Tower of Ghenjei: An ICanon subplot

[The Halcyon Girl she/her]

1 minute ago, Ookla the Inverted said:

"I... I'm confused. How could you be real? If you're real, good do you know I'm real? And WHY DO YOU INSIST ON ENDANGERING YOURSELF FOR ME?" The last words came out in a painted, raw yell.

A little nervous from the yell, Haly attempted to answer the questions. “I accessed the dream realm somehow. I think this is a one time thing. I know you’re having this dream, so I assume you’re at least kinda real. And… um. I’m not endangering myself. I’m killing time until I wake up and also hopefully getting clues as to where you are and how we can get there to save you.” She watched him uncertainly.

[The Aspiring Archivist any]

Just now, Ookla the BlowUpperOfStuff said:

A little nervous from the yell, Haly attempted to answer the questions. “I accessed the dream realm somehow. I think this is a one time thing. I know you’re having this dream, so I assume you’re at least kinda real. And… um. I’m not endangering myself. I’m killing time until I wake up and also hopefully getting clues as to where you are and how we can get there to save you.” She watched him uncertainly.

"And that's it! To save me. And the way we're doing that is going to some tower of doom. Look, you're just found to have to go back to the clinic or something. Thank you for being tolerant enough to stick with me, but I'm just found to go in on my own."

 

[The Halcyon Girl she/her]

5 minutes ago, Ookla the Inverted said:

"And that's it! To save me. And the way we're doing that is going to some tower of doom. Look, you're just found to have to go back to the clinic or something. Thank you for being tolerant enough to stick with me, but I'm just found to go in on my own."

 

Haly folded her arms and gave him her best ‘really’ look. It probably didn’t look right. “I refuse to accept that. If you don’t let us come, we’ll come on our own. We’ll hunt you to the ends of the earth. Me, and Nameless, and… Wynn.” Definitely Wynn. “Anyway, you’ll leave us with a lot more trouble if you don’t let us come.” She ate a marshmallow.

Edited December 2, 2022 by Ookla the BlowUpperOfStuff
She needed a marshmallow

[The Aspiring Archivist any]

1 minute ago, Ookla the BlowUpperOfStuff said:

Haly folded her arms and gave him her best ‘really’ look. “I refuse to accept that. If you don’t let us come, we’ll come on our own. We’ll hunt you to the ends of the earth. Me, and Nameless, and… Wynn.” Definitely Wynn. “Anyway, you’ll leave us with a lot more trouble if you don’t let us come.”

"We could all die in that tower. I'm just one person, and you all are the only ones left that I truly care about. Everyone else is dead. My parents, my friends... Tristan." He turned to look behind him, eyes lingering on the boy there for a few seconds. He then quickly turned back away. "If the man who has me trapped ends up killing me, it's probably for the best."

[The Halcyon Girl she/her]

5 minutes ago, Ookla the Inverted said:

"We could all die in that tower. I'm just one person, and you all are the only ones left that I truly care about. Everyone else is dead. My parents, my friends... Tristan." He turned to look behind him, eyes lingering on the boy there for a few seconds. He then quickly turned back away. "If the man who has me trapped ends up killing me, it's probably for the best."

“I…” Her hands dropped to her sides. Only ones left. “I’m sorry.” She bit her lip, searching for words, but then she processed the rest. “Hang on. You’re trapped again?”

Edited December 2, 2022 by Ookla the BlowUpperOfStuff

[The Aspiring Archivist any]

Just now, Ookla the BlowUpperOfStuff said:

“I…” Her hands dropped to her sides. Only ones left. “I’m sorry.” She bit her lip, searching for words. “It it helps, we don’t plan on dying. Please, let us help you.”

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Haly probably shouldn't know that TAAron is trapped, right? In case you want to edit your response somewhat or tack on a "Wait, what?" type thing.

 

[The Halcyon Girl she/her]

Just now, Ookla the Inverted said:

 

Quote

Yes that’s a good point. There.

