Post by Cadence on Oct 11, 2010 22:00:50 GMT -5
(( Two sequential RP scenes in the crypt - Campy, I wanted desperately to ask you OOCly if the things we were RPing were okay, but I couldn't get ahold of you! I hope this is alright. I don't think we were -too- metagamey with Shagohod. *gnaws nails fretfully*
Also this is a raw log. I tried to clean it up as best as I could, but I apologize if anything's unclear or untranslated.
Anyway. Alkrenon's under a spell! Dorien moves stones! Mandy sneaks! Does Cadence cry? Find out all this and more in tonight's THRILLING EPISODE OF: OF CRYPTS AND BOXES~))
----Part 1----
Alkrenon doesn't step aside as a mass of white slowly trudges up the steps from the crypt below, grunting softly and increasing the speed but never the volume. The large gorilla stands at Alkrenon's side for only a second - then lunges forward after Dorien.
Alkrenon smirks confidently.
Cadence heard the gorilla shuffle off, and once the crypt went silent, began trying to push the lid off. Nailed shut as it was, and weak as SHE was, it's a futile effort. The clanking of chains is the only sound that results from her attempt.
Alkrenon stops. And sniffs the air. It is thick and musky with the stench of dust blended with death permeating the air so thickly it clung to a person like a thin veil. It did not disturb him.
Cadence grunts, and KICKS at the lid of the coffin. THUMP.
Alkrenon snaps his head at the direction of the sound.
Cadence kicks again. The lid holds fast, but it makes a satisfying sound.
Alkrenon walks slowly, confidently, towards the coffin. He stops when there's a sound again and continues when it is silent.
Cadence can barely be heard through the wood as she mumbles, "Stupid.. nails.."
Alkrenon suddenly slams his hoof against the coffin, the explosion of sound echoing in the crypt as the force behind the strike sent the wooden confine slamming against the corner.
[Cadence] says: You stupid - APE!
Cadence yells this in frustration. Obviously, Shagohod is back?
Alkrenon kneels aside the coffin. The dust that was picked up by the kick is still settling, coating the dry wood with a veil of murky grey. He slides a finger down the length of the coffin, carresing it. "Teltel baan..." he coos. (Guess again.)
Alkrenon kneels down.
Cadence goes still inside the box, silent for a moment, and then comes the hate-tinted response. "Who's there? Let me out."
Alkrenon smirks under the mask, his face twisted with a sick glee that was barely visible. "Kel'kiel. Luri elnoor telama'd." (Quiet. Luri likes silence.)
Cadence pauses for another long, long moment, and then there's a strangled, ".. Alkrenon..?"
Alkrenon rumbles a deep, guttural chuckle as his hand rests at the end of the coffin. He eyes its wooden frames up at down longingly, as though jealous of the person held within. "Se'vo."
[Cadence] says: Oh.. Light.. Alkrenon - Alkrenon, open the lid. Let me out - it's Cadence!
Cadence begins pushing on the coffin lid again, as though this will
help him.
Alkrenon stares. And keeps staring. The name doesn't seem to trigger anything from him, not even pity to her pleading, desperate voice.
Cadence keeps pushing, albeit futiley - the remnants of Miles' fingernails are digging into her palm, along with the splinters of the grooves he made. She finally stops, painting. "A-Alkrenon? Don't leave! Don't - is - are you alone? Don't leave me."
Alkrenon brings the hand up slowly again, the fingers steepled over the wood and barely grazing the rough grain, with the care and delicate intentions as if carressing the curve of a nude lover - or of the person inside. "Neltiel sol," he murmurs. "Luri venteel."
(You won't be alone. Luri will come.)
[Cadence] says: No - no no - Luri? No! If she's not there let me out! Why are you doing this..
Cadence chokes on her words, weakly smacking the lid. "Why are you tormenting me..?"
Alkrenon presses a finger against the lid, where her head would be, and shhh's softly. "El'bedaa imi, eskel'tuu delnurii tel'jur."
Cadence blanches, and realization strikes her features when light will not. She almost cries - almost, but doesn't, because the tears are all used up - instead she puts her hand flat against the lid of the coffin and gives a dry sob. "Alkrenon.. . "
[Cadence] says: .. don't let her do this to you..
Alkrenon slams his fist against the lid with such force that a single crack forms underneath the curled hand. "Me'kel!" he snaps, and rises as he looks down at the coffin with open contempt. (SILENCE!)
Cadence shrieks again, yanking her hand away and covering her mouth with it.
[Cadence] says: [Draenei] .. I'm a fool, aren't I, Alkrenon?
Alkrenon looms over the coffin, snorting and looking and a snarl here and observing. No large cracks, no loose boards, not even a dark brown stain of blood where blood may have pooled on the inside. He straightened up. Somehow, for some bizzare reason, she insisted on conversation.
[Alkrenon] says: [Draenei] You are blessed.
Cadence laughs bitterly.
[Cadence] says: [Draenei] Blessed and blind. There's so much I should have seen and done and I'll never get the chance..
[Alkrenon] says: [Draenei] What you'll have is better.
Cadence shifts in the coffin, her chains clinking softly. Her voice rasps from the lack of water, the dust in the air.
[Cadence] says: [Draenei] No. It's cold and it's empty and it's not the Light, and I know you'll fuss and growl at me for saying so -
Alkrenon tosses his head upwards, slightly to the side, in a haughty manner. "Hmph. Tel'xee ashke sempe manma'or," he spat. (The ignorant are always loud.)
Cadence laughs again. "That explains you, I guess," she answers sadly.
Alkrenon kicks the coffin again, slamming it against the wall.
Alkrenon snorts.
Cadence grunts, rattling in the box like a rag doll. Her head cracks against the side of the coffin.
[Cadence] says: .. ow.
Alkrenon looks around. The mess. Luri would appreciate a more organized area of work. Neat and precise and strict and perfect. Like she.
Cadence keeps talking, though her words are slightly slurred at this point. "You - you know what I'd say..? If I could go back."
[Cadence] says: I'd tell you..nhh.. I'd tell you you're an idiot.
Alkrenon leans down and hoists an empty coffin over his shoulder. He doesn't respond.
Cadence raises her voice, in case he's leaving. "You're an idiot and.. and you're arrogant.. and.. too judgemental.. and I'd be right .. and I'd be a hhypocrite..
Alkrenon sets the coffin down, neatly. Inside there was still a remnant shadow of the individual - unrecognizable at this point whether it was human or not.
Alkrenon snorts in response. Or maybe dust got under his mask and was tickling his nose. He approached another casket, cracked at the side, and hoisted this one over his shoulder.
Cadence coughs. "And I'd say.. 'Alkrenon, you're .. you're the worst and you drive me crazy,' and you'd get mad and .. and you'd tell me I had something up my .. haha. My ass."
Cadence laughs feebly. Ass.
[Cadence] says: That's a w-word I'd say more if I wasn't going to die.
Alkrenon sets the broken casket down adjacent to the first. Nice, usable coffins on one side, broken ones on the other side. Luri, his perfect Luri, would find use for them. And she will be pleased with him.
Cadence kicks the lid of her coffin again to get his attention. "Hey, are you listening to me?"
[Cadence] says: I hope you are, because you might not hear this again.
Alkrenon responds by tossing that broken casket at Cadence's own, the frail and broken wood shattering into pieces and debris.
[Cadence] says: ... okay, you are.
Alkrenon snorts.
Cadence shifts around inside her coffin, chains rattling again. "It's important, I don't say this to people, you know.."
[Cadence] says: Unless they're trying to trick me into it like great bumbling dunderheads.
Alkrenon snorts again in frustration. Just keep working. Keep working and drown her noise out. It distracts from the work.
Alkrenon shifts through the pile of bones and dried skin. Would any of these be of use?
Cadence tries to dig her fingers into the seam between the lid and side of her coffin. "Alkrenon, you asked me and I didn't say it.. and maybe I should have, and it's stupid that it takes me in this stupid box to get around to it.."
[Cadence] says: ... Xee ashje ake, Alkrenon. (I love you, Alkrenon.)
Alkrenon tosses a femur over his shoulder. It clatters on the ground.
[Cadence] says: [Draenei] You and your stupid horns and your stupid tail.
Alkrenon picks up a skull, shaking it to shake loose any dried up brain matter and dust, peeling off the renmant, thin leather of skin still clinging to it around the eye sockets.
Cadence fusses with the edge of the lid. Creeeak. "And you said it to me, but I don't know if you meant it."
[Cadence] says: I guess you don't remember.
Alkrenon tilts his head at the creak. The lid is loosened. It must be amended. He lets the skull roll out of his hand.
Cadence rolls over onto her stomach, trying to get her hands and
knees beneath her to push at the lid with her back.
Alkrenon returns. There is a large boulder in his hand, a flat slab of marbol from the ruined entrance of the crypt. And sets it atop
Cadence's casket ever so carefully.
Cadence grunts. "Maybe you were lying."
Cadence stops, laying flat on her stomach, head turned to one side, bruised cheek pressed against the dusty wood.
Alkrenon dusts his hands off. Nevermind he was handling a skull earlier. "Ake x'muul." (You talk too much.)
[Cadence] says: .. yes, I do.
Cadence goes quiet as a church mouse.
Alkrenon remains silent as well. Then nods. Good. Looks like she's going to cooperate finally.
Cadence pipes up again as his hooves retreat. "But I won't talk at all when you try to turn me into a .. fucking .. "
[Cadence] says: Whatever your crazed leader is trying to do.
[Cadence] says: So you might as well kill me now. I won't help you.
Alkrenon continues to inspect caskets and coffins. Some broken, most not. Some with people things like bones and baubles and rags inside that the had to toss. Most just with dust.
Cadence rolls back onto her spine carefully.
[Cadence] says: Or maybe you should just go tell Luri she's a certified -bitch-.
[Cadence] says: [Draenei] Hear me? BITCH.
Alkrenon lets his head tilt lazily at Cadence's direction. "Luri ek'xee ashje." (Luri is my love.)
[Cadence] says: Yeah? Are you gonna f-ff-
Cadence takes a moment to get the word out again. Whatever. She'll be dead soon. "FUCK her? Because she's ugly now - got a shard in the eye."
[Cadence] says: Or haven't you seen her lately?
Alkrenon lowers his head, disappointed. "Xee elme ma'maez palaa." (I am not worthy of that honor.)
[Cadence] says: [Draenei] Damn right you're not. You know what you're even less worthy of?
