Hey there, here you'll find how I've tried to bring the story-lines together and weave a coherent tale of the recent RP's I've posted here. Astros's dive into the surreal and a pinch of outer body experience. It all comes back to the scene at hand, the stand off and hopefully, it'll be a good read. Enjoy.Astros and RealityHis words hung in the air. Like great, feathered freaks. Not quite akin to eagles and certainly darker than the pitch bats navigate through when they fly out of their places sable, deep into the night. The air was thick like crystalline resin. Hardened and unyielding in its grip of all that the eye beheld.
''What is this?!'' The initial surge of hate fuelled adrenaline started to fade. He swooned where he stood. ''Explain this!'' He demanded as spittle flew from his mouth.
~Astros
From a place inside the very balls of his eyes, Astros looked at the world. What was before him. The world did not move. Was he trapped outside his body or was he struck on the head. That had happened before and this reminded him of it. He couldn’t move his hands, they didn’t respond to his will. All he could do was look. His words uttered.
Down the street there was a stirring. Something moved at the edges of his vision. Move head! Move! He thought, he all but screamed the words at himself in the mute silence of his skull. His head didn’t move.
Vahanian rode up to the tavern where Astros was drugged. He had destroyed the doorframe with his sword and was stumbling about in front of the building. 100 of Vahanian's heavily armed men circled the building and covered all of the exits. All of them prepared to murder every last soldier under Astros's command.
Vahanian dismounted and approached the Grandmistress, he bowed his head and said to her "My apologies for being late Grandmistress, my men have reinforced the perimeter and are at your disposal. The command is yours to give"
Vahanain hoped that he would not have to engage in direct combat with Astros, he was still a bit weak from his stay in prison, and he hand't had the time to eat today so he was feeling a bit unsteady.
~Vahanian
His body tingled. Especially his fingers. Like a thousand, thousand little needles. They prodded him back into the world. Colours melted into one another. The uniforms of the newly arrived solders blended with the backdrop. Making their faces akin to hovering masks. What in the Nine Hells! What is happening to me!? Astros knew panic and it took on the colour of bright orange. Grim looking Templars streamed over the street in front of the tavern and took up position. Their smirks and chuckles, imagined or real sounded inflated. Like coming from a bursting corpse. Orange puss spewing from their parted lips as they did. Astros shivered. He trembled at the sight. The Drugs had hold over him yet. Beads of sweat gathered on his scalp and as they coalesced too big, they ran down the side of his face and fell whenever they failed to find further purchase.
Jessica arrived to a scene of full chaos. The Grand Templar's heavy infantry had posted up all around the tavern, blocking the streets. The soldiers, seeing her, allowed her to pass, but blocked Bryant's path.
She stopped next to Astros and looked at him. If he was aware of her presence, he made no sign of it. She ran a finger along his bald scalp, slick with sweat. She frowned to herself as she examined him. Was he drugged? Poisoned? She shrugged. Impossible to tell at this point. Would have to let him sleep and see if he wakes up or not.
Slowly, purposefully, she paced around the hulk of a man, studying him. She stopped on the other side of him and turned to look back across the lane.
It seemed to Jessica that they had themselves a Gotlandian Standoff, only they didn't have any goats...
~Jessica
A great, red lance ascended from the canopy of his inner conciseness. Formed out of nothing and seemingly endless in its size. It touched Astros atop of his head with a violent scene that only his inner eye could see. An explosion of mental soil where the immense lance struck the fabric of his being. Yet instead of shattering him utterly, it transformed almost instantly into an anchor. It offered to grip the rough ocean floor that was reality that which he, so sorely lacked at the moment.
Sensing his way through this horror-scape of blending reality and colours, smudged with orange sprinkled chaos, Astros clawed his way back into the world of the living and out of the maze called insanity.
She looked at the hulking form of Astros. She wanted to yell at him, to break his stupor, but that was a physical impossibility.
So Jessica slapped him hard on the face.
~Jessica
Cresting the peak of that inner separation Astros saw a blinding light. It bathed him completely and he felt small and insignificant in its radiance. It was healing and it was consuming. Like a fire that fed and sustained at the very same time. With the thunder of a thousand storms it crashed out of existence. More cracks appeared than than there were stars in the night-sky. In an instant it was gone. Pain awoke him. Pain brought the dream to an end. Pain shattered the realm in which he had been and pulled him back into reality.
Astros blinked for the first time in a very, long time. Distant, muddled voices rushed through his mind. Conversations he had been privy to in body but had been absent with in mind. They came back to him. He turned his head to the left and saw a fair haired woman. Beautiful and catlike in her stance. He saw no fear in her. His mind quickly informed him how she had positioned herself next to him. An ally. The concept grew in his mind and a small grin played, dangerously upon his lips.
Seeing how Vahanian’s men had created a second perimeter Astros instinctively clasped the handle of his greatsword with his right hand. It rested slackly against the ground from the palm of his hand, pointing towards the ground. Hungry eyes beheld Vahanian. ‘’Grand.. Templar..’’ The words laced with a bestial promise. Growled as much as spoken. Astros felt his muscles respond to his will once more. Slowly at first but he felt stronger with every passing moment. A fine and remorselessly cold drizzle began to fall from the sky. As time stretched, so too did the droplets grew in size.
