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Post by wendy on Aug 29, 2017 5:18:52 GMT
Oh shit. Fae tries to make out shapes in the water. Are they...like me? He starts moving toward them, but can't go more than a few feet. After a second of struggle, he turns back to the cherry animal, regarding it. "This isn't my home, this isn't even real, is it? Listen, I had a home- two homes, actually- and both of them got taken from me. I..." he thinks for a moment. What is he arguing? Isn't he here to get a partner? Fae inspects the cherry. It smells good, and it's nice (if not presumptuous). And it claims to know something about him, so... "Come with me, then, if you know so much. With your help, I'll find my home."
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Feb 15, 2022 22:22:17 GMT
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Post by drallore on Aug 29, 2017 5:28:05 GMT
The Cherrim seems a bit surprised, but is definitely content with the response.
"That's very mature of you. I hope I can help you along your journey then. I do have some good news for you though. With the blessings of the angel's magic, I was given much insight of your world, and you in particular, but I also got to learn a thing o two about your family. I don't quite know who they are specifically, but I can at least say they are alive, and I think they'd like to meet you"
The cherubi calls for a group of fireflies to carry it over to Fae's shoulder. It closes it's eyes gently, and above it, through the break in the trees, a sun suddenly shines down upon Fae. For a moment, he illuminates brighter than before. Radiant colors shine off him, and soon, he is engulfed in white, when suddenly
He returns to the chambers.
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Post by wendy on Aug 29, 2017 5:36:08 GMT
Fae stands in the cold, stark room once again, holding the cherubi. He's facing the others, who are staring up at his forehead.
It takes him a second to wake up from his stupor and realize- he's not disguised anymore! His forehead lure is completely visible. Fae gasps, about to rush into some sort of action and then- the cherubi squeaks, halting his panic. Oh, right. Maybe it's okay. I can just be a fae here. Alright...just act natural...
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Dec 31, 2023 21:54:10 GMT
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Post by Infynis on Aug 29, 2017 5:47:20 GMT
Secus hesitated as he entered the room. He could feel a familiar power emanating from the stone sphere. It was the same kind of power that infused his very soul, granting him the powers of a Sage. As he stood there, two of the others stepped forward, each in turn placing their hands on the orb, and receiving a companion. As Flowerpot separated from the orb, now looking decidedly less human, the Wood Elf felt the power inside him drawing him to the center of the room.
As he moved, his skin began to shimmer faintly, the angelic energy resonating with the magic of the room. However, his other power, that which he had gained exactly a year ago also began to react to the aura. His veins burned and his stomach rolled over. He was sure that had he a mirror, the purple blood vessels would be standing several millimeters out from his glowing skin. Even the irises of his eyes seemed conflicted, flickering between a soft pink and a deep purple, their usual pale violet replaced by the warring extremes.
When he finally touched the magical device, placing a single hand on the cold, smooth surface, his flesh screamed in both pleasure and agony at such close proximity to the angelic radiance. He was unable to close his eyes, staring blindly at the ceiling of the room. His mind was overwhelmed with sensations, and probably only because of this, did he manage to empty it enough to make the crossing.
Focus (or lack thereof): 3
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Post by drallore on Aug 29, 2017 5:56:48 GMT
The transition for Secus is nowhere near as comfortable as it was with the first two. The angel's magic seemed to be trying to purge him from the inside out, but with little success. Instead, he just felt violent shocks jerk his body from side to side. Internally he could hear the screams of two separate beings, battling for control, then suddenly, it was all gone. Before his eyes was a dreaded swamp. Wretched, smelly, and bearing an oppressive heat, this swamp was in no way accommodating. The crackling of trees sinking into the deep seemed more like deep moans of agony. This was clearly a place of dread. You seem to be lacking balanceA creature is heard behind Secus. It seems like some sort of insect wearing a giant mushroom on its back "You know, this big ol mushroom wasn't exactly something I requested. It's constantly eating away at me, trying to take over, but I don't let it. It's a nuisance, but I also don't want it got. It gives me perspective . . . well that and some cool poisons. But non the less, I'd be nothing without this shroom, just some little bugger with weird eyes."
