give away her location, and then began to think of curses that she might be able to use in this duel.

[broadway]

Insulting you has no effect, obviously, your Lordship. Raychel projected back sarcastically. She wasn't trying to be chivalrous, but no doubt it was coming across that way. In no way was her calling Isabelle "your Lordship" a sign of admiration. In fact, she loathed the term. Raychel spun around once more. Her mind was on high alert, her muscles were tense, and her blood was flowing. Adrenaline, it was a powerful thing.