The North Sea

[xinoehp512 he/him]

Michael reached out to the island.

Island? he thought-spoke. Are you there?

He felt a pulse of acknowledgement.

Can you move? We're going to attack the birds, and we don't want you to get hurt.

There was no response from the island.

~~~~~~~

Up above, the center of the storm passed over the center of the island.

Far below, in the cavern, Rotcennoc's eyes snapped open.

"Now," he whispered.

~~~~~~~

The island shivered with happiness at the word. At last.

She reached out and pulled on the connection to Kodeka.

The connection that, coincidentally, passed through Nogard.

~~~~~~~

Nogard heard Araha and Damaya ask him what was wrong as if through a crowded room. He tried to respond that he was fine, they didn't need to worry, but he couldn't seem to form the words.

Suddenly, he felt a pain - no, an agony- explode inside of him. He felt himself being stretched in a strange way. It was like being the rope in a game of tug-of-war played with giants.  And, in a way, that's what it was.

He crumpled to the ground, unable to even cry out.

Edited January 7, 2019 by xinoehp512
567 post

[+Sorana she/her]

6 hours ago, xinoehp512 said:

He crumpled to the ground, unable to even cry out.

Damaya knelt down next to him, suddenly caught in a situation she knew. Or least knew the other way round. Usually it was her lying on the floor unable to cry out anymore. She saw his pain in the way he'd crumbled, how he held himself. It was like looking into a mirror, and for a moment she was unable to do something, memories grabbed at her, her arm breaking, a foot stomping down on her hand. She heaved a breath, it wasn't her this time. This time she could try to do something.

"What did you do?"

She called at the man, her voice shaking, almost breaking. It had been his command, he had started something.

"Stop it! Araha, can you stop him?"

Then she turned to Nogard and took his hand, soothingly caressed his shoulder, his arm carefully observing if her touch would hurt him even more, ready to let go of him should that be the case. She talked to him, her voice soft, let him know, that he wasn't alone, that they were here, that he could walk through this, that it would end.

@2001Kra

[+Ark1002]

Araha sprinted forward, lashing the man into the wall three times, and kicked him in the chest. "What did you do to him?" I have to protect them. I have to protect everyone. "What did you do?" She nearly dissolved into tears over the last sentence.
@Sorana @xinoehp512

[xinoehp512 he/him]

Rotcennoc watched his hand intensely. Any moment now...

Suddenly, he felt a warning from the island. He looked up just in time to see one of the women - Araha? - sprinting towards him. He yelped and threw up a shadow wall in front of her.

He glared at her. "It wasn't me who did that." He pointed at Nogard. "And I need to concentrate for this next part, so please, don't attack me."

~~~~~~~

Michael waited, then called out again

Island? Can you move?

No response.

 

[+Sorana she/her]

"Then stop this!"

Damaya called, gesturing at Nogard.

"There has to be another way."

 

[xinoehp512 he/him]

Quote

At last, I came up with a name for the island! It should not have taken that long. 

Rotcennoc shook his head. "There is no other way. Trust me, this is for the best."

~~~~~~~

Kate blew impatiently. Michael?

~~~~~~

Rotcennoc felt the connection shift. It was time.

He cupped his hands together and concentrated.

Something glinted.

[+Sorana she/her]

Damaya stared at him.
"I don't trust you."
she answered truthfully.
"You come here, you explain nothing and then you hurt someone that tried to help my friend. Why should I trust you?"

Nogard hadn't reacted at all so far, probably he was already too far gone to even hear her words. That meant she could go. She couldn't help him, by staying by his side right now. Damaya slowly got to her feet and stared at the stranger. Carefully she brushed out her skirts.

"You know, I grew up in a house. I almost never left it, I stayed inside."
her voice grew darker, memories woke up, tried to grab her, but she pushed them away. There wasn't time to break down now. She took a step towards him.
"Nobody cared what happened, because they all thought, that it was the only way to protect their own families, that nothing could be changed. And guess what?"
she laughed a dark, almost insane sounding laugh. Another step.
"Nothing changed. Because nobody tried. Because nobody thought about another way."
On her arm Coru grew still, but she went on, took another step, and another.
"I won't accept, that this is the only way. Not like this. Not without him giving his consent, to sacrifice himself for whatever you want to do, not with you showing here up like this and start hurting people."
She tried to grab his wrists, to pull his hands apart.
"I don't care what your trying to do, or if you think, this is the only way. I'll glady offer to help find another path to follow, but I won't stand by while you hurt someone."

@xinoehp512

Quote

Sorry... But from what she knows it's logical...

 

Edited January 8, 2019 by Sorana

[+Ark1002]

Araha looked up, at Damaya, at the dark look on her face. Damaya was like family to her. She would help. She lightly pushed herself up, wiping the tears off on her sleeve. Then she calmly walked up behind Damaya, resting her hand on her shoulder. Araha spoke, calmingly. "Hey. I'll help you, but we need to learn what he's doing before we can protect him." She shook her head, thinking of how Damaya had looked at him. "Nogard, I mean." She tried a grin, but it was weak. She wanted to stop the man as well, stop him now. She grimaced at the man. "That doesn't mean I won't stop you. I will. I won't let you hurt him."

@Sorana @xinoehp512

[+Sorana she/her]

"He's in pain."
Damaya explained.
"He was fine, until this man here "now". And then he collapsed from pain."
She took a deep breath, not moving her eyes away from the man.
"Stop it."

3 minutes ago, 2001Kra said:

She shook her head, thinking of how Damaya had looked at him.

Quote

What are you refering to?

 

[+Ark1002]

Quote

The whole set of interactions before. She think Damaya likes him, whether she really does or not is up to you.

