Cowards die many times before their deaths

[chosen_gigolo]

[The feed flicks on to a clearing somewhere in the forest quadrant. A stream runs through it and trees are all around as would be expected, but the camera is slightly tilted and at ground level. It seems it's been dropped or thrown aside.

There's Zelos, jumping back from Duke's sword...but not quite far enough, neither aware that their encounter is being broadcast.]

((ooc: Zelos speaking is in pink, Duke is in red))


Dein Nomos ricochets off of Zelos's Cruxis Crystal, leaving a crack on its surface that chops all the way into the crest surrounding it.

The noise of metal on glass resounds through the otherwise silent clearing. It's a small, tinkling sound, barely worth a mention if overheard, but suddenly Zelos's entire body feels as if it's on fire. Tendrils of untamed mana cause the skin around his crest to bubble, warping the flesh unnaturally in patterns like the veins of a leaf. Pure agony courses through every vein, every pore, as the Chosen staggers back from Duke, clutching at his chest ineffectually and gasping raggedly. He crumples to his knees, eyes wide in true, raw fear.]

G-get... augh... get away! Run!

[It's not the angry command of someone wronged, or the childish request of a kid who's lost a fight, but a true command with the threat of something terrible coming behind it. Already Zelos's extremities grow distended and sinewy, as if being stretched on a medieval rack.]

[ Zelos. That was fast enough that the frustrated blow hadn't done anything too bad, which is good. Duke takes a half step back, than stops when he feels....

Something very wrong with the man's mana. He hadn't even really hit him - just that gem - Blastia? Couldn't be, he'd felt nothing like Zelos' mana before, thus it wasn't a bodhi blastia and it still felt nothing like the false heart. He.. does not like how this mana feels.

... What is happening to his limbs? ]

.. What do you think I had been trying to do. [ But.. he really does not want to turn his back on that feeling. ]

Don't argue and just go!

[Everything is pain, ripping from the inside outward as the mana of the crystal reshapes his body. He can feel his skin hardening, taking on a green cast, his nails turning into sharp claws, his clothing beginning to tear as his body morphs and expands, muscles twisting and resituating. Every breath is an effort, sounding raw and labored. His head pulses, his vision swims...

He can't. He can't turn into a monster. He can't hurt anyone and Duke isn't leaving and everything hurts so badly from the tiniest nerve to the very core of his being, it's all excruciating.

He's still a coward, but even cowards have limits of what they can endure before they've had enough. With shaking hands, Zelos draws his sword. No one is going to have to kill him, loved ones or otherwise. He won't put anyone through that and...

and he needs the pain to stop now.

Grip wavering, Zelos plunges his sword into his own stomach. He'd meant for the chest, he'd meant for it to be quick but the pain wouldn't let him focus long enough. And yet... the mana of the crystal winds back into itself and Zelos's body returns to its normal shape. The feeling of his sword in his own abdomen is almost a relief after the intensity of that transformation.

The Chosen collapses onto his side, panting hard, and makes no move to pull the sword out.]

....... [ What even did he just see.

This... was not what he wanted to happen. Yes, he can't stomach the idea of Zelos near Zelda, if Zelos had betrayed friends before. He wouldn't mind him being dead, if it wouldn't have upset Zelda. He wouldn't.. have had too much of a problem if his blade had found itself in Zelos in that strike. But. This is something he doesn't understand. The reaction; he doesn't understand that.

He doesn't like this situation. The mana had stabilized, and it would hurt Zelda to lose her friend.

Duke does not look particularly thrilled with that train of thought, but this is a start of a healing spell. ]

Don't.

[Zelos's voice is stronger than it should be, given the life leaking out of him onto the dried leaves and brambles, but only for that one command. The rest of his words are shaky at best, continuously interrupted with pauses and coughing. It hurts especially to cough, his abdominal muscles forced to contract around the still protruding sword.]

Don't... try and heal me. It'll... [He winces at a hard cough, a quiet groan following it and a long pause until he can continue.] It'll just go... out of control... again...

