05-09-2014, 07:16 AM
When Eli turned, he found the density of black had moved on. Its target became Tehya, and to her credit, the Native American held her ground. Eli had no need of his powers to enhance the reality of his sights.
Whether the particulates of black swarmed around Tehya's body or passed directly through her form, Eli was equally fascinated. He held his hand close to his chest. Cacti-sharp prickles needled through the skin as though returning to life after falling numb.
The specter took on the shape of face, one that hovered above Tehya's shoulders, and replicated Elias' posture moments before. Would the thing toss the girl aside as he had? Was it going to come for him? He did not think so, as while it seemed on the verge of hurting her, it behaved as though it cared more about him. Why? He could not guess.
Tehya blanched with fear, but Elias had neither an idea for how to startle it away nor the deep desire to do so. Connor's victim moaning across the platform was more dangerous than this phantom, perhaps even Connor himself, and Tehya's fear was a rational response. Eli only watched it. His arm felt normal again, and he lowered it to his side. This thing was familiar to him, but perhaps he sat too often around back-yard campfires. Black smoke would always billow acquaintanceship on the edges of his senses.
Connor burst by, and Eli gasped at the intrusion to his senses. He wielded the cylindrical tube of a fire extinguisher like a weapon; in his other hand a knife, a weapon for flesh and blood not of smoke. The man must be mad! The specter was neither a fire to drench nor a victim to stab.
A cloud of white sprayed like the foam of a wave crashing on their heads. The metallic screech that followed wrinkled Eli's expression with annoyance, one that was slightly abated by the specter's resultant retaliation.
Connor landed on his back. If unconscious, Eli could not say. Tehya seemed stunned, and Eli's scrutiny for the ill-planned assault faded. He was intent to understand this strange predator, and before it fled, it whispered one more thing in his mind, one that shuddered cold within the core of his being. "I'll return for you." Shapes filled Eli's mind, scribbles he did not understand, and with them, the accompanying sensation of spitting upon an honored title. Then, both vanished, and he was left with his own bewilderment.
Connor climbed to his feet, meanwhile, as Eli was left to decipher the cryptic parting-words. He went to Tehya, unconcerned about Eli of course. The extent of his distress for her well-being flattened Eli's expression. He shook out his hand and joined them, but it was not Tehya that Eli pampered.
It was to Connor his scrutiny turned. His position took one one beside Tehya. As though it was two against one. "She's fine. Who are you? First the woman. Now this."
The dark sleeve of his coat followed the point where his gaze darted across the tracks. Both returned to the weapons Connor wielded in his ill-devised attack. "Find yourself some sort of hero, or something?"
The coal of his eyes were accusatory. Of the three strangers, only one behaved suspiciously.
Train brakes screeched in the tunnel, but Eli did not abandon his investigation to seek the escape.
Whether the particulates of black swarmed around Tehya's body or passed directly through her form, Eli was equally fascinated. He held his hand close to his chest. Cacti-sharp prickles needled through the skin as though returning to life after falling numb.
The specter took on the shape of face, one that hovered above Tehya's shoulders, and replicated Elias' posture moments before. Would the thing toss the girl aside as he had? Was it going to come for him? He did not think so, as while it seemed on the verge of hurting her, it behaved as though it cared more about him. Why? He could not guess.
Tehya blanched with fear, but Elias had neither an idea for how to startle it away nor the deep desire to do so. Connor's victim moaning across the platform was more dangerous than this phantom, perhaps even Connor himself, and Tehya's fear was a rational response. Eli only watched it. His arm felt normal again, and he lowered it to his side. This thing was familiar to him, but perhaps he sat too often around back-yard campfires. Black smoke would always billow acquaintanceship on the edges of his senses.
Connor burst by, and Eli gasped at the intrusion to his senses. He wielded the cylindrical tube of a fire extinguisher like a weapon; in his other hand a knife, a weapon for flesh and blood not of smoke. The man must be mad! The specter was neither a fire to drench nor a victim to stab.
A cloud of white sprayed like the foam of a wave crashing on their heads. The metallic screech that followed wrinkled Eli's expression with annoyance, one that was slightly abated by the specter's resultant retaliation.
Connor landed on his back. If unconscious, Eli could not say. Tehya seemed stunned, and Eli's scrutiny for the ill-planned assault faded. He was intent to understand this strange predator, and before it fled, it whispered one more thing in his mind, one that shuddered cold within the core of his being. "I'll return for you." Shapes filled Eli's mind, scribbles he did not understand, and with them, the accompanying sensation of spitting upon an honored title. Then, both vanished, and he was left with his own bewilderment.
Connor climbed to his feet, meanwhile, as Eli was left to decipher the cryptic parting-words. He went to Tehya, unconcerned about Eli of course. The extent of his distress for her well-being flattened Eli's expression. He shook out his hand and joined them, but it was not Tehya that Eli pampered.
It was to Connor his scrutiny turned. His position took one one beside Tehya. As though it was two against one. "She's fine. Who are you? First the woman. Now this."
The dark sleeve of his coat followed the point where his gaze darted across the tracks. Both returned to the weapons Connor wielded in his ill-devised attack. "Find yourself some sort of hero, or something?"
The coal of his eyes were accusatory. Of the three strangers, only one behaved suspiciously.
Train brakes screeched in the tunnel, but Eli did not abandon his investigation to seek the escape.