Author: Keira, Posted: Thu Oct 22, 2015 11:42 PM, Post Subject: Emergence (Open, R?)
Despite how he thought Keira did not want him feeling bad for him helping her. “I may not owe you anything but I do have feelings for you.” She said it bluntly. “Doing things for you are gifts from me to you. I do them because I wish.” She sighed a bit and wondered if she could ever get that through his head. Once her mind was on her family though she gave him a shrug.
“Mother is strong and Dad well he is strong to put up with Mom so I'm sure they are alright. It is just a matter of finding everyone. I'm sure once Mom has her grounds she will take everyone to Sularia. It's the safest place for Rosenites in Revaliir. I should go and meet with them at some point but only once I know they are there. I don't want to track hell and back only to find out they aren't there yet.” She rubbed her neck a bit and gave him another smile.
“You are always welcomed by my side Icarus. Always remember that. Even if the rest of the world was to be against you I would stand with you. It would be mean lying to myself to say it was any different. I am loyal to you and my crown that is all.” She pushed herself off the ground and got him a few pieces of food. “Here eat. You need nourishment before you even think about doing anything else. Don't look at what I do for you as a burden please. I love you Icarus. If it is anything watching my parents has taught me it's that even in life's shit moments love will help you out. Trust me my mother is crazy and my father always sees her through the end. It's hard but they do it.”
She picked up her bag and looked towards him once he had his food. "I don't know the lands where I'm going and part of me is scared. You'll be alright here won't you?" She was looking for something to reassure her but she had no idea what the man in front of her would say next. She laughed a bit and shook her head, "Who am I kidding of course you will be."
Author: Icarus, Posted: Thu Oct 22, 2015 8:58 PM, Post Subject: Emergence (Open, R?)
The meditation Icarus had placed himself in left him in a trance-like state. He knew all that was happening around him, using his senses aside from his eyesight to place everything and essentially watch from a third eye of sorts. He felt his strength returning all the while Keira continued to sketch the map she intended to provide him, seemingly going into exhaustive detail. It took him hours, but eventually, he was able to stand on his own feet again.
Upon the presentation of the map, Icarus noticed it indeed was at a level of detail one could usually spend a fortune on to have drawn by a cartographer. If she hadn't been in the Order, Icarus had a feeling Keira would have done amazingly well as a scholar. Instead, her keen intellect had served well as his eyes and ears when he was busy roaming the countryside fighting wars that eventually amounted to nothing but a body count.
He had enough blood on his hands to fill a well a mile deep. Icarus didn't like the reality of it, but fortunately, he didn't remember most of it, just fragments of the more traumatic moments. Keira mentioned helping him find work. He had every intention to do so on his own and her going out of the way to do something for him again only made him feel bad. Her instructions pertaining to the map and finding Angela were imprinted on his mind the moment she said it.
He now had objectives. These were the sort of things that gave rise to his ambition. This time, there would be no operating from the shadows. When he eventually returned to power, he would take what he required by force and ensure the world could repel such a threat. It was the chaos that plagued Dae Luin that had led to its downfall. The seeds of discord had grown into the total fruition of absolute destruction.
"Thank you. I will find her. You, on the other hand, owe me nothing. I will have to rest another day or so and then I'll be capable of manual labor, probably working a field here in the village for at least a few days until I can acquire the money to set off on my own. Do you have any ideas on your missing family? I can join you later if you wish," he offered, focusing on the needs of his companion.
In his mind, the needs of those he held dear would always supercede his own requirements. He would part seas and cleave mountains in the pursuit of aiding those he cared for. He had done it before in a literal sense when he flooded a crater more than a thousand miles in diameter, the result of which became known as the Sea of Ghosts due to the massive loss of life there and the haunted currents it brought with it.
Author: Keira, Posted: Thu Oct 22, 2015 7:45 PM, Post Subject: Emergence (Open, R?)
For a long time Keira stared at him and she sighed a bit. “Good, if you do I'll find someone to bring you back and I'll kill you myself. That's a bloody promise.” There was a little attitude in the halflings voice as she chuckled. She took out her journal and tore a page out. Getting her bag she found her quill and set on making him a map of the area she knew.
