My Worst Enemy Is the Person Next To Me [Moonshadow][Eevachu + Darth_Slaverus]

Discussion in 'Northern Hyrule' started by Eevachu, Oct 6, 2015.

  1. Eevachu

    Eevachu Admin admin

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    Rika wasn't going to say he was right. But damn was he right.

    Finally, Flayre had dropped her facade of selflessness and generosity, instead revealing her disgusting, true nature; that of an egotistical, self-centered Great Fairy with a narcissism complex rivaling his own. As Flayre's defiant tantrum began to simmer, Rika wondered what he should do. To be honest, he didn't particularly care if she got upset over this- in fact, Rika would probably revel in seeing a Great Fairy come crashing down from the weight of their hubris. However, he was trapped in this empty, soul-sucking void for an indeterminable and likely extended period of time, and it would be much more difficult for them to make it through with her emotional wire being tripped at every provocation- plus, it would get quite annoying for him to deal with.

    Before Rika really had any chance to speak, however, Flayre was already on the defensive. His ears caught what his eyes couldn't immediately; the splashing of the murky goop as it parted, the emboldened cry of Flayre, the all-too-familiar sound of wind crashing against flesh. It was more than enough for his attention to be drawn to Flayre's feet, and to the disembodied hand that had clearly risen from the shimmering sludge and was attempting to make Flayre join it. It was honestly vile to see. The first living- maybe?- thing they had seen, and it was an abomination of a hand that did not seem to bleed or hurt, similar to the soldier Rika had torn into. It was entirely possible that they were even one in the same, but Rika had no time to entertain such thoughts now; it was distressing enough of a situation as is, and such an action would only distract him from combat at this point.

    Scythe already drawn and at the ready, Rika swiped forward, tearing at the hand gripping at Flayre's feet and slicing it cleanly at what was likely the wrist, detaching it from Flayre's feet and freeing her from her bondage. That was the least of their problems currently, though- more of the hands began swarming out towards them like a mischief of rabid, starving rats. In particular, they rushed towards Rika, who was locked on the ground and in the sludge. Luckily for him, range was his ally- his long reach allowed him to slice them as they neared, but their numbers and his halted mobility due to the sludge presented an issue. Aside from those, though, there was one greater, and more damning issue- the ones that were underneath the sludge. Rika had no way to deal with those, and in an instant, a handful of rotting fingers were grappling at Rika's arms, legs, everywhere. Their grip was not unbearable, but they possessed surprising strength. Rika could do little to fight as he was pulled downward and submerged into the grime below.
  2. Darth_Slaverus

    Darth_Slaverus Member vet

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    Most would would have felt some measure of relief at being freed from the clutches of a monstrous assailant, but Flayre's choler would not be so easily contained, now that she had a clearly defined enemy to lash out at. That such revolting flesh could touch hers, for even a second... Unacceptable! Completely and utterly unacceptable! Dislodging the remains of her would-be captor from her ankle with a dismissive flick of her foot, the Great Fairy turned her attention to the battle unfolding below, her lips curled in disgust. Her fury was not the frothing, ecstatic extreme of a berserker, but rather a silent, chilling contempt of such intensity it caused her physical discomfort.

    How could she ensure that vengeance was properly visited upon these agents of negation? The solution came to her in a sudden burst of inspiration. Of course! Why had she not thought to do so in the first place? It was so simple, so very simple, that she couldn't help but let out a cruel, mocking chuckle. Her powers were not what they once were, but conventional spells were the least of her arsenal. After all, she had access to a far higher form of magic, did she not?

    Her voice. Yes, her voice! It had given her hope in this dark place, it had guided Rika to her... And now it would be her weapon against those who sought to deny her. It was proof of her existence and supremacy, charged with life and passion alike. These withered husks might be resistant to physical harm, but could they withstand the raw, chaotic energies of creation itself?

    Somehow, she very much doubted it.

    Descending into the fray, Flayre came to a stop just a few feet above the ground, deliberately placing herself in the middle of the throng of hands. She contemplated telling Rika to cover his ears- to his credit, the little Kokiri had somewhat redeemed himself by leaping to her defense immediately- yet a brief glance in his direction revealed that it would be a wasted effort. The undead hands had overwhelmed him, and given that he was currently being forcibly immersed in the sludge, any warning she might have offered would have been garbled beyond recognition to his hearing. That settled that, then. The Great Fairy took one last breath, then opened her mouth, her pulse quickening.

    Part shriek, part song, the sounds that poured forth from Flayre's lips were at once both beautiful and terrible; hatefully discordant, but with a clear melody all the same. A DISSONANCE in every sense of the word. Each note was a blade with which to pierce the foul hands, who writhed and squirmed under Flayre's oratory onslaught, as if trying to shield nonexistent ears. One of the hands made the fatal mistake of trying to silence her by clapping itself over her mouth, only to explode as it drew too near, sending fragments of bone skittering across the surface of the muck as it was shredded to pieces by the Great Fairy's vicious aria. The rest remained paralyzed by the cacophony, even those that had taken shelter beneath the surface of the silvery sea, and while they did not expire in such spectacular fashion as the first, their helplessness meant that Rika had, for the most part, been released from their grasp.

    A service for a service. Just how Flayre preferred it.
  3. Eevachu

    Eevachu Admin admin

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    His body thrashed and swung, but it did little to help his predicament. In fact, it seemed to make his situation worse- the tightening grips around his ankles and wrists seemed to grow and strengthen in number, as he was held down more and more. His breath halted, his mouth clenched and his jaw locked to prevent the silver liquid from flooding his lungs- while they were powerful, they weren't forceful enough to knock the wind out of him. This was not a solution for his predicament, though; eventually he would need to breath, and struggle as he might the Kokiri's thrashing became weaker and weaker as he was held down more and more. That left only one solution.

    Magical energies began permeating his scythe, and as if the chill was being drawn out of the air and swarming into his blade, a shimmering blue glow coated his weapon. Yet, this still did little to help his scenario- all he needed was one spin to tear through the grappling hands and slice them all apart, but he was unable to twist or turn at all.

    Rika felt a sharp pain stab his ears and echo throughout his body. Every inch of his body, perhaps every muscle, felt tense and strained. His mind felt foggy and muddled, and the sharpest headache pierced his mind. All he could hear was the faintest noise- garbled and muffled, but still legible. It was absolutely vile, perhaps one of the most discomforting sounds to ever reach his ears. He could not tell where it was coming from- he could barely hear it at all-, but the intense displeasure it seemed to cause was real. He wasn't the only one it seemed to affect. Rika felt the grip of the many decrepit fingers that had been wrapped around his body lessen, then fade. He could not see or hear anything- both because he was submerged in the silver liquid and because of the discordant noise abusing his very core-, but it was clear that the many undead hands were being ravaged by it as well, and far more severely it seemed.

