Wandering in the Night(Mortis)

by **Archelon** on November 29th, 2011, 2:44 am

As Lucerne followed the boy and Mortis inside the house, the vial came with it's contents sloshing. "Drink a little bit. Not much. Just the same amount as you saw me. You will have to Blink out of here to the roof in order to leave the child behind safely."

Turning the soulmist out into her hand the ghostly woman cupped a small bit of the glittering substance to hold it up to Mortis' lips. Ghosts could absorb soulmist in a myriad number of ways, but to the undead drinking it was just as good as any. Soon at Lucerne's urging, Mortis would stretch a filament of soulmist towards the cupped essence, taking the mixture from lucerne's soulmist which to a mortal would feel likea cold touch on the back of one's neck.

He would look at it, and then her a moment in consternation before imbibing the mixture. Soon all his ghostly strength would be restored, yet the small mixture seemed to sit in his belly suffusing his ethereal mixture with a sense of warmth like after eating some homemade chicken broth soup.

Even if it was still as petching cold to mortals as could be. Due to his possession of the boy, the child collapsed tired to the ground, exhausted and immediately asleep before the ghostly woman tousled his hair with a wave of her hand. Turning back to Mortis, she said. "When you are ready, follow me up there. But close the window first and lock it tight!"

With those words Lucerned carried the vial of soulmist to a window of the house and unlatched it with a ghostly finger before floating upwards out of sight...

by **Mortis** on November 29th, 2011, 3:19 am

Mort extended his ghostly hand and pushed the door of the house closed after they had entered. When he turned, he saw a pair of cupped feminine hands holding clear soul mist to his lips. As much as he wanted to drink it right away, he was too proud to just drink it out of her hands like a dog, and so he placed his finger in it and absorbed it that way.

An incredibly warm, almost pleasurable sensation swept over his being as he absorbed it. It felt like diving into a hotspring on a cold winter night, or sampling a warm brew before bed. The cloud of mist that surrounded him grew in size until it was as big as it had been before, perhaps even larger. He pulled some of it onto his poorly materialised form in an effort to stabilise his materialisation.

He latched the window as was told and then looked at the kid lying on the ground, out cold. He wasn't going anywhere.

Mort tensed his form as his mist swirled quickly around him. He was about to blink onto the roof, where the woman was waiting for him. Blinking was one of the few things he actually enjoyed doing as a ghost. It was novelty at first, a bit of fun to blink from here to there in a flash. But then he found a proper use for it. To avoid enemies. Blinking out of a sticky situation had saved him more times than he could remember.

He closed his eyes, concentrated, and then reopened his eyes. He was on the roof, standing next to the woman. Looking down over the city, he turned to her and simply said:

"Why are you helping me?"

by **Archelon** on November 29th, 2011, 8:08 am

The ghostly woman smiled and began to glide briefly rooftop to rooftop as if she were running some course as she headed along the streets. She didn't answer him immediately. Instead she waited until the pair had made their way towards another side street as the mist parted in their way. Soon behind them the wailing of grey ghosts who had lost their prey could be heard.

Only when they had moved away enough did she whisper, "I told you... you are at a crossroads. Soon you will choose. Whether to help and potentially risk yourself for greater gains and perhaps the ability to find whatever unfinished business is keeping you here. Or to at least become a little stronger. I simply wish to see that and hope for your help."

The sound of a dog yipping nearby could be heard, in a small alley of sunberth. It was a medium sized mongrel, staring at them both... as if it could see them.

That was because it could.

It was a Jivatalus Ghost Dog.

And it was currently held underneath a stack of crates, whining and whimpering as it struggled vainly. Taking a look at the creature and then at Mortis with an appraising glance, Lucerne began to speak as the dogs ears flattened its head and a low growl was heard from the bottom of its throat. "Okay, have you ever concentrated your soulmist up enough for one big "push?"

by **Mortis** on November 29th, 2011, 6:12 pm

He followed her across the roof tops and heard what she had to say. She was talking about the "crossroads" again. At this point he wasn't sure what to say. He definately felt stronger, even if just by a little bit. Perhaps continuing down this path wasn't so bad.

The sound of a dog yipping was heard in an alleyway below them. The dog was looking right at them, and it was clear that it was a ghost dog. Unfortunately for it however, it appeared to be stuck under some crates. It growled fiercely at him as their eyes met.

"A really big push? Like, everything I have? Yeah I've done that before. It was not pleasant let me tell you. Why do you ask? I can't imagine that even with most of my mist behind it, a push of MINE could be effective. You want me to push that dog or something? Because its yipping is really annoying."

