[ His face gets a little dark, though the reverie is broken by Nico's words, and he's left looking a little lost and confused. ""Beta"" however, steps closer. and with her, there's an almost... infectious hunger that bleeds off of her. ]
I don't think that's Beta...
[ he says and then belatedly reaches out to grab his wrist.
[ Nico grits his teeth. It's a small mercy that he's been able to feed regularly here, so the hunger doesn't hit him as hard as it could, but it is definitely there. Gnawing in the pit of his stomach. ]
We should run. Staying to fight a creature that makes me hungry will not end well.
[ with very little warning, "Beta" rushes them, and at the same time, her figure seems to come undone, misshapen. into a monster still trying to settle on its ultimate form. the changes slow it down just enough to come into contact with a hastily cast barrier.
[ Okay, running might not be so easy. The creature in Beta's guise is fast, and it's only thanks to its transformation that it wasn't on them faster. ]
[ wrath monsters... he keeps forgetting they're a thing, but he nods slowly.
and then gets snapped out of his reverie when "Beta," now a fully formed monster with teeth and claws and-- this air of hunger, slams against his barrier again, and he winces.
it takes magic to keep this up, and his reserves are severely capped ]
[ With Kalim's help, it doesn't take terribly long to subdue the creature, Nico driving it to the ground so hard it leaves a small crater in the dirt. In a last-ditch effort to break free, the monster surges up to drive its teeth into Nico's forearm, rending flesh and drawing blood.
That feeling of hunger surges, far from sated or satisfied, and Nico can't very well ignore it anymore. ]
[ "Beta" struggles for a moment-- it may look like she is well and truly put down. And Kalim had been focusing so much on her that Nico's warning feels... confusing? ]
What do you mean?
[ ... he assumes he is talking about the monster... ]
[ Nico has enough wherewithal to drop his monster form, though his hand stays clenched tight around the monster's throat, making bones creak. Crimson streaks down his arm. ]
You need to run. [ He turns to look at him, eyes wide and a little wild. ] I am... so hungry... if I hurt you I will never forgive myself, so go!
[ Nico watches him move, gaze slightly luminous and sharp and hungry. He's trying to resist that gnawing feeling in his gut but it feels like it's driving him mad.
Maybe it is driving him mad.
He moves before he realizes he's done it, propelled by vampiric strength to launch himself at Kalim. ]
[ he slips at the worst possible second, his clumsiness coming back to haunt him. Not only does he lose his balance, but he loses his momentum as he turns to run away.
and any focus he could have had for spellcasting, or even using his lust powers. but he is trying to get away. ]
[ Oh, but Nico is on him before that "wait" even leaves his lips. The vampire catches him by the arms to pin him down, and even with only part of his strength returned, his grip is bruising.
There isn't much preamble, Nico simply ducks his head down, mouth agape, one fang scoring an angry red line across skin as he goes in for the bite—
And then, quite abruptly, he goes still. ]
I won't... [ Breathed out. His voice sounds so small and shaky. ] I will not take another life like this. I can't.
[ He pulls back like he's been burned. ] Please go. As fast as your feet can carry you.
[ Kalim realizes he's free once Nico starts speaking, fear wracking his body in the form of terrified shivers. Once he recognizes what's happened, it's instinctual for him to clamber up, putting distance between them.
There are two warring sides-- the side that wants to reassure Nico. Make sure he knows he isn't mad and isn't scared.
And then the side that is very much terrified, reacting to traumas both remembered and buried deep within his psyche. He has to catch his breath, but he hasn't stopped backing away. ]
I'm sorry...
[ he manages, the strangled words all he can get out to really get at his thoughts-- before he bolts, as fast as he can manage, to the closest safety he can find. ]
day 43, fog thread
still-- he underestimated how easy it was to get lost. ]
Hello??
no subject
Kalim? Mon ami, what are you doing out here?
no subject
Kazuki and Rei have been gone for a little while.
[ approaches him, immediately relaxing ]
no subject
[ No judgement. It's so easy to get turned around out here. ]
I will help you look. It is probably best if we stick together.
no subject
But thanks! It'll be a lot less lonely this way.
[ pause ]
Though, this fog's really unsettling...
no subject
[ Hm. He gives the area a brief sweep with his flashlight. ]
It is, is it not? Stay close to me. Perhaps we should try to pick our way back to the cul-de-sac instead of risking getting even more lost.
no subject
[ he does move closer to him, though it's relatively quiet now. Maybe it'll be fine? still.
it's hard not to worry about every shadow in the fog though ]
Can you normally see through things like this...?
no subject
It is hard to tell, but likely not. The fog is thick enough to block the sunlight, so I doubt even my keen gaze could do much to help.
no subject
[ that's okay, there's another figure slowly appearing?? the shadow looks monstrous for a second.
and then as it gets closer... it's... beta? ]
no subject
Oh! The girl with the bow, non? What are you doing out here?
no subject
[ her shadow in the fog is-- strange? more monster-like than a normal human shadow, and shifting oddly as she smiles.
and then it becomes clear that her mouth is covered in blood!
