Even when you know you are in a weird mind based trap, stabbing yourself is still a tough prospect. I mean I'd just "killed" real Valrya in this world, and here I was about to stab myself to free myself (now I see why real valrya didn't do it either, I mean she'd considered it a lot, but in the end couldn't pull the trigger, me I'm crazy anyway and I'd only get nuttier the longer I waited in that hole). I looked over my sword, held the weapon by its hilt away from my body, I felt the tip on my chest, I aimed for a bit lower than straight through my heart (that way I could possibly live through the blow? I don't know when you're about to stab yourself in a dream memory world you start to wonder exactly whats going to happen). I took one deep breath for I guess posterity and stabbed myself, I could feel it! A searing pain right through my stomach and back , I felt the blade piercing me and felt the cold metal in my insides. It was great to feel something to have a connection, not so good to have it be utter pain all through my insides. Fake Valrya was there immediately, she was angry I could see it in her face (which was also wracked with pain).
"You petulant little child, I was going to let you remain here, but now, now I'll destroy you!" She coiled back her hand to hit me with something, I don't exactly know, and I didn't want to find out, with a simple wave of my own hand I sent her flying backwards, she looked stunned for a moment and then I materialized a stone wall behind her and she slammed into it with so much force the stone crunched from the impact. "How?" She mouthed out as I was instantly beside her.
"This is my head Valrya, my rules, my universe, you are the one out of your element, you are a soul without a place to be, and now, now you'll finally get to visit the hell you avoid all so long ago." She tried to fight back, but the pain grounded me, it put me back in control, I could feel my connection to my body returning and with it what little power she had. Her spirit was broken, the impact had destroyed her, and now she just needed the killing blow
"I could teach so much Trezlan, don't destroy me! Work with me!" She was pleading, she knew the end was coming.
"Yeah no." I took the sword from my insides and sliced her head off in a clean strike, the spirit was gone, fake valrya was destroyed. As she disappeared I was free, the blackness faded, I was in a cave (always caves and dark places I swear fake Valrya was a bear) a camp fire roaring right next to me, I could see Lorissia nearby she was on an altar of sorts tied down with marks all over her body (body swapping ritual naturally I guess being me was not Valryas first choice), for a brief paniced moment I was afraid she was already dead but I could see her breathing and knew she was alive. My next worry was the injury I'd inflicted on myself in the dream world, but I saw my sword was still sitting nearby and not currently in my abdomen (I did have a horrific head ache though, so not all dream wounds were gone). I got up and cut the bond on Lorissia, and snapped my fingers in front of her face, she startled awake (it wasn't anything magical keeping her quiet she was apparently just sleeping).
"Am I free of the taint?" She asked in a sleepy way, I was still trying to process being free of my mind prison so I hadn't really gotten into what I'd missed since Valrya had been in charge.
"What?"
"The taint? You said the boy had poisoned my mind and you had to cleanse me?" Lorissia was not really modestly dressed (I could see just about everything and I'll admit it was a nice view) and after her moment of sleepyness and I guess my stare, she quickly started redressing herself in her armor.
"Uhh yeah of course yeah completely cleansed, it was touch and go there for a moment but I really sliced the head off the problem."
"I'm sorry I was an issue Lorentino, magic is not my strong suit to be honest, I'm better at tracking and trapping beasts." This was the best thing ever, she thought I actually helped her when in reality fake valrya was about to steal her body, optimal solution all around.
"Its ok Lorissia, we all have our weak spots, lets get back on the road, that corrupt child isn't getting less corrupt while we wait." We packed up the small camp and exited the cave (I followed her since again I didn't remember my way in, so getting back out was kind of a pain, it took me about a week of serious thought to get all memory of those three days back). I couldn't see where the boy had gone, whatever tracking I had was long ago lost to Valrya's goals.
"Can you see anything?" It was dark out, and we appeared to be in some kind of dense forest, I almost wanted to laugh at the question.
"No, I've lost the trail entirely, I'm sorry Lorissia." I really was, as this was entirely my fault, if only I'd known I hadn't really killed valrya and instead taken her horrible soul into my body to emerge and try and body swap someone else, if only!
"Its ok Trezlan, its my fault, we shall return to his mother and at least inform her of where he is, perhaps the Red Hand will just kill the creature outright?" She had a hopeful tone to her voice I didn't want to drag down with reality.
"Of course, I mean if anyone could, its the Red Hand." And so we left, our mission not accomplished (well one I didn't know I had was, but overall we hadn't done a lot of good), if only I could tell myself that in reality we were going the right way after all I could have turned that frown upside down. Oh the beauty of hindsight you always see the right decisions after you make the wrong ones! If only I could live life in reverse.
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