Fantasy A World Untamed

[Auren]

xBoldan - Just Outside Hyr - Zaria L’instxxxxxxx




Lady? Since when had either of the boys referred to her as a lady? She had made it a point to stay one of the team, and she did not notice her recent flash of skin. She cocked her head to the side as she watched the interaction between the barbarian and Arcden. She didn’t quite understand the bristled feathers that the twin seemed to possess. She narrowed her eyes slightly at the two of them. Then, she examined the barbarian approximately. He didn’t need to know why they were headed into Hyr, and she felt that the information was enough for their search. Her hand flicked toward her pocket with her totem. She looked like a child? Acted like a child? She had never been so insulted. She felt the strap she had just adjusted pinch her skin again. She cursed under her breath but before she could re-adjust it again, she was being tugged away. She made note of the name the Ludovic gave them.

Kopis Misthos


The touch of Greyden’s hand was weird against her own. She had only ever touched the twins when she was assisting in bandaging their wounds. When he let her hand go, she flexed it a bit before letting it slide to her side. It was strange how large it was compared to her own, and she was not the smallest Iesti woman. She glanced back at Arcden when he finally approached and narrowed her eyes.

”Am I going to receive an explanation of what that was exactly?”

she glanced between the two of them, her voice hard. Did they not think her capable of handling her own?


She crossed her arms, but kept moving as they needed to make progress. She felt the winds from the North travel towards them, circling their bodies before leaving. Glancing back at Arcden and then forward to Greyden, she eased her expression. Perhaps their intent had not been to insult her ability in combat, she was merely their informat afterall. She could understand if they had never seen her truly do battle. She winced slightly as her thoughts traveled back to their return trip to Iesti.


The strap pinched her arm again, and she undid the armor all together in a slightly flustered movement. Sliding off the arm armor, her eyes glancing about them towards the surroundings. They were safe for the moment, and the armor was not pinching just because of the strap. She turned it over in her hands, her arm losing its bulk and giving away how small her arms truly were. But they were not without muscle. As she held the bit in her hands, adjusting some material as she walked, the muscles in her arms tightened and loosened, showing a fine definition.


She was not strong in the same sense as a Hyrian, but for an Iesti woman, she was past being only fit. She concentrated on fixing her armor to the point where she stopped walking. She placed the armor between her feet and began to pull on a certain, small lever located inside the armor. It gave with a click and she hunched down to re-tinker the part the became misaligned. She took a moment to glance up at the twins.

”One moment,”

she said before turning back to her task. She would normally readjust at an inn or such, when she could remove all her coverings and quality check them. Unfortunately, she hadn’t had the chance the previous night.


When the covering clicked into place, she snapped the lever back and had the armor on her arm in the same moment. When she finished fastening the strap to keep it in place, she turned back to the boys. She slid her head a little to the side in a slight apology before looking ahead at the trail. Zaria started to walk again.



https://www.rpnation.com/profile/5169-syrenrei/@Syrenrei

https://www.rpnation.com/profile/5169-syrenrei/

https://www.rpnation.com/profile/4673-killigrew/@Killigrew

https://www.rpnation.com/profile/4673-killigrew/

 

[Syrenrei]

Closer to Hyr (but the same shitty road)- Arcden & Greyden


"Yeah, what was that?" Greyden asked legitimately. He hadn't really meant to treat Zaria as a child so much as extract her from the situation as quickly as possible such that Arcden would likewise depart. A hardened glare assured the slightly more jovial twin that his counterpart was not open to discussion quite yet. Elaboration would have to come at a later time when Arcden was done brooding over whatever had ailed his freakishly stoic mind. It created a silence that was uncomfortable for all that fell under its umbrella. Zaria was displeased with the men of her party and they were at odds with one another. In front of her Greyden's shoulder was slumped forward with the climb, hunched slightly towards his chest as if inward thought drew it in. Arcden trailed behind with his broad shoulders rigidly fixed as if they were created of stone.


It was when Zaria set down her armor, pushing and pulling and other assorted things that confused the assassins, that Greyden pulled Arcden away by force. The latter protested by wrenching himself away, but a couple meaningful looks and both knew this was the beginning of an uncomfortable conversation that would not be further delayed. Standing apart from their spy comrade under the veil of privacy, she could clearly hear their words should she wish to eavesdrop.


"We need to talk about this," Greyden hissed. His anger had quickly risen to the surface and was broiling, intermixing with amusement dangerously. It was his rage that painted most of his brutal murders, not the apathy that his 'replicate' often displayed. No one brought out emotions more than the close relationship he shared with his twin.


"I don't think this is a conversation for her to hear," Arcden quietly replied in a firm tone. He twisted his arm to get away from Greyden's grasp and the pair stood in such proximity that the tips of their boots were nearly touching.


"Do you want to wait until we have her full attention then?" Pale violet irises glittered. This was no bluff. Arcden sighed. "You knew she was a woman. And not the 'we're not killing this one because I dislike killing women.' You knew because you see her not just as a woman but the woman. Christ! She might be dense and that barbarian was one knife shy of a full set, but you're getting careless."


Arcden grabbed Greyden's tunic and threw him (back first) into the nearest tree. The trunk shuddered at the impact, loose leaves and branches raining down around the posed pair. They were both fully tensed, muscles flexed, jaws set, eyes staring in open hostility. It was rare to see the twins argue and they had only come to actual physical altercations a few times over the past dozen years. It was folly to allow an argument to come to blows typically- their ability to 'create corpses' relied heavily on being in their prime. Bruises and broken bones were liable to become a liability. This only spoke to how incredibly incensed that Arcden, so dedicated to a life of minimal expressions of feelings, had become with very little prodding. Greyden had discovered exactly why the stoic man had become increasingly unlike himself.


"We are bastards, Greyden. What future do you see that compels you to visit the brothels? Hyr is the only nation that would accept an Iesti man, and even they are focused on traits we have not. You can take your chances- and I won't stop you- at a life beyond this killing. But don't you dare question why I refrain from taking a risk." It was because he cared for Zaria that he did not burden her unduly. She was viewed well within Iesti, with a bright future ahead once she decided which turn to take. While neither sibling looked forward to the day they traveled a different path than their elven companion, Arcden would endure. He had carefully controlled everything in his being, neatly compressing and packaging, fixating only on what was best for the other two. For Zaria it would be escalate through the ranks of Iesti power, gaining prestige through her own efforts and perhaps a well-placed marriage. Greyden was inseparable but could be minimally protected- a stab here, a blow there, and the like. He made the decisions that were difficult and taxing. He was the black blade, the damned figure, such that the others may be less damaged.


Greyden was having none of this martyr attitude and shoved Arcden back from the edge of the road, his palms shoving both shoulders. Arcden stumbled back only a step before they were once again standing before one another, faces inches away in confrontation. "I think you're a coward." This latter statement was loud enough for Zaria to hear even if she had not been wanting to intrude. It also presented a choice- did she want to let the boys work out their aggression or break up the brewing scuffle?


@Auren

 

[Auren]

xBoldan - Just Outside Hyr - Zaria L’instxxxxxxx






Zaria heard most of their conversation, but she didn’t quite understand. Yes, she was indeed a woman, a female of Iesti lineage. She paused in her walk, watching them with her arms crossed, her eyes darting between the two as they spoke harshly to one another. She couldn’t quite understand why they were fighting so, as it happened rarely that both had a raised temper. Her eyes narrowed when Arcden claimed them both to be bastards. Of course, that was the case, and she could understand their hesitation with doing anything else in Iesti.




