The Orb - Jasmiah's Story
Open the bag.
Nothing.
There was nothing.
Take it and run.
Where was he? What was he doing?
He had to go. But he couldn‘t.
Get away.
Get away from where?
from who?
Leave them.
Who? Leave who?
Right. It was dangerous. He had to leave.
What was? Why was he leaving?
It was so hard to think. To breathe. It was so cold.
Why was he so cold?
Go.
Why?
No, he had to stay. He promised.
..Promised?
Keep them save. Go. Take it.
He couldn‘t feel his limbs. His hands.
Where was he?
Why was it so cold?
Why couldn‘t he breathe?
Focus. Just. Focus.
He had to go. He knew that.
So why did it feel so wrong?
Keep going.
How long has it been?
How long since he..
Since he what?
What time was it?
His muscles were screaming. His legs ached.
Why were his limbs so heavy?
Why was he so cold?
Something was wrong. But what?
How could he tell what was wrong when he didn‘t know what was right?
His head hurt. He felt empty.
Where was he again?
Open the door.
He was so tired. It was so easy to give in.
Give into what?
He couldn‘t draw his breath. His lungs were empty.
He needed to breathe. Why couldn‘t he breathe?
Focus.
Something was howling.
Keep moving.
He was moving.
Was he?
He was holding something.
What?
a loud bang. more howling.
What was that noise?
Place it inside.
A snarl.
Why did that sound familiar?
Everything felt so far away. So empty.
Why was he so cold?
Another bang.
Something grabbed him.
Fight him off.
Who was he fighting?
...Fighting?
He didn‘t want to fight him. Who?
This was wrong.
Focus.
He had to fight. Fight him off. No. Fight it off. Yes.
Fight it.
Fight it.
Put them to sleep.
No. Fight it.
Use your magic.
Right. He had magic. He had to reach for it. Had to put them to sleep.
He reached for it. It recoiled. This was wrong. This was wrong.
He had to.
He grabbed it. Forced it. It didn‘t want to follow. But it had to. He had to.
Bend it to his will.
This was wrong.
He put them to sleep. Felt their bodies hit the floor.
Fight it off.
A blast almost knocked him off his feet.
He was bleeding. Why didn‘t it hurt?
He should feel something. But he felt empty.
This wasn‘t right.
Someone grabbed him from behind. He could feel feathers. They felt familiar.
Fight him off.
Fight him off. He had to fight. Fight off this hold on him.
He did. But it wasn‘t right. He wasn‘t free. He couldn‘t breathe.
Something pulled him down. He hit the floor. Something grabbed him.
He let it go.
It?
Get up. Get it back. Pick it up.
This was wrong. He had to fight. Fight who?
He had to get up. Get up. Get it back. Get it back?
His limbs felt heavy. His hands were cold. He was holding something.
...again?
He could feel hands grabbing him. Grabbing him? No. Grabbing it. Grabbing what?
Fight them off. Don‘t let them take it.
This was so wrong. He had to fight it. Did he?
No.
Focus.
He let go. Or did he? Did he slip? He had been holding something.
Someone was running. He looked familiar. This was right.
This was right.
He still couldn‘t breathe.
Follow him. Get it back.
No. No. No.
NO.
He gasped and air filled his lungs. His vision cleared. There were figures everywhere. His skin was cold but he could feel his body again. He was in a building. A broken door on the ground. Next to it was...
Raginhari.
He was here. Why was he on the ground? Was he bleeding? Was he hurt?
Forget him. Get it back.
He could feel himself slipping. The emptiness was coming back, his vision blacking out.
„No“, he gasped, but the breath was barely audible even to him. „please,“.
The body next to the door got up. Rushed towards him. Who was it?
Where was he? Why was he so cold? Why couldn‘t he breathe?
Someone grabbed him.
The first thing he saw when he blinked open his eyes was blue. Just the deep, calming blue that made him understand that he was okay, no matter what happened next.
„Hi“, he breathed, before he slumped back down, his knees shaking. He would have fallen, if it hadn‘t been for the strong, unwavering arms around him, holding him upright.
He knew it wasn‘t over yet. There were dangers around him that he wasn‘t even aware of, and he knew he needed to check on everyone and there were so many thing to do. But just for this moment, he just let himself be held and closed his eyes to breathe in and revel in the false security, willing his companion, his partner, to be okay.
He heard the sounds around him. A weird fluttering, heavy breathing, someone groaning in pain. An inhuman scream from outside, that sent chills down his spine, before it disappeared.
He took a deep breath in and straightened up in Ragis arms. Allowed himself just one moment to look him up and down and make sure he was okay and real. Then he took a step back, his limbs not quite feeling like his own, heavy and sluggish. He spotted a familiar figure near the broken down door, holding a bundle of limbs in his arms, carrying them outside.
With another look at Ragi, he went to follow, his wolfish companion glued to his side.
The sun bearing down on his face felt strangely unfamiliar and the breeze of wind ruffling through his hair felt wrong. But it didn‘t matter.
The grass seemed lifeless and grey, and he briefly wondered if it looked like that to everyone else or if his senses were still messed up.
By the roots of a barren tree lay a body and he sucked in a sharp breath when he recognized the small figure.
The ten steps it took to walk over felt like miles and he could feel the exhaution creep in and settle in his bones, heavy like the fog in his brain.
He kneeled down and gathered the head of his friend in his arm, reaching across his body with his other. He layed his palm flat against the small humans head and hummed, grasping at his magic within. It felt foreign, almost as if it shied away from him, his grip unfamiliar. A clawed hand landed on his shoulder and he focused on the safety it promised as he tried again, reaching down further into his core to coax his magic out with gentle encouragement. When he breathed out, his hand glowed and the small human in his arms fluttered his eyes open.
„Hey Pyter.“, he said softly, with a small smile on his face.
He didn‘t expect his friends hand coming up to pull him down into an embrace, but he welcomed it all the same, taking comfort in the brief respite it offered.
„I don‘t suppose you got another one of those, young man?“, came a croak behind him. He raised his head and found the source of the voice to be the bundle of limbs in Maerlins arms. He was unfamiliar with the figure of the old man, but the way he was carefully cradled in the tall Aarakocras wings, pulled on his heartstrings. He didn‘t respond, instead he just lifted his arm in an invitation. He watched Maerlin crouch down and the old Goblin happily sink into their little huddle. Breathing deeply, he reached for his magic again, this time the swirling core inside him didn‘t flinch away and he watched a gash on the Goblins forehead close as his hands glowed orange once more. He took in the grateful smile that was aimed at him, before he sighed and slowly stood up. He stumbled a bit, but once again, a strong arm caught his, always by his side when he needed him most. With Ragis help, he gathered his feet under him and faced Maerlin.
The Aarakocra looked frazzled, the feathers on his wings ruffled and streaked with blood. They stood there, facing each other, taking in the others states and injuries, before he watched as Maerlin slowly opened his wings. Without hesitation, he stepped forward into the embrace and let himself be wrapped up by strong arms and warm feathers that tickled his neck. He closed his eyes and let his magic flow into the other, mending wounds and caressing bruised muscles.
The cold receded.
With most of his energy spent and the knowledge that at least most of his companions were safe, he let himself relax for the first time.
His head hurt, his limbs felt heavy and his eyes stung with unshed tears, but he let himself be held as they sunk down to the floor together, joining the others back in the grass. More arms snaked back around his legs, his shoulders and his torso and he reached out in turn to gather his friends in his arms and just let go.
He could finally breathe again.
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