My Sickness...

Malinne · Post by **Malinne** » Tue Mar 18, 2003 4:30 am

Malinne coughs and looks at the blood in the palm of her left hand. A thought comes to her mind and her face shows a vague sign of enlightenment. She sets down her shovel and pulls out a needle, kneels down, and begins to carefully carve words into the rock beneath her:

I do not know what is wrong with me. I have become weaker than usual, at everything I do, even at the things I do best, like mining... I can hardly survive attacks from mummies without constantly healing myself. I don't understand... I've also developed this cough, and it's not just a cough... I spit up blood at times... I think I'm dying.

I don't know what is going on, or what can be done. I do not exactly wish to find a cure... I just want to live my best. I will work harder from now on so I can become strong again, before I die. I have not lost to will to live, I will push myself to live on for as long as I can. The weaker I become, the more I will push myself... Please forgive me if I am not making much sense, my mind is clouded, and I am afraid. I do not know when I will die, so I've decided to carve this into the ground so someone will know before I am gone...

Malinne stands up and brushes the dust from her knees. Without another thought she packs up her shovel and equips her war axe and her strongest armor.

Seth Valor · Post by **Seth Valor** » Tue Mar 18, 2003 4:51 am

Seth Valor passes by, and spots malinnes signature in the rock. He then reads the part she wrote, and gets very saddened. He then begins to sob at the thought that his good friend dieing and him not seeing her again. He sits on the rock, and begins to cry, his tears filling in some of her carving.

Dunthor · Post by **Dunthor** » Tue Mar 18, 2003 4:52 am

Dunthor finds the stone and says

I will find out what you have and find a cure dont worry.

Dunthor goes into the library and starts to study

paul laffing · Post by **paul laffing** » Tue Mar 18, 2003 5:23 am

Paul Laffing walks by Malinne and sees her cough and the blood. He then sees her write the note. He thinks to himself, 'If there is any way I can show her I love her, this is how.' He walks over to her and says, "Malinne, let me help you. I'll do anything i can to help you."

Burin · Post by **Burin** » Tue Mar 18, 2003 6:09 am

Randelf takes out a small ring and laughs.

Bloodhearte · Post by **Bloodhearte** » Tue Mar 18, 2003 4:44 pm

Bloodhearte walks by, and shines an evil grin as his eyes beam a bit of red. After a quick chuckle, he mumbles something before he disappears in a cloud of smoke...

The winds are changing...

Korg Blacktooth · Post by **Korg Blacktooth** » Tue Mar 18, 2003 8:57 pm

*walks by and sees the carvings in the rock and reads them. He gets all sad and his eyes start to water a bit. He walks off to the top of the libary before anyone see his cry and upset.*

Korg Blacktooth · Post by **Korg Blacktooth** » Sun Mar 23, 2003 9:07 am

How are you doing Malinne.....are you feeling better?

Malinne · Post by **Malinne** » Mon Mar 24, 2003 7:34 am

Malinne shakes her head.

Korg... I am am still sick. I have been training hard and I do feel I have more energy and strength, but the symptoms are still there. The coughing is becoming more difficult to contain and the blood is becoming yet more difficult to hide. The cause of my death is inevitable and the gods want it to be this way.

Thank you Korg and thanks to the elven man who found that root. It is probably the cause of my regained strengths. It takes much more than tangible remedies to reverse the will of gods. They are punishing me... and perhaps one day I will share my history which I have finally regained memory of; the whole story...

I am sorry Korg, I do not think that there is much that can be done.

Malinne looks at the ground.

Cain Freemont · Post by **Cain Freemont** » Mon Mar 24, 2003 7:50 am

Cain, after overhearing what was going on, steps out of the shadows and approaches Malinne. A concerned look is in his eyes, though he tries to hide it with a dignifying pose. As he speaks, he looks into Malinne's eyes,

"Malinne. I overheard what is going on, and I give you my word, I shall do all within my power to find a cure. I refuse to believe that the gods would want someone like you to perish in such a way. You still have much to accomplish in your life, I can feel it. Keep doing as you are, and I shall scour the land for any means of curing your illness, or at least making it liveable."

There, Cain stands, waiting for a response.

Malinne · Post by **Malinne** » Mon Mar 24, 2003 8:00 am

Malinne looks away from Cain and stands silent for a moment.

It is very possible that the attempts would be useless... Perhaps I should finally share my story. It is becoming hard for me to keep quiet about my past, and I may somehow forget about it again.

Malinne sighs and looks into Cain's eyes.

Thank you, Cain...

