forum Elementals Chapter 4: Celestial Tides (OPEN)

Started July 16, 2020 by Deleted user

tune

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Alister’s eye wandered, watching the mist drift toward the overcast sky above them. “We could go up,” he said. “But I’m going to have to…”
He sighed, embarrassed. He put his arms around Evan’s waist and allowed the air to lift them up above the rounded wall. The mountain air was chilly, and Alister soon had goosebumps along his arms. He could see most of the layout of the building from here, though some parts had upper floors or walls. Some areas had roofs and some didn’t. It looked like a circular maze of more circles and curving passages. From here, the three passages seemed to either go up, down, or forward depending on where you went. Alister hoped to find the seal from here, but it was hard when the building couldn’t decide which rooms could have roofs and which couldn’t.
“Woah…” he tried to take everything in, then looked down. “Noel?”
She was still on the ground. A breathy, lilting laugh seemed to echo throughout the building and up into the air, ”The girl must carry my burden…”

Ignis's eyes were glowing purple and his smile looked possessed, "Ignis knows it. He has met it once, in the ruins of his temple. Ever wonder where the so sacred 'Fire' temple lied?" Ignis stood still, almost like a statue. The Wraith looked at Ignis, snarled and almost pounced, "That is not your body. A liar within a liar."

She glared at Ignis, though not at Ignis at the person on the inside, though it would be dangerous for her to use her ability in this moment seeing as the sky has become pitch black and therefore her abilities were boosted past her limiters. She looked as the wraith snarled and was close to pouncing, "what do you mean liar within a liar?"

Evan frowned at the breathy voice, "What do you mean the girl must carry your burden? What burden?" He looked down at noel on the ground, "Noel! Can you hear us?"

Ignis stared at Kali, "Illusions unlock secrets hidden from mortal men. I simply know how to use such secrets, my dear Kali. I can tell Ignis particularly likes you. Much more than the daughter of Light. How history repeats itself. I wonder what he would think if he watched himself kill you."

Ignis stared at Kali, "Illusions unlock secrets hidden from mortal men. I simply know how to use such secrets, my dear Kali. I can tell Ignis particularly likes you. Much more than the daughter of Light. How history repeats itself. I wonder what he would think if he watched himself kill you."

"No matter how much control you think you have i wouldn't wave it around so carelessly, he may be wounded but your hold on him will not last." She stared down the man inside of ignis, the bad guy you all know and hate. "he may be strong, but I'm not exactly helpless."

"I do not need it to last. He will kill you all on his own. Along with your companions." Just then, Ignis raises his hand to the Wraith, a black flame emerges, "A flame that never extinguishes, the Eternal Flame. Mixed with a flame that burns the soul, humans know it as Hell Fire. It will not kill the Wraith, but it would wish it had." A ball of mixed flame darts at the Wraith, its screams deafening. The darkness floods the eye of the storm, consuming Ignis and Kali.

During the blinding, Ignis regains focus as he is stunned by the echoes of the Wraith's screams. The marking of Ignatius leaves as did his wound. Ignis couldn't help but smile. Now face the consequences of manipulating an elemental, he thought.

The screams made Ignis weak, but mobile. He made his way to Kali in order to check the residual damage. The Wraith is gone for now, I hope I can keep the promise I made all those years ago…

Evan frowned at the breathy voice, "What do you mean the girl must carry your burden? What burden?" He looked down at noel on the ground, "Noel! Can you hear us?"

”Young thing… please… it weighs on my lungs…” though the voice sounded pained and desperate, it still laughed. ”It longs to be freed… A vessel to circulate through… circling, circles, circling… haha…”
Noel was shaking. She believed she knew what the voice meant, and she didn’t like it. She wanted to go up with the boys, but something kept her down. “Why me? I can’t… I don’t think I can do this…”
”Young, light on your feet… If you couldn’t do it, you wouldn’t be here…”
As the voice spoke, Alister lowered them toward his sister. “El, what is it talking about? What is it… asking you to do?” He let go of Evan’s waist and put a hand on her shoulder.
She looked over her shoulder to see him. “I think… the poisonous gases have been suffocating the temple. It’s all been confined to these corridors, but it sounds like it’s difficult to keep it contained. It needs somewhere where it can be freed, but won’t hurt anything.”
“But wait, does that mean…?” Alister didn’t know how to finish the thought.
Noel looked back to the corridors. “It won’t… kill me, will it?”
”No, silly girl… only change you. Might feel a bit nauseous… it will circle, circle… through the lungs and into the blood, circling, circling…”

(Well if you think about it, either way nothing happens and they're overwhelmed by darkness anyway. You can if you want.)

(what do you mean either way nothing happens there overwhelmed? like if she did nothing would she still get overwhelmed? sorry to make to complicated, just trying to understand)

Evan didn't like this at all, he made a step forward towards noel as well, feeling a bit protective over her even though they hadn't met too far back
"are you saying it will circle through her lungs and into her bloodstream and it won't kill her?" he didnt trust this voice, he heard how in pain they were, he'd like to help. just not in the form of someone he just met who happens to be the sister of someone he maybe liked.

