This is fascinating SubRosa!! I was riveted from beginning to end!! Thank you so much for finding all this info, You ROCK !!!!

She wears either glass armor or a leather armor (both) enchanted with 15% protection against normal weapons. In the first post before the re-write I had her search the archer and thinking that his arrows were nothing special, it got edited out for space.

When Maxical is actually doing a mission to steal or break in somewhere, she changes into her chameleon outfit from Foxy, the rest of the time she is in armor.

It is a very hard call to make when a writer decides how realistic the damage of combat should be. Uber characters and those that limp all the time are simply no fun to read, the balance between those two extremes is a tough balancing act. In real life, arrows would definitely maim and cripple the combatant and prevent the character from achieving a fast get away.
However, the Elder scrolls fan fiction is based on the game so the combat should always strive to follow what happens in the game. Yes it is unrealistic to take multiple hits, just in the same way magic is 'unrealistic.' But unfortunately that is the only guide that we have. And it is only when the health score is low that we know that we are in serious trouble, so the story should strive to follow that.

SubRosa beautifully put the gulping of healing potions into her story to show the frailness of her character.
Another tip is to kill off a NPC. Have one who is fighting alongside Maxical go down, which would make things very realistic. It also opens up the whole angle of mourning and emotion.

In my own fantasy writing I tend to focus on the longevity of the company, rather than the individual battles and how unrealistic they might be. Okay, three arrow shots might not be realistic but it is far worse if the entire company of 6 characters all survive to the end of the story. So my focus is to kill off at least 4 of them over the course of events in exciting and jaw dropping ways.

That is a very good way to look at it, I agree with you 100% on this. - Ooohhh, I am dying to hear some of these jaw-dropping deaths!!

I finally figured out what the discrepancy is, you say here "An arrow from a long bow" - but there are no long bows in Oblivion without a mod, you must have a mod on your game. Long bows are 6' long and made only of wood (ash or yew) and use a 3' arrow. (I am sure you already know this having studied them) All bows in game are one standard size, 3.5' and Bandits at my level carry iron bows that are the vanilla standard (3.5 foot long) All arrows in game are only 1.5' as well, there are no 3' arrows in game.

I don't have any weapons mods on my game, so all I have are the standard bows that come with the game, and they do not do near the damage that any long bow would. So you are right as to what you are saying about the long bows, but they don't apply to any in game bows without mods.

I knew it had to be just some missed communication Acadian, you probably got a whole different set of bows when you got Slayer for Buffy, it must have changed out all the bows in your game, so you didn't know that the vanilla game doesn't have the long bow.

I took some pics of my 5'3" - 5'5" character standing next to the vanilla game bow while it is leaned straight up against a wall so you could see what the vanilla game comes with. She towered over it by a good two feet, it can't be over 3.5' long.



(I'm putting this in for those who - like me - didn't know there was a difference between the medieval long bow and a regular medieval bow)

Stats on Midieval Long Bows:


Medievil long bows run between 5'8" - 6' long and made strictly of wood, usually yew or ash. "Richard Bartelot, of the Royal Artillery Institution, said that the long bow was of yew, 6 feet (1.83 m) long, with a 3 foot (914 mm) arrow"

Here is an article that discusses the medievil long bows and gives their descriptions: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_longbow (scan down the page to "History")






Pics of Maxical next to standard game bow:


http://c3.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/143/l_9ea8cf8a2b4f4bf99561244744d0b226.jpg



http://c1.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/137/l_7ff13aa093d54d55adba4bb0a7e0dec8.jpg


http://c1.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/146/l_607144a352a644608535239e1dd47844.jpg


http://c2.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/133/l_0cb04ade4dab4792954c5ce319951f0d.jpg




*

Me too! I allowed my own view of how I use bows to influence that small portion of my comments. That was a mistake, and I am sorry mALX. Forgive me for letting that distract from your wonderful story.

