[Nexus] Home 10

[orb_of_blood]

Aceford Manor

Shada hesitates. Well... it isn't filled with gnolls or ghosts. That was good... wasn't it? Wait, who's the blonde? Shada's never seen her before. She studies the photo. This must be Marty's wife. She looks sort of like Sleet. Sleet was blonde and pretty too. Funny.

The chest catches her eye. She walks over to it, feeling a little safer already. {So you're just going to rifle through your friends stuff?}
...yeah, pretty much. She attempts to open the chest.

[Hattish Thing]

Aceford Manor

Marty has placed his wifes clothes and belongings in here neatly folded with care. The door closes and locks quietly. A ghostly figure appears. Shes a beatiful elf, she wears a wedding ring thats matches Marty. Hello? Marty? Love? Are you there?

[orb_of_blood]

Aceford Manor

GHOST! Wait, she didn't seem harmful. Uh, no. It's me. Pris-... uh, Shada. Another figment of her imagination, she was sure of it. Regardless, this one seemed more friendly than the gnoll.

((If it is a real ghost it should still be able to see the gnoll behind her. Contrary to Shada's belief the gnoll is actually real. It's a ghost apparation which has been tied to her by a different gnoll mage after she left and is invisible to all other corporeal beings. This is common practice so that fewer people trust the escaped slave and they are easier to recapture.))

{This is getting interesting.} The gnoll says. {Aren't you scared?}

Only completely. Is Shada's reply.

[Hattish Thing]

Aceford Manor
Who are you? Why is there a bloody gnoll in my room? Wheres my Marty?!

[orb_of_blood]

Aceford Manor

Okay, so it could see the gnoll. That means it wasn't real. Shada's face falls a little. You know who I am and what I've been through. Just like all my other hallucinations. Stop acting ignorant. She closes the chest. There's nothing in this room. She declares.

{Wait, you can see me?} Asks the gnoll, surprised. {Can you hear me too?}

Duh. Says Shada, rolling her eyes, you're my hallucination too.

[Hattish Thing]

Aceford Manor
Whats youre name? Whose the gnoll?Do you know May? Were married.

[orb_of_blood]

Aceford Manor

Shada sighs and sits on the bed. You're married? that's a pretty neat trick considering you aren't real. I'm Shada. And you are a figment of my mind. As is he. She nods towards the gnoll.

{How is it you still exist?} He's interested in her now that he knows she can see him.

Shada's tired. She's deemed the room safe and begins to fall asleep.

[Hattish Thing]

Im Martys wife. Im here. I won't let him forget me.I know you. I know Martys feelings.You. I know you.

[orb_of_blood]

^^Who's she talking to? The gnoll or Shada?

[Hattish Thing]

^^Who's she talking to? The gnoll or Shada?

Shada. She is ignoring the gnoll.

[orb_of_blood]

Aceford Manor

That's nice... mumbles Shada sleepily. She's not surprised that one of her imaginings knows her. All of them do. But his wife is dead...

{Helllooo? Crazy gnoll speaking over here!} The gnoll waves his arms about, trying to get her attention.

[Hattish Thing]

Aceford Manor
Shada. My namesake. Dont you hurt my Marty. Or Ill hurt you. Hes fragile. Quiet gnoll.

[orb_of_blood]

Aceford Manor

I wasn't gonna hurt him. Shada says, struggling to stay awake on the soft bed. He's nice.

The gnoll grows tired of being ignored. {If you don't listen to me I'LL be the one who kills 'Marty'!} No, he has no idea if he's actually capable of this. Probably not, but the threat may make her take notice of him.

[Hattish Thing]

Aceford Manor

I wasn't gonna hurt him. Shada says, struggling to stay awake on the soft bed. He's nice.

The gnoll grows tired of being ignored. {If you don't listen to me I'LL be the one who kills 'Marty'!} No, he has no idea if he's actually capable of this. Probably not, but the threat may make her take notice of him.

Gnoll, don't you touch Marty. Youll be living in eternal pain.


Shada. Marty is very fragile. His heart especially. I wont let him forget.

[orb_of_blood]

Aceford Manor

Shada falls asleep without answering. Hardly surprising as she hasn't slept in over five days.

{Nice. And people call gnolls evil. You are just as, if not more, unkind.} The gnoll is glaring violently at her. {You won't let him forget you? How the hell is that a good thing to do? Every day you remind him of his pain, you foolish woman! Then he pauses and thinks for a moment. {Eternal loss. Kinky. I like it.}

[Hattish Thing]

Aceford Manor
I can't let him abandon me, hes loves me. I dont want to leave him...Hes falling for someone else. I will stop that. Gnoll.

