Daydreams of an angel and a fish

[Zorafim]

Spoiler!

loooool, what happened to our poor, innocent Torva?

Spoiler!

You should instead ask, was she ever as pure as you thought she was? What would push her to act this way?

The answer is lack of accountability. She's a hot teenager away from mom and dad, you know this is what's going down.

But seriously, this is exactly the reaction I was hoping for. "What poor sorrow that our perfect specimen is no longer the way we want her to be."

Spoiler!

...Damn, Torva has quite an appetite, huh?

Spoiler!

Yeah, I heard inexperienced boys aren't that great in bed. Torva found a way around that.

Spoiler!

I'm glad you included a bit from Zorael's perspective, I missed hearing his side of things. I mean, there were scenes with Torva talking to him before, but that's not quite the same.

Spoiler!

I'm glad you miss him. It's a rare hallmark to see a story where the main character doesn't get enough screen time. Though I suppose I sort of pushed him aside for this arc.
I wanted to be thorough with my setting up the rules of my universe. Sort of ease you in to this possession thing now that I'm detailing it better. Hopefully now that everything's laid out, Zorael'll get more screentime.

Spoiler!

Somehow I have mixed feelings about Zorael's involvement with these people. I feel like he's corrupted their innocence, which is of course a silly thing to say (the bandits were there even before he showed up), but now the formerly peaceful village has been turned into a fortress of soldiers!

Spoiler!

You don't know how happy I am to hear this. I never wanted a perfect character, and have been trying so hard not to make one. Is it good that Zorael's being a nice angel and helping everyone he sees? Or is everyone better off left alone?

Spoiler!

Like I always tell Chelsea, we're willing to wait if you're busy. Now if you're just being lazy, on the other hand, that I can't forgive... (kidding )

Yeah, it probably is laziness. Which would be fine, but my desire to finish this story is eating at me. So I'm not even able to rest when I'm not writing! Hopefully I'll be able to crunch a few chapters out of the way and get to what I really wanted to write.

[Zorafim]

Fifth Dream: A Study in Warfare, part 13

Spoiler!

The forest edge sat in darkness, betraying no movement. Watched in anxious silence, it stood its ground. But the many eyes on it cracked its resolve. Bushes quivered, leaves snapped, branches whipped. Shadows gave way to silhouettes.

The forest’s watchers yielded in response to its anxiety. Postures slumped and stances loosened. Raised weapons waivered, and the tout line grew loose. Holding it together was a diminutive figure, barely holding back from lunging forward as a savage dog.
Above the fog of tension, an angel watched over the defenders: Guiding their swords, securing their steps, and insuring their health.

Two bells rang. The forest howled.

Out from the darkness leapt scores of savage beasts, minds blazing with fear and aggression. They crashed against the village gatepost, their large size being filtered into a small opening. Only a handful fit inside, and only this handful charged the line. Their movement battered against the line, and threatened to rip it apart. Inexperienced arms threw ineffectual blows, and the torrent halted. While held back, they fell to the head of a leafed blade darting from the hands of a tiny marksman. Each thrust of her pole earned a grotesque scream as necks, torsos, and thighs erupted into blood.

Initial bloodlust fell from the aggressors as they saw their offense deflected. They moved back to assess their standing, only to be pushed forward by those unaware of their disadvantage. As meat pushed to a grinder, their numbers fell to more experienced hands. And so this continued, until the hands pushing the meat were bloodied as well.

Arrows flew from the watch towers.

Overmatched from the front and pelted from behind, the assailing band sensed its demise. Led by no head, the horde knew no direction until now but forward. But each individual feared defeat, and so the mob fell back as one. Defenders pushed forward, archers let loose, and victory rang in the air. All was harmonious save for the cursings of the young pup to who this victory this was owed. She lunged forward, thrusting into any opposition she found. Despite her efforts, the group in retreat moved faster than she could slay, and she found herself outpaced.

As the horde disappeared into the forest, so to did the young girl. And behind her followed her guardian spirit.


Torva sprinted deep into the forest chasing after the retreating bandits. Despite their numbers being thinned, there were still a large number of them. She cut down a straggler or two as she ran, but the main group remained out of her reach. Zorael yelled for her to stop, but her battle trance deafened her to his cries.

“There’s only one of them chasing us!”

