Being too studious for his own good, Matt had withheld his answer until the opportune time to speak. Inside the small, already damp cave, he felt it was the right time to explain his position. He waited until she was settled, took off his coat and handed it to her, despite the rips and tears he only just noticed. He waited again for her to figure out he meant for her to wear it and let out a long breath. Moving the hair from his face, he placed his things around his to dry and removed his own soaked shirt.
"The answer is yes." He started out bluntly. He met her eyes as he continued. "That man <i>is</i> after us. And he can find us in any dimension by hopping it, just like we did. If I could only get back the to Tower I could find Ravik..." He trailed off.
He eventually picked up where he left off; "I don't know too much about him besides how he got his arm." His own twitched reflexively. "The same way I got mine, except, there was no you." His expression softened as he looked at her...
"Well, anyway. I think he used to be human and he tried to master the orb that took my arm. But his experience was obviously much different than mine..."
"The answer is yes." He started out bluntly. He met her eyes as he continued. "That man <i>is</i> after us. And he can find us in any dimension by hopping it, just like we did. If I could only get back the to Tower I could find Ravik..." He trailed off.
He eventually picked up where he left off; "I don't know too much about him besides how he got his arm." His own twitched reflexively. "The same way I got mine, except, there was no you." His expression softened as he looked at her...
"Well, anyway. I think he used to be human and he tried to master the orb that took my arm. But his experience was obviously much different than mine..."
Alacoque winced as she heard those dreaded words she never wanted to hear and pulled the jacket snugly around her shoulders. Shivering in the cave's darkness she glanced down to her feet and pulled them in closer to her body.
"...I see" She just managed to force the words from her parched throat. "So, it's the orb he's after...I remember it. But...why is he after us if neither of us have the orb in our possession?" Her words trailed off and her eyes glanced up; straining to meet with Mattieu's in the darkness. "...you...don't actually have it...do you?"
Her voice was shaky; barley audible among the constant pour of rainwater, but Alacoque was sure he had heard her. She heard the swish of his clothing as he shifted his weight; preparing himself to come up with an answer when there was a sudden flash of light from the sky. Outside, a single bolt of lightning struck the ground right outside the cave's entrance and was accompanied by a second bolt seconds later. The second struck a few feet from the first, landing in the center of the circle of bounders. Both Alacoque and Mattieu watched with wide eyes as the lightning split into eight smaller bolts; one for each bolder. The electricity encompassed the bounder's surface until, one by one, the ruins written upon them began to glow with a pale blue light. As the lightning dissipated, writing on the ground that wasn't there moments ago began to swirl into view forming odd shapes and letters of some unknown ancient language. The light continued on it's trail until it reached the cave's entrance and began to illuminate unseen ruins inside the cave's walls, filling the room with a soft blue light. Averting her gaze for just a moment, Alacoque saw Matt's features contort with such fascination she though he may double over in excitement. Blinking her own eyes she turned to watch the glowing ruins ascend down a long and narrow staircase a few feet from where the two of them had been sitting. Perhaps it was just the darkness, or the exhaustion taking it's grip on her mind but Alacoque was sure there wasn't an opening in the wall, let alone a staircase when the two had entered the cave. Never the less, a stair case materializing out of thin air and glowing rocks was nothing compared to the other events that transpired over the last few hours. Letting go of the jacket's collar, she turned her attention once more to Matt, his face still stuck in the same awestruck expression she never thought could be achieved realistically.
"...I see" She just managed to force the words from her parched throat. "So, it's the orb he's after...I remember it. But...why is he after us if neither of us have the orb in our possession?" Her words trailed off and her eyes glanced up; straining to meet with Mattieu's in the darkness. "...you...don't actually have it...do you?"
Her voice was shaky; barley audible among the constant pour of rainwater, but Alacoque was sure he had heard her. She heard the swish of his clothing as he shifted his weight; preparing himself to come up with an answer when there was a sudden flash of light from the sky. Outside, a single bolt of lightning struck the ground right outside the cave's entrance and was accompanied by a second bolt seconds later. The second struck a few feet from the first, landing in the center of the circle of bounders. Both Alacoque and Mattieu watched with wide eyes as the lightning split into eight smaller bolts; one for each bolder. The electricity encompassed the bounder's surface until, one by one, the ruins written upon them began to glow with a pale blue light. As the lightning dissipated, writing on the ground that wasn't there moments ago began to swirl into view forming odd shapes and letters of some unknown ancient language. The light continued on it's trail until it reached the cave's entrance and began to illuminate unseen ruins inside the cave's walls, filling the room with a soft blue light. Averting her gaze for just a moment, Alacoque saw Matt's features contort with such fascination she though he may double over in excitement. Blinking her own eyes she turned to watch the glowing ruins ascend down a long and narrow staircase a few feet from where the two of them had been sitting. Perhaps it was just the darkness, or the exhaustion taking it's grip on her mind but Alacoque was sure there wasn't an opening in the wall, let alone a staircase when the two had entered the cave. Never the less, a stair case materializing out of thin air and glowing rocks was nothing compared to the other events that transpired over the last few hours. Letting go of the jacket's collar, she turned her attention once more to Matt, his face still stuck in the same awestruck expression she never thought could be achieved realistically.
Matt's eyes were glued immediately to the natural wonder. As usual, whatever she had been saying had been pushed back to the dim outreaches of his awareness, to be processed later. Now, his demeanor had switched to that of a child in a candy shop. Without his mother.
He grabbed her hand without looking away from the pathway now lit before them and pulled her o his feet as he got to his. His eyes shot to every detail cataloging it for later, hopefully for his journal, which he forgot on the cave floor along with pretty much everything that wasn't attached to him. Dragging her to the newly opened entrance, his free hand scanned the writing with his fingers, using his photographic memory. After a few minutes of flurried reading, and touching, he turned to the actual opening.
His chest swelled with anticipation and he plunged down the stairway, Alacoque in tow. He hurried through his response finally.
"I don't actually have it, but I may or may have told him I know where it is."
He grabbed her hand without looking away from the pathway now lit before them and pulled her o his feet as he got to his. His eyes shot to every detail cataloging it for later, hopefully for his journal, which he forgot on the cave floor along with pretty much everything that wasn't attached to him. Dragging her to the newly opened entrance, his free hand scanned the writing with his fingers, using his photographic memory. After a few minutes of flurried reading, and touching, he turned to the actual opening.
His chest swelled with anticipation and he plunged down the stairway, Alacoque in tow. He hurried through his response finally.
"I don't actually have it, but I may or may have told him I know where it is."
"YOU WHAT!?" Alacoque's voice shook as Matt dragged her down the stair case; her feet making the decision to step before her conscious mind had a chance. "W-Why would y-yo-ou t-tel-l-l h-him s-s-ometh-i-i-n-g-g- like-e --AAHH!!" Alacoque felt her talons dig into the ground as the stair case came to a sudden stop and the wall ahead of them became dangerously close. Stumbling forward she heard Matt's body hit the wall with a soft thump and then her own fall into his accompanied by a wave of black and molted feathers. The two plopped to the floor with Matt rubbing his head while Alacoque, in a sea of black feathers, scrambled to pull her skirts back down over her knees. It took only a minute or so for the two of them to compose themselves before turning their heads to see where they were.
On Either side of them were two long hallways, each illuminated dimly by the pale glowing lights from the ruins. It was hard to tell, but it seemed as if both, at the end of each, turned in sharply creating an "L" shape, making it impossible to tell what was at the end, if there was an end.
Getting to her feet, Alacoque dusted herself off and refolded her wings several times until she decided they were perfectly even. "There's no way you could just tell him...is there?" her eyes wandered to where Matt was sitting and the corners of her mouth fell in the slightest hint of a frown. She knew what the answer was going to be, but she felt that there was no harm in asking, since there was always the possibility of being wrong. Twitching the long feathers at her temples reflexively, she listened to the low ambient hum that seemed to be coming from within the center of the earth.
On Either side of them were two long hallways, each illuminated dimly by the pale glowing lights from the ruins. It was hard to tell, but it seemed as if both, at the end of each, turned in sharply creating an "L" shape, making it impossible to tell what was at the end, if there was an end.
Getting to her feet, Alacoque dusted herself off and refolded her wings several times until she decided they were perfectly even. "There's no way you could just tell him...is there?" her eyes wandered to where Matt was sitting and the corners of her mouth fell in the slightest hint of a frown. She knew what the answer was going to be, but she felt that there was no harm in asking, since there was always the possibility of being wrong. Twitching the long feathers at her temples reflexively, she listened to the low ambient hum that seemed to be coming from within the center of the earth.
“Well, which way do we go?” He seemed to blatantly ignore her question this time. He stood, dusting himself off, wishing he had grabbed his shirt at least. His thin frame started to shiver at the absence of clothes. “Left or right…” that last part was to himself.
He weighed his options mentally and decided the right way to go was actually left; he himself is still not sure as to why this was the correct choice, he just felt it. So, he turned abruptly left and started to march down the hallway, eyes ignoring his steps but glued again to the walls and their secrets. His expression twisted after a few steps and he turned to her without warning.
“Alacoque.” She almost walked right into him. “I’m really sorry I got you stuck in this mess. Since you haven’t disappeared yet, I’m assuming you can’t.” He put his arm comfortingly on her shoulder before she unconsciously shrugged it off. “The truth is I have been looking for the orb for as long as I have been searching for you. I wanted it for answers and I had naively hoped it would lead me to… well you know, you.”
He gave her the tortured look of a guilty child and turned to keep walking. The dim hallway was longer that it let on and they seemed to be walking for a very long time, all the while he was talking.
“When I was dropped in the Nexus world the first time… and I realize now I still don’t know that planet’s proper name… I was rather lost. So naturally, I ran straight to the Tower… Even though pretty much anything I passed gave me a tiny heart attack because they were so different… And my arm hurt like all Hells, mostly from the unorthodox destruction of my bodily tissue and all. And you know, the whole fact that I had just bone for an arm and it was still moving made me sick to my stomach for the first month or so… Anyway, my entire life and world as I knew it was turned over and dumped out. I had to learn to look at things with a different perspective, and that’s no easy for people where I come from.”
He trailed off again, while chewing his lip. His brain was flashing his old life and he was lost in nostalgia for a few minutes.
“Anyhow; I guess what I’m trying to say is this: When I was thrust out of my comfort zone and into the weird darkness of cross-dimensional living, my only thing to cling to was finding out why. And why laid in finding you. And finding the orb. And fixing this, or learning to live with it. Finding my savior was the only reason I could go on after suuuuch a huge culture shock.”
He turned to her, again stopping their advance. “So I made some bad decisions on who I spoke to about the orb. I was desperate and maybe starving for knowledge of something I knew nothing about. When I met the guy---and I honestly was so side tracked by the fact that he knew about the thing that I don’t even remember if he introduced himself---I told him everything I knew without thinking. Then he comes at me with this psycho idea that you’re actually a Reaper from Hell and if he gets his hand.. hands…on the Orb again he could some how control death and magic! He’s crazy!”
He paused to laugh awkwardly and resume their passage. The pair was almost to the L-shaped turn. “So of course I ran without telling him the crucial part; where the orb might be right now… And he’s been following me since.”
He stopped his pseudo soliloquy there, as they had reached the turn.
He weighed his options mentally and decided the right way to go was actually left; he himself is still not sure as to why this was the correct choice, he just felt it. So, he turned abruptly left and started to march down the hallway, eyes ignoring his steps but glued again to the walls and their secrets. His expression twisted after a few steps and he turned to her without warning.
“Alacoque.” She almost walked right into him. “I’m really sorry I got you stuck in this mess. Since you haven’t disappeared yet, I’m assuming you can’t.” He put his arm comfortingly on her shoulder before she unconsciously shrugged it off. “The truth is I have been looking for the orb for as long as I have been searching for you. I wanted it for answers and I had naively hoped it would lead me to… well you know, you.”
He gave her the tortured look of a guilty child and turned to keep walking. The dim hallway was longer that it let on and they seemed to be walking for a very long time, all the while he was talking.
“When I was dropped in the Nexus world the first time… and I realize now I still don’t know that planet’s proper name… I was rather lost. So naturally, I ran straight to the Tower… Even though pretty much anything I passed gave me a tiny heart attack because they were so different… And my arm hurt like all Hells, mostly from the unorthodox destruction of my bodily tissue and all. And you know, the whole fact that I had just bone for an arm and it was still moving made me sick to my stomach for the first month or so… Anyway, my entire life and world as I knew it was turned over and dumped out. I had to learn to look at things with a different perspective, and that’s no easy for people where I come from.”
He trailed off again, while chewing his lip. His brain was flashing his old life and he was lost in nostalgia for a few minutes.
“Anyhow; I guess what I’m trying to say is this: When I was thrust out of my comfort zone and into the weird darkness of cross-dimensional living, my only thing to cling to was finding out why. And why laid in finding you. And finding the orb. And fixing this, or learning to live with it. Finding my savior was the only reason I could go on after suuuuch a huge culture shock.”
He turned to her, again stopping their advance. “So I made some bad decisions on who I spoke to about the orb. I was desperate and maybe starving for knowledge of something I knew nothing about. When I met the guy---and I honestly was so side tracked by the fact that he knew about the thing that I don’t even remember if he introduced himself---I told him everything I knew without thinking. Then he comes at me with this psycho idea that you’re actually a Reaper from Hell and if he gets his hand.. hands…on the Orb again he could some how control death and magic! He’s crazy!”
He paused to laugh awkwardly and resume their passage. The pair was almost to the L-shaped turn. “So of course I ran without telling him the crucial part; where the orb might be right now… And he’s been following me since.”
He stopped his pseudo soliloquy there, as they had reached the turn.
Alacoque felt her cheeks heat up as Matt concluded his monologue. Whoever this person was that was chasing them, he certainly knew more about reapers than Alacoque had originally hoped. Casting a quick gaze down toward the floor as to not let Mattieu see her expression, she felt the thoughts in her mind start to fester.
"So, are you going to tell him or not?" The voice in the back of Alacoque's mind sent a shiver down her spine. She hadn't expected her sister to arise at a time like this and it only made her already racing heart beat a little faster. Never the less, drawing in a deep breath she shook off the excess anxiety and answered her sister without ever speaking a word.
