Devlyn and Allura take Oroth to Sirone to make sure he needs no other healing, and to watch over him until he awakens.
A few hours after they leave, Oroth regains consciousness. There is something different about him, like he isn't all there, like a great weight is gone from his shoulders. He motions for some parchment and a quill. He writes quickly two letters one adressed to Aidan, the other to Allura and Devlyn. He places them on an endtable before gasping and clutching his skull. Nothing helps though, and soon he falls unconscious again and dies. A sun-like essence rises from his body and slowly floats away.
To Allura and Devlyn
-Oroth
When Aidan gets his letter, he starts to cry. Shakily he pulls out the communication crystal Mr. Duskwalker gave him.
"Allura, Delvyn? It's Aidan. Um, Oroth is dead, and he left a letter to you."
He cuts off the communication quickly and runs to the other side of the Oasis to be alone.
Allura and Devlyn arrive at the Oasis. She starts looking around for Aidan.
Allura and Devlyn arrive at the Oasis. She starts looking around for Aidan.
As she looks around for Aidan, Allura sees the letter addressed to them laying by where they had left Oroth in Sirone's care.
She walks over and picks up the note, reading it quickly before handing it to Devlyn. She tries to wipe her eyes surreptitiously on her sleeve.
Whoa dude, did I forget to take a bath again? My bad....
|
To Allura and Devlyn
Spoiler:Thank you for trying to help keep me alive, but my death is unavoidable. I feel different, better. I feel my age again, and I can't use the shadows to look older anymore. I forced myself to act older after my family either died or disappeared. Sorry for the deception, but by the time I meet you, it seemed permanent. Something is happening to me, I feel... lighter, at ease, like I know this isn't the end. The shadows that surround me a parting and I can feel the sun's wartm once again. Thank you both.
-Oroth
As she looks around for Aidan, Allura sees the letter addressed to them laying by where they had left Oroth in Sirone's care.
She walks over and picks up the note, reading it quickly before handing it to Devlyn. She tries to wipe her eyes surreptitiously on her sleeve.
As Allura turns to hand the note to Devlyn, she sees him kneeling on the ground on the other side of the table. He is kneeling over Oroth's body.
"Whatever happened to him, it looks like he was at peace with it at the end," he says quietly. "His face is calm, almost serene."
He gently picks up Oroth's body, and carefully lays it back on the cot, taking care to place him and cover him up as a comrade fallen in battle. He walks back over to Allura, takes and reads the note, then puts it away, holding her close for a moment.
"We need to find Aidan. C'mon."
They leave the room and go out into the Oasis proper to find Aidan.
The pair find Aidan under a palm tree, arms around his knees and staring at the clouds floating past. He notices their arrival, but says nothing. Leaning against the tree next to him is the thin blade Oroth favored.
Whoa dude, I feel so funky.
Allura sits down next to Aidan. "I'm so sorry. I know he was your friend. I wish I could have done more to help him."
If he doesn't respond to her words, she will sit quietly with him for as long as he needs.
using mindlink to speak to Devlyn
:I'm about as safe here as anywhere. If you want to go back to the Bazaar, I will stay with Aidan.:
Allura sits down next to Aidan. "I'm so sorry. I know he was your friend. I wish I could have done more to help him."
If he doesn't respond to her words, she will sit quietly with him for as long as he needs.
using mindlink to speak to Devlyn
:I'm about as safe here as anywhere. If you want to go back to the Bazaar, I will stay with Aidan.:
He nods, then does his best to respond mentally. :)
:Can you use this ability to reach me at the Bazaar if you need to?:
He nods, then does his best to respond mentally. :)
:Can you use this ability to reach me at the Bazaar if you need to?:
:Yes. You have to be near for me to begin using this power, but now that the mindlink is established it will work over any distance. For the next three hours anyways.:
:Yes. You have to be near for me to begin using this power, but now that the mindlink is established it will work over any distance. For the next three hours anyways.:
He nods, then does his best to respond mentally. :)
:Can you use this ability to reach me at the Bazaar if you need to?:
:Alright. I'll go back and see what's going on now. And if we're there that long, I'll try to come back in three hours and get this 'refreshed'. Let me know if anything happens:
Devlin gives her a quick kiss and then puts his hand on Aidan's shoulder.
