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Stars of Cinder • RP Thread (ON HIATUS UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE)
- Thread starter azontr
- Start date
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"I can teleport all of us quickly to the car, let me handle that part little miss"
Added Dean to Elis part 2 of the plan
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"Did it already many times, incubi remember?"
Joked a little when she said not to **** up
Joked a little when she said not to **** up
Oliver_de_jesus
He/Him- 24,449
- 17,664
(do I make the hole now or?)
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"Shut." Kentoria said through clenched teeth
Oliver_de_jesus
He/Him- 24,449
- 17,664
Brownie took that as a sign and raised his front left paw and then slammed it into the wall making a huge 10 square meter hole.
Exposing the terrain to his allies's and sight of nearby cultists
Exposing the terrain to his allies's and sight of nearby cultists
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Kentoria Immediately dashed down to kill any cultist in sight, she was silent, while Skarr used the blood in the area to amplify himself to strike down at the cultists
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Charlotte slowly walked forward, Phoebe's Fist continuing to morph and writhe on her right hand. Her anger, her bloodlust, her sadness...they were gone now, or rather, they had boiled over to the point that the emotions were incomprehensible, even to her. What was left, was a feeling of cold, dark apathy.
"...No survivors..." She muttered. Slowly...she raised her right arm, a dozen small holes opening up across Phoebe's Fist. Nothing happened for a moment, Charlotte's hand simply hovered in front of her, almost as if she were reaching for something.
And then...it began to fire.
Dozens of bullets began to erupt from each hole, showering the surrounding area in a hail of gunfire. It seemed indiscriminate at first glance...but a closer inspection revealed that it couldn't be further from the truth. Like a hawk, she had methodically scanned every inch of the surrounding area, picking out both the tortured victims and the army of cultists below them. As the bullets began to fly through the air, they would begin to bounce, rapidly altering their trajectory to position themselves perfectly at their targets. The last thing cultists and civilians alike would see was bullets turning towards them, before piercing them entirely, necks, heads, and hearts being blown apart by the force of the incoming projectiles, splattering viscera onto the ground below.
"...No survivors..." She muttered. Slowly...she raised her right arm, a dozen small holes opening up across Phoebe's Fist. Nothing happened for a moment, Charlotte's hand simply hovered in front of her, almost as if she were reaching for something.
And then...it began to fire.
Dozens of bullets began to erupt from each hole, showering the surrounding area in a hail of gunfire. It seemed indiscriminate at first glance...but a closer inspection revealed that it couldn't be further from the truth. Like a hawk, she had methodically scanned every inch of the surrounding area, picking out both the tortured victims and the army of cultists below them. As the bullets began to fly through the air, they would begin to bounce, rapidly altering their trajectory to position themselves perfectly at their targets. The last thing cultists and civilians alike would see was bullets turning towards them, before piercing them entirely, necks, heads, and hearts being blown apart by the force of the incoming projectiles, splattering viscera onto the ground below.
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"Someone is in a hurry"
Pointed out about Kentoria quickly going in for the action
Pointed out about Kentoria quickly going in for the action
azontr
He/Him- 40,423
- 50,115
- Thread starter
- #6,132
Elis simply listened to the sounds of flesh and viscera being torn, not even a scream or shout being able to get out of a single mouth of the victims of Charlotte's and Kentoria's slaughter. She stared off into space, simply breathing in and out slowly, recording every detail she could.
"...1...2...3...4...5..." And as bodies fell, she would count the bodies, the sound of their thumping against the ground, to deduce how many there were left to kill. Elis continued her count up until the dozens, until she'd reached the low hundreds within what seemed to be a few seconds, and...
"Dean, quick." Elis ordered as the final body dropped. "Before we get spotted by that guy again..."
"...1...2...3...4...5..." And as bodies fell, she would count the bodies, the sound of their thumping against the ground, to deduce how many there were left to kill. Elis continued her count up until the dozens, until she'd reached the low hundreds within what seemed to be a few seconds, and...
"Dean, quick." Elis ordered as the final body dropped. "Before we get spotted by that guy again..."
Oliver_de_jesus
He/Him- 24,449
- 17,664
Brownie, to make sure, quickly spat out a plasmatic substance that quickly hardened on the doors, nuclear paste billions of times harder than normal steel.
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seeing his team starting killing the cultists. Orphic began to electrocute the cultists
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Dean immediately opened portals to each member of the group when he heard just his name from Elis, getting the heck out of there instantly and arriving near their car shortly after
azontr
He/Him- 40,423
- 50,115
- Thread starter
- #6,136
Adrian shot through the portal, grabbing Valkiria at the same time. The grey-haired soldier did the same, holding her gun to her chest.
Elis grunted, grabbing Timcanpy and launching herself through the portal Dean had created. The sound of rapidly approaching cultists toward the area violently intensified.
Elis grunted, grabbing Timcanpy and launching herself through the portal Dean had created. The sound of rapidly approaching cultists toward the area violently intensified.
