2023.12.19 A Winter Break Nightmare

A Winter Break Nightmare
Eirlys happens to catch Evelyn during a particularly bad episode of nightmares, deciding to turn it into a full on ordeal Eve has to overcome
IC Date	2023.12.19
IC Time	Early Morning
Players	Eirlys, Evelyn
Location	Wyldman Library - Circulation
Spheres	Changeling

Evelyn is starting her day off sorting through returs, and smiling to herself, humming possibly, but in a rather good mood. She is dressed in her normal librarian attire, but a bit lighter than normal, maybe a light blue jacket, with a white blouse, and a pencil skirt. Her hair down instead of up, allowing the light waves to spill around her shoulders.

Bright and early on Winter break... only the faculty and those poor souls doing Winter training for sports and such are on campus now! Still, since Eirlys is one of the former, she's using her privilege by sneaking a visit to the library when few else are around. She seems to be going towards a specific section immediately upon entry until she spots who's manning the place right now and changes course. `Welll... long time no see, hm? Enjoying the quiet?`

Evelyn looks up and smiles at Eirlys, "Definitely enjoying the quiet. I was almost tempted to turn on some music but then I have to remember there are still patrons, such as yourself who may wonder in, and wonder if they are lost." She offers teasingly. "It is a pleasure to see you again Ms. Williams. What brings you by the library so bright and early on the holiday as well?"

<---======##====================[ Dice Roll ]=====================##======---> Eirlys rolls Perception(5) + Kenning(4) (9 dice) vs 6 for 2 successes. 1 3 3 3 5 5 +6 +9 9 <-------------=============++++++++++++++++++++++++=============------------->

Eil takes a moment just to stare with those striking eyes of hers, smirking. Nothing to worry about, unless you're already worried, of course. `Lovely to see you again too! I wanted to see you again before, but I was so. Damn. Busy. But hey... better late than never, and, despite my job, I don't much like crowds for leisure, y'know. You up for helping me find something specific?`

<---======##====================[ Dice Roll ]=====================##======---> Evelyn rolls Willpower vs 7 for 0 successes. 1 3 4 5 10 <-------------=============++++++++++++++++++++++++=============------------->

Evelyn offers softly, looking confused and trying to ground herself, "Crowds? In here? This isn't... real, is it? The quiet, the books, all of it... just part of the dream, isn't it?" Evelyn says, her voice catching as she reaches for a nearby book, fingers tracing the embossed lettering as if anchoring herself to a familiar memory. "Tell me again, why am I here, with you? And why isn't this library... crumbling, or bleeding, or filled with hungry shadows?"

Eil blinks, glancing back to see there's indeed no others in sight right now, before slowllyyyy turning back to look at the librarian with an even larger smirk as she leanssss forwards onto the counter and whispers. `My, having trouble telling where your dreams end and else begins? Poor thing... you're just seeing me because some part of you -wanted- to see me. The shadows are lurking, but I know how to navigate them... that's why you summoned me. Let us go to the back where there's not so many eyes....`

A shudder rippled through Evelyn as Eirly's whisper washed over her, her grip tightening on the familiar comfort of the worn book. Her voice barely a whisper itself, trembling with obvious uncertainty and her fear growing. "Wanted...You? But why? I just wanted the quiet and normalcy of the books..the books are safe." Her eyes darting around the library and she seems to step back away from Eirlys a bit, "The Shadows, They're..they're..." She shakes her head trying to sort through the nightmare reality, "The back room, it is a way out of this nightmare? That's it, isn't it. I will wake up if I go to the back." She looks back towards the reading room.

Eil lets out a long, quiet breath, dark eyes narrowing. `You never quite know what part of you is calling out its distress... and the unlikliest of things can come to your assistance. You are stronger than you know, smarter... yes yes. The books are safe, but not out here, only in the place where those that cannot be on normal display. They are untainted, powerful, out of the shadow's clutches. But there is no more time, we must go -now-.`

Evelyn's gaze, still clinging to the refuge of the reading room, flickered with a desperate hope, forced her to take a step towards the safety and the chance to wake up. She sat the book in her hands down on the counter, as if the familiar anchor was not what it seemed. She looked back to Eirlys, "Are you sure?" Her voice trembling, Evelyn clearly wasn't sure. "Will you lead the way?" fear radiating from her, as her eyes scanned the shadows of the library. She had to find her way out of the nightmare and Eirlys was the only one she trusted who could lead the way.

