For Nostalgia's Sake! - Four Nights of Fright: Night Four

[Reiko Souma]

Early morning meant early birds chirping, a soon-to-rise sun, and the crack of dawn...something about things cracking. Sometime in the earlier hours of the previous day, Reiko had been notified of progress towards a means of countering - or breaking, whichever was the more suitable word in this case - the chaos spell which had been cast upon her against her will. With her recently-cut hair and an attire which was far more appropriate than the attire of late, the woman was given permission to use the portal through Gaia to complete the travel to the Glen. Who else she might see, she hadn't a clue. Only that something could very well happen today. This was why she was here, to hopefully see a favourable end to the nightmare that threatened to plague her existence.

In that same moment, Tenball had been told that Andu was headed this way, and the guy (so to speak) wasn't hard to miss once you looked in the right direction. He arrived at the Glen before the sun rose, a good time for fishing if he was one to go fishing. The eastern sky was pink, and the sun would soon crest the horizon. "Morning, Andu!" the beholder greeted cheerily.

After settling Icer into bed in her chamber at the Shimmerscale lair the night before, Andu was near the lake, working on his fishing skills with a rod and reel. He glanced up when Gaia opened the portal to allow Reiko to join him. In a swirling column of starlight, the scarred woman and her husband arrived at the Glen as well. Who was Reiko to look for, exactly? If she remembered correctly, then the Governor had mentioned somebody named Tenball. Fortunately, the woman herself wouldn't have to do much in the way of searching. His name was rather appropriate, making him easily identified. Reiko was standing by Andu's side upon stepping out of the portal with one hand rubbing each of her eyelash-less eyes. Nightmares unrelated to the situation at hand had kept her up the night before until she had been able to go to sleep at last.

With a blink, Andu nodded to Tenball, Rachael, and Ian. "Morning, Ten, Rachael, Ian. Reiko," he would say just as Icer slipped from the lair and rested on her favoured ledge.

Ian muttered, "I hope this doesn't take long. I have work that isn't going to wait for hours."

"We shall see, anwylaf." Rachael dipped her raven-haired head to those present.

"Morning..." would slip from Reiko very sleepily. She heard the mutters and looked up. "...sorry, Mon Oncle...I didn't realise that I...I'll just shut up now." It seemed like the best thing for the woman to do as she shook her head slowly, mostly to herself. She wasn't quite used to being here this early.

Just then, the air to one side of the assemblage swirled into a vortex of colour, from which stepped a man in an elegant longcoat. "Hello." Andu glanced at all those gathered He nodded to Eregor when he appeared. Icer's horned head dipped to those present as well. There were two others joining them this early in the morning? The woman blinked slowly at this. She had yet to actually meet the two others, or so she thought. Lately, she wasn't going to try bothering with remembering anything anymore. What was the point when it would either get used against her in some way or just wiped from her mind?

[Reiko Souma]

A satchel hung at Tenball's side, the strap looped around the base of two eyestalks. It opened, and a leather-bound tome floated out. "So, Ebon told me about the situation...and I went checking through books from places where Drow attacks were more common. I found this." As the one who she could only assume was named Tenball started to speak, Reiko nodded as her way of showing that she was paying attention and listening as best as she possibly could. As for Ian, after Reiko had noted his current mood, he could be a bit of a grouch before he's had his work. Almost addicted to it! Eregor chuckled a bit at Ian's grumpiness. At least one of his past selves had been of a similar mindset. "It's a collection of spells and wards crafted by a high-elven wizard, specifically designed to counter Drow magic. This one," and the tome opened, pages flipping slowly for a moment, "is a Spell of Liberation. I believe it was intended to break domination and controlling enchantments."

Rachael took a lean to press a kiss to Ian's cheek. "Butch will wish to observe, if he may, when you do," she told her husband.

"The boy is taking well to his lessons. Drinking everything in. He'll be a fine technomancer in no time."

"Oui, certainment."

Andu spoke up then. "I thank you for responding so quickly, Ten. And I am sure Reiko here will as well, once she is more, more herself," he said. That was for sure. She had made it quite clear when she was last at the Inn, and able to think for herself, that she was beyond done with hurting others around her and also herself. Although sorcery (as she liked to refer to magic as) was something Reiko preferred to have nothing to do with anytime soon, this was an instance where it looked like it was very well going to save her life.

Tenball looked at each of the others all at once, then grinned at Andu. "You're welcome...I'm glad to be of service. No point in having a collection of magic books if it doesn't get used, eh?"

"We'll probably need Mayflower to do a canary test on her later," Ian suggested.

"She is an accurate barometer on such matters, oui," his wife agreed.

"Good point," Andu said, chuckling softly.

