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 Posted: Wed May 10, 2006 8:13 am
The loss of a life: blind accusations
Key
Matisha: Purple
Naeva: Grey
Towns People: Orange, olive and brown
The short days had finally started to draw back its dark shadow and the light once again lasted longer than 4pm. Although still bitterly cold Matisha could already feel her spirits returning, her favourite colour may be black, but she was herself was a very light and happy person, adorning a more pleasant attitude in the summer months which she enjoyed immensely.
Today she felt like a spell or two.
Not that this was different from any other time, but today she felt like she had the energy to do a big spell. After the meeting with the deities Matisha had felt the strain of the ritual take it toll and for the past two months she had not had the strength to left a finger never mind call upon the spirits.
But today was different, she felt like she could cast a handful of spells, and potions or maybe even a small ritual. Although she had nothing to ask about, her energy or rather the energy levels that fuel her magic abilities were back to top form and Matisha needed (or felt like she needed) to try them out.
Matisha found to have herself some time, usually taken up by Naeva’s grumpy attitude or another call from her editor (who could be just as grumpy), Matisha decided to take what ever spell she would do out in the barely formed spring weather.
Gathering her tools up in her ritual room, she studied the walls that surrounded her. She loved this room, it was full of all sorts of curiosities, beautiful charms and enchanting bottles of all shapes and sizes reflecting the magic it held inside. The dusty books covered the shelves from tip to tip, each one holding the thoughts, advice and wisdom of all that had came before her. Her Auntie had passed this house down, and with it the room and its secrets. Maybe one day she would pass it on Naeva, a thought that she had never had the time to complete, she never thought of herself as a childbearing woman.
Her thoughts where quickly dashed as raising screams penetrated the walls as the familiar sound of Naeva waking up knocked upon her attention.
"Coming sweetie" Matisha giggled as she walked into her room, tools and candles hanging dangerously from an arm as another grabbed the edge of the cot to peer over.
"Good morning and how are we?" Matisha said with a grin, the feeling was hardly returned by the sleepy Naeva who glared back up at her, her moods bouncing of the wallpaper.
"Bowta, Bowta! Nooow!" Naeva shouted as she pulled herself up onto the bars, grimacing at the words that tried to form around her lips. She shuddered with her terrible punctuation, it was awful being able to talk to ones self perfectly yet when trying to express to others it came out as little more than baby talk, no pun intended.
"Bottle? Is that what you want? Say it with me, BOT-TAL, can you say that?"
A stony look gave Matisha her answer as the sneer let way for the young legend to mutter "Bowta" once more with another word that strangely sounded like "Idiot".
"Ok, ok, you win, we shall practice our words later, I can see your hungry." Leaning over Matisha managed to hook Naeva under her spare arm as she juggled with the child and the many objects she held with her other limb.
“Guess what am going to do today honey?” Matisha muttered as she carefully started to walk down the stairs, gingerly clutching the tools of her trade while trying to contain a struggling Naeva. Knowing no reply would come from the young legend, Matisha nodded to the silent answer as she reached the back door to her crumbling mansion.
“That’s right am going to do some magic! How much fun will that be?” Matisha said matter of fatly to the bouncing items in her arms, almost squeezing them with anticipation of what was to happen. “Loads of fun I assure you and you my grumpy gus will be helping out.” Matisha stated, unfortunately falling on deaf ears as Naeva’s gummy teeth rested on a stray finger as she tried to bite her way free.
“Ha-ha that’s going to be no use sweetie.” Matisha winced as a baby tooth caught her skin “Theo is out getting herself a new oil change and since Amanda has been missing in action for the past few weeks it really is just going to be me and you for the day!”
Naeva’s bottom lip started to wobbly as the dawning thought of spending the whole day with the blundering buffoon that was Matisha caved in on her.
She had no time to be doing such preposterous things, important matters needed to be attend too! Number one being a cure for this horrible curse that had been placed upon her, if only she could work out who had cast such an evil spell she could cure herself and finally be able to get her life back on track. Yet everyday there seemed to be more and more set backs to this plan, the most outstanding one being the fact that she could hardly lift her own body weight for more than five minutes without the incredible need to chase after all the shiny and edible items in her new home.
An angry huff bounced off Matisha shoulder as the witch gave a comforting smile to the upset toddler. “Come on sweetie, its not all bad is it? Am sure there are worse things in life than spending one afternoon with me. Theodora will return as soon as possible am sure and you have you’re afternoon nap to look forward too, that’s a whole thirty minutes without me! Gosh, exciting isn’t it?” Matisha laughed sarcastically at the pouting face Naeva returned to her for an answer, the sunlight catching her of guards as it hit her eyes.
Although the winter had only just gone the day was unusually warm for the first steps into spring; the birds were already singing their song as Matisha took herself and Naeva out into the dew covered garden. The sunlight did wonders for the soul as Naeva was to discover as she closed both eyes to breath in the smell of fresh cut grass and newly sprung daffodils.
“See I knew this would be a good idea” Matisha muttered as she peered down at the smiling Naeva who quietly ignored the witch to concentrate on soaking in the sun.
A rug had already been thrown out upon the grass; pillows of all shapes and colours covered most of the area creating a small fort which Naeva was soon placed in the middle of as she watched Matisha set up. A small decorative table stood to one side which Matisha took time in displaying the tools she had brought from the house. Once the tools had been corrected and incense lit Matisha grabbed a small bag from the rug side and pulled out a bottle of cranberry juice. Passing it over to Naeva, Matisha laughed as the baby snatched the item away and began to quickly swallow the contents.
Sitting herself down Matisha took hold of Naeva and placed her near by as she pulled more items from the bag. “What’s it going to be today Naeva? What looks like vomit chewed up or what looks like the cause of the vomiting?” The unusually question would have startled anyone else but Naeva was use to this daily ritual of choosing which baby food was to be eaten. Matisha detested the stuff, opting to make Naeva eat porridge day in and day out if she had her way, but she was sure the professional knew what they were doing and was forced to buy the foul smelling meals.
Pointing a chubby finger at the latter Naeva opened the container up and pulled out a brightly coloured purple spoon. Waiting for her adopted daughter to finish the drink which she had handled by herself the Witch passed down the container and spoon to the hungry legend.
Naeva although young had caught onto the idea of feeding one’s self fairly fast and wouldn’t stand for being spoon fed any longer than needed. Knowing Naeva would finish when she was filled Matisha went about her way, braking open containers with brightly coloured liquid inside, tearing up herbs and crushing them under the pestle and mortar and continuing re-lighting incense till the garden was filled with sickly sweet smells.
Naeva watched in amusement as she tried to suss out the strange ladies mumblings, although Naeva could understand French; a skill that wouldn’t be known for some time, the small legend still tried to understand the words being sung by the witch. They where not English which she had been brought up with and even the language which the cats spoke sounded nothing like this. The fairies too had their own words to speak even if they all scrambled for dear life when she approached. The language was fascinating, almost mesmerizing as she listened to the soft voice of her guardian paired up with the sound of spring beside her.
The witch acted out as if in a trance pulling things towards her with little or no force as if the items where coming towards her with a will of their own. A swift hand movement brought flame to the candles; bottles containing liquid began to bubble and boil as herbs blossomed under the enchanting spell. The athame slowly lifted itself from the table and sliced the herbs open pouring out clear sparkling liquid into a large cauldron to the side of the table. The more the witch spoke to the objects, the faster the items reflecting her commands in series of smooth flawless actions.
Taking a quick glance down Matisha caught the bewildered look staring back at her from Naeva’s face, the toddler’s food forgotten as she crawled closer to her guardian to watch the show act out before her.
Something bubbled up inside the legend; a rush of pins and needles hit her limbs as an incredible need to be doing the same as Matisha flowed over her. The smells, the sounds, all looked so familiar to her that the need to be saying those words, to be touching those herbs and controlling the spell filled her every need as she stared unmoving at the ritual.
“Would you like to help out?” The words echoing around Naeva head that she fell back startled; Matisha mouth hadn’t voiced those words as she was still chanting the spell to the items but the voice was distinctly hers. If Naeva could state her worried look she would have done but the legend was still too young to shout out startled swear words no matter how much they would have summed up her feelings. As her bottom lip once again began to wobble Matisha’s arm closed in around her small frame pulling her closer.
“Am sorry to scare you little one but I can not break the spell just yet, I would hate to clean the mess up if I stopped. This is call telepathy, where one person can make contact with the power of their minds. Only one person has to have this power for it to work, but it needs someone with a very open and strong mind to understand what the other is saying. You my dear have just proven something to me which I thought might have been the case all along…You’re a budding witch…”
Naeva stared up at Matisha with wide open eyes, a baffled look radiating from her looks as she tried to muster some sort of action. A simple nod back at the older witch would have to suffice for now.
Although she knew Matisha was a witch she never for a second considered her to be of this degree, for one the older woman was more clumsy and accident prone than a blinded drunken fool and that was on a good day and secondly she would never have guessed such actions to have been done in broad daylight! Something, somewhere in the back of her mind made her cringe with the mere thought of doing such a ritual where prying eyes could play as witness.
As if by magic* Naeva mind hazily flashed back to memories long forgotten, a woman of Matisha’s age swam through her mind, her long red hair reaching her waist was fashioned with flowers and her delicate features gave way for piercing gray eyes full of wisdom and strength. She was acting out a spell and creating a potion like the one Matisha had begun; yet this scene was from a different time and age.
She was helping an elderly woman who legs had started the fast decline of gangrene, a deep wound lacerated the skin and it was deeply infected and her leg had started to turn black and die. A thick pink paste was being administrated onto the wound by this young woman, her voice ringing out with advice and reassurance as the old woman looked on with wincingly features as the paste started to react.
As the scene started to melt into darkness another sprung up as Naeva saw the outlines of another young woman crying out with pain. She was in labour, a wonderful miracle that Naeva with held above all other actions.
The room was badly decorated a sign Naeva took as the abode of a peasants home. It was not fit to house anyone in let alone perform a sanitary birthing but it was little she could change about it now. The young pregnant woman was sobbing as she stroked her large stomach, the contractions had all but started hours ago and the pain ripped through her so ruthlessly that her immediate family prayed for her life in the corners as others brought what little water and cloth they could find.
Although the scene was hectic and panic rose between the onlookers there was a sense of relief when the red haired lady arrived, she carried a leather bound bag filled with herbs, liquids, books and silver misshapen tools, expensive rarities to be seen in such a place that eager children pushed each other out of the way to catch a glimpse. The young woman ushered the children and other stragglers out into the nights air through grumbled protest, taking from a late-arrival a small hand made doll to give as a gift to the new addition.
The local villagers had joined the small gathering outside the run down home; a new birth was a sign of joy in this small village as the prospect of a new set of hands would help them in the future. Soon the laughter and singing from outside the wooden house grew louder that the curtains where drawn tight to give some privacy and peace to the midwife as she began to set up her tools, smiling reassuringly to the scared woman who watched her nervously. The memory crumbled at the edges and Naeva felt a warm glow in the pit of her stomach, the feeling of being able to help in such an act felt so satisfying that she wished to be helping this woman with the labour. The scene tumbled into the next as the moon creep up into the sky; the passing villagers had disappeared to sleep as more worried relatives clung on to each other as they waited for the first cry.