"I don't think I should...I-"
"-You don't THINK you should or you don't WANT to!?" The voice was getting louder now, as if there was someone next to her speaking right into her ear. Alacoque shook her head and stopped walking, letting Matt go on ahead, still talking to himself.
"..Well.." Alacoque felt herself falter. "It's forbidden to talk to humans...but...If I do tell him that...I'm a ...reaper...maybe...maybe it'll help the situation some...AH!" Alacoque felt her body slam into the wall next to her.
"-FORBIDDEN?! You've been talking with this HUAMN the entire time!!!" The voice was deafening now and Alacoque felt her hands unconsciously slide up to clap over her ears, though she knew all too well that this would do nothing to silence the voice in her mind. "You're already in trouble for loosing your scythe!" The voice continued scathingly. "None of this human's issues are of your concern. Just kill him and be done with it! A new reaper will come to collect his soul and take YOU back home in no time...and you don't even have to tell them what happened!"
"NO!" Alacoque shook her head, trying desperately to rid herself of the horrible voice that filled her mind.
"No? So you'd rather spend the rest of our miserable existence trapped in this underground maze?! You're a FOOL Alacoque! That bloke with the magiced arm will sooner come to murder you both in your sleep! Then what!?"
"Stop it" Alacoque answered, this time aloud, though her voice was barely a whisper. Feeling her hands start to drop from her ears she let out a sigh of relief when the voice didn't answer right away. Standing up again, as straight as her feeble body would allow, Alacoque started to catch up with Mattieu when suddenly she felt herself back against the wall; surrounded by one hundred versions of the same voice, each as loud and louder than the next. Feeing the strength drain from her body she unwillingly gave up the control of her right hand to the separate entity within her.
"Then I suppose I'LL have to be the one to get it done!" The voice laughed mockingly; echoing and booming in Alacoque's mind as if they were everywhere and nowhere all at once. Squeezing her eyes shut Alacoque felt the talons on her hand slice into the flesh on her chest. Wincing Alacoque wasn't sure if she had heard herself shriek out in pain over the chorus of voices that deafened her thoughts. "You may have full control of this body NOW, sister, but once you fall asleep consider this adventure over! I'm tired of being dragged around like this!"
Suddenly everything was silent, as if the voices had evaporated into the darkness of the cave's walls. Opening her eyes, Alacoque clutched at the burning gash on her chest and turned abruptly on her toes to catch up with Mattieu at the end of the hallway.
"Mattieu..." Alacoque panted. "Listen...there's something...I-I should tell y-you...I-" Her words cut off and were lost in the caves darkness. Alacoque wasn't even sure if Mattieu had head her but her train of thought had been sidetracked to what lay before them.
Straight ahead lay another staircase, traveling deeper down into the caves core. How far the stairs traveled was uncertain; the glow of the ruins seemed to burn out a quarter of the way down the staircase. To the left and right were shorter hallways, each with what seemed to be a spacious room at the end, though the room to the right was closed off by a gated door.
Squinting, Alacoque took a step forward, preparing to travel on ahead when she turned to looked back to Matt.
"I can't see in the dark...so...I vote we go left...if...that's alright with you..." She paused a moment to run a hand through her hair, though it was only after she had done so that she realized the hand she had used was the same one that had been clutching the gash on her chest a few moments ago. Now, in the dim blue light of the cave, her white blonde hair was streaked with red.
"So, are you going to tell him or not?" The voice in the back of Alacoque's mind sent a shiver down her spine. She hadn't expected her sister to arise at a time like this and it only made her already racing heart beat a little faster. Never the less, drawing in a deep breath she shook off the excess anxiety and answered her sister without ever speaking a word.
"I don't think I should...I-"
"-You don't THINK you should or you don't WANT to!?" The voice was getting louder now, as if there was someone next to her speaking right into her ear. Alacoque shook her head and stopped walking, letting Matt go on ahead, still talking to himself.
"..Well.." Alacoque felt herself falter. "It's forbidden to talk to humans...but...If I do tell him that...I'm a ...reaper...maybe...maybe it'll help the situation some...AH!" Alacoque felt her body slam into the wall next to her.
"-FORBIDDEN?! You've been talking with this HUAMN the entire time!!!" The voice was deafening now and Alacoque felt her hands unconsciously slide up to clap over her ears, though she knew all too well that this would do nothing to silence the voice in her mind. "You're already in trouble for loosing your scythe!" The voice continued scathingly. "None of this human's issues are of your concern. Just kill him and be done with it! A new reaper will come to collect his soul and take YOU back home in no time...and you don't even have to tell them what happened!"
"NO!" Alacoque shook her head, trying desperately to rid herself of the horrible voice that filled her mind.
"No? So you'd rather spend the rest of our miserable existence trapped in this underground maze?! You're a FOOL Alacoque! That bloke with the magiced arm will sooner come to murder you both in your sleep! Then what!?"
"Stop it" Alacoque answered, this time aloud, though her voice was barely a whisper. Feeling her hands start to drop from her ears she let out a sigh of relief when the voice didn't answer right away. Standing up again, as straight as her feeble body would allow, Alacoque started to catch up with Mattieu when suddenly she felt herself back against the wall; surrounded by one hundred versions of the same voice, each as loud and louder than the next. Feeing the strength drain from her body she unwillingly gave up the control of her right hand to the separate entity within her.
"Then I suppose I'LL have to be the one to get it done!" The voice laughed mockingly; echoing and booming in Alacoque's mind as if they were everywhere and nowhere all at once. Squeezing her eyes shut Alacoque felt the talons on her hand slice into the flesh on her chest. Wincing Alacoque wasn't sure if she had heard herself shriek out in pain over the chorus of voices that deafened her thoughts. "You may have full control of this body NOW, sister, but once you fall asleep consider this adventure over! I'm tired of being dragged around like this!"
Suddenly everything was silent, as if the voices had evaporated into the darkness of the cave's walls. Opening her eyes, Alacoque clutched at the burning gash on her chest and turned abruptly on her toes to catch up with Mattieu at the end of the hallway.
"Mattieu..." Alacoque panted. "Listen...there's something...I-I should tell y-you...I-" Her words cut off and were lost in the caves darkness. Alacoque wasn't even sure if Mattieu had head her but her train of thought had been sidetracked to what lay before them.
Straight ahead lay another staircase, traveling deeper down into the caves core. How far the stairs traveled was uncertain; the glow of the ruins seemed to burn out a quarter of the way down the staircase. To the left and right were shorter hallways, each with what seemed to be a spacious room at the end, though the room to the right was closed off by a gated door.
Squinting, Alacoque took a step forward, preparing to travel on ahead when she turned to looked back to Matt.
"I can't see in the dark...so...I vote we go left...if...that's alright with you..." She paused a moment to run a hand through her hair, though it was only after she had done so that she realized the hand she had used was the same one that had been clutching the gash on her chest a few moments ago. Now, in the dim blue light of the cave, her white blonde hair was streaked with red.
Matt gave a distracted “Hm?” when she started to tell him about herself, but when she didn’t respond again he let it slip. Instead, he headed her advice to go left as he couldn’t see in the dark either. Without speaking he descended the stair and pivoted on his heel to the left to enter the room.
When the light graced their features he turned to Alacoque to ask her if she was still shivering, because he kind of wanted his coat back… Bare-chested in the cave depths was a bad choice, he was now realizing. However, when he looked at her, her noticed the bloody highlight streak arching through her otherwise pale hair.
“Are you alright? Did you hit your head on something?” He instinctively moved toward her to inspect her head. “This can sometimes happen a lot when we’re in ruins we aren’t used to---You don’t expect something to be so low-hanging and in the dark you just walk right into it!” But he couldn’t find a cut on her head and she was flinching away at his every movement so he relented. “Well I guess you’re--- You’re chest is bleeding.”
He frowned deeply and reached to pull her hands from the gash so he might also inspect it. However, it was about that time that the haphazardly traveling duo noticed a grinding noise emanating from the cave. And it was getting louder.
When the light graced their features he turned to Alacoque to ask her if she was still shivering, because he kind of wanted his coat back… Bare-chested in the cave depths was a bad choice, he was now realizing. However, when he looked at her, her noticed the bloody highlight streak arching through her otherwise pale hair.
“Are you alright? Did you hit your head on something?” He instinctively moved toward her to inspect her head. “This can sometimes happen a lot when we’re in ruins we aren’t used to---You don’t expect something to be so low-hanging and in the dark you just walk right into it!” But he couldn’t find a cut on her head and she was flinching away at his every movement so he relented. “Well I guess you’re--- You’re chest is bleeding.”
He frowned deeply and reached to pull her hands from the gash so he might also inspect it. However, it was about that time that the haphazardly traveling duo noticed a grinding noise emanating from the cave. And it was getting louder.
With a start Alacoque leapt into the air; enveloping Mattieu in a gust of wind and feathers. Landing on the ground several feet away, she stumbled and hopped on her feet awkwardly in response to the ground's odd vibration. Making her way back to Mattieu she looked at him with horror stricken eyes.
"What-t's h-haa-p-pen-ning-g!?" Was all she managed to blurt out, even though she knew there was no way he could have known the answer either. Stumbling to her knees she closed her eyes and clapped her hands over her ears; her wings still outstretched behind her. Feeling Matt's hand rest itself on her shoulder in an effort of consolation, Alacoque found herself unable to shrug shrug it away. An odd feeling of piece washed over her as she felt her body sink to one side to rest against Matt's. Keeping her eyes shut, wishing for the strange tremors in the cave to stop she began to think about what her sister had said to her only moments ago. She really wanted to go home.
The blue ruins blinked on and off, as if their power source was about to run out. Growing dimmer with every second, Matt began to think he would be trapped in the darkness of the cave forever. Though just as his thoughts seemed they would become reality the ruins started to brighten again, this time, changing to a purple hew and filling the room with a brilliant glow that was brighter then the previous one. And then, as suddenly as it had started, the grinding noise stopped and the room was filled with a chilling silence only to be broken by the sound of the pairs breathing.
Shifting her weight against Matt, Alacoque brought her wings in towards her body and opened her eyes slowly. The room seemed much larger in the brighter glow the ruins now produced. Shifting her body away from Matt shyly, Alacoque was able to make out several carvings and statues that decorated the caves walls and corners. Most were in perfectly good condition despite a few cracks here and there. Before she knew it she felt Matt get up off the floor and scamper excitedly over to one of the stone carvings in the room's corner.
The stone pillar was no higher than Matt's waist and supported a perfectly rendered carving of a strange bison-like creature; exactly like the one that had attacked him when the tho had first arrived at this world. The creature stood posed in a vicious rearing stance, it's huge jaws holding what seemed to be an oddly shaped stone. In the center of the stone a single letter was carved, though what this letter was was anyone's guess.
Picking herself up off the floor, Alacoque made her way around the room, taken aback by the ruin's new glow. She watched them waver in their light, growing brighter for a few moments and then dying down again as if to conserve energy. Walking over to the corner where Matt was inspecting the stone carving ever so carefully, she began to remove the heavy jacket from her shoulders. The sudden event that transpired had caused her shot nerves to flair up and leave her overheated. She held the jacket out for him and watched his eyes light up before he put it on hastily and then shot his attention back to the carving.
Shifting her weight uncomfortably, her mind was littered with thoughts. Should she tell him? She figured now would be the best time...who knows if there WOULD be another time. She tried to swallow to ready herself, but her throat had gone dry. Instead she held her avian arms in close to her chest, tapping on a scale on the back of her hand with a talon from the other.
"M-Mattieu?"...she waited for his response but he didn't seem to hear her; he was too engaged in what he was doing. "Mattieu!" She spoke a bit louder. He seemed to hear her this time as he turned his head to face her and blinked in question.
"Mattieu...there's something I should probably tell you...about...what you said before..." She paused and tried to mentally prepare the words before she spoke them.
"What I said before?" He asked her as he turned his head to look back at the carving, inspecting and listening to her at the same time. His fingers brushed against the stone in the creature's mouth and wiggled it to see if it would move.
"About how you said the guy that's after us had some crazy idea..."
"Ah-ha!" Pulling his hand back triumphantly, Mattieu held the small stone between his thumb and forefinger and brought it closer to his eye to get a batter look at the carved letter in it's center. "Yes. What about it?" His eyes glanced reassuringly towards her for a moment to prove he was still listening.
Alacoque's brow furrowed. "...I'm a reaper..."
The room went dark.
"What-t's h-haa-p-pen-ning-g!?" Was all she managed to blurt out, even though she knew there was no way he could have known the answer either. Stumbling to her knees she closed her eyes and clapped her hands over her ears; her wings still outstretched behind her. Feeling Matt's hand rest itself on her shoulder in an effort of consolation, Alacoque found herself unable to shrug shrug it away. An odd feeling of piece washed over her as she felt her body sink to one side to rest against Matt's. Keeping her eyes shut, wishing for the strange tremors in the cave to stop she began to think about what her sister had said to her only moments ago. She really wanted to go home.
The blue ruins blinked on and off, as if their power source was about to run out. Growing dimmer with every second, Matt began to think he would be trapped in the darkness of the cave forever. Though just as his thoughts seemed they would become reality the ruins started to brighten again, this time, changing to a purple hew and filling the room with a brilliant glow that was brighter then the previous one. And then, as suddenly as it had started, the grinding noise stopped and the room was filled with a chilling silence only to be broken by the sound of the pairs breathing.
Shifting her weight against Matt, Alacoque brought her wings in towards her body and opened her eyes slowly. The room seemed much larger in the brighter glow the ruins now produced. Shifting her body away from Matt shyly, Alacoque was able to make out several carvings and statues that decorated the caves walls and corners. Most were in perfectly good condition despite a few cracks here and there. Before she knew it she felt Matt get up off the floor and scamper excitedly over to one of the stone carvings in the room's corner.
The stone pillar was no higher than Matt's waist and supported a perfectly rendered carving of a strange bison-like creature; exactly like the one that had attacked him when the tho had first arrived at this world. The creature stood posed in a vicious rearing stance, it's huge jaws holding what seemed to be an oddly shaped stone. In the center of the stone a single letter was carved, though what this letter was was anyone's guess.
