Fantasy ~Magicborne~

[SilverFlight]

Lukas' mention of the poem and his intended cover story prompted Thalia to give the best 'unimpressed' look she had.
"You know Lukas, if you're going to try courting, best not to mention your handiwork was plagiarized." She jabbed him playfully in the stomach with the end of a scroll she held in her hand.
"There are a few more in here too: 'The Best Way to Cook a Grouse', 'Thirty Herb Essentials for the Road' and 'Everything you Wanted to Know About Fence-building but Were Afraid to Ask'," she pointed to each in turn, waving the one in her hand as she recited the final title. "You know, just in case the others are too dry."

Then, uncharacteristically she grew somber for a moment, "look, I know you didn't ask me to look after your well-being, but you should be careful around the town. It was a fool thing to come back here at all. Too many people recognize you." Thalia stopped herself, wary of how much it sounded like she cared.

Just then August's voice cut through the hushed night and made her jump. She'd been expecting him, but not slinking in the shadows. That was something she would do. No, she had envisioned the youth storming over the square like a thundercloud and demanding to know what she was up to.
"August!" She stamped her foot with flustered irritation, which was real, she truly had not seen him. "You nearly frightened me to death! What are you doing skulking about in the dark like that? And why are you following me?" The game was still on, though the stakes were higher. Thalia would play the role of the innocent, but August was clever--if a little paranoid--and she had to be convincing. Thalia stood a little straighter, her old smirk coming to rest on her face again. "For someone who isn't sweet on me your actions are highly suspect."

When August demanded what Lukas held, Thalia knew she had to act this just right. Her eyes grew cold, losing the light they held nearly all of the time.
"And who the hell died and granted you the powers of the bloody inquisition?" she didn't quite shout it, but her annoyance was clear; the indignant tone of someone who has been forced to endure unfairness for too long.
"Ever since my brother started working for your family you've treated me like I'm some sort of low-life, watching me and judging me. What have I ever done to you?!" She started for him, walking slow but with purpose. "I'll admit I'm rough around the edges, probably swear too much, sure, but that's what happens when you grow up poor August." Her voice cracked on the last few words and she forced herself to look away.

Thalia Whiles was never honest, not with anyone, generally not even with herself, but she had to admit as she stood there between the protector-in-training and the fugitive healer that a lot of what she was feeling now was real. Thalia was tired to being suspected, being looked down upon and seen somehow as lesser. August was not the first, but he was here now, the symbol of all of the others before him. She didn't have to summon the semblance of hurt, it was already there, old, but more real than Thalia felt comfortable admitting. Still she used it.

Stepping the last few paces forward she thrust the scroll in her hand at August's chest. If he opened it the title would read: 'Everything you Wanted to Know About Fence-building but Were Afraid to Ask'.
"I'm a better person than you think I am." She whispered softly, meeting his eyes. Her stare was frigid and defiant but wounded too, genuinely so, and she seemed at that moment almost vulnerable. Those last few words were the most honest words she had spoken in quite a long time.

Then the fight went out of her and she stepped back with a defeated smile. "August, Lukas is a friend, I was at the library today borrowing scrolls because he came in too late to get them himself, it would have already closed...will you accept that? Because right now I just want to enjoy my birthday." She looked back up at him, the smile still playing faintly on her lips. "Can we please go have cake?"

MrBossMan Semblance

Alexis smiled warmly at Chiara as she gave him the information she could. "I'm Thalia's twin brother, Alexis. It's a pleasure."
He set the cake down in the middle of the table and called to the server for more plates.
"The more the merrier." He repeated, nodding in calm resignation. If Thalia wasn't here to protest then why should he care how many shared the cake?
Alexis was suspicious of his sister's absence. The fact that Thalia had gone off with someone deepened the feeling, and watching August get up and leave made it even worse. Then Adela shed one particular bit of light onto the matter.
"A santigion?" Suddenly it made sense. A look of understanding appeared on his freckled face before it was hidden again under a pleasant smile.
"I'm sure she'll be back soon."
He then looked to pick up another line of conversation: "So, I know what Adela does here in town, but what do the rest of you do with your time?"

Semblance Castello ShadyAce Vacuum

 

[Castello]

Riccardo

[Interacted: ShadyAce Semblance ] [Relevant to: Anyone in the tavern]

​

Ricky shot back a smile at Adela's hug, giving her a small pat. He was still aware she and Ambrose had broken up, but there was still an awkward connection when so much as touching her, even though he had coined her his closest friend since youth. Though, he remained composed, not even breaking an uncomfortable brow. His mind switched back to the Sicilio incident, the memory still existing somewhere deep within his mind, but he repelled the sadness it brought.

"Eh, don' worry 'bout me and Sicily. He's been like an uncle to me since I have been young... A very bad uncle if I do say meself, but I ain't digressin' that. Knowing him has taught me one thing: that man is an open book and dumber than a sack o' bricks. After all, he is th' only one dumb enough to challenge me sober nowadays... If he was goin' ta' challenge me to a fight, I'd know it three days in advance!"

There was a sign that Ricky had equivocated his response, perhaps more evident in the sigh that followed. His eyes trailed to meet hers briefly, perhaps hinting at a subtle sense of sadness or shame, but it quickly discarded for a more typical smile that Adela would be familiar with. He cracked a quick chuckle, doing his best to mask his tone with a more upbeat tenor.

"Ya' ain't gotta go worryin' 'bout me, Adely. I am finer than a cat in night!"

Ricky's attention would be quickly drawn by Thalia, giving a little laugh of pride at his little moniker. He would place his hands on the table, leaning forward as to fully invest himself in the group. These were, after all, people his age. His mother had always stressed that he look normal by hiding your quirks in a large crowd. Groups made him comfortable, far more comfortable than he would be if he was on his lonesome or with the trouble making Sicilio.

"Now, now, now." He would subsequently reply to Thalia's call to him. "I ain't no lord quite yet... Maybe in the makin'. I Betcha' that honor goes to someone dwelling in Salarch city, prolly some sad fella with too much time on his hands. Ya' can call me a knight o' darts, that about hits a bulls eye." Ricky would remark, proud of his pun. "Hell, Sir Riccardo will get my attention as well."

His attention would then be completely sucked in by Chiara, he had seen her quite a few times around Bordissa, but never this close. He had always had a thing for blue eyes. For moments he would stare for short periods, drifting his attention back and forth between her and Adela, the latter he was far more comfortable staring at. Ricky's mind had gone blank, missing what Adela would say completely, not like him to leave a burn so idly like that. He was so engrossed, he had left a couple beats to his reply to Chiara.

"I-It's nice to meetcha'..." He quickly spat out, slightly embarrassed. Along with his natural confidence and the alcohol in his system, he quickly got his bearings. "Jus' like Adely said, yous can call me Ricky or Rick if ye' so please. Hell, if yous the fancy type ya' got my permission to go 'round callin' me Riccardo... But even me Ma can't take me seriously enough to call me it." He would add, clearly delivering it as a joke.

Once the cake would arrive, Ricky would make for a squat at the table, he was never the type for chairs. Placing his chin into his hands, he would eye Chiara with a small smirk. "So yous a dancer, eh? Y'know, before me and me brother Sylvy came 'long, me Ma was a dancer herself, was pretty good at charmin' the fellas... Well, then I 'spose havin' children did not do her hobby so good, kinda jus' stayed home lookin' after me and me brother" Ricky would say with a slight pause, turning back to Adela, noticing she was drifting away a tad bit. "But hey, Adelly ya' remember when she performed at that lil' festival last year? Pretty good for an old lady, right?"

 

[MrBossMan]

When Thalia accused him of trying to court her Lukas felt his jaw shift. He couldn't help but get defensive and was about to say something snarky in return. Before he could though she jabbed him with a scroll in a teasing manner. That alone held his pride back enough to were he didn't say anything to her. Again Lukas was caught in an awkward situation and he had to mentally ask himself how best to proceed. Thalia was helping him when she didn't have to, of course he'd pay her for the help, but still. In the end Lukas just gave her a smile, unlike in the tavern though, this time his smile was genuine.

He continued rummaging through his scrolls when he looked over at her again. She started naming all of the 'extra' scrolls she picked up at the local library. All of which were totally and completely unrelated to the task at hand. This only seemed to strengthen Lukas's uncharacteristically good mood. Everything was going well and with Thalia's help he'd reach his family. Something so priceless no amount of coin was worthy of what Lukas owed the thief.

"You know, just in case the others are too dry." She added with that same sense of humor particular to her.

Lukas still had one of the important scrolls in his hand but he turned around for what he was about to say next. He couldn't meet her eyes because he didn't want her to see right through him. "Thalia," he whispered to her while he rubbed his necklace with his thumb "I'll never be able to thank you enough for this. Ever." After he said those words he still couldn't make himself turn around to her. That's whenever she began her rant, about his safety, about how foolish it was to return. All of it was true but Lukas didn't want to hear none of it. He didn't know how to react to her compassion he simply looked up at the moon, back still turned to Thalia, as if in an attempt to block her words. This conversation went to far for Lukas' liking, both of them said what they needed to say and that'd be the end of it.

Then, abruptly, the two were interrupted before he could respond. Lady luck must have had something to say because he went from a bad situation to an even worse one. An old familiar voice yelled at him, demanding to know what was in his hands. Lukas still had the scroll from earlier except it was now wrapped up. His body acted faster then his mouth though and Lukas spun around; his hand went for the dagger he kept tucked and hidden in his waist belt. However he didn't pull it out, just hovered his hand over its hilt, and before he spoke he saw who it was. Augustine, the protector in training, Thalia was right about him making an appearance.

He was about to speak up before he remembered what Thalia had told him. Let her do her thing, as planned he thought to himself. He allowed a quick glance to Thalia, his eyes dangerously wary. For Augusts' sake he hoped Thalia would deal with him. Lukas came to far and was to close to quit now. He was a deserter from the king's army and so he had nothing to lose. Make no mistake Lukas knew that if caught he'd hang for his crime. However Augustine and him used to hike the creek together whenever they were just boys. That was a long time ago and their relationship had numbed over the years but it only helped conflict Lukas further.

He made a silent prayer to the first that nothing drastic would happen.

Thalia however did impress as she went straight on the offensive. Lukas couldn't help but watch however his eyes weren't on Thalia instead they rested heavily on August. Unsure on what to do or say so he continued to let Thalia take charge of the situation. Her attitude seemed to change from anger to hurt the more she talked. Lukas himself wasn't sure if she was playing August a fool or if she truly was offended. Either way Lukas didn't care, he only cared that she'd remove the pest from the scene.

Thalia was a thief just as much as he was a deserter. There is nothing either of them will ever be able to say or do to change that. Lukas was content with his label, he'd already accepted his lie. Even after this little exchange was over and done with, even if Lukas Kydale would officially be wiped from the records, he will always be a deserter. It seemed, as Thalia spoke, she had not truly accepted her label. Her voice and tone actually sounded real, genuine even.

