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 Posted: Sun Oct 14, 2007 3:48 pm
The seasons were changing, as they did every year.
Persy had felt it in her bones, and now she saw it in her form, her hair brittle and her flower ripened to bear fruit. Her visage had never changed with such violence in the past, and never with the change of seasons. Just as winter was approaching, she could feel herself growing weaker, more lethargic, and she began to wonder if what Demeter said to her could actually be true.
Her essence as a goddess had always affected her mortal body, but as she was compelled even more so to the Underworld, could she really die? Would Anubis allow her to die? As benevolent as he'd been to her these past few years, he was in essence a death god, and he would likely side with Hades. The thought troubled her, and she contemplated allying with other gods to assure her life and freedom. She could expect a resonse from Artemis, if no one else: the lunar goddess had never approved of her marriage anyways.
Staring out from the window to the broken streets of Middling, Persy bundled up in her autumn sweater, a shiver running down her spine. She was losing a battle against her father. She was losing a battle against herself. How long would it take until an upstart godling would take advantage of that?
It was only a matter of time, she thought grimly. Perhaps she needed to make some earthbound alliances as well.
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Posted: Mon Nov 19, 2007 8:51 pm
All in all, it wasn't anything more than an ordinary storefront. It certainly didn't look like the center of information that his referrer had claimed it to be. No, in fact, it looked like a rinky-dink, unassuming, completely normal little shop. The glass windows were dingy and opaque, and the paint outside looked like it needed a new layer.
The only thing relatively interesting about it was the abundance of plants that could be seen in the windows. Plants weren't heard of in this city, let alone floral shops. The green obscured the inner shop from view, and for a moment he hesitated in opening the door.
What did he have to gain, and what did he have to lose by entering? He'd hunted down every trail, every lead to find where his parents had disappeared to - trailing clues by night and working by day. He'd exhausted every avenue, every clue, until that boy on the streets had told him of this place. All bright blue eyes and secretive grin and there was something wrong about the kid, the urchin had informed him that he might be able to find something here to aid him in his search.
And if there wasn't...
With a deep breath, slight frown, and steady hand he warily pushed open the door, stepping inside somewhat gratefully. The warm air in the shop was a welcome relief compared to the chilly streets. Inside there were even more plants - more vegetation than he'd ever seen in his life, and so many exotic species. Vale firmly believed in the "look, don't touch" motto though, and kept a respectful distance from anything that could be damaged.
"Hello?" he called, frowning as he looked around. "Ee's anybody here?"
He really hoped this wasn't another dead-end.
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Posted: Thu Nov 22, 2007 11:50 am
Persy's eyes widened as she took a step backwards, surprised that the boy had entered. She hadn't been able to sense him as he entered at all! Granted, she had lost the use of her network for some time now, but she should have at least sensed his life force when he passed the threshold. It was truly starting to frighten her how weakened she'd become.
She stayed under the shelter of the plants, her neutral tones helping her to blend in, staying perfectly still. Slowly, the fear left her: after all, what did a goddess need to fear of a simple boy. She then noticed his stange features and took a second look: then again, a goddess had plenty to fear from a godling.
However, this god was foreign to her, and she blinked with surprise as she realized that there was no such deity currently in the Game. What happened? How did a god outside of the Game create a godling? With a critical stare, she stepped out into view, crossing her arms as she sized the boy up with the most intimidating glare she could muster.
"Who are you, and who sent you here?"
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Posted: Thu Nov 22, 2007 1:07 pm
It took a lot of effort to restrain himself from jerking in consternation at the sudden appearance of the other, and even more effort to keep his ears from giving away his surprise - the instinct to lay them flat was hard to combat when something unexpected happened.
And unexpected this was. He hadn't seen her there, nor heard her. Even his nose hadn't picked anything up over the wholly earthy smell of the shop. It was no wonder, either. With her coloring, she fit in better with the plants than he did in the dark. He didn't enjoy being surprised, and the twitchy flicking of the tip of his tail was something he couldn't hide.
Realizing it was impolite to glare right back, automatically appraising her in turn, he jerked his head in a nod as an effort at civility, like his mother had told him to do when greeting others - it wasn't the genteel bow she'd tried to teach him, but it was cordial enough for this situation. Or at least he supposed. He didn't talk to strangers much.
"My name ee's Valeriu Jaklovszky, and I v'as referred here by a boy-" an unsettling, strange child that set his nerves on edge the moment the boy mentioned his parents' disappearance "-I met and talked v'ee'th briefly," he answered, meeting her look with a mistrustful frown, "I v'as told that thee's shop might have something that could help me. Are you the owner?"
