Insanity Clinic For The Moderately Brandofandonitis Afflicted

[Medium he/they]

26 minutes ago, The Wandering Wizard said:

The Clinic: The Basement

The head nods and chuckles. "Of course I know, it was the perfect opportunity. A young naive person looking for a easy solution to her problem, when there was none." The voice drips with sarcasm. "I offered her the solution she was looking for and she couldn't tell the lie I had told her."

@CalanoCorvus

The Clinic: The Basement

Calano looked the Nethergrim dead in the eyes. "Is there a way you could do it again? But without actually bonding with her? Instead just a bond to protect her from Kaos. I know you feed off Kaos energy, which is why you were so open to bonding with her initially.'

[Shadowed they/them]

Ruins of Tal'rin

Matra stepped out of the Wyrmhole and immediately took a step back. What… what happened? Was it… Kaos? She spotted Bookwyrm and Insa and ran over to them - then halted. Bookwyrm was fighting something. 

She interpreted its inhuman grunts as battle cries, using her ability. And then she realised what language it was speaking. 

Oh no. This is bad.

Quote

What exactly is it that you’re fighting?

 

[The Wandering Wizard he/him]

The Clinic: The Basement

"I could....possibly." The nethergrim stops spinning, but the void in her eyes, continues to oscillate. "Why..should..I?"

@CalanoCorvus

[Medium he/they]

The Clinic: The Basement

"Kaos has shifted in his prison. He threatens to escape. We cannot allow that. Some are hearing... his whispers in their minds. But if you could forge a Minor Bond with them, feed off their energy, but leave them independent, they'd be safe, and you'd be satiated."

Calano did not back down, despite the endless empty in the Nethergrim's eyes.

[InfiniteInsanity she/her]

6 hours ago, The Bookwyrm said:

"Get back!" Bookwyrm yelled to Insa as the cloud of smoke and fire materialized into a more solid being. It had a humanoid form, and seemed to be made of stone, but glowed with a deep fire within.

Looks like we found our culprit.

Ruins of Tal'rin

Insa stumbled back a little after Bookwyrm yelled at her. "What is that?" Sparks fritzed around her fingers. She gave them a quick glance. Don't think those will be of much help. She contained the electricity to keep it from forming more sparks. She looked the thing up and down trying to figure out what it was.

[The Wandering Wizard he/him]

The Clinic: The Basement

"How in any world would that sate me?" The tornado begins to spin faster and faster around Calano. "I want to be free from this damp prison. Free me and I will accept your terms."

@CalanoCorvus

Edited November 15, 2022 by The Wandering Wizard

[Medium he/they]

The Clinic: The Basement

"And what exactly would you do," Calano said, stepping forward, "If I set you free. Tell me what exactly you would do."

@The Wandering Wizard

[The Wandering Wizard he/him]

The Clinic: The Basement

"You're not really in a position to argue, now are you. I can feel the Kaos pulsing in her veins, trying to force her to act. Ohhh. You gave her access to the heart of the clinic, not a good idea when that is what the Kaos is trying to corrupt."

@CalanoCorvus

The Clinic: Calano's Office

A shadow falls over Emma and the Shadows in the room begin to pull towards Emma. 

NO, NO, this can't be happening right now! He should be still trapped. Kaos is free! 

Emma casts her eyes around the room, looking for a lifeline. "Telrao, help." Croaks Emma.

@Telrao

[Medium he/they]

The Clinic: The Basement

Calano feels the panic spark in his mind, from Emma. He realizes what has happened. He puts out his hand, and a blast of energy shoves the Nethergrim back.

He teleports away, back to his office.

The Clinic: Calano's Office

Calano appears in the middle, to see Emma frantically searching for something. He goes in front of Emma and takes her by the shoulders.

"Emma, breathe. Breathe."

@The Wandering Wizard

Edited November 16, 2022 by CalanoCorvus

[The Wandering Wizard he/him]

The Clinic: The Basement

The Nethergrim snarls. "You will come back, I know you will. You care too much about her, that will draw you back to me. Always."

The Clinic: Calano's Office

Emma looks up at Calano, pain dancing across her eyes. "Kaos is free. The avatar of the Kaos is free. The Kaos will soon be freed." 

Her body shakes as her hand goes rigid, a bolt of blackness forming. Emma looks at Calano, her eyes hollow and empty, swirling pits of blackness. 

@CalanoCorvus

[Telrao she/her]

3 hours ago, The Wandering Wizard said:

The Clinic: The Basement

The Nethergrim snarls. "You will come back, I know you will. You care too much about her, that will draw you back to me. Always."

The Clinic: Calano's Office

Emma looks up at Calano, pain dancing across her eyes. "Kaos is free. The avatar of the Kaos is free. The Kaos will soon be freed." 

Her body shakes as her hand goes rigid, a bolt of blackness forming. Emma looks at Calano, her eyes hollow and empty, swirling pits of blackness. 