<3

Chapter 50: Dawn Of The Death



Janus lay stretched back on his bed, a smile playing about the corners of his lips. Maxical was on her way to Skingrad. He had been reading her thoughts since dawn, hours now, and as each passed he grew more excited to see her again. Each thought told a story of what she was feeling at the time, or seeing; and these he liked best because they told how close she was getting to Skingrad.

When Maxical reached the border of County Skingrad she was weak, filthy, in pain, and barely standing. Her wounds ached and were covered in dried blood, some fresh blood still oozed and seeped in a slow trickle from her shoulder and legs. There had been no place to rest on the way, and she was swaying on her feet.

Janus wondered how she got wounded. The fear he would lose her was always there, always would be till she accepted his gift.

She wanted to stop in and see Janus while in Skingrad, but didn't want to show up on his doorstep in this shape. It might be best to bypass the castle and just go into town, get a room and clean up, go to the chapel for healing; see him on the morrow.

Janus hoped she wouldn't wait till the morrow. If she bypassed the castle he would send the body guard to go get her. He began to feel energized as she drew nearer. She would be here soon, and he couldn't wait! He hoped she would just come straight in with all her filth; bathe here like she used to, sleep here like before. The innkeepers in this town would look down their noses at her if she came in looking as rough as she had given indication of in her thoughts.

Janus alerted suddenly. Maxical was leaving the road to find a pond to bathe in, looking for Shadeleaf Copse. She could not go there, he would not let her! The vampires that attacked him may still lay in those woods surrounding it!

Janus threw on his caped cloak and cowl. He flew down the corridor to his private entrance. Slamming the door open so it banged on the stones behind it he vaulted the balcony in one swift movement, holding onto the rail and dropping down to the hard ground. He landed on his feet like a cat, the healing already started in his hand to take the pain out of his feet for the landing.

His mounted castle guard was just going out the gate. Janus tore after him commanding he stop. Jerking him down off the horse, Janus mounted the beast by grabbing tightly at the base of its mane and swinging himself up in a graceful fluid movement, ignoring the aid of the stirrup.

He hurried the horse straight down the steep cliff that surrounded the castle; urging it gently but firmly and giving it free rein to choose its steps as needed. As soon as he hit the flat he brought the horse to a gallop, bearing around the city wall of Skingrad. He headed straight toward Shadeleaf Copse, but as he swung to the northeast he could no longer catch Maxical's scent. Reining in, he lifted his nose to the air. Swinging around in the saddle he tried again and caught her scent. She was due west of him.

Janus lay the reins against the right side of the horse's neck and squeezed his right knee to push the horse to turn to its left and then urged it back into a full gallop. Following her aroma and his senses he rode at a dead run till her scent became so strong that it was overwhelming. He began to scour the landscape for her but saw nothing. She had to be near, the perfume of her virgin blood was overpowering and coming from directly in front of him.

A small watering hole for the sheep was before him, and suddenly Janus remembered her thinking she wanted to clean up. She must be invisible. Why had the smell of her virgin blood become so strong? If it had been like this while she was a prisoner he would not have been able to fight his urges! It was as if it was in the air with his nose, touching it. Yes, it was tangible. She was here. Janus began to feel lightheaded from how strong the scent of her blood was.

Maxical was here at the pond, Janus could hear her thinking. He leapt, catlike off the back of the horse and slowly walked toward the pond, listening to her thinking as he tried to pinpoint her location. She thought he was a landlord and she a trespasser. She was injured, needing healing badly. She was half dressed, must have been getting ready to bathe. And she was ready to fight to the death and go with honor.

Bless her heart for her bravery, Janus thought. Then he heard her sword pull from its sheath, and realizing she still did not know who he was, he called out to her.

"Maxical, it's me Janus. I came to help you."

"Janus? Janus, is it you? Oh I am so glad, I thought my time had come!" Maxical dropped her sword and stumbled forward, crying with relief.

She fell against his caped coat, wrapping her arms around him in spite of the wetness, blood and filth that covered her. As soon as she touched Janus her invisibility spell was broken and he could see her.

