The labyrinth was absolutely strangled in refuse, and he had this burning feeling that he needed to pull something specific out of here. It didn't take too long for him to get absolutely lost, and within a few more minutes, panic began to set in despite his best attempts at keeping rational thoughts at the forefront of his mind. There was only so much he could do before everything became too much to bear, and soon enough, he was raking his claws through the walls, trying to figure out just what it was that he needed to find. He stuck his hand into a hole he'd made for the brief moment it existed, and it took even less time for him to recoil.
Fire. There was something far too warm in there, and he could feel it even through his gauntlets.
Fire.
As the very thing he feared the most began to flow out of the hole he'd made, Elium backed away, mind trapped in a blank state of absolute shock and building panic as the flames grew ever larger. He jerked to one side, slowly gathering the courage to bolt--
Like being splashed with a bucket of cold water, it hit him, and that was all it took for Elium to bolt away.
“Mother, come back!”
“I wanted to come too!”
“Don’t leave me alone.”
“Why?”
Was that a child? It had to be. Where were they--? He tried in vain to follow after the voice, hoping beyond all hope that maybe, just maybe, its owner would be able to help him get out. The more collected part of his mind reasoned that finding the youngling would be ideal on the principles of saving them--but instincts held sway for the moment, and Elium ran on.
Right into a dead end.
He didn't stop for a moment, desperately slashing at the walls in an attempt to dig his way out. The smoke was building, pressing in on him like an all-consuming blanket, and he glanced over his shoulder, eyes wide in absolute fear as the black cloud increased in size, smothering him slowly despite the fact that he wasn't breathing.
It didn't take much longer for him to realize that there was no way out.
He could feel it, so close that it threatened to consume him. It bore down on him like a searing brand, something that threatened to mark him permanently, but still burned if he got too close. There was no way to escape it.
What if he'd stayed to complete his initiation and become a member of the cult? He'd still be a part of his wing, not a Rotted. Not an outcast, a betrayer.
What if?
"You can't undo the past."
If only.
The Goddess's appearance didn't startle Elium as he thought it would. He only stared blankly, watching in horrified silence as the flames devoured the walls--and revealed an exit.
He scrambled to his feet, running away without looking back.
[not actually logging that achieve skjfd]
OOC
Name of character: Elium.Character appearance: Very tall and thin, Elium wears a plain black coat, elbow-length white ceramic gauntlets tipped with claws that have black feathers at the elbow, and sports a red cloth attached to his belt buckle that bears no ornamentation. His mask is white and beaked, with red lenses, and he also wears an equally plain black hat with a feather tucked into the band.
Link to Heart Log: [ x ]
Current HP: 60/60.
Current weapon equipped: Limitless.