Picking herself up off the floor, Alacoque made her way around the room, taken aback by the ruin's new glow. She watched them waver in their light, growing brighter for a few moments and then dying down again as if to conserve energy. Walking over to the corner where Matt was inspecting the stone carving ever so carefully, she began to remove the heavy jacket from her shoulders. The sudden event that transpired had caused her shot nerves to flair up and leave her overheated. She held the jacket out for him and watched his eyes light up before he put it on hastily and then shot his attention back to the carving.
Shifting her weight uncomfortably, her mind was littered with thoughts. Should she tell him? She figured now would be the best time...who knows if there WOULD be another time. She tried to swallow to ready herself, but her throat had gone dry. Instead she held her avian arms in close to her chest, tapping on a scale on the back of her hand with a talon from the other.
"M-Mattieu?"...she waited for his response but he didn't seem to hear her; he was too engaged in what he was doing. "Mattieu!" She spoke a bit louder. He seemed to hear her this time as he turned his head to face her and blinked in question.
"Mattieu...there's something I should probably tell you...about...what you said before..." She paused and tried to mentally prepare the words before she spoke them.
"What I said before?" He asked her as he turned his head to look back at the carving, inspecting and listening to her at the same time. His fingers brushed against the stone in the creature's mouth and wiggled it to see if it would move.
"About how you said the guy that's after us had some crazy idea..."
"Ah-ha!" Pulling his hand back triumphantly, Mattieu held the small stone between his thumb and forefinger and brought it closer to his eye to get a batter look at the carved letter in it's center. "Yes. What about it?" His eyes glanced reassuringly towards her for a moment to prove he was still listening.
Alacoque's brow furrowed. "...I'm a reaper..."
The room went dark.
The darkness enveloped them and Matt stumbled back in confusion. He slammed into another odd obelisk which teetered some. He tried in the dark to right the stone pillar but it fell to one side and shattered. The rumbling had ceased but they could still hear faintly the roll and strike of the storm far above them.
Matt felt a cold chill run down his spine. "You're... what? Does that mean I..." He stared into the darkness as the realization of why she had been there that fateful day sunk in like a bad medicine. He sank to the floor and swallowed repeatedly until his voice came back. "So, you... Uhm, you..."
His crisis was forgotten as the lights in the cave flashed in sync with a crash of thunder outside. Matthieu noticed how many of the weird pedestal were sitting around them, then. He also noticed they each had a set of the equally weird jewels with characters drawn on them. He stumbled over and replaced the one he had taken. The obelisks were set up in a pattern, or so he thought by the intermittent light given by the lighting flashes. Except for one; the one he'd destroyed. The next time the lights lifted, Matt dug through the rubble for the stone and lifted it up. The darkness set again but was soon drawn out by the next lighting strike. As he turned the stone over in his hands, the next strike lit the room and in fact, struck the stone in his hand, creating a beam which bounced to the next obelisk. And then the next, until a circuit of light had been generated.
The beam began to sputter and crackle like the lightning far above until it became so intense that Matt's hand was burnt and he dropped the stone. The lights grew dimly in the room and Matt cradled his hand, cursing. Then, the obelisks began to crumble, one by one.
Matt felt a cold chill run down his spine. "You're... what? Does that mean I..." He stared into the darkness as the realization of why she had been there that fateful day sunk in like a bad medicine. He sank to the floor and swallowed repeatedly until his voice came back. "So, you... Uhm, you..."
His crisis was forgotten as the lights in the cave flashed in sync with a crash of thunder outside. Matthieu noticed how many of the weird pedestal were sitting around them, then. He also noticed they each had a set of the equally weird jewels with characters drawn on them. He stumbled over and replaced the one he had taken. The obelisks were set up in a pattern, or so he thought by the intermittent light given by the lighting flashes. Except for one; the one he'd destroyed. The next time the lights lifted, Matt dug through the rubble for the stone and lifted it up. The darkness set again but was soon drawn out by the next lighting strike. As he turned the stone over in his hands, the next strike lit the room and in fact, struck the stone in his hand, creating a beam which bounced to the next obelisk. And then the next, until a circuit of light had been generated.
The beam began to sputter and crackle like the lightning far above until it became so intense that Matt's hand was burnt and he dropped the stone. The lights grew dimly in the room and Matt cradled his hand, cursing. Then, the obelisks began to crumble, one by one.
The floor of the cave began to rumble again, this time more forcefully, setting both Mattieu and Alacoque off balance in it's flickering light. Falling to her knees, Alacoque scrambled to right herself, though her head was spinning from the dizzying changes in light and the violent rumbling beneath her hands and knees. She shut her eyes tightly and forced herself to focus; something was wrong. She didn't know exactly what, but she could sense, or so she thought she sensed, some familiar energy begin to fill the room. What was it? She squeezes her eyes together tightly, trying to remember. It was so familiar, that specific level of natural magic...that scent. It reminded her of when she would spend nights in cemeteries after her father had died... Her father...
She opened her eyes, not wanting to remember. Hoping that the shock of reality would erase any memory trying to creep back into her conscious mind, she looked around the room which was now painfully dim. Only about half of the original ruins were producing light, and whatever fantastic energy that had possessed the stones only moments ago had burned itself out. Squinting, Alacoque was barely able to make out Matt's silhouette in the cave's darkness. She couldn't see much but she was able to tell that he was sitting on the ground, slumped over with his legs folded in front of him and hands in his lap. Getting to her feel, Alacoque was about to make her way over to him when she noticed something in the corner of the room.
It was faint, but she was certain she saw it; two bluish glowing orbs, floating in the darkness. Alacoque squinted and strained her eyes to focus. The tiny orbs flickered and burnt out for a few moments only to come back again. Taking a step forward, Alacoque found she was unable to draw her attention away from them. They was something incredibly intriguing about them and before she knew it she had made her way to where Matt was sitting.
"Do...you see those?" Alacoque's voice was just above a murmur when she spoke, as if she was afraid she would startle to orbs away of she spoke to loudly.
Mattieu didn't answer. Or maybe she didn't hear him answer. Either way, she felt herself take another step towards the orbs. And now, which each step she started to make out a shape that seemed to form around them. Captivated by her curiosity she drew nearer and nearer until she felt a knot form in her stomach. The orbs began to move, accompanied by a dry cracking sound that echoed throughout the room. Alacoque's eyes widened, and she felt something whistle past her left ear and strike the ground next to her with a sharp "Ping". Feeling her feathers start to stand on end, she averted her eyes from the orbs long enough to see what had made the unpleasant sound.
Embedded in the stone floor, inches from her feet was the blade of an ancient battle ax. There was a sinking feeling that started to form in the pit of Alacoque's chest, growing and growing until she felt herself overcome by a violent shiver that rattled through her entire body. Taking a step back Alacoque stared ahead, unable to speak as the shadow creaked and popped before lifting the long pole that held the ax. With a rickety step forward the shape in the darkness began to come closer, revealing it's horrifying features that made Alacoque's flesh begin to crawl and her blood run cold.
Before her, the fleshless form of an ancient worrier began to draw itself towards her; it's stiff joints popping and cracking in protest from centuries of rest. Raising the poll of it's ax above it's head, the skeletal figure unhinged it's jaws to let out a chilling scream causing the floor of the cave to rumble again. The glow in it's hallow eye sockets grew in intensity until it's entire skull was filled with a piercing blue light.
Cringing, Alacoque averted her eyes from the painful light before she felt something grab her arm. Letting out a shriek, Alacoque felt herself being pulled to the side as the ax whizzed through the air, inches from her head. Squirming violently in attempt to break free from the figure that held her, Alacoque finally ceased when the figure grabbed onto her other shoulder and gave her a gently yet firm shake to break her out of her panic. It was Mattieu. Blinking her eyes, it only too Alacoque a second to recognize the terror on his face and the cold sweat that trickled on his skin. It was hard to tell in her state of mind, but she was certain she could feel his body shaking in fear.
"MATT!" Alacoque almost choked on her own words. Stepping out from the walls of the cave, several more skeletal warriors came into view as if they were summoned by the first warrior's scream. Drawing their battle weapons, each of their joints rattled and cracked beneath their rusted armor and tattered robes. The glow in their skulls seemed to grow stronger and stronger with each moment until their sickening blue light spilled onto the walls of the cave.
Alacoque felt as if she were being pricked by thousands of icy needles as each of the warriors set their empty eye sockets on her and Mattieu, drawing nearer and nearing. Without thinking, she closed her hand around Mattieu's wrist and bolted out of the room as fast as she could. She wanted nothing than to get out of this dreaded tomb but as the two reached the turn that should have lead them towards the surface, they found themselves blocked off by the glowing eyes of approaching warriors. From every side Alacoque could hear the sickening sounds of the skeletons popping joints and tearing sinew echoing throughout the tomb's walls. Everywhere but the dark staircase behind them.
Without a second thought, Alacoque felt herself being dragged down into the blackness of the staircase, further and further until she could see absolutely nothing in front of her. She felt the two of them reach the bottom and heard the creak of a door being closed. The sound of a lock clicking into place. The sound of her heart racing in her ears. Falling to her knees in the blackness of the new room, she watched as the blue light from the warrior's skills split through the frame of the door, outlining it perfectly. She stared on ahead, unable to move; blinking away the swells of moisture that began to blur her vision.
She opened her eyes, not wanting to remember. Hoping that the shock of reality would erase any memory trying to creep back into her conscious mind, she looked around the room which was now painfully dim. Only about half of the original ruins were producing light, and whatever fantastic energy that had possessed the stones only moments ago had burned itself out. Squinting, Alacoque was barely able to make out Matt's silhouette in the cave's darkness. She couldn't see much but she was able to tell that he was sitting on the ground, slumped over with his legs folded in front of him and hands in his lap. Getting to her feel, Alacoque was about to make her way over to him when she noticed something in the corner of the room.
It was faint, but she was certain she saw it; two bluish glowing orbs, floating in the darkness. Alacoque squinted and strained her eyes to focus. The tiny orbs flickered and burnt out for a few moments only to come back again. Taking a step forward, Alacoque found she was unable to draw her attention away from them. They was something incredibly intriguing about them and before she knew it she had made her way to where Matt was sitting.
"Do...you see those?" Alacoque's voice was just above a murmur when she spoke, as if she was afraid she would startle to orbs away of she spoke to loudly.
Mattieu didn't answer. Or maybe she didn't hear him answer. Either way, she felt herself take another step towards the orbs. And now, which each step she started to make out a shape that seemed to form around them. Captivated by her curiosity she drew nearer and nearer until she felt a knot form in her stomach. The orbs began to move, accompanied by a dry cracking sound that echoed throughout the room. Alacoque's eyes widened, and she felt something whistle past her left ear and strike the ground next to her with a sharp "Ping". Feeling her feathers start to stand on end, she averted her eyes from the orbs long enough to see what had made the unpleasant sound.
Embedded in the stone floor, inches from her feet was the blade of an ancient battle ax. There was a sinking feeling that started to form in the pit of Alacoque's chest, growing and growing until she felt herself overcome by a violent shiver that rattled through her entire body. Taking a step back Alacoque stared ahead, unable to speak as the shadow creaked and popped before lifting the long pole that held the ax. With a rickety step forward the shape in the darkness began to come closer, revealing it's horrifying features that made Alacoque's flesh begin to crawl and her blood run cold.
Before her, the fleshless form of an ancient worrier began to draw itself towards her; it's stiff joints popping and cracking in protest from centuries of rest. Raising the poll of it's ax above it's head, the skeletal figure unhinged it's jaws to let out a chilling scream causing the floor of the cave to rumble again. The glow in it's hallow eye sockets grew in intensity until it's entire skull was filled with a piercing blue light.
Cringing, Alacoque averted her eyes from the painful light before she felt something grab her arm. Letting out a shriek, Alacoque felt herself being pulled to the side as the ax whizzed through the air, inches from her head. Squirming violently in attempt to break free from the figure that held her, Alacoque finally ceased when the figure grabbed onto her other shoulder and gave her a gently yet firm shake to break her out of her panic. It was Mattieu. Blinking her eyes, it only too Alacoque a second to recognize the terror on his face and the cold sweat that trickled on his skin. It was hard to tell in her state of mind, but she was certain she could feel his body shaking in fear.
"MATT!" Alacoque almost choked on her own words. Stepping out from the walls of the cave, several more skeletal warriors came into view as if they were summoned by the first warrior's scream. Drawing their battle weapons, each of their joints rattled and cracked beneath their rusted armor and tattered robes. The glow in their skulls seemed to grow stronger and stronger with each moment until their sickening blue light spilled onto the walls of the cave.
Alacoque felt as if she were being pricked by thousands of icy needles as each of the warriors set their empty eye sockets on her and Mattieu, drawing nearer and nearing. Without thinking, she closed her hand around Mattieu's wrist and bolted out of the room as fast as she could. She wanted nothing than to get out of this dreaded tomb but as the two reached the turn that should have lead them towards the surface, they found themselves blocked off by the glowing eyes of approaching warriors. From every side Alacoque could hear the sickening sounds of the skeletons popping joints and tearing sinew echoing throughout the tomb's walls. Everywhere but the dark staircase behind them.
Without a second thought, Alacoque felt herself being dragged down into the blackness of the staircase, further and further until she could see absolutely nothing in front of her. She felt the two of them reach the bottom and heard the creak of a door being closed. The sound of a lock clicking into place. The sound of her heart racing in her ears. Falling to her knees in the blackness of the new room, she watched as the blue light from the warrior's skills split through the frame of the door, outlining it perfectly. She stared on ahead, unable to move; blinking away the swells of moisture that began to blur her vision.
Matthieu’s arm hurt. A lot. So much so, that he was at first oblivious to that fact that all of these undead warriors were rising from their resting places and closing in on them. The ache in his arm had felt more real to him now than the usual dull ache that twinged through the raw bone. He felt it vibrate as the creature’s got closer, hedging them in.
And then he was being dragged by Alacoque to this dark retreat where the door was slammed behind them and there was no visible way out. Panic had so seized him that he was ready to give up right then and there. He huddled to the ground and hugged his knees to his chest. He immediately regretted this as his arm sent a wave of nauseating pain through his chest and torso. The haunting blue light danced in his blurring vision, causing the shape of the door to waver.