It was true, he had done a big push before. It was not worth the amount of soulmist he had to squander to make it happen. He wanted to remember the details, to go through the specifics of why and where he had used a big push before, but he had to remind himself that now was not the time for flashbacks.

by **Archelon** on November 30th, 2011, 7:52 pm

Lucerne burst out with a bit of laughter, "Of course it's yipping is annoying. It's a dog! But no I meant the crate to free it. That doesn't seem too heavy for you to do with one push, not if you give it enough effort. Don't worry about the unpleasantness, the vial will be here to help you get back your strength afterwards."

Underneath the crates the dog's growl intensified as Lucerne looked at it, "Oh shut up poochie, freeing you will make a grand test."

Turning back towards Mortis as the dog began to yip again, Lucerne smiled a bit. "I'll leave it up to you a bit to decide; either push the dog out, or the crate."

by **Mortis** on December 1st, 2011, 3:55 am

"Hmph. Consider it done. One freed dog coming right up."

Mort stepped off the roof and floated down to the trapped dog. It continued its irritating yipping as well as growling at him every so often. Given confidence by the fact that he could quickly and easily replenish his soul mist, he was grinning widely. It wasn't very often he could use his powers without massive consequences. In fact, he was thrilled. He knelt down next to the dog and stared at in the face. It growled back at him.

"You know dog, that crate is alot harder to move than you are. Perhaps I should push YOU instead huh? How does that sound?"

The dog immiediatly stopped yipping and growling. It just stared at him now, waiting for him to hurry up and do it.

"Ok... I can do this."

Soul mist swirled around his form, quicker and quicker, concentrating in his clenched right fist. The cloud around his hand grew larger and larger. He carefully measured how much mist he was going to use. He knew he could go all out with this one but he had to be careful not to over do it. He still had no idea of his limits. After 30 seconds he was ready to go. He lunged forward, and struck the crate with his ghostly fist, the concentrated soulmist along with it. The crate was hit with enough force to knock it off the dog and be sent into the alley wall, where it impacted with a dull thud.

"Hah... hah... whew! Not bad. It didn't hit the wall as hard as I thought it would, but then I don't know my own strength limits yet. Guess thats it for now..."

Mort knew that really, if it were a critical situation, he could have put more into that push. Of course, doing so would have nearly destroyed him in the process. He closed his eyes, then re opened them and he was standing next to the woman again.

"Alright. Bloody dog is free. Mind handing that vial over? I'm a little parched here."

by **Archelon** on December 1st, 2011, 4:44 am

"Hmph... that'll do I guess." Lucerne said at Mortis' exploits with the crate. It truly had made a terrible racket, but the dog was free. Yipping a little at the pain in its ears the dog lay down to put a single paw over its eyes before shaking itself all over. The crate had hit the wall a little harder then Mortis usually would have been able to just the day before with the same ammount of effort. 'Why was that?' Who knew?

All he would know is two things:

One the yipping dog shakily got to its feet and looked at the pair of ghosts before yipping again towards Mortis. Only this yip was a little lighter this time, almost happy as it tilted its head to look at him strangely as its ears flattened instinctively. It was pondering something within it's furry doggy head. Eventually it came to decision and barked happily at Mortis before wheeling to scamper off into a side alley.

The entire sight made Lucerne laught a little as the second thing Mortis would notice was the other ghost doling out another small helping of the potent mixture in order to offer it to Mortist. If he took it at the same measure... it would have about three more helpings worth of the precious mixture. After the young ghost absorbed the soulmist, Lucerne would cock her head to the side and ponder a little aloud as she gestured to follow her again. She lead them through several twisting streets and alleyways before coming to a stop to speak a little more. "Well as I said, Sunberth, and any random ghost right now is in danger. One of the fleshling groups I persuaded to help is right around the corner - so I'll want you to help them get through the mists. I think then we'll be considered even for stopping those craeven ghosts from tearing your soulmist in two. Nasty creatures they a-"

Lucerne stopped at the sound of a yip , as the dog Mortis had rescued bounded back into view. In it's jaws was a good sized rat, a fearsomely gruesome member of the species, even if it was dead. The dog chucked it with its jaws at Mortis' ghostly feet and stepped back to wag it's furry little tale... it seemed to have taken a shine for the unearthly spirit. Even if the animal growled a little at Lucerne.

She took it all in stride and laughed a little as the little mongrel seemed to swivel it's head from Mortis, wagging its tail when it did, to looking at her crossly. "Well, well. Will wonders ever cease... looks like you might have a new friend. Poor thing, something must be wrong with it to be friendly to a ghost. Stupid fleshie animal isn't even some of the normal wolves I like to keep on the Isle. Anyways, Pick the dead rat up at least if you want to be nice! Damn petching thing has to weigh at least twelve pounds. Going to be a lot of effort there but maybe it wants to play catch. But, if you want to frighten the dog away for good... just hit it with the rat instead!"

ooctwo more posts, then you're kicked into the SQ ^-^.

by **Mortis** on December 4th, 2011, 1:00 am

Mort watched the dog run off into the alley. He sighed.

