Chosen [Part 20]
Nov. 20th, 2011 10:15 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
esp_dragonFandom: 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: PG-13
Notes: You can find my commentary on this part here.
Genre: Fantasy/Friendship
Word count: 1,961
Total word count: 50,000
Status: Work in progress
"You're lying," Ras said quietly. That – even if there was a chance, without Aldran there, she would only be able to run away. She'd dropped her dagger when the geist first mind controlled her so she didn’t have any weapons.
"Heh. Scared of what might happen? Of course you are – you want to live, as do we. You would do anything to make sure you continue living."
"We don't-" Ras snapped, but stopped herself, seeing where the geist would take the conversation.
The geist raised its eyesbrows expectantly. "You don't…?"
Ras gritted her teeth, keeping silent.
"You don't…eat souls?" The geist supplied. "But you still kill to make sure that you live. Animals, plants, they were living."
Ras blinked as she felt something in her shift. She tried to subtly move, but it wasn't that, everything completely unresponsive. Maybe she could feel the geist's magic loosening its hold on her?
It was Aldran.
Shock swept through Ras' body as she realised the sense that told her where he was was telling her that he was coming closer. Not quickly, but there was a definite shift in where he used to be, and where he now was. But, his leg had been broken - he couldn't be on the move unless someone was supporting or carrying him! And for some reason, Ras couldn't believe that.
She had to wait. Wait until Aldran was close enough that she could use his magic.
The geist blinked and then looked in the direction that Aldran was coming from.
Dammit, no. It sighed, looking back her lazily. "Aah, I took too long; damn psyven healing." It patted her on the head. "Next time, I'll do it faster," it said, promise in its voice.
"You won't," Ras growled. "Because we'll kill you first."
The geist chuckled, but didn't say anything as it left the room.
Ras would have sagged if she could, would have wanted to close her eyes and block out the world, but she couldn't, her body still being controlled by the geist's magic.
In the space of a few heartbeats, Ras could feel the link between her and Aldran unfurl open, his magic trickling in. Ras gathered it up, but she paused, no knowing what she had to do without a target. Apparently it was enough, Ras' body slowly feeling like her own, and she fell on top of the bed, her breathing harsh, her body trembling.
She was – she was finally free. But, why hadn't it – shouldn't it have gone after Aldran? Attacked him again? Why hadn't it gone after him and killed him? Because he had half her - no, she wasn't going to – it had been lying, she wasn't going to - she wasn't going to believe everything it said.
And Ras desperately hoped her swirling emotions wasn't going to bring it back.
She clung on to the fact that Aldran was coming closer, that she could feel every step that he took closer to her. She could almost feel the hesitant question from him as she felt the magic grow in her, if she was safe, if his magic would give them away, and laughed weakly, just letting her sense of him be filled.
It wasn't long before the door swung open, but Ras knew it was Aldran there. She pushed herself up onto her hands, but Aldran was already there, his arms wrapped around her.
"You're all right," he murmured, sounding like it was telling it to himself as well. "You're all right. You aren't…"
Ras wrapped her own arms around him, drawing comfort from the touch, centring her world around him. But… Ras drew back and looked down. "Your leg…?"
Aldran blinked, and then lifted it slightly, showing he had full control, though when he put it down again, he didn't rest his weight on it. "I…heal quickly," Aldran said slowly. "I thought you knew that?"
Ras nodded. "But not that quickly!" It hadn't been that long since it had happened and… And Ras' mind didn't want to think anymore, too much unwanted information being slammed into it at once.
"Where…?"
"It left," Ras said heavily. "I – I don't know why." It wanted to drag her emotions out further without interruptions, to 'perfection'? She felt sick at the notion, and started shaking again, leaning her head on Aldran's shoulder. Fighting geists was one thing, nearly dying because of it, another, but having her emotions be twisted around just so that her soul could taste better?
Ras breathed out, realising that had been what had happened in Sous, keeping the villagers penned in and making sure they were fully aware of the geists there. And that had been where that geist had been as well.
"I don't think it'll be back." It was far too intelligent for that. But then, why had it left its prey alive? It knew that would draw…attention. And it knew that they could sense a geist – or the soul – no, she wasn't believing what it said. It knew they could sense a geist and hid directly where it had fed on its prey.
She felt Aldran nod. "You're sure?"
"Yes." Unless the geist would attack them again while they together, and Ras was worried that it might to heighten her emotions again, to make a point.
"We'll stay here for two days," she compromised. "We'll know then if it's still here for sure."
Ras really hoped that a geist could only last a day without needing to eat, or else she could be damning the town.
