esp_dragon (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
esp_dragon) wrote2011-11-03 09:47 pm
esp_dragon) wrote2011-11-03 09:47 pm
Chosen [Part 3]
Fandom: Original
Summary: Ras has just been chosen by the Gods to protect humans from geists, beings that prey on people's souls. Sent by Them to aid her is Aldran, a psyven; through the bond forged on their first meeting, Aldran can pass his magic to Ras for her to use against the geists. Only those bonded with psyvens can fight the geists, as a psyven's magic is the one magic that is truly effective against them.
But stories are told to children to placate fears and soothe nightmares. Ras has to learn that Aldran and living as a khertan are not what she expected and that the danger is very real.
While she adjusts to her new life, she and Aldran begin to discover all is not as it seems; however, realising and accepting the truth is not easy and ultimately, in the end, is it worth it?
Rating: R
Notes: Contains what happens to the geists' victims and their family's reaction.
Huh. Ras doesn't seem to be a heavily swearing type (Though, we'll see what happens later in the fight scenes) andso long as I don't go too much into detail, it might be PG-13 for a while. I'm always bad with rating systems, but yeah… I'm probably over-rating, but I'd prefer that to under-rating.
If they're walk on characters, I totally don't have to tag them, right? Right? ;______;
Genre: Fantasy
Word count: 3,317
Total word count: 8,674
Status: Work in progress
Ras could feel the magic like it was it a physical force, howling around her as the world flashed the same colour as the golden lines. All at once, the world span, becoming only a haze of colours, and Ras felt like she was being dragged behind a panicking horse – for the sensation to stop a scant second later.
Huffing, she found herself leaning on Aldran, her stomach rolling and she wondered if she was going to bring up breakfast. Aldran didn't look like he was faring much better, his face pale and she could feel the tremors in his body. Just in case the tremors were because of her, Ras started to ease herself away from him, wincing as the world wouldn't stay still.
Someone patted her back, but Ras didn't look up, just in case that was what would tip the scales of her tenuous grip on her food. "There isn't a way for you to prepare yourself for that, except for going through it."
"Is that…" Ras paused, swallowing her reflexive gag. "Is it always like that?"
"It is," Ceilha said gently, "but you will get used to it over time."
If they were going to be making this trip twice possibly once every week, Ras would hope they would get used to it.
There was shuffling feet to the side of them, and it was only then that Ras realised that the room had changed, becoming much longer, a red carpet leading from where they were standing to the door on the other side of the room. Candles were dotted on stands, which blurred if Ras looked at them for longer than a second, their flickering light not helping to settle her stomach.
As soon as she looked in the direction of the sound, the man who stood there bowed at the waist and stayed there. "It's an honour that you have graced our village with your presence, and we hope that you find our service to you reliable and satisfactory," he said to floor.
Ras glanced at Ceilha, uneasy at seeing the display – Ceilha merely looked resigned, and the look she sent Ras, it was either, 'you can't stop them from doing this' or 'this is something else you will have to get used to', unless it meant both at the same time, which Ras really hoped not. And Lesten's words were making sense to her, because she was already uncomfortable with Aldran not walking alongside her –and possibly not speaking up if he had a question, letting her do all the talking- and seeing this was definitely something she didn't want to see too often. If this was what Lesten felt seeing her about to bow to him like that, she wasn't going to do it again!
"Thank you," Ceilha said, stepping closer to the man – and he froze, one foot lifting off the ground like he was about to back away. Ceilha stopped, her eyes flicking down and then back at the man's head. "If you could lead us to the victim, then we will begin straight away." Ceilha's voice was different from the one that she used to talk with Ras or Lesten, a rope on control threaded throughout, more authoritive.
The man responded to her tone, nodding while still bowing, and then straightened himself. "Yes, of course," he said hurriedly, not meeting anyone's eyes, though they briefly stole towards Ras and Aldran. Ras tried to puzzle it out as they followed the man out the room, before she realised why and winced: they were supposed to be fighting the geists and protecting the people from them – but if the khertan and psyven were affected so badly by travelling to their village, then what hope was there of the khertan and psyven defeating the geist?
"Don't worry," Ceilha murmured, leaning close so further hide what she was saying. "You'll get used to travelling and you'll learn how to be with the people soon enough."
"How long though?" Ras asked, the question tumbling from her mouth like water from a broken dam. "If they can't trust that I can carry out my work-!"
"Then you do your work and carry on," Ceilha said firmly. "Your actions against the geist will speak louder to them than how you are around them."
If she could fight against the geist. But that was being unfair to both her and Aldran, and she looked back to smile reassuringly at him. He smiled softly back, his tail not fully relaxed, but not stiff either. Though, why was he following behind her again – except Dracer was as well – if Ceilha was acting to soothe people's worries, was Dracer doing the same, or was it because she was helping Aldran like Ceilha was with her?
