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Post by aeralynn on Nov 17, 2014 10:24:17 GMT -6
Aera knelt on the ground outside the deserted cabin. Wind River had brought her here, telling her it had once belonged to the Dauntless - a faction that had existed well before her time in Wildgard. But now, it was empty. The window was broken, and it offered little protection from the bitter north wind. Not that she needed it anymore. Though she could feel the wind, the iciness of it didn't affect her. The snow didn't seem to affect her either. Aera had lost track of how long she had been outside, kneeling on the ground. Hours, at least. But her body was covered in at least an inch of snow by this point. She didn't move to brush it off - her mind was elsewhere.
In the past hours, her mind had cycled through grieving, prayer, and silent meditation. Nothing brought her peace. Grieving only burdened her with more guilt. Every time she thought of Wulfric, all she could see was her polearm's blade piercing through his chest. All she could taste was Ashen's blood in her mouth. Grieving did nothing to lessen the pain of her betrayal.
Prayer did her little good, either. Aera could no longer speak half of the words in her prayer book. The holy names of the gods burned her tongue when she tried to invoke them*. And she was sure that the gods had stopped listening to her by this point. She had failed them as much as she had her friends.
Which left meditation. Breathing slowly in through her nose, and out through her mouth. She kept her eyes closed, and her hands folded in her lap. She tried to empty her mind of everything - thoughts, emotions, ever-persistent memories from the previous day. The wind continued to howl through the trees. The snow continued to fall. And the monk continued to kneel motionless on the ground. It was as close to peaceful as she would get that day.
* - So far, I've been RPing as if Aera can still say holy words and the names of gods. I think I'm going to start playing it now as though she can't say holy words.
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Luxley
New Member
Making things explode is easy but making something that lasts... is something worth protecting.
Posts: 38
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Post by Luxley on Nov 17, 2014 14:05:49 GMT -6
The frozen winds blew into the ears of Luxley, making him turn away from the north winds. He pulled his scarf up to cover his face from the bite of the cold.
The snow piled on top of his head as he stood on top of the trees of Pan'ti, looking out for anything during his daily patrols. He heard news of Wulfric being killed and that the guild has set war against a being named Aera.
This being intrigued him. He remembered a very quiet monk that followed Wulfric practically all the time. He wasn't sure if the monk that followed Wulfric was Aera. Maybe Aera was another assassin. Luxley isn't sure but if luxley can get a smell of Aera then he can figure out if the monk is the same person.
Luxley snapped out of his train of thought and continued with his patrol. Teleporting tree to tree, he moved farther into Pan'ti forest towards the dauntless den. He stood on top of a tree in one of the clearings of the forest which wasn't too far from the den but at a distance where he can't be easily noticed.
He looked towards the rundown house. He could sense a faint essence of the void. He went closer to the house and he could see a figure kneeling in the snow.
"Interesting" He whispered.
He disappears then reappears into the rundown house. He swiftly and silently makes a fire using his pyrotechnics spell then opens the door.
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Post by aeralynn on Nov 17, 2014 22:08:45 GMT -6
Aera continued her attempts at keeping her mind clear. However, it was proving to be more of a challenge today than usual. Ordinarily, it took her minutes to clear her mind, at most. Today, thoughts kept pushing at the edges of her consciousness. Relentless thoughts that she didn't want.
She was pulled from her attempts at meditation by a noise behind her, from within the ruined cabin. A crackling noise, like fire. Who would be lighting a fire in the old cabin? Neither her nor Wind River were at any risk of freezing without one.
She slowly stood, joints stiff from sitting in the snow for too long. As she did so, Aera heard the sound of the door opening. She could see the dull glow of the fire leaking out through the open doorway. Instantly, Wulfric's voice sounded within her mind. 'Careful. Fire is not your friend' he had said to her. Back when she had still been getting used to vampirism, and a body had been being burned at the Church. That warning, over a week ago, sounded again in her mind now. Use caution. Someone was in the cabin, and they may not be an ally.
Quickly, she knelt to grab her polearm from the ground, purely as a precaution. "Who's there?" she called out, voice just loud enough to be heard over the wind.
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Luxley
New Member
Making things explode is easy but making something that lasts... is something worth protecting.
Posts: 38
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Post by Luxley on Nov 18, 2014 5:00:45 GMT -6
Luxley watched as Aera stood up. Analyzing every part, every movement, every essence of this being. Luxley stepped into the shadows of the fire to remain unseen.