Her wish came true as her game stopped and turned back to her. She dove into the closest bandit, skewering him. She jumped back to free her lance, and stepped to slash at her next nearest target. He jumped back, and retreated to evade her attacks.

“Get that little bitch!”

The words rang as a curse rather than an order. The entirety of the group fell forward, many spitting similar words.

“Torva, get out of there. Now!”

Zorael’s yells nearly crushed the girl’s heart, but she continued her assault. Her face nearly dripped with fury.

Torva’s target fell behind an incoming wave of enemies. She darted back to avoid an attack, and shifted her body back forward to a swift thrust. She turned her body right to deliver a crushing strike against an unsuspecting target. She shifted back to avoid another blow, and snapped back into another attack. Her arm was struck by a club.

She jumped back to recompose herself. A wall of wild strikes came after her. She weaved away from them, and threw quick strikes where the wall was open. A few rang true.
As she struggled with the front, the sides moved to wrap around her.

She dashed to the sides to keep from being overwhelmed. Using her weapon’s reach to her advantage, she threw wide strikes to keep her enemies at bay. She thrust long at any enemies too close to encircling her.
A blade sliced into her side.

Neither pain nor fear registered. Blood gushed as she pushed. Her heart pumped fiercely, her lungs pushed arduously, and her muscles flared as fiercely as her soul. Her lance crashed against defending weapons as she pressed for the upper hand in the fight. She struck harder than her attackers could defend. Slices left trails of blood, and thrusts left groans of agony.
An axe cut into her thigh.

Her leg wounded, she found herself barely able to keep up her defenses. Attacks found themselves on her without her being able to dart away. She struggled to find a way to keep her advantage. She parried blows, while the line in front of her closed around her. She quickly found herself surrounded. She swung hard to keep her attackers from pressing, but still they advanced. She shifted to swift thrusts and cuts as they got closer.

Water crashed all around her in a sudden storm. A shield formed with some. The rest exploded into searing cold mist. Her shield melted, and formed a torrential river. Enemies stunned by the burst, she was clear for an escape. The river carried her away violently. A wall of jagged ice prevented anyone from following her.

"I said run!"

She gushed onto dry land hundreds of feet from the battle. She rapidly climbed to her feet. Finally seeing clearly, she limped away as swiftly as she could. She hurried to safety before her protection fell.

Smothered bushes and broken branches led her way. She hurried through foliage, barely gripping to her weapon. Branches parted, and the skies cleared. She caught her breath as she looked out into an open field. She walked forward with a gentle sway. A group grew between the towers rising before her. A muffled chatter rose, and gave way to a loud roar as she grew closer.
The village cheered at Torva’s return.

Fifth Dream: A Study in Warfare, part 14

[stukasa]

Spoiler!

And here I was starting to think she was invincible! I wonder if maybe she was starting to feel that way herself, since she has a supernatural friend hovering over her all the time. She may not have killed all the enemies but she protected the village, so all in all I guess it's still a victory.

[CelestialBlade]

Spoiler!

I really enjoyed the almost-personification of the forest at the beginning, as if turning me into a wandering passerby outside of the forest, listening to sounds coming from within. Always loved your ability to place me, the reader, anywhere on or around the scene that you please, and still fill me with visuals.

Zorael's involvement is interesting, too. It definitely paints him in a light that is neither good nor evil.

[Zorafim]

Fifth Dream: A Study in Warfare, part 14

Spoiler!

Torva looked up at the village gates in front of her in confusion. What looked like the whole town was outside of them, jumping and cheering in joy. She wanted to yell out at them, to explain how the danger wasn’t over yet. But something tugged at her, preventing her from speaking or moving. It wasn’t her spiritual visitor, she knew his gestures well enough to know that. This feeling came from her.

‘They’re… happy to see me?’

Torva didn’t realize how much of a success the defense was until now. Not a single raider made it into the city. Not a single friendly life was lost. Besides some injury and equipment wear, no damage came to the city. She’s never been this successful at repelling an attack. And all of this because of measures she took which had nothing to do with the city’s safety.

It’s true that, without Torva, this city would have been sacked weeks ago. When she killed the bandits’ leaders, she delayed them, and crippled their organization. And with her planning, the bandits were unable to attack successfully from any part of the village. Yet she wasn’t thinking about the village when doing these things. She only wanted blood on her hands when she killed the leaders, and she only built the defenses to funnel the bandit force into her blade. But because she did these things, this village was completely unharmed.