That being said she played the part wonderfully. Slowly closing the distance between August and herself. Moonlight gently bobbing off and back on her small frame as she walked. Every detail absorbed by Lukas under the shadow of his hood. Eventually Lukas relaxed, feeling in his gut the situation was over. Even if it wasn't it was for Lukas. Like Thalia said August had no real authority here. With that Lukas moved, he began to place his scrolls back in the cloth sack carefully.

He then walked over to Thalia and the Protector slowly. However he maintained a fair distance from both of them. He slung the bag over his shoulder and removed his hood. He revealed his face to August in hopes of earning his trust. He then raked his fingers through his hair, making his scarred blue eye visible with the aid of moonlight. A new addition to Lukas's old look; a gift from the war.

The young healer then forced his free hand outwards and offered it to August.

"It's been a while August, let's go have a drink, on me, then I'm going home."

SilverFlight Semblance

 

[Vacuum]

"Great Salarch actually." Jude's face brightened a bit speaking about home "It's quite different from Bordissa, if you ever want to visit just let me now, I've got plenty of space for you to stay, and I can show you around." Jude flashed a smile, but the man seemed to be somewhat distracted. Jude followed his gaze to the woman in man's clothing meeting up with the man that waved her over. After a short word with each other they left the tavern. The man Jude was speaking with made a quick excuse and made to follow them. "A lover's quarrel perhaps?" Jude thought to himself. Well it was none of his buisness. It's not like he knew the man's name anyways. That's when a brilliant idea struck Jude, and a plan began to form in his head as he began listening to the rest of the table again.

When a person is in a group who knows each other quite well, it often comes to a point where they have mostly forgotten about you, having conversations with those they are more familiar with. Integrating yourself into one of these conversations smoothly is often the best way to get to know the people within the aforementioned group. Of course this tactic was not employed by Jude, nor did it cross his mind. "Hello everyone, my name is Jude Shackleford! It is nice to meet all of you! Now if I may ask, what are your names?" Loud enough to reach his own table mates handily, but not reach many others within the bar, Jude's plan was now deployed, Jude grinned at the rest of the table, happy to have thought of a good way to get everyone's names all at once.

Interacted: Castello Semblance ShadyAce
Mentioned: MrBossMan SilverFlight

 

[Semblance]

AUGUSTINE RYLAN​

Augustine immediately noticed Lukas' hand fly to the side of his belt, indicating that the man had some weapon in his possession. The hairs on the back of his neck bristled as he watched the Santigion carefully and observed for any signs of attack. The Protector-in-training was ready to use his sword if needed, but Lukas' body language suggested to him that it most likely wouldn't come to that.

August's piercing amber eyes carefully observed Thalia as she spoke. Initially expressing genuine surprise and sporting her usual slight smirk on her face, the Traslocal's demeanor quickly changed into one of bitterness and annoyance. He kept his resolve strong as she accused him of treating her poorly and judging her every move.

And she was right. From the moment he had met her, his intuition had been ringing, similar to an itch on his back that he couldn't quite reach. Combined with his naturally headstrong and impetuous nature, this didn't exactly bode well for his relationship with the newcomers. When Adela had become friends with Alexis, August had made more of an effort to act civil around the Whiles twins. He would go through fluctuations of trust and suspicion, but her behavior tonight had tipped the pot. Observing her with Lukas, whom he had heard was a Santigion deserter, did not help his already skeptical feelings towards her. However, he never had any evidence to prove these feelings.

The look on Thalia's face transformed from anger and annoyance to one of hurt and fatigue. This change surprised him. He shifted his amber eyes to meet her gaze and was taken aback by the amount of emotion in them, recognizing a mixture of determination, hurt, and resolve. Augustine knew instantly that these emotions were not feigned. Whether or not they were a result of this particular situation, he was not certain of, but he had experienced his fair share of emotionally-charged encounters with his twin sister to recognize sincerity. At this point, he was almost trained to soften at the sight of an emotional female after all of the sensitive mines he had triggered with Adela.

August took the scroll from her hands and read the title: Everything You Wanted to Know About Fence-building but were Afraid to Ask. It wasn't lost on him that the scroll she had handed to him was not the one in Lukas' possession, but he decided not to push the situation. His own amber eyes met Thalia's gaze again, but instead of a look of aggression and suspicion, she would recognize a hint of acknowledgement and neutrality instead.

The Ghiaciel mage listened to her explain where she got the scrolls and gave Thalia a small nod to solidify his new perception of her. "I know you're not a bad person," he awkwardly said, pushing away any feelings of guilt. He had to admit that his respect for her had grown as a result of the way she had defended herself and the amount of genuine emotion she had displayed. Perhaps she was worth getting to know underneath the surface after all.

Augustine shifted his attention over to Lukas as the man threw off his hood and revealed his face. The first thing he noticed was the scar on the veteran's eye, which he didn't remember seeing when they had hiked together as children. Eyeing the Santigion carefully, the Protector-in-training slowly extended his own hand and firmly squeezed Lukas' hand before removing it. "Hope the war wasn't too bad. You look well," he replied gruffly, observing his muscular stature. "My beer is still waiting for me, but thanks for the offer," he declined politely.

His amber eyes switched over to Thalia. "I'm going to rejoin my sister and your brother. I'll make sure they save you some cake," Augustine informed her, his voice devoid of any previous hostility. Whether or not he felt remorse for his confrontation, this would be the closest thing to an apology from him. "See you both in there." Before he had to risk awkwardly walking back together with them, he turned around and swiftly returned to the rowdy Badger.

Interacted: SilverFlight MrBossMan ​

 

[Synder]

Xander
​

A few moments were taken to once again look back to Eva, as if still trying to put a name to the face before his quizzical features faded. Xander nodded in response once his memory found its footing. "It's embedded itself into the world, part of it... Could mean that it's not just this world, but its stars as well. There could be... Thousands, millions of different forms of magic scattered up there, just waiting. It's not as if we know the full details of what magic veins we have here, after all. Only then does it make you wonder just how much the world relies on magic, what might happen if it just decides one day to change with no warning, yeah?" By the tone of his voice, it seemed Xander was quite interested in the topic to say the least, soon pausing himself before explanations became ramblings. "Theories, ah... Not sure where I would start with those, all honesty. All just dreams with no fact behind them but the trust in logic placed on magic. Which cannot really be trusted all too much..." The swordsman shrugged, peering over to the parchment she'd tap and checking over the page before turning back to return a lighthearted grin, an attempt to pull away from his philosophies.

Having noticed her hesitance to sit, Xander's head tilted lightly, a hint of amusement peering out in his features before fading just as suddenly. "Oh, no such thing as a mundane life, just moments between journeys. There's always some sort of enjoyable bit to any and all work. That might just be a bit too optimistic, but... Eh, might as well, else the days can get dreary, yeah? And-- Strange smell? In the forest? Place has plenty of strange smells, anything--" Xander shut himself with an exhale. "Agh, rambling," he'd mumble, eyes searching the ceiling as he traced over time and memory. "Past year... Already been that long, huh. Not much, really, work and dreams. I tried to head out for a bit, but Rufus got drowned in orders and I was called back a day into the trek.. Forging's always a treat though," the mage added with a slightly forced upbeat tone, dwelling in silence for a moment after before adding an extra note. "Oh, but I may have a few spare days sometime soon within the month, hopefully, we could always try for a trek then?"

 

[SilverFlight]

Thalia caught the brief look of uncertainty on August's face and knew she had won, but there was no gloating to be done in that victory, she only felt relief. Lukas was safe, and so was Alexis and so was she. The look she gave him was a grateful one.
Thalia watched the two men shake hands and nodded in approval.
"Come on, let's go before it all gets eaten. Alexis'll likely be sharing my cake with half the town if we don't stop him."
She didn't race ahead this time, or goad them into running. She simply walked beside them all the way back to the pub, too relieved to be her old self. Thalia did not look back at Lukas, didn't give August any more reason to suspect. It was only when they entered the pub that she spoke.
"Hey Lukas?" She said, looking back at him with a soft expression, "welcome home."
Thalia knew she was probably the least qualified to say that. It wasn't her home, but she figured he needed to hear it.

Alexis looked more than a little relieved when he caught sight of Thalia, trailed by Lukas and then August. His first fear was that Thalia had gotten involved with something, something that would force them to leave Bordissa or worse, but all their expressions looked as if nothing overly dramatic had happened and he tried not to show how worried he'd been.
Jude introduced himself loudly and Alexis looked at him for a moment, puzzled. Alexis couldn't help but feel he'd rehearsed this, else he was going through a self-written list of etiquette.
"Alexis," he replied to the greeting, "and my sister's just come in, her name is Thalia."
As if by way of introduction Thalia scooped up her drink and sat into her chair with one fluid motion, hooking another spare chair from the table adjacent with the tip of her boot and dragging it over so Lukas had a place to sit.

It didn't take her long to spot the cake and, with her glass still up to her mouth Alexis watched her eyes grow wide as saucers.
"That, is honestly the most beautiful sight I have ever beheld. In all my life Alexis, it truly is!"
Alexis grinned, "I take it I did well?"
In answer Thali set down her drink and pulled her brother into a huge hug, "'Lexi, 'well' falls utterly short, this is the pinnacle of all successes!"

Thalia wasted no time in dishing out large helpings of the cake, which looked stunning in all its its tripple-layer, double-frosted, chocolate flake-covered detail. Only when she saw that everyone at the table was furnished with cake and fork did she cut a delicate piece from her own plate to sample it. For her criticism of Alexis' generosity, Thalia proved the equal at least.
"MmmAlexis!! It tastes even better than it looks! I didn't think it was possible!"

Semblance MrBossMan Vacuum Castello ShadyAce

 

[SkyGinge]

Timeskip: Later that Evening...
Mums always know.

A mother comes in many different forms - she might be the most hawkish, prying overprotective madam in Nortalis, or the dark frizzy haired eccentric who currently stood preparing their dinner of rabbit broth upside down on the Culpesso dining room. Allie Culpesso was chatting fervently as she stirred her pot like a gravitationally challenged witch, her voice hoarse from a day of shouting with the marketeers. The sight of a plain-dressed, talktative woman so casually defying the laws of physics was enough to encourage a brief existential crisis for the unfamiliar onlooker - who was really the right way round? But his mother's unassuming whimsy mainly served to obscure her many talents and her sharp and observant eye. Ambrose had never met another woman with quite the same Traslocal aptitude, and yet she'd remained content as the governess of a small nowhere village.

It was their father who usually spoke up whenever Celia became 'ill'. "Illness normally controls people," he'd say, "but in yer case Ce', it's the other way." Or he'd grunt and convey the same thing. But there was never any real doubt in his voice - his family could see beneath the layers of gruffness and distinguish the worry that drove him. He'd lost one daughter to illness, and with his other one frail and frequently bed-ridden he fretted too deeply about the prospect of losing another to ever doubt their claims. That's why it was so painful for them, but that was also why it made the best disguise.

She knew though, Ambrose was convinced of it. Though she never pried, there was something in her eyes. He could never quite work out what she was really thinking - perhaps she was sizing up whether outing them was worth the consequences.