"I was afraid Janus. I thought you were someone here to harm me. I am so glad it is you." Janus started involuntarily to wrap his arms around Maxical, but he stopped himself from the instinctive move, instead he grabbed her, holding her at arms-length away from him.

"What has happened to you?" His voice was strained, sounding almost angry.

"I have to sit down Janus. I don't feel well suddenly, I got lightheaded just now. It was just such a relief it was you, not what I thought it might be when I saw someone coming. I am sorry I ruined your coat. Janus, I was attacked by bandits, and am badly injured. Can you heal me?"

"Not here. I will have a healer come to you at the castle." He turned away from Maxical, his voice still sounding angry.

"?Janus, are you angry with me? I said I was sorry about your coat, I was just so glad to see you. Please don't be mad at me." Maxical voice reflected her hurt feelings.

"It's not the coat, I don't care about that. I said I would have a healer come to you." Janus back was rigid as he continued to stand facing away from Maxical.

"?Janus, what have I done? Are you mad at me for escaping? Surely you must realize that I was just doing my duty as a prisoner? Besides, I can't even get my armor off, nor back on till I am healed; how can I enter town this way?" Maxical pleaded with her voice, but Janus still kept his back to her. "Janus, please. I will be half nvde coming into town, guards and people will see me! Why don't you want to heal me? You have done it before."

"That was different. Just use your invisibility. I don't want to discuss it." His voice was harsh now.

Without turning Janus could feel she was crying. He was listening to her thoughts and heard her wondering why he was so angry at her, if it wasn't the coat or the escape, what could it be?

"I'm not angry with you. I told you I can't heal you right now." Janus barked.

He heard her crumple to the ground behind him, and started to turn but stopped himself.

"I'm sorry Janus. I know I am filthy right now, it is obvious you can't stand the sight of me. If you would not mind, could you just ride for the healer and have them come here? I will be clean when next we meet."

When she said he couldn't stand the sight of her it brought strong memories of Rona telling him that she couldn't stand the sight of him. He could not let Maxical think he felt that way about her, not knowing how terrible that had made him feel when it was done to him.

Janus listened to her thoughts, she was thinking she had been wrong to come, should never have come. It had been a huge mistake.

If he let her go now she may never come back, certainly not by the way he was treating her. He would have to take the risk.

"You don't know what you are asking of me Maxical. It is for your own good that you not be near me right now, not till you have healed. I am doing this for you." His voice was pleading with her to understand.

Maxical thought it was because of the filth and pulled herself down into the pond to wash.

Please let her get that blood off her, Janus thought, keeping his back turned.

"It is okay Janus. I was wrong to expect you to do things for me since I am no longer your prisoner. It is just that I had come to rely on you to take care of my needs. I apologize." Her tears were evident in her voice.

"Maxical you don't understand. I want to do it for you, but I can't. It is the blood. When I healed you before you did not have blood on you. Please, let us just go to the castle where I can have a healer brought in." Janus's voice was raw with emotions.

He did not want to lose her, but the vampire had already emerged. The smell of her blood in the open air was an overpowering force. The sight of it running freely down her chest and between her briasts; there had been no power in him strong enough to hold back his other side when she ran into his arms and held him.

The man had reached out to hold her just as the vampire was emerging. It was all he could do to push her to safety before his fangs shot out, extending fully in the space of a second. The flood of juices had never been so heavy in his mouth, they flowed like a river. The rush of adrenalin and testosterone was of a magnitude he had never felt before. His eyes glowed, he feared she may see them in the darkness of his cowl and turned his back to her. That had never happened to him, not in all the time she lived with him in his suite as his prisoner.

He could hear her heart beating like a captive bird. A vibration started at his core and began taking over him, humming loudly; yet still he could hear her breath, her pulse over the sound of it. Janus swallowed repeatedly to contain the juices that were overflowing his mouth, but could not swallow quickly enough to keep them from trickling down his chin in almost a steady stream. The juices he swallowed were so plentiful that the euphoria erupted like nothing he had ever felt before. He felt as if the top of his head was coming off from the explosion of sensations that followed that vibration through his body, igniting him till he burned with a passion and lust for the virgin blood that was filling his senses till he could no longer stop himself.