He felt himself slipping out of consciousness somewhat when he got a battering of flight feathers to the face. Alacoque was trying to find where he’d slunk down and smacked him by accident. She was frantic herself and trying to get his attention focused on getting out. Or fighting. Or something.
He wasn’t listening well. The sickening sounds of the walking dead seemed to fill his ears no matter how hard he tried to push them out. The reaper pulled at his hands and he reeled back in pain and anger as her talons made contact with his bone arm. By now his body was coated in a sleek second skin of sweat and he flung himself back out of her grip to avoid the starbursts of pain.
He cried out trying to cradle the arm which seemed to be resonating with the undead and in his struggle to escape he slammed up against what was thought to be a wall. Turning, he put his forehead against it, biting his lip to forget, when he found his head laid against something furry, rather than the cool sensation of rock he’d expected. He back peddled yet again.
“Ala…Alacoque.” He reached back without looking trying to get her attention. “What is this..?” He unwittingly reached with the muscle-less arm and touched the chest of something that might have resembled a bear? He couldn’t get a good enough impression of it… But it didn’t hurt to touch…
He laid his full palm of exposed metacarpals on the thing and felt relaxed. That is until he felt a great suction from the taxidermied beast as if it was pulling something right out of him.
And then, he wasn’t sure, but he thought he saw it.
It blinked.
And then he was being dragged by Alacoque to this dark retreat where the door was slammed behind them and there was no visible way out. Panic had so seized him that he was ready to give up right then and there. He huddled to the ground and hugged his knees to his chest. He immediately regretted this as his arm sent a wave of nauseating pain through his chest and torso. The haunting blue light danced in his blurring vision, causing the shape of the door to waver.
He felt himself slipping out of consciousness somewhat when he got a battering of flight feathers to the face. Alacoque was trying to find where he’d slunk down and smacked him by accident. She was frantic herself and trying to get his attention focused on getting out. Or fighting. Or something.
He wasn’t listening well. The sickening sounds of the walking dead seemed to fill his ears no matter how hard he tried to push them out. The reaper pulled at his hands and he reeled back in pain and anger as her talons made contact with his bone arm. By now his body was coated in a sleek second skin of sweat and he flung himself back out of her grip to avoid the starbursts of pain.
He cried out trying to cradle the arm which seemed to be resonating with the undead and in his struggle to escape he slammed up against what was thought to be a wall. Turning, he put his forehead against it, biting his lip to forget, when he found his head laid against something furry, rather than the cool sensation of rock he’d expected. He back peddled yet again.
“Ala…Alacoque.” He reached back without looking trying to get her attention. “What is this..?” He unwittingly reached with the muscle-less arm and touched the chest of something that might have resembled a bear? He couldn’t get a good enough impression of it… But it didn’t hurt to touch…
He laid his full palm of exposed metacarpals on the thing and felt relaxed. That is until he felt a great suction from the taxidermied beast as if it was pulling something right out of him.
And then, he wasn’t sure, but he thought he saw it.
It blinked.
There was a great snapping sound, as if hundreds of threads were being broken one by one in succession. With a start Mattieu began to feel the body of whatever was in front of him begin to shift and move. Not wanting to look, Mattieu forced himself to see, if he could see, what was before him and it was at that point he greatly regretted doing so. Several feet above him, three dead glowing eyes stared down at him in the cave's darkness. The white glow from the beasts soulless eyes illuminated the ceiling and the space around it just enough for Matt to make out the features of it's face.
Snarling, the beast raised it's huge paw in preparation to strike; it's mouth agape, showering Mattieu with a strange white light that glittered off it's many sharp teeth. Jumping backwards, Mattieu managed to just miss the strike of the beast's claws. With another step backwards, Mattieu stumbled into a pile of feather's on the ground. Nearly loosing his balance, he quickly righted himself and grabbed hold of what he believed to be Alacoque's wing.
"Alacoque! Get up!" Mattieu tugged on her wing timorously, not taking his eyes off the slowly approaching beast. The sound of hundreds of threads snapping and shifting was drawing nearer, and for a moment, it was the only thing Matt could hear, besides the rushing sound of his own heart. Opening it's jaws again the beast filled the room with it's eery white light and prepared for a second strike, this time on both Mattieu and Alacoque.
Suddenly there was a loud cracking sound that broke the silence in Mattieu's head. Turning his attentions from the beast before him, Matt's eyes widened as the door separating them from the warriors started to split and shatter. The skeletal warriors were breaking the door down! Within seconds the wood of the door split completely in two. Blue light spilled into the room and mixed with the white light from the beast.
The warriors wasted no time entering the room; rushing in over splinters of rotten wood and trampling others of their own kind that weren't fast enough to enter. With their weapons raised and jaws wide, the walking skeletons set their sites on the beast before them. In front of the group of worriers was the leader, screaming it's death cry that caused the walls of the cave to rumble and the skin on both Alacoque and Matt's skin to prickle. The sound was terrifying and the blue light spilling from their empty skulls was nauseating to watch as it swayed wavered as the warriors fought the beast. Some were thrown into the wall with such force it caused their bodies to shatter on impact, leaving them as lifeless piles of bone on the cold floor.
Several axes and swords sunk into the flesh of the beast, which only seemed to anger it ever more. Rearing up onto it's hind legs the beast bared it's jagged teeth and let out a fearsome snarl as it lifted it's great paws. More warriors went flying left and right until only the leader was left. Armed with it's battle ax, the leader stepped around the beast cautiously, waiting for the right time strike. The room was a spectrum of swirling blue and white light that cast long shadows of the who opponents onto every wall. The beast swatted with it's claws, but the leader was too quick. With a skillful step, the skeleton evaded the swipe of the paw and thrust it's battle ax deep into the belly of the beast causing it to rear it's head back in agony.
The worrier steadied itself, planting it's feet firmly on the ground and thrusting it's ax deeper into the beast's gut, the leader pushed further and further until the weapon tore through the other side of the animal. With a snarl of protest and fading white light, the beast drew in a ragged breath and turned it's head down towards it's enemy. Opening it's great maw, the beast suddenly clamped it's jaws on the unsuspecting warrior's skull, crushing it instantaneously. The giant beast was still for about a minute as the white light in it's eyes faded away completely until it's great body finally lost balance and toppled forward onto the worrier, shattering it beneath the beasts lifeless body.
Both Alacoque and Matt sat motionless in the darkness, awed by what they had just witnessed. Or at least what Matt just witnessed, Alacoque's back had been turned the entire time. A few moments passed before the energy from the warriors and beast seeped back into the walls of the cave and caused the ruins that begin to glow in the same calming light from before, when the two had first entered the cave. Letting out a sigh of relief, Matt started to look around the room when he heard a suppressed murmur of pain to his left. It was Alacoque.
Hunched over on the cold stone ground, the avian girl sat grasping at her chest. Getting down to her level Matt could see her face was deathly pale; her lips had lost all of their color and her eyes where shut tightly. The muscles in her body seized up and her teeth clenched tightly together as her wings unfolded behind her in a black curtain of stressed feathers. Shivering, Alacoque lifted her head just enough for her eyes to meet with Matt's; the bloodshot whites of her eyes made them the most intense green he had ever seen. Gripping at her chest with one arm and supporting herself on the ground with the other, Alacoque's talons sunk into the cold stone of the cave's floor.
"M-Matt..." She managed to say in a meek, quaking voice. "I...c-can't... breath..." In a spasm of pain, the reaper's small body collapsed onto the ground beside Mattieu. Still clutching at her chest, Alacoque's eyes stayed wide open, leaving the only thing to be heard in the cave's emptiness was the soft sound of her quick, shallow breathing.
Snarling, the beast raised it's huge paw in preparation to strike; it's mouth agape, showering Mattieu with a strange white light that glittered off it's many sharp teeth. Jumping backwards, Mattieu managed to just miss the strike of the beast's claws. With another step backwards, Mattieu stumbled into a pile of feather's on the ground. Nearly loosing his balance, he quickly righted himself and grabbed hold of what he believed to be Alacoque's wing.
"Alacoque! Get up!" Mattieu tugged on her wing timorously, not taking his eyes off the slowly approaching beast. The sound of hundreds of threads snapping and shifting was drawing nearer, and for a moment, it was the only thing Matt could hear, besides the rushing sound of his own heart. Opening it's jaws again the beast filled the room with it's eery white light and prepared for a second strike, this time on both Mattieu and Alacoque.
Suddenly there was a loud cracking sound that broke the silence in Mattieu's head. Turning his attentions from the beast before him, Matt's eyes widened as the door separating them from the warriors started to split and shatter. The skeletal warriors were breaking the door down! Within seconds the wood of the door split completely in two. Blue light spilled into the room and mixed with the white light from the beast.
The warriors wasted no time entering the room; rushing in over splinters of rotten wood and trampling others of their own kind that weren't fast enough to enter. With their weapons raised and jaws wide, the walking skeletons set their sites on the beast before them. In front of the group of worriers was the leader, screaming it's death cry that caused the walls of the cave to rumble and the skin on both Alacoque and Matt's skin to prickle. The sound was terrifying and the blue light spilling from their empty skulls was nauseating to watch as it swayed wavered as the warriors fought the beast. Some were thrown into the wall with such force it caused their bodies to shatter on impact, leaving them as lifeless piles of bone on the cold floor.
Several axes and swords sunk into the flesh of the beast, which only seemed to anger it ever more. Rearing up onto it's hind legs the beast bared it's jagged teeth and let out a fearsome snarl as it lifted it's great paws. More warriors went flying left and right until only the leader was left. Armed with it's battle ax, the leader stepped around the beast cautiously, waiting for the right time strike. The room was a spectrum of swirling blue and white light that cast long shadows of the who opponents onto every wall. The beast swatted with it's claws, but the leader was too quick. With a skillful step, the skeleton evaded the swipe of the paw and thrust it's battle ax deep into the belly of the beast causing it to rear it's head back in agony.
The worrier steadied itself, planting it's feet firmly on the ground and thrusting it's ax deeper into the beast's gut, the leader pushed further and further until the weapon tore through the other side of the animal. With a snarl of protest and fading white light, the beast drew in a ragged breath and turned it's head down towards it's enemy. Opening it's great maw, the beast suddenly clamped it's jaws on the unsuspecting warrior's skull, crushing it instantaneously. The giant beast was still for about a minute as the white light in it's eyes faded away completely until it's great body finally lost balance and toppled forward onto the worrier, shattering it beneath the beasts lifeless body.
Both Alacoque and Matt sat motionless in the darkness, awed by what they had just witnessed. Or at least what Matt just witnessed, Alacoque's back had been turned the entire time. A few moments passed before the energy from the warriors and beast seeped back into the walls of the cave and caused the ruins that begin to glow in the same calming light from before, when the two had first entered the cave. Letting out a sigh of relief, Matt started to look around the room when he heard a suppressed murmur of pain to his left. It was Alacoque.
Hunched over on the cold stone ground, the avian girl sat grasping at her chest. Getting down to her level Matt could see her face was deathly pale; her lips had lost all of their color and her eyes where shut tightly. The muscles in her body seized up and her teeth clenched tightly together as her wings unfolded behind her in a black curtain of stressed feathers. Shivering, Alacoque lifted her head just enough for her eyes to meet with Matt's; the bloodshot whites of her eyes made them the most intense green he had ever seen. Gripping at her chest with one arm and supporting herself on the ground with the other, Alacoque's talons sunk into the cold stone of the cave's floor.
"M-Matt..." She managed to say in a meek, quaking voice. "I...c-can't... breath..." In a spasm of pain, the reaper's small body collapsed onto the ground beside Mattieu. Still clutching at her chest, Alacoque's eyes stayed wide open, leaving the only thing to be heard in the cave's emptiness was the soft sound of her quick, shallow breathing.
Matthieu sat in a stunned silence, trying to retain the burning yet obvious question of ‘Did I do that?’ as he stared at the bear’s sedate form. He pushed it then, without realizing he was doing it just to see if it would come back to life. Of course, he hadn’t touched it with the affected arm. When nothing happened, his face fell into a disappointed expression and he let go of an unconsciously held sigh. Defeated in his ‘it was me’ theory, he turned to his companion, who had just murmured something.
She supported herself on the floor clutching at her chest and struggling for breath. Matt looked her over and she was not healthy looking in the least. Her complexion had shifted to two shades paler and for her that was a feat. The acidic green of her eyes when they met caused his heart to constrict. Their gazes held long enough for her to utter his name and then she slid to the ground in a writhing mass.
Sprung into action, the man fell to his knees before her and delicately lifted her into his lap, all the while calling her name as well as looking her over. He couldn’t find anything visibly wrong beside the scratches her avian claws were creating. She seemed like she might have an obstructed airway by the fact that she didn’t seem to be breathing. He tried the semi-CPR he remembered from grade school yet nothing happened. He leaned in to hear her heart… It was barely beating now. He tried giving her a breath, dismissing the giddy feeling of thinking they were kissing.
Nothing seemed to have an effect. He was frantic and unsure of what to try next. He stared around the room for something to help. All he saw were corpses and splintered bone… The only sound in the room was the pounding of his heart rising into his ears as he turned cold with the thought that this might be the end. In a last ditch effort, before he even realized he was doing it, he unsheathed his bone arm and rubbed his hands together.
He wasn’t sure what made him do it, or why he thought it might have an effect, but he then put his hands on her as if they were defibrillator pads. The sparkings of life he had unwittingly absorbed from his pursuer from so long ago still lingered after resurrecting the bear. They now sought to spring into Alacoque’s body.
She convulsed as if shocked.
She supported herself on the floor clutching at her chest and struggling for breath. Matt looked her over and she was not healthy looking in the least. Her complexion had shifted to two shades paler and for her that was a feat. The acidic green of her eyes when they met caused his heart to constrict. Their gazes held long enough for her to utter his name and then she slid to the ground in a writhing mass.
Sprung into action, the man fell to his knees before her and delicately lifted her into his lap, all the while calling her name as well as looking her over. He couldn’t find anything visibly wrong beside the scratches her avian claws were creating. She seemed like she might have an obstructed airway by the fact that she didn’t seem to be breathing. He tried the semi-CPR he remembered from grade school yet nothing happened. He leaned in to hear her heart… It was barely beating now. He tried giving her a breath, dismissing the giddy feeling of thinking they were kissing.