For Keira it was easy to remember every single detail down to the smallest thing. She could fold her memory like a calendar and remember each day down to the first time she had a memory. It did not matter if someone asked her about something eight years ago. It made her an asset to the order and she was glad to be of some sort of use. Her journal was more so for her fellow scholars.
While he mediated she worked. It was painstaking as she did not take a break even when food was brought to them. She stopped only to stretched her hand and fingers before going back detailing everything she had seen on the paper. From Sularia down to where they were. This was his map to success. This was his map to everything so far. She even went as far as to label the things she knew the names of.
When he was done mediating she lifted the paper up to him and bit into a piece of bread. Swallowing the loaf she sighed a bit. “Boss do not lose this. It will help you out I promise. Look for rose covered arches to see Aunt Angela. I found one in Sularia but she told me there are tons of them all over Revaliir. Revaliir has two continent from what I'm told. We're on Canelux, the other is Pravpora.” The blonde moved some of her blonde curls behind her ear before closing her journal and putting her supplies away. “You should be fine now. We should talk about getting you work before I leave though.”
Author: Icarus, Posted: Tue Oct 20, 2015 10:58 PM, Post Subject: Emergence (Open, R?)
Although he didn't want to, he found himself leaning on Keira as she sought to brace him. His reliance on others now disgusted him. He felt he was a failure and the potentially millions of souls lost in their previous home were a reminder of it. Icarus had survived encounters with mortals, demons, and gods alike only to fail when he was needed most, to the detriment of all. Only he could kill Obelisk or at the very minimum, banish it from the realm.
Now, he was no more than an infant within the body of a man. The slightest exertion threatened to cripple him for hours on end, but he would persevere. It was all he had. The will to force himself on when he couldn't. It was a trait few others possessed and while the mental state of failure and fear of death haunted others, it was his fear of surviving with his shame that plagued him.
No one could be saved when it came to his efforts. All he could manage was to slow the progression of a violent death, to say to the angel of death that it was not someone's time, only to lose them later by similar means. Rygar, Sahmbo, Hellmarx, Lucia, even Riva and Zanir had all died horrible deaths he hadn't been strong enough to prevent. Rygar died for him, Sahmbo had his soul torn from his body, Hellmarx died guarding Icarus' son Uriel, Lucia committed suicide after his first death, Riva died defending Peaceguard, and Zanir, the strongest man of Nataki, had died slaying one of the three Devil Gods, banishing it back to Hell for millenia.
If he was not forbidden to die, he would have ended his pain long ago. He knew, however, none of them would smile when they saw him on the other side when they learned of his selfish act. Others would suffer, too, Keira among them, perhaps even chief among them. He remained quiet as she explained her devotion to him. He could appreciate it, but could not reciprocate it because he would inevitably fail and he would be left alone once more.
It was selfish of him, but if denying her his open affection could keep her alive, he would do so. It was the burden the hero had to bear. At least, that was what he told himself in his journal long ago. She deserved better, although he would always remain to guard her by some means or another. The seal on her wrist was one for comfort and one that could save her once when the time came and she was faced with an inescapable fate. She didn't realize that it was far more than a simple recall spell.
The part of the magic that took the most out of him was that it was reusable as often as she wished, the magic only fading when one or another died. He wanted her to understand, however, that it was a marking that held great value and should be of the utmost importance to be used only when in mortal danger. As his magic recovered over time, hopefully, he would add more to it, effectively creating an elaborate tattoo with various wards and protection magics about it. Whether he would return to full strength, however, remained to be seen. The fact Icarus managed to perform this feat was a miracle in and of itself.
The hay was uncomfortable if his intention had been to sleep. Fortunately, though, he had more than enough sleep and more than anything, he required meditation to center himself and focus his body's functions toward recovery. Doing the math, he estimated he should be capable of moving on his own by the next day and performing labor within three. After that, it was only a matter of acquiring the money to purchase the supplies he required to set off on his own.