Alkrenon stares sharply at the coffin.
[Cadence] says: MY magnificent bosom. Everyone says it's the best, and now you won't ever see it.
Alkrenon raises his eyebrow inquisitively.
[Cadence] says: Because you're too whipped to open this box.
[Cadence] says: Which is a shame really, Luri cut my shirt and everything.
[Alkrenon] says: [Draenei] The lid must remain.
Cadence rustles around again, feeling her chest. Yep. Exposed.
Alkrenon clearly states, NO.
[Cadence] says: Are you sure? I bet if you touch them you'll feel close to this God she worships.
[Cadence] says: Maybe he'll bless you. Come on.
Alkrenon actually takes a slow and very hesitant step forward.
Cadence coughs. Then she mimics Luri, humming a little off-tune. She's going full-throttle on this attempt.
Alkrenon flinches attentively. It was something familiar. The song. The song in his head that cooed and soothed and made everything
well. Another couple of steps closer.
Cadence pauses long enough to say, "He's calling you, Alkrenon - I can hear him now. I can hear the beauty.. come, he wants you.." There's a slight hitch in her voice that indicates uncertainty.
Alkrenon steps forward again. And again. Being drawn to the coffin like a hungry dog sniffing out the food laid out for it in case there was something amiss.
Cadence hums another little rendition of the song, even going so far as to add in the occasional "Aaalkrenooon.." to try to seal the deal.
Alkrenon kneels in front of the coffin, hands hovering over it as though trying to push through the solid surface and touch the person within it. Why was it separated by this wooden barrier?
Alkrenon kneels down.
[Cadence] says: ... he wants you to remove the lid, Alkrenon.. what good is his Blessed if his Blessed can't breathe, after all? H-how will she.. uh.. sing for him?
Alkrenon rests both his hands on the edge of the lid and gave an experimental lift that wasn't successful. Then he noticed the slab atop of it. Ah. He had forgotten he had put it there. He rose, lifting the slab to set it aside -- A loud grunt behind him. He turns around. The gorilla had returned and was looking at Alkrenon suspiciously. And Alkrenon set the stone back down on the lid and stepped back and back until he was a few good paces away. He wasn't near it. He wasn't touching it.
Cadence is silent for a long moment once she hears the sound of the stone hit the wood. Then she sighs, rolling over onto her side. "Suit yourself," she mumbles, miserably. Stupid ape.
Alkrenon stared at the beast. And it stared back. They remained like that until Alkrenon looked away, and the animal returned to sit in a lazy, splayed limbed posture that those animal usually did.
And then Alkrenon left.
--- Part 2 ---
Dorien steps down the last step, looking around at the space. The ape gets up from it's place, and moves over. "Come on, you know me..." He holds out his hands, letting the ape check him over.
Cadence is laying quietly in the box, sniffling every so often. It's so quiet it might not be audible outside of the coffin.
Dorien watches as the ape's satisfied, and heads back over to it's spot, sitting down again.
[Dorien] says: Who-- You're an ape, you can't understand me.
Cadence shifts, her chains rattling. THAT voice sounded familiar from the get-go.
Dorien turns to the other side of the room, looking around. Were those chains...?
[Dorien] says: Hello?
Cadence thumps against the lid immediately, though the sound is silenced by the slab of marble. "Dorien!"
Dorien moves over, doing his best to push at the marble. Nrrrghghhh!
Dorien kneels down.
Cadence gets a frantic note in her voice. "Dorien! Dorien! It's me!"
[Dorien] says: I can hear you, it's fine. It's fine.
Cadence seems to calm down a little, halting in her banging. "C-can you get me out?"
[Dorien] says: ... I can let you out of the coffin, for a time. But you'll have to go back in when I leave.
[Cadence] says: What? No - no, you have to let me go, Dorien - yo-you know what she'll do to me..
Dorien shoots a look over his shoulder, the ape watching him idly.
Dorien pushes at the marble some more.
[Dorien] says: I can't let you out of here, not yet. And what she'll do is make me do it.
Dorien pushesssss, grunting when he finally gets the marble off of the top of it. It's still half on the coffin awkwardly, but whatever. He grabs at the lid, and tries to pull it up.
Cadence stops talking, going silent for a few minutes. When she responds, it's plaintive. "You can't."
[Dorien] says: Of course I can't.
[Cadence] says: Is the ape there?
[Dorien] says: Of course.
Cadence rolls over in the coffin, her chains rattling noisily. "What's going to happen?"
Dorien heaves! Pulling the lid half off, since some parts of it are still stuck under the marble. He peeks inside. "What's going to happen?"
[Dorien] says: Well, usually, I have to cut off the person's limbs. They scream a lot.
Cadence is a -mess-. She squints against the light, one eye blackened as well as that side of her face. Dried blood is caked onto her lower lip, and her clothes are torn and dirty. "What if you don't..?"
[Dorien] says: And then I write... No wait, I write on their chest first, then the limbs. And then the crystal to-- What happened to your shirt.
[Dorien] says: What if I don't...?
[Cadence] says: Sh-she cut it open.
Cadence struggles with her heavy shackles to pull her shirt closed, or attempt to.
[Dorien] says: Do you want my shirt?
[Dorien] says: I'm wearing one under the robes.
Cadence laughs, snuffling and wiping at her dirty face. "What good will it do?"
[Dorien] says: Some dignity might help you be stronger.
Dorien shrugs.
[Cadence] says: I'm chained.
Dorien tugs off the top part of his robes, followed by tugging off his outer, button-up shirt. "I know." He leans into the coffin, letting his back and shoulder take up holding the lid in place. He places the back against her chest, using the sleeves to wrap around her body. He does his best to lift up her back, and try not to get a face full of boobs as he ties off the sleeves.
Cadence grunts. She tries to lift her arms for him, and ends up putting her hands on his shoulders to lift herself up, peeking out at the crypt. Shagohod snarls at her from his spot near the door.
Dorien finishes off, letting Cadence down again. He snaps around and frowns at the ape. "Light, they let Miles out to breathe at times, I think she should be allowed to do the same."
Dorien pulls his robes back on.
Cadence doesn't seem eager to go back down into the coffin. "Wait," she pleads, trying to keep her hands on his shoulders.
Dorien pauses, looking over at her. "What?"
[Dorien] says: ... Well, other than the obvious, I suppose.
Cadence] says: Alkrenon - she's got him all befuddled, where is he?
[Dorien] says: I came down here looking for him, he didn't recognize you, did he.
Cadence tugs on him, trying to sit up. "No, he's.. he doesn't."
Dorien tries to help her sit up, shoving the lid away a bit more. "Yeah, he didn't when I was talking to him earlier."
[Dorien] says: He forgets you, myself, Mandy. Probably more than that.
Dorien laughs slightly, shaking his head. "We had him bound to the bed, as I tried to fix it... The bindings held, the wooden headboard didn't."
Cadence coughs. It's dusty in here. "Do you have water?" she croaks.
[Dorien] says: Not on me, no.
Cadence laughs mirthlessly. "Oh. Shit."
Dorien winces. "There's probably some stale water, in the alcove."
[Dorien] says: But it's usually used for cleaning...
[Cadence] says: .. Dorien, if I don't get a drink I'm going to die of thirst.
[Dorien] says: ... Why haven't they--
[Cadence] says: ... they're -mad-, Dorien.
Dorien sighs, pulling away from her to grab a cup full of water. "It's cracked... But the only other way I could think of is carrying the water in my mouth..." He mumbles, walking over, trying to keep the water from dripping out of the various cracks.
[Dorien] says: Mad, but they're not stupid. If you're that important, they shouldn't let you die. That's the last thing they want.
[Cadence] says: She wants Miles back.
Cadence reaches for the cup, her hands shaking.
Dorien holds it out to her, pressing it close to her mouth. "And killing you won't be a good form of ransom."
Cadence drinks greedily, ignoring the disgusting tainted taste of the water. She practically guzzles it.
[Dorien] says: Want more?
Cadence coughs a little as she pushes the cup back into his hands. "No," she answers. "It'll make me sick."
[Cadence] says: .. can you help me up? I feel so stiff..
Dorien nods, and pulls her up into a sitting position, resting her back against the head of the coffin.
Cadence struggles with him, trying to get her feet under her. Her riding boots are scuffed up. "No, up - up. My legs."
Dorien sighs, and does her best to pull her out of the coffin entirely, but it's a rather short distance considering she's still shackled up.
Cadence uses his shoulders to pull herself the rest of the way up onto her feet. She's stumbly and weak-limbed.
Dorien pulls her out, moving to rest her back against the wall. "Better?"
Dorien kneels down.
Cadence lets her head fall back, sighing, her face twisting into a grimace. "Kind of."
Dorien] says: Need help sitting down? Or do you want to keep standing?
Cadence laughs again, sinking down a bit against the wall. She's sliding. "I - I want a hot bath. And your brownies. You make good brownies," she murmurs.
Dorien helps her down carefully. "I do make good brownies, don't I. Alkrenon hates sweets, he didn't let me make any of that for him."
Cadence stretches her legs out as much as she can. "I'd kill for one of them right now. Alkrenon's a moron."
Dorien starts to rub her legs, doing a poor attempt at a massage. Just going up and down her legs, rotating her feet at the ankle. "I might have to slip into the other state to try and fix him..." He mumbles.
Cadence cringes, pulling her hands to the shirt tied around her bust and tugging on it to reposition it. Discomfort! "I almost got him to open the coffin," she mentions.
[Dorien] says: How?
[Cadence] says: I pretended I could hear it.
Cadence levels her gaze at Dorien. She makes black eyes look good, bb.
[Dorien] says: Hear what?
Dorien raises an eyebrow, trying to bend her knees as he watches her.
[Cadence] says: Kamil.
[Dorien] says: Oh.
[Dorien] says: Hum it?
Cadence looks at Dorien.
Dorien leans closer. "Maybe I can use it on him..."
Cadence takes a breath, looking at the ceiling. She hums what she remembers of the song haltingly.
Dorien joins in after a bit, repeating it a few times. "Right..." He breathes out slowly. "Hopefully the other half will be able to pull it out of him."
[Cadence] says: He's violent.
[Dorien] says: ... No shit, he threw a rock at me and dislocated my shoulder.
[Dorien] says: Threw Mandy against the wall when she was trying to hold him down. Broke down the door to where we were keeping him by charging through it.