@CalanoCorvus

The Clinic: Calano's Office

Telrao's eyes widen. No, no, no no!

@CalanoCorvus! What if I bond with the Nethergrim? Getting no response, she places her paws against Emma's legs, bracing herself.

It has been a while since I've done this... She then breathed in. The shadows lethargically began to creep from Emma and enter Telrao's mouth, funnelling down. As she absorbed the energy, she began to convert it to Aon Dor. I sincerely hope this works. She felt something... dark... shift inside of her. She quickly began to shift that energy into her tiny bracelets, covered in sacred runes and hidden beneath her fur. I really, really hope this works

[Medium he/they]

The Clinic: Calano's Office

"No, no, no, no." Calano muttered, frantically looking around for something to deflect the bolt of blackness, until he sensed the darkness leaving Emma. He looked back, and saw Telrao, the Therapy Cat, absorbing the shadows into her mouth.

"What're you doing?" He asked frantically, panicked. Emma was shaking, convulsing, her eyes empty and deep and hollow. Calano could feel tears forming in his eyes, his mind was running a thousand miles a minute, and yet moving like molasses.

He began to mutter in a panic.

@Telrao @The Wandering Wizard

Edited November 17, 2022 by CalanoCorvus

[The Wandering Wizard he/him]

The Clinic: Calano's Office

Emma follows the connection to Telrao.

This power is mine not yours little cat!

And she severs the connection, the darkness flowing back towards her again.

Emma curls her fingers and the bolt launches, only barely nicking Calano's right cheek. 

Emma collapses, having fought off Kaos in her mind.

@CalanoCorvus @Telrao

[Medium he/they]

The Clinic: Calano's Office

Calano hisses in pain. That hurt. He raises a finger to his cheek, and it comes back bloody.

"Emma.." He whispers, and watches Emma collapse. "No!" He shouts, and runs to catch her before she hits the ground.

He does, and he holds her as she lays there, unmoving. "No, no, no, no, no." He mutters, crying. "No, please no, Gods no." He hunches over her, in so much emotional and physical pain.

"Wake up," He whispers, mostly to himself, "You're dreaming, wake up, this is a nightmare, wake up." He whispers so much, breathes so heavily, he knocks himself out.

Calano opens his eyes. He is standing on a cliff, overlooking the sea. He looks down, and sees he his holding a bright red apple.

"What.." He mutters.

@The Wandering Wizard

Edited November 17, 2022 by CalanoCorvus

[The Wandering Wizard he/him]

Calano's Dream

A cluster of stars in the sky watches and waits. They have been waiting a long time for another being to make the choice.

Shouldn't we go and explain it?

Not yet. 

He still needs time to ponders.

How long must we wait in this agony?

As long as we must.

And so the being of stars waits.

@CalanoCorvus

[The Bookwyrm he/him]

Ruins of Tal'rin

Bookwyrm lunged for the mysterious fire being.

I'm just going to call it an Ember.

The Ember hissed with the sound of crackling fire as Bookwyrm's sword pierced it's arm. The arm temporarily disintegrated, but re-formed soon after. A spurt of flame came from it's other arm, spiraling through the air towards Bookwyrm.

He easily deflected it, as he had access to several magic systems that gave him control over fire.

Control...

Bookwyrm dismissed his sword.

"Insa!" he yelled. "Can you distract it for me?"

@InfiniteInsanity

 

[Medium he/they]

Calano's Dreamscape

Calano holds up the apple, looking at it. Why an apple? Why is he holding an apple?

His eyes move beyond the apple, to the sky.

An endless array of space and stars shines down from on high, and he breathes out in awe.

What a strange land..

They look around, and see someone sitting on the cliff's edge. They move closer, but they don't recognize the person.

Suddenly, the person asks, "Do you know you're dreaming?"

Calano's eyes furrow, and he says, "Wha- yes?"

The person stands, and breathes out in relief, "Finally!" He says, "I've been waiting forever! You rarely sleep, so for you to be aware that you're here is rare and awesome." He puts his hand out, "My name is Jason."

Calano takes the hand and shakes it, "Calano." He says.

@The Wandering Wizard

Edited November 17, 2022 by CalanoCorvus

[The Wandering Wizard he/him]

Calano's Mindscape

A dark cloud boils on the horizon, rumbling across the waves, heading for the cliff. Yet it appears to be hours away yet.

A voice speaks in Calano's mind, intrinsically familiar, yet he couldn't place the voice.

Beware all you meet in this realm. All have ulterior motives...All.

@CalanoCorvus

[Medium he/they]

Calano's Dreamscape

"Ulterior motives.." Calano says under his breath.

Jason cocks an eyebrow, "Sorry?" He says.

"Nothing," Calano responds, "Uh, do you know where I am, and what," he holds up the apple, "this is?"