"I'll be fine, just going to take some time. Don't worry, I won't go dying on you, tried twice so far and I've no intention for a third suicide mission," he said, closing his eyes and steadying his breathing to begin meditating as his master taught him.
Author: Keira, Posted: Tue Oct 20, 2015 9:41 PM, Post Subject: Emergence (Open, R?)
When he did not push her away she felt a relief. There was part of her that wondered if he still had feeling for Aaryona not that he could remember who she was at the moment. She offered him a smile towards his words. Her intimidate reaction to his cough was to wrap her arm around him and hold him up if he needed it. “Thank you. Those words alone mean a lot to me Icarus.” She nodded once more and gave him a smile as he closed her palm.
Once he hugged her it took her a moment to hug him back. Her green eyes escaped up to him as she offered him a weary smile. The tasks they were going to set out to do would most likely make it so they were separated for a while. “Never say it will be the last time I will help you.” She gave him a smile once more and laughed. “I will always be there to help you even when times get rough. Hell even when the world falls apart. I'll find you and I'll help you.” She was devoted on a level maybe Aaryona never had been. Aaryona and Keira were on different levels and had different things they had to do in life. “After I've found Ynnarah I will find you. We can stay together after that but for now my sister comes first after we have you set up.”
She looked into his eyes and shook her head. “You are not ready to be up just yet. Don't fight me with this.” She joked with him lightly as she hugged him and brought him over to a pile of hay in the room. Not the best sleeping spot but a place for him to rest. “Rest for now and then get stronger.” She moved her fingers around and stroked his hay. “Sleep please or just stay down.” Keira sat by him and pulled her cloak over covering him up. Bending down she kissed him again. “Stay with me and don't be the stupid hero. Be the smart one who realizes he has allies and a woman who wants him to come home. Cause it would break the woman's heart if he didn't.”
Author: Icarus, Posted: Tue Oct 20, 2015 8:36 PM, Post Subject: Emergence (Open, R?)
Icarus listened as Keira explained how she had traversed the land seeking him out. It came as a shock the moment she kissed him. He hadn't realized the concept of his possible death had weighed so heavily on her. He should have been much more responsible in his previous life rather than running to challenge anything that came in his way and should never have gone to face the progenitor of all demons alone. It was simply natural for him as he had always been alone since everyone he loved was taken from him.
To him, it was better to sacrifice the possibility of happiness to ensure others could live without the fear of death coming for them at any time. Icarus cast all doubt aside for his actions as he realized that he had done what he could for everyone, Keira included and though she had been his second in command, he had done little to keep her as close as she wished. That much, he could correct for a time.
The shadows had forgotten him, his power over the realm of darkness and the Void were severed, but some magic still lingered in him. He knew how she felt the need for her sister and he knew how it felt for the longing of one's sibling. Icarus had often gazed up at the stars wondering if Rygar were enjoying the afterlife and hated him for leaving him behind. Truly, he never could hate him, but the way his brother threw his life away so quickly using forbidden magic had always bothered him. In the end, he had transfigured them both, bringing the wounds of the arrows that struck Icarus onto his own body and sealing his own fate while Icarus lived.
In the end, his death had resulted in Icarus being able to save many others, but there were times he still felt the scales were left uneven and the selfless sacrifice had been something Icarus chased after far too much. He supposed at times if he had died while protecting others, it would be a death worth having. With Keira's actions, he found death was far too selfish a course, even if it had been in the defense of others.
"I… I won't put you through that fear again. Wherever I am, you will always be able to find me," he said as he placed a single use recall spell on her, binding the two of them. He coughed from the effort as he used mana from his own source for the first time in a while and his only recently recovered body suffered light strain to place a permanent use in the control of another.
"This will bring you to me whenever you wish. Just think of my face and say my name into the mark and you will be brought to me or vice versa if that is your wish, no matter where I am or where you are. But be forewarned, it shall only work once," he explained, closing her palm around the light which inscribed his name on her wrist.
