Seventh Jump // A Vision of Fear
[[ooc : WARNING. Violence, possible gore, and a very out-of-control Mel. ]]
The sky is blood-red, seemingly trapped in perpetual twilight. There are hills and plains ahead, surrounded by mountains and cliffs. It looks as though it would be beautiful were it not for the atmosphere, but something feels amiss. Every so often, the world flickers to a more natural state of affairs, either a calm night sky filled with stars or a beautiful, partly-cloudy day, complete with rabbits hopping around, birds in the sky, and the occasional traveller passing by. After several minutes, however, the flickering stops, and the world is anchored to the unnerving red skies and the lack of any cheery sounds like birds or squirreles.
Oh, and there are dead bodies littering the ground.
Blood soaks the earth. Soldiers and innocents alike lie slain on the ground. Melusine has crumbled to her knees, no longer wearing her typical black scale mail, but adorned in blood-stainedwhite armor, awkwardly wielding a shield and a sword. It all seems too heavy on her, like she's never worn it before.
Hissing at her is a strange, serpentine beast. "Now, isn't this what you should have done?" it hisses. "Just listen to everyone else. Do what they want. Relinquish your freedom."
Melusine struggles to her feet, lifting the sword again. It's obvious that she's having difficulty doing so, and her attempt at coming off brave isn't working. Unimpressed, the dragon rushes forward, grabbing her by her sheild arm, lifting her, and throwing her to the side. Melusine screams in pain, blood seeping through the wounds made by the dragon's fangs, and struggles to stand.
"What is it you dread the most?" The dragon says, a devilish grin crossing its face as it strides forward. "Is it not being able to protect anything? Is it not having your precious freedom?" Then, surprisingly, the dragon backs away. "No...I know what it is you fear."
The dragon holds forth one of its claws, closed into a fist, and then opens it. Out drops the limp form of a young dragon, sapphire-blue scales defiled by scars and a crusted black substance. Melusine's eyes widen. "NO! Ember--"
But she is too late. The dragon swiftly lowers its foot, claws first. There is a sickening crunch. At first, it's only a stomp. And then the dragon pounds the ground, stabbing and punching. Within moments, Ember is nothing but a barely recognizable lump of flesh and shattered bones.
Melusine doesn't even stand in horror. She instantly flies into a rage, screaming in an emotion mixed with rage, hatred, sorrow and vengance. Briefly, ever so briefly, a pitch-black glyph envelopes her, and then all hell is let loose, if there was more hell than the place already was. Her eyes burn red, her teeth become fangs, her fingers lengthen and sharpen into claws.
The dragon isn't phased at all. "My, my, my, doesn't this look familiar? Where have I seen this before?"
"I'll kill you!" Melusine screams. She tackles the serpent, tearing and clawing and biting and thrashing about as she wressles with it. "I'LL KILL YOU FOR WHAT YOU'VE DONE!"
But Melusine is outmatched. In a single movement, the dragon throws her off and pins her to the ground, slashing her chest and impaling her shoulders to keep her still. "Rahal only let you live because you bore the holy seal," it taunted. "And here you are, as unholy as can be. How ironic, for a Paladin to be unholy..."
"Shut up..."
"Oh, you want to be alone, then? That's how it should end, shouldn't it? Then I'll let you live, alone. Unable to protect, unable to defend, unable to avenge."
"I SAID SHUT UP!"
Just as Melusine makes to slash at the dragon's arm, it vanishes, in its place a terrified soldier. An Elvaan. Blonde hair. Brown eyes. Mouth gawking in shock. His chest impaled by Melusine's claws. And then he falls, too.
Melusine's breath is shaky, her body trembling. Black dragons swoop from the sky. She attacks them. Tigers launch themselves at her. She kills them, too. They shift into the forms of soldiers just as she kills them, and they fall to the ground. Over and over and over. A vicious cycle. Another inhuman screech, she lunges at another dragon, another soldier dies in its place.
