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Post by P h o b i a;|| on Apr 27, 2010 0:59:11 GMT -5
Kione simply shrugged lightly, “Well, they are getting past those damn trials faster than I had anticipated… I had to stretch my legs now before they were too far in. It’s nice though, I forget what it’s like outside of one’s mind.” As Raasha stood up, he sat down. He could sense Raasha’s impressive bravery, though he hadn’t come there to frighten her.
“You can sit, I simply want to talk. I am most happy you have figured out my intentions…” his smile disappeared, becoming a sickening frown, “though your sister does not frighten me. She may be powerful, but to underestimate me would be the biggest mistake you could make.” The smile appeared again.
“And I didn’t come here to steal your power, body, or soul. Simply make a… proposal, if you will..” He let his chin rest against his knuckles. “I am parched, do you have something I could drink? You wouldn’t believe how long it’s been.”
His eyes fell to the two bodies on the couch. Again the pride beamed in his eyes. “He must have been… seven, eight perhaps? I don’t take things from people, I simply strike deals. He wanted his mother’s suffering to end. I, of course, asked for something in return, and we were even.” He didn’t mention the part that ‘ending her suffering’ meant ripping her intestines out and painting her blood on his house’s walls, but something told him Raasha could figure it out.
“Of course, his deal isn’t up yet. And he’s seem to forgotten that he owes me. Tch.” He gave a disappointed sigh, like he didn’t know what he was doing wrong. “Still, he grew up fine, a perfect vessel. Now you, I have different plans for you.” Kione’s tone seemed to change from melancholy to downright cheerful. He chuckled to himself, crossing his left leg over his right.
“You knew form the moment she was born that Sahara was better than you. Stronger, faster, more gifted. I can’t imagine how much it must of hurt, to see the life you desired thrusted upon her, when she didn’t even want it! And now--” He examined something on the front of his shirt, dusting it off, then returning as if he hadn’t stopped “--That you’re finally the village shamaness, you’re.. well, just not as good. If I may be so bold.”
“Now, I am not doubting your skills.” He waved over to Wolfgang and Sahara, “that alone takes much power, and I am impressed. However, I simply want to help you. It’s quite obvious you don’t trust me, and you haven’t a reason to. You’ve seen the look on Wolfie’s face. In his eyes. But, since you’re no seven year old child, I can give you a deal and you, like an adult, can weigh the options.” He smiled, comfortable in his spot, “We have some time before they’re finished, so a discussion seems fair, does it not?”
___
Wolfgang watched as the Myoukoten disappeared from whence it came. He exhaled lightly, the ride was definitely an experience, and he would definitely not forget it. Or attack a massive creature unless it attacked first.
He turned to the orb, though it was hard to look straight into it. He grasped Sahara’s hand. He knew the trials would get harder, which was nerve-wracking, seeing as the first two weren’t so easy. However, he wasn’t scared. Wolfgang was one step closer to being bonded with Sahara. Then they could help each other. Without looking back at Sahara, though grasping onto her hand tightly still, he walked towards the orb.
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Post by ∴♪WolfurChickϗ on Apr 27, 2010 1:32:32 GMT -5
Raasha twittered her fingers, and a small cup flew from the sink to Kione. The liquid itself changed susbtance, from water to a thick, sweet tea while it mades its quick yet careful trip to the creep. Its stopped and hovered infront of him, and Raasha motioned for him to take it.
"You are right in thinking that I was hurt by my sister's success. Her power... her strength... her skills... her friends, even." A second cup flew from the sink, with the same thick, sweet liquid as before, this time hovering infront of Raasha. "I think it will stand, thank you." she said as she grabbed hold of the cup and took a sip.
His words sunk in deep to her heart, but she was no weakling. She knew that this was a trial for everyone, however... she was alone. It would be very difficult for her, but she was in no way afraid. Her mind soaked in all the memories of the ones around her, and she felt herself feeling the pain from Wolfgang's own heart as Kione brought out the memory of his mother's passing.
Kione.. whatever he/it was... he was frighteningly pursuasive, and in many ways, a lot like Raasha. The blue light in the hut seemed to beam stronger with each minute the presence stayed, and in it, Raasha's own eyes seemed to darken, as did her heart.
"I will hear your proposal. Be quick about it. This is my home, and I will not have you as a guest here for too long."
