castleinthemist | 05 - Open

Entry tags:

atla: toph bei fong [ou]

05 - Open - Shadows

Toph is walking. She's not sure where, or why, only that she is.

Thought processes escape her as the dark creatures move around her. She's walking with other shadow monsters, and they do nothing to attack her.

This makes no sense.

A shadow pauses at her shoulder and hisses. It's almost as if it's speaking with her, and some small, distant piece of her left behind in a storage room is terrified that she can understand it. But now, Toph pays no mind to it and simply follows orders.

They're on a hunt.

The scent of mortal castle dwellers is fresh in the hall. Someone had been through it not very long ago, and they were out to find them, if they could. They didn't know who it was or if they were even still around, but the orders remained.

Hunt. Find. Retrieve. Serve the Queen.

Her head falls back as she moves and she lets out a noise that's half a moan and half a cry of pain to the detectable range of mortal hearing. She's doing her best to obey the order, partially because her non-body is forcing her to do it, and partially because her mind can't stop her.

It's likely to be a strange, probably disturbing sight to see the strong-willed girl meandering mindlessly and amongst the shadows, at least to the people who know her... and there is no question that it's possibly sickening to those who were unfortunate enough to see her lifeless body for themselves. The castle is putting its dead to work, whether she wants it or not.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Sokka was worried.

Something had happened. He knew something had happened. He just felt it. He couldn't explain the feeling any more than he could explain how he was in the castle, but it was there and he just couldn't ignore it either.

It didn't take long for him to realize that Toph hadn't come back to her room in a while, but finding her friend to ask if he knew what happened to her had proven a fruitless search at the time.

So he set out on his own to find her.

She still hadn't gotten around to making him another weapon to use, and he hadn't been to the supposed magical fountain where he could possibly wish for his sword back, but he still went. Hobbling on a makeshift crutch crafted from some of the wood that was often lying around, he made his way slowly through the halls, looking in every nook and cranny for the Earthbender.

He didn't call out for her, but the hairs on the back of his neck were standing up anyway with the sense that something was following him.

Toph waited at the back of the shadows. Movement was still hard for her. She was uncoordinated and clumsy, certainly nothing like she was as flesh and bone.

The shadows called to her again, ordering her forward, but all she could do was hold her head and mutter something. A small fist clenched and she let out a groan before finally giving in and shuffling onward in the hunt.

Luckily for Sokka, neither she nor the other shadows had seen him.

Yet.

And Sokka hadn't seen or heard them yet. He felt something at the back of his neck, but honestly at the moment it was no different than the usual feeling he had when hobbling around the castle. Icky, uncomfortable, something watching him when there were no eyes around...

He continued around a corner, looking around with a crestfallen expression. Still no sign of Toph. Where in the world could she be?!

The hall was empty as far as the shadows were concerned. They retreated to the portal before melting, and reforming elsewhere.

They began searching the room and scrounging about for clues and hints about their prey. Nothing, though.

Toph mindlessly wandered away from the safety of the group. Her head was down as she walked into the hall, moaning and mumbling and half-sobbing to herself. One hand held her head while the other wrapped around her front. She stumbled before collapsing to her knees some distance in front of Sokka.

He almost didn't hear it.

Almost.

It was more like a faint 'thud' than the sound of an actual body hitting stone, but it was enough to make him stop and slowly turn around, a look of fear in his eyes.

"... T... Toph... ?"

Unfortunately.

At the sound of her name, the shadow clenched its body tight and let out a strangled moan. She raised her head, nearly too far, facing the ceiling. After a few moments, she let her head fall to the side, staring with unseeing, dead eyes towards him.

"S... ok..."

... what?

... she... she forgot.

She leaned forward again, holding he head and forcing herself to her feet. She knew him, but couldn't remember. He was someone special to her, but she didn't know how.

All she knew is that she didn't want him hurt, and if he stuck around, that's exactly what would happen.

"... Go," she muttered, the sound nearly lost in a hazy breath.

Go, run away, Sokka.