    This was his time to act. He could not think, but he was ready. All he had to do was spin. With a painful twist of his body, one that felt like he was tearing every ligament he had, the Kokiri became a chilling, frozen whirpool of a reaper, unleashing a wide, Ice Enchanted Deku Pirouette and tearing through the hands that had dragged him down. Rika could not know the full effects of his attack, but he knew it was effective- part of it was due to the awful noise, but he was not being held down anymore. Immediately, the Kokiri pierced through the surface of the water, air filling his lungs.

    And it was possibly the worst breath he had ever taken. Instantly, his muscles convulsed, his brain pulsed, it felt like his ears were draining blood. His eyes were bloodshot and throbbed violently, his body lurched forward in shock, it felt like his entire being was being assaulted. He was not left entirely helpless, but it certainly felt as such. Forcing his eyes to glare forward, they were met with the source of the noise; the tall, beautiful Great Fairy he had been accompanying. She was capable of such mind-wrecking cacophonies? Perhaps he had underestimated her. He opened his mouth, but he struggled to cough the words out. Hopefully she would stop.
  4. Darth_Slaverus

    Darth_Slaverus Member vet

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    Caught between Flayre's overpowering voice and Rika's unforgiving scythe, it was not long before the disembodied hands made the astute decision to quit the field, scurrying back into the mercurial mire like the vermin they were. Many of their number fell in the disorganized retreat, the crippling effects of Flayre's song leaving them vulnerable to Rika's wild swings. By the time the Kokiri had fully risen from underneath the silver pool, their foes had all but vanished, leaving him to be treated to the sight of Flayre triumphantly waving her wand about as if she were conducting a symphony... as well as the din of her Dissonance, for she continued her hellish hymn for a solid half-minute, only stopping when it became clear the last of the hands was gone.

    Concluding her performance with an elaborate bow, Flayre took a moment to savour her victory. Once again, she had saved the day. Converting her treasured sensations into a force of destruction... Genius. Pure genius. Who else could have concocted such a potent- not to mention fitting- stratagem? Even if the hands were mindless puppets directed by another, they would now fear her, such was her might. To be blessed with superior looks, superior power, and a superior mind... It was almost unfair for the lowly creatures that inhabited the universe alongside her, but she wouldn't have it any other way. This called for a celebration.

    Gliding downward, Flayre halted before the sack of food she had dropped, gleefully snatching it up. Thankfully, its fabric remained intact, nor did it appear the silvery liquid had soaked through the bottom. Excellent.

    Ordinarily, she would have torn the sack open and feasted upon its contents right then and there, but Rika had gone to the trouble of bringing it to her... She supposed a pleasure shared was a pleasure doubled, at least in this instance. And he had played a small part in her victory. Flayre turned to regard her companion, and immediately her mirth was amplified.

    The Kokiri was a wretched yet amusing spectacle. Ragged breaths, the reddened eyes... Why, he resembled those pitiful mortal men whose virility had proven inadequate in the face of her deific beauty! Stifling a laugh, the Great Fairy held out the sack to him, an ecstatic smile playing across her lips.

    "Do not fret, child. The pain will pass. Take as long as you need to gather your bearings, but do not lower your guard. When you are ready, come over here. We are long overdue for a meal, wouldn't you say?" Flayre cooed, in a motherly fashion. Of course, that was deliberate- her apparent kindness was also intended to mask her ulterior motive. Namely, she wanted to deflect his attention away from her earlier outburst and maintain the illusion of benevolence. She HAD saved his life, so ideally he would start being more cordial and not question the matter.
  5. Eevachu

    Eevachu Admin admin

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    When would this agony end? Her endless melody of suffering seemed to go on for an eternity. Rika could not even tell if there were any other hands among them, his eyelids glued shut as if they offered some sort of protection to his eyes. He had not felt anything pounce onto him and attempt to suffocate him, so presumably it was working. Still, though, it was actually torture- if his mind wasn't so muddled by the discordant noise that was her voice, Rika might have considered swiping at Flayre. Surprisingly, the Kokiri had managed to stay at his feet even after such extended contact with the terrible sounds- such was the strength of his willpower and mental fortitude, it seemed.

    Eventually, the noise came to a halt. As silence consumed the area, Rika became aware of how much he heard- his heavy, ragged breaths, a painful ringing piercing his ears, the rapid yet forceful beating of its heart, as if it was trying to fill him with enough adrenaline to numb himself to these sensations. The aftereffects of how he felt were almost as awful as the sounds themselves- yet, he knew he could not be mad. As absolutely displeasing as it was, it was an effective- and one may even argue necessary, - tool for fending off the many hands that were attempting to drown them.

    Food, though. That was actually a good idea of Flayre's. If there was something that would help stabilize how he felt, it would be eating some of the rations they had bought. He had barely even registered what Flayre had said other than that, but as his breathing began to calm, he choked out, "Y-Yeah, let's."

    Stumbling over to Flayre, he reached into the sack and pulled out a smaller, wrapped package-looking object. Luckily, it had seemed as though none of the silvery liquid had seeped into the sack; although each meal's worth of rations was individually wrapped, they were very light, thin wrappings that were far less than waterproof.

    Unwrapping the package, Rika was met with his rations- tough looking dried meat, a small roll, and a smaller slice of light yellow cheese. Immediately, Rika took a bite of the roll- bread, more than anything, would help calm this feeling in him. As he forced down the first bite, the muscles in his throat tensing up quite harshly, he felt an almost immediate sense of relief begin to wash over him. It was a sweet sense of relief, though he still felt pretty rough. He did not even care or notice that the roll was utterly bland and lacking in any sort of fluff or warmth. Next, he took a bite of the dried meat. It was difficult to tell what kind of meat it was by looks alone, and it was uncomfortable just to bite and chew, both due to its tough, dried texture and the fact that Rika's muscles were not exactly comfortable with chewing. Nonetheless, he slowly made his way through the bite. By the end of the meal, he would hopefully feel much better.
  6. Darth_Slaverus

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    Obedience was a refreshing change of pace from the defiance Flayre had come to expect of late. She supposed she ought to give her lessers a glimpse of her abilities more often... Even the stoutest will could be cowed by an appropriate display of might, and really, could the reprobates be blamed for their innate ignorance? Well, of course they could, but the Great Fairy was feeling beneficent. Yes, she would have to make that a priority. Charm was well and good, but force was a universal language.

    Still beaming, Flayre held out the sack to Rika and allowed him the first bite. Half to appear concerned over his health, and half because it had occurred to her that the meals might really be poisoned. It seemed a sensible precaution, for although she did not doubt that the Kokiri had brought them to nourish her, there was no telling how the atmosphere of this foul place would interact with foodstuffs from Hyrule. Plus, the thought of him being her personal taster helped reinforce the idea that he was subservient to her.

