Thread Status: Closed
Players involved: Kila, Roma
Characters involved: Brianna (Kila), Zaeren (Roma)
Setting: All of Sleibte
Time: Late at night, Haliea 25
Weather: Clear with storms rolling in on the horizon; heat lightning is present and common as thunder softly rumbles over the plains
Brianna had been out for a while.
Zaeren had carried her back to the cabin in the woods, and she'd been in and out of consciousness for parts of it. She recalled him opening the dark cabin and lighting a fire before he set her down on the furs on the floor. She recalled vaguely gesturing to her bag, though if words came out she couldn't say for sure. She continued to fade in and out as the different sensations overcame her--the wound being cleaned (that hurt quite a bit), her hair being tied back, the oily feeling of ointments being rubbed into the wound (she half recalled crying out and raking her claws through the fur blankets), and then... everything went dark.
And it stayed dark.
She was alone in her mind, surrounded by darkness, with herself being the only point of light around. She was in a pool, just floating on the surface, hair splayed out around her, completely numb to everything going on in the waking world. And it was quiet. Blissfully, peacefully silent. And then the thought occurred to her...
Am I dead?
It was her first thought in this world--her subconscious.
*You're not dead,* said a soft male voice from her right. Brianna turned her head in response, and there, sitting on the water's surface, was Kazae, the white lion. He stared at her with contemplative eyes, golden mane blazing like a fire, further illuminating the dark nothingness that surrounded them. He tilted his head and spoke again, *Would you rather be?*
No...? Brianna responded hesitantly. No. I'm rather glad I'm not dead. She chuckled.
So... if I'm not dead, am I dreaming?
*Ah,* said a feminine voice from her left, *Now there's the million gold question.* Brianna instantly knew this voice to be that of Danae, the kitsune. She turned her head and met the ebony beast's scarlet eyes. Unlike Kazae she was barely distinguishable from the darkness around her. The kitsune gave a swish of her many beautiful tails as she continued, *Not dead. Not dreaming. You just are, my dear.*
Kazae was quick to add on, *Your body is healing itself, and has been. Your light magic has...* he trailed off, as if uncertain of how to continue. Brianna watched him chew at his claws pensively, and she found herself trying to sit up in the water, though she was unable to.
Kazae?
*We can't sugar coat this, dear, it's best we just come clean with her.* It was the first time Brianna had ever heard Danae speak with... was that tenderness?
There were several awkwardly quiet moments as Kazae licked his paw and ran it over his ear and face. It felt as if Brianna had walked in on something she wasn't supposed to see--like she'd discovered a secret that she still wasn't quite privy to. Guys, what is going on? I'm so sick of you both knowing more about me than I do! she cried out, frustration at the edges of her voice.
The two spirit weapons locked eyes for a split moment and nodded in unison.
*Your magic is increasing. Whether you're aware of it or not, you're using your light magic right now to heal yourself.* Kazae's voice was as warm as the sun, and the more Brianna looked at him... the more his words seemed to ring true. Had his mane always blazed like that? Somewhere deep in her heart she knew it hadn't. *And with this new well of power comes greater risks.*
*The brighter the light becomes, the darker the shadow,* Danae added with a soft chuckle, though her words were tinged with concern. *There's so much more to you than you can imagine, Brianna... we just... can't quite tell you...*
*Because even we're uncertain--*
*We don't have all the answers you seem to think we have. Kazae and I just know the parts of you that you know, just... a bit more intimately.*
Ah, so it's still a riddle... Brianna sighed, though as she closed her eyes she felt a strange semblance of peace over not having all the answers. If even they were still in the dark, then maybe everything would be okay.
...
So how do I wake up?
*Oh my sweet, foolish girl,* Danae said.
*The answer is simple. All you need to do is*
*Open your eyes.* Their voices combined into one, and the kelahati found herself compelled to do exactly as they said...
She opened her eyes and found herself staring straight up at the ceiling.
The firelight was flickering gently, casting soft shadows that danced over the cabin's dark rustic walls. Even the dragon's skull mounted on the wall seemed less threatening than it had before. The soft crackling of the dwindling fire was a homey comfort, and outside the chirps of crickets mingled with the distant rumble of thunder. She could smell the humidity on the wind through cracked windows, and the air was bursting with the smell of rain. It would turn into a stormy night...
Aside from the fire in the fireplace the cabin was dark. A glance out the window told her it was well after sunset; she could see flickers of starlight between flashes of distant lightning. It was only then that her stomach began to growl. Ravenously. And it was at that moment that the obvious question came to the forefront of her mind:
How the fuck long had she out for?
As she tried to get up to remedy her painfully empty belly a sharp jolt radiated down her spine, and she gasped a little more sharply than she'd intended. Propped up on one elbow and halfway between being rolled onto her back it came into stark clarity just how far Zaeren had gone in treating her wound. She was shirtless, save for the bandages that wrapped around her exposed breasts, and there were either several layers--as the wound wasn't seeping through--or the wound was already scabbing over. But judging from the need for bandages, that likely wasn't the case.
But gods above did it hurt.
Her eyes fell on the man sleeping next to her. The man who had supported her as she walked out of the dragon halls at her own foolish request, carried her back home, and then so tenderly cared for her... Let him rest, she thought. It's the least he deserves.
She managed to work her body until she was sitting upright, but each movement of her spine elicited a soft mewl of a pained gasp from her lips. Damn, she hadn't felt pain like that in a long time. It was like fire in her back and shoulders, and one wrong move would have her tearing up in pain.
But at least the pain meant she was alive.