Cadence looks at Dorien, frowning. She lifts a trembling arm to try to comfort him, but it falls weakly back to her lap. "I'm sorry."
Dorien lets out a long, drawn-out sigh.
[Dorien] says: It's fine, I just... Need to help him.
[Cadence] says: I hope you can.
Dorien reaches over and touches her cheek. "Can't heal yourself?" He murmurs, his thumb ghosting across the outside of the bruise.
Cadence looks down. "I c-can't concentrate enough. Couldn't see in the box."
[Dorien] says: Oh, that's understandable. Can you try now...?
Cadence looks at him now, frowning. "I'm scared to try."
[Dorien] says: Why?
[Cadence] says: It's what they're all drawn to, isn't it..?
[Dorien] says: Oh...
[Dorien] says: Right.
[Dorien] says: Wait right here.
Cadence looks up at him.
Dorien stands up, grabbing the cup he placed off to the side earlier, and grabs some more water. His player is lazy and does not actually move though. He returns, and pats down his robes, pulling out a cloth. He then... Starts trying to clean her up!
Cadence lets him. She's passive now. "Thank you."
[Dorien] says: Sorry, it's the second best thing I can think of, outside of healing...
Cadence shakes her head slightly. "I appreciate it," she murmurs. Despite the stench of the stagnant water, it's cool and comforting and it's wonderful to get all the dusty blood off her face.
Dorien keeps on cleaning. "I'm sorry I can't get you out."
Dorien leans over, trying to clean the back of her neck. He murmers into her ear.
Cadence looks at him sadly. "Right."
Dorien moves back, and shrugs. "Need to figure out a plan."
[Cadence] says: Is she listening?
Dorien tilts his head over to Shago. "It probably can talk to her."
Cadence looks over at the gorilla. "Then he can tell her to go fuck herself."
Dorien snickers. "I'm sure she cares."
[Dorien] says: Does she plan on using you for that...? Or are you a levy for Miles?
[Cadence] says: I'm a mean-while. Maybe a back-up. I don't know. She made me listen to it.
Cadence indicates her right arm. There's a scabbed over cut.
Dorien goes to try and clean that up! "Pleasant... She told me I could work, or be in a box." He offers Cadence a humourless smile, before focusing back on her arm.
[Cadence] says: I didn't ever get that choice.
Dorien nods sadly, and sighs. "Yeah... I'm sorry."
Arixan is sitting up on the first tier of the stairs still, silent, hidden, and now worried and bored. She peers at the giant ape, thinking. If she could find a way to distract him, draw him away from the crypt, maybe Dorien could get Cade out?
Cadence raises her hand to Dorien again, uselessly. "I don't want to go back in there," she murmurs.
Dorien winces. "I'll keep the marble off of it, maybe leave the top cracked a bit."
Arixan creeeeeeeps just around the corner, ready to sprint away if necessary. She's rather confident in her ability to outthink a gorilla!
Dorien finishes off cleaning her up, placing the cup off to the side. He pulls up his hood. "So, no-- Er. Sorry. You were in..."
[Dorien] says: When did Alk leave? I need to go hunt him down...
[Cadence] says: Don't leave me here.
Cadence finally closes the distance between herself and Dorien, trying to grab his sleeves.
Dorien reaches over to try and pick her up, but is grabbed at. He leans in closer, trying to pull her onto his lap. "It's fine, it's fine..."
Cadence grips at him. If she holds on he can't pick her up, he can't put her in a box if she holds on. "No it's not - I can be strong but I can't go back in there."
[Dorien] says: She won't let me keep you out here if you're alone, and by alone I mean without another person other than the ape nearby.
Dorien pats her hair, trying to calm her down.
Cadence buries her face against his shoulder, shaking her head. "Then stay, don't leave me, I'm sorry - I shouldn't ask - I can't do this.."
Alkrenon stops at the entrance of the crypt, eyeing down the stairs expectantly. He looks over one shoulder, then the other, as though giving one last, hopeful look behind him for Luri.
Dorien looks a bit torn, wincing, and holding her close. Don't cry, don't cry.
Arixan stays where she is, still pondering a way to draw the ape away. Her brow furrows and she frowns as she hears the two down below.
Alkrenon turns back and down the stairs of the crypt at the lack of his Luri. The dry, dusty stone make the hoofsteps resound clearly in the halls of the staircase. Clop. Clop clop. Clop.
Cadence freezes up, and then PANICS, panting heavily. "No - no no no no don't let her come down here no-"
Dorien holds her close. "It's fine, she won't doing anything. It's fine." He keeps petting her hair.
[Cadence] says: She will, she'll get me, don't leave me to her Dorien, please-
Cadence tries to hide in Dorien's robes.
Dorien tries to calm her down! Holding her close and rocking her slightly.
Cadence shudders in his arms, giving dry sobs.
Alkrenon stops. Something was here - at the staircase - with him. He whips around one way, then turns his head the other way. And found nothing.
Alkrenon snorts and continues down the stairs, calling out to the gorilla in his gruff tone, but crystalline language. "Ka'ake!"
Cadence jolts, sitting up in Dorien's arms like a startled animal. "Alkrenon," she whispers.
Dorien nods after a moment, reaching up to make sure his hood was in place, and pulled low over his face.
Cadence struggles to get up off Dorien's lap. It's a bit comical, what with her shackled wrists and ankles.
[Cadence] says: He'll put me back -!
Dorien shakes his head, murmuring under his breath to Cadence. "I create the conduits, I have some authority here. He'll listen to me."
Alkrenon grunts at the strike, immediately whipping around and snarling at the direction where it was thrown. "Vaal'er! Xi." And climbs back up the stairs. There was something here. In the stairs. With him.
Dorien pauses.
[Dorien] says: I hope.
Cadence stares at Dorien. "He doesn't -remember-."
[Dorien] says: But he knows Luri and the conduits, doesn't he? He never actually saw me do any of the work, other than the first time!
[Dorien] says: I did my best to take care of Miles, and I'll do the same with you.
Alkrenon snorts in frustration. There was nothing out here. Must be the old wooden frames of the crypts collapsing under the weight and shaking loose some tiles. This place was falling apart.
Cadence still struggles to get to her feet. "Do-dorien if you won't help me when she's NOT here how are you going to when she -is-?"
Cadence freezes when she spots Alkrenon.
Alkrenon looks at Dorien.
Alkrenon looks at you.
Alkrenon glares angrily.
Dorien looks at Cadence, before standing over her. "You have been blessed, the Mistress wishes you to house the gift."
Cadence chokes, slumping against the wall as she stares up at Dorien.
Alkrenon narrows his eyes at Dorien, a soft rumble of a snarl forming in his throat. But he doesn't move. There is something... not quite right with what he sees, but at the same time it is expected. Normal. Required.
[Dorien] says: You must be kept in some sort of health, should you expect to be able to survive the gift, vessel.
Alkrenon doesn't seem to recognize the Dorien in the robe as the same Dorien that had him bound earlier that day. They were two different people.
[Alkrenon] says: She does not require a pep talk.
Cadence claws at the wall, trying to pull herself up.
[Alkrenon] says: Put her back. Seal the lid.
Alkrenon points at Dorien.
[Cadence] says: No!
Alkrenon ignores Cadence's pleas.
Cadence struggles up to her knes. No one can run away on their knees, Cadence. Silly Paladin. She tries! She tries to crawl away.
Dorien stares down at Cadence, frowning to try and get his 'persona' in the right firm of mind. He reaches up as she tries to claw up the wall, pushing her down again. "She requires a minimum time out of the box, else a dark mind set take over her."
Dorien makes more grabs at Cadence.
Alkrenon opens up his nostrils and exhales audibly through them. "Her body is to be kept. Her mind can be lost."
[Dorien] says: Body is often tied to the mind. Should she lose herself to depression or fear, she may attempt at her life.
Cadence struggles against Dorien's hands. "Let me go, let me go."
[Alkrenon] says: Put her back in.
[Cadence] says: Fuck YOU, Alkrenon!
[Alkrenon] says: Gag her, too. She makes noise.
Dorien hauls her up, trying to keep her struggling to a minimum. "Indeed. If she doesn't take this allowance quietly, she has no reason to receive it."
Cadence spits at him angrily. "Come over here and TRY it you horned son of a bitch."
Cadence is hauled up!
Dorien attempts to drag her over to the coffin!
[Cadence] says: NO! No!
Alkrenon scoffs. "Your noise hardly rouses any sentiment. It's just empty sound."
Cadence kicks out, trying to get away from him. "WAKE UP! LIGHT, ALKRENON!" She screeches at him, her voice echoing off the walls.
[Dorien] says: You will be let out again tomorrow, should you prove to be amiable. No struggling, no unwanted noise.
[Cadence] says: I'll bite my tongue off if you put me back in there-!
[Alkrenon] says: That's incentive enough for me.
[Alkrenon] says: Put her in.
Dorien grips her tighter, and pauses. "... Decidedly, more of a reason to gag."
Cadence raises her voice to the Light, barking out a prayer. There's a brilliant flash from her general location.
Arixan grits her teeth and pushes herself into the corner, closing her eyes. Light, Cade, just stop screaming, we'll be back!
Alkrenon balks back, arms raised protectively as he grunts loudly in both surprise and discomfort. He is hunched aside, hands up to his cheeks with his fingers curled over his cuts like he wants to cover them and protect them from the Light but it hurt too damn much to do so. "Put her in!" he snaps, following by several hissing breaths of pain.
Cadence yelps again, struggling against Dorien. There's another burst of Light.
Alkrenon balks again, clumsily. He almost trips over his hooves, hissing and crying out and clutching the sides of his face but not touching the cuts because it hurt, it HURT!
Dorien just grips her tighter in surprise, he tries to reach up and clamp a hand over her mouth. "You will be let out again tomorrow," he rasps, feeling vaguely light-headed. He continues to try and haul her.
[Cadence] says: I'll KILL HER-
[Dorien] says: The Mistress is far stronger.
Dorien does his best to try and shove her in the coffin.
Cadence spits, her burst of energy fleeing from her muscles. She begins to stumble, slumped in Dorien's arms. "Yeah right, that's why she needs ME - why she needs MILES-" She grunts as she's shoved down.
[Cadence] says: SHE'S TOO FULL OF SHADOW FOR HER BELOVED FUCKING NAARU-
Dorien leans in to make sure she's placed in an okay, relatively comfortable, uh, considering the circumstances. He leans over to her head, muttering something.