    Fortunately, Rika did not choke or expire after sampling both the meat and the breadroll. If anything, he had regained something of his colouration in doing so, and that was enough to convince her that the rations had not been tainted. Hastily retrieving a bundle of her own from the sack, Flayre unwrapped her prize to reveal a spread identical to that of her companion. She took a moment to savour the potent aroma of the cheese, bringing the slice close to her face so that the scent would waft into her nostrils, before daintily tearing off a chunk of the roll and popping it into her mouth.

    At once, her delicate teeth met with resistance from the hardened crust, and she very nearly spat it right out. Goodness! Was this bread or a beetle's shell? Flayre had always considered herself an epicure; this was a far cry from the fine dining she had enjoyed in the past. With a sinking heart, she glanced down at the dried meat, realizing it would be of similar quality. Unlike some of her kind, she was not a strict vegetarian and was fond of consuming animal flesh, though she preferred it to be of the glistening, succulent variety rather than this slop. The cheese would be the saving grace of the meal, being the only thing with actual flavour, and she knew she would have to save it for last, so the taste would linger in her mouth.

    Still... as she resumed munching on the roll, the Great Fairy found that it was not as bad as she had originally surmised. The roll was certainly bland, but it was not the same as the awful nothingness of their surroundings, and in that regard it was a welcome distraction. Small Desires were as much within her purview as large ones, and to a starving man these rations would have been a veritable banquet. That counted for something. They were not uniquely terrible, at the very least.

    Noticing that Rika seemed to be of like mind when it came to the order in which he would devour the rations, Flayre decided to comment on the similarity, figuring conversation would help offset the blandness and make the food go down easier. Swallowing the roll-fragment she had been chewing on, Flayre tilted her head at the Kokiri.

    "Mm. It is good that you know to save the best for last. It makes a meal that much more pleasurable, no?"
    Last edited: Jun 21, 2017
  7. Eevachu

    Eevachu Admin admin

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    Having scarfed down the rest of the bread and meat, Rika could feel his nerves calming, as his muscles began to relax, and the tension in his throat began to fade- though, the headache still mildly persisted. He had almost even forgotten the eternal suffering of this place- that Flayre was still there. For a few moments, she had managed to escape his mind, but then she spoke. Bringing himself back to reality, he glanced towards her, though the darkness proved this to be somewhat fruitless.

    "Yeah," He responded, his voice lacking the tension and struggle it had previously, "Additionally, I'm not sure if I could have eaten the cheese first." He glanced down at it as he spoke. Even if he could have, he would have had to force it down as he did with the bread- it would have been rightfully awful to eat, and would have only left him with quite a displeasing meal. "If I did," he added, holding the cheese up to examine it, "it would've been vile to eat the only enjoyable part of this meal."

    There was more that he needed than food, though- something arguably even more pivotal to his survival in this place. Something all men needed.

    Water. Holding his hand out, a small, spherical orb roughly the size of a baseball formed in his hand, glistening and clear like a crystal, much to the contrast of the sludge at his feet. Gently pricking a hole in its surface with his thumb, Rika tilted his head back and began to gently pour the small container of water into his mouth. It was a much needed reprieve from the sludge he had consumed previously- both the mercury-like liquid and the food.

    Once he had emptied the small orb, he brought his attention to Flayre. Great Fairies were in need of water as well, and as he had not brought any with him, this magical source of water was the only source they had, barring the liquid at their feet they likely did not want to drink. Though she had food, Flayre would almost certainly not survive this ordeal were he to not provide her with any water.

    That left him with one option. "Would you like some water?" He proposed, though he would have to wait a few more moments before he could form another. The fact that the two of them, for the first time, had a normal discussion about their food- and were, to some extent, even being nice to one another- had completely escaped Rika's mind at the moment.
  8. Darth_Slaverus

    Darth_Slaverus Member vet

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    ... Rika was becoming more civil by the second! What a marvelous influence she was on the people around her! Less than a day in her company, and she already had the stubborn Kokiri acting the gentleman, almost literally eating out the palm of her hand. Conjured as it was, that water of his was guaranteed to be far more refreshing to consume than the rations. Wine it was not, but a fitting gift for her all the same. She decided to 'feed' him some positive feedback in return while she waited for his spell to recharge, in the hopes of encouraging such pleasantries in the future.

    "I would, thank you." Clapping her hands delightedly (taking care to rewrap her meal beforehand so that she did not spill it in doing so), Flayre positioned herself as close to the ground as she could without touching it, directly across from Rika. Body language and blocking were subtle yet vital components of any performance- by placing herself at a roughly similar elevation to her conversation partner, she gave the impression that she viewed him as an equal. She likewise took care not to bend over as she regarded him, knowing that such a posture might seem condescending.

    Mind you, words were not to be chosen lightly, either. A compliment went a long way, but if she laid it on too thick it would seem a drastic departure from her earlier haughtiness, and thus be suspect. Better to focus on a single character trait, one that had likely hitherto gone unappreciated.

    "You are very well-prepared, I must say. Moreso than most Kokiri. I am indeed fortunate that you were able to catch up with me." She paused to reopen her rations, helping herself to a nibble of the dried meat. As she had predicted, it was scarcely distinguishable from the hardened roll. Gulping it down regardless, Flayre held the remainder up to her eye, as if inspecting it. "Would that this meat was as seasoned as you; it might be more palatable."

    Smiling at her little joke, Flayre watched Rika with rapt attention. Humour to lighten the mood, a bit of physical action to make the sentences flow more naturally, her praise carrying the suggestion that she was indebted to him for his aid, thus canceling out his debt to her for saving his life... That had been a masterfully executed manipulation, and she was eager to see the results of her handiwork.

    At this rate, though, she was going to have to show him mercy for his previous transgressions. Rika really was making a determined effort to overcome his innate boorishness, which was peculiarly touching.
  9. Eevachu

    Eevachu Admin admin

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    "Mm, I suppose," Rika's glance fell towards the sack of rations. It was not that he was well prepared for this venture, but rather that she had not prepared for it at all. His words seemed to come to a halt for a moment, as if he had drawn a blank, before hesitantly continuing, "I. . . would not say we are different, though. Other Kokiri and I." For a brief moment, a look of disgust seemed to wash over Rika's visage, as if he could not believe the words that had left his mouth. It seemed to fade as quickly as it came, though, his view now turned back to Flayre. "I would not call myself especially well prepared, though. Bringing the basic necessities is standard when going on any sort of journey, especially one where information is scarce, such as this."

    Rika honestly, genuinely did not mean to come across as condescending. It was something that happened without direction, though, and he could do little to help it. Likely, he was not even aware of it.

