Difference between revisions of "GoldenCat/ChrysalisInFullBloom"

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Chrysalis in Full Bloom

Ryshassa: The next few days after the raid are tense, but otherwise uneventful. Camped with the troops within view of Spire, Ryshassa spends at least part of the day as a medic, caring for the wounded from the recent conflict, drawing into herself the worst of their wounds, treating the rest with exceptional compassion and skill. Though others share her talent for healing, for her it is a calling, and the patients she touches with her gentle, slender hands always heal well and sleep restfully.

The rest of each day, though, is her own. As the sun descends from its zenith, she spends her time in recuperation, allowing the bruises, lacerations and broken bones she has absorbed to be healed and made whole by Essence. As the cloak of night enshrouds the encampment, heralding a sense of welcome, if uneasy repose, she finds herself wrapped in the arms of her beloved, losing her worries in the heat of passion and the warm glow of the aftermath, in the comforting certainty of his body close to hers.

But in the hours of fading daylight, in the cusp between sunset and night, she trains.

Clad in loose pants and tunic of billowing linen dyed a dusky rose darkening to violet, wrapped at wrist and ankle and waist with belled golden cords, Ryshassa moves smoothly -- if somewhat slowly -- through a series of defensive forms. Her inky black hair is coiled into an elegant topknot encased in a sheath of dark gold silk, the excess tendrils of hair slithering snake-like through the air as she segues from one form to the next. The tiny bells draping her body chime gently in time to her movements, serving as both a soothing, meditative rhythm and an aural mnemonic, allowing her to reproduce the subtly changing tones that her musically trained ears recognize as correct.

With a wordless, percussive cry, she flings her arms outward, summoning to her grasp the golden Caduceus from its watchful orbit close by. Bells shiver mellifluously as her slender hands close upon the serpentine shaft, swinging the wing-crowned head of the staff to block an imaginary overhead blow. She pauses, breathlessly, at the peak of her upswing, gazing across the space of the tent she had reserved for her practices, meeting her husband's observing eyes.

I must find it, the healer thinks fervently, lowering the Caduceus into a ready position as she shifts her weight into a guarded stance. It is so close now. I cannot be wrong. She feels, has felt in the days since her talk with Vorpal, as if she balances on the brink of a discovery -- fragments of some greater concept awaiting that final push for them to fall smoothly into place. What motion, what circumstance, what catalyst would bring about its completion?

Ryshassa offers her beloved a smile, her features softening briefly before reassuming their intense mien of concentration. I love you, and that is why I will protect myself. I love life, and that is why I must live, so I may continue to save the lives of others.

She nods once at Alexsei, indicating her preparedness without a sound.

Alexsei: He does not miss any of her movements.

Leaning on Epilogue, Alexsei watches carefully as his wife segues one graceful move into the other, sweeping in front of him in a dance-like form. So it has been for the past few days, as he helped her to train in the downtime between her healing during the day, and the well-deserved rest night brought. For him, it is a welcome change of pace, to be able to focus on helping her to find this piece of knowledge she is trying to discover, and comes closer to every day.

In fact, he is grateful for this task, as it keeps him from thinking too much.

The recent raid reflected a lot about himself. Sometimes, he still felt the chill of nothingness that touched his soul, icy fingers grasping at his soul and dragging him out of this existence. She had saved him, then, brought him back from the frozen embrace so he could walk among the living once more. But he would not forget - the fact he was so sloppy and careless could have cost his life. He was ready to give away his existence should it come to this, but this time... It would have accomplished nothing. It would have nullified all the work he had accomplished so far. And he would have died there, forgotten by all.

He shakes his head left and right, shaking the thought from his mind. Now is not the time for such self-pitying reflection. Violet eyes catch her readiness, and he welcomes it, embracing the task at hand and clearing the doubtful images dancing in his head.

Nodding once, he lifts the end of his now section-broken staff, smiling softly before lauching in a forward strike that brings down the rear sections of Epilogue towards Ryshassa's head, the movement of the Starmetal weapon reminescent of a tiger pouncing on its prey.

Ryshassa: Ryshassa watches her beloved as he struggles with his silent thoughts, his gaze for a moment distant and distracted, his expression grim and tinged with regret.

It still haunted him, as it did her, that moment he faced his own ending and nearly succumbed, ushered to oblivion as his broken body fell back onto the chapel floor. She could recall every nuance of it, every certain, relentless detail, if she so chose. Their adversary gloating with delight as, high above them, mouths moving in awful synchrony, the grotesque sevenfold angels cried their hymn of utter despair. The vivid red of blood, the sharp tang of it saturating the air, the desperate anguish of her screams as she gathered close the man who had once saved her from death and filled her life with love.

