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 Posted: Wed Mar 22, 2006 12:57 pm
He'd lost track of how long he had been running.
Sometimes it felt like circles. Sometimes like he was just running in place and not actually moving at all. He'd never tired of course, since it took him longer to wear out than an average human would.
But the despair.
The despair that accompanied that long stretch of empitness; a hollowness that refused to go away.
It was ********! ********! ********! You can do this, come on!
His eyes were squeezed shut, even as he felt his legs pumping, heart beating loudly, nothing but the sound of his greaves slapping the ground.
Focus...focus.... focus... I need to... a city.... out in the city. Maybe.. Barton. That's it... the flower stem... I remember the call.
He swallowed a bit, as he started running faster now, eyes still closed.
Just have to visualize the place I want to go to... and like... magic... I'll---
It was an odd sensation... since he couldn't feel the ground anymore. No... that wasn't even right. There was no 'ground' in that void.. only the feeling of something solid... something tangible yet never there.
But his legs were not rising back up... he was....
Yellowed eyes opened slightly, even a cold sweat broke out on his body. Staring down, he could make out... pews...?
"OSHI---!"
Falling.
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Posted: Wed Mar 22, 2006 1:17 pm
There really was no time to think.
He didn't have wings.
Didn't have web-shooters.
No grappling hook.
No rocket boots.
No razz matazz.
He had an a**.
That's about it.
And it was about to get busted.
"Fuc---"
Having smacked dead center on the altar of the church, he lay there, drifitng from consciensness and sleep repeatedly. Blood was dripping out the side of his mouth, his entire back feeling as if someone had taken a mac truck and run him over.
It'd...be so easy... to just stay here...and sleep it all away...
Glancing around, he noticed through the haze of his vision that the place had been gutted by a fire. Everything on the inside was compltely ruined.
"..Wazzz't... me..."
He groaned, even as he slid off the altar and landed on his stomach as well as chin. That jarred his head a bit more, his brain slapping against his skull a bit.
The ********... this is stupid... get up... GET UP!
His right arm shaking, he pushed his body up and off the ground. Yellowed eyes narrowed as he got to both feet. His legs were shaking, but he was standing.
It was a start.
Now ******** walk, before I kick my own a**!
Pushing forward, he began walking down the main aisle of the church, right hand clamped onto his left shoulder.
The sides of his coat flapped idly, even as a trail of blood was left from the alter...
As soon as he exited out the burnt doors of the church, the alter broke in two, shattering violently from a delayed reaction.
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Posted: Wed Mar 22, 2006 1:18 pm
Flare entered from the direction of the clock tower, holding a scanty, glowing bodice in one hand. She glanced toward the doors of the church as she saw them open...and Vahn walked out. Well, she had no business with him, so unless he had something to say to her, she would continue on her way.
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Posted: Wed Mar 22, 2006 1:25 pm
He wasn't exactly keeping an eye out in the sky for anything in particular, let alone caring to run into anyone.
He continued holding onto his left shoulder, his gait more than just slightly staggering as he made his way down the front steps. Small splotches of blood could be seen dripping from where he walked, and leading all the way back into the church itself.
Yellowed eyes were focused and intent on what was ahead of him, apparently using all the strength he had to keep on moving.
The sun was going to start going down soon....
Time was running out.
Making his way onto the sidewalk, he looked around a bit.
It was quiet.
Too quiet, even for a place of worship.
Dismissing it, he wandered over to the nearest parked vehicle; which happened to be a pick up truck of sorts. Putting his forehead right up against the passenger side window, he breathed heavily, while looking inside.
"...Dammit."
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Posted: Wed Mar 22, 2006 1:28 pm
Well, he didn't look like he was about to keel over dead, so Flare felt no compulsion to help him. More's the pity. She continued on her merry little way to the Void.
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Posted: Wed Mar 22, 2006 1:34 pm
Gritting both his teeth he reared his head back, and sent it smashing forward, into the passenger side window.