With shaking hands he ripped his cloak off, laying it in the grass beside the pond.

"Maxical?" Janus stretched out his hand to her and helped her onto the cloak. "Lay down, I will heal you. I won't hurt you, you will have to trust what I am doing, since this is a very different type of healing this time. Close your eyes, you will have to keep them shut tightly." In his ears Janus's voice sounded like several people speaking in unison. He wondered if Maxical heard it too.

A new trickle of blood was tracing an awkward path across the top of her briast and down between it and the other.

"Let me help you get this cuirass off so I can get to your shoulder Maxical. I won't hurt you, I promise." His eyes were glowing again, the blood took on a fluorescent appearance. He turned his head in case they showed through the cowl.

"Remember to keep your eyes shut tight now, and don't worry about anything I do. You can trust me." His voice was soft, alluring.

With his tongue he traced the trickle of blood from her sternum and across the top of her briast, then slowly drew it back into his mouth for his first taste of virgin blood. Nothing he could have imagined would have prepared him for what it felt like, the flavor of it in his mouth. There could be nothing sweeter or more pure. He felt his heart begin to race till he feared it may leap from his chest. The blood in his veins began a dance in response to the taste and texture as he rolled it around in his mouth, not wanting to swallow till he had savored every nuance of it. The aroma of it rose up from deep inside her and surrounded him. It was so powerful that his head began swimming and he found himself licking every drop he could find on her skin, svcking the skin till there could not be an atom of it left.

He was nearing her shoulder when he heard it, that sweet blood pulsing thickly in the vein in her neck. It made a sound like a beautiful song; music Dibella could not even match. Janus drew near to hear it, and found it throbbed with the beat of his own heart. As he neared her neck, the vein arched out to him, stunning him! The singing of her blood got louder, it called to him. His heart sped up and the pulse in her neck sped up with him, as if they were one.

The loud vibration inside him had risen to a high pitched sound and was reaching a crescendo that felt like it may deafen him. Her breathing sounded as if many breathed in unison, just like his voice had earlier. But above all he could hear the blood deep in her veins, throbbing as his heart was throbbing, pounding with the vibrations in him. It called him near and he obeyed, a slave to that sweet purity that had driven him mad since she came to his castle that first day; a slave to its calling, to its taunting. He moved his lips down over that vein, trying to silence the sound, mute it with his mouth; yet once again the vein rose up to meet him, and unable to resist another second Janus sank his fangs in. He savored each drop at first, but soon he was gulping, unable to stop.

The high pitched sound slowly faded, and he found himself straining to get even one drop more of that taste, that addictive taste that drove him mad till he had every drop there was to get, and still knew he would never be sated. Finally, the veins dried up. Janus rolled on his back and looked up at the sky, the first time he had been able to see it in the daylight hours in decades. It was glorious, and he reveled in the ability to feel the sun beating down on him and not burn. He ripped off the cowl, letting the light touch his face for the first time in 50 years.

"Maxical? Maxical wake up. I'm sorry Maxical." Janus shook her gently. She didn't wake, so he lay his head on her briast to talk to her, but was surprised not to feel her heart beating.

Janus raised up and looked down at Maxical. Her mouth was twisted in a frozen scream, her eyes were glassed over and bulged in terror. Janus grabbed her hand, it felt slightly stiff. Oh dear Gods! What had he done?

"Maxical! Maxical! Oh my Gods NO! MAXICAL!" Janus shouted at the top of his lungs, but her face stayed frozen in that terrible scream. That was the high pitched sound he had heard, she had been screaming!

Janus leapt up roaring, "NOOOOO! NOOOOO! MAXICAL, NOOOOO!" The room was pitch black. Janus looked around frantically.

He grabbed the body guard and shook him hard. "Where is she? What happened?"

The body guard looked apologetically at him. "You had that bad dream again Sir."