The smell of the fire prevented Luxley from getting a sniff the their scent. He casted a spell on the fire and slowed its burn. The fire shrank in size
Hopefully that will allow me to get a scent He thought.
Aera spoke over the wind into the cabin.
Luxley decided to remain in the shadows of the fire but stood at the door as a figure. He gestures at Aera to come in.
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Post by aeralynn on Nov 18, 2014 10:16:03 GMT -6
Aera watched the figure by the doorway gesture for her to enter the cabin. She frowned, unsure. If it was a friend, all would be well. If it was an enemy, something she suddenly seemed to have many of, this could be an ambush.
Then again...if anyone had wanted to attack her, they would have had their chance when she was sitting in the snow a few minutes ago.
Still holding her polearm, ready to defend at the slightest hint of hostility, she made her way to the door of the cabin. As she walked past, she inhaled slightly, trying to see if she could identify his scent. That turned out to be a mistake. Right now, every living creature only smelled like one thing. Blood.
She turned around once she was inside, looking at the figure once again. As it was night time, her cloak's hood was down. The firelight illuminated her tired face and pallid skin. "If you could leave the shadows, I would appreciate it," Aera said calmly. "I'd like to know who I'm speaking with."
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Luxley
New Member
Making things explode is easy but making something that lasts... is something worth protecting.
Posts: 38
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Post by Luxley on Nov 18, 2014 23:14:30 GMT -6
Luxley continue to remain in the shadows, as Aera walked into the cabin. The monk spoke, asking for him to appear. As she finished her sentence, Luxley closed the door behind her and magically sealing it.
The smoke of the fire started to gather even more in the cabin since he shut the door, preventing both of them to detect each other's smell.
He reaches out of the shadow and and lightly places his paw on her shoulder from behind.
Luxley's voice boomed into Aera's mind. "What if I don't? What I just stayed in the shadows that haunt you. Or what if I help you escape the dark trail that leads you down an endless road of suffering. That road is where Wulfric was before he met you. Maybe you deserve the same?"
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Post by aeralynn on Nov 19, 2014 0:02:54 GMT -6
The sound of the door sealing itself did nothing to put Aera at ease. This was feeling more and more like an ambush. Had Ashen already found out where she was hiding? Had she sent someone to attack? Her stomach twisted slightly in fear, and she did her best to calm herself.
It took nearly every shred of willpower to keep herself from jumping as the figure lurking in the shadows reached out to touch her shoulder. However, when his voice echoed in her mind, she flinched in surprise.
The very mention of Wulfric's name sent a fresh wave of guilt and grief over her. For the thousandth time, she sent a silent prayer to her gods. She didn't ask for forgiveness; she would have settled for some sort of retribution. But whoever had come to the dauntless cabin tonight didn't seem to want retribution. Instead, he seemed to offer help.
Aera remained silent and still for a moment, trying in vain to discern who the voice in her head belonged to. It was someone who had known Wulfric, known him well before she had ever ventured to these lands. But that could still be so many people. Though the voice was familiar, she couldn't place it.
Finally, she spoke again. "If you truly believe I deserve any help, then you are a gift from the g...gods," she said, forcing the word out with obvious effort. It stung her tongue like fire to speak of the gods.
Aera turned around to face the hazy figure behind her. Reaching out, she leaned her polearm up against the wall in a signal of peace and good will. "If you feel the need to stay hidden, I won't ask you to show yourself. But I would be more comfortable knowing who I'm speaking with. I don't think there are too many people who would offer me help anymore..."
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Luxley
New Member
Making things explode is easy but making something that lasts... is something worth protecting.
Posts: 38
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Post by Luxley on Nov 19, 2014 0:56:14 GMT -6
As Aera turned around to face Luxley, he swiftly repositioned himself behind the monk once more.
"Oh? Stammering out the word god already, monk? I can sense of how uneasy you are right now. You shouldn't feel scared of me, you should feel scared of what you'll become. Or rather what you are. I can help you but...."
In the middle of his sentence, he steps out of the shadows and into the light of the fire, he grabs one of the chairs in the cabin that have a layer of dust on them, positions the chair face away from the fire and sits on the chair backwards, crossing and resting his arms on the top of the chair. Then he continues his sentence through his own voice.
"...you need to tell me what's wrong, my friend." He says in a calm and carefree voice.
