"Frenetic Tales" from a raptor (Full Version)

All Forums >> [Gaming Community] >> [Legends and Lore] >> Writers of Lore >> [The Bookshelves] >> Other Creative Prose



Message

Frenetic Raptor -> "Frenetic Tales" from a raptor (11/16/2008 20:11:59)



Frozen Cavern of Life
(Original Version)

In this world so cold, I am alone. It is here that I rest separated from everyone I have ever met and those I will never see. But am I really alone? No, I mustn't be. This is all just an illusion, for I do have friends and those I can call family. They may not be with me at this very moment, but I can always turn to them when the time arrives. Even though I feel this way, why doesn't it seem like things will turn out ok? Maybe this decision of mine wasn't for the best after all.

Lifting her head, Jenny released her thoughts and focused on the flickering firelight as it danced about with a mind of its own. She could feel the intensity of its warmth prancing upon her skin rhythmically as it followed the beats of the crackling flames. Even so, she received no comfort knowing that he was still out there somewhere. Would she ever find him and what would happen if she finally did? Would he have completely forgotten? How could he? He is my brother.

She immediately glared towards the cavern entrance, wishing such unfortunate thoughts to cease. This was it, her final push to move on with or without him. If it wasn't to be it would never be. I've gone on without him, haven't I? Yes I have and I've done a pretty good job so far. Although, what exactly was her motivation all this time? Simple, her brother. No matter what, it brought her back to him. Why was it so? That was something she would never know.

Frustrated, she picked herself up from the ground and walked off into the darkness of the cavern, away from the fire. She took a few steps forward and hesitated before deciding to turn around. She faced the entrance and walked towards the outside world that lied beyond the cave. She could see the beauty in white. The snow, how she loved it so very much. There was something special about the snow that kept her begging for more and crying out for joy at the sight of it. It would never matter how much, all that mattered was that it continued to fall. Keeping her alluring eyes of blue fixed on the scene before her, memories of her mother began to surface.

She reached the cavern walls and stopped, seeking out something within the blizzard just outside. Nothing, that's what she saw. Nothing but a wonderland of snow. Wait, what is that? Are there others here besides me? She could see them playing. Right over there. About five yards from that tree she could see a little girl, and a young woman chasing after her. The girl was in a fit of constant giggling, taunting her mother to catch her.

Jenny continued to watch, noticing that the falling snow was no longer crashing to the ground in sheets, but cascading downward upon a white padded blanket. With the conditions easing, the clarity of the scene before her felt so real, hitting an emotional crevice within her broken soul. A tear formed out of the corner of her eye. There they were, lying upon the ground and making snow angels. That was all it took before that single droplet escaped from her eye and traced down her cheek. She released a sigh at the thought of angels. Why oh why did she have to depart from this world?

All her reality seemed to be that of hell. There was no real paradise, only that created by man. Enstar was authentic enough, but it just didn't seem right in such a world of pain and suffering. All around me there is death and destruction, whether I know about it or not. It will never end. There will always be problems. Not always with solutions either. She felt a dripping sensation along her arm. What is this? Where is it coming from? She had no idea until she finally realized that the icicles from above her were melting. How foolish of me to be so startled over such a little thing.

What did she expect? She just wasn't emotionally stable. Letting the drops of water fall upon her pale skin, she heard a whisper from behind her. Jenny hesitantly turned around and caught sight of something amazing. From out of the fire, there appeared a woman. Everything about her was beautiful, from her flowing blonde hair to her gorgeous bluish-green gown. Even her broadsword radiated an aura of magnificence. Complete awe had overwhelmed her and she couldn't find the words to speak.

"It is nice to meet you Jenny. How are you doing? The woman eyed her, urging her on to tell. "Is anything wrong?" She continued her efforts in persuasion.

Jenny looked towards the ground and crossed her arms. Where in the world did this woman come from, and why is she here speaking to me? Either way, it was no use ignoring her. She wouldn't get anywhere being rude. She went along and spoke up. "Well, there is something on my mind, but I don't see why it is important. It only causes me grief just thinking about it"

The woman stepped away from the fire and approached her, hoping that she would speak her mind. She received not a word, though she at least got her to look into her eyes. The Sister of Life put her arm around Jenny to comfort her, shielding her from the cold. She could feel Jenny's warmth battling against the frigid air as her body shivered. "That is understandable. At least come back to the fire with me and we can warm ourselves up. Especially for your sake. I wouldn't want you catching a cold. You may also want to wear that fur coat you have lying next to the fire over there. That short sleeve shirt of yours does you no good. You should know that."

Although she was fully aware of how much this woman rambled on like her mother, Jenny couldn't help but play along. "Yes, mother." Sure, it was a sarcastic comment, but she didn't mean any disrespect. It was kind of a compliment, considering most never cared for her safety. Whether or not the Sister of Life got the joke was yet to be seen. Hopefully she didn't appear obnoxious. That would definitely not be good. Retaliation always hurt more on the receiving end. For reassurance, Jenny smiled at her. She hoped that it would erase any doubts the Sister of Life had about her last remark.

They both went off towards the fire. "I guess that did come off as a bit much, but I couldn't really resist. I did get you to smile didn't I? Come on, you know I did. Don't deny it."

"Yeah, I guess you got me there." Showing little enthusiasm, Jenny simply agreed with the woman. She couldn't believe she was actually following along. She wasn't sure how much more she could handle.

They both sat down at the fire and took refuge in the comforting warmth before them. What she didn't know was that the Sister of Life had a request for her, one that she hoped she would accept. "Before I get to the reason why I am here, is there anything you really want in life? Let me know now before I go ahead with what I must say." She gave Jenny an encouraging glance.

"Well, there are a few things... I really want to see my brother Velox. I also want to visit mother one last time. Then there is this other problem that has been nagging me. Why do I have this strange ability to transform into this weird bat thing?" Jenny paused while she thought of something else. There was still that thing that Aquaria had done to her weapons. What exactly was it that she did to them? She had to know. Giving it a second thought, she didn't really want to know. For all she knew, Morkeleb could have gone and pulled a prank on her and enchanted her stilettos with something totally absurd. She wasn't going there no matter what. No way, completely off limits. "Yeah, I guess that's it." She was unconvincingly satisfied and kept quiet for the woman to speak.

"I can't guarantee all of them can be done, but I will see what I can do to help and guide you to what you wish. Don't worry, I shall not let you down." She paused and let Jenny absorb this info before moving on. "Are you ready for what I am about to tell you? I am in hopes that you will understand and take my offer. I have confidence that you will understand, but I have to ask."

"Ok, I understand," Jenny replied. She had no idea what she was agreeing to, only that this strange yet beautiful, woman had a peculiar offer. Hopefully she wasn't getting herself into a heap of trouble again. Having listened to the offer of saving the world, negotiating the terms of agreement, and discussing god knows what for the past hour, they had struck a deal. Jenny was confident and so was the Sister of Life. All that needed to be done was to get to this city where she was to start her battle against these diabolical creatures brought forth by the Sister of Wisdom. The Sister's imprisonment had to remain, for if she were to escape, all would come to an end.

"I've got one more question. How am I getting to Serafew all the way from here?" Jenny had that dumbfounded look of impossibility.

"That's no problem. I will have you there in a jiffy. Make sure you have everything and tell me when you're ready. You'll be there before you know it," She concluded with an enormous grin.

Jenny turned her head to the side and rolled her eyes. Yeah right, I've heard that one before. Something definitely seemed a bit fishy, but where was the adventure in knowing what was up. Ignoring all doubts and erasing all facial expressions of uncertainty, she was as ready as ever. "Alright, I'm all set. I've got everything I came here with." She faced the woman and stood at attention, or at least as close as she could. She certainly wasn't the disciplined type.

"Good. Get ready." The woman winked at her. "You will be in for a surprise with this one." With a single snap of her fingers, they were gone. A moment later, Jenny was lying upon a cozy bed within an unfamiliar room without a clue as to where she was. This was going to be just another day in her so called life. But where to start?



Frenetic Raptor -> RE: "Frenetic Tales" from a raptor (11/16/2008 20:35:04)

Thunderous Mansion of Time

Here I stand, contemplating what has been and what is yet to come. As I look out the window I can hear the angry rumbles of thunder and I can see the violent streaks of lightning. For those who have come before me, many have fallen into that abyss of chaos that I see before my very eyes or have discovered that elusive heavenly refuge that so few have managed to reach. As I think about it more and more, I realize that I am here at that same crossroad. The one with the decision to be free with the angels or succumb to temptation and splurge with the devils. Even as I remain at this fork in the road, I am unsure if I am deserving of either, for I am not the perfect little princess or the wretched witch. Must I really decide on this now? Can't it wait?

Anger filled her radiant eyes, flaring at the thought of losing everything she had ever fought for. She wouldn't give into those fiendish demons within her soul no matter what, even if they fed on her fragile essence for as long as she lived. She was strong and would never fall victim to such a tragedy. But was she really confident in herself? Not lately and certainly not now. The evidence was there for the entire world to see. She couldn't hide the ugliness of her other self, the one that craved for a kill and a reckless freedom.

Why was I born into this family? They are nothing but a pack of vicious wolves with a fiery temper. But wait, I am different from them, aren't I? I sure hope so. What if she wasn't? Was there still time to change her ways? And where was her love to comfort and assist her in her time of need? He was nowhere to found, kept hidden amongst the shadows, probably against his will. Her hatred grew, tempting her to punch the very wall in front of her. She held herself back, leaving her fist into a ball. No one dare disturb her, for they would face her devastating wrath.

It was stupid to think anyone would bother her; she was all alone in her home. This mansion that once was a sanctuary for her fathers, brothers, mothers, and daughters; now nothing but an empty vessel that held so much life and promise. She could see the vivid memories from the parties they used to have. The music so hauntingly nostalgic and the people so vibrantly sophisticated. Of course, there was more to her past than the parties, but it mattered not. All that was gone, replaced by a morbid silence.

Within this very room, there was someone that wanted to break this silence. This woman of a greater age in appearance was curious as to know why so much hatred filled such a young woman. It was clearly evident that Shariana was losing her way and rather quickly. Could she be saved? Only if she fought on. Without such a desire, her fate was all but certain and the inevitable would at last truly happen.

The Sister of Time carefully situated herself within a chair opposite of Shariana's location near the window. She glanced around at the study room, noticing its ancient manuscripts filled with knowledge resting along the entire length of the bookshelves. It wasn't until her gaze caught sight of a familiar text did she feel the need to speak up. "Tell me. Have you ever given the thought of why things happen and what the reasoning behind these things are?"

Shariana felt invaded. Who is this woman and why is she here? And how long has she been inside my mansion and what did she actually see? She couldn't wait to give her a piece of her mind. She turned her gaze from the tempest outside and took a glimpse over the elder woman's figure. There she was, from her snow white hair to her armored plating and matching leather greaves. Not what I expected, but still rather intrusive to say the least. If she hadn't held such a high respect for her elders she would have gone off on this woman.

With calmed nerves, Shariana was prepared to speak to the Sister of Time. "Yes, I have, but nothing ever makes any sense. There are times when I know what will happen, yet there are other times where it just doesn't seem possible. I just wish the things would have been different. Is there ever a way to go back to what once was, even if it isn't exactly what it originally was?" She eyed the old woman, attempting to pry her of an answer.

"I see. You are troubled that you will lose everything and that your life may become completely meaningless if you continue to follow life down the path you believe is right, even if it means abandoning everything you love. Let me tell you something. There is a reason why things happen, even if it doesn't go your way. It is your will and the will of others that will guide you to what you truly desire. You cannot do this alone, it will never work. Trust in yourself and the others you love and things will come together in due time." She paused and formulated a question just for Shariana.

"Why do you fear for Kujaron, your husband? Do you think you will lose him and you will never see him again? I can almost guarantee that you fear for his life."

"Yes, that is exactly the reason. How can we protect each other when we are not together? I can't even communicate with him anymore. The gods seemed to have forbidden me from doing so and it angers me." She glared towards the heavens above.

"Don't blame the gods my child. It is you that is keeping yourself from being able to be with Kujaron or even speak to him. You doubt yourself and as a result you simply fail. You refuse to try again and give up. Then you feel the need to put the blame on someone else. It isn't easy doing what is necessary to be with him and you mustn't turn your back on him. That is what you are doing in actuality." She paused just long enough for Shariana to speak all but one word and cut her off. "Why do you truly wish to seek out the heavenly light for which you seek or are you just doing it for the sake of making a name for yourself?"

How rude. This old woman putting the blame on me and giving me no chance to defend myself. Then she has the nerve to ask me another question. Fine, I will play her little game just enough to keep her off my back. "Yes, I truly do desire to seek out the heavenly light and I am most certainly not doing this for the sake of making a name. What use is that? Can we move on, please." She fought so hard not to shout at the old woman.

"As you wish, but please remember to be aware of your faults. I see that you are already succumbing to them and you are letting them control you without yourself even knowing." The Sister of Time glared at an enchanted piece of jewelry around Shariana's neck. "I see you have resorted to crude methods in controlling your tendencies. Why are you wearing such a device? Are you really that weak that you must resort to such brutal contraptions? You should really get rid of it and come to your senses."

Shariana grasped the pendent that hung from her neck. She peered down at this physical burden resting in her hand and grimaced. This woman is definitely bordering on striking my very last nerve. But there she went, relentlessly badgering her about her faults and throwing insults on already opened wounds. She released her grip from the necklace and let it fall back towards her chest. She followed up with a turn of her head, away the Sister of Time, having been dishonored. "No, I am not weak and I certainly don't need to be told so."

"Then prove it to me. Show me that you are not weak and that you have the power to control you life. And quit blaming the gods for your misfortunes. I know you are capable of much more Shariana. Prove it to me and not only will you satisfy me, but you will actually be that of what you always wanted to be. Trust me, Kujaron will know of your efforts and will notice. So will many others who face the same thing you have to endure every day. How about it? Will you listen to me and see things from my perspective?" She gave Shariana an understanding glance.

Shariana nodded her head with great reluctance and mumbled what sounded as an affirmative response.

"Good, I will begin." The old woman finished with a smile of satisfaction. One that had every intention of insulting Shariana's almighty hubris. If she was ever going to successfully prevail through this torture, she would just need to bear with it.

After the Sister of Time explained her situation in great detail, Shariana hesitantly accepted and allowed her to bring her to the city of Serafew. She would arrive at a dark alleyway from where she sought out the respective inn she was to visit. There she waited at an empty table and kept her guard up for something peculiar to happen.

What exactly did she get herself into? Who knows, but the enemy itself. It would only be a matter of time, for they were approaching by land and by air. Anything and everything caught in the impending devastation would most certainly be obliterated. With the odds heavily stacked against her, would she live to see the light of another day?



Frenetic Raptor -> RE: "Frenetic Tales" from a raptor (11/16/2008 20:40:37)

Transforming the Battlefront
by Frenetic Raptor


Jenny remained within her room, oblivious to what she had gotten herself into. Am I really doing the right thing? She barely considered the matter before an enormous, earth-shattering explosion sounded. The shock waves that followed violently shook the inn and everything inside as she struggled to stay on the bed. Even with such disastrous events lurking outside, she let loose a chuckle of laughter directed towards an amusing and unexpected thought of hers. Did I really just think of that? And of all times. I am so going to be dead.

Her childish moment was over, for she received the most devastating headache in the world. This endless screeching, originating from beyond the inn's walls; one that would drive one's mind mad, immobilizing its victim before finally sending them into oblivion. The experience of her brain literally explode from the inside was unappealing and absolutely grotesque, imprinting itself as a memory in her mind forever. Nothing ever seems to change no matter how much I attempt to get away. I am once again being slowly dragged against my own will by an emerging chaotic presence.

She smirked at the reality of it, knowing she thought the same way of herself. This was all too familiar, the predictable screaming and the ugliness of her own darkness; unwilling at the beginning, yet prevalent in the end. I am not going to let it consume me and I am certainly not going to let something else do the same. The odds were always going to be stacked against her, but without such frightening stimuli giving her the will to live she would have perished long ago. These fragile memories drove her motivation to fight on to new heights. I would love to know who or what had done this and show them what I could do. As if a sinister wish had been granted, something large was approaching, from the skies.

The wind began to swirl outside, accompanied only by a reverberating howl. This was her one and only warning, for what came next was a threat to her own life. The walls of the inn began to buckle under the pressure, the devastating sounds of splintering followed every weakening wooden board. With little time to react, an instinctual decision was all she could muster. Sitting on the bed, Jenny crouched and covered her head and body, riding on what hope remained. The glass from every window shattered, sending the remaining shards flying through the air, unrelenting. With no choice but to endure, she held her position against the elements.

Almost as if from a tornado itself, the roof above began separating from the rest of the inn, its entire detachment nearly evident. The violent moans and groans of the rafters gave way, foreboding the roof's swift demise. Everything caught in its fury flew through the skies, never to be found in its previous state; lifeless, crippled, and broken, every piece would remain. Her protection against the wind's brutality was gone. The wind, without resistance, raced against her body before easing as the low flying beast from above moved onward.

She was finally physically capable of seeing the destruction for herself, even without the initial desire to take a peek. What in the world just happened to the ceiling? She didn't necessarily want to look into the darkened sky above her, but her compulsions would not be so kind, eventually forcing her to have a look. Jenny sighed, realizing there was far more going on than what she originally believed. How ignorant she was and completely vulnerable. They were enormous and in quite the number; these devastating predators of the sky.

She couldn't quite figure out what to make of these aviols. Are these dragons? They are large enough in size, that's for sure. They even have the scales, the wings, and the recognizable head. She shook her head in disbelief, sensing something wasn't quite right with this picture and it disturbed her. That is when the thought hit her. They aren't just dragons, but a manta ray of sorts. Wait a minute, flying manta rays? That doesn't make any sense. Aren't they supposed to be creatures of the sea? She could only stare in wonder while her mind was lost in their miraculous beauty. No Jenny, get a hold of yourself. They are dangerous beings and I am their prey. Just look at what they did to this inn.

