IIKittyII

Eternal Realities: Umbra

The First Lotus ~The Oasis~

I stare silently at first, confused. This tree is old and new. And sentient beyond what I'm used to from trees. I know this tree... or should. She planted it after all... but I doubt even the Current Lotus knows what's going on with this tree.

I speak to it normally now, seeing how circumstances have changed. "I sent out a call for information on the whereabouts of Galen Kard. It led me here. So, do you have any relevant information relating to our search? Like why Galen has a backdoor into the Oasis, perhaps?"

Blaze ~ Shadowhold battlegrounds~

" Vitals stable." the tablet chirps at me. But she's still unconscious so I scan her again.
"Vitals stable. "

I glare, " If Flame's Vitals are stable then what's going on. "
" Princess Flame not detected. "
"What? " I scan her again. " Run diagnostic for Flame."

"Subject vitals stable. Princess Flame not detected."

Dread settles over me,"What?"

"Princess Flame not detected." The tablet repeats unhelpfully.

Terrible understanding dawns on me. I need to see her back, I go to move her over and she's scalding hot. I pull back with a hiss and nudge her to the side with my boot. The symbol of the Fox Spirit glows on her back. I curse just as her eyes flick open.

Eternal Realities: Umbra

The First Lotus ~Lexianna's Garden~

When I step in to the garden I'm instantly draped in the essence of the Current Lotus. Her distinct feel, her warmth. If I wasn't already emotionally tired, this would've done it. How does she go around feeling this much all the time? What an utterly exhaustive state. And distracting. I imagine Alastair would understand though. For the others I'm sure this is comforting.

I watch Omega march around the tree. I expect to see her come around the opposite side of the tree but when she reappears her face is perplexed.

"I see you've found something strange." I hold up a finger to her, "Hold that thought. I did say talk to the tree. "

I lay my hand against it. Let our natures mingle, let it recognize me. I open my mind to Omega, inviting her to the conversation.Then I speak to the tree, asking my questions without ever moving my lips. What do you have for me? What's happening here?

Blaze ~ Shadowhold battlegrounds~

My sister appears where Gaul was moments before. Her small body is still. So still. I hyper focus on her and my ears pick up the steady beat of her heart.

I yank the heal-y sword off her back and touch her with it. She looks like someone threw her in a pool of wine. I know the dark red slathering her is nothing so innocent. It's impossible to tell how much of it is hers.

I walk around her scanning her with my tablet to check her vitals. While they configure, I peel back one of her eyelids to check her pupils. They're large and completely blood red. I swallow hard. My sister Inferna and I both have our father's red eyes, but Flame has our mother's eyes. Our mother used to say Flame was a true child of Haust. Her hair is a match to the sandy colored hills of Haust in autumn and her eyes the sprawling meadows of green. Flame's eyes are green.

Eternal Realities: Umbra

The First Lotus ~Seaside Village~

I stare blankly at Omega. I'm slightly surprised but glad to see he... or she... is being reasonable about the situation.

I repeat the words Maya has instructed. I feel hesitant about trusting the Umbra, but Omega does have a point. It'd be easier to not have to worry about Zaakilo at all.

I cast one final look at the body of Galen, before turning to Omega again. "Alright then, are we ready to go talk to our tree?"

Frenzied Flame ~ ThroneWorld~

I growl viciously at the machine, at the hands dragging me. My mind muddled. I breathe in the scent of blood. My senses becoming blind to it. Then. Freedom.

Wraith Spirit.

My child. My love. My darling Flame. The Wraith spirit croons. It collects Flame's soul in its claws protectively. Like a snake coiled around prey. Then it strikes.

Called forth by blood the Wraith Spirit rushes Flame's body, filling her. It bends her body, making room for itself. A shockwave erupts from the force of the Spirit's entry, spraying viscera from the hands everywhere.