Eil glances this way and that before walking around the counter to gently take Eve's hand in hers. `My presence is sureness itself, now... let's go.` She says, tugging to kickstart Eve following her... towards the back, where she'd been looking. Towards her hope.

The touch to her hand, Eirlys can feel Evelyn's hand termbling in her own. Her blue eyes not at all focused on anything truly, everything like a haze around her, there but not there, as she isn't quiet awake, and everything seems to twist and warp around her, the bookshelves shifting like sentinels in the library, and the reading room there so quickly as they stopped into it, a haven, it is supposed to be a haven as she follows Eirlys. It is how she will wake up from the nightmare. Eirlys is so sure, it must be true. It has to be, she rubs at her forehead, forgetting about the rest of the library at the moment. And not all together sure of what she is doing, except that something about Eirlys, has her following her, trusting her. Then all the silent whispers quiet as the door to the back closes, and she is trying to wake up, but still can't, looking to Eirlys, "Why can't I wake up?" She whispers.

You lose one Willpower <---======##====================[ Dice Roll ]=====================##======---> Eirlys rolls Prop(2) + Chicanery(1) (3 dice) vs 6 for 2 successes. 5 +7 +8 <-------------=============++++++++++++++++++++++++=============------------->

As they reach the back rooms nd Eve unlocks it for them, Eil hurridely ushers her inside. Just -why- she's hurrying becomes immediately clear as, beyond that closing door, Eve can see the doorway -darkening-. The library ceases to exist beyond as it appears black as pitch, horrific glowing eyes peering and tendrils of black reaching in before Eil manages to PUSH the door shut, seemingly stopping the nightmares beyond. She lets out a deeeep breath, hands still against the door, before shaking her head. `It's not that simple... this chamber is a haven, but it is not the key. We must figure out what the key is... tell me, what is this that is pursuing you? What have you done about it in the past?`

Evelyn looks like she is going to sink where she is, her heart racing in her chest, and her eyes closing as tears fall from her cheeks. Those black tendrils scaring Evelyn even more. "I can't make him go away. He won't let me go." Her head shaking and she can barely stand in the haven because her feels like her legs will give out, her features pale only a few shades away from green. "Done about what in the past?" She offers softly, she is confused and trying to make sense of things that she should know but can't quite put her finger on.

Eil takes a chair and props it under the handle of the door, stepping away to come up beside Evelyn. `Shhh... it will be alright, I am here. The complexities of the dreamscape yawns beyond what you can comprehend, but I can pick it apart... if only you give me the pieces of yourself. What do you know about Him? And by past I mean have you done anything magical to ward Him? To fight this?` She mumbles, taking her hand again to rub it with her thumb.

Evelyn closes her eyes tightly, "I can't. I don't know how." Her blue eyes locking onto Eilrys. "He and his friends..they tried to hurt me, and the next thing I knew.. he was burning..screaming! and all I could do was run!" She can't stop the tears falling down her cheeks. "It's not going to be alright! It's never going to be alright! He won't leave me alone! No matter how much I try to.." Her shoulders slumped foward as she can't help the tears spilling down her cheeks.

Eil steps forwards fully to face her. A hand cups under her chin to tilt her head uo to stare at Eil's face. `Look at me. Whenever you see this dreamy visage, you will feel safe. Swaddled, warm against the cold, navigation through the dark.` Then, letting Eve's weight comes forwards, she wraps her up in a firm hug. `You can do this. You are stronger than you know. But you have to -fight-. He doesn't want you to win, but you will. And you'll start by telling me what you have practiced in recent times.`

Evelyns blue eyes stare into Eil's eyes as her head is tilted to face her, and she listens to her voice, looking into her eyes. She tries to catch her breath, to tighten her grip on Eilrys. "Fighting with fire." comes out as a soft whisper, as she leans her head against Eilrys shoulder, her own tears still dripping against her. "It is all..i..i know." Her tears mixing with soft hiccups.

