The Furry Forums
Creative Arts and Media => Roleplay => Serious RP => Topic started by: Asia Kali Yusufzai on August 06, 2011, 01:27:14 AM
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OOC: http://www.thefurryforum.com/forums/index.php?topic=17272.0 (http://www.thefurryforum.com/forums/index.php?topic=17272.0)
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"Every year there's more of them." The Queen sat back in her chair, her eyes closed and her ears twitching to the noise of boots, shoes and feet on the freshly brushed dirt.. "Two thousand?" she said. Her make-up artist, a swan who twitched and fluttered about the Queen's head, nodded in agreement.
"Life is good your majesty. Your people thrive." She plucked and preened at the Queen's brow then proceeded to extend her eyelashes
"For now. All the while, little contraptions are made in secret above our heads in treetops and clouds. The sky could--"
"Open your eyes please?" the swan said. The Queen did as she was told.
"The sky could fall on us if we're not careful," she said at last.
"Well that's why you're here and, Seeker protect us, that's why the high priestess is here." She picked up a wooden comb and brushed through the Queen's short hair. "Okay, I think you're ready," she said, and the Queen breathed deep.
"Go ask how long it'll be until I'm up," she said. The swan nodded and made a hurried shuffle to the door. She opened it and found the High Priestess ready to knock, dressed at her most elaborate with pieces of wood and bone clattering together.
"Oh, good morning High Priestess." She curtseyed and the Priestess replied with a smile.
"Seeker be with you, girl." The swan curtseyed again then slid past into the corridor. The High Priestess stepped in and closed the door behind her. "Nervous?"
"Not really, Kara. Wasn't it you who said that my softest whisper could inspire the stones themselves?" The Queen looked back with a wry grin. High Priestess Karabelle Kara rolled her eyes.
"So you're calling me that too?" she asked.
"Do you mind?" The Queen shifted to sit sideward on her seat and leaned on the back.
"No I prefer it... Tiz" she replied with a knowing smirk. The Queen drooped at the name.
"Right, I get you," she said. The Priestess smirked a little harder and her eyes glimmered in the smile, but it quickly fled. She watched the Queen, searching her face with a prying stare.
"You know the head of those... shard people are here," she said. She almost spat the words out.
"Yes I am aware of them," replied the Queen. "And I am aware of your opinion on them, but they are just as much part of our community as you or I," she said. The High Priestess folded her wings in front of her and huffed in frustration.
"They are not part of my community. They're blasphemers." There was a harsh scratch of distaste to her voice.
"Yes well religion is your duty, not mine. They are welcome here in my city."
The crowd flowed and swayed like blades of grass as they shuffled into the Grand Theatre. Its walls curled around in a great oval, with a stage at its head where the walls grew into a great sculpture of reaching antennae, representing those of the Goddess Seeker. Beyond that was the surface city, covered in new buildings and housing for the surface workers. Buildings were often nothing more than huts made of wood and dried dung. Often they had wooden windows and a courtyard at the front with beds made of slices of wood tied together.The entrance to the theatre faced away toward the waterways and roads out to the towns. In front of this entrance stood a statue of their founder, Tina Mabaton, in modest robes that clung to a generous and youthful figure. She looked down to the stone held in her hands. Through a gap in the stone, a red gem shone when the light was right. Young trees grew beside the statue and loomed over her. They would often shade the gem, but if one looked closely they would see it hidden in the rock.
Dim Lane shuffled through the crowd, occasionally being politely marshaled by volunteers to get to seats (which weren't much more than stone steps) without much pushing and shoving. He kept his eyes open, searching the crowd, and often hopped up to get a glimpse at any important figures. The white robes and tall stature he was looking for were hard to miss. He darted for them, keeping his eye trained on them as an volunteer approached them.
Aman S. Mongoste strode through the crowd. His large stature towered over the rest and his white robes shone in the morning light, while the dark diamond sat like a vortex of colour on his chest. The only thing taller than he was his assistant's staff that only just peaked past his ear tip.
"Enjoy yourself, Entaru," he said. "I'm expecting quite a lot from today; probably more than anyone else is." He gave a quick wink to Entaru, but then felt a small hand on his arm.
"Excuse me sir, town--
"Don't touch my robes." He snatched his sleeve away and locked a young wallaby boy with a stare.
"My apologies sir." The boy wrung his hands together and gave a nervous little grimace. "But town leaders are expected on the left most seats by stage, if you could just follow me sir." He turned slow and headed through the crowd, making sure not to step on any material.
"Good," said Aman and followed along while he checked his sleeve for stains or scuffs.
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Aria walked through the crowd with great reluctance, she had no real interest in going to the ceremony, she had other things to do besides sit and watch older to old people talk about the 'Seeker' and such. she basically wanted to go back to work and finish cataloging. she knew there was going to be loud cheers and such, her ears were flat on her head, to maybe block out the endless chatter that went on. her intelligent green eyes darted across the crowd, looking for a familiar face or two. she saw Dim in the distance, heading straight for a important figure, she rolled her eyes and thought of course....always after the important figures...poor guy is being mauled by volunteers she would get his attention if she only had the ability to speak or even make a sound. in any case she went the opposite direction, going to find a much high spot to sit on then sit on stone seats.
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Ten thousand years ago, up in space, General Caisen clung to her seat. The ship she was in screamed as it stretched and tore before being flung into the void of hyperspace, burning through beyond sound and light. Stars whirled and blurred, spewing colour and the sound of the universe roared. Every frequency increased, every sound from every star and planet shrieked past as the ship blasted among them. Across every molecule of the galaxy the ship sliced. The hull cracked, the air escaped, and the engines screamed their last spurt of energy. They dropped out of hyperspace and drifted for a moment until gravity took hold. A planet peered up and pulled them toward it, down into a field of white stems and purple flowers. They were dragged toward it, hurtling to the ground. It raced to meet them, the flowers waving until the ship slammed into the ground. Dirt tore and the glass screen snapped. The hull crushed and burst, spilling its innards across the meadow. Chunks of metal bounced and tore while the ship scraped into the dirt until it eventually stopped.
Little-Hands rode across the field on the back of her great feral lizard, Saviour. She wore a short red tunic and a her pocket was crammed with flowers. The large lizard strode through the flowers and its long tail stretched out behind it, swinging over the blooming heads. They approached the craft, weaving past the chunks of wreckage, eyes wide at it all. The girl looked around at everything, seeing them new and strange. The lizard kept its distance until the girl leaned forward and whispered into his ear. He looked around, then with a resigning sigh, crept forward. He nosed through the wreckage, past hull plating and pushed through the pierced metal body. The girl climbed forward to its head and peered through inside the ship, finding two unmoving humanoids with alien suits nestled in the cockpit. She clambered forward off Saviour's head and landed on what used to be the kitchen floor. Silver bags were spewed all over the floor and she picked a few up and stuffed them in her other pocket, and then headed toward the strange humanoids. She clambered onto the general's chair and peered into her helmet, finding a vixen, rather than some strange twisted alien. She reached under her tunic and pulled out a knife, then poked at the space suit, finding little joints to lift and twist. She soon had the helmet off and reached inside, feeling her way along the general's clothes. She patted pockets and bulges until she hit metal. She gripped hold and pulled it out; a strange L-shaped contraption. She stuffed it in her pocket and then went through the same process with the Serval. Once she got the second little trinket, along with the silver bags, she cut at the seat restraints, then dragged them, one at a time, back through the ship to the gaping hole where Saviour peered in.
"Schenas shterada Saka," she said, and the lizard picked them up and held them in his mouth. The girl climbed on top of the lizard and caught sight of someone shifting through the grass.
"Oy!" she yelled. "Away, away. Go!" She yelled, while the lizard growled. The sneaking intruder stood up, a kitten, and ran stumbling back through the grass toward a village close by. Little-Hands watched the child until it disappeared, then they turned and headed off across the fields back home.
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A panther sat in a circle drawn by his own hand, five pillars each tethering his body to the self-highlighted location. His breathing was the only sound in the room, steadily breathing in and out, in and out. The repetition keeping his thoughts quiet and his emotions non-existent. With every breath he counted five seconds. After exactly a thousand breaths, He rolled onto his back and planted his feet down as he started doing sit-ups. The dome, through his eyes, had started to flicker into darkness.
"So, how are things treating you in seventh sector, Briggs?" He said aloud, with no soul to listen but himself.
"Pretty quiet, got some nice booze, met a few girls... but couldn't score." The dome was gone now, he was in a military base and was also tinkering with his plasma rifle.
"Let me guess, they were more interested in the girls on the base than in you." He cursed under his breath as he dropped the pen torch, his talons pushing it away as he rolled up his armored sleeves to get a better reach.
"You were right Chronin, most of the women here are homosexual, and the rest are already married or engaged." He finally picked up the pen and had resumed the touch-ups on the rifle.
"With any luck, the first woman you'll find that is interested in you, she'll want the payment up front before bending over." The wolf jabbed him in the waist while laughing at the comment.
"'Wise-cracks gets you a cracked rib', remember Sargent Yavik telling us that during Basic?" He smiled at the memory, but was still focused on his rifle.
"I believe that was the same day I broke two of his ribs during CQC sparring. I wish he was still around to give me those two wise-cracks." regret stabbed into his chest as the war flashed through his mind. Now he was on his back, his abdomen sore from the exercise, and a strong heat filling his body.
"By the Seeker, I'm already missing Tiz and its only been ten thousand breaths." He resumed his breathing exercise, waiting for the intense pain to dull before sitting upright again.
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Aria walked along a nearby building, high enough to be above all the people and low enough for them to see her, she looked over the crowd and smiled, she saw that some people were looking at her oddly. Aria already knew she was an odd character, she thought and saw things differently then most people. the idea of women ruled world was just as bad as a men ruled world, equality was her belief, but she could never express her ideas, since no one would take her seriously. many have thought what a pitiful character she is, couldn't speak, could only stare and make gestures with her hands that made others feel awkward. though she was not a rebellious character as she would of been, many have enjoyed and even taken advantage of her silence.
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Entaru strode beside his lord, relatively dwarfed by him but not quite as much as those shuffling around them. His robes flowed behind him as he walked, a snow white cowl covering his features. Hearing his master address him, he nodded eagerly. "I will, sir! This will be a momentous day for all." As the wallaby gripped his master's arm, he was tempted to crack the boy over the head with his staff. Watching his master head for his seat, Entaru bows in a gesture of farewell. "May the Shard be with you, sir!" Turning about he pushes his way through the crowd, using his staff to make openings between people by smacking their feet or pushing them aside. Finally towards the front of the crowd, he watches and waits eagerly for the celebration to truly commence.
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The serval within the suit, stirred slightly as he was being carried. Under his eyelids, his eyes would be darting to different directions as he fell into a cold sweat. His mouth moved as the feline mumbled, as if he was talking to someone he was currently seeing. Inside the feline's mind he was once again inside the Sphere, intact and untouched from the past real world events but void of life and activity. More specifically he was inside the facility he worked in, walking through the empty steel corridors that were stained in blood from the ceilings to the floor.
“What I would give, to live a normal life.” he mumbled as he move along, taking unsteady steps as he felt his entire body aching from the crash. In his ear was a small cellular device.
A voice rang from the device, into the male's ears, echoing loudly through his thoughts as his eyes darted to each puddle of blood. “Yes... but your fate wishes other wise...”
“A fate I did not ask for. Now I am being chased by an blood crazed colossal alien demon.” The cat snarled after spinning around to face a plane of glass/ His reflection was replaced by another entity who stared at him and mimicked his actions. The entity had jet black fur, and took a jackal like appearance.
“I am sorry, but you could have ended it all. You do have a gun... you know. It only takes the use of three muscles... give it a try,” the Jackal spoke through the device as it gave the feline a disturbing grin.
“Now... I need you to wake up, and see once more...” The creature spoke with a fading voice as everything seemed to grow brighter till it was almost blinding.
In the real world, the Serval's eyes cracked open as he gave a soft grunt when he was met a wave of invasive bright light.
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Sunlight glimmered off the water of the river, between tall reeds and over the many boats that travelled slowly between this marshy jungle. Imshi sat at one end of the family's long reed fishing barge, her eyes following the darting movements of her little bird companion. Vin dived and swerved, an electric blue blur skimming the surface of the river, chasing down the buzzing insects that hung above the water. Imshi couldn't help but smile as she watched the bird in his carefree ways, her own feathered wings flicking and twitching in time, as though she wished to take flight and join him.
Her smile continued as she glanced over at the prow of the boat, and the lone figure who sat staring into the glistening water with a wistful look in his blue eyes. She studied him in the warm sunlight now, his usual hunting leathers gone and replaced with her own clan's traditional weaves. Imshi finally gave in and called softly to him "Yenchi... Yenchi!"
Yenchi looked up at the second call of his name and glanced back down the length of the boat. He too smiled as they met eyes, the smile widening as she stood and walked between the many other fisherwomen and servants to sit beside him. He smirked and let one hand trail back into the water, feeling it ripple through his fingers. "Halloa Tessie."
Still smiling Imshi Teresa leaned against the side of the boat and watched the feline curiously. Nobody else would have dared to you use the shortened version of her clan name, it was considered childish at best by the women of Teresa, and yet here this boy said it and she smirked and said joyfully "Halloa yourself!" She shifted where she sat and mimicked Yenchi's position, letting her fingertips break the shimmering surface of the river. A small shiver ran down Yenchi's back as she pressed close beside him and as he glanced sidelong at Imshi he couldn't help but feel hurt that she did not look back at him with the same yearning in her eyes.
At the back of the reed barge Imshi's mother steered the tiller, sharing a little look with her husband. They both watched the two, sitting at the prow and smiling, carefree and young.
Both shared the little glance again and a faint frown creased the vixen's forehead as the procession of boats broke free of the reeds. It was as though a curtain had been lifting, bringing the boats and those who sat in them out from a world of greens into the bright and unfiltered sunshine. The boats slid out into open water that gave the first view of Tina city.
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Dim Lane slipped through the crowd, heading to the left side, ducking his head into the mass of bodies. One of the bodies was in his way. A big one. He looked up and saw a Gorilla staring him down.
"Sorry sir, this area is for Town Leaders only." The guard was like a statue. Dim peered around him and found the Shard Leader, some way ahead. He tapped the ground his foot and looked around.
"Right right, well I am a Town..." Over in the crowd, the 7ft staff stuck out against the white robes like an ant in a bag of rice. "No I'm not," He said with a smile and slipped back into the crowd, leaving a grumbling guard behind him.
He hopped and scuttled through the crowd, hopping now and then, keeping his eye on the target, getting closer with each look. He dove into the lower area where the crowd stood up against the stage, and he squeezed himself in, popping up beside Entaru. "Hi!" he said, prodding the fox on the shoulder.
A small, brightly coloured frog stepped on stage with her long robes that flowed behind her in bright green. She stood at the centre and looked out across the stage, her arms out calling for quiet. The volunteers helped, shushing and rushing people to their seats. Soon the raucous rumble of a thousand conversations calmed to the slightest murmur.
"Good morning my friends, Seeker be with you all." Her voice was high but reached loud across the Theatre and even beyond. The murmur of the crowd settling to mere whispers. "Welcome to our Gratitude of the Seeker. There will be food, games and entertainment to come, but first I implore you to applaud our speakers today. Head Priestess Karabelle Kara, and Queen Tizzarath Nather." She put her hands together in applause and the crowd followed suit. Cheers erupted as the two women emerged onto the stage. The Priestess bloomed in the most extravagant plants and animals with colours that burned like the sun, while against her, the modest and small mouse hybrid stood and oozed confidence. She looked out the crowd, raised her hand in the slightest wave and the people gave a second wave of cheers.
Little-Hands rode Saviour through the field, and the two unconscious bodies flopped in the lizard's mouth, their suits open and the new air pushed into their lungs. The smell of the sea seeped through and the sound of waves on rocks crashed through their heads. The lizard stepped to the beach and clambered onto the rocks, darkened by water, heading to a cave that led deep into the rock until daylight failed to reach.
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Another grunt escaped the serval's maw as his eyes shut once more, to protect themselves from the sunlight. He felt himself getting closer to falling asleep once more, being reassured by the soothing scent of the sea and sounds. However he forced himself to stay awake when he felt something wasn't right. He felt his body being moved, bouncing around limply as if he was a rag doll in the grasp of a child. He cracked his eyes open once more to witness something frightening, the lack of the light from before.
His eyes opened fully now as he tried to study his new situation. He quickly realized he was missing his helmet when he felt a slight breeze run through his fur when he lifted his head slowly. “H-hello?” he called out as he attempted to move about in the lizard's maw. His hand would slide to the side to feel what was next to him.
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The line of Teresa clan fisherwomen and servants entered the theatre to silently sit at the very back of the crowds. Imshi and Yenchi followed along at the back, straining to hear the beginnings of the speech as everyone fell silent.
As the last of the clan entered the theatre Imshi felt someone behind her grab her wrist and, with remarkable strength, pull her round face to face. Her mother stood staring down at her and Imshi quailed under the intense stare.
“You don’t know what you have done child.” She hissed through gritted teeth, her bright green eyes flashing in the sunlight. Imshi made to pull away causing her mother to increase her grip until the young vixen gave a mild yelp of pain. “I have cared well for you girl. Always my best for you, but this is too far. Blessed by seeker or not, you cannot announce that weak cat as your mate!”
Imshi finally tore her hand out of that strong grip, surprising the older vixen at her sudden ferocity as she hissed back “Mate? You think I chose him as a mate?” A few paces away Yenchi’s ashen-grey cheeks flushed pink as Imshi glared at her mother and said “I asked him to be my sworn-servant. You may have mated with the first blasted Eagle you saw but that does not mean I will do the same-”
The slap resounded between the low walled houses and echoed off the entrance to the theatre. Imshi’s mother raised her hand to slap the girl again, her eyes ablaze with fury “How dare you speak to your elder like that!” The second slap connected with Imshi’s cheek, Yenchi watching on the sidelines helplessly “I care for you!” A third, equally hard slap “WE cared for you!”
Her mother was shouting now as she slapped the girl for a fourth and last time, sending her sprawling in the dirt. For one moment it seemed the woman would strike her again then she sighed a deep and pained sigh. She walked past Yenchi without looking directly at him, whispering over her shoulder to the sobbing form of her daughter “The clan has made its decision. Now you must make yours.”
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Ivana Teresa Hlásova sat down beside the village healer at the back of the theatre. The aged woman glanced sidelong at Ivana as tears rolled silently down her cheeks and said “You have told her.” It was not a question, and Ivana made no answer, instead wiping the tears from her eyes and massaging the palm of her hand with an anxious look in her eyes.
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Yenchi knelt gingerly beside Imshi, watching as sobs wracked her curves and choked her breaths. He made to stroke her cheek where the skin glared angry and red beneath the soft white fur. She slapped his hand away “Leave me Yenchi.”
He chewed his lip and made to stroke her cheek again, murmuring “Tessie, I’m just-”
She slapped his hand away again, this time looking up at him with her amber eyes rimmed and red and swimming with tears “Don’t call me that! Get away from me!” When he made no move to enter the theatre Imshi raised her hand to strike him. It trembled there for a moment, Yenchi wincing but otherwise not shirking away from the blow that would surely come.
With a trembling sigh Imshi dropped the hand back to her side and pushed herself ungainly to her feet, not meeting Yenchi’s questioning eyes as she muttered “I’m sorry Yenchi. You can’t understand...”
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Aria had remembered something she had to do at the sight and dashed back, it was quite a trip but that didn't bother her. as she finally made it, she thanked herself for the stamina and dexterity that she had built up over the years, she began to search what she was looking for. after a while of searching, she found a new hole hand been dug, she raised an eyebrow as she. went over to investigate, she stepped lightly around the wet soil, not wanting to ruin anything, as she stepped around, something gave in and she fell through a tunnel. sliding, rolling and such. she saw a dead end, expecting it to be soil, she braced herself, but the wall broke and she fell and rolled through. making quite a racket as she was covered with dirt and clay. spiting out some dirt, her wild green eyes looked around. it was a prison... she slowly stood, glad that nothing was broken, but she knew she would be sore and bruised for a while. in her head she cursed herself, she sensed a presence...not sure of what to think, she turned around...
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Talin stopped his breathing halfway, and turned to the newcomer that happened to find his prison.
"Young one, your presence startled me... please don't do that again." He resumed his breathing, trying to supress his emotions and only partially focus on the 'intruder'. The light from the open hole showed his thick purple coat, along with the vine-like tattoos that had seemed to have no specific pattern nor direction. His outfit showed that he had not left the prison in awhile. His pants were tattered at the ankle, with the cloth around his forearms looking just as tattered.
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Oh great a talker... she thought to herself. she looked at him curiously though, then frowned, then with her hands she signed and mouthed 'I'm sorry, that I startled you...' she assumed that he wouldn't get it. she hoped he wouldn't ask what was wrong with her.
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Entaru eyed the raven curiously and huffed, looking back to the two women who had commanded everyones attention. "Hello...is there something you want?" Entaru was straight to the point. It was obvious this avian had picked him out for a reason, just what he didn't know. Glaring up at the women his lips curled into a half hidden snarl, cursing Seeker in his mind for taking so much attention away from the Shard...a physical object that has proven time and time again to be powerful and benevolent, whilst Seeker flits from shadow to shadow avoiding those who worship her so. It was disgraceful...
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Saviour jerked his head as the previously unconscious bodies woke. He opened his mouth wide and dropped them in a heap on the stone floor of the cave. It was remarkably dry, as though the sea water hadn't breached the entrance in days. Little-Hands stood over them and checked General Caisen who was still very much unconscious. She clambered around them and stared into Leo's eyes.
"Hello." She had a thick accent, emphasizing the Ls right from the back of her throat as though she were vomiting.
"Sorry, yes, just a moment of your time," Dim Lane had wild gesturing hands while he talked, brimming with enthusiasm. "It's just that I am an archeologist, and there are some hints in some of my findings that there may be more than one God."
"Shh," The raven was prodded from behind by a disgruntled anteater, so he shuffled closer to Entaru and whispered. "I am aware that you feel the same, what with this shard business. I was just wondering if--"
"Shhhush!"
"Ladies and gentlemen." The High Priestess stepped forward with wings outstretched as she spoke. Her voice was strong, and echoed across the hushed theatre. "We welcome all who gather here today to pay gratitude to Seeker, our protector." Another cheer and applause rose up. "We have lived through and thrived within another year of hardships, and have enjoyed another year of merriment. Most of you have all been good, honest and upstanding people even though new cultures have sprung, new ideas and new differences. It is the Seeker's will that we do not fight difference, but that we may learn from each other."
To the right of the stage, a swan in torn and tattered clothes stumbled and swayed on, heading toward the centre. Murmurs and eyes of the crowd turned to her and watched her move. The Queen turned and her face fell to a perplexed frown. She walked to the swan, arms out, attempting to herd her away in silence while the High Priestess continued.
"I believe that the Seeker has allowed those of very significant difference to come to this theatre. It is not unknown that the Town of the Sh--"
"Nero is coming!" The swan squawked and pushed at the Queen, flapping and twisting past her, eyes wild, body unstable. "The shard will bring death!" She fell to the floor screaming and writhing. "The shadows are in the sky. Seeker will die at the hands of a demon. Run! Run for your lives." She was sprawled on the floor, a twisting mess. The Queen ran to her side and a figure draped in dark robes and hood drifted onto the stage. The red insignia that crawled down its back was clear. It was a Chosen. Murmurs grew, people spoke in alarmed tones.
Up in the seats on the left, beside wide eyed leaders mumbling to each other, Aman S. Mongoste leaned back with a smile. His body shuddered with the slightest chuckle.
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Talin didn't miss a beat as he read her gestures. "Well, it was hard not to since you took a path that I never even knew existed. Is there a sign for your name, or should you write it in the dirt?"
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oh for seekers sake... she wrote her name. Aria Loray with her fingers in the dirt. before looking up at him, before she signed. I can hear you
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A smirk grew out of his emotionless face as he looked down at her name. "I know you can hear me, as you did what I asked." He signed back, though the restraints added a few seconds to his response. Why would I think you were unable to hear?
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why are you signing back, you can just talk? she ask, an very irritated look on her face before she signed and mouthed again because most people think I am deaf and stupid she stood up and bushed dirt off her butt and the back off her legs. before she let out a silent sigh and looked up at the hole. that sure was a long fall, I'm going to have to climb up it again before anyone notices but...
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"You're being thrown out of the clan." Yenshi spoke to Imshi's departing back, clenching his upper arm tight with one clawed hand. She paused but he could not see her face, could not guess her expression, though he knew what she thought "Its because of me. Because I'm not of the clan, and because by agreeing to be your sworn-servant it breaks tradition." At this Imshi turned round and her tear-filled eyes alighted on Yenchi, his own blue eyes meeting hers unwavering and quietly confident in what he said.
She shook her head lightly and gave a small huff of laughter and shook her wings with a flutter of feathers "No, it is not because of you. It is me that breaks the traditions. Me who made friends outside of the clan all those years ago and me who asked you to be my sworn-servant." Her laugh did not linger in her eyes or her voice as she walked to Yenchi, her hands clasping his shoulders like an older sister to a brother "This is not your fault. Only I am to blame, and it is my decision now."
With that she released him and shooed him away, again like an elder sibling to a youngster, almost patronizing "Go, Yenchi. I need time to think and it would be best if you remained away from the clan." She saw the hurt in his eyes as he turned and walked obediently back down the path to the river, his tail hanging limp and his ears flat. This only made the roiling anger and guilt in her grow and the tears in her eyes to brim again as she turned to the theater.
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Yenchi sat down at the river bank, dipping his feet into the running water. He sighed and simply watched the water run past and the various leaves it carried in its shimmering wake. While he appeared to be calm and still, his mind ran fast and dexterous, only a slight creasing of the forehead indicating so.
A small flash of blue broke his concentration and it was with a jerk of the head that he looked up into the bright eyes of Vin. The bird hovered for a moment before alighting on Yenchi's outstretched hand.
There followed a moment of silence in which the bird chirped his cheery song a few times, after which Yenchi grinned and shrugged his shoulders knowingly, stroking the little bird's vibrant wing as he said "Fine, show me where then." At this the bird fluttered up into the air and flitted away back up the path and then to the right. Yenchi sighed and stood, following the bird.
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Imshi edged through the crowd, muttering quiet apologies as she slid between the pressing bodies. Her eyes stayed on her clan, to the point where she did not notice the happenings on the main stage, instead she walked to get as many people between her and the clan as possible. She finally stopped and let her thoughts return to her mother's last words but instead found herself looking to the stage and watched the spectacle unfold with growing curiosity.
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Yenchi knelt down beside the hole in the earth, ignoring the bird that darted around his head chirping wildly. He looked up at Vin with a quizzical look, turned back to hole and sheepishly shouted into its depth "Halloa! Anyone down there?" His voice echoed down into the darkness. Yenchi looked back up at the bird and frowned "If someone did fall down here they would have replied, no?" The bird cocked his head and fluttered to the edge of the hole, bright eye glinting in the sunlight.
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"One, I wanted to show that I understood sign language. Two, I just like acting silly. Usually most people go through that door to enter this chamber." He pointed to the wooden door with a barred window at eye level. "I might have to tell Tiz that were was another tunnel coming into here. Then again, I could help you get through that hole if you just cut the ropes."
-
The feline winced as he found himself unprepared as he hit the ground, flopping in the air and back to the ground. His hands would slide across the ground, to feel out where he was.. After feeling what felt like cloth through the gloves of his suit, his hand trailed more over the unknown mass, until he could feel what felt like a head, and quickly identified it as the general after noticing the fox like shape. He groaned once again and rolled onto his back to look up to the woman blindly. When he heard her voice, it took a moment for her response to register under her heavy accent. With the lack of light he hadn't realized that the woman was standing right over him as he started to sit up, and possibly bumping into her as he replied in a groggy tone “...such an accent... where am I?”
-
Aria looked at the ropes then back at the Panther guy. he was really tall and Physically intimidating. she frowned, then signed I can climb thank you very much... and aren't you suppose to be locked up for a reason? then her eyes narrowed, shadowing her green eyes I don't even know your name... I hope he is not some sort of... mad man or something she hated it most when others viewed her as weak and helpless. most people are appalled when they finally realized how much of an spunky attitude she can have.
-
Talin laughed, trying to not startle himself with the realization that he has yet to cause another manic episode with his own emotions. "I'm locked up because I was too valuable to be killed. Talin Kor'vial, one of the Seeker's Chosen, at your service." He made a small bow, the rope at his neck only allowing that much. "I understand that you can climb, but do you really think that the way you came in is even climbable? I offer to open the door of the more stable pathway."
-
Siyan was sitting in a less crowded area during the whole epidemic on the main stage. Meredith wasn't paying much attention, she was picking flowers and looking at the water. As the whispers flooded through the crowd Siyan's face grew pale he was always one to worry to much.
"Meredith.... Meredith!" his voiced was filled with panic, the only time the child was out of his site is when she was at school. He stood up looking around for the small arctic fox, his eyes going from head to head. 'Where could she be? I knew I shouldn't of brought her. I knew this was a bad idea. I swear if any one has even looked at her-' his mind was racing jumping to the worst conclusion. He began to force him self deep within the large crowd pushing everyone out of his way.
Meredith looked at the yellow flower by the river bed, the petals wrestling gently in the wind. Her deep green eyes gazed over the soft moving river bed. The sound of her name made her ears perk up.
"Siyan?" She turned around not seeing him anywhere. While most children may of been fearful with being alone Meredith just wondered were she thought Siyan may be. Unable to find him immediately she recalled what she was taught in school, she was to look for a respectable looking adult and stay by them. "Hello sir I lost my big brother may I stand by you while I await his arrive?" her small high pitch voice demanding attention. Her eyes battered between the man she was talking to and a bird that was fluttering near a hole.
-
a chosen...? she cocked her head curiously forgive me, I do not understand...chosen? is it related to the seeker?
-
His smirk turned into a friendly smile. "Yes it is, and I know it's not a well-discussed topic. Chosen are those who have part of the Seeker within themselves, they have the power over life and death... within limits. In definition, the Chosen are those whom the Seeker chose to share some of her power."
-
Yenchi glanced down at the young girl, blinking for a moment and looking over at Vin. The bird chirped loudly and then flew down the hole in a flash of blue. "Hey!" Yenchi shouted after the bird as it disappeared, then turned back to the girl and cocked his head to one side. He knelt down beside her and looked into her eyes with a small smile "I'm sure you can wait with me. What does your brother look like?"
----------
Vin fluttered out of the hole Aria had fallen through, chirruping his melodious call and swooping around her head. The bird did this three times, circling the two of them and then landed on the ground a few feet away, a strangely proud look in his little eyes. As though this still wasn't enough the bird chirped again and hopped closer to Aria, head flicking this way and that to watch her and Talin.
-
Aria frowned, before she looked at him, observing the way he stood and the way he talked. then she signed if I cut you loose...how can I be sure you wont hurt me? then she said. even if you did, what use would you get out of killing or hurting a poor, mute girl like me?" Its not like seeker cares about me anyways...she ripped away the power of speech from me thats when she noticed the bird and she looked at it curiously, kneeling next to it and opened her palm. curious...
-
The little bird eyed her hand cautiously, then hopped into her palm with another chirrup. It sat there calmly and started to preen the bright blue feathers of its four wings with occasional glances at Talin. Done cleaning himself, Vin fluttered up onto Aria's shoulder and settled down. As strange as it would sound, it almost seemed as though the bird understood what was being said and was merely content with listening.
-
Talin laughed again, wiping a tear from his eye while tensing his legs for a brief moment. "I would have no use or desire for harming or killing you. Depending on the nature of your muteness, I could restore your voice. However, I cannot undo what the Seeker herself has done during your time in the womb, nor what she will do when your soul parts from your body."
-
"Well he is big" Meredith spread her arms out wide and then long, "he has wings and dark skin.. and hair..." the child's mind began to wander as she tried to decipher how Siyan looked in her own mind.
On the opposite end Siyan began to panic. He couldn't find the child anywhere.
"Meredith! Meredith!" His voice filled with fear as he yelled as loud as he could, still pushing people out of his way.
-
Aria stared, the facial expression of 'what the hell...' before she shrugged and signed I am perfectly fine without a voice, gives me character
-
Entaru grimaced at the raven and did not answer for a moment. If there was a god at all it certainly wasn't Seeker. More than one god...he dare ask of what only the highest ranking members of the Town of the Shard know. Fool. Looking down on the raven he let a low growl echo through his throat, as his emerald eyes bore a hole into his skull. "My faith is unwavering...that is all any worshipper of Seeker may ever know." Turning back to the Queen and Priestess, a smirk appeared under his cowl as the swan began to rant. He kept a close eye on her agony as she howled her warning, his fist tightening around his staff in gleeful anticipation as the coming of Nero was proclaimed to the crowd. Praise the Shard....our time has come.
-
His grin got larger. "Which is why the Seeker did not design you with a voice. I used to not be in this prison ten years ago, but then my 'burden' became too much for those around me." He looked around as Aria made no move to cut the ropes or even approach him. "If you cut me out... I'll tell you about the other gods and open the door for you... deal?"
-
Aria frowned I am not religious... but... if I let you go... will you be my friend and not kill me?" she asked I wanna get out of Tiny city....I can get you new clothes too then she pulled out her stone dagger and slowly approached him.
-
Talin nodded. "Thank you Aria, and I will. But, it's not about religion, this is a second-hand account of their existence." He stood with arms low so that the neck rope would be the only thing that might be out of her reach.
-
Oh Dim would love this guy.... she thought as she cut his ropes away. she saw the rope scars and burns and felt sorry for him, when she was done, she stepped back. now for the whole she mouthed to herself as she put the dagger away. she let the bird loose and it flew through the hole, Aria skillfully climbed through the hole and looked around the top...no one, she beckoned him to come, claiming it was safe.
-
Talin kept his elation to a minimum as the 'chains' that held him there were now slumped against the floor, and far away from his person. He went over to the hole and looked up. "I'll be right up, I need to get something!" He went over to the wooden door, and had it busted open after bashing it with his leg four times. He then made an immediate left, heading over to a dust covered ornate chest.
Tiz did say she would keep the sword safe, and everything she touches does eventually become ornate. He found it locked, then remembered.
Yea... a Chosen's weapon would be very tempting to the less virtuous of Tina City. He bashed the lock open with a stone, breaking the stone in the process. He smiled as he saw Fang in the chest, encased inside a red sheathe made of reinforced leather. He slipped the strap on, and the hilt pointed out of his right shoulder as he went back into the prison and climbed his way out of the hole.
-
Aria was sitting cross legged, by the time she saw him, she saw his face, well...she had to admit, somehow, he was a casanova. before you were locked up, were you a lady's man? she asked, but her face portrayed that she wasn't impressed.
-
Talin smiled at that, but made sure he got out of the hole before answering. "I did not date anyone, if that is what you meant. The only person I've spoken with who is even remotely my age, and whom I have good opinions of, is Queen Tizzarath." He spoke as if that was nothing, mostly because he was still keeping his emotions in check.
-
Aria looked him up and down, before she rolled her eyes. no lover boy ever dates a girl, ts called a one night stand... she signed, she stood up and sighed, mentioning him to follow, they came to a room as she looked at him, then pulled out leather pants, boots, wool socks and a tunic and threw it at him. before she went into the other room.
-
Talin looked at Aria with confusion. "Hey, what is a 'one night stand'?" He shouted, then started putting on the tunic until he couldn't get both arms through it. He put on the pants, which actually fit and had some slack to them. He then put on the socks and boots, then kicked them both off when the boots couldn't fit. He went into the other room, looking for Aria. "Those are some mismatched sizes, Aria. Only the pants fit me."
-
Aria stared, her eyes then narrowed as she went back into the room and looked through the chest, she found a huge tunic and gave it too him, finding a pair of socks that belonged to a worker about Talin's size and an extra pair of boots that were also huge. she threw those at him too, she decided not to tell him what a 'one night stand' is, for his mind was now too innocent for ten years of being in prison. she punt those on for him, they fit perfectly. good she signed.
-
Yenchi listened to Meredith, watching her describe her brother with curiosity. When it finally seemed the girl could not describe him any farther Yenchi stood up and glanced around. There seemed to be no-one nearby except Vin who sat beside the hole, chirping victoriously. Yenchi looked from the bird to the newly disturbed earth around it but thought nothing of it, twisting one of his braids around his middle finger, thinking for a moment.
With a smile down at Meredith he pointed towards the path up to the theater and said "Why don't we go try and find your brother? I'm sure you can't have wandered far." Vin chirped in annoyance as he realized no-one was paying him attention, and so fluttered up onto Meredith's shoulder, hopping and displaying his vibrant blue plumage. With a smirk Yenchi glanced at the bird "Don't mind him, he's a just a bit of a showoff."
-
"This my home," Little-Hands said, then stepped back toward the giant feral lizard. "Who are you, you came from sky and smell like fire." She reached under her tunic and gripped the hilt of her knife as the serval brought himself to full attention.
Dim Lane bowed low. "Yes yes, ofcourse. Only one God, ofcourse. Faithful to the Seeker, ofcourse." His sickening grin was plastered on his face. "I have a few problems with that theory though." Then, as he spoke, the swan screamed and wailed on stage. He gave a quick look from her back to Entaru. "So... who's Nero?"
