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 Posted: Thu Mar 08, 2007 8:07 pm
Now, the monotone was... well, a bit familiar. Hw winced a bit inwardly at the thought - did he come across as creepily as this woman did, sometimes ? He'd gotten a bit better at opening up emotionally - a bit, but enough for Zero to really notice, so that was a worth mentioning, right ?
He moved after Riven had, barely resisting the urge to step in front, himself - it was doubtful the older fa'e would let him, and it wasn't really the time to start a small scale war of who-protected-who, even if he didn't like the idea of being seen as needing protection...
"Sei, of Fa'e." He answered in the same way that the older fa'e had, but left it at that - he wasn't exactly wishing to draw the weird lady's ire on him. The only sign of his small annoyance and confusion was in the way the orbs twitched sightly - ready to move off their orbit if needed. He's had a bit of training at keeping his face carefully neutral, after all.
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Posted: Thu Mar 08, 2007 8:23 pm
The woman gave an irritated flick of her wings and smiled creepily at the floating Fa'e, "I am The Medium - I have no name other than my title. I am Death, though I suppose that could be my name. And you, both of you, are now parents."
A long pause as she sat down on her chair and stroked her crystal lovingly, "Riven, you are now the Spirit Keeper for the Iridae of Serenity - or, the Serenity Guardian. Sei, you are the Spirit Keeper for the Guardian of Shadows. Somehow, I think you two got them mixed up - The smaller one seems more serene than the floating purple mass."
Muttering to herself now as she tapped her crystal once more and turned to both boys.
"Either way, the crystals are now feeding from your life forces and have been for some time. They should be ready to crack soon. You should have come here sooner."
While her tone was still the same, hollow tone and her face was expressionless the emotion she was radiating seemed to be annoyance.
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Posted: Thu Mar 08, 2007 8:41 pm
Riven blinked, so taken aback by what the woman had said that he completely missed the 'floating purple mass' comment. "Spiritkeeper..." No, there was a space between the two words as she spoke them, Spirit Keeper... a difference, there. "I am somewhat aligned with spirits," he told her, dryly, and let his spirit sight slip... embarassed that he hadn't thought to look at the crystal in this way before.
Sure enough, there was a palpable aura around the crystal, and to his surprise, a thin thread of it wound up and into his own aura. The thought chilled him, suddenly. "Feeding off of my life force? What... a child... I..." It was too much to take in, all at once.
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Posted: Thu Mar 08, 2007 8:57 pm
Likewise, Sei was pretty shocked, and looked a bit like a deer in the headlights at the moment. He glance went from the necklace around his head, to the woman, and to Riven, the true depth of the situation rising only once the purple fa'e seemed to be taking the matter quite seriously.
It had to be a mistake. It had to be bonded to Zero. Or Wren. Or... someone else, anyone, really ! He was but a child himself, what was he supposed to do with one ?! He couldn't help it - he looked a bit like if he had just been announced his impending doom. The idea that it was leeching from his own energy wasn't all that reassuring, either.
He gave no reason or apology for being so "late" - the woman likely wouldn't care. It was oblivious she wanted them out the door as soon as possible, and as far as he was concerned, he did kind of want to be out the door as soon as possible, so better be direct.
"That life-force thing isn't dangerous, isn't it ?" His voice shook a bit, and he kind of wanted to mentally punt himself from it.
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Posted: Thu Mar 08, 2007 9:07 pm
"No. It is only taking enough to bond and break free and force itself into life," She answered, crossing her arms over her chest. Now came the part she hated - repeating things over and over again.
"My kind - Iridae - are guardians of everything. Insects, love, hate, life, death - that's me if you don't remember - everything. We each make a mistake in our existance and are cast down to redeem ourselves and ascend again to where we were once before.
"However, we can't do this without a Spirit Keeper - one to keep our spirit bonded with theirs and raise us as their own child. Teach us. As THEY fall, their body and heart become the stone and setting or chain. Of course, I was 'lucky' enough for that fate not to befall ME."
Hopefully they wouldn't ask any more questions - though she knew there would be questions. There were ALWAYS questions.
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Posted: Thu Mar 08, 2007 9:18 pm
Riven was about to protest - but then the Medium spoke of the mistake, and something twisted inside. Error, fall, redemption. So, so familiar, so close to home.
He swallowed.
"I... have also been offered a second chance." Riven sighed, and shook his head with a hint of regret. "I can't deny one to this... um... Ir-i-dae..." He sounded out the odd word carefully, then looked down at the crystal in his hand.
A child...
He glanced over at Sei then, worry creasing his face. Surely the child was too young for this. "What do I have to do?"
