{ ATE : On the Path of Resolution : 15 } { ??? : ??? : ??? }
The cloaked being listened with a calm patience as the young man reacted, speaking aloud more in thought than general discussion.
"To call him Ajora now would be... incorrect. Ajora, the half-heart, the replica, no longer exists. He has obtained a full heart of his own, neither wholly light nor darkness, and in doing so has also ejected the bloody angel who so worshiped the darkness," they explained, still keeping pace. "He goes by Adam now. Helped by other entities, he and some other replicas have taken on new, free lives. Though he has not aligned himself with the light, he has firmly placed himself in opposition to the dark's conquest."
They began to approach what looked like a signpost in the path, with various arrow-shaped wooden signs pointing in almost every imaginable direction. And yet, the path itself came to a complete end where the post stood. The signs were written in illegible text, but the symbolism was fairly blatant, if unoriginal:
There were no other beaten paths, but directions for the young man to choose from. Futures the likes of which he would have to discover himself, untouched by anyone else.
"What is it you want out of your new life?" the figure asked, seguing away from other topics. "Power? Freedom? Vengeance? Justice? Friendship? It's true that you may bear the trauma of Mateus' influence, but it is also true you are like new; born again with a heart freshly healed, all paths are open to you. Are there any in particular you seek?"
Posted: Sat Jul 22, 2017 11:16 pm
{ATE: The Broker ~ Case of the Fanatic: 8} {The Shadow Lord : Realm of Darkness : Xarcabard ~Castle Zvahl ~ Castle Halls}
As he listened to the voice speak The Shadow Lord continued to gaze around the hall noting the movement around him as it became ever more apparent. He wanted to see his visitor, and it was clear that the longer this continued, the more likely that was to happen. However, he didn’t want to reveal that he was starting to be able to see the source of the voice just yet. He had to be careful with how he proceeded.
It was clear that the person was intelligent, understood all too well what he was and his words made him feel uncomfortable. Without the dark will urging him in it’s heading, he actually had the opportunity to think and reflect. His position shifted, his right foot moving back and his left foot forward as if he wanted to step back. Though of course, against the wall as he already was, that was impossible. In response to this he slowly began to walk down the hallway. Just like his original, walking around a bit helped him clear his head sometimes.
”After my last battle with my original… I could tell that the enemy was growing stronger. With Ajora’s disappearance what little alliance I had was shattered and I sought greater power to survive. I knew unless I got stronger eventually I would be cut down. I did what my dark heart believed I must to survive… Perhaps that was ultimately what the darkness wanted. In doing so, I found a purpose… Something I didn’t really have before…”
{ ATE : The Broker ~ Case of the Fanatic : 9 } { The Broker : Realm of Darkness : Xarcabard ~ Castle Halls }
There was silence for a time after the Shadow Lord responded. Long enough, perhaps, that he might have wondered if the entity was still there. But he could still feel their presence; the world felt the intruder, felt the offensive aura they exuded, and grew ever closer to truly pin-pointing their location, which continued to follow behind at a safe distance.
"I know what it's like, wanting to survive," the androgynous voice spoke, hollow, somber. "Doing what you think, what you feel is the only option to continue living. Being... desperate."
The air was still, the being contemplating with held breath.
"The Darkness would undo all of creation if that would please it, though. Surely, you must know this," they said, some energy rejoining their voice, some level of determination, urgency. "You must understand. This feeling you have now, now that I've cut you off--you know now that all it ever does, all that time you thought you were made whole--the Darkness was simply hiding the cracks. It longs to keep you complacent, dependent... addicted."
"Would it not be better to truly be whole? To become your own person, no strings attached, becoming free to pursue what you desire?" they asked. They followed somewhat closer now, he could tell, though still out of reach; peculiarly, their voice still seemed to come from all places, all corners and crevices. "To stop thinking in terms of 'original' and 'replica' and start existing in terms of a unique identity? That is what I come to offer you."
