03-17-2018, 05:44 PM
The storm spirit heaved a deep sigh, his own eyes starting to droop as well, his thoughts clouding up just a bit. He hadn’t been the one exerting himself all day, that had been his other half. But nevertheless, Summer’s body still felt downright heavy. A shared body meant shared pain and shared exhaustion. Even in moments like now, when their mind was split into two different bodies, they were never truly separate. There was an ever-present drain that he could feel even now, as their two bodies slowly but surely ate up the last of their power.
He wasn’t the only one either. While Morene didn’t look all that tired, there was still some trace of it on her face, as stoic as it usually was. Or perhaps that was just the spirit’s exhausted glance telling him that. Sonny was perhaps even more tired than Summer was, given how he was passed out in a nearby chair, head lolled back, his chest rising and falling with small, even breaths. And judging by Ebony’s yawn... The storm spirit cast a quick glance over to the ebony-clad mage, only to find her with her eyes closed as well. She slept, sitting against the wall that the head of his bed was pressed against, breathing softly. He and Morene were the only ones left awake.
“Well, looks like it’s time to sleep, then...” Summer said with a heavy yawn, stretching his arms up over his head in an exaggerated fashion.
“It seems so...” Morene’s tone was gentle, an almost amused but still motherly look on her face as her eyes glanced over the two sleepers, before turning back to meet his gaze. “If you wish, I can take Ebony back to her room.”
“Nah, it’s fine,” the storm spirit grunted as he tiredly pushed to his feet, green/grey eyes deliberately scanning over the arcane runes his other half had magicked into place, drawing the soldier’s attention to them. “She needs to stay in here anyway, by the looks of things. I just need to get some things sorted out, and then I’ll go commandeer her room or something.”
“Very well,” Morene too rose to her feet. “I shall retire to my own room as well then. If you need anything, you know where I am.”
“Yup! Sleep well,” Summer said with a smile, voice chipper but quiet as to not rouse Ebony, looking at the soldier as he stepped over to his other half. “See you tomorrow.” Wordlessly, Morene made her way out, boots tapping on the stone flooring, the door latch clicking shut as she gently closed the door behind her, and the storm spirit set all his attention on his other half. As much as he enjoyed being separate once again, this state was far too exhausting to keep up, and he knew he’d pass out too if he even tried staying this way right now. He threw together a quick spell, focusing as much as he could on keeping the cost of it down and....
Sonny’s body exploded into a blast of brilliant light, quickly coalescing around his other half. Suddenly the world became a brilliant amalgam of light and swirling colors. Summer tottered on his feet, his senses jumbling together as it felt like gravity itself shifted on him. Swiftly, the light faded away, leaving the storm spirit swaying about in a room he couldn’t see, his eyes having adjusted to the blinding display. Slowly, he took one large step backward, followed by another, retracing the steps he’d taken to get away from the bed until his calf bumped against it.
Okay...
The bed creaked as he tenderly seated himself, careful not to disturb the girl laying just a few feet away. His vision gradually began clearing back up, revealing first the glowing runes marking every wall, before he could finally see the walls themselves, and the stonework that made them up. Now that they were back in one body, that was one thing wrapped up. Now he just needed to get Ebony all tucked away and comfy, and he could retreat to her room and let the spells work their magic.
Slowly and methodically, he shifted around on the bed until he was facing her, before unclasping her cloak and gently lifting her out of it, her body hanging limply in his arms. Despite the fact she’d nodded off not minutes ago, she already seemed to be slumbering deeply. Carefully shifting in his spot, he brought out one foot from beneath him, using to slide the blanket out of the way so he wouldn’t have to try and wrestle it out from beneath her, and delicately set her down on the mattress. Perhaps it had been because she was sleeping so deeply already, or perhaps it had been from his surprisingly gentle touch, but she didn’t once stir as he slowly set her to bed, dragging the blanket to cover her slumbering form.
Summer’s chest heaved in a deep, silent sigh as he covered her up. Part two was finished. Now all he had to do was head over to her former room and sleep the night away. Then he could wake up, make some breakfast for Ebony to return the favor from this morning, and they could be on their way, leaving to the next trial that awaited them. Slowly, careful not to bounce the bed too much, the storm spirit turned. It was inevitable, really. He didn’t know why he’d expected this stay to last longer, but he had. Well, there wasn’t much he could do about it. In the end, it wasn’t his decision to make.... He slid forward, weight shifting ever so subtly as he began to lift himself from the bed.
Two arms shot forward and wrapped around the storm spirit’s waist, forcefully dragging him backward. A harsh gasp escaped him as he was pulled back onto the bed, which was soon answered by a sleepy sigh from Ebony.
Um....
Summer’s body twisted as he looked back towards the young mage wrapped around him. Her face was hidden, buried into his side, the warmth of her breath seeping through his thin shirt. Did she just.... Was she...? His tired mind slowly ground to a halt, not fully processing the situation. He tried pulling himself forward with an experimental tug, trying his damnedest to not rouse her from her sleep. That small motion was met with more resistance, a tired groan escaping the slumbering girl as she clung to him tighter.
