Kali's backstory (warning: is badly written)

[SALSAlys]

Finally Shika led Kali to Fireblaze's domain again, but led her to a different room than where Kali had first met the fire lord. The white and black designs were slightly different, each swirling about themselves and forming far more intricate patterns. Intrigued, the girl paused briefly to examine them.

Is it a circle overlapping itself? Or are they coiling threads? But then why is there that little strand braiding itself in...

"Don't," warned Shikhaela, placing her hands over Kali's eyes. "They've got a trance spell on them. If you look for too long, you forget everything else."

Kali nodded, chastened.

They continued along, passing by various elementals and archways, but Shikhaela pushed onwards until they reached a small door, of a material slightly different than the obsidian which Kali was used to by now.

"What is it made of?"

"Hematite, to ground any excess energy." The succubus opened the door, letting Kali glimpse the interior before she stepped in cautiously.

Starkly ornamented and austere, the room seemed unwelcoming and barren. The only spot of real color was the salamander, who glowed a fierce and brilliant red, and whose scales were a rich orange. Even so, she was only about the size of a large cat.

"Bye, Kali. I'll pick you up when your lesson is done," said Shika, embracing the girl affectionately. "Seeya later, Lava."

"Likewise," nodded the salamander. As soon as the door clicked shut behind Shikhaela, the teacher turned towards Kali, then prowled about her feet. Feeling akward, Kali tried to twist her head about to watch Lava, although she didn't move from the spot she was standing.

"Have you ever seen a phoenix before?" The question came so quickly that Kali was surprised, and intelligently replied "Huh?"

"Have you ever seen a phoenix before?" repeated Lava. "You know, flaming big bird, reincarnates in fire?... No, I see you haven't. Let me show you, then."

Suddenly, Kali couldn't see the room about her, her vision being occupied with a large, magnificent bird flying through an azure sky. Long feathers like a peacock's trailed from its tail, golden and shining with a light independent from the sun. Flickering strands of amber flame wove themselves among the feathers, and the wingspan was tremendous...

How could a bird like that fit in ANYWHERE? thought Kali, awed. It's so big and beautiful...

Brief sparks flew up every time the wings shifted, sending gentle cinders to hover in its path before winking out. The crest was tinted a subtle shade of red and orange, with a shine suggesting a light layer of gilt. The beak was of similar coloration, delicate and issuing a honeyed song which tugged at Kali's heart.

Oceans and crescendoes and silver waterfalls of music...

But the eyes were what truly captivated her. They stood out from the aureate splendor of the bird, a brilliant, cold blue which seemed to reflect stars into the viewer's own eyes...

" That is a phoenix," said Lava, snapping Kali out of the vision. Wistfully, Kali wished that the salamander could have waited a bit longer, but she banished the thought. "Would you like to learn how to control one? You could, you know... phoenixes are birds of fire, and you are learning fire magic."

Huh? This must be some trick question... who WOULDN'T want to... wait, control?

Kali remained silent, mentally assembling her speech and choosing her words with care. "I... I'm sorry, but I wouldn't want to control one. Something like that is better off free. It would be a crime to capture one— or at least it should be— and I don't think it would do well in captivity. But mentally controlling it, dictating its every move would be worse." She wasn't sure if she had adequately portrayed what she intended.

Her instructor looked at her unblinkingly, then the mouth opened in something akin to a smile. "Good. You might learn something after all... you passed the first test. Good job."

Edited by: [url=http://pub30.ezboard.com/usalsalys.showPublicProfile?language=EN>SALSAlys</A] at: 6/20/02 6:51:25 pm

[Jak Snide]

Indeed! What the title bar says! Nicely done again!

[SALSAlys]

The next few weeks passed in a pleasant blur for Kali. After her violent reaction to her stepfather's actions, he had left her alone, except for a violent hiding with his belt.

But that's alright, since he isn't touching me any more.

Lava was teaching her fire magic, mostly control. She explained that Fireblaze would be providing all the power that she needed; all Kali had to do was harness it.

"It's like a dam. Fireblaze has given you the river; you've got to control how much flows," the salamander explained. Kali progressed through lighting candles to making small fireballs, as well as making coils of smoke. The smoke was solid, though, meaning that it could be climbed or sat on. Between the fireballs and smoke, the girl figured that she could handle most things, although Lava said she was going to be learning more advanced spells later.

