Asher~

I’ve noticed something controlling others’ actions. Voices in their head. Something telling them what to do. 

But that voice isn’t talking to me. 

I don’t know why. Maybe they’re just waiting for the right time. But emotions that aren’t mine are taking over me. That other day, when I fought Elle and hurt her, that wasn’t me. Well, it was, but I also felt that there was something-someone-else in me, taking out their anger on Elle also. 

I need to get down to the bottom of this. 

Elle still hasn’t spoken to me, which I don’t blame her for, but I need to talk to her. 

Arriving at her dorm, I take a deep breath before knocking on the door crisply. 

There’s a bit of shuffling on the other side, before the knob turns and Elle’s face appears on the other side. Her eyes are red from crying. 

“What do you want?” she asks with a harsh tone.  

“I need to apologise.”

Elle hesitates before letting me in. 

“Where’s Erin?” I ask, walking in and sitting down on a table. 

“I don’t know. Library maybe.”

There’s a small and slightly awkward silence between us before I clear my throat. 

“Elle, the fight the other day, I was being controlled. I was consciously there, but what I guess I’m trying to say is, I didn’t mean to do what I did. I’m sorry.”

She nods slowly and there’s another pause. 

“Forgiven.”

I let out a sigh of relief and then ask her what’s wrong. 

She replies with a shrug. “Bad dream.”

“What happened?”

Elle shakes her head. “Grandfather-well, great great so on grandfather- went to visit me in the dream. I didn’t want anything to do with him, so I somehow woke myself up. But he told me some scary stuff Ash. About how...I would turn into him...lead The Forbidden...essentially kill....” She buries her face in her hands, and I go to sit beside her. 

“Have you been hearing...voices in her head?” I ask. 

“No,” she replies. “But he told me that the Forbidden work in dreams, voices, actions, other stuff. In fact, he told me these things, but he was also telling me things almost telepathically. Maybe I’m just crazy.”

“Well what else did he say?”

“There seemed to be a battle in my head. He began saying each of us in the riddle would be used also to help the Forbidden destroy the students and the world. But a female voice interrupted him and told me that it wouldn’t happen if we all stuck together and tried to work together. We have to help each other, or else the Forbidden will truly get to us individually.”

“Let’s not waste time then,” I say. “Gather the others. We’ll all meet in the nook in the library. I’ll go find Keiran, cause he ran off, but it should be easy for you to find the rest.”

She nods and heads out the door, as I quickly follow her behind. 

I starting jogging towards the direction Keiran ran. Eventually, after going through a few corridors, hallways, and stairs, I reach a general area where a lot of students are usually. But this time, it’s empty, save one younger boy frantically running from the bathroom. 

I catch his arm as he passes me, and he looks up at me with terrified eyes. 

“Hey, what happened in there?”

He shakes his head as he tries to get away. 

“Hey!”

Suddenly he snaps out of it. “There’s a boy in there! He’s going crazy or something. He almost sent me through a black hole!”

I immediately release him and run towards the bathroom. 

“Keiran!” I yell. 

“Leave me alone,” a much deeper growl emits from the corner of the bathroom. I press myself against the wall and peer around the corner, seeing him, with swirling masses of what looks like black holes and stars around him. 

He’s not himself. 

“Keiran,” I say, taking a risky move to show myself to him. 

He looks up violently, his eyes black voids. 

I gulp quickly. “Keiran.” 

I start to let the dark matter emerge to the palms of my hands until one more push, and they’d burst out. 

I slowly walk towards him. 

“Leave me alone,” he says in a more human voice. “Ash, they’re controlling me, I don’t want them to hurt y-“ He’s interrupted by a shout of pain. “G-gateway,” he stutters out. “Using me-“ He writhes on the floor in agony. 

Kieran’s being used as a gateway. For the Forbidden. I desperately think of a way to stop it. 

I let the dark matter flow from my hands until it surrounds Keiran. He looks up like a wild animal caught in a trap. He frantically starts to use his powers to make it disperse, but I counteract every attack. I slowly start to use my dark matter to wedge in between him and the stars he’s created around himself, along with the little black holes. 

