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 Posted: Tue Jun 23, 2009 8:57 pm
A clap of thunder echoed across the sky. Rain began spattering against the rarely disturbed stalks of grass, and they swayed with the ominous wind.
The lone Heron stared up at the blackened clouds above. It was mid-morning, but the fields were dark. Little sunlight made its way through the clouds. The rain poured, but the Heron remained dry. One hand held a Barrier staff, and the crystal glowed as it projected an aura of defense around himself. The other hand held a tome. Antaram.
His eyes wandered from the sky to the tome itself. He flipped the tome open against his arm and gazed at the pages.
Pity it's a Light tome...this spell might actually be fun to use.
He quickly transferred the stave from his hand to under his arm and used the now free hand to trace the Ancient Language marked upon the pages. The stave remained safely in effect as he muttered the words aloud. It was quite an interesting incantation, and he'd barely slept at all as he studied the book. Oh, how he wished he was in tune with Light magic rather than Anima~
But alas. He had quite a reason to be in this forlorn place. A magic user of Jyoti's calibur would soon be seeking the fellow magician who stole her coveted tome, and she would not be happy about the matter. And Loch really had no use for it, anyway. After all, he was not a priest or at all holy. He was in tune with the nature magics, most of all Thunder, and Antaram held no significance to him beyond a pure interest. It did, however, hold value to the girl he'd taken it from. Loch would be rather angry if someone stole Thoron from him, after all. So he had decided that it would be in his best interests to return the tome.
That was not the only reason he had for drawing Jyoti out, however. Battle was not a reason, because himself versus Jyoti alone would likely end in a stalemate. He knew his power, and he could sense hers. Neither would be able to do much damage, and they'd wear each other down. Besides, he still dreaded the idea of doing harm to such a mythological beauty. He had saved her from that scoundrel before to spare her.
Nay, he desired a talk with the Valkyrie. There was a very unusual aura around the girl - around all the Heroes, actually - and it very much disturbed Loch. Even without his galdrar, he was still much in tune with the emotions of others and the environment. He needed to sate his interest, and he hoped that talking to Jyoti would give him the answers he needed. And his loyalties belonged to no one. The Heroes were fighting that guild, not him. And he rather held no interest in assisting them against the Heroes. He just wanted to understand why the Heroes he had learned about when he first came to this land had suddenly come back.
He closed the tome and stowed it in his robe. Soon...soon she'd arrive. He knew it.
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Posted: Wed Jun 24, 2009 9:46 am
A small, delicate flower, fluttering in the breeze...... A petal, claimed by a gentle wind, floats away... ☼ JYOTI ☼
¤▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬¤Time passed. Jyoti was tired, just about ready to stop and slip into a deep slumber without a care. Fighting all those people before, nearly dying once or twice... it really drained her energy. I can't, though. A rumble of thunder jolted her awake and motivated her to keep moving. The sooner she found the one who had her tome, the sooner she could get back to the manor. Her stomach grumbled slightly, adding on to the list of things against her. Exhaustion, the weather, hunger... A sigh escaped her lips.
She had to find Antaram. She had to... There was no other option. The valkyrie hugged herself tightly, preserving her body heat as the rain fell from above, already beginning to soak her. Her wounds had clotted over long ago, leaving only dried blood that was becoming wet again due to the rain drops.
A hand irritatingly rubbed at the blood on her upper arm and leg until the skin was spotless. Jyoti stared at the red on her hand before groaning lightly. Yeck. She extended her hand up to the sky, letting the water wash the palm of her hand. Her other hand was still around the Heal staff, the one that she took from Rhys' room. How long ago was that...?
Hand now clean, she carefully rubbed the exhaustion from eyes. No getting tired, Jyoti... Not yet. You can rest after you find Antaram. The valkyrie urged Victory to keep moving. Just... keep... moving... Rain continued to soak the valkyrie as she made her way to the fields, an area she hadn't investigated yet.