Janus sank down in the chair and poured wine into a stemmed glass with hands that shook violently, spilling a red stain across the white tablecloth. The sight made him cringe and he overturned the chair in the haste with which he leapt up. The wine bottle lay on its side now, continuing to paint the red pattern across the pure white linen, mocking Janus at his core with its contrast to Maxical's white fur with blood trickling across it.

Janus grabbed up the bottle and threw it, smashing it against the heavy stones of the wall, then yanked the tablecloth off and flung it with force into the fireplace.

He opened up another bottle, this time drinking straight from the bottle. When it was drained he called the bodyguard over.

"Get Traven out here immediately. Tell him it is crucial. I want him dragged from his bed and carried here this night, do you understand? And send Hal-Liurz to the chapel, I need her to drag that damned Marie Palielle here. Now go! Immediately!"


***

Oh no. It's over?? No more tonight? You mean, I must wait for more????!!!!!


I started reading your story a week and a half ago. Since I didn't start reading as you were writing, I could read the chapters to my heart's content. And then, it happened....two nights ago....I had read the LAST finished chapter!!! UGGGGGHHHHHH!!!!!

I have to tell you...I don't usually like fiction. I read mostly auto/biographical stuff...and history. But this grabbed my interest! I have been so 'into' each and every chapter!

When I logged on tonight and found you had written a new chapter, I was very excited. But the end came too soon. Too soon. Like a Vampire lusting for another drop of the crimson life force, YOU have left me lusting for another word..another sentence...another paragraph!!

Oh please...let it come soon!!

Thank you for writing this wonderful story!

Bravo! Your fight scene was riveting, but this by far surpasses it in terms of emotional impact (granted this is coming from a girl of course... )

I liked this:
the perfume of her virgin blood was overpowering

It not only conveys the power of Janus' physical attraction to Maxical, but also its source. I am presuming it had such an overly strong effect upon Janus because she was actually bleeding freshly, the blood exposed to the open air. It does beg the question of how Janus would feel about Maxical if she were no longer a virgin as well...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hasKmDr1yrA

I thoroughly enjoyed your description of Janus licking Maxical's blood. It was extremely sensual and erotic. I think I will have to open the windows now to cool down from the heat!

Hah! It was a spoiler! you minx you!

I especially liked the anology here:
continuing to paint the red pattern across the pure white linen,


Now the nits:

You missed the apostrophe in horse's here:
Janus lay the reins against the right side of the horses neck


This sounds a little odd:
A small farm pond lay there for the sheep,

Perhaps it might read more smoothly (albeit longer) like this:
A small pond lay beside a farm, with a wide corral filled with sheep behind the daub and wattle home. Janus remembered her thinking she wanted to clean up.

I am not sure that I would describe Pemberley as a small farm though...


You used the word "Janus" twice here:
As soon as she touched Janus her invisibility spell was broken and Janus could see her.
perhaps replace the second instance with "he" instead?


The same with "arm" here, and "arms-length" ought to be hyphenated:
instead grabbing her arms and holding her at arms length away from him.

I am not sure how you might change that. Perhaps say:
instead grabbing her arms and holding her away from him.


I do not think Mundus has angels, maybe you could say "the gods" instead, or perhaps Dibella, as I think she is the personification of art & music as well as love and lust:
music the angels could not match.

*



@ YvetteJeannine - Thank you so very much!! I had kept going with it, then realized the word count was pretty high, so cut a bunch off the bottom, lol. Thank you so much again, You ROCK !!






Colin Firth, how did you know? I have fought for years to keep the secret! And that is my fave version of P&P too, (and my fave Elizabeth!) you nailed it! Did you see Valmont? He had long hair tied back in a pony tail - you know I have modded all the men in my game to have long hair tied back in a pony tail in honor of Colin Firth as Valmont - one of the hottest roles he has ever played!!!! (!!!!) EDIT: (!!!!!!!)

Q It does beg the question...
A I know, I wish he would jut get it over with so the vampire would go away.

By the way, remember I said I was going to write a six scene with each of them (taking her virginity) and decide wihich to use? Well, this chapter was originally Janus's moment of triumph. Since I wasn't using it as such, I re-edited it to what you see now, lol.

