It's But a Memory (Solo)

[Aello]

Fall 3, 511 AV Aello sat with her back facing the wall of one of Ravok's many wooden buildings. She could feel the frayed edges, splinters, jutting into her back. Pushing into her skin, creating mountains and plateaus, which served no purpose other than to make her all the more uncomfortable. She was staring out into the dark waters of the nearby canal. Listening to it lap up against its confines, splash around as the occasional raviosa glided by. As the boat men dipped their long poles silently into the lake, causing the water to ripple beneath them, and cause their boats to sway. At times, if she truly bothered to watch the long wooden entities, she could see them almost tremble, as they eased their way along, to only their guides knew where. The day then, seemed like any other. Fairly quiet. Warm for this time of year. Dark too, for the buildings shielded most of those who settled by the lake from Syna's light. Her ethereal embrace. Leaving those who ventured out into the light of day to the shadows. Casting them from her grace, until a fresh day should come. Aello sighed, as she nudged the pile with all of her things further along the wall with her elbow. She hated how it seemed as though they were crowding her. As though at any moment, the pile would topple onto her lap, reminding her of her many responsibilities. The weight she carried, the promises she had made to so many. Even if it was not in person. Promises made to both herself, her goddess, the innocent of the city, the ghosts that came to her, and her traveling companions alike. To help them. To protect them and uphold their wants and ideals to the best of her ability, for as long as she should live. As she sat, Aello breathed in deeply through her nose, before letting her breath out through her mouth. Working to keep herself in a more relaxed state, knowing that such an existence was difficult to come by in a city such as Ravok. Thus, she didn't notice when a ghost made his way through the wall behind her. His mist swirling about his body. Billowing off the ground in white puffs, that gave the illusion it was little more than fog. He glided along, silently, no more than two inches above the street's surface until he reached Aello, at which point, he stopped and stared at her. Finding something about her curious. He thought about this a moment, thinking it strange considering she was rather typical in just about every way- common dress, dark hair, brown eyes which so many other humans held. Small frame, on the edge of being starved entirely. Yet, despite all this normality, the ghost found himself drawn to this woman. Even though he had never seen her before. Even though he didn't know whether or not she would appreciate his presence in the alley. Even though he didn't know if she was approachable or not, or safe to be around, the ghost did not want to leave. So he hovered, in silence, watching the girl as she seemingly stared out at nothing. Breathed. The ghost remembered breathing once upon a time. He couldn't remember the last time exactly though, when he had a need to draw in a breath. Sometimes, he'd try to suck in air, but it wasn't the same. Now, his want was only for soulmist. Perhaps even companionship, from time to time. Someone to share his story with. How he came to be what he was now; the deceased. The longer the ghost remained, and the longer Aello failed to notice him, the more time the ghost had to study her. The gentle arch of her back. The slump of her shoulders as she sat, and something bright coming from her thigh. A long, pointy line, which seemed to glow. To call to him. It was as though he were looking upon the surface of the lake, as the sun shone brightly off of it, casting yellow lines upon its rippling expanse. Perhaps this strange light is what draws me to her, the ghost thought, as he glided closer to the stranger, and raised his right hand, extending it towards her. Spreading his flickering white fingers to her. As though once he reached her, he could pull the strange light away. Force himself to retreat with it. To flee from the stranger's side. As the ghost came closer, the mist licked the side of Aello's leg, causing her to look up at the ghost as a chill shot up the length of her spine. She sat silently, her eyes locked on his flickering form. The ghost stopped moving. He simply stared at the girl, seemingly unafraid to find him here. Maybe that's a good thing, the ghost thought, as he lowered his hand a little, finding her gaze so intense, that it was somewhat unnerving to him. It was as though she could see through him. I wonder what this one wants, Aello thought, as she waited. As she simply stared. Until a time in which enough time had passed, that each party grew even more uneasy. Until a time in which the ghost made the first move. Slowly, he floated over towards Aello, and then let his body sink into hers. A cool air overcame Aello as her eyes widened for a minute with the shock, and then returned to their more natural state. Now the body of the dead, and the living, had become one.