The robed Chosen leant down the thrashing swan, who quickly calmed. Her wings fell back to the ground and her screams dimmed to the soft breaths of sleep. The Chosen stood back up and moved to the Queens side. It whispered into her ear and she nodded. The n she beckoned someone over from the left of stage, a canine member of the security. She whispered into his ear and he gave a salute before marching off stage. The Queen then stepped forward.
"Ladies and gentlemen, if I may have quiet here. Everything is under control and I would appreciate it if you all remained seated while we sort out this issue." While she spoke, guards trickled through the crowd. A pair of cats stepped up behind Entaru.
"Excuse me sir, the Queen requests you come with us." The same was happening to Aman, who stood tall over his canine guards and gave a pleasant smile and open arms. He walked with them without fuss, heading out and around the theatre to the rear entrance.
Deep below the ground, a goat guard marched through the corridors, moving deep into the complex, until a large stone door sat in front of him. He pulled out some keys that echoed as the clattered together while he opened the three locks. The door slid away and within the room a large cage was empty. There was only the shreds of ropes and daylight streaming down through a hole in the ceiling.
"Oh hell." He ran back to the surface.
-
Meredith's eyes widened as she looked at the bird, the eloquent bird's color gleaming in the sun light.
"Wow such a pretty bird. He isn't anything like the live stock we have on the farm, do you eat him?" her child hood innocence making light of the matter. Wasting no time Meredith grabbed Yenchi's hand and tugged at it. "Come on mister I want to show my brother your pretty bird."
Siyan took a brief moment to listen to the Queen, only taking in half of what she said due to his mind being occupied else where. As the crowd began to sit down, Siyan deiced he head for the outer rim again hoping he could see the small fox from a far. Running to the clearest pass Siyan tried to run past Aman, but when he tried to side step around him he lost his footing slamming head first into the behemoth. Siayn's body mass not even close to the giant the bat falls flat on his rear; peering up at Aman.
-
Talin smiled, making a few test steps before stomping the ground. "They definitely feel good. So, what are you going to do when you get out of Tina City?" He his sword back on so the tunic wouldn't get in the way of a fast draw. "Oh, and don't be surprised if guards come after us or one of the Chosen... I'm supposed to be locked up after all."
-
Fantastic... she signed, she looked around, the path to the back gate was through the suburban area, but if they left quickly, they could escape very very quickly. but there were people near the hole. Blast.... then she looked up and smiled. before she turned and signed I seriously hope you know how to climb before she hopped through the window and began to climb up the building.
-
Talin barely fit through the window a he leaped in a similar fashion, and matched Aria's climbing, slowing down so he didn't pass her. "Don't worry about the guards or the Chosen if we do manage to run into them though. I can hold them off, and they're likely to chase me than you."
-
Aria rolled her eyes as she reached the roof, she looked around and saw no sign of trouble as she mentioned for him to follow. she hopped across the roof tops, she was a little new at this but manage not to fall to her death. the gate was insight but was still a ways to go.
-
Talin made it look easy as he kept pace with Aria, stopping her before she jumped to the next roof. His tone seemed harsh, even though he held his hand out in assistance while getting on one knee. "Get on my back, your pacing is slowing us both down."
-
well excuse me for not being so quick she though as she climbed onto his back. holding on but not tightly.
-
At the mention of Nero, Entaru only replied with a smirk and turned to the cats behind him. Nodding with a smile at their request, he glanced back at the raven behind him. "You'll have to excuse me sir...it seems that the Queen is in need of my assistance. I bid you good fortune in your...research...maybe we will get to talk at a later date." The smugness was clear in his voice as he walked away, letting the cats lead him away from the pesky raven. "May the Shard watch over you...."
As he walked, his staff thudded heavily against the ground, sending a chill of unease through those he walkd by. He seemed like a walking mound of cloth the way he blended into his robe and only the green of his eyes indicated that he was indeed a living being and not some sort of construct.
-
He got to a running start, clearing the next gap easily and landing on the next roof for two seconds at the most before heading to the next roof. Aria could feel the wind rush past them, and the gate coming closer at an equally faster pace.
-
With a growing smile Yenchi allowed the youngster to lead him off towards the theater, holding her small hand carefully in his own white-furred palm. As they walked he stole glances down at Meredith as Vin fluttered around them giddily in swooping circles. It was her smile he realized, that childish innocence and the pureness of the smile that twinkled in her wide eyes.
It was infectious and as they walked he couldn't help but grin too. "So..." He glanced down at her again, watching as Vin fluttered in front of her, keeping apace with them as he flew backwards using his four beating wings "You said you live on a farm. Do you have parents there?"
----------
Imshi turned away from the stage, her mind back on the immediate problem. She wrung her hands fervently and paced back and forth between the jostling crowds. It was only when an old fox clasped her shoulder with a worried look that she came out of the trance-like state of concentration, in time to hear him say "Are you alright, girl?"
She blinked and flicked her tail with in impatient swish. "Yes, quite fine thank you old man."
The fox gave a croaking laugh at this and let go of her shoulder, a single tear in his eye. "My you are feisty aren't you. Don't mind me though, you just go back to your pacing and thinking." Imshi eyed him suspiciously and walked silently away through the crowds towards the exit. She needed space to think, away from the pressing bodies and the noise. Behind her the old fox shook his head slowly, still smiling as he watched her leave.
-
Aria was beginning to feel unsure, but the thrill of escaping the city overwhelmed her doubt. make sure to thank him later...
-
The feline begins to grow a little worried by the woman's short and simple questions, it felt almost as if she was demanding something from him. He began to draw his feet together, and push himself away from the the woman's voice as he responded in a slight stammer to the unknown threat “My name is Leo...” His ear flicked slightly as he quickly took notice of the presence of another being, or perhaps an animal by the sounds it was creating.
His hand would slowly slide to the back of his hip, searching for his gun. His fingers danced around the empty holster, the lack of any metallic structure causing a slight panic to the feline. Instead of pulling his hand back he paused for a moment; he was quite sure the woman could see him just fine, so he decided to play it off as if he was reaching for something else. “I didn't quite fall from the sky,” he stated as his fingers unbuckled a metallic flashlight and grasped it tightly. He brought it in front of himself and fliped it in his hand to adjust the flashlight so it was upside down in his grasp. His thumb would depress the button on the handle for a brief moment before quickly releasing it, and sending a beam of light through the tunnel, and over the girl, the general and the lizard.
-
as Talin was in mid jump, something caused Aria to slip and fall.she fell and reached out and grabbed onto something, grabbing the edge of a roof, she hyper extended her shoulder and her elbow, she let out a raspy sound as she held on, she didnt expect the jail escapee to rescue her as she swung with the other hand and eventually pulled herself up, she was now on the roof before and was cradling her now injured arm, though she shed no tears.
-
Talin stopped mid-run, and went back to Aria. "Here, let me fix that..." He didn't really wait for her to give him consent, he just took her injured arm up and out of her other arm as he held it with both hands. His emotions faded and his gaze unfocused as Aria could feel the pain and the damage melt away. He let go of her arm, then slapped himself to shake the after-effects off his head. "There, good as new."
-
Aman turned and looked down at Siyan, his face marked with a scowl. He looked back at the guards and growled to himself.
"Lucky," he said and continued out of the theatre.
Dim Lane flapped and flustered as Entaru was taken away.
"Oh but, I just want to... Oh um, guards?" The cats turned and glanced back at the raven. "What are you taking him for, because I believe I can help. I'm very intimate with his work and I believe I can help with.... opinions and whatnot." The cats looked at each other. One of them who had a dark patch around his eye, shrugged.
"Who are you?" he asked.
"Dim Lane, sir. I'm an archeologist, rather highly thought of," Dim replied. The cat gave a skeptical look, then turned to his friend, leaning close.
"What's an archeologist?" he whispered. The other shrugged back then turned to the raven.
"Sure, come along," he said and guided them along back through the crowd. Just ahead of them, the giant form of Aman could be seen ambling through.
Little-Hands, blinded by the flash of light, yelped and hid behind Saviour who snarled and charged Leo down. At speed he darted forward and snapped at the light, closing his jaws onto Leo's arm; teeth pierced into the cat. The lizard continued to barge forward, pushing Leo to the ground while Little-Hands peered around him, knife ready.
The guard underground raced back, calling the forces. Men poured like ants out of the bunker, with female officers and a few Chosen in dark robes. The gate exit, pushed by feral buffalo creatures, shut and locked. The guards swarmed through the city, checking and alleys. Then, as Talin healed Aria, the chosen turned to them, calling out the directions. Guards charged towards them moving to surround the rooftops.
On stage, the swan was moved off on a stretcher and the Queen and High Priestess followed along behind, replaced by the frog from earlier who now announced a play to be started, based on the life and death of one of the founders known as Regina and her blasphemous husband Andrew who died for his distrust in Seeker.
Backstage, Queen Tizzarath and High Priestess Kara headed back through the corridors.
"You see?" said Karabelle. "Blasphemous and clearly dangers. Tiz shot her a frown, but it was weak.
"I'm dealing with it, okay?" she said, and pressed her hand to her forehead, letting out a sigh.
"You better deal with it," Kara replied. "It's a serious threat to the community, and we cannot stand by and let dimwitted men burn the world." The Priestess had a permanent scowl while the Queen shook her head in frustration. Behind them, rapid footsteps slapped against the straw floor.
"Your majesty!" someone called. The pair looked back to see a young cheetah girl racing toward them. She stopped and panted hard to get the message out. "Important... huff... important prisoner, Talin Kor'vial... He's trying to escape." The cheetah held onto the wall and smiled up at the Priestess who patted her shoulder. The Queen groaned, spun on her feet slammed her head to the wall.
-
The feline was caught by surprise by how the woman was dressed, and how the lizard and the woman reacted. He opened his mouth originally to reassure the two; however the lizard had already lounged forwards and clamped down on his arm, and causing him to yowl out in agony. The cat was very lucky that a metal plate prevented the lizard from further serious damage. He found himself on the ground already, his legs kicking violently as tried to break away from the Lizard. “FRIENDLY! FRIENDLY!” the feline screamed.
The Serval began to remember his training from his past specimen retrieval assignments. He quickly licked one of his legs over the reptiles neck and followed by him pushing himself on top to straddle the lizard. He quickly wrapped his legs tightly and moved his other hand to grab the lizards upper jaw in front of the nose and began to pull upwards to try and free his arm. “Please I am FRIENDLY!” he cried out.
-
"Parents?" Meredith stopped for a second, her ears went back, she wasn't quite sure how to answer it. "Umm... I guess my brother is like a parent.. but umm... not actual parents. At least not that I know of, I mean maybe I have a parent some where. I just never meet them." She put her hand on her chin as she thought deep in hard, she didn't know anything about her parents nor did she know anything about Siyan's parents either. Her pace was a tad slower as she walked not paying to much attention to anything again.
Siyan's body froze as the Aman towered over him. He tried to apologize but he couldn't force his self to speak, he barley mouthed "sorry". When Amen left Siyan began to force himself up, his knees a tad shaky, he wasn't quite sue what Amen was going to do. 'Lucky' he thought to himself, he wanted to retreat back to his cattle were he felt safe and secure before he wasn't so lucky.
-
Yenchi's ears also went flat when Meredith answered his question, although his reaction was in sheepish embarrassment. He glanced down at the girl with a red flush rising beneath the white fur of his cheeks. "Oh..." It was the only word he seemed able to say, his thoughts on how it must be like to live without a clan around you. He twisted one of his braids around his index finger as he always did when thinking and made an effort to say something more. "Well, your brother has brought you up well." With a smile he squeezed the girl's hand and looked down at her, tail flicking "My names Yenchi by the way, Yenchi Lantto."
With a chirrup Vin landed on Yenchi's shoulder, the bir'ds bright darting movements not completely still as he hopped from place to place. Yenchi stroked the bird down the neck with one finger as the three of them neared the entrance to the theater.
----------
Imshi walked out theater with a weight on her chest that she found would not be lifted no matter which choice she made. She gave a deep sigh, her wings shivering with a flutter of feathers. It was a difficult decision but one she had always known would be forced upon her. No matter which she chose Yenchi would surely follow, his loyalty and friendship were the only stable things she knew right now as everything else seemed to spiral away.
It was as she pondered the problem that she noticed Yenchi walking up the path towards the theater entrance and towards where she stood, pacing and muttering under her breath. She frowned, thinking of berating him for coming back when she had clearly told him it was better to stay by the river. Her sleek tail swished with annoyance and she waited for the pair to get within earshot.
-
Saviour thrashed and whipped his head about, hissing with jaws snapped tight on Leo's arm. Behind him, Little-Hands leapt up onto the lizard, running along his back, knife poised, she grabbed Leo's head and pulled it back. The knife was at his throat in an instant and pressed hard at his skin, but she stopped.
"Va?" she said and looked around at the cave, still with the held tight at Leo's neck. "Sha rusya? Vena sharayosa." She held even tighter, piercing his skin like a pin prick. "Ow... Ow teba." Her hold loosened and even the lizard released Leo's arm.
-
Talin turned around, immedeatly drawing Fang, then looked at it in surprise. Remaking Fang in granite and obsidian, now I feel a little more guilty for doing this. He broke out of his temporary lull and turned to one of his fellow Chosen. "You know, I thought you were all too scared of what I caught to even get within sight of me. How nice that I'm still approachable. However, I cannot let you prevent me or my companion from leaving the city."
-
Aria shakily stood up but then felt better as she drew her dagger and readied herself for battle, she saw the guards that surrounded them and the other that Talin was speaking too. his weapon of choice was quite glorious looking, though her green eyes veered from it as she began to find a way put.
-
The feline gritted his teeth preparing for a searing pain signaling his death. However he found himself now slowly being released as if they began to see he meant no ill will. He slumped off to the side and to the ground, still keeping a grasp on the flash light, but this time he held it downwards allowing the diffusion from the beam to illuminate the area slightly. He began to push himself away from the two slowly a bit more weary now until he felt he was at a safe distance.
He tried to push himself back to his feet slowly, using only his legs to stand up as he held his free hand out with an open palm in a gesture meaning he still means no ill will. He began to notice that the glove of his suit was slowly filling with blood. He quickly exchanged the flash light into the other hand keeping it pointed down and elevating his injured arm. “Why did you attack me?” he asked in a confused tone. The woman seemed to be helping him, until she attacked under short notice. “I hope.. you know ill will?”
-
Entaru snarled a bit, realizing that the raven wasn't going away any time soon. Sighing, he puts his face in his palm with an audible smacking sound as he continued behind the cat guards. Glaring at the raven he slammed his staff into the ground in frustration. "You're not going to leave me alone are you?"
-
Meredith wasn't to sure how to react to Yenchi's physical gesture, "Umm... ok. Yenchi... Yenchi, I don't think I ever met someone with that name. What kind of place did you grow up on? Like are you more of a city dweller, that is so cool- how is it? Is that how you got the cool bird? Does everyone in the city have a bird?" Once Meredith began to ask questions she couldn't stop as she began to answer them on her own not even trying to wait for Yenchi to say something.
With the young fox now in site Siyan began to move over to the two of them, 'didn't I tell that child to say next to me!' he thought to himself, quickening his pacing into a run. As soon as Meredith was within arms reach Siyan scoped her up and held her close to him.
"Didn't I tell you to stay right by my side"
"I was but then I lost sight of you. I did as I was taught, I found a responsible looking adult." Meredith muffled through Siyan's chest. With her little paws she tried to push her body off of the bat, Siayn gave her some breathing room but still held her up. "That is Yenchi he is form the city, he has a pretty bird, and he is real nice." Meredith gestured towards Yenchi then to the bird. Siyan took a long look at Yenchi being a bit skeptical.
"Thank you for looking after Meredith." he finally manged to pull out.
-
The Chosen straightened her back and looked up at the panther. Light slipped past the edge of her cowl and displayed the edge of a jackal's muzzle.
"Don't worry about me, I don't need to stand next to you to see you fall." As she spoke, the guards had created two circles around the criminals. The outer circle held bows, aimed and ready. "And you, girl," she looked over at Aria, examining her from afar. "If I kill you, it'll be because you let a dangerous prisoner escape. If he... When he kills you, it'll be because of his mood. You should climb down from there before you do yourself an injury. That goes for both of you." The strain of the bow strings creaked while the inner circle packed around the criminals, armed with swords and axes.
Little-Hands sat perched on Saviour's neck and she looked down at Leo, suspicion riddled on her face.
"We attacked you because you tried to blind me." She glanced down to the light. "With that." The lizard hissed again. "But Seeker had reasons for saving you," Little-Hands gestured around at the cave. "She knows your... your... Va disya?" She looked back at the cave walls. "Ship? Ow ship ya." She looked back down at Leo, focused on the light in his hand. "She knows your ship. She says it is from before. Far before. She says you maybe know things that could help us." She flicked her head back toward the General. "So answer. How did you get here, where are you from, and who is the woman?"
Dim Lane flicked his head back with a laugh. "Ha, oh in time I will, I just need to stick around you just a bit longer. Maybe you'll get to meet my assistant too; lovely girl but no voice, completely mute. It's all very peculiar, although she is from your town you know. Maybe that shard radiation got to her. What are its effects by the way? I would love to know." The two cats chuckled to each other while the raven prattled on. They led on through the crowds, eventually breaking free and meeting up with the dogs who were escorting Aman.
"Entaru," said the giant fox. "You're joining me then. Good, and who's this?" he said with a scan over the raven's jabbering face.
"Dim Lane at your service sir, and may I offer my gratitude for being a beacon of achievement for other men to aspire to." Dim Lane's smile was ludicrous in its width, while Aman peered down at him over his muzzle.
"Thank you, you're kind to say so. We are a brotherhood after all, but I wasn't talking to you."
-
Talin smirked as he got into his combat stance. "You make it sound like I've degraded while in prison..." He kicked out Aria's legs so her body wouldn't be caught in the imminent full-circle swing that knocked away the weapons of some of the guards, and knocked down those that held on. "Kara was kind enough to give my chains some slack, so that I would have something to do between my manic episodes, which I've gained some control over by the way."
-
she looked down at the woman when she spoke to her about being killed either way, she thought I've noticed When Talin 'tripped' Aria eventually stood up and scowled at her companion for doing all the work and not letting her have some fun, but he sure had a beef with this woman. when Talin said Maniac, she thought great...so he is a mad man...well, I am not sensible either
-
Yenchi watched as Siyan pulled his sister in close, nodding absentmindedly to him. It was with a small grin that he shook his head and said "No problem, and I'm not from the city, only here for the celebrations. We're a fishing tribe from up north." He glanced over the bat's shoulder to where a vixen of the Teresa clan strode towards them, realizing too late that it was Imshi.
"Yenchi!" She gripped her fishing-spear in a tight grip, her tail flicking as she put one hand to her hip. "You know how much trouble there is with my family, it would be best if you stayed away from them." She finally glanced across at Meredith and Siyan before turning back to Yenchi. "There is nothing I can say to them, nothing I can do now. I always knew my decision would be frowned upon, but getting me evicted from the clan?"
With a sigh Yenchi looked into Imshi's amber eyes, seeing the anger and fear in them. Both Meredith and Siyan seemed forgotten as he drew the two knives from his belt and dropped them to the floor at Imshi's feet. "Fine, I will make the decision myself then. You won't be thrown out of the clan because I am no longer your sworn servant, or your friend, or anything. Your clan means that much to you, I dont want to be the one who takes it away from you." With that he turned and walked back down the path towards the river, leaving Imshi to watch him leave with an expression of frozen shock.
-
"Mister! Mister Yenchi!" Meredith yelled as she pushed her self out of Siyan's arms trying to catch up to Yenchi. Meredith's little feet moving as quickly as they could, catching up to the adult male. "Mister-" she manged to get out between panting, "where are you going, you don't got a home now?" Her ears back and her voice sympathetic. Siyan slowly kept towards them, but gave a tad space, he didn't like being a third leg.
-
Leo frowned at the woman's explanation. He began to think a bit as he examined the womans apparel, finding how odd it was for her to be wearing something that was a tad bit more primitive. He was about to explain what the flashlight was after assuming he had landed on a more low tech planet, however his ear caught something a bit more... off to the cat. He slowly tilted his head as he stared at the woman in confusion at that one little detail. “The woman is my friend... and I crashed here... what do you mean I am from 'Far Before'?”
-
Yenchi looked round as he walked, giving a weak smile to Meredith "No, I will return to my original clan." He continued on down the street without waiting or slowing down for the young girl. The smile that he had managed for those few moments was now gone. "They will humiliate me. Let's just say I expressed an intent to never return when I left them. Its my fault, I should never have accepted her offer and broken traditions." His whiskers twitched as he walked, his tail hanging limp.
Imshi watched them walk away, a pained expression of confusion and shock swimming her tears. She brushed them away roughly and turned towards the theater, then back towards the river, the tears still running down her cheeks. As she turned back and forth her wings fluttered and shook with violent tremors as the same shakes ran down her arms to her tightly curled fists.
-
As the guards on the rooftop were knocked down, the thirty archers on the ground let loose their arrows that sliced through the air up to Talin with Aria in the crossfire.
"Far before," said Little-Hands. "Before now, but long long before. You know?" She folded her arms and mumbled at the walls. "Passi no sti. Passi no sti canjo. past ya? Hazsow." She looked back down at him and huffed in frustration. "You are from past. Now is future." She pointed at him. "You fly in ships, up there." She pointed to the ceiling with her other hand with the dagger held. "What did you do before you come here? What made you come here?"
-
the forest was quiet, other than the constant chirping of birds. six shadows flew through the trees, silently running through the tree tops heading for a known herd path.
not far away a shadowy figure silently watched a herd of large animals walking the path, the figure's punji spear ready.
the six reached different points of the path launching into the air with their spears raised above their head. the six in the air landed on three of the animals, quickly stabbing their spears into the necks and spines of the animals while the others started to freak out and run. once the three were on the ground the seventh figure jumped out, it's purple scales shimmering in the partial light. walking over and spearing each one between the eyes and uttering a short prayer for each of the three before they started to move them back into the trees, vanishing with little more than some blood splatter to show anything happened
-
Talin gave a glance at the arrows, and guessed that a majority of them would land near him rather than area. He flashed 'run' to Aria as he charged at the Jackal, knowing that the arrows could not change their direction once fired. He swung with the flat of the blade out, so even if she intentionally sacrificed herself so that Talin would be put to death, he would just knock her away like the other soldiers.
-
Aria managed to escape with only an arrow in her shoulder. her blood seeping down her arm, but she maintained a steady breath as she ran, jumping would get herself killed along with being on the roof. so she booked it on the roof tops, guards following her, some climbing along the roofs tops, following her.
-
The feline continued to stare to the woman with an awestruck expression. His jaw slacked only slightly as the the girl continued her explanation. He quickly shook his head and regained his composure after being questioned, still finding this hard to believe. “Me and my friend were under attack by a large hyena who wanted something called the Everflame,” he explained as he took a deep breath and sighed, trying to ignore the searing pain in his arm.
“He held us in a gravity sphere and we tried to escape....” he trailed off as he remember what he said before they launched off. The words were very clear to him as he quoted himself in a soft voice, his eyes staring off into the darkness past the lizard and the girl as his mind relived the moment. “Worst case scenario... we die a much quicker death... best case scenario we blast off into freedom at a ridiculous velocity...” he spoke dully before blinking, his mouth closed for the moment as he came to a final conclusion, though he found it highly impossible and very difficult to accept. “I tore through the fabric of space in time... thats what happened. What year is this?”
-
Entaru grimaced, looking at the raven with his lips curled in a snarl. "He's just another 'scholar' looking to pry information about the Shard out of us, my lord. I attempted to leave him behind but he seems to be rather persistant." He spoke as if the raven wasn't there, ignoring his presence in hopes that it would make him go away. The fur on his tail was bristling at this point, clearly aggravated by the avian's presence. In any other circumstance he would have cracked the raven across the head with his staff and left him in a ditch to recover, but he had to maintain his composure...at least for his master's sake.
-
The jackal readied herself as Talin leapt at her, blade arching and shimmering in the sun. As it came to her, she placed her hands to the blade and ducked under its swing, twisting the sword with the flow of Talin's momentum, throwing him to the floor with the blade clamped in her grasp. The guards Leapt at Talin, throwing themselves to grab and hold him down, with knives bared threatening his flesh.
Only a small group guards left the main group to persue the girl. They leapt upon rooftops, while others raced alongside on the ground. Archers launched arrows, pinging around Aria with stone head lodging into rooftops wood window covers. The walls of the city loomed and the locked gate stood tall in front with guards and archers ready and waiting.
Little-Hands looked confused and tilted her head to comprehend. She twitched at the walls and her eyes widened. "Ahh, the year? I don't know the number but Seeker says you came from ten thousand years ago though for you the technology of the world may seem ten thousand years into the past." Her lips twitched. She almost smiled at the idea.
The four guards led Aman, Entaru and Dim Lane around to the back of the theatre, heading to the rear doors where crocodile guards stood watch.
"So why is he following us?" asked Aman.
"Well I believe I can help in this little incident." Dim Lane piped up again, while Aman grimaced a tad. "You see, I have made some recent discoveries of references to multiple... beings I guess they would be called. Gods you might call them." The raven wobbled as he spoke, as though the words were physical objects made in his feet and spewing out of his mouth. Aman looked down at the raven but he chewed the ideas in his head, interest brewing in his expression. Once they reached the door, the crocodiles stepped aside and the four guards leading stepped through heading along a corridor two people wide. it led to a door opening to a small room with a table, four chairs and a fruit bowl.
-
Aria had to find a way to get out of there. she was going to be murdered if she didnt run, now the blood was dripping and leaving a trail of tiny droplets, she was gonna have to do something crazy, she didnt know what, she managed to find a long stick that was once apart of the building, she stopped not caring about her arm, she used the stick as a weapon, hitting one of the gaurds in the head as he fell after that sickly crack.
-
Talin was partially expecting for this attack to fail, but not to the point where Aria couldn't make a clean get-away. "Why do you care if I leave the city? There are at least twenty others that are not suffering from what I am." He looked up at the jackal, doing very little to jostle the guards on him. "At least let the girl leave the city, that is all she freed me for... I'll go back quietly if you do so."
-
Siyan stood next to Meredith; resting his hand gently on her head. The fox looked at her brother; her rich green eyes embedded with a hint of sorrow. Siyan smiled rubbing her head softly; reassuring the troubled child.
-
Leo's face curled from something of a confused expression, to a dim grimace. He would slowly raise a paw and rested it on his snout, and take a deep breath. “How... the he-” he cut himself off before quickly pulling the hand away from him to look at the girl. “Let me get this right,” he started as he lowered his injure arm from exhaustion and quickly placed his good hand over the wound to apply pressure.
“I am in the future, where the future in technology, is one-hundred centuries behind my original era's technology is one-hundred centuries ahead of this time,” the feline inquired as he took a deep breath and continued on, with a nearly ridiculous tone. “So I am a figure of the future, from the past now in the future. If this is so... how the heck do I explain this to... to anyone?! And how do you even come to this conclusion!?”
-
Aria hit several others, with the stick, she fought long and hard as she dodged sharp weapons and a couple of arrows, but unfortunately the loss of blood was beginning to effect her more and began to feel weaker but she continued fighting with all her strength. he better get his butt over here to save me before I die!
-
Entaru walked in silence behind his master, letting him take in the raven's words. He looked at their surroundings with aloof interest, the theatre barely registering in his mind. He was deep in thought...wondering what was going to be said and done. As they reached the room, he huffed a bit and waited for his master to sit, so that he may follow suit.
-
Imshi landed with a rush of feathers, foregoing grace and instead slowing the descent with a swipe of her expansive wings that sent air and dust into swirling eddies. She stood with tears and anger in her eyes, ignoring Siyan and Meredith completely, instead walking to Yenchi's turned back with purpose in her stride.
"You do not make a decision for the both of us, regardless of who you think you are!" She shouted as he walked and, with surprising strength she grabbed him by the shoulder and twisted him round to face her, keeping a grip on the collar of his Teresa clan clothing. She pressed the knives he had dropped to Yenchi's chest and stared hard into his blue eyes. "Don't think for a second that I asked you out of some childish decision, or merely for fun. When I asked you to be my sworn servant I meant it Yenchi."
He stared back with the same calm look that he always had and, still silent, he gripped her hand at the wrist and tried to prise it off his collar. Struggling for a moment to break her grip Imshi watched with tears that still welled in her eyes. Finally he gave up and dropped his hands to his sides, meeting her eyes with a look of self-loathing she had not seen before. "Why would you want me as your sworn servant Imshi? You're obviously stronger than me, taller than me, better than me at everything any man from your clan is."
At this Imshi released him and instead drew him into an embrace, leaning close until she could feel his warmth, feel him return the embrace in confusion but thankfully. She said her last words in a hushed tone, her breath making Yenchi's feline ear twitch "I know all those things, but I chose you. Not for your strength Yenchi, but for who you are. That is why i break tradition so badly. That is why my parents wish me out of the clan."
She pulled away and held out the knives to him once more. Yenchi glanced over her shoulder to where Meredith watched on the sidelines, then took the knives with a humble nod his head and sigh of wavering relief.
-
The guards swarmed around Aria, dodging, blocking and swiping at the nimble girl. Arrows flew and blades flashed while more guards reinforced.
The Jackal rolled her eyes at Talin. "We're not just here for your sake you know. If we let a dangerous person like you loose, and then you have another 'episode', that'll be blood on our hands." She handed the blade back to one of her guards and bundled it away in a cloth and headed away through the crowd of guards. "Now as for the proposal, I dont have the power to excuse her. The Queen or priestess will decide her fate, but if you come quietly I will guarantee my utmost support for her exile." She reached to one of the female officers, tapped her and gestured over to the fight in the distance where Aria was. "That's the best she can hope for, all things considered. Are we agreed?"
Little-Hands gestured around to the cave.
"Seeker tells us. She is everywhere and she is old. She knows this hyena. She says his name is Nero." The girl leaned forward on Saviour's head, imploring his understanding. "If that is his name then Seeker is right and you know his evil. We must stop him. Seeker can feel him, he's trying to come back to life."
Aman floated around the table and sat facing the door. Dim lane took a bulbous green fruit and gulped it down his throat. There was only one seat beside Aman, he decided to stay standing behind them. Soon afterwards the door opened, allowing two more guards along with the four already there. The room had no windows or chimneys and quickly began to heat. Behind the two guards and with two guards behind her who stayed outside, the Queen stepped in. Dim Lane bowed, while Aman didn't even stand. The Queen winced.
"Right, first thing's first," she said. "Names. I know you Aman, but who are these other two." She gestured to the room. Dim Lane remained remarkably quiet.
-
Siyan walked along the edge of the riverbed, Meredith holding his hand. He stopped after she abruptly kneeled down.
"Siyan," she whispered, "do you ever feel as if something is missing?"
"Well.. what do you mean by something?" It was always best not to assume with Meredith, she had a taste for inquiry that not even the oldest of men understood.
"I mean.. inside you," she pulled at her dress near her chest, ".. when I look in the water.. I see me but.. I don't see everything. Its like there is some void in the reflection." Meredith's eyes began to tear up, she brushed her small hands in the river breaking her reflection. Siyan didn't know how to answer this, he raised his arms to grasp her, but stopped wondering if it would be the best thing to do.
"Is it about your parents?" he finally drug out.
-
Talin nodded, then sheepishly smiled as he looked the Jackal in the eyes. "Master Akela, can I at least have a wooden sword so I won't be out of practice the next time I leave the prison? I admit it made sense to separate me from Fang, but if I am not a great soldier, I have no real value as a man..."
-
After hearing the pronoun “we” spoken quite comfortably from the little girls mouth, Leo immediately threw up his hands as if screaming to her with utter disdain for her to stop right there. “No,” he exclaimed as he lowered his injured arm, and pointed to the girl with his good one. “NO NO NO! There is no we in this; I DID NOT ASK FOR THIS,” the serval snarled .
“I don't know how well this Seeker figure knows of my... history as an individual, but frankly the only reason I was even next to that monstrosity is because I was introduced to an ultimatum I could not refuse to complete!” With that said he would quickly turn to the side and comically start running in place, stiffly kicking his legs out in an alternating motion “IN FACT! I was practically running for my life the entire situation, because this thing just can't be killed! If a supernova didn't do the job, nothing will!”
-
Entaru sat down beside his lord, popping his back against the chair as he did so. Not having his lord's patience or composure, he set his head on the table and closed his eyes. The heat began to get to him in his heavy robes, making him sweat profusely while panting to cool off. A bit of moisture had built up around his armpit area beneath his robes before the Queen came in. He was about to stand up at her entrance but kept his seat, seeing Aman staying put. Hearing the Queen's question, he bowed slightly in his seat. "My name is Entaru Korin...I am one of the Head Priests of the Order of the Shard and Lord Mongoste's personal assistant."
-
The female ermine officer raced to Aria and the guards attacking her.
"Halt," she yelled. "Stay your blades." From her pocket, she pulled out a wooden whistle and blew a shrill tone. The guards leapt back, giving Aria space while still blocking avenues of escape. The officer slowed to a stop, her arms outstretched to calm the girl. "A deal has been made. We arrest you and we will do all we can to make sure you're only exhiled. No prison, nothing like that. Getting out of the city is what you wanted right?" she said with a glance over at the gate up ahead.
Akela narrowed her eyes at the cat.
"You're not a warrior anymore Talin. If you ever do leave the prison legally, you'll be hauling stuff around." She nodded to the guards to lifted him up and frogmarched him back toward the UnderCity where he would be held. The Jackal walked alongside them. "We can't trust that you wont ever go wild again. We can't trust you with a weapon." The entrance to the UnderCity sat further ahead through the city, like a square gaping maw of a giant worm. Akela kept her eyes scanning around them.
She then stopped. Over to the right by the river, a young bat boy and a fox child stood talking. She focused on the child and gestured for the guards to continue down into the darkened subterranean corridors while she walked over to them, tapping Siyan on the shoulder.
"Evening," she said, with her eyes locked on the girl.
"You are stupid, yeah?" Little-Hands frowned and Saviour shook his head, making the girl shake with him. "He is dead. He's trying to come back to life. It's only normal people to deal with and if we don't stop them then he'll be back." She clambered forward, leaning to the edge of Saviour's face. "You know you'll die if he comes back, so better stop him living at all, yeah?"
The Queen assessed Entaru with her eyes. "Personal assistant, right. And you?" she nodded up to the Raven looking small in the corner among the guards. He gave another bow.
"Dim Lane, your majesty. Archeologist researching the possibility of other gods such as Nero." He pointed over to Aman's back. "I have no affiliation with these people." Aman looked back from the corner of his eye and Dim Lane stepped back, bumping into one of the guards. The Queen rolled her eyes and focused back at the shard people.
"Nero, who's that? Some spirit you pulled out of the shard?"
-
Talin was shocked, he had spent years in the cell trying to control his episodes in hopes of regaining his place as a warrior. Now that was gone, and his hopes were now just dust in the wind. The conflicting emotions that came soon after, increased his frustration, which also weakened his control over his own emotions.Fifty years of training, fighting, and surviving every encounter that came my way... only to be a baggage carrier because of a mental affliction?! He then tried to contain the rage, but couldn't help but let out some twitching.
Please Seeker, don't let my madness be my epitaph!!
-
Aria was shaking with rage and fear, when they all back off, she was like a angry, caged animal ready to strike at any moment... she was only to be exiled, she stared at the woman for a long time before she nodded in agreement and slowly calmed down, her eyes still wild and afraid. she dropped her stick with a loud thud as she felt her knee's buckle. I need to take care of my arm.... she thought as she wrenched out the arrow in her arm without a wince of pain.
-
“Yeah he may be dead. But we are talking about an Omega Demon God who can eat stars and rip planets apart.” he groaned rolling his eyes. “I seriously doubt his minions will be just normal people. Maybe fifteen meter tall with the ability to tear holes in the dimensional rift like I just happened to do.”
The feline would turn around, his gaze falling into the pitch black darkness of the ever expanding cave as he spoke once more, “And with my luck, it just may be a fifteen meter tall colossus with the ability to tear holes in the dimensional rift like I just.. just SO HAPPENED happened to do!” his head would snap back to the side, a loud crick coming from the few vertebrae as they popped. His eyes would scan over Little-Foot once more before he turned to face her again. "Just tell me... how exactly does this... Seeker? Seeker was it? This Seeker of your's expect I, a mere mortal, to compete against a dead immortal's minions which just may be as bad as himself?"
-
Entaru stood up in outrage, the thought of someone likening Nero to a mere spirit making his blood boil. "Nero is no spirit! He does not come from the Shard! He IS the Shard!!" Slamming his fists into the table, he gritted his teeth with a snarl. How DARE she mention him in such a non-chalant tone. He didn't care if she was the Queen of the Galaxy, no one was allowed to speak of Nero in any tone but reverence and fear.
-
The guards looked at Talin weird, then held him tighter while they marched him back down through the corridors of the UnderCity. They guided him into a small cell with a stone door that closed behind him, leaving only a slit to peer through.
"You'll stay here for now," said one of the guards in the corridor. "The Queen will want to see you."
As Aria dropped the stick, the guards moved in.
