The Chains that Bind (Sai+Addy)[Cont. Raptor]

by **Aidara** on February 3rd, 2011, 6:14 pm

"Sai...Whoa, what are you doing? Thats...beautiful..."

The vision did indeed begin to swim before the healers eyes. With wide-eyed, slack jawed awe, Addy turned her head left and right to get a better look at the lake only existent in her head. It didn't occur to her that moving physically wouldn't move her in that dream world, but as mental muscles worked, the vision moved. The lake, the trees. She could hear the waves rush to gently kiss the shore.

Caught up in the view, and unaware that she and her sister had just fallen unconscious, the first shaking of the world brought Addy to her knees. Thinking that the vision before her floated only as far as her eyes, the woman began to grope behind her for the wall she knew was there...should be there. Staggering a bit as her hand clenched on thin air, she struggled to maintain her precarious balance as she called out to her sister.

"Sai, are you okay? Where are we?" Too busy enjoying the scenery it was belatedly that Addy looked around for her sister. Pitching backwards and then forwards with the rocking of their world, greens skipped over the landscape, panicked and no longer enjoying the view. Her gaze lighted upon her sister, not far away. In fact, exactly where she would have been had they still been in the aerie. "This is your vision. We're in your vision."

Then Addy's own world shook. From nowhere appeared every healing implement that the woman could have ever imagined, and then even some she failed to recognize "Holy Rak'keli" Her tone was awed as she took a staggered few steps towards the table, her hand extended.

Aidara had never felt so happy in her life thus far. In fact, with all the equipment laid out before her, she also never felt so powerful. With her one mark Gnosis, the woman had always felt hindered, gimpy. She could help, had the innate ability to help...some people. Not the seriously hurt or injured, not the people who really needed her most. Yet something always kept her back from committing herself to the goddess, and getting that second mark she did desire. So, she threw herself into medicine and worked as hard as she possibly could to find another way to help those that her magic couldn't. What laid before her now, was the physical equivalence of a fourth gnosis mark, in the womans mind. Whether the metaphor was correct or not, the confidence that surged through Aidara was palpable.

"LOOK at this, Sai! It's amazing." And she lapsed back into silence, turning to look at her sister now. In her awe, Addy had no idea that what she saw before her was her own creation. Had she stopped to think, it would have been more than obvious. But she was caught up in the mystery of their morning, and simply believed that the place was made for her, not by her.

And then there was a the eagles cry.

"Catabasis?! Is that him, Sai? ...Is he... better?" Confusion colored her words now, greens lifting towards the sky as her hand also lifted to shield her eyes from the sun. The glare was too bright and Addy turned towards where her sister stood, blinking the sunspots from her vision.

The storm hit. The first bolt of lightning struck to the left of the table, sending up a spray of sand and stone towards the twins. The general awe that was racing through Addy's system slowed her responses. Belatedly, she cried out and dove towards where her sister was, seeking shelter.

The second bolt hit her table.

"NO!" The cry came as loud and pain filled as if the lighting had taken off one of her limbs. Mid-crawl, Addy stopped and sat, watching as leaves from the different herbs floated down onto the sand and settling like a fine, burnt snow. "No..." She choked, unmoving.Metal debris littered the area, glass bottles lay twisted and smoldering yards from where the table used to be. Of the actual table, there was nothing.

It felt like part of her very self was blasted into nothing. Trance-like, Addy continued to sit as the storm raged around them, as the lake changed from its serene beauty to a raging whirlpool. In fact, she didn't even notice. If her sister came closer for comfort, the healer didn't notice. She could feel her sisters presence still, in the back of her mind and she clung to that. The mental existence of her sister, not the physical. The physical world around her made no sense, wasn't real...possibly was real, and was horrendous.

“We are what drive you! Now release him, if you wish to save him.”

Odd. Is that what she sounded like? Hearing her own voice made Addy look up. What she saw, made her balk and instinctively scamper backwards on the sand. Dead and decaying, the Inarta that filled the womans vision...scared the crap out of her. The sentence it uttered in that voice that sounded so much like her own still echoed over the churning waters, through the mountains...No, it wasn't just her voice...