"I do not need it to last. He will kill you all on his own. Along with your companions." Just then, Ignis raises his hand to the Wraith, a black flame emerges, "A flame that never extinguishes, the Eternal Flame. Mixed with a flame that burns the soul, humans know it as Hell Fire. It will not kill the Wraith, but it would wish it had." A ball of mixed flame darts at the Wraith, its screams deafening. The darkness floods the eye of the storm, consuming Ignis and Kali.

During the blinding, Ignis regains focus as he is stunned by the echoes of the Wraith's screams. The marking of Ignatius leaves as did his wound. Ignis couldn't help but smile. Now face the consequences of manipulating an elemental, he thought.

The screams made Ignis weak, but mobile. He made his way to Kali in order to check the residual damage. The Wraith is gone for now, I hope I can keep the promise I made all those years ago…

As soon as the ball of flames was thrown, she tried in her desperation to throw a huge counterattack of pure spherical darkness but it did nothing but help the darkness surrounding her find a pathway into her. While Ignis was set back to normal kali stumbled back, falling down to her knees, placing her hands on the side of her head, the screams of the wraith almost taunting her.
the darkness flowed right at her, but instead of bouncing off of her or going aaround her, it went in her, into her darkest parts, her deepest parts.
a power she forgot she had, but what had started her whole messed up world.
the fact that she could hear people whisper in the shadows, only this wasnt a faint whisper, it ws talking, so much talking and not at a normal level either, it was maddening.
make it stop
make it stop
make it stop
"Make it stop!" she screamed, clutching her head as the voices continued to talk and talk and talk, could she hear what they were saying? not a clue, but they were swarming her like a swarm of bees when you knock down the hive.
she almost wished for the pain instead.
the darkness kept spilling into her, as she panted, it was too much. there was too much coming in her and she could feel her gripon herself slipping.
"I-i cant- its too much!" she let out another yell, slowly slipping on her grip and feeing into the surronding storm.

”The girl has no use being dead, foolish boy. Now, please… free this toxin from my lungs…”
Noel’s breathing became heavy. “I want to help, but I’m… I’m scared.”
”There are worse things to fear.”
She was silent, putting a hand atop Alister’s on her shoulder. “El, are you sure? Maybe there’s another way.”
”What, releasing all of this into the atmosphere?” the voice sounded angry now. ”Absolutely not. I’ll only be more sick, more polluted… it will circle, circle, circle…”
“I…” Noel squeezed her eyes shut. “I think I have to do this, Ali… you guys might want to step back.”
Alister eyes began to sting. He squeezed her shoulder, pressing his head against hers before backing away.

He wanted to follow alisters idea of there having to be another way, but he knew that there wasnt another way so he moved to step back with alister, knowing he couldnt hover close to noel. he moved to reach for alisters hand, but he hesitated though before he did, worried that it would make alister upset, he ended up hesitating for a while.

The smell was horrible. The ammonia and sulfur dioxide together was a pungent combination of burnt matches, acid, and alcohol. The carbon monoxide was odorless, but that didn’t exactly help things. The worst thing about it was that all three were colorless, as if nothing was polluting the corridors at all.
Noel inhaled. Judging from the change in movement of the mist, one could tell that the gases were flowing into her.
Her nose and throat felt as though they were on fire. She felt tears stream down her face as her respiratory tract burned. Her chest tightened at the same time her heartbeat rose. Her body began to fight itself, causing violent coughs to erupt as it tried to reject the gases.
Evan did not have to hesitate for long. From the moment she started coughing, Alister’s eyes grew wide and the tears started flowing. He didn’t even think when he grabbed Evan’s hand and squeezed it tight, trying not to hyperventilate.
The voice was in Noel’s mind now. Shh, it’s alright, just breathe… just breathe…
She inhaled again. The pain was unlike anything she had ever experienced. Her inhale turned into alternating fits of coughing and hyperventilating. She sank to one knee. Her brother started toward her, but a rush of mist pushed him back.
“I can help her breathe,” he whispered to it, and he felt the mist dissipate. “Don’t follow me,” he said to Evan. He let go of his hand and rushed to his sister. He tried not to inhale as he pressed his hands against her ribs, a faint gray glow emanating from his fingers seeming to flow into Noel’s body. Her violent coughing and hyperventilating gradually slowed to a heaving.

Evan felt relieved when ALISTER grabbed his hand, he sqeezed it to let him know he was there and he was scared to and it was going to be okay, of course when ALISTER went over to help to help his sister he all of a sudden felt like a useless plus one forced to watch this all go down.

