Flashback Descent into Madness (Vick)

[Liena]

12th of Spring, 486 AV

The motion of the sea was soothing to the young Konti woman though there was something in the air she couldn’t quite put her finger on as they approached the docks of Sahova. Perhaps it was the emptiness of the shore or perhaps it was the silence that fell over the crew as they all seemed to hold their breath while approaching port, even the wind seemed to still the closer they got to shore. Liena remembered the warnings and the stories, both from the crew and from her fellow Konti sisters but that only made her more and more curious – curiosity was her drug and being told not to do something was her supplier. For every warning that was given to her there was a part of her that simply said ‘Come on Liena, you know you can handle it.’ It was a challenge, one that she couldn’t deny though despite her need to explore it didn’t mean she was confident or unafraid of what might come of her should she go on this adventure.

Standing at a short height of five feet she was like a child amongst the men of the boat, she was lost between them and used this to her advantage, her long pale honey and silver hair was tied in a tight braid down her back and hidden beneath the black cloak she used to wrap herself in. Her outfit was a simple light weight black shirt with long sleeves, black pants, boots and of course her cloak – hidden within the folds of her cloak was her suvai. The hood of her cloak was constantly pulled up over her head, larger then herself as it was built for a man the bottom of the cloak was torn to brush the ground at her height but the over-sized nature of the hood was perfect for shadowing her face from most.

Finally they were dropping the anchor and one of the men in charge disembarked the ship with the intentions of greeting a golem that was making its way towards their vessel. Liena watched with interest as the two approached each other, it wasn’t long before the small Konti was making her way closer to the ramp that connected the ship to the docks and she was trying to figure out what was going on. “…for evaluation. Any passengers wishing to be escorted to the Citadel must approach me and apply for permission." Spoke a golem as Liena caught the tail end of the conversation and without a moment’s pause, and without any of the men stopping her, she made her way to the docks and spoke out of turn and against the sounds of boots approaching.

"Excuse me, excuse me Mr. Golem …Sir … I’d like to apply for passage to your citadel….” The words that started off strong faltered and failed from nerves with each syllable until her very last word was but a whisper and her eyes fell to the ground awaiting denial simply because of her haste. It was only a breath before Liena felt herself being grasped by one of the males on the boat and being pulled back “...ow…let go…”She exclaimed as she attempted to pull herself free from his protective grasp, she knew he was just attempting to save her from whatever would greet her past the docks but that didn’t make her grateful at his handling.

The golem didn’t turn, nor did it seem to acknowledge her as a moment of silence grew between the parties, and then finally it spoke “Name and reason for seeking passage to the citadel?” Liena tugged at her defender again as she opened her mouth to speak only to have a large hand cover her lips. “She was mistaken, please … the cargo …” Liena’s feet were barely touching the ground as he held her but she swung her feet with as much force as she could and sent her right foot back into his calf hoping the force would be enough to at least shock him into loosening his grip or releasing her. To her surprise it worked and she used that moment to pull herself free and speak, her voice labored and breathy with her escape “My name is Liena … I wish passage into your city to learn … to learn of magic …” It was a lie but it was honestly the only thing she knew about the island, and she did truthfully want to learn just not specifically about magic.

The silence stood, the man she had kicked cursed under his breath but he did not try and stop her any more as she was a lost cause in his eyes – she was a fragile Konti who clearly wished to walk to her own death. Finally the Golem spoke “You may take the carriage to the citadel.” The breath that Liena didn’t realize she was holding was released and she bowed her head in silent thanks before looking over her shoulder to the men behind her “I’m sorry.” She murmured honestly to them knowing the apology was less then they deserved, they didn’t need to stick out their necks and try to protect her even with her being whom she was but they did and she appreciated it even if she didn’t accept the protection. The golem resumed events with the sailors and the petite Konti took a deep breath before moving down the docks towards the carriage.

[Vick]

He was alone. Sitting in his chair looking at a blank sheet of paper. He was alone. He kept telling himself this as he did his best to clear his mind and focus on the task at hand. If he had to breath he would had focused on that to breath in and out slowly but as a Nuit he did not need to breath and almost forgot to unless he had to blow bone dust away when he carved bones.

For this he just pictured darkness inside his head with a small flame that was his goal in the middle of that sea of darkness. He was going to paint. First to draw and afterwards paint inside the drawing.