* * *
There hadn't been any more attacks or deaths while Ras and Aldran were there, and they spent a lot of their time gathering their equilibrium again, keeping even closer to each other than usual. Ras spent a lot of that time simultaneously thinking over what the geist had told her, as well as trying to dismiss it from her mind. It had been trying to get any kind of reaction from her, so that she would taste better to it, so it would make sense that what it told her were shocking, but that didn't mean they were the truth. Apart from the times that she questioned the things that it had pointed out, finding that they did make sense, in some ways. It was wrong about the Gods though, and definitely about Aldran as well.
Aldran was clearly worried about her, peeking at her when he thought she couldn't see him, but she hadn't told him what she had been told –hadn't even told him that she had had a conversation with the geist- because she didn't want him to worry even more, thinking about those things.
After they had given their recount of what had happened, the mages looking worried that the geist had escaped, she and Aldran left the teleportation room. Going to their room wasn't useful, especially as they had spent the two days resting already, and Aldran's leg was able to support him fully again.
Ras opened her mouth to ask Aldran if there was anything he wanted to do, but she recognised Lesten and Yaran walking towards them.
"Ah," Yaran said, greeting them with a small nod, "how are you two?"
"We're all right," Ras hedged, frowning. The geist had said that it knew things that Lesten and Yaran didn't; was that really true?
"It looks like you have questions again," Lesten said, looking at Ras curiously.
Her frown deepened, and she looked away. "A geist…told me things, things that couldn't possibly be true but…" She breathed out deeply.
"You're finding that you may be believing them," Lesten observed, humming. He shook his head. "Geists lie about everything, and there may be a chance that it was controlling your mind, making you more likely to believe it."
Ras sighed in relief at his words, realising that that was what had probably happened. She – she wasn't really thinking that what it said could be true.
"This geist…" Yaran started slowly, a questioning look in his eyes.
Ras winced. "It's still alive."
Lesten nodded, sighing. "Then it was saying those words to distract you, to make escape easier." Lesten and Yaran suddenly looked past Ras' shoulder, and she turned to see another khertan and psyven waiting behind them. "If you'll excuse us," Lesten said, smiling.
"Of course." Ras stepped back, letting them pass. When they left, Ras continued to stare past them, doubt growing in her. The geist hadn't being trying to get away when it said that… If Lesten and Yaran didn't know about what a geist did to make the soul taste better, then, what else didn't they know…?
"Aldran…?" Aldran made a small noise of acknowledgement, and she turned to him. "Do you mind if we go to the library again?"
He shook his head. "Of course not. Are we going to be reading about geists again?"
"No…" Ras said, her voice faint as she thought. They started walking towards the library. "I want to find out more about khertan."
Aldran, who had been following her, stopped suddenly. "Why…? Is it because of what the geist told you?"
Ras nodded, making sure that he wasn't trailing behind her again. "If… If we meet again, I want to know what are lies and if anything it says are truths."
Aldran nodded slowly. "That would make sense."
"You don't have to come," Ras told him. "You…didn't like reading that much last time?"
Aldran frowned. "It's what we're reading about," he said quietly and then shook his head. "But if I don't know these things, and I'm the target of their words next time, then I could be really affected and distracted. I should know about them as well."
That made sense. "All right."
* * *
The mage from the last time they visited wasn't there –though why Ras thought that they might both eluded and amused her- but there was a small stack of books on the same table, so maybe they had gone to find more books.
Finding the section khertan was as easy as Gastun made it look, and it wasn't long until Ras and Aldran found it. They shared a look and then they both randomly reached for a book.
* * *
Ras snorted at the book in front of her. She heard an inquisitive sound from Aldran and she glanced up to see him looking curiously at her.
"It's this," she said, tapping the book with the back of her hand. "Someone thought that khertan and psyvens are soulmates." So maybe using this information wasn't the best for hard fact. The idea just seemed heavily romantic to Ras, something spun to make the tale even more interesting and grand – it could explain Farrick and Penran's reactions to them the first time they met. Maybe.
"Soulmates?" Aldran repeated.
Ras hummed in acknowledgement. "It says that khertan and psyvens were chosen together because their souls matched." She paused, considering what she had just said.
Was she that similar to Aldran? She almost discarded the thought instantly, the idea too absurd, but when she started to think about it more deeply, she realised they had more similarities than she had originally thought. It was subtle things, like how they avoided eye contact when they were uncomfortable, ducking their head as well. There were other little things that Ras knew, but she couldn't quite put into words.
"Oh…"
Curious at the faint tone in his voice, Ras looked up again at Aldran. He was frowning at the table, an almost worried expression on his face.
"What's wrong?"
