When RP takes control IC thread

[NyghtRayne]

Skyler

She moved to his side as he sunk to the floor, her hand rested on his arm, her touch cold on his skin. She looked to him her eyes filled with concern and something much deeper could be seen within their depths. “Dominic, are you alright?” She watched as he shook his head and took that as a yes, not realizing the inner conversation he was dealing with.

Then he shook his head as if to clear it and looked to her. "Uh...Skyler...? What..." he cleared his throat, "What...what do you think? Should I go see the necromancer?"

“If she can help you then yes, go see her.” She knew the necromancer was a woman, she had heard her voice among the others earlier as she fed. She squeezed his arm gently, “I would rather you see if she can help first. Then if not see what the Sages say, and then if it begins to get any worse…” She let her words trail off, she did not want to tell him how she could help, he wasn’t ready for something like that.

She moved to stand and offered to help him from the floor. “I think we should go find her, I feel I can go out even though it is still afternoon. I woke with the sun upon me on the couch and nothing happened, no burning, no panic, nothing. Maybe here I am safe, or maybe something more is changing within me, I hope that is something the Sages can answer.”

 

[Xenocide_613]

Thalryn & Elistraee

Thalryn had reflexively jumped to the lady necromancer’s aid, only to be shrugged aside by one of her servants.

Such loyalty is hard to find in the living Elistraee’s voice appeared in all their minds.

“Indeed.” Thalryn spoke, a slight smile reappearing on his face. “My lady, this is my familiar, Elistraee.” He stooped to one knee and picked up the ebon furred ferret as she faded into visibility, then raised quickly from the cold dirt of the cemetery. The familiar ran up his arm and perched regally on the elf’s shoulder. She dipped her head in a ferret version of a bow.

It is a pleasure to meet you, my lady. Are you well?

“Yes, could I do anything for you?” The elf spoke up, a look of concern on his face. “If you are not in good health, I couldn’t ask you to heal another.”

 

[Apollo Wilde]

Zhu and her servants

Her ruby eyes brightened at the sight of the animal. Reaching forward, she began to rub under the ferret’s chin.

“Aren’t you just the cutest thing!” She smiled brightly. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Elistraee. This is Shihou, Huozai, and Lang,” she said, waving her hand out behind her to her servants. Each of the men bowed in turn.

“No one loves like the dead, Elistraee,” quipped Lang. “It exists before existence and after.” Zhu flushed a little, continuing to rub under the ferret’s chin. The other two men also flushed [ rather than pink staining their cheeks, the slightest hint of living flesh could be seen across their face ], and looked away.

“Lang has a habit for speaking too much, and out of turn,” grumbled Shihou. “I believe he’s going out of his way to embarrass our lady…” Interesting how all of them seemed to be avoiding the question of Zhu’s health, including the girl. The three servants had exchanged glances as the question sunk in. At this time, they were not at liberty to say what plagued her, or themselves, for that matter. However, suspicion would not be welcome by anyone. Huozai’s deft mind tried to find an answer, though. These people were persistent; that had been proven a while back.

“What troubles our mistress…” he began, taking a pause as if he was sighing, “is a curse set upon her when she was but a child. We all suffer in turn from it.” There. That was enough of the truth not to evoke suspicions, and vague enough to hide the details.

“And my health is fine!” she snapped, her attention not diverting from the little creature. “I just get these spells from time to time. It’s no big deal - they pass quickly.” She glanced into the bright eyes of the ferret, then up into the elf’s green pools, reassuring him of her words.

At this time…from all the other circumstances, her eyes seemed not to fit her body, her person. Despite their adult shape and form, a pure childlike honesty illuminated her pupils, and gave them light. If one was to look carefully at her servants, that same light that made her eyes so alive echoed within each of their own.

“But I would be more concerned for the one with Blight’s health than my own. I’ve dealt with my own sickness for years, and it has not kept me from doing anything except remembering,” she said, giving Elistraee a final pet. “The Blight is not only a physical aliment, but a mental one as well. It starts to take over your mind after a time. When it gets to that stage, it’s much harder to heal…” She bit at the tip of her fingernail, going over her options. Imagine, a necromancer strong enough to have mind control in his Blight! She wondered if she was up to a fraction of his power...but the darkness also had a way of warping the Art as well. “I need to see him first before I know what stage he’s at, in addition to figuring out what kind of cure to use. More than likely I’ll be coming back here to ask a few favors of the Departed.”

Nudging at the ground with the tip of her boot, she smiled a little.

