Mr ship
[Clinic-Parlor/Henry]
Henry gave a good hardy laugh. I was hard to tell if it was from the whiskey or not though. "Oh boy you're going to want to hear this."
He took a sip of whiskey. "Have we had problems in the past? Oh hell yes! When I met her she was trying to kill me! It was in '82, I was living my life as a news photographer from Portland, Oregon. One day I had to go a state down to San Francisco, California to take photographs of the damage a recent flood did. So I was at the airport getting off my plane and heading to my contact about the flood when all of the sudden I have a PPK pointed at my back and this woman says 'Henry A. Safon the Second on behalf of the Central Intelligence Agency and the United States of America I'm placing you under arrest for the list of crimes that include but are not limited to treason, arson, theft of classified documents, evading the police, and possible drug use....;"
Henry laughed a bit more. "She's always taken her job seriously. Anyway I managed to get away from her using the flash of my camera but I couldn't get my mind off of her. She was the first person to be able to track me down and I wanted to know how she did it. So I killed off the identity I was using, moved back to San Francisco and tracked her down. I found her apartment where I broke into her car and turned the tables on her when she got in. She tried to kill me again but I got away and the cycle continued for about a month or so. She tried to tell the CIA about me but I was too good. This lasted until I broke into her apartment and waited for her to get home. When she got home she broke down and asked me what I wanted. I told her all I wanted to do was talk. So we talked and talked. I told her some of my stories of being in the OSS and inventing modern spying while she told me about how she quickly rose in the ranks. This went on for a while. Over time though I started to get through to her about some of the stuff America was doing that went against her values. Eventually the straw that broke the camel's back was being sent to train terrorists in South America. She quickly got out of there and quit the CIA after that."
He sighed. "Sometimes like you I wonder if she would've been happier if she never met me and was ignorant to some of the more horrible things that she had to do."
This is my good side.
Rozeta Marga
Peering a little harder, she could make the look of the strangers, and they were the wirdest bunch she had seen. Two women that looked like fish, a kid with wings for arms, and a man with grey skin...
She froze when the three outright called out for her. How did they knew she was here? Even worse, two of them knew what she was. A cold sweat trailed down her neck. That familiar feeling in her gut told her to run away, but she had been blindsided so quickly she couldn't react. Besides, she had been walking for so long, she didn't know if she could actually run away. And hiding was out of the question. Maybe fight...?
She didn't dare leave her spot. But thankfully, they did not seem hostile, which helped her calm down. Slowly, carefully, she rose and moved away from her hiding spot, towards the others. She opened her mouth briefly, but couldn't get herself to talk.
Still, she was not completely at ease. They seemed to know her secret after just meeting her for the first time. While she joined the others, she stood a little hunched over, crossing her arms defensively, even if she didn't look actively hostile.
It's a bird.
Snow Castle - Parlor (Gwenafer; Gliosem; Phantom; Jackson, Adam, Marie, Nick; Megumi, Rin)
"Thanks," Gwenafer said, nodding at the cat-like woman before raising the cup to her lips. She didn't recognize the beverage - it was definitely both stronger and a bit more sweet than the mushroom brews she was used to - but it seemed pleasant enough.
"Hm, mine is the second," she continued once she lowered the cup again. "Guess that settles it then."
She turned back to Phantom, throwing a glance at Gliosem in the process. Soul-catching crystals? Well, that was bloody creepy.
Gwenafer gave Phantom's armor a curious look. "Just wondering..." she said. "Can you feel things through the metal, or how does it work?"
Waiting for an answer, she looked over at Jackson.
"Figured you were a tinkerer, with the goggles and whatnot," she said. "What kind of stuff do you build?"
Gwenafer looked up as she heard the other teenagers enter the room again, but didn't say anything. There were plenty of people back home who would have ridiculed the poor boy for running off like that, but she figured a person could bloody well cry a bit if they felt like it. None of her business, really.
Next, she moved herself - and the food Megumi had given her - down along the table to check on the admiral. She had to wake up eventually, right?
Still a great "screw depression" song even after seven years.
[farm]
Lise whined a bit in surprise when the cat lady suddenly lifted her off the ground. Wow, she was strong! Even Papa had trouble lifting her now that she was big.
The dog's whine got Vince and Tsadro's attention. "Fuwa, I told you not to lift anything-" Tsadro sighed as she bent over to set Lise down. "Now... gentle." Now with one complication averted, Fuwa just couldn't resist touching the circlet, with the expected results.
Tsadro put his hand on her good shoulder and eased her back. "That's gold," he said to her. "Terrible for us, but Gaeans love it. They use it for jewelry and decorations because it's expensive." He checked her bandage as he spoke... good, looks like his stitches held up.
"Jack, you have debauched my sloth."
Rozeta Marga ~ Ampelones Dry Docks (Nerea; Arizona, the Midnight Stitcher; Durnem; Speechless Cyborg Girl)
Empress Nerea continued to tilt her head in regards to the Midnight Stitcher. "Decrepit other-worldly avia with powers of tele-kinesis?" she rather eloquently parroted. "What matter of madness do you speak of?" she added with a modicum of alarm. Collecting herself, the woman crossed her arms, her mouth pursed in thought. "Hmm, this Ayako you speak of; am I correct to assume that the name is Senjimese?" she inquired.
"It is pronounced "ay-vee-ah", my dear," Nerea gave the winged girl a smile, before lightly ruffling her hair, "Well, Me, you are most certainly a precocious child. I am most glad to see you hale and hearty," she said. Her hand slipped down to the girl's shoulder, causing Nerea's eyebrows to narrow. This girl's arms were her wings. "Most peculiar, most peculiar indeed," the empress tutted.
She then faced the Midnight Stitcher again, "I too have a resilient body, a product of the inky depths of the ocean. Though, you are most peculiar; you refer to your genitors as "creators", and," she glanced over at Arizona, "you are a parent after two weeks of existence you say? Quite intriguing, I say." She then gave a curious look, a quiet laugh, and a faint smile directed at Durnem; this "biting fish" actually bites, and is a mother to boot.
The Abyssal Empress cocked an eyebrow at the Midnight Stitcher, "You sir, have a most impressive sense of smell if you can notice such a minute detail as that. Intelligent machinery, though, per-chance you are referring to automata? I have heard that the artisans of Vesperia have made much progress in their field of crafting "automatons", as they call them," she said, shaking her head slightly.
"Though, I have never heard of an automata being crafted using a pre-existing soul," Nerea commented, leaning slightly to her right, "I myself have created what could be classified as one, albeit most un-intentionally. And, she is very much an un-orthodox automaton. Came from the ice-box, that one..." she said, laughing softly.
When Durnem mentioned she came from another world, the empress tapped her chin in thought. "That… would explain the peculiar words and "silver months"," she said, before gesturing towards her surroundings, "This world is called Aria."
Finally, she gave a kindly smile to their timid visitor, further welcoming her to the group.
edited 18th Jun '17 9:13:49 PM by WillDeRegio
Friendly Neighborhood Lich
Snow Castle - Parlor (Rin, Megumi, Nick, Jackson, Adam, Marie, Gwenafer, Gliosem, Phantom)
Gliosem paused her adjusting the glass beads of her selunor instrument to listened to Phantom's talk about his plans for life, giving him a look of concern. "That sounds like a life that would get boring after a while... though since you do have something that you are looking for, that will at least inspire you to enjoy life along the way." She blinked, gazing right at where his eyes ought to be. "The afterlife defies time. Even if it is a wait of several years, it may not seem that long to you. ...Do you think it is possible that your old self also wanted to reincarnate sooner, and accomplished it by transferring your own soul to the body you have now? I suppose memories could be lost in the process... But now that you are in a dream, perhaps there is a place where you can obtain some answers."note
Once again the tune that had been running through her mind came up again, though soon it was overwhelmed by more shuffling of feet, those of Adam and Marie bringing Nick back in. Gliosem's eyes widened when she saw the state of Nick's aura - that sense of guilt was more pronounced, and this, she knew, was the empty aftermath of such a profound feeling. Perhaps he is experiencing emotion paralysis.