... What's that? She raised her empty hand above her eyebrows, preventing some wet strands of blonde hair from blocking her vision. In the distance was a figure, just standing there. Although she couldn't fully tell if the person was the one she was looking for, she was almost certain it was. It was a gut feeling, really. The person was there, waiting for her. But why? If he wanted to keep it, he would have done a better job with hiding from her. Now that the distance between them was shorter, she could definitely tell that this was the person that she was looking for, that he was the one with Antaram in his possession. She had finally found him.
But why?
Just in case... Her hand reached into Victory's side pouch, pulling out a spare tome: Aura, a tome she happened to stumble upon through a chain of circumstances that she didn't quite remember. Even if she did, though, she wouldn't explain that to anyone. She opened the tome, resting it in the crook of her arm as she continued her approach.
"... I believe you have something of mine." Jyoti stated once she was close enough to Loch. There wasn't a shred of doubt in her mind; this was the person who appeared out of (seemingly) nowhere, telling Lance to stop attacking her. This was the person who disappeared soon after, but not before giving her a kiss on the cheek (what was up with her and getting kissed by guys lately, anyways?).
This was the person who had her tome. Keeping her eyes locked on Loch, her hand tightened around the shaft of the Heal staff. She was tired of this chase. She wanted Antaram back. "I would very much like it back now." It wasn't a request. It was a demand with a threatening undertone. "Give it back or else", it said in a soft and harsh voice.
Her eyes narrowed slightly, her emotions clear on her face. Anger. Frustration. Exhaustion. Irritation.
... Sorrow?¤▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬¤... Detached from its home, destined to wither and die alone in an unknown land.
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Posted: Wed Jun 24, 2009 1:45 pm
"That was actually my intention," Loch stated quite clearly. He watched the girl, noting the tome that she was ready to use if necessary, and withdrew Antaram from his own robe, holding it idly by his side. "It's far more useful to you than it is to me. I just needed to see it to sate my own interest. I apologize for stealing it, but..." He chuckled. "Seeing as I saved your life back there, how about we call it even? Now, why don't we get you out of that rain? It's such a sin to let a beauty like you get drenched." He stepped a few paces closer, letting the stave slip out from under his arm as he caught it flawlessly, and the staff's effect covered the both of them, ceasing the rain under its barrier.
He was dangerously close to her now. "You're quite interesting, may I mention? Such a beauty of lore, returned to our time? Might I ask you a few questions? I'll return your tome momentarily...it's useless to me, after all."
His face was quite peaceful, amused almost. His pale eyes watched the girl for any signs of movement. Elwind was safely within reach if he needed to defend herself. Thoron wouldn't be an option in this case - far too powerful, and he didn't want to hurt the girl. And while he looked calm, his stomach churned uncomfortably. He made no visual indication of this discomfort. Mysterious forces were unusually rampant about the aura of this girl. Dark forces.
Forces he'd soon address.
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Posted: Wed Jun 24, 2009 2:41 pm
A small, delicate flower, fluttering in the breeze...... A petal, claimed by a gentle wind, floats away... ☼ JYOTI ☼
¤▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬¤
"It... was?" Jyoti blinked, dismounting from Victory while still holding on to the Heal and Aura. She stumbled for a step or two, her feet not used to being flat on the ground. This man... just wanted to study Antaram? He intended to give it back from the beginning?
She bit her tongue when he apologized, not wanting to go off on the string of rather vulgar words that were fresh in her mind.
APOLOGIZE?! PFFT! YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE TAKEN IT IN THE FIRST PLACE, YOU b*****d!
The valkyrie took a step back as he got closer to her, bumping into Victory in the process. She... was beautiful? She never really thought about it, except when Misura said it. Most of the time, she was able to just politely nod, say "thank you very much" or act all humble, and go on her way. It was never a big deal to deal with one's compliments (except with Misura).
This time, though? Definitely more of a deal. The man was close, almost too close for comfort, and she had nowhere to go. Victory was directly behind her and he was in front of her. Going to either side would be dumb, since she couldn't get too far, anyways; the field was rather open and the slick grass would slow her down, possibly causing herself to fall to her face.
