Arai [closed]

[Zonarch]

The room was unsettling, dark and quiet. There should be more people here. Zonarch waved his hand for another refill on his drink.


"Rather quiet tonight," the bartender said, filling the mug with the amber liquid. "Guess you're not much on talkin."


Zonarch continued to sit in silence. Rain tapped the roof of the old tavern. Tbe night was getting cold. Zonarch tightened the grey cloak around himself.

 

[Sincerekitty]

Séreméla pulls her hood low over her face as she runs to the bar. She pushes the door and hurrys in.


She pushes her hood off and tugs at the fur on her ears. She looks back at the door hissing softly at the rain before walking over and taking a seat at the end of the bar

 

[Zonarch]

Zonarch watched the lady cross the bar curiously. Even still while the bartender walked over.


"Is there anything you want miss?" The bartender asked her.

 

[Sincerekitty]

She purrs softly as the bartender walks up. 'Hmmm an ale will work" She glances at the only other person at the bar before quickly looking down.

 

[Zonarch]

Zonarch looked back down at his mug. The amber color was bright in the dark room.


The bartender nodded and quickly filled another mug, sliding it to Séreméla.


Zonarch stood up and walked over to the other side of the bar, next to Séreméla.

 

[Sincerekitty]

Séreméla catches the mug and begins to gently lap it up.


She looks up at the strange man as her tail twitches softly.

 

[Zonarch]

Zonarch reached out and tipped over Séreméla's glass. "Oops, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bump into you." He waved his hand. "Barkeeper, can she get another on me!" The bartender rushed over to wipe up the mess. As soon as he turned around, Zonarch leaned in close and whispered, "Don't drink it." And then walked out the door into the rain.

 

[Sincerekitty]

Séreméla looks shocked as the ale drips in her lap. She waves off the bartender as he reaches for a mug.


She jumps up and follows the man outside.


She looks around as she walks into the middle of the road. Seeing him walking away she catches up. "Why did you knock my drink into my lap!? And why would ypu order me another one and tell me not to drink it?!"

 

[Zonarch]

Zonarch pressed his finger to his lips. "Shh." Then led her into the inn next to him. The counter was empty, nobody else stood around. Still, Zonarch led her up the stairs into a room he secured. Making sure the door was locked, he turns around and says, "It was poisonous, everything consumable in this town is."

 

[Sincerekitty]

Séreméla sits on the bed and stare silently at the floor, her ears twitched as she thought.


She looks up at the man. "I still don't know your name though.."

 

[Zonarch]

"Oh! Right. My apologies." Zonarch took a bow. My name is Zon de la Archel Zephyrus Velentine." He stood up. "My friends call me Zonarch, my enemies use various other names."

 

[Sincerekitty]

Séreméla smiled softly and reached a small hand with long sharp nails "Its lovely to meet you. I'm Séreméla." She purred softly, "But we have the little matter of... I'm so hungry."

 

[Zonarch]

Zonarch grabs her hand and shakes it. "My . . . Father should be getting back soon with food." Zonarch sat down in a chair that lay in the corner of the room. He pulled his sword out, and began polishing and sharpening it. The blade was long and had a light blue shine to it. The hilt was silver with a bronze cat emblem on the guard. "So what brings you here?"

 

[Sincerekitty]

Séreméla sat silently for a few moments and then stood up, "Well I suppose I should see about getting a room for the night. Thank you again for warning me. " She started to walk towards the door.

 

[Zonarch]

"Ah wait!" Zonarch jumped up and grabbed her hand. "Now I can't exactly force you to stay, but it'd be a lot safer if you did." Zonarch took a deep breath. "I'm not sure why or how you got here, but this town isn't safe."

 

[Sincerekitty]

Séreméla stared at him for a moment, "Well I suppose i could..." She immediately began to shrink to a small black kitten.


She ran over and pounced on the bed.

 

[Zonarch]

Zonarch went back to taking care of his sword. "You see, this town isn't real, its a phantom. It was destroyed several years ago by bandits and monsters. So now everything' you see is nothing but a memory of its final night, residents and everything. However, you can't tell them they're not real, because then they'd turn into monsters and try to kill you."

 

[Sincerekitty]

Séreméla circled a spot on the bed before laying down and tucking her paws under her. She stared at Zonarch with a questioning look.

 

[Zonarch]

"All kinds of weird and unexplainable things happen in the world. Its just my job to deal with the bad ones." A small knock came at the door. "Well he's here."

 

[Sincerekitty]

Séreméla quickly turned back into herself and tried to tuck her ears. "Wouldn't want to freak anyone out."

 

[Zonarch]

The door opened up and a man with short black hair and a short black beard entered. His brown long coat was soaked from the rain. "Alright Zonarch, I couldn't fund much but . . ." He paused when he saw Séreméla on the bed. "We have company?"


"It was sudden for me as well." Zonarch shrugged. "Luskas this is Séreméla, Séreméla this is Luskas."

 

[Sincerekitty]

Séreméla reached out to shake his hand, "Apparently I don't know much about this town." She whispered to Luskas

 

[Zonarch]

Luskas shook her hand. "Nobody knows much about this town, except that it doesn't like people." He held up the bag in his hand. "I've got bread and apples."


"I'll take bread," Zonarch said. Luskas tossed a small piece. Zonarch sat and picked small pieces off it.


"And what about you?" Luskas asked Séreméla.

 

[Sincerekitty]

"Bread will good. Its strange though... everyone seems nice enough. How can a town that is so evil seems so.. so normal." She sat down and began picking at her bread nibbling on small bits.

 

[Zonarch]

Luskas grabbed an apple and bit into it. "Well everyone you've met here so far has only been a phantom. A memory of someone who died. They act as they did when they were alive. However, this entire town is nothing but a memory." He took another bite. "Every night at midnight, the memory reverts back to the day before. Each night the bandits come back and raze it."


"So they say at least." Zonarch interrupted. "These are only just rumors, no living person has witnessed it." Half of his bread was gone now. "Which is why we were contracted, to find out what's happening, and, if possible, stop it."