[center][h1]Zima the Cursed[/h1][/center] [hr] Wind whipped through her as the chase led her on. Through the tall trees, cutting through rocky creek beds and down into wet gullies. The world never changed for Zima. It was all a haze and dreary but that didn't stop her from pursuing those pale humans. She had tried several times to call out to them but they never heeded her, much to Zima’s growing frustration. All she wanted to do was talk and figure out if they knew anything. They didn't have to run! But it was becoming evident the smaller boy was getting tired. They had been running for a long time and Zima was always behind them. Now she was getting closer with every glimpse she got through the brush and trees. She could hear their voices, how the girl was pushing him on. How she was too weak to carry him for far. How he complained and cried. The girl always kept looking back and when she would spot Zima, she always pulled ahead, eyes blazing blue. With one single yelp, the sound of crashing and frantic shouts- it was over. Zima hovered over a log and caught up to them. It seemed the boy had tripped over a root and slammed into a rock wall. He was either dying or out cold, either fate barely registering with Zima. The girl pulled at the boy, trying to wake him. "Von. Von!" She spoke in an exotic tongue, one Zima had never heard before but could understand. "Wake up!" She shouted, frantic tears streaming down her face. When she caught sight of Zima, she took a defensive posture over the boy, shielding him from whatever perceived wrath she thought might come. "Stay away!" She growled. Where her feet touched mossy earth, all grew black and withered. This frightened the girl but Zima paid it no attention, if she even realized. She stepped forth and then stopped, hands at her side. “If you had stopped and listened, he would not be in such a state.” Zima looked at the boy, his ragged breaths making his chest go up and down. “Regardless, I’m not going to hu-” “No! No!” The girl screamed at her, eyes fierce as she tried to catch her breath. “I don’t believe you! You are a wakeful soul, this is not right. You are not right!” Zima stayed her down, growing with that all too familiar feeling- Anger. “Now listen he-” she tried to say. “No! You will trick us! You will lie! Be gone!” She said with her own anger. Zima’s boiled all the same. “Let. Me. Sp-” “We are protected by the Maker! You cannot harm us! Be at peace elsewhere! Leave us al-” This time it was Zima who interrupted her. “BE QUIET!” Her voice boomed, and the ground rumbled. From her feet came a wave of black fire that consumed the trees, plants, grass- even rocks to naught but ash in great jagged lines. The air grew still, now choked with black soot that landed upon that perfectly pale skin of the girl and boy, who had narrowly avoided a line. The girl stopped talking now, eyes wide before she began to quietly pray, holding the boy close. ZIma huffed and once more looked at her grizzly work. Anger retreated to a bitter numb as she balled her shaking hands. "Look what you made me do." She said, eyes narrowing. "All I wanted to do was talk but you would not listen. And if you refuse me again, that will happen to Von." She pointed at the boy. The weight of her throat was heavy. Had she really just threatened an innocent child? Well, it wasn't like she was actually going to hurt him. Right? The girl, perhaps realizing her mistake before, relented and nodded her head. Zima sat down amidst the withered ground and spoke. "What is your name?" "Vare." The girl whispered. "Vare. A pretty name for a pretty girl. How is it that you look this way? Who made you? Why are you here?" Zima twirled a bit of her own ghostly hair. "Our Maker is Voi." The girl said with downcast eyes. "My people are the Voirans and we are here because we live here." "Voi?" Zima asked herself. "I'm not familiar with that name, what does he look like?" "He…" She began, "I don't know. Our parents say he spoke to them before they awoke. That he wore robes and had blue eyes like ours. That he protected souls." She squeaked out. As the girl spoke, something clicked. She had met Voi, hadn't she? The Way Keeper or whatever his name was. The one who had let her go with Mish. The one who had cursed her to be whatever she was now. These were his people right before him. Dark thoughts flooded her mind, things she would never have even thought of before, less act on. But her hatred swelled and she spat on the name of vengeance proper. Revenge was what she was after. If she was to suffer through all this anguish and sorrow, this lack of feeling, this- this thing she was now… Then she would make the ones he had created, feel as she did. Somewhere perhaps her mind recoiled at the mere suggestion of harming a soul but… She had already hurt a soul, hadn't she? Snuffed it out like a flame and she had felt nothing. Zima faked a smile. "You spoke of your parents, where are they?" "They're at the..." Vare's voice faded as she looked at Zima. Something came over the girl, she weighed her next words carefully as Zima watched a look of defiance spring up in her eyes. "I'd rather not say." She said. Zima nodded. "Of course, you don't have to answer. I'm sure your brother will help me all the same." Zima stated with confidence as she stood. Vare began to shake her head. "No. You can't." She