Nothing seemed to have an effect. He was frantic and unsure of what to try next. He stared around the room for something to help. All he saw were corpses and splintered bone… The only sound in the room was the pounding of his heart rising into his ears as he turned cold with the thought that this might be the end. In a last ditch effort, before he even realized he was doing it, he unsheathed his bone arm and rubbed his hands together.
He wasn’t sure what made him do it, or why he thought it might have an effect, but he then put his hands on her as if they were defibrillator pads. The sparkings of life he had unwittingly absorbed from his pursuer from so long ago still lingered after resurrecting the bear. They now sought to spring into Alacoque’s body.
She convulsed as if shocked.
Alacoque's eyes suddenly shot open and she breathed in a sharp breath of air that was immediately followed by a spasm of coughing. Slumping over to her side she gasped for air when a break in her coughing permitted it. Her entire body seemed to convulse with each breath of air, but after a few minutes they became less labored and her body began to relax.
Eventually she found the strength to sit up with her legs beneath her and hands outstretched on the ground for support. Shivering, she lifted her head enough to look around the room. With the ruins now producing light it was much easier to see her surroundings and her eyes fixed on the body of the bear that had been alive only seconds ago. Or at least she thought it was only seconds ago. She strained her eyes to focus on the piles of bone scattered about the room and the ancient weapons still held in the separated hands of the skeletal warriors. She blinked. What happened here?
Coughing a few more times she lifted her head a bit more in attempt to sit up straight but decided against it when a sharp pain shot through her head. She held a hand to her forehead and grimaced though the throbbing pain until her eyes caught site of Mattieu. Shaking, she managed to pull her body closer towards him, her wings still semi-folded behind her.
"W-...what happened?" Her body shivered again and she was cough off guard by another fit of coughing. Through the spasms she thought she felt something touch her shoulder and sure enough, when she could breath again, she saw that it was Mattieu. There was a glint in his eye that made it seem like he was overjoyed to see her which only made her recoil.
Why would he be happy to see me? The thought rattled in her aching head until as she tried to piece together what had transpired. She remembered the bear, the sounds echoing in the stone cave and the constricting feeling in her chest. Everything went silent from that point. She recalled seeing shadows and possibly feeling a few vibrations in the floor...but nothing stood out more then the horrible pain that had won her over only moments ago. Then darkness. Before she could find the words to ask, Matt had already started to answer her question by explaining the entire situation.
"I should be dead..." She blinked and let the thought sink in. "...you brought me back..." Her acidic green eyes burned into his soul as she thought about asking why he would do such a thing. The idea of someone willing to save her life was baffling to her when all she had ever known was death. Yet this man, one she barley knew, was somehow enlightened by her very presence even after all they had been through and what she had told him. The whole situation was foreign to her, let alone the odd sensation fluttering around in her torso and she quickly dismissed it as it was starting to make her feel uncomfortable.
Refolding her wings limply about her, she tried a few times to stand but soon found the simple task to be too much for her frail body to handle and was forced to allow Mattieu to assist her despite her protests. The two had spotted a new door at the other end of the room, one that lead up a flight of stairs that seemed an eternity to Alacoque. Wheezing for breath, she thought she might black out again when they finally reached the top of the staircase.
Before them was another room, set up much the same as all the others with it's glowing ruins and stone carvings, but in the center was something much different. Etched out on the floor of the cave in glowing blue outlines were various shapes and drawings neither of them had seen before. A perfectly drawn circle surrounded by beautifully carved script ruins surrounded the outlines to what looked like a map of the cave and whatever dimensional plane of existence they were in. Both Alacoque and Mattieu drew nearer to the ancient map, incited by it's calming blue glow. Removing his arm so that Alacoque might sit on the ground, Mattieu inched closer to the map to get a better look at the ancient carvings.
He found the cage the two had started out in, the path they crossed and the tomb they were currently in. Getting on his hands and knees he let his hands trace over the carvings, his eyes widening in awe at just how many rooms and floors of the tomb there really where. As he searched for whatever room they might be in now, Alacoque was scanning a different part of the map when her eyes fell over something that caught her interest. With a shiver she managed to pull her self nearer to it so that she might get a better look at it.
"Hey..." she began while pointing a talon to one of the carvings on the floor. "This kind of looks like that tower we went to before...the one with the portal."
Eventually she found the strength to sit up with her legs beneath her and hands outstretched on the ground for support. Shivering, she lifted her head enough to look around the room. With the ruins now producing light it was much easier to see her surroundings and her eyes fixed on the body of the bear that had been alive only seconds ago. Or at least she thought it was only seconds ago. She strained her eyes to focus on the piles of bone scattered about the room and the ancient weapons still held in the separated hands of the skeletal warriors. She blinked. What happened here?
Coughing a few more times she lifted her head a bit more in attempt to sit up straight but decided against it when a sharp pain shot through her head. She held a hand to her forehead and grimaced though the throbbing pain until her eyes caught site of Mattieu. Shaking, she managed to pull her body closer towards him, her wings still semi-folded behind her.
"W-...what happened?" Her body shivered again and she was cough off guard by another fit of coughing. Through the spasms she thought she felt something touch her shoulder and sure enough, when she could breath again, she saw that it was Mattieu. There was a glint in his eye that made it seem like he was overjoyed to see her which only made her recoil.
Why would he be happy to see me? The thought rattled in her aching head until as she tried to piece together what had transpired. She remembered the bear, the sounds echoing in the stone cave and the constricting feeling in her chest. Everything went silent from that point. She recalled seeing shadows and possibly feeling a few vibrations in the floor...but nothing stood out more then the horrible pain that had won her over only moments ago. Then darkness. Before she could find the words to ask, Matt had already started to answer her question by explaining the entire situation.
"I should be dead..." She blinked and let the thought sink in. "...you brought me back..." Her acidic green eyes burned into his soul as she thought about asking why he would do such a thing. The idea of someone willing to save her life was baffling to her when all she had ever known was death. Yet this man, one she barley knew, was somehow enlightened by her very presence even after all they had been through and what she had told him. The whole situation was foreign to her, let alone the odd sensation fluttering around in her torso and she quickly dismissed it as it was starting to make her feel uncomfortable.
Refolding her wings limply about her, she tried a few times to stand but soon found the simple task to be too much for her frail body to handle and was forced to allow Mattieu to assist her despite her protests. The two had spotted a new door at the other end of the room, one that lead up a flight of stairs that seemed an eternity to Alacoque. Wheezing for breath, she thought she might black out again when they finally reached the top of the staircase.
Before them was another room, set up much the same as all the others with it's glowing ruins and stone carvings, but in the center was something much different. Etched out on the floor of the cave in glowing blue outlines were various shapes and drawings neither of them had seen before. A perfectly drawn circle surrounded by beautifully carved script ruins surrounded the outlines to what looked like a map of the cave and whatever dimensional plane of existence they were in. Both Alacoque and Mattieu drew nearer to the ancient map, incited by it's calming blue glow. Removing his arm so that Alacoque might sit on the ground, Mattieu inched closer to the map to get a better look at the ancient carvings.
He found the cage the two had started out in, the path they crossed and the tomb they were currently in. Getting on his hands and knees he let his hands trace over the carvings, his eyes widening in awe at just how many rooms and floors of the tomb there really where. As he searched for whatever room they might be in now, Alacoque was scanning a different part of the map when her eyes fell over something that caught her interest. With a shiver she managed to pull her self nearer to it so that she might get a better look at it.
"Hey..." she began while pointing a talon to one of the carvings on the floor. "This kind of looks like that tower we went to before...the one with the portal."
“I guess we’re sort of even, now,” Matt said quietly, eyes on the floor. Something in his heart sank at the thought. He had been happy knowing he was indebted to her, because it meant they would be forever linked in someway or destined to meet always or something. He knew it was irrational, but he was upset about it.
When they reached the map room he helped her to relax before diving into the map. His eyes poured over all of the information, relishing its glowing etched appearance and running his fingers over its lines as if that was the only way to remember them. The glowing atmosphere and in the influx of knowledge made him feel a little better. Until his eyes reached the tower-shaped etching.
A sense of urgency flooded his mind and he stood abruptly. His palms had gone cold and Alacoque looked at him quizzically. “C’mon.” he said with a dry mouth. He ran his tongue over his lips, his body backing up, but his eyes never left the tower until he was at the door. He switched to Alacoque; “We need to get back up to my stuff. Now.”
He turned to leave before he remembering she needed his help. He became uncharacteristically impatient when she struggled to her feet. Instead, he scooped her up in his arms and carried her. He remembered exactly how they got there; another perk of a photographic memory. He huffed for breath as he went through the mazes of hallways, the bird woman in his arms the whole way. Traveling world had made him need to gain some muscle, but he was still quite lean and not too strong.
Matthieu managed to keep her aloft the whole way, however and he all but dumped her to the floor when they reached the first cave. He had left most of his stuff there to dry after the sudden storm and he now rifled through his shirt and pouches, searching for something. The look on his face could have been described as frantic or desperate as he flung open his pack. His entire demeanor sagged with relief as his hand wrapped around a golden item.
He spun on his feet to face her, caressing the scarab bangle he’d worn earlier. To a dimensional hopper who was not born with the ability to create dimensional rifts, or blessed with a world that had them naturally, a band like his was more precious than their lives. If one were to lose said band, he might be stuck in the dimension he was current in forever.
There had been some theories about people who lived in a dimension different than their original one having lost years on their lives. Like, aging faster or just dying young, mysteriously. It was recommended by the guardians of the tower to return to one’s Origin world every so often to discourage phenomena such as this. The scarab was basically his life line.
It wasn’t uncommon in Jumpers to become overly attached to their devices, or even to regard them with some sort of adoration. One might even make the correlation between a jumper’s device and drugs; they couldn’t live apart from them without being in a lot of pain or duress. As such, Matthieu had not owned his long enough to develop the need to always be in contact with the thing. He was still able to part with it for periods of time.
Coming back into the moment, Matthieu looked at Alacoque with a lost expression which soon warmed into a smile. “I’m sorry if I scared you,” he consoled. He placed the cuff onto his wrist delicately and began to replace the rest of his things. Once he was fully dressed, he went to look out the cave mouth. His clothes weren’t entirely dry, so he shivered with the winds outside. The storm seemed to be waxing.
Scanning the horizon was futile, though he tried anyhow. Lighting and thunder continued their ritualistic dance and song across the sky, lighting the surrounding areas sporadically. He squinted at something strange he saw, something shimmering in the distance. The darkness swallowed it as a clap of thunder deafened them.
There it was again, a bluish thing in the break of nearby trees. It was moving, strangely. It almost looked like… The end of the lighting bolt cast it to darkness again. Matthieu’s stomach flipped. He had an uneasy feeling and rocked back on his heels. Lighting struck; the thing was closer and looked like it had a container about it, something that was causing the rain to slide around the figure, keeping him dry.
Darkness and an ear-splitting thunder; Matthieu retreated further. With the next strike the thing would be in his vision far enough for him to make it out. He felt like he didn’t want to; like he shouldn’t keep looking. The unwanted lighting split the sky and Matt’s eyes fell on their pursuer; his blue glowing appendage was attached to the bubble about him. He advanced through the wilderness with ease and intent.
When the light ended Matt was pressed against the caves inside and his heart was trying to escape his chest. “We need to leave now, Alacoque.” He tried to sound as calm as possible, but the waver in his voice gave him away. He didn’t want to alert her to the man’s presence as he saw how it had affected her earlier. “Make sure you have everything, we’re going to need to be quick.” He was already tinkering with the scarab.
Each device had a pattern that was set by the owner. That way only that particular Jumper could use the thing and it prevented theft. However, all devices only went to the Nexus; if he was able to make his own portals he might be able to move to other dimensions. It would be hard, but it was possible. Lighting struck three more times before his pattern was set and he was herding her towards him.
As he placed the final toggle, a branch of electricity again lit the sky and they could both see the blue-armed man, a sinister grin on his face as he was about to step into the cave. Matthieu pushed Alacoque through the portal as it formed to make she she at least made it safely. As he went to step in him, the blue swirl reached out and caught Matt in the side. It missed having a hold, and the archeologist was able to slide through the rift and close it before he was attacked a second time.
He closed his eyes to dark, nauseated feeling jumping sometimes produced. He slide through the momentary pressure between worlds and plopped out in the Nexus Tower. He looked up with heavy lids to find the Reaper on her feet, feather close in anxiety. He never made it to his own feet before his lids met again.
He laid in a heap, his arms wrapped about his middle, hands wet with blood.
When they reached the map room he helped her to relax before diving into the map. His eyes poured over all of the information, relishing its glowing etched appearance and running his fingers over its lines as if that was the only way to remember them. The glowing atmosphere and in the influx of knowledge made him feel a little better. Until his eyes reached the tower-shaped etching.
A sense of urgency flooded his mind and he stood abruptly. His palms had gone cold and Alacoque looked at him quizzically. “C’mon.” he said with a dry mouth. He ran his tongue over his lips, his body backing up, but his eyes never left the tower until he was at the door. He switched to Alacoque; “We need to get back up to my stuff. Now.”
He turned to leave before he remembering she needed his help. He became uncharacteristically impatient when she struggled to her feet. Instead, he scooped her up in his arms and carried her. He remembered exactly how they got there; another perk of a photographic memory. He huffed for breath as he went through the mazes of hallways, the bird woman in his arms the whole way. Traveling world had made him need to gain some muscle, but he was still quite lean and not too strong.
Matthieu managed to keep her aloft the whole way, however and he all but dumped her to the floor when they reached the first cave. He had left most of his stuff there to dry after the sudden storm and he now rifled through his shirt and pouches, searching for something. The look on his face could have been described as frantic or desperate as he flung open his pack. His entire demeanor sagged with relief as his hand wrapped around a golden item.
He spun on his feet to face her, caressing the scarab bangle he’d worn earlier. To a dimensional hopper who was not born with the ability to create dimensional rifts, or blessed with a world that had them naturally, a band like his was more precious than their lives. If one were to lose said band, he might be stuck in the dimension he was current in forever.