 

[Tantrikenetic]

Dominic

I looked up into her eyes and nodded. I got the vague feeling she was hiding something from me, but I wasn't in the mood to bring it up. I got to my feet and took a deep breath. Her eyes were so bright...so caring...how could I think about hurting her like that? Why were my hormones so out-of-control? I'd never do anything to harm her.

I got the vision of me stabbing her again, but I managed to push it away quickly. I didn't want to see that again. But a disturbing thought crossed my mind. Could the Blight be spread through blood? Did I accidently endanger Skyler?

Of course...she's undead...she couldn't be infected with it. At least...I didn't think so...

With Skyler by my side, I walked out into the sunlight. I squinted. The light seemed brighter than usual. It almost hurt my eyes. I would have given anything for a pair of sunglasses.

I walked around until I found Jasleth. "Ok Jas...I want to see the Necromancer. Where can I get some...pauper clothes?"

 

[Xenocide_613]

Thalryn

The elf knew the necromancer was hiding something, but he also knew it wasn’t his place to inquire. Instead, he turned the conversation back to her previous line of questioning.

“It was Beolve Castle. Where we encountered Avrice, I mean. There is a picture of it where I am staying.” Thalryn met her eyes again, though the intensity from his own gaze had lessened considerably.

He reached up and scratched Elistraee behind the ears before speaking again. “I’m sure you know the way back, but if you are ready, I will lead us back to the pagoda where I am staying.”

He grinned mischievously as he turned away from the lady necromancer, walking toward the gate as he spoke. “By the way, you still haven’t told me your name…”

 

[Apollo Wilde]

Zhu and her servants

“Then lead the way…And my name is not important! After I heal this man, I doubt you’ll ever see me again,” she sniffed. Why would she go and visit him? It was clear he was already taken by that elf girl, and she was not in the mood for dirty looks again. She got enough of those already…

At the mention of the scene of the castle, the servants paused. A glance passed between the three before they caught up to her. “Just a precaution, M’lady…do not observe that scene. It’ll make you have an attack,” whispered Shihou. She nodded slightly, and twisted her hair from the back of her neck.

Now, wasn’t this strained.

Her servants weren’t talking [ they were too busy looking out for her own well being ], she didn’t want to talk to the elf any more than she had to otherwise she would lose her train of thought, and even the cute little ferret wasn’t talking. She sighed and kicked at a dirt clod. If she just told him her name, it would make things easier, true, but her name wasn’t easily spoken. It had power behind it, just like the names of her servants. Repeating her name bound her just as much to them as they were to her. The very meaning of it was “life”, it was one of the spell words that she breathed out slowly when she was working her way.

But it was obvious that he wasn’t going to give up.

“You may not know my name elf, but for the time, just call me Vivre, since you must have a name from me. When we get somewhere else, Shihou will tell you the riddle to figuring out my real name…” she said, smiling ever so slightly.

 

[Xenocide_613]

Thalryn

The gold elf’s eyebrow rose. “A riddle? You are most intriguing.” He paused, as if pondering the name she had given.

“As for not seeing me or my party again after the healing, if you are so intent on finding Avrice, I doubt we will part ways for very long.” He grinned a bit, toying with the idea of journeying with the woman and her servants. He had never met one as pure of heart as she. Except maybe for Jasleth, but the monk strived for it, where Vivre came by it naturally. He sighed as he looked at the woman. She was quite beautiful, in a rather exotic way. Especially in her “working clothes” he thought with a grin.

They all left the cemetery and headed for the pagoda, Thalryn in the lead. Before entering he turned to the lady necromancer, a look of concern on his face.

“I know you’re last visit here was rather…eventful. I apologize for those I travel with. They can be rather short sighted at times. I ask that you try to bear with them. We have not had very pleasant dealings with necromancers. Please…” he said beseechingly, “don’t take their feelings personally. I will mend what errors in their judgment I can.”

 

[Apollo Wilde]

Zhu and her servants

“If Avrice has been doing all this evil, I have no choice but to find him. He must be eradicated, or re taught in the right way of the Art. I will confront him and either ask him or force him to change his ways.”

The three men behind her beamed. They had raised her right. Casting a glance back at them, she smiled, feeling their reassurance. “I can ignore your friends if they do not speak to me. I need the utmost in concentration when assessing the Blight. It’s not an easy thing to cure, and I do get distracted easily. I will be civil with them later, but now is not the time,” her voice had taken on quite the hint of the business woman.

“Shihou, Huozai, Lang - be dolls and accompany me within.”

“Of course, M’lady,” they replied in unison.