At last, Megumi returned, bearing tea and snacks and some other beverage she did not recognize. For a moment Gliosem examined the items before her... though they were kind of familiar, some sort of bread shaped like a fish and some sort of fruit named after a color. But she didn't touch these just yet, instead taking a few sips of her tea before moving over to Rin with her selunor in hand. Megumi had just finished helping Rin drink the Tea of Dreams, and was pleased to see her begin to feel her body again. Still, she figured she could use some more encouragement. So, with a brief glance around at the group, she spoke.
"Well, I would say that this is a good opportunity for some entertainment to go along with our tea. Do not be alarmed at what may appear, as this song contains a special sort of magic that resonates well with me, more than any other, and it shall cause no damage to this space. Though it is about a realm thought to exist beneath the surface of Kalena, Orenya's largest moon, I do feel it would pertain to more situations here than only Rin's." She looked back to Rin with a long and silent gaze, and just as quietly, picked up the abacus-like instrument and withdrew a tiny wooden baton, which she just held still over the instrument as the song began.
This is another one I have a recording of, found here
- and that instrument forming the main "rhythm" is the closest representation of what a selunor might sound like that I can think of.
Parth-nai samar, riesu-me tai (Such a silent place yet has treasures there)
Wenthe-yama mu, wani diri dai (Covered by a wall made of fog and air)
Sore-finaiya ata da rina (Death cannot touch you if you make it through)
Yoki kale-na (Place of mystery)
Kalena, sen Kalena
Here she finally picked away at the glass beads on the instrument, drawing across them with the little baton, where it produced a soft chiming sound, kind of reminiscent of the Earthen harp or celesta. And the melody she played on it was slow, calm, even tinged with the slightest hint of sorrow.
A place of great mystery
A world that's been lost for some time
Such magic and beauty, it makes the perfect astral shrine
Its dark blue mist can shroud all of life 'neath a cloud
Down there, waters flow
Yet on land, no life can grow
With this, the air seemed to grow a little thicker, as traces of the very same dark blue mist Gliosem had just mentioned appeared around the parlor.
Flowers, trees, no one sees
No sunlight at all
Creatures there, they are rare
Thus silence lies past this wall
Remembering that that chorus she started with had been somehow sung in her native language for all to her, she attempted it again, and this time it actually came out translated. Satisfied, she continued on.
The clean misty water is special in that it's more like air
A fish, snake or fylin, you don't have to be to breathe in there
It protects all from harm 'neath its deep gloomy charm
Down there, when you dive
There's a cave where grace does thrive
Darkness is all there is
As time lingers by
If you will stay there still
There you cannot ever die
With the next iteration of the chorus, she conjured a thin layer of that same mist along the parlor floor. Though it didn't physically affect anything, it seemed to drain away all worries and anxieties within the space. At this point the room seemed to darken a bit as well, though everything in the parlor was still visible.
This place is so wonderful
Down there, would you like to live in?
But this sanctuary attracts each single deadly sin
You can't ever go there
The fog you cannot pass through
But that is a blessing, so harm it no one can do
Though she had to keep both hands on her instrument, she could still feel Rin's presence next to her, and it complemented the song perfectly, as it felt a little like ice. In fact, the temperature in the room seemed to have dropped a slight bit, though not enough to make actual ice.
It's only physically that you'll meet a wall
But if you send your spirit, then the fog cannot stop you at all
Only souls can heed Kalena's call
If a chill didn't fill the air before, it did now, as the mist brightened and even glistened a bit at the song's climax.
Rina pi wani suri, ida gou (Psychic energy, there is plenty of)
Orba kado-va, yai nya bebei tou (In the swirling fog that is high above)
Yu tou hachiwa, dai tou nya mora (Separate your mind, and then you will find)
Da ri Kalena kaora (The way to Kalena)
If you feed old or stressful
Look towards that youthful source
Your spirit can take you there
Faith and magic, a powerful force
After a few more notes from the selunor, she placed the instrument down, and as she finished off the song with the chorus in its original language for once, the mists receded, instead reappearing only below Rin. And once the song was done, she sat still with her hand hovering slightly over Rin's shoulder, focusing as best she could on the Admiral's aura. Though the song likely did the trick, just in case, she whispered a more proper spell.
"Sai drimariya-no sundi, dore-ya."translation
edited 19th Jun '17 12:39:28 AM by ladytanuki
Come, my child of the devil. Your mother is calling you. Hear my call in Hell's grand hall, where all our dreams come true.
Drummer Boy
[Farm]
"Wait, why is it bad for you? I've never heard of gold... doing that to anyone." The circlet hovered off the ground slightly and slowly moved about a foot away from its original location, away from Tsadro and Fuwa. "That—that wasn't a weird dream thing again, by the way. I was actually using magic just now. But I don't want to move it too far, because I tried to toss it and this tunic away earlier, and then I turned around and almost tripped over them again. It's like they're following me."
He draped the wool tunic over the circlet with the back facing up so the gold embroidery wasn't facing up. "Uhm... I don't know if that's actually going to help anything, but I was tired of carrying it anyway, and it's not the real thing, so it probably doesn't matter if it's dirty. So... yeah. A monarch. Me." He stared at the ground. "You'd think three older brothers would be more than enough of a buffer, but... no. I'm the last Pallone. Father's gone, my brothers are all gone, and they had no children, so tomorrow, it's my turn."
He tentatively reached out to the dog, partly out of a desire to apologize for startling her when he dropped the circlet and partly because he got scared and sick all over again every time he thought about the coronation and he kind of needed something fluffy right now. "The past week has been a little much. I haven't even been crowned yet and everyone's already trying to play me for a fool."
The last battle's curtains will open on stage!
Farm (Fuwa; Josef; Vince, Tsadro, Lise)
Fuwa glanced down at Lise with concern when the dog whined, she gave her an apologetic head pat and nuzzled her, before giving Tsadro a curious look as he kept her from reaching from the circlet again. "G...ol...d..." she sounded out, a paradoxically familiar yet unfamiliar word. She scratched her neck in frustration before scowling slightly; even the basics of spoken language were difficult to learn for one who was, by nature, unaccustomed to doing so.
Her gaze returned to the circlet, with it being made of metal, that would explain the jolt she received; as a raiju, she continuously produced electricity. Fuwa then scratched some drawings on the ground: the simple image of some type of beast with large claws, a circle, and a jagged line connecting the two.
She chirped after she finished her drawing, before adding more to it: she added an exclamation mark above the beast's head, and slashed her claw across the jagged line. She hoped the others would understand what she meant, otherwise she'd be forced to attempt to piece together a sentence, to humorous but humiliating results.
The beast woman eyed the circlet at it was moved away from her and Tsandro; she kept her gaze fixed on it as she listened to Josef explain the story behind the gold crown. When the man finished his story, Fuwa had repositioned herself next to him, gently nudging him to get his attention while she kept an eye on the circlet. While she herself hadn't experienced loss, she knew what it felt like; she had been there when her caretaker had lost those dear to her…
The Prince of Foolish Relevations
Rozeta Marga - Ampelones (Nerea, Durnem, Metal Girl, The Midnight Stitcher, Ariza?)
