Socio walked back home. She knew Shar'tok was there already, but she didn't hurry. She didn't know how to tell him about her desicion. She wasn't good at explaining, and she was too stubborn to have a peaceful conversation about this kind of matters. She knew Shar'tok wouldn't be pleased because she hadn't ask his opinion about this desicion. But it was her soul, her safety, her desicion.
Socio slowed down when she saw Shar'tok in the spot they called home. She was wondering if Shar'tok could see any difference in her.
Shar'tok lifted his head up and looked to her, when she was close enough. Staff on her back made a wide radius of light around her feet. Shar'tok smiled and walked to her, he kissed her both cheeks. Socio tried to smile back, but the impression wasn't so impressive.
"Shar'tok.." Socio started and took the staff from her back. She looked to the ground because she couldn't stand Shar'toks eyes. "I want you to take this" That's all she could say before handing the staff over to Shar'tok.
Without saying a word Shar'tok took the staff and rolled it in his hands. "What's 'is? Socio?" He finally asked. Socio wasn't sure how to read the tone of his voice. "That's my soul" She answered straight away, bit annoyed and nervous.
To her suprise Shar'tok seemed to somehow understand the situation. He nodded firmly and looked the staff admiring, before putting it into his back. Socio felt like explaining, but she wasn't sure about the words. "Ye' bein' only one me trustin', Shar'tok. Me trust ye keepin' it safe" she finally mumbled. Shar'tok smiled warmly and took Socio into his arms "Me will, me promise".
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Mind and soul
Wounds were closed and Socio was back in Vale. Shar'tok wanted her to rest, but something bothered her too much. She couldn't stand still. She couldn't focus on anything.
Shar'tok was handling some offical bussiness with council of the Empire, so Socio was alone first time for a few weeks. Vale seemed to be calm, but she felt it was just temporary. These days she didn't feel good being alone, even whens he sometimes felt she needed her own privat time.
There was already rumours about alliance army to be gathered. Socio was ofcourse ready to stand up and defend her home, no matter how weak she felt inside. But this feeling inside of her head, she had to get rid of it. How could she fight properly if she couldn't focus enough to make a clean kills on the random trespassers she met in Vale?
Socio had some time to think in The Hinterlands and she was sure the feeling had something to do with Zul'Gurub, if not even Blood God himself. She noticed when she was closer to Zul'Gurub, she felt like her sould was ripped in two different ways. Dark cloud inside of her head somehow told her to go inside. Her senses told her to get away, run as far as possible. Socio was scared and she didn't know how long she could fight back. She was afraid she'd wake up again in Zul'Gurub, like she did earlier.
Socio didn't want to offically ask help from Empire. She didn't know how they would have taken it. Maybe they'd rather kill her, than free her from this curse, this madness. Empire didn't like the weak. Ofcourse she needed some help to prepare some other rituals, but she hadn't told everything about it to the others. She was studying ancient tablets in the Vale, about powerful ritual wich could help her, but she needed to walk alone to the end. It was the final solution she tought.
She had been studying about rituals to pull her own soul away from his head. She knew it was risky, but at least she could be free from crawling claws of Hakkar that scratched inside of her head. If she'd fail, she wouldn't fight back anymore. She was so tired.
As part of the ritual Socio had prepared a cage to her soul. It was a staff made out from darkest iron ever seen. It looked very simple, almost useless. Before the ritual Socio added some protective talismans to it. She also tied her own red hair to staff's handle, like she had stuided from the tablets.
Socio's hands were shaky when she was ready to start the ritual. Sun was setting down and she was alone, only animals made some noices around her in the jungle. She had drained and collected some blood from the trespassers after she had come back to Vale, now she poured it around her, making a circle where she was standing still. She took some bone dust and threw it to the air above her head, while chanting some old trollish spells and calls. Socio kneeled down and kissed the ground. She was summoning a totem, that would grab her soul to itself.
Then, suddenly like intented, Socio felt some powerful force striking to the top of her head. She dropped down to the Vale floor, leaning her palms to the ground. She swallowed the moan of suprise, accidentally biting her tongue. Bright light was flashing on her eyes and her ears just picked up loud sound of electrical humming.
