Logic Among Chaos [Liar]

[Aldiror Stonewall]

Time Stamp: Spring 1st, 512 A.V. Aldiror arrived in Nyka in the winter season. It wasn't overly cold to him but still enough to drive him into his apartment for most of it. Rudely awakened by the chaos outside, the Djed storm had come and everyone knew that the Gods were angry. 'Is it me?' Aldiror thought. But thought it is illogical to destroy a city for one person inside it. His apartment started shaking and part of the roof fell on the chair. "Don't have time to sit down anyway." When he fled outside it hit him harder than a stone wall. The absolute pain and destruction caused by the storm would be enough to turn any man mad. "First step is supplies." And after going back through his place he found nothing but his backpack which had what he came with. He found most building along the roadway were destroyed to the point where if he were in any of them, he'd be trapped. 'Absolutely strange. How can a God be so mad yet let me lie sleeping in an almost undisturbed building?' This had to be the work of some other God or just coincidence. He started jogging through the streets and saw strange creatures and people doing just about anything. One couple decided this was there last chance to show their true feelings; you know what happens. Ald found three dead bodies, two men accompanied by a very young woman. He searched all three with little hesitation and found three objects of note on them. A stiletto was on the woman which is only logical to him. A man had a very odd thing that looked like a flail but it was two metal cylinders attached using a chain. 'Worthless,' was his first impression. The last man had a naginata which shocked Ald as only the monks were allowed to use bladed weapons. Before picking it up he recognized it was solid iron. His eyes flared as he remembered the monsters roaming the streets and needed some form of protection or more like something to protect with. "In a time like this, I can only get in so much trouble. I'd rather be alive and in trouble than dead." Aldiror reasoned with himself. He took it with heavy hands and started back to scavenging. Before long a "monster" found him. It wasn't a monster but was certainly a threat in his eyes. A hallucinating man with a nasty bite high up on his thigh was roaming around talking about some war with the Jarked Ones. He doubted they were real and deemed him mad. The man ran towards him but obviously didn't see him. He lunged putting the weapon through the man's stomach. he watched as the man collapsed blood flowing from the wound onto the dirt. Detaching himself was much harder than he ever thought. After several minutes of staring at it he began to walk away. 'What have I done?... And why?'

[Liar]

OOCFor the record, Uphis monks are the only monks who wield blades. Citizens can carry whatever weapon they like. :)

The confused isur was out in the open—as open as a person can be, in the narrow streets of this crowded city. The Aperture was in sight; where it split the earth, the sky seemed to open wide. Today, the wretched heavens were red like fire and yellow like terror, spinning and hurling gobs of corruption instead of rain. The world was rocking in violent despair, the very walls oozing with panic in their destruction. But all of the chaos and death seemed distant in the sight of that great crevice, its depth and immensity, the darkness that dwelled within it. Aldiror felt a strong inclination to walk into it, to walk and keep on walking until he fell. But before he could even take a step, an impossibly strong gust rushed toward him woke him from the absurd thought. It pushed him a step back, pulling his foot into a slick of sticky hot blood, leaving him to wonder whether the feeling had even crossed his mind in the first place. Had he closed his eyes in reflex, or was it an external darkness that consumed him for that instant? And suddenly the world returned to him, the crushing noise and the pervading panic. A giant lizard had managed to crawl out of the Aperture, accompanied by a swarm of much smaller replicas. It heaved itself toward the people that dared to face it, monks and civilians alike ready to defend their city, presumably to the death. Sundry weapons impaled and halted it as it devoured the first man it came upon and one of its minions set another on fire. A scrambling body knocked into Aldiror’s sturdy form in an attempt to escape, then stumbled away without an apology. There was a bridge on the opposite him from the monster, and a city full of streets to explore, or to hide. To flee, to fight, or to investigate... these and many were any man’s choice in the steeping anarchy, but Aldiror’s in particular. For some reason, he felt himself burdened, as if marked by an invisible weight, a tangible sense of duty. He owed no allegiance to this city, or to the magic that sought to destroy Her. And yet he needed desperately to survive, for more than himself. But what? was the incessant uncertainty, pounding on the back of his mind. What have I done, what should I do, and why?