The Wraith Spirit had tasted the blood of the enemy on Flame's tongue, and now it knows this blood. Commands it. Strikes. The Wraith points its finger at Kara and commands all of her blood to solidify. With a curl of its claws, it guides the blood out in long piercing stakes. A reverse iron maiden. Then with a final fist, it rips all the blood from Kara's body.

Blaze ~ Shadowhold battlegrounds~

My jaw drops and eyes widen to saucers as I witness the Machine. " Scarlet... is that a Wyrd Engine?"

"Calculating." The tablet chirps with my AI assistant's readings. Then pings. " Wyrd Engine confirmed."

"GET HER OUT!" I shout to Gaul and wave the tablet around frantically. "You have to know what the thing is, get my sister out NOW!"

Eternal Realities: Umbra

The First Lotus ~Seaside Village~

I deign to ignore Maya. She like most humans, makes snap judgements before having the necessary information. Desperate to be right, to make their point that they ignore the details altogether. They are so tiring.

Annoyance helps me clear my head. Breathing calm, legs steady, emotions back in check, I walk over to Omega. " It'll be easier to show you." I reach my hand up, but hesitate, "May I?" Once he nods his assent, I lay my hand against his cheek; then push the images into his mind. As soon as I'm done, I cross my arms.

"What do you make of this? He couldn't have hidden or regrown his conciousness right there under Zaakilo's nose. We could go talk to the tree." I lift one shoulder in a shrug, "If Zaakilo wanders over I can just say he's been neglecting the garden, give him a scolding and I'm sure he'll flee the area before I'm finished."

Frenzied Flame ~ ThroneWorld~

I hack away at the endless horde of hands. Blood squelches each time. I'm soaked in gore and it has a dizzying affect. I gather it as I contemplate the progressing problem. What are those hands building? I don't want to find out. Each hand I chop, adds blood to my arsenal.

I construct a massive blood trident and launch it at the center of the pattern. I boil the blood and it explodes on impact. I don't stop moving. I command blood spikes from the floor to clear a wall of hands. This refills my arsenal and I construct a barrier once again.

Blaze ~ Shadowhold battlegrounds~

I shuffle from foot to foot nervously as the fight unfolds before me on the monitor. I don't like this. I don't like it one bit. Whatever that woman is going to do next is going to be bad and I think Flame is going to be backed into a corner, which means a Spirit will emerge. My ears lay flat and I force myself to loosen my grip so I don't break the monitor. I'm also doing my best not to scream at Karnariel to stop moving the hell around. He's making the image fuzzy. Instead I focus on the battle playing out in my hands.

Eternal Realities: Umbra

Frenzied Flame ~ ThroneWorld~

I snarl as I kick in her grasp. I do not panic. Panic kills. I recall the sword. Mistletoe. It zings into my hand and I feel my body right itself. I'm healed, perhaps too much. I'll need to draw blood again. Hers will do.

"For the glory of the ancestors and Haust!" I scream at her. I cleave through the arm holding me and drop to the floor with it. I lick my lips which are coated in her blood. I want to gorge on it. Instead I sheath the sword to my back, and slash into my arm with my elongated claws, freeing the blood there. As it runs freely, it builds a swirling barricade around my body. I boil the blood in the air, and start throwing boiling balls of blood.

Blaze ~ Shadowhold battlegrounds~

As much as I hate to admit it, Gaul is right. My sister is a Highblood, the Elite soldier of the Honorbloods. She had to prove herself to earn it. But I'm consumed with the need to rescue her, save her from this. I'm not a praying type but I pray now, On the ancestors, please bring my sister back to me. I don't know what's happening and I can't just sit back when my sister is fighting for her life.

I dig around in my messenger bag until I find my tablet. I switch on the tracking, and twist the screen this way and that trying to lock onto her signal. " Stupid otherworldly interference. " It'll work and I'll be able to watch her fight if I can boost the signal.