He took a simple pencil in his hands and slowly started to make a rough sketch of the idea in his head. The first line was done in a horizontal way along the edge of the paper. It was six inches long and on top and bottom moving towards the right he made vertical lines with another horizontal to close it off forming a box. All the same size lines of six inches.

Half an inch inside the new box he made the same lines again, just coming short of touching each other which formed a border. Within the middle of the box he slowly made a long slender box that reached the top and bottom of the newly made box.

He placed the pencil down and took out his paint and paintbrushes. He used a thin brush with red ink and painted along the border coating it in a red paint. The middle box he used a black paint and made sure to coat it a few times to give the darker bolder black he wanted as he blew upon the paper to let it dry faster.

What he saw, was a open book, along the drawing and painting he just made. It was an empty book for now but still a book nonetheless yet he would leave it empty as he moved off his chair and started to clean up his brushes within the barrels of water before drying them and leaving his office.

Normally by now he would be at the docks, watching the shipment come in. He always enjoyed watching the sailors since they seem so uneasy when a nuit was around more so compared to just the golems. Maybe it was just something Vick did for a laugh or a part of him did to make sure they knew their place in life.

So he skipped in his normal manner towards the courtyard and afterwards he would go down to the docks. He could have walked but skipping just seemed more fun to him as a child for even now after so many years he used the body of a child. This was the one he used for the past 50 years and had red hair, blue eyes with pale skin around the age of seven or eight. The skin under his eyes showed dark circles and more indent. His lips were a deep dark purple and when he did open his mouth was a black tongue. Signs of death but Vick paid it no mind for on the island of Sahova in the dry weather nuits could keep their bodies for so many years if they were careful.

So he skipped slowly away, humming a tune like normal until he made it towards the docks and he had to stop and watch the events going on in front of him. A person was trying to get off the boat but the sailors were not letting them. Until at last they removed themselves from the ship and talked with the golem which let the figure move to the wagon but Vick had to wonder what was said as his Auristics flared to life as he focused upon the hooded figure and almost at once he giggled with glee and skipped towards them.

“Oh my, I get a playmate at last. A konti playmate nonetheless. I am sure we will have so much fun.” Vick said slowly as he skipped around her before she got onto the wagon before grabbing her hand and did his best to pull her along the path as clearly he had other ideas for her besides sing the wagons that moved without horses.

Yet she would feel the cold dead skin and the hand that gave no warmth to it as he grabbed her and pulled her with him trying to skip once more. It would have been an odd sight on a normal day but within Sahova it was normal to a point but if she paid mind she would have seen the golem paid no mind to the young child and even the sailors did not look at him out of fear. At least for the sailors but the golem knew who it was and knew it outranked it so they would let the child do as he pleased for better or worse.

[Liena]

Liena’s vision was impaired by the bobbing head of a skipping boy, at least what she thought was a boy upon first glance, without even pausing he reached out to take her hand as he called her his new playmate. Unease settled in the female’s stomach as his hand grasped hers and she felt the tug of his small body on her own trying to lead her away from the wagons that were supposed to take her into the city. “Uhm …” She swallowed in her throat and her eyes were wide as saucers when she glanced down to her hand in his noting the unnatural coolness of his skin just before she attempted to pull herself from his determined grasp. “Who are you…?” She kept up with the child, figuring it better to just follow then it would be for her if she resisted his urge to call her his current toy. From behind him as they traveled all she could make out was the pale skin of the child, it wasn’t pale like hers – there was no richness to the milky white skin, in fact she felt a shiver run down her spine as she looked at it. The veins of the child slithered beneath the surface of the milky skin meeting and fleeing from each other like a sick game that churned her stomach. He wasn’t natural and she couldn’t put her finger on what to call him – she had remembered whispers around a campfire when she was very young but those whispered were muddled in her memory now. Liena looked behind her at the fading ship she wished she hadn’t left now, she watched the sailors with the golem a look of desperation on her face. The eyes of a single sailor met hers and from the distance all she could discern from his gaze was fear, the look made her stomach come into her mouth and forced her to take a deep breath before she did something stupid. “Where are you taking me?” She felt her voice crack as she stepped closer to the undead child and walked by his side rather than behind him this time turning her eyes out into the world of Sahova hoping to memorize their path so that she could find her way back if for any reason she had to escape this boy. Clearly her curiosity had led her down a rabbit hole that she wouldn’t be able to climb back out of on her own terms.