She brought him back, then, lending to him blood and breath and vitality, the pinnacle of her skill as a healer. She brings him back again and again, every single night, holding his shuddering body to her as his widened, guilt-stricken eyes fill with recollection of what his mistakes could have wrought. It seems that even though they both now thrive, they cannot help but sink into the imminent oblivion of memory, reliving and reanalyzing the past with a determination bordering on obsession.

But we must strive to live, beloved. The future still awaits. Ryshassa's gaze never leaves his, the pupils flaring with a scintillating inner light as she thrusts the Caduceus upwards to meet Epilogue's unerring path. Orichalcum and starmetal collide in a clash of sparks and jangling chimes, Epilogue wrapping clear around the golden shaft before she jerks it aside, forcing it to uncoil and ricochet back. I understand now. I almost lost you... but I have the ability -- the power to save you. I will not fail because I refuse to believe it is a possibility.

"Let us strive together, my love," she whispers, even as she falls back, lifting the Caduceus lengthwise in front of her, alert for his next move.

Alexsei: He hears her whisper, little more than an inflexed breath following the loud song of the precious metals colliding. We have to live. Time seems to slow down as his staff is brushed aside, the great lenght sent ricocheting by the Caduceus Curatoris' sweeping motion. We have to live...

She is so much more than what she used to be. She is stronger, more convinced... But it also means her heart is more open, perhaps even more sensitive to pain. But she realizes it, she accepts it, wears it proudly as it is anchored deeply into her being.

She is stronger, and it fills him with pride. She can stand on her own two feet now, for better or worse - she can choose her own path, and she does not shy away from the repercussions of said actions. But now what is left for the teacher to do? Now that she has reached the point where her learning must be done of her own volition, what is left for him to teach her?

For a moment, he feels the pang of reminescence once more. I am losing my edge... But her whisper calls to him, and he hangs on, gazing into her eyes.

I must find it back. Because... becasue we have to live. Because I WANT to live. And I have to accomplish what I was set to do. I must find it back... Somehow.

He grants her a genuine smile, knowing in this moment words to be ineffective to convey his inner feelings. Grabbing the ricocheting end of his staff as it flies past him, he brings it back in a strong jab towards his wife's right side, trying to exploit an opening in her defenses.

Ryshassa: The smile he offers Ryshassa in return for her whisper fills her with joy -- and a trembling anticipation. Her fingers tighten briefly upon her serpent-bound staff as Alexsei's body twists, redirecting Epilogue's momentum back towards her.

Yes... like that, beloved. Right now, I need your confidence. More than anything, now, I need you to believe.

In me. For a brief, breathless moment, she allows her eyes to drift shut. Her body relaxes its instinctive tension, making no motion to defend as Epilogue hurtles closer.

In us. Her hands, utterly stilled of their trembling now, release the Caduceus into the air with hardly a sound. Propelled by its own programmed instinct, fueled by the memory of her skill and determination, the staff rushes to her side to beat back the threatening blow with single-minded efficiency.

In yourself. Her eyes flicker open once more, regarding her beloved with bold, unparalleled trust. He would be stepping up the attack, by now. And she is resolved to repel every one.

Alexsei: And once more, the blow is parried, set aside by Ryshassa as she gazes upon him, her eyes filled wth trust. She needs me... She... She trusts me. Once more, he grabs the recoiling end of the weapon, ready to use the momentum of the parry against the defender...

No.

As he grabs his weapon, he knows the blow he is preaparing is going to be parried, also. In order to breach Ryshassa's defenses - pushing her to the limits as she wants to - he will have to tap into his full potential. Just like before. Seems so long ago...

I... I have to harness it. If I am to... go any further, I have to stop restraining. Even if... Even if I said I would not anymore, after Gaijutsu's death... I have to use the power I have. Just like in Sijan... Just like Sifu taught me.

He almost hesitates. The road would be long to recover what he had cast aside. Most probably, he taught, a visit to his revered master would be in order in the near future, to reconnect with his training.

But the road to recovery had to start now.

His face taking on a determined look, his outline softly bathed in a soft violet glow as he changes the course of his blow midway. Grabbing the opposite end of the staff as the sweep moves towards Ryshassa's neck, he shifts Epilogue's ends in a surprisingly fast motion, using the forceful energy of the twirl to suddenly shower Ryshassa with three swit blows aimed for her upper torso.

Ryshassa: Ryshassa nods almost imperceptibly at the change in Alexsei's stance and expression. Of course it was difficult for him to strike her, even purely for the sake of practice. Alexsei's first memory of her in person was when she was at her most fearful and subservient, and he had sworn ever since then to protect her from all harm.