--------------
Sahara gripped Wolfgang's hand and stepped into the light. Emmediately, she felt the same sucking and pulling as before, though she seemed to be getting used to it. When she took her next step, she felt water flow through her toes. The light behind them faded, though the artificial sunlight took over, shining almost too brightly.
Sahara could see that they had stepped into shallow water... and she could see a beach. At first, it reminded her of the beach she used to go to with her father, but she realized that this was instead an island. Looking around, she could see many islands, some small, some large, and one in the middle of them all with a large mountain jutting out of it.
'Riku Haru...' The city name filled her mind, though there was no trace of the vast variety of people or the large ships or buildings that normally littered the chain of islands. 'The test of sanity...' It seemed an odd trial. What was it supposed to test them on? Surely it wasn't to make sure they weren't insane...
But perhaps it was a test to try them on how much they could endure before they lose all sanity... It struck fear into her mind. It seemed so calm, and yet she felt irrated and nervous. She noticed that there was no sword by her side, and was relieved to know that they would not have to fight.
The sun beat down upon them, and a wave crashed over their heads. It nearly knocked Sahara off her feet, but it just filled her mouth with the salt water instead. She spat it out, noting how dry it suddently made her mouth.
This place was meant to confuse them and try them. It was hot, and the water only made it seem hotter. Thankfully, Sahara was used to the heat and dryness, though she was sure that Wolfgang was not so used to it. She recalled that salt water and intense sun shine could drive one mad... well, they would just have to find that little ord of light before then. But how could they, when the sun itself was so blinding?
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Post by P h o b i a;|| on Apr 27, 2010 1:59:16 GMT -5
Wolfgang knealt in the sand for a moment, grasping the hot and dry earth and letting it slip through his fingers. A test of sanity, how wonderful. He stood and examined all of his surroundings, how could they possibly find the orb when there was multiple islands to choose from?
He turned to Sahara. Splitting up would of been a sound idea, but with them both still muted, he knew if they lost each other, it would take even longer to find themselves again. He began wandering around the shore line, the water lapping against his now-bare feet didn't refresh him in the least. Just like the desert, he hated the heat.
With green eyes he scanned the massive island that seemed to sit in the middle of it all. It seemed the most obvious, but the mountain looked more difficult to climb than the one before.
----
"Fantastic!" the man clapped his hands together once to show his enthusiasm, as he took the tea and sipped it happily, watching it in the cup as he did.
"I don't need to tell you that people are selfish. They want things that are simply impossible, and if they don't get it, they get angry. Sahara tried to do the impossible, revive the dead." he took another drink, but this time his eyes didn't leave hers. "she succeeded, but just barley. It's not an easy task, in fact it's the hardest. I could give you that power. I could enhance your power, make it stronger than Sahara's. You didn't think it was possible, did you? I do, however, request something in return, if you agree. I will not harm you or your beloved sister that you probably hate. I want the selfish ones. The ones that want and expect the impossible.
"I want a piece of their soul. They will not suffer. Not until they finally die, that is. But even then, you could revive them! It's basically a win-lose situation" He let out a sigh and stood up, walking over to Wolfgang once again. "it's difficult, figuring out where he is now. Not impossible, but I ccouldnt talk to him if I tried. He doesn't listen much anyways. He will soon, though." Kione's piercing gaze fell on Raasha once more. "Anything you'd like to ask? Clear up on the bargan? Change, even?'
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Post by ∴♪WolfurChickϗ on Apr 27, 2010 2:29:54 GMT -5
Revive the dead? Impossible... atleast, for her... If only she had been able to do that when they lost their mother, their father, their brother... If only she had been able to do that when she lost Nepalle.
That memory flooded to her mind, even though she tried to keep it from coming. A memory of a handsome guy, his arms around her... laughing, kissing... Her love. She looked down at Sahara and Wolfgang. Why did Sahara get everyone? Why did she have to lose everyone?
Would he give her the power to bring back Nepalle? Even though it had been so long... almost two years now. She looked over at the man. Had he sensed her weakness? The blue light grew darker, her eyes turned black.
"You say you can give me powers, to bring back the dead?" Her black eyes rolled back into her eyes for a moment, revieling only the white of her eyes. "Powers greater than my useless sister? Powers to control who lives, and who dies? You offer me power, and at no cost to myself?!"
'Raasha!' A voice rang out inside her mind. 'Victoria. What he can give you is false. No one can bring back the dead. The body will return, but the soul, the heart will not. You know this. You have seen it.' Raasha's eyes remained rolled back into her head, struggling the voices from outside and inside her mind.