The beautiful one took her breath away. Before she realized what she was doing, Addy was crawling towards the Inartian woman that stepped out from behind the dead, disgusting one. Deep within the confines of her mind, Addy realized that these...things.... were representations of Sai and herself. She knew, instinctively, that the beautiful one was just as much of a perfect combination of Sairque and Aidara as the dead one was all their...bad parts. The healer knew, in the back of her mind, that it was wrong to feel such a strong attraction to something that was the twins...but she kept moving forward.

It was when Addy reached the glorious feet of the beautiful Inartian that what the strange women had said sunk in "Wait...let him go? How...do we let him go? Sai? What are they talking about? We have to let Catabasis die?!" Pressing her hands down into the sand, Addy pushed herself to her feet, turned and walked back towards her sister, the strange allure of the seductress broken.

Addy's "healer mode" was in hyper drive. Just the idea of letting Catabasis die sent tendrils of pain snaking through her body, constricting around her heart and lungs until she found herself gasping, in a ball, on the sand. The knowledge of what losing the eagle would do to her sister.... Addy cried out.

"I...can't let him die. You can't let him go..can you? Sai, talk to me."

by **Sairque** on September 5th, 2011, 3:45 pm

Her world, her creation, protested with great shakes and Sai turned about frantically, searching for the unwanted aspect. Stone encased them, Aidara practically glowed. Sai stared in confusion. This was her world, and the more it became Aidara’s the less control she had. Fear raced up her spine. With two women controlling it, and possibly a powerful but sickened Wind Eagle, there was no telling how volatile it would become. They exerted upon it, upon one another…and as the lightning stuck close enough with percussive resounding to shatter the glass upon the healer’s table, it exerted back. Sai hovered over the healer protectively, furiously assessing the new revelations of this place in an attempt to understand it.

Aidara collapsed at her feet, plopped down like a dummy on strings, and the Endal regarded her with confused consternation. So easily this one gave up, as soon as something bad happens she assumed her contributions would be the first to go. As the manifestations of Aidara shattered, so retracted the healer’s presence in this place. And contrary to what Sai first thought, if Aidara was going to be here she had better be fully here. Harshly, Sai’s hand reached beneath the senseless woman’s arm and jerked her up to her feet. That box in the back of the healer’s mind blazed with reproach, that place where the healer had retreated for comfort and solace kicked her out again. She would not hide behind the younger sister, it was not possible in this place composed of and by the two of them.

Before she could give the defeated woman a pep talk, however, shadows crossed over and two unexpected Eagles landed. Letting Aidara sink back to her despair, the Endal straightened and took a few steps to meet the approaching apparitions: an unnecessary gesture to put distance between the healer and the uncanny women as the former scurried back toward the water. Studying the pair beneath furrowed brows, with her hands loosely balled at her sides, another piece fell into place. This place exerted back; their subconsciouses. Not ripping her eyes off the women until the last second, Sai looked at her sister, protesting and rejecting the sexual woman to retreat to the flight leader. Glancing over a shoulder to the young human body suspended in the water, held in place by nothing more than the twin’s refusal to allow the whirlpool victory, Sai crouched down to the healer fighting the needs of her gnosis in the sand.

“He won’t die,” she stated, brooking no argument. Allowing a brief smile to cross her lips, a reassuring flare of warmth into those yellow hues, the flight leader offered a hand to help the elder twin up. “We know not what we do while pushing and pulling on each other’s minds…but they do,” the fearless woman assured Aidara, nodding toward their counterparts. Warily, her eyes lingered on the decaying one, and almost without sobriety flicked over the seductress. She knew that the dead one encompassed all their flaws, but the other…physical perfection did not equate all that was good. Beauty is truth, however, could apply, she supposed.

