Insanity Clinic For The Moderately Brandofandonitis Afflicted

[NameIess]

1 hour ago, Aes Sedai said:

The Second Archive

"I think that's a safe bet," Rue said. "But it could also be a fake. Either way, you should be the one to grab it."

The Second Archive

Nameless looked at Rue in mock surprise. "You want me to go grab the extremely dangerous and unknown ter'angreal, that is doubtless protected by all manner of deadly traps?" He laughed. "At least I know you'll be sorry if I die. Still, shouldn't we at least try and see if any of these books say anything about what that ter'angreal does?"

1 hour ago, The Wandering Wizard said:

Clinic: Roof

The tiger dodged backwards, seditious words seeping out.

"You know me Lark, your allies killed me, but now they are exterminated. The chickens are no more."

Clinic: Roof

"The chickens?" Lark pressed the tiger back with a flurry of blows. "Our alliance was never anything more than a means to an end. I couldn't care less what you've done to them."

[Telrao she/her]

5 hours ago, Shadowed said:

The Clinic: The Roof

Matra walked up to the man who Lyna had left in charge. “Um, excuse me, Mister Big Super Scary Soldier Man. I don’t mean to be rude, but me and X came here to help, not just to sit here and watch people die around us. Is there anything— That is to say, well, we’re going to help, whether you like it or not. Isn’t that right, X?”

Without waiting for a response, she summoned her Blade and charged into the fray.

"Wait!" Hav shouted, "Don't - "

5 hours ago, xinoehp512 said:

X stared after Matra as she charged. Help.

That's right, he remembered, thoughts suddenly clicking into place. I need to attack. 

He stepped forwards, following Matra into battle.

Hav grabbed X's shoulder and pulled him back behind the defensive line of his remaining squad. "Are you people crazy?" He pushed X into the arms of Grel. "Keep this guy here - and don't let him go unless he has a very, very good reason." Grel nodded, keeping X in a bear hug. Hav glanced after Matra, then ran after her, turning his blast level to max. "Lyna!" He shouted. Lyna was kneeling on the ground nearby a corpse, holding her head, her helmet on the ground, mouth speaking without words. He stopped, blasting a tiger that got too close, torn between friendship and duty. He chose friendship and ran towards her, shouting. "Lyna!"

8 hours ago, The Wandering Wizard said:

The tigers began to change tactics. Only a few chased after her, swiftly dodging the blasts of flame, trying to trap her. The others patrolled around the tower, waiting for her to teleport.

Telrao huffed and scribbled another Aon on the ground, sending another blast of flame into the air before teleporting away.... directly into a waiting pack of tigers. They screeched, metal bodied twisting about to surround her. She scrambled to draw another Aon Tia, but was shoved backwards. She howled and started running.

@The Wandering Wizard

[Immortal Platypus]

39 minutes ago, The Wandering Wizard said:

"No, that is all for now."

Wizard pads over to Platypus and puts his paw on Platypus's face.

"This words have the power you give them. Power in words, power in me, power in you, my god. Exorcise his memory of this place! Ecalp siht fo yromem sih esicroxe. Dog ym, uoy ni rewop, em ni rewop, sdrow ni rewop. Meht evig uoy rewop eht evah sdrow siht!"

Quote

Wizard is messing with Platypus for last time, those words aren't necessary

Quote

Yeah, I kinda guessed that.

Light Pool

"Uh... How do I get to Thaidakar or... Lark you said? And if I don't know how to get back here, how am I supposed to carry their response?"

@The Wandering Wizard

[The Bookwyrm he/him]

1 hour ago, InfiniteInsanity said:

If it's what has to happen then its fine. It will end well.

The Clinic: Roof

"Stop what from happening to me? I've found my real family."

The Clinic: Roof

"You did," Bookwyrm said, nodding. "But that family is trapped in darkness as well."

56 minutes ago, The Wandering Wizard said:

Bookwyrm received a lazy "Hmmm?"

I have Insa here, Bookwyrm said. Part of me wants to take her to the Origin Sea and use it to purify her.

[xinoehp512 he/him]

17 minutes ago, Telrao said:

"Wait!" Hav shouted, "Don't - "

Hav grabbed X's shoulder and pulled him back behind the defensive line of his remaining squad. "Are you people crazy?" He pushed X into the arms of Grel. "Keep this guy here - and don't let him go unless he has a very, very good reason." Grel nodded, keeping X in a bear hug. Hav glanced after Matra, then ran after her, turning his blast level to max. "Lyna!" He shouted. Lyna was kneeling on the ground nearby a corpse, holding her head, her helmet on the ground, mouth speaking without words. He stopped, blasting a tiger that got too close, torn between friendship and duty. He chose friendship and ran towards her, shouting. "Lyna!"