"I'm sorry, Aidan."
Devlyn then heads back to the omniportal and returns the the arena at the Bazaar.
Allura sits down next to Aidan. "I'm so sorry. I know he was your friend. I wish I could have done more to help him."
"He told me you couldn't have helped him, but you did ease his... passing. For that, I thank you. He didn't want me to tell anyone this, thought the Carnival would use him against me, but that doesn't matter now does it? He wasn't just my friend, he was my older brother and we were all we had. I ran away one day after we had a fight about my going to the Carnival. Turns out he was right. When they said I could join, I didn't know they had something horrible in mind for my act. I've blocked those memories away and I don't want them back. The last thing I said to Oro was to see if he'd go to that evil cirque. It's my fault he went there, my fault he's gone."
He's eyes water again and he turns away from Allura.
Allura sits down next to Aidan. "I'm so sorry. I know he was your friend. I wish I could have done more to help him.""He told me you couldn't have helped him, but you did ease his... passing. For that, I thank you. He didn't want me to tell anyone this, thought the Carnival would use him against me, but that doesn't matter now does it? He wasn't just my friend, he was my older brother and we were all we had. I ran away one day after we had a fight about my going to the Carnival. Turns out he was right. When they said I could join, I didn't know they had something horrible in mind for my act. I've blocked those memories away and I don't want them back. The last thing I said to Oro was to see if he'd go to that evil cirque. It's my fault he went there, my fault he's gone."
He's eyes water again and he turns away from Allura.
"Oh, Aidan. I am so sorry for your loss. But you can't blame yourself for what happened. You're just a kid. So was he. You both got in over your heads. I don't think for one second that Oroth held a grudge towards you. If anything he was very protective of you. If we had known the truth, we probably would have tried harder to protect him, but I doubt that would have worked any better. Probably worse, since he would have gone off on his own anyways. It's not your fault, Aidan." She gives him a hug.
He grabs Oroth's thin blade and looks at her.
"Please tell me who killed him Allura. I don't care what happens anymore, I just want his killer to die, screaming as fire eats through him until nothing but a pile of ash is left."
He sounds very determined and scary calm.
He grabs Oroth's thin blade and looks at her.
"Please tell me who killed him Allura. I don't care what happens anymore, I just want his killer to die, screaming as fire eats through him until nothing but a pile of ash is left."
He sounds very determined and scary calm.
"No. I won't do that. I won't send you to get killed too. And I won't help you pursue blind vengeance. You're better than that. This is not the sort of person your brother would want you to be, and I will not be a party to it. It won't bring Oroth back, and it will eat you up from the inside until there's nothing of Aidan left. Do you really think this is what he would want?"
Esmerelda arrives, and sees Oroth's body. She immediately makes the sign of the Boardmother.
"He had a difficult life, but he died on the right side. Not many have that comfort."
"Would you try to stop me Allura?"
"Would you try to stop me Allura?"
"I know what you're thinking, boy. Stop. Down that way lies evil, and that is the path Oroth escaped. What would he say if his brother went down the same path?"
Suddenly, she jerks upright."By the Boardmother! He is not yet dead!"
"Would you try to stop me Allura?"
She sighed. "I doubt that I could, Aidan. But I will try to persuade you to wait, to think things through more carefully. To really examine your reasons behind this so that you don't end up becoming the thing you fight against. And I will not help you to do something that I believe will be harmful to you."
"Would you try to stop me Allura?""I know what you're thinking, boy. Stop. Down that way lies evil, and that is the path Oroth escaped. What would he say if his brother went down the same path?"