Trusting their new guides, Sai released her Eagle, but, for all her confidence, felt an uncertain pang of worry. Did this mean he no longer shaped their journey with his greater knowledge and wisdom? Did this mean they were left to the mercy of these manifestation of their flawed mental strength? Wrapping bone slender fingers around the healer’s hand, the practical woman pulled her forward to meet their counterparts. “Let’s see what happens; have no fear, nothing is certain in this place,” Aidara’s younger sister cautioned, looking at the fragmented slabs of the table with a furrow of concentration between her brows as they fused once more into the symbol of Aidara’s self. She had made this whole place, fixing a table, if Aidara didn’t oppose it, shouldn’t be hard. Coming to the pair, Sai lifted her chin and addressed them.

“We’ve done as commanded, would you care to enlighten us further?”

by **Indigo** on September 9th, 2011, 7:50 pm

"The very strength of your gift brings cruelty and division. Sai you bully those who love you without even trying until your ability is perverted to merely control others at your whim. Do you deny this? Look at your sister and deny it!"

The voice was so loud it echoed, yet at the same time, both sisters heard it as closely as a whisper. He was tired and weakening rapidly, his mind's power draining lifelessly into the swirling waters around him. Slowly, ever so slowly the heat ebbed with the movement of the icy liquid. The communion of their minds vying for dominance would never last as it seemed that one must be willing to die, to sacrifice everything for the well being of the others.

This feeling, this empathy was wordlessly conveyed to the women, so alike yet so different. The ocean waves grew subtly smaller, the bay trembled and shivered, and then stopped completely. Ice crept in a sinister pattern, rapidly freezing over the bay in frosty white. It encroached like a sprinting predator, heading toward them inexorably, closer, faster.

"Who would be willing to sacrifice him or herself to keep the mind link whole?" from an unknown source, the question lingered in their minds together as the ice raced toward the helplessly weakened man and the twins that needed surcease of the mental buffeting. Howling icy winds and the frigid blizzard moved in and raged with all the fury of nature.

A small cove opened up far behind them, but it only had room for two people. Addy was nearly encased in ice by the unrelenting storm and the man's legs were immersed in frost and ice. The ill man lay slack upon the snowy ground, the fat and rushing flakes burying him in a pristine blanket of death. It was too cold for her to move but the frosty breath of nature clung and froze to her unprotected skin, speeding toward Aidara's mouth, when she'd be silenced forever.

A warm fire blazed within the cave, next to a large kettle full of rich stew, with a pile of luxuriant furs nearby. Abruptly, Sai found herself transported within the cave and a very important decision needed to be made. Quickly.

by **Aidara** on September 17th, 2011, 8:21 pm

Everything was so confusing. Sai's words simply slid across Addy's consciousness, leaving hardly any impression on her understanding as they passed. Everything was not what it seemed, but everything would be okay. They had to let Catabasis go, but he wasn't going anywhere? Or maybe he was...but nothing was certain.

"Sai I don't think..." Clearly having more trouble of the two, and yet with less to loose than her sister, Addy was beginning her argument that they needed more time, needed to think before they did anything when the booming voice rattled her teeth, it's presence swelling inside her head.

"Sacrifice?!" Everything had gone from being okay and unsure to sacrifice in the matter of moments, making the healers head spin further. It would have to be her, there was no other way. Why would Sai sacrifice herself to save Catabasis, who had practically already sacrificed himself to save them?

"Me, it has to be me." Addy knew this. She had always known this. Practically living her life up until this point for her sister and her sister's happiness, why would she stop now. Sai was more important than her, she could see that now. Smiling sadly and picking herself up from the sand, Addy moved to stand next to her sister, taking her hand. "It has to be me. It's always been me... You have the ability to do more than I do. You're the stronger one."

This may or may not have been true, but it was the way the woman felt at the time; with all the emotions coursing through her, the healer knew no doubt at that moment. She had struggled all her adult life to know her purpose, to find the reason she was, to find her ability to do a greater good. And what greater good was there than a sacrifice for ones twin?