The Midnight Stitcher looking at Durnem with slight confusion as she failed to contain a snicker on two separate occasions, the young harpy(?) girl instead frowns. Still, as Durnem turns her attention to them both, the young girl flinches back as Durnem suddenly snaps at her. The Midnight Stitcher, looking at the girl with questioning yet a bit worried analysis, he focuses on Durnem as she speaks again.
The black haired man giving a more neutral look of confusion, as if saying 'did I not say so?', his confusion becomes more notable when Durnem asked what planet this is. Turning his head around without moving so he could look at the newcomer, The Midnight Stitcher watches her in silence. Yet it is the monarch who speaks instead, causing him to turn his head in her direction.
Once more looking confused, though seriously so, it would be easy to tell The Midnight Stitcher finds it odd that the monarch considers what he said strange. The little harpy(?) girl's face lights up in recognition however, as if realizing what the monarch meant by Senjimese. Nonetheless, looking up with quizzical confusion upon being confused and called 'Me', pouts rather adorably having her hair ruffled.
She shivers upon having her shoulder touched, and quietly shakes a bit as she processes the sensation of physical touch. The Midnight Stitcher, however, seems intrigued as the monarch claims to be resilient as well. Though again confused as she questions his choice of words and acts as if he's young to be a father, his expression becomes more analytical as she comments on his sense of smell.
Yet as he processes the rest she has to say, his attention is caught by the name of this world: Aria. Finally The Midnight Stitcher speaks, catching the young girl's attention in the process. "You are certain this isn't Earth? I am not certain what they called it before the Servants of Humanity, yet I cannot fathom how I was removed from the planet without my awareness of such an event. Perhaps..." "Your creators are not your genitors, we are."
Thinking back to the word the monarch used, and the discussion of automatons, The Midnight Stitcher speaks again. "My creators removed me from Earth, or trapped me in a simulation? I don't see why, as I would still exist and be a threat. Is this the Nightmare Normalcy perhaps? Nonetheless, my creators would not be my genitors, as I am related to none of them. That which they deem Eldritch Prime would be the closest thing I have to a real genetic parent, since I was infected by its matter while still developing."
It was then the young girl who spoke up, looking at the monarch and smiling. "Ari... Zon... Ah? Hmm, I don't know what that is, but they sound interesting! Though when you say Senjimese you mean Japanese right!? If my inheritance is correct, the humans seem to really like that the brittles accepted that language! Though why would they give you Arians that language too? You're speaking the human tongue, so is it just for your songs?"
The Midnight Stitcher seeming yet again confused, the young girl is obliviously unaware of why her father(?) would be so. Then a look of realization crosses her face, and she turns to Durnem- Playfully sticking her tongue out before speaking. "Duh, I know you're not my mommy, I'm an Eldritchian after all! Though, ah, I'm not entirely sure who mommy is..."
Hearing that declaration, however, caused The Midnight Stitcher to wince as his head suddenly flashed with pain. You will never let harm come to her, understand!? I don't care that my other half was toying with you, she is Lux's legacy! My daughter, my beautiful little girl... I will make your suffering endless if she dies!
The Midnight Stitcher panting just barely, the young harpy(?) girl nonetheless looks concerned as she watches her father(?). The Midnight Stitcher recovering incredibly fast, however, he looks towards her for a moment before speaking towards everyone present.
"From what seems likely, when my tendrils pierced the Eldritchian a biological reaction must of been triggered. Thus, the affected tendrils warped and twisted against my will, creating her. Eldritchians are very strange creatures however, of such impossible ability and variety it is theorized Eldritch Prime created the rest. Though, monarch, you truly aren't familiar with these creatures? They're a shining example of what Wights are."
edited 22nd Jun '17 2:56:46 PM by Kkutwar
"The Omniverse is the collection of all possibilities, and all possibilities must eventually come to pass."
To dream is my right
Eight Wings Library:
"Who... you phantoms probably spooked him more than I ever could!", the Red Priest said after Ferisen's unexpected intrusion, standing between her and Tagui. "Leave, I..."
"No.", Tagui said, vaguely distinguishing Ruka and Ferisen standing past the being in red. How long had them been there? Could their alien sorcery have hidden them until now? "Did someone send you here? Is this even the Library?"
"Your Excellency, those are unearthly beings...", the portly man warned.
"Which means I would rather keep them in sight... as limited as my sight may currently be."
"I... very well, but I will stand here in case any complications arise.", the Red Priest said, stepping to the side so Ferisen and Ruka could enter the room, yet staying on a defensive posture.
Cathedral of the Four Swords:
The priestess' casual mention of being able to destroy all light in the world was almost unheard by Jairuma's mind. It wasn't by the others however, making his light burn brighter and more diffuse and unfocused for a moment before he reined in the forces crawling under his armor. Grimacing beneath his veil, he said:
"My enemy... I called it 'him', but the man is irrelevant, compared to the system he created."
Raising his left hand, a cloud of light formed in the air ahead, in which formed the translucid image of a rural town build around a small church. A thing of simple, provincial elegance, much more fitting of the pages of a storybook than reality. And there it was possible to see small people. Farmers carrying harvest from the fields, craftsmen fixing tools, peddlers offering goods from the industries on the city.
"That system starts with a promise, of keeping all things in their places. No soldiers burning the fields, no rebels throwing rocks at the temples and no beggars in the streets making the cities uglier to look at.", he said, and waved his hand, making the ground of his hologram dissipate to reveal an intricate clockwork system beneath the village, moving all people, animals and even the sun as props on a stage.
"All things in their due places, like the pieces of a game. And no one will care about the man behind the curtain... or corpses down the river.", he said and once again waved his hand, replacing the image with that of a dark place with a stone floor, where a group of men bearing candles knelt before a large clockwork machine, in which several black cylinders spun while needles touched their surface. From the illusion came sound somewhere between nails on a chalkboard and a high-pitched voice speaking something hard to discern. "The men behind the curtain are like gods, but their cult is one free of religion, whose beliefs, laws and history shift according to their design. As simple as flipping the switches of a perfect machine to change the noise that comes from it."
Dissipating the hologram, he added "The lure of a perfect system attracts the lost, both the foolish seeking guidance and the fallen prodigies who want to lead. And while I don't see its existence as inherently negative, I wouldn't trust even myself with so much control over each aspect of the world. Unfortunately, the ideology spreads like wildfire, and its main followers try to bring ruin to my empire with spying and sabotage, and inch closer to acquiring military superiority too. I dare not be more precise on their actions or capacities, for I know not the consequences my words may bring."
edited 24th Jun '17 6:51:42 PM by EternaMemoria
"The dried flowers are so beautiful, and it applies to all things living and dead."
Eight Wings Library ~ Ruby Wing ~ Medical Chamber (Ruka; Ferisen; Tagui)
Ruka frowned at Ferisen for a brief moment; the spectral sumiri seemed a bit... out-of-it. "Uh, Moon to Ferisen, incorporeal ghost here!" she exclaimed, waving her hand through a bookshelf for emphasis, "I can't pick up your crystal for you!" Throwing her hands up in exasperation, Ruka floated after Ferisen towards the Ruby Wing.
Upon entering the room Tagui was receiving treatment in, she was confronted by the Red Priest and his vehement objection to the spectral duo. "We traveled here with—" she started, only to get cut off by Tagui.
Irked by being called an unearthly being, Ruka wrinkle her nose at the priest, before turning back towards Tagui. Unsure as to the extent of what information she could divulge, Ruka erred on the side of caution. "Yeah, the archivist sent us," she said before glancing around for a brief moment, "and we're very much in a library."
