Jungle Clearing

Catherine let out agonizing cries as the coils tightened their deadly hold upon her. She kicked, wormed and writhed under the demoness's tight and painful embrace. She tried to ignore the pain as it continued to gradually heighten. She looks over to Damian, and tried to smile as best as she could. "D-Damian...don't lose... that spark..." she started, in a hoarse and strained tone. She knew she may never get the chance again, so she spoke as clearly as she could. "I... en..joyed... our... trip.... to...gether....." she gasped sharply, she already could feel her arms beginning to snap and her ribs cracking painfully. "Nyah..." she shuttered, feeling cold, loosing air as her lungs were being squeezed against one another, feeling Himiko's tail tip curling around her neck. "I.... lo-" before she could finish, she could feel the tail tighten, cutting off her words, and then a sharp, wet SNAP echoed throughout the chamber...

Betrayal...

Cat's beautiful, unique eyes were wide, distant... vacant. Her lower jaw hung slightly agape, her body becoming instantaneously limp in Himiko's grasp. Her thick thighs and slender legs stopped kicking, simply swaying before becoming stilled. The snapped vertebrae in her neck is what cut her tender words, and her life, short.

Himiko released Cat's model like body from her tail's grasp, and she smoothly slipped through the slightly larger hole before hitting the floor like a wet sack. Her body sprawled, and her distant gaze was upon the ceiling before it fell limply against her right shoulder, towards the direction of Damian. Her right hand had landed in a manner which looked as though she was reaching him, with her palm raised towards the ceiling. Her other arm lay upon her stomach, and her legs were curled onto their side, her knees towards Damian as well. Her raven black hair curled around her body and fell over her eyes like see through curtains.

Da...m..ia...n................. her mind went blank, then everything was black.

"I...love you...." she said finally after such a long darkness, her cold lips trembling. She feels the warm air upon her cold skin, and an awful sharp pain in her neck. It is to these subtle things, like the gentle breeze which brushed her hair across her porcelain face that made her narrow, Asian eyes blink, and flutter for the first time again.



She was looking at a beautiful blue sky, and the air seemed... more saturated. She blinked again, feeling her hand upon her stomach, she slowly, begins to sit up, her long black hair flowing behind her back. She winced, rubbing her neck. "How...did I survive? Did they dispose of me out in the jungle?" she asked, looking about. She was still...wet from the saliva which Himiko had put across her crotch herself, so it couldn't have been that long ago. Did... Ed save her? She looked around, and to be honest... she was unsure of her surroundings for the first time in her life. She always had some sort of 'second sight' when it came to exploring, but she was sure... this Jungle... looked intimidatingly unfamiliar. Already, some of the plants around her didn't...seem right with her. She stood up, wincing, feeling insects in her hair, swatting them away. Pulling them before her, she freaked out!



A small...spider...woman...thing was crawling in her hair! She tossed the creature, flailing at her hair till she was sure nothing but loose blades of high grass was upon her. She looked about, eyes wide with horror. "Where....the hell am I? Oh God... did... did I...." she stopped there, unable to bring herself to saying it out loud. "I...I need to find people... people-people...human people..." she gulped, looking about desperately. None of her equipment was with her, not even her knife. Checking her body, she still had a spare elastic around her wrist, which she used to quickly tie her hair up with. She didn't want to take any other chances with the creepy ass fauna. Still though... she needed gear. She began to walk towards the trees, hoping she'd find her bearings in the canopy above...

Nearby, an 18 foot sharkman casually patrols the shore line.



It jumps from the boulders into the water, causing a large splash as it swims around the island again. It could smell something new had arrived, something unlucky too. For now it would wait in the water, to see if the new, lovely scent that was in the air would get stronger. Unfortunately she was too thick in the jungle for the beast to get. But if she wanted to leave by traditional means... she'd have to go through him.