They did not have pure elf blood, many of her colleagues called them abominations, questioned her alliance with them even. Though, it did not take her long to prove the assassin’s worth to others. They were as good as any Iesti man in her opinion, and she cared not for those of her same status’s opinion. They were all very dull anyways. The whole boringness of politics was the main reason she wanted the twins to accompany her to the party at Iesti. She was sure her father was trying to scheme her into a different rank again.




She didn’t feel it was a conversation for her to intrude upon. She jumped a little when she saw one brother toss another. Glancing between the two, she took a step forward and then stopped. It would probably be best if they fought it out now rather than later. She checked her herbs, and found that she had what she would need for repairing any bruise or gash easily. If she let them fight, then hopefully their anger wouldn’t leap too far into their mission.




Coward? Was that going too far perhaps? She knew the brothers to be more brave than most men she’d known in Iesti. They fought well enough and they never backed down. Her brow furrowed, and she cleared her throat to get their attention.

”When you two are finished, I’ll be waiting over there,”

she waved at a large boulder where she could sit. With that, she walked over there and made herself comfortable. She could still hear the boys, but she felt they needed to settle whatever their problem was. She pulled out her half-finished totem and one of her knives. She began to carve. Though her eyes were on her work, her ears caught her surroundings. If a threat were to come too close, she would be able to hear it and react easily.

 

[Syrenrei]

A Slightly More Damaged Path- Arcden & Greyden a/k/a Angry & Angrier


Both had turned to watch Zaria, realizing belatedly that they had her undivided attention. There was a slight growl of irritation from Arcden even after she had perched on a boulder to carve. The conversation had been tolerated only with the premise it was better than carrying on blatantly. Now that he was assured she'd hear and realize the topic, he had little patience for it to continue. Greyden's insult pushed him to a proverbial edge of tolerance very rarely visited. "A coward? From a man who hides in liquor and bought companionship?"


Greyden's face flickered from agitation to that amusement. It was a strange departure from the hostility of a moment ago, but the tension in the air started to gradually subside. "So what if I do? Liquor is a common enough vice and, well, women who understand our life aren't going to just fall out of the sky." To emphasize his point he glanced upwards and stepped away from Arcden. With a little more space between them they were less likely to come to blows that would seriously harm one another. "I refuse to be ashamed of mother or use her as an excuse for not pursuing my happiness, no matter how basic or vulgar."


Their mother. She was certainly a flawed woman even by all standards. The twins had an attachment to her that was beyond that of just that was typical of other households. Their mother had been the only of their two parents to show compassion, empathy, and emotional attachment to them. While their father hid them from society and groomed them to be apathetic, cruel assassins that thirsted for blood and power, she had quietly taught them of the rest of the world. Respect for their father had never fully congealed into love. For her noble efforts their mother was raised on a pedestal by her sons, adored and spoken of with more warmth than they showed any save each other. To sully her image was to blaspheme their existence.


Arcden winced slightly and conceded silently the point to Greyden. It was truth that their mother would not want her human heritage to sully their images. Was their happiness not something she had openly wished for. Arcden stole a glance at Zaria, then looked back to Greyden with a flat expression. "We should keep traveling. And the answer is still no." What need have a spy for someone so private, so suppressed, so distant? Perhaps he was cowardly for he hesitated at the notion of opening himself even to someone he knew so well. It was because he sincerely cared for her thoughts he did not want to expose her to anything ugly hidden within.


"Mmmhmmm." Greyden 'agreed.' The twitch on the side of his mouth made it apparent his mind was already wheeling about how to 'help' this endeavor. Not that he knew Zaria was interested or willing- but wasn't that half of the fun? It wasn't like he expected her to be mean to Arcden and, well, Greyden knew he was a good-looking man. The ladies at the brothel swore it was so. Shouldn't Zaria recognize that Arcden was a mirror image of his dashing figure. "Let's go," he eagerly announced, waving Zaria back from her rock. "You know, when we get farther north we'll have to stick closer to the campfire. Maybe since you'll be closer anyway, Arcden can look at the metal bits of that," he suggested, motioning wildly to her armor. If Zaria agreed to this, Arcden would probably loose a little bit of that hard visage at the flash of a more feminine figure. Greyden grinned.


@Auren

 

[Auren]

xBoldan - Just Outside Hyr - Zaria L’instxxxxxxx






Zaria occasionally glanced toward the twins with the corner of her eyes, watching how they stood and gestured. The argument reminded her of the one from earlier that day, where they discussed the use of their funds for their pleasures. She paused in her carving and looked to the clouds in thought. Her elbows rested on her knees and her hands laid limp holding her knife and totem. Greyden mentioned their mother and she flicked her gaze towards them. Her eyes moved as she switched between the two of them, watching. She remembered how they only spoke fondly of the woman, and she thought that maybe she would suggest they visit her when they returned to Iesti. They could spend their time there with their mum instead of prancing in front of nobles like she would have to.




She stood when Greyden made his announcement. She looked down at her totem and turned it over in her hand. It was going to be rather detailed when she finished. She slipped it into her pocket. Zaria was putting her knife back into its little hiding spot in her cloak before she heard what Greyden had said in full. She glanced between the two brothers and raised a brow.

”There’s something that’s causing the plates to misalign. It’s been an issue for a while, actually,”

she said matter-of-factually. Then, she caught Arcden’s gaze.

"Would you be able to look at it later? I’m sure you could find the problem.”






Then, if he could find the issue, she could watch to see what he did to fix it so that she could take care of the matters herself. It wasn’t really their job to help her with her own armor or weapons. She felt a tinge of embarrassment for having to ask them. She really should have had the armor looked at while she was in the town previous, but she didn’t think many people understood Iesti armor outside of Iesti.




She didn’t understand what Greyden had meant about sticking closer to the campfire. Of course she would, the nights were not kind to Iesti elves in Hyr. She looked to the Hyr mountains in the distance and instinctively pulled her cloak in a little closer. Looking back at the boys, she tilted her head in the direction before she began to walk.

"If we make good time, we should make it to the first tribe before nightfall,"

she said as she glanced toward the sun's position in the sky.

 

[Syrenrei]

Upolo-> Hyr Path Yet Again- Arcden and Greyden


Gods damnation, Greyden was just clever enough to be dangerous. Suppressing the desire to sigh or outwardly reflect his conflict, he nodded to Zaria as her eyes met his. "Of course." No doubt his twin imagined that this would somehow be a catalyst for a change in their relationship but Arcden had no such illusions. He would stay the course as long as he was able and would depart the moment it was no longer a possibility. Perhaps he was a coward fleeing from his own feelings. Still, emotions were a liability in his line of work and he would not put either Greyden or Zaria in danger do to any basic desires. Had he not managed all this years alone? As they took to walking once more he could not help but brood over the current state of affairs.


Greyden, for his part, was not finished with his mischief. When they started forward he allowed himself to lag behind several paces so that he was walking with Zaria instead of in front of her. He had to slow his gait a touch as his steps were naturally longer and larger than the more petite female's. With an affable grin he decided to pass the time talking. It mattered little if she responded she would know from experience. Long days with little conversation or interest often drove the gregarious sibling to enjoy the sound of his own voice.


"So, what are you being called back to Iesti for? Getting hitched?" Subtle.


Arcden barely stopped himself from coughing at the pointed question. He would not jump to Zaria's defense on this for he was sincerely curious as to the nature of her return. As a spy she had different aims and priorities than they did. For that matter, Zaria was still bound to servitude of Iesti while they were all but dismissed from their nation's 'service.' So long as they refrained from bringing outsiders in through her gates, Iesti had little care for how the assassins conducted themselves. It had thus far been a mutually beneficial arrangement.

 

[Auren]

xBoldan - Just Outside Hyr - Zaria L’instxxxxxxx






Zaria glanced over to Greyden. She felt her shoulders hunch slightly as she sighed. She supposed she was the age that most Iesti women would be married. Her father was likely trying to arrange something, but it wasn’t something she was interested in. She liked her adventures with the twins, and having a relationship didn’t seem important.





