Alleyzon

[I think I am here.]

12 hours ago, Ookla the Clueless said:

When she was finished, she put them into a bag and stood up.

"You're ready to go?"

Watching as Lena poisoned every apple, Alask nodded, trying to help her with his own vial of poison, accidentally pouring too much in one apple and too little in another. At this rate, they were going to poison the whole company.

“Yup,” He said, walking towards the building and knocking on the door. Somebody opened. “Who is it?” They asked.

Unsure what to say, Alask just looked at Lena.

Quote

Ah, I get Lena’s stance on Shades now.

And yeah, I wish my character names had a little story or something. Rashan came about because I wanted a standard Rosharan name, Max and Mara just came because it was the first names that I thought would be cool for twins.

Lusk and Alask came from looking at Nebrask from the Rithmatist and thinking “hey that’s cool let me make a similar name”

 

[+Sorana]

Quote

Syen and Damaya are from N.K. Jeminsin's fifth season, Althea is taken from Robin Hobb's Lifeship Traders (and their spren are named after characters from these books as well). (Lady) Lena is a nickname Sorana aquired from some PCs during a five day LARP convention.

 

6 hours ago, Ookla the Guacless said:

Unsure what to say, Alask just looked at Lena.

Lena followed Alask over to the building and observed him knock on the door. Someone opeed, a woman in her late thirties and Lena quickliy changed her grin for a professional cool smile.

“Who is it?”

Alask looked at her, asking her to step in. And so she did.

"Good afternoon. My name is Brenda Hunt. This is my colleague David Turner. We are from Alleyzon's HR department."

She quickly introduced them, using some random names and extended her hand. The woman shook it instinktively and offered her own name. HR implying she had the power to fire her. Employees usually respected those working for HR.

"Phoebe Miller. Security."

Lena nodded.

"It's a pleassure to meet you, Mrs Miller. I have to apologize, we are a bit late. The traffic on our way here was terrible."

A confused look crossed Mrs Miller's face and Lena madd a show of being confused herself.

"You got the e-mail announcing that we would come by?"

She inquired and the woman slowly shook her head, stepped back.

"I didn't. But please, come in, we can discuss this at the reception."

Lena smiled at her again.

"I am sorry for the inconvenience. I fear my assistant made a mistake."

Assistant, as in: I am important enough to have my own personal assistant. The woman shortly smiled back, then led them inside towards a desk with more security behind. Lena looked over at Alask, quietly asking if he wanted to take over.

[I think I am here.]

29 minutes ago, Ookla the Clueless said:

Lena looked over at Alask, quietly asking if he wanted to take over.

Alask considered the offer, then nodded. Improvise. He could improvise. It was one thing he could do with any skill, along with accidentally getting people killed.

Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath, imagining this was just another stage, that this was just another performance. Another play. He wasn’t Alask. He was David Turner, Alleyzon HR.

When Alask opened his eyes again, he opened them with a smile. A professional smile, not to boisterous, not too nervous. Not too fake, not too real either. A smile of a business-man.

“Now,” he said, looking to Ms. Miller with attentive eyes. “We would normally have a meeting with a superior to discuss things, but due to our current circumstances we have to do with what we have, no?”

He gestured to the apples in his hands. “Unfortunately, our normal means of delivering these broke down, what with the Motivater jamming and the like.” Motivater. Implying Epic Tech. Implying they were rich enough to afford it.

“So now we just have these. To ensure that a healthy balance between work and life is obtained, we would like everyone to have an apple from HR, free of course. Make sure everyone gets one, even those busy worker’s up in Flight Control!” He handed the apples to a guard, it fascinated Alask how the man instinctively took it from him, how he instinctively accepted the authority.

Looking to Lena, Alask asked if there was anything else she wanted to add.

[+Sorana]

 

1 hour ago, Ookla the Guacless said:

Looking to Lena, Alask asked if there was anything else she wanted to add.