DRAKE climbs the alien looking tree, her body felt like it weighed 1000 pounds, breathing heavily as she climbed. "This....shouldn't be...that hard...." she huffed, feeling sweat pour from her pores, gripping the trunk of the tree tightly, blowing up her fringe as it got into her eyes with some discomfort. She continued forth, undaunted despite her sore limbs, and was now in the canopy region. "Okay, not to inspect the-" she folded the canopy leaves aside, and her jaw dropped. A vast jungle island was partially laid out before her. Beyond that, a great sea with various other islands dotting its coast. She wanted to say it resembled Thailand, but...she was quite sure... VERY SURE this was not the South China Sea!
Her wide eyes blinked, taking in the new surroundings. She felt... small. Very small now. "Where... am I?" she says out loud, trembling. Every turn of her head was something new, something unusual to her mortal eyes. Her anxiety was returning, accompanied with hunger and thirst. She took a moment to look at herself and felt shocked she hadn't noticed sooner. She was gaunt and her lips were dry. If she were in front of a mirror, she'd be a few stones away from a shambling corpse in appearance. How long had she been out here, where ever 'here' was?

"I need to get some food, something to drink... no wonder why I was having trouble..." she blinked her long lashes and turned her head to a flash of movement, just barely recognizable from the canopy. She at first thought it was a great bird, perhaps something else alien in nature, breaking the tree tops to fly out to one of those distant islands. But it wasn't. In fact, it was something she was familiar with:



Her mouth hung agape. It was the Japanese Imperial Navy's Ensign, dirt encrusted and beat down and torn by rough weather, but it was indeed the banner in question. She felt her heat sink into her empty stomach, asking herself again, but more appropriately: "Where...the fuck, am I??" she blinked, just to be sure she wasn't crazy. She was trying to theorize where she was, and her best thought at the moment was that she was in some sort of 'Hell' dimension or something, probably placed here by Himiko after she...

She frowned. "But... how can I..." she shook her head, wincing. "It hurts....to think about it...." she says to herself, shuttering. Looking back to the flag, she had little other options available at her disposal. "May as well start there, perhaps I'll find something interesting, food, water, weapons..." she muttered, and began the slow process climbing downward, and when she was back on the jungle floor, she began to head into the direction of the flag by eye.

{Responding to this: https://galiavan2657.forumotion.com/t757p25-abandoned-imperial-japanese-facility#8480}

Looking from one of the high palms which towered above the island, one of the indigenous of the island, Sui Kathor, watches in silence as the giant creature soared for Scardia. She looked on as it left with its prize, while leaving a section of the island set ablaze. The crimson fires danced in the jungle valley below, and Sui watched as many of her tribe's enemies were vanquished in its purifying fire. She would have to report this to the rest of her clan, as it wasn't often such events occurred on what they perceived was their island. She doubted the 'outsiders' of Shi-No-Shima will take much notice other than what they will report from afar. No one comes to this island due to it's high danger after all. Still... she will prepare in case there is a 'formal investigation' into the event. For now, the primitive female chieftain stepped down from the palms, and began to head her way back to the encampment.

Yume had ventured further into the jungle from the stretch of beach she had woken up on, her beach, or so she began calling it. She used her enchanted wooden sword as a crutch, her body weak with hunger and thirst. The jungle around her looked so... odd. She had been through jungles before, but this area was absolutely on its own level of weird with alien looking insects and animals crawling about. It was as if she was stepping onto an island untouched from Galiavan's bloody history. She could see smoke in the distance, a great deal of it in fact. "Fire?" She asked the air, curious. She began to make her approach, to see what had been the cause.

Not too far off, like a mirage, a small stool, with a full bowl of beef and vegetable stew and an unopened bottle of Nuka Clear upon it appeared before Yume. with a red baloon drifting up, tied to the stool by a peice of white string.

Yume paused. In a world of exotic colors and several variations of jade, the rather man-made red balloon caught her eyes super fast. She blinked, taking in the sight of the stool which the balloon was affixed to, and then the...

"FOOD!" She exclaimed, her lips agape and wet with salivation. She began to stumble towards the little set up before her rational mind outweighed the gurgling groan of her empty belly. She paused, only a few yards from it, and began to stare at it suspiciously. "...no this has to be a mirage. It makes no sense for this to be here..." she gulped dryly, tempted to give in to her fragile mind as the sight of the Nuka Cola sweating with perspiration made her throat itch with anxiety. The bowl of stew looked absolutely delicious as well, like something mom would make when the garden yielded its fortune.

