abraxaslogs | [ CLOSED ] I've been tryna catch a fever dream

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[ CLOSED ] I've been tryna catch a fever dream

Who: Ciri and Viktor; later, Jayce
When: early June
Where: the desert outside Cadens, the crater around the Singularity, the ocean!!, Aquila, Cadens again
What: it's an adventure!!!! that nobody asked for!!
Warnings: blood, violence (mostly against monsters, probably)

[ When Viktor reached out to her to ask if Ciri would be willing to go with him outside Cadens soon, she hadn't thought much of it. Viktor had always seemed so curious when she would come back with supplies for him, or specimens to study; and she loves talking about her work, and would often share details while he took notes, or answer question after question when he showed particular interest. It is perfectly expected, then, that he should want to explore on his own sometime -- or, rather, not on his own but with her accompaniment, considering he might have a difficult time by himself.

But Ciri doesn't ask questions. She helps find and rent a horse for the trip -- "probably just a few hours, back before nightfall," she tells the stable -- and meets Viktor at his workshop in the morning, upon the agreed time. It's early, barely sunrise, while the cool air still lingers and dew clings to the sparse vegetation.

Ciri walks up leading Nixie on one side, while her mare shoots dirty looks at the dun gelding she's picked out for Viktor, chosen for his easy temperament and the stable's promises that he's perfect for first-time riders.

Nixie's tail flicks impatiently. Ciri stops in front of the workshop, nudging her with a shoulder to push the two horses further apart. ]

You are being such a pest. [ The horse. Not Viktor.

Viktor gets a smile and a greeting. ]

Ready to go?

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I- I don't know!

[ Ciri scrambles to her feet, and if the little plant beings keep attacking, tries to stamp them underfoot since they're so small. ]

Get away from them!

[ just in case Viktor has any other ideas. ]

[Viktor has no other ideas. Viktor would rather be literally anywhere else but here. She says to get away from them, but it's easier said than done, when he's still on the ground, unable to haul himself up easily without his crutch.

When Ciri gets to her feet, he's afforded a better look at the creatures, though it's still unclear as to what they are and where they came from. She seems to find them a threat, at least, and that's good enough for him. One scurries too close to him, and he doesn't even wait--Viktor crushes one underneath his metal boot.]

We need to leave, Ciri!

[At this point, he doesn't particularly care whether she thinks she can teleport them away or not--if they stay, he's most certainly going to get them both killed.]

[ A pungent, awful odor emanates from the crushed remains of the strange little plant-beasts, but otherwise, they do not retaliate further, apparently easy enough to kill at this tiny size. But the fact that they appeared at all has thrown Ciri into even more of a panic, and she struggles to re-orientate herself and regain control of her racing thoughts, let alone her volatile magic.

Meanwhile, the large insects still swarming and buzzing around, while apparently careful of getting too close to the crater, are growing braver. Two of them swoop in again, divebombing Ciri in tandem from above, and when she quickly raises her blade to fend them off, her bleeding sword arm scatters several more bright red droplets onto the edge of the crater.

Where several new little plantlings emerge, swaying and hissing. Ciri screams, an involuntary, genuinely frightened little yelp, quickly stifled. ]

I know that! [ She staggers further from the crater and the creatures, reaching out for Viktor still stuck on the ground. It's impossible not to notice no creepy little beasties are sprouting at his feet. ]

Take- take my hand.

[On some level, he knows that asking her to magic them out of here while she's in such a state is not going to go well. On the other hand, however, they don't have a choice. She's not going to be able to fight off the insects on her own, something is spawning more strange creatures, and all the while he feels the Singularity's pull in the middle of his chest. If it's this bad for him, he can only imagine what she's going through.

All the more reason to, at the very least, make an attempt to leave.

Viktor is dragging himself to his feet in an effort to help her lessen the distance, reaching out in an attempt to close the gap, hand grasping for hers.]

