Jeremy Dantoh's Story

"Slowly the golden tendrils began to rise above the horizon, the sun caressing the night and slowly chasing her back to the other side of the world as he softly touched the trees and stirred them to life with gentle kisses. Limp branches perked up in the struggle for his attention as the sun climbed, tendrils of pink, orange, and red streaking across the bellies of the clouds and shading them away from the night. The sun could not pierce the darkness of the wall, but rather struck against it as like a shadow it began to advance, climbing up it to welcome a new day."
- nibblesnbits, 2014-03-31 18:30 CEST -

Day 2 Dawns!

*Skipping to the Morning*

The Sun begun to rise. Karma awoke. Xin was gone and Eve, being dead, had never fallen asleep to begin with. Her stomach rumbled, she was starving. It had been three days since her last meal and she had ended her fasting. However she would not hunt. Karma had things to do before she commenced her day.

Rising to her feet, Karma turned to face the sun. She exhaled deeply and begun to move at a snails pace. It seemed very similar to what Xin Zhao was doing the other day except it did not seem as deadly. The movements were very slow and precise. At time she even seemed like a statue, with the sheer amount of focus she was putting into this. It was also very relaxing. As she did this she hummed a song. A song unknown to any one in these lands and probably even to Xin but she knew it very well.

Noticing the steady and quiet movement, Eve looked up at Karma. Seeing her moving around carefully, why? Charlotte was already awake and finishing that half burnt rabbit that was left to cook by accident last night. It was simply warmed up. She's always been bad at cooking. But what about Jeremy? His life energy was stagnant, as if it were sleeping. Is he giving Eve time to do what she wants? They need to find someone who can be used as a medium to enter hell.

"Hey, what are you doing?" Eve called out, she hadn't spoken ever since they returned to the fire, causing her voice to become even more croaked and death-life.
"Oh yeah, I don't think I've met you before. That crazy dancer, yeah. But not you." Eve spoke her words between grunts as she attempted to stand. Her body was stiff and clicked all over as she made a huge effort just to bend her legs.
Finally, with a little help from the stuffed Charlotte, Eve managed to stand. Her body more maneuverable, she moved around a little. Just to make sure.

The Unlikely Hunter

Xin Zhao stood in a pond he had found. It wasn't much larger than the previous pond he had been to yesterday. This one was bigger and it had fish that would swim to the shallow ends. However like most fish, they were spooked easily and so it would near impossible to hit them with his spear...Well if he wasn't smart about it. Xin had woken up early to look for food. He forged berries and kept the majority of them in a pocket he had in his robes. The rest he used to bait traps in hopes of getting small rodents. He had no luck hunting the bigger game, his spear gave him reach but it was not designed to be thrown like a hunter's spear was and so it was of little use in downing them. He did find this pond and immediately had an idea on how to catch a fish.

He stood in the shallow end with his spear ready. Xin's eyes were focused on the water below him, looking at the fish. At first the fish were hesitant. What the heck is that? They must have asked themselves when they saw his feet in the water. He stood there a long time. He did not move. He was still like a crane. Eventually the fish came back. They trusted this new thing in their environment. After all it hadn't tried to-

Like lightning, Xin slammed his spear into water and impale a fish. It flopped about as he retracted his spear and walked back to the shore where he had left the other fish he placed in a make shift basket which was really just pine tree bark. Satisfied with his catch he went walking back to the camp...except he became lost. But poor Xin had not realized this.

Soon the smell of fish and the sound of a man whistling a cheerful march could be smelled and heard by Earth and Ammy.

Karma's Early Morning

"Hey, what are you doing?" Eve called out, she hadn't spoken ever since they returned to the fire, causing her voice to become even more croaked and death-life.
"Oh yeah, I don't think I've met you before. That crazy dancer, yeah. But not you."

"In my homeland it is called Tai Chi and my name is Diao Zhu Xiao...I think you'll find it easier to merely address me by the name some of you Westerners gave me...Karma.".

"Tai Chi? That sounds weird. Anyway, I'm Eve." Eve replied, she was confused with the strange name. Is it normal for easterners to give weird names?

"It is a martial art used for self defense but mostly for self healing... It is nice to meet you Eve."

"Self healing? That's quite interesting." Eve had a little smile behind the rags covering her mouth. Life can be so intriguing at times, especially how these easterners can do things like that.
"Do you know where the dancer went?"

"He probably went to get food. His warrior's code bind him to take care of his people and I am currently unable to get my own food. He was probably also hungry."