On the other side of the door was a church, a few of the pews occupied. Some of the people glanced their way, before staring at them wide-eyed, their gaze transfixed by Aldran's and Dracer's tail or ears. They were led out the church and though Ras couldn't see the people anymore, the back of her neck pricked, knowing they were still staring at her. She was going to get used to that? That - how?
The air was cool and a balm on Ras' skin after what had happened, the sun warm as well. They were led away, and Ras tried to pay attention to what they were passing, in case they needed to go there in the future. Ras noticed that people stopped and stared at them as they walked past, whispering before they were out of earshot. When they started going through the marketplace, Ras began to wonder if there was another route that they could have taken, one that was less public – she also began to wonder if the man was doing it on purpose, parading them to the townsfolk.
Except, Ras could see the relief in the people's bodies as the tenseness in their shoulders relaxed when they saw them, the hope in their faces. Though, as soon as Ras so much as looked in their direction, the townsfolk would find somewhere else to look, busy themselves with whatever they had been doing previously. If everyone acted like this around them, Ras wondered if she would end up being paranoid that a geist could stand right next to her without her even realising it.
The walk helped her to calm her stomach somewhat, though it didn't stop the anxiety building up as she became more and more aware of how many people were relying on her, how many people were seeing her with hope that she could fix their problem.
"Have you done anything to protect…" Ceilha asked the man lowly, so not to be overheard.
"Ula?" the man filled in. "No," he said, shaking his head. "Should we have?"
"Yes, in case spirits try to possess her body."
The man blanched and nodded quickly. "I'll see that the proper wards are put in place."
Ras made sure that she remembered that fact, also blanching, because she'd never thought about what would happen after someone was attacked by a geist.
They eventually came to the residential part of the village, less people out on the street, though Ras could see them working in their homes or outside. One door was flung open as they walked down the street, a man tumbling out and he rushed to their side.
"Thank the Gods you've arrived!" he babbled as soon as he was close enough. Ras could see the streaks that tears had left on his face, and she had the feeling that they'd arrived at the victim's house. "We don't know what to do and Ula-"
"Tarn," the man they were with hissed and though Ras couldn't see his expression, she knew he was glaring at Tarn from the way he backed down. "They know the situation," –no, they didn't, Ras thought, her stomach sinking- "so let them do their job!"
Tarn flinched, taking a few steps back. "My – I'm sorry – it's just that I saw you and-" His face crumpled, fresh tears running down his face.
"It's all right," Ceilha said, her voice soothing. "I understand how you're feeling – now, shall we go inside?"
Silently, Tarn nodded. "Mizara –my wife- she's with Ula right now," he said as he led them to the house he had come from. Inside, the house was sparsely furnished, and Ras didn't let her eyes linger for too long on any specific object, feeling far too much like a stranger invading a person's house. They were led to the back, and Ras couldn't help but stare at the woman tucked into the bed, the handprint around her neck purple and swollen, obvious against her skin. There were other abrasions on her skin, on her shoulders, on her forehead. The woman was a few years older than Ras, staring blankly up at the ceiling, but it was obvious she wasn't seeing it, not moving when they entered the room. She was breathing, her chest rising and falling steadily, but apart from that, the woman could have been dead. Was this Ula?
The other woman in the room, however, stood up quickly, her chair clattering from the abruptness of her action, a desperate smile on her face. She was older than the woman on the bed, but the similarities between their features was evident. That was probably Mizara. "You're here! You can bring her back!"
Ras' stomach dropped and she almost chocked on her breath. Wh – Ceilha hadn't said anything about that!
Before Ras could glance at Ceilha, she saw Mizara's smile fade, her eyes going wide as she backed away, her hands lifting up to her mouth in horror. "No, you can't?"
"What?" Tarn breathed. "Why not?"
Ceilha sighed, making sure she made eye contact with both of them. "Because that isn't what the Gods tasked us to do – we can only fight the geists – we cannot bring your loved one's soul back once they've been taken." She looked away. "I'm sorry."
Tarn's knees gave way from under him, and his back thudded against the wall. "We thought… We thought you could…"
Ceilha shook her head, and Tarn slid down further.
"I'd like to speak to you about what happened," Ceilha murmured, indicating the room they'd just came from with a tilt of the head.
"I – yes, of course," Mizara said, bobbing her head, her hands flattening the creases on her dress. They made their way back and then dotted themselves around the main room, no-one taking the chairs clustered around the table.
While they moved away, Tarn and Mizara tightly wrapped their arms around each other, and Ras looked quickly away from the clearly private moment.
After a few seconds of dithering, Ras chose to stand by the window, Aldran right next to her, while Ceilha and Dracer were more in the centre of the room.