From what she could gather by the screams and the sounds from the battlefield around her, she was expected to fight. That brought on the question of where to begin. What should I do first? Is it possible to tangle with a creature of the skies and do the impossible or is there something else I should be doing? With little desire to venture into the skies with these aviols, she took a few steps to one of the damaged windows and caught a glimpse of her other possible alternatives. Within her sights, there was another creature wreaking havoc on the city, from the streets.

These foul beasts were not the same as above, but something more sinister. Just staring into those fiery eyes from behind crumbled walls, fright arose from within her soul. That's just great, those aren't much better. How can I possibly defeat those berserker things? These diabolic valefors had enough muscle to take down a building, snapping a stable foundation like a toothpick. I can only imagine what would happen if my own body were snapped in such a brutal way. Just the thought of such a gruesome demise made her cringe.

I have no other options, I must defeat one of these sinister barbarians. She still feared for her life, but she couldn't leave this city to fall into ruins. She made a promise and she wouldn't let a request for help die in vain. Jenny hesitantly walked out of her her room, attempting to regain her composure, before deciding to sprint outside to locate her target. There this darkened being was, all eight feet of him, if not maybe more. She stared into the beast's menacing eyes and decided it time to do her thing. Was she prepared? Probably not. Did she care? Not really. No one would stand in her way and certainly not her other half. She learned to accept change and not refuse like so many times before.

"Here goes nothing." She breathed in and exhaled all of her tension before she focused in preparation for another transformation. Letting the animal instincts within her mind to arise from the abyss from where it thrived, she craved for that insatiable hunger for a fight. It had begun, her target selected and her killer instincts kicked in. She was ready for freedom.

Her once alluring blue eyes were the first to mutate into those vile eyes of yellow, displaying her violent tendencies. This sparked the change in her facial appearance, no longer that of the sweet and carefree Jenny that many knew. Her once elegant hair, reduced to fur. Her ears grew from the top of her head, each one ending in a familiar point. The new appearing hair thickened around her cheeks, appearing longer than that on her head. Her face distorted to that of a closer resemblance of a bat, yet retaining her natural human skin texture and color.

What once were ordinary human feet were covered in fur; no footwear as she had already kicked them off. With the fur continuing halfway up her lower leg, the deadly truth of her violent nature became more evident. What used to be harmless nails, were talons. Four in front and one large one just beneath the heel of each foot. With the most crucial part of her transformation remaining, she could sense the danger lurking right in front of her very eyes. This valefor was aware of her and immediately took notice. She hoped it would take its time, she was almost there.

With her focus drawn back to herself, she released the fury left to be unleashed. Her arms sprouted fur and new forming wings pulled at her skin, stretching to impossible proportions while two additional bones protruded from her arms, for wing support. One right before each wrist and one below each elbow. With the shape of the wings formed, the pale white coloration changed to that of a dark brown with the same fur coating reemerging. Her once slender hands and fingers extended outward, giving her hands the effect of looking twice her normal size. At the end of each fingertip was a razor sharp claw, armed and ready to shred her victim apart. Her hands, like most other exterior portions of her body became dark and grew a layer of fur.

Jenny finished her transformation for all but one thing. Where are my fangs? I am not complete without those. Caught up between her transformation, she almost forgot about a certain somebody. This brute that was charging right for her. She could feel it, her fangs were growing and just in time. She took off into flight just before the beast lashed out at her with its lethal claws, leaving it empty handed. The animal instincts within her were in full control, adrenaline fueling her quickening reflexes.

She burst out in laughter at the exhilaration of her near miss. "Oh what fun." She could see it now, the look on the enraged beast's face. She had gotten away in the nick of time. What should I do next? I could go for a head on approach, though it might not be for the best. With the beast's back still turned towards her, she needed to think quick. Jenny continued to hover, watching her altitude, not wanting to grab the unwanted attention from higher above. If she caught the attention of one of these aviols, she would have a major problem.

I might as well give my signature attack a try. She decided to launch an ice blast towards the being. She flipped through the air and curled into a protective ball, her wings covering her body. She concentrated on creating a massive ice sphere, hoping that it would be powerful enough to hurt the beast. Of course, there was one problem with her plan. This valefor was not going to sit there and take it. The fiend was already preparing itself, for it felt the energy from behind. Knowing nothing of how prepared the valefor was, she stopped and prepared to hurl this undersized mass of ice, far to small for her liking. This is going to have to do, I don't have the time to go any bigger.

Jenny grabbed the magical globe of ice with her hands and held tight, still within her own protective ball. She opened her wings and stretched them open, displaying her entire wingspan. She flipped in the air once more and hurled the ball of ice towards the brute while she hoped for the best. She hovered in the air with an anxious look, seeing her attack reach the giant beast. The valefor successfully defended itself with its shield like wings. The ice shattered into pieces upon impact and did little damage, if none at all.

"Oh, come on!" She displayed her full displeasure with the result of her pitiful excuse for an attack. "Not even a scratch." She shook her head, knowing exactly how much that disappointed. She didn't even have the time to add any sort effect to her attack and there was no chance of freezing her opponent. Her only opportunity was gone, ending up as another failure.

Might as well try stunning this relentless monster instead. Jenny readied herself and let loose, releasing a deafening pulsar wave of sound directed at the valefor who's only response was to follow suit. All other sounds around them were drowned out by this shrieking wall of misery. With nothing being accomplished but a bunch of noise pollution between the two, some one's nerves were just about shot.

* * * * *

After overhearing such obnoxious behavior from outside and having all she was willing to endure, a young woman armed with a bow and sword emerged from a house just beside the inn. An escalating agitation flowed through her body. "That's it, I've just about had it with all the noise! If no one else can shut them up, I will personally do it myself!" She shouted in complete outrage. She was tired of this splitting headache that all but snapped every stable nerve in her body just aching for a fight.

She took off her quiver, containing her arrows and set it down with her bow. She went for her first weapon of choice and pulled out her gladius from its sheath. Without a single second doubt, she sprinted towards her target and lunged at the beast hoping to hit anything critical. She wouldn't mind if she sliced right through its throat for some silence. Wearing nothing but a red dress and giving little concern for her safety, she struck the beast, only to be disappointed in the outcome. Her attack proved futile, grazing only the surface of the beast's hardened flesh.

At least the valefor had stopped its screeching, though the fiend was now focused on Shariana, who had yet to back away. The valefor turned around and struck her, sending her flying back towards the entrance of the inn. It wasn't a knockout blow, but she wasn't getting up anytime soon. There she was, on the ground, struggling to catch her fleeting breath. How stupid could I have been, being so reckless. She was frustrated in herself and angry at everything else. She would not be defeated and she would fight on.

Catching sight of another fighter, Jenny glanced down from up above, witnessing this stranger's failed attack and stopped her own unrelenting noise. Accomplishing nothing and unable to defend the woman, she could only watch in devastation as she knew what was coming. She turned her head away just as the valefor struck the woman, the sound of the impact frightful to the ears. She gathered enough courage to look upon the evidence of such carnal behavior, finding the woman in red slouched against what remained of the destroyed inn. Please be alright. Whether luck or faith would play any part of this woman's fate, she didn't want to see another fragile life perish.

As Jenny watched in concern for this woman, something else was eying her, hungry for flesh. A curious aviol had caught sight of the events below and was barreling down on her location. If it weren't for the sheer size of the flying creature, she wouldn't have noticed. She took a glance above her. "No, not now!" Why do these unfortunate things always happen to me? She flapped her wings harder than she had ever before, knowing if she could not out fly this aviol, she would be dead, no questions asked. She struggled to gather any momentum, driven by panic alone. Given a few moments she really didn't have, she recovered control of her bodily functions and took off into full flight. She could feel the aviol in hot pursuit. She would not let this cat catch her, for she was an intelligent little mouse.

While Jenny was wearing herself out, flying with a growing fatigue, Shariana had to contend with this valefor who was still approaching her. What is it going to take for this beast to give up on me? Maybe if I was dead and my corpse lay mutilated, entirely exposed for an aviol to consume. There was one last idea that might save her life. She sure hoped that other being would come back, the one busy with an aviol. If not, she would surely be done for.

She slid her body over and reached for her quiver, pulling it to her with the strap. She managed to tip it over, sending one of the arrows falling out. Instead of grabbing the entire quiver, she grasped just this single arrow, tipped with an onyx gemstone. With an individual arrow in hand, she needed her bow which was just a bit closer than her quiver had been. In excruciating pain, she extended her arm out and pushed her body closer along the ground, towards her bow. She spread out her reluctant fingers and hesitantly closed each one around the wooden frame, bringing the bow towards her body.

"Yes, at last." Her words held a sense of accomplishment. That was the easy part, now she needed the aviol to come back and regain the composure necessary to shoot the arrow. Would the gods give her the strength to accomplish this feat? If not, it would be game over. There she waited impatiently and still in pain. She never did find out how bad her wounds were, though her dress was obviously a disaster.

Jenny braced herself for one final push as she circled around the sky with this aviol. This creature grew agitated, for it was ready to launch a destructive beam of magic right for her. If it was going to fry her, it was going to do it right, along with anything else in its path. She could feel the energy collecting from within its enormous mouth, the energy field of this growing mass completely unstable. She would have to make one sharp turn for her to escape without death or even injury. "Let's see how accurate your aim really is," she spoke with an unbreakable confidence.

Just like the eruption of a volcano, the beam of magic thrust from the aviol, shooting forth from its voracious, gapping mouth. Jenny darted to the left and barrel rolled towards the ground. She had done it and without injury. That is what she thought. It wasn't until she felt a slight burning sensation along her lower extremities did she realize she had been lightly scathed by the outer edge of the beam. Nothing like a sunburn in the middle of the night. She forced a smile in pain. "I am so going to be hurting in the morning." Provided I live to see the next sunrise. She continued her path towards the inn where Shariana was located.

That was it, what Shariana had hoped. "About time you all showed up!" She shouted with vengeance on her mind. Even a fiery glint of payback swirled in her eyes. Jenny was approaching, and rather quickly. With a painful hesitance, she readied her bow in unsteady hands and watched as the valefor, Jenny, and the aviol still hot on her tail, all come to her. She wasn't aiming for the valefor, that would take care of itself. She was not going for winged woman as she appeared to be an ally, though it wasn't for certain. Her target was the aviol.

She closed her eyes and prayed to the gods with the desire to be saved from death. The onyx gemstone glowed black, giving off an ever-growing aura of despair. She opened her radiant blue eyes of sincere determination and let the arrow fly through the air. The arrow flew right past Jenny and shot through the open passageway that was the mouth of the aviol and followed deep within its bodily corridors.

That is where the infection begins. The blinding darkness that seeps through its blood, invading its way through the heart, weakening it with despair. The heart will begin to deteriorate and sabotage the brain, crippling it with pure terror. From there, the body will be its own downfall, succumbing to the chaos within and will finally become completely dead to the world.

Shariana recited those agonizingly familiar phrases within her mind. That was it; she had done it. She released a smile of accomplishment and let go of her bow. The rest would fall into place as it may. Jenny sensed the arrow that flew by by her, knowing nothing of where it originated from. It didn't deter her from her course of action or flight. She flew straight towards the ground, just above the valefor and flew upwards into the sky with one last ditch attempt to make her great escape.

The aviol continued to plummet towards the ground with its mouth wide open and prepared for its final meal. It snatched the valefor into its mouth and swallowed the unsuspecting beast whole, ending the conflict with Shariana and saving her life. The aviol couldn't pull itself up completely and instead clipped the edge of a nearby building before crashing to the ground, crushing whatever may have been beneath it. The flying beast was nothing but a lifeless zombie and would soon be dead in minutes.

Curious to see if the woman in red was still alive, Jenny looked down towards the inn and noticed something peculiar. The woman was certainly still alive, but with a bow resting by her side. Was that one arrow from her? Did it actually taken down both creatures? She pondered the thoughts of the kind of power this woman held. She wasn't certain, but she had to give her thanks for saving her life or at the very least to see if she would make it through. She swooped down, landing just beside Shariana and knelt down on one knee. She took a few deep breaths before needing to speak to her.

"Did you do that?" She was anxious as ever to find out it it was true, completely forgetting about any other concerns she may have had.

Shariana looked at Jenny, surprised that she had taken notice of her. "Yes, I guess you could say that."

Not quite the response I was going for. Maybe I should have been a bit clearer. "I know you did it, but was it all part of you plan?"

Shariana shook her head. "No, I'd say that it was a coincidence that both of them were taken care of in one shot." She squinted her weary eyes, attempting to get a better glimpse of this peculiar winged woman.

"Are you alright?" Jenny's concern for the woman had grown too much to keep her silence. She needed to know that she would be fine. From what she could see, Shariana was in quite a bit of pain from her injuries.

"Yes, I think I am. At least I am still alive. I was a bit worried that the brute that attacked me would still be alive. I can thank you and that enormous flying creature's appetite for saving me." She couldn't hide her weakened state of mind as her exhausted words didn't hold that confidence she once had.

Jenny remained in silence as she watched over Shariana, wondering who else was fighting against these creatures and who else had been chosen. She had seen the dead, the wounded, and the valiant warriors fighting even now. Would they make it through this or would this be their final resting place within this graveyard of the fallen? She took a glance at the battlefield in front of her, curious as to what she was going to do next and what was yet to come. She didn't want to see this fight as a lost cause. Even if this doesn't turn out to be a lost cause, would all of this fighting have been worth it in the end?



Frenetic Raptor -> RE: "Frenetic Tales" from a raptor (11/16/2008 22:31:11)

Tormented by Forgotten Memories



From a dream, far off into the distance, I hear something not of my creation. It is not from this paradise I am familiar with, but that of an oncoming nightmarish transformation. Someone or something is approaching. But wait, what is this in the mirror? No, it is not just my own reflection, but that of something else of pure chaos. I can see it, myself fading away from within the glass before me. By the gods no, how did this happen? Did those fiendish bloodsuckers actually get to me? I don't feel any different, but why does my image continue to fade away? There are no bite marks on my neck and I am not pale white. There are also no cravings for blood, that I am aware of.

Yet, even still, I stand perplexed as my reflection has almost been consumed. Nothing left but those beautiful blue eyes, the last bit of my essence to have been ravenously erased. What does this mean? Has something happened to me? Please show me an answer or at least show me a sign that things are still alright. No, you show me nothing but pure emptiness. Just the reflection of my room without my presence. Have I been forgotten? I didn't die, did I?

No, I don't think so, at least not yet. I feel something, the ground below me shaking and I hear a sinister sound. It finally comes to take me away, the devil in disguise. I know it is him, craving to steal my soul away whether I am willing or not. That's it, it really is you. I can see you in the mirror. I dare you to come out and try. No, you'd rather stay under my bed while I am unaware. I see now, you only attack the helpless. You are so typical and I will not fall for it. This is my dream and you will not be a part of it. You have never existed and you never will, you got that. Now just leave me be.

So relentless you are, not following my orders. You are not welcome here. But here you are, waiting for... waiting for what? What are you doing now? Why are you coming towards me? Stay away from me. Can't you listen? Please no, don't do it. You're going to do it now aren't you? You are so cruel. I can feel it, the pain and suffocation emerging. That awful sound pulsing through my veins, stinging my brain and numbing my heart. No, that is not enough, you desire more suffering as I cower in fear at the sounds of the mirror shattering before my eyes. I try to turn away, but the shards fly like needles through the air. I kneel upon the ground with my ears covered, wishing for this to end. Will you release me from this madness? I beg of you, release me from this nightmare.

* * * * *

I can feel it, the warmth of the light shining upon my skin. Am I alive? I most certainly hope so. Let it be just another bad dream. Shariana sprung her eyes open, still fearing for her soul. She had completely forgotten she had chosen to spend the night resting up in an old, uncomfortable chair. Nothing pleasant about it as her body ached and demanded relief. She shook her head and pried herself off of the wooden chair.

Hoping to distract her mind from this tragic nightmare, she wandered over to the window and looked out at the impending sun rise. I'm glad that what I saw was only a nightmare, thankfully. She attempted to reassure herself of that fact. There she stood, wearing her sparkling red dress, shining amongst the sunlight, her radiant blonde hair displaying a similar mood. Her icy blue eyes became lost within the beauty of a new dawn.

Just behind her, someone had caught sight of Shariana. This man, one who had been watching her from a distance for some time and one who had no clue as to why she was here. Who was she? What did she want? Did she wish to kill him or did she wish to seduce him? The questions kept coming up, tormenting him. "Excuse me miss, may I ask why you are here? You do know you are trespassing on my property, right?" He crossed his arms, impatiently awaiting a response.

Wait a minute, did he say miss? What did he mean by that and what kind of welcome was this? Shariana kept her silence, curious as to hear what words escaped from Kujaron's mouth next.

"I don't mean to be rude, but I am going to have to ask you to leave. I've got nothing personal against you, though you shouldn't be here. It is for your safety." He placed his hands to his sides and took a few steps towards Shariana.

"Hold it right there, Kujaron. Don't step any closer. Before you ask any more questions, I would like you to answer just one of mine." She couldn't believe her ears. How could he not realize who she was? Was this really the man she loved, her beloved Kujaron? Doubt crept into her mind at the thought.

Hearing his name from this stranger caught him off guard. How does she know my name without having ever met me? Maybe she happened to overhear something not of her business. A disturbing wave of suspicion arose from within him. "Of course, you can ask me one, but only one. Then you will have to leave." Once again, he moved closer to her.

Still, he approaches me. What is he planning to do? Is that fear I sense in him? She had only one question, but what would she ask? Knowing Kujaron all too well, she would only get one. No more, but he would certainly have no problem with not answering any at all. Such a stubborn beast he was. "OK, I've got one. What is my name? That is all I ask. Such a simple question and there should be absolutely no reason why you wouldn't be able to answer me that." Shariana spun around and stared into his deep blue eyes, demanding a response.

Kujaron paused and looked into her eyes, confusion evident on his scruffy face. "I am sorry, but I don't know yours. How can I possibly know your name without having ever met you before?" He bowed his head forward in disappointment, uncertain of how she would react. He let his knotted, lengthy black hair fall to the sides of his face, bracing for her reaction.

