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 Posted: Wed Aug 14, 2013 6:43 pm
Her eyes opened. The scene was different. It was--
She looked down, hand moving to her chest. Her heart. She had it. A dream? A nightmare? She'd felt it ripped out, carried away, but.... It hadn't been real. None of it. It was just as real as the memories.
Which meant it was real. The memories were real.
She'd lost her heart.
She sighed, bowing to the Goddess.
Then she walked forward, and placed the dagger on the pedestal for prey.
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Posted: Wed Aug 14, 2013 6:47 pm
It took Laurus a long time to understand that she was awake, that she still lived. Her hand pressed against her chest. A sigh of relief escaped her as she felt her heart still beating, still there. Gathering the shreds of her composure to her, she stood to read the plaques.
She still meant to grow stronger, of course. But sacrifice for the greater good -- if that was what her terrifying encounter with the shadowy figure was -- didn't sound so terrible either. She placed her dagger on the prey podium before leaving. The troubling memories faded, leaving only that of her heart being torn out. Yes, she had to get stronger.
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Posted: Wed Aug 14, 2013 6:48 pm
It hurt for all of the reasons that it shouldn't hurt.
Simmy refused to acknowledge the Goddess and placed the dagger onto the pedestal designated for prey. This was her purpose.
This was all she would ever be.
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Posted: Wed Aug 14, 2013 6:49 pm
Stepping back into the shrine, the hollow-eyed, tear-stained child was not surprised to see the red goddess was once again stone. Instead the sight fell upon him with a deep numbness. Had it been worth it...?
He wandered aimlessly past the red goddesses statue with the look of a child in a war zone, his posture was slumped like he was carrying the weight of a thousand souls on his back. It had only been one, but what a one it had been. He had a choice, and surely he made the correct one to survive instead of becoming prey, but had it been the right choice?
The little one dropped his dagger onto the predator podium, and slowly the weight dissolved from his shoulders, along with the memory of the painful encounter. He tried to cling to it, tried to hold that defining moment in his head. He tried to focus on just one little thing. The memory of that kind hand patting his head... But soon even that was gone.
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Posted: Wed Aug 14, 2013 6:50 pm
Vane wasn't sure how he had gotten back to the shrine, only that he had failed in his quest and that his heart, fortunately, was right in his chest where it belonged. He didn't care; he was more bitter over his failure than anything else. He dropped his dagger on the Prey pedestal and abruptly forgot why.
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Posted: Wed Aug 14, 2013 6:51 pm
Zauus awoke in a panic. She pressed her hand over her heart. It was still there. She looked in disbelief. Wasn't it taken from her? Or was it all just a dream? She looked in her hand, the small jewelled dagger sat comfortably, untainted with anything. She had lost her heart, but she thought that the Goddess must have given it back to her, giving her another chance.
She approached the prey pedestal without even looking at the predator pedestal. She knew she had failed. She could not lie to the Goddess. She lay her dagger to rest in front of the prey pedestal.
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Posted: Wed Aug 14, 2013 6:52 pm
She returned, and the first thing she did was grab at her chest and look down, noting with relief that her heart wasn't actually taken from her, and let out a shaky rasp of breath. It had only been a dream then? Somehow, she doubted it. It had been a task, set out by the goddess.
Had she passed, or failed?
It certainly felt like failure, to her.
She approached the now statued pedestal and read it's words, disappointment tugging at her features.
Prey. She was prey.
She longed to be the predator instead.
Turning away, she approached the pedestal marked with prey, and dropped off the dagger there, feelings of unworthiness washing over her.
How was she even worthy of blessing?
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Posted: Wed Aug 14, 2013 6:56 pm
The dagger was placed at the Predator podium, though he wasn't so sure why he needed to be there. Why was the law only eat or be eaten? Why not "work together to overcome each other's weaknesses" or "teamwork"? Why did they have to be pit against one another?
Ortam as starting to be wary of these hard-earned lessons.
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Posted: Wed Aug 14, 2013 6:57 pm
Gun came to and clawed desperately at his chest. But his heart was there. It hadn't been taken... It hadn't been taken! He shakily drops the dagger onto the prey podium, unable to process anything else.
As soon as he does, all of the experience is ripped from his mind. All of it except losing his heart.
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Posted: Wed Aug 14, 2013 6:59 pm
Kirki woke gasping. He slapped a hand over his chest, but his heart was still there and still beating. He took a moment to just... feel it. It hadn't been ripped away. He was okay.
Almost in disgust he drops the dagger on the prey podium. He doesn't want it. Almost as if hearing him, the memories leave him immediately. He's got nothing but the sharp and clear memory of the scissors snipping and his heart leaving his chest.
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Codebreaking Conversationalist
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Posted: Wed Aug 14, 2013 7:02 pm
Zanna felt herself scream again as she woke up--
But it was over.
Her heart was still in her chest. She hadn't failed them completely ... but what she had failed to do rung in her mind like a dull bell. Despite all her drive, Zanna had not even been able to escape that simple room, throwing herself against the door hopelessly with no prevail.
She was prey.
Zanna dropped the dagger onto the prey podium, walking away without another word. The memories fled with the dropped dagger...
And perhaps it was better that way.
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Posted: Thu Aug 15, 2013 8:54 pm
Manthas stepped out of the fold back into the Shrine, the grey house left behind as she moved to the podiums. The glowing dagger in her hand. Her shoulder sagged and she looked distraught.
"I am not you. Or what you think I am. But I know I am not your prey." She placed the dagger slowly onto the predator podium.
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Posted: Thu Aug 15, 2013 11:50 pm
Anni awoke on the ground, shaking violently. Her heart thundered in her chest and its light shining a brilliant red with threads of gold and blue, proving it was still within her. She hugged herself tightly, she hoped she never had to feel that pain and hopelessness ever again.
"It was just a dream..." She told herself. Even if the pain she felt was real. She went to her Goddess and cringed, hoping she hadn't disgraced her. She read the plaque carefully and placed the blood-stained dagger on the Prey pedestal, disappointed.
Anni Rohn blinked, looking around at the small area. For some reason, her heart hurt, and she grabbed at it instinctively... It was still there.
"That's the second time that's happened..." She looked suspiciously at the dagger and the two pedestals before leaving, giving the statues a silent nod as she passed them by.
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Posted: Sat Aug 17, 2013 2:57 pm
There were a myriad of emotions going through him as he stepped forward: shame, fury, frustration. How could he have messed up so badly? How could a door defeat him when he had struck down enemies with his spear like they were nothing?
He shoved the dagger into the prey pedestal without thought. Take all the damn memories away, he wanted nothing to do with the failure.
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Posted: Sat Aug 17, 2013 4:20 pm
Solliette awoke gasping, her hands clawing at her chest. There it was again, that fluttering in her ears. For once, she was glad to hear it.
Impossibly, the dagger was still in her hand. She looked at the pedestals before her and knew immediately which one she had to offer it to. Solliette dropped the dagger on the prey pedestal.
Unfortunately, this time, the memories didn't quite go away.
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