Ambrose had parted from the Stellen sisters in the square, noticing a few faces from across the square - a strangely familiar older guy, an attractive girl around his age who'd not been in town long, and Adela's guilt-monkey of a twin. For once he was glad his popularity hadn't caused people to call him over, because then he'd have to had gone to the Badger after all. After collecting a genuinely shattered Celia, they had set down their market stall and retreated back home for dinner.

They ate their meal in near-silence - it seemed to Ambrose like they'd long ago exhausted conversation topics.

"Hrghn," said their father, that air of permanent disappointment masking him like body odour.

"My day was most fine thank you, father dearest," Ambrose responded, internally translating his father's grunt, "Caleb sends his regards to you both, as ever. Today's highlight - Thaddeus gave me this." He bowed down slightly, hand sliding into his pocket, a sly grin on his face as he peaked up briefly. Then, flamboyantly as ever, he unveiled a brittle and entirely unexceptional twig. "What a generous gift - a right proper gentlemen Caleb's cultivating there!"

"It's a stick," Antonio grunted.

"Ah, but not just any stick - it's ... a special stick."

Celia was staring sullenly into her bowl, mindlessly swilling her food around.

"Has it the power to restore your sister?" their father retorted. Celia shot him weary daggers.

"Father, please," she sighed, "I'll have you know I'm-"

Antonio grunted dismissively. He'd heard Celia outline her symptoms too many times - perhaps keeping them unsaid helped him to distance himself from what they meant. Or rather, what they would of meant. Ambrose found it strange pitying his own father, and such a burly man too.

"Ambrose, you'll look after your sister tonight, won't you?" Allie's steely eyes were impossible to read. Ambrose nodded. They'd shared the same bedroom in the hovel for much of their childhood so it wasn't awkward for them, and Ambrose had volunteered to watch his sister on the eve of her illnesses a few years ago. His time with Adela had given him the most knowledge about herbal medicines in the family, an excuse though his knowledge was limited he used to maintain the arrangement, which allowed him to cover for her on the nights of her healing raids.

And that's why I can't grow up, he told himself, or they'll find her out.

~~~​

"I'm leaving when the last idiots from the Badger head home," said Celia.

"I trust your leaving will be a permanent arrangement, sis?" Ambrose smirked.

"Oh please Ambrose, you're as bad as father."

He lay on the floor in the makeshift bedding he'd adopted so many times before. Celia was to his right by the window, lying in her cot in her flimsy nightdress. There were big bags under her eyes.

He wanted to tell her not to go; he wanted to tell her to stay and rest. She was exhausting her body and if she continued then they wouldn't have to fake an illness for her any more. He wanted to tell her to wait, to stop risking everything; one of these nights she'd be found out, and then what would they do? What would he do, huh?

But Celia was right; he was just like his father. And so Ambrose remained silent, threw his cover over himself, and pretended to be asleep.

~~~

Mists meandered around the edge of the square.

Galatae was dying. She was white as a bone, her tiny form shrivelled and gaunt, a pained frown on her face. Antonio and Allie knelt at the side of her cot, a crowd of faceless folk as still and shocked as spectres.

Where were the clerics? All at the war. All but one.

Celia stood amongst the people - Ambrose took her aside, feeling innumerable eyes upon him until they reached the cover of a building.

"Celia, this is it. You can save her."

"I know, Ambrose, damn it. But don't you see those people? I heal her now, and you know what will happen. We'll heal one sister so you can lose another."

"But it ain't right, Ce' - not Galatae. She never even hurt a daisy." Somehow within him he held knowledge of a world beyond, with his sister dead and his mother in tears he'd never seen before. An impossible prophesy that somehow felt realer than this grey and misty square.

"I'm going to do it, Ambrose," Celia whispered, "but you have to make sure I'm not seen."

"Right," he nodded, stomach clenched with determination. Good thing capturing people's attention was one of his major specialities. They returned to the square, Celia melting into the mass of dull-cloaked people. But how would he do it? Think, Ambrose! There, the pond - a fool in a pool, and if he pulled it right...

He sprinted up to the little pond on the other side of the square, and leapt with a high-pitched wail. Water erupted violently around him; liquid flooded into his open mouth, sloshed up his nostrils and into his ears. He resurfaced chokingly, but his eyes were already fixed on the crowd, who were regarding him with a successful blend of perplexing and concern. He grinned victoriously, and tried to peer through the crowd to catch a glimpse of his sister in action. Had she done it?

There - a flash of blonde hair crouched over the crib. Ambrose's grin widened.

But the moment he spotted her there came another voice: "Seize the Sanitigion!"

Suddenly unseen Protectors forced their way into the centre of the startled crowd. No, no! Ambrose dashed frantically towards them, people brushing aside like shrubs as he did so. But by the time he reached the middle, he could only see the bulky back of the final Protector.

He felt a fire kindling within him. "You can't do that," he yelled, dashing after them, "can't you see she was doing the right thing! You can't take her away from me." He continue running, fists clenched. He swung a right hook at the Projector's back, followed by a left, another right. But his punches weren't even doing anything - he felt like he was punching a wall.

The Protector turned, blank-faced. "Your sister broke the law. She will be justly sent to the front lines, where she will serve the righteous cause of the Nortalian Kingdom."

"Who says it's just? What do you know about justice?"

The stone-faced, emotionless crowd washed into place behind the retreating guards, leaving Ambrose trapped within their circle. The horizon was shrouded in thick, grey mist.

He felt powerless as a leaf tossed by the tides. But he wouldn't, couldn't stop to think. Turning, he knelt by Galetae's crib - had it worked?

Something was very wrong with her face. Gone were the freckled, bright-eyed features of his sister; in their place there was instead a hooked nose with a bristling moustache, and the cutting green gaze of the village Uncle.

"Nephew Ambrose," spoke his sister, "you have flaunted the divine law of the First Magician. You have violently resisted the institutions of His sovereign establishment."

Panic surged through his body. Before he could stop himself, his hands were around the hybrid's neck - almost instantly the older man's features washed away, and his sister returned, wide-eyed and mouthing a startled scream. But he didn't stop - his hands remained clamped around her throat, driven by some base and unexplainable impulse that curled his stomach with disgust. Until, with a timid gasp, Galatae's little head lolled to the side.

Ambrose screamed and stumbled back. He had to get away; he span. But the crowd all wore the ministerial garbs of the assembly, with their pointy hats and lose blue robes. And they slowly advanced.

Ambrose ran, his feet like lead, and the Uncles gave chase. He could sense their footsteps, and he daren't look back.

He was in the assembly now; silver light shone through the wide stained windows. A lone robed figure stood on the platform, towering over the empty rows, his face brighter than the sun. It shone so bright that Ambrose raised his hands to shield his eyes, and yet the rays penetrated through his skin, near-blinding him. Ambrose stumbled into a desperate prostration. Murder, assault, and hundreds of other offences piled up brick after brick in his head.

He wanted to say something witty, but a single word reverberated in his mind: "Please..."

"Murder is a pollution upon the fabric of my creation," came a voice that sounded like the earth, "You will receive nothing but the death you deserve."

"No, please..."

This wasn't happening. He'd done everything right - he'd attended the assembly every week, done his incantations - he'd even done more than requirer, just to be safe. No - wait. He'd just murdered an impossibility. His sister was dead years before Celia was a cleric. So this - this had to be...

"I didn't murder anyone," he yelled suddenly. "Galatae died six years ago of an illness that you didn't stop."

There was laughter that sounded like wind rattling through bones.

"You make it sound as if it's my duty to intervene, mortal. Why should I dirty my hands mending a doll which is already destined to break?"

Ambrose was shaking. "But you're a lie. I'm having a nightmare and you're what I fear the First is like. But you ain't really him. You're not like what the Uncles say you're supposed to be."

"What do the Uncles say of me, Ambrose Culpesso? Precious little. You know nothing, nothing of your creator! What if I'm not real at all?"

Ambrose was convinced, and he wanted to escape. This had to be a dream, and if it was a dream then all he had to2 do was open his eyes...

