exsilium | second rune; death; video

[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.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Well, it doesn't take much for Nash to jump to vampires. :|a]

So… fighting ghosts has starved you. And whoever put us through that bit of false danger has put us all in a real one.

[it's a reasonable jump! death knights have many vampiric elements, after all. He sucks in air between his teeth.]

Not ... as such. The battles in those memories were shades. Their pain was illusory. Our injuries were illusory. No matter how it felt, it wasn't ... [coughing fit.] tangible. The curse in my body only responds to an actual fight.

[there's a pause as he processes the second part of Nash's statement. His brain is a messy sludge of agony at the moment, unfortunately.] I have removed myself from the city so as not to be a danger.

I didn't mean— [well, personal offense.]

Is there anything I can do to help? [Preferably, something that doesn't involve being maimed...]

[it's a few minutes before he responds, and when he does, it's predicated by a ragged exhale.] You can stay exactly where you are while I deal with this.

Don't take this the wrong way, but if no one can help. why'd you put this where people can see it?

I'm Nash, by the way.

[narrows his eyes.] Because I know those people monitor the feeds.

[he'd ordinarily say 'well met', like you do, but he just ain't feeling it.] Koltira.

Charmed. All of that. {Maybe a bit sarcastic.]

I'm sure that they're listening. I'm not sure that they're people. [But hey, he just got here.]

[he laughs, a little deliriously, in response.] No charm here.

[as for the Initiative, well ... he exhales sharply.] From what I've seen, they are little more than an incompetent mess of humans. They have great power at their command, but little faculty in using it.

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

[muttering, his voice thick and stilted.] Yes ... which gives me cause to wonder who will rise to take it from them.

I'm not sure I long for a more competent jailer. But a more competent general…

Ah ... [an exhalation. He shuts his eyes, concentrates.] I was a general only recently ... but not a particularly remarkable one.

I'm sure this little stunt has had a noticeable effect on morale. [This is a joke.]

[and he laughs, albeit haltingly.] Funnily enough, the kinds of creatures I commanded back home would love such a demonstration ... I would say I met trouble because I failed to put one on. But then, I didn't need to.

No, you're right. An army lives on its stomach, or it lives on fear. Sometimes both. I've just never been very frightening.

Or very hungry.

I did not used to be so. [another pause, another effort to keep in the moment.] Undeath has a way of awakening a number of base appetites. And most do not find it comforting to look upon, either.

[Nash is not shutting up because he suspects Koltira might want a distraction. Also because Nash doesn't shut up.]

I've never tried it. [He thought about it once, but!] But I think that we all have things inside ourselves that we'd rather not look at. The second that changes… [he shakes his head] that's when we really lose our humanity.

[this is a most excellent suspicion. Koltira's voice is quiet when he responds, both from what he's going through and from the nature of the statement itself.]

I lost mine years ago, friend.

If you say so. I like it better my way, though, it lets me feel like I have a conscience.

[heave.] I have a conscience, now. But I did things while it was locked away that can never be forgiven. [even though that's a heavy statement, his tone isn't self-pitying; just matter-of-fact.]

[He shakes his head.] You don't need forgiveness to strive to be worthy of it.

People will make up their own mind.

[maybe a little bit bitter.] A number of people already have.

Yeah, people are really stubborn. I don't know what it is.

[tiredly.] Something to do with my countenance in my case, I think.

Yeah. Maybe you should think about getting a big hat.

Less gruesome public deer killing, too.

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deadelfwalking - 2012-08-15 07:35 (UTC) - Expand

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