Then again, why would she run? She could see her tome by his side, tauntingly close. She could almost reach it...
Jyoti shook her head slightly, hugging herself tightly to keep herself warm, pinning the open Aura to her chest in the process. There wasn't any rain falling on her anymore, yes, but she was still cold and wet. Her choice of attire wasn't the best for preserving heat. "Interesting...? Oh, no, I'm not that--"
She stopped, repeating what he said in her head. The valkyrie heard the man, yes, but she really didn't hear the last two sentences.
"... Might I ask you a few questions? I'll return your tome momentarily...it's useless to me, after all."
... So, she was going to get interrogated first? She let out a quiet sigh, hand curling around the back cover and about half the pages of Aura. Did she really have much of a choice? He was an anima user, which meant that she could deal with him, but not as easily. Besides... he had Antaram.
"Alright." Jyoti finally responded softly, not making eye contact with Loch. "But... can you at least tell me your name? It's odd that you know mine and I don't know yours." She shivered slightly, hugging herself tighter. Damn it, she was getting cold. The faster his questions were answered, the sooner she could get the hell out of there and back to the manor and change into a dry set of clothes.
Rather she liked it or not, she had to follow his conditions... for now.¤▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬¤... Detached from its home, destined to wither and die alone in an unknown land.
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Posted: Wed Jun 24, 2009 8:43 pm
"How could I not know your name? You're a legend, after all." He chuckled. "I'm a bit embarrassed, humbled to be in your presence, really." He gestured over to a rock sitting conveniently nearby. "Shall we have a seat?"
Without really waiting for her to respond, he slipped her tome back into his robe and took her by the wrist, gently leading her over to have a seat. He wasn't entirely sure how she'd react, so he was rather surprised when she consented. Once seated, he instinctively put an arm around her to keep her warm and folded a wing around her. Herons were always good sources of heat, with the feathers and all. "I'm sorry, I did not mean to bring you out here in such deplorable conditions...the weather can be cruel sometimes, can it not? You must be frigid."
"Now," he said with a reassuring smile. "My name is Loch. I came to this land not too long ago with the interests of starting a new life and studying the world. I...rather like this place. It's a much different world than that of Tellius." He nodded. "I have you to thank for that in part, don't I? It's...quite amazing, really. I studied this land's libraries and I learned about you and the other Heroes...your deeds, your feats. They're nothing short of extraordinary. I never thought I'd actually come face to face with you, so...you might imagine how I feel right now." His arm twitched anxiously as it lay along her shoulder, almost as though he were now aware of who he was keeping warm. He also didn't mention it or let it show, but even touching the girl sent eerie feelings of premonition through him. The darkness was so unusual.
"...May I ask you a question, however? Why have you come back? How? Stories of lore tell of great heroes reviving from the dead and thwarting the evil they locked away so many years ago. I see you and the others fighting a particular group, and I try not to involve myself as it's really none of my concern.
"You're also...rather young, I may add. That fact alone bothers me. I cannot possibly fathom your actions, but I can only imagine that one of your age must have suffered a tragic, untimely death. And now, now that you've been given life again...what is the reason you're willing to throw it away?" His eyes were fixated directly upon hers as he desired the truth.
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Posted: Thu Jun 25, 2009 11:27 am
A small, delicate flower, fluttering in the breeze...... A petal, claimed by a gentle wind, floats away... ☼ JYOTI ☼
¤▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬¤Jyoti only nodded slightly to Loch's comments, letting herself be lead over to the rock he gestured to. She carefully sat down on the rock, shifting around a bit to get comfortable, flinching slightly as she felt his arm and wing wrap around her. She didn't pull away, though; he really was warm, and it was cold out... What harm could be done, anyways? Worse case she could just start attacking him.
What am I thinking?! She shook her head slowly. Luckily for her, it didn't look too weird, for she shook her head right after he said that she was cold. Good timing on her part.
This is... Her thought was left unfinished as he continued to speak, finally introducing himself. She turned slightly, looking in his general direction but not directly at him. It was close enough, though.