While Tarn and Miazara collected himself, Ras nudged Aldran with an elbow, checking on how he was. He snapped his attention to her immediately, looking guilty.
"Are you all right?" she whispered, and he nodded, his tail thumping on the wall.
"There's… I don't…" He couldn't get the words out, tripping over his tongue, but Ras knew what he was trying to say, since she was feeling exactly the same thing: she felt utterly helpless, and unable to help the couple in the way that she wanted to.
"I know."
They stopped talking when the Tarn and Mizara came into the room, their shoulders huddled over their body, like the world was pressing down on them.
Tarn collapsed first into a chair, his elbows braced on the table, his face in his hands; Mizara followed him a few seconds after.
There were only two chairs left, and Ceilha took the one opposite Mizara, and the man who had led them from the church took the other. With no more available places to sit, Dracer made her way over to where Ras and Aldran were.
"It's best if no-one looms over anyone else," Dracer said quietly as the four settled into their chairs, Tarn and Mizara linking hands on the table. "It puts them more at ease."
Ras started to wonder if she should start making a list of all the advice she was getting. But if she pulled that out to refer to while working, the people she was talking to would lose their trust in her as well.
"Could you tell me where Ula was found?" Ceilha asked gently. "I might also need to know where she was going, if you know."
The couple nodded, and it was Mizara who spoke up first, her voice wavering. "She was going to a friend's house -Wanpe, I think- to visit, I - I didn't quiet catch the reason why. When it was past the time she said she would be home by, we went looking for her - she's - she was never late." Mizara couldn't stop herself from weeping at that point and Tarn tightened his grip on her hand.
"I was the one that found her, between Irefen's and Ellse's house," Tarn said quietly, staring at the table, his other hand clenched tight. "She had been tossed aside like a ragdoll against a wall, slumped in a corner; I thought she was dead when she didn't respond – but – but-!" He broke off to take a shuddering breath, wiping the tears from his face. "I'm not sure if that's enough, but, could you…" He squeezed his eyes shut.
"I understand," Ceilha said, standing up with the least amount of noise. "We won't disturb you any longer." Dracer had already started to move towards the door, and Ras and Aldran followed after her.
Ras took a deep breath once they were outside, the sunlight seeming very bright after being inside, and she felt disoriented for a second. They stopped when they were a few houses away, the man who had originally lead them there pale-faced. "I'll lead you to Irefen's and Ellse's house, but – I cannot-"
"We'll see you if we need any more assistance," Ceilha said, a small smile on her face.
The man was visibly relieved for a second, before he started waving his hands around in a panic. "Not that I don't want to help you –far from it!- but-"
"It's a matter concerning geists," Ceilha cut through his protesting. "You can direct us to where Ula was found – you don't have to accompany us."
"Really?" the man blurted out. "If you continue down this way," he started quickly, pointing down the road, "and turn down the left street, Irefen's and Ellse's are the third and fourth house on the right. Goodbye," he said hurriedly, as if he were afraid that Ceilha might take back her offer.
As soon as Ceilha nodded, the man rushed away, gone from their sight in a matter of seconds.
"I hope he remembers about the wards…" Ceilha muttered, her expression not that expectant.
"Is it normally like that?" Ras asked warily, eyeing where he'd gone. Did everyone seem to be both in awe of them, as well as being terrified of staying too long in their presence?
"Yes," Ceilha said, throwing a glance back at the house as she started walking up the street. "We've been chosen by the Gods Themselves - that sets us apart from the people who have not been chosen, and because of this, people think that if they were to anger us in any way –by being disrespectful, by not aiding us to their full potential, by looking at us in the wrong way- that will bring the wrath of the Gods on them. So they do their best to comply with our every wish, and to ensure they don't do or say the wrong thing, they stay out of our way.
"There isn't much we can do about it," Ceilha said with a small shrug. "Even if one person listens to us asking them to be less formal, they're berated for it by other people."
This was sounding more and more like the khertan and psyvens were isolated from the rest of the populace.
No wonder Lesten didn't want her treating him like a superior, if everyone else treated him like that as soon as he left the building.
Both Ras and Aldran didn't move to follow, watching the house, and Ceilha and Dracer looked at them curiously.
"Is there something else you want to know?"
Ras shook her head. "No – not particularly. It's just…" She bit her lip, not able to block the sight of the broken couple from her mind. "The stories never said anything about this…" she said quietly. 'This' encompassing so many things: how the human body looked after it had been fed on, almost like the person could come back; the reactions of the family; what needed to be done to protect the body…
"Of course they didn't," Ceilha said, her voice kind. "The stories are meant to warn children of the danger, and to also protect them from what really happens."
Ras sighed, trying to put the issue away in her mind. It wouldn't be good if she were distracted right now. With a nod, they left the house behind them.