Just looking at his appearance, she could see he wasn't in the best of physical conditions. Maybe mentally as well, if indeed he had the audacity to forget her name. But why was this so? She couldn't help but feel ashamed by his ragged appearance. His face hadn't been shaved in days and the dark circles under his eyes revealed a few too many all-nighters. Even his cloth shirt looked like it had been slept in for several days, heavily wrinkled all throughout the fabric. His pants were another story, covered with stains and lined with holes. Where did he even get those pair of pants anyway? Shariana didn't want to know.

Forgetting all about appearances, she began to question her own reality once more. How can this be? What has happened here? Did I do something wrong or am I dreaming? That's it, I am still dreaming. Not even a name could he give. Of all things, a name was the easiest of questions to ask. Did that dream of mine have anything to do with this? If so, what does it mean? "I am sorry to ask you another question, but can I see Meekra? Is she here?" Maybe she would get some reassurance from her that something was still fine.

What started out as a suspicion became much more personal. Not only had this woman known who he was, but also knew about his daughter, Meekra. How dare she ask for such a request. I cannot allow her to continue with this. "Why do you ask and what reason do you have to see her? I would never let a stranger see her. She is my daughter and I would do anything to keep her safe. You must understand that. I simply cannot let you see her." There was an escalating, serious tone to his voice. Kujaron slowly raised his head towards her. A sign that his defenses had been elevated.

Yes, she is your daughter, but she is mine as well. Her eyes flared at the thought of not being able to see her own daughter, even after all she had been through. What has gotten into him? He has never acted like this towards me. "What do you mean what reason? I am the one who saved her life. How else was she able to escape from that mining village? You certainly didn't do much for her. It was you who wanted her for that devil woman. Why exactly was it that you wanted her for anyway? For the record, my name is Shariana, does it ring a bell?" She couldn't control her anger and let loose on Kujaron in a dire attempt to spark something underneath that thick head of his.

"Now I see who you really are. How else could anyone know so much about Meekra and I? You must be a spy or an assassin who wants kill me and steal my daughter away from me. Am I right? Speak up now or I will assume the answer is yes." He accused her, aggravation evident in his voice.

By the gods, is he serious? She was no spy or assassin. Either way, it mattered not if she answered yes or no, she was nothing to him but an enemy. Why was history repeating itself? She had fought so hard to be with him and now all that was apparently gone. She began to bite her lip as she held her silence, uncertain of what to do. He was so frightening. The one she always relied on to protect had turned against her. All that punishment, she would have to endure it this time. Is there any way to avoid this? There must be.

* * * * *

Kneeling just outside the door, watching with a keen eye was little Meekra, wearing her cute black dress. She could see them both, Kujaron and that woman, through the keyhole. By the looks of it, he wasn't all too happy and that woman was scared, probably for her life. She certainly would be if her life was threatened by Kujaron. He was frightening, especially when those violent tendencies surfaced. She stood up and turned the handle. She held it still and shoved the door open, propelling it wide open, just short of slamming into the wall. Grabbing their attention is what she truly desired.

"Um, guys. I am sorry to barge in like this, but I think we have got a problem. Kujaron, you may want to wrap up your discussion with Shariana. And before you ask, I did listen to your conversation. I didn't want to see her hurt." Her voice trailed off to a whisper. She stared at the floor and pressed her foot into the hard wood beneath her, nervously twisting it back and forth.

"What do you mean, a problem?" He snapped around and awaited a response from Meekra.

"Well, Lillith just woke up. You know how she feels about other women in the house, especially when they are uninvited. You both may want to finish up your conversation as she may be up soon. I am just warning you before something bad happens to the both of you." Meekra frowned at the thought and ran towards the bed before springing on top, choosing to sit and listen. She certainly wasn't leaving no matter what happened.

"Looks like we have a serious problem. I ask of you. No, I demand that you leave right now, Shariana. Lillith isn't the understanding type. She is the act now and ask questions later kind of person. You know what I mean don't you?" He gave her an understanding glance.

Talk about going from bad to worse. Who is this Lillith? Is she another lover? She couldn't possibly leave. She wanted to see Meekra and this Lillith intrigued her. Who was this replacement and what did she do to Kujaron? She had to find out. "I'm sorry Kujaron, but I am not going to leave. Not from some woman. I came to see you, but I know that that will not be possible. At least not the way I want it to be. Please, at least let me speak with Meekra, just once. If this Lillith is as bad as you all make her seem to be then I wouldn't see why it would be a problem. An easy kill if you have to, am I right?"

"If you would like to put it at that, it can be arranged." From just outside of the open doorway, there stood the queen herself, Lillith. "Nice to meet you. I see you've met some of my family, Meekra and Kujaron." She squinted at the sight of the sunlight shining through the window. "Would you mind closing the curtain, the light bothers me. It won't kill me, but it is such a nuisance."

Shariana could see her vile, deceptive eyes of violet. What have you gotten yourself into Kujaron while I've been gone? The sinister thought disturbed her. She turned around and extended an arm, closing the black curtain behind her, blocking a significant portion of the sun's radiance. The room turned much darker. She could only wonder as to why she needed the window covered up, considering that she told her that she would not die. That is a likely story isn't it. But what if it was true? Could sunlight not kill her? Yet another terrible experience she wouldn't want to come to fruition.

"Thank you Shariana. It's not that I hate other women, it is just my protective nature. Don't do anything stupid and you won't suffer one tiny bit. I promise not to bite you." She perked a lip, displaying a fang as proof of her true nature.

Aren't we full of surprises. Just as I sensed, you are a vampire. That confirms why he doesn't want me, but of all people, a conniving bloodsucker such as her. I can almost bet she isn't in this for love. She wants something from him. "Kuja, dear, may I please speak with Meekra. I promise it won't be long. If I take took long, you know what to do. Just send Lillith after me. I just need to ask her something." She stood there, begging. Her eyes pleaded for a moment with her daughter.

"How touching. You do know that whatever you say, he will not be yours. He is mine and no one else's." She paused, her gaze focused on Kujaron. "Is this all she is here for? Why didn't you just let her see Meekra? You do realize, the sooner we get her to leave the more time I get to be with you, alone." She walked over to Kujaron and put her arms over his shoulders. From there, she followed up by whispering in his ear.

Shariana could see her now, hovering all over him. No, by the looks of it she was doing much more. She was attempting to smother him with manipulation. She is so freaking predictable. Either that or Kujaron has grown shallow to her ways. I wouldn't doubt the fact of both, the wretched witch. She may not be one, but she certainly has the tenacious audacity of one. Just the sight of her all over him disgusts me. I see her hiding behind that black, velvet dress of hers. Those lengthy flowing sleeves, shadowing her figure. I know she is up to something, concealing herself. Then there is that collar of hers, it screams vampire. So typical of her kind.

She formed a sneer directed towards Lillith. It was no use, her jealousy was written on her face. She couldn't hide, nor did she wish to conceal such emotions. The truth was, she was his love, not this lustful vampire. She turned away her gaze, catching a glimpse of this woman smiling at her, knowing she had struck a nerve. "May I see Meekra please? You said it yourself. The sooner I get to speak with her, the sooner I get to leave. It seems I am unwelcome in my own home." She took a glimpse at Lillith and turned her attention to Meekra, her eyes tearing up at the thought of losing everything.

"Go ahead, be with her, but don't do anything you would regret." She removed her arms from around Kujaron's shoulders and replaced them near his waist. She followed up by kissing him square on the lips. He had no reluctance, only a longing of desire. The desire for her love.

It was enough to make her gag. "Meekra, could you step out of the room with me. It won't take long." She gave the little girl a confident glance.

"Sure, Shariana. I am curious to know why you are here myself. You seem nice enough, but yet I can't help wonder if you are just insane. How else could you think up of a story about me like that. You kind of offended Kujaron. You made him seem like a bad guy." She winked at Kujaron, hoping he would take notice. For so long, she wanted to tell him off, but never had the courage to do it. This strange woman was strong. Before anyone could say another word, she sprung off the bed and followed Shariana out of the door, though not without closing it first. She didn't want to disturb the lovers. Not true at all. I won't let Lillith have all the attention.

Within the hallway, Meekra anxiously awaited the news from this woman. What did she have to say and what use would any of it serve? It wouldn't hurt to lend an ear and have a listen.

Before getting into serious matters, Shariana shared a few positive words with Meekra. "You look so beautiful Meekra. I really love those blonde curls, they fit you so well. They even make you look cute. You know, I am just teasing you on that last part, right?" She followed up with an uncertain expression.

"Yeah, I know what you're trying to get at. You are different from Lillith. You aren't in it for yourself. You also care about others, even those you have never met. You've got a good heart, though you seem not to be well. I don't know the reason, but for that alone, I can't help but find myself attracted to you. She makes me cower with fear, but you are quite the opposite. Instead of being selfish and rude like her, you have a friendly and understanding aura about you."

"How did you get all that from a simple compliment? Do you really think of me that way? And do you really hate Lillith? Be honest." She was a little confused as to how she knew, considering she never met her before, or so she says. She still couldn't shake the thoughts of her own family not realizing who she was.

"I don't know. I guess I am just able to read people quite well. Everything is true, and I mean everything I say. And to answer your question, I don't exactly hate her, but I don't care for her. I kind of feel like she punishes me for no reason and I just can't stand it. There are days I simply wish to get away from it all and live life how I wanted it to be."

"How did you want it to be?" Shariana beckoned her on to tell.

Meekra sighed. "I wanted to have a normal family, one without lycans and vampires. It hasn't happened and I doubt it will ever happen. You're a lycan yourself, aren't you? I can smell it on you. I've been around them enough to tell the them apart from humans. It isn't an ability I am all too happy to have, but it won't ever change." She almost began to cry, tears forming around her eyes.

Shariana walked over and knelt down in front of Meekra. She embraced her in a comforting hug, hoping to sooth her emotions. "Yes, I am a lycan, but they aren't all bad. I am sorry you have to deal with such horrific things. I can't change that, but I can be of assistance if you want. Would you mind if I showed you some things outside, in the real world beyond here? It almost seems as if you are a prisoner in your own home. Would you like the chance to get away for a bit?" She unlocked her arms from around her and wiped the tears from Meekra's eyes.

"It would be nice, but I don't think that is possible. Lillith won't let me leave. Kujaron would punish you if he found you talking about this. He doesn't want me to leave even if I want to. It is forbidden for me to leave unless he is the one taking me." She frowned and looked at her feet.

* * * * *

From just down the hallway, behind Shariana, a young man by the name of Mathias had overheard their conversation and stood in deep contemplation. What can I do to ease Meekra's sorrow? Maybe I can grant her some time alone, at least away from Lillith. Remaining silent no more, the young man, wearing a maroon colored robe, spoke of a proposition. "Meekra, you know that you have always wanted to be free of this place, from Lillith. That would make you happy wouldn't it. I can make that possible if you wish. Leave it to me and I will convince them to let you go. Now, I can't guarantee there won't be any restrictions, but even Kujaron can be swayed to trust you with this woman. So, will you take me up on this offer?"

"Are you serious Mathias?" Her eyes lit up with enthusiasm and hope. "I would love that. But are you sure it is possible to get them to change their mind?"

"Yes, I believe it to be so. Just give me the ok and it will be done." He awaited a confirmation. She nodded her head in agreement and Mathias went off to have a chat with Kujaron and Lillith.

Not knowing whether or not he had actually gotten away with it, both Shariana and Meekra nervously paced around, outside the bedroom door. Not before long, though it certainly felt like eternity, Mathias came out with a half-hearted smile on his face. Sure, he had persuaded Kujaron and Lillith to accept Meekra's wishes, but was the price that he would have to pay be worth it in the end. For the time being, he would not reveal such a burden regarding this deal of his. Just Meekra's chance at happiness is all that he truly desired, no matter what the cost.

Mathias looked at Meekra and broke the silence. "You can go with Shariana under one condition. Shariana must always update me and only me about everything that happens. Meekra, I am sure you know what to do. I hope you understand that they do not like this idea of yours, but they respect your wishes."

Mathias turned to Shariana and continued on. "Kujaron would like to remind you. Do not let anything happen to her or it will cost you your life. Lillith would also like to thank you. She didn't say for what, but she said you would understand. Also, before you go, they have requested that you both visit Brook. Meekra will help you on your way. Be safe, both of you. I mean it."

Shariana whispered to Meekra. "What does he mean by updates? Is there something I should know?"

"No, not really. It is that I can communicate with him through his very own thoughts. If I form a bond with you at the same time, you will be able to connect with Mathias' mind. You will literally enter his very own thoughts or dreams." She looked up at Shariana, hoping she understood. She certainly had no doubts she would. "That is about all there is to it. Do you get it?"

"Yes, I get it." She smiled at Meekra. She had a hunch that that was what Mathias had meant by these updates. She spent many nights doing the same form of communication with Kujaron. That was until recently. For some reason, she could never get through to him. It must be that vampire woman. She is ruining everything for me. Just wait, I will be back and find some way to win him back. You can guarantee that.

"Um, Shariana, I think we should be going. I know Mathias said it was ok for me to leave, but if we stay too much longer, Kujaron might change his mind. I don't want that to happen. Please, let's go to Brook like we were told." Meekra's eyes shimmered with urgency.

"Ok, I guess we should hurry up and go then. I don't want to ruin this for you, not after what has already happened."

They both looked back at Mathias and thanked him before heading out into the morning sun, one more cheerful than the other. For Meekra, this was a chance to get away from it all. Though for Shariana, she was fighting to regain the life she had stolen away from her. As for Mathias, he was left standing all alone, nervous for the both of them.



Frenetic Raptor -> RE: "Frenetic Tales" from a raptor (12/17/2008 0:37:18)

Dreaming of a Tragic Existence

The searing heat of the summer's unrelenting sun failed to release its forceful grasp on the plains, leaving Amarisa overwhelmingly exhausted. Having already spent the last few remaining drops of water in her possession, there was nothing she could do to relieve her from bearing the brunt of the scorching heat. Still, she continued onward, forcing her devastatingly weakened body to proceed, heeding none of the warning signs from her mind. For every step forward, her body grew heavier and sluggish, reluctantly allowing her free reign over her own bodily functions. It wouldn't be long before her entire body would begin to shut down.

Her weakened legs were the first to give out, leaving her no choice but to fall on her knees. She landed hard upon the grassy ground, both legs incapacitated. She had become helpless, left only to peer across the hazy plains, eyes blurring with time. As her weakening mind relinquished even more of its normal routines, the burden of her body weight had grown exponentially, feeling as though it weighed a ton. Within moments, her body had almost succumbed completely to exhaustion, leaving her fading brown eyes the opportunity to catch a few final glimpses of her clouded surroundings. For what seemed to have been an instant her vision failed, her consciousness fleeing her mind, eyes displaying only a pure white imageless vision. Her body had been rendered unconscious while her entire length collapsed along the ground. There she remained, motionless. The advancing time of Lore would continue to pass her by, leaving her alone to endure a false tragedy in the form of another demented dream brought forth by the unforgiving gods.

* * * * *

How long had she been running? Where was she going? Where was she for that matter? Would she ever flee from her past? So many questions flooding her mind, each one passing through without any answers, only placed there to torment her very essence. How could she flee from something she had no control over? Maybe if she had only chosen to remain with that sadistic tyrant events might have been different. For as much as she was disgusted at the thought of serving some heartless man she wouldn't have had to endure a life of torture and punishment. It wouldn't matter now, what had been done was done; there was no going back. She was considered prey, nothing more than another easy target for any hunter craving the same desire of manipulating her gift for their own personal gain.

This was all that Amarisa could think of while she recklessly fled her hostile pursuers through the treacherous forest, running on pure adrenaline alone. She sought nothing less than to successfully fulfill her getaway. That is only if she wished to even have the slightest hopes of finding a safe haven, away from those she hated most. Her laced boots heavily rampaged through the thick forest vegetation, leaving an easily distinguishable trail behind her. There was nothing to prevent herself from being careless, guided only by her instincts, completely driven by fear.

For what seemed like an eternity, this daunting, yet almost impossible escape was in her grasps. If she could last for a few hundred more yards she would finally break free of the forest's border and could easily blend in with the town's daytime masses. Knowing how far she had come, she forced herself to smile amongst her heavy breathing. The time was near, or so it seemed. That was until her recklessness had finally taken advantage of her in the form of a protruding tree root. With her body thrown off balance, she stumbled, unable to reclaim a stable footing. Even the forest seemed to turn against her as it lashed at her feet without mercy. Encountering yet another tree root she finally tripped, landing face first upon the ground. She struggled to pick herself up as she franticly attempted to catch her fleeting breath.

Desperation overtook her as she heard several voices from just beyond. The tyrant and his corrupted followers were within close proximity and wouldn't give up until she was found. Her pulse skyrocketed. What could she do? Unless she could think of another way out, there would be no escape for her. She dare not scream, for if she did they would immediately discover her. She attempted to calm herself enough to steady her breathing. Having done so, she listened carefully, noting that the voices had faded away.

There might have been some hope for her after all. She took a deep sigh of relief and glanced around her surroundings with her fear stricken eyes. The peaceful silence in the scattered sunshine had lasted for a single moment as she felt a sharp pain cross along her back. She instantly cringed and tightly closed her eyelids, feeling that familiar pain. Amarisa had endured this particular pain so many times before. She had been lashed with yet another whip. But by whom, there was no one around. At least everything appeared to be that way from her view. Oh was she very wrong. Her hunters had found her after all, though not without the use of some skill, which she had recently disregarded.

She let her body hunch over and bowed her head forward, sending her lengthy black hair to fall freely down the sides of her face. The voices around her started once more, though she couldn't distinguish how many there were. All the voices seemed to blend together, shrouding the slightest hint of familiarity from revealing itself. All conversation immediately ceased and her arms were forcefully pulled away from the sides of her body, having been extended outwards. Two of her master's henchmen had her arms fully restrained, keeping her from breaking free. Within moments, the one whom she expected all along arrived in front of her, accompanied by a black-cloaked figure.

"Well now, look who we found here. Isn't it just like the little innocent princess, once again attempting to flee from her master." The burly, armored middle-aged lord chuckled and released a devilish smirk of accomplishment. He stood awaiting a sharp remark from Amarisa, but she kept her silence, hoping this time if she didn't speak she wouldn't be punished. It wouldn't matter; his impatience was no different than if she had spoken to him in the first place. "Hmph, poor helpless Amarisa, what is wrong? Has someone already cut your tongue out or are you just ignoring me? As much as I wouldn't mind seeing you suffer for your betrayal, you do realize that you have no choice to speak to me. Now, if you would, lift your gaze upon mine and let me look into your eyes. Let me remind you, if you refuse, I will have may way no matter what."