"Loch..." The valkyrie repeated under her breath, as if testing out the name. Her arms lowered and she set the Heal staff down, leaning it against her leg. She gently closed Aura, resting the tome on her lap, hands curled around it. Tellius... She never saw that land with her own eyes, but she knew that both Teifi and Castello originated from there. Her knowledge of that land was very limited. What kind of land was it? How were things different to Magvel? How were things similar--
Why do I even care? Jyoti sighed lightly. "Oh, I'm not that great..." She laughed sheepishly, smiling softly.
"...May I ask you a question, however? Why have you come back? How?"
The valkyrie blinked. How did she come back? Her mind flashed back to the cavern, where she and the other heroes first awoke. She was dead before that, and then suddenly her heart started beating again and the blood started flowing again and oxygen started to fill her lungs again-- Her hand fiddled with a strand of blonde hair nervously, twisting it around her finger. How would she answer that? She didn't even understand how or why she was alive at the moment; she only knew that she was. "I--"
"You're also...rather young, I may add. That fact alone bothers me. I cannot possibly fathom your actions, but I can only imagine that one of your age must have suffered a tragic, untimely death. And now, now that you've been given life again...what is the reason you're willing to throw it away?"
Jyoti stood up quickly, knocking his arm and wing away from her. The Heal fell over soundlessly, no longer having any means of support. "Who said I'm throwing it away? Who?!" Her violet eyes were blazing with anger as she kept them locked straight on him, gripping Aura tightly in her right hand, ready to lash out if she found that necessary. "This is the life I'm used to living!! And I--"
Memories came to her mind before she could finish her statement, as if triggered by spoken words. They were memories of joy, unshakable; bliss, unbelievable; bonds, unbreakable; love, unconditional...
... Pain, unbearable... Blood, unstoppable... Voices, unforgettable... Shame, unacceptable... Isolation, unchangeable...
... The end, unanticipated.
The valkyrie bit down on the inside of her cheek, forbidding herself to betray on her face what she was remembering. "I..." She turned away from him, holding Aura against her chest once more, hugging it as if she were a child holding a teddy bear. Attacking Loch seemed... unnecessary. She watched the rain fall from the sky as she continued to speak, her words icy and bitter. "... Why does that matter so much to you, anyways? You say that you aren't sided with the other group, but, to my knowledge, you aren't sided with us, either." She turned back to Loch, a blank and empty expression on her face. "... What's the point?" A moment later, her gaze switched down to her boots, a pure white tainted with specks of blood. She sighed again softly.
"What are you even after?"¤▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬¤... Detached from its home, destined to wither and die alone in an unknown land.
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Posted: Thu Jun 25, 2009 12:48 pm
He stood upon the rubble of the altar. Among the charred remains of the trees. Echoes of darkness, despair, evil floated all around him. Foreboding premonition...signs of unwavering darkness to come. He stumbled off of the altar, taking a second to retch up the little he'd had to eat over the last few days. Befouling the forest? It didn't matter anymore - the forest was dead. Helena, Lily, neither were anywhere to be found.
...Likely slaughtered alongside the Herons.
It didn't matter anymore. Nothing mattered anymore. His family was gone, his life was gone, his home...everything was gone. He'd sacrificed his powers for love and it was gone. Nothing was worth living for anymore in this land...
This land was not the one for him anymore.
-----
"I'm not that great..." An innocent laugh.
She was modest. It only deepened Loch's internal conflict. As he questioned her, her face wavered. Uncertainty. Confusion. Anger.
...Sorrow?
She suddenly lashed out at him. "Who said I'm throwing it away? Who? This is the life I'm used to living! And I--"
Her stave fell to her feet, her tome remained in her hand, at the ready. She broke his hold on her, bringing them both to their feet. Loch let the effect of the Barrier spell fade, and the rain came crashing down upon both of them. They stared at each other as the rain dampened both of them, and Loch could read the emotion in her eyes. Her face tried not to show it...
