milliways_bar | (no subject)

He's listening - and understanding. The magic Arithon has him under means he can't help but understand. He's fully aware that it won't last - and he's looking forward to being free again - but he's about to explain that he does see that when the kick hits him.

He staggers back but manages to keep his feet just about. Its nearly knocked the wind out of him and it's hard to catch a breath. Fuck, so this is how it's going to be...

He's been in more fights than he can count, been sliced and stabbed, been tortured and not given in...violence has never scared him. But it had always been carried out by other men and he'd always been able to fight back. He's painfully aware that this thing isn't human - and even if he wasn't currently incapacitated, he probably wouldn't stand much of a chance.

He's not scared yet, its just been one kick. But the potential of what might come is something he doesn't want to think about. 'Look...you should at least tell me what I did. I haven't done anything to you.'

[OOC: Visitors gone, slowtime over for me. Have at him! :D]

*Yrael stalks forward, growing brighter now in the shade of the trees. Bright in the shadows, like a white-hot sun. He reaches forward and grabs Ramon by the neck, shoving him back into a tree. Where his hand holds Ramon's neck, it burns. Yrael burns brightly, brighter than the sun, blinding. Blinding. His voice contains a harsh crackle, like the sound of sheet lightning.*

You met a friend of mine, I believe. Do correct me if I am mistaken. A Lady named Kim?

FUCK FUCK FUCK!! He closes his eyes instantly, trying to slam them shut against the white light thats piercing his eyeballs...and some part of him knows its too late. His neck is burning but he can hardly feel it against the agony in his skull and everything's black, much blacker than it would be if his eyes were merely closed...his throat closes over in horror as he realises what's happened...oh fucking hell...!!

He's trying to breathe but the hand on his throat makes it difficult. Still, he eventually manages to croak out, 'Yes I know her,' hardly even aware that he's speaking as he tries not to go into shock over the loss of sight. He's managing, by simply refusing to believe that this is real.

*The creature's breath is as hot as falling sparks as it speaks, its voice crackling like loud static.* She knows you, too. But could not speak of you to me. Could not bring herself to. Only through another friend of mine, her father in fact, could I learn of whom she was so frightened.

*The scent of the Free Magic is strong, tangy, unnatural, catching in the back of one's throat like the scent of hot wiring. Yrael only vaguely looks human anymore. A torso and head and arms, set upon a pillar of blindingly white, whirling flames. It speaks fierce words that are not of any tongue humans were meant to utter, words of the corrosive, chaotic Free Magic. There is a sickening crack as Ramon's knee cap shatters from the force of the spell. All that now keeps Ramon upright is Yrael's hand on his neck, holding him to the tree.*

*darkly* Why is she frightened of you, Ramon Salazar?

The scream catches in his throat as the agony hits and it hurts too much to make a sound. But he's screaming in his head, yes, there's nothing that can stop that. Waves of agony crash through him without pause, and he wants to hit the floor but the burning hand on his throat is forcing him upright and he can hardly breathe for the pressure. And the pain is mixed with terror, because he feels like he's going to die...and he's never been afraid of death but he never expected to go out like this.

And the terror is heightened because he can't see whats coming.

He tries to focus on the question, it takes a moment to remember what it was and a while longer to form a response. He tries to turn his head away from the heat of the breath before he responds, 'I don't know why she's scared of me. She wouldn't tell me. I've never met her before I came to this bar...'

*The Free Magic creature is pretty much a pillar of white fire, now, with a vaguely human torso, arms, and head. The heat intensifies suddenly, flaring up, then returns to normal.*

And in the bar, Ramon Salazar? What did you do that caused my friend to retreat to her room, afraid to come out? That you threatened another with?

He's gasping for every breath now, fighting the shock, fighting the knowledge that he's blind and going to die, trying to keep a grip on sanity even as he tries to deny reality.

'I slapped her. I was angry.'

And the way he had humiliated her floods his system, Arithon's magic not letting up even through this, it all mixes and the weight of guilt crushes him further and weakens the walls that are keeping the agony from taking his conciousness.

*The white-hot arm of the creature, the one not holding Ramon by the throat, reaches forward and hits Ramon hard across the face, burning added to the hurt of the blow.*

Prove to me that you were listening when we first met. What did I say would happen if you harmed my friends in any way?

He head snaps to the side under the force of the blow and he feels his skin start to blister immediately under the heat. He closes his blind eyes out of instinct, still unable to deal with the fact that when they open again, there will still only be darkness.

'I think you said you'd kill me.'

*The thing sounds amused.*

I am glad you paid attention.

*And Yrael leans in, to finish it.*

"YRAEL!"

Nita's standing a ways away, looking at the battered Ramon rather than the pillar of flame, one arm in front of her face to shield her eyes, for all the good it'll do.

"What the hell are you doing?!"

*Yrael turns his head nearly one-eighty degrees to look at Nita. He had brought Ramon out here so as not to be interrupted.*

I am making good on a promise. If you will excuse me...

*He turns back to Ramon, the movement a clear dismissal to Nita.*

Ramon hears a voice that is only vaguely familiar, but he can't work out the words. Searing agony is making his grip on consciousness slip and it's taking everything he can to hold on to it. He doesn't know why he doesn't just let go, because then it wont hurt any more and he wont feel the moment of death...he can sense its close. The heat near him lessens for a moment as the creature talks, but then its back and there's nothing he can do...and all he can thik is that he wants to be able to see. He doesn't want to go out blind and crippled like this. He always wanted to be standing.

"STOP!" -- yelled in the Speech, this time. She takes a half-step forward, but the light and heat are too intense to get very much closer.

"Yrael, stop and listen to me!"

*Yrael growls and turns to Nita.*

Why should I?

She gulps, and hurriedly turns her face away.

"You kill him and you're going to be inside a cell so fast your head will spin."

Considering that a moment ago his head did spin, this is probably not the best choice of words, but she's under pressure.

*His grip on Ramon's neck slackens somewhat. There is a purr somewhere in the voice that crackles with power.*

You would turn me in, my friend?

". . .Yes." Again, in the Speech -- and there is no lying in the Speech. "If you kill him, then yes."

*The creature tilts his head, almost catlike, curious.*

Even though this piece of filth threatens the peace within the bar and has harmed people we both call friends? He harmed them with no care as to how they feel, except for the fact that it made him feel as though he had some sort of power over them.

You would turn in a friend over the disposal of garbage?

This is the problem with having a sense of honor.

"Throw him in the cells. If he's harming people, he should be dealt with by Security."

*He flares, brighter than the sun. He casts shadows from the trees around them.* Security rarely deals very well with anything that goes on in the bar, why should they make an exception for this one case? Why not spare them having to do any actual work?

She winces, shielding her face and taking a step backward.

"Who is that, Yrael?" The light is making it difficult for her to tell.

*Yrael turns to the captive, almost friendly.*

Tell her your name, if you would be so kind.

He can hear it now that its talking directly at him, but the other voice has faded and he can't keep his sightless eyes open any more.

'Ramon. Its Ramon.'

Goddammit. . .

"Ramon Salazar."

Her face turns a little towards Yrael, and she says bitterly, "Throw him in the cells. But don't kill him."