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Post by Faljere D'ael Elderbaden on Aug 16, 2014 17:08:59 GMT -6
The Clanless placed his hand over his mouth as he giggled and rolled onto his side. "Of course, somewhere...Fallonj?" He shook his head, knowing that wasn't exactly right. Then, and almost suddenly, his index finger shot up and he grinned.
"That's it! Anjelo..." He laughed excitedly. "My names is from now one Anjelo. It has 'angel' and 'jelo'! Anjelo! ANJELO!'
The flames were now dulling, dying away with every breath he took. Was he the one killing them? Of course...he'd killed flames before. But these ones he felt sad for.
"They're dying...and I am sad. Hug me, Idina?"
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Idina Doc
Wildgardian
Could we start again, please?
Posts: 258
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Post by Idina Doc on Aug 20, 2014 22:46:49 GMT -6
"Fallonj" was just a weird noise, for sure! Not a name at all! The thought of the word made Idina start giggling again. On her back, it felt all the more natural to start laughing and not stop, especially with every time the elf beside her told her his new name. Every repetition of the word Anjelo was greeting with a crescendo of laughter from the girl. These laughs felt like they'd been trapped in her chest for some time - laughter shouldn't be trapped! she thought - and were now coming spilling out of her mouth, like she was sending them up to dance with the fireballs in the sky.
Suddenly the elf - Anjelo, right - sounded a lot sadder. Sadness didn't suit his voice at all, and it made her feel sadder, too. The blonde found herself giggling a little, in spite of herself, as she rolled over to be closer to him. Or maybe she was confirming his request, and what she thought was laughter were several "Uh-huh"s. She wasn't quite sure.
He was looking at her when she rolled over; his whole face seemed greener from the volumes of sadness in his eyes. That should be fixed, she thought to herself... She remembered he'd said he wanted a hug, and hey, maybe the hug would make him feel better! With that thought, she tossed her arms over his shoulders, pulling herself up higher and closer to his face. A strong heartbeat filled her ears from her head's position in the crook of his neck. Angelo felt very nice to hug...
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Post by Faljere D'ael Elderbaden on Aug 21, 2014 19:35:48 GMT -6
Idina's body was warm against his, much like the fire beside them. Her soft hands were like flower petals against his skin, and her giggles in his ear were so full of delight. The elf snuggled his nose into her shoulder, then burst out into laughter before standing up on his feet, letting go of the girl.
He picked up his bottle of water and took a big swig, sending his eyes into a frenzy. The skies began to spin around him, and his feet seemed not to be touching any ground. The drone of the cicadas turned into a low, harmonious tone, while the hooting of owls, croaking of frogs, and laughter of the girl on the ground all became notes in the melody that lifted his feet.
"Come, Idina! Dance!" He said as he spun around, his mind finally free from his burdens. Who cared about his quest, or the oncoming danger. All it was now was his dancing, into the night, without a care.
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Idina Doc
Wildgardian
Could we start again, please?
Posts: 258
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Post by Idina Doc on Aug 31, 2014 23:56:40 GMT -6
The morning came in slowly. Her ears woke up first, bringing the sounds of songbirds and whispering leaves into her mind. A smile crept across her face, awakening her features at a slow pace. She cracked one eye open just a little, enough to be able to see the firepit in front of her, long extinguished of flames, and the dappled green of the forest around her.
Her sense of touch was slowly coming back to her through a soft pulsing feeling under her cheek. As she searched her tired brain to try and figure out the cause for the feeling, a new sound entered her ears: a deep, messy snore that could've easily come from some sort of terrible beast in this forest.
That wasn't a beast, Idina realized with a start. All of the pieces fell together in her mind, and all of her senses were suddenly very much awake.
She must have fallen asleep on top of the elf the night previous. Although her sensed had been foggy then, her memories were true, and she was thoroughly flustered. Even more alarming to her than her intoxicated spiel, however, was the fact that she was so close to someone else in her sleep, something she hadn't done for anyone barring her lover for years, and certainly not something she'd ever done without being aware of it.
The shock of finding herself asleep on top of the Clanless sent a strong wave of adrenaline through her body, and with a surprised yelp, she tumbled off of him.