Thank you so much SubRosa !!!!

:read: Yes! This is fabulous. mALX at her best. I liked it for lots of reasons. Here are a few:

Using Janus' perspective to tell what Maxical is thinking in the beginning - very creative and well done.

Masterful depicition of Janus. You have always written well for women. You have developed the ability to write effectively for men (eg: Alix) - and Janus. You have also shown the ability to write for vampires (Vincent) - add Janus to that list as well.

The surprising 'death' of Maxical imediately followed by the surprising revelation that it was a dream. But a dream so real I could taste the blood. . . :liplick:



You have to make decisions about when a touch of review is necessary. I suppose it is possible someone might not imediately recall the significance to Janus (and Rona) of Shadeleaf. For those that might not make the connection, you ensured they would; yet for those of us who well remembered, it was still welcome and nicely done. Very well done and good decision!



Yay! I see you have been using the 'its vs it's' note I sent you to tape to your monitor!


This, is simply beautiful - and most appropriate for our Maxical.

I need to dig one of these out for this story: :trophy:

You had me going with this one! I got my doggie ears in a knot, wondering how Janus would bring her back to life.

Should have known you would throw a twist at us...

Brilliantly written- definitely sensual without going over the line.



There is descriptive metaphor at it best- bravo!

You have estrogen, that + Colin Firth = steam! I am a lisbian and I would still be all over him if he turned up at my door! That version of Pride and Prejudice is everyone's favorite. It is such a huge story you just cannot cram it into a two hour movie like the one with Kiera Knightly. Plus Colin Firth was perfect as Darcy, and Jennifer Ehle was perfect as Elizabeth. No one else can ever fill their shoes without seeming smaller in comparison. Have you seen Lost In Austen? Now that is a both hilarious and still incredibly romantic take on P&P.

I have not seen Valmont. I saw Dangerous Liaisons before it, and figured there was no point in bothering with it. But that was before I knew who Colin Firth was. Needless to say, it is now in my Netflix queue...

Poor Janus, his big moment turning to ash in his mouth! To think that he lost his chance to [not going to give it away!]!

Valmont is Colin Firth on steroids. (not to mention the long hair in a pony tail). I had to open the windows for a week after watching it, and it was winter! I agree he made the perfect Mr. Darcy. Have not seen Lost In Austen.

I found out a few things in the construction editor about Fathis, Janus, and Manheim. The game settings for Janus give him a well rounded personality. The ones for Fathis make him a creep - but can be altered (I would assume) Manheims are a miniscule amount better than Fathis's, but he has not got the range of being boring that Fathis has. (in other words, Fathis can bore you on many more subjects than Manheim can).

I am going to experiment in my mod and see if I can improve Fathis's personality. Also, I considered turning back on the "owned" status of all but the beds, but altering the responses to happy ones if you tresspass. (then put in my own dialogue - ROFL) Hmmm.

It is getting harder and harder to get pics of Maxical with these guys she is supposed to be with. (except Manheim, he is just plain easy as long as she is being friendly, and I fixed that by giving him a personality boost. He needed it.)

Ha, Janus is not the only one addicted to the story of Maxical.
Simply amazing writing girl. Bram would be proud. :bowdown:

You certainly had me going with the death of our khajiit. What a svcker I was.

I had visions of you pulling up your stumps (australian vernacular there, sorry!!) and leaving the forum.
I had already formed a posse and was ready to hunt you down and drag you back to the fan fiction.

Please do not even consider stopping the story of Max.
It is pure brilliance.

You draw us in immediately and take us to places that we never could have foreseen. I loved how you maintained the conflict in the dream while remaining in Janus' head. The fact that he can hear how she perceives his actions while he is caught up in this struggle between man and vampire was simply heartbreaking. And when I read this:



I literally dropped my pen! Congratulations on what I think is your best chapter yet. :bowdown:

@ Subrosa - EDIT: PS: - on the ash - apt term! After I wrote it and started proofreading it...er...well let's just say that...er... :flamethrower: - would not pass forum censors?