With every step Ras soon towards their new destination, her skin prickled, similar to the mages' magic but this, it felt more energetic, like the rain on a spring day.
She frowned, rubbing her arm, feeling the goosebumps under her hand. "What's this magic?" she asked. Was this what a healer's magic felt like?
"It isn't," Dracer answered simply. Before Ras could ask another question, Dracer continued: "It's a sign that a geist has been here recently."
Ras gawked at her. She could tell where geists were? Then… That made finding geists slightly easier.
The air felt like it was buzzing when they reached the space between the two houses, making it hard for Ras to concentrate. Ras tried to study the little pathway between the houses, watching the way Ceilha and Dracer carefully picked their way across it, but whatever they were seeing, Ras didn't know; all she saw was a pathway between the houses and that there was some churned up earth in some places.
Aldran seemed to be the same, hovering beside her but not going any closer, his eyes flicking from one thing to another.
When Ceilha went in deeper, Dracer looked over her shoulder to them and gestured for them to come closer. Both Ras and Aldran gingerly followed their footsteps, Ras worrying if she would muddy up a vital clue if she stepped in the wrong place.
Ceilha hummed as she crouched next to a wall, looking out the other side of the path, her expression concentrated.
"What are you looking for?" Ras asked, squinting at what Ceilha was looking at, but not seeing anything of importance. More houses, and trees in the background, but that was it.
"Sometimes the geists have an obvious bolthole, so they can grab a person near there without too much trouble," Ceilha said, frowning, her gaze drifting.
Around them were houses – were the geists in one of them right now? Ras looked around, peering at the windows, but she didn't see anything out of place, or any hints of there possibly being a geist. "We can't follow their trail?"
"No," Dracer said beside her, watching the areas that Ceilha was not, her tail moving in lazy arcs. "You only feel the geists'…aura where they've fed or when they're nearby – they don't leave a trail that can be followed."
Or maybe it wasn't so easy, then. But then again, none of this was. And then that just upped Ras' paranoia again – if a geist knew about their ability to sense them and hid where they'd fed, Ras probably wouldn't be able to tell the difference.
Summary: Ras has just been chosen by the Gods to protect humans from geists, beings that prey on people's souls. Sent by Them to aid her is Aldran, a psyven; through the bond forged on their first meeting, Aldran can pass his magic to Ras for her to use against the geists. Only those bonded with psyvens can fight the geists, as a psyven's magic is the one magic that is truly effective against them.
But stories are told to children to placate fears and soothe nightmares. Ras has to learn that Aldran and living as a khertan are not what she expected and that the danger is very real.
While she adjusts to her new life, she and Aldran begin to discover all is not as it seems; however, realising and accepting the truth is not easy and ultimately, in the end, is it worth it?
Rating: R
Notes: Contains what happens to the geists' victims and their family's reaction.
Huh. Ras doesn't seem to be a heavily swearing type (Though, we'll see what happens later in the fight scenes) and
If they're walk on characters, I totally don't have to tag them, right? Right? ;______;
Genre: Fantasy
Word count: 3,317
Total word count: 8,674
Status: Work in progress
Ras could feel the magic like it was it a physical force, howling around her as the world flashed the same colour as the golden lines. All at once, the world span, becoming only a haze of colours, and Ras felt like she was being dragged behind a panicking horse – for the sensation to stop a scant second later.
Huffing, she found herself leaning on Aldran, her stomach rolling and she wondered if she was going to bring up breakfast. Aldran didn't look like he was faring much better, his face pale and she could feel the tremors in his body. Just in case the tremors were because of her, Ras started to ease herself away from him, wincing as the world wouldn't stay still.
Someone patted her back, but Ras didn't look up, just in case that was what would tip the scales of her tenuous grip on her food. "There isn't a way for you to prepare yourself for that, except for going through it."
"Is that…" Ras paused, swallowing her reflexive gag. "Is it always like that?"
"It is," Ceilha said gently, "but you will get used to it over time."
If they were going to be making this trip twice possibly once every week, Ras would hope they would get used to it.
There was shuffling feet to the side of them, and it was only then that Ras realised that the room had changed, becoming much longer, a red carpet leading from where they were standing to the door on the other side of the room. Candles were dotted on stands, which blurred if Ras looked at them for longer than a second, their flickering light not helping to settle her stomach.
As soon as she looked in the direction of the sound, the man who stood there bowed at the waist and stayed there. "It's an honour that you have graced our village with your presence, and we hope that you find our service to you reliable and satisfactory," he said to floor.