Telrao huffed and scribbled another Aon on the ground, sending another blast of flame into the air before teleporting away.... directly into a waiting pack of tigers. They screeched, metal bodied twisting about to surround her. She scrambled to draw another Aon Tia, but was shoved backwards. She howled and started running.

@The Wandering Wizard

Hav's hand met an invisible wall before he could grab X. X continued forward, soundless and implacable.

[InfiniteInsanity she/her]

The Clinic: Roof

Insa laughed. "Bookwyrm they aren't on my side they're dead. Emma said our parents died during the Scourge. Then Calano killed her and Wizard died before I came here. He's a guardian now right? So he's not dead dead but he still died. And I'm fairly certain he's not on my side."

@The Bookwyrm

[Edema Rue she/her]

1 hour ago, UnfortunatelyNamed said:

The Second Archive

Nameless looked at Rue in mock surprise. "You want me to go grab the extremely dangerous and unknown ter'angreal, that is doubtless protected by all manner of deadly traps?" He laughed. "At least I know you'll be sorry if I die. Still, shouldn't we at least try and see if any of these books say anything about what that ter'angreal does?"

The Second Archive

"Oh, of course you can read this idiocy; it must be just like the inside of your head! By all means, enlighten me with your wisdom." Rue gestured grandly at the books. 

Edited February 9, 2023 by Aes Sedai

[Medium he/they]

The Path

Calano went through several hundred steps, and by the end, he was barely holding on. He'd been openly bawling for many, many steps already.

But, there was one left.

Quote

Speeding this up, getting it done. I also just really wanted to do this memory, sooooo...

Calano took a shaky breath, stumbling onto the final cobblestone in this vast void.

He looked up at the memory.

And saw twin Lightswords fall onto Emma's head. He stared, watching it repeat, over and over, watching Emma die over and over.

He was so broken, he just stared, mouth agape, tears streaming silently down his face. Why this... why this as his final memory.

He opened his mouth to speak, to acknowledge forgiveness, to fix it... but nothing came out. He fell to his knees, crying, wishing he could give up. There was no way this could be worth it.

But then, a thought occurred to him. It wouldn't be for a long time before he realized that this thought wasn't completely from his own mind. The thought was, 

If you give up now... how will you avenge her?

Calano stared at the ground, contemplating this. Then he stood, and looked at the memory, still looping. "I am sorry," He forced out in a broken whisper, "I am sorry. I am so, so sorry."

He paused for a long while. "But," He croaked, "I will defeat It. I will watch it burn and die. I will avenge you, and pray that your spirit forgives me."

The memory stopped looping. Then slowly, slower than the other memories before, burned away. And a portal of light opened in front of Calano. He stepped through, and opened his eyes, sitting up with a gasp. He looked around, then started crying again.

He felt so much... but right now, he was just...

Tired.

@The Wandering Wizard @The Bookwyrm @Being of Cacophony

[Immortal Platypus]

Quote

is there anything calano wants me to do as I leave? Platypus is about to go, so he should say it soon if there is.

@CalanoCorvus

[Medium he/they]

Quote

I don't think so.. everything now is mostly me, Bookwyrm and Wizard. Yeah.

 

[Thaidakar the Ghostblood he/him]

8 hours ago, The Wandering Wizard said:

The tiger growled, arcane symbols blazing black. Its speed increased beyond normal sight, stopping behind Thaidakar.

It hissed a warning to him, "Stop now young pup before your nose is rubbed in the dirt."

"Young pup? I am thousands, millions perhaps, years old. I haven't really been counting..."

6 hours ago, UnfortunatelyNamed said:

The Second Archive

"The wheel weaves as the wheel wills, and all that." Nameless stopped walking, examining the room he and Rue had just entered.

It was large and circular, walls lined with books titled with writing that was visible but completely unintelligible to both Rue and Nameless, a raised section in the center holding a pedestal upon which an unremarkable staff rested.

"I'm willing to bet that's what we're here for. Perhaps it's a ter'angreal of some kind?"

@Aes Sedai

Clinic: Roof

Lark struggled fiercely as the shadows encompassed him. They whispered to him, telling him that nothing he did would ever be enough, that all the desperate measures he'd taken had been in service of a goal that was, in the end, not just unreachable but also selfish.