[Aldiror Stonewall]

OOCThanks for letting me know!

The burden grew heavier as Aldiror thought of fighting the creature. The thought of fighting the monster and being a hero seemed all to real. Fleeing was not an option. Only cowards flee at the chance of death or at the sight of the unknown. His curiosity had gotten the best of him. He grasped the weapon tightly and moved toward the Aperture as a gust of wind pushed him backed. He closed his eyes tight on purpose, but was unable to tell if he actually closed his eyes or that sense of darkness had taken him once more. The idea of being blind caused Aldiror to feel fear. He was not accustomed to it and it almost consumed him entirely, but the fear was not fear of the Aperture. He started down the steep declination that those... things came from. 'Why?' he thought. 'Am I so stupid as to go to the very core of this disturbance? Of this destruction?' He remembered that sense of duty and knew that the monsters had to come from somewhere and after seeing a few come from the Aperture, This is where he would search. The blood of the monsters and whatever else is there, would paint the walls red... "Gods help me." It felt as though he'd be going to the center of Mizahar but it didn't take long before he reached the Aperture's floor. He stood, staring in the darkness, unsure of what exactly he should do besides killing monsters so he thought about finding a nest of some kind. They have to be coming from somewhere, right? He moved through what he describes as a cave like structure because the walls grew closer together as he continued on and on for several minutes. His weapon ready for whatever jumps at him, he comes to a fork in the cave; the left going straight into a darkness while the right takes an immediate right turn so Aldiror cannot see where he would going. That idea intrigued him so he moved right. He peered around the corner and was overwhelmed with a smell he thought was much farther away then around a corner. It seemed to be a nook where a nest was built, used, and left so that anyone could use it in the future. Aldiror found a literal note on the wall stating that this was indeed a nest and most monsters would stay away due to the smell and the ones that do use the nests rarely come back to reinhabit them. Reading this gave Aldiror a chuckle as there was, sitting near the "helpful" note, a skeleton of a humanoid. "So much for not coming back, am I right?" giving it a nudge. It fell over. Maybe it would help him feel better but it only made him feel alone. His eyes watering, he sat down next to him and wished that this person was alive as he needed some support. He imagined having a conversation with the skeleton itself but stopped as he might go mad. "WHERE ARE YOU?!" He shouted at the heavens. He slid his back on the wall until he was sitting on the floor. "THIS IS HOW IT LOOKS WHEN YOU ABANDON YOUR OWN!" Aldiror would try to sleep but the pain of loneliness would set in and he would eventually continue forth with or without help.

[Liar]

His path to the bridge was difficult, hindered by the throng of people around him—or perhaps the device of the city, in Her intelligence. They rushed around him, swarming like maggots and crows on a long dead corpse, knocking into his strong and unassailable body. They bounced from him as if they could not see him, their eyes consumed in fear and their legs driven by survival. Not one paused to look up at this peculiar man, who was more than a man, or perhaps less of one. Eventually, he reached his destination and descended the resilient rope ladder, and the Aperture seemed to weep at his success. The air was hot, because the city was aflame, but as he dropped into the inky black depths, cool silence seeped from the stone walls and wrapped close around him. It caressed the sweat on his arms and roused a sense of comfort in the back of his mind. It trailed him wherever he moved, a shadow in the pervading darkness. He strayed, he saw, he yelled, and after the last of his echoes dissipated into silent darkness, only silence remained. Silence, for a moment. Silence, for an eternity. And then, a whisper. “Abandon?” It said sweetly, in a voice that was at once shrill like a child’s, and deep like a man’s, and soft like a maiden’s, and hard like a warrior’s. It was many voices, and one. The cries of the fallen, the tears of the widow. “No. I am here. Your own. Mine own. Come, brave soul. Come, and start what is yours to finish.” The chatter trickled on in one direction, fleeing, leading. The embrace of invisible blackness left him, replacing the brief cool with stagnant, ashy heat. “Come,” it insisted, requesting his blind trust, depending on his desperation. “Come. Come.”

