Author Topic: Xefr's Adventures: Existential Crisis  (Read 8577 times)

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guest28

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Re: Xefr's Adventures: The grey meatbags
« Reply #75 on: July 02, 2016, 09:21:35 pm »
The Black Dragon, with Rysannox in tow, follows the Psionic trail back to where the Shard found the illuminated paw. And remembering what was said, Xefr pressed his own paw against it, attempting to activate the elevator and bring it down to the chamber below.

The Shard chuckled, "Well, there's another logical reason for that. That living-and-breathing dragon you see... he's also a shard, like me. The real Xefr doesn't exist anymore, all the pieces of his mind and soul scattered in a great event, culminating in the creation of seven shards. That Shard, named Essentials, was merely chosen as the one to inhabit the body, for he possesses the knowledge to eat and breathe. For the body was not affected and is still in full order, so it's quite important that he is in control of it for it to stay that way. We just call him Xefr for simplicity's sake, and to avoid early confusion."
The Energy Dragon then paused for a moment, and looked upon his incorporeal claw. With a sigh, he continued. "Though sometimes, I wish I could be part of that body again, even if the results were disastrous... Anyways, it makes sense that all of us Shards are quite different, as we are all made up of different memories. Each of our conceived experiences made us different in personality, but we are all still Xefr, albeit pieces of him. That's why the Guardian Shard introduced himself as such, back aboard our ship. Well, my ship, since I was the one who built it... Or at least I remember doing that...

guest9

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Re: Xefr's Adventures: The grey meatbags
« Reply #76 on: July 03, 2016, 06:43:19 pm »
As Xefr presses the pawmark he can feel a strongpsionic aura surrounding him, an aura stronger than any other he had felt in recent years. The elevator descents and the two reach the dark chamber covered in the peculiar and macabre artwork ..Rysannox gasps at the sight and nearly loses his balance "It  ..it can't be  ...all censors indicated that there was nothing but solid ground beneath the sanctuary! This is the archeological discovery of the millenium!" The psionic aura is now stronger than ever, Xefr can hear a dragon ghost laughing and cheering at his presence, though the sounds turn quickly into threatening roars and hisses; mixed with the cheering they produce a rather scary outcome  ..even for an ancient black dragon like Xefr.
For a few seconds he can see past occurences that happened in this room, a young black female dragon in agony wearing the helm and being held down by Ghashyr, then shortly a group of dragons in different colours in a circle and lastly five white balls.
A more clear voice seems to come from the giant dragonbone helmet in an an ancient incomprehensible draconic language that however translates within the drake's mind.. "APPROACH CHILD!"

Back in the surface Erixen seems to be drooling and looking at the shard clueless, not really understanding what the shard just said.. "Are you sure you didn't drink my achjaal while I wasn't looking? Anyway  ..all this seems too stretched, but I've seen a lot of things that beat imagination  ..I guess this is one of them." he sits down on the floor and places his back on the fresco "You said you're all parts of the same drake, yet you're different dragon-person-shards. Say, what if you wanted to live alone, on your own as the person you are? ...could that happen? And what would happen if you were given the chance to unite into a single body alltogether again?"

guest28

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Re: Xefr's Adventures: The grey meatbags
« Reply #77 on: July 03, 2016, 11:22:12 pm »
Unlike the Shard, Xefr felt no fear. The aura brought him no sense of dismay, only anticipation.  He made a quick glance around the room, and while the artwork interested him, his attention quickly became focused on the helmet of bones. He saw it simply sitting there on the floor, the source of the Shard's fear, the source of the voice, and possibly the final piece to the puzzle. He snorted, and then stepped forward towards the helm.
But then, only a few feet from the ghastly helmet, he hesitated, and his head turned back to Rysannox, "You called this object a Helm of Memory... Do your stories mention what kind of memories it holds? And do you know what would happen... if I were to don it?" But while the Black Dragon awaited a response, he knew whatever Rysannox said didn't matter in the end; as his mind was already made up.