Ambrose opened his eyes, and burning light filled his vision...

~~~

... and the light gradually subsided into the gloom of the hovel bedroom. He was coated in sweat from head to toe, his body rigid as one of Celia's wooden figures, eyes wide open and heart thwacking desperately against his chest. He lay still for a moment, breathing hard, letting the comfort of reality wash over him.

Man, my subconscious doesn't mess around. He hadn't considered his imagination disparate enough to conjure up such an entourage of horrific events. He tried to silence his racing mind, to divert it away from contemplating the chilling implications of the nightmare, but one question stubbornly refused to leave his mind.

How far would I go? he thought. Would I really murder my own family if they were responsible for me losing Celia? His conscience offered only silence, and that terrified him.

Celia! He had to check she was alright. He sat up, and squinted through the darkness at her bed. Empty, completely devoid of a Celia-shaped lump. She was probably out on the night's healing.

But what if she wasn't? What if they'd seen her? No - he had to find her. His brain was too tired to recognise that the chances of his nightmare being in some way prophetic were similar to the chances of him waking up as a mushroom. So the young man scrambled to his feet, and reached over to grab a shirt by the door.

And found himself face to face with a hooded figure.

Confusion stilled him; rapidly, the man thrust an arm forward, a red aura glowing around his gloved hand. Ambrose's eyes widened; he rolled out of the way just as the fireball surged from the man's hand. Flames hissed and spat about the bedding he had occupied mere seconds ago. Ambrose stood just in time to see the man slamming the door shut.

Instinctively, Ambrose stretched out his hand, which shimmered ocean blue. A blob of water appeared in his palm and flung itself onto the flames, extinguishing them instantly. But a fire still remained - perplexed anger flickered to life within him, burning away his contemplation.

He grabbed his axe from behind the door, swiftly fastened his boots. The night was cool against his bare chest - he wore only knee-length shorts and the mananite ring he never removed, anger robbing him of further practical consideration. He considered only his one resolution - everything else was like a distant ghost. He stumbled over to the window with sluggish legs, and swung his axe at the window. The sound of smashing glass punctured the air like an arrow wound; shards tumbled like stardust into the street below.

He'd lost Celia once. Not even the First could tear her away from him again.

Ambrose clambered up to the opening and without hesitation jumped out into the night.

CHAPTER ONE: Night Terrors New Objective: Play out your character's peculiar nightmare; Attempt to halt the mysterious brigands!​ After the evening's frivolities, your main characters settle down to sleep, expecting an ordinary day ahead of them. Instead, they find themselves all caught in vivid nightmares, squaring up against their deepest fears. The sharpness of the imagery might invite any dreamweavers to recognise the handywork of an incredibly powerful dreamweaver, but eventually everybody will manage to discern what's happening to them and break up. When they come to, they discover these mysterious bandits either in the process of kidnapping their still-dreaming sibling or they find an absence where their twin should have been. Will your character try to fight these mysterious attackers? Upon emerging from their houses, they will find their peaceful town ablaze, themselves the only souls awake whilst every other townmember remains asleep. Outnumbered by the fleeing bandits, their home in near ruin, can they halt the devastation? Or is it too late?... Spoiler: Tags Semblance Castello SilverFlight Synder Vacuum ShadyAce MrBossMan Fenn The Suspicious Eye Stickdom Lioness075 Volfy

ENEMY FORM Stats: Stat Value Total Technique 5 Physicality 5 Intelligence 3 Perception 2 Aptitude 7 Fortune 3 Enemy Name: Mysterious Bandits Brief Description: The dark attackers of Bordissa village, a mismatched largely male group of varying ages, though most being young. Universally garbed in simplistic non-descript black armor, these hooded figures are intent on kidnapping the twins. Whilst they appear like a bunch of ordinary, if well organised, brigands, their magical aptitude is fearsome. Some are more comfortable in battle than others, who instead seem intriguingly adverse to engaging in combat. About 60% of them are dreamweavers, with another 25% charmers and the remaining 15% a mixed bag of magical veins - however, they have not brought a cleric. Though powerful, their main aim is to escort their captured victims out of the town, and so they will not engage unless themselves attacked - additionally, their surprise at the characters escaping their nightmares has lead them to become unobservently focused on this one goal, leaving them open to surprise attack. Altogether they number about thirty.

 

[MrBossMan]

Eventually Lukas Kydale left the party. He could have went home to his family but he didn't. A part of him knew it'd be the wrong thing to do. He wasn't drunk but he did drink a few beers at the birthday party. So instead of facing his mother he decided to wait until morning and speak with her when he was sober. This way it gave him time to plan the event because in his head he saw only the negative. His family would shun him or hate him. He was different and he didn't know how they'd react, or if they'd even love him anymore.

So the Santigion rented a room at the Badger and immediately went to sleep. Not even taking the time to undress himself, he just plopped into the bed and closed his eyes. Darkness soon followed.

~*~
​

It didn't take long for the dreams to come and visit him in the night. They always came and mostly it was the same ones. The big ones. This time it was the worst one of them all. Lukas Kydale and his old friend, Ty, had been walking for weeks. They'd finally reached the river and he could hear it up ahead. The dream was so vivid, unlike any other time before. He could see how green the tree leaves were. He could taste the freshness of the air in his mouth.

Then he heard them come up behind him. The riders were after them, they'd been after them the whole time. The sound of horses neighing, the steady galloping, the curses and taunts of the riders. Lukas and Ty looked back at them, then at each other, fear in both of their faces. Instantly the boys took off running for the river. The water was their freedom and both of them knew it.

Slowly they were closing on the river, but the riders were fastly gaining on them. Almost to the waters edge when Ty let out a deafening scream. Lukas was running so fast he couldn't stop himself at first. When he did though he saw an arrow in Ty's leg. The boy couldn't run and he needed Lukas' help. The deserter stared at his friend with wide eyes.

He could save Ty, but he knew he'd get caught to but he could try. The riders were close now, very close, the river closer. Primal instinct to save yourself took over inside. Lukas turned tail and ran for the river, leaving his friend to his fate. Ty was screaming his name the whole time as Lukas swam the river. Tears jerked the boy as he swam the river, but he didn't look back, not once. When he reached the other side Lukas did looked back across the river. The riders knew he got away but they sent him a message.

Lukas watched, safe on the other side of the river, as they hung his friend.

~*~
​

The Santigion jumped up in his bed but held his tongue. Not a sound escaped his lips after the all to vivid nightmare. Not a single tear fell down his cheek after the remembrance of the pain. But it was hard to recall. Lukas wished, truly wished, he could escape the war. Sadly he knew he never would be able to. Ty would haunt him forever. That was his punishment, that was his burden.

Lukas got out of bed, now unable to sleep, and walked to the window of his room. He looked out and could see his family home from here. That was a reason for him picking this room. Something was wrong though, something felt wrong. In the distance Lukas could see shadowy figures walking down the street, three or four of them, and they were gathering in front of his home.

Lukas watched as they kicked down his door and ran inside. Instantly something burned inside the boy, his heart beat now dangerously high. Lukas flung open his own door and ran down the Badger. He immediately ran outside and started for home. It was a ten minute walk from the badger but he could run it in two.

"Help!" He yelled to no one in particular as he ran the street "help my family!" He didn't wait for anyone though, Lukas kept running for home. Something in him telling him he would be punished again.

 

[Volfy]

Rohis StellenMentions- SkyGinge MrBossMan

After parting ways with Ambrose, Rohis and Fiore had made their way to the Badger. Rohis had opted to grab and drink and retreat outside, leaving the cramped tavern and her sister to their merriment. She didn’t care much for the crowds. So she had spent the next several hours nursing her lip and working through several drinks. Eventually the twins had left, wondering through the night, guided by memory rather than sight. The path home well worn. Upon getting there, they returned to their rooms, a mumbled goodnight was all they managed to one another.

Rohis kicked off her boots, threw her jacket and shirt aside and crawled into bed. It took less than a minute for her eyelids to drop, and sleep to come.

| | | | |​

Rohis was in the forest. Laying silently in a small clearing. Bright morning light filtered through the trees, casting pleasant patterns across the open space. She didn’t move for several moments, failing to stir till she felt the soft touch of the grass stroke her exposed skin.The sensation made her eyes blink open, only to widen rapidly as the sky above came into focus. Sitting up, Rohis glanced about, her head snapping to every angle as she took on her new surroundings,

Standing, Rohis turned around in a circle, attempting to gauge where she was. Yet she had little time to do so. As she turned, the forest shifted, the glade transforming into a creek. The ground seemed to shimmer, the blades of grass melting into water beneath her feet, the flowers turning grey and swelling into rocks. The sky grew overcast, and the shadows darkened and twisted. Soon enough, she was stood in the middle of a cool stream of water

Rohis stared around her. She recognised exactly where she was. Tremayne Creek. It was where her and Fiore had played in as kids. A good place for fresh water when hunting, and a fair distance into the woods.

Slowly, Rohis knelt down, placing a hand into the water. She watched it ripple and change course around her wrist. She straightened up, and walked cautiously through stream, following it up.

The stream widened out here, and deepened into a pool. One Rohis had swam in many times. Nearby, a large and elderly looking tree overhung the pool. Countless hours she, Fiore and their friends had spent leaping from it into the water below.

Rohis drew closer, moving onto the shore and examining the tree. Running a had across its bark, she searched carefully and was reward with what she wanted. An ‘F’ was crudely carved into the tree. ‘Fiore’. Her brow furrowed though, it was missing the ‘R’. The one she remembered chiseling next to her sister's initial, well over a decade ago. Her mark had vanished, as if she’d never been. Looking up at the tree, Rohis dug a bare foot into the side of it, planting her other one on a low branch and kicking upwards. Steadily, she climbed up, only stopping when she reached the top most branch. Awkwardly, Rohis sat on it, looking closely at the spot where... It was gone. Another engraving, this time, an ‘L’. Lukas. But it was missing the ‘R’, again. Leaving only the ‘L’ by itself.

Rohis’ face curled in confusion. Her heart beat a little faster. Where had it gone? With surprising speed, she scaled down the tree till finally jumping to the earth. She backed away, suddenly very aware of how dark it was getting. The grey of the sky was turning black, and the forest seemed to close in. Hurrying, Rohis headed in the direction which she knew home lay. But was stopped.

The forest had done more than ‘seemingly’ closed in, it had. The trees drew together before Rohis, a knot growing in her stomach as they did. Loud cracks and groans came from all around as the woods turned on her. The branches sunk back into the trees, and they grew, stretching up to impossible heights, forming a jagged wooden wall which encircled Rohis.

Left standing stock still, she looked around once again. The wooden enclosure surrounded her, leaving the ancient tree with its half missing engravings in the middle.

Then, light. Without a sound, each of the trees forming the blockade around Rohis began to glow. A small ball of light within the base of each, which grew in intensity. The bark of the trees began to break silently, letting licks of flame streak upwards hungrily. Soon enough, each of trees had a fire blazing from within at its base.

Rohis turned looking for a gap, but there was none. Retreating, she watched, fear spreading across her face as the fire spread in turn, eating at the ground as it headed for her. Smoke was starting to pour up into the air as Rohis looked towards the pool. That would offer safety of some kind, surely. To her horror, the pool was barren, the water gone, leaving but dust.

The fire was closing in rapidly on her, the ground ablaze as Rohis began to clamber up the tree once again in a vain attempt to escape the enclosing heat. She scrambled from branch to branch, holding her breath as best she could as smoke danced around her. Below, the fire was roaring, everything but the tree now alight.

When she reached the top, Rohis stared down. An inferno was below, tongues of flame lapping up to get her. The old tree wasn’t free from the punishment, and it to began to burn. The heat had the young woman's usually pale skin bright red, and enveloped her like a blanket. Hugging the branch she sat on, Rohis closed her eyes, her breath ragged and throat sore as she swallowed mouthfuls of smoke, unable to refrain from breathing any longer.