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Post by aeralynn on Nov 19, 2014 8:23:56 GMT -6
"You should feel scared of what you'll become. Or rather what you are," the voice in her head said.
What she was...a murderer. A vampire. Someone who betrayed the trust of those she cared about. Someone who hurt people. She cringed slightly. As if that thought didn't scare her more than anything else.
Finally, the figure stepped out of the shadows towards the firelight. Aera watched in slight confusion, realizing who her guest was. Luxley, the rabbit, sat in the chair by the fire. She had seen him around enough to know that he was a part of the Silver Scale...and therefore should not be helping her. And yet here he was. "If I tell you everything that's wrong, we may be here a while," she said solemnly.
For a second, Aera regarded Luxley with the same expression of slight unease, before speaking again. As much as she wanted help, she didn't want anyone else to be put in a difficult situation because of her. "If Ashen finds out you've come to speak with me...she's made it clear that I'm an enemy of the Silver Scale. Is it safe for you to be here?"
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Luxley
New Member
Making things explode is easy but making something that lasts... is something worth protecting.
Posts: 38
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Post by Luxley on Nov 19, 2014 22:45:11 GMT -6
"Hmmm.. Enemy of the scale huh? Why are you so concerned that ashen will catch me talking to....."
Luxley pauses for a second, stare out into the fire, sitting completely still as if he entered a trance. His left ear twitches every once in a while and he breaks from the trances.
"......The snow is going to fall much harder soon." As he finished his sentence, the snow began to fall harder much to the point of complete whiteout. The house started to creak from the pressure of the rushing winds. The fire fluttered from the wind that seeped through the cracked and broken windows.
Luxley sets his eyes back on the monk. He continues "You. Who is or was from what appeared to being a good friend to Wulfric, seems scared by the fact of I'm part of the guild. Why is this?" His voice entered her mind again. "Are you the one who has killed Wulfric? Your own friend? Murderer. Betrayer. I should go call for ashen and the others. I can leave and seal this entire building so that you can't escape and so I can burn it down while your in it."
As his voice boomed into her head, his eyes slowly turned grey and fixated on hers. He slide back into the shadows with only the greyness of his eyes visible. The fire bursted with greatness.
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Post by aeralynn on Nov 20, 2014 10:05:19 GMT -6
Aera looked out the broken window as the blizzard worsened. It felt as though it had been snowing ever since Wulfric's death. Ever since he came back as the one who called himself the Ice Seer.
Aera's full attention turned to Luxley once again as his voice filled her head. She cringed visibly at his words, reminded yet again of what she had done. Instinctively, she opened her mouth to ask him not to go get Ashen. But then she stopped, reconsidering. Maybe that would be what she deserved.
"I've already called myself a murderer and a traitor a thousand times. I've already heard Ashen scream those names at me. It does nothing to help the situation," she said, her gaze even with the grey eyes in front of her.
Her gaze shifted to the fire for a moment, and then back to Luxley's eyes. If she died tonight, it would all be over. She wouldn't hurt anyone ever again. She wouldn't have to fear her own bloodthirst. And yet... "I don't want to die yet. Not like this," she continued, trying to explain herself. "I want to die human. I want to be able to say a prayer before I go. And I don't want to leave this world knowing I was hated."
Her polearm was still up against the wall, and she made a point of taking a step away from it. "If you believe I deserve to die, burn the cabin. I won't fight you."
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Luxley
New Member
Making things explode is easy but making something that lasts... is something worth protecting.
Posts: 38
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Post by Luxley on Nov 20, 2014 19:24:55 GMT -6
His eye track her as she takes a step away from her weapon. In the insubstantial plane, Luxley smiles by her choice. "Swallowing whats left of your pride and honour, huh? I commend that. I can help you, at a cost. Hehe"
He returns from the shadows again, one of his eyes return to its normal gold colour.
He walks back towards the chair where he sat previously and sits back down. "So....... tell me whats wrong." He says as he gestures to sit on a chair. He pulls a entire head of lettuce from his bag, pulls a leaf off and offers some to the monk. "Well Lettuce leaf that behind us for now, first tell me who you are."
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Post by Wulfric Greyfang on Nov 21, 2014 19:50:53 GMT -6
as the winds pick up out the window as a voice pick up by the wind traveled through. "I died in vain the blood was split for the cure burns the vary snow it now rests on". then fades back into a gust passing though.
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