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Charlotte whirled around, her Spatial Awareness already picking up the forms of the individual cultists as they approached. With her back towards the portals, she grabbed onto Pheobe's Joy with her right hand; the powerful hand cannon tightly clutched in her palm. With her left hand, she fired a barrage of bullets from Pheobe's Fists, the hail of gunfire bouncing rapidly as it struck the approaching cultists. With her right hand, she fired six, precise shots from her hand canon, picking off any cultists who were durable enough to withstand the initial barrage. Simultaneously, she stepped backward, moving closer and closer to the portals, before jumping off her feet, throwing herself head-first into the nearest hole in space as she escaped with the others.
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Kentoria rushed through, Talandar right behind her, Relama getting through as fast as he could, and Skarr moved through
Oliver_de_jesus
He/Him- 24,449
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Brownie entered the portal
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Dean upon his leave with the rest has left several balls of energy, detonating all after they were gone violently at the cultists around, messing up the surrounding area from there as a result too
azontr
He/Him- 40,423
- 50,115
- Thread starter
- #6,141
(Really sorry that this is moving so slow, juggling multiple RPs is hard.)
Assuming the portals had closed, Elis keeled over, breathing heavily. Her blank, crimson gaze displayed clear and apparent worry, had they been even a moment slower, they would've been captured once more.
"Everyone alive...?" Adrian asked, coughing a bit.
Assuming the portals had closed, Elis keeled over, breathing heavily. Her blank, crimson gaze displayed clear and apparent worry, had they been even a moment slower, they would've been captured once more.
"Everyone alive...?" Adrian asked, coughing a bit.
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Orphic rushed through the portal
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"Still standing....still breathing....still talking..."
Responds to Adrian
Responds to Adrian
Oliver_de_jesus
He/Him- 24,449
- 17,664
Brownie sighed noticing how they had completely left that place.
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"Until then..." Kentoria muttered, teleporting over to Charlotte "you need to learn to control your bloodlust, you seriously ****** up." She said, she was controlling her own anger from just exploding at Charlotte
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Charlotte picked herself off the ground, not bothering to dust her battered suit off. She glared down at Kentoria for a moment, before slowly breathing out.
"...Understood." She said simply, her voice cold.
"...Understood." She said simply, her voice cold.
azontr
He/Him- 40,423
- 50,115
- Thread starter
- #6,148
Elis merely remained silent, simply breathing out.
"It doesn't matter now anyway... We survived... That's all that matters..." She murmured to Kentoria.
Her eyes stared off into the toxic clouds that surrounded Krieg, an empty, hollow chasm forming in the pupils that were once filled with hope, with light. Elis's experiences in the Stars of Cinder had considerably warped her perception of the world around her. When she started out, she didn't expect this. Didn't expect to have to fight so hard, or to have to endure so much pain. Despite all her genius, she never could've planned around her own suffering, ironically. And she'd tried...
...For so long, she'd tried to somehow plan around it all. To find some alternative, some other way to save herself and everyone. She'd pondered it millions, billions, trillions of times since they day she'd searched the cultist's mind, pondered a strategy, a plan she could formulate that would benefit everybody. Some succeeded for her, and yet, didn't help everyone else. Some helped everyone else, and left her to die. Some didn't work at all. Every variable, big, small, or even microscopic, she pondered, and pondered a way to avoid it all.
And yet... nothing worked. With the variables she was presented, despite her countless strategies, plans, and predictions, there was no way to satisfy everyone in the end. The tools she'd been given only lead to two destinations with different paths.
Everyone else dies... she lives.
Everyone else lives... she dies.
Death, the end of her life, was the final thing that Elis would've expected. Elis Cinder, at the tender, young age of 17 years old, killed? Her stomach torn open and her organs ripped to shreds, left to bleed out without even being able to react? How could she have imagined it? She always thought they'd get through this together. They, the Stars of Cinder, her best friends she'd met on a journey to get some cash. They'd make it through alive, right? Nobody would have to suffer, or die. Everything was supposed to be fine.
But she could feel it. The pain. It radiated through her body, imprinting itself into her cells. She'd died, but her brain didn't. Her electricity kept her brain alive, her senses sharp, even in a state of death. Because of that, she could feel the pain. The pain of having her body torn open, the pain of having blood pour from every orifice in her body, the path of her organs falling out of her. Every atom of the enormous blade that had sliced her open was memorized into her flesh vividly, letting her feel it.
She still felt it. The agony. And yet, at the same time, it numbed her senses. Her mind. It was like a constant drug, the pain. It constantly overpowered her other senses, and yet, at the same time, it sharpened them. It numbed her brain, and yet, it made her think more. She didn't understand it.
And so, she didn't try to understand it.
She was hollow. She tried to feel anger. Anger towards the cultists, anger towards the cultist, but... she couldn't. She wanted to be hateful towards Charlotte for nearly getting them killed. She so desperately wanted to feel some sort of rage towards the woman that previously she would call her best friend, to put the blame on her, to victimize herself and make Charlotte out as evil. As someone who deserved pain. But... she couldn't.
