11-06-2017, 09:18 PM
Ebony murmured gently to herself, pressing up against Morene and trying to sleep. Her eyelids drooped, fluttering open every so often, only to close a few seconds. She wasn't fully lucid, but nor had she fallen into rest. Each small movement produced by Morene's walking felt like an earthquake, and while she tried to ignore it, eventually one would break through her mental defences, causing her to flinch. In one such motion, she'd reached out, grasping one of Summer's arms and clutching it. It was just there, a cold, friendly, squishy object. Hugging it against her chest, she sighed, leaning back into Morene. With each advance, they moved closer to the castle, closer to beds, and closer to comfort...
Falling.
Slipping.
Ebony grasped, reaching out for something, anything, to halt her descent.
Sluggish arms flailed in the still air.
Bare legs kicked out.
Silent screaming.
Crashing, plunging down into the sea.
Thick liquid lapped at her, unseen tendrils claiming her legs, pulling her,
down
down
into the depths.
Hands fanned through water, phasing through it as if it wasn't there.
Mouth gaping in desperation, not even bubbles escaped.
Magic, power, strength.
Could she take it?
Could it help her?
She steadied, channelling her might.
Nothing.
Failure.
She tried to stomp,
legs unmoving.
Immobile.
Ice. Cold. Freezing.
Cubes, blocks of it fell with her, dragged to the endless depths.
People. Shocked. Motionless.
Friends trapped inside them.
Captain.
The Crew.
She reached out.
Shattering fragments. Blinding light. Broken.
gone
A hand reached through.
She took it, letting it pull her into the harsh light. Shakily, Ebony steadied herself. Her saviour shifted, first a woman - Morene. Later developing an appearance she recognised as Sonny, and then Summer. He smiled, ruffling her hair with his other hand. She couldn't. She missed home, wanted to go back. Taking his wrist, she moved his arm between the two of them. Solemnly, he nodded, understanding, and offered his hand yet again, planning to show the way. She thought for a moment, thinking before reaching out with her own. Fingers curled, ready to grip, lightly brushing against his skin.
It fell off.
The hand flopped, dropping out of Ebony's lax grip, leaving a charred stump behind on its owner's arm.
Falling.
Ebony sat up with a jolt, still clenching Summer. The sudden movement made Morene fumble as the petite girl's head almost met her chin. Tipping, they were a slowly capsizing boat in the waves, tilted just a little bit too far past equilibrium. Accelerating, velocity increasing over time as the seemingly minor motion built up.
Her back hit the floor, rocks dug in through her cloak. In her fall, she'd gripped tighter, pulling Summer with her in an effort to avoid meeting the floor. With a soft thump, the unconscious man had landed on her, legs dangling off to the side, and while he was cushioned from the fall in part, it made the experience a lot worse for Ebony. Back pressed against the floor deeper than before, Ebony shuffled, still shaking in fear. The scene lingered in her mind.
Morene looked down in worry and guilt, reaching to hoist Summer back into her arms. "Ebony, dear I am so sorry."
Summer's comatose body limped against Morene, and while balancing him, she bent down offering Ebony her other hand.
Still unthinking, Ebony lay there, slowly inching her back off the rugged ground.
"Ebony?"
She flinched, looking at the hand before hastily pushing herself back. Away from it. She shuddered, coughing. Slowly coming to her senses.
"...um."
Mumbling, Ebony's gaze ran over Summer. Before she hadn't gotten a proper look at his wounds, but now. Now she could see how grave they were. Almost as bad as Morene's when she almost...
That didn't matter. What did matter, was that Summer was hurt, and unconscious.
Attempting to ignore Morene's... offer. Ebony pried herself to her feet, summoning her scythe to do so. She stumbled on numb legs initially, before making her way to Summer.
Poke.
Lightly, Ebony gripped the sleeve of his shirt, giving it a faint tug. "Summer... Please be okay." She slurred the words slightly, mind returning to sleep mode. They were near to the castle now, but she hadn't rested long.
"Shh, he's recovering. Look closely dear," Morene spoke, attempting to calm Ebony.
Sure enough, the smaller cuts were slowly stitching themselves together. And the larger ones, while they looked bag, seemed to be healing underneath all the scabbing and blood.
"Oh." She wobbled, leaning on her scythe while Morene lifted Summer into her arms.
Making a vague gesture, she attempted to prompt Ebony to join him.
"I-I'm okay..." She looked down, idly kicking a small rock. The remaining walk was short, but she was tired, barely staying awake yet clinging on with the tips of her fingers.
The pair travelled onwards, Morene perhaps guessing why Ebony had chosen to stay awake, and offering token conversation. Nothing much, just short, idle, passing questions. Like favourite foods, to which Ebony had muttered cake. Nonetheless, they eventually made it to the castle, Ebony barely paying enough attention to realise they were indoors, nearly falling when they made it to a set of stairs. Lightly, she'd been petting Summer's head. His dumb messy black hair was kinda silly to her.