Smiling Lena took over.

"We are introducing a professional occupational health management. Part of the new strategy managent decided on."

She laughed.

"Excuse me, I'm probably boring you with the details. Where can we find the elevator?"

The woman pointed to the side and Lena nodded thankfully.

"Thank you."

She gave her an apple.

"It's good to see, you are taking your job seriously. We'll check out with you, when we're done, so that you can keep your records straight."

Without waiting for the woman to reply she walked over to the elevator and pushed the button for upwards.

[I think I am here.]

2 minutes ago, Ookla the Clueless said:

Without waiting for the woman to reply she walked over to the elevator and pushed the button for upwards.

Alask followed her. "That went well," he said, as a 'ding' sounded from the elevator, and the double doors slid open. Stepping in, Alask made sure to get a good look at the occupants. Just a bunch of regular workers, it seemed. "Onto flight control now?" he asked Lena as the doors closed.

[+Sorana]

10 minutes ago, Ookla the Guacless said:

Alask followed her. "That went well," he said, as a 'ding' sounded from the elevator, and the double doors slid open. Stepping in, Alask made sure to get a good look at the occupants. Just a bunch of regular workers, it seemed. "Onto flight control now?" he asked Lena as the doors closed.

She nodded and pressed the button.

"Let's start at the top and move downwards."

She replied for the sake of those listening in. They went upwards, stopped now and then, some workers getting out, some others in. When they were alone, just below flight control, she adressed him again, a lot more respect in her voice than before.

"You are good. That was fun. The idea with the epic tech, brilliant."

The elevator slowed and she changed her face back to Alleyzon HR.

"We have to make sure they eat them. Maybe eat one ourselves, should it be neccessary, depends on their reaction, the situation. I have something with me to neutralize the poison."

Edited December 8, 2018 by Ookla the Clueless

[I think I am here.]

11 minutes ago, Ookla the Clueless said:

"You are good. That was fun. The idea with the epic tech, brilliant."

The elevator slowed and she changed her face back to Alleyzon HR.

"We have to make sure they eat them. Maybe eat one ourselves, should it be necessary, depends on their reaction, the situation. I have something with me to neutralize the poison."

"You are good. That was fun. The idea with the epic tech, brilliant."

Alask looked up at the sudden praise, nodding and smiling timidly. "Thanks," he said. Truth was, he still wasn't sure whether to be scared or not. People were confusing. The Shade inside him rumbled in displeasure, as it usually did, his spikes vibrating slightly. "And thanks for what you said outside, about keeping it a secret." He didn't need to say what 'it' was. "I appreciate it."

Nodding when she said they had to make sure Flight Control ate them, he changed his face to David Turner, and adjusted his tie, before he realized he didn't have a tie. The elevator opened and he strided in, making introductions. "Hello everyone, I'm David Turner and this is my associate Brenda Hunt. We're from HR. We're away you have a busy night ahead, and to make it easier we've supplied these apples." Handing apples, most workers accepted, but as Alask tried handing the fruits to another worker the man denied. "I don't want one." Alask tried changing the man's mind but he was stubborn as a chull. "I said, I don't want your storming apples," he replied.

Looking towards Lena, he shrugged, unsure what to do.

[+Sorana]

15 minutes ago, Ookla the Guacless said:

Looking towards Lena, he shrugged, unsure what to do.

Lena handed out the apples, smiled at the workers, chatted a bit with them. Told them something about plants and vitamins and healthy food and whatever she could think of, to keep their ruse. Most of them were happy about the break, especially when she let them know, that this of course counted as working, and that they were allowed to make a short break now to eat the apple, to give fedback, if they would appreciate such a measure regularly. She made sure to take notes as well, to appear like she really cared about their opinion, inwardly urging. They only had little time, until Security checked their names and realized they were fake. They would do it, maybe even right now. It was only when she heard a louder voice somewhere behind her, that she turned around and saw Alask looking over, shrugging helplessly. Lena plastered a polite smile on her face and went to confront the man.