Rape -- or was it truly rape? She had allowed Salagin to do as he would, in the end. She distinctly remembered that helpless sensation of closing her eyes and giving in. Convincing herself that the shame and agony of it was simply what she deserved.

But she never truly believed in that, did she? Underneath the desperation to meet her obligations, beyond the facade of obedience she kept up to justify her continued existence, she clung to that tiny, glittering morsel of hope. Hope that amid the decadence of the Realm, there were people possessing of genuine kindness, people whose lives were driven by love more than ambition. People like her -- who would accept her as she truly wanted to be.

When she allowed herself to succumb, to cease fighting, to cease thinking -- that last glimmer of hope was all she had left. All she could be.

And in that moment, the light of the Unconquered Sun filled her being, and the direction of her life was forever, irrevocably changed. The very same light that now suffuses her body, casting a golden glow over the sunset shades of her garments as her very will to survive directs the Caduceus into action. The mark of Twilight flares proudly against her forehead, her dusky eyes illuminated like miniature suns.

I will not succumb again

Quick to match Alexsei's flurry of blows, the Caduceus phases momentarily out of sight, coalescing in a shower of butterfly-wing petals directly in front of her, intent on shielding her torso from harm. The staff vibrates with an inner resonance as it precisely parries each strike, flinging Epilogue backwards with the final impact, forcing Alexsei to backpedal to keep his balance.

You do not have to fear, my beloved

"Continue," she directs him softly, her voice rich and throaty and aching for what is to come.

Alexsei: And yet, it was not enough.

Not yet. There was much ground to cover still. A lot to catch up to do, before he could match up to the training he received. It would take more time.

And he hears her voice, her call. She has met the attack, blow for blow, forcing him to recoil in order not to lose balance and fall down sprawled on the floor. She bested it...

For some time, he had trained her. He had taught her how to defend herself, so that she could protect her own life and meet up to what she wanted to be. And now... Had she bested him? Was it all there was to him?

Sijan.

Another wave of undead fell at their collective assault. And yet, over the hill, in the black and cold land know as the Black Chase, more were coming. So much more... And maybe this time was the time they would not be able to repel them all. They were tired and drained and wounded, and yet they had to hold the line.

He peered to Iluun, and then to Gaijutsu, his friends, his companions. He was ready to tell them he was ready to lay down his life, and that he was happy to have served with them. His mouth opened to form the words, but he saw their eyes. He saw them, and he understood. "There is no way we will die here." They said. "We will live, and we will crush these abominations, and we will walk back home."

"Give it all you've got. Don't surrender your life so easily.

His foot switches back to maitain his balance as the words echo in his mind. "Continue," Ryshassa's voice sings. "Give it all you're got," Iluun whispers. "Don't surrender your life so easily," Gaijutsu murmurs.

Violet essence flow about him, and his footing switches. his eyes flicker, and the violet light shine around him like a distant bonfire. For a moment, it looks as if he will fall, collapsing on the hard floor, unable to regain his footing. But as his body pulls back, his feet shift once again, changing the fall back into a nimble forward leap.

Was it all there was to him?

No, there is much more. It merely needs to be remembered.

Epilogue strikes all round her, the bottom end twirling, the "Poison Snake Coiling its Tail" as his Sifu once taught him. The blows shower her, and he feels the moment of purity one experiences when tapping into his full inner essence.

I will not disapoint you, Belladonna.

Ryshassa: This is it. This is what I was looking for.

Ryshassa smiles as Alexsei bears down on her, unhindered by fear and lack of confidence, his body bathed in flickering violet incandescence that grows in strength with every strike. Here, now, in this moment suspended in time she shares with her beloved, this transcendence of skill flowering in the collision of violet and gold, is the profoundly difficult yet fundamentally simple expression of trust.

Complete and utter trust. For the blows are swift, accurate, and deadly enough to kill, if she acted as an ordinary mortal would. But Ryshassa is Exalted, and she has come to accept in her heart her profound desire to live. Just as Alexsei had chosen to strike down those barriers of doubt and shame that prevented him from reaching his full potential. It was simple to see -- if she failed to withstand his attack, it would wreck them both. He would despise himself for using his newfound confidence to hurt her. She would blame herself for overestimating her own skill. They would be trapped in their own self-loathing, unable to progress. Unable to even face one another without remembering their individual failings.

She will not let that happen. It is simple as that.