[Aldiror Stonewall]

The sense of comfort was very inviting. If anything, it was exactly what he needed after coming to a strange city in hopes of finding a purpose. It conflicted with his mind, causing him to abandon what logic he would've used to discourage himself from raising his voice. Abandoned. This feeling consumed his thoughts. When will he ever be something, somebody, or even a piece of something? A scream of desperation was let out to all that could hear, it did not matter who heard him, but if anyone would answer. Silently praying, he waited. For so long it was silent. The silence made him light-headed. The feeling was causing him to detach himself from being where he was and who he was. It felt like an out of body experience, but was brought back by a single word. "Abandon?" It asked. As if it were questioning his logic. 'How could you think that?' He felt hope rise through his body. It left him breathless and the voice beckoned, "Come. Come." Aldiror had finally gotten the response. Something knew about his existence and cared enough to help him through it all. He would trust this random intonation of what he believed to be a deity. From that moment, the one who responded to him would have his heart, mind, and soul forever. Barely audible he stated "I will follow you," as he rose to his feet, and journeyed toward the call.

[Liar]

Thank you, the voice echoed in his mind, saying nothing and yet speaking all. Thank you, kind soul. Strong. Good. Worthy. Every word dug deeper inside him, filling the hole it made for an instant and then escaping again, ever onward. It was an aura of gratitude, happiness, and comfort; occasionally it paused, turning back to caress him with cool adoration, urging him on. It loved him, physically, mentally, emotionally, and all it asked was that he follow. A horde of flying leeches passed him, swarming and buzzing and writhing in the air. They parted where he stood, obliging to move around him where they should have latched onto him and devoured him whole. It occurred to Aldiror that the entity, whatever it was, had protected him from this danger and all that had come before. It kept him alive and content where the world had shunned him and hurt him, and all it asked was that he follow. After his feet had begun to ache, and to bless the occasional touch that took his pain away, the voice spoke again—not in his head, but outside of him, where the world could hear. If he looked hard enough, he could see a woman; beautiful and strong, she was dressed as a soldier ready for battle. In her hand was a weapon, one weapon and all weapons, whatever Aldiror could imagine and hope to wield. She held it out to him and when she spoke, her voice echoed as it had before, breathy like bliss. “To reach your destiny, prove your worth. Complete three challenges, and I will complete one.” As soon as he took the weapon, it would become solid and consistent, and she would step aside and show him a new scene. “Do these things for me, and I will grant you any wish you desire.” All it asked was that he follow, to the bitter end. Behind her stood another man, a human. He was pale, and far thinner than the isur, but he seemed formidable enough for a shadow to fear. His robes were black and torn; he wore no armor. He carried a quarterstaff in one hand, and his other was dripping with res. “Come out and face me, shade!” He yelled, looking around wildly until he caught sight of Aldiror. “You. You would dare to challenge us?” The woman had disappeared, and the voice had returned to his head. As he is my enemy, so is he yours. Destroy him. Their enemy raised his hand at Aldiror, and from it was borne a torrent of ice.

[Aldiror Stonewall]