Remaining silent, her hatred grew, knowing that refusing was futile. For if she refused she would be forced to do as commanded, not under her own will, but the will from others just like him. She lifted her head and reluctantly looked upwards into his menacing eyes.

"There, that wasn't difficult, was it." He mocked her, giving the allusion that he held the slightest remorse for her. For all she was concerned, nothing would ever hide the true evil deep within his darkened soul. He waited a few moments in silence and advanced to her location, stopping just in front of her. He carefully leaned forward and freed her trapped foot from a certain tree root. This friendly gesture was yet another one of his mind games, preceded by the tightening grasp of his men while she was commanded to remain on her knees.

"Now there, you have been freed from your real capturer, or what I simply like to call it, a harmless tree." What was this? Such a benevolent person he was, attempting to persuade her into thinking he was the good guy. Ha, what a stupid idiot. Whatever, she wouldn't fall for his poor tricks in luring her back. He continued his little game, kneeling down to her level and placed a hand under her chin. He spoke to her with his maliciously, soft-spoken words, keeping it between themselves. What would be his final attempt at convincing her to return with him had failed. Her only response to his demeaning remarks was to spit in his face.

Amarisa's lord became infuriated. He stood upright and swung himself completely around. With his back facing her, he muttered a few words to himself before commanding the cloaked figure to accomplish a certain task. "Execute her now! I have dealt with her long enough!"

The unlawful tyrant motioned away from both Amarisa and her executioner. The executioner immediately pulled out his bow and took out an arrow, readying himself for his accurately, deadly aim.

Amarisa had no idea what she could do to get out of this predicament. There was no escape for her now, having depleted his last remnants of his trust and patience for her. She didn't want to die, not now. There was so much to live for that she would never get experience. Maybe she should have followed along. If she only cooperated instead of refusing, she might not have had to endure as much torture as she had been through. There still was a spark of hope, wasn't there? There was no way to know unless she gave a valiant attempt. With all of her emotion, she pleaded to be set free. "Please, Lord Tleminn! I take everything back I ever said to you. I will come back to you if you give me another chance. You don't have go through with this. I will serve you unquestionably without reluctance, only with honor. Please, I want to see my father again!"

There had been no response and the executioner was all but ready to commence his duty.

She stared at the sharp point of the arrow, watching to see if there was any reluctance from her cloaked executioner. As to be expected, there was no evidence of hesitance. This was it, she was going to die by the hands of these corrupted men.

Just when she thought nothing could be any worse, Lord Tleminn temporarily waved off the execution, yet the executioner kept his stance, bow still directly pointed towards her chest. "You really wish to see your father one last time. If you wish it so, then here he is. I don't see why I wouldn't let you see the face of your executioner." He walked to the cloaked figure and removed his hood. "There you go, let me present to you your father." Her lord gave her a crooked smirk, enjoying this amusing spectacle.

Amarisa saw the images of her father and was in utter shock, incapable of forming any words. Her overwhelming reluctance kept her from speaking, at least not before it was too late. Tleminn had already whispered to her father the command and the arrow had been sent whizzing through the air, piercing right through her heart. Shortly after, the guards released their grip around her arms and walked away with no remorse or regrets, leaving her to be consumed by the real scavengers of the woods. Still unable to speak, she screamed from within and her vision went completely blank, nothing but white remained.

* * * * *

Amarisa immediately awoke, crying out for an answer from her father, in a harsh and crackling voice. "Father... why have... you... betrayed me?" Her conscious had been sparked, her body gradually recovering from her recent dehydration. During the entire time of her unconsciousness she hadn't been aware of her new surroundings. There was no response from her father, as to be expected. Of course, she was no longer there with him and he certaintly wasn't in this place. What she saw wasn't even reality. She could only feel pain and sorrow, having lost everything she ever loved. What once was a single tear that had escaped from her moistening brown, innocent eyes, became much more. There was no control over her grief, evident by the two narrow streaming tears continuously slipping along her young round delicate face.

Just then, an unfamiliar voice intruded, much more friendlier than what she had expected. She turned her head to the location of where, to her gaze, stood a brown-cloaked elf, standing in the brightened doorway. She gazed into his concerned blue eyes, anxiously waiting for a response from his recently discovered beauty. There was none, though he didn't mind. From what he had witnessed, this was really none of his business, yet he was still willing to help her through at least for the night.

She remained almost motionless, resting along the entire bed, locking eyes with the youthful elf while he continued to stare at her with curiosity that unfortunately she didn't take too kindly, feeling slightly paranoid about his intentions. Lifting her head, she quickly scanned herself, looking for anything that could have happened to have gone missing. She viewed her appearance carefully, still wearing her elegant purple shirt and her flowing, yet highly wrinkled skirt, which rested mostly along her right leg, leaving her lower left leg partially exposed. As for the few accessories she wore, she only focused on her pendent around her neck, hanging from an untarnished chain, holding her violet jewel.

Everything seemed to have been in order, though something was still missing. Amarisa shifted even more, forcing the uncomfortable sheets to shift towards the ends of the bed, some of them left to dangle off of the corners of the bed, some touching the floor. Her body tensed, knowing exactly what it was that had been misplaced, her father's sword. This was the last thing she would ever want to lose, serving as the only remembrance of her father and tribe. She panicked and felt unusually warm, feeling the disgusting layers of sweat, old and new along her gentle figure. The humidity within the room was unbearable, yet the fire in the other room didn't help either, adding to some of the heat that had crept in her darkened room, lit only by a couple of candles. The rest of the illuminating light would come from the moon just outside the open window.

Only then did she find the need to speak to her stranger, perplexed as to where her sword had been misplaced. "Where... where is my sword? Where is my father's sword? It is imperative that I find it now." She once again found the need to search along her bedside, still unable to successfully find her blade. "Please sir, I need to have it in my possession, I can't live without it. If I lose it I won't be able to..." She unexpectedly paused, not wanting to reveal anything more, unaware of what his intentions were.

The elf stood near, realizing that she still held a lasting fear in her drying eyes. He couldn't just stand and watch, could he? No, he wasn't like that, mistreating someone such in this way. He mustn't let her rummage through his cottage, desiring no more than her own sword. Knowing that, he extended his arm just behind the wall of the doorway into the next room and fetched her sword. He held the sword firmly and cautiously approached her, not wanting to provoke any more tension than what had already existed. "Here miss, I believe this is what you are looking for, is it not?"

She twisted herself around, her gleeful eyes fixed on her glimmering sword. She shifted along the bed and leaned over, quickly snatching the blade from his hands, leaving him empty handed almost instantaneously. By her reaction to this alone, this blade must have been of great importance to her. She took a moment to herself in remembrance and rested the blade delicately on the bed, near her side.

"I am sorry if I offended you in anyway, miss. I just thought that it would be better to keep it out of harms way. It seems that I am the one who has been mistaken. I assure you that nothing else has been taken. I would like to apologize once more." He stopped, wondering if she even listened to him, having seemed too focused on other wandering priorities. "Miss, if you would like, I have some dinner cooking over the fire. If you wish to eat, which by now you must be starving, I can get you something to eat. Maybe just a glass of water."

Her wary expression kept her reluctance in check, unsure if he could be trusted, yet he did appear to be friendly enough. For whatever reason, she convinced herself to take up his offer of food and water. She gave him a brief nod and brushed her dangling hair away from her face. "Yes, I could use a meal and a drink." Her softly spoken words fluttered through the air, her voice still crackling even now.

He nodded in agreement and walked off to gather the required food and drink, before quickly returning with a plate in one hand and a glass in the other. Nothing further had been exchanged between the two while she ate, except for one last response from the elf. "If you wish to, you may leave whenever you would like. I already see that my presence isn't one to your liking. There is a town by the name of Delorengrad, just a couple miles to the east. There you will find whatever you will need if you desire to leave, though may I at least request that you stay for the night. It isn't safe to travel during the night, at least not in your current condition."

* * * * *

The silent peace between the elf and Amarisa had been kept throughout the nighttime hours. Though she had reluctantly accepted his offer to stay for the night at first, she felt more content on her decision as the night progressed. From what she perceived of him, he didn't seem to have any hint of any malicious intents, but still, she couldn't help but keep herself on high alert just in case he would turn on her at any moment. As the night crept along at an excruciating slow pace, there were several instances where she would doze off into a deep sleep, only to quickly snap herself out of her own dreams, fearing the familiar images that plagued her mind.

Throughout the latter stages of the summer night, the unpleasant humid atmosphere within the small cottage had all but disappeared, having been replaced by a temporary icy chill that blew through the open window. The bitter wind swiftly blew across the surface of her youthful skin, sending her body shivering with every invading gust. She continued to lay atop the mangled bed coverings that had been pushed aside from earlier. Despite her ignorance, she had all but given up enduring this cruel wind that just had to interfere with her peaceful solitude. In the other room, what had once been a warm soothing fire was now nothing but cool, charred firewood.

Her heavy, flickering eyelids opened and closed while she glanced towards the open window, noting the moon, providing a slight illuminating light that pierced through the darkness of her hospitable bedroom walls. Having finally had enough, the unused sheets and blanket had finally been put to good use. She quickly pulled herself up and snatched the thick layer of bed coverings. She held them snug against her body and struggled to embrace her newfound layer of warmth. Of course, the window had still been left open, allowing the cool crisp air to linger within the bedroom. She could have taken the extra effort to shut the window, though Amarisa was too stubborn to involve herself in such matters, only considering it as another burden of unnecessary work.

With the approaching early morning hours, the frigid blast of cold air had subsided, only having become another forgettable memory. The remaining portion of the night had been serene without a single dream of torture or pain. Whether it was the sheets, the unusual weather, or the gods, she had been blessed with a rare moment of sanity. The morning had not fully arisen, yet the waking sun peaked through the clear horizon.

Now that dawn had arrived there was nothing for her here. Sure, she was pleased that this particular elf had taken her into his care and provided for her in time of need, but she lived a nomadic life and it wasn't always necessary, yet it was still welcomed. Most of her comfort could be easily found amongst the nature of the land alone.

She shifted herself off of the bed and placed her feet within her short boots before checking herself over. Everything had been accounted for, even her father's sword. She walked off into the main room, containing the fireplace. At first glance, the room appeared to be very cluttered, scattered with many books, weapons, clothes, and other peculiar undistinguishable items. Out of her innocent curiosity, she continued to search the cottage a little more closely and found her eyes peering through another open door, leading into an empty room. There were no signs of the elf anywhere within the cottage as she spent her fine time invading his personal property while he wasn't here.

For the most part, she found nothing of interest; that was until she found a blank piece of parchment lying upon the top of a wooden desk, giving her an idea. She approached the desk and placed her sword down, allowing her to write a message, a message addressed to the elf. What exactly would she expect to accomplish from writing this stranger a message? Nothing more then a kind thank you was all that this would be. Having taken her time to formally thank the elf for his humble hospitality, she added an additional few gold pieces as payment and found her way out of the cottage.

The welcomed atmosphere of the new day wasn't overpowering, unlike the exhausting heat from the day before. Thank goodness; she certainly wasn't in the mood for wasting any more of her valuable time. While she embraced the slightly cooler air around her, she thought over her next destination, knowing nothing but a name. This Delorengrad, what exactly was this place like and what would be waiting for her there? Would anyone find her assistance of any value or would they deem her as a worthless soul and chase her away just like before? She remained in thought, letting herself become aware of her cruel reality, living a new life as an outcast.

Before starting off on her short venture to Delorengrad, there was one last thing she needed to accomplish. Amarisa couldn't just rush off without first praying to the gods. As for why she continued her tribe's ritual, even after the gods had all but forsaken her, she didn't quite know why herself. Maybe it was just for that one last glimmer of hope that could possibly help redeem herself for her ignorant betrayal. She knelt down on one knee and stuck her sword into the ground, keeping both hands tightly on the hilt and bowed her head forward, sending strands of her black hair into her face. Upon the completion of her short prayer, she clasped her violet pendant around her neck and stared upwards. She had hoped that this time there would be a sign, but as usual, nothing happened.

Amarisa expelled a depressing sigh and stood up before taking a second to brush a few strands of her lengthy, straight black hair away from her face. She stared off into the open plains with her almond brown eyes and immediately took off towards the town of Delorengrad. Whatever the gods had planned for her along the way was something she would have to find out for herself. The only sure thing was that she would assist those who needed her guidance the most



Frenetic Raptor -> RE: "Frenetic Tales" from a raptor (12/18/2008 22:37:50)

What Lies Within: An Unexplained Exile

Deep within the heart of darkness there lies a gravely crypt of lost souls, trapped for eternity, never to find the light for which they had been denied. Lives have passed for many, while others remain. Their souls left to be consumed by the merciless darkness of this ravenous exile while they struggle to seek a fleeting freedom.

* * * * *

Within what can only be described as a prison, there lies amongst the souls of the dead, the living. The ones who still have hope for a better tomorrow and the ones who could possibly defy the intentions of the gods. But where are the living? Why of course, they remain in the hostile walls of fortified cells, left only to rot, unless fate has decided another course of action far worse than a prison cell.

But wait, what is this, from just the cell beyond. Is that the sounds of voices? Yes, but are they voices of the living or are they just the hauntings of the dead who wander through the corridors of this dungeon? Could be both, but why not take a closer look to find out. Go ahead, keep going, they are talking even now. But wait, by the looks of it an epic story has already been shared amongst two prisoners, but alas, the conclusion can still be heard... only assumptions can be made as to what had happened before, but it matters not for another tale has begun at last...

"There it was, a darkness that would consume what little we had and stealing everything we never knew we had. A blackened fog was all that the eye could see. Its darkened malice cloaked in pure black, keeping its hidden truths concealed. Concealed for all but a moment. Its secret had finally arrived, just up ahead; piercing through the thickening fog, like molasses it crept. A ship, but what kind of ship? We sure didn't know. Was this vessel a friend or foe? We couldn't tell. No signs of either had been displayed other than a mysterious silence and an eerie glow, outlining the floating vessel.

There we stood, reluctantly watching in fascination, hypnotized by this alluring craft. Something was happening, just up ahead, along the vessel's bow. Could it be? Was there someone on board? There the figure remained, fixed atop the bow, motionless. With our curiosity growing, we continued to advance, seeking for what lay ahead. Yes, indeed, our first mistake had been made; the trap had been set. There was no going back, for even if we tried it would have been hopeless. It had us in its tightening grasp, unwilling to release us under any circumstance.

What was this we thought? Something else was happening. A mist was rising from behind the ship, a swift breeze carrying the mist across the surface of the sea, directly towards us. What seemed like an eternity was nothing more than mere seconds. All it took was a fraction of time before we fell victim to this viscous mist, its origin still unknown. The mist passed our bodies, its painful touch felt by all before we fell into unconsciousness, left unaware of what our future would hold. Only until we awoke did we realize what had happened, though not before it was too late." Kamoturo paused, recollecting deep thoughts about his encounter. "That is how I ended up here, as well as some of my men. Most are no longer here, having already been chosen." He finished with a depressing sigh and looked upwards at the barred door to his cell.

"Hmm... very... very interesting indeed. It seems as though you happened to have stumbled upon some bad luck just like I have. Of course, mine not being that of yours, as I hear; if indeed your little tale is true. I myself have never encountered such an anomaly, nor have even heard of such things." Maturugi, who sat in the corresponding cell next to Kamoturo, smirked at the thought and chuckled. "Well, now that you are here, what do you plan on doing? You don't seem to have much of a life, do you, still trapped in a cell, left to rot your...." He had been cut off by Kamoturo's swift remarks.

"Now hold on just a minute, Maturugi, you obnoxious devil you. I would be careful with what you say to me. I can easily come over there and give you a good beat down, and I don't have to leave my cell to do it. I do not want to have to remind you again. I may have been here for quite some time, longer than you, may I add, and I am still surviving fine on my own. Don't worry about me; it should be you that you should be concerned with. Are you at least finally satisfied? You got what you wanted from me, a nice tale for you to write about." Kamoturo calmed himself down, desiring to take no part in beating Maturugi senselessly. Besides, the rats were an unrelenting nuisance as it was, constantly biting at every chance they could get, piercing through the flesh with every viscous attack.

"Yes, I am sure you are right, I suppose. It is I who should only look after myself." Maturugi looked down at his feet, sitting in silence, unaware of an approaching rat. The rodent took advantage of his lack of awareness and crept closer, biting him in the hand. "Oww, you blasted vermin!" He shouted in pain and smacked the rat across the length of the cell with the back of his hand, sending it scurrying off into its hole in a daze.

Kamoturo held his silence, keeping himself entertained by his miniature bunny companion, Kalririlo, as he rested beside him. His other half, nothing had been the same since that day, that one decision that had changed Kamoturo forever. Some days he would feel that peculiar emptiness within him, leaving him with nothing but regret. If he knew what he had gotten himself into, he would have never taken the offer. Not for what it cost him in the end. If there were a way to go back he would give everything away.

Maturugi held his hand up, viewing the rat bite intently, still feeling some of the pain that lingered. "Hey, Kamoturo, you still there?" Maturugi heard no answer and put his hand down, near his side. "Yoo-hoo, did you fall asleep? I have something important to ask you if I may." He was toying with Kamoturo, testing his thinning patience.

"Now what do you want? If you must ask me something then just do so, I will reply where needed. I do have ears you know and it is highly unlikely that I would have fallen asleep. There is no time for sleep; sleep does me no good." He couldn't help but feel agitated.

"Never mind, you took all the fun out of it. Plus, I seemed to have forgotten what it was I had to say. Well anyway, it isn't important, though it could have been." Maturugi attempted to relocate his fleeing thoughts. "Wait a minute, I think I remember now... on second thought, just forget it, I am getting nowhere with my useless ramblings." It was about time Maturugi came to his senses as he probably didn't have anything to say in the first place. He was such a thickheaded man with little patience, though he did have a few good qualities lurking about, provided they decided to reveal themselves.