Posted: Sun Jul 23, 2017 6:19 pm
{ATE: The Broker ~ Case of the Fanatic: 10} {The Shadow Lord : Realm of Darkness : Xarcabard ~Castle Zvahl ~ Castle Halls}
He continued to walk slowly down the hall, his senses still reaching out, feeling the intruder’s presence even though he had gone silent for a time. If it weren’t for that and the world’s senses he might have thought the being had left. However, he knew that was not the case. The source of the voice was still careful, keeping far enough away to be safe. When he finally did respond the words were somber, understanding. It wasn’t really the response the Shadow Lord had been expecting. He talked a lot though, and clearly knew a great deal. Much like Ajora in that regard and it convinced the Nightmare all the more that he was speaking directly with the man in question. When it finally came time to hear the man’s offer, the Shadow Lord stopped in his tracks.
”So the chance to be whole, to be my own person… That is what you offer. Is that what you did to the other replicas as well? Why? Why care so much about us? If you have so much power that you can do something like that… Why does your conscious lead you to use it to save beings like us?”
{ ATE : The Broker ~ Case of the Fanatic : 11 } { The Broker : Realm of Darkness : Xarcabard ~ Castle Halls }
"Because while the world might see you as broken things, I see you as equals with unbridled potential, just as everyone else," they said, vehement. "I see you not as creation, but as human. As people who were stripped of their freedom, of their ability to decide their own fate. I would shatter such paradigms."
"But more pragmatically, because as you are, you are a threat to me," they continued, a sigh lingering on the air. "I am no prideful fool. You replicas were created as the perfect vessels of dark will. You were born with just the right combination of power and emptiness to become some of their greatest weapons in the struggle against life itself. I care not for the petty philosophies of light or dark, white or black, but I do care that this malevolence would threaten to wipe the slate clean. So the more of its tools I take away, the greater a chance the rest of the cosmos has to live... to survive."
"Everyone wants to survive. You, of all, know this well, no?"
Posted: Sun Jul 23, 2017 9:40 pm
{ ATE : The Broker ~ Case of the Researcher : 8 } { Kai: Realm of Darkness : Cragged Path }
The artist considered this, stepping a few weightless steps to one side, opening her book again. Like her counterpart- she too kept a ledger of events- “ I imagine any attempt at chronicling this encounter will be moot- how far back will you erase my records?“
‘ So an entity that benefited from giving more power to the counter balances of light from the dark? Is the threat to all existence the eldritch darkness they’ve encountered? The description given seems to illustrate this being as some kind of entity of balance- or at the very least, neutral… for if things in any extreme were to fall off kilter- then yes, it would erase their existence wouldn’t it? Though it is hard to be 100% sure this is a paramount being of that aspect coolest…or a servant, or some being that simple exists in the between on its own accord.’
Still, suspicion was written hard into her, it was all she knew. She couldn’t just bite the bite without being informed- and information was what this being was offering. For now... without any other options to consider- it left her with one choice.
“…very well.. I shall hear your case- and I agree to the terms aforementioned. “
{ATE: The Broker ~ Case of the Fanatic: 10} {The Shadow Lord : Realm of Darkness : Xarcabard ~Castle Zvahl ~ Castle Halls}
As he listened to the voice speak, explaining his reasoning he continued to walk. This guy was quite the talker, just like Ajora. He didn’t often have the patience for people who prattled on. However, in this case he listened carefully to what the man had to say. The man considered him a threat, which explained all too well why he was keeping his distance and not revealing himself. He walked into a wide empty room off of the hallway they had been in. A currently inactive circular pad stood in the middle of the floor. The pad was surrounded by four curved black spires. This was one of the rooms that in the game of the castle’s origins the teleporters would drop someone who was traversing it in. They would then need to proceed to the next one… at least if the replica’s memory served him correctly.
He yet again took a casual, though defensive position, back against the wall as he considered The Broker’s words. He scanned around once again as if pensive, though truly it was still to feign he could not see his visitor. At this point, he was still invisible, though he could sense him well enough to know his whereabouts and general body size and shape. He was a bit shorter than the Shadow Lord and while he wasn’t quite as broad or lean as the Nightmare either, that meant little in regards to power and strength.