But something was going terribly wrong in this image. No longer was the woman’s long silky hair adorned with flowers but that of sweat and blood, her face contorted with worry and frustration as she pulled at the child being born as the mother to be screamed in agony as she pushed. The flow of blood in the memory was unseemly; the pale skin of the pregnant girl was now cover with a thin sheen of sweat which sparkled in the faint candle light, her breathing came out in short temped rasps as she closed her eyes to the limited brightness. Her almost unearthly appearance gave the memory a look of tranquillity and calm, yet all was not so.
A small tweedy man crept out of the shadows; a deathly pained look on his features as he looked upon the scene, his hands tremberling up to his face as he looked down upon the still woman and then to the infant that lay in the midwifes arms. The woman was dead, and so too was the newly born baby. The child looked as if it were sleeping so peacefully, its tiny features etched so quaintly on its face that it looked like the doll that fell to the floor as the man hands clawed at the bed covers as he screamed out in aguish.
“You’ve killed them…you…you KILLED THEM!! ….”
The rushing of feet and angry, worried voices filled the vision as the midwife starred panic stricken towards the door as the family and friends of the deceased rushed into the small room. There was little she could do as they soaked up the scene before them. A bloody corpse, a still born child, and a woman with unknown tools held in her hands. The oldest woman stared down at girl, her hand grasping at her chest as if trying to catch her heart from breaking.
"…….you’ve murdered my beautiful daughter, her child….why? Why would you do this, she was a good person….a.a…a good person….."
Naeva starred in horror as the group seemed to work themselves up into a frenzy, the words now unrecognizable as the red haired woman tried to escape the mob that chased her back out into the streets, the other villages joining in with the hunt with no knowledge of what had happened, but just because of the tainted word Naeva could understand….witch.
"….Witch"
"WITCH!"
“AHHHHHHHHHHHHHGGGG”
Naeva was taken sharply from her vision as Matisha hand shot up to her face, the objects swirled around them until crashing to the floor as Matisha howled out in pain. Naeva not understanding what was happening started to whimper. Hot tears ran down her face she watched Matisha clawing at the skin around her eyes which she kept hidden from view with her frantic movement.
The tears turned into screams as she watched Matisha face become covered with blood as her hand moved around the handle of the anthem than had become lodge in her left eye.
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Posted: Wed May 10, 2006 8:24 am
[Matisha RP post] Visiting family: A turn for the worse?
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Posted: Tue May 16, 2006 2:04 pm
Diary Entry: Family Blues? God I can’t believe my family sometimes, really I can’t! It’s unbelievable that I would come from such inbreeds as them! Well, I know I didn’t, adopted parents and all that, but how did I turn out the way I have done having being brought up by them? I really can’t even comprehend how they survived evolution, no, not even that! How they managed to be put on the approved list for fostering and adopting! Do idiots work at these places? Wait? Do my adopted parents run that orphanage? I wouldn’t put it past them, GOD! How I hate this time of year when I have to speak to them face to face!
I know its awful of me, some people don’t even have foster parents, I should be grateful for the chance to have been brought up in a some what loving environment…..even that sounds wrong putting it down on paper! I hate them, truly hate them!
For one thing you have my so called ‘Uncle Bernard’, a sad excuse for a man let alone a druid of the esteemed casting circle of St Winifred’s. Again I ask the question how someone like him could even get as far as that in life. He’s not even that rich, or that powerful, I can cast a better summoning circle with just the one eye…it’s so sad that I can put that theory to the test!
Oh yes you never believe what he said to me after that abomination that was a family party. He was more than happy to go out of his way to get me a perfectly working prosthetic eye from the ‘Omar’s Company of Android bases and metal counter parts limited’, Yeah like I would even buy the craptastic material to make Theodora’s dresses from there. BUT that company is good enough for me of course, yeah sure Uncle Bernard, you get right on that, you twisted nutter…”
That’s one down let see whose next, ahhh my Auntie Louise, sounds normal enough you say? Think again, she’s a half human, quarter gnome twice removed trainee goblin hunter extraordinaire and that’s the shortened version! She as mad as a hatter, and not the fun kind! (A dying breed you know such a shame really…) I wouldn’t let Naeva alone with her for a second, there has been too many times where a family member has returned bald, painted red and slightly singed after spending ten minutes with that insane women. Trust me don’t go there, not even for a laugh!
Saying that not all my adoptive family are weird, I have my wonderful, although slight annoying, step-brother Donovan. Half Hispanic, half demonic playboy he is the only thing I have that I could call a family that don’t evolve Amanda or Naeva. He moved away four years ago to Larina with his insane mother and ******** up brother, a place just outside the ‘3rd dimension’ as he likes to call it. I’ve always been invited up but with Naeva around I’d rather skip the fact that I’d have to go though a warp tunnel to see him. His mum is enough of a deterrent anyway, how he lives with that woman is beyond me!
But it’s all well and good me listing the problems with my family, I wouldn’t be able to fix them, they where broken when I got there and that’s sadly how they will remain. I can put up with it, but putting Naeva with them is something I just won’t do. I can’t afford getting her messed up more.
I guess that’s my ramble for the night, my eye hurts more and more at night when there isn’t enough light. I’ll see if I can persuade a deity or two to give me back en eye, knowing them it would be a gorgon soul window and not a mortal, human peepers…so many terms for eyeballs!
…I think Naeva is waking, am having this sixth sense thing when I can just about hear the slow murmur of her moods….yep, she ain't happy!
Night Night Journal.
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Posted: Thu May 18, 2006 3:25 pm
[Matisha/Naeva post] Picture Perfect
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Posted: Sat May 20, 2006 12:33 pm
Quest Time!
In her dreams, this young witch has uttered an incantation - without understanding what it means. The sudden backlash of power created by casting something without knowledge or preparation has awakened the memory of fire within Naeva's soul. In the throes of this horrible illness, evidenced outside by only a horrible fever, this Legend will begin to explore the limits of her own power without regard for their horrible source or side effects.
Wracked with mortal agony, what memories are awoken? What feverish illusions does Naeva encounter? And finally, what quiets the fires?
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Posted: Mon May 29, 2006 3:42 pm
[Quest Part One: Setting the Scene ]
The summer months had finally begun, the spring leaves and pink blossoms where slowly turning into the fruits of the warm season, and the nights had started to creep in at a later hour. Matisha, being one for such time, had allowed Naeva to stay up past her usual bedtime and were both currently enjoying the spring evening out in the garden.
The mansion and garden went hand in hand, the house looking more like a destruction site its accomplice was an extremly over grown garden, with more than its fair share of broken statues and crumbling walls and fences. But aside from the obvious the garden had a raw beauty to it, it was nature at its best with the ivy leaves and new flowers covering the damaged goods and making them beautiful once again.
Having laid out a blanket Matisha rested back against an old willow tree, bent double with age the withering branches clawed out to all sides, the shadow of long cascading leaves resting over the two humans as it soaked in the last hour of spring sun.
Book in hand, wine in the other she sat reading, although with the loss of her eye it was becoming increasingly difficult to even focus on one thing rather than struggle with hundreds of words.
Soon to her dismay she gave up, the task had resulted in one large headache and instead she opted in keeping one watchful eye on the up and coming artist Naeva. Matisha never thought she would have taken to the colouring book as strongly as she had done, but she wasn't about to question something that kept Naeva quite for as long as it did.
Not wanting to disturb her Matisha leaned over the small child, watching her squish the crayons rather that colour the picture she had drawn, if it could be called that. It was just blocks of colours, something that may or may not have been a dog...or...a table. She wasn't quite sure but she still felt a surge of pride anyway, she was talented for such a young age.
Naeva though was thinking other things, for the umpteen time that day she had tried to draw this certain image that wouldn't get out of her head. The memory happened at certain times, which she assumed was triggered by little things like the heat of the day or the smell of burning from nearby neighbours and their BBQs. This memory was happening more than any other and it was starting to disturb more than her drawing capabilities.
But try as she might she couldn't draw it, maybe it was the lack of talent in these young hands, but an ebbing thought told her she didn�t want to draw it, that she didn�t want to see it or make it a physical thing. To leave it a memory and not make it real, not just yet anyway.
With the little comfort this idea brought Naeva threw down the pink crayon in frustration, and just like she was know for started to sniffle and then erupted in tears.
Matisha jumped with the tears began to roll, wine spilling upon the grass, her and the book she held.
"Oh shiiii-....Naeva!?...Oh come on what�s wrong? Oh come here sweetie."
Matisha crawled over on all fours to where Naeva was sitting, gathering the bundle up into her arms rocking her gentle to restore calmness ...but most of all trying to shut her up.
"Where�s this come from huh? Did something sting you?"
Matisha looked around the garden as if bees where about to attack from all corners. Either way she decided it was time Naeva went to bed, she would only get grumpy now that she had started, and she really didn�t want Naeva to notice that some wine had spilled onto her colouring book.
A shudder pricked its way down her back as Matisha ran away from the crime scene and into the safety of her home.
Upstairs in the up and coming new bedroom of Naeva's, Matisha placed the young legend into her cot, an old antique Victorian bed made of deep mahogany wood with enchanting twirls carved into the cots posts with matching lion type feet caved into the bottom.
Naeva still whimpering and sniffling watched Matisha with her red eyes intensely, despite this she seemed to settle down quite fast. Her puffy eyes slowly failing her as they grew heavy with the weight of sleep and soon they where closed.
Watching the mobile spin round, a unique trio of the flying pig, the horned cow and the black cat with the twirling tail, Matisha smiled briefly as she brushed back Naeva�s hair with a free hand, while the other pushed the mobile round.
"Goodnight sweetie, see you in the morning."
Departing from the room, Matisha chanted an old charm for a deep sleep, something she did for herself on a regular base for a good nights rest. With all the crying Naeva did she needed all the rest she could get, and when the words finished Matisha could hear the snores of the adopted child softly rising from her cot.
With that she did nothing more, closing the door quietly behind her, she left Naeva to sleep, Never thinking for a second, it would be the last time she would be this peaceful.
************************************
Naeva's eyes closed tightly, the image of her guardian still portrayed above her, the eye patch standing out against Matisha's soft features made her wince slightly. It was a shame the woman had to be so careless to lose one half of a sense. If she knew any better she would be wise to place some Chickweed and Yarrow over the wound, mash it into a paste if she must, and to help the healing progress a sip of Ginseng tea would be perfect to help her immune system battle any lasting infections.
But of course like she had watched Matisha do so many times, she would rather go for the quick fix, like waving her hand, or drinking some foul tasting liquid. She had no idea of what was around her in nature, the very basic properties of healing.
But who was she to listen to? She was just a child, a babe, only basic words escaped her mouth even now, but the frustration was she knew she could talk! The words where so easy to form in her mind, her vocabulary was larger than most yet she couldn�t even pronounce the word 'Yarrow' if she wanted to!
This youthful body was growing tiresome, annoying to say the least and Naeva had just had enough with it. If only she could mumble a chant like the blundering guardian she had could and she could escape from this place. Really see what this world was about. Because for what she had seen and learnt, this was a strange place. Even before with the other woman, the one with such a powerful connection with celestial bodies, she had been uneasy for other reasons.