Ras glanced at Ceilha, uneasy at seeing the display – Ceilha merely looked resigned, and the look she sent Ras, it was either, 'you can't stop them from doing this' or 'this is something else you will have to get used to', unless it meant both at the same time, which Ras really hoped not. And Lesten's words were making sense to her, because she was already uncomfortable with Aldran not walking alongside her –and possibly not speaking up if he had a question, letting her do all the talking- and seeing this was definitely something she didn't want to see too often. If this was what Lesten felt seeing her about to bow to him like that, she wasn't going to do it again!
"Thank you," Ceilha said, stepping closer to the man – and he froze, one foot lifting off the ground like he was about to back away. Ceilha stopped, her eyes flicking down and then back at the man's head. "If you could lead us to the victim, then we will begin straight away." Ceilha's voice was different from the one that she used to talk with Ras or Lesten, a rope on control threaded throughout, more authoritive.
The man responded to her tone, nodding while still bowing, and then straightened himself. "Yes, of course," he said hurriedly, not meeting anyone's eyes, though they briefly stole towards Ras and Aldran. Ras tried to puzzle it out as they followed the man out the room, before she realised why and winced: they were supposed to be fighting the geists and protecting the people from them – but if the khertan and psyven were affected so badly by travelling to their village, then what hope was there of the khertan and psyven defeating the geist?
"Don't worry," Ceilha murmured, leaning close so further hide what she was saying. "You'll get used to travelling and you'll learn how to be with the people soon enough."
"How long though?" Ras asked, the question tumbling from her mouth like water from a broken dam. "If they can't trust that I can carry out my work-!"
"Then you do your work and carry on," Ceilha said firmly. "Your actions against the geist will speak louder to them than how you are around them."
If she could fight against the geist. But that was being unfair to both her and Aldran, and she looked back to smile reassuringly at him. He smiled softly back, his tail not fully relaxed, but not stiff either. Though, why was he following behind her again – except Dracer was as well – if Ceilha was acting to soothe people's worries, was Dracer doing the same, or was it because she was helping Aldran like Ceilha was with her?
On the other side of the door was a church, a few of the pews occupied. Some of the people glanced their way, before staring at them wide-eyed, their gaze transfixed by Aldran's and Dracer's tail or ears. They were led out the church and though Ras couldn't see the people anymore, the back of her neck pricked, knowing they were still staring at her. She was going to get used to that? That - how?
The air was cool and a balm on Ras' skin after what had happened, the sun warm as well. They were led away, and Ras tried to pay attention to what they were passing, in case they needed to go there in the future. Ras noticed that people stopped and stared at them as they walked past, whispering before they were out of earshot. When they started going through the marketplace, Ras began to wonder if there was another route that they could have taken, one that was less public – she also began to wonder if the man was doing it on purpose, parading them to the townsfolk.
Except, Ras could see the relief in the people's bodies as the tenseness in their shoulders relaxed when they saw them, the hope in their faces. Though, as soon as Ras so much as looked in their direction, the townsfolk would find somewhere else to look, busy themselves with whatever they had been doing previously. If everyone acted like this around them, Ras wondered if she would end up being paranoid that a geist could stand right next to her without her even realising it.
The walk helped her to calm her stomach somewhat, though it didn't stop the anxiety building up as she became more and more aware of how many people were relying on her, how many people were seeing her with hope that she could fix their problem.
"Have you done anything to protect…" Ceilha asked the man lowly, so not to be overheard.
"Ula?" the man filled in. "No," he said, shaking his head. "Should we have?"
"Yes, in case spirits try to possess her body."
The man blanched and nodded quickly. "I'll see that the proper wards are put in place."
Ras made sure that she remembered that fact, also blanching, because she'd never thought about what would happen after someone was attacked by a geist.
They eventually came to the residential part of the village, less people out on the street, though Ras could see them working in their homes or outside. One door was flung open as they walked down the street, a man tumbling out and he rushed to their side.
"Thank the Gods you've arrived!" he babbled as soon as he was close enough. Ras could see the streaks that tears had left on his face, and she had the feeling that they'd arrived at the victim's house. "We don't know what to do and Ula-"
"Tarn," the man they were with hissed and though Ras couldn't see his expression, she knew he was glaring at Tarn from the way he backed down. "They know the situation," –no, they didn't, Ras thought, her stomach sinking- "so let them do their job!"
Tarn flinched, taking a few steps back. "My – I'm sorry – it's just that I saw you and-" His face crumpled, fresh tears running down his face.
"It's all right," Ceilha said, her voice soothing. "I understand how you're feeling – now, shall we go inside?"
Silently, Tarn nodded. "Mizara –my wife- she's with Ula right now," he said as he led them to the house he had come from. Inside, the house was sparsely furnished, and Ras didn't let her eyes linger for too long on any specific object, feeling far too much like a stranger invading a person's house. They were led to the back, and Ras couldn't help but stare at the woman tucked into the bed, the handprint around her neck purple and swollen, obvious against her skin. There were other abrasions on her skin, on her shoulders, on her forehead. The woman was a few years older than Ras, staring blankly up at the ceiling, but it was obvious she wasn't seeing it, not moving when they entered the room. She was breathing, her chest rising and falling steadily, but apart from that, the woman could have been dead. Was this Ula?