Malinne pulls out the piece of paper and the charcoal that Korg had so graciously given to her when the news of Paul's death stole her ability to speak temporarily

Cain Freemont · Post by **Cain Freemont** » Mon Mar 24, 2003 8:09 am

Cain smiles faintly, his eyes regaining a certain life to them, and thinks, "It has been some time since my last sincere smile." Then, after thinking further, as though to compose himself, he speaks,

"Malinne. Speak only what you feel comfortable with telling. You should never feel forced to say anything, despite what anyone might say. If ever you wish to talk about anything at all, I shall be a listening ear and a crying shoulder if need be. Sharing one's past is not always filled with excitement and adventure, as it may seem at times. As I know it, the past can be haunting, bewildering and saddening. Only make announcements that you think people will be able to understand."

Cain begins to wonder what he meant by his own words, and whether or not Malinne will understand his point also.

Malinne · Post by **Malinne** » Mon Mar 24, 2003 8:51 am

Malinne thinks for a moment and begins to write:

When I first came to this island, I remembered nothing beyond my journey: I had somehow and for some unknown reason stowed away onto a large ship.

My first memories of my trip was that I was caught and would have been ripped to shreds by some real big sailors if it had not been for their captain who took a fascination with me and protected me. He fed me and kept me company... we shared many a good conversation with one another. From his stories I got the impression that they were pirates, though I'd like to think he was a legitimate human being. I spent most of my time by his side, the only thing I did not like was that I was almost always led around by a chain as if I were some kind of pet. He made it clear that I had stowed away on his ship, and he would protect me nonetheless, but I was still a captive. He finally let me go on this island as he thought it was a good place for me start a life and he did not want me to get caught in the middle of the dangerous travels ahead of he and his crew. I was left on the shore with nothing and the memory that I had no memories... It has been a few months now.

Up until a few days ago, I could not remember much about myself. Why did I sneak onto this ship? Where was I headed to? Who was I? I had many strange and horrible dreams that made me not want to sleep. Laughing, blood, fire... Evil? Perhaps. I remember everything now. Before it was just scattered flashbacks and stories I could make out from my dreams.

Malinne Stops writing.

Korg Blacktooth · Post by **Korg Blacktooth** » Tue Mar 25, 2003 12:54 am

*continues to stand there watching and wondering what Malinne is writting*

Cain Freemont · Post by **Cain Freemont** » Tue Mar 25, 2003 6:58 am

Cain peers over Malinne's shoulder slightly, curious to see what she is writing. After a moment, Cain realizes he probably should not be doing so. He takes a few steps back and walks off into the shadows while thinking, I shant let her fall into death. I shall find a cure.

Korg Blacktooth · Post by **Korg Blacktooth** » Tue Mar 25, 2003 12:33 pm

*waves to Cain as he walks off and sits down on the rock and watches over Malinne*

Malinne · Post by **Malinne** » Wed Mar 26, 2003 7:28 am

I am about to write... a sort of a confession. I have done some things in the past that few of you know about, and nobody knows the whole story. I am still contemplating as to whether I should or not because this could change what those of you who know me, think of me. I do not know if I like that idea very much which is why...

Before anything else... I am not the same person I was before I came to this island. I have led two completely different lives in my single and short lifetime thus far, and I'm only just recalling my first life.

Korg Blacktooth · Post by **Korg Blacktooth** » Wed Mar 26, 2003 8:29 am

It is up to you weather you do this or not and not for any others to decide at all......and I am sure the ones that know you now will not think any other way of you because of your past. You are who you are now and that is all that counts to me and i am sure it is all that counts to everyone else that knows you.
*smiles and continues to sit there*

Malinne · Post by **Malinne** » Thu Mar 27, 2003 1:18 am

Malinne hesitates for a little longer then finally begins to write again. After writing the letter "I", she decides not to stop writing.

I just can't do it right now. There is too much going through my mind and my thoughts are a little scattered... This just isn't the right time and place.

Malinne folds up the paper and tucks it away in her bag. She then walks away without looking at the people around her.

paul laffing · Post by **paul laffing** » Thu Mar 27, 2003 2:46 am

I shall never think anything bad about you, Malinne, no matter what happens.

Gerard Hugh · Post by **Gerard Hugh** » Fri Mar 28, 2003 3:56 am

"Niether will I"

Said Gerard as he walked over to the worried croud of people.

"I will never think anything bad of you, never. And I never want you to think that"

Gerard walks over to and neals down beside Malinne. Then he wispers in a soft, humble voice

"Dont worry, Im hear. Dont be afraid, you have many years ahead in your life. I see love and happiness throughout your future."

Gerard smiles as he stands up and looks over at Cain

"She's going to be all right, I can feel it"[/i]

Cain Freemont · Post by **Cain Freemont** » Fri Mar 28, 2003 6:54 am

Cain Freemont whispers quietly to Gerard so as not to make others around more worried,

"Gerard, I do not think this will be a fancy shmancy magical happy ending. Something is wrong, and I do not have high expectations that there will be a spectacular miracle cure. Not everything in life is as people want it. This isn't some story of long ago where people had miraculous cures for everything..."