Kamoturo released a sigh of relief, knowing that Maturugi settled himself down and stopped bothering him. This was only the time to think of a plan. A plan of escape. One that had required days upon days of intense thinking and one that was all but complete. All that was needed now was a little luck. But what kind of luck? Would it be the luck that could only come from someone else who had the same desire as he? While he contemplated, heavy footsteps could be heard down the stone corridors of the dungeon, advancing steadily towards his location.

Was this mealtime already, an unfortunate chosen one, or another new arrival? Only one of these would be of any use. Only until he could see the prison guards would he know the truth. He waited, sitting within a darkened corner of his cell, keeping an intense eye ahead of him. There, they were almost near his cell. He readied himself, in hopes of getting his long awaited wish. The guards, wearing their suits of armor clanked along, finally passed his cell. Within moments, several more guards passed by before the images of a few unrecognizable people could be seen, being carried unconsciously along to what would be their new home, imprisoned within the hostile walls of this prison.

He glanced at each one of them, seeking out his possibilities, hoping for potential. All of them surprised him, not one of them were unfitting, though the one he kept his eye on the longest was on one, and one alone. This particular girl, with her blonde hair and her black leather attire; she appealed to Kamoturo the most. Even Kalirilo sparked up, his head looking up at the developing scene in front of them. Maybe this was it; maybe he could finally break free from this hell.

The guards passed by in silence and unlocked several cells further down the long winding corridors. The cells were opened and the prisoners were placed inside each individual cell, one by one. From there, each cell had been sealed tightly. The guards were finished locking up their prisoners and continued away, their presence fading with each footstep.

"Hey Kamoturo, did you see what I just saw? New prisoners. And by the looks of it, it seems like an overwhelming catch to me. Do you think they are planning something?" He kept calm, expressing his curiosity.

"Yes Maturugi, I saw the same thing you did." He paused and once again felt the need to express his true feelings in the form of yet another sharp remark. "Of course they are planning something, don't be so ignorant. You should know that by now. I haven't seen anything first hand, though I almost became another of their so called chosen ones if it wasn't for another unfortunate individual to take my place. I would have had my hands full."

"Hmm, all of this time and you haven't been able to figure out what happens to those that are chosen. Must be devastating. What will you do if you are chosen next time?" Maturugi couldn't help but ask. Something within him cared enough for Kamoturo's well being.

There was an awkward silence, but nonetheless, Kamoturo spoke up. "Well, it is simple as this, there won't be a next time for me. I am not going to be here by then as I am planning to be free from this dreaded place once and for all. I have already done what is needed. I just need some assistance from our new arrivals." Kamoturo concluded with a wryly smirk.



Frenetic Raptor -> RE: "Frenetic Tales" from a raptor (12/18/2008 22:43:44)

Illusions in Exile

Long into the night, within the concealing darkness of the Desert of Illusion, only shadowed figures could be seen, far off into the distance. Three of them to be exact; two of them filled with hate towards one of their own, for Kamoturo's cunning betrayal. This is where one of their brothers would live out his days, exiled from the world he once loved and knew. Unaware of the events that preceded this desert trip, Kamoturo had been dragged across the harsh desert sands without concern or remorse. Whatever would happen to be of Kamoturo, from this point on, meant absolutely nothing to the other brothers.

Their task was complete as they pushed the limping figure of this peculiar being into the sand, face first, leaving the unconscious body of Kamoturo to decay within the hostile sands. The other two cloaked figures reluctantly stepped away, keeping their peace, unwilling to express their lingering feelings towards such a man, or at least what was once a man. Before they completely faded amongst the sands of the desert, one turned his head, seeking out to catch one last glimpse of what would become the last they would see of him. It wasn't much of a surprise, for he saw nothing but the emptiness of this unfriendly land. Even so, there would be nothing to see; Kamoturo's back was still turned on them as it lay in the sand, another evident sign of his unforgiving betrayal. It was time; both brothers crossed the desert, back to their home with one less in number.

* * * * *

The searing heat of the Desert of Illusion awakened, blanketing the entire land with it's radiating warmth, touching everything that happened to be within its grasp. From the night before, the same figure lay motionless, yet what the sun revealed was of clarity, unlike that of the moon's hidden truths. The figure kept still, half buried in the sand, wearing a tattered black cloak without a hood or sleeves. There he was, looking normal as any other, another soul trapped within what would now be his prison. But wait, what was this? Was this a man? Something wasn't quite right, a man with black wings and two long horns.

What really happened during the night before? Was there more to this than what the sun and moon revealed? Who could possibly know, for this could be that of another burden of an illusion playing tricks on yet another unfortunate soul. But wait, if illusions were that of someone's perception towards something, how could his appearance have been discovered? Yes, of course, someone was indeed seeing Kamoturo for the first time since his exile. He stood near the body of his master, all five inches of him. How interesting, another, being that of mere inches, watching over his so-called master.

Silence remained until Kamoturo showed any significant signs of movement, though he took his sweet time in the process. This was to be expected, having been dragged across the desert for who knows how long and being tossed into the sands. He carefully pushed himself upwards with his furry arms, stopping for a moment to spit out the sand that happened to have invaded his mouth. This was rather pointless, for sand was the least of his problems. He pushed himself upwards even further and rested in a kneeling position. His upper body revealing a foreign armor; that of a darkened purple coloration with matching gauntlets along his forearms.

There it was again, a normal looking character, wearing what could be considered common clothing, except once again his appearance couldn't be without even more oddity. His form was that of a close resemblance to a man, but that of a bunny as well. What a strange being indeed, an anthropomorphic bunny with horns and wings. He stood up and shook off most of the sand that had imbedded itself within his fine fur. Having been satisfied with himself, he looked over his possessions, surprised to see everything, everything but... wait... what happened to? What happened to whom? "Wait a minute, you're asking me who is missing? How cruel can you possibly be, forgetting about Kalirilo like that."

With such intrusive thoughts driven away, where exactly was Kalirilo anyway? Kamoturo glanced downwards at his cage, which had been unlatched. "What the... all right, where did you go Kalirilo? You do know you are supposed to stay in your cage." He searched around his vicinity and spotted something along the sand. He gave it a second glance, making sure that his mind wasn't playing games. Indeed, there he was, Kalirilo, his other half. He peered at him with his emotional white eyes. "There you are. If I may Kalirilo, I need to place you back into my cage just for the time being. I know you hate it, but a place like this..." He paused and glanced around his desert surroundings, thinking over any possible danger that may have been lurking by. "Who knows what is out here and I would never forgive myself if you ever got hurt."

Kalirilo silently, but immediately hopped forward, letting Kamoturo scoop him up in the palm of his hand and gently found his place within the confines of his small cage. This cage that was strapped to his belt, hanging below his secured katana. "Well now, I see I have once again found myself within another predicament. What a shame. Things were looking up for us, you know that Kalirilo? Some people just can't be trusted." He paused, giving him time to think of what to do next. "Which direction should we head off to Kalirilo? It is up to you as you are the smarter one."

He waited for a response from his miniature companion. Kamoturo listened to him and followed through with his stated direction. "I would say that is a good choice. We better find a place to stay before this heat becomes overwhelming."

They traveled on for what seemed like forever, yet took no time at all. At least that is what they could tell from over the horizon. Was there actually a town within such a place as this desert? Maybe there was, but what did this town hold for him? What would others think of him? Would they care or would they shake off any concerns for such matters? Kamoturo certainly didn't mind either way. From here on, there would be no going back or at least that is what it seemed. He had to move on and face whatever that was that his future held. Kamoturo stopped and released a heavy sigh, staring blankly towards that of the town that lay just ahead of them.

"Well Kalirilo, looks like we must once again start over. This may be our only place to call home for the time being. Let's just hope the locals here are friendly. We wouldn't want to cause any unnecessary turmoil would we." His last words made him smirk, but turned sour immediately thereafter, realizing this was no game, his survival was at stake. He carried on and advanced along the sands, dragging his bare feet across the warming sand while he sought that of civilization, watching as the town grew larger in front of him.



Frenetic Raptor -> RE: "Frenetic Tales" from a raptor (12/18/2008 22:49:12)

A Fragile Balance

Deep within a forest beyond, there resides a lycan. A lycan wishing for what lore struggles to obtain, always becoming lost within the present of conflict. Would it even be possible to achieve some sort of peace between races? It wasn't for her to know, but still, she desired to know. Whether or not she could succeed was her driving force and the only reason why she would give away everything to find out.

* * * * *

Within the same, yet small forest, she waits in deep contemplation, thinking over the same things, knowing what could be and what has become. Even for her, the images of the past could not be turned away from, not even the strongest of magic could release such burdens from ones mind. For they would only be a temporary solution that would wear off, awakening the slumbering thoughts of the past once more. It was at this moment did she wish it were not true as she remained still, within her trance like posture, hoping to speak to her beloved Kujaron. Of course, this is not what she got; instead receiving what once was a forgotten memory, one that held questions as to whom she was.

Like before, Shariana couldn't break away from these images, left to endure another dream of her young adolescence. One plagued with the turmoil of death, blood, vengeance, and mass hysteria at times. All she could see was the rain; nothing but sheets of blinding rain. It was as if the world was purifying itself from such evil, displaying its disapproval of this bloodshed. Even if it were true, no one heeded any word of such insignificance as only vengeance mattered.

She could see it all, as clear as when she first witnessed this furious and relentless onslaught, the battle between man, vampires, and lycans alike. All of them after the same secret that was presumed to be a gift from the gods, bringing the bearer supernatural powers that did not exist in the physical realm of lore. But like that were true. All she got from this was this useless stone. This Black Opal, nothing but another sacred gemstone with no active power within. Of course, there was always that chance that it still lied dormant, even after all this time.

And what about this Lightning Ridge? Yeah, it lived up to its name as she could remember. The name alone sent a shiver down her spine, even with the passing of many moons. All Shariana could remember was running; running for her life, watching helplessly as she witnessed death after death, either from the others or from the lightning itself. The battlefield could not be ignored, for it blinded all who were unaware and struck all those who were ignorant.

Many of her brothers and fathers had passed on that field during that infamous night, but no, there would be no ceremony for such shameless violence. It was discarded, for the gods had given their just reward. But why? Why keep such a dishonorable artifact if the gods forbade the possession of this gemstone? Maybe that is why it remains dormant to this day. They must have drained its very essence to keep it away from mankind. Though something about this didn't make sense. Yes, it was true that one could remove power from an artifact, but only if it could be replaced elsewhere. Balance amongst elements had to remain intact.

Maybe they did, but Shariana still held her doubts, for the gods knew best, always testing by any means and always with trickery. All she could remember from her dream was the friendly greeting of her grandfather, wishing to see that same gemstone, desiring her to give it to him. And of course, she did as she was told, for she was only an innocent child with no care as to why. But in the end, it proved to be what can be considered the only cause of her grandfather's untimely death. The images her mind gave her began to fade away, crumbling away until the next time they would happen to arise.

There, resting within her hands, the moonstone she held glowed in her palms, bringing forth what she had desired from the start. Her mind was purified; beckoning for all that was sweet and beautiful. No, that is not what I wanted; not now, there is no time for that. The gods have what they wanted from me. I paid the cost for seeking out my lover; now let it rest. It should be the gods who owe me now. That is what she believed. Whether the gods were willing was another story. She could only hold her hopes.

Her eyes opened, displaying nothing but an alluring blue. She sniffed the air, sending air though her nostrils while she released a deep sigh of relief and despair. She was glad to get rid of these disturbing thoughts, though she never got the chance to speak to her beloved Kujaron. It was only fitting for it all balanced out in the end anyway. She got what she wanted and so did the gods. She was free from her nightmare and they forbade her from communicating with Kujaron.

This balance, why does it matter? It is nothing more than a painful nuisance. Shariana picked herself off of the ground and stood upright. She immediately took the time to gaze upon the moon above, witnessing its cold expression fade away, for the morning was approaching. Instead of the illuminating moonlight, the bright rays of sun would emerge. She hated the daytime hours, for during this time she felt vulnerable, knowing all to well why the reason. Sure, she would remain in her own lycan appearance, but it was something else that worried her.

Why would a person such as her choose to stay in her lycan form? The reason was obvious; this is who she was. That shape-shifting thing bothered her and Shariana never did get used to it. Only out of desperation would she return herself back to human form, but like that was going to happen. But what would happen if she did, would she be ready to face her other half, the one that is human? After all of these years, she herself had forgotten what she looked like as a normal woman. But like with everything else that didn't matter, it was time to forget and move on.

That is what she did as she walked along, guided by her senses as her ears twitched and her nose sniffed at the air. What would the next town bring her besides the looks of disgust, for those who hated lycans. All she could do was ignore them, for they were of no concern. If they caused trouble she would take care of her self just fine, but as for them, only time would tell. If they started trouble she would finish it, but the end result mattered not.

Upon the clearing of trees she continued her trek across the grassy land around her. From there she could see a city, one that rested near the sea. The smells overwhelmed her nose even from this distance. Did I really venture this far away from home? Nowhere had she encountered a port city, let alone did she feel the need to seek out the ocean beyond the mainland. Foreign elements all around her became that much more apparent as she crept along at her curious and cautious pace.

Spending as much time as she could, outside of the city, Shariana finally reached the city's border. She stood next to several buildings, witnessing the masses of people gathering around various locales. Not much out of the ordinary, except for the sea that lay just of into the distance. She shrugged her shoulders and kept moving as she carefully navigated her way along the winding roads of unfamiliarity. She took every moment possible to intake her surroundings, studying anything and everything, hoping to get a better sense of where she had come. Even if she couldn't find the answer herself the elders would have no problem figuring that out.

She smirked at the thought while she caught sight of a rather large crowd gathered around some important notice. Shariana stood back, not wanting to cause any tension that didn't already exist, desiring to know what caused a commotion. She stopped and kept still, with her arms crossed, holding them along her thick leather chest protector. Good thing one found it necessary to read such a notice, giving her an idea as to why this city of Ava needed assistance. Yes, she was curious as were they, but she would be doing this all out of good intentions and not for some reward. She didn't need any. And as long as the gods had their way she would have to repay them if she accepted such an unnecessary reward.

Having been at least partially satisfied and intrigued by this news, she made her way to the Northern Military Building and approached the oak doors in front of her. She reached out with her white furry palm and gripped the golden handle, and turned it. She pushed open the door and a wave of peculiar scents drove her nose wild. Not only that of men, but of food. She could almost taste the food as she walked in. Even her stomach craved the same thing as she could almost sense herself about to drool over food. No, I will not have any of that. Yes, I am a beast as others liked to call me, but I am more than that. I am a sophisticated woman on the inside, at least for the time being.



Frenetic Raptor -> RE: "Frenetic Tales" from a raptor (12/18/2008 23:02:49)

Sanctuary of Disbelief

A fragile existence is what she has lived. Living during the age of chaos and destruction with evil always looming over the horizon. It is her unwavering determination that has gotten her this far, having been able to seek out a paradise she has come to love. A paradise she wishes she could remain in forever, until the end of time. Though something ominous has presented itself upon the world, an existence of uncertainty, clouded amongst the hostile abyss. It is this hidden malice, lurking beyond, that has drawn her attention away from such wondrous pleasures, for the time has arrived. A time where one must act now or forever lose their way.


* * * * *

There she flew, free as a bird, oblivious to what laid ahead and knowing not what the future held for her. Only that acceptance of what had been is all that mattered. With an open mind, she was ready to face anything that may get in her way, whether it could lead to a peaceful end or to a gruesome demise. Besides, what could be any worse than losing one's mind to an unnatural evil. Yeah, that's right, an unnatural evil. Her other half, the one kept inside for so long. Not until she had fully understood what it meant to be a freak did her eyes fully open, awakening the beast within. It wasn't all bad, was it? No, not entirely. She did get her wings after all, a life-long dream of hers. But like all things, these changes brought along an array of consequences far greater than any she had endured being normal.

The memories of her willingness to change brought a tear to her moistening blue eyes, blurring her vision. Aquaria, the mother she wished she had. So caring and soothing; understanding towards anything and everything. She was as gentle as the flowing sea, not wishing for any harm to any living being. Though on the other side, she could be as wicked as a raging typhoon. Well, only if anyone threatened her family, and Jenny had become like family. No one had cared for her in this way, except for her brother; another unfortunate soul who was still lost. But maybe with a bit more of hope, her brother might find his way, just like her younger sister. Jenny didn't know why he couldn't.

Having been caught up in the moment, realizing nothing of her dropping altitude, she almost lost control. The world below her came rushing upwards, reaching out for an unsuspecting blow. No, I mustn't lose control now; I have to regain focus. I am not going to fall victim to another lapse of mine. She concentrated her attention on the task at hand and recovered herself while she flapped her wings, propelling her body upward. She had done it, having come within a few feet of smacking the ground below her, preventing another moment of unconsciousness, followed by a rather nasty headache.

It wasn't until she looked up did she realize something quite unexpected. Wait, why do I feel like I am going to crash again? Only a looming shadow overhead provided any sort of an answer. A shadow, up here? In the sky above me? Impossible. Maybe a passing cloud? No, this is too unnatural to be a cloud. Not until she finally stopped making assumptions and actually took a look above did she witness this island. Is this an island, all the way up here? Jenny continued to question her judgment, curious as to know if this was an illusion.

Within moments, the inn openly revealed itself to her, floating in front of her. The familiarity of the inn, with its stables had finally sparked her short-term memory, bringing back a forgotten fact. Now how could I have gone and done something that stupid? I mean, this was the whole reason of me leaving, seeking a temporary refuge. It would be this sanctuary where a new chapter in her life story would continue. She shook her head and sought after a safe place to land. She didn't want to crash, not under the simplest of circumstances.

There it was, the perfect spot for her to land, just near the stables, away from the entrance of the inn. She immediately followed through with a successful landing and focused her mind for an uncomfortable and eerie transformation. One that had plagued her dreams and disturbed her even to this day. The noises and physical changes just didn't seem natural at all or even possible within the realms of reality. She braced herself for the return of humanity, something she was glad to have back. She peered downward at the entire length of her body, partially shadowed by the stable beside her. Jenny was pleased and focused on her mission at hand, desiring nothing but to enter the inn just ahead.

