[Gug Andjak ]A haunting amongst the dead[Elaine Spade]

[Clyde Sullins]

Clyde paused for a moment longer to think back to the events, of what the creature had said... Or more to the point, thought. Since really having no mouth it could not speak, instead it spoke its thoughts directly into his mind. It had been like a running commentary, telling Clyde what it was currently doing and planning. That seemed a very odd method of attacking someone, informing them of what was planned. "And I thought Sahova has monstrous and strange monsters. What did it want? " "Oh it did not want anything too bad, it simply wanted to learn of me, to gain insight or info about me. The troublesome bit was how it intended to gain that info. Dismemberment. I suppose in a rather scientific fashion that could work, but I don't see how you could truly learn everything by looking at their thinly sliced remains... You could understand a persons form and inner workings, but there is so much locked into the mind I almost find it laughable that it considered that as a valid solution." Clyde shrugged, and then looked up too see the open sky. His tale had carried them out of the labs, and out of the buildings of Sahova. Now he started leading them towards the training grounds, and eventually the forest of thorns. After all, what better place to find plants and things too eat, than a forest? Or at least in Clyde's experience it was best. "At that point I began to fight, using swathes of flame, spears of earth, even this one odd trick I mastered near some cattails that involves water and air in a combination... It took my full might to keep it at bay, which is saying something in and of itself. Of course the fact that it seemed able to heal from any wounds I gave it was not a big help, most injuries vanishing before my eyes. What made it worse though was how it moved, it could blink about and vanish, kind of like a ghost but different. All it took was for me to close my eyes for a moment, to blink, and it could be gone." Clyde paused for a moment, and then looked over at Elaine. "It's only too bad you where not with me, I bet I could have finished it if right there, instead of it scampering off with its tail between its legs to tend to its wounds. Ghosts after all don't need to blink, so you would be the perfect ally if I once more had to fight one of those things. It would not have been able to use that fancy moving ability of it then. Perhaps next time, eh? Clyde paused for a moment, looking over at Elaine, more or less done with his tale. "But where are my manners, here I go spouting on and on about myself and something of interest that happened to me, but what have you been up to since we last were together? Surely you have a interesting tale or two to tell."

[Elaine Spade]

Elaine's eyes were rounded. Learning of somebody was one thing but like this. These creatures were more dangerous she had thought in the beginning. She knew Clyde was strong however and he was here. But she was still curious about those creatures as they were curious about him. Expect she didn't want to dismemberment. If she would had a real body, she would had quivered.

As Clyde was telling his story, they came out from the lab, going to the training grounds. Elaine saw it was a familiar place but her full attention was at him. Not even paying the slightest attention where they were going. Clyde knew where he was going, and Elaine was just following, she thought it was fine. She was also amazed what kind of magics Clyde could do. She only saw 'little tricks' from him. Also when she heard that it could blink it also peaked her curiosity once more. When Clyde looked at her.

She gave a big smile. She was sorry she couldn't be there helping him, but the thoughts that Clyde said 'it's too bad' and 'she could had been a big help for him' were warming up her soulmist. Next time. The tale ended. Elaine looked away from him. She wasn't sure what to tell. She was too afraid to tell him... the only big thing that happened to her. "I... I went back to Zeltiva. My birthtown. I was working at the library, as an assistant. Not bad, didn't have to hide myself from others..." She stopped talking, like if somebody took her voice.

She was walking after him for a chime in silence. She was still looking in front of herself. She had to explain sooner or later the truth didn't she. "As you can see and hear I changed. I changed a lot. And as I said I left my past behind myself." She started. She looked back at Clyde. "I-iii-I.. killed. I killed an innocent girl. She was trying to help, she was a spiritst and she was obviously just starting it, but I killed her."

[Clyde Sullins]

Once Elaine began to speak, Clyde noted the hesitant nature to her words. Before she had been almost lively in her speech, but now that it had turned to her own recent past she seemed to shy away from the topic. If Clyde had been being a bit more objective, he might have seen the irony in that. "I... I went back to Zeltiva. My birthtown. I was working at the library, as an assistant. Not bad, didn't have to hide myself from others..." "You worked at the library? How would that work? I mean picking up even a single book would be a arduous task. What did you do exactly?" However Elaine was not done yet, and she continued onward. But it seemed as she spoke more, the point of her reticence was coming up. It was also something she clearly wanted to put off. "As you can see and hear I changed. I changed a lot. And as I said I left my past behind myself." "I-iii-I.. killed. I killed an innocent girl. She was trying to help, she was a spiritst and she was obviously just starting it, but I killed her." Clyde paused for a moment, looking back at Elaine. His face did not show disdain or a frown, instead it stayed neutral. After all, Clyde had killed far to many times at this point to judge another. And often there was more to a story than the basic facts. "How did it happen? How did you kill her? How did her death come about? I find there is usually more to a event than just the basic black and white facts. Killing is never a action in and of itself alone, there is always other actions causing, affecting, modifying, and pushing. After all, I don't think you are the type to just indiscriminately take a life for no reason."

