Liam Farrell
Ireth
University Freshman: Not a Sin-Eater, Because We Don't Have Those
Those who are dead, are not dead, they're just living in my head...
Posts: 200
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Post by Liam Farrell on Feb 22, 2010 0:10:09 GMT -5
Liam drew a deep breath as he knocked on the door to Professor Honghui's office, running his other hand through his hair as he stood and waited for an answer.
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Bolin Honghui
Keme
The Counselor is a TIGER
Curse not the darkness-- light a candle.
Posts: 127
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Post by Bolin Honghui on Feb 22, 2010 22:44:07 GMT -5
Bolin walked silently to the door and opened it, half-smiling down at the young man.
"Hello, Liam," he said, stepping back to allow the student passage. "I understand I'm meant to pick your brains a bit today."
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Liam Farrell
Ireth
University Freshman: Not a Sin-Eater, Because We Don't Have Those
Those who are dead, are not dead, they're just living in my head...
Posts: 200
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Post by Liam Farrell on Feb 22, 2010 22:46:14 GMT -5
Liam grinned nervously as he walked into the office. "That's the plan. So, um... how exactly is this 'scanning' thing going to work? How will you be able to tell what happened to Eve, and how it happened?"
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Bolin Honghui
Keme
The Counselor is a TIGER
Curse not the darkness-- light a candle.
Posts: 127
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Post by Bolin Honghui on Feb 22, 2010 22:49:16 GMT -5
Bolin led Liam to a couch and bade him sit. Afterward he pulled up a chair, span it around backwards, and sat. "Well you see, we have a special tool for that. A lovely little thing-- painless and efficient. And until she gets here, I want you to tell me what theories you have-- if any."
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Liam Farrell
Ireth
University Freshman: Not a Sin-Eater, Because We Don't Have Those
Those who are dead, are not dead, they're just living in my head...
Posts: 200
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Post by Liam Farrell on Feb 22, 2010 23:07:43 GMT -5
Liam laughed softly at the man's description of Miss E, settling down on the couch and making himself comfortable. "Fair enough. Hm... theories.." He chewed the inside of his cheek a little. Eve was probably going to hate him for what he was about to say, but it had to be said...
"For a long time before I came here, I thought maybe I didn't have a soul in my head at all, and maybe it was some kind of psychological consequence of the trauma of watching my sister die. Along with, you know, PTSD, nightmares and all that. I didn't talk about it to anyone before coming here, and even once I did start opening up, I was afraid people would see me as schizophrenic, which thankfully didn't happen. And now that Eve has started borrowing my body, there's always the possibility of multiple personalities or something..."
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Evelyn Farrell
Ireth
Liam, Liam, b?m I gc?nai I do theannta...
Posts: 60
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Post by Evelyn Farrell on Feb 22, 2010 23:14:19 GMT -5
Evelyn listened for a while as Liam began outlining his theories for Professor Honghui, feeling more and more upset with every word that left her brother's lips. So he thought she was all in his mind, did he? Technicalities aside, that really hurt.
I'm not just in your head, Liam, she protested vehemently, though deep down she knew she was probably only fuelling his belief in the psychological. Hopefully this 'scan' would help convince him otherwise. I'm not just a voice in your head or another personality. It's really me in here.
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Liam Farrell
Ireth
University Freshman: Not a Sin-Eater, Because We Don't Have Those
Those who are dead, are not dead, they're just living in my head...
Posts: 200
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Post by Liam Farrell on Feb 22, 2010 23:21:40 GMT -5
...And now everything was getting much more confusing than it should have been. Liam sighed at the sound of his sister's voice in his mind, putting his face into his hand as her emotional pain made his head physically hurt. Alternate personalities didn't do that, did they?
"Oh, stop," he pleaded under his breath. He was probably really looking like a schizo now, talking to the voice in his head... He looked apologetically up at the professor, biting his lip, watching for his reaction.
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Bolin Honghui
Keme
The Counselor is a TIGER
Curse not the darkness-- light a candle.
