Ely's mouth twisted up. That other fellow had done the same thing. He'd taken her books. He asked the same question, too. The whisper in her head grew louder. He's like the other one. He'll try to take them. You have to get them away from him! Her fingers balled up in a quick fist and her eyes glittered. Her eyes fogged over, the visual of Kiga split into hundreds of little shards.
The ache in her head doubled instantly. Ely dropped to her knees and wrapped her hands over the top of her head.
Catgirl Extraordinaire
“Build a man a fire, and he'll be warm for a day. Set a man on fire, and he'll be warm for the rest of his life.”
Now Kiga dropped the books without a thought. He fell to his knees beside, immediately worried.
"Ely?"
There was a hint of desperation in his voice as his arms slipped under hers and he pulled closer, trying to see her face.
"Ely, are you ok? What's wrong?"
There, a certain hint of panic. He needed her to answer because tiny alarms were starting to go off in his psyche and he didn't like any of the things that immediately came to mind.
Ely [M:164:1653:][D3v:http://rpgmenagerie.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=cs&thread=394&page=1#14814][b]A soul on fire...[/b][0:Snuffed][1:Flame On!]
Ely was not okay. Currently though, she was unable to voice it due to the fact that she was arguing with the angry voice in her head. She heard Kiga call her name. She recognized his voice, but it wasn't nearly important as the the new one sticking needles into her eye sockets.
She did make a sound; a small, unconscious whimper.
Meanwhile the battle raged on. "Get rid of him." "No! I don't want him to go." "Send him away we have work to do." "What work?" "That's not important. Get rid of him first." "But..."
It was too much to deal with after everything else that had happened. Ely's fingers reached out for the books.
Catgirl Extraordinaire
“Build a man a fire, and he'll be warm for a day. Set a man on fire, and he'll be warm for the rest of his life.”
Kiga watched her, frantically worried now and holding her in his arms. When she didn't respond but instead went for those books... then he turned pale and looked almost terrified. This was not like her at all. No, something was very, very wrong here.
"Ely! Ely, say something!"
He looked from her to the people on the street, some stopping in confusion or concern, other ignoring the drama unfolding.
"SOMEONE! GET A DOCTOR!"
Ely [M:164:1653:][D3v:http://rpgmenagerie.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=cs&thread=394&page=1#14814][b]A soul on fire...[/b][0:Snuffed][1:Flame On!]
Ely could see Kiga go pale. She also heard his voice and the shout for the doctor. But, it was at one remove. She could affect nothing outside of her head. She stretched as far as possible attempting to pull the books back to her side and when that didn't work a snarl of madness went off in the depths of her mind.
She had to get the books back before her skull broke apart. Tears spilled from her eyes and splattered on the dirt in front of her. No matter how hard she tried to reach them; it was impossible. They were still at Kiga's feet.
The crowd had formed a circle around Kiga and their voices were new needles in her flesh, especially the young woman's strident shout forcing people out of her way. She had to be a healer. That tone was unmistakable. Ely cringed closer to the ground. Her shoulders were all hunched over to try and protect her sensitive ears. But, then, as quickly as the voice had attacked it disappeared.
By the time the healer had reached her Ely could speak, albeit weakly.
"I'm alright, Kiga."
Catgirl Extraordinaire
“Build a man a fire, and he'll be warm for a day. Set a man on fire, and he'll be warm for the rest of his life.”
Kiga was crouched besides her, trying to hold even when she struggled; but now he gave her room to breathe. He was worried, terribly worried and it was evident on his face. Eyes wild, his skin pale and pricked as though he'd walked into an unexpected winter.
"Ely... what happened? What's with those books?"
His questions weren't even confident, he was quite simply lost. He had no damned idea just what was happening and all he knew, is that for the first time in a very long time; he was scared.
"Talk to me Ely. Please."
Ely [M:164:1653:][D3v:http://rpgmenagerie.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=cs&thread=394&page=1#14814][b]A soul on fire...[/b][0:Snuffed][1:Flame On!]
The healer, a no-nonsense type, was anywhere from thirty to fifty years old. There was no evidence of any gray in her silvery blonde hair, and her ice blue eyes shone from a face with barely a wrinkle. She was dressed rather haphazardly when all was said, too. Cloth pants and tunic that had seen better days though, there was an obvious patch on the leather bag she had slung over her shoulder. The five pointed star, crescent moon, and mortal and pestle identified her as a member of the House of Galena.
"I said move back!"
She was pushing people of her way, one hand in front of her body like a battering ram. She reached Ely and squatted down in front of her. She found her patient to be neither bleeding nor unconscious, but rather lost-looking instead and breathing weakly. She sniffed, snapped the buckle on the bag closed, and spun her head around looking sharply at the crowd.
"What's going on?"
There was a rustle of several feet in the dust but everyone in the street was apparently stunned. No one said a word. The healer stopped fussing around Ely and stood back up, too.
"Well?"
She turned her attention to Kiga who had yet to let Ely go.
"You. Young man! Did you yell for a healer?"
Catgirl Extraordinaire
“Build a man a fire, and he'll be warm for a day. Set a man on fire, and he'll be warm for the rest of his life.”
Kiga nodded immediately, still holding his girl to his chest defensively.
"Yes, I did. She just collapsed, clutching her head. It wasn't like anything I have seen before, it was very sudden. She wouldn't respond to me at all, just nothing... but she seemed very desperate to reach those books."
He cast his gaze to the books, looking rather wary of them at this point.
Ely [M:164:1653:][D3v:http://rpgmenagerie.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=cs&thread=394&page=1#14814][b]A soul on fire...[/b][0:Snuffed][1:Flame On!]
