|
Post by Ashe on Nov 7, 2019 20:13:46 GMT -6
Ashe shook his head. He shrugged her support off, as politely as he could, and gave her a sheepish grin. "I'll be fine, don't worry about me. I just...haven't used this much magic this frequently before, is all." First, he'd summoned the skeleton, then he'd given all he had into starting the restoration, and today he'd given his all again. He couldn't be sure, but was it possible he was using his own mana to help amplify the restore orb? He couldn't know for sure, without casting something which he really didn't feel like doing right now, but the item itself shouldn't be drawing from him when it was self contained magic? The thinking made his head ache, so he stopped concentrating so hard; Jack was still here, too, he had to make sure he wasn't zoning out too much or she would worry about him next!
"Alright. I'll walk you out, so nothing tries to get you." Ashe meant it as a joke, though it was completely possible something might try! "Thanks," he said, with a brief gesture to their work today. He headed the way of the Amphadron, back to the world above. They were so close...! Inyala saw that Ashe was leaving and hopped up, scurrying to catch up to them. She stayed on the ground by Ashe's feet, following diligently.
5 3/5
|
|
|
Post by Jack on Nov 9, 2019 20:47:23 GMT -6
All she could do was hope he wouldn't fall over as he was walking up the steps. "Of course, here tomorrow again? Should I wait at the gate?" Jack teased him with a smile on her face, Tok chuckling high pitched as well. He knew what it did to drain his mistress of power, he couldn't imagine what it was doing to the man. She put her hand on the halfbreed to steady him as she walked up the stairs after Ashe, and she glanced back at Obisidion one last time before ducking out of sight. "Same time, right?" she asked as well, glancing over at her friend as she walked up to Kro, patting him on the side. She didn't know what to expect from anything, but that was fine, she knew it was going to be interesting to find out what was going to happen, but until then, she would just have to wait. Nothing bad was going to happen, that much she had to admit to herself, or at least that was the hope of it all.
Jack pushed her hand through her hair and mounted into the saddle of her Thundergug, saluted Ashe, and then they went on their way.
|
|
|
Post by Ashe on Nov 10, 2019 17:21:21 GMT -6
Ashe nodded. "Same time tomorrow. You could come in next time, if you want. You know where to go now. I'll try to meet you at the gate, but if I'm not there, I'll have Maverick nearby to make sure nothing happens." Ashe wasn't sure why, but even the Sarane seemed to respect Maverick enough to stay away. Well, the hens; the Drakes would attack themselves in their mirror reflection, if they felt so inclined. Not the brightest things there were.
He hated that he was showing fatigue in front of Jack. He didn't want to show it in front of anyone, not even the people he cared about most, and Jack was someone that Ashe was trying to learn from, improve and compete with. She definitely didn't need to see him like this! Yet a third of his fatigue came from mental stress. Reviving your former best friend, watching flesh grow on his naked bones, trying desperately to recreate organs and limbs and hoping the essence that made Obs, Obs, would come back when all was said and done, but also being slightly terrified that it would all go wrong... He kept that pushed to the back of his mind while he worked, but now that he was going to be alone...
5 4/5
|
|
|
Post by Ashe on Nov 10, 2019 17:22:10 GMT -6
Ashe watched Jack leave and lifted a hand to wave her off. Standing where he was, he could watch out for her as far as his eye could see. He had planned on just standing, but someone had sensed his weakness and now a Tainted Equillion stood next to Ashe, shoving his head under the man's limp arm, so that Ashe was half draped over his neck. Dracula snorted at him, then jerked his head and knelt. Ashe half climbed, half rolled, onto the flaming equine beast, and Dracula took off after the Gug at a brisk trot. The jarring pace was soon replaced by a smooth canter, and Ashe was lulled into a peaceful daze by the rocking-horse rhythm. They saw their guests safely to the gate, made sure it was locked up, and Dracula returned his human to the house. Ashe had recovered enough by then that he slid off and walked in on his own power. Jinx was inside, and could help if he needed it. But he didn't.