Something wasn't right here.
Her eyes wandered to the sky above as she turned away. "Why does that matter so much to you, anyways?"
His mind drifted.
"...you aren't sided with us either."
Loch took a step towards her, hesitant.
"What's the point? What are you even after?"
He paused. For the first time in a very, very long time, he was unsure how to respond. Both solitary figures stood in the rain, only a few steps apart but a world away from each other inside.
He took the initiative. He slowly walked over to her and took her free hand as he came face-to face with her. With his other hand, he brushed the wet hair out of her eyes before moving it to her shoulder, holding her.
"Life isn't always black and white. It's more often shades of grey. Many, many shades." His eyes wavered to the sky for a moment before returning to her own. "This may be the life you have chosen...the life you're used to living, but...excuse me for my indiscretion, but I cannot fathom why you'd risk a second chance at life like this."
"I am after nothing but solace in myself and others. You are an intriguing soul, and I have a dreaded suspicion that there is more to this situation than what either side is willing to disclose."
He pulled her closer into a hug, sheltering her in the torrential downpour. "I am after nothing but happiness in this world."
He pulled back a bit to gaze into her eyes again.
"Can you really tell me you're happy doing this?"
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Posted: Thu Jun 25, 2009 1:47 pm
A small, delicate flower, fluttering in the breeze...... A petal, claimed by a gentle wind, floats away... ☼ JYOTI ☼
¤▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬¤Rain was drenching her once more, chilling her quickly. She hugged Aura tighter, reopened to a page and ready to be read once moved away from her body, one hand resting on top of the other. The valkyrie was silent, waiting for Loch's response to her questions.
... He stepped towards her, taking her by the hand. Jyoti was absolutely stunned, not used to the feel of another's hand against her own. It was always Misura before this. It was always her beloved general before this. This hand... she wasn't used to it.
She didn't want it, either. Her hand pulled back, resting by her collarbone. What was up with this? Why did he--
... He held her gently. She didn't want this.
She.
Didn't.
Want this.
She wanted Antaram back. She wanted to go back to the manor. She wanted her wounds healed. She wanted to be out of the soaking wet clothes that she was in.
She wanted to be with Misura.
The hand that was still around Aura twitched slightly. This was taking way too long. He was spending too much time talking and not enough time on the action of giving back what was rightfully hers.
He pulled her in closer, protecting her from the rain. No, no!
His words... No, no, no! "Shut up." She hissed angrily, pushing herself away from him again.
"Yes... Yes, I can say I am happy. I can say it as many times as you damn please. And you know why?" She looked straight at him with a piercing gaze. "Because I'm with people who I care about, with those who care about me." Her eyes closed and to her mind came images of the heroes. She may not like all of them as friends, but she worked alongside them before. They were the few companions that she ever had. Her eyes snapped back open.
"I'm happy because I'm not alone."
Jyoti, despite her grudges with some and her disinterest in others, wasn't about to turn her back on her companions. With Aura open and away from her, she kept her eyes on Loch, her words harsh and threatening. "Now, I'm not going to ask again. Give back Antaram, or I'm taking it by force!!"¤▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬¤... Detached from its home, destined to wither and die alone in an unknown land.
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Posted: Fri Jun 26, 2009 1:32 pm
"I..."
She pulled away. Her tone was vicious. Loch stood there, the rain pounding down upon both of them, taking in her words.
"I am happy. I can say it as many times as you damn please...I'm happy because I'm not alone."
They stood silent for a moment. Loch watched her warily as her hand wavered over that tome. A hand slipped down to his own pocket, fingering Elwind...
"Give back Antaram, or I'm taking it by force!"
He hesitated for a moment. His intention was never to incite anger within her, though he wasn't done questioning her yet...
"I don't believe you. Perhaps you could explain your motives to me, then? What divine crimes have they done that deserve punishment? Answer me that, and I'll give you your tome back." That feeling of darkness about her was just too much to let go.
This...apparently, was the wrong answer.