 

[The Aspiring Archivist any]

3 minutes ago, Ookla the BlowUpperOfStuff said:

“I…” Her hands dropped to her sides. Only ones left. “I’m sorry.” She bit her lip, searching for words, but then she processed the rest. “Hang on. You’re trapped again?”

"Oh. Yeah. Maybe this time he'll just make me jump off a cliff instead of trying to kill everyone I know. Maybe if he tries attack you, I can just burn pewter to incapacitate myself. What's a little more soul damage?"

[The Halcyon Girl she/her]

3 minutes ago, Ookla the Inverted said:

"Oh. Yeah. Maybe this time he'll just make me jump off a cliff instead of trying to kill everyone I know. Maybe if he tries attack you, I can just burn pewter to incapacitate myself. What's a little more soul damage?"

“Don’t do that!” Haly grabbed her head. “Do you have any idea where you are? Anything we could use?”

[The Aspiring Archivist any]

Just now, Ookla the BlowUpperOfStuff said:

“Don’t do that!” Haly grabbed her head. “Do you have any idea where you are? Anything we could use?”

"No, but I probably wouldn't tell you anyways. And..." His expression changed from determined to pained. "I'm sorry for doing this to you. You'll get over it, eventually. But I know I wouldn't have."

[The Halcyon Girl she/her]

Just now, Ookla the Inverted said:

"No, but I probably wouldn't tell you anyways. And..." His expression changed from determined to pained. "I'm sorry for doing this to you. You'll get over it, eventually. But I know I wouldn't have."

“Get over it?” Haly laughed. “Get over it? Oh, you have no idea. I’m not letting you die too, and that’s final.” She summoned a giant squishy marshmallow beanbag and leaned back onto it.

[The Aspiring Archivist any]

1 minute ago, Ookla the BlowUpperOfStuff said:

“Get over it?” Haly laughed. “Get over it? Oh, you have no idea. I’m not letting you die too, and that’s final.” She summoned a giant squishy marshmallow beanbag and leaned back onto it.

"Why do you care so much? How can I make you stop? I've told you, I'm not worth it! Not your help, not your friendship." Lightning struck again nearby. The rift seemed to be expanding.

[The Halcyon Girl she/her]

3 minutes ago, Ookla the Inverted said:

"Why do you care so much? How can I make you stop? I've told you, I'm not worth it! Not your help, not your friendship." Lightning struck again nearby. The rift seemed to be expanding.

“I’ll stop when I’m dead.” Haly grabbed some chocolate from nowhere. “You don’t get what ‘worth it’ is. It’s not succeeding at everything all the time, or being perfect and incredible and amazing in every way. ‘Worth it’ means that you make the world a little better by virtue of being in it and contributing something—who you are. You’re a great friend, TAAron. That alone, even if there were nothing else; makes it worthwhile. And stop protesting, or I’ll throw marshmallows at you.”

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I best go to bed now. Goodbye! Be back hopefully tomorrow (things have been crazy lately)! 

 

Edited December 2, 2022 by Ookla the BlowUpperOfStuff

[The Aspiring Archivist any]

8 minutes ago, Ookla the BlowUpperOfStuff said:

“I’ll stop when I’m dead.” Haly grabbed some chocolate from nowhere. “You don’t get what ‘worth it’ is. It’s not succeeding at everything all the time, or being perfect and incredible and amazing in every way. ‘Worth it’ means that you make the world a little better by virtue of being in it and contributing something—who you are. You’re a great friend, TAAron. That alone, even if there were nothing else; makes it worthwhile. And stop protesting, or I’ll throw marshmallows at you.”

"Will you stop when I'm dead? Because I... I'm practically living dead at this point. It doesn't matter how good of a friend I am once this soul damage or the manipulator or whatever finally catches up with me. And what do you mean, 'even if there were nothing else?'"

