Falling into the Black

by **Gale Austin McCenry** on January 16th, 2014, 3:11 am

Common Vani Nari

OOCWarning: I quote you a lot so I hope you don't mind.

Hearing the woman chuckle would likely make any man feel like they achieved something significant. With her tone so grave and her smile so gloomy throughout the conversation, seeing the mood lighten up after something so... painfully tragic was especially encouraging. It just goes to show that not all situations as bad as these end even worse when another tries to help.

Gale watched the woman intently as the itch in his mind waited to be scratched. She waited a long while before saying anything, and it appeared as if she was debating and contemplating the question of where the world came from. W-was it wrong to ask who saved him? Was she offended in some way? The thoughts within her head slowly came to a stop and she sighed before opening her mouth to speak.

"I am known as..." That's a rather formal introduction,"...Priskil..." That's sweet. Did her parents name her after the," Goddess of Hope, Radiance, and Light."

Gale's previous smile had all but fled when his mouth appeared to drop open in shock. The air within his sore lung even escaped his mouth, leaving his breathless and speechless.

Priskil? The Goddess? The Goddess of Hope, Radiance, and Light? Talking to him? Wait- wait- wait- there must be some sort of mistake. He must be missing something. There is no petching way that THE Goddess Priskil is the one who saved his life. "I have watched you, Gale McCenry. " Seriously? "I have seen your struggles and your trials, your suffering and your loss. I have seen the kind heart that lies within you, and your deepest regret of the crimes you have committed through your life."

Everything hit Gale all at once. If knowledge was an object, it would be a rock that would have smacked him right in his face. The man wasn't sure whether he should be baffled, thankful, or terrified of knowing this! What was he suppose to say? What was he suppose to do? What could one possibly say to a Goddess after she revealed herself? The sheer amount of astonishment was ethereal to Gale, and he was mystified and amazed at... just about everything! Like, holy petching shyke, he's talking to Priskil!

It took the sailor a good chime himself to get over the wave of surprise that overwhelmed him. But once he did, he wondered why she decided to help him, Gale McCenry, of all the other people in Mizahar who had everything worse off than he did. Why? He hadn't done a petching thing to even deserve even the slightest glance from this woman. He wasn't even worthy enough to be in her presence. Yet she saved him? And talked to him? As if he was an equal on some sort of level? How? Why? Why would she do that?

In Gale's puzzlement, his gaze drifted away from the Goddess and to the ground, his mouth still agape and his eyes still filled with wonder and bewilderment.

Gale didn't understand. He didn't understand any of this. His entire life he had been nothing but a big blunder. A big mistake. He could hardly take care of himself and he couldn't hardly take care of the ones he loved. He had fallen one too many times and had been walking down the wrong path for far too long. Yet despite all of that, people still thought he was a good person. Hana loved him, Kendhl bonded to him, Ricky took him in as a part of his extended family, allowing him to be Martin's godfather... And now... Priskil was offering her hand out to him.

"You are a noble man, one I wish to call my friend."

How could all of this happen to him? How can all these people look at him and say that he was worthy to be their lover, their bondmate, their family... Their friend. How could they see him worthy for such a position when all he did was let them down... He didn't protect his wife, he didn't save Kendhl... All he did was fail. Fail and fail, time after time. How?

The sorrow within him lurked back, bringing water to his eyes as images from the past returned. All the mistakes, all the lies, all the dead. He wasn't worthy for any of that. He didn't deserve love or friendship, let alone from a Goddess herself...

But there was a reason he did have it. There was a reason he had it. There was a reason he had it. He didn't deserve his friend's love and he clearly didn't deserve this woman's kindness. But there was a reason he had it. There was a reason he didn't die that day when he jumped out of his window. There was a reason why Ricky gave him the title of Godfather. There was also a reason why Priskil... Goddess of Hope, Radiance, and Light... called him to be her friend...

And he was going to discover that reason.

Gale looked up at the Goddess of Hope as she asked,"Would you accept my friendship, Gale? Would you let me help you on your path forward, and would you help me on mine?"

With a chuckle and a large smile, the artist placed his mangled hand in hers and stated,"Of course."

by **Eldritch** on January 16th, 2014, 3:53 am

When Gale placed his hand in Priskil's a warm light would envelop his hand, a bright glow shining from the contact. The artist would feel hope well in his chest, negative thoughts that would have otherwise distracted him faded as the warmth traveled through his entire body. He would feel better than he had ever been, he could see that it with hope he could conquer the problems and challenges in his life. It became clear to him all in one flash.

Then, as suddenly as it had arrived the feeling began to fade, Priskil taking his hand in both of hers and holding it up. The feeling became centralized around his hand, which was still enveloped in the strange warm glow. She smiled at Gale and then released his hand, the warm feeling still centralized around his maimed hand.

On the back of Gale's hand he would find a bright swirling vortex that shimmered brightly as he moved it in the light. It looked rather like a tattoo, except when he looked at it he could feel a little more light for heart. The woman placed a hand on Gale's shoulder, smiling at him warmly as she slowly helped Gale to his feet. He would find the action less painful and actually rather easy, though his leg throbbed dully.