 

[+Sorana she/her]

Quote

What Araha definitly knows, because Damaya told her:

Damaya has a problem with touching people, letting others physically close to her. She associates touch with pain, actually Araha is the only one, who can touch her without Damaya taking that step right now.

And prior to what happened at the Waystop, when she got abducted, she wasn't looking for a relationship, because of her situation. She and Araha talked directly about that topic. I have to admit, I didn't really think about how that part of her might have changed, now that she is free. I guess it can change, definitly will one day, but not by a two hours running through the wood scene. Damaya's too conflicted about the whole letting others near her, for that to be enough.

 

[+Ark1002]

Quote

Okay, thanks, both are helpful and I'll keep them in mind when RPing her.

 

[+Sorana she/her]

Quote

Cy and me had a pm with seven pages consisting solely of in character conversation between the two of them. We posted it somewhere in the CDS thread, but it's a lot to read through, and covers everything from favourite colours to relationships. You definitly don't need to read through it, I can't remember a lot of the stuff either. But I'll try to sum a part of it up, if I remember it and if it might be relevant. Is that alright for you?

 

[+Ark1002]

Quote

I'll try and read through it when I have time, but thanks.

 

[xinoehp512 he/him]

Rotcennoc shook his head in disbelief. "Again, it's not me. I-"

He cut off and looked down at has hands. Nestled between them was a small silvery gemstone. 

He sucked in a breath and smiled. "There we go," he spoke softly.

[+Sorana she/her]

3 minutes ago, xinoehp512 said:

Rotcennoc shook his head in disbelief. "Again, it's not me. I-"

He cut off and looked down at has hands. Nestled between them was a small silvery gemstone. 

He sucked in a breath and smiled. "There we go," he spoke softly.

"If it's not you, what is going on?"

Damaya noticed the gemstone and then ignored it.

 

[xinoehp512 he/him]

Rotcennoc shot Damaya a brief glance. "Why don't you ask the island?"

He turned back to the gemheart, which had continued to grow.

[+Sorana she/her]

Because I don't know how to do it.

She replied silently and then turned, knelt down next to Nogard, her decision to do something so easily scattered like leaves dancing in the wind. Anger at herself started to boil. She had to be strong, she had to be, whatever. She couldn't let herself be cowed by everything. Coru crawled on her hand and buzzed slightly.

"Just talk?"

He suggested and his letters formed a circle for a moment, then changed again. Damaya sighed.

"Island, what's going on?"

[Archer he/him]

Klasten bit his tongue. He had a clever remark prepared, to be delivered in his best Island impersonation, but frustratingly he couldn't say it. 

Then again, he thought, getting between her and what she wants right now probably isn't the best idea. For once he was glad no one could see him. It saved him from being dragged into heated moments like the one that had just transpired. 

By chance, he happened to look into a small pool of dark liquid that had formed on the ground. An unobstructed view of the ceiling was reflected there. Then it started to fade. Why are the lights going out? 

He watched, with increasing anxiety, as his vision faded. Darkness encroached upon his world like the tide sweeping towards a beach. Within moments, he had gone completely blind. 

Starvin' Domi, was all he could bring himself to think. He grabbed hold of the wall and held on to tightly. A little dazed, he stood passively, listening to the others talk. Their voices sounded distant as panic consumed him. 

[xinoehp512 he/him]

Do not worry, small one, spoke the island. Your friend recovers already.

~~~~~~~

Nogard uttered a groan as the pain receded from him. He opened his eyes, but did not make any move to sit up. He felt empty inside, as though something had drained him of his energy. He felt Investiture begin to flow into him, but it was far weaker than it had been. What was going on?

He managed to get to a sitting position just in time to see the stranger raise the gemheart to the ceiling.

~~~~~~~

The unnamed alleycane faltered above the island. Weakened by the shadowbirds, it could not resist the pull of the gemheart below. With one last blow of wind, it let itself be pulled into the gemheart fully.

 

[+Sorana she/her]

Do not worry, small one, spoke the island. Your friend recovers already.

Damaya reached out for Nogard and tried to help him to sit up, when she saw that he was moving again.

Her eyes followed his to the gemheart in time to see the storm vanish inside.

[xinoehp512 he/him]

Quote

Oops. Didn't realize I'd forgotten to put the name in  I'll do it this time around.

Rotcennoc closed his eyes and focused, reaching into the gemheart with his mind.

He felt the spirit of the island that was grounded in the gemheart. It wasn't much; it was basically a baby, by island standards. In a normal case, other islands - usually the "parents"- would contribute stone, dirt, and - most importantly - life. The island would connect to it, making the land themself. After that, base knowledge would be added directly (again, usually by the parents) At that point, the island would be as intelligent as most adults. 

But, of course, that was all moot in this case. Because Royeta wanted this gemheart for a different purpose.

He pulled on the power of his glove and grasped the soul of the gemheart.

His eyes opened. The irises were black.

There was a flash of black light.

Rotcennoc exhaled. He had succeeded. The new island was no more.

[+Sorana she/her]

Quote

He just killed the island?

Lucky him Damaya has absolutely no idea what's going on.

 

[xinoehp512 he/him]

Quote

Yes, he killed the baby island.

 

[+Sorana she/her]

2 hours ago, xinoehp512 said:

His eyes opened. The irises were black.

There was a flash of black light.

Rotcennoc exhaled. He had succeeded. The new island was no more.

Damaya stared at Rotcennoc, at his black irises and then hasitly got to her feet. She had seen something like this before, and it had ended in blood and destruction. Protectively she moved her body between Nogard and Rotcennoc, frantically thinking about anything she might do. She had lost her staff somewhere, she had nothing to use as a weapon. It amounted to, pretend you can do more, than you can. And so she straightened up and observed him.