There had been some theories about people who lived in a dimension different than their original one having lost years on their lives. Like, aging faster or just dying young, mysteriously. It was recommended by the guardians of the tower to return to one’s Origin world every so often to discourage phenomena such as this. The scarab was basically his life line.
It wasn’t uncommon in Jumpers to become overly attached to their devices, or even to regard them with some sort of adoration. One might even make the correlation between a jumper’s device and drugs; they couldn’t live apart from them without being in a lot of pain or duress. As such, Matthieu had not owned his long enough to develop the need to always be in contact with the thing. He was still able to part with it for periods of time.
Coming back into the moment, Matthieu looked at Alacoque with a lost expression which soon warmed into a smile. “I’m sorry if I scared you,” he consoled. He placed the cuff onto his wrist delicately and began to replace the rest of his things. Once he was fully dressed, he went to look out the cave mouth. His clothes weren’t entirely dry, so he shivered with the winds outside. The storm seemed to be waxing.
Scanning the horizon was futile, though he tried anyhow. Lighting and thunder continued their ritualistic dance and song across the sky, lighting the surrounding areas sporadically. He squinted at something strange he saw, something shimmering in the distance. The darkness swallowed it as a clap of thunder deafened them.
There it was again, a bluish thing in the break of nearby trees. It was moving, strangely. It almost looked like… The end of the lighting bolt cast it to darkness again. Matthieu’s stomach flipped. He had an uneasy feeling and rocked back on his heels. Lighting struck; the thing was closer and looked like it had a container about it, something that was causing the rain to slide around the figure, keeping him dry.
Darkness and an ear-splitting thunder; Matthieu retreated further. With the next strike the thing would be in his vision far enough for him to make it out. He felt like he didn’t want to; like he shouldn’t keep looking. The unwanted lighting split the sky and Matt’s eyes fell on their pursuer; his blue glowing appendage was attached to the bubble about him. He advanced through the wilderness with ease and intent.
When the light ended Matt was pressed against the caves inside and his heart was trying to escape his chest. “We need to leave now, Alacoque.” He tried to sound as calm as possible, but the waver in his voice gave him away. He didn’t want to alert her to the man’s presence as he saw how it had affected her earlier. “Make sure you have everything, we’re going to need to be quick.” He was already tinkering with the scarab.
Each device had a pattern that was set by the owner. That way only that particular Jumper could use the thing and it prevented theft. However, all devices only went to the Nexus; if he was able to make his own portals he might be able to move to other dimensions. It would be hard, but it was possible. Lighting struck three more times before his pattern was set and he was herding her towards him.
As he placed the final toggle, a branch of electricity again lit the sky and they could both see the blue-armed man, a sinister grin on his face as he was about to step into the cave. Matthieu pushed Alacoque through the portal as it formed to make she she at least made it safely. As he went to step in him, the blue swirl reached out and caught Matt in the side. It missed having a hold, and the archeologist was able to slide through the rift and close it before he was attacked a second time.
He closed his eyes to dark, nauseated feeling jumping sometimes produced. He slide through the momentary pressure between worlds and plopped out in the Nexus Tower. He looked up with heavy lids to find the Reaper on her feet, feather close in anxiety. He never made it to his own feet before his lids met again.
He laid in a heap, his arms wrapped about his middle, hands wet with blood.
Alacoque's head was spinning with such ferocity that standing was no longer possible and she felt her legs give way from underneath her. Her hands clutched at the sides of her head and she shut her eyes tight to try and stop the nauseating dizziness that seemed to be getting worse by the second. She felt her stomach turn and she held her breath. If there was food in her stomach she would have gotten rid of it right there but the most she could do was cough a few times and give a couple of dry heaves before clutching both arms around her midsection and hunch over herself. She couldn't remember the last time she had felt this ill, and come to think of it, the last time she had actually eaten. How long had it been this time? 4 days? 5 days? She had lost count, and the pain in her stomach wasn't helping her memory.
Taking a deep breath she managed to lift her head and open her eyes just enough to see what was around her. They were at the tower again; she recognized the portal only a few feet from where she was. Her vision started to blur and she blinked a few times to clear it. There was something else near the portal...blood? She lifted her head a bit more. Yes. It more definitely was blood. A trail of it, leading all the way to where Matt was sitting. Sitting up Alacoque's eyes shot wide open, the pain and dizziness forgotten.
"Matt!" She fumbled to get to her feet; each step over to him seemed an eternity despite the fact that he was only a few feet away. "Mattieu! you're bleeding...what...what happened?!" Kneeling down beside him she places her avian hands on his arm. Despite her efforts to get his attention, it seemed as if he didn't hear her. Lifting her hand to his face she gently lifted his head so that she could see his face.
She felt her heart sink. He was terribly pale and his lips had a purplish tinge to them. It took a few tries, but she finally was able to get him to open his eyes, which were watery and bloodshot.
Alacoque felt a lump grow in her throat and her eyes begin to burn. "M-Mattieu please stay awake..." she blinked her eyes rapidly to keep them from flooding.
"Mattieu...stay awake...-d-don't close your eyes..." Alacoque felt her breath choke and her vision start to blur. Shutting her eyes tightly she felt the swells of moisture spill out and roll down her cheeks. There was nothing she could do to help him.
Leaning her head against his shoulder she clung onto his jacket as if it was the only thing she could do to keep him from slipping away. Coughing back a few sobs she lie there with him, listening to his ever weakening breath and slowing heartbeat. She didn't want to believe this was happening. The one being in the world that remained unaffected by her curse of death was now dyeing in her arms. The thought was unbearable.
Lifting her head to wipe the tears from her face she caught site of something from the corner of her eye. Something blue and necromantic. For a moment she thought it to be the arm if their attacker and she sat herself up straight with a start. However, after looking the thing over a second time, she realized this was much different. The blue was not as harsh as the man's arm and the entire entity seemed to flow and sway with the same laxness as calm water. These were the guardians of the tower and they were making their way over to her. Alacoque felt her eyes widen and her talons sink into the fabric of Matt's jacket. There seemed to be more than she remembered.
Taking a deep breath she managed to lift her head and open her eyes just enough to see what was around her. They were at the tower again; she recognized the portal only a few feet from where she was. Her vision started to blur and she blinked a few times to clear it. There was something else near the portal...blood? She lifted her head a bit more. Yes. It more definitely was blood. A trail of it, leading all the way to where Matt was sitting. Sitting up Alacoque's eyes shot wide open, the pain and dizziness forgotten.
"Matt!" She fumbled to get to her feet; each step over to him seemed an eternity despite the fact that he was only a few feet away. "Mattieu! you're bleeding...what...what happened?!" Kneeling down beside him she places her avian hands on his arm. Despite her efforts to get his attention, it seemed as if he didn't hear her. Lifting her hand to his face she gently lifted his head so that she could see his face.
She felt her heart sink. He was terribly pale and his lips had a purplish tinge to them. It took a few tries, but she finally was able to get him to open his eyes, which were watery and bloodshot.
Alacoque felt a lump grow in her throat and her eyes begin to burn. "M-Mattieu please stay awake..." she blinked her eyes rapidly to keep them from flooding.
"Mattieu...stay awake...-d-don't close your eyes..." Alacoque felt her breath choke and her vision start to blur. Shutting her eyes tightly she felt the swells of moisture spill out and roll down her cheeks. There was nothing she could do to help him.
Leaning her head against his shoulder she clung onto his jacket as if it was the only thing she could do to keep him from slipping away. Coughing back a few sobs she lie there with him, listening to his ever weakening breath and slowing heartbeat. She didn't want to believe this was happening. The one being in the world that remained unaffected by her curse of death was now dyeing in her arms. The thought was unbearable.
Lifting her head to wipe the tears from her face she caught site of something from the corner of her eye. Something blue and necromantic. For a moment she thought it to be the arm if their attacker and she sat herself up straight with a start. However, after looking the thing over a second time, she realized this was much different. The blue was not as harsh as the man's arm and the entire entity seemed to flow and sway with the same laxness as calm water. These were the guardians of the tower and they were making their way over to her. Alacoque felt her eyes widen and her talons sink into the fabric of Matt's jacket. There seemed to be more than she remembered.
The blue magical projections seemed to flood the room. With so many of them in tight quarters it was almost impossible to count them, much less discern where one ended and the next began. The sea of blue beings shimmered and swam through Matt’s vision, and it was much the same for his malnourished companion. Soon, the entire floor was consumed and the two were ringed in guardians. The air around them literally vibrated with concern and almost came off as frenzied. They were communicating to one another in a way that only they could. Being one with the tower and its sustaining magic, when once Guardian spoke this way, all other could hear. And while conversing, they sort of accumulated here without consciously doing so.
Some last stragglers slipped in through the wall and peered with what could have been a head down at Matthieu. These beings were primarily concerned with the Tower itself and its maintenance and well-being. However, the presence of an injured human might attract undue attention. Plus he could be staining their floor. As they only collected knowledge on their one concern, the Mana people were unsure as to how to act. So they did the next best thing and found someone who could.
It was common knowledge among them that each person who ever passed through the Nexus Tower was logged and documented; therefore they knew who they were accommodating and how often. The creatures started to disperse back through the walls and doors, presumably back to their tasks. In the densest part of them a darker less ethereal shape was formed among the vibrating magic. This last cluster of Guardians now gave the illusion of turning and left the room, floating in all directions with purpose.
Where the throng dissipated now stood a very flustered dog-man. He was talking aloud animatedly, he hands gesturing as he spoke before he realized he was in a different room. His chocolate brown eyes scanned his surroundings and blinked several times to insure this was no illusion induced by lack of sleep. He lowered his arms.
“Well, I say that was quite rude of them,” he sputtered and turned to leave for his origin. Coming to his senses, he looked more carefully at the room and found the heap of man and the avian woman who looked about to pass out with anxiety. He turned back to them. “Oh, my. Is that Matthieu Vega you have there?”
The man was tall, thin and canine in nature. He resembled a jackal, almost in the ancient Egyptian sense. His skin was actually covered in a thin layer of grey black hair and he stood with a slight hunch for his legs terminated with a third joint and canine feet big enough to support him. He was well muscled in the same sense a greyhound is, build for movement and speed. His body above the paws was very similar to a human save for a longer torso and, of course, a thin tail.
However, once one looked above the shoulders, the man had an entirely canine head. His ears stood straight up and his snout was long and pointed. For clothes he simple wore a length of fabric seeming wrapped and folded about his waste which hung free over his front and back, similar to a loin cloth. He had many pouches and glass containers hanging from a belt on his waist as well as one across his chest. Atop his head was perched a contraption that could be perceived as glasses; there was more than one lens attached to his head by the metal frame, presumably for different magnification or sight impairments.
The canine crossed the room with an odd gait and crouched easily next to Matthieu. He had completely forgotten the woman as he checked his friend’s vitals. Frowning as much as a dog’s face can frown, the jackal lifted him easily, applying pressure to the wound. He pivoted on one paw and made for the exit.
“Ah—“ Alacoque made a noise behind him and his ear turned back before his head did. He regarded the woman intensely now, as if he was not interested in anything else. Or, because he could recognize her as the person his friend had passionately been searching for. He’d stopped his departure and now back-peddled a few steps.
“Hello. I’m Ravik. I’m going to take Matthieu home with me now, for he needs medical attention. You are welcome to join me.” With that, the man left the room and immediately made for a spiraling staircase. He moves down the stairs quickly, his claws clattering on the marble surface. His tail hung limply behind him and bounced somewhat with each step. He turned off the stair and his ears swiveled back to hear Alacoque quietly following at a distance. Perhaps it was on purpose, or perhaps she just couldn’t keep up. He hesitated for a moment but decided Matt couldn’t wait and she would figure it out.
He had entered the room for his rift; an arch made of stone sort of beige stone with carvings that resembled but were not exactly hieroglyphics. He hopped through the shimmering plane and went through the passage with ease. He popped out on his home world of Geb, a desert like world. His paws set down and sunk in the warm sand. He paused for half a second to see if Allie followed, but soon took off for his home.
The portal conveniently let out in what would be considered his backyard and he ducked under the brown tarp that hung over a collection of pots which housed exotic plants. He disappeared inside the stone house when Alacoque emerged from the portal after a brief internal struggle. She stood awkwardly in the grainy terrain and shifted her wait uncertainly. She looked around; the landscape was all browns with sand and dirt, there were few trees and shrubs dotted along the skyline. The people here was all anthropomorphic, some feline, some canine and even some avian. She tried not to bring attention to herself as she searched the ground for paw prints and ducked into the garden.
She walked very carefully through the pots and vases, swiveling her hips to avoid all life and keeping her wings in tightly. Her claws clicked on the stonework floor as she entered the back room. Eventually the town of plants petered off into what looked like an alchemist’s laboratory, which, in fact, it was. Things bubbled and boiled unattended, potions filled and emptied into others, weird components lay scattered across cutting boards in various states of decay and repair. Layers of bottles and beakers ranged toward the ceiling and walls; every available space was covered in something that seemed scientific.
She walked through the cluttered room with extra special care and then into the next, where she heard the canine talking to himself. Turning the corner, she could see Matt laid out on a cot before Ravik, who was applying some sort of chunky salve to the wound. Matthieu’s shirt and coat had been removed and his forehead was covered with a wet clothe. Ravik poured over him with much attention and was seemingly oblivious to her entrance.
Ravik and Matthieu were a lot alike.
When he felt his friend was sufficiently tended to, he wiped his hands on a rag and made a sign with his fingers, bowing his head in what was probably a gesture for a deity. He then turned to find her staring, looking like a lost and battered child. His snout split in a doglike grin as he offered his hand.
“I’m sorry, I was quite too preoccupied to be polite.” When she didn’t shake his hand, he let it drop. “Well, how about some tea?” He moved past her without brushing against her and disappeared into a worn old kitchen. The stove-like area had burn marks on the stone and he made his way there with a beat up tin kettle. He filled the thing with water from a basin and set it over a fire. This world’s temperature was oppressive, so being in close proximity to the fire wasn’t preferable. So instead, he seated himself at the far end of the room where there was an opening in the stone which served as a window. There wasn’t much fear of rain.