Alkrenon notices a rock, a bit smaller than his fist. He picks it up. He walks over to the coffin - more like stomping in that direction - and clutches the edge of the coffin where Cadence was set down. The rock was raised, paused in the air for a second, and attempts to slam it down against the side of her head to shut her and her noise up.
Cadence yelps as Alkrenon approaches, thrusting her chained hands up at him - at Dorien -at anyone. Exorcism. Her voice is strained and the Light answers her pleas.
Alkrenon is slammed with a barrier of Light against his face! The recoil makes him stumble back and fall to his side with in a dry collission with the ground, and somewheer the rock was lost. He is yelling, bellowing, clutching his face because it hurt all over it! He is tossing and turning on the floor, his tail whipping wildly underneath him and writhing in pain.
[Cadence] says: ss-serves you right...
Cadence mutters this, trembling in fear. DUDE ALMOST BRAINED HER.
[Dorien] says: Cade, do you remember how to turn it off?
[Cadence] says: .. what?
Cadence looks up at Dorien in confusion.
Dorien looks down at her seriously, backing off to turn towards Alkrenon. "The second half. Just tell it to release." He stops by Alkrenon, standing over him. "Calm yourself, and do not fight, Child of the Naaru. I can remove the pain if you allow me."
Cadence is so confused! She pulls herself up to look over the edge of the casket. "R-release..?"
Alkrenon is too busy preventing his face from melting off - or so it feels! - to bother with Dorien. The fingers dig into the sides of his face and over his nose, grunting and muttering and saying words that definitly were curses but not spat in any recognizable language.
[Dorien] says: Just say that. Release.
[Cadence] says: Release!
[Dorien] says: Not NOW, later, when I fix this.
[Cadence] says: Don't command me to say random shit, then!
Cadence sounds peeved and harassed and she cowers back into the coffin when Shagohod screeches at her.
Dorien rolls his eyes, and reaches down, trying to grab at Alkrenon's face. "I shall fix this, calm yourself and endure the pain."
Dorien looks over his shoulder at Cadence. "Just tell it to release if this works."
[Cadence] says: O-okay..
Alkrenon rolls to one side, trying to curl away from Dorien's hands, breathing hard and uneven. He continuously calls out to Luri in a pleading, desperate tone, like a child calling for the comforts of his mother.
Dorien grabs Alkrenon by the shoulder and rolls him back over to face him. "Do you think Luri will look well on you for acting like such a child? Endure it and allow me to remove it."
Dorien kneels down.
Alkrenon is rolled on his back, looking up at Dorien with wild, panicky eyes - eyes that glow purple instead of blue. Even when he forces himself to calm down, the tense muscles are left quivering uncontrollably. This was the man of Luri's trust. He can trust him. He'll remove the pain. Take it away take it away take it away...
Dorien rests his hands against Alkrenon's face, careful of the cuts. He bows his head, more out of trying to hide his face some MORE in case Alkrenon came too quickly, and because he wanted to look vaguely like he knew what he was doing. Dorien mutters a phrase under his breath, and... Shudders slightly. His grip tightens for a few seconds, before becoming relaxed. Although it isn't seen, he's got a small smile on his face, and he starts to rock back and forth to a breeze that isn't there.
Alkrenon goes completely limp. His muscles suddenly relaxed to ragdoll standards, unmoving.
Cadence peeks over the coffin's edge again.
Arixan tries to peer past the giant ape. Fffff, what's going on? D:
Alkrenon shows no reaction. He remains still, unmoving, nearly lifeless were it not for the faint rise and falling of his chest. His back arches sharply, a dry, rasping gasp escaping from his fully opened mouth where a hazy mist of purple shoots upwards then immediately gets sucked back in like suctioned through a vaccuum of air. His body is tense, frozen, quivering wildly in that position and not being able to do anything about it.
Dorien leans over and plants his mouth on Alkrenon's, and just inhales, trying to draw it out.
Alkrenon sputters and shakes uncontrollably, like there was something, or several somethings, inside of him and they were tossing his body from one side to the other from the inside. If he is breathing he is doing it through his nose because his mouth is clamped over well.
Dorien continues sucking, and swallowing, even if there isn't anything yet to swallow. GIVE ME IT ALL, NOW.
Alkrenon inhales - or tries to, but he can't. There is something over his mouth and it's clamping over his lips real snug like and they're warm, and wet. And there's a fuzz of sorts around it. Heavy eyelids are peeled open, a thin line of blue glow seeping from the slits. And blinks. It's dark and no matter how much he tries to see he can't see more in the darkness, but there's something over his face - someone! And they're real close. REAL close. And they -- Alkrenon sputters and cries out a muffled yell of surprise and horror and disgust, and he needs to push it off him because it's ON HIS MOUTH -- "Mndoriennn!"
Cadence kind of wishes they'd put the lid back on, now. Her fingers clasp over the edge of the coffin as she stares at them.
Dorien is shoves back, staring at Alkrenon for a few moments before smiling widely. "The vessel--" He starts in a rather creepy monotone before his head snaps back, looking over at Cadence for a moment with dialated pupils. "You commanded us."
Cadence blanches. "Stop!"
Dorien] says: ... Certainly, mistress.
Dorien slumps over bonelessly.
Cadence scrambles to try to crawl out of the box. "No - no, I mean - Dorien! Give Dorien it back! His body!" She reels back again as Shagohod growls.
Alkrenon doesn't wait see if Cadence - the hell is Cadence doing here? Where the hell is he and what -- Nevermind. He slams a fist against Dorien's face with a sickenign thud. Partly because of mindless reaction to the invasion of privacy, and partly because of him acting wierder than usual. But mostly the kiss.
Dorien doesn't too much, he looks rather unconscious at this point!
[Cadence] says: Alkrenon - no!
Alkrenon clamps his hands over his ears, hissing. "Augh...!"
Cadence gives Alkrenon a panicked look.
Alkrenon then notices he has a mask on. And under the mask there is more black and more leather that covers his -- He looks around and notices that he's in a place where -- Cadence is here and where are -- He balks and backs up in panic. Whoa whoa whoa whoa....!
[Cadence] says: Stop - stop, Alkrenon, do you hear me?
Alkrenon rips his mask off his face, tossing it aside like it were a sickening object. His head snaps in the direction of the voice - Cadence's voice! He doesn't know the what and the who and the FUCKS of what's going on but there's something here he recognizes!
[Alkrenon] says: Cadence! What -- Yes, I can hear you!
Cadence almost collapses against the edge of the coffin, her shackles rattling. "Oh thank the Light - Dorien - is Dorien breathing?"
Alkrenon looks down. Shit. Dorien. He's on the floor and not moving, but he's at least breathing "Y-yeah... I think. Oh Light, oh Light, oh Light...!"
[Cadence] says: Okay, okay! Calm down! We're in - you don't remember anything, do you?
Cadence eyes Shagohod sidelong, watching to make sure the gorilla doesn't go nuts with this new development.
Alkrenon is near panicky, his breathing sharp and fast and labored and he can't control how he's breathing!
[Alkrenon] says: My head... My head really hurts.
[Cadence] says: I - I bet it does.
Cadence looks at Dorien's prone form, shivering. "You have to get him out of here. Put the - hhn.. put the lid back and get him out of here."
Alkrenon clamps his hands over the side of his head, repeating the same "Oh Light...!" over and over.
[Alkrenon] says: What -- What the -- What's going on! >Cadence<...!
[W:From] [Arixan]: "We're gunna be back for ya."
Cadence jerks, looking over her shoulder for a moment.
Arixan keeps the shadows wrapped tightly around her.
Alkrenon rushes to the coffin, kneeling at it, gripping the edges and uncertain of what to do but there was someone here he knew wnad he wanted to be close.
Alkrenon kneels down.
[Cadence] says: ... just do what I say -
Alkrenon narrows his eyes at the shackles and reaches down, gripping them from two ends and trying to break the links of the chains.
[Alkrenon] says: Not until you're out!
Cadence raises her shackled arms, reaching for him with pale hands. "Alkrenon, just do it. Close me in and take Dorien out of here, and if he wakes up strange - if he's not Dorien when he wakes up, tell him to give it back-" She cringes as he yanks at them.
[Cadence] says: The monkey -!
Alkrenon releases the chains only to replace them with Cadence, pulling her up and wrapping his arms under her and just hugging and embracing without any intent of letting go anytime soon because he feared if he did she'll just disappear again.
Alkrenon has a low, quivering tone. "The fel's going on...?"
Cadence squawks hoarsely as he pulls her up into an embrace. "Luri- Luri expects me to be here - she caught me two days ago -I -I think it was two days ago-"
[Alkrenon] says: Give what back.
[Cadence] says: His - oh Light, I can't explain - You have to go now, Alkrenon!
Alkrenon shakes his head in disbelief. "That's impossible. Two days ago I was talking to Ley, by the river. There's no way you could've been -- Not without us knowing!"
Cadence shudders. "You were cursed - you were cursed;" She gives up, her voice failing her.
Alkrenon cups the back of her head and presses her brow against his own and just keeps her there, his entire body quivering and shaky and he can't control it and he hates it! "J-just..." he inhales sloppily. "I don't -- Dorien. Take him... Where?"
Cadence gulps - she finally found more tears! "A-away, back to Southshore - just get him out of here, if she finds him in his o-other state I don't know what she'll do, just save - save him."
Alkrenon just wants Cadence to keep talking. Keep talking and tell him everything will be all right.
Alkrenon nods. Or attempts to nod, because he is shaking so badly his head shook in every which direction. "Hss'okay. Okay..." He swallows spit. "Southshore... S-southshore. Okay. Okay."
[Cadence] says: Take him and go. Go now.
Cadence grips her hands together. "Close me in."
Alkrenon lowers his head to steal a deep, longing kiss, nodding and breathing heavily through his nose. He parts every so slightly, his lips bouncing over her own. "Xee ashje ake. Xee ashje ake so fuckin' much and I don't want it to be the last time I say it to you...!" But eventually, and reluctantly, sets her back down again with the same care he would've offered to a porcellain doll. Even more relunctantly he slid the slid back closed and threw his arms over it, hugging the few inches of wooden barrier that separated them, and hissing curses. He got up. He picked up Dorien and slung the lithe form over his shoulder. And ran. If he stopped he would return to her and that's not what needed to happen. Not now. Not right now with everything that he had no idea what was going on.
