Log:Death of an Innocent

The Regent Legacy 2014/07/07 Porter Rose Paragon 2

Rather than jogging Rose is out for a walk, dressed for the occasion in grey athletic clothes. She's still listening to the same Icelandic folk pop music though - some things are too good to sacrifice for even a moment. Entering the park she seems intent to walk a circuit of the running paths but spying Porter and Third approaches the pair to say hello which she does as soon as she is close enough her voice will carry. "Hey you two."

Porter and Third are also out for a walk. Seems he finally talked her into relaxing. Though they're both carrying large cups of coffee. They're also conversing, though not so much verbally. Something that Rose can probably pick up on. He turns at the greeting and offers Rose a tired smile when she gets close. "Hey."

Almost immediately, she can probably feel something... go odd. Whatever it is, Porter also reacts with a startle. "Para? Para?" Already drained, wary, and nervous, he flails. Mentally and physically. His cup is released and his hand grabs for the nearest thing in a panic. Which happens to be Rose. Through his now coffee-soaked, nanite-infested, and sparking... doohickey, his mind also grabs for the nearest help. A powerful presence. Which also happens to be Rose.

Third walks alongside Porter, mostly quiet, but she's watching him like they're having a conversation. Her eyes have darkened circles under them, and she looks like she hasn't been sleeping well for a few days. Her head lifts to look at Rose, but suddenly glances at Porter. She suddenly feels a wave of exhaustion come over her and almost misses a step. "Whoa, I...I feel kind of...." her voice begins to trail off.

Rose's brows lift as she notes the psychic interplay, that's not necessarily so odd, Porter uses it to talk with Fox all the time. But when things go awry her amused expression immediately translates to one of confusion and concern. In less time than that takes her defences are on the way up. Still confused about what's happening she tries to focus on the mental connection with Porter. She staggers a little under the weight of the falling man that she is ill-equipped to deal with though she does at least try. <>

The world starts to turn fuzzy, and your equilibrium begins to fail you, Luckily (porter) you three veer off the path, and land on a soft patch of grass, it feels as if you are falling into a viscous pool that you cannot extricate your self from. Slowly you fall, your consciousness failing you, all goes black, you feel though as if you are coming out of the pool..your mind joins with another...

Porter is in the odd position of nearly falling atop Rose while now reaching the other hand for Third. <> A vital few seconds later, his brain finally catches up that Rose is in there, too. It's getting to be a busy place when it's not just Porter. Which probably only leaves him enough time to warn her with <>

When your consciousness returns, you see through strange eyes, it is bright, overly bright, and it takes a moment for you to realize where you are. The scene is Idyllic, waves of amber grain, surround you, on this plain, it seems you are all there on a picnic. Names come to your minds. To Rose, Shan'ce, to Porter: Maritus, and to Third, ..she knows her host to be Arania..

Looking upon each other, you do not know who you are with, but there is a Man, beautiful more than handsome, his body the epitome of human development, blonde hair, blue eyes, wearing a toga, but exposing his upper torso. The woman, amazingly beautiful, also blonde hair and blue eyed, attractive more than sexy, and the child, a beautiful child, but of dark hair, arched eyebrows, and slightly oval and upturned eyes. She looks nothing like the adults.

Arania grabs for a sliced apple and munches on it. She giggles and says, "Tell me another story, Maritus!"

Shan'ce sits up and raises a hand to her head, her eyes furrowing as she tidies her flowing golden hair (not that she has much idea what colour it is). Pale blue eyes play from one companion to the other, oddly she can't see their minds, nor can she see their potential for magic, and a quick thought is enough to reveal her mind's defences are not as they should be. Having assessed that her first comment is. "Nice peploi, do you two speak English?"

Maritus is obviously a son of Narcissus, as he looks down to his own broad arms and torso and seems pleased with it. Though also perplexed. He looks to the others, who are ...unfamiliar? Perhaps he became too engrossed in his last tale? "Another story?" then "And of course!"

Arania covers her mouth and giggles. "You're silly, mommy," she says to Shan'ce. She beams a smile at Maritus as he agrees to tell another story. "What story will you tell me this time, Daddy? Another story of the Regent?" The little girl scoots a little closer to her parents, sitting with legs crossed.

