|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Sun Aug 25, 2013 3:25 pm
In all honesty, removing the pain would have been nice. She called herself a fighter, but what had she done really? Stumbled into existence and then grabbed one blessing because she somehow, somehow, had been paired up with someone competent enough to pull them through. Piper wasn't strong, no matter what she acted like on the outside.
She didn't want to leave.
But it was her own voice tugging at her conscience, and if there was one person she always listened to, it was her inner voice--for better or for worse.
Best to leave nothing behind if she wanted to really start feeling confident about herself. What point was there to forgetting pain that made her who she was?
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Aug 25, 2013 3:27 pm
If Maple had the chance to stay in this blissful peace, she might have taken it. Even with the small (in her eyes) amounts of progress that happened while in her short first year at school, the reminders of those many before were painful to witness and have resurface. (At least one of them was gone, for now).
The witch stared at the door before her, an embodiment of herself. She knew that, she could hear it whisper in her voice, asking her of a decision and offering a choice. It was unsettling to hear it and to see herself in such a way, being a door. But the pain she could feel beginning to course through her body was a little more over powering.
"The.. b-burdan I w-wish t-to leave b-behind isn't b-being o-offered," Maple whispered to the door, pressing a hand against its cool surface. Eventually her forehead joined it, resting against the frame as the pain continued to riddle her body. She couldn't leave behind what she would have wanted, so she left nothing. She would have to find some way to fight, to move past the past as she remembered it whole and true. To move on even with all the doubts in her mind. To find some self worth and to rise from her early failures.
Maybe someday... maybe...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Aug 25, 2013 3:30 pm
That voice confirmed that it was indeed Mitsu. He tilted his head slowly at her. So she had left something behind, though asking her what it was would be a futile thing most likely. Those who left things behind forgot what it was, right?
"Are.. you alright?" he asked a little slowly. It was very strange to be seeing her without a head. It didn't seem like she was having any issues at the moment but he couldn't be completely certain.
..She would have a head again later, right? He hoped so.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Aug 25, 2013 3:31 pm
Aldara had found the world of nothingness; a perfect place where all was well. There was no hurt, no heartache. There was no suffering. This was a place where she could stay. This was a place where she could be neither happy nor sad... But content.
Could have, would have, had it not been for the door.
The door. It stood between her and peace. No, it stood solid in the middle of her peace and she wanted nothing to do with it. In truth, she wanted to keep as much distance between herself and the door as possible. She wanted...
"Do you wish to return?"
The voice startled her, returning a bit of the panic that she had known when she had been more. No, that was not something she wished to return to. It was safe here; so quiet, so serene. Why would she...
"Do you wish to return?"
Why was the voice asking her this? Why did it want her to return? Why would it wish to disturb her peace? Why...
No, this wasn't right. It was not the door. It was... It was her. Aldara was the door; the door to what, she did not know, but all she had to do was walk up to it and make her choice.
Choice? Had she not already chosen?
"We can return," she heard herself, the door, say. "We can return, but you can still choose. We can return, but not as the same. We have been given this gift, the gift of leaving our pain behind. What part of our burden should we discard?"
Discard. In this place, she could leave a piece of herself behind. That part of her would no longer hurt. It would continue to feel the peace that was lingering in the empty white surrounding the door. It seemed like such a good idea, to no longer worry about that pain, whichever pain it might be.
Could she do it, though? Could she leave a part of herself behind?
In her soul, whatever part of it that was left, Aldara knew the answer. She had been forged by the pain, the ache and the burn. She could no more discard it than she could her arm or...
Her heart. She could give that up. It had always caused her nothing but pain; the nearly overwhelming care she felt for Aleka, the loss of her father... What if her heart was holding her back? Keeping her from being and embracing all that she could be?
No. No.
Leaving any part of herself behind was out of the question. Aldara stepped forward and pushed open the door. Her body exploded into pain, resisting her attempt to press forward. She grunted, the sound turning into a growl, a snarl... A yell as she continued to push her way through. Aldara embraced the pain of each experience, every memory, every feeling, holding them tightly to her as she finally stepped through the door leaving nothing behind.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Aug 25, 2013 3:35 pm
It was all or nothing. Clara couldn't decide whether she wanted to leave it all behind or not. If she did, she could forget all the suffering. She wouldn't have to regret all the horrible choices she had made. The embarrassing mistakes. The pain.
Yet, if she did forget, she was bound to make the same mistakes all over again. And it would be like nothing ever changed. That would be a waste.
And so, Clara chose to leave nothing behind.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Aug 25, 2013 3:36 pm
A door.