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Posted: Thu Mar 08, 2007 9:26 pm
The bit about the mistake also stood out to Sei, but perhaps with just a bit less intensity, but for similar reason. Was he not, himself, someone granted a second chance... ? He swallowed the saliva that wall building up in his mouth nervously, still somehow hoping that this was some kind of cosmic mistake and that the creepy lady would realize this soon and take it to it's true "parent" or something like that.
He did not voice this, however, and found Riven's question to be quite appropriate, so he remained silent, almost hoping he could dissapair, yet still moving an hand to the crystal, almost overprotectively. This was just a bit too big for him to handle, especially with the two that could mainly guide him gone, faded from this side of the earth for all he knew. Still, he found himself trying to hide behind Riven, without really noticing.
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Posted: Thu Mar 08, 2007 9:34 pm
"Keep it close, do not take it off. I'm sure you have noticed the pulsating of the crystal - almost like a heart. Once it cracks, be careful with it. It will remain a spirit essence for a maximum of three days before becoming an infant."
A creepy smile touched her face, "And you both have boys. I knew both of them, if just in passing, before I was fell myself."
After all, being death, would she not have associated with Shadow and Serenity? Of course, she wasn't very sociable, ever...
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Posted: Thu Mar 08, 2007 9:38 pm
Riven nodded, and quickly moved to put the crystal pendant around his neck. It hung there awkwardly, it seemed to him, but if it was important - he would do so.
A child. A child. A boy, a son... For a minute there was a smile and a spike of joy, followed shortly by a frown and a plunge into the depths of 'dear god, what the hell'. What will Airyn think? What will GHLYSSA think?!
"Um. Thank you," Riven managed; a fairly good feat considering the whirlwind of thoughts he was currently trapped in.
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Posted: Thu Mar 08, 2007 9:45 pm
He almost wanted to protest again, but remained silent. A boy. As if they weren't enough boys in Zero's house... But how the hell was he gonna explain it to her... How the hell was he even going to be able to explain this to his MOTHER once she came back ? And let's not even think about the notion of explaining the father he had never ever SEEN before that he was technically a grandfather.
Oh, hell.
"I do not mean to be rude, or anything of the short... But are you sure that I am... well... you know." He asked, a bit sheepishly. "...Im just child, myself... How am I supposed to raise one ?" The only way he would have admitted it. He's pretty much fought to be seen as more than a child, and now he was forced to realize that he did NOT have the experience to back this off. "Perhaps he may be linked to my guardian, instead... ?" Ohpleaseletatleastthatbe. He knew how to be a brother at least.
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Posted: Thu Mar 08, 2007 10:00 pm
"No. You found the crystal, the Iridae called to you before it was formed into a crystal - thus you are it's Spirit Keeper. It has already started to bond."
A pause as she looked back and forth, "There is one that is younger than you who is bonded to an Iridae - his name is Third and he is the Spirit Keeper to the Guardian of Memories. Perhaps you should seek him out at some point..."
Another pause.
"I must warn you, both of you, if something happens to these crystals and children I will be forced to tear you apart. It will be my only joy in this job. If anything happens to you, they die. If anything happens to them, you are going to be in more pain than just from me for they will take a giant part of you with them."
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Posted: Thu Mar 08, 2007 10:03 pm
Riven's eyes narrowed. Part of him wanted to give the woman what for, for speaking so cavalierly of his life - she may be whatever she was, but he was the Spiritkeeper and he'd like to see her try....
But the irritated trail of thought derailed at another, more powerful pulse from the crystal, and Riven put his hand up to cup it instinctively. "Your... threats... will not be necesary," Riven informed the Medium.
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Posted: Thu Mar 08, 2007 10:13 pm
"I have no plan of dying anytime soon." Sei announced, silently finding some resolve at least. He might not be the greatest fan of the situation, but... he couldn't run away from this, obliviously. The initial answer and the threats had that fact quite cemented in his mind. He'll ask for help, and he... would protect this little life as much as he could without obliviously giving his own life. It made something inside him flare, as his protective hold at the crystal seemed to only strengthen.
"If he chose me, so be it. He probably has his reasons."
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Posted: Thu Mar 08, 2007 10:15 pm
"Most likely," Medium answered, "Now, are there any other questions or may I go upstairs in peace?"
Oddly enough there didn't seem to be any stairs in the little cottage despite the fact it looked like a two story house from the outside. All that seemed to be there were those two rooms and nothing more.
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Posted: Thu Mar 08, 2007 10:18 pm
Upstairs? "So when it cracks, what do we do with it? Will it form into a child on its own, or...?" Riven was darn well going to get all his answers now - there was no way he was coming back here unless it was a very dire circumstance.
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