Posts: 127
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Post by Bolin Honghui on Feb 22, 2010 23:28:58 GMT -5
Bolin gave a soft smile, reaching forward to give Liam's shoulder a heavy pat.
"Take a deep breath, Liam." Bolin waited for the lad to do so, and was struck by a sudden idea.
"What does she have to say?" he asked, genuinely curious.
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Liam Farrell
Ireth
University Freshman: Not a Sin-Eater, Because We Don't Have Those
Those who are dead, are not dead, they're just living in my head...
Posts: 200
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Post by Liam Farrell on Feb 22, 2010 23:51:20 GMT -5
Liam obediently drew a deep breath, releasing it slowly as he sat up a little straighter and lowered his hand.
"She's upset that I'm thinking psychologically," he answered. "She says it really is her in my head, not just something my brain made up because of trauma. I want to think that's true, but how am I supposed to know the difference? If I do have some kind of disorder, I can't judge for myself what's real and what isn't. Nobody else can hear Eve but me, except when she borrows my body and speaks with my mouth. Apparently her voice is still the same. Or she says it is. I wouldn't know, I'm never awake when she uses my body, or claims to."
He drew another breath, trying to stay calm, resisting the urge to bury his face in his hands again. They were clenched, trembling, in his lap.
"I'm sorry, I keep contradicting myself... I just don't know what to think. This is the first time I've actually consciously dealt with all of this. I wasn't expecting any of this when I came here. None of it. I didn't even think I'd get enrolled. I thought I'd just talk with one of the mages, free Eve and go back to my life. Everything's different now."
He was babbling, he knew it, and he cringed in embarrassment. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry... I really don't usually talk this much..."
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Bolin Honghui
Keme
The Counselor is a TIGER
Curse not the darkness-- light a candle.
Posts: 127
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Post by Bolin Honghui on Mar 31, 2010 12:30:50 GMT -5
Bolin reached across to Liam and patted his shoulder.
"Breathe," he instructed. "This is what we're here for."
He leaned back and watched the boy for a few moments, then leaned forward again, resting his elbows on his knees and lacing his fingers together below his chin.
"Eve? Do you have anything to input?"[/color]
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Evelyn Farrell
Ireth
Liam, Liam, b?m I gc?nai I do theannta...
Posts: 60
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Post by Evelyn Farrell on Mar 31, 2010 15:04:00 GMT -5
Evelyn watched the professor carefully, deciding that she quite liked him. He was willing to take Liam’s babbling in stride and give him the benefit of the doubt to work this all out. She liked that, and Liam needed it. Not to mention that he was asking her opinion on things, which she greatly appreciated.
I’m sorry this is so upsetting, she told Liam quietly. Please tell him I appreciate what he’s doing. But I’m not sure psychological language is going to be of much use here. People’s spirits don’t just jump from one body to another when the first one dies. Clearly there’s something magical going on.
I probably know less about the magic here than you do, but I’ve never heard of magic involving the soul. I mean, you can’t bring the dead back to life, can you? Not when the soul’s in heaven or hell. Only God can do that. Anything else would be like Frankenstein’s monster, or a zombie. But a soul that’s stuck on earth… maybe it could be moved. Something obviously got me here in your head, so it’s reasonable that something can get me out, right?
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Liam Farrell
Ireth
University Freshman: Not a Sin-Eater, Because We Don't Have Those
Those who are dead, are not dead, they're just living in my head...
Posts: 200
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Post by Liam Farrell on Mar 31, 2010 15:12:01 GMT -5
Liam breathed deeply as the professor instructed him, slowly calming down. He listened quietly as Eve gave her response, then relayed it to Professor Honghui out loud.
"She wants you to know that she appreciates what you're doing," he told the man. "And I do too. Seriously. But she isn't sure how useful psychological thinking is going to be. Spirits jumping from one body to another isn't normal. It's almost certainly magical. But as far as either of us know, nothing short of a miracle can bring back the dead once they pass on. Necromancy and things like that would only create zombies, or maybe things like Frankenstein's monster.