He listened as she explained her intent to provide him with a means of navigation as well as instructions to find her aunt. If Angela had remained a deity, he could certainly count on the familial ties to vouch for his asking her assistance. At the bare minimum, she could likely provide him with more information concerning the land and perhaps some of the history of recent events since his death. He took her and hugged her once, tightly.
"I've already accepted so much of your help, but this last thing, I'll accept and find work until my full strength has returned. Then, I'll find your aunt. Stay alive until then and we'll find out more about who survived, if anyone of the Order," he explained, smiling despite feeling drained emotionally and physically.
Author: Keira, Posted: Tue Oct 20, 2015 4:51 PM, Post Subject: Emergence (Open, R?)
Looking into his eyes she knew something was wrong. It was the way he moved about. “It's alright you had quite the day yesterday after all.” Looking at him for just a moment before letting a frown come to her face. “Always for you. Anything to cheer you up and bring some normalcy to these hard times.” She put her journal away.
She took hold of his arms and stared up at him. “Listen to me Icarus. I care about you and I ran all around Revaliir looking for you.” There was a painful look in her eyes for a moment before she lifted herself off the ground and kissed him just a moment. “I have found you and you are well enough. As soon as I can leave your side I have to.. I'll find you though.” She didn't reach for his hand like she wanted to but her eyes were very sad.
“Go see Aunt Angela. I have to find Ynnarah. It feels like half of my self is ripped out of me. I need to find my twin sister.” She grabbed hold of the yellow rose at her neck. “I feel her. I cannot describe the feeling to you but I know she is alive. I know she is here. I just don't know where.” Tear formed at the edges of her eyes before lifted her arm up and cleared the tears with her sleeve.
“I don't know where Ma and Da are but I will find Ynnarah because we are one of two and together we can do anything. We are strongest together. That's the way it's always been. I will search all of Revaliir if it means finding her. Just like I did for you.” She blushed a bit and toyed with her necklace once more. “I'll get you set up here before we part ways. I can give you a basic mapped out area of the places I've been too but that's all. Is that enough?”
Author: Icarus, Posted: Mon Oct 19, 2015 10:30 AM, Post Subject: Emergence (Open, R?)
Icarus was still fast asleep as Keira went on with her spiel about him having to wake up eventually to face the day. Certainly, he didn't want to, but it was quite likely he had recovered more than enough to handle the events to come. His dreams had been perverted by horrid images of demons and he watched himself from outside his own body. There was a figure bearing black armor and the head of a wolf was the design of his helm.
He cleaved through demon after demon, his wrath uncontrollable and it seemed the armored figure was more a demon in their own right than a man as he had believed. Swirls of darkness ravaged the hordes before him, shadows becoming blades that erupted from the ground as they carved through legions. His blade glistened in the black blood of his adversaries and when the helm opened its mouth, there was the face of another demon that twisted to appear to be him. Such nightmares had caused him to remember horrid things he had no intention of recalling in his previous incarnations or this one.
Almost keeping in time with the sequence of events, a mace struck the head of the armored figure, caving it in with the horrid squelch of blood, bone, and brain matter being compressed into a tableau of macabre abstract art as the book hit him. Rising with a start, Icarus woke in a cold sweat and fell backward in his seat, clutching at where his sword would be. When he became aware of his surroundings, he looked down at his hands, visions of blood upon them as they shook uncontrollably.
He paused for a moment, taking a deep breath before looking up and meeting Keira's gaze. He did his best to feign a smile. It was a devastating nightmare that had rocked him to the core, but he would rather not worry her if possible.
"Sorry I decided to sleep in a bit. Good to see you're as playful as ever," he stated, getting up from the ground on significantly more stable footing than yesterday.
Icarus didn't know why such dreams had chosen to come to him. Was it perhaps some sort of echo from a life no longer his or did it hold some portend of the future? He didn't know. What he did know was that he needed to secure some sort of funds and equipment for the time being. Then, he could gather information at his leisure and figure out why he came here and what his purpose being away from Nataki was.
Author: Keira, Posted: Sun Oct 18, 2015 11:41 PM, Post Subject: Emergence (Open, R?)
“Isn't that the truth.”