"Perhaps..." she spoke wearily, taking a few cautious steps towards it, extending 'Champ' the wooden blade her Uncle Ikai had given to her when she won the Junior Beijionese Blademaster Championships last year, cautiously towards the balloon. If it isn't real... She thought wearily, cautiously probing the dull blade's tip against the balloon's surface, before hitting it with a quick jab!

The baloon bounced off of the tip of the wooden sword, and slowly floated back up to it's usual position, slowly drifting in the wind. The scent of the stew would strike Yume's nostrils. The broth was a thick gravy, giving a salt and pepper edge t the tender well cooked meat within, a delicious golden brown color.

A fair ways off, observing psionically, Dandella watched and waited, licking her own lips in near impatience. "Hmm, gotta give her some meat back on her bones. Can't eat her if she starves to death first. Still, once she eats a few bowls, I can begin to see what lies beneath the skin." Dandella thought as she watched.

Yume gulped, sweat dribbling off her chin. "It's... real... or my mind is really on a trip..." she gulped again, before slowly approaching the bottle and stew. The steamy bowl was simply too... delicious to pass over! She huddled beside the stool, stabbing Champ into the soil and slowly examined the stew. It jiggled with its contents when she tapped the bowl, and flicking the cola bottle made it ring. She then, slowly, dabbed her finger into the soup and yanked it back. Its hot... She then slipped the broth covered finger into her mouth...

Her eyes widened. If this is a mirage, I am so going to lose myself to it! She thought happily, her eyes wavering as she quickly takes the bowl and begins to help herself! "Mmm!" she moaned, the texture of the meat was supple and melted in your mouth as you bit into it; the broth was rich and creamy, with the vegetables brewed within the creamy liquid for hours, chopped neatly and seasoned to perfection!

Her chest ached, the tight sarashi bindings which hid her 'hidden features' made her wheeze as she excitedly inhaled the bowl's contents greedily. To combat this, she used Champ's pommel for leverage to pop off the bottle cap of the Nuka Clear! So hot, need to extinguish the flames running down my throat! She thought, gulping and blarping the carbonated beverage quickly with flushed, strained features!

Ulp ulp ulp ulp! Her throat swelled with each hearty gulp, the cool liquid easing her chest and her belly. She had downed the glass by the time she removed it from her lips. "Hahh...." she smiled, her blue eyes closed as she sighed contently. "BLECH!" her eyes opened wide from her sudden burp, her face scarlet with some embarrassment. Her Chi senses had kicked in, and she thought she had an audience whom she just rudely devoured a simple, yet delicious meal like a ravenous beast before belching in a rather unladylike manner.

She looked left and right, but saw no one.

Yume McKelly wrote:Yume gulped, sweat dribbling off her chin. "It's... real... or my mind is really on a trip..." she gulped again, before slowly approaching the bottle and stew. The steamy bowl was simply too... delicious to pass over! She huddled beside the stool, stabbing Champ into the soil and slowly examined the stew. It jiggled with its contents when she tapped the bowl, and flicking the cola bottle made it ring. She then, slowly, dabbed her finger into the soup and yanked it back. Its hot... She then slipped the broth covered finger into her mouth...

Her eyes widened. If this is a mirage, I am so going to lose myself to it! She thought happily, her eyes wavering as she quickly takes the bowl and begins to help herself! "Mmm!" she moaned, the texture of the meat was supple and melted in your mouth as you bit into it; the broth was rich and creamy, with the vegetables brewed within the creamy liquid for hours, chopped neatly and seasoned to perfection!

Her chest ached, the tight sarashi bindings which hid her 'hidden features' made her wheeze as she excitedly inhaled the bowl's contents greedily. To combat this, she used Champ's pommel for leverage to pop off the bottle cap of the Nuka Clear! So hot, need to extinguish the flames running down my throat! She thought, gulping and blarping the carbonated beverage quickly with flushed, strained features!

