((OOC: Don't worry. I'm used to being left behind. :/ It happens all the time, which is why I usually don't get to interact with everyone (for instance, I wanted to do a dramatic leap at Cyr and yell "STOP!" or other on several occasions, yet I never could make it in time to do so)... ))
Niola plummeted to her knees, unable to keep herself standing. A corpulent, invisible weight pressed harshly against Niola's back and caused her to bend over. Her shaky fingers could hardly keep the growing gravity from crushing her, and finally slipped on the glossy black "floor" below. Groaning from the growing helplessness that was diminishing her strength and making it harder to compete with such an offensive force, Niola could do nothing but lie down and stare mindlessly into the darkness. For awhile, Niola remained mute, the silent note of isolation becoming a comforting blanket around her, and then Niola's eyes sparked with curiosity. Humans were able to be distinguished from the dead under due to one definite factor: temperature. Warmth spoke of life, while coldness revealed that the body of the unfortunate human was now or close to being empty. A feeling of terror filled Niola's motionless soul as she realized the frightening truth: she could no longer feel! The ground...it held no unbalance shift between hot or cold, no percentage of temperature above or below satisfactory--nothing!
"Could I truly be...dead?" Niola tried to recall the last event before she blocked out, but nothing was coming to her.
"No, it can't be! I can't truly be...dead. B-besides...this place...feels...familiar. I think I've been here before, but when?"
Niola searched through her memories, yet most of them were latent, too far to bring back from the depth of her mind. Still, she was determined to remember, and kept focusing on finding the solution. A ping of despair stabbed at Niola's heart when she found the answer.
"It's the same...as that day...when I lost everything."
"Heh-heh. I remember. That day, everything became to 'real' for me."
Niola glanced around, knowing she did not imagine it: a voice from some unknown source was speaking her thoughts...her memories...only, the tone was both melodic and ominous.
"Who's there? Who are you?"
"I liked how life used to be: surreal and peaceful. Mother released the calm notes that guaranteed eternal salvation from the corrupt world outside its reach, and father warded away that evil with every key his fingers touched. Together, they protected their beloved child, sealing the darkness deep within. Who would have guessed that by letting her sing, that concealed darkness would awaken under the influence of a being who tried to enter the tainted world before her. An outsider, exiled from the world since birth, tried to enter a world that did not belong to her--"
"This is no time for jokes! Let me go! I have to save my friends!"
"Hahahahahah! Your friends? My friends? There never WERE any friends. Your world...my world...ceased with that forsaken village!"
"LIES!"
"
Although, that would is no paradise. If you refuse to listen to reason, just look at what became of Cyr."
***
"Cyr?"***
Niola whirled her head around, blinking and shocked at what she saw. Slain lieges of the mysterious mastermind were sprawled upon the ground, heavily wounded and lifeless. The number of deaths had grown to a visible carpet around the courtyard, some even missing limbs. Shocked, Niola glanced towards her allies, who appeared more demonic than ever. Still, she knew time had run out for spacing out, for they were headed towards the exit. Taking a deep breathe, Niola made one final effort to carry the corpses into secluded spots where the earth sprouted the most life. Then, she unchained her connection to the spiraling tornadoes, allowing the wind to even out into the air. Afraid of what she would find, Niola cautiously glided towards the others and began sprinting after them. Along the way, Niola's eyes absorbed the blood seeping into Cyr's clothing and clinging to his skin. Although his berserk state had subsided, Cyr had the appearance of the suspect involved in a bloody massacre that occurred all around him. The sight made Niola nauseous, yet she knew she could not leave things as it were. Niola did not want to lose Cyr, so she delivered her opinion of his condition in a low whisper before racing towards everyone else:
"Don't be captured by the 'demon' within you. It's alright to live with it, or even fight it, but never succumb to it."
((OOC: Sorry it took so long. I wrote a post, but it got deleted do to the fabulous log-in system. Luckily, I not only did not give up and throw a [major] tantrum, but I was able to edit my post from before thanks to its disappearance.
))