Sokka whirled around, staring at the form with his own eyes wide and frightened. His heart sank, hearing that distorted, not quite normal voice coming from her, recognizing the sound of it in spite of how strange it was.

"Wh-- ... b-but... I can't! I can't leave you like this!" he cried out, shaking his head frantically. He couldn't. She was his friend. She recognized him. Maybe not fully, but enough for him to know that something of her was still in there.

But how could he save her?

She repeated the command with more force and a stronger tone. Her body shook as she said it, almost like it would collapse without her consent at any moment.

Leave before you get hurt, Sokka. Listen to me!

If she could, she would have yelled at him. She would have insulted him, thrown rocks at him, pushed him out of the way by the ground under his feet. Something, ANYTHING to get him away and safe!

But she couldn't. She could only fight to not react, not to alert the other shadows.

Sokka just stared, actually wincing at the rough tone the shadow Toph had taken with him. This wasn't a plea, it was a warning.

He looked up, over where her shoulder was, just barely seeing the distant forms of other shadows far enough away that they didn't realize he was there.

He swallowed hard, taking a tentative step back.

Other shadows... she was like those other shadows. She felt the need, the urge to attack him, take him back under her queen's power and let her feed from his life force.

Toph felt the need to call to her shadowy brethren to assist in Sokka's capture. Or maybe she could do it herself. He was injured. He couldn't run far. He probably wouldn't run far- the poor boy was like a Lamb Calf when it came to his friends, if her shadowed mind remembered correctly.

It wouldn't be long before she lost control of herself and it would no longer be an issue of keeping him safe from the others- it would be keeping him safe from her. She knew it was coming, but she didn't know when or where.

But she needed him to run, to flee and put as much distance between him and they as he could. She couldn't find the words, though. All the small earthbender could accomplish was raising a hand and slamming it to the ground as if preparing to pull herself after him.

Leave while I still have my sanity.

Sokka recoiled at the shadowy hand slamming in to the ground out of instinct, but no rocks or stone emerged from where she struck. But that was still enough of a hint that she was losing control for him to finally consider moving.

"... I'll find a way to fix this, Toph! I'll bring you back!" he called out, turning around as the crutches would let him and hobbled away frantically.

Stepping onto the roof, he brandished his machete. Stairs? Down to this domed area? What the hell was down there? Duo leaned against the shifted metal gate and looked down. Was that were Toph was hiding out? Was it solid?

"Toph! Oi!" Where'd she go? A bit hesitant, he kicked on his hover boots for support, heading down the stairs and moving into the hole in the wall. "You in there?" Nothing. Nothing but the smell of mulch and wet, rotted wood.

Ew. "Dammit kid. Where'd you end up?" Duo took a step back, standing upon the stairs that was obviously made through Toph's earthbending. Turning around, he started heading up, casually glancing down off the side to see exactly he was standing over. What a drop? About 500 yards. Looking down, he kicked a rock down into a trees hanging off the side of the castle walls. He squinted down there.

Did he... Something he made out vaguely looked like a human torso. He felt sick for a moment but turned away. No. That could never happen to Toph. Too tough for that.

He made it back up to the roof, shaking it off. No way in hell. Alright, onward. He walked out towards the trolley. He'd go just a while longer.

The young shadow girl paused in her shuffling.

What was that sound? Why did it make her lifeless heart burn with these feelings she couldn't place?

She turned her head towards the sounds, but was mindless to do anything else. The others had heard it, too, obviously, as they moved about her, nudging and pushing her towards the portal. They sank into it, becoming darkness again and disappearing completely from the hall way.

The portal opened up again in the corner of the area. It was as close as they could get to the lone traveler.

The more mature shadows moved with their usual grace, bleeding out of the ground and forming themselves until they were as solid as they could be. Without much hesitation, they advanced.

Toph stood behind in their departing midst, still trying to process things. It was easier said than done.

The moment he saw the shadows form out of that portal and move towards him, he almost immedietly scowled, his brows furrowing and his face distorting into something that no man would be wise to cross. He stared at them with bitterness and contempt.