”I know that all too well and am still not convinced that even taking your offer would guarantee that survival… The darkness would surely not let me live after all of the power that I have taken. Nor do I believe the bearers of light would leave me be either after what I have done… However, what you offer does intrigue me and I can see why many of the others agreed to it as well. What does your offer entail?
Posted: Sun Jul 23, 2017 10:38 pm
{ ATE : The Broker ~ Case of the Fanatic : 13 } { The Broker : Realm of Darkness : Xarcabard ~ Castle Halls }
"A life and identity of your own, whole and complete. Protections to keep it that way. And power to oppose any that somehow managed to pierce those protections," they explained, their words seeming to be even more resonant now that they were in this grand hall. In fact, the Shadow Lord could see that the entity, whatever form they may be (all he could perceive was some humanoid silhouette through the world senses), had walked and stood directly in front of him, some distance out still. It was not a hostile stance, but it was direct, forward, unyielding--as if their very presence might hold him against the wall against which he now leaned. "If you doubt the veracity of such protections, however, you need only look back: if the Darkness could find me or those like me, why did they not simply hunt us down? Why did they need to warn you, rather than simply eliminate me?"
"To go into more detail, I would need some assurance that, should you decline, such information was not passed on," they said, and though he could not see the entity, he could feel their gaze now boring into him. "Such assurance that I would only obtain through the permission to wipe your memories of our conversation."
{ ATE : The Broker ~ Case of the Researcher : 9 } { The Broker : Realm of Darkness : Cragged Path }
"Only as far as I appeared, and even then not all of it," they explained, shrugging. "Only the important bits, most of which I'm about to go over."
They inhaled somewhat, preparing to speak for some time. There was a brief pause, a contemplation, and then finally a sigh.
"There's no real way around the long-winded parts. Anyway," they began, lifting up one arm propped on the other (which was held across their chest), and extended one finger to count, "First, the offer. It starts with a new heart, composed of all the memories you've accumulated since your creation, but covering the full spectrum of emotion and hue; times when you might have experienced some positive emotion, which was otherwise washed away by your dark nature, would be recolored and properly remembered, and so on. The memories of Kyla's life, before your creation, would be stripped from your chain and left in your mind as knowledge, like information you'd read in a book or watched in a decades-long movie--you'd know all the things she knew, but have no personal attachment, like it was all experienced tangentially."
"With this new, whole heart comes the perks of a possible re-draw of your magical spirit and powers; they match the heart, and since your heart will have changed, they will adapt as necessary to be a more perfect fit," they continued, listing off the second finger. They then lifted the third. "With that, you'll receive a potion that bestows various benefits. Immunity to most cross-world battle-hexes. An innate protective magic that shields you from being magically identified, should you conceal your form," they lifted a fourth finger, then moved on to the fifth while saying, "The ability to travel vast distances without the use of the dark corridors, and finally, the ability to control Heartless, Nobodies, and Unversed without negative effects on your new heart."
They inhaled. Then, suddenly, a sixth and seventh finger appeared to stretch out from their hand. "Further, you will receive two pieces of uniquely aspected magicite. The first is crystallized dark power, to give you a great increase in potential. The second is crystallized light magic, to shield your heart from negative influence and detection," they continued. "In unison, they will balance each other out, keeping their effects upon your heart negligible."
And then--an eighth? "Finally, a uniquely-crafted dress sphere, infused with the dark-shrouded fabric to shield your presence from the shadows, leaving you untouched and unseen," the explained. "Basically, I've combined the powers of the dress spheres with the qualities of these fancy cloaks the Nobodies used to wear."
"That does, however, lead us to the cost," they said, switching hands and leaning on their other leg. They extended the first finger. "Obviously, before we can even get started, you'd have to rip the dark seed out of your heart. It is a direct connection to the Will, a conduit to its power and its control. While it remains, no matter what gifts of strength it gives you, you will never be anything more than a puppet, eyes and ears for it to gather information, a lust for power that it can tempt, and vast magical potential for it to use as a weapon once it grows in strength."