"Would you care to explain, why you don't want to participate in this measure?"
she asked him, keeping her voice professional, but tried to show him, that she cared.
"I don't like apples."
he replied curtly and turned away.
"And I need to work."
Lena nodded, leaned against his desk, next to him, on the other side of his cup of coffee. Making eye contact with Alask she looked pointedly at the coffee and and then at the pouch where he had stored the poison.
"I understand. But could you please answer another question or two, so that I can fill in my report?"
lowering her voice she added.
"Management takes a tight look at this project, they want to change Alleyzon's reputation."
the man turned towards her and she smiled thankfully.
"Would you care for other fruits to be delivered to your workplace?"
she started asking  her first question.

[I think I am here.]

11 minutes ago, Ookla the Clueless said:

Lena nodded, leaned against his desk, next to him, on the other side of his cup of coffee. Making eye contact with Alask she looked pointedly at the coffee and and then at the pouch where he had stored the poison.

Alask nodded, taking the poison out in a smooth gesture that was disguised as setting his tie. Which he remembered he didn't actually have. Rust. Regardless, he took the poison out, and watching as Lena distracted the man, quickly grabbed the coffee cup. It was a clever plan. As he got the poison over the cup and began to quietly pour, a person walking behind him bumped into him and Alask accidentally poured the whole contents of the poison into the cup. Putting back on the desk, Alask managed to hide the empty pouch behind his back as the man reached to get his coffee, took one sip, and promptly collapsed.

"Rust," Alask said, bringing the man up to a position in his desk where it looked like he was sleeping. "Too much poison. Anyway, I think that's this level done. Downwards then?" The Shade in his spikes rumbled, but didn't do much more, pleased no blood was being shed.

[+Sorana]

22 minutes ago, Ookla the Guacless said:

"Rust," Alask said, bringing the man up to a position in his desk where it looked like he was sleeping. "Too much poison. Anyway, I think that's this level done. Downwards then?" The Shade in his spikes rumbled, but didn't do much more, pleased no blood was being shed.

Lena saw the man slump and helped Alask arrange him. Feeling for his neck she counted. Slow, too slow, and slowing. She couldn't help but count for a while longer, tried to get a feeling for how fast the poison worked. Interesting. She might have gotten the whole recipe too strong. Probably a problem for the more lightweight, that were eating the apples right now. She definitly needed to work on this recipe for a while longer.

"Downwards then?"

Alask asked and she looked over at him. Should she tell him, that this guy would die? Probably withing the next half an hour. Deciding against it she nodded, and walked over to the elevator, calling a goodbye in the room, telling them to mail her, should they have further wishes. Stepping into the elevator she closed the doors and turned to Alask.

"Front entrace? Risk that they looked our names up, or called someone? Or climb down an emergency fire exit and risk that someone spots us? And can we contact the rest? Tell them, we kind of screwed up?"

[I think I am here.]

4 minutes ago, Ookla the Clueless said:

"Front entrace? Risk that they looked our names up, or called someone? Or climb down an emergency fire exit and risk that someone spots us? And can we contact the rest? Tell them, we kind of screwed up?"

"I say front entrance," he said. "You saw how they looked at us, completely believing what we said. I doubt they would begin to look into us now." He turned. "And how did we screw up?"

[+Sorana]

3 minutes ago, Ookla the Guacless said:

"I say front entrance," he said. "You saw how they looked at us, completely believing what we said. I doubt they would begin to look into us now." He turned. "And how did we screw up?"

Lena fell silent, when he asked this and then turned towards him.
"The moment they notice, something is wrong with their colleague, they will call security, or a doctor, or whoever. I wouldn't count on us having the hour we agreed on. Maybe a few minutes, maybe more."
She sighed.
"It was my mistake, I got the recipe wrong. It's too strong. Even with what you had left he shouldn't have collapsed that quickly. What that means for the rest. It depens. On what they've eaten today, on their bodies, a lot of things."
She pressed the button for the ground floor, thinking.

