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]

[Koltira catches Bariyan's eye, and sees the question there--the uncertainty. That, more than anything else, makes his gut curdle. He struggles to his feet, even as more pain shoots up his arms and legs. Misery falls over him like a drape.

He doesn't want to leave Bariyan in such a state, but the man doesn't seem that worried about his own condition. He seems focused on Koltira, on what he might do next.

Clutching his chest as he feels the discordant voices inside him start to rise in volume, Koltira turns away.]

... I will leave you, then.

[stonefaith]

[ If Bariyan had full control over himself, he would have refused. Would have realized that Koltira was still hurting, known that he couldn't leave until he'd done all that he could for the man. That might've left Bariyan in shreds, but surely it would have been worth it.

But Bariyan is shaken by the change he'd seen in Koltira, by Koltira's ability to seize ahold of the few things that did give Bariyan cause for concern. He is not unsettled to the point of horror, but it is enough to quell him. So he does not protest.

He does grab on to Koltira's arm one last time, though. ]

Your. Blade.

[ Bariyan just barely manages to choke the words out. Somewhat hesitantly, he grabs a fistful of his own viscera and yanks, pointedly. His gaze turns back upon Byfrost.

It'll be too hard to drag himself back to the city like this. Better to shed the excess now. ]

[deadelfwalking]

[Koltira winces at his own handiwork. He surely does not want to take Byfrost to Bariyan again, but he understands the request well enough. He nods, picks up the weapon, and brings it down swiftly on the spare section of entrails. This is done with great effort--the sword and his body are both calling, begging for more--but Koltira manages to step away quickly after the job is finished.

He murmurs.]

You shouldn't have come. I would have torn myself apart rather than do this to you.

[And then he breaks into a run, disappearing into the trees shortly thereafter.]