[center][h1]I Shall Scream[/h1] [img]http://i.imgur.com/qdJ8I7l.jpg[/img][img]http://i.imgur.com/EqVwCQa.png[/img] [h2][color=red]Chris[/color] | [color ff57ff]Siena[/color][/h2] [img]http:// i.imgur.com/3R5vYYi.png?2[/img] [hr][color=silver]𝕎𝕖𝕕: 𝕆𝕔𝕥. 𝟟, 𝟚𝟘𝟚𝟘 / / 𝔹𝕒𝕝𝕕 ℍ𝕖𝕒𝕕 𝕀𝕤𝕝𝕒𝕟𝕕 / / ~𝟘𝟝𝟛𝟝[/color][hr] [sub]Collab with...[@dragonmancer][/sub][/center] Everything was wrong as she dove into the link. Something felt [i]wrong[/i]. The sensation wasn't the same as the attempt in Ground Zero--a matter of distance? No...they had managed it fine in the training session, and she'd been working with something weaker than what she was utilizing at that moment. No, this was the result of something that she was more familiar with than the physical limitations of abilities that didn't even belong to her...right? It felt different. Wrong--or perhaps it was from her own state. Muted emotions. Everything quieted down by willpower or by influence. She didn't know. All the girl knew was that she had to make him listen if she could. Physically, Siena took another breath. [i]'[color=ff57ff]Chris? Chris, can you hear me?[/color]'[/i] The sudden and familiar voice of Siena had caused the rampaging arbiter to temporarily cease in his tracks just as he was about to leave the lighthouse area. Anger had caused him to forget of Siena's ability, and her intrusion into his conscience didn't help his ire. Though briefly confused, Chris responded to his fellow arbiter, not hidng an ounce of his current rage. [i]'[color=red]Unless if you're hurt don't get in my damn way, I'm going to kill these bastards.[/color]'[/i] The primordial rage fueled by both grief and physical pain boiled from his telepathic voice like molten rock rising from the earth's crust. The opportunity had caused the dragon to look and further exam his surroundings, despite being nearly lost in anger, his concern for Siena forced him to stay put until she confirmed her safety. Hot. No, [i]searing[/i]. Without her own emotions on the front lines to defend against it, the feral fury was easier to identify, but harder to keep from being swept up in. It wasn't surprising, but it had been...unexpected. Knowing that it was beneath the surface didn't make confronting it an easy task, after all. Another physical breath. [i]'[color=ff57ff]Most of us are in acceptable condition.[/color]'[/i] The words sounded wrong. Another side effect of Victor's influence, she supposed. Drove the division too far, she thought. [i]Was she that averse to the concept?[/i] No. That wasn't it. It was just...necessary. [i]'[color=ff57ff]But the others outside with you are not.[/color]'[/i] A pause. Something still felt wrong. [i]'[color=ff57ff]...you also don't seem to be in good shape.[/color]'[/i] [i]'[color=red]If you're in good shape regroup with the others and get healers to the people who need it.[/color]'[/i] A sliver of reasoning beneath his anger, the heat of it briefly simmering down before slowly rising back to it's explosive force. He had ceased to respond regarding to her statement of his condition, his goal of utter destruction was back into focus. Chris once again darted off into a sprint towards the manor. His anger had blinded him so that he even forgot Siena was still linked to his thoughts. [i]'[color=red]Someone [b]will[/b] pay for this. I'll let those damned criminals know...no, the whole world must know what happens when they take whats mine. The people I come to appreciate, I will not let the universe take such treasures from me anymore in silence! I will show them terror![/color]'[/i] The lines that recited through his head didn't seem human at all, echoing with a booming dominance like that of a true monster. "[color=ff57ff]...hm. Not that I don't understand, but...[/color]" Physical words for her to register in her own ears instead of in her head as Siena listened, let the anger fill and fuel for a moment before pulling herself the equivalent of a mental step away from the surge. Familiar. Consuming. Things that she had felt, things that she hadn't--it didn't really matter at that moment. All that mattered was that she could recall, could still probably perfectly imitate it. [i]Who deserves to pay?[/i] She thought, briefly, of what they had seen. Of crashing through a roof before they had even really landed. Of a dislocated shoulder and a twisted ankle that had throbbed and hurt, but meant nothing at the prospect of another broken body. [i]Gold eyes, lifeless stare.[/i] [i]'[color=ff57ff]For what little this is worth, I [b]am[/b] sorry for this.[/color]'[/i] And Siena closed the link, thought again, for an instant, that every part of [i]her[/i] would never have agreed to the course of action set before her by the imperfect imposter that took her place. Victor's influence separated her from the guilt, but couldn't completely stifle it. Another breath, this one marked with an uneven shudder as Siena drowned herself in the experience of the worst terror she'd ever felt. Steeped in it for an instant longer, let it well up against the mental wall...and then she closed the gap as she returned the connection, this time coupled with a spike of [i]fear[/i] in its most primal sense. A carefully crafted imitation of too many experiences that stopped the heart and made the blood freeze in place. [i]How many names had done the same to her?