"But what about a soul that's trapped on earth, unable to pass on? Maybe it can be moved. Something obviously got Eve stuck in my head, so it stands to reason that something should be able to get her out, right? It's just a matter of finding out what."
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Elliestraaeln Evans-Barros
Keme
Beloved School Healer
So many things I'd say if only I were able; but I just keep quiet.
Posts: 503
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Post by Elliestraaeln Evans-Barros on Apr 1, 2010 19:36:06 GMT -5
Ellie came to the door and knocked lightly on the frame.
"May I come in?" she called, waiting for an answer with her hand on the knob.
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Bolin Honghui
Keme
The Counselor is a TIGER
Curse not the darkness-- light a candle.
Posts: 127
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Post by Bolin Honghui on Apr 1, 2010 19:38:06 GMT -5
Bolin glanced at the door and grinned.
"It's your choice," he said to Liam. "Eve, as well."
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Liam Farrell
Ireth
University Freshman: Not a Sin-Eater, Because We Don't Have Those
Those who are dead, are not dead, they're just living in my head...
Posts: 200
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Post by Liam Farrell on Apr 2, 2010 1:09:35 GMT -5
Liam brightened considerably at the sound of Miss E's voice from the other side of the door. "I'm all for letting her in. I want to get this sorted out. What do you say, Eve?"
He paused a moment and listened for her reply, then smiled and nodded. "That's another yes. Come in, Miss E," he called to the healer, turning his head to look toward the door.
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Elliestraaeln Evans-Barros
Keme
Beloved School Healer
So many things I'd say if only I were able; but I just keep quiet.
Posts: 503
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Post by Elliestraaeln Evans-Barros on Apr 5, 2010 11:06:20 GMT -5
Ellie pushed through the door and smiled at the two males.
"Hello Liam," she said, smiling sweetly. "And Eve, dear," she added. She turned her smile to Bolin in greeting before returning her attention to the lad. "I here I have a little inspection to do."
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Liam Farrell
Ireth
University Freshman: Not a Sin-Eater, Because We Don't Have Those
Those who are dead, are not dead, they're just living in my head...
Posts: 200
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Post by Liam Farrell on Apr 5, 2010 11:14:48 GMT -5
"So I'm told," Liam nodded, smiling at her. "Eve says hello. How is this going to work? Do I have to do anything besides sitting still? Should I lie down?"
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Elliestraaeln Evans-Barros
Keme
Beloved School Healer
So many things I'd say if only I were able; but I just keep quiet.
Posts: 503
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Post by Elliestraaeln Evans-Barros on Apr 5, 2010 11:34:36 GMT -5
Ellie spread her hands in from of her, palm-up, indicating that it was Liam's choice. "Whatever's more comfortable," she said.
"Are there any ailments of any sort you want me to fix while I'm in?" she added, half-joking.
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Liam Farrell
Ireth
University Freshman: Not a Sin-Eater, Because We Don't Have Those
Those who are dead, are not dead, they're just living in my head...
Posts: 200
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Post by Liam Farrell on Apr 5, 2010 11:42:04 GMT -5
Liam grinned and kicked off his shoes before lying down on the couch, looking up at the healer as he spoke. "No, thanks, I'm quite healthy at the moment."
He settled down comfortably and watched Ellie quietly, waiting to see how this scan was going to go. He was intensely curious about what she might find... what could be the cause of his and Eve's condition? Would there be a way to remedy it? Was it something the magical world had ever seen before, even? He'd just have to wait and find out.
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Elliestraaeln Evans-Barros
Keme
Beloved School Healer
So many things I'd say if only I were able; but I just keep quiet.
Posts: 503
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Post by Elliestraaeln Evans-Barros on Apr 7, 2010 16:30:34 GMT -5
Ellie chuckled and took a seat on the edge of the couch. She brushed Liam’s hair carefully out of his face and placed her fingertips at the boy’s temples. Her magic flowed into him and Ellie began her inspection. She came across Eve’s consciousness, wrapped around Liam’s like a blanket. Here and there, Ellie would find knots. It crossed her mind that, if she had heard correctly and Eve was indeed capable of taking over Liam’s body when he was unconscious, these knots might attribute to that. She looked into one of these tangles, and found that the synapses there were caught up in the “fabric” of both identities.
