|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Wed Jul 27, 2011 11:47 pm
Waking with a start, Jericho sat up, breathing heavily as he could have sworn he had just died right about now. However, as his senses returned to him, he glanced around and realized where he was. Riley was here as well, right beside him, safe. For a moment or so, he felt confused, unsure of what had just happened.
Letting out a sigh, his body slowly relaxed as he looked towards Riley, hugging her gently as he felt a great deal of relief to know they weren't dead.
The dragon did not really want to experience what it would be like should they die away from the school and far from any FEAR healer..
Even so, that was one hell of a vivid dream. Reminescent of the hallucinations he felt during their trip to that hellish island. Had there been fog around, he probably thought that was the cause... but here, he couldn't really be certain.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Jul 28, 2011 6:35 am
Why did dying feel so familiar? It was a disturbing thought to wake up to, though it was happily followed by the sudden realization that she was waking up at all. She sat up with a lurched start, immediately grabbing her head in her hands, before they both dropped down to her stomach. She felt her body for holes, and when there seemed none to be found, she took a deep breath of relief, and her arms wrapped around Jericho the instant she felt him pull her into his. There was a moment of necessary silence as she simply held her best friend, and relished in the fact that neither of them were actually dead.
She, however, had no such lofty ideas that any of it had been a dream. Riley's dreams. A hallucination? Perhaps. Likely, even. But Riley's dreams were under her own control. And that.. had not been.
Well. She finally broke the silence with a rough voice. I think we've got some things to work out if we're going to do better than that, this time.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Jul 28, 2011 9:49 am
Letting go of Riley as she spoke, Jericho nodded while glancing out the cave. Judging the way she had reacted, she must have experienced the same thing making the likelihood of it being a dream far less. The idea of illusions and hallucinations made him a little uneasy, due to past experiences and he hoped this wasn't going to be commonplace.
"Yeah, I'd say so. I.. don't know if that's how the next area really will be but if there's going to be hallucinations.. we better try and prepare ourselves for that somehow."
Quite frankly, the dragon didn't really know how to defend against something like that. His mental defenses weren't anything like his physical ones after all.
Staring out the cave some more, he soon looked over to his left wing which was fully in tact.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Jul 28, 2011 5:29 pm
As far as she could think, the best way to deal with hallucinations was simply not to acknowledge them. We could try to ignore the scenery changes. Though, I really don't think it would be safe to do that in the air.. perhaps when we arrive, and it starts to look dangerous, we should immediately land and resume our trip on foot. It will take longer, but it might be the key to succeeding.
She was already up, ready to try again, despite the fact that her hand was still resting in the spot where the tree had impaled her. It was a ghost of a feeling that lingered there, reminding her of what was to come.
Are you ready to try again?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Jul 28, 2011 6:03 pm
Taking the suggestions into consideration, Jericho nodded before carefully stretching out his wings.
"As ready as I can be I guess," he said, glancing towards his left wing again. He hoped that those limbs would never be in such a state where he wouldn't be able to fly again. That would be... horrible.
Shaking off the thought, he walked on out the cave and resumed his true form, looking up at the skies they were to take. At least he now had somewhat of an idea of what may lie ahead, though there was no telling of that 'dream' had any truth to it.
Not until they started to travel again at least.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Aug 02, 2011 5:39 pm
A surge of determination filled her as she reached out to hop on top of Jericho's back once more, lacking the mischief and light-hearted banter of their first take-off. Her legs clamped and her body tensed, waiting silently for the lift.
Dying always seems to take the fun out of a trip.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Aug 02, 2011 5:47 pm
Once Riley was secure on his backside, Jericho took flight and continued on northwest like they were supposed to. He was definitely more on edge on this round than in the version of the dream. While this wasn't necessarily a bad thing, he wasn't quite as lighthearted about things as he was before. The seriousness he felt within his friend just kind of added to this effect.
Most of the flight was done in silence, as he watched the grounds below carefully. But, for the most part, nothing really happened, and their destination could be seen ahead before too much time had passed.
he asked quietly, finally breaking the silence.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Aug 02, 2011 10:16 pm
Riley kept turning her head back, looking at the path they'd traveled before returning to looking ahead, as if trying to pinpoint exactly where the transgression of reality might begin. There was no indication of the change, much to her dismay. She rested her head against the scales of his neck, and glared at the seemingly benign trees up ahead, as if daring them to become treacherous once more.