Ah...
A deep sigh escaped the spirit as he sank back down into the mattress, giving up after no more than a moment’s fight. It looked like he was stuck there, Ebony’s grasp was just too strong. Even though he easily had the strength to pry himself free, especially while she was sleeping, he didn’t want to struggle too much. He wasn’t about to go and risk waking her up, after all. Or at least, that was the excuse he gave himself, his heart hammering in his chest as he lifted his legs back onto the bed, sliding his way beneath the blankets as he carefully wriggled his way lower in Ebony’s hug, until her arms were wrapped around his chest instead of his waist and he could actually lay properly.
Resting his head on the pillow, he closed his eyes, ready to sleep. But something was... off. Sure, just the other night he’d fallen asleep just like this before, listening to her quiet breaths and slowly drifting off in her warm embrace. But this time his mind just wouldn’t rest. It wasn’t the result of his pounding heart or anything of the like. It was something much less... positive. Something he recognized immediately.
Leaving...
That single word echoed in his worried mind as he lay silent, his nervousness peeking through even as he relaxed in Ebony’s grasp. In the end, he’d supported her decision to move on. It was time for them to get going, after all. No matter how much he just wanted to stick around and laze about, or at the very least keep the young mage from charging into danger, it just wasn’t an option. Not so much for him, but for the ebony-clad girl lying beside him. At the moment she’d made her decision, her resolve steeled, and Summer could hear it in her voice. A tone he’d heard all too many times before. Though she might have been reluctant, or even scared, this was still something she wanted to do. She couldn’t just let this task go uncompleted.
And so they had to finish off this mission. Before Ebony could willingly go on to Omni and ask to be sent home, she had to do this. It was what her conscience demanded. That feeling... it wasn’t something that the storm spirit had felt himself, so he didn’t really get it. But all the same, he knew what it was about, he knew that she wouldn’t be able to rest if she just left it uncompleted. And even if everything turned out alright, even if the other Liberators could handle it, the guilt would undoubtedly eat her up. She should have been there, but she wasn’t. Sure, Summer might not have felt that same drive that she was feeling when she finally put on a brave face, but even so, he wasn’t about to stop her.
Nevertheless, even after he’d made up his mind, sleep didn’t come all that swiftly. He just couldn’t shake the unease that festered in his chest. Tomorrow was going to be the start of a row of big days, and even though he needed to sleep, it was much easier said than done. But slowly, unsteadily, he found himself drifting off, Ebony’s soft breaths doing their part to ease his worries just a bit....
He wasn’t the only one either. While Morene didn’t look all that tired, there was still some trace of it on her face, as stoic as it usually was. Or perhaps that was just the spirit’s exhausted glance telling him that. Sonny was perhaps even more tired than Summer was, given how he was passed out in a nearby chair, head lolled back, his chest rising and falling with small, even breaths. And judging by Ebony’s yawn... The storm spirit cast a quick glance over to the ebony-clad mage, only to find her with her eyes closed as well. She slept, sitting against the wall that the head of his bed was pressed against, breathing softly. He and Morene were the only ones left awake.
“Well, looks like it’s time to sleep, then...” Summer said with a heavy yawn, stretching his arms up over his head in an exaggerated fashion.
“It seems so...” Morene’s tone was gentle, an almost amused but still motherly look on her face as her eyes glanced over the two sleepers, before turning back to meet his gaze. “If you wish, I can take Ebony back to her room.”
“Nah, it’s fine,” the storm spirit grunted as he tiredly pushed to his feet, green/grey eyes deliberately scanning over the arcane runes his other half had magicked into place, drawing the soldier’s attention to them. “She needs to stay in here anyway, by the looks of things. I just need to get some things sorted out, and then I’ll go commandeer her room or something.”
“Very well,” Morene too rose to her feet. “I shall retire to my own room as well then. If you need anything, you know where I am.”
“Yup! Sleep well,” Summer said with a smile, voice chipper but quiet as to not rouse Ebony, looking at the soldier as he stepped over to his other half. “See you tomorrow.” Wordlessly, Morene made her way out, boots tapping on the stone flooring, the door latch clicking shut as she gently closed the door behind her, and the storm spirit set all his attention on his other half. As much as he enjoyed being separate once again, this state was far too exhausting to keep up, and he knew he’d pass out too if he even tried staying this way right now. He threw together a quick spell, focusing as much as he could on keeping the cost of it down and....
Sonny’s body exploded into a blast of brilliant light, quickly coalescing around his other half. Suddenly the world became a brilliant amalgam of light and swirling colors. Summer tottered on his feet, his senses jumbling together as it felt like gravity itself shifted on him. Swiftly, the light faded away, leaving the storm spirit swaying about in a room he couldn’t see, his eyes having adjusted to the blinding display. Slowly, he took one large step backward, followed by another, retracing the steps he’d taken to get away from the bed until his calf bumped against it.