[Aello]

"What is it you wish with this body?" Aello asked the ghost simply, after he had settled in. Begun to raise both her arms. Twist her hands this way and that. Studying them as a baby may study its own body. Taking in the sight of any blemishes or imperfections. Testing its strength. The girl sighed, waiting. Every ghost seemed to do this when they first took her over. As though they had never been alive before. Or maybe, that was just it. They hadn't been so much as close to alive since they died. This was the best they could get. Surely, there was something novel about that. Something to getting used to a new body. Perhaps the girl herself would understand one day, when she too, somewhere far, far down the line, perished. When the ghost had finished his study of Aello's slender form, he responded. I want you only to hear my story. The girl forced herself to nod, thinking it a simple enough request. Especially when she considered how many other ghosts had made a similar request of her over the years. "Whenever you are ready stranger, you may proceed," Aello whispered. The ghost nodded, and waited a moment, collecting his thoughts, his memories. A moment later, there was a flash, and Aello was sucked into another time and place. In this place she was not in the alley, but in a small home. In a room. The room was scarcely lit by the light of a single candle. On one edge, opposite from where she sat, viewing everything, was a woman. She rested comfortably upon a rocker, her long white dress tumbling down her body to her feet. A long slender line of knit fabric, a bright red, cascaded down the center of her legs, towards the floor. Aello could just make out the sound of her needles clicking together, as she maneuvered them swiftly with her deft hands. Aello watched her long, slender, dark fingers curling beneath the silver-grey of the needles. Pushing against the fabric as she cast her gaze down at her work. Aello could just make out the sound of the chair creaking, as the woman pushed up against the soles of her feet, the ground. Easing herself onto the balls of her feet, so she could move the chair backwards and forwards again, as she wished. She watched her do this next, for but a moment, before letting her eyes linger upon the woman's face. It was delicate. A heart shape. With bright red lips, similar to the color of blood, and a button nose. Eyes the color of gold. "What are you looking at?" she asked. "You," Aello replied. But it was not her voice that left her lips, but that of a man. The voice was deep, low, seemingly emanating from the back of her throat. "Why?" the woman asked, "it's not as though I am doing anything special." Aello could feel her lips curling into a slender smile. "It doesn't matter Loreta. You know I love to look upon you, no matter what it is you're doing... the sight of you is simply... calming." Loreta snorted. That merely widened the smile upon Aello's face. She could feel her eyes sparkling, despite the lack of a decent amount of light. The lack of windows to filter any in. The dark wooden walls. The two simply sat in silence for a long time. Loreta knitting, Aello simply watching. Finally, there was a knock at the door. "I'll get it," Aello announced, as she pushed herself up, and headed towards the door frame to the left of her location. Once through it, she strode right, towards the entrance of the home. "Coming," she announced, as there was another knock at the door. Slowly she extended her right hand, and clutched the knob. Turned it clockwise until it clicked. Aello swung the door back about a foot, and peered out. There were three figures, dressed from head to toe in black, standing before her. Aello could feel the color draining from her face as her heart beat sped up. "Who's at the door?" Aello could hear Loreta call out. "No one!" Aello shouted back. The figures grunted. The one to the center of the others, stepping closer. "Are you Ruben?" he asked. Aello nodded, if not somewhat reluctantly. "Come with me then," the man instructed. "What's this about?" Aello asked. "You're under arrest... you're coming with us, now," the stranger replied. "Now don't make this any more difficult than it needs to be." "On what grounds?" Aello asked, baffled. "For the murder of Richard Nitrozian," the man replied. "But I haven't killed anyone," Aello stammered. With that, another one of the cloaked figures strode forward. He had his hands balled into fists. He pushed one of his hands down, and then, when he was within striking distance, raised it, so that it jabbed Aello beneath her chin. She winced. Could feel a sting. Hear a crack. "What was that?" Loreta called, before she dropped her things and came into the hallway. She stopped outside the door frame from the next room. Gasped. Perhaps she knew then that this day would prove to be a cursed one. For she could say nothing more, go no further. Another punch landed in the center of Aello's chest, winding her. Knocking her back a few steps, and then another and another. She could just make out the sound of Loreta screaming behind her, when another of the men swept past her. His cape billowing out behind him as he moved with a purpose. It licked the girl's legs as he went by. Aello glanced over his shoulder to see what he was doing, and then wished she hadn't. She could hear a weapon being drawn of its sheath. A deafening ring. A blood curdling scream as it was plunged into Loreta's heart. As she crumpled to the floor. A muffled thud, a fit of laughter. Her dress stained red, along with the floor. Aello forced her eyes shut, as yet more punches were tossed at her. Pushing her farther down the hall. Forcing her to cough up bits of blood, until finally, she crumbled to her knees and was dragged from the house, in a state between consciousness and unconsciousness.

