by YourNewOverlord » Mon Nov 03, 2014 9:05 pm
(Sorry for the delay on this plotline- I've been really busy. Anyhoo, here's the continuation.)
The Avatar struggles against xstar and Zonoro's chains, but to no avail. His energies are tightly bound, for the moment. I take the opportunity I have, and throw the ghost trap beneath his feet.
The Avatar screams as the trap opens, a howling wind drawing him towards it. It won't be long now, before he's bound and we're rid of him.
The cliffs begin to shake and crack, crumbling around us as the Avatar makes one final, desperate attack. Rocks plummet from above, forcing us to dodge, pipes break through the ground, snapping some of the Avatar's chains, but it's much too late. He's too close to the trap. We've won?
At the last second, one of the pipes, jutting out of the Avatar's spine, leaps up from the river, and slams deep inside the ghost trap. There is a howling sound as the souls the Avatar is absorbing spew through the sudden conduit, down the pipe, and fill the ghost trap. In moments, it has reached capacity, and closes shut.
The Avatar lets out a scream as the pipe breaks off, absorbed into the trap, and falls back into the river. He's been weakened, certainly, but he's not done. Not by a long shot. Already, the remaining pipes are back in the river, absorbing more souls into him, healing him. In a moment, it will be as if the trap had done nothing.
"Destroy the pipes," I say, using magic to make my voice reach Zonoro and Xstar alone. "I'll keep him busy."
I take a step back, closing my eyes, and open up the part of my mind that I had so desperately struggled to keep closed. The part that still belonged to the Avatar, left over from him controlling me, creating the storm. It's the only chance to really distract him. I have to use the music again. I immerse my mind in the music, and let myself be somewhere else.
---
The music of the Ghost Organ fills my mind, whirling around, threatening to rip away my sanity again. I can't let it control me. I have to control IT. Pick out the melodies, the harmonies. What parts I can move, change. Make it my own. I will not be controlled again. Nobody controls the Overlord. Especially not sentient, psychopathic, undead instruments.
I reach behind my back, pull a small bag around in front of me. One more trick from my fortress.
A full sized grand piano spills out of my Bag of Holding, floating in midair in front of me. My mind still whirling with music, I sit down upon nothing, fingers on the keys, and begin to play.
I pick out the important parts, arranging it, switching to the new instrument as I go. I have to be careful. One mistake could ruin everything.
But it seems to be working. I can see the world around me again, FEEL the world around me again. I'm taking control.
With a sudden bit of effort, I lift a huge organ pipe from beneath the ground and slam it into the Avatar. He rolls with it, his soul-draining pipes jumping out of the river for a second, before turning to face me. He flies upwards, the pipes elongating to stay in the river, and the sound of pipe organ music rolls out across the river, a powerful and physical force.
I keep playing for all I'm worth, trying to distract him. As long as he's focused on getting control back from me, Zonoro and Xstar can stop him from draining souls. I only need to buy them a little time.
So what'd I miss?