They happily complied.
Okay. We need to land. Quickly, before it gets any worse. Her body wrapped around the dragon, holding on tight in preparation for the possibility of a rough landing.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Aug 02, 2011 10:54 pm
Narrowing his eyes at the trees below, Jericho didn't need to be told twice before he quickly went to land as Riley instructed. The trees really were shifting some, meaning that dream of theirs had more truth to it than they normally would.
Landing a little roughly due to the speed in which he dropped, the dragon looked around warily for signs of hostile creatures in the area.
he asked, keeping things mental in case something could hear nearby. He also didn't shift back just yet... for the very same reason.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Aug 03, 2011 5:27 pm
Riley had been right to tighten her grip as she felt gravity leave her, and her body floated up away from the dragon with every dip, only to drop against it when he leveled out and finally landed. Her eyes had pinched shut when they landed, but when she heard his voice they opened once more and took a look around.
It was beautiful.
The trees, which had begun to look menacing in the air, were now filled with green leafy foliage, and thin beams of sunlight stabbed through their gently swaying leaves every so often. It was disorienting, how everything looked so..
The sun dimmed, and the leaves slowly began to fall.
Right. Riley slid off of Jericho's body and focused on the road ahead, which seemed easy enough to traverse on foot. Let's just get moving quickly. She took two steps forward, and a large root uprooted from the ground and tripped her. Purposefully.
She landed on her face, and stayed there. I hate this place.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Aug 03, 2011 5:45 pm
The beauty of the scenery around was brief, as things began to take a more sinister turn. Once Riley had climbed off, he shifted back to his humanoid form. It would be a little easier to move around through the trees this way. As he looked some more, he suddenly heard a thud next to him.
Frowning, he went to try and help up the Mindflayer.
"Yeah... I don't like it either. Let's.. just hurry up and try to make our way through. I don't want to stay around here for long.." he whispered, a bit on edge since it seemed that the air wasn't the only place of danger. They were only somewhat more safe on the ground.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Aug 05, 2011 10:58 pm
As soon as Jericho helped her to her feet, Riley grabbed a hold of his arms and peered angrily at the path ahead. It seemed so clear and paved when she had first looked at it, but now, even as she watched, the roots of trees began to tear away at the path, and vines etched their way across-
Even as she watched..
Riley closed her eyes and pressed her face against Jericho's arm. Close your eyes for a few minutes. She whispered, hesitance wavering her voice. I want to test something.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Aug 05, 2011 11:04 pm
Furrowing his brow, Jericho stared at Riley for a moment. He wasn't so certain if closing their eyes was a good idea in this whacked out place, but... Riley had a better idea of these lands than he did, even if it was only by a little. Grimacing, he nodded quietly and shut his eyes.
Though, when he did, he tensed up some, as he wasn't sure what to expect now.
"Alright... now what?" he whispered as he was trying to keep his ears open for any odd noises.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Aug 05, 2011 11:13 pm
Just.. just listen. Her hand clenched tight around his arm, but otherwise she fell silent, listening to the sounds that surrounded them.
The distant rumbling thunder faded away. The sound of wildlife returned, with birds chirping merrily. And finally, the rustling of healthy leaves in the trees gave her a final indication that she was right.
Keep your eyes closed. She whispered, as her own opened. As soon as they did, the sound of birds died off, and the perfectly paved path began to chip away at her feet. Her eyes squeezed shut quickly, turning away.
She waited until she heard the sounds of the birds again, before she dared speak. Open your eyes now. Watch things change.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Aug 05, 2011 11:18 pm
And listen, Jericho did. He stood quietly, furrowing his brow while trying to pick up any noises in the area. Sounds did ring out, but they were not hostile ones. Instead, he was able to hear the normal sounds of wildlife. It sounded considerably more safe around here.
"Alright," he uttered while opening his eyes. Almost immediately, the ambient noises of nature were turned off and the scene before him was crumbling away, quickly degrading into something more menacing. The paved road aged and wore down, just as the trees lost their leaves, leaving gnarled branches in their wake.
Tensing up again, he looked around, watching things progressively get worse.
"Do.. you think this is a trick on our eyes..?" He murmured while shutting them tightly once more.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