”I am not,”

she paused.

”My

http://fc05.deviantart.net/fs70/i/2013/007/d/c/gold_elf_female_by_a_gala-d5qq0w3.jpgelder sister

http://fc05.deviantart.net/fs70/i/2013/007/d/c/gold_elf_female_by_a_gala-d5qq0w3.jpg is. I have to attend her wedding, and the spymaster is calling for another report in person. You two don’t have to attend the party with me. They’re boring affairs, and you have to play nice. You could always visit with your mother instead,”

she glanced back towards Arcden and then toward Greyden.




She had never met their mother, but with they way they spoke of her, she sounded like a lovely lady. Given that she was human, Zaria wouldn’t have trusted her if she had met her previous to the boys. Though, she grew to know her from Greyden’s ramblings as they walked. Her own mother had left her with her father when she was very young. Since her sister was declared as the heir to most of the estate, Zaria was left to make herself a place in the system.

 

[Killigrew]

Daniel Owens

​

"A party, Daniel?" Bethany did not look up from her drawing board, the dark curls spilled all over the desk, her torso bent over her work as she diligently sketched in a few more details. Daniel had inherited her hair colour, a raven-black shade of dark, but took after his father in his facial structure and the straightness of his hair. Daniel, however, was more like her, calculatively cold when needed to be and efficient in their respective work. And of course, very professionally analytical. Bethany did not need to express her emotions by turning towards him. Daniel could tell by her body language that she was testing his words. Who could he blame? After all, her son was an anti-social genius who only wanted to stay out of the limelight, turning down various opportunities to put himself on the front page of local or even campus news.


"Yes, mom. A party. I won't be back for dinner tonight. Are you doubting me?"


Wrong move. Daniel immediately regretted his snappy comeback. Unlike most parents nowadays, Bethany, no matter how much she loved her family, never minced her words, and Daniel just so happened to forget this important detail. "Yes, Daniel. I am doubting you. You were the type to sit in your room, hunched over your books, drinking up every ounce of knowledge of everything you can get your hands on. When your classmates or neighbours try to urge you to go out, even at a young age, you would start on one of your tirades, going 'I have no time for such trivial frivolities!', or 'What point is there to joining them if I already know them?' or 'Can it wait? I'm in the middle of some calibrations.' So yes, Daniel. I'm doubting you."


"It's a girl."


Bethany Owens nee Kingsley broke the pencil lead. She cursed, then brought an eraser to the small dot she had made on the paper. "Daniel Owens. You'd better not be lying." She knew he wasn't. All those late night walks, and coming back with a slight smirk, that Bethany had affirmed was what Daniel substituted as a genuine smile, really couldn't have been clearer. All those "nothing"s he replied with made it absolutely blatantly obvious that he was seeing a gal. Bethany didn't wait for Daniel to answer. Instead, she straightened up to her full height, a slightly imposing height of six feet one.


She turned, her steel-cold dark eyes meeting his own. After a moment of an intense stare down, she sighed, relenting, and dug in the pockets of her jeans. She extracted a small bundle of keys and tossed it to Daniel, who snatched it right out of the air. She resumed her work, bending over the paper once more. "Don't wreck the car, Daniel. Gerald is coming back tomorrow, and you know how your father is with his precious."


"Dad's coming back tomorrow?"


"That's what I said, wasn't it?" Bethany picked up a ruler and laid it on the table. "Now get going. No girl likes a tardy man."


"Thanks, mom."


"I said go already!"


As the door shut behind her, a small smile came to Bethany's features. So there was indeed another girl that could make her son do more than just wile his time away studying besides her.


--------


Owens pulled the handbrake, and exited the storm silver Volkswagen Scirocco R, coming face-to-face with an all too familiar home. The home of the most angelic of angels. He took in a deep breath, wondering if he should go up to the door and knock upon it. He didn't want to rush her though, and so he stood, by the car, arguing with himself whether to go towards the door.


---------

Meredith Hall

​

Mereth stepped from the door, shutting it quiet behind her as she left her home. Her father's parting kiss, given in blessing, in prodding support, still warmed the side of her face.


Mereth let out a long breath.


Smooth black hair cascaded down as she shifted her grip on the wrapped box of a present. Daniel was waiting. The hum of his car had summoned her out, away from the comfortable excitement within her father's walls. She made her way down the concrete path, feeling the vial press slight against her thigh from the pocket, tight against her. She was nervous; her dark eyes ambient with discomfort.


But the car door was open, its gap to a cushioned seat a welcome. Quietly, she sat. Seeking no words, she contemplated.


The meaning of the vial.


A customary clear color that fizzled at the slightest touch. Within was poison, garnered from her father's workplace. It would be enough to send a muscled working horse into an immediate, unmitigated slumber. And it was only used in this game for singular purpose, one Mereth had only observed until now; to ready victims for the slaughter.


She resisted the urge to touch it. Her mind recognized its significance. Her targets for graduation had been narrowed down to a select few; any one of the bodies at the party.


Mereth's eyes slid to the blurring landscape. Her mind was blank as the car drove a long, bumpy way to the gathering's residence.


And there, exiting the vehicle, Daniel steps behind her, she made her way to the door and knocked.

 

[Babel]

Chickadee looked at the others. "A game?" she asked them. "What kind of game?" she questioned them. She went back over to the group and looked at them curiously. Chickadee began playing with a necklace she was wearing as she looked at them.


To be honest, all Chickadee wanted to do at that moment was stuff her face with junk food (okay, maybe not stuff, but just eat a bunch of it) and take advantage of her parents not being there. But, a game sounded fun too. And she could multi-task. Chickadee slowly grabbed a cupcake from the snack table as she thought about that and began nibbling on it as she looked at the others and heard the knock at the door. The girl glanced at the door then back at the group.


(Ugh my posts are so short compared to you guys' posts. Sorry about that.)

 

[Kaine]

@Sol ((Read OOC to see why i skipped))


Dragging the boy, his wrists in metal shackles. Serriah would ensure that his punishment was due. She didn't necessarily like the idea of the boy losing fingers. If he was truthful of this linen factory, then surely two fingers were better than a hand. But Lazarus was even more strict in the following of mans laws. She was not sure if she could suede him from his desire of that decision.


Taking her hand, she pushed the boy down behind a stone wall, merely 100 years or so from the factory. Earlier the boy had sworn that the logo on the wagons had matched to this factory. It was on the outskirts of town, so customs probably rarely if ever checked this building.


“This is the warehouse?” She asked in a whisper. The boy just nodded, confident in his intel.


“Master, what is out approach?” Serriah asked Lazarus. Not sure if he wanted to simply eradicate the pests, or if he needed more intel into the murders of previous years.

 

[Sol]

Lazarus


"Strange. How could our own investigators and peacekeepers neglect to condemn such a dilapidated structure or even file for renovation with the Order of Masons? A repurposed factory near the front lines would help the 'Aegis' division immensely in staving off rogue elements from Ituro..."


He took in the sight of the old, dirty exterior of a linen factory that has long been defunct. Serriah seemed eager to drag the lad along and no doubt deliver capital punishment on the boy. However, she still needed to learn that Upolo has a system to things and it is what makes it essentially Upolo. If they followed their whims, then they would be no better than the Hyrian barbarians. Still, a full lecture on the importance of following protocol, especially one in which he was a prime contributor, could wait. There rats to exterminate and they had to do their jobs.