After he got on her back she was half tempted to buck him off transform and beat him.
“Remind me to beat you later for that Icarus.” There was a chuckle in there as she took off. She was just happy he seemed to almost be his self. Regardless of his magic being gone his personality seemed to stay. If it was one thing that the Rosenites and Icarus had in common it was their will to live.
She nodded a bit as she got him down into the chair. “Aye, from what the Rosenites of Sularia told me I fell as well. They caught me with their magic where you had no one to catch you.” She blushed towards his thanks and nodded. But their conversation was cut short as he fell asleep. A half smile came to her face as she shook her head. Taking her cloak off she leaned him back and kissed his forehead softly. “Dream well.” She laid down beside him him and fell asleep herself. She had burned through most of her energy both magical and physical.
In the morning she got up and stretched. The sun was beating down and she got up on her feet. Grabbing an apple off the tray of food from the night before her teeth sank in as she took a bite. She let him sleep for a bit more as she took a small journal out making notes of the village and its location. Before long she woke him up. “Icarus it's morning. I know you don't want to get up but you will have to eventually be reminded to tell me what you wanted last night.” She cupped his face again and got close to him. Almost close enough to touch before smacking his head with her journal. “Wake up.”
Author: Icarus, Posted: Sun Oct 18, 2015 11:28 PM, Post Subject: Emergence (Open, R?)
Icarus listened as Keira explained it would be best to search for a village that worshipped Angela. So it seemed she had retained her power, after all. He didn't know what her sphere of influence was, but others from the pantheon of Dae Luin likely survived as well. Often, those with power would survive nearly anything while it was the weak that suffered and faced oblivion. As unfortunate as it was, at least he recalled that she didn't hate him so she would likely help.
He shrugged as she helped him. He wasn't even able to stand on his own two feet at this point. What sort of good could he do if the people were unfriendly? Icarus surely wouldn't be able to fight and this new life may very well be cut short. For that matter, he couldn't recall any time Keira was able to fight, either. Did that change?
"I can't stay down if I can't even stay dead," he jested, the one thing he always seemed able to do, regardless of circumstances.
Forgetting she was capable of body transfiguration, he was a bit taken aback momentarily as she metamorphosed into a wolf with golden fur, somewhat larger than she had previously been. He wondered if she was no more than an illusion created by the trauma and sense of loss he suffered. Even as she gazed at him and growled, he paused, wondering if she was just a predator he had imagined as an old ally and would be consuming him shortly.
That train of thought vanished quickly as she spoke and ordered him onto her. Straddling her, he grasped onto her fur in a way to keep from pulling it while maintaining his position so as not to fall off. Almost passing out once more, he managed to raise one hand and make a joke.
"Onward my valiant… er… you know what? Let's just go," he said, choosing not to continue for fear of her transforming and beating him with a book or something as she was keen to do.
He awoke from his drained slumber once more after they were already within the village. Given the glances from the villagers, he could assume they were more concerned for his disheveled state rather than the large wolf traveling down the main road with him on its back. Finding a temporary home from drifters and traders, he dismounted her, strength returning slightly to his legs as she shifted her form once more. She eased him into a chair and he breathed a sigh of relief.
"Did I fall? I thought I was crushed to death by the force of that portal and the beast's power. I suppose I'm fortunate to have woken up, then," he reasoned, listening to Keira as she brought him food. He thanked her for her consistent aid and listened further while explaining she would help him further by teaching him at least how to navigate the area.
"Remind me to…" he said, passing out from exhaustion once more as he swallowed the first bit of bread he could manage. Indeed, it seemed the road to recovery would take some time. But here, he would gather his strength before he set out on his own again. When the time came, he would visit Angela and hopefully repay Keira at some point or another. For the time being, however, he snored lightly as his body gave in and started to recover on its own.
Author: Keira, Posted: Sun Oct 18, 2015 11:00 PM, Post Subject: Emergence (Open, R?)