Malinne · Post by **Malinne** » Fri Mar 28, 2003 7:02 pm

Malinne decides reveal her past to everyone

I was born and raised on a very isolated island, not much different from the one we live on now, however, quite a journey away from here. We were a small population of, druids, who decided to try to flee the warfare going on throughout the world between gods and mortals.

They had lived for only a few short generations and they became very skilled at making the finest and most powerful potions and remedies.

My parents were very beautiful and loving as all the other humans on the island were. However, I was always unhappy. I was always angry and was displeased with the way my people lived. Nobody understood why, not even myself.

Then, it turns out, I was a mage. How could I be a mage? Everyone else was a druid. It all made sense now. All the times I became humiliated by not being able to figure out how to make potions. Somewhere in my earliest days I must have run into a book of magic...

The whole village tried to make me feel better by treating me more kindly than the other children. But I could not bear them. And the whole time, voices kept telling me to destroy them all, and to rid the planet of such a wonderful island.

At first the voices frightened me and gave me nightmares. I refused to listen to them or do anything that they would say. But after a while, the ideas started to appeal to me. Their interests were more similar to my own than that of the other people of the island. They could be my friends.

I had no friends before them. I figured they were invisible demons or spectres of the tales the elders would share. The only thing that would put a smile on my face were the heroic tales of war and death and events long passed.

Not long after I decided to befriend these voices, they started to tell me to kill my people, starting with my parents. I was possessed.

One night I took a dagger I had smithed myself and slit my parents' throats as they slept soundly in their beds. Such a nice feeling I had in the pit of my stomach... I burned down our home, then one by one in the silent of the night I cast flames upon all the other huts. Whenever a creature would escape I cast spells on them that took their lives away in the instant they came in contact with them.

I woke up the next morning, tired and weak, but happy. I lived alone on the island for a few weeks that seemed like months. The voices visited me less and less because I had refused to destroy the island itself, I told them I loved it too much, as lonely as it was.

One day they stopped visiting completely. I spent my days weeping because I had nobody. I didn't really miss my parents, nor anyone else of the village. I did miss the aura of the presence of life. I prayed to the gods to send me life, I longed to see a bird fly through the sky, or a snake slither in the grass. But nothing.

I gave up praying, and damned and spat at the relics representing the worshipped gods of the village. They would not hear me. They would not take me away from here. I had nowhere to go. I was left alone with the trees and flowers that seemed to stop growing and lived still as there was no wind to animate them.

I collected what was left of the possessions of the people... jewelry, toys, varying ornaments of glass and bottles... I took them all the the shore in my boredom and arranged them to create images of birds and anything that came to mind. I was growing insane as the days went by.

One year passed and I was now fourteen years old. Fish began to appear in the tide pools that spotted the rocky shore of the island. They tasted nice, toasted over the fire, or fresh from the sea... no thanks to the gods who could care less. I started feeling a little guilty, but I was too stubborn to forgive the gods and follow them once again.

Not long after the passing year, a rugged ship harbored itself beyond the less violent, more sandy shore of the island. It was large and filled with many people, men. I hid in some nearby brush and watched as they observed the forgotten artifacts wasting away in the sand.

I waited for an opportunity to sneak aboard. The most opportune moment came quickly after I began watching and I had to move quickly, this could have been my only chance. I would leave the ship the next time it landed somewhere, and live off jerky and seeds that i could smuggle from the crates they had, which wasn't very many.

My plan was altered when I was barely caught snooping around below deck. The man who caught me was an elven man, most of the men were elves and humans as well as a very few orcs. There were no dwarves or hobbits. He grabbed my shoulders and carried me away to the captain who was a very tall and handsome human man...

Some of the sailors had thought of ways to make my life miserable, others suggested they keep me well and sell me away, a few suggested they keep me as crew and make me work for what I had already taken... The captain hushed them all and had them set me down. I tried to scramble away, but there was too dense of a mob standing behind me.

Malinne pauses and realizes she had something to do, so she leaves quickly.

paul laffing · Post by **paul laffing** » Fri Mar 28, 2003 10:01 pm

Paul knits and eyebrows and thinks, and then realizes that Malinne is gone. Paul walks pulls his bow off his back and walks into the forest.

Cain Freemont · Post by **Cain Freemont** » Sat Mar 29, 2003 1:38 am

Cain finishes hearing Malinne's story and thinks into his past, recalling familiar times that were brought up from Malinne's telling. After a few moments of thinking, he realizes that Malinne has run off somewhere, leaving him no chance to ask questions.

"Could that have been you, Malinne?" Cain says to Malinne, despite the fact that she is not there. "What small worlds we live in.. for I was the elven man who caught you stowing away, unless you stowed away on another ship manned by elves, humans, and orcs. I never thought this part of my story would come to this island. Oh what strange things fate brings... Still, my opinion of you has not changed. The way you were back then is nothing like as you are now..."