Socio looked up. It was dark, sun had gone down, but her soul lightened small area around the totem. It was floating just above it, bright, yellow and white. She was suprised to see someones soul looked so simple. Carefully Socio moved her hands towards it and took floating ball of light between her palms. She gazed it for a second, almost hypnotized, before locking it up to the ring at the head of the iron staff. She did that without any feelings.
The totem had disappeared, leaving a burning mark inside the bloody ring. Socio put the staff to her back and made her way back home. She felt much better, but also somehow emptier. But she knew there was no other choises.
Shar'tok was handling some offical bussiness with council of the Empire, so Socio was alone first time for a few weeks. Vale seemed to be calm, but she felt it was just temporary. These days she didn't feel good being alone, even whens he sometimes felt she needed her own privat time.
There was already rumours about alliance army to be gathered. Socio was ofcourse ready to stand up and defend her home, no matter how weak she felt inside. But this feeling inside of her head, she had to get rid of it. How could she fight properly if she couldn't focus enough to make a clean kills on the random trespassers she met in Vale?
Socio had some time to think in The Hinterlands and she was sure the feeling had something to do with Zul'Gurub, if not even Blood God himself. She noticed when she was closer to Zul'Gurub, she felt like her sould was ripped in two different ways. Dark cloud inside of her head somehow told her to go inside. Her senses told her to get away, run as far as possible. Socio was scared and she didn't know how long she could fight back. She was afraid she'd wake up again in Zul'Gurub, like she did earlier.
Socio didn't want to offically ask help from Empire. She didn't know how they would have taken it. Maybe they'd rather kill her, than free her from this curse, this madness. Empire didn't like the weak. Ofcourse she needed some help to prepare some other rituals, but she hadn't told everything about it to the others. She was studying ancient tablets in the Vale, about powerful ritual wich could help her, but she needed to walk alone to the end. It was the final solution she tought.
She had been studying about rituals to pull her own soul away from his head. She knew it was risky, but at least she could be free from crawling claws of Hakkar that scratched inside of her head. If she'd fail, she wouldn't fight back anymore. She was so tired.
As part of the ritual Socio had prepared a cage to her soul. It was a staff made out from darkest iron ever seen. It looked very simple, almost useless. Before the ritual Socio added some protective talismans to it. She also tied her own red hair to staff's handle, like she had stuided from the tablets.
Socio's hands were shaky when she was ready to start the ritual. Sun was setting down and she was alone, only animals made some noices around her in the jungle. She had drained and collected some blood from the trespassers after she had come back to Vale, now she poured it around her, making a circle where she was standing still. She took some bone dust and threw it to the air above her head, while chanting some old trollish spells and calls. Socio kneeled down and kissed the ground. She was summoning a totem, that would grab her soul to itself.
Then, suddenly like intented, Socio felt some powerful force striking to the top of her head. She dropped down to the Vale floor, leaning her palms to the ground. She swallowed the moan of suprise, accidentally biting her tongue. Bright light was flashing on her eyes and her ears just picked up loud sound of electrical humming.
Socio looked up. It was dark, sun had gone down, but her soul lightened small area around the totem. It was floating just above it, bright, yellow and white. She was suprised to see someones soul looked so simple. Carefully Socio moved her hands towards it and took floating ball of light between her palms. She gazed it for a second, almost hypnotized, before locking it up to the ring at the head of the iron staff. She did that without any feelings.
The totem had disappeared, leaving a burning mark inside the bloody ring. Socio put the staff to her back and made her way back home. She felt much better, but also somehow emptier. But she knew there was no other choises.
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Stabbing
The Hinterlands seemed to be a good place to stay, tho it didn't keep all the problems away.
When Socio started to feel pretty much normal, Shar'tok was waiting answers from her. What has happened? Why? How could he help? Socio was thinking really hard but she couldn't give much for him. Partly she was ashamed and kept her mouth shut because of that. Weakness, it shouldn't be showed more than this, she tought. Partly she didn't really remember, everything was kind of fuzzy inside of her head.
Again Shar'tok got frustrated. If the situation wouldn't have been so bad, Socio was sure he would have disappeared again for days. But Shar'tok couldn't leave Socio to a strange place like The Hinterlands, even when he knew Socio could take care of herself most of the time. Now it wasn't sure. Now she felt so weak and fragile, lost. Shar'tok was already blaming himself about recent happenings. But why didn't Socio give the answers for him? He couldn't understand.
Shar'tok started to walk around, mumble to himself and breaking his fingers. Snap. And Shar'tok kept on walking restlessly. Socio felt the ache in her own bones every time when she heard new snapping sound. Snap after another, and Socio's nerves started to go wild. She couldn't take it, and she couldn't understand why Shar'tok still kept on doing it. Socio had asked him so many times earlier to stop, but Shar'tok just kept on talking about some promise he had made. Once he already promised to stop it, but the promise was broken long time ago. But this time, it went way over the limit for her.
Socio took her ceremonial dagger from her belt and took a good grip of its hilt. She played with the tip of it, drawing lines to the skin of her ties. Next snap and Socio shank the dagger to her tie, deep. She watched the blood staining her robe and tabard. She slowly pulled the blade up and licked its side. Shar'tok didn't react. Socio followed him with her eyes, sitting on the ground very still. She knew the next snap was to come. She wondered, to how many pieces he was snapping the fingers. Shar'tok had already all his left hand fingers hanging from the palm livelessly. Snap. Socio rised her hand up and stabbed her tie again, hearing joints and flesh getting cutted. Another bloody stream ran down to the ground and Socio grinned widely.
Now Shar'tok turned his head to Socio. For a second he seemed just emotioneless, his eyes were empty, before kneeling down for her. "Socio, Socio why ye' doin' 'is? Ye' already been loosin' blood" Socio looked him as emotioneless as Shar'tok was when he walked around. "Ye' snap finger, me bleed" Socio said, hissing and revealing her teeth. The dagger was still sticking from her tie. "Ye' understan'?" Socio asked. Shar'tok nodded and hanged his head. He looked like a troll who had lost a fight. Lost at least now. Socio knew he wasn't giving up this easily. He was just holding his rage back because of the situation they were in. "Ye withou' fingers no helpin' me" Socio said before laying down and pulling the dagger out. She turned to her side and started to sleep.
Shar'tok shrugged helpless and sat down next to her. Things were loosing their sense.
When Socio started to feel pretty much normal, Shar'tok was waiting answers from her. What has happened? Why? How could he help? Socio was thinking really hard but she couldn't give much for him. Partly she was ashamed and kept her mouth shut because of that. Weakness, it shouldn't be showed more than this, she tought. Partly she didn't really remember, everything was kind of fuzzy inside of her head.
Again Shar'tok got frustrated. If the situation wouldn't have been so bad, Socio was sure he would have disappeared again for days. But Shar'tok couldn't leave Socio to a strange place like The Hinterlands, even when he knew Socio could take care of herself most of the time. Now it wasn't sure. Now she felt so weak and fragile, lost. Shar'tok was already blaming himself about recent happenings. But why didn't Socio give the answers for him? He couldn't understand.
Shar'tok started to walk around, mumble to himself and breaking his fingers. Snap. And Shar'tok kept on walking restlessly. Socio felt the ache in her own bones every time when she heard new snapping sound. Snap after another, and Socio's nerves started to go wild. She couldn't take it, and she couldn't understand why Shar'tok still kept on doing it. Socio had asked him so many times earlier to stop, but Shar'tok just kept on talking about some promise he had made. Once he already promised to stop it, but the promise was broken long time ago. But this time, it went way over the limit for her.
Socio took her ceremonial dagger from her belt and took a good grip of its hilt. She played with the tip of it, drawing lines to the skin of her ties. Next snap and Socio shank the dagger to her tie, deep. She watched the blood staining her robe and tabard. She slowly pulled the blade up and licked its side. Shar'tok didn't react. Socio followed him with her eyes, sitting on the ground very still. She knew the next snap was to come. She wondered, to how many pieces he was snapping the fingers. Shar'tok had already all his left hand fingers hanging from the palm livelessly. Snap. Socio rised her hand up and stabbed her tie again, hearing joints and flesh getting cutted. Another bloody stream ran down to the ground and Socio grinned widely.
Now Shar'tok turned his head to Socio. For a second he seemed just emotioneless, his eyes were empty, before kneeling down for her. "Socio, Socio why ye' doin' 'is? Ye' already been loosin' blood" Socio looked him as emotioneless as Shar'tok was when he walked around. "Ye' snap finger, me bleed" Socio said, hissing and revealing her teeth. The dagger was still sticking from her tie. "Ye' understan'?" Socio asked. Shar'tok nodded and hanged his head. He looked like a troll who had lost a fight. Lost at least now. Socio knew he wasn't giving up this easily. He was just holding his rage back because of the situation they were in. "Ye withou' fingers no helpin' me" Socio said before laying down and pulling the dagger out. She turned to her side and started to sleep.