Below, a long groan emanated from the tree, followed by a vicious cracking sound. Opening her eyes for a split second, Rohis saw the base broken by the heat, splintering and giving way. Lazily, the whole tree began to tip, Rohis letting out a scream as the blaze came eagerly up to meet up. The heat scorching her face being the last thing she felt before black.

| | | | |​

Rohis sat bolt upright, still screaming. Her breath was ragged, skin slick with sweat and her body shaking. It took her a minute to realise she was still in bed. It had been a nightmare. A terrifyingly real nightmare, but just that.

With uneasy movements, Rohis got out of bed, tugging on her shirt as she stumbled out towards the door. Only it was already open, and a hooded figure stood within its frame. It took her a second to register this, and it was a second too long. With quick steps the man closed the distance between him and Rohis and before she could react he swung a fist. It landed squarely on her nose with a sickening crunch, making her scream for the second time that night. The blow dropped Rohis to her knees, yet she was hauled back up by the collar. The figure draw his fist back again and this time lay the woman out flat, dropping her to the floor.

Rohis watched from her stricken position through blurry vision as the hooded man disappeared, leaving her. She could taste her own blood and feel it in her nose as vague shapes moved across the doorway. Her head was ringing, and her heart beat sounded like a hammer blow in her ears. A flash of blonde hair moving in the hall made Rohis blink several times, enabling her to see clearly as Fiore was carried past her doorway, more of the hooded figures taking her away.

The image of these strangers taking her sister forced Rohis up, ignoring the flaring pain in her face. She stumbled, grabbing her jacket with one hand, while fumbling for her sword with the other. Once she’d gotten hold of the latter, she lurched forward, attempting to follow her twins captors, but by the time she got door, they’d vanished.

Bursting outside, Rohis looked to-and-fro, desperate for any sign. But there was nothing. Nothing but a horribly familiar sight. In the distance, she could see the main town, alight with fire. Freezing, she stared at it, the nightmare of only moments ago still clear in her mind. Fiore was gone though, people had taken her, and that drove her forward, sprinting down the trail till she reached town.

“Fiore!” she screamed, standing still for a moment in the street, “Fiore!”

 

[Castello]

Riccardo

[Mentioned: Volfy ]

​

Ricky, after partying his heart out stammered home with the rest of the late bar-goers, piss drunk and guided by sheer extincts. He would return home to a dead quiet household, something that brought a great amount of peace to inebriate Ricky. Something brought a great smile to his face, his father muttering in his sleep. It was not like it usually was, screaming and hollering until he would wake in a deep sweat. This time Ricky could see a small smirk on Antonio's face, he seemed calm for once. Ricky let out a tipsy chuckle before he crashed head first into the couch. It would not take long for the boy to enter an unalterable slumber.

-----------------------​

Naked, stripped of all his belongings and precious charms, Ricky found himself lying down in a shallow puddle, his body just floating inches from the ground. He felt heavy, every muscle in his body wavering in his favor, twitching around as a spider does moments before dying. Water sometimes crept into his lungs, momentarily choking him from time to time. Ricky could feel a surge of pain erupt throughout his body, the cold water hardly numbing it as he shrieked and bellowed. The young man jolted forward with all his might, sitting tentatively on his backside, resisting every force that looked to grapple him back into the water's floor.

The fact that he had no charms begin to sink in, he felt too afraid to breathe, as any breath would send him back down. The only sound he made was the chatter of his teeth and shiver of his bones, but he was far too petrified to even mutter any child-like sob, something he so deeply wished to do. A figure slowly began to walk towards him, his pants gliding across the water with a loud splosh.

"Look what wes got here... Stuck in a rut, eh Ricky?" A voice he quickly recognized as Sicilio's.

Ricky's eyes slowly loomed forward to the figure and it matched the voice. His eyes trickled down, he felt no worthy to reply, hopeless without his charms. A string of embarrassment ushered throughout his body, the boy now shaking for more reasons than fear now.

"Don't tell me yous stuck? Come'on Ricky, tha's pathetic. Fragile along with being a freak now? Ya' really don't have a lot goin' for ya' do ya'?"

Ricky gritted his teeth, he wanted to lash out in anger, like he always would. But, without his charms backing him up, what did he have to say? The young man thought himself nothing, his hands froze in the puddle of water. Slowly, he could feel something begin to drag him under, a frigid hand like structure. His heart began to freeze, the hand dug deep in his chest cavity, perpetuating him towards an abyss. Above him he could see Sicilio's face, chuckling in a condescending manner.

"Can ya' even protect yer brother Sylvio? Yer own dear Ma? Some man yous are Rick..."

The hand dragged him further down, it was quiet, but a haunting silence. Ricky, lucid in the water and sprawled out like a marionette, kept being shoved down, the words echoing within his head. He felt unworthy, just as the day when the council had stripped him of all his charms, when his mother strapped him down and forced him to take them all off. The breath and energy was being taken away and he did nothing to resist. His sight went black, he could no longer garner any sensation. Though, from a aimless direction, he heard a voice.

"Come on Ricks? Don't you want to play?" A young girl's voice called for him.

He could not make out the perpetrator for a moment, but when he did, he almost was ashamed for not realizing it in an instant.

-----------------------​

Ricky woke up in a warm sweat, a pinging sensation from the wrathful hangover excluding him from reality. When his breath began to extrude, he anxiously checked his arms for every charm, necklace and bracelet, relieved that everything was there. Though, with a slight realization of sight, he begin to smell something off, a hefty fume of smoke making its way to the top of the room. Hangover or not, the adrenaline in Ricky's veins shot him out of the couch, his father's once calm dream was now visibly violent, even more violent than ones he usually experienced. The manifesting flames did not seem to phase the man, despite his father Antonio's breathing being heavily constricted by the smoke.

"Hey, pops! Wake up! Th' house is on fire!" Ricky shrieked, shaking the crippled man in his rocking chair. There was no response.

Adorned in socks and a loosened shirt, Ricky felt a panic bring him to his mother's room which was just nearby the living room where he was just snoozing away. She looked far more distressed than his father, accompanied by nervous muttering that made it apparent she was having a nightmare. He violently gripped her by the shoulders, shaking her body only for it to react like a doll's. She slumped back into her sleeping position, tears running down her cheeks. Sylvia began to mutter Sylvio's name, sinking Ricky's heart even further. Even with his charms properly adorned, he felt a sincere panic. The young man, confused by all this ran to his brother's room, the flames quickly getting worse. When opening the door to Sylvio's study, he was at first relieved to find he was not there, but it was soon anger he felt.

"Tha' cowardly sonouvabitch! Leavin' us in here to die!" He muttered under his breath, coughing into his sleeve as the smoke began to fill up his room.

Ricky knew if he did not act soon enough, the house would come to a fall with his parents inside. He rushed for his mother's room, bringing her over his shoulders and sprinting towards the front door. The knob was hot, searing his flesh, but it was not enough to stop the panicked young man. Fresh air filled Ricky and his mother's lungs and he did not pay much mind to the other burning houses. He set his mother down under the tree, the shade sealing her off from sight to anyone not in her near vicinity. Ricky bolted back inside for his father, the flames were growing close to him and he was bordering unconsciousness. The once great soldier's body was slumped forwards and had never seemed so weak. A panicked Ricky tried to get him over his shoulders, but he could not manage, falling onto his knees from his father's weight.

"Pops... Please... Ya' gotta wake up!" Rick muttered hopelessly, his father's body falling out of his weak grasp.

The ceiling began to collapse, pieces of plywood aiding to the already consuming fire. Perhaps had Ricky been more unfortunate, his only form of escape would have been blocked but as the house was completely set ablaze, there was still a visible path for Ricky to safety escape. His hazel eyes looked for his father's sad and weary. Ricky found himself welling up, feeling weaker than he had in his nightmare. He frowned deeply, closing his eyes as he made way for an escape. This was no end for the great fighter Antonio was, this was not the proper ending for someone who had fought so diligently for his country and family. These were the thoughts that stagnated in Ricky's head as he made for the escape.

Ricky, once outside by his mother's side gasped for the fresh air, almost passing out from the lack of oxygen. His vibrant hangover was no more and he was only filled with anger. He began to curse his brother's name, convinced that his cowardly escape with the reason for his father's death, but deep down Riccardo blamed himself foremost. With nothing but a satchel of darts, he dashed behind houses, watching as they were being brought down by flame, spreading to some of the nearby forestry.

"Sylvio! Sylvio!" Ricked hollered at the top of his lungs. It was filled with anger.

His words were loud and echoed throughout the town. The young man could hear similar calls to his, those of panic. He could not make them out, but he could clearly recognize the emotions. Deep down he worried for everyone else, but at the side of his gasping mother, he fell to his knees, completely silent.

 

[Lioness075]

Name: Leandra Sinciato	Magic Vein: Sensorae
Age: 19

Bowing, Leandra kept her eyes shut with a faint smile. No, not bowing with her body...bowing with her violin. Up strumming, her bow reached a clean high-pitched tone before she down strummed and the music danced its way down. Rising, falling, her song soon felt like one should be dancing a jig in response to it.

Manjano sat near his sister, who was playing near the marketplace. He nodded at anyone willing to pause and listen, which usually was every townsperson. Travelers sometimes would walk past without a care. The townspeople loved to listen to Leandra's music and most would drop several coins into her violin case. Manjano's primary job was to help ensure his sister could safely travel around town. While she knew her way fairly well by now, she couldn't always see potential dangers.

As the sun began to dip into the horizon, Manjano stood up and moved to Leandra's side before tapping her on the shoulder. She paused in her playing and sighed before nodding. Time to head home.

Putting away her violin while stashing coins in her coin pouch, Leandra soon had the case slung over her right shoulder and walking stick in her left hand. Manjano joined her side and held her right hand, acting as her guide while she used her stick to remind those around her that she was blind.

Making their way home, Leandra could feel the evening's chill, as she shivered slightly. Almost immediately, Manjano removed his jacket and draped it over his sister's shoulders. Smiling, though her eyes could not meet Manjano's, Leandra whispered, "Thank you."

Smiling, Manjano squeezed her hand to reassure her.
"We're almost home now."

Continuing at a leisurely pace, the pair turned down the dirt road leading to their small farm home near the outskirts of town. Leandra glanced sideways at Manjano for a moment before looking forward again.
"Manjano...what does the sunset look like right now?"

It was a question she asked every evening right as the temperature began to drop for the night. Manjano had expected it and so he'd already begun looking at the sunset, trying to memorize its details and colors.
"A deep, vibrant orange is painting the sky while purple and pink accentuate the clouds above. A bright yellow surrounds the sun like a halo and the green forest below the horizon has darkened to let the sunset take over the view."

Smiling, Leandra pictured the colors in her head, remembering the many sunsets she'd gotten to view before her eyesight had faded away.
"It sounds beautiful." Leandra paused and then continued in a sadder tone, "I can only imagine what it truly looks like."

Furrowing his brows, Manjano looked away from the sunset and at his sister just in time to see a tear rolling down her cheek. Catching it with the side of his finger, Manjano gently wiped it away. He then stopped his sister and hugged her while whispering in her ear, "You don't have to see something to know it's beautiful, Lea."

Continuing into their home, the twins greeted their parents and soon joined them for dinner. Afterwards, the twins retreated upstairs to their shared bedroom. Mattresses laid upon the floor, the nicest beds they could afford.

Lying down, Leandra was quiet and thoughtful regarding Manjano's last comment. She wanted to believe it, but there was so much she missed out on nowadays. The world felt so dark at times. No light could permeate her eyes, no colors could ever be seen again. It was a very empty and a very lonely world to live in. Yet, despite the never-ending darkness in her eyes, sometimes a light would appear, just not literally. Her brother, Manjano, and her best friend, Esias. The two had a way of bringing out her old self.