"We're taking you to a cell for now, and you'll be judged by the Queen," said the officer. The guards picked the girl up to her feet and helped her to walk back through the city, following behind Talin. They moved down into the UnderCity and opened a cell next to Talin's, closing it behind her.
"They are just like you and me," Little Hands said. "And also, we have Saviour." She patted the feral lizard who snapped and bared his teeth. "But if you are a stupid and a coward then go," she said and pointed back through the cave toward the entrance. "We don't need you, we do it ourselves."
Aman smirked, while the Queen looked down at the enraged Entaru. The guards around them stood ready, hands clenched on weapons.
"So he's a God then," she looked up at Dim Lane who did well to stand in the corner, black within shadows.
"Yes," he nodded. "Supposedly, at least. Very much like Seeker but more violent." The Queen grumbled to herself.
"I guess it was only a matter of time until men clung to such a thing," she said. Aman's smile dropped, and a frown creased his face, though he stayed quiet. "So is it as the swan on stage said? Will he kill us all?" the Queen with a theatrical wave of her hands
-
Aria stood in the center of the cell before she sat down and stared at her hands, had her own blood on it, she then stared at the cell next to hers. her eyes filled with a emotional blankness. she felt nothing, she was numb. I bet they lied....
-
Entaru said nothing, realizing he had overstepped himself. He sat back down, his eyes still set on the Queen, and waited for his master to speak. His tail was twitching angrily beneath his robes as he folded his hands, his outbrust over but his anger still very much so present.
-
Leo's left eye twitched, feeling insulted from the womans words. He slowly raised one hand, with a single digit raised and pointing to the ceiling in a gesture saying one moment. He tilted his head to look to the ground so he could recollect his thoughts and nodded as one word came out, “Ok,” he stated plainly. His head snapped back to the little girl once more, giving her an annoyed stare and allowing his hand to drop back to his side.
“Excuse me for a me for a brief minute. But did you really just try to insult me, hun? Here I am being insulted by a child with far more grammatical errors then the ten million million million millions of particles in the universe. You call me 'a stupid' as if a simplistic adjective has finally became a noun in the English Dictionary.” he would quickly raise the same hand and twirl it in the air nonchalant manner. “And then you call me a coward. You may see me as a coward but I see myself as a preservative with a bit more life experience that I feel that I shouldn't have to solve the entire worlds problem. Now on to the roast! You are an ignorant adolescent with a misconception of life and death, who might not ever have ever seen death from anything more then an animal. You have the mindset of a toddler back in my time, thinking the world could be saved with one man in a space suit and a flashlight alone, screaming down the mountain tops and 'blinding' the condemned enemies to death... with a flashlight, which seems to be very unorthodox. You are inconsiderate to the number of times I came close to seeing the great Anubis himself, who beckoned me to come ever so closer into his graceful grasp. So excuse me for being a coward, but I am a bit more clingy to my life instinctively. And I might have bit more pity towards you, but you and your little friend tried to kill me, over something that would not even hurt you.” He would take in another deep breath and sigh “But fine, you think I am a coward,” he asked as he pointed behind himself. “Then I will prove to you what I can be very well capable of. Lead the way.”
-
Talin smacked the cell wall next to Aria. "I told them I would go quietly for your exile..." He kept quiet for a few moments, thinking on how to explain why he would be able to convince them of such. "My Master was the Chosen that found us, I used what little relationship we had to have her support your goal for leaving Tina City. I kept my end of the deal... The Seeker will guide you from there."
-
the group huryed through the trees, the three carcases tied together and carried between six of the group, the lead lizard stoped, the others following suit. the leader crouched and the others placed down the bodys and disapeared into the trees before a gray wolven warrior apeared "hunting in my teritory again errica? i thought you knew better than to test our tribs pact.....again" "what? me hunting in your land? would i do that?" "yes, now where are your brothers? seeing as your here i'm assuming there not far behind." "arn't you the smart one te-nesh" called one of the larger lizards jumping down, his black scales shimering in the dull light
-
Aman watched his assistant struggle to contain himself, then looked to the Queen.
"Kill us all? Well he wont kill me." Aman stared into the Queen's eyes a saw the look of disdain flash across her face. "By the way, are we under arrest?" he said, and swept his hand around the room at the many guards surrounding them. "
"No," said the Queen with a subdued tone.
"Good," Aman replied. "Because I need to run my town without this city interfering." He stood up and his chair slid back. "Speaking of which, the town and I have made a decision. We'll be announcing it tomorrow so maybe you and your friends could come visit." Sidling through the crowd, he exited the room with Entaru beside him and a smile on his face. The cheetah messenger slipped past them in the corridor and burst into the room where the Queen grumbled to herself.
"Your majesty, we caught the prisoner, and the one who released him. It was some mute girl," she said. Dim Lane perked up.
"Mute girl?" he said, stepping out from the corner. "Was she a snow leopard?" he asked. The cheetah nodded. "What does she think she's doing?" Dim Lane murmured to himself.
"You know her?" the Queen asked. Dim Lane gave a low bow.
"Yes your majesty. She's my assistant. She's always wanted to leave the city and go back home, but she's never had the money or the chance. Maybe she thought he would give her that." He shrugged and paced around in the little space the room had.
"Right then," said the Queen. "You're coming with me." She stood up and the guards followed behind her as she left the room, heading to the UnderCity.
Little-Hands scowled,and clambered off Saviour's head to the floor. Her bare feet patted against the ground, and she turned back into the cave.
"Stupid... but good," she said. "But first, we deal with your friend." She knelt to the floor, by the shadowed body of General Caisen, softly breathing. "also stupid man, unless you want to die quick, we need to stop bleeding." She gestured to Leo's arm and beckoned him toward her.
-
Leo rolled his eyes as he looked back down to his punctured suit. He would simply shrug as he rose his one good arm to press a single button. Upon the button's depression, a slight his came from the suit followed by the upper portion literally deflating slowly.
After the deflation, the suit hung limply around the serval's body, showing off his meek and slender farm, and the lack of the previous supposed muscle mass. He would reach up and adjust a small bracket along the collar, and expanding it to the approximate size of his body's radius. After that he slipped out of the suit with some effort. “Thank you child,” he spoke in a degrading tone before swapping back to his original one “if your gecko friend is growing a flesh eating bacterium or has some kind of toxin, then bleeding out is the least of my worries.” He commented as he pulled a small rag from his pocket and tied it over the vain tightly, but not tight enough to stop blood flow completely. “Tell me... do you have a flint and timber?”
-
Talin sat down again, meditating shortly after he spoke to Aria. Usually this is meant to subdue his emotions, but this time he was trying to organize the visions that he had during his manic episodes. However, he only had seconds to notice the error of his attempt as he was immersed in another 'memory'...
The feeling of emotional death washed through his body as the stone room became metal and expanded, and he was now bound to a large table with a team of doctors and scientists standing around him. He was watching the group with a deadpan stare, unable to hear what was going on, only feel the rings of metal around his wrists, ankles, and tail.
The memory was cut short as Talin felt the presence of others come to his and Aria's cells. I wonder who is walking down hallway number three?
-
Aria had rested her body against the cell wall, her eyes closed as she gathered her energy, when she heard others coming to the cells she fluttered her eyes open, she assumed it was either for her or Talin she was still holding her arm, her sleeve was covered in blood, she knew if she got up, she would fall over. she looked over at Talin and signed death is right around the corner for me ...
-
"So that is how it is." It was not a question but a statement, from an old vixen who looked over them with milky half-blind eyes. Her gaze was old but her movements were deft and she proved it by reaching out to inspect Yenchi. Before the young feline could pull away she pushed his muzzle roughly from one side to the other, then patting his cheek distractedly before turning to Imshi, laughing under her breath.
"A strange choice in male if I ever saw it, but that matters not." Still laughing softly she walked back to Imshi's mother, placing a hand on her shoulder as she said "It is not ours to worry now. Do not blame yourself, some children are simply born to trouble."
Yenchi watched Imshi's barely restrained anger shake through her fists and body until the two older vixens had walked out of sight. She turned and drew a steadying breath "That's it then. On our own from now." Her hands moved over her woven Teresa clan clothing as they walked down towards the river. "No longer a part of the Teresa clan, I feel like I want to rid myself of these clothes that mark me as one of them."
With a flush that rose up his cheeks, Yenchi glanced from Imshi to the street around them and said "Not here in public, miss."
Imshi looked to him, for the first time in a while with a true smile warming her amber eyes. She pulled him close and kissed his forehead which prompted a deeper red across Yenchi's cheeks "Oh Yenchi, I hope for your sake that this was the right choice to make."
-
The girl, Listy, felt ahead of her, arms outstretched, a broken, twisted leg dragging behind her. Vaguely she heard a buzz of activity, coming from much deeper into the city. Wind lapping at her back, she did her best to limp forward into Tina City without looking strange....Yet by the time she was no more than thirty feet, the child distinctly began to hear people's comments:
"Where are her parents?"
"What a weird looking little girl, walking like that."
"Look, that child is blind..."
Her ears went black and she blushed. She lowered her arms to try and look more normal, though she needed them up to prevent running into anything. Unfortunately her arms went down at exactly the wrong time and within seconds she had bumped into the back of what she could only discern as a heavyset man. She tripped and fell, and as she got up, through pain, she uttered many apologies. The man she had run into seemed to ignore her and she neither felt him nor heard him again.
This place...it was too busy for her. Back in the clifflands, she had been mostly alone. Only the sounds of nature reached her, and the stillness was perfect for being able to tell where you were going or what things were nearby. But here. Here. Too many people. All of their voices came together and drowned her senses in what was already a sea of darkness. The blind child was literally limping onward without knowing where she was going...or who or what she would smack into next.
Listy held only a dim hope that she'd ever be able to find her way to the Queen...let alone be allowed to speak to her.
-
Entaru snickered as he left beside Aman, jovial in the fact that his master had told off the Queen. His snicker cut itself as he bowed his head a bit. "I'm sorry, my Lord. I lost my temper back there. Its just that...how DARE she speak of him so blatantly. I know she is an ignorant follower of Seeker AND the Queen...but that is no excuse for such insolence." Entaru snarled, one hand curled into a fist while the other dug into his staff. Speaking through his teeth, he hissed his words. "I'll be much happier when these ridiculous women are put back in their place."
-
"No no" Meredith said to Siyan's comment shaking her head, "It has nothing to do with them.. at keast I think. I don't know how to express it but it is like I'm only half of what I should be. I feel sometimes that I'm hallow... not all the way.. but enough." Meredith's eyes began to swell up with tears. Siyan just sat there thinking. His head cocked when the women came.
"Umm.. hello... is there something you needed?" Siyan noticed the trail of her eyes. He stood up and walked behind Meredith, placing his hands on her shoulders.
-
Listy stumbles on, and eventually she feels the very temperature change. It is warmer, maybe about a few degrees warmer. This was likely due to the increase in people. She can't see what's around her through the blackness, but she feels odd, like there are things looming all around, so suspects the buildings have grown in size. Strangely enough the population boon helps her, and she falls much less. She also manages to use their voices as a route to follow...some of them would call out to each other, talking about where they were headed for a "celebration", and she used the calls as a compass.
Unfortunately, there comes negative things as well. More and more are commenting on the strange girl child stumbling and limping about amongst them. Listy is soon grabbed by rough, large hands with wiry fur and pulled off to a side. The person holds her at an arm's length and she tries to look him or her in the face, but that is impossible being blind.
"What are you doing crashing through such a crowd at your age? With no parents either? I ought to turn you over---- Wait, you're....you're blind, aren't you?" the man who grabbed her asks.
"Ye-...yea...yes," she manages to say, her speech impediment slurring her words. "Please. I have to talk to the...Qua...the Queen. Let...me...go."
"Where are your folks?"
"Got noe-n-none. Lost my uncle. Have to fi-find the Queen. Real import-a-ant."
"Like she would talk to a runt like you. I'm taking you to the guards. Children left alone do nothing but make trouble."
And he started to pull her away.
-
"No toxin and I don't know bacteria," said Little-Hands before she turned to the lizard and spoke into his ear. "Peszho vacta boomaya. Kira?" The lizard nodded and then walked over to the cave entrance, keeping a wide berth from Leo. The girl gripped her knife tighter now and beckoned Leo over once more. "I did not say bandage your arm. Come here." She stood beside General Caisen's unconscious body, taking care not to step on her.
A bolt thudded within the cell door, and it opened to show a crowd of guards. In the centre was the Queen and Dim Lane looking meagre beside her. He peered into the cell, searching for Aria, finding her slumped in the corner.
What are you doing here, girl? Are you okay? he signed. He noticed the stain of blood pooling around her and tapped at one of the guards.
"Excuse me, she looks hurt, could someone help her?" he asked. The guard nodded and headed back through the corridor, returning shortly with an tiger shark Chosen. All the while, Queen Tizzarath watched Talin with a tilted head, as though examining and figuring him out.
"Did you have fun?" she asked. The Chosen and three guards sidled past into the cell, moving over to Aria.
"Show me your arm," the Chosen requested, and knelt to the girl.
The man pulled Listy along to a young dog, dressed as a guard. After being prodded, the guard turned and looked nonplussed at the pair.
"Yes?" he asked, then noticed Listy. "Is she okay? She doesn't look well."
Aman laughed as Entaru ranted and he placed his hand on the fox's shoulder.
"Don't worry my friend, I enjoy your rage. Nero would be proud of a servant such as yourself." Aman leaned close, whispering as they moved through the city. "And don't fret on the Queen. We no longer require our secrecy. We no longer require a facade of allegiance to her." He slid his hand around Entaru's face, pointing him to the sky. "There are reports of something falling from the sky. Some sort of craft aflame. We already have people heading to it now. They've probably already arrived and are plundering it for the cause. Whatever it may be, we shall use it and along with the progress we have already made, there's no stopping the rebirth. Not even Seeker herself can challenge us."
Akela crouched to the girl's level, looking into her eyes.
"Who is this girl? Are you her guardian?" she asked.
-
The feline raised a brow as he looked to the girl. "I did not bandage my wound, I simply restricted the blood flow to slow the bleeding so I can colorize it." he said as he moved closer to the teenager, now applying pressure to the bite. "What do you plan on doing exactly?"
-
Aria rolled her eyes as Dim as she signed Just talk she then showed her arm to the chosen and peered at him with her green eyes, not trusting him. though she needed her arm fixed before they decided it would be best to chop it off due to infection.
-
The man didn't know what to say, and Listy felt him turn to look at her. "Well, she is blind...and I've seen her limping...she holds her leg wrong. She's been wandering about without any parents."
But the child couldn't care less about what was wrong with her. There was something much more seriously wrong with her than an unhealed broken leg and unseeing eyes. Her physical abnormalities were something she lived with in relative acceptance. What was mentally disturbing her was a different matter entirely.
Her ears went back and she chuffed as she tried to turn her 'gaze' to the guard. She wrenched her wrist free of the man's grasp and stepped in front of him. "Sir...The Queen. Wh-a-where is she? I have to speak to her. Puh-le-ease."
-
Talin's eyes looked as if he was thinking about it, then he looked back at her.
"The feeling of not having ropes bind every usable limb was nice, as was having Fang back in my hands." He shot a look at her, but it was lacking in any real hostility. In fact, he seemed to be in pain the moment he looked down and away.
"I need to know the truth Tiz. Why is 'Fang', a weapon I made under Master Akela's tutelage, reforged of such better material? After I almost got this young girl out of the city, Master herself came to stop me, then told me that the only way I could legally leave my imprisonment is to become a load bearer." He sighed as he leaned on the door with his forehead resting on the top of the slit. His eyes seemed to analyze her appearance, then a slight amount of curiosity showed in his gaze.
"You hit your head against the wall again, didn't you?" He knew he was just the tip of her issues if his escape caused her to physically harm herself.
-
Entaru's snarl formed into a grin at his master's reassurance. "Of course my lord. You have been too kind to these people, even if it has been all an act for the nation's sake. The wrath of Nero is too good for them." Entaru straightned himself out, standing tall and proud beside Aman. "Do we have any idea what the craft is? Where it came from?"
-
Little-Hands gave a faint smile and took his arm. She pulled the sleeve of his blouse up and exposed the wound, then placed a hand upon it.
"Bejzo va garra. Fetka? ka baronla. Kova kova." After the words, a warmth swam through the wound and the air fazed and waved, distorting the details of the cave in the low light. The warmth oozed through Leo's arm, seeping into his muscles, and weaving through his skin, pulling it together, healing. She looked up at him with a proud little smirk
"Well atleast I'm practicing signing," said Dim Lane. He look around her cell and shook his head at it all. "And you still haven't answered my question. What on earth where you doing?" The Chosen knelt down to the girl and took her arm. She pressed her hand to Aria's shoulder and a cool aura smothered onto it as the wound was pulled to close. The blood stained down the front of Aria's clothes, but the wound was healed, leaving a numb coldness behind. The Chosen patted her on the head and turned back away, leaving the room. It was locked behind her, leaving only the slit to peer through once more.
Queen Tizzarath her head away slightly, obscuring her face.
"You're a dangerous man. I can't allow you weapons. Considering the people you've harmed in the past, you're lucky you weren't executed." She folded her arms and sighed, glancing from one cell to the other. "And now you've got some young girl involved. She'll be jailed for this, just as you are." Once she spoke, the officer who had led Aria to the cells leaned in.
"Actually," she said. "Chosen Akela Nakka promised that she would support the girl's banishment, rather than imprisonment." She gave a hopeful little smile while the Queen furrowed her brow in thought.
"She did?" The other guys nodded in response. "Well then, I guess I'll take that into consideration." Tizzarath stepped to Talin's door and looked through the slit, right into his eyes and thoughts raced through her. "What do you think I should do with you Talin? What would you like me to do?"
The guard knelt down to Listy's level and looked her over.
"Well I can probably talk to somebody about meeting the Queen, but if you dont get help, your injuries will get worse." He took her hand in his, and spoke in his softest soothing tone. "Let's get you to a healer, okay? And then we can go get the Queen. She's not going anywhere."
The gates reopened after the Talin's escape attempt, and Aman and Entaru strolled out, heading back to the town of the Shard.
"Not yet," said Aman. "We know it came from the sky and that is all. Some suggest that it may be from wherever the shard fell." He put his arm around Entaru's shoulder. "It's quite close to the town, and once we get it it'll be childs play to get to the next step." Along the path, Aman stopped and pulled Entaru to face him, staring into his eyes, nose to nose. "I'll need you Entaru. You're more important than you can imagine. Due to this, I need you to spend a lot more time with the shard. Be there whenever you can. Meditate beside, breathe in its mist."
-
Aria didn't answer the question, rather she peered at the Queen. before she looked at Dim I want freedom, I only wanted freedom to run and be with nature, not stuck here in this damned city, I will glad accept exile and never return to Tia or Shard. Corruption is brewing and I sense it... she looked at the guard and said tell the Queen that...Talin over there can suffer exile, and dont lie because I can hear you, I am not deaf.
-
Listy grumbled unhappily deep in her throat, but it was a low and quiet sound and finally she gripped the guard's hand in return. She smiled. "If you promise to bring me to her soon after the Healer then I will go with you." It was the clearest sentence she had spoken in quite some time.
-
Talin regarded her carefully, not knowing if it was one or two questions that were asked.
"You ask me of your duties, and what I desire? Very well then, I will answer the second one first. I wish for you to not only banish Aria from Tina city, but also give our relationship a chance outside of prison walls." He didn't break the stare, but he unfocused his eyes while thinking. When they refocused, they were almost piercing.
"Before I answer your first question, let me put forth my own question: what am I to you?"
-
Aria stared at Talin's direction what relationship? Aria became curious at that statement so she became quiet and listened in
-
The feline's eyes widen as he watched the spectacle. He was a dumb founded as he watched his wounds close together. His eyes flicked to each bit of flesh that repaired it's self and quickly healed without any apparent scars. “How did...” he started, but trailed off as he looked up from his arm, studying the girl. He remember the words she said, and exactly how she said them. He remembered hearing a questioning tone in the girl's voice as he lowered his arm.
“You asked the Seeker to heal me?”
-
Entaru was taken aback by his master's actions. At first the words that registered into his mind were, 'I need you' and Entaru's brain froze for a moment at the strange words and intimate position they were in. However, Entaru quickly regained his composure as his brain put together the rest of the words. He attempted not to blush at his own foolish thoughts and nodded hastily, saluting in the process. "Y-yes sir! Whatever you say, sir!" Entaru began thinking as to why his master would make such a request. He was in tune with the Shard, sure enough, but there was something his master wasn't telling him. "I-I'm sorry to ask this sir and please forgive me for it...but how am I so important?"
-
"I am Meredith," she pulled her view to the ground even though she wasn't normally this shy, ", this is my brother he is also my care giver. May I ask who you are?"
"And why you ask about Meredith?" Siyan added.
-
Dim Lane gave a sigh of resignation at the girl. He looked into her cell with almost pleading eyes before gave up and turned to the Queen. She frowned and turned away from Talin to look around the room. The guards shuffled about uncomfortable as her personal life spilled out. She scowled at everything.
"Everyone leave, now," she said. Her voice low and ridged with threat.
"Oh um," Dim Lane fluttered about as the guards, the Chosen and the officer filed out. "Oh but, your majesty, my assistant things it best that you exile the gentleman here, along with her."
"Why?" the Queen snapped at him and the guards hurried away even faster. "So the two can rampage everywhere doing who knows what?" The turned and glared at Talin through the door. "In the dead of night, you and her?" She froze. Her eyes flicking about as her mind raced. "That's not what I meant." She leant against the opposite wall of the corridor and slowed her breathing. Dim Lane twiddled his fingers and toyed with his feathers while he looked to the floor.
"Your majesty," he began. Tizzarath stopped him with a raise of her hand.
"A lot has gone on today. If only it could all be solved." Her voice went quiet, almost to a whisper that none could hear. "I wonder if I could solve it all. I can." She looked over at the raven who gave a quick fake smile. "You're interested in the shard right, and a woman of - sorry, man of knowledge, correct?" Dim Lane nodded.
"Yes your majesty, arguably the best outside of the Shard town." Energy wriggled through him as he rolled out the spiel on his ability. The Queen nodded gave a weak smile, while the rest of her face reflected thought. Deep thought. Soon the smile became genuine and she turned to Talin.
"Talin, you are what you are and I am what I am. Queens do not end up with violent criminals. But that doesn't mean that I abandon you here." She glanced back at Dim Lane and thought her words over, then stepped up to the door and peered through the slit at Talin. "The town are very suspicious and possibly dangerous. I cant let them just act without any knowledge of what they're doing. So I will exile you and your friend, and along with her master, you will find out what's going on. Do not stop them unless you absolutely have to. Freedom and autonomy are vital for our towns, so if I hear of any wrongdoing by you, it will not be under my name." She stepped back and looked over to Aria. "Both of you must know that this is not official in any capacity and you must not tell anyone that I allowed this. Do you understand me?" She looked at Dim Lane who nodded. He was shivering with anticipation at the idea of discovery. His wings almost lifted him from the ground.
The guard grinned.
"My name's Alex by the way," he said and scooped Listy up. "Here, let me carry you. You'll be just fine," he said and headed off through the city. A three storey, roofless building stood among all the single storey huts. Animal bones and ivy laced across its face, a beacon of life and death. When they reached the door a small red panda looked up at them in greeting.
"Good morning," he said. "What's the trouble?"
"This girl seems pretty banged up. She's trying to see the Queen, so haste would be nice," said the guard. The panda hummed and hawed, looking the girl over and prodding her; his expression turning more concerned.
"You're right. Traditional medicine wont be enough here, follow me, I'll take you to the Chosen." He turned and walked into the hospital, leading them past beds of the mildly injured and headed up the stairs. Alex turned to the girl and jostled her.
"We're going to meet a Chosen! Isn't that great. I've seen them but never met them before. How exciting!"
Little-Hands shook her head and turned to General Andreya Caisen's unconscious body. She placed her hands on the vixen's head, and this time without speaking, the process began again.
"I healed you using the fabric of Seeker, but I asked for permission first. Most don't ask, they just do. They take. She feels it all the time, being pulled and torn." She pulled her hands away and the General's eyes began to flutter.
Aman gave a twitch of his lips into a knowing smirk then continued on the road back home.
"You'll see my loyal friend. You will see, but just remember that it is only you who can do this. You are most well suited. Your wild and vicious mind is almost perfect." His tail swished as he looked to the sky where the sun kissed the horizon. "We should hurry or we'll be lost in the dark."
Chosen Akela tilted her head to the side as she examined the girl.
"Meredith, you don't feel well do you. You feel something missing inside, dont you? Like you don't even have an inside. Like it's all just a void."
-
They could hear a consistent thumping noise as Talin bounced inside the cell. Soon he stopped bouncing, and looked serious as he recalled what she said earlier. "You forgot to mention what happens after... oh." His eyes looked down, then the floor shook as he kicked at the door in a mix of sadness and frustration. "Is Fang coming with me, or is he a momento of me that you're going to keep above a fireplace?"
-
Entaru nodded with a smile and trotted after his master. He would do as his master wished of him. What he was asking was an honor to any subject of the Shard. Though he had been nearer to it than many others, long term exposure to the Shard was all but forbidden. Now he was being asked to be in almost direct contact with it at all times. "Aye sir, it is an honor." His tail was wagging back and forth happily under his robes as they traveled back home.
-
Leo twisted the arm about silently, looking over the healed area once more. "I see..." he stated in deep thought. He began to think to himself silently as he looked up and down the cave. "Perhaps the girl is not insane..." he thought to himself as he looked down the other end, "... so who is this Seeker exactly."
His sight fell to the girl once more, watching her as she looks over the general. He would then look down to the suit he had removed earlier. With a sigh he crouched down next to the suit, and began to tear several of the metal plates off of the sleeves and leggings. He gave it a light tap to make sure it was still solid, before stringing a strap through the ends so it could be mounted as armor and offered it to the girl. "Here, a token of appreciation."
-
the group finished up their chat and quickly hurried back into their own territory, getting the carcases back to their village as soon as possible. the animals were hoisted into the trees where the lizards had made there homes. after a short while and all there tasks in the village were done Ricca, max and Joseph headed back out of the village supposedly to patrole the border of their land. the three reached the end of the trees marking the end of their territory, an outsider city in the distance. the three started pulling commoners clothing they had 'acquired' from a hiding spot inside one of the trees and changed, soon after they jumped out off the trees and started running towards the city at full speed. "you know, the elders would kill us if they knew we were doing this again." "that's why we don't tell them we're going. and if you do I'll kill you for them."
-
Queen Tizzarath breathed a laugh at Talin's excitement, though she shook her head at his question.
"No, I can't give you your sword. Your possessions don't belong to you anymore. I'll give you some food but that's all I can do. Fang will stay with me." She stepped back and looked from one cell to the other. "Now get some sleep, you leave at dawn." She turned to Dim Lane, beckoned for him to follow and then down the corridor.
The sun had long since dropped and the moon shone in its place as Aman and Entaru entered the town. A few fires were still lighting houses, and the drunken cheers of men spewed from the tavern windows. Toward the centre of town was the Dome of the Dark, built upon a large crater where the shard sat at its centre. It served as a scientific facility, but more recently as governmental office and home to the higher authorities. The two foxes stepped inside, past its walls of wood, and walked through the corridors to their bedrooms, one beside the other. Aman pulled Entaru into a tight hug.
"Sleep well Entaru. You'll need your energy tomorrow," he said and kissed his forehead before he moved away into his own bedroom.
Little-Hands scrutinized the general's face, with her hand placed on her forehead.
"Seeker is like your hyena, but good. She takes care of us." She gave a glance at Leo and took the plates with a nod. "Thank you." As she spoke, Saviour returned with wood, dry grass and rocks stuffed in his mouth. He spat them all out on the ground by her feet. "Your friend will be asleep for long. She wake in the morning. You can sleep too. Saviour keep watch." She gathered the wood and grass into a pile and hit the rocks together. The fire was instant, with no work required, bursting into a large flame. "See?" she said. "Seeker takes care of us. Sleep now."
On the city walls, the guards looked down across the field. Flame torches lit the ground close by but the rest was near total darkness. The three wearing common clothes were almost invisible.
-
He grumbled some incoherent and probably unflattering words as she walked away, then he sat down on the pile of straw in his cell. He was going to say something to Aria, then remembered she was mute and decided to wait until tomorrow. So, he did what any male would if they didn't feel like waiting: he went to sleep and snored for all he was worth.
-
Aria narrowed her eyes at everyone as she too laid down, Talin snored like a maniac, but she lulled herself to sleep as she waited until dawn to leave this place, she was excited but at the same time a little sad... her title here would be forever 'Exile'
-
The time between the streets and the hospital passed by almost as though in a trance. Being carried, she had no way to know where she really was going. As they went up the stairs, he jostled her and told her they were going to meet a Chosen. She turned her blind, blank gaze to where she thought his face was and smiled at him. "Sounds nice," she said.
Meeting a Chosen would likely help her understand her own self, not as much as she prayed the Queen would help, but help just the same. Even if it didn't, she would be glad to finally not feel pain in her leg, an empty, aching stomach, and the sting of scrapes and cuts as she walked. Healing had been long overdue.
-
the three continued their mad dash for the wall, their dark scales helping keep them out of sight. after a little while joseph sstoped and kneelt down, moving a rock and checking what was under it while max and ricca continued to run, by the time they reached the wall joseph was ready, a long peice of what looked like bamboo in one hand and a collection of small darts in the other. he took aim carefully, and hitting all his marks silently before moving up to where his siblings were. the three let the poisons do their work, the guards would be fine other than a hangover and the wrath of their superiors. once they were sure they were clear they started climbing the wall, their natural talent for the task ment they were over the wall in mere moments and silently on their way to their target.
-
Raised a brow before taking a slight bow, holding his arms out as he did so before slumping against the cave wall near the general. His body slid down the cold stone until his rump met the ground roughly, followed by his flash light flicking off and allowing the area to be consumed in an orange glow. He took a deep breath before sighing as he looked on through space... or in this case bare stone which was everywhere. "Good night," he sighed as he shuffled his body once more before closing his eyes, and resting his arms in his lap.
-
Entaru couldn't help but blush a bit as his master walked away. Quickly shaking it off, he saluted to his master's back. "I will sir!" Turning to the dor of his room, he walked in.
Despite being a priest, Entaru's quarters were lavishly decorated. The room wasn't too large but it was far from small. He could have easily fit twenty to thirty people in there and still have room to lay down in an out of the way place. The walls were jet black with silver designs running through it like veins. The floor was covered in black carpet, that seemed more akin to an oversized velvet rug than a carpet. His bed wasn't too extravagant...a simple four poster bed with more black sheets and a pillow placed in the corner of the room. On the right wall was a full length mirror with a dresser beside it...its paint and design matching the ink colored perectly. The only light sources in the room were braziers capped with crimson glass, covering the black room in a red glow that made Entaru's grim countenance all but unbearable to look at.
Placing his staff beside his bed, Entaru allowed his robes to fall off of him, leaving only his shorts on. Crawling into his bed he puls the black covers over his head and drifts off quietly into sleep.
-
The boat rocked gently, the clear water sloshing and rippling around it as Imshi shifted her weight again to keep it steady. She leaned against the woven-reed side and pushed away from the river bank. With deft control of the barge pole the fishing boat was soon out into open water.
"I still believe it was not proper to take the boat, miss." Yenchi's voice ran clear, yet softly and almost a whisper, accompanied by a worried glance down into the free-flowing water. He stole a quick look up at her then back to the river and the darting blue bird that flitted back and forth.
For a moment there was no reply; then "I helped weave this boat as a child. The clan can send me away but this boat goes with me." She looked across at Yenchi, failing to meet his eye. With a small sigh she pushed off into the thick reeds where the boat came to a soft halt. There among the tall shivering fronds she drew the barge pole in with a wet clatter. Laying back, Imshi drew a huff of breath and flicked her braided ponytail to one side.
After a while in silence Yenchi also clambered over, rocking the boat gently, curling up beside Imshi. It was with a surprised grimace that she endured this behaviour, though she did pull away enough so that their fur did not touch. She sighed again and stared up to the sky past the encircling reeds, while Yenchi fell into a snuffling sleep.
-
The sky cracked with with dawn, casting a creeping light into the blue. The cell doors crawled open and a host of guards led by the ermine officer filed in.
"Wake up prisoners, it's time to leave," the officer yelled.
On the third floor, a chair in the centre of the room faced up through the open ceiling to the stars. A sloth lay in it, eyes wide and body unmoving. Surrounding her were beds of the sleeping injured. The red panda directed alex to carry Listy and place her in one of the empty beds. Alex sat beside it as a wave of sleep cooled over the girl's body and she fell unconscious.
When she woke, the sky was brighter just slightly as the sun clambered onto the horizon. Her body felt perfect and untouched by any danger. Beside her bed was Alex slumped in a chair. He breathed heavy in his sleep.
As the dawn lit the sky, farmers left their houses and headed to the gate. Guards also patrolled the city streets as the city was beginning to stir. The intruders disguises would have to be good as a cat strolled along and waved in greeting as they slipped past.
Someone prodded Leo, and in his head he could hear the general's voice.
"Oi, Leo, wake up. It looks like we survived but where the hell's the ship?"
Aman had awoken an hour before dawn and he sat cross legged and naked on his bed, staring out of the window as the stars began to fade. His room a display of dark wood twisted into wild curves forming his furniture. A sculpture of a black hyena sat on his windowsill like a constant silhouette even in darkness. Once he deemed it time he pulled on shorts and a top and then covered himself in the white robes . He left the room in silence and rested his head on Entaru's door, sliding against his cheek. With a sigh he pushed forward and entered his assistants room. He watched the arctic fox, curled in the dark shroud of his bed, and smiled as he knelt beside it, looking into his closed eyes. With one paw resting upon the dark gem emblazoned on his robes, Aman reached and pressed his paw to Entaru's head.
"Wake up, servant of madness. Today you meet a God."
-
Aria, barely sleeping the night jolted up and got to her feet quickly, still slightly groggy but she managed to hold herself as she kicked the cell next to her, trying to wake up Talin.
-
Aria's kick did little to wake Talin, as he had woken up when the doors were sliding out. He brushed off the straw that clung to his clothes as he walked out of his cell. Some of the guards looked at him in intimidation and suspicion.
"Well, I won't be missing this when I leave." He half mumbled, stretching his arms, shoulders, wrists, and fingers.
-
Leo stirred with a light grumble under the prod. When he felt the prod once more, his body gave a violent flurry of arms and legs as he awakes. When he settled back down, he turned to face the general and gave her a very coy smile. “Oh well hai! Good morning. Ship? What ship,” he started in a very eccentric… awkward tone as he pulled his back away from the wall, which was quickly followed by a crackling noise. He curled his spine inwards until his forehead touched his knees, and then sat back up with a loud yawn and exposing glistening teeth to the fire light. He quickly closed his mouth once more and shook his head roughly and looked back to the general.
“A ship... HA! Where we are, we don’t need ships,” he hinted with an even wider grin. His tone glazed heavily in his antics with pure irony.
-
Entaru stirred at his master's touch, his eyes slowly opening. It was hard to tell in this room whether it was morning or night, with no windows to show the sun. Seeing his master's face, he knew immediately what time it was though. His master had made a habit of coming in and waking him up sortly after sunrise. He had some issues with it at first but had since grown accustom to it. A soft smile crosses his face as he sits up in his bed, his sheets crumpling in his lap leaving his chest exposed to the cold morning air. "Good morning, my lord. Will you be accompanying me to the Shard today?"
-
"Come on, up up up," the officer said and watched the two exiles stand. The guards surrounded them and marched through the corridor out into the open air where a few early rises watched with confused faces. The moved to the gate where Dim Lane stood with a beaming smile beside two figures, hooded and cloaked. One of them was a Chosen, with the red embroidery curling down the cloth. The mouse face of the other peeked under the hood, and her lizard tail snaked behind her. The gate crawled open and the figure stepped forward. The new sunlight showed the face. It was the Queen with a pinched brow.
"I shouldn't be here, but I thought I'd see you off Talin." Dim Lane meanwhile, hopped to Aria's side and put a wing around her.
"Exciting, huh?"
General Andreya Caisen jumped back as Leo flailed and spouted his madness.
"Whoa slow down, calm down. You going crazy or something? What do you mean we don't need ships?" she asked.
Aman tilted his head and leaned close, scrutinizing Entaru's eyes, observing the colours.
"I'll walk you there, but I have duties to attend to and you will be there a long while." He scanned down his servant's body and patted him on the shoulder. "Get dressed, the faster the better."
-
Aria looked perplexed at her boos, but then she smiled with what excitement she had, let me guess, on your search to prove your theory? she signed, though her face held support and curiosity
-
Leo rolled his head back for a moment as he drew both hands up from his lap, and clasped them together with a tight grip. The index digits protruded from his paws and lightly moved back and forth. The tips of each finger collided with each other as they came forwards when the cat rolled his head to the front again. "Uhhhmmmmmm... hm," he hummed in a minuscule tune all while scratching his chin, and then spoke in a very quirky tone while he brought himself to his feet, "Well. I did say I feel like I was losing my sanity. If that answers your first question. That, or my IQ dramatically dropped in hyperspace to that of a fruit bat."