"Our approach? Simple. I kick down the front door and you bar the backdoor. We can't assume a Talon patrol is nearby to respond to this and I'm very certain that one of their lookouts has already spotted and identified the both of us. I mean, I am an Upolonian councilor and you are very well known associate of mine. We can ill afford to waste time. I would let the lad run out and look for a Talon patrol to report to and then turn himself in but I do not exactly trust him. We are doing this alone. If everything goes according to plan then this will be a systematic slaughter....besides, I want to try something."


Lazarus turned his attention to the boy they had dragged along with them. He gave him his most fatherly smile and proceeded to land another punch on the boy. This time with a little bit more force. The resulting crash had incapacitated the boy and hopefully did not kill him in the process. Lazarus only ever aimed to knock the boy out.


"Shall we?"


He asked his companion as he began walking toward the dilapidated factory with a smile on his lips.


_______________


Marc Orwell


Marc simply slipped in amid the commotion thankfully caused by Red, Chickadee and Lily. Those three put together were usually enough of a diversion to any and every plan, the sheer volume of their greetings gave him so many chills at had made him remember many...unsavory experiences with a certain clique back while he was still a struggling high school freshman. The chill wind of the night seemed to bite through his clothes and settle down in his bones, though it could just be the reminiscing of certain unspeakable acts that was done to him during his freshman year.


The interior of the cabin was nothing short of remarkable, but then it didn't come as a surprise seeing as the owner is the scion of a very wealthy multinational corporation. The food looked positively delectable, though living on a diet of cup ramen will make any other dish look delectable. The interior had that signature posh style of the Valdez family, one he had seen on many magazines a few times in the past. Everyone had arrived for the party, well except for the most important girl in the world as well as two other people who often kept to themselves.


Thane, another scion of another wealthy family, supposedly Lily's childhood friend if reporters and insider connections could be trusted, most would speculate that there is a relationship going on between the two but their parents have issued firm denials to such claims. However, if the two were to be in a relationship, it would further both their families or at least make for some decent contemporary Romeo and Juliet material. If it was real, Marc swore that he would beg those two to help him make a novel based on them, he would be rich. Next up was Red, also known as Alli, a general notorious underclassman he had associated with in his terminal years due to Charleene. Chickadee, another graduating underclassman he had never once interacted with but was already drawing mental assumptions of, was present and she seemed to be the amiable type of person.


"LET'S PLAY A GAME!"


It sounded amplified in his head. There was no mistaking Jenna's generally innocent presence in the crowd. Marc hoped that she wouldn't be getting in way over her head with all this. However, with a location like this and the people present, it was generally safe place to screw up. The idea of playing a game did seem interesting though. A knock on the door could be heard after her suggestions and a few questions were asked about it. Seeing as he was already there, he decided to open the door himself, just in time for him to finish the cocktail sandwiches he had been chowing down on. Hoping that it would be Charleene but knowing full well that it wouldn't.


"I'll get it, guys."


Marc set his plate down on a nearby end table and opened the door. In a somewhat mocking manner, he bowed and greeted the newcomers. He was half ready for Daniel if his senior ever so much as threw a punch at him for the shit in progress. He did find Daniel's and Meredith's reactions quite refreshing after all, the guy Claire dubbed as "Mister Responsibility" who was pretty much her underclassman while the girl was basically swimming in bad rumors due to her general nature. Though he was sincere enough to put effort in making them feel welcome in the few ways he knew how.


"Ladies and gentlemen, may I present the lovely Meredith Hall and her equally lovely escort Daniel Owens."

 

[Kaine]

That was like her master to just knock people out. Poor boy would just go to jail apparently, but that didn’t matter much. What was important was that they needed to end these Rats that plagued the city with their disease and their violence. Upolo needed stabilization, not a civil war started by those who hid in the shadows.


Nodding to him, she took to the wall hiding their figures. Following it swiftly, one of the Rat’s carts, drawn by horse came by. Quickly rolling to it, then under it, and out the other side, she pushed herself against the wall on the other bank of the streets. It appeared as if she had not been spotted.


Quietly opening a door to a small house that ran parallel to the Factory, she mad her way quietly and quickly to the back of the building.


Only a few moments later, and Serriah was at the back of their shop. The doors could be seen clearly. A Large double doored frame to fit carriages and next to the building a large timber to lock them from the outside. She was not sure how much time was left before Lazarus made his move, but it was strange for such a big factory to have so little security. Carefully, step by step she came out into the open, observing all her corners and fronts.


As she neared the wall, about to grab the timber, a voice spoke out.


“Stupid of you not to bring reinforcements.”


Turning around she saw the roofs of the houses lined with archers using cross bows, and next to the man speaking just outside of the doorway she had just came from, stood 10 more men aren't with a variety of melee weapons.


How did she miss them? She was so careful! Lazarus would not be pleased. Two more men from her sides came up and barred the door with the large timber. She couldn’t be sure, but either they only wanted her, or they didn’t know her master was here as well.

 

[Sol]

Marc Orwell.


He held the door open for Mereth and Daniel, the night breeze rolled in along with the two. Except, it wasn't a breeze, even with his clothing he could feel the bite of the air and how much stronger it felt. Marc made it a point to close the door shut when the couple had entered the cabin.


He peered out a nearby window and saw the what the wind was doing, how the trees shook as they refused to bow down while the grass looked like it was flattened. It was enough to rattle against the windows yet but Marc was almost sure it would soon. No sooner had he thought that when the winds began pushing itself against the windows and making it rattle.


Before long, the signature pitter patter of rainfall began making itself now. From a simple drizzle it had worked its way up until a howling storm in the space of a few seconds. Before long the lake looked like it was overflowing, the water level never ceased to rise. However, that wasn't what worried Marc. It was the fact that despite the posh and modern look of the cabin, it was still made from wood and the sight of a tree uprooted a few seconds ago was no encouraging in the slightest.


As the seconds ticked by, the house began feeling progressively shaky. The rattle of the windows turned into furious pounding. Without warning, the roof of the cabin had been sheared off, leaving jagged splinters flying in the air that now shared the room with everyone. With the roof gone, Marc could feel just how hard the raindrops fell on him en masse. He held onto the door that he closed behind Mereth and Daniel not a few seconds ago, maybe a minute, for dear life as the wind speed just increasing and increasing by the second, it's howling intensifying in time with the beat of the rain.


He shouted at Lily, unsure if he could be heard over the howling of the wind.


"LILY! IS THERE A BASEME-"


Crack.


Marc heard the crack, it was loud and it was near. He saw that there was quite the crack on the door, bisecting the piece of expensive furniture that he thought. His face was a mask of terror as the crack widened and split the door in two. He was dragged outwards and upwards, clutching the half of the door that wasn't hinged to the walls of the cabin. What followed was pure chaos for him, he heard nothing of over the howling and the only thing he could feel was the bearing down on him even in mid air, as he was dragged along by the wind through the clouds. The half door he was holding began breaking apart and he had quite the bad fortune to be in an errant piece of debris's trajectory. It hit him on the head and effectively knocked him out.


Moments later he woke from the abyss of sleep, well at least he felt they were moments later. He stared up at blue skies and a sun furiously beating down on him. He was wet, however it felt more like a sheen of sweat rather than rainwater. His hands felt something grainy filter itself through his fingers and saw that he was lying on sand. Which was strange considering that there didn't seem to be a beach, much more a desert where the lakeside cabin was. He decided to sit up and take a good long look at where he was. Except that his head hurt because he rose up too quickly and he could barely believe his eyes. Hills of sand as far as the eye can see as well as tall, rocky spires, that jutted out of the landscape, with the temperature so hot he could see the air shimmer if he focused enough at it. Marc needed to get to shade as quickly as he could.


(Yeah, I decided it was time to let the storm rage on because we can't just be in the prologue forever and everyone is already at the cabin. Also SURPRISE!)