She giggled, before quickly stifling it as it turned into a cough, again reminded of the wound on her chest.
Primes can heal, can't they? Didn't someone say that?
Or maybe she was just being hopeful. Nonetheless, she didn't know how, and the mages back home had never taught her healing magic.
At Morene's indication, Ebony tiredly pushed another door open with her magic. It led into a small room with a single bed and standard furnishings - about the size of her one back at the tower. Carefully, Morene released Summer, laying him down on the comforter. "Come on, dear, let's get you to bed."
"B-but Summer-"
"Will be fine." The older women looked down at her, shadowy circles visible under her eyes. "We both need sleep."
Not wanting to argue, Ebony obeyed, letting Morene carry her to the bed in another room, before tucking her in after her cloak, boots, and gloves were removed. She did so quickly, while slowed by fatigue, it had been a long day - no need to drag it out.
Yet, impulsively, like a child on Christmas night, Ebony listened, ears attentively trained down the hall.
Click.
That would be Morene's door closing, she assumed.
As stealthily as she could, she tiptoed out of her room and back down the hall.
She had to keep an eye on Summer. What if he needed something? What if his wounds stopped healing?
And, in truth, Ebony didn't want to sleep. She subconsciously dreaded what would happen if she closed her eyes.
Reaching out with her magic, she pulled a cushioned chair to the side of his bed, looking at the goofy sleeping expression on his face. Mouth agape. Drooling. Tounge almost spilling out the side, and eyebrows furrowed, as if in thought.
She sat there for a while, almost giddy about breaking unspoken rules. She was sure Morene would understand though.
She blinked. Eyes closing for a bit longer than a second.
Shaking her head, causing loose hair to splay down her sides and onto Summer's face, she tried to keep herself awake. Just a little bit longer.
His nose scrunched, sniffling.
She almost laughed but had to stop herself. Besides the faint noises of breathing, and the rumbling in the distance, it was eerily silent. Shuffling to the side to prevent the same thing happening again, she examined his burns in the dim light. They'd healed and didn't look as sore as before. That was good, she thought.
Blinking one last time, Ebony slumped back in the chair, head tilted forwards slightly - just enough to put her in danger of falling forwards. This time, however, her rest was unplagued with fear, her body and mind both being too tired to even dream.
Falling.
Slipping.
Ebony grasped, reaching out for something, anything, to halt her descent.
Sluggish arms flailed in the still air.
Bare legs kicked out.
Silent screaming.
Crashing, plunging down into the sea.
Thick liquid lapped at her, unseen tendrils claiming her legs, pulling her,
down
down
into the depths.
Hands fanned through water, phasing through it as if it wasn't there.
Mouth gaping in desperation, not even bubbles escaped.
Magic, power, strength.
Could she take it?
Could it help her?
She steadied, channelling her might.
Nothing.
Failure.
She tried to stomp,
legs unmoving.
Immobile.
Ice. Cold. Freezing.
Cubes, blocks of it fell with her, dragged to the endless depths.
People. Shocked. Motionless.
Friends trapped inside them.
Captain.
The Crew.
She reached out.
Shattering fragments. Blinding light. Broken.
gone
A hand reached through.
She took it, letting it pull her into the harsh light. Shakily, Ebony steadied herself. Her saviour shifted, first a woman - Morene. Later developing an appearance she recognised as Sonny, and then Summer. He smiled, ruffling her hair with his other hand. She couldn't. She missed home, wanted to go back. Taking his wrist, she moved his arm between the two of them. Solemnly, he nodded, understanding, and offered his hand yet again, planning to show the way. She thought for a moment, thinking before reaching out with her own. Fingers curled, ready to grip, lightly brushing against his skin.
It fell off.
The hand flopped, dropping out of Ebony's lax grip, leaving a charred stump behind on its owner's arm.
Falling.
Ebony sat up with a jolt, still clenching Summer. The sudden movement made Morene fumble as the petite girl's head almost met her chin. Tipping, they were a slowly capsizing boat in the waves, tilted just a little bit too far past equilibrium. Accelerating, velocity increasing over time as the seemingly minor motion built up.
Her back hit the floor, rocks dug in through her cloak. In her fall, she'd gripped tighter, pulling Summer with her in an effort to avoid meeting the floor. With a soft thump, the unconscious man had landed on her, legs dangling off to the side, and while he was cushioned from the fall in part, it made the experience a lot worse for Ebony. Back pressed against the floor deeper than before, Ebony shuffled, still shaking in fear. The scene lingered in her mind.
Morene looked down in worry and guilt, reaching to hoist Summer back into her arms. "Ebony, dear I am so sorry."
