8/18/14

Pharast 11th, 656 AR

*The next entry is rife with errors and parts being scratched out. While previous entries looked precise and beautifully written, this one looks rougher and frustration shows in every letter of the writing*

When I awoke, the first thing I saw was my mangled hands, twisted and bent once more into sharp talons. A gurgling shriek of surprise came from my lips upon seeing them, startling Aiko who was near me. I had transformed at an incredible rate in my sleep! Worse yet, neither Aiko’s song or talking about grandfather reversed the change at all. I seemed to be stuck in this wretched form. The roar and hunger of the wrath in my mind was incredible. What was once a whisper easily ignored was now an incessant howling that never ceased.

After some talking, we think it might have been this chamber. The moss and liquid it held...obviously had some sort of hand in the transformation or healing of the sin creatures. Chances are it was infused with their wrath and anger and it seeped into me while sleeping. That’s our best guess and I feel stupid for not guessing something like that before we rested for the night.

I am extremely close to changing at this point. I think every one of them knows it, even if Aiko continues to hold on to hope that we can reverse this before it is too late. Our best bet is in the castle-like structure across the bridge where the one behind all of this is. Skaetis. He must pay for everything he has done.


*There is a small gap on the page and a note near the bottom, where numerous writings have been crossed out several times, as if this section was begun multiple times*

Once again I hesitate to write on my dreams (or hallucinations...it’s hard to tell sometimes), but if I do not I fear I will forget. Was it just a hallucination or an effect of the room we were resting in? Perhaps a side effect of the change that was happening while I slept? I don’t know...

I dreamt of when Aiko and myself were very young. We were running from a large group of people, lead by some woman in green robes. They meant us harm, I could feel that clearly and I also felt the distinct need to protect Aiko. The faces of most of the crowd were indistinct, but for some reason that green robe and woman looked so clear. Already some of the details are vague in my mind, but at the time it felt so real...almost like I had lived it before at some point.

In any case, after running with them slowly gaining on us a familiar figure appeared before us, our Grandfather. He tussled my hair and told me how good I was for taking care of my sister. When he asked if I recognized him...in my mind I did, but the answer that issued forth felt false, like at that time I did not.

It only seemed to amuse him in any case. Perhaps he saw through the lie this younger version of myself told him. I was nearly in tears due to the crowd bearing down on us and the Old Fang simply told me to hum a melody for him as he took care of this. This I did for him and he did. He saved us from all those people. I still am uncertain of the dream and what it means, but I don’t want to bring it up with Aiko. So for now I will write it down and maybe bring it up with her later, if there is a later for me.


*The next page’s writing is even worse than previous, looking like the quill was used like a weapon on the page, the ink staining it like blood*

There was a pair of foolish men waiting for us on the bridge before the castle. We tried to talk our way past them but it didn’t work. I was happy about that. They were not like Zhen, not a challenge. We destroyed them and left their bodies to rot. Such is all they deserve. Bigger prey awaits us. Prey I will take great joy in tearing limb from limb and feasting on their innards. Prey that will get a slow, painful death for all that it has done.

I can hardly wait…


*The writings change drastically, once again back to the original style to a neat, precise style of calligraphy*
 
I’m myself again. Thank Shizuru! Though I suppose the real thanks belongs to the Old Fang. In any case, I suppose I’m getting ahead of myself…

Once we entered the large castle-like structure we came to find the interior at least was more like a laboratory. Lots of vials, tubes, and alchemist-looking contraptions. The ceiling was also incredibly high up. What had appeared a castle from the outside, was more of a tower on the inside with but a single, extremely high chamber.
 
Admittedly most of this part is pretty vague in my memory so I had Aiko fill me in most of what happened. Anyway, she mentioned there was these four flesh-like sacks in tubes near the top of the chamber, some 200 ft. above us. Additionally there were four glass tubes like we saw outside, but these ones had humans in them were only partially transformed.
 
As Aiko moved to try and break one of the containers with her glaive we were interrupted by a presence in the room. It was Skaetis. A wretched creature of flesh and metal combined into one, long gleaming spider-like legs attached to his back and propelled him quickly about the tall chamber and a metallic scorpion like tail, the end dripping with what could only be vile poison. He experimented with his body as readily as with the people from the village, turning them into these abominations.
 
It seems he had some tie to Baoji's past and hinted at having a hand in the destruction of his temple and killing of his family. Even in my addled, wrath-filled mind I was able to recall this part as I was surprised he had a family and that they had been killed. The sorrow I felt for him shook me to my core, as I couldn't even imagine what sort of state I would be in if I lost my sole remaining family member. I didn't catch it at the time, but he held up a number of small black gems that Aiko later informed me were usually used to hold souls. I understand now why Baoji snapped. The bastard didn't just kill his family it seems...
 