said, gripping her brother tighter. Zima pressed on. Vare begwn to stammer, "P-Please! T-There at the cave! The cave!" Vare was nearly over Von now, practically using her body as a shield. Zima loomed above them. "I don't believe you." Her voice was like ice. "Pity." "I won't let you take him!" Vare shouted up at her. Zima scoffed, then bent over and reached out for Vare. She tried to hide her arms from Zima but she was too fast. Grey fingers grabbed a fur sleeve and Vare began to panic as she watched the brown hairs turn black with wither. She fought back by using her other hand to punch Zima in the chest but her fist went right through Zima and she screamed out in pain as her fingers and hand blackened before she could pull it out. Zima grabbed her blackened wrist and only added to the decay as she tried to subdue her. When Vare could not fight back any longer, she began to struggle. It was too late for her. Zima pulled the girl up and threw her off of the boy. She landed with a thud against the blackened ground and let out a pained groan. Satisfied with that, Zima turned her attention to the boy. His peaceful face reminded her of how she used to be- Innocent. But no longer. Zima grabbed the boy and began to shake him. The furs she held began to wither, spreading like terrible vines across his chest. But he did not wake. She opened her mouth to speak but something tackled her from behind. She dropped Von and fell to the side of him. Vare was on top of her now, trying to bash her head in with a rock. It wasn't working of course, each frustrated yell and painful groan as her furs began to wither away made that clear. Zima could only lament the fact that if she had been able to become one with the rocks, she would have bashed Vare's own skull in. Then the spirit had a wicked thought. If she couldn't possess the land, could she possess other things? As Vare's rock crumpled and she pushed herself off, Zima's form became a black smoke and she entered Vare. [hr] His head was thundering, his lips were chapped and he needed a drink and when he opened his eyes he had no idea where he was. He blinked a few times, thinking as the memories came flooding back in. He had thrown rocks in the Sacred Lake, then Vare had stopped him saying it was disrespectful! Throwing rocks! What would Aeron think of that? Then he… Then they saw those two eyes… Terrible eyes and Vare made him bow and then run and they were being chased and he was so tired and he tripped and and and… "Vare!" He shouted sitting up. His vision went a little hazy as he did, head still pounding. He looked around until he spotted a familiar shape. He half crawled, half ran as he found his sister. He listened for a breath and found it very shallow. She looked rough, her clothes looked singed and her right hand was blackened. Like some sort of terrible frostbite, the kind the elders warn about. He shook her gently, "Vare. Vare! Please wake up, please!" He cried, an unfamiliar wetness streaming down his cheeks. This was all his fault, wasn't it? He fell backwards, clutching his head in between his knees. What was he going to do? What would Aeron do? He had to go get help! He had to! "Von…?" His sister's voice hit his ears. Von looked up and saw that Vare had sat up and was looking at him. "Where-" She began but Von cut her off by attacking her with a hug. "You're alive!" He exclaimed. "I knew it!" She had barely returned the hug before he let go out of embarrassment. "What, uh, what happened Vare? Where did that evil spirit go?" Vare's face grew distant and then puzzled. "I… I don't know. One minute we were fighting and then I prayed to Voi and it was gone. I blacked out after that." She looked around. "Do you know where we are? We should get back before our parents begin to worry." "The maker helped us!" He whistled, a feeling of pride welling up inside. He also looked around and then nodded. "We aren't that far from the camp, maybe we'll reach it as the sun goes down? Come on sis, let's get you home. You're a hero! Just like Aeron!" He exclaimed, standing up. He felt a but woozy but stayed his ground. He was strong too! "Yeah… Like Aeron." Vare agreed. She sounded sadder, perhaps that fight had taken more out of her then she let on? Von would do the brotherly thing, as much as he didn't want to. Probably. He took his sister's good hand and squeezed. She looked down and squeezed back with a small smile. Her touch was very cold but that was okay. It would warm up with time. "Come on, let's get home." Von said as he led the way. [Hider=Summary] Zima finds the Voiran kids, a brother and sister and tries to talk after a long chase. The brother got knocked out by tripping and so Zima talks to Vare, the girl. She is less then forthcoming at first but after some coercion and threats, Zima finds out she is Voiran, made by Voi who she also realizes is the one who cursed her. She decides to get revenge on Voi by targeting his people. A fight ensures after Vare won't give up her people's location and she gets messed up by Zima’s withering. She really wants to protect Von, her brother but fails when Zima realizes she can possess living things now. The post ends in Von's pov, and he leads his heroic sister home none the wiser. [/hider] [Hider=Spirit] Zima = 19 +1 for post +1 for main char +1 for medium length = 22 Spirit for Zima [/hider]