He blinked and glanced up at her, before he shook his head. "Do you think we are?" he asked, his words tumbling out his mouth far faster than they normally did.
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: PG-13
Notes: You can find my commentary on this part here.
Genre: Fantasy/Friendship
Word count: 1,961
Total word count: 50,000
Status: Work in progress
"You're lying," Ras said quietly. That – even if there was a chance, without Aldran there, she would only be able to run away. She'd dropped her dagger when the geist first mind controlled her so she didn’t have any weapons.
"Heh. Scared of what might happen? Of course you are – you want to live, as do we. You would do anything to make sure you continue living."
"We don't-" Ras snapped, but stopped herself, seeing where the geist would take the conversation.
The geist raised its eyesbrows expectantly. "You don't…?"
Ras gritted her teeth, keeping silent.
"You don't…eat souls?" The geist supplied. "But you still kill to make sure that you live. Animals, plants, they were living."
Ras blinked as she felt something in her shift. She tried to subtly move, but it wasn't that, everything completely unresponsive. Maybe she could feel the geist's magic loosening its hold on her?
It was Aldran.
Shock swept through Ras' body as she realised the sense that told her where he was was telling her that he was coming closer. Not quickly, but there was a definite shift in where he used to be, and where he now was. But, his leg had been broken - he couldn't be on the move unless someone was supporting or carrying him! And for some reason, Ras couldn't believe that.
She had to wait. Wait until Aldran was close enough that she could use his magic.
The geist blinked and then looked in the direction that Aldran was coming from.
Dammit, no. It sighed, looking back her lazily. "Aah, I took too long; damn psyven healing." It patted her on the head. "Next time, I'll do it faster," it said, promise in its voice.
"You won't," Ras growled. "Because we'll kill you first."
The geist chuckled, but didn't say anything as it left the room.
Ras would have sagged if she could, would have wanted to close her eyes and block out the world, but she couldn't, her body still being controlled by the geist's magic.
In the space of a few heartbeats, Ras could feel the link between her and Aldran unfurl open, his magic trickling in. Ras gathered it up, but she paused, no knowing what she had to do without a target. Apparently it was enough, Ras' body slowly feeling like her own, and she fell on top of the bed, her breathing harsh, her body trembling.
She was – she was finally free. But, why hadn't it – shouldn't it have gone after Aldran? Attacked him again? Why hadn't it gone after him and killed him? Because he had half her - no, she wasn't going to – it had been lying, she wasn't going to - she wasn't going to believe everything it said.
And Ras desperately hoped her swirling emotions wasn't going to bring it back.
She clung on to the fact that Aldran was coming closer, that she could feel every step that he took closer to her. She could almost feel the hesitant question from him as she felt the magic grow in her, if she was safe, if his magic would give them away, and laughed weakly, just letting her sense of him be filled.
It wasn't long before the door swung open, but Ras knew it was Aldran there. She pushed herself up onto her hands, but Aldran was already there, his arms wrapped around her.
"You're all right," he murmured, sounding like it was telling it to himself as well. "You're all right. You aren't…"
Ras wrapped her own arms around him, drawing comfort from the touch, centring her world around him. But… Ras drew back and looked down. "Your leg…?"
Aldran blinked, and then lifted it slightly, showing he had full control, though when he put it down again, he didn't rest his weight on it. "I…heal quickly," Aldran said slowly. "I thought you knew that?"
Ras nodded. "But not that quickly!" It hadn't been that long since it had happened and… And Ras' mind didn't want to think anymore, too much unwanted information being slammed into it at once.
"Where…?"
"It left," Ras said heavily. "I – I don't know why." It wanted to drag her emotions out further without interruptions, to 'perfection'? She felt sick at the notion, and started shaking again, leaning her head on Aldran's shoulder. Fighting geists was one thing, nearly dying because of it, another, but having her emotions be twisted around just so that her soul could taste better?
Ras breathed out, realising that had been what had happened in Sous, keeping the villagers penned in and making sure they were fully aware of the geists there. And that had been where that geist had been as well.
"I don't think it'll be back." It was far too intelligent for that. But then, why had it left its prey alive? It knew that would draw…attention. And it knew that they could sense a geist – or the soul – no, she wasn't believing what it said. It knew they could sense a geist and hid directly where it had fed on its prey.
She felt Aldran nod. "You're sure?"
"Yes." Unless the geist would attack them again while they together, and Ras was worried that it might to heighten her emotions again, to make a point.
"We'll stay here for two days," she compromised. "We'll know then if it's still here for sure."
Ras really hoped that a geist could only last a day without needing to eat, or else she could be damning the town.