"I hate the practise...but I love how that sounds," she admitted. Reiko rubbed her eyes again as she tried to wake up some more. Yet she felt like she was in a little bit of a fog right now. "I'm sorry...I...I'm trying really hard to stay focused. I swear to Fate, I am."

"Ebon asked me if I would be willing to cast the spell, and I'm glad to do so...unless either of you would prefer to do it?" Eregor glanced to Rachael, who he knew as a capable wielder of spells, and to Ian, who he didn't know so well. Reiko gave a nod to the next person to speak. Turning her head, she looked to Andu, her eyes silently making the inquiry as to who was now speaking. Reiko really had no idea; she turned her head to face forward again and looked to the one who would be casting the spell.

"Oh!" Andu waved some. "Reiko, that is Eregor who will be doing the casting. You can trust him fully."

"A pleasure, Mr. Eregor," Reiko said, "I'm going to be quite forever in your debt after this." Not to mention her intent of paying double the price for all of the ales that she had wasted last night. Ugh! Reiko still couldn't believe that.

Rachael, however, voiced her declination with, "In this, I trust you."

"I'm primarily here as a witness. My mind is computerised, making my memory photographic. Not so good at breaking spells, but I can act as an extra magical power source," Ian explained.

"We should compare stories sometime,[/color" Eregor replied with a nod to Ian. He took the book from where it floated by Tenball and looking over the page. "It looks like the power for this spell," and the time-walker glanced to the east, "should be rising into full view over the lake in a few minutes."

Andu nodded in agreement with Rachael. "If more power is needed than Ian can provide, I can provide a conduit to Gaia's stored power."

"I can provide what Is called intent also," Rachael added.

"Just...tell me what to do," was all Reiko said. It probably didn't sound so sincere, but she was as sincere as she could get ? that was very much so. She remained patient as she awaited instruction. Until then, she asked, "The sun?" Reiko turned slightly so that she was facing the east. Every cruel remark that she had heard about her ancestry's association with the rising sun rushed through her mind then, only for her to quickly dismiss. Now wasn't the time for such things to interrupt her focus on why she was here. She was rubbing her eyes once more as the fog slowly dissipated from her mind. "Ugh..." She watched the sun as it started to rise higher.

"Sunlight has much to do with breaking dark magics," Ian told the woman, "hence the use of the sunrise."

[Reiko Souma]

"Sunlight, and silver," Rachael added.

Eregor nodded to Ian. "Exactly," he said whilst Andu carefully watched him to keep on the ball, "Ten, if you would?" He gestured for the beholder to back away, which Tenball did, closing his large main eye just in case. Its effects in Rhy'din were unpredictable, but best to take no chances. "Intent, as you put it, Rachael, would be welcome...help focus the magic." Then Eregor began chanting in a language that those in the know might recognise as an ancient elven dialect. His voice took on a deeper timbre as he intoned the words of the spell. Slowly his right hand lifted, outstretched towards the rising sun, as if drawing on its power. With a dip of her raven-haired head, a shimmering mist of stars surrounded Rachael, and intent was focused on the Time Lord.

"Right." She couldn't really say much more at this point. Stories about the assorted effects of assorted spells from various arts weren't lost on the woman. Her impression of magic in use was on the verge of changing, whether she realised it or not. That, of course, depended on Reiko herself. The woman remained in position where she stood, the position of the sun melting away more of the dark fog that had been thick in her mind the previous night. "Wh-what's going to happen to me? What do I do?" a now-panicking Reiko asked.

"Just stay calm?don't distract them, Reiko," Tenball calmly answered. Nervous, Reiko started to look around at all of those who were present. She was hearing the chant and the deepening pitch, which she assumed - based on the direction it was coming from - had to be coming from Eregor. With widened eyes, Reiko looked towards the caster. Her eyes were already sensitive to the light due to the abnormalities regarding her birth back on Earth. Hearing Tenball, the woman quieted. She saw that palm facing her and watched as her own heart started to beat faster. Perhaps now was a time for her to try doing one of her breathing exercises whilst Eregor worked?

As he chanted, his voice increasing in intensity, the golden light flowed down Eregor's right arm, through his chest, and along his left arm?and then, as the words reached a crescendo, that glow burst forth towards Reiko, enveloping her in a warm, soothing radiance. Not having the training of a mere apprentice, Andu simply concentrated on watching with whispered words to Reiko: "Calm. Breathe. Relax." Yeah...calm, breathe, and relax. She would let Andu know that she was trying to work on that, but Tenball had advised her to stay calm and not distract anybody. The minotaur was giving the best advice that she could use in this situation as it was, and it was given in time as the glow coming from Eregor's left arm and hand encased her.