'Victoria, you and Sahara have a bond, as sisters. Twin sisters. You can feel her heart. Search it out. Do you really believe she is more lucky that you?' The soft man's voice inside her head spoke to her again. Raasha could feel Sahara's heart beat... it had been sad, all her life. Now she was scared, for she feared that she would lose someone close to her. No, Sahara was never lucky.
'Victoria... I have loved you, so that you may know how to love in return. Do not let your shadows overrun you. He promises you power... but he will only make you weak.' Raasha's eyes slowly returned to normal, the blue light weakening in the room.
She layed her eyes upon the man seated in her chair, and a soft smile returned to her lips. "You are a demon. A deciever. Do you really believe you can decieve me that easily?" She set the cup down on the back of the couch, and it tipped and fell off the back, hitting the floor with a crash, but she ignored it.
She walked up to Kione and knealt down infront of him, so that her eyes matched his. "The offer is not good enough, Kione. I know you can do better." She pulled off her cloak, revieling her slender, tattooed shoulders. "I have dealt with stronger demons. I need more than just a promise of power."
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Post by P h o b i a;|| on Apr 27, 2010 2:44:41 GMT -5
Kione looked generally intrigued. His voice lowered as he leaned in, as if asking her a secret. "The power I offer is great, but alas, it would seem you want even more? Did I not mention something about selfishness? No matter. What do you have in mind? Name it."
He leaned back, though his legs were restless as he continued to sit. "a demon is only as deceiving as the people he deals with." he stated with a growing smirk. Raasha was full of surprises, she definatley kept him guessing. But all humans had a price, naming hers would be hard, but possible.
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Post by ∴♪WolfurChickϗ on Apr 27, 2010 2:56:19 GMT -5
Raasha stood up to her feet, grinning. "Have I mentioned that power is not every thing? No? Well, it isn't." She turned away from him, walking over to clean up the glass off of the floor. "You are interesting to me, Kione. We seem to be similar. Atleast a bit." She swept up a bit of the glass with her hands, cutting them a bit, but it didn't seem to bother her one bit.
"You havn't explained to me enough, what you wish to do with me. Or what you want from me. Before I agree to anything, I must know it all!" She turned to face him, her eyes still dark, but not quite as dark as they were before. "Everybody should read the entire contract before signing it, after all."
"Now... what is it that I wanted? Oh! Yes! I wish my sister to be left completly alone. Her, and all that care for her." She stopped smiling, and turned serious for a moment. "That includes Wolfgang. There is much they will fulfill, and you will be no part of it. Drop your charges on him, and leave him be."
The smile returned to her face. "And there was one more thing. But I am not so sure that you could give it to me..."
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Post by P h o b i a;|| on Apr 27, 2010 3:10:44 GMT -5
Kione cocked his head lightly at her request. "you'd wish for your sister's happiness? You're quite the interesting one. Unfortunatley, Wolfgang's charges are sealed in blood. I can only undo one of them." he looked at Wolfgang and brushed his hair away from his covered eye. "He made me two deals, the one was for his mother, the other himself. I can break the first, but the second is beyond my control. He slowly peeled away his eyepatch.
What should of been an eye there was simply a gapping socket. Kione winced with a smile. "ooh, I suppose I was a bit rough." He placed the eyepatch back on him and went to sit back in the chair. "he has the power to control what I gave him, but he simply hasn't clued in yet. As for my plans with you... I'd like to hear all of your requests first, if we are to make a deal. "
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Post by ∴♪WolfurChickϗ on Apr 27, 2010 3:26:28 GMT -5
Raasha looked over at Wolfgang, then back at Kione. She smiled. "Ofcourse. My second request is that you give to me what was taken from me." She stood up and walked up to him. "I have said that I have dealt with powerful demons before." She looked at the strange tattoo on her shoulder. "I have made pacts with demons before."
She turned to him. "I am dead, Kione. But ofcourse, you know this already, no? I was dead. But I was unfulfilled, because I had not done what I could for my village, I could not surpase my sister. A demon came to me, sensing my worried soul. He promised me a second chance. All he needed in return was a life close to me. I figured he meant Sahara, and so I agreed. "
"He brought me back, although not all of me. I have no soul. No heart. Just voices and thoughts. But there was one who loved me anyway, and we were to be together for ever... then the demon came back. He wanted what I owed him, and he took my love. The love I loved even without a heart."