What was there for her and who would she meet? It mattered not, but those who were of good nature would be preferred. Either way, she wouldn't turn back, whether this place had any answers or not. From there, she reached the entrance of the inn, confident with everything but her appearance. She took a glimpse of her white outfit, making sure nothing abnormal had snuck past her watchful gaze. She smirked and opened the door, revealing the peculiar atmosphere within the inn. She could see a figure wearing a violet colored robe and a bartender. Nothing else of any major importance, except for a strange parchment pinned to the wall, just over yonder.

This notice might be what I am looking for. Her curiosity could not be denied, not at the chance to collect any evidence that may be of use. She immediately took off towards the notice and began reading, rather hastily as she skimmed through the message that read,

"Those of you ingenious and brave enough to enter this legendary place are now given a choice. You can either spend out the rest of your days here, the only feasibly dry place left when things are all said and done. Or, you can be one of the audacious, one of those clever enough to fight to reclaim this world and cease this diabolical threat at hand.

All who are intrigued by this offer shall be rewarded by everlasting glory, more gold than you could imagine in your dizziest daydream, and an adventure of a lifetime. If interested, the bartender has great knowledge and can assist you."

Jenny burst out in laughter, not believing what she had read. Yes, this was a serious matter at hand; she had understood that, recollecting everything Aquaria had told her about this hydromancer. But she would not believe that this was the only feasible dry place left if things played out for the worse. Do they not know about Enstar? Of course not. Why would they? I never imagined a place like that ever existed. I mean how many even know about this floating inn in the sky? Oh well, this is not the time to be nit picky about technicalities. This is only the time to focus on the task at hand. Even now, she failed to recover her lapse of judgment and chuckled a bit more. As much as she desired to grow up, the inner child within always had its way at the most inappropriate of moments.

She turned around and stared off in the direction of the gentlemanly figure in the violet robe. At least that is what she presumed from such an appearance before her gaze. There she would remain, amused as to how such a person would react to her. It's not like she was doing anything of importance. She desired nothing but to enjoy herself before asking away, for that could potentially spark an onslaught of a relentless course of events with no turning back. Wouldn't that be just her luck. But even so, she would be prepared. Jenny just needed a bit more time to amuse herself and satisfy her curiosity.



Frenetic Raptor -> RE: "Frenetic Tales" from a raptor (12/18/2008 23:22:43)

Hopeful Frustrations

There she was, like any other. Just another who sought after a hope that one day everything would have a meaning. For her, traveling alone with no one to call family was normal. Not since her family had passed did she experience any sort of love. A love that perished within the heartless walls of fortified cells. In this time since, her heart had grown cold and distant from those around her, fearful of everyone who dared cross her path. For those she had come close to her, they would eventually betray her in the end, just like all the rest.

Was there still a lingering hope that she would ever experience such feelings of love again? And what about her master, the one that filled her soul with hatred. The same one who would rather mistreat her without the slightest remorse for such a fragile soul than to leave her alone. What did she care, at least she had gotten away from him, but it would only be time before he would come looking. Maybe not him, but those just like him. All of them driven by greed and corruption. Oh how she hated them all. Not once did she have any feelings of attraction to them. Disgraceful and violent animals, that's what they are.

Amarisa cut off her thoughts then and there. With her innocent eyes of brown, her hatred became even more evident as she glared into the distance ahead of her. She stood still amongst the darkness of the night, curious as to why her life had become such a tragedy. Is this what I really want to do and will this invitation actually be of any use? Most likely not. All those who have attempted to help me in the past have failed. Why will this time be any different?

I can at least give it another try, can't I? Might as well. My life is a demented nightmare as it is and anything is better than my current situation. Refocusing her efforts on traveling once more, she gazed onward into the nightly surroundings of autumn. The trees around her displaying the sign of an all but dead summer. This was the corridor to winter; a time where the weather would be just as unforgiving as life.

The thoughts of the cold air to come made her shiver, knowing her attire wasn't at all fitting, the cloth of her purple top and skirt both tattered. She lingered just a bit more, peering into the night's sky. Her focus only on the cold moon above her. This is it, time to move on. It wouldn't be polite if I didn't show up.

She walked further ahead along the open plains before her, eventually coming across a large iron gate with a twenty foot tall stone wall concealing all within. Is this the place where I am supposed to be? Amarisa approached the gate in front of her and peered into the scene ahead of her. How can this be, there is no one inside these walls. Even an eerie silence held strong. With a quick glance from left to right, every building within appeared abandoned. The structures themselves looked like they were rotting and crumbling with the aging of time.

Why would they send me here? Is this a prank? It might very well be, but what grudge do they have against me? She had had enough and stepped backwards, glancing at the entryway in front of her, witnessing something peculiar. Positioned in the center there was what looked like the head of something, also constructed out of iron. She had never seen such an unrecognizable creature. The only thing she could gather was that it wasn't just an animal alone, but a hybrid of something. Is this a beast or a god? She could only make assumptions.

Amarisa took a second glance at the center of the gate, catching sight of a sudden flicker of light. She turned her head to the side. "What was that?" She could say no more and crept forward, anxiety filling her senses. There she stared for what seemed like several minutes, witnessing another quick sparkle of light coming from the iron head, from both of the eyes. She once again waited to see if it would happen again. And once again, it did as she expected. What makes these eyes flicker so?

She kept her attention to this peculiar sight, knowing nothing of what this meant. She released a sigh of frustration. What now? Is this thing just for show or does this thing have some sort of purpose other than just a finely crafted decoration? She had had enough and decided to think it over. She decided to move to the side of the gate and plopped herself down before pulling out her invitation. With her spare lantern lit, Amarisa began rereading what she had read at least a dozen times before.

Taking this moment to read it over once more, this was indeed the place, but where would she meet this group that she was to see. The ones who called themselves the dark and faithful. They certainly weren't here with her, that's for sure. Whatever, if they really wish to see me then they will show, provided this is all true. She put the paper back in her pocket and stared of into the distance, her eyes growing heavy with time. Not knowing of the passing time, she fell asleep, sitting upon the ground with her back to the wall. Just beside her, the lantern continued to glow, bathing a portion of her figure in a flickering light.



Frenetic Raptor -> RE: "Frenetic Tales" from a raptor (12/18/2008 23:54:26)

A New Beginning

Evening arrived, sending the sky into a vibrant twilight. Jenny could see it all, its amazing beauty, ever changing from one form to another as she stood, looking upwards into the horizon with her deep blue eyes reflecting the falling sun. For most, sunsets were just another daily occurrence, but for Jenny it meant everything. It symbolized a tranquil inner peace she had yet to discover.

With the fading sun gone, the moon overtook its nightly position, covering the land in a cold illuminating glow. The cold sent shivers down her back as she felt a sudden gust of wind cross her body. The swiftness of winter's cruelty had arrived. It is time for me to move on as nothing is here for me now. She turned her gaze to a nearby forest, just outside of the town of Amityvale. She had no idea where she was, having wandered for days, living the life as an outcast. Will I ever find my brother?

She gave it a passing thought and advanced into the thickening foliage of the darkened forest, completely becoming one with the shadows, having worn nothing but black. As she passed through the forest, only her delicate footsteps could be heard, cautiously guiding her way through. Other than that, an eerie silence blanketed everything. Was the moon this overpowering or was there something in this forest that she wasn't aware of? Either way, she felt uncomfortable and unwelcome, for in the innocent silence of shadows anything can happen. This is how it always was. Not until the last moment would its hidden maliciousness awaken.

She continued onward, hoping to find a place to stay for the night in safety and comfort. An added hospitality would be nice as well. Passing trees upon trees, that is all she encountered, not even a patch of clearing to break up such a monotonous scene. That was until something startled her. A noise just behind her rushed off, sending forest debris scattering across the forest floor. Something or someone is following me. But what? Who would even do such a thing? She reached down on the hilt of her dagger, waiting for another disturbance, but heard and saw nothing.

She motioned her hand away from her weapon. Immediately thereafter, the same sound made her jump as it passed by her, just to her side, as she felt an eerie gust of wind. She once again reached for her stiletto, this time pulling it out, not wanting to let her guard down. Something was watching her, studying her. But for what reason? She didn't even know of this thing's intentions. Her worried nerves brought along an uncomfortable clamminess, along with a surge of adrenaline that filled her senses.

She was baffled as to what it could be. Do I dare make a move? It wasn't for her to decide. She waited, hearing nothing as she took a hesitant step forward, carefully planting her one foot in front of her. Nothing, that is what she heard. A smile crossed her face. Maybe this thing has let me be. This particular thought made her careless as she had taken a second step forward, unaware of what she had done. That was all that was needed, for the being crossed in front of her. Whatever it was, it had extraordinary speed. What she didn't know was the cunning being left its mark as it had slashed at her, harmlessly grazing her black leather.

For Jenny, she felt nothing, oblivious as to what had really happened. That was all she would see of this being as she stood silent while her nerves struggled to recover from this moment of shock. With her nervousness warily subsiding, she couldn't shake those paranormal feelings from her, recalling what had taken place. Am I finally safe? Only one way to find out; that was to continue onward. Surprisingly, the calmness of the night reemerged, allowing Jenny to recover her body's functions. With full control, she had managed to reach the thinning edge of the forest. Just beyond the lining of trees there lay a small town in front of her.

At last, she was happy again. But as always something else had to happen. She noticed something in the corner of eye. What is this? Could it be? She looked to her right and noticed a figure standing, clothed in a sea of red. This figure, familiarity surrounded this young man. Wait, what is this? Something in his hand grabbed her attention. Is this real? Is he truly holding what I think he is? She didn't know whether to believe in what she saw, for there was always that dreaded chance of this being fake, an imposter, an illusion. She shook her head, hoping to shake loose these unwelcome thoughts that invaded her vulnerable mind.

That is when strangeness happened. It wasn't until Jenny looked back to the figure did she notice that the figure was fading into the nightly surroundings. "Velox, is that you?" She whispered, desperately seeking for an answer from her brother. Instead of receiving a reassuring reply, only a hostile silence followed her words. Her assumption had been confirmed, knowing all too well that this was an illusion. How devastating; yet another mind game. Is fate toying with me yet again? Why not, it isn't like I have suffered enough already. She expelled a frustrated sigh. Without realizing her growing anger, she pulled out her dagger and rushed to where she last saw this burden of an illusion. She immediately planted herself on her knees and pummeled the ground with her dagger, violently stabbing the earth beside her, unrelenting.

From just beyond, behind Jenny's location, a hint of guilt had grown within a shadowed figure. She wondered as to if she had done the right thing, toying with someone's emotions. She had to do it, for Jenny was something special. It would be her mission to protect Jenny at all costs, provided she accepted. It wasn't like she would be forcing her into this. No, that would be just wrong. Even for this dark figure, she would never stoop that low. But who knows, her twisted mind had no problems with conceiving such things. There she stood, watching Jenny's faith in herself of ever succeeding die with each striking blow upon the earth.

This cloaked figure had had enough, for this was useless. It was doing nothing but creating a sense of doubt, weakening her mind and body. "Jenny, please stop. I am sorry if I have caused you unnecessary pain, but I had to do this, at least to see..." Her apologetic words halted unexpectedly, hearing and seeing that Jenny had stopped herself.

So, these are the words of this stranger who has been following me, studying my every move while making me feel inferior. Jenny could not believe that someone would be this cruel. Not only had they provoked her in such a violent way, they even felt it appropriate to use trickery in the form of an illusion. Of all things, my brother. She would not forgive this stranger. No, not at all. If she had her way, she would give this stranger what she had coming. "To see what!" Jenny was fueled by her emotions as she let out a sudden outburst. "To see how much a care about my brother and that I would do anything to see someone who I could trust. At least I am able to show compassion, unlike that of you. Do you even know what compassion is? By what I have gathered, I have no doubt that you have no idea. Is it not true? And if so, prove it." She picked herself off of the ground and put her dagger away before turning around to face this cloaked stranger.

"Please Jenny, I know words will never be enough forgiveness to redeem myself worthy of your trust, but you must understand. There was nothing else I could have done. I am not trying to hurt you, that is not what the master wishes, only that you must be protected at all costs. It is up to me to make sure you are succeed. I can help you find your brother, though only if you are willing. I know my word means nothing. For in your eyes, they are nothing but malicious lies." In deep contemplation, the cloaked woman made a quick glance towards the heavens above before focusing her attention back to Jenny.

"As for compassion, I know very well what it is. That is something I experience everyday. Even at this moment, I am experiencing and providing this so-called passion. If I didn't care for you the way I do now, would I be here. Most likely, I would be elsewhere, without a single care in the world about who you are, but here I am nonetheless. Now, I ask one question to you. Will you at least give me another chance to at least to speak of truth or have I already been shrugged off as another of many you have grown to hate? You are the one who controls your own fate whether or not you like it. Only you can do what is best for you. Maybe if you actually took the time to make it better instead of seeking false realities like you were still a child, maybe you will finally understand that this world is unforgiving, but you can change your fortune with little extra effort." She stopped, desiring to know whether or not she had gained some trust.

Jenny could not say a single word, knowing that most everything she spoke of was true, but how? Is this a twisted stalker who has chosen to follow me? But wait, why would a stalker be willing to help me? Maybe this is another game, one that will lead me to my death. Her emotions took over as she felt a tear stream down the side of her face, following along the length of her cheek. Confusion and doubt reigned supreme. Why must it be so difficult? Yes, I do wish to see my brother. Yes, I do want life to be better, without living in illusionary paradises. Yes, I even want someone I could trust and show compassion with in my times of need. Why I have steered away from these desires, I just don't know. Maybe out of habit, I guess?

Maybe this cloaked woman can actually be trusted. She forced her tears away and attempted to smile; a smile that held an overpowering remorse. If she was ever going to realize what life could be, she had to begin somewhere and with someone. For Jenny, she had all she could take, being alone and being just another nobody. At least that is what she had perceived herself as. What she didn't understand was that this is not what the others saw; they saw potential, the same quality that this cloaked woman had noticed immediately.

"Yes, I guess I could give you another chance. It isn't like it would do me any harm, right?" She expected an answer, but got nothing. "Of course it wouldn't." It didn't matter; she had already answered her own question. "I am sorry if sent the wrong impression. It has not been easy for me, always feeling this way, with little hope. Do you actually know where my brother is? And who is this master you speak of? Does he know about me as well? And is the master the one who sent you to protect me?" The questions flowed through her mind like an open door.

"I am glad to see that you hold interest in my words and that you have given me a second chance, yet a thin line of trust at that. As for your questions, I can answer them when we arrive at our keep. We are only a small group, surviving to live life the best we can. I am sure you will fit in well with us. Maybe you will meet up with people you may call friends. You will see that life isn't as bad as it may seem at first glance. You just have to know where to look. Give it time and you may be surprised. With that, I ask you one more time; will you accept my offer to join us? It is up to you." She lifted her hands to her hood and pulled it off.

Jenny stood still, watching as the strange woman revealed her face to her. This woman was an elf and a wise one at that. "Yes, if I may. I would like to accept your offer and join this group. By the way, what is you name, if I may ask?" She felt as comfortable as she had been all night.

The cloaked elf giggled, something she couldn't refrain from. She was happily pleased to see that Jenny hadn't lost hope. It wasn't like she had lost all hope to begin with, she just needed a bit of a push in the right direction. "Oh Jenny, you actually do have a lighter side to your heart. Since you have given me another chance, I wouldn't see why I shouldn't reveal my name as I am the one who needs to earn some trust. My name is Akora and I honorably serve the master and all those who call the Dark Cloaks their rightful home. Now Jenny, please come with me; you have many things to learn."

With that in mind, they both carried onwards into the night, traveling to their next destination. A destination that would hopefully bring Jenny a better life and many new and lasting experiences.



Frenetic Raptor -> RE: "Frenetic Tales" from a raptor (12/19/2008 0:07:32)

A Broken Spirit

Where do the missing pieces of ones heart go when they are shattered? Do they still reside within the soul just waiting for someone to piece them together or are they forever lost within an eternal darkness, never to be found again. For some, their hearts can be rebuilt, but for others it simply cannot be done. For Onmey, the past six years of his life have been a game of desperation. It was his love for Mahara that had kept him fighting for her life, against those who desired to take it away. In the end he had lost, and everything he had once loved and cherished died with it. With a new life beginning without Mahara, would it even be possible to find another such as her? Only time will tell what fortunes await.

Standing alone upon the open veranda along the main hall of the temple, the pitter-patter of the rain falling awakened a feeling of grief, reminding Omney of what once was. He could hear the rythmic voices of the kami, these sacred spirits singing the monotonous songs of sorrow to anyone willing to have a listen. It is said that he who can hear the whispers through the pulsing beats of the falling rain can hear the echoes of hope for those who have experienced such pain. A pain that can be soothed with a passion for love.

It was true, he had listened to their message for as long as he could remember, sacrificing everything for love. But where did he go wrong, and why did she have to die? Nothing would ever bring her back from the realm of the dead, but he could wish couldn't he? Onmey, wearing his white kimono, raised his head to the sky with his deep blue eyes focused along the night's horizon, seeking out the heavens beyond the blanket of clouds above. He followed up by blowing a kiss towards the sky, hoping that it would pierce through the clouds and his token of affection would reach her.

He took a glance at the darkened Tsukiyama Garden below him, displaying its rippling ponds and streams, sparkling in the night. Aware of the familiar scenery below him, Onmey lost all interest. He turned his back to the dampened hills and opened the door to the temple before him. Where would he turn for comfort now that the simple pleasures of life were not enough to satisfy him alone? He needed a companion to share his life with. Onmey's heart was broken once and ever since, he had never fully recovered.

Maybe Remy could be the key to opening his heart, but what good was that when it still consisted of nothing more but mere fragments of a broken soul? Sure, Remy was the closest friend he had ever had since Mahara's death, but did he actually love her enough to be more than friends? It sure seemed to be possible, though something held him back. Yes, that was it, it was Efrayim. A man of great strength who seemed troubled. Unlike Efrayim, he wasn't well built or as attractive as him, but he could hold his own. At least, that is what he believed. It was this uncertainty that worried Onmey, knowing nothing of what Efrayim was actually capable of. This doubt that raised questions as to how he would react if he expressed his true feelings for Remy and what her feelings would be towards him.