“By the way, elf, I got your familiar’s name, but not yours. You put me through all kinds of hell for mine, and yet you keep yours tucked away. How very odd…” She smiled at him, tucking a wild strand of hair behind her ear. Pulled up like this, it hid the tips of her ears, but revealed the large silver hoop in her left ear. The garnet within seemed to be reflecting a world all it’s own -either through the craftsmanship or illusion. “But that can wait, if you so desire.”

A gesture with her hand, and her servants took their places at her side. They had been silent as of late, feeling no need to check her words, or to speak for themselves. Right now, they would be content to watch how she had grown in her art…and if she needed improvement. The roles of foster father and brothers were cast off to be replaced by the roles of tutor and errand boys.

“I hope he was in good health before the Blight got to him, that could make my job a lot harder…” she sighed, shaking her hair from her face, debating if she should go in in her work clothes…Might as well. She unfastened her white shirt at the collar, seemingly pulling on her gloves as she did so. A second later, she was stripped back down to her suit, her outer garb in the hands of Lang. The hilt of her rapier caught the dimmed light, and she shook her hair down in waves of black tainted red-gold to her waist.

“Show me where he is.”

 

[Xenocide_613]

Thalryn & Elistraee

The elf quite noticeable appraised the lady necromancer. He was one to enjoy beauty when he got the chance.

After scanning the rest of her body, Thalryn’s eyes came to rest on hers. “Humblest apologies, Vivre. In my quest for your name, I quite negligently failed to give my own.”

He does that Chimed in Elistraee.

The gold elf stooped down into a bow, causing the ferret to scramble for a hold on his tunic as she was suddenly vertical, then suddenly horizontal again. The elf met Vivre's ruby eyes with the slightest hint of a smirk on his lips.

“I am Thalryn Amastacia, a bladesinger of house Amastacia. A pleasure.” He grinned. “Now, I believe Dominic is just through the courtyard and up the stairs.”

The group walked into the courtyard, then into the pagoda where Dominic stood at Jasleth’s door.

"Ok Jas...I want to see the Necromancer. Where can I get some...pauper clothes?"

“Uh, Dom, I don’t think that will be necessary.” Thalryn inturrupted as he entered, remembering the offer Vivre’s servant had made.

The oracle turned around from the doorway, a questioning, and somewhat malicious, look on his face. The gold elf eyed him curiously, but held his tongue. “This is the necromancer I’m sure Jasleth told you about. She would like to do an evaluation on your condition.”

 

[katalynn]

Athyna sat there for the longest time trying hard to fight these feelings she had. At first they faded, there was nothing but peace for sometime, till she placed her hands upon the earth that is.

Her hands down at her sides feeling the earth, grass. It spoke to her, giving her visions of the golden elf. Distant at first as if in a dream, a dream that was becoming more real as the passing second. His back was turned towards her, looking or talking to someone else. Athyna looked up to see the female necromancer, they were just talking..... The talk was hushed by him placing a hand upon the female necromancers face, followed by a kiss. And that look that was in both their eyes as they watched eachother tore her to shreads. The earth has never lied her before, spirits of the forest always there for her....

"Why must you show me this? Why now? I can't take this.... Why must I feel this way?"

Her mind was in tears, yet after her questions of why she should feel this way was answered. A moment of darkness, another moment there she was, in his arms on the roof of the first day they met. Never in all her life as anyone held her in such a way, never making an advancement to anything else, just held her as she slept.

Tear fell from it's prison, hard knot tied in her throat as she snapped out of it. Refraining from shedding anymore tears over a male. So far every male she has met has hurt her in some fashon. This was just jealousy.... Or was it?

Athyna and Pouncer walked back, going back towards their room after some time. Coming up just in time to see him and her, the way he looked at her was just as it was in the vision. Then he bowed towards her, making Strae struggle upon his shoulder.

Again, she faught back the tears, keeping her distance till they were up top with everyone else. Cept Kryss. Athyna stepped up, she didn't have an angered look, in fact was quite different. As if someone just slapped her in the face.

"Excuse me a moment."

Her voice faltered a moment, forcing herself to not cry over something she did not wish to believe.

"First I would like to apologize for any misunderstandings earlier."

She spoke directly towards the female necromancer, now that she had gotten a closer look, she had noticed that she was indeed not a dark elf, but that was the least of her concerns.

"I feel I should speak on behalf of another member of this party, for it seems you all have failed to remember. As we speak, there is another who yeilds this blight. Hers, from my understanding, is a bit more difficult than his. But, I will more than be happy to pay you for the extra time and effort for your attention to her as well."

Again, each word faltered a little each time. The tears, seemed to show, yet never once fell from her eyes. She held out a bag of coins and placed it on the railing.