"It turned me into a demon. And so you see, Kione... I am just like you in some ways. No shamin before me could ever lift objects without touching them. I can do so, because I am no longer human. I want what was taken from me. I want to be... bonded. In a way. Not as Sahara and Wolfgang are to be bonded."
"I want what can not be given to me. If you can find a way to make the impossible possible, then I will consider your offer. If you can not, then get out. Get out, or I will destroy you."
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Post by P h o b i a;|| on Apr 27, 2010 3:45:41 GMT -5
"tsk. Such a tragic story. Though, that's how they all go. Demons were all once humans. Even myself, though that's a very old story." he pursed his lips and closed his eyes deep in thought. He did, however, nod every once in awhile. Weighing his own decisions.
"I can bring him back, if that is what you mean. I simply have to burn his contract." his blood red eyes gleamed deviously at the shedevil in front of him. "if you were telling the truth."
"To return him fully intact is not impossibl for me, though his memories will remain. His love for you will be tested, you did offer him up on a silver platter, after all." his crooked smile remained plastered on his face, but his voice grew impatient.
"if that is the end of your requests...?"
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Post by ∴♪WolfurChickϗ on Apr 29, 2010 20:58:42 GMT -5
Sahara had it in mind to go a seperate direction... ofcourse, seperating would have been the worst idea. She opened her mouth and let out an aggitated "Arrg!"
And thats when she realized what was so much different in this trial world than all the others they had come across so far. "Wolfgang! Stop!" She ran up to him. It actually felt good to be running to him, her feet soaking in the soft, wet sand. "Wolfgang, we can talk." She spoke, as if it was more miraculous than the red sea parting for the hebrews to escape from Egypt.
She looked around. It was so quiet here... like all the other places. When the wind blew, there was no sound. The trees didn't rustle, nor did the waves crash. It was just... silence... but finally, she could talk. It was almost annoying... like she was dead... it was a truly odd feeling. Still, she could finally talk!
"We need to find the light... but I think we should THINK, instead of wandering aimlessly. If we wait to think... we will be driven mad. The sun will keep us from thinking very well... we need to stop and think now, while we are still quite sane."
-----------------
A soft, hollow chuckle escaped Raasha's piercing red lips. She turned her gaze to Kione, the darkness in her eyes returning to her. "I don't want him back. No, no... he does not interest me anymore." She waved her hands infront of her. "You see, after he was taken from me, and I became what I am now..." A blue, green cloud swirled around her wrists, slithering and wrapping themselves around her like snakes. "I was weakened. Because I had a life bond with him, and that bond was broken after his passing." The snake-like clouds binded themselves to her, constricting her wrists, causing the blood vains in her hands to pop a little from her skin.
"Kione, every one of us is bound by these chains. Never again able to feel the life bond that all living creatures are able to feel. We will never feel again, not happiness. And we will never recieve what we have lost due to our own demons." The chains faded away, but the blood vessels remained in their condition, revealing that fact that though they could not be seen, they were still very much there.
"Because of this... it is impossible to get back what I have lost. These chains have never been broken." The darkness in her hut never ceased, but the blue candles flickered off and on, setting the room ablaze in cold light. An impossible wind blew through her perfect hair, waving it infront of her perfect face. Anyone could tell that she was absolutly, stunningly beautiful.
"I want power, Kione. I want to be better than Haarsha. But I will take no deals with any demons until these chains are gone, until I have been set free. But as it seems that I am a demon... and that these chains have never been broken, and that what I want is impossible to get... then we have nothing more to discuss here."
Her eyes rested on his, intense and serious. The wind ceased, and the candles returned to their warm, white glow. Her eyes returned to their normal blue, infact, almost lighter. All was calm and back to normal. She sat down. The glass in her hands had reformed itself back into a cup, and sweet liquid filled its rim. She gently took a sip.
"You may leave now."
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Post by P h o b i a;|| on May 11, 2010 0:51:43 GMT -5
Wolfgang nodded to Sahara's words, he had almost forgotten that he too could speak again. "right. There are so many different islands... How will we know which one it's on?" He glared up at the sun, who was glaring right back at him. "or are we supposed to check every one?"
Sanity meant patience. He wasn't sure if this task would take hours, weeks or even years to complete. He only knew that he couldn't drink the water. Or let the sun get to him. Or seperate from Sahara. It was going to be a long day.
