Leif - Earth Stone

[the_last]

[As soon as Leif chomps on the fruit, he will experience sudden disorientation, as if suddenly unfamiliar with being inside his body, perhaps not even knowing why he is there or who he is. It lasts for but a moment and then slowly fades... He will suddenly find himself in a place that seems unusually quiet and gray, as though the color were stolen but there remains just enough to suggest that things have been greatly subdued. There are also about three spots in the distance that seem to almost glow with gentle hues of color, soft and welcoming. Too bad, they seem much too far away to reach.

Within the gray is an expansive forest of every tree imaginable and dry, brittle grass that extends to mid-calf. Here and there, one might even spot some faded prints left upon the ground. The sky is equally gray, although not one cloud can be seen. But a dark mist seems to swirl around the forest, not too thick but clearly present.]

Comments

[wouldntkilladragon]

You have all the information you need, you know.

[karlsefni]

[ giving you a look?? ]

I don't know anyone who's betrayed a unicorn herd, and if I do, then I didn't know they did it.

[wouldntkilladragon]

Stop thinking in past tense.

[karlsefni]

. . . . whoooo. . . will betray a unicorn herd?

[ pauses. ]

But there's only you and me here. [ and you're not going to do it and i'm stopping this whole thing from happening so i don't??? get it??? ]

[wouldntkilladragon]

Yes, that's right.

[karlsefni]

. . . I don't understand.

[wouldntkilladragon]

It's not that hard.

[karlsefni]

I'm here for a quest. Saving them is the whole point of this. I'm not the—traitor.

[wouldntkilladragon]

Aren't you?

[karlsefni]

Why would I be!?

[wouldntkilladragon]

You've done it before.

[karlsefni]

—[ stops ]





How—

[wouldntkilladragon]

It wasn't hard to pick you out in the game.

[karlsefni]

You—heard that— [ . . . tense, body language that of withdrawing—a little fearful, perhaps. ]


That—that doesn't mean I'd. . . that doesn't mean I'd do that now!

[wouldntkilladragon]

You really think you can do anything different?

[karlsefni]

[ —stalls, breath catching, and.




and then there isn't a reply. ]

[wouldntkilladragon]

It's very different, saving lives and taking them.

[karlsefni]

—I know! I know that much—but I—[ d...eflates... ]

[wouldntkilladragon]

But what? [Crossing his arms, quirking an eyebrow.]

[karlsefni]

I—[ there's a moment where he's uncertain before it turns into anger, his default (and only) coping method for feelings, ] I can change that—I don't have a reason to take lives, not in Aather, not in here! And—I don't know how this saving business goes but I can try, can't I!?

[wouldntkilladragon]

Says the one who defaults to killing things without even looking at the choices.

[karlsefni]

[ w-wince ]

It looked like it was attacking—I was defending my team!

[wouldntkilladragon]

[Scoffs.] Typical.

Always charging in, never thinking, just making things worse.

[karlsefni]

[




you're scolding me

i don't know how to take this ]

That's—not—

[wouldntkilladragon]

And do people even need to be attacking for you to pull a knife?