"Faded away, or removed from time?"
"Lecture away. I think I'll like yours better anyway." Michael replies with a grin he can't help. "You really are just to good for me."
She smiled and leaned her head on his shoulder. "You definitely overestimate me. It's just that I love you so I want the best for you. You're a really incredible person. Sometimes you need to be reminded of that."
"There was... a dragon. In my village, he took sacrifices every year. One year I was chosen. I was taken to his lair. He... did... things to me. I don't want to think about it Nasima. Every day I survived I wished for death or liberation. Now that I'm free.. I'm... this." With that, Vai curls her wings, brushing away tears.
"I can't answer that Krays, because I do not know. Legends are not always clear."
"Ephebe, he hid the origin of all the clans. You mentioning the Swiftsparks brought the memory back. Who better to hunt someone, than a member of their own species? He kept it a secret so the creation of the Hunter's couldn't be undone. Now the blood of dragons flows perfectly in each Hunter, impossible to separate from them."
She smiled and leaned her head on his shoulder. "You definitely overestimate me. It's just that I love you so I want the best for you. You're a really incredible person. Sometimes you need to be reminded of that."
"Thank you." Michael reaches over and grabs their food, brushing bits of fish off the top from where Saffire has starting ravaging his food, and hands Kitty hers. "Let's eat before Saffire decides on seconds."
"I can't answer that Krays, because I do not know. Legends are not always clear."
"Ephebe, he hid the origin of all the clans. You mentioning the Swiftsparks brought the memory back. Who better to hunt someone, than a member of their own species? He kept it a secret so the creation of the Hunter's couldn't be undone. Now the blood of dragons flows perfectly in each Hunter, impossible to separate from them."
She took another deep breath.
"Okay, that kind of makes sense. I don't suppose you happen to know why the Hunters were created in the first place? I...I'm sorry to be asking so many questions. But with the records destroyed there isn't an easy way to find out otherwise."
She smiled and leaned her head on his shoulder. "You definitely overestimate me. It's just that I love you so I want the best for you. You're a really incredible person. Sometimes you need to be reminded of that.""Thank you." Michael reaches over and grabs their food, brushing bits of fish off the top from where Saffire has starting ravaging his food, and hands Kitty hers. "Let's eat before Saffire decides on seconds."
"Okay," she said, opening her lunch and smiling when she saw they'd given her some of her favorite foods.
"Mmm...onigiri. Want some?"
@Vai:
"Oh, sweetie..." Vai sees the fog gather into a vaguely humanoid shape that becomes less and less vague over the course of a minute or so. Eventually Nasima is standing in front of you, naked except for a couple strategically-placed thick rings of opaque cloud. You can see the strange, cloud-like formations that move in thick dark whorls all over her skin, the patterns they make are hypnotic and somewhat relaxing, much like watching fluffy summer clouds drift by on a beautiful day.
'Sima bends down and gives Vai another hug. "I'm so sorry. That's awful. I don't know if this helps, but so far all the dragons I've met here have been really great peopl- er, dragons. They've been really great. Oh and you haven't met Amada, Asch is her boyfriend. She's got wings not entirely unlike yours..." Wait, what am I saying? I'm going about this wrong."
The sylph helps the half-elf back up to a standing position. "Look. Uh, I guess what I'm trying to say is, whatever he or she did was terrible and wrong and should've never happened. But don't be ashamed of what you are. I mean, yeah it's because of those events, but you're still you, and here, that's really what counts. I mean, when you go to school with demons and dragons and elementals and mortals and who-knows-what-the-heck else, stuff like having wings falls by the wayside pretty quickly. Also, a lot of folks here have pretty...er...dark backstories. You'll find out. You're really really not alone here. Trust me." She smiles. "Now come on, let's go back out there. I mean, if this is gonna keep happening, you're gonna have to learn to look this way around others. You can't keep running to the bathroom every time you feel a change coming on, right?"
She took another deep breath.
"Okay, that kind of makes sense. I don't suppose you happen to know why the Hunters were created in the first place? I...I'm sorry to be asking so many questions. But with the records destroyed there isn't an easy way to find out otherwise."
