Patronus Posted January 13, 2005 Share Posted January 13, 2005 [size=2]Here we go, ladies and gentlemen. [/size] [size=2]The members (besides Arcadia and myself) participating in this long-awaited RPG are:[/size] [b][size=2]Vralla Norhangare - Kitty[/size][/b] [b][size=2]Darius Aphosis Khafra - vicky[/size][/b] [b][size=2]Asher Fenix Ulfcur - doukeshi03[/size][/b] [b][size=2]Aetheran Mandrashee - James[/size][/b] [b][size=2]Remerant Emrael - Bio[/size][/b] [b][size=2]Cloud Nymphonus - Reise[/size][/b] [b][size=2]Macros Drairthrak - Ben[/size][/b] [b][size=2]Onyx - StrikeGundam[/size][/b] [b][size=2]Alkai Mezcheth - Methuselah[/size][/b] [b][size=2]Sabylleria - Pandemonium[/size][/b] [size=2]Each memeber will be PMed about the upcoming chapter beforehand. Along with the first post of the chapter will be the title, characters involved, and summary. Not all characters will be involved in every chapter. [/size] [size=2]All of you have committed to this RPG by signing up, and I expect no less then the very best from you.[/size] [color=white] [center][b][size=2]Chapter One: Relevations[/size][/b][/center] [center][size=2][b]Characters: [/b][b]All.[/b][/size][/center] [center][size=2][b]The characters tell their stories in which they are [/b][b]found by a Draconian and are taken to Memoria.[/b] [/size][/center] [i][size=2]And the Elves did not give them what they requested for?[/size][/i] [size=2]I repeated the line to myself as to make sure I had it correct. Errors in my line of job were unacceptable and would tarnish the name of my family line. Which, if you looked close enough, played a small part in most of the records that surrounded me.[/size] [size=2]I am Valandil Elanessë, and I am an Elf. I live in the Rivera Kingdom --- as all Elves do. We like our privacy. Some say we?re stuck up and think of ourselves higher than other races. But that?s just not true most of the time. There was a short time that I lived outside of Rivera, but we will not dwell on the past. [/size] [size=2]The books around me were quite larger. Or quite small, if you considered what was held between the covers. All were leather-bound. They were records. Records of everything on Gaia that was worth keeping track of. It was my job to be the record keeper. It was once the job of my mother and my father, but since they? Well, since they could no longer perform the job, I took over. I aided the Elder Elves and would protect them with my life, if need be. It came with the job.[/size] [size=2]I closed the book after I had finished that section, and relaxed in my seat. Who knew record keeping could be so exhausting? He had started at half day, and all ready, it was past sun set. It was raining, too, which wasn?t unusual; Rivera was tied to the nature of Gaia. One day, it could rain; the next, it could snow; and the next, it could be scorching hot. We Elves were used to it.[/size] [size=2]I stood up and blew out the candle I had been using, then walked outside. The Archives kept the records, and was a huge architectural masterpiece --- its roofs were rounded and studded with diamonds, as to blind any attacker that approached from the air. The walls were a deep blue, the color of the sea Nautica. It was the largest structure in Rivera, and my favorite. [/size] [size=2]I closed and locked the door with an Elvin charm that my parents? parents? parents had used. Then I turned and began to stroll about Rivera.[/size] [size=2]Rivera, in my opinion, was the most beautiful place in Gaia. Yet I had not seen the other major Kingdoms, I could be sure that I was correct in my opinion. Most of the buildings seemed to shine with a cobalt color. Maybe it was because of the location?s tie with Gaia, but no one knew for certain. Even on a stormy night like this, I could see my way about because of the light they gave off.[/size] [size=2]The rain never bothered me, or any of the other Elves. We accepted it because it was there and needed to be. A lot of [i]other [/i]races scowled at it.[/size] [size=2]I shivered as the rain caused a cold chill, and I nodded to a couple I had known for a very long while. From that point on, the street I was traveling on was bare. It was later than I had thought.[/size] [size=2]I didn?t know where I was headed to then, and I don?t know now, but I?m guessing it was no place in particular. It sure led me to a lot.[/size] [size=2]Before I knew it, I was on the edge of Rivera. In front of me was the forest just outside of Rivera where I had not visited for two years. I don?t know what compelled me, but I entered that forest.[/size] [size=2]I don?t know how long I stood there, just outside of Rivera. I had taken only two steps and yet I felt that it had led me on an one hundred year journey. [/size] [size=2]I heard something. Now that I think about it, it was the sound of beating wings. [/size] [size=2]Instead of turning around and running back into Rivera, I ran deeper into the forest. [/size] [size=2]?[i]Lúthien Anwamanë,[/i]? I hissed. The red fabric, Anarion, unraveled from my outstretched arm and wrapped about a tree branch. I jumped off the ground and landed on the branch, crouching, and watching the area below.[/size] [size=2]The sound had, indeed, had come from wings. Large, navy colored wings with aqua colored wings here and there. I snarled at what was standing below me. A Draconian. A being of a race obsessed with fighting.[/size] [size=2]He was going the way I had come, towards Rivera. I had to stop something like [i]that[/i] from going into the Kingdom.[/size] [size=2]?[i]Fingolfin Amandil!?[/i][/size] [size=2]I lowered myself from the tree with the wind, and I blocked the Draconian?s way with a wall of strong wind. [/size] [size=2]He turned. I expected him to yell or protest, but his eyes fell to the marking on my bare chest. It was diamond shaped, and seemed to be a luminescent white. No one else had ever paid it heed. He pointed to it and said, ?You. You are the Innocent that the Witch spoke of.?[/size] [size=2]I gawked at him. ?I?m the [i]what? [/i]Why are you here, you disgusting beast??[/size] [size=2]The Draconian once again did not retaliate. ?I am here to gather the Elvin member of the Innocence. You are Elvin, correct??[/size] [size=2]That was a stupid question, but I answered, ?Yes.? [/size] [size=2]The Innocence? It seemed so familiar?[/size] [size=2]?I am Dranko. I am here to take you to Memoria.?[/size] [size=2]?You? Take me? That?s rubbish!?[/size] [size=2]?I?m sorry, but it is not rubbish.? [/size] [size=2]He began to reach for me. I shot out with my fists, and he raised a sword. Then, there was only darkness?[/size][/color] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doukeshi Posted January 13, 2005 Share Posted January 13, 2005 [COLOR=DimGray][SIZE=1]"Hold still Laird! This will be a lot quicker and a lot less painful if you just hold still!" Asher Fenix of the tribe of Ulfcur grumbled in annoyance at the squirmings of his friend. Laird, who up until pretty recently had been involved in a three man hunting expedition, doing quite well one might add, but was now lying rigid upon a pallet in the healers tent of the tribal settlement. Laird gritted his teeth hard, his eyes shut tight as Asher tended to the gaping wound running the length of his thigh. "By Gaia's birth Asher...just close the damn thing already!" Wiping the sweat from his brow with the back of his hand, Asher once again readied the heated needle and catgut, ignoring the other man's hiss of pain as he applied the stitches. Nimble hands worked smoothley and all the while Asher talk ceaslessley in an attempt to distract Laird from his predicament. "So tell me, oh hunter extraordinare, how exactly did you come to get gouged this badly by a Hillock Boar... with only one tusk?" Asher did not look up as he spoke, concentrating as he was upon the task at hand, though a small smirk wormed it's way upon his lips. Clenching his fists into the rough cloth covering the pallet Laird glared at his friend, his breathing heavey and strained. "He blind sided me, I told you before you pompous son of a..." Laird hissed as Asher tugged at one of the sutures, "...son of a...swamp toad! Sweet Jaseth!" Falling back Laird panted heavily, muttering curses under his breath. Rolling his eyes Asher cut the remaining line with his teeth and proceeded to bandage the wound thoroughly and tightly, bracing his patient's leg as he did so. "You'd think that with the spirit of Sleipnir in you some of that agility would be transferred into your human form. Alas you are still as clumsy as the first day Master Cobal patched you up when you were merely a boy." Finishing up Asher took Laird's hand and shifted up towards his friends head, resting his palm against the man's brow. A warm orange glow began to spread outwards from his hand, soothing Laird's pained moans. "Blind sided damnit..." Laird mumbled before drifting into an easy, natural sleep. Wiping his hands on the damp cloth beside his tools, Asher covered Laird with a soft blanket and rose to his feet. Suddenly he stilled for a moment becaming silent, his head cocked slightly to one side as if listening for something. "What can I do for you stranger?" Asher turned slowly as he said this, facing the sizable Draconian that now stood in the entrance way, arms folded across his broad chest. If the newcomer was surprised by Asher's seemingly clarevoyant knowledge of his arrival, he didn't show it. Glancing at the sleeping hunter upon the floor, the Draconian raised a questioning eyebrow, his azure gaze setting itself firmly upon the lithe healer. "Why did you not ease his pains before, when he suffered under you hands?" The soldier's voice was haughty as he spoke, though his condecending tones did little do faze Asher. Clearing his tools away, seperating those that needed cleaning into a small pile upon the floor, Asher spoke his reply in a soft voice, betraying little of the annoyance that he felt. "I do not have the power to ease such pain when instantly I cause more by my ministrations. I am not some narcotic designed to block the pain of living sir." Grabbing his cloak from where it lay discarded upon the floor, Asher slung it across his shoulders and turned to smirk at the confused look dawning on the Draconians features. "We are leaving are we not? That is why you are here." The Draconian frowned, his mouth opening slightly though no words fell from his lips. Regaining his composure finally, the warrior squared his shoulders and nodded his head curtly. "Yes, we leave for Memoria, but how do you know of this healer, for you are only a shifter, are you not?" Chuckling softly Asher grasped his spear and the small bag he had packed for the day he knew would arrive. Patting the large man on his ample shoulder he slipped past him, out into the light of day. "Be not disheartened Draconian. It is true I am only a shifter, but I was told in a dream by the spirits of my brethren that this day would come and you would arrive." Smiling slightly he beckoned his companion forward. "Surely you do not think yourselves the only race who can feel this disturbance in the nature of things?" Flaring his wings abruptly at such an accusation, the Draconian followed Asher out into the settlement, watching the youth bid farewell to his friends. He was peturbed to say the least by this deceptively young looking shifter, but he could feel that he was indeed one of the chosen, the Innocence. Approaching Asher the Draconian reached out to grasp the shifter's shoulder. Asher looked back from the farewells he was bidding his tearful mother, a slight wetness filming his own eyes. Nodding his head he reached out to hug his mother one last time before following the Draconian out of the village. Looking over his shoulder Asher smiled at the gathering group of tribes men and women who had come to see him off, surprised though they were by the seemingly short notice. Smiling encouragingly Asher waved to them, shouting back across the plain. "Goodbye friends, and tell Laird to watch out for those handicapped boars!" [/SIZE] [/COLOR] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ezekiel Posted January 13, 2005 Share Posted January 13, 2005 [SIZE=2]The sun, no matter how vital it was, could be a troublesome thing. The large white orb was slowly gaining height in the crystal Gaia skies and I could tell that travelling on open plains had been a bad decision on my part. I pulled my right glove off, lifting a fingertip to my lips, running it across the once soft skin. I sighed deeply, closing my eyes against the harsh glare from the sun. [B]"What I would give for some fresh water."[/B] Yes, I had been horribly unprepared for this journey, and now I had been reduced to talking to myself. What a way to go. I couldn't help but laugh, always being told that I had a sense of humour but never accepting it, not until now, that is. I remembered my mother, a frown creeping across my lips. Shaking the thought from my head I cast my eyes to the ground and pulled my glove back on, adjusting it correctly before flexing my fingers and continuing on, each step forward bring more dread to my heart. A flash of a memory crossed my mind, blood; crimson rivulets of blood flowing through cloth, my mother's face and hair caked in the foul substance. My legs went weak and despite my efforts, failed me. I collapsed painfully, bracing myself with my hands, another mistake. I heard a snap and winced in pain, my wrist throbbing painfully. The sun dipped behind clouds and I was cast into shadow, [I]Strange...[/I] My current state of pain pulled me from my worried musing and I sat myself straight, testing my wrist. Yes, it was definitely broken. [B]"You're gaining weight, Mezcheth."[/B] I scolded myself, scanning the area around me for any hint of an immediate threat. Not detecting anything, I pulled my glove off once again and rolled up my sleeve, exposing the injured, now swelling, wrist. [I]Lords of Gaia, grant me power, here my prayer in this needful hour[/I]. My hand glowed softly, a pink hue forming around my fingertips as I placed them on my wrist, a warm feeling instantly washing through the bone, healing it within seconds. I smiled brightly and flicked my wrist a couple of times, and pleased with the final result, rose form my position. Almost instantly I felt that cold feeling of foreboding in my chest. I gasped slightly and turned to see what could only be a Draconian, large and intimidating, a weapon held firmly in her strong grip. I bowed my head, making sure to let her see my cross, a sign of my title of Priest. She nodded and drew in closer, tapping the hilt of her sword on my arm. I straightened my back and smiled hopefully at her, [B]"What may a humble Priest do for a warrior such as yourself, my dear?"[/B] She snorted and looked to the sky, the sun once again breaking free of the grey clouds, [B]"It's not for me, young Priest, I have come to take you to Memoria. You are one of the...[I]Innocence[/I]."[/B] I opened my mouth to tell her that we [I]were[/I] in Memoria, but she silenced me with a meaningful look, [B]"And before you open your smart mouth,"[/B] I shut it quickly in fear of loosing my tongue, [B]"It is a place that you will not have gained access to otherwise...I doubt you even know where it is."[/B] I pouted, always having considered myself a rather worldly man, but again, I took heed form her stare and remained silent, only shrugging my shoulders as a response. The female Draconian bent down and picked up my axe, which I had foolishly dropped in surprise when I saw her. She handed it to me, blade first and I nodded in relief, tapping the staff of my weapon on my shoulder. [B]"Well, I suppose I don't have much choice?"[/B] I laughed; she didn't think I was funny apparently, [B]"No. No, you don't."[/B] [B]"I thought not..."[/B][/SIZE] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options... Kitty Posted January 15, 2005 Share Posted January 15, 2005 [CENTER][COLOR=Blue][SIZE=1]It was boring in my office that day. Up until he came, I had nothing to do. No wars to plan for, no battles to fight, no officers or soldiers to lead. No nothing. I sat in my office, staring blankly at the walls and shelves around me. Every twenty minutes or so, I stood up and traveled half the distance of the room, then came back to the seat behind my desk. There, I waited another twenty minutes until I repeated the action again to waste time. How could I be bored, though? I was the High Chief of the Lerion Army. The Army none had conquered since I came in command. The title that gave me so much more freedoms than I could have imagined. And it took me very little time to arrive at this station. And yet.. I missed it. The days when I was out there on the battle field, using my bare hands to take down my enemies. To bring honor to my family. To my home. The things that decorated my office bored me as well. They were always there. In the same place. I would get new medals every once in a while, and then I'd add that to the shelves that clung to the walls. But it made no difference. The room was still the same. "That's it," I whispered to myself, "I'm going for a walk." Normally, going out for a walk was a hassle because of all the work I needed to get done. But now, there was nothing. Too many had quit or were visiting their homes. I don't know why; I don't recall any holidays around that time of year. This time I could just waltz through the building and out onto the grounds without being bothered by another being. Or, that's what I thought. As I walked, I recalled times when my father, my mother and I would walk through the woods around our town. The woods were beautiful, no matter what time of year. And the creatures were as diverse as the people in town. I could have sworn that I discovered a new species or two while exploring the vast area, littered with trees. Then, for some reason, I began thinking of how I came to be the High Chief. It happened when I was 12. I was to be de-winged and banned, but no. I was treated special. Or rather, I was praised for my actions. I was brought in front of the Elders. No child my age had done so. Ever. Children were seen as disrespectful and not trusted to act "correctly" before such honorable figures. But even so, I was brought before them, and asked what I would like to become. And, I told them. I wanted to be a member of the Royal Guard. When I was old enough, I did become a Royal Guardsman. Or, Royal Guardswoman, rather. But I instantly found it disappointing. I spent all day escourting those who held high positions in Lerion around the kingdom, rarely getting to do anything. I was standing before a bench when I realized how long I had been reminiscing, and where I had wandered off to. "Park Centre," I murmered. I spun around suddenly, hearing my name being called. "Vralla!" It was my Draconian secretary. I thought she'd left like the others. Apparently, I was paying less and less attention every day. "Ah! Kriah! What do you need?" "You have a visitor! It's a Draconian. He's here to take you to Memoria." "Memoria? Why?" She shrugged. The visitor must not have been willing to tell her all the details. I followed her back to our building, and chased after her to her desk. There stood the impatient creature, glancing around for something interesting to do. Just as I had been doing in my office a bit earlier. "Hello?" I called uneasily. The Draconian turned. "Ah! Hello. Vralla Norhangare, correct? I have come to take you with me to Memoria." He sounded very business like, and dignified. If I had been a bit younger (and not in such a high rank) I would have begun to swoon. He held himself up quite professionally, holding his head up high and keeping his wings behind him in a superior manner. Though he did not try to out do me, he certainly didn't mind outshowing my secretary who returned to her seat and watched us talk about our trip. "So.. When shall I return?" "When the Innocence has completed its mission. Now, you must come. Hurry now. Grab whatever you need." I looked around, and did not take anything. I had all I needed on me. My sword, and my emblems. I needed nothing more. "Well then. Follow me," he smiled, walking out the door and taking off. I said good-bye to Kriah, then followed off after him, finally feeling the rush of adrenaline I rarely got anymore. The excitement I got before a battle. And boy, were there battles ahead of me.[/SIZE][/COLOR][/CENTER] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options... James Posted January 18, 2005 Share Posted January 18, 2005 [size=2][i]"It was the first time I'd been so far from my beloved Emerald Cove. I had been into the depths of the forest before, but I had never seen the world beyond. It is said that Gaia is a wonderous place, both fearsome and beautiful. As a Nymph, it is true that I had never experienced the darker side of Gaia. And I knew, as I hopped from branch to branch through the vast Victorian forest, that I was truly entering the unknown. But I felt compelled to continue..."[/i] Aetheran came upon a lagoon. He had seen it once before, several years earlier. It hadn't changed since then; thick strands of golden sunlight penetrated the canopy above and as they kissed the water's surface, they made it appear as though it were a carpet of gleaming sapphire. But the lagoon's tranquil appearance was deceiving, as Aetheran knew all too well, for it was in this very lagoon that Aetheran had come across a most foul-tempered Pixie on his last outing. Pixies were unusual creatures. Generally, they preferred their own company and as such, there were no great Pixie villages or cities within Gaia. Unlike Nymphs, Pixies had no particular connection to Mother Gaia, nor did they have any special responsibilities. This lack of purpose created a tendency for Pixies to cause mischief wherever they went; the long-known old wives tale about idle hands had apparently originated due to Pixies themselves. Despite their love of mischief, most Pixies were pleasant creatures. Although they were happy to play jokes on unsuspecting strangers, they were also just as likely to offer help to those in need. But the Pixie at the lagoon was something else entirely. Her name was Madam Hogbeam and she was very old, perhaps even older than Aetheran himself. And she was decidedly cranky; [i]everything[/i] upset her in one way or another. She frequently blamed Nymphs for the weather -- summer was always too hot, winter was always too cold. And so, on this day, Aetheran hoped against hope that Madam Hogbeam would not notice him. He had been walking for hours and his feet had become sore - the cool, tranquil lagoon promised relief. Aetheran's belongings were wrapped in a large piece of cloth that had been tied to the end of a stick. He carefully placed the stick on the ground and pulled his boots off. "Ahh, free at last," he sighed to himself as he wiggled his little toes happily. He scuttled over to the edge of the lagoon and stood in the cool water. "And just [b]what[/b] do yeh think yer doin'?!" shrieked a familiar voice. Aetheran was so startled by the sudden outburst that he toppled backwards into the water. A twisted little silhouette appeared nearby. It was none other than Madam Hogbeam; Aetheran could her the trademark [i]click-clack[/i] of her oak walking stick. She was perched atop a large rock that was jutting out of the water. "Ew, how dare yeh! Gettin' yeh dirty Nymph feet in meh lovely lagoon!" she cried, waving her walking stick in the air. Aetheran scrambled to his feet, wrung out his beard and shook his feet dry. "You ought not to be so rude," he said, as he gathered up his boots and put them back on. "No, [i]yeh[/i] ought not teh be so rude as teh get yeh dirty Nymph toes in meh lagoon! Yeh got no right teh be 'ere," screeched Madam Hogbeam. Aetheran scratched his head. He didn't want to continue the conversation; it was better, he thought, to simply leave as soon as possible. But just as he turned to leave, Madam Hogbeam tapped her walking stick against the rock. "Wait, wait!" she called. Aetheran turned around. "Yes? I do hope that you're not going to continue with that attitude," he said, "I am on a long journey and it doesn't hurt to rest my feet occasionally." Madam Hogbeam waddled down from the rock and stepped into the light. Aetheran immediately flinched, half expecting to see a horribly repulsive little Pixie. Instead, he felt his heart sink a little. Madam Hogbeam was indeed old and frail, but she also had a surprisingly kind face. Aetheran wondered how a Pixie, whose heart should surely be filled with joy and mischief, could have become so bitter. Madam Hogbeam looked up at Aetheran (Hogbeam was one of the few creatures he'd met that was actually [i]smaller[/i] than himself). "What journey?" she asked, her eyebrows raised inquisitively. For a moment, Aetheran wondered whether or not he should tell her the truth. At the moment, she seemed surprisingly approachable, but one could never be certain - Madam Hogbeam was known for delivering swift beatings with her walking stick when in range of a potential victim (and just about everyone was a potential victim). "Er," Aetheran spluttered, "I have decided to leave the cove. I don't know where to go, but I am hoping that I will find direction once I leave this forest." "Hm," Madam Hogbeam rubbed her bristly chin, "I don't see many Nymphs around 'ere. Did yeh get into trouble or somethin'?" "Sort of," said Aetheran, with a sigh. "Well, did yeh or didn't yeh?" probed Hogbeam. Aetheran nodded. "I might as well have committed a crime," he began, "you see...I failed the Flow Test." For a moment, there was complete silence. But it was broken by a fit of laughter unlike any Aetheran had heard before. Madam Hogbeam was now face-down on the ground, thumping her wrinkly fists into the dirt. "Are yeh serious?! That's the funniest thing I've ever heard! How does a Nymph fail the flow test, eh?! Yeh might as well sprout wings and become a Draconian, for all the good it'll do yeh!" Aetheran blushed heavily. He hadn't been [i]this[/i] humiliated, even in Emerald Cove. After several moments, Madam Hogbeam stopped laughing. She slowly stood up and wiped a tear from her eye. "Oh my, that's one of the funniest things I've ever heard. But...I've never heard of a Nymph leavin' this here forest. Can't say I know how the other races will take to yeh." "I don't know what else to do," said Aetheran slowly. His heart began to feel heavy again. It seemed that something was constantly reminding him of how difficult life would be outside the cove. "Well, have yeh ever spoken to Lablanc?" "Who is Lablanc?" Madam Hogbeam's eyes widened. "Yeh've never 'eard of Lablanc? He's the oldest tree in the forest! He's been 'ere since...well, before any of us. He's the one teh go to if yeh're in trouble or confused. He's 'ere to 'elp all us forest folk." "Where can I find him?" asked Aetheran. Madam Hogbeam laughed again and poked Aetheran with her walking stick. "Ignorant Nymph! Yeh're a Nymph, have yeh already forgotten? Just listen to yeh heart and yeh can easily be findin' Lablanc." [i]"That was one of the strangest days of my life. It was also the very first real step I'd taken to understanding my true power as a Nymph. Madam Hogbeam was easy to ignore because of her attitude, but the truth is, she was wiser than most of us. I wasn't sure why she had chosen to aid me, but it turns out that her advice was invaluable. I found Lablanc soon after and he told me many stories of Gaia, stories that shocked and frightened me. But those stories also opened my eyes. It was he who first mentioned the Innocence...but I was to hear that word so much more during my travels."[/i] [/size] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options... Guest Sean Posted January 18, 2005 Share Posted January 18, 2005 [I]?Go out and find your destiny young mage, may you come back some time and present us your knowledge of the world. We will await your return.?[/I] The voice still circling her head, making her nauseated at the prospect of leaving the bondage that was the Black Mage colony and setting out on her own quest of self-discovery. Cloud hadn?t made it far before she got tired, she barely had anything to eat before she left the council temple. The memory stuck in her head, but it all seemed so long ago, so painfully numbing that she hadn?t the support of her fellow mages. No more calling for help from Malakith her little Black Mage buddy who helped her in the worst of times. No, she?s all alone in the big world. A world slowly curdling under powers she never knew existed. Cloud rested by a huge oak tree just south of the Black Mage colony and a dead east of the Mage Council of Lerion. She was heading north and out of the land that was Lerion. New prospects laid in front of her like Tarot Cards waiting to be read. The sky still a pale blue color, with very little clouds floating by every so often. The sun aloft in the sky, blazing down upon the calmness of the opening in the Lerion roads. But a cool breeze passed through equalling the suns blazes out. Cloud looked into her nearly empty back pack pulling out what was a diary of some sort. Bindings around the front, and covered in black leather. Cloud opened up the bindings of the book and turned to an empty page. Flicking through her life as she found the blank page. Pulling out an ink well and small quill she wrote away. Writing was something of a hobby to Cloud, she had to do it in secret when she lived with the Black Mages whom didn?t like the idea of her writing about her times in the colony of theirs. But now freedom was hers to write away, and she did, with pleasure as she didn?t have to hide the book every time she heard a noise. But she would have been better paying attention to the noises around her. She would have realised the dull flapping sounds coming from around her, a numb beat of a set of giant wings. They slowly vibrated around the opening in the wooded area Cloud was in. But still she wrote away, the numbing growing louder and louder as the unseen object flew into the opening. And then it ended, the noise dulled completely down, and it was silent once more. ?Finished? Cloud said to herself as she stood up putting the book into her bag and securing the ink well. Finallly she looked up to see not other but a Draconian standing at the other edge of the opening. She stepped back stumbling and falling over a branch. She knew of there fierce ways and how they had the passion of the fight. A rough voice called over. ?You are one of the innocence, come with me or else? Taking aback, she attempted to get back up and fell back down again. Cloud panicked, she never knew what this innocence was. Just then a birth mark started glowing on her shoulder. The draconian nodded and knew he was correct. ?The witch has called for the innocence. You are one of the innocence? Cloud could only nod now, she had no choice in what to do, she wasn?t the fighting type, she preferred helping others than to fighting draconian warriors. ?Ok?? was all she could say. The draconian grabbed hold of her arms, and lifted her into the air. She shook her head several times and finally blurted out. ?Where are we going?? The male draconian laughed. ?Memoria, mage, we are going to Memoria? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options... Bio Posted January 21, 2005 Share Posted January 21, 2005 [indent][font=Trebuchet MS][size=2]"Hey, Cel, when?s breakfast gonna be ready?? Remerant asked, trying to sound as humble as possible but still knowing his tone would make little difference in the end. He was right; she glanced at him briefly and continued to work, but the violence with which she cracked an egg on the side of the pan told him to find something else to do while he was waiting. He stepped out to the patio and sighed, inhaling the fresh air and the aroma omelets being made in the room behind him. He jammed his hands in his pockets and looked down at the stone flooring. When he did this, he noticed something odd; some of the dirt he had tracked in when he returned from the forest yesterday had been displaced by something large enough to make this noticeable and something small enough to have remained unknown to both him and Cel through the night. A minor detail like this would only have been picked up by someone like Remerant; a shifter with keen senses meant for prowling, mainly for use in his shapeshifted form. And regardless of the evidence that someone might have been listening in on them, he didn?t want to get Cel worried over something so insignificant. She would, in fact, most likely scold him for trying to get her scared for his own amusement. Rem crouched down and with his index finger traced into the dirt: [/size][/font] [center][font=Impact][size=2]WHO ARE YOU?[/size][/font][size=2] [/size] [/center] [font=Trebuchet MS][size=2] He stood and nonchalantly surveyed the horizon before returning to the house. ?The weather?s bad. Another bad day for going into town, so why don?t we stay home?? he said as he entered the door. Cel had just flipped the omelets onto small, ceramic plates and was placing them on the wooden table. ?I know, I went out before you woke up. I had to feed the horses. All the hay was wet, and they seemed kinda upset. The chickens, too.? Remerant rested his head on his hand and looked up at her from his chair at the table. ?Maybe someone they didn?t know went into the stable??? he asked, more to himself than to Cel. She glared at him suspiciously as she sat down. ?Does Rem know something or is he just trying to be amusing?? Remerant grinned, happy to be taken semi-seriously. ?Last night, remember how you complained that I tracked dirt all over the patio?? She nodded. ?Well, when I went outside just a second ago, there were traces of footsteps and a weak attempt of hiding them.? Knowing what Cel?s next move would be, Remerant continued. ?And it couldn?t have been you, because you always go out the back.? Cel sighed. This wouldn?t exactly be the first stalker she?d ever picked up. Sometimes a dirty old man would follow her as far as city limits, but that was about it. And she hadn?t been to town in a week, so if it was indeed some poor, depraved bastard, they were either very persistent or very insane. ?So some pervert?s been stalking us?? Cel asked absent-mindedly as she stuffed some omelet in her mouth. ?That would be me.? A silhouette appeared at the doorway. The draconian never sat, and refused Cel?s offer of Remerant?s breakfast. She seemed suspiciously determined to complete her only apparent goal, and would no doubt use force if necessary. ?I have orders to escort one Remerant Emrael to Memoria. I suggest that you comply.? The Stalker said stiffly. She was holding a spear that looked more ornamental than battle-worthy, but was fearsome nevertheless. She was also adorned in full armor, and must have been very good at sneaking around to have been undetected for so long. ?Orders from who? And why should I ?comply? to them?? Rem asked as if this information should have been included in the draconian?s previous statement. The Stalker did not look at all troubled by the challenge, and held her form. ?That will be explained when you reach Memoria. This is very urgent business, and I?m sure your wife will be supported while you are with us.? Cel would have protested, had money not been mentioned. She would indeed need support if Remerant ran off somewhere, and she figured that who ever would be helping would be less inclined to do so if the two weren?t bound by marriage. ?Go, Rem.? Cel said with a certain finality, ?Apparently the world needs you.?[/size][/font][font="][/font] [/indent] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options... 