"Theres gratitude for you..."

He shook his head and dismissed it from his mind. Lucerne offered him some more soulmist, and he took it without saying a word, absorbing it the way he had done before. She then set off again, and he followed her as she spoke. She spoke of what was happening in Sunberth, of a group of fleshlings and of the Craven ghosts. When she asked him to help the fleshlings, he was about to angrily complain that she had trained him up just to use him, when she was interrupted by something else. The same dog from before re-appeared, this time with a huge rat in its mouth, which it promptly dropped at Mort's feet.

He did neither of the things suggested by Lucerne and instead knelt next to the dog and gently fondled its ears with his soul mist. Suddenly, a bright light from the inside of his mind consumed his vision, and when it returned, he was somewhere else. He was in a nicely decorated, yet modest, farmhouse. A dog not unlike the one who had given him the rat lay on its back in front of a cozy fire, its tongue lolling out of its mouth lazily. He extended his fleshy hand to rub the dog's belly. It purred like a cat when he rubbed, much to Mort's amusement.

Someone else was laughing too. It was a female voice sat right next to him. He turned his head to look at the source of the laughter and saw his sister sitting beside him, smiling kindly at him. His eyes went wide and he quickly reached out to hold her. But the moment his arms touched her, the whole scene instantly dissapated into mist, which floated away and disappeared.

Mort was then aware that he had attempted to hug thin air and was a little embarrassed. He hoped Lucerne hadn't noticed. He looked at the dog again and smiled.

"Is this for me boy?"

He nudged the rat back towards the dog with his soul mist and fondled the dog's ears again.

"Its okay. You look like you need it more than I do. You go ahead and take it."

With that, he stood again and looked at Lucerne.

"Alright. Point me in the direction of the mortals. I'll do what I can."

He turned away from her and stared at his translucent palms. In his palms, he envisioned his sister's face again.

"Fara..."

by **Archelon** on December 6th, 2011, 2:26 am

Lucerne smiled a little, and whispered, uncaring if Mortis heard her or not as she acted in the fashion most woman who were alive might as she teased him. "Well isn't that nice youngling, you don't see that everyday. A ghost dog, actually allowing itself to be pet by a ghost, who knew what could make that happen?

If Mortis was observant he would notice that his soulmist's touch upon the dog's brow was cold and it yipped a little at the touch. But it did not pull away. Instead its eyes looked up towards Mortis and it tried to bring it's snout up to allow it's coarse tongue to lift nothing but air. Eventually though, it shook it's head and pulled away slightly, shivering a bit before reaching down to tear a bite from the rat it had offered as a gift.

Chowing down eagerly on the flesh of its newest bit of dinner , it's presence was momentarily dismissed as lucern floated her way closer. Reaching towards the ground to grab an old string of litter, the woman would tie the glass vial of soulmist around the dog's neck, not tight enough for it to be choking, but enough for it to not come lose.

Straightening up she's reach a tendril of soulmist out to fondle the dog's ears lightly as well while it was distracted by its meal before turning back to Mortis to do the same, this time flecking his barely formed materialize hair out of his face before clucking in disapproval like a mother hen scolding a chicklet. "Tsk, tsk youngling, there was potential in you after all. Now, just around the corner is the group of fleshling's I told you about. I'm pretty sure the dog will follow you now, if necessary, you may possess it , but first it's time to take a look at you to see how you've grown..."

The silence between them became palpable for a moment as the youngest female matron of the leywelling mass haunting looked him over, "Soulmist strengthening a little, good, good, very good in fact, especially with the little bit of help I gave you with the vial. That should help your skills greatly, even if the vial itself only has three uses left to reenergize you during the ordeal ahead. Bit of better developments as well yes. You are as ready as I can make you without a little more time!"

Humming a little Lucerne clapped her hands "Yes, I think you're ready."

Mortis :

Epilogue
Lucerne pointed an outstretched hand towards the direction of the party she had indicated and bade Mortis silently to go as she turned away to blink out of existence. There were other duties she would to attend to this night. Small changes and things which might help to alter the progression of events in order to help secure the city for the storms which were about to beset it.

Mortis was one such change. Who knew how many others were still possible?

ooc note :

SkillName	1-5	How/why?
Materialization	5	+3 points for given works; 2 given for soulmist, work on descriptions
Possession	5	+3 points for given works; 2 given for soulmist, work on descriptions
Soulmist Projection	5	+3 points for given works; 2 given for soulmist, work on descriptions
Running	3	+1 points for given works; 2 given for soulmist, work on descriptions
Jumping	3	+1 points for given works; 2 given for soulmist, work on descriptions
Acrobatics	3	+1 points for given works; 2 given for soulmist, work on descriptions
Unarmed Combat	1	soulmist use
Evasion	1	Soulmist use
Spiritism	1	Soulmist use