"We were bodyguards against other dragons. The metallics were the first to use the creation method, and it spread to the chromatics soon after. One thing you may find interesting, is that only two clans have 'true' dragon blood. The Swiftspark clan and the Slow Blaze clan, gold and red respectively."
"Okay," she said, opening her lunch and smiling when she saw they'd given her some of her favorite foods.
"Mmm...onigiri. Want some?"
"I've never tried it before, so why not?" Michael says as he takes a bite. "It's not bad." He tells Kitty, trying to hide his distaste.
"I have this strange feeling that Death isn't exactly innocent in all of this. He has hinted that Kronos and he have worked together quite a bit in the past. I figured it was just becasue they both share a level of inevitability. It also doesn't make sense for madness or any of the other patrons to start a thing like this vs just one other patron. There's a big difference between patrons bickering amongst each other through thier champions, and starting a crusade against all patrons..."
Vakkler returns, leading fifty-odd massive fanged toads. A much smaller and rather sheepish one sits on his shoulder. The gamekeeper seems in a poor mood.
"Didn't even catch the bloody things. Now they're infesting the town, and it's all your fault."
*Ribbit*
"Don't give me that! You had a whole herd under control. I don't care if it was a bloody drider swarm, nothing should be able to escape you!"
*Ribbit*
"Five cave fishers, Slarrow. Five. Maybe fifty would be an adequate excuse for letting the quasits get away. Not five. I expect better of you lot."
"There's a big difference between patrons bickering amongst each other through their champions, and starting a crusade against all patrons..."
~You assume a crusade, and not a war. Too many Patrons understate the sh*t that's going down.~
A small mouse has appeared. It is eying a tiny knothole with supreme distaste.
Looks at the mouse
"If you can bicker amongst yourselves without need of us, then do so. At the moment we're trying to figure out how to fix your problems, so no offense, but bugger off. Please."
"We were bodyguards against other dragons. The metallics were the first to use the creation method, and it spread to the chromatics soon after. One thing you may find interesting, is that only two clans have 'true' dragon blood. The Swiftspark clan and the Slow Blaze clan, gold and red respectively."
She groaned. "I have the most horrible feeling that I know where that true dragon blood came from."
Looks at the mouse
"If you can bicker amongst yourselves without need of us, then do so. At the moment we're trying to figure out how to fix your problems, so no offense, but bugger off. Please."
The mouse looks very offended. ~We can't exactly 'bicker' without you lot. Did your Patron not tell you about the rules, either? Oh, but I hate you all. Just be glad Madness is making his move, or I wouldn't have to talk to you.~
Laid in his bed, staring up at the night sky illusion that looked real. A level of real he wasn't capable of before, but still knew it wasn't real. It was a lie. This led him to think of his conversation with his patron. He replayed it over and over in his head. He was threatened and bullied by a force greater than him, and yet he agreed to follow it, or as it seems, to let it use him, all under the guise of a choice. 'How can I truly keep my honor like this?' he thought. it troubled him greatly, the circumstances behind his exile from his clan, him finally being someplace where he isn't the only over-achiever, and now this. 'I will not sacrifice myself to uphold a bargain with a duplicitous entity. I will honor my agreement, but I will exploit every loophole possible. It chose me, and it's stuck with me, now.
Besides, I love a challenge...' He smiled, and waved away the illusion and went to sleep.
A wise choice indeed Deception thought, smiling to herself.
"The current Red Emperor and the leader of the gold dragons themselves. Your demon was not involved, though she may have copied their idea."
"Well said, Krays."
Looks at the mouse
"If you can bicker amongst yourselves without need of us, then do so. At the moment we're trying to figure out how to fix your problems, so no offense, but bugger off. Please."The mouse looks very offended. ~We can't exactly 'bicker' without you lot, actually. Did your Patron not tell you about the rules, either? Oh, but I hate you all. Just be glad Madness is making his move, or I wouldn't have to talk to you.~
"Well....actually you can, but there would very shortly be nothing left to bicker over if you did. And yes, I did pay attention about the rules. Interesting how nobody actually follows them, just all try to see how far they can be bent and broken before someone notices."
How the mouse can look so angry is a mystery. Perhaps the feeling comes across by the telepathy. Perhaps it's just a very expressive mouse. But Fear looks quite angry.
