Post by Admin on Aug 19, 2016 3:31:26 GMT -5
~You’ve truly made the right choice here. I mean kind of the right choice. You can’t fool me, you know.~
Amarante tries to ignore the voice in her head, the voice of Garuda. It’s hard enough navigating through the driving snow of Coerthas.. the Central Highlands, specifically. Her form is concealed under a heavy burka outfit, her spear slung upon her back. She had arrived at Camp Dragonhead the night before, and set out with the rising sun.
~I mean to me it’s as plain as the silly ears upon your head. You go to give yourself to Garuda.. but you intend to fight Garuda instead? Oh, poor little misguided Elezen. This will end so poorly for you.~
Her eyes squeeze tightly closed as she pulls her burka a little more tightly around her form, stumbling slightly in the near blizzard like conditions. She isn’t real sure how long she has been trekking through the snow.. all she knows is she needs to keep going. Her destination can’t be terribly far. Natalan.. where the cursed Ixal have erected their tribute to their terrible Primal.. Garuda.
~Your plan has already failed. Just give up.~
Amarante shakes her head rapidly as she hears the voice once more in her mind.. and now she squints as she sees some barriers in the snow along her path. Barriers erected by the Ixal, so now she knows she is close. And fortunately she is right. She can see the dirigibles in the not so far distance, silent sentinels hovering over the Ixal territory. And already she can hear the Ixal.. some in the distance calling out warnings in their own language. But this does nothing to slow her pace towards their territory.
~At least they won’t attack you, hm? One less problem.~
“Why won’t they?” Amarante asks out loud as she reaches over her shoulder, unslinging her lance.
~You wreak of Garuda, little Elezen.~
And indeed, as she gets closer to the guarded gates of Natalan..the Ixal seem to distance themselves from her approach. Warily she watches the armed guards back from her approach, allowing her silent entry. Not saying anything, not making any hostile advances towards her. Now she doesn’t remember a lot.. her memory is so fragmented at this point it’s a wonder she can even recall her name or how to walk right. But she seems to remember the path to the Garuda shrine erected here deep in Natalan. Odd thing, that. And it isn’t long before she reaches her destination.. the seeming haphazard crystal erected to Garuda here in the snow and rock. Flags bearing the Ixal crest are strewn around it, as are honing crystals. 3 smaller dark lavender colored crystals float and sway around the base crystal. And as Amarante looks up at the crystal.. she can feel nothing but dread.
~Well, here we are again. Back where our little journey started. Where you and Fox and Armantiel were foolish enough to think you could beat a Primal.. beat Garuda.. and walk away unscathed. They came out of it fine, didn’t they? But you.. well it seems you weren’t strong enough. And here we are again. Ready to do something dumb, little Elezen?~
Garuda’s chortle rings in her ears as she stares up at the shimmering crystal, a determined frown upon her parched lips. And now in her mind.. the Garuda avatar stands practically towering over her form. As it always is in her mind. In her mind the two of them stand upon a wind swept field, a torrent swirling all around them. Garuda’s home territory. Whenever she sees Garuda in her fractured mind, this is always where they are. It is Garuda’s choice that they are shown to be here, an example of the power she holds over Amarante’s mind. As if she wanted to always subtly remind Amarante just who is in charge. While that may be true, Amarante has no intention of backing down to this subtle display of power. She intends to end this, one way or another. While she is forced to be upon this field, she is still in possession of her weapon. Staring up at the immense Garuda, she unslings her lance as she calls out to her. “You think you’ve won, because we are here? I came out to Natalan, to your shrine, to end you! To end this!” The Garuda in her mind just grins as she stares down at Amarante.
~Truly you are amusing. Garuda is going to have quite a good time eternally tormenting your mind and soul. Now that we are here.. now that you have done as I wanted you to.. perhaps it is indeed time to end our little struggle, little Elezen.~
She cackles merrily as she draws her clawed hands up, the winds around them getting stronger. And with her words.. Amarante realizes something. Why in the seven Hells would she need to travel to Natalan, to this Garuda shrine? Still in her mind she blinks, and she looks down and away from Garuda. And the winged demon, she kneels down to be closer to eye level with Amarante.