Cadence waits until the crypt is silent, waits until the growling Gorilla quiets down. She waits until she knows she's alone. "Xee ashje ake," she murmurs.
Also this is a raw log. I tried to clean it up as best as I could, but I apologize if anything's unclear or untranslated.
Anyway. Alkrenon's under a spell! Dorien moves stones! Mandy sneaks! Does Cadence cry? Find out all this and more in tonight's THRILLING EPISODE OF: OF CRYPTS AND BOXES~))
----Part 1----
Alkrenon doesn't step aside as a mass of white slowly trudges up the steps from the crypt below, grunting softly and increasing the speed but never the volume. The large gorilla stands at Alkrenon's side for only a second - then lunges forward after Dorien.
Alkrenon smirks confidently.
Cadence heard the gorilla shuffle off, and once the crypt went silent, began trying to push the lid off. Nailed shut as it was, and weak as SHE was, it's a futile effort. The clanking of chains is the only sound that results from her attempt.
Alkrenon stops. And sniffs the air. It is thick and musky with the stench of dust blended with death permeating the air so thickly it clung to a person like a thin veil. It did not disturb him.
Cadence grunts, and KICKS at the lid of the coffin. THUMP.
Alkrenon snaps his head at the direction of the sound.
Cadence kicks again. The lid holds fast, but it makes a satisfying sound.
Alkrenon walks slowly, confidently, towards the coffin. He stops when there's a sound again and continues when it is silent.
Cadence can barely be heard through the wood as she mumbles, "Stupid.. nails.."
Alkrenon suddenly slams his hoof against the coffin, the explosion of sound echoing in the crypt as the force behind the strike sent the wooden confine slamming against the corner.
[Cadence] says: You stupid - APE!
Cadence yells this in frustration. Obviously, Shagohod is back?
Alkrenon kneels aside the coffin. The dust that was picked up by the kick is still settling, coating the dry wood with a veil of murky grey. He slides a finger down the length of the coffin, carresing it. "Teltel baan..." he coos. (Guess again.)
Alkrenon kneels down.
Cadence goes still inside the box, silent for a moment, and then comes the hate-tinted response. "Who's there? Let me out."
Alkrenon smirks under the mask, his face twisted with a sick glee that was barely visible. "Kel'kiel. Luri elnoor telama'd." (Quiet. Luri likes silence.)
Cadence pauses for another long, long moment, and then there's a strangled, ".. Alkrenon..?"
Alkrenon rumbles a deep, guttural chuckle as his hand rests at the end of the coffin. He eyes its wooden frames up at down longingly, as though jealous of the person held within. "Se'vo."
[Cadence] says: Oh.. Light.. Alkrenon - Alkrenon, open the lid. Let me out - it's Cadence!
Cadence begins pushing on the coffin lid again, as though this will
help him.
Alkrenon stares. And keeps staring. The name doesn't seem to trigger anything from him, not even pity to her pleading, desperate voice.
Cadence keeps pushing, albeit futiley - the remnants of Miles' fingernails are digging into her palm, along with the splinters of the grooves he made. She finally stops, painting. "A-Alkrenon? Don't leave! Don't - is - are you alone? Don't leave me."
Alkrenon brings the hand up slowly again, the fingers steepled over the wood and barely grazing the rough grain, with the care and delicate intentions as if carressing the curve of a nude lover - or of the person inside. "Neltiel sol," he murmurs. "Luri venteel."
(You won't be alone. Luri will come.)
[Cadence] says: No - no no - Luri? No! If she's not there let me out! Why are you doing this..
Cadence chokes on her words, weakly smacking the lid. "Why are you tormenting me..?"
Alkrenon presses a finger against the lid, where her head would be, and shhh's softly. "El'bedaa imi, eskel'tuu delnurii tel'jur."
Cadence blanches, and realization strikes her features when light will not. She almost cries - almost, but doesn't, because the tears are all used up - instead she puts her hand flat against the lid of the coffin and gives a dry sob. "Alkrenon.. . "
[Cadence] says: .. don't let her do this to you..
Alkrenon slams his fist against the lid with such force that a single crack forms underneath the curled hand. "Me'kel!" he snaps, and rises as he looks down at the coffin with open contempt. (SILENCE!)
Cadence shrieks again, yanking her hand away and covering her mouth with it.
[Cadence] says: [Draenei] .. I'm a fool, aren't I, Alkrenon?
Alkrenon looms over the coffin, snorting and looking and a snarl here and observing. No large cracks, no loose boards, not even a dark brown stain of blood where blood may have pooled on the inside. He straightened up. Somehow, for some bizzare reason, she insisted on conversation.
[Alkrenon] says: [Draenei] You are blessed.
Cadence laughs bitterly.
[Cadence] says: [Draenei] Blessed and blind. There's so much I should have seen and done and I'll never get the chance..
[Alkrenon] says: [Draenei] What you'll have is better.
Cadence shifts in the coffin, her chains clinking softly. Her voice rasps from the lack of water, the dust in the air.
[Cadence] says: [Draenei] No. It's cold and it's empty and it's not the Light, and I know you'll fuss and growl at me for saying so -
Alkrenon tosses his head upwards, slightly to the side, in a haughty manner. "Hmph. Tel'xee ashke sempe manma'or," he spat. (The ignorant are always loud.)
Cadence laughs again. "That explains you, I guess," she answers sadly.
Alkrenon kicks the coffin again, slamming it against the wall.
Alkrenon snorts.
Cadence grunts, rattling in the box like a rag doll. Her head cracks against the side of the coffin.
[Cadence] says: .. ow.
Alkrenon looks around. The mess. Luri would appreciate a more organized area of work. Neat and precise and strict and perfect. Like she.
Cadence keeps talking, though her words are slightly slurred at this point. "You - you know what I'd say..? If I could go back."
[Cadence] says: I'd tell you..nhh.. I'd tell you you're an idiot.
Alkrenon leans down and hoists an empty coffin over his shoulder. He doesn't respond.
Cadence raises her voice, in case he's leaving. "You're an idiot and.. and you're arrogant.. and.. too judgemental.. and I'd be right .. and I'd be a hhypocrite..
Alkrenon sets the coffin down, neatly. Inside there was still a remnant shadow of the individual - unrecognizable at this point whether it was human or not.
Alkrenon snorts in response. Or maybe dust got under his mask and was tickling his nose. He approached another casket, cracked at the side, and hoisted this one over his shoulder.
Cadence coughs. "And I'd say.. 'Alkrenon, you're .. you're the worst and you drive me crazy,' and you'd get mad and .. and you'd tell me I had something up my .. haha. My ass."
Cadence laughs feebly. Ass.
[Cadence] says: That's a w-word I'd say more if I wasn't going to die.
Alkrenon sets the broken casket down adjacent to the first. Nice, usable coffins on one side, broken ones on the other side. Luri, his perfect Luri, would find use for them. And she will be pleased with him.
Cadence kicks the lid of her coffin again to get his attention. "Hey, are you listening to me?"
[Cadence] says: I hope you are, because you might not hear this again.
Alkrenon responds by tossing that broken casket at Cadence's own, the frail and broken wood shattering into pieces and debris.
[Cadence] says: ... okay, you are.
Alkrenon snorts.
Cadence shifts around inside her coffin, chains rattling again. "It's important, I don't say this to people, you know.."
[Cadence] says: Unless they're trying to trick me into it like great bumbling dunderheads.
Alkrenon snorts again in frustration. Just keep working. Keep working and drown her noise out. It distracts from the work.
Alkrenon shifts through the pile of bones and dried skin. Would any of these be of use?
Cadence tries to dig her fingers into the seam between the lid and side of her coffin. "Alkrenon, you asked me and I didn't say it.. and maybe I should have, and it's stupid that it takes me in this stupid box to get around to it.."
[Cadence] says: ... Xee ashje ake, Alkrenon. (I love you, Alkrenon.)
Alkrenon tosses a femur over his shoulder. It clatters on the ground.
[Cadence] says: [Draenei] You and your stupid horns and your stupid tail.
Alkrenon picks up a skull, shaking it to shake loose any dried up brain matter and dust, peeling off the renmant, thin leather of skin still clinging to it around the eye sockets.
Cadence fusses with the edge of the lid. Creeeak. "And you said it to me, but I don't know if you meant it."
[Cadence] says: I guess you don't remember.
Alkrenon tilts his head at the creak. The lid is loosened. It must be amended. He lets the skull roll out of his hand.
Cadence rolls over onto her stomach, trying to get her hands and
knees beneath her to push at the lid with her back.
Alkrenon returns. There is a large boulder in his hand, a flat slab of marbol from the ruined entrance of the crypt. And sets it atop
Cadence's casket ever so carefully.
Cadence grunts. "Maybe you were lying."
Cadence stops, laying flat on her stomach, head turned to one side, bruised cheek pressed against the dusty wood.
Alkrenon dusts his hands off. Nevermind he was handling a skull earlier. "Ake x'muul." (You talk too much.)
[Cadence] says: .. yes, I do.
Cadence goes quiet as a church mouse.
Alkrenon remains silent as well. Then nods. Good. Looks like she's going to cooperate finally.
Cadence pipes up again as his hooves retreat. "But I won't talk at all when you try to turn me into a .. fucking .. "
[Cadence] says: Whatever your crazed leader is trying to do.
[Cadence] says: So you might as well kill me now. I won't help you.
Alkrenon continues to inspect caskets and coffins. Some broken, most not. Some with people things like bones and baubles and rags inside that the had to toss. Most just with dust.
Cadence rolls back onto her spine carefully.
[Cadence] says: Or maybe you should just go tell Luri she's a certified -bitch-.
[Cadence] says: [Draenei] Hear me? BITCH.
Alkrenon lets his head tilt lazily at Cadence's direction. "Luri ek'xee ashje." (Luri is my love.)
[Cadence] says: Yeah? Are you gonna f-ff-
Cadence takes a moment to get the word out again. Whatever. She'll be dead soon. "FUCK her? Because she's ugly now - got a shard in the eye."
[Cadence] says: Or haven't you seen her lately?
Alkrenon lowers his head, disappointed. "Xee elme ma'maez palaa." (I am not worthy of that honor.)
[Cadence] says: [Draenei] Damn right you're not. You know what you're even less worthy of?
Alkrenon stares sharply at the coffin.
[Cadence] says: MY magnificent bosom. Everyone says it's the best, and now you won't ever see it.
Alkrenon raises his eyebrow inquisitively.