~Not 'well said'. Insulting a Patron is stupid. You're part of this war, too. Dismissing it as 'bickering' is simplification and simple.~
The mouse starts cleaning itself, like a cat. ~I'm sure we would fade if we destroyed all, and there wouldn't be a victor. Claiming we don't follow the rules just because a few are stretching them of late is relatively inaccurate. The few smell change and want an edge. Cowards, the lot of them.~
The mouse looks very offended. ~We can't exactly 'bicker' without you lot. Did your Patron not tell you about the rules, either? Oh, but I hate you all. Just be glad Madness is making his move, or I wouldn't have to talk to you.~
"I'm sorry...whichever one you are. But, you really shouldn't be talking to me, not directly. I am slightly honored, as it were..."
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
The mouse looks very offended. ~We can't exactly 'bicker' without you lot. Did your Patron not tell you about the rules, either? Oh, but I hate you all. Just be glad Madness is making his move, or I wouldn't have to talk to you.~
"I'm sorry...whichever one you are. But, you really shouldn't be talking to me, not directly. I am slightly honored, as it were..."
~Speaking is a free action, as the rules go. So I'll talk to who I will.~
The mouse stops cleaning. ~I'll be leaving soon. There have been three complications I can use.~
How the mouse can look so angry is a mystery. Perhaps the feeling comes across by the telepathy. Perhaps it's just a very expressive mouse. But Fear looks quite angry.
~Not 'well said'. Insulting a Patron is stupid. You're part of this war, too. Dismissing it as 'bickering' is simplification and simple.~
The mouse starts cleaning itself, like a cat. ~I'm sure we would fade if we destroyed all, and there wouldn't be a victor. Claiming we don't follow the rules just because a few are stretching them of late is relatively inaccurate. The few smell change and want an edge. Cowards, the lot of them.~
Anger flared in her eyes, turning them momentarily draconic, but she bit her tongue on her first response.
"I did not insult you, sir. I used the same word that you did, in direct response to what you said. Of course it is an oversimplification, but there is no way in which mortals can speak of the affairs of beings that are above the gods without oversimplifying. And if you're not all breaking the rules, then the way that rules are being explained is incorrect."
How the mouse can look so angry is a mystery. Perhaps the feeling comes across by the telepathy. Perhaps it's just a very expressive mouse. But Fear looks quite angry.
~Not 'well said'. Insulting a Patron is stupid. You're part of this war, too. Dismissing it as 'bickering' is simplification and simple.~
The mouse starts cleaning itself, like a cat. ~I'm sure we would fade if we destroyed all, and there wouldn't be a victor. Claiming we don't follow the rules just because a few are stretching them of late is relatively inaccurate. The few smell change and want an edge. Cowards, the lot of them.~
The small face disappears into the stone. Moments later the rock floor near the mouse rises up like water twisting itelf into statue like form of a humanoid. A sly voice speaks.
"Wrong young little one. Not all aspects are bound as you are. For some of us to fade is not even possible or rather it can not be done. Time and Death are among the greatest and oldest of us. Fear and Madness not so much. They are dependant rather then needed, such are the young"
It begins to flow about itself, seeming to mock the mouse.
How the mouse can look so angry is a mystery. Perhaps the feeling comes across by the telepathy. Perhaps it's just a very expressive mouse. But Fear looks quite angry.
~Not 'well said'. Insulting a Patron is stupid. You're part of this war, too. Dismissing it as 'bickering' is simplification and simple.~
The mouse starts cleaning itself, like a cat. ~I'm sure we would fade if we destroyed all, and there wouldn't be a victor. Claiming we don't follow the rules just because a few are stretching them of late is relatively inaccurate. The few smell change and want an edge. Cowards, the lot of them.~Anger flared in her eyes, turning them momentarily draconic, but she bit her tongue on her first response.
"I did not insult you, sir. I used the same word that you did, in direct response to what you said. Of course it is an oversimplification, but there is no way in which mortals can speak of the affairs of beings that are above the gods without oversimplifying. And if you're not all breaking the rules, then the way that rules are being explained is incorrect."