Eil squeezes her more before patting her firmly on the back, letting herself be used for comfort. `See? You can speak your mind, even when it feels as if it's being crushed. But... fire you say? Perhaps that's the key... describe this fire to me.`

<---======##====================[ Dice Roll ]=====================##======---> Evelyn rolls Manipulation + Meditation vs 6 for 5 successes. 3 5 +6 +6 +8 +9 +10 <-------------=============++++++++++++++++++++++++=============------------->

At the question as the reassurance of her being patted on the back Eilrys can start to feel the heat rising in the room quite a bit, until Evelyn steps back from her and the sweat can be seen beading on Evelyn's forhead, her hands held out to her side, the warmth in the room is rising rapidly until two small orbs of fire are burning in her palms. She holds them, as if it should explain everything, not sure what else to say. She is only dreaming surely she is not going to burn the room down.

Eil's eyes widen for a moment as the sweat literally and metaphorically trickles down her face. `I knew you had that fire in you... you have done well, but you must be careful not to burn down our onky sanctuary in this nightmare. But this... this has shown me the key!` She gestures to a nearby chair. `Dismiss those, sit, then instead... focus that fire inside. If you expel him from within, he will be expelled without. You shall wake to normalcy.`

Slowly the flame dissappear and the heat with it. Evelyn looks exhausted and it is no wonder with such nightmares making it hard for her tell reality from dream sometimes. She sits though as she listens to Eilrys trying to guide her. She tries to focus on just the fire inside her, trying to burn him out of her, the temperature in the room is climbing dangerously high again, causing beading sweat on both of them, her breath is ragid and her heart is racing like made, like thunder in her ears. There is the faint scent of ozone hanging in the air, and a gutteral scream rips through the silence filled with malevolent rage, that comes from everywhere and nowhere all at once, echoing around the room and filling Evelyn's mind, the flames wanting to intensify again from the palm of her hands like a miniature inferno that wants to engulf Evelyn whole.

You lose one Glamour You lose one Willpower <---======##====================[ Dice Roll ]=====================##======---> Eirlys rolls Actor(2) + Winter(5) (7 dice) vs 7 for 0 successes. 1 2 2 6 6 6 9 <-------------=============++++++++++++++++++++++++=============------------->

`You're doing great, you're doing great... but keep your focus on yourself and only yourself. You are burning so, so hot, but you have made it! You're at the end, and soon you will feel it wash over you as a soothing cold to combat the heat. Dosn from 10, you will wake from this nightmare.` Eil walks to the door, moving the chair, watching Evelyn carefully before speaking again... slowly, firmly. `10. You are a victorious flame. 9. He cannot reach you. 8. The fiery hearth gives way to safety. 7. You're beginning to cool. 6. The bad memories begin to slip. 5. The day is young. 4. It's a cool winter morning. 3. You decided to take a nap in the back room. 2. You're asleep in a chair. 1. You awake to a rejuvinating coolness.` And, at the end, Eil slips out and quietly shuts the door. Soon, the memories of her weirdness will fade... but what remains is a chill in Eve's bones, some mercy against the heat. She's alone in the back room.

Evelyn is shivering in the chair in the backroom, feeling decidedly cold, and tries to rub her arms, as she slowly wakes up, unsure how she had gotten there. She does feel different though, and very puzzled. She really must of been tired when she decided to come back here, but that cat nap did her good. She had been working harder than she intended lately and sleeping poorly so that nap was just the thing she needed. As she tries to pat down her clothing, straightening herself up and then heads back out into the library. When she does she can't help but grab her sweater to pull it on and then goes to look at the thermostat in the library to see if it needs adjusted, but it is still sitting at 72.

The chill wears off quickly, leaving only an echo as thungs fully return to normal. Some days, huh?