"This should be more than enough for your troubles and effort in helping us."

With that she left for the room her and Thal shared before anyone can speak. Though she did not stay in the room long, opening the window and climbed with the greatest grace to the roof. Shooting an arrow towards the sky,

"Wish you were looking over me now... But perhaps tonight I will be sleeping under your stars. For I have fallen..."

She whispered softly, as she closed her eyes. Still all she could see was the way he looked at the female necromancer. Athyna didn't want this... didn't need this.. not now. Still, she held onto the tears, refusing to cry over this, over something that may be nothing at all..... yet.. the way he looked at her.

 

[NyghtRayne]

Skyler

She stood in the courtyard next to Dominic, actually enjoying the feel of the sun on her skin. Upon hearing the others approach she turned to them as Thalryn spoke. She looked to the Lady Necromancer and her three followers, she nodded in greeting. She liked the changes she was going through in someway, but was still fighting the fear of the sunlight.

She then looked past the group as Athyna and the big cat returned. She could see something was bothering her, but kept silent as she stopped close and spoke to the necromancer. She hadn't forgotten Kryss, but had been so busy in her own changes and Dominic since being here it had slipped to the back of her mind. She felt a twinge of guilt as Athyna spoke and then left to go into her and Thalryn's room.

She positioned herself in the back of the group to watch and be out of the way. She stepped back into the shadows for a time, easing her discomfort. She watched the woman's companions intrigued by the three of them.

 

[Apollo Wilde]

Zhu and her servants

As he bowed to her, she backed up, raising an eyebrow. That was something new…and not something that she enjoyed all too much.

“There’s no need to bow, unless you’re trying to kiss my ass into doing something else,” she said, keeping her gaze straight ahead on the Pagoda. Her eyes followed the pictures…but remembering her servants words to her earlier, she refrained from looking at the castle. She wasn’t in the mood to have another attack, and this one could have been much worse than the one she suffered before. However, she was fully in tuned to all the others. Being around too many living set her on edge…She took a deep breath, and let it out. It was going to be all right - she had her family with her.

Her own train of thought was interrupted by the elf woman. She tensed up a bit, knowing how the girl had glared at her before. Behind her, she could hear Lang shifting, as if preparing himself. But at the look in the girl’s eyes…Stopped her tongue cold. The girl’s words were fuzzy in her ears, and her arms itched to give her a hug. As she walked away, Zhu held out a hand to stop her, then let it slowly fall.

“…I think we can help one more person today, don’t you think, Lang?” She tilted her head back to give him a wide smile.

“Of course, M’lady,” he replied, with a slight sweep of his hand.

“I guess we should head up, then….” She began to fish through her suit, opening latches and pockets that didn’t seem to exist before, based on the second skin nature of it. In her gloved hand, crystals, herbs, powders, bones, parchments, all seemed to appear and disappear as she continued to dig. “I’ve got notes on the Blight somewhere in here,” she huffed, seeming all the more for a still learning student.

“When I cleaned your suit, I put them in the left side,” offered Lang.

“I wish you wouldn’t move my things! I have a system to this!” Flipping a buckle on the left side of her breast, a small sliver of dark skin, lashed with a nasty scar, was seen before she produced a thin leaflet of paper. “Finally…” Closing the gap, she handed Shihou the paper. “Hold onto this while I see what the deal is…” She paced forward to the Oracle. Staring into his eyes for a moment, she narrowed them, as if she was reading something that she did not too much care for, or that the print in her book had suddenly gone too small. “We probably need to go inside. If I remember correctly, some parts of the Blight cure are sensitive to light, and I need him to lay down for an extended length of time.”

She waved idly towards the direction of the pagoda. “Lead the way to where you would be most comfortable.”

 

[Armphid]

Kyle & Jasleth

Kyle stood atop one of the iron lanterns attatched to the railing of his balcony. On the tip toes of each foot, his arms stuck outward, elbows bent, his hands clasped in front on his chest. The index and middle fingers of each hand were pressed together, pointing skyward, the others folded down. His eyes were closed as he brought himself into the meditative trance he would need to reach Jasleth.

*********
As before, the world fell away and he stood in a clear patch amongst a swirling mist that seemed as solid as a cliff face. "Jas?" His voice rang out in the vastness of the mist, like that of an actor in a vast theatre, somehow shocking for disturbing the silence, and so small compared to the empty space around it. "Jas, where are you?"