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Post by Faljere D'ael Elderbaden on Sept 4, 2014 17:46:54 GMT -6
The Clanless awoke, startled and grumpy, to the chirp right above him and the sudden release of pressure from right on top of him. He quickly sat up and reached for the dagger in his boot, but stopped himself when he saw Idina standing, quivering, right above him. What had scared her so much to be trembling like this?
More importantly, why was she sleeping on top of him?
His mind spun for a moment, and he suddenly remembered.
Of course. The 'tea'.
The elf stood up slowly and groggily, the blood rushing to his head as he did so. The camp was nearly empty, which was a sign that they could easily just set off to their destination at any point. That means he could get this ridiculous and tedious quest over and done with, and get the blonde girl away from him.
"Speak of last night to no one, understand?" He growled; he'd made threats before, but this wasn't a fake one. What little dignity he had left was at stake.
With flushed cheeks, he reached down to grab his satchel and began walking north, towards their destination.
"Guess that wasn't quite the right herb." He told Idina.
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Idina Doc
Wildgardian
Could we start again, please?
Posts: 258
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Post by Idina Doc on Sept 5, 2014 20:11:56 GMT -6
"I had not planned to," Idina said simply in response to his threat. Her voice was level, which surprised her a little bit. The elf had noticed her yelp and her shaking, surely, but at least her voice didn't give away her shock.
Her mind was a mess of memories and confused feelings. Last night was hard to recall but definitely there, as though the scene was taking place in her mind behind a wall of sea glass. Even so, she could remember feeling quite happy about everything, hearing a voice that she knew and loved so well... It would've been easy to pass all of that off as some sort of dream - and she knew much of dreams of times that couldn't be replicated in real life - had Clanless not spat that threat at her, confirming that he remembered the same things. The freckled girl frowned, glaring at the ground in front of her.
Brought back to the present by his over-the-shoulder comment about the tea he had prepared, she snorted in response. Definitely not the right herb. She gathered Winter Rose and the pouches she had put over the sheath, putting them all on her belt before scurrying to catch up with him. Damn his tall elf legs. Damn his green eyes.
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Post by Faljere D'ael Elderbaden on Sept 5, 2014 20:41:28 GMT -6
The grass was green and wet with morning dew. The sky was grey with clouds, and yet the sun still hadn't risen. For how late it felt, it was actually quite early. The long, blurry night was what made the morning feel so late, but they both knew that it was a good thing to set out earlier. More travel time. Less time to dawdle.
The leaves crunched underneath his fur boots, and the air nipped at his nips. The elf trembled from the cold; winter was arriving quickly, and with it, all the birds would fly south to warmer lands. Much like the days of his youth in Briton, where birds would leave his clan's woods and go on to the southern clans' lands. The elf shook his head, knowing very well that Briton was much colder than Wildgard...the birds would be heading somewhere warm soon.
"Hurry up." He muttered a few times as they walked; he couldn't help that his damned legs were so long and suited for hiking.
The walking was the boring part. It got colder the further North they went, and the grass became wetter and wetter until it was like walking through a marsh. His kilt and her skirt, along with both their boots, were now caked with green water, stained from the herbs under them. And yet the continued anyways.
Colder and colder. Wetter and wetter. Winter was certainly coming.
It wasn't until the sun finally showed itself and the grounds dried that they came to where they needed to be. A large lake, blue like the sky above them and smooth like a beaver's fur. Across it, hills and stone. Their final destination. Beside them...
A convenient yet small boat. Big enough for them, at least.
They were so close to the end. And yet, it was all still so cold.
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Idina Doc
Wildgardian
Could we start again, please?
Posts: 258
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Post by Idina Doc on Sept 7, 2014 7:52:50 GMT -6
Small ripples disturbed the surface of the lake, sending fragments of reflected sun dancing towards the west. The hills on the opposite shore sent a chill up the healer's back; that must be where they needed to go. It was dawning on her more and more that she truly had no idea what it was she needed to do, and thus, she had no way of preparing herself appropriately for... whatever it was. But the calmness of the lake was a soothing sight, as though the shining waters were taking her worried from her mind and carrying them off with the pieces of the sun.
She did see the boat close to the pair of them, and she assumed the logical course of action would be to take it across the water. However, she only gave the Clanless a look, waiting for him to either confirm or act. Idina didn't feel much like speaking today.