“Keiran, work with me!” I yell. 

I implode one star somehow, and work on the next one when Russel comes in. 

“Oh my- Asher, what’s happening?”

“Quick,” I get out, still concentrating. “Teleport Keiran back to the library, along with you. I’ll take care of these things.”

Russel nods quickly, even though he’s a bit confused. 

I thank him with my eyes before the next star implodes. 

Russel uses his powers, and I leave small opening among the dark mass so eventually, he reaches to Keiran, and they both disappear with a flash. 

I’ve got all the stars, but I don’t know where to start with the black holes. 

“C’mon,” I say shortly, twisting the matter among them. Then I have an idea. 

I send the matter on the other side of the hole, and start to seal it from the inside. It’s working. 

I do that for the next few until there’s one more. 

But a figure starts to float from it. Using all my energy, I start to quickly close the hole, while the figure starts to get sucked back in. 

“We hate you!” it screeches. “We’ll kill you and everyone you love!”

“You wouldn’t kill your own leader would you?”

At the mention of Elle, it looks at me with eyes full of horror before disappearing back into where it came. 

Silence. 

As if slowed down, I feel myself falling to the floor, collapsing my head onto the stone. 

Everything goes dark. 

~~~~

I wake up with a snap, and find myself in the library with the others staring at me. I immediately look for Keiran, who’s head is resting on Russel’s. I guess Russel is short enough to be a headrest, and I almost smirk at the idea, before a blinding pain in my head sets it back down on the table. 

“Ash, you okay?” Elle’s voice quietly says. 

“How’d you find me?”

“Russel told us what happened and retrieved you from the bathroom. I floated you down to the library,” she replies. “But I kept you concealed so none of the teachers would notice anything.”

I grunt in thanks before my head turns. I see Mara and give her a smile before forcing my head back up to look towards the others. 

“I told them what happened,” Russel quietly says. 

I nod, but say no more. 

“I also told them about the dream,” Elle adds in. “They know.”

I look at the faces of everyone around the room and nod again. “Okay. Guys, next time the voices come, you need to fight them. Think of what your ancestors would do. If you can, let them into your head to also fight the voices. But don’t give the voices what they want, because if you do...we all might just end up dead.”

~~~~

End post. 

@Bluebird, okay, so I know I said Ash is slightly sociopathic and doesn’t have crushes on people, but the way I’ve been writing his character, I think he’s starting to feel something a bit different towards Mara. What do you think, should we try and ship them? 

Russell~

Russell knew he should feel something. Keiran's head was resting on his own- at first he'd been surprised, but after what had just happened, he didn't think about it too much. The thing was, Russell just felt hollow. Seeing Keiran like that, being controlled by The Forbidden... it was like his dad all over again. 

While the group quietly talked about what had just happened and how they could fight this hidden force, Russell's thoughts slipped to what Keiran had said as he teleported him to the library. "using my brain... gateway..." He wondered if the Forbidden had tried to do the same to his father- after all, he did have teleportation powers. And Elle's dream...

"I think I have a solution." Mara spoke up, refering to Asher's statement about the Forbidden. "It might take time to learn, so you'll still have to learn to fight the voices for the time being, but there are ancient spells I can speak to expel them from your heads." A few whispers broke out. "Also, I'm apparently immune to The Forbidden."

Well, that changed things. Russell felt Kieran lift his head. They were still close, and he could see himself reflected in the taller boy's sunglasses. "How're you holding up?" He finally said, a smile tugging at his lips. 

"For finding out I'm apparently the Forbidden's gateway to the world, better than you'd think." He said in a snarky tone. Russell smirked. "If it makes you feel any better, I passed out from taking on a guy who's power was throwing rocks, remember?" He joked. "I'm surprised you haven't collapsed on the spot."

Keiran smiled. As Mara explained how she'd found out about the ancient spells, Russell felt the emptiness in his chest being replaced with a feeling he could only describe as warmth.