Lark felt pain at these lies, for they were truth. He had done horrible things, and his goals had not always been pure. As much as it pained him to admit it, he had been inspired in part by jealousy and hatred, and had often misused power when he had it.

But he didn't have time to wallow in self-pity and hatred. The Clinic was in danger, and everyone in it. He had to act right now, to stop Kaos from winning.

Lark shouted, forcing the shadows away and standing upright. He saw the tiger standing behind Thaidakar and charged, red blade whirring in the air as he swung for the thing's head.

@The Wandering Wizard @Thaidakar the Ghostblood

Thaidakar turned quickly, seeing the tiger dodging. Thaidakar blasted it away from Lark and himself using a beam of seemingly molten energy.

3 hours ago, UnfortunatelyNamed said:

Clinic: Roof

"The chickens?" Lark pressed the tiger back with a flurry of blows. "Our alliance was never anything more than a means to an end. I couldn't care less what you've done to them."

Quote

btw, the chickens aren't all gone.

Only like 99% of them.

King Chickeee and a small group have survived.

@The Wandering Wizard

[NameIess]

2 hours ago, Aes Sedai said:

The Second Archive

"Oh, of course you can read this idiocy; it must be just like the inside of your head! By all means, enlighten me with your wisdom." Rue gestured grandly at the books. 

The Second Archive

Nameless shrugged. "Well, I suppose we could just try to channel into the ter'angreal and see what it does. Not like any harm's ever come from experimenting with unknown objects of the One Power."

[Edema Rue she/her]

1 minute ago, UnfortunatelyNamed said:

The Second Archive

Nameless shrugged. "Well, I suppose we could just try to channel into the ter'angreal and see what it does. Not like any harm's ever come from experimenting with unknown objects of the One Power."

The Second Archive

Rue smiled faintly. “Sarcasm. I miss it, sometimes. But we don’t have time for you to sit here chatting, and I’d rather get caught in a trap than experiment with the Power.” She starts to walk towards the staff. 

[The Wandering Wizard he/him]

2 hours ago, UnfortunatelyNamed said:

The Second Archive

Nameless looked at Rue in mock surprise. "You want me to go grab the extremely dangerous and unknown ter'angreal, that is doubtless protected by all manner of deadly traps?" He laughed. "At least I know you'll be sorry if I die. Still, shouldn't we at least try and see if any of these books say anything about what that ter'angreal does?"

Clinic: Roof

"The chickens?" Lark pressed the tiger back with a flurry of blows. "Our alliance was never anything more than a means to an end. I couldn't care less what you've done to them."

Clinic: Roof

"Foolish mortals not understanding riddles. I am Wizard."

Growling the tiger slashes back at Lark matching him claw to stroke.

1 hour ago, Telrao said:

"Wait!" Hav shouted, "Don't - "

Hav grabbed X's shoulder and pulled him back behind the defensive line of his remaining squad. "Are you people crazy?" He pushed X into the arms of Grel. "Keep this guy here - and don't let him go unless he has a very, very good reason." Grel nodded, keeping X in a bear hug. Hav glanced after Matra, then ran after her, turning his blast level to max. "Lyna!" He shouted. Lyna was kneeling on the ground nearby a corpse, holding her head, her helmet on the ground, mouth speaking without words. He stopped, blasting a tiger that got too close, torn between friendship and duty. He chose friendship and ran towards her, shouting. "Lyna!"

Telrao huffed and scribbled another Aon on the ground, sending another blast of flame into the air before teleporting away.... directly into a waiting pack of tigers. They screeched, metal bodied twisting about to surround her. She scrambled to draw another Aon Tia, but was shoved backwards. She howled and started running.

@The Wandering Wizard

Clinic: Roof

The chase continued and the tiger's tactics continued to evolve, soon they began attempting to grap her limbs to prevent her from drawing the Aons.

@Telrao

1 hour ago, Being of Cacophony said:

Light Pool

"Uh... How do I get to Thaidakar or... Lark you said? And if I don't know how to get back here, how am I supposed to carry their response?"

@The Wandering Wizard

Light Pool

"I do not need a response. Good luck."

A portal opened up under Platypus's feet, leading straight back to the clinic.

@Being of Cacophony

1 hour ago, The Bookwyrm said:

The Clinic: Roof

"You did," Bookwyrm said, nodding. "But that family is trapped in darkness as well."