You can do this.

[She has to, at this point.]

[ Ciri grips his hand tightly -- too tightly, perhaps, hard enough to hurt. His hand in one hand, her sword in the other, desperately hoping not to let go of either of them as she tries to center herself. The insects swoop in again, and she ducks and once more lashes out with her blade, knowing it is a futile effort when there are so many of them. She needs to concentrate, but it's so difficult. She needs silence, and the cloying thickness of the magic all around is just as loud as the insects in her head.

Ciri brings her other arm around, sword behind Viktor now, holding him so they are face to face, gripped tight. ]

I don't know what will happen. [ She warns him, voice cracking. ]

I could hurt you.

[He doesn't understand much of this--her powers, how they work, what she needs to execute them properly--but grounding her can't hurt. It seems impossible, given the chaos around them, but she squeezes his hand tightly and he does his best to hold her gaze.

Viktor has to trust her, because the alternative is that she gets injured or worse trying to protect him, and that's not an acceptable outcome. He'd be lying if he said he wasn't afraid of what she's implying, but they're out of options. Making the attempt, at least, is better than staying here and trying to fight.]

I'll take my chances.

[Given the choice, he'll take the unknowns of her magic.]

Edited 2022-06-14 05:15 (UTC)

[ Ciri is well aware he doesn't understand what the risk is, what he's potentially agreeing to. But she also knows that he's right: they cannot stay here. Even if they weren't being attacked by unknown monsters on all sides, they are a hundred miles (at least) from anything, without horses and without supplies, without water even if Ciri could hunt for food, and that's not even taking into account that Viktor can't walk unassisted.

She got them here somehow. She has to be the one to get them out of this mess.

Holding his gaze, Ciri forces herself to take a deep breath, gives him a tight nod. Then, she hugs him, closes her eyes, and envisions -- as clearly as possible in her mind -- the place in the desert where she goes to train with Geralt. Somewhere open, out of the way of accidentally hurting anyone else, but close enough to the city. Somewhere familiar and, at least for her, safe. It should be easy. She's managed to cross worlds like this. She's jumped from one side of a continent to another. She's done so much more than what she's trying to do now.

You can do this, Viktor had said, trusting her.

You can do this. Words Geralt has said to her, with faith and patience.

Ciri flinches and gasps when one of the insects latches onto her again, and then a second. More are surrounding them, going after Viktor.

It's now or never. Before they're completely swarmed.

Ciri reaches for the place in her mind's eye, the familiar place in the desert. There is a flash of green-white brightness, energy more than light. An uneasy tugging, sudden stomach-dropping sensation.

Ciri, Viktor, and any insects attached to them vanish into nothing. ]

[Viktor puts his faith in her because he has no other choice, but the truth is that he would probably trust her to do this, anyway. He tries to give her a nod of assurance and clings to her tightly, letting her do whatever she needs to get them out of this situation. It seems, at first, like it's working. The light is bright enough that it flashes on the inside of his eyes even as he squeezes them shut and furrows his eyebrows together like he's the one who needs to concentrate. Then, suddenly, a force behind his navel, different from the pull of the Singularity, a dropping out of the ground beneath his feet. Uncomfortable, yes, but relieving, all at once. That means it's working.

He hopes, anyway.

As the crater falls away around them, he thinks, briefly, of Jayce--of the mage that found him in the blizzard, in the mountains, in a similarly hopeless situation, and pulled him to safety. The Hexgate, modeled after that very same series of runes, launching an airship in a streak of blue. How beautiful magic is, when used like this.

It all ends very abruptly the instant they reach their destination. He expects ground to re-materialize underneath, but that's not the case. There's only air, and they're still falling, and he manages to open his eyes just in time to see a rush of deep blue-green below him. They hit the water.