A small group of younger villagers ran out from the crowd. Some were soldiers, some were civilians. Torva stood in confusion: her eyes wide, and her body locked. She didn’t know how to respond as they surrounded her, and hoisted her into the air. She then flailed helplessly as they paraded her to the village gates and cheered her name.

Zorael looked down with pride. The child whose life was devastated by a bandit raid has grown to successfully defend against one twice its size. Not only did she protect every life in the village, she also prevented the assaulting group from ever raiding again. With no leadership, half its original strength, and each member traumatized by a crippling loss, the group would disband. And with that, no more bandits were left.

“It took me a few years, but I held up my end of our deal. This is what you wanted, right?”

Torva was too distracted to hear Zorael. She was surrounded by a flock of newfound fans. Soldiers professed their awe at her acts in combat, maidens expressed their relief for their safety, and elders conveyed their gratitude for her efforts. All the while, Torva flustered for replies for each compliment she was given.

“You held up your end nicely. You were always ready to quell this bandit problem, and always did what I needed you to do. Even if you did it for your own reasons. And it was wonderful seeing this world from your eyes. So young and fresh, and full of passion…”

Torva got into the swing of things. She boasted about her performance in the woods while her wounds were being cleaned and dressed. She managed to grab one of the better looking boys and snake her arm around him as she bragged.

“I guess there’s no reason to stick around anymore. You’ve shown me everything I needed to see, and we’ve done everything I set out to do. This world should thrive for a while, and I’ve learned plenty.”

Torva thrived as the center of attention. The crowd around her hung at her every word, and her face beamed in joy at the attention. It was the happiest Zorael has ever seen her.

“So long, kid. It’s been fun.”

And with that, Zorael left Torva’s body. Her vision faded from his mind, as did her thoughts and feelings. He looked down on an unfamiliar landscape littered with strange creatures. He turned his sights to the heavens, and sought out unfamiliar stars.

“Pops?”

Torva stopped abruptly. She glanced around in confusion, as if searching for something. She felt a sudden feeling of loss as a pit opened up in her heart.

“Hey, are you there?”

She ignored her audience. She stood, and started calling out.

“Pops, say something. Anything. Tell me you’re there.”

Her posture lost confidence as time passed. Her pitch rose as she spoke. She began to panic.

“Dad, come on. Where are you? Don’t do this to me.”

‘Dad? She couldn’t…’

Zorael turned back to his previous host. Her voice raised in alarm.

“You can’t leave me. Not now. I need you!”

Zorael could feel her even after being disconnected. More than anything, he was flattered. He glowed warmly before reaching for her.

“I’ll miss you too, kid. But you can take care of yourself now. You’re strong enough to take on anything this world can throw at you.”

His thoughts didn’t reach her. She grew manic in fear.

“You said we would kill all the bandits, right? Come back, and we’ll get started on the next group. Anywhere you want to go, just point the way.”

Zorael dimmed slightly before reaching for her.

“We’ve got them all. You know it. There’s nothing left that’s a threat. You’re safe.”

Even though Torva couldn’t hear his response, she understood. Their contract was completed. This didn’t console her.

“I need you to guide me. You’ve always been there to point the way. I can’t do this by myself!”

“You’ll do fine. You found a place where you’re respected and loved. You’ll find your way here.”

She fell to her knees and held parts of her body in pain.

“It hurts…”

“You’ve been hurt far worse than this. You can’t change my mind with pity…?”

She wasn’t clutching her wounds. The areas she was grasping had long since healed. Those were the areas where she was injured long ago.

Zorael rushed forward and touched Torva’s mind. Images of her hometown flashed in her mind. Fire, corpses, blood. A raised weapon, intense pain, shattering realization.

Suddenly, Zorael understood. Torva’s bloodlust, her bitter personality, and her impulsive behavior. Everything she did was to protect herself. To make herself forget, and to soothe the pain. She was so consumed by her quest, because she needed a distraction. Now that she’s finished, she has nothing left to distract her.

Zorael rushed forward. Warmth spread through Torva’s chest. A brief image appeared in her mind of a winged serpent gently coiling around her heart. She felt the burden in her heart lifting, and being shared by a stronger presence.