The Shard was all too happy to talk more about himself and things he understood, beginning to forget what had recently transpired. "That's an interesting idea, and the answer is yes. Not the stealing of your achjaal I mean, but what comes next. Yes, I could live alone, go off and make a new life, become somebody other than Xefr. But, I do not wish that. Not only would it be awkward, as there is much of normal life which I simply do not have knowledge of, but I couldn't abandon the rest of Xefr. The Shards are practically my family, I need them as much as they need me. They understand me, for good reason of course, and I would simply feel incomplete without their presence. But in regards to your second question..." He sighed, and then joined Erixen on the floor.
"In truth, the Shards could unite into a single body once more. All we would need is to gather in the same place at the same time, and slowly the pieces of the puzzle would naturally come together. But the real problem, is in staying together. The Xefr that would be created wouldn't be in any better condition than the one which shattered in the first place, and it would simply happen again. We got lucky last time, with this generation of Shards coming together quite neatly. After-all, I was made made this time around!" The Shard's voice then breaks into a mumble, "And this time only one corrupted was forged..."   

guest9

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Re: Xefr's Adventures: The grey meatbags
« Reply #78 on: July 04, 2016, 09:45:08 am »
Rysannox remained stunned, looking at the gigantic -for a Ghashyr- painting of the space dragons. He soon turned back and responded to Xefr in an uncertain tone "I sencerely do not know ...this is beyond anything I've studied. The only legends mentioning the Helm of Memory, describe it as a relic of dragons that was part of a mysticist Draconic ritual  ..long before Dragons met and lived among Ghashyr. It was hinted in the Tablet of Shyncor that the knoweledge it contains turned many weak-minded dragons mad, and only chosen ones could grasp its power."
The helm produces a strong vibing noise that increases as Xefr comes closer to it.. the voice returns, again speaking in the ancient Draconic language that translates itself.. "CHILD, WHY DO YOU HESITATE?"
Two young dragons' ghostly voices can suddenly be heard talking to each other around Xefr.. "Perhaps he's less of a lizard and more of a chicken!" - "And he talks to his food too!", "Perhaps he prefers to play with us!" - "Ooooh! A Black Royal playing with a lowly red and green drake? Hah!" - "The last Black one played!" - "Yes! The last one was a cheater!" - "YESSS, she got what she deserved. HATE CHEATERSSS! *HISS*"

Erixen smiles and nods "I understand why you don't want to leave the other shards ..we don't choose our family and they aren't always the best, but we cannot do without them. I know I couldn't.  ...Anyhow this thing you said, 'Corrupted', what do you mean? ..and why was Xefr shattered in the first place?" he smokes his cigar intensely, being intrigued to listen to the shard's answer.

guest28

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Re: Xefr's Adventures: The grey meatbags
« Reply #79 on: July 04, 2016, 01:39:08 pm »
Xefr's gaze returned to the helmet, and then he snorted. "Knowledge with the chance of insanity? Well... I've been called mad before, and I doubt any would grieve over my passing. No more waiting, let's see how this Helm fares with a Golden Dragon!" The Dragon's eyes then flashed, picking up the helmet with his mind. In a swift movement, he placed it atop his head, and braced himself for the worst.

The Shard sighed, "To understand the Forbidden, you must understand why Xefr shattered. You see, Xefr, the true Xefr I mean, was quite old. Little more than a quarter of a million years. He traveled across Galaxies, and with his lifespan he saw much. But let me tell you, immortality may sound nice, but it causes nothing but trouble. For without the burden of age, eventually you see too much. In time, Xefr acquired knowledge of all kinds, memories of so many events and people, yet not all of it was good. Xefr went through tragedy after tragedy, slowly but surely becoming traumatized by what he saw happen to himself and others, to people he made met and befriended. Every miracle was overshadowed by a dozen displays of grief, every memory of joy had to compete with memories of fear and pain. That weighed heavily upon him, and eventually his mind simply couldn't bear it any longer. So, in an attempt to remain sane, it shattered. It broke into smaller, more manageable pieces, the Shards. Until it becomes possible to reunite and create a Xefr who could handle his past, the Shards shall remain separate. That is why Dragons are not gods, but our minds are as vulnerable and fragile as any other mortal." Then the Shard paused, hesitating to continue.
"...But I suppose that system still isn't perfect. For, there is the Forbidden Shard. Ever heard the phrase, 'We all have our inner demons'? Well, Xefr's demons have found a way to express themselves... In the form of a corrupted shard. That Shard may be similar to me, but he is not my brother. I do not wish to speak of him, but I will tell you this... He is deceptive. He is greedy. He is evil. He is a perfect example of how all creatures must control their dark-side, lest it transform them into something horrible."   