If that wasn't enough to make a man nervous, Onmey had to consider the thoughts of betrayal. Why did he feel this way? Was he really betraying Mahara? She was no longer with him in this realm, but she still lived on in spirit didn't she? As long as there was the possibility, he would never fully move on. That was the problem. She would always be in his heart, and as long as it was so, he felt like he was cheating in a way. What a silly thought. He smirked and leaned against the doorway, his lengthy dark brown hair shifting with his weight.

Was it really wrong to move on after a previous love had passed? It seemed foolish to think of this as such a trivial matter, but for him, the spirit realm felt so real. He felt depressed as he advanced inside the comfort of his room within the temple and closed the door behind him. Dragging his feet along the slick wooden floor, he walked towards the lone chair in the corner of his room and took refuge, contemplating whether a visit to see Remy was in order. Onmey was reluctant even now on his decision. Maybe he would wait until the next morning to see her. Yeah, that seemed like a good idea, but time would only tell whether he would follow through with it. He may even decide to visit them tonight. Oblivious to the world around him, he remained outstretched and relaxed within his chair, staring off into nothingness.



Frenetic Raptor -> RE: "Frenetic Tales" from a raptor (12/19/2008 0:15:56)

Cruel Sacrifices

"It's no use. Nothing but more questions." Shariana bowed her heavy head forward in exhaustion. Having spent hours staring at the blurring text within the histories before her, nothing had been gained but frustration. A frustration she didn't need or desired. She had hoped to find something within this library, but no, luck was not on her side. The only luck that seemed to favor her was bad. Maybe it was just the gods keeping her aligned. But to be this cruel? Haven't I already given up enough to satisfy them? And if not, how much is really needed?

She had already given her power over to them, for she had lost the ability to control her rage. Something that she had no problems with in the past, but something was causing her to become weaker. It almost seemed as though she had been stricken with a disease. But was this a disease that was the true culprit or was this all originating from the mind? It wouldn't be the first time she had fallen victim to her own mind. No matter what the cause, what was done was done. For now, she would continue to wear this magical pendent around her neck. Such a dreaded device this is, so crude and unnatural. If I could, I would discard it almost immediately.

Of course, it wasn't that simple and it mustn't be done. Her safety was at stake and so was everyone else around her. This would be the last thing she would ever wish for. She would rather give her life then to see anyone harmed from a misuse of her own power. Far too many times had she seen her fair share of corruption. Everywhere she looked it seemed to rear its ugly head. As much as Shariana wished it so, it would be impossible to erase all the corruption in this world.

"Why am I still thinking about this? This is giving me a headache," she whispered to herself. On that note, she pushed her chair away from her table and stood up. She shook her head, wondering why she even bothered. These intrusive thoughts of mine are enough to drive me insane if I don't seek relief soon. The only place that would be of any refuge would be outside, surrounded by a calming openness. She turned away and headed outside, into the streets of Lib'Arcana, near the northeastern part.

Nightfall had fallen upon her; a time of tranquility and a time to communicate with her beloved Kujaron. She stood pondering her next destination, knowing neither what direction to take nor the reason. She stood a moment longer, her deep red dress sparkling in the night. Her long glimmering hair displaying a similar mood. A deep breath escaped her lips as she focused her alluring blue eyes upon that same flyer advertising the new airship dock. It was only this morning did she read this particular flyer. Has it already been an entire day since I have kept myself secluded in this library? The thought was disturbing.

This was not like Shariana, keeping alone. Ever since she had made that one decision, she never felt complete. Regret held strong within her mind. All she desperately wanted was to be with her beloved Kujaron, but was it worth the effort to even attempt to communicate with him. In the end it would only be the gods who would determine if she had the right to do so. She could only make the request. She felt even more disgusted, though she wouldn't let it show physically. She couldn't let others see her as vulnerable. Maybe another night she would speak to him, but now was not the time.

She glanced back at the flyer and agreed to make her way to the airship dock. Upon arrival, she stared into the distance studying this airship, curious as to find a good reason as to why she should use this peculiar transportation. Who knows, though it would most certainly be a faster means of travel than on foot. Shariana let the thought pass and moved to a nearby alleyway where she would rest for the night. Inns bothered her more so than a darkened alleyway. It was the feeling of being caged that she didn't like and the feeling of freedom was much more enjoyable.

For the remainder of the night, time passed her by in peace without much disturbance. Of course, it could have been a bit quieter. She forced herself to wake at the sign of the new day and advanced back towards the airship dock where she bought a boarding pass without a second thought. Maybe another locale would provide her with answers. Even so, maybe a bit of adventure would keep her entertained, away from this abnormal cloud of gloom that had hovered around her as of late. She peered up into the sky, pleased with her decision and proceeded to the entrance of the airship. She walked inside, curious as to what laid ahead.



Frenetic Raptor -> RE: "Frenetic Tales" from a raptor (1/23/2009 1:17:22)

Perishable Conflictions

Within the town square, near a beautifully flowing fountain, an elder man wearing his normal baggy, yet ragged clothing, limped his way over to the market counters. The streets around the bearded old man were scattered with people, flocking to purchase their daily food products, preparing for dinner meals. The old man crept his way over to a nearby empty counter, quickly peering into a nearby crate, filled with various fruits, vegetables, and breads. The sight of this fresh produce appealed to the elder gentleman greatly while he revealed an ever-growing grin, desiring only to steal anything within his appealing view.

He briefly glanced around, examining his surroundings, feeling more comfortable now that no one had paid any attention to him. Without hesitation, he slowly opened his sack and rummaged through the open crates, stuffing the food in the enlarging brown clothed sack. The old man remained in silence, becoming almost giddy, knowing that he just may get away with this after all. He let out a pleasing sigh and immediately tied the sack closed before tiptoeing his way along the edge of the street, heading straight for an easy escape to a deserted nearby alley.

What the old man didn't account for was that the owner of the market stood with his arms crossed, glaring at the old man, revealing only a stern expression while he inquisitively watched the usual events unfold before him. The sight of the old geezer attempting to steal his profits once more enraged him inside. He couldn't wait to punish the old man severely this time. The market owner stood tall, wearing his brown leather pants and tight red shirt, which revealed his highly muscular build. The angered owner immediately called out to the decrepit man, "Now just wait one minute, where do you think you are heading off with my food again, Mr. Peteron! You know as well as I do that I will not tolerate you stealing my profits away like this."

The old man silently chuckled, forming a taunting smirk, completely hidden from the owner. He blatantly ignored the owner, feeling no regret, knowing he had no intention of returning the food.

The owner became even more infuriated, realizing that the old geezer was up to his same old tricks again. He forcefully cracked his knuckles and turned his head to the side, letting out a quick snap before deciding to approach Mr. Peteron.

The old man heard the heavy footsteps of Mr. Gortzky and hastened his pace, though it proved to be futile in his old age, quickly feeling the burly man tightly grasp his ragged shirt.

"Now, this time I want you to release the bag and stay away from my produce! You people have no business being here, continuously tainting my business!" He forcefully commanded the old man.

Mr. Peteron continued to ignore him, caring the least about what would happen to the fiery tempered man.

Mr. Gortzky became enraged, forcing the man to turn around, briefly sending him stumbling. They both stared into each other's eyes, hoping to pierce into each other's respective minds, waiting for someone to falter. Nothing happened for a few moments until the owner grabbed a hold of the bag with a death grip, suddenly ripping it out of his frail hands and shoved him onto the cobbled street.

The old man landed on his right arm and cringed. He immediately held his arm in pain, feeling a pulsing effect along the lower half, just below his elbow.

Near the entrance to the town square, Morkeleb caught a glimpse at the unfortunate events while the carriage noisily clopped along from the horses in front. He didn't want to see this unfortunate situation to turn violent and requested that the driver immediately stop. At first the driver didn't seem interested in this matter, but he furthered in convincing the man that it was urgent. The driver quickly halted the horses, halting near where Mr. Peteron landed.

Morkeleb hopped out of the carriage and calmly approached the shocked old man. He bent down and looked into the startled eyes of the man, gently lifting his injured right arm. Right where the impact hit, the arm had been scraped. Reddened blood soon emerged to the surface of the old man's wrinkled skin. "What is the purpose of this, may I ask, good sir." His voice filled with concern as he glanced towards the muscular owner.

The owner remained motionless, forcing a disgruntled sigh, watching as some foolish person interfered with the business at hand. "Fine, if you really must be a burden to me as well, I was only doing justice a favor!" He pointed to Mr. Peteron. "You see this here, I caught him attempting to steal some of my profits while also driving my business away. The likes of him should never be allowed to just wander the streets. They should all be locked up, unable to harm anyone or anything. Now, if you please I would like to finish this matter, myself."

This was exasperating. This owner had the audacity to take matters into his own hands, possibly desiring to put this decrepit man to a violent end. If this is what he called justice, than this world had indeed become corrupted, immersed with an undesirable, filthy greed. Morkeleb knew from the beginning that just by his unraveled tone that if he didn't do something now Mr. Peteron would wind up dead eventually, if this persisted. "Ok, if you want to take matters in your own hands, then let us do this the right way. You can either leave this man alone, you could also give back what was taken and I would be more than happy to pay for it myself, or we could settle this between you and I. I would be more than happy to resolve this issue myself." Morkeleb released an overly taunting smirk. "So, what will it be then?"

Mr. Gortzky released an outburst of laughter. "You've got to be joking. I would never just leave him alone, cause I know he will come back day after day if I did that. Now, where is the sense in just letting him go away scot free, without being punished. Ha, and you think you can take me; you are nothing. I think it would be best if you minded your own business. " Out of a superior impulse, Mr. Gortzky slightly pushed Morkeleb, hoping to convince him to stay away.

Morkeleb barely budged from his spot, hearing his foolish answer to a misappropriate resolution. In response to the push, he released an enormous smile, openly accepting his decision. "It is quite a shame that you are willing to resolve this issue with violence, since there are so many ways to handle this. I can already see that you would rather put someone out of his or her misery than take the extra time to fix it properly. Since you have chosen to go with the quick route, you leave me no choice, but to get involved."

He immediately lifted his gloved palm upwards and stared at it intently, letting himself to enter a temporary trance, focusing on what he desired. Within moments his eyes glowed with an eerie redness, covering the entire surface of each eye while a mysteriously purple glowing aura hovered in his hand. The aura gradually formed into a shape of a ball with time and immediately ceased changing. Morkeleb menacingly eyed the man, hoping to send him a warning before throwing the purple mass towards the bag.

Mr. Gortzky instantly let the sack fall to the ground, left only to stare at the unusual changes in front of his very eyes.

The old man and few others scattered along the town square grew interested in the recent events, anticipating something to happen, unsure of what exactly what it was. The sack remained on the ground while the aura completely enveloped the entire surface, forcing the materials to wear and decompose as if time itself had sped up significantly. What once was a perfect bag, formed massive holes that continued to grow as the material grew fragile and ate away at the produce inside. The fruit, vegetables, and bread, quickly succumbed to the unnatural force. In the end nothing was recognizable, completely becoming a pile of meaningless waste.

Mr. Gortzky was stunned and felt perplexed on what he had just witnessed.

That was exactly the look Morkeleb expected to see from him. At least he gained his undesired attention. "Well, looks like I settled the issue with the food, didn't I? Not only that I settled it humanely without violence. Now, may I suggest that you both move on and forget about this. I know you have more things to worry about than concentrating on someone who is fighting to survive. I am going to make you a promise to make sure that this doesn't happen again by giving him a place to stay, away from harm of others."

The owner released another heavy sigh, contemplating on a decision, "As you wish, but if I see him come back anywhere near here I will not hesitate to resolve this my way. Now if you don't mind, I have other matters to waste my time on." He walked off in a silent huff.

That was all that was needed and Morkeleb motioned over to gently lift the older gentleman to his feet. "Please, good sir, I know it has been difficult for you, but I am going to make sure you are taken care of. If you would please take this and head to the carriage, I will have some one clean you up and give you a comfortable place to stay." Morkeleb took out a moderately heavy pouch of coins and placed it carefully in his frail hands. He proceeded to assist the man to the carriage and spoke to the driver, revealing everything that needed to be done.

The driver readied himself for departure while Morkeleb crawled into the back seat to retrieve his collectables and assisted the man inside.

He immediately waved them off, witnessing the carriage roll into the distance of the approaching evening. He turned towards the street and headed to the harbor with his weapons nestled firmly in his arms. Morkeleb leisurely paced himself for his temporary arrival aboard his vessel, The Serpentine.



Frenetic Raptor -> RE: "Frenetic Tales" from a raptor (1/23/2009 1:49:19)

A Sinister Agenda


Just near the town square, a slender figure slinked out of a nearby, darkened alleyway. Having finally chosen to step out of the shadows and into the open square, this mysterious stranger, at first glance, appeared to be nothing more than a young elfish woman with long glimmering purple hair, wearing an elegant, red strapless dress. While this sinuous woman cunningly slipped along the scarcely lit streets, she followed nothing but the trickling sounds of the flowing fountain to guide her towards her required destination, knowing it wouldn't be long before everything would come into place. Carefully studying her surroundings, she approached the fountain and abruptly halted. Something was wrong; someone she had not expected was approaching. Was this some unsuspecting civilian intruding upon her important task at hand? Or was one of her long time nemeses attempting to keep her from fulfilling her mission?

Unsure of the accuracy of either assumption, she spun around and tilted an ear, taking a split second to analyze the impeding footsteps of her unwanted guest even further with her acute, sensitive hearing. Indeed, someone was approaching, that was quite evident, though she still didn't recognize whom this individual was. She became infuriated. How dare someone disturb her during such a special moment. No matter, this would only be a temporary distraction, a distraction she could easily avoid. Keeping herself calm, she swiftly returned to the alleyway from which she came and waited impatiently for this foolish sole to leave her presence. Not before long, this person finally disappeared along the empty streets, leaving the town square in a comforting silence. A sigh of relief had been expelled from her violet lips. It was about time, for every delayed minute that passed by would be another minute wasted without her love.

Yet again, she cunningly advanced towards the fountain, refocusing her attention on her interrupted mission. Once she arrived, she quickly peered over the sparkling water and noticed her own reflection in the pristine, rippling liquid. She kept silent and shook her head in disappointment. Having examined the entire construction of this finely crafted stone fountain thoroughly, she spat in the water with utter disgust, displaying her growing displeasure. She had never imagined that this ugly, worthless construction would be where they had actually chosen to keep such a priceless artifact. No, that couldn't be right. How could she even think about considering her master as nothing more than a mere artifact? She would serve him once more soon enough, for the time had finally arrived. She couldn't bear to be without him anymore, longing for his comfort that only a true love could ever bring.

Those cherished memories of her master, many filled with meaningful desires and accomplishments. She released a devilish smirk and clasped her pouch, located just near her waist and brought it in front of her. She delicately untied the closed pouch and gently tipped the contents out into her left palm. The emptied pouch contained nothing more than a miniature vial of red liquid. Realizing that this was all she needed to reunite with her master, she clenched the vial in her hand, forcing the weakening vial to crack in several places. Her smirk had immediately subsided. Even though she loved him, she knew that she would also be a slave to him as well. So be it, there was no way around this; it was either both or nothing at all.

She glared back into the water with pure hatred. Why did she dare dishonor her lord that way, thinking demeaning thoughts towards him behind his back? She would be punished if he ever found out. It wasn't like she had a choice in the matter; she was only doing what was necessary. She regained her composure and resumed her task at hand, except she felt a hint of reluctance in opening the vial. Even so, the cap had been removed and she carefully poured the contents into the clear water. The contents of the vial had been completely drained, down to the very last drop, and the red cloudy liquid began to spread out within the water. With her first task complete, she glanced around, making sure no one had intruded on her. Everything remained clear, but if anyone happened to interfere with her work this time around, she had every desire to deal with them personally. There would be no turning back, not now, the ritual had to be finished.

She kept her eyes fixed on the sphere at the utmost tier of the fountain, resting just above the four stone fish, each one with a steady stream of water pouring out of each mouth. She had finally broken the silence with her delicate, wispy chanting. Along with the chanting, the red cloudy liquid that had been poured into the fountain began to spread rapidly, devouring the purity of the water. The fountain easily succumbed to the malicious force, becoming a fountain of blood, instead of a fountain of water. She knew very well what this was. The only way to revive her lord was to use his own blood, which had been preserved with the same dark magic that sealed a part of his life force within this particular fountain.

Raising her hands, she concluded her chanting while the ruby red pendant continued to glow brightly around her neck. Within seconds, the stone sphere at the top of the fountain started to break apart, radiating a slowly developing dark aura that seeped out of every widening crack. It wouldn't be long now; at any moment his majesty would arise from the inner depths of slumber. That enormous menacing smirk appeared once more. The excitement had been so overwhelming that she almost released an impulsive cackle of laughter. Fortunately, she caught herself just in time, though not entirely.

She was still unable to stop her laughter completely, but she kept quiet, having released her sudden outburst from within, keeping her lips tightly sealed. There was nothing she could do now but wait for him to finally appear. That of course would require a little more patience, the same agonizing patience that was rapidly thinning with the approaching sunrise looming near. The sunrise itself wasn't the entire cause for concern, it was the people that the morning would bring; this worried her already paranoid nerves the most. Suddenly, her few lingering thoughts had unexpectedly vanished, having been startled away by some familiar noise from close by. Her pulse quickened and her anxious nerves tingled with fear. Something or someone was near, but what exactly was it? Could it possibly be...


* * * * *


Her first assumption was yes, it must have been her master, yet something wasn't right. It was indeed her master, though at the same time it wasn't him. Besides the presence of his majesty, a familiar call came from a small figure that flew from above, scouring the area from the skies, peering down on what was unfolding below. In response, she glanced upwards, staring at the black raven from up above and smirked. This particular raven was just another one of her master's pets that had happened to finally arrive to celebrate his long awaited summoning.

She glanced back downward and watched the fountain begin to gurgle. It had begun at last; her master was rising from the darkness that contained him within his slumber through all of these years. Even the raven had caught notice of the sudden change and dived downwards, eyeing a spot to land, which happened to be along the edge of the fountain's base. They both glared at the impending transformation, their red eyes gleaming at the spectacular sight. The summoning progressed from a subtle gurgle to an intense bubbling while the black aura that lingered above the fountain spread out into a larger, shapeless mass. His life force was growing stronger.