Cathedral of the Four Swords (Alex, Lacriment, Emperor Imeriz)
"I am familiar with magic, though I myself am not a practitioner," Alex replied to Lacriment. "Force of will? I should be quite capable of that," the vampire added, frowning slightly. Her stare reflected off of the surface of the pool, watching the murky swirls on its surface with keen interest.
Alex waited a moment before answering the priestess' inquiry. "My nemesis is a cruel man, fueled by greed and ambition. Those he deems too weak, he disposes of; those who oppose him, he craftily undermines. He views the world as his own personal game, one he was never invited to. His audacity knows no bounds; instead of cheating death, he'd kick him in the shins and rummage through his pockets," she said, shaking her head slowly.
She turned back towards the Pool of Despair before taking a deep breath to calm her nerves. "A sound soul dwells within a sound mind and a sound body," she said quietly, before taking a step into the murky abyss.
December, 1901; a small town in Southwest England
A little girl by the name of Alexandra Rosendorn stood near the cliffs, watching the crashing waves and drab clouds roll in. It was unusually cold this year for some reason, but the girl didn’t mind; she was nice and warm in her dark blue woolen dress and cozy boots, though the wind tugging at her over-sized hat annoyed her a bit.
She sighed softly, the sound snatched away by a sudden gust of wind. Ever since many of the families nearby had moved away, there were fewer and fewer children to play with. The only ones she could think of where her sister, the American girl, a few boys, and of course, the orphans. So, the girl had gotten used to watching the world and listening to the Old Man's stories.
The Old Man, as everyone referred to him as, was sometimes crotchety, quite rugged, and, of course, quite old. He had served in the Royal Navy and had traveled to all the corners of the Empire going on many an adventure, exploits of which he told anyone willing to listen (though many a time, his stories weren't for tender ears, for one reason or another).
Little Alexandra took his tales with a grain of salt. On one hand, she could believe that the Old Man could wrestle a tiger; she'd seen him single-handedly stop a bar fight by threatening them with an anchor. On the other hand, one of his tales would have put the Old Man at over 108 years old, at the very least. Still—
"Oi, ya little bugger! Get back inside afore ya catch yer death o'cold out there!" Speak of the Devil... Alexandra thought as she gave the sea one last look before heading off towards the source of the gruff, booming voice.
edited 23rd Jun '17 7:25:31 PM by WillDeRegio
[Ji Estate - Centermost Foyer (Seilaan, Mazra, Drix)]
Drix led the way down the hallway, using one of its legs to point out various features as they progressed - the farther they went, the more they passed various objects and curiosities set upon plinths lining the sides of the hall. Mazra stole a glance backward, and noted that the decorations now extended much further back down, where they had definitely not been before.
She shrugged and looked over at Seilaan, studying her signet ring more closely. "This?" She touched the sigil. "It's a stylized Foundational Imperial pictograph, like most house sigils. It mostly just stands for House Ji today, but the original meaning was," she thought back to her lessons, "something like 'balance'. It's actually a reused sigil - it was originally used by a House Ziran, Siran - something like that - like a thousand years ago, but they all died out. I think our Founding Lord just liked the way it looked."
She shrugged again.
"...and that," Drix said, pointing at a orrery-like construct of several colorful spheres and black wire on one of the display plinths, "is an artifact of unknown nature recovered from a Maskmaker vault by an expedition Lord Ariagac Ji sponsored in 1333, Imperial calendar. I find it surprisingly reminiscent of my own people's - but aha, I believe we have now reached the foyer."
The Centermost Foyer of the Ji Estate was much higher than it was wide. The ground floor was a reasonably-sized diamond-shaped area with comfortable seating scattered about and corridors proceeding from each corner, as well as doors set into the walls. Above, however, a shaft lined with balconies and other doorways stretched up fully six levels to a glass dome, letting in more of the bright sunlight. A holographic image of the Ji sigil, done in blue and orange, hovered in the middle of the shaft, though it was not well visible in the current light.
Drix gestured to the nearest seating. "Please, do be seated, Mistress - considerable effort has gone into preparing the foyer for visitors!"
Mazra sat in a large, comfortable chair and looked at Seilaan. "So, uh, fair is fair - what does your sigil mean?" she asked, looking at the ring again.
[farm]
Vince's too-broad shoulders slumped, little by little, as he recounted his predicament. Well... Josef was almost in the same position that he was. Kenos was killed, making him the acting Lord Gires Onakali for a couple hours, plus however long it took him to pack and leave the walls. He had a gut feeling, however, that this either wasn't an option or that Josef wouldn't take kindly to the suggestion.
Tsadro glanced at Fuwa's drawing, finding that it didn't really state anything that the two men didn't already know, then looked back at Josef. 'Gone'? Assassinated? Died in an accident? Illness? And why were they banking their dynasty on men, anyway? Were they trying to be Gaean, or something? "Do you... have an advisor that you trust?"
Yeah. Let Tsadro broach the topic. That'd work. Tsadro had more experience with relatively functional monarchies compared to his one experience with the crumbling powder keg of a dynasty that was the Onakalis, so he even had more credibility. "We can sit someplace more comfortable, if you'd like."
Lise let him give her a few scratches before moving in close to snuggle against his leg, looking up at him with a smile. She'd barely given the gold thingy much thought- why care about that when there's someone who needs snugglies and cuddles?
"Jack, you have debauched my sloth."
Friendly Neighborhood Lich
Cathedral of the Four Swords (Lacriment, Alex, Imeriz)
The owl-masked dark priestess watched with a solemn interest as Alex stepped into the Pool of Despair. Vampires... especially if not undead, often they seek some error in the ways they have carried out in their unnaturally long lives. Thus, I am glad that I am not one myself. Indeed, if anything, she was more like the undead variety of vampires, willingly subjecting herself to a curse that separated herself from something that would be both her adversary and the key to her existence.
As she listened to the Emperor's story, she circled around him, drifting about on a shadowy cloud, still grasping the lantern with the anti-light flame in her gloved hand. When all was done, she nodded, the lights cast by those flames forming a colored halo around her shadowed eyes beneath her mask, she spoke. "Hmm, I am reminded of a story of a city of emerald, operated by a man operating a complex machine, yet was proclaimed a wizard. So your adversary exhibits control, inhibiting free will. I must sympathize with you if that is the case, as by its very nature, the darkness exists only for itself, its only rules being its own calm passions. And yet you side with the light. Thus I ask you once more. Your subjects want you to defeat this adversary... but what do you want?"
Stepping away from him and landing gracefully upon the altar, she set the lantern down and instead placed her hand upon the sword lying on it. "If you are unsure and feel you are not ready for the Pool of Wishes, come and appreciate the silence within these walls. Look out the door and marvel in the hidden beauty the roses bring even in death. Watch the bells as they toll without sound. And most importantly, know that this place only brings comfort... and for that, once again I must apologize for beign so very apprehensive in your presence."
Eight Wings Library - Medical Ward (Tagui, Ferisen, Ruka)
Ferisen watched warily as the Red Priest kept his guard up, and when he was finished speaking, nodded her spectral head. "It seems as if my fellow psychic is not the only one who could stand to let go of some anxiety. Libraries, as I understand - and yes, Tagui, this is the same library," she added to this fellow psychic, "are places meant for silent contemplation and study, a sanctuary free from the toils of the economical world, free from war and despair." She paused, suddenly realizing that she was speaking for Orenya as well, in its war-ridden state. "Would you not agree, Red Priest?"
Once she was done, she floated calmly in a circle around Tagui, stopping right next to his left ear. "It matters not who sent us, as I would have agreed with their suggestion had I seen you beforehand." Then she whispered in his ear so that the Red Priest could not hear, "But I do think that once your sight is restored, we should leave this place. Let not the machine that powers a stagnant world entrance you in its movement."