Hello!! Do you want to spend time with me?? I'm soooo h̵̡̉̾ų̵̖͔̣͚̓ͅñ̴̛̞̳̃͘͝ͅg̷͍̦̊͂̓̌́͝r̶̭̰͗̈́͘y̶̞͉̝͋̑. ]
no subject
Stay close to me, Kalim.
no subject
I don't think that's Beta...
[ he says and then belatedly reaches out to grab his wrist.
this feels-- familiar... ]
no subject
We should run. Staying to fight a creature that makes me hungry will not end well.
no subject
[ with very little warning, "Beta" rushes them, and at the same time, her figure seems to come undone, misshapen. into a monster still trying to settle on its ultimate form. the changes slow it down just enough to come into contact with a hastily cast barrier.
but the blood is obvious now.
Y̸̟̟̞͂̀̕o̷̩͆u̵͚̿͌ ̴̱̌t̸̳̟̄̊͝ͅa̸̫̽ͅs̴͙͇͈̿t̵̨͇̂e̸̩͉̐d̶̨̞͛͑ ̸̺̩̉̓ş̴̳̯̈́̈́̚o̸͈̜͌ ̵̡̝̌̇͜ğ̷̖͈̔͠ọ̴̖̤̚͘o̴̘̥̘͆d̸̑́͜.̷̥̖̙̇.̷͖͇̈́̾.̴̨̛̛̮
Kalim barely jumps back, his grip on Nico's wrist tighter now. ]
no subject
Kalim, I need to to stay back. Can you do that?
no subject
Yeah— what are you gonna do…?
[ he lets go of his wrist at this point, taking a step ba me ]
no subject
[ This, as a flash of red light washes over his body to turn him into his Wrath monster form. ]
no subject
and then gets snapped out of his reverie when "Beta," now a fully formed monster with teeth and claws and-- this air of hunger, slams against his barrier again, and he winces.
it takes magic to keep this up, and his reserves are severely capped ]
Okay...!
no subject
If it is hurting you to keep that up, let it go. I will handle her!
[ Time to tackle this weird hunger monster!!! ]
no subject
But don't think he isn't looking for a way to help-- especially with tangling the monster up using his Lust powers. ]
Got it!
no subject
That feeling of hunger surges, far from sated or satisfied, and Nico can't very well ignore it anymore. ]
Kalim... you need to run...
no subject
[ "Beta" struggles for a moment-- it may look like she is well and truly put down. And Kalim had been focusing so much on her that Nico's warning feels... confusing? ]
What do you mean?
[ ... he assumes he is talking about the monster... ]
no subject
[ Nico has enough wherewithal to drop his monster form, though his hand stays clenched tight around the monster's throat, making bones creak. Crimson streaks down his arm. ]
You need to run. [ He turns to look at him, eyes wide and a little wild. ] I am... so hungry... if I hurt you I will never forgive myself, so go!
no subject
he is not talking about the monster. ]
Oh!
[ he takes a step back, nodding at this. The idea of being eaten actually-- makes him go a little paler. ]
Okay. I'll check in on you later..!!
[ another step back ]
no subject
Maybe it is driving him mad.
He moves before he realizes he's done it, propelled by vampiric strength to launch himself at Kalim. ]
no subject
and any focus he could have had for spellcasting, or even using his lust powers. but he is trying to get away. ]
Wait!!
no subject
There isn't much preamble, Nico simply ducks his head down, mouth agape, one fang scoring an angry red line across skin as he goes in for the bite—
And then, quite abruptly, he goes still. ]
I won't... [ Breathed out. His voice sounds so small and shaky. ] I will not take another life like this. I can't.
[ He pulls back like he's been burned. ] Please go. As fast as your feet can carry you.
no subject
There are two warring sides-- the side that wants to reassure Nico. Make sure he knows he isn't mad and isn't scared.
And then the side that is very much terrified, reacting to traumas both remembered and buried deep within his psyche. He has to catch his breath, but he hasn't stopped backing away. ]
I'm sorry...
[ he manages, the strangled words all he can get out to really get at his thoughts-- before he bolts, as fast as he can manage, to the closest safety he can find. ]