[orb_of_blood]

Aceford Manor

The gnoll holds up his hands defensively. {Hey, go for it. I'll even help. But you've got to admit it's torturous and evil. What fun!} If the gnolls approval of her doesn't spark even a small amount of shame, then she has to be evil. He holds out a hand. {Call me Fylder. I'm not actually him, but the name upsets her. Or you could call me Shada's conscience. That works too.}

[Hattish Thing]

[QUOTE=orb_of_blood;12569748]Aceford Manor

The gnoll holds up his hands defensively. {Hey, go for it. I'll even help. But you've got to admit it's torturous and evil. What fun!} If the gnolls approval of her doesn't spark even a small amount of shame, then she has to be evil. He holds out a hand. [I]{Call me Fylder. I'm not actually him, but the name upsets her. Or you could call me Shada's conscience. That work.
I don't understand. How is it torturous? We'll be together forever... I love him. Hes loves me. It wont change.

[orb_of_blood]

Aceford Manor
((I'm giving Flyder a speaking color))

Fylder is skeptical. {You're dead. You have to admit that at least. Haunting him now, reminding him that you're dead means he can't ever move on. It's evil. It's nasty. It's perfect. I love it! When do we start?}

[Hattish Thing]

Aceford Manor
No, hes loves me. I can show you. Marty is having dreams.

[orb_of_blood]

Aceford Manor

{It doesn't matter that he loves you! It's still evil!} Fylder wants to shake this idea into her, but regardless of her ignorance, he's still supportive. {But sure, go ahead and show me.}

[Hattish Thing]

Aceford Manor

{It doesn't matter that he loves you! It's still evil!} Fylder wants to shake this idea into her, but regardless of her ignorance, he's still supportive. {But sure, go ahead and show me.}

Unless stopped Shada leads Fyldar to Marty, who is fitfully sleeping. Ready gnoll? My love is handsome.

[orb_of_blood]

Aceford Manor

Fylder doesn't think he's handsome, but whatever. {Yeah, I'm ready. And call me Fylder not 'gnoll'. I DO have a name that isn't really mine, you know.}

[Hattish Thing]

Aceford Manor
Take my hand Fyldar. Shadas hands are freezing.

[orb_of_blood]

Aceford Manor

Wordlessly, Fylder does as he's told. He's incorporeal and dead and cannot feel warmth or cold. He's glad Shada's asleep and cannot see this. It was awkward...

[Hattish Thing]

Aceford Manor

Wordlessly, Fylder does as he's told. He's incorporeal and dead and cannot feel warmth or cold. He's glad Shada's asleep and cannot see this. It was awkward...

Fyldar sees a young boy. Marty ay 7 drawing a picture. Its a poorly drawn stick figure. Martys father slams the door and enters, drunk. He yells profanities and proceeds to slap Marty off his chairs. Marty falls crying. Martys mother runs in. The father has a beer bottle. The Mother and Father fight. Martys father eventually attacks the mother. Marty stops crying and moves to his mother. Martys looks into his fathers angry face. The memory fades. Next memory..

[orb_of_blood]

Aceford Manor

Fylder bursts out laughing at the memory, the horror of it filling him with glee. Suddenly he's on edge, waiting to see what happens next. If everything went this way he'd barely be able to breathe by the end of it!

[Hattish Thing]

Aceford Manor


An older 15 year old Martys flirts with a dark haired girl with a pretty face. They're laughing. They're at a school. Marty kisses her. Next Marty is arn the courtyard beaten to a pulp. Nose broken, arm broken, heartbroken. The leader of the gang pours salt on Martys bloody face before kicking him into a wall. The dark-haired girl ignored Marty and instead went to the gang leader. These aren't fun at ask.

[orb_of_blood]

Aceford Manor

The gnoll is practically dieing from laughter. Tears are rolling down his face at the bloody scenes and he sits heavily on the ground. ((To get an idea, his laugh sounds like an insane hyena...))

In another part of the house, the guest room, Shada shivers in her sleep as the harsh gnoll laughter pierces her dreams.

[Hattish Thing]

Aceford Manor


The dreams continue.

Now Marty is 21 Hes is walking in the street with Shada. Shada leans on Marty lovingly. They're a perfect pair. The wedding was huge. Marty was truly handsome now. Shada at his side. Then the fire...the screams...the smell of Martys families flesh burning. His dreams breaking.