[Elaine Spade]

The atmosphere became quite uncomfortable for Elaine. She rather didn't want to look at Clyde.Even though she took a little eye contact with him, then turned away. His face, his look didn't really shown any reaction or feelings. Elaine didn't know if that's good or bad, but it could be worse for sure. She gave an embarassed smile. It wasn't a laughing matter, but sometimes in situations like this, in her uncomfortable feeling, she had to smile."You are smart. Murders have reasons..."

Then she stopped walking with him. She looked up at him. "But it was senseless... It had no purpose. You know I had a crazier self right? It's not somebody else, it was me, I just didn't admit it I had it like everybody else. I created that. I pushed it away like she was someone else." Her voice was soon becoming sobbing. She was about to cry."She's with me right now too. She always will be. I just understood it at that moment. I was looking at that lifeless, blooded body. I'm not different. This appearance is hers." She said and now materialized all of her body. She wanted to make a clear appearance.

Her face, her body, her limbs. They were all clear, still oil painting like, but she didn't have more power. She was trying to push it, but her soulmist wasn't strong enough."I'm still Elaine Spade! No... I'm the TRUE Elaine Spade. Her death was uneccessary because I let my darkest desires, my sins to overwhelm me. I didn't accept the fact that I have them. Now I do... Now I don't have any 'other self' or voices in my head." She was still crying. Her voice was also not echoing. Came from the right place. "So yes Clyde... this killing was just an action. I didn't want it."

[Clyde Sullins]

In light of his later question, pertaining to her confession of a murder, Elaine chose to ignore his question of her function at the library. Clyde was still a bit confused as to how a ghost worked in a library, or in what capacity, but for now he would let it slide and pass on to the clearly more immediate topic at hand. "You are smart. Murders have reasons..." "But it was senseless... It had no purpose. You know I had a crazier self right? It's not somebody else, it was me, I just didn't admit it I had it like everybody else. I created that. I pushed it away like she was someone else." Clyde nodded in response to her first question. He had learned of it, had met it before, met that side of Elaine... In fact, she had asked him to burn her with Reimancy to help her suppress it once. He had not really thought much of it at the time, but suddenly that event made more sense. "She's with me right now too. She always will be. I just understood it at that moment. I was looking at that lifeless, blooded body. I'm not different. This appearance is hers." Clyde watched as Elaine focused on being more visible, and after a small flicker she seemed to almost solidify, to take on more substance. At least she appeared to. But Clyde had seen ghosts do such things before. However her statement on of her new form, that she looked like the girl she had killed, that confused him. That seemed to be yet another thing Clyde had not known ghosts could do. "Wait, you took on the girls appearance, that of the one you killed? How did you do that? I did not even know a ghost could do such a thing... How exactly does one do such a thing, so drastically alter their form?" "I'm still Elaine Spade! No... I'm the TRUE Elaine Spade. Her death was uneccessary because I let my darkest desires, my sins to overwhelm me. I didn't accept the fact that I have them. Now I do... Now I don't have any 'other self' or voices in my head. So yes Clyde... this killing was just an action. I didn't want it." Clyde paused once more as Elaine finished, and thought over what she had said. Clearly she had not intended to kill the girl, clearly she regretted it... But she had done it, and in doing so seemed to have resolved the internal dispute that apparently had been tearing her apart, and making her act oddly. "Often when you try to repress yourself, your desires, your needs, they will still find ways to manifest, often in far worse ways. Its like caging a beast, eventually it will get loose, and it will be all the more ill tempered for it. Better as you are now, accepting it for what it is, accepting yourself for what you are. Not denying yourself." "Perhaps this girls death was unnecessary, but don't say it was for nothing. Clearly it was not. Clearly it has affected you, and changed you, and helped you to understand yourself better. I am not saying it is good that the girl died, but clearly some good did come of it. " Clyde looked down at his hands, at the place that his res was exuded from so often, and let out a sigh. "Often it is the most dangerous of things, that can do the most good. Look at my Reimancy for instance. Yes it is easy to use it for destructive reasons, to fight, to destroy. But they can also be used to build, to create, to protect and help. I don't fight my Reimancy, I accept that it is a aspect of me, and use it when I need to. If I where to deny that part of me, that magic, you would find it foolhardy would you not? I think this other aspect of you is not so different. Neglect and avoidance will not make something better." Looking back up, Clyde could see some trees in the distance, and pointed to them. "There it is. The forest of thorns."