They lifted a second finger. "And then, an agreement. With these gifts, you must agree to never return to their embrace. Whether it's the Will itself, or Xehanort, or any of their cronies--or even if you just decide to help them out on your own--if you intentionally aid their cause, all of the gifts of the potion will be revoked, and you will be hunted down. Whatever else you do is your choice; the world is your oyster, as it were, and all you have to do is promise not to help destroy everything. Heck, if you wanna go around and commit all sorts of crimes, whatever. I'm not the Light. But no Black Will."
"And finally," they began, sighing as they lifted fingers three, four, and five, "the more controversial ones: three magicks of nigh-limitless power... that you would never have obtained in the first place, and never will. Specifically, three wishes from a single genie. You would forfeit these wishes to me, that I might be able to even wish your heart into existence, and continue to use such power to aid in preserving the world."
"It is both expensive worthless; steep, yet laughable. Phenomenal cosmic power that you would never have had to begin with," they explained, now folding their arms across their chest again. "Yet I can imagine it's the hitch to the deal."
They stood in heavy silence for a moment, allowing their words to sink in. "And so my hand is laid bare."
Posted: Mon Jul 24, 2017 12:35 am
{ ATE : The Broker ~ Case of the Researcher : 10} { Kai : Realm of Darkness : Cragged Path }
The width of her eyes noticeably widened when the contents of the deal were laid bare. A new heart, functioning and whole- as far as it seemed. She would be rid of the tethered feelings from her memories- “her” memories. Her original. Instead if would be collected like data for her to access, but the emotional weight of it would be removed. This was no big thing to do. Also there was the price…
Wishes? So her reconstruction would be obtained through the magical meddling of a genie? Not the big blue one right? Was there another? Jafar? Hmmm no, not likely. There was another wasn’t there? Damn if only Kyla HAD paid more attention to that other side story. And then there was the Will.
It gave the replica no comfort to know she was a feeler for this Will. She didn’t ask to be its minion, darkness, pain, anguish, these were the things she knew, it was her makeup- a template of the negativity that existed inside that girl walking around with the same face. And yet..
“… so I would relinquish my wishes to you in exchange that at least 1 is made on my behalf to instigate this transformation? Whilst I immediately see no love to return to the Will’s side-as it’s done such a bang up job being the bastion of bliss that it is for me…” sarcasm sounded so wrong coming from her,
“…you’re saying as punishment- that you could easily dissolve this set up if I were to cross you? Do you possess such easy access to the deconstruction of all hearts in this manner? What about the originals? Or the heroes chosen by the light?” She asked because if the answer was no- it might hint that the so call- validity- of her new hearts creation may not be as permanent as originally believed. Or- it’s creation was tempered with conditions that could unravel it unusually in comparison to everyone else’s. What would be the difference between her heart- and those of naturally born sentient beings in this universe?
“Also- while meddling with the forces of darkness is prohibited- is aiding the side of the light also out of bounds?” Kai wasn’t entirely sure herself why she asked that. “- and finally... “ she notably seemed to be contemplating her words very carefully- eyes actually going down cast for a moment, turning to look away. “-you say my heart would be...completely different? You’d detach my tethered memories from emotional responses. I must know- do you have understanding of the nature of the soul?”
{ ATE : The Broker ~ Case of the Researcher : 11 } { The Broker : Realm of Darkness : Cragged Path }
"I'm afraid not as much as I'd like," they responded, shrugging. "The metaphysics of the cosmos are strange. The body interacts with the world to create memories; memories are forged together to make the heart, which creates the identity, the persona. The soul... if Nobodies are any indication, the soul is merely the will to live."
"What that might entail is beyond me at this moment," they continued, "Still, suffice to say that your soul, whatever it is, should be untouched in this process, or at least unaffected. And regarding that process--yes, you relinquish the three that I will grant the one."
"The punishment, though, I believe you misunderstood," they said, tilting their head somewhat to the side. "I only said the abilities granted by the potion would be undone--the immunities, the teleportation, the minion control, the identity-masking. Once your heart is made, it's made; I cannot wish to undo a heart, as that would be murder, which genies cannot do, and I cannot wish the process undone because your heart will have developed too much by then. It is only possible because you have a half-heart."