There was a long minute, where he thought that his other would not come. Then Jasleth stepped into the clearing, the thick mist rolling off of the once corded muscle of his arms, clinging like a longing embrace before drifting back into the fogbank. He looked as though he'd lost weight, his face was noticibly gaunt, the wine red eyes sunken deep into that wasted face were still strong, but that was the only thing that seemed like the robust monk. "Kyle...I wasn't sure I'd ever see you again, after the ordeal." "What's going on?"

Kyle stood in shocked silence. He was so...so weak looking! What had happened? "Jas...I...it can wait a moment." "What has happened to you?"

Jas smirked, looking a bit more like his old self. "And you're supposed to be the smart one." "It's pretty simple, genius boy." He held up two bony fingers. "Two entities in one body, both distinct and seperate." "One steps aside for the other, who begins to get a very firm sense of self, stops thinking about the other." "Those close to them both, treat the new person like the old, and the one he loves...through no fault of her own...calls out the name of the other entity in moments of passion."

The realization hit him, hard and fast. "Lord...you're...dying."

Jas shrugged. "If I was ever really alive." He sighed, his thinner form almost seeming to collapse on itself. "To be honest...it's not how I wanted things to end." "But it may be for the best." He smiled. "The world isn't big enough for the two of us."

Kyle chewed briefly on his lips, then decided to go ahead and get to the point. "Yes...but I'm not sure which of us needs to stay anymore." Jas's eyes narrowed and Kyle told him of the necromancer and her guards. Of the deja vu he felt around her, of his accidental offending of her and his attempt to remedy it last night. "...I know I have knownt hem before, or at least seen them." "But at the same time, I knew that it wasn't MY memory...but yours."

Jas frowned, his withered face troubled. "I can see them in your memory...yeah...you're right." He was pacing the clearing, energized for the first time since stepping out of the mist. "You're right." "I'm sure I know them...her and the big zombie....from somewhere."

Kyle braced himself. "I...that and what the old man said, "The Man With Two Lives, it's made me doubt a few things." "Such as whether I'm the real personality or not."

Jas rolled his eyes. "Don't start that crap again..."

"I mean it!" Kyle swept out his hand in a gesture of negation. "Your memories are just as clear as mine, or mine as murky as yours." "One of us should have a real past, but neither of us does." "Then there's this deja vu experience." "In theory, I'm the one who has an actual history, yet you have a fragment of a far distant memory." "It casts the whole picture into doubt."

Jas thought a moment, then grunted. "Point." "So what now?"

Kyle sighed, looking around at the mist. "Easy." "You can get to the bottom of this necromancer thing, I can't." "You need to take control again."

Jas's had filled out during the conversation, looking more like his old self. The activity, the memory, refreshing the waning identity. "Damn." "Are you sure?" "I...I'd love that, but I'm not going to force it."

Kyle nodded. "It's only fitting in a way." "We're in Sanctuary, we'll f ind our answers here." "You started this, you should get to finish this part at least."

Jas opened his mouth to speak when they both heard The cry of Kryss in her sleep. "LIES!"

**********
Abruptly, Jas found himself perched on the top of the iron lantern, looking out over the valley of Sanctuary, confusion registering in his wine red eyes briefly. Then concern. "Kryss!" "I'm coming!" He went into a backflip, landing lightly inside the corridor and racing to her chamber.

He rolled into the room, alert for danger. The sliding lacquered panel sliding shut behind him as he spied Kryss. The lithe dancer was curled up in a fetal position on her bed, trembling. In one fluid bound, Jas was at her side, pulling her into his arms. "Kryss, it's okay." "It's me, Kryss, It's Jas." "It was just a dream, pretty lady...that's all..."

 

[Tantrikenetic]

Dominic

I stared into the woman's eyes. I could see my own reflection in them. There were dark outlines on the underside of my eyes and I was quite pale. It looked like I hadn't seen the sun for ages.

"We probably need to go inside. If I remember correctly, some parts of the Blight cure are sensitive to light, and I need him to lay down for an extended length of time.” I heard her say.

NO! Don't trust the Necromancer! She wants to hurt us! A familiar voice screeched in my mind. I instinctively pulled away from her. You know what the last Necromancer did! This one issss only trouble!

I wobbled slightly. "In-side. Right." I said slowly. I wobbled abit and held onto Skyler's arm. The leg with the Blight was starting to ache furiously.

It's the presense of that damn necromancer! The voice hissed. SHE is the one harming us. It's her... The voice became highly persuasive and whispered in my ear. We must KILL her...

I nodded slowly, then realized everyone was looking at me. "Inside...yes...let's go...inside..." I said softly, my throat dry.