The other woman in the room, however, stood up quickly, her chair clattering from the abruptness of her action, a desperate smile on her face. She was older than the woman on the bed, but the similarities between their features was evident. That was probably Mizara. "You're here! You can bring her back!"
Ras' stomach dropped and she almost chocked on her breath. Wh – Ceilha hadn't said anything about that!
Before Ras could glance at Ceilha, she saw Mizara's smile fade, her eyes going wide as she backed away, her hands lifting up to her mouth in horror. "No, you can't?"
"What?" Tarn breathed. "Why not?"
Ceilha sighed, making sure she made eye contact with both of them. "Because that isn't what the Gods tasked us to do – we can only fight the geists – we cannot bring your loved one's soul back once they've been taken." She looked away. "I'm sorry."
Tarn's knees gave way from under him, and his back thudded against the wall. "We thought… We thought you could…"
Ceilha shook her head, and Tarn slid down further.
"I'd like to speak to you about what happened," Ceilha murmured, indicating the room they'd just came from with a tilt of the head.
"I – yes, of course," Mizara said, bobbing her head, her hands flattening the creases on her dress. They made their way back and then dotted themselves around the main room, no-one taking the chairs clustered around the table.
While they moved away, Tarn and Mizara tightly wrapped their arms around each other, and Ras looked quickly away from the clearly private moment.
After a few seconds of dithering, Ras chose to stand by the window, Aldran right next to her, while Ceilha and Dracer were more in the centre of the room.
While Tarn and Miazara collected himself, Ras nudged Aldran with an elbow, checking on how he was. He snapped his attention to her immediately, looking guilty.
"Are you all right?" she whispered, and he nodded, his tail thumping on the wall.
"There's… I don't…" He couldn't get the words out, tripping over his tongue, but Ras knew what he was trying to say, since she was feeling exactly the same thing: she felt utterly helpless, and unable to help the couple in the way that she wanted to.
"I know."
They stopped talking when the Tarn and Mizara came into the room, their shoulders huddled over their body, like the world was pressing down on them.
Tarn collapsed first into a chair, his elbows braced on the table, his face in his hands; Mizara followed him a few seconds after.
There were only two chairs left, and Ceilha took the one opposite Mizara, and the man who had led them from the church took the other. With no more available places to sit, Dracer made her way over to where Ras and Aldran were.
"It's best if no-one looms over anyone else," Dracer said quietly as the four settled into their chairs, Tarn and Mizara linking hands on the table. "It puts them more at ease."
Ras started to wonder if she should start making a list of all the advice she was getting. But if she pulled that out to refer to while working, the people she was talking to would lose their trust in her as well.
"Could you tell me where Ula was found?" Ceilha asked gently. "I might also need to know where she was going, if you know."
The couple nodded, and it was Mizara who spoke up first, her voice wavering. "She was going to a friend's house -Wanpe, I think- to visit, I - I didn't quiet catch the reason why. When it was past the time she said she would be home by, we went looking for her - she's - she was never late." Mizara couldn't stop herself from weeping at that point and Tarn tightened his grip on her hand.
"I was the one that found her, between Irefen's and Ellse's house," Tarn said quietly, staring at the table, his other hand clenched tight. "She had been tossed aside like a ragdoll against a wall, slumped in a corner; I thought she was dead when she didn't respond – but – but-!" He broke off to take a shuddering breath, wiping the tears from his face. "I'm not sure if that's enough, but, could you…" He squeezed his eyes shut.
"I understand," Ceilha said, standing up with the least amount of noise. "We won't disturb you any longer." Dracer had already started to move towards the door, and Ras and Aldran followed after her.
Ras took a deep breath once they were outside, the sunlight seeming very bright after being inside, and she felt disoriented for a second. They stopped when they were a few houses away, the man who had originally lead them there pale-faced. "I'll lead you to Irefen's and Ellse's house, but – I cannot-"
"We'll see you if we need any more assistance," Ceilha said, a small smile on her face.
The man was visibly relieved for a second, before he started waving his hands around in a panic. "Not that I don't want to help you –far from it!- but-"
"It's a matter concerning geists," Ceilha cut through his protesting. "You can direct us to where Ula was found – you don't have to accompany us."
"Really?" the man blurted out. "If you continue down this way," he started quickly, pointing down the road, "and turn down the left street, Irefen's and Ellse's are the third and fourth house on the right. Goodbye," he said hurriedly, as if he were afraid that Ceilha might take back her offer.