Keira's eyes looked with worry as she nodded to his every word. “We'll get you fixed up in a village near by. Probably one that worships Angela would be best.” She rubbed her blonde hair and sighed once more. “Though I wouldn't know the closest one. We might have to take our chances.” She cut her magic off when he got up. She rose with him and helped keep him steady.
As always he was a strong headed leader. “Stubborn as always Icarus good to know you don't change much.” She gave him a friendly smile. “I think I passed a town in that direction so we can head there.” She nodded with him. “Better there then here at this point.” She stretched a bit before her body morphed into the large golden wolf. Her fur glimmered in the light of the two moons. She growled towards him at first her green eyes examining him.
“On now.” She said as she moved to his side and ushered him on with her snout. Once he was settled onto her plush fur she took off. She moved a lot faster then they would have and she was guided by her nose. It took her a while before they reached a small village. It was lit by street lamps and she noticed they were not too afraid of her appearance. That was good.
“Shelter. We require it.” Once they were led to a place to stay for the night she shifted back and helped him sit down. “You need to rest now. Honestly the only reason I shifted is because you look absolutely terrible and for good reason. Not just any man survives a fall like that.” She got up when a woman brought them a tray of food and thanked her for her kindness. Bringing it over she put it in front of him. “I'll teach you the lay of the lay if you want to know it. Angela met help give better insight over it. She's like a humanoid map as it is.”
Author: Icarus, Posted: Sun Oct 18, 2015 9:55 PM, Post Subject: Emergence (Open, R?)
Icarus lay still as Keira's healing went to work, dulling the throb of his newly reattached nerves. It wasn't that he was feeling too weak by this point, but merely the excruciating pain that was crippling him. Keira had a healthy amount of information to offer him and he wondered just how long he had been dead. As far as he knew, he died before the world had.
Her mentioning of the Rosenite homeland brought others of her clan to mind, namely a pair of individuals with bright red hair as well, both of their names beginning with an "A" The mother was supposed to have some measure of power. He wondered if she had kept her measure of power that she held in the previous realm. If he recalled, the mother was some sort of deific persona that had manifested according to the Tree's whims.
After a few moments, Icarus was able to rise on his own again. He couldn't allow himself to sleep. At the bare minimum, locals from the surrounding villages would come to investigate and there was the possibility the duo may be blamed for something or other. He heard her mention the two names of those he thought of and felt a bit of a mixed emotion when it came to Aaryona. It was like he had lost her at some point or another and there was only a pain left though he was happy she lived.
"I don't know any of these names you say. Sularia? My memory of Dae Luin is fractured, only pieces remain. I scarcely even remember the people you mentioned. My heart holds better knowledge than my mind now," he said, rising to his feet to prevent her from using too much mana.
At first, he struggled, but quickly, he gazed around and looked toward the north, scanning the horizon for a village. If they chose to walk in that direction, it may prove difficult, but they were likely to be able to find a better place to recover than a scorched field. At least, that's what he hoped.
"We head that direction. My eyes are not as good as they should be right now. It seems there's the dim light of torches and possibly a village. It would be better than remaining out here when they come to question what happened," he suggested, hoping it sounded as logical as he hoped it did.
Author: Keira, Posted: Sun Oct 18, 2015 5:57 PM, Post Subject: Emergence (Open, R?)
Keira remembered the darkness. She remembered the day the leader of her guild left to fight it. Her touch while light lit his nerves up and she could see the pain on his face. Her lips quivered from the fear of losing him. She felt like he was stuck between life and death. She brought his hand up to her lips and gently pressed them to his flesh. “To the Great Mother please allow me the strength to heal this man if you hear me.” It was common practice as she lifted him to her gently laying him on her breasts and lap.
“I know but please allow me to try and help you.” She cradled him like a newborn the best she could as her healing magic glowed around them. “Not everything you would be surprised the amount of old friends this place has to offer.” Her voice was wavering as she continued to pump out any extra mana she had. Once in a while the magic would make her wince but she continued to push. “I am not so weak to stop when I know I have more power then this.”
Her green eyes met his before closing. “Revaliir. This place is called Revaliir. It doesn't look like DaeLuin even exists anymore. Those who did cross over say the same thing. They don't know how long its been. I crash landed into Sularia.”