A split second passed, and Loch hardly had time to react. The circular wave of light shot directly at him and, in sheer impulse, Loch twirled the Barrier staff in his left hand forward, focusing his will into it. A shimmer appeared in front of him just in time for the explosive Light magic to collide with, fizzling out with a bang as it hit the shield. The other hand, already within his robe fingering the pages, swiftly ripped one of the pages out and flung the hand towards Jyoti. The page dissipated within his hand, and the wind whistled fiercely as its blades struck her.
They, however, did not harm the girl intensely - Loch's intention. The blades seemed to falter as they came within her immediate person, an indication that her resistance to magic was just as good as his, if not better. He wouldn't expect any less of a Holy Valkryie, after all.
This exchange of blows made, Loch stood firmly, Elwind now out of his robe and within his hand. "I do not wish to fight you, Jyoti." His wings twitched anxiously. "I suspect that you're not telling me the full story here. I suspect you're being controlled by some unknown force." He paused.
"I suspect that someone's pulling the strings. I don't know who, but I will set you free."
He took a breath. After this line, it was likely the last calm one he'd be getting for a while.
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Posted: Fri Jun 26, 2009 4:54 pm
A small, delicate flower, fluttering in the breeze...... A petal, claimed by a gentle wind, floats away... ☼ JYOTI ☼
¤▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬¤"Enough talk! I am done listening to your voice!!" Jyoti snarled, not waiting another moment before softly and smoothly muttering the Ancient Tongue on the page of Aura, sending the spell directly at Loch.
She was unfazed, however, when he used Barrier as a shield. A smart move, really. Smirking slightly, the valkyrie simply turned to the next page in the tome, beginning to--
An Elwind was coming right at her, cutting her spell casting short. She raised her arm to shield her eyes from the wind blades, still keeping a hold of Aura in her other. Most of the blades bent and passed by, leaving only small nicks and scratches all over, like tiny paper cuts. One did cut in a bit deeper than expected, however, right by her left cheek. A bit of blood flowed from this wound but it was very much ignorable.
Her eyebrow rose slightly at the words Loch spoke again. What was he talking about? Jyoti Melanthios, being controlled by another? The idea was completely ridiculous. She acted by her heart and mind, not by the words of another.
She shook her head slowly, her eyes barely closed. "... Petty words. Nothing but foolish, petty words. A waste of time and breath, if you ask me." A small, cold laugh escaped her lips, her eyes reopening and narrowing into a thin glare. There wasn't a trace of sweetness or innocence in her now. She was driven solely by her anger and frustration. "You say you don't believe me, that you don't want to fight me. You act as if my answers don't satisfy you. Then what's up with this?" She gestured with her hand to the tome open in his hand then up to her cheek, which was by then bleeding steadily. "You said a few questions, and then I'd get Antaram back. And yet you act this way?" She took a firm step towards him, her voice rising with volume and intensity, hands clenched tightly. "Well, I don't have to deal with it! I don't have to believe you!!" The words to the spell, Aura, rolled off her tongue and wave of light shot straight at Loch, followed close behind by another that actually curved around and aimed for his back.
"And I won't, either. I'll get Antaram back, even if I have to pry it from your cold, lifeless fingers! No mercy!"¤▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬¤... Detached from its home, destined to wither and die alone in an unknown land.
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Posted: Fri Jun 26, 2009 8:22 pm
"I don't have to believe you...I'll get Antaram back, even if I have to pry it from your cold, lifeless fingers! No mercy!"
"Stay calm...it was not my intention to--"
No time to react. Before he knew it, two shots of Aura came hurtling directly at him, blocking off any ground evasion...
This was one of the times he was glad he still had wings.
The massive wings beat heavily as they quickly propelled him into the sky, letting the shots of Aura collide and explode below him. In an instant, he'd stowed the Barrier staff away for his Mend staff - a move he hoped she hadn't noticed. His wings beat against the downpour as he flicked his head, casting his long, drenched hair out of his face. He watched her, motionless in the air.