Resuming her circling around him, she decided to take a similar approach that Glee always did in these situations whenever someone was in need of calming down. And now that she was away from her latria, that approach was more feasible, even with her soul separated from her body. ...And speaking of that, just then she felt a tug, pulling her back in what she knew was the direction of the Amethyst Wing... right where her latria was, as well as...
"You did not bring the crystal," she said to Ruka, shaking her head at her and then turning away. "Like I did before, I would have suspended myself between it and my latria should I feel myself returning to the latter. ...But no matter. What is more important now is restoring Tagui's sight. Sometimes, the best sort of healing is through reflection, through turning away from mundane worries... through music." She looked at the Red Priest. "Perhaps we could all use it now."
With her latria absent, the only instrument Ferisen had in this moment was her voice, miraculously retained in her spectral form. As she started humming a slow, gentle melody, she hovered in a circle around Tagui once more, while giving him a slight mental suggestion to close his eyes and drift away from the confines of this library. In fact, the melody suggested a vision of a lightly-wooded forest, through which a path had been carved in a very specific manner, with many twists and turns, but only one way to proceed along it. And with that she added lyrics.
Yes, this is another one I have recorded. It can be found here.
I see you - you look kind of down
Don't worry yet, I'll calm you down
Follow my call, rise above all
The forest here lights up your dark soul
Just walk this way
Toward the secret garden at the end of this path
The labyrinth maze
Let your spirit be free, let the song embrace you
Awaken your mind, the song in your heart
Here she took some time to drift amongst the others in the room. The Red Priest to ease his suspicions, Ruka as a message of forgiveness for not bringing the crystal. At the back of her mind, Ferisen knew what fate she might face as a result, but it, too, lay below the melody she was now focused on.
No worries here, nothing to fear
A tranquil place with magic and grace
The fog in the trees, the cool soothing breeze
Releases outside all shame and despair
Just walk this way
Toward the secret garden at the end of this path
The labyrinth maze
Let your spirit be free, let the song embrace you
Awaken your mind, the song in your heart
Almost there, you've come this far
Call on the sun, the moon, the stars
This is where it all begins, my friend
The siren's song
At the end of this verse, Ferisen felt another tug on her spectral form, this one stronger than before. Here she felt her body, just for a moment. It had sunk to its knees again, taking very shallow breaths. She could feel the energy leaving it, could feel her heart slowing... indeed, she knew that if she stayed out of her body for much longer, she would forever remain in this spectral form. But she couldn't stop mid-song, especially not at its climax.
Walk this way
Toward the secret garden at the end of this path
The labyrinth maze
Let your spirit be free, let the song embrace you
Awaken your mind, the song in your heart
Continue on
The end of the song will set you free
Pure melody
While you're in this trance
My spirit chants a prayer for you
Just feel your heart glow...
She felt no further disturbances as she continued humming the last of the melody, pausing right in front of Tagui and letting her spectral feet touch the floor. ...Well, almost, for as soon as she finished the song, she felt a third tug, stronger than the last two put together, one that pulled her almost toward the wall. And yet, when she spoke, in the wake of the song she retained her calmness. "I will be right back. Please do not follow me."
And with that she floated right through the wall, momentarily succumbing to the latria's pull on her soul.
Eight Wings Library - Amethyst Wing (Ferisen, Chief Archivist)
As before, once she glimpsed her body, she anchored herself in her third eye instead, curling up inside her body and managing a couple of breaths, though she struggled with each one, and knew it would not be enough. Not wanting to waste any of her body's remaining strength, she poked her spectral head outside of it to speak to the archivist. "I have calmed Tagui down, so I believe. But... but my body is dying. I am hesitant to ask for your spiders to stabilize me, so I must know... what restrictions would that place upon me? Stable or not, most of all, I desire to retain my free will and be free to go wherever I please."
She spoke the last sentence with a very grave tone, as she just now thought of another way to stabilize herself, so to speak... without any assistance from anyone in the library. But it was an option she would rather not take if she could avoid it, as if she took it, she would never be able to astral project again. And yet, a small part of her told her that it might be preferable to whatever the scholars could do. Even now, she felt the presence of a triangle. Not in shape, but in being. One drawn between her body, her spectral form, and her latria. And the more time passed, the smaller that triangle became.
edited 25th Jun '17 10:31:20 PM by ladytanuki
Come, my child of the devil. Your mother is calling you. Hear my call in Hell's grand hall, where all our dreams come true.
To dream is my right
The Graveyard:
Sentinel Niru recoiled when the thin strings wove themselves around her, creating an attire modeled after Moreena's own, while the original's appearance changed nothing despite they seemingly coming from it. inspecting her own arm, she was marveled at the precision and speed needed to create something like that in a split second. Completely stable, no perceptible disruption...
Looking at Moreena again, she said "The name is not new... it just felt pointless to be called by my title after all that happened.", while still inspecting the fabric of her new dress with just enough visible effort to look suspicious, and memorizing the position of every string and the patterns withing patterns created by their interplay with almost enough mental effort to grasp the meaning of life, in case it got trapped in there on its way to the Abandoned Land.
Resigned with her discoveries, she then turned to Sinistrina and inspected her. At first she attributed her uneathly semblance to marks of enchantment, but now that the battle is over her nature as an animatum was obvious. "When men fight for a chance to live, even the smallest of blessings can be enough to twist the tide. I think you wouldn't be here if this wasn't true. Am I wrong?"
Then she glanced towards Armory Knight and Patches, her gaze lingering on the later for some seconds while she listened to Moreena's accusation of recklessness. She did get in over her head didn't she? From assuming the beast's weapons would fire mere metal to helping restore it to its original form instead of leaving, all she did was reckless... yet she somehow lived. So foolish, so hollow, cursing the enemy with her every thought as if it was the last, only to have it be defeated by a revelation it inserted in her mind, instead of anything of her own design.
"That was far less reckless than what we did with the Knight. The lines of this land feel like they were draw in the waters of a hurricane, permanently changing it would be an incalculable effort.", she said, than added on a excusing tone "As for the boy's health, I half expect him to slowly turn to crystal instead of aging or something similar. But he should be well for the next decades as long as he is careful, if I understand half of what we have done there. There are many... unpredictable variables..."
She let her voice fade as she spoke, partaking on the same sight that shocked Moreena, of distant pillars that looked at first like they were of polished stone, but it soon became obvious what they were. Great towers covered with glass, reaching into the skies like fingers... or like swords marking the graves of officers in war-razed fields.
"More danger?", she said. The rush of blood was part of her, yes, but even the strongest predators had to lay low after wounded, and she had her own goals to attend to, goals which would benefit more from her survival. Yet when she gazed at the ephemeral buildings, or above them, she felt something in her awaken, and that something made her say: "I have walked through streets of shadow and gardens of dust before, I will do it again."
Then came the dead, answering to their mistress' call. Niru was not unused to the unliving, yet felt her heart become slightly heavier at studying them. It was in their motions, their eyes, that those were most likely no revenants or even cursed slaves, but puppets mimicking the motions of life with little of the original impetus they carried. Perhaps the thought they were beneath the capacity of suffering would have comforted other, but in Niru's eyes even a bunch of panicked hex-bound slaves serving Sinistrina due to fear of some worse fate would have been less pitiable. And with some uneasiness, she noticed she could recognize something familiar in them... or within them. Perhaps her unexplained recovery included a sample from the tissues of one of those creatures?
