The Crawling Sickness

Maro, Madeira and a mystery

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Considered one of the most mysterious cities in Mizahar, Alvadas is called The City of Illusions. It is the home of Ionu and the notorious Inverted. This city sits on one of the main crossroads through The Region of Kalea.

The Crawling Sickness

Postby Madeira Dusk on June 9th, 2017, 2:12 am

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Madeira stiffened when Maro said her name. No, not Maro, it was Djamila. How long had she known? Madeira could only smile, perhaps a little tightly, and whisper "of course." She would hold the Lie until the heat death of the universe if it meant Djamila could leave in peace.

Then they stood back, all the three of them, and watched the earthly remains of Djamila burn. The salt-choked logs burned a bright blue, but the smoke was an oily black that dispersed quickly in the unseasonably warm breeze. Madeira imagined all the filth and rot that drove her mad lifting away with that black smoke, leaving her clean and pure as she was swathed in flame.

She should say something, she thought dimly. Or, rather, Te’Ela should. She wracked her brain for last words. Something deep and loving, to sooth and acknowledge the fear about what came next. Something that forgave her for the madness that drove her to kill, and celebrate the life and obvious love she was leaving behind. But for the first time in a long time, she couldn't think of a thing to say. So she stood there, snaked her hand into Maro’s and let the heat wash over them both.
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Madeira Dusk
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The Crawling Sickness

Postby Maro on June 17th, 2017, 12:48 pm


As the flames claimed Djamila’s body, Maro felt something touch his hand and then a gentle pressure as it squeezed. Maro made Djamila aware of the sensation, and she glanced down with their eyes to find Madeira’s hand in theirs. Djamila’s smile, odd on his face, came back, and the putrid portion of her scent left. Her gaze returned to her own body but not before she returned Madeira’s squeeze. This is what she had needed. It wasn’t her rotting and desiccating corpse that had driven her to madness, not completely. At least some small part of it had been that she had had to face it all alone.

For the first time since her death, Djamila felt that she was not alone, and that was something Maro could be infinitely proud of. There was not much he had accomplished in his long four years of life, but this was the grandest of them. In a sense, it wasn’t even an accomplishment, but it was something and something he had been a part of.

He spoke to her in the privacy of their mind. Thank you, Djamila.

For what?

For letting me be a part of this.

Of course, Maro.

As they watched, Maro wondered at how flesh burned differently from wood. There was a definite disparity between the two, but he couldn’t put his finger on exactly what it was. As her flesh burned, Maro felt his own muscles and skin burning from the exertion and wounds of the day. Beyond it all though, there was hunger, and Maro wished he could be somewhere where the scent of rotting and cooking flesh wasn’t so potent. Somehow, the instinctual urging of hunger made it through Djamila’s control over his body, and his mouth became wet with saliva.

Djamila’s voice came to Maro in his head. Maro/

Yes? Inside his own head, his voice sounded small and timid.

Please remember to bring the shells to Te’Ela. Break the news to her gently.

I will.

Thank you, Maro. Give Madeira my gratitude as well. Goodbye.

Before he had the chance to return the farewell, his body became suddenly empty. In a moment, Djamila was gone in a brief swirl of soulmist, and Maro’s body, no longer supported by her control over it, crumpled to its knees.

“She’s gone,” he mumbled, though he was sure Madeira would’ve gathered as much from his collapse and the swirl of mist. “She wanted you to know she was grateful for everything you did.”

Only with Djamila gone did Maro fully become aware of the hand in his own. The touch was warm but comforting, and that sensation in itself was a foreign one for him. Throughout his life, it had been Autumn’s touch that had been his greatest comfort, that touch that was frigid and almost painful though the ghost did everything in her power to make it not so. Parts of him wanted to pull his hand away. The sensation was too new, too odd, and even his abundant curiosity didn’t like it. But the remaining parts of him knew that the gesture was meant to comfort, and the good intentions were enough of something to cling to. More and more now, he felt small and insignificant and hoped that Madeira didn’t seem him that way. He was glad for her presence, for her strength, and for her calm.