She stopped for a moment and stared at him. “Remember me telling you about the homeland of the Rosenites. I was there and it is here in these lands. Somehow our homeland is here. They took care of me and tended to my wounds. I ran for days after that. I felt the ground beneath my paws as I searched for the rest of us. I got a blessing from Angela.” She got really quiet as she blushed. “Aaryona is here as well.” She didn't want to tell him that maybe it was because in search she was jealous a bit. However, it might hurt him not to know so she told him.
“You should rest more. I'll be here when you wake.”
Author: Icarus, Posted: Fri Oct 16, 2015 11:20 PM, Post Subject: Emergence (Open, R?)
The loss of consciousness came and went seemingly quickly, but time had shifted from midday to early evening when next his eyes opened. He felt the sting of a hand lightly touching his flesh and a familiar, soothing voice echoing from nowhere and everywhere at once. His newly created nerves and pain receptors had no threshold for him to be accustomed to, amplifying even the lightest touch to feel as though he were lit ablaze.
His will broken, Icarus let out a piercing scream that defied his previously stoic nature. His torso rose up as pain wracked him to the core. The exhaustion of total physical reconstruction and the built up anxiety of previously being compressed into an unnatural shape by forces beyond reckoning had left him drained immensely beyond anything he could fully recover from. His mind lingered with the pain of death once more. This was the second time he died and by some grace, he was able to resurrect.
How did it happen? How was this man once respected and feared as the Black Swordsman subjected to such a defeat? His mind focused, pressing beyond the pain in an attempt to recall the events that had transpired.
Obelisk… Icarus thought to himself.
The mind of the mercenary leader recalled facing the beast of darkness, Obelisk, as its avatar entered the realm of Dae Luin through the Void. He fought with all his might, summoning strength beyond any he had used during his life in that realm. In the end, he was swatted like a fly by a creature bearing only a fraction of the beast's might. The resultant force of being pulled into the Void and met with such resistance caused him to compress violently. That was the only explanation he had.
Icarus looked up to see the face belonging to the familiar voice. His memories were scattered here and there, his mind unable to entirely piece everything back together. She belonged to a group he was the master of. She was related to someone whom he once had loved.
"Keira… I couldn't stop him…" he exclaimed, exasperated by the effort it took. "Obelisk came and took everything."
It was all he could do to sit up and look her in the face. His mission was solely to kill it and he could not. He was a failure in the highest degree. He coughed as his lungs expanded again uncomfortably, the effects of draining all his magic to heal reflexively cost him far too much.
"Where are we?" he inquired, weak despite Keira's additional healing.
Author: Keira, Posted: Fri Oct 16, 2015 6:20 PM, Post Subject: Emergence (Open, R?)
It had been a rather odd morning that day. She woke up and stretched at the guild before washing herself up. It was not until she got outside that things got weird. Her green eyes lifted up towards the skies and she saw cracks. The skies literally looked as if they could have fallen down at any moment. A whimper left her lips but that was the last thing she remembered as her mind blacked out.
The next thing she remembered were a bunch of women standing around her. She was on a nice feather bed inside some room. The women were trying to talk to her but she was so disoriented. They had the eyes of her mother so she knew they were Rosenites as well. “Don't move so fast.” Finally their words were making sense as they laid her back down. Soft fingers went through her hair as she closed her green eyes.
It was later explained to her that she fell from the sky. They had caught her with the magic that erupted all over Sularia. Sularia? That was the capital of her mother's homeland. She was told that many others had fallen from this place called DaeLuin and she was not alone. Maybe there was even another her floating around! Though she highly doubted it.
When she was well enough she shifted into her wolf form and left the desert. She trekked all over looking for people she knew. She came after the arches of Angela and spoke with her. She came across many others as well, some were even her cousins. There was no sign of her twin sister but in her heart she knew that probably nothing bad had happened to her.
