Cylus 28 718
Location: Southgard
Sixteen trials ago there was the discovery of something both amazing and terrifying, the lost city of Orimar had finally been revealed to it's first visitors... after ages had passed since it's descent beneath the earth. A city once great in it's time remained a mystery to the world, but when they arrived there the truth was soon learned. And with it the horrid lingering forms that haunted the shadows of that once glorious bastion, all while the expedition itself clawed it's way out for another chance to live. But no more.
Shortly after their brief and narrow window of escape the group Pat had been with suffered, in more ways than one, from there short visit to the ruins beneath the earth. Orimar had quite the impression on those that got out alive, and word had definitely spread once the tremors were felt throughout the land. Now with the ruins more than likely crumbled torn apart, hopefully nobody else would ever have to encounter the horrors that remained. Surely Pat didn't want to, given the fact the outcome was far from what they had in mind.
With the expedition over the survivors went their separate ways, Crowley himself invited Patrick back to Ne'haer before he left. An offer Patrick would take up soon, once he resolved his current predicament that is. Ever since their escape from Orimar Patrick's own Spark had been weird, his entire spirit felt partially torn in two due to his attempts of opening the Portal out of there. The medics in Foster's Landing hardly knew of ways to alleviate this, but believed those in Southguard had someone well practiced in understanding Sparks as well as their nature. A thought that unnerved Patrick to a degree, but nonetheless required some looking into in order to fix what was broken.
Half the time he felt his nerves jittery like an energetic shock had surged through them, which made him even more uncomfortable during his trip to Southguard. Once there he of course had a few dealings with the people, but sure enough with a bit of looking after he got the help he needed. Ellen'wyn had also been there to accompany him, something he questioned since the expedition was done; but at the same time he couldn't just say no either. As much of a pretty face as she was Patrick knew she had survival skills, and more than likely something to say in regards to the expedition. It was true that she had suffered just as well as everyone else, and while not obligated she still decided to tag along with him. She may have given her reasons well enough, but even then Pat didn't felt it justified her being here when she could've been off elsewhere by now.
Maybe striking it rich with whatever loot she took from Orimar? Or perhaps just off hunting like she normally would, now that the excitement and adventure was over? Whatever brought her along for the trip didn't really matter to Pat of course, truth be told he was happy just to have company along the way. All throughout the course of their trip he felt his entire nervous system jolt and in some instances burn, reminding him that all was still unwell between him and the Spark that lied within. Sure enough their arrival in Southguard had a few instances he needed to deal with, the initial greeting and run around of the guard as well as the healers within the medical facility he rested in. Once the specialist came to treat the problems involved with his Spark, Pat had been given the rest of the eve to rest in bed there so that both he and Ellen could be on their way.
But little did he know something so very crucial was removed from his being...
One of the medics there had slipped off the artifact band given to him by Ymiden, and asked Ellen'wyn to hold onto it for safe keeping in that same moment. Probably because they felt the band wasn't contributing to the recovery process, or somewhere along those lines of poor decisive judgement. Now after approximately thirty Bits of undisturbed sleep, Patrick stirred with a hefty amount of sweat across his forehead. "The sarding hell!" He murmured with a dry raspy tone as though he had been breathing heavily, while the dream he'd awoken from still remained fresh on his mind. Patrick looked to Ellen'wyn and for a moment found relief in knowing it was just that, a dream he didn't have to worry about now that he finally awoken. Laying back down into the mattress he exhaled a sigh and for a moment felt peaceful again, but only in that moment as something else suddenly bothered him.
"Finally! The door to this cage has been opened!!" Something deep within him churned as he looked to the ceiling in surprise. A quick check of the finger on his left hand alerted him, as he then realized he didn't have his band on like he should've. "Ellen," He murmured her name almost panicked, "Where's the ring?! I need it!" His behavior might've came off as belligerent or even delirious, like something terribly awful was going to happen without it.
Probably because something was.
"You're too late!" The fiend inside taunted him as he rose to sit at the edge of the bed, when he tried to push to a stand though he already staggered. After just a few feet he fell to the floor with breathes heavy and shallow, his body temperature on the rise as he started to claw at his own shirt. Shit. "Ellen- Agh!!" The first snap occurred within his chest and he growled loudly, the other medics already drawn to him as he tried to warn Ellen'wyn of the danger. "Ellen'wyn!! Run!! Get out!!" More loud and painful cracks snapped from his back, as his spine already started to break and expand. There was nothing left for Patrick to do at this point, other than try to contain the rage waiting to break free.
For Ellen'wyn there was still a chance to get away, to seek safety elsewhere before the danger pursued her.... everyone else here was doomed the moment they removed the ring from Patrick's finger.