jamesthorn: (Default)
[personal profile] jamesthorn
James isn't okay. He is bleeding. His head hurts again, and his leg is throbbing near his ankle, like he ran through some barbed wire. Danger, I'm in danger is the first thing he thinks when he opens his eyes, blinking back the blurriness in front of his face. It feels like he's been drugged, but it may just be that his body is overcompensating for the massive pain he has in his left ankle and his chin is now bruised from where he hit it on the ground while being dragged away. The last thing he remembers, from being taken, he remembers the anger, fear on Moira's face, but she couldn't reach him.

If that wasn't bad enough. James attempts to move now that he's awake, but he finds that he is tied up, both hands bound behind his back with rope that digs into his skin. There's a wall to his back, keeping him from falling over. Slowly, he takes in his surrounds, licking at his bottom lip, it's swollen and crusted with dried blood.

All the lights are dimmed enough that he can't make out much of his surroundings, but he knows he is alone. Who knows when whatever took him will return to finish what it started...

Date: 2014-05-24 10:41 am (UTC)
chasingtwisters: (wtf)
From: [personal profile] chasingtwisters
Moira manages to cast a glamour over herself before quickly following whatever took James. When she gets closer to the large, hulking forms dragging him away like a piece of meat, she starts to make out their forms and she swallows, trying not to let her fear overwhelm her. They look like trolls, something straight out of Tolkien, complete with clubs by their sides. That must have been what they struck him with, she thinks, keeping to the shadows as she follows them down one of the most winding paths they've come across in the labyrinth so far.

She curses when they reach a room at the end of a tunnel, a small one that she doesn't know how they all squeeze inside. She hates that she has to bide her time and wait, but she doesn't want to make any sudden movements; she's no good to James injured herself.

After what feels like hours, which she doesn't know for sure because she's lost all sense of time down here, the trolls finally march past her, grumbling in a language she can't understand but making crude, obvious enough gestures to inform her that they definitely plan on eating James. So she has to move fast.

She enters into the dim room and finds it eerily quiet. She thinks, perhaps, the trolls have gone to hunt for seasonings for their new prize, and she shudders. She turns until she finds James, tied up and pressed against the wall like the meal he is about to become. She hurries over.

"James, can you hear me?" She asks, working instantly on the ropes around his hands, sending out little flickers of embers from her hands to eat away at the bindings. "We have to get you out of here, they're most likely going to eat you."

Date: 2014-05-24 11:49 am (UTC)
chasingtwisters: (Carefree)
From: [personal profile] chasingtwisters
When she releases his hands, Moira isn't expect any response of any kind, except for maybe a brief, gruff thanks. So when James throws his arms around her, she is caught completely off-guard, unused to such affection from a man who scowls all the time. She finds herself hugging back, though, because a) actual physical contact with another human being is wonderful and life-affirming, and b) because she's actually really glad to see James alive and in one piece. (Which she'll have to dwell on later, because they do need to get the fuck out of here.)

"They are actual trolls, drooling chins and clubs and all," she says, "and you are not walking on that ankle, come here."

She reaches over and leans an arm under his shoulder to help keep him upright.

"Ready?" She asks.

Of course, that is when she hears the sound of loud, returning footsteps.

Date: 2014-05-25 12:04 am (UTC)
chasingtwisters: (Fighting for her cause)
From: [personal profile] chasingtwisters
"Because after killer bees and Medusa, why not, right?" Moira asks sardonically, secretly relieved James still has his wits about him. She's worried about his ankle, and whether he is harmed more than he's actually letting on. She actually thinks she cares about his well-being, and it takes her by surprise.

She tightens her own hold under James' arms as she feels his own hand tighten. They can never actually have even a few moments to themselves without something wanting to kill them.

"You idiot, are you actually trying to walk right now?" Moira scowls at him just as the trolls make their grand appearance. There's about four of them, ugly, large things with even nastier looking clubs. But Moira is a witch, and she is damn tired of running and having to fear for her life.

"Okay, stay here," she commands, helping James to sit against the wall before rushing in front of him, arms out as she calls upon every bit of magic she has within her.

"Hey assholes," she calls out to the trolls as flames start to form in her fists. "Nice try, but we're not for eating!"

She hurls both flames at the group of them before lunging in after them. She thinks she might have lost her goddamn mind.

Date: 2014-05-25 01:16 am (UTC)
chasingtwisters: (Fighting for her cause)
From: [personal profile] chasingtwisters
Moira hears James call out behind her, and it almost warms her heart, recognizing the concern in his voice. She's determined to see this fight through, though, and so she keeps steadfast, even among the deafening roar of the thoroughly angered trolls.

"Shit," she mutters to herself when her fire doesn't work exactly as planned. No matter; she has other tricks up her sleeve.

Of course, she realizes this the moment the trolls lunge for her.

Well, fuck that, she thinks, using her boiling anger and concentrating it into her magic. She thinks about the fact that both she and James were taken from their lives into this hellhole to fend for themselves. She thinks about the fact that they have already faced so many goddamn monsters. She thinks about how these nasty trolls took James and almost ate him. She snarls. She closes her eyes as the trolls descend upon her, and before they can even land a single blow, she's shot them all back with a sudden burst of turquoise light.