The healer knelt back down beside Ely and examined her neck, head, and forehead for any visible wounds, not that she had seen any before mind you, but she double checked. Head wounds were always tricky.
"Speak up girl. Did you hit your head?"
"N-no... I did... no."
Ely's ears flattened to her mentioned head. She clutched at Kiga's arms trying to back away from the woman who was making them ache.
"Watch my finger."
The healer was moving her index finger back and forth in front of Ely's eyes. The crowd has started to dissipate. Her eyes followed the finger. She had not reached for the books again, either. She spoke up a little louder.
"I said... I am fine."
"Hmpfh. Well. You seem fine. I would still suggest taking her home young man. People do not collapse in the street for no reason."
She was watching Kiga this time with an odd look in her eye.
"And you. Girl. What is your name?"
"Ely."
"I want to see you tomorrow, Ely. Bright and early. Do you know where our House is?"
Ely shook her head in the affirmative. Though, she immediately regretted doing that. It made all the nerves in her temples throb horribly.
"Tomorrow then."
Catgirl Extraordinaire
“Build a man a fire, and he'll be warm for a day. Set a man on fire, and he'll be warm for the rest of his life.”
Kiga noticed the almost accusatory look and whilst that might have registered as something odd, he was simply too preoccupied at this present moment with seeing to Ely's safety. He didn't hurry her but instead offered to help her up, he wasn't quite comfortable with what had happened.
So he held onto her and offered her whatever assistance she might need. Unless of course, she just wanted to stay here a moment longer.
"Ok Ely. Then it's time to get you home."
Ely [M:164:1653:][D3v:http://rpgmenagerie.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=cs&thread=394&page=1#14814][b]A soul on fire...[/b][0:Snuffed][1:Flame On!]
Ely stood up with Kiga's help. The crowd was gone. The healer had turned away and was headed at a brisk pace toward the center of town. Truth be told, Ely, continued to look unhappy and lost. One hand came up to shove hair off her face.
Ely spotted the books spilled into the dirt.
"Hey! Those are mine. I... I need to..."
She reached down to scoop them up voice breathless and faraway.
"... I need to find a bookseller."
She had not said a thing to Kiga. Whatever words she had spoken were directed to herself or to anyone who might be around. She had accepted his hand to help her stand, however she hadn't acknowledged his comment to take her home either.
Catgirl Extraordinaire
“Build a man a fire, and he'll be warm for a day. Set a man on fire, and he'll be warm for the rest of his life.”
Kiga was completely puzzled then (fancy that). He had no damned clue what was going on, other than Ely simply wasn't acting herself. She seemed.... well not like an Ely should seem at all quite frankly; and her attention seemed to be largely devoted to those books. That was not the case when he had first met her and dragged her away from Alec.
He wasn't an expert on much. Well, on anything really. But he had to try and figure out what was wrong if he was going to be able to help her. The healer had simply left and Kiga now felt like he had no help with this... an uncomfortable feeling.
He stood in front of her, speaking softly.
"Ely? Let me carry your books for you."
Ely [M:164:1653:][D3v:http://rpgmenagerie.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=cs&thread=394&page=1#14814][b]A soul on fire...[/b][0:Snuffed][1:Flame On!]
Ely turned quickly around and ran. If there were any voices in her head this time they had no words only demands. The most important one being the need to get away from anyone or anything that might take her books.
Kiga was right. This was not Ely's behavior. That was not Ely's word. The word came directly from those three thin volumes clutched to her chest. The volumes whose covers were made with the softest leather she had ever felt. The volumes whose words were impossible to read and thus held the most fascination.
Fascination. Yes. She was fascinated. Ely kept running.
Catgirl Extraordinaire
“Build a man a fire, and he'll be warm for a day. Set a man on fire, and he'll be warm for the rest of his life.”
Kiga was momentarily startled by her flat out refusal but now he knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that Ely was not acting like herself in the slightest. She could be temperamental butt never without some explanation - and so very rarely at him.
He also knew well in advance that she was very bloody quick, something uncharacteristic of the usual scholarly types. No, Ely was incredibly swift and agile and presently, seemed very determined to get away from him. He couldn't let that happen. Something was very wrong with those books.
Kiga burst into action by starting to run after her, but immediately was trying to think two, no three steps ahead of her. He didn't want to take her down, but instead needed to stop her without causing her harm. So, he ran with his head and posture low, then stepped, bounced and spun off of a cart that was tumbling down the street. His hands whipped out to his sides and he became straight as an arrow, his leap now thrusting him high into the sky as he beckoned the very winds to lift him in that moment.
Sailing just high enough to see well down the street, he had his eyes on her and came dropping back to the ground, having easily halved the gap.
"ELY!"
Ely [M:164:1653:][D3v:http://rpgmenagerie.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=cs&thread=394&page=1#14814][b]A soul on fire...[/b][0:Snuffed][1:Flame On!]
Ely threw a glance over her shoulder when Kiga called her name. For a moment she was utterly puzzled at why he was shouting and why he was trying to catch her. Was it a game? The look on his face did not agree. Then those thoughts and questions were ripped from her head by a fear so primal she almost stumbled and fell on her face.
She had to run faster. He was going to catch her any minute. Ely gave up the nebulous idea from earlier. She was never going to make it home. She darted down the next street and pelted straight to the warren of warehouses and small shops that lined the docks.
Maybe she could hide.
The voices agreed with her.
Hide. Don't let him find you. He wants the books for himself!
Ely wanted to argue with them. She did. Especially that last sentence. Kiga didn't want her books. Did he?
Yes. He wants them. They all want them.
Catgirl Extraordinaire
“Build a man a fire, and he'll be warm for a day. Set a man on fire, and he'll be warm for the rest of his life.”