Ryshassa thrusts her palms forward, two fingers held aloft on either hand. Her arms move with grace and precision, the bell cords chiming in rapid succession as she traces before her a map of the vital pressure points of her body, leaving in the wake of her trailing fingers a shimmering golden array. The Caduceus follows suit, mimicking with blinding speed the paths she weaves, catching within its web of motion the blows that Epilogue rains upon her. Twice, Epilogue jerks and recoils, deflected harmlessly as the Caduceus intercepts its considerable reach. But the starmetal sections quickly wind their way through the gaps in its defense, whipcording around its unwieldy length to strike her at either side.

The poison snake rears to pierce her sensitive flesh. But Ryshassa does not yield. Faced with this inevitability, she refuses to yield. She has grown beyond that miserable girl who would have sacrificed herself as if her life meant nothing at all. Facing Vorpal that day in the command tent, she shed her fragile exterior to defend her ideals with passion, conviction and courage. Now she would defend her life -- and with it, the love and trust her beloved has placed in her.

Ryshassa's hair unfurls from its bindings, the long, dark strands floating tendril-like about her, buoyed by the force of her anima as it flares into being, throwing vivid splashes of sunset light on the bland, functional canvas of the tent. They spread behind her, a magnificent five-lobed flower unfurling from her back, butterfly wings shaped like belladonna flowers, bell-shaped blossoms morphed into delicate, fibrous wings filtering the light of the Sun. They sweep forward, fragmenting into a cloud of phantasmal petals that flitter to life, gold-veined dusky violet blossom-flies that alight upon every inch of her body, spreading their petal-wings to form a surprisingly hard, resilient surface.

The blows fall, and the blossom-flies shiver, shifting to absorb all they can of the impact, the golden tracery of their wings pulsing with the Essence upon which they feed...

Epilogue is repelled by the armor of butterfly blossoms, the petal-wings depressing slightly, but holding firm. Ryshassa feels but a feather-soft touch at each strike, the impact sending several blossom-flies scattering from her body into wisps of smoke. They soon recoalesce, dipping slender golden tongues into her skin as they flutter down upon her. With a warm tingle, the ephemeral creatures impart to her the Essence milked from the damage wrought by each blow.

"Alexsei, look," Ryshassa gasps in a hushed tone, spreading her arms wide. She shivers, gazing about her half in wonder, half in satisfaction, as the gold-veined butterflies flit into the air once more, wisping in and out of existence, entangling themselves in her hair like a floral crown, encrusting her arms like living bracers. She grasps the Caduceus in her left hand, and several more blossom-flies garland themselves about the winged head of the staff, naturally attracted to the magical metal in its construction.

Tears course slowly down her cheeks, despite the smile that suffuses her expression with joy. "I did it... but it is not quite complete..." The healer raises her hands then, striding purposefully towards her husband, her gaze planted firmly in his, resolute and filled to overflowing with love.

She embraces him closely, standing on her tiptoes to encircle his neck with her arms. The blossom-flies settle down upon his hair and shoulders, pulsing with life-giving warmth. Her lips meet his...

...and he feels that warmth fill him, a sensation he recognizes with an instinctive fondness. If he was hurt, she would have healed him then, accepting into her body the aches and pains that plagued him. But he was not, nor was she; the blossom-flies, perhaps sensing their lack of usefulness, slowly dwindle into golden motes and dissipate into thin air.

"Thank you," Ryshassa whispers into his ear, her cheek still damp against his.

Alexsei: He attacked without holding back. And yet, these attacks were repelled, Ryshassa blossoming into golden essence as the blows are sent away, golden butterflies restoring her power as they fly back to her.

He lets out a heavy breath, shuddering softly as the moment passes, the adrenaline rush slowly fading out of him as Ryshassa opens her arms wide, accepting the new piece of knowledge the Caduceus is imparting her. His heart fills with pride and joy as she bathe in the golden glow, finally able to unlock what she desired - she did it, and this moment of joy was hers. Deep inside, however, he felt p[leasure at the thought of having contributed to this moment, of having helped her achieving her goal.

The moment passes... and he realizes that in this instant, he managed to harness it. Just like back then, the power he became reluctant to use after the Convention of Air, and the death of Gaijutsu...

She embraces him, then, and he feels the familiar tingling of her healing touch spread through him, scanning him for injuries and dissipating when none is found.

He smiles genuinely at her, letting his violet glow mingle with her own golden aura as he presses her closer to him. Sha had accomplished her goal, and he had helped her, one more time, to better herself for the future. And she, as a side efect, helped him unlock some of his unused potential...

It was a dangerous force to unlock again... But he could not spend his time idle anymore. So much needed to be done...

"Your apprenticeship is over, Ryshassa. From now on, we go together as equals... And learn together, as we mature... You and me."

He grants her another genuine, albeit tired smile, brushing her hair softly as he gazes down at her. We will grow together, Belladonna. I will ensure it this time.

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