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Posted: Thu Nov 22, 2007 1:59 pm
Persy frowned, her eyes narrowing. She didn't like the look of this boy, and she didn't like the way he was answering her questions. Stepping closer, the plants around her quivered with her anxiousness, and she stared him in the eyes only inches away. "In fact, I am the owner, and if you don't tell me exactly who sent you, then there will be trouble. I am losing my patience." True, she could have been nicer, but she couldn't afford to be nice in a time when there was so much of her that could be exploited. The other godlings didn't know, and no matter what, she would make sure this one was just as fearful as the others.
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Posted: Thu Nov 22, 2007 2:47 pm
Ah, now this he knew. He was used to intimidation tactics like these - when you were a kid trying to find work amongst adults, it was inevitable to run into jerks who thought that the younger you were, the more they could push you around. With a scowl in return he straightened his back, meeting her eyes with steel in his own. He wasn't about to be bullied, and by a woman no less.
"Ee'f that ee's how you treat your customers, I can see v'hy thee's place ee's so empty," he challenged, a growl underlying his voice. "I have said all that I know. A d'eesturbing child told me there might be an item here that v'ould help me find my parents and find out v'hy I have become a monster."
He would've walked out the second she'd threatened with trouble, but this really was his last hope - his last lead. He almost lost his grip on his composure at that thought. Desperation -What could he do after this? When this was the last stop? Go home and tell Sydni about how her parents would never return? Return to trying to eek out a living for them both, hiding from the Child Protective Services, taking any odd job he could get to pay for food and bills and water and heating and everything that his parents should have been there to deal with?- clawed at the edges of his overworked body and mind, and he couldn't help the bitterness that leaked into his voice.
"Ee'f thee's ee's just another dead end, I have no reason to ee'ncite trouble v'ee'th you."
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Posted: Thu Nov 22, 2007 3:15 pm
Persy continued to stare the boy down, but something in her kept him from snapping at him a second time. Slowly, she counted to ten and backed away, crossing her arms once again. Sighing, she brushed some of her brittle hair from her face, then turned back to her counter, ducking behind it for a moment before coming back up with a black book. She flipped a few pages, then frowned, looking back up to the boy.
"You really have no idea what's going on, do you?"
A surprised look dawned upon her face with the realization, and she went back around the counter, stepping near him and looking him up and down, testing his ears with a sharp tug of her inquisitive fingers. "I have to admit, I don't know where you came from, but...you're a godling. You have been given the powers of a god, born to play the Game..." She hesitated, giving him a critical look in the eye.
"...You weren't born like this, were you?"
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Posted: Thu Nov 22, 2007 3:51 pm
He shook his head, scowl turning more sour at the tug at his ears. The damn things were sensitive.
"No, I v'asn't," he answered casually enough, ears smartly flattening to avoid any more tugs and thick, sleek tail settling closer to his ankles, "A v'hile ago, I blacked out on the street. I v'oke up, v'ent home, and my see'ster's babysee'ter started screaming at me." That was an awkward encounter, to say the least.
It didn't help to reassure his view that women weren't crazy.
And when she'd picked up the knife...well, he really should've listened to his father's warning advice about women more. Like to avoid the blonde ones.
"I do not know of v'hat you mean by godling, or gods, or games," he added. He was starting to get a hunch, though, and the idea of it settled uncomfortably in his gut, like a cold, heavy weight. He'd met with another mutant of the city, and had heard of many more. And being told to come here, to get a particular item, meeting with this woman who obviously knew more than he did - he felt like he was being played by someone. And he hated mindgames. "Although I get the feeling I should."
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Posted: Sat Nov 24, 2007 10:59 am
"Maybe you should...maybe you shouldn't. Has anyone spoken to you, in your dreams? Maybe when you blacked out for that first time?"
This was strange. This was beyond strange. Mortals didn't just become godlings overnight; it was forbidden in the rules. Persy knew all the gods that were allowed to play, and the boy's aura didn't fit any of them. It was dark and bloody, able to feel it at such a close proximity, and the mark of the god couldn't be more clearly imprinted on the tan-skinned boy. Her brow wrinkled as she looked him up and down; from his complexion, he could have been Egyptian...but the ears led to Bast, and this was certainly not her touch at all. Bast had a certain charm and grace in her mark that was lost in this...no. The entity, decidedly masculine, had no less grace, but far more deadly intent. There was no doubt about it; the pathways of this deity had been paved in blood.
"Whether fortunate or unfortunate, kid, you've been dragged into the Game. You've become the playing piece of a higher being who wants to win the world for himself." She thought of a world under this being and shuddered, shaking her head. "I can't give you anything to help you unless I know your deity, though, and he's not yet graced us with his presence." She frowned, looking upwards. "Do you think you could try and call him here?"
