Two Steps Forward, One Step Back

"Two Steps Forward, One Step Back" is a [SEASON NUMBER] thread written on [IRL DATE].
==Summary==
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==Full Text==
=== March 1047 ===
"Hey! Open up!"
Akkey stirred from beneath the pile of blankets, blinking the sleep from her bleary eyes. Sunlight wafted lazily through the window, kissing her pale, scarred legs.
"Hellooo?" a voice called.
"Maya... There's someone at the door..." she mumbled incoherently. Several seconds passed but the knocking persisted.
With a groan she rolled over, stretched open a portal on her bed, and poked her head through. "What."
"Fucking. Hel. Akkey." Kaya jumped back, heart beating rapidly, as the former Wilder West soldier appeared on the wall beside the front door, "I told you to stop doing that, Chief."
"And I told you to stop calling me chief," she snapped back, but with no real bite, "What are you doing here so damn early?"
"It's one in the afternoon." she deadpanned.
Akkey gave her a blank stare, squinting against the sun, "Oh." The rare time she let herself drink during the town celebration, as per usual she couldn't hold her alcohol, "Well, what it is it? Why didn't Hunter open the door..."
"Hunter's doing his rounds, and Maya's in a council meeting," Kaya sighed, shooing Akkey's head away to let herself in the house. She headed for the kitchen to pour herself a cup of tea, which she knew the Lindholm kitchen was always abundant with, "Why do I know your family's schedule better than you do?"
"Because you like to know everyone's business." Akkey replied, leaning against the door and scratching her bare calf with her foot.
Kaya snorted but didn't argue. She turned in response, holding up an envelope between her fingers, "Got dropped off at the post this morning. It has the Wilder West crest on it."
Akkey narrowed her eyes and took it, opening the letter carefully and reading its contents.
"What does it say?"
The nix half breed wordlessly lifted the parchment, showing the few words scrawled across it. They gave each other puzzled looks, both unsure of what the message actually meant.
"They're never really gone."
=== April 1047 ===
A few weeks later, Blunt Donz showed up at her doorstep, and it was kind of nice to see him again.
=== December 1048 ===
X
The lake was silent, as if the world held its breath, then it broke. From beneath the lake burst through Akkey. She flew through the air and landed in the shallows with a heavy thud.
"Well... that didn't work... I guess it's for the best..." she groaned, her white bangs plastered to her face as she sat up. A shadow mage had visited Yrus the other day, and had shown her how he manipulated his magic, and it looked doable. Akkey was hesitant at first to try it again, especially after what had happened with Blunt months ago-she shuddered at the memory of hurting him-but she was truly isolated this time, and she had taken every precaution. Just a little bit, I'll try out just a bit...
"You're me--"
Akkey whirled around. She could've sworn somebody spoke behind her. Her skin tingled in alarm, while her eyes scanned the beach, but she was alone.
Huh. Weird... she dismissed it, as well as her efforts that night. She had gotten nowhere, but oddly enough there was a mix of both relief and disappointment that she didn't. She shook her head to clear her thoughts, and headed inside for the night.
=== March 1049 ===
Akkey opened her eyes, feeling very cold and hot at the same time. She looked around wildly. The water that was always around her ankles had reached her waist now. This wasn’t a new dream, in fact she’s all too familiar with it. But what was odd was that she hadn’t had it for over year, and the water was never this high.
“Help!” She struggled, and tried to wade through the waves in search for land, but as per old fashion in this world, she never got anywhere. Her magic wasn’t working, and she was being lifted off her feet as the waves grew stronger.
“Somebody! Help me!” her breaths came in erratic gasps as the levels continued to rise, unyielding to her desperate efforts, “Maya! Blunt! I can’t–!” She lost her footing as the water went over her head, her heart thundering in her chest. She gasped for air, kicking her legs wildly to stay afloat, but it was useless as she continued to sink.
It hurts… Being unable to swim and breath underwater was now foreign to her. It hurts… It hurts… The waves ebbed and flowed, giving her only a moment to breathe before swallowing her again. She sank deeper and deeper, the surface getting farther away from her as she ran out of air. The last thing she remembered was the immense pain in her chest as her vision got spotty. Then everything went dark.
When she opened her eyes, she was in her room at the Lindholm house, her body felt the heaviest and weakest she had ever been. It was already dark out. Crap… I missed the entire day, he’s gonna be worried…
Category:EU
Category:Events
Category:Akkey Black
Category:Blunt Donz
Category:Kaya