Edited December 2, 2022 by Ookla the Inverted

[The Halcyon Girl she/her]

23 hours ago, Ookla the Inverted said:

"Will you stop when I'm dead? Because I... I'm practically living dead at this point. It doesn't matter how good of a friend I am once this soul damage or the manipulator or whatever finally catches up with me. And what do you mean, 'even if there were nothing else?'"

Haly pelted a marshmallow at him. “I mean that if all you were was a great friend, you’d still be worth it. You gave me Lerasium, remember? And you sparred with me, and helped me get that sequin. You fought Karden. And you can burn Allomatic metals. That’s all other things.”

”You’re not going to die.” Another marshmallow hit the side of his head. “We’re not giving up, and you aren’t either, because if you do then we have no choice. Will you quit being so stubborn?”

[The Aspiring Archivist any]

1 hour ago, Ookla the BlowUpperOfStuff said:

Haly pelted a marshmallow at him. “I mean that if all you were was a great friend, you’d still be worth it. You gave me Lerasium, remember? And you sparred with me, and helped me get that sequin. You fought Karden. And you can burn Allomatic metals. That’s all other things.”

”You’re not going to die.” Another marshmallow hit the side of his head. “We’re not giving up, and you aren’t either, because if you do then we have no choice. Will you quit being so stubborn?”

"How can you stand to be so positive? People die all the time. Sometimes, you can't do anything about it. I'm... glad I was able to do something worthwhile with myself." TAAron paused, taking a deep breath. "I'm sorry. I... I think I just care too much about you to watch you keep suffering for my sake. But if you're going to insist on trying to help me, I suppose I can't stop you.

"And... thank you for being such a good friend to me. I would already be dead without you. You gave me more time, and I'm glad I got to spend it with you."

Edited December 3, 2022 by Ookla the Inverted

[The Halcyon Girl she/her]

2 hours ago, Ookla the Inverted said:

"How can you stand to be so positive? People die all the time. Sometimes, you can't do anything about it. I'm... glad I was able to do something worthwhile with myself." TAAron paused, taking a deep breath. "I'm sorry. I... I think I just care too much about you to watch you keep suffering for my sake. But if you're going to insist on trying to help me, I suppose I can't stop you.

"And... thank you for being such a good friend to me. I would already be dead without you. You gave me more time, and I'm glad I got to spend it with you."

Haly grinned, the faintest tinge of pink touching her cheeks. “Me too, TAAron.” She glanced at the ground, unsure what to say next. “We’ll get out of this. Somehow.”

[The Aspiring Archivist any]

8 hours ago, Ookla the BlowUpperOfStuff said:

Haly grinned, the faintest tinge of pink touching her cheeks. “Me too, TAAron.” She glanced at the ground, unsure what to say next. “We’ll get out of this. Somehow.”

"If you say so." He sighed. "Look, if it'll make you happy, I'll tell you what I know about my prison, but it's not much. I got pulled in from the void, and now I'm in what kind of looks like an office building. That's all. I don't know if Nameless can somehow track whatever traces of magic may have been left behind. Just be as careful as you can around stuff that the manipulator has tampered with. I don't know who he is or what he's capable of. If Nameless can't find me, well, I hope this guy doesn't kill me immediately. It would be a shame to miss out on so much."

He sat silent for a moment. Then, suddenly, he stood and seized Haly by the shoulders. "Whatever you do, whatever happens, remember this. I'm not worth dying for." Tears welled up in his eyes. "Please be careful."

Then, he hugged her.

Edited December 3, 2022 by Ookla the Inverted
Make of it what you will, do with it what you will.

[Ranryu she/her]

The nightmare was over, but Wynn was still dreaming. Trapped in a dream, to be exact. How she wished she could have Haly's ability to dreamwalk!

Haly was gone, though, doing something else, and the whispering voice had disappeared. The darkness was soothing, but not particularly productive. She needed to wake up. Perhaps some Shadow Magic was required.