-----
Kione nodded with a sudden realization. Of course she didn't want her lover back, it was something so foolish for him to overlook that he felt for a moment embarressed. He understood what she meant about a demon's suffering. Even though he was detached now from his old contract, he still felt the void no spirit or emotion could fill. It was the one thing he missed about being human, if he could even remember that long ago.
He stood up from his spot, the empty tea cup in his hand seemed to melt into black and adsorb like a shadow into his hand.
"These... 'chains', if you will, they bind every demon to their own contract. Every demon that roams this globe was once human. Even myself was tied down once. However, it is a fairly simple task to free yourself." Kione glanced around the room, then at the demonic, beautiful woman in front of him. "I won't extend my stay, but I want those souls. If you wish to free youself, you simply make the bond you would with a human, but with a fellow demon. The task is far different. A quick exchange, no trials... However you will never find a demon willing to do it. " Kione glanced at Raasha one last time before walking towards Wolfhang and taking a seat next to his body once again.
"You want all this power... Yet you are saving your stronger sister and her suspicious friend from pain and suffering? Why? Unless..." his smirk widened into an inhumanly large grin. "but anyways, I realize I've overstayed my welcome..." He stood up with his hat and placed it upon his head. "If you think up of any deals, you know where to find me." he chuckled lightly despite himself and turned to his hostess, expecting a harsh goodbye, or even casting him out without another word.
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Post by ∴♪WolfurChickϗ on May 11, 2010 1:44:28 GMT -5
Raasha looked at the demon before her. Her own trials were nearly over. There was just a bit more to do... In the mean time, her smile widened across her face. "A demon's greed is never satisfied, I suppose." The smirk on her face twisted into a sweet smile as she took another sip from her cup. "Though I warn you, if you harm my sister or her friends... I will hunt you down, and I will...say... ruin you, atleast." She set her cup down.
"It really was a pleasure speaking with you. Do come back and visit sometime? And though I do not expect to find myself agreeing to any of your offers, I do hope you find the time to just say hello. A demon gets aweful lonely here sometimes." She vanished, and reapeared on the couch next to her sister. Reaching her hand out, she layed her fingers on her temple. "They are managing the trials quite well." She patted her sister's mangled hair. "Oh how I loathe her... but she is my sister. And there is no greater bond then blood, hm?"
By now, she was already expecting that Kione be gone, and so she was just chatting with herself, not caring if anyone was over hearing, or if anyone thought she was crazy. After all, her trials would be over soon, and she would be free of her earthly duties. "Just like I promise, Elder." She spoke to an invisable force. Laughter filled the hut. "Yes, I suppose your duties are almost up. However, do not forget your main objective." An elderly man's voice echoed. Raasha looked down at her twin sister and smiled.
"Forget that I must kill Sahara? Oh no, I wouldn't dream of it. It has been my goal for many years." "Patience my pet. Patience. The time is not yet right, but your chance will come. First, you must pass your own trials."
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Sahara paced around in the sand for a few moments, trying to think of where it might be hidden. They didn't expect them to search every where, did they? To search every nook and cranny, behind every tree, under every rock... that would take years. No, there must have been something she was missing. Where would they keep it?
Just thinking about it was driving her mad. She was definately getting frustrated. "Where the hell would the damn thing be?! If it was night, we might be able to see the light... but if we wait that long, we could go crazy from sun light!" She dug her heels in the sand, cupping her hand over her eyes to block out the glare of the sun.
"We aren't thinking very well... we have to think clearly. Where would it be?! What do we need to do?!" By now, she was getting frustrated with Wolfgang as well, though it was not his fault, nor hers. Neither of them had any idea where to look, and now they were just standing here. Atleast they were getting more done by walking around.
"Wolfgang, THINK! You were a location guard... you must know SOMETHING About this village! Don't just stand there and be useless!" The sun beamed in her eyes, and she grunted to herself. Here she was, getting all riled up over nothing. She was going insane just lost in her own mind, and she was taking it out on Wolfgang. She needed to calm down... to stop, breathe, and think. But how could she with all this sun in her face?
"I'm sorry Wolfgang... I don't mean to be a bitch... I just... ARRG!" Why was it so frustrating? Sahara was always known to have a hot temper, and she wasn't exactly very patient. Still, this world made her so quick to anger. It made her feel like she was going mad...
