Walking Nightmare
Night descends over the compound and while most recruits were exhausted, the evening still held many surprises. Tia wanders the plaza, eyes peeled for her bandit friend. She had continued this effort for more than an hour and was beginning to accept she would need to find an alternative. |
Tia reasons to Duff, wherever he was lurking
|
Duff shuts down her suggestion with surprising fervor
|
Tia remarks, her tone too cheery, followed by a bitter mental shout
she allows a silence to linger, glaring into a firepit
|
Duff spits dismissively |
Tia retorts just as harshly |
As Tia had grudgingly grown accustomed to, Duff blocks her from his mind and she is left with nothing but empty silence, her questions remaining unanswered. |
she grumbles to him as she turns away from the fire
|
Tia makes her way out of the plaza and towards the east gate, her body still weary and heavy. She notices fairly quickly hat security seems far more wary than the night before, leaving Tia uneasy. They watch each recruit with anxious apprehension, assessing them as they pass by as if seeking something specific. Tia finds herself instinctually averting her face from them. And when Tia nears her destination, her heart drops into her stomach! Ben Stahlmann lingers at the gate, chatting casually with security and wearing one of their black uniforms. Tia manages to dodge out of the torch light just before he turns, slinking down with her heart racing. Panic runs cold in Tia's veins as she crouches in the shadows, her breath terse and rapid. Feeling the need to unexpectedly evade Ben brings her back to that night abruptly, a fog washing over her already groggy mind. |
When Tia opens her eyes again, Ben aims his orb at her and the sheer plunge into the forest is at her back once again! Frozen to the spot in panic and disbelief, Ben releases the orb and it begins a sluggish, exaggerate path towards her. Yet unlike that night, Tia senses power gathering around her from below—surging, eager and pliable. She pulls and gathers this power together, directing it effortlessly with her fingertips. Tia condenses it into sinister, murky orbs as icy fingers overlay her own, guiding her hands. This eerie material feels hollow, freezing and even hungry as it hums within her grasp, enthralling Tia. She allows the magic to flow through her and surrenders to the frigid influence guiding her, this power having a mind of its own but still pliant to her will! |
Outside of her perception, Tia reverts to her true appearance and the shadow she lurks within begins grasping up at her, darkening. The air around Tia becomes desolate and frigid while opaque shadows stretch across her skin. A blurred layer totally obscures her skin, leaving Tia veiled and embraced by an inky wool. More transparent shadows cascade over her limbs and drapes her body like a cloak, resembling gossamer, obsidian silk. Only her purple eyes and wild white hair cut through the stygian disguise.
This esurient hunger at Tia's fingertips grows more potent as Tia returns her attention to Ben, the shards sharpening and hovering violently. They enlarge as Tia's resentment builds, as she recalls how Ben had hurt her and how he took her mother from her! The orb cuts its way toward Tia still, agonizingly slow, and she directs a dagger sized shard into it. |
Ben staggers powerless, vulnerable and alone on the mountain path before her--giving Tia a strange wave of delight. Tia hovers forward without touching the ground, her movement uncanny and inhuman as she skates atop shadows. Eerily, the empty space between Tia and Ben rapidly shrinks away in distinct leaps, Tia seemingly teleporting from step to step, halting only when she is face to face with Ben. She glowers at her once attacker, collecting her shards together into two curved blades and closing them in around the man. Tia peers into his eyes, relishing Ben's terror and satisfying desperation. A smile pulls at her lips, his helplessness leaving Tia as hungry as the material she wields. |
Then, the nightmare melts from Tia's sight, disappearing like a shadow dispelled by a sudden light! They are no longer on the mountain. Instead, Ben is pinned by her blades against the stony wall of the compound. He shivers in terror, the obsidian blades which close in around him carving the stone totally unimpeded, the cuts facile. Yet Ben is transfixed as the shadows peel away from Tia's face. |
It's-it's you! Ben's chokes, abject terror and horrific realization overtaking his expression |
Tia carefully observes the emotions which pass over his face but his piddling regret isn't nearly enough to slake her rancor, leering at him pitiless and wrathful. Ben and Tia are caught in this fervent exchange until Ben pinches his eyes shut, consigning himself to her retribution. Her head swims and she nearly loses herself to the fog again! The blades humming in her hesitant fingers and the silken shadows gripping her body urge Tia to shred him, to take what she deserves--she can almost hear the whispers in her ear. One of the blades graze Ben's face and Tia revels in his unadultured pain, splitting his flesh apart with the slightest graze! |
Duff entreats her, leaping out from the bushes
|
Tia turns to Duff, loosening her vice-grip to glance at him. Ben seizes his opportunity, ducking and scurrying out of sight. Tia blinks in his absence and tries to clear her addled mind, observing herself.