As it did, the effects of the chaos spell that had been uttered into her tried to fight. Eregor kept repeating two words in that elven tongue as the magic of the sun channelled through him: Light and Freedom. The chaos spell was resisting, or trying to, but resistance was futile against its opposing force. That is, darkness had absolutely no effect on the light. The woman's head tilted back a considerable angle as she then started to grip her head with both hands. No fighting this! This was something that she wanted, to be set free from this Fate-awful darkness.

[Reiko Souma]

A cry escaped her as the darkness of the chaos then gave one last effort of trying to hang onto the confines of her mind, body, and soul?before taking its hurried leave from Reiko the way it had entered into her to begin with: her ears, her eyes, and her mouth. A second, and final, cry of pain parted the naturally pale woman's lips as she now crumpled to the ground where she stood, the spell and its counter-spell having taken its toll on her body. It certainly was a disservice that Reiko was anaemic and hadn't touched her medicine since all of this had begun. Andu quickly kneeled next to Reiko to check her over. Of those present, he was the most familiar with her typical physical state.

Finally, Eregor stopped, lowering both arms and taking a deep breath. "How...how do you feel?" he asked Reiko. Tenball floated over to retrieve the spellbook and replace it in his satchel. The shimmering field of stars faded from Rachael's form just as a little yellow tabby head cautiously peeked out from her Gramma's trenchcoat pocket.

"Mayflower! There's a good girl," Ian said to his grandkitten.

"Gramma said I might be important." The kitten's green eyes were Big, but she tried to be Brave.

"I did indeed, Mayflower. You know what to do," Rachael told the young kitten.

"We need you to sniff Reiko."

For the most part, Reiko was still conscious. Three days without medicine and a lack of a proper appetite weren't enough to send her to the hospital with an intravenous wire pumping nutrients into her. Sure, she was feeling somewhat weakened...but if that was the worst that she felt, then that was the best thing to feel in days. A moment was taken for her to eventually open her eyes as she then looked up to find Andu kneeling next to her. The first thing Reiko did was take a mental inventory. Immediately, she noticed the definite absence of what she could only describe as an additional weight in her mind, a ticking time bomb that had been waiting to go off. That fog was definitely gone, as was any desire to screw around on all levels. "I feel...free," was her answer. She blinked slowly, nodding to confirm this. "This...the darkness that wanted to use me?is no longer."

Rachael's black leather gloved hands carefully eased her grandkitten to the ground. Mayflower nod-nod-nodded and cautiously trotted in Reiko's direction, stopping a few feet away. The kitten sniff-sniffed. What the little kitten was going to sniff was a woman whose being, both inside and out, was no longer tainted by the darkness. Then the little yellow tabby began to sing in Kittish, a tune recognisable as Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star. As the woman struggled with trying to ease herself into an upright sitting position, Andu watched Reiko with preparation to act instantly if required. Then he helped Reiko sit up as she heard her furry niece sing the first song that she had learned in Kittish. Reiko's lips curved upward into a soft smile, and it started to spread wide. In the next moment, she was soon singing along with Mayflower. How she had missed hearing and singing this song! "She sniffs very good!" the yellow tabby kitten exclaimed.

[Reiko Souma]

"Good. Recorded and stored," Ian said.

"Thank you, Big Brother," the woman said quietly once she was sitting upright with his assistance. She looked with those pink azalean eyes moving from left to right to slowly take in and engrave this into her memory. The woman's smile, tired that it was with trace signs of exhaustion due to her medical condition, held. Mayflower trotted up to nuzzle Reiko and deliver a kitten kiss. She held out her hands to receive Mayflower happily, and she accepted the kitten kiss with one offered in return. "Oh, Mayflower...I am so, so sorry for scaring you and your brothers and sisters...I really hope you can forgive me."

"Well, then?I'll leave you and your family-at-heart. I'm glad that I was able to help you, Reiko, and I'll let Ebon know you're no longer enspelled," Eregor said. Thank yous were given all around by those present.

"Glad to help, too. Take care!" Tenball said. He turned to Eregor. "Give me a lift?" he asked as those present thanked him as well. Right after Rachael offered to compare libraries with Tenball, he and Eregor vanished in a swirling vortex not unlike the one through which Eregor had arrived. Now Ian and Rachael, Mayflower, a sleeping Icer (she had fallen asleep prior to the breaking of the spell), Andu, and Reiko remained.

To which Andu, in that moment, asked, "Reiko, you haven't been taking your meds, have you?"

Mayflower's green eyes got big. "But she gotta! I don' want her sick no mores!"

Reiko shook her head to Andu. "Sadly, with everything going on inside of my head at the time, I was too worried about an overdose happening," she answered.

"Darling...work is waiting," Ian told Rachael.

"Oui, it is," Rachael responded in agreement.