"Regarding the prohibition... the only condition is that you do not help the forces of the Will. Helping the light, helping no one, none of that is forbidden. The only cause to which I'm opposed is the end of creation as we know it," they explained. "If you think to do so on your own terms, you must understand that that is still technically aiding the Will's cause, and thus still counts."
"That said... I hope this has alleviated some of your concerns."
Posted: Mon Jul 24, 2017 11:29 pm
{ATE: The Broker ~ Case of the Fanatic: 14} {The Shadow Lord : Realm of Darkness : Xarcabard ~Castle Zvahl ~ Large Room}
The Shadow Lord remained silent as The Broker explained the offer. The humanoid form was now stood directly in front of him, though still far enough away. A very direct and unyielding stance, which he still made sure not to stare directly at for too long. The Nightmare did not want the visitor to know that he could now pinpoint it’s location. Their invisibility meant little to nothing now.
When it came to the assurances in that they would wipe his memory if he were to refuse, he did not like that prospect at all. He didn’t know what the conditions were. However, based upon what Xehanort had told him it would obviously entail severing his connection to the Greater Darkness and with it the purpose that he had obtained. That wasn’t worth it to him.
”Your offer is enticing, and you are powerful to be sure. However, you are not a god. You may be able to give me strength, but it is definitely finite. The Darkness can give me much more in regards to power than you can offer me. I refuse to go back to a life where I must search for a purpose. Whoever, or whatever you are, Ajora or not, it matters little. You are too late… I will not turn back.”
{ ATE : The Broker ~ Case of the Fanatic : 15 } { The Broker : Realm of Darkness : Xarcabard ~ Castle Zvahl ~ Large Room }
A deep, morose sigh filled the air. Kuro would have perceived the entity taking a lower, sideways inside right stance as they lifted their arms, followed by a sudden rush of energy unseen as a lengthy, narrow greatsword appeared in their hands.
"I had feared as much. The world could have benefited from you. And yet--"
In the same breath, at the very instant before they had continued to speak, they seamlessly rushed forward to thrust the blade toward the Shadow Lord's chest, as though to interrupt themselves to throw off the other person's guard.
1 Basic attack.
([D20] + 6) - PAC.
Light-elemental; if above results in a positive number, double it due to weakness.
Posted: Wed Jul 26, 2017 12:13 pm
{ATE .:. From Frost to Flame .:. Final} {Bobbi .:. Station of Awakening}
"Uuuuuuuugh!" Bobbi exclaimed, flopping backwards to land, spread-eagled, on her Station platform.
~"Not that I'm particularly arguing,"~ Shiva said from somewhere not flopped on stained glass, ~"But what brought that on?"~
"That was an ugh of frustration," Bobbi explained patiently to her summon. "I feel… I dunno. Stuck. Like everyone else is just outstripping me in this training and the most I've been able to do is drop like a thousand pounds of fat." She sneered the last word.
~"And?"~ Shiva prompted. Bobbi groaned again. ~"Come, child, you know exactly why you're here. Much as I would like to simply sit here and spend time with you, you and I both know that's not how this works."~
"I can dream, dammit!" Bobbi groaned, then sat up, staring at Shiva, who was hovering a couple of feet in the air, posed for all the world as if she were sitting on the edge of a table or something. "But yeah, you're right. That's the entire point of these meditation exercises, to find what's out of balance and, well, balance it. Right?"
~"Exactly. And because you're here, you've found an imbalance, yes?"~
"I… think so? Maybe?" Bobbi closed her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest—and was a little distracted by the feeling of the hardening muscles in her biceps that had been developing over the past weeks of training. Or, days? Hours? What the ******** even is time, anyway?
Yep, she was most definitely getting distracted.
"I just… The more I think about it, the harder I try, the more I feel like ice just isn't my thing, you know?"
Shiva's smile was warm, and gentle, and… surprising. Bobbi hadn't expected much of anything from her normally cool and collected summon.
~"I know. I've suspected for some time. As have you. Now, why is it that you feel this?"~
"I mean aside from the fact that I freaking hate the cold?" Bobbi retorted, tone sardonic and a little twist to her lips as if she was trying not to smirk. "I can't really… put it into words. It's more of a feeling."