[Aello]

Aello was dragged out of the memory and back into the present day. Her chest was rising and falling rapidly. Her heart pounded in her chest, and several beads of sweat were trickling down the length of her brow. Her body was hunched over even more than before, and she could no longer see anything other than her hands and her knees, which had been curled into her chest. She could hear a small sound, something strange. Something coming from her. But she couldn't quite make it out. The longer she remained silent however, listening, the more she came to realize that sweat wasn't the only thing making its way down the length of her face. There were tears too. Trickling out of the corners of her eyes. Mixing with her sweat. Drizzling down her face until it met with the gentle curve of her chin, dripped off its length into her lap. It was then that the girl realized the ghost was crying, that he was using her body to produce tears. Inwardly, the girl sighed. She wanted to reach out a hand and comfort him. But she could not, for the ghost was now a part of her, and even if he wasn't, she couldn't touch him without hurting herself, or passing through his misty existence. Not to mention, even if she could, she didn't know if that would have been what he wanted, considering they had just met, and the girl didn't know him well at all. Even if she knew what to do or say, she couldn't change anything. This was a memory, a part of the past. She couldn't change it. Bring either him or Loreta back from the dead. So instead, she merely waited, allowing the ghost to cry, thinking it would be best if he got it all out before they proceeded. After several minutes however, Aello grew tired of waiting, and began, "I know you're probably not feeling so great... or you wouldn't be crying... maybe that's why you share, to take a weight off your shoulders," it was little more than a whisper. "To let someone else carry the burden of your memories with you." She paused. "If that's the case, or even if it isn't is there anything else you wish to show me?" Aello inquired. The ghost sniffed, and then wiped the tears away with the back of Aello's hand. He nodded. "Then show me, when you're ready." No, the ghost responded, I wish to tell you of her first. "Of Loreta?" Aello asked. The ghost nodded. "What about her, that you two were married? How special she was to you in life?" The ghost shook his head. No, not married, but engaged... she was my everything in life. The one I told all my secrets. The one I wanted to be with all the time. The one I thought had the gentlest heart, the best manners and intentions... the opposite of the nature of this city. Aello nodded, "I understand." She didn't deserve to die, nor did I. Aello nodded. "You didn't kill him, did you?" The ghost forced their head to shake. "Then why did they take you?" It's a long story, of which I don't have an assured answer. The best I can make of it is that they confused me with someone else, or felt me a threat. Perhaps because I was a merchant within the city... Aello nodded, not expecting the ghost to supply her with more of an answer. "So what happened from there, where did they take you?" Aello asked. I will show you, the ghost replied. But you must understand these were cruel men. Twisted men, you may not like what you see. Aello nodded her understanding. She had seen a great many horrible things done to the ghosts she had encountered. Done to those she had met in her travels. She doubt there was much that could truly surprise her anymore. Really phase her. Of course, she would find things just as appalling- assuming those harmed were innocent. However, it didn't have quite the impact on her, seeing those horrible things, as it did when she was far younger. Still learning to be one with the dead. Hear their stories. Feed them. Nourish them, and ultimately, help them overcome their past. What kept them in this plane. To ultimately, help them return to the cycle.