Shar'tok shrugged helpless and sat down next to her. Things were loosing their sense.
Monday, February 4, 2008
Beneath the waterfall
When Socio and Shar'tok arrived to The Hinterlands, Socio started to already feel better. Her blurry mind started to feel more clear, tho the pain in her wounds kept on gnawing her, but she tried not to show it. She always kept her pain inside as long as she could. It wasn't allowed to show weakness in this sort of matters.
Shar'tok stopped at the sea shore and helped Socio down from Shade's back, wiping sweat from his face and neck. When the two trolls and their raptors entered The Hinterlands things got bit heaten up, since some pack of dwarfs spotted them, but it seemed safe on the shore. Shar'tok looked around carefully before leading Socio towards the water. "Me be helpin' ye', Socio.." Shar'tok mumbled, and held Socio up from her armpits. "Me help ye.." he repeated, Socio wasn't sure was he trying to calm down her or himself. She noticed Shar'tok's voice was a bit shaky.
Shar'tok watched Socio with worried eyes before taking her hands and leading her under the waterfall. "We needin' to was ye wounds, Socio.." Socio nodded to him slowly and walked to the water.
Socio felt the cold water running on her skin when she stepped under the waterfall. She shivered, loss of the blood already had turned her lips and skin pale. When Socio turned her back to Shar'tok and stripped off her bloody robe, she heard a deep gasp from behind her. Socio let the robe drop to the water and float away. Socio didn't seem to be aware of all injuries she had. When Shar'tok touched her back gently, she shivered from pain. Shar'tok started to wash the blood off from Socio's skin, it dyed the water red and brown. She covered her chest with her arms, freezing.
Under the confusion and tiredness, Socio felt still happy. There was someone who took care of her, someone who she could show also her weaker sides.
"Ye' hurt bad.." Shar'tok said and moved his palms lightly on her back. Socio felt warm waves inside of her muscles, under her skin. She felt like falling into a soft sleep. Shar'tok kissed her cheek from behind, "me be fixin' ye'" he said. "Ye shoul' be restin' now.."
They made a campfire to the shore, near abandoned temple ruins. Socio started to have her mind clear. She didn't still remember much about her escape, but this feeling about someone lurking in her mind was gone.
Shar'tok stopped at the sea shore and helped Socio down from Shade's back, wiping sweat from his face and neck. When the two trolls and their raptors entered The Hinterlands things got bit heaten up, since some pack of dwarfs spotted them, but it seemed safe on the shore. Shar'tok looked around carefully before leading Socio towards the water. "Me be helpin' ye', Socio.." Shar'tok mumbled, and held Socio up from her armpits. "Me help ye.." he repeated, Socio wasn't sure was he trying to calm down her or himself. She noticed Shar'tok's voice was a bit shaky.
Shar'tok watched Socio with worried eyes before taking her hands and leading her under the waterfall. "We needin' to was ye wounds, Socio.." Socio nodded to him slowly and walked to the water.
Socio felt the cold water running on her skin when she stepped under the waterfall. She shivered, loss of the blood already had turned her lips and skin pale. When Socio turned her back to Shar'tok and stripped off her bloody robe, she heard a deep gasp from behind her. Socio let the robe drop to the water and float away. Socio didn't seem to be aware of all injuries she had. When Shar'tok touched her back gently, she shivered from pain. Shar'tok started to wash the blood off from Socio's skin, it dyed the water red and brown. She covered her chest with her arms, freezing.
Under the confusion and tiredness, Socio felt still happy. There was someone who took care of her, someone who she could show also her weaker sides.
"Ye' hurt bad.." Shar'tok said and moved his palms lightly on her back. Socio felt warm waves inside of her muscles, under her skin. She felt like falling into a soft sleep. Shar'tok kissed her cheek from behind, "me be fixin' ye'" he said. "Ye shoul' be restin' now.."
They made a campfire to the shore, near abandoned temple ruins. Socio started to have her mind clear. She didn't still remember much about her escape, but this feeling about someone lurking in her mind was gone.
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