The red in the sky deepens.
The sky is blood-red, seemingly trapped in perpetual twilight. There are hills and plains ahead, surrounded by mountains and cliffs. It looks as though it would be beautiful were it not for the atmosphere, but something feels amiss. Every so often, the world flickers to a more natural state of affairs, either a calm night sky filled with stars or a beautiful, partly-cloudy day, complete with rabbits hopping around, birds in the sky, and the occasional traveller passing by. After several minutes, however, the flickering stops, and the world is anchored to the unnerving red skies and the lack of any cheery sounds like birds or squirreles.
Oh, and there are dead bodies littering the ground.
Blood soaks the earth. Soldiers and innocents alike lie slain on the ground. Melusine has crumbled to her knees, no longer wearing her typical black scale mail, but adorned in blood-stainedwhite armor, awkwardly wielding a shield and a sword. It all seems too heavy on her, like she's never worn it before.
Hissing at her is a strange, serpentine beast. "Now, isn't this what you should have done?" it hisses. "Just listen to everyone else. Do what they want. Relinquish your freedom."
Melusine struggles to her feet, lifting the sword again. It's obvious that she's having difficulty doing so, and her attempt at coming off brave isn't working. Unimpressed, the dragon rushes forward, grabbing her by her sheild arm, lifting her, and throwing her to the side. Melusine screams in pain, blood seeping through the wounds made by the dragon's fangs, and struggles to stand.
"What is it you dread the most?" The dragon says, a devilish grin crossing its face as it strides forward. "Is it not being able to protect anything? Is it not having your precious freedom?" Then, surprisingly, the dragon backs away. "No...I know what it is you fear."
The dragon holds forth one of its claws, closed into a fist, and then opens it. Out drops the limp form of a young dragon, sapphire-blue scales defiled by scars and a crusted black substance. Melusine's eyes widen. "NO! Ember--"
But she is too late. The dragon swiftly lowers its foot, claws first. There is a sickening crunch. At first, it's only a stomp. And then the dragon pounds the ground, stabbing and punching. Within moments, Ember is nothing but a barely recognizable lump of flesh and shattered bones.
Melusine doesn't even stand in horror. She instantly flies into a rage, screaming in an emotion mixed with rage, hatred, sorrow and vengance. Briefly, ever so briefly, a pitch-black glyph envelopes her, and then all hell is let loose, if there was more hell than the place already was. Her eyes burn red, her teeth become fangs, her fingers lengthen and sharpen into claws.
The dragon isn't phased at all. "My, my, my, doesn't this look familiar? Where have I seen this before?"
"I'll kill you!" Melusine screams. She tackles the serpent, tearing and clawing and biting and thrashing about as she wressles with it. "I'LL KILL YOU FOR WHAT YOU'VE DONE!"
But Melusine is outmatched. In a single movement, the dragon throws her off and pins her to the ground, slashing her chest and impaling her shoulders to keep her still. "Rahal only let you live because you bore the holy seal," it taunted. "And here you are, as unholy as can be. How ironic, for a Paladin to be unholy..."
"Shut up..."
"Oh, you want to be alone, then? That's how it should end, shouldn't it? Then I'll let you live, alone. Unable to protect, unable to defend, unable to avenge."
"I SAID SHUT UP!"
Just as Melusine makes to slash at the dragon's arm, it vanishes, in its place a terrified soldier. An Elvaan. Blonde hair. Brown eyes. Mouth gawking in shock. His chest impaled by Melusine's claws. And then he falls, too.
Melusine's breath is shaky, her body trembling. Black dragons swoop from the sky. She attacks them. Tigers launch themselves at her. She kills them, too. They shift into the forms of soldiers just as she kills them, and they fall to the ground. Over and over and over. A vicious cycle. Another inhuman screech, she lunges at another dragon, another soldier dies in its place.
The red in the sky deepens.