[Aello]

Aello soon found herself swept into yet another memory. She was surrounded by a row of trees. Old trees with fat trunks, and younger ones whose trunks were far more slender. Trees which reached for the sky, their brown, or sometimes even grey bark sparkling in the light of the sun. Their leaves rustling with the gentle breeze which swept through the forest, forcing those that had fallen to the floor to sweep across the ground. Curling. Flashes of brown, of bright green. She could hear them crackling slightly as they tumbled, as her feet crunched against them from time to time, along with the feet of the three men who had come to murder her fiance, and retrieve her. The group traveled in silence for what felt like a long time. Just enough for the girl's legs to begin to ache. For her arms, which were being held tightly against her back, to grow more than a little red. Irritated by the man's hostilities, his less than gentle touch. "We're here," one of the men finally growled, as they approached a clearing. The grass that was strewn across the place downtrodden. The trees that hung about it thin, and spread far apart. Light from Syna's sun shone towards the center of the circular space, kissing the heads of those that waited behind bars. Men and women, covered in dirt and sweat, tightly packed into twin cages with metal bars. Their hands reaching through them. The few spaces left. Their fingers outstretched, trying to grab onto something that was not there. Something more than air. Aello could hear them all screaming. Shouting over each other. See them pushing each other down to get towards the top of the cage, the edges, bits that could still offer fresh air. The sight of something more than the back of another's head. She could see the terror in their eyes, at the sight of her captors. The surprise that another was being brought in. It made Aello wonder just what this place was, how long it had been here, where all these people had come from, and why they were all here. Why she too, was here. For she knew, that she had killed no one. Suddenly, Aello's hands were released, and she was pushed forward. Towards a tree to the left side of the clearing. When she looked over her shoulder, somewhat confused as to what she was supposed to do, one of the men clad in black strode forward, and pushed her face into the tree. "Stay there," he instructed, as another one of the men came forward, and grabbed her arms. He pushed them together, so that each palm pressed firmly into the other, and then bound Aello's arms and hands with rope. Keeping her in place. "You will learn to be obedient. To speak only when spoken to," the first man commented, his voice cold. "You will learn how to be a good slave, for your life now depends on it," he sneered, as the man who had bound her produced a dagger, and walked around to the girl's back. He split the fabric of her tunic with the blade, exposing the gentle curve of it, glistening with sweat, to those who wished to see. The man pushed both ends of the torn fabric back, widening the view, and then stepped away. The first one who had spoken, went on. "You will know pain. You will feel only pain. For it is only in this way, that you may repent for your sins," he commented, as Aello turned to face him. She could see him raising his right hand slowly. His fingers wrapped around braided leather. A long, black leather coil dripping down to the ground. Pushing away bits of dirt as it slithered along. The man raised his hand a little higher, and then snapped his wrist, forcing the leather tail towards her back. The girl forced her face into the tree, but not quickly enough. The whip licked the side of her cheek, slashed her back angrily. Aello was convinced she could feel a welt rising in each location. Feel her skin grow warm; red, as the man raised his hand to strike her again. Aello bit her bottom lip, and a second later, another biting pain was coursing through her back. The girl could feel something warm now too. Smell something metallic; blood. She could feel herself biting down more forcefully on her bottom lip. Feel her teeth making slight indentations on the bright pink strip of puffy flesh. "You shall know the pain he felt before he died, and live only to pay for what you have done. You shall know no mercy. No peace, no break from this pain. No break from this task..." Crack! Aello was jerked out of the memory. She found her eyes had grown wide. That she was breathing even more rapidly than the last time she had returned to reality. That was just plain awful, Aello commented, as she fought to regain her breath, calm the rapid beating of her heart. "That's not even the worst of it," the ghost commented. I bet, Aello replied, as she wiped the sweat from her brow with the back of her hand, and thought about what she had seen. Wondering why the ghost picked those two particular memories to show her. Of course, a part of her already knew that they must have had something to do with why he stuck around, but she also knew, as did he, that nothing could be done about it. That everything she had seen was over and done with, and if that wasn't even the worst of it... she wouldn't last through it all if he wished her to see something more. Aello forced herself to swallow the clump of saliva that had gathered in her throat, as she cast her gaze down at the ground, and said nothing. She merely thought, replayed the images, the sounds, in her mind. Over and over again, until she came to the realization that she had been to this place in the woods before. That it was not more than a day's journey, maybe two, from where she now stood. That there was nothing there now- the trees were even thinner. The grass even less prominent. Nearly non-existent now. Huddled in gentle patches around the clearing, in some places. Aello gasped. "Have... have you been back to that place... since that day?" Aello asked. "Since you died?" The ghost shook his head. "But it seems as though you have," the ghost commented, having seen a flash of recognition ripple through the girl. Having seen an image appear in his mind's eye. "It hasn't changed much, since I last saw it... makes it all too easy to recognize the place." Aello simply nodded. For once in her life, she remained speechless.