    He was not sure what to think of Flayre anymore. At first, he had assumed her to be a self-righteous hypocrite- that had not yet been proven wrong. Then, he had assumed her to be recklessly incompetent- that, too, had not yet been proven wrong. Yet, her explosive tantrum not even moments ago seemed to reveal a side she herself did not seem to want to show, as evidenced by the fact it had not been brought up at all by her. Her reaction to his words of caution spoke volumes about her, though. It was not only that she was reckless or incompetent, it was that she did not believe she was being reckless or incompetent- that there was no reason for her to prepare. The thought of her own fall had likely never even occurred to her. That was not something Rika could criticize, though he did anyway- despite his words moments ago, Rika never believed for a moment he would fail or die here, or that anything he did would result in anything less than success. He wholeheartedly believed, in every way, that there was no possibility of him losing.

    Thus, Rika was at a loss for what to think about her. He took a bite of the cheese. Sour. Yet, it was the most pleasant thing he had experienced all day- the powerful sensation coursing through his taste buds was like pure euphoria in this desolate wasteland of no feeling. Saving the cheese was certainly the best idea- it was something he would have to eat slowly and savor.
    Last edited: May 12, 2017
  10. Darth_Slaverus

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    Must he continue to stress the importance of preparation in a manner that called her competence into question? Flayre's brow drooped a fraction, so slight a movement as to be nearly imperceptible. She had already deigned to admit her fault in that regard, and his seeming insistence on being smug about it irritated her. Had Rika grown so complacent that he imagined the favour he currently enjoyed rendered him able to needle her without restraint? Her pristine lips twitched. Perhaps she should open them again, and remind him of his place. Still, his words had stirred a distant memory within her, one that underscored the merit of his argument:

    A noise. A soft crunch as one of her devoted followers collapsed face-first into the snow. Leave him, she had said. Leave him to the wolves. She could hear herself uttering the phrase over and over, as one-by-one they fell, her company dwindling until she alone remained. Leave him. Leave her. Leave them all. At the time, she had thought nothing of abandoning them, but now... Had she erred? She had not been prepared for Ganon. She had not been prepared for the grand exodus. Those had been her finest servants, powerful and loyal, unlike the weaklings in the north. And they were dead... because of her. If only she had been ready for such an eventuality...

    This sudden bout of self-reflection upset her, and she hated Rika for even reminding her of that doomed escapade. But... maybe it was true that preparation was something she could be more mindful of in the future.

    Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, Flayre recovered and flashed the Kokiri another of her charming smiles. No more. That had been enough melancholy for a single day. She would not rise to his barbs, for if she did, all her effort in maintaining this deception would be for naught.

    "I would!" She exclaimed in response to his claim that he was no better prepared than most of his kin. "Few are the Kokiri who could stand their ground against a pack of Wolfos in the midst of a blizzard and live to tell the tale, especially without a fairy SLAVE to guide them. Which, I might add, sets you apart in more ways than one..."

    People always wanted to believe they were special. For one of Rika's apparent ego, Flayre suspected that he would be particularly receptive to praise involving his combat prowess and self-sufficiency, given his proclivity for lecturing her over the latter. Her stomach yearned to be granted an audience with her uneaten cheese, but the Great Fairy was too interested to see what road her flattery would take her down, refusing to take another bite until her companion gave his reply.
    Last edited: Apr 21, 2018
  11. Eevachu

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    “Hm, true.” Rika had finally given in to Flayre’s goading. “Yet, is the same not true for Great Fairies as well, who use fairies for their own purposes? A pitiable existence, the fairies are,” he let out a dry laugh before continuing, “no place they belong except in forced servitude to another.” By this point, Rika’s cheese had almost vanished entirely.


    “But,” He tacked on before Flayre had a chance to respond, “the purpose of that relationship is to mask their own ineptitude and inability to survive on their own; it is little more than a crutch.” At this point, he was essentially doubling back on what he had said earlier, and instead hammering in what Flayre had said. Rika’s voice was firm, like he truly was certain in what he was saying, but lying within his tone was a hint of disappointment. Not at Flayre, or himself, but at the fact that he was firm in what he was saying; the fact it was true was the real disappointment for him.


    There was a momentary pause from Rika, his body tensing slightly as he struggled with piecing together his following words. “You too, though.” He interrupted himself. “The fighting. I mean,“ he paused, then repeated himself, “against the White Wolfos- and the hands, you fought them. It was surprising you did-“ He cut himself off and it came to him how that was somewhat harsh sounding. It was certainly not the meanest thing he had said to Flayre- not that he regretted any of it,- but that was not his intention now. “for a Great Fairy.” He added on. Having jumbled his way through his thoughts, he clarified, “it is certainly rare for a Great Fairy to fight, at least personally. Often, they send followers to do their work while keeping in mind their own safety.” Admittedly, Rika had been the only one truly in danger in either encounter, as she was suspended high in the air away from any threat. Still, she was willing to come to this soulless void, which qualified what he had said.
  12. Darth_Slaverus

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    A self-aware Kokiri? Would wonders never cease? Truthfully, Flayre had not counted on Rika agreeing with her provocative statement concerning the social status of fairies. She had expected him to argue, and she was thankful that her companion had wasted several moments fumbling with his words in an amusing- but oddly touching- attempt to compliment her, allowing her to formulate a plan. Hmm. If he were so receptive to her cynical overtures, perhaps giving him a small, genuine glimpse into her worldview would further improve her burgeoning rapport with the Kokiri, making her seem more complex, more real.

    "Indeed! Pitiful is the lot of the fairies, creatures born into bondage and destined to be slaves to the Deku Tree, to Kokiri, to even their own kind... but never to their Desires. Though, I would not say they are powerless. Feeble, certainly. But not powerless. I was a Tiny Fairy, once..." This unusually modest admission might have seemed out-of-character for Flayre, yet from her perspective, her meteoric rise to power demonstrated how thoroughly she had surpassed her lesser kin. "It is for this reason that I have never seen fit to create any myself. Devotion is meaningless if it is not freely chosen, wouldn't you agree?"

    That much she sincerely believed. In the countless years since her ascension, Flayre had taken a great deal of time to ponder the question of whether or not she should 'give birth' to a cadre of Tiny Fairy subjects... In the end, she had decided the very idea was too distasteful to even consider. How would she be any different than Minara, then? Besides, she loathed those gutless, simpering specimens of fairykind... And she remembered all-too-well how she had became a Great Fairy in the first place. If she could betray her creator, who was to say she could not be betrayed in turn?

    A grim thought. No more melancholy, she reminded herself.

    "For good or ill, the passing of a Great Fairy tends to attract a great deal of attention." Flayre held up her index finger as she spoke, resolving to move on and address Rika's observations about Great Fairies rather than wallow in the past. "There are many who would exploit our power for their own ends, and even the most virtuous fairy would find it difficult to promote good in the world whilst being mobbed by a horde of admirers and supplicants. That is why we must sometimes act through intermediaries... But you are not wrong, either. The prospect of a Great Fairy's magic being misused is hardly an excuse to sequester ourselves from civilization entirely."