~"You have always been passionate,"~ Shiva acknowledged, nodding. ~"This is not a bad thing, Bobbi."~ Bobbi found herself chuckling, but she decided not to hold it in, and leaned back on her hands, one leg stretching out in front of her.
"If I had a nickel for every time you've called me by my name, I could play a total of one round of tiddlywinks," she said, having no idea at all how to play tiddlywinks. Shiva laughed, a low, gentle chuckle. But she didn't say anything, and Bobbi had a feeling the Esper was waiting for her to continue. "But yeah. Ice just… it isn't me, you know? Maybe a long time ago, but not anymore. I was never the cool and collected one. That's how people saw me, I guess, because I never really acted on my emotions. I always kept them hidden, tucked away. Only the people I trusted the most were allowed to see them."
~"Because you never wanted to hurt others with your emotions,"~ Shiva concluded, voicing Bobbi's thoughts out loud. She'd been getting better at that, lately. ~"And you never wanted yourself to be hurt. So you walled yourself off in the seeming of ice to protect everyone. Silly child. Did you learn nothing from Herald Vanyel?"~
"Hey, to be fair, those were books set in an entirely different universe," Bobbi protested, pointing an accusatory finger at Shiva, who ignored it. "I'm no Herald Mage, let alone the last of them. I'm also not an angsty teenager so deep in the closet he doesn't even know the closet is a thing, and I'm certainly not destined to die in a horrific explosion of magic and then haunt a forest for hundreds of years." Bobbi paused at that last bit, then asked, hesitantly, "Am I? The dying thing, I mean."
~"You are mortal and will die some day, yes,"~ Shiva said in a gentle, sombre tone. ~"But it's not likely to be in that manner. As you said, you're no Herald Mage."~
"Nope, I'm a magical archer with ice powers," Bobbi retorted with a grin, miming shooting one of her arrows. "Fear meh!" She shared another chuckle with Shiva, but grew serious and introspective once more, drawing her knees up to her chest and wrapping her arms around them. "Which, you know, both of those are weird. I always imagined myself as a sword and shield person. Not that I'm protesting, I love my bow, and I've always loved archery. I'm just really, really bad at it. Or I was."
~"And you grow better with it every day,"~ Shiva agreed. ~"It's your magic where you struggle. Why?"~ Bobbi was silent for a moment as she thought about that question. She knew the answer, it was voicing it, putting words to the emotion that she struggled with. Something she would always struggle with, she thought. But she had to acknowledge this as more than just the nebulous "eeeeeeeh" feeling she'd been having since… Since Louis had tried to destroy her heart, actually.
"Because it's not me," she said. "I feel like, for my ice to even work I have to keep a cool head. I can't let my emotions get in the way or the spell just… melts. Unravels. Goes poof. Whatever the right metaphor is. And I just… I can't do that. I'm an emotional person. I'm an empath for crap's sake! I emotion better than I breathe, sometimes. If I could just… channel my emotions into my magic, I could do so much, but they seem incompatible."
~"They're not, I assure you,"~ Shiva promised. ~"But the nature of your magic will change once you fuel it with your emotions."~
"That makes sense," Bobbi agreed, mumbling into the arms crossed over her knees. "But… What about you? Doesn't the fact that you took the form of the freaking Ice Queen mean that my element is supposed to be ice?"
~"I took the form of a summon that most closely matched what you felt was in your heart at the time,"~ Shiva corrected. ~"When we first met, when I first became a part of you, your heart was filled with ice. Whether that was by your own design or not, only you can say. But you have changed since arriving in this world, Bobbi. You've been through trial and hardship that you could not have even fathomed before. And this has allowed you to see yourself for who you truly are. Who you were meant to be."~
"Please don't tell me you're building up to a breaking the ice joke, because I will have to hit you if you are," Bobbi teased, but this time Shiva didn't laugh.
~"I am not,"~ she said with all sincerity. ~"I'm trying to give you clues, directions to where you already know you have to go."~
"I repeat what I said when I got here: 'uuuuuuuugh.'"