Addy had opened her mouth to respond to the voice that shook within her, to speak to the beauty and decay that stood before them, when there was a change in the atmosphere. The waves slowed and then stilled, replaced by a chill that crept slowly into their bones. The ice was speeding across the lake before Addy could even figure out what it was. She cried out when the frost covered Catabasis, reaching out towards him and her sister both... only to be stilled, frozen by the ice. Encased and unable to do anything about it, Addy felt the determined purpose that made her so sure of herself shrivel and die.

Unable to cry out, move or do anything at all, Addy felt a sense of panic raise and almost drown her as Sai suddenly disappeared from her side.

OOCIs this what you were looking for? If not, lemme know and I can edit it.

by **Sairque** on September 27th, 2011, 3:41 am

Confusion irritated Sai, and the shifting of the scene confused her beyond belief. Where had the whirlpool gone? Why was the place freezing over? The question Catabasis asked didn’t even warrant an answer.

Instead she stared furiously at the two manifestations of the twins…who came in, gave orders and then disappeared from direction. Okay…so apparently she was wrong on many levels. Yellow eyes met Aidara’s, the younger sister frowning and throwing her hands up in confusion. And then she was ripped away from the scene, but the new perspective on the scene only disoriented her for a moment. Still, she could hear Aidara crystal clear.

This was ridiculous. This was all fake. It was in there heads and they were in the aerie. There didn’t appear to be a God flitting around moving them around. Irritated at the snow and ice flitting about, the Endal stepped from the room with hardly a thought, refusing to be cold. This was no more dangerous than the white cotton of the cotton wood tree draping across the land in late summer.

Slugging through the weather, Sai made it to Aidara first and happily disregarded her sacrifice. She dragged the block of ice, grunting and cursing at the awkward package. Eventually she wound up letting the woman lay where she fell and rolled the frigid woman along on her side. Shoving her unceremoniously into the heat of the room, the Endal forged back to her Eagle. That was no easier, as she had to swim out in the ice to get his floating body.

The slick skin frequently causing her to drop him from where she dragged him by his arm pits, Sai cast death glares at the manifestations of the twins. She dropped the human form of her Eagle next to the healer and sprinted back into the snow with a howl of fury. They would have to do better than this to defeat her. Without breaking stride, the solid brick of rage smashed into the decrepit image of them, breaking away to roll to her feet and drive her calloused little fist into the luscious one’s face.

“Sacrifice this, you bitches!”

Worthy last words, if ever there were any.

by **Indigo** on September 28th, 2011, 3:38 pm

The ice melted quickly from Aidara's frame, leaving her clothing soaked and steaming on the floor of the cavern. Nearly frozen through, Catabasis lay unconscious nearby. The natural reaction of cold moisture with dry heat made an intense and blanketing fog at the small entrance of the cave. All around the healer, the walls took on a strange fleshy look with narrow blue veins marbling the walls. Inside the rough cave, the close sides moved like a breathing creature. The strange warm fog moved in and out of the cave entrance, inhaling and exhaling in time with Aidara's own breath. The swirling mist carried away all excess emotions, breaking the tenuous thread that linked her to her sister. Every ounce of feeling ripped swiftly from her, leaving a red hazed rush of adrenaline to replace it. And fury.

Racing through the wisps of mist, the decaying twin smashed into the side of the fireplace with a sickening thud. She launched herself at Addy, baring her black and rotting gums in a grimace of violence. Dessicated skin rolled down in flaps revealing the yellowed ivory of her hands and she smiled cruelly at Aidara. The ugly, rotting twin spat out the hateful words with venom, mentally reaching both women.

"You want to be twins in everything yes? Then so it shall be."

When Sai's fist connected with the gorgeous woman's face, she felt the impact as her own. Blood and teeth sprayed in a gory mess down both Sairque and her opponent's chins. The bloody stream flowed unnaturally and increasingly steady.