Shadows radiate out in a circle from Tia's feet, stretching out as wispy tentacles while also consuming her like a ravenous flame! Strangest of all, an opache shell of the black material she manipulates encases her completely. |
Duff...? Tia questions breathlessly, appearing dizzy |
Tia focuses her eyes fully, the material encasing her growing transparent. Finally she perceives the security staff surrounding them completely! Their weapons crash against the shell ineffectively and Tia's eyes pop as she looks to Duff for guidance, painted by fright. Subduing his own hesitation, Duff jumps into Tia and pushes both of them into Azowyr's Plane! All of the dark manipulations fade in their absence, leaving nothing behind but bewhildering silence. |
However, for Tia and Duff the chaos persists. The shadow plane has transformed into an ocean of charcoal waves pushed by invisible, silent gales. The portals are islands amid this sea, tossing them violently and quickly making Tia lose her bearings. Duff steps atop these stygian waters and tries to pull Tia toward a different portal, dragging her while she is left disoriented and overwhelmed by the impossible touch of the umbral waves. But shadowy hands clasp Tia too, trying to drag her beneath the waves as if to drown her. Tia clutches Duff's fur as he bites into these hands with a vicious snarl, repeating this desparate dance two or three times. Duff persists nonetheless, refusing to let them take her! |
What are you doing? |
Azowyr booms, his voice familiar to Tia. A man comprised exclusively of shadows reveals himself in the eye of this storm—Azowyr himself. He looms over them, titanic and imposing with an overwhelming presence! Yet his features are hard to make out amid the storm and darkness. |
You are moving too fast! Duff roars, his voice actually audible, hovering over Tia and shielding her from him with his body |
I have waited long enough! |
Azowyr refutes with intense accusation and the waves assaulting Duff become more volatile |
If your bleeding heart has yet to mend- |
Not for me Duff insists Give her time! |
Do you think you are sparing her? |
Azowyr cackles, the sound echoing about the plane several times over |
ha! You know nothing! |
huhu... |
haha! |
Despite his continued accusations, the storm weakens and Azowyr slowly reduces his size |
Stifling her will not prolong the inevitable. |
Azowyr drones, his voice eerily gentle but matter-of-fact |
The child has been suppressed long enough! |
Don't pretend! Duff gives a bleak growl, lowering his head We both know that, to you, she is merely a utensil for restoration! |
As the storm dissipates, Tia shakes off her disorientation and glances around the plane, not having been able to make out their conversation amid the chaos. In fact she startles as Azowyr drifts into sight before her, gathering at a more reasonable size while shadowy hands still restrain Tia. An undulating shadow maintains a humanoid silhouette, wisps rolling off of him like smoke. A jagged, branch like crown stabs skyward from his head and his eyes are hollow and empty. The smoky wisps of the plane itself seem to twist and move with him, an extension of his own body--as aloof, ominous and mysterious as the entity himself! |
What even are you?! Tia grumbles, trying to rip away from the silken shadows but failing |
Azowyr leans closer into Tia's face, unabashedly appraising her. Tia's expression pinches into a scowl, clearly marked with defiance. She rapidly swats at his immaterial face, wafting between her fingers before reforming. He retreats with an annoyed hiss! |
You are nothing like her...! |
Azowyr declares with a peculiar tone, his voice carrying both satisfaction and disaccord as he dissolves away entirely |
As the plane returns to normalcy, completely mild and quiet, the shadows fully release Tia. |
Duff? Tia whips around, desperation clenching her throat |
This way! Duff calls, moving west along the plane |
Duff waits by a portal in an alleyway, hopping through as she arrives. Tia takes a deep breath, trying to dispel the lingering fog in her mind before stepping through after him.