~"You can continue to deny yourself and never progress past where you are now,"~ Shiva pointed out with cold, remorseless logic. That sounded much more like the Shiva that Bobbi had known for the past… time ******** measurement. ~"Or you can confront it, accept the changes that you will have to make, and grow into the person you know you want to be."~
"You know I don't like confrontations," Bobbi grumbled, but the look on Shiva's face indicated she was losing patience. "Alright, alright. So. I'm a passionate, emotional person. By denying my emotions and leaving them out of my magic, my magic isn't as strong as it should be. But if I put emotion into my magic as it is, the magic dies." With a huff, Bobbi surged to her feet and began pacing, taking slow, measured steps around the circumference of her Station.
~"So?"~
"So something has to change. I have to start accepting myself for who I am, all of me, faults and flaws and emotions and everything. Which I think I can do. I just have to stop…" She paused in her pacing, looking up and staring out into the blackness beyond the station as realization hit with the approximate weight of a bowling ball at high velocity. "Holding myself back. Holy s**t."
~"And why is that?"~ Shiva asked, a knowing tone to her voice. Bobbi wasn't facing her summon and thus couldn't see her, but she could almost hear the smile in Shiva's voice.
"Because if I hold myself back, I sabotage myself," Bobbi continued, resuming her pacing more energetically than before. Her heart was racing; things were starting to click. "And if I sabotage myself, if I don't let myself be the best that I can, if I don't give this everything I've got, then…" Once again, her pacing slowed to a halt. "Then I can't help anyone. I'll die. Sure I can sit this fight out, but… That's not an option. Not for me. I have to do this. I have to see this through to the end."
~"To protect everything that matters,"~ Shiva said, egging Bobbi further on down her line of thought.
"Like my family," Bobbi agreed. "And my friends. And, just, ******** everyone." She turned, then, facing her summon again, a triumphant smile breaking out on her face that she couldn't hide even if she'd wanted to. Finally, finally things were starting to make sense! This was the answer that matched with what was in her heart, she knew it. "That's it!"
And her summon smiled back, eyes spheres of pure white.
"So it is," they said—for now it was a they, a twinned voice of Shiva and something else. "Self-understanding is such a vital part of personal strength, is it not?"
"If nothing else, it's a start," Bobbi said, though she was a little weirded out by the odd shift in Shiva's tone and eyes. But, she had a feeling this change was relevant. It had a feeling of something almost providential."You have to know who you are to... well, to be who you want to be. You need a good foundation to make a sturdy house, right? It's the same for people."
"Indeed. And you have found the next step toward such a goal," they said, smiling gently. Was Shiva's skin hue... somewhat darker? Not dark, per se, but... Maybe it was just the contrast between that and her radiant gaze. "So now the question: if this new aspect of yourself does not resonate with the essence of frost and ice, and if greater strength must come from internal resonance... does it not follow that something must change?"
"Of course," Bobbi agreed with a vehement nod. "You can't grow without change; it's the essence of life. If I don't change, I might as well be dead. If I don't change, I'll never become the person I want to be. The person I'm supposed to be."
The entity gave a warm chuckle. "My dear, you've just established that you've already changed; it seems unwise to change in reverse," they said, and Shiva finally unfolded her legs, 'descending' from her apparent invisible perch, walking toward the young woman. The typical chill that might have accompanied such proximity was peculiarly absent. "You've grown. You've become so much more comfortable with your emotions, with the ardent feelings that drive you. The walls of your hesitance... have melted. Were you not saying only a moment ago that you no longer feel compatible with what you associate as the aspects of ice?"
"Yep," Bobbi admitted, seeing no need to hide it. Not from Shiva, and certainly not from herself. Besides, she'd been rather vocal about it, so why lie? That would be the definition of pointless. Positively blunt, even. "So, I need to figure out what I'm truly compatible with." She crossed her arms over her stomach and leaned all of her weight onto one hip, frowning as she thought.
"Every time I've let my emotions through, it's been... warm," she said after a moment, pressing one hand to her heart. "And you said before, I've always been passionate. The emotions I feel, that passion and yeah, even the anger, those are all a part of me and I'd be stupid to try to keep holding them back. But I've never associated those emotions with ice. It's always been... fire..." A quiet, self-deprecating chuckle. "And that, children, is what we call irony."