She felt him say something to her. Something too abstract to consciously understand, but something she felt deeply. Something along the lines of “I’ll nurture you.”

She knelt forward and grasped her shoulders. She repeated, over and over, “Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.”

She felt a hand at her shoulder. She looked up, tears streaming down her eyes. Her expression betrayed an honest innocence she never allowed show.

“Hey… Are you alright?”

A face of worry looked back at her. She glanced around her, and saw all of her audience looked at her with the same face. She looked back at the one beside her before answering.

“Yeah… He’s back. I’m alright now.”

Understanding didn’t show in his face. She didn’t expect it to.

“So… Did you say something about a feast?”

Author's notes:

Spoiler!

I originally meant for this story arc to be much shorter, and I've been spending my time filling up holes to make it less abstract. This was one of the few chapters I actually had planned from the beginning. But since then, I've made changes that added up to this being quite different than before. Once I actually sat down to write it, I realized I had no idea how it was going to play out. It's funny how that works. The chapter I had most clear in my mind was still pretty tough to write. Luckily, I was able to convey most of what I wanted to in the beginning.

Fifth Dream: A Study in Warfare, Epilogue

[stukasa]

Spoiler!

A touching and fitting end to Torva's story, I think. What Zorael said about her being able to handle anything made me wonder, though, just how much of her ability was her own and how much came from Zorael. Hopefully it won't matter now that all the bandits are dead.

That was a really good story arc that went through a lot of ups and downs, and I'm a little sad to see it end, but I'm also excited to see what lies ahead for Zorael and what kind of (mis)adventure he'll get into next.

[Zorafim]

Spoiler!

A freaking long story arc, that's what it is. I'm glad I stuck through it, even if it was way off topic. It was a great way to practice first of all, and it should lead to at least a few ways to progress the story later on.

As for what's her abilities and what's his, well, all Zorael can do is his fancy magics and change emotional states. This can be useful for bringing up an adrenaline rush, or to think calmly when stressed. But Torva's the one swinging around the lance up there.
Of course, if Zorael does a full possession, that changes. But hopefully I won't use those too much.

Anyway, trivia time!

Torva is a mutation of the latin word Torvus, meaning savage.

Every single town name I came up with, I asked a friend to say some random series of words. I then mutated those words into some nonsense and used that, because it really doesn't matter. For instance, my first town was named after I put my friend on the spot and he replied "Give me a sec."

Torva's mother is alive and well, and misses her little girl very much. She has since met an attractive younger man after Torva left home.

Torva practices safe sex, and you should too.

[Zorafim]

Fifth Dream: A Study in Warfare, epilogue

Spoiler!

An old woman lay on a comfortable bed in a well decorated room. Her once taut muscles have shrunk, leaving loose flesh hanging from her bones. Her once keen eyes lay glossy and unfocused. Her armor hung at the corner of the room; well worn and damaged, but functional. Steel plates hung off its protective leather, and strips of leather fell from its waist. Half a dozen knife sheaths littered its surface. A pike with a leaf shaped blade leaned against it.

“I haven’t been out of this room in a week…”

“Yeah. That’s probably bad.”

Torva lay in a room of a hotel in a fairly prosperous town. Having paid a favor to its owner years ago, he was more than willing to have her stay. This was back when she could still walk.

“So this is it then?”

“Yeah, probably.”

A cup of water sat on top of a dresser by her bed. Its temperature stayed constant and cool. Its container was a pure crystal. There was no point in keeping it there. Torva didn’t have the strength to move her mouth, let alone pick up a cup. It was left as a simple courtesy.

“What’s next then?”

“Honestly? In your case, I don’t know.”

She withdrew into herself. She didn’t have the strength to speak, or even think. She could only feel.

“You’re a spirit, right? Don’t you know about the other side?”

“I do. But it’s different for every person. And I’m not even sure your people have an afterlife.”

“Then… What was it like for you?”

“Well… It’s pretty hard to explain. But, if it’ll make you feel better…

At first, it wasn’t too much different than life. I stayed on earth for a while, and saw my family grieve my death. I slowly changed, though. I began to see the world more clearly. I could see past walls I didn’t know were there. And after a while, I became drawn to a light. In this light, I found another world. Comparing it to this world would be like comparing this world to a picture. In a picture, you’re stuck looking at the same thing. You cannot move, or change what is around you. If you can imagine the freedom you gain if you were to leave a picture and enter the world, this is what it felt like to enter this new world of light I found.