Baoji's rage eventually got the better of him and as he leapt toward Skaetis, he almost casually lifted his hand and enacted some powerful magic that froze us all in our tracks. We were completely paralyzed and at his mercy.
 
The next part, I honestly have difficulty describing as I'm still not sure what exactly occurred. I just know as Skaetis was moving in to torture and kill us Keisuke began to glow with some sort of unearthly light. It shattered the effect on all of us, but more importantly injured Skaetis so badly he was forced to retreat quickly from the heavy wounds. He called out to an ally named Nash to 'handle us' on his way out.
 
The ally was a former member of the Lion clan, Kogash Renshu. He was confident and for good reason. His strength was near overwhelming as he moved about the beams above us with the utmost ease. As he moved into view he told us that our minor victory against Skaetis was pointless and once the flesh sacks above us emptied all the transformations would be permanent and the army would surge over the lands of the Dragon, destroying all in their wake. We didn't have time to waste in a fight with him...
 
So I challenged him. One on one. To my surprise he accepted, he had even heard of my name as the grandson of the "Sanguine Fang". I've never heard Grandfather called that except besides the ones that attacked us and killed Grandfather so many years ago. While I kept him busy, Aiko told me they found magical runic circles that allowed them to teleport up beside the flesh-sacks which otherwise would have been infinitely difficult to reach considering they were around 200 ft. above us.
 
I won't sugarcoat the fight between Nash and myself. While we originally began declaring an honorable duel, within less than 30 seconds it devolved into a bloody, brutal melee. The pain of his strikes and my own bloodlust and anger over what was happening here drove me completely over the edge. My body twisted and mutated, taking the form of one of the horrid sin creatures. There was no Arashi to speak of any longer and I don't recall anything after this point of the fight. Nash responded by changing himself into an elegant lion of sorts to fight, beast against beast. Claw against claw.
 
Aiko tells me the battle shook the castle's foundation. When she eventually looked down, three of the flesh-sacks destroyed...it was to witness me wrap my split jaw around Nash's head and rip it from his body, killing him. I continued to savage the body with massive claws, throwing intestines and guts across the room, coating it in gore.
 
As Keisuke and Baoji worked together to destroy the final flesh-sack and save the town, Aiko ran from them toward the runic circle, finding her way down to me and the former man that was now my prey. She approached me...what was left of me at least, tears streaming down her face and calling my name. She tells me this caught the beast's attention and it turned on her swiftly, hunger in it's malevolent eyes. It raised a massive claw to swipe down on her small frame. 
 
I nearly killed her. My own dear sister. I would never have been able to forgive myself.
 
...It was at this point I can start remembering again. Even now I still feel it, his powerful hand clasping down on my shoulder. Grandfather's voice, so very clear, whispering in my ear to let go of the hate and anger. That I didn't need it anymore to protect her. To return to the Brother she did need.
 
Aiko told me she knew I was back from my eyes. The bright, azure eyes that suddenly were looking at her, no longer containing that evil, crimson glow. As I fell forward, I felt my body jerk and transform. This time the hate, anger, wrath flew out of me all at once, expelled completely. Aiko caught me in her arms as I fell, once again myself...and I nearly crushed her still. She never was very strong and we laugh about it now, but my entire body quivered and felt as weak as a newborn kitten. We were both crying, scarcely unable to believe what just happened and relieved beyond measure.
 
When we exited the giant castle structure, in the massive cavern beyond we saw men and women emerging from the glass cylinders, changed back by the groups effort. Destroying the flesh-things had been enough to disrupt the process and revert them to their original forms.
 
We all returned to town together.
 
When we got back, though, Keisuke lost it. They had dug up Chiyo's grave and cast her body deep into the woods, afraid she would infect others. We were able to calm him, though I fear he almost killed the town elder in his rage. Something I had been feeling all too clearly until a few hours prior at that...but so many had already been lost at this point.
 
Eventually we headed out to where they said she and the other infected the town had killed had been put. It was already late at this point, but we couldn't just leave her out there either.
 
I...still can't explain this part either, but when we arrived Chiyo was alive! Crying and sitting amongst a dozen other corpses, but alive! Keisuke scooped her up in his arms and held her tight and for the second time that day I felt some tears slipping down my cheeks. I didn't mind, though.
 
We are currently camped a few miles from town. We knew they wouldn't let us back in with Chiyo near us. We're going to stay a couple days to rest up, recover, and gather some supplies. Speaking of, I'm completely exhausted and really need to sleep. I'll fill in more tomorrow after we've had a chance to discuss our plans and what is next.
 

 
 

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