Ulp ulp ulp ulp! Her throat swelled with each hearty gulp, the cool liquid easing her chest and her belly. She had downed the glass by the time she removed it from her lips. "Hahh...." she smiled, her blue eyes closed as she sighed contently. "BLECH!" her eyes opened wide from her sudden burp, her face scarlet with some embarrassment. Her Chi senses had kicked in, and she thought she had an audience whom she just rudely devoured a simple, yet delicious meal like a ravenous beast before belching in a rather unladylike manner.

She looked left and right, but saw no one.

That was until she heard the sound of a metal ladle gently ding against the inside edge of a large cooking pot, and the crackling of a fire. When Yume turned aroun to see, she would find what appeared to be an old man. Well built, dressed in makeshift furs and pelts. His greying black hair glinting in the sunlight, as his wethered crinkled features concentrated on his task as he sat on a similar stool to the one the food was on, and stirred the contents of the pot which sat on a very rustic, yet well maintained campfire.

"Hello there yongster... Did you like my beef and vegetable stew?" he asked, he looked over to the young girl, with a smile on his face, one eye hidden beneath an old bandage.

Yume turned to the sound, and went to grab Champ when she locked her vision on the older gentleman. He appeared just like anyone you'd find roaming the wilderness, with the furs and living off the land vibe. Save for the kettle, which seemed a little out of place.

She gulped. "S-sorry, was that your lunch?" She asked. "I couldn't help myself... I kinda got abandoned here, where ever here is exactly." she continued, explaining her situation some, backing up a little while her hand lay upon the pommel of Champ in a manner which suggested she was leaning on it, rather than subtly putting the competition wooden sword between the stranger and herself - or so she hoped.

Yume McKelly wrote:Yume turned to the sound, and went to grab Champ when she locked her vision on the older gentleman. He appeared just like anyone you'd find roaming the wilderness, with the furs and living off the land vibe. Save for the kettle, which seemed a little out of place.

She gulped. "S-sorry, was that your lunch?" She asked. "I couldn't help myself... I kinda got abandoned here, where ever here is exactly." she continued, explaining her situation some, backing up a little while her hand lay upon the pommel of Champ in a manner which suggested she was leaning on it, rather than subtly putting the competition wooden sword between the stranger and herself - or so she hoped.

The old man smiled, and looked at his pot again. "I see..." he said. "Unfortunately, you have landed upon Shi No Shima. Like you, I was left here more than fifty years ago. I was no older than you when the plane I was on crash landed just off shore. I've lived here ever since. Survived the dangers of this island. Only managing to hold on to spoken language and written words through the scraps of wreckages that wash ashore. Refuse nobody remembers anymore. But you need not be afraid of me young lady. I'm a tired old man who may never see home again, even after all this time. I'm just glad to know the outside world still exists. Please, come, have a seat... I can always make more food. And I may humbly add that my company is a lot better than what awaits you in those jungles..."

Darkstorm Zero wrote:

Yume McKelly wrote:Yume turned to the sound, and went to grab Champ when she locked her vision on the older gentleman. He appeared just like anyone you'd find roaming the wilderness, with the furs and living off the land vibe. Save for the kettle, which seemed a little out of place.

She gulped. "S-sorry, was that your lunch?" She asked. "I couldn't help myself... I kinda got abandoned here, where ever here is exactly." she continued, explaining her situation some, backing up a little while her hand lay upon the pommel of Champ in a manner which suggested she was leaning on it, rather than subtly putting the competition wooden sword between the stranger and herself - or so she hoped.

The old man smiled, and looked at his pot again. "I see..." he said. "Unfortunately, you have landed upon Shi No Shima. Like you, I was left here more than fifty years ago. I was no older than you when the plane I was on crash landed just off shore. I've lived here ever since. Survived the dangers of this island. Only managing to hold on to spoken language and written words through the scraps of wreckages that wash ashore. Refuse nobody remembers anymore. But you need not be afraid of me young lady. I'm a tired old man who may never see home again, even after all this time. I'm just glad to know the outside world still exists. Please, come, have a seat... I can always make more food. And I may humbly add that my company is a lot better than what awaits you in those jungles..."