I have Insa here, Bookwyrm said. Part of me wants to take her to the Origin Sea and use it to purify her.

Light Pool

Bad idea, Calano is still here. The Kaos would learn of our plan, she may already know but we must exercise extreme caution. Do not attempt to bring her here.

@The Bookwyrm

14 minutes ago, CalanoCorvus said:

The Path

Calano went through several hundred steps, and by the end, he was barely holding on. He'd been openly bawling for many, many steps already.

But, there was one left.

Calano took a shaky breath, stumbling onto the final cobblestone in this vast void.

He looked up at the memory.

And saw twin Lightswords fall onto Emma's head. He stared, watching it repeat, over and over, watching Emma die over and over.

He was so broken, he just stared, mouth agape, tears streaming silently down his face. Why this... why this as his final memory.

He opened his mouth to speak, to acknowledge forgiveness, to fix it... but nothing came out. He fell to his knees, crying, wishing he could give up. There was no way this could be worth it.

But then, a thought occurred to him. It wouldn't be for a long time before he realized that this thought wasn't completely from his own mind. The thought was, 

If you give up now... how will you avenge her?

Calano stared at the ground, contemplating this. Then he stood, and looked at the memory, still looping. "I am sorry," He forced out in a broken whisper, "I am sorry. I am so, so sorry."

He paused for a long while. "But," He croaked, "I will defeat It. I will watch it burn and die. I will avenge you, and pray that your spirit forgives me."

The memory stopped looping. Then slowly, slower than the other memories before, burned away. And a portal of light opened in front of Calano. He stepped through, and opened his eyes, sitting up with a gasp. He looked around, then started crying again.

He felt so much... but right now, he was just...

Tired.

@The Wandering Wizard @The Bookwyrm @Being of Cacophony

Light Pool

Wizard rubbed up against Calano, his head popping up under one of Calano's arms, proping him up.

"How did it go so far? Ready to walk the path to the next one?"

@CalanoCorvus

12 minutes ago, Thaidakar the Ghostblood said:

"Young pup? I am thousands, millions perhaps, years old. I haven't really been counting..."

Thaidakar turned quickly, seeing the tiger dodging. Thaidakar blasted it away from Lark and himself using a beam of seemingly molten energy.

@The Wandering Wizard

Clinic: Roof

The tiger dodged, the blast only partially melting his hind leg.

"You will pay for that!" Spits out the tiger, growling as it circles gradually faster patterns around Lark and Thaidakar.

@Thaidakar the Ghostblood @UnfortunatelyNamed

[Medium he/they]

Just now, The Wandering Wizard said:

Light Pool

Wizard rubbed up against Calano, his head popping up under one of Calano's arms, proping him up.

"How did it go so far? Ready to walk the path to the next one?"

@CalanoCorvus

Light Pool

Calano sat, breathing heavily, before taking a deep breath.

"Let me.. let me rest for a moment." He said.

His mind felt... lighter, but he was so tired. He knew he would do the next part of the Path, but for now, he needed a break. Otherwise he would collapse.

After a bit, he looked at Wizard, "It went well. I am very tired because of it, and very, very broken," He said, and paused, "But my Soul is pure now. I am ready for the next part of the Path."

[The Bookwyrm he/him]

3 minutes ago, The Wandering Wizard said:

Light Pool

Bad idea, Calano is still here. The Kaos would learn of our plan, she may already know but we must exercise extreme caution. Do not attempt to bring her here.

@The Bookwyrm

The Clinic: Roof

Bookwyrm gritted his teeth.

Fine. But I'm not abandoning her. I'll save her. Someday, somehow.

3 hours ago, InfiniteInsanity said:

The Clinic: Roof

Insa laughed. "Bookwyrm they aren't on my side they're dead. Emma said our parents died during the Scourge. Then Calano killed her and Wizard died before I came here. He's a guardian now right? So he's not dead dead but he still died. And I'm fairly certain he's not on my side."

@The Bookwyrm

"I..." Bookwyrm hesitated. "I hadn't realized that."

With all the chaos, he hadn't fully had time to register Emma's death. Even now the full reality hadn't set in.

But it was creeping. Bringing a darkness. One separate from the tendrils, one that would leave him vulnerable if Kaos ever struck at his mind again.

"Wizard is still your brother, though. You feel nothing for him? No love, devotion?" Bookwyrm stared into Insa's eyes. "Please. I know this isn't you. Not fully."

[InfiniteInsanity she/her]

5 minutes ago, The Bookwyrm said:

The Clinic: Roof

Bookwyrm gritted his teeth.