......

... didn't intend.... [ But... it's mostly on a "because it would hurt Zelda" level. The spell falls apart. ]

... very well.

((ooc: SFC reactions are all fine and will be answered by Duke if you're quick, possibly (but improbably) Zelos, and later possibly Zelda, Guy, or Lloyd as the situation warrants/if they want to, but I'd like to request that no one give action tags unless they've cleared it with us first. Thank you!))

Comments

Reaction

[zelda_hylia]

[There isn't time to cry. If she's going to make it there before Zelos dies, she has to go now. She can't even heal him - from viewing his crystal and from what he's told her, Zelda knows that he really will go out of control if it's been damaged. All she can do is hope that the Lamufao can repair what she cannot.

Without a single word, she runs out of the house.]

[fistfullofmagic]

[Dhaos isn't sure what's going on. Not really. Oh, he's been able to gather pieces of information - Zelos is hurt, possibly dying, Duke is somehow involved - not enough to put together into a coherent sequence of events. And really, the why doesn't matter; Zelda's reaction does.

He dashes off after her. As wary of Zelos as he is, Zelda holds the man important. That is all the reason he needs to help however he can.]

video/reaction; 1/?

[ofthefullmoon]

[ w-what ... what did she just watch? Estelle is watching this, one hand over her mouth, eyes wide, body trembling.

what just ...

what just happened? what happened? what just- ...

Zelos.

Zelos ... ]

video/reaction; 2/2

[ofthefullmoon]

Zelos!

Zelos, Duke, where are you?! Where are-- I can be there, I can try to heal you, Zelos! Please, just ... please, let me help you!

[ she's still in that stage of denial where she thinks she can do something if she just gets there in time. she's taking in the surroundings, her brain going a mile a minute, trying to figure out exactly where they are. her thoughts are so muddled, though, that she's fumbling around more than anything. regardless, she's going to rush out of the apartment and start walking. ]

Voice | Not on screen 8D

[radiantwingedone]

Don't, lest you wish a repeat of Nordopolica. [ Quietly said. ]

[ reaction ]

[martelapproves]

[ ... This is his fault. He remembered what Colette said about the dead not staying dead here, but he knows full well what this is going to mean later on. Watching Zelos laying there, dying, almost becoming an Exebula in the process... he feels a slight pang of guilt, but it quickly washes away.

Mithos isn't sure what to feel. It's what Zelos deserved for projecting his petty human weaknesses onto someone else, to try pretending to be something he has no claim, no right to call himself. But at the same time... he knows how this is going to affect Zelda, and even Colette and Raine, after their kind gestures.

The display he watched was so typical of humans everywhere. Reactionary, belligerent, violent. And that self-sacrifice Zelos just did reminded Mithos so disturbingly much of his sister. It was exactly the sort of thing she would have done.

Maybe he did underestimate him, after all. ]

ACTION : after the cleanup crew have come and gone, last chronologically, last to the party forever

[bufudine]

[ooc: cleared this with Samm!

By the time Serph sees this post, he already knows it will be too late for Zelos. That half transformation after his crystal broke... it looked like an Atma gone mad. Zelos' words just confirm it. The fact he stabbed himself to stop it... Is death the only way to stop such transformations?

... Two friends dead in two days.

He's lost more in less time, but it doesn't stop a bitter twist in his gut.

Serph pushes the feeling aside, though; there is business he needs to take care of. He transforms as he runs through the forest, human vision fading into demon senses. Serph knows his way around the forest well and has a good idea of the general area the fight had taken place. The scent of blood does the rest. The body's already gone by the time he reaches the clearing. People -- mostly unfamiliar scents -- have already been here and obviously taken it away. Fine. They can have it. His concerns shift to the other participant in what had looked to be a fight. Duke.

Serph tracks him down via scent, reverting back to his human form as he approaches. His tone is neutral when he speaks. Not much different from his normal tone.]