Yume's blue eyes widened in shock. "Shi...no Shima...!?" she exclaimed, her heart climbing into her throat, looking down at the grassy clearing as her mind registers now how seriously in danger she was. Shi no Shima was called the 'Island of the Dead' for a reason, those who went there never come back! Even the governments at be leave this island alone, so she was stranded here...

She shuttered, her knees weak as she felt herself getting sick. "No... why here... of all places, why..." she gasped, her large eyes beginning to water with tears. She couldn't fully listen to the elderly man's origin story, for she knew that his was going to be hers if the wildlife didn't eat her first in the coming days! Tales of strange beasts and demons who can't be exorcised are rumored to reside on this island. Lord Beijiosaki lost an entire band of samurai in these jungles, or so the legends depict! She knew well enough, thanks to her mother who was a shrine maiden and exorcist. Not only her, but it was common Beijionese and Scardian knowledge that you did not stray off course when in the Beiji-Scardian Archipelago, for Shi no Shima will claim your life before you even realized you were dead.

"Fifty... years..." she gasped, tears dripping off her silky cheeks.

Yume McKelly wrote:Yume's blue eyes widened in shock. "Shi...no Shima...!?" she exclaimed, her heart climbing into her throat, looking down at the grassy clearing as her mind registers now how seriously in danger she was. Shi no Shima was called the 'Island of the Dead' for a reason, those who went there never come back! Even the governments at be leave this island alone, so she was stranded here...

She shuttered, her knees weak as she felt herself getting sick. "No... why here... of all places, why..." she gasped, her large eyes beginning to water with tears. She couldn't fully listen to the elderly man's origin story, for she knew that his was going to be hers if the wildlife didn't eat her first in the coming days! Tales of strange beasts and demons who can't be exorcised are rumored to reside on this island. Lord Beijiosaki lost an entire band of samurai in these jungles, or so the legends depict! She knew well enough, thanks to her mother who was a shrine maiden and exorcist. Not only her, but it was common Beijionese and Scardian knowledge that you did not stray off course when in the Beiji-Scardian Archipelago, for Shi no Shima will claim your life before you even realized you were dead.

"Fifty... years..." she gasped, tears dripping off her silky cheeks.

"Yes... Fate has a cruel sense of humor." the old man said with a sigh. "Of course, the worst part is, Shi no Shima has awoken. The Hell Spires arising in other parts of the world has stirred demons of all kinds all around the world to wakefulness, like they are being commanded by something far more powerful than anything even the Faust Dynasty was capable of. Never seen anything like it before... Then, there was that dragon man from a few hours ago... Came and went while you were still unconscious down the beach. Torched an old building from another realm that was full of Lizard men... And this morning, something blasted into the stars from Gailden.... It was like the Sephiroth cannon all over again. Damn near shook the roots of the island apart."

The old man looked back over Yume. "But you still have a chance.... You seem to have a strong bloodline. If you have a connection to anyone on the mainlands, your best bet is to pray to them, try to reach them with your mind, but in the meanwhile, you need to regain your strength. You won't be of any use to anyone half dead and starving, or worse."

Yume glanced up quickly as he mentioned spotting her earlier. This wasn't by chance, them meeting up like this then. How can I trust him? She thought, before remembering something her mother told her about using their bloodlines priestess abilities.

You have to open your heart, your mind's eye and focus on the spiritual ki of the one in front of you. The Kurogasa line has been filled with High Priestess' and other spiritual forces, even more so with your father's line. You'll know the truth and you'll be able to feel their life line as if it was a thread...

She closed her eyes, and focused on the man's words, her inner spiritual powers glowing, her body radiating a slight silvery hue as she channeled the man's words and thoughts into her own mind. His words were heavy with truth... but... it was odd. Normally, it would be like reading a book when it came to spiritual readings, but... it was like the book had been gnarled and torn. Pages were missing, gaps and holes in the story which made it suspicious. When she tried to delve further... she couldn't. The darkness in the gaps were... pushing her away as if an annoyance. She then felt a cold chill run down her spine, which awoke her from her trance with a shocked gasp!