[Elaine Spade]

Elaine was still sobbing, all of her emotions came out of her. She stopped using her soulmist as materialization. Slowly her appearance became more shaded and weren't so clear. These feelings, these memories were her chains. These were bothering her, these weren't let her move on to the afterlife. Yet she was still there and still didn't move on. She said she wanted to live this unlife a little bit more now, but was it the truth.

Elaine went closer to Clyde and was listening to him. She wanted to believe that he is right and the girl's death wasn't that pointless, at least for her. Also Clyde's speak made her feel more comfortable and had a warm feeling inside of her. She smiled and she didn't know what was it. He was her friend, but she didn't feel like that with Noaru who was also a friend of her. Now that thought didn't let her go.

Reincmancy part of Clyde. It was magic though, but still it was his and only. Afterall he was a wizard, still it was strange to listen how he talked about magic, as like it would be another of himself. But true, it was one of her aspect. Then she looked at the direction where he pointed. Indeed it was true, there was a forest. The forest of thorns, it was quite a name and she was curious why was it called like that.

But then she looked back Clyde. Her feeling was still there and because she felt better to tell everything, she also thought to share this maybe it would be ease it."You know... When I'm with you, I couldn't be happier. My heart is about to jump out, but still I have a good feeling. Clyde, is that what others called love? "

[Clyde Sullins]

Clyde had personal experience with having a aspect of you repressed. Or trying to pretend it did not exist, and denying it. In his case it had not been of his own choosing, but by the effect of a powerful hypnotist, back when he was young in Syliras. After that, he never wanted to experience such a thing again. Never wanted to deny a aspect of himself. He was what he was, and even if he did not understand himself at times he did not second guess himself or what he was. Or what he was becoming... But it was never pleasant to delve into such memories, nor the avenues of thought such memories caused to stir within him. He knew it was best if he turned away form such thoughts and focused on the present. In the present he was freed of his curse, able to use his magics, and here on this day with a friend, a odd one but a friend nonetheless. As Clyde looked onward at the trees rising before him, he was not totally focused on what Elaine was saying. It took him a moment to register her words, what they meant, what she was saying. As he did, a lump formed in his stomach. "You know... When I'm with you, I couldn't be happier. My heart is about to jump out, but still I have a good feeling. Clyde, is that what others called love?" Clyde looked at Elaine, at her eyes, at her semi-transparent visage, and then looked away. "Elaine..." How did he react? How did he feel? Several thoughts came to mind, but nothing seemed right. He could tell her he loved her also, but was it true? Or he could say he did not feel that way for her... But was that true? His emotions where a confusing mix of feelings and thoughts coming unbidden. He thought of the first ghost he had met in Ravok, of Flynn, who he had met before Elaine. He had thought he might have liked her, even though she was incorporeal. He had tried to show off for her with his magic, and had been disappointed when she was not impressed by all... Invariably she liked the flashier Reimancy tricks more than some of the other things he could do... He recalled his fumbling attempts at flirting with her, without revealing how he felt... But then she had vanished... After that he had met Kyra, and he had opened himself up in ways he had not before. Their tryst had been fun and energetic and pleasurable... Clyde would have been happy if it had gone on forever. They had a good relationship worked out, and he felt he could truly trust her. But then they had been separated by their quest, by a quest for Ravok against Syliras, and he had not seen her since... And then Elaine. He did like her. In some ways he trusted her... But love? Was he even capable of that? "I... I enjoy being with you also Elaine. I don't know if what you described is love or not. I don't know if I understand love. " Clyde's eyes flickered to Elaine's for a moment, and then back at the trees in front of them. "Perhaps... Perhaps we should make our way to the forest. We are almost there. I only know the name, I have not been there before. Perhaps we can learn why it is called the forest of thorns, eh?" He tried plastering a smile onto his face near the end, to act like he was in good spirits and untroubled, but it would not be to hard to see the false smile for what it was.

[Elaine Spade]

She felt embarassed right after she asked it. Emotions again overflowed from her. She could hardly keep her eyes on Clyde, because she wanted to turn away. Although Clyde 'did it for her'. It was more embarassing for her now. In the same time however she felt good for not keeping it in. And perhaps she could know how Clyde felt about her.