[Vick]

Vick skipped around her, letting go of her hand now and before grabbing it again leading her up the five mile trail towards the beacon of the large building. A hum left his dark purple lips as he did not say anything else to her.

If she moved away from him too far he would have glared at her and dragged her back to him as if he was a child. He would not answer any of her questions if she asked him anything but just kept humming a tune. The tune held no meaning however it was something he started long ago that kept him sane inside his own head.

Vick was use to the five mile path, he took it almost daily when the sun was hidden and the moon was about. He enjoyed the time alone watching the waves and watching how the djed was. Plus the fact that he did not tire in any fashion so he did not even understand the distance in his own head anymore.

The Citadel only had one entry point. Once they passed the first portcullis at the large main wall they passed by what use to be a great garden path before going into a second portcullis.

The art could be seen was Alahea based from years ago that time had lost. Broken statues along with whole statues of prominent people of Alahea stood tall along with the architecture of the ancient time.

However once they passed by the large doors of the golem it was not a sight of flowers and sunshine. The courtyard was the only open space within the Citadel yet it was always filled with a strange fog that never left. Tombs and gravestones dotted the entire area and more often than not voices and otherworldly calls could be heard in the wind.

A path was clearly marked that was winding down the middle of the area. This was one of the first signs of what Sahova truly was. It was not a place for the weak minded or weak of heart. If one did not pull weight or could prove themselves they would be food and die.

However the bodies would be used but if they could not than they were buried within the courtyard but with the fate of so many over the years it became a place of spirits and ghosts that became restless. This was one of the few mass hauntings within the world and somehow Sahova had placed them within the area keeping them sealed for the most part.

However if the young woman looked around past the path she would have seen ghosts walking freely, as if trying to find a weak spot within a barrier that was unseen to the naked eye. She could have felt tugs and pulls along her clothing as the vengeful and violent spirits did there best to pull her off the path but she would have been fine if she kept close to Vick.

The hallways were dark, no windows were found within the halls once they passed by iron doors from the courtyard. Wires of blue light gave the area a faint low level light that people used to be able to see however no sign posts were around or doors were labed as VIck took her down path with twist and turns.

Until at last Vick stopped in front of a old wooden door and without doubting himself he pushed the door open and led the female into the room.


This room was called Legacy Imaginarium of Artifacts and one that did not know of it would just pass it as a normal door yet once the door was pushed open they would find themselves in almost another world. Sahova was known for its death and the dead bodies but this room was almost the definition of Sahova.


The floor was stone like the rest of the building however that did not stand out as much as the crudely made tan wood bookshelf in the left corner of the far room. Inside the small bookcase was a handful of different books ranging from thin to thick with thin books being the most common sight however even the books had seen better days from the look of the covers.

On the right far side of the room another wooden table could be seen. On this plain table one would see different tools from paint brushes to carving tools such as picks and hammers. The tools on the table were in neat order however the body parts, which were all bone, laid about the table as if no care was taken in the order or part from human skulls to bodies of snakes.

A fireplace was set inside the far wall between the bookshelf and the table which held the tools and bones. On a normal day one would see it slowly burn logs of different sizes however never really at the peak of what a fireplace could or would do. However the main light of the room was not given from the fireplace but by the D-wire along the edges of the ceiling which gave a soft blue light which was a normal sight on the island in any hallway or room.

Past the door frame a small desk stood in the somewhat middle position of the room. The desk was a simple crude desk that had seen better days. The wood was far from a shine and the cuts and dents along it told the story of how many people had used it before. Behind the desk was a simple arm chair that told the same story as the desk. In front of it also had two simple arm chairs that were made out of the same wood however unlike most of the arm chairs in the island theses had no padding along the bottom.

On the right side of the desk one would see a basic bronze basin and two open barrels of water that was more often than not filled more than half way. The barrel itself had no outstanding markings other than a simple barrel that could be found anywhere. Yet if one did look inside, the right one was filled with different bones while the other was empty besides the water.

Along the walls hanging were body parts, bones that held odd symbols that were just around as if they were normal sight to see. The room smelled of age and death. Dust lined the ground as Vick just skipped inside before sitting behind the desk.

At last speaking to her.

"So you are my playmate? I always wanted a Konti and it's been so many times since I have told the island unless you are not my new playmate? Are you here to help? I wonder what you would have to offer. Can you be of any use to me or should I just use your body as I see fit?"