This wasn't her time anymore, she sometimes wondered if this was even the same planet that she had grown to love and cherish in a life she could barely remember, but knew had happened.
"AHHHRRGG DAM YOU!" She screamed, the words echoing around in her mind as the letters failed to escape her mortal lips. But the words where said for anyone that was listening, anyone at all.
The sound of chanting flowed into her mind, and the prickling of goosebumbs washed down her arms as the hairs stood elevated on her neck.
"What is that? Is she? Is she chanting?? She's putting a curse on me! That witch...what does she think she's doing? Of all the nerve, how dare she chant such profanity over me!?"
Naeva cursed back in her thoughts as the effects of Matisha words edged its way over Naeva's mind and senses, she was lured into a reluctant deep sleep. A sleep that soon had subdued snores escaping from the tiny frame.
But if Matisha had known what an effect it would have on Naeva, then she would have thought twice of performing the act again. For the chant performed its duties to a T, for what it was designed to do it had done its job perfectly. But on such a small frame and upon a mind that had already been infused with powers and magic not yet stable for the mortal body the chant had started off something worse within.
Naeva twitched uncomfortably in her cot, something stirred around her, too heavy to be wind coming in from the window, too smooth in motion to be the movement of the child. Something...was happening, and somebody was watching it happen.....
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Posted: Thu Jun 01, 2006 12:17 pm
[Quest Part Two: Disturbed Dreaming]
Sweat formed across her brow as Naeva turned and twisted under the pressure of the spell. Although kindness carried the chant the effects where more sinister upon her young mind as old forgotten senses awoke to the alluring taint of the magic placed upon her. The sudden rush of cold sweat enveloped her body like she had been thrown into icy water as the pin pricks of old memories crawled back into her mind.
Flashes of a woman with long dark red hair appeared before her, feverish visions crawled out from all sides of the blackness as the young legend tried to awake from the panic she had slipped into. She started to scream, yell for anyone, even Matisha to come back and stop this madness. She screamed for so long it hurt, tears stinging her eyes as her throat grew sore and horse. She didn�t even know if she could be heard, only that she wanted someone to wake her. As the visions become fiercer Naeva screamed out one last time, but not just the yells of a child stricken with fear, but with the words of a woman once gifted with the ability to cure the sick.
"D'esse lib'rer me de ma torture, lib'rer mon esprit, m'aider m''chappe cet enfer, s'il vous pla't, Je mendie de vous, aider!"
As her voice rang out, too old to be that of a child's, to wise in tone to be that of this world, Naeva slumped back defeated by the chant she rang out and the one put upon her. The spell weaved its way into her thoughts as it unlocked further memories, and greater secrets imbedded in her mind.
The only thing stirring in the young child's room was that of an onlooker's twisted shadow of a hand sweeping back the feverish sweat that grew denser on Naeva's forehead.
The unrecognizable being stood watch as it soothed the child's whimpers, brushing back her damp hair that hung to her head in vain as the being whispered something in her ear. If Naeva heard the words it was unclear, the fact that the words had been said though was good enough for the messenger as it recoiled from the child, backing off from the crib slowly and drawing its way back into the walls of her room. Never turning around for a second.
In Naeva's body waged a war of her conscious mind and that of the unknown, the spell she has cast was doing what it thought she wanted it to do, which of course for any Embers family member was completely the opposite.
As her current mind was unstable, full of old memories and question, the spell to free her of the current deep sleep was actually freeing the bonds that tied those memories in place. If Naeva was stronger, had practiced or known the limits of this power she could have controlled the spell to release the memories of just her old life if she wished too, keeping the spell in check to not damage any unconscious parts that where unwise for mortal minds to see.
But in this young state, where healing herbs were the only link to her past, the spell was unbound and crept further into the unconsciousness, aiding the original chant that drove her mortal mind into a deeper sleep to enable the current proceedings of this magic.
Naeva could no longer see anything, her world was hazy and dark, a deepest black with no light to comfort. Even if her mind was strong enough to throw up an image it was soon washed away by the tides of her unconsciousness, she was at the mercy of the spells working their magic upon her.
But hard as she tired, she laughed, or the emotion that would create such an act flowed though her. Even in this time of panic and turmoil, she could remember a time when she felt despair like this, and it calmed her. Of all things, it gave her an uneasy homely feeling, like a comfort brought on by something she had known all her life...or at least...something like that.
She couldn't quite remember, she thought of the long haired woman, the one who felt familiar. She knew it was herself, her old self; she just didn't want to admit it. She didn't want to say that the life she led now was real, the awkward moments she had to share day in and day out while her mind and body were years apart was her current reality. She couldn't accept that she had really been re-born at all, and what she had done to deserve a re-birth....or worse her death.
Naeva shuddered, the sudden movement shocked her, and her body became ridged and still. Her eye lid's still locked together she shifted her body once again as she realised that her body was no longer in cased in fear, she could move. Maybe just maybe she could find her way out of the cot, down the hall, scream and yell for Matisha to help her; she could just escape this nightmare.
But even she knew she was lying to herself. She could hardly manage the strength to escape the high fortress of the cot in her normal state, but not in this weakened body, blind to the world, she was paralysed even if her limbs where mobile. Her voice now to damaged to let out a whimper stayed enclosed as Naeva tried to battle with her tormented mind. Her physical being acting out a feverish dance as she twisted against the bed sheets, perspiring till her clothes where damp with colds sweat and her head burning to the touch.
What could she do except dream? Her mind swept her conscious thoughts into a dull sleep, unable to concentrate on the real world she let herself become captured in the nets of the spells, and allowed for the visions of past forgotten to re-waken before her.
She no longer had the energy to fight, no longer had the power to scream, all she could do was dream.....
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Posted: Tue Jun 13, 2006 11:03 am
[Quest Part Three: That Burning feeling]
Key
Matisha: Purple
Naeva: Green
Theo: darkblue
Mystery Man 1: Italics
Mystery Man 2: Bold
There once was a time where Naeva could cure nearly any ailment that stepped though her door. The plagues that swept though villages where mere colds to her bewitching hands, her potions and charms. The deep wounds of war that caused amputations and paralysis became harmless scars under her herbs and creams. And the long journey of parenthood was made easier under her watchful gaze; she was the carer of the young, old, sick and the dying.
But all this was a memory, a hazy memory filled with potholes and mistakes that Naeva couldn’t clear up. In her young state she had tried to think things though, ponder her position in this life and question what and why this had happened. But she always came to a full stop, her questions never answered, her mind left confused and angered. She was lost and she couldn’t find her way out, not in the light of the day, or the darkness of her dreams, she was left to question what had brought her back.
Except this time…for now, something else was helping her out.
Hours crept by as the slow pain of the fever held her body in a tight grip as terrible sweats and chills changed places as she fought against the over powering spells. Her thoughts flew by feverish and broken as she dipped in and out of consciousness, her mind remembering the familiar sense of trying to work out what was happening.
The spells weaved there way deeper into her mind, one keeping her in a deep sleep, an unfortunate gift from Matisha and the other dived its way into the secrets kept hidden, cast to let her escape the deep sleep instead it worked against Naeva to free memories best left forgotten.
In her dreams scattered across her line of vision Naeva could pick out certain events that felt familiar and homely. Small villages, flags and banners, faces of all shape and sizes, each pricking at memories she held. They stumbled past her until she came across one village, one village that she could remember so distinctly it shook her. This was not a friendly place; this was not filled with thoughts of happiness or joy, just dread and pain and a terrible, terrible panic that grew stronger as the darkness once again crept in from all sides, the village growing faint as her world fell into the black.
“Where am I?” she whispered, her voice sounding older and wiser, but weak as the words dropped out.
Nobody answered and she couldn’t see anything, her hands felt tied to what felt like chains, even her feet were stuck fast to the floor. Fabric smelling of dirt and god knows what held fast to her face covering up her eyes as she lifted her head away from her chest, her neck aching as she strained her muscles to see. Naeva wasn’t sure what was happening, but an uneasy feeling flowed over her, instead of watching this dream unfold, she could feel herself in it.
“WHERE AM I?!” She screamed, hoping someone would hear her and untie the bonds that held her fast.
“HELLO where am I…HELLO…he-AAHHHIEE” Searing pain swept across her face as an all mighty smack landed across her cheek , howling against the shrieking pain that pounded into her features she twisted her head from side to side not sure where the attack came from.
“Shut up WITCH! Your heathen ways will end soon enough!” A man yelled back as he spat upon her face. Unable to wipe this disgusting act away Naeva grimaced against the onslaught as the man slapped the other cheek, shouting profanities as she hung against the wall that trapped her escape.
“Jocelin hold thy hand, your punishment is not needed here!” Shouted another voice, older in tone and more controlled than the man who stopped his hand close to Naeva’s head. The wind rushed past her cheeks as the hit was halted; a brief but unmistakable sigh escaped her lips as she let her head fall back onto her chest.
“It is not your job to express your anger upon this witch. She shall be presented before our Lord soon enough and he shall see fit how her eternal soul shall be treated. But first, her mortal sins need to be punished for the heinous acts against the innocent villagers she murdered. We must cleanse her soul before rightful punishments starts.”
“You mean?” The other man started as he questioned where the older man was going, he held onto Naeva’s shoulder tight, his fingers gripping into her flesh as she winced under the pressure.
“Yes” The older man chuckled, almost by accident as he stopped as soon as it started. “Prepare the fire, gather the coals and tie her down onto the chair. Her soul is corrupted, filthy, and bedevilled by all manner of foulness. To cleanse it we must scold out those sins…”
*************************************
Humming to the latest track by ‘Five elements’ an up and coming pagan band from the west Matisha twirled her hands and shook her hips to the beat she was drumming out as she waltz around her kitchen. The night had finally settled in and with it brought rolling clouds of rain, the quite pitter-patter of water soon developed into thrashing rain drops against the windows of the house and the distant thunder was soon above them. Unaware of the horrific drama unfolding closer to home Matisha continued to dance around the rooms until she landed upon her desk chair, piles of paper and a bleeping laptop covering her table.
“Oh goody its work time” She mumbled as she picked up the nearest page of scribbles.
“Ohh Centaur hunting, maybe I can write that up just in time for next month’s issue…but then again I bet that kiss a** Phillipa has already sent something in. Knowing her I bet she started the hunting season just so she could write that article.” Matisha grumbled as she leant over her desk, balancing on an elbow as she grabbed her coffee.
“So what can I write to bring in the money hmm...any mysterious ghosties, murders, rituals, potions going astray? Where’s an apocalypse when you need one!” She cried out, laughing to herself as she sipped the warm liquid, a stray finger tapped away at the keyboard, re-writing her name as the flashing line mocked her and her inability to write something decent down.
“God if I had known work would dry up like this I would have taken that chance to be a housewife…or house-mum, or what ever you call them! God where’s a man…or creature around when you need one, I need someone filthy rich and fast!” She shouted again just enough to disturb a re-charging Theo next to her.
“Keep it down will you?” Muttered an angry voice as the android awoke from the mechanical sleep she was in. “Some of us have batteries that need resting, and if am not correct I believe there is a sleeping baby upstairs? Shouldn’t you be keeping your mouth shut?”