Summer's comatose body limped against Morene, and while balancing him, she bent down offering Ebony her other hand.
Still unthinking, Ebony lay there, slowly inching her back off the rugged ground.
"Ebony?"
She flinched, looking at the hand before hastily pushing herself back. Away from it. She shuddered, coughing. Slowly coming to her senses.
"...um."
Mumbling, Ebony's gaze ran over Summer. Before she hadn't gotten a proper look at his wounds, but now. Now she could see how grave they were. Almost as bad as Morene's when she almost...
That didn't matter. What did matter, was that Summer was hurt, and unconscious.
Attempting to ignore Morene's... offer. Ebony pried herself to her feet, summoning her scythe to do so. She stumbled on numb legs initially, before making her way to Summer.
Poke.
Lightly, Ebony gripped the sleeve of his shirt, giving it a faint tug. "Summer... Please be okay." She slurred the words slightly, mind returning to sleep mode. They were near to the castle now, but she hadn't rested long.
"Shh, he's recovering. Look closely dear," Morene spoke, attempting to calm Ebony.
Sure enough, the smaller cuts were slowly stitching themselves together. And the larger ones, while they looked bag, seemed to be healing underneath all the scabbing and blood.
"Oh." She wobbled, leaning on her scythe while Morene lifted Summer into her arms.
Making a vague gesture, she attempted to prompt Ebony to join him.
"I-I'm okay..." She looked down, idly kicking a small rock. The remaining walk was short, but she was tired, barely staying awake yet clinging on with the tips of her fingers.
The pair travelled onwards, Morene perhaps guessing why Ebony had chosen to stay awake, and offering token conversation. Nothing much, just short, idle, passing questions. Like favourite foods, to which Ebony had muttered cake. Nonetheless, they eventually made it to the castle, Ebony barely paying enough attention to realise they were indoors, nearly falling when they made it to a set of stairs. Lightly, she'd been petting Summer's head. His dumb messy black hair was kinda silly to her.
She giggled, before quickly stifling it as it turned into a cough, again reminded of the wound on her chest.
Primes can heal, can't they? Didn't someone say that?
Or maybe she was just being hopeful. Nonetheless, she didn't know how, and the mages back home had never taught her healing magic.
At Morene's indication, Ebony tiredly pushed another door open with her magic. It led into a small room with a single bed and standard furnishings - about the size of her one back at the tower. Carefully, Morene released Summer, laying him down on the comforter. "Come on, dear, let's get you to bed."
"B-but Summer-"
"Will be fine." The older women looked down at her, shadowy circles visible under her eyes. "We both need sleep."
Not wanting to argue, Ebony obeyed, letting Morene carry her to the bed in another room, before tucking her in after her cloak, boots, and gloves were removed. She did so quickly, while slowed by fatigue, it had been a long day - no need to drag it out.
Yet, impulsively, like a child on Christmas night, Ebony listened, ears attentively trained down the hall.
Click.
That would be Morene's door closing, she assumed.
As stealthily as she could, she tiptoed out of her room and back down the hall.
She had to keep an eye on Summer. What if he needed something? What if his wounds stopped healing?
And, in truth, Ebony didn't want to sleep. She subconsciously dreaded what would happen if she closed her eyes.
Reaching out with her magic, she pulled a cushioned chair to the side of his bed, looking at the goofy sleeping expression on his face. Mouth agape. Drooling. Tounge almost spilling out the side, and eyebrows furrowed, as if in thought.
She sat there for a while, almost giddy about breaking unspoken rules. She was sure Morene would understand though.
She blinked. Eyes closing for a bit longer than a second.
Shaking her head, causing loose hair to splay down her sides and onto Summer's face, she tried to keep herself awake. Just a little bit longer.
His nose scrunched, sniffling.
She almost laughed but had to stop herself. Besides the faint noises of breathing, and the rumbling in the distance, it was eerily silent. Shuffling to the side to prevent the same thing happening again, she examined his burns in the dim light. They'd healed and didn't look as sore as before. That was good, she thought.
Blinking one last time, Ebony slumped back in the chair, head tilted forwards slightly - just enough to put her in danger of falling forwards. This time, however, her rest was unplagued with fear, her body and mind both being too tired to even dream.
Quote:1337 words.
Eb, Morene, and Summer at all resting at Wendy Castle. Eb is being a rebel. Row row fite da powah!
Going to start a new thread next. Anyone else from the Ashen DD is welcome to join that - when we make it - and rp with us. And anyone who wasn't can just shoot me a PM.
P.S. Thanks for running this Blink, and thanks to everyone else who participated. Even if you attacked Eb and almost killed Morene. It was a blast guys. Dunno who's doing the finale with me, but hopefully that'll be just as awesome.