[Cadence] says: Because you're too whipped to open this box.
[Cadence] says: Which is a shame really, Luri cut my shirt and everything.
[Alkrenon] says: [Draenei] The lid must remain.
Cadence rustles around again, feeling her chest. Yep. Exposed.
Alkrenon clearly states, NO.
[Cadence] says: Are you sure? I bet if you touch them you'll feel close to this God she worships.
[Cadence] says: Maybe he'll bless you. Come on.
Alkrenon actually takes a slow and very hesitant step forward.
Cadence coughs. Then she mimics Luri, humming a little off-tune. She's going full-throttle on this attempt.
Alkrenon flinches attentively. It was something familiar. The song. The song in his head that cooed and soothed and made everything
well. Another couple of steps closer.
Cadence pauses long enough to say, "He's calling you, Alkrenon - I can hear him now. I can hear the beauty.. come, he wants you.." There's a slight hitch in her voice that indicates uncertainty.
Alkrenon steps forward again. And again. Being drawn to the coffin like a hungry dog sniffing out the food laid out for it in case there was something amiss.
Cadence hums another little rendition of the song, even going so far as to add in the occasional "Aaalkrenooon.." to try to seal the deal.
Alkrenon kneels in front of the coffin, hands hovering over it as though trying to push through the solid surface and touch the person within it. Why was it separated by this wooden barrier?
Alkrenon kneels down.
[Cadence] says: ... he wants you to remove the lid, Alkrenon.. what good is his Blessed if his Blessed can't breathe, after all? H-how will she.. uh.. sing for him?
Alkrenon rests both his hands on the edge of the lid and gave an experimental lift that wasn't successful. Then he noticed the slab atop of it. Ah. He had forgotten he had put it there. He rose, lifting the slab to set it aside -- A loud grunt behind him. He turns around. The gorilla had returned and was looking at Alkrenon suspiciously. And Alkrenon set the stone back down on the lid and stepped back and back until he was a few good paces away. He wasn't near it. He wasn't touching it.
Cadence is silent for a long moment once she hears the sound of the stone hit the wood. Then she sighs, rolling over onto her side. "Suit yourself," she mumbles, miserably. Stupid ape.
Alkrenon stared at the beast. And it stared back. They remained like that until Alkrenon looked away, and the animal returned to sit in a lazy, splayed limbed posture that those animal usually did.
And then Alkrenon left.
--- Part 2 ---
Dorien steps down the last step, looking around at the space. The ape gets up from it's place, and moves over. "Come on, you know me..." He holds out his hands, letting the ape check him over.
Cadence is laying quietly in the box, sniffling every so often. It's so quiet it might not be audible outside of the coffin.
Dorien watches as the ape's satisfied, and heads back over to it's spot, sitting down again.
[Dorien] says: Who-- You're an ape, you can't understand me.
Cadence shifts, her chains rattling. THAT voice sounded familiar from the get-go.
Dorien turns to the other side of the room, looking around. Were those chains...?
[Dorien] says: Hello?
Cadence thumps against the lid immediately, though the sound is silenced by the slab of marble. "Dorien!"
Dorien moves over, doing his best to push at the marble. Nrrrghghhh!
Dorien kneels down.
Cadence gets a frantic note in her voice. "Dorien! Dorien! It's me!"
[Dorien] says: I can hear you, it's fine. It's fine.
Cadence seems to calm down a little, halting in her banging. "C-can you get me out?"
[Dorien] says: ... I can let you out of the coffin, for a time. But you'll have to go back in when I leave.
[Cadence] says: What? No - no, you have to let me go, Dorien - yo-you know what she'll do to me..
Dorien shoots a look over his shoulder, the ape watching him idly.
Dorien pushes at the marble some more.
[Dorien] says: I can't let you out of here, not yet. And what she'll do is make me do it.
Dorien pushesssss, grunting when he finally gets the marble off of the top of it. It's still half on the coffin awkwardly, but whatever. He grabs at the lid, and tries to pull it up.
Cadence stops talking, going silent for a few minutes. When she responds, it's plaintive. "You can't."
[Dorien] says: Of course I can't.
[Cadence] says: Is the ape there?
[Dorien] says: Of course.
Cadence rolls over in the coffin, her chains rattling noisily. "What's going to happen?"
Dorien heaves! Pulling the lid half off, since some parts of it are still stuck under the marble. He peeks inside. "What's going to happen?"
[Dorien] says: Well, usually, I have to cut off the person's limbs. They scream a lot.
Cadence is a -mess-. She squints against the light, one eye blackened as well as that side of her face. Dried blood is caked onto her lower lip, and her clothes are torn and dirty. "What if you don't..?"
[Dorien] says: And then I write... No wait, I write on their chest first, then the limbs. And then the crystal to-- What happened to your shirt.
[Dorien] says: What if I don't...?
[Cadence] says: Sh-she cut it open.
Cadence struggles with her heavy shackles to pull her shirt closed, or attempt to.
[Dorien] says: Do you want my shirt?
[Dorien] says: I'm wearing one under the robes.
Cadence laughs, snuffling and wiping at her dirty face. "What good will it do?"
[Dorien] says: Some dignity might help you be stronger.
Dorien shrugs.
[Cadence] says: I'm chained.
Dorien tugs off the top part of his robes, followed by tugging off his outer, button-up shirt. "I know." He leans into the coffin, letting his back and shoulder take up holding the lid in place. He places the back against her chest, using the sleeves to wrap around her body. He does his best to lift up her back, and try not to get a face full of boobs as he ties off the sleeves.
Cadence grunts. She tries to lift her arms for him, and ends up putting her hands on his shoulders to lift herself up, peeking out at the crypt. Shagohod snarls at her from his spot near the door.
Dorien finishes off, letting Cadence down again. He snaps around and frowns at the ape. "Light, they let Miles out to breathe at times, I think she should be allowed to do the same."
Dorien pulls his robes back on.
Cadence doesn't seem eager to go back down into the coffin. "Wait," she pleads, trying to keep her hands on his shoulders.
Dorien pauses, looking over at her. "What?"
[Dorien] says: ... Well, other than the obvious, I suppose.
Cadence] says: Alkrenon - she's got him all befuddled, where is he?
[Dorien] says: I came down here looking for him, he didn't recognize you, did he.
Cadence tugs on him, trying to sit up. "No, he's.. he doesn't."
Dorien tries to help her sit up, shoving the lid away a bit more. "Yeah, he didn't when I was talking to him earlier."
[Dorien] says: He forgets you, myself, Mandy. Probably more than that.
Dorien laughs slightly, shaking his head. "We had him bound to the bed, as I tried to fix it... The bindings held, the wooden headboard didn't."
Cadence coughs. It's dusty in here. "Do you have water?" she croaks.
[Dorien] says: Not on me, no.
Cadence laughs mirthlessly. "Oh. Shit."
Dorien winces. "There's probably some stale water, in the alcove."
[Dorien] says: But it's usually used for cleaning...
[Cadence] says: .. Dorien, if I don't get a drink I'm going to die of thirst.
[Dorien] says: ... Why haven't they--
[Cadence] says: ... they're -mad-, Dorien.
Dorien sighs, pulling away from her to grab a cup full of water. "It's cracked... But the only other way I could think of is carrying the water in my mouth..." He mumbles, walking over, trying to keep the water from dripping out of the various cracks.
[Dorien] says: Mad, but they're not stupid. If you're that important, they shouldn't let you die. That's the last thing they want.
[Cadence] says: She wants Miles back.
Cadence reaches for the cup, her hands shaking.
Dorien holds it out to her, pressing it close to her mouth. "And killing you won't be a good form of ransom."
Cadence drinks greedily, ignoring the disgusting tainted taste of the water. She practically guzzles it.
[Dorien] says: Want more?
Cadence coughs a little as she pushes the cup back into his hands. "No," she answers. "It'll make me sick."
[Cadence] says: .. can you help me up? I feel so stiff..
Dorien nods, and pulls her up into a sitting position, resting her back against the head of the coffin.
Cadence struggles with him, trying to get her feet under her. Her riding boots are scuffed up. "No, up - up. My legs."
Dorien sighs, and does her best to pull her out of the coffin entirely, but it's a rather short distance considering she's still shackled up.
Cadence uses his shoulders to pull herself the rest of the way up onto her feet. She's stumbly and weak-limbed.
Dorien pulls her out, moving to rest her back against the wall. "Better?"
Dorien kneels down.
Cadence lets her head fall back, sighing, her face twisting into a grimace. "Kind of."
Dorien] says: Need help sitting down? Or do you want to keep standing?
Cadence laughs again, sinking down a bit against the wall. She's sliding. "I - I want a hot bath. And your brownies. You make good brownies," she murmurs.
Dorien helps her down carefully. "I do make good brownies, don't I. Alkrenon hates sweets, he didn't let me make any of that for him."
Cadence stretches her legs out as much as she can. "I'd kill for one of them right now. Alkrenon's a moron."
Dorien starts to rub her legs, doing a poor attempt at a massage. Just going up and down her legs, rotating her feet at the ankle. "I might have to slip into the other state to try and fix him..." He mumbles.
Cadence cringes, pulling her hands to the shirt tied around her bust and tugging on it to reposition it. Discomfort! "I almost got him to open the coffin," she mentions.
[Dorien] says: How?
[Cadence] says: I pretended I could hear it.
Cadence levels her gaze at Dorien. She makes black eyes look good, bb.
[Dorien] says: Hear what?
Dorien raises an eyebrow, trying to bend her knees as he watches her.
[Cadence] says: Kamil.
[Dorien] says: Oh.
[Dorien] says: Hum it?
Cadence looks at Dorien.
Dorien leans closer. "Maybe I can use it on him..."
Cadence takes a breath, looking at the ceiling. She hums what she remembers of the song haltingly.
Dorien joins in after a bit, repeating it a few times. "Right..." He breathes out slowly. "Hopefully the other half will be able to pull it out of him."
[Cadence] says: He's violent.
[Dorien] says: ... No shit, he threw a rock at me and dislocated my shoulder.
[Dorien] says: Threw Mandy against the wall when she was trying to hold him down. Broke down the door to where we were keeping him by charging through it.
Cadence looks at Dorien, frowning. She lifts a trembling arm to try to comfort him, but it falls weakly back to her lap. "I'm sorry."
Dorien lets out a long, drawn-out sigh.
[Dorien] says: It's fine, I just... Need to help him.