"There's still a chance for you, Astros! The Goddess has a plan for you... By order of the Inquisition, the Prophet of the Veiled Goddess, and all that is holy, lay down your arms and surrender!"
Not for a moment did a single man loosen his bowstring nor grow lax in nocked grip - for shivering fingers and storm-soaked eyes are wont to miss one's target. For those in the furthest and highest reaches, where the firmament cried with the fury of a living Goddess, it became a show of faith beyond any hope of application. Nonetheless, enough eyes could see and arrows might fly that the end result would stand to reckon: one man, and one alone, stood poised to die upon this day. If such a fate he chose... The Enlightened would thus oblige.
"...Refuse and you will die a thousand deaths before another breath is drawn!"
~Yxevarii
The Grandmistress herself called out to him. The beautiful lady still stood next to him. She hadn’t said a word. Didn’t she look familiar? Astros thought to himself. Lady Jessica. A serpentine voice whispered to him from the recesses of his mind. ‘’Lady Jessica.’’ He said it like an Alpha would to a venerated pack member. He breathed in the scent of her before focussing back on the Grandmistress. I had asked her a question, hadn’t I? Astros looked quizzical for a moment. His big head tilted from left to right. Never blinking during the gesture.
He slowly opened his mouth. He tasted the spiked ale he had drank before. The vehicle for his drugging. Stopping halfway into forming an opening line, he collected the spit in his mouth and along with the foul remnants of the ale, he spat it out on the street. Raising his eyelids, he looked directly at the Grandmistress. ‘’Explain this!’’ His free hand gestured at all the warriors in the street. Motioned at the bowmen and then at the additional men Vahanian had brought.
Behind them, Astros and Jessica, deep inside the tavern, the noises of a hushed struggle seeped out into the street. The corner of Astros’ mouth curved upwards in smug victory. The tavern door moved out of its own volition or so it seemed. Astros heard the voice of one of his trusted men. The man had the presence of mind not to breach the portal of the tavern itself and left the door shut, or what was left of it. Astros tensed and the man knew to retreat back inside the building.
Deliberately taking a moment to turn to Jessica he all but breathed. ‘’The Mistress’ perimeter isn’t that secure anymore.’’ He wondered how the little woman had managed to send him so many pieces of gold. The missive that had informed him of the wealth was snug in his breast pocket. There wasn’t much time to deliberate and he pushed the thought aside. Turning back to the Grandmistress and the brewing storm he prepared himself for what was to come.
‘’I am an agent of the Inquisition and a loyal servant of the Veiled Goddess!’’ He raised his bald head up high. ‘’Dare deny it! Any of you!’’ Issuing the challenge made him feel good. ‘’The Inquisition isn’t you, Yxevarii. You are not the Grand Inquisitor and I am a servant in the mold of Goriad II. You are a steward and you cannot claim my arrest! There is but one that can judge me and she had guided me all the way!’’ He waited a moment and then took a moment more. ‘’Upon a mighty, Mighty Fine Path!’’ His iconic, broad and toothy grin appeared amid the darkening clouds.
‘’Vahanian! Where are you hiding?! Behind some of those tiny men perhaps?’’ He motioned at the shivering templar warriors under Vahanian’s command. ‘’Guess a mouse can hide behind a horde of rats. Well!? Where are you, you lapdog!’’ Annoyance streamed into his voice as Astros actually failed to spot Vahanian.
‘’I should have been Regent! Not this bookworm!’’ Astros pointed a semi hooked finger at Yxevarii. ‘’A third of the Realm voted for me! Nobles not commoners. Titles are for the Templars and see how the Templars scurry to Yxevarii!’’ Rainwater splashed of his scalp as Astros looked around, gauging the impact of his words. ‘’She’ll protect their shiny titles and keep their purses lined with silver!’’ He made a questioning face as he looked at the warriors arrayed. ‘’Is -that- the will of the Veiled Goddess?! Is that what you’re fighting for?! Say no if you want but you know. You Know it’s true!’’
With a continuous stream of droplets cascading of his well shaven and angular chin Astros turned his attention once more to Yxevarii. ‘’You.’’ The white of his eyes took on an ivory sheen. ‘’You would arrest me? Whimper back into your spire you little thing. Only strong with an army to hide behind. Even now you are weak! Go back to your books! You have no place here!’’ Astros raised his upper lip in a mean looking snarl. ‘’I don’t recall you -ever- bringing a heretic to justice.’’
During his speech Astros noticed a strange figure standing among the crowd of onlookers. A strangely imposing figure that seemed to be at peace. Utterly at peace. Like the bounds of time no longer held him. Gyrthul was that individual but Astros did not know his name.
‘’What will it be Grandmistress?’’ Astros knew he couldn’t fight his way out of this one. His men, however many or few that term included, seemed to have mastered the tavern commons at least. That was one option but a dangerous one. One he did not favour for the odds were stacked so heavily against him. As the sky had darkened with clouds and rain descended upon the earth. He waited on her response. It would mark his destiny and forever edge the shape of his life into the fabric of fate.