~As mortals, they can only explain it incorrectly. Is that not so?~ The mouse gets up on its hind legs, and finally takes its eyes off the knothole to stare at Ephebe. ~You, dragon, must pay attention. Things are moving. Things are moving quickly. More quickly than I'd hoped, but I'm no Chronos.~ The mouse thinks the name with massive contempt. ~Watch yourself. Watch. Things are going to change.~
How the mouse can look so angry is a mystery. Perhaps the feeling comes across by the telepathy. Perhaps it's just a very expressive mouse. But Fear looks quite angry.
~Not 'well said'. Insulting a Patron is stupid. You're part of this war, too. Dismissing it as 'bickering' is simplification and simple.~
The mouse starts cleaning itself, like a cat. ~I'm sure we would fade if we destroyed all, and there wouldn't be a victor. Claiming we don't follow the rules just because a few are stretching them of late is relatively inaccurate. The few smell change and want an edge. Cowards, the lot of them.~The small face disappears into the stone. Moments later the rock floor near the mouse rises up like water twisting itelf into statue like form of a humanoid. A sly voice speaks.
"Wrong young little one. Not all aspects are bound as you are. For some of us to fade is not even possible or rather it can not be done. Time and Death are among the greatest and oldest of us. Fear and Madness not so much. They are dependant rather then needed, such are the young"
It begins to flow about itself, seeming to mock the mouse.
In all nearby minds, the mouse releases an awful screech. ~You are an idiot. IDIOT. Time is relative. Death is escapable. USE YOUR SO-LARGE BRAIN. I currently despise Love above all else, but you give the airhead competition with your mindless prattle and obvious attempts at baiting. Fear has always been around, since life came, and Fear is what kept your Creations from being left to rot and rust. BE NOT SO STUPID, LEST YOU BE EATEN.~
The mouse dissolves into mist and flies off, still screeching.| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
"All things change. All things come to an end. I do not fear change. Fighting change is as futile as fighting death. I've already given my life in service to my master once, and no doubt I will do so again.
Are we as champions to waste our time so? Worrying about change?"
In all nearby minds, the mouse releases an awful screech. ~You are an idiot. IDIOT. Time is relative. Death is escapable. USE YOUR SO-LARGE BRAIN. I currently despise Love above all else, but you give the airhead competition with your mindless prattle and obvious attempts at baiting. Fear has always been around, since life came, and Fear is what kept your Creations from being left to rot and rust. BE NOT SO STUPID, LEST YOU BE EATEN.~
The mouse dissolves into mist and flies off, as it lets loose another screech.
It watches the whole little show. A arm flows out and rest its chin on it.
"You know the young are always so dramatic, they think they know everything and how things work. Question them and they have a fit. It never crosses their mind that nothing is controlled or truely known."
It rolls looking at them both upside down.
"Fear is a victim of himself and seeks to spread himself to ensure his existance. Fear can be overcome and lost, happens more often then you think. So is the danger to his own existance. My how fun, I bet he really hates my champion."
Sighs
"If I had to guess which patron has faded based on what we've learned today, I'd say Truth. I would have thought that Truth would be an eternal constant, but after learning what Chronos has done, it obviously isn't, or definately is no longer."
Ephebe sat down. "Yeah. It makes sense in a horrible sort of way," she said, numbly, overwhelmed by all the recent events.
He smiles
"It does give me hope though, that he has chosen you as his champion, Ephebe. You will always fight for what's right and good. Perhaps, this isn't a coincidence, perhaps he's attempting to make up for past wrongs? Ones he can not hide?"
He smiles
"It does give me hope though, that he has chosen you as his champion, Ephebe. You will always fight for what's right and good. Perhaps, this isn't a coincidence, perhaps he's attempting to make up for past wrongs? Ones he can not hide?"
"I'd like to believe that. But I don't," she said dully.
"Lysander...you know what our guess is, but which patron was it that faded? It...it matters. It might help me understand the motivations behind....all of it," she said, having trouble speaking and holding back tears. She felt like she was in some sort of horrible dream. Everything felt unreal.
"Balance." He replies simply. "As more and more people wanted balance in their lives, the lives of those around them, and the world around them, a new Patron was born. But Balance is something that must never be achieved, because it is too complex to ever work. I doubt Time was the only one to send their Champion after Balance's."
"In fact, there should be no doubt, since it has the potential to wipe out the need of the other Patrons."