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Post by Infynis on Aug 29, 2017 6:11:13 GMT
When the sensory overload finally evaporates into...nothingess, Secus' vision returns. He is standing in a putrid mire, knee deep in an unidentifiable sludge that had probably only started as water. It was truly...beautiful. The feeling from all those months ago returns to him all at once, as he stands, radiant, in the warm embrace of the humid air. Secus smiles as he feels small creatures tickling his legs as they swim by in the richly coloured liquid. It is then that he turns, hearing a voice behind him, one that is strange, but somehow seems to understand everything about him at once.
"You are wise, creature," Secus says to the meter-wide mushroom-crab. His voice seems to drip with a sickly sweetness as he continues. "I do not seek to rid myself of this," he holds up a hand, examining the deep purple veins that paint their intricate patterns across his skin. "I seek to control it. To master the power within me. To use these cool poisons..." His smile now is something different from the frightening grin that had so scared the fox-child. This one is filled with desire. The desire to see things corrupted, and then to watch them as they rot away. "Perhaps you could assist me."
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Post by drallore on Aug 29, 2017 6:17:16 GMT
the creature chuckles to itself
"Perhaps you're too content with the other end of the spectrum. Do you enjoy destroying exclusively? Can you not find beauty in the moss that surrounds you? Or the less invasive mushrooms on the logs? These are all lives that must be protected. I don't wish for you to simply destroy. I wish for you to assist in demise when the time is appropriate, and preserve that which should still be"
The creature reaches out with one of its pinchers for its best attempt at a handshake
"Would this be a deal that could appeal to you?"
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Post by Infynis on Aug 29, 2017 6:23:12 GMT
Secus turns up his nose slightly at the creature's rebuke, but reaches out to accept its claw nonetheless. When he touches it however, the pain from before returns. Streaks of violet lightning flash behind his eyes, and his body writhes in agony as the two conflicting forces try to rip each other, or him, apart. He collapses to his knees in the muck, saved from sinking deeper into the bottom of the swamp only by his death grip on the Parasect's pincer. His face spasms, the muscles beyond his control, his eyes again flashing between pink and purple.
When he finally looks up, tears stream down his face. His irises have once again faded to a colour close to lavender. He simply manages to whimper, "Help me..."
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Post by drallore on Aug 29, 2017 6:29:55 GMT
The creature chuckles once more.
"See? Too much of that stuff will kill you, but if you didn't have it, you'd never grow. Balance child."
As if to taunt him, the creature does absolutely nothing as Secus sinks. Little by little, his face gets more and more engulfed. He has to arch his neck back just to keep his face above swampwater, then suddenly . . . he stops. Beneath his feet seem to be an abundance of mushrooms supporting him. Their powders seem to relieve his pain from the feet up. The euphoric feeling overwhelms to poor elf, when suddenly, he finds that the swamp and mushrooms are nowhere to be seen, and Secus falls flat on the cold marble ground
"Oh, I'm parasect by the way. Par-A-Sect."
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Post by snark on Aug 29, 2017 6:32:28 GMT
Hsia is next to step forward, glancing at Alfa to make sure she's doing things properly before touching the stone.
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Post by Infynis on Aug 29, 2017 6:37:26 GMT
As Secus finally leaves the other world, a crushing exhaustion comes down on him. His body no longer burns, he just feels bone-achingly tired. He removes his hand from the stone, and promptly collapses on the spot, eyes rolling up into his skull. The monster that has appeared next to him, a three foot wide crab with an equally tall mushroom on its back and blank, staring eyes, hooks its dominant pincer though the arm of Secus' robe, and pulls him away from the orb, only contributing to the shabbiness of his garb.
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Post by drallore on Aug 29, 2017 6:46:35 GMT
Alfa offers little support as he is holding onto Fae after being horrified at the contortions Secus did during his display. It was truly horrifying. However, Hsia seems to be a bit of a special case. Unlike previous participants, Hsia didn't need to focus her mind at all. The world around her just changed immediately. She seemed to be in some sort of tall church. Cold empty pews flood the floor, each step left a harrowing echo that rattled the chambers around her. Behind her were statues of various people she new. Small statues of friends, the deeper the bond, the larger they were, but none as large as the statue of Makarios, which stood triumphantly at the center of the church's stage. Sitting woefully at the base of Makarios's statue is a sobbing little creature, wearing a skull and carrying a small bone. It lifts its skullcap periodically to wipe the tears from its face "Where am I? What is this? What happened to everybody?"
