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 Posted: Sun May 12, 2013 6:57 am
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Posted: Sun May 12, 2013 6:57 am
Word Count:: Points:: Solo/Joint
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Posted: Sun May 12, 2013 7:01 am
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Posted: Wed Jun 05, 2013 8:10 am
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Posted: Tue Jul 30, 2013 9:56 am
It was raining, Isambard could not remember the last time he had seen rain, certainly not since he had been bonded with Ifan. He and Ifan wandered through the Pantheon gardens, relishing the feel of it on their skin. The sky was grey, clouds bubbled up from the mountains, getting blacker and blacker as the day went on. Host and God passed through the gardens and followed the path down towards the forge, stepping through puddles as they went. Neither cared that they were getting soaked. The rain trickled from Ifan’s hair and down his face, he relished it. Who knew how long it would be until he felt the rain again, or if he ever would. He was well aware that Isambard had more and more power over him, it would only be a matter of time before he was gone, nothing remaining.
It was warm inside the forge, as always filled with smoke and and the smell of sweat, hard work. Men and women grafting hard for their art. Isambard took up a seat by the furnace and watched the glassmakers work. He loved watching them work, watching anyone work. People misunderstood Industry, they assumed he was only interested in making things fast, ignoring quality. He could appreciate good work as much as anyone else, more perhaps because he knew what burned inside of those that created, that took up tools to construct and make and dream. Artisans were Industry as much as Factory workers, designers, consumers.
He held his host’s hands out towards the fires of the furnace, allowing them to warm and the heat to filter through his arms and warm his body. He knew he was getting close, he could feel it day on day. Ifan had been useful, had taught him things about people, things perhaps he had neglected to think about before. Communication, providing, being a little bit more empathetic towards his workers. He wasn’t about to become a complete push over but he would endeavour to listen.
In the corner behind him Isambard listened to a blacksmith work. The sound of metal on metal, a satisfying clang. The rhythm was comforting, almost trance inducing; clang, clang, followed by the whoosh of the bellows and the hiss of water as glowing iron was dunked into it. The furnace roared providing a backing track to the industrial rhythms.
Ifan watched through the eyes that were his, or were his ... it was hard to tell. Sometimes he was in control, thinking, putting those thoughts to voice and to action, other times it was Isambard and he was watching from within, as though he were trapped in a cage. He knew Isambard would not keep him in any form as the other gods had spoken of. He was not the kind to merge, to share. Ifan could accept that. There was one thought that comforted him. With the return of Industry perhaps his homeland would benefit. Money would return, business would pick up. There would be food on the table and just maybe his siblings would be able to go back to school. If Industry succeeded than his life was a worthy sacrifice.
The sounds of the forge seemed to be getting louder, deafening, his ears were throbbing, it was hot, boiling even, as though he were standing in the furnace itself, surrounded by flames. His skin was crawling, burning, changing. There were other sounds too, the shouting of men calling instructions, machinery working at full pelt, brawls in backstreet pubs and working mens clubs, brass bands, the chatter and laughter of women, the sounds of war. All of it was building, higher, louder, roaring inside his head reaching an excruciating crescendo, then silence.
Darkness
When his eyes opened he was no longer in the forge. He was staring at a ceiling rose and a chandelier. The light glittered through the cut glass and danced on the ceiling.
Ifan?
Nothing, no reply. Isambard was alone inside his head. The god swallowed thickly and flexed his fingers, they felt strange, he held them up to see them. They were jointed, metallic, like a robot. A machine. He frowned and shifted to sit up. The room spun a little and he ached all over. Yep, he was definitely still part mortal.
“Oh, you’re awake.” Esha breezed into the room with a tray carrying a teapot, cup and saucer and a slice of cake. “One of the men came to get Cyrus, he said you’d collapsed. I told you that you were working too hard.” She shook her head and put the tray down on the low coffee table.
Isambard stared at the tray a moment before glancing back up to Esha.
“It happened didn’t it?” He asked as he pushed himself to his feet and walked carefully to look in the mirror above the fireplace. He didn’t need to hear her answer, the face staring back at him was not that of Ifan. It looked like him, though the eyes were mismatched. One was Ifan’s green, the other shone like the flames of the forge, changing through reds, yellows and oranges like a flame. His skin was different too, his jointed were almost hinged, they felt cold and metallic. He was in control once more. He would miss Ifan, he decided. The young man had been a good host, useful and clever. They had gotten a lot accomplished, set the foundations that would carry him through his rebirth.
Isambard ran his fingers through his rust coloured hair and sighed. It wasn’t quite what he had been expecting, but it would do. He thought as he walked back to the couch and took a seat. Esha was watching him expectantly.
“This looks good Esha, thank you.” He said softly, reaching for the tea pot. “Could you ask Cyrus and Nisha to come in please, we have a lot to discuss.”
“You really should be resting my lord.” She had her hands clasped in front of her and looked a little nervous.
“I am resting, I’m not going to move.” He smirked. “Send them in please.”
“Yes my lord, it’s good to have you back.” She gave him a small smile before hurrying out to do as he had asked.
Yes, it was good to be back.
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Posted: Tue Jul 30, 2013 9:58 am
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Posted: Wed Oct 23, 2013 9:42 am
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Posted: Sun Oct 27, 2013 1:11 pm
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Posted: Sun Oct 27, 2013 1:13 pm
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Posted: Sat Nov 02, 2013 9:43 am
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Posted: Sun Nov 03, 2013 12:14 pm
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Posted: Sun Nov 10, 2013 12:21 pm
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Posted: Sat Jan 18, 2014 7:23 am
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Posted: Wed Jan 29, 2014 1:06 pm
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Posted: Wed Jan 29, 2014 1:07 pm
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