 

[Apollo Wilde]

Zhu and her servants

She stepped back for a moment, trying to evaluate him. Something within him didn’t fit right - she had to continually remind herself that he was probably not himself due to the Blight. Glancing back to her servants, she gave a slight nod. In a rush of fabric, all three had discarded their own outer garments, leaving their respective figures clad in identical leather suits. Running a finger along her lower lip, she glanced back to Houzai, and then to the man.

Following him inside, her servants paced close behind her, looking like some sort of odd parade. Once the Oracle had taken a seat on his bed, she inspected his body with chill gloved hands, her face as expressionless as the men behind her. As her fingers settled on the leg, she leaned forward, taking a closer look. An advanced case - this was not good. At least, not for her. She sighed, and ran a hand through her hair. As she unbuckled a part of her suit, she withdrew a small velvet bag. Opening it, a thick white brown powder lay within. Pouring some carefully into her hand, she held it under the Oracle’s nose.

“Breathe this in. It’ll help me determine how bad your case is….And it’s not poison. If I wanted you to die I would have just let you fall prey to the Blight. However, you probably will not like this powder, though it will do you no harm. In all honesty, it is the bones of a child. By no evil did I acquire this - I spoke to the child and asked her dearest permission for it….”

She held it up closer to him. “It will be unpleasant for a moment; best get it over with now.”

 

[Xenocide_613]

Thalryn

Emerald eyes darted between Vivre, Dominic, and the departing Athyna. The look she’d given him had had the same effect as a slap in the face, and he felt his stomach catch in his throat. He was torn between staying and observing the healing and going to Athyna. He did care for the she-elf, just not quite the same way the she-elf wanted to be cared for.

He swallowed as Athyna disappeared, noting that the necromancer had begun. Still, he knew he had to go to the elf maiden.

Straee, be a dear and stay with our lady necromancer. I have matters to attend to.

Damn right you do, elf.

His eyes narrowed. Everyone was a critic.

He backed out of the room and headed for the one he shared with Athyna. Upon entering, he found the room empty, save for the great cat, but the window was open. He smiled somberly as he poked his head out in time to see the ranger ascend to the roof.

Thalryn stepped back from the window, closing his eyes and calling upon a spell of levitation. He chanted softly as his hands shaped the magic that so freely permeated the air.

Spell completed, he pushed out the window and pulled himself toward the roof. He heard the soft twang of her bowstring and her soft voice, but he couldn’t make out her words.

He pulled himself over the edge of the roof and dismissed the spell. His eyes met hers, and he could see the barely retained tears well up.

“Athyna, what bothers you?” he spoke softly, comfortingly. “Tell me what is wrong, and I shall try to mend it.”

 

[katalynn]

Kryss was still in a daze when Jas came running, Avrices' voice deep her ears, the pain in her lower regin. Scared her for a moment when she felt arms grasping her, holding her. At first not hearing Jas' voice, made her scream again, telling him to let go. Slight struggle mostly of fear.

Realizing that he wasn't going to let her go, the voice changing. Something different, wasn't Avrices taunting voice. Slowly becoming soothing somehow, wasn't sure why.

"Jas?!? ... It hurts..."

Managed to whisper out as she came to, grabbing onto his arms while hiding her face in his shoulder. Her whole body was tense from pain and remains from the dream, shivering within his arms.

"Jasleth...."

 

[katalynn]

Just as Athyna went to sit down, she saw him. Thalryn peeking over the edge of roof, then decent the rest of the way onto it. Quickly tore her gaze away, not wishing him to see as the tears struggled even more so, straining to stay locked in the prison she held them in.

"I have fallen...."
" I do not know when or how.... I .. I"

Closed her eyes tightly, trying to find the right words. Shiver ran up her spine the harder she faught.

"I mean, it's nothing... I just saw some visions when I was out.... Visions that ....."

Athyna swallowed, feeling that lump in throat swell. Did she really fall for this elf? Only just barely met, she couldn't understand why she felt this strongly for him.

"Look, I don't normally fall this easily, if at all over someone. It seems that I have done just that ...... with you.... And what the earth has shown me..... You.."

The tears slipped slowly down her cheeks, her words were still soft regardless of how hard it was for her to talk. Or even breath at this moment. Athyna took in a deep breath, letting it out slowly.

"It seems, from what I was shown, that you....... may not feel such ways for me..... Which.. I... Which I can accept. For I am not sure as to why I feel as I do..."

"I can accept this fully, for I would have no choice in the matter....."

There was more she wanted to say, words were not coming out right as she spoke now, so she held tongue.