As soon as Ceilha nodded, the man rushed away, gone from their sight in a matter of seconds.
"I hope he remembers about the wards…" Ceilha muttered, her expression not that expectant.
"Is it normally like that?" Ras asked warily, eyeing where he'd gone. Did everyone seem to be both in awe of them, as well as being terrified of staying too long in their presence?
"Yes," Ceilha said, throwing a glance back at the house as she started walking up the street. "We've been chosen by the Gods Themselves - that sets us apart from the people who have not been chosen, and because of this, people think that if they were to anger us in any way –by being disrespectful, by not aiding us to their full potential, by looking at us in the wrong way- that will bring the wrath of the Gods on them. So they do their best to comply with our every wish, and to ensure they don't do or say the wrong thing, they stay out of our way.
"There isn't much we can do about it," Ceilha said with a small shrug. "Even if one person listens to us asking them to be less formal, they're berated for it by other people."
This was sounding more and more like the khertan and psyvens were isolated from the rest of the populace.
No wonder Lesten didn't want her treating him like a superior, if everyone else treated him like that as soon as he left the building.
Both Ras and Aldran didn't move to follow, watching the house, and Ceilha and Dracer looked at them curiously.
"Is there something else you want to know?"
Ras shook her head. "No – not particularly. It's just…" She bit her lip, not able to block the sight of the broken couple from her mind. "The stories never said anything about this…" she said quietly. 'This' encompassing so many things: how the human body looked after it had been fed on, almost like the person could come back; the reactions of the family; what needed to be done to protect the body…
"Of course they didn't," Ceilha said, her voice kind. "The stories are meant to warn children of the danger, and to also protect them from what really happens."
Ras sighed, trying to put the issue away in her mind. It wouldn't be good if she were distracted right now. With a nod, they left the house behind them.
With every step Ras soon towards their new destination, her skin prickled, similar to the mages' magic but this, it felt more energetic, like the rain on a spring day.
She frowned, rubbing her arm, feeling the goosebumps under her hand. "What's this magic?" she asked. Was this what a healer's magic felt like?
"It isn't," Dracer answered simply. Before Ras could ask another question, Dracer continued: "It's a sign that a geist has been here recently."
Ras gawked at her. She could tell where geists were? Then… That made finding geists slightly easier.
The air felt like it was buzzing when they reached the space between the two houses, making it hard for Ras to concentrate. Ras tried to study the little pathway between the houses, watching the way Ceilha and Dracer carefully picked their way across it, but whatever they were seeing, Ras didn't know; all she saw was a pathway between the houses and that there was some churned up earth in some places.
Aldran seemed to be the same, hovering beside her but not going any closer, his eyes flicking from one thing to another.
When Ceilha went in deeper, Dracer looked over her shoulder to them and gestured for them to come closer. Both Ras and Aldran gingerly followed their footsteps, Ras worrying if she would muddy up a vital clue if she stepped in the wrong place.
Ceilha hummed as she crouched next to a wall, looking out the other side of the path, her expression concentrated.
"What are you looking for?" Ras asked, squinting at what Ceilha was looking at, but not seeing anything of importance. More houses, and trees in the background, but that was it.
"Sometimes the geists have an obvious bolthole, so they can grab a person near there without too much trouble," Ceilha said, frowning, her gaze drifting.
Around them were houses – were the geists in one of them right now? Ras looked around, peering at the windows, but she didn't see anything out of place, or any hints of there possibly being a geist. "We can't follow their trail?"
"No," Dracer said beside her, watching the areas that Ceilha was not, her tail moving in lazy arcs. "You only feel the geists'…aura where they've fed or when they're nearby – they don't leave a trail that can be followed."
Or maybe it wasn't so easy, then. But then again, none of this was. And then that just upped Ras' paranoia again – if a geist knew about their ability to sense them and hid where they'd fed, Ras probably wouldn't be able to tell the difference.
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(Anonymous) 2011-11-04 12:23 pm (UTC)(link)"Yes, in case spirits try to possess her body."
Ouch. Which spirits?
The family's reaction was sad. Really well written though. What do they do with the body? Let it die, or keep it? Both options sound hard.
"Even if one person listens to us asking them to be less formal, they're berated for it by other people."
Not an easy lifestyle at all then.
"Ras gawked at her. She could tell where geists were? Then… That made finding geists slightly easier"
Yes it does.
"they don't leave a trail that can be followed."
Or not.
" if a geist knew about their ability to sense them and hid where they'd fed"
That would be a very clever move.
DarkDragonne
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Either spirits of people who haven't passed on, the spirits that came into existance because there was a well of magic nearby, or the demonic spirits. Guess which one's I'm leaning towards. >D
Hee! Thanks!
...