[I think I am here.]

10 minutes ago, Ookla the Clueless said:

She pressed the button for the ground floor, thinking.

Looking at the floor, Alask considered what Lena said. With the man fully unconscious, that would surely raise an alarm. "You're right," he said. "But hey, it could be worse. He could be dead. If that happened we would really be screwed." He laughed. "So, yeah, at least it's mission accomplished, right? Most of Flight Crew is poisoned. That should work."

As they reached the ground floor, the elevator doors opened up to a semi-circle of 5 officers surrounding the entrance, guns aimed high. Ms. Miller was behind them, paling. "Um, you do realize the elevator has cameras, right?" She said.

Shadows. If arrest wasn't daunting enough, the fact that any bullet would cause his Shade in a frenzy was worrying, since exploding gunpowder counted as kindling flame. What would be even worse would be if a bullet hit. Then they'd be doomed.

[+Sorana]

44 minutes ago, Ookla the Guacless said:

Shadows. If arrest wasn't daunting enough, the fact that any bullet would cause his Shade in a frenzy was worrying, since exploding gunpowder counted as kindling flame. What would be even worse would be if a bullet hit. Then they'd be doomed.

Quote

Thankfully Lena has no idea of that. she firmly belives, that she has to light a candle

A camera? Lena looked around. She was right, there was a camera. A camera, or a microphone, too? Spreading her right hand in a calming gesture she smiled.
"I'm sure this isn't neccessary."
she told Ms Miller but the woman only raised her eyebrow.
"I am pretty sure it is."
Her voice was cold as ice and fear rose like bile in Lena's throat. Arrest? She couldn't get arrested. He needed the money, he needed her. A lie, but one she had told herself so often, she firmly believed it. He needed her. He needed her. Stepping back until she was standing next to Alask she observed the situation. Five guns, pointed on them, twelve eyes following their every movement. Lena was used to talk herself out of dire situations, but this time she was left speechless. She still had some apples left maybe she could throw them. Only to be killed by their bullets? Nonsense. Had they eaten the apples? If yes, they needed to buy time, they would fall asleep soon. And yet, they all seemed alert. Pancakes, she still had some pancakes with her, and the antidote. And her hairbrush and some makeup. Nothing that could help them right now.

[I think I am here.]

 

49 minutes ago, Ookla the Clueless said:

Spreading her right hand in a calming gesture she smiled.
"I'm sure this isn't neccessary."
she told Ms Miller but the woman only raised her eyebrow.
"I am pretty sure it is."

Quote

 Worth a try. She has clearly been trained in resisting Jedi mind games.

Watching the small armada of soldiers ahead, Alask slowly put his hands up. He was done. Lena was done too. As the soldiers’ fingers danced on the trigger Alask thought what to do, trying not to hyperventilate.

Meanwhile, the Shade inside him rumbled. It didn’t like so many people in one place. Alask froze.

The Shade.

It was his secret weapon, something they could have never expected to happen. It was their only chance of escaping, but it was also probably the deadliest thing in the room.

Witnesses. There would be witnesses, wouldn’t there? That would make his whole Shade not a secret. The thought came to his mind, but was replaced by a grimmer one. If his Shade really did get loose, there would be no witnesses alive to say what they saw.

Taking a step back, he whispered to Lena. “I’m going to let loose the Shade,” he said. “When I do, run. Silver works against it.”

[+Sorana]

31 minutes ago, Ookla the Guacless said:

Taking a step back, he whispered to Lena. “I’m going to let loose the Shade,” he said. “When I do, run. Silver works against it.”

"Run where? And you?"

Lena replied, looking at security in front of them.

Edited December 8, 2018 by Ookla the Clueless

[I think I am here.]

15 hours ago, Sorana said:

"Run where? And you?"