The sound of glass shattering, and the sickening sound of flesh ripping was all that was heard in his ears. With heavy breaths, the feel of warmth spurting from gashes on his face, he wretched his head back, and staggered backwards.
"Fu..."
Bringing his right leg forward, he sent his greaved foot into the side door, denting it deeply on the first try; puncturing ti completely on the second. With his ankle somewhat lodged in there, he yanked backwards, ripping the passenger side door off it's hinges.
"s**t..."
The door was stuck around his foot now.
Grumbling, he amped the temperature on his boot and seared the entire thing right through the car door, like it was cheap butter.
The sound of squealing and protesting metal resounded out, and he thought he heard what sounded like several dogs barking a bit in the distance.
Not wasting anymore time, he pushed his body into the pickup, sliding along the seats until he was in front of the wheel. Looking around for maybe some keys... he bit into the steering wheel with his teeth and pulled the rest of his body inside.
"GNGRRR!"
His jaw ached like a ********, but he was in. With that done, he let go of his left shoulder, only to revisit the immense jabbing sensations in ********... you better be dislocated.. I swear... if your broken...!
Breathing a bit more controlled, he pulled down the visor and looked for spare keys or something.
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Posted: Wed Mar 22, 2006 1:45 pm
Apparently, the movies lied.
He couldn't find any sort of keys in the visor, glove compartment, or under the seat at all.
Now that he thought about... what ******** idiot would really do that?
"Tch... dammit."
He'd ripped off the underside of the steering wheel, and pulled out what looked like a bunch of wires.
Well... how hard can it be... people do it all the time, right?
He started messing around with it all, trying to experiment with this or that, using solely his right hand.
"Heh... look at me... stealing a damn truck... like some punk."
He couldn't help but chuckle at himself, even as his head laid against the steering wheel. He was breathing a bit more regular now, that he actually could rest his body.
"...What the hell... am I doing...?"
What am I.... fighting for?
He closed his eyes, only to suddenly feel a p***k on his neck. Exhaling sharply, he lifted his head up off the wheel, wondering what had jabbed him.
Digging around with his right hand, he suddenly found himself staring down at the ruby mask Sunstrike had carved for him all those months ago in Barthavos.
"I never learned to like myself...until I met you, dammit. You were this innocent little spark of the sun... Everyone took advantage of you... At first, I couldn't stand to watch you! I thought you were an idiot... But... I wasn't really mad at you, ...I was mad at myself...But, then... I started to like myself a little bit... for the first time in my life... You know what friends are? They're somone you like. And because of them you learn to like yourself. That's why I'm with you, I think... So if it hurts, or whatever--- let me share it. That's what friends are for."
"........." He dropped his hand, the necklace falling back into place along his collarbone. His right hand lowered to the mess of wires once more, and pushed two particular wires that he had tugged apart from differernt places.
A soft spark, and he was rewarded with the sound of the truck's engine coming to life.
"...I'm getting too old for this."
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Posted: Wed Mar 22, 2006 4:01 pm
Now fleeing a large group of people, Coll rounded street corners like a madman with the Devil on his trail, hooves flying every which way. Sweat was pouring off of him in buckets. He sped past the church he had gazed at before, which was still in ruins. The only difference now was that the smell of blood was following him.
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Posted: Wed Mar 22, 2006 5:20 pm
He reached the church, the same old church that was, last time he had crossed it, smoking from the inside. Now the flames must have settled, but there was still a distinct smell that remained in the air.
No time to stop and rest. His pace remained the same. He headed past the church at breakneck speeds, hopping over a small stone wall that lined the courtyard.
He could hear his own breath now, and the strap was starting to dig into his flesh. It was still better than placing it on his left arm, where all the flesh was just raw and extremely tender.
Just keep putting one foot in front of the other, that's all you can do.
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Posted: Wed Mar 22, 2006 5:30 pm
"..GRAH!"
A grunt of effort was all he could offer at this point. His pace had slowed slightly, and the vocal announcement of his effort was accompanied by a sudden surge in speed. His footfalls were just as loud as his breathing, which at this point was breathy gasps that accompanied every step of his left foot. There was a sharp pain that ran through his right side.