Keiran-

"Right... so we just have to fight them off. Fight them off." Keiran repeated. Samara nodded. Keiran released a breath.

"I have an idea." Came a small voice from the back.

The others turned. It was Sariel, holding a book. Keiran flinched. He was starting to distrust old, worn books.

"What is it?" Russel asked. Keiran realized that he was still leaning on the small boy and flushed, pulling back a bit.

"It's from the library." Sariel said. "It says that the Forbiddens' prison is called the Graywhere. It's in the space between galaxies, whatever that implies..."

All eyes turned to Keiran. He swallowed.

"Sariel... what are you saying?" Samara asked.

Sariel hesitated. "Well... Russel, there's a scroll in the library. Three uses. It enhances teleportational abilities."

"You're not suggesting..." Russel trailed off.

"And Keiran, if you create a wormhole, it would let Russel lead us there, and-"

"We're going to them?" Asani asked, confused.

"We can. If we seal them in the center of their own realm, they may never escape again. We'd need to be there, though."

"You're saying we should fight these evil deities?" Keiran asked.

"Yes. They're weak inside their prison. There's a reason they're trying to come to Earth; on their own turf, they're barely more powerful than we are."

There was silence in the room. Keiran swallowed.

"I'll do it," Keiran said.

"This seems like a bad plan..." Asher said.

"Do we have a choice? Keiran can be puppeted by the Forbidden almost any time." Elle said. The two shared a look.

"I guess I'll go..." Erin said, flinching.

"All for one and one for all," Imogene said, smiling nervously.

"Fine," Asani winced.

The others agreed. Keiran turned to Russel.

"If you're game..." Russel joked, looking worried.

The group met each other's eyes and sighed.

"Let's go. Sariel? The fancy scroll." Keiran said.

---------

The group sat in a circle, Russel at the center. Keiran created a small wormhole.

"Say the words."

Russel began saying them, a rapid stream of seemingly unrelated terms: "Sword, alabaster, blood, altar, pistol, blindfold-"

The wormhole widened at his feet, glowing silver. Imogene gasped. Keiran peered over.

"We... jump in?" Asher asked, paling.

"I'll go first. If anything goes wrong, seal the gate behind me." Keiran said, cold fear in his chest.

"Wait, no, what?" Russel said, afraid.

Keiran ignored their protests and jumped.

It was like sinking upward through water, than breaking into air. Keiran found himself on the bank of a black river, sputtering.

"What the-" he began. The sky was black and starless, with nebulous eels swimming through the air.

He heard a gasp behind him, then more. He turned.

The others came up onto the bank, gasping. He smiled, checking to make sure that his glasses were still on.

"Just in time." he said.

Russel climbed out last, hair mussed, looking indignant. Keiran walked over to give him a hand.

"Thanks." Russel said. Keiran was about to reply when he noticed a small golden thread connecting the two of them.

"Um," Keiran said, pointing at it.

Russel's brow furrowed. "That's... odd."

The thread faded. The two glanced at each other.

"Let's... go back to the group." Russel said.

Keiran nodded. The two greeted the team.

"Alright, we need to find the Forbidden. THere should be one for each of us. Let's be ready." Keiran said.

The group set off. 

Mara stuck close to Elle and Asher as they walked through the darkness. Everything had moved so fast- she'd only practiced the spell a few times, and wasn't sure it would work at all if the Forbidden got into her friend's heads. 

She caught Asher's eye and gave him a nervous smile. Mara really had no idea how she was going to fight the Forbidden without any physical powers. Maybe, she could hold them off with the spell...

Suddenly, a looming, ghost-like figure materialized in front of them, and Mara could tell by the looks on her friends faces that they were hearing voices. She readied herself. The first to move was Asani, who drew out a fireball, but unfortunately was aiming it away from the Forbidden and at Imogene. They were being turned against each other. 

It was chaos after that. Mara knew she had to do something. She concentrated, using all the willpower she had, and incanted the spell. It did nothing.

Louder! A voice in her head said. Mara felt relieved- they could help her! She shouted this time, putting her all into it. "Por exili et pyrom casta!"

