Darky
Flea Market Artist
Veritas et Aequitas
Posts: 1,268
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Post by Darky on Apr 10, 2020 13:19:50 GMT -6
A certain kind of trepidation filled the mammalian as she stood on the steps of the altar. It was a familiar dread, a terrible memory (half of which she assumed herself to be lucky enough to have forgotten) and a consequence seeming doomed to be repeated.
Last time she barely had the strength to walk home, after. Last time she discovered things at home had not gone exactly as planned. Last time she had, supposedly, walked the fine line between this world and the next. And here she was again, staring up at the altar, that very same fine line waiting for another circus act to follow.
I hate it, Nightmare announced beside her, snorting death-cold fumes.
She was right, of course, but the mammalian only reached out to pat her neck, I know. Then turned her gaze at her, You made sure to talk with Bilious, though.. right?
The equillion rumbled angrily, He’ll be FINE. Probably won’t even know what hit him. Probably won’t even remember it hitting him. It’s the other lot YOU need to worry about.
Darky sighed, Yeah, I know..
(1)
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Darky
Flea Market Artist
Veritas et Aequitas
Posts: 1,268
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Post by Darky on Apr 10, 2020 13:20:19 GMT -6
It was one thing to sacrifice yourself for causes and opportunities with little to no care about your own well-being. The mammalian wasn’t quite the extremist in those regards, but the notion was not.. entirely unfamiliar. A childhood of epic stories about heroes and adventurers who risked their lives for everything made for fine entertainment for a young mind, but the stories rarely accounted for the very real reality where one did not exist in a vacuum - and the mammalian had formed more deeper connections now than ever.
Any one of those lines could be tugged if something happened to her, and if what happened last time would happen again.. Any one of those lines could also forcibly tear at those they are connected to.
The sphinx told the equillion to wait at the bottom, to keep herself grounded best she could until she came back down and to avoid burning anything (at least too terribly). Out of all her connections, Nightmare perhaps best understood the concept of walking a fine line between the now and the beyond.
(2)
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Darky
Flea Market Artist
Veritas et Aequitas
Posts: 1,268
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Post by Darky on Apr 10, 2020 13:20:49 GMT -6
So hers was a line she wasn’t too terribly concerned about. Others were easier to manage - snarky as it was, Nightmare was likely right about Bilious weathering the sudden rending sensation without too much consequence.
Then, there was the TROD, the droid physically connected to her via wiring, but also reliant on her existing to continue existance. The sphinx never could figure out if Sha’Nepti was affected by the process last time, but then, she had trouble figuring out Sha’Nepti in general (and generally felt better when she didn’t have to. Something about your own mind mirrored back at you in wavering reflections that just felt far too.. disturbing.)
Whichever the case, she had managed to hold most of the kennel in line. Which was also, incidentally, what she had to do again, but now with two drakes added into the mix. As the sphinx passed the different carvings and pillars along the way, she tried to ignore the rather bloody-looking depictions of the imagery, as her imagination needed no additional help in imagining a scene should Sha’Nepti fail in that.
(3)
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Darky
Flea Market Artist
Veritas et Aequitas
Posts: 1,268
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Post by Darky on Apr 10, 2020 13:21:36 GMT -6
Cèasadh would probably lash out, but not be quite so harmful, as his connection was still relatively new. No, the one she was worried about was Cathàn. As veteran pit fighter and dominance holder, the drake had experience in owning things that were ‘His’ and much like all drakes, he didn’t like things which Took those away. Couple that with a penchant for a literal lust for blood and things could get messy..
The rooms and pens would have to hold.
Others were easy enough to settle - Ras and Tama were harmless, An’Sciresarc uncaring for all her empathy. And Amonuro, well.. There was a reason she told the shijin to wait down at the bottom of the stairs as well. He and Nightmare could keep an eye on each other, as distraction.
Which left just two - the agate.. and Det.
Darky watched the crest of the stairs loom ever closer as the pit of her stomach dropped ever lower. Last time they got lucky. Last time the defences held, but barely and with no small amount of consequence. They could not risk getting lucky again.
(4)
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Darky
Flea Market Artist
Veritas et Aequitas
Posts: 1,268
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Post by Darky on Apr 10, 2020 13:27:48 GMT -6
The sphinx reached the top platform, barely even feeling the tiredness of the climb from the numbness of the adrenaline rushing through her and the pounding in her ears. Before was the stone altar, and beyond it the silent watches. She gave a formal bow of greeting, before approaching the altar and beginning to arrange the crystals.
She had explained the process to Det this time, warned him of what to expect, imploring him to resist a repeat of the last time. Even so, Mear had flown them both to a remote part of the woods where no living soul was likely to wander (where lightning could level a field and cost no lives) and promised to keep him grounded for as long as he could.
It was a promise he intended to keep, but one she wasn’t entirely sure he physically could. Perhaps with Det now knowing.. Perhaps with him being prepared.. It would go easier.
The mammalian pressed her hands against the altar and breathed out a heavy sigh, trying to clear her mind. As a last ditch effort, she undid the ribbons from her tail and tucked them into a pocket, before picking up the berry and the knife. “I come before the gods today to present an offering,” she declared to the watchers beyond, showing the crystals - six green, one pink - displayed on the altar, “And ask a gift in return, if they so choose to.”
The berry was eaten and the knife drew along the top of the arm, crimson seeming into the golden yellow fur. She moved the arm, letting blood drip upon each of the stones at least a few times, placed the knife down, breathed in, closed her eyes.. and waited.
It was all on the others to hold now.
(5)
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Post by Renathan on Apr 10, 2020 18:39:07 GMT -6
Earth Node - Success! Next Attempt - 4-10-2021
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