"Violence is unnecessary here, Madame Jyoti. I am not your enemy. And if you, indeed, are not being controlled, then the answer should roll off of your tongue easily, should it not?"
Without a moment's warning, he twisted his body, diving towards the girl. The crystal of the Mend staff shone as he barely missed her form, and he swept down upon the ground and landed several paces behind her.
"I apologize for harming you. Self-defense." He turned towards her to glance at her face - healed. "My questions are not irrational to one who has nothing to hide, oh great Hero."
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Posted: Sat Jun 27, 2009 11:30 am
A small, delicate flower, fluttering in the breeze...... A petal, claimed by a gentle wind, floats away... ☼ JYOTI ☼
¤▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬¤So, those wings weren't just for show... Jyoti grinned darkly, staring up at Loch. This is better than I thought! She flicked away some of the hair that was sticking to her now-bloody cheek. "I, being--"
The rest of her words were caught in her throat. He was diving at her. She sidestepped, avoiding whatever he was aiming to do.
... He was still successful, though. Her empty hand rose to her face, brushing lightly with the tips of her fingers where the mark from his attack was supposed to be.
Except it wasn't there. It was gone, with only the blood on her cheek serving as a reminder of what was there. The valkyrie turned to Loch, about to speak--
"My questions are not irrational to one who has nothing to hide, oh great Hero."
"... Nothing to hide? Oh dear, oh dear..." She took a single step towards the heron, empty hand circling around lazily in the air. "Everyone has at least something to hide, some dark secret that one would be ashamed to let the world know of... and I am no exception, dear Loch. And I'd be correct when I assume that you aren't, either?"
Another step. Aura was open, already turned to the next page. Her eyes focused down on the tome for a moment before looking back up, straight at the heron. "But your questions? Absolutely ridiculous!" The valkyrie's empty hand rested by her chest, her fingers curled slightly into a loose fist. "I act by my heart and mind, not by the words of another. And yet you have the gall to say that I am being controlled by another?"
A third step. Jyoti muttered the words to Aura, though stopped before the spell was complete. Her expression softened for a moment. "... You said before that you were after the happiness in the world. Then why not let me go back to mine? Give me back Antaram... Let me go back to my happiness."
Her eyes closed for a moment and she sighed quietly. When her eyes reopened, there was a sign of... something in them. Desperation? Sorrow? Desire?
"Let me go back to my love."¤▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬¤... Detached from its home, destined to wither and die alone in an unknown land.
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Posted: Sun Jun 28, 2009 6:08 pm
"I have no secrets, dear one. Being Fallen...one has very little to hide."
...She was right, though. That aura was too unnerving, and he still couldn't shelve the impression that she was being controlled by someone else, but she was right about happiness. And to keep her from being with that Misura girl...the one she fought for, no matter what...that was just wrong.
He stepped to her, meeting her face-to-face. He paused a moment, and then withdrew Antaram, handing the tome to her. "You have not sated my interest, but we have taken this encounter as far as it can go for now. Thank you."
He stepped away. "Farewell, dear Jyoti. This will not be our last encounter - I can sense it. Perhaps our next meeting will be more fruitful."
And with those words, he spread his wings and leapt into the air.
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Posted: Sun Jun 28, 2009 9:55 pm
A small, delicate flower, fluttering in the breeze...... A petal, claimed by a gentle wind, floats away... ☼ JYOTI ☼
¤▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬¤Antaram was back in Jyoti's hands. After so much trouble, Antaram was back in her hands. If Jyoti wasn't so physically and emotionally drained, she would have burst into joyful laughter right then and there. Finally...
Without saying a word of "thanks" or "farewell" to Loch, she walked back over to Victory, storing Aura away in the side pouch on the saddle and pulling herself back up on the horse. She clutched her precious light tome close to herself, as if it would provide warmth and shelter from the rain that was now beating mercilessly on her body once more. She suppressed a shiver as she urged Victory to begin the journey back to the manor.
Jyoti was heading home.¤▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬¤... Detached from its home, destined to wither and die alone in an unknown land.
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