There was a door in front of Kari. It was dark and foerboding, as if pleading not to be opened.
"Do you wish to return?"
She jumped at her own voice projecting out to her. It felt strange hearing her own voice, if felt foreign, but she could still somehow identify it as her own. As she contemplated to logic, the door continued in what seemed like a rehearsed speech.
"We can return... we can return, but you can still choose. We can return, but not as the same. We have been given this gift, the gift of leaving our pain behind. What part of our burden should we discard?"
Pain? Burden? Since when did she...?
Kari hissed as a spike of pain rose up her arm. Why had she only just noticed? She grunted as another wave of pain hit her, bringing her to her knees. A memory drifted through her mind. Amelia... poor Amelia. Kari had betrayed her trust, and couldn't be forgiven. More memories surfaced, bringing tears to her eyes. She'd... tried to kill Kari, but had been killed instead. Why couldn't she have figured out a way to save herself and her friend. Why?!
Kari was now clawing at her arm, the pain combined with the horrid memories sending out waves of pure agony. She wanted it gone, she wanted to forget, she wanted to get away. She didn't want this pain, it was simply too much.
Finally managing to tear her arm off, she let out one final sob:
"Amelia... please, forgive me..."
Leaving her arm behind, Kari dashed through the door, her tear-filled eyes refusing to look back.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Aug 25, 2013 3:41 pm
There were many things that plagued Mort; he knew that now, and the came at him like a wave, bowling him over with bone-breaking pain.
His arms bore him down the most, and he remembered Herryk: large and in charge ol' Herryk, one of his first friends at Amityville. The one he had neglected, along with Freya, and the one who had been driven to such deep pits that their last and final encounter had been a fight to the death that had left neither of them feeling better afterwards. The draugr was undead, but he had been a ghost too, haunting Mort for weeks after the fact. Knowing he was a weapon did not assuage him--it only gnawed at him more.
Perhaps he could be rid of them . . . Losing limbs wasn't hard for someone like him; he'd done it countless times.
But his hand hesitated on its grip, knowing that there were pains worse than that he could choose. Becoming an Initiate had brought him little satisfaction and much conflict. And the decision to give Red his crystal had let Bells drift into such loneliness he could never take away . . . Just like he knew buried behind her smiles was a melancholic fragility.
If he gave up anything more, it would negate everything they had chosen to do. Everything they had done and become and endured.
So Mort chose what he always did and left nothing behind. Better to walk with pain and acknowledge those failures than to choose the coward's route and forget. That wasn't the way of a hero.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Aug 25, 2013 3:47 pm
"I...seem to be?" She thought it over and started to nod and realized she couldn't actually do that. How troublesome.
"Are you?" She reached out toward where she had heard the voice but apparently her hearing wasn't as acute when she was lacking the actual appendages she needed to use. Her hand was only vaguely in the right direction.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Aug 25, 2013 3:53 pm
She didn't seem too certain about that. Shun furrowed his brow as he looked her over. Only the head was missing. When he saw her vaguely reach out for him, he took her hand and squeezed it gently.
"I'm..." he paused. Everything still ached right now. He had chosen to carry everything with him and it was all boring down on him still. Yet, he couldn't say that he regretted this decision, "I'm fine."
He wasn't sure what would come next. Excalibur was fixing the world, or something along those lines. And so the rest of them were stuck in this void of white.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Aug 25, 2013 3:58 pm
Everything was relaxed. The kings voice was familiar, now he sort of knew why. It was from the land of 7 kings, a hand in his as everything blurred.
It was peaceful here.
No pain.
No hurting.
No jealousy or darkness.
He could finally relax and just let things be.
He didn't have to search anymore.
But then there was the door. It unsettled him.
"Do you wish to return?"
Return? He didn't. He turned away from the door, curling into the warmth of himself. He just wanted to drift and let things be. To finally let everything go.
"Do you wish to return?"
Something was odd, the door, it wanted something from him. No, it was a part of him. Something was wrong here. It drew him to it's self and he woke up.
"We can return," the door said, "We can return, but you can still choose. We can return, but not as the same. We have been given this gift, the gift of leaving our pain behind. What part of our burden should we discard? "
He could leave his pain? A flash through his mind. He could leave it all behind, no just her. He would never again have to chase what he couldn't have. He could just be what he was, fire. Uncontrolled by anything or anyone. He could just forget.
And maybe move on.
His heart ached as he stared at the door. He could return, leave it behind. Leave the pain behind.
But a flash of a card sitting on a shelf stopped him. Of messy writing and a name scrawled across the top. She had kept it.