There hadn't been any more attacks or deaths while Ras and Aldran were there, and they spent a lot of their time gathering their equilibrium again, keeping even closer to each other than usual. Ras spent a lot of that time simultaneously thinking over what the geist had told her, as well as trying to dismiss it from her mind. It had been trying to get any kind of reaction from her, so that she would taste better to it, so it would make sense that what it told her were shocking, but that didn't mean they were the truth. Apart from the times that she questioned the things that it had pointed out, finding that they did make sense, in some ways. It was wrong about the Gods though, and definitely about Aldran as well.
Aldran was clearly worried about her, peeking at her when he thought she couldn't see him, but she hadn't told him what she had been told –hadn't even told him that she had had a conversation with the geist- because she didn't want him to worry even more, thinking about those things.
After they had given their recount of what had happened, the mages looking worried that the geist had escaped, she and Aldran left the teleportation room. Going to their room wasn't useful, especially as they had spent the two days resting already, and Aldran's leg was able to support him fully again.
Ras opened her mouth to ask Aldran if there was anything he wanted to do, but she recognised Lesten and Yaran walking towards them.
"Ah," Yaran said, greeting them with a small nod, "how are you two?"
"We're all right," Ras hedged, frowning. The geist had said that it knew things that Lesten and Yaran didn't; was that really true?
"It looks like you have questions again," Lesten said, looking at Ras curiously.
Her frown deepened, and she looked away. "A geist…told me things, things that couldn't possibly be true but…" She breathed out deeply.
"You're finding that you may be believing them," Lesten observed, humming. He shook his head. "Geists lie about everything, and there may be a chance that it was controlling your mind, making you more likely to believe it."
Ras sighed in relief at his words, realising that that was what had probably happened. She – she wasn't really thinking that what it said could be true.
"This geist…" Yaran started slowly, a questioning look in his eyes.
Ras winced. "It's still alive."
Lesten nodded, sighing. "Then it was saying those words to distract you, to make escape easier." Lesten and Yaran suddenly looked past Ras' shoulder, and she turned to see another khertan and psyven waiting behind them. "If you'll excuse us," Lesten said, smiling.
"Of course." Ras stepped back, letting them pass. When they left, Ras continued to stare past them, doubt growing in her. The geist hadn't being trying to get away when it said that… If Lesten and Yaran didn't know about what a geist did to make the soul taste better, then, what else didn't they know…?
"Aldran…?" Aldran made a small noise of acknowledgement, and she turned to him. "Do you mind if we go to the library again?"
He shook his head. "Of course not. Are we going to be reading about geists again?"
"No…" Ras said, her voice faint as she thought. They started walking towards the library. "I want to find out more about khertan."
Aldran, who had been following her, stopped suddenly. "Why…? Is it because of what the geist told you?"
Ras nodded, making sure that he wasn't trailing behind her again. "If… If we meet again, I want to know what are lies and if anything it says are truths."
Aldran nodded slowly. "That would make sense."
"You don't have to come," Ras told him. "You…didn't like reading that much last time?"
Aldran frowned. "It's what we're reading about," he said quietly and then shook his head. "But if I don't know these things, and I'm the target of their words next time, then I could be really affected and distracted. I should know about them as well."
That made sense. "All right."
The mage from the last time they visited wasn't there –though why Ras thought that they might both eluded and amused her- but there was a small stack of books on the same table, so maybe they had gone to find more books.
Finding the section khertan was as easy as Gastun made it look, and it wasn't long until Ras and Aldran found it. They shared a look and then they both randomly reached for a book.
Ras snorted at the book in front of her. She heard an inquisitive sound from Aldran and she glanced up to see him looking curiously at her.
"It's this," she said, tapping the book with the back of her hand. "Someone thought that khertan and psyvens are soulmates." So maybe using this information wasn't the best for hard fact. The idea just seemed heavily romantic to Ras, something spun to make the tale even more interesting and grand – it could explain Farrick and Penran's reactions to them the first time they met. Maybe.
"Soulmates?" Aldran repeated.
Ras hummed in acknowledgement. "It says that khertan and psyvens were chosen together because their souls matched." She paused, considering what she had just said.
Was she that similar to Aldran? She almost discarded the thought instantly, the idea too absurd, but when she started to think about it more deeply, she realised they had more similarities than she had originally thought. It was subtle things, like how they avoided eye contact when they were uncomfortable, ducking their head as well. There were other little things that Ras knew, but she couldn't quite put into words.
"Oh…"
Curious at the faint tone in his voice, Ras looked up again at Aldran. He was frowning at the table, an almost worried expression on his face.
"What's wrong?"
He blinked and glanced up at her, before he shook his head. "Do you think we are?" he asked, his words tumbling out his mouth far faster than they normally did.