What was that? She pondered, pallid and worried. She glances at the food, and her hunger pains returned. She gulped. "I'm sorry life has dealt you such a terrible hand. I must wonder if Corveyus enjoys watching us mortals lose in his gambles."

She stared at the kettle and her stomach growled again. He was right, if she didn't eat... she'd be too weak to do anything about her survival otherwise.

Yume McKelly wrote:Yume glanced up quickly as he mentioned spotting her earlier. This wasn't by chance, them meeting up like this then. How can I trust him? She thought, before remembering something her mother told her about using their bloodlines priestess abilities.

You have to open your heart, your mind's eye and focus on the spiritual ki of the one in front of you. The Kurogasa line has been filled with High Priestess' and other spiritual forces, even more so with your father's line. You'll know the truth and you'll be able to feel their life line as if it was a thread...

She closed her eyes, and focused on the man's words, her inner spiritual powers glowing, her body radiating a slight silvery hue as she channeled the man's words and thoughts into her own mind. His words were heavy with truth... but... it was odd. Normally, it would be like reading a book when it came to spiritual readings, but... it was like the book had been gnarled and torn. Pages were missing, gaps and holes in the story which made it suspicious. When she tried to delve further... she couldn't. The darkness in the gaps were... pushing her away as if an annoyance. She then felt a cold chill run down her spine, which awoke her from her trance with a shocked gasp!

What was that? She pondered, pallid and worried. She glances at the food, and her hunger pains returned. She gulped. "I'm sorry life has dealt you such a terrible hand. I must wonder if Corveyus enjoys watching us mortals lose in his gambles."

She stared at the kettle and her stomach growled again. He was right, if she didn't eat... she'd be too weak to do anything about her survival otherwise.

A sad smile creased the old man's features. "The truth is, in a lot of ways, you cannot trust me. Or anything else on this island, Yume McKelly...." he said as what happened while Yume tried to read him with her powers simply showed him to be pale and translucent! He was no mirage or illusion, but he was not physically there!

"I was hoping to spare you from seeing that.... The full truth is.... it will not pleasant for you to hear little one. I am the bound spirit of a dead man... 60 years of life here on this island pales to the following century of being dead and still bound here... But I never lied to you. And I will help you if and when I can. I still have some power here, while she sleeps, and her master is occupied." The old man continued to stir the pot as he spoke even as his features returned to their more comforting solid looking state.

"My spirit is bound to the one who finally managed to kill me. She is a very powerful demon of Hell, the place Galiavan's demons originally came from. She feeds off of the flesh and fear of those she captures. Her powers enable her to promote, accelerate, and exploit the fears of her targets, among other things she can do. You will not be able to defeat her yourself, you are not strong enough yet, but you can fend her off, as long as you remember these words - 'One can only fight madness with wisdom, frailty with strength, foolishness with intelligence, fear with courage, and despair with spirit'. Remember the virtues you have, and she will be incapable of harming you. And she will try anything she can to breach your defenses... Starvation being one of them."

Yume was not alarmed by his spirit, for she trained with great grandpa Kurogasa and played with Lord Beijiosaki all the time when she was younger. She didn't see spirits as often these days, so it was a bit of a shock she didn't immediately realize he was a perished soul. What did trouble her was the mentioning of a 'female entity' who craved the flesh of mortals.

She took the bowl from earlier and handed it back to him with fluid ease and with trust. "Tell me more." she spoke, her tone curious, as if listening to a legend.

Yume McKelly wrote:Yume was not alarmed by his spirit, for she trained with great grandpa Kurogasa and played with Lord Beijiosaki all the time when she was younger. She didn't see spirits as often these days, so it was a bit of a shock she didn't immediately realize he was a perished soul. What did trouble her was the mentioning of a 'female entity' who craved the flesh of mortals.

She took the bowl from earlier and handed it back to him with fluid ease and with trust. "Tell me more." she spoke, her tone curious, as if listening to a legend.