All in all, life was good.

(I know, boring, but I'll be editing and adding on later today, hopefully. If not, it'll be tomorrow.)

[pd Rydia]

Whee! More! More! Más! Plus! <p><hr width="47%"><small>Quotes of the moment – Advice:
-=- "Cuteness is CUTE!" -- SALSAlys
-=- "Alcohol is good for everything." -- Banjooie
-=- "Sanity is where the pants go on your legs, not your head." -- Crawling Reshiki
-=- "Love is when 72 billion monkeys steal a porsche and drive it off a cliff." -- SuperRube
-=- "Remember, kids, skulk 3 times a day so you can grow up and be a big and STRONG demon." -- Nakibe</p>

[SALSAlys]

Kali went home later than usual one night. After her lesson with Lava, where she had successfully walked through a veil of fire several times without injury to either her person or clothing, Shikhaela had decided to go explain to Kali about a few changes she'd be expecting with her body soon.

The bleeding thing, and what not to do with boys. Kali had paid attention, but life in the mountains, seeing goats and sheep mate, didn't really make the subject of sex that mysterious.

Ah well.

She tiptoed to the door silently. Hopefully her stepda was asleep.

When she edged the door open, though, Kali saw that the fire was still on, although dying to a few embers. Her stepda was awake, holding a mug of something in his hands. He didn't smell drunk for once, and was uncharacteristically quiet.

"Kali, yer late. Got lost?"

"Um... yes. Sorry."

"'Salright. Here. It's some tea I got from the innkeep's wife." He pressed the warm mug into her hands. Kali sniffed at it cautiously first.

Doesn't smell bad... smells... good, actually.

She sipped it gently, letting the warmth and flavor trickle down her throat. It was thick and sweet, with cinnamon and honey mingled together, along with a trace of mint.

"Thanks, stepda." He took it from her hand.

"Sleep now."

"Mmhm..." Kali went to her bed, curling under the covers.

Sleep came surprisingly easily, and her last images were of her stepfather watching her silently.

(No this is NOT the end! I have just been more than a mite sidetracked as of late...)

Edited by: [url=http://pub30.ezboard.com/usalsalys.showPublicProfile?language=EN>SALSAlys</A] at: 7/2/02 2:31:55 pm

[Jak Snide]

I'm still reading this. Keep going, I'm curious to see where this is heading.

(Translation: MORE! XD )

[pd Rydia]

*miaos*

(You know my typical response) <p><hr width="47%"><small>Quotes of the moment (RP quotes):
-=- "I FOUND A CORNER! I found a corner, I found a corner! See, right here! Stuck on the wall! It's a corner! Woo hoo! Now, to stare at it!" -- Daenj'r Tymisonn KingOfDoma)
-=- "Alright then. Now we're one big happy band of happy adventurers, maybe we should get back to the killing, hmm?" -- Jak Snide (Jak Snide)
-=- "Look hun, it's...uh...raining... ...frogs...O_o;;;" -- Aya, Queen of Doma (LDC)
-=- "MEAN HORSIES DON'T GET BISCUITS!!!" -- Solis Darylshield (Nakibe)</p>

[SALSAlys]

(I broke the promise, altho' 'twas by accident... and it'll be done before Monday, since then I'll be gone until August 15.)

Kali had vague, confusing dreams. Dim, eerie surroundings were home to a host of fiery creatures, incubi and succubi of flames, with Kali herself dancing among them as they capered about a bonfire, long shadows streaking across cold and barren ground. Then, unexpectedly, as if at some predetermined signal, they turned from their fiercely beautiful forms to mere sheep and goats, only retaining their faces. That, more than anything else, made Kali shiver at the mockery of beauty that they had become, each brazenly sensual feature chained to a hairy, smelly body as they went into rut. Lost amid the chaos, she tried to seek out Shikhaela, Lava, Fireblaze, Magmar... but every time she thought she had seen them, they turned out to be a phantom, caused by the strange mesh of darkness and fire which wove throughout the locale. Her ears flushed, as though they were bathed in fire, and she tried to escape the madness.

A leering satyr stepped into her path, though. In horror, the child realized he bore the face of her father, just as he began speaking.

