sixth rune; death; audio; dated to saturday morning.

[deadelfwalking]

[Koltira's voice is even more guttural than usual, thick with gravel and pain. The strange reverberation is more pronounced, too; it's as though some other spirit hisses in echo of each word he says.]

I ask you--for my sake--for yours--do not come near my lake right now. [he pauses, exhaling raggedly.] Best ... best, in fact, to avoid the area around it in a several mile radius. For several days, at least.

Please.

[another short, gasping breath, and he's done.]

[OOC edit: koltira is now in his blood frenzy. you are free to approach him, action-style, but please keep in mind that the content of such threads may be triggering. death knights are sadists, and their view of violence is inevitably sexualized. OK? OK <3]

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[stonefaith]

[ Bariyan's calm breaks as he grimaces, pulling himself back up to his feet and striding after Koltira. One more try, then. One more in the hopes that he is not making things worse.

It's not difficult to overtake Koltira, the other man staggering as he is. So Bariyan cuts in front of him and grabs onto Koltira's shoulders, forcefully. Nearly a push. ]

Then use. me.

[ He digs his heels in. ]

[deadelfwalking]

[Well, he can't exactly ignore that, can he. Rage boils in him at Bariyan's grab, and he growls low in his throat, the sound of a cornered animal. Ready to lash out.]

Why? So you can come away from it with another set of judgments?

[He grabs Bariyan by the throat--but his fingers, noticeably, take care to avoid the medallion's chain--and lifts him up off of the ground.]

So you have more justifications to look at me the way that you do?

[They are very near his cabin now, almost to its wooden porch. Koltira drags Bariyan up the steps as he talks. His grip is breathlessly tight--or would be, if Bariyan had breath--empowered by the adrenal fury of his hysteria.]

[stonefaith]

[ Instinct makes him grab onto Koltira's hand, his arm, fingers digging into Koltira's dead skin. The other man's nails are scratching close to his stitches. But it's relief that washes over Bariyan, not apprehension-- relief that Koltira is, perhaps, going to take that invitation after all. And relief that the chain is free of Koltira's grip.

Then the confusion starts to settle in. ]

I-- what? [ Bariyan kicks out, desperately searching for something to stand on, his feet stumbling up the steps as Koltira pulls him along. His voice is more strangled than usual. ] How do I look at you?

[deadelfwalking]

[He keeps hold of Bariyan with one hand as he throws open the door to his cabin with the other. Dragging Bariyan inside, Koltira slams him, hard, against the wall. The cabinet beside them shakes with the force--as do the bottles of alcohol lined up inside of it.]

As though I am a stranger. An intruder. No different than you looked at me before! Why--[and he pauses for a minute, groaning, pressing his forehead to the wall. He has Bariyan pinned and in a chokehold, but his grip slackens as his body shakes with another roiling crash of pain. Koltira swallows thickly, and some of the rage drains from his voice, though he is no less despairing.]

Your apology meant nothing.

[stonefaith]

[ No pain, but the impact still leaves Bariyan dazed. When his vision refocuses he sees the opposite wall first, before he shifts his gaze to Koltira, leaning against the wall over Bariyan's shoulder.

Hesitantly, he places a hand against Koltira's chest. There's no pressure, no attempt to shove him away. ]

Is that-- is that how I seem to you? [ Surprise? Indignation? Hell, even Bariyan doesn't know. Only the confusion is for sure. He tries to twist, to turn and tilt his head towards Koltira. ] I meant that apology. I still do.

[deadelfwalking]

[Koltira holds their position, his body still quaking violently--the spasms last longer this time, and the pain they cause seems increased at least twofold. His eyes are squeezed shut against all this agony, and he hisses through gritted teeth.]

It is not a matter of seeming! Even when I am in your presence, you barely speak to me. You look at me with ... [a pause; a sharp, jagged inhale of breath. He digs his fingers into Bariyan's collarbone, almost hard enough for a fracture.] With distaste. Suspicion.