Matisha swung around on her chair to face the ever fuming Theo as she glared up at her owner. “Oh please, Naeva is fast asleep an explosion wouldn’t wake her up now.”
Raising an eyebrow to the statement Theo stood up and folded her arms, the long wires cascading out of her back as she took care not to travel too far from them as she walked up to Matisha.
“And what prey tell does that mean? You haven’t done anything stupid have you, like giving her a bottle of alcohol like you did last time huh-?”
“- Hey! That wasn’t my fault! That drink was not for her, it was for me. Just because you’re so willing to feed her all the time doesn’t give you the right not to check what’s in her bottles. Wasn’t my fault we ran out of glasses and all we had where those things. Plus it wasn’t me, it was you! So there, jog off Theo with you high and mighty ways.” Matisha barked back as she stuck out an upright palm in defiance to what Theo had said.
“That doesn’t really answer the question Matisha.” The robot mumbled as she sat back down, sitting close to the charger on the wall.
“For your information all I did was help Naeva to sleep, she’s been having a terrible time getting to bed recently and I just thought it was best to help her out. I did a small chant that’s all; I place it on me all the time when I can’t get to sleep.”
Theo stared up at her in disbelief as she processed the words though her mind.
“Oh my god Matisha!"
"What? Whats wrong?"
Matisha!? Oh my god…you idiot! She is half your size, no wait, smaller than that, and you put a spell meant for you on her? Something that powerful enough to knock you out is going to send her into a coma you idiot! Get up there now! NOW!” Theo screamed as she twisted around to unlock herself from the wall, the wires holding her fast as she tried to stop the charging process.
Matisha sat stunned for a moment as she tried to make sense of what was just said. She never thought about the spell having too much of an effect, never. She just thought it would help, she didn’t think spells needed re-dosing for ages or sizes, just that they do the job for that person.
“Oh god, Naeva”
Pouncing of the chair into the hallway like a woman processed Matisha flew up the stairs, her feet hardly touching the ground as she ran across the house towards Naeva’s room. Panic stricken, sweat dripping from the sudden rush of movement Matisha flung herself through her door, sliding across the laminated floorboards to where Naeva rested.
“Naeva, Naeva!” Matisha shouted into the cot as she gently placed her hands on her tiny shoulders, rocking her softly to wake up. If Theo’s theory was wrong and a very angry Naeva was to wake Matisha could forgive herself for this moment of madness and hopefully Naeva in time would do so too. But when her eyes did not flicker, and the realisation of Naeva’s current status came to light Matisha gasped back in horror, a shaking hand covering her mouth.
“No…no…Naeva wake up, wake UP!” She shouted again, looking down at the small child Matisha began to notice the damp clothes and bed sheets, the rolls of sweat forming on her brow, and the intense heat of her forehead as she picked her up from the cot. “Oh my god what have I done? Oh Naeva am so sorry, please be ok, please be ok…THEO!”
Matisha ran back into the landing, leaning over the banister slightly as she shouted down to the robot beneath her. “Ring an ambulance Theo, please, tell them to hurry.” The response was hastily placed footsteps and the hurried tone of Theodora on the phone.
Running back into Naeva’s room Matisha placed the small legend upon the soft cream rug that lay below on the floor. Rushing back into the on-suite bathroom, a luxury Naeva had yet to experience; Matisha soaked a towel with ice cold water and dashed back to the fevered child.
“Please be ok Naeva, I didn’t mean to I promise, I never meant to hurt you. Please be ok…please.”
As Matisha pleaded with the child legend she placed the wet towel over Naeva’s forehead, tears of sorrow falling as she cradled her step-daughter. Head lowered and loud sobs unmistakable Matisha had no time to sense the other presences in the room, if she had she would have seen it staring into her, seen its smile, and hear its laugh….
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Posted: Tue Jul 11, 2006 3:47 pm
[Quest Part Four: Divine Retribution]Key: Matisha: PurpleNaeva: GreyTheodora: Dark BlueMystery man : Black/BoldPierre de Bénévent : Black/Italics[Warning :Mild Language used. ] Twirling its black fingers around long strands of dark hair the being squinted its eyes in the direction of the humans and laughed. Hardly a joyous moment but the faint, squeaking giggle that escaped the daemons lips was unmistakable as it watched the drama unfold.
Matisha held Naeva’s small frame close to her own as her tears flowed freely down her face, the pain illuminating from the witch was exquisite, and the daemon made sure not to miss a single drop. Its long tongue swirled around the murky blue mist that floated from Matisha body, the physical appearance of sorrow as it lingered in the space between the human and itself.
Although its purpose had now been completed, he chose this moment to stay and see what was to become of the petite creature. The Daemon’s master no longer needed it, it was free to do as it pleased, to simply stop existing or to carry on until its time is squashed and is returned from where it once grew, the pits of nothingness, the home of empty.
He didn’t like that idea. Not one bit. To be made for such a purpose of delivering a message seemed futile and pointless. What ever fibres made him they seemed to recent this notion and fought against collapsing in on themselves. They wanted to live, to see what would happen next, things where too intriguing to just lie down and die. And what was to come about was too delicious to miss.
********************************
Naeva head hung limply to one side as her body tried to shift into a move forgiving position. A pitiful attempt while her chains still clung tightly to her body, the thick rusting metal chewing its way into her flesh every time she dared to flinch.
Her face was covered in months of filth and grime from being in the dungeons, her hair covered with knots and dirt that would take an age to work out, and her frame nothing more than a skeleton compared to her once healthy appearance. She was no longer the beautiful healer of her village, once honoured and worshipped for her expertise of medicine and healing techniques. That title was now long gone.
She was a demon in the eyes of this village, a wench to Satan, nothing more than dirt that had to be removed, and removed it would be. It was just a waiting game now.
Naeva’s mind, that of the child born into the new world, watched out from sunken eyes. She couldn’t understand why this was happening to her, or at least to this body she had taken residence in. The old Naeva, that of this former body seemed to have locked its mind away, not allowing the young legend to communicate or get the answer she needed. All she knew was that this body was coming to its end, even without the dread of the execution, an act so talked about with the prison guards that the shivers no longer came, but with the mortal wounds that had been inflected on her would soon take there toll.
This body was dying; it was only a matter of when and where.
Above Naeva’s fleeting life, a mere 3 feet of concrete and mortar, sat the man who put her there. Playing idly with the throwing knife he stared out across the darkened room contemplating his next move, his next torture if you will on the defenceless woman that was chained beneath him.
It had nearly been a year now since the witch had been captured, his most prized possession, a challenge that had brought great wealth to his hands, and great honour to his name. The witch would burn in hell for the crimes she had committed, and the most heinous act of planning his assignation with her black magic. She was going to pay for even thinking such thoughts against him, never mind the countless villagers she had slaughtered in the name of her dark lord.
Pushing back on the old wooden chair, the man, that of his mid forties glared towards the metal door as the sound of footsteps approached. Reaching for his hat, he placed it carefully on his head, almost daintily for a man of his size and with a swift flick pushed his greying auburn hair back of his shoulders as he watched a servant boy and his Master came into the room.
Recognising the older man instantly he smiled broadly before signalling the servant boy to leave the room, an order in which the boy needed no second bidding to follow, the man’s reputation was enough to have the boy shaking where he stood.
“Ahh Pierre de Bénévent, a cardinal in my territory is never heard of, why such the honour? Thy should know I never clean unless told, and my humble abode is, let say, a little dirty compared to what your use to.”
A chuckle escaped the mans lips as he grabbed the crudely made mug of wine to his side, not offering to pour some for his esteemed guest but instead waving a hand towards the jug that held the delicious liquid.
The Cardinal, a short, sixty plus, rounding male, dressed in his finest robes of white and red stood before the man that spoke to him so rudely and glared down at him.
“For a man of the lord, thee should not speak to a fellow man of the cloth as ye do. Thou should repent for such sins as idleness and profanity, especially when one is leading the execution tomorrow. A lot is resting on ythine shoulders inquisitor, don’t let the church down.”
A grunt escaped for the depths of his throat, a gesture that he had heard the cardinal, and reluctantly would behave himself for the next forty-eight hours.
“I hardly doubt the wench will make it, the past eight months have been gruelling to say the least. She has lasted well, but that only proves her soul belongs to the devil! Killing her is taking pity, unlike her merciless ways upon the innocent. Yes her flesh and her black soul shall burn back to Satan’s side where she belongs; her corrupted spirit shall smoulder for all eternity in hell for her crimes against the church. So be it I’ll light the flames myself!”
Throwing back his head the man laughed out load, his broad mouth gaping out as the rough mocking sound echoed around the room, bounced of the walls and seeped though the floor boards. If Naeva was strong enough to block out the sound she would have done with all her might, but her spirit was broken. Her body showed both physical and metal damage and she was finally giving in.
********************************
Matisha wepted as she held Naeva close, the heated body was dripping with fevered sweat as she tried to dowse her forehead with water. Turning towards the open door, Matisha cried out to the android downstairs, her look out for help.
“Are they here Theo? Its been twenty minutes they should have been here by now! We could have gone up to them! For God sake what the ******** am I going to do! Please Naeva wake up, just wake up for me, just for a second that’s all am asking, please wake up!”
Theo raced upstair, the first aid kit tightly held in one hand as she landed beside the pair, a frantic expression programmed onto her face.
“I know you said it wouldn’t work, but isnt there something you can use from this on her? Inject her with something? Bandage something up, anything? Her vital signs, although weak seem stable, but this fever still rages on. I can not sense what is wrong, only that it is harming her in a way we cant see. We must wake her!”
Matisha shook her head, pushing the first aid box away as she position Naeva back on the floor.
“I told you, the only things in there are ibuprofen and plasters, and am no doctor. I don’t know what to do even if I had something to inject her with! All I can remember from girl guides is making sure she doesn’t choke on her tongue! Good this is ridiculous, we could have been at the hospital by now, but I have wasted my time waiting for those idiot to arrive…..oh ******** it, Theo get the car ready, where going to go, right now.”
“But shouldn’t we wai-”
“No, we go now, we can apologise later for sending them out here. It’s been to long anyway, there lucky am not going to sue the bastards for being so late!”
The android nodded as she took one last glimpse at Naeva, before rushing back downstair to get the car started. Matisha went about gathering thin sheets to wrap Naeva up in, still dabbing cold water upon her brow when Theo shouted from the landing.
“Matisha we have a problem! The driveway is flooding, the rain is getting worse out there, I think its turning into a storm, we shouldn’t go out in this, we should wait for them to arrive!”
“What!?” Matisha ran to the bedroom window, pulling back the lace white curtains as she peered out into the world, a hazy picture as rain poured down streaking the windows only made worse by the clashes of lightening made in the distance.
“Oh ********, what am I going to do?” She screamed, rushing back to Naeva’s side as she rocked her gently. “Please wake up; this is not funny any more Naeva. Am sorry I didn’t mean to hurt you, I just wanted to help, that’s all. I just wanted to help.”
Although the tears fell Matisha knew it was no time to be crying, pulling the sleeve of her jumper across her face, she leapt up for her position and dashed out of the room, quickly manoeuvring around corners till she came to her ritual room. Undisturbed since her last big and accidental ritual, she pushed open the heavy timber door and set about her work.