"Goodnight, Lea."

"Night, Manjano."

Not too long after, both of the twins began to nod off and soon they were well asleep.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Her world was dark...so dark. Where was the sound of the world around her? Why couldn't she feel anything? No smells either. Leandra's heart raced, but she couldn't even hear it pounding or feel it slamming against her rib cage. The fear was overwhelming. Maybe someone was nearby? Her brother had to be! Or maybe even Esias, right? Leandra let out a scream, but to no avail. Without the ability to hear, she couldn't even tell if she made a sound.

Where was she? Where was everyone else? The silence...the emptiness was engulfing her. What was wrong with this place? Or was there something wrong with her?

Had she lost all of her senses? Finally used her magic so much that she'd driven herself into desolation?

Leandra attempted to scream again, her hands flying to cover her ears even though she could not feel them. She doubled over and screamed again. And again...and again. It was useless and she was alone. No where to go, nobody to help her, no way to know. She was more than helpless, she was useless. Utterly useless.

No, there had to be a way. There had to be someone out there who could help her. Leandra forced herself to take a tentative step, her hands waving about in front of her. She wouldn't even know if she touched something, but it was habitual now.

One step after another, endlessly wandering, endlessly lost. Was there anything for her to find? Anyone?

Suddenly, a noise permeated the silence. Heavy breathing. Something, someone, was circling her. Leandra froze in place, panic swelling once more. She couldn't fight like this! She wouldn't even know if she'd landed a punch. Would she even know if she were injured? Could she still feel pain without her touch?

Whatever, whoever, was circling her suddenly began to close in on her. Fear pushed Leandra to act, as she turned away and ran in a random direction. She had no idea where she was going, couldn't hear over the pounding of her heart. She could hear it now, but it was pounding in her ears and deafening her. It sounded like someone was striking bass drums on either side of her.

Suddenly, she was airborne. Her feet had left the ground, but how? Gravity quickly kicked in and Leandra screamed, as she fell into open space.

None of this made sense. It couldn't be real. It wasn't real! It was a dream!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Screaming, Leandra rolled off of her bed and landed on her hands and knees. Sweat dripped from her face and she shook with lingering fear. She could feel the wooden boards underneath her, hear her heavy breathing...smell the smoke?

Startled by this scent, Leandra grabbed the side of her bed and stood up. Having long since memorized the layout of her home, Leandra turned around and began making her way to her bedroom's door. As she did so, she shouted, "Manjano!? Are you awake?"

There was no reply and Leandra suddenly did a pirouette so she was facing their beds once more. Moving to Manjano's, she frantically felt about for Manjano, but he wasn't there. Perplexed, Leandra stood up and then looked about the room as if she could still see. While she couldn't see anymore, her other senses had enhanced over time and she could pinpoint the crackling of the fire burning through her home. While it made no sense that Manjano wouldn't have woken her up to help her escape the fire, Leandra had to assume he had his reasons for now.

Unable to run through the home without her sight, Leandra walked at a fast pace while mindfully avoiding the fire. She could feel the intensity of the heat whenever she neared it.

Just as she was about to exit, she felt as if she were being followed or watched. Pausing, Leandra tilted her head this way and that, trying to pinpoint any noise that could give someone away. It was difficult to do so while fire was crackling all around her, though. Even more so when parts of the house were beginning to crumble. Deciding nobody was there and that she was just shaken from her nightmare, Leandra exited the house and moved a good distance away to make sure she was safe.

Leandra hesitantly waited for nearly ten minutes, occasionally calling out for her parents and Manjano. Manjano had left before her, so surely he'd helped their parents get out, right? This was all so confusing to Leandra and her lack of sight only made her feel that much more terrified.

Ten more minutes passed and Leandra could hear the fire ablaze now, practically roaring at her. Despite feeling safe where she was, Leandra inched a few steps backwards while the heat lightly touched her skin. The fire was ravenous.

Seconds later, Leandra's heart plummeted at the sound of agonizing screams coming from her house. Her parents were still in there!

Full-blown panicking now, Leandra screamed over and over again, pleading with the gods that someone would hear her cries and help. She had no idea where Manjano was now and there was no way she could safely get into the burning house on her own. Tears rushed down her face, as she covered her ears and continued to scream. In vain, she tried to drown out the sound of her own parents screaming. If only she were deaf instead of blind.

 

[SilverFlight]

Thalia lay down that night in a huff. The party had been wonderful, one of the best nights she could recall but afterwards, in their little rented room above the grocer’s shop Alexis had tried to question her about Lukas.
“After what happened you said you’d always be up front with me!”
“Why can’t you understand that telling you this stuff puts us both at risk? And more besides!”
It was a stupid argument, and only served to highlight what Thalia wanted to ignore: the fact that they had begun to grow apart, ever since the job went South back in Salarch. Thalia loved her brother, would defend him with every ounce of her being, but there were things she had been forced to do, choices that were taken from her, he couldn’t understand why she had to do some things alone.

“Everything I do is to protect us.” She tried to say.
“No not everything. You do a lot for yourself.”
Alexis was hurt, betrayed, he didn’t mean it, but the words still cut. The one person she had left…Thali tried not to feel bitter about giving up her life in Salarch, her friends, even though they were more like family. She tried to tell herself that it hadn’t just been for Alexis, to keep him safe…but the other part of her blamed him.
Sleep did not come easy, and when it came the darkness seemed to follow her, padding silently in her wake like a predator stalking with hungry eyes…

She was back in Salarch, the light from Valerio’s old hideout pouring into the back-alley like gold against a bed of coal. The warmth and welcome beckoned to her but when she tried the door it wouldn’t open. She pulled again and then went to the window, banging on it to catch the attention of the people inside. It was as if she was a ghost. Then she realized they couldn’t be there. She had left them. The only person she could reach now was…Alexis was suddenly beside her, in a dark misty somewhere that Thalia couldn’t properly see. She reached for him, fingers closing about his hand. It gave way, turning to ash and falling through her fingers. Fear struck her as she looked to his face, which was grey and peeling like cinders on a burning log. She tried to call out to him but her throat was filled with ash too, she couldn’t speak, couldn’t breathe! Terror gripped her now as Alexi began to drift away. She tried to run to him but she only ran in place, watching him get further and further. Then there was heat…and light and Thalia had the sensation of fighting her way up through something, trying to break to the surface…

When she came to she could smell smoke, hear the distant roar of flames. There was someone standing over her and she reacted instinctively. She teleported, winking out of existence and snapping back into…open air! She’d jumped straight out of the second story room! Thalia felt her heart leap into her mouth as gravity claimed her she pulled on her vein, forced it to bend to her will and she hit the ground a little more softly than she would have. The man who came out of the grocer’s shop carried a torch and a figure slumped unconscious over his burly shoulder. Thalia’s blood froze as she recognized her brother. With a feral cry she launched herself at the kidnapper, dagger already in her hand where it had been when she’d fallen asleep. She heard metal strike metal and cloth rip as the dagger caught her enemy’s metal bracer. Just then another figure appeared out of thin air and struck her a blow to the side.

A translocal. The two exchanged looks and the one carrying Alexis began to move off, heading for still more shadowy figures like him. Thalia recovered and started after him but was forced to teleport back as the translocal came for her. Her body moved without thinking, magic flowing through her easily as breathing, as she’d been trained, but from early in the fight she could tell she was outmatched: If she was fast, he was faster, if she was clever, he predicted her moves. They teleported about each other in a rapid-blink game of cat and mouse before Thalia’s fortune finally failed her. The man caught her by her wrist and before she could blink away she was lifted into the sky and it broke her concentration. In almost the same moment she was up above her attacker’s head, then falling with a force greater than her own weight. She hit the stones and it felt like she’d fallen off a roof. The air was being crushed from her lungs, her head began to swim. Then a shout, the pressure released and Thalia was left gasping into the cobbles.

The shadows left her and by the time she had recovered enough to stagger to her feet they were well across the square. In their wake were the buildings they had set on fire, burning up quick as dry tinder. Suddenly Thalia had a horrifying thought. She teleported back to the room and charged into the corridor, down it and into the bedroom of the grocer and his wife. Still there as the room filled with smoke. They couldn’t be roused. Thalia spat a string of curses in a panicked tone. Every bloody one of the townsfolk was magicked asleep! She put a hand on the grocer’s shoulder and focused. They were outside in less than a heartbeat and Thalia did the same for the wife, ignoring the dull strain that began to creep up on her for using so much magic at once. Now she was faced with an impossible choice: The men who’d taken her brother were still in sight…but if she followed them now she’d be leaving every man, woman and child of the town to burn in their beds…

Thalia stood there for a moment, a string of thoughts running through her head as her heart raced. She knew the right choice and cursed herself as he feet began to move away from the escaping men. She would need help. She needed an Acquarian ideally.

It seemed that her luck had not completely abandoned her, because as she made her way to the center of the square she spotted the bard. He looked as if he had just jumped out of a window, axe in hand and a wild, worried expression on his face. It was not a far stretch to assume the masked assailants had taken someone from his family too. She wracked her brain for his name.

“Hey! You! Bard!...Ambrose!” It snapped into her mind from the depths of days old memory. She had heard it spoken once. “The townsfolk are still in their houses! They can’t wake up and they’ll burn alive if we don’t put out the fires!” She stopped beside him and grabbed his arm even as he turned in the direction of the mysterious men.
“My sibling’s been taken, but I know he would never forgive me if I let these people die…would yours?”
She left him with that thought as she stepped away and turned, running back toward the houses.

A desperate cry drew her to one specific house, its roof erupting in huge gouts of flame. These people were awake, but they were trapped, their daughter calling for help in the street below. Thali pulled on her magic as she ran past the girl then shifted her weight with her vein and sprung up to the roof. She swung down off the eaves and hit the window feet first, shattering it. In moments Thali appeared beside the girl again, one coughing, singed man beside her. She vanished again and reappeared with the girl’s mother.

Thalia staggered and caught herself, leaning over, hands on her knees for a moment. She wasn’t sure how long she could keep doing this…
“There’s no one else inside.” She said grimly.

SkyGinge Lioness075

 

[Vacuum]

Jude​

Jude's plan worked spledidly in the way of finding out who everyone was, but didn't help much with having conversations with the now named people around him. He managed to talk a bit more with the man from before Jude now knew as August, but only a few words here and there were exchanged with the others at the table. Even though he didn't get to talk to all of them too much, he still felt warmly towards this new group of people.

He left the group at an early hour by most standards, but Jude was fairly exhausted from the ride to Bordissa that same day and wanted to sleep a bit earlier. As he walked the short distance of the town square Jude noticed a hooded figure standing peticularily close to a middle aged man near the alleyway entrance beside the inn. The man's face was clear from Jude's perspective and it was a face of distress. The hooded figure pulled the man into the alley as Jude let out a small "Hey!" He was about to run in but collected himself, and decide to get a view of the alley and what awaited before going in. He ran to get a better angle and stopped suddenly with a shock. It was Balbas, and the bastard was holding a knife to the poor man's throat. Balbas even had a thin white scar on his cheek to look more like Jude. Now, strategy was out the window. Filled with a white hot rage, Jude charged at Balbas with the power of an ox. Balbas simply let go of the man, running through the alley and jumping the fence. The innocent man crouched cowering as Jude barreled past. Then a sharp pain shot up Jude's back, only barely noticed through his furious sprint. Vaulting over the fence in pursuit, Jude came right up close to Balbas who seemed to be waiting and not running. Balbas grabbed Jude's arm as Jude was falling and yanked him off balance. Slamming into the ground dazed Jude for a moment, but more than Jude thought it should. Jude shook his head trying to recover but he only seemed to slow down more shile his vision blurred. Suddenly a small throwing knife tipped with blood came into view with grinning face behind it. Balbas whispered "Watch every angle Jude, suspect everything." Then darkness. Jude was asleep.