[Cadence] says: I hope you can.
Dorien reaches over and touches her cheek. "Can't heal yourself?" He murmurs, his thumb ghosting across the outside of the bruise.
Cadence looks down. "I c-can't concentrate enough. Couldn't see in the box."
[Dorien] says: Oh, that's understandable. Can you try now...?
Cadence looks at him now, frowning. "I'm scared to try."
[Dorien] says: Why?
[Cadence] says: It's what they're all drawn to, isn't it..?
[Dorien] says: Oh...
[Dorien] says: Right.
[Dorien] says: Wait right here.
Cadence looks up at him.
Dorien stands up, grabbing the cup he placed off to the side earlier, and grabs some more water. His player is lazy and does not actually move though. He returns, and pats down his robes, pulling out a cloth. He then... Starts trying to clean her up!
Cadence lets him. She's passive now. "Thank you."
[Dorien] says: Sorry, it's the second best thing I can think of, outside of healing...
Cadence shakes her head slightly. "I appreciate it," she murmurs. Despite the stench of the stagnant water, it's cool and comforting and it's wonderful to get all the dusty blood off her face.
Dorien keeps on cleaning. "I'm sorry I can't get you out."
Dorien leans over, trying to clean the back of her neck. He murmers into her ear.
Cadence looks at him sadly. "Right."
Dorien moves back, and shrugs. "Need to figure out a plan."
[Cadence] says: Is she listening?
Dorien tilts his head over to Shago. "It probably can talk to her."
Cadence looks over at the gorilla. "Then he can tell her to go fuck herself."
Dorien snickers. "I'm sure she cares."
[Dorien] says: Does she plan on using you for that...? Or are you a levy for Miles?
[Cadence] says: I'm a mean-while. Maybe a back-up. I don't know. She made me listen to it.
Cadence indicates her right arm. There's a scabbed over cut.
Dorien goes to try and clean that up! "Pleasant... She told me I could work, or be in a box." He offers Cadence a humourless smile, before focusing back on her arm.
[Cadence] says: I didn't ever get that choice.
Dorien nods sadly, and sighs. "Yeah... I'm sorry."
Arixan is sitting up on the first tier of the stairs still, silent, hidden, and now worried and bored. She peers at the giant ape, thinking. If she could find a way to distract him, draw him away from the crypt, maybe Dorien could get Cade out?
Cadence raises her hand to Dorien again, uselessly. "I don't want to go back in there," she murmurs.
Dorien winces. "I'll keep the marble off of it, maybe leave the top cracked a bit."
Arixan creeeeeeeps just around the corner, ready to sprint away if necessary. She's rather confident in her ability to outthink a gorilla!
Dorien finishes off cleaning her up, placing the cup off to the side. He pulls up his hood. "So, no-- Er. Sorry. You were in..."
[Dorien] says: When did Alk leave? I need to go hunt him down...
[Cadence] says: Don't leave me here.
Cadence finally closes the distance between herself and Dorien, trying to grab his sleeves.
Dorien reaches over to try and pick her up, but is grabbed at. He leans in closer, trying to pull her onto his lap. "It's fine, it's fine..."
Cadence grips at him. If she holds on he can't pick her up, he can't put her in a box if she holds on. "No it's not - I can be strong but I can't go back in there."
[Dorien] says: She won't let me keep you out here if you're alone, and by alone I mean without another person other than the ape nearby.
Dorien pats her hair, trying to calm her down.
Cadence buries her face against his shoulder, shaking her head. "Then stay, don't leave me, I'm sorry - I shouldn't ask - I can't do this.."
Alkrenon stops at the entrance of the crypt, eyeing down the stairs expectantly. He looks over one shoulder, then the other, as though giving one last, hopeful look behind him for Luri.
Dorien looks a bit torn, wincing, and holding her close. Don't cry, don't cry.
Arixan stays where she is, still pondering a way to draw the ape away. Her brow furrows and she frowns as she hears the two down below.
Alkrenon turns back and down the stairs of the crypt at the lack of his Luri. The dry, dusty stone make the hoofsteps resound clearly in the halls of the staircase. Clop. Clop clop. Clop.
Cadence freezes up, and then PANICS, panting heavily. "No - no no no no don't let her come down here no-"
Dorien holds her close. "It's fine, she won't doing anything. It's fine." He keeps petting her hair.
[Cadence] says: She will, she'll get me, don't leave me to her Dorien, please-
Cadence tries to hide in Dorien's robes.
Dorien tries to calm her down! Holding her close and rocking her slightly.
Cadence shudders in his arms, giving dry sobs.
Alkrenon stops. Something was here - at the staircase - with him. He whips around one way, then turns his head the other way. And found nothing.
Alkrenon snorts and continues down the stairs, calling out to the gorilla in his gruff tone, but crystalline language. "Ka'ake!"
Cadence jolts, sitting up in Dorien's arms like a startled animal. "Alkrenon," she whispers.
Dorien nods after a moment, reaching up to make sure his hood was in place, and pulled low over his face.
Cadence struggles to get up off Dorien's lap. It's a bit comical, what with her shackled wrists and ankles.
[Cadence] says: He'll put me back -!
Dorien shakes his head, murmuring under his breath to Cadence. "I create the conduits, I have some authority here. He'll listen to me."
Alkrenon grunts at the strike, immediately whipping around and snarling at the direction where it was thrown. "Vaal'er! Xi." And climbs back up the stairs. There was something here. In the stairs. With him.
Dorien pauses.
[Dorien] says: I hope.
Cadence stares at Dorien. "He doesn't -remember-."
[Dorien] says: But he knows Luri and the conduits, doesn't he? He never actually saw me do any of the work, other than the first time!
[Dorien] says: I did my best to take care of Miles, and I'll do the same with you.
Alkrenon snorts in frustration. There was nothing out here. Must be the old wooden frames of the crypts collapsing under the weight and shaking loose some tiles. This place was falling apart.
Cadence still struggles to get to her feet. "Do-dorien if you won't help me when she's NOT here how are you going to when she -is-?"
Cadence freezes when she spots Alkrenon.
Alkrenon looks at Dorien.
Alkrenon looks at you.
Alkrenon glares angrily.
Dorien looks at Cadence, before standing over her. "You have been blessed, the Mistress wishes you to house the gift."
Cadence chokes, slumping against the wall as she stares up at Dorien.
Alkrenon narrows his eyes at Dorien, a soft rumble of a snarl forming in his throat. But he doesn't move. There is something... not quite right with what he sees, but at the same time it is expected. Normal. Required.
[Dorien] says: You must be kept in some sort of health, should you expect to be able to survive the gift, vessel.
Alkrenon doesn't seem to recognize the Dorien in the robe as the same Dorien that had him bound earlier that day. They were two different people.
[Alkrenon] says: She does not require a pep talk.
Cadence claws at the wall, trying to pull herself up.
[Alkrenon] says: Put her back. Seal the lid.
Alkrenon points at Dorien.
[Cadence] says: No!
Alkrenon ignores Cadence's pleas.
Cadence struggles up to her knes. No one can run away on their knees, Cadence. Silly Paladin. She tries! She tries to crawl away.
Dorien stares down at Cadence, frowning to try and get his 'persona' in the right firm of mind. He reaches up as she tries to claw up the wall, pushing her down again. "She requires a minimum time out of the box, else a dark mind set take over her."
Dorien makes more grabs at Cadence.
Alkrenon opens up his nostrils and exhales audibly through them. "Her body is to be kept. Her mind can be lost."
[Dorien] says: Body is often tied to the mind. Should she lose herself to depression or fear, she may attempt at her life.
Cadence struggles against Dorien's hands. "Let me go, let me go."
[Alkrenon] says: Put her back in.
[Cadence] says: Fuck YOU, Alkrenon!
[Alkrenon] says: Gag her, too. She makes noise.
Dorien hauls her up, trying to keep her struggling to a minimum. "Indeed. If she doesn't take this allowance quietly, she has no reason to receive it."
Cadence spits at him angrily. "Come over here and TRY it you horned son of a bitch."
Cadence is hauled up!
Dorien attempts to drag her over to the coffin!
[Cadence] says: NO! No!
Alkrenon scoffs. "Your noise hardly rouses any sentiment. It's just empty sound."
Cadence kicks out, trying to get away from him. "WAKE UP! LIGHT, ALKRENON!" She screeches at him, her voice echoing off the walls.
[Dorien] says: You will be let out again tomorrow, should you prove to be amiable. No struggling, no unwanted noise.
[Cadence] says: I'll bite my tongue off if you put me back in there-!
[Alkrenon] says: That's incentive enough for me.
[Alkrenon] says: Put her in.
Dorien grips her tighter, and pauses. "... Decidedly, more of a reason to gag."
Cadence raises her voice to the Light, barking out a prayer. There's a brilliant flash from her general location.
Arixan grits her teeth and pushes herself into the corner, closing her eyes. Light, Cade, just stop screaming, we'll be back!
Alkrenon balks back, arms raised protectively as he grunts loudly in both surprise and discomfort. He is hunched aside, hands up to his cheeks with his fingers curled over his cuts like he wants to cover them and protect them from the Light but it hurt too damn much to do so. "Put her in!" he snaps, following by several hissing breaths of pain.
Cadence yelps again, struggling against Dorien. There's another burst of Light.
Alkrenon balks again, clumsily. He almost trips over his hooves, hissing and crying out and clutching the sides of his face but not touching the cuts because it hurt, it HURT!
Dorien just grips her tighter in surprise, he tries to reach up and clamp a hand over her mouth. "You will be let out again tomorrow," he rasps, feeling vaguely light-headed. He continues to try and haul her.
[Cadence] says: I'll KILL HER-
[Dorien] says: The Mistress is far stronger.
Dorien does his best to try and shove her in the coffin.
Cadence spits, her burst of energy fleeing from her muscles. She begins to stumble, slumped in Dorien's arms. "Yeah right, that's why she needs ME - why she needs MILES-" She grunts as she's shoved down.
[Cadence] says: SHE'S TOO FULL OF SHADOW FOR HER BELOVED FUCKING NAARU-
Dorien leans in to make sure she's placed in an okay, relatively comfortable, uh, considering the circumstances. He leans over to her head, muttering something.
Alkrenon notices a rock, a bit smaller than his fist. He picks it up. He walks over to the coffin - more like stomping in that direction - and clutches the edge of the coffin where Cadence was set down. The rock was raised, paused in the air for a second, and attempts to slam it down against the side of her head to shut her and her noise up.