"Kali..." he crooned, small fires pricking across the hair of his forearms. "Yer mine, darling.... allllll mine..." The various noises accompanying the debauchery behind her made a hideous complement to the thinly disguised undertones of his voice.

Get away from me! she tried screaming, but her hair burst into flame, stuffing itself into her mouth so that she was choking, and no matter how she tugged and pulled, she couldn't break free of the bonds formed by her own body...

Get away! GET AWAY!

With a near shriek, she awoke. Her eyes felt dull and heavy, and her stepfather was by her side, but—

There must have been something in that tea he gave me, Kali realized. The lighting showed that it was far past the time she usually woke up, and she was a light sleeper; otherwise her stepfather never could have...

"Let me go!" she wailed, struggling against the belt around her wrists. It had been wrapped several times before being slid through the notch, and was sturdy leather, with a strong metal buckle.

"Ye shouldn'ta done what ye did," he growled, twining his thick hand about her hair, pulling back so that her throat was exposed. His breath was hot at her neck as he nuzzled, and Kali was put in mind of a vampire, save for the fact that she'd much rather have her blood sucked than have this happen. The hand that was free roved her chest, cupping at the small, still growing breast tissue.

"Yer not a flower full grown, but yer still a tasty thing," his voice murmured. At least Kali thought it was his voice. She had no idea how she could feel... something...

I think that's his tongue...

At her neck while he was speaking, but she'd rather not think about it.

"Stepda... let me go," Kali whispered, trying to hide the tremble in her voice.

"But yer mine now, right? Like yer mother... ye ain't blood-kin to me neither..." Kali thanked her stars as his hand left her bosom, but then her apprehension kicked up again as he began reaching for his pants.

NO! But... even if I'm not blood-kin... I'm his STEPDAUGHTER... and I'm not even a woman yet...

Sheer, blind instinct, combined with Shikhaela's teachings about self defense and acrobatics, made her roll into a backwards somersault, stopping at the apex of it, where she was on the upper knob of her spine, heels directly above her head and under her stepfather's chin as she kicked out, then tumbled to her feet again. Unfortunately, she only got a grazing shot along his forehead, but it was enough to let her stand. And then, as she ran towards the door of the house, he bore down on her with a cry of rage.

[SALSAlys]

Kali had reached the door, but was slammed into it at her stepfather's lunging grasp. Stars whirled about her vision at the knock, but she retained conciousness. He was on her back, her hands still tied by the belt, arms now at a painful angle.

Oh gods oh gods oh gods...

"You little bi—" he began snarling, but Kali's hands burst into fire, sending him scrambling back, yowling like a cat touching a hot stove. The leather about her wrists was burnt off, but the copper of the buckle melted, trickling over her fingers in scalding rivulets. Kali screamed then, her imperviousness to fire not making her immune to the burning touch of liquid metal. Shaking her hands desparately, she sent the droplets flying into her stepfather's face and clothing, then ignored the pain in her hands to clutch at the handle to the door, intending to swing it open. She even stumbled out a few shaky steps before she was tackled.

" Witch," he hissed. "You are going to die when I'm done with you, Kali darlin'..."

Fear throbbed throughout her body, making her feel the pulse of her own blood, the beating of her heart, and causing her rapid breathing to feel sharp and shallow, each inhalation causing knives to scrape along her throat.

" Get off of me!" she screamed again.

Fire fire... that's the thing. I can't fight, I can use FIRE...

Lava had told her that Fireblaze had offered her the power of all the fire elementals under his command; more than any human mage would ever need, more than Kali could ever use in her lifetime even if she cast fireballs every second of her existence.

I just need to USE that power... In her lessons, Kali had feared using too much; the first time she had tried to light a candle, the wick exploded. Now, though, she was afraid of using too little.

BURN.

Inanely, a part of her mind was wondering why only her stepfather had called her darling. Mrs. Thatcher had named her lass and sweetling; Shikhaela referred to her as love and loveling; even Lava and Fireblaze, when they decided to forgo ceremony and use a pet name, called her flamelet and firefly.

Their various terms of endearment sometimes ran together; Shikhaela would occasionally use sweetling instead of love, and other times Fireblaze would call her lass.

But only YOU had ever called me darling...

The thoughts flickered through her head more rapidly than a lightning strike, and Kali later wondered why she'd been thinking of that strange topic.

But it gave fuel to her new curse.

Burn, darlin'... burn.