The old man of the woods smiled as he took the bowl from Yume, and refilled it with a generous portion from the ladle before placing it back in the girls hands, before reaching around and grabbing another bottle from a cooler on the other side of him. This time, it was an ice cold bottle of Nuka Orange.



"There is much to say" the old man started, "and not much time with which to say it. The creature that occupies this island is a demonic entity, but not a demonic entity as you may know them. This one is an extradimensional monster from another plane of existence entirely. I dare not speak her name, for that will rouse her to wakefulness immediately, but unlike the Faust led demons of our world, this one hails from the origin place of all demonkind.. a terrible dimension called Hell. Where the monsters and nightmares of all mortal planes are ruled by beings called the Fallen. Former Arch Seraphim that were once among the firstborn servants of the One Above All, the Allmaker itself. The last of the Fallen is now the sole ruler of that terrible place. Her name is lost to mortals, so we simply call her the Empress of Hell, and she has been ruthlessly conquering mortal dimensions ever since. Now her eyes are upon our dimension. She began to pave the way by sending saboteurs a few centuries ago. She was responsible for turning the warlord you once new as Abdel Adham to darkness. And she sent several high level demons to begin to sow discord and plant the seeds for invasion. My killer is one such demon..."

Yume ate with less barbarism than she had before, savoring the beefy stew as she listened. Upon being granted the icy cold orange flavored beverage this time, she immediately took it and did her best to reserve herself from drinking it down- Nuka Orange was her favorite!

She was reminded of her mother when drinking the orange soda, and it made her feel saddened. I really hope mom and dad saved the village from that giant and all those demons... She thought, sighing sadly.

She glanced to the jungle around them, her senses on high alert as the old man conveyed to her the knowledge he gained in death. "I assume the one who killed you... is the one you cannot name." she says before turning to him. "But she is awake, isn't she? In the sense of one just waking up from a good nights rest. Lingering upon the mattress, and staring up at the ceiling." she asked with a metaphor of sorts.

Yume McKelly wrote:Yume ate with less barbarism than she had before, savoring the beefy stew as she listened. Upon being granted the icy cold orange flavored beverage this time, she immediately took it and did her best to reserve herself from drinking it down- Nuka Orange was her favorite!

She was reminded of her mother when drinking the orange soda, and it made her feel saddened. I really hope mom and dad saved the village from that giant and all those demons... She thought, sighing sadly.

She glanced to the jungle around them, her senses on high alert as the old man conveyed to her the knowledge he gained in death. "I assume the one who killed you... is the one you cannot name." she says before turning to him. "But she is awake, isn't she? In the sense of one just waking up from a good nights rest. Lingering upon the mattress, and staring up at the ceiling." she asked with a metaphor of sorts.

The old man smiled sadly again "You assume correctly." Then he shook his head. "No, not fully. If she were fully awake and aware, I would be utterly powerless, and bent to aiding her in capturing you. When she exerts no influence over me, I am able to help. If she is aware of you, she will use me to further her own agenda. And in fact.... Yes, I think her Empress will want you to use you to manipulate your father... You see... Much has happened back home. The current leader of Galiavan's demons has been temporarily deposed until she can prove herself worthy of leading them. But your father has vowed eternal vengeance, and seeks out aid and powerful weapons to render extinct all demons... even those who are not evil..."

A small light eminated from the old man's eyes as he looked up at the sky. "There are greater forces at work. The Empress's son is half human, and he fights for mortals. He is here on Galiavan too... As are seraphim from the other side of the conflict... But more disturbingly than off of that, is I've overheard multiple references to something far darker and more evil than all the demons and monsters of Hell combined. My jailer, and even the Empress herself speak in fear of it..."

"My father?" She asked, surprised, as Yume hands him her bowl yet again, half of her Nuka Orange remained. She was confused why he'd do such a thing, knowing him to be a kind and respectable person; it was odd to hear that he was running about slaying demons in a rampage. What happened at home? She wondered with fear, her heart racing anxiously with worry!