He paused for a minute, his right ear rotating from hear and there as if he heard something. The ear would come to a sudden halt, the open end pointing behind his still body. A few more seconds later the feline would move his shoulders in a light shrug before spinning on his heels to face the General. "This be a tad bit difficult to explain. The simple fact kicked me in the teeth, and tore all logical and cognitive thinking out of my... well lets not go there. Sooooo.... we are in the near future ahead a good ten something years... and the technology is a good ten something years behind, so no one would be traveling in space, because we are going old school," he said quickly, his voice going a bit faster and higher pitch showing that he was speaking on a single breath. When he finished he opened his mouth and inhaled deeply, just before he clasped his hands one final time and said, "OH! And the ship is destroyed. Another example of my -amazingly awesome- piloting!"
-
Meredith didn't respond, she opened her moth, but words escaped her. Siyan pulled her close to him, but she shook her body free, "..Who are you?", she finally said.
-
Imshi woke suddenly, clutching the side of the boat as it lurched under the impact of a similar vessel. The boat rocked violently again as a second rammed into it's side, this time waking Yenchi with a startled yelp. Those aboard the vessels wasted no time and, even as Imshi stood and flared her wings out behind her, lashed tight rope bindings around wrists and arms. Yenchi followed the same treatement a moment later, leaving Vin to flutter in dizying circles around the boats and shriek his call of alarm.
Dragged bodily into the second boat, realization dawned as Imshi noted the reed-woven boats and clan clothing. "Insolence beyond comprehension, girl." The voice hissed through gritted teeth near Imshi's ear as she was thrown down into the boat.
The vessels traveled quickly back upstream, powering against the flow until they reached the bank nearest Tina city. There they came to a halt and the bound pair where hauled onto dry land. A group of women waited expectantly, fishing spears gripped tightly and eyes watching with the same steady gaze.
"You dare!" From the forefront of the group came an otter woman, taller and wider in the hips than any the others. She held a long knife of carved bone in one hand as she advanced upon Imshi. "Stand up straight girl! You dare take the fishing boat of a clan family. You dare break one of our greatest traditions?"
She stood before Imshi and spat into her face, lips curling into a snarl. "And you think yourself a Teresa... You knew well the implications of your action. We stood by, let you blaspheme like this, threw you from the clan. Bu that was not enough for you." Her blade rose with fury behind it, then stopped mid-strike. Yenchi had thrust himself between the two of them. A full head and shoulders shorter than the otter woman, he stood with a fierce determination in his normally quiet eyes and bared his chest to the blade. For a moment there was silence, and then the woman began to laugh. "Oh look see sisters, the girl's mate does protect her!"
-
Before most of the guards could react, or even the Chosen for that matter, Talin had closed the distance and swept her up in a hug. He made sure that he didn't cause any actual damage or push the air out of her body, but he was trying to give her something to remember him by other than 'Fang'. "I'm going to miss you so much~" his voice reaching almost feminine levels before he felt a guard's blade press against his arm. He set her down and backed an appropriate distance away while still keeping his goofy smile. "Worth every year in that cell..."
-
Aria saw what Talin did to the Queen with an arched eyebrow, she began to seriously doubt that the queen wouldn't let him leave. was it me or do I sense deep sarcasm. she thought to herself, she desperately wanted out of this place, she wished her voice could work so she could cry out for joy.
-
Listy awoke, but it was not with a jolt, nor was it with a scream of pain or a deep inhale of breath. There had been no nightmares for her. For the first time. Cautiously, she wiggles her fingers, and her toes, to make sure she's really awake...and notices that they don't hurt. They don't hurt at all. Actually, she feels great! She sits up and gropes for her leg to feel it. No sharp sting, no ache. It is better.
She needs to find the one who did this for her and thank him or her. She swings her legs off one side of the bed. "Hello?" she calls. "Someone there?"
-
Entaru nods as he swings his legs off the bed and stands up. As he moves to his dresser, he feels his face growing heated as he fought back a blush, being half naked in front of Aman. He quickly grooms himself and throws on his robe, not wanting to keep his master waiting. Grabbing his staff, he turns back to Aman with a grin. "I await your orders, my lord..."
-
the three found what they were after, the queens quaters, and sliped inside unseen, moving into positions they could easily hid in when someone returned. "you know, i still have no idea why you like coming here so much. it's just some rich persons bed." "not ust some rich person, this room belongs to the queen" "like i said, just another rich snob, waiting to take over the world." "thats not true and you know it!"
-
Dim Lane beamed at his assistant.
"Well I will get proven right, but also I'll get to see the shard... hopefully." He flapped about with excited energy. "It's a real piece of history, possibly a part of a god, who knows?" Halfway through bouncing with glee, he froze. Talin was squeezing the Queen. All the attendants stared and the Queen wriggled in his arms. Once she was let down, her face was set in a deep scowl and a fierce blush.
"You idiot. You never could show decorum." She straightened her clothes and the three were led out of the city. The Queen watched from behind until the gate closed shut and the guards, officers and chosen dispersed. Queen Tizzarath was the last to leave, heading back to her home.
The general ran her fingers across her brow.
"Okay so you have gone a bit mental. But the ship can't be totally destroyed, we should go to it and send out a signal. The fuel cells might still work." She looked out to the cave entrance where the dawn light was peering in. "Yeah no point standing around here." She headed off, jogging through the cave, her shoes echoing against the walls. She disappeared into the open air and for a moment there was quiet. At a creep, in reverse, she moonwalked back into the cave and over to Leo. Her eyes were held on the entrance while she whispered.
"Leo, I know things are stressful but don't freak out. There's a giant lizard monster just beyond this cave."
Chosen Akela smiled at the girl though her stare still analyzed the girl.
"My name is Akela Nakka. I'm a very special person, Chosen by the Seeker herself to do good." For a brief moment, she looked into Siyan's eyes, her face deadly serious, before she grinned at Meredith again. "And I think you're a very special person too. I can feel it, right there." She reached forward and pressed at the girl's gut.
Listy's calls flood into Alex's head and he wakes with a start, bursting limbs out and tumbling off his chair. He fell in a heap, looking up at the blind girl.
"Huh? Oh you're up." He climbed to his knees and took the girl's hand. "I bet you feel a lot better though right?" He looked into her eyes, moving his head to track where they looked. "Still blind though. That's okay."
Aman slithered up to his feet and moved along the wall to the door, pushing it open and gesturing to it.
"Off we go then," he said, and the pair headed out into the corridor. They circled the inside of the dome until they entered a vein toward the central shaft that led down to the shard.
Stairs weaved down in a twist that lasted for hundreds of metres. The aura of the shard emanating up toward them, seeping into their ears, an unstable hiss. Aman flicked a grin to Entaru and for a moment he froze shuddering at the sensation.
"Feel him, my servant. It only gets better for you."
The Queen's bedroom was covered in wood and stone. Leaves spewed from the very walls and flowers bloomed around them. It was an artificial eden, twisted into shape but flooded with the living. The breeze flowed through the open window, and the sound of leaves caressed filled the room; but among it were the sounds of voices. They came from the door to the corridor outside. The voice of the Queen and some other women, coming closer.
-
Entaru shivered, the sensation crawling deep into his bones. He had no idea how to describe it...just as if something...something strange was wrapping around every cell of his body, engulfing them. He felt drawn downward, as if being pulled down the stairs by every fiber of his being. Entaru couldn't bring himself to speak as he continued past his master, almost in a trance from the power below him.
-
Leo's grin suddenly cracked into a snicker, then suddenly a loud laugh. He called after her as he moved to the mouth of the cave, changing his accent completely into something a bit more outback, rowdy, and raspy as he came into view,"Oh? You met Savior. Careful, he is one of the most vicious tigers out there! He will bite you and pull you to the ground! In ten seconds, you're gone! I'm gonna touch it!" After saying that, he had completely walked past the large green lizard, and gave it a gentle pat on the head.
He smiled as he was greeted to the warm glow of the sunlight. His arms became outstretched as he breathed in a new world. "At dusk, the world, no the universe had threatened to collapse, for whom dawn shall bring a new light into the next beginning," he chuckled. "Delightful..." he sighed before raising up one of his legs and spinning to face the general. "While I might have completely lost my sanity, I must in form you that we are approximately ten million years in the future. And this future's universal technology is... primitive," he explained as he turned his head to look off to the distant sky, "you and I at most, have the most advance equipment that should have been outdated within a year of our original time, by the theory of Technical Development."
-
She nodded, and smiled, almost looked in his eyes. "Thank you so much, I feel a lot better. Maybe I can walk now without limping." She gripped his hand tightly.
-
Talin reluctantly left the city, giving a glance back as the gates shut behind him. He then turned to Aria and Dim Lane with a smile. "Since I got you out of the city, would any of you care to learn more about the Seeker or the other gods? It will take a day or two to reach the village by foot..."
-
A small crowd of fishermen and city folk gathered at the bank of the river, standing around the group of Teresa clanswomen and watching with mild curiosity from a distance. The Teresa clan were not often seen in Tina city, except of course during the seeker celebrations, and such evictions from the clan even less common.
"It is not of you're concern, boy. You are not of the clan and therefore you are not deserving of punishment. Go back to your own people." The otter woman moved to push Yenchi aside, twisting the knife in her grip expectantly. She was surprised therefore when Yenchi did not move and instead pushed back at the elder. Shocked, she stumbled for a moment and then turned on the young feline.
"You dare to stand in my way? This girl must be punished for he insolence, but perhaps it is not just her that requires a lesson." The blade rose and fell in a savage slash, streaking pain across Yenchi's bared chest and lower arm. Blood soaked his white fur and from behind him came a whimper of shared pain from Imshi. Her whimper turned to a shout as Yenchi smashed the elder aside with unexpected ferocity, the rope that had bound him slashed in two and lying on the floor.
"Run!" He shouted the single word and pulled her into the crowd who, until this moment had stood silent and still, turned to confusion and panic. The clanswomen and otter Elder all gave shouts and yells of command or anger, but the two had already vanished into the surging crowd of people.
-
Not really interested but thanks anyway she signed quickly before she continued on ahead by herself, she was thinking about seeker, she was indeed mad at her for ripping away the ability to have her own voice and reducing to looking like a crazy person. she felt angry at te gods in general for not letting her speak her own mind...but what was her purpose for not having a voice?
-
the three heard the voices and freaked, dashing into their hiding spots just before the door opened, Ricca accidentally knocking knocked over a small item that had been next to it, not even noticing as they hid, hoping that whoever it was wasn't coming into the room, and that if they did that they wouldn't stay long.
-
Aman watched Entaru continue on down the stairs in a blind trance, and he ran his tongue along his teeth. A grin stretched with vicious teeth. He move behind the fox and whispered into his ear.
"That's it, feel in the fibres of your bones like an intoxicating flame." They reached the door and Aman opened it up. A wave of cold darkness spewed over them both , seeping into their fur, a stain on the arctic fox. Aman moved his head around Entaru, looking at every drip of black. He sniffed it, taking it in, and licked Entaru's cheek feeling his rough tongue taste the fox and the stain before stepping away and closing the door with his assistant left inside alone.
He raced back upstairs, pulling himself away from the unnatural draw of the shard and headed to the main chamber of office.
Saviour shook his head from Leo's pat and kept up his vigil on the world outside. The general watched wide eyed.
"So... there's no spaceship and no-one to contact?"
"You learn faster than stupid does." Hidden by the edge of the cave, Little0Hands stepped out with a pile of fruit and leaves in her arms. Saviour moved to her side and she rubbed her face to his with a giggle.
"How do you know all this," the general asked.
"Seeker," Little hands replied, while chewing on a leaf. She offered some to the guests.
"Oh, no thanks... Who's Seeker?"
Alex smiled and led Listy back through the hospital. He nodded in appreciation to the panda as they passed and headed out into the streets.
"Come on. You wanted to see the Queen, correct? Well I know just how you can see her." They headed down into the undercity where the Queen's palace stood embedded into the wall. The guard recognised Alex immediately.
"Hey man." He was a hyena. "Didn't know you were a kidnapper." Alex smirked with a breath of laughter.
"Hey Addae. This is..." he drew a blank and looked down at the girl. "I dont think you ever told me your name, did you?"
As the screams and yells spread through the crowd, the city guards swooped down into the crowd. The city folk were quick to point out the otter and three large men were quick to block her way while Imshi and Yenchi raced among the people.
"Hey, hey." Beside them, a small rabbit kept pace. He was remarkably short, his ears making up the difference. "You guys should come with me. My mum wants to help."
Dim Lane shrugged at Aria and stepped close to Talin.
"The poor girl's so easily distracted by the outdoors. Though she's a good assistant when she needs to be. Me on the other hand, I'm always thinking about our fascinating past." He gestured with his wings as he talked, flapping about with the bob of his head. "I am curious to hear what you know, though what could you know considering you've been imprisoned while breakthroughs have been made."
Queen Tizzarath stepped into her room and yawned wide. She pulled off her cloak and hung it on a stand beside the door. She reached for her clock but it wasn't on the bedside table. It was on the floor. She stepped back toward the door and opened it a crack.
"Jason?"
"Yes your highness?" The reply was the guard standing in the corridor; a large badger with an obsidian blade.
"Did anyone come into my room while I was away?" the Queen asked.
"No your highness, is there a problem?" he replied.
"No, stay as you are, but leave the door open."
-
Listy balked, as though nervous at such a simple question. She pursed her lips for a second or two, thinking. . .could anyone be trusted with her name? It was just a name, but still, so much damage could be done with a name. If the Queen didn't like her, then her name would never be spoken gladly but in angry, hushed tones forever more...Such thoughts tore at each other in her head, and she wasn't even sure why, just that she was afraid of saying her name for some reason. It was as though there was a cold, cold, heavy weight in her throat, holding down her name from being spoken.
So the girl lied.
"My name is...Roxy." she said, then smiled.
-
Talin laughed at the idea of 'breakthroughs' when it came to Tina City.
"High Priestess Kara does not like anything other than the Seeker being the dominant deity. While we have much to thank for in her gift of life and strength, she is hardly the only entity that existed beforehand." Talin raised a finger for each god that his "Memories" had given him the ability to know.
"To my knowledge, there are at least five others beyond the Seeker herself. The Shard society, if such a place can be classified as a 'society', follows Nero. Nero acted as a gatekeeper of sorts between where the gods resided and the world we live in now. There is also Vuranin, a goddess of unparalleled speed as well as a messenger between us and them. Then there is Howl, a close friend of the Seeker and also a very diplomatic wolf." He winced as he lifted his thumb, afraid of another manic episode upon bringing up his name. "Finally there is Chronin..." He tried to talk about him, but the fear of a mental breakdown kept him from speaking further.
-
Leo rolled his eyes at the girl's comment and turned to face the two and grumbled in his displeasure to the little girls insults "General Caisan, meet Little Loud Mouth, Little Loud Mouth meet General Caisan." "Now...Seeker... Seeker... Seeker,” he repeated in several different tones as he he draws a quick conclusion. “I would say this would be more so a goddess figure for the lack of her solidified presence to our eyes,” he stated plainly and then quickly snapped his fingers and continued, “who might actually be more then just a god from what I had witnessed. Because, unlike a god... which is very arguable in existence, she does exist. Making her something... of a cross of immortal-mortal.”
He paused for a minute, before frowning as he recalled his earlier conversation with Little Hands. The thought taunted him with the very soul image of his would be destruction. The last words he had remembered from this demonic beast had just echoed through his mind, quote “I WILL END YOU!” spoken in such hatred and blood lust, tempted for a shiver. But instead, the feline's face went blank; and then, slowly crept into an ominous smirk.
“Let's not forget our dear good friend Nero, you remember the angry hyena do you.” he asked in a peculiar tone.
-
Aria kicked a small rock out of her way, she let out a wistful sigh as she began to play a tune in her head and started skipping, before she began walking through a meadow, gently running her hands over the tall grass, she was feeling peaceful as the world around her felt serene. she was finally free, she wish she could laugh. she always knew that if she had a voice, it would be a beautiful one... she wasn't paying attention to Talin's proof of the different gods, she was and never will be a believer.
-
Entaru felt the tongue slide across his cheek, but it wasn't his master's. For a moment, he could have sworn that he had seen a hyena dart through the darkness and embrace him. The black stained his fur a deep purple as he was overwhelmed by the black mist. It was cold...colder than any cave or tundra...and yet he felt welcomed by it. Ice crystals quickly formed on his muzzle and brow and he could feel his extremities losing feeling as he walked closer to the epicenter of the mist. Deep in the back of his brain he could hear manaical laughter, as if a madman had foretold a prophecy and had it just come true in front of his own eyes. Finally, he stopped just inches away from his symbol. He could feel his own breath reflecting off of it and washing back over his face, much colder than before. He could only stare in quiet awe as he beheld the object of his worship...the Shard.
-
Ricca silently swallowed hard, less than a meter away from the queen, she looked up a little and saw max passed the queen's leg. he was hidden amongst the branches, silently swearing at her in sign language. Joseph was hidden at the back of the room, a dart aimed the guard outside from his hiding spot, silently watching the two start to argue through sing language with the queen between them, hopefully unaware of the argument on either side of her.
-
"Special." Meredith never thought her self as special. If she were so special why would she be left all alone with no parents. If she were special why didn't any of the kids try to talk to her in class. If she were special, why would she feel a sense of emptiness. Then she looked at Siyan; then she knew that she was special, to have someone who cared that much about her, the chosen one was right she was special, but in what other way could she be special other then the love she received from her big brother. "You said the seeker chose you, does that mean I to have been chosen?" Meredith wasn't to knowledgeable about the seeker and the chosen for that kind of information was out of her reach at school.
-
Warmth beamed from Alex and he tussled Listy's hair.
"Now that's a lovely name," he said then looked up to his friend. "She says she needs to meet the Queen. It sounds urgent."
"Right," Addae said. "And what is it she wants to say?" He scanned his eyes down to the girl inviting her to answer. Alex nudged her. "Go on, tell him."
Dim Lane narrowed his eyes and peered up at Talin.
"As much power as the High Priestess has, my research discovers regardless of her." He hopped up close to the cat and scrutinized him. "Now I know of many of the others you have referred to, or at least I believe I do. But this there are no references nor evidence for this Vuranin or Chronin. How could you possibly know of them?" He glanced over to Aria who had drifted into a field. "Aria, don't stray. We have an important duty and an incredible opportunity."
Within the main chamber, he sat at his throne while messengers and officials swarmed around him. A pair of scientists, a mink and a ferrt, knelt to the floor in front of him and he watched them while his body stung with excitement.
"My Lord, we have found and stripped the craft. It was made of some sort of shimmering stone and within it we found this form of molten substance. It was contained in a see through container and on its side were the words, 'Fuel Cell.'" said the mink.
"Yes, yes and?" Aman leaned forward hands gripped on his chair as though ready to propel him forward. "What is a fuel cell, what does it do?" The scientists flashed a quick smirk to each other, all too happy to divulge.
"It's--" the Mink started, but the ferret held him back.
"Ancient records from the the city suggest that a fuel cell was used as energy to do all manner of things." The ferret said.
"My lord we can--" The mink began
"-- They powered everything with this, my lord." The ferret interrupted.
"My lord--" The mink was almost on his feet. The ferret dragged him down.
"My lord, we believe that with the power of the shard to magnify its potential." The ferred spelled it out with flowing pride. The enthusiasm pulled Aman to stand of his throne and step to them, kneeling beside them like young conspirators.
"So could Nero use this to reform, to revive?"
"Yes!" The mink almost screamed with pent up energy. "We could bring him back, soon, this week!" He was shaking with anticipation. Aman grinned wide with white teeth. The ferret put up his paw.
"But, he'd still need a vessel, which we still haven't figured out. It would be like containing a continuous breeze in a sealed room," he said. The leader shook his head and put his hand behind their necks, pulling them to him. He dragged their ears to his lips.
"That's all taken care of. Just do your tests, make it work." He slid his hands to their backs and pulled them tight against him in a crushing hug. His great arms gripping them close with all his strength. They squeaked in the pressure until he let them go.
The Queen moved to the bed and pressed against the animal fur and straw. She leaned on it and peered over the other side. It was mostly shadowed, but she spotted the flicker of movement. The flash of a tail.
"Jason," she called and the guard marched into the room as she moved back toward him. "Jason there's someone under the bed."
Chosen Akela patted Meredith's shoulder.
"Yes, I think so." She looked up at Siyan with a serious twinge in her brow. "I need to take her to the temple. The priestesses must see to this girl."
-
"What no, no you can't!" Siyan looked at Meredith her eyes where confused but she looked as if she wanted to go. "No.. uhh... I won't let her go alone." he reluctantly said.
-
Leo clasped his hands together once more his face going dull for the brief moment as he spoke up, "I will take your silence as a yes." He turned back around bounded to a nearby tree. "Well, our native companion has explained that some cultist are attempting to bring him back from the dead. Now this is scientificly impossible but saying it's possible.." he would trail off as he began to climb up the trunk of the tree, "The most we have to do is put a bit of plasma through their eyes." His hands and feet carefully grabbing hold of the trunks as he scaled it further. When he finally reached the peak, the top most branch was stressing under his weight, causing the tree to bend in result. "BUT FIRST WE NEED TO FIND THAT FRICKIN SHIP, AND GET OUR WEAPONS!" he angrily screamed out as he looked over the horizon
-
Talin did a few breathing exercises to calm himself down, something he felt necessary for every time he might be close to losing control.
"I have a connection of sorts, to the past. However, the only eyes I see through, are those of Chronin." Talin gauged the look on Dim Lane before continuing.
"If the Seeker is a goddess, then Chronin would be the first and possibly the only demigod to have ever existed. He received his power from his mother, the goddess Vuranin. Chronin's ability is hard to describe in detail, but it is probably the ability to control mass and gravity. If he were around today, it would not be a stretch for him to be able to change the shape of the heavens above us."
-
Aria didn't listen but looked over her shoulder at Dim Lane and frowned, but then moved out of the field and moved and started walking next to Dim Lane. she rolled her eyes at Talin's story about Chronin Oh please.. its gonna take more than just stories for me to believe in such beings..something like oh, I don't know, giving my a voice pure sarcasm was written all over her face.
-
Listy went pale under her fur. A cold touch ran up her spine and settled in the crook of her neck. She did everything in her power to look confident. She dropped her hands to her side and stood up straight. "A few weeks ago, I had a doll. A special doll. When I was with it, it gave me nightmares. The doll was always in them, his name was Nero. But now that it's gone, I don't know what's wrong with me. I feel light. And then I just start floating..." She trailed off, having explained it all to the best of an eight year old's ability.
-
Yenchi looked across at the rabbit as they ran, ducking and weaving between the milling people. He gripped Imshi's wrist tight and, with a quick glance over his shoulder, yanked her in the direction that the rabbit was motioning. Imshi ran along in a dazed confusion, her wrists still bound tightly and the usual scathing remarks or bossiness gone. Instead she allowed Yenchi to pull her and spent what little concentration she had left on running.
"How can your mother help?" The question came between sharp pants of pain and exhaustion, blood seeping through the white fur of Yenchi's chest, draining his strength.
Before the young rabbit could attempt any answer, Imshi stopped in her tracks and gave a shout "No, Yenchi! What do you think you're-" Yenchi's feline ears flattened back anxiously and he pulled at her wrist again, dragging her into a brisk run with a pained looked in his eyes. He nodded to the rabbit again, his repeated question lost in heaving breaths as they ran together.
-
The shard was held up above a basin and a dark wind spewed from it and lashed against the walls. A reaching will churned in the air and curled its power to a central point. It focused and bore into Entaru. His robe whipped in the wind and the black mist held in the breath of the shard splattered and coagulated upon his fur. It wriggled like fingers across his skin forming upon his head, slipping toward his ears. He heard its whispers, its hiss into the very core of his mind. It pried and pulled at his knowledge, asking, wanting but unable to form any words like water through an open hand. It needed to know and scratched at his brain. Pain shredded through Entaru's head, pain and need.
Chosen Akela stood up and looked Siyan in the eye.
"You can stay beside her for now, but you must understand; if I am right then there are places that she must go where you cannot follow." She placed a paw on his shoulder. "Her life will become infinitely better so you cannot hold her back, okay?" She asked then looked back toward the UnderCity. "The temple is close. Follow me."
The general waved her greeting at Little-Hands.
"Hi, I'm Andreya, and you are?" she asked.
"Little-Hands" the girl replied with a wave of her own. She then fumbled in her pockets, pulling out silver packets of food. "What do weapons look like?"
"Not like that," the general replied, then mimed out the shape of a gun. "Like this," she said. Little-Hands reached into her pockets again and pulled out the two pistols.
Dim Lane glanced to Aria and shook his head.
"You must keep an open mind Aria. There's more than enough evidence to prove the Seeker's existence, so why not other gods?" He turned to Talin. "Though your connection to it is... peculiar. I suppose you have an explanation for it? Though you could just be mad." He shot a look at Aria. "Did my assistant release a madman" A little smile came upon him, as though he were thrilled at the idea.
"Huh." Alex and Addae looked down at the girl with increasingly furrowed brows. "I guess that works, doesn't it?" Alex said to Addae who chewed it over.
"Creepy dolls and lightheaded children? Sounds like a medical issue," he said.
"We already went to the hospital." Alex said. "She was injured and a Chosen healed her, but nothing like this was mentioned and I guess nothing in her head changed." He looked down at Listy. "Right, Roxy?"
The rabbit easily kept up with them despite his size and didn't even seem out of breath.
"She can hide you. She does that. She hides... well we hide." He looked up and clawed at the air as he thought of the words he needed. "She empathises with you. Yeah that's it. She's been in your position... kinda." The rabbit took Yenchi's free hand and pulled them both through the city like a snake through the grass. They reached the denser areas of the city and turned toward an alleyway where the ground was rough and marked with holes. A particularly deep one sunk under a building into a darkened expanse. "Come on, in here." he said.
-
Listy felt arms...or they weren't arms, but they felt like them, soft yet hard, cold yet warm, conflicting sensations, one after another in sucession...the arms wrapped around her shoulders like it was her father, hugging her. The girl wasn't startled, no, she was the opposite. Suddenly she felt as calm as ice. Her posture loosened. Her shoulders relaxed, the back of her hind paws hit the ground as she put her forward weight on them. She smiled.
"Right," she said. "The only time I can see is when I'm with Nero. I thought that if the Queen knows where he is, I can find him. He's the only one who can fix my eyes. I bet you he's the one who lets me fly too. Isn't he?" Chuckling, she spun to face where she imagined Alex stood. "I really wish I had my doll back. I liked him."
Listy had no idea that she probably sounded like a lunatic little girl disturbed from a bad childhood experience. She had no idea about a lot of things.
-
Talin sighed at being called a 'madman'. It had gone from being an insult, to just an excuse for his visions.
"I would love to say that it is madness, but I only know these entities because of this 'madness'. All I knew before then was just the Seeker, and even she was a mystery unto herself. When I was in prison, only two people spoke to me, and they were the Queen herself along with High Priestess Kara." Talin smirked as he walked a straight line, as if he were on a tight rope at this second.
"I still find it amusing that I had only met them right before I became a Chosen, and my madness made it possible for me to get an audience with them time and time again. Master must have been ashamed to have trained me though, since yesterday was the first time meeting her since I was imprisoned." He then turned to Dim Lane and shook his head.
"Sorry, I was going off on a tangent... I do not have an explanation as to why I am the only Chosen in Tina City to have this mental condition."
-
Yenchi made no remark on the rabbit's reply, instead focusing on running and dragging Imshi along with one hand while he clutched at his chest with the other. Through the twisting and winding innards of the city they ran. Glances and shrewd looks following where they went, a young rabbit, wildcat and winged vixen bound at the wrists.
The moment of finally coming to a halt came as a relief, and so it was with a lessened sense of urgency and strength that Yenchi guided Imshi down into the darkness after their guide.
With a shiver that ran through her wings, setting them a flutter, Imshi followed behind Yenchi. She pressed close, her bound wrists chafed and sore. It did not pass through either of the pair's minds that they where following blindly without a momentary question of the young rabbit.
-
Aria didn't answer the question as she yawned and stretched her arms in the air. she was getting hungry, she digged into her bag for some food. she frowned when she found bread, but she chewed on it anyways, Aria was never a picky eater, you got what you had and she should eat it without a fuss.
-
Entaru held back his pain, gritting his teeth and holding his head. He did his best to allow the sentience in, to give it what it wanted. His body trembled in pain and awe, a touch of fear creeping into his mind. The very essence of Nero was warping around him, feeling him and probing into him as he breathed in the mist taking in as much as he could.
-
Leo continued to gaze about the area they where situated at. His head slowly turned as he scanned the horizon for a stack of smoke, something with a metallic shine, or even a small path of destruction. He slung himself around the tree’s trunk to gaze in the other direction, only to find the same results. He heaved out a small sigh as he began to climb back down the tree.
“I couldn’t find the sh….” He trailed off as he looked to the little girl and to the general, then back to the little girl holding the guns. “Scratch that, I see she has them. Please keep your fingers away from the flimsy stick.”
-
Siyan didn't like the idea of him "not being able to follow" but he had little choice if Meredith wanted to becuase he would not stop her, not unless he feels its unsafe. Siyan doesn't know to much about the "chosen" and all that other crap that is intertwined with it, but he understands it suppose to be something worth being happy about. Meredith seemed calm and cool enough so Siyan was going to push for more answers right now, he deiced it be best to shut up and follow.
-
Addae folded his arms and observed the little girl holding Alex's hand. He shrugged then stepped aside.
"You can go in and head to the primary hall. Tell the advisor what's what and wait your turn," he said. Alex grinned and patted the hyena on the arm before heading passed, pulling Listy along with him. They laced through the corridors, finding the primary hall draped in fine wool, spilling over with bright reds. At the back of the room by a door was a striped lemur with a desk in front of her, covered in slips of wood that had writing scribbled all over them. She was sorting through and crossreferencing.
There were two chosen on either side of her. Two hooded and cloaked minks. As Alex and Listy entered, one of them nudged the lemur who shook, startled out of her work.
"Yes?" she looked over at the visitors. The chosen gestured to the door. "Oh right," the lemur replied, then gestured with the chosen. "You should go down that way if you wish to meet the queen. It leads down a corridor, stand by the guard and don't go into any of the rooms." Alex nodded, surprised at the efficiency and led Listy along through the door. At the far end was the guard, a badger, and as they walked to him, Alex noted the chosen following behind. The badger glanced at them, then raised his hand.
"Wait there please," he said then leaned to the door. "Your majesty has visitors."
Dim Lane rubbed his hands together with glee.
"So you're either mad or are heavily affected by the void... or both." He grinned and scanned his surroundings. "All this chosen stuff is so hard to pin down. Feels like anything could be true. Anyway, I think we're getting close." He jogged ahead up over the crest of a hill and stood pointing ahead. Once his companions joined up with him, the could see the view of the town of the shard down below. "Welcome home Aria. You'll be our guide so I hope your memory is up to scratch." He looked over at her and spied her bread. "Oh and pass us some of that."
Once they climbed into the hole, the rabbit pushed a large rock in its place and sealed it shut. I stood flat back against it and oriented himself in the dark, pointing forward to the opposing wall.
"Name's Reeza, and I guess you two are Imshi and Yenchi, right?" he walked straight past them to the other wall and pushed at it. It slid away on a crude hinge and light speared through a minute gap. Beyond was a small hovel, with a dining table at its centre and a fireplace that headed up through the chimney in the building above. There was a chair with its back to them, facing the fire. Just above its back were old ears and peeping eyes , with a wide and deep black pupil. She pushed herself off onto her feet, a little middle aged woman who was even shorter than the boy.
"You found them," she beamed with a smile. The boy folded his arms in triumph and looked up at the two.
"She's been so interested in you since you started making scenes in this city," he said. "It was hard not to notice."
The shard trembled in its altar and reached far into Entaru's head, into his thoughts, raking spectral fingers along every facet of his existence; and soon began to seep even deeper. Like a sentient tar it oozed into every function of the fox. It spat and vomited sounds from his mouth, and twisted within his eyes. A string of almost thoughts sparked and burned. It tore at Entaru's self, burning his mind, tearing at him until all light began to fade and he collapsed to the floor.
When light finally pierced past his eyelids, Entaru looked up into the face of Aman who's excitement rippled across his face.
Little-Hands looked over to Leo with a smirk.
"So these are your weapons?" She held them up to the light, turning them over and inspecting every angle. "How do they work?"
Chosen Akela strode across the grass and descended down into the hard stone of the undercity. She weaved down the streets until the temple stood in front of her, blazing with perpetual smokeless torches whose flame danced in twisted eddies. As she headed through its entrance, Chosen guards greeted with a nod. Once they entered it seemed there was a perpetual tone in the air, the softest hum that slid into the minds of even the most disconnected from the void. Chosen Akela directed the pair down some steps to a lower level and into a large open room. There was a mat in the centre of the room and three Chosen stood at the back wall, where decorations spilled across the wall like detailed embroidery made purely by living plants. She guided Siyan to stand by the door and then stood Meredith on the mat and faced the three frozen figures.
"State your name and the nature of your pull to the void."
-
Meredith stood in shock, she was still trying to take in everything. "Ummm.. My name is Meredith... umm.. I'm not to sure how I am suppose to answer the next question.." her ears went back. She was still a child, she might seem very vocal, but this is just one of those thins she didn't know how to explain. She eyed Siyan for help, but he had no idea what was truly going on.
-
Entaru winced at the light, covering his eyes. The light was painful....far more painful than it should have been. He felt as if he was suffering the aftermath of twenty feasts all at once. He turned over, his back to his lord and vomited on the floor. He slowly opened his eyes, staring at the mess on the floor as he noticed his hands. They were almost black with how purple they were and his fingers had lengthened and stretched. They were closer to gnarled claws, with the nails looking even sharper and stained black. He slowly rose to his feet, throwing his hood over his face to hide his eyes from the light. His robes were stained black as well, tainted from the exposure. The embroidered gem at its center blended in to the robes but occasionally it seemed to gleam purple, as if it were a real gem. His entire body was tainted the black purple, his thin frame now emaciated and bony. He looked as if he hadn't eaten a proper meal in months and his eyes were sunken into their sockets. His arms and legs were longer, making him look like some holy scarecrow. Turning to face his lord, Aman could finally see his eyes. The whites of his eyes imitated the purple of his fur, but his irises were pure black shining with the brilliance of the Shard. Entaru looked at his master with those black eyes with a new arrogance as he looked down at Aman, having grown to almost eight feet tall.
He did not speak...he wasn't sure if he could....or even needed to.
-
Talin looked over the hill, and after a few seconds of focusing on the village he felt a rather strange sensation in his gut. The moment he dry heaved onto the hill, he felt as if someone had just punched him in the same spot as the sensation. The sensation spread, and evolved from strange to straight out violation. Luckily, he didn't lapse into madness and the sickness quickly faded away. He straightened up and looked at the two with an uneasy smile.
"I hope it is the former, or I might not be able to walk in there."
-
Leo quickly found himself calmly watching the girl, the idea of snatching the gun away from the girl and her curious manners had never occurred to him. It was almost as if he was waiting for the gun to suddenly spark to life and shoot the girl. A twisted thought indeed, but the feline had only left the gun in stun, and not to kill. No to set such a dangerous piece of equipment to kill meant a difficult combination that couldn’t be accidently set by a monkey.
“Please advert your attention from the end with the hole,” he spoke dully before raising his hand up as if he was holding a gun, with the index finger just outside the ring. “Hold it like this, and point the end with the hole to a rock, the tree or the ground.” He instructed.
He would give her ample time to find a target before continuing “When you are ready, hold the gun like this,” he stated as his index finger would slowly curl inwards to were the trigger would be. “To use it, squeeze the shinny stick with your finger. Hold it tightly, but keep your hands away from the top of the gun, or you will risk a severe burn.”
-
Listy felt her both her smile and her excitement growing as she was pulled through the halls. She knew just from the sounds, smell, and feel that this place must have been wonderful. But she couldn't see it to know for sure. When the guard told them to wait she felt a bit disappointed, but told herself in her head to stop being a spoiled brat and be patient. "Who are the visitors?" she asked gently enough, and grasped Alex's hand tighter.
-
"Yenchi..." The whisper escaped Imshi's lips as she tugged at his arm. Her wrists where still bound tight. He turned, surprised, and slit the rope with his knife. It was strong rope of woven rushes, but tore and fell to the floor easily under the blade. Imshi rubbed at the raw skin from the bindings and glanced to the woman with a sullen look.
It was Yenchi who spoke first, another strange action on his behalf that left Imshi too surprised to interject. "Who are you?" He cast an eye over the contents of the room before turning back to the woman and narrowing "How do you know our names?"
Imshi moved closer to Yenchi's side, wings fluttering nervously as the sharp smell of his matted blood overcame the warm smell of wood smoke. A squirming discomfort ran through her, and it was with resentment that she watched Yenchi take control of the situation, the boy she knew who was normally so timid and quiet.
-
Akela knelt down beside the girl and murmured advice to her.
"Well what does it feel like... that emptiness in you. Does it feel like someone's pulling it out, or does it feel like it's always been empty? Do you want to fill it up or do you want to make that emptiness bigger?" She looked up at the three seated in front of them, seemingly frozen in their seats.