'Mommy' stands, the process a little awkward since moving around in a peplos isn't a skill she's all that practiced in. Her hair shivers as she looks at the surrounding countryside, her eyes squinting as she tries to get her bearings. Somewhat absently she asks. "Arania... have you been paying attention to your lessons?"

Arania has difficulty sitting still as she waits. "Yes, Mommy," she answers obediently. She plucks a small flower near the edge of the picnic blanket, then repositions herself to lay on her stomach, idly kicking her legs as she stares at the flower and waits for her story.

'Maritus' didn't intend to agree to tell another story, but it did come out that way, didn't it? Some things never change. "Yes, don't forget your studies..." He looks to Aranias's mother, Shan'ce, and arches a brow. "Do you know where we are?"

Shan'ce nods approvingly at Arania's answer. "Good girl... before you get your story, tell me, who is the ruler of the Persians?" Her lips compress slightly before she answers Maritus's question. "Not in Kansas."

Arania sighs at her flower. "Alright, daddy." She climbs to her feet and straightens out her clothes. She can't be any older than 9 or 10 years old. Arania tries to tuck the flower into her ear, but has some difficult making it stay. It keeps falling out, and she keeps picking it up and struggling to get it in.

Arania's oval eyes open wide and doey at her mother. "What are Persians?" she asks innocently. "I know that Lord Apollo is the ruler of the Realm of Light." She hopes that answer will please mother. She remembered that lesson!

Shan'ce moves across to help Arania with the flower. "A clever girl like you ought to know who the ruler of the Persians is. What about Sparta? Who's the King of Sparta?" As she talks she carefully adjusts Arania's hair and puts the flower in place.

The Maritus formerly known as someone else smirks at Shan'ce. He could make an appropriate response to her last comment, but Arania is present. At least now he has a good idea of who's... playing mommy. Then he shrugs. Broad shoulders. Apologetically. For the moment, all he knows beyond the obvious is... the obvious.

Arania pouts slightly. "What is Sparta? Are you playing a trick on me, mommy?"

Arania smiles brightly at the new flower in her hair. She runs over to Maritus and jumps up and down. "Daddy, look! I have a laurel!" she misunderstands.

Shan'ce smiles. "Sparta is very far away. Maybe when you grow up you'll get to visit it. Lord Apollo is the giver of victory, he sends Nike to carry it to those he favours."

Arania stops jumping for her father's attention and looks over to Shan'ce. "Who's Nike?"

Maritus looks down at the bouncing little girl and can't help but smile. Though he is sure what a laurel is off the top of his head, he just nods. Luckily, he's spared from making a fool of himself in front of his daughter when she runs off. Obviously, Shan'ce is the scholar in this family.

Shan'ce straightens and looks beyond Arania, point blank ignoring the question. "Bring the girl, follow me, we need to get to open ground. If you have a weapon grab it." Reaching down she hoists up the hem of her peplos in a manner any genuine Greek woman would consider unspeakable scandalous and turns and runs as fast as she can.

Arania stops skipping about and presses a finger to her lips, worried by the talk of weapons. She looks around, swinging her other arm about. "What about the picnic? Are we training more?" she sounds disappointed. She gives Maritus sad eyes. "Daddy, do we have to train more? I thought this was a day off." When mommy says no, ask daddy.

As you look around there is no more open ground than where you were, you're in rolling plains, in the very far distance you can see the beginnings of populated buildings, and you can see the path through the grain that took you to this place and continues beyond...but other than that, there is no cover, and there is no defensible ground.

Maritus frowns. He's not sure what the cause for alarm is, but takes it as genuine. "Time to go..." He grabs for Arania first. Then he looks around for anything weapon-like. Third, is following Shan'ce.

Arania reaches for her dad, noticing the worry. She glows a soft golden color and floats up into her father's arms, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Something's wrong, isn't it?" she picks up on the concern from her father's frown.

As the three begin to run, sounds of hushed voices begin to be heard from behind them, the voices are indistinct, and unintelligible, but they are getting closer..

Arania stops glowing once she's holding on to Maritus. She hugs him tight. "What's happening, Daddy?"