[/i] Too many to count. What did she mean she was sorry? Was she going to kill him? There was a brief moment of confliction by that very statement, part of him wondering why while other parts wanted to retaliate. What she meant, however, became quickly apparent when her consciousness returned with a full force of fear. Instinct quickly came over reason, the powerful and sudden shock of fear prevented him from any chance of rationality. His state of berserking was fueled by anger, but now it was out of fear; Both fuels had blinded him but the fear itself had made him lose his goals. Confusion mingled with hopeless fear, like he was being confronted with some incomprehensible monster standing right before him. His instincts spoke for him, self preservation tried to take the wheel over his increasing madness. Outside of his conscience, the dragon form was going rabid. Terrified roars and screeches screamed from his mouth as he began to blindly destroy his surroundings as if it could spare him from the chaos. A wild tail knocked over a tree while a breathe of flames scorched the forest at his rear. The illusion that the fear itself was manifestating around him placed his enviorment in a position of danger. Like a cornered animal unable to run Chris continued to strike at a force that wasn't even there. His aggression only taken upon the trees and wildlife that were unfortunate enough to be near him. Coupled with his injuries the exertion made him exhausted, and his stamina depleted he only became more and more desperate. The response was immediate. More than Siena had expected, but it seemed to shut down the anger easily enough. Another pang of guilt resonated, this time unfettered by a severed connection, but the brunette didn't have time to embrace it. Memories of careful, gentle words played in the back of the girl's head. Maya's words, no doubt. Use the opening. She pushed further into the connection, reminded herself that the fear she felt was only as real as she allowed it to be as she kept pushing, melded herself more seamlessly. [i]At its peak, the connection should have been flawless.[/i] But she wasn't looking for perfection, only improvement. The Arbiter released a breath that she hadn't realized she was holding, felt her heart start to slow as one by one, she replaced the gaps. A distinct division between herself and what made her almost human, pulling the fear away, replacing it with...not serenity. Siena couldn't describe it as peace, only calm. An empty calm, not as powerful as the fear, but warmer, at least. And she waited. One moment. Two. One more. [i]'[color=ff57ff]Head clearer now?[/color]'[/i] The thought came, a cautious testing of the waters. Again, she felt guilt try to build, but Siena did her best to push it aside. She would have time to regret it later. Time was ticking, and she knew that what she'd sacrificed for control was quickly starting to become more precious with each passing second. As the sense of fear easily settled down Chris's rampage drained with it. The adrenaline that had helped cope with the pain and course his rage was gone, and all that was left was an exhaustedand wounded arbiter. [i]'[color=red]"I....I...[/color]'[/i]His voice struggled as if his own brain was trying to catch a breathe. Had there be any energy left in him he would have been far more furious with what she had did to him. [i]'[color=red]You're damned lucky I care about you.[/color]'[/i] He hissed as if his own affection was a curse. There was still hints of anger and grief over Angelique's fate, but now it had been leveled away from primordial rage. [i]'[color=red]Why the hell did you do that...[/color]'[/i] The exhaustion in his tone was clearer then his anger. Calm. Siena had never really been very fond of that particular emotion because it had never really felt like it belonged to [i]her[/i], but at that moment, it was what she had been hoping for. The brunette felt her breathing regulate physically, brought another layer of level-headedness as the last vestiges of artifical terror slipped from her fingertips. Only to return in small palpitations when the girl realized the price of forcing the connection as far as she had gone. [i]'[color=ff57ff]I'm aware that it's lucky.[/color]'[/i] A faint whisper that she couldn't silence behind the words. [i]Very lucky, for those purposes.[/i] [i]'[color=ff57ff]It was the fastest way to calm you down.[/color]'[/i] Another string of quiet thoughts that tried to mask the real words. [i]Of every emotion she'd ever experienced, fear was the only one that could cut through anger.[/i] Not the real thought. [i][color=ff57ff]Because you would have gone, and you would have died.[/color][/i] Siena took a moment to try and push back to the original distance, a surge of discomfort pushing past the blanket of calm as she did so. She had never liked having her thoughts on display. [i]'[color=ff57ff]...and again, for what it's worth. I am sorry.