 

[Syrenrei]

Jenna Lastnamedoesn'tmatter


The storm outside didn't particularly bother Jenna; she hardly noticed the winds assaulting the exterior of the cabin. She remained both transfixed upon and enthralled by the party and the recent arrivals to be bothered by the gales. The sound of rain colliding with the roof and the windows echoed throughout the residence as she gave Mereth a warm (perhaps unwelcome) and slightly clingy hug. Jenna was concerned that Mereth would not appear. Neither of the ladies were the sort to attend festivities in their free time. In this one regard they were kindred spirits and thus her level of affection rose inappropriately. "It sounds like you just beat the storm!" she laughed. The game could wait until Mereth and Owens had acclimated themselves to the surroundings- getting something to eat and drink, admiring the decor, shutting themselves in a closet...


Would it be awkward to point out where the closet was and give Owens a knowing wink and nudge? Probably so. They'd want to be discreet after all and it would ruin the entire scenario to expose her knowledge. Giggling to herself without explanation, she belatedly let go of her female friend and realized she might make the 'date' jealous. Had he opened the car door for her when she got in the car and out of the car? With an inward squeal of girlish delight Jenna had removed herself from any realization of what was transpiring.


And then Marcus was yelling to Lily over deafening blasts of win. The foundation of the home shuddered and the framing creaked and groaned under the strength of the tempest. Her eyes widened in abject terror as the roof was tossed aside with relative ease and destroyed, leaving them exposed to the elements. She shivered slightly under the assaulting gusts and rain. The chill permeated her skin and soul, her feet planted in place, unable to hold a coherent thought much less consider her safety.


Up and out she flew, reaching for her friends and companions that were already tossed away from her grasp. She screamed their names above the shrieking storm to no avail. As she rose in the atmosphere it became equally hard to see and breath. All the colors before her were a bizarre mixture of various shades of grey and her ears ached from the howling squall. It felt as if years passed before a falling sensation gripped her. Gravity had taken hold just as suddenly as it had rejected her prior.


What had been a cruel force of nature now plopped her on the ground rather gently, all things considered. Her legs were certainly beneath her torso and her velocity had been sufficiently slowed to keep her from breaking anything. Blinking away the aquatic film that coated her eyes and face, the teenager was abruptly deposited less than a foot in front of the barbarian known as Ludovic- much to his surprise. For all intents and purposes she had literally fallen from the sky within the course of two seconds at most. Soaked to the bone and in foreign clothing, the shocking and jarring figure did not think to proclaim herself as coming in peace.


Well, not yet anyway.


@Killigrew

 

[Jays]

Thane Solcier - A New World





The party turned out not as bad as he thought. There weren't too many people, and those who were there didn't bother him much, just like he hoped it to be. Most of the time, Thane just sat alone, watching the activities around him, trying to recognise all the participants. They all seemed to recognise him, but none gave him a second glance. Just as well, he thought. A few years ago he was the big shot. Now he was nothing. Through the not so crowded cabin, he could see glimpses of Lily, running back and forth, talking and socialising in her own little silly and cheerful way. He could hear her laugh loud and clear from across the room, over the softly playing pop music that was giving him a headache.


Thane turned the soda cup around and around in his hand, staring at its content swirling and circling. His mind was in turmoil, even more than usual. Thane furrowed his brows in thought. What was different? His mental status had been unchanged for years, divided and conflicting. But something was shaking loose his barriers. The ice on the surface was fracturing, and steam was escaping the depth of his mind. He felt like screaming. He felt like doing something, ANYTHING, instead of just sitting there. He felt like busting with nervous energy, the like of which he hadn't experienced in a good long time. And with the energy came the cursed boredom, which he knew would not be satisfied by almost anything. He had tried once and failed.


Had it been time yet? Could his mind take it no longer and was beginning to break down? He didn't know. His mind spun with confusion and panic, cold sweat running down his spine. What was happening to him? The fear threw his mind into chaos, blurring his vision and put a lump in his throat.


Dimly, over the wave of self-absorbing nausea, he heard the sound. It was deafening, roaring all around him. It was a mixture of so many noises he couldn't distinguish one from another. Over the howling screeches, he thought he heard screams and yells. It must be that damn music, he thought. In a trance, Thane stood up and walked shakily to the music player, switching it off, heedless of the madness surrounding him. Weird. The noise was not going away. Eyebrows once again furrowed, he reached out to unplug the speakers.


With a sudden mental and physical jolt, his mind was violently hauled out of its shell. The ice on the surface bursted outward, and for the first time in years, his mind was whole. Not a good time to come awake, considering he was in midair 30 feet off the ground, staring at the ruin that was once a pretty little cabin. The wind howled around him, throwing him this way and that, but never any closer to the ground, its current spinning him so many times he lost track of which was up and which was down. Debris zipped through the air like bullets, some clipped his face and shredding his clothes. Thane laughed aloud, though his voice was lost in the madness of the storm. And there he thought he was sane for a moment. This couldn't be happening. It couldn't. Apparently his mind had finally crumbled, leaving him with this absurd vision of an impossible event. How the mighty has fallen. He never imagined it would end that way, meaningless and sudden. A piece of exceptionally big debris hit him on the back of the head and he passed out.


Thane awoke to the feeling of softness under his face and aching bruises all over his body. The next thing that came was the stinging. He could feel several cuts on his cheeks and palms, and even though they didn't hurt too badly, they stinged like hell. Shakily, he pushed himself to his feet, shielding his eyes from the brilliant sunlight from the East. At least he was still sane enough to know directions, even in hallucinations. His eyes adjusted enough to reveal a sight so spectacular, he knew at first glance that it was not a product of his imagination.


He wasn't going insane after all. So where the hell was he?

 

[Sol]

Sol updated A World Untamed with a new update entry:


Lore 1.5 among other things.

So, I have gone around to updating Ituro's lore -finally- Which only leaves Sernn and Hyr.
It should have been 1.6 but the departure of Doom and Vain have me trying to write up lore for Sernn as well so I'm only halfway done with the lore writing hence 1.5.


I would like to note that the sign ups have been moved to inactive and so as a temporary measure, if you have new characters you'd like to introduce or something I suggest just PMing me the sheets. Very sorry for the inconvenience.


I...

Read the rest of this update entry...

 

[Babel]

Chickadee had not noticed the storm that had been raging outside. She had been too distracted with everything else happening and the cupcake she was currently nibbling on. She would have to ask for the recipe or where they got the cupcakes. They were delicious! That's when a loud crack snapped her back into reality. Before she could react to the loud noise, she felt herself being lifted into the air.


It all happened very quickly. Roaring winds, seeing the cabin from up in the air and watching it for just a few seconds become farther away, then black. She was still holding her cupcake...or what was left of it. She had accidenrly crushed it.


When Chickadee woke up, she found herself in a field of long grass with mountains close by. At first, she thought she was dreaming from passing out at the party. But, how would she pass out? Were the cupcakes spiked somehow. No. Definitely not. She then realized that her head hurt. That confirmed that it wasn't a dream. People could not feel pain in dreams. Even though she had figured out that, that didn't explain where she was or even how she got there. Was this some sick prank? She did not think they would do this. They were too nice!

 

[Syrenrei]

Just Inside Hyr Borders- Arcden & Greyden


Zaria's suggestion had spurred the brothers towards inward thinking. Arcden was conflicted by his desire to remain at Zaria's side in an uncomfortable setting while Greyden wished to continue to push his sibling into prolonged contact with Zaria. If history was any indication, Arcden was far too stoic and patient and it would take a notable catalyst to prompt a change. Even the most solid structures eroded over time, however, and he wanted to be in the front row when the tide burst through a degraded barrier. Would be a more exciting climate than discussion of a wedding? Neither envisioned Zaria was the quivering and weeping woman that went on an emotional roller coaster at the inception of someone else's wedding. Hormones were strange and foreign things, however, and anything was possible.