Duke.

ACTION; maybe serph needs a watch

[radiantwingedone]

.....? [ He's just... sitting, thinking, near-ish to his tent thing. His SFC sits near one boot as... he kinda just tries to figure out what happened, and what he should do. ]

ACTION; maybe he should put spy cameras on all of you. Also 69th comment is mine

[bufudine]

[Serph takes a seat near Duke. Close, but not intruding in Duke's personal space. There's a slight hint of concern in his voice.]

Are you alright? I saw Zelos and yourself on the SFC.

Action - First to the scene

[redcladidealist]

[Lloyd had barely registered what was happening on the screen of his SFC before that sound of breaking glass had stabbed into him like a sword of ice had been plunged into his chest.]

Zelos! No!

[He doesn't even remember running, he just is suddenly, taking off like a shot down the street in the direction of the forest. That has to be where they are, it has to be! He knows this place well enough now to know those trees can't be in the park. His pounding feet match the terrified rhythm of his heart even as the rest of the scene plays out. He's never seen someone turn into an Exbelua before, but he knows exactly what those stretched out limbs are trying to become. He's seen one. He's fought one. He'll never forget the sickening wrench of his heart and stomach when he'd found out it hadn't been a monster at all, but someone who'd once been human.

And now it's happening again. To his best friend.]

ZELOS!

[Mana floods through his body as he summons every drop he has, feeding his legs and heart and lungs with with all the strength and speed he can. He has to get there! He has to get there fast! There has to be something he can do to stop this! If he has to give Zelos his own Exsphere, he'll do it!

Unfortunately, even that isn't fast enough to get him to the forest before Zelos plunges his sword into his stomach. Horrified and helpless to do anything but watch, Lloyd shouts. There aren't any words, just a raw protestation and denial nonononono this isn't happening!

It's only a minute later that he's tearing through the trees, nearly out of mana, but there and searching and where is he?!]

ZELOS!

[chosen_gigolo]

"ZELOS!"

[He's not sure he can trust his ears. Everything sounds muffled and far away and it all feels cold. It would be nice, to feel cold again after so long, if it wasn't for the pressure in his stomach where his sword still rested. He's too afraid to pull it out.]

"ZELOS!"

[That voice again. He can tell it's closer, feeling more than hearing the vibration in the ground as Lloyd approaches. In his light-headed delirium, he's happy to see him. Despite the horror on his face, despite knowing just how much this hurts his friend, he's happy and relieved.

He doesn't have to die alone.]

Hey you.

[His voice comes out soft, uncommonly so, but strangely.. happy. Proud even.]

I told you... I told you I wouldn't do that to you...

[radiantwingedone]

[ Oh.

Good. As, perhaps cruel as it would sound, someone who obviously cared more about Zelos than the fact that this would hurt Zelda. He wasn't aware that Lloyd knew the redhead, but.... oh well.

Duke turns to leave. ]

[redcladidealist]

[Lloyd barely slows before dropping down next to Zelos, his knees hitting the ground so hard that the earth dents under the impact.]

What are you talking about? You're fine, Zelos, just hang on!

[His trembling hands go to the wound, trying to staunch the flow of the blood.]

Come on, I'll take the sword out. You can cast First Aid!

[blastiaobsessieanonymous]

... No...

*Rita doesn't know Zelos that well. But the hints - the instruction not to try and heal him, Estelle's visibly freaking out. They're enough to paralyze her. To remind her of Nordopolica, where everything had gone wrong, one piece after the other...*

video/reaction;

[fortheempire]

[At first it was the fighting that got Ioder's attention. He wanted so badly just to yell at both of them to stop, stop it right now because fighting like that wasn't going to help anyone. He didn't want to see people he had started to consider friends going at each other like that!

But then... everything had gone to hell in an instant, and the video feed is left on as any protest he had dies in his throat, face going pale and hands shaking. What--... what did he just see?!