Viktor sinks, immediately, with barely any time to realize what's happening and Ciri's arms no longer around him. Some baser instinct compels him to try clawing his way upward (or what he think is upward), but he's got metal strapped to his leg and around his torso, under his clothes. All the air is forced out of his lungs and it takes only a moment for the sunlight that breaks through the surface of the water to become impossibly far away.]

[ This time, Ciri realizes something has gone wrong faster than when they'd wound up next to the crater. For one, the desert is entirely gone. And then, very quickly, it becomes apparent that the ground is also nowhere near them.

The sea comes up to meet them both very suddenly and very rudely, briny and cold. The momentum of their fall from a not insignificant distance above it dunks her completely, and water rushes into her nose and mouth and eyes, stinging with salt. All at once, instinct grabs her, bred of a dire mix of necessity, bad memories, and childhood summers diving off Skelligan cliffs. Ciri is dimly aware she's still got a grip on her sword -- so no thrashing, not with that arm, not when Viktor might be nearby. She tucks it in, held close, and kicks powerfully. For what feels like a long while, there's nothing but the coldness of the water, the knowledge she didn't have a chance to take a breath, and each moment is drawn out to excruciating length, adrenaline screaming through her veins. Then, somehow only a handful of seconds later in reality, Ciri finds the glimmer of sunlight indicated which way is up, and she breaks through the surface gasping and spluttering.

That is when she realizes she is not longer holding Viktor's hand.

Panic. Frantically, she casts about, coughing and gasping too uncontrollably to call his name. Between the waves and the seafoam and her own fall, she is too disoriented. And running out of time.

Ciri dives beneath the surface once again, eyes open this time despite the initial discomfort, searching desperately for her friend. ]

[He hopes, somewhere between the panic and the sudden lack of oxygen, that Ciri hasn't gone far and he'll feel the close of her hand around his arm any second. When it doesn't immediately come, and, in fact, he doesn't see her at all, that's when he starts to think that this is over.

Viktor has lived with the specter of death hanging over him for a long time--but there is, he thinks, a difference between the looming possibility of it and an immediate certainty. If Ciri doesn't find him in the next few seconds, he's going to black out and that will be it.

The thought, fleeting as it is, fills him with desperation, but it's not enough. It isn't enough--he can't overcome his own limitations, not even to pull his way to the surface, his own body dragging him down.]

[ Something catches her eye, but it's even further down than she expected. Sinking even deeper. Ciri spots him finally, and realizes with a fresh, icy wave of horror that Viktor is plummeting like a rock, dragged down by his metal brace. He isn't moving.

She dives after him, thrusting her sword out to let its weight pull her faster, but Ciri quickly realizes that same weight is going to be a major hindrance to getting Viktor (and herself) back to the surface. It's one or the other, at this point. If it was only her, she could have figured it out, the lack of scabbard a problem but not an insurmountable one (depending on how far they are from shore, which frankly, she also hasn't had the chance to figure out yet). But already, Ciri knows she cannot carry it and Viktor. The choice is clear.

Ciri releases the hilt of her blade, letting it slip from her grasp and sink into the depths. She doesn't watch. Her eyes are already seeking the hints of green-tinged sunlight again, as both her arms wrap around Viktor and she kicks up, dragging him along.

By the time they break the surface, her lungs and throat are burning, black spots skittering across her vision, heart pounding about to burst. Ciri gasps loudly, ragged, sobbing breaths, clutching Viktor around the middle with one arm while everything else frantically works at keeping them afloat. ]

Viktor! [ Ciri screams at him because she doesn't know what else to do, shaking him roughly into consciousness. ]

C'mon, please-- Breathe!

[He's just barely slipping into unconsciousness when he feels an arm around him and the distinct feeling of being pulled upward. It's too late for him to be coherent, however, with no air in his lungs from the unexpected plunge into the ocean, so when they breach the surface, it's a long moment or two before his body catches up and realizes that there's air to breathe. She shakes him violently, trying to keep them both afloat and after a painstaking moment of no response, he rattles awake and gasps for air, surprised.