Another moment pasted, fear full eyes backing up. "Forget about me." he had said. She hadn't, but he could just forget. That world before wasn't real. He had no ties to it.
Even if just for a moment holding her hand made him happy. But he wanted more.
His other self had hugged when he had the chance. He didn't want to let go.
But he couldn't hold her. She was too afraid. He chased her but he knew he shouldn't. It would never work out.
He hadn't wanted to show his mother that picture of them at the prom, but some how she had seen it.
"She's undead Andrew. This is not going to work out."
"I know mom." but he wanted to try.
"She will never be able to be a true companion to you. You can be friends but nothing more. I'm worried."
"Let him grow and make his decisions on his own Laura." a look passed between his mothers, one he could not fully read. He had learned long ago that sometimes his mother would simply bend to his mum's wishes. He never fully understood why other than she loved her.
"Mum what should I do?"
"Life is hard, but... you continue to build precious memories. Even if it doesn't work out. Even if it all falls apart. Even if..." her voice cracked and a moment of sadness swept through her eyes, her flames burning low. "Even if your loved one dies in the end. Treasure those memories."
He saw the look his mother made. The disapproval. The silence.
Something had happened but he didn't know what. He had the sense to not ask.
Was it worth holding on to the pain?
This gift... was it really a gift? Maybe for just a little longer he would hold on.
She had kept his card after all. The situation wasn't hopeless.
He could still love her.
Was that what he felt? He had bound his own flame for her... it had to be love.
Even if it didn't work.
Even if his eyes one day matched his mum's.
He stepped through the door pulling all the pain with him.
He would bear it a little longer.
He had grown stronger.
This was the path he would choose for a while more.
And maybe when he reached the other side, he would finally tell her.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Aug 25, 2013 4:04 pm
He was floating in a blinding white abyss. Merope raised a hand and covered his exposed eye, closing the other as he leaned back and soaked in the bliss. It was so quiet here, so peaceful. His inner turmoil stilled, the anxiety and fear that he was too inadequate sinking away until something struck his foot. One by one his fingers spread, letting in the light. The door loomed before him, dark and frightening. The undead boy brought his fingers together, covering his eye as he pushed against the door to drift awa- something struck his horns.He opened his eye and stared at the door that loomed over him. A yelp came from him as he flailed, pushing against the door with his hands and reorienting himself until his was facing it right-side up. "We can return," Merope grew still. "We can return, but you can still choose. We can return, but not as the same. We have been given this gift, the gift of leaving our pain behind. What part of our burden should we discard?" He was talking. It was him; a hand rose to his throat, quelling the "Who said that?" which threatened to bubble out. He had a choice. As soon as the thought occurred to him an intense pain wracked him, forcing him into an involuntary ball shape. It hurt far more than it should, too much, too much. He forced himself up, hands curling as he began to tear away at himself. First one, then the other; despite his familiarity with removing his own limbs the job was rushed, the muscle torn and ripped as he voluntarily mangled himself to make the pain stop. And stop it did as he last bit of himself tore away. Merope's shoulders shook as he flexed his fins, using them and his tail to propel himself forward and away. He didn't need his legs anymore.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Aug 25, 2013 4:06 pm
"Will we be going home soon?" He had taken her hand and she squeezed his fingers lightly in return.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Aug 25, 2013 4:09 pm
Shik was the kind of guy who couldn't stand to look weak. Whole body pain? It sucked, sure, but he wasn't going to simply cut his limbs off just so he'd feel better.
Did he have regrets? Sure, who didn't? But they had molded him into who he was, and frankly he didn't want to know what he'd be like without them: weak and untested, that much he knew.
He gave nothing, then, for Shik was not very generous to his friends, let alone to doors that stole his voice.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Aug 25, 2013 4:12 pm
There was a moment of silence there. Shun didn't quite know the answer to that question.
"I think so," he said quietly, after a time. Things just needed to settle first, or something along those lines, he figured. With Revenge defeated and whatnot... their battle should be done. He hoped this much, at least.
"We just need to wait a little longer.."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Aug 25, 2013 4:14 pm
He floated in the void, the silence around him soothing and wi— Do you wish to return? West jumped a little as he was addressed. Or had that been his own voice? Either way he could feel again, nothing but pain speeding across every fiber of what made him who he was, but feeling nonetheless. Each ache was a memory. It would have been so easy to drop them all, to rid himself of this body that caused him nothing but anguish, but the flickers of thought that punctured his mind now were him. He didn't want to give them up. West opened the door and passed through, leaving nothing behind. It had been quite a while now since he had remembered that pain was good. It reminded you that you were alive. He would not forget again.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