Cain wanders off to find Malinne and confront her about her past.

Malinne · Post by **Malinne** » Sat Mar 29, 2003 1:59 am

Malinne clears her mind and tries to think of where she left off...

Well, the captain ordered the men to clean me up and dress me into something more appropriate for a lady to wear to replace ragged clothing I had been wearing for the past year. I didn't prove to be a very willing captive at first. I bit and scratched at the men and they had trouble controlling me. I couldn't even control myself. They eventually managed to complete the captain's orders and had a leather collar placed around my neck, connected to a chain that would be for the captain to lead me around by.

The few years I lived with them, the crew couldn't trust me, and inside I felt bad, but no matter what, I was never completely in control of myself... The voices came back to me when the ship sailed silently when most of the crew were resting. They came to me when the captain was not looking... I never responded to them, I let the sounds slip in and out of my head.

Meanwhile, I was being taught to read, write and sing. The captain was often very kind to me, and he reminded me of the family who loved me very much. I almost let the guilt bring sorrow over me. I was beginning to regret what I had done.

The voices knew what I was thinking. I was in love with this man. I could never hurt him like I could anybody else. I was also beginning to fall in love with the entire crew. They became more tolerant of me and they all had interesting stories to share. They were very respectful and senstive to me.

I never told them about my life or the voices. The demons were becoming angry. They would curse at me and tell me to do to these men what I had done to my people. I refused. They made my head hurt, they gave me the frightening dreams, they did all they could to try to get me to do as they wanted. They promised me immortality and great power and wealth. But I still refused as appealing as these were to me.

Finally I awoke one day and could not control my body. I could not move, I was paralyzed. The captain was looking at me with distrust and I didn't understand why. Everything was blurry and dark and I could hardly see. I tried to cry for help, but my lips were out of my control and I heard growling instead.

I heard words in a strange language that I had never heard before and I could not tell from whom they were coming from. I knew that at least half of the crew was present and gathered around me, wherever I was, I could feel their presence. All was silent besides the animal cries and the strange language. All I could do was listen, then I kind of... blacked out I guess.

When I next awoke it was as thought nothing had happened. I remembered the ship and all the people on it... but I could not remember anything before that. It wasn't long before the captain let me go. He didn't want to put me into any danger... and he couldn't keep his crew in danger. I could have caused a lot of damage... I'm guessing I was overcome by the voices and tried to attack the crew... They weren't sure if the evil would return into my soul, they hadvchased it out somehow.

So the captain let me go. He set me free, on this island. Though his crew members were unseure, he knew in his heart that I was free of the evil. He told me he wanted me to begin a real life. I was not safe on the ship. I asked him to return, and he said he would one day and he would take me with him if I were strong enough...

Malinne · Post by **Malinne** » Sat Mar 29, 2003 2:06 am

Cain... was that you?

Malinne concentrates for a moment to try to remember what that elven man looked like then looks at Cain.

I think that was you... Oh! I am so sorry for all the trouble I had caused... I... So many members of the crew came and left at various islands... Wow...

Adamantine · Post by **Adamantine** » Sat Mar 29, 2003 2:55 am

A strange shadowed character walks out of the forest and over to where Malinne and the others were standing. As he gets closer the group can tell by the light that he is an elf.

Hahaha

I knew I would eventually find you. I knew that if I had waited long enough, out of sight, hanging on a low-profile, that you would eventually come out and tell you story to the world. I was right! But of coarse, you probably dont remember me. For while you were so-called "Paralized" I came into action.

The elf turns and looks at Cain

Do you remember that day, Cain? I remember it like it was yesterday........

Gerard Hugh · Post by **Gerard Hugh** » Sat Mar 29, 2003 2:59 am

Gerard catches up with the croud as he hears the elf in the dark-torn clothes start to speak. Then Gerard looks anciously at Cain waiting for a response

Cain Freemont · Post by **Cain Freemont** » Sat Mar 29, 2003 7:12 am

Cain looks at Malinne.

"Yes, Malinne. It was I. What is done is in the past, nothing can change it, and I understand you are a different person. Nothing of your past can change my mind about you."

Cain then gazes at the dark figure, now approaching the group. He sighs. Of course he remembers, how can he forget

"..I remember," Cain began. "I remember that day when you finally gained complete control of Malinne..." He trails off, unsure of what else to say. It isn't as though he wants to reveal every little detail. Cain sits there, thinking. After a moment of silence, he continues,

"I remember your venomous glare, your roaring personality, and your vile aggression. I remember everything about you in vivid detail, as though it just happened moments ago. This is of past times, however. Times where you no longer have a place. Begone."

And with that, he turns back to the rest of the crowd.