2 weeks later... Arcadia Posted January 31, 2005 Share Posted January 31, 2005 There is something to be said for a decent charm. Because there are the kinds that are sold on the streets that work for a couple months before funking out on you, and then there are the kinds that [i]really[/i] work. The kinds that are made with real time and effort, with blood, sweat, and tears, and whatever else is available. And as Iara fingered the blue stone around her neck, she was once again thankful for having a very talented and professional witch in the family. Despite what some might say, there is also something to be said for a decent witch. On that thought, she supposed the same could be said for any race on Gaia, but as she warily eyed the Incubus leering at her from the corner of the store, she was inclined to feel a little narrow-minded. ?Will that be all for you, dear?? The woman behind the counter was older, her hair graying around the edges. Iara was fairly certain that she was, coincidently, a witch. It would make sense ? many a witch owned or worked in magical shops all around Gaia. More often than not they ran their magical practices out of the store. Iara wasn?t sure if this woman was running any kind of business like that, but she did catch the woman glancing at her pendant with a slight smile. Allowing a small little smile in return, Iara gave the older woman a slight nod and a number of coins. ?Yes, thank you.? When the charm around her neck was being tested, Iara knew. The blue orb remained the same in appearance, but it grew decidedly warmer, depending on the strength of the attempt. The Incubus in the corner was testing it out more than anything else, resulting in the faint warmth at her throat. After so many different attempts by different Incubi (and even some succubi), Iara found the warmth to be familiar, if not always entirely welcome. The witch gave her the fruit she?d picked up and her change and said pleasantly, ?You have a lovely day, dearie.? And then she gave a little wink, and Iara smiled again. It might have been a personal record. Feeling slightly more amused, she left the store and headed for the Corona. Though the best memories of her family were in Memoria, Iara felt more at home in Lerion than any other place in Gaia, and it was because of spots like the Corona. All in all, Lerion was a beautiful kingdom. Made of white neferti, the stone was absolutely brilliant in the sunlight and it made the entire coast glow. And then at sunset, the changing pinks and oranges of the sky and the calming blues and greens of Nautica made for a beautiful backdrop against the white city. Thousands of artists had tried, but Iara had always thought it was the kind of view that couldn?t possibly be recaptured on a canvas. The colors they had just didn?t seem deep or vivid enough. The Corona, however, was proof that some of those artists did know how to use color. Above sea level, the Corona was a circular piazza where many of Lerion?s inhabitants came throughout the day to relax and enjoy the sights and smells of the city and the Great Sea. There were no merchants trying to sell things, no crowded markets ? just peace and quiet and the vastness of Nautica before it. The same nerferti stone that was used for all of Lerion?s buildings was dyed brilliant shades of yellow and orange and placed in the square in a giant circle. At the center of the entire square was a very simple, three-layer fountain. When the fountain was first erected, Iara remembered that there was much discussion about what it should be. In the end, to stop the petty arguments over race, the kingdom?s Queen decided on the current model. Now, the Corona was almost symbol of Lerion itself ? calm, simple, but colorful. Iara took a bite out of the apple she bought and leaned against the wall overlooking the Great Sea. The weather in Lerion had been absolutely gorgeous lately. The days were warm but the nights were cool and Nautica always supplied the shore side kingdom with a gentle breeze. Work had also been promising as of late. She had an appointment a little later, with another possible employer, and her reputation within the kingdom was always growing in favor. There was no reason for her to feel lost or down or anything other than content. However, Iara was never one to do exactly as she was told. And if there was no reason to feel blue, then leave it to her to feel exactly that. It was something that she was slightly amused by, but on another level she was aware that it wasn?t entirely normal. And though she couldn?t see it causing any problems now, there was no telling what sort of things the future had in store for her. Iara seemed to shrug halfheartedly at that thought, and then reached up to fix the strap of her dress when it slid off her shoulder with the movement. A second later, she felt somebody else?s hand brush it down again and stepped forward, turning halfway to face whoever wanted to lose their hand so badly. A rather tall Draconian stood behind her, and upon seeing her cool, narrowed eyes held his hands up in defense. After a minute of silence on both parts, Iara, increasingly ill tempered, asked sharply, ?Are you going to explain to me what you?re doing or can I move forward with my plans to burn you alive?? The Draconian did not let his hands drop, though he did look considerably more amused than she. ?They did warn me that you were a little feisty.? ?I plan to start with your wings,? She added. His hands dropped and so did his smile. ?There?s a mark on your shoulder. It?s small, but it?s there. I had thought it was so yesterday, but I thought I should learn something about you before broaching this subject. So I made a small visit to your aunt.? Iara cocked an eyebrow at him, ready to throw her apple if need be. She imagined that it was probably folly to try and outrun a Draconian, but all she needed was enough of a head start so that she could toast the guy from a safe distance. Which she was fully prepared to do if he didn?t explain himself further, as she proceeded to tell him in language that was not quite as pretty. He eyed the apple before replying evenly, ?As one of the Innocence, proven by the mark on your shoulder, your presence is immediately requested in Memoria.? His voice was low enough so that those nearby didn?t hear. Iara was grateful for this because she didn?t think it was great for her reputation to be stalked by a crazy person and the less people who knew about it, the better. He seemed to sense her disbelief, however, and before she could do something drastic he continued in slightly more placating tone, ?Trust me, Iara, this is not insanity. I?m sure you?ve felt it over the last month? the darkness. It is returning.? She thought about this for a second, crossing her arms after taking another small bite from her apple. She?d heard tales of the Nexus all her life, like the rest of the children of Gaia, but to her that?s all they were - tales. An unfathomable part of history that might have given her nightmares as a small girl in Memoria, but now held no thought to her at all. She couldn?t even remember who the famous three Mages were supposed to be. And yet... something about that wasn't so off. It would explain her recent moodiness. And as much as it irked her, Iara knew that maybe it was something she should look into. ?What?s in Memoria?? She finally asked after a second. [i]Besides the memories of my broken family,[/i] the thought came suddenly and made her frown. If the Draconian noticed the look ? which she was sure he did ? he said nothing. Probably assumed it went with the question, which she thought was a wholly valid one. ?Answers,? he told her, and refolded his richly dyed wings. By their color and from his garb, Iara assumed that the Draconian must have held a position of importance, like some kind of Harold or something. ?There is only so much I can tell you. But you have a royal summons to Memoria, during which all of this will become clear.? ?I?m just supposed to drop everything I?m doing?? She wasn?t going to hide her anger and indignation. She would, in fact, hold to them for long after this conversation, as a sort of safety blanket; her one familiar thing in a world that was changing so abruptly. It only took a second for him to think about his answer. ??Yes.? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options... Vicky Posted January 31, 2005 Share Posted January 31, 2005 [SIZE=1]There was a quite relaxing feel to the sound of papers being turned in old books and items being shifted across the room. All in all that was the only sound when S?Korra was around books and items in her home, anywhere outside she was? annoying, to me, anyway. I can remember the day clearly, when the Draconian came to me and said I was part of the Innocence. I wasn?t in the best of moods, not with S?Korra, not with any one else, not even with myself. It was just one of those days, and I wasn?t entirely up for a historical search across Memoria. In fact, I wasn?t entirely up to anything. I was sat back in my chair, across the room from S?Korra, who was flicking through her books. S?Korra was a small Draconian, with long and beautiful golden hair and pure white wings. She had never dyed hers, obviously, she had spent all her time in Memoria. Memoria was an industrial kingdom more than anything; I could never understand how S?Korra could find anything to do with history in Memoria. Maybe the buildings did, though I myself didn?t actually see the value in history. History was the past, year after year people will forget important details and soon enough everyone will forget there was even a civilisation? that?s what I think. Who am I? Darius Aphosis Khafra, a Draconian who shouldn?t be living. I sighed heavily and watched S?Korra. She seemed busy, she had a job. I though that maybe I should get one, but then again was there a point to getting a job? A striker or warrior for Memoria wasn?t good enough to clear my own family?s name. No one actually knew about my family, though it was enough that I did. I won?t bore you with that junk, S?Korra could tell you better then me probably. ?Darius, could you help me with these books?? she asked from her corner of the room. I turned my head and saw her trying to pick up a dozen books all at once, and I didn?t reply. I heard her sighing and shuffling the books around the desk, myself trying to get a better grip, she wasn?t going to get my help anyway. Like I said, I wasn?t in the mood to even get up out of my seat. ?Darius?? she repeated, ?can I have some help, [I]please[/I]?? I didn?t turn around, but I muttered, ??do it yourself?? Even from my distance I could actually feel her cold gaze on my neck. She heard me, alright; she always seemed to hear what I said. I had annoyed her in past; we did get along, but not as much as you would think. Apparently, I?m always the problem. ?[I]Excuse[/I] me?? she said, quite shocked. I didn?t look at her, knowing she was looking at me I didn?t really want to. ?Guess what, Darius? You?re still living in this house in Memoria, last time I checked I owned this place, if you don?t want to help me then you can go and live outside for a bit until you get over to tantrums, it?s perfectly fine by me.? [I]Tantrums?[/I] I suddenly jumped out of my chair, and stormed right over to S?Korra. I stood in front of her oak desk, not actually being able to see her from behind all those books, and I glared at her for a moment. ?I though you were a historian, you are aren?t you? Stop asking for my help all the time and do it yourself!? I bellowed at her. ?Stop living in your friends house and sitting around sulking all day!? [I]Sulking?[/I] My patience with her had come to its limits. She was my friend, yet she always said I did nothing. What was her problem? I didn?t have a problem with her, I did now. Angrily, with my fists clenched, I knocked over the old books on her desk and then I threw the dozens of books out of her hands. She jumped back, startled, her wings knocking off an ornament beside the fire. Without another word I stormed away from her, towards the door. ?There you go again, tantrums!? she shouted after me. I tried my best to ignore her, and I didn?t reply to her insults. I never had tantrums, I never sulked and I was never going to step back into her door again. Well, skyscrapers did have some use in Memoria. You could sit on top of them, with your knees up to your chest, your wings spread out as far as you wanted, and you could watch the thousands of people below you, now like ants in your eyes. I had never been interested in industry, I only moved to Memoria because that?s where my only friend was going to live. Well, my ex-friend. I knew that I was actually better off without friends. I sighed heavily ? more of a growl actually. I had just remembered the things I had left back at home with S?Korra, some things I would need. My bow? damn, my bow, I didn?t want to leave that. It was my only weapon? I guess I would have to go without it. Yes, I had decided to leave Memoria. There was no point in my staying. I would probably travel to a place with more trees. I was going to, anyway. Somewhere more peaceful, it would?ve been much better for me. While staring at my shadow (I had gotten bored of the people below), I noticed it flickered a little and grew bigger. It wasn?t a cloud near the sun. Looking up, I noticed something in the sky, souring around the clouds like there was no tomorrow. Whoever it was must have been a Draconian, and I must say they flew gracefully, more gracefully then I had ever seen. I shielded my eyes from the sun and squinted, trying to get a better look at them. For a while I didn?t notice that the Draconian was landing near me. He dropped gracefully near the middle of the building, folding his white wings up behind his back. They looked a little dyed, his wings I mean, from my distance they just looked white. The Draconian was older then me, with shorted hair, more brilliantly rich clothing and he was taller then me, I certainly wouldn?t want to pick a fight with him. ?Go away!? I snapped bitterly at him, clenching my fists and snapping like a dog. He looked at me with cold blue eyes, forcing me to repeat. ?I said? Go away!? I shouted louder this time, yet he ignored my yells and began to walk forward. As he came closer I noticed his wings were dyed, dyed a light, light blue colour. He towered over me and looked down, coldly. I said nothing, but I did growl. ?What part of go away don?t you understand?? I blurted once again. ?I?m looking for a Draconian, of the Innocence, perhaps you might be him?? the man replied, coldly. ?Do I look innocent?? I asked him with the same doggish snap. I held up a fist to his face, warning him off, but still he stayed still, looking down. Suddenly, he gripped my wrist with a vice-like grip, turned my hand over, and stared at a black marking on my skin. ?You have the mark.? ?Mark? That?s probably just some dirt that hasn?t washed off in years, get off my hand!£ I screamed at him. I pulled myself back, awkwardly, tripping over my own feet as I moved back and falling hard on my back and wings. He moved over to me again, looking down once again. I was growing tired of his superior look. ?You, my friend, are part of the Innocence. I would explain more were we stand, but I think it would be better if you come with me.? He told me. I said nothing, he continued, ?and I would like it if you stood up, young sir.? ?First things first, I?m not a young man, and I?m not part of your? Innocence? do you understand? What exactly are you offering me, some sort of group thing? I have no intention of joining you. I?ve stayed in these parts long enough without adventure, without anything to do that would clear my name, without adventure, and I don?t want to make things worse.? I was calm now. I began to shuffle back to the edge and pulled myself to my feet, once again meeting the cold ocean stare of the Draconian. ?If I told you that this was your chance to prove yourself, would you come?? he asked. ?Depends?? ?Well, I?m telling you. Come with me, I?ll show you what I mean. Adventure? yes, that as well. They did tell me that the member would be a little defensive and hard on himself, family issues apparently. This is your chance to forgive yourself, only if you want to.? I thought for a moment, not too sure what to do. I did want to see what he meant, ?I don?t know. If I come, you have to prove you know I?m from this?? I started, staring my? mark, ?Innocence. Prove it, and I?ll come, probably.? The Draconian said nothing, for a while. He finally spoke, slowly and calmly. ?Put it this way, if you come with me I have a brilliant way to make both families proud of you, and stop generations of blood shed between you all. Maybe it could even help you become a better person, I?m not sure about that one. If you want to change, you can. Just come with me, I?ll show you.? Memoria had nothing for me. His offer was quite tempting for me, I wasn?t sure what he was talking about, really. But still, I did want to see what he was going to do for me. I wondered on the spot for a while, stroking my chin, and nodded at him. ?Then follow me, I?ll take-? ?I suddenly remembered? ?No, wait! I need to say goodbye to someone, and get my bow. Will you wait here for me? I won?t be long, I promise it.? He nodded. I gave him a warm and smile and to my surprise, he smiled back, warmly. He spread out my wings and lifted myself into the air, flying back to S?Korra. To my surprise, the house was a mess. No entirely, to say the least. The books were spread all over the floor, pages were all over the place, on the desk, the floor, the chairs? numerous items seemed to have been thrown across the room, or they had been dropped. It didn?t seem likely that S?Korra would have dropped them. I knew for a fact that she was mad at me, but still, I had lied. I lied about never coming back. I had convinced myself I was coming for my bow on the way back, but in truth I wanted to say good-bye to her, it wasn?t fair on her for all she had done for me. The spells she told me, the help with my family? it just wasn?t fair. ?S?Korra!? I shouted in a hushed voice when I saw her digging for books at the shelf. She didn?t turn to me, instead he continued to shuffle with her books and items. I stood at the door, titled my head, and waited, but got no reply. For some reason I didn?t expect it. ?S?Korra??? I repeated. She didn?t even turn to me. I ran towards her, almost tripping over the books and knocking some items with my wings. When I came to her, she walked past me. ??Please, I have something to tell you?? I whispered. She continued to ignore, sat down at the desk, and began writing. When it became clear to me that I wasn?t going to get anything out of her, that she wasn?t going to say goodbye, I sighed and walked over to my chair. Beside it lay my short bow, and a quiver. Without hesitation but with great regret I picked the two items up, and looked back over to S?Korra, who continued to ignore me. She was still looking through the books even as I stood at the doorstep. I could see she wasn?t really reading? and it hurt me. Sighing, I began to turn and walk out, though I stopped for a moment, remembering all she had done. Even if she wouldn?t say goodbye I could at least give her something. Reluctantly, I ran my hands over my feathers until I came across one that as dyed blue and black. I grasped it, winced before yanking it out, and lay it down on the doorstep. ?I?ll never see you again?? I whispered finally. When I walked away, I cold feel her eyes on me, I wasn?t sure if she was angry with me or not. It didn?t matter anymore. She had no right to talk to me for what I had done, all she had done for me and I threw it back. Now I was going away I had ruined everything and all I could leave behind from me was a feather, and not even a feather from her. Instead, I got a glance that I could never even see. I just hope that she?ll keep my feather.[/SIZE] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options... StrikeGundam Posted February 4, 2005 Share Posted February 4, 2005 [size=2][color=#cccccc][font=Book Antiqua]The entire kingdom of Lerion basked in the amber glow of the early morning. The gem set atop the rim that was the edge of the great sea, Lerion was well know for many things, but Cesta the best known city that it held. Many people flocked to Cesta in hopes to become one of the many powerful Mages and Sorcerers that its academies had produced, but few ever realized their dreams. A single figure shuffled down the well beaten path, so deep in thought that he could barely keep from tripping over his own feet. Dim sunlight filtered through the dense canopy, casting eerie shadows on the long scruffy grass that covered the forest floor, and a strangely strong breeze whistled through the enormous tree trunks. The wind shocked the figure out of his trance, and he pulled his shabby brown coat a bit tighter around him. His name was Frer, and he had been training for this day for a long time. "Today's the day," Frer declared to no one in general. "Finally I will claim a golem for myself, and use said instrument to bring honor to the name Orynbrand from all over Gaia. I'll build a mansion in every kingdom, and women swoon at the mere sight of me!" Frer's words hung heavily in the calm air as he looked skyward. The opening to a huge cavern sat upon the cliff that loomed high above Frer's head. The hole looked almost as if some sort of giant had lumbered down from the mountains and ripped a messy hole in the cliff face. "I don't care about all the stories they've told about this place in town," Frer told himself, "Golems are merely walking bits of elements, and I'm going up there to get myself one no matter what!" Frer swallowed deeply and cleared his throat. He then declared in a loud, clear voice. "I, Frer Orynbrand, Son of Aeren and Trisan, Red Mage Extraordinaire, and pride of Lerion, demand that one of you golem come down here and admit me entrance to your hovel of a home at once!" Frer cast an unwavering stare at the dark cavern. He stayed in this position, merely staring and not moving an inch, for several moments until a rumble issued from the cave. An inky black material cascaded forth from the hole. It moved in a sort of slow motion as it flowed through the air. When it finally hit the ground, it resumed regular speed and shot forward, forming a long slide that rapidly crinkled into a large staircase. Frer, who had been mystified by the sheer power of his words, shook the disbelief from his head and reassumed an air of importance. "That's more like it," he mumbled to himself, and he planted his foot firmly on the first step. Or else he would have if his foot hadn't gone clear through it. "What in the..." Frer pulled his foot from the softly flowing materiel, and gingerly tried putting his foot on a higher step. His foot found itself on the inside of the step once again, and Frer soon followed as he lost his balance. A quiet yet unmistakable snicker wafted down from the cave's entrance and met Frer?s ear as he lay on the ground with his face in a pile of weeds. The would-be Red Mage leapt from the ground with a look of pure fury upon his face. He clenched his fists tightly and found that he had unknowingly grabbed a small stone in his haste to get up. In a huff, he threw the round gray stone at one of the stairs above his head, and gasped in surprise as the rock bounced off and clattered to the ground. This gave Frer an idea. He walked a small ways down the path and took a runners stance. He launched himself forward, rapidly pumping his arms and legs until he reached full speed. No sooner than he had reached the staircase, that bottom step surged forward and launched Frer high into the air. He landed in a dusty heap square in the middle of the path. He stayed there for a while, and then he slowly picked himself out of the dirt. Frer wheeled around and stomped away ?I don't need this!!" he screamed over his shoulder. Onyx laughed to himself and turned to re-enter the village. It was a very small village, with many small huts made out of the elements of their inhabitants, and golem of every type imaginable doing various odd jobs. At the top of the hill in the center of the village, Nereid was moving water to surround the home of a flame golem. Nereid had been head of the village, and companion to Onyx, for several years. She spotted Onyx as he emerged from the cave, and she motioned for him to come to her. Onyx smiled brightly at her, but the smile died as he saw the look of concern upon her face. "What's wrong?" "There is someone at the hall that wants to see you. Come, I'll take you to him." Onyx nodded and followed her down the path to the hall, a large glass building nestled in the back of the village. They went through the double doors, and Onyx gasped as he saw who was waiting for him. He had only heard stories about them, but there was no doubt in his mind that it was a Draconian. "You are the first non-golem to enter this village since I came here. What business do you have here with me?" The Draconian's feathers bristled at Onyx's gruff statement, but his face remained emotionless. "I have come to take you to Memoria." He said. "You are one of the-" "No, I will not go." "It wasn't a request." "I'd like to see you persuade me otherwise." The Draconian's wings began to fully unfurl at that statement. "You would force me to leave my home and my friends defenseless, and you would fight me in my own home if I refused to follow you blindly. I can see no reason to go with you." "You must, for you are one of the Innocence." Onyx and the Draconian both turned to look at Nereid. She opened her mouth to speak again. "I've always told you that you were meant for great things, and this is proof of that." "Nereid, look at me, you know as well as I do that I cannot be an Innocent." "Onyx, did you forget about the mark on your chest?" He looked down to see the mark that was over the place where his heart would beat. When he looked up again, Nereid had moved closer to him and she rested her head on the mark. "I know in my heart as you must in yours that you need to go." "But who will protect you, all of you?" "You have taught us and shielded us all for a very long time. You must give us a chance to protect ourselves while you protect the world." She looked up at him with tears in her eyes. "Now go, before I decide otherwise..." Onyx nodded. After what seemed like an eternity, he turned to the Draconian herald. "What must I do?" [/font][/color][/size] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options... 2 weeks later... Ben Posted February 15, 2005 Share Posted February 15, 2005 "Now, this spell is a bit more powerful than you?re likely to come across in any of those other villages you?ve been to. I learned [I]this[/I] spell secretly from a high mage in the Victorian academy of magic." Macros waited patiently as the brown-toothed old hermit told him of his brief stay in the Victorian Minor Academy. He'd heard the story already, but the man had a failing memory, and was prone to repeating himself. Macros would have liked to simply tell the man that he'd heard the story already, but knew the man didn't like to be interrupted, and he didn't like to hear that he'd forgotten something. The memory of [I]that[/I] instance was still fresh. Macros rubbed the somewhat charred cloth of his shoulder. The old man's black fireball hadn't been particularly powerful, but it caught him off-guard. "And that?s when I moved here." The hermit blew his nose loudly into his hands, and then transferred the mucus onto the seat of his pants. "Sad, isn't it?" "Truly, a great tragedy, Andronius." Macros replied gently. "Now, that spell you used to escape....you said it made your shadow solid?" "Escape..." the wrinkled old-timer repeated, squinting. "Ah, right you are. It made my shadow firm enough to grasp and climb upon." Macros silently exulted; he'd finally guided the man past the story! He'd been there since midmorning, and had heard the story six times already. It was inspiring to have made progress. "Could you show me how to use it?" Macros inquired. "Use what?" The hermit looked at Macros suddenly, as if just realizing that he was there. "Have we met?" And so, Macros was forced to introduce himself again to the old man and listen to his entire story of love, lies, and despair. Andronius had risen from a modest merchant?s job to become a respectable student of magic and he?d won the heart of the Academy's brightest and most beautiful female pupil. Everyone adored her for her charm, her wit, and her great beauty. She was the daughter, or sister, it seemed, of the academy itself. The two were set to be married just after graduation, and no happier couple could be found. Not far into their final year of study, she had walked in on one of his experiments with some various elements of black magic; strictly forbidden at this particular Academy. She screamed, and Andronius panicked. The spell went awry and caused a loud detonation, hurling its chaotic energies about the room and utterly mutilating and disfiguring her now-dead body. At this point in the story, the hermit would always briefly close his eyes and shed a tear. "You were such a fool, Andronius." he would reprimand himself. Knowing what would inevitably event from his crime and the resulting accident, Andronius had decided to leave the school and run away, to never be heard from again. He could hear the academy's guards dashing through the hallways outside. He went to his window, and looked downwards at his shadow. His room was located a lower floor of the Academy; the street was not too far below it. Andronius willed his shadow to take form; to take dimension. Slowly, it rose up off of the surface of the wall. With a brightly burning torch behind him, and the full moon up above, Andronius's shadow was greatly elongated, and cast down the side of the castle. He slid gently down the silk-like length of his shadow, and fled the city, never to be heard there again. "A touching tale." said Macros, upon the end of the eighth recital. "But how exactly did you make your shadow solid?" "Oh, er...." Andronius paused for a moment, tapping his forehead. "You have to sort of will [I]your[/I] solidity into the shadow. Now, you don't actually want to transfer anything to it, but instead just...eh...let it know what it's like to be solid." He produced a rough scroll from his back pocket, and handed it to Macros. "Hmm. I think I see what you're saying." Andronius shrugged, and then left Macros standing at the edge of the woods, studying the spell?s properties that were written on the scroll. Macros squinted. It was early afternoon, and his shadow lay like a dark, dark oval upon the ground. He was emotionally close to his shadow, as absurd as it may sound. It was just the result of light shining upon him, after all. It had been the instrument through which he'd escaped many a predicament, though, and it was his only true companion in the darkness. Macros's dark magic relied a good part upon his shadow, and so this odd affection grew. Macros nodded slightly to his shadow and proceeded to attempt the spell. "You, Drairthrak!" a voice called out suddenly from behind him. "Just Macros, friend." He kept his concentration on his shadow. Interrupted spells did not make for good situations. "I've been sent here to take you to Memoria." Macros could not see the individual who made the declaration, but he was not inclined to leave and go to Memoria. "I'm busy, please leave." "I'm afraid I can't do that. You are one of the Innocence, and I have been ordered to take you to Memoria." Macros cast a swift glance back at his would-be companion. A Draconian. No way he could overpower him physically, and it was too bright out for most of his shadow spells to be useful. He?d have to get to the forest. His shadow was now almost fully phased into existence. A few moments more, and it would be like stone. "Prove that I am one of these 'Innocence.' " he challenged, turning to face the winged entity. The Draconian looked at him sternly, but responded with another question. "Why do you study dark magic?" "That is my own affair." Macros replied shortly. With a sudden ripple of his arm, Macros struck his hardened shadow at the Draconian's face with his staff and ran towards the thick foliage of the forest. The Draconian warded off the attack with his armored forearm, and flapped his wings in pursuit of the mage. Macros' shadow lost its new solid form and flowed swiftly back to its owner, quickly outstripping the Draconian. Macros looked back quickly over his shoulder. The Draconian was quickly gaining on him, his polished armor gleaming in the sunlight. ?Nearly there, so very close now....? he thought. The Draconian dived, and so did Macros. Casting one of his more powerful spells, Macros joined with his shadow just as they entered into the shade of the trees. The Draconian grasped empty air, and then halted himself with practiced ability. He settled roughly upon the ground. "Come out, mage. You know you must come to Memoria." Macros eyed the Draconian through a dark veil. He was seated on a slender branch, the spell making his size indefinite and his weight nonexistent. There was no way the Draconian could see him; he was the shadow of the branch. He could have easily escaped into the darkened forest, forever leaving behind this bothersome messenger. Even so, Macros did not leave. Something within nagged at him. He felt the need to make his intentions known. [I]"I study the darkness so that I can know it, and one day defeat it. It is the [B]great[/B] darkness that has made the people suffer."[/I] The voice sounded within the Draconian's mind like the mouthings of some blighted chorus of forgotten souls. It caused him unease, but he had been trained not to show it. Something stirred, too, in him. Something more powerful than this dark magician; something much older. Suddenly, he could see Macros as clear as the sunrise. "Follow me, Macros, or I will come and get you." Macros turned the idea over in his mind. It was an empty threat, he thought, but he was no longer opposed to going to Memoria. He stayed still and as a shadow, silently contemplating. [I]Crack.[/I] [I]SLAM.[/I] In one smooth and remarkably swift instant, the Draconian had cast a dagger at the branch Macros had been perched on, causing him to fall and startling him out of his enchanted state. The Draconian had rushed forward after throwing the dagger and had then pinned Macro?s physical form stiffly against the trunk of the tree. Macros took a few short breaths, and shook his head to clear it. "To Memoria, then." Macros nodded. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options... Pandemonium Posted February 17, 2005 Share Posted February 17, 2005 [SIZE=1][COLOR=DarkSlateGray]Sabyll snorted. This man, this thing, had been following her since the last town. Ever since she had left the last inn of that town, and the cold man in her room's bed. Yes, the Hunger had been strong last night. She had been working long and hard to suppress it further, to gain control, and she was pleased with her success. But her Need remained, and when that coupled with starved Hunger... Well, at least the man had enjoyed the best night of his life; it was his last. Twilight gray cloak pulled up around her shoulders, the cross breed had left, tipping the inn keeper slightly - it was never nice to leave a mess without some compensation. At first, she took no notice of the great winged figure that left the establishment after her. Not until after taking multiple side roads, he was still following her, albeit he had distanced himself from her as the time had passed. He was quiet magnificent: great dove-white wings that were tucked back softly against broad, strong shoulders. His hair was like spun gold, long and tied loosely with a leather thong at the end near his waist. Sharp cerulean blue orbs set within sharp angular features seemed to pierce holes in her back as she headed towards the next town. She had originally planned on going to a larger place, but now... smaller seemed like a wiser choice. What she couldn't figure out, was why this exquisite specimen was tracking her. That metalworker Byrron couldn't have finally gotten up the courage to send someone after her; he was devoted to her, even now probably. He was the only of these Draconian creatures she had ever met though, so she kept it a possibility. The scorns of love could indeed burn long and hard. It was near dusk by the time she, or rather, they, arrived at the next village. She didn't even know the name of the place, but it only had a few houses, a meeting hall, and one inn. If Byrron had sent the Draconian, or if not... it wouldn?t matter soon enough. Stepping into the inn, she breathed in the stuffy, alcohol-laden air, thick with the heat of bodies and their many, many functions. Ah, the smell of humanity. There was a bar and a few tables in the front of the one floor establishment. She moved to sit at the bar, drawing her cloak around her as she sat. There were eyes following her from the moment she stepped in, of course. Mostly slightly intoxicated men who didn?t want to go home to their nagging wives, a few bachelors, some travelers, and boys who wished they were men. A few women also watched the being as she sat ? always interesting how so many people denied themselves of what they desired. She ordered a room for one night and a glass of sweet ale. A few moments passed before the large, wrinkled woman who had taken her order returned. ?Compliments of that...er... gentleman o?er there, little lady.? She gestured over towards a table near the door. The Draconian smiled, raising his glass to Sabyll. His wings were tucked gracefully over the low-backed chair he sat in, though his presence seemed almost too big for the room, let alone the table he sat at. ?Aren?t you a lucky one, heh... Ain?t seen a Draconian man in... well, too long.? The old woman chuckled. ?Pretty catch ye got, I?d say. As long as he?s good to ye!? Oh yes... A very nice catch indeed. ?I?m sure he will be...? Sabyll returned with a polite smile. Wagging her finger, the bartender let out a sharp laugh before turning back to her work, talking to herself about ?the young ones? these days. ?May I join you?? Tucking a few snowy locks behind her ear, the dark-skinned creature looked over her shoulder to the Draconian, dark caramel eyes meeting striking blue. She hadn?t even heard him move. Still, her lips curled softly upwards and she nodded. ?Of course.? The male lowered himself onto a stood beside her, setting his glass of dark colored alcohol on the bar top. ?You?ve been following me.? ?Yes.? ?Why?? The Draconian smiled, bringing up the glass to his lips. Sabyll did the same. ?Thank you for the drink.? ?My pleasure.? ?What do you want?? He seemed to pause for a moment, as if he wasn?t quite sure on his priorities. Of course, being this close to her would probably do nothing to help that fact. After a few more moments, he frowned. ?To come with me. To Memoria.? Her eyes narrowed at the sound of the proposition. Well, it didn?t sound so much of a proposition... more like a statement of fact. She didn?t like that. ?Why would I wish to go to Memoria?? ?Because you have been called into presence by the court.? Standing, she took a last, long moment to drink before setting it on the bar. ?No thanks.? She said before walking back towards her room. No one was her master, and the will of no other but her own would ever govern her. She didn?t expect a strong, heavy hand to rest upon her shoulder, nor did she expect the sudden force it uses to wheel her around and slam her back up against a wall. One of her hands instantly produced a long, curved dagger and she swept it out in an arc, black metal singing through the dimly lit hall. The Draconian recoiled with a grunt, a thin red line appearing over his left cheek up to his temple. Crimson trails leaked slowly from it, and the male brought one finger up to it, wiping away the longest line and touching his stained finger to his lip, slipping it inside his mouth. A second blade was in Sabyll?s other hand, and she crouched slightly against the wall. Immediately, her lithe body seemed to begin to melt backwards into the wall and its many shadows from flickering candlelight around them. A soft chuckle escaped her lips, smooth and dark, like black satin. It was short lived as the Draconian suddenly moved forward, grabbing her still exposed shoulder. He blocked another strike at the wrist with his forearm, and grabbed the offending arm. He jerked her forward, but she slipped a leg around one of his, catching him off balance as she used his body for leverage to swing around him. She moved like water over rock, graceful and powerful in her own right. Wings suddenly blocked her way, stretching out long and white, almost seeming to glow against the dark of the space around them. She stumbled back, and the Draconian moved forward, catching both her arms and pushing them above her head as he trapped her with his body. Neither of them expected the sudden rise of her Hunger. Adrenaline from battle almost instantly changed its flow towards other ends. The Succubus didn?t fight against the Hunger, allowing the Need to couple with it, letting it feed off itself and spread. The Draconian?s eyes fluttered, a shred of resistance shimmering somewhere deep azure orbs. But, he was a male, after all... oh yes, definitely a male... No warrior?s training could defend against the desires of the body ? if anything it made them stronger. Sabyll?s back arched as she leaned up towards him and the shred was torn away, left to the care of hot rising winds. At least the door to the room was not too far off... _____________________________ The woman awoke to the feeling of strong, warm arms encircling her. Most pleasant. The accompanying winds that rushed around them both, running playful fingers back through her starlight hair, was not pleasant. Not in the least. Sunlight stung at her eyes. It seemed to be so much closer than usual. The Draconian was looking out and forward, expression a strange cross of slightly angered determination and blissful freedom. His wings spread out mightily above them, catching the currents. They were flying. ?Squirming would be advised against.? The Draconian said matter-of-factly, a hint of a smirk playing over his lips. Sabyll stared. She never awoke after those that she fed from. It was almost mid-day, judging by the sun! She suddenly hissed, ?The drink. Damned Draconian.? Her hands moved to find her weapons. ?I have my orders, but if you fight back at this point, no blame will come to me for dropping you.? He looked down at her, eyes shinning with what might be called amusement. ?Tis a long way to fall, my lady.? Snorting, she did not bother to look down, arms crossing over her chest. So *now* it was ?my lady?. Men. Ah well... what was done was done. Looking down, she saw the very last of the land that she had ever traveled upon. Memoria, was it... With a name such as that, there was bound to be nothing but trouble. Sabyll suspected she could deal with that. It was probably inevitable; obviously he had been prepared for what he was going to find in facing her. But still, that made her wonder... Smirking, she shook her head, eyes slowly looking him over again, unabashedly. ?There was a reason they picked you, wasn?t there.? The Draconian laughed. [I](Wow... that sucked. Sorry it took so long. U_U ) [/I] [/COLOR][/SIZE] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options... 1 month later... Arcadia Posted March 18, 2005 Share Posted March 18, 2005 [center]Chapter Two: Memoria Characters: All. See the Underground thread for specifics.[/center] Iara had very few memories of Memoria and the time she spent in the actual kingdom. Her family had lived its short-lived life in Rue, which was just north of Memoria. She remembered it looking small compared to the actual kingdom itself, and Rue wasn?t exactly a small ten-family village kind of deal. Memoria, though, was huge compared to Lerion. The buildings were vast and some of them seemed to stretch into the sky forever. Where Lerion was white, smooth nerferti, Memoria was metal in everyway possible. There were so many people, too. More then there ever were during market days in Lerion. The more she saw the more Iara began to feel out of place. It had taken them a while to get there, but from what she understood, many of the other Innocence were also from Lerion. She?s remarked that it was a fine coincidence, but the Draconian (he?d eventually introduced himself as Zerrin) had only arched his eyebrow in response and asked her, ?Is it?? She didn?t like the idea that she no longer had absolute control of things. Her Draconian companion represented her loss of that control in this vast kingdom and though she knew it wasn?t fair, she began to despise him because of it. What was even more unfair was the fact that Zerrin was entirely likeable and he made it very difficult for her to be angry and bitter. At the moment, he was discussing something with another of his kind, only this Draconian had dyed her wings a very rich purple hue. What looked like a curved sword was slung across her back. From the way that the woman held herself, Iara had no doubt that she could use it. They were speaking in low tones and the red mage had the particular feeling that the conversation somehow had to do with her abduction. As if on cue, the female Draconian glanced in her direction before murmuring something to Zerrin. He responded and then she saluted him before taking off into the sky. The gusts from her gorgeous wings swept past Iara, brushing her hair and her grayish dress backwards. The red mage watched her disappear behind a skyscraper before asking lightly, ?Did you have a nice conversation?? Zerrin folded his emerald wings behind him and observed her for a brief moment. ?That,? he eventually said, ?was Teviah, and she is going to retrieve her Innocence before joining us. We will then make our way to the palace where you will have all your answers.? ?Oh, wonderful.? ?Before that, though, we have some much needed shopping to do.? He smirked a little at her raised eyebrow before turning her towards a nearby shop with very tall windows. There were colorful robes on display, many of them made from very expensive material. Some were a little more done up than others, but they were all for very formal, proper occasions and Iara felt another little piece of her pride chip off as Zerrin said, ?There are certain things you need to know before you can be presented to his majesty and to the Elder Innocence. While we?re waiting for Teviah and her white mage Innocence, we can go over those in great detail.? It was obvious from the look in her eyes that Iara was not exactly brimming in excitement at the prospect of a lesson in court etiquette, but at this point she thought it was probably best if she saved her arguments for later when they would really be needed. Part of her felt pity for the other Innocence who would no doubt go through the same torture that she was being put through now. The more she thought about the others, the more curious Iara became. Even if she was here against her will, she at least wasn?t the only one and there was some comfort in that, as strange as it was. And she would be meeting this other mage before the real introductions began. It wasn?t much of a leg up, but it was a definite start. ?Oh, look at this lovely little number,? Zerrin broke into her thoughts then, holding up a hideous robe that her grandmother might have worn on a bad day. Iara knew then that it was going to be a miracle if she made it out of any of this alive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options... Ezekiel Posted March 19, 2005 Share Posted March 19, 2005 I shivered slightly, the water lapping around my waistline as my head rested back against the ceramic tub. I sighed and opened my eyes again, taking in the beauty of Memoria?s Bath House. It was like nothing I had ever seen before, sculptures from granite and marble adorned the corridors, and paintings of beautiful women swimming in the ocean were hung perfectly in the welcome hall. A smile touched my lips, now healed form my trek, this Memoria had certainly surpassed all my expectations. The imagery the Draconian, Teviah was her name, had created was only an appetizer for the true magnificence that was the shimmering city of Memoria. I sat up and reached for a towel, wrapping it around my waist. Upon further inspection, one found the walls to be semi-translucent, made out of some material that I hadn?t come across before. It was like steamed glass, so to speak. No chandeliers made the room gaudy, but it was lit brightly by the many small orbs of white hanging from the ceiling by what looked like webs of pearls. I had only been in one building and already I wanted to move here. This journey was so far turning out to be like a holiday, I chuckled at the absurd thought, assuming that a Draconian wouldn?t travel all this way to take me on a break from my ?busy duties?. Never the less, I could grow to enjoy the travel and I?d probably pick some interesting knowledge up along the way, it was something that I would have to take as it came. [B]?Mr Mezcheth,?[/B] the Memorian struggled to pronounce my surname, his accent strong, [B]?Lady Teviah is waiting outside for you and wishes for you to make haste.? ?Of course, tell her I?ll be out in a little while.?[/B] [B]?Sir.?[/B] The man bowed and turned on his heel, leaving my belongings draped over a large oak chair set in the far right of the room. I got dressed and towelled off my hair, brushing it as I walked down the corridor and towards the light. Teviah nodded as I exited, only a polite smile on her strong, almost handsome features. She looked at my robes disdainfully, her top lip curling in mute rejection. I looked down and swept both hands across the front of my robe, ?I like them.? How immature I sounded then. Teviah rolled her eyes and gripped my shoulder tugging me in the direction we were headed. I looked up at her, opening my mouth once again to ask a question. She looked down, [B]?We?re going to the palace.? ?Ah?why??[/B] Teviah growled and squeezed my shoulder, a little too hard, I thought as I winced. [B]?You ask too many questions, Priest.? ?So I?ve been told, but I think I have a right to know.? [/B] I?d learnt by now that I shouldn?t be scared of Teviah, even if she wanted to kill me right here on the spot, she couldn?t, I seemed to be important. [B]?We are going to meet with another Draconian, he and his Innocence have arrived in Memoria and currently he is filling the girl in on what is going to happen.?[/B] I nodded, taking it all in.[B] ?And?? ?And we are going to introduce you, seeing as she is also a Mage.? ?White?? ?No, Red.?[/B] Ah, a red mage? I?d never met another mage other than my grandfather, who was known as a blue mage. A curious smile crept across my features, but I kept my buzzing excitement to myself, Teviah probably wouldn?t appreciate it. After another fifteen minutes of walking I spotted a fountain, this seemed to be the main square as far as shopping was concerned. Looking up I saw birds flittering around, passing by old architectural feats, something humans should be proud of. It was amazing how these old buildings, antiques in their own right, could mix so easily with the most up to date machinery operating right next to them. I would have to write down all of these sights, mother would love it. [B]?There.?[/B] it was the first time Teviah had spoken in ten minutes and she startled me, her finger pointing towards another Draconian, this one male. I nodded in his direction and he stepped aside, a young woman fiddling with an ornate robe stood behind him, an annoyed expression on her face. I chuckled slightly and walked forward, Teviah close behind me. [B]?This is Alkai Mezcheth, he is my Innocence and a White Mage.?[/B] The girl looked up at the mention of my name and I reached out to shake the hand of the Draconian towering over me, [B]?It?s a pleasure.?[/B] [B]?I am Zerrin,?[/B] he pointed to himself, [B]?and this is Iara.?[/B] Zerrin swept one large arm back, motioning to Iara. I took a step forward and took the woman?s hand, placing my other on top of it as I bowed my head. [B]?I hope your journey has been as good as mine.?[/B] Teviah snorted and I couldn?t help but laugh, getting confused looks from Zerrin and Iara. [B]?I suggest you two get to know each other, as both of you are Mages, we?ll leave you for now, don?t go far.?[/B] Both Iara and I replied with a firm nod, and then turned to each other. [B]?Well, I suppose you know I?m a red mage?? ?Yes, and you have no idea how excited I am about meeting you.? [/B] Iara looked even more shocked than before, I forged on bravely, [B]?You see, my village is rather small and the only other mage that I have ever come into contact with is my grandfather, rest his soul, and he was a blue mage.? ?I see,?[/B] Iara now smiled, good progress, [B]?Then I think we could make use out of each others knowledge.?[/B] We took our seats at a café, Iara across the table from me; she rested on her slender hands and leant forward, readying herself for a long conversation. [B]?You see, I come from a prominent bloodline of red mages, most of my ancestors and relatives have been widely known for their firm grasp of the elements, needless to say I?m very proud of this.? ?So you should be.?[/B] Iari looked at me after I had interrupted her, her mouth still open in breath. I looked down and muttered an apology, she went on. [B]?You see, I have mixed blood in me myself, which makes my magic seemingly more powerful, hence the reason why I don?t carry a weapon.?[/B] I had noticed this, now I knew why the girl seemed so confident. [B]?Now, tell me about yourself, Alkai.?[/B] [B]?I?m afraid there isn?t much to tell.? [/B] I laughed half-heartedly, blood flashing across my eyes. I shook the memories away, smiling brightly at Iara. [B]?As far as I know, I?m the first White Mage in my bloodline in the last one hundred years, though I do know of the Archen Mages who I share some of my talents with.? [/B] I tapped my axe and Iara?s eyes sparkled, she must have recognised the name. Pleased with the result, I continued, [B]?I was travelling when I was picked up by Teviah, my mother is getting old and wishes for me to see the world, I like learning as I?m sure you?ll soon see.?[/B] I paused, [B]?There ends my history lesson.?[/B] Iara smiled and leant back, [B]?Our powers could play off each other well, if we ever needed to fight.?[/B] It wasn?t something I?d thought about, fighting. I didn?t really want to, I may have Icingdeath with me at my side, but I?d never really needed to use it before. The thought just wasn?t something I needed to add to my forever-growing bank of memories. Iara waved to someone in the distance, Teviah and Zerrin had returned, their hulking bodies making the crowds part like waves. Zerrin dipped his head and crouched by Iara while Teviah stood next to me. Zerrin?s voice was low and I had to lean forward to hear him, [B]?We?re going to take you both up to the palace, now, there you are going to be inducted.?[/B] Teviah took it from there, [B]?You will also be told in exact detail what is expected from you and what lies ahead of you in your future travels. Come.?[/B] I stood and shot Iara a nervous glance; she didn?t return it and merely stared ahead. That in effect made me feel worse, I was sure my legs had turned to jelly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options... James Posted March 21, 2005 Share Posted March 21, 2005 [size=2]Hours earlier, he'd been cooling his feet by the water's edge. And now, Aetheran was sitting in the middle of a vast grassy plain, just outside Memoria, with his new companion. The Draconian sat with his legs crossed as he eyed Aetheran curiously. "I do wish you wouldn't stare at me like that," breathed Aetheran, "it makes me most uncomfortable." The Draconian smiled (if you could call it a smile; it was more of a faint curl at the edge of his lips). He rarely spoke, despite the fact that he'd been travelling alongside Aetheran for several hours. Aetheran had never been more confused in his life. Here he was, sitting next to a Draconian named Lablanc, with the imposing Memorian silhouette in the distance. He briefly considered Madam Hogbeam's advice - she had told him to search for a tree. In fact, he had been told to search for the largest, oldest tree in the Victorian forest. He had indeed found the tree. And he had even spoken to it. It spoke back to him, but the voice came from high up within its branches - a tall, wiry Draconian was responsible for that voice. The entire experience seemed highly foreign to Aetheran, who had never before left Emerald Cove on his own. After hours of walking, Aetheran had requested that the pair stop to take a break. "So, tell me," Aetheran began, "why were you hiding among the branches? Were you intending to give me a heart attack? If so, you were almost successful." There was a sternness to Aetheran's voice, despite the fact that he was somewhat frightened of Lablanc. In fact, Aetheran was a little frightened of all foreigners, he admitted to himself. Lablanc's vague, half-smile disappeared and was replaced with a solid stare. "One never knows when imposters are about," he said quietly. "I had to protect myself." Aetheran raised an eyebrow. "From what? Me?" Lablanc nodded. Aetheran almost chuckled to himself (almost, only because Lablanc's stern expression made him too uncomfortable to laugh or joke). "What you do not yet appreciate," Lablanc continued, "is that this world is much larger than you know. There are many places you have not seen, many people you have not met and many types of horror you have not witnessed - nor even imagined." Aetheran replaced his hat and stared off toward Memoria's intimidating silhouette. "Is the world really so bleak?" he asked. "It is odd that we Nymph-folk can bear responsibility for the seasons, which affect the lives of people we have never even seen." Lablanc gestured toward Memoria. "The entire world is not bleak, but one must always be cautious. We are living in dangerous times; more dangerous than generations past. Thoughts fester underneath the surface...dark thoughts and dark designs." Although Aetheran understood what Lablanc was saying in a general sense, there was one burning question in his mind. "What does this have to do with me?" he asked. Lablanc paused slightly before he spoke. "You haven't seen anything beyond the forests of Victoria, but let me assure you, all lives on Gaia are intertwined in one way or another. Your life is intertwined with mine - and our fates are shared with all of those in this world, including the citizens of Memoria and the other major territories." "That still doesn't answer my question," said Aetheran. "How does my life have any significance to you or anyone else outside the cove? If I were to die tomorrow, another Nymph - who would no doubt be more skilled than I - would take my place." "I am not talking about the seasons or the solstice," said Lablanc with a dismissive wave of his hand. "I am talking about something far more important: the Innocence." As the sun moved across the vast blue sky, Lablanc explained his purpose in summoning Aetheran. He did not, however, reveal all details about the Innocence; he considered it unnecessary and the King of Memoria had been specific in commanding that all Innocence were to be brought to the palace. Lablanc did not want to risk scaring Aetheran to death, especially considering his relatively sheltered life. A key to the success of the endeavour was to ensure that the Innocence - or at least, their descendants - took the task at hand seriously and more importantly, that they did so willingly. The pair continued their journey to Memoria. It was an experience that simultaneously excited and frightened Aetheran. Although his perception of the world had been almost totally destroyed within a few short hours, he now felt a slight sense of purpose. Where he had not long ago been sitting in limbo - in a place with no purpose or reason - he now understood that there was more to being a Nymph than simply performing the duties of a Nymph. He wasn't entirely convinced of this fact, but it was refreshing and reassuring to know that the world outside Emerald Cove cared little for the Flow Test and whether or not one Nymph succeeded or failed. [/size] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options... Kitty Posted March 21, 2005 Share Posted March 21, 2005 I soared through the air like a fish glides through water; nothing made me feel more at home than the billowing winds and the silky white of the clouds. My companion, a fellow draconian, struggled to keep up. I heard him grumbling several times when I slowed to wait for him. Zig zagging and looping about in the sky took little energy out of me. I was ecstatic to be out and about for once. It had been too long since my last enjoyable flight. Suddenly, I remember that I had not asked my fellow's name. He was far below me at the moment this thought surfaced, so I dove quite sharply. To him, it must have appeared as if I had tired and was falling towards the land below us, and rushed upwards and caught in me in quite the herioc sort of way. But since I was just fine, it startled me, and the moment I fell into his outstretched arms, I began to claw and scream at him as if he were attacking me. When he realized that I was in no peril, and I realized he was not going to harm me, he let me out of his arms. After the awkward moment, I remembered what caused the incident in the first place. [b]"What is your name, sir?"[/b] I inquired politely, in a soft whisper. He blinked at me, as if we had just met each other on a street corner. [b]"Oh! My name is Lheric,"[/b] he replied quickly. He did not look me in the eye as I examined him. It was not until that moment that I saw his scar. It wasn't very large, and hard to notice at first glimpse. Yet I got a very guilty feeling in the pit of my stomach. [b]"Lheric, were you ever a soldier? For a nation's army?"[/b] I wondered casually, still eyeing his wound 'till he looked towards me. [b]"Aye. I was a General in Memoria's army ages ago. I do not fondly look back on those days, as you can tell by the scar."[/b] I bit my lip, ashamed that he had seen me observing his old injury. He seemed to sense my guilt, and added, [b]"But I never did fight Lerion. I got this in a brush with some rogues. Off-duty, in fact."[/b] I let out a quiet sigh, and began to speed up again. [b]"Vralla,"[/b] he called, [b]"it isn't wise to seperate. We are nearing Memoria, and the entrance is not that way."[/b] I had been gliding with my back towards the wind and my front facing Lheric, and was surprised when he told me of our nearing Memoria. We had flown faster than I had thought. Turning, I saw through the clearing clouds a large city, larger and grander than any city I had ever seen. It could put Lerion and its small villages to shame. I stared in awe, then let out a happy cheer and did a flip. I remembered my position, and glanced towards Lheric, letting out a cough. Excitement always got the better of me. After entering the city, I was so glad to be away from my station. The many people caught my eye. The streets were crowded with mages of all sorts, and I could spot many draconians gliding about. And though there were many people, I still recieved odd glances and stares. When I mentioned this to Lheric, he whispered, [b]"They can see your wings. Everyone in Memoria knows that your color is a rare one, Miss High Chief of the Lerion Army."[/b] I shoved him, and he only laughed in return. I felt like a girl again. As we traveled further and further into the city, my curiousity grew and grew. Soon, it overpowered me, and drove me to the nearest shop. Lheric followed closely, and I began to wonder why he was hovering so much. Thinking to myself, I wondered if it had anything to do with the "Innocence" he had mentioned before. The shop was filled with shelves, and those shelves were filled with bottles and books and little bones. I examined some labels, and thought this a very strange source of items only a witch would use. But when the clerk approached me, he told me of all those that manipulated these jars and bones for magic and spells. Uninterested, I soon grew bored and shuffled out of the small shop, and looked for more fun places to explore. Before long, I arrived at the doorstep of another shop, or what looked like one, anyway. As I turned the handle for the door, Lheric grabbed my arm. [b]"I'd advise you not to go in there,"[/b] he said sternly. [b]"And why not?"[/b] I growled, a bit annoyed that he was trying to order me about. He let out a sigh, and I took it that he was bothered with 'babysitting' me. [b]"It's a tavern, and a very rough one, at that. A lady, like yourself, would not be treated decently,"[/b] he replied, still refusing to release my hand from his grip. [b]"I believe, Lheric,"[/b] I said, now glaring at him, [b]"that I can handle myself. And if you don't believe me, take another look at the color of my wings. Remember the position I hold. It wasn't easily achieved."[/b] Walking in, I felt a little upset that I had 'used' my position. I normally tried to restrain from intimidating others with my rank, but sometimes, it was the only thing that worked. Sighing a bit again, I took a glimpse over my shoulder, and sure enough, Lheric had followed me inside. [b]"Don't you ever leave me alone?"[/b] I glared at him, but he shrugged and continued after me. I felt it best to just deal with his presence than to resist it, seeing as how I would probably lose that fight. Taking a seat at the bar, and Lheric, a seat next to me, I sat happily, absorbing the sights. I still recieved looks and mutters, but I didn't allow it to irk me any longer. The bartender approached us, and asked us 'What's your pleasure?' I waved a hand, not wanting anything. Lheric, however, took a small shot. Of what, I paid no attention to. While Lheric was waiting for his drink, I was approached by a very built male draconian, with great red wings. Unfortunately, the first thing that came out of his mouth I shall not stain my lips with. But after he was finished speaking to me, Lheric stood up and let out a fierce snarl, and readied the blade he held at his side. [b]"You, sir, are a pig, and shall die like one if you don't back away now."[/b] [b]"Lheric, sit down! You needn't come to my rescue, I can fight for myself!"[/b] I whispered angrily at him. [b]"I cannot let you bother with this pest. Whether you like it or not, this is a battle you won't be fighting,"[/b] he bellowed in reply. The other draconian, obviously undaunted by Lheric's threat, and assured in his strength, let out a boast and took a fighting stance. Before lunging at my guide, he gave me a wink that both disgusted and enraged me. In a few short moments, Lheric and I were calmly walking out of the bar, leaving the half-dead draconian against the back wall and a crowd of amused spectators. [b]"You don't have to protect me, you know,"[/b] I repeated once we had walked a ways away. [b]"Yes I do. I have my orders."[/b] I again remembered the "Innocence" he had spoken of. [b]"What is the 'Innocence', [i]exactly[/i]? Why am I a part of it? Are there others? Where exactly are you taking me? When do we have to be there?"[/b] I blurted out. All these questions put a smile on Lheric's face. Before he even opened his mouth, I shouted, [b]"[i]What[/i]?!"[/b] [b]"Nothing.. Now, about the Innocence. I cannot inform you of what it is; only that you are a part of it. Why you are a part of the Innocence is another question I cannot answer. But this time, because even I do not know the answer. I was not informed of this. And yes, there are other members of the Innocence. I just happened to be [i]your[/i] guide. Most of the others should be arriving here in Memoria soon, as well. Now thats enough questions for now, eh?"[/b] I let out a grunt of annoyance, and stared at him. He smiled and began to walk away. [b]"Hey! Wait for me!"[/b] I cried, speeding after him. We ended up at a fountain when we took our next break. I sat on the edge and waved my hand under the water a little. [b]"It's refreshing,"[/b] I thought aloud. [b]"Have you ever seen a fountain this colossal? Only Memoria.. Only Memoria.."[/b] Lheric began to trail off. [b]"It's just a fountain. Get over yourself,"[/b] I scoffed, grinning as he looked at me. He faked a laugh, then sat down beside me. [b]"You aren't as elegant as I thought you would be,"[/b] he finally said after a while. [b]"Oh? Go on,"[/b] I urged him, wondering what his reasoning was. [b]"No. You're more like a school girl, if you ask me. You seem so hyper and giggly, more than calm and collected, as [i]most[/i] officers are expected to be."[/b] I gawked at him. Who was he to judge me? [b]"Why you annoying, little--"[/b] I cried as I shoved him into the fountain. Quite startled, he flailed around a bit before jumping out. [b]"Calm and collected, eh?"[/b] I laughed. But he smiled at me and repeated, [b]"You are quite the school girl."[/b] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options... Doukeshi Posted March 24, 2005 Share Posted March 24, 2005 [COLOR=white]The sky was bright over the bustling city of Memoria. Its metallic walls glinted in the afternoon sun, shadowed only by the passing forms of a winged draconian and its seemingly strange companion. A draconian in itself was not an unusual sight within the city of Memoria or, indeed, many other places, it was however a rather rare and beautiful sight to witness the creature that now flew parallel. The fiery colours of the phoenix shone with magnificent hue under the sun, as if the glowing sphere itself had come to earth. Coming to rest at the gates to the city the two young soldiers on guard stood in shocked silence, mouths agape at the truly wonderous sight the mythical bird produced. Stepping forward, the large draconian announced his presence loudly, diverting the guards' attention from the bird now seated upon his shoulder with his stern and commanding tone. [B]"Open the gates fools, we have no time to tarry here!" [/B] The draconians booming voice resonated upon the metal walls and the guards scuttled back timidly in an attempt to complete the beings orders. After a time of chaotic clangs and angry yelps, the doors to the city of Memoria swung open slowly, the grinding of gears and cogs causing even the bird seated upon the draconians shoulder to wince. Flaring his great wings the draconian strutted forward, dismissing the young guards with a wave of his hand. The two looked imploringly up at him for any sign of gratitude but were left standing dejected as the draconian brazenly ignored them. The noise and bustle of the city was almost immediatley apparent upon entering through the narrow gateway. Ringing bells and bawling merchants clouded together with the shrieks of young urchins and busy citizens. Keeping to the wall the draconian glanced at his smaller companion, shadowing him from the ignorant eyes of the busy city dwellers. [B]"I think it would be best if you were not so bright, even I cannot save you from a mob of greedy townsfolk." [/B] With an almost impercievable nod the phoenix hopped from its perch and glided softly towards the muddied dirt trail below. Chirruping its distaste at such a grimy setting the bird enfolded its wings up over its head. After a few moments low hissing sound suddenly became audible and a thin trail of smoke started to escape from the birds feathers along with several small flames. In a matter of seconds the phoenix was engulfed in a blazing ball of fire, though the bird made no noise of pain or discomfort. As the fire slowly began to die and the smoke dissipated a larger, crouched figure came into view. Covered in ashes and completely naked, Asher Fenix Ulfcur stood and stretched his arms over his head, cracking several bones back into place as he did so. Regarding the draconian Asher smiled in amusement before holding out his hand. Raising an eyebrow at such a dramatic display the draconian grasped the pack he held upon his back and withdrew several items of Asher's clothing from it. Throwing them at the young shifter he grumbled. [B]"Was there a need for such a colourful show?" [/B] Grinning Asher donned his attire, spreading his arms as if to test his wing span. [B]"There are enough greys in this world without me adding to them Arcturus."[/B] Shaking his head the draconian Asher knew as Arcturus ushered the shifter forwards, the bustling street enveloping them as the went. [B]"Come my radiant featherling, we must see you prepared before I present you to the council. We have time before our gathering and I recommend that we procure some fresh attire for you."[/B] Arcturus smirked slightly as he surveyed the many bustling and chaotic stalls within the busy city marketplace. Asher looked down at his own drab travellers clothing and sighed before peering up at Arcturus and his brightly shining tunic. [B]"Mabye...but I refuse to wear plaid."[/B][/COLOR] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options... Create an account or sign in to comment You need to be a member in order to leave a comment Create an account Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy! Register a new account Sign in Already have an account? Sign in here. Sign In Now Share More sharing options... Followers 0 Go to topic listing All Activity Home OtakuBoards Theater Paranoia [M-LVS]