There's still nothing under his feet, and he's trying to tread without anything to hold on to but Ciri--the good news he isn't very strong, or very heavy, generally speaking, which means his flailing attempts to gain some kind of stability does little to drag them both down, with the braces the biggest hinderance, insofar as weight is concerned.

He does, however, seem terrified, spitting up water and largely unable to speak, eyes wide as he tries to comprehend just how they ended up here. Maybe they should have just stayed in the desert.]

Don't let go. [If it's obvious by now, he can't swim.] Don't--

[ Oh. He's awake. Thank the heavens, he's even talking after a few much needed breaths. Ciri was just considering if another portalling attempt was worth trying if she couldn't get him conscious, but since they're both breathing now, she finally has time to take stock of any other options. Hopefully. In a moment.

Viktor flails, and Ciri tightens her grip, pressing her forehead to his. ]

I won't. I won't, I promise. I've got you.

Please, stop thrashing.

[He's still gasping and choking, even as he forces out words--trying to bring in more air just nets him a mouthful of seawater, so he stops trying and just nods, the terror still evident on his face. She presses her forehead against him and he squeezes his eyes shut, as if he expects her to make another attempt, because treading water in the ocean is even more untenable than being stranded in the desert. There has to be land. They have to be close, at least. He doesn't want to entertain another option--it's hard enough to breathe already.]

I'm sorry-- [Objectively, he knows that none of this is his fault, but he's certainly not making the situation any easier.] --I didn't mean--

[To slow her down. To put her in harm's way. To make her fight for him to the point that both of their lives are in danger.]

It's okay. [ She is gasping too, treading water for both of them. ] We're okay. Calm down.

[ Finally, Ciri has a moment to actually look around now that both of them are theoretically breathing and not sinking. Around them, floating dead in the water, are a couple of the bug-things from around the crater. Beyond them, more water. And beyond that-- ]

Look! [ Ciri tugs at him, swimming toward what she's just noticed. A spark of hope, at last: a sandy beach, visible over the bobbing waves, and past it the silhouette of buildings. The shape of them, from this distance, is tentatively familiar. ]

I- I think we're in Andromeda Bay.

[ It's not close, exactly, but it's doable. And in the bay, the waves aren't as large as out in the open ocean. They're going to be okay. She won't have to try to portal them again, risking even more disastrous results.

Ciri takes several more shaky breaths, and slowly begins to pull away from Viktor, shifting her grip from his waist to his arm. ]

I need you to hold onto my back.

[Calm down is a tall order in a situation like this, when he's trying to cling to her and tread water even against the pull of the metal around his leg, but there's no denying the relief that washes over him when she tells him to look and he sees land. It seems far away, but he knows that's just his mind making this all seem more impossible than it really is.

Safety is within reach, at least, he wants to hope it is.]

That's--that's good.

[Right? Closer to Cadens than they were, and if there's civilization nearby, they can figure it out from there. He's much more confident about his ability to find a solution to their problem on solid ground, with a city in reach. He'll think about how close they'd come to death several times over once they get on solid ground.

Ciri tells him how he needs to hang on and Viktor obliges, even as he struggles to keep his head above water. They just have to hold out a little while longer, is what he tells himself.]

Okay--okay. I can do that.

Edited 2022-06-15 01:21 (UTC)

Okay. [ Ciri repeats, trying to calm them both. ]

We're close. Just hold on, and kick your legs if you can, just slowly is fine.

[ As soon as her arms are free and Viktor's holding onto her shoulders or belt, however they've managed, Ciri begins swimming toward the visible shoreline. The waves, thankfully calm, help buoy them, making it a little easier to keep their heads above water-- but any turbulence at all makes swimming harder, and Viktor hanging on adds another complication, though Ciri won't complain. It's slow going. She doesn't speak, all her focus on getting them close enough, until finally, they can see the line where the waves lap at the white beach.

