#aydri

Snakes out for Set 🐍

'It didn’t have to be this way, you know.’

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The stagnant darkness, always muddling visions and caressing ears with thoughtless whispers was a familiar sight. Despite having none to look into endless depths that swirled and convulsed mindlessly.

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There was no solidity to brace on, yet she found herself standing all the same in what felt to be the center in the shadowscape that her body currently resided in. Dim eyes flickered against the darkness in a knowing manner; she had to endure. She always did.

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 ‘Why do you not return?’ 

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 An almost mournful whisper hissed against the lobe of Aydri’s ear, curling around in a leeching way. There was no physical presence other than her apparent body, but she knew better. It could still feel. It could still cause damage if it desired. Her hand moved to brush it away like a fly, swatting aimlessly towards her shoulder with a disgusted curl of her lips. 

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“Don’t ask questions that you know the answers of, Kaz’fi.” 

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The words echoed throughout the endless chamber, spite resonating in each word that passed through her lips as her legs willed themselves to move forward. There was no destination, there never was here, but still she moved. Restlessness began to creep along her spine and give way to the paranoia that was valiantly fought against. It seemed the Kaz’fi was almost bemused, a feeling giving way to a more sinister hiss of laughter. 

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‘Always so turbulent, yet never welcoming. You wound me.’

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Dark teal tresses almost floated in the action of Aydri’s head twisting around, glaring at nothing in particular but with intent. “If I could inflict the fantasies of ending your pathetic existence, maybe I’d finally have a good fucking night of sleep.” Teeth ground out the words, non-existent patience giving way as her footsteps echoed heavier, thudding against the murkiness that surrounded.

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Suddenly, everything froze. 

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An all too familiar cold shiver ran through her core, and it took everything to keep a straight glower into the mirror image of herself that appeared, keeping her in place and curling maliciously with a few clicks and jolts of its wispy form. Eyes that belonged to her peered at Aydri unnervingly and too wide to be natural, jaw almost unhinging with how dislocated it became as the Kaz’fi wheezed out. 

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‘You worked so hard to receive your blessings, and yet you threw them away. How can you hold a candle to me when you refuse to even see into the depths of your soul?’ 

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Still held in place, she stayed. Unrelenting and determined with a glint in her eyes. They always played this game when she faltered, let herself truly rest. It was the way the Kaz’fi worked, and it surely lived up to its masters wishes. A deep exhale was almost snorted through her nostrils, focusing on breaking the invisible bonds that held her in place. This caused the mirror of herself to completely unhinge its jaw, a shrieking and hair standing cackle resonating around the chamber that held them. A finger rose in a chastising manner towards Aydri, tutting. 

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‘I always have to remind you, don’t I? Even the most devoted shall be executed through His will. It is the way.’ 

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The words had a cold simplicity, as if merely whispering facts that a child would know. Words that made her want to shut her eyes and block it all out, yet wide open they stayed. The Kaz’fi shifted, the form of Aydri no longer in front of her, but rather a large reflective pool of water suspended above. Tendrils of dark liquid crept towards the ground and around her body, wrapping with frost biting touches that burned her skin. Small wisps circled around her head and struck themselves into the temples, leeching on as a soundless cry emitted from her throat against closed lips. 

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A plethora of images and sensations came rushing through, overstimulating even the strongest of minds.

(TW: blood, violence)

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...Cries of anguish as the wet slaps of spiked whips flayed the skins of the tributes; men, women, and children dressed in the purity of white that was stained with the devotion to the gods they were meant for. Scales of cobras wrapped around the necks with a hiss, glowing eyes peering right at her. 

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‘You did this to them.’ 

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....The taste of blood poured out from her lips to let past devotions flow down her chin and onto her chest, coughing and choking as the imagery of a Darkspear woman began to carve and stab into her skin. Mutterings of Zandali echoed throughout, reverbing and shaking the darkness into a cacophony of suffering--of power to be obtained. 

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‘You achieved this through them.’ 

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...Ceremonial robes with chiming footsteps passed on either side, gliding along to meet at an altar. Carved masks of bone and sinew let no expressions be known as heads all tilted to stare. A large basilisk slowly rose from the shadows, scales glimmering with wisps of shadows that curled around the apostles that knelt before its form. Sharp eyes seemed to stab her, her own beginning to bleed and create markings on her cheeks that flowed over her scar. 

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‘You were blessed by them.’ 

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...The tendrils moved about, destroying the shapes created and slowly forming into something more. From the depths rose a tall figure of authority. One of charm and promised wishes, lips curled into a deceitful smirk that accented the glow of eyes underneath the skull mask that shrouded his face from obscurity. 

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‘You betrayed them.’ 

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...His hand reached out to cusp her cheek, caressing before it plunged into her chest and gripped her heart with the burn of retribution. A choked gasp sounded from the cavity of her chest, unable to sound out past blocked lips of blood that accompanied the rigor mortis running through her limbs slowly. The hand was retracted, bloodied and holding the visceral organ that it had sought to claim. With a dark chuckle, the shadows consumed it. Aydri’s body then convulsed and shook, twisting this way and that with unnatural jerks that made her grit her teeth and groan. Eyes stayed trained on the figure, contempt of the purest nature running deep in her hues. 

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‘You will face consequences.’ 

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...The figure waved his arm, revealing a scenery of utter destruction and death. Buildings were torn down and bodies littered the streets, ships were sunk and many familiar faces were twisted in the cold grips of death. A trail of blood led to a large gathering of ceremonial robes and the devoted with flames licking along the outskirts of a ritualistic circle, multiple bodies crucified against stone pillars and mutilated. 

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‘You will be found.’ 

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...They made her hurt to look at, and all made tears glimmer against the corners of her eyes. Dreadful feelings of failure and guilt came in waves, threatening to drown her very being as her lips so desperately wanted to part in protest. 

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...Then, he was there. Strapped upon a table and struggling to break free. Her eyes met that gaze, one that was usually so full of life now shrouded in fear and pain made her want to collapse. The familiar glint of a dagger was all that was given before the screams of agony rang through her ears. Fury and affliction ran through her body, willing herself to bite her lip and twist herself forward from the tortuous noise. 

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‘You will be the harbinger of death to them.’ 

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“NO!” 

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Gasps of oxygen starved lungs heaved her chest, hands almost shredding the sheets that were twisted in her grasp as paranoia stricken hues stared open to the ceiling above. They soon darted around the room, muscles tensed and frozen in place as a sense of dread washed through her very core. 

After a few long minutes of heaving breaths and cold sweat running down her spine, the haze lifted. A thick swallow was allowed, and a hand came up to rest against her scalp, running through knotted strands shakily. 

 It was getting more bold, and Aydri couldn’t help but wonder if she was getting more weak. A thought that was quickly pushed down; locked away to prevent the seeds of doubt that threatened to take root. 

 She wouldn’t let it happen. 

‘There is a simplicity in inevitably.’

A vibe?

Always.

New Starbucks, who this?

Some practices I’ve been doing!