Aman scanned up and down his transformed assistant, his stare drawn into the darkness of the fur and stained robes. He bit his lip and a grin stretched along his jaw as he reached out and touched the black gem, pressing his hand to Entaru's chest. With a slow lift of his head, he looked up into Entaru's eyes. They were deep, like a clear ocean with slick with tar. The sight raced through his body and he clenched his fist, gripping the robes, pulling himself close to Entaru. Stoking along his body, Aman wrapped his arms around the emaciated form, pressing his head to the heart of this twisted form. Whispers slithered into his ears, but among it he could hear the faintest heart beat. It triggered a frown and he pulled his head back, looking up at the creature.
"So beautiful, but still so far away from His perfection." Aman reached up a hand and stroked Entaru's cheek.
Dim Lane folded his arms and gave a disapproving grumble to Talin. "Well I hope it's neither. You're supposed to be our bodyguard, even if this is strictly off the record." A little grin snuck in. "The ancestors called it 'covert ops.' It's all very exciting really." He began hopping down the hill and about half way down, looked up making sure they followed. "Aria, you lead the way."
Little-Hands held the gun up, aiming at the cave wall while Andreya stepped back toward Leo.
"Like this?" asked the girl as she pulled the trigger. She yelped. The gun lit up and a green flash burst from the barrel. The wall was splashed with light. Then gone in an instant, it left a steaming black mark. Little Hands looked at the in, a faint glow emanating from the chamber lighting up her smile.
"There you go." Andreya applauded the girl, who now aimed at something else; a white bird high above them. Trigger pulled. It fell with a squelch as a charred mess. The girl frowned.
"Well I guess it's no good for hunting." She aimed again, both guns this time, straight at Leo.
The guard looked back at the little girl with a confused expression.
"No, I was talking to-" he cut himself off with a sigh and went back to the door. "Your majesty, you have visitors."
"Huh?" The Queen's voice came out from the room. "I know, that's what I've been--"
"No, as in there are people out here who have come to see you." The badger spoke slow and deliberate.
"Oh right," she replied. "Well send some Chosen to the windows. These other guests can stay here for a while." The guard stepped back to his position, and straightened himself more than he already had with a ceremonial salute, and the queen stepped out. Alex stifled a gasp as the enormity hit him. He was shaking with Listy's hand in his.
"Your majesty," he blurted with a bow. The Queen smiled in return and gestured for him to rise.
"For future reference, it is I who speaks first on occasions such as this, not you," she said. Alex crumbled into apologies and burned in a blush.
"Terribly sorry your majesty," he said.
"It's quite alright," she said, then looked down at the Listy. "And who's this?"
Reeza looked at them a little surprise.
"Well that's charming," he said. His mother raised her hand.
"It's understandable." she said, and crept forward to the pair. Her stare locked onto the blood streak down the cat's chest. "My name is Ophelia and most rabbits have heard your names screamed across the city by an angry mob." A weak smile came upon her. It looked weak but it may have been the biggest she could manage. Her face was lost in loose drooping skin, though her eyes were still very sharp. "Let me put something on that cut, and when my daughter comes home she and Reeza can help you escape." She looked up at the both of them, the expectant of them. "That is what you want, yes?"
-
Leo blinked slowly as he saw both guns pointed to him. This unnerving thought of which gun she was enough to make anyone immediately swipe the guns away, but oddly he didn't. Instead he took a casual step closer, and brought his right hand across his torso. And then quickly back around to smack the two guns away from himself and off to the side with his forearm. If this turned out to be successful, he would quickly warp the same arm around the girls arms and draw them to his side to be held in place with his legs shifting into a better stance, wso the guns would be aimed harmlessly behind him. The one time so far the self defense course he had taken from the security team of the Sphere had came to use. “Very good... but they are not toys. They kill. You need a special set of armor to defend against it. Even then it can be charged. Please do not point them at anyone who is no real threat.”
-
Aria wasn't really paying attention but when Dim spoke to her, she looked at him dumbly, as if too say 'whaa?' please repeat that??
-
Talin was going to smirk at the comment, but the scene changed the moment after Dim Lane said 'covert ops'. He was now in 'his' bedroom, Tabitha on top of him with dagger drawn. Then the scene changed to him having an outburst at the kitchen table, only able to hear the words 'Operation Dragonfly' before it jumped a few hours to him standing before Vuranin.
In the following moments, Talin knew only the pain of the memory, and the feeling of being completely hollow on the inside. He dropped to the ground, any plants or living creatures within three feet of him were quickly decaying.
-
Aria stared in shock and fear, but her face changed into a softness that she hardly expressed, she knelt down, she was just out of three feet but she stared at him, her intense green eyes displaying a deep emotion of compassion. in her mind she reached out to him. Talin... let it go... she reached out to him with her heart, no fear, no promises, no nothing. come back to us... she signed.
-
Entaru felt a bit of revulsion at his master's touch but endured it. His head twitched to one side as he wondered at his new emotion. He had always loved and enjoyed his master's presence, yet now he wanted to simply snap his neck. "My lord...I would ask that you stand back. This body...I can't describe it. I feel so...hungry." His gnarled claws curled into fists as he cocked his head down at his master. He looked delicious. He felt like he could rip him apart with his bare claws and feast on the remains. He shook his head to clear his thoughts. "My lord....I need to feed." He had intended to say that he needed to eat, but something else made him say that. He knew what feeding meant...he could feel what it meant. He pitied the poor soul who was chosen for the honor of becoming his meal.
-
Yenchi glanced down at the cut, blinking away surprise as he noticed the blood. He nodded and muttered a word of thanks to the old woman. The pain of the wound had gone unnoticed in the flight for escape, but now it stung deep. He stood close to Imshi and looked across into her eyes, golden and warm, then turned back to the old woman "Yes, of course that is what we want."
From behind him Imshi shook her head and, with a nervous flutter of her wings, said "No..."
Incredulous, Yenchi turned to face her again. He frowned and clenched his fist into a tight ball "How do you mean, no? Your clan has rejected you, rejected us... You saw what they wanted to do to you."
Imshi still stood shaking her head, shirking away from Yenchi's cold blue eyes. Her wings fluttered and shivered and she looked to Yenchi with disbelief "Don't say that. They are my family, my clan... Please dont say that about them."
"Its true though, they would rather kill you for what you did-"
Tears welled in her eyes as Imshi slapped him across the cheek, hard "Dont say that!" She stood with her hand trembling and tears running down her cheeks. The sight of Yenchi's cheek prickling red and stinging brought the tears into sobs, the girl turning away from everyone and clutching her arms and wings around herself.
-
Little-Hands wrnched her arms out of Leo's grasp and shoved the guns into her pockets.
"Such a baby," she grumbled and headed back into the cave, returning prompt with a huge sack dragging behind her. She hoisted it onto Saviour's back and climbed onto him, setting him walking out ahead into the field. "Come on baby, we can't be slow," she said.
Andreya jogged after her, while looking back to Leo.
"Where are we going?"
Dim Lane looked back, jumped with fright at the sight of Talin and flapped about in impotent worry.
"oh come on, what are you doing? We've got to go, and yes Aria you're leading. This is your home and your people, I've no idea what i'd be doing here and your friend is clearly unreliable."
A shiver trembled through Aman's body and his fur tingled at the feel of a demon. He gave Entaru his space and looked to one of his assistants and nodded to the door.
"Go get someone." The assistant, a woodpecker, nodded and stepped outside leaving Aman and his servant alone together. He bit his lip, his shivers coursing through him. "What do you wish for Entaru? What do you want to do, and why? Can you feel it? Can you feel Nero in your veins?" He stepped a little closer, wanting to touch, wanting to feel. "Does it burn?"
Reeza looked confused between the two then prodded his mother. She put her hand up to placate him, then strolled up behind Yenchi.
"If you want to leave," she said. "My son will lead you out, but rest for a while first. We have food and as comfortable a bed as you can get in a home like this." She gestured around the room to a small archway that led to a crampt little room filled with the shadows of ratty cloth. "Sleep a while and maybe your head will clear."
-
Entaru shook his head slowly and held up his hands. "It does not burn....it is actually...very cold. Colder than the poles of this world...but worse. It is an empty cold...the absence of everything leaving only a chilling void." It was the best way to describe what it felt like...empty. He put down his hands and clenched his fists. He could sense the needs of the being in his body. It needed to feed...on everything. Even his lord was on the menu. Only his loyalty to Aman kept him from devouring him where he stood. "I want to feed...on the Queen...on the Chosen...on this entire planet! Nero is in here...part of him...but only a fragment. That was indeed only a shard of his true form. There are more....spread throughout the stars. Not only that...I can feel a pull upward. His core is still up there...and he needs to become stronger to bring himself back together."
-
Aria nodded and sighed I have to stay close to him... he got me out of this place, and its the only thing I can do to repay him she stood up as she felt a breeze then a chill coming from her home. I don't want to go home... but we have no choice, we need food and supplies. we can go our separate ways from there if you so wish she looked back at Talin then opened her mouth and made a raspy more like a gasping sound, it was very strange, it was embarrassing but she had to reach him. she tried to say his name again, but the same sound, it hurt her throat. she swallowed some saliva to sooth her throat.
-
Part of him felt a living presence get near his body. It reached out to her, wanting to spread its strength to the mute one. It had started to drain from her, but Talin had finally gained some control over his "memory", taking in a sharp breath as the decay around him was restored to its original state. His arm snapped out to grab the intangible 'limb', but also grabbed onto Aria's throat. In his struggle to fill the void and regain control of his gift, the mute one could feel something growing in her throat. Of course, Talin only became aware of it after he let go of her and got back onto his feet. He paled at the realization, and grabbed his head in panic as he sunk his own claws into his scalp.
"I have sinned, I have undone the Seeker's will..." he felt ashamed, but did not hyperventilate he expected. Slowly his panic died down, his self-loathing keeping him quiet and passive as he followed the group to the village, even the presence of Nero did little to take his mind off the fact he had just uprooted one of the principles of his faith.
-
Aria jumped when Talin reached out and grabbed her arm then grabbed her throat, choking on whatever was growing in her throat, she tensed, fear in her intense green eyes before she was released, she was breathing heavily, to scared to move as her hands touched her throat... she looked at Dim and then look at Talin, too scared to open her mouth as she walked to Shard.
then she stopped, something was different with her voice box, she looked at her companions, she looked at Dim as she opened her mouth "Dim Lane.." the most beautiful voice erupted from her throat now she understood what Talin had said and then said "Aria...Dine Lane..Aria..DIME LANE,ARIA!!!" it was untrained and weak. Dim, he cured me, he cured my throat, I cant talk now I can talk!!! she signed happily, then her face fell...sadness touched her lovely features.the thing was, was that those were the only words she could say.
-
Leo's eyes flicked to the side to watch the girl run off. His eye lids lowering into half open slits as he heaved out a lazy sigh. His lips pursed together as he mused viciously to himself, "I am going to hang my foot up that gir-" His thoughts were quickly ended as he heard the General's question. He hounestly had no clue either. And he could highly doubt that the girl even new where this murderous and possibly misinformed group of warshipers were. The feline even questioned the very possibility of reviving such a large creature with primitive technology.
By all mean's the cat didn't even bother to respond verbaly. Instead, he flet that a casual flick of his left hand, that had hanged by his side, outwards and away from his body was sucfficient enought to show he was just as clueless as Andreya. Watching her run off as well, he decided it was best to follow; chaseing after them in a jog as well.
-
"My name is Listy," the girl said without need for an invitation, stepping forward a pace. She had sensed the Queen was reffering to her, and as nervous and scared as she was she tried to look like she knew what she was doing, scanning with sightless eyes to try and locate the Queen's face, for she knew otherwise she might look odd...not looking her in the eyes. She finally settled on gazing upon a halfway mark betweeen the Queen's neck and jaw....Listy believed in her heart she was gazing in the right place, so it worked for her. "I've come to ask you for help. I need to find somebody."
-
Imshi nodded a silent thanks to the old woman, sniffing back further tears as she walked through to the small bedroom, her head ducking below the arched door.
"Thank you." Yenchi spoke, back to his usual soft tones with the slight inflection common to the plains tribes. He felt along the cut in his chest, gingerly touching the dried blood. With a small sigh he nodded to the old woman, also turning to the archway, murmuring quietly "The wound has staunched quickly. But, if it alright I would like to rest a while as well."
Imshi sat in the center of the cramped room, sitting cross legged on the piles of cloth. Her wings spread out behind her. The white-tipped feathered brushed the dirt walls, and it was from carefully cleaning these feathers that Imshi looked up as Yenchi ducked in under the arch.
"What do you want, Yenchi?" She shifted where she sat and her wings complied, tucking up to her back with a flutter.
Yenchi whatched this flouncing and couldn't help but give the smallest of twitching smiles as he said "Your plait has come undone, miss." He kneeled beside her and set to work, fingers delicately plaiting the loose strands of chestnut hair. The small smile returning as a slight breathy sigh escaped Imshi's lips and her whole body relaxed.
-
"Don't fret, Entaru. In time you will become whole. You will become Him. I can only imagine how you will feel." Aman grinned. His eyes on a constant track over the body of such a creature. Fists clenched, while his tongue writhed in a slow drift in his open mouth. He couldn't stop his feet; their slow step forward. Reaching with his hand against the dark gem on Entaru's chest. He stroked it and continued to approach. Footsteps rushed in the back of his mind, the assistant and the meal. Aman shut his eyes, pressed himself to the spirit of Nero and stretched to its face, pressing lips to lips.
The door burst open.
"My lord!" Paws gripped Aman's robe and dragged him back as a servant cat was thrown into his place. Aman was in a daze while pulled from the room; the door shut and locked.
A squeak of a gasp leapt from Dim Lane as he stared dumbfounded at Aria.
"My god... you..." He glanced to Talin, then to his assistant and ran to her. Wings wrapped around her, holding her tight. "Oh my darling, how wonderful!" He pulled back and looked at her throat, then her mouth. "Say something, anything. Umm, tell me what your favourite colour is?"
Andreya rushed to catch up to the lizard and the girl.
"Excuse me, Little-Hands-"
"Yes Andreya?" the girl said with the brightest smile. It was truly genuine too. Andreya could almost feel the warmth on her face.
"Oh um, so where are we going?" she asked.
"To bad people." Little-Hands replied. Saviour huffed, almost like a stifled laugh. The girl patted his neck. "Shush, it's true. I don't know names or where they are, but Seeker knows. She points me where to go and we go," she said. Saviour shook his head and knocked Little-Hands a little. "Fine," she replied to him. "Seeker points Saviour to where we need to go and I ride Saviour. I would be nowhere without him." She leaned down on the lizard and kissed the top of his head. He seemed very proud of himself and Andreya looked back at Leo with a rather bemused expression at the communication with feral animals.
"Er, right. Thanks Little-Hands," she said and slowed down her walk to drop back to Leo. "Enjoying yourself?" she asked with a smirk on her face. "'cause this is flippin' weird."
The Queen knelt down and looked into Listy's eyes.
"And who's that my dear? It must be someone important to come all the way to me for."
There was a knock on the wall of the bedroom Imshi and Yenchi had retired to, and a bucket of water and a cloth were pushed through the door.
"Something to clean your cut with." Reeza said from behind the archway. "My mum says dinner will be ready soon."
-
Entaru's hands spasmed as Aman touched him. His eyes bulged in their sockets as his master drew closer and closer to him. His mouth watered as he came ever closer to his face until finally their lips met. Just as Aman was pulled out of the way, Entaru's eyes seemed to suck away all light in the room and his mouth opened to reveal hundreds of needle-like teeth...another mutation from the exposure. His claws came down, tearing at Aman's robes and slashed at one of the arms pulling him away, severing it from its owner. Entaru's claws were now sharper than razors, as the servant dragging Aman away didn't feel the loss of his arm. The adreneline kept the owner from dropping until he made it out the door, as he quickly dropped to the ground and began seizing on the floor from shock.
Inside the room, the cat servant barely had time to register what was going on when Entaru's teeth clamped down on his throat. The cat had one stroke of luck in him though...he died of a heart attack just before Entaru began tearing his body to shreds.
Died of fright...
Entaru devoured the cat's limp body, piece by piece. Not even the bones were spared as they were crushed to dust in his claws and slurped up in the blood. The ceiling was spattered with blood as the cat practically exploded from the attack, not a single drop hitting the pristine floor. Soon there was nothing left of the body but the bloodstains on Entaru's entire body and the blood dripping from the ceiling, only now staining the floor crimson.
It felt good...the blood raining down on him. His body felt exhilarated...he was in ecstacy. He needed another one...he needed ten more....one hundred more...a thousand more!! He needed more bodies to eat, more bodies to devour, more bodies to...enjoy. He stood up straight and licked his claws clean, slicing open his tongue on the nails. Looking up at the dripping ceiling, he pulled his hood back and let the blood fall onto his tongue like crimson snowflakes.
He felt....like a god.
-
Aria let out weird noises, but they were beautiful, her voice was if Seeker blocked her gift for a special reason. she moved her mouth to the word of her favorite color "J...k...g..g...green..Green!" she hugged her Boss, laughing with joy, she had never laughed before, it was warm, musical, a beautiful voice. now she understood why Seeker removed her voice... it was to beautiful to even exist. but she went to Talin, she didn't touch him, she looked at him tearfully as she did something she had never done before, she bowed, getting down on her knee's, going into child's pose, she bowed, in deep admiration and respect, this wasn't a regular bow, this was one she came up with on her own. before she rose and signed Thank you...thank you...
Walking over to Dim she signed Dim, teach me how to speak, for I am only beginner when it comes to speech. I want to learn
-
Leo had managed to catch up to the two, and slowed his pace down into a walk. He observed the two talk to each other before the general came back to him with a simple question. The cat returned the sly smirk to her as he turned his head to face her. “You call this weird,” he questioned as he trys not to burst into complete laughter; although a few snirks could be heard from the back of the feline's throat. “We just past through a frigging Tardis into the future, which is a relic of the past. Now that's weird, thats a freaking time paradox for you.” His voice quickly changed back into the strange humorus tone he had developed over the night.
“Oh! But of course you do have the small issue that we barely escaped with our lives, now we have to kill the people who are trying to raise the very man who tried to kill us. Now that's irony,” he exclaimed as his body haunched over. He continued to slowly walk as he bellowed out in laughter at there strange situation. “Now we are being lead by a child, who follows a giant lizard, who follows the Seeker. Now why does this bring up some past literature from my childhood?!”
-
"I'm not sure.." Meredith began, "it's like half of me is.. dead. Like an empty body tugs at me and tries to pull my mind into something that doesn't exist. As if the direction it pulls in, isn't actually a direction, it is fabricated, I don't know." Meredith ended.
-
"His name is Nero." Listy held her hands together behind her back and smiled. "He came to me a long time ago back when I was traveling. And I just know that if I was to find him, then he could make my eyes work. He's strong, and powerful, and wonderful, just like you!"
-
If Talin had looked up at Aria, it might have lifted his mood to see her enjoying the ability to speak. However, he was too far in his own self-loathing to even attempt at entertaining the thought. To him, regardless of his intention, he had done something that was not only beyond his expectations but also an affront to the Seeker's plans.
If the Seeker gave her no voice, then who am I to give it to her? Maybe I should take it away before she gets too attached...
-
Yenchi glanced up at the knock on the wall, fingers falling from were they twisted his braided tails of hair. He shifted into a half-standing crouch and padded quietly to the archway. His paws stepped carefully over the sleeping form of Imshi, curled up on the pile of rugs, tail twitching in her sleep.
"Give your mother my thanks again..." He muttered the words in his hushed way as he carried the water and cloth back into the bedroom.
A clank as Yenchi placed the bucket down onto the dirt floor was met with a sleepy stir of motion from the shadowed form of Imshi. Eyes flicked open, and from the pile of rugs she muttered "What're you doing... Yenchi?" Sleep hazed her voice and eyes as the girl pushed herself up with one arm.
"Cleaning the wound up." Yenchi barely glanced up to her, eyes turned to the cloth as he pressed it firmly to the deep cut across his chest. Blood soon blossomed on the cotton surface and each press of the cloth to flesh prompted another wince from Imshi. She watched in silence, shadows falling dark across the two of them in the confined little room and it was with a pang of guilt that she watched Yenchi quench the searing hot wound.
-
Aman crumpled to the floor as his pool of red filled around him. He stared at the assistant, wide eyed and sporting a grin that faltered and failed as slipped unconscious. The woodpecker assistant pressed his hand to the wound and through the wall, Entaru could feel the flow of energy change as the gaping wound was sealed. The actual arm was now scattered about Entaru's body. It was lost to Aman. He was dragged away back through to his room while Entaru was locked in with the shard. The area was cordened off until Aman stirred from his sleep. His assistant was by his side.
"Regian," he said. "Where am I?"
"Your room, my lord." the woodpecker replied. He too was draped in white robes, freshly cleaned from the blood.
"How is Entaru? I... remember him being magnificent." Regian shifted uncomfortable in his seat.
"Yes my lord, he was and still is. He remains at the shard's side but his hunger for blood seems to simply deepen as he consumes." A frown was on his face, while Aman was beaming with delight.
"Marvelous," he said.
"My lord, I have ordered the shard to be out of bounds. It is too dangerous to go down there," Regian said. Aman sprung to sit up.
"What did you do? He needs to feed. we should gather the people, this is our final task until our God is free," he said, gesturing with emphatic zeal in his one arm.
"Sir, he almost killed you. Look," he said, and gestured to the absence of a limb. "We can send in servants and townsfolk but we cannot lose anyone from this building. There is much work to be done." Aman looked into the woodpecker's eyes and sombred a little.
"You are right, key figures like myself must be kept away until the time is right. He still needs our help in the long run. Servants can fulfill his immediate concerns." He pulled off his covers, finding himself in fresh clothes. Regian raised a wing to stop him moving. Aman pushed him away. "You are wrong in one respect though. We do not have long to go. It's so close. So very close, until every world feels his cold embrace." Aman gripped at the absent space where his arm would be. "He was so cold. If only I could feel that once more." Again, Regian shuffled in his seat.
Soon the order was made, villagers were filed down through the Down at the shard, villagers were filed through the dome, down into the crater and the shard chamber, one every few hours.
Dim Lane beamed with joy at Aria and took her hand in his.
"My dear this is wonder, and yes I will teach you as best as I can. Sadly we have job to do and this cannot be forgotten," he said and gestured towards the village. He moved down the hill with her in tow. "In fact, you can lead us even better with a voice, and who knows what you'll learn to say from your own people." He hopped a little with a spry jolt in his gait as he pulled her close. "Maybe you can even sing one that. You have a beautiful voice already." He grinned back at her but it soon dropped. Behind her, up the hill was Talin. "Excuse me, Mr Miracle Worker," he said. "Come on, we can't dally. There's much work to be done."
Andreya rolled her eyes at Leo, and she couldn't help but smile.
"Yeah yeah okay so maybe weird is an understatement." She sighed and peered past the lizard across the field. Far in the distance was a small village, the only real visible section being a great white dome at its heart. "And no downtime since then and now," she said and stretched her arms behind her. "I need a break from this." She rolled her neck, catching the clouds in her eyes. "Well at least I've got company with me." She gave a sly grin at him. "I don't think picking a berry while we walk would count as taking you to dinner, would it? Because I still need to do that."
Chosen Akela smiled at the little white fox girl and took her hand.
"You're right, it's not pulling in a direction, but it's not fabricated. It's pulling in a place you can't feel the way you'd expect." She stood to her feet and watched the three figures shadowed in front of them. "I don't think they heard you. You have to make them hear." She moved forward and pulled Meredith with her, moving close the figures, frozen with their stare down at the girl. "Make them hear with more than just their ears," she said and pulled the girl's hand up to the knee of the centre figure. A grin on her face as Meredith's fingers stroked across the clothes. They were made of stone.
The Queen frowned at Listy and crouched with her eyes peering into the girl.
"Nero? Has he ever talked to you? Did he ever say what he was doing or where he was going?"
Reeza dropped himself in a cushion by the fire and looked up at his mother Ophelia.
"Do you think they'll go?" he asked. She looked down with a smile and shook her head.
"Not my place to say. All we can do is try to keep them safe," she replied. Reeza puffed a sigh.
"I dont think getting Tara to escort them is any safer," he said and ignited a laugh from his mother.
-
Leo returned a sly smile to the woman as he slowly turned his head to look to her. “Mm... yes quite true. I had quite an impressive diet over the past millennium, and I think now is the time to break out of that,” he joked as he took a quick glance behind himself to look over his shoulder briefly. Seeing that nothing was actually following them, he glanced back to Andrea and studied her appearance then little foot.
“Hm... and down time wise... I do believe we have met at a half and half point. Not quite worried about dying and in no real hurry at the moment... I mean... Nero is a massive creature. Who can possibly revive him without ripping apart an entire galaxy to find the energy to recreate him?” he questioned curiously as his gaze remained locked onto Little-foot, “So... tell me Little-Foot. Is this a wild goose chase, or has the cultist really found a means to do so?”
-
Aria turned her attention to the town, her home...but something was wrong as they ventured closer she felt a sudden coldness that felt odd and dangerous, she stopped in her own tracks, feeling something was undoubtedly wrong. "we...we..k..can't..s-stay..." her already bright green eyes turned dark. she turned to Talin be on your gaurd... you are not safe here.. she signed.
"Aria?"
Aria turned, what she saw made her pale. it was one of the old family friends, he looked at her quizzically "we didn't think you would return Aria!"
Aria couldn't say anything, she didn't want to, if they found out she could talk again, they would question her. the man hugged her "your family would be so delighted to see you again!"
no....no....they wouldn't....
-
Talin had been fine as they reached the village, even though he still hated himself for letting his power loose on a girl he had promised to protect just a day ago. He nodded to Aria as she warned him, but when his gaze went to the white dome, he felt the sudden sickness return. He fought the urge to scream obscenities with his immediate question, and also did his best to maintain his composure.
"I'm sorry, but this is not the time for family reunions, we have just arrived after three days of constant travel and only had a loaf of bread to share amongst the three of us. Can you point us to a place with food, before we meet with Aria's family?"
-
Entaru made a feast out of every man, woman, and child herded into his chamber. Each bite was more deicious than the last and every drop of blood was ecstacy. It didn't matter who they were or how they lived, they were all food. The chamber floor was a pool of blood by the end of the night, and the chamber itsef was missing pieces of wall from the increasing impatience he felt for his meals. He needed more of them...all of them. At times he heard himself screaming and shrieking that he needed more people...more things to devour. He felt unstoppable...as if he was an earthquake or tornado or some unyielding force of the planet.
He clawed at the locked doors, his razor sharp nails carving deep groves ino it as he tried to get out to eat more. His head was filling with the screams of the people he devoured, all screaming and circling around a black shape in his mind. He could hear it whispering, but he couldn't hear the words past the screams. The room spun around him as he dug at the door madly, the howls of the dead filling his ears. "LET ME OUUUUUUT!! I NEED MORE!! GIVE ME MORE!! GIVE ME ALL OF THEM!! MORE!!!!!"
-
Aria looked at Talin with fear in her eyes, her face pleading to him not to go see her family. she became cold as she thought of her family, she moved to Tina city for that particular reason....she hasn't spoken to them in quiet sometime, she looked at Dim Lane as she walked into the village and pointed to a farmers market that was happening...somehow there was less people... it was more quiet... what in the world...what is wrong with this picture?
-
"He was there. He let me see, it's because of him I can see in my dreams. He didn't want me around at first, but then he let me come around more and more. He said he was hungry, and he wouldn't be full until he found every peice of what he was looking for." Suddenly her expression grew forlorn "But then I lost my doll, my doll that looked like Nero... And he stopped coming into my dreams...I don't know where he went." Tears grew; she wanted to cry more than anything else right now, the air feeling a bit colder around her with her loss.
-
"You should not have taken the blow for me..." Yenchi glanced up from cleaning his wound to Imshi. With the smallest shake of his head and an incredulous grin the boy turned his gaze back down to the cut, prompting a huff from the vixen opposite.
She got to her feet, head bowed beneath the low roof, and set hands to ample hips with an air of authority that Yenchi would have accredited to her mother. "It was not the place of a servant to take that choice. The clan called for my punishment, and I would have taken it like the clanswoman I am supposed to be."
At this Yenchi laughed bitterly. Normally he would have stifled such a laugh before it had even escaped his lips, but this time he let it roll off his tongue. "You would rather I had stood aside and watched as they slashed you like a hunting dog that has bitten its owner?" The blood-stained rag fell into the bucket with a clatter. "Besides, I had hoped that maybe I was something more than just a servant to you."
Imshi remained standing in the middle of the little room as Yenchi walked out, ducking his head below the arch. Her hands stayed at her hips but her shoulders had stooped and her wings fell limp until the tips brushed the ground. For a moment she took a step to the door, tail flicking in nervous flashes, then she leaned to the wall with an arm supporting her head and ears flat to her dark hair.
-
Meredith's ears fell to hear head, she wasn't feeling very confident, she felt an odd fear take her. The far of unknowing what this it or what anything is anymore for that. How does a simple first trip to the city turn into this, the cool surface felt hollow, but not physically, but spiritually. Meredith doesn't understand this, this emptiness, was she to fill it up. Maybe if she did then it would hear, like when a tea pot if full, it screams, maybe the figure too will, in a sense. Meredith pictured her self filling the cold stone, with what she was not sure of, but she must fill it regardless.
-
Little-Hands looked back with a scowl at Leo.
"Seeker say we must act. You not question Seeker. She know more than you," she said. Her body rocked as Saviour looked up and nudged her with his shoulder. She rolled her eyes and huffed a sigh. "Okay I try to explain it so idiot like you understand," she said and chewed on her cheek as she thought. "Seeker feel what people know. Seeker everywhere. Seeker say she feel his follower people. She also feel him. He is small and weak; but he grow. Understand? Hit now so we dont get hit later, yes?" She crawled along Saviour's back to get closer to Leo, and with every word she over expressed with her face as though it would allow easier comprehension. Andreya leaned around them and looked over to the village they headed to. It was coming closer. They would reach it soon.
Dim Lane watched Aria with a twinge of concern but kept up the smile to her family friends. He took the girl's hand and pulled her along toward the farmer's market.
"Would love to chat. We will soon, don't you worry but she's my assistant and there's work to be done, so nice seeing you, bye!" He jogged along a bit quicker and dragged her with him. When they reached the market, the smell of a thousand different foods filled their heads and were displayed all around them, though the food may have been there for some time. There seemed to be a drought of customers. "I can pay for everyone so buy what you like."
"Don't worry my darling of the devil." Aman pressed his head against the door and listened to the screams of the twisted lungs of his ex-assistant. "We are so close. So very close to setting you free. The shard will become one with you entirely. You will feel the sky like a cloak of the living, breathed into your body and murdered without mercy." He chuckled to himself and sat on the ground. "The problem is, the shard is in there with you so we cant get to it." He licked his lips and ran hi paw down his chest as he closed his eyes and remembered. "I've heard the screams. Both yours and theirs. I'll hear it in my dreams while my nightmares are its silence; but we both want more. In order to get more, you need to sit still or tie yourself down so we can get to the shard. Can you do that?"
Alex kneeled down beside Listy and stroked her arm in comfort.
"It's okay Roxy, the Queen will help, don't worry." He looked at Queen Tizzarath, who frowned at him.
"I've heard of that person," she said, and turned her attention to the girl. "And I think I know where that doll would be, but it's very dangerous to go there." She patted the girl's head and stood to her feet. "I think I know who can take her to it." Alex, the chosen and the badger guard stood aside as she headed past them down the corridor and gestured for them to follow.
"Isn't that wonderful Roxy?" Alex beamed a grin as he took her hand and escorted her behind the queen while the badger followed on with them.
Reeza stood up as Yenchi entered the room, but sat in her chair, his mother raised her hand. Reeza took the note and sat back down and tried to avoid staring at one half of a fighting couple.
The stone figures rippled with an internal glow that seemed to warp about their bodies, and against Meredith's hand, she could feel it getting warm. Akela smiled and patted girl on the shoulder as more and more energy flowed through rock. Gemstones in their arms lit up and their heads moved in the slightest but most definite nod. They looked down at the girl and their impassive faces seemed happy. The emptiness was gone and filled with light.
"Good girl, such a good girl." Akela shook Meredith and pulled her into a tight hug, then turned her around and looked over at Siyan, displaying the girl like a prize fighter.
-
Entaru was quiet for a moment and turned to the Shard. He stumbled over to it like a man regaining his sea legs and put his head to it. His mind began to swim through the essence of the Shard, the screams of the devoured pushing through him and into the shard. They drained out of him slowly and were stored into the Shard. One by one they left him, until all that was left was the shadow, chuckling to itself in the back of his brain. Entaru trembled as the strength and lust the souls gave him fled from his body. He collapsed under his own weight and a few tears of pain rolled down his cheeks.
He felt so empty...it was horrible. When he had first awoken he had felt this but after the high of being home to hundreds of souls, it was unbearable. He dug his nails into the floor and dragged himself into a corner. Pulling himself into a fetal position, he shivered at the cold void inside of him. He sat for a moment, in too much agony to speak and held his head in his hands.
Then at last he called out, his voice wavering and almost crying out in despair. "Take it! Get it out! Get it out before I take them back! I won't do this ever again!! Get it out! NOW!!" He put his forehead against his knees as his body started to convulse and twitch rom the withdrawl.
-
Talin chuckled at Aria's face, as he already understood he hit a sore spot in her background. When they arrived at the store, he put his arm around her and gently shook her as his smile shined.
"If you don't want to see them, then that is fine. I did say that we were going to eat before we even considered going there." He went up to one of the stalls, and asked for some freshly grilled meat, which he devoured the moment Dim Lane paid for it.
-
Aria blushed lightly when Talin wrapped his arm around her, she coughed as she picked out a peach and paid for it for herself, the farmer recognized her and smiled "Aria! welcome back, are you staying long?"
Aria shook her head "No.." then she paled, the farmer looked at her as if he just saw a ghost. Aria realized that she had used her voice, so use to mouthing her words, she began to shake people who heard began to talk, saying words like, 'freak', 'liar' and other words.
"So...the little freak can talk..." Another farmer said coldly, Aria stood her ground, she had no reason to be accused, her emerald eyes dark with fierce intent. she turned towards the sky, her eyes fierce as she found the words to speak...
"Shard...did this to me..." she inhaled heavily as she cried out to the sky, "YOU DID THIS TO ME SHARD!!" it was the voice of ecstasy, many froze and backed away, the clouds seemed to have darkened but, Aria fell to her knee's as she began to cough heavily, it was wet, she cough up something up, it was a splatter of blood. she continued to heave, she lowered closer to the ground, she could hardly breath, when it was over, she was shaking, her own splatter of blood and mucus. thats when she was kicked in the stomach, she heaved and rolled to Dim's feet.
"You are a disgrace to the Loray family Aria... your silence was a gift from Shard... Aman should slay you in his name"
-
Talin had to restrain himself while he ate, hearing the voices of the other farmers. He walked his way over to Aria, keeping his gaze low as he helped Aria up.
"Dim Lane, get some water and bread. I'll take Aria somewhere safe and tend to her ailment. Take your time if you wish, but try not to get lost." He cradled her in his arms, getting her to the nearest building he could recognize as an inn.
-
Leo rolled his eyes as he continued to follow Little Hands, paying very little attention to her now as he looked to the on coming town ahead. “ I do not question the Seeker,” he thought to himself as his eyes shifted to the girl beside him now on top of the abnormally large lizard with a very annoyed look, “I do question the logic behind this mess.”
His had now haphazardly darted to the other side as if he saw something within reality. A small smirk appearing over his face as a scarlet red cloak with golden lining had only just vanished from his peripheral. His ear flicked as a voice rang through his own head warning him not to go, beckoning him to come back. “So what is this town called?”
-
Yenchi's eyes flicked briefly to Reeza in the moment he stood up, blue irises glinting in the firelight. He sighed and dropped into a sitting position with his back to one of the bare earth walls, legs crossed, watching Reeza's mother in her chair by the fire. With careful fingers he reached down to the wide woven-belt at his waist, feeling for the small body that slept there. Fingertips brushed electric blue feathers and Vin burrowed deeper, seeking warmth and sleep amongst Yenchi's fur. He grinned and stroked the little bird's head.
"Impertinent pup. My mother was right about him... Knows nothing of the clan." Imshi muttered under her breath as she paced the length of the small bedroom. It was tight and the ceiling was low so the room did not lend itself well to pacing, but she paced nonetheless, with her head bowed slightly.
The simmering anger slowly ebbed to a mere annoyance, and this too eventually fell away to curdling guilt. Imshi ducked through the door into the main room and walked slowly to where Yenchi sat, her folded wings hugging her back, hips and tail swaying. She sat down, ignoring the two rabbits, and folded her legs likewise to Yenchi's. For a few moments the two sat opposite each other. Then Imshi broke the silence "You were always more than just a servant to me Yenchi. I was acting like one of the clan, when I should have been acting like a friend." She reached out and brushed two fingers down the side of his arm; and while she did not smile, the apology could be sensed in the touch alone.
-
Aria was almost in a fetal position as Talin carried her, she was slightly coughing, she looked up at Talin with her big green eyes,as they neared the Inn she slightly squirmed, trying to get away "No..no!!" she squirmed weakly, people came and blocked the door, clearly showing that they were not welcome in there. Aria gripped Talin's tunic and buried her face in his neck "No...no..."