Oh, damn, Ras was supposed to ask that. Whoops. They... Well, I guess it would depend on the family, really. But those are pretty much their only options - if they're hoping the person's soul will come back one way or another, then they'll keep the body; if they can't bare to kill the body (because it's their relative/friend/parter etc.), then they'll keep the body. Apart from the fact that without the proper soul in it, the body's going to waste away/die within...a lot shorter period than if the person was living a healthy life.
Also, if they don't put up the protective wards/magic, then they'd have to deal with the body being possessed and then killing them/having to kill the person who is/was their relative/friend/parter. So some might decide to kill the body before that happens.
...
Yeah. Not fun times, At All. D:
"Not an easy lifestyle at all then."
Haaaaahaha. Ever so slightly, no... XDDD
"That would be a very clever move."
Yep. :3
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(Anonymous) 2011-11-05 07:15 pm (UTC)(link)That's what I was thinking. They can't really force feed it, neither do they had IV fluids and stuff.
Have you read/watched Game of Thrones? The situation of choosing what to do with a loved one who lived but lost their soul... Really reminds me of a scene from there.
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(Anonymous) 2011-11-09 07:20 pm (UTC)(link)no subject
Just in case the tremors were because of her, Ras started to ease herself away from him, wincing as the world wouldn't stay still.
My first thought was, what, why would they be because of you? D: She seems very thoughtful~
Hah, teleportation doesn't sound very comfortable.
Ras glanced at Ceilha, uneasy at seeing the display
I'm glad she's not the type who likes being bowed to!
unless it meant both at the same time
Eeep! It sure seems like she might mean both at the same time.
If this was what Lesten felt seeing her about to bow to him like that, she wasn't going to do it again!
Now she knows how it feels! :3
but if the khertan and psyven were affected so badly by travelling to their village
Yeah...ouch! I suppose they don't look very dependable after being so worn out from the teleportation. Wonder if the man knows they're actually newbies.
Though, why was he following behind her again
*flails* Why is he!? Oh, hm, because they're in public? D:
Yeahhh, getting used to people's stares won't be easy... and who wants to get used to something like that? ):
she also began to wonder if the man was doing it on purpose, parading them to the townsfolk.
D:
Except, Ras could see the relief in the people's bodies as the tenseness in their shoulders relaxed when they saw them, the hope in their faces.
Oh, right, seeing them would be relieving for the people...
Ras sounds like she hasn't encountered geists much at all before this. Does this mean wherever she lived before was relatively free from geists?
Tarn! One syllable name. XD
"They know the situation," –no, they didn't, Ras thought, her stomach sinking- "so let them do their job!"
Awwww. ):
It so sounded like they were expecting them to be able to heal Ula and...yeah, there they go. ):
So many people in the scene!
Ras started to wonder if she should start making a list of all the advice she was getting. But if she pulled that out to refer to while working, the people she was talking to would lose their trust in her as well.
Ahhh, making lists. Yup, that would make her look inexperienced.
Did everyone seem to be both in awe of them, as well as being terrified of staying too long in their presence?
Doesn't sound like a comfortable way to be treated. But it makes sense that people would act that way.
Ooooh, she can feel the geists. :O
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I still need to catch up on your posts too...
"My first thought was, what, why would they be because of you? D: She seems very thoughtful~"
I think Ras could tell that Aldran was kinda touch-shy? (That and I am/was putting in my own overthinking ability so... XD;;)
"Hah, teleportation doesn't sound very comfortable."
Nooope.
"I'm glad she's not the type who likes being bowed to!"
*grins*
"Eeep! It sure seems like she might mean both at the same time."
XDD Yeeep. Poor them. XD;
"Yeah...ouch! I suppose they don't look very dependable after being so worn out from the teleportation. Wonder if the man knows they're actually newbies."
*isn't actually sure myself* Probably not? Maybe not told, but can probably guess?
"*flails* Why is he!? Oh, hm, because they're in public? D:"
There's a reason for it. :3 I think you've read why already? *seriously. Can't remember what bits I've written are in what part. XD;;*
"Yeahhh, getting used to people's stares won't be easy... and who wants to get used to something like that? ):"
Yep. D:
"Oh, right, seeing them would be relieving for the people..."
:)
"Ras sounds like she hasn't encountered geists much at all before this. Does this mean wherever she lived before was relatively free from geists?"
Haha, my weak plotting skills. She's either from a tiny village where the only news she hears of geists is from travellers, or she's from a bigger city so she won't have heard about a geist showing up, which is less likely. XD;;
"Tarn! One syllable name. XD"
Possibly the only other one. *sneeerk*
"It so sounded like they were expecting them to be able to heal Ula and...yeah, there they go. ):"
):
"So many people in the scene!"
I knoooow. ;____; So bad. :P
"Ahhh, making lists. Yup, that would make her look inexperienced."
XDD