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+--- Thread: Unsupervised Children (/showthread.php?tid=8301)
RE: Unsupervised Children - Charles - Jul 24 2020
Charles shut up for a second - only a second - when Vargas not only confirmed that they had been created to feed the shadows, but said it in such a way that it was not only okay but a normal occurance. This sent such a violent feeling of hatred to Charles' gut that he almost wanted to be sick, both from what Vargas was saying and from that horrible emotion. But, at the same time, he welcomed it, because it felt good against the nearly unbearable grief.
And then the horse was turning around, to let off his own rant, and it sunk deep into Charles, it sunk too deep. It pierced his heart and he wanted just to curl up and cry. Because he was right, they were all just cowards. They didn't deserve to be alive, least of all Charles who'd done nothing but cower in fear, holding onto his siblings as they died for him to be safe. And he did nothing.
It all exploded out of him at once - such a small bird couldn't contain so much. Such a simple creature couldn't take this much heartbreak. He wasn't used to it, he wasn't ready for it. All he wanted was to see and to imagine the many worlds that they could explore. But not just that, he'd wanted to do it with his family and the injustice of it all, and the pain and the guilt, just burst free, because he couldn't hold it in. He couldn't hold anything, much less this.
He whipped around, opening his beak to start shouting at Vargas again when all of a sudden he found his beak clamped shut. Without any control over his actions, he flew into the air, just underneath the cat-like alien that had been hovering around. Eyes narrowed as it realized immediately - they were controlling it somehow. The sight of flying so close to its claws (a threat, of course) was infuriating and Charles went with the motions for just a second, allowing one of his wings to swing up, banging right into Delta's claws that hung oh so threateningly beneath it. Even if he felt a pinprick of pain, it brought him a bit of satisfaction.
But then he realized that he was flying away from them. He was above them and leaving some of them behind and his heart leaped in his chest. No wait, wait let me go! Let me go back to them, I can't leave them I can't leave any of them, not again, they can't lose anyone else I won't let them LET ME GO And they struggled against the hold, but couldn't throw it off, every second more terrifying then the last, separated from the family that he had clung so tightly to.
And then he saw it - the orthoclase lunging forward to hurt Morgan. He couldn't tell if it was only a warning or not, but in his head, he screamed with rage and hatred consumed him once again. He wanted to hurt Alpha. He didn't care how he did it. He wanted him to feel pain, for what he'd just done to Morganite and for what his kind had done to his family.
But he was a bird, and he couldn't control his own actions. He tried to wildly cast something, anything, send magic down to create an image in front of Alpha, an image he saw so clearly in his head - of Elyon, that creature that looked like him, screaming, dying, melting into nothing, as his family had melted, but, even though he felt a surge of magicka, nothing happened.
So Charles merely flew out of the tunnel, tears streaming freely from his eyes, which burned with fury. They would all pay for this. It wasn't right.
*exit, angrily
RE: Unsupervised Children - Quartz Five-Two-Four - Jul 24 2020
Garnet-Delta. That stone sounded familiar. A former champion, they knew it. Which, they could not know. But it was one recently awakened. Ru's eyes flicked back to Sora, surprised it knew its own designation. Something to investigate. Vargas spoke his new title. And Ru turned back to Vargas, mouth agape.
"Master?" Ru said, breathless. Their eyes wide as could be. When had that happened? "I apologize, Master Vargas." They said. Out of all the creatures in the caves, Ru knew the Masters and Vargas to be constants. Vargas was more ancient than them. Someone Ru didn't want to offend. Not when they had memories of Vargas eating gembound. Masters were someone even more fearsome. So Master Vargas was the combination of both fears. Even if Vargas did not think much of the mistake, Ru did. They dipped their head at Vargas' compliment. "Thank you," They said. "It was...necessary. I needed an opportunity like this."
Ru wanted to bolt, to resist, as Vargas approached. Pupils shrunk into points. Instead, they froze. They allowed Vargas to touch the new growths. Ru steeled their voice. "Yes, I am, ah, unsure about them. But sounds are more clear, at least." Ru paused at 'him.' "Do you mean the Merchant? Have you...seen where he is? I have...concerns I need to discuss with him."
And to Vargas' question, Ru sighed. "I thought I could..." They trailed off. Did admitting they had gone to protect imply weakness? "I had gone to...to prove myself. And to give advice to those entering. I thought there was something I could do. Warn them of the danger. I-there was nothing I--"They broke eye contact, suddenly. Pawing at the sandy ground beneath. Ru breathed out a sigh.