Kitty Posted January 15, 2005 Share Posted January 15, 2005 [CENTER][COLOR=Blue][SIZE=1]It was boring in my office that day. Up until he came, I had nothing to do. No wars to plan for, no battles to fight, no officers or soldiers to lead. No nothing. I sat in my office, staring blankly at the walls and shelves around me. Every twenty minutes or so, I stood up and traveled half the distance of the room, then came back to the seat behind my desk. There, I waited another twenty minutes until I repeated the action again to waste time. How could I be bored, though? I was the High Chief of the Lerion Army. The Army none had conquered since I came in command. The title that gave me so much more freedoms than I could have imagined. And it took me very little time to arrive at this station. And yet.. I missed it. The days when I was out there on the battle field, using my bare hands to take down my enemies. To bring honor to my family. To my home. The things that decorated my office bored me as well. They were always there. In the same place. I would get new medals every once in a while, and then I'd add that to the shelves that clung to the walls. But it made no difference. The room was still the same. "That's it," I whispered to myself, "I'm going for a walk." Normally, going out for a walk was a hassle because of all the work I needed to get done. But now, there was nothing. Too many had quit or were visiting their homes. I don't know why; I don't recall any holidays around that time of year. This time I could just waltz through the building and out onto the grounds without being bothered by another being. Or, that's what I thought. As I walked, I recalled times when my father, my mother and I would walk through the woods around our town. The woods were beautiful, no matter what time of year. And the creatures were as diverse as the people in town. I could have sworn that I discovered a new species or two while exploring the vast area, littered with trees. Then, for some reason, I began thinking of how I came to be the High Chief. It happened when I was 12. I was to be de-winged and banned, but no. I was treated special. Or rather, I was praised for my actions. I was brought in front of the Elders. No child my age had done so. Ever. Children were seen as disrespectful and not trusted to act "correctly" before such honorable figures. But even so, I was brought before them, and asked what I would like to become. And, I told them. I wanted to be a member of the Royal Guard. When I was old enough, I did become a Royal Guardsman. Or, Royal Guardswoman, rather. But I instantly found it disappointing. I spent all day escourting those who held high positions in Lerion around the kingdom, rarely getting to do anything. I was standing before a bench when I realized how long I had been reminiscing, and where I had wandered off to. "Park Centre," I murmered. I spun around suddenly, hearing my name being called. "Vralla!" It was my Draconian secretary. I thought she'd left like the others. Apparently, I was paying less and less attention every day. "Ah! Kriah! What do you need?" "You have a visitor! It's a Draconian. He's here to take you to Memoria." "Memoria? Why?" She shrugged. The visitor must not have been willing to tell her all the details. I followed her back to our building, and chased after her to her desk. There stood the impatient creature, glancing around for something interesting to do. Just as I had been doing in my office a bit earlier. "Hello?" I called uneasily. The Draconian turned. "Ah! Hello. Vralla Norhangare, correct? I have come to take you with me to Memoria." He sounded very business like, and dignified. If I had been a bit younger (and not in such a high rank) I would have begun to swoon. He held himself up quite professionally, holding his head up high and keeping his wings behind him in a superior manner. Though he did not try to out do me, he certainly didn't mind outshowing my secretary who returned to her seat and watched us talk about our trip. "So.. When shall I return?" "When the Innocence has completed its mission. Now, you must come. Hurry now. Grab whatever you need." I looked around, and did not take anything. I had all I needed on me. My sword, and my emblems. I needed nothing more. "Well then. Follow me," he smiled, walking out the door and taking off. I said good-bye to Kriah, then followed off after him, finally feeling the rush of adrenaline I rarely got anymore. The excitement I got before a battle. And boy, were there battles ahead of me.[/SIZE][/COLOR][/CENTER] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Posted January 18, 2005 Share Posted January 18, 2005 [size=2][i]"It was the first time I'd been so far from my beloved Emerald Cove. I had been into the depths of the forest before, but I had never seen the world beyond. It is said that Gaia is a wonderous place, both fearsome and beautiful. As a Nymph, it is true that I had never experienced the darker side of Gaia. And I knew, as I hopped from branch to branch through the vast Victorian forest, that I was truly entering the unknown. But I felt compelled to continue..."[/i] Aetheran came upon a lagoon. He had seen it once before, several years earlier. It hadn't changed since then; thick strands of golden sunlight penetrated the canopy above and as they kissed the water's surface, they made it appear as though it were a carpet of gleaming sapphire. But the lagoon's tranquil appearance was deceiving, as Aetheran knew all too well, for it was in this very lagoon that Aetheran had come across a most foul-tempered Pixie on his last outing. Pixies were unusual creatures. Generally, they preferred their own company and as such, there were no great Pixie villages or cities within Gaia. Unlike Nymphs, Pixies had no particular connection to Mother Gaia, nor did they have any special responsibilities. This lack of purpose created a tendency for Pixies to cause mischief wherever they went; the long-known old wives tale about idle hands had apparently originated due to Pixies themselves. Despite their love of mischief, most Pixies were pleasant creatures. Although they were happy to play jokes on unsuspecting strangers, they were also just as likely to offer help to those in need. But the Pixie at the lagoon was something else entirely. Her name was Madam Hogbeam and she was very old, perhaps even older than Aetheran himself. And she was decidedly cranky; [i]everything[/i] upset her in one way or another. She frequently blamed Nymphs for the weather -- summer was always too hot, winter was always too cold. And so, on this day, Aetheran hoped against hope that Madam Hogbeam would not notice him. He had been walking for hours and his feet had become sore - the cool, tranquil lagoon promised relief. Aetheran's belongings were wrapped in a large piece of cloth that had been tied to the end of a stick. He carefully placed the stick on the ground and pulled his boots off. "Ahh, free at last," he sighed to himself as he wiggled his little toes happily. He scuttled over to the edge of the lagoon and stood in the cool water. "And just [b]what[/b] do yeh think yer doin'?!" shrieked a familiar voice. Aetheran was so startled by the sudden outburst that he toppled backwards into the water. A twisted little silhouette appeared nearby. It was none other than Madam Hogbeam; Aetheran could her the trademark [i]click-clack[/i] of her oak walking stick. She was perched atop a large rock that was jutting out of the water. "Ew, how dare yeh! Gettin' yeh dirty Nymph feet in meh lovely lagoon!" she cried, waving her walking stick in the air. Aetheran scrambled to his feet, wrung out his beard and shook his feet dry. "You ought not to be so rude," he said, as he gathered up his boots and put them back on. "No, [i]yeh[/i] ought not teh be so rude as teh get yeh dirty Nymph toes in meh lagoon! Yeh got no right teh be 'ere," screeched Madam Hogbeam. Aetheran scratched his head. He didn't want to continue the conversation; it was better, he thought, to simply leave as soon as possible. But just as he turned to leave, Madam Hogbeam tapped her walking stick against the rock. "Wait, wait!" she called. Aetheran turned around. "Yes? I do hope that you're not going to continue with that attitude," he said, "I am on a long journey and it doesn't hurt to rest my feet occasionally." Madam Hogbeam waddled down from the rock and stepped into the light. Aetheran immediately flinched, half expecting to see a horribly repulsive little Pixie. Instead, he felt his heart sink a little. Madam Hogbeam was indeed old and frail, but she also had a surprisingly kind face. Aetheran wondered how a Pixie, whose heart should surely be filled with joy and mischief, could have become so bitter. Madam Hogbeam looked up at Aetheran (Hogbeam was one of the few creatures he'd met that was actually [i]smaller[/i] than himself). "What journey?" she asked, her eyebrows raised inquisitively. For a moment, Aetheran wondered whether or not he should tell her the truth. At the moment, she seemed surprisingly approachable, but one could never be certain - Madam Hogbeam was known for delivering swift beatings with her walking stick when in range of a potential victim (and just about everyone was a potential victim). "Er," Aetheran spluttered, "I have decided to leave the cove. I don't know where to go, but I am hoping that I will find direction once I leave this forest." "Hm," Madam Hogbeam rubbed her bristly chin, "I don't see many Nymphs around 'ere. Did yeh get into trouble or somethin'?" "Sort of," said Aetheran, with a sigh. "Well, did yeh or didn't yeh?" probed Hogbeam. Aetheran nodded. "I might as well have committed a crime," he began, "you see...I failed the Flow Test." For a moment, there was complete silence. But it was broken by a fit of laughter unlike any Aetheran had heard before. Madam Hogbeam was now face-down on the ground, thumping her wrinkly fists into the dirt. "Are yeh serious?! That's the funniest thing I've ever heard! How does a Nymph fail the flow test, eh?! Yeh might as well sprout wings and become a Draconian, for all the good it'll do yeh!" Aetheran blushed heavily. He hadn't been [i]this[/i] humiliated, even in Emerald Cove. After several moments, Madam Hogbeam stopped laughing. She slowly stood up and wiped a tear from her eye. "Oh my, that's one of the funniest things I've ever heard. But...I've never heard of a Nymph leavin' this here forest. Can't say I know how the other races will take to yeh." "I don't know what else to do," said Aetheran slowly. His heart began to feel heavy again. It seemed that something was constantly reminding him of how difficult life would be outside the cove. "Well, have yeh ever spoken to Lablanc?" "Who is Lablanc?" Madam Hogbeam's eyes widened. "Yeh've never 'eard of Lablanc? He's the oldest tree in the forest! He's been 'ere since...well, before any of us. He's the one teh go to if yeh're in trouble or confused. He's 'ere to 'elp all us forest folk." "Where can I find him?" asked Aetheran. Madam Hogbeam laughed again and poked Aetheran with her walking stick. "Ignorant Nymph! Yeh're a Nymph, have yeh already forgotten? Just listen to yeh heart and yeh can easily be findin' Lablanc." [i]"That was one of the strangest days of my life. It was also the very first real step I'd taken to understanding my true power as a Nymph. Madam Hogbeam was easy to ignore because of her attitude, but the truth is, she was wiser than most of us. I wasn't sure why she had chosen to aid me, but it turns out that her advice was invaluable. I found Lablanc soon after and he told me many stories of Gaia, stories that shocked and frightened me. But those stories also opened my eyes. It was he who first mentioned the Innocence...but I was to hear that word so much more during my travels."[/i] [/size] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Sean Posted January 18, 2005 Share Posted January 18, 2005 [I]?Go out and find your destiny young mage, may you come back some time and present us your knowledge of the world. We will await your return.?[/I] The voice still circling her head, making her nauseated at the prospect of leaving the bondage that was the Black Mage colony and setting out on her own quest of self-discovery. Cloud hadn?t made it far before she got tired, she barely had anything to eat before she left the council temple. The memory stuck in her head, but it all seemed so long ago, so painfully numbing that she hadn?t the support of her fellow mages. No more calling for help from Malakith her little Black Mage buddy who helped her in the worst of times. No, she?s all alone in the big world. A world slowly curdling under powers she never knew existed. Cloud rested by a huge oak tree just south of the Black Mage colony and a dead east of the Mage Council of Lerion. She was heading north and out of the land that was Lerion. New prospects laid in front of her like Tarot Cards waiting to be read. The sky still a pale blue color, with very little clouds floating by every so often. The sun aloft in the sky, blazing down upon the calmness of the opening in the Lerion roads. But a cool breeze passed through equalling the suns blazes out. Cloud looked into her nearly empty back pack pulling out what was a diary of some sort. Bindings around the front, and covered in black leather. Cloud opened up the bindings of the book and turned to an empty page. Flicking through her life as she found the blank page. Pulling out an ink well and small quill she wrote away. Writing was something of a hobby to Cloud, she had to do it in secret when she lived with the Black Mages whom didn?t like the idea of her writing about her times in the colony of theirs. But now freedom was hers to write away, and she did, with pleasure as she didn?t have to hide the book every time she heard a noise. But she would have been better paying attention to the noises around her. She would have realised the dull flapping sounds coming from around her, a numb beat of a set of giant wings. They slowly vibrated around the opening in the wooded area Cloud was in. But still she wrote away, the numbing growing louder and louder as the unseen object flew into the opening. And then it ended, the noise dulled completely down, and it was silent once more. ?Finished? Cloud said to herself as she stood up putting the book into her bag and securing the ink well. Finallly she looked up to see not other but a Draconian standing at the other edge of the opening. She stepped back stumbling and falling over a branch. She knew of there fierce ways and how they had the passion of the fight. A rough voice called over. ?You are one of the innocence, come with me or else? Taking aback, she attempted to get back up and fell back down again. Cloud panicked, she never knew what this innocence was. Just then a birth mark started glowing on her shoulder. The draconian nodded and knew he was correct. ?The witch has called for the innocence. You are one of the innocence? Cloud could only nod now, she had no choice in what to do, she wasn?t the fighting type, she preferred helping others than to fighting draconian warriors. ?Ok?? was all she could say. The draconian grabbed hold of her arms, and lifted her into the air. She shook her head several times and finally blurted out. ?Where are we going?? The male draconian laughed. ?Memoria, mage, we are going to Memoria? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options... Bio Posted January 21, 2005 Share Posted January 21, 2005 [indent][font=Trebuchet MS][size=2]"Hey, Cel, when?s breakfast gonna be ready?? Remerant asked, trying to sound as humble as possible but still knowing his tone would make little difference in the end. He was right; she glanced at him briefly and continued to work, but the violence with which she cracked an egg on the side of the pan told him to find something else to do while he was waiting. He stepped out to the patio and sighed, inhaling the fresh air and the aroma omelets being made in the room behind him. He jammed his hands in his pockets and looked down at the stone flooring. When he did this, he noticed something odd; some of the dirt he had tracked in when he returned from the forest yesterday had been displaced by something large enough to make this noticeable and something small enough to have remained unknown to both him and Cel through the night. A minor detail like this would only have been picked up by someone like Remerant; a shifter with keen senses meant for prowling, mainly for use in his shapeshifted form. And regardless of the evidence that someone might have been listening in on them, he didn?t want to get Cel worried over something so insignificant. She would, in fact, most likely scold him for trying to get her scared for his own amusement. Rem crouched down and with his index finger traced into the dirt: [/size][/font] [center][font=Impact][size=2]WHO ARE YOU?[/size][/font][size=2] [/size] [/center] [font=Trebuchet MS][size=2] He stood and nonchalantly surveyed the horizon before returning to the house. ?The weather?s bad. Another bad day for going into town, so why don?t we stay home?? he said as he entered the door. Cel had just flipped the omelets onto small, ceramic plates and was placing them on the wooden table. ?I know, I went out before you woke up. I had to feed the horses. All the hay was wet, and they seemed kinda upset. The chickens, too.? Remerant rested his head on his hand and looked up at her from his chair at the table. ?Maybe someone they didn?t know went into the stable??? he asked, more to himself than to Cel. She glared at him suspiciously as she sat down. ?Does Rem know something or is he just trying to be amusing?? Remerant grinned, happy to be taken semi-seriously. ?Last night, remember how you complained that I tracked dirt all over the patio?? She nodded. ?Well, when I went outside just a second ago, there were traces of footsteps and a weak attempt of hiding them.? Knowing what Cel?s next move would be, Remerant continued. ?And it couldn?t have been you, because you always go out the back.? Cel sighed. This wouldn?t exactly be the first stalker she?d ever picked up. Sometimes a dirty old man would follow her as far as city limits, but that was about it. And she hadn?t been to town in a week, so if it was indeed some poor, depraved bastard, they were either very persistent or very insane. ?So some pervert?s been stalking us?? Cel asked absent-mindedly as she stuffed some omelet in her mouth. ?That would be me.? A silhouette appeared at the doorway. The draconian never sat, and refused Cel?s offer of Remerant?s breakfast. She seemed suspiciously determined to complete her only apparent goal, and would no doubt use force if necessary. ?I have orders to escort one Remerant Emrael to Memoria. I suggest that you comply.? The Stalker said stiffly. She was holding a spear that looked more ornamental than battle-worthy, but was fearsome nevertheless. She was also adorned in full armor, and must have been very good at sneaking around to have been undetected for so long. ?Orders from who? And why should I ?comply? to them?? Rem asked as if this information should have been included in the draconian?s previous statement. The Stalker did not look at all troubled by the challenge, and held her form. ?That will be explained when you reach Memoria. This is very urgent business, and I?m sure your wife will be supported while you are with us.? Cel would have protested, had money not been mentioned. She would indeed need support if Remerant ran off somewhere, and she figured that who ever would be helping would be less inclined to do so if the two weren?t bound by marriage. ?Go, Rem.? Cel said with a certain finality, ?Apparently the world needs you.?[/size][/font][font="][/font] [/indent] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options... 2 weeks later... Arcadia Posted January 31, 2005 Share Posted January 31, 2005 There is something to be said for a decent charm. Because there are the kinds that are sold on the streets that work for a couple months before funking out on you, and then there are the kinds that [i]really[/i] work. The kinds that are made with real time and effort, with blood, sweat, and tears, and whatever else is available. And as Iara fingered the blue stone around her neck, she was once again thankful for having a very talented and professional witch in the family. Despite what some might say, there is also something to be said for a decent witch. On that thought, she supposed the same could be said for any race on Gaia, but as she warily eyed the Incubus leering at her from the corner of the store, she was inclined to feel a little narrow-minded. ?Will that be all for you, dear?? The woman behind the counter was older, her hair graying around the edges. Iara was fairly certain that she was, coincidently, a witch. It would make sense ? many a witch owned or worked in magical shops all around Gaia. More often than not they ran their magical practices out of the store. Iara wasn?t sure if this woman was running any kind of business like that, but she did catch the woman glancing at her pendant with a slight smile. Allowing a small little smile in return, Iara gave the older woman a slight nod and a number of coins. ?Yes, thank you.? When the charm around her neck was being tested, Iara knew. The blue orb remained the same in appearance, but it grew decidedly warmer, depending on the strength of the attempt. The Incubus in the corner was testing it out more than anything else, resulting in the faint warmth at her throat. After so many different attempts by different Incubi (and even some succubi), Iara found the warmth to be familiar, if not always entirely welcome. The witch gave her the fruit she?d picked up and her change and said pleasantly, ?You have a lovely day, dearie.? And then she gave a little wink, and Iara smiled again. It might have been a personal record. Feeling slightly more amused, she left the store and headed for the Corona. Though the best memories of her family were in Memoria, Iara felt more at home in Lerion than any other place in Gaia, and it was because of spots like the Corona. All in all, Lerion was a beautiful kingdom. Made of white neferti, the stone was absolutely brilliant in the sunlight and it made the entire coast glow. And then at sunset, the changing pinks and oranges of the sky and the calming blues and greens of Nautica made for a beautiful backdrop against the white city. Thousands of artists had tried, but Iara had always thought it was the kind of view that couldn?t possibly be recaptured on a canvas. The colors they had just didn?t seem deep or vivid enough. The Corona, however, was proof that some of those artists did know how to use color. Above sea level, the Corona was a circular piazza where many of Lerion?s inhabitants came throughout the day to relax and enjoy the sights and smells of the city and the Great Sea. There were no merchants trying to sell things, no crowded markets ? just peace and quiet and the vastness of Nautica before it. The same nerferti stone that was used for all of Lerion?s buildings was dyed brilliant shades of yellow and orange and placed in the square in a giant circle. At the center of the entire square was a very simple, three-layer fountain. When the fountain was first erected, Iara remembered that there was much discussion about what it should be. In the end, to stop the petty arguments over race, the kingdom?s Queen decided on the current model. Now, the Corona was almost symbol of Lerion itself ? calm, simple, but colorful. Iara took a bite out of the apple she bought and leaned against the wall overlooking the Great Sea. The weather in Lerion had been absolutely gorgeous lately. The days were warm but the nights were cool and Nautica always supplied the shore side kingdom with a gentle breeze. Work had also been promising as of late. She had an appointment a little later, with another possible employer, and her reputation within the kingdom was always growing in favor. There was no reason for her to feel lost or down or anything other than content. However, Iara was never one to do exactly as she was told. And if there was no reason to feel blue, then leave it to her to feel exactly that. It was something that she was slightly amused by, but on another level she was aware that it wasn?t entirely normal. And though she couldn?t see it causing any problems now, there was no telling what sort of things the future had in store for her. Iara seemed to shrug halfheartedly at that thought, and then reached up to fix the strap of her dress when it slid off her shoulder with the movement. A second later, she felt somebody else?s hand brush it down again and stepped forward, turning halfway to face whoever wanted to lose their hand so badly. A rather tall Draconian stood behind her, and upon seeing her cool, narrowed eyes held his hands up in defense. After a minute of silence on both parts, Iara, increasingly ill tempered, asked sharply, ?Are you going to explain to me what you?re doing or can I move forward with my plans to burn you alive?? The Draconian did not let his hands drop, though he did look considerably more amused than she. ?They did warn me that you were a little feisty.? ?I plan to start with your wings,? She added. His hands dropped and so did his smile. ?There?s a mark on your shoulder. It?s small, but it?s there. I had thought it was so yesterday, but I thought I should learn something about you before broaching this subject. So I made a small visit to your aunt.? Iara cocked an eyebrow at him, ready to throw her apple if need be. She imagined that it was probably folly to try and outrun a Draconian, but all she needed was enough of a head start so that she could toast the guy from a safe distance. Which she was fully prepared to do if he didn?t explain himself further, as she proceeded to tell him in language that was not quite as pretty. He eyed the apple before replying evenly, ?As one of the Innocence, proven by the mark on your shoulder, your presence is immediately requested in Memoria.? His voice was low enough so that those nearby didn?t hear. Iara was grateful for this because she didn?t think it was great for her reputation to be stalked by a crazy person and the less people who knew about it, the better. He seemed to sense her disbelief, however, and before she could do something drastic he continued in slightly more placating tone, ?Trust me, Iara, this is not insanity. I?m sure you?ve felt it over the last month? the darkness. It is returning.? She thought about this for a second, crossing her arms after taking another small bite from her apple. She?d heard tales of the Nexus all her life, like the rest of the children of Gaia, but to her that?s all they were - tales. An unfathomable part of history that might have given her nightmares as a small girl in Memoria, but now held no thought to her at all. She couldn?t even remember who the famous three Mages were supposed to be. And yet... something about that wasn't so off. It would explain her recent moodiness. And as much as it irked her, Iara knew that maybe it was something she should look into. ?What?s in Memoria?? She finally asked after a second. [i]Besides the memories of my broken family,[/i] the thought came suddenly and made her frown. If the Draconian noticed the look ? which she was sure he did ? he said nothing. Probably assumed it went with the question, which she thought was a wholly valid one. ?Answers,? he told her, and refolded his richly dyed wings. By their color and from his garb, Iara assumed that the Draconian must have held a position of importance, like some kind of Harold or something. ?There is only so much I can tell you. But you have a royal summons to Memoria, during which all of this will become clear.? ?I?m just supposed to drop everything I?m doing?? She wasn?t going to hide her anger and indignation. She would, in fact, hold to them for long after this conversation, as a sort of safety blanket; her one familiar thing in a world that was changing so abruptly. It only took a second for him to think about his answer. ??Yes.? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options... Vicky Posted January 31, 2005 Share Posted January 31, 2005 [SIZE=1]There was a quite relaxing feel to the sound of papers being turned in old books and items being shifted across the room. All in all that was the only sound when S?Korra was around books and items in her home, anywhere outside she was? annoying, to me, anyway. I can remember the day clearly, when the Draconian came to me and said I was part of the Innocence. I wasn?t in the best of moods, not with S?Korra, not with any one else, not even with myself. It was just one of those days, and I wasn?t entirely up for a historical search across Memoria. In fact, I wasn?t entirely up to anything. I was sat back in my chair, across the room from S?Korra, who was flicking through her books. S?Korra was a small Draconian, with long and beautiful golden hair and pure white wings. She had never dyed hers, obviously, she had spent all her time in Memoria. Memoria was an industrial kingdom more than anything; I could never understand how S?Korra could find anything to do with history in Memoria. Maybe the buildings did, though I myself didn?t actually see the value in history. History was the past, year after year people will forget important details and soon enough everyone will forget there was even a civilisation? that?s what I think. Who am I? Darius Aphosis Khafra, a Draconian who shouldn?t be living. I sighed heavily and watched S?Korra. She seemed busy, she had a job. I though that maybe I should get one, but then again was there a point to getting a job? A striker or warrior for Memoria wasn?t good enough to clear my own family?s name. No one actually knew about my family, though it was enough that I did. I won?t bore you with that junk, S?Korra could tell you better then me probably. ?Darius, could you help me with these books?? she asked from her corner of the room. I turned my head and saw her trying to pick up a dozen books all at once, and I didn?t reply. I heard her sighing and shuffling the books around the desk, myself trying to get a better grip, she wasn?t going to get my help anyway. Like I said, I wasn?t in the mood to even get up out of my seat. ?Darius?? she repeated, ?can I have some help, [I]please[/I]?? I didn?t turn around, but I muttered, ??do it yourself?? Even from my distance I could actually feel her cold gaze on my neck. She heard me, alright; she always seemed to hear what I said. I had annoyed her in past; we did get along, but not as much as you would think. Apparently, I?m always the problem. ?[I]Excuse[/I] me?? she said, quite shocked. I didn?t look at her, knowing she was looking at me I didn?t really want to. ?Guess what, Darius? You?re still living in this house in Memoria, last time I checked I owned this place, if you don?t want to help me then you can go and live outside for a bit until you get over to tantrums, it?s perfectly fine by me.? [I]Tantrums?[/I] I suddenly jumped out of my chair, and stormed right over to S?Korra. I stood in front of her oak desk, not actually being able to see her from behind all those books, and I glared at her for a moment. ?I though you were a historian, you are aren?t you? Stop asking for my help all the time and do it yourself!? I bellowed at her. ?Stop living in your friends house and sitting around sulking all day!? [I]Sulking?[/I] My patience with her had come to its limits. She was my friend, yet she always said I did nothing. What was her problem? I didn?t have a problem with her, I did now. Angrily, with my fists clenched, I knocked over the old books on her desk and then I threw the dozens of books out of her hands. She jumped back, startled, her wings knocking off an ornament beside the fire. Without another word I stormed away from her, towards the door. ?There you go again, tantrums!? she shouted after me. I tried my best to ignore her, and I didn?t reply to her insults. I never had tantrums, I never sulked and I was never going to step back into her door again. Well, skyscrapers did have some use in Memoria. You could sit on top of them, with your knees up to your chest, your wings spread out as far as you wanted, and you could watch the thousands of people below you, now like ants in your eyes. I had never been interested in industry, I only moved to Memoria because that?s where my only friend was going to live. Well, my ex-friend. I knew that I was actually better off without friends. I sighed heavily ? more of a growl actually. I had just remembered the things I had left back at home with S?Korra, some things I would need. My bow? damn, my bow, I didn?t want to leave that. It was my only weapon? I guess I would have to go without it. Yes, I had decided to leave Memoria. There was no point in my staying. I would probably travel to a place with more trees. I was going to, anyway. Somewhere more peaceful, it would?ve been much better for me. While staring at my shadow (I had gotten bored of the people below), I noticed it flickered a little and grew bigger. It wasn?t a cloud near the sun. Looking up, I noticed something in the sky, souring around the clouds like there was no tomorrow. Whoever it was must have been a Draconian, and I must say they flew gracefully, more gracefully then I had ever seen. I shielded my eyes from the sun and squinted, trying to get a better look at them. For a while I didn?t notice that the Draconian was landing near me. He dropped gracefully near the middle of the building, folding his white wings up behind his back. They looked a little dyed, his wings I mean, from my distance they just looked white. The Draconian was older then me, with shorted hair, more brilliantly rich clothing and he was taller then me, I certainly wouldn?t want to pick a fight with him. ?Go away!? I snapped bitterly at him, clenching my fists and snapping like a dog. He looked at me with cold blue eyes, forcing me to repeat. ?I said? Go away!? I shouted louder this time, yet he ignored my yells and began to walk forward. As he came closer I noticed his wings were dyed, dyed a light, light blue colour. He towered over me and looked down, coldly. I said nothing, but I did growl. ?What part of go away don?t you understand?? I blurted once again. ?I?m looking for a Draconian, of the Innocence, perhaps you might be him?? the man replied, coldly. ?Do I look innocent?? I asked him with the same doggish snap. I held up a fist to his face, warning him off, but still he stayed still, looking down. Suddenly, he gripped my wrist with a vice-like grip, turned my hand over, and stared at a black marking on my skin. ?You have the mark.? ?Mark? That?s probably just some dirt that hasn?t washed off in years, get off my hand!£ I screamed at him. I pulled myself back, awkwardly, tripping over my own feet as I moved back and falling hard on my back and wings. He moved over to me again, looking down once again. I was growing tired of his superior look. ?You, my friend, are part of the Innocence. I would explain more were we stand, but I think it would be better if you come with me.? He told me. I said nothing, he continued, ?and I would like it if you stood up, young sir.? ?First things first, I?m not a young man, and I?m not part of your? Innocence? do you understand? What exactly are you offering me, some sort of group thing? I have no intention of joining you. I?ve stayed in these parts long enough without adventure, without anything to do that would clear my name, without adventure, and I don?t want to make things worse.? I was calm now. I began to shuffle back to the edge and pulled myself to my feet, once again meeting the cold ocean stare of the Draconian. ?If I told you that this was your chance to prove yourself, would you come?? he asked. ?Depends?? ?Well, I?m telling you. Come with me, I?ll show you what I mean. Adventure? yes, that as well. They did tell me that the member would be a little defensive and hard on himself, family issues apparently. This is your chance to forgive yourself, only if you want to.? I thought for a moment, not too sure what to do. I did want to see what he meant, ?I don?t know. If I come, you have to prove you know I?m from this?? I started, staring my? mark, ?Innocence. Prove it, and I?ll come, probably.? The Draconian said nothing, for a while. He finally spoke, slowly and calmly. ?Put it this way, if you come with me I have a brilliant way to make both families proud of you, and stop generations of blood shed between you all. Maybe it could even help you become a better person, I?m not sure about that one. If you want to change, you can. Just come with me, I?ll show you.? Memoria had nothing for me. His offer was quite tempting for me, I wasn?t sure what he was talking about, really. But still, I did want to see what he was going to do for me. I wondered on the spot for a while, stroking my chin, and nodded at him. ?Then follow me, I?ll take-? ?I suddenly remembered? ?No, wait! I need to say goodbye to someone, and get my bow. Will you wait here for me? I won?t be long, I promise it.? He nodded. I gave him a warm and smile and to my surprise, he smiled back, warmly. He spread out my wings and lifted myself into the air, flying back to S?Korra. To my surprise, the house was a mess. No entirely, to say the least. The books were spread all over the floor, pages were all over the place, on the desk, the floor, the chairs? numerous items seemed to have been thrown across the room, or they had been dropped. It didn?t seem likely that S?Korra would have dropped them. I knew for a fact that she was mad at me, but still, I had lied. I lied about never coming back. I had convinced myself I was coming for my bow on the way back, but in truth I wanted to say good-bye to her, it wasn?t fair on her for all she had done for me. The spells she told me, the help with my family? it just wasn?t fair. ?S?Korra!? I shouted in a hushed voice when I saw her digging for books at the shelf. She didn?t turn to me, instead he continued to shuffle with her books and items. I stood at the door, titled my head, and waited, but got no reply. For some reason I didn?t expect it. ?S?Korra??? I repeated. She didn?t even turn to me. I ran towards her, almost tripping over the books and knocking some items with my wings. When I came to her, she walked past me. ??Please, I have something to tell you?? I whispered. She continued to ignore, sat down at the desk, and began writing. When it became clear to me that I wasn?t going to get anything out of her, that she wasn?t going to say goodbye, I sighed and walked over to my chair. Beside it lay my short bow, and a quiver. Without hesitation but with great regret I picked the two items up, and looked back over to S?Korra, who continued to ignore me. She was still looking through the books even as I stood at the doorstep. I could see she wasn?t really reading? and it hurt me. Sighing, I began to turn and walk out, though I stopped for a moment, remembering all she had done. Even if she wouldn?t say goodbye I could at least give her something. Reluctantly, I ran my hands over my feathers until I came across one that as dyed blue and black. I grasped it, winced before yanking it out, and lay it down on the doorstep. ?I?ll never see you again?? I whispered finally. When I walked away, I cold feel her eyes on me, I wasn?t sure if she was angry with me or not. It didn?t matter anymore. She had no right to talk to me for what I had done, all she had done for me and I threw it back. Now I was going away I had ruined everything and all I could leave behind from me was a feather, and not even a feather from her. Instead, I got a glance that I could never even see. I just hope that she?ll keep my feather.