[Edel PRP] Escape to the Pantheon

[Trundlebug]

"Hey. Wake up."

A bony, shaking hand reached across the dirt and gripped another man's shoulder, pushing it to and fro. Dirty fingers gripped at the thin scrap of cloth that still remained on the sleeping form.

"Cael," his voice cracked, "Get up. We need t'leave."

They'd both been sleeping behind a veil of rubble and mud, too exhausted to do much more than lay there after another harrowing day of living. Theo could hear the chittering, screeching, keening of demons from somewhere far off; feasting on something, no doubt, and laughing about it. He pushed at Cael's shoulder weakly again.

"Hey?" he tried. His voice was barely there anymore, squeaking and cutting off at random intervals.

Which was appropriate, considering that he was barely there anymore. With a weary sigh, Theo looked up at the murky grey clouds in the sky, blinking in exhaustion. From behind them, the squeal of hungry monsters was growing. What time was it- dawn? Night? He could hardly tell anymore. He doubted they slept long.

"I know you're still alive over there," Theo's mouth twitched painfully for the cracks in his lips, but he didn't sound so sure. "Right? So you have to stop ignoring me."

[Tsunake]

He didn't want to wake up, no matter how much those fingers poked and prodded at him. They'd been thick once, strong, but they were feeble and drained now. Both of them were. But Theo had always been the bigger of their odd pair, stronger, (physically, might he had) too.

The first shake had him jolting under the man's fingers, unable to be anything but mostly alert these days. It had kept them alive more than once now, and his thin fingers dug themselves unconsciously into the mud as he heard those things cackling to one another.

"You'd deserve it, being all alone out here." His voice was thin, unhealthy, but he'd roll on his side to better take Theo in. He looked like s**t, the poor fellow, and his fingers unfurled to touch at those abused lips, not even away of the dirt he was probably smearing on them. "Need somethin' to drink." For both of them, was the implication, but Cael would never admit that he just wanted to make sure Theo was still properly hydrated.

His knees ached as he attempted to haul himself up, and his thin frame little more than a sack of bones encased by his skin. These weeks had not been kind to them, but he had to keep pushing himself if either of them wanted to survive.

It smelled like rot still, the air thick and cloying. He was starting to get used to the smell, grey eyes flickering over the other man's haggard face. "We aren't going to make another week, Theo." He warned in that tone of his, and there would be no convincing him otherwise. He was just too tired to argue though, no matter how he tried to hold himself in that same, nearly haughty way of his.

But he was still watching Theo, expecting an answer even as he glanced uneasily to where the sounds of the demon-ilk were gathered. Cael didn't know what to do anymore.

[Trundlebug]

He stared at Cael for a long moment in thoughtful silence, his usually opaque eyes dimming to their original black shade. The light in them wasn't as faded as Caelin's, though- oh no. The bottom of Theo's lips tugged downward, and he licked them, tasting dirt.

"We aren't, are we?" he agreed quietly, against the yipping, savage sounds behind them. He glanced away toward the empty horizon, unable to look at Cael with a straight face any longer. He had always been a thin fellow normally, but now... now it was like looking into the face of a walking skeleton, with eyes sunk in, and pallid skin wrapped too tightly around bone. The man was as good as dead. Tears pricked at the corners of Theo's eyes.

He let out a single sniff, and wiped at the old, dry stain of blood under one of his nostrils.

Their world had fallen into chaos in a matter of weeks. What had taken years- eons- to put into motion, had all been unraveled. The Qatar were no more. A great deal of many things were no more; privately Theo was surprised that the two of them had made it where stronger men had failed. He watched Cael attempt to move, and shook his head.

"No water 'round here," he said thickly. Slowly the man pushed himself up onto his feet, wobbling as he tried to balance his aching, trembling muscles. The air hung stagnant around both of them.

"They'll pick up our scent, soon. C'mere."

He gestured towards himself weakly, and then held out his arms. He felt like hell, and he'd be damned if he was going to let Cael act like himself without a bit of payment in return.

[Tsunake]

Oh, no. Oh, no, no, no. He was tired, he was bitter, and he was a lot of other nasty things right now, but he hadn't meant to make Theo cry. His lips were thin, nearly white with whatever emotion he was suppressing, and they both knew it was more than just the trials and stress that had reduced him to this.

It was some disease, for sure, something that hadn't quite ever faded when so many of them had fallen sick after the battles that had raged.

Cael didn't know what to say, looking at the bear of a man, and eventually, he let his eyes flicker guiltily elsewhere. Movement drew them back, and he stared at the open arms as though it was a foreign thing. There was a moment where it seemed as though maybe he wasn't about to move, and would just ignore it, but his stick-thin legs had him lurching uneasily forward, and soon, he'd lean into the broad expanse of Theo's chest with a grunt. Shoulders jumped as though he wanted to cough, but the dark haired man ignored it, settling a bruised cheek against one of the other's shoulders.