"Oh, you sure he is fine doing that alone? He seems pretty strange anyway..."

"I'm certain you will eventually find me strange. It is our ways and our culture...They differ from yours. And I'm certain he will be fine. He is an Imperial Soldier in our Emperor's Army back in our country."

"Then what is he doing here if he's supposed to be a soldier?"

"He is following whatever orders he was given."

"I see..." Suddenly, Eve remembered. Jeremy had told her to find a living being which can be used as a medium to enter hell. This woman, Karma, seems like she would do.
"Oh yeah! On a separate note, do you want to visit hell?" Eve asked the question, exactly as Jeremy has told her to do. It is definitely something she would not say. As soon as the question was asked, Jeremy's life energy took over. Eve's eye blackened a little and changed to become the same natural glare that Jeremy had.

Karma chuckled at the question. "There is no hell..."

"You want me to prove it's existence?"

"I have seen what your people call hell..It is merely but one part of the Spirit Realm. I have also seen worse..."

"There is worse? I, personally, have never seen this hell. But Jeremy told me to go there but I need a living being to enter it. Charlotte is too young"

"Who is this Jeremy...And why would you need a living being? Can you not merely enter this plane or does death forbid you from doing so as I do."

"Ah." Eve paused a little to think, she could not give away that she is Jeremy controlling her body temporarily. It's best to act like he is Eve, but how?
"Jeremy is the necromancer that reanimated me. And that is basically the explanation, being reanimated means that I cannot enter hell or heaven. Although Necromancy magic can allow living beings to enter hell." The tone changed a little as Jeremy attempted to sound casual, unaware of Eve's type of speech.

"So if he is a necromancer and he reanimated you...Where is he?"

Eve looked away a little. Jeremy tried to make it seem that Eve was sad and still mourning his 'Death'. She finally gave a reply.
"Dead."

While the two were talking, Karma was continuing her martial arts. At the same time, Charlotte had stood and was situated near the easterner. She danced around, concentrating on Karma in an attempt to copy her movements. It looked like she was having fun, she was giggling and ignoring her faults as she danced around, falling over a couple times just to get up and continue.
It's strange how the four year old girl and easily forget about all of the stuff she has seen, it must be traumatizing. Unless she does remember everything and is constantly thinking about it. It's impossible to tell what a child is thinking at times...

Xin Zhao continued to walk, his free hand holding the makeshift pine bark basket while his right held on to his Spear. The cheerful tone he whistled, an Army march he was often times marched to when he was back home, was , perhaps, on its forth repetition (with many more replies coming) before Xin made a turn at a tree and met a familiar face. The tall and muscular blonde warrior with swords tied around his waist and a massive two handed blade on his back was not a sight you easily forget. With smile and a bow, Xin greeted the man saying.

"Aah. So we meet again...Dirt right? That was your name?".

Puzzled and pondering Xin looked to the ground, muttering things, before exclaiming. "How foolish of me! Your name is Earth, I apologize.".

Xin bowed once more before continuing to extend an invitation. "Me, a woman from my country, and one of the Corpses that followed your friend have made camp not too far from here...Perhaps you'd like to join us?...But first you can aid me find it...".


_______________________________________________________________

Karma held a pose and smiled at the child who was imitating her. She was reminded of herself when she was a youth and her own master would do the very same morning routine that she did now. Oh then she fell on her bum and without shedding a tear, the youthful little girl giggled and got back up to resume the pose.

"Is this his little girl Eve?". Karma's smile slowly disappeared as she closed her eyes and returned to focusing on her Tai Chi. "Or does she belong to someone in the village?".

The beauty of the morning was short lived. The sun could hardly reach over the wall, before the clouds began to slowly creep from over the mountains. They came rolling over the top, bringing with them a barrage of darkness. The sun had no chance to beat them back as they welled and rolled up like a tidal wave. Lightning flashed, and a moment later the sound of the sky splitting ricocheted through the air with a defining crack. Creatures went scurrying into their holes, as the trees began to tremble. The air buzzed and hummed with electric static, the forest suddenly going cold.

There was a lull, then the clouds opened and wept. The ground shook with another crash of lightning, illuminating everything for a bright moment as the fat drops began to fall. Trees quaked, their roots drinking as the rain fell. And with it came a strange fog. It rose ever-so-slightly off the ground, only a foot or two, letting the pounding of the rain deal with the rest of visibility.

