tushanshu_logs | I was Looking for a Breath of Life

Characters: Valdis and Gene to start, others to follow
Date: March 26th
Location: The farmlands outside the city
Situation: Valdis' patience is at its limits, she hasn't slept in days, the nightmares are becoming worse and her thoughts are twisting into shadows.
Warnings/Rating: There will be blood...

The large hound ran across the back of the turtle at full speed, testing her agility, trying to keep her mind off the reoccurring nightmares and the evolution of her strange illness. She slowed as she approached the farmlands, sitting on the edge of a field to watch as people worked. Familiar and unfamiliar scents filled the air, but she ignored them all, losing herself in her thoughts. She was tired and not from running, it felt deeper than that and if her suspicions were correct, then it was also deeply disturbing. To say she was frustrated would be an understatement, she felt more on edge, agitated and anxious. She had a terrible feeling that it wouldn't take much to set her off and worst of all, she felt detached from herself, her normally sharp senses muted and dull.

She had been trying to pretend that nothing was wrong, it was easier than facing the truth. Lying to herself and others was so much simpler. Denial kept her going, acceptance would only cause more pain. Her head began to hurt and her vision darkened, the feelings of detachment intensified as her irises shifted color. She suddenly felt energized again, craving a release, she simply needed a reason.

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"I know," he said, but tried to force a smile. "I'm doing what I can. It's going to hurt for a while, though."

Gene blinked. It was a miracle he still had his glasses. "Dark."

Wan stilled and shut his eyes. He listened hard for Valdis, but he couldn't hear her. He couldn't hear anything but Gene's breathing and his own heart beating out a guilty rhythm.

"I can make it less dark if you want," he finally offered as he moved the water again, trying help sooth the pain more than heal now since all the surface wounds had closed up.

Gene took a breath, then another. Yes. Less dark would be good. Make him feel less like he was dead, at any rate.

"Yeah," he breathed as the pain was soothed more. Even with all the spirit water healing, he'd still lost a hell of a lot of blood.

Wan moved the water into a ball and froze it so it wouldn't soak into the ground. Then he lifted his hands over his head and pulled them apart. Slowly. Light cracked in at first, just a tiny sliver. But it expanded as Wan listened for the sound of Valdis nearby. Just in case.

Silence met them and Wan grew bolder, eventually dropping the barrier entirely and twisting around to look for Valdis.

"...she's gone."

Tony had agreed that morning to meet Gene out on the farm and walk him home at the end of the day. He'd flown the armor out of the city, but after passing over the wall of Keeliai, he'd landed, deciding to walk the rest of the way. It was a nice day, and he wasn't in a hurry.

When he neared their agreed meeting place and spotted someone crouched on the ground, he didn't think much of it at first. But as he got closer, he realized there was someone lying on the ground in front of them, and, concerned, he broke out into a jog. The closer he got, the more certain he became that there was something very, very wrong with the person lying on the ground.

When he saw the black hair and recognized Gene's clothes, his blood ran cold. He started to sprint. "Gene?! Gene!"

There was blood everywhere, splashed all over the ground and soaking through Gene's shredded clothes. Gene looked like he'd been mauled by some enormous animal, and for a few awful moments, Tony thought he was dead. He fell to the ground beside him, eyes wide with shock and terror, barely even registering Wan's presence.

"Oh no. No, no no, Gene, what happened, what happened? Gene, can you hear me? Please say something to me, Gene, please, please be okay."

As he spoke, his hands hovered anxiously over Gene's wounds, like he was afraid to touch them, afraid to make the injuries worse. He nearly burst into tears of relief when he saw Gene blink and saw that his chest was still rising and falling.

Gene didn't say anything while Wan bent the water and the earth away, but then - light. More of it, anyway. It was good to see light, feel the air on his face. It reminded him that he was still alive, that despite his former fortress of earth he hadn't yet been interred.

He wasn't aware of blacking out for a moment - wasn't that just the way? - but he blacked back in when there was movement nearby, a minor commotion, and when he focused he could tell the commotion was focused on him.

He tried to speak, and at first it came out as a croak. Then: "Tony?" His voice was weak, quiet, barely above a whisper.

The wounds Tony hovered over were closed up - though red, very red. But he wasn't bleeding anymore despite the blood that soaked into his clothing.

"I've done what I can with the spirit water," Wan murmured, standing up. "You should take him to someone who can do more than I can. It's safe to do so. Now."

Tony glanced up at Wan and then down at Gene again, realizing for the first time that Gene's wounds weren't actually bleeding anymore. His panic abated very slightly - at least Gene wasn't going to bleed out. But his leg and hand and shoulder and chest were still horribly mangled. How had this happened? What had done this to him?

Gene murmured his name, and Tony reached down to stroke his face and brush back his hair. "Yeah, Gene, I'm here. I'm here. You're gonna be okay. I'm going to take you and get you help, okay?"

Tony armored up and gently, as gently as he could, slipped his hands under Gene's limp form and lifted him into his arms. "I'm going to take you to a healer, Gene."

He stood, with his helmet still open, and turned a piercing gaze on Wan. "Wan," he asked quietly, "what did this?"

Gene tried to speak again, but nothing understandable came out. He still wasn't comfortable with the armor carrying him, and squirmed a little in Tony's arms, half-delirious with the blood loss and pain. It is Tony, it can't be anyone else; nobody else would be so gentle with him, so easy.

His head lolled a little to the side, and he tried to stay stable, nestled up close to the armor. It wasn't his preferred way to be, but he wanted to be close to Tony.

Wan shut his eyes and took a deep breath, hands curling into fists at his side. He held the breath. Released it slowly and let his hands relax.

Then he looked Tony in the eyes and said, "A hellhound who lost a fight with the darkness inside her. Hopefully I can reach her again before she looses the struggle entirely. Go."

Tony's eyes widened briefly, then narrowed.

Valdis?

He had a million questions he wanted to ask, but they'd have to wait. Right now, he needed to get Gene medical attention, and fast.

So he just nodded at Wan, and said, "Thanks, Wan. Thanks for helping him."

Tony carefully repositioned Gene in his arms, trying to make him as comfortable and secure as possible, and then he closed the helmet and launched into the air.

I was Looking for a Breath of Life

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