-
Siyan looked at Meredith and Akela, he raised an eye brow (or what ever a anthro could manage) and looked over the girl again.
"Well.." she had a slight smile on her face, her person seemed to change, or more or less reverted back to her noraml happy self, but the bat didn't understand.
"The light..." the child smiled as she lifted her hand and gazed at it. Siyan looked at the girls paw, shaking his head, he turned to Akela.
"What does all this mean?"
-
"Yes," Listy said, and her throat felt sore as she padded quickly alongside them. "Nero, I'll finally get to see him won't I?" All she could really remember was that doll, and she somehow knew he wasn't going to be the way he was in her dreams, very little was ever the same on this side of the divide...she wished she could see more than anything right now, so she would be able to see him, but the promise of seeing the friend of her dreams after being healed was just as good.
-
Assistants rushed into Entaru's room. They wore three layers of gloves and knocked the shard into a bag before they rushed out. The bag quickly became stained, and spewed its darkness as they hauled it out. The door was locked and the shard's aura was gone. All that was left was the faint mist where it once was. It coiled around Entaru and ate at him like a shoal of fish.
Dim Lane hurried about, he grabbed the food and ushered the pair on as the Inn's shooed them away. At the third one they found, he pulled out his coin purse.
"Please, I can pay you very well if you'd just-" The door was shut in his face and knocked on his beak. He looked around and found they'd drawn a small crowd, though they kept their distance as though Aria were cursed. "Come on people, she's in pain." He yelled and waved his wings about, though it only made people leave. As Aria coughed some more, he dropped to her side. "Oh silly girl, you need that blood, stop throwing it out." He patted her with a weak smile as he looked around and found an alley that sat next to the central dome of the town.
"Hey, Mr Chosen, lets take her in there and you can work your magic." He led the way into it, but the closer they got to the dome, the stronger the feel of twisted corrupted space.
Andreya gave an odd look at Leo, though Little Hands kept looking forward.
"They call it Town of Shard, now quiet." She turned and threw a gun over to Andreya who made a deft catch. Little Hands kept the other and aimed it to the town. "Climb on Saviour, we must be quick now."
As the couple made peace, Reeza looked to his mother whose smile was beaming.
Akela stood up and rested her paw on Meredith's shoulder.
"It means that this little angel has been Chosen. She is like I am." She grinned as she took the girl's hand. "She's one of the most important and gifted people in our community. She must be taught our ways, however." The smile fell. "In order to have this life, we need to educate her far from here. You must let her go for a few years. "
The queen flashed a smile back at Listy as she led the way through the city back toward the Chosen Temple. Alex gripped Listy's paw tight and bent over to whisper to her.
"Oh wow Roxy, do you know where this is? It's where all the chosen live. Your friend must be very important." He shook her arm and watched open mouthed as they were led through the entrance with cloaked figures on either side. The Queen held up her hand and the group halted as she left the room. The chosen around them watched in silence, but soon their heads turned to Listy. Their eyes trained on her.
-
Talin was carrying Aria to the alley, until he stopped halfway as another wave of sickness came over him. He managed to set Aria down before throwing up what he just ate half an hour ago. It felt like something was trying to force the 'void' inside him to manifest, and it would upset his stomach at the very least when he tried to resist. He could lift Aria again once his stomach finished emptying, and he did so towards the alleyway.
"Dim Lane, I suggest you stay away from Aria and myself during this process. Something about this area is messing with my so-called 'magic', and I might end up sucking your life away while I'm restoring her body." He put a hand on her midsection, and he pushed the feeling of 'danger' out of his mind as he worked on diagnosing and fixing the problem in Aria's body.
-
Aria watched Tail with wide eyes as he began to healing process, her eyes were a cloudy green but began to turn green, she too felt something dangerous and in the air, it was so wrong, everything was wrong.
"Talin..." she closed her eyes and looked at Dim.. we must leave she signed
-
With a shrug Leo clambered onto the giant Lizards back, and straddled his legs around it's sides. "Lets not just scream at the crowd we are here to kill some civil bi-standards shall we?" He asked in a sarcastic tone. "It's not completely evident that we are strangers of this world, or we are not riding a lizard or something."
-
"What! No!" The bat snarled, reaching and pulling Meredith close to him. "I didn't spend my time and energy raising her just so that someone could tell me that she has to be taken away from me. It is completely ludicrous." Meredith didn't know what to do, she was still in all about the new feeling, she wanted to learn more, to be taught, but how could they ask Siyan to have her stripped away from him? Her ears kind of feel back as she thought things over.
-
Sliding his hand into the mist, he let it curl and twist around his fingers. He could feel into almost burning his flesh with the cold, but he could feel the few souls inside of it. Leaning down, his chest between his legs now, he licks at the mist. His tongue almost scrapes the ground as he slowly drinks it in, savoring the feel and the pain. The emptiness inside waned as the souls were absorbed, making him shiver in pleasure. Despite the agony of the absorbtion, anything was better than the emptiness of being hollow. Now he knew why Nero, in all his dark magnificence, was feared by worshippers of Seeker.
How could they reason with something that feels nothing but pain unless its causing it...
He shivered again and a mad grin stretched across his face. Thank you, my master....for letting me know you...I will not fail you.
-
"That's all?" Yenchi looked up at Imshi with a hurt expression. "Just a friend, never anything more isn't it Imshi." With a wrinkling of his nose Yenchi shifted from a cross-legged position to kneeling, shooting sideways glares at Imshi as he drew lines in the dirt floor.
Imshi drew in a small breath, hand moving from Yenchi's arm to his chin. "Yenchi..." She stroked under his chin and to his cheek with a small shake of her head. "You know how I feel. I asked you to be my sworn servant, out of friendship. Not because I desire you for a mate." She withdrew the hand and let it fall to her lap, fingers teasing her russet fur.
A small shiver ran through Yenchi's body; visibly running from the tips of his tufted ears to his tail. He steeled himself for a moment, then moved to kiss Imshi.
For the briefest of moments the kiss held. Imshi's eyes widened as their lips met, breath mingling and the taste of his lips on her tongue. The moment passed and she pulled violently away from him. He stared at her with brazen eyes, watching curiously as her white-furred cheeks flushed. She stood hurriedly and turned away from the feline with an embarrassed flick of her tail.
-
"Whoa, um um," Dim Lane hopped about and prodded Talin. "Okay, so maybe this place was a bad idea I mean since both you and Aria are saying it's a bad idea, maybe it's a bad idea. I mean I dont feel what you feel, but I'm not stupid." He gesticulated wildly as though stuck between walls backward and forward. "I mean first you give her a voice, then she gets all coughing and what have you, and well this doesn't seem like a good idea." He looked up at the dome. "but then that said, i do still need to get in there and see what they're doing." He prodded Aria. "They're in there right.... maybe htat's why you two are feeling all weird, since we're getting close. Maybe you two shouldn't be here." He smiled to himself. "Maybe I should be the hero," he laughed with exhasperated breath.
Andreya clambered up behind Leo and held onto his waist as Saviour began to speed up and his movements became more erratic. Little Hands looked back with a sniff of derision.
"You want stealth, you get off and run ahead, 'kay?" she said. "Seeker hide us until the dome, then we boom bang and get inside and kill people and things." They were fast approaching the outskirts. Nobody could be seen just yet.
Akela sighed and her head drooped.
"I don't think you really have a choice. The problems your girl is having will only get worse as she gets older. That emptiness will consume her until she's a huks of pain." She stepped forward and looked him deep into the eyes. "Think of me as a doctor, and Meredith here has an infection. If I dont take care of her she'll lose a limb, or worse. She won't be gone forever, just until she's ready to see you again."
Deep in the Dome of the Shard, the two scientist minks extracted the power cells from the ship and lowered them into a vat of water. Then attached to ropes, the shard was lowered. Not just the water, but the entire room darkened into a thick blackness. it spewed from the bowl like a thick cloud. The scientists stepped back as the cloud began to twist. They tied a rope to the stand that bowl stood up and pulled it out into the corridor. Behind it left a trail of the dark that seeped into the ground as though eating into it and displaying the shadows beneath. They hauled to Aman who stood by Nero's door.
"My Lord, you don't have to do this." said one of the minks. Aman sneered at him and snatched the rope from his palms.
"Why else would I be in this world if not to do this myself." A crack could be heard in the flowing mist.
"Sir, the power is being unleashed, you must act fast." The other mink pushed him on and Aman hurried down the corridor, curling through its turns as it descended into the crater until the last door stood before him. He leaned his ear to it.
"Entaru, can you hear me? I need you to be calm. If you are calm and still then we can complete this ritual. You will be more god than man. I need you to be still as I bring in the shard." The spewing clouds increased and sparked with black lightning that reached at the door, it cracked and sparked in the air like a violent animal.
Reeza looked to his mother wide eyed. She gestured for him to calm down, though her face expressed that hint of annoyance as a hostage and a witness to a couple's rollercoaster
-
Listy immediately felt their eyes on her after he shook her arm and grew uncomfortable. "Chosen?" she asked as calmly as she could. She trusted that they were taking her to the right place, but somehow grew scared nonetheless. The girl sucked in a deep breath and rocked back and forth on her heels as she waited. "Where is the Queen going?"
-
Talin couldn't help but chuckle at Dim Lane's last statement.
"Actually, I can still fight and walk around, but you might be right about Aria. I just have to go on an empty stomach until we leave the city, which I can deal with. You'll have no problems getting Aria out of here since they don't even want her around." He got Aria to her feet and helped her grab onto Dim Lane. When he noticed that the raven was not exactly strong enough to hold her up, he had to hold back some more laughter.
"Fine, just try to not get too much attention." Talin picked up and cradled Aria in his arms as he walked away from the dome. Talin noted that despite having just recently coughed up blood and mucus, she was very easy on the eyes. He then shook his head and continued his way out.
No, you've only known this girl for a few days while Tizz personally visited you for almost a decade. Then again, the Seeker might not let it work out since I gave Aria something she was not born with...
-
Leo lets out an odd hum from somewhere down in his throat while he gave his chin a quick scratch. A smile crept over the cat's lips as he shurgged slightly to the girl. “Harsh, but lets just bash on through the gates then,” the cat pantomimed as he pointed onwards towards the gate,“It's not like we need a plan after all. Just an escape, and slash or an optional coffin.”
He continued to watch the Town grow in size through his squinted eye lids as they drew closer. He nudged the girl only once to get her attention. Hollering out through the wind to her, he gave a quick gesture symbolizing the guns they had once showed her, “Now I am sure you have a reason for holding onto them, but if you please may we have our weapons back for the time being?”
-
"Dim..a hero..." she smiled at him, telling him with her eyes that she agreed, when she noticed that Talin was looking at her funny, she raised an eyebrow. she felt awkward how she was being constantly carried all the time, so lept out of Talin's arms, looking back at them as she mentioned them to follow her, through a secret pathway from the village, venturing deep into the forests, until they reached an ancient, large oak. she tree, from her childhood, she began to climb the tree, holding onto the ivy. "Come...sleep here tonight" climbing into the tree house, using the dagger to get everything out of the way.
-
Entaru's ear twitched as he heard Aman, and he felt his body tense as if ready to pounce. Then listening and understanding his words, he felt the void inside him ease itself back...calming him.
It...(Nero)...was calm (waiting). It...(Nero)...was ready (hungry). Entaru (my body) spoke softly (invite them) and called him in (almost dinner). "I'm (us)...ready (hungry)...my lord (insect)..." He stood (jolted) up and covered (hide) his face with his hood (too bright). His body ached (burning) as he walked to the center of the room (dining hall), ready for the ritual (FEAST!)
-
Siyan felt his heart drop with the women's words. Could he truly allow such a horrific thing be fall his beloved sister? No, he knows he can't, but how can he allow some strangers to just take her. He looked at the young girl, stroking her white fur. "If she wills it, that I will allow her to.." he couldn't finish his sentence, he turned his body, allowing no one to see the silent tear that plundered to the ground. 'Will I see her again...' his voice trailed off in his own head.
Meredith was rather oblivious to the torture her brother was taking on, she looked at him an smiled, regardless of the fact that it was his back she smiled to. "I wish to go." She said quickly.
-
Imshi turned her head away from Yenchi's stare, eyes flicking from point to point in the room without settling. Finally her gaze flicked back to him and she gave a strange expression; like a wince crossed with a bashful grin and a bitter vein of anger laced through it.
She sighed. "Yenchi, please. You know how I feel about you, can't you just leave it be?" For a moment her eyes brimmed on the verge of tears, glistening, no longer strong or proud as they had been before.
Yenchi stood, then with a soft movement clasped her hands in his. For a moment Imshi pulled away, that same shamed wince, then relaxed and eyes flicking once more away from Yenchi.
This time it was he that sighed. "Ever since a kid I wished I had wings like your's Imshi. Did you know that?" She glanced up at this, eyes meeting his. The smallest of smiles twitched the corner of his mouth as he spoke. "You know how I was when I was young. Shy, quiet and so much unlike the other boys from my tribe. I felt as much an outcast then as I do now."
Imshi finally pulled her hands out from his. Confused thoughts struggled between each other to reach the surface of her mind, and it was with a long and drawn out sigh that she turned away "I need time to think Yenchi." She glanced to Reeza and his mother, acknowledging the fact that they were there for the first time since she had walked into the room. Her voice faltered as she glanced away again "I- I'm sorry. Your hospitality should not have been met with petty arguments."
-
Alex knelt down beside Listy and looked up at her face.
"Dont worry Roxy, she'll be back soon," he said and patted her shoulder. He then stood up and prodded the guard. "Uh, where has she gone?" The guard turned to him and shrugged.
"Most likely to choose who will go with you. Most likely one of the Chapter Chosen, a leader or teacher." While they talked, the chosen loomed in. A short single step just a little closer over the girl.
Dim Lane watched Talin with an odd look and when she jumped off him, he made a point to walk between her an him as she led the way. He flew up the tree and perched himself atop the treehouse and looked out over the village.
"Still can't believe I'm here," he said with a breath of a laugh, then looked down through the door of the treehouse. "Are you feeling okay now Aria? I can get you some food if you want."
Andreya laughed in Leo's ear and pulled out her pistol and held it up beside his head.
"Well she gave mine back," she said. Little Hands giggled with her and Saviour ran full tilt. They soon reached the outskirts of the village and tore towards the dome. Little hands pulled out the pistol and aimed it ahead. She balanced herself in the lizard's stride and steadied her aim before firing the shot. A flash of green burst from the pistol and blasted into the primitive wall. It punched a small hole and spread long reaching cracks. Saviour raced harder, and weaved past the houses, down a street. Villagers whipped past in a blur as the cracked dome flew towards them. Saviour didn't stop. he put his head down and charged, tail whipping behind him. Little hands ducked and Andreya pushed Leo down to follow as they slammed into the wall and burst through the other side, into the dome.
Aman opened the door and stepped in, with bowl in his one hand. The white robe he wore was stained from head to toe, a dark mess. He walked forward, up to the creature and shivered with a smile. He bit his lip and pressed up to Entaru with the bowl held high to the creature, up to its mouth. The dark water sloshed and foamed with smog. It seemed to pulse with darkness as the Lord poured it into the mouth of his God.
Chosen Akela knelt down behind Meredith and pulled her into a hug.
"You made a right choice." Then a knock came at the door. Akela looked up, confusion on her face. "Come in," she said. The door swung open and behind it stood the Queen. "Majesty," Akela said. The Queen nodded and strolled in with a smile to Meredith and Siyan.
The old rabbit turned in her chair, with a wide smile stretched on her aged face.
"Dont worry about that my dear. Things like this never stay in one room forever." She smiled, while Reeza turned away from them and mimed vomit. Then there was a sound, a scratch. The ears of both rabbits twitched and their faces lit up.
"Hey, she's here," said Reeza. The door crawled open, and the fireplace spilled light into the entrance. There stood another rabbit. Tall, long legged, with a deep, long lashed eyes and wide hips. She stepped inside and froze standing between Yenchi and Imshi.
"Oh... they're here." She looked from one to the other while Ophelia started to laugh.
"Imshi, Yenchi, this is my daughter and your guide; Neesa."
-
Leo rolled his eyes as he tossed his hands into the air and growled lowly to the girl after emerging into the dome, "Spectacular entrance, but later if we all survive this ordeal, you and I shall have 'words' over this." Without waiting for a reply, he quickly reached forwards to snatch the gun away by the hammer, "Gimme that!". With a single finger acting as a pivot point underneath the trigger, he spun the gun forward so the handle was now fully in his grasp.
"So Ms. Andreya, you have been in war yes? Any tips?" he asked as he hopped off the lizard, and took a quick glance at the area around him.
-
Talin followed Aria into the treehouse, making sure his larger frame was not causing structural damage to the tree itself through weight and movement alone. When they got inside, Talin immediately sits down and cracks his knuckles before looking at Dim Lane.
"What Aria will need, is more water for all the fluids she lost. Same for myse-" He picks up the sound of an explosion, but the lack of follow-up made him put the thought aside.
"Anyway, I just need to patch up whatever was damage in Aria's throat, then I can go to the dome myself since I don't seem to be suffering from the same symptoms despite being a conduit of the Seeker's power."
-
Aria sat next to Talin as her mind experienced a flashback...
Aria was sitting in the tree by herself, her silence was her only protection from her angry father. he heard him calling her name and threatening to give her a good whipping.Aria built this place for that reason, he never found it, the tree was her only friend and protection, her father would never be able to climb the tree anyways.
Aria came back her eyes slightly clouded as she began to cough again, this time not as violent. she coughed up mucus again and she went to the widow and spit it out. she noticed her home out on the hill through the clearing, it was distant but it was a rather large home. but she didnt point it out, but she smiled at Dim Lane and his fascination.
-
Imshi shot a thin-lipped frown towards Reeza as he showed his distaste. With her hands on her hips she sought a snide comment, only to have the thoughts sent scurrying from her head as the door slid open.
Yenchi's gaze flicked over the newcomer, from her hips to the tips of her ears. With an almost embarrassed expression he glanced across at Imshi. She appraised the girl more slowly, her amber gaze eating up the curve of the rabbit's hips and soft fur almost lazily.
"A pleasure to meet you, miss Neesa." Imshi followed the greeting with the traditional clan gesture, a flowing movement of the hand that ended in a slight stooping to one knee and a bow of the head. Yenchi merely nodded his head slightly to her, eyes glancing to Imshi again. She had returned to her usual posture, hands on hips and straight-backed, her wings fanning out behind her so that the feathered tips brushed the earthen floor.
-
Siyan forced him self to compose, not knowing what to do, he dropped to a knee and bent his head. Meredith though a dear, she was oblivious as to who she was and simply what she was.
"Majesty? That is an odd name, where did you get it?" She smiled as she asked this, Siyan shook his head, grabbing Meredith and forcing her down.
"You are suppose to show respect and get down, haven't I taught you better."
'No-' Meredith thought to her self, though she though it be best not to say.
-
Listy squirmed, feeling more uncomfortable and left out. It wouldn't be as bad if she wasn't blind, but it was still bad. She dreamed about what the place looked like, how pretty it would be if she could see it. As her mind dreamed, her body grew very hot, her eyes watered, and very slightly, at the base of her neck, sweat started to mat her fur. From the corner of her mouth, a single trickle of a strange black fluid leaked.
The little deer felt it, and, with her wrist, wiped it off. She opened her mouth and touched her tounge to see if there was more, and there was...quickly she shut her mouth and let out a tiny whine.
-
Entaru drank deeply from the bowl, the dark water filling his mouth and throat and spilling down his chest. Deep inside he felt like something was clawing its way through his body, tearing at his insides to get at the water. His vision blurred as more of the water spilt down his throat, until his world went completely black. Then he saw something move in the dark...huge...formless...as black as the darkness it dwelled in. Then a speck of red light appeared...then another...then two more...then three...then five. Twelve red sparks shifted and disappeared behind dark shapes, only to reappear again brighter than before. Before he could decide what it was it was looming before him, staring down at him with the red sparks it kept for eyes.
Then he heard something...a dripping noise. Looking down, he saw a droplet of water on the ground, looking as if it had come from nowhere. Then, the droplet turned red...as crimson as blood. Not...not like blood...it was blood. Another drip fell from nowhere and splashed against its predecessor. Looking up, past the looming monstrosity, he stared at the black sky. At first there was nothing...then, as if someone had turned on some hellish shower, blood began to pour down on him and the creature like rain. The creature looked at him knowingly as it began to dissolve into the blood, as if it was happy this had finally happened, until it was completely gone.
He stood in the sea of blood for a moment, before the hunger wrenched at him. Lettting himself fall into the sea, he began to drink. He couldn't breathe, but he kept drinking, never getting his fill. He drank for what seemed like thousands of years, the only thing in his mind the unquenchable thirst for more until finally he had drank it all.
On the outside, as soon as he had finished the water, he had dropped to the ground and begun to seize. He began vomiting and crying blood. Finally after a few minutes, he stopped moving with all of his blood pooled around him, and a horrid scream frozen on his face.
Inside, Entaru heard a cackle from behind him and a slow clapping. Turning around, he saw himself, grinning from ear to ear and covered in hundreds of tattered rags. "Well done, boy. I didn't think you could do it, what with you being a toady to that idiot priest all these years. You're tougher than you look. Just as dumb as your master, but tough. For that...I'm willing to give you one thing...just ask."
Entaru swallowed hard and bowed, knowing who he was standing in front of. "My lord...you know of what I want already. To serve you...that is all."
The doppelganger cackled again and nodded. "Yes...of course. Wish granted." Snapping his fingers, Entaru felt himself getting pulled towards the duplicate but let himself go. The doppelganger opened his mouth impossibly wide and Entaru closed his eyes, accepting his fate as he was swallowed up.
Outside, a half an hour after he had stopped moving, Entaru's body twitched. The scream slowly melted away into a smile as they stood up. There was enough of his blood at his feet to kill a man, but they stood tall. They both looked at the room around them with new eyes, and let out a happy sigh of relief. Then they started to chuckle quietly, and it slowly began to build into a giggle, then a laugh, then a guffaw, until it rang through the temple and into the town as an insane cackle that shook the ground like a small earthquake. The whole planet seemed to shiver as his laughter rippled through the atmosphere.
Nero was alive again....
-
"Well I've learned a few lessons over the years." Andreya said. She bent down from the lizard and snatched the pistol from Leo's paws. "Number one, don't let the scientist decide who gets the guns." She looked into his eyes and levelled a stare at him. "Number two, stop whining, start moving."
"Stay on Saviour, we not there yet." Little Hands said. Andreya grabbed him and dragged him back on as Saviour marched to the stairs. Andreya patted Leo on the arm. "I'll give it back when you need it," she said and handed the gun to him. "Give it back when you're done." Little Hands huffed in derision and urged Saviour on. The Lizard raced forward through the corridor. His legs pushed up against the walls until they reached the staircase.
"Hang on," Little Hands said and the lizard clambered downward, near vertical as he raced down the stairwell, deep into the crater.
Then came the laugh. Wild, growing. It was around them, in them like the very air. Little Hands' eyes went wide. Saviour stumbled. The group fell into a pile, spilled out on a landing. The massive thud of the great lizard may well have been silent. The screech and scream of a devil's glee burning the sound in the air.
Dim Lane hopped down to perch on one of the branches beside the window.
"I guess you didn't think coming home would be like this, huh?" he said and attempted a weak little laugh. "Would you like some water? I can get that." He flapped his wings a little as though to remind her that he could fly. "Or are you okay for now, because I was thinking that maybe I could go and do some research and investigating and the like." He bounced on the branch and hopped a little closer to the window, leaning forward to whisper into Aria's ear. "I would go now but I'm getting a bit suspect about our... friend." He jerked his head in Talin's direction. "I'm not sure all his attentions are on the mission, if you know what I mean." He glanced down at her chest. "I think one of his objectives isn't of intellectual pursuit, if you get what I'm saying." His head bobbed between gestures to him and back to her. "You kno-"
He stopped.
The sound of laughter trickled out from the village. It grew. It clawed its way out and tore the air. A sound, a presence, as though Seeker's touch was torn from the village.
Neesa slid past Imshi's wings and curtseyed in return to her.
"Pleasure's all mine," she said and then turned to look over her shoulder at Yenchi. She had a little smile as she looked him up and down then moved to face him. "And quite a pleasure to meet you," she said and took his paw in hers. "I'm Neesa; I'll be... um... helping you out." Her eyes were quick to drift downward.
"Oh for Seeker's sake," Reeza giggled as he shook his head.
"Oh what?" Neesa replied offended. Reeza pointed over to Imshi.
"His girlfriend is right next to you." His practically popped as he spoke. Neesa paled as she turned to Imshi.
"Ooooohh," she said and put up an apolagetic smile.
"Yes young lady," Ophelia said with an accusing stare.
"Oh but mum," Neesa said as she slumped in disappointment. "You can't just throw cute guys at me like this. You know what... time... I'm at."
"Whoa," Reeza recoiled in shock at his sister. "I did not need to know that." He put his hands up held down his ears as he slowly turned away from the conversation.
"Neesa." Ophelia seemed just as shocked though her voice didn't raise. "There are guests here," she said.
"Well," Neesa shrugged at them all. "They know what I'm talking about. They're not kids."
The Queen gave a little nod and a smile at the young girl, then wasted no time in urging Akela over. They moved huddled to the corner and whispered to eachother.
"There's a girl in the main entrance hall who says she has some kind of connection to a black hyena creature called Nero." Akela frowned and the Queen nodded in agreement. "Now I want you to take her to that village. Not too close, I want to see how she reacts. If you find out how she's connected, then bring her back to me and we'll decide how to proceed." Akela nodded. She hadn't said a word before she turned back to Meredith. She walked to the little fox and knelt in front of her while the Queen disappeared back down the corridor.
"It looks like something has come up," Akela said. "So I'm going to have to leave you here for now. Somebody else will take over and you'll be brought to a secret place where only people like you and me can go. Be nice to them, okay?" she said then stood up and patted Siyan on the shoulder. "Trust us, we promise she'll be safe and happy." She looked into his eye trying to peer into his understanding, then turned and left the room.
The was silence for a while. The statues had slowly gone dead once more. The room smelt of dried grass.
Eventually another chosen appeared. It was a man, though small and slender. His blazing white weasel muzzle poked from beneath the shadow of his hood.
"Is this Meredith?" he asked and pulled off his hood. A blaze of red fur ran from a widow's peak, back across his head and down his neck. "Say your goodbyes."
The chosen stepped closer to the girl. They surrounded the group and even the guard looked a little unnerved.
"Are they supposed to be doing that?" Alex asked, but it was never answered. The door opened and the Queen marched past toward the entrance. Her badger guard followed along. The chosen parted for him then reformed as he left. When Listy whimpered, Alex looked down at her and saw the stain on her hand. He patted her shoulder. "Are you alright?" he asked.
The door opened again and Chosen Akela entered. As though in a dance, the circle of Chosen swayed back and drifted toward their corners and offices. Akela moved to them and held forward her paw.
"I am Chosen Akela, I'm here to find a hyena."She nodded down at Listy as Alex shook her paw.
"Oh fantastic," he said, and turned to the girl. "Isn't that great Rox--." Akela squeezed his hand tight with a violent force. He looked at her and her eyes were wide, scared almost. All the Chosen in the room had frozen. It soon passed and Akela let him go. She smiled in apology at him, but the whole room stared at Listy. Akela scowled.
"Yes, fantastic," she said. "Are you her guardian," she asked Alex who shook his head.
"Oh no, I'm just a regular guard. From what I can tell, she hasn't got anyone to look after her," he said, pointing to her with a shrug.
"Good, go back to your patrol, we'll take it from here," she replied, curt, almost angry. Alex winced but gave an eventual nod and knelt at Listy's side and took her hand. She felt cold.
Aman was sat in the corner of the room. He watched the entire time. He was naked. His robes torn and bitten apart. He was covered in blood. He'd smothered himself in it, drank it. He licked his finger and then chewed on it as he looked up at Nero's form with unrestricted lust in his eyes. He stroked down his chest and mouthed his words.
"My lord."
-
The feline scientist had seemed to pay no attention to either of the two as the air around them seemed to have felt a little to familiar. His eyes narrowed as his upper body turned slightly to gaze over his shoulder, seemingly through the walls and corridors that were laid out ahead to the source of the dreaded tainted air. He remained silent as a smirk grew over his face. “I remember that feeling...” he started off with a chuckle as the rest of his body followed through with the rotation.
He slowly drew a paw to his ear and gave it a light scratch as he mumbled something to someone who he had felt was there before crouching down to the ground in sheer disbelief. He heard the screech from down the hall and looked up to the direction it had came from. “Nero, you ole happy and jolly bastard,” he laughed out in sheer hysteria. He couldn't help but to bring himself back to his feet now, but how could he? His sense of reality had finally been heaved cleanly out the door with Nero's return, that the bear idea of life it's self had became an utter joke.
“Ok...” he giggled as he tried to stand up, gripping a stitch in his side and falling over once more, “as soon as I can finally stop... laughing, I will see what I can do.” Giving up on the attempt of standing now, he began to crawl quite humorously still laughing down the hallway towards the source of what could mean the end of his existence. Although, he truly no longer cared, he saw something quite odd upon the rip between time and space to what is now, something he could never un-see and tormented all instincts to deny what was against his own knowledge. A sight that dieing could become a sweet relief then an unending grief.
-
Talin couldn't help but listen to Dim Lane, and how flushed his face got when Dim started talking about his priorities. He was going to interrupt him, but the laughter did it for him. Sadly he could not make use of said interruption as a roar filled his ears, the source was nowhere to be found, and it was certainly not coming from his own mouth. He could feel the pull of everything around him, as well as him pulling on everything else.
The sensation ended quickly though, as Talin had more practice than Chronin in that regard. He did not wish to see if the sensation was imagined or very real, as he still had a patient to heal, if the sensation he experienced did not somehow kill her beforehand.
-
Aria when she heard the laughter stood up and stared in the direction before she climbed out of the tree house and onto the tree branches as she expertly climbed the tree all the way to the top. looking over the valley, she then clmbed to the very top branch and stood on top. this is bad....really bad...
-
In an almost comical opposite to Neesa's paling, Imshi's white-furred cheeks flushed and her wings gave a strange flutter. "Oh, no I'm not... We-" She muttered, words stumbling over each other as she glanced to Yenchi, then Reeza and finally back to Neesa.
Yenchi returned the glance and shrugged. "No, she's right. I'm just her sworn servant." His eyes lingered on Neesa longer this time, flicking only once to Imshi with a hurt expression. "Nothing more."
"Well-" Still Imshi's wings fluttered, following her tail in its agitated flicking. "Close friends definitely, I just-" She stumbled over her sentences again. The dignity and confidence was lost from her expression, replaced with a torn confusion between two choices. Her amber eyes slid over Neesa again but this time, instead of slow appreciation, there seemed almost to be envy in her gaze as it flicked from her to Yenchi.
-
Siyan's lip curled at the man's forwardness. But he put it behind him, now was not the time, now was the most perspicuous time. Siyan pulled Meredith in close, squeezing her, the scent of flowers that her fur contained flooded Siyan. He was determined to remember everything about this moment, for it was this moment that he had to hold on to. For it was this moment that he had to continue to live for. It was this moment, for all good byes must not end.
Meredith hugged Siyan back, tears crept to the corner of her eyes until the liquid couldn't be contained any more, falling to the ground. Meredith whispered 'I love you to Siyan' before she pulled away, walking next to the man, her eyes fixed on the ground.
-
Listy wanted to say something, anything to Akela, but she feared opening her mouth and revealing her problem. She also feared that soon she would drown in the black tar substance, if she was not able to keep swallowing it at a fast enough rate. Frightened, she gripped Akela's hand tightly, knowing she was cold and growing colder. Her eyes searched the Chosen's, and something tingled deep in her flesh. Nero, or at least the Nero she remembered, was trying to tell the child something, but she didn't understand...
-
His laughter dying down, Nero stretches his arms to the ceiling and lets them drop with a great sigh of relief. "Oh yes...so wonderful to feel the air again." Rolling his head around, popping his neck in the process, he finally looks down at Aman and smirks. "Ah...my dear Aman. Such a wonderful servant...I couldn't have asked for better." Kneeling down in the pool of blood in front of Aman, the blood slowly began to move towards Nero and disappeared into his robes as it was absorbed.
"You have served me so well and so long, that your reward shall be exceeded only by my vessel's. You will be my personal manservant...but before I bestow my gift, I must ask you to call a meeting of the town. They should know that such a glorious day is here due to their efforts." His irises glowed orange against the black background of his face and eyes as he stared into Aman's eyes. Though he was looking at Aman, his mind was searching the sights and smells of the room.
Despite unfamiliar surroundings, there was a familiar presence, and it was very close and getting closer. How fortunate...the man who tricked me has come to pay his final respects. Nero let his mind reach Leo's for only a moment, almost stabbing him with his thoughts, letting him know that he knew he was there before retracting his mind back. He'd let the scientist live for now...if only to make things that much worse later. His mind coming back to Aman, he smiled and kissed Aman gently on the lips for a few seconds before pulling back and whispering. "Come...we have much work to do."
-
Feuilly walked through the lower half of the town, heading for the palace. He carried a satchel, along with a few weapons, including a long, multi-curved dagger, which was in his hand. Behind him, however, a pair of black, feathery wings protruded from his back.
Perhaps I could find some information here, he thought, his wings fluttering behind him.
-
Saviour scrambled to his feet with Little Hands still attached to his back. Andreya chased Leo down and practically punched into his back as she grabbed his top and yanked him back to her.
"Yes, I know," She screamed in his ear and pinned his arm behind his back, dragging him back up the stairs. "Now we're getting the hell out of here right?" She looked up at Little Hands. Saviour was already half way up the next set of stairs.
"We too late now," Little Hands said. Andreya raced up with Leo in tow and threw him against Saviour who hissed back.
Dim Lane covered his ears as the sound clawed out from within his head.He shut his eyes and swayed until it was too much. He fell and hit the ground with a thud. Once he opened his eyes, he looked up and spotted Aria climbing to the topmost branch. Once the laughter had died, he stood to his feet and leapt off the ground before flapping up to the tree top.
"What is it? What do you see?" he asked and looked toward the village as Aria was.
Neesa beamed with delight as Imshi backtracked.
"Oh really?" she asked with wide and eager eyes pointed right at Yenchi.
"Neesa, no." Her mother's voice was stern and Neesa pouted.
"Ugh, come on. Green light," she said and gestured to an imaginary light bulb above Yenchi. "We're adults, mama." She turned to the door and headed back out. "Now you two, follow me," she said and looked back over her shoulder at Yenchi with a sly smile on her face. Her hips swayed as she walked to the door and leaned against it, pushing it open. It was night and only moonlight glowed on the rooftops.
The weasel took Meredith's paw and with a nod to Siyan, he gestured for him to leave, while he led the girl away through a side door. The door led down natural stone steps that stood jagged from the floor and led deeper into the undercity. Torches led down and stretched seemingly forever. Each step was a drop for the young fox and the weasel offered no help. He was silent and as they went deeper, the stairway seemed to grow in heat.
"Roxy," Alex said, knelt at her side. "I'm going to have to go now. I hope you find what you're looking for and I hope you're a good girl for Chosen Akela, here okay?" he said. He furrowed his brow as she continued to gulp, near panic appearing on her face. "Roxy?" Chosen Akela put a hand on his shoulder and gestured for him to leave. It seemed all the Chosen wanted rid of him, even the very air in this temple. He sighed at Listy and stood up with a last pat on her shoulder before turning to leave. Akela looked down at the girl, a scowl etched on her.
"Can you feel that?" she asked.
Aman seemed shocked by Nero, in awe at him. When they kissed, he leaned into it, wanting more. At its break he fell forward and put his hand to splatter in the remains of the blood. he nodded at his master and a wide smile spread on his face. His lips tore a little at their edges. It was just a slight cut but the pain shivered through his body and he stood to his feet. His clothes were long since torn and discarded about the room, though nothing mattered. He headed to the door and opened it for his God while he adored the creature, watching with wide eyes. His long bloodsoaked tail swished and his ears pinned back on his head. His body seemed to almost shrink as he presented the exit to Nero.
-
"I don't see much but I have a feeling that the situation is going to reveal *cough* itself in *cough* moment"Aria rubbed her throat sightly. The pain reduced to a irritating sore throat and she stopped talking, she looked at her boss for a moment. "In reply about Talin, he is a mystery, he saved my life and I owe it to him" she coughed once more but gave Dim a look that she understood what he was talking about earlier.
-
Nero strode out of the room, his tail sliding against Aman's neck and jaw as he went by. There was much to be done and oh so much to destroy. He had no doubt the town would follow him to the end...but he also knew that mortal emotion would reek havoc amidst his ranks. The children were useless and troublesome for morale...they'd have to go. The women were along the same lines as the children, except they made the men happy. Unfortunately, that happiness usually would create more children...they'd have to be sterilized. A simple enough feat for him. He'd only need a few dozen though...the rest were expendable. He grinned as he went over everything in his head. It was perfect. His own private playground and no Vuranin, Chronin, or Seeker could stop him from wallowing in his bloodshed...and once this world fell, he'd be strong enough to pull himself back together and take system after system, leaving only darkness in his wake once more.