Ashe stayed up just long enough to make a quick "to do" list, then he passed out, and slept a clean twelve hours, roused only when Inyala got him up to 'start' his day.
6 0/5
|
|
|
Post by Ashe on Nov 10, 2019 17:30:02 GMT -6
Ashe did what he could to relax and replenish. He took a swim, he lazed in the sun, he went for a ride, and a fly. He felt his magic returning to him, felt its presence even inside the orb. The closer the time got to 'showtime', the more anticipation built in his gut, making him squirm nervously. Was he hungry? Did he have to poop? Nope, he was just nervous. This didn't happen too often, mostly when he was courting his woman and actual feelings were involved, and, well, now. But there was a decimating excitement, too, much like he felt when battling a final match in the Tournament to become Champion. And the success afterward would make it all worthwhile.
He arrived an hour before their scheduled meet time and got Obs out of storage, got the table prepped, made sure he had his magical items, got Inyala situated into her little bed so she could watch them with comfort. Ashe wished he was able to use his own magic to do this, so Inyala could amplify it- though, he felt, she helped amplify it with her presence anyway, despite it being an item and not a node.
By the time Jack would arrive, she would be greeted at the gate by a man sitting on a Tainted Equillion. Not Maverick, but Dracula, far more volatile and less intelligent, but older and more loyal. He had been feeling his master's stress and, despite trying to maintain the air of "I don't care", he in fact did care about Ashe, and chose to be his mount today. Inyala was guarding the corpse.
0 1/5
|
|
|
Post by Jack on Nov 16, 2019 23:08:32 GMT -6
The familiar on her shoulder would start to be a familiar sight to everyone in the Labs who she knew at this point. It was hard to imagine life without him anymore, and already he was started to get some magic of his own, though it hadn't manifested in how yet. That was fine, she didn't need to know it straight off or anything, he could take his time. Jack pushed her hair back as she rode Kro to Ashe's estate and wondered what it would be like to have everything at her own estate after awhile. It would be nice to have everything in one spot again. Shaking her head, she realized it didn't matter, and she glanced back at Bane to make sure he was still doing well on the cart. He didn't seem to care, he had his otherworldly gaze going about and all that.
Jack smiled and waved when she saw Ashe sitting on a Tainted Equillion, she had a few of her own, but they were offspring or customs, not natural born Tainted like his was, it seemed. "Hey Ashe, how's the patient?" she asked when they got close enough. She was eager for this to be over, she was exhausted, and it looked like Ashe was too.
|
|
|
Post by Ashe on Dec 1, 2019 16:27:43 GMT -6
"As well as he can be, without the most important organs," Ashe said, intending it as a joke, but it came out pretty dry. He shrugged his shoulder and gave his friend a grin, letting the Gug and cart inside and shutting the gate behind them. He started to lead the way back to the 'lab' as he'd started to call it. It was a long, winding path from the gate to the Sarane hut, but when they reached it, Ashe slid off of Dracula, patted his shoulder, and watched him wander off to do his own thing. Ashe made a dramatic gesture, a sweep of his arms, indicating 'right this way!' and started down the stairs to the cooler and freezer.
Down below, Obs was laid out on his table, same as usual, only this time, Inyala was perched on the edge of the table. She gave Ashe a look when he entered the room, that was slightly accusing but more worried; Ashe took the meaning behind the look to be a determination to help, so maybe Ashe wouldn't be wearing himself so thin. Or maybe she could amplify even more, so they could finish!
Ashe pulled out the restore Orb and took his place near Obs' head. "Alright. Heart, Brain, hair - anything else missing from the head. You know, I never checked his teeth..." He peeled back a lip and checked the teeth; "Yep, might need some teeth and a tongue." He did not wish the sight of an unfinished mouth on anyone! "Ready?"
|
|
|
Post by Ashe on Jan 25, 2020 12:45:35 GMT -6
When Jack was in position and ready, Ashe took a deep breath, then began casting. He pushed with all his might, pulling the magic from the orb and thrusting it into the corpse in front him. Inyala placed her hands on Obs' cheek, too, trying to help as best as she could. Though he didn't see her, he figured Jack was moving he hands over him as well, channeling her magic and sending it to the organs and tissues that needed it most. Together, they directed the healing and creation, and bit by bit, Ashe could see the changes in Obs' face. It was working! Just a little bit longer...