And she painted the sky with fire.

Edited by: [url=http://pub30.ezboard.com/usalsalys.showPublicProfile?language=EN>SALSAlys</A] at: 7/7/02 6:18:15 am

[pd Rydia]

WOOOOOOO! Gooooo Kali~! *waves a flag, which features a flame on a dark red field* ^_^ <p><hr width="47%"><small>Quotes of the moment (RP quotes):
-=- "I FOUND A CORNER! I found a corner, I found a corner! See, right here! Stuck on the wall! It's a corner! Woo hoo! Now, to stare at it!" -- Daenj'r Tymisonn KingOfDoma)
-=- "Alright then. Now we're one big happy band of happy adventurers, maybe we should get back to the killing, hmm?" -- Jak Snide (Jak Snide)
-=- "Look hun, it's...uh...raining... ...frogs...O_o;;;" -- Aya, Queen of Doma (LDC)
-=- "MEAN HORSIES DON'T GET BISCUITS!!!" -- Solis Darylshield (Nakibe)</p>

[SALSAlys]

Kali sent a miniature hail of fireballs at her father, spraying from the tips of her fingers. Her aim was awry, merely scorching his front and igniting his hair. The stench filled the air with noxious clouds of smoke, and Kali could feel her hair prickling with fire, lifting off slightly from her body.

Burn, darlin', burn.

More smoke issued forth, winding towards the sky and darkening it to a dull, angry twilight. Then she sent flame streaking down, calling it with all the power she could summon. Around her, fires blazed out of control. Their house was also burning, and she could hear minor explosions as it reached her stepfather's whiskey.

Burn, darlin', burn.

Yet more flames came, twining about the sky and forming patterns as intricate as the trance-spelled carvings she had seen in Fireblaze's domain, and with a perilous beauty, like one's last sight of Medusa before turning to stone. With barely a flick of her concious control, she sent one of the strands winding about her stepfather, then pulling tight and burning him alive. His death was instant, his flesh charred to ashes and his bones blackened with soot.

Some obscure part of Kali wanted to do more, though. She wasn't aware of when her pyromancy grew out of her grasp, when she started becoming a mere channel for the energy instead of a dam to block it off.

She didn't care.

Burn, darlin', BURN.

His bones were cracking from the heat. The smoke Kali had made had turned the bright morning to night; then the fire turned it back to day. Laughing hysterically, she waved her arms, sending more flame billowing out like the crests of a wave.

BURN!

She could see shapes in the fire again. Salamanders and forms less humanoid, frolicking in her destruction. Kali felt good. She would give them more to play in.

However, then Fireblaze stepped out, his odd, human eyes darker than usual.

"Stop, Kali," he said gently. "Stop." One hand, strong and blunt, reached out to cup her face.

Stop...

Until he had said that, Kali hadn't realized how tired she was.

"You don't want to burn the village, do you?"

With a cry, she turned to look down the path.

NO!

It took longer to stop it than it had to start it. Sweat was dried by the fire as quickly as it came, but she felt the effort none the less, to stop the fire from issuing out. However, the multitudes of fire that she had lighted by accident were still going strong. She turned her panicked gaze to the fire lord.

"Can you stop it?" she whispered. She felt dizzy and lightheaded; the world was spinning beneath her feet, but her eyes held steady.

Fireblaze shook his head. "We're calling on help."

Kali glanced up. The smoke was clearing away, blown by creatures almost invisible, sculpted of wind and cloud. They blended in perfectly with their home, seeming to be a few scraps of cloud, or perhaps a gentle zephyr. And she could see a few more liquid-looking humanoids, skin rippling like the surface of water.

"Air and water elementals," explained Fireblaze softly.

The rain came, gentle and healing. Most of the fire elementals disappeared then, but Fireblaze remained with the human. Kali leaned against him, watching. Trickles of water coursed down her cheeks, and extinguished his hair. His lower body remained inexplicably burning, though. She didn't feel like questioning it.

The fires were eventually put out, and Kali felt drained, but warm and secure next to Fireblaze. His arm was around her shoulder, anchoring her to the earth. Then Shikhaela appeared, smelling faintly of water lilies and jasmine, and put her arm around Kali's other side, cupping the girl between them.

And the rain fell.

[Jak Snide]

*applauds*

[Kotoki]

*does likewise*