second rune; death; video

[deadelfwalking]

 [When the feed starts, the netbook's camera shows you a view of the forest floor.  A deer carcass lies among the grass and twigs, and it's obvious that the poor thing did not have a clean death.  It's in the advanced stages of decomposition, even though the blood around its body is red and fresh.  The camera does not linger on this image for more than a few seconds; it pans upward, to show Koltira's face.

 He's standing over the deer, holding the device in one hand, holding Byfrost with the other.  Agony creases his expression: his jaw is clenched, his eyes narrowed, every muscle in his pale, sallow face is taut with pain.  The guttural growl of his voice occasionally rises in octave as he talks, as though something is beating the shit out of him from the inside.]

Were we brought here to fight for something, or to waste time reliving the past?  Send.  Us.  On.  A mission.

[He stabs the tree next to him with Byfrost, and the sword glows sickly green; the tree bark begins to decay rapidly, as though it's practically melting.  Diseased fumes pour out of the bark, forming a nasty miasma around Koltira's body.]

I need a battle. [he hisses, and blood trickles from the corner of his mouth as he bites down on the inside of his cheek.]  Now.

Comments

[deadelfwalking]

[Ah, the girl.]

As I said to you when we first spoke--I was controlled, for many years. That was a memory of those times, when I was a puppet of the Scourge. [his voice is tight as he speaks, as though doing so requires a significant effort on his part.]

[deadelfwalking]

[yeah, pretty much.]

I will fall into madness.

[deadelfwalking]

[aww, how kind! Before the reply, there's an agonized sound, as of someone suddenly struck in the gut. and all of their other major body parts.

Hnnhhgh.]

One that does not take place in the mind. With blood that I can taste.

[he might be a little delirious right now. IT'S JUST THE HORRIBLE PAIN TALKING.]

[deadelfwalking]

My intention is not to taunt. I simply ask for what was--[agh--muscle spasms. He growls.] promised.

[deadelfwalking]

I don't expect anyone to help me. I don't want help. I want the war that I was told we were fighting!

[grrnnhhh it. HURTS. Hang on one sec while another wave of pure agony rolls through him. There may be some horrible noises on the line.]

--it ... doesn't need to be death. It needs to be--agony.

[Worse? Probably worse.]

[deadelfwalking]

[coldly, clutching his stomach as another wracking pain shoots through his muscles.]

You would have no chance against me. You are only alive right now because I am fighting with everything I am not to kill you.

[he gnashes his teeth, because it would be so wonderful and so easy to rip your throat right out, Ashraf. To tear your skin from its bones, shred the muscles, soak in the blood. And the screams would be loveliest of all.]

The--feelings--never fade. I control them through battle or will, and since it's becoming clear that I will not be sent to battle, I must rely on will.

[healplz]

[ He doesn't flinch or look away, but grips the dark bone of the staff. It's reassuring, somehow. A twisted sort of reassuring. ]

I'm not a warrior, but I'm not so easily killed. [ Oh man, he really hopes he's not just inviting Koltira to lunge at him, or anything. He's going to need a little time for mental fortification, if this actually pans out like he's starting to hope and fear it will. ] My healing has kept me alive through worse than you.

[deadelfwalking]

[Hope and fear? Ashraf, you are the worst. Koltira sneers.]

So you think. But you have. [winces, squeezing his eyes shut; the cold-fire beneath his eyelids blazes, flaring out at the edges. His next words are high-pitched with pain.] No. Idea.

[healplz]

[ Just the fact that Koltira doesn't jump for the chance is what settles Ashraf's mind on the matter. He stands, unfastens his robe, and pulls it off to leave it hanging off of a nearby tree branch. It would be a terrible pain to have to wash and mend such expensive fabric.

He turns to face Koltira again bare-chested and grim, but resolved, and casts a brief round of spells over himself. He's as ready as he'll ever be. ]

Then show me.

[latkje]

That's just it. There are a few who stumble into great power, but it takes sense to keep it.

[stonefaith]

Not a chance. [ Bariyan approaches almost casually, hands in his pockets. The look he gives Koltira is mostly concern, but there's a harder edge to his stare, too. He can't help it. Darkov had said....

