User blog:Carthois/Lights in the Dark

Well, hi everyone, my name is Carthois, but everyone always calls me Carth. This will be my second fan fiction and I hope you guys will enjoy it. Most of my writing is kinda like fairy tale stories, but I try to be more modern with the text, so please bear with me. On that note, I try to write stories revolving around monster girls that don't usually get much of the spotlight, that is not to say that some don't like them, and many of the others I personally adore. Well, here you go, this story involves a middle-aged gravekepper and a, semi-bipolar, wisp and their yearning to be loved. Please enjoy and tell me what you think I should work on and do next, I might just make it. Later!

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The night was hot and restless. An amusing way to describe a graveyard in the middle of the night. Ah, but it is a summer night isnt it, he reminded himself. Of all things that Ivan had to deal with, the heat was usually the most persistant. Well, he decided to take a walk around the perimeter, so he shouldn't be complaining, he thought.

Despite how some would feel put off by the ambience of the cemetary, Ivan always welcomed it. It was almost like a small world that he watched over, from tending to the graves; making them presentable to deposition of the dead. It has been his way of life for along time. Although it was his own world, there were also certain problems that he had to deal with regularly, and sometimes the dead won't stay dead. Ferocious howls would sound in the night against the back drop of the nights full moons as werewolves and hellhounds would parade into the cemetary. Every now and then a zombie would appear and sluggishly walk toward any essance of a man, thankfully Ivan himself wasn't sought out. Ghosts were a slightly different story. they would actually be friendly with Ivan at first, but enevitably their wild fantasies about Ivan would drive him away from that route. Through these series of incidents, Ivan adopted a tool to help him avoid such wild nymphs: a heavy handed shovel.

Thankfully though he never resorted to that. Every now and then a few foolhardy young men would wander in and try to brave the nights in the graveyard; sadly to no avail for almost everytime they would be taken away. Every while, Ivan would see this and laugh at himself and say,' It's probably because I'm too old for them, eh?'

True enough, he was a bit on the gray side, his beard and sides showed it and his tone carried with it more weight than one of a man ten years younger. Always had he been exuberant in his work but it began to slowly take its toll and he was beginning to realise it. Upon doing so, Ivan took a more leisurely approach to his job, that is not to say that he slacked off upon his treatment of the dead. More specifically, he began to have a taking to books.

Rounding the corner, Ivan thought fondly of a tale he had recently read, where a man charmed a winged woman with his skill on the fiddle and his bare passion. Such stories warmed his heart, but also depressed him. He would think of how many times he missed such opportunities to be with a woman, whether she be human or monster, and would dream if he could take it all back and do it again. In truth he was a lonely man whose heart was yearning, but he had denied himself that, and lost himself in both his work and the stories. It was the life he chose.

Upon returning to his shack at the front of the cemetary, Ivan spotted foot prints lying on the path from outside the gates. No doubt that they were those of more bold, stupid young lads. 'They never learn do they?' he sighed.

Following the tracks, Ivan walked deeper into the graveyard, while again such under tones of it's eeire didn't disturb him in the least. Finally, seeing a small lantern in the dark, he spotted the boys in the distance. Upon arriving at the scence behind the lads, he could hear them shouting,

'Go away!'

'Why haven't you died yet?'

'Your lonely even in death, you wench!'

Not fully comprehending their actions, Ivan could only see that they were in great disrespect to the dead; that was enough for him. Banging his shovel loudly against a nearby headstone, he shouted at the boys, 'If you mess with the dead, then you will answer to me!'

The boys whirled around. If they weren't already scared by the ominous air of the graveyard, they were definitly scared now.

"Now you boys better get out of this cemetary, or me and my friend here,' he held up his shovel,' are going to knock a few dents in you!'

The boys didn't even hesitate, before he could even finsih the sentence they were galloping past him and heading back down the path from whence they came. Everytime one of them enters, its almost sickening to him, possibly because of their youthful selves and his jealousy thereof, he tought.

Having done way with the lot, Ivan almost stalked backup to the shack when a soft whimpering cry jolted him. Turning around he could see a faint blue light behind a tomestone a some paces ahead of him. As he grew closer, the sobbs begame louder and Ivan could unmistakebly tell the they were sobbs of a woman. Finally while only a few steps away from the light, a harsh screech pierced the night.

'Get away from me! You've had your fun, now leave me alone!'

Evidently she still thinks that I am one of the boys, he thought. Caustiously, he spoke up,' Ma'am, those boys are gone, its alright now.'

Much to his disappointment she yelled out,'Your lying! You are going to hurt me like those other men! Go away!'