In this world, I began a journey. I wasn’t given any instruction or direction. I just knew where to go. Along the way, I had to make some choices. Each choice I made shaped my journey as I went. At the edge of this world was a cave. I entered it, and at its exit I found shining gates. There, I was given one more choice. There were two paths into where the gates lead. I could enter a grand gate, and join the nobility. Or I could enter the servant’s gate, and join the serving class. I didn’t really give it much thought. I went through the servant’s entrance. After entering, the world beyond became more clear than even the world before. When I entered, I became an angel. After that, I served in heaven. For a very long time.”

“That sounds pretty great…”

“Yeah, it is. Don’t fear death as an ending. It’s just a passage into a better life.”

“That’s a relief…”

A short silence befell the heart of the dying woman.

“So… what’s heaven? What’s an angel? I’ve never heard of these things before.”

“That’s right. I guess you couldn’t have. I’m surprised you could even pick those words out. Heaven is the kingdom of the creator of the universe. Angels are his servants. Most angels are hand crafted by the creator, so they’re pretty spectacular to look at. The few human angels are lifted up to their level, but most are made from scratch. That’s not to say they’re any better than other souls. Just… more pure.”

“So then, what do I have to do to become an angel?”

“Honestly, you would hate it. There’s not as much freedom in the job as you seem to enjoy. It’s better to just go through purgatory being honest with yourself. You’ll be most happy wherever you end up that way.”

“I have nothing to fear, then?”

“Nothing but death.”

…

“Hey… could you do me a favor? I… kind of miss my hometown. I… I’d like to be buried there. If it’s not too much trouble…”

“Not a problem.”

Ease filled Torva’s body. Fear welling up inside her dissipated, and a small smile curled onto her lips.

“It’s not going to be easy, and it will look rather awkward. But I can do it. When do you want to leave?”

…

“Torva?”

…

He searched her body for her. She still had a light heartbeat, and she breathed shallow breaths. Her mind was still active. But he couldn’t find anything in her body but flesh and bone.

“I guess right now, then.”

He left her body as well. What few signals it was sending to him faded. He reached out, looking for whatever water he could find. After minutes of collecting, he gathered them into a single orb. He brought it into the room, and consumed Torva’s body. Ice formed around her body to support it. The water and ice stretched around her, covering the body from head to toe.

Zorael took a moment to reflect on it. An aged body, suspended in clear water, laying in a crystal coffin. He gathered her belongings to be sent alongside her. All was sent out the window, and traveled through the air to her home.


Gemisek grew quiet as the sun fell. Families gathered together to return home. Light crowds traversed the streets. Some went a few steps out of their way to pass by an aged statue. The statue depicted a powerful female figure standing triumphantly, and facing the horizon. She wore a battle dress, and proudly lifted her lance. Onlookers admired the statue, raised to pay homage to a hero born in this humble town. Those who stopped to admire the statue that night saw an object fall gently from the sky. At first a shapeless mass, the object melted. Items contained in it fell neatly onto the floor, but a body stayed suspended off the ground by a crystal bed on fragile legs. The melted water elongated into a serpentine figure, which wrapped around the bed. It grew wings, which extended over the body as a cover. A soft blue light shone in its eyes, which looked down on the body.

Time passed, and a crowd grew. Tired families were drawn from their household to view the object. It wasn’t long before they recognized it.

“That’s the same dress and spear as the statue!”

“That’s the winged serpent!”

“It’s Torva the hero!”

The crowd roared in excitement. Steam lifted off her coffin. Her serpent shrunk, and her bed lowered. The crowd collected the body and its belongings as Zorael watched. He stayed in the village until she was buried. Afterwards, he briefly searched the planet for signs of Torva’s soul. Finding no trace, he instead turned his gaze towards the heavens.

“It’s been a while…”

Author's notes:

Spoiler!

lol psych I killed her off. Anyway, it's time for me to get back on track.

Sixth Dream: Another Day's End

[Zorafim]

Sixth Dream: Another Day's End

Spoiler!

“Shout out in joy and praise, for we have been freed from death!”