Ugh. Wynn hated the stuff. It was dangerous and unreliable, unlike her typical dueling equipment. Her soul hadn't had time to regenerate from her last shadow duel, which meant this would probably hurt a lot. Shadow Magic involved converting a soul into energy. Typically, the soul of another was used, but Wynn was alone, and besides, that was unethical. If she split off only a tiny piece of her soul, it would give her enough energy to wake up without causing irreparable damage. 

Here goes something...

[The Halcyon Girl she/her]

19 hours ago, Ookla the Inverted said:

"If you say so." He sighed. "Look, if it'll make you happy, I'll tell you what I know about my prison, but it's not much. I got pulled in from the void, and now I'm in what kind of looks like an office building. That's all. I don't know if Nameless can somehow track whatever traces of magic may have been left behind. Just be as careful as you can around stuff that the manipulator has tampered with. I don't know who he is or what he's capable of. If Nameless can't find me, well, I hope this guy doesn't kill me immediately. It would be a shame to miss out on so much."

He sat silent for a moment. Then, suddenly, he stood and seized Haly by the shoulders. "Whatever you do, whatever happens, remember this. I'm not worth dying for." Tears welled up in his eyes. "Please be careful."

Then, he hugged her.

Haly stiffened in surprise, then hugged him back. Apparently, emotion was contagious, because her own vision was starting to warp. “I’ll be careful. I promise.”

But you’re wrong.

[The Aspiring Archivist any]

9 minutes ago, Ookla the BlowUpperOfStuff said:

Haly stiffened in surprise, then hugged him back. Apparently, emotion was contagious, because her own vision was starting to warp. “I’ll be careful. I promise.”

But you’re wrong.

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Vision starting to warp? And wrong about what?

"Okay." He let go and took a small step back, slightly red in the face. "So now what? I don't know if I can wake up on command or anything."

[The Halcyon Girl she/her]

1 minute ago, Ookla the Inverted said:

"Okay." He let go and took a small step back, slightly red in the face. "So now what? I don't know if I can wake up on command or anything."

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I was trying to say she was tearing up

Prolly should have said ‘starting to swim’

And wrong about he’s not worth dying for

Her shoulders hunched. “I don’t know. I guess I go talk to Nameless now.” She was not enthused by the idea of leaving, and that was in her voice.

[The Aspiring Archivist any]

1 minute ago, Ookla the BlowUpperOfStuff said:

Her shoulders hunched. “I don’t know. I guess I go talk to Nameless now.” She was not enthused by the idea of leaving, and that was in her voice.

The rift on the horizon had expanded significantly, now appearing to be about the size of one of the large storm clouds in the sky around it.

"Alright then." TAAron didn't sound very enthusiastic either. "See you soon, I h-"

Lightning struck again, this time directly on TAAron. Despite the whole world only being a dream, the scholar collapsed to the ground, not remotely singed but unmoving.

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Fun new idea: soul damage weakens the separation between the sleeping and waking mind. TAAron's not dead, but very ouch.

 

[The Halcyon Girl she/her]

15 minutes ago, Ookla the Inverted said:

The rift on the horizon had expanded significantly, now appearing to be about the size of one of the large storm clouds in the sky around it.

"Alright then." TAAron didn't sound very enthusiastic either. "See you soon, I h-"

Lightning struck again, this time directly on TAAron. Despite the whole world only being a dream, the scholar collapsed to the ground, not remotely singed but unmoving.

 

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Ooh das good

Haly knelt next to him, confused and concerned. “Are you okay? TAAron?” Knocked out in a dream? How? 

[The Aspiring Archivist any]

1 minute ago, Ookla the BlowUpperOfStuff said:

Haly knelt next to him, confused and concerned. “Are you okay? TAAron?” Knocked out in a dream? How? 

TAAron remained unresponsive, breath shallow. Suddenly, someone knelt down next to Haly.

It was the boy.

"TAAron, are you okay? What happened?" The boy didn't even seem to notice Haly. He began struggling to lift TAAron, as though to drag him away to the town nearby.