This was all very draining magic, and he was sure there was some moral issue, maybe something smite worthy if it drew the attention of a God somewhere up there. Ashe couldn't think about the repercussions right now. He needed all of his energy, all of his focus, to be on the body before him. He gritted his teeth a bit, feeling the battery rapidly draining. Just a little bit more, a little bit more...
0 3/5
|
|
|
Post by Ashe on Jan 25, 2020 12:51:35 GMT -6
If you push yourself too hard at the gym, sometimes you can just feel a snap as a muscle reaches its maximum stress load. You know you're done, and you're hoping you didn't do too much damage. You head to the massage chair, or try some dynamic stretches, rotating joints and shaking limbs out. That was what happened, the snap, even as Ashe pushed for more. They were so close now, just a little more hair to grow. Eyes and eyelids, nose, teeth - he could see the shape of them under the lips now. But his battery was drained. He didn't even have drops of it left, it was completely burned through. He felt his knees give out suddenly and he slumped to the floor, barely feeling the impact. He gasped for breath, black spots swelling over his eyes, punctuated by flashes of white light. He focused on breathing, steady and deep, stilling his racing heart. It was hard to tell how much time passed; was it moments, minutes, an hour? Before things subsided. He felt Inyala pressing against him from the ground, trying to shake him back. She was making progressively louder sounds at him, scolding but with a worried tone.
"Alright, alright, I'm fine."
0 4/5
|
|
|
Post by Ashe on Jan 25, 2020 13:04:51 GMT -6
In reality, a couple of minutes had passed, but when you're on the brink of losing consciousness, it can seem like a small eternity. He was coming back, physical energy moving through his body to help him stand back up. The magic was depleted for now, he could feel it. He must have used up his own mana somehow, because his nodes were quiet, too. Once she was sure he was alright, Inyala hopped back up onto the table. Jack must be done, too - whether she was as worn out as Ashe, or just the job was done and the magic had nothing else left to work on, Ashe couldn't tell. But everything was still for a few precious moments.
Then came the terror.
Everything was still. He had to jump start the breathing. He had to warm the body up. "Inyala," Ashe said, snapping his fingers and gesturing. She knew what he wanted and set to work; she used ember to collect small flames, passing them over the body to warm it up gradually. While she did that, Ashe looked around for something electric to use as a shock. Nothing. He could find Ghidorah, use his powers... Perhaps that would be overkill.
1 0/5
|
|
|
Post by Ashe on Jan 25, 2020 13:29:40 GMT -6
He couldn't find anything and came back. He placed his hands on Obs' chest, finding the sternum and lining himself up. One hand on top of the other, he pressed down. He felt the ribs bend, but they held. Release. Press again. Release. Over and over, he pumped the chest, trying to manually pump the heart, manually engage the lungs. After thirty chest compressions, he still wasn't moving. Was this the end? Maybe if he gave him some oxygen... He gazed at Obs' mouth for a moment. This was a corpse completely restored by magic, but from bones that had been dead so long they had been picked clean... Did he dare?
He had to. As Inyala watched, Ashe leaned forward, impulsively, and covered Obs' mouth with his own, exhaling into him. To some small relief, the chest rose and fell with Ashe's breath. Surely that meant the lungs were functional, even if the brain wasn't sending the signals yet? He kept up the chest compressions, and gave breath every thirty. Inyala continued to warm up the body. Eventually, something had to give; Ashe's willpower, or the stubborn nervous system.