After a bit of an initial sprint Shan'ce too is surrounded by a golden aura and takes flight, aiming to get as much altitude as she can in those first few seconds. "It's as easy as it looks." She calls out over her shoulder.

As one of the 3 begins to fly, the Shades forget any kind of stealth, and rise from the fields surrounding the path, steadily catching up to the fleeing trio, incessantly the gibbering whispers continue.

Arania whimpers at the sounds of the voices. She whispers, "Daddy, let's fly to mommy." The girl looks over her father's shoulder to see what's happening behind him.

"I don't know yet. Please stay quiet." After a very slight pause, Maritus adds, "sweetie." No reason to make her panic, and he barely spares much for surprise at the glow and float. He starts moving through the amber waves of grain to catch up to Shan'ce... and then he sees the glowing and flying again. Well, if it's hereditary? "Ok..." And guesses it's his turn to try and fly. Preferably upwards. And his only experience is in the other direction.

If they look behind, there are at least 10 shades that begin to rise up, flying after the trio themselves, but 2 of them seem more substancial, larger, their darkness deeper, and they lead.

Arania curls up further into her father's arms as she's told to be quiet. But she disobeys. "There's monsters behind us...!" she whimpers. Loosing one arm from around his neck, she points at the nearest shade, and tries to shoot a blast of golden light at it.

Shan'ce scowls as the dark phantoms rise and follow. "Arania, remember your lessons, Lord Apollo is Master of Light and the sun, he protects us from evil and sends his arrows to smite creatures of darkness and evil." With that last she points at one of the ten wraiths, one of the smaller ones.

The lance of light hits the lead Shadow, but it simply bounces off him and breaks into a thousand points of light..., he seems slowed by the attack, and falls back before catching up again.

The Lead Shadow begins to gibber, but it becomes obvious that the gibbering is real communication as the shadows begin to break off into a tactical formation, He raises his arm and points a finger at Maritus, suddenly a grim smile can be seen within the darkness, a darkness within the darkness.

Maritus calls to Apollo, by some reflex, and a glimmering shield of light appears on his arm. "Arania, go to your mother!" The shield absorbs some of the blast, but it still stings.

The lt. Shadow raises his hands together and they seem to extend towards Maritus...

The fingers of the shadow wrap around Maritus, squeezing him in, and holds him tight...

Porter loses his sense of self and suddenly, Maritus controls his body now, and Porter sits in the background watching. He is a protective loving father, and a captain in the rift war who fought along side the Regent. The Regent was a stalwart friend and ally, and along with another captain from the realm of fire and air, the three were like brothers.

Shan'ce focuses her attention on one of the smaller wraith and again tries to visualise the arrows of Apollo blasting it into a tiny spiraling swirls of ectoplasm. Pointing her finger at the one right behind the two biggest.

The shadow is hit, and falls from the sky gibbering until it hits the ground and vanishes.

Shan'ce frowns at the palpable lack of stopping power in comparison with the darkness bolts being flung around, her brows lifting as it actually seems to work. "Arania, help your father escape from the shadow bonds, zap it as hard as you can."

Arania floats up and out of her father's grasp as the shadowy hand clamps around him. "Daddy!" she cries out in fear. She looks between her father and mother, not sure who to obey. She tries her best to remember her training. She floats behind her father, hoping he can shield her as he always does. Both her hands start to glow and build up energy as she holds them pointed out at Maritus.

The lead shadow catches up with the pair, his hand becomes a long shadowy blade, his target is obvious..as he strikes out to hit Arania.

Arania's eyes go wide with terror as the shadow raises its shadowy blade. It moves with such speed, the poor child never had a chance. With a horrible rending sound, the blade stabs through Arania as she stares in shock and cries out. The glowing from her hands fade as she whimpers. "D...daddy..." the girl sobs and chokes in fright. As the shadow withdraws the blade, Arania crumples to the ground amidst the tall amber grains. There's a few final whimpers, and then silence.

Maritus is a proud warrior, prouder husband, and most proud father. But pride does not blind him. He howls under the effort as trapped limbs and sculpted muscle strain against the vile, inky bonds that restrain them. To no avail. When victory is not in reach, then he will protect the things most important to him. "Arania, Shan'ce, fly! Now-NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" And he has failed them! His bellow of pain promptly turns to rage. Even as the darkness holding him expands to cover all.