guest9

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Re: Xefr's Adventures: The grey meatbags
« Reply #80 on: July 04, 2016, 04:57:48 pm »
As soon as Xefr places the helm on his head everything blacks out and now he floats in space, beneath him he can see the entire galaxy, while infront of him a gigantic luminescent dragon stands holding a white sphere that seems to be the galactic core. He directs his white eyes towards Xefr and talks to him in an imposing otherworldy voice {{"A DARK QOATL OF ZHE'ORAT IN SSI'HAR! So our cause continues. So our hope remains. ...I am the Scion; raise your querry child."}}
Spoiler: The Scion (hover to show)
The words he show earlier in the clawmarks repeat inside Xefr's head as if triggered by the aetherial dragon's presence.

Erixen remains stunned with his mouth wide open and his eyes even more wide, somewhat shocked by all these information. He shakes his head and tries to mumble a few words "I  ..I really didn't know of the powers of dragons. Yet you are right, we all are mortals and have our inner demons. I hope that one day Xefr, all of him, may find peace and unite.   ...I know about traumas first-hand."

guest28

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Re: Xefr's Adventures: The grey meatbags
« Reply #81 on: July 04, 2016, 05:39:57 pm »
Xefr was stunned, he didn't understand what was happening or what to say. But he was not afraid. He was sure the voices had some purpose. After a moment of silence, the Black Dragon confidently spoke up, "Alright then Scion, tell me who Xefr was the last time he lived."

The Shard seemed content, "Thank you, that's my hope as well. It won't be easy, yet I'm sure it will come to be. But... Are you willing to tell me what you know of trauma?"

guest9

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Re: Xefr's Adventures: The grey meatbags
« Reply #82 on: July 04, 2016, 05:51:06 pm »
"You were Qoatl as I was. You were V'oss as I was."

The luminescent dragon breathes millions of tiny stars and suddenly the galaxy transforms into another one, similar to the known galaxy but different.
"You may wonder why your kind is so powerful in mind and body, blessed by powers and longevity that many would crave. It is no mere chance, but our collective legacy that we entrusted on you, so you, our sons and daughters, may succeed were we failed. You are the scion of an ancient civilisation and species, older than the dimension we created and you were born in."

Ancient dragons flying in the galaxy and bearing various relics can be seen. Then a gigantic planet, with cities and many dragons on it.
"The species you in your native tongue may call Dragons, were once called the Qoatl, a species old as the stars fron a Galaxy and dimension that no longer exists. You may not understand it now, but you contain within your very soul and mind the evolutionary process of billions of years."

Suddenly blurry winged humanoid figures can be seen in the distance flying in millions and approaching for battle. Soon a tremendous epic battle between these figures and dragons takes place in the background. Dragons breathing fire, as the vile creatures breathe a black wind.
"The last 100 thousand years of our existence our species came upon evil. An evil greater and stronger than all we had encountered before, for it wanted to erase existence itself. All of V'oss fought this evil together in lasting battles for millenia and failed to defeat it."

Images are shown of the dragon-planet being covered in flames, forming a black hole and then exploding in a gigantic beam of light, forming the core of the known Galaxy. Then five eggs appear in the center, each one being placed in five places in the new galaxy  ..one being Heord and one being Shyr.
"V'oss was to be no more, so we created a new V'oss and burried the last five eggs in it. Hoping that our species could survive, if not in memory, then in flesh.
Thousand other species had not that chance and we regret our treason to not stand besides them and die along with them and our universe, but we were only mortals; a curse and a blessing. So we distorted the mortal realm in hope that we could evade death; this distortion is your new home, the species you have encountered and even yourself. However, being a distortion, it had side-effects -one of them being your own species- and it only prolonged the waiting until the forces of the dark angels reemerge and destroy life, once and for all."