“It’s really not that big of a deal…”

A young man stood on a stage in the middle of a roaring crowd. He had a thin frame, yet tone muscles rippled across his body. His chest and legs were bare, save for vibrant dyes coating his body. Despite his nakedness, he was ornately dressed. Feathers and pelts adorned his head and shoulders. Teeth and bones hung from his neck, wrists, and ankles. His accessories swayed and sang with his movements, making each one more pronounced.

“On the brink of death, we called out in despair to the heavens! We cried to our gods, and our prayers were answered!”

“I just thought I’d help out a bit, is all.”

His movements were grand. He moved like a dancer, exaggerating his motions for everyone to clearly see. He took great steps as he moved, and he punctuated his words with his hands. He looked out into the roaring audience around him, engaging everyone around him.

“He came down from the sky, from his glorious home, and graced our lowly lands with his light! In his kindness, he traveled an untold distance!”

“Really, I was just passing by…”

Surrounding them were the most important buildings in the city. Large stone buildings rose from the ground, each with impressive statues and ornaments. Important figures viewed the spectacle before them from the buildings’ balconies and roofs, while the common man was stuck huddled in a tight crowd. Each roared in excitement at the performer’s words.

“Even now, he is with us! Looking down at us, relishing in our praise! Let your voices be heard! Shout out to our savior!”

“No really, there’s no need-“

“In his modesty, he hides from us. Call out to him! Beg for his presence!”

“No, I couldn’t. You’re making such a-“

“Call out to him! Shout out the name of our savior! Cry for Zorafim our protector!”

“Ah… it’s pronounced-“

“Come, mighty Zorafim! Allow us to bask in your radiance!”

“…Well, if you insist!”

With no warning, mighty spouts of water erupted from either side of the dancer, and coiled upwards around each other into the heavens. The crowd was stunned into silence, looking on in wonder and awe. The dancer stood with complete confidence, extending his hands up to the spouts on his sides, and raising his head in triumph. Jets shot out from the spouts into the center of the coils, drawing in the air the shape of a winged serpent; coiling in on itself into a ball. With a sudden motion, the serpent opened its wings, and dispelled the water spouts. The remaining water fell down onto the crowd in a light haze. A light rainbow formed just below the serpent’s form.

“Behold Zorafim the mighty! Behold the life giver, the mountain mover, the one who looks down on us and smiles! You have moved him with your praise! Bask in his tears, and rejoice in his presence!”

The crowd resumed their cheers at these words. Their hands flailed in the air like waves on an ocean. The dancer held his pose, with his legs and arms spread wide, drawing extra attention instead to the scene above him. The serpent hung there for a moment, allowing the crowd to express their excitement.

Once the cries died down, the serpent moved. In a single elegant motion, it shot into the air in a flowing movement. In its absence, the performer continued his act.

“And so he has left us! Return to the lives so graciously gifted to you, and keep the memory of Zorafim’s great image in your hearts!”

With the spectacle over, the crowds dispersed. The dancer stayed on his stage, masking his relief at not messing up his performance. His stature relaxed, and he raised his head up to where the serpent left.

“Goodbye, great spirit. It has been an honor hosting you.”

“Likewise. Thank you for the celebration. I really enjoyed it.”

“I am glad.”

Zorael left the performer’s body. His senses banished from his mind. He turned his gaze up to the heavens, and searched.

“Well, that was fun.”

Author's Notes:

Spoiler!

Qoxolg paint it!

It feels weird not writing down "Fifth Dream". It also feels weird spending more than half my story on one dream, and then spend so few words on another one.

Seventh Dream: Troubled Meditation

[stukasa]

Fifth Dream: Oh, I wasn't expecting an epilogue. Looking back, I guess you did one for your Third Dream as well. It was a moving and sad ending, but at the same time kind of hopeful. I believe the reader (that's me!) would like to think Torva ended up in heaven too, despite being a weird being from another planet.

Sixth Dream: I laughed at how the crowds were worshiping and cheering "Zorafim the mighty" (which is my title already, by the way! *points to user title*). Zorael really likes water for some reason, and from what I know, you do too. It was a fairly random chapter but an interesting one. We didn't get much back story on it but I guess it takes place on some random planet with some random peoples, somewhere between Torva's planet and earth?