Yume McKelly wrote:"My father?" She asked, surprised, as Yume hands him her bowl yet again, half of her Nuka Orange remained. She was confused why he'd do such a thing, knowing him to be a kind and respectable person; it was odd to hear that he was running about slaying demons in a rampage. What happened at home? She wondered with fear, her heart racing anxiously with worry!

"Yes... He believes that you are all dead. Eaten by those monsters. Your mother.... she did not make it, but your father does not know that you still live. He blames himself for it, and thus, in his mind, he would pay repentance by avenging your deaths against the monsters at any and all costs. He cares not for his own life now either, He even risked disrespecting Sango in her own palace in pursuit of this vengeance, but... he may also be the only one who can reach the Prince. The Empress's son seeks him out, because your father shares a similar soul to one from his own human home in another dimension. Prince Edgar is drawn to help those in need. It is his nature. He was the one who destroyed the Hell Spire in the Guardian's Gorge... Gave people a chance to fight back."

Yume was stark still. The life drained from her face, her chest felt like it was bound by an unseen coil, tightening and crushing her lungs and gut. She felt numb, her eyes widened and stung as her mouth hung agape. She couldn't breathe for a moment, her hand too weak to hold the glass of orange soda as it dropped and shattered against the stool.

"M-Mommy...." She spoke childishly, not caring as her body shook violently. She could barely feel warm tears begin to stream down her cheeks, her body moving on its own as she turned away from the camp and headed into the direction of the jungle, her hands shakily sliding up to her chin. "No.... it can't..." she weakly gasped, a frog in her throat as she hoarsely whined.

She shook visibly, knees weak as she ran away from the camp! "I cant breathe!" She exclaimed, sobbing as she had to run the grief away, her chest felt deflated and her energy sapped. She ran deep into the jungle, before falling onto her knees, staining her striped leggings. She couldn't see, her vision hazy because of the tears. She shrieked loudly, huddled into a tight ball and sobbed uncontrollably.

Yume McKelly wrote:Yume was stark still. The life drained from her face, her chest felt like it was bound by an unseen coil, tightening and crushing her lungs and gut. She felt numb, her eyes widened and stung as her mouth hung agape. She couldn't breathe for a moment, her hand too weak to hold the glass of orange soda as it dropped and shattered against the stool.

"M-Mommy...." She spoke childishly, not caring as her body shook violently. She could barely feel warm tears begin to stream down her cheeks, her body moving on its own as she turned away from the camp and headed into the direction of the jungle, her hands shakily sliding up to her chin. "No.... it can't..." she weakly gasped, a frog in her throat as she hoarsely whined.

She shook visibly, knees weak as she ran away from the camp! "I cant breathe!" She exclaimed, sobbing as she had to run the grief away, her chest felt deflated and her energy sapped. She ran deep into the jungle, before falling onto her knees, staining her striped leggings. She couldn't see, her vision hazy because of the tears. She shrieked loudly, huddled into a tight ball and sobbed uncontrollably.  

As Yume sobbed and shook in a childish ball, the old man appeared beside her again. His presence keeping the predatory animals and monsters of Shi no Shima at bay, even if only because he was an auxilliary to a far greater monster. The ghost of a man surprisingly picked her up in his arms gently, and carried her back to the campfire.

"I know.... I know." he said gently.

"Your mother may be gone, but you yet live. And though you, her soul endures. Remember that, and survive. You may yet be able to reach your father's mind, or even be able to call Edgar through the spirit plane, for his mental powers span the world, and meeting your father may enable him to locate you, even here... You must not lose hope Yume, When hope fades, Despair sets in, and despair is the greatest fear of them all. If you allow fear to fester, the one who consumed me will never stop hunting you. Remember my words, the only way to fight fear is with courage. Show them you bear your mothers courage, and your fathers fierceness."

She continued to sob, unable to keep herself calm. She couldn't speak coherently either. She kept thinking of her mother, who had been away for months- of only having been with her for a few hours before the village was attacked. She couldn't let go of the despair, her grief was too heavy for her to take his meaningful advice so suddenly. I wont get to see her again... Gods, why... why? She sobbed uncontrollably, choking on her tears as she did so.