-
"Well," Feuilly said, looking up at the castle, "this appears to be the place."
(Will continue later.)
-
He kept getting a nagging feeling that the roar was a reply to the laughter, and laughter of such volume was very unlikely to be from anything that did not having a connection to the Seeker or the other three gods. Since it originated from the city of the Shard, the most logical choice was Nero's resurrection. Talin looked out the window, then smacked the side of the wall to get their attention.
"I understand that the view is nice and all, but Aria, you still need your treatment before I go back to town to deal with Nero..."
-
Aria looked down at Talin as she sighed and went down the tree to the tree house. she walked through the opening and sat down in front of him, staring at him with his green eyes and then closed her eyes and readied herself for her treatment for the problem she now had.
-
Talin put his hands gently around her neck, and took some deep breaths as he healed the damages done. He could feel the nagging voice of his doctrine, telling him that he was cementing his sin against the Seeker. He shut the thought out by replying the counter that the Seeker made Chosen to help the less fortunate, and right now Aria is afflicted by his sin and suffering because of his negligence in the healing of the new muscles.
"Your vocal cords should be able to handle anything that a normal set would, though I think Tizz would kill to have a voice like yours." His eyes focused away from Aria and he seemed mildly shocked with his own wording.
"Can you just ignore that last comment?"
-
Leo had only just reached the final landing amidst the steps before feeling a sharp jab from behind, and himself being pulled back. He quickly snapped his head around, ready to throw an elbow into the woman's maw before disregarding the thought as he simply surrendered to her after a brief struggle and allowing her to drag him back to Savior. The feline was still chuckling lightly to himself in a near demented manner as his thoughts had began to compress into one hectic mass. Each thought began to clash with every since of logic he had left, creating a nauseating complexity that could only described by sheer madness that had consumed and devoured every bit of reason that fell within the event horizon.
The feline's eyes darted to the hallway once more as he felt the intrusion into his own mental singularity that taunted him with the very blood lust of Nero. His vision blurred into a darkened sepia as the voice ran through his head; pausing the chaos in his mind for only moment as the feline in turned quietly taunted him back just before the presence left allowing Leo to return to reality.
“I wonder,” he said quietly as his gaze remained lock on the hallway they were once heading to. His voice now returned back to it's usual, only a small spark of curiosity had came with it. “Or should I say did wonder. Now I am just curious...” he trailed off as his mind's chaos projected the hallucination of a large sphinx. The sphinx gave the man a sinister grin as it's voice mimicked his own. The imaginary creature began to finish his sentence to himself in a more or so encrypted way, while in reality he was reciting the sphinx himself, “a fly and a foot were to cross paths, then time can reverse.”
-
h"Well," Feuilly said to himself as he walked down the road, "that was no help whatsoever."
The castle guards, upon seeing his wings, had captured him and launched him far away using a catapult.
"No need to get disheartened," he muttered to himself encouragingly. "There must be someone who you can talk to about the..."
He suddenly heard voices.
"What the..."
Looking up, Feuilly saw that he had unwittingly stumbled upon somebody's secret tree house.
Well, he thought, it's a good a place as any to stop for the night.
Without another thought, he fluttered up to a branch next to the tree house and fell asleep.
(Well... I suppose that perhaps Talin could find me?)
-
Listy looked at Alex in terror as he left, though she could not tell what expression her face held. She hated being left alone again, even if she was not truly alone. Her body trembled, and she turned back to Akela and nodded. Risking opening her mouth, she answered: "Yes. I feel it. It is Nero." Her hands curled into fists and she felt the black slime drip down her chin. "Please. I need him. I need him. He'll make me see. He...he told me so. Please. You have to take me." Listy gripped Akela's forearms, and her grip was both cold and incredibly strong.
-
Aria blushed as she managed to turn her emerald gaze away and feel that he was being serious about her voice. she then gathered the courage to ask.
"Do you...Like my voice...Talin?" she blushed even further as she realized that he was suppose to ignore the comment, not bounce back to it.
-
Feuilly flicked one ear in his sleep, tuning in to the noise inside the tree house.
Suddenly, he heard a lull in the conversation, and that caused him to wake up.
"Mzzzz... huh?" he murmured, opening his eyes slightly.
The feline moved forward...
And fell through the window into the tree house.
-
Yenchi returned Neesa's smile, albeit uneasily, watching as she pushed open the doorway into the cool night air. His eyes flicked from her swaying hips, to Imshi's own rather more ample thighs and midriff and a small shiver ran down his tail at the collective sight. A hot flush spread through his cheeks and he averted his eyes back to head height.
After a confused double-take however, he noticed that Imshi's gaze lay where his own had been moments before; following the mesmerizing sway of Neesa's hips. For a moment Yenchi paused and glanced between the two, then a small grin tugged at the corner of his mouth.
One hand on the hilt of his hunting knife he slipped past Imshi, bringing his other hand to brush her arm as he said "Just follow close behind Neesa miss, we're not out of the fire yet." With almost twisted pleasure he watched as her gaze flicked quickly away from Neesa, wings fluttering as a pink flush rose up her white-furred cheeks. After a moment she nodded and followed Neesa out, hips brushing close to Yenchi as she slipped past.
In the shadows someone watched silently as the three clambered out of the underground dwelling and into the pale moonlight. The figure stirred, standing up with a stretch and audible yawn that was stifled far too late. From among Yenchi's fur above his belt Vin fluttered into activity, a bright blue flash of feathers in the dark that swooped around the three with a shrill cry.
-
After recovering from the shock, Feuilly managed to pull his tired body onto all fours. He looked up at the tree house's occupants and offered an apoligetic grin.
"Um... sorry," he said.
-
Dim Lane flapped down and perched on the window, hunched over to watch over Aria's shoulder. As she spoke, he deliberately cleared his throat and kept his eye on Talin. The tree began to creak and sway a little more as she was 'healed', and the branches gently curled a little around the treehouse.
Aman shivered and leaned against Nero's tail as it slide past him. He followed his master as they ascended the stairs and where Nero had touched him, kissed him, he felt a cold dark ooze trickle. It stained his fur. Up above them was the sound of conversation, he could hear the steps of a large bestial thing and he smiled at the idea of what would befall the people of this planet.
"My Lord, there is someone here who isn't supposed to be."
"What the hell are you on about?" Andreya asked, and then shook her head. "Never mind," she said and reached over to Little Hands. "Come on let's go." Little Hands nodded and Saviour tore up the stairs, climbing near vertical over rails to move at speed. Then he stopped. It was sudden like he'd been caught in a trap, but he and Little Hands made no sound. They looked around, twitching their heads as though listening.
"Yas svard?" Little Hands asked. Saviour nodded. Andreya prodded the girl.
"What are you doing? we have to move," she said and shifted and prodded at Saviour as though he were a horse.
"You not hear?" Little Hands asked, as she raised a gesture to the sound as though it were all around them.
"Hear what?" Andreya asked.
"Hear sweet girl voice."
Akela frowned and watched the black ooze spill out.
"My goodness," she breathed to herself and pulled the girl close, hugging her. The other chosen seemed to recoil at the black stain. Some covered their mouths and turned away. "It's okay," Akela said. "The Queen told me to take you to him so that's what I'll do." She turned and gestured to one of the other chosen. They headed off at a pace, returned running and handed a white cloth. "Are you okay to walk?" Akela looked into Listy's eyes and poured energy into the girl, trying to soothe her, while she used to cloth to wipe the black liquid off the child's muzzle.
Neesa was quick. As the silhouette stirred, she grabbed the hands of her wards and pulled them to the opposite wall where the shadow cast pitch black.
"Shut up, bird," she squeaked as she pulled the pair along the wall, running fast with her ears trained on the rooftops.
-
Talin's mouth dropped a little at Aria's question, and he tried to come up with a quick counter only to be interrupted by Dim Lane's coughing. He took a deep breath and tried to keep his face straight even though he found some strange feeling of happy calmness as he looked at her. In the end he just let the smile happen and decided to sort his feelings out at a later point in time.
"Your voice would be as Seeker intended it to be if she wanted you to be gifted with a voice. It might have been by her will that I give it to you, or it could have just been an unforeseen event that she simply allowed to occur. Either way, yes, I like your voice, and I hope you won't strain it again by forcing yourself to speak anything near a yelling volume."
-
"Of course I didn't... I am to busy listening to the white noises and hallucinations of my own dilemmas," the feline ridiculed the little girl. Leo's sight remained on the stairs as they ascended in a near vertical fasion, what remained of his own thoughts were either growing stronger or diminishing without a trace as he watched the two shadows emerge from below them, and slowly grow longer as the owners had came closer. One being of a gross proportion, and the other of an oddly handicapped but normal sized man. His eyes fell onto Nero, as he had finally came into view, which quickly triggered memories from eons ago when the Sphere Community had still existed. Every scream, tormented howl, splitting and shreaking sounds of steel and glass, the very bowls of a community so strong, being exposed to world before long had plagued his mind for only a few seconds, before ebbing away into a small cauldron in which all of it's contents was immediately forgotten. The feline fidgeted, and adjusted his body to allow the demon to see his face shrouded in the darkness of the dim light. And slowly but surely, his cheeks began to pull the corners of his lips into a wide grin that only a demented man can muster. His teeth and irises being the only truly visible feature of his face, gave new meaning to a smile without a cat. A grin that either challenged or greeted the hyena with an odd assortment of venom and hospitality.
-
Aria's face blushed some more as he spoke about how he liked her voice, as the tree sheltered them some more, she looked out as she felt a breeze genlty blow through the tree house. feeling its power and hearing its voice she looked out back to the village before she turned her attention to Talin, taking his hand in hers "Please don't go, not now...please!"
-
Talin's ears fell flat, his eyes showing an unusual amount of conflict in them. He had to go face Nero, or at least assess how strong he had become, then he had to report back to Tizz on the situation in Shard Village. But with Aria holding onto his hand, she seemed to hold on his heart as well.
"Aria, Nero is out there, probably planning on growing stronger through-" He stopped speaking as bits of information leaked in as another memory. He saw the flash that had almost blinded Chronin, and also a great scattering of particles as Vuranin was dashed before his eyes, and his own strength had left him.
Talin couldn't feel himself breathing, or anything going on in his body for that matter. The void filled everything from the follicles on his head, to the claws on his feet. Then once again the sensation, or lack of, left his body and only a fraction of a second had seemed to pass for the rest of them. "Pieces of himself, scattered across the stars, this one shard is just a tiny fragment of him... but it is all the more important now that it has a host to thrive in."
-
Nero nodded to Aman, letting him know that he already knew of their presence and continued on, finally reaching the stairs and looking up at the group. He seemed to ignore Leo for a moment, looking at the group around him and smiling softly. The light coming from behind him stretched his shadow to an impossible size up the stairs, putting out the torches on the walls and engulfing them. Looking at Leo, he returned the grin as his form seemed to flash into his old hyena form before turning back into Entaru's corrupted body.
Walking up to them, he stared at Leo menacingly before shrugging. "Hello Leo...sorry to put your plans out of whack but I have no time to kill you today. Perhaps another time?" Simply looking at them with a smile before walking past them, he took a few steps and turned around. "I hope you forgive me for not giving you an audience yet...as you know, God has to be everywhere."
-
Yenchi pulled away from Neesa and drew one his knives, lunging for Vin with his free hand and stifling the bird’s shrill cry. As they ran Imshi pulled her own bone-carved knife from her belt, eyes flicking from shadow to shadow. Her wings hugged her back, feathers rustling as they brushed the earthen walls.
The arrow whistled fast and sharp, plunging out of the shadows and catching Imshi a sickening crunch in her shoulder. With a loud yelp of pain she was sent sprawling into the dirt.
From an alleyway to the left a male figure lunged from the darkness and a net was thrown, knotted reed mesh snaring Yenchi. Anger and fear rose up in him at the sound of Imshi whimpering in pain, struggling to her feet despite the arrowhead that burrowed deep into flesh, and with a shout he slashed out at the figure. Hot blood flecked Yenchi’s fur as he lunged again, plunging the blade into flesh up to the hilt.
For a moment he stood face to face with the attacker, close enough to see the fox's features through the gloom. He slumped, a perpetual look of surprise on his face as blood pooled through his fur and drenched Yenchi's blade and arm. Yenchi stumbled back, an equal look of shock on his face as he clutched the wall for support, looking down at the dark stains with a sickened feeling in his stomach.
-
“Oh, no... that wasn't part of my plans for today, I only wished to say... hello,” the feline spoke calmly, almost casually even as his gaze traversed downwards toward the hand that had gripped his shoulder to move him out of the way. He rose a brow as he examined the hand and, slowly the grin he once held turned into a sly smirk. “A god hm,” he chuckled as he turned to face the fox as he continued up the stairs, and quietly dismounted Savior to stand on his own feet.
He crossed his arms over his chest, and tapped his index finger over his bicep lightly as he continued, and his remained chosen lightly. “As mighty and awe-spiring you are to these people... you are far from a god as you are a bloomed flower," Leo ridiculed as he tilted his head to the side in a gesture to the naked male that followed him from the chambers. In fact, comparable to a wilted one at that my friend. You've been labeled a greater fool than I, and your efforts will always remain a footnote to the history... that you and I hold onto so loosely.”
The cat soon licked his lips as he edged closer by one step up the stairs to get a better look at Nero's face with his large, blank, mocking, demented eyes. The feline finally rose a single hand and rolled his wrist, "What happened to you? How could you, a self proclaimed god, failed so horribly over a time frame I have disappeared, in which the world could be licking crumbs from your very finger tips."
-
Nero huffed a bit and shrugged. "A minor technicality that has been remedied...fate ordained me to wait for my time, as it obviously did yours and now I am free to execute my will without retribution. I am a fixture in this universe now, rather than just a visitor." Nero glanced to Little Hands again, then looked at Andreya, then Savior, then back to Little Hands. "What a sorry group of misfits...even in this primitive land you managed to befriend a barbarian." His shadow twitched slightly as its arms stretched over Andreya and Saviour before peeling off the wall and cupping Little Hands' face in its black talons. His smirk grew a bit as the shadow caressed her face.
-
Meredith felt her little body begin to tremble as more and more was expected out of her as she descended down the path. Her thick winter associated fur was panting to much heat and she was panting like a work dog. She thought maybe if she were to talk time would pass quicker- but after looking at the weasel, he didn't look friendly. Not to mention, she didn't think she can spare the effort to speak a lot and keep up with the weasel.
"How much longer?" She said, mainly to her self.
After Siyan left he felt a sense of emptiness dwell deep with in him. He thought he head back to the country side, with little else to do, maybe some plowing would take his mind off of-... Just the very thought made his mouth go dry and his food to rise in his throat. She will be fine, he told him self. He walked, emotionless toward the city gates.
-
Leo watched Nero's shadow as he carrased the girl's cheek through a shadow, and slowly grinned as he turned back to the real one. Once again the feline crossed his arms diligently as he now began to tap his foot lightly. His eyes shifting to Aman for only a few seconds as if he was confirming something, before finally looking back to Nero,"Did the corpse just try to one up me? Call it an insult while I call it a compliment. Be it as it be, but as far as I can see... you have gained the affection of a clingy amputee, a nudist and mortal at that. I bet you share the same emotions for him. Yes..."
The mock in his eyes remained as he took yet another step closer up the stairs, "So Nero the great ruthless god has a heart. How sweet to think that at one point he could call himself a god if he falls as low as compassion for an individual. What's on your agenda Hyena? Or should I say fox... an engagement?"
-
Aria's emerald eyes were slightly as she stared at Talin, she didn't want him to go, not after he saved her, she was trying to protect both him and Dim. Still holding his hands she brought them to his face with out realizing what she was doing, she pressed her soft cheek against his hands as she still stared at him with her emerald eyes. "Its still not safe...your still too weak...you must grow stronger..."
-
"Hey!" Dim Lane raised and flapped his wings in exasperation. "Would you like me to leave you alone with a person who gets visons" He wiggled his fingers and feathers as though it were all absurd. "With all due respect to you Mr Crazy, I think that we should either A, find out what's happening then skip town back to the Queen, or B, just plain skip town." He hopped over to the pair of them, and draped his wings over Aria. "And if you can't keep your own mind clear, I suggest you take your hand away from her face, if you dont mind."
Little Hands and Andreya shifted toward to handrail, as far as they could go as Nero ascended the stairs. Aman followed up behind him with an almost empty grin, and a sycophantic glow in his eyes. He smiled Leo as his master spoke to him, almost pleased for the cat, he reached out his hand stroked along Leo's arm. Andreya sneered at the pair as she clambered back against the railing and gripped to Saviour. The lizard had shut his eyes as the shadow crawled across him, though as everyone darkened, his scales kept their shine as though in a summer day. Little Hands was far less immune as the shadow stroked across her skin and held her face, seeping into her head. She pushed at the dark and leant away, back against the handrail, leaning over. She pushed and flailed.
"Hivorsza havo, vos!" She kicked and slipped, tumbling over the edge of the staircase railing. She dropped and thudded against the lower steps which burst a yelp as she rolled and thudded against the wall as the stairs turned. Andreyalooked down and climbed over the railing to drop safe on the stairs before running to Little Hands' side. Saviour didnt move, but his body shone brighter like a beacon in the dark.
Neesa ran to them and grabbed the pair, yanked them through to the alleyway from which the assailant had appeared. Pitch black consumed them and the alley was narrow as the dragged pair scraped against the walls as they tumbled in.
"Stay here, shout if you need me," Neesa said as she looked up to where they building met its roof. Then with a crouch, she scaled the wall in one leap and grabbed to the corner to peer over the roof. The sky was growing bright, but only slightly, and she spotted a silhouette a few houses back who stood upon the roof and scanned over the streets, then walked back for a way down. Neesa hung on to the roof and looked down at Imshi and Yenchi hidden in the black. "Can you two still run?" she asked.
The weasel glanced down at her but kept up his stride, watching the girl pant in the heat.
"Soon," he said then looked forward, down the steps that stretched into the planet. More and more torches filled the corridor but they seemed smaller, dimmer as though lackluster. Then the weasel stopped. It was sudden and the passage continued on deeper down, but there was a door to his left. He pressed against it, he shoved against it. Clearly it wouldn't budge and he turned to Meredith. "Open it," he said.
As Siyan headed up into the main city, the city gates yawned open and the guards watched him pass through to the farmland. The sky lightened into a dull blue and the farmers began to stir. One of them, a squirrel woman, was stood at the front of her house and watched the lonely Siyan walk.
"Hey," she said. "You look like death, you okay?"
-
Talin couldn't move his own body as two mental factions waged combat in his mind. He moved his face closer to Aria's as he never broke eye contact with her. Well, until Dim Lane stepped in and snapped Talin out of his mesmerized state. At first he was confused, then he started to get angry.
"Did I just hear that right? I think I heard you saying we should find out what is going on over at Shard." He stood upright and backed away, fists clenching the entire time.
"You want to know whats going on right now? I'll tell you without putting us at risk of being devoured." He gestures with a raised thumb at the dome, wearing a smirk on his face.
"That block of black rock they covet so much, is a piece of the god Nero, a pebble in comparison to the rest of him. That laughter you heard could only come from an entity with vocal cords like the rest of us. I can go into the long version, but I'll leave it at this: Nero is back in action and we only have a short time span before he finds out how to leave this planet and restore the rest of himself." He could feel the void in his body returning, but he was ignoring it at this point.
"Right now the closest person to that city who has any combat experience and any form of unnatural power is standing right here, and frankly I'm starting to doubt why I should return to Tina City if Tizz herself neglected to mention if I'm just going to be thrown back in jail or put on the labor list because the culture of that city is biased towards women when it comes to overall competence!!"
-
Siyan blinked a couple times, then looked over the woman. Placing his hand behind his head, he scratched it, reaching for words.
"Death." He took a breath, tasting the word as it fell from his tongue, numbing. "In a sense I guess you can see how I truly feel." Siyan placed his hand at his side, looking at it, raising it, then, waving. "Hello."
Meredith was lost, he wanted her to push the rock down or in? Something. Regardless, he wanted her to do something which he could not do? That didn't make sense, her flimsy Innocent muscles could hardly lift her own body weight let alone the large mass that stood in front of her. She looked at the weasel, his face was as serious as death. Placing her small paw to the stone, it was cold but-... hallow. It wasn't hollow but was. Like it gave the feeling of emptiness with the reality of fullness. This was a puzzling conundrum, maybe she was suppose to fill it somehow? She thought of a pitcher of tea, thinking of the warm flowing water filling the jug. Her fingers tingled at the though, the thought of fullness. Maybe if she pushed she could knock over, or at least move, the full container. Her muscled tightened as she pushed forward.
-
Nero cackled lightly as the girl dropped and fell, before his smile was extinguished as he looked on at Saviour's shining scales. His face paled slightly under his fur as his new stomach turned slightly, a flicker of fear running across his face before becoming sneer as he retracted his shadow back into himself, eliminating it completely even in the wavering torchlight. Looking back to Leo a bit of his mood returned with a smug smirk. "If you think mere talk is going to upset me today, Leo, you are sadly mistaken. I suggest you and your friends leave before the town meeting is over..." He beckoned to Aman silently and continued up the stairs. Inside he cursed himself for even feeling a bit of fear but consoled himself with the little package he left for Leo...and that filthy lizard.
-
Ara was also mesmerized by his stare, something about it feel so right as he began to move closer. that was until Dim broke it but putting his fingers over her eyes like an over protective brother, making her realize what was going on and that she blushed deeply. she was silent when Talin went on his rant, she did turn up to Dim with her innocent green eyes and said.
"He does have a point Sir" she said in her soft voice, trying to avoid not ruining them again.
-
Yenchi watched Neesa scale the wall with short glances sent her way, his attention mostly on the deep wound in Imshi's shoulder. After being dragged down the alleyway she had collapsed again into a huddled ball that whimpered and wept. The arrow stuck out from her shoulder, its sharp head digging in deep and biting with pain every time Imshi moved.
"It's okay miss, just hold still... Its going to be okay." Yenchi muttered under his breath as he gripped the wooden haft of the bolt. As he did so Imshi whimpered again, the movement sending another deep spasm of pain through her shoulder and wing. The arrow finally came free with a quick tug and a sharp gasp from Imshi.
She fell back against the wall with a gasp, her left wing limp and her eyes closed as she bit her lip against the urge to shout or scream in pain. As he worked to bind the wound with a strip of cloth Yenchi shot glances down at the bloodied arrow. One look at the shape of the bone-carved head of the bolt, a fishing arrow, was all he needed to know its origin.
The two looked up to Neesa from the gloom of the alleyway, her lithe form silhouetted against the sky. Yenchi glanced down to Imshi who nodded silently, then glanced back up to Neesa with a nod "Yes, we can still run."
-
Leo's eye brow raised with interest as he watched not only the lizard glow, but found himself highly intrigued over the attributte that caused the Great Demon Nero recoil with what he thought was fear. The brow quickly dropped as the possed fox had turned to him just to say good bye before he departed. "Have a nice evening," Leo chirpped as his lips now creased into a smirk as he turned around to come closer to Little Foot and Andrea.
The feline crouched down next to her to check and see if she was hurt before looking up to the door that was just a few feet from them. He waited untill he was sure that Nero had left before turning to General Caisan and sighing,"Andrea, look after her for me? I want to see how they brought him back." The cat didn't wait for a responce as he pushed himself back onto his feet, and clutched the handle to the door. However, the cat haulted for a moment as he realized that there just might be some resistance or a trap lieing ahead in wait for him. Anticipating this, he slowly reached behind his hip and unholstered the plasma pistol and brought it to his side, gathering his nerve in the process.
He took a deep breath, and breathed out lightly just before he slamed his entire weight onto the door and forcing it open. With some quick reflexes he lifted the gun up while shifting his other hand underneath the handle to steady his aim.
-
Dim Lane scowled at Talin then folded his wings in front of him and looked back out the window where the sun was just beginning to light the sky. When Aria spoke, he sighed and his shoulders slumped.
"What have we even managed to do here?" he said and dropped down to sit behind the girl. "Well what do you suggest we do?" he asked with a look over Aria's shoulder at Talin. "If we really are in such danger then Tina City is as safe a place as any, and as much as I hate inherent sexism, that's no reason to drop out of society and live in a tree house 'til you die."
The squirrel tilted her head in curiosity at Saiyan.
"Well that's not a way for anyone to talk," she said and beckoned him over to her. "Wanna come help me?" She gestured to the back of the house. "A little work does good for a lost heart."
Aman stayed close, coughing and gulping as he went. He scratched and clawed in pain at his own chest as he tried to keep up with his master. His mouth filled with black fluid and it dripped down his jaw. Eventually the pair reached the entrance hall, lined with six soldiers where there used to be ten. Ahead of them was the main entrance which lead out to the village square and the soldiers moved away from it, stuck to the walls as far as they could get from Nero's deathly aura.
The weasel moved up behind Meredith and put his paws against her shoulders, guiding and pulling at them with a careless force. "Arms are important, but..." He knelt down and grabbed her legs, moving one back to sit wedged behind. "Your whole body has more of everything. Both intent, and strength run through every part."
The further Nero walked, the less Saviour glowed until he was the lizard he had always been. He climbed down after Little Hands and moved up to her, while Andrea held her bleeding head, and pressed at her limbs to check for pain. Little Hands winced and coughed, murmuring to Seeker. Saviour nuzzled against her.
"She'll be okay. It's all relatively minor. She's surprisingly resilient." Slowly she lifted the girl up and Saviour crouched down for her to be laid on top. Little Hands coughed some more and gulped. Saviour gestured for the General to follow but she shook her head to decline and looked back to where Leo had disappeared. "I've got my own person to take care of you know." She smiled and headed off to the door while Saviour climbed back up the stairs.
Leo opened the door which opened to a corridor. A mink shrieked while another pulled him through a door along the corridor. Leo could hear the lock.
Neesa nodded back and moved to hang from the roof, then slide down the wall in a near silent landing. She moved down and inspected Imshi before taking her hand and pulling the injured girl's onto her feet.
"Now if you're struggling, you tell me." She looked into her eyes as she spoke, then glanced to Yenchi. "I'm relying on you to keep your eyes open. The wall isn't far and we have a window." She let go of the girl and raced over to the end of the alleyway to lean forward and peer out. She looked back. "Run," she said with a harsh whisper and raced across the street, the early light playing over her body in a flash before she disappeared in the alleyway ahead.
-
Talin walked over to the door and glanced over his shoulder at Dim Lane, then at Aria before finally calming down and letting the emptiness go away.
"I did not mean to stay here, good sir. But as far as I know, three likely situations will happen for me upon returning: Banishment, enslavement, or incarceration. I have another hundred years left in my life, and I would rather not spend them hauling crates or sitting in some dingy dungeon." He walked off the edge, only catching a single branch to lessen the impact of the fall before hitting the ground below.
-
Aria watched Talin as he left, she then turned to her boss "Sir, what do you think will become of us...now that Nero has returned? " her voice was hurting her throat as she spoke, Dim would obviously see the pain in her green eyes and delicate face as she spoke, but she was resilient against the pain.
and why is it that he and I are acting strange together... the emotion I felt from that moment was so over powerin that...in a way, I can't bear to part from him...
"Talin, where are you going!" Aria called to him but it hurt so much that she had to stop and swallow the pain, massaging her throat, she coughed again.
-
Talin's ears perked up when he heard Aria, and was already halfway up the tree when she started coughing. He stood at the doorway and almost rushed to Aria again, but caught himself and looked at Dim Lane. He first thought to ask Dim Lane how Aria did that to him, but then he started voicing his intent to Aria.
"I'm going to the Village of the Shard, to either kill or cripple Nero... though I am not sure if I will live past that."
-
Aria stared up at Talin for a moment before she nodded, she looked scared, scared for Talin, scared for Dim...she cared about them deeply, she reached up and hugged Talin, closing her eyes as she said softly "You'll live...I know it..." she then pulled away and went to Dim Lane's side and signed we are unfit to fight Nero, should we go elsewhere?
looking at him intently.
-
"Yes," Listy said, more than embarassed that someone had to wipe clean her muzzle. She pressed into Akela for the warmth, the brief comfort it provided. Her cloudy eyes looked downward and one of her hooves tapped nervously on the floor. She felt something else in the air, something that was...different. And it scared her. "I'll be fine. We have to hurry..."
-
Nero smiled and nodded to the guards as he walked past them. Hearing Aman coughing, he let out a chuckle as he walked out into the sunlight. Grimacing at the bright light, he pulled his hood over his face and looked silently into the crowd that now stared at him. The people of the town had all gathered in the square, the news of the ritual and the laughter pulling them in. Many stood aghast at the figure that now towered over Aman, quaking in a mix of fear and reverence. He slowly stepped forward with his hands placed together like a monk's, causing the crowd to part in front of him creating a path into the center of the square. Once in the center of the square, he looked around him silently, not speaking for a minute as he took in the people's fear.
Then he slowly raised his arms to the sky, stretching his shadow over the crowd and up the buildings. The black stretched even farther as it morphed into hundreds of grasping claws that pierced into the sky and formed a great black dome around the city as the claws grasped each other at their peak. The sun now blotted out, the city was lit with purple light that emanated from the shadows. Bringing his arms back down, he pulled down his hood and smiled into the crowd. "My friends....thank you." His voice was almost a whisper, but every citizen in the city heard him as clear as day. "Your efforts, your sacrifice...have not been in vain. While the rest of this land toils for a being that does nothing for them, you stood by and served something tangible." His voice raised into a powerful boom as he continued. "And now...your efforts and hard work have finally come to fruition! Now....you stand here on the precipice of divinity! In the presence of a true god! Behold and tremble in fear of your god! I...your lord Nero...have RISEN!!" His last word slammed through the crowd in a shockwave, stretching outside of the city for miles as he spread his arms to the crowd.
-
Talin was once again lost in unnamed bliss when Aria had hugged him, automatically nodding when she whispered into his ear. He seemed a little out of touch as he slowly turned back to the exit, and repeated his decent to the ground below. Once his head was cleared of the emotional fog, he steeled himself for the coming fight. He didn't have Fang, but considering the opponent he plans to fight... Fang might actually be more of a hindrance than a boon. He let the void 'fill' his body as he sprinted back to the city, just as the mass of darkness rose into the sky. He could feel the pull again, but it felt natural, just how He felt during his mission to find the stone.
-
Elsewhere, about 20 miles away, Feuilly suddenly heard the word "risen" in a loud voice.
"What the heck was that?" he exclaimed. The winged cat shrugged. "I suppose I'll find out later."
He continued onwards. "There must be someone who has the answers I'm looking for..."
"Hello there."
Feuilly stooped in his tracks and turned to see a white kangaroo sitting on a rock. She waved at him nonchalantly.
"Where the hell did YOU come from?" he asked.
-
By all means, the cat hadn't expect to see the very horrifying site of a mink screaming at him causing the feline to wince in pain as the voice carried down the halway and stung at his ears. Leo's hands raised to cup his ears lightly with his left palm and the gun in his right hand. He sighed in relife when the scream was replaced with the clicking of a lock.
"Hm..." the cat hummed to himself as he silently padded down the halway closer to the door. He looked down to the door knob and gave it a quick twist, then a jerk to see if it was really locked. Seeing that it was, he then placed his handgun on the floor and gave it a quick spin. It spun around quickly, scratching at the dirty floor and tossing some dust into the air before it had finally came to a hault, pointing at the door. "Well... I guess we will break in then... good thing I have a lockpick," he sighed as he quickly plucked up the plasma gun pointed it at the door's handle.
He squeezed down on the trigger twice, first blowing off the handle, then shooting through the lock.
-
(Where's your respect for doors?!)
The kangaroo smiled, hopped off of the rock, and approached Feuilly, stopping a few feet away from him.
"I was sitting there the whole time," she said, extending a gloved hand. "My name's Viola."
The cat took ahold of the appendage and engaged in shaking hands. (Derp.) "Feuilly."
-
Imshi nodded between a short gasp of pain as she was pulled to her feet, falling heavily against the wall with an outstretched hand. "Yenchi? What are we doing?" Her normally authoritative voice faltered and she clutched her left arm to her side. Yenchi, all spite and anger forgotten, gave a commanding push to the small of her back and said softly "Just follow close behind Neesa and do as she says."
The street lay open and silent in the moonlight, shadows swathing the space beneath the low mud walls. At the far end a figure crouched in the darkness that enveloped a line of washing hung out to dry overnight. A bow creaked, the arrow nocked barely wavering as the string drew back further into the darkness alongside the white-furred chest of the figure. They waited...
"Okay, now run." Yenchi repeated the hushed command, readying to do so himself as soon as Imshi had gone after Neesa. Instead the girl paused and looked as though she would fall to her knees. Again Yenchi pushed, urging her to her feet "Imshi, Go!"
As Neesa darted across open ground the figure on the rooftops tensed, drew in a sharp breath and stilled their wavering aim. For a moment longer the arrow held against the quivering string, pinched between finger and thumb, then as Imshi ran from the cover of shadow it loosed with a searing whistle.
The bolt flew straight and looked for a moment as though it would strike a blow through the hip, but instead it merely knocked her off-step and skittered away across the earth. Once in the shadows of the opposite alley Yenchi pulled Imshi to a halt and stared at the place where he had expected to see a terrible wound. Instead a long line of blood and tear in the woven clan-clothing at Imshi's waist marked the close path of the serrated arrowhead.
In the shadows of the rooftop the figure lowered the bow to their side, letting their held breath out with a vehement exclamation "Damn..."
-
(^Man, that was CLOSE...)
Viola smiled amusingly. "You mean like in..."
"YES!" Feuilly said. "Yes. Like in that book."
"I take it that you..."
"Get that a lot? Pretty much."
"Okay..." Viola walked back over to the rock and motioned for Feuilly to sit down next to her.
"So whatcha doing all the way out here?"
-
Dim Lane puffed and shook his head at Talin.
"A hundred years left and you're so eager to cut it short," he said as Talin hopped down from the tree and began his run. "I swear he's no good for you," he said to Aria, andlooked over at the city that was bathed in daylight yet still smothered in an ethereal shadow. "And don't talk," he said and looked to the girl. "You'll lose your voice just as you gained it." He smiled a little and walked out to the edge of the tree house looking down and around. "I don't suppose this place is particularly sturdy against angry god attacks." He said and pushed against the door frame as though testing it, then gave a little laugh to Aria. "I guess archeology will have to wait. We can just go back to the city and tell the Queen what's happened." He moved to Aria and put a wing around her shoulders. "And don't worry, we don't have to stay there... not that they'd let us."
Akela nodded at the young girl and took her hand, rushing through the temple and out into the undercity, heading above ground toward the gate. "Tell me Roxy, how long have you been connected to this hyena?" she asked as she hurried Listy along behind her, even has the shadow of an evil voice rippled through the air.
Aman stood hunched beside Nero while the crowd watched in awe and fear. They cowered and their bodies churned. Aman was the first to drop to the ground as he dug his own claws into his skin, tearing at his stomach as black ooze spilled out with his innards, and yet he lived, crawling and smiling. The crowd were not so pleased, as pain seared through the minds while they beheld such a demon, black vomit spilling in the streets.
While Feuilly and Viriathus sat upon the rock, the grass quivered as the light breeze pulled it and a slight rumble tumbled through the ground. The rumble grew, not an earthquake but a shifting in the soil, something moving and stretching beneath them.
Another shriek could be heard, muffled by a paw as the door shuddered open by the force of the blast.
"Leo!" The General marched over to him and snatched the pistol from his hand. "What the hell are you doing?" She said and looked to the door burst and splintered into a darkened room. "It's not a toy and you don't use it around screaming civilians." She stuffed the pistol into her pocket, her own one nestled in the other side. "What if they were behind this door?" She said, and kicked it open a little more, letting the light of the corridor lamps spill in. Chunks of wood had spilled across the floor among a tight pack of shelves covered in containers and rocks. "Hello?" she asked into the dark room, and she peered through the gap between the door and frame. Tables were piled at the back. "Anybody here?" Nobody answered.
Neesa tracked the arrow with her ears, and reached down, grabbing a rock. She leapt up the alley wall and clambered to the roof, and in one smooth movement jumped and shot the stone at the figure, knocking him back off the roof. As she dropped back down, she pushed off the roof and landed back into the alley in an instant. Without a word she pushed Yenchi out the way and began kicking at the dirt at the house on the left. The ground crumbled and an tunnel was revealed, down under the building. She put her arm around Imshi and helped her up. "In you go and keep going until the dirt wall at the end."
-
Talin had reached the city, finding the closest thing to a blacksmith and noticing the place was 'closed'. Well, it was closed until Talin bashed the door down. He walked into the empty store, speculating from the time of day that there was some meeting in the town's metaphorical or literal center. He picked up a great-sword, though he doesn't like how much lighter it was in comparison to Fang. He picked up a scabbard for it, and did a few practice swings before sheathing it and tying the scabbard to his trousers while making his way to Nero.
