Cryker Reywynn - New Eden Orphanage
Cryker wasn't fully aware that he was alive all at once. No, it was a gradual process. A long period of troubled, but painless and soothign breathing in a long, dark half sleep. Voices and thoughts swirled in the dark limbo between consciousness and unconsciousness.
"...nothing but a sack of meat..." Growled, punctuated by faint stacatto dripping, irregular and sickening.
"Ma, I'm hungry!" Whined, high and mewling.
"Are they gone now?" Cautiously, scared and nervous.
Cryker wanted to respond, but it was too much effort, he was too tired. He wanted to move and talk to them, but he was so tired. He was comfortable where he was. Everything was too heavy, and too fast, anyway. One thought and vision melded into another, a whirlwind of experience and emotion, and Cryker weathered it all, time moving slow, but everything moving too fast,
He could feel something, though. A comforting, enveloping warmth cradled him like a warm embrace. Cryker smiled internally. Everything was good, everything was nice. He would rest longer, still. It was a while before he heard anything else, but inevitably, he did.
"...Minerva is an immature sycophant. A figurehead who has more than outlived her usefulness..." He was whispered.
"You're damn right!" Cryker thought to himself. He laughed out loud.
And that was when Cryker realized he was alive. Much to his displeasure
The laugh came more as a weak chortle, a half gurgling of broken and loose teeth and semi coagulated blood. He tried to breath, only to find himself chocking and coughing, spraying a mist of blood over the mossy cobble and gravel he lay on. He managed to roll his head to the side, and spit out what he could, and inhaled deep wracking breaths.
That too, was painful. Vaguely, he was aware that there was at least a few broken rib, and a most likely a massive bruise. For now though, he groaned, and focused on taking long and shallow breaths. He tried to account for where the pain was, and get some kind of idea of the state he was in. He was sure his face was in pain. His entire skull was wracked with sharp pain that throbbed with nauseating pulses. His chest, originating from his right side, was filled with deep, harsh, and dull pain. He ached all over elsewhere, but most likely wasn't injured.
He opened his eyes to find his vision red and blurred. Bleeding from his brow. He blinked away what blood he could, only to find his vision, while less red, was still blurry. He couldn't seem to focus, and whether his eyes were damaged, or if it was simply a side effect of the pain, he wasn't sure.
Clinging to the walls of the orphanage, he stood up, and pressed through the massive dizzying headache he was greeted with. When he regained his senses, he looked around. Dusk. Tones of blue and purple and gold bathed over New Eden in long rays. Cryker stumbled away from the entrance to the underground, bracing himself on the wall as he moved. He dropped a hand to his sword, and felt it resonate deeply.
"The only companion I could wish for on this Lonesome Road." Cryker mumbled. The sword seemed to hum happily. The sword,
Lonesome Road, had never felt so strangely alive before. Cryker was glad, and reassured, that he had one ally he could count on, at least. He licked his teeth, and felt the barest edges of new ones poking out from under his gums. "Thanks." He mumbled to the sword. It hummed happily once more.
Cryker began thinking ahead again, while pulling himself along the buildings nearby. He needed to find a place to rest, or better yet, to be healed while he regathered his strength. Somewhere, preferably, where the Underground would have no ears, and wouldn't dare approach if they did find him. Which they probably would, he thought sardonically, given the thin trail of blood he left behind. It was decided.
The warden headquarters, Cryker thought. I can rest in peace. Better yet, I can find allies. Allies so when I return, I won't be alone. It won't happen again. He would head back, and either retake the Underground, or destroy it.
Provided, of course, he got to the Warden headquarters and wasn't caught by the Underground. It was slow going, and he doubted whether he would survive a second encounter with Minerva's crew. Hell, the guards would probably attack him if they saw him. He probably looked like a zombie. He gave a halfhearted chuckle at the idea.