Tia meanders towards the light almost impulsively but a human hand pulls her back into the darkness. Two security staff sprint by, one pausing by the alleyway. The man who stopped Tia hushes her attempt to question him, swinging Tia around to block their view of her. |
Who goes there?! a guard demands |
Can't a man take a piss in peace? he shouts back at her unceremoniously |
Ugh the woman recoils in disgust, moving on. Tia can't help but join in on his snickering. |
Wow he laughs, eying Tia before glancing to Duff This is not how I thought I'd see you two again! |
Again...? Tia questions suspiciously |
Tia looks him over, only able to make out his silhouette which is particularly tall and muscular. Despite his greeting and Tia sensing that Duff recognizes him, Duff wholly refuses to acknowledge the mysterious stranger. This doesn't dissuade his smile until Tia questions his identity. |
Ah he answers wanly, stifling a tinge of bitterness I... shouldn't be surprised you don't remember. |
Tia squints at his face, catching the slightest glint of light as he turns to check behind him. |
It's you! Tia gasps, the realization striking her all at once |
 Her unknown rescuer from the night of her transformation stands before Tia in the flesh! Apparently close to Tia in age, he looms in the contrasting light and shodow of the alley, his athletic frame unabashedly exposed to the brisk spring air. With a cool almond complexion, long hair, pointed ears and smooth brown eyes, he strikes a confident yet mysterious figure! |
Still on the lam from the kingdom? he teases, a lopsided but elated smile lighting up his face I'm impressed! Looks like we're on t- |
Tia spots two guards clad in black uniforms jogging towards them. On impulse, she grabs him without a word and pulls him with her back into the shadows! |
Oh shit! he exclaims, spinning freely and blinded Is this a plane?? |
I-I'm sorry! Tia gasps, trying to steady him I didn't mean to get you sucked up in all of this...! |
No worries, you can suck me in anytime he assures Tia, hearing the distress in her voice but not seeing her jaw drop open It's not like they saw my face. 'sides, I needed to geto ut without one of those nasty imprints, this is perfect! Think you can get me outta the compound? |
Tia is left speechless at first, surprised by his casual, calm if not provocative demeanor. But after taking a breath, she finds some comfort in his attempt to dissuade the chaos she hadn't even begun to process. |
Sure Tia puffs, pulling him towards the river I... never got a chance to thank you! |
That was one crazy night. he agrees emphatically but then teases her You get into a lot of trouble with this face, its lucky you have more than one! |
You know?! Tia peeps, her heart leaping into her throat |
When I found you, you just screamed: "Newborn shape shifter!" he shouts into the plane, Tia releasing all of her breath into an airy, relieved chuckle There was no way you were anything else. |
They arrive by the river, Tia struggling to pull him out and having to let him do most of the work |
I'm, uh, Tia, by the way. she pants once both of them are on solid ground again |
Call me Niro! he echoes and activates his form |
The bottom half of his body begins changing, tearing up his pants as his lower body morphs into that of a horse! Niro towers over Tia in a centaur-like form, gaining a sable coat and a soot black tail matching his hair. |
Good luck! Niro shouts with a wave as he gallops south |
Tia turns to face the compound, all bright lights and clamor as security scours every inch for her. Duff waits at her side, watching with her. |
What am I going to do...? Tia shudders, trying to find comfort in his company What just happened? |
Duff instructs, his voice gentle |
Tia kneels before him, holding his head as he gazes into her eyes. They have a mesmerizing glow, shining almost blue. Duff presses into Tia's mind, gathering up all of her memories of this night -starting from their argument and up to this moment- and locks them deeper within Tia's mind. Tia's head spins as the magic goes into effect, blinking at him and then at their surroundings. |
What... happened...? Tia mutters |
Duff suggests, almost hypnotic
|
Tia's brows knit together as tries to focus, the muddled memory coming together with his suggestion |
Right... see... Tia mutters before growing confident and cheery I told you it would be fine! |
Duff finally relaxes, stretching and laying by the river. Tia takes a deep breath, enjoying the night air before jumping into the water. |
Previous Scene |
Next Scene |
Comments