Lena replied, looking at security in front of them.

"I don't know," Alask replied. "Just run to where we said we'd meet. 200 meters south of this building or whatever. Zack, Nekorb and the others will meet you there. As for me, I'll be there too, it just might take me a little longer. Now run."

Steppimg forward, Alask's movement prompted the raising of a bunch of guns. They all looked deadly enough, and Alask felt a bead of sweat drip from his forehead. "Stay back!" A soldier yelled. "Hands up, get on the ground!" Alask just stayed still, and hesitantly took one more step forward. To get the Shade out, he would need one of these soldiers to break the Rules. Which he needed to get them to fire their gun. "One more step and we'll fire!" They said. Great.

Taking a deep breath, Alask recollected himself before attempting to lunge at a soldier. He didn't even get three steps before a BANG sent him to his knees in pain. Screaming his clutched the side of his shin. A bullet hole lay there, and every time Alask tried moving it stung and hissed at him. It made sense they shot him in the leg. They would need to immobilise him. But oddly enough, despite being shot in the shin, he still felt he wasn't in the most danger. Through gritted teeth he looked to Lena. "Run." He hissed. "Run!"

Feeling the point of entry on his leg, he held up his hand. Stains of blood tainted his palm, and Alask shut his eyes, suddenly feeling very sick. He was always felt sick when the Shade got enraged. "What's happening to him?" A soldier said. "He looks like- holy rust! What's happening to him!?" A murmur of nervousness came up as Alask stood up, the bullet in his shin being pushed out and the flesh not remitting, but becoming more translucent, like his whole body was starting to turn into smoke, but retaining a solid shape. Wisps of smoky blackness started emanating from him, trailing upwards, and forming an afterimage from where he moved. And visible through it was his body, a silhouette of translucent flesh and smoke.

"Storms! Get down! Down!" The soldiers' voices could be heard, but Alask couldn't respond. He couldn't respond to anything. It was like his body was not his anymore, like no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't get his body to do the Si,pleat of actions. Something else was inside of him, the Shade once spiked into him now coming out.

Alask's eyes suddenly burst alight in green, trails of green forming where he- no, where the Shade moved. It moved forward, and forced Alask's head down to see the pool of blood by his feet.

Blood. Shedding it was about the worst thing you could do when near a Shade. Sure, kindling flame was bad, but usually the Shade got distracted. Sure, running at night was also bad, but nothing put the Shade in a bigger frenzy. Watching the blood seep from under his feet, the Shade looked up to the soldier who'd fired the bullet, it's eyes slowly turning from a pale green to solid red, a growl coming from it's (Alask's) voice box. Alask wanted to close his eyes, to not be forced to see this, but he was merely a passenger in his body now. Taking one look at the man who'd fired the bullet, the Shade's eyes glowed fiercely red.

And in a split second, it tore him apart, withering him to a blackened skeleton, watching as the flesh pulled to bone, the muscles shrinking and tearing and collapsing. When the deed was done, the man was dead, his death excruciatingly painful. And not a drop of blood came from it. This was how death was to be done. Eyes still alight, the Shade was still enraged. No, it would not stop with the man. As screams erupted, the Shade killed more, and more.

It would kill everyone here.

Quote

Now might be a good time to run?

 

[+Sorana]

26 minutes ago, Ookla the Guacless said:

It would kill everyone here.

"I don't know," Alask replied. "Just run to where we said we'd meet. 200 meters south of this building or whatever. Zack, Nekorb and the others will meet you there. As for me, I'll be there too, it just might take me a little longer. Now run."