Jason nods, "That is what signifies you as the owner of this dreamscape. This is your dreamscape. I'm just a humble traveler who ended up here by hopping around other people's minds. I believe that I arrived because you wandered into someone else's mindscape, I hopped into yours, and then you left. So I've been stuck here."

Calano frowns, "Oh. What do you mean by 'hopping around other people's minds?'"

Jason places a hand on his chest. "I'm what's called a Lucid. I can fall asleep and journey as if I were awake. And I believe you are too, based on how I got here and you were in someone else's mind, even if you didn't know it at the time."

@The Wandering Wizard

Edited November 17, 2022 by CalanoCorvus

[InfiniteInsanity she/her]

1 hour ago, The Bookwyrm said:

"Insa!" he yelled. "Can you distract it for me?"

Ruins of Tal'rin

"Um... I can try" Insa moved over to the side. She took a deep breath and then shot a couple of big electric bolts at the Ember. I hope that works.

[The Wandering Wizard he/him]

Calano's Dreamscape

The cluster of stars in the sky forms into a tiger. It circles in the sky, watching, waiting. Tail twitching, ready to pounce if need be.

@CalanoCorvus

[Telrao she/her]

6 hours ago, The Wandering Wizard said:

The Clinic: Calano's Office

Emma follows the connection to Telrao.

This power is mine not yours little cat!

And she severs the connection, the darkness flowing back towards her again.

Emma curls her fingers and the bolt launches, only barely nicking Calano's right cheek. 

Emma collapses, having fought off Kaos in her mind.

@CalanoCorvus @Telrao

Telrao yelps in pain as the power halts its movement.

No, I need to - a sudden jolt of pain rushes through her, and she lands on the floor, convulsing. She curls up tightly, fighting against it. She finds a tendril and desperately holds onto it, carefully moving it into her bracelets. Slowly, her shivering stops she trembles to shaking feet.

A mild panic sets over her as she spots Calano, asleep, hunched over Emma's immobile form. She checks Emma's pulse and is relieved to find her still breathing. Telrao almost draws Aon Tia to begin a healing, but she pauses.

I don't know what to heal!

She checks her bracelets, runes glowing brightly with dark power. This is the source - she trembles - Kaos' power. My power. Emma's power.

I need to get back to the Islands.... but I need to take Emma and Calano with me... Telrao pads over and curls up next to the humans... waiting for them to awake. The First will know what to do...

[Medium he/they]

3 hours ago, The Wandering Wizard said:

Calano's Dreamscape

The cluster of stars in the sky forms into a tiger. It circles in the sky, watching, waiting. Tail twitching, ready to pounce if need be.

@CalanoCorvus

Calano's Dreamscape

Calano looks down at the apple. "And... this apple.. means I own this dreamscape?" He looks around, at the stars, and the sea.

Jason nods. "Yep."

Calano blinks. "Weird. And, how do I get out of here? My wife is unconscious because of a dark forces influence, so..."

Jason points at the apple. "Take a bite outta that. But first, there's someone I want you to meet."

He points at his head. "Here's what I need you to do. Reach out your hand." Calano reaches out, towards Jason's head. "Now close your eyes," He says softly, and Calano does.

"And let go." He says simply.

And, somehow, some way, Calano lets go.

And he opens his eyes, in a new land. A street. In the middle of a busy neighborhood.

[The Wandering Wizard he/him]

Calano's Dreamscape

The tiger curses and goes to follow Calano.

Wait!

Wizard curses mentally as he waits for the council to convene.

What is it this time? Bites off Wizard.

You stretch your bounaries too far. You become to familiar with these people.

They ARE MY PEOPLE!

Not anymore, you are dead and the only reason you live is you were choosen as a guardian, you have been negligent in your duties.

Wizard bares his fangs to the council.

They NEED HELP! I CAN NOT, NOT HELP THEM! It rubs against my very being to do otherwise.

The oldest tiger constelation steps down towards Wizard. I was as you are, you have higher duties now, but I can give you a leave to try to save them. It is true that they will not survive without your help. 

Wizard turns tail and prepares to leave.

One more thing, young kit.

Wizard pauses. Yes?

Don't forget what happens if you fall.

A chill runs down Wizard's spin and his tail twitches. I will be careful, Scarred one.

Wizard vanishes in a flash of light, tracking Calano.

@CalanoCorvus

[Medium he/they]

Jason's Dreamscape

Jason walks up to Calano. "Hey again," They say, and throw an apple into the air, catching it again as it comes back down.

Calano frowns as he realizes his own apple is gone. "So, this is your dreamscape then?"

Jason nods. "You pick this stuff up pretty quick. Usually, you'd need loads more training to jump between dreamscapes as effortlessly as you just did. And yes," He says, holding up the apple, "This is my dreamscape."

Jason gestures to the house behind Calano, and Calano turns around. "What is it?" Calano asks.

"That's where she lives." Jason says.

"Who's she?"

"Your sister."

@The Wandering Wizard

Edited November 18, 2022 by CalanoCorvus