- Rejoice! The heavens have opened! Sweet rain! -

"Is this his little girl Eve?". Karma's smile slowly disappeared as she closed her eyes and returned to focusing on her Tai Chi. "Or does she belong to someone in the village?".

Eve giggled, Jeremy had disappeared back into the depths of the life energy circling around Eve's body. As a reply to Karma's question, Eve spoke through her giggling; "No, Charlotte is my daughter. She never really knew her father, and Jeremy was more like a fatherly figure." It was amusing to hear something that can be so offending, although it is understandable. Charlotte looks nothing like Eve, at the moment. Since Jeremy is surviving inside her dead body, the 'corruption' had changed her look. It doesn't matter though, as long as Jeremy can survive.

Suddenly, it had begun raining. The wetness running down her hair and clothing was satisfying, at least it would be, if she wasn't dead. Before, Eve would enjoy the feel of being doused in the rain. But now, her body is numb, constantly, that's the side effect of being reanimated. It was a miracle that Eve could speak, unless it's because of Jeremy's life energy. There is one major question though, why did he give Eve the ability to think and do things as she pleases? Where his other corpses were mindless 'grunts'...

Xin came back to the camp after much idle conversation with Earth as they wondered around with the fish. By the time that they had arrived however, the fish had gone bad and so instead. Xin got rid of it. When he walked into camp he put the berries he had in his pocket on the basket and placed them down before the group. Everyone grabbed their share of what little there and Xin apologized to the group for failing to acquire more food. Recalling Earth's earlier question, he responded. "I do not know where your friend is. Perhaps the Corpse will know.".

He pointed at Eve and continued to eat his berries as the rain fell on them all. Karma had stopped her Tai Chi to play with Charlotte. The two giggled cheerfully as Charlotte taught Karma how to play a western game for children called "patty-cake". Xin opened up his contain and let ti sit there so that it could fill up with rain water.

"So Earth...What has become of the shapeshifter?".

"... ...She ran."
The rain drilled into his dry hair, absorbed, weighing the golden pony tail it down, slicking it against his skin and neck. Earths gaze was unusually stiff, his body lacking its typical carefree laxness.
"I intend to trace her."
Earths neck did not turn and his eye shifted onto Eve.
"Where is Jeremy?”
“ I need to ask him a favor."

Eve was busy giggling while watching Charlotte and Karma playing around. It's nice to see your daughter playing around and having fun, especially at a time like this. Jeremy's clothing which she was wearing had already soaked through in this rain, but that does not prevent the enchanted fabric from working, it just looks like it's seen better days. She then noticed the Dancing Easterner had pointed towards her, only for Earth to appear in her gaze as well.
"Where is Jeremy?”
“ I need to ask him a favor."

"Uh." Eve had to think, she could say that he is 'dead' like she had told the others. However, Jeremy did know Earth personally. He would understand Jeremy's position right now.
"Could you come with me? I gotta speak to you." Eve said, her voice croaked and mono toned as usual.
She stood and waved her hand in a way to call Earth over as she slowly walked away from the group.

Now Karma spoke, her hands wrapped around the child as she laughed thinking that Karma played with her but what Karma was really doing was covering her ears. "Jeremy is dead, Eve told me this.". She said and released Charlotte. Charlotte in turn jumped on Karma, knocking her back and laughed. "I surrender! I surrender!". Charlotte gave no quarter and continued to "assault" the evil Karma, who in turn tried to defend herself by tickling the little girl.

"Dead?"
It was a word spoken with mediocre surprise and along with momentary glance it what Earth left to Karma before he turned round and walked off with Eve.
The ground was squeezed of water, greasy brown liquid filling the spaces between his toes as he lay foot upon foot on the forest floor.
"Where is Jeremy?"

Eve stayed quiet until the two had gotten far away enough, it was a good reason that it's raining. The sound of their words would be flushed out.
"Right here." Eve spoke out, her eye darkened and fell to the same natural glare that Jeremy had. The tone of her speaking also matched Jeremy's. "Something dangerous happened to my body, Eve gave me permission to survive in her body until I can get mine back."

Eve was staring at Earth, the cheek under the leather that was stitched onto her face -exactly like Jeremy's- twitched. It was new, so the dead body would still react.
"I also happen to have a favor to ask of you. Although, I will listen to yours first."

"Locate the wolf's lifeenergy."

"Moose girl? Uh..." Eve looked around, searching for that large amount of life energy. But it wasn't around. Hm, she must be out of the radius. "I can't find the large amount of life energy." Eve claimed to Earth, she seemed a bit annoyed with being unable to find that woman.