***


@ Acadian - Thank you very much! (It always helps if you switch POV and the subject can read thoughts, lol. )

Thank you on this, my problem with writing for men may have been solved by Treydog and Winter Wolf suggesting I find an IRL model for my characters - The model I chose for Janus is not exactly real, but very manly - and no, it is NOT Hank Hill - or Quagmire! ROFL !! (Reading the lines when she first met him should be a strong clue, and I think SubRosa has already figured it out, however since she sent me that vid I may consider altering Janus's role model - I will have to watch Valmont again to decide, lol).

SubRosa said that the vampire writing is the best of my repertoire, and I have found that I love it. (for some unknown reason) There is a freedom in writing it; it releases you to take a step into the unknown and define it to your own suiting. Vicente and Janus are vastly different in their motivations, strengths, and powers - but what drives the vampire side is the same. I hoped to draw that parallel with this chapter as a confirmation to Maxical's readers that had questioned/commented exactly this point since Janus entered the story.

I appreciate you Acadian, and thank you so much for the trophy!

***

@ Treydog - Thank you so much Treydog! I can't tell you how much it means to me when you like something I have written!

I had edited a lot off the end, and then didn't like the way it read after all the edits. At the last minute I wrote that paragraph and started fiddling with it. The line you quoted was the last line written for this chapter, and I was worried it would not fly well since it didn't have the benefit of hours of edits, lol. Thank you again Treydog!


***

@ Winter Wolf - What an Awesome thing to say! You ROCK !! Thank you very much, that really touched me a lot!

***

@ Destri Melarg - Thank you so very much! Whew! That meant a lot to hear! (As you have already seen, my forte' is not in the battles,(pun intended), lol.) - but I agree with you, in my opinion it is my best chapter yet, and I would be very hard pressed to surpass it.

Janus has so many depths, he draws me in to his complexity as I try and write his parts. He is at the same time the easiest character to write and the hardest for just that reason.


*

You know, Maxical, I am obsessive-compulsive in a certain way: I always find myself trying to tie all the loose ends of a story into a neat logic knot. Which makes me think: why not find a logical way to explain the attraction of virgin blood for male vampires? Or even further still, the attraction of virgin blood for all vampires, male and female...

Here are my thoughts. Vampires are creatures that live forever, and have two natures. The 'dry' nature gives power over thought processes, and various other powers - say, invisibility, and the ability to shapeshift - that are not possible to mortals: but strength, appearance, the ability to withstand sunshine or even heat, is given only by shifting to the 'wet' nature, which is gained by taking in blood. So logically, after a long time without blood even the slightest amount of light and flame is extremely painful to a vampire, and can kill him. On the other hand, drinking blood causes vampires to lose their ability to be telepathic and mentally dominant, and drinking too much blood can make them vulnerable to frost.

But a special type of VIRGIN blood - the blood of a human that has reached sixual maturity, but has not yet had sixual experience - can give our vampire both the powers of the dry and wet natures, and this is the logical reason why they are drawn irresistably to that blood.

Well, that's my two cents. Perhaps it isn't all that good, but possibly you can derive something from it!!!

Thanks to my Maxicat!!!

Or rather, instead of emphasizing on the blood (which I doubt will change once "broken in") emphasize on hormones. These are far more interesting and very related to feromones. Vampires with their sharpened senses would pick that up.

Heh. My eyebrows had risen a fair amount as I read through... thinking "Well, that wasn't who I was expecting to be her first..." Well done - "it was all a dream" twists can sometimes veer into cliche territory, but when it's done nicely, as it was here, you gave us a look down one road not taken, so to speak.

And bonus points from me for Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy. God, I love that version of P&P. I think I may pop it into the DVD this evening when I start a marathon xmas gift wrapping binge. With a glass of wine, that on the screen, it will hardly seem like a chore. *wanders off cradling mug of coffee Mmmmm, Mr. DarcyFirth....*

Yeah! Leydenne! I had to kill Maxical off to get you to come read her! Thank you so much for that,.....of course "it was all a nightmare" could mean he actually killed her, and is just having a nightmare over it.... hmmm. I have to be careful with that though, as Winter Wolf has already informed me I will be hunted down like a dog if I do.

