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[At last, he lowers his sword, and quietly returns it to its sheath.]
It's just... infuriating to watch.
I admired that man. Followed him for years... even after what he did to me. I believed in him even more than I believed the things I saw with my eyes.
It's just... infuriating to watch.
I admired that man. Followed him for years... even after what he did to me. I believed in him even more than I believed the things I saw with my eyes.
It's- easier for it to be that way than we'd like to think, a lot of the time.
[he's been in similar positions.
the screen helpfully flicks back on, its cracks vanishing as it starts up again, but this time it seems like it's rynlan's turn.
he's in a broken area, the air thick with a magic storm, lightning arcing in various colors over toward the horizon, but- this isn't the current rynlan. he isn't blue, for one thing. he's pale, blond, seated on a ledge with another blond elf who's a little taller than him; the other elf's red and gold armor matches rynlan's red and gold robes.
he looks ill. too pale, too tired, dark circles under his eyes, which glow a sickly green; the color matches the crystal clutched in one hand, which he's slowly draining of its energy. rynlan relaxes slightly as he does, the tremors in his hands slowing, tension easing from his body as he exhales a sigh.
'you're up to three a day,' his companion murmurs, a little worry creeping into his voice. 'i think this place isn't good for you, ryn.'
'i'm fine,' he mutters, tossing the depleted crystal aside. 'you're the one who's not getting enough, aren-- you're going to turn if you starve yourself, neither of us is clueless about what happens if we don't feed. i'm not losing you to this, if you would just agree to accepting the augmented crystals we'd both be fine for days.'
the tremors never fully go away, and aren watches his hands in silence for a few moments. glances back up to ryn's eyes, a more radiant green shade after feeding off the crystal.
'you know where this comes from. what he's been giving them.'
'i know, i know, demonic energy, but the prince knows what he's doing. you don't see me growing horns or something--'
'some of the others have.'
rynlan falls quiet, there, as aren continues.
'they're working with the demons, now, they're-- changing them. i saw what happens when they feed off the augmented crystals, all of them are... i don't know what's happening, ryn, they're not themselves, they barely listen to me. i know we came here to follow him, but this isn't right, we have to go-'
'go where?'
it's aren's turn to fall silent. there aren't many places for blood elves to go, these days, except for... well, the draenei, hoping they'll be offered at least some sort of sanctuary from people who have only ever been hurt by the elves before. but they're not outright enemies, depending. some might listen. if they flee demonic corruption, they might listen.
'...fine,' rynlan says eventually, standing and brushing purple dust from his robes. it's hard to focus on anything but the ambient magic in the air, how badly he wants to just drink it all in. they do need to leave, or at some point he'll no longer be able to suppress the urge. 'you know i'll go anywhere with you, anyway.'
the rynlan in the present is toying idly with the chain of his necklace as this plays, brows furrowed.]
...we believed in our prince a lot longer than we should have, too. Believed he'd cure us.
[he's been in similar positions.
the screen helpfully flicks back on, its cracks vanishing as it starts up again, but this time it seems like it's rynlan's turn.
he's in a broken area, the air thick with a magic storm, lightning arcing in various colors over toward the horizon, but- this isn't the current rynlan. he isn't blue, for one thing. he's pale, blond, seated on a ledge with another blond elf who's a little taller than him; the other elf's red and gold armor matches rynlan's red and gold robes.
he looks ill. too pale, too tired, dark circles under his eyes, which glow a sickly green; the color matches the crystal clutched in one hand, which he's slowly draining of its energy. rynlan relaxes slightly as he does, the tremors in his hands slowing, tension easing from his body as he exhales a sigh.
'you're up to three a day,' his companion murmurs, a little worry creeping into his voice. 'i think this place isn't good for you, ryn.'
'i'm fine,' he mutters, tossing the depleted crystal aside. 'you're the one who's not getting enough, aren-- you're going to turn if you starve yourself, neither of us is clueless about what happens if we don't feed. i'm not losing you to this, if you would just agree to accepting the augmented crystals we'd both be fine for days.'
the tremors never fully go away, and aren watches his hands in silence for a few moments. glances back up to ryn's eyes, a more radiant green shade after feeding off the crystal.
'you know where this comes from. what he's been giving them.'
'i know, i know, demonic energy, but the prince knows what he's doing. you don't see me growing horns or something--'
'some of the others have.'
rynlan falls quiet, there, as aren continues.
'they're working with the demons, now, they're-- changing them. i saw what happens when they feed off the augmented crystals, all of them are... i don't know what's happening, ryn, they're not themselves, they barely listen to me. i know we came here to follow him, but this isn't right, we have to go-'
'go where?'
it's aren's turn to fall silent. there aren't many places for blood elves to go, these days, except for... well, the draenei, hoping they'll be offered at least some sort of sanctuary from people who have only ever been hurt by the elves before. but they're not outright enemies, depending. some might listen. if they flee demonic corruption, they might listen.
'...fine,' rynlan says eventually, standing and brushing purple dust from his robes. it's hard to focus on anything but the ambient magic in the air, how badly he wants to just drink it all in. they do need to leave, or at some point he'll no longer be able to suppress the urge. 'you know i'll go anywhere with you, anyway.'
the rynlan in the present is toying idly with the chain of his necklace as this plays, brows furrowed.]
...we believed in our prince a lot longer than we should have, too. Believed he'd cure us.
[There's a lot that's unfamiliar here. Seeing Rynlan like that is plenty jarring, though Zelgadis's expression remains measured. His gaze follows that small movement of Rynlan's.]
... You guys were pretty desperate. What kind of sickness was that...?
... You guys were pretty desperate. What kind of sickness was that...?