"Gaul I need your arm." I take his arm and raise it out to his side. "Keep it like that. You-" I start snapping at Raven, "-take 3 steps to the left and 1 step back. Shadow, bend your knees. "

I position myself next to Gaul and my sister's image pops on screen. I'm thankful to be pretty and smart. " Nobody move. "

Eternal Realities: Umbra

The First Lotus ~Seaside Village~

I shake my head and release her arms, "Your umbra is different. Zaakilo's is parasitic, growing on him like a fungus and fungi have been known to control their hosts. Yours is more symbiotic, like a plant." I glance back at Galen's corpse. There's something we're missing.

"I'm going to try something. Both of you please be as still as possible. "

I walk to the head of the stone slab and stare resolutely down at the empty vessel of Reality's Conciousness. I sink my hands down into his dark hair, close my eyes, and brace myself.

I breathe in. I breathe out. Creation breathes with me. Attuning to me. My command. My eyes snap back open, glowing golden, the light spilling from them like sunbeams.

"Where is Galen Kard?"I ask in the voice of Creation. My word is command and all of creation rushes to heed it. To find what I seek.

Creation becomes anxious. I can feel it in the heaviness of the air. In the slight tremble of the ground. It wants to please me and answer this question by its Mistress, but it's confused. Because Galen is reality and reality is everywhere, intact. I have to be more specific. I direct it to what fills the shell in front of me.

I can't give it parameters of Galen. That information is lost to me because of the blackout. I can't access it from the Current. So I specify by memories. The ones he created with the Current Lotus.

These moments burn like solar flares flashing bright. No barrier could block them from my mind.

Hands holding, mouths tasting, bodies pressed together. Words only he could say. Hearts beating for each other. A meadow just for her. Sunsets. Daybreaks. His infinite eyes. Her wings. An eternity of waiting. An eternity of memories. An overwhelming weight of one feeling.

I fight to swallow down a whimper, as the heat of their passion courses through me. It's a blazing supernova. It's absolutely ridiculous that it should effect me so; but creation sighs around me because it understands. Love. It understands the language of their love. The all consuming lightning love of Lexianna and Galen Kard.

I break the connection, falling to my knees on the floor. "If he's within the Universe's Reach he will be found." I choke out. I keep my eyes downcast needing a moment to myself.

Eternal Realities: Umbra

The First Lotus ~Seaside Village~

I have more I'd like to ask of Omega, but considering our current company, I opt to return to it later.

I regard Maya coolly. " I don't claim Zaakilo though I'm here to clean up his mess. For what it's worth, I buried him once and yet he's back; so if you have an idea on how to "handel" him as you say, I'm all ears."

From my spot near Galen I study the Umbral markings. "You must be quite unique if you're able to harness Umbra. Even with using Galen's blood, either one of those things alone should kill you." I nod towards the markings, " May I inspect them?"

Frenzied Flame ~ ThroneWorld~

I laugh and stay perfectly still as her transforming blades rip into me. I can feel my consciousness seep away as the frenzy takes hold. She brought it on quicker than I could've.

Her weapon is a gift to me, bringing the blood I need, I crave, a blood sacrifice to the Great Fox Spirit. As my blood pools at my feet, I spring into action. I take her blades to the body and thicken my blood stopping her weapons inside me. I grab hold of them and yank her to me. Fangs have elongated in my mouth and I bite her viciously in the shoulder. I bite to break the arm off. I taste armor and bite harder. Needing to taste her blood.

My blood on the floor shoots up, crystallizes into spikes, and shoot aimed at her.

Blaze ~ Shadowhold battlegrounds~

I start pacing, deciding to explain anyway, "She won't fight this fight normality. She'll be forced to enter the frenzy state. That'll summon the Fox Spirit in either the Phantom or Wraith state. The Phantom state can deal more damage it's a brute force type; but will ultimately leave her vulnerable as her physical body is left unconscious." My tail swishes in agitation, "If it's the Wraith state she'll fight more strategically. It's more like an assassin agile and lethal, but it'll break her body to do it; it'll reduce my sister to a mangled mess. Honestly it's bad either way. "

Eternal Realities: Umbra

The First Lotus ~Seaside Village~

The dead's whispers flutter over me, caressing my mind. I don't push them away but I don't dwell on them either.