1 1/5
|
|
|
Post by Ashe on Jan 25, 2020 13:35:42 GMT -6
Ashe was about to go get his Sarane and risk frying the whole body. He felt like he was doing this forever, heedless of whatever Jack might be saying or doing, and he didn't want it to be all in vain. Now that everything was set, he worried that an organ would die and decay and poison the rest of the body. Inyala had done her best, the corpse definitely felt warmer, more lifelike. As lifelike as you could be, when laying there still as death... He tried it one more time, one more circuit. And when he exhaled into his mouth, the ribs lifted and fell... and lifted again. Ashe went absolutely still, staring. The chest fell, and rose again. Weak, but breathing on its own! Ironically, Ashe forgot to breathe himself, living in that one moment as Obs continued to breathe unassisted. When he realized he'd forgotten his own, he inhaled with a gasp.
Once his breath was caught, he laid his head on Obs' naked chest, listening for a hearbeat. If he was breathing, his heart had to be working now, right? He concentrated - and there it was! Feeble, weak, but there. Lub. Dub. Lub.... Dub.
1 2/5
|
|
|
Post by Ashe on Jan 25, 2020 13:39:46 GMT -6
Ashe sank to the floor again when he heard that sound, knees weak with relief. "We did it, Jack!" He said, looking over at her finally. "We fucking did it!" Well, the brain could still work against them, if it didn't come back... if everything that made Obs Obs didn't come back. But how cool was this? The corpse was functioning on all other cylinders! They had done something nearly impossible until now. Ashe wished he had been more helpful than just the restore orb, and he vowed to one day be able to do this all on his own... Not that he intended to revive dead people on a regular basis, of course. But he would have to experiment a little now, wouldn't he?
Inyala continued with the flame, even though the body was warming and starting to function enough to warm itself from the inside. It was chilly down here, being the meat storage for the Sarane, and he was naked after all. She hopped around, trying to keep the heat even, without burning any toes or fingers. She was mighty pleased, proud, and impressed with her master!
1 3/5
|
|
|
Post by Ashe on Jan 25, 2020 13:45:14 GMT -6
Ashe felt like he was finally able to relax, fully relax and breathe normally, when he saw Obs' eyes flutter and open. They stayed open, eerily staring straight ahead at the ceiling, for what seemed like ages. Then they blinked. Slow, methodical, but blinking nonetheless. It might take hours, it might take days, but Ashe was going to have this corpse walking on its own, and talking on its own! The brain just had to be intact, please for the love of Spirit! Ashe busied himself by running off to find a blanket; when he returned, he helped the body into a sitting position and wrapped the blanket around his shoulders, massaging the skin to help warm it up. Inyala burrowed under the blanket, staying near Obs' side with a small flame, careful not to set the blanket on fire but using the spark to heat up under the blanket.
Slowly, Ashe began to notice other signs the nervous system was coming back. Twitches, reactions, small muscular movements. Deepening of the breath. Stronger heartbeat. Eyes were starting to move, instead of staring. So close, almost there. His masterpiece! His best friend.
1 4/5
|
|
|
Post by Ashe on Jan 25, 2020 13:49:41 GMT -6
However, the going was not easy. Ashe had bidden Jack a fond farewell, hugging her tightly and barely resisting kissing her, he was so high up on cloud nine that his own exhaustion as well as his restraints seemed to be mere specks on the ground. But he simply hugged and nothing more, then sent her on her way with firm instructions to sleep, and plenty of thanks. He trusted she could find her way back to the gate, and he trusted her to shut it after her.
Ashe stayed behind with his creation, eventually getting him from the cellar to the main house, and situated into a bedroom under blankets. Ashe was sure to keep him warm, brought him water, which he trickled into his mouth with a straw - pleased when he saw the throat contract in a swallow - and even fed him some soup in a similar method. Inyala stayed right by his side, and chattered at him scoldingly, after he had finished feeding dinner and washing it down with some more water, until he went to bed, too. Ashe slept deeply, despite being worried about Obs, and he woke instantly after six hours. He bolted down the hall to check on his friend - just to find no change at all.
2 0/5
|
|