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Post by Faljere D'ael Elderbaden on Sept 7, 2014 20:27:42 GMT -6
Clanless took the boat and removed the paddles before piling all of their equipment into it. It was slightly weighted, but their regular meals of light food helped in not making the boat sink.
Once they were both in, the elf began paddling at the back, hoping Idina knew that all she had to do was stroke on one side. It was a simple, small journey to the other side, not anything else.
He hoped to goodness that she wouldn't screw this up.
Alas, they made it over without and tipping, or any word said, for that matter. He was just so focused on the final task at hand. They were so near to him being of it all.
When they pulled up on shore, the big, looming, cavernous entrance to the ancient temple cast a foreboding shadow upon them.
This was it. The final stretch.
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Idina Doc
Wildgardian
Could we start again, please?
Posts: 258
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Post by Idina Doc on Sept 8, 2014 23:11:26 GMT -6
She stood next to the elf, the two of them beholding the owner of the shadow that had covered them since the shallows of the lake. A huge temple, full of history and an energy Idina couldn't quite comprehend, despite her best efforts... The atmosphere was simply something completely new to her, and it filled her with awe as well as made her feel awful.
A feeling had settled deep into her mind, getting closer to her heart the more she dared to give it thought; she felt as though she should not be here. In front of this temple or with this man or so far from Wildgard; however you thought of "here", it didn't feel right.
This feeling of *wrong* made her feel all the more like not talking. The girl forced her worries to the back of her mind, straightening her cloak and belt to distract herself. She was ready. The Clanless needed only to give the word.
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Post by Faljere D'ael Elderbaden on Sept 9, 2014 20:22:31 GMT -6
Clanless looked over at Idina, seeing her tremble in the presence of such a location. And she had every right to, too. The ancient Celts who once lived within the stone walls were rumoured to still be there, and they were dangerous. Adding to that all the traps and the barrier that he'd brought her along to destroy, and they really had their work cut out for them.
He grabbed the girl and held her tightly by the shoulders, looking intensely into her eyes.
"I've entrusted you, Idina. Do not fail me." He told her. "What we may face in there are dangers you'd never even anticipate. I need to know that you are prepared."
He let his grip on her shoulders soften before he turned away to the cavern's entrance. Drawing his massive blade, he turned back once to her. "I'm going in. Please follow me."
With that, he took his first step into darkness.
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Idina Doc
Wildgardian
Could we start again, please?
Posts: 258
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Post by Idina Doc on Sept 11, 2014 12:47:11 GMT -6
Idina stood stunned for a moment, her brain whirring to let what he had just told her register. When the gravity of his words finally sunk in, her expression relaxed, falling a little without looking sad. The only reason she'd come this far, put up with this crazed elf and his threats, his demands, his dangerous tasks, was that he was counting on her. That had been her thinking as she'd left Wildgard; such was of what she had just been reminded. She had to put her trust in him, at least for now, and push forward into this environment that filled her with dread.
Then again, the Clanless much have believed that she would be able to make it through if he had wanted to bring here here.
She have a start when he spoke to her again. Pushing her thoughts down, she kept one hand on the hilt of her dagger and followed the elf.
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Post by Faljere D'ael Elderbaden on Sept 11, 2014 20:00:20 GMT -6
The cavern reeked of death as they walked through it. Though the halls were reminiscent of an ancient fort of sorts, with smoothed walls, it was clear that they were still being tread in. Upon the stone walls, carvings told tales through images and runes; figures with pole weapons and shields battling fire-breathing drakes, warriors falling in battle, priests and wizards casting blessings and curses.
Some small part of the Clanless wished he could stay and read the tales on the walls; such fascination-inducing splendour before him. He traced his finger along the bottom line of the carvings as he sauntered down the corridor, making sure his partner wasn't getting lost. Torches lit their way, so if she did, she'd have no use for the excuse 'I couldn't see'.
The further down they went, the more scarce torchlight became, and more sporadic were the shuffles from above that caused dust to fall, accompanied by deep chanting.