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Posted: Sat Nov 24, 2007 11:34 am
"No, nobody has spoken to me. Not ee'n dreams or v'hen I blacked out." He'd been too tired for dreaming, and when he had passed out on the street...well, that had been an unusual day already.
At first Vale was inclined to scoff. Higher beings? A game involving deities? She had to be kidding. Gods didn't exist - but then again, ghosts didn't either. Monsters weren't supposed to walk the earth, and children didn't turn into freaks of society.
A lot of things weren't supposed to exist, but they did. And this woman certainly sounded like she was sure of herself. She could be insane, he supposed, but the matter of his transformation fit in too well with her claim. Far too well. He liked to think of himself as rational and levelheaded, and he should've walked right back out of the store the second she started speaking of gods. But giving her the benefit of the doubt couldn't hurt, right?
"Ee'f v'hat you are saying ee's true...how v'ould I call ee't? Thee's god?" He looked upwards as well, suspiciously. Did gods simply drop out of the skies? No, no, that was angels. Maybe they came down in a beam of light? Or maybe they had cell phones and walked around like normal people.
He felt like an idiot already.
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Posted: Sat Nov 24, 2007 6:50 pm
Persy scrunched up her nose in irritation: no, these things couldn't be easy, now, could they? Of course the kid wouldn't know how to call his god; he'd never even had a conversation with it before. Rubbing her temples, Persy began to pace around the store, her steps causing light squeaks from the wooden floor.
"In all honesty, I wouldn't know how to call your god...I'm not a godling, so I don't have that mental link...thing. Do you think you could try isolating that really creepy essence that's in you and project it outward, or something like that?" Persy knew from the moment she gave her instructions that she'd get a rather interesting look, so she tried to rephrase. "If you can remember how you felt after you changed, try and relive that. It might have a link to your god, and in order to figure everything out, it's really important that I talk to him." She almost added a because YOU don't know s**t or some other similar remark, but held her tongue for the moment, continuing to pace.
Why couldn't kids like this go to Anubis?
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Posted: Sat Nov 24, 2007 7:38 pm
He watched her pace to and fro, a small spark of sympathy in his recalcitrant soul understanding her irritation.
"Alright, I v'ee'll try," he acquiesced, frowning and thinking hard. He hadn't felt anything after his transformation, but those few moments before - that odd time when the world had stood still in mid-step. "I could not move-" -darkness creeping up his legs like frozen ice to paralyze him- "-and there v'as no light-" -the entire world turning black- "-and ee't v'as very cold-" -he couldn't feel anything, as if his senses had simply shut down in the face of that chill- "-and ee't made me dizzy." He'd felt like he'd fallen into the rabbit hole, like the world didn't even exist anymore. And above all, it had hurt - but he wasn't about to admit that out loud. Nobody needed to know that.
But it was hard to forget a feeling like that.
Even the memory, a mere phantom at this point, caused a shudder to twitch through his suddenly tense nerves. He wasn't sure if he wanted to meet this god now, one that had chosen to mark him in such a way. But there was no beam of light descending from the heavens, no god strolling in through the doorway. If he were prone to smiling more often, he would've laughed at the absurdity of it all - he really did feel like an idiot.
At least until his ever sensitive eyes caught something in his peripheral vision. He turned his head to look, but saw only his shadow.
Tch, just his shadow, on the floor right next to him - except the light was coming from that direction. And shadows didn't move on their own, or grow larger, or come out of the ground.
And, if Vale had been the type to show a wider range of emotions, he might have, at that point, screamed like a little girl. As it was, the only sound to be heard from the frozen-in-disbelief boy was a choked noise bordering on the squeaky side. It was all he could do to watch his shadow change and grow taller than himself, far taller, before solidifying (shadows could become solid?!) into a black mass in the shape of a man. The edges of the figure stayed indistinct, tendrils of shadow licking like flames to disappear into the air or across the floor. The only ever-permanent feature was the pair of blood-red, apparently pleased, mercilessly-cold eyes settled in the depths of where the head was.
"Cihuateotl. Goddess. How may I help you?"
It spoke. It spoke.
Vale had the feeling he should never have gotten out of bed today.
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Posted: Sun Dec 02, 2007 12:53 pm
Persy sighed in exasperation. "Trying is all I can ask you to do at this point. I'm personally a tad confused myself." She rubbed her arms, shaking her head. This wasn't going to work if the kid didn't know how to call his god. She would've gotten Anubis by this point, but he'd been AWOL since Zeus began the vendetta, and she was starting to get a little worried that she'd be the only one running things from now on. This was bad. It just wasn't going to work.