Vick asked her while he looked at her. Without much of a thought his djed pooled from the depths of his soul into his eyes as his Auristics flared to life as he studied her. He wanted to know everything about her as he saw she was a konti, young and was not a wizard or if she was not a good one from the lack of depth to the djed.

[Liena]

Her questions were met with only a tune that vibrated within the child’s throat, a haunting song that caused Liena to wrap her cloak around her body a bit more trying to stamp out the chill in her bones. “Where are you taking me?!” She demanded again, hysteria lacing the edges of her words like a winter breeze just before she stopped walking all together when her question still wasn’t answered. She shifted her weight to take a few steps back as he continued forward in his skipping but it was to no avail, he was grabbing her hand once more and practically pulling her with him. Liena tried this a few more times but during their walk but each time, whether she made any lead away from him or not, she was at his side forced to follow once more. The five mile trek to the citadel was long and tiring, she was used to being out and about within Mura but perhaps it was the fact she was stumbling and fighting against being with the boy that made it more intense. Liena’s arms wrapped around her torso and she turned her gaze upwards as they entered one portcullis and then another, art greeted her vision now – statues of people depicting a time from long ago, a time when Alahea was the name of the land they not inhabited. The brief, old beauty that she was now looking at did not last long however, soon they were entering a courtyard that sent more chills down her spine then his humming did. Incoherent words were carried on the wind, brushing past the outside of her hood beckoning her closer and wishing her to come see them. Liena looked out past the confines of the path catching glimpses of ghosts, her throat tightening sure this was foreshadowing to what would be her destiny in the hands of the child. As she watched the ghosts her body wandered closer and closer to the edge of the trail without her knowledge, it wasn’t until something grasped the hem of her cloak trying to pull her towards it did she realize the true danger might be without the boy rather than with. Wrapping her hands into the fabric of her coat she braced her footing and pulled it free before she would move to hasten her steps raising the wrap above leg level so that no loose bits were floating about for other spirits to latch onto. “What is this place….” She murmured more to herself not expecting him to answer, after all he hadn’t answered any of her previous questions as he continued with his humming letting the musical notes wrap in echoes around them. The courtyard disappeared and they headed down dark hallways illuminated with a glow of blue lights that might be considered festive if they weren’t the only source of relief in the blackness of the shadows. Door after door of endless similarity until finally the boy stopped and pushed one open, he moved inside with ownership and she was lost to do anything else but mimic his movements into the room before he shut the door at her back. Liena did not at first notice the hanging body parts and bones amongst the very office-like feel of the room but when she did her eyes widened and her mouth fell open. Who was this boy? Finally he spoke again, his words snapping her attention to him as she shifted her weight making sure she could put as much room between him and her. He was rambling nonsense at her and she had to force her mind to work quick, he always wanted a Konti … to do what with? Perhaps there was an angle with this helping him bit that might save her life? “Y-yes, I’m here to help …” She shifted her weight and stood up a bit straighter, her body was shaking beneath the cloak but she removed the garment anyways revealing the tight fitting black outfit beneath that made her pale hair and even paler skin stand out like a beacon. “…I was called here to help you … with whatever you need.” Her voice shook as subtly as her body did and she took another deep breath through her lips and let it escape her nostrils while she folded up her cloak and set it down in a spot that was bare on the floor and seemed it wouldn’t get in his way. Her long braid slithered across her back like a snake with each movement until finally she settled her bright blue and silver gaze upon him attempting some look that did not convey the innocence she truly held. “I’m sorry but they did not reveal to me your name and if I am to be helping you it might be easier for me to call you … something …” She bowed her head in a subordinate nature as an apprentice would to their mentor despite the fact in that very moment it was everything she could do not to toss her cookies on the ground and beg to be back on that boat she left just a few bells ago.

[Vick]

He knew she was a konti from his Auristics at the docks but that was not why he used it now. He wanted to know more about her, why she was in the island and what made her tick. Already he could tell she was not a mage of any sort since her djed was far too little. It was hard to judge her age since Konti aged so well but he knew they did not leave the isle often when they were young.

“What brought you here? Was it someone or something?” He asked her as he took a small box from under his desk and let it stand on top of it. With green thread and a needle he slowly threaded it inside the sewing needle.

The box, held many different things but all were the same. Different eyeballs, some having the artery while others had it removed. The colors ranged from blue to black as it held many different sizes as Vick picked one blue one up and looking at the konti.

“I guess it does match but your eyes are so much more pretty. Maybe I will be able to play with them later.”