Asani stopped, her eyes unglazing, now full of their usual fire. Mara fist bumped. "Asani, help me! I need to help the others!" 

Mara focused on Asher, now. He, Keiran, and Elle seemed to be the most changed. She tried to remember what the word for his power was- she knew Asani's was pyrom, and Sariel's was cortae... Finally, it came to her. "Por exili et morte casta!"

He dropped his hand. Mara didn't have time to say anything, because a giant blast of water knocked her off her feet. 

She sputtered and coughed up water. When she opened her eyes, Asher was in front of her along with Asani, shielding her. "Go, help the rest of them!" He shouted over all the noise.

The battle raged on as Mara forced the Forbidden out of her friend's head one at a time. 

Elle~

“Where am I?” I gasp, suddenly finding myself in a black void. I know Grandpa Fultrix is here. 

“Your conscience is here. Your body is back with the others.”

“No,” I reply. “It better not be attacking them.”

He smirks. “No promises.”

“What do you want?” I shout. “Please, just leave us alone!”

“I can’t do that. Excuse the reference, but you must fulfil your destiny.”

“My destiny is not set in stone,” I reply. “You’re all talk. But you never said I couldn’t use my powers here.”

I blast a physical energy towards him, in my signature shards of glass. 

He deflects it like he’s swatting at an annoying fruit fly. 

“So,” I gasp. “It works.”

“And there’s more. Much much more.”

I suddenly feel something welling up inside of me, a rush of something. It explodes out of my hands, a blue light brilliantly shattering the void until I’m back in my physical body. 

“Asher,” I gasp, his angry eyes surprised. I lightly touch his forehead, letting the blue light emit from my finger tips.

“NO!” a voice bellows. Grandfather. “YOUR POWERS ARE NOT TO BE WASTED ON THE SYMPATHETIC PATHETIC NATURE OF PEACE.”

I close my eyes, walk up to him, and look up, opening my eyes so they are inches across from his.

“Peace is not pathetic. You are.”

His eyes turn extremely angry, and red shards blast from his palms. I’m thrown back and land against a rock. I hiss but quickly get up, letting out this newfound blue energy. He lets out his powerful stream of red energy, until our powers are pushing against each other. 

“Never has a Fultrix betrayed their own kind!” he yells. “And you won’t be alive to do it again!”

“That’s where you’re wrong!”

I let go, as does he, until we’re standing without using our powers a few yards apart. 

“I’m no Fultrix,” I smirk. “I’m a Dvotoski. That’s what keeps me alive.”

Asher~

If Elle’s ancestor wasn’t mad, he definitely is now. He scowls, and more of the Forbidden are summoned. Soon, there’s an even fight for each of us. Everyone’s panicking, and suddenly random people pop up, people from the school. 

“This wouldn’t be a war without civilian casualties,” a Forbidden snarls. “Let’s make this fun.”

“No!” Elle screams, charging at the elder Fultrix. 

One of the Forbidden fly to Keiran to start battling him, and another flies to Russel, yet another to Sariel and Asani. The matches will be filled soon, and I can’t hear myself think as students scream and take cover. A few are destroyed with the Forbidden’s powers. 

I look towards Mara who helps a couple of people get to shelter. 

I suddenly see a little girl right in front of the firing range of one of the Forbidden. 

“No,” I snap, snatching her up and running to a large boulder. 

“Stay here with the others, okay?” I say. 

She’s crying but nods and hugs an older girl from the school. 

Mara drops off another little child, and walks up to me. 

“Let’s go help the others,” she says with a nod. 

She starts walking in front of me before I catch her elbow. 

“Wait.”

She raises an eyebrow, and there’s a small pause before I give her a quick kiss. 

“In case we don’t make it out alive.”

She looks stunned but has a small smile at the corner of her mouth before we run and help the others, the both of us picking our own fight with a member of the Forbidden. 

Hey, sorry I haven't posted, but I haven't had a lot of fun with this rp and don't have a lot of time on my hands so I'm gonna have to leave. Sorry, hope you guys have a good one with this