He waited for Allie to come into the room and gestured for her to sit in the wood chair opposite him. When she timidly sat, his expression was gentle and inviting, his canine eyes regarding her with warm.
“So, tell me about yourself, Miss…Ah…I don’t believe I caught your name?” His ears stood forward, his chocolate eyes intense.
Some last stragglers slipped in through the wall and peered with what could have been a head down at Matthieu. These beings were primarily concerned with the Tower itself and its maintenance and well-being. However, the presence of an injured human might attract undue attention. Plus he could be staining their floor. As they only collected knowledge on their one concern, the Mana people were unsure as to how to act. So they did the next best thing and found someone who could.
It was common knowledge among them that each person who ever passed through the Nexus Tower was logged and documented; therefore they knew who they were accommodating and how often. The creatures started to disperse back through the walls and doors, presumably back to their tasks. In the densest part of them a darker less ethereal shape was formed among the vibrating magic. This last cluster of Guardians now gave the illusion of turning and left the room, floating in all directions with purpose.
Where the throng dissipated now stood a very flustered dog-man. He was talking aloud animatedly, he hands gesturing as he spoke before he realized he was in a different room. His chocolate brown eyes scanned his surroundings and blinked several times to insure this was no illusion induced by lack of sleep. He lowered his arms.
“Well, I say that was quite rude of them,” he sputtered and turned to leave for his origin. Coming to his senses, he looked more carefully at the room and found the heap of man and the avian woman who looked about to pass out with anxiety. He turned back to them. “Oh, my. Is that Matthieu Vega you have there?”
The man was tall, thin and canine in nature. He resembled a jackal, almost in the ancient Egyptian sense. His skin was actually covered in a thin layer of grey black hair and he stood with a slight hunch for his legs terminated with a third joint and canine feet big enough to support him. He was well muscled in the same sense a greyhound is, build for movement and speed. His body above the paws was very similar to a human save for a longer torso and, of course, a thin tail.
However, once one looked above the shoulders, the man had an entirely canine head. His ears stood straight up and his snout was long and pointed. For clothes he simple wore a length of fabric seeming wrapped and folded about his waste which hung free over his front and back, similar to a loin cloth. He had many pouches and glass containers hanging from a belt on his waist as well as one across his chest. Atop his head was perched a contraption that could be perceived as glasses; there was more than one lens attached to his head by the metal frame, presumably for different magnification or sight impairments.
The canine crossed the room with an odd gait and crouched easily next to Matthieu. He had completely forgotten the woman as he checked his friend’s vitals. Frowning as much as a dog’s face can frown, the jackal lifted him easily, applying pressure to the wound. He pivoted on one paw and made for the exit.
“Ah—“ Alacoque made a noise behind him and his ear turned back before his head did. He regarded the woman intensely now, as if he was not interested in anything else. Or, because he could recognize her as the person his friend had passionately been searching for. He’d stopped his departure and now back-peddled a few steps.
“Hello. I’m Ravik. I’m going to take Matthieu home with me now, for he needs medical attention. You are welcome to join me.” With that, the man left the room and immediately made for a spiraling staircase. He moves down the stairs quickly, his claws clattering on the marble surface. His tail hung limply behind him and bounced somewhat with each step. He turned off the stair and his ears swiveled back to hear Alacoque quietly following at a distance. Perhaps it was on purpose, or perhaps she just couldn’t keep up. He hesitated for a moment but decided Matt couldn’t wait and she would figure it out.
He had entered the room for his rift; an arch made of stone sort of beige stone with carvings that resembled but were not exactly hieroglyphics. He hopped through the shimmering plane and went through the passage with ease. He popped out on his home world of Geb, a desert like world. His paws set down and sunk in the warm sand. He paused for half a second to see if Allie followed, but soon took off for his home.
The portal conveniently let out in what would be considered his backyard and he ducked under the brown tarp that hung over a collection of pots which housed exotic plants. He disappeared inside the stone house when Alacoque emerged from the portal after a brief internal struggle. She stood awkwardly in the grainy terrain and shifted her wait uncertainly. She looked around; the landscape was all browns with sand and dirt, there were few trees and shrubs dotted along the skyline. The people here was all anthropomorphic, some feline, some canine and even some avian. She tried not to bring attention to herself as she searched the ground for paw prints and ducked into the garden.
She walked very carefully through the pots and vases, swiveling her hips to avoid all life and keeping her wings in tightly. Her claws clicked on the stonework floor as she entered the back room. Eventually the town of plants petered off into what looked like an alchemist’s laboratory, which, in fact, it was. Things bubbled and boiled unattended, potions filled and emptied into others, weird components lay scattered across cutting boards in various states of decay and repair. Layers of bottles and beakers ranged toward the ceiling and walls; every available space was covered in something that seemed scientific.
She walked through the cluttered room with extra special care and then into the next, where she heard the canine talking to himself. Turning the corner, she could see Matt laid out on a cot before Ravik, who was applying some sort of chunky salve to the wound. Matthieu’s shirt and coat had been removed and his forehead was covered with a wet clothe. Ravik poured over him with much attention and was seemingly oblivious to her entrance.
Ravik and Matthieu were a lot alike.
When he felt his friend was sufficiently tended to, he wiped his hands on a rag and made a sign with his fingers, bowing his head in what was probably a gesture for a deity. He then turned to find her staring, looking like a lost and battered child. His snout split in a doglike grin as he offered his hand.
“I’m sorry, I was quite too preoccupied to be polite.” When she didn’t shake his hand, he let it drop. “Well, how about some tea?” He moved past her without brushing against her and disappeared into a worn old kitchen. The stove-like area had burn marks on the stone and he made his way there with a beat up tin kettle. He filled the thing with water from a basin and set it over a fire. This world’s temperature was oppressive, so being in close proximity to the fire wasn’t preferable. So instead, he seated himself at the far end of the room where there was an opening in the stone which served as a window. There wasn’t much fear of rain.
He waited for Allie to come into the room and gestured for her to sit in the wood chair opposite him. When she timidly sat, his expression was gentle and inviting, his canine eyes regarding her with warm.
“So, tell me about yourself, Miss…Ah…I don’t believe I caught your name?” His ears stood forward, his chocolate eyes intense.
"A-Alacoque..." She felt her toes curl in and her hands folded shyly into her lap. There was no sense in keeping quiet and follow rules at this point; she had broken more than she could remember and figured there really wasn't anything worse she could do. Lifting a hand she pushed a white-blonde curl from her eyes before resting it on the table. "I ...erm..." She paused to take a gulp and look up at the dog-headed man who regarded her with the same warm expression as when he had first spoken.
"I em...well..you see...I ..AH!" Alacoque jumped with a start and nearly fell off her chair when the tea kettle began to whistle. Blushing, she repositioned herself on the chair and refolded her wings as best she could while Ravik got up to remove the kettle from the fire and pour the steaming water into cups that were as beat up and dented looking as the kettle itself. She smiled awkwardly when he settled the cup before her and she waited for him to have a seat before she decided to speak again.
"I'm s-sorry. A lot has been happening..." Her eyes glanced down at the steaming liquid and she watched as the tea leaves began to stain the water purplish-red. "Someone has been chasing us...I'm not sure of his name or where he comes from, but he's the reason Mattieu's hurt..." her hands closed over the scolding hot cup and she grimaced; welcoming the mild burning on her palms. She didn't want to remember his face but it was suddenly the only thought in her mind and she felt her heart begin to race with fear. "He's the reason we've been hopping through all those portals..." Feeling a lump start to swell in her throat she shut her eyes tightly and hung her head low, letting her curls sweep over her face.
Taking a few deep, shaky breaths she swallowed, or at least as best she could, her mouth had suddenly gone dry from fear. Finally, she managed to look up at Ravik, her eyes wet and bloodshot from anxiety. "Please...is...is Mattieu going to be ok?"
"I em...well..you see...I ..AH!" Alacoque jumped with a start and nearly fell off her chair when the tea kettle began to whistle. Blushing, she repositioned herself on the chair and refolded her wings as best she could while Ravik got up to remove the kettle from the fire and pour the steaming water into cups that were as beat up and dented looking as the kettle itself. She smiled awkwardly when he settled the cup before her and she waited for him to have a seat before she decided to speak again.
"I'm s-sorry. A lot has been happening..." Her eyes glanced down at the steaming liquid and she watched as the tea leaves began to stain the water purplish-red. "Someone has been chasing us...I'm not sure of his name or where he comes from, but he's the reason Mattieu's hurt..." her hands closed over the scolding hot cup and she grimaced; welcoming the mild burning on her palms. She didn't want to remember his face but it was suddenly the only thought in her mind and she felt her heart begin to race with fear. "He's the reason we've been hopping through all those portals..." Feeling a lump start to swell in her throat she shut her eyes tightly and hung her head low, letting her curls sweep over her face.
Taking a few deep, shaky breaths she swallowed, or at least as best she could, her mouth had suddenly gone dry from fear. Finally, she managed to look up at Ravik, her eyes wet and bloodshot from anxiety. "Please...is...is Mattieu going to be ok?"
The jackal man was actually taken aback. His ears swiveled to attention and then one fell back in thought as he regarded her with increased interest. She squirmed under his querying gaze before he spoke. “So, you’re actually emotionally attached now?” The question was more of a thought spoken aloud and meant to be rhetorical. The brown of his eyes seemed to harden as he continued to stare as the mechanisms in his brain worked.
“He will be fine.” He finally stated bluntly. “My salve should be…” His ear moved to the doorway. “Right there.”
His head followed the ears example and the two could see Matthieu leaning in the doorway. He was shirtless again and sweat coated his skin, but his color had returned and they could see the hardened salve over the wound. Ravik got up wordless to check the wound. “You shouldn’t be standing yet,” he chided and left the room for bandages.
Matthieu limped toward Allie and slumped into the empty chair opposite her. His hair was plastered to his forehead and he sloppily pushed it aside, causing it to make something like a fin. He regarded her with hazy eyes, but the fever had broken.
“Sorry,” was all he got out before Ravik returned with a roll of gauze. He fussed over his patient and shooed him back to bed with little protest. When the Jackal returned he was smiling his canine grin and about to say something uplifting regarding their friends condition, but he was cut off.
Matt burst back into the room, shirt in hand and donning his jacket. His hat sat crookedly atop his head and his journal was held in his teeth. He crossed the room in a few steps and grabbed a hold of Allie until she was on her feet. He then tossed his journal toward Ravik, who caught it expertly and fell in step.
“We have to leave now.” With a calm urgency, he took them to the front door. Before they could ask an explosion rocked the foundation of the stone house. Immediately the feeling of dread blanketed the trio and Allie felt her heart speed up. She knew what this meant.
Ravik fell back a few steps to look behind him. “MY VIALS!” The expression the canine features portrayed could not be described as anything other than despair at the thought of losing his experiments. He lingered for half a second before urging them on. “There is another rift at the end of the town, I will meet you there.” He galloped back into his house on all four legs.
Matt tugged Allie in step with him and booked it for the other side of town. The pair ran between many anthropomorphic people; birds, cats, reptiles, and more dogs. There was nothing but the task at hand in Matt’s mind. He was going to get Allie to a safe place no matter what. He would never let the Blue-Armed Man have her.
Ravik rounded the corner of his front door and slid on the smooth surface, paws making a scratching sound. He could hear the sound of each vial exploding and the glass shattering on the floor. He flinched with each and every one. His expression turned sour and then to anger and he dashed to his own room to add a belt around his waist.
Not surprised to find the Blue-Armed menace in his laboratory, Ravik torn a vial from his belt and chugged the neon green contents. With the mouthful he confronted the man ruining his life. When the mana whip was snapped his way, he dodged with animal like reflexes and pounced on him as the recoil took effect. Ravik unloaded the acid he stored in his mouth directly at the man. The spray made a wide area of attack and their pursuer was now too busy convulsing and sizzling to be concerned with the retreating Jackal.
On the cross side of town Matthieu and Alacoque floundered in an intersection, unsure of where this rift truly was. Matt couldn’t open his shifter just yet and no one apparently spoke their language. Allie was pressed against him to guard herself from the throng of people surged around her. She tried to keep at least one side safe from contact and kept her arms and wings tucked in close.
“I don’t know where to go from here, Alacoque. I’m sorry; my head is so fuzzy… I just ran out of there with no plan in mind and now we’re stuck…” AS the worry was creasing his face he could see the crowd parting one street down. He braced immediately, preparing for the worst, but when the parting reached them he only saw his friend, on four legs trotting toward them.
Ravik straightened when he reached them. He was panting heavily and they could see the char where the acid had done damage. He swallowed hard and waved it off, “Nothing I could do to help it…” And he continued to pant. He gestured for them to follow.
Reaching a back alley with strange paintings on it, the Jackal pulled an amulet from his chest belt. This was supposedly his transport device, but his back was to the others and they couldn’t see how he opened the portal. Relief washed over them as they stepped through the doorway and felt he familiar pressure of dimension hopping.
“He will be fine.” He finally stated bluntly. “My salve should be…” His ear moved to the doorway. “Right there.”
His head followed the ears example and the two could see Matthieu leaning in the doorway. He was shirtless again and sweat coated his skin, but his color had returned and they could see the hardened salve over the wound. Ravik got up wordless to check the wound. “You shouldn’t be standing yet,” he chided and left the room for bandages.
Matthieu limped toward Allie and slumped into the empty chair opposite her. His hair was plastered to his forehead and he sloppily pushed it aside, causing it to make something like a fin. He regarded her with hazy eyes, but the fever had broken.
“Sorry,” was all he got out before Ravik returned with a roll of gauze. He fussed over his patient and shooed him back to bed with little protest. When the Jackal returned he was smiling his canine grin and about to say something uplifting regarding their friends condition, but he was cut off.
Matt burst back into the room, shirt in hand and donning his jacket. His hat sat crookedly atop his head and his journal was held in his teeth. He crossed the room in a few steps and grabbed a hold of Allie until she was on her feet. He then tossed his journal toward Ravik, who caught it expertly and fell in step.
“We have to leave now.” With a calm urgency, he took them to the front door. Before they could ask an explosion rocked the foundation of the stone house. Immediately the feeling of dread blanketed the trio and Allie felt her heart speed up. She knew what this meant.