Suddenly, she jerks upright.
"By the Boardmother! He is not yet dead!"
"Wha-what? Truly?" Allura is genuinely startled.
"Wha-what? Truly?" Allura is genuinely startled."Would you try to stop me Allura?""I know what you're thinking, boy. Stop. Down that way lies evil, and that is the path Oroth escaped. What would he say if his brother went down the same path?"
Suddenly, she jerks upright.
"By the Boardmother! He is not yet dead!"
"He is indeed. I think. Did he leave a note?"
"Would you try to stop me Allura?""I know what you're thinking, boy. Stop. Down that way lies evil, and that is the path Oroth escaped. What would he say if his brother went down the same path?"
Suddenly, she jerks upright.
"By the Boardmother! He is not yet dead!"
Aidan's attitude changes instantly. Hope seems to flow from him in waves.
"What do you mean? Don't mess with me right now."
"Would you try to stop me Allura?""I know what you're thinking, boy. Stop. Down that way lies evil, and that is the path Oroth escaped. What would he say if his brother went down the same path?"
Suddenly, she jerks upright.
"By the Boardmother! He is not yet dead!"Aidan's attitude changes instantly. Hope seems to flow from him in waves.
"What do you mean? Don't mess with me right now."
"Don't get your hopes up, boy. He may still die. I need the note, Aidan."
"He is indeed. I think. Did he leave a note?"
"Wha-what? Truly?" Allura is genuinely startled.
"Here," she says, handing Esmarelda the note. "This is the note he left for us."
"Here," she says, handing Esmarelda the note. "This is the note he left for us.""He is indeed. I think. Did he leave a note?"
"Wha-what? Truly?" Allura is genuinely startled.
Esmerelda shakes her head.
"I asked for Aidan's."
Esmerelda shakes her head.
"I asked for Aidan's."
Slowly, Aidan pulls his letter from his pocket. "Promise you won't do anything that will damage it."
Slowly, Aidan pulls his letter from his pocket. "Promise you won't do anything that will damage it."Esmerelda shakes her head.
"I asked for Aidan's."
"I will not if I can help it. If he put something important in a note, it will most likely be in this one. Even if he didn't, I may be able to use it as a medium for scrying."
"I will not if I can help it. If he put something important in a note, it will most likely be in this one. Even if he didn't, I may be able to use it as a medium for scrying."Slowly, Aidan pulls his letter from his pocket. "Promise you won't do anything that will damage it."Esmerelda shakes her head.
"I asked for Aidan's."
Aidan carefully hands here the note.
Wow dude, I like totally remember when we use to pass notes in class. It was really cool until Miss Kozlowski caught us and sent us to detention.
Allura reaches out and squeezes Aidan's hand reassuringly as they wait for Esmarelda to find out what she can.
...[/crickets chirping]
"Hmm..." Esmerelda mutters. "Perhaps he is being...one moment."
She casts a spell to determine his condition.
"Hmm..." Esmerelda mutters. "Perhaps he is being...one moment."
Growing worried, Aidan thinks to himself
"Hmm..." Esmerelda mutters. "Perhaps he is being...one moment."Growing worried, Aidan thinks to himself
"Not sure...I need a moment."
"Hmm..." Esmerelda mutters. "Perhaps he is being...one moment."Growing worried, Aidan thinks to himself
Allura sees the distress on Aidan's face.
"It's going to be alright. We just have to be patient while Esmarelda finishes her divinations."
I like cheese.
...[/crickets chirping]
As Esmarelda uses the letter to scry for Oroth, she see darkness parting as light streams through to show a tower. This tower is at the top of a building seemingly occupied by a large sun. The magic zeros in on the room and she sees a strange golden mist, within which Oroth seems to reside.
"What do you see, Esmarelda?"
I see a pretty pony, and some gumballs, and a bag of cotton candy, but no one named Esmeralda. Sorry dude! Maybe if I had some more shrooms.....