    Puffing out her chest slightly in pride, Flayre continued, eager to latch on to any opportunity for self-aggrandizement.

    "I will not deny that I too have employed mortal agents in the past, but I have always striven to take an active role in my affairs. It is as they say: If you want something done correctly, it is best to do it yourself. At the very least, when I entrust tasks to others, I see to it that they are granted the power they require to carry out their duties, and that they are properly compensated afterward. For a service rendered, a service performed." She paused, glancing around the surrounding gloom before taking hold of her uneaten cheese and holding it up to her face, as Rika had with his.

    "But in cases like these, where the fates of so many hang in the balance, I would not dare withhold my powers if they could mean the difference between victory and defeat. No small number of people Desire to thwart Ganon and others of his ilk wherever they rear their hideous heads, and I am chief among them."
  13. Eevachu

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    Rika's expression soured slightly. It was not that he took issue with Flayre's words, or doubted their validity; in fact, he agreed with her, and believed her to be speaking from the heart. Yet, there was something that betrayed Flayre's facade, even within the truth she deemed worth revealing, and it did not pass over Rika unaware; her tone. While they spoke of the same subject, for Rika, it was a point of shame, a disappointing sour mark on his race and a testament to the weaknesses many of them held. There was nothing for him to be excited or proud over. Flayre, on the other hand, seemed to speak of it as though it were spun into something positive- as though by Kokiri, Tiny Fairies, and Great Fairies alike being a part of this structure, her not being involved exemplified her greatness and superiority. Rika could not necessarily disagree with this logic, as he felt similarly, but he did not see it as a system he would like to remain in place to flaunt himself as the wiser Kokiri. It was not necessarily that she revealed only a care for herself, but that she emphasized her lack of likeness with them.

    Regardless, Rika did not rest on the thought for too long. He was becoming increasingly convinced that the noble and pure facade Flayre presented to the world was just that, a facade- just as he had assumed,- but her true self seemed to carry a hint of character as well. It was honestly more interesting to him than the false premise she had initially shown him. Strangely, a question popped into Rika's mind.

    "Then, what is your analysis of this place?" He proposed, before chipping in his own thoughts. "It is. . .unlike any other I have seen. It desolate and empty, and while I have encountered numerous undead, never have I seen some as extraordinary as those hands. It makes me wonder what this land holds, what sort of creatures await us; can anything truly be alive here?" He pondered, before adding, "And, I have a second question. Of course, there were no expectations about what would lie beyond the other end of this portal, but it was surely assumed to be extremely dangerous by all, and even the trek to simply reach the portal was perilous in nature. Then, what drives you so strongly to seek out a means to end Ganon, to bring an end to his reign? Even the most steadfast of warriors who despise Ganon's machinations with all their hearts would name us fools for plunging headfirst into the unknown, when even small armies before us have, as was presumed, perished."
  14. Darth_Slaverus

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    Ah, this was how it usually began. First, they wanted her opinion. Then, they wanted her advice. And then, finally, they wanted her orders. At long last, Rika was beginning to see the light. Admittedly, Flayre did not really understand how the Kokiri's questions pertained to the topic they had been discussing beforehand, but his deference pleased her all the same. In celebration, she fanned the air around the cheese with her hand, directing the pungent aroma toward herself, drinking it in. What a delectable scent! Having such a powerful sensation close at hand would help stave off the gloom of even talking about their present surroundings.

    "This place? It is the antithesis of life itself, devoid of any but the dead. Just BEING here is draining... And yet, I believe that it was once something more." The Great Fairy replied, stroking her chin thoughtfully. "If this place were merely meant as a trap, there would be no need for it to be so vast. And we ARE clearly making progress, as evidenced by the bodies we discovered, so we cannot be looping endlessly across the same landscape over and over." That was a favourite trick of many a mischevious fairy, but Flayre had already discounted that possibility some time ago. She knew enough about the spell to recognize it could not have been at work in this pocket dimension. "Intentionally or not, I believe Ganon or one of his kind must have corrupted this area, transforming it into... Well, this. Beyond that, I'm afraid I cannot say. The void offers little in the way of clues. Still, there must be some hidden secret we have yet to uncover. The monsters spilling out into Snowpeak must originate somewhere here." She concluded, reaching for her dried meat and taking a bite. Unfortunately, she did not have the answers Rika sought, so she had elected to be truthful about her deductions.

    His second query, though... How interesting. There was an obvious counterpoint she could raise, but she wouldn't just yet. The fact that it existed at all, however, did tell her that this was no idle curiousity on Rika's part. He was looking for something, hoping to gauge her response. She would have to approach this one with care.

    Swallowing her meat, Flayre tilted her head at Rika.

    "As for your second question... As with most things, I am motivated by a variety of factors. There are my personal feelings to consider: Ganon is a blight upon the realm. I have seen firsthand the atrocities he has wrought in the South, seen those who I would call my allies butchered without mercy." She set her lips in a hard line for a moment, then, with practiced ease, she made her lower lip quiver, giving the impression she was heroically attempting to hold back her grief. Lowering her gaze, she fell silent for a second, acting as if she needed to muster the strength to continue.

    "... But more pragmatically, there are other reasons I have come. Hyrule's armies are losing ground to these fiends, and they will not be able to contain them forever. Their expeditions have repeatedly met with disaster. Conventional military strategy has failed... and attempting the same thing time after time when there is no hope for success is the definition of insanity, no?" Flayre steadily raised her eyes to meet Rika's. "Yet perhaps where armies have faltered, one person might be able to make a difference. Quantity is not the same as quality, after all! An individual can travel both quickly and quietly, far more so than a large group, and my ability to fly renders me uniquely suited to such stealthy tasks- if outmatched, I can flee more easily than a plate-clad knight. It was my hope that alone, I could decipher the riddle of the portals, closing them if it proved within my power, or at least discover how I could aid the Hylians in doing so. Of the three portals plaguing Hyrule I chose to brave this one because it is on the capital's doorstep- if Ganon gains a foothold here, the forces of darkness will be in prime position to sack Castle-Town and cripple the entire kingdom! That cannot be allowed to happen!"

    There. A passionate speech, perfectly conveying all the desperation, resolve, and wisdom one would expect of a valiant Great Fairy. What was most amazing, however, was that none of it was strictly untrue. She did want to protect Castle-Town... so that she might conquer it herself. She had determined Snowhead's portal to be the most vital... because the South was already overrun and Ganon could have that putrid swampland, for all she cared. And most of all, the individual would prevail over the group, because they were weak, fragile mortals, and she was a goddess.

    That dealt with, Flayre finished her dried meat and moved to address the counterpoint she had noted earlier. It was time to turn the tables on the Kokiri.