As the child dies, the bond is broken..violently the vision breaks, pain, excruciating for Third, floods your senses, it is emotional and physical, the sense of loss is profound for Porter, less so for Rose as her mind and the hosts never melded, but for Third....the trauma is real and intense. You return to your senses in the park..laid out in the grass.

Rose abruptly sits bolt upright, looking around the park, blinking as she comes to terms with where she is and what is going on, there's so much adrenaline coursing through her as she struggles for equilibrium.

Third is curled up in a ball on the grass, hands clutched to her chest as she feels the pain and fear of Arania still. "D...daddy..." Third whimpers, her eyes clenched shut as tears escape. She shudders and writhes a little in agony.

Porter's transition is not so abrupt, or not registered as abrupt. He lays on his side in not quite the fetal position. One arm twitches as it struggles to reach out for the air, restrained by it's own muscle spasms. "...NO...NO...NO..." He rasps, repeatedly. As if the mantra would undo what was done. Unlike greek adonii, he is not too proud nor masculine to sob between rasps.

Rose balls up one fist and whacks Porter in the shoulder. "Get up." Her tone is somewhere between sympathetic and palpably annoyed. Typically friendly greetings don't involve being hauled off into whatever the hell that was. And of course, having fallen over downhill of Porter's dropped coffee she smells like she's bathed in it... again. Rising she moves to where Third lies. "It wasn't real, it was an echo, a version of something that happened long ago."

Third lets out a few more choked sobs, just shaking her head. She's still lost to the pain and trauma. Curling and kicking her legs a little against the pain, her feet dig grooves into the ground from her unrestrained strength. The visions had never hurt her this bad, nor had she been so completely lost in her host before. It was very real for her. It's taking a bit more time for her to pull herself together and grounded from that other life.

Porter doesn't really feel the whack. Even if she did hit him hard. But maybe somewhere the command registers. He was trying to move, anyhow, at least in his mind. And now his mind begins to realize that the rest of him isn't kept from moving. The result is a flail. Not unlike the one that started this. Just more painful.

That brings him more round. "Gnnnyah! Ow! What the..." He blinks several times. And sees Third thrashing in pain. "Apollo's Chariot!" For some reason that seems the proper expletive as he starts rapidly crawling to her.

Rose continues explaining in a patient tone. "It's ok, it wasn't real, you're alive, you're not a demi-godling, I'm not your Mom, and Porter's not your Dad. It was an echo of an earlier event that we were pulled into."

"N-no..." Third cries out softly, still clutching her chest. It wasn't an echo or some distant event. "It happened..." she tries to explain, but she can barely think. Trying to pull herself together, Third curls up into a ball and tries to control her breathing and manage the pain searing in her chest and through her back. But the death of Arania combined with her own first-hand experience causes more tears to come. o O (She's gone...UHNN!! ...just a child...why...?)

"Para! I'm here! I'm here!" Porter reaches semi-blindly to slap at the coffee-flavored device of doom on his hip. And does what Rose might not recommend in trying to re-network with Third. So he can maybe reach her with his head while the rest of him tries to wrap her up in a hug. Again, possibly not a recommended plan, but he sure thinks it's the right thing to do.

Rose's head tilts. "It was an echo of something that did happen, but in the original version, people didn't speak English and nor were their spirits from the Eastern seaboard..." she trails off as Porter regains full consciousness and reaches out to grab his wrist. "She's just dealt with substantial trauma, go messing in her mind and you might hurt her or she might hurt you."

Third whimpers and buries her face into Porter's shirt, grasping for him desperately as a wounded child would, clinging to him for comfort. Without her wits about her, she doesn't regulate her strength properly, and ends up hugging Porter more tightly than she should. Not full strength, but it's considerable.

You hear Porter's voice inside your head: << I'm here. It's me. I'm here. I was there. I-urgh. >>

Rose releases Porter's wrist and watches the hug. "It's ok now, you're safe you're back in Colonial Bay and everything is good, no one is going to hurt you here. You're not Arania."