Because every time that she did, she was only met with a crippling feeling of emptiness boiling within her chest. Not apathy, just... emptiness. A lack of feeling that crushed her from the inside out, burying what little she had left under a mountain of unfathomable despair. Despair seemed to be... the only constant in her life at this point. The only thing that could still be described as feeling within this girl, who'd been assaulted by a feeling of crippling, mind-boggling emptiness was...
...Despair.
...For so long, she'd tried to somehow plan around it all. To find some alternative, some other way to save herself and everyone. She'd pondered it millions, billions, trillions of times since they day she'd searched the cultist's mind, pondered a strategy, a plan she could formulate that would benefit everybody. Some succeeded for her, and yet, didn't help everyone else. Some helped everyone else, and left her to die. Some didn't work at all. Every variable, big, small, or even microscopic, she pondered, and pondered a way to avoid it all.
And yet... nothing worked. With the variables she was presented, despite her countless strategies, plans, and predictions, there was no way to satisfy everyone in the end. The tools she'd been given only lead to two destinations with different paths.
Everyone else dies... she lives.
Everyone else lives... she dies.
Death, the end of her life, was the final thing that Elis would've expected. Elis Cinder, at the tender, young age of 17 years old, killed? Her stomach torn open and her organs ripped to shreds, left to bleed out without even being able to react? How could she have imagined it? She always thought they'd get through this together. They, the Stars of Cinder, her best friends she'd met on a journey to get some cash. They'd make it through alive, right? Nobody would have to suffer, or die. Everything was supposed to be fine.
But she could feel it. The pain. It radiated through her body, imprinting itself into her cells. She'd died, but her brain didn't. Her electricity kept her brain alive, her senses sharp, even in a state of death. Because of that, she could feel the pain. The pain of having her body torn open, the pain of having blood pour from every orifice in her body, the path of her organs falling out of her. Every atom of the enormous blade that had sliced her open was memorized into her flesh vividly, letting her feel it.
She still felt it. The agony. And yet, at the same time, it numbed her senses. Her mind. It was like a constant drug, the pain. It constantly overpowered her other senses, and yet, at the same time, it sharpened them. It numbed her brain, and yet, it made her think more. She didn't understand it.
And so, she didn't try to understand it.
She was hollow. She tried to feel anger. Anger towards the cultists, anger towards the cultist, but... she couldn't. She wanted to be hateful towards Charlotte for nearly getting them killed. She so desperately wanted to feel some sort of rage towards the woman that previously she would call her best friend, to put the blame on her, to victimize herself and make Charlotte out as evil. As someone who deserved pain. But... she couldn't.
Because every time that she did, she was only met with a crippling feeling of emptiness boiling within her chest. Not apathy, just... emptiness. A lack of feeling that crushed her from the inside out, burying what little she had left under a mountain of unfathomable despair. Despair seemed to be... the only constant in her life at this point. The only thing that could still be described as feeling within this girl, who'd been assaulted by a feeling of crippling, mind-boggling emptiness was...
...Despair.
"It doesn't matter now anyway... We survived... That's all that matters..." She murmured to Kentoria.
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"Good." Kentoria said before turning to Elis "I know that expression, it matters, Elis, we can't have mistakes costing lives, whether I sympathize with Charlotte or not, and you need a dose of the anti-depressants and to have a good talk with Olorin once she's recovered somewhat, your mental health cannot dip further." She said, taking a few steps towards Elis to stand by her side
azontr
He/Him- 40,423
- 50,115
- Thread starter
- #6,150
"I'm not taking any ******* antidepressant pills." Elis said, turning towards the car.
"Nor am I talking with Olorin, nor am I doing anything. I'm done." She said as she opened the door, "I'm done caring. Go **** yourself, Kentoria."
She said before stepping into the car and slamming the door shut.
"Nor am I talking with Olorin, nor am I doing anything. I'm done." She said as she opened the door, "I'm done caring. Go **** yourself, Kentoria."
She said before stepping into the car and slamming the door shut.
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Kentoria sighed, a sound that said she was worried about Elis before she simply turned, closed her eyes, and walked over to Adrian completely silently
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Charlotte breathed out, the large woman simply turning away from the car. The apathy she had felt earlier still permeated her brain, a sense of numbness covering her body. She knew whatever she had with Elis was over, the relationship all but ruined. And with her would likely go Timcanpy, the woman already assuming the days of conversing with the golem were gone.
"...."
"...I'll have the boss order me some new cigs then." Charlotte thought. The part of her that would have cared about such circumstances was gone, now. Or rather, buried so deep in side that Charlotte was unable, and unwilling, to muster any real emotion. Massacring those torture victims had been the last straw, really, the woman no longer clinging to the notion that she was, or could ever be, a good person. It was..freeing, in a way; Charlotte finally content to return to the person she always knew she was.