He can hear Estelle screaming in the other room. He can hear her screaming and knows she's going to leave, going to run from their apartment to do... something and he can't even find the strength to get up and go after her. He's just staring and gasping for air like he can't get enough in to his lungs. He grips the edge of the table he was sitting at and attempts to push himself to his feet. Rita. He has to find Rita and maybe--

But he doesn't make it that far. He doesn't even make it a step. The SFC is picked up when he stands, but all at once it's on the ground at an odd angle with a very loud clatter and a thud. He hits the ground hard, crumpled in a heap and unconscious.]

Re: video/reaction;

[blastiaobsessieanonymous]

*The sound of his sudden collapse snaps Rita's attention away from the video. Immediately, she's on her way to the next room.*

I-Ioder!

*Rita goes to Ioder's side almost immeidately. She can already tell that he saw what was going on and reacted. Quickly, she's starting to try and check him - it's completely haphazard, though, as she really doesn't know first aid at all.*

Voice;

[closedcircuit]

...What?

[Ky doesn't like Zelos, but this is a whole different level of disturbing, on both ends. Why was he being attacked like this? What was wrong with being healed? And what had he been turning into?]

Voice;

[radiantwingedone]

.... Depending on how much was seen, your need for clarification. [ He.. sounds disinterested. Actually, Duke's more interested in know how much did broadcast, than why the man was needing clarification. ]

Voice;

[closedcircuit]

I didn't see why the fight started or how.

And because this should be a judicial matter.

Reaction/Video

[clumsyblonde]

[ooc: I don't have icons for this...

Zelos's Crystal. The other man-was he the one who asked her if she knew how to take care of Caramel, Duke?-he had hit Zelos's Crystal. He didn't seem to know what he did, but he hit Zelos's Crystal and started Zelos's transformation. Then he tried to heal him. Did he really...not know what would happen if the Crystal was hit?

She can't move. Why can't she move, she needs to fly or run, just go to where he is and help him but she isn't moving! Caramel runs around her, trying to get her to move. She's seen so many people die and she's killed some herself but...even though it's not permanent, Zelos just killed himself. That's new to her and she can't help because her legs aren't moving and her wings won't move either. She managed to summon them at least. Is this what shock is? It feels almost like she's 'soul-less' again. Caramel nudges her hand and brings her SFC closer. Zelos...

After a moment, she switches on the video. Tears run down her cheeks and she doesn't even try to wipe them away. She doesn't speak all that loud, because right now she can't, really. But...she needs to know. That 'didn't intend', what didn't he intend? To hit him? To heal him? For this to happen at all? She knows it'd make sense if she was yelling or screaming but she can't. She's...too numb to yell or scream or move much at all.]

Did you know this would happen if you hit his Crystal?

[She knows she's angry and worried and that she shouldn't sound so calm, but she can't. She can't sound angry because although the man hit Zelos's crystal, he might not know what that would do. He didn't seem like he understood what was going on after he hit it after all. She knows she's just making up excuses in her head. But she really can't move, can't do much more than sit there and talk quietly. Zelos was hurt when he arrived but nothing like this. How would their friends react to this?]

Voice; but the video is still on

[radiantwingedone]

... Is that what it is? Seemed a sort of jewelry.

Video

[clumsyblonde]

[That explained that. She shakes her head. Her wings continue to flutter behind her and she rests a hand on her own crystal.]

It's not jewelry. At least, not just jewelry. He changed because you cracked it. And that's why he killed himself.

[She will not let that happen again.]

[Voice]

[ashihara]

[Chitose wasn't sure what was going on but this? This was something she didn't need to see. At first she was going to ignore it but she just couldn't. Exactly what did she just see?]

So you will leave him simply as he is?

[Voice]

[radiantwingedone]

Fairly certain an offer to make it swift would be amiss. [ Considering. that he was the one who caused this chain of action. ]

[Voice]

[ashihara]

I do hope that you are aware of the consequences of your actions. [Although it seems like he has]

Are you certain that no healing spell will help at all?