[stonefaith]

[ That gets Koltira a push, weak, reactionary. Hardly an actual retaliation. ]

You are imagining things. [ Exasperated. He knows he shouldn't be, he knows he shouldn't be replying at all; if anything, this conversation needs to take place outside of Koltira's frenzy. But, hell, Koltira's listening. And Bariyan is... talking, a great deal more than he probably ought to.

So he grabs a fistful of Koltira's hair, and pulls. ]

I do not mistrust you. Why would I?

[deadelfwalking]

[OW. WHY. Koltira winces at this fresh pain, immediately grabbing Bariyan's wrist and squeezing the bones with considerable pressure. He yanks Bariyan away from the wall, lifting him slightly, and then slams him down on the rickety table in the center of the room. The force is spine-cracking, and the table splinters beneath it, sagging in the middle.

Koltira leans over Bariyan, still gripping the other man's wrist, listening as the bones slowly break.

He has half a mind at present, and all of it wants to break every bone in Bariyan's body.]

You are either a liar or a fool, and I know not which is worse.

[he bends low, his face inches from Bariyan's own.]

I saw the fear in your eyes, just then. Outside. I always see it. And when I do not see fear, I see indifference.

[stonefaith]

[ He shuts his eyes and grins, horribly, as he hits the table. He hears the crack, too, but assumes that it is only the impact of the collision. The slow snapping of his wrist is not as easily written off. Bariyan opens his eyes to watch.

There'd been some panic the last time this had happened. But now Bariyan knows -- thinks he knows -- what to expect. If he is fearful, he is at least calm about it. Accepting.

He looks into Koltira's eyes, wincing a little at the brightness. His next words are soft, murmured. ]

I don't mean to be. I'm sorry that's what you--

[ He stops. He'd tried to lift a leg, to brace his foot against Koltira, maybe to push the man away -- but when he glances down he sees that his legs have failed to respond. It dawns upon him, then, that Koltira has broken his spine.

He inhales sharply, the breath hitching in his throat. Paralysis is a new thing to him, an injury he has not yet had the pleasure of suffering. ]

[deadelfwalking]

[Koltira realizes it, too, and the anger on his face gives way to absolute horror. He lets go of Bariyan; steps back from the ruined--but still miraculously upright--table. He sinks to the floor of the cabin, one hand over his face, groaning, keening.]

Oh, Light. Light help me ...

[stonefaith]

[ Without Koltira's grip to hold him, and without his own legs to support him, Bariyan slips off the table and onto the floor; he swears quietly as he hits the ground, awkwardly rolls onto his stomach, and pushes himself up. He is supported entirely upon his right elbow. He swears, again, when he realizes he can't even sit up properly.

Then Bariyan whips his head around towards Koltira, his brows drawing together in concern. ]

Koltira. It's all right. I don't-- [ a grimace, as he searches for words ] --mind. [ weak. ]

[deadelfwalking]

[It's happened again, just as it had before. Koltira rocks back and forth, blinded, dumb with pain. His existence is not merely a burden to those around him; it is an outright danger. No matter what he does; no matter what he tries to tell himself.

He moans into his hands.]

How can you not? Look at what I have done! And still, still-- [He inhales sharply, his voice high with delirium.] Still I want to do worse.

[stonefaith]

[ With his good hand, he grabs onto one of the table's legs, pulls himself back up to sitting, and leans back against it for support. His motions are slow, careful, and he keeps an eye on the table to make sure that it won't collapse on him. For the moment, it seems willing to support his weight.

He fixes his eyes on Koltira. ]

It'll heal over. Eventually. [ Indifference. Fear. Bariyan is exacting effort to keep both of those out of his voice. He raises the arm with the broken wrist, and grins again at the strange angles. ] Worse has happened.

[ And, unbidden another thought: Bariyan can't exactly run, now. ]

[deadelfwalking]

[Yes, worse. Like impalement, for example. Koltira struggles for lucidity, struggles to stand. Eventually, he gets to his feet.]

You cannot stay. While I have my mind ... I must get you away from here. From me.