The insidious mist whirled around Sairque's face for a chime and her mind felt full and heavy, pregnant with the emotions and physicality of three humans at once. There was no more rage from her, but a huge adrenaline rush from her sister being attacked. The link between Addy and Sai snapped audibly as the beautiful woman punched Sairque in return. The bond was now only what Sai got from both Addy and Catabasis. The woman's rage, breaking knuckles, and bruised mouth were now Sai's own pain. For every strike Sai dealt, she felt the proud Endal's physical pain. The mist seemed to carry the twin's furious emotions to her in exchange. The fog moved in Sai's mind, with others' emotions and feelings, but which ones where her own?

The beautiful twin stood strongly, exquisite and untouched by the swirling blizzard around her. Her skin glowed with health and her beauty was so perfect, it was almost painful to see. Her long silken hair didn't even move in the howling maelstrom that threatened to flay the skin from Sai's bones. Rigid ice began to coat her legs in a translucent cast. The raging blizzard winds ripped the words from the Sairque's mouth, until her ears were filled only with the violent and furious howls of the unabated storm.

For the slightest of chimes, her face took on Addy's visage before returning back to it's original state. Unruffled in her demeanor, she flicked a piercing gaze at the obscuring fog of the distant cave.

Both Sairque and the lovely twin blinked the blood from their eyes. For the first time, Sairque felt as Addy did, every time she healed; painfully, agonizingly over giving as the man/Wind Eagle healed more rapidly. But he was with Addy so only she could see what happened to him. His skin suffused with pink flesh. The more health he drew from Sai's blood, the paler and weaker she became. Catabasis could not stop himself from taking the much needed healing, despite the fact that it was draining the female to a deadly pallor.

Sai's mouth bled for herself and the proud twin before her. It dripped steadily, snaking a crimson trail along the snow. The moment the macabre pool touched Catabasis' foot, he took a long, shuddering breath.

by **Aidara** on September 30th, 2011, 12:14 am

The ice sure took it's melting. With her head and then her shoulders free, Addy was working on wiggling some life back into her fingers as the ice dripped from her body, as slow as molasses. It obviously wasn't normal ice, nothing about this place was normal, but it sure as hell had the same effects as normal ice. She was frigid to the very core, and wouldn't have been the least bit surprised if her bones snapped, brittle from the cold.

When she was free to move, Addy stood from the warm, thick liquid that pooled beneath her prostrate form, having had no choice but to lay where Sai had left her, the healer looked down at the human form of Catabasis...He still wasn't moving, though he too had the melted ice-stuff puddled beneath his feet.

Sai was no where in sight. Having rolled her sister into the cave, the Flightleader had left her facing whatever direction she rolled to a stop in while she dashed back for her Eagle; in Addy's case, she had a nice view of the back wall. This also meant that the healer had no idea where her sister went. In an attempt to keep down the bile that rose in her throat with her panic, Addy began to a careful check of both herself and Catabasis. All of their extremities were intact, all forty fingers and toes that should be present, were. They both still had hair, eyes, nose, lips and two ears each.

Stooping, Addy gently took one of the unconscious man's arms; it was stiff from disuse as well as the cold that penetrated into the muscles and making them seize. It was a good thing that Catabasis was both passed out and in human form, for when Addy began bending and moving his arms and legs to stimulate circulation, it most certainly hurt...bad. Birdy Catabasis would have surely ripped her head off, probably while making some snarky comment like 'try and help now!'

Grimly, aware that she probably didn't have all the time in the world before one fake twin or the other came for her, Addy messaged the blood into Catabasis's feet and hands, propping him into a sitting position in hopes of urging the blood to keep flowing down to his lower legs. Yes, Aidara was aware that they weren't in reality, but she also didn't have any idea what this place was. Better safe than sorry, this would all be for naught if they came back to reality with a legless or wingless Wind Eagle just because she scoffed at the actual severity of things. Task completed, Addy finally stopped to take in her surroundings.

....Where the walls breathing?

The mist was the second thing that she noticed, and since her last encounter with the thick white fog had left her encased in bone chillingly cold ice, it was understandable the gasp she gave, stumbling back towards the far wall of the cave. The gasp, the quick intake of breath, cause the fog at the opening to swirl madly, whoosing in and out of the entrance in time to her breathing. That did not escape her notice either.