~Indeed, why would you want to come out here? It’s because I wanted it this way. To be closer to this crystal, this nexus of Aether, it will make it all the more easier for Garuda to consume your soul. Your mind. You didn’t even realize, did you? You are nothing more than my marionette, and I the puppeteer. And you have danced so divinely for me, little Elezen!~
She cackles once more as she now stands, and Amarante’s logic just can’t keep up with this. Garuda is a Primal.. capable of unimaginable feats of power and strength. All this time she has been tormenting Amarante.. saying she wanted to occupy her body. And Amarante has been able to fend her off, at great cost. It has slowly eaten away at her mind, fractured her memories to almost nothing. But why? Why this game? Surely Garuda is more interested in the end result, not in this struggle. Vengeance, perhaps? To torture the one that defeated her, and then housed her very essence? That seems to cut and dry. No, Garuda wanted to be brought back to this very spot, to the spot where she fell to the trio from Black Arrow. Or perhaps she had to be brought back here. Amarante looks up towards Garuda.. but the winged monster is gone suddenly. And Amarante hears Garuda now behind her.
~For someone who prides themselves on their intelligent, you really aren’t that bright. Or perhaps it is a side effect from me destroying your brain. But in my defense.. well that only happened because you have been fighting me. It’s been far too much strain on your fragile mind, little Elezen.~
Garuda grins wickedly as she leans against one of the rocky outcroppings surrounding them, and Amarante turns slowly to face her as she speaks. “Why.. why all of this? You should be able to overcome me at any time you wished. Such is the power of the Primals..” And then she is surrounded by the sound of laughter, chortling, hundreds of voices it seems. Amarante looks around herself in bewilderment as Garuda speaks once more through her own chuckling. And Garuda stands now, motioning all around her, as if addressing the ones laughing.
~She still doesn’t understand!~
The laughter gets louder, and now Amarante finds herself being angered moreso. She has many flaws, and one of her major ones is her pride. And she doesn’t like to be laughed at. The grip she has upon her lance tightens as she stares daggers at Garuda. And Garuda, she seems to need a moment to compose herself before she speaks again, soft laughter still coming from all around her.
~Oh, oh I know how much you dislike being laughed at. Or used. Or shown how inferior you truly are. All things I have been able to do with ease. My little Elezen marionette.. I have been toying with you this whole time. I felt the need to soften you up, tenderize your spirit for when it is finally possessed. And now that you have brought yourself to the shrine.. it is now time.~
Garuda seems delighted in tormenting Amarante. But she just stares up at Garuda, blocking out the echoing laughter around her. And then.. a horrid realization comes to her mind. Her eyes widen, and she drops her lance upon the grass here within her mind. And Garuda.. she starts to grin more widely, motioning Amarante to speak.
“You.. you’re NOT Garuda…”
Garuda grins even moreso, a sinister grin as she hisses out.
~Of course not. I never said I was.~
Amarante tries to ignore the voice in her head, the voice of Garuda. It’s hard enough navigating through the driving snow of Coerthas.. the Central Highlands, specifically. Her form is concealed under a heavy burka outfit, her spear slung upon her back. She had arrived at Camp Dragonhead the night before, and set out with the rising sun.
~I mean to me it’s as plain as the silly ears upon your head. You go to give yourself to Garuda.. but you intend to fight Garuda instead? Oh, poor little misguided Elezen. This will end so poorly for you.~
Her eyes squeeze tightly closed as she pulls her burka a little more tightly around her form, stumbling slightly in the near blizzard like conditions. She isn’t real sure how long she has been trekking through the snow.. all she knows is she needs to keep going. Her destination can’t be terribly far. Natalan.. where the cursed Ixal have erected their tribute to their terrible Primal.. Garuda.
~Your plan has already failed. Just give up.~
Amarante shakes her head rapidly as she hears the voice once more in her mind.. and now she squints as she sees some barriers in the snow along her path. Barriers erected by the Ixal, so now she knows she is close. And fortunately she is right. She can see the dirigibles in the not so far distance, silent sentinels hovering over the Ixal territory. And already she can hear the Ixal.. some in the distance calling out warnings in their own language. But this does nothing to slow her pace towards their territory.
~At least they won’t attack you, hm? One less problem.~
“Why won’t they?” Amarante asks out loud as she reaches over her shoulder, unslinging her lance.
~You wreak of Garuda, little Elezen.~
And indeed, as she gets closer to the guarded gates of Natalan..the Ixal seem to distance themselves from her approach. Warily she watches the armed guards back from her approach, allowing her silent entry. Not saying anything, not making any hostile advances towards her. Now she doesn’t remember a lot.. her memory is so fragmented at this point it’s a wonder she can even recall her name or how to walk right. But she seems to remember the path to the Garuda shrine erected here deep in Natalan. Odd thing, that. And it isn’t long before she reaches her destination.. the seeming haphazard crystal erected to Garuda here in the snow and rock. Flags bearing the Ixal crest are strewn around it, as are honing crystals. 3 smaller dark lavender colored crystals float and sway around the base crystal. And as Amarante looks up at the crystal.. she can feel nothing but dread.