    "But you, Rika! I might ask the same of you! If this is truly so foolish an endeavour, why are you here? Alone, no less?"
  15. Eevachu

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    "I. . . mostly agree with your assessment, but I am not so sure about the origins of this land." Rika added to Flayre's first response. "While this land is positively unnatural, I am skeptical if Ganon lays at its source. Should Ganon possess powerful and corrupting magics capable of morphing an entire landscape to such an abysmal hell, I believe Hyrule would be in a far more dire state than it is now. Even if it was unintentional, or brought immense casualties on both sides, neither Ganon nor his forces would have concerns over the danger it would bring." Rika stopped to ponder for a moment. "It is likely Ganon is involved in some way, though. Perhaps he has laid claim to this land already, and is using it to transport his armies by having it act as some form of teleportation?" His response dwindled and his thoughts trailed off for a moment. Rika was quick to snap back to reality, though; he had an entire other paragraph to respond to.

    . . .As for Flayre's reasoning, Rika could not help but still see it as reckless, though he acknowledged the hypocrisy in that way of thinking, and even agreed with it. After all, that was part of why he was here in the first place. "While I am here alone, I did not expect to enter the portal solo; though often to my displeasure, I tend to end up getting stuck with some foolhardy, hotheaded adventurer when doing these kinds of things." Rika kind of chuckled, trying to make it sound like a joke but it was completely true. Though he was not going to say it out loud, at least Flayre was not like that- at least not completely. A little reckless, perhaps, but she had shown the capability to stop and analyze the situation and world she was in.

    His light chuckle died down and he began explaining. ". . . Truthfully, this is not the first time I have experienced Ganon's plight upon a land. I was responsible for purifying the Kokiri Forest of his evils some time ago, along with weakening his forces at Dragon Roost Island. Additionally, this is not the first portal I have entered, either; I was responsible for sealing the Sunwell portal to the far south, in the Eastern Caves." Rika paused for a moment. ". . .And while I have seen the horrors he has wrought, and do wish to bring an end to them, what drives me is not quite as noble. These lands, particularly these portals, feel as if they are not even the same land as Hyrule. They're bundles of unknown, unexplored adventure and knowledge, and that burden of knowledge drives me to enter them more than anything."

    He let Flayre stir over it for a moment, and possibly respond, before adding, "But. . . I have yet another reason for coming." He seemed almost abashed by what he was about to say, his tone growing slightly tense and nervous, his words holding a hint of hesitation before escaping his lips. "After removing Ganon's blight from the Kokiri Forest, I was informed of these coming evils by The Great Deku Tree. He. . ." Rika actually hesitated for a moment, biting his lip before continuing, ". . .recognized my capabilities, and tasked me with seeking out and destroying these portals so no greater harm would come to Hyrule. After seeing the chaos and destruction that had been brought to the Kokiri Village, and after what I have done, I had no choice but to accept." Rika seemed to glance away awkwardly, for but a moment. Before now, he had never really talked about the Kokiri Village or The Great Deku Tree to others, and deflected any conversation of them away. So, it still felt somewhat awkward and abnormal for him to not only discuss them, but be the one to bring them to attention. He was not sure how to speak of The Great Deku Tree, or how he should address him; he only knew the underlying facts of his situation, but not how to present them.

    Rika trailed off into silence, leaving Flayre another opportunity to speak and leaving Rika thinking that perhaps he had unintentionally shared more of himself with Flayre than he would have liked.
    Last edited: Dec 19, 2017
  16. Darth_Slaverus

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    By the time Rika finished his long-winded response to her points, Flayre's thoughts had turned toward the Kokiri's wardrobe- she had decided that a jester's ensemble would suit him far better than his current attire, for he was truly quite the aspiring fool, his every comment a source of unending hilarity. Fighting to avoid rolling her eyes, the Great Fairy pondered his words. Where to even begin? His outrageous boasting, perhaps. She had listened rather incredulously as Rika had listed a series of increasingly absurd accomplishments as his own exploits, not believing his drivel for a second. Purifier of the Kokiri Forest? Saviour of Dragon Roost? SEALER OF SUNWELL? What other heroic feats had he 'performed' that he had left unsaid, she wondered. Perhaps he had accompanied the hero Link during his expedition into Death Mountain, and dealt the Dark King a grievous wound that afflicted him to this day? And yet, for all his supposed prowess, he had been soundly overwhelmed by a pack of floating hands. What poppycock!

    Clearly, an over-inflated sense of self-importance was a defining characteristic the Great Deku Tree bestowed upon his servants.

    The Kokiri's hypocrisy in castigating her for recklessness when his plan of attack had basically amounted to relying on pure chance gifting him with a competent companion was likewise amusing (for his sake, she elected not to interpret his explanation as a backhanded insult). Really, Flayre had never before met a man so adept at repeatedly changing her impression of him in such a short time frame. He was a master at inspiring emotion in others, that much was certain. She gave serious consideration to the idea of making Rika her personal harlequin once the world was at her fingertips, where it rightfully belonged. She could just picture him in a little hat with bells attached, cavorting about with that scythe of his.

    Mind you, Rika's testimony had not been a total waste of breath. His admission that he hungered for knowledge gave her something to work with... But she would save that for later. For now, she would needle him, as he had her, and see how her jabs affected his demeanour.

    "If this realm was transformed by some manner of ritual, it may be that it required a great deal of easily thwarted preparation, enough so that it would be impractical to perform in Hyrule proper. That the Great Deku Tree had foreseen this calamity would seem lend credence to the theory that this was a plan years in the making... Though perhaps his time would have been better spent preventing such an occurrence, rather than predicting it. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, after all!" Unable to resist expressing her scorn for the overgrown piece of firewood, Flayre smiled at Rika, adopting the same lighthearted tone he had used while describing his ill fortune when it came to partners.

    "But my, Rika, you are a cruel one! Chiding me for being careless when you yourself intended to challenge the portal with naught but a fate-chosen companion at your side! Am I truly so fun to tease?" She laughed, mirroring his chuckle and wagging her finger at him. "Ah, I jest. If what you say is true, I am fortunate that you are here. I take it from our shared surprise that the world beyond the Sunwell portal was nothing like this one? Still, I implore you to think back... There may yet be some hidden connection that will lead us to our goal."

    It was best to leave it at that, she reasoned. Too many jibes and he might grow resentful, suspecting something other than playful banter. Inquiring about his past 'adventure' would make her seem intelligent, and would allow her to easily expose his lies for what they were, if she so Desired. And in the extremely implausible event that there was a grain of truth to his tall-tales, well... There might indeed be a hint that would bring her one step closer to escaping this dreadful place.
  17. Eevachu

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    Rika frowned slightly at Flayre's comments about the Great Deku Tree. "Even if he was aware that something would occur, it does not mean he knew Ganon's machinations in detail- were it that simple to prevent, Ganon would not be a factor in this world." Rika still remained unconvinced about Flayre's theory of this land, of whether it was a dimension bastardized and distorted by Ganon's evil magics, or simply a natural land he utilized; but, he had no way to prove his theory or disprove Flayre's, so for now he chose to move on from the discussion.