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Post by P h o b i a;|| on May 15, 2010 2:43:38 GMT -5
"I will be seeing you sooner than you think." Kione's last words dripped from his lips so silently that not even the air could carry it. In an instant his skin became entirley black, and he fell into a puddle-like state onto the ground. He quickly took shape as Wolfgang's lifeless shadow against the couch.
----
Wolfgang was at first taken aback from Sahara's harsh comments. Her fiery personality was present indeed, yet he was surprised to see her so angry so quickly. He simlply nodded as she apologised, he knew she couldn't help it.
"Sahara, it's fine. However we have to stay calm. Didn't you tell me something like that?" he strained his eyes to lok around the beach and took a few steps until he was ankle deep in salt water. He knealt down, eyes widening as he did. He picked up something and held it up triumphantly. "I think I found it, but it's---" he paused, as the small orb that he held took it's original shape as a sea shell. The sun had been hitting it in such a way it seemed so. He looked around the beach again, small balls of light were everywhere, winking in the sand, only revealing themselves once touched. He let loose every curse he could think of.
"Damnit! This will take forever!...Don't just stand there, Sahara!" now it was his turn to yell. He began kicking the small shells masqueraded as orbs. He could feel the heat burning his skin, and his throat become as dry as a desert. The crystaline water looked so fresh, but he knew one sip would drain him of the engery he needed. This only made Jim curse more.
So much for his 'keep calm' statement.
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Post by ∴♪WolfurChickϗ on May 15, 2010 14:48:20 GMT -5
Sahara could feel herself losing faith and giving up. It was too much! She was hot, tired, thirsty, confused, and angry. The worst thing was that no matter how badly she tried to keep herself from blowing up with rage, now Wolfgang was cursing down her throat. She looked around at the beach. The shells which reflected the sun's light were both small and large, some the size of her forearm. How was she to find the single orb of light that would take them to the next trial when there were so many fake orbs on so many islands? How would she even begin to look. She shuffled through quite a few shells before she picked one up and threw it at Wolfgang, not hard, but enough to get his attention without yelling at him.
"We are missing something Wolfgang..." She trudged through the sand to him and put her arms on him, trying to calm him down. She could feel the frustration in her fingers, wanting to scratch at something, wanting to shake Wolfgang. But this was a trial, meant to test their nerves, and right now, they were failing it. She had to do something.
"Wolfgang, calm down, please." She pleaded with him, finally calming her own nerves. "There is something we are missing. Please, calm down." She looked up at the sun, blinding her for a short second, then she looked back down. "They wouldn't possible make this task so impossible... maybe there is something we are forgetting." She put a hand gently on his shoulder. "This is a test of sanity... it is trying to test our nerves. I think that is why we can talk... so that we can argue, fight, scream, and curse till our brains rot. Its testing us. So lets not fight or argue, ok? We've come a far way together to fail this stupid test."
Something glittered in her vision, and she turned her head out to the waves of the sea. The sun's reflection on the water was unmoving, and did not shift with the current or waves. Stillness and silence stretched upon its light. It was almost as if it was giving its own light, and not a reflection at all.
"The water... Look!" She said, excitement obvious in her voice. "I think thats it. We were looking in the wrong place the whole time."
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Post by P h o b i a;|| on May 16, 2010 0:41:15 GMT -5
Before Wolfgang could blow up again he took a sharp breath in. He could feel his heartbeat slow down and his temper settle. He looked at Sahara, his eyes were apologetic, but he couldn’t muster an apology. He simply kept his mouth shut and watched her eyes rise and fall, then shift to the water. He turned with her, and examined the water. How could they have overlooked something so… obvious? Wolfgang gave a light sigh, relieved, though he wouldn’t let his guard down. It could have been another trick, like the glittering shells that surrounded them.
“So it was there. Damn.” His voice had calmed a great amount, but he still wasn’t convinced. He walked towards the water, but this time he didn’t let his toes get wet. He watched the water stretch over the sand, then shrink back, then go again. The sun was still hot, and his mouth still dry, but now Wolfgang felt more mellow and calm, like he had told himself to be before yelling at Sahara.
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Post by ∴♪WolfurChickϗ on May 16, 2010 14:09:49 GMT -5
Sahara watched the water for a moment before she took her first step into it. She felt the cool, softness of the sand beneath her feet, and she took another step. Each step brought her closer and closer to the light, and she smiled. Beneath the waves, she could make out the shape of the light... a sphere, almost like a large orb. She had found it after all.