Intimidation could have been hard for Vick but he was in a setting he grew up in. He was not trying to be scary to her but he knew it could come off as that as he poked the needle inside the eyeball, sliding it through the middle before taking another eyeball, a deep brown, and adding it letting it face the same as the blue one.

A kelvic eye, he knew from the slits in the eyeball, another human, a zith eye and in the end he placed ten different eyeballs along the string ranging from different races and colors all facing in the same way all touching each other.

He placed them down along his desk; with a simple sharp quill and black ink he started his work of malediction. The circles were small along the backs of the eyeballs. Careful hand of drawing he drew a simple circle along each one. This would not last he knew, but maybe a season or less. That was not the goal for this to last as he felt eyeballs without the right tools never did last but he wanted to use them nonetheless.

Within each eye held a different word that he wrote down into them. He knew the djed would not be high so he did not waste time trying to make complex commands, stories or circles. Simple for this was better.

The words, when read gave a message which was ‘Let this necklace see the dark secrets within the world.’ Which was vague but to Vick, the creator of the item, it held a deeper meaning. This necklace would let him see the dark twisted depths that someone was hiding be it someone he was looking at or himself since he knew the eyes would see it differently.

Once the ink was dried he took a simple edge knife, cutting along his index finger as a white blood came out. This blood was called Inchor, which was almost like acid to skin. Yet with magic it acted like a fuel and did not harm the target. Vick did not know why but had never thought to question it as he rubbed his finger along each eyeball before cutting the thread and tying it together. The necklace was done at last as he saw the magic flare up inside and around it. He took the needle and thread back on his desk as he moved his index finger into a lit candle that stayed on the side of the desk. The air filled with the smell of burning skin but Vick paid the pain nor the smell no mind. Maybe for the fact his hands were covered in small scars of burns and sewing jobs and he did not breath.

“So, all Kontis have a gift. What is yours? What is your name? I guess I can tell you mine since I am going to keep you as a pet for now. Until you bore me but who knows maybe you will kill yourself before long. I am Vick.”

He said with a smile as he looked at her. She was in a different world, a world filled with more danger then her life could have told her. He was so shocked still that a konti was willing to enter the depths of Sahova for few ever left alive.

[Liena]

“What brought you here?” The question rang through her mind, echoing in the emptiness that answered the question. She didn’t know what brought her here, well that was a lie – technically he brought her here but in regards to the reasons as to why she got off the boat? She had no idea. "I was curious.” She spoke softly, it wasn’t a lie but it still didn’t answer the question fully. It would have to do. Liena watched as he threaded his needle, her eyes tracing his movements wondering if he was planning on sewing something though her question would soon be answered as he plucked an eyeball from the box he lifted up and attempted to compare the blue iris’s to her own. Oh god… she thought as he spoke about playing with her eyes and again the bile in her stomach made its way up her throat and she gagged. When the vomit hit her mouth she forced herself to swallow the acidic waste back into her queasy stomach. If he would look at her face he would see the utter fear etched into every soft line while her arms wrapped around her stomach as he began placing eyeball after eyeball on the green string he had. She didn’t speak while he worked; instead when she could compose herself even a little bit she took those moments to take a better look around the office once again noticing the body parts and bones that graced the walls. She prayed to Avalis that he would not take her limbs, that she would escape alive and physically in one peace though she was sure she would not escape in one peace mentally. Horror consumed her like an ice bath and she stood there shivering while she looked around only being brought back to looking at him when he spoke again. Whether he was trying to make her fear him or not each word of his spurred that further and she found herself answering him and walking closer to him – anything to satisfy his questions hoping he would not find her interesting and just let her go. “L-Liena … that’s my name … as for my gift ...” By now she was standing beside him chewing the inside of her cheek raw. “May I have your hand?” She waited until he let her take his hand between both of hers and at first nothing happened, and then the vision of a lazy feline laying upon his desk revealed itself to her. That was not what she had expected, she had expected something gruesome and terrifying but this was just a sleepy cat. Liena’s brows pulled together in momentary confusion and though she knew the boy, now known as Vick, would not be able to see the cat she spoke. “I can see your spirit guide; it looks to be just a sleepy feline.” Her voice shook with each word as she looked between the two. Liena turned her next greeting to the cat cautiously – some spirit guides had no problem speaking with her telling her things that they thought would benefit their charge, others just ignored her but she thought it rude if she didn’t say anything at all. “Hello, it’s nice to meet you.”