Amy: Shut your face, Justine.
Justine: pouts and crosses arms
Gaia: Who's ready to "get this party started" as the saying goes? And I'm inclined to inform you that you will not be able to leave the room unless you participate.
Amy: And we can't just use that door...why? points out large door with neon sign saying EXIT in flashing letters.
Gaia: You can't do that because you will suffer ten thousand bolts of electricity.
Castille: Huh. Then I will be happy to participate in your game of happy gayness.
Gaia: Awesome, guys! Let's form a circle...!
Jake: Why do I feel like I'm being baby-sat?
Sarah: Don't contradict him. Maybe he'll let us leave early.
I gaze down into the depths of Katie's eyes as I prepare to kill her, then commit suicide myself, so's to repent for my sin. 'Though I know this is what I need to do to free her—for I know of no other way—I am struggling to do so. So instead of blood raining upon one or the other, it is tears that do so now.
My tears drop onto Katie's face that gazes blankly up at me as if she had not a care in the world. Indeed, a small smile seemed to be trying to form, for the laugh lines around her eyes were twitching as if she were unable to do so.
Virtual Katie
I stopped dead in my tracks and stopped tantalizingly close to my own mind. I could hear its electronic activities going on after my travels that seemed like light years. I heard Bertrum and Amy going at it outside of myself and I deliberated; trying to decide whether or not I should attempt to destroy myself or watch one of us die through my own eyes. It was a hard choice.
'Though I regretted having to leave her behind, I hurried onward, into the depths of hell.
Amy
"I'M…SORRY!!" And I plunged my sword down.
It appeared to all happen so fast, as if I were dreaming. I could have sworn I was getting ready to kill my best friend, and yet, there stood, of all people, Geoff. He was sopping wet, hs clothes and armor water-logged, his sword gone, but it was him, none the less. His ponytail holder had snapped I assumed, and his hair fell in wet ringlets around his delicate features. His eyes seemed to be laced with anger.
Not so much the furious kind, but the more concerned kind. For Katie. It appeared he didn't even notice me, though he took the gentlest care with extracting me from her. I watched in a silence that is befitting for one that is seeing a secret tryst between lovers. For Geoffrey whispered Katie's name in a delicate voice which could not conceal the passion I knew to be there. He pulled her to his breast and embraced her and stroked her hair as if she were made of porcelain.
I now understood why she had asked me all those questions about loving someone, for here was the man I knew that did so. He indeed loved Katie with all his heart. I only hoped that I, someday, would be able to find something similar. It wrenched my heart to know that Geoff was not embracing the real Katie.
'Oh my, God!' I suddenly remembered that it was indeed, not Katie he held so tenderly. I reached forward and pulled Geoff from Katie's body. He protested, and I quickly explained—in a hushed voice—that she was being possessed. He seemed skeptical at first, but agreed readily enough a savage look crossed her gentle features.
"Oh, so you figured it out, eh? 'Least ways I have you in my sights, bandit leader!" She scoffed hatefully, jumping into a fighting crouch. Geoff shook his head in disgust and prepared himself as well.
Virtual Katie
I threw all of myself into this last race. Up ahead, there appeared to be a pulsating mass of gray matter. But it was surrounded by a black shroud; this I knew to be Bertrum's psychic hold on me. It got me to thinking.
What if I could destroy Bertrum's mind through this telepathic connection we now shared? It made me wonder as I came upon it at last. If I could follow this trail into his mind, then I may be able to break him. Other grim imaginings formulated as well, and none of them were pleasant: What would happen to my body when I severed the connection and followed it to wherever Bertrum's mind was? Would I die? How would my brain find its way back, if possible? I set my jaw and flung myself towards the mist.
It seemed almost life-like, the way it retaliated at me. It twisted into the shape of a fist and socked my miniscule body, sending me flying through air and crashing into the side of my skull. It appeared that I would be unable to get through so easily. I rubbed my hands together and made several more attempts, all of which cost me valuable energy, and none of which penetrated it.
I was getting aggravated. Not being able to get into my own mind? I mean, how utterly pathetic! This was stupid, even by my standards. I ground my teeth together and, subconsciously gathering as much chi as I could, propelled off the "wall" towards the mist. I gathered my speed and managed to send a spurt of my chi which created a tiny hole in Bertrum's barrier. I managed to whisk through, none too soon. The mist almost immediately afterwards closed behind me and I was trapped with no way out. I didn't want to take the chance of using my brain to thrust myself out with enough power and speed to break through the shield again.
I was now faced with my own brain. It oozed pus-like goo and throbbed and twitched with every thought Bertrum dragged from it, 'though here, strangely, I was unable to hear his thoughts. I flew around the edges of my brain until I found what I was looking for: a thin silver cord that snaked through my brain and out through the barrier of black mist. I assumed it was leading to Bertrum's brain, for if not, then I was in grave peril.
I fasted myself and imagined going invisible, like a gas. Doing so, I moved forward and grabbed a hold of the string with both of my hands. Without delay I was whisked away on a perilously fast journey that took me through my skull, skin, and hair. It passed by me in such a dizzying blur that I was close to throwing up if I didn't shut my eyes. But I did not do so, for the few precious seconds I spent in the air over the battle between my body and Amy and Geoff were special. I knew that they both were alive and was sated. I allowed myself to be dragged along pell-mell through walls and over heads. All too soon I was thrust upon a world I knew was not my own, for it was a dark and devious place.
I saw all of Bertrum's thoughts and dreams. They were laid before me like the horrible food at my school cafeteria; all within my grasp and would be mine if I so chose them to be. But I steered clear of them and perused my surroundings in search of the cord again.
What the hell do you think you're doing, you horribly annoying prat?! Bertrum screamed at me. It appeared that he was aware of my presence. But no matter. Now that I was here, there was going to be no way for him to shake free of me. I looked up and followed the glowing silver cord to Bertrum's brain. It was surprisingly small. I shoulda guessed as much.
I observed how it was connected to Bertrum and saw it was through the cerebral cortex. (RAC: That is a part of the brain, right? ;;) I poked the edges surrounding the attached area and felt it surprisingly warm and squishy. I gagged and made various tugs on it to see if it would break. The string wavered and moved easily at my lightest breath proving that this sort of mental connection could be easily broken by a mind invader.
I gazed long and hard between the cord that I knew connected me and Bertrum, trying to decide if I could make such a hard decision. Risk my own life, or kill Bertrum? And at once, I knew; I remembered an old quote Amy had told me long ago: 'Greater love has no one man this; that he lay down his life for his friends'. I would sacrifice myself for my friends, for I had made them suffer enough as it was. If it would bring them salvation, then so be it. I squeezed my eyes tight so hard I felt my eyeballs being pushed back in my head. I took a deep breath and rammed into Bertrum's brain.
Oddly, the soft folds enveloped my ghostly body and made me a part of them. Soon I was encased in their wet, gooey grasp. I felt my spiritual lungs gasp for air, then burst. My eyeballs popped out and blood painted the brain and yet I could still see. My bones cracked and splintered and ripped out of my flesh so that I could see a vaporous version of my legs bending backwards over my head. And then all was dark.
The Others
It had been a couple of hours, they guessed, since they had left Amy the grim task of fighting me. Though they hadn't gone far, their energy supplies had burned up fast and they were exhausted. Hanna, who had been practically carrying Gaia away from the site was now drenched in Clavatian blood. It dripped down one side and stained all along it. Too tired to continue, they collapsed in a giant circle and lay against both walls of a dark hall.
Hanna gently placed Gaia down and watched him breathe shallow, ragged breaths. Everyone knew that a stomach wound was almost always impossible to heal. And in these conditions, with no way to stabilize Gaia in his condition, he would die a slow and painful death, clutching his stomach so his entrails wouldn't fall out; a cruel twist of fate, but one that they could not alter. It would be best to let the poor soul die lieing down.
Sarah crawled over and looked blankly into the twisted expression of Gaia as his skin blanched another shade and he began to shake and quiver. Almost instinctively, the others gathered within seeing distance of the guy so that he would know he would know he wasn't alone as he died. They grieved their own losses as he took a last, shuddering breath, sweat pouring from him, and then passed on.
It was an extremely sad moment. 'Though Gaia had been an obnoxious bastard, he had been a lovable guy; hard to hate and easy to love. How long would it take, they wondered, for their hearts to ease? Tears ran down every cheek, but sobs were kept silent. It was then that Sarah decided to bring up a rather remarkable topic:
"You guys…I think we can use it now…," she uttered, no louder than a whisper.
Everyone turned to stare at her with sad, listless eyes. What could Sarah do now?
RAC: OMG!! Who wants to hear the reason of why I made my poor readers wait TWO WHOLE DAYS for the next update...? (I'm really happy b/c with the publication of chapter 51, I broke 1000 reads! You guys are amazing! I love ya'll!) Well, I had to work at the stupid color guard invitational competition at my high school (you fail the class otherwise.) Colorguard are groups of boys and girls in oddly-colored outfits who twirl these cool flags and shit. It's totally cool. But I had to work ticket sales for EIGHT HOURS right outside the doors, so I hardly got to see a single competition. YY My school made it to state though! Another bad thing is that b/c 31 (yeah, that's just a hint at how many freaking chicks and dudes there were on a Saturday at MY school!!) schools weren't able to make it b/c of the bad weather, so we're holding ANOTHER competition on Saturday, so I may or may not make it again. I might post it on Friday if I find the chance...or remember. Yeah, I pretty much suck at remembering things, don't I:sweatdrop: LoL.
Alsoooo, I've got a hot new Asian BF, whose picture I might post in my profile, so check it out. (He's also another reason why I may not make it on Saturday. :hinthintwink: See ya!