She closed her eyes, beginning to walk back the way they came, letting her Spatial Awareness consume her thoughts, the information washing over her brain.
"...."
"...I'll have the boss order me some new cigs then." Charlotte thought. The part of her that would have cared about such circumstances was gone, now. Or rather, buried so deep in side that Charlotte was unable, and unwilling, to muster any real emotion. Massacring those torture victims had been the last straw, really, the woman no longer clinging to the notion that she was, or could ever be, a good person. It was..freeing, in a way; Charlotte finally content to return to the person she always knew she was.
She closed her eyes, beginning to walk back the way they came, letting her Spatial Awareness consume her thoughts, the information washing over her brain.
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Oliver_de_jesus
He/Him- 24,449
- 17,664
Brownie just stayed there, feeding on the radiation of the place, it will probably be a while before he grows up again and eats in a world like this
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"She started to see how life isnt always going how we want it to be and it can be cruel"
Talked to himself aftee witnessing Elis outbreak
Talked to himself aftee witnessing Elis outbreak
azontr
He/Him- 40,423
- 50,115
- Thread starter
- #6,155
Elis went into one of the rooms of the enormous car, simply sitting on the bed. Though, it wasn't jus any room. It was the room that she and Charlotte had talked in before their first mission. The room where Charlotte had comforted her, stopping her from ripping her own eye out with a knife. The room where she'd inadvertently harmed Charlotte with her electricity, the scorch marks still visible on the floor. She remembered Charlotte's grip, the feeling of her hand around her trembling wrist, her comforting words...
...Would she ever do that for her again? Comfort her again? Help her again? Be her friend... again?
Elis sighed, "Well, it's not like it matters now, anyway..."
Nothing did. Nothing she did ever mattered, or made a difference to anybody. None of her weapons, or enchantments, ever made a difference to the outcome she'd envisioned. And even if it did, there was no guarantee that there wouldn't be another enemy, another calamity that they couldn't prevent. This planet, Krieg, was going to be consumed by an Eclipse, anyway. They were abandoning it because they couldn't win against the cult and stop their plans, leaving the planet and its residents to die. And if that was the case, what was the point of staying in the Stars of Cinder? Following the Masked Man's orders? What was the point of anything?
What was the point of life?
Electricity had begun to crackle around Elis, the atoms and electrons congealing around her hand. Swiftly, a revolver manifested itself into her hand, the girl's hollow, crimson gaze meeting the firearm. She'd stared at it for what seemed like forever, but in reality, it was only naught but a few short minutes. A gun, a trigger, a bullet. That was all it would take. Sure, she'd be missed. Sure, she'd be causing problems for everyone else. But so what? She'd only end up being a nuisance to the group in her current mental state. She'd eventually just drag them down, making a horrible mistake during a mission like Charlotte did. She'd just end up getting them all killed, right? And then they'd end up hating her. Kentoria would glare at her, Charlotte would scorn her, everyone, everyone would simply want her gone, out of her lives. So why go on living?
Elis held the gun to her temple, her finger hovering over the trigger. It was a simple, painless death. The electromagnetically charged bullet would barrel through her brain at enhanced speeds, and as soon as it would hit her temple, the electricity would scramble her insides, giving her an absolutely instant death. No pain. No mess. Instant vaporization. Elis's arm trembled ever-so-slightly, her breath quickening as she pressed the gun against her temple once again. She was... hesitating. But she didn't need to hesitate! All she had to do was pull a trigger! She'd done it countless times when testing her own weapons, right!? So this time... shouldn't be any different.
It shouldn't be any different, and yet...
"...Master."
Elis's eyes widened. She looked up to the source of the voice, and it was Timcanpy standing in front of her in her human form, her expression blank, lifeless. This wasn't anything unusual, really. Timcanpy was a golem. She did not possess feeling, emotion, or purpose in her mind. Every action that she took was programmed to be as logical as humanly possible, every step, every movement, was born from nothing but the supercomputer that was Timcanpy's mind and body. Yet, she spoke with... unfamiliar emotion in her voice. It wasn't monotone, but instead, pained, strained beyond belief, something Timcanpy had never displayed in her short life.
"Please... put the gun down, Master." Timcanpy implored her, bowing to the girl. "Please do not throw your life away, master... Please, I beg of thee... Please... Please..."
Elis's eyes pierced Timcanpy, the girl's gaze widened. The trembling in her arm increased, as she gritted her teeth. Elis stepped up, getting off of he bed and glaring down at Timcanpy, the gun still shoved against her temple. "...Why?" She asked.
"Why the hell shouldn't I just pull this trigger right now, Timcanpy...? Why...? Give me a single, good reason..." Elis asked, "Give me... one decent reason... not to paint my ******* head all over the wall right now..."