She nodded. "I think I understand now. It's...okay, it's bad, but...I do understand. Balance...balance would have killed some of them just by continuing to exist."
"Thank you. For explaining to me. No one else would have. Or could have, I suppose. Considering."
"No one else would have told you in the first place."
"No one else would have told you in the first place."
"I know."
She stood up.
"If you'll excuse me for a moment, I'm going to go do what teenage girls usually do when they're feeling emotional and overwhelmed."
She walked over to the far corner of the room and started sobbing so hard her whole body shook.
Lysander sighs.
"Krays, I saw how you tripped yourself earlier. Get some practice.. Fear, Creation, I think it's time you left."
Lysander sighs.
"Krays, I saw how you tripped yourself earlier. Get some practice.. Fear, Creation, I think it's time you left."
There has been no sign of Fear since he screeched and departed.
Turning its head directly around without moving the rest of its body it stares at Lysander.
"Your wrong, balance is no threat to the aspects. Excuse me, no threat to some of the aspects. To others it is the vilest of things, fundamentally toxic to them. Otherwise we wouldn't stop Madness and be trying to restore some form of balance."
It starts to flow back into the stone growing smaller.
"You will never understand so dont try. You will serve or not, Madness will be stopped or not. This is the way of it, Madness is no threat to us. In fact some of those against him feed off his work. How interesting is that."
In moments it is gone leaving not a trace. But a big bubble comes up and pops all over Lysander. He is mostly covered in a thin layer of stone that wont come off. He here's a voice in his head.
"Watch your mouth. If I leave everything dies, then Death is going to get on my back."
Unexpectedly, Vai flings herself into Nasima's arms, hugging her intensely, (Nasima feels a small shock of electricity run out of Vai's claws) "You're right, of course you're right but... Professor Sunwake told me to keep it a secret. I have to figure out how to change back. You wouldn't know anything about that would you?"
'Sima barely holds in a surprised squeak when she gets zapped by Vai's claws, and is grateful for the chance to talk, punctuating the beginning of her speech with a sharp exhale that could, conceivably, just be a quick sigh of some sort. "I...think I know why he said you might wanna keep that secret, but from what I've seen, secrets will out around here, so you'll probably find things easier if you just go with the flow." She thinks back to all the secrets and cross-secrets and hidden half-truths perpetrated by various students and staff members around the school.
...and the hunters and monsters all came anyway... She thinks of Lysander and shudders involuntarily. Boy I wonder if he's still around, too. Hope not.
Nasima reaches out the bathroom door and snatches up her clothes and gets dressed again.
"As for changing back? I don't know the first thing, and the only folks I know who do, well, I haven't seen any of 'em lately. Actually that's not completely true. I think Aanaanda is one..." She looks at Vai. "You want me to go try to find somebody who could maybe help? I can think of a few, it's just a matter of if they're someplace I can easily find them."
Realizing their situation, Vai blushes. She quickly averts her eyes. "I don't mean to impose, but yes, I would like that very much... but.. you might want to put on some clothes first." A small smile crosses Vai's face. Anyone looking in here would have a good laugh she thinks to herself. Or run screaming in terror. Her smile didn't last that long.
Jim, content with the slight modifications to his Battlefist, has become bored, so he will start rebuilding the school, using Wall of Stone to replicate the surrounding stonework wherever there are holes.
Lysander sighs.
"Krays, I saw how you tripped yourself earlier. Get some practice.. Fear, Creation, I think it's time you left."
"Yeah...my wealth of knowledge of magic unforetunely transcends my knowledge of fighting. You know my kind aren't known as front-line kind of fighters. A tribe of swamp orcs isn't really that impressive, once you spew acid into their water supply..." the last bit he says sheepishly...
The rock around Lysander seems to hold him fast... until it starts falling apart. A seething mass of whirling sand erodes the stone from the inside until Lysander is free.
"I can't believe that arrogant Patron actually believes what he said." Lysander said as he shakes rock from his hair. "Do not worry about being front-line, Krays, just work on not tripping yourself. Even the best fighters cannot fight well laying on the ground."
Settling against the wall, Lysander sends his White Fire to bolster Ephebe's own and give her a slight sense of comfort.
After all, crying like that she'd be no good in a fight if they were attacked right now.