As the exhaustion built, he watched the pyre burn. Maro didn’t know if it was the heat of the fire, the injuries from the day, or the post possession exhaustion, but he couldn’t move. He lay at Madeira’s feet, and his eyes watered, whether from the dryness of the fire or the sorrow at their collective loss, he couldn’t be sure.
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The Crawling Sickness

Postby Madeira Dusk on June 18th, 2017, 3:45 am

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Madeira felt Djamila leave. It passed like a crackling of electricity over senses she was just starting to develop. She watched as soulmist lifted off of Maro's back and shoulders like a morning mist and dissipated just as quickly. Without the ghost to hold him together the Kelvic collapsed into the sand. And with a grunt of pain Madeira was pulled down to her knees beside him by their interlocked hands.

"She's gone", Maro said. And the relief at having the Eiyon voice it flooded through her. The bells she spent tracking and investigating and tangling with the spirit, all the sleep she missed and the damage she inflicted on her body and soul, it was finally over. There was a tightness to her chest and a prickling in her eyes, but her body didn't even have the energy left to cry. "She wants you to know she’s grateful for everything you did."

She should be, her mind snarled. Djamila's death and broken mind was tragic and painful, and even as she suffocated her victims she was just trying to help. But one man was dead and Maro could have been the second. They were both beaten and bloody, every nerve was flayed and their hearts were broken. And Djamila the Eypharian tailor,
with all her good intentions, did this. The Madeira from a few bells ago would have put her ire into words, but out of respect for Maro and his overwhelming kindness, she stayed silent.

Instead she brushed her free hand though his hair like a mother would, and watched the fire reflect in his shining eyes. She remembered everything she said when she met him, and how she mocked him for his gentleness and thought him weak. She regretted it now. His strength was in his compassion. She never could of done this without him and his bizarre, overwhelming empathy.

"It's ok. It's over now. Lets... lets stay here a little while longer. Then we will find Ionu's Mercy, and Autumn. I have a promise to keep to her, right? But for now lets just stay. Just a while longer..."

She laid down beside Maro and let the cool sand cradle her bruises. And with the blue flicker of a burning body filtering through her eyelids, and her thoughts running slow and poisonous, Madeira fell asleep.
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The Crawling Sickness

Postby Chameleon on July 31st, 2017, 3:44 pm

Your Grades Are Here...


 
Madeira Craven
Skills...
  • Spiritism 5
  • Storytelling 1
  • Socialisation 5
  • Rhetoric 2
  • Observation 4
  • Wilderness Survival 1
  • Weapon; Crossbow 1
  • Brawling 1
  • Logic 1
  • Acting 1
Lores...
  • Spiritism: Preparing for a possession
  • Maro: A spiritist
  • Djamila: The Eypharian tailor's ghost
  • Maro: An Eiyon
  • Eiyon: Can view a death
  • Maro: A Kelvic jackal
  • Spiritism: Smearing teeth with soulmist
  • Jackals: Have 42 teeth
  • Maro's bell calms spirits
  • Djamila's death
  • Wilderness Survival: Building a fire
  • Maro: Good and kind and empathic
Other...
Just a grammar note - when using its for possession (Its ball - the dog's ball) there's no apostrophe :)


 
Maro
Skills...
  • Observation 4
  • Socialisation 5
  • Acting 1
  • Brawling 1
  • Running 1
  • Tracking 2
  • Meditation 1
  • Unarmed Combat 1
  • Spiritism 2
Lores...

  • Soulbeads: The mark of a spiritist
  • Spiritism: Signs of possession
  • Acting: Including real emotions
  • Eiyon: Can view a death
  • Djamila: The Eypharian tailor's ghost
  • Tracking: Following the scent of death
  • Soulmist: Flavour depends on the creator
  • Djamila's death
  • Spiritism: The Lie
  • Hunger for rotting flesh
  • Spiritism: Conversing with the ghost possessing you
  • Te'La: Djamila gathered shells for her
Other...
You seem to repeat what Madeira says a lot in your own posts.. at the beginning this was a bit confusing - perhaps indicate that it has already been said through italics?


Comments...
I love this thread! I think I've probably read it two or three times now, and it never fails to disappoint. The story and investigation into the ghost's life is fascinating, as is the relationship between the two. I'd love to read more with the two of you in it. Both of you also write great descriptions - as horrible as that corpse was, you painted it really well!

Don't forget to mark your request as graded. If you have any questions and concerns, don't be scared to send me a PM - there's always a chance I might have missed something!



Enjoy Your Grade!...
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