Telepathic message to Porter: << Daddy...it hurts...it hurts so much. I couldn't do anything. >>

Porter got one arm around Third before the other is grabbed. Temporarily. He glares at Rose. "If you want to help, DO something! Trauma?! This is the second time I've watched her di-erk!" Yes, his darling young lass has quite the grip. And Porter looses some of the air out of his lungs. And grunts. But he doesn't let go. Then again, that could be a debatable point, now.

You hear Porter's voice inside your head: << "It's Ok. You're safe. I'm here. Daddy's here." Though he knows he's not, he was. And that isn't easily brushed aside. >>

Telepathic message to Porter: << "Daddy...? You're here..." her mental voice begins to calm down. >>

You hear Porter's voice inside your head: << Yes. I'm here. I'm holding you. You're safe. Nothing can hurt you... >>

Third's breathing slows down as she clings to Porter, lightening her grip as she slowly starts to relax. She still sniffles and cries a little, but she's slowly coming down from the shock.

Telepathic message to Porter: << I'm safe... Are the monsters gone? >>

You hear Porter's voice inside your head: << Shh... It's Ok. They're gone... >>

Rose's lips compress. "Ok, what we went through is obviously very traumatic and very upsetting but before we get into specifics about courses of action or anything we need to get some equilibrium, let the adrenaline seep away and get our minds in order. okay?"

Porter can thank Rose later that she did help him keep one arm free. Which he can now use to smooth Third's hair as she clings. "It's Ok..." Third seeming to calm helps calm him, and the lack of crushing hug helps, too. With much less adrenaline and panic in his system, he nods to Rose. And tries to offer something close to a smile. But it probably comes out similar to her lip-compressing.

Third's trembling subsides as Porter strokes her hair. She finally relaxes completely and lets out a soft sigh. A few moments later, her eyes start to blink open. "Porter...?" she asks weakly, slowly coming to her senses.

Coffee-soaked Rose takes a step back to allow Paragon to compose herself with Porter's aid. this seems important enough that she reaches to her mobile to turn off the music feed and the distant tinny sound of Icelandic folk pop abruptly ceases.

Porter greets the opening eyes with a weary smile. "I'm here." Otherwise, he doesn't change what he's doing. No offense to Rose, but she's the completely sane and sensible one.

You hear Porter's voice inside your head: << Told you I'd be there. >>

Telepathic message to Porter: << You did. You were. Thank you. >>

You hear Porter's voice inside your head: << And I plan to keep being there. But can you do me a favor? >>

Telepathic message to Porter: << Name it. >>

You hear Porter's voice inside your head: << "Please, please stop dying. It wasn't fun the first time. And now it's becoming a habit." Yes, he's trying humor, but it's not even thought-deep. >>

Third goes in for another hug as she realizes it's him. She lets out a quiet sob, a few more tears escaping. She looks up to Rose and says softly, "It wasn't some echo. It happened. It happened just now on another plane. Arania was murdered. She was so young..."

She swallows with a degree of difficulty and mutters, "Three...there's three heirs left. And they're all in danger, save one." She doesn't quite make sense. She's experienced multiple lives, and it's starting to feel natural to her to understand what's happening. "This will take some explaining..."

Telepathic message to Porter: << Third's mental voice responds wryly, "I'll do my best. It's a harder habit to kick than I thought." >>

You hear Porter's voice inside your head: << Good. Don't worry. I'm here to help with that. >>

Rose gestures with an open palm. "I am all ears... except for the bits that are coffee-soaked clothing" Her attention remains fixed on Paragon. "I get the feeling I'm late to the party."

Porter returns Third's hug, and then glances to Rose. As he listens. He didn't join the party all that long ago, and he still doesn't understand all of it. So he'll let Third try and explain.

Telepathic message to Porter: << "I know." Porter can sense the trust she has for his words. And at the back of her mind, she fights the instinct to want to armor up to deal with the trauma that she's still dealing with. >>

You hear Porter's voice inside your head: << Porter senses this, and is immediately firm. "Don't." Then he softens. "Please. If you need a shield, try me first." Porter makes a good chair, transport, couch and more. So he can probably do that, too. >>

Telepathic message to Porter: << Alright. I won't. I remember you don't like it when I do that. >>

You hear Porter's voice inside your head: << Not for this. Giant bullets? Those are different. >>

To Be Continued...