"Will you listen to my request?"

"Will you listen to my request"

"... ..."
"He can't find...? what now. Am I in a hurry?"
Earth's eye was somewhat focusing, squinting in thought. Random raindrops showered his tall figure, splashing against the skin of his upper back and shoulder, a few drops cleaved by the sharp oh his great sword.
"Sure. I will listen." Words thouched by a slight melancholy, that impression enhanced by the roaring sound of rain against water drenched earth.

"Sure. I will listen."

Of course he would listen, Earth is a nice guy like that. Jeremy will have to repay him by helping him search for the moose girl. The rain had completely soaked Eve's hair which fell over her face. Jeremy's clothing which she was wearing was also dripping, but it was ignored. How can a dead person get a cold?

"I need you to come to hell with me. As you can see, I had to leave my body. I need a living being to enter hell, and then I can meet an old friend. After that, I can help you." Eve explained quickly, she seemed bored and annoyed. Although that was Jeremy's emotions, not hers. Actually, what is Charlotte doing?

Eve giggled with Earth's acceptance, finally there was a way to bring Jeremy's body back, all healthy. Well, still dead.
"We should go tell the others about our quick adventure. I need someone to keep an eye on Charlotte while we're gone." Eve spoke, her voice a little more serious with a hint of excitement hiding behind the croaked tone.
It's quite lucky that Earth knows that Eve is Jeremy, and that he would gladly assist in bringing Jeremy back, but first thing to do is to make sure that Charlotte will be safe.
--
Earth went after Jerevey, absent as though from a background.

--///Morning in Tomachi village, around one day ago///--

Earth: “What is it this time?”
“There stood a giant tree here some 10 000 years ago, the greatest tree ever rooted in this earth. Now it is dead, and has been so for a long time. The spirit that was the tree has grown old and weak. You are going to bring it an earlier perish”
Earth: “… … …Sounds good.”
Earth: “Did you negotiate (blackmail) any assistant this time?”
“As a matter in fact I did, not that you should need it to cut the old wood dead, but I was feeling kind.” Her voice rang tauntingly and confident in his mind. It wasn’t too loud, too sharp, too high pitched or innately uncomfortable in any such manner, but under a shallow smoothness, it had uneasiness to it.
“… …”
“What’s this? You won’t thank me for bringing help along?” She continued playing around with him, selfishly.
Earth: “…You know me.”
“Hah! I do! You and your fetish. To think you would never grow out of it! …Its such a pain (literary), for both you and me… But it has its advantages I guess. They usually complain much more than this one”
Earth: “…Shall we start?”(this one?...is she speaking to herself again)
“Sure.”

Earth was in the village, standing in the middle of a dirt ground square. There were around fifty people behind and next to him wearing black, standing in unorganized lines that still held an air of fellowship and readiness to them. Jeremy was there. Each person free in the way they stood, but you could feel a somewhat central leadership emitted from the one standing in front. Erath. He was wearing his usual white on legs and nothing on chest except the simple iron rig holding in place the great giant glory sword on his back.
The square had been cleared of villagers, who were instead curiously peeking out of windows and doors, alleys and nearby roads, a large safe perimeter away from the middle of the open flat piece of village dirt upon which Earth was standing. They all felt that something was going down.

“This is where the tree was?”
“Yes. This is where it will be.”
“Are you sure the assistant is reliable?”
“Watch your tongue. It was I who bargained with him. Of course he is.” She was not actually mad, but only ever playing.
“Who is it?”
“It is a long golden serpent named Atharal.”
“Where will he enter?”
“He is golden, so probably through something golden.”
“… … My hair or the hilt then.”
“Yessss.” She was getting a little impatient.
“Now open your eye and let me drag them out here!”

“Should I encourage him as he enters?”
“You can try, but you will probably end up insulting him as you are not very good at it.”
“… …hm. What does he look like? What is he like?”
“You can call him a dragon. He is proud but stagnant, that is why he does not want to enter this world.”
“And you won’t let him back into the spirit realm if he does not help us.”
“Hihi. Exactly.”
“…Here goes huh.”
Earths voice in his mind was static, but his chest was stirring. A feeling of great anticipation; to stand on the brink of engaging in the best of physical exertions, in his case brutalities. His was anxious to get started, and he opened his left eye. It did not begin bleeding, and it did not give him foresight: this was something different.