It made her laugh. All that fighting, all that worrying over what? A few shells in the sand. She turned to Wolfgang, a triumphant smile on her lips. "Thats it Wolfgang. I'm sure of it." She gently reached out for his hand, but before they would jump into the water to swim to the orb, she had something to say.
"I know in the next trials, we will be unable to speak, so I want to say it now. Thank you Wolfgang, for saving me, and believing in me. Thank you for coming into my life... and for bringing me with you on this impossible journey in which I was finally able to find myself. I know the road ahead of us will only get tougher... but with you around, I'm not afraid." She squeezed his hand lightly and smiled.
"If something happens, and we fail the tests... and I don't make it... I want to say thank you now. You are..." She paused. He is what? A friend? A hero? A partner? "Much more than I gave you credit for." She laughed slightly, recalling how though they had known each other for such a short time, they worked so well together. "Now lets finish these trials, ok?" And before he even had a chance to speak, she jumped into te water, pulling him in with her.
The water did not irritate her eyes, neither did the light blind her. The heat seemed to go away, and for some reason, she wasn't thirsy anymore. It was so peaceful... almost surreal. Finally, she felt herself being drug under towards the light, and they were pulled into the dangers and confusion of the next trial. Hopefully, the trials too come wouldn't be too difficult...
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Post by P h o b i a;|| on May 17, 2010 11:54:40 GMT -5
Sahara’s words brought a smirk to Wolfgang’s face. He remembered the first moment he saw Sahara, he thought she was just a bratty snob with a mechanical leg. Now after all this, what could he say to her? He opened his mouth to speak, he knew it would be the last opportunity in awhile, “Sahara, I--” he took a short breath in as she dove below the water’s surface, and stopped himself with a disappointed breath. “--Right. Better go.” was all he could muster before being pulled in along with her.
The water was soothing and just the perfect temperature, very much unlike the freezing water inside Shifuto Aisu. He squinted ahead at the massive orb, fingers fanned out and pushing through the water. The closer he got, the more he could feel it pull them in. He squeezed Sahara’s hand and kicked his legs right towards the orb.
~~~
He could feel himself being thrown out of the floating sensation as he was in the water, and hit the ground hard. The air was damp and cold, all around him was dark. ‘Where are we?; he tried to speak, but realized that both he and Sahara were mute once more. He strained his eyes, hoping to see through the darkness. The soil below him was soft and moist as he dug his fingers into it.
“The Trial of Bravery. The Trial of Loyalty” The voice rang through his own mind, it was much more present than it had been before. Wolfgang got up from his hands and knees, trying to listen for Sahara’s shuffling. Two trials in one? Wolfgang wasn’t afraid of the dark, but the tunnel he was in wasn’t just dark. It was pitch black. The black around him almost pulsed, sounds of slithering and small little murmurs echoed throughout. It didn’t take him long to realize Sahara wasn’t near him.
He groped for a wall in the tunnel, and once he firmly placed his hand upon it, a brilliant light illuminated the tunnel. He had to cover his eyes for a moment before turning towards it. The orb?! It was there, in clear sight? Wolfgang took a step towards the end of the tunnel, was that bit of darkness the only test? He smirked to himself and took another step, until his heart dropped. Sahara.
He couldn’t--wouldn’t continue without her, but where could she be? The light made it easy to see around him, and she was no where near. Slowly, he looked the opposite way of the orb. The tunnel seemed to go on forever, going until it reached pure black once again. Without taking another look at the orb, Wolfgang sprinted down the tunnel. He would come back, but only after he had Sahara.
Whatever was in store for him, it would be testing his and her bravery… And bravery could only exist with… fear.
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Post by ∴♪WolfurChickϗ on May 17, 2010 20:27:33 GMT -5
Sahara felt herself hit the ground hard. The ground was damp... muddy, she could feel. But it was also dark. 'Nain Taiyou.' She noted to herself. She had heard about the city, how advanced it was. How even though it was the city of no sun, it shone in glory every day. But now, this was unbelievable. She was reminded how each of the trials took place in the city, but without all the people and buildings.
It wasn't a happy feeling, considering that without the buildings, there were no lights. It also dawned on her that this was a pretty big place. A cavern under a puddle that could hold an entire thriving city from the roof down. She knew how the citizens of Nain Taiyou always usually always lived at the top of he cavern. She had learned that this was because when the city was first founded, the ground was too moist to build on, and they found that structures were better suited for the roots from the trees above. How anyone would want to build an entire city here was beyond her reasoning ability.