[Koltira kneels down and grabs Bariyan by the underarms. Once the other man is fully upright, Koltira picks him up, starts to carry him out of the cabin. Unholy power radiates around his boots: he must go quickly, before pain again clouds his will.]

[stonefaith]

That's not-- necessary-- [ Bariyan grimaces as he's picked up, annoyed, irritated, perhaps slightly ashamed by his helplessness. Gods. At least he can't feel any of it.

He grabs for Koltira's shoulder. ]

You don't have to....

[deadelfwalking]

[Koltira grinds his teeth. He moves with incredible speed through the forest, his step part magic, and part sheer, adrenal urgency. The desire to crush Bariyan, to match his broken spine with his legs and arms, tears at him. But he suppresses it, a task made easier by glancing down. Bariyan's face: someone he cares for. The glint of the medallion, representing someone else he wishes to protect. These things anchor him.

But his voice is a ragged, gravelly scowl, a sound ripped out of him.]

Yes. I do. Worry not, Bariyan; you will have no more trouble from me after this night.

[stonefaith]

[ The hand on Koltira's shoulder tightens its grip. Bariyan turns his head, watching the landscape change as they progress further; dazed, he does not entirely absorb the speed at which they are moving. ]

What do you mean?

[deadelfwalking]

[The city's skyline is in sight. Head pounding, Koltira presses forward, thinking that if he can just get Bariyan within the city's limits, someone will come for him. Someone will ensure that he is safe.]

Exactly as I say. I will not trouble you. I will not darken your door. Nor--

[A nasty shot of pain cuts off the rest of the sentence. He stops, abruptly, his eyes squeezed shut, braced against the fire in his nerves. Light, it hurts.]

A ... a moment.

[stonefaith]

[ Bariyan doesn't have time to fully reflect upon how worrying Koltira's answer is-- not with that pause. He tries to shift in Koltira's hold, to pull himself up, to... questionable success. He just about manages to shift his shoulders and move his hand, closing it into a fist to rest against Koltira's chest. ]

You don't have to do this. [ quietly. ] Let me help you with this.

[deadelfwalking]

[He starts to move forward again, albeit much more slowly, his steps staggered with the continuous jolts of pain slicing through him. He lowers his head, his eyes on Bariyan's fist, and murmurs.]

You have done enough for me, Bariyan. And I have done enough to you.

[stonefaith]

[ bariyan sighs. he unclenches his fist, and lets it fall away. he closes his eyes. ]

You wouldn't be hurting right now if that were true.

[deadelfwalking]

I am still in pain, yes.

[His head throbs with a litany of demands, each one worse than the last, each one attended by another prodding, galvanizing spasm of pain. But even though his grip on Bariyan is tight, it is not crushing.]

However ... I have my own mind, for the moment.

[The line of trees has thinned out. He approaches the city, his eyes scanning for some safe place to put Bariyan down.]

[stonefaith]

And what will you do after this? [ bariyan opens his eyes. ] Will you lose your mind again? Who is going to help you?

[deadelfwalking]

[He winces as he steps onto the street. There are so many people crammed together in this small space--so much life and breath and blood. He stops at the first bench he finds, and gently sets Bariyan upon it.

Koltira drags a hand down one side of his face, clutches the corner of his own jaw. The city is a pulsating heart to him, soft and made of sweet, irresistible meat. He backs away, towards the forest.]

I can only hope that no one will help me.

[Another step.] I have tried to do right by you, Bariyan. But it seems I am only able to fail in that regard. I am sorry.

[He turns to go.]

[theguideless]

–riyan!

[far away, but plain enough for elf ears, perhaps. don't ask him how he knows to run that way, because he doesn't know how to answer – he doesn't know those things in the flesh.

panting, rasping, he only speeds up when he sees Koltira's towering shape receding, because that's one clue that he can–

can see Bariyan on the bench and can feel a little hot and cold: so grateful to find him, but so afraid something's amiss. being told to stay away...it was the most nervewracking thing to obey so far.]

Bariyan!

[almost there.]