[/SIZE] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options... StrikeGundam Posted February 4, 2005 Share Posted February 4, 2005 [size=2][color=#cccccc][font=Book Antiqua]The entire kingdom of Lerion basked in the amber glow of the early morning. The gem set atop the rim that was the edge of the great sea, Lerion was well know for many things, but Cesta the best known city that it held. Many people flocked to Cesta in hopes to become one of the many powerful Mages and Sorcerers that its academies had produced, but few ever realized their dreams. A single figure shuffled down the well beaten path, so deep in thought that he could barely keep from tripping over his own feet. Dim sunlight filtered through the dense canopy, casting eerie shadows on the long scruffy grass that covered the forest floor, and a strangely strong breeze whistled through the enormous tree trunks. The wind shocked the figure out of his trance, and he pulled his shabby brown coat a bit tighter around him. His name was Frer, and he had been training for this day for a long time. "Today's the day," Frer declared to no one in general. "Finally I will claim a golem for myself, and use said instrument to bring honor to the name Orynbrand from all over Gaia. I'll build a mansion in every kingdom, and women swoon at the mere sight of me!" Frer's words hung heavily in the calm air as he looked skyward. The opening to a huge cavern sat upon the cliff that loomed high above Frer's head. The hole looked almost as if some sort of giant had lumbered down from the mountains and ripped a messy hole in the cliff face. "I don't care about all the stories they've told about this place in town," Frer told himself, "Golems are merely walking bits of elements, and I'm going up there to get myself one no matter what!" Frer swallowed deeply and cleared his throat. He then declared in a loud, clear voice. "I, Frer Orynbrand, Son of Aeren and Trisan, Red Mage Extraordinaire, and pride of Lerion, demand that one of you golem come down here and admit me entrance to your hovel of a home at once!" Frer cast an unwavering stare at the dark cavern. He stayed in this position, merely staring and not moving an inch, for several moments until a rumble issued from the cave. An inky black material cascaded forth from the hole. It moved in a sort of slow motion as it flowed through the air. When it finally hit the ground, it resumed regular speed and shot forward, forming a long slide that rapidly crinkled into a large staircase. Frer, who had been mystified by the sheer power of his words, shook the disbelief from his head and reassumed an air of importance. "That's more like it," he mumbled to himself, and he planted his foot firmly on the first step. Or else he would have if his foot hadn't gone clear through it. "What in the..." Frer pulled his foot from the softly flowing materiel, and gingerly tried putting his foot on a higher step. His foot found itself on the inside of the step once again, and Frer soon followed as he lost his balance. A quiet yet unmistakable snicker wafted down from the cave's entrance and met Frer?s ear as he lay on the ground with his face in a pile of weeds. The would-be Red Mage leapt from the ground with a look of pure fury upon his face. He clenched his fists tightly and found that he had unknowingly grabbed a small stone in his haste to get up. In a huff, he threw the round gray stone at one of the stairs above his head, and gasped in surprise as the rock bounced off and clattered to the ground. This gave Frer an idea. He walked a small ways down the path and took a runners stance. He launched himself forward, rapidly pumping his arms and legs until he reached full speed. No sooner than he had reached the staircase, that bottom step surged forward and launched Frer high into the air. He landed in a dusty heap square in the middle of the path. He stayed there for a while, and then he slowly picked himself out of the dirt. Frer wheeled around and stomped away ?I don't need this!!" he screamed over his shoulder. Onyx laughed to himself and turned to re-enter the village. It was a very small village, with many small huts made out of the elements of their inhabitants, and golem of every type imaginable doing various odd jobs. At the top of the hill in the center of the village, Nereid was moving water to surround the home of a flame golem. Nereid had been head of the village, and companion to Onyx, for several years. She spotted Onyx as he emerged from the cave, and she motioned for him to come to her. Onyx smiled brightly at her, but the smile died as he saw the look of concern upon her face. "What's wrong?" "There is someone at the hall that wants to see you. Come, I'll take you to him." Onyx nodded and followed her down the path to the hall, a large glass building nestled in the back of the village. They went through the double doors, and Onyx gasped as he saw who was waiting for him. He had only heard stories about them, but there was no doubt in his mind that it was a Draconian. "You are the first non-golem to enter this village since I came here. What business do you have here with me?" The Draconian's feathers bristled at Onyx's gruff statement, but his face remained emotionless. "I have come to take you to Memoria." He said. "You are one of the-" "No, I will not go." "It wasn't a request." "I'd like to see you persuade me otherwise." The Draconian's wings began to fully unfurl at that statement. "You would force me to leave my home and my friends defenseless, and you would fight me in my own home if I refused to follow you blindly. I can see no reason to go with you." "You must, for you are one of the Innocence." Onyx and the Draconian both turned to look at Nereid. She opened her mouth to speak again. "I've always told you that you were meant for great things, and this is proof of that." "Nereid, look at me, you know as well as I do that I cannot be an Innocent." "Onyx, did you forget about the mark on your chest?" He looked down to see the mark that was over the place where his heart would beat. When he looked up again, Nereid had moved closer to him and she rested her head on the mark. "I know in my heart as you must in yours that you need to go." "But who will protect you, all of you?" "You have taught us and shielded us all for a very long time. You must give us a chance to protect ourselves while you protect the world." She looked up at him with tears in her eyes. "Now go, before I decide otherwise..." Onyx nodded. After what seemed like an eternity, he turned to the Draconian herald. "What must I do?" [/font][/color][/size] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options... 2 weeks later... Ben Posted February 15, 2005 Share Posted February 15, 2005 "Now, this spell is a bit more powerful than you?re likely to come across in any of those other villages you?ve been to. I learned [I]this[/I] spell secretly from a high mage in the Victorian academy of magic." Macros waited patiently as the brown-toothed old hermit told him of his brief stay in the Victorian Minor Academy. He'd heard the story already, but the man had a failing memory, and was prone to repeating himself. Macros would have liked to simply tell the man that he'd heard the story already, but knew the man didn't like to be interrupted, and he didn't like to hear that he'd forgotten something. The memory of [I]that[/I] instance was still fresh. Macros rubbed the somewhat charred cloth of his shoulder. The old man's black fireball hadn't been particularly powerful, but it caught him off-guard. "And that?s when I moved here." The hermit blew his nose loudly into his hands, and then transferred the mucus onto the seat of his pants. "Sad, isn't it?" "Truly, a great tragedy, Andronius." Macros replied gently. "Now, that spell you used to escape....you said it made your shadow solid?" "Escape..." the wrinkled old-timer repeated, squinting. "Ah, right you are. It made my shadow firm enough to grasp and climb upon." Macros silently exulted; he'd finally guided the man past the story! He'd been there since midmorning, and had heard the story six times already. It was inspiring to have made progress. "Could you show me how to use it?" Macros inquired. "Use what?" The hermit looked at Macros suddenly, as if just realizing that he was there. "Have we met?" And so, Macros was forced to introduce himself again to the old man and listen to his entire story of love, lies, and despair. Andronius had risen from a modest merchant?s job to become a respectable student of magic and he?d won the heart of the Academy's brightest and most beautiful female pupil. Everyone adored her for her charm, her wit, and her great beauty. She was the daughter, or sister, it seemed, of the academy itself. The two were set to be married just after graduation, and no happier couple could be found. Not far into their final year of study, she had walked in on one of his experiments with some various elements of black magic; strictly forbidden at this particular Academy. She screamed, and Andronius panicked. The spell went awry and caused a loud detonation, hurling its chaotic energies about the room and utterly mutilating and disfiguring her now-dead body. At this point in the story, the hermit would always briefly close his eyes and shed a tear. "You were such a fool, Andronius." he would reprimand himself. Knowing what would inevitably event from his crime and the resulting accident, Andronius had decided to leave the school and run away, to never be heard from again. He could hear the academy's guards dashing through the hallways outside. He went to his window, and looked downwards at his shadow. His room was located a lower floor of the Academy; the street was not too far below it. Andronius willed his shadow to take form; to take dimension. Slowly, it rose up off of the surface of the wall. With a brightly burning torch behind him, and the full moon up above, Andronius's shadow was greatly elongated, and cast down the side of the castle. He slid gently down the silk-like length of his shadow, and fled the city, never to be heard there again. "A touching tale." said Macros, upon the end of the eighth recital. "But how exactly did you make your shadow solid?" "Oh, er...." Andronius paused for a moment, tapping his forehead. "You have to sort of will [I]your[/I] solidity into the shadow. Now, you don't actually want to transfer anything to it, but instead just...eh...let it know what it's like to be solid." He produced a rough scroll from his back pocket, and handed it to Macros. "Hmm. I think I see what you're saying." Andronius shrugged, and then left Macros standing at the edge of the woods, studying the spell?s properties that were written on the scroll. Macros squinted. It was early afternoon, and his shadow lay like a dark, dark oval upon the ground. He was emotionally close to his shadow, as absurd as it may sound. It was just the result of light shining upon him, after all. It had been the instrument through which he'd escaped many a predicament, though, and it was his only true companion in the darkness. Macros's dark magic relied a good part upon his shadow, and so this odd affection grew. Macros nodded slightly to his shadow and proceeded to attempt the spell. "You, Drairthrak!" a voice called out suddenly from behind him. "Just Macros, friend." He kept his concentration on his shadow. Interrupted spells did not make for good situations. "I've been sent here to take you to Memoria." Macros could not see the individual who made the declaration, but he was not inclined to leave and go to Memoria. "I'm busy, please leave." "I'm afraid I can't do that. You are one of the Innocence, and I have been ordered to take you to Memoria." Macros cast a swift glance back at his would-be companion. A Draconian. No way he could overpower him physically, and it was too bright out for most of his shadow spells to be useful. He?d have to get to the forest. His shadow was now almost fully phased into existence. A few moments more, and it would be like stone. "Prove that I am one of these 'Innocence.' " he challenged, turning to face the winged entity. The Draconian looked at him sternly, but responded with another question. "Why do you study dark magic?" "That is my own affair." Macros replied shortly. With a sudden ripple of his arm, Macros struck his hardened shadow at the Draconian's face with his staff and ran towards the thick foliage of the forest. The Draconian warded off the attack with his armored forearm, and flapped his wings in pursuit of the mage. Macros' shadow lost its new solid form and flowed swiftly back to its owner, quickly outstripping the Draconian. Macros looked back quickly over his shoulder. The Draconian was quickly gaining on him, his polished armor gleaming in the sunlight. ?Nearly there, so very close now....? he thought. The Draconian dived, and so did Macros. Casting one of his more powerful spells, Macros joined with his shadow just as they entered into the shade of the trees. The Draconian grasped empty air, and then halted himself with practiced ability. He settled roughly upon the ground. "Come out, mage. You know you must come to Memoria." Macros eyed the Draconian through a dark veil. He was seated on a slender branch, the spell making his size indefinite and his weight nonexistent. There was no way the Draconian could see him; he was the shadow of the branch. He could have easily escaped into the darkened forest, forever leaving behind this bothersome messenger. Even so, Macros did not leave. Something within nagged at him. He felt the need to make his intentions known. [I]"I study the darkness so that I can know it, and one day defeat it. It is the [B]great[/B] darkness that has made the people suffer."[/I] The voice sounded within the Draconian's mind like the mouthings of some blighted chorus of forgotten souls. It caused him unease, but he had been trained not to show it. Something stirred, too, in him. Something more powerful than this dark magician; something much older. Suddenly, he could see Macros as clear as the sunrise. "Follow me, Macros, or I will come and get you." Macros turned the idea over in his mind. It was an empty threat, he thought, but he was no longer opposed to going to Memoria. He stayed still and as a shadow, silently contemplating. [I]Crack.[/I] [I]SLAM.[/I] In one smooth and remarkably swift instant, the Draconian had cast a dagger at the branch Macros had been perched on, causing him to fall and startling him out of his enchanted state. The Draconian had rushed forward after throwing the dagger and had then pinned Macro?s physical form stiffly against the trunk of the tree. Macros took a few short breaths, and shook his head to clear it. "To Memoria, then." Macros nodded. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options... Pandemonium Posted February 17, 2005 Share Posted February 17, 2005 [SIZE=1][COLOR=DarkSlateGray]Sabyll snorted. This man, this thing, had been following her since the last town. Ever since she had left the last inn of that town, and the cold man in her room's bed. Yes, the Hunger had been strong last night. She had been working long and hard to suppress it further, to gain control, and she was pleased with her success. But her Need remained, and when that coupled with starved Hunger... Well, at least the man had enjoyed the best night of his life; it was his last. Twilight gray cloak pulled up around her shoulders, the cross breed had left, tipping the inn keeper slightly - it was never nice to leave a mess without some compensation. At first, she took no notice of the great winged figure that left the establishment after her. Not until after taking multiple side roads, he was still following her, albeit he had distanced himself from her as the time had passed. He was quiet magnificent: great dove-white wings that were tucked back softly against broad, strong shoulders. His hair was like spun gold, long and tied loosely with a leather thong at the end near his waist. Sharp cerulean blue orbs set within sharp angular features seemed to pierce holes in her back as she headed towards the next town. She had originally planned on going to a larger place, but now... smaller seemed like a wiser choice. What she couldn't figure out, was why this exquisite specimen was tracking her. That metalworker Byrron couldn't have finally gotten up the courage to send someone after her; he was devoted to her, even now probably. He was the only of these Draconian creatures she had ever met though, so she kept it a possibility. The scorns of love could indeed burn long and hard. It was near dusk by the time she, or rather, they, arrived at the next village. She didn't even know the name of the place, but it only had a few houses, a meeting hall, and one inn. If Byrron had sent the Draconian, or if not... it wouldn?t matter soon enough. Stepping into the inn, she breathed in the stuffy, alcohol-laden air, thick with the heat of bodies and their many, many functions. Ah, the smell of humanity. There was a bar and a few tables in the front of the one floor establishment. She moved to sit at the bar, drawing her cloak around her as she sat. There were eyes following her from the moment she stepped in, of course. Mostly slightly intoxicated men who didn?t want to go home to their nagging wives, a few bachelors, some travelers, and boys who wished they were men. A few women also watched the being as she sat ? always interesting how so many people denied themselves of what they desired. She ordered a room for one night and a glass of sweet ale. A few moments passed before the large, wrinkled woman who had taken her order returned. ?Compliments of that...er... gentleman o?er there, little lady.? She gestured over towards a table near the door. The Draconian smiled, raising his glass to Sabyll. His wings were tucked gracefully over the low-backed chair he sat in, though his presence seemed almost too big for the room, let alone the table he sat at. ?Aren?t you a lucky one, heh... Ain?t seen a Draconian man in... well, too long.? The old woman chuckled. ?Pretty catch ye got, I?d say. As long as he?s good to ye!? Oh yes... A very nice catch indeed. ?I?m sure he will be...? Sabyll returned with a polite smile. Wagging her finger, the bartender let out a sharp laugh before turning back to her work, talking to herself about ?the young ones? these days. ?May I join you?? Tucking a few snowy locks behind her ear, the dark-skinned creature looked over her shoulder to the Draconian, dark caramel eyes meeting striking blue. She hadn?t even heard him move. Still, her lips curled softly upwards and she nodded. ?Of course.? The male lowered himself onto a stood beside her, setting his glass of dark colored alcohol on the bar top. ?You?ve been following me.? ?Yes.? ?Why?? The Draconian smiled, bringing up the glass to his lips. Sabyll did the same. ?Thank you for the drink.? ?My pleasure.? ?What do you want?? He seemed to pause for a moment, as if he wasn?t quite sure on his priorities. Of course, being this close to her would probably do nothing to help that fact. After a few more moments, he frowned. ?To come with me. To Memoria.? Her eyes narrowed at the sound of the proposition. Well, it didn?t sound so much of a proposition... more like a statement of fact. She didn?t like that. ?Why would I wish to go to Memoria?? ?Because you have been called into presence by the court.? Standing, she took a last, long moment to drink before setting it on the bar. ?No thanks.? She said before walking back towards her room. No one was her master, and the will of no other but her own would ever govern her. She didn?t expect a strong, heavy hand to rest upon her shoulder, nor did she expect the sudden force it uses to wheel her around and slam her back up against a wall. One of her hands instantly produced a long, curved dagger and she swept it out in an arc, black metal singing through the dimly lit hall. The Draconian recoiled with a grunt, a thin red line appearing over his left cheek up to his temple. Crimson trails leaked slowly from it, and the male brought one finger up to it, wiping away the longest line and touching his stained finger to his lip, slipping it inside his mouth. A second blade was in Sabyll?s other hand, and she crouched slightly against the wall. Immediately, her lithe body seemed to begin to melt backwards into the wall and its many shadows from flickering candlelight around them. A soft chuckle escaped her lips, smooth and dark, like black satin. It was short lived as the Draconian suddenly moved forward, grabbing her still exposed shoulder. He blocked another strike at the wrist with his forearm, and grabbed the offending arm. He jerked her forward, but she slipped a leg around one of his, catching him off balance as she used his body for leverage to swing around him. She moved like water over rock, graceful and powerful in her own right. Wings suddenly blocked her way, stretching out long and white, almost seeming to glow against the dark of the space around them. She stumbled back, and the Draconian moved forward, catching both her arms and pushing them above her head as he trapped her with his body. Neither of them expected the sudden rise of her Hunger. Adrenaline from battle almost instantly changed its flow towards other ends. The Succubus didn?t fight against the Hunger, allowing the Need to couple with it, letting it feed off itself and spread. The Draconian?s eyes fluttered, a shred of resistance shimmering somewhere deep azure orbs. But, he was a male, after all... oh yes, definitely a male... No warrior?s training could defend against the desires of the body ? if anything it made them stronger. Sabyll?s back arched as she leaned up towards him and the shred was torn away, left to the care of hot rising winds. At least the door to the room was not too far off... _____________________________ The woman awoke to the feeling of strong, warm arms encircling her. Most pleasant. The accompanying winds that rushed around them both, running playful fingers back through her starlight hair, was not pleasant. Not in the least. Sunlight stung at her eyes. It seemed to be so much closer than usual. The Draconian was looking out and forward, expression a strange cross of slightly angered determination and blissful freedom. His wings spread out mightily above them, catching the currents. They were flying. ?Squirming would be advised against.? The Draconian said matter-of-factly, a hint of a smirk playing over his lips. Sabyll stared. She never awoke after those that she fed from. It was almost mid-day, judging by the sun! She suddenly hissed, ?The drink. Damned Draconian.? Her hands moved to find her weapons. ?I have my orders, but if you fight back at this point, no blame will come to me for dropping you.? He looked down at her, eyes shinning with what might be called amusement. ?Tis a long way to fall, my lady.? Snorting, she did not bother to look down, arms crossing over her chest. So *now* it was ?my lady?. Men. Ah well... what was done was done. Looking down, she saw the very last of the land that she had ever traveled upon. Memoria, was it... With a name such as that, there was bound to be nothing but trouble. Sabyll suspected she could deal with that. It was probably inevitable; obviously he had been prepared for what he was going to find in facing her. But still, that made her wonder... Smirking, she shook her head, eyes slowly looking him over again, unabashedly. ?There was a reason they picked you, wasn?t there.? The Draconian laughed. [I](Wow... that sucked. Sorry it took so long. U_U ) [/I] [/COLOR][/SIZE] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options... 1 month later... Arcadia Posted March 18, 2005 Share Posted March 18, 2005 [center]Chapter Two: Memoria Characters: All. See the Underground thread for specifics.[/center] Iara had very few memories of Memoria and the time she spent in the actual kingdom. Her family had lived its short-lived life in Rue, which was just north of Memoria. She remembered it looking small compared to the actual kingdom itself, and Rue wasn?t exactly a small ten-family village kind of deal. Memoria, though, was huge compared to Lerion. The buildings were vast and some of them seemed to stretch into the sky forever. Where Lerion was white, smooth nerferti, Memoria was metal in everyway possible. There were so many people, too. More then there ever were during market days in Lerion. The more she saw the more Iara began to feel out of place. It had taken them a while to get there, but from what she understood, many of the other Innocence were also from Lerion. She?s remarked that it was a fine coincidence, but the Draconian (he?d eventually introduced himself as Zerrin) had only arched his eyebrow in response and asked her, ?Is it?? She didn?t like the idea that she no longer had absolute control of things. Her Draconian companion represented her loss of that control in this vast kingdom and though she knew it wasn?t fair, she began to despise him because of it. What was even more unfair was the fact that Zerrin was entirely likeable and he made it very difficult for her to be angry and bitter. At the moment, he was discussing something with another of his kind, only this Draconian had dyed her wings a very rich purple hue. What looked like a curved sword was slung across her back. From the way that the woman held herself, Iara had no doubt that she could use it. They were speaking in low tones and the red mage had the particular feeling that the conversation somehow had to do with her abduction. As if on cue, the female Draconian glanced in her direction before murmuring something to Zerrin. He responded and then she saluted him before taking off into the sky. The gusts from her gorgeous wings swept past Iara, brushing her hair and her grayish dress backwards. The red mage watched her disappear behind a skyscraper before asking lightly, ?Did you have a nice conversation?? Zerrin folded his emerald wings behind him and observed her for a brief moment. ?That,? he eventually said, ?was Teviah, and she is going to retrieve her Innocence before joining us. We will then make our way to the palace where you will have all your answers.? ?Oh, wonderful.? ?Before that, though, we have some much needed shopping to do.? He smirked a little at her raised eyebrow before turning her towards a nearby shop with very tall windows. There were colorful robes on display, many of them made from very expensive material. Some were a little more done up than others, but they were all for very formal, proper occasions and Iara felt another little piece of her pride chip off as Zerrin said, ?There are certain things you need to know before you can be presented to his majesty and to the Elder Innocence. While we?re waiting for Teviah and her white mage Innocence, we can go over those in great detail.? It was obvious from the look in her eyes that Iara was not exactly brimming in excitement at the prospect of a lesson in court etiquette, but at this point she thought it was probably best if she saved her arguments for later when they would really be needed. Part of her felt pity for the other Innocence who would no doubt go through the same torture that she was being put through now. The more she thought about the others, the more curious Iara became. Even if she was here against her will, she at least wasn?t the only one and there was some comfort in that, as strange as it was. And she would be meeting this other mage before the real introductions began. It wasn?t much of a leg up, but it was a definite start. ?Oh, look at this lovely little number,? Zerrin broke into her thoughts then, holding up a hideous robe that her grandmother might have worn on a bad day. Iara knew then that it was going to be a miracle if she made it out of any of this alive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options... Ezekiel Posted March 19, 2005 Share Posted March 19, 2005 I shivered slightly, the water lapping around my waistline as my head rested back against the ceramic tub. I sighed and opened my eyes again, taking in the beauty of Memoria?s Bath House. It was like nothing I had ever seen before, sculptures from granite and marble adorned the corridors, and paintings of beautiful women swimming in the ocean were hung perfectly in the welcome hall. A smile touched my lips, now healed form my trek, this Memoria had certainly surpassed all my expectations. The imagery the Draconian, Teviah was her name, had created was only an appetizer for the true magnificence that was the shimmering city of Memoria. I sat up and reached for a towel, wrapping it around my waist. Upon further inspection, one found the walls to be semi-translucent, made out of some material that I hadn?t come across before. It was like steamed glass, so to speak. No chandeliers made the room gaudy, but it was lit brightly by the many small orbs of white hanging from the ceiling by what looked like webs of pearls. I had only been in one building and already I wanted to move here. This journey was so far turning out to be like a holiday, I chuckled at the absurd thought, assuming that a Draconian wouldn?t travel all this way to take me on a break from my ?busy duties?. Never the less, I could grow to enjoy the travel and I?d probably pick some interesting knowledge up along the way, it was something that I would have to take as it came. [B]?Mr Mezcheth,?[/B] the Memorian struggled to pronounce my surname, his accent strong, [B]?Lady Teviah is waiting outside for you and wishes for you to make haste.? ?Of course, tell her I?ll be out in a little while.?[/B] [B]?Sir.?[/B] The man bowed and turned on his heel, leaving my belongings draped over a large oak chair set in the far right of the room. I got dressed and towelled off my hair, brushing it as I walked down the corridor and towards the light. Teviah nodded as I exited, only a polite smile on her strong, almost handsome features. She looked at my robes disdainfully, her top lip curling in mute rejection. I looked down and swept both hands across the front of my robe, ?I like them.? How immature I sounded then. Teviah rolled her eyes and gripped my shoulder tugging me in the direction we were headed. I looked up at her, opening my mouth once again to ask a question. She looked down, [B]?We?re going to the palace.? ?Ah?why??[/B] Teviah growled and squeezed my shoulder, a little too hard, I thought as I winced. [B]?You ask too many questions, Priest.? ?So I?ve been told, but I think I have a right to know.? [/B] I?d learnt by now that I shouldn?t be scared of Teviah, even if she wanted to kill me right here on the spot, she couldn?t, I seemed to be important. [B]?We are going to meet with another Draconian, he and his Innocence have arrived in Memoria and currently he is filling the girl in on what is going to happen.?[/B] I nodded, taking it all in.[B] ?And?? ?And we are going to introduce you, seeing as she is also a Mage.? ?White?? ?No, Red.?[/B] Ah, a red mage? I?d never met another mage other than my grandfather, who was known as a blue mage. A curious smile crept across my features, but I kept my buzzing excitement to myself, Teviah probably wouldn?t appreciate it. After another fifteen minutes of walking I spotted a fountain, this seemed to be the main square as far as shopping was concerned. Looking up I saw birds flittering around, passing by old architectural feats, something humans should be proud of. It was amazing how these old buildings, antiques in their own right, could mix so easily with the most up to date machinery operating right next to them. I would have to write down all of these sights, mother would love it. [B]?There.?[/B] it was the first time Teviah had spoken in ten minutes and she startled me, her finger pointing towards another Draconian, this one male. I nodded in his direction and he stepped aside, a young woman fiddling with an ornate robe stood behind him, an annoyed expression on her face. I chuckled slightly and walked forward, Teviah close behind me. [B]?This is Alkai Mezcheth, he is my Innocence and a White Mage.?[/B] The girl looked up at the mention of my name and I reached out to shake the hand of the Draconian towering over me, [B]?It?s a pleasure.?[/B] [B]?I am Zerrin,?[/B] he pointed to himself, [B]?and this is Iara.?[/B] Zerrin swept one large arm back, motioning to Iara. I took a step forward and took the woman?s hand, placing my other on top of it as I bowed my head. [B]?I hope your journey has been as good as mine.?[/B] Teviah snorted and I couldn?t help but laugh, getting confused looks from Zerrin and Iara. [B]?I suggest you two get to know each other, as both of you are Mages, we?ll leave you for now, don?t go far.?[/B] Both Iara and I replied with a firm nod, and then turned to each other. [B]?Well, I suppose you know I?m a red mage?? ?Yes, and you have no idea how excited I am about meeting you.? [/B] Iara looked even more shocked than before, I forged on bravely, [B]?You see, my village is rather small and the only other mage that I have ever come into contact with is my grandfather, rest his soul, and he was a blue mage.? ?I see,?[/B] Iara now smiled, good progress, [B]?Then I think we could make use out of each others knowledge.?[/B] We took our seats at a café, Iara across the table from me; she rested on her slender hands and leant forward, readying herself for a long conversation. [B]?You see, I come from a prominent bloodline of red mages, most of my ancestors and relatives have been widely known for their firm grasp of the elements, needless to say I?m very proud of this.? ?So you should be.?[/B] Iari looked at me after I had interrupted her, her mouth still open in breath. I looked down and muttered an apology, she went on. [B]?You see, I have mixed blood in me myself, which makes my magic seemingly more powerful, hence the reason why I don?t carry a weapon.?[/B] I had noticed this, now I knew why the girl seemed so confident. [B]?Now, tell me about yourself, Alkai.?[/B] [B]?I?m afraid there isn?t much to tell.? [/B] I laughed half-heartedly, blood flashing across my eyes. I shook the memories away, smiling brightly at Iara. [B]?As far as I know, I?m the first White Mage in my bloodline in the last one hundred years, though I do know of the Archen Mages who I share some of my talents with.? [/B] I tapped my axe and Iara?s eyes sparkled, she must have recognised the name. Pleased with the result, I continued, [B]?I was travelling when I was picked up by Teviah, my mother is getting old and wishes for me to see the world, I like learning as I?m sure you?ll soon see.?[/B] I paused, [B]?There ends my history lesson.?[/B] Iara smiled and leant back, [B]?Our powers could play off each other well, if we ever needed to fight.?[/B] It wasn?t something I?d thought about, fighting. I didn?t really want to, I may have Icingdeath with me at my side, but I?d never really needed to use it before. The thought just wasn?t something I needed to add to my forever-growing bank of memories. Iara waved to someone in the distance, Teviah and Zerrin had returned, their hulking bodies making the crowds part like waves. Zerrin dipped his head and crouched by Iara while Teviah stood next to me. Zerrin?s voice was low and I had to lean forward to hear him, [B]?We?re going to take you both up to the palace, now, there you are going to be inducted.?[/B] Teviah took it from there, [B]?You will also be told in exact detail what is expected from you and what lies ahead of you in your future travels. Come.?