Ciri feels around for ground beneath her, accidentally dipping under the water twice (sorry Viktor) before it's suddenly shallow enough her boots hit sand. ]

[He nods, dipping slightly under the water in the process, but now that the initial panic has subsided, he can focus on a concrete plan. This can't be easy for Ciri, dragging him along even as he does his best to provide additional momentum--he understands what to do in that department, at least. There's no talking for the entire journey, which lasts too long, the shoreline still so far away until suddenly it isn't.

Viktor feels the ground under his feet and he tries to get purchase on it, and the only reason he doesn't fall over right away is because Ciri is still supporting him. They trudge their way out of the shallows and onto the beach, and as soon as the sand is stable enough beneath him, his knees buckle. She, arguably, had the harder job, but given Viktor's lack of experience in these kinds of situations, he all but collapses as soon as they're on solid ground.

He coughs, spitting up sea water, and then he keeps coughing, a rough, wet sound that shakes his whole frame until the sea water foams pink and then red. It subsides, eventually, leaving him on his hands and knees, blood dripping off his face as the waves wash in underneath him.]

[ As they drag themselves onto the beach, dripping and exhausted, Viktor becomes heavier without the saltwater carrying more of his weight than Ciri. She hooks an arm around his middle again, staggering free of the waves, and then there's sand. Wet sand, sea foam, and Viktor collapsing beside her. Ciri goes down with him.

The coughing is mostly expected. The blood isn't.

Ciri stares at the pinkish-red foam until the next wave washes it away. Then, she just stares at Viktor for several more seconds, both of them on all fours until, without a word, she shakily pushes herself to her feet again. Gripping Viktor's upper arm, Ciri tries to leverage him up as well. ]

Edited 2022-06-15 04:34 (UTC)

[Given the chance, he'd probably collapse right where he is, rolling over on his back and simply breathing until he's forced to move again. Viktor is vaguely aware that there's blood on his face, dripping out of his mouth and nose, but he's too exhausted to wipe it away or even pretend like there isn't something wrong with him, unrelated to being teleported into the ocean and almost drowning. Thankfully, Ciri doesn't ask about it, instead hooking her arm around his to pull them both to their feet.

He obliges, despite every part of his body screaming at him not to. They can't stay on this beach forever, not if they want to make a plan to get back to Cadens, so he forces himself to keep moving.]

Do you know where we are?

[Aquila, if they're lucky.]

[ Ciri slides her arm under his, hoists him up the rest of the way, and seems determined to drag or half-carry him as necessary. If they stop now, if she lets herself lie down on this beach, she is not getting up for several hours at least. Drenched and bedraggled, they stagger toward the silhouettes of buildings visible beyond the beach, their formation vaguely familiar. This isn't the part of the bay she'd stayed in twice now, but she recognizes it. ]

Near Aquila.

[ The answer comes clipped, unfocused. Exhaustion pulls at her with every step, and now that a safe place in sight and the adrenaline is starting to seep away, every cut and bruise and aching muscle vies for attention with a vicious insistence.

At least one of these buildings on the edge of the beach has to be an inn. A bed and breakfast, at the very least. Or owned by a sympathetic person.

It's still the middle of the day (somehow, though it feels like many hours should have passed with everything that's happened), and there are people about. Unfortunately, they make for such an alarming sight that most shy away. One little girl actually takes off running, and Ciri thinks she's actually terrified, understandably, of the blood-covered weirdos washed up from the sea--

But about halfway across the sand, the child returns, pulling an older man behind her. The rest is sort of a blur, in which Ciri haltingly mumbles some story about their boat sinking and having to swim back, that they just need shelter briefly, and she can pay later. ]

[Near Aquila is not necessarily Aquila, and even after they drag themselves off the beach, they still need to make it to actual civilization. Viktor does his best to put himself on autopilot and ignore the pain of his injuries and the pain of exerting himself far past his own limits. He has Ciri to lean on, at least, though she's most certainly in worse shape than he is. All he can really do is push onward, trying not to count steps until sand gives way to dirt paths and then, finally, to the buildings that line the outskirts of the beach. It doesn't take long for them to be noticed.