"The Celts that live here worship the ancient dragon races. More powerful and wise than the bestial drakes that tread the Earth these days. Once, they were plentiful, bringing their immense knowledge of magic to the Earth's mortals. But when the mortals began using their powers greedily, the dragons turned on them, and so the mortals created their own magics that caused great harm to the dragons. The ones that remain are either those who went into hiding, or those so tortured by man's power that they are no more than animals, destruction being their goal," he murmured to himself, but he hoped that Idina was listening. "Dareth miir no'gul. Taria dara-goni, yurmileth. I was born into a clan of these dragon-hunting 'mortals', although one might not consider any of elven kind to be mortal at all. Elves of all kinds always sought dragon's knowledge. Dragon's magic. They could cast spells that could bend time and space to their will. And they could even peer into one's soul."
He paused for a moment to listen to the rumbling. "We're nearly at the center, where we will be met by the barrier. Let's continue on."
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Idina Doc
Wildgardian
Could we start again, please?
Posts: 258
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Post by Idina Doc on Sept 12, 2014 20:36:35 GMT -6
The carvings on the wall mesmerized the little healer; they seemed to call for her attention each time the waning torches lit up a new section of the marks. She traced a finger over their shapes, trying to guess at what exactly she was feeling. Their history seemed to give off a presence of their own. This palpable feeling, combined with the disconnected chanting coming from somewhere directly above them, filled her with awe, overpowering the foreboding atmosphere of the temple itself.
She listened attentively to the Clanless' spiel, eager to hear more of the wall carvings. Her heart panged with sympathy for the drakes he described, a deep and certain feeling. No creature deserved to be hated for defending themselves, and certainly not to the degree of having spells created to hurt them more! Memories crept back into her mind to the day before, of the wyvren that she... No. Nothing could change what had happened - the wyvren attacking them unprovoked or the elf and she defending themselves. That was not something she should try to think about right now.
Idina's fingers continued to glide over the carvings as she quickened her pace again. A magical energy was calling to her from somewhere not too far ahead, suggesting to her that they were getting close to the barrier. The elf's words only confirmed that for her: they were close to their goal.
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Post by Faljere D'ael Elderbaden on Sept 13, 2014 20:52:59 GMT -6
The chanting increased as they went down the hallway, but now there was a light appearing to them. Not too great a brightness, but enough for them to see where they were going again. A deep chant, as if of another world. A tongue unknown to the world now lived in, a tone both hopeful and dark.
When they reached the end of the tunnel, the chanting was a full song--an oath, of sorts. Clanless looked over the ledge that they were pressed against, seeing a massive set of ivory bones, wings stretched outwards and jaw gaping. It was set above a large, circular, stone archway with a small, runed well-like pedestal before them. The stone archway was filled by a purple energy, fed to it from an unseen source.
The Clanless looked to his left and saw a set of stairs, leading downwards into the large, stone chamber. "This is it, Idina," he muttered.
Looking at the skeleton once more, he realised where they were...and what dangers to expect.
"The dragons aren't like as they were today. Nowadays, dragons are separated by race, not unlike dogs or elves. But the dragons of old were all unique in their own way, and thus had their own titles. Names, in their own tongues, that translated into a deed they'd done or a power they were known for. Sirmothalnir. 'The Sorcerer of the North' was his name. Hard to believe that he was a dwarf in the eyes of other dragons of his time. The Celts here recognised him as a deity who used the darkest of magics for good. Destroying the spawn of the demon lord S'argaarin and such. He was also able to peer into the soul and grant spiritual immortality. His magics are what I am in need of."
Once they'd reached the bones, he could clearly see pedestals lining the back wall, each holding their own purple crystal. The Clanless went up and examined one of them more closely, being careful not to end up in its energy's path, for it was these crystals which fed energy to the barrier. "The souls of the oldest Celtic priests reside in these gems. A loophole, to prevent their frail bodies from aging any further, and yet still allowing them to serve their great master."
He followed the trail of energy back to the barrier and examined it: he'd read up on the entire place before they'd arrived here, and knew everything that would happen, including how to get rid of the barrier.
That's where Idina came in.
In the blink of an eye, the elf had drawn his knife, grabbed her right hand, and jabbed the tip of the blade into it. Although it wasn't enough to cause a major wound, it was enough to draw blood.
"The blood of an innocent. Only one who is pure of heart could enter, ensuring that his magics did not fall into the wrong hands," he explained, sheathing his knife. "Put your hand in the well."
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