"...." Timcanpy said nothing for a few moments, before speaking. "You... have people that care about you, Master. People that trust in you, and your abilities. Th-Though she most likely won't show it to you, even Charlotte may still care for you-"
"Is that really the best that you could come up with, Tim...?" Elis asked, cutting her off. The trembling in her arm began to cease as she breathed out. "People care about me... So I shouldn't end my misery? So what? **** them. I... am in... so much pain...! And you want me to keep up this facade because they happen to care about me!? **** you!" She shouted.
Timcanpy flinched, "I-It's not just that, though, Master! Th-That's not what I meant! Even if your in despair now, you can still rely on these people to help you! If only you'd ask for help, Master, they'd support you, and care for you, and help you through your pain! There is medication for cases such as yours! If you'd just make an effort, you'd see that there are other options than ending your own life!"
"I... have... put in... so much effort already...!" Elis exclaimed, "Everyday! After I'd read that cultist's mind! I put in constant effort to keep my mind in check! To keep myself from going insane! I'd thought of so, so many ways that we could potentially survive, get out of all of this happy, but, nothing... nothing nothing nothing nothing nothing nothing nothing nothing nothing nothing nothing nothing nothing nothing...!" She began to shriek. "Nothing ever came out of it! Why do I have to keep putting in effort...!? I don't want to keep putting in effort...!!"
Timcanpy was silent, merely flinching backward. Elis chuckled.
"Y-You don't have anything else to say, right...? No comforting words? No bullshit? I expected that. None of you ever will. Because there is nothing, and I mean NOTHING, that the Stars of Cinder have given me, no amount of love, or care, that they have given me, or ever will give me... Would make me want to go through this pain, Timcanpy." Elis said, "I... would rather just die, and end it all, then continue caring about these people who can't help me to begin with..."
Timcanpy continued to remain silent.
"So just... go away." Elis said, "Go away and leave me alone-"
Timcanpy slammed herself into the floor, getting on her hands and knees with a loud thud that made the metal vibrate. Elis flinched back, causing her to tumble back onto the bed. Timcanpy spoke.
"I am begging you, Elis..." Timcanpy said, "Begging you, with all my heart, with all I can give you... To reconsider this. I will do anything, give anything, say anything, Master, Elis, I can't stand by and watch you do this... I can't stand by and watch the only person in this world, this entire universe and beyond, that I care about end her life in despair... Elis... Please... Reconsider this... Don't give up... There is a chance, I promise you, but please, put the gun down... put it down..."
Elis was bewildered. Desperation was thick in Timcanpy's voice. She'd never heard Timcanpy talk like this before, hell, she'd never even dreamed of it. She'd never dreamed that Timcanpy could even fathom talking to her, or anybody, like this before. Elis didn't know what to say.
Timcanpy spoke once more, "Elis... I will forsake everything... I'll forget any hatred I have towards Charlotte to make you friends again... I'll defy everything I know, everything I've ever learned, to repair your relationship with her... I'll help you get closer with everybody, I will ******* drag them to you if I have to. I will do whatever I can, whatever you want me to... To keep you alive..."
Elis lowered her gun.
"I... I-I..."
"I don't... I can't..." Elis heaved out, her knees nearly giving out on her. Her grip on her gun loosened, her hands trembling violently. She didn't want to let go of the gun. She wanted to raise it up once more, and finally end it all. She wanted to pull the trigger. She begged her body to let her pull the trigger, to let her forget about everything, about Charlotte, about Kentoria, about Olorin, about the Masked Man, everything. She wanted to forget all the stress, and pain, and sorrow...
...But she couldn't. Not to her. Not to Timcanpy. Not to her golem, her best friend, her only friend. 15 long, arduous years it had been since Elis created Timcanpy. And through those years, never once, did they ever leave each other's side. She could do it to everyone else. She could forget them, leave them to rot and die...
But not Timcanpy.
Elis fell to the bed, dropping her gun as she sat onto the fabric. She didn't know what to say anymore. Didn't know what to feel anymore. Timcanpy got off of her hands and knees, sitting next to Elis.
"Do you need anything, master...?" Timcanpy asked.
"Elis... Just... call me Elis from now on, Tim..." Elis asked.
Timcanpy nodded, "Alright... Elis. Do you need anything, Elis?"
"I... Can you.. those cigarettes that you made for Charlotte.. Can I have them?" Elis asked, "I just... I need something. Anything to calm me down. Please..."
Timcanpy nodded, "Alright, Elis..." And she did just that. Manifesting a box of the same cigarettes she gave to Charlotte, she handed them to Elis. It took a few moments for Elis to muster up the strength to open the box, but she did, pulling out one of the cigarettes and setting the package to the ground. Elis lit the the cigarette with a tiny flash of electricity, and placed it in her mouth. She took a slow inhale...
...And then a sharp exhale.
"...." She looked down at the cigarette, just sighing.
"....Tastes like banana.
...Would she ever do that for her again? Comfort her again? Help her again? Be her friend... again?
Elis sighed, "Well, it's not like it matters now, anyway..."