She was right. Elaine smiled and still was feeling uncomfortable but Clyde enjoyed being with her. It didn't matter if it's love or not anymore. Also she looked away from him to the forest. She felt that the topic changed and that they arrived. "You have to be careful next time..." she thought.

She nodded for his question. "Yeah,yeah we can. It's an odd name though." She looked back at Clyde before was heading to the Forest. He smiled but it was a strange smile. Elaine felt bad. Perhaps it was because her. She tried to come up with something. And a question came to her mind. She never asked and she wanted to know. "Heey! I think I never asked you before. But Clyde, do you worship to any God or Goddess? Do you try to please any of them? " ]

[Clyde Sullins]

"Yeah,yeah we can. It's an odd name though." Clyde nodded, and progressed onward to the forest. From a distance it looked normal enough, but as he drew close Clyde noticed a oddity about it. Where a normal forest was trees and dirt and, if you where lucky animal paths and such in between the trees easy to walk on, this forest was... Thorny... Clearly that was the reasoning for the name. Just as they reached the edge of the wooded area, before Clyde tried to push his way through into its thorny grasp, Elaine had another question for him. "Heey! I think I never asked you before. But Clyde, do you worship to any God or Goddess? Do you try to please any of them? " Clyde thought on this for a moment. He did technically follow Rhysol, had a mark from him, understood him to a degree, and knew he understood Clyde in return in ways that other people could not fathom... But by his very nature worshipping such a god tended to be a secretive thing. And did he worship him? He saw the logic in his goals. He understood him, to a degree, even in ways he was fairly certain the fanatical followers of Rhysol so common in Ravok did not... Why else would he understand the Rising Dawn, their purpose in Ravok, and why Rhysol allowed them? So did he worship him? If he needed help, would he pray to Rhysol? Would Rhysol want such a prayer, such a weak willed follower asking for his assistance every time things went in a way less than perfect? He did not think that was what he wanted. So perhaps Clyde did worship him, Rhysol, in his own unique way. If nothing else, he had learned to look at the logic of chaos, and found it affected his actions in his daily life. Perhaps his actions themselves where his method of worship? After being silent for half a chime, Clyde looked at Elaine, shrugged, and smiled. "I don't think I am really much of a worshiper, its just not who I am. Why would a God want me whining to them every time I scrape my knee?" As Clyde said this, he reached forward, only to snatch his hand back with a hiss. "Petch!" A small scratch laid across his forefinger, more painful than damaging. It left a small aching stinging where it had touched his flesh, not quite drawing blood but painful all the same. Holding up his hand to show it to Elaine, Clyde tried to find a better way to enter the woods. "That, Elaine, is why this place is called the forest of thorns. This place has more thorns than a lake has water." Recalling he had been speaking about worship, Clyde let out a sigh, and then turned back to Elaine. "Anyways... Yeah, I don't really worship that much in particular, not in the normal sense, but a God that I would like to please? Well, as you know, we met in Ravok. While there, I think I gained a deeper understanding of Rhysol. He is not what most people think upon first look. I think if I was to try to please a God, it would be him. Just between us of course, I'm sure you understand. I don't think too many people are open to the thought of Rhysol or his ways, too many people are prejudiced about him. Its the same reason most people fear ghosts, your both sorely stereotyped and misunderstood." "I think Elaine, that by the time our journey in the forest of thorns is done with, you will be glad of the fact you are insubstantial. I think this will be the first of many a cut."

[Elaine Spade]

She followed Clyde to the forest. It was an usual forest at first sight. The closer they got she saw those thorns from the trees... from everywhere. She had no problem going though. She wasn't even noticing how Clyde was careful where to step and where to place his hands. She was just listening to him.

She laughed at his question. It was true, actions says more about devotion than words. "But perhaps some God do want them to whiny to them. I don't know real..." Clyde already scratched his finger. Elaine was worried a bit because this will be a challenge for him. She wanted to ask if using magic would make it easier, but then she realized it. It would just cause more trouble than help.

And her thoughts were stopped by him again. Rhysol, Rhysol. It was something familiar but she couldn't recall him anyhow. Prejudieced god just like ghosts. It was an interesting statement but how could he be stereotyped? It was an odd thing to hear about a god. "Why? What god is he? And how do you please him?" She asked. "And I don't doubt I will be glad, but I'm not always that happy about it. I can't even touch you without giving you a heart attack."