"Actually," they said, lifting a hand to gently caress the young woman's cheek, the Esper's form strangely warm, "I believe we can call this new understanding rebirth."
Shiva's eyes were suddenly blinding in their radiance, and in the same moment, the shell of her body seemed to crack, shatter, and erupt outward into an all-consuming conflagration. Flames washed over every inch of Bobbi's Station, surrounding her, enveloping her flesh and soul in what she might only be able to describe as infinite compassion, a warmth that surpassed the stars yet left her unscarred, no, whole. The inferno spun and turned and twisted, yet all the while in the center remained those piercing eyes, never glancing away.
Some seconds later, the rampant fire began to spin inward, compressing, twisting into the barest of human silhouettes—only to then erupt once more from the form's sides, rising upward and outward in crescents like grand, reaching wings, spreading and then descending to wrap around Bobbi in a warmhearted embrace...
... and then the flames were gone.
Left in its place was... still Shiva, who remained holding on to Bobbi. Her appearance had changed, a different skin tone, different decorations and coverings, blazing strands of flame rather than thin layers of frost. After a silent moment, the entity let go, standing back, their eyes still radiant.
"She is so happy for you, you know," they said, the two-toned voice of Shiva and something else still resonating from one form. "You're growing into everything she'd ever hoped."
The smile on Bobbi's face could have put the sun to shame, filled with joy as it was. Unfettered tears spilled down her cheeks, and she laughed. She didn't bother to wipe away the tears, not until they started to tickle under her chin.
"And more than I'd ever dreamed," she said.
"Indeed. But she is not the only metamorphosis," the dual-voice said, taking Bobbi's hand and turning sideways to reveal something else that had appeared in the cleansing fires:
A familiar pedestal.
Held aloft in the air above was her bow, Taulmaril, altered just so; once a longbow, it was now a recurve, and pieces of it seemed to gleam just so in the light. Floating beside it was a simple quiver that had small jewel encrustations, faint lights dancing among the different gemstones.
Your will, given form, will grant you strength... can you wield it?
Lines she knew all too well. Yet with her approach, the script shifted.
The power of the crystallist. Tenacious spirit. A bow to defend or destroy.
Can you bear this burden?
Of course. That was why she was here. That was why she was training and would go out to fight when she was done. She had people to protect. Not just her family, not just her friends, but every living being in all of the worlds. That meant getting her hands dirty, that meant pushing herself far, far harder than she ever had before. She would fight for her life and the lives of others, no matter what that meant.
With firm resolve, Bobbi reached out to grab the bow and quiver. The grip settled comfortably into her hand, moulding to it in a way no earthly weapon ever could. It was a solid reminder of everything she had been through, everything she had lost and was fighting to regain, and everything she could ever hope to shape the future into.
Can she bear this burden?
Gladly.
"To no one's surprise," the two said from behind, slowly walking forward. They smiled, the light of Shiva's eyes glimmering. Bobbi began to feel herself slowly rising, a lightheadedness coming over her. "Now, move onward, forward. You have still more to tread on this path of yours."
Jeimuzu Kuro rolled 1 20-sided dice:
15Total: 15 (1-20)
Jeimuzu Kuro Crew
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Posted: Thu Jul 27, 2017 12:40 am
{ATE: The Broker ~ Case of the Fanatic: 16} {The Shadow Lord : Realm of Darkness : Xarcabard ~Castle Zvahl ~ Large Room}
After he had refused, The Shadow Lord’s eyes did not move, staring directly in front of him at The Broker. As such, he could see clearly as the being took a preparatory stance and knew what was about to come. He mentally prepared for it. Their words were meant to distract him as they struck, possibly with the intent of finishing off the Man turning Demon in one strike…
As The Broker lunged The Shadow Lord attempted to side-step out of the way. However, he wasn’t quite fast enough. The blow, aimed at his chest scraped the side of the Nightmare’s plate armor before glancing off. The Shadow Lord smirked as in a rush of dark energy a large, sinister blade appeared in his hands and he attempted an upward slash to strike while the entity’s guard was over-extended from their strike.