These silent ponderings were interrupted by a girl dropping out of the sky. Both had seen some very strange things in their days and heard of even more bizarre tales, but never had they witnessed such a strange feat. Even had it been normal, one might expect it to end with a collision and the loud thud of impact enunciated with breaking bones and spurting blood. Instead the wind was docile and deposited her ever so gently on the road. The sight was so absurd and fantastical neither realized they had reflexively drawn their swords.


A girl? Greyden was the first to declare her not a threat based on her blatant lack of weapon. Given her extremely slight build, lack of armor, strange dress, and youth, he found her about as intimidating as a baby deer. Arcden was much more wary, keeping a weapon in either hand for good measure. The way that nature bent itself in such a bizarre manner made him uneasy and unwilling to deem the female 'safe' to approach without defense. Another man might carry around a sword but he believed that cutting someone was twice as effective as merely anticipating and blocking.


"Hey, you're a woman. You go talk to her," Greyden urged Zaria without further explanation. The assassin had come to the conclusion that the slightly scared teenager before them (with a crushed thing oozing out of her hands) might be more comfortable with another of her gender. After all, not that many good things happened when a strange man approached a single lady on the road with a large grin. He might be a little perverse, but he didn't want to traumatize an innocent too easily. His argument might have been more persuasive had any of it been voiced or his words been a little more smooth and compelling. At present he came across with all of the debonair of the village idiot after a few shots of whiskey.


"Absolutely not," Arcden quickly asserted. "Given the situation, I believe..."


Greyden had tuned out his brother the moment he sensed there was going to be a stern warning. Without waiting for a further order (as he could never find the courage to go against Arcden once given a firm instruction) he strode forward with a notable swagger. It was the sort of saunter that both of his companions knew the half-elf to consider 'charming, dashing, and mildly seductive.' It might make some of the fairer sex weak at the knees but only due to convulsions of laughter. Chickadee would see the pale man draw closer with an almost goofy grin. Long, pale violet tresses were pulled back and tied at the neck and matched the unnatural glimmer of his irises. He was dressed for travel in this fantastical world- leather breaches, boots, and a tunic covered by a belt. Swords hung loosely at his sides but his hands did not venture near them out of concern for causing her to panic. A thick cloak hung from his shoulders and no doubt would be soon welcomed on her own shoulders once she realized the cold breeze.


"Why hello there. Where did you come from?" Greyden inquired with great curiosity. Arcden sincerely hoped that they were not meeting some new advanced race of humanoid whose first contact would be recorded as his twin brother chatting so casually. Maybe he shouldn't have objected to the suggestion of Zaria after all.


@Auren , @pastel stitchings

 

[Sythril]

| Lily Marceline Valdez |

​

It would be well to say that the most of the time unaware girl she is, Lily had approximately given not even one percent of attention to the troubling storm outside. After all, she was a little too busy blabbering, eating, dancing around and eating again, and to sum that all, making sure that every one was having the time of their lives. Although there weren't much people in their party, and one couldn't come, Lily almost didn't mind, as long as the others who were in the log cabin right now were having a great time. Besides, she was the party host. This was exactly how she was suppose to do, and she didn't even need to try.





"Hm?," Lily wondered aloud, immediately facing whoever called her name -- shouted it, even -- while popping a mini cream puff in her mouth, and another, and the last in her grip. "These sure are delicious," she muttered to herself in praise for the delicacies she was eating, momentarily forgetting the call to her, and the other calls to her, and the other calls to each other, and every thing else, really. It was almost funny how food can get her attention away from even the strongest of storms. It would have perhaps been hilarious if she wasn't in mid-air, several feet away from the ground and what was left of her family's log cabin.


"Ah--Uwaah!"


She stared around and below with eyes wide agape, unable to think clearly with all that just happened. Despite the fact that she, and perhaps all the others, was in a very weird situation, there was indeed no stopping her from looking for her friends, or at least calling their names. Lily could hear a few screams and names being called, and she recognized those voices immediately. She let out a gasp unconsciously. Slowly, Lily swallowed the cream puffs that were waiting to be digested, and spoke. "Just what--" Before she could finish her statement, she felt something really hard hit the back of her head.


And all was black.

 

[Babel]

Wait, where was her book? Chickadee stood up quickly and looked around. She had it in her bag right before the storm so she assumed she must...oh...the bag was still on her shoulder. Alright. She checked in the satchel and sighed in relief when she saw the thick fairy tale book in it. Just knowing she still had it brought her a little comfort. Enough comfort to keep her from hyperventilating. She closed the satchel and wiped the crushed treat off of her hand before looking around the area. Her focus stopped on a rather pale figure talking towards her.


Chickadee froze when she saw the man. Why was he smiling like that? It was kind of creepy. The way he was walking didn't really help either. She unfroze while in her thoughts and backed up a step or two. Then, she noticed the way he was dressed and his overall looks. He looked like he belonged in her fairy tale book. Maybe she had somehow fallen asleep while reading it and was now having a very strange dream. And maybe her head hurt because she had fallen off the chair she had naybe fallen asleep in. Still, the situation did not feel like a dream. And usually people could not tell that they were in a dream or even think about it. While back in thought she had not noticed the man drawing closer and only looked back up when he spoke.


"Oh! Umm..." Chickadee started quickly, snapping her gaze back onto the weird guy. "I...I...came from...[insert town name here because I have no idea where they're from]..." she told him and hugged her bag close to her. Chickadee backed up another step.

 

[Kal]

Alli Vorona - The Storm.


Alli beamed at the new arrivals, giddy in every sense of the word. "Just in time!" she exclaimed to the two of them, "We're about to play a game!" Just a moment after she had spoken those words, the window began to rattle. Sparks of excitement zapped her feet to move, shooting her from where she was to the window that shook. Peering outside, eyes awide and mouth hooked upwards at either end, she saw what further made her heart flutter. A storm! A quite fast forming one, too. Red wasn't one for clouds or rain, but the energy from a storm was unbelievable, and she couldn't help but suck in that energy from the dynamic weather into herself.


She felt the sudden need to run around outside at full speed, but that would be ridiculously dangerous. Besides, they were to play that game, which shouldn't be delayed any longe-


Crr.CrR.CRRRRIIIPPP!


Red's eyes shot up, and would have stared at the empty space where the roof had been had it not been for the rain pelting onto her eyes. Marc yelled something that, over the wind, could not be made out. Alli's heart pumped. A swirl of fear mixing into her excitement. The roof leaving them was bad, yes, but they would easily be able to secure themselves to safety, so Red assured herself.


Crack.


Alli watched with wide, disbelieving eyes as Marc was pulled away by the wind, along with a good chunk of the door. Jenna was taken next, reaching for her friends to no avail, shooting into the sky. The severity of the moment hit her, she threw herself to the ground, trying to grip anything that was bolted down. Not before the wind found its next victims, Chickadee, Thane, Lily, and herself. Grabbing onto a rug for dear life, Alli shrieked as the wind pulled her away. The rug too came up with her, but was ripped out of her grip. All around her, the air, the debris, people even, spun. Or was it she who was spinning? The force was too much- One minute, the storm roared, the next, nothingness...


...


Ssshh...ssSHH...SSshh...