~Well, here we are again. Back where our little journey started. Where you and Fox and Armantiel were foolish enough to think you could beat a Primal.. beat Garuda.. and walk away unscathed. They came out of it fine, didn’t they? But you.. well it seems you weren’t strong enough. And here we are again. Ready to do something dumb, little Elezen?~
Garuda’s chortle rings in her ears as she stares up at the shimmering crystal, a determined frown upon her parched lips. And now in her mind.. the Garuda avatar stands practically towering over her form. As it always is in her mind. In her mind the two of them stand upon a wind swept field, a torrent swirling all around them. Garuda’s home territory. Whenever she sees Garuda in her fractured mind, this is always where they are. It is Garuda’s choice that they are shown to be here, an example of the power she holds over Amarante’s mind. As if she wanted to always subtly remind Amarante just who is in charge. While that may be true, Amarante has no intention of backing down to this subtle display of power. She intends to end this, one way or another. While she is forced to be upon this field, she is still in possession of her weapon. Staring up at the immense Garuda, she unslings her lance as she calls out to her. “You think you’ve won, because we are here? I came out to Natalan, to your shrine, to end you! To end this!” The Garuda in her mind just grins as she stares down at Amarante.
~Truly you are amusing. Garuda is going to have quite a good time eternally tormenting your mind and soul. Now that we are here.. now that you have done as I wanted you to.. perhaps it is indeed time to end our little struggle, little Elezen.~
She cackles merrily as she draws her clawed hands up, the winds around them getting stronger. And with her words.. Amarante realizes something. Why in the seven Hells would she need to travel to Natalan, to this Garuda shrine? Still in her mind she blinks, and she looks down and away from Garuda. And the winged demon, she kneels down to be closer to eye level with Amarante.
~Indeed, why would you want to come out here? It’s because I wanted it this way. To be closer to this crystal, this nexus of Aether, it will make it all the more easier for Garuda to consume your soul. Your mind. You didn’t even realize, did you? You are nothing more than my marionette, and I the puppeteer. And you have danced so divinely for me, little Elezen!~
She cackles once more as she now stands, and Amarante’s logic just can’t keep up with this. Garuda is a Primal.. capable of unimaginable feats of power and strength. All this time she has been tormenting Amarante.. saying she wanted to occupy her body. And Amarante has been able to fend her off, at great cost. It has slowly eaten away at her mind, fractured her memories to almost nothing. But why? Why this game? Surely Garuda is more interested in the end result, not in this struggle. Vengeance, perhaps? To torture the one that defeated her, and then housed her very essence? That seems to cut and dry. No, Garuda wanted to be brought back to this very spot, to the spot where she fell to the trio from Black Arrow. Or perhaps she had to be brought back here. Amarante looks up towards Garuda.. but the winged monster is gone suddenly. And Amarante hears Garuda now behind her.
~For someone who prides themselves on their intelligent, you really aren’t that bright. Or perhaps it is a side effect from me destroying your brain. But in my defense.. well that only happened because you have been fighting me. It’s been far too much strain on your fragile mind, little Elezen.~
Garuda grins wickedly as she leans against one of the rocky outcroppings surrounding them, and Amarante turns slowly to face her as she speaks. “Why.. why all of this? You should be able to overcome me at any time you wished. Such is the power of the Primals..” And then she is surrounded by the sound of laughter, chortling, hundreds of voices it seems. Amarante looks around herself in bewilderment as Garuda speaks once more through her own chuckling. And Garuda stands now, motioning all around her, as if addressing the ones laughing.
~She still doesn’t understand!~
The laughter gets louder, and now Amarante finds herself being angered moreso. She has many flaws, and one of her major ones is her pride. And she doesn’t like to be laughed at. The grip she has upon her lance tightens as she stares daggers at Garuda. And Garuda, she seems to need a moment to compose herself before she speaks again, soft laughter still coming from all around her.
~Oh, oh I know how much you dislike being laughed at. Or used. Or shown how inferior you truly are. All things I have been able to do with ease. My little Elezen marionette.. I have been toying with you this whole time. I felt the need to soften you up, tenderize your spirit for when it is finally possessed. And now that you have brought yourself to the shrine.. it is now time.~
Garuda seems delighted in tormenting Amarante. But she just stares up at Garuda, blocking out the echoing laughter around her. And then.. a horrid realization comes to her mind. Her eyes widen, and she drops her lance upon the grass here within her mind. And Garuda.. she starts to grin more widely, motioning Amarante to speak.
“You.. you’re NOT Garuda…”
Garuda grins even moreso, a sinister grin as she hisses out.
~Of course not. I never said I was.~