“God I will never forgive myself if this doesn’t work, GOD am such an idiot, a stupid ********. Garrrr how could I have been so stupid!!”
Pulling down bottles and boxes of every size and colour, Matisha set about lighting candles; throwing salt around her already drawn pentagram and setting up a makeshift alter in the middle of the floor as she grabbed essential tools along the way. Yanking out one of the heavy leather bound books from her shelf she hauled back the pages in a quick effort to find the side she wanted until she came upon on ritual she had never thought nor dared try before. But now it was a must, an emergency she could no longer control through mortal means needed help from something not of this realm.
Running back out of the room Matisha skidded back into Naeva’s room, Theo now in charge of the dabbing duty as she placed cold water over Naeva’s small head, Matisha panting beside the door frame as she watched in discomfort at the scene before her.
“Matisha am worried, what if the ambulance does not come? I fear Naeva is going to go into shock if her body continues to fail against this fever. What if her organs are shutting down, what if she’s going to di-”
“Don’t say it Theo! Don’t even mention that word, she’s not going any where, I’ve only just got her for Pete’s sake. Am not losing her now, not ever. Help me take her into my room; I think I can help her.”
“How? What are you possibly going to do? Use your magic? Your Magic put her in this state in the first place!”
“I know that! But we can’t just sit her watching her get worse! Am going to do the only thing I know how to do."
“And what’s that?”
Matisha lowered herslef besides the sleeping Naeva, running a hand through her now tangled hair Matisha smiled weakly, pitifully, as she thought about the pain she must be in and her own ache that had developed in the pit of her stomach.
“That fever won’t die unless Naeva can fight back. She’s not strong now, but I am. Am going to change places with her, am going to fight fire with fire.”
********************************
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Posted: Sun Aug 20, 2006 1:45 pm
[Quest Part Five: The last Goodbyes ]Matisha: Purple
Naeva: Grey
Theodora: Dark Blue
Mystery man : Black/Bold
People of the Village : black and underlined[Warning: Not very nice contents, only read if you prepared for some cruelty towards Naeva!]
The day finally came, the one Naeva had been expecting to happen ever since she had awoken into this body, she had waited patiently for her escape from this nightmare and it had finally arrived. The body of her former self was no longer anything other than a shell, crippled by her punishment, shattered by the whips, burning oils and the deadly spikes that had ripped at her body for the last year. She was finally leaving.
The mind of the old Naeva was gone, blocked off from her and the outside world it was the last defense against the people that where doing this to her, her last spell in this lifetime she had no more strength to give.
But she was still here, she had been left to watch what was going to happen and she couldn’t stop it, she had to go though the months of torturous pain, the cruel beatings and the degrading acts set upon her by her captives. And now she was going to experience death, death of this body, her old self, Naeva.
It was going to happen and she couldn’t do a thing to stop it, she wasn’t sure if she should. Maybe she had to be here, maybe answers would be told, see the reason for her re-birth into the new world, her chance for a second life, to do things right, to get revenge, to be punished further? Who knew?
These questions floated threw her mind like a tornado not wanting to stop. The execution only hours away and Naeva’s mind was only wishing it would happen faster. Maybe this was what the dream was trying to show her, the answers to the question she had been burdened with since coming back to the world. Maybe she would find peace; obviously experiencing this death the first time around had done nothing for her. She was left uncompleted, maybe it wasn’t meant to be her time and she still had unfinished business to complete?
“GOD JUST SHUT UP” She screamed at her thoughts, she couldn’t cope with all the demands she had set upon herself. She just wanted to be at peace before it happened, she didn’t want to be scared, she didn’t want to go through with it, she couldn’t. It wasn’t her fault she was here, this wasn’t her life, this was someone else's, she was different now, she didn’t have to go through this, she didn’t have to!
“Plea-please help-p…me.”
Tear rolled down her cheeks, the last bit of moisture she could muster, the lack of food and water had now become a distant memory, she wept for what was going to happen and she shook with fear that she couldn’t stop.
“But it not me, this isn’t my body. I can’t die again, I will just wake up and be with Matisha once more, and that stupid cat that molts and the robot that never shuts up giving orders and the constant screams from Matisha’s office, and the way she goes out of her way to make me happy…thats not...it-its not me”
The room outside Naeva’s small dingy cell started to glow brighter, the sound of angry voices echoed around the dungeon walls and the patter of feet drew ever closer. Her voice now lowered to no more than a whisper she tried to make her peace with this realm, and softly cried out her last words.
“It’s not me…it’s not me, it’s not me… its not m-…”
**********************************
The crowds had come out in abundance that day; hundreds of cheering peasants filled the town square where the burning would take place. The villagers circled around the fire wood that had been clumped together, men dressed in black dirty clothes continued to pile the wood higher and higher as the makeshift bonfire caved in on itself again and again, rising towards the heavens till it threaten to topple over and fill the square itself.
Thick strong rope secured the wood in place while other workers went about building another box stand for the continuing stream of Noble men that fluttered out of the church, hushed passages of sentences being thrown back and forth as they tried unsuccessfully to stop themselves from looking out among the peasants and breathing in their most pungent smells.
Many of the Noble men included Priests from the nearby church, fat greedy men that hid beneath the cloak of the lord, soiling his name as they went about there gluttonous ways. There was only one Priest that had been on Naeva’s side the day of the court hearing, a day that had passed Naeva’s mind unknowingly as she had grown far too weak to even defend herself.
The Priest name was Guilllaume and he was truly working for the Lords name, passing through villages and towns prepared to tarnish his robes to go out to the people of the world, spreading the Lords message of love and peace where ever he went. Upon his journeys he had in counted tales of Naeva’s wondrous healing abilities and thought of her as such, a woman who was helping her fellow man. Although his title gave him no power over the hearing he had pleaded with the council and with her, often beseeching her to admit to her crimes and repent for her death would be quick and painless if she did.
An option that Naeva never gave into, her stubbornness though would be her downfall and this day was in celebration to that.
Amongst the other familiar faces Naeva would recognize in time was the judge who had sentenced her to this day, he was surveying his handy work with the influence he held over many lives including this female. Who knew if she really was a witch? She could just be a simple farming girl who had pissed of the inquisitor, not giving into his advances which he had seen many times upon other naive women.
But the mob would upraise if someone wasn’t to blame for the poor harvest and disease. He was dammed if it would be him; it was just unlucky it had to be such a pretty little thing. If he could have had it his way, she would have made a nice addition to his collection of maids and servants. But of course the mob had spoken, he was just here to represent them the best he could.
All were talking among themselves and although unlikely to admit it, where just as hungry for the blood and gore as the peasants who filled the streets. Less civilized than gladiator times this was slaughter, Naeva wouldn’t be able to fight back, she never stood a chance; not even in the courts.
The Inquisitor stood watch at the church window peering down upon the village square, he hungrily soaked in the atmosphere of the cheering crowds as they piled themselves into the small space, each eager to get a good look at the execution, each one hold rotting fruit and vegetables. He could bet his life on the fact that half of them where there just for the sheer excitement of the event, some wouldn’t even know what gender Naeva was let alone the name she held. And he was the ringleader, the show man, the one to bring this event to its highest peak; it was only a few more hours away.
He would have his moment in the sun, his fifteen minutes of fame with every woman, man or child he brought to the flame, Naeva was no more than a stage prompt to him. She would burn so his reputation would be held high, no matter how innocent or guilty she was. He would have his fifteen minutes and so would she.
**********************************
It had been two hours since the finding of Naeva upstairs, her fever still raging its own war as her body the battlefield was put to the test under the strain of the spells cast upon her. Now she had been placed in the middle of the pentagram, in the room which she had always sought out yet had never been able to see within. It was ironic that her first time would be under these circumstances and she wouldn’t be able to see it to her own pleasures. Now she was in the swirl of busy movements, Matisha rushing about trying to gather the last objects she assumed would help her out, this spell was the first she had tried, she was truly winging it, but it had to be done.
Theo was sat outside the protected area, although most people where not allowed in the room at all Matisha had no time to fine check the rules and Theo sat staring across at Naeva, barely glancing at the walls full of glittering objects, potion bottles, old dusty books and charms of all kinds fashioning the room. She sat holding onto the thin sheets that had once wrapped up the small legend, now damp with sweat she held them as a safety blankets, as if holding them tighter would make Naeva wake up.
“What are you going to do? Matisha? Matisha answer me, what are we doing?”
“Shhhhs Theo, I cant think straight with you talking, just give me a moment…ok…alright ok, ermm I need, I need you to come sit over here. Reading the fine print it seems this ritual needs more than the one witch to help complete it. Since we don’t have the time to ring about I need you to help me.”
“But? But am no witch? Am not even human, how the heck am I going to help you? I can’t do magic!”
Matisha quickly went over to the android that had suddenly started to panic; grabbing both shoulders she looked her in the eyes, shaking her slightly to silence her ranting.
“Theo I made you, I wouldn’t just make you to purposely do the housework, I created you to help me in all aspects of my life, including this part. You may not be able to control the forces of nature or speak to spirits but you can still be an aid to this ritual. Please, I haven’t much choice in the matter, you need to help me.”
Theodora nodded back not sure what to say, not wanting to question what Matisha had told her even though it was the first time such a thing was spoken off. She never questioned her purpose in life, only to serve her owner and do what was told.
Yet this was no time to contemplate her existence, she had something to do now, not only for Matisha but Naeva as well, the legend who although was moody, bad tempered and had tried countless times (and succeeded) to rip out her hair and caused countless payments to get it replaced, she was apart of this family and was in a way, her owner as well. The first rule of having an owner was protecting them no matter what; this would only be the first of many with Naeva, especially with Matisha looking after her.
Taking up her position beside Matisha who had laid down beside the sleeping child she shouted out instructions as she tried to remember the words of the ritual.
“Theo grab that incense, copy the pentagram sign above us and chant, ego-ipse adicio munimentum, just over and over again ok, until I say otherwise.”
Matisha placed her hands together, her thumb, index and middle finger up straight while her others crossed over. She began chanting words that Theo could not process, she understood her words to be Latin, but the sentences Matisha rang out seemed to be something not recorded in any archive she could find on her database.
Taking the long anthem from its position by her side, Matisha slowly drew a line across her palm as if in a trance, barely wincing as it cut into her. The movement was so slight that even Theo was shocked to see that the knife had drawn blood, her train of thought momentarily interrupted as she watched the ritual gather momentum before her. Remember her place she quickly returned to her chanting, keeping a steady eye on Naeva as she rested beside the working witch. Her breathing was becoming all the more rapid, the fear of the fever doing more damage gripped Theo’s thoughts as she tried her best to keep to her assigned job.
“Don’t stop yet Theo; you’ll know when to stop chanting I promise. But once that has happened I need you to repeat these words, what ever you do don’t lose concentration what ever happens. I can’t tell you if this will work at all yet, but am hoping.”
Turning to her side, anthem still in hand, Matisha unfolded Naeva’s palm and slowly and gently ran the blade over her skin. The tiny beads of crimson blood soon blotted into a small stream as it ran onto the floor, Naeva unfazed by the act upon her she continued to sleep without a flinch.
Theo though had to bite down on her tongue, the need to shout stop was too much for her and she bit down hard, she knew with the damage to her mouth she would have to be fixed but she couldn’t watch Matisha purposely harm her, even with the best intentions.