Spoiler: The image of a giant harpy sleeping in the distance appears (hover to show)
  ..it seems more real than the rest of the images, as if it is a window to reality.
"It is up to you and others you may gather to defend this new home, so it may gain a natural death in contrast to its unnatural birth, as V'oss had a natural birth, yet an unnatural death  ...thus completing the circle and bringing balance to the cosmos, so that we may rest and you may live and die as a mortal.
I am certain that you may have answers child, and I will be pleased to help you understand."


---

Back in reality...
Erixen seems reluctant to answer, he grabs the cigar that had fallen from his mouth and dries to smoke, but decides against it and throws it away.. "I saw a lot of death  ..I saw my friends maimed as I was lying down ready to die. I saw my first love being crushed by enemy boots.   ...I failed to die and I'm cursed with living bearing their images forever." The ambitious and proud explorer now seems to look in the distant, his eyes seemingly soulless.
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guest28

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Re: Xefr's Adventures: The grey meatbags
« Reply #83 on: July 05, 2016, 10:55:08 am »
Xefr just stood there, dumbfounded, for about a minute. It took awhile for it all to process in his head, but once it did, questions and ideas started to appear in his head. Eventually, the black drake was able to stammer out some words, "I.... I suppose I have only two questions of prominence. How do you expect me to stop what you couldn't? And how do I return to my reality?"

The Shard's eyes filled with sympathy, "Ah... Captain, I understand you perfectly." The Shards own eyes turn to the skies, "I've felt it a hundred times, and thousands more times forgotten. That feeling of helplessness, and the following guilt of it all... I know. Every part of me and every Shard knows. But we march on. For the only way to venerate those who have fallen is to live the lives that they couldn't, to stand up and pick up the pieces. Those lost to death must never be forgotten, but hope must never die. For we are not alone in our grief, and not all have the courage or strength to go on. Thus, we must give it to them, and work towards a universe where it will never happen again..."

guest9

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Re: Xefr's Adventures: The grey meatbags
« Reply #84 on: July 05, 2016, 04:22:58 pm »
The aetherial dragon extends his wings that seem to be endless.. "And I shall answer. You will succeed by not repeating the same mistakes our selfish species did in the past. We fought for ourselves and ourselves only, this led us to make hasty decisions and not see the wider picture. We defended our lives with all of our strength, psionic and mundane alike, when we had to attack merely with our wit; when we understood this it was already too late, as the Sky Warriors of the Dark Ilai were even more persuaded to accomplish their cause due to our actions.
...in order to defeat the harbringers you have to make them understand by attacking the one who influences all, their only weak spot of their being; their Wingless' Mind! To do so though, you will have to master your mental strength and make certain within you the will to accomplish this mission. However, rest assured that we will not let you defenceless in the oncoming battle, for this we trust on you our last great weapon that we never managed to use  ..the "pacifier of soul'"
the scion bring out of his body a white orb and places it with his paw within the black drake's lungs. "This is the greatest weapon of all, for it destroys the need for all other weapons  ..however to use it, you'll have to learn serenity and pacify your own troubled soul first. It may work against only the Wingless."
The scion lowers his head and talks in a less imposing voice "...I know we ask too much from a mere mortal, my child. But this cause and conflict must reach a conclusion, for even if we do not care yet for our own lives we must give the sentient peoples of the universe what was once taken away from them, and may be taken from many more  ..the ability to choose for their own lives' course without interference."
He suddenly changes tone "As for your second querry..  ..you only have to close your eyes, realise where you truly are and return."

