Dani
Who have you chose
to stand as your martyr?
to stand as your martyr?
Had she not been gripping the tree's trunk for dear life, Dani's body would have gone limp with the wave of relief that overtook her as Anden snapped out of whatever trance the wraith - or whatever it was - had had him under. Of course, the relief was short-lived. Only moments later, the silhouette of spikes appearing from her friend's back had her heart sinking in a way she'd only felt once before, years ago. Her breath came quickly as she assumed the worst, until the shapes shot away from his body to penetrate the ghost's form.
That was... Anden? She hadn't known he could do that. As Anden came to her and shielded her in his arms, she felt just as inclined to flinch away from the touch as she did to lean into it. For the first time, she had begun to understand the complete difference in physical capabilities that separated the two. She filed this epiphany away, to be examined later when they didn't appear to be at death's door.
What now? Anden's question sharpened her focus. Once, Dani had been a self-proclaimed escape artist; but her arsenal had contained lies and trickery, devoid of anything useful for physical confrontations such as this. Her mind raced, but only one salvation presented itself. If she was wrong, they'd both pay the price.
"I think we say goodbye." She said it as resolutely as she could manage, wanting to instill the confidence in her friend that she was desperately searching for within herself. She gripped his wrist firmly, and raised his arm towards the ghost that raced towards them from the treetops. The distorted shape of the woman burst into sight, and it took everything Dani had to not squeeze her eyes shut and leap to the ground below.
The moment the apparition's hand made contact with Anden's, its twisted expression settled into a look that was... serene. For a moment, Dani saw not a monster, but a bright young girl whose face resembled Anden's enough to make her heart skip a beat. She thought the girl smiled at her friend, before fading into a haze that seemed to shimmer like sunlight on an ocean.
Dani leaned fully into Anden; it was all she could do to keep herself collapsing beneath the weight of her relief. She looked to her family below, to find them smiling up at her with the same goofy expressions she'd once so depended on. Then, they too seemed to fade away, their essence whisked away by the soothing winds of leafchange.
That was... Anden? She hadn't known he could do that. As Anden came to her and shielded her in his arms, she felt just as inclined to flinch away from the touch as she did to lean into it. For the first time, she had begun to understand the complete difference in physical capabilities that separated the two. She filed this epiphany away, to be examined later when they didn't appear to be at death's door.
What now? Anden's question sharpened her focus. Once, Dani had been a self-proclaimed escape artist; but her arsenal had contained lies and trickery, devoid of anything useful for physical confrontations such as this. Her mind raced, but only one salvation presented itself. If she was wrong, they'd both pay the price.
"I think we say goodbye." She said it as resolutely as she could manage, wanting to instill the confidence in her friend that she was desperately searching for within herself. She gripped his wrist firmly, and raised his arm towards the ghost that raced towards them from the treetops. The distorted shape of the woman burst into sight, and it took everything Dani had to not squeeze her eyes shut and leap to the ground below.
The moment the apparition's hand made contact with Anden's, its twisted expression settled into a look that was... serene. For a moment, Dani saw not a monster, but a bright young girl whose face resembled Anden's enough to make her heart skip a beat. She thought the girl smiled at her friend, before fading into a haze that seemed to shimmer like sunlight on an ocean.
Dani leaned fully into Anden; it was all she could do to keep herself collapsing beneath the weight of her relief. She looked to her family below, to find them smiling up at her with the same goofy expressions she'd once so depended on. Then, they too seemed to fade away, their essence whisked away by the soothing winds of leafchange.
To prove purposeful
in courses uncharted
in courses uncharted