Her interpretation of the Latin words now came out slurred and unfinished, her tongue broken across the edges as she tried to repeat the charmed words.
“Theo you fool, this blade is sealed with a spell no pain is given even though blood will run if used on the flesh. Say the chant again until you know when to stop, I told you not to lose concentration!"
Matisha settled back down with a huff, her anger subsiding as she tried to regain where she had left off. Her back flat against the floor, her uncut hand resting above her chest again with the thumb, index and middle finger stuck in the air pointing towards her head she began to talk again in the language Theo could not follow.
Her eyes where tightly closed as her hand made signs that where unknown to the android even with the house decorated in symbols of the occult, she just had to sit and stare as she tried her best to say the words out loud.
A few minutes passed that seemed like hours as Theo watched for any sign of magic, she was trying so hard that she couldn’t even see it approaching from all around her as the deep purple smoke surrounded them as it circled the pentagram. Her hands ever so slightly shaking Matisha open her eyes seeing the purple smoke mirroring the image of them just above head height.
“Theo its time, I need you to say these words, if nothing happens when you finish just start again, don’t be alarmed what ever happens. Just trust me, please.”
A nodding head was the answer Matisha received as she breathed out loud, watching the smoke dance at the edges of its being as it copied their movements and shape.
“*Repeat after me Theo: Iussu abl commigro morbus, abolesco novellas corpus, commigro novellas animatio deflagro! Sodes demorior! Iussu abl, iussu abl! Dea Hecate, Dea Hygeia adiumentum, adiumentum praecantrix, deflagro morbus, deflagro morbus! Desero, desero, desero!*”
*I command you to migrate disease, perish in the new body, and migrate to the new being to be destroyed, with your leave you shall die! I command, I command! Goddess Hecate (goddess of magic), Goddess Hygeia (goddess of Health) help us, help your followers (witches), destroy the fever, destroy the fever! Leave, Leave, Leave!*
The clouds of amethyst vapour twisted and distorted in the air as it reacted to the spell being said, Theo shouting it out louder and louder as her tongue worked its way around the damage, making the words clearer and stronger as she glared up at the smoke, demanding its action against the fever it held upon the child.
Matisha placed her palm over Naeva’s, her small hand disappearing, their blood mingling as it ran down their ivory skin and onto the floor. Matisha joined Theodora in chorus as she barked out the spell towards the clouds, with every phrase the lavender fog convulsed and deformed the images it had created, moving around the room as it thrashed about the walls, spinning above them till it became a tornado of infused magic.
Holding tight to Naeva’s hand, Matisha grabbed out for Theo's as the miniature hurricane picked up force, bottles and shelves began to shake and fall as the whirlwind pounded at the room, the objects inside mere feathers. The power to stay grounded was growing increasingly difficult as Matisha held onto her loved ones; the uneasy feeling of weightlessness developing into panic as their bodies began to lift into the air.
“Don’t Stop Theo! Don’t stop the spell!”
Matisha tried to squint out the mist that was in her eyes, trying to see in the direction of Theo who hung helplessly from her hand. For such a small room the trio seemed to be swirling in a great expanse, not hitting anything as there forms where flipped about in the wind.
Naeva was know tucked under an arm, still with hands held, Matisha pushed her head down, the force of the tornado wanting to rip her tendons back to view the carnage that was going on in her room. Her voice temporarily taken as she tried to hear Theodora’s voice over the whistling howl of the hurricane.
The only thoughts rushing though her mind was the safety of the child and robot, the thought of not getting out of this mess and seeing Naeva well, and the reoccurring black mass that resembled a figure swirling around with them.
**********************************
Blackness, all I can see is blackness.”
“I wonder if death is like this?”
“I can’t remember. I wonder if I’ll go to heaven.”
“What did I do to deserve this?”
“What did she do to deserve this?”
“I wonder how long it’ll be. I wonder where I am. I wish I could see something.”
“All I can see is blackness.”
The Square was filled to the brim with peasants, town folk, farmers and merchants, soldiers, travelling entertainment and noble men, it seemed the whole world had turned out for the burning of the witch, all cheering for the death of someone they had never met, someone who they might not have even known if it wasn’t for this injustice, her mistake and the church inquisitor.
It was finally 4pm; the sun was starting to set as the autumn was giving way to winter nights. It was not custom to have an execution so late on in the evening but the inquisitor was a man who liked suspense and so did the crowds. Now more than ever they begged for her to be brought out, for the killing of this heathen, to see her burn for the sins she had committed against them.
They wanted answers to the deaths of their children and poor harvest, they wanted justices for the curses places upon them, they wanted her blood and her blacken soul to never walk this earth again and they would get their way.
It started towards the back of the crowd, the low rumbling of shrieks and howls of ‘The witch’, till it finally erupted into a slinging match of profanities and curses as the slow driven horse draw carriage was pulled through the mob.
Naeva stood bound and gagged, her arms tied behind her against a long wooden pole, her tattered clothes hiding the small, wounded frame of a women beaten down. But the use of poorly tied cloak and material upon her face hid the markings of months of torture and cruelty.
She appeared dirty and worn out if anything at all, and this angered the crowds even more. To them she looked better of than some of the peasants who walked the streets; she was still mocking them even at her death bed!
Naeva could only hear slightly, her ears damaged from beatings she could just about make out the angry taunts shouted out by the people of this village. Even with the fact that she had grown to accept that this body, the old Naeva must have done something inconceivable, the words still cut deep and she cringed away from the people, trying to duck and lower her head, seeing if it was possible to sit down.
Her legs and arms had been in the same position for the last few months, only being release when tortured or allowed to eat. Now all she wanted to do was rest, and she slowly began to slip down the pole, if she had know what reaction it would cause she would have re-thought her plans. To the amusement of the inquisitor the crowds realised what she was doing and soon started to shout out their shock and disgust at her actions.
“She thinks she can just sit down idly? While we have been here since day break waiting for her to arrive?
“She has no right to rest! Did I have a chance to rest while I worked all day long on the fields that wouldn’t grow!?”
“She’s just mocking us!”
“Her taunts prove she has no soul left in her! She’s Satan whore! KILL HER!
“My son died because of you, and you show respect by being lazy! How dare you!”
“Kill her, Kill her!”
The crowds seemed to run on the same thought as they began pelting her with rotten fruit they had gathered throughout the day, some threw what ever else they could lay there hands on. Stones, dirt, even waste from animals were being chucked out onto the cart. Naeva could only stand by as she was hit from all directions, her body taking its last beating as she arrived up to the ready to be bonfire.
The Inquisitor stood proudly on the platform near the giant heap of wood, a small gap had been made so the long pole that Naeva had been tied to could be slid into the wood, to be then filled up and secured. As the men got about setting this up, they momentary untied her bonds, and took off the bandages that shielded her eyes.
Naeva stood looking out along the horde of people, covering her eyes as the sunlight hit them as her world had been darkness for the past 12 months, she daren’t look up again, not at the light or the faces that hated her so much.
Raising a hand to the screaming mob the inquisitor silenced the mass as he cleared his throat, he was going to make one last speech, he took honour that it would be the last civilised voice Naeva would hear before she died. And he grinned slightly as he watched her back away from the mob, only to be struck from the back by one of his men, who grabbed her roughly around the neck.
He watched for a moment as they pushed her up a ladder leaning across the wood, the sticks ripping into her flesh as she made her way up, a guard waiting for her as she reached a small wooden board attached to the pole to stand on. Here she was tied up again, her eyes still shut to the radiance of the day, even if the sun was now setting casting an unnerving red across the square.
“My esteemed fellow man, I am here to bring you a heathen of the church, a follower of Satan, a concubine of Beelzebub. A creature who has tarnished this good land with her cursed hexes, her villainess ways, and her sins of cruelty. Not a day goes by that I don’t receive word of a curse or hex put on innocent men, women and children by one of these devil wives. She is a witch, a curse put on this earth by Satan himself, to tempt and test us! Now we can truly say that we have slowly begun the fight back against the sins put against us.
By burning this witch we shall free ourselves from any black magic that has burdened us with so many tragedies. But for the sake of her soul I will ask you one last time Naeva de Bayonne, will you repent your terrible sins? If you let your soul be cleansed by the lord your death shall be quick and painless and your spirit will be spared from the hell you so wish to be apart of, what say you Naeva de Bayonne?”
Naeva lifted her head slight now tied back down to the pole her nerves had come back with a vengeance, she shook visible to everyone who watched.
Tear rolled down her face no matter how hard she tried to stop them fall, her voice came out harsh and broken as she tried to speak back, her fear rocking her entire frame as she tried to string sentences together, trying to think about what was just said, not taking her eyes of the flame burning beside the wood.
“Ple-ease…I..I...don’t, don’t know wh-yy am here. I hav-e not-t comm.-iited any sins. I-I am only gu-il-ty of trying to heal, and-d aid pe-eeople who…who needed my-y help. I can-n not re-repent for I-I have done no-noo wrong. My-y Gods-s and Goddess shal-l pro-protect...me, no…no matter th-ee out come.”
With a huge sigh Naeva collapsed against the pole, her words rang out as a silent mob of eyes stared up as she clung unwillingly to the post. She had said the only thing she could think of; even now she couldn't admit herself to a God she did not believe in, but more so a church that represented him. If she was to die, her soul would be taken by the ones she had worshipped and relied on though out her whole life. Her only wish, was that they where listening.
A huge cheer erupted from the crowd as the Inquisitor bowed his head to the guards stood beside him, a man dressed all in black including a black cloth covering his entire face nodded back to the signal given and set to work.
Grabbing a long piece of wood wrapped in cloth which had been dowsed in oil he walked over to the fire that had been burning vigorously all day, sticking the end into the flame the wood caught fire quickly almost grabbing for the chance to feed of something new and was raised high to the joy of the horde as they applauded him to set the bonfire alight.
Naeva cries where hardly noticed now as she tried to shut out the noise, she wish she could just fall asleep quickly, to not realise the wood had been set alight, or to feel the flames getting closer. She thought she could imagine the heat, hoping it was her body becoming so panicked she was going to faint and she would never notice it happening.
But the merriment of the crowd proved she was just wishing small miracles, the heat she felt was indeed the firewood catching alight, and its dry brittle nature almost too perfect for the flames that angrily ate upon them, rising higher and higher as they swarmed about the base. She could no longer hear the crowds, just the crackling of the wood, splintering under the pressure of the blaze that ripped though it.
“Oh Goddess, Oh god's, please help me, please help me!” She screamed, hoping someone, anyone would stop it, she didn’t want to die, she couldn’t, she didn’t want to feel the pain. “Oh god-ddess someone help me!” she yelled out, her sobbing choking her words, her eyes burning from the tears and the heat as it started to climb up towards her.
Her feet started to burn, it was incredible pain, she daren’t look down to see how close it was, the smoke filled her surroundings. She couldn’t see a thing if she wanted too, just feel, feel the fire licking at her toes, her once beautiful shoes coming of in tiny floating ash as it flew up past her, her skin soon following the same act as her feet became engulfed in the fire.