She listened intently for the familiar, comforting sound of Wolfgang's breathing. Being partially blind, she always relied on her sense of hearing equally as her sense of sight. But now, while she sat, she couldn't hear a thing. She took a step, and her foot sank into mud. Thankfully, she wasn't disguisted by such things, still, she was utterly and completely out of her element. Her home was bright and dry. This place was dark and damp.
She knew trying to talk would be useless, so she didn't even try. Still, she wasn't worried anymore about how she would find Wolfgang and pass the trial. She felt like she could do anything with him aroud. Of course... now... he WASN'T around.
'This trial... it has two tests. I don't understand. Are we both to be tested twice, or do we both have a seperate test?' She asked herself silently. In all honesty, she couldn't even think what the trials would be wanting from them here. To find Wolfgang... but what did that have to do with Loyalty or Bravery?
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Post by P h o b i a;|| on May 19, 2010 22:00:12 GMT -5
Wolfgang’s breathes became quicker as he continued to sprint further and further down the tunnel. However, he could not for the life of him find the end of it. The light was so far away now, it was barley a speck. The tunnel just went on and on. But he couldn’t stop, he knew Sahara would be around somewhere, what if she was in danger? He could hear inhuman sounds reverberating off the walls, but could not spot anything. Was this part of the “bravery” test? Or loyalty? Wolfgang started up and began to run again, but as quickly as he had started, he felt himself fall through the ground. His mouth was open to yell out in surprise, but he could only feel dirt fill his throat. He remained perfectly still as he seemed to fall further and further into the mud, something was wrapped around his ankle, pulling him down.
Finally, he hit something solid. As he did he choked out a breath, he was breathing air now at least, and not the soil he had fallen into. But wait… where was he? Wolfgang held his hands in front of his face, they weren’t muddy, it was like he had never fallen, yet his continued to cough out mud and dirt from his mouth. With a confused moan, he turned.
The sounds he had heard before were echoing out further, he was out of the long tunnel. The light was gone, yet the sounds remained, and grew. This must have been where the village lay, if there had been any buildings. He stood up, still wheezing and gagging up dirt. He didn’t want to do that again.
What did the trials mean? And why were there two? Before the objective was at least clear: Find an orb, go to the next trial. But he had to run away from the orb this time. Though he couldn’t see around him, something told him he was closer to Sahara. Before, what he felt was a complete void , but now he knew he was near her. Too bad it was too dark to even tell. With a hopeless sigh, Wolfgang knelt in the mud, thinking of ways to find her. There was absolutely no light, and no way to make light. But what about sound? Wolfgang clapped his hands together once, then twice. It echoed throughout, and the rest of the eerie noises stopped completely. The silence in this trial was worse than anything he had imagined.
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Post by ∴♪WolfurChickϗ on May 24, 2010 18:00:42 GMT -5
Sahara looked around the dark, damp cave... Cavern... What ever it was. The darkness seemed to suffocate the air out of her chest. She had seen darkness before, including a time she was locked in a chest for several days, but never before had she experienced this kind of darkness. It was lifeless. Nothing moved, nothing breathed. It was as if the cavern itself was dead. It was hopeless trying to see, and the quiet echoed throughout the cavern with an eerie silence.
She was beginning to give up all hope, that was until she heard an awful clapping noise. For a moment she thought it might be the sound of stone scraping against stone, or perhaps the sound of breaking bone. However, the more she heard it, the more it sounded like a noise only a human being could make. It was very distant, but she could just make out the sound of two hands clapping together.
Was it Wolfgang? Or what is somebody completely different? It could have been a trap, or maybe it was just the answer to her problem. Slowly, she started to make her way towards the sound. The mud made her footsteps heavy, but it was nothing that she wasn't already used to. Having a mechanical leg will do that to a person. She trudged her way through the damp, thick, smelly mud. It smelled as if somebody had died down there, and somebody very well could have.
Though she thought she was going in the right direction, the clapping sound did not get any closer. Without being able to see, she could not see how far away Wolfgang was from her. Perhaps The tunnel was longer than she thought, or maybe she wasn't moving at all. That's when she could feel it, the mud slowly pulling her in. She was not moving at all, she was sinking.
She slipped her hands out of the mud, and clapped in response. If she could hear Wolfgang, maybe he could hear her. It was all she could hope for, and she hoped he could come soon. She did not know what the trials were for yet, but she knew dying wasn't part of it.
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