"I am glad Gale. One can never have too many friends in this life. I've given you a small gift, something to foster that spark I see in you in the hopes that it will grow over time." She said.

The smile faded as she looked back to the city, her eyes seeming to focus on a single point. She sighed and then looked back to Gale, her expression a bit regretful, as though the information she was about to share was rather unpleasant. As though she regretted having to say it but felt obligated to say it anyway.

"My gift will also protect you from the influence of my great enemy, Sagallious, God of Manipulation and Puppetry. I fear you will have need of it in the coming days as your father, Ignotus Everto, possesses a gift from him. Please, be careful Gale. I will be watching, and waiting for the day we may meet again." She said, her expression grave.

"In any event, you need to return to the city. I can hardly ask you to walk all that way back to Zeltiva so let me help you." She said, offering her hand again.

When Gale would take her hand he would find them enveloped in a flash of brilliant light, and then the next instant he found himself standing in an alleyway alone. The mark was still there on his hand, a sign of his new friendship with the goddess. Priskil was no where to be found though, however her influence that day while small and subtle was difficult to deny.

OOCOkay, that should be the last post from me here. One more post from you should wrap this all up, then I can give you a grade.

by **Gale Austin McCenry** on January 16th, 2014, 5:42 am

Common Vani Nari

Gale placed his hand in her's tenderly, and with a blink of an eye the very same warm feeling that he had felt when she placed her hand on his chest engulfed his hand. A luminous light shown from his had, lighting his skin and filling his body with desire, faith, and of course hope. And it didn't stop there, for the agony and sorrow that once occupied too much space within him retreated from the warmth of the feelings that draped over him. The glow was rich, Gale could almost taste it, and as the feelings took over the crevasses that depression once lain, the sensation of peace hit him, a feeling he hadn't felt before. The magnitude of the sensation told him many things, he could hear it as clear as a whistle. It told him that he could overcome the circumstances in life and that he could stand over the obstacles in his life as long as he held on to the hope that he had inside. It was a moment of clarity, no matter how short, and Gale prayed that he wouldn't forget it.

The Zeltivan's green eyes watched with eagerness and joy as the Goddess took his hand in hers. The warmth still gathered in his hand with such, and even remained after she let go. She smiled in which Gale was quick to return, though he was sure he hadn't stopped smiling since she took his hand. He peered at his hand, eying the symbol she had bestowed upon him with glee, admiring the way that it shimmered. The artist was never fond of tattoos, though he had a feeling he was going to like the particular mark. With the help of Priskil, Gale stood to his feet, although surprised at how little pain he felt while doing so. His leg ached, but nothing entirely bothersome, in which he was thankful for yet again.

The woman started to tell Gale about the gift that she hoped would allow him grow. And he did as well. He wanted to grow. He wanted to continue to see the better things in the world. After what he felt today, he didn't want to return to his old feelings. He wanted a future, and there was no future to what he use to feel. He proved that today. Why would he go back?

The woman's expression turned grave once again as she looked on to the city. Gale's smile faded as well. Was there something wrong? The sailor followed her eyes in attempt to see what she saw, though nothing could be seen other than the city he always knew.

But it appeared that she was merely thinking of dark things, for she soon explained the evils of the God of Puppetry and how the mark on his hand with help guide and protect him against such. Gale knew that Ignotus was not the kindest of souls and had evil intentions. However, he didn't think that he would go through such lengths to fulfill these intentions. Then again, perhaps he did. Nonetheless, Gale took heed of her warnings, now sure to be wary around Ignotus' company. Mr. Everto might be his father, though the artist doubted that the Nuit had any intentions of acting as such.

Gale would have responded, though the Goddess soon offered to aid him in returning to the city, which brought back a soft smile to his lips. He placed his hand in hers once again, and in a flash, the dock was gone.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The man found himself in an all familiar alley back home in the city. The flash of Priskil's light was gone, along with the Goddess herself, despite Gale's aimless glancing around to search for the dark haired woman. The street was as empty as the docks though not any less cold as Gale noticed, for the slight breeze that blew chilled the wet clothes that clung to his skin.

The blonde stood in the cobbled street for a long chime, thinking over the events of the night. Though nothing really came of the thoughts other than him looking down at the elegant swirl that lain on his hand. He sighed softly, then went on his way down the street home. Of course, it didn't take long for him to get to the front door of the Old Quarter, but he hesitated in front of the solid wood.

He glanced down the street the way he came, seeing nothing just as he did on the way here.

He glanced the other way, seeing nothing out of the ordinary.

Finally, Gale looked back down at his hand once more. He supposed this meant a new start. In a hushed whisper Gale spoke a soft,"Thank you."

And with that, the man quietly entered the home, shutting the door softly behind him

-D-

OOCThanks again for doing this thread for me Eldritch, I really enjoyed it.

by **Eldritch** on January 16th, 2014, 6:09 am

Gale :

Injuries :

Rewards :

Notes :

If you have any comments/questions/concerns about your grade please PM me and we will work something out.

Keep on writing!

Closed Falling into the Black