Okay...
The bed creaked as he tenderly seated himself, careful not to disturb the girl laying just a few feet away. His vision gradually began clearing back up, revealing first the glowing runes marking every wall, before he could finally see the walls themselves, and the stonework that made them up. Now that they were back in one body, that was one thing wrapped up. Now he just needed to get Ebony all tucked away and comfy, and he could retreat to her room and let the spells work their magic.
Slowly and methodically, he shifted around on the bed until he was facing her, before unclasping her cloak and gently lifting her out of it, her body hanging limply in his arms. Despite the fact she’d nodded off not minutes ago, she already seemed to be slumbering deeply. Carefully shifting in his spot, he brought out one foot from beneath him, using to slide the blanket out of the way so he wouldn’t have to try and wrestle it out from beneath her, and delicately set her down on the mattress. Perhaps it had been because she was sleeping so deeply already, or perhaps it had been from his surprisingly gentle touch, but she didn’t once stir as he slowly set her to bed, dragging the blanket to cover her slumbering form.
Summer’s chest heaved in a deep, silent sigh as he covered her up. Part two was finished. Now all he had to do was head over to her former room and sleep the night away. Then he could wake up, make some breakfast for Ebony to return the favor from this morning, and they could be on their way, leaving to the next trial that awaited them. Slowly, careful not to bounce the bed too much, the storm spirit turned. It was inevitable, really. He didn’t know why he’d expected this stay to last longer, but he had. Well, there wasn’t much he could do about it. In the end, it wasn’t his decision to make.... He slid forward, weight shifting ever so subtly as he began to lift himself from the bed.
Two arms shot forward and wrapped around the storm spirit’s waist, forcefully dragging him backward. A harsh gasp escaped him as he was pulled back onto the bed, which was soon answered by a sleepy sigh from Ebony.
Um....
Summer’s body twisted as he looked back towards the young mage wrapped around him. Her face was hidden, buried into his side, the warmth of her breath seeping through his thin shirt. Did she just.... Was she...? His tired mind slowly ground to a halt, not fully processing the situation. He tried pulling himself forward with an experimental tug, trying his damnedest to not rouse her from her sleep. That small motion was met with more resistance, a tired groan escaping the slumbering girl as she clung to him tighter.
Ah...
A deep sigh escaped the spirit as he sank back down into the mattress, giving up after no more than a moment’s fight. It looked like he was stuck there, Ebony’s grasp was just too strong. Even though he easily had the strength to pry himself free, especially while she was sleeping, he didn’t want to struggle too much. He wasn’t about to go and risk waking her up, after all. Or at least, that was the excuse he gave himself, his heart hammering in his chest as he lifted his legs back onto the bed, sliding his way beneath the blankets as he carefully wriggled his way lower in Ebony’s hug, until her arms were wrapped around his chest instead of his waist and he could actually lay properly.
Resting his head on the pillow, he closed his eyes, ready to sleep. But something was... off. Sure, just the other night he’d fallen asleep just like this before, listening to her quiet breaths and slowly drifting off in her warm embrace. But this time his mind just wouldn’t rest. It wasn’t the result of his pounding heart or anything of the like. It was something much less... positive. Something he recognized immediately.
Leaving...
That single word echoed in his worried mind as he lay silent, his nervousness peeking through even as he relaxed in Ebony’s grasp. In the end, he’d supported her decision to move on. It was time for them to get going, after all. No matter how much he just wanted to stick around and laze about, or at the very least keep the young mage from charging into danger, it just wasn’t an option. Not so much for him, but for the ebony-clad girl lying beside him. At the moment she’d made her decision, her resolve steeled, and Summer could hear it in her voice. A tone he’d heard all too many times before. Though she might have been reluctant, or even scared, this was still something she wanted to do. She couldn’t just let this task go uncompleted.
And so they had to finish off this mission. Before Ebony could willingly go on to Omni and ask to be sent home, she had to do this. It was what her conscience demanded. That feeling... it wasn’t something that the storm spirit had felt himself, so he didn’t really get it. But all the same, he knew what it was about, he knew that she wouldn’t be able to rest if she just left it uncompleted. And even if everything turned out alright, even if the other Liberators could handle it, the guilt would undoubtedly eat her up. She should have been there, but she wasn’t. Sure, Summer might not have felt that same drive that she was feeling when she finally put on a brave face, but even so, he wasn’t about to stop her.
Nevertheless, even after he’d made up his mind, sleep didn’t come all that swiftly. He just couldn’t shake the unease that festered in his chest. Tomorrow was going to be the start of a row of big days, and even though he needed to sleep, it was much easier said than done. But slowly, unsteadily, he found himself drifting off, Ebony’s soft breaths doing their part to ease his worries just a bit....
![[Image: ZpWQiiu.gif]](https://i.imgur.com/ZpWQiiu.gif)