And then a chill ran down her spine that so thoroughly reminded her of Cthulhu that all the plants in the room shuddered, her eyes going wide and snapping down to the shadow. Her pulse didn't calm when she realized that it was of a different nature, feral like the boy, and much more bloodstained than the Dreamer. Great Olympus, there were two of them? Persy inwardly cringed, but outwardly did her best to not seem affected by the looming shadow with red eyes. It really wasn't working.
"...Who are you, and how did you get into the Game? This godling was not here before." As she stared the entity down, the dreading in her got worse with a sense of deja vu. Len had been like this, and she had just let Cthulhu get to him. She hadn't known better back then, but this was another one. Was she to allow this god to claim another boy and drive him to insanity, as Len had? But was it her right to even interfere?
If only she could counsel with the Fates.
"Since you've marked your mortal, you'll need to give him a token that we can identify him with, something from you." She choked back a gulp, looking back to Vale for a moment, then returning her gaze to the god. It wasn't right for her to interfere. Child or not, this one would learn like everyone else.
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Posted: Sun Dec 02, 2007 2:18 pm
He figured he'd never be able to look at his shadow in the same way, ever again. No, strike that, he knew he'd never be able to see it the same. If he was creeped out before when it started moving and speaking on its own, that experience was nothing compared to having the entity actually in contact with him. Upon her response, it had moved to loom at his side, and once in a while those tendrils of shadows flicked against his bare arms. It felt like slick oil, freezing cold, and seemed to contaminate his very pores so that he felt the clammy chill even after it had moved away.
Although he hadn't dared to look it in the face again after that first glance into those two merciless, bloody pits it claimed as eyes, he could feel the smirk etched into the twisting shadows. It thought this was funny. Valeriu felt his stomach knot up as another cold chill swept through him, fighting to keep his nerves steady. Just being near the being made him sick and horrified. Was this thing really a god?
"I am called Tezcatlipoca," it announced, and Valeriu didn't want to think of it as a him despite the obviously masculine voice, because that meant it was more real than any monster could be. "It should not matter to you how I have come to partake of the Game, but rather that I am here. I am here, and it seems my chosen one needs a token of my favor." The shadows shifted and drew closer to him until he could feel it looming high over his back, and he felt the back of his neck break out into a cold sweat as mental hackles raised and ears were laid flat. It was all he could do to keep looking at the woman before him rather than at the creature right behind. There was the tinkling sound of a small chain, and suddenly he saw a necklace unfurled down in front of him from the being's upraised arm. Instead of something normal, like a locket or a charm on the chain necklace, there was instead a small, oval-shaped, obsidian black mirror attached, with silver-gilded edges and a reflective surface so dark that it didn't reflect much at all, like a black hole hanging in the air.
"I trust this will be a sufficient marker," it said to Persy, and then he heard that hissing voice draw close to his ear, nearly making him jump in fright. "This is a valuable gift, godling. Keep it close to your heart," it paused, and he could feel the malicious amusement at that phrase, as if it were some sort of joke to the god. "I expect you to repay me for it later. One way or another." Then the voice blessedly withdrew, if not the being itself, and Valeriu stared at the dangling chain and mirror with something far more powerful than distrust, unwilling to accept it just yet. He gave a glance to the woman, to the adult here, silently questioning and for once looking like the unsure child who was faced with a choice he didn't know how to make on his own.
Is this how it went - should he take the necklace?
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Posted: Thu Dec 20, 2007 9:54 am
Persy inwardly flinched; she wasn't sure if this guy was even in a classification like Cthulhu. Rather, the forsaken image was one of it's own, and shivers ran down her spine as she thought of how the blood must have stained his aura like it did. Human blood, no less; Persy herself had been stained with the blood of animals many years ago, as was tradition, but she never particularly enjoyed it, not even in springtime at her best. This god reveled in it, she could tell, practically bathed in the sacrifice...and by the looks he was giving her, she began to wonder if that's what it felt like, to be chosen for the slaughter.
Poor, poor kid.
As the small boy seemed to become even more helpless by the second, he looked up to her for guidance, for advice. She hesitated, looking back to the bloody mess that was his god, then down to his little ears, his shaking tail. She no longer had the ability to change this boy's destiny; he had already been marked. And so, with a sigh, she forcefully nodded, refusing to meet the god's gaze. "I suggest if you ever want to look normal again, you take the talisman. Either way, if you win, you can change yourself back, if you still want to. If you lose...well...either you'll be normal again, or it won't matter."
She hesitated again, looking away and crossing her arms. She did not like doing this at all, but it was for everyone's best interests. She wanted the taint of his god out of her sanctum. "Just take it; once you accept your god, you'll be able to use his powers, and fight in the Game like all the others."
And then, to top it all off, she had to say something that would really hurt. "After all, if you don't win, who's to say what could happen to your little sister?"
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