The only exception was the "Antoinette" girl, who apparently had preserved some sense of self. Niru briefly wondered if that meant she would be willing to fight was her life at stake, even against the command of her mistress, but she decided to avoid the topic, expecting the answer to be one that disappointed her. Instead, she let Queen Sinistrina summon the... white mist? Sentinel payed little attention to it before, thinking it was just an unusual consequence of the interplay of forces in the wasteland, but now that Sinistrina called it her subjects and condensed it, Sentinel Niru could feel that contained some presence associated with it, some sort of thought or at least consciousness, that was different from the scars of memories that flashed in and out of that plane through the devastated fields and mostly in their center.
"That... 'mist' had a dense mental signature. Wha... just what did you put in that bottle?"
"The dried flowers are so beautiful, and it applies to all things living and dead."
feeling blue
"I see, I wish you luck with your endeavors," Phantom told Jackson, with a sort of gentle bluntness to his voice.
The topic of how Phantom's sense of touch came up, courtesy of Gwenafer, who seemed to be interested in how exactly his body worked. It was a topic that often came up when discussion regarding the limitations of a soul being bound to an object such as this and every time the answer was the same.
"Other than moving this armor, I can still talk, hear and see, but otherwise it is as you would expect an object to be. I have no flesh, muscles, bones or organs, so most of the things that others take for granted such as eating I cannot do, or need to. It does also mean that I never feel tired and that I am unable to feel pain, so it does have it's benefits."
Then there was Gliosem who still seemed to be concerned about him a little. She seemed to be a rather empathetic individual and also curious. The differences between how things worked between their homes certainly left her quite intrigued as she tried to fit what he told her in the reality she understood.
"If one was so tired of their current life that they wanted to reincarnate, it would be easier to simply die. Turning into a Guardian would be counter-productive, as it would just stall the process. Although, I suppose depending on how you approach the subject, you could say that by being placed in this body I have been reincarnated, except artificially."
She did bring up the possibility that in this foreign world I could perhaps find the answer he had been looking for. They had been standing in place for some time, trying to get the paralyzed lady recovered, which made him start wondering.
"I'm in no rush to get answers, but I have to ask, what do you all plan to do from here?" He asked, briefly glancing at all those present.
edited 29th Jun '17 5:09:54 AM by FullMoon
Friendly Neighborhood Lich
Rozeta Marga (Nerea, Durnem, Midnight Stitcher, Arizona, Metal Girl)
Durnem watched intently as the metal girl nervously approached them. Judging by what little there was of her aura, she looked frightened, terribly so - more than her body language would suggest. Intrigued, Durnem took a closer look, focusing only on her for a moment, and if anyone else looked her way, they might have guessed she was looking right into the young lady's eyes, even though she was instead focusing on her overall face. After all, one thing she recalled from her Aura Reading 101 class in Setsunadri's Zurem branch was that the aura around one's head held the most information about their emotional state.
She took a glance over at Nerea and the two Eldritchians during their banter, of resilience, of parenting, of... Earth? Where have I hard that name before... ah, how could I forget? That's the planet merfolk are from! Finally she gave her own two lorinote on the matter. "Humans? You mean finless fylin, small-eared sunestre, and wingless sumiri? I think I remember something about a connection between Orenya and Earth... just some stupid old legend I heard from a sage in Azuhala." She shrugged. "What can I say. I don't know much. I'm dense. Covered in scales." Here she stroked a finned hand up her unfinned upper arm, which looked from a distance to be covered with skin, but with this, several tiny scaly protrusions flared out at her touch. "Grown up in a cold dark ocean. Adapted to life on hum- ...flicking land and all but learned to fly. May I join your resilience club?"
And then she looked back at the new girl. Here there was a nagging thought at the back of her head, a compulsion, a duty. But with my appearance? With my attitude, as the rest of the Oradamin so put it? She hesitated, looking over at a patch of kudzu for a moment, and then looked back at the metal "automaton", extending a hand toward her as she spoke. "My name is Durnem, and it is my duty to protect people like you from powerful threats. If these people want to harm you, they'd have to kill me first," she added with a nod towards the others, the Midnight Stitcher in particular.
Why him? A sense of deja vu struck her as she remembered a doubt that had crossed her mind. At the time she had dismissed it as a trick of Vita Exosso (or what she thought was her), but now more than ever she had to wonder if her strongest spells could even make him flinch. But she pushed the thought out of her mind. Everyone has a weakness. And I said it before - I trust him.
"I know you mean her no harm either, of course," she added matter-of-factly to the others. "Just in case, you know?"
Come, my child of the devil. Your mother is calling you. Hear my call in Hell's grand hall, where all our dreams come true.
It's a bird.
The Graveyard
"It may not seem like healing fits in the realm of death... but in a way, it does. Surely you have helped to end the suffering of the terminally ill, for instance. In that sense, death is perhaps the greatest gift God - or you, perhaps - ever gave us."
"I'm afraid I can't take credit for that," Moreena replied. Her voice was solemn, but noticeably less cold than before. "I have no say in when or how mortals die. Not... more so than anyone else, at least."
She watched the walking corpses approach. The one in the distance was clearly just a magically animated puppet - somewhat disrespectful to it's former owner perhaps, but not really worthy of her attention - but the other was different. Sinistrina's reasons for binding the poor girl to this form were understandable enough, but they would need to discuss it sooner or later.
"Perhaps I could attempt to reach her?" Moreena offered while accepting the goblet. Next, she looked on as the necromancer channeled the swirling souls above their heads into a bottle.
"Perhaps somewhere on our travels we will have an opportunity to set them on their proper path."
Moreena walked over to the undead little girl with the basket, and glanced down at the bottle with the souls, gently placing one of her taloned fingers on it's surface.
"We will," she said, with just the tiniest hint of warmth to her words, before casting a simple spell that thickened the glass into a shell of jagged crystal, adding an extra layer of protection.
"More danger?"
Moreena turned to face the Sentinel - or Niru, rather. "Possibly," she answered her. "But mostly memories, if my suspicions are correct."
As Sinistrina opened one of the bottles of blood, the familiar, pleasant smell sent a visible shiver down the goddess's spine, and her teeth reflexively lengthened themselves once again. Just the smell alone wouldn't normally have this much of an... effect on her, but this recently after a battle... She shook her head in an effort to clear her mind.
"I wouldn't mind a drink before we get going." She looked back at Sinistrina, and pointed at the bottle in her hands. "Just... whose is it?"
edited 30th Jun '17 5:11:33 AM by Corvidae
Still a great "screw depression" song even after seven years.
[Snow Castle (Parlor)]
"...Thank you." Jackson said to the Phantom.
The four looked over at Rin, seeing that, slowly but surely, she was moving out of her paralysis. They listened to to Gin's song, feeling the air slowly change as she did. It was starting to get even colder, and now Nick really wished he worn a jacket.
God damn it. he thought, Is this place really trying to make me freeze to death?
Once the song was over, Adam gave a light, dreamy sigh, his breath easily seen through the misty air.
"That was amazing." he said.
"She's cute and she has a pretty voice." Marie said.
Jackson then quirked an eyebrow, "Is it your goal to flirt with every girl you see?"
"Oh, shut up!" Marie playfully threw her hairpiece at her friend, before the both of them broke out into laughter. Nick, for the first time since revealing his past, laughed as well.
Adam smiled at his friends, then returned his attention back to the Phantom. "Well, our goal is to basically see what this dream place is like, and hopefully we'll wake up without any problems. We're not sure when that's gonna happen, though."
edited 1st Jul '17 2:52:20 PM by Masterofchaos
Yukijou-minato ~ Snow Castle [Main Keep 1st Floor ~ Parlor] (Megumi, Rin; Gwenafer; Gliosem; Phantom; Adam, Jackson, Marie, Nick)
The tea was definitely having an effect on Rin, far quicker than either master or maid had anticipated, and the lovely, chilling song the winged musician provided seemed to speed the recovery up further. As the song drew to a close, and Gliosem placed a hand over the admiral's shoulder, Rin stirred. Audibly groaning, she blinked wearily at Megumi a few times, before struggling to sit up.