"Nevermind that. I survived the way I always have. Keeping my head down. But." They had not made any allies. They had not been focused on observing weaknesses within the group. Nor those that possessed strength. Those that could survive. "Survivability, strength, speed, quick thinking. it didn't matter out there. None of it. Not with that...that monster out there." Ru shook their head. It was cruel of the Merchant. This generation of gembound do not possess the strength needed to survive. Though that was the point, they guessed.
A voice exploded from behind Ru. The small bird, twittering faster than Ru thought its lungs could fill with oxygen. And from there, things exploded. Ru had expected that group of gembound--the...family? Thats what they called themselves. To cause trouble. But this was different. A creature loped in. With those same toxic green eyes Vargas possessed. Ru watched, aghast, as Alpha attacked both the horse and the badger hybrid. Those creatures had survived the trial. They were modern. Weaker than normal.
Ru hadn't seen such violence in a long time. It wasn't welcome. But, rather selfishly, Ru was glad it wasn't them. The recent trial, the one Ru had been to at least, they hadn't been attacked as such. Once they emerged, they were left by themselves. No attacks. What was happening here, to deserve such brutal attacks? Did it have to do with the thin, upright creature? And then, the small bird was going off again. And Ru listened to the proceeding events, silently.
"I see you've creations, Master Vargas. An interesting one."
RE: Unsupervised Children - Warrior - Jul 24 2020
He might have snapped back at the others had Orthoclase not emphasized the necessity of his immediate departure.
The now-gray horse broke into a startled gallop, away and back toward Hydra--toward Vee--toward safety. The Orthoclase's slash had cut shallow lines across his haunch--new pain, new blood, new scars to scab over, and he cried out in startled pain.
He didn't look back, either; a frantic spark of defensive magicka misfired but it didn't seem, in the end, that Alpha was chasing him regardless.
Hoofbeats on sand beat a quick retreat, anger and fear roiling in the horse's heart.
exit Warrior
RE: Unsupervised Children - Vargas - Jul 24 2020
Vargas turned to watch, briefly, the semi-chaos unfolding. Orthoclase-Alpha seemed to have it relatively well in hand, controlling the others with roars and slashes.
He turned back to Quartz, even in the midst of the ongoing shouting matches, speaking loud enough to be heard over it all--after a mere grunt to the apology.
"You required such an opportunity-? For what purpose?" he asked, eyes narrowing in thought. "Yes, the Merchant; I never know where Hag'rteho will be. Slithering between this world and that, I suppose," Vargas added dourly. He wasn't entirely sure how the Merchant's magic worked, in all honesty; given its alien nature, its power, he'd never thought to ask. It was cooperative but even as a Master he was unsure if his power was greater than the Merchant's, or not.
He studied Quartz, for a moment. "No, that trial was not fair. But neither is life. Or war. Keeping your head down was wise," he explained simply. Survival, in the end, was all that mattered--and everything was a test. "Orthoclase-Alpha is a fine creation," Vargas agreed, yet his tone was empty as he glanced up the tunnel after the raging creature. "And there are more creations to come. Orthoclase-Alpha is my new Overseer--yours, as well, and it will be addressed as such--and it is Overseer for good reason. Now: you said that you sought the Merchant. You said that you have concerns. I might be able to summon it; but only for good reason. So tell me: what is it that you would discuss with him?"
Despite the chaos of the awakening, Vargas seemed indifferent--calm, even. His address of Quartz was neither hostile nor demanding; if anything it was fairly matter-of-fact, though his wording made his perception of their power structure clear.
@Quartz Five-Two-Four
RE: Unsupervised Children - Morganite - Jul 24 2020
Morganite would have tried to at least scuttle away or swipe claws along Alpha's snout had she seen him coming, but she hadn't. Teeth sank into her flesh and it hurt. If she were in her right mind she would have shown Alpha the wrong end of her claws, but she wasn't, so she flailed and kicked at it, a horrific squeal ripping free from her throat as she was dropped.
She galloped away on three legs, blood dripping down her left hind from her flank, bumping into Sora and nearly falling. She finally turned to give Alpha a seething glare. Why would he lash out like that?! Her teeth gritted and she staggered forward, tearing up slightly as she limped away. She'd definitely scar.
'This time' in reference to what she saw as Kini, Simon, and Owlface's needless sacrifice.
Morgan wasn't happy with anyone at that moment. She was like a mother who'd found out her children had done something naughty and now the rest of her day would be spent snapping at everyone.
Exit unless stopped.
@Sora @Charles