Cadence yelps as Alkrenon approaches, thrusting her chained hands up at him - at Dorien -at anyone. Exorcism. Her voice is strained and the Light answers her pleas.
Alkrenon is slammed with a barrier of Light against his face! The recoil makes him stumble back and fall to his side with in a dry collission with the ground, and somewheer the rock was lost. He is yelling, bellowing, clutching his face because it hurt all over it! He is tossing and turning on the floor, his tail whipping wildly underneath him and writhing in pain.
[Cadence] says: ss-serves you right...
Cadence mutters this, trembling in fear. DUDE ALMOST BRAINED HER.
[Dorien] says: Cade, do you remember how to turn it off?
[Cadence] says: .. what?
Cadence looks up at Dorien in confusion.
Dorien looks down at her seriously, backing off to turn towards Alkrenon. "The second half. Just tell it to release." He stops by Alkrenon, standing over him. "Calm yourself, and do not fight, Child of the Naaru. I can remove the pain if you allow me."
Cadence is so confused! She pulls herself up to look over the edge of the casket. "R-release..?"
Alkrenon is too busy preventing his face from melting off - or so it feels! - to bother with Dorien. The fingers dig into the sides of his face and over his nose, grunting and muttering and saying words that definitly were curses but not spat in any recognizable language.
[Dorien] says: Just say that. Release.
[Cadence] says: Release!
[Dorien] says: Not NOW, later, when I fix this.
[Cadence] says: Don't command me to say random shit, then!
Cadence sounds peeved and harassed and she cowers back into the coffin when Shagohod screeches at her.
Dorien rolls his eyes, and reaches down, trying to grab at Alkrenon's face. "I shall fix this, calm yourself and endure the pain."
Dorien looks over his shoulder at Cadence. "Just tell it to release if this works."
[Cadence] says: O-okay..
Alkrenon rolls to one side, trying to curl away from Dorien's hands, breathing hard and uneven. He continuously calls out to Luri in a pleading, desperate tone, like a child calling for the comforts of his mother.
Dorien grabs Alkrenon by the shoulder and rolls him back over to face him. "Do you think Luri will look well on you for acting like such a child? Endure it and allow me to remove it."
Dorien kneels down.
Alkrenon is rolled on his back, looking up at Dorien with wild, panicky eyes - eyes that glow purple instead of blue. Even when he forces himself to calm down, the tense muscles are left quivering uncontrollably. This was the man of Luri's trust. He can trust him. He'll remove the pain. Take it away take it away take it away...
Dorien rests his hands against Alkrenon's face, careful of the cuts. He bows his head, more out of trying to hide his face some MORE in case Alkrenon came too quickly, and because he wanted to look vaguely like he knew what he was doing. Dorien mutters a phrase under his breath, and... Shudders slightly. His grip tightens for a few seconds, before becoming relaxed. Although it isn't seen, he's got a small smile on his face, and he starts to rock back and forth to a breeze that isn't there.
Alkrenon goes completely limp. His muscles suddenly relaxed to ragdoll standards, unmoving.
Cadence peeks over the coffin's edge again.
Arixan tries to peer past the giant ape. Fffff, what's going on? D:
Alkrenon shows no reaction. He remains still, unmoving, nearly lifeless were it not for the faint rise and falling of his chest. His back arches sharply, a dry, rasping gasp escaping from his fully opened mouth where a hazy mist of purple shoots upwards then immediately gets sucked back in like suctioned through a vaccuum of air. His body is tense, frozen, quivering wildly in that position and not being able to do anything about it.
Dorien leans over and plants his mouth on Alkrenon's, and just inhales, trying to draw it out.
Alkrenon sputters and shakes uncontrollably, like there was something, or several somethings, inside of him and they were tossing his body from one side to the other from the inside. If he is breathing he is doing it through his nose because his mouth is clamped over well.
Dorien continues sucking, and swallowing, even if there isn't anything yet to swallow. GIVE ME IT ALL, NOW.
Alkrenon inhales - or tries to, but he can't. There is something over his mouth and it's clamping over his lips real snug like and they're warm, and wet. And there's a fuzz of sorts around it. Heavy eyelids are peeled open, a thin line of blue glow seeping from the slits. And blinks. It's dark and no matter how much he tries to see he can't see more in the darkness, but there's something over his face - someone! And they're real close. REAL close. And they -- Alkrenon sputters and cries out a muffled yell of surprise and horror and disgust, and he needs to push it off him because it's ON HIS MOUTH -- "Mndoriennn!"
Cadence kind of wishes they'd put the lid back on, now. Her fingers clasp over the edge of the coffin as she stares at them.
Dorien is shoves back, staring at Alkrenon for a few moments before smiling widely. "The vessel--" He starts in a rather creepy monotone before his head snaps back, looking over at Cadence for a moment with dialated pupils. "You commanded us."
Cadence blanches. "Stop!"
Dorien] says: ... Certainly, mistress.
Dorien slumps over bonelessly.
Cadence scrambles to try to crawl out of the box. "No - no, I mean - Dorien! Give Dorien it back! His body!" She reels back again as Shagohod growls.
Alkrenon doesn't wait see if Cadence - the hell is Cadence doing here? Where the hell is he and what -- Nevermind. He slams a fist against Dorien's face with a sickenign thud. Partly because of mindless reaction to the invasion of privacy, and partly because of him acting wierder than usual. But mostly the kiss.
Dorien doesn't too much, he looks rather unconscious at this point!
[Cadence] says: Alkrenon - no!
Alkrenon clamps his hands over his ears, hissing. "Augh...!"
Cadence gives Alkrenon a panicked look.
Alkrenon then notices he has a mask on. And under the mask there is more black and more leather that covers his -- He looks around and notices that he's in a place where -- Cadence is here and where are -- He balks and backs up in panic. Whoa whoa whoa whoa....!
[Cadence] says: Stop - stop, Alkrenon, do you hear me?
Alkrenon rips his mask off his face, tossing it aside like it were a sickening object. His head snaps in the direction of the voice - Cadence's voice! He doesn't know the what and the who and the FUCKS of what's going on but there's something here he recognizes!
[Alkrenon] says: Cadence! What -- Yes, I can hear you!
Cadence almost collapses against the edge of the coffin, her shackles rattling. "Oh thank the Light - Dorien - is Dorien breathing?"
Alkrenon looks down. Shit. Dorien. He's on the floor and not moving, but he's at least breathing "Y-yeah... I think. Oh Light, oh Light, oh Light...!"
[Cadence] says: Okay, okay! Calm down! We're in - you don't remember anything, do you?
Cadence eyes Shagohod sidelong, watching to make sure the gorilla doesn't go nuts with this new development.
Alkrenon is near panicky, his breathing sharp and fast and labored and he can't control how he's breathing!
[Alkrenon] says: My head... My head really hurts.
[Cadence] says: I - I bet it does.
Cadence looks at Dorien's prone form, shivering. "You have to get him out of here. Put the - hhn.. put the lid back and get him out of here."
Alkrenon clamps his hands over the side of his head, repeating the same "Oh Light...!" over and over.
[Alkrenon] says: What -- What the -- What's going on! >Cadence<...!
[W:From] [Arixan]: "We're gunna be back for ya."
Cadence jerks, looking over her shoulder for a moment.
Arixan keeps the shadows wrapped tightly around her.
Alkrenon rushes to the coffin, kneeling at it, gripping the edges and uncertain of what to do but there was someone here he knew wnad he wanted to be close.
Alkrenon kneels down.
[Cadence] says: ... just do what I say -
Alkrenon narrows his eyes at the shackles and reaches down, gripping them from two ends and trying to break the links of the chains.
[Alkrenon] says: Not until you're out!
Cadence raises her shackled arms, reaching for him with pale hands. "Alkrenon, just do it. Close me in and take Dorien out of here, and if he wakes up strange - if he's not Dorien when he wakes up, tell him to give it back-" She cringes as he yanks at them.
[Cadence] says: The monkey -!
Alkrenon releases the chains only to replace them with Cadence, pulling her up and wrapping his arms under her and just hugging and embracing without any intent of letting go anytime soon because he feared if he did she'll just disappear again.
Alkrenon has a low, quivering tone. "The fel's going on...?"
Cadence squawks hoarsely as he pulls her up into an embrace. "Luri- Luri expects me to be here - she caught me two days ago -I -I think it was two days ago-"
[Alkrenon] says: Give what back.
[Cadence] says: His - oh Light, I can't explain - You have to go now, Alkrenon!
Alkrenon shakes his head in disbelief. "That's impossible. Two days ago I was talking to Ley, by the river. There's no way you could've been -- Not without us knowing!"
Cadence shudders. "You were cursed - you were cursed;" She gives up, her voice failing her.
Alkrenon cups the back of her head and presses her brow against his own and just keeps her there, his entire body quivering and shaky and he can't control it and he hates it! "J-just..." he inhales sloppily. "I don't -- Dorien. Take him... Where?"
Cadence gulps - she finally found more tears! "A-away, back to Southshore - just get him out of here, if she finds him in his o-other state I don't know what she'll do, just save - save him."
Alkrenon just wants Cadence to keep talking. Keep talking and tell him everything will be all right.
Alkrenon nods. Or attempts to nod, because he is shaking so badly his head shook in every which direction. "Hss'okay. Okay..." He swallows spit. "Southshore... S-southshore. Okay. Okay."
[Cadence] says: Take him and go. Go now.
Cadence grips her hands together. "Close me in."
Alkrenon lowers his head to steal a deep, longing kiss, nodding and breathing heavily through his nose. He parts every so slightly, his lips bouncing over her own. "Xee ashje ake. Xee ashje ake so fuckin' much and I don't want it to be the last time I say it to you...!" But eventually, and reluctantly, sets her back down again with the same care he would've offered to a porcellain doll. Even more relunctantly he slid the slid back closed and threw his arms over it, hugging the few inches of wooden barrier that separated them, and hissing curses. He got up. He picked up Dorien and slung the lithe form over his shoulder. And ran. If he stopped he would return to her and that's not what needed to happen. Not now. Not right now with everything that he had no idea what was going on.
Cadence waits until the crypt is silent, waits until the growling Gorilla quiets down. She waits until she knows she's alone. "Xee ashje ake," she murmurs.
So if her getting down there is a problem, well, she only did one thing and it would be easy enough to just say it didn't happen. :B))