"We are. But you have me." And despite his earlier sentiments, he wasn't about to simply lay down and die, not with Theo in this sort of state. His brain ticked furiously, tiredly, and Cael was quiet for a long time before an idea would finally come to light.

"Teleportation. That's our ticket out." It wasn't a statement that Theo was allowed to disagree with. It was yet another forbidden magic to the Qatar, one that was so dangerous simply because it was so unpredictable. But they'd also said that mastering the power of the storms and lightening was too great a task too--and he'd proved them wrong, there. "What's the worst that happens? If we're going to die anyway... And if we make it, then that's just a little more time."

Still, moving wasn't on the top of his list of priorities right away, and he'd linger in the man's embrace. It seemed as though Theo was allowed to speak now--he was too tired to keep going.

[Trundlebug]

"That I do."

His thin, weary arms wrapped around Cael in the sort of embrace that brooked no argument, and squeezed the man tighter at the mention of teleportation. Theo was not, by nature, a possessive man; but the thought, the very thought, of being able to lose Cael without any chance of recompense was terrifying.

The gnashing of teeth and claw and firey hide sweltered in the distance, as spindly limbs dug for purchase in loamy ground. The feast was over.

Theo's jaw tightened. "Do you know the spell, Cael?" he asked, in a tight, trembling voice, clutching the man to him as if he might disappear. The man hadn't been an 'official' magic user for very long- and that wasn't the sort of spell they taught to newbies, especially ones they detested. Very slowly Theo's arms hung, and shaking, took Cael's bony fingers.

He was right to talk to the man about Qatar affairs. Theo felt a fondness for his clever friend, though it did not show through the layers of pain and exhaustion that hung about them.

"You just raise your arms, like this-" Theo held the man's hands upward in a trembling arc, "And you focus your magic for me. Can you do that, C-ael?"

His voice hitched, for he could hear his companion's ragged breath, could feel the way his shoulders tensed under phantom coughs, and knew very well he might not make the trip. Teleportation was unpredictable, and the Qatar had often remarked that the areas between were devoid of anything: air, time, warmth, life.

The scrabbling of spindly claws was right upon them, snaking behind the rubble they lay in front of. Theo could smell the sickly sweet stench of blood and rotting meat snorting in whorls from their mouths.

He swallowed, adams apple bobbing. "Focus on my hands. Don't worry about hurting me."

[Tsunake]

It was hard to focus on anything but them as they skulked closer, the sounds of their claws scratching deep into the loose soil, and the man stared murderously over Theo's broad shoulders, lips curled as though he was little more civilized than the beasts. Spell. That jarred something in him, and his eyes darted to the man's face for a moment, searching. "No."

He hated to admit it, and it made his skin crawl, but he'd never gotten the chance to stick his nose into yet another forbidden art in order to try and claim its secrets for himself. Awkwardly, he tried to hold onto Theo's hands, always marveling at the size even as his arms were pulled upward.

Muscles ached as his scrawny limbs stretched themselves up, and a brief and curt nod was offered. Cael was focusing, his fingers beginning to crackle with fringes of raw power that would undoubtedly jolt a little Theo's hands.

Before he could start the ascension to the peak of his power, the sound of the demon ilk was enough to distract him, and the lean, bony man actually began to turn as though he planned on striking first.

It was almost too late before he remembered himself.

Wheezing a little under his breath, Cael forced his magic to manifest further, and his arms trembled from the effort of it all. Sparks were flying at this point, and he was struggling just to keep it under control. How his strength had dwindled, these past few weeks...! Had he not been so absorbed in the process, he might have been ashamed.

[Trundlebug]

It was a lucky thing that Cael was still able to focus, because Theo kept instinctively rocking back on his heels- at one moment trying to keep Cael from wandering away, the next trying to follow himself. Not that the stocky man had much energy or magic left in him. As painful, numbing jolts jumped around their fingers, Theo took a second to privately marvel at how much energy his companion still had. It was... amazing, really. Cael looked so wan, the more close to death than the two of them, and always he was able to pull such power from the depths of wherever he kept it.

Theo was not so magically strong a man. If the situation had been different, he might have been proud.

Where Theo lived, Cael seemed to survive. Never had the stockier man experienced sheer surviving until these last few weeks; never had he the instincts and raw will to live that Cael had. Theo's sharp teeth gnashed against each other, and against the pain coursing around his arms. Static electricity was surging around both of their arms in flickering, flashing strings of raw energy, and his shaking hands squeezed Cael's tighter in a brief goodbye.

Theo's eyes slammed shut. He muttered something under his breath, some unintelligible sound, which made the air around them thick and heavy and hard to breathe. Squeals of pain came shrieking from their heels, and seemed to recede farther back, skittering away from the small circle of sorcery.

If Cael looked around right now, the world would appear blurry and slow. As if he were looking through a pool of water and trying to catch glimpses of the bottom. The little creatures- with claws and muzzles gleaming with red- had surrounded them, but seemed unable to get to the pair. They moved so slow it was almost as if they had stopped in mid-motion.