Against better judgement Ivan lay his shovel down on the ground. 'Ma'am, I swear I am not here to hurt you in anyway please do come out.' It started to seem like a more delicate situation than what he had previously thought. Why would a woman be here on a night like this?

He soon had his answer, for she was no ordinary woman. A blue face peered from behind the grave stone, followed by the rest of her floating body. She wore a gray frilled blouse that had been white before but now had proceed to fade. She had faded blue highlights in contrast to her white hair, but complemented the rest of her body which swirlded in blue flame. However at the lower end of her body there was a large wrought-iron cage that conformed to her like a corset. Despite having the innocence in her voice, her appearance betrayed her as the monster she was, however Ivan was unfazed.

Figures, he thought, inching back towards his shovel.

Once the monster had seen that the man was alone, she smiled ruefully and leaped whimsically on to the top of the headstone, that she had just earlier cowering behind.

'My what is a handsome man, doing here?' she fervidly asked.

Ivan straightened. 'I am the gravekeeper here. I can see you're obviously a ghost. Nice to make the aquaintance.'

'Oh, a gentlemen I see.' she giggled. 'Yes I am a wisp, and it is even greater to meet you my... noble hero...how..may I...ever repay you?'

Suddenly, Ivan could feel the air change from eerie to tense, as the blue wisp's tongue licked the edges of her smile.

'I ....wouldn't go that far....' not even finishing his sentence, Ivan lungged for his shovel. The wisp pounced from the headstone, grabbing him by the hems of his trousers, his hand just inches away from his shovel.

'But I must insist!' she lustfully laughed.

As she pulled harder reaching higher to his belt, Ivan pulled with all of his might to grab his shovel, and just barely did so. He swong it around, hitting the wisp flat in the face.

She let out an awful shreik of pain, letting go of his trousers; covering her nose. Seizing the opportunity, Ivan ran for it. Running passed the countless gravestones he head back up the path as fast as he could; never turning back. Arriving at his shack, Ivan threw the door shut and bolted it, putting the handle of the shovel through the door latch and pressing hard up against the door. As soon as the latch had been pinned by the shovel, the wisp, who had been hot on Ivan's heels, began to brutally bang upon the door shouting and screaming for him to come out. That night, was one of Ivan's most unfomfortable nights he ever expirienced, for the banging continued throughout the rest of the night.

'''. .   .'''



Ivan awoke the next morning still propped up against his door. Looking around in his small room, he slowly got up off of the floor and rubbed his eyes. The clock told a few minutes past noon, but more on his mind was the exhausting events of the previous night. He looked to see his shovel still firmly planted in between the door handle, and also realized that there weres several gouges that ran throught the door.

Good lord, he thought, she even clawed through to the other side. However, he was thankful that she didn't manage to get in. A thorough pain shot up his shoulder as he pulled of his short-sleeved shirt and began changing into cleaner clothes. His body rippled with pain as he changed and he cursed his prediciment aloud. After changing he pulled out a small canister of coffee powder and began boiling the water over his small fire pit.

It occurred to him that this was the first time a monster had ever followed him back to the shack. More surprising, was that it was a monster he hadn't seen before. It had been a while since he had to refer to it, but Ivan was still glad to have his copy of the Mamono Encyclopedia. Searching until he reached the back of the book, he found the page that best suited the girl he had seen, the wisp; recalling how he heard her address herself as such.

The text read some slightly unwelcomed facts about a wisps nature, such as their deep jealously for couples and a rather ferocious appetite for men. The only thing that he could relate to with her was the lonesome she dealt with. Thinking back now, he could remember more details of her than he previously had seen. Her hair wasn't matted or frayed but had a sleak shine against her blue flame. Her dress wasn't even ornate but was a simple frilled blouse and skirt; were one of the the many funeral dresses that the cemetary would use on those deceased who hadn't had much to be buried in.

However, now he was glad to have survived that encounter, and gleefully thought about how she probably grabbed some lad before the daylight came up. Ivan set the encyclopedia in its place in the book shelf and started for the door. Upon opening it, his heart ceased for what felt like ten full seconds.

For upon his doorstep lay the same wisp as the night before, huddled under the porch to escape the sizziling heat. Not only was she still here, but she was, as Ivan could only call it, unconscious. He was at a lose for words, as would anyone who arrived in this situation.

Well I can't just leave her here, he thought, and reluctantly he picked her up around her arms and half dragged her into the shack; the cage making scraps on the wood floors. He laid her on his bed and propped up her cage onto his chair. She stirred in his bed and turned over, as if to sleep.