[/B] I stood and shot Iara a nervous glance; she didn?t return it and merely stared ahead. That in effect made me feel worse, I was sure my legs had turned to jelly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options... James Posted March 21, 2005 Share Posted March 21, 2005 [size=2]Hours earlier, he'd been cooling his feet by the water's edge. And now, Aetheran was sitting in the middle of a vast grassy plain, just outside Memoria, with his new companion. The Draconian sat with his legs crossed as he eyed Aetheran curiously. "I do wish you wouldn't stare at me like that," breathed Aetheran, "it makes me most uncomfortable." The Draconian smiled (if you could call it a smile; it was more of a faint curl at the edge of his lips). He rarely spoke, despite the fact that he'd been travelling alongside Aetheran for several hours. Aetheran had never been more confused in his life. Here he was, sitting next to a Draconian named Lablanc, with the imposing Memorian silhouette in the distance. He briefly considered Madam Hogbeam's advice - she had told him to search for a tree. In fact, he had been told to search for the largest, oldest tree in the Victorian forest. He had indeed found the tree. And he had even spoken to it. It spoke back to him, but the voice came from high up within its branches - a tall, wiry Draconian was responsible for that voice. The entire experience seemed highly foreign to Aetheran, who had never before left Emerald Cove on his own. After hours of walking, Aetheran had requested that the pair stop to take a break. "So, tell me," Aetheran began, "why were you hiding among the branches? Were you intending to give me a heart attack? If so, you were almost successful." There was a sternness to Aetheran's voice, despite the fact that he was somewhat frightened of Lablanc. In fact, Aetheran was a little frightened of all foreigners, he admitted to himself. Lablanc's vague, half-smile disappeared and was replaced with a solid stare. "One never knows when imposters are about," he said quietly. "I had to protect myself." Aetheran raised an eyebrow. "From what? Me?" Lablanc nodded. Aetheran almost chuckled to himself (almost, only because Lablanc's stern expression made him too uncomfortable to laugh or joke). "What you do not yet appreciate," Lablanc continued, "is that this world is much larger than you know. There are many places you have not seen, many people you have not met and many types of horror you have not witnessed - nor even imagined." Aetheran replaced his hat and stared off toward Memoria's intimidating silhouette. "Is the world really so bleak?" he asked. "It is odd that we Nymph-folk can bear responsibility for the seasons, which affect the lives of people we have never even seen." Lablanc gestured toward Memoria. "The entire world is not bleak, but one must always be cautious. We are living in dangerous times; more dangerous than generations past. Thoughts fester underneath the surface...dark thoughts and dark designs." Although Aetheran understood what Lablanc was saying in a general sense, there was one burning question in his mind. "What does this have to do with me?" he asked. Lablanc paused slightly before he spoke. "You haven't seen anything beyond the forests of Victoria, but let me assure you, all lives on Gaia are intertwined in one way or another. Your life is intertwined with mine - and our fates are shared with all of those in this world, including the citizens of Memoria and the other major territories." "That still doesn't answer my question," said Aetheran. "How does my life have any significance to you or anyone else outside the cove? If I were to die tomorrow, another Nymph - who would no doubt be more skilled than I - would take my place." "I am not talking about the seasons or the solstice," said Lablanc with a dismissive wave of his hand. "I am talking about something far more important: the Innocence." As the sun moved across the vast blue sky, Lablanc explained his purpose in summoning Aetheran. He did not, however, reveal all details about the Innocence; he considered it unnecessary and the King of Memoria had been specific in commanding that all Innocence were to be brought to the palace. Lablanc did not want to risk scaring Aetheran to death, especially considering his relatively sheltered life. A key to the success of the endeavour was to ensure that the Innocence - or at least, their descendants - took the task at hand seriously and more importantly, that they did so willingly. The pair continued their journey to Memoria. It was an experience that simultaneously excited and frightened Aetheran. Although his perception of the world had been almost totally destroyed within a few short hours, he now felt a slight sense of purpose. Where he had not long ago been sitting in limbo - in a place with no purpose or reason - he now understood that there was more to being a Nymph than simply performing the duties of a Nymph. He wasn't entirely convinced of this fact, but it was refreshing and reassuring to know that the world outside Emerald Cove cared little for the Flow Test and whether or not one Nymph succeeded or failed. [/size] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options... Kitty Posted March 21, 2005 Share Posted March 21, 2005 I soared through the air like a fish glides through water; nothing made me feel more at home than the billowing winds and the silky white of the clouds. My companion, a fellow draconian, struggled to keep up. I heard him grumbling several times when I slowed to wait for him. Zig zagging and looping about in the sky took little energy out of me. I was ecstatic to be out and about for once. It had been too long since my last enjoyable flight. Suddenly, I remember that I had not asked my fellow's name. He was far below me at the moment this thought surfaced, so I dove quite sharply. To him, it must have appeared as if I had tired and was falling towards the land below us, and rushed upwards and caught in me in quite the herioc sort of way. But since I was just fine, it startled me, and the moment I fell into his outstretched arms, I began to claw and scream at him as if he were attacking me. When he realized that I was in no peril, and I realized he was not going to harm me, he let me out of his arms. After the awkward moment, I remembered what caused the incident in the first place. [b]"What is your name, sir?"[/b] I inquired politely, in a soft whisper. He blinked at me, as if we had just met each other on a street corner. [b]"Oh! My name is Lheric,"[/b] he replied quickly. He did not look me in the eye as I examined him. It was not until that moment that I saw his scar. It wasn't very large, and hard to notice at first glimpse. Yet I got a very guilty feeling in the pit of my stomach. [b]"Lheric, were you ever a soldier? For a nation's army?"[/b] I wondered casually, still eyeing his wound 'till he looked towards me. [b]"Aye. I was a General in Memoria's army ages ago. I do not fondly look back on those days, as you can tell by the scar."[/b] I bit my lip, ashamed that he had seen me observing his old injury. He seemed to sense my guilt, and added, [b]"But I never did fight Lerion. I got this in a brush with some rogues. Off-duty, in fact."[/b] I let out a quiet sigh, and began to speed up again. [b]"Vralla,"[/b] he called, [b]"it isn't wise to seperate. We are nearing Memoria, and the entrance is not that way."[/b] I had been gliding with my back towards the wind and my front facing Lheric, and was surprised when he told me of our nearing Memoria. We had flown faster than I had thought. Turning, I saw through the clearing clouds a large city, larger and grander than any city I had ever seen. It could put Lerion and its small villages to shame. I stared in awe, then let out a happy cheer and did a flip. I remembered my position, and glanced towards Lheric, letting out a cough. Excitement always got the better of me. After entering the city, I was so glad to be away from my station. The many people caught my eye. The streets were crowded with mages of all sorts, and I could spot many draconians gliding about. And though there were many people, I still recieved odd glances and stares. When I mentioned this to Lheric, he whispered, [b]"They can see your wings. Everyone in Memoria knows that your color is a rare one, Miss High Chief of the Lerion Army."[/b] I shoved him, and he only laughed in return. I felt like a girl again. As we traveled further and further into the city, my curiousity grew and grew. Soon, it overpowered me, and drove me to the nearest shop. Lheric followed closely, and I began to wonder why he was hovering so much. Thinking to myself, I wondered if it had anything to do with the "Innocence" he had mentioned before. The shop was filled with shelves, and those shelves were filled with bottles and books and little bones. I examined some labels, and thought this a very strange source of items only a witch would use. But when the clerk approached me, he told me of all those that manipulated these jars and bones for magic and spells. Uninterested, I soon grew bored and shuffled out of the small shop, and looked for more fun places to explore. Before long, I arrived at the doorstep of another shop, or what looked like one, anyway. As I turned the handle for the door, Lheric grabbed my arm. [b]"I'd advise you not to go in there,"[/b] he said sternly. [b]"And why not?"[/b] I growled, a bit annoyed that he was trying to order me about. He let out a sigh, and I took it that he was bothered with 'babysitting' me. [b]"It's a tavern, and a very rough one, at that. A lady, like yourself, would not be treated decently,"[/b] he replied, still refusing to release my hand from his grip. [b]"I believe, Lheric,"[/b] I said, now glaring at him, [b]"that I can handle myself. And if you don't believe me, take another look at the color of my wings. Remember the position I hold. It wasn't easily achieved."[/b] Walking in, I felt a little upset that I had 'used' my position. I normally tried to restrain from intimidating others with my rank, but sometimes, it was the only thing that worked. Sighing a bit again, I took a glimpse over my shoulder, and sure enough, Lheric had followed me inside. [b]"Don't you ever leave me alone?"[/b] I glared at him, but he shrugged and continued after me. I felt it best to just deal with his presence than to resist it, seeing as how I would probably lose that fight. Taking a seat at the bar, and Lheric, a seat next to me, I sat happily, absorbing the sights. I still recieved looks and mutters, but I didn't allow it to irk me any longer. The bartender approached us, and asked us 'What's your pleasure?' I waved a hand, not wanting anything. Lheric, however, took a small shot. Of what, I paid no attention to. While Lheric was waiting for his drink, I was approached by a very built male draconian, with great red wings. Unfortunately, the first thing that came out of his mouth I shall not stain my lips with. But after he was finished speaking to me, Lheric stood up and let out a fierce snarl, and readied the blade he held at his side. [b]"You, sir, are a pig, and shall die like one if you don't back away now."[/b] [b]"Lheric, sit down! You needn't come to my rescue, I can fight for myself!"[/b] I whispered angrily at him. [b]"I cannot let you bother with this pest. Whether you like it or not, this is a battle you won't be fighting,"[/b] he bellowed in reply. The other draconian, obviously undaunted by Lheric's threat, and assured in his strength, let out a boast and took a fighting stance. Before lunging at my guide, he gave me a wink that both disgusted and enraged me. In a few short moments, Lheric and I were calmly walking out of the bar, leaving the half-dead draconian against the back wall and a crowd of amused spectators. [b]"You don't have to protect me, you know,"[/b] I repeated once we had walked a ways away. [b]"Yes I do. I have my orders."[/b] I again remembered the "Innocence" he had spoken of. [b]"What is the 'Innocence', [i]exactly[/i]? Why am I a part of it? Are there others? Where exactly are you taking me? When do we have to be there?"[/b] I blurted out. All these questions put a smile on Lheric's face. Before he even opened his mouth, I shouted, [b]"[i]What[/i]?!"[/b] [b]"Nothing.. Now, about the Innocence. I cannot inform you of what it is; only that you are a part of it. Why you are a part of the Innocence is another question I cannot answer. But this time, because even I do not know the answer. I was not informed of this. And yes, there are other members of the Innocence. I just happened to be [i]your[/i] guide. Most of the others should be arriving here in Memoria soon, as well. Now thats enough questions for now, eh?"[/b] I let out a grunt of annoyance, and stared at him. He smiled and began to walk away. [b]"Hey! Wait for me!"[/b] I cried, speeding after him. We ended up at a fountain when we took our next break. I sat on the edge and waved my hand under the water a little. [b]"It's refreshing,"[/b] I thought aloud. [b]"Have you ever seen a fountain this colossal? Only Memoria.. Only Memoria.."[/b] Lheric began to trail off. [b]"It's just a fountain. Get over yourself,"[/b] I scoffed, grinning as he looked at me. He faked a laugh, then sat down beside me. [b]"You aren't as elegant as I thought you would be,"[/b] he finally said after a while. [b]"Oh? Go on,"[/b] I urged him, wondering what his reasoning was. [b]"No. You're more like a school girl, if you ask me. You seem so hyper and giggly, more than calm and collected, as [i]most[/i] officers are expected to be."[/b] I gawked at him. Who was he to judge me? [b]"Why you annoying, little--"[/b] I cried as I shoved him into the fountain. Quite startled, he flailed around a bit before jumping out. [b]"Calm and collected, eh?"[/b] I laughed. But he smiled at me and repeated, [b]"You are quite the school girl."[/b] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options... Doukeshi Posted March 24, 2005 Share Posted March 24, 2005 [COLOR=white]The sky was bright over the bustling city of Memoria. Its metallic walls glinted in the afternoon sun, shadowed only by the passing forms of a winged draconian and its seemingly strange companion. A draconian in itself was not an unusual sight within the city of Memoria or, indeed, many other places, it was however a rather rare and beautiful sight to witness the creature that now flew parallel. The fiery colours of the phoenix shone with magnificent hue under the sun, as if the glowing sphere itself had come to earth. Coming to rest at the gates to the city the two young soldiers on guard stood in shocked silence, mouths agape at the truly wonderous sight the mythical bird produced. Stepping forward, the large draconian announced his presence loudly, diverting the guards' attention from the bird now seated upon his shoulder with his stern and commanding tone. [B]"Open the gates fools, we have no time to tarry here!" [/B] The draconians booming voice resonated upon the metal walls and the guards scuttled back timidly in an attempt to complete the beings orders. After a time of chaotic clangs and angry yelps, the doors to the city of Memoria swung open slowly, the grinding of gears and cogs causing even the bird seated upon the draconians shoulder to wince. Flaring his great wings the draconian strutted forward, dismissing the young guards with a wave of his hand. The two looked imploringly up at him for any sign of gratitude but were left standing dejected as the draconian brazenly ignored them. The noise and bustle of the city was almost immediatley apparent upon entering through the narrow gateway. Ringing bells and bawling merchants clouded together with the shrieks of young urchins and busy citizens. Keeping to the wall the draconian glanced at his smaller companion, shadowing him from the ignorant eyes of the busy city dwellers. [B]"I think it would be best if you were not so bright, even I cannot save you from a mob of greedy townsfolk." [/B] With an almost impercievable nod the phoenix hopped from its perch and glided softly towards the muddied dirt trail below. Chirruping its distaste at such a grimy setting the bird enfolded its wings up over its head. After a few moments low hissing sound suddenly became audible and a thin trail of smoke started to escape from the birds feathers along with several small flames. In a matter of seconds the phoenix was engulfed in a blazing ball of fire, though the bird made no noise of pain or discomfort. As the fire slowly began to die and the smoke dissipated a larger, crouched figure came into view. Covered in ashes and completely naked, Asher Fenix Ulfcur stood and stretched his arms over his head, cracking several bones back into place as he did so. Regarding the draconian Asher smiled in amusement before holding out his hand. Raising an eyebrow at such a dramatic display the draconian grasped the pack he held upon his back and withdrew several items of Asher's clothing from it. Throwing them at the young shifter he grumbled. [B]"Was there a need for such a colourful show?" [/B] Grinning Asher donned his attire, spreading his arms as if to test his wing span. [B]"There are enough greys in this world without me adding to them Arcturus."[/B] Shaking his head the draconian Asher knew as Arcturus ushered the shifter forwards, the bustling street enveloping them as the went. [B]"Come my radiant featherling, we must see you prepared before I present you to the council. We have time before our gathering and I recommend that we procure some fresh attire for you."[/B] Arcturus smirked slightly as he surveyed the many bustling and chaotic stalls within the busy city marketplace. Asher looked down at his own drab travellers clothing and sighed before peering up at Arcturus and his brightly shining tunic. [B]"Mabye...but I refuse to wear plaid."[/B][/COLOR] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options... Create an account or sign in to comment You need to be a member in order to leave a comment Create an account Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy! Register a new account Sign in Already have an account? Sign in here. Sign In Now Share More sharing options... Followers 0 Go to topic listing
Bio Posted January 21, 2005 Share Posted January 21, 2005 [indent][font=Trebuchet MS][size=2]"Hey, Cel, when?s breakfast gonna be ready?? Remerant asked, trying to sound as humble as possible but still knowing his tone would make little difference in the end. He was right; she glanced at him briefly and continued to work, but the violence with which she cracked an egg on the side of the pan told him to find something else to do while he was waiting. He stepped out to the patio and sighed, inhaling the fresh air and the aroma omelets being made in the room behind him. He jammed his hands in his pockets and looked down at the stone flooring. When he did this, he noticed something odd; some of the dirt he had tracked in when he returned from the forest yesterday had been displaced by something large enough to make this noticeable and something small enough to have remained unknown to both him and Cel through the night. A minor detail like this would only have been picked up by someone like Remerant; a shifter with keen senses meant for prowling, mainly for use in his shapeshifted form. And regardless of the evidence that someone might have been listening in on them, he didn?t want to get Cel worried over something so insignificant. She would, in fact, most likely scold him for trying to get her scared for his own amusement. Rem crouched down and with his index finger traced into the dirt: [/size][/font] [center][font=Impact][size=2]WHO ARE YOU?[/size][/font][size=2] [/size] [/center] [font=Trebuchet MS][size=2] He stood and nonchalantly surveyed the horizon before returning to the house. ?The weather?s bad. Another bad day for going into town, so why don?t we stay home?? he said as he entered the door. Cel had just flipped the omelets onto small, ceramic plates and was placing them on the wooden table. ?I know, I went out before you woke up. I had to feed the horses. All the hay was wet, and they seemed kinda upset. The chickens, too.? Remerant rested his head on his hand and looked up at her from his chair at the table. ?Maybe someone they didn?t know went into the stable??? he asked, more to himself than to Cel. She glared at him suspiciously as she sat down. ?Does Rem know something or is he just trying to be amusing?? Remerant grinned, happy to be taken semi-seriously. ?Last night, remember how you complained that I tracked dirt all over the patio?? She nodded. ?Well, when I went outside just a second ago, there were traces of footsteps and a weak attempt of hiding them.? Knowing what Cel?s next move would be, Remerant continued. ?And it couldn?t have been you, because you always go out the back.? Cel sighed. This wouldn?t exactly be the first stalker she?d ever picked up. Sometimes a dirty old man would follow her as far as city limits, but that was about it. And she hadn?t been to town in a week, so if it was indeed some poor, depraved bastard, they were either very persistent or very insane. ?So some pervert?s been stalking us?? Cel asked absent-mindedly as she stuffed some omelet in her mouth. ?That would be me.? A silhouette appeared at the doorway. The draconian never sat, and refused Cel?s offer of Remerant?s breakfast. She seemed suspiciously determined to complete her only apparent goal, and would no doubt use force if necessary. ?I have orders to escort one Remerant Emrael to Memoria. I suggest that you comply.? The Stalker said stiffly. She was holding a spear that looked more ornamental than battle-worthy, but was fearsome nevertheless. She was also adorned in full armor, and must have been very good at sneaking around to have been undetected for so long. ?Orders from who? And why should I ?comply? to them?? Rem asked as if this information should have been included in the draconian?s previous statement. The Stalker did not look at all troubled by the challenge, and held her form. ?That will be explained when you reach Memoria. This is very urgent business, and I?m sure your wife will be supported while you are with us.? Cel would have protested, had money not been mentioned. She would indeed need support if Remerant ran off somewhere, and she figured that who ever would be helping would be less inclined to do so if the two weren?t bound by marriage. ?Go, Rem.? Cel said with a certain finality, ?Apparently the world needs you.?[/size][/font][font="][/font] [/indent] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcadia Posted January 31, 2005 Share Posted January 31, 2005 There is something to be said for a decent charm. Because there are the kinds that are sold on the streets that work for a couple months before funking out on you, and then there are the kinds that [i]really[/i] work. The kinds that are made with real time and effort, with blood, sweat, and tears, and whatever else is available. And as Iara fingered the blue stone around her neck, she was once again thankful for having a very talented and professional witch in the family. Despite what some might say, there is also something to be said for a decent witch. On that thought, she supposed the same could be said for any race on Gaia, but as she warily eyed the Incubus leering at her from the corner of the store, she was inclined to feel a little narrow-minded. ?Will that be all for you, dear?? The woman behind the counter was older, her hair graying around the edges. Iara was fairly certain that she was, coincidently, a witch. It would make sense ? many a witch owned or worked in magical shops all around Gaia. More often than not they ran their magical practices out of the store. Iara wasn?t sure if this woman was running any kind of business like that, but she did catch the woman glancing at her pendant with a slight smile. Allowing a small little smile in return, Iara gave the older woman a slight nod and a number of coins. ?Yes, thank you.? When the charm around her neck was being tested, Iara knew. The blue orb remained the same in appearance, but it grew decidedly warmer, depending on the strength of the attempt. The Incubus in the corner was testing it out more than anything else, resulting in the faint warmth at her throat. After so many different attempts by different Incubi (and even some succubi), Iara found the warmth to be familiar, if not always entirely welcome. The witch gave her the fruit she?d picked up and her change and said pleasantly, ?You have a lovely day, dearie.? And then she gave a little wink, and Iara smiled again. It might have been a personal record. Feeling slightly more amused, she left the store and headed for the Corona. Though the best memories of her family were in Memoria, Iara felt more at home in Lerion than any other place in Gaia, and it was because of spots like the Corona. All in all, Lerion was a beautiful kingdom. Made of white neferti, the stone was absolutely brilliant in the sunlight and it made the entire coast glow. And then at sunset, the changing pinks and oranges of the sky and the calming blues and greens of Nautica made for a beautiful backdrop against the white city. Thousands of artists had tried, but Iara had always thought it was the kind of view that couldn?t possibly be recaptured on a canvas. The colors they had just didn?t seem deep or vivid enough. The Corona, however, was proof that some of those artists did know how to use color. Above sea level, the Corona was a circular piazza where many of Lerion?s inhabitants came throughout the day to relax and enjoy the sights and smells of the city and the Great Sea. There were no merchants trying to sell things, no crowded markets ? just peace and quiet and the vastness of Nautica before it. The same nerferti stone that was used for all of Lerion?s buildings was dyed brilliant shades of yellow and orange and placed in the square in a giant circle. At the center of the entire square was a very simple, three-layer fountain. When the fountain was first erected, Iara remembered that there was much discussion about what it should be. In the end, to stop the petty arguments over race, the kingdom?s Queen decided on the current model. Now, the Corona was almost symbol of Lerion itself ? calm, simple, but colorful. Iara took a bite out of the apple she bought and leaned against the wall overlooking the Great Sea. The weather in Lerion had been absolutely gorgeous lately. The days were warm but the nights were cool and Nautica always supplied the shore side kingdom with a gentle breeze. Work had also been promising as of late. She had an appointment a little later, with another possible employer, and her reputation within the kingdom was always growing in favor. There was no reason for her to feel lost or down or anything other than content. However, Iara was never one to do exactly as she was told. And if there was no reason to feel blue, then leave it to her to feel exactly that. It was something that she was slightly amused by, but on another level she was aware that it wasn?t entirely normal. And though she couldn?t see it causing any problems now, there was no telling what sort of things the future had in store for her. Iara seemed to shrug halfheartedly at that thought, and then reached up to fix the strap of her dress when it slid off her shoulder with the movement. A second later, she felt somebody else?s hand brush it down again and stepped forward, turning halfway to face whoever wanted to lose their hand so badly. A rather tall Draconian stood behind her, and upon seeing her cool, narrowed eyes held his hands up in defense. After a minute of silence on both parts, Iara, increasingly ill tempered, asked sharply, ?Are you going to explain to me what you?re doing or can I move forward with my plans to burn you alive?? The Draconian did not let his hands drop, though he did look considerably more amused than she. ?They did warn me that you were a little feisty.? ?I plan to start with your wings,? She added. His hands dropped and so did his smile. ?There?s a mark on your shoulder. It?s small, but it?s there. I had thought it was so yesterday, but I thought I should learn something about you before broaching this subject. So I made a small visit to your aunt.? Iara cocked an eyebrow at him, ready to throw her apple if need be. She imagined that it was probably folly to try and outrun a Draconian, but all she needed was enough of a head start so that she could toast the guy from a safe distance. Which she was fully prepared to do if he didn?t explain himself further, as she proceeded to tell him in language that was not quite as pretty. He eyed the apple before replying evenly, ?As one of the Innocence, proven by the mark on your shoulder, your presence is immediately requested in Memoria.? His voice was low enough so that those nearby didn?t hear. Iara was grateful for this because she didn?t think it was great for her reputation to be stalked by a crazy person and the less people who knew about it, the better. He seemed to sense her disbelief, however, and before she could do something drastic he continued in slightly more placating tone, ?Trust me, Iara, this is not insanity. I?m sure you?ve felt it over the last month? the darkness. It is returning.? She thought about this for a second, crossing her arms after taking another small bite from her apple. She?d heard tales of the Nexus all her life, like the rest of the children of Gaia, but to her that?s all they were - tales. An unfathomable part of history that might have given her nightmares as a small girl in Memoria, but now held no thought to her at all. She couldn?t even remember who the famous three Mages were supposed to be. And yet... something about that wasn't so off. It would explain her recent moodiness. And as much as it irked her, Iara knew that maybe it was something she should look into. ?What?s in Memoria?? She finally asked after a second. [i]Besides the memories of my broken family,[/i] the thought came suddenly and made her frown. If the Draconian noticed the look ? which she was sure he did ? he said nothing. Probably assumed it went with the question, which she thought was a wholly valid one. ?Answers,? he told her, and refolded his richly dyed wings. By their color and from his garb, Iara assumed that the Draconian must have held a position of importance, like some kind of Harold or something. ?There is only so much I can tell you. But you have a royal summons to Memoria, during which all of this will become clear.? ?I?m just supposed to drop everything I?m doing?? She wasn?t going to hide her anger and indignation. She would, in fact, hold to them for long after this conversation, as a sort of safety blanket; her one familiar thing in a world that was changing so abruptly. It only took a second for him to think about his answer. ??Yes.? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vicky Posted January 31, 2005 Share Posted January 31, 2005 [SIZE=1]There was a quite relaxing feel to the sound of papers being turned in old books and items being shifted across the room. All in all that was the only sound when S?Korra was around books and items in her home, anywhere outside she was? annoying, to me, anyway. I can remember the day clearly, when the Draconian came to me and said I was part of the Innocence. I wasn?t in the best of moods, not with S?Korra, not with any one else, not even with myself. It was just one of those days, and I wasn?t entirely up for a historical search across Memoria. In fact, I wasn?t entirely up to anything. I was sat back in my chair, across the room from S?Korra, who was flicking through her books. S?Korra was a small Draconian, with long and beautiful golden hair and pure white wings. She had never dyed hers, obviously, she had spent all her time in Memoria. Memoria was an industrial kingdom more than anything; I could never understand how S?Korra could find anything to do with history in Memoria. Maybe the buildings did, though I myself didn?t actually see the value in history. History was the past, year after year people will forget important details and soon enough everyone will forget there was even a civilisation? that?s what I think. Who am I? Darius Aphosis Khafra, a Draconian who shouldn?t be living. I sighed heavily and watched S?Korra. She seemed busy, she had a job. I though that maybe I should get one, but then again was there a point to getting a job? A striker or warrior for Memoria wasn?t good enough to clear my own family?s name. No one actually knew about my family, though it was enough that I did. I won?t bore you with that junk, S?Korra could tell you better then me probably. ?Darius, could you help me with these books?? she asked from her corner of the room. I turned my head and saw her trying to pick up a dozen books all at once, and I didn?t reply. I heard her sighing and shuffling the books around the desk, myself trying to get a better grip, she wasn?t going to get my help anyway. Like I said, I wasn?t in the mood to even get up out of my seat. ?Darius?? she repeated, ?can I have some help, [I]please[/I]?? I didn?t turn around, but I muttered, ??do it yourself?? Even from my distance I could actually feel her cold gaze on my neck. She heard me, alright; she always seemed to hear what I said. I had annoyed her in past; we did get along, but not as much as you would think. Apparently, I?m always the problem. ?[I]Excuse[/I] me?? she said, quite shocked. I didn?t look at her, knowing she was looking at me I didn?t really want to. ?Guess what, Darius? You?re still living in this house in Memoria, last time I checked I owned this place, if you don?t want to help me then you can go and live outside for a bit until you get over to tantrums, it?s perfectly fine by me.? [I]Tantrums?[/I] I suddenly jumped out of my chair, and stormed right over to S?Korra. I stood in front of her oak desk, not actually being able to see her from behind all those books, and I glared at her for a moment. ?I though you were a historian, you are aren?t you? Stop asking for my help all the time and do it yourself!? I bellowed at her. ?Stop living in your friends house and sitting around sulking all day!? [I]Sulking?[/I] My patience with her had come to its limits. She was my friend, yet she always said I did nothing. What was her problem? I didn?t have a problem with her, I did now. Angrily, with my fists clenched, I knocked over the old books on her desk and then I threw the dozens of books out of her hands. She jumped back, startled, her wings knocking off an ornament beside the fire. Without another word I stormed away from her, towards the door. ?There you go again, tantrums!? she shouted after me. I tried my best to ignore her, and I didn?t reply to her insults. I never had tantrums, I never sulked and I was never going to step back into her door again. Well, skyscrapers did have some use in Memoria. You could sit on top of them, with your knees up to your chest, your wings spread out as far as you wanted, and you could watch the thousands of people below you, now like ants in your eyes. I had never been interested in industry, I only moved to Memoria because that?s where my only friend was going to live. Well, my ex-friend. I knew that I was actually better off without friends. I sighed heavily ? more of a growl actually. I had just remembered the things I had left back at home with S?Korra, some things I would need. My bow? damn, my bow, I didn?t want to leave that. It was my only weapon? I guess I would have to go without it. Yes, I had decided to leave Memoria. There was no point in my staying. I would probably travel to a place with more trees. I was going to, anyway. Somewhere more peaceful, it would?ve been much better for me. While staring at my shadow (I had gotten bored of the people below), I noticed it flickered a little and grew bigger. It wasn?t a cloud near the sun. Looking up, I noticed something in the sky, souring around the clouds like there was no tomorrow. Whoever it was must have been a Draconian, and I must say they flew gracefully, more gracefully then I had ever seen. I shielded my eyes from the sun and squinted, trying to get a better look at them. For a while I didn?t notice that the Draconian was landing near me. He dropped gracefully near the middle of the building, folding his white wings up behind his back. They looked a little dyed, his wings I mean, from my distance they just looked white. The Draconian was older then me, with shorted hair, more brilliantly rich clothing and he was taller then me, I certainly wouldn?t want to pick a fight with him. ?Go away!? I snapped bitterly at him, clenching my fists and snapping like a dog. He looked at me with cold blue eyes, forcing me to repeat. ?I said? Go away!? I shouted louder this time, yet he ignored my yells and began to walk forward. As he came closer I noticed his wings were dyed, dyed a light, light blue colour. He towered over me and looked down, coldly. I said nothing, but I did growl. ?What part of go away don?t you understand?? I blurted once again. ?I?m looking for a Draconian, of the Innocence, perhaps you might be him?? the man replied, coldly. ?Do I look innocent?? I asked him with the same doggish snap. I held up a fist to his face, warning him off, but still he stayed still, looking down. Suddenly, he gripped my wrist with a vice-like grip, turned my hand over, and stared at a black marking on my skin. ?You have the mark.? ?Mark? That?s probably just some dirt that hasn?t washed off in years, get off my hand!