The air before Earth fluctuated, waving and distorting as though heated, but if you would call the heat waves rising from a black road on a hot summer day a flowing river, you would call these distortions a whirlpool. And it was not really the air of the world that was fluctuating but the very fabric of this dimension. It was a pathway being opened between this world and the realm of spirits, a hole whirling and widening, stretching far in order pull in something absolutely massive.
Encouraging his assistant, Earth spoke with a low voice, trying hard to infuse the words that left his lips with respect and awe as the enemy took shape before him. The spirit of the tree was forming in this world.

“Spirit of gold, spirit of glory, of greatness and peace enduring. Wrap yourself around me, your lithe and slender, fill me with the power of thee, let me tear this beast asunder.”

The spirit of the tree was stone and massive, green and old. A ruin of a greatness that once was, now with a lazy lifeless look in its old black eyes. Eyes small in portion to its head and a head small in proportion to its body, but eyes each still large as a house of the village. This was the spirit of the greatest tree ever to be. A solid jaw and teeth of stone, it had nothing to say in the face of an enemy. It looked almost as if it wanted to perish.

Earth began shouting as he detached the great blade from his back, shifting onto one leg, lifting the hilt off of the hooks on his belt that held it, and flinging it into his hands with a flick of his ankle. From his hand, it was swung decisively, so that the sharp tip was aimed ahead at the giant beast of stone and green, the great blade extended, the thick shaft embraced by a steady hand attached to a sturdy arm and a body of great prowess and vigorous greatness.
Earth shouted in the face of the enemy, his back tall in front of his allies.

“Come forth, come far - come fast, come fierce - Come through me and fill the length my blade, golden dragon, proud serpent, you who are of calmness in ferocity, be adored! ATHARAL!!!”

The golden ponytail of Earth came alive and began radiating brightly swelling violently in length and width, buoyantly floating and waving with a freedom as it was in waves of liquid untouched by gravity. It grew longer and longer and brighter and brighter to the point where it no longer looked a mans hair, but a dawning serpent sun. That was then Earth began charging.
Explosive acceleration and elegant speed, leaned far forward, so far that he could touch the soil with his hand would he want to. But his hands were busy holding the great sword along his side. Parallel with the earth, it pointed straight backwards, its tip was like cloth trailing his movement thrown back by the swiftness of his dash. The dirt was cast in the wake of his feet and the world was flashing by.

The golden radiant hair, its length extended to at least twice that of Earth; it was being dragged behind his being, a line of brightness tracing his path. From its tips formed a dragon’s head, one of Chinese esthetics. It spawned and slithered from the brightness out into the open and looped back, headed straight for the tip of Earths sword. The voice of the great dragon of light roared loud, deep, bass and surreal.
“NICE SPEECH BOY - FOR A VILLAN AND A MURDERER - YOU ALMOST HAD ME FLATTERED. NOW BORROW MY STRENGHT AND THAN HAVE YOUR MISTRESS LEAVE ME BE.”
“… …” Earth did not answer; the enemy was not far away now. He was close enough.
Earth leapt into the air, taking off of the ground with a spring like leg launching him into a soaring flight. The dragon, still rooted in his hair, gaped and forwarded, devouring the blade of Earth, as Earth arched his body and pulled a leg forward, its knee in front of his chest. The entirety of his body was outstretched in order to be contracted with utmost power. As the head of the dragon reached the golden hilt of the sword it dissolved and compressed, flowing into the metal, filling it through and through, painting it into a sun. Earth came down upon the stone beast with an elongated sun of metal raised above his head, and with the clenching of his hands and an implosion of every muscle on the front of his body the sun metal descended towards the stone beast, whistling deep and low through air, before roaring loud and violent through stone.

As the sun blade set in the stone beast, the rocks were crumbled and shattered, turned into dust and shards, and the dragon of light extended its being with a disjointed light that stretched the blade so far it matched the length of the stone and to the sound of earthquakes the giant was cleaved into clean halves. Between the halves Earth soared down and landed. The two small mountains crumbled around him, and when dust lay, left standing was his figure with its fading light glowing in his hair and sword.

But there was something. From the laying dust of the stone giant and from the dyeing glow of the gold dragon, there sipped a darkness. It gathered and grew, there, before him and his allies.
“Earth”
She was speaking in his mind, as she saw it through his eyes. The sound of her voice, from the “Earth” she had uttered, he knew there was something terrifying.
“It seems we’ve been deceived.”