'Don't worry I'll be back, but I swear to the Chief God, if you do any more of the stunts you pulled last night, young lady, I will...' he couldn't finish. The sight of her body made his mind wander, from the tips of her long white hair to the ghastly blue forms of her legs which lay incased in her cage.

Because of her semi-unconscious state, her vibrant flames have dulled, revealing her slender body. Such a body, made Ivan fluster, despite his age. Her waist was naturally tight and her curves weren't too large or too small, but just ample enough to be caressed. And her face seemed gentle and smooth; her eyes, although closed, seemed like small clams that will reveal such beautiful pearl eyes...

Ivan slapped himself and grabbed his shovel, walking out the shack, cursing his libido for not having dulled with the rest of his body. Later, he thought how funny it was, that he spent all night keeping her out, only to let her in the next morning.

'''. .   .'''



By the time Ivan went back to the shack, it was starting to get dark. Not only that but, he also had to deal with what was inside. Tightly gripping his shovel, he slowly turned the knob and opened the door.

For what was before him, he wasn't really prepared. The wisp  was no longer on the bed, where he had last seen her, but now sitting in a chair next to the fire pit reading one of his many books on the shelf adjacent to the bed. On his arrival into the shack, the wisp, shut the book and rose to speak, but Ivan hastened to speak first, ' I don't want to deal with any of your tricks or flirtations, nor would like care to be held against my will for eternity. Now if you would-'

She cut him off. ' I just wanted to thank you. For bringing inside....we don't do well in the daytime...'

For a moment, Ivan didn't know what to say. He had expected a savage parting but this was nowhere near what he thought.

She continued, ' I...I..apologize for my...my rude behavior last night...I am not quite used to ...being this...'

Ivan looked puzzled. 'So you were most recently alive?'

She nodded her head.

He wasn't willing to trust her yet, but a wave of relief washed over him.Leaning his shovel against the wall, he began taking off his shoes; setting them to the side of the door.

As he did so, the wisp rose up, 'I...guess I shall-'

Shutting the door behind him, he grabbed his shovel again and said, 'No, you may remain seated.'

Slowly she sank back into the chair, without any protest, but obivously nervious.

Ivan, now barefoot, walked passed her and put a tea bag in the pot over his small fire pit. 'I would offer tea but...' he then gestured to her ghastly body. 'Oh please...don't worry about it.." she sank deeper into the chair. Pulling a stool from the corner of the room, Ivan sat down and laid his shovel next to him.

'Well, how did you like it?'

Momentarily, she didn't understand what he was refering too, but suddenly remembered the book in her hand. 'Oh! I...I love it! however...I don't know who its from...or much about it so far, but...'

Ivan cleared his throat, 'It's about a boy and his dream to be like his father, a great hunter. However, he finds that as he becomes a hunter, he starts to want something else. He finds a girl one day, out in the forest and becomes friends with her....'

He stopped. 'Well, enough about that, I'll start to ramble.' He couldn't help but grin as she seemed somewhat displeased that he didn't finish the story. Pulling the pot out from the fire, he poured his cup of tea and sat back down. 'Well it is time for introductions.... my name is Ivan, and who might you be young lady?'

She pouted. 'I am not a child, and my name is Auriel....'

'Well then, my apologies.' He took a sip of his tea. 'Well then Ms. Auriel, I take it that you like books?'

She nodded her head. 'Most assuredly I do, I never got to read them alot...while I was living, but I guess I have alot of time on my hands now so...might as well, right?'

'Yes, I can understand that.' He beckoned for the book, which she gave to him.

'I would like to propose a deal...that is if you're interested?'

She seemed a bit hesitant. 'What...kind of deal?'

'I will let you stay here during the day, and when the chance ever arises, I will read to you some of my books. In return, I would ask only that you would refrain from trying to attack me. Is that a fair deal?'

Wholeheartedly she nodded. 'I really don't want to attack you, Mr. Ivan, but sometimes when it gets dark I....'

'Please don't call me that, I don't really like being reminded of my age. It's ok, Auriel, just make sure to be a ways away from me when it happens. So do we have a deal?' He held out his hand.

She gladly shook it and got up to go, 'But why would you offer me that?'

Standing up to let Auriel out he said, 'Because I do get lonely at times...and you seem to be a good person, I figure why not?'

She smiled and thanked him, and that he would see her in the morning. That night, was how Ivan met Auriel, and how their meeting would eventually change them forever.

-

Now, now, yes ther will be a new chapter, sorry to get you hopes up, but you'll have to wait. Other than that, I wanted to thank you guys for reading, and please comment on anything I need to work on or do next. Just please...be nice to me...please?