Nothing did. Nothing she did ever mattered, or made a difference to anybody. None of her weapons, or enchantments, ever made a difference to the outcome she'd envisioned. And even if it did, there was no guarantee that there wouldn't be another enemy, another calamity that they couldn't prevent. This planet, Krieg, was going to be consumed by an Eclipse, anyway. They were abandoning it because they couldn't win against the cult and stop their plans, leaving the planet and its residents to die. And if that was the case, what was the point of staying in the Stars of Cinder? Following the Masked Man's orders? What was the point of anything?
What was the point of life?
Electricity had begun to crackle around Elis, the atoms and electrons congealing around her hand. Swiftly, a revolver manifested itself into her hand, the girl's hollow, crimson gaze meeting the firearm. She'd stared at it for what seemed like forever, but in reality, it was only naught but a few short minutes. A gun, a trigger, a bullet. That was all it would take. Sure, she'd be missed. Sure, she'd be causing problems for everyone else. But so what? She'd only end up being a nuisance to the group in her current mental state. She'd eventually just drag them down, making a horrible mistake during a mission like Charlotte did. She'd just end up getting them all killed, right? And then they'd end up hating her. Kentoria would glare at her, Charlotte would scorn her, everyone, everyone would simply want her gone, out of her lives. So why go on living?
Elis held the gun to her temple, her finger hovering over the trigger. It was a simple, painless death. The electromagnetically charged bullet would barrel through her brain at enhanced speeds, and as soon as it would hit her temple, the electricity would scramble her insides, giving her an absolutely instant death. No pain. No mess. Instant vaporization. Elis's arm trembled ever-so-slightly, her breath quickening as she pressed the gun against her temple once again. She was... hesitating. But she didn't need to hesitate! All she had to do was pull a trigger! She'd done it countless times when testing her own weapons, right!? So this time... shouldn't be any different.
It shouldn't be any different, and yet...
"...Master."
Elis's eyes widened. She looked up to the source of the voice, and it was Timcanpy standing in front of her in her human form, her expression blank, lifeless. This wasn't anything unusual, really. Timcanpy was a golem. She did not possess feeling, emotion, or purpose in her mind. Every action that she took was programmed to be as logical as humanly possible, every step, every movement, was born from nothing but the supercomputer that was Timcanpy's mind and body. Yet, she spoke with... unfamiliar emotion in her voice. It wasn't monotone, but instead, pained, strained beyond belief, something Timcanpy had never displayed in her short life.
"Please... put the gun down, Master." Timcanpy implored her, bowing to the girl. "Please do not throw your life away, master... Please, I beg of thee... Please... Please..."
Elis's eyes pierced Timcanpy, the girl's gaze widened. The trembling in her arm increased, as she gritted her teeth. Elis stepped up, getting off of he bed and glaring down at Timcanpy, the gun still shoved against her temple. "...Why?" She asked.
"Why the hell shouldn't I just pull this trigger right now, Timcanpy...? Why...? Give me a single, good reason..." Elis asked, "Give me... one decent reason... not to paint my ******* head all over the wall right now..."
"...." Timcanpy said nothing for a few moments, before speaking. "You... have people that care about you, Master. People that trust in you, and your abilities. Th-Though she most likely won't show it to you, even Charlotte may still care for you-"
"Is that really the best that you could come up with, Tim...?" Elis asked, cutting her off. The trembling in her arm began to cease as she breathed out. "People care about me... So I shouldn't end my misery? So what? **** them. I... am in... so much pain...! And you want me to keep up this facade because they happen to care about me!? **** you!" She shouted.
Timcanpy flinched, "I-It's not just that, though, Master! Th-That's not what I meant! Even if your in despair now, you can still rely on these people to help you! If only you'd ask for help, Master, they'd support you, and care for you, and help you through your pain! There is medication for cases such as yours! If you'd just make an effort, you'd see that there are other options than ending your own life!"
"I... have... put in... so much effort already...!" Elis exclaimed, "Everyday! After I'd read that cultist's mind! I put in constant effort to keep my mind in check! To keep myself from going insane! I'd thought of so, so many ways that we could potentially survive, get out of all of this happy, but, nothing... nothing nothing nothing nothing nothing nothing nothing nothing nothing nothing nothing nothing nothing nothing...!" She began to shriek. "Nothing ever came out of it! Why do I have to keep putting in effort...!? I don't want to keep putting in effort...!!"
Timcanpy was silent, merely flinching backward. Elis chuckled.
"Y-You don't have anything else to say, right...? No comforting words? No bullshit? I expected that. None of you ever will. Because there is nothing, and I mean NOTHING, that the Stars of Cinder have given me, no amount of love, or care, that they have given me, or ever will give me... Would make me want to go through this pain, Timcanpy." Elis said, "I... would rather just die, and end it all, then continue caring about these people who can't help me to begin with..."
Timcanpy continued to remain silent.