    Rika could not really argue with Flayre, though he would anyway, of course. It was a calculated gamble- while others would seek to seal the portal, that of which he was certain, he had no way of knowing of their usefulness. If it came to it, he would have entered alone, but Flayre did not need to know that detail. Flayre raised an interesting question, though, and one he had not yet had the luxury to ponder over- the differences in this world and Sunwell. "They were similar in one way- that they felt completely disconnected from the Hyrule we know. They were alien and unnatural, the very physics of the world distorted." On cue, he snapped his fingers. A flame sparked, but immediately whittled away to nothing. "Here, any light, it seems, both mundane and magical alike, is consumed entirely. Additionally," he kind of wiggled his feet that were submerged in the silver liquid, "there is this abhorrent mucus at our feet, acting as our only source of light."

    "Sunwell lacked any of this." He began shuffling around in his bag. "It was a wide, expansive, and, as far as I could tell, endless desert. Sunlight beat down continuously, with one sun shifting to another. And when I say beat down, I mean literally- the force of the light weighed us down so continuously, we would have been unable to move if it weren't for the magical orb designed by Hylian mages to shift the quantity of light surrounding you. As well, the darker it was, the lighter you were- in pitch darkness, one could even mimic flight, just as you are now." Finally, he had found what he was looking for- drawing his hand from his Adventurer's Pouch, a few slips of paper-like material were gripped in his hands. He passed one to Flayre.

    It was a photo. In it, a vast desert of sand, not unlike an ocean, expanded outward. "This was not the only thing of interest this land held, though." He passed another photo to Flayre. It was a small, metallic being with massive, floating hands with electrical impulses drawing a line from its hand to its bodies. "Despite being void of any real life, it possessed technological advancements far surpassing what we can even dream of in Hyrule. This creature is an example- it moves, acts, and thinks as a living creature, but it lives not. It has no need for food or water, and it acts not on magic, but some other form of energy." He let out a sly chuckle, adding, "Truthfully, they were beyond even my understanding. I wish I could have had more time to examine them."

    Then, he passed Flayre the final photo. In it, the back of Rika was set in the front of what appeared to be some sort of metallic container reminiscent of a sailboat, hovering above the sandy ground. He was positioned in front of a steering wheel reminiscent of what a sailing ship might have, his palms resting loosely on its grip. A flurry of sand swirled around them, deflected by the glowing, translucent, light-blue barrier circling the boat. Resting in the middle of the boat was the back of small Korok, hunched over a map and examining it intently. Finally, sitting on the edge of the boat was a Deku, one hand extended outward and the other holding a glass of purple liquid to his snout. His face was focused directly in front of the camera, his snout squeezed to resemble a grin.

    "And this, was our vessel," He commented, "compared to Sunwell, this place is miserable- no technological wonder, no ease of transportation." He neglected to add the downgrade in company. "But, if its origins are the same as Sunwell, as I assume, it must have its share of amazement to share." He finished, extending his hand out to retrieve the photos, adding, "I only wish I could capture this place's image as well; however, my camera would, unfortunately, prove useless in this darkness."
    Last edited: Jun 3, 2018
  18. Darth_Slaverus

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    "Well, in any event..." Flayre shrugged as Rika continued to contest her hypothesis, "There is no use in crying over spilled milk, or so the Hylian saying goes. We are here now, and we must do what we can. Let us turn our immortal minds toward finding a solution to our current quandary, hmm?" The Kokiri's defense of the Deku Tree had made his stance on the matter quite clear; there was no further point in bickering over the origins of this cursed land. Already the conversation had grown tiresome, the verbal back-and-forth grating on her nerves. Enough fooling around. Now was a time for plotting and scheming.

    To that end, the Great Fairy was quite intrigued when Rika abruptly began to rummage through his pack. Oh, so he had proof of his wild claims? Her interest piqued, she stroked her chin and leaned forward, hoping to catch a glimpse of whatever had sent him into such a kerfuffle. What could he possibly possess that would confirm his-


    Ah. Pictographs.

    Flayre was passingly familiar with such devices, of course. More that one of her followers had used them to capture her breathtaking visage, that it might be faithfully recreated and preserved for all eternity. Yet despite the noble ends to which they were employed, the Great Fairy had never truly liked Pictograph Boxes... Or any other technological gadget, for that matter. They were crude contraptions, cold and unfeeling, built by mortals to compensate for the own lack of magical ability. If one were versed in the proper tongues, beasts and plants could be compelled to answer a fairy's call... not so for those born of metal and machinery, who were devoid of souls due to the nature of their artificial construction. Insolent and barbaric, the lot of them!

    Caught up in her disdainful thoughts, Flayre reluctantly accepted the picture Rika had held out to her, her movements sluggish as she brought it up to her eyes, as if she were afraid the photo might suddenly sprout teeth and lunge at her. Nothing of the sort happened, and indeed when she finally examined it, she nearly burst into laughter. THIS was Rika's evidence? It was naught more than a picture of an empty, arid wasteland, easily falsified. Why, any fool could wander into the Gerudo Desert and snap a pictograph of the dunes! Did he take her for a fool? She simply could not wait to see the remainder of his pictographs, so that she could rip his preposterous claims to shreds...

    Alas, the second and third pictures were not so readily dismissed. One depicted a mechanical creature that even Hyrule's most talented machinists would have found impossible to replicate. The other displayed a metallic ship, crewed by Rika and two forest-kin... only the ship was crashing through the sands of a desert, in defiance of all logic. Flayre's eyes narrowed and her lip quivered as she beheld these images, unsure what to make of them... What could this portend?

    There were many conclusions that the Great Fairy was able to draw from Rika's pictographs, but most confusingly among them was the unfortunate revelation that there might actually be a kernel of truth to the Kokiri's stories. After all, there was no way Rika could have known the true extent of what lay beyond the Snowpeak portal, and indeed his distress at the disturbing sights they had witnessed had seemed rather genuine. With that in mind... how could it be that the pictures he had just shown her- the links were too eerie...

    Face hardening into a grimace, Flayre thrust the pictographs back into Rika's hands in a fashion akin to that of a noblewoman attempting to dislodge a spider from her palm. She paused, considering how best to explain her thoughts- Rika seemed to think the two realms were literally as different as night and day, but... no, there was something more, she was sure of it. At length, she spoke.