Theo was very pale under his tan. His eyes fluttered, and the air around them grew suddenly constricting. Icy cold suddenly rushed in with a gust of frigid air.

The sparks around Cael's fists were tugged painfully away, as if some invisible hand was plucking them off of his skin, before snuffing each and every spark out completely. The world around them flickered off like a light- and all that was left was the fading afterimage of dirt and demons and broken trees.
Theo was gone.

[Tsunake]

Despite the agony that was rocketing through his limbs, a blissful, numb grin had settled on Cael's face, and he allowed his power to rush forth. It was consuming him, breaking him apart bit by bit and leaving nothing but memories in its wake. Though his eyes were wide open, he saw nothing, and the intoxicating taste of magic was thick on his tongue.

The mutated visages that called themselves demons danced around the barrier that kept them at bay, lashing out with bloodied claws and muzzles only to find themselves repelled by a painful jolt. Squealing and screaming with defiance, they could do nothing but watch as their prey was forcibly taken by a power beyond their understanding.

Then the world faded to nothingness, and Cael didn't remember anything more for a long time.

His consciousness swam in and out in dizzying spurts, and when he finally forced his aching chest to take in air, the scent of fresh greens and rich soil was almost overwhelming. He groaned without thinking, choked on a coughing fit that paralyzed him for several seconds. He was alive, somehow, somehow he and Theo had done it--

--but where was Theo?

He forced his eyes open, long, trembling fingers digging desperately into the grassy earth, and he croaked the man's name even as he searched for him. Where was he, where had he gone? But he had spent too much energy, and even trying to lift his head brought more pain than success.

"Theo..." He managed again, even if every breath felt like needles lining his lungs. They hadn't lived this long just so he could lose the man within some hole in dimensions. He wouldn't accept it, couldn't, and had he the strength, he'd have torn through the fabrics of space and time itself to pull the man free, wherever he was.

[Trundlebug]

A scuffling sound rose up through the titters and songs of wildlife. It was followed by a quick breath; low and tense and frightened.

"Cael?" came Theo's voice nearby. The scuffling increased to a low dragging noise, as he pulled himself over, exhausted inch by inch, to the other man's side. He had to navigate his way through a bed of green ivy leaves-- green!-- and loamy dirt. The scent of sharp earth stung his nose. Theo was not sure where they were, but it seemed a paradise to the fiery, decaying hell they had left.

He pushed himself up wearily to his bony, shaking, elbows, and peered down at Cael dimly, his eyes glowing a faint green shade again. Poor fellow, he thought to himself. Nothing but death among the leaves and grass. He swallowed painfully at a lump in his throat.
"I'm here," Theo rasped, "You alrigh' Cael? There's water near."

Sleep was trying to consume him, but he stubbornly bit his cheek, willing it away. Not right now. Not when Cael was like this.

[Tsunake]

Thank the gods. The man's skinny, if lanky form relaxed entirely against the soft ground when he heard Theo call his name, wearily allowing his eyes to close. He didn't have the strength to even think about sitting up anymore; just staying conscious was a trial by itself.

Could the hairy lump have been any louder, though? He tried to grin, but found himself suppressing another cough that felt like it was tearing up his insides. Instead, a hand reached up to clumsily touch at the other, confirming that it was, indeed, Theo, before it fell against the earth once more.

Water. "Drink some." Cael did his best to rasp sternly at the other, one grey eye opening to do its best to pierce the man with a parody of his normally ferocious stare.

All that mattered though was that they'd made it out, and they were alive. Whether or not he'd last much longer... that was another story. Best not to trouble Theo with that, though; he couldn't bear to see the other cry again and shame himself.

[Trundlebug]

If Theo could, he would have shaken his head and sighed. Instead he just stared, trying to muster the energy for a glare, and failing stupendously at anything other than a withering look. Stubborn to the end, eh? Was that how it was going to be?

"Stop talking," Theo said crossly.

He was exhausted, he was injured, he was close to death; and Cael was most certainly dying. All his usual humor had up and left. He tugged experimentally at the other man's arm, but found that his shaking fingers could no more lift it than try to move it.
Theo could barely lift himself. /And I have to get water for the both of us?/ he thought, his eyes tightening in distress. Usually, he would be able to move water far without even needing to touch it-- such a feat would be easy. But now...

"... Jest stop talking," he muttered, and let his head fall against a mat of moss and dirt. "Makes it easier to forget we're going t'die."

[Tsunake]

"No, you." Cael actually managed to grate out, not caring how ridiculous he sounded nor how childish. The tug on his arm kept him quiet, and his fingers sought to wrap around the other's thicker wrist, as though that would hold him in place while he finished saying what needed to be said.

For all his arrogance and fiery temper, Caelin had never been stupid. He knew what was likely going to happen to him, and wasn't going to deal with Theo wasting away over the inevitable.

"I want you... to go away, Theo." The man said tiredly, letting his eyes close again. "....Longer you stay here... worse you'll be." Theo still had a chance to survive, a chance to find someone and to get better.