Balbas​

A smug smile creeped onto his face as Jude passed out. Along the wall some empty boxes and barrels lay about from shipments coming to the general shop that owned this part of the alley. Hidden amongs them was a tall coffin, and at the end of the alley blocking view to the inside of it was a carriage with two horses drawn up in front of it. Balbas's plant, a man who called himself Rake climbed gingerly over the fence and mumbled "It went on without any problems, just as you said." "Yes well my brother is rather predictable. I suppose I've also known him most of his life, so that helps as well" Balbas gave a small chuckle as they freed the coffin, loading Jude inside and bringing him over to the cart. After locking Jude's hands and feet in manacles, they put the lid on the coffin and rode out of town. A protector was posted at the exit north, but not much happens in a town like this and it can leave the protectors too trusting. Balbas made some small talk with Rake as they rode into a dense forested area. After riding under the dark canopy of the forest for some time, Balbas steered the cart into a small hidden path that let to a small hideout Balbas shared with a few other criminals in the area.

Close to the hideout, Balbas saw the outline of a figure all in black slip behind a tree within the crowded forest. Balbas immediately stopped the cart, extiguished the laturn they had burning and drew his rapier. "I saw a man in the woods Rake, on your gaurd. Off to the left." Just as quietly and deftly Rake picked up his buckler and mace and flared his magic. "Eyes and ears up" Rake whispered as the darkness seemed to lessen and the silence was broken. Balbas's eyes were still blind to the darkness, but at this short distance he could see Rake's eyes widen with a touch of fear as he spoke slowly. "There's so many o-" Two crossbow bolts stuck him in the chest as another sunk itself deep into Rake's throat. All Rake could do was choke as his sensorae magic seemed to flare like never before, an stunning experience. He could hear everything, see everything, fell the moisture in the air, smell the animals and humans who have passed through. Then Rake saw and felt nothing. Balbas quickly rolled off the cart after Rake was struck and rolled underneath it, trying to get as much cover as possible. The horses were calm and everything was still. Balbas had frozen up completely, panicked and outnumbered. His mind raced for a solution, but after a short pause a vine whipped around his ankle and dragged him quickly from his hiding spot, where half a dozen hands grabbed hold of him.

Jude​

Great Salarch was burning. All around him people screamed and chaos thrived. "What happened? Why am I here?" Nevermind that. His city was in danger, Jude needed to save his people. Running towards a taller building where Jude could see a boy standing up on the balcony as the fire blazed behind the boy creeping closer. "Jump!" Arms stretching outwards Jude made to catch the boy. Leaping off towards Jude the boy fell down Jude grabbed the boy, trying to lessen the impact, but the boy crumpled in his hands as if turning to dust. The boy's hopeful face turned to fear and hatred as He passed through Jude striking the ground and turning into ash. Jude stood stunned staring down when he heard a man's cry for help. He was running with a crying babe in his arms being chased by black figureless demons. Jude still shocked ran to intercept. He got his meteor hammer swinging and let his loose in a wide arc to strike the closest shadow. The shadow caught the chain of his hammer with ease, and darkness shot along the chain with astonishing speed wrapping itself around Jude and rooting him where he stood. Immobile, helpless, Jude felt fear consume him, tearing into his mind. The shadows twisted him around forcing him to watch as the figureless demons caught up with the man, consuming him and the babe, assimalating them into their darkness. The shrieks of their victems echoed in Jude's mind. The fire had completely consumed all the buildings around him and they fell all about him. Jude slumped to his knees as the shadows let go of him. He was free to move, but to where? Fire surrounded him and Jude could only weep for the city and weep for the people as the fire crept closer. He burst into flames, his thoughts ceased. Burning, burning, burning, burning, BURNING, BURNING, BURNING, BURNING, BURNING! PAIN! PAIN! PAIN!!!

Jude gasped trying to sit up but hiting his head on something hard. Tears wet his face. He felt spent, physically and mentally. What a terrible nightmare. What a terrible, terrible nightmare. Silence. Jude decided he should probably figure out what had happened, but the people. Great Salarch. "It was just a horrible nightmare, I need to get past this. Focus on what's real." He tested his movement. Jude assessed that his hands and feet had been manacled, but he was mostly unharmed, and was inside some sort of box. Jude pushed his body against the lid, finding it to be loose and moonlight lit up his surroundings as he sat up. Balbas. Balbas had taken him, Jude had to be careful, the lid thunking down had probably already given him away. Even so Jude quietly stood the best he could and silently shuffled out the back of the unmoving cart. Silence. Jude shuffled around the cart and saw a body stuck with crossbow bolts. Two horses stood lazily in front of the car. "What happened here? Where is Balbas?"

 

[Semblance]

ADELA RYLAN​

Soon after they finished splitting the delicious cake that Alexis had brought, Adela and Augustine retired to their house. As they quietly treaded up the wooden stairs to their bedrooms, the darkness from behind their parents' door told her that they were already asleep, surprisingly. Although their mother's anxiety had been improving as of late due to Adela's sognial magic, the older woman still needed her vein to help her fall asleep at times. She figured it was because she had fallen sick that day, contributing to the lack of energy.

Adela was exhausted after a full day's work at the herbal shop followed by a night of frivolities at the Lost Badger. Her most prominent emotion at the moment, however, was annoyance with her brother. "Why do you always have to stick your nose into other people's business?" she scowled at him. She had seen August follow after Thalia and Lukas at the pub, and based on the expressions of the latter pair, Adela knew that her brother had once again followed his unfounded suspicions.

"It's my duty, if I am to become a full Protector of this town," he retorted.

"At this rate, you're just going to make enemies if you're not careful," she warned. "Good night, brother." Adela met his amber eyes in the darkness before entering her own room and closing the door quietly behind her. She climbed into bed and pulled the covers up to her chin, praying that sleep would come easily. She had noticed a growing insomnia recently due to the frequent use of her vein, but thankfully, she soon slipped into her dreams. Unfortunately, she would soon discover that what she had hoped would be a peaceful dream was actually a horrifying nightmare.

​

Rain poured down onto the town square. Dark stormy clouds covered the sky and there was practically no one in sight. Adela and her mother were in their herbal shop organizing the herbs that they had just picked that morning. "Here's all of the borage, sweetie." Her mother handed over a cluster of green leaves. The dreamweaver placed the herbs onto its respective wooden shelf along the sides of the shop.

"Mother, do we have anymore parsley?" Adela asked, noticing that they were running low. When she turned around to face her mother, the woman was sitting on the ground leaning against the wall. Her face was buried in her hands and sweat was dripping down the sides of her head. "Mum!"

Her mother looked up at her daughter as Adela ran towards her. The woman's brown eyes were wide and her pupils were dilated. Her chest palpated rapidly as her breaths became short and quick. "Make it stop..." she groaned, clutching her head and squeezing her eyes shut from the pounding headache.

Adela had seen her mother enough times like this to recognize that this was another panic attack. The dreamweaver placed her hands onto her mother's head, commanding the magic energy from her soul. However, she felt nothing. Not even a tingle of magic. Adela concentrated harder, but still, there was nothing.

"Make it stop!" Her mother suddenly screamed. The woman started to hyperventilate, her heart pounding harder inside her chest and her breaths becoming more rapid.

"I-I can't. I'm sorry, I don't know what's happening." Adela looked at her mother helplessly. She reached out to comfort the woman, but her mother swatted her hand away.

The panicked woman reached into the shelf behind her and pulled out a sharp knife that Adela didn't even know was there. "I need to stop this," her mother said desperately, meeting her daughter's eyes.

The dreamweaver realized what was about to happen and lunged forwards to grab the knife. But she was too late. Her mother plunged the silver knife deep into her chest, a scream filled with both pain and relief escaping her lips. "No!" Adela shouted and caressed her mother's head into her shaking hands. "No no no..." Tears streamed down her face as she looked down at the woman. Her white dress was now stained with maroon blood, spreading from where the knife protruded in her chest to the rest of her torso.

"This was your fault..." her mother whispered weakly before closing her eyes and letting her body go limp.

The accusatory words engrained into Adela's mind. However, in the midst of the guilt and sorrow, she felt that something was off and yet strangely familiar. The sognial magic inside her soul that was supposedly absent a few minutes ago tingled vibrantly. She looked up around the herbal shop and studied the features of her environment closely. Everything was so vivid, and yet the pieces didn't quite align. Something was wrong.

As her sharp hazel eyes slowly ran across her surroundings, she realized that this was the work of another dreamweaver. Based on the meticulous details and vibrant colors around her, she knew that this could only be the work of a very powerful dreamweaver. Still, her mother bleeding to death in her hands was too real for her. It was difficult for her to discern the aspects of the dream from her emotions. Almost immediately after she realized that this was the product of a Sognial mage, Adela awoke.

​

The first thing she felt was the intense heat. She opened her concerned eyes and quickly exited her bedroom to find bright orange flames dancing from downstairs. Suddenly, a dark hooded figure emerged from her brother's room with Augustine slumped over his shoulder. Adela froze like a deer in headlights. Taken by surprise, the hooded man had not expected the female twin to be awake and he paused briefly in his tracks. However, the man responded by giving Adela a forceful shove with his free hand, pushing her down the stairs. She landed face down at the bottom of the stairs and hit her right cheek against the wooden step, feeling blood drip down her face. Her panicked hazel eyes had a better view of the burning fire, which was starting to engulf the kitchen. She heard the man quickly running down the stairs and she forced herself onto her feet.

"Stop!" She shouted at him and grabbed the broomstick next to the stairs. Adela had never been in a physical fight in her life and knew almost nothing about combat, but the adrenaline coursing through her veins activated her fight-or-flight instinct. And she chose to fight. Adela swung as hard as she could at the hooded figure, but the man grabbed the broomstick before it could hit him and forced the weapon back at her. The momentum pushed her backwards, almost falling again, but she caught herself this time. Before she could recover, however, the hooded man swung at her already injured right cheek. The dreamweaver fell to the ground and the mysterious figure sprinted out the front door with her twin brother.

Groaning, Adela pushed herself off the ground and wiped the blood from her face. Where were her parents? Surely the fire had woken them from their slumber and they had made it outside. However, she knew that they would never have left this house without her and her brother. Torn between chasing after the kidnapper and checking for her parents, she knew that she wouldn't be able to catch up to the hooded man if she ran after him. "I'm sorry, Augustine," she whispered. "I will save you." Tears dripped from her eyes, and the smoke filling up the atmosphere only contributed.

Adela ran back up the stairs and burst into her parents' room, horrified to find them still sound asleep. "Mum! Pa!" She shouted, which was interrupted by her coughing from the smoke. She shook their shoulders forcefully, yelling in their ears to wake up to no avail. She knew that this was another product of the powerful dreamweaver who had inflicted the vivid dreams. Adela grabbed her mother under the armpits and pulled her out of the bedroom, down the stairs, and out the front door. She saw that the rest of the village had also been set ablaze, smoke and fire filling the night air.