What was it about this roof that made them want to attack him?! Duo near snarled as he ran forward to meet that big horned one, slashing it forward to bisect it, hopefully. It only send it backwards. Then another. A bug like one he slashed at. "Screw this." He said.

One more slash at another one and he started running for the stairs.

The chase was on. They weren't letting Duo get away that easily, were they?

Nope. Not a chance.

Not far from where they were, the dead Earthbender let out a noise of anguish and protest.

Her new found instincts kicked in and she shambled towards Duo to cut him off, her ever-sightless eyes even more dead and unreactive as ever.

"Catch. Retrieve... M-my queen," she muttered, as soft and dark as the shadows themselves.

Duo had used the hover boots to gain speed on he shadows. He was even grinning a bit looking back at how slow those bastards were as he approached the stairs. Then he skidded to a stop, eyes wide. He was stunned by what he saw, the voice he'd heard.

"T-Toph?" He yelped, moving back a few yards. She was one of them?! His stomach sank and his throat went dry, his hands were shaking so much he almost dropped his machete. Just as one of the other shadows snuck back up on him. He twisted around on his feet and slashed that big guy back again, ignoring Toph.

Probably not the best idea in the world.

She was still a strong little tyke, and she was not his friend any longer.

She didn't see him as Duo Maxwell, the lovable dorky man from space. She saw him as little more than prey; a gift to take back to the one who ruled her mind against her will.

Toph reached up and locked her fist in his tunic and pulled downward, hard. She began walking backwards, content to drag him along behind her as she clumsily and unsteadily made her way to the portal, the other shadows happy to help the newling with her first kill.

One of the other ones wrenched his arm around, forcing him to drop his machete to the ground. Once helpless, his arms were held above his head by the larger one, following Toph close behind as she pulled him to the portal. ShitshitSHIT!

"Toph! NO! Stop!" Duo yelled, struggling all the while as she pulled him onward.

Scream all you'd like, Duo. She can't hear you.

Or so she'd like it to be. She can hear you perfectly. But there's nothing she can do about it to help you. She can hold her head, and make a gargled, more agonized version of the noise she once made when she figured out just how limited her powers were.

She was frustrated, because she was helpless.

She was hurting a friend, and she couldn't stop herself. All she could do was let the shadows and the dark queen rule her as she dragged her faithful friend to what could potentially be a dangerous situation.

The look on her face speaks volumes. She's distraught, angry, and even pained... but her hold on him is strong and her movements unstopping.

He yelled out now, not to Toph, not to reason with her, but for help. But he came alone. He didn't say where he was going. He could see that Toph didn't want to do it, but that she had no choice, he didn't blame her. He still struggled and thrashed, after all, Toph wouldn't really be happy with him if he just gave up!

He kicked and jerked his hands, all the way into the cold depth of the portal where she began to drag him in. "SOMEBODY!" He shouted, trying to reach out. Even if there was anyone, would they even be able to save him in time?

Down to his neck, he took in a breath for fear of drowning in this black abyss.

Drown? No. Not actually. Breathing was perfectly fine as the darkness flooded even the smallest crevices of the body.

He would be drained, though, as he was dragged through the black sludge of the shadow monster's world, moving him from one portal to another. This one appeared in the sarcophagus itself. She dropped her hold on him and instead picked him up- seemingly with strength that wasn't her own- by the front of his shirt and positioned him accordingly.

The grip on his tunic became looser and eventually her hand lay softly, apologetically against his chest. It slid down and back to her side as she hung her head and sank back into the portal.

There, all that Toph was under that black coating of shadow finally burst out, bubbled to the brink of explosion, and she let out a dark-encrusted scream. ... but all that responded was just the vast, forever silence of the evil of the castle.

And she left him just edging on unconsciousness, shivering and cold, gasping for air despite himself. He looked into Toph's pained eyes which he could barely see, feeling her hand against his chest. Oh god, Toph. What happened?

He leaned against the stocks his hands were locked into, his forehead against the cold stone as the girl disappeared. "Dammit!"

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

05 - Open - Shadows

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject