Breaking of the Bonds

[The Illusionist]

Her slumber was plagued with visions of her past. The wretched memories of many years ago before she had become the psychotic and self-driven creature she was today. It had been centuries since she had felt suck feelings of compassion and remorse. It made her squirm and spasm in her sleep, her mind desperately trying to remove itself from the dream-induced state the Existence Sedi had been reduced too.

Silent screams spread over her face as she cried out, hearing the name she had been given at birth. No one had spoken her name since she was cast out of her village ages ago, and in actuality she had almost completely forgotten it. The sting of the word was almost more than she could bear, and now it seemed as though she could not rely on her element in these twisted dreams. The Illusionist was alone in this hell.

As she slept, her body began to twist and contort, and soon she was in as much pain physically as she was emotionally. Slowly her figure began to expand, her tiny body stretching into the proper height and build it once was. Muscles tensed and strained, veins popping out of her skin as she writhed in agony, the dreams still flashing through her mind. Tiny trickles of tears dripped from her eyes, but still she would not wake.

Then suddenly she took a deep breath, purple eyes flashing open. Her head pounded violently and she felt dizzy, her vision blurred as the struggle to regain consciousness seemed epic. Clumsily she climbed to her feet, the War Room inside the High Keep of Sethia becoming visible. Her eyes seemed to flash, and the images that had just taken place flooded her mind, the Illusionist taking it all in one more time.

Narrowing, her eyes shifted to the doorway of the War Room, a snarl spreading over her lips. She no longer felt the pulse from the Arc of Life, and like a pregnant woman craving chocolate she wanted that feeling back. It was calling to her, the seemingly insatiable feeling of immortality.

Silently she padded through the twisting corridors of the High Keep, her body flashing in and out of existence every time someone would walk by so that they would not see her movements. A scowl ceased her face and her eyes remained focused dead ahead as she found her way to the entrance of the keep. Shoving the doors open, she strode from the large structure, turning back only once to take it all in one more time.

“Vengeance will be mine, Sedi. I want my Arc back.”

The snarl spread back across her face again as she started walking forward into the city. With each step, the air around her seemed to shimmer and pop, like heat rising from a super heated surface. By the time she had reached the courtyard, her form was completely gone, the only thing being left in her wake her huge footsteps as if some giant had appeared in the courtyard and walked to the Keep.

She was on a mission.

[The Captain]

It had taken a ridiculously long time, but finally the Captain had made it back to the bay that lay to the south of Sethia. He leaned heavily on the Arc of Water, the burns still making his entire body throb in misery and agony. His all white eyes rested on the massive war ship that remained docked in the distance, the hellish Crucifier. It brought a soft smile to his face watching the ship bob gently up and down in the soft waves of the bay.

“The bay… it’s a jitatin bay!”

His face voice erupted as his facial expression twisted into one of extreme anger. He pounded the Arc of Water into the ground and groaned, sighing deeply. After the journey from Sethia to the dock and leaving Wynne – as tempting as she was – behind, it was all for nothing.

“Noy jitat I’ll skin that Fae cat alive and fricassee him!”

Continuing forward, the Captain cursed Malchite in every tongue he knew, the cat long since vanishing after Lasius had shooed him away. He hobbled like some sort of cripple, several parts of his burns bursting open with puss once more with his motions. Crying out in pain the pirate stumbled and almost fell, but caught himself with the Arc of Water before smashing into the pier.

Before long, his crew had managed to get him aboard the Crucifier, and the few Life Sedi he had on board were tending to his wounds. He sighed softly as the pain was slowly washed away, the angry expression fading to one or more general annoyance and soon to a level of certain acceptance for the situation. As the Life Sedi continued to work he spoke, mostly thinking aloud.

“Well, we’re stuck. We’re bloody stuck. We can putt around this puddle all we want, I know it’s landlocked. So, now we get to wait and see who shows up first. I’d imagine Darkness doesn’t know we’re here. Let’s hope we see some shadow or a lightning storm then.”

He paused for a second, knitting his brows together as if realizing what he had just said.

“On second thought, bring on the storms.”

Wincing slightly as the Life Sedi began more evasive procedures; he closed his eyes and settled back into the cushioned chair he was placed in. He felt his skin begin to knit back together and his muscles cool. He experienced the savage heat being removed from his body and the split skin mending back together. It was a massive feeling of relief to finally have the agonizing burning cast away.

After several hours the Life Sedi had vanished there work and the Captain’s injuries were repaired. He smiled softly as he sat in his quarters, looking out one of the small windows of the ship towards the sky. He ordered the Life Sedi to return to there quarters, giving them permission to rest for as long as they needed to recover there strength after being taxed for so long. Soon he was once more alone with his thoughts, feeling the relaxing sensation of the ship rocking back and forth.

All he and his men could do now was wait.