Everything that happens after a few considerate townspeople take them to the closest inn is something of a blur. They negotiate room and board--Viktor might be washing dishes for a day or two, but ultimately the proprietor is sympathetic, and gives them a room and a meal for the evening. He imagines they can sort out an actual trip back to Cadens in the morning. For now, all he wants to do is strip off his wet clothes, clean his injuries, and sleep.

Ciri needs it, too, and he doesn't disturb her even after he wakes up. It's dusk, when he finally finds consciousness again, though he does his best not to disturb his temporary roommate. He makes the unilateral decision that they both need to eat something, so he heads downstairs to pick up meals for them. The room is small, and sparsely furnished, but there is a little side table and chairs for them to use, which Viktor turns into an impromptu dining space. It's only after he arranges the bowls and utensils that he moves to wake her, figuring that it's important to eat--she can always sleep more, later.

Plus, it's possible they need to talk.]

Ciri. [A gentle nudge to her shoulder. He tries not to loom over her bed.] You should eat something.

[ They get lucky, or maybe seaside type of folks are just more laid back. Ultimately, all that matters is there's a room to sleep in, and it even has two beds. Ciri would have frankly just laid down on the spare rug on the floor if not for that and passed right out; as it is, she actually makes it onto the bed, barely taking the time to shove off her boots and belt. The rest, she can't be bothered with, even to clean her wounds. The exhaustion that has been pulling at her all this time hits in full force the instant she nears the promise of a bed, like stepping over the edge of a cliff into unconsciousness.

Eventually, through the fog, there is something jostling her again. A voice. The pain returns, a steady, all-over ache and stiffness. It takes Ciri a few moments to remember Viktor exists.

She rolls over onto her back with a groan. ]

...what?

[Viktor pulls back immediately, wanting to give her some space. He's cleaned himself up and done a cursory dressing of his own wounds, but seeing how throughly exhausted she was, didn't press her to do anything before she fell asleep. Now, however, it seems almost negligent if he doesn't at least try to get her to eat something.]

Sorry.

[He withdraws to one of the chairs, moving gingerly on a wooden crutch that the tavern owner was able to borrow from the local apothecary.]

I brought it up from downstairs. I wanted to offer. [Plus, he thinks they could both use it. There are many questions he could ask, of course, but he knows she's on edge and he doesn't want to press the issue until she's ready.] We don't have to talk about it.

No. It- It's all right.

[ Shaking off the disorientation, Ciri slowly pushes herself up to sit on the edge of the bed, setting her socked feet on the floor and grimacing immediately as she realizes she's practically encrusted with ocean salt and sand, still damp in places, and very itchy. ]

Please tell me they have baths.

[ It takes a minute for her body to catch up to each of the discomforts, but shortly, the hunger hits as well. ]

Thanks for the food. I'm famished.

[ With another grimace, she pushes herself from the bed onto one of the small chairs arranged by the table. The room is small, and the furniture feels a little crammed in, but the overall effect is charming and cozy, not cluttered. Clearly, everything has been arranged with care. She'll have to go downstairs and thank the innkeeper properly when she's more put together, figure out how to actually pay. Free supplies, perhaps. Something worked out with a trader she's done jobs for before. Something to think about later.

Right now, she grabs a hunk of bread and dips it right into the stew, not even bothering with the utensils.

After a few bites, Viktor gets a more thorough look-over. They do need to talk, but-- later. She doesn't shoot the idea down, either way, instead asking a question of her own. ]

Are you all right? No broken bones, no significant injuries?

Edited (one million typos) 2022-06-17 20:27 (UTC)

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