The horde came and went. Aldiror in response threw up his left arm in defense, but he didn't know what was coming. They should of tore his skin from his body but simply went around. After they passed he looked back and realized the leeches were leeches. He felt a calm sense of confidence come up after being protected like that by this voice. He felt if it wanted to harm him, that would have been the time. He felt the presence of the woman. A woman was what he could call it as it took the form of one. He knew it was greater, this entity, deity was much greater. She had a weapon and handed it to Aldiror. At first it was exactly what he had, but quickly changed. It was a mighty weapon indeed, Made of cold iron, the massive Rock Crusher was rimmed with a gold paint, the handle was covered by a blood red cloth. Small Emeralds were placed in the dead center on both sides of the hammer while another was placed on the top of the hammer. At the end of the handle was a small loop made of Cold Iron as well; it was obviously used to attach something to the weapon but at this point there was nothing attached to it. The Rock Crusher : "To reach your destiny, prove your worth. Complete three challenges, and I will complete one.” 'Then three it shall be...' Aldiror thought with a sickening sense of duty that needed his skills to perform the tasks ahead. He was unsure of the challenge she will complete but that is her responsibility and his challenges would come first. "Come out and face me, shade!" He yelled, looking around wildly until he caught sight of Aldiror. “You. You would dare to challenge us?” "Hardly a challenge when my opponent is so frail!" Destroy him. The torrent came unexpectedly, causing Aldiror to fall on his back in order to dodge the monstrousity. 'So much for foreplay.' he looked at the thin man as if all he needed was one hit with his weapon to brutally end his life. The cloaked man waited for him to rise to his feet once more. "Shade? it is you who will flee to the shadows!" Aldiror ran towards the man who threw two fireballs at Ald's head, a simple dodge for both but then a third was aimed at his feet. Jumping in the air he landed just in front of the man, on one knee. He rose. "Tell me enemy, what have you done to face the wrath of my master?" With anger and passion barely contained, he asked the man. "Enough trembling, fool!" He took his weapon from its resting place on his shoulders, both hands placed low on the hilt, and swung with full force, putting the rage he felt towards the woman's enemy. the man blocked with his quarterstaff but it snapped uner the immense pressure, causing the man's left arm to break as well. "Once more I will ask you, Who is your master and I may spare your life!" No sooner after he said this he took the rock crusher and smashed in the head of the opponent. Blood spattered all over Aldiror and the floor around the man. "I have completed the first challenge, have I not my Lady?"

[Liar]

“The world—” said the broken mage, before his head became pulp. Laughter erupted in the subsequent silence as his blood spread, seeped into the ground like nourishing water. It—or she; My Lady, he had called her—surrounded him like a breeze, and then embraced him like a lover. She was there, but he could not see her in the pervading darkness. She would not appear to him, but she would laugh her gratitude for many long moments. Yes, my Lord. Spoke she, at last, and the hard melody of the female warrior seemed to rise above the rest of her voices. Splendidly. She brought him forward again, pulled at his feet so that he would walk to the next scene, which rose out of the darkness as if shrouded in black fog. He could not know how far or how long he walked, but what did time matter, in the service of the Lady? She showed him a key, a puzzle and its solution. The thing was small, iron, and light enough to swing at the end of a hanging chain in an absent breeze. It turned and flailed over a wide pit, which Aldiror instinctively perceived was impossible to cross and endlessly deep. Before the pit was a table, and on the table were three bottles. On the left, a tiny flask was placed, no bigger than half his thumb. In the middle, another stood as big as his hand, shining like cold metal. The last was the largest, though to hold it was to carry a weightless thing. “Choose your fill,” came the voice from the leather-clad woman, who stood to one side of the table, in all her glory. Chains rattled at the sound, and Aldiror would recognize a figure on the other side. It was a man, or rather a boy. He was dressed in white robes, the pure cloth of the monk initiates who have passed the first two trials of their Selection Test. He had been in the process of the third, it seemed, when he had stumbled on some bad luck. His wrists and ankles were cuffed in heavy shackles whose chains stretched toward the floor, and on each was a keyhole. “He is our ally, bound by our enemy,” she explained. “The other thinks itself clever, to present me with a riddle that I cannot complete.” She stepped toward Aldiror, arm outstretched. Though she raised her hand to touch his face, he knew only the cool air of comfort she had summoned in her invisibility. She leaned in close to whisper in his ear. “I cannot touch the corporeal world,” she admitted sadly. “But you can. Drink that which will rescue him, and complete your second task.” The youth wept. “Help me, please—” he managed to say, but then his voice was stifled as if by a gag, his sobs hushed mumbles. Aldiror saw the warrior disappear, felt the entity’s presence leave him, presumably to comfort the prisoner. Shhh, my love. The entity told him, and her voice was like a thousand once more. Be still. Worry not. Our champion has come to rescue you. The dim outline of his eyes looked up at the isur with glistening entreaty, and he quieted.