Her screams went on for minutes, her cries echoed around the square, every living thing in the area could sense her pain even if it was only for one moment, and she was beside every person young or old, either gender. Everyone she had ever met, helped, talked too and touched felt the pain that sheared its way though her body.
She died in the most hideous way possible, she lived though the flames until it had reached her midriff and her body gave out with shock, her mind was finally set free, her soul ready to be punished or praised in the next world.
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Posted: Sun Aug 20, 2006 1:46 pm
[Quest Part Six : Waking Wonders ]
Key:
Matisha: Purple
Naeva: Grey
Theodora: Dark Blue
Daemon: Black/italics
Matisha stared down at the floor, the pentagram seemed miles away rather than meters as she struggled to pull herself down with sheer weight. Naeva was bobbing up and down in one arm as the other drifted out to the side where Theodora tightly clung onto, her energy fused into attempting to hold on to both of them.
For such a heavy android Theo seemed to be just as weightless as the others, simply floating around like a lost feather until the whirlwind had had enough, which unfortunately seemed to be no time soon. Even with her crushed tongue, a self infected injury, Theo still rang out the chant told to her, never having stopped for a second she cried out the spell until the words lost all meaning, the worried thought of it not working coming again and again to her thoughts as she tried to clear them out of her mind.
A sudden jerk in her arms snapped Matisha out of her futile toil at grabbing shelves with spare fingers, looking down at Naeva the small child convulsed in her limbs, the rapid sense of heat radiating from her body was extreme as Matisha's own body began to react to the temperature Naeva dispersed.
"Naeva wake up, just let this spell work, don’t fight it honey, just come back to us."
Matisha shouted over the howling of the wind, squinting her eyes to get a better look at Naeva who seemed to be going a deathly pale. Matisha wasn't about to give up now and now more than ever she wanted this spell to work. Screaming out in unison Theo and Matisha cried out the words towards the clouds that has spun out of control, holding their hands tighter as if holding them would share what ever power they had no matter how little, they used what ever strength they could muster just to let it work, just for one second let it happen. It had to work, there was no other option.
Naeva continued to fight against inner daemons, her body now a conductor for this heat that scored Matisha's arms. The thought of Naeva surviving such an act was alarming, no human reached such temperatures, it was like she had been set alight from this inside, like being burnt by fire.... "Fire!"
Matisha mind scanned back to the day before she had met Naeva, the nights where her mind crossed centuries to show her events in history in the form of dreams. Never being one that specialised in such a gifted art Matisha knew something was important with every flickering moment that passed, and the last dream she had was of a burning woman. Was that Naeva? Was she being show Naeva in a past life? She knew legends had previous lives, that’s why they where so special, a second chance to do things right again in this realm. Was this gift turning into a curse for Naeva? Was her past life not letting go?
Question swirled around her head as she watched Naeva's tormented body shake feverishly against the heat and turmoil set on her by the spells. She couldn't stand watching her, seeing the child she had opened her heart to become the plaything of such a hex. She couldn't stomach the thought of her going though so much pain, especially when she had helped.
"Please Naeva, let me help you, let go of your past, it holds nothing over you. You owe nothing to your past, your life is now and your future is what you make it no matter what has come to pass already. Let go Naeva, don’t let it win."
************************************
Naeva stood back watching the flames still clingy to the body of her old self, without realising it she was now an onlooker in the crowd watching the body she had been encased in for so long being burnt away in to ash. The pain was gone like it had never been, even her memory was hazy she couldn’t recreate the feeling upon her skin once more.
She felt different, almost like something else was with her now having re-awoken after her death. She wasn't sure if this was a good or bad thing, or even if the feeling was something she had gained or lost. Her soul felt heavy like a burden had been placed upon it, yet her mind was clearer now, something she hadn't been able to have since being re-born in the new world. Although the trauma of having to experience such an awful act Naeva was almost thankful for it. She had escaped and hopefully unscaved, she was free and her mind and soul where somewhat better of for it. Yet...yet she still wasn't sure what had happened to her old self, had the old Naeva escaped?
Focusing on her old body her tears grew in her eyes as she began to think of the pain she would have gone though when it had happened. No longer was she the Naeva that had died, she was herself again, but her old self was still up there. The old her that had gone though that pain and wasn't able to watch from afar when it ended. She had gone to some place Naeva didn’t even want to question, she knew her punishment wasn't over, no matter how much she had paid for it in this realm.
"I will find out why I was cursed, what I did to deserve this treatment. I will find out who every living person had to do with my destruction and I will make them pay."
Swirling round to the podium stand Naeva spotted the person she wanted to see, pushing herself though the crowds only halting her steps when she got close enough to see his features, the church inquisitor that she had seen torture her time and a time again. She knew he held more answers, knew the hatred would grow when she discovered his meaning behind her demise. The reason for her capture, the truth why she decided his life should end by her hands and why she was willing to have her soul pay the price for it.
"Let go Naeva, don’t let it win."
"....what...hello?"
Naeva held out for a response as her thoughts changed target, the sudden voice in her mind reaching out to her like a beacon. Something was calling her back; somebody was calling her home...Matisha.
Am.......just wait for me, am coming."
************************************
The daemon scrapped at the walls with its long nails, eager to escape the vortex as it swung him about like an unwanted leaf, unable to flee as the whirlwind fed upon his being, magic absorbing magic as it swirled around the room. Catching hold of the aura a nearby wooden shelf emitted the daemon forced its way though the wall, pushing himself though brick and plaster till he stumbled out into a closet next door to the madness going on.
He hadn’t predicted such a risky rescue the human was willing to act upon to save the child; the unusual and unstable spell would work if it worked at all. The virus would be destroyed in Matisha body leaving Naeva to recover from her ordeal with only her dreams as evidence. The daemon shuddered with the thought of the task set upon him not being completed; the only solace was the fact that the virus had hopefully done enough, although it would have gone on for hours if left untreated.
The fever’s purpose was to open Naeva mind to her past, a past which held many secrets to her re-birth, a question held by many including that of his Master. A Being that had strong connections to the small child fighting the spell placed upon her, a Being that no one should want to have connections with.
His message was for her to discover the facts about her past, to find out the reason why her re-birth was granted by higher beings than the Master that had sent him to her. The questions his own Master had where stated for the fact that she belonged to him, what ever she had done in the past had not been paid off yet, but she had still been able to escape his clutches. Not only that but she had been given a second chance, a new life which he hadn’t signed for.
His Master wanted answers, he wanted her to return to the place that she had tarnished her soul for, to re-pay the debt she has placed upon herself and to earn back the power he had given to her. He had tired of waiting for her return, the understanding of her memory being fragmented due to her own mortal frailty was well known and she needed reminding just who she was now working for. He didn’t want excuses, he wanted his payment, and he wanted it now.
************************************
Matisha clung to her step-daughter as if loosening her grip would cause her to disappear, to be swept away with the wind and never be seen again. Her power was dwindling she could even sense Theo’s power cells growing weaker as the cloud battered against them, unsure of when it would stop or continue to build with the energy it gathered around it. Theo had worked her way closer to the two humans as they huddled together, Matisha having wedged herself beside a bookshelf so her body could not be thrown back into the tornado was struggling to not be knocked unconscious by the flying debris. pushing back upon her weight as it was being used against her as she was shoved into the furniture that she had seek out to save them. Theo’s mouth although still repeating the words had lost precious energy and was beginning to cease in movement, even her electronically voice was cracking up as she tried her best to stay awake, uncertain when her tiring cells would give up and she would shut down.
Matisha had run out of ideas, she could see that repeating the spell was getting them nowhere, she knew it would boil down to Naeva, it would stop once she began to fight back. But her comatose state was unforgiving and showed no signs of lifting. Hard as she tried she couldn’t get though to her, she didn’t have that connection with her that her previous guardian may have held.
She wished that she could have tried harder; gotten through to her faster maybe then she could contact Naeva even in this state. But she knew it was up to the small legend now, she had set the playing field it was now up to her to use it against these spells that corrupted her mind and body.
“Let go Naeva, don’t let it win."
Matisha unwillingly unfolded her arms around Naeva, their blood still running as it caught the strong breeze that stormed by. Holding her out to the tornado, Matisha slowly let go.
************************************
Naeva rushed though the crowds that stood watching the fire burning brightly at the centre of the village, she pushed past all manner of faces and bodies as they continued to cheer on the flames that tore at her old body. Although Naeva’s mind was set on the bonfire that grew to the applaud of the people, the current problem she faced was more about what was in front of her than behind.
The crowd before her seemed to be increase every time she turned around to try another direction, the paths she found where blocked as soon as she saw them appear, she couldn’t get past this dam square and the cheering mob that surrounded it. The smell of burning flesh hung to the air like a damp cloth, the whole area reeked of the nauseating odour as she tried to escape the awful scene. Forcing her way past villages she no longer cared if she still looked like her old self, she didn’t even know if they could see her, only that she had to get out of the village and they where causing her unneeded obstructions.
Yet the more she pushed the harder it seemed to get past them, even seeing over them was becoming increasingly difficult, it was like they where growing taller with every step she took, fatter even as the gaps became closed next to every person.
“Let me through! Let me through god dammit!” Naeva screamed to the crowd as more and more people gathered around her, it was if she attracted them to her as she stood before them trying to wedge herself into openings, their shadows drawing her in as she tried harder. The sparse light was growing ever fainter with every person that stood before her, the darkness seem to grow rapidly inwards as she was forced down to floor, raising her arms above her she attempted to force them back.
“Get away from me! Move!” She hit legs and torsos, trying to kick out to the people that still continued to move closer to her, she felt like she was drowning; her head could no longer reach the surface of the bobbing heads and bodies that didn’t seem to notice what was happening. Shielding her hands over her head she cried out as the muffled footsteps fell in and the darkness closed in around her.
************************************
Matisha let out a small yelp as if letting go of Naeva was tortuous even to her, the child was thrown into the centre of the abbess as the walls began to shake and the winds became stronger, the last of the items fell down and became adrift adding to the chaos that was this spell.. Purple and crimson lightening flashed down as it stuck Naeva’s small frame, her body twitched uncontrollably at the mercy of the strikes, each one like hands shaking her violently about.
Matisha buried her head under her arm so she couldn’t watch the event taking place, Theo followed in horror as the small body was submitted to the brutal attack that Naeva seemed helpless to.
“Matissha ssstop...op it...t!” The android cried out, stopping the chanting to smack some sense into Matisha as she shoved a palm against her shoulder, awaking her from the hiding place.
“Theo I can’t help her!” She screamed over the wail of the wind, “She needs to fight this herself! I can’t do anything else but pray!” Theodora looked desperately at her and then reluctantly accepted what Matisha had said. Both sets of eyes returned to the scene acting out before them, as they prayed in what ever form they chose, one to the gods she had worked for, for so long and the other just praying for a miracle.
************************************
Naeva floated into the blackness that had originally sent her into the past, the whole thing seemed so familiar like it had happened only moments ago, but hours had passed since first falling into the slumber. Her body ached with pain, unsure if it was from the torture set upon her, or the flames that destroyed her old body. Her mind wandered over the hopeful fact that it could be her true self waking up and she grabbed at that thought before it drifted away.