£ I screamed at him. I pulled myself back, awkwardly, tripping over my own feet as I moved back and falling hard on my back and wings. He moved over to me again, looking down once again. I was growing tired of his superior look. ?You, my friend, are part of the Innocence. I would explain more were we stand, but I think it would be better if you come with me.? He told me. I said nothing, he continued, ?and I would like it if you stood up, young sir.? ?First things first, I?m not a young man, and I?m not part of your? Innocence? do you understand? What exactly are you offering me, some sort of group thing? I have no intention of joining you. I?ve stayed in these parts long enough without adventure, without anything to do that would clear my name, without adventure, and I don?t want to make things worse.? I was calm now. I began to shuffle back to the edge and pulled myself to my feet, once again meeting the cold ocean stare of the Draconian. ?If I told you that this was your chance to prove yourself, would you come?? he asked. ?Depends?? ?Well, I?m telling you. Come with me, I?ll show you what I mean. Adventure? yes, that as well. They did tell me that the member would be a little defensive and hard on himself, family issues apparently. This is your chance to forgive yourself, only if you want to.? I thought for a moment, not too sure what to do. I did want to see what he meant, ?I don?t know. If I come, you have to prove you know I?m from this?? I started, staring my? mark, ?Innocence. Prove it, and I?ll come, probably.? The Draconian said nothing, for a while. He finally spoke, slowly and calmly. ?Put it this way, if you come with me I have a brilliant way to make both families proud of you, and stop generations of blood shed between you all. Maybe it could even help you become a better person, I?m not sure about that one. If you want to change, you can. Just come with me, I?ll show you.? Memoria had nothing for me. His offer was quite tempting for me, I wasn?t sure what he was talking about, really. But still, I did want to see what he was going to do for me. I wondered on the spot for a while, stroking my chin, and nodded at him. ?Then follow me, I?ll take-? ?I suddenly remembered? ?No, wait! I need to say goodbye to someone, and get my bow. Will you wait here for me? I won?t be long, I promise it.? He nodded. I gave him a warm and smile and to my surprise, he smiled back, warmly. He spread out my wings and lifted myself into the air, flying back to S?Korra. To my surprise, the house was a mess. No entirely, to say the least. The books were spread all over the floor, pages were all over the place, on the desk, the floor, the chairs? numerous items seemed to have been thrown across the room, or they had been dropped. It didn?t seem likely that S?Korra would have dropped them. I knew for a fact that she was mad at me, but still, I had lied. I lied about never coming back. I had convinced myself I was coming for my bow on the way back, but in truth I wanted to say good-bye to her, it wasn?t fair on her for all she had done for me. The spells she told me, the help with my family? it just wasn?t fair. ?S?Korra!? I shouted in a hushed voice when I saw her digging for books at the shelf. She didn?t turn to me, instead he continued to shuffle with her books and items. I stood at the door, titled my head, and waited, but got no reply. For some reason I didn?t expect it. ?S?Korra??? I repeated. She didn?t even turn to me. I ran towards her, almost tripping over the books and knocking some items with my wings. When I came to her, she walked past me. ??Please, I have something to tell you?? I whispered. She continued to ignore, sat down at the desk, and began writing. When it became clear to me that I wasn?t going to get anything out of her, that she wasn?t going to say goodbye, I sighed and walked over to my chair. Beside it lay my short bow, and a quiver. Without hesitation but with great regret I picked the two items up, and looked back over to S?Korra, who continued to ignore me. She was still looking through the books even as I stood at the doorstep. I could see she wasn?t really reading? and it hurt me. Sighing, I began to turn and walk out, though I stopped for a moment, remembering all she had done. Even if she wouldn?t say goodbye I could at least give her something. Reluctantly, I ran my hands over my feathers until I came across one that as dyed blue and black. I grasped it, winced before yanking it out, and lay it down on the doorstep. ?I?ll never see you again?? I whispered finally. When I walked away, I cold feel her eyes on me, I wasn?t sure if she was angry with me or not. It didn?t matter anymore. She had no right to talk to me for what I had done, all she had done for me and I threw it back. Now I was going away I had ruined everything and all I could leave behind from me was a feather, and not even a feather from her. Instead, I got a glance that I could never even see. I just hope that she?ll keep my feather.[/SIZE] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StrikeGundam Posted February 4, 2005 Share Posted February 4, 2005 [size=2][color=#cccccc][font=Book Antiqua]The entire kingdom of Lerion basked in the amber glow of the early morning. The gem set atop the rim that was the edge of the great sea, Lerion was well know for many things, but Cesta the best known city that it held. Many people flocked to Cesta in hopes to become one of the many powerful Mages and Sorcerers that its academies had produced, but few ever realized their dreams. A single figure shuffled down the well beaten path, so deep in thought that he could barely keep from tripping over his own feet. Dim sunlight filtered through the dense canopy, casting eerie shadows on the long scruffy grass that covered the forest floor, and a strangely strong breeze whistled through the enormous tree trunks. The wind shocked the figure out of his trance, and he pulled his shabby brown coat a bit tighter around him. His name was Frer, and he had been training for this day for a long time. "Today's the day," Frer declared to no one in general. "Finally I will claim a golem for myself, and use said instrument to bring honor to the name Orynbrand from all over Gaia. I'll build a mansion in every kingdom, and women swoon at the mere sight of me!" Frer's words hung heavily in the calm air as he looked skyward. The opening to a huge cavern sat upon the cliff that loomed high above Frer's head. The hole looked almost as if some sort of giant had lumbered down from the mountains and ripped a messy hole in the cliff face. "I don't care about all the stories they've told about this place in town," Frer told himself, "Golems are merely walking bits of elements, and I'm going up there to get myself one no matter what!" Frer swallowed deeply and cleared his throat. He then declared in a loud, clear voice. "I, Frer Orynbrand, Son of Aeren and Trisan, Red Mage Extraordinaire, and pride of Lerion, demand that one of you golem come down here and admit me entrance to your hovel of a home at once!" Frer cast an unwavering stare at the dark cavern. He stayed in this position, merely staring and not moving an inch, for several moments until a rumble issued from the cave. An inky black material cascaded forth from the hole. It moved in a sort of slow motion as it flowed through the air. When it finally hit the ground, it resumed regular speed and shot forward, forming a long slide that rapidly crinkled into a large staircase. Frer, who had been mystified by the sheer power of his words, shook the disbelief from his head and reassumed an air of importance. "That's more like it," he mumbled to himself, and he planted his foot firmly on the first step. Or else he would have if his foot hadn't gone clear through it. "What in the..." Frer pulled his foot from the softly flowing materiel, and gingerly tried putting his foot on a higher step. His foot found itself on the inside of the step once again, and Frer soon followed as he lost his balance. A quiet yet unmistakable snicker wafted down from the cave's entrance and met Frer?s ear as he lay on the ground with his face in a pile of weeds. The would-be Red Mage leapt from the ground with a look of pure fury upon his face. He clenched his fists tightly and found that he had unknowingly grabbed a small stone in his haste to get up. In a huff, he threw the round gray stone at one of the stairs above his head, and gasped in surprise as the rock bounced off and clattered to the ground. This gave Frer an idea. He walked a small ways down the path and took a runners stance. He launched himself forward, rapidly pumping his arms and legs until he reached full speed. No sooner than he had reached the staircase, that bottom step surged forward and launched Frer high into the air. He landed in a dusty heap square in the middle of the path. He stayed there for a while, and then he slowly picked himself out of the dirt. Frer wheeled around and stomped away ?I don't need this!!" he screamed over his shoulder. Onyx laughed to himself and turned to re-enter the village. It was a very small village, with many small huts made out of the elements of their inhabitants, and golem of every type imaginable doing various odd jobs. At the top of the hill in the center of the village, Nereid was moving water to surround the home of a flame golem. Nereid had been head of the village, and companion to Onyx, for several years. She spotted Onyx as he emerged from the cave, and she motioned for him to come to her. Onyx smiled brightly at her, but the smile died as he saw the look of concern upon her face. "What's wrong?" "There is someone at the hall that wants to see you. Come, I'll take you to him." Onyx nodded and followed her down the path to the hall, a large glass building nestled in the back of the village. They went through the double doors, and Onyx gasped as he saw who was waiting for him. He had only heard stories about them, but there was no doubt in his mind that it was a Draconian. "You are the first non-golem to enter this village since I came here. What business do you have here with me?" The Draconian's feathers bristled at Onyx's gruff statement, but his face remained emotionless. "I have come to take you to Memoria." He said. "You are one of the-" "No, I will not go." "It wasn't a request." "I'd like to see you persuade me otherwise." The Draconian's wings began to fully unfurl at that statement. "You would force me to leave my home and my friends defenseless, and you would fight me in my own home if I refused to follow you blindly. I can see no reason to go with you." "You must, for you are one of the Innocence." Onyx and the Draconian both turned to look at Nereid. She opened her mouth to speak again. "I've always told you that you were meant for great things, and this is proof of that." "Nereid, look at me, you know as well as I do that I cannot be an Innocent." "Onyx, did you forget about the mark on your chest?" He looked down to see the mark that was over the place where his heart would beat. When he looked up again, Nereid had moved closer to him and she rested her head on the mark. "I know in my heart as you must in yours that you need to go." "But who will protect you, all of you?" "You have taught us and shielded us all for a very long time. You must give us a chance to protect ourselves while you protect the world." She looked up at him with tears in her eyes. "Now go, before I decide otherwise..." Onyx nodded. After what seemed like an eternity, he turned to the Draconian herald. "What must I do?" 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Ben Posted February 15, 2005 Share Posted February 15, 2005 "Now, this spell is a bit more powerful than you?re likely to come across in any of those other villages you?ve been to. I learned [I]this[/I] spell secretly from a high mage in the Victorian academy of magic." Macros waited patiently as the brown-toothed old hermit told him of his brief stay in the Victorian Minor Academy. He'd heard the story already, but the man had a failing memory, and was prone to repeating himself. Macros would have liked to simply tell the man that he'd heard the story already, but knew the man didn't like to be interrupted, and he didn't like to hear that he'd forgotten something. The memory of [I]that[/I] instance was still fresh. Macros rubbed the somewhat charred cloth of his shoulder. The old man's black fireball hadn't been particularly powerful, but it caught him off-guard. "And that?s when I moved here." The hermit blew his nose loudly into his hands, and then transferred the mucus onto the seat of his pants. "Sad, isn't it?" "Truly, a great tragedy, Andronius." Macros replied gently. "Now, that spell you used to escape....you said it made your shadow solid?" "Escape..." the wrinkled old-timer repeated, squinting. "Ah, right you are. It made my shadow firm enough to grasp and climb upon." Macros silently exulted; he'd finally guided the man past the story! He'd been there since midmorning, and had heard the story six times already. It was inspiring to have made progress. "Could you show me how to use it?" Macros inquired. "Use what?" The hermit looked at Macros suddenly, as if just realizing that he was there. "Have we met?" And so, Macros was forced to introduce himself again to the old man and listen to his entire story of love, lies, and despair. Andronius had risen from a modest merchant?s job to become a respectable student of magic and he?d won the heart of the Academy's brightest and most beautiful female pupil. Everyone adored her for her charm, her wit, and her great beauty. She was the daughter, or sister, it seemed, of the academy itself. The two were set to be married just after graduation, and no happier couple could be found. Not far into their final year of study, she had walked in on one of his experiments with some various elements of black magic; strictly forbidden at this particular Academy. She screamed, and Andronius panicked. The spell went awry and caused a loud detonation, hurling its chaotic energies about the room and utterly mutilating and disfiguring her now-dead body. At this point in the story, the hermit would always briefly close his eyes and shed a tear. "You were such a fool, Andronius." he would reprimand himself. Knowing what would inevitably event from his crime and the resulting accident, Andronius had decided to leave the school and run away, to never be heard from again. He could hear the academy's guards dashing through the hallways outside. He went to his window, and looked downwards at his shadow. His room was located a lower floor of the Academy; the street was not too far below it. Andronius willed his shadow to take form; to take dimension. Slowly, it rose up off of the surface of the wall. With a brightly burning torch behind him, and the full moon up above, Andronius's shadow was greatly elongated, and cast down the side of the castle. He slid gently down the silk-like length of his shadow, and fled the city, never to be heard there again. "A touching tale." said Macros, upon the end of the eighth recital. "But how exactly did you make your shadow solid?" "Oh, er...." Andronius paused for a moment, tapping his forehead. "You have to sort of will [I]your[/I] solidity into the shadow. Now, you don't actually want to transfer anything to it, but instead just...eh...let it know what it's like to be solid." He produced a rough scroll from his back pocket, and handed it to Macros. "Hmm. I think I see what you're saying." Andronius shrugged, and then left Macros standing at the edge of the woods, studying the spell?s properties that were written on the scroll. Macros squinted. It was early afternoon, and his shadow lay like a dark, dark oval upon the ground. He was emotionally close to his shadow, as absurd as it may sound. It was just the result of light shining upon him, after all. It had been the instrument through which he'd escaped many a predicament, though, and it was his only true companion in the darkness. Macros's dark magic relied a good part upon his shadow, and so this odd affection grew. Macros nodded slightly to his shadow and proceeded to attempt the spell. "You, Drairthrak!" a voice called out suddenly from behind him. "Just Macros, friend." He kept his concentration on his shadow. Interrupted spells did not make for good situations. "I've been sent here to take you to Memoria." Macros could not see the individual who made the declaration, but he was not inclined to leave and go to Memoria. "I'm busy, please leave." "I'm afraid I can't do that. You are one of the Innocence, and I have been ordered to take you to Memoria." Macros cast a swift glance back at his would-be companion. A Draconian. No way he could overpower him physically, and it was too bright out for most of his shadow spells to be useful. He?d have to get to the forest. His shadow was now almost fully phased into existence. A few moments more, and it would be like stone. "Prove that I am one of these 'Innocence.' " he challenged, turning to face the winged entity. The Draconian looked at him sternly, but responded with another question. "Why do you study dark magic?" "That is my own affair." Macros replied shortly. With a sudden ripple of his arm, Macros struck his hardened shadow at the Draconian's face with his staff and ran towards the thick foliage of the forest. The Draconian warded off the attack with his armored forearm, and flapped his wings in pursuit of the mage. Macros' shadow lost its new solid form and flowed swiftly back to its owner, quickly outstripping the Draconian. Macros looked back quickly over his shoulder. The Draconian was quickly gaining on him, his polished armor gleaming in the sunlight. ?Nearly there, so very close now....? he thought. The Draconian dived, and so did Macros. Casting one of his more powerful spells, Macros joined with his shadow just as they entered into the shade of the trees. The Draconian grasped empty air, and then halted himself with practiced ability. He settled roughly upon the ground. "Come out, mage. You know you must come to Memoria." Macros eyed the Draconian through a dark veil. He was seated on a slender branch, the spell making his size indefinite and his weight nonexistent. There was no way the Draconian could see him; he was the shadow of the branch. He could have easily escaped into the darkened forest, forever leaving behind this bothersome messenger. Even so, Macros did not leave. Something within nagged at him. He felt the need to make his intentions known. [I]"I study the darkness so that I can know it, and one day defeat it. It is the [B]great[/B] darkness that has made the people suffer."[/I] The voice sounded within the Draconian's mind like the mouthings of some blighted chorus of forgotten souls. It caused him unease, but he had been trained not to show it. Something stirred, too, in him. Something more powerful than this dark magician; something much older. Suddenly, he could see Macros as clear as the sunrise. "Follow me, Macros, or I will come and get you." Macros turned the idea over in his mind. It was an empty threat, he thought, but he was no longer opposed to going to Memoria. He stayed still and as a shadow, silently contemplating. [I]Crack.[/I] [I]SLAM.[/I] In one smooth and remarkably swift instant, the Draconian had cast a dagger at the branch Macros had been perched on, causing him to fall and startling him out of his enchanted state. The Draconian had rushed forward after throwing the dagger and had then pinned Macro?s physical form stiffly against the trunk of the tree. Macros took a few short breaths, and shook his head to clear it. "To Memoria, then." Macros nodded. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pandemonium Posted February 17, 2005 Share Posted February 17, 2005 [SIZE=1][COLOR=DarkSlateGray]Sabyll snorted. This man, this thing, had been following her since the last town. Ever since she had left the last inn of that town, and the cold man in her room's bed. Yes, the Hunger had been strong last night. She had been working long and hard to suppress it further, to gain control, and she was pleased with her success. But her Need remained, and when that coupled with starved Hunger... Well, at least the man had enjoyed the best night of his life; it was his last. Twilight gray cloak pulled up around her shoulders, the cross breed had left, tipping the inn keeper slightly - it was never nice to leave a mess without some compensation. At first, she took no notice of the great winged figure that left the establishment after her. Not until after taking multiple side roads, he was still following her, albeit he had distanced himself from her as the time had passed. He was quiet magnificent: great dove-white wings that were tucked back softly against broad, strong shoulders. His hair was like spun gold, long and tied loosely with a leather thong at the end near his waist. Sharp cerulean blue orbs set within sharp angular features seemed to pierce holes in her back as she headed towards the next town. She had originally planned on going to a larger place, but now... smaller seemed like a wiser choice. What she couldn't figure out, was why this exquisite specimen was tracking her. That metalworker Byrron couldn't have finally gotten up the courage to send someone after her; he was devoted to her, even now probably. He was the only of these Draconian creatures she had ever met though, so she kept it a possibility. The scorns of love could indeed burn long and hard. It was near dusk by the time she, or rather, they, arrived at the next village. She didn't even know the name of the place, but it only had a few houses, a meeting hall, and one inn. If Byrron had sent the Draconian, or if not... it wouldn?t matter soon enough. Stepping into the inn, she breathed in the stuffy, alcohol-laden air, thick with the heat of bodies and their many, many functions. Ah, the smell of humanity. There was a bar and a few tables in the front of the one floor establishment. She moved to sit at the bar, drawing her cloak around her as she sat. There were eyes following her from the moment she stepped in, of course. Mostly slightly intoxicated men who didn?t want to go home to their nagging wives, a few bachelors, some travelers, and boys who wished they were men. A few women also watched the being as she sat ? always interesting how so many people denied themselves of what they desired. She ordered a room for one night and a glass of sweet ale. A few moments passed before the large, wrinkled woman who had taken her order returned. ?Compliments of that...er... gentleman o?er there, little lady.? She gestured over towards a table near the door. The Draconian smiled, raising his glass to Sabyll. His wings were tucked gracefully over the low-backed chair he sat in, though his presence seemed almost too big for the room, let alone the table he sat at. ?Aren?t you a lucky one, heh... Ain?t seen a Draconian man in... well, too long.? The old woman chuckled. ?Pretty catch ye got, I?d say. As long as he?s good to ye!? Oh yes... A very nice catch indeed. ?I?m sure he will be...? Sabyll returned with a polite smile. Wagging her finger, the bartender let out a sharp laugh before turning back to her work, talking to herself about ?the young ones? these days. ?May I join you?? Tucking a few snowy locks behind her ear, the dark-skinned creature looked over her shoulder to the Draconian, dark caramel eyes meeting striking blue. She hadn?t even heard him move. Still, her lips curled softly upwards and she nodded. ?Of course.? The male lowered himself onto a stood beside her, setting his glass of dark colored alcohol on the bar top. ?You?ve been following me.? ?Yes.? ?Why?? The Draconian smiled, bringing up the glass to his lips. Sabyll did the same. ?Thank you for the drink.? ?My pleasure.? ?What do you want?? He seemed to pause for a moment, as if he wasn?t quite sure on his priorities. Of course, being this close to her would probably do nothing to help that fact. After a few more moments, he frowned. ?To come with me. To Memoria.? Her eyes narrowed at the sound of the proposition. Well, it didn?t sound so much of a proposition... more like a statement of fact. She didn?t like that. ?Why would I wish to go to Memoria?? ?Because you have been called into presence by the court.? Standing, she took a last, long moment to drink before setting it on the bar. ?No thanks.? She said before walking back towards her room. No one was her master, and the will of no other but her own would ever govern her. She didn?t expect a strong, heavy hand to rest upon her shoulder, nor did she expect the sudden force it uses to wheel her around and slam her back up against a wall. One of her hands instantly produced a long, curved dagger and she swept it out in an arc, black metal singing through the dimly lit hall. The Draconian recoiled with a grunt, a thin red line appearing over his left cheek up to his temple. Crimson trails leaked slowly from it, and the male brought one finger up to it, wiping away the longest line and touching his stained finger to his lip, slipping it inside his mouth. A second blade was in Sabyll?s other hand, and she crouched slightly against the wall. Immediately, her lithe body seemed to begin to melt backwards into the wall and its many shadows from flickering candlelight around them. A soft chuckle escaped her lips, smooth and dark, like black satin. It was short lived as the Draconian suddenly moved forward, grabbing her still exposed shoulder. He blocked another strike at the wrist with his forearm, and grabbed the offending arm. He jerked her forward, but she slipped a leg around one of his, catching him off balance as she used his body for leverage to swing around him. She moved like water over rock, graceful and powerful in her own right. Wings suddenly blocked her way, stretching out long and white, almost seeming to glow against the dark of the space around them. She stumbled back, and the Draconian moved forward, catching both her arms and pushing them above her head as he trapped her with his body. Neither of them expected the sudden rise of her Hunger. Adrenaline from battle almost instantly changed its flow towards other ends. The Succubus didn?t fight against the Hunger, allowing the Need to couple with it, letting it feed off itself and spread. The Draconian?s eyes fluttered, a shred of resistance shimmering somewhere deep azure orbs. But, he was a male, after all... oh yes, definitely a male... No warrior?s training could defend against the desires of the body ? if anything it made them stronger. Sabyll?s back arched as she leaned up towards him and the shred was torn away, left to the care of hot rising winds. At least the door to the room was not too far off... _____________________________ The woman awoke to the feeling of strong, warm arms encircling her. Most pleasant. The accompanying winds that rushed around them both, running playful fingers back through her starlight hair, was not pleasant. Not in the least. Sunlight stung at her eyes. It seemed to be so much closer than usual. The Draconian was looking out and forward, expression a strange cross of slightly angered determination and blissful freedom. His wings spread out mightily above them, catching the currents. They were flying. ?Squirming would be advised against.? The Draconian said matter-of-factly, a hint of a smirk playing over his lips. Sabyll stared. She never awoke after those that she fed from. It was almost mid-day, judging by the sun! She suddenly hissed, ?The drink. Damned Draconian.? Her hands moved to find her weapons. ?I have my orders, but if you fight back at this point, no blame will come to me for dropping you.? He looked down at her, eyes shinning with what might be called amusement. ?Tis a long way to fall, my lady.? Snorting, she did not bother to look down, arms crossing over her chest. So *now* it was ?my lady?. Men. Ah well... what was done was done. Looking down, she saw the very last of the land that she had ever traveled upon. Memoria, was it... With a name such as that, there was bound to be nothing but trouble. Sabyll suspected she could deal with that. It was probably inevitable; obviously he had been prepared for what he was going to find in facing her. But still, that made her wonder... Smirking, she shook her head, eyes slowly looking him over again, unabashedly. ?There was a reason they picked you, wasn?t there.? The Draconian laughed. [I](Wow... that sucked. Sorry it took so long. U_U ) [/I] [/COLOR][/SIZE] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcadia Posted March 18, 2005 Share Posted March 18, 2005 [center]Chapter Two: Memoria Characters: All. See the Underground thread for specifics.[/center] Iara had very few memories of Memoria and the time she spent in the actual kingdom. Her family had lived its short-lived life in Rue, which was just north of Memoria. She remembered it looking small compared to the actual kingdom itself, and Rue wasn?t exactly a small ten-family village kind of deal. Memoria, though, was huge compared to Lerion. The buildings were vast and some of them seemed to stretch into the sky forever. Where Lerion was white, smooth nerferti, Memoria was metal in everyway possible. There were so many people, too. More then there ever were during market days in Lerion. The more she saw the more Iara began to feel out of place. It had taken them a while to get there, but from what she understood, many of the other Innocence were also from Lerion. She?s remarked that it was a fine coincidence, but the Draconian (he?d eventually introduced himself as Zerrin) had only arched his eyebrow in response and asked her, ?Is it?? She didn?t like the idea that she no longer had absolute control of things. Her Draconian companion represented her loss of that control in this vast kingdom and though she knew it wasn?t fair, she began to despise him because of it. What was even more unfair was the fact that Zerrin was entirely likeable and he made it very difficult for her to be angry and bitter. At the moment, he was discussing something with another of his kind, only this Draconian had dyed her wings a very rich purple hue. What looked like a curved sword was slung across her back. From the way that the woman held herself, Iara had no doubt that she could use it. They were speaking in low tones and the red mage had the particular feeling that the conversation somehow had to do with her abduction. As if on cue, the female Draconian glanced in her direction before murmuring something to Zerrin. He responded and then she saluted him before taking off into the sky. The gusts from her gorgeous wings swept past Iara, brushing her hair and her grayish dress backwards. The red mage watched her disappear behind a skyscraper before asking lightly, ?Did you have a nice conversation?? Zerrin folded his emerald wings behind him and observed her for a brief moment. ?That,? he eventually said, ?was Teviah, and she is going to retrieve her Innocence before joining us. We will then make our way to the palace where you will have all your answers.? ?Oh, wonderful.? ?Before that, though, we have some much needed shopping to do.? He smirked a little at her raised eyebrow before turning her towards a nearby shop with very tall windows. There were colorful robes on display, many of them made from very expensive material. Some were a little more done up than others, but they were all for very formal, proper occasions and Iara felt another little piece of her pride chip off as Zerrin said, ?There are certain things you need to know before you can be presented to his majesty and to the Elder Innocence. While we?re waiting for Teviah and her white mage Innocence, we can go over those in great detail.? It was obvious from the look in her eyes that Iara was not exactly brimming in excitement at the prospect of a lesson in court etiquette, but at this point she thought it was probably best if she saved her arguments for later when they would really be needed. Part of her felt pity for the other Innocence who would no doubt go through the same torture that she was being put through now. The more she thought about the others, the more curious Iara became. Even if she was here against her will, she at least wasn?t the only one and there was some comfort in that, as strange as it was. And she would be meeting this other mage before the real introductions began. It wasn?t much of a leg up, but it was a definite start. ?Oh, look at this lovely little number,? Zerrin broke into her thoughts then, holding up a hideous robe that her grandmother might have worn on a bad day. Iara knew then that it was going to be a miracle if she made it out of any of this alive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ezekiel Posted March 19, 2005 Share Posted March 19, 2005 I shivered slightly, the water lapping around my waistline as my head rested back against the ceramic tub. I sighed and opened my eyes again, taking in the beauty of Memoria?s Bath House. It was like nothing I had ever seen before, sculptures from granite and marble adorned the corridors, and paintings of beautiful women swimming in the ocean were hung perfectly in the welcome hall. A smile touched my lips, now healed form my trek, this Memoria had certainly surpassed all my expectations. The imagery the Draconian, Teviah was her name, had created was only an appetizer for the true magnificence that was the shimmering city of Memoria. I sat up and reached for a towel, wrapping it around my waist. Upon further inspection, one found the walls to be semi-translucent, made out of some material that I hadn?t come across before. It was like steamed glass, so to speak. No chandeliers made the room gaudy, but it was lit brightly by the many small orbs of white hanging from the ceiling by what looked like webs of pearls. I had only been in one building and already I wanted to move here. This journey was so far turning out to be like a holiday, I chuckled at the absurd thought, assuming that a Draconian wouldn?t travel all this way to take me on a break from my ?busy duties?. Never the less, I could grow to enjoy the travel and I?d probably pick some interesting knowledge up along the way, it was something that I would have to take as it came. [B]?Mr Mezcheth,?[/B] the Memorian struggled to pronounce my surname, his accent strong, [B]?Lady Teviah is waiting outside for you and wishes for you to make haste.? ?Of course, tell her I?ll be out in a little while.?[/B] [B]?Sir.?[/B] The man bowed and turned on his heel, leaving my belongings draped over a large oak chair set in the far right of the room. I got dressed and towelled off my hair, brushing it as I walked down the corridor and towards the light. Teviah nodded as I exited, only a polite smile on her strong, almost handsome features. She looked at my robes disdainfully, her top lip curling in mute rejection. I looked down and swept both hands across the front of my robe, ?I like them.? How immature I sounded then. Teviah rolled her eyes and gripped my shoulder tugging me in the direction we were headed. I looked up at her, opening my mouth once again to ask a question. She looked down, [B]?We?re going to the palace.? ?Ah?why??[/B] Teviah growled and squeezed my shoulder, a little too hard, I thought as I winced. [B]?You ask too many questions, Priest.? ?So I?ve been told, but I think I have a right to know.? [/B] I?d learnt by now that I shouldn?t be scared of Teviah, even if she wanted to kill me right here on the spot, she couldn?t, I seemed to be important. [B]?We are going to meet with another Draconian, he and his Innocence have arrived in Memoria and currently he is filling the girl in on what is going to happen.?[/B] I nodded, taking it all in.[B] ?And?? ?And we are going to introduce you, seeing as she is also a Mage.? ?White?? ?No, Red.?[/B] Ah, a red mage? I?d never met another mage other than my grandfather, who was known as a blue mage. A curious smile crept across my features, but I kept my buzzing excitement to myself, Teviah probably wouldn?t appreciate it. After another fifteen minutes of walking I spotted a fountain, this seemed to be the main square as far as shopping was concerned. Looking up I saw birds flittering around, passing by old architectural feats, something humans should be proud of. It was amazing how these old buildings, antiques in their own right, could mix so easily with the most up to date machinery operating right next to them. I would have to write down all of these sights, mother would love it. [B]?There.?[/B] it was the first time Teviah had spoken in ten minutes and she startled me, her finger pointing towards another Draconian, this one male. I nodded in his direction and he stepped aside, a young woman fiddling with an ornate robe stood behind him, an annoyed expression on her face. I chuckled slightly and walked forward, Teviah close behind me. [B]?This is Alkai Mezcheth, he is my Innocence and a White Mage.?[/B] The girl looked up at the mention of my name and I reached out to shake the hand of the Draconian towering over me, [B]?It?s a pleasure.?[/B] [B]?I am Zerrin,?[/B] he pointed to himself, [B]?and this is Iara.?[/B] Zerrin swept one large arm back, motioning to Iara. I took a step forward and took the woman?s hand, placing my other on top of it as I bowed my head. [B]?I hope your journey has been as good as mine.?[/B] Teviah snorted and I couldn?t help but laugh, getting confused looks from Zerrin and Iara. [B]?I suggest you two get to know each other, as both of you are Mages, we?ll leave you for now, don?t go far.?[/B] Both Iara and I replied with a firm nod, and then turned to each other. [B]?Well, I suppose you know I?m a red mage?? ?Yes, and you have no idea how excited I am about meeting you.? [/B] Iara looked even more shocked than before, I forged on bravely, [B]?You see, my village is rather small and the only other mage that I have ever come into contact with is my grandfather, rest his soul, and he was a blue mage.? ?I see,?[/B] Iara now smiled, good progress, [B]?Then I think we could make use out of each others knowledge.?[/B] We took our seats at a café, Iara across the table from me; she rested on her slender hands and leant forward, readying herself for a long conversation. [B]?You see, I come from a prominent bloodline of red mages, most of my ancestors and relatives have been widely known for their firm grasp of the elements, needless to say I?m very proud of this.? ?So you should be.?[/B] Iari looked at me after I had interrupted her, her mouth still open in breath. I looked down and muttered an apology, she went on. [B]?You see, I have mixed blood in me myself, which makes my magic seemingly more powerful, hence the reason why I don?t carry a weapon.?[/B] I had noticed this, now I knew why the girl seemed so confident. [B]?Now, tell me about yourself, Alkai.?