The cat-eared maid gently eased Rin into a sitting position, before starting to voice her concerns. The admiral stopped her mid breath with a hand wave and a quite "Later."
Initially slightly hesitant at leaving her master's side, the current predicament was over for the time being, allowing the maid a brief respite. She then glanced over at Jackson. What had been discussed by the others sparked an idea pertaining to something relatively minor that had been bugging her. Giving a silent nod towards the admiral, Megumi left her master's side and headed over to tap the mechanically inclined boy on his shoulder. "Young sir," she quietly asked, "if you don't mind lending your assistance, there might be something you could help me with."
Motioning for Jackson to follow her, the maid began to make her way back towards the side door.
"Megumi."
The maid froze and turned her head towards her master's stern call, "Yes, m'lady?"
Rin reached over for an orange. "You are wounded," she stated, glaring at Megumi's bandaged arm, "what happened out there?" She glanced around at the others in the room, "And what happened to Magdalene?"
Placing a hand over her injured arm, Megumi shuffled in place briefly, "'Tis but a scratch, m'lady. The boys got into a..." she waved a hand, looking for an appropriate descriptor, "brief scuffle with the young lady, pertaining to one of the peculiar gems that she inadvertently absconded with. You do remember that, m'lady?" she asked. The maid continued after Rin gave an affirmative answer, "That girl was unexpectedly powerful, m'lady, though the incident was resolved most unexpectedly; young lady Magdalene apparently woke up from this shared dream."
The admiral closed her eyes before nodding, "I will want a more detailed report later on. And do see to that wound; scratches do not bleed on both sides. Carry on," she stated, prompting Megumi to reflexively reanalyze her injuries. The maid, self-conscious of her master's attention, blushed slightly, before returning a nod.
Rin then proceeded to return her attention towards the orange she held. The air around her briefly chilled, accompanied by a sharp cracking sound; the admiral placed the orange on a plate, whereupon the fruit split into nice, even slices. She then gave an addressing stare at the most recent visitor, "I intend to eat this orange," she said flatly, before plucking a slice of the flash-frozen fruit from its rind and popping it in her mouth.
After taking a moment to enjoy her frozen treat, Rin continued, "I had originally intended that we all sit down, enjoy some tea, and have a pleasant chat. That... did not go according to plan. As you can see, my parlor is a makeshift infirmary, and I am rather annoyed that my guests (and my maid) were injured, and that I was unable to intervene," she said before letting out an exasperated sigh.
To dream is my right
Cathedral of The Four Swords:
"It is not a mere matter of 'free-will'. With time one comes to learn that freedom and even truth may need to be temporarily suppressed to answer to a crisis. But those who convince their subjects day is night and night is day are doing more than answering to a crisis.", Jairuma said, "Yet the things they create with the power they usurp every day... it is said that for each person, the stars above their land dance in a different way."
Then he started walking away from the pools, towards the still open door of the Cathedral, while the swords of light floating around it disappeared one by one. All had disappeared by the time he reached the middle of the hall, and the shadows cast by the candles of the Mother of Forgiveness confined his light to a bright aura around his body. Coming to a stop, yet still looking away, he said: "Do the stars shine outside, Lacriment? You seem to assign more meaning to light and dark than I do, but both mean little for the blind. The reason I don't listen to my people is a simple one: I taught them the names of the enemy. If I feel doubt and they don't, that speaks more of the actions I took than of the ones I should take."
"I believe I should think about this alone now. If you come to think it would be wiser for me to make use of one of your pools, seek for a light whiter than the stars that does not flicker or move. As long as your eyes seek its light, your voice will reach my soul.", he said and walked through the Cathedral's doors, taking a few seconds to admire the moonlit sky before floating to high above.
edited 1st Jul '17 5:27:08 PM by EternaMemoria
"The dried flowers are so beautiful, and it applies to all things living and dead."
Friendly Neighborhood Lich
Cathedral of the Four Swords (Lacriment, Imeriz)
As the Emperor of Light walked out of the cathedral, the High Priestess of Darkness took a bow and said to him, "Farewell, and I extend my thanks to your arrival." Once he left, the place grew dim as the swords of revealing lightnote vanished. But not completely; in their wake, the windows on the cathedral walls, though in the darkness they were not that visible, became stained with the lingering flashes of color.
In response to his invitation, she retrieved the sword lying on the altar and pointed it skyward. Briefly, a wave of shadow rushed up the blade, sending a wisp flying upward before fading. But not completely; it found its way to the light Emperor Imeriz now occupied, unbound by her body and momentarily free from her aversion to the light. And with this she spoke her final blessing to him.
"Then listen to your subjects. Blind or not, they respect you and count on you to take action. Perhaps pay a visit to the group behind the machine, and if you do not defeat them, listen to what they have to say. Because in darkness there is a hidden wisdom, and you are not averse to this darkness like I am to the light. Never resign yourself completely to the light; there is truth and peace gained through taking a side, but the cost is tremendous. You are correct - the stars do shine outside the cathedral, just enough to lend their beauty to the sky, but not enough to alleviate the darkness cast upon the world below, the same darkness that allows them to be more visible. So too, I realize, is the case with your swords of light. As Crone of the Void, I thank you for coming this far and seeking my assistance, and wish you good fortune as you close this distance you sought."
By the time the specter returned to the cathedral, the place was almost completely dark, lit only by the aforementioned stars. Lacriment now turned her attention to Alex, still entranced by the Pool of Despair. Satisfied that the gun-slinging vampire was stable for now, she placed the sword back on the altar and stood before the organ facing the still-open door. Wrapping her cloak around herself, she stood completely still, a hooded owl listening for the slightest disturbances in this beautiful silence.
Graveyard (Moreena, Sinistrina, Niru)
Niru's comment on blessings and the will to live returned Sinistrina to, just briefly, that place within the vision the Sentinel - or that spirit who had been with her, perhaps - sent her, of that tower overlooking a void that was all too familiar to her. One that she felt ever drawn to to remove a curse, if slight, upon the world. And the picture frame that also beckoned her, trying to hold onto whatever life, or memory thereof, she had left. And yet also the black mists holding her together, confining both her body and her soul to their current form, and ever seeking more souls, more power, more control.
"Yes, I indeed would not be here," she finally spoke, in the same tone she had used with Saint Nemol. "Thanks in part to your blessing, and in part to my zombies and the dolls I put together. Without me, they would be still and lost, and despite the nature of my magic, it may be a greater evil to allow them to be so." She glanced back at the zombies still at the manor. "It is also evident in the bodies of the dead, as they have a memory of the soul that left them, a mark made by the magic of life perhaps."
She looked at Moreena, watching as she turned the wine bottle containing the souls into crystal, at which she had to crack a small smile. Well well, transmutation like that... it is indeed the hallmark of a god. "It is that memory that I tap into when I re-animate them, to give them some semblance of a life, if mostly a mindless one. But although it allows them to move about on their own, I do not know whether it is out of traces of their own mind, or a mind that I have created for them." She took a brief glance at Antoinette. "You may certainly try to contact her, if you like." As soon as she said this, though, Antoinette placed the basket down and instead held her stuffed rabbit close (covering up its chest especially), backing away from the three ladies in black a bit.