She concentrated on waking up, at opening her eyes and seeing her half finished room and the stupid toys that lined her cot. She focused on the constant noise that drifted from the other inhabitants of her home, to the breeze that always made it way past the windows and to Matisha checking up on her as she slept on. She clung to those thoughts as she made herself open her eyes, made herself wake up from the coma she had been encased in, she was tired of being thrown about and used against her will to see things she hadn’t been ready for. She was going to open her eyes, and there was going to be no choice in the matter.
She breathed in sharply, catching herself of guard as she pulled herself though the thickness of the blackened mind, through the memories that still captured her vision and played out before her, she pushed herself until she couldn’t breath though the energy that kept her down. The dim light that shone ahead was her goal as she grabbed at the darkness, pulling her body though a closing tunnel that threatened to take her down once more. That wasn't going to happen, she wasn’t going to let it win, she ripped at the curtains of her mind till the spells began to weaken with every nail and finger that punched its way though. She chased the light that seemed so close yet grew smaller with every try, she reached out to the burning glow and grabbed out for anything to take a hold of her.
“MATISHA!”
************************************
Everything stopped.
The room stopped moving, and the walls stopped spinning.
The wind ceased to flow, and the lightening ceased to flash.
There was a moment’s hesitation before the items fell all around them, splashing colours and powered mists shattered about the room as everything came to a stand still.
Matisha and Theo dropped to the floor with a thud, quickly rolling off injured limbs as they gasped for breath that had escaped when winded, drinking in the settled air as they continued to shield themselves from the falling debris.
Naeva took a moment longer to fall from the sky, she seemed almost weightless as she drifted back down to earth as if a hand that had shook her so fiercely had instead changed its mind to help.
Matisha rolled over till she was underneath the clouds that had been so vicious only a second ago. They again reflected what lay beneath them; Matisha was now huddled up cradling her arm protectively as Theodora lay unmoving to her side. The batteries she held had finally given up and shut down till her energy was replace. And Naeva, Naeva’s cloud image lay beside that of Matisha’s as the witch watched the two fluffy figures slowly change places.
A sudden rush of cold sweat enveloped her body as Matisha tried to stop her head from spinning and stomach from cramping up. The virus had finally changed bodies, the enchanted clouds had changed the fever to Matisha as she lay beneath it and just as she thought the fever was no match for her immune system and gifted protection that had been placed upon her. Staying conscious long enough to watch the clouds disperse Matisha relaxed her body against the virus that flowed though her, knowing that when she awoke it would just be like fighting a cold. Turning her head towards Theo she grinned briefly, knowing how hard the robot had thought against its own cells running low, she knew even if Theodora didn’t, that she was more human in morals and courage than some with blood and bones.
Twisting her neck back towards Naeva, she smiled before even viewing the small toddler, her thoughts looking forward to the chance of holding her without fear or worry.
Turning around, her head mere centimetres away from the legend the smile slowly slipped away as the realisation of something awful dawned on her. Fear not that of being scared of something gruesome, but that of change flashed before Matisha’s eyes as her mouth turned into an odd shaped O, one hand pointing upwards in a questioning stance as she looked beside her in shock and bewilderment.
The problem was not that of Naeva’s body being battered or bruised, missing limbs or even that it was missing completely. The only problem to arise was that which was lying next to Matisha sleeping soundly and not moving an inch, her chest rising up and down as the worn out legend gained the rest she so sorely needed.
The problem, if anything of course, was that Naeva was now 3 feet taller, older in appearance and banishing a head full of hair even Matisha would be jealous off.
And unfortunately the only sound that Matisha could muster in this unforgiving state of shock, was not words of wisdom or an explanation of such an phenomenon but instead was ‘Err’ and plenty of it.
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Posted: Sun Aug 20, 2006 2:57 pm
[Matisha/Naeva post: The Waking Voice]
Key
Naeva: Grey
Matisha: Purple
Theodora: Blue
It amazing what a few days rest can do for the soul, how refreshing it can be to wake up and that awful headache to be gone, for ones mind to be free of all worry and thought, for the body to be rejuvenated and strong once again. And above all to finally be able to express this emotion to those around you.
Naeva sat up and looked around her room, the walls still the same baby pink colour that Matisha had only finished the month before, the familiar toys scattered the floor with the mess only a child could make and the cot that had shrunk in size over night lay meters away from the awaking Naeva as she took in her surrounds as if this was the first time she had seen them.
Turning to her hands she lifted them up, her co-ordination was smooth and flawless unlike that of a child’s where she would have wobbled to even itch her face. They were bigger, older, only slightly, but she could she the difference. Her vision was momentarily clouded as a mass of red hair covered her vision as she leant over to have a look at her feet which had caught her attention; she was new, all new.
Dressed in a plain cotton nightgown once owned by Matisha now adored the new body of Naeva, her still small frame looked lost in the item making her look dainty and frail, but this was far from the truth. As if from some hidden place deep within a burst of energy erupted though Naeva's body as she jumped up from the make shift bed and screamed with all her might! Her voice echoed around her room as it rushed down the stairs and into Matisha eardrums.
The witch who had also taken a few days off from work to recover was shaken from her afternoon doze as she fell of the chair she had positioned herself on.
"Bloody Eck? Naeva! NAEVA!" Running up the spiral staircase Matisha forced her way into the legends room, a bag of herbs and a crystal wand tightly clasped in one hand as if prepared for another event like the one only a few days ago.
"What the hells wrong?" Matisha shouted as she watched the now older girl jumping up and down as if possessed, the young legend swirled her hair and shook her arms and kicked up her legs as she bounced about the room, shrieks of joy escaping from the swirling figure as she laughed and laughed twirling around until Matisha grabbed her in an attempt to stop the sudden crazed Naeva.
"Oh my god what’s happened now? Another demon? Get out of her you bastards!" Matisha shook Naeva as she tried to unscrew a glowing green bottle that had been grabbed from her pocket, the liquid spilling everywhere as Matisha tried to pour the glop over the legends head.
"St-st-sttop, stop, am fi-fine! Am fine." Naeva let the words stumble out of her mouth as if tripping over her tongue. The quaint English accent mixed in with what Matisha could only guess as a French undertone echoed around the walls and settled into the space between them.
"I-I can talk-k, my voic-e, I can talk." Naeva’s eyes lit up with brimming tears as she realised the possibility of escaping her own mind, to speak with others, to communicate, to be able to shout, to whisper to mimic those words being spoken around her day in and day out, she could finally reach out.
"Naeva are you sure you’re ok? It’s only been a few days, you need to rest more, and we don’t really know what happened to you." Matisha said caringly as she watched Naeva trace her lips and neck with her dainty fingers.
"Am fi-fine." Naeva stuttered again as her neck began to feel sore, her newly found skill was beginning to grow tired, having never develop sentences through time and learning, Naeva had been thrown into the deep end and it was wearing thin already. But alas if Naeva was about to keep quite, for although she knew what had happened to her was a gift, she was now a young child, and children never listen.
"I can-n speak, my-my arms and leg-gs are lo-ong and I can-n move so be...beaut...fully." Naeva gasped out as she twirled, catching herself before she fell, her voice beginning to grow horse with the strain she was placing upon it.
As if a sudden idea struck her flowing thoughts still Naeva ran to the nearest shelf and reached out for one of her old stuffed animals, once the many colourful creatures had eluded her grasp but now with only a slight hint of effort and the help from one's tip toes Naeva grabbed the toy from its station point and cried out with joy at her accomplishment.
"Aha! Did you see, d-did you see? There is not-thing I can...can not do!"
Matisha grimaced as Naeva started to cough, her words scratched against the silences and watered eyes replaced Matisha concerned look as she held up her hands in defiance.
"Fabulous! Wonderful Naeva! Of course if you don’t stop right now, your going to lose that pretty voice of yours and then it'll be back to the screaming and crying of the old days ok?"
Naeva spun round on the spot, the pink pig dropping from her hands as she glared at Matisha with the eyes that hadn’t changed since growing, the same grey eyes that swam a thousand memories of things forgotten, all directed at Matisha as she stared her down.
"Ho-ow dare y--ou, I hav-e waited...yea-rs *cough-cough* f-for this, and you can no--ot ta....take this aw-way from me!"
Grabbing the pig from the floor Naeva swung her arm back and threw with all her might towards Matisha unprotected head, the soft toy flying past her face, the fur creating a gentle breeze and it hit the wall behind her. The look of mere surprise etched itself on Matisha face as she turned to view the missile and then back towards the fuming little girl that threw it.
Matisha glared back trying to weigh up her small opponent, she didn’t quite grasp the concept of a bigger Naeva after all was said and done a few days ago, yet the realisation was setting in. the new voice that would screech and shout, the limbs that could reach out and take, the nails that would soon dig at flesh and palms that would hit at cheeks, Matisha stood staring at a child that she couldn’t understand was needing her only a week before and was now acting like nothing had happened between them.
"Wow...so...so not ready for this." Matisha mumbled under her breath “So...you’re always going to be like this then?" Matisha said as she scratched at her left frontal lobe, her eyes shifting side to side as her mind scrambled towards the final thought, as if thinking she was funny Matisha smiled devishly over at Naeva.
"So...let me get this straight, after I did all that for you a few days ago, after all that you put me through, you’re always, always! Going to be a silly little girl?"
Her voice may have been going but Naeva's limbs and hands had been born to throw tantrums and the look of horror on her face answered Matisha thoughts of how far she could go with the new Naeva as the screams and the teddies began to rain down on Matisha from all angles as she ran for the door handle.
"Ahhhh, oh come on I was joking!! You’re the one acting all well!!! Ahhh...hey, hey that had hard eyes!! Ahhh Ok, Ok am going!!!" Matisha screamed out as she was chased down the hall from Naeva room by flying furry missiles, laughing as she swung round the banister and down the stairs, the echoes of an enraged Naeva still ranting as she ran into the Kitchen where Theo sat waiting for an explanation of all the noise.
"Didn’t she just have a traumatic experience a few days ago?" Theo questioned as she watched Matisha pick the toys up from the floor.
"Yes, but she is fine now, you wouldn't even be able to tell we pulled her back from some other worldly adventure."
"Did she enlighten you on what happened?"
Matisha grabbed a seat and slumped over the table as Theo pushed a cup of coffee towards her.
"Did she heck, I didn’t even get chance, I just know that I am not ready for mother hood let alone the beginnings of puberty, I mean...I cant handle that, I couldn’t handle it when I went through it. Now the worst person that could go though it, is going to go through it and I have to suffer!! It’s just not fair Theo.....why Theo why am I doing this?!"
Theo smiled, gently resting a battered hand over Matisha's, the androids battle scars reflected in her computerised expression as she stroked Matisha's fingers.
"Because we would do anything for her."
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Posted: Fri Jan 05, 2007 5:09 pm
What's this? It appears your Legend has been kidnapped!
They're nowhere to be found, but there is a note left behind-
Your child will be returned to you when our examination is through.
We approximate 24 hours to be the time necessary.
To find out what's happening in this metaplot piece and RP your Legend's part, please click here.PS- 24 hours ic time, from their kidnapping to their return. The time to RP it out will depend on the group.
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Posted: Tue Jan 09, 2007 2:16 pm
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Posted: Tue Jan 09, 2007 2:18 pm
[Group RP: Visiting The HQ: Set Before the Time of Kidnap]
[UPDATING]
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