    "Overwhelming darkness and searing light... Our captor has a propensity for thematics, it would seem. You are correct when you say Sunwell and this place are complete opposites, yet there are two distinct commonalities between them. The first-" Flayre indicated the pictograph depicting the desolate desert with her finger, "-is that neither of these realms are capable of sustaining life. They are utterly barren, which brings me to the second." She pointed to the pictograph with the mechanical monster. "It would appear whoever created these places had the foresight to staff them with beings that are not truly alive. Both this... thing and the hands we encountered would not need to feed as ordinary creatures do. They are well-adapted to this environment, for they have no need of such comforts." She fell silent for a moment, then shook her head.

    "One similarity is a coincidence, but two is a pattern. And if THAT is the case..." Finally, her gaze settled upon the third pictograph, the one with the unusual ship. "... Is it not possible that this realm might also have some hidden vehicle, with which we could explore the area more efficiently?"

    As if on cue, Flayre's eyes were drawn skyward, and she let out an audible gasp. Where previously there had been naught but unending blackness above them, rays of silvery light were streaking through the air, descending toward the mercurial sea below. The beams nearest them were faint and dim, but those that cascaded into the far distance were of a greater radiance, and as she followed them with her gaze, she spied an object illuminated by the mysterious glow: A massive metallic worm, its movements too stiff to be anything natural, slithering through the muck miles away.

    "... Such as that!"
  19. Eevachu

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    Flayre had made a valid point, and as she explained her theory, other potential major similarities came to mind. Mixed in those thoughts was one major question racking Rika's brain, though- these portals were not a duo, but a trio. What would this make of the final portal, which went completely unknown to the Kokiri?

    Before Rika could even hope to convey his thoughts, however, Flayre was quick to address her third point. Flayre's attention shot to the heavens, the pouring streams of light cascading through the pitch blackness like breaks in clouds after a heavy downpour. The iron, serpentine-like monster tore through the blackness, its body illuminated with glowing streaks trailing behind it before slowly fading like smoke trails. Every so often, in place of one of the trails, a small, seemingly eternal beacon of light would be left, just as the ones they could witness as of now. It was still not enough to illuminate their current gaze, but it could provide hope that this darkness was not truly everlasting.

    However, Rika had a somewhat different concern. "Wait one moment." He called out. "There is one other possibility. In Sunwell, these monstrous worms, machinations of steel and iron near the size of galleons, called the sandy dunes their home. They burrowed through the desert, unfettered by the unnatural heat or weight it brought, their cores churning ember and sand alike to crystallize whatever should pass through. They were nigh-indestructible beings, though not aggressive, and could be avoided if cautious." Rika paused for a moment in contemplation before continuing, ". . . and while I believe it is unlikely these are beasts of similar ilk, due to the extreme differences present between the two locales, it would be hasty to assume it to be for our benefit."

    With his caution finished, he added, "Regardless, I do agree that some type of hidden transportation should exist- if the distance between us and that worm is any indication, this land is endlessly large, impossibly so for mere meandering on foot to suffice. For now, crossing paths with that worm shall be our objective- should we then have the need to ride or destroy it, we will do so."
  20. Darth_Slaverus

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    "Just so," Flayre agreed, watching the titanic being intently as it slid to and fro in the distance, "Whether that behemoth be friend or foe, we have tarried long enough, and I, for one, could do with a change of scenery. We shall cross that bridge when we come to it." The fact that she was airborne, and thus bridges presented no obstacle to her to begin with, betrayed her utter confidence in their ability to handle whatever the void threw at them. The impromptu picnic had restored her spirits somewhat, and the emergence of an objective they could pursue where previously there had been none was likewise heartening.

    And besides, lingering further would only allow the hunger to overtake her once more. As pleasant as the voracious indulgence of earthly appetites was, she had no Desire to squander their whole stock of rations in one sitting. Nor should she squander this rare moment of consensus with the Kokiri...

    "Come. We press onward...!" Boldly issuing her command, Flayre returned the sack of foodstuffs to Rika (as much to remove the temptation as to lessen her burden) and took up a vantage point in the air several feet off the ground, gliding forward to scout the featureless plains that lay ahead. She was careful not to venture too high, despite her growing concerns that the silvery fluid that coated the ground below somehow drained the life of all who set foot in it... Straying too far from Rika presented the very real possibility that he would vanish into the darkness, never to be seen again, and that was something she wished to avoid at all costs. This realm was maddening enough WITH him, and he carried the rations... Best to keep near, and ensure the lines of communication were never cut.

    Travel in this place continued its unabated trend of dreariness, broken up only by the occasional presence of massacred Hylians, bereft of colour as their earlier compatriots had been, each more desiccated than the last. Flayre forced herself to ignore them, lest she shiver at the thought of such a pitiful fate. Darkness was their constant companion, for no moon shone overhead, though Flayre knew there must have been one. The increasingly prevalent streams of silver light stretching across the sky, like a shattered rainbow sapped of its hues, was proof of that. Yet try as she might, she could glimpse no lunar entity in the shadow-stricken skies above.

    What was the purpose of those rays of light, she wondered? A mere source of illumination? That made no sense, if her theory regarding the denizens of this dimension was to be believed. If they were not truly alive, they would not rely on their vision as she and Rika did. Were they some form of illusion? She had certainly begun to suspect that at least of the corpses they had discovered were fake, finding it unlikely that the Hylians could spend so many men, or that they could even make it this far without succumbing to madness or the monsters that lurked within this nightmarish land.

    Seconds away from alerting Rika to her concerns, Flayre stole a glance upward and immediately noticed something odd.

    There, traveling along the length of one of the silvery beams, was a solid object- a spherical chunk of what looked like a chalk-white rock. This unusual debris hurtled along its designated path at a frightening pace, before rapidly descending upon the unfortunate body of a fallen knight, pulverizing it into powdered dust. This dust did not dissipate into the air as one might expect, but instead remained floating above ground, forming a gleaming silver cloud. At the same, the makeshift comet had split into two upon impact, revealing an interior populated by a viscous, colourless gel which, in defiance of all logic, had begun to move.

    The Great Fairy scarcely had time to process these alarming developments before it became clear that they were not freak occurrences or isolated incidents; no sooner had she moved to warn Rika than a second rock rained down from above, splashing harmlessly into the silver mire, then a third, and then a fourth... Tearing her gaze from the rocks to inspect the sky once more, Flayre's eyes widened as she witnessed the start of a meteor shower, with countless rocks pouring from an unseen source. While they did not seem to deviate from their assigned rays of light, they were no less unpredictable, for entirely new beams were simply materializing out of thin air to facilitate this bombardment. Those that crushed a corpse created more of that unseemly dust, and all cracked open to produce the gelatinous fluid that was seemingly alive.

    The danger was threefold. Flayre knew not what threat the dust clouds and the gels posed, but she was absolutely aware that being struck by one of the falling projectiles, while a considerably more mundane fate, would be no less deadly, if not moreso.

    "Rika, run! We must away from here!"