Having never seen anything like it before, and with no idea how to react if the stuff was toxic or... bad... Addy simply stayed away from it. Maybe it was there to keep her from Sai, to keep whomever was inside from reaching that sacrificial soul on the outside.

"Damn it, Sai! I was the sacrifi-" Snap.

It wasn't actually an audible sound, but the moment Addy uttered her sisters name, their tenuous connection absolutely vanished. There was no trace of Sai with Addy, what so ever. It was as if she didn't exist. The small woman felt, for the first time, what it was like to be a single entity... and she did not like it, not one bit.

Taking a long, deep breath that caused the fog to twist and billow wildly, Addy held her breath and concentrated hard on her sister. The fog stilled, and Catabasis was still unconscious. The cave's sides were still fluttering as if they were the walls of a living heart and Addy dared not move....but no. Sai was definitely not there.

Snap And there was a weird rushing sound in her ears, as if Addy had just jumped from a cliff. The bottom of her stomach dropped out and her knees began to shake, while at the same time her heart beat faster and her hands balled into fists at the intense amount of energy that surged through her every vein. The adrenaline that both shook and invigorate her was accompanied by a rage so intense that Addy's lips curled back in a feral snarl, her teeth bared and her green eyes wild. The adrenaline acted as a roadblock, keeping any other thoughts from her mind other than the wild-fire like rage that now consumed her. The healer couldn't even stop to consider where this change had come from.

BANG A shower of rock exploded from where the fireplace was...well, had been. With the sickening crush and slap of calcified bone and mushy flesh, the decaying twin had appeared within the cave, running headlong into the fireplace.

Finally, a target.

"You want to be twins in everything yes? Then so shall it be."

The words were like a striking a match, lighting the fire, encouraging the rage. With a wordless, animalistic growl the like of which had never passed between Addy's lips before tore now from her throat as she launched herself at the gross and decaying abomination before her. Just like Sai was feeling the amplified physical version of the pain Addy felt when she tried to hurt something or someone, so was Addy feeling the exaggerated thrill that Sai got when she was goaded into violence.

Though she had no prior skill besides having survived a few brawls, Addy's punches landed hard on the venomous twins decaying form. Bones cracked and split beneath her small fingers, excited yips and growls echoing around the cave as the healer landed blow after blow. The dead thing tried once to grab Addy's wrist, pulling her off balance and sending her sprawling into the rubble of the fireplace, landing on top of unconscious Catabasis.

Unaware that her sister was fighting a similar battle without, Addy simply picked herself back up and advanced upon the Thing, her fingers curled into claws that she intended to sink into it's disgusting face. She was hunched down, ready to spring, like a cat in sight of it's prey, when there was a sturring behind her. As quickly as it came, the anger fell away, the loss of adreneline leaving her feeling suddenly weak and very wobbly. Falling against the wall, unable to stand without the stones support, Addy turned to face the sound.

Catabasis was stirring.

And it was only then that Addy saw the dark, foreboding pool of blood that had trickled into the cave and gathered where Catabasis sat.

Utter, mind numbing panic ripped every other emotion from her body. Thinking nothing of herself or of the man-bird that slowly worked out of his stupor on the floor, Addy bolted from the cave, through the mysterious mist and out into the open air.

"SAI! SAI! Oh my god! SAI!" Unable to see for the mist that clung around her face, Addy just ran wildly, calling and hoping for a response.

by **Sairque** on October 7th, 2011, 4:09 am

Sai’s body smashed into the Beast, her shoulder connecting with solid intent on smashing as many yellowed bones as possible, and tumbled over in onto the ground. Rolling, comfortable with the momentary loss of control, the wiry woman easily flowed back onto her feet and put her whole weight behind leaping toward the beautiful woman. Concentrating all the energy of her air-born rock-hard body through one bony fist to drive into Beauty’s cheek, the woman fairly growled. Teeth sliced skin, cutting through the taut flesh of cheek and into the knuckles. A trail of blood momentarily hung between the broken face and the arc the fist pulled back into in the natural motion of the next instinctive punch with the other hand, the left. Only after the third punch, damaging the knuckles of her right hand further, did Sai realize that the lull in combat meant the Beast wasn’t around. Stepping out of arm’s reach, bunched up defensively and ready to continue brawling, a quick glance around revealed the Beast was gone. Only her own movements disturbed the snow.