Lena took another step back. Run. How did he expect her to run? He was standing between her and security and there was no second exit. And she wasn't excited about getting shot, while trying to move past them. Alask stepped forward, provoked them to shoot at him. Lena instinctively screamed as well when he clutched his shin, and then he changed. The shade. He was the shade. She had believed them monsters, not human. He was the shade. He was the shade. She watched the nightmare lunge forward, kill the first guard and briefly wondered about how he controlled this, then pushed the thought aside. He couldn't control it. He'd told her, that he couldn't control it, not directly enough, but indirectly he had. Lena suddenly felt sick as she observed the shade kill another man. Run. She stared at the open elevater door, at the shade just beyond and realized she couldn't. Not without passing that thing with barely a hand's wide left. Not an option. But staying here was not and option as well. Her legs shook as she waited until the shade focused on the next guard and then she lunged forward, jumped towards the control panel, aiming for the button that would close the door. And missed. Instead she hit the "number 2" before stumbling against the wall. Her shaking fingers tried again and this time she managed to get it right. The door closed slowly, and then it was upwards. Turning around she grabbed her hair and vomitted on the floor of the elevator. Then a little bing announced she had arrived.

She left the elevator again and for a moment stood there. Then she rightened her wig, tried to keep her thoughts away from Alask.  He was crazy, utterly crazy. And she had willingly teamed up with him. His fear, his insecurity, all part of a show. Her grandmother called her crazy, but this, this was insane. He was insane. A shade. He was a rusting shade. Blocking the elevator door, to keep it here, she moved over to the stairs. Then she stood there, listened. Distant screams echoed up from below. She would hopefully hear it, should he decide to move up. And then the way through the entrance hall would be free.

[I think I am here.]

Screams. And skeletons.

As soldier’s tried to get their guns up the Shade turned and ran at them. This was a poor body. It was used to being free, to being able to float and hover. That was before they’d captured it, fused it to its current body.

That created limits. No longer could it hover, or pass through walls. It was bound to the flesh. But that didn’t make it any less deadly.

Growling at some more people on the ground floor, it was at them in the blink of an eye, their bones dropping to the ground. So many dead. They deserved it. For shedding blood. They all deserved it!