NO!
He wasn't going to stop...not now...not when he was so damn close.
He left the church just as quickly as he had left. His destination? The Void.
God he hated that place.
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Posted: Wed Mar 22, 2006 5:47 pm
There would a thunderous clap of sound as Vahn came hurtling back within city limits, a long trail of flames could be seen within the skies, even as Vahn pushed forward. The hairs on his body were being seared away at, but he pushed on regardless. His clothing was slowly being burnt away as well, even as he stuck his right arm out. At first he bent the forearm, protecting him from branches, cows and even a boulder that he had flown into on his way here, but now as he entered Durem once more, he stuck his arm straight forward like Superman. "F-F-FLAME ON!!!!" Not at all used to the feeling of flight, let aloen giddy from all the lack of oxygen he was slowly receiving, he finally spotted the church. Spotted, yet could not stop. OSHI---With a booming crack, Vahn went right through one side of the cathedral, and right out the other, like a knife through cardboard. His right forearm was bent over the top of his head, even as he could feel his descent happen, his flames dying out, and so logically, so did the thrust. "--GUHH!!" If it hadn't been for the heated air around his body, he might have been nothing but paste along the street, as he came crashing down and through a parked car, coming to rest right atop it's hood.
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Posted: Wed Mar 22, 2006 5:52 pm
Hearing no sounds of a direct chase, Coll began to slow as he reached the outskirts of northern Durem. Sides heaving and drenched in sweat, he reached a finger into his sheath and removed a small vial of milky white liquid. Uncorking it, he downed it all in one gulp. He stood stock-still for a moment before a full-body shudder shook him down to his hocks.
"Reinvigoration... for use in dire circumstances only..." Coll breathed, reciting from memory.
He would have about six hours of superhuman stamina, which would be useful, since he had hardly slept in days. When it wore off... well, he didn't want to think about what would happen to him when it wore off. Coll began pacing back and forth at the entrance of an alley, his potion affecting him like speed affects a junkie. The jitters.
A loud crash made him jump nearly two feet into the air, being only a few hundred yards from the church, which was where the sound seemed to be coming from. His curiosity got the better of him, and he slunk down the street towards the source of the noise, sticking to the shadows.
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Posted: Wed Mar 22, 2006 5:56 pm
There was silence.
A long stretch of silence.
Aside from the sounds that crackling flames and squealing metal made. There were cries further down the block, apparently all that racket had drawn more than enough attention.
Coughing violently, several more splotched of blood were released, painting what remained of the mangled and burnt car top.
His body was literally outligned along the hood and roof, and he felt every single muscle on his body burn.
"..Freqeunt flyer miles... are a killer..."
He struggled to removed himself from the metal death trap, before rolling off and hitting the pavement. He was naked from the waist up, nothing but his jeans and greaves had survived the rocketman mode.
His hair was burnt shorter than usual, but at least he wasn't bald like last time.
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Posted: Wed Mar 22, 2006 6:07 pm
Coll watched a man remove himself from some kind of metal contraption, utterly confused. The jitters were starting to take hold of him and he could hardly sit still in the shadows. He couldn't quite make out who the man was -his eyes were a bit blurry- but he had come from the same direction that Coll had... which made Coll even more jumpy than he previously was.
Until he recognized who it really was. It was the man that had also been attacked by the marauding band of rapscallions. And if they didn't like him, he must not be that bad at all. Blood dripping down most of his left side, Coll trotted forward from the shadows to greet the man.
He held up his hand in a peaceful greeting. "I am Coll. I heard you land. Do you need assistance?" he asked politely.
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Posted: Wed Mar 22, 2006 6:11 pm
"Come help me when you bring a pizza and a keg. In that order."
His words came out a bit slurred as he found himself only capable of moving his head to the side.
It was... the horse man.
"Hehe... so you got away too, huh? That's nice. Maybe next time you won't juggle out in the open."
He tensed a bit, before attemtping to sit up, every single bone in his body disagreeing.
"...Ugh..."
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