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Post by snark on Aug 29, 2017 6:57:28 GMT
Hsia stiffens at the sight of the statues. What is this? Do they know? Her mission is supposed to be secret, Makarios has enemies who would love to get their hands on one of his servants and extract the knowledge of where he's been hiding...
... and also, this isn't what she imagined a monster might look like. It's smaller than she is, and she was always one of Makarios's smallest. The bone armor is good, shows it's stronger than it looks, but... crying? In front of strangers? (She avoids looking at some of the statues.)
"Do not know," she says awkwardly, approaching but keeping out of arm's reach. "Windrider College, maybe." Pause. Head-tilt. "Why crying?"
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Post by drallore on Aug 29, 2017 7:01:59 GMT
The Cubone sniffles and looks up to Hsia
"I lost all my friends. I don't know where they went. I was fighting off monsters. My friends were nearby. I thought I heard them screaming, and then . . ."
Cubone starts crying a little harder.
"I want my friends back . . . but I'm wasn't strong enough . . . now they're gone."
The Cubone looks around the room.
"These are your friends right? Some of them . . . they aren't here anymore? Did you feel this? Did it hurt this bad for you too?"
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Post by snark on Aug 29, 2017 7:09:20 GMT
"... Yes," Hsia admits reluctantly, abandoning whatever expectations she'd had about the monster. "Lost brothers, sisters. Two alive, but far away. Is hard."
She crouches down and tentatively offers a hand for the creature to sniff.
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Post by drallore on Aug 29, 2017 7:14:15 GMT
The cubid is initally startled by Hsia's motion, but is more curios as the hand makes full extension. It sniffs a couple sniffs before lightly grabbing it with its own tiny nubs. It seems to find Hsia's presence comforting. It pulls her hand to its face, nuzzling it for comfort.
"I'm scared . . . but I want to be stronger. I want to be with friends."
It opens its eyes to Hsia's, and attempts, cautiously, to climb into a hug.
"May I stay with you? Can you teach me to be strong?"
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Post by snark on Aug 29, 2017 7:27:30 GMT
A little surprised, Hsia allows Cubone to climb into her arms. "Yes. Stay with me. Stronger together."
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Post by drallore on Aug 29, 2017 16:43:23 GMT
Hsia may not be used to this sort of affection, but perhaps she started developing some kind of warmth in her heart after the sweet embrace of the tiny Cubone. As before, the world around her simply switches back to the summoning chambers. For those around Hsia, they'll have noticed that she was significantly less idle than the participants before her. She spoke the entire time she was communing, her head shifted from place to place, and now, she's returned to you all with a small little bone creature weeping in her arms
Bedwyr has certainly gained a decent amount of information just from observation. It would seem that this device can both separate and manifest souls. Furthermore, it has the capabilities to transfer souls from one dimension to another.
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Post by flarnith on Aug 29, 2017 17:14:07 GMT
Bedwyr has had a good look at the orb and it's abilities. He takes one last look at it then states "Ok, Orb. Take of my Aether, Let's do this." as he puts his hand to the orb.
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Post by drallore on Aug 29, 2017 17:54:52 GMT
As Bedwyr closes his little goblin eyes,his world turns into a large work room, filled with machines, documents, and plenty of books and manuals to keep and tinkerer entertained for many lifetimes. The gentle drolls of air passing through the pipes above him set Bedwyr at ease. This was certainly the epitome of a great lab Suddenly, a knock is heard from the door behind him, and Bedwyr sees a large pink creature walk in with a tray of glasses "O-ho?~ It would seem someone has finally arrived. that is wonderful! I've been serving tea to corpses for far too long now. Well hello little rat faced monster. My goodness, you've must have suffered from some serious accident to end up looking like that"Despite the insulting nature of the creature's speech, it remains sweet and smiley.
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