[/color]'[/i] Confliction once again. There was still a nagging voice of instinct behind him that wanted him to return to that state, despite how that was impossible now; With Siena there he was able to ignore it. More so a faint whisper made him feel..welcomed? Or was it something else, her whispers were hard to determine and it was clear these personal emotions of hers wanted to remain hidden. He didn't press the thought on those further for her sake of privacy. [i]'[color=red]No, I should be apologizing for making you worry I suppose. You did what you had to do..I got reckless again...[/color]'[/i] With no adrenaline to mask his pain the stinging wounds of his wing-stubs had slowly returned. In addition to his drained stamina, the pain of severed limbs now coursed in his body. Around Chris was the debris of cremated trees and scorched earth, and lying in the center was his broken body. Seeing his own destructive results in his current mental state only increased his regret of letting himself lose control again. [i]'[color=red]I'm glad you're OK, I'm sorry I didn't force myself to make sure you and Brent would survive back there.[/color]'[/i] While Chris didn't bother hiding his feelings or thoughts, he did make sure to not focus too much on her own aside from those that she made clear; Regardless if it made a difference, he wanted her to feel more comfortable and secure. Recollections of events far too fresh came to mind at Chris's words. Memories of bone white agony, Brent lying broken on the floor. Phantom pains twinged to life, and Siena felt herself rub her shoulder instinctively, felt a muted elixer of emotions try to bubble to the surface. It was a poor imitation, at best. Frustration, fear, relief, desperation. [i]She was supposed to protect him. That was the only reason she'd gone toward certain death.[/i] The sudden leak was stopped as suddenly as it started, a reflexive action. [i]'[color=ff57ff]We came back fine.[/color]'[/i] Not true, but Siena did her best to maintain the thought. [i]'[color=ff57ff]I'm glad you were with the others to help them.[/color]'[/i] Another thought of the journey back. She'd failed, hadn't done the one job she'd given herself properly, and had felt the same gnawing insecurities that had been so quick to cripple her. One job, because she didn't know how to--[i]didn't know how to or was too afraid to figure out? She couldn't tell[/i]--do the one they'd agreed on. Help. Co-dependency. Something that she'd been stumbling through every step of the-- [i]'[color=ff57ff]I don't have much time left with this power. Just...promise you'll regroup with the others instead of rushing off, okay?[/color]'[/i] She tried, desperately, to overpower every other thought with the one she presented. Something close to warm concern seeped through. Close enough, at least. [i]'[color=ff57ff]'If we have to engage the ones at the mansion, it'd be safer not to do it alone.[/color]'[/i] Her recollections with Brent sent Chris on edge. He was ok with her going on the mission since he knew she was capable but the thoughts that leaked out from her made Chris think that he took advantage of her conscience for getting her do go on such a dangerous mission. It didn't help that Chris's feelings towards Brent was already mixed, but now there was a small side of him that knew he hated him to an extent. That, however, will be an issue for a different day. Fortunately that negativity was compensating with her concerns, a thought that made Chris feel appreciated. It reminded him of Angelique in a way. [i]'[color=red]I promise I'll go regroup. I'll see you there."[/color]'[/i] The injured dragon got up from the debris, and proceeded to walk back towards the lighthouse. Though calm, the pain was still intense, and there was no adrenaline or cold water to numb it. [i]'[color=red]Just having you survive is the best reward I can get out of this day.[/color]'[/i] [i]'[color=ff57ff]Doesn't count if you're not around for it.[/color]'[/i] Easy enough. Quick quips as she tried to keep her thoughts under control. --way. She'd tried, hadn't she? In the library? But things had only broken down, her sanctuary coming apart. Books scattered, tables turned. A few bruises that she had healed off by the next day physically, but the lingering flickers of heat had remained, hadn't they? It felt like a sliver compared to what she'd just been witness to, but that fire had burned out everything in her for longer than the bruises had remained. Some help that was. All she'd managed then was getting punched. Multiple times. No good there either, if she-- [i]'[color=ff57ff]See you soon.[/color]'[/i] The connection faded out as the name finally slipped through her fingers like fine sand. Just before she slipped away Chris could feel something that had happened between her and Brent. [i][color=red]He gave her bruises, that bitch I'll kill him when we get out of this.[/color][/i] Anger for another day, Chris returned to the scene of the washed up lighthouse to regroup with the students. Blood had still been leaking from his stubs which now ran crimson lines flowing over his scales and dripping from his belly. This time there was no battle cry, screech, or roar. Chris just approached standing as tall as he could on four feet with a steady gaze.