I move straight for the space where Galen lies motionless. Slowly, I circle the space but there's nothing. His body preserved as if in sleep, but it's empty. Nothing but a pretty shell.

Once more I'm glad for Lilianna's absence. I'm not sure how this would affect her but it wouldn't be well.

I lean heavily against the table. For a moment I allow myself to relax into the arms of the dead. Their pleas are so much more peaceful than living humans. The living are greedy constantly asking for more. The dead are hopeful and gentle in their asking.

Sighing, I lift my eyes to Omega. An anomaly in all this. The Omega I know wouldn't do any of these things: playing with children, helping. If we're to work together I need to understand what he is now.

"You've changed." I state simply. "I think an explanation would be beneficial. Raydel was it? What happened to you?"

Blaze ~ Shadowhold battlegrounds~

Lexianna doesn't respond to me. I tune out everything and focus my hearing on her. Breath, heart, blood. Her blood. Something wrong there.
I groan. I can't have Galen bringing this down on me. If he does he may delete me. And that would be a true tragedy. With this much sheer genius and sex appeal removed from the world; there would be riots, mass hysteria, an utter melt down of all societal structure. I have a duty to prevent that. My ears twitch as I tune back in overhearing Shadow.

I scoop up Lexianna and shove her into Sir Baruss arms. "Here, make sure she doesn't die." I race over hoping on all the ancestors that I overheard him wrong and somehow knowing I didn't. "What?!" I point at Shadow, " You. Did you just say Beauty here took my sister?!" My mind races. Logically, this could be very good for us but I'd have to know some very important variables to calculate the odds of that. Realistically, I'm having trouble seeing it. All I'm seeing is my baby sister. My ears lay flat, my heart constricts.

"Flame won't back down." I take a deep breath, trying to gather myself in case I need to explain. Because Beauty will definitely be going up against a Beast. But I'm worried on if it's the right one.

Eternal Realities: Umbra

Flame ~Throne World:Liberation~

"I am Princess Flame, Second Royal daughter of the Phantom Crown, Third to the line of Succession. And I will not fall easily."

Oh ancestors above! I didn't expect the thing to be so tall. Then again the taller they are the harder they fall.

I call upon the ancestors' blessings and palm my daggers. They'll require a sacrifice in blood. I go to cut my inner thigh and hesitate. I'm sure I'll need alot for this fight. Better to start slow. I cut my outer thigh, a slash to each one; and crouch low ready to avade and ready for a frenzy.

Eternal Realities: Umbra

The First Lotus

I want to slap Zaakilo. I want to chase him down and make him see. The words I would say bubble up. They die in my throat. Because now I understand. Unfortunately it took Vincent's sacrifice but I see it now.

What a waste. Lilianna would be devastated and I suspect a little proud at Vincent's refusal to toe the line.

But Alistair stands in front of me now. He's shaking and I can't tell which emotion drives him. The Current Lotus would know. I search his earnest eyes and give him a curt nod.

I go through the portal with Omega. "None of you actually agree. " A statement, not a question. I don't know what their plan is because Zaakilo getting what he wants isn't an option.

" You must think me foolish. But I had to try. " Everyone gets a chance. One chance. Zaakilo got his. The Current Lotus likes to give many chances. She's an optimist. I am not her.

I turn to Omega and hesitate. I don't know Omega like I know Sin. I know how Sin's breath changes when he draws his sword. I know where he's going to step before he does. We fight well together because we're extentions of each other. I know the way his hands grip a hilt. I know the way they feel when they grip my hand instead.
Heat rushed to my cheeks. I swallow hard. Swallowing down the emotion that wants to spill out. It has no place here.

" You all can't do anything directly without risking assimilation but I'll assume you've been plotting. What have you planned? And why are we here?" I look to the tiny village next to the river and sigh. Places like these rarely mean a simple mission though they should. It's a pity how many times I've have to raze a village, usually due to fanatics or zealots of some kind.