Adela left her mother on the grass and sprinted back inside for her father. However, her father was a rather tall, burly man, and no matter how much Adela tried, she couldn't get him through the bedroom door. Especially with the smoke starting to fill her lungs, she couldn't muster the strength needed. Falling back onto her last resort, the dreamweaver placed her hands onto her father's head and concentrated on her sognial magic. She was going to try and wake him up, despite the formidable power of the unseen dreamweaver. She felt the fire spread closer to them and knew that she was running out of time. The magic energy surged from her chest to her hands and she felt the enemy's sognial magic block her own abilities. It was like trying to drain water through a pipe with a rock in the middle. Sweat poured down her face from both the heat and her intense concentration. She willed her magic even more, commanding it to overcome this block.

Just as she thought she might be making progress, she broke out into an incessant fit of coughs from the thick smoke, breaking her concentration. The fire had reached the bottom of the stairs. If she didn't make it out now, she would be burned alive along with her father. And Augustine was counting on her. "I'm so sorry," Adela whispered and kissed her father on the forehead, tears streaming down her face. With one last look at her old man, she sprinted back down the stairs and barely made it outside the house before the fire engulfed the entire building. In just several minutes, she had somehow failed both her father and her brother. Adela reacher her mother's side, who was still sound asleep on the grass, and gently brushed the woman's face with her hand. She was all that she had left.

Her attention was distracted when she saw another hooded figure running in her direction with a man slumped over his shoulder. Looking closer, Adela recognized the limp man as Sylvio, Ricky's twin. A surge of determination rushed through her veins. She wasn't going to fail again. She crouched silently behind the wooden wagon in their front yard, her sharp hazel eyes focused intently on the hooded figure.

As the man ran past her, Adela jumped out and reached for his arm. The second they made physical contact, she summoned the rest of her depleting magic energy and cast an illusion onto the man so that he would experience total darkness. As a result, both the hooded figure and Sylvio slumped to the ground. However, she knew that she could only keep the illusion up for so long before she would be exhausted of her magical stores.

Just then, she heard the familiar cries of her best friend, Ricky, shouting his brother's name. Adela looked up and saw the charmer running towards her from the opposite direction. "Ricky!" she yelled as loudly as he could. "Over here!" she cried out. The dreamweaver was beginning to feel lightheaded due to the physical exertion from her magic. Just as Ricky reached them, the hooded figure broke free of Adela's weakened magic.

Interacted: Castello ​

 

[Castello]

Riccardo

[Mentioned: Volfy ]

​

Ricky was completely silent, the remains of his house slowly deviating from a fiery gaze, to one of smoke and charcoal. He could hear his mother still tossing and turning from the nightmare, her sweat only increasing even though she was far enough from the heat. Ricky was lucid, fixed on the belief that his brother had abandoned them to save his own skin, not worried about him or his family's well being. It felt like he was kneeling by his mother's side for ages, wiping sweat from her brow every so often, but in actuality it was only a mere few minutes. It would only be a familiar voice that would bring him back to his senses.

"Ricky!" He quickly recognized the voice as Adela.

He quickly rose to his feet, darting his eyes around the area. It would only be her second set of words that would draw him to Adela's location. He had already lost his father and to actually hear Adela's voice brought him a sense of reassurance he desperately needed, it meant she was okay from the fire that engulfed the entire town. Ricky was not going to waste any time, immediately dashing towards the voice.

"Adela, don't worry, I am comin' yer way!" Ricky bellowed, not aware that there were perpetrators he was giving his position away to.

It was running towards Adela's voice that Ricky saw the true destruction of the city, flames consuming every memory he has had since he was young. Ricky could hardly grasp at the reality, obsessed with making sure Adela was alright. He finally had her in his sights along the bandit and a figure on the ground he was not quite able to recognize. As the kidnapper slowly broke free of Adela's magic, Riccardo soon realized that the slumped figure was his twin brother, Sylvio. Ricky became completely washed with guilt: guilt for blaming his brother for his father's death and the guilt for almost letting his brother get kidnapped. The young man was renewed with a different variation of anger, furious at himself, but more so furious at the assailant. It was here that Ricky realized that he was virtually unarmed. The hooded figure slowly broke free from Adela's magic, eyeing Ricky who had made plenty of noise, but turning to Adela who was the weaker combatant. The man was still confused from the dreamweaving magic, but he was able to contemplate a quick decision to draw a dagger, a dagger he was turning towards Adela.

Ricky was forced with a desperate situation, one he had only a matter of seconds to react to. His hands reached for his hip, remembering that he had drunkenly passed out before he could change to his nighttime clothing; he still had a pouch of darts on him. Ricky wasted no time on the draw, the belittling words of Sicilio echoing in his ears. He would not allow Adela to be hurt because he was afraid of using his magic, this is what he had honed it for, situations like these. The dagger began to close for Adela as Ricky had drilled the dart towards the man's right eye. With the infusion of ventant magic, the dart flew at a blurring speed, the man had very little time to react. The cloaked man realized his mistake, trying to pullout at the last second but was caught on a hole in the ground that denied the evasion. A squishing noise could be heard as the dart had entered his eye, his hood flying up to reveal the blood trickling down a middle aged man's cheek. In a screaming pain, the man keeled over, almost completely incapacitated by the pain. His breathing would render him a hopeless sight to Adela, perhaps leaving him open for an attack from her.

The bandit's screams had lured over a companion of his, someone who quickly cursed under his breath. Ricky could feel exhaustion creep up on him slightly, but he still had energy to bolt towards Sylvio. The hooded companion wasted no time and quickly made it evident that he too was a dreamweaver, one capable of far more than Adela. He would make eye contact with Ricky, conjuring up an illusion that quickly brought him under. The man would target Adela too, but he would not waste his time, assuming that Adela would be too exhausted to contest for the race to Sylvio.

A fog shrouded itself around Ricky, though he could still smell the smoke and flames around him. Still running, the slumped figure of Sylvio rendered in his sights, he quickly knelt down by the illusion brother, a relieved smile inching upon his face. Ricky brought the slumped illusion towards him, holding him tightly, a vision, should she be taken under, Adela would see as well.

"Sylvio... I am so glad I got here in time."

The second bandit would bide his time while Ricky was distracted by the illusion, should Adela be taken in by his spell, he would keep the illusion going until he could get to Sylvio and throw him over his shoulders with the escape. Though, if she were not, would focus on escaping with Sylvio as soon as possible.

 

[Lioness075]

Name: Leandra Sinciato	Magic Vein: Sensorae
Age: 19

Just as she inhaled to scream again, footsteps announced someone's appearance beside her. Halting her action, Leandra looked up, as if she would see who stood beside her now. Old habits die hard. Tears glistened on her face, as fire danced all around her. Her home was burning to the ground, everything she knew and loved burning with it.

Moments later, the mysterious person reappeared and Leandra could hear her father coughing and gasping for breath nearby. Scrambling towards him, Leandra immediately hugged him, as he returned the gesture while still trying to catch his breath. She wasn't alone...yet. When the person reappeared a second time, this time with her mother, all Leandra could do was say, "Thank you...whoever you are. I owe you."

Hearing what the female said, which she guessed to be the gender based off of their voice, Leandra nodded grimly and replied, "Someone was in the room with me before I got out here. I could hear them, almost feel their presence and my brother vanished with them. I have no idea where he may be now. There...there was nothing I could do." Nothing I could see.

As her mother joined Leandra and her father, the three all enveloped each other into a group hug for a moment. Leandra never wanted to let go, but her parents could see and needed to help the townspeople now. Letting go of her parents, Leandra then stood up and realized she had no idea where to look at the female. Then she realized she could hear panting nearby and guessed that was her mysterious helper. Looking that way, Leandra said, "Sorry, but I can't exactly see you. Who are you?"

SilverFlight

 

[MrBossMan]

As Lukas ran the street he noticed just how alone he truly was. The streets were empty and fires were roaring throughout all of town. Burning houses which have otherwise been there for years and even decades. It didn't take much for Lukas to understand that inside most of those burning houses were people. That thought didn't stop him though because Lukas managed to run past several of the burning buildings. His only goal was to get home before the masked strangers stole everything he held dear.

As he ran to the street from which his own home was on he could see the bandits ahead. Two of them were obvious Ignal magicians because they would stop in front of every other home. Then open their hands and shoot a wave of hot flame towards the buildings. Effectively engulfing the building and its residents in a prison of inferno. He now had half the distance covered and could see as two men hauled his sister out of his home. He could hear Larissa scream and curse at them, he could see her kick and fight.

"Larissa!" He screamed for her then reached in his belt and pulled out his dagger. "Larissa I'm coming for you!" His loud yell only served to attract attention though. The two flame magicians turned and looked at him, from this distance he could see their faces. His eyes shot open wide when he saw that under their hoods they were covered in hideous looking burns. After the initial shock of it all Lukas turned angry, a rage boiling deep inside the kids bones.

Both men shot a bolt of flame at him but he simply kept running. He ran so fast the flames arched directly past him, one a few feet from his shoulder the other hit the ground near his left foot. Lukas used his size and the power of his speed to barrel directly into both men. Effectively knocking them on their asses but he didn't stop to deal with them. He continued on for his sister but deep down he knew she was to far. The men now carried her a fair distance from home. Larissa must have known it to because she stopped fighting and looked closer at Lukas, he figured she couldn't quite believe it was him, her brother.

A new bandit finally rode up on a horse and the other two men thew Larissa across his lap.
Maybe it was all to much for her. She was looking at her long lost brother, hidden behind an aged face, a man she probably figured dead. Suddenly she pointed to their home as the man took her away and the two who carried her ran off. Lukas now knew she was gone but he made an oath to the first that he'd find her. He then ran inside his old home remembering that Larissa pointed at it. His heart beating heavy and hard in his chest.

Whenever he walked in though his feet wouldn't move. Instantly he looked around his old living room and slowly he walked forward. The fire place was burning gently and it casted long dark shadows throughout the entire room. A bowl of soup was spilled on the floor along with a tipped over dining table. Lukas slowly walked forward towards the table. Then he saw her on the other side of the table hidden behind the dark wood.

"Momma" was all that he could say as he dropped to his knees and by her side. She was laying with her back up against the table end which was supporting her weight. His mother was holding her stomach and the handle of a long knife which was buried in it. Blood seeped through her clothes and was now soaking the floor by Lukas's knees.

"Oh momma what did they do? What did they do?" Suddenly her eyes shot open and she looked up at him. Almost as if he woke her up from a deep sleep. Her face a ghostly white pale and her bloodied hands reached out to touch his. Her blood was warm but her touch was cold. "Momma," he said to her, "momma I can fix this." He let out a long exhale, ready to use his Santigion magic and fix her wound.

"Lukas, Is that you?" Was all she said in return until it became clear just who he was. She then reached forward and touched his cheek. Rubbing her thumb across his stubby beard and caking it with the blood off of her hand. "My baby boy, my beautiful baby boy."

"Momma hold still, we still have time to fix this."

With that her hand fell down from his cheek but he caught it in both of his. He held her hand tightly and gripped it hard, as if she wouldn't die if he just held on to her. Closing his eyes he began to send energy into his mother and he could already feel the sense of emptiness he always felt when using his magic. However before he could get a solid foot hold he felt his mother's other hand on the back of his. Opening his eyes he could see her again now, death almost with her.

When she spoke her voice was so soft and quiet Lukas had to lean in close to hear. "No son, I forbid it. I want to be with your father. I've been so alone without him." Lukas tried to speak but no words came out, only silent tears escaped him, and he did not fight it. Instead he only looked into his mothers blue eyes and gently held her hand as she passed from this world onto the next. A smile came across her face and the ever so slightest squeeze of Lukas's hand. Then her eyes went black and Lukas felt his mother die.