That would have to wait.

He closes in on Koltira, only stopping once he's all of half a foot away. Bariyan goes down on a knee to bring themselves level. ]

There's no one else out here, is there?

[totallytrustworthy]

They're not listening, love.

[It's said gently, at least. Jesus Kolt. You're a mess.]

Any chance this will pass without turning into some kind of a horror flick? We could always try drugging you.

[withouthumanity]

Am I mistaken, or did you not arrive here unwillingly?

[ex_bandai157]

[ And subsequently lose whatever control he has now, AWESOME.

Self-sacrificial sorts of acts aren't usually his style, but - desperate times and all. ]

If the Initiative doesn't respond to you soon, I can guarantee you a good battle, although I'm a little out of practice.

[ The way he says it, he could be talking about the weather. ]

[andhishat]

Then I can help you. Would summoned creatures suffice, and what sort of enemies could you overcome?

[deadelfwalking]

[Koltira's eyes widen in shock. What the hell is going on right now? He looks at the robe, twisting in the night wind, and then back at Ashraf, standing there expectantly. He looks away, his breath catching. It's too much. It's just too much.]

Don't-- [he stands up, every nerve screaming with pain, with irresistible demands. Orders he doesn't want to fulfill. He takes a slow, shaking step forward.] Do you revile me so much? Is that what this is?

[he clutches at his head, his gaze sliding back to Ashraf, and moans.] I--can't--run--

[deadelfwalking]

[WHY ARE YOU SO CLOSE. Even though Bariyan has no heartbeat, he's still moving; he still has flesh and bones, eyeballs and viscera.

Koltira ain't missing the hardness, but since he literally does not understand a single thing about the Darkov situation, he puts it off, unfortunately, to judgment about the state he's in. He heaves.]

There's no one. I haven't been around another person since ... since I called Ashraf to help that kim'jael ... [muttering. A little delirious.]

[deadelfwalking]

[shaking his head vehemently.] No--no! Stay away. Just stay away from the--[hacking cough.]--from the deep forest, Reya.

[healplz]

This isn't about you. It's for those you might harm.

[ His eyes narrow because, come on now, really. This waiting is killing him. Anticipation might actually be worse than pain. ]

I will attack first, if necessary.

[stonefaith]

[ Frown. No idea what a kim'jael is, but if it's not a person then Bariyan will put it aside. ] And Ashraf? Did you let him go?

[ He hates having to ask. He hates that he has to mistrust Koltira like this. But there'll be no more questions soon, soon. He just needs to get this one thing answered and then they can deal with the matter at hand.... ]

[deadelfwalking]

[That gets his attention, because what? What. His covers his mouth with one hand as he coughs blood into his palm, but his eyes are narrowed, focused.]

Let him go? I contacted him to heal a dying man, and neither of them spared me a second glance. I felt spasms in my legs, but I remained until I saw that the wound was mended. Then I walked away.

[WHY ARE YOU ASKING HIM THIS? There's a definite 'how dare you' undercurrent to his tone. He struggles to stand, still covering his mouth, and takes a step back, glaring now.]

[stonefaith]

[ frown. so kim'jael was a person, after all. but it seems as though both of them had gotten away, so that's it. no need to pursue that matter any further. koltira's killed no one. ]

All right. That's all I wanted to know.

[ bariyan stands with him. he looks koltira in the eye and takes another step towards him. ]

Take up your blade, then.

[deadelfwalking]

Self-righteous fool.

[he picks up Byfrost with one hand and lunges, the other hand poised to strangle the fuck out of this guy. Because when you put meat in front of a starving wolf, he has no choice but to eat it.]

[deadelfwalking]

[Cold. So cold. Koltira shakes his head, wipes his mouth.]

No. I won't.

[deadelfwalking]

They are listening. They just don't care to respond. [groans. Worst headache ever.]

I cannot think of a tincture powerful enough to quell this, but it will be -- it will most likely be fine--I just need to ... I need to control it. I need to build a tolerance.