"I just know that the earths provisions that it provides me, never lie. I wasn't seeking to find out how you felt, but the feeling, the curiousity of it was deep in heart and so the spirit world picked up on it and......."

Right then she couldn't speak anymore, the pounding of her heart took place of words, the tears breaking free from their prison finally.

"I am not weak.... I do not understand why I have these feelings.... I'm not weak.."

They were mere whispers of confusion while she layed her head on her knees, crossing her arms around her legs to trying to hide from the world that she knows all to well.

 

[NyghtRayne]

Skyler felt Dominic leaning heavily on her as they walked inside. She also sensed something else bothering him and remembered the link they now had, she tried to speak w ith him, "Dominic, what's wrong? Are you ok?" She almost stumbled as she was hit with a backlash as if being pushed away.

She looked to him, she knew it would be something to deal with later after the necromancer and her servants were gone. She help Dominic to a place to lay down so she could do her work. She then stepped back out of the way, close enough to see what was happening, but far enough to be out of the way.

She watched for a moment as the Necromancer began her work, but kept finding her attention drawn to her three servants. She would look away to Dominic and then find her attention drawn back to them, she didn't know why...she thought maybe it had something to do with the fact that they were undead, just as she was.

 

[Xenocide_613]

Thalryn

He could barely hear what the wood elf was saying, but it was enough to get the point across.

“Elf sister, I do care for you.” He stated as he rushed to her side, putting his arms around her as the tears began to trace lines down her fair cheeks. “In such a short time you have become a dear friend, and I’m sorry my feelings don’t match with yours.”

He gently traced the tracks of her tears, then whispered, “Do not hold back your emotions, Athyna. Restraint is something humans do.” He pulled her closer to him, laying her head on his shoulder as she wept and slowly rocking her in his arms.

Thalryn brushed her hair out of her face, then spoke again. “I do care dearly about you, Athyna, but you care for me even more so. It pains me to know that I have done this to you, but I am not what you want me to be.”

 

[Tantrikenetic]

Dominic

I laid down on the bed and took in a deep breath. She was coming and she had an odd powder in her hands. I barely heard her, but I did catch what it was...the bones of a little girl!

Do you doubt me now?! She is evil! She is out to harm us! She must be killed!

I ignored the voice and inhaled the dust. It felt like my nostrils were on fire. The dark voice let out a horrible screech in my mind. I instinctively gripped my head to try and stop the screeching.

Kill it! You have to kill it! The voice screamed. I let my hand drape over the far side of the bed. There I found a discarded candlestick. My fingers wrapped around it. Yes....that will do nicely. Wait until she bends back toward us and we will strike... I smiled to myself.

Meanwhile, Slip managed to find his way back to the pagoda and had crawled his way up Skyler's shoulder.

Hey White Fang. He said to her. What's going on here? Someone operating on Boss? Must be some kind of voodoo procedure...I can't create a mental link with him...

 

[NyghtRayne]

Skyler

Her attention to the Necromancer's servants was broken by Slip as he crawled up and perched on her shoulder."Slip I think something more is wrong with Dominic, I couldn't speak with him either.. it was as if something was blocking me and pushed me out of his mnd."

She was worried, Slip could feel it in her mind, in the connection they shared as they spoke to each other. Her attention was drawn back to Dominic as he inhaled the powder the Necromancer offered. She noticed the strange smile on his face a moment later.

"What's happening to him?" The question was posed to anyone and no one at the same time. "Is he alright? Dominic?" She stepped close and moved to be next to him, not knowing if there was anything she would be able to do to help him right now.

 

[katalynn]

Athyna found some comfort when the golden elf held her, looking up to catch his gaze, the soft touch of him tracing her tears.

"I didn't wish to let myself get these feeling for you, I didn't wish for them to hender what we do have. Just recently I relized how deep they have become."

She paused a moment, seemingly a little more calmer still clear that there was slight pain within her eyes,

"Still, I understand if you do not feel the same, nor did I expect you to."

Looking up towards the sky a moment, wishing the stars were out in desprate need to see the one that protects her.

"Love is like a falling star, blink and it is gone, it can not be caught, nor does it stay..... I feel like that falling star, only for once, I actually want someone to catch me. Whether it is you or not, I just wish to be caught...."

Again, lowering her head to his shoulder, accepting his company and his comfort for the time she has it.

"I don't want my feelings for you to hender what we do share now. I'd rather have you as a friend like this, then none at all."

 

[Apollo Wilde]

Zhu and her servants

That was not good.

Quickly putting the powder away, she sighed, and rubbed her forehead. Only fire could heal this - that was the ultimate cure for anything undead. Still…She removed her glove from her left hand. Across the palm was an old wound, long since scarred over.