Luckily, none of them manage to hit James. The light only stuns them, however, and she needs to act fast if she wants to end this permanently.

Drawing on a significant amount of magical energy, Moira quickly spins what looks to be a web of silver between her palms. She hurries as she spins it in her hands, molding the shapes from thin air, or so it appears to the casual observer. When she finishes, she has a bow and several arrows, one for each of the trolls.

She wastes no time, launching the first arrow at the nearest troll; it strikes him directly through the heart, The second tears through the troll's throat; the third finds himself with an arrow through his forehead. Finally, with a graceful spin, she strikes the last troll in the eye.

Date: 2014-05-25 02:26 am (UTC)
chasingtwisters: (Carefree)
From: [personal profile] chasingtwisters
"You're welcome," she tells him, surprised by the amount of things left unsaid in his words. She can tell he is really grateful, and maybe even impressed, at her display of magic. The thought is oddly pleasing to her in a way she's not sure she can define right now. Mostly, she's relieved that they're both alive to see another day, even if it does end up being in this hellhole. She also realizes she owes him just as well. "I couldn't leave you behind."

She catches sight of him wincing and makes up her mind.

"Come on, I'll carry you," she informs him, leaning down to speak with him. "We need to see if we can get out of here. In the mean time, here."

She blows a dusting of pink across James' leg. It won't cure him, but it should ease the pain and discomfort, even just a little bit.

"Now, you get a choice: bridal style or sack of potatoes?"

Date: 2014-05-26 03:01 am (UTC)
chasingtwisters: (Fighting for her cause)
From: [personal profile] chasingtwisters
Moira knows that admitting to not being able to leave James behind is loaded with meaning she can't begin to decipher right now, but she also knows that, at some point, the two of them will have to deal with it, whenever they get the hell out of here.

"What if you shut up and let me take care of you so you don't get eaten by extra trolls?" She counters, raising an eyebrow that dares him to argue with her. Like hell she's leaving him alone in this place. Either they remain where they are or they try to find an escape. Moira's not letting James go through any sort of hell on his own.

Date: 2014-05-26 10:49 am (UTC)
chasingtwisters: (Fighting for her cause)
From: [personal profile] chasingtwisters
Moira doesn't know why she's so determined to take care of him. It's certainly more than this place and his broken ankle, and the thought frustrates her beyond belief. Since when did James' well-being mean so much to her? It's unsettling, yet the feeling refuses to leave. Goddamn it.

"Well, now I know you're in pain because you're not arguing," she says, leaning down and all but sweeping him up into her arms, tossing him over her shoulder because it's easier that way. "Let me know if I jostle you or anything hurts, okay?"

Date: 2014-05-26 11:11 am (UTC)
chasingtwisters: (Carefree)
From: [personal profile] chasingtwisters
"Would you rather lose your dignity or your life?" She points out, taking no offense from his sarcasm, actually rejoicing in it because it indicates that James at least still feels like himself. Still, a tiny part of her is just a bit gleeful at carrying James like this.

Date: 2014-05-26 11:36 am (UTC)
chasingtwisters: (wtf)
From: [personal profile] chasingtwisters
Moira rolls her eyes, but she has to admit, it's nice to fall back into this old routine, bickering with James as though they weren't trapped in hell. Except that she suddenly remembers and goes back to being on high alert, even with James bitching over her shoulder. "I don't actually, because I left the map on the table by my bed when I transported us both here to some kind of labyrinth without David Bowie and his magical pants. Now shut up, I think I hear something."

When James finally quiets down, she thinks she hears a faint buzzing.

"Oh fuck no," she groans.

Date: 2014-05-26 03:08 pm (UTC)
chasingtwisters: (wtf)
From: [personal profile] chasingtwisters
Moira carefully eases him on the ground as the buzzing starts to get louder, ears perked not unlike her cat form as she tries to guesstimate the distance between them and whatever is trying to kill them this time. "Well, this damn place doesn't give up, I'll give it that. Come on."

She loops an arm under his shoulder, hoping he can keep up with the pace she's setting, brisk while trying not to cause him more pain. This is beyond ridiculous, she thinks, weary, in desperate need to see her family and friends, to have a goddamn beer without having to think if it's poisoned. And she's tired of this place hurting her and James. She's tired of having to fight for her life because of the asshole that sent her here.

"I know," she says, recalling what she said about finding a way out. "But first we need to, oh holy shit."

She brings them to an abrupt halt at the sight before them: thousands of beautiful, seemingly cute pink birds swarm around the empty bones of another troll. The buzzing is coming from the clash of their minuscule teeth against their beaks. Moira feels the remaining color draining out of her face.

Profile

jamesthorn: (Default)
James Thornton

Style Credit

Expand Cut Tags

No cut tags
Page generated Jul. 7th, 2025 06:58 pm
Powered by Dreamwidth Studios