One evening she felt the ground shake and she shifted running towards it as fast as she could. It was probably more folk from their lands. She was shocked when she got there to see Icarius pulling himself together. He was not as he use to be. She felt hardly any magic in him what so ever. Going to his side she let her magic glow as she tried to treat what wounds he could not. “Can you hear me?” She lightly slapped his face on the cheek. “You need to wake up.”
Author: Icarus, Posted: Fri Oct 16, 2015 2:11 PM, Post Subject: Emergence (Open, R?)
All seemed clear amidst the vast fields of Bohar as the sky began to darken overhead. Gusts of wind swept quickly across the plains and it seemed a tornado would rise as the twisting currents crackled with brilliant electrical sparks. The darkness perpetuated itself and spread as far as the eye could see, blotting out the sun and removing all the heavens above from sight. It was then the first bolt struck the ground, rendering grassland and the very earth below into embers and ash.
Though none were there, towns and trading posts miles away could see the spectacle and heard what they believed to be the very earth groaning from either strain or pain. The incomparable experience wrought torment upon the minds of the superstitious as they believed their gods were infuriated with them and wreaking havoc and destruction upon the land. The intensity of electrical discharge steadily increased as what seemed a stable field of lightning encircled and twisted counter to the wind and earth swept up by the winds.
From the blackened heavens above, a darkness seemed to radiate upon the earth and the static discharge exploded outward, creating an electrical surge so powerful, the grass for miles scorched without flame, a small crater appearing at the epicenter. It was then a hand emerged from the black sphere, followed by a head, torso, trunk, and other appendages, clothed only in rags. As the body, decidedly human, and ambiguously alive, emerged fully from the sphere, the lightning ceased and the clouds parted, leaving nothing more than the memories of its presence scarring the face of the world at this place.
The body of the human lay destroyed and seeming twisted into painful shapes contorted and distorted from that which normal biology could allow. Indeed, the body was no more than a sick collection of torn flesh and bone laying in the center of the crater. The black sphere seemed liquid in nature now, ripples and a viscous surface that ebbed and flowed as though it were alive. Dark energy crackled from it, striking the corpse numerous times as black bolts scorched it. The body transmuted slowly from twisted remains to its natural form, sinew and bone realigning and setting with wet snaps as it twitched. The flesh repaired itself and hair grew from the corpse's skull, facial features forming now into the flesh that covered the skull.
Laying still after the repair of his body was complete, Icarus remained dead. The sphere crackled against with dark energy and bolts struck his ribcage, forcing his heart to start pumping the fresh blood now circulating through him. Thrice the energy struck, reattaching and reactivating his nervous system, repairing neurons and sending impulses to his brain. The black sphere ceased and began to shrink, the vast energies it consisted of beginning to fade as his eyes snapped open and the first breath of his new life erupted forth along with bile that splashed his face as he turned quickly to allow the vomit to drain.
It took minutes and incredible amounts of pain for Icarus to control his body, bewildered by his surroundings and the crater he now lay in. The shock of resurrection could drive most insane, but he was no ordinary man beholden to such failings. This was a man that slew demons, a man that commanded armies and struck down even the most powerful of Hell! What sort of fear did he know when all he sought to conquer lay vanquished at his feet? He was a walking embodiment of cunning and strength of will.
Now, it seemed, he was sent to a new home, his body having been torn asunder and crushed by magics he knew nothing of. He no longer felt a connection to the darkness, nor the lands he had left behind. Instead, he felt different. His body had reverted to that of his peak potential, his lithe form a combination of fine musculature and disciplined work ethic.
He had to move. He couldn't simply remain in this crater. Rising to his hands and knees, Icarus crawled slowly toward the edge, some five meters away. As he felt strength returning, he forced himself up, falling as he sought to regain the strength in his legs as well as his equilibrium. Struggling to climb over the horizon of the blemish upon the face of the world, he rose at last, leaning heavily against the raised earth. Throwing his body weight over it, he was able to roll onto scorched earth, feeling the prickle of burnt wild grass pressing against his flesh. He didn't care, had no will nor capacity to care and thus, he continued to lay face down upon the ground for some time. Perhaps the animals wouldn't feed upon him while he slept.