-

Erixen shows a small smile and looks at the shard while talking with a calm voice.. "You're right Shard... Memories make one forget the present  ..and the present is more alive and true than any memory; I have a loving wife, annoying relatives and a beautiful daughter. Perhaps, as I am lost in the past I forgot to cherish what I have now over what I've lost ...thanks Zhohax Valx." he closes up to the shard and places his hand-claw on the shard's chest.

guest28

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Re: Xefr's Adventures: The grey meatbags
« Reply #85 on: July 05, 2016, 05:03:31 pm »
Xefr's head was filled with conflicting thoughts and flat out confusion. One sentence in particular stood out to him, "...you'll have to learn serenity and pacify your own troubled soul first." His mind didn't know what to think about that, as Xefr abandoned the idea of achieving such a thing long ago. He didn't know what to do, and had no words. And so, he closed his eyes, and saw himself back in the room, wearing the skull-helmet.

-

The Shard's chest materialized just in time for Erixen's hand-claw. Looking down at the Ghashyr, the energy dragon made a smile of his own, "Heh, you're welcome little Ghashyr. You are welcome." The Shard suddenly yawned, very loudly. "I'm quite tired... Haven't slept in ages."

guest9

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Re: Xefr's Adventures: The grey meatbags
« Reply #86 on: July 05, 2016, 07:10:58 pm »
Xefr is now back on the room, the psionic aura seems to have disappeared as have the voices. Rysannox is in the exact same position as he was when Xefr put the helmet on, he approaches the black drake with an anxious smile on his face "So, does it work? Do you see anything?"

-

Erixen smiled "Well, I guess you deserve it then  ...I'll be sitting right here next to you if you need anything."

guest28

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Re: Xefr's Adventures: The grey meatbags
« Reply #87 on: July 05, 2016, 09:27:48 pm »
Xefr calmly placed the Helmet back on the ground, and turned back towards Rysannox, "It works, and there certainly was something. Saw a bit of a vision, but I couldn't really make it out. Nothing too important in itself, but I believe we should certainly take a look at sites similar to this one, and perhaps all will become clear. And then... I will have to investigate those 5 stars, I suspect they have a much greater meaning. But, I think I'm quite exhausted for now, it's been a long day and the work of investigating this room should be left to the archaeologists. If it isn't too much trouble, I wish to take a rest. I can do it right here, so you could wake me up if I'm needed."

-

The Shard yawned again, and laid down, "Yeah... I do deserve a bit of sle..." The Shard cut off as his eyes closed, and his spectral wings curled up. He became notably more transparent as he slept.

guest9

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Re: Xefr's Adventures: The grey meatbags
« Reply #88 on: July 06, 2016, 05:38:29 am »
Rysannox bows his head "Of course! You may rest. I will take care of everything from here. This discovery will be helpful in the bonding of our species  ..I think"
Xefr can feel a soothing aura around him, and a small vibe within him as if he really had the orb within his lungs...
In his dreams the aetherial dragon re-appears {"I did not manage to ask you child, so I have to before you leave ...do you require guidance?"}

As the shard sleeps the image of the young black drake from earlier re-appears, only now she seems older and not in agony, but sleeping happily in a peculiar place with big Ants around her, the surroundings fade away and everything turns a bright white. She wakes up, tilting her head to the right and standing up she asks slightly annoyed and confused the shard, whom seems to be materialised in his dreams "Who is black lizard? Why disturb Re'Ni sleep? You are not memory!"

guest28

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Re: Xefr's Adventures: The grey meatbags
« Reply #89 on: July 06, 2016, 09:13:10 am »
Dream Xefr responded calmly, "What do you mean by guidance? But... I suppose any help would be nice." However, as he spoke, he rose one claw to his neck, unsure about the orb.

-

The Shard dozily lifted his head, "Whaa...?" As he stood up, he noticed his material body, causing him to be just as confused as Re'Ni. After taking note of his surroundings, he registered the other dragon's presence, "Who are you...?" But then, the Shard's expression changed to that of fear. Suddenly he shielded his eyes with his wings, and started yelling, "I remember you! From that damn... tomb! What do you want!? Why can't you ghosts leave me alone?! I haven't done anything to you, just let me sleep!"