"So just... go away." Elis said, "Go away and leave me alone-"
Timcanpy slammed herself into the floor, getting on her hands and knees with a loud thud that made the metal vibrate. Elis flinched back, causing her to tumble back onto the bed. Timcanpy spoke.
"I am begging you, Elis..." Timcanpy said, "Begging you, with all my heart, with all I can give you... To reconsider this. I will do anything, give anything, say anything, Master, Elis, I can't stand by and watch you do this... I can't stand by and watch the only person in this world, this entire universe and beyond, that I care about end her life in despair... Elis... Please... Reconsider this... Don't give up... There is a chance, I promise you, but please, put the gun down... put it down..."
Elis was bewildered. Desperation was thick in Timcanpy's voice. She'd never heard Timcanpy talk like this before, hell, she'd never even dreamed of it. She'd never dreamed that Timcanpy could even fathom talking to her, or anybody, like this before. Elis didn't know what to say.
Timcanpy spoke once more, "Elis... I will forsake everything... I'll forget any hatred I have towards Charlotte to make you friends again... I'll defy everything I know, everything I've ever learned, to repair your relationship with her... I'll help you get closer with everybody, I will ******* drag them to you if I have to. I will do whatever I can, whatever you want me to... To keep you alive..."
Elis lowered her gun.
"I... I-I..."
Elis Cinder was an incredibly reckless child. Her mind, an ingenious supercomputer capable of mastering even the most complex languages, runes, and spells, was without a doubt a gift from the heavens, but even as such, she was a mere child, in the end. The fires of curiosity were difficult to extinguish in her mind. She'd known that attempting a golem creation ritual was dangerous at only 2 years old, and yet...
"A friend...! I'm finally going to make a friend...!" That thought was the only thing on the young girl's mind. For so long she had been alone, unable to even remember what her parents looked like, what they smelled like, or what their names were. The desperation in her mind was thick. A friend. Somebody who she could call her own.
The magic circle was unfathomably complex, after all, she would be ripping off a piece of her soul and giving it to another living being. To interfere with one's own soul was akin to betting one's own life. Either it'd succeed, or it'd fail. There was no middle-ground in such a high-level ritual.
Elis could barely even remember how the ritual went down, if she were to be honest. At this age, all she could remember was that there were lots of flashing lights, lots of loud noises, and that she was in immense pain. But that didn't matter. She wasn't going to be alone anymore, right? There was going to be somebody next to her, somebody who could... who could stand beside her when she needed them. She imagined her friend clearly.
Golden. Shining like the sun, and with wings. They'd be older than her. And they'd pick her up, and fly her through the stars, into different galaxies, different corners of the universe. They'd be the best of friends, she just knew it.
And they'd be together... Forever and ever.
"A friend...! I'm finally going to make a friend...!" That thought was the only thing on the young girl's mind. For so long she had been alone, unable to even remember what her parents looked like, what they smelled like, or what their names were. The desperation in her mind was thick. A friend. Somebody who she could call her own.
The magic circle was unfathomably complex, after all, she would be ripping off a piece of her soul and giving it to another living being. To interfere with one's own soul was akin to betting one's own life. Either it'd succeed, or it'd fail. There was no middle-ground in such a high-level ritual.
Elis could barely even remember how the ritual went down, if she were to be honest. At this age, all she could remember was that there were lots of flashing lights, lots of loud noises, and that she was in immense pain. But that didn't matter. She wasn't going to be alone anymore, right? There was going to be somebody next to her, somebody who could... who could stand beside her when she needed them. She imagined her friend clearly.
Golden. Shining like the sun, and with wings. They'd be older than her. And they'd pick her up, and fly her through the stars, into different galaxies, different corners of the universe. They'd be the best of friends, she just knew it.
And they'd be together... Forever and ever.
"I don't... I can't..." Elis heaved out, her knees nearly giving out on her. Her grip on her gun loosened, her hands trembling violently. She didn't want to let go of the gun. She wanted to raise it up once more, and finally end it all. She wanted to pull the trigger. She begged her body to let her pull the trigger, to let her forget about everything, about Charlotte, about Kentoria, about Olorin, about the Masked Man, everything. She wanted to forget all the stress, and pain, and sorrow...
...But she couldn't. Not to her. Not to Timcanpy. Not to her golem, her best friend, her only friend. 15 long, arduous years it had been since Elis created Timcanpy. And through those years, never once, did they ever leave each other's side. She could do it to everyone else. She could forget them, leave them to rot and die...
But not Timcanpy.
Elis fell to the bed, dropping her gun as she sat onto the fabric. She didn't know what to say anymore. Didn't know what to feel anymore. Timcanpy got off of her hands and knees, sitting next to Elis.
"Do you need anything, master...?" Timcanpy asked.
"Elis... Just... call me Elis from now on, Tim..." Elis asked.
Timcanpy nodded, "Alright... Elis. Do you need anything, Elis?"
"I... Can you.. those cigarettes that you made for Charlotte.. Can I have them?" Elis asked, "I just... I need something. Anything to calm me down. Please..."