We need to start a Colin Firth thread filled with clips from his vids. If I can get a clip of the seduction scene from Valmont I will post it in that rather than spam my own thread with it, lol. Did you see the strip scene at the pond that SubRosa sent me as an XMas present? Manheim nvde - who? ROFL!! Leydenne I appreciate you so much, thank you again, and Happy Holidays!!


@ Foxy - Vampires and virgin blood has been a part of vampire Lore since it began. I did not invent it, just wrote about it. You have a great theory going there, I sent you a PM with some discussion on this subject (that is not fit for the forum, however) as to my viewpoints on why I think it became a part of the Lore. If you spend the holidays doing a survey on the last paragraph I would love a detailed update with the results sent to my PM box, ROFL !! Thank you so much Foxy, I know you don't have much time to read anymore, or comment - so the fact that you took the time to stop in means a whole lot to me. You ROCK !!!!!! Happy Holidays Foxy!


@ RemkoNL - I appreciate so much that you took the time to leave a comment, I know you told me you didn't have time to read or comment right now, so that you put forth the effort to leave a comment means a lot. Thank you so much. I hope you have an Awesome holiday season!

@ EVERYONE: Happy Holidays! I hope you have a great time, enjoy them and stay safe! To all that read Maxical, You ROCK !!



** I got my son a Fender guitar and Peavey amp for XMas - he will faint from surprise !!! Wait, what is that noise? I hear... ARGH! He found it and has set it up already! OH NOOOOOO!!!! Well, he does love it, so that is good.

*Looks around, makes sure the coast is clear*

Hey Malx I wanted to drop by at the end of your third thread to let you know I'm still reading the first one. I don't know when I'll catch up, but when I do I'll be sure to give you one heck of a critique. I really owe it to you for having read all my stuff so far, I wouldn't want to look inconsiderate (though that would mean I need to read Acadian's stuff too, wouldn't it?)

Anyway, just letting you know I like what you've done so far, and to keep up the good work :goodjob:

PS Afterall, if all these fine folks like it enough to stick around, it must be very much worth taking a break from Monte Cristo to read

Thanks!

I want to thank everyone that has been reading Maxical's Journey, A New Sun Rises - Maxical's Journey II, and A New Sun Rises - Maxical's Journey III. The help you have given me to improve it, I could never thank you all enough for that. For every one of you that has encouraged me or lit a fire under my tail to make me go back and fix things - You ROCK !!!!




Maxical's entire journey has been captured in the picture albums of her Myspace page, if you would like to visit it:

http://www.myspace.com/oblivion_khajiit




For convenience the whole story is posted on FanFiction, here is a link to the story there:

http://www.fanfiction.net/~malx







If you prefer to stay on the forum, here are the links to all previous chapters:




Maxical's Journey - A New Sun Rises - (Chapters 1 - 23)

http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1038084-maxicals-journey/




A New Sun Rises - Maxical's Journey II - (Chapters 24 - 36)

http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1050778-a-new-sun-rises-maxicals-journey-ii/




A New Sun Rises - Maxical's Journey III - (Chapters 37 - 50)

http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1056626-a-new-sun-rises-maxicals-journey-iii/




A New Sun Rises - Maxical's Journey IV - (Chapters 51 - 65)

http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1065146-a-new-sun-rises-maxicals-journey-iv/




A New Sun Rises - Maxical's Journey V - (Chapters 66 - 85)

http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1071522-a-new-sun-rises-maxicals-journey-v/




A New Sun Rises - Maxical's Journey VI - (Chapters 86 - ??)


http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1080421-a-new-sun-rises-maxicals-journey-vi/






* Special thanks to Rumpleteasza for the idea of putting separate links for the chapters - I know my parents will appreciate that!




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