Ignis tried his hardest to combat Kali's complication. He used magic and his own flames. Nothing was able to help Kali nor cleanse the darkness they are now dwelled in. He felt…normal though. Accepting darkness through the star crystal made him bear the thick power of darkness. He could hear the whispers is the fallen. Faint but noticeable. It wasn't any voice from the nearby villages, it was more like crying begs and screams. Ignis tried one last option. He shifted his hands as he chanted. His body began to emit a cooling energy. He touched Kali's shoulder softly, Please work! Be free from this madness! he thought.

(Dang poor Evan)
She shuddered with relief at her brother’s touch. The pain was fading, though her throat still burned and her heart was beating so fast, and now exhaustion washed over her. She sank further to the ground. The voice and her brother kept pleading with her to breathe, breathe as she felt the gases circling throughout her body. Somehow, eventually, it became easier. She felt herself being brought into her brother’s arms, tears smudging her vision.
Alister felt the poisonous gases filtering into Noel, and somehow he knew he wouldn’t inhale anything if he breathed. So he let himself breathe again as he kept his hands at her sides, trying to calm her respiratory system. He twisted to see Evan, waving him over. “It won’t hurt you know,” he said.

(Dang poor Evan)
She shuddered with relief at her brother’s touch. The pain was fading, though her throat still burned and her heart was beating so fast, and now exhaustion washed over her. She sank further to the ground. The voice and her brother kept pleading with her to breathe, breathe as she felt the gases circling throughout her body. Somehow, eventually, it became easier. She felt herself being brought into her brother’s arms, tears smudging her vision.
Alister felt the poisonous gases filtering into Noel, and somehow he knew he wouldn’t inhale anything if he breathed. So he let himself breathe again as he kept his hands at her sides, trying to calm her respiratory system. He twisted to see Evan, waving him over. “It won’t hurt you know,” he said.

Evan offered a smile at Alister, though it was a weak one he was used to hidding how he felt.
"Yeah i was just waiting, didn't want to ruin anything since I'm not an air elemental."
He moved to walk over.

He nodded. “You wouldn’t ruin anything. I was just afraid of you getting hurt.”
He hung his head over Noel’s shoulder. It seemed that she was breathing normally, and he felt her heartbeat slowing. He cautiously took his hands from her ribs, the gray glow fading. “Noel? Are you alright?”
She weakly took his hand in response.
Fresh tears sprung in Alister’s eyes. He hugged her close, quietly sobbing into her shoulder. He’d never seen sister in this state before, and he absolutely hated seeing her in pain. He looked up and wiped his eyes, just in time to see clean, cool mist fog up the first two corridors, leaving the right one open, going down beneath the ground. Alister felt a strange, yet familiar sense of foreboding. Sometimes, when dad was really angry, on his worst days, he would lock the siblings down in the basement. The stairs leading down the corridor was way too reminiscent of stairs to the basement. And yet…
“I think we have to go down there,” he said. “The other two passages won’t lead us to the seal.”
As carefully as he could manage, he stood and got Noel in a piggyback position on his back.

"Ah, well I'm more about how noel is doing then my own well being if I'm honest." He put a hand to his neck, noticing how weak she was in that moment, his heart breaking slightly for her. He shoved his hands in his pockets as he looked concerned at noel before looking at the passage that they have to go down into.
"well, let's go then. Hopefully we find the seal."

Ignis tried his hardest to combat Kali's complication. He used magic and his own flames. Nothing was able to help Kali nor cleanse the darkness they are now dwelled in. He felt…normal though. Accepting darkness through the star crystal made him bear the thick power of darkness. He could hear the whispers is the fallen. Faint but noticeable. It wasn't any voice from the nearby villages, it was more like crying begs and screams. Ignis tried one last option. He shifted his hands as he chanted. His body began to emit a cooling energy. He touched Kali's shoulder softly, Please work! Be free from this madness! he thought.

She clawed at ignis, not to hurt him merely to clamp onto Ignis and hold him close as she shut her eyes tightly tears brimming in them and following not a few moments later after they had gathered, panting and breathing heavily, as he tried all that he could.
"Help me…please" she whispered to him holding onto him tightly, as he continued to try things. Until she felt the cooling affect placed as he touched her shoulders softly, it seemed to slightly remove the voices, enough so that she loosened her grip on him to moved forward and hug him fully, using this moment to recapture her grip on herself, so that she wouldn't slip away. She stopped feeding into the darkness surronding them, though still breathing heavily.

Ignis began to feel this ease. His spell transferring from himself to Kali. Her grip on him loosening. His heart still quickly beating to Kali's plead for help. He took out the ember and continued to hug her back, his eyes glowing red, "C'mon, we should go to the others."
The ember surrounded the two by flame, however nothing burned nor touched. Flames of various color swirled around them. This was Ignis's true flame. A flame that brought people to build a home near the seal. A spark of light that brought a sense of safety. However these feelings didn't make Ignis feel any better. It wasn't long before they were found in front of the Air temple. Ignis was hesitant, not wanting to let go of Kali. Arcanis made Ignis doubt himself, allowing him to believe he truly would be their death. He let go and without another word, he entered the temple.