...I mentioned elves are magical by nature. We're-- dependent on it, at this point, after centuries of living so close to a source, and normally it's more than enough to sustain us.
We didn't know we were addicted until it was destroyed. The demons' magic... we were desperate, it was all we had.
We didn't know we were addicted until it was destroyed. The demons' magic... we were desperate, it was all we had.
... I see.
What does that mean, to "turn"?
[Something that happens if they starve?]
What does that mean, to "turn"?
[Something that happens if they starve?]
Elves who fail to control their addiction and succumb to it-- they change.
[his ears twitch a little uncomfortably, at the thought.]
Either they indulged too much, or they starved themselves until they couldn't help but give in and glut themselves on magic. It doesn't matter either way, they still... they lose control. They're slaves to their hunger, at that point, they consume so much of it that it literally grows from their bodies.
[his ears twitch a little uncomfortably, at the thought.]
Either they indulged too much, or they starved themselves until they couldn't help but give in and glut themselves on magic. It doesn't matter either way, they still... they lose control. They're slaves to their hunger, at that point, they consume so much of it that it literally grows from their bodies.
[On Thursday morning, Zelgadis can be found on college island, looking idly in the direction of the shopping mall. He's dressed differently, for once!
Seeing Rynlan, he glances over briefly, but says nothing.]
Seeing Rynlan, he glances over briefly, but says nothing.]
[He glances back in surprise.]
Huh?
[He blinks a few times, as if there was something strange about that question.]
... Oh, well... My other clothes are getting washed.
Huh?
[He blinks a few times, as if there was something strange about that question.]
... Oh, well... My other clothes are getting washed.
Just some mud. No big deal. An acquaintance insisted I have something new to wear in the meantime.
[He looks unsure of how to take the compliment. After a pause, he settles on:] Thanks.
[He looks unsure of how to take the compliment. After a pause, he settles on:] Thanks.
[He shakes his head.]
Not exactly... Just looking around.
Do you know this area well?
Not exactly... Just looking around.
Do you know this area well?
[
uhhh]
I just sailed in from one of the other islands.
[he just points at the ferry dock.]
uhhh]
I just sailed in from one of the other islands.
[he just points at the ferry dock.]
You don't know what being on a boat is like?
Oh. It's--
[!?
suddenly, a hole opens up and dumps them into the memory theatre!]
[!?
suddenly, a hole opens up and dumps them into the memory theatre!]
[Zel sits up, looking around.]
Again? What...
[oh, would you look at that. a memory starts playing.]
[The memory keeps going. He's just sitting there fishing. You're fucking stuck in the void watching a man fish for god-knows-how-long.]
Again? What...
[oh, would you look at that. a memory starts playing.]
MEMORY: A PEACEFUL DAY
You wake up in your familiar, comfortable bed. The room is a simple one, with just a few simple items. A table and a chair. A desk, with a photograph of a smiling cat.
You step outside. It's a beautiful day.
You walk up to a tree, and you shake it. A branch falls out.
You shake a tree. A small bag of money falls out.
You shake a tree. Nothing happens.
You shake a tree. Nothing happens.
You shake a tree. A branch falls out.
You shake a tree. A small bag of money falls out.
You shake a tree. Nothing happens.
You shake a tree. Nothing happens.
You shake a tree. A wasp nest falls out.
The wasps attack you!!!
... You're made of stone, so it's fine. You keep shaking trees.
Nothing. Nothing. Branch. Nothing. Branch.
At last, another small bag of money falls out.
You walk to the store and buy a fishing rod. Then you find a nice spot along the river to fish.
You cast your line. You wait. A fish bites. You reel it in.
You cast your line. You wait. A fish bites. You reel it in.
You cast your line. You wait. A fish bites. You reel it in.
You cast your line. You wait. A fish bites. You reel it in.
You cast your line. You wait. A fish bites. You reel it in.
You cast your line. You wait. A fish bites. You reel it in.
You cast your line. You wait. A fish bites. You reel it in.
You cast your line. You wait. A fish bites. You reel it in.
You cast your line. You wait. A fish bites. You reel it in.
You cast your line. You wait. A fish bites. You reel it in.
You cast your line. You wait. A fish bites. You reel it in.
What a peaceful day...
You step outside. It's a beautiful day.
You walk up to a tree, and you shake it. A branch falls out.
You shake a tree. A small bag of money falls out.
You shake a tree. Nothing happens.
You shake a tree. Nothing happens.
You shake a tree. A branch falls out.
You shake a tree. A small bag of money falls out.
You shake a tree. Nothing happens.
You shake a tree. Nothing happens.
You shake a tree. A wasp nest falls out.
The wasps attack you!!!
... You're made of stone, so it's fine. You keep shaking trees.
Nothing. Nothing. Branch. Nothing. Branch.
At last, another small bag of money falls out.
You walk to the store and buy a fishing rod. Then you find a nice spot along the river to fish.
You cast your line. You wait. A fish bites. You reel it in.
You cast your line. You wait. A fish bites. You reel it in.
You cast your line. You wait. A fish bites. You reel it in.
You cast your line. You wait. A fish bites. You reel it in.
You cast your line. You wait. A fish bites. You reel it in.
You cast your line. You wait. A fish bites. You reel it in.
You cast your line. You wait. A fish bites. You reel it in.
You cast your line. You wait. A fish bites. You reel it in.
You cast your line. You wait. A fish bites. You reel it in.
You cast your line. You wait. A fish bites. You reel it in.
You cast your line. You wait. A fish bites. You reel it in.
What a peaceful day...
[The memory keeps going. He's just sitting there fishing. You're fucking stuck in the void watching a man fish for god-knows-how-long.]
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