Players involved: Kila, Roma
Characters involved: Brianna (Kila), Zaeren (Roma)
Setting: All of Sleibte
Time: Late at night, Haliea 25
Weather: Clear with storms rolling in on the horizon; heat lightning is present and common as thunder softly rumbles over the plains
Brianna had been out for a while.
Zaeren had carried her back to the cabin in the woods, and she'd been in and out of consciousness for parts of it. She recalled him opening the dark cabin and lighting a fire before he set her down on the furs on the floor. She recalled vaguely gesturing to her bag, though if words came out she couldn't say for sure. She continued to fade in and out as the different sensations overcame her--the wound being cleaned (that hurt quite a bit), her hair being tied back, the oily feeling of ointments being rubbed into the wound (she half recalled crying out and raking her claws through the fur blankets), and then... everything went dark.
And it stayed dark.
She was alone in her mind, surrounded by darkness, with herself being the only point of light around. She was in a pool, just floating on the surface, hair splayed out around her, completely numb to everything going on in the waking world. And it was quiet. Blissfully, peacefully silent. And then the thought occurred to her...
Am I dead?
It was her first thought in this world--her subconscious.
*You're not dead,* said a soft male voice from her right. Brianna turned her head in response, and there, sitting on the water's surface, was Kazae, the white lion. He stared at her with contemplative eyes, golden mane blazing like a fire, further illuminating the dark nothingness that surrounded them. He tilted his head and spoke again, *Would you rather be?*
No...? Brianna responded hesitantly. No. I'm rather glad I'm not dead. She chuckled.
So... if I'm not dead, am I dreaming?
*Ah,* said a feminine voice from her left, *Now there's the million gold question.* Brianna instantly knew this voice to be that of Danae, the kitsune. She turned her head and met the ebony beast's scarlet eyes. Unlike Kazae she was barely distinguishable from the darkness around her. The kitsune gave a swish of her many beautiful tails as she continued, *Not dead. Not dreaming. You just are, my dear.*
Kazae was quick to add on, *Your body is healing itself, and has been. Your light magic has...* he trailed off, as if uncertain of how to continue. Brianna watched him chew at his claws pensively, and she found herself trying to sit up in the water, though she was unable to.
Kazae?
*We can't sugar coat this, dear, it's best we just come clean with her.* It was the first time Brianna had ever heard Danae speak with... was that tenderness?
There were several awkwardly quiet moments as Kazae licked his paw and ran it over his ear and face. It felt as if Brianna had walked in on something she wasn't supposed to see--like she'd discovered a secret that she still wasn't quite privy to. Guys, what is going on? I'm so sick of you both knowing more about me than I do! she cried out, frustration at the edges of her voice.
The two spirit weapons locked eyes for a split moment and nodded in unison.
*Your magic is increasing. Whether you're aware of it or not, you're using your light magic right now to heal yourself.* Kazae's voice was as warm as the sun, and the more Brianna looked at him... the more his words seemed to ring true. Had his mane always blazed like that? Somewhere deep in her heart she knew it hadn't. *And with this new well of power comes greater risks.*
*The brighter the light becomes, the darker the shadow,* Danae added with a soft chuckle, though her words were tinged with concern. *There's so much more to you than you can imagine, Brianna... we just... can't quite tell you...*
*Because even we're uncertain--*
*We don't have all the answers you seem to think we have. Kazae and I just know the parts of you that you know, just... a bit more intimately.*
Ah, so it's still a riddle... Brianna sighed, though as she closed her eyes she felt a strange semblance of peace over not having all the answers. If even they were still in the dark, then maybe everything would be okay.
...
So how do I wake up?
*Oh my sweet, foolish girl,* Danae said.
*The answer is simple. All you need to do is*
*Open your eyes.* Their voices combined into one, and the kelahati found herself compelled to do exactly as they said...
She opened her eyes and found herself staring straight up at the ceiling.
The firelight was flickering gently, casting soft shadows that danced over the cabin's dark rustic walls. Even the dragon's skull mounted on the wall seemed less threatening than it had before. The soft crackling of the dwindling fire was a homey comfort, and outside the chirps of crickets mingled with the distant rumble of thunder. She could smell the humidity on the wind through cracked windows, and the air was bursting with the smell of rain. It would turn into a stormy night...
Aside from the fire in the fireplace the cabin was dark. A glance out the window told her it was well after sunset; she could see flickers of starlight between flashes of distant lightning. It was only then that her stomach began to growl. Ravenously. And it was at that moment that the obvious question came to the forefront of her mind:
How the fuck long had she out for?
As she tried to get up to remedy her painfully empty belly a sharp jolt radiated down her spine, and she gasped a little more sharply than she'd intended. Propped up on one elbow and halfway between being rolled onto her back it came into stark clarity just how far Zaeren had gone in treating her wound. She was shirtless, save for the bandages that wrapped around her exposed breasts, and there were either several layers--as the wound wasn't seeping through--or the wound was already scabbing over. But judging from the need for bandages, that likely wasn't the case.
But gods above did it hurt.
Her eyes fell on the man sleeping next to her. The man who had supported her as she walked out of the dragon halls at her own foolish request, carried her back home, and then so tenderly cared for her... Let him rest, she thought. It's the least he deserves.
She managed to work her body until she was sitting upright, but each movement of her spine elicited a soft mewl of a pained gasp from her lips. Damn, she hadn't felt pain like that in a long time. It was like fire in her back and shoulders, and one wrong move would have her tearing up in pain.
But at least the pain meant she was alive.