The blood from the fountain had only one place to go; that would be nowhere other than to return to her master. The intense bubbling of her master's life force within the fountain slowly dissipated, becoming more of a red vapor that floated upwards, seeking out the powerful darkness that craved for its return. She followed the red cloudy vapor with her eyes while the remaining loosened stone surface of the globe broke away, landing within the now empty fountain. The red vapors clashed with darkened shadow, struggling to become one. This would only be temporary. The black mass had grown significantly in size and began to voraciously consume the lingering vapors that trailed behind.

There was no evidence of the vapors now; there was only her shapeless lord, still without a physical body, hovering without a purpose. Of all of the things she hated most, it was this. This tiny flaw of not having a body to contain such a powerful life force as his majesty infuriated her. Where could she possibly find this unlikely host for him? She had to find someone soon. It didn't matter whom it turned out to be, a body was nothing but a shell that could be replaced with another if needed. That was when the thought hit her. She looked around, completely forgetting the passing of the time.

She felt so stupid for not realizing that the sunrise was upon them and someone would have to come out at some point. What seemed like a normal thought had become a wish that actually came true. She heard a door open and close from the other side of the town square, followed by a few advancing, heavy footsteps. Ah yes, that was it, she had found a host, but did her master know of the presence of another? Only he would know, she couldn't possibly read the floating dark mass that was to be her lord.

Within a moment, this particular person approached the woman ever so carefully, quickly noticing the oddity surrounding the fountain and called out to her rather rudely. "Excuse me miss, what do you think you are doing here and what are you doing to my fountain?" She eyed the gentleman immediately, noticing his confident, sharp spoken words. Quite the brave one he was, this tall, muscular gentleman. Ha, that's right, brave he was, though he had no idea what he had gotten himself into, meddling with matters that weren't his own. No matter, it was too late for him anyway; he mustn't be allowed to leave with the knowledge of what he has seen.

She kept him in silence long enough. She would go along with this little amusing game he started. "Good morning, as you may have noticed I decided to take my daily morning walk and noticed something unusual with your fountain. I was curious to see what was wrong and I took a look. I think something is really wrong with it. You see, there is no water flowing through it and this black mass just started coming out of the top. If you ask me, I think it is malfunctioning or broken. Please, don't be angry, I only came out of my own curiosity. I didn't even touch the fountain in any way." Her words had been spoken with false innocence.

This was partially true; she never touched the fountain, at least not physically. Even if she did, there wasn't any proof that could prove her guilty of such a thing. She discarded all regard for the gentleman's concerns and chose to entice this foolish man to come and take a closer look with her. If he desired to know the truth, he would have to look for himself, that is if he dared it so.

The muscular man immediately hesitated, listening to every word. He was puzzled as to what to believe. Should he trust this woman he had never met or continue to question this abnormal dark floating mass? He wasn't sure, not after what had happened the day before. He already encountered enough trouble with unwanted strangers. It wasn't until he chose to punish Mr. Peteron that events played out against him. Some pathetic man had taken advantage of him by the use of magic once before. No, he wouldn't be that foolish. There was nothing that was going to get him to come any closer, not even some enticingly mysterious elf.

He would not fall for her trickery, not the law biding Mr. Gortzky. He hesitated, considering his best option, either to walk away peacefully or take a risk by approaching this beautiful, alluring stranger. His decision was all but made as soon as he took a reluctant step to the side. This harmless impulse wasn't one he could control. His mind had already become unusually nervous about the ominous scene in front of his very eyes. Before he knew it, he shifted a little more, leery as to what this mysterious female elf's intentions were. For every delicate step he took he could feel her eyes following along, almost as if they were daggers piercing through his soul, seeking out any and all of his weakness.

Just before planting another step forward, an unexpected call startled him. He almost lost his balance, but managed to keep himself steady. The black raven that kept silent all of this time started to release a ravenous cackle, taunting Mr. Gotzky to continue with his little getaway. It was futile now, his majesty had awakened and his eyes had been opened for the first time. His pet had assisted him in his time of vulnerability, giving him an extra set of eyes while he had none. Now that the raven was aware of his presence, Mr. Gortzky's fate was all but sealed. He would no longer have a life of his own, soon to be consumed by this darkened entity, leaving no other evidence behind but a empty shell that would become the new physical form of this menacing dark lord.

In an instant, the raven took flight and the black floating mass disappeared just before reappearing, stopping within inches of Mr. Gortzky's fear stricken face. Mr. Gortzky was completely frozen still, unable to evade his pursuer in any way. A split second later was all it took and he finally faced the inevitable, left completely helpless to defend his own body while the dark life force immediately consumed all that he ever was.



Frenetic Raptor -> RE: "Frenetic Tales" from a raptor (1/23/2009 2:40:09)

A Versus Handbook to Zodiac Summoning*
*(Title remains unofficial as the "Devious Vixen" may desire a more proper name.)


Welcome to my world,

At least that is what I would like one to believe. For those individuals who hold an innocent curiosity that needs to be filled, I desire nothing more than one to read through my pages and finish with only but a simple understanding of whatever my incomprehensible ramblings may actually be about. For those with malevolent insatiable desires I wish those to study this well, for I await your challenge. No matter the type of person or creature, whichever it may be, that discovers this text, the choice remains open. There is no stopping a freedom of choice and I am certainly not going to prevent such a harmless form of entertainment from being shared. Now be prepared and follow along carefully if you wish to enter the world of the “Devious Vixen”...


Personality Quirks of a “Devious Vixen” called Versus
Versus here; your one and only “Devious Vixen” and your very own Zodiac Summoner. How amazing does that sound? Enticing I would hope. But don’t get any ideas as I am by far no means a cheap hire; need to make a living you know. I don’t put my life at risk for nothing. Or maybe I do. Just depends on what kind of mood I am in. Got an impossible challenge; I accept. Just like waving candy in front of a baby, or so I’ve heard - definitely not my area of expertise.

I bet you’re wondering what this “Devious Vixen” nickname is all about. Yes, it is a nickname; one I am not to fond of holding onto. Of course, life’s little disasters happen and before you know it, you’re stuck with a cruel reminder that just nags at your soul for all eternity. Can’t get rid of it no matter what I try; seems to be permanently attached at the hip. I can’t say I blame my tribe for bestowing such an honorable name upon me, considering this title does hold the harsh truth. In reality, I am devious and I am a vixen. The choice remains up to you whether you are a believer. If not, my feelings will not be hurt.

As for my real name, Versus, it means as the name suggests. It is me against the world, no matter whatever it may be at any particular time. No matter the feat that must be overcome, the impossible can become the possible. Strength from the willpower to survive is what drives me to venture on in the world of chaos, where insanity looms near and determination to never give up is what keeps me focused. Call me a warrior, a summoner, even a witch, but I will always remain me. I can be either your dependable ally or your relentless enemy for all eternity; the choice remains up to you

Though I am an integral part of Zodiac Summoning I can’t hog all of the limelight. There are other players on the field, or in the heavens. It’s not like you really want me to bore you with a personal autobiography about little old Versus. Unless you actually meet me in person, I am not really a truly remarkable character. Forgettable more or less, just like all of this text that you are reading. Visually read though the eyes and immediately out the brain; comprehension is entirely optional. But for those desiring more, please do continue on. I assure you that I am not a total loss.


Back to the Basics: The Twelve Signs of the Zodiac
To those wishing to give me a chance, a second, or a reconsidered second, you will not be disappointed (I can only hold my hopes). As a summoner of the Zodiac, every summon will be heavily influenced by the properties of the Zodiac in every possible way imaginable. There are twelve different summons available to an individual summoner at one time:

01. Aries, The Ram
02. Taurus, The Bull
03. Gemini, The Twins
04. Cancer, The Crab
05. Leo, The Lion
06. Virgo, The Maiden
07. Libra, The Scales
08. Scorpio, The Scorpion
09. Sagittarius, Centaur the Archer
10. Capricorn, The Sea Goat
11. Aquarius, The Water Bearer
12. Pisces, The Fish

Most of these are common knowledge if one were to study astrology. The basics are where everything begins, as with summoning. Now before I get too involved, I would like to mention that I will not be going over each of these myself. It is much simpler if I let each of my Zodiac summons do their part, though I will not be responsible for what kind of subject matter they may cover. If something gets left out, no one can blame the messenger. I necessarily wouldn’t leave things out per say, just twist a few details to my liking. I am sure you will thank me later. I am almost positive no one would really wish to look at an ungodly amount of emotionless lists with no personality. Intimidating to say the least, and not to mention, a complete turn off.

Now onto one who needs no introduction, I introduce you to Aries, the Ram.


Aries, the Ram (Cardinal Sign of Fire)
First of all, you might be wondering why I am able to communicate with you. Yes, I am capable of writing and talking verbally. How could that be if I am a ram? In one form I am an enormous physical ram and the other, I am a female guardian. That all depends on if I am influenced by Bestial Energy or Celestial Energy. A coincidence? Maybe? I will let you decide. These energies are important and must be considered separately when summoned.

When I am summoned using a bestial influence, I am an actual ram. Nothing out of the ordinary other than the ability to wield the element of fire. I can either emit it from my body or submerse myself, without injury, within the flames. This elemental property is that of one of three permitted combat actions. The next is brute force, using my very own horns. I can trample my opponent if necessary. Biting is also an option, but not preferred.

Last of my three allowed actions during combat is an enhancement of sorts. Being that of a Cardinal Sign, I am able to use the ability “initiative” to increase my agility and speed to assist in battle. Nothing else can be gained from using this skill. Also, when in this form, I can only act on command and I am unable to speak or use any sort of telepathy.

On the other hand, my Celestial influenced form is slightly different, but remains mostly the same. I can still use the element of fire, attack physically, and enhance my skills with “initiative”, but my appearance will instead become that of an armored warrior of female gender, equipped with a respective weapon of choice. My preferences, of course, being that of a custom sword and a comfortable uniform. Both are designed and colored to fit the respective sign of Aries.

The most noticeable difference or upgrade, if you are to call it, is my ability to communicate with my summoner and my ability to talk to others. Of course, my energy cost to maintain my presence is twice as much as my beastly counterpart. The summoning of me and any other Celestial influenced form is strongly suggested for the wise only - not to be mistaken for the wisecracker.


And here I thought I was one to talk. This may take awhile if all of my summons become chatterboxes. I am going to let them continue as planned, but I may have to go to the prerecorded versions. Would more than likely result in a reduction of my summon compatibilities if I get on any of their bad side, but it is a risk I am willing to take.


Taurus, the Bull (Fixed Sign of Earth)
Versus, you do realize that we all deserve a fair chance to express what we are all about? You know what happened the last time you were the messenger. Just remember, we are all just as important to these summons as you are. There is no way you can summon us being negative. For now I will let it slide as it is my turn.

As with Aries I am essentially the same. I also have a bestial form, that of a Bull and a Celestial form of another female guardian. Unlike Aries, my elemental alignment falls under Earth. “The ground below me will tremble under my feet and the earth will rise and crumble around me.” That is the power of my elemental magic. My physical ability is similar to that of Aries. Just copy and paste if Versus would prefer.

Another difference I have is that I am of a Fixed Sign. My specialty under this sign is “aggression” which increases my strength and endurance. No other effect can be gained from this skill. Being a Bestial influenced summon, I cannot talk as well. Repeat as necessary.

In my Celestial influenced form, I take on the typical appearance of a female guardian with the usual ability to talk. This will continue to remain the same for the rest of us. No need for me to beat the point into the ground, though I certainly have the beastly ability to do so. My element, without a choice, remains earth and I am able to attack physically. I can also still use “aggression”. Not too surprising, but important to remember.

My desired weapon is a custom polearm and a stylish outfit in a Taurus color scheme. Unlike Aries, I wear a helm similar to that of an elegant crown with bull horns on each side. I am on the more fashionably extravagant side than Aries, but I doubt she minds. She was always more of the primitive type. Wait, I think I hear her complimenting me now, or maybe she is muttering words of insult towards me again.

That is one thing we Celestial influenced summons must deal with; the ability to talk. Talking is sometimes overrated and is more trouble than it is worth. Something we Celestials cannot do anything about, but make attempts to ignore. Oh, and by the way, I am also an energy hog who likes to waste the energy of my hapless summoner. You know I am just kidding. Who says Versus gets to have all the fun. Not when I am around. Whats the worse she could do? Not summon me? It will just cost her more in the end. Let the feeding frenzy begin.


And so it begins. Me versus every single one of my summons has commenced. Outmatched I may be, but I will certainly prevail no matter what the outlandish odds are against me. It is okay to have a little bit of doubt right about now, right?


Gemini, the Twins (Mutable Sign of Air/Wind) *~*Preferred Summon!*~*
The almighty Versus with a doubt? Let me get my scribe - my twin, more or less - to write that down for me in the record books. Seriously, that cannot be true. Forbidden words spoken from a goddess. I guess it isn’t particularly a good time to bring up favorable odds, or the lack thereof. Just me being that of two beings in one summon doesn’t do you any justice. But I will leave it at that, as we the twins have got a feeling insult has already been added to a serious injury.

As you could probably guess, we are special in that we are not just one being but two. Nothing like getting a great two-for-one deal at no extra charge. Not only that, we can both share the same abilities and be the physical manifestation of a Zodiac summoner's imagination, at least in the Bestial influenced form. Lucky for Versus, she went all out on us and decided we be gryphons. Who could possibly stop her with companions like us? None that I know of, unless we were having an off day and put on a horrible performance. Timing and coordination is a must for us to pull off our special technique.

Ever wonder about the power of the wind? Can be quite devastating at high speeds. Unfortunately, when we act as two individuals instead of acting as one, we can only produce strong gusts of one-directional wind. Only what is in front of our line of sight will be effected by our magical force. But the real power comes from the combined efforts of the both of us. Are you curious to know what happens when a pair of opposite wind directions pass along each other? Ever seen a vortex of wind? If not, be prepared and grab onto something for your dear old life. You might not be in Kansas anymore by the time we stop this fright train.

"Excuse me, but we aren't in Kansas?", so says my twin.
"I know that, my comrade, it was only but a figure of speech and it would be best if you forgot I mentioned it," I would always reply.

I do wonder why Versus didn't make us with equal intelligence; would be a lot easier. Then again, I just wouldn't have the same enjoyment I do now. Please don't take that away from me. Need to take advantage of something. I know, I am cruel, but have you seen Versus' other side? Frightening to say the least, and I don't just mean not being a morning person. Who knew that she was capable of such devastation. I think I may have stepped over the line, but I thought it would be best if I forewarn anybody crazy enough to actually want to meet her personally. Got a will? Good. Be sure to bring it with. You know I kid, Versus, as we are your favorite summon. Don't worry, there is indisputable proof to back it up... somewhere around here - I just know it.

Seriously, I got that far off track. I am sorry to say, but my twin, I think we are dead now. So with that, let's move on to what we are capabale of, physically. You know what we gryphons look like, for the most part, right? I do hope so, but if not please don't hesitate to study up. If not we might just have to go to your home and pay you a visit. First hand experience may be invaluable, but at what cost will we charge. You might not want to know as the repair bills for our demonstrations may be catastrophic. Ever thought about insurance?

Wait a minute, I just hit a realization. I just discovered that I can't bring myself to be serious. You know what? I give up. My twin will take over the rest for you as I fear I might completely take over this whole guide idea away from Versus.

Sorry about that. I guess I should get things wrapped up, and rather quickly if I am to salvage any hope of Versus every considering us for any purpose whatsoever. Next up is our ability to fly. We are designed with wings, which are very useful. Soaring through the skies has its advantages. Even Versus takes up a ride or two on one of our backs. The tricks we can perform can be spectacular, and no, I don't mean for the bad. For the last ability, it follows suit under the catageory of enhancements.

As the last grouping of the three signs to be mentioned, we can access the use of "interpretation". This basically serves as a heightened sense of awareness of our surroundings. Anything within close proximity can be thoroughly examined and any potential dangers can be discovered. Oh, and in case we weren't clear about our physical capabilities, we are capabale of doing the usual of biting, shredding, and whatever muscle we can use to fend off our attackers.

And finally, our Celestial influenced form is that of a female guardian. See, redundancy is the key to implanting a piece of information permanently into one's mind, or so it would seem we are attempting to do. Unlike our Bestial influenced form we are not two but one, with a choice of becoming two. In this form, we are very analytical and studious. Our humanoid minds make us the perfect pair; an excellent choice for extending a parties numbers. The use of a sword, or two, depending on if both of us are there, is our preference. We can still use wind, but we can only form strong swirling winds. A complete vortex is nigh impossible. Another disadvantage is our lack of wings. That means we are flightless, though we can still make use of the valuable "interpretation" ability to its fullest extent.

As gryphons we can only use "interpretation" to assist us without the ability to communicate to our summoner what dangers lurk about. While influenced by Celestial energy, we can talk freely and be of actual assistance and keep her safe. We are very loyal to our summoner and are here to protect our summoner to the ultimate end. Almost forgot, our Celestial form's choice of clothing is a scholarly uniform of sorts. A comforting fit for combat when desired. I am sure Versus will eventually provide our portraits, but for now, this will have to suffice. Bye for now, and may we not waste anymore of your time or Versus' for that matter. Good thing she doesn't have a silencing spell with her.

Stay tuned for more updates...


Coming Soon...

The Zodiac Series
Cancer, The Crab
Leo, The Lion
Virgo, The Maiden
Libra, The Scales
Scorpio, The Scorpion
Sagittarius, Centaur the Archer
Capricorn, The Sea Goat
Aquarius, The Water Bearer
Pisces, The Fish

A Summoner's Handbook
A Devious Portrait of a Vixen
Properly Casting a Zodiac Summon
I Choose You...
Energy Levels or the Lack Thereof
Taking Charge or Backing Down
Test Your Might
Share the Wealth
Biting Off More Than You Can Chew
Nothing More Than a Flesh Wound?
I Surrender!
Revitalizing Your Opportunities



Page: [1]

Valid CSS!




Forum Software © ASPPlayground.NET Advanced Edition
0.375