"No being sick no mores, Auntie Reiko. Or Nanny Penny will put you in the Bad Kitten Corner." Mayflower trotted to Andu for some kitten kisses and nuzzles. He gave the kitten her kisses, nuzzles, and scritches from her uncle Andu before she trotted back to her grandparents.

"I'll make sure she is taken care of, Mayflower. Thank you," Andu said. Once Mayflower returned, the kitten was carefully scooped up in gloved hands.

"I think I'm going to be spending a looong time in the Bad Reiko Corner as it is." Wasn't that the truth. Staying upright at the moment was difficult to do.

"I hadda. She was bad sick, an' I wanted it to go away," the yellow tabby said. Ian petted Mayflower in his wife's hands, earning him a loud purr from the kitten.

"I will never forget this. Thank you, all of you, from the bottom of my heart for caring enough to help me and not giving up on me. I was really, really scared...of a lot of things." Like dying, for one.

"My tummy hurted lots, but it's okays now."

"I will get you back to the Estate, Reiko. And give the Falcones a full update. They should be able to help you get back on your meds correctly," Andu said.

"Bonsoir, travel safely." In a swirl of starlight, the Archmage, her husband, and an especial grandkitten were returned to the Celestial Tower.

[Reiko Souma]

Reiko blinked at what Andu had said. "Will they even allow me to return? I get the feeling they might be beyond upset with me..." Oh yes. Reiko wasn't ignorant to that. She dipped her head down. "...Big Brother, even though he'll never come out into the daylight, I'm concerned that he might try to come find me again at night in the near future. Never mind that I'm never going to try exploring the Cemetery again. What if he tries to hurt me in a different way?"

He looked to the weakened woman, still holding her up since she didn't have the physical strength to sit up on her own. "They were. And you might have to do some abject apologising, but I don't think they are the kind to simply throw you out when you are in need. And I will give them a full update and explanation," Andu said.

"That might be for the best."

"You still have your GaiaCom, right?" Andu asked.

Reiko looked at both wrists. She was bare-wristed. "No, I don't...I told Gaia to hold onto it and my phone, as well as my White Cat armour and Chewy. There was no way I could assure safe communication with anybody else until that nasty spell had been broken." Her hands rested on the ground to try keeping herself steady.

"Then I will have Gaia send those items to your room at the Estate."

"I'm three days behind on my iron pills and my supplements...and have to get my appetite back slowly. But?can you give me a test that I didn't want Mayflower to see?"

"What test is that, Reiko?" Andu asked with a nod. She raised one finger.

"One word. I need to hear one word in order to know whether it was part of the spell itself, or if it really is permanent like Dickhead claims it is." Yes, that was her request. Reiko was taking a risk with this one, but she had to do this as well. "You understand why I couldn't do this in front of Mayflower."

"Ah." Andu nodded in understanding. "Blood."

Shudder! Images of what she had been shown, which could never be unseen, flashed through her mind at lightning speed. As they did, the woman doubled over and coughed, heaving. Unfortunate sights became visible before her on the ground whilst the images passed. Her eyes squeezed shut, and then opened, as she cried out, "Oh Fate!" The last of the disturbing images flashed through her mind, and she soon ceased vomiting.

Andu winced at the sight before him. "I take it that his 'cure' wasn't as effective as he claimed it to be."

The anaemic woman shook her head no. "No...no, that was anything but a cure, if you ask me." Both of her hands held her stomach delicately, as if she worried that she might be sick again. "All of the things that he did to me and made me do in return...absolutely despicable and disgusting, for lack of better words." One hand moved to her left on the ground as she tried to pull herself up again. Azalean pink hues locked onto the minotaur. "Let the record show...that Agrylax is the biggest dickhead ever, and that I never want to see him or hear anything about the crimson in my body again. Whoever kills him? I'll be happy to reward them."

"Yeah, he is. But that is over. And now we need to get you some proper medical care so you can start healing." Of course, medical care. Andu was absolutely right.

"Yeah...enough about that douchebag. Please, get me out of here. I miss my bed and homemade soup and tea." With a nod, Andu carefully scooped Reiko up in his arms. Because the woman has long since reached her limits for sorcery and shortcuts for the week, she was in no way feeling up for transport anywhere whatsoever. Carry-on delivery it was; with that, he took off for town with the completely drained woman as his passenger. Unfortunately, with one leg still in a cast, there wouldn't be any running. This made the trip take longer than usual.

[Reiko Souma]

This was a wonderful storyline to write out! Even with the slight difficulties that were encountered whilst playing it out in the live-chat settings, I really enjoyed writing it out and hope that you enjoyed reading it just as much.

I would like to dedicate this storyline with many thanks to all of the role-players who participated in this, especially Ian Blackthorne-mun (I really miss you and your excellent role-playing, man).