Too much blood tainted the virgin flakes; gooey flesh greeted the sensitive pads of her fingers when she lifted them to her own face. Mid-snarl, the mist encompassed the wiry redhead, obscuring the bloody, destroyed face of the Beauty.

“You want to be twins in everything, yes? Then so it shall be.”

The words rolled through her befuddled mind, cognizance trying to latch on to the answers they would provide, trying to fit the key to the puzzle, but in the instant of melding, they vanished without so much as a wisp of smoke to note their passing. Rage, rage, rage, rage. Pain. Cold. Fear. Torment. Snap, the broken tendrils of the sister’s bond vibrated and whipped in the aftermath of the rupture. Pain. Like her soul was on fire. Utterly introverted, the Beauty’s fist connected solidly, crunching bone and throwing the dazed hunter onto her back. Sharp, gut wrenching pain exploded, multiplied in her face. Around the limp woman, the shower of snow thrown up by the force of her fall returned to earth, a dazzling pure conclusion to the battle.

“There’s no reason for me to stop sacrificing now, little sister…” Sai finally answered the broken curse Aidara had thrown her way. The whisper, as soft as the storm raged hard, froze the whipping wind, suspended the frozen particles of water in dizzying patterns above those wondering yellow eyes. In the fog, she imagined that the snow encapsulating her body lifted her, cradled her lovingly…thrust her violently onto her feet and into the imperious Beauty’s chest. Reeling away instinctively, the ice creeping up each leg symbolized well the nature of her mind. Despair, fighting this batter rang with bitter futility—Catabasis. Fury, nothing should be conquered without a fight, no one should dominate the twins—Aidara. Confusion—Sairque. Emotions mixed and mated, stewed and frolicked with one another.

Pleading eyes, sunken and hollow above the bloody, limp mouth, watched the statuesque woman, she who was supposed to encompass the best of the twin’s traits. Her eyes flicked to the cave. Sai’s followed, but that heavy fog obscured even a glimpse. Limply, her head rolled back to face the conqueror. Her sister. Aidara the conqueror. No, no, she’d been mistaken, it was the Beauty still.

Gradually, a new sensation achieved dominance over the agony. Just when she’d been getting used to it. Acid rushed along her veins, raping every inch of muscle and flesh through capillaries. As the burn grew unbearable, the strength of her hitherto unfailing muscles gave their last sighs and let her tumble to the side, limp in the storm. Uncomprehending the attack that had been wrought on her, anger kindled anew.

“Cheating, dog,” she spat at the image standing over her. “You’ve no honor.” Gasping, choking on thick metallic blood, the sounds of rib cracking coughs and retches would be the only guiding sign for Addy’s desperate and heroic search. Unwilling to wallow in defeat, cry in pain, whimper and beg for release in front of this thing, a shaking claw reached out to scrape at the frozen ground, digging in and going limp after an agonizing moment of expended energy. Bile rose thick and expelled in a whimpering cry. The other hand reached out as well, dragging, fighting against the silvery trap climbing up her legs and weighing them down. The lake was her destination. Cool, clear, revitalizing, free.

by **Cinna** on July 21st, 2012, 1:55 am

And the forest reveals....

Well, this was certainly an interesting thread to read. I've never seen a bond portrayed this way and I have to say it was pretty fascinating to read about and a bit scary at the same time. The relationship between the two sisters and the eagle is certainly not traditional haha.

Aidara :

Sairque :

If you have any questions or concerns about my grading then please feel free to PM me

I was given permission to grade this thread.