Gesturing to the crystal bottle, she spoke to Niru. "The Deathly Glade is a forbidding realm that drains the life out of all who enter. Outside it, in the world of the living, is a kingdom ruled by a more proper queen, who in her draconian rule executes people by banishing them there. The place is inescapable, so when her victims die, their bodies and souls are trapped. It seems that in this realm of dreams an 'open' version of the Deathly Glade itself has found its way here, and I brought their souls along with it. It is those souls that are inside this bottle, healing from the damage that was done to them during the battle with Armory Knight."
And then, turning to Moreena and filling her goblet, she said, "And it is the blood held within their bodies that is inside this bottle." She figured she had to tell the truth about it, since she could not think of a plausible lie. So instead, she added, "Otherwise it would only weigh them down, and I find that removing it allows them to move around more easily. But since I am not a vampire, I am not picky when it comes to blood. I cannot even remember whose is inside this bottle, and it would seem it does not remember the soul as well when removed from the body."
And finally, regardless of whether Niru picked up a goblet or not as well, she filled her own as well, and said, "So perhaps a toast to these poor souls. Even though in this dream they will not be truly set free, at least here, for a moment, they can know what that freedom is like." And, she hoped, I could know what being back in the world of the living, or even mortal if I could find another way, is like.
Graveyard - Ruins of Misery Manor (Friedrich)
While waiting for Gabe, Friedrich suddenly felt weak, falling to his knees. A sense of hopelessness had stricken him, such that he felt drained of the energy to move - or more than that, to live. A great void filled his hollow body, and he knew that it was against his own will.
Damn... now I know why Misery Manor held that curse, thought a tiny bit of his own will that was not overpowered by Sinistrina's. Why should I be the one stuck with the feelings? Perhaps that's what I get for wanting so badly to have such feelings...
In an eerily similar fashion to a corpse that had just been re-animated, he rose to his feet with his head bowed, dragging his feet as he walked back to the manor. Or more specifically, the circular pond lined with clear stones, the one Sinistrina had been looking at before being interrupted by Half pointing out the battle with Armory Knight going on in the then-further distance. And yet, as he walked, a sense of contentment also struck him, such that he put on a faint smile.
edited 1st Jul '17 8:36:21 PM by ladytanuki
Come, my child of the devil. Your mother is calling you. Hear my call in Hell's grand hall, where all our dreams come true.
[Blizzard]
Iveya bit her lip as she considered the story of Heinrich's sons. "This Philip..." she said. "I can understand how Heinrich will feel, if the story is as you tell it. I..." a brief hesitation, "I don't think I could ever forgive someone who joined an oppressor's military of their own free will."
Occasionally, gnawing at the back of her mind, some part of her did suspect she had done just that. But she knew she was a good person, and good people did not join oppressive forces, so she hadn't joined an oppressive force. (The logic may seem absurd when put so blandly, but for Iveya, it failed to rise to conscious thought, and thus, logical examination of its absurdity. History is dotted with people who have shoved doubts out of their minds with the same subconscious contortions.)
Still, her subconcious gnawed at her, and she softened. Something about the sword was clouding the link between Iveya and the Eyes and Teeth, making it less liable to attempt any mischief, and helping Iveya think more clearly. So, she noted, "perhaps this Philip believed he could heal the corruption from within? I've heard of many Mauros priests convinced their personal kindness will somehow defeat their false god's misogyny. Or then... of their own free will... that's the word. We've all 'made choices' that weren't really ours." She paused here, trailing off. "I guess only he would truly know," she said, but it wasn't entirely clear she was speaking of Philip, per se.
Remembering where she was, she pulled herself out from the depths of her thoughts and said, "at any rate, Friedrich, good luck — spirits guide you." (A single phrase in Uelane, translated out into two because both translations were a part.)
Magdalene's Realm
A formerly nondescript part of the forest suddenly began to shift and change. The trees shrunk until it was like they had never existed, the mist was blown away completely, and the land itself began to flatten out. Moments later, the sky became bright, sunny, and clear as the newly created field burst into a bloom of yellow flowers, most of which resembled roses if roses grew on their own as opposed to being part of a bush.
Then in the span of a couple seconds, a tree in the very center of the area grew from a small sprout into something so massive it seemed to scrape the sky above. It resembled a cherry tree at first glance, but upon closer inspection the alternately placed leaves with serrated edges bore much more resemblance to those of a rose bush, which was coupled with rose-like thorns that sprouted from the otherwise smooth bark. Then the tree burst into a bloom of yellow roses, with one particularly large bloom sitting right at the top.
At the foot of this great tree stood the recently returned Magdalene, identical in appearance to her earlier presence in the dream. She had her arms spread wide, as if she had been conducting a particularly rowdy orchestra, and a wide grin on her face.
Her day in the time since she woke up from her nap had been normal for her, if a little less pleasant than usual no thanks to the group she'd been interacting with just before her awakening. Now the time had come for her proper sleep, and her wandering unconscious mind had brought her back to this weird place. At first, she had considering going back to the Snow Castle, but then it occurred to her: this was a dream. Why deal with a bunch of bullies when she could make her own world, just for herself?
So she did, and it was a success. There was one last tweak she wanted to make, however. She pointed her scepter at a spot not too far in front of the great tree, and in response to her movements four tree trunks rose from the ground. This was followed by a bunch of vines wrapping themselves around the tree trunks, forming walls. It was still a work in progress, but even at this early stage it was clear it was meant to be a small structure of some kind.
Icon by Civvi the Civilian!
Yukijou-minato ~ Snow Castle [Main Keep 1st Floor ~ Parlor] (Megumi, Rin; Gwenafer; Gliosem; Phantom; Jackson, Adam, Jackson, Marie, Nick)
The side door opened once more, and Megumi reentered the room, bearing a tray loaded with two steaming kettles of tea, a warmed flask of sake, a small bowl of bonsai oranges from the castle garden, and a plate of small, fish-shaped cakes. Setting the tray down on the table, the maid went about refilling and topping up everyone’s cups with tea, before filling her master’s cup with tea from the other kettle. Finally, she filled a small cup with sake, before placing it down in front of Gwenafer. “Something stronger, per request,” Megumi said, bowing, “I hope it is to your liking.”
After distributing the snacks, a small cake and an orange per person(except for Phantom), the maid knelt by Rin, clutching the cup of medicinal tea. Carefully, she slowly had her master drink the tea, ensuring that none of it spilt.
“I overheard a bit of your discussion,” Megumi said to Jackson and Gwenafer, “Our world is called Aria, the fourth planet from the Sun. So, yes, what you speak of does sound familiar.” She then glanced over at Jackson’s returning comrades. “I missed something... hmm,” the maid commented quietly, before shaking her head slightly. “There’s some taiyaki and oranges for you, if you want,” she stated
Rin groaned softly as the feeling began to return to her body, her extremities signaling bursts of pins and needles. Megumi glanced down at her master, a look of concern noticeable for a brief moment, before fading away as she noticed the Admiral's subtle movements.
Farm (Fuwa; Josef; Vince, Tsandro, Lise)
“Mer~?” Fuwa tilted her head towards the sudden sound of metal hitting ground. The beastly woman carefully scooped up Lise, and limped a few awkward steps towards the trio of men. Growling slightly in frustration, Fuwa decided to place the fluffy Samoyed on the ground. While she enjoyed the dog's presence, she couldn’t carry her with two limbs injured.
Adopting a less awkward gait, she drew near to sniff curiously at the circlet of metal; no one seemed to want to pick it up. She extended a clawed hand to pick it up; electricity arced between claw tip and metal. Fuwa jolted back due to the sudden discharge and let out a startled variant of her usual vocalization. She gave Josef a puzzled look, wondering what was up with that “crown”.
edited 17th Jun '17 9:06:40 PM by WillDeRegio