[/B] [B]?I?m afraid there isn?t much to tell.? [/B] I laughed half-heartedly, blood flashing across my eyes. I shook the memories away, smiling brightly at Iara. [B]?As far as I know, I?m the first White Mage in my bloodline in the last one hundred years, though I do know of the Archen Mages who I share some of my talents with.? [/B] I tapped my axe and Iara?s eyes sparkled, she must have recognised the name. Pleased with the result, I continued, [B]?I was travelling when I was picked up by Teviah, my mother is getting old and wishes for me to see the world, I like learning as I?m sure you?ll soon see.?[/B] I paused, [B]?There ends my history lesson.?[/B] Iara smiled and leant back, [B]?Our powers could play off each other well, if we ever needed to fight.?[/B] It wasn?t something I?d thought about, fighting. I didn?t really want to, I may have Icingdeath with me at my side, but I?d never really needed to use it before. The thought just wasn?t something I needed to add to my forever-growing bank of memories. Iara waved to someone in the distance, Teviah and Zerrin had returned, their hulking bodies making the crowds part like waves. Zerrin dipped his head and crouched by Iara while Teviah stood next to me. Zerrin?s voice was low and I had to lean forward to hear him, [B]?We?re going to take you both up to the palace, now, there you are going to be inducted.?[/B] Teviah took it from there, [B]?You will also be told in exact detail what is expected from you and what lies ahead of you in your future travels. Come.?[/B] I stood and shot Iara a nervous glance; she didn?t return it and merely stared ahead. That in effect made me feel worse, I was sure my legs had turned to jelly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options... James Posted March 21, 2005 Share Posted March 21, 2005 [size=2]Hours earlier, he'd been cooling his feet by the water's edge. And now, Aetheran was sitting in the middle of a vast grassy plain, just outside Memoria, with his new companion. The Draconian sat with his legs crossed as he eyed Aetheran curiously. "I do wish you wouldn't stare at me like that," breathed Aetheran, "it makes me most uncomfortable." The Draconian smiled (if you could call it a smile; it was more of a faint curl at the edge of his lips). He rarely spoke, despite the fact that he'd been travelling alongside Aetheran for several hours. Aetheran had never been more confused in his life. Here he was, sitting next to a Draconian named Lablanc, with the imposing Memorian silhouette in the distance. He briefly considered Madam Hogbeam's advice - she had told him to search for a tree. In fact, he had been told to search for the largest, oldest tree in the Victorian forest. He had indeed found the tree. And he had even spoken to it. It spoke back to him, but the voice came from high up within its branches - a tall, wiry Draconian was responsible for that voice. The entire experience seemed highly foreign to Aetheran, who had never before left Emerald Cove on his own. After hours of walking, Aetheran had requested that the pair stop to take a break. "So, tell me," Aetheran began, "why were you hiding among the branches? Were you intending to give me a heart attack? If so, you were almost successful." There was a sternness to Aetheran's voice, despite the fact that he was somewhat frightened of Lablanc. In fact, Aetheran was a little frightened of all foreigners, he admitted to himself. Lablanc's vague, half-smile disappeared and was replaced with a solid stare. "One never knows when imposters are about," he said quietly. "I had to protect myself." Aetheran raised an eyebrow. "From what? Me?" Lablanc nodded. Aetheran almost chuckled to himself (almost, only because Lablanc's stern expression made him too uncomfortable to laugh or joke). "What you do not yet appreciate," Lablanc continued, "is that this world is much larger than you know. There are many places you have not seen, many people you have not met and many types of horror you have not witnessed - nor even imagined." Aetheran replaced his hat and stared off toward Memoria's intimidating silhouette. "Is the world really so bleak?" he asked. "It is odd that we Nymph-folk can bear responsibility for the seasons, which affect the lives of people we have never even seen." Lablanc gestured toward Memoria. "The entire world is not bleak, but one must always be cautious. We are living in dangerous times; more dangerous than generations past. Thoughts fester underneath the surface...dark thoughts and dark designs." Although Aetheran understood what Lablanc was saying in a general sense, there was one burning question in his mind. "What does this have to do with me?" he asked. Lablanc paused slightly before he spoke. "You haven't seen anything beyond the forests of Victoria, but let me assure you, all lives on Gaia are intertwined in one way or another. Your life is intertwined with mine - and our fates are shared with all of those in this world, including the citizens of Memoria and the other major territories." "That still doesn't answer my question," said Aetheran. "How does my life have any significance to you or anyone else outside the cove? If I were to die tomorrow, another Nymph - who would no doubt be more skilled than I - would take my place." "I am not talking about the seasons or the solstice," said Lablanc with a dismissive wave of his hand. "I am talking about something far more important: the Innocence." As the sun moved across the vast blue sky, Lablanc explained his purpose in summoning Aetheran. He did not, however, reveal all details about the Innocence; he considered it unnecessary and the King of Memoria had been specific in commanding that all Innocence were to be brought to the palace. Lablanc did not want to risk scaring Aetheran to death, especially considering his relatively sheltered life. A key to the success of the endeavour was to ensure that the Innocence - or at least, their descendants - took the task at hand seriously and more importantly, that they did so willingly. The pair continued their journey to Memoria. It was an experience that simultaneously excited and frightened Aetheran. Although his perception of the world had been almost totally destroyed within a few short hours, he now felt a slight sense of purpose. Where he had not long ago been sitting in limbo - in a place with no purpose or reason - he now understood that there was more to being a Nymph than simply performing the duties of a Nymph. He wasn't entirely convinced of this fact, but it was refreshing and reassuring to know that the world outside Emerald Cove cared little for the Flow Test and whether or not one Nymph succeeded or failed. [/size] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options... Kitty Posted March 21, 2005 Share Posted March 21, 2005 I soared through the air like a fish glides through water; nothing made me feel more at home than the billowing winds and the silky white of the clouds. My companion, a fellow draconian, struggled to keep up. I heard him grumbling several times when I slowed to wait for him. Zig zagging and looping about in the sky took little energy out of me. I was ecstatic to be out and about for once. It had been too long since my last enjoyable flight. Suddenly, I remember that I had not asked my fellow's name. He was far below me at the moment this thought surfaced, so I dove quite sharply. To him, it must have appeared as if I had tired and was falling towards the land below us, and rushed upwards and caught in me in quite the herioc sort of way. But since I was just fine, it startled me, and the moment I fell into his outstretched arms, I began to claw and scream at him as if he were attacking me. When he realized that I was in no peril, and I realized he was not going to harm me, he let me out of his arms. After the awkward moment, I remembered what caused the incident in the first place. [b]"What is your name, sir?"[/b] I inquired politely, in a soft whisper. He blinked at me, as if we had just met each other on a street corner. [b]"Oh! My name is Lheric,"[/b] he replied quickly. He did not look me in the eye as I examined him. It was not until that moment that I saw his scar. It wasn't very large, and hard to notice at first glimpse. Yet I got a very guilty feeling in the pit of my stomach. [b]"Lheric, were you ever a soldier? For a nation's army?"[/b] I wondered casually, still eyeing his wound 'till he looked towards me. [b]"Aye. I was a General in Memoria's army ages ago. I do not fondly look back on those days, as you can tell by the scar."[/b] I bit my lip, ashamed that he had seen me observing his old injury. He seemed to sense my guilt, and added, [b]"But I never did fight Lerion. I got this in a brush with some rogues. Off-duty, in fact."[/b] I let out a quiet sigh, and began to speed up again. [b]"Vralla,"[/b] he called, [b]"it isn't wise to seperate. We are nearing Memoria, and the entrance is not that way."[/b] I had been gliding with my back towards the wind and my front facing Lheric, and was surprised when he told me of our nearing Memoria. We had flown faster than I had thought. Turning, I saw through the clearing clouds a large city, larger and grander than any city I had ever seen. It could put Lerion and its small villages to shame. I stared in awe, then let out a happy cheer and did a flip. I remembered my position, and glanced towards Lheric, letting out a cough. Excitement always got the better of me. After entering the city, I was so glad to be away from my station. The many people caught my eye. The streets were crowded with mages of all sorts, and I could spot many draconians gliding about. And though there were many people, I still recieved odd glances and stares. When I mentioned this to Lheric, he whispered, [b]"They can see your wings. Everyone in Memoria knows that your color is a rare one, Miss High Chief of the Lerion Army."[/b] I shoved him, and he only laughed in return. I felt like a girl again. As we traveled further and further into the city, my curiousity grew and grew. Soon, it overpowered me, and drove me to the nearest shop. Lheric followed closely, and I began to wonder why he was hovering so much. Thinking to myself, I wondered if it had anything to do with the "Innocence" he had mentioned before. The shop was filled with shelves, and those shelves were filled with bottles and books and little bones. I examined some labels, and thought this a very strange source of items only a witch would use. But when the clerk approached me, he told me of all those that manipulated these jars and bones for magic and spells. Uninterested, I soon grew bored and shuffled out of the small shop, and looked for more fun places to explore. Before long, I arrived at the doorstep of another shop, or what looked like one, anyway. As I turned the handle for the door, Lheric grabbed my arm. [b]"I'd advise you not to go in there,"[/b] he said sternly. [b]"And why not?"[/b] I growled, a bit annoyed that he was trying to order me about. He let out a sigh, and I took it that he was bothered with 'babysitting' me. [b]"It's a tavern, and a very rough one, at that. A lady, like yourself, would not be treated decently,"[/b] he replied, still refusing to release my hand from his grip. [b]"I believe, Lheric,"[/b] I said, now glaring at him, [b]"that I can handle myself. And if you don't believe me, take another look at the color of my wings. Remember the position I hold. It wasn't easily achieved."[/b] Walking in, I felt a little upset that I had 'used' my position. I normally tried to restrain from intimidating others with my rank, but sometimes, it was the only thing that worked. Sighing a bit again, I took a glimpse over my shoulder, and sure enough, Lheric had followed me inside. [b]"Don't you ever leave me alone?"[/b] I glared at him, but he shrugged and continued after me. I felt it best to just deal with his presence than to resist it, seeing as how I would probably lose that fight. Taking a seat at the bar, and Lheric, a seat next to me, I sat happily, absorbing the sights. I still recieved looks and mutters, but I didn't allow it to irk me any longer. The bartender approached us, and asked us 'What's your pleasure?' I waved a hand, not wanting anything. Lheric, however, took a small shot. Of what, I paid no attention to. While Lheric was waiting for his drink, I was approached by a very built male draconian, with great red wings. Unfortunately, the first thing that came out of his mouth I shall not stain my lips with. But after he was finished speaking to me, Lheric stood up and let out a fierce snarl, and readied the blade he held at his side. [b]"You, sir, are a pig, and shall die like one if you don't back away now."[/b] [b]"Lheric, sit down! You needn't come to my rescue, I can fight for myself!"[/b] I whispered angrily at him. [b]"I cannot let you bother with this pest. Whether you like it or not, this is a battle you won't be fighting,"[/b] he bellowed in reply. The other draconian, obviously undaunted by Lheric's threat, and assured in his strength, let out a boast and took a fighting stance. Before lunging at my guide, he gave me a wink that both disgusted and enraged me. In a few short moments, Lheric and I were calmly walking out of the bar, leaving the half-dead draconian against the back wall and a crowd of amused spectators. [b]"You don't have to protect me, you know,"[/b] I repeated once we had walked a ways away. [b]"Yes I do. I have my orders."[/b] I again remembered the "Innocence" he had spoken of. [b]"What is the 'Innocence', [i]exactly[/i]? Why am I a part of it? Are there others? Where exactly are you taking me? When do we have to be there?"[/b] I blurted out. All these questions put a smile on Lheric's face. Before he even opened his mouth, I shouted, [b]"[i]What[/i]?!"[/b] [b]"Nothing.. Now, about the Innocence. I cannot inform you of what it is; only that you are a part of it. Why you are a part of the Innocence is another question I cannot answer. But this time, because even I do not know the answer. I was not informed of this. And yes, there are other members of the Innocence. I just happened to be [i]your[/i] guide. Most of the others should be arriving here in Memoria soon, as well. Now thats enough questions for now, eh?"[/b] I let out a grunt of annoyance, and stared at him. He smiled and began to walk away. [b]"Hey! Wait for me!"[/b] I cried, speeding after him. We ended up at a fountain when we took our next break. I sat on the edge and waved my hand under the water a little. [b]"It's refreshing,"[/b] I thought aloud. [b]"Have you ever seen a fountain this colossal? Only Memoria.. Only Memoria.."[/b] Lheric began to trail off. [b]"It's just a fountain. Get over yourself,"[/b] I scoffed, grinning as he looked at me. He faked a laugh, then sat down beside me. [b]"You aren't as elegant as I thought you would be,"[/b] he finally said after a while. [b]"Oh? Go on,"[/b] I urged him, wondering what his reasoning was. [b]"No. You're more like a school girl, if you ask me. You seem so hyper and giggly, more than calm and collected, as [i]most[/i] officers are expected to be."[/b] I gawked at him. Who was he to judge me? [b]"Why you annoying, little--"[/b] I cried as I shoved him into the fountain. Quite startled, he flailed around a bit before jumping out. [b]"Calm and collected, eh?"[/b] I laughed. But he smiled at me and repeated, [b]"You are quite the school girl."[/b] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options... Doukeshi Posted March 24, 2005 Share Posted March 24, 2005 [COLOR=white]The sky was bright over the bustling city of Memoria. Its metallic walls glinted in the afternoon sun, shadowed only by the passing forms of a winged draconian and its seemingly strange companion. A draconian in itself was not an unusual sight within the city of Memoria or, indeed, many other places, it was however a rather rare and beautiful sight to witness the creature that now flew parallel. The fiery colours of the phoenix shone with magnificent hue under the sun, as if the glowing sphere itself had come to earth. Coming to rest at the gates to the city the two young soldiers on guard stood in shocked silence, mouths agape at the truly wonderous sight the mythical bird produced. Stepping forward, the large draconian announced his presence loudly, diverting the guards' attention from the bird now seated upon his shoulder with his stern and commanding tone. [B]"Open the gates fools, we have no time to tarry here!" [/B] The draconians booming voice resonated upon the metal walls and the guards scuttled back timidly in an attempt to complete the beings orders. After a time of chaotic clangs and angry yelps, the doors to the city of Memoria swung open slowly, the grinding of gears and cogs causing even the bird seated upon the draconians shoulder to wince. Flaring his great wings the draconian strutted forward, dismissing the young guards with a wave of his hand. The two looked imploringly up at him for any sign of gratitude but were left standing dejected as the draconian brazenly ignored them. The noise and bustle of the city was almost immediatley apparent upon entering through the narrow gateway. Ringing bells and bawling merchants clouded together with the shrieks of young urchins and busy citizens. Keeping to the wall the draconian glanced at his smaller companion, shadowing him from the ignorant eyes of the busy city dwellers. [B]"I think it would be best if you were not so bright, even I cannot save you from a mob of greedy townsfolk." [/B] With an almost impercievable nod the phoenix hopped from its perch and glided softly towards the muddied dirt trail below. Chirruping its distaste at such a grimy setting the bird enfolded its wings up over its head. After a few moments low hissing sound suddenly became audible and a thin trail of smoke started to escape from the birds feathers along with several small flames. In a matter of seconds the phoenix was engulfed in a blazing ball of fire, though the bird made no noise of pain or discomfort. As the fire slowly began to die and the smoke dissipated a larger, crouched figure came into view. Covered in ashes and completely naked, Asher Fenix Ulfcur stood and stretched his arms over his head, cracking several bones back into place as he did so. Regarding the draconian Asher smiled in amusement before holding out his hand. Raising an eyebrow at such a dramatic display the draconian grasped the pack he held upon his back and withdrew several items of Asher's clothing from it. Throwing them at the young shifter he grumbled. [B]"Was there a need for such a colourful show?" [/B] Grinning Asher donned his attire, spreading his arms as if to test his wing span. [B]"There are enough greys in this world without me adding to them Arcturus."[/B] Shaking his head the draconian Asher knew as Arcturus ushered the shifter forwards, the bustling street enveloping them as the went. [B]"Come my radiant featherling, we must see you prepared before I present you to the council. We have time before our gathering and I recommend that we procure some fresh attire for you."[/B] Arcturus smirked slightly as he surveyed the many bustling and chaotic stalls within the busy city marketplace. Asher looked down at his own drab travellers clothing and sighed before peering up at Arcturus and his brightly shining tunic. [B]"Mabye...but I refuse to wear plaid."[/B][/COLOR] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options... Create an account or sign in to comment You need to be a member in order to leave a comment Create an account Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy! Register a new account Sign in Already have an account? Sign in here. Sign In Now Share More sharing options... Followers 0
James Posted March 21, 2005 Share Posted March 21, 2005 [size=2]Hours earlier, he'd been cooling his feet by the water's edge. And now, Aetheran was sitting in the middle of a vast grassy plain, just outside Memoria, with his new companion. The Draconian sat with his legs crossed as he eyed Aetheran curiously. "I do wish you wouldn't stare at me like that," breathed Aetheran, "it makes me most uncomfortable." The Draconian smiled (if you could call it a smile; it was more of a faint curl at the edge of his lips). He rarely spoke, despite the fact that he'd been travelling alongside Aetheran for several hours. Aetheran had never been more confused in his life. Here he was, sitting next to a Draconian named Lablanc, with the imposing Memorian silhouette in the distance. He briefly considered Madam Hogbeam's advice - she had told him to search for a tree. In fact, he had been told to search for the largest, oldest tree in the Victorian forest. He had indeed found the tree. And he had even spoken to it. It spoke back to him, but the voice came from high up within its branches - a tall, wiry Draconian was responsible for that voice. The entire experience seemed highly foreign to Aetheran, who had never before left Emerald Cove on his own. After hours of walking, Aetheran had requested that the pair stop to take a break. "So, tell me," Aetheran began, "why were you hiding among the branches? Were you intending to give me a heart attack? If so, you were almost successful." There was a sternness to Aetheran's voice, despite the fact that he was somewhat frightened of Lablanc. In fact, Aetheran was a little frightened of all foreigners, he admitted to himself. Lablanc's vague, half-smile disappeared and was replaced with a solid stare. "One never knows when imposters are about," he said quietly. "I had to protect myself." Aetheran raised an eyebrow. "From what? Me?" Lablanc nodded. Aetheran almost chuckled to himself (almost, only because Lablanc's stern expression made him too uncomfortable to laugh or joke). "What you do not yet appreciate," Lablanc continued, "is that this world is much larger than you know. There are many places you have not seen, many people you have not met and many types of horror you have not witnessed - nor even imagined." Aetheran replaced his hat and stared off toward Memoria's intimidating silhouette. "Is the world really so bleak?" he asked. "It is odd that we Nymph-folk can bear responsibility for the seasons, which affect the lives of people we have never even seen." Lablanc gestured toward Memoria. "The entire world is not bleak, but one must always be cautious. We are living in dangerous times; more dangerous than generations past. Thoughts fester underneath the surface...dark thoughts and dark designs." Although Aetheran understood what Lablanc was saying in a general sense, there was one burning question in his mind. "What does this have to do with me?" he asked. Lablanc paused slightly before he spoke. "You haven't seen anything beyond the forests of Victoria, but let me assure you, all lives on Gaia are intertwined in one way or another. Your life is intertwined with mine - and our fates are shared with all of those in this world, including the citizens of Memoria and the other major territories." "That still doesn't answer my question," said Aetheran. "How does my life have any significance to you or anyone else outside the cove? If I were to die tomorrow, another Nymph - who would no doubt be more skilled than I - would take my place." "I am not talking about the seasons or the solstice," said Lablanc with a dismissive wave of his hand. "I am talking about something far more important: the Innocence." As the sun moved across the vast blue sky, Lablanc explained his purpose in summoning Aetheran. He did not, however, reveal all details about the Innocence; he considered it unnecessary and the King of Memoria had been specific in commanding that all Innocence were to be brought to the palace. Lablanc did not want to risk scaring Aetheran to death, especially considering his relatively sheltered life. A key to the success of the endeavour was to ensure that the Innocence - or at least, their descendants - took the task at hand seriously and more importantly, that they did so willingly. The pair continued their journey to Memoria. It was an experience that simultaneously excited and frightened Aetheran. Although his perception of the world had been almost totally destroyed within a few short hours, he now felt a slight sense of purpose. Where he had not long ago been sitting in limbo - in a place with no purpose or reason - he now understood that there was more to being a Nymph than simply performing the duties of a Nymph. He wasn't entirely convinced of this fact, but it was refreshing and reassuring to know that the world outside Emerald Cove cared little for the Flow Test and whether or not one Nymph succeeded or failed. [/size] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kitty Posted March 21, 2005 Share Posted March 21, 2005 I soared through the air like a fish glides through water; nothing made me feel more at home than the billowing winds and the silky white of the clouds. My companion, a fellow draconian, struggled to keep up. I heard him grumbling several times when I slowed to wait for him. Zig zagging and looping about in the sky took little energy out of me. I was ecstatic to be out and about for once. It had been too long since my last enjoyable flight. Suddenly, I remember that I had not asked my fellow's name. He was far below me at the moment this thought surfaced, so I dove quite sharply. To him, it must have appeared as if I had tired and was falling towards the land below us, and rushed upwards and caught in me in quite the herioc sort of way. But since I was just fine, it startled me, and the moment I fell into his outstretched arms, I began to claw and scream at him as if he were attacking me. When he realized that I was in no peril, and I realized he was not going to harm me, he let me out of his arms. After the awkward moment, I remembered what caused the incident in the first place. [b]"What is your name, sir?"[/b] I inquired politely, in a soft whisper. He blinked at me, as if we had just met each other on a street corner. [b]"Oh! My name is Lheric,"[/b] he replied quickly. He did not look me in the eye as I examined him. It was not until that moment that I saw his scar. It wasn't very large, and hard to notice at first glimpse. Yet I got a very guilty feeling in the pit of my stomach. [b]"Lheric, were you ever a soldier? For a nation's army?"[/b] I wondered casually, still eyeing his wound 'till he looked towards me. [b]"Aye. I was a General in Memoria's army ages ago. I do not fondly look back on those days, as you can tell by the scar."[/b] I bit my lip, ashamed that he had seen me observing his old injury. He seemed to sense my guilt, and added, [b]"But I never did fight Lerion. I got this in a brush with some rogues. Off-duty, in fact."[/b] I let out a quiet sigh, and began to speed up again. [b]"Vralla,"[/b] he called, [b]"it isn't wise to seperate. We are nearing Memoria, and the entrance is not that way."[/b] I had been gliding with my back towards the wind and my front facing Lheric, and was surprised when he told me of our nearing Memoria. We had flown faster than I had thought. Turning, I saw through the clearing clouds a large city, larger and grander than any city I had ever seen. It could put Lerion and its small villages to shame. I stared in awe, then let out a happy cheer and did a flip. I remembered my position, and glanced towards Lheric, letting out a cough. Excitement always got the better of me. After entering the city, I was so glad to be away from my station. The many people caught my eye. The streets were crowded with mages of all sorts, and I could spot many draconians gliding about. And though there were many people, I still recieved odd glances and stares. When I mentioned this to Lheric, he whispered, [b]"They can see your wings. Everyone in Memoria knows that your color is a rare one, Miss High Chief of the Lerion Army."[/b] I shoved him, and he only laughed in return. I felt like a girl again. As we traveled further and further into the city, my curiousity grew and grew. Soon, it overpowered me, and drove me to the nearest shop. Lheric followed closely, and I began to wonder why he was hovering so much. Thinking to myself, I wondered if it had anything to do with the "Innocence" he had mentioned before. The shop was filled with shelves, and those shelves were filled with bottles and books and little bones. I examined some labels, and thought this a very strange source of items only a witch would use. But when the clerk approached me, he told me of all those that manipulated these jars and bones for magic and spells. Uninterested, I soon grew bored and shuffled out of the small shop, and looked for more fun places to explore. Before long, I arrived at the doorstep of another shop, or what looked like one, anyway. As I turned the handle for the door, Lheric grabbed my arm. [b]"I'd advise you not to go in there,"[/b] he said sternly. [b]"And why not?"[/b] I growled, a bit annoyed that he was trying to order me about. He let out a sigh, and I took it that he was bothered with 'babysitting' me. [b]"It's a tavern, and a very rough one, at that. A lady, like yourself, would not be treated decently,"[/b] he replied, still refusing to release my hand from his grip. [b]"I believe, Lheric,"[/b] I said, now glaring at him, [b]"that I can handle myself. And if you don't believe me, take another look at the color of my wings. Remember the position I hold. It wasn't easily achieved."[/b] Walking in, I felt a little upset that I had 'used' my position. I normally tried to restrain from intimidating others with my rank, but sometimes, it was the only thing that worked. Sighing a bit again, I took a glimpse over my shoulder, and sure enough, Lheric had followed me inside. [b]"Don't you ever leave me alone?"[/b] I glared at him, but he shrugged and continued after me. I felt it best to just deal with his presence than to resist it, seeing as how I would probably lose that fight. Taking a seat at the bar, and Lheric, a seat next to me, I sat happily, absorbing the sights. I still recieved looks and mutters, but I didn't allow it to irk me any longer. The bartender approached us, and asked us 'What's your pleasure?' I waved a hand, not wanting anything. Lheric, however, took a small shot. Of what, I paid no attention to. While Lheric was waiting for his drink, I was approached by a very built male draconian, with great red wings. Unfortunately, the first thing that came out of his mouth I shall not stain my lips with. But after he was finished speaking to me, Lheric stood up and let out a fierce snarl, and readied the blade he held at his side. [b]"You, sir, are a pig, and shall die like one if you don't back away now."[/b] [b]"Lheric, sit down! You needn't come to my rescue, I can fight for myself!"[/b] I whispered angrily at him. [b]"I cannot let you bother with this pest. Whether you like it or not, this is a battle you won't be fighting,"[/b] he bellowed in reply. The other draconian, obviously undaunted by Lheric's threat, and assured in his strength, let out a boast and took a fighting stance. Before lunging at my guide, he gave me a wink that both disgusted and enraged me. In a few short moments, Lheric and I were calmly walking out of the bar, leaving the half-dead draconian against the back wall and a crowd of amused spectators. [b]"You don't have to protect me, you know,"[/b] I repeated once we had walked a ways away. [b]"Yes I do. I have my orders."[/b] I again remembered the "Innocence" he had spoken of. [b]"What is the 'Innocence', [i]exactly[/i]? Why am I a part of it? Are there others? Where exactly are you taking me? When do we have to be there?"[/b] I blurted out. All these questions put a smile on Lheric's face. Before he even opened his mouth, I shouted, [b]"[i]What[/i]?!"[/b] [b]"Nothing.. Now, about the Innocence. I cannot inform you of what it is; only that you are a part of it. Why you are a part of the Innocence is another question I cannot answer. But this time, because even I do not know the answer. I was not informed of this. And yes, there are other members of the Innocence. I just happened to be [i]your[/i] guide. Most of the others should be arriving here in Memoria soon, as well. Now thats enough questions for now, eh?"[/b] I let out a grunt of annoyance, and stared at him. He smiled and began to walk away. [b]"Hey! Wait for me!"[/b] I cried, speeding after him. We ended up at a fountain when we took our next break. I sat on the edge and waved my hand under the water a little. [b]"It's refreshing,"[/b] I thought aloud. [b]"Have you ever seen a fountain this colossal? Only Memoria.. Only Memoria.."[/b] Lheric began to trail off. [b]"It's just a fountain. Get over yourself,"[/b] I scoffed, grinning as he looked at me. He faked a laugh, then sat down beside me. [b]"You aren't as elegant as I thought you would be,"[/b] he finally said after a while. [b]"Oh? Go on,"[/b] I urged him, wondering what his reasoning was. [b]"No. You're more like a school girl, if you ask me. You seem so hyper and giggly, more than calm and collected, as [i]most[/i] officers are expected to be."[/b] I gawked at him. Who was he to judge me? [b]"Why you annoying, little--"[/b] I cried as I shoved him into the fountain. Quite startled, he flailed around a bit before jumping out. [b]"Calm and collected, eh?"[/b] I laughed. But he smiled at me and repeated, [b]"You are quite the school girl."[/b] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doukeshi Posted March 24, 2005 Share Posted March 24, 2005 [COLOR=white]The sky was bright over the bustling city of Memoria. Its metallic walls glinted in the afternoon sun, shadowed only by the passing forms of a winged draconian and its seemingly strange companion. A draconian in itself was not an unusual sight within the city of Memoria or, indeed, many other places, it was however a rather rare and beautiful sight to witness the creature that now flew parallel. The fiery colours of the phoenix shone with magnificent hue under the sun, as if the glowing sphere itself had come to earth. Coming to rest at the gates to the city the two young soldiers on guard stood in shocked silence, mouths agape at the truly wonderous sight the mythical bird produced. Stepping forward, the large draconian announced his presence loudly, diverting the guards' attention from the bird now seated upon his shoulder with his stern and commanding tone. [B]"Open the gates fools, we have no time to tarry here!" [/B] The draconians booming voice resonated upon the metal walls and the guards scuttled back timidly in an attempt to complete the beings orders. After a time of chaotic clangs and angry yelps, the doors to the city of Memoria swung open slowly, the grinding of gears and cogs causing even the bird seated upon the draconians shoulder to wince. Flaring his great wings the draconian strutted forward, dismissing the young guards with a wave of his hand. The two looked imploringly up at him for any sign of gratitude but were left standing dejected as the draconian brazenly ignored them. The noise and bustle of the city was almost immediatley apparent upon entering through the narrow gateway. Ringing bells and bawling merchants clouded together with the shrieks of young urchins and busy citizens. Keeping to the wall the draconian glanced at his smaller companion, shadowing him from the ignorant eyes of the busy city dwellers. [B]"I think it would be best if you were not so bright, even I cannot save you from a mob of greedy townsfolk." [/B] With an almost impercievable nod the phoenix hopped from its perch and glided softly towards the muddied dirt trail below. Chirruping its distaste at such a grimy setting the bird enfolded its wings up over its head. After a few moments low hissing sound suddenly became audible and a thin trail of smoke started to escape from the birds feathers along with several small flames. In a matter of seconds the phoenix was engulfed in a blazing ball of fire, though the bird made no noise of pain or discomfort. As the fire slowly began to die and the smoke dissipated a larger, crouched figure came into view. Covered in ashes and completely naked, Asher Fenix Ulfcur stood and stretched his arms over his head, cracking several bones back into place as he did so. Regarding the draconian Asher smiled in amusement before holding out his hand. Raising an eyebrow at such a dramatic display the draconian grasped the pack he held upon his back and withdrew several items of Asher's clothing from it. Throwing them at the young shifter he grumbled. [B]"Was there a need for such a colourful show?" [/B] Grinning Asher donned his attire, spreading his arms as if to test his wing span. [B]"There are enough greys in this world without me adding to them Arcturus."[/B] Shaking his head the draconian Asher knew as Arcturus ushered the shifter forwards, the bustling street enveloping them as the went. [B]"Come my radiant featherling, we must see you prepared before I present you to the council. We have time before our gathering and I recommend that we procure some fresh attire for you."[/B] Arcturus smirked slightly as he surveyed the many bustling and chaotic stalls within the busy city marketplace. Asher looked down at his own drab travellers clothing and sighed before peering up at Arcturus and his brightly shining tunic. [B]"Mabye...but I refuse to wear plaid."[/B][/COLOR] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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