Ellie went further. There were traces of magic laced throughout the connection between the two. A majority of it had the feel of necromancy. There was quite a bit of mental magic, as well, and this bore a sort of signature that Ellie saw coincided with Eve’s consciousness. Ah, so Eve was a mage. Ellie’s eyebrows rose and she went on, her magic going ever deeper into the bond between the two siblings. Here, Ellie’s brow furrowed. Eve’s magic signature was there, as was Liam’s—though his, as a mortal, was weaker. But there was a third there, an unknown factor that made Ellie curious. She inspected it tentatively.
Ellie retracted her magic as gently as possible, letting her eyes flutter open. “I have an idea as to what might have happened,” she said.
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Liam Farrell
Ireth
University Freshman: Not a Sin-Eater, Because We Don't Have Those
Those who are dead, are not dead, they're just living in my head...
Posts: 200
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Post by Liam Farrell on Apr 7, 2010 16:35:34 GMT -5
Liam had closed his eyes when Ellie had started the inspection; he opened them when she spoke, looking at her curiously as he sat up. His head was tingling, like the feeling of a sleeping limb. Weird.
"Really? What do you think?" Hopefully it was something that could be dealt with in one way or another... but what if it was something no one knew what to do about?
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Elliestraaeln Evans-Barros
Keme
Beloved School Healer
So many things I'd say if only I were able; but I just keep quiet.
Posts: 503
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Post by Elliestraaeln Evans-Barros on Apr 7, 2010 16:49:54 GMT -5
Ellie flexed her fingers to dissipate the lingering buzz of magic. "What is looks like is closer to a spell gone wrong than anything else. Whatever it was, it was necromancy. I haven't a clue of intent, but there are traces of another person's magic here."
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Liam Farrell
Ireth
University Freshman: Not a Sin-Eater, Because We Don't Have Those
Those who are dead, are not dead, they're just living in my head...
Posts: 200
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Post by Liam Farrell on Apr 7, 2010 17:45:52 GMT -5
"Really now?" Liam raised his eyebrows a little, then frowned, thinking about this. "Hmm..."
Well, necromancy sounded normal enough, and it wasn't uncommon for spells to go wrong. He wasn't sure who else's magic could have been involved though... the only people who had been nearby at the moment of Eve's death were mortals, at least to Liam's knowledge. He'd been the only one physically touching her, but he wasn't a mage. He was sure he'd know if he was. Though there was always the possibility of latency...
"Were you able to tell who the other magic might have come from?" he wondered aloud, looking at the healer again.
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Evelyn Farrell
Ireth
Liam, Liam, b?m I gc?nai I do theannta...
Posts: 60
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Post by Evelyn Farrell on Apr 7, 2010 18:09:51 GMT -5
Eve had been silent for the past little while as Ellie inspected her and Liam's consciousnesses. That had been really, really weird. She had seen the flow of Ellie's magic through Liam's mind, like glittering threads of lavender-colored light, flickering and writhing, poking and pulling at her. Now, when Ellie gave her theory and Liam posed his questions, Eve broke her silence.
Were there any other kinds of magic involved? she asked. Like, mental magic? You know how I have a way of messing with people's heads. Especially yours, she added with a laugh. Do you think that could be part of it?
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Liam Farrell
Ireth
University Freshman: Not a Sin-Eater, Because We Don't Have Those
Those who are dead, are not dead, they're just living in my head...
Posts: 200
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Post by Liam Farrell on Apr 7, 2010 18:19:34 GMT -5
Liam raised an eyebrow as Eve spoke up in his head, then furrowed his forehead as he thought. He knew very well what Eve was talking about... maybe she had a point.
"I think Eve is onto something," he said aloud. "Was there other kind of magic involved besides necromancy? Maybe mental magic? Eve's always had this weird way of messing with people's heads... it's like she pushes her own thoughts onto people to change their opinions and stuff. Could that be a kind of magic?"
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