Fine. But I'm not abandoning her. I'll save her. Someday, somehow.

"I..." Bookwyrm hesitated. "I hadn't realized that."

With all the chaos, he hadn't fully had time to register Emma's death. Even now the full reality hadn't set in.

But it was creeping. Bringing a darkness. One separate from the tendrils, one that would leave him vulnerable if Kaos ever struck at his mind again.

"Wizard is still your brother, though. You feel nothing for him? No love, devotion?" Bookwyrm stared into Insa's eyes. "Please. I know this isn't you. Not fully."

The Clinic: Roof

Insa looked down again. "He is but.... he's not. He's not my brother, Emma isn't my sister. I barely know them. And if they're my siblings then what about my siblings, my real siblings. What would they be?" She took a deep breath. "I don't know. I just... I don't know."

[Shadowed they/them]

13 hours ago, The Wandering Wizard said:

A pile of nearby bones erupts as a massive skeletal dragon crawls out. Slithering across the floor, its spectral tongue flickers, reaching towards X and Matra.

@xinoehp512 @Shadowed

 

Matra screamed, wildly slashing her sword from side to side, to little effect. Why had she thought this was a good idea? She couldn’t even fight, let alone fight some demonic being of Kaos!

Breathe, Matra. Remember the Golden Ones. Remember your training. A voice whispered from the depths of her being.

Hav ran up to her, yelling at her, but she ploughed on. She could fix this. She could do this.

”Hav, cover my back. You, soldiers, help him with those tigers. As for X,” She grinned slightly maniacally. “Let’s go and fight a skeleton-dragon thing.”

@xinoehp512 @Telrao @The Wandering Wizard

[xinoehp512 he/him]

13 minutes ago, Shadowed said:

Matra screamed, wildly slashing her sword from side to side, to little effect. Why had she thought this was a good idea? She couldn’t even fight, let alone fight some demonic being of Kaos!

Breathe, Matra. Remember the Golden Ones. Remember your training. A voice whispered from the depths of her being.

Hav ran up to her, yelling at her, but she ploughed on. She could fix this. She could do this.

”Hav, cover my back. You, soldiers, help him with those tigers. As for X,” She grinned slightly maniacally. “Let’s go and fight a skeleton-dragon thing.”

@xinoehp512 @Telrao @The Wandering Wizard

X nodded. Clearly this girl- Matra, that was her name- knew what she was doing. He raised his hand and projected a shield as the dragon swooped in for an attack.

@The Wandering Wizard

[The Bookwyrm he/him]

11 hours ago, InfiniteInsanity said:

The Clinic: Roof

Insa looked down again. "He is but.... he's not. He's not my brother, Emma isn't my sister. I barely know them. And if they're my siblings then what about my siblings, my real siblings. What would they be?" She took a deep breath. "I don't know. I just... I don't know."

The Clinic: Roof

Bookwyrm fell silent.

She's lost everything.

What was my part in her story? Did I actually have one?

Bookwyrm stepped forward again, and, not knowing what else to do, gave Insa a hug.

[InfiniteInsanity she/her]

The Clinic: Roof

Insa froze. She wasn't sure what to do. "You're touching me..."

@The Bookwyrm

[The Wandering Wizard he/him]

1 minute ago, InfiniteInsanity said:

The Clinic: Roof

Insa froze. She wasn't sure what to do. "You're touching me..."

@The Bookwyrm

The Kaos: Realm

"Korrupt him. You are already doing it, but you can speed it up. Korrupt him."

[InfiniteInsanity she/her]

16 minutes ago, The Wandering Wizard said:

The Kaos: Realm

"Korrupt him. You are already doing it, but you can speed it up. Korrupt him."

The Clinic: Roof

I... No... I can't.

Insa pushed Bookwyrm away. "Don't touch me."

@The Bookwyrm

Edited February 10, 2023 by InfiniteInsanity

[The Aspiring Archivist any]

2 minutes ago, InfiniteInsanity said:

The Clinic: Roof

I... No... I can't.

Insa pushed Bookwyrm away. "Don't touch me."

@The Bookwyrm

TAAron cautiously approached the two. "What's going on? You shouldn't be near her, she's corrupted."

@The Bookwyrm

[The Bookwyrm he/him]

The Clinic: Roof

"Maybe," Bookwyrm said, meeting Insa's eyes. "But she needed it. And she didn't corrupt me, though she could have."

You're still in there.