“You’ve got an extremely severe case…” she started, staring down at the scar on her hand. “The only way I know to cure something like this is through fire…But I don’t think that you want to lose that leg. I’ll try to work around using that, but it will probably have to be done. Just so you know,” she said, flipping her hair over her shoulders. Before she could lean closer to inspect him, the foot of Lang came down on the Oracle’s flailing arm, his spear held at his throat.

“M’lady, I think it would be best if you restrained him.”

Although the men had been mute nearly the entire time they had been there, their eyes remained as sharp as ever. Giving Lang a questioning look, he tilted his head in the direction of his hand.

“He means to do you harm, either of his own will or because of the Blight.” His normally lighthearted and coy sea blue eyes were firm and unforgiving as he kept his spear at the man’s throat. She sighed. He had a point…even if she was going to cure him, she would have needed to restrain him from the pain, anyway. Something to keep him from moving about.

“Shihou, Huozai - bind this man to the bed while I review my options on his cure.”

As she backed away from the bed, Lang dug his heel into the man’s arm, removing the spear a hair of a fraction of an inch away from his throat. He said nothing, but the look in his eyes was clear - if you touch her, I will kill you. He kept watch over the Oracle while the other two advanced on him next to the bed, holding lengths of cloth. As if sensing the fear and doubt in the Oracle, Zhu, who had remained standing by, tossed a remark his way.

“They won’t hurt you. You just need to be restrained.”

True enough, as they approached, their ice hands were gentle in binding him to the bed, even shooing Lang away in order to bind his arm to one of the bedposts. Although the motions had been kind, the bonds were firm. Their job done, they retreated back to her side. Shihou inched closer to her, his eyes glancing from side to side before settling on her.

“How do you plan on healing him without amputation? It’s clearly already gone to his brain, and he’d be better off dead anyway. Less of a burden on his teammates.”

She merely rubbed her chin. “I don’t know, but I said I would heal him. My first instinct was to just tell them that he’s fucked, but I need to at least try.” Sighing, she added, “If I cure him, this’ll put me on my ass for a while. I’ve never seen such a severe case - most people have enough sense to get cured the same day, not a week or more later. Avrice’s magic is strong - he’s surpassed any school that I know of. This is…like, of his own creation, his signature’s all over it. The only way to override something like that is blood…” Looking at the scar on her left palm, she sighed again. “And I’m not sure mine will cut it. But I can try.” Raising her voice, she called Huozai. “If you don’t mind, will you go back to the graveyard, and get a few items for me? I need fresh soil from a fresh grave, the bone of a lover, the bone of an old woman, and a white flower.”

Huozai nodded, and without a sound, left. His footsteps came in running paces once he was outside.

Zhu paced back over to the Oracle, looking at his leg. Lang stood next to the Oracle’s head, making sure that he couldn’t get free. Shihou remained silently behind her. Removing her rapier, she took it in her left palm, and drew it across the old scar, her eyes closing for a moment. Fresh blood welled from the wound, red as her eyes. It seemed, though, as if it was mingled with black…Raising her hand, she smeared the blood across his leg, murmuring an incantation. As she caressed his leg with her bloody hand, she fumbled around for the bone powder. Scooping a handful of it with her other hand, she poured a bit into her mouth, and then blew it on his leg, sprinkling the dry powder over it. Her murmuring rose and fell, as distant as a conversation across the room. One last breathed word, and she stood free from his leg. The wound, calm at first, began to burn…as if she had set his leg on fire. As the pain began to increase by leaps and bounds, Huozai came in with her requested items, not paying a single mind to the man writing in pain on the bed.

“Watch him for a moment while I make the powder. I’m trying to burn the Blight out now…” her voice was weak, and she rubbed her forehead. Taking the items from Huozai, she promptly smashed the bones with the hilt of her rapier. The red gem embedded within glowed, consuming the bones in flame. When the fire had burned out and left a pile of black ash, she added the dirt, and the petals of the flower, squeezing her hand over it. The blood leaking from her hand was black as night now, not a single bit of red surviving. Mixing the paste, she rolled it into a pill of sorts. Before she approached, she looked at the Oracle, studying his face. She hoped that this would work…

 

[Xenocide_613]

Thalryn

Bronze arms hugged her just a bit tighter. “You are someone I definitely don’t want to lose,” he whispered softly in her ear.

Thalryn then ran his fingers through her long hair before slowly rising to his feet. “I think I should get back down to the healing. Will you join me, or do you need some time?”