Ravik fell back a few steps to look behind him. “MY VIALS!” The expression the canine features portrayed could not be described as anything other than despair at the thought of losing his experiments. He lingered for half a second before urging them on. “There is another rift at the end of the town, I will meet you there.” He galloped back into his house on all four legs.
Matt tugged Allie in step with him and booked it for the other side of town. The pair ran between many anthropomorphic people; birds, cats, reptiles, and more dogs. There was nothing but the task at hand in Matt’s mind. He was going to get Allie to a safe place no matter what. He would never let the Blue-Armed Man have her.
Ravik rounded the corner of his front door and slid on the smooth surface, paws making a scratching sound. He could hear the sound of each vial exploding and the glass shattering on the floor. He flinched with each and every one. His expression turned sour and then to anger and he dashed to his own room to add a belt around his waist.
Not surprised to find the Blue-Armed menace in his laboratory, Ravik torn a vial from his belt and chugged the neon green contents. With the mouthful he confronted the man ruining his life. When the mana whip was snapped his way, he dodged with animal like reflexes and pounced on him as the recoil took effect. Ravik unloaded the acid he stored in his mouth directly at the man. The spray made a wide area of attack and their pursuer was now too busy convulsing and sizzling to be concerned with the retreating Jackal.
On the cross side of town Matthieu and Alacoque floundered in an intersection, unsure of where this rift truly was. Matt couldn’t open his shifter just yet and no one apparently spoke their language. Allie was pressed against him to guard herself from the throng of people surged around her. She tried to keep at least one side safe from contact and kept her arms and wings tucked in close.
“I don’t know where to go from here, Alacoque. I’m sorry; my head is so fuzzy… I just ran out of there with no plan in mind and now we’re stuck…” AS the worry was creasing his face he could see the crowd parting one street down. He braced immediately, preparing for the worst, but when the parting reached them he only saw his friend, on four legs trotting toward them.
Ravik straightened when he reached them. He was panting heavily and they could see the char where the acid had done damage. He swallowed hard and waved it off, “Nothing I could do to help it…” And he continued to pant. He gestured for them to follow.
Reaching a back alley with strange paintings on it, the Jackal pulled an amulet from his chest belt. This was supposedly his transport device, but his back was to the others and they couldn’t see how he opened the portal. Relief washed over them as they stepped through the doorway and felt he familiar pressure of dimension hopping.
After what seemed to be an eternity, the trio was finally spat out onto familiar ground. Getting to her feet, once her head stopped spinning, Alacoque noticed that they were right outside the Nexus tower, with the door directly in front of them. Without thinking, she started forward, leaving a patch of dead grass for Ravik to examine intently before he too followed after her; Mattieu close behind.
Upon turning the corner, Alacoque walked right into one of the blue gardens of the tower, who, upon contact, broke apart into several pieces before swirving under and around her and resolidifying on the other side. Alacoque would have loved to stay and watch as the guardian blobbed back into a single, somewhat solid piece again, but her mind was set on getting to the top of the tower and she didn't exactly have time to spare. The thought of the blue armed man flashed in her mind as she thought about this, and a shiver of fear shot through her body, causing her exhausted legs to work harder. Practically running up the stairs, Alacoque reached the top of the tower, gasping for breath and nearly collapsing before the portal. Letting her wings fall loosely about her, she waited in front of the portal until both Mattieu and Ravik appeared from the staircase.
Mattieu looked about as disheveled as Alacoque, but she was certain she noticed him manage something of a smile when he met her at the portal. She herself might have attempted a smile too if she didn't feel as sick as she did. Her hair had lost most of it's curl due to all of the elements she had put herself through and it hung limply around her face, some sticking to her clammy skin.
Without a word, Ravik was first to step up to the portal, then Mattieu. Alacoque was, of course, last. She didn't want to look at another portal ever again after this. Shutting her eyes tightly she stepped up to the edge and waited. Maybe she could quit being a reaper and take up something less intensive...like filing...or proof reading. The thought put her at ease for the time being, until she felt herself being sucked into the portal and the unsettling feeling of nausea took hold. She dared not open her eyes during the hop for fear of truly becoming sick. Scrunching up her features she held her breath until she felt herself hit ground and a sudden shock of cold enveloped her body.
"Alacoque"...The familiar voice brought her back to reality and she opened her eyes to see Mattieu standing next to her, offering a hand. "Are you alright? You Shouldn't lie in the snow like that."
Snow? Alacoque blinked and refocused her eyes. Yes, she saw it now. It was snowing. And upon sitting up it was apparent she was also lying in a good foot or so of it as well. She had no idea how long she had been here, but the thought suddenly reminded her how cold she really was and her body began to shiver. With some help from Mattieu she managed to stand up in the untouched sea of whiteness and immediately ruffled and shook her wings of any snow clumps that might have attached themselves to her.
The air around them was crisp, but the lack of wind made for comfortable traveling without heavy winter apparel. Still, Alacoque's gaunt frame made it impossible for her to retain any body heat and she felt her feathers start to ruffle to stay warm. Hugging her arms around her body, she shivered and turned to Mattieu, while her wings unfolded to wrap around her own shoulders like a cloak; a useful trick her father had taught her when she was a younger.
"W-where are we?" She managed to ask through chattering teeth. Though all Mattieu could do was shake his head in confusion.
"I wish I could tell you..." he trailed off as he was about to throw on his jacket when he stopped and offered it to her, despite the chill that he felt. When she refused he gave a mental sigh of relief and hastily threw it on and threw his hands into his pockets to warm them...or at least one of them.
The two were just about to look for their third party member when Ravik came bounding from behind a tree a few feet away on all fours, his head held high and his toes splayed from the unfamiliar matter beneath him. Stopping in front of them, he shook the snow from his body, as any dog would, and stood up on two legs to compose himself.
"There's a town not far from here; right over that way." he pointed northwest through the falling snow. "I suggest we find somewhere to stay before the sun sets. Temperatures in this world plummet drastically once the sun's gone down."
It hadn't taken the trio more than 20 minutes to reach the town Ravik had spoken of, but by the time they had gotten there the sun had already started to drop below the horizon, and it was apparent that Ravik's knowledge of the world's temperature changes were correct. The wind had started to pick up and the snow had started to fall harder, turning the once peaceful winter wonderland into a seemingly hazardous blizzard. Alacoque was trying her best to keep walking and she had to constantly check to see if she still had all of her toes since they had lost feeling since she had landed in this world.
Finally they reached a tavern, or at least that's what they thought it was. Judging by the appetizing smells and upbeat sounds coming from inside they figured their idea was close enough and opened the heavy door to go inside.
Inside there was apparently a great celebration taking place. Groups of people spoke loudly and excitedly to one another, many acting out strange scenarios with their arms with animated expressions. Men sang songs and drank together and the occasional roar of laughter broke the walla of conversations. The three didn't want to draw attention to themselves, so they started to make their way to an empty table near the back, though such a thing was a little difficult, considering the appearance of their group. Though, the group of locals in the tavern seemed to be many different ethnicities and races which made the trio's presence less awkward.
"Heeeeeeyyyyy! Neew commersss!!" A slirred voice came from their left, followed by a young, and very drunk, local holding a half empty mug that he nearly spilled all over Mattieu as he spoke.
"So good of you to -hic- drop by! My...my buddies and aywere just celebrating my friends first snowbeast hunt! Isssn't that riiiight, Temin?!" His drunken head swiveled towards a group of young men at the bar who immediately started to cheer him on, raising their drinks and shouting obscure things in another language all while Alacoque inched closer and closer to Mattieu and away from the eyes of the many young men that walked by her, some a little too close.
"Heyy, stay awhile. Have some rounds on the -hic- on thehouse!" the fellow practically lost his balance as he raised his mug, spilling some more of it's contents on Mattieu and then staggered over to the bar to his group of friends.
Alacoque waisted no time in getting to the table in the back of the tavern and sat down on an oddly shaped wooden chair. Mattieu and Ravik soon sat down as well and the three were immediately served mugs of whatever it was the young men were drinking and plates of some sort of cake. The food in front of them smelled absolutely amazing, and it reminded Mattieu just how hungry he was. The two wasted no time in helping themselves to the food while Alacoque sat awkwardly in her chair, still shivering from the cold, her hands clutched between her knees. Her eyes glanced down uninterestedly at the food before her and at her friends indulging in the feast. Refolding her wings closer to her body she sat back in her chair and watched the people in the tavern, hoping she could turn invisible.
Upon turning the corner, Alacoque walked right into one of the blue gardens of the tower, who, upon contact, broke apart into several pieces before swirving under and around her and resolidifying on the other side. Alacoque would have loved to stay and watch as the guardian blobbed back into a single, somewhat solid piece again, but her mind was set on getting to the top of the tower and she didn't exactly have time to spare. The thought of the blue armed man flashed in her mind as she thought about this, and a shiver of fear shot through her body, causing her exhausted legs to work harder. Practically running up the stairs, Alacoque reached the top of the tower, gasping for breath and nearly collapsing before the portal. Letting her wings fall loosely about her, she waited in front of the portal until both Mattieu and Ravik appeared from the staircase.
Mattieu looked about as disheveled as Alacoque, but she was certain she noticed him manage something of a smile when he met her at the portal. She herself might have attempted a smile too if she didn't feel as sick as she did. Her hair had lost most of it's curl due to all of the elements she had put herself through and it hung limply around her face, some sticking to her clammy skin.
Without a word, Ravik was first to step up to the portal, then Mattieu. Alacoque was, of course, last. She didn't want to look at another portal ever again after this. Shutting her eyes tightly she stepped up to the edge and waited. Maybe she could quit being a reaper and take up something less intensive...like filing...or proof reading. The thought put her at ease for the time being, until she felt herself being sucked into the portal and the unsettling feeling of nausea took hold. She dared not open her eyes during the hop for fear of truly becoming sick. Scrunching up her features she held her breath until she felt herself hit ground and a sudden shock of cold enveloped her body.
"Alacoque"...The familiar voice brought her back to reality and she opened her eyes to see Mattieu standing next to her, offering a hand. "Are you alright? You Shouldn't lie in the snow like that."
Snow? Alacoque blinked and refocused her eyes. Yes, she saw it now. It was snowing. And upon sitting up it was apparent she was also lying in a good foot or so of it as well. She had no idea how long she had been here, but the thought suddenly reminded her how cold she really was and her body began to shiver. With some help from Mattieu she managed to stand up in the untouched sea of whiteness and immediately ruffled and shook her wings of any snow clumps that might have attached themselves to her.
The air around them was crisp, but the lack of wind made for comfortable traveling without heavy winter apparel. Still, Alacoque's gaunt frame made it impossible for her to retain any body heat and she felt her feathers start to ruffle to stay warm. Hugging her arms around her body, she shivered and turned to Mattieu, while her wings unfolded to wrap around her own shoulders like a cloak; a useful trick her father had taught her when she was a younger.
"W-where are we?" She managed to ask through chattering teeth. Though all Mattieu could do was shake his head in confusion.
"I wish I could tell you..." he trailed off as he was about to throw on his jacket when he stopped and offered it to her, despite the chill that he felt. When she refused he gave a mental sigh of relief and hastily threw it on and threw his hands into his pockets to warm them...or at least one of them.
The two were just about to look for their third party member when Ravik came bounding from behind a tree a few feet away on all fours, his head held high and his toes splayed from the unfamiliar matter beneath him. Stopping in front of them, he shook the snow from his body, as any dog would, and stood up on two legs to compose himself.
"There's a town not far from here; right over that way." he pointed northwest through the falling snow. "I suggest we find somewhere to stay before the sun sets. Temperatures in this world plummet drastically once the sun's gone down."
It hadn't taken the trio more than 20 minutes to reach the town Ravik had spoken of, but by the time they had gotten there the sun had already started to drop below the horizon, and it was apparent that Ravik's knowledge of the world's temperature changes were correct. The wind had started to pick up and the snow had started to fall harder, turning the once peaceful winter wonderland into a seemingly hazardous blizzard. Alacoque was trying her best to keep walking and she had to constantly check to see if she still had all of her toes since they had lost feeling since she had landed in this world.
Finally they reached a tavern, or at least that's what they thought it was. Judging by the appetizing smells and upbeat sounds coming from inside they figured their idea was close enough and opened the heavy door to go inside.
Inside there was apparently a great celebration taking place. Groups of people spoke loudly and excitedly to one another, many acting out strange scenarios with their arms with animated expressions. Men sang songs and drank together and the occasional roar of laughter broke the walla of conversations. The three didn't want to draw attention to themselves, so they started to make their way to an empty table near the back, though such a thing was a little difficult, considering the appearance of their group. Though, the group of locals in the tavern seemed to be many different ethnicities and races which made the trio's presence less awkward.
"Heeeeeeyyyyy! Neew commersss!!" A slirred voice came from their left, followed by a young, and very drunk, local holding a half empty mug that he nearly spilled all over Mattieu as he spoke.
"So good of you to -hic- drop by! My...my buddies and aywere just celebrating my friends first snowbeast hunt! Isssn't that riiiight, Temin?!" His drunken head swiveled towards a group of young men at the bar who immediately started to cheer him on, raising their drinks and shouting obscure things in another language all while Alacoque inched closer and closer to Mattieu and away from the eyes of the many young men that walked by her, some a little too close.
"Heyy, stay awhile. Have some rounds on the -hic- on thehouse!" the fellow practically lost his balance as he raised his mug, spilling some more of it's contents on Mattieu and then staggered over to the bar to his group of friends.
Alacoque waisted no time in getting to the table in the back of the tavern and sat down on an oddly shaped wooden chair. Mattieu and Ravik soon sat down as well and the three were immediately served mugs of whatever it was the young men were drinking and plates of some sort of cake. The food in front of them smelled absolutely amazing, and it reminded Mattieu just how hungry he was. The two wasted no time in helping themselves to the food while Alacoque sat awkwardly in her chair, still shivering from the cold, her hands clutched between her knees. Her eyes glanced down uninterestedly at the food before her and at her friends indulging in the feast. Refolding her wings closer to her body she sat back in her chair and watched the people in the tavern, hoping she could turn invisible.
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