[Aldiror Stonewall]

OOCThanks for the help XD

The World. It floated in Ald's head like the dying words of a family member who died in your arms making you promise to do something for them. His Lady began laughing and that very much disturbed Aldiror. After all, he did just kill someone and it wasn't even much of a battle. No honor for this fallen man lie in this place, but for those on the surface, would he be so cruel as well? As she led him away from the area he could only feel concern. 'Will she betray me? Am I to do her dirty work and then be tossed away like a rotten potato peel?' These consumed his thoughts, causing him to lose track of time. He was soon at the next challenge. As the puzzle was explained he noticed the boy. The poor soul was barely old enough to hold a weapon and was sent down here? 'She cannot touch the corporeal world? Very strange indeed.' "Help me, please-" he said before somehow gagged. She left to comfort the boy, it bent Aldiror almost to tears. She not only wants to save this boy, she has gone to the lengths of calling someone like Aldiror for help. A champion. He looked at the boy as the boy did him. After a sigh, he sat down for a long time looking at the puzzle before him. He looked at it from a physical perspective as he did a spiritual one but didn't get anywhere. "I'll explain why I am stuck." He said to the boy. "This very large one is as if it has no weight. This makes me believe its contents would allow me to be the same. But this bottle is still bound by gravity not allowing me to reach the key over the pit." He continued, "This metal colored one leads me to believe to I will become heavy like iron, but how can iron cross a bottomless pit? And this small one would make me small and that won't help me at all." He looked at the boys eyes as they glistened with tears and stated, "I don't know what will happen if I drink the wrong one, my friend. But I do know that the right one will set you free, so I will drink all three to be sure you are freed." He swallowed the smallest like it was a shot of whiskey though Ald had never had that. The second took a few chugs but it eventually went down. Racing to the third as he may die before ever reaching it, He begins to drink it and as he finished he feels his throat begin to close. He begins gasping for air. He felt sick like a man with a fever and food poisoning. He dances around for a few moments before taking a knee in front of the table where the potions lay on there sides. He vomits and begins to shake because he really can't stand vomit in the slightest bit. He looks at the vomit and is shocked to see he had upchucked a key. "My Lady?" he says as he fishes for it. He stands up still feeling sick and unlocks the boys chains.

[Liar]

The table vanished; the bottles disintegrated; the red herring key fell into the pit just before it closed. And then there was nothing but blackness around the two men, except for the sight of each other. The key turned in Aldiror’s hand and a mechanism shifted around it, pulled a short cry from the wincing youth. When the shackles fell, his wrists were left not only with bruises but the dripping red of freshly pierced flesh, apparently the last vain punishment from whoever had crafted the trap. The poor Nykan’s blood ran down his hands and dripped onto the ground as he struggled to hold and apply pressure to his wounds. “Th- thank you,” he said with a nod, clearly unsure how else to show his gratitude. He looked up and around and, though he saw only darkness, seemed to be searching for a way out. The entity sighed happily, as if quenched of a hard thirst, and turned her attention to Aldiror yet again. Thank you, she repeated. The boy did not seem to notice her, because she had shielded her voice from all but her champion. You did well. You are my strength, my arms and hands. You can do that which I cannot, just as I can know what you do not. If we share our assets, we can be unstoppable. Laughter filled the corridor then, resonating wide for all to hear. The human jumped, startled, then smiled when he realized what it was. He glanced at his ally and gave a tired laugh as well, then resumed his search, looking for some sign of the world, some way home. She continued, and again Aldiror’s were the only ears open to her words. You have shown your worth as a fighter and as a savior. The final task is to prove your loyalty to me, and then I will prove mine to you. She wrapped tightly around him, showed him her desperation and gratitude with the threads of her being that pressed against his mind. The blood, dear Aldiror; the blood is what sustains me. It is what I need you to give me. But I cannot live on the taste of a wound. I need the lifeblood, the breath of soul that seeps out from a dying man. “I think I found something,” the youth said, stepping away from Aldiror and into the pervading shadow. “Come on, let’s go home.” Give me his, my love, and share in my power.