[Aello]

The two remained in an uneasy silence for quite a long time. "I was sold into slavery after that. Forced to serve a family in Ravok for a time..." the ghost commented after a while. "Until I died after a life at work. Never understanding why..." Aello nodded, considering his words. "It's odd though, if you didn't kill this man, why would they take you? And if they said they were to arrest you, because you were accused of murder, why sell you into slavery? The 'stryfe has a prison, it's not as though they could not detain you for a time... until they chose to execute you perhaps," she commented, blocking the notion that something wasn't adding up from his mind. That she thought the memories may have somehow, been fabricated. "I already told you, I don't know why they took me... maybe they saw me as a threat," the ghost replied. "But that's just it... if you couldn't defend yourself well, which I will assume you couldn't, considering your reaction to the loss of your fiance, and inability to take on three men at once... why would they see you that way?" Aello asked. Because of my status as a merchant. Aello let the point drop, but chose to pursue another. "But that does not explain why they would sell you into slavery. Why didn't they throw you into prison?" Aello asked. Because they were not who you thought they were. Those men were mere slavers... fairly gifted in the art of disguise. Capable of slipping in and out of the city in the guise of Rhysol's minions, despite their improper dress. Their lack of quite a few props. "Then why did they say they would arrest you for killing someone?" Aello asked again. "By name?" They only knew my first name... probably overheard it at the bar or something... were told by one of my neighbor's even. Aello shrugged. "It seems unlikely... as though they had something, personal, to attend to in your case." The ghost shrugged. Nothing personal... just business. Aello's lips curled into a slender smile. "If you say so... now is that all you wished me to see? To know?" Yes, you have seen everything... but you don't know everything there is to know. Aello nodded, as though willing the ghost to go on. Those men are rather dangerous... and a few of them still live. The man with the whip, and his son, who is turning out to be his spitting image. "The apple never does fall far from the tree," Aello commented, rather absently. This time, it was the ghost's turn to smile. A moment of silence passed. "What would you have me do with this information?" Aello asked. Know only enough to stay clear of these men... and if you see them, to run, or kill them if you have enough of a force behind you. Aello nodded, even though running wasn't at all in her nature. A moment later, Aello's body sighed as the ghost left her. She could see its arm flickering, as it waved good-bye, and then faded into thin air. The girl watched in silence. Stared at the spot even long after the ghost was gone. She was still convinced that something was wrong, that something simply wasn't adding up, but she could not figure out what that was to save herself.

[Verilian]

Aello +4 Spiritism +4 Observation +2 Interrogation You Question My Logic? : Any questions, feel free to pm. Lores: The Story of Ruben, Induction into Slavery, Something Doesn't Add Up Notes: Interesting little thread with a bit of intrigue, room to do something with later. Keep it up!