Timcanpy nodded, "Alright, Elis..." And she did just that. Manifesting a box of the same cigarettes she gave to Charlotte, she handed them to Elis. It took a few moments for Elis to muster up the strength to open the box, but she did, pulling out one of the cigarettes and setting the package to the ground. Elis lit the the cigarette with a tiny flash of electricity, and placed it in her mouth. She took a slow inhale...
...And then a sharp exhale.
"...." She looked down at the cigarette, just sighing.
"....Tastes like banana.
- 13,222
- 22,099
Charlotte continued to walk for a long while, angles and shapes coursing through her brain as she let her Spatial Awareness overtake her. It was a…calming process, Charlotte simply letting her brain overload itself with information. The shape of the particles, moving through the air, the velocity of the dirt she kicked up with each footfall, the exact distance from the nearest rock formation, down to the micrometer. Such things were useless to her…yet they served as the perfect distraction.
Or at least…she had hoped it would.
Charlotte could remember faces; she was particularly skilled at that. Rarely did she forget a person once she met them. It was a skill that had saved her more than once in the slums. But remembering geometry was…more difficult. The woman's constant intake of spatial information meant that she often forgot the geometric shape of things after only a few days, unless she forced herself to keep them in her mind. Before now, there had been only one shape that Charlotte could never forget, one shape that held a linchpin in her mind that could never be shaken. It was of the most important person in her life…her sister. Even if a thousand years had passed, she'd never forget her shape. If she chose to, she could sculpt a perfect replica of her likeness, down to the most minute detail.
But on this day…another shape stuck into her mind. Festering like an open wound on the edge of her psyche, no matter how much she tried to overshadow it. The blood forming a puddle on the ground, the organs spilling onto the dirty floor…her lifeless crimson eyes as she collasped. She could recall every detail. Every shape, every measurement down to the most minute detail swirling in her brain, unable to be purged or negated. Charlotte breathed out, slowly shaking her head.
“…Dead…” She muttered to herself, her eyes still closed. She had left Phoebe to die, left her to share the fate of her dying world.
“…Dead…” She muttered again, her fists clenching up slightly. Just as she had left Phoebe to die, she had led to Elis's death, to. She wasn't sure how the cultists had found them…but knew it was her fault. Just as she had led to Phoebe's death….she had led to Elis's death, to.
“…….” Charlotte breathed out, shaking her head. She was tired. Tired of thinking about them, tired of caring if people lived or died. Tired of watching the most important people disappear. The numbness began to return again, blanketing her lingering sadness in the familiar feeling of apathy. She had watched comrades die all the time in the gangs, seen friends snatched away before her very eyes….why should this be any different? She let the question linger in her mind for a moment, before simply continuing to walk.
Or at least…she had hoped it would.
Charlotte could remember faces; she was particularly skilled at that. Rarely did she forget a person once she met them. It was a skill that had saved her more than once in the slums. But remembering geometry was…more difficult. The woman's constant intake of spatial information meant that she often forgot the geometric shape of things after only a few days, unless she forced herself to keep them in her mind. Before now, there had been only one shape that Charlotte could never forget, one shape that held a linchpin in her mind that could never be shaken. It was of the most important person in her life…her sister. Even if a thousand years had passed, she'd never forget her shape. If she chose to, she could sculpt a perfect replica of her likeness, down to the most minute detail.
But on this day…another shape stuck into her mind. Festering like an open wound on the edge of her psyche, no matter how much she tried to overshadow it. The blood forming a puddle on the ground, the organs spilling onto the dirty floor…her lifeless crimson eyes as she collasped. She could recall every detail. Every shape, every measurement down to the most minute detail swirling in her brain, unable to be purged or negated. Charlotte breathed out, slowly shaking her head.
“…Dead…” She muttered to herself, her eyes still closed. She had left Phoebe to die, left her to share the fate of her dying world.
“…Dead…” She muttered again, her fists clenching up slightly. Just as she had left Phoebe to die, she had led to Elis's death, to. She wasn't sure how the cultists had found them…but knew it was her fault. Just as she had led to Phoebe's death….she had led to Elis's death, to.
“…….” Charlotte breathed out, shaking her head. She was tired. Tired of thinking about them, tired of caring if people lived or died. Tired of watching the most important people disappear. The numbness began to return again, blanketing her lingering sadness in the familiar feeling of apathy. She had watched comrades die all the time in the gangs, seen friends snatched away before her very eyes….why should this be any different? She let the question linger in her mind for a moment, before simply continuing to walk.
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Charlotte sensed Adrian as the man approached, the geometry of his form flooding her brain the instant the man stepped foot within her range. Yet the woman paid no mind to it, letting the information enter and exit her brain like every other object that came within her Awareness, his shape already washed away by the rest of her surroundings.
Oliver_de_jesus
He/Him- 24,449
- 17,664
Brownie came in, he wanted to see where they were going to go now after this mission