Killing, everyone. Everyone it could see, it could sense. A scuffle behind it signalled somebody running, trying not to trip over the flood of bones. The Shade bared it’s teeth for the chase.

~~~~

Alask didn’t want to see this.

He wanted to shut his eyes, to block his ears, but it was his body that was doing all of this, and he could control it. He heard something behind him, and felt despair. If he heard it, than the Shade certainly heard it.

It turned, and Alask felt his mouth opening to a involuntary growl. It was Ms. Miller, running through the bones. Please live, he thought. He was desperate. Please live! Please live!

But was inevitable, and the Shade was by her side immediately, a hand on her shoulder forcing her to wither away, to contort and warp back to basic bone.

The Shade looked around, and Alask tried seeing Lena. She wasn’t here. That was good. A chill went through Alask. Unless she’d been killed and Alask hadn’t seen. The Shade continued looking, but no one was left on this floor. Every single camera on the floor had been destroyed in the fight, every person on the floor dead, a pile of bones.

And yet there was not a single drop of blood on the floor, save for the small pool that came from Alask’s original injury.

Slowly, he felt the Shade calm, felt feeling and control return to him. As soon as the luminescence of his body died, and his eyes flickered back to their normal self Alask collapsed, finally being able to express his emotion. He looked at all the skeletons and tried to keep himself from vomiting, and failed. So many dead. Tears flooded his eyes, and Alask got up, a sobbing mess, and tried to exit the front door. His shin had been healed in the transformation.

All cameras had been destroyed. All witnesses had been killed. Nobody would have known what had happened. Nobody would have known about the Shade.

He walked into the night sky, and tried walking to the meeting point. Every time he thought about Alleyzon he felt sick, and every time he thought about the dead he felt like crying again. This is why you can’t go back to your family, he told himself. This is why you’re better off sending letters than ever coming near them.

Walking in the still night, Alask came to the meeting point and sat, waiting for anybody else, and wept.

[+Sorana]

29 minutes ago, Ookla the Guacless said:

Walking in the still night, Alask came to the meeting point and sat, waiting for anybody else, and wept.

Suddenly it was silent. Lena waited a while, unsure when she could head down again, but finally decided to leave. It was silent, withered corpses were lying everywhere. Hastily she crossed the floor and headed into the night to their meeting point.

She heard Alask before she saw him, quietly sobbing.

"Alask?"

She asked, her voice still shaking, keeping a bit distance between them. He wasn't glowing anymore. That was a good sign, wasn't it?

[I think I am here.]

1 minute ago, Sorana said:

“Alask?"

She asked, her voice still shaking, keeping a bit distance between them. He wasn't glowing anymore. That was a good sign, wasn't it?

Alask looked back to see Lena. Thank the God Beyond she wasn’t dead. He would’ve hated it if he killed his own teammate.

He realised he was crying. Hastily he wiped the tears with his sleeve and stood up straighter, pretending to be tough. He was tough. But he was also tired, so he immediately laid down again on the cool grass, eyes on the sky. What to say?

“Hi,” He said, making sure to keep his voice level.

“All good?”

[+Sorana]

4 minutes ago, Ookla the Guacless said:

“Hi,” He said, making sure to keep his voice level.

“All good?”

"No."

Her voice sounded strange.

"You are a shade. You don't have it with you, you are it."

She stepped closer, didn't mention his tears.

[I think I am here.]

12 minutes ago, Sorana said:

"No."

Her voice sounded strange.

"You are a shade. You don't have it with you, you are it."

She stepped closer, didn't mention his tears.

“No.” That made Alask pause.

"You are a Shade. You don't have it with you, you are it."

Hearing her step closer, Alask just rubbed his forehead. He had a headache, and his emotions were all over the place right now.

“Now, that’s not strictly true,” he said, still looking straight up, at the stars. “I have it spiked into me. Using those magical spikes the guilds seem to be so fond of. So yeah, I may have one that occasionally possesses me, but I’m not a Shade.”

He turned on his side, looked at her. “That doesn’t make it any better though, does it?”

Edited December 9, 2018 by Ookla the Guacless

[+Sorana]

20 minutes ago, Ookla the Guacless said:

He turned on his side, looked at her. “That doesn’t make it any better though, does it?”

“Now, that’s not strictly true,” Alask replied, still looking straight up, at the stars. “I have it spiked into me. Using those magical spikes the guilds seem to be so fond of. So yeah, I may have one that occasionally possesses me, but I’m not a Shade.”

That made her pause. Spiked. Another thing her grandmother had told her stories about. Another thing she'd never wanted to really get in touch with.

 “That doesn’t make it any better though, does it?”

Lena hesitated, then walked over, stopped next to him.

"Actually it does. For me at least."

Because you are human. No nightmare came alive, but a human.

"They are beautiful, aren't they?"

She asked, gesturing at the stars. Then she fell silent, pondering. There were still tears on his cheeks, and the expression in his eyes. She couldn't help him, but... She pulled out her wallet and handed him a small picture. It showed a boy around four, with the same hair, his eyes were different, but all in all the familiarity to her own a face was obvious.

"A secret for a secret."

[I think I am here.]

9 minutes ago, Sorana said:

“A secret for a secret."

“Actually it does. For me at least."

That surprised Alask. He went on his back again, looking up. He couldn’t see how knowing he was a thing of Ruin would have made anything better, but to each their own. At least she didn’t kill him there and then.

“They are beautiful, aren't they?"

Alask almost jumped. He hadn’t noticed her sitting here, next to him. He saw how she was referring to what Alask was poking at, the stars. “I guess so,” he said. “That we’re all small. So small in the big universe, if you think about it.”

He looked back and Lena handed him a small photograph. It was of a little kid. “A secret for a secret.” She said. At first, Alask was confused, but looking back at Lena he could see the similarities between the faces immediately.

“Your brother?” He inquired. “Or like nephew or cousin or something?”

Edited December 9, 2018 by Ookla the Guacless