Post by Lyrikitty on Jul 26, 2010 12:58:06 GMT -5
Alone.
Blank eyes stared into the darkness, haunted. Pained. It was night, and he couldn't sleep. Again.Too often he found the memory of that day, that horrifying moment, playing over and over again. Chayth...
The Roan took to the skies, his one chance to join a Queen Flight in sight. Honuth was a small Queen, and while she was dangerous the Roan was optimistic. He was used to her tactics on the ground. He was used to her games. Why wouldn't he be able to handle her? Dharth had warned him, His had even heard the words of the big Black. Why didn't Chayth listen?
V'yal had warned the Roan as well, asked him not to join. Honuth was dangerous even in the best of moods, and Riosian had turned her into a new breed of monster. But alas Chayth's own body got the better of him. He'd joined countless Flights all across Pern. It wasn't uncommon for him to come out the victor of many of them, and in all he placed high among the contendors. For all the indolence and sweetness of his color Chayth was an oddity.
V'yal had watched Chayth give chase, and had watched as the worst happened. Honuth had blooded only lightly, and it seemed she realized this fact as she flew. She'd turned on the Roan, inviting him in, and he'd foolishly thought she was conceeding defeat. The squeal of pain had hurt, but that wasn't the worst. Honuth...
The Magma blooded the Roan, took him for all he had and feasted on the sweet ichor of his veins to sustain her through the Flight. When he had nothing left to give, his heart barely able to pump, she'd let him go.
There was no salvation of Between for the Roan's body. He hit the ground, still living, to die there in a mangled heap.
Even now, months after that moment, V'yal was a zombie. He moved only when he had to. Most of the time he remained shut away in the infirmary as they watched to make sure he didn't end his own life. He snuck out tonight. A shift change, a lack of attention, and he slide out the door unnoticed. His mind was in turmoil still, and he walked blindly to his former weyr, to the couch where Chayth slept. Chayth.
Gone.
V'yal... No. No longer V'yal. V'yal was a rider. V'yal was a man who had a friend to the very end. He was Vayal now. Dragonless. Friendless. Alone. He sank to his knees, one hand rising to his chest, lightly touching the place he knew was marked by an inked image of the Roan. his Roan. Hot tears stung the eyes of the big man, and he shuddered, slumping to the ground and letting sobs wrack his figure.
He stayed through the night, unmoving, and as Rukbat rose it found Vayal still there, slumped over the edge of the couch his friend had once occupied. His bare torso occasionally heaving in silent grief, hands covering his features and hair hiding him away from the world.
Blank eyes stared into the darkness, haunted. Pained. It was night, and he couldn't sleep. Again.Too often he found the memory of that day, that horrifying moment, playing over and over again. Chayth...
The Roan took to the skies, his one chance to join a Queen Flight in sight. Honuth was a small Queen, and while she was dangerous the Roan was optimistic. He was used to her tactics on the ground. He was used to her games. Why wouldn't he be able to handle her? Dharth had warned him, His had even heard the words of the big Black. Why didn't Chayth listen?
V'yal had warned the Roan as well, asked him not to join. Honuth was dangerous even in the best of moods, and Riosian had turned her into a new breed of monster. But alas Chayth's own body got the better of him. He'd joined countless Flights all across Pern. It wasn't uncommon for him to come out the victor of many of them, and in all he placed high among the contendors. For all the indolence and sweetness of his color Chayth was an oddity.
V'yal had watched Chayth give chase, and had watched as the worst happened. Honuth had blooded only lightly, and it seemed she realized this fact as she flew. She'd turned on the Roan, inviting him in, and he'd foolishly thought she was conceeding defeat. The squeal of pain had hurt, but that wasn't the worst. Honuth...
The Magma blooded the Roan, took him for all he had and feasted on the sweet ichor of his veins to sustain her through the Flight. When he had nothing left to give, his heart barely able to pump, she'd let him go.
There was no salvation of Between for the Roan's body. He hit the ground, still living, to die there in a mangled heap.
Even now, months after that moment, V'yal was a zombie. He moved only when he had to. Most of the time he remained shut away in the infirmary as they watched to make sure he didn't end his own life. He snuck out tonight. A shift change, a lack of attention, and he slide out the door unnoticed. His mind was in turmoil still, and he walked blindly to his former weyr, to the couch where Chayth slept. Chayth.
Gone.
V'yal... No. No longer V'yal. V'yal was a rider. V'yal was a man who had a friend to the very end. He was Vayal now. Dragonless. Friendless. Alone. He sank to his knees, one hand rising to his chest, lightly touching the place he knew was marked by an inked image of the Roan. his Roan. Hot tears stung the eyes of the big man, and he shuddered, slumping to the ground and letting sobs wrack his figure.
He stayed through the night, unmoving, and as Rukbat rose it found Vayal still there, slumped over the edge of the couch his friend had once occupied. His bare torso occasionally heaving in silent grief, hands covering his features and hair hiding him away from the world.