Breathing in deeply, the smell of salt in the air, Alli stretched her arms above her and opened her eyes... to see sky. It came back to her in that instant, the party, the storm, the violent wind- Jumping onto her feet, she spun in a circle, to see if someone, anyone... but alas, no-one. It was just her here on... speaking of which, where was she? It was a beach, the waves gently sshhing in and sshhing out. Unlike the beaches Red had encountered, this one was... pebbly. Albeit small pebbles, still nothing comfortable to be laying on. She was surprised she'd been laying on them for as long as she had... however long that had been. Dusting whatever tiny pebbles had stuck onto her exposed calves as well as any that had hitched onto her hair, Alli took another deep breath. I've heard about this before, tornadoes dropping people without a scratch... "Well!" she asserted to herself, "I can't be the only lucky one!" It wasn't the most reassuring thought, but she'd take it.





Think the others would have fallen close by? Red wasn't too sure about tornado trajectories and the like, but going looking for them, and perhaps the nearest town- Oh! Unbuttoning the flap to and shoving her hand into one of her many pockets, Alli retrieved her cellphone. "Hah!" she expressed triumphantly. That was, until she realized there was absolutely no signal. "Oh come on," she pleaded, smacking the back of her phone against her palm. "Come on, come on."


Well. That was a lost cause. Putting it back in her pocket, Alli turned her back to the waters and looked towards the east, where the sun shined uninhibited. There, under the warm yellow light, was that... it was far off, just barely an outline, but, it could be... I think that's a town! Or city! Or whatever! No way to know for sure, but there weren't many other options. With renewed energy, Red began her trek to the perhaps city.

 

[Auren]

xBoldan - Inside Hyr’s Border - Zaria L’instxxxxxxx






Zaria and her sister different mothers, and her sister’s mother was beautiful, always charming the court. Her sister and stepmother were like gold every time Zaria saw them, beautiful and expensive, and they held an elegance that could only be compared to a royals. Zaria hadn’t known who her mother was, only sharing her mother’s green eyes, and while she had her father’s blood, she was raised without many etiquette lessons, and with more lessons on combat. She was invited to parties to save face with other families, but she was not truly apart of her father’s politics and noble gains. She was a tool, trained as one and used as one. She was just given the freedom to choose what kind of tool.




She glanced to the twins in the silence of thought. They didn’t know that, as she hadn’t told them. They would probably see that if they had attended the party, but she didn’t mind. She would treat it as an undercover mission for herself, where she would play as a beautiful damsel, coy and alluring to the men, charming and vexing to the women.




When the girl dropped from the sky, she felt a frown tug at the ends of her lips. She didn’t trust the magic that brought the girl there, and she didn’t trust the girl to be innocent. She glared when Greyden suggested that she talked to the girl, based on the assumption that all girls played nice together. She opened her mouth to say some-such when Arcden spoke up. She gave a wry smirk as the younger twin “sauntered’ toward the girl.

”He will get us killed with his fascination over a damsel’s frame,”

she muttered as she crossed her arms, watching Greyden with narrow eyes. She glanced at Arcden and then sighed.

”I suppose that’s why he’s got you, Arc. Might as well go over there now, in case his mischief becomes trouble.”

She slanted her head towards Greyden before walking that way.




Slowly, she emerged behind Greyden, her gaze falling on the girl. The girl seemed harmless, or at least without weapon. Though, for all they knew she was simply a distraction. She glanced around them for movement. There was only the wind pushing through the grass, whipping around her cloak. She pulled her cloak in around herself.




Zaria gave the girl a hard look. She knew her cloak hid most of her armor and weapons. She was bulky with her armor under the cloak, making her look slightly larger, as if she had bowing muscles. But her face was without the chunkyness that came with being larger. She met the girl’s gaze.

”I do not know of that place. She is from somewhere outside of Bolden. Perhaps some wizard threw her here in order to spy,”

she said, her voice flat and untrusting.

 

[Killigrew]

Meredith Hall


Who Knows Where




​

It was more than just rain, it seemed. The storm picked up to an unnatural quickness, an uncommon velocity that cracked the windows, seemed bent on getting at the ones behind them.


The rain whistled in, liquid dripping in past the cracks in the glass. Mereth moved towards it, fascinated, her fingers making to touch the seeping. It was like the window was bleeding.


The laugh had only just escaped her at the thought and the house was cracked open like an egg. The door shattered, and the wind sucked at them, pulling them towards the opening, a vacuum desiring possession.


Marcus went first, then the rest. Nameless faces, mostly women, occasionally male. She saw Daniel swept up, and felt her own legs be grabbed by the wind's invisible fists, flipping her over, sucking her away with the tables and chairs and screams.


That was Jenna screaming, her eyes gone white with terror, her mouth a gaping hole of fear. Mereth vaguely remembered the look. She'd seen it many times, on many people. The girl's hand reached out for her, for anyone, and Mereth almost lifted her own, but the force of nature quickened its call, and she was sucked out to what might be death.


Father had told her that nothing came after.


That he'd seen it in their eyes. He'd worked closely with enough people to see it. Even those brought back by surgery or the electric pulsing of CPR, they all remembered nothing.


It was as though it had never happened.


Because people have no soul, no afterlife, they have nothing but the life that pulses through their veins. The rest was fantasy or fabrication.


Father believed this freeing. It meant he could do whatever he wanted.


Mereth had accepted this teaching. It was her father's thoughts, and so they were hers.


She was a cup filled by him.


The scent of grass, therefore, the soft mist of morning dew spraying off the waking stretch of her hands was therefore contradictory.


Perhaps last night was no more than a dream.


As the sun heated her to awakenness, Mereth opened her eyes to an outstretch of land, nothing but the green of nature and dividing rise of forestry.


Unfamiliar. Foreign.


Mereth recognized nothing. 

Ludovic of Hyr


Northern Upolo

​

"See, the more time we spend here, the longer it takes afore we're paid."


The wiry merc's armer clinked as he crossed his arms in the doorway, finishing his sentence with a scrape of his tongue over gums and rotted teeth. The rotund one held the prisoner under his foot, but nodded just as earnestly. Their intentions were rather set, it seemed.


Ludo regarded them both from his seat beside the bedridden Seurn, who had since been drifting in and out of consciousness, in and out of dreams and nightmares.


"And what do you suppose we ought to do about that?" Ludo regarded the lot of them with barely veiled disdain. They bristled.


"Aye, glad ye asked." The rotund one was loud, stepping towards him. "We can take 'im on in. Bring you back your share, be on our separate ways."


"You sure you're willing to do all that travelling?"


Rotund merc shrugged magnanimously. "No need to give us so much credit. Our impatience leads us to offer you such a gift."


"Kind of you.... very kind of you." Ludo sprang to his feet, and the two men just about fell over backwards with the shock of witnessing so sudden a movement. The Hyrian raised his brow as they regained their composure. "Let me see you off." And to their politely stammering refusal, Ludo insisted, "It's the least I can do."


They trudged their way outside and he grabbed his spear on the way out, twirling it behind him in anticipation.


The rotund one held the prisoner, and the wiry one walked on at a happy kind of gait to Ludo's immediate left. They neared the town's gate. The barbarian rearranged his grip on the spear. He struck the nearest behind the knee, following the movement with a crack at the man's head, slamming him into the earth.


Ludo's attention turned to the rotund, who kept the prisoner almost threateningly in a rather tight grip. "This ain't of no worth to either of us." The merc declared. It was true. Ludovic could lose the bounty's bandit at this rate.


He prepared himself nonetheless, sinking into a ready poise, spear point raised towards the rotund enemy. Gold was scarce, but loyalty scarcer.


Eyeing the now sweat-slicked enemy, Ludo took inching steps toward him. "I'll let you go. But you must leave toil's reward." At those words, the merc hesitated. Greed vied against cowardice, but cowardice, made the stronger by the man's selfishness, overcame, the rotund merc laid down his sword and nodded slowly, deeply in agreement.


Ludo smiled a little to himself, raising the shaft of his spear against his shoulder. All seemed well.


He had turned his back on the man when a chill ran up his spine, raising the hairs on his neck, spinning him around, spear thrusting.


It was instinct that made his weapon do it. An experience-tempered fear, the long list of betrayals and deceivers had honed Ludo's body to react with a readiness to kill. His foot stomped down on the bandit's bonds, his upper body shoving at what had alerted him.


His mind registered events after their occurance. A series of events was only constructed after his spear was point-deep in the abdomen of a strangely dressed girl.


She had fallen, Ludo realized, blinking. She had been a gust of movement billowing at his back, and his eyes had caught sight of her fall moments before her landing -- one of exceedingly rapid descent. And his weapon had struck towards her moments after she'd impacted the solid ground.


Blood seeped from around his spear, the perforation fatal.


Gritting his teeth, Ludo wrenched his weapon out, pulling from her an attached spray of red. He paid no notice to the bandit taking this opportunity to hop away on bound feet. Ludo stabbed his spear into the earth and knelt beside the stranger.


By the looks of her, she wouldn't survive until sundown.


Grunting, the barbarian gathered her bleeding self up, rising with her to his feet. He brought her into the infirmary and placed her on the bed beside Seurn.


"Accident." He said to the gaping healer by way of explanation. Blood-soaked hands ran thoughtlessly up his scalp as Ludo let out a long, shaky breath. "Try and... make her comfortable. Or help. Whatever you can do, do it."

 

[Syrenrei]

Just Inside Hyr- The Not-So-Wonder-Twins


Arcden approached when Zaria did so and encouraged him to do same. He shared some concern about the younger and smaller female but was more perturbed by her method of travel than her purpose. The twins had been able to take down many threats before and if this lone teenager proved to be one then they could likewise dispose of her- but magic? Had it truly been a blessing of arcana? "If any of the realm had a magus, we'd know," Arcden quietly asserted. Sernn and Hyr would have immediately flaunted the only spellcaster in all of Boldan if they were in their possession; even Ituro and Upolo were not secretive enough to conceal one. The only country that might hide such an existence was Iesti and they would not have sent such a simple child after two of its best assassins and master spy. Currently all three were in good standing and were threats to the station of no one of importance.


"Do you want to leave her here or take her with us?" Greyden asked as if the lass was not standing right there. That was the query of immediate necessity. Their destination in Hyr was still quite a ways off, there was another damsel to rescue, corpse creation to be done, and gold to be collected. That didn't even factor in their engagement with Zaria's father back in Iesti proper. How many temptations! Greyden was in favor of taking the oddity with them so that he would have that much more entertainment while he pressed Arcden and Zaria closer to one another. Perhaps this would be a conspirator of sorts! He'd play as if he was interested in her and wished to have 'time alone,' thus leaving the other pair to their own devices. Ah yes, this would work out perfectly. "I vote we bring her with us. She'll need something warmer to wear, of course."


Arcden gave a flat look. The girl in question was clearly fearful of them (thus possibly unwilling to join them) and had dropped out of the freaking sky. There were times were prudence was more than warranted. Greyden's inner thoughts and appreciation for the curves hidden beneath foreign garments garnered too much leniency.


"I know what you're going to say, but she'll get run through out here by herself and you know it's true- if she lasts very long at all exposed to the bitter cold of nights. More importantly, there's no mages left alive in Boldan. The gods must have put her here themselves." There was logic despite the absurd assumptions in the latter part of Greyden's statement. Arcden shrugged his shoulders non-noncommittally and glanced at Zaria for her response. He had no faith in deities himself but there was little in the way for an explanation how she arrived here. Things like this did not occur in Boldan- at least not anymore. The movements of the school girl were innocent enough and her fright was nearly palpable.


"What's your name?" Arcden inquired as he allowed Zaria to ponder. In this one case they all had to agree on a course of action be it abandonment or assistance. Her 'vote' would be just as weighty as that of his rash, hormonal sibling.


@pastel stitchings , @Auren 
Jenna- Some Sketchy Town in Upolo


Before today Jenna's most grievous injury had been a twisted ankle. Despite her absent-minded nature she was not especially accident prone and thus had no experience with excessive bleeding, profound pain, or stress-induced hallucinations. Today was a big girl for her. The tall man before her had whirled around and stuck some manner of weapon in her s0 quickly that her mind could not even comprehend what the offending implement was. Agony shot through her torso and there was a sickening wet feeling that crept down towards her hip. Her legs had buckled and she briefly met the ground, shuddering as her body started to go through a state of shock.


As she was carried to the healer's residence she tried to focus on the situation. The sky above them was clear and unobstructed- this certainly wasn't their town. Fictional tales whirled around her mind, tangling with actual recollections and history, until the teenager became suddenly aware of the manner of dress (or lack thereof) that her assailant-turned-protector had. Tokyo Tower be damned, this was like an otome game she had played a few months ago where a girl found she was secretly a priestess of a dragon god and was transported to a fantasy world in which she was guarded by bishounen. Ludovic could be a mystical warrior tasked with her safety and just had a moment of confusion and weakness.


Jenna briefly lost consciousness in her daydream about princes and ripped, mysterious swordsman swearing fealty and quarreling over who was most qualified to be her lover. She found herself deposited on a poor excuse for a bed next to a man with long hair- presumably another guardian. This man with no shirt certainly wasn't doing well in the 'play nice with others' exercise, was he? Had she sufficient circulation to do so she would have blushed at the three males that surrounded her now. The healer wasn't exactly easy on the eyes, but she was utterly convinced they had been drawn together for her alone. With an awkward, embarrassed jerk she tried to find a direction to gaze in that didn't end with staring at a bare chest or a masculine visage inches away.


And now she saw the injury as it seeped through her shirt. In a moment of raw panic she tried to scramble to her feet, but blood loss had made her too dizzy and disoriented to do so. The Boldan gentlemen watched in confusion and alarm as she flailed wildly and without aim, then fell quiet and still. The healer become emboldened and took swift measures to discover the extent of the damage. Her shirt was removed and discarded on the floor for reasons of practicality and a basin and towel were fetched to begin cleaning .


Two curiosities gripped the pair of natives: first, she did not wear a corset. A black, shapely contraption covered her chest and left the rest of the abdomen uncinched and bare. Second, and of more relative importance, was that once the sanguine liquid was washed away that there was not further bleeding. The wound was still present and had not healed in any way except that inexplicably there was perfect coagulation. With each inhale and exhale the stomach rose and fell and yet not one drop further was spilled. Jenna might have shared in this awe had she not been completely scandalized by the behavior of those trying to keep her several steps away from death.


"You! You! How dare you... you should... take me to your leader!" The warbling in her voice was a manifestation of her disorientation. It was less of a demand and more of a dazed exclamation. Coming from a compromised, petite, hurt, fragile, and young girl it was less than compelling.


@Killigrew

 

[Babel]

Chickadee frowned even more than she already was as the small group began to talk amongst themselves. The word "magus" seemed to pop up often and she could hear them talking about whether they should let her come or not. They were thinking about leaving her there lost?! Just great. The young lady rubbed her face, trying to figure out what she would do if they decided to just leave her there. Maybe she would just follow until she came across a town. Perhaps ask for directions back home there. But, Chickadee had a hunch that they would not know the town she lived in. She didn't even think that she was in the same country.


What was the place they were saying? Boldan? She looked through her mind to see if she had ever heard of a country like that before. Nope. Chickadee began to listen to them again and heard the man that had spoken to her say that they should bring her. Her frown softened slightly. Slightly. Then, the other one spoke.


Chickadee was silent for a moment, trying to find her voice again before speaking. "My name is Chickadee..." she responded, her voice coming out meeker than what she intended. She internally winced at it. It made her look weak. She didn't want to look like that.