-
The figure tumbled from the rooftops, footing lost on the crucial edge of a leap from one building to another. With a muffled thump and a loud crack they hit the ground at a roll. Getting carefully to their feet the figure discarded the smashed bow into the shadows of the alley and put a hand to their head. The fingers returned wet with blood as the figure glanced up and muttered under their breath "Nice shot.[size=78%]"[/size]
Imshi nodded in silence as Neesa helped her up, climbing down into the hole with a hiss of pained breath between her teeth and a final nod. Yenchi knelt beside the hole and watched as Imshi disappeared from view into the darkness. Eyes flicking across the rooftops and knives drawn he shot a glance across to Neesa "I don't care what you do but I must ensure her safety over mine... What do you suggest we do?"
The assailant of the trio walked down the length of the alley, slipping through the long night shadows with a sauntering pace. At the far end they stopped and knelt down beside a pile of slatted crates, opening the front of the foremost crate with a deft pull. From the darkness within a low growling rumbled into life. The figure grinned, teeth glinting momentarily, and from a pouch at their waist withdrew a white feather and tuft of russet fur. Holding the items out across the open side of the crate the figure grinned and said "Seek her out..."
-
Aria didn't nod but merely signed I am in exile remember...and I won't speak at all, since my vocal chords are practically falling apart as I speak she looked around the forest and then looked to him, gesturing him to follow as she climbed down the tree and headed in the opposite direction, she was heading deep into the forest. she waved at him to follow.
-
Nero cackled as the black vomit spilled through the streets. "My chosen...that is what you all are. The pain you all feel is your mind entering a higher state. You will be my angels...given power beyond imagining! Scream in ecstatic glory as your mortal vestiges are torn from you to become something far greater!!" He watched with pride as the people of the town screamed and cried out in pain. Their bodies began to writhe and twist, skin tearing to expose muscle and bone, only to reform again. Snapping noises could be heard throughout the crowd as bones were overtaxed, shattered, regrown, and shattered again. Many townsfolk collapsed unable to take the strain, some dying outright while others collapsed in seizures and slowly drowned in their own black vomit.
The screams slowly became moans as the twisting mass of the crowd felt their brains give in to the taint and the pain slowly became pleasure. As they gave in, they felt a hunger fill them...a starvation for something, anything, to eat. Seeing the corpses of the weak around them, they quickly began to devour the dead like rabid beasts and slurped up the black vomit off of the ground. As they ate, they could not get rid of the hunger...only the ooze that poured from the mouths of the dead and turning gave them the tiniest amount of relief. What they once had been had fled forever, leaving only the twisted creatures that now feasted upon the fallen. Their flesh twitched and rippled as they slowly stopped their frenzy, unable to find relief and whimpering from the hunger.
Holding his arms out, Nero descended into the ooze and waded through to be amidst his faithful. "My children...my angels...fear not. The hunger can be satiated...I know. I feel that hunger every second of every day, only far greater. Only in the death of another, or the destruction of something, can your hunger be quenched! We are the greatest force...in all of the universe! We are the fire of purification!!! WE WILL WIPE THIS WORLD CLEAN.. AND PURGE THE UNIVERSE OF LIFE ITSELF... AND WHEN THERE IS NOTHING LEFT...WE WILL CREATE THIS UNIVERSE ANEW AND BECOME EVEN GREATER THAN THE GODS THEMSELVES...WE ARE THE GREATEST AND ONLY GOOD...WE...ARE...DESTRUCTION INCARNATE!!!"
His voice boomed once more, smashing every window within the town at the force of his voice before letting loose another maniacal cackle. This time his cackle was joined by the hungry roar of the twisted creatures that used to be the men and women of the town. As his cackle faded into the wind, he slowly let out a breath and whispered into the air. "I will devour you...Seeker...Howl...Chronin...prepare yourselves, for when I am whole once more, nothing will keep me from bringing everything back to the Void."
-
Aman crawled over to Nero, his entrails dragging along the dirt as he reached for his god and clung to his arm. At the touch, he shivered and eagerly rubbed his face against Nero's hand, seemingly drunk on the ecstasy of the madness that surrounded them. The crowd shrieked and growled, twisted forms lolloping to their old homes, tearing and smashing the town in sheer hunger for violent activity. One of them pointed out down an alleyway and screamed in vicious glee.
"Flesh has my sword!" it yelled and charged toward Talin.
Neesa rolled her eyes at Yenchi.
"As much as your attempt at chivalry is attractive, I'm not just putting her in a hole in the ground for no reason." She tugged him toward the hole and gestured for him to get in. "Go to her and tell her to dig directly up. You two should find yourself on the other side of the city walls," she said and pointed out across the alleyway to the large wall of wood close by. "Tell her to dig up and run straight forward, same direction the tunnel goes." Her ears were flicking about around her, keeping watch in the dark. "I'll stay here and make sure nobody finds you." She smiled at him and patted his butt to push him into the hole. "I'll catch up after."
Dim Lane flew over to Aria and walked beside her, wings folded at his side.
"You know we're supposed to tell the queen what's going on here." He looked back over at the city, like a black mound in the light. "She should probably know about this." He turned again to Aria, finding that he'd fallen behind, and raced to catch up. "Where are we going?"
-
Talin unsheathed the great-sword when he was found out, and smiled inwardly as he brought the blade down and cut through the spine. He then pulled the blade back and hewed through the skull with his next swing. When the next monster appeared, he turned his power onto the creature and watched as it flew back into the monsters behind it.
-
Nero smiled down at Aman and looked on to the crowd, bringing his arms up for them to praise him as a messiah only to stop as he looked at his hand. He knew immediately that he had used too much power in the turning of the town, watching in shock as his flesh and muscle seemed to rot to vile ooze in a matter of seconds. The shock passed quickly though, reassuring himself that it was a fair price to pay to be housed in a mortal shell. Eventually it would die, but he'd still be able to inhabit it.
Upon hearing some commotion away from the carnage, he looked to Aman and tore his hand away. "Come...we have guests to attend to." Going into a forced march, he quickly came upon where Talin was fighting with his minions. "Stand aside, my angels....save your strength for our march." He looked to Talin and spread his arms. "I'm so sorry...my angels have just gotten used to their new bodies and needs and can be a tad excitable. I can assume that you are an intruder...otherwise you wouldn't have fought back and would have welcomed my angels' teeth...so I can only assume that you are one of the Queen's men. Please correct me if I'm wrong..." His tone was inviting and kind, but the malice behind it was unmistakable. Nero could smell something on this man...and he wanted it. And whether by kindness or by force, he intended to have it.
-
“Well I am sorry,” the scientist scoffed as the blaster was taken from his hand by the general. “If you hadn't realized, we are pretty much in the belly of the temple of the very deity who wishes for nothing more than our entrails being used as streamers for his home coming party,” the scientist sighed as he planted his hand on the door and gave it a sharp push turning to face the woman, “I simply wish for nothing more then finding out what I need to know, and leaving. I don't know about you Ms. Aela, but I may be going crazy, but twenty years from now, I would rather stay crazy and have you still breathing.”
Now that he was finished, his gaze turned back into the dark room towards where the tables had been piled up. "Now... who ever might be in here. I only want this. The directions to where the lord you conspirators love so much, or to a source of some current lore."
-
Aria looked over her shoulder and said "back...to the queen" her angelic voice spoke as they took a more dense route, she knew it would be the right thing to do, but right now it would be way too dangerous to go on the main roads.
Talin...don't you dare die...save us ... deliver us..." she never thought she would say those words, lucily, she didn't say them out loud.
-
Suddenly, the two furries felt something shift in the earth... something unnatural.
Feuilly looked around a bit, then looked at Viola.
"Okay... that was weird," he said.
"Yeah." Viola looked around for a short period, then turned back to Feuilly. "So what are you doing out here?"
"Well... have you ever heard of the Army of the Abased?" he asked.
The kangaroo looked back at him blankly. "Nope... care to inform me?"
-
Yenchi stopped, hands to his hips in a good imitation of Imshi's usual stance. He clenched the knives and scowled "Chivalry? You think I stand by her because of some flippant code of conduct, well no I don't. I go with Imshi because I share something more with her." He gave a sigh, clenched fists sliding behind his back as a meek expression stole across his face. "Even if she wishes it was not so..." With a nod at Neesa's instructions he slid the daggers away and turned to follow into the tunnel, white furred cheeks flushing at her method of hurrying him along.
In the darkness of the tunnel Imshi ran, or more accurately jogged in short teeth-clenching bursts that left her collapsed against the end of the tunnel panting. Hurried footsteps and billowing dust heralded Yenchi following behind her. "Dig up!" He didn't wait for her to respond to the hushed instruction, hitting the dirt wall at a run and scrabbling at the earth above. After the shocked moment passed Imshi joined him in clawing and pawing at the dirt as it came away in loose clods.
Slavering forked tongues rolled and flicked in panting maws, needle teeth glinting inbetween shadows and moonlight. They tracked slowly, not because the pack had lost the scent, but as a sign of content and knowledge that the prey could not escape. At a crossroad the leader paused and lowered its head with a rumble in its throat. The beast set off again and this time the pack followed with a lolloping gait that quickened to a run. Fresh blood from the prey, and they where getting close.
-
Talin allowed himself to smirk just a little as he kept his gaze on Nero. "You are both wrong and right. I used to be one of the Queen's men, even one of Seeker's Chosen, but I have recently been banished for "going mad", which is admittedly the more lenient of the punishments that my gender can suffer for being a danger to that society." He partially wondered why he even bothered speaking with this shard of a god, but he did keep his blade drawn and ready to skewer or decapitate Nero.
-
"A few years now," Listy said, her feet tangling under her though she still managed to keep upright as she ran. "Ever since my old guardian found that doll and gave it to me." A spring of confidence, stemming from the initial acceptance and assistance she was recieving, was steadily replacing her nervous gait. The gate drew nearer and a sudden pang of fear made her icy. She shook it off.
Deep inside her, an odd smelling and powerful energy grew jittery, as if excited. Instantly, a shot of painful, strange electricity shot through Listy's arm and hand and into Akela's.
-
Aman turned and bowed to his master, creeping at his side as Nero spoke to the intruder. He stepped forward while toying with his exposed innards.
"My lord," he said. "Should I eat him?"
Andreya scowled at Leo until she sighed and a sense of resignation overtook her.
"You know what? I am not under any orders any more. I am not obliged to protect you anymore." She shook her head and looked out into the shadowy room. "Come on, we won't hurt you, or at least I wont." One of the minks peaked his head over one of the tables at the back.
"Please don't," he said and was yanked back down again. Hurried whispers poured out while the General crept over to them. Eventually the other mink, a slightly more controlled and clean appearance stood with raised arms.
"We'll help," he said. "We made a mistake and are I doubt Seeker will forgive or protect us so we are at your mercy." He bowed to them and Andreya nodded back with her gun raised. "What do you want to know?"
Every time Aria spoke, it melted through Dim Lane, and no matter what she said, she would smile. He smiled even more once he realised what she said.
"Oh excellent," he replied, and hopped along beside her, occasionally flying at a quickening pace toward the city. He looked around as he flew, scanning the area. He caught something flit among the thicker trees. It slid through the foliage in an effortless flow, a large green wisp. He squinted at it, but couldn't get a clear look, then dropped down to Aria's side again. "Though we should keep on our guard, I'm sure. Never know if anything decides to follow."
Neesa kept her back to the wall. Her ears kept track of the digging, and the sound on pattering paws and scratching claws. She looked up and down the alley in the early morning light. She was on edge and crouched, ready to face any enemy.
Chosen Akela nodded, and hummed over the comprehension of such an object. "Right so that's the only, or at least main connec-aarh!," She shrieked and ripped her paw from Listy's grasp, pain burning through her muscles. She looked at her palm and visible cracks seared red. She gripped her wrist and looked down at the girl wide eyed. Taking the girl's hand again, the pain returned, growing and stabbing through her . She shrieked again and pulled away, exasperated breaths heaving from her. "What was that?"
-
Talin turned his gaze to the underling of Nero's, and chuckled. "If you so wish to come at me, I will not mind... though I would rather just finish up here then go get a better blade for my travels." He did not notice his own hair was turning unruly, curling and spiking up with each breath he took.
-
Viola shook her head. "No.. why don;t we go for a walk, and we can talk about it, okay?"
Feuilly nodded. "Sure."
Getting up off the rock, the pair continued down the road.
"So.. what is the Army of the Abased, exactly?" Vi asked.
"Well," Feuilly said, " it's... OH MY GOD!"
Feuilly stopped short and stared at a form at the side of the road.
It was another furry.
Viola rushed over and checked the man.
"He's still alive," she said. "Help me bring him to that tree over there."
-
After taking notice of the scowl from the woman, Leo gave the general a questionable look before placing his hands on his hips. In response he simply scoffed in a humorous manner, “Well, I don't blame you. Someone's pay roll or not, I wouldn't want to look after myself in the next month. His head turned to the two minks who rose and spoke to them both.
The seemingly twins responses didn't seem to reveal any form of informative use from the two to the cat. “The Seeker,” the cat questioned in almost disbelief as he looked to the General once more hoping that they actually meant Nero himself. But alas, it didn't seem to be as he turned back to the doorway, tossing a hand up to grab the door it's self by the corner and rest his head against it. He remained like this for a minute, having a low hushed conversation with himself.
Eventually, he pulled away from the door and swung it open to enter the hall.
“Well then, follow us I suppose. If you don't know any place of viable interest, like Nero's new birth place or some lore or a way to kill the immortal bastard then could you enlighten us on how you betrayed seeker per-say?”
-
Nero put his hand up to Aman, gesturing for him to stay back. "Allow me to speak bluntly then, fallen Chosen. Leave now...let us wipe Seeker's followers off the planet unhindered and there may be a reward for you at the end game. Otherwise I will drain your being into the hungry mouths of my angels and fill the shell with the nightmares of this world that lick the heels of my boot for sustenance." He walked up close to Talin, unafraid of what he may do to him, and held out his hand in offering. "Do you accept my offer, damned Chosen?"
-
Talin growled, the fur around his head taking a spiked form that would remind Nero of Chronin. "The fact that you would bother to bargain with me is a testament that I am a threat to you. Though as far as draining goes, I think your pets should find out how well their "God" tastes after I've force-fed them your severed limbs." He then sank his blade into Nero's chest, making sure it would go through the heart.
-
Nero slumped forward on the blade as it pierced his heart and came out of his back. He was still for a moment, then he spoke, his speech impaired and labored by the blade partially slicing through his lung. "A th..hah..threat..hah...no, ehehehe..." He stood up straight again, sword still in his chest as a mad grin crawled over his face. His tongue lolled out of his mouth, hanging to the side as he walked forward, plunging the sword deeper into his chest. "...you..hah...are not...ah..a threat..hah. Hah...you...ahah..are a..hah..distract-hah-ion. A..ah...waste of..hah..energy." Nero was now standing close enough to kiss Talin as black ooze covered the sword and dripped from his mouth. "You..ah..remind me...hah..of someone. Half...hah...breed. I'll enjoy..eheh...destroying you...hah...in his...ah...place."
Reaching up to his own face, his grin doesn't waver as his nail pierces his eye. "So..hah..bothersome. I cannot..ah...see you..hah...clearly..ah...with...eheh...these." Curling the finger in his eye, he slowly pulls it out with a sickening pop and severs the optic nerve with his claws before crushing the eye in his hand. "So...ahahah..much better." His grin becomes a snarl as he grabs a hold of Talin's head and he locks his gaze on him. From the black of his eye socket emerges tiny black spikes, spliting and running through the air like veins before reaching Talin's eye and pushing into the black of his pupil. Nero could see inside of him...the swirling colors of his soul tainted with the light of Seeker, Chronin, and Vuranin.
He would fix that.
The black veins pulsed as a tiny droplet of black splashed across the colors, overwhelming them for a moment before disappearing into the swirls. It would grow with time...which is exactly what he wanted. The veins retracted from Talin's eye and back into Nero's eye socket. His snarl turned into a grin once again as he let go of Talin's head. He stood for a moment before ramming his fist into Talin's gut and knocking him into the opposite wall, causing it to break and crack at the impact. "You...hah..will..ah........hah..." He sighed as he gripped the sword's hilt and ripped it from his body, tossing it aside. "Ah...so much better. As I was saying...you will leave now. Run...hide...survive while you can, for when we next meet...it will be the last time."
-
everything was nothingness. sound, thought, taste, touch, smell, hearing, and sight were nonexistent. as thought slowly came back, aeron began to fight the void, he did not know why he fought, he did not know who he was, all he knew was that the void would not have him. struggling and fighting for himself trying to find, what, he did not know, he began to sink into the void, nothingness reclaiming his soul, then he found a thought, it said
aeron
all of a sudden the nothingness shrank back and was overcome by darkness, but there was something in that darkness, and it came to him.
it was pain.
it was the scent and taste of blood, long dried.
it was hunger and thirst.
but most of all it was pain.
aeron tried to speak, but when he did a firey lance peirced his side. finaly aeron felt through the pain, he got the sense he was moving. aeron opened his eyes, ignoring the dazzling light that met them he squinted, he was laying down and the ground was retreating, moving away, he was being dragged. he looked up seeing one fur pulling his right arm, he knew there was another on his left, but he or she was not in view and turning his neck made his dulled pain flare up. aeron observed the fur he could see with his dulled senses, some kind of feline he guessed from the blurred outline, and were those, wings?
aeron felt himself being laid down, and attempted to sit up, coals were thrust into his lungs causing him to cough, blood came up with air, a flaming coal was thrust into his core, causing him to cry out in pain,
and then all was black.(im still alive just unconsious)
-
"Hmm..." Viola said, looking the wolf over. "He's been injured... and pretty badly, at that..."
"I have some medical supplies," Feuilly said, rummaging in his bag. "Just give me a few minutes..."
TEN MINUTES LATER...
"There!" Feuilly said, taping the bandage down. "That should hold."
He stood back and looked at the wolf.
"The question is," said the crat, "who beat him up in the first place?"
"I believe that's a question for him," Viola said. She yawned deeply. "It's getting dark... we'd better rest."
-
It was nightfall when aeron awoke once more, painfully he pushed himself into a slumped position against the tree behind him grunting in pain as he did so. He instantly scanned his surroundings out of habit, noting every rock, tree, and landmark, each one bringing back memories of the cowardly ambush that had given him these near-mortal wounds. He saw the other two furs with their backs turned to him, facing the small cookfire, aeron tried to call for water, only managing a cough.
-
Between shadows cast from the first morning light the beasts ran, claws raking the ground as their tongues flicked from fanged maws. With hisses and roars the pack burst into the alley in front of Neesa, surging past her towards the entrance of the tunnel. They ran with a single-minded ferocity and scrabbled to get past each other into the darkness. At the center of the pack the leader stopped, long tongue flicking out to taste the air, then turned to face the girl. For a moment the creature contemplated her then with a bristle of dark spines across its back the beast leaped.
Hisses and scrabbling filled the tunnel as Imshi clawed her way to the surface, pulling herself up over the lip of the hole with dirt in her eyes and fur. She stood and, disregarding the pain in her shoulder, pulled Yenchi roughly up after her. Without a moment to wait she shoved him into a run and shouted, authority back in her voice "Just run! Don't turn to fight!"
-
Aria smiled but then nodded at Dim Lane's comment about them might being followed, she looked around slowly before she said softly again, not wanting to hurt her voice more.
"what should we tell the queen? what if she doesn't believe us?" she thought about Talin, she began to wonder if he was alright...
-
Talin could feel his heart thundering as he felt a part of Nero go into him and momentarily violate his very existence. The sensation faded, but his heart did not let up as he beheld Nero. When once he held him with contempt, now he held him with fear. He didn't want to get up, simply because it would put him closer to Nero. He felt his body take a deep breath, then he was suddenly outside the town of the Shard. He quickly thanked whoever 'rescued' him from Nero, and ran with all of his strength to Tina City, not knowing if he would run into Aria or Dim Lane.
-
Unable to see or feel what had happened, Listy took a few steps back and shook her head wildly, ears back, whining, suddenly more frightened. "What's wrong?" she asked "Why did you let go?" At the moment, she was unable to tell where Akela was, and could not quite look at her in the blackness that was her sight. "Akela?" she cried, head turning this way and that.
-
The nervous mink bowed to Leo as he left, while the more controlled one made little steps toward Andreya.
"I am Perra and my friend is Beem," he said gesturing to the other mink who now scuttle up behind and kept close. Andreya nodded and gestured for them to follow her back out the room. "The shard chamber, Nero's resurrection point, is down at the crater centre, but it's just a room filled with blood," Perra said as the three headed into the corridor where Leo ambled about.
"What about any weaknesses" Andreya asked as she herded the pair to walk in front of her.
"None that we know. We didn't exactly plan on killing him." Perra tried to laugh, and Beem shrank at his side. Perra coughed the laugh away. "I guess the sensible choice is Seeker's power. The chosen would be able to do something," he said. Andreya nodded, and patted Perra on the back.
"Well that helps some. Do you know where we can find these chosen?" she asked.
"Tina City is your best bet. It's south about twenty miles." He pointed in some vaguely general direction. "You'll protect us right?" he asked and glanced to the pistols she carried, then over at Leo. "We wont be a burden?"
Neesa looked on as the beasts poured in. As the leader leapt, she crouched back and allowed it to hit, forcing her hand into its open more, pushing into the throat, causing it to gag and pull away.
Dim Lane kept close, lowering both their heads to shuffle through the forest. They stopped behind a bush and he peered through the trees.
"There is definitely someone following us. Should i call them out?"
"Stop!" Akela said, crouched to the floor, staring at the girl. "Stay still Roxy. We have a little problem." She shuffled further, making sure not to touch. "That poison in you, that black stuff. It's unnatural, it's against Seeker and it's poisoned your skin. I can't hold your hand." She looked around, trying to figure things out.
-
Leo came to a hault before glancing over his shoulder to the two twin minks. He gave himself one quick look over his own physique finding absolutely nothing spectacular, or anything that represented strength in some form or fashion. Sure the feline had come quite a ways, but he still held a rather pitiful body to be considered a personal bodyguard. “Protect you,” the cat asked through a humorous scoff, his voice then broke into a light laughter as he twisted his torso around to get a better view of the two, “Uh... well I don't know how much vigor you see in me, and I am questioning how I am still alive right now. But sure, no promises though.” He quickly brought his hands up, and rested them gently on his hips as he turned back down to his original personal objective.
The more the feline studded the door, the more it taunted him, and of course the more of a glorious sheen it held to the cat. In fact, he began to hear distant laughter from his own imagination as the hallway had began to stretch before him and extend on for miles on end, and arc downwards indefinitely turning the hallway into an odd pitfall to hell. The lighting had changed as well creating a mid-tone of dark blood that painted the walls. Leo's eyes narrowed once, before widening along with the feline taking one hesitant step back in surprise. He could have sworn he saw some movement on the other end. “Uhmp! Yep, T-Tina City sounds like a good bet,” the scientist exclaimed after promptly shutting his eyes closed and giving his head a rough shake, “Are you sure there is nothing important inside that room? I'd hate to abandon it if ssssssssss... shard chamber?”
-
Nero chuckled as Talin disappeared with a look of terror on his face. Chronin had been cocky too...he only wished he could have seen that face when he was still alive. Turning to Aman, he smiled softly and pet him gently. "Come Aman....we have an army to lead. Make sure they are ready to march by dusk, for Tina city is our next destination." He walked away, towards the center of town once more, letting his hands glide across the bodies of his angels as he passed by them.
-
After some time, Talin found that he no longer had the overpowering urge to flee, but the calm he felt was soon replaced with shame and frustration. He was no longer sprinting, but was not walking at a relaxed pace. I couldn't even wound him! He is in a mortal shell, but he took the stab and made me go mad with fear! Tizz would probably have forgiven the violence if I stopped Nero then and there, but I can't even see how I can harm hi- He stopped in his tracks as he thought he saw someone in his peripheral, only to have them vanish when he took notice. He looked around himself for some time before groaning in annoyance and continuing his trek. Great, now I'm hallucinating without even going into a memory, now how am I supposed to convince the authorities of Tina City that I'm not mad?!
-
Aria shook her head and signed with her hands in sign language No, I will jump them not kill them...I know these forests like not other...get ready to fight..." she drew her dagger, holding it tightly in her hand as she waited for the followers to come into view, there was a intense look in her green eyes as she waited.
-
It was nightfall when aeron awoke once more, painfully he pushed himself into a slumped position against the tree behind him grunting in pain as he did so. He instantly scanned his surroundings out of habit, noting every rock, tree, and landmark, each one bringing back memories of the cowardly ambush that had given him these near-mortal wounds. He saw the other two furs with their backs turned to him, facing the small cookfire, aeron tried to call for water, only managing a cough.
Feuilly turned around to see that the injured furry had woken up.
"Viola," he said, nodding towards the man. "He's up."
"Okay, stay here, I'll go talk to him."
Viola got up and walked over to the wolf.
"Hello there," she asked. "You feeling better? You had one hell of a gash in you side... not to mention all those other wounds..."
-
aeron spoke in a tired and shaky voice, "w-w-where am i? and who are you?"
-
"Well, you're beneath a large shady tree off to the side of a road where you were placed after we found you."
She extends a paw.
"I'm Viola, and my friend over there is named Feuilly."
"You mean your friend behind you?"
Viola jumped a bit as Feuilly suddenly materialized behind her.
"Sheesh, you're pretty fast," she said.
Viola turned back to the wolf.
"And you, sir? What are you called?"
-
"I-I don't kn-"
all of a sudden, the fog clouding Aeron's mind parted for a instant, time froze; and then he saw a memory,
he saw a pure white she-wolf, she had his muzzle and his eyes, and he saw a tall, lean, and strong gray wolf, built like himself, with his ears, the pair were sitting on the ground on their knees, bound and gagged, the gag slipped from the she-wolfs mouth,
she screamed
"AERON!!!!"
then all went dark,
and time began once more.
aeron found himself howling, a long and mournful greivance for the death of his mother and his father.
he hung his head in silence for a moment. "my name..............is aeron"
-
Feuilly jumps into the air in surprise as the wolf howled suddenly. He rushed over, his wings twitching nervously.
"Is there something wrong?" he asked Viola.
-
"I- I can't remember."
"anything."
-
The pair looked at Aeron in surprise.
"Amnesia, huh?" Viola said, getting Aeron some water. "That kinda sucks."
"It can't be amnesia, actually," Feuilly said, flexing his wings. "He can remember his name..."
The young crat sat down next to Aeron and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Aeron," he said, "Are you sure that you can't remember anything? Not even who did this to you?"
-
"i cant't remem-"
aeron saw a white flash,brighter than ten suns' and then...
"there was an ambush"aeron said with a snarl "and i think my parents are dead' thhts all i remember"
-
Feuilly nodded.
"I see," he said, flexing his wings. "Well, did you have any weapons? We found some by the side of the road, but we weren't sure if they were yours or not."
"Yeah," Viola added. "I can bring them over there if you want me to..."
-
"That's not the shard chamber," Perra replied and pointed down to the floor. "It's way below us."
"Yeah over there is just one of the research chambers," Beem said, nodding at his own words.
"Anything useful in there?" Andreya asked. They shook their heads.
"Just odds and ends really. We can check but you really need Chosen." They nodded to each other in agreement, until a brief chill oozed through the walls and the clung together behind the general. The corridor seemed darker and Andreya stepped away from the outer wall.
"I guess it can't hurt. Leo," she said, and grabbed his shoulder. "You capable should I drag you? I really do not have time to put up with you right now. We'll do a quick check through that room and get the hell out, you understand?"
Aman pushed his head up against his master's palm, shivering in the pleasure of touch. His tongue lolled from his broken muzzle and he nodded with emphatic devotion before gesturing to the throng of twisted creatures around him. He pointed and direction, with speech near impossible from their shredded throats and mangled jaws. He directed them to swarm through the town, searching, grabbing and mutilating to either convert or just to kill any remaining survivors. The guards within the temple, now with their own weapons speared through their bodies, began searching the great dome.
Dim Lane huddled behind Aria's back, looking out at the mess of trees, bushes and twigs, seemingly merging together as an impenetrable mesh.
"I'm no use in this environment. Stones, buildings, underground, that's my world, not this. I haven't the eyes for--aAAGH!" He shrieked, pulled away in a green blur. A great green beast bristled with scales. The raven was held in its maw, teeth pressed against feathers and skin.
'Stay where you are,' came a voice. It came from nowhere, as though absence itself had spoken inside Aria's mind. 'You run, or you attack, I will eat him.' The beast bowed its head, with the panting, shrieking Dim Lane held in its jaws. There was a girl laid unconscious on his back. 'who are you?'
-
"My name is Aria Loray...I have lived in this forest for a long time...now please let go of my friend..we mean no harm...please, let him go..." there was no fear in her celestial voice as she stepped forward, her arm out stretched as she put the dagger she had out back in its sheath. Now with both hands up, letting the beast know that the threat was gone. she glanced at the unconsious girl on its back. "Is ...she alright?" she asked.
-
Talin continued walking his way towards Tina City, clutching his head in one hand as new memories flooded in. These were even worse to process than the ones of Chronin, as the anatomy didn't match up with the person he was "inhabiting". Though one of them did bring about a sensation similar to the one that had pulled him out of that earlier mess, along with more history to compare to Chronin's "knowledge" of this 'Everflame'. Just when I finally get one life sorted out, another comes in and tries to jumble my head again... is there a reason I have to know the lives of two others? He then started to think about his possible punishment for 'returning from exile', which thankfully drove the memories away. I wonder if Tizz, or even Aria, will look me in the eye after all the mistakes I made...
-
The leader of the pack hunkered to the ground as it choked and growled, angered. With a shudder it turned to face Neesa again and lunged, feral voice hissing out from slathering jaws, claws raking the earthen ground. As the beast leaped its maw widened, three tongues slicing out into the air towards the girl.
Imshi gulped at the air, lungs burning. As she ran her paw still clutched at Yenchi's, although by now it was he that was pulling her to run faster. "We have to-" She heaved another breath, clutching her side "-stop running Yenchi." At this he shook his head. His own breaths came controlled and low, his lithe form urging alongside Imshi to run faster. Beside him under her breath Imshi cursed the thickset figure she had inherited from her mother, one feathered wing falling limp as she ran.
"No Yenchi-" Imshi finally stumbled to a halt, doubled over in pain and out of breath "- We cant outrun them... We cant-" She wept silently as they both watched the pack surround them and slowly circle the pair.
Again the pack leader lunged and missed, shaking its head until its tongues lolled between needle fangs. With another long hiss the beast hunched down. It stared at Neesa with narrow eyes of glinting white, then up at the figure on the rooftop above her. The figure shook its head then leaped across to the wall, vaulting over into a sprint on the other side.
With a growl the beast stared at Neesa in contemplation, then turned and scrabbled into the tunnel. The long black tail flicked away into the darkness and as the creature skulked away into the darkness it gave a long hissing roar that was mimicked by the pack out in the fields beyond the wall of the city.
-
"yes, I think I remember fighting back, but I can't remember what I used."
Aeron looked down at his arms, they were hevily clad in muscle and scars, as if used to fighting with a heavy weapon.
-
"Would... OOF!... Would these be your weapons?"
Viola slowly made her way over to Feuilly and Aeron, two large war hammers balanced on her shoulders. Once there, she set them down with a sigh of relief and collapsed, her sides heaving.
"Jesus," she said, "how much do these things WEIGH?"
-
"hmm..... they seem familiar"picking up the hammers, Aeron lost his balance, expecting lifting them to be difficult "woa! based on their size" aeron said catching his composure,"i would guess them to be about 35 pounds since they appear to be granite."he tossed one into the air and watched it spin, catching the haft in his hand before it hit the ground."they don't seem all that heavy.
-
Both Viola and Feuilly looked at him in surprise.
"Actually, Aeron," Feuilly said, "it could just be that YOU are very strong..."
"Which seems to be the case, unless those muscles are just for show," Viola said, motioning to Aeron's strong arms.
-
"very strong?" Aeron asked curiously seeing their expressions "so i'm not normal?" confused he continued talking' "if im not normal then that means im different, which means i must be someone? who am i?"
-
"Simple," Viola said. "You're Jean Valjean."
She cast an impish grin in Feuilly's direction.
Feuilly looked back at her in slight annoyance.
"I get it, my name's coincidentally funny," he said. "But please... enough with the jokes."
"Can't promise anything," the kangaroo said, grinning.
Feuilly turned back to Aeron.
"To answer your question," Feuilly said, "I'm pretty sure that your uniqueness qualifies you as an extraordinary man."
-
"Really?"aeron grabbed the two furs up in a bearhug squeezing the wind out of them "thats the nicest thing i remember anyone saying to me ever"
-
Feuilly gagged as Aeron wrapped him and Viola in a crushing hug. He could tell Viola was having similar breathing problems.
"Aeron," he said hoarsely. "Can't.... breathe..."
-
"oops sorry!" aeron dropped them back to the ground "i guess i don't know my own stregnth"he said grinning
-
Viola and Feuilly got back up slowly.
"Well," Viola said between breaths, "You do... *GASP*... have amnesia, so it's ... *GASP*... possible that you forgot how... *GASP*... strong you are...."
Feuilly, having recovered looked up at Aeron with a gleam in his eye.
"Hmm..." he said, rubbing his chin.
-
Nero hummed to himself as his angels swept the city. He didn't let on just how much energy he had spent in the last few hours. He couldn't believe it but he was drained...if another Chosen showed up out of the blue, he wasn't sure if he could handle them alone. Despite his boasts, he was weak...fragile..vunerable. He needed more energy...more souls. They'd have to destroy every town on the way to feed his army who would in turn feed him.
He was so tired.....he felt a feeling he hadn't before. Moving through the shuffling horrors he created, his mind drowning out the screams, he pushed his way into the place of worship raised in his honor and collapsed in a dark corner where no one could see him. He needed to sleep. His eyes drifted shut as he lay there, a cold chill running across his body. He felt drowsy....weak...worthless. He slowly drifted away, shivering at the cold that he created around him, and fell into sleep.
-
"whats that look for?" aeron asked cautiously.
-
“Well,” the cat stated in nearly sarcastic tone while raising his hands up, and rolling his eye and persing his lips, “then let’s make this quick then~” He turned about and before began jogging down the hallway, ignoring the feeling of dizziness he had began to endure from his own mentality causing the path to warp and twist to his own eyes. He did not seem to notice the chill that was looming from behind as his pace began to pick up. “Tell me more about these chosen. Is it some childish legend of some foretold warriors? Because I really don’t see a mere man being able to stop a walking corpse puppet, especially if he can freely move about in outer space without being torn apart by a hard vacuum or exploding.”
When the hall had finally grown to dark to see the cat quickly slowed down to a halt only to pull his flashlight from his belt and flick it on, and thus illuminating the path down to the door.
-
"whats that look for?" aeron asked cautiously.
Feuilly stood up and looked at Aeron.
"I think I'd like to be your friend." he said. "You seem like a very nice person... plus, I'm going to need all the help I can get if I want to fufill my quest."
The crat extended his left paw.
"So what do you say?" he asked. "Will you join me?"
-
aeron began to extend his paw to shake the crats' "wait what quest?" he asked pulling away.
-
"Yeah, Feuilly," Viola said, getting up and dusting herself off. "What are you doing? All I know is that you're looking for some army or something..."
The crat nodded. "Alright. It's only fair that I tell you guys what you're getting into." He walked over to the fire and sat down, motioning for them to follow.
-
"army?" aeron said following "how could i be useful? i dont even know who i'm supposed to be loyal to."he sat down on a small boulder,"i want to help you guys but i don't know my past, for all i know we could be enemies."
-
Feuilly smiled.
"Sir... I've never met you before now," he said. "I doubt that we're enemies."
Viola grinned at Aeron, wagging her tail.
"Well, you're definitely new to me," the kangaroo answered. "I suppose that that means that none of us are enemies, huh?"
-
"I guess so..." aeron slowly shook the crats paw "i just have a few questions, who would do this to me?,where can i find them, and why did you help me?"
-
Feuilly nodded his head pensively.
"Hmm... well, to answer your second queston," he said, "why wouldn't we help you? You were bleeding and beaten on the side of the road! We couldn't just leave you there."
"As for your other question..."
The crat looked from left to right.
"Well... that answer's a bit... complicated."
-
"complicated how?"
-
Feuilly bit his lip.
"Well... I have no idea where they really are."
-
"but do you know who they are?" aeron asked anxiously.
-
"Well... yes," Feuilly said. "Otherwise none of us would be here..."
-
The great lizard narrowed his eyes at Aria.
"So I was right. You are her. You understand me, and wave that voice around like a flag, drenched in Seeker's pain. Though even though you hear my words, i doubt you know what i talk about." He opened his jaw and Dim Lane dropped, sprawled on the grass as he scrambled away, flapping over to Aria. He stood in front of her, pushing back.
"Let's just back away slowly, that should work, right?" the raven said.
The lizard shifted his shoulders to keep the unconscious girl balanced comfortably. "You can call me whatever you will, though my friend here calls me Saviour." He gestured to the girl. He turned his head and gripped her in his mouth. A haze of light hissed among his teeth and the girl whimpered as he lay her on the floor in front. "She is not okay. Maybe you can help that." Black ooze dribbled out of her. "Her name is Little Hands."
As the creature scrambled away, Neesa leapt up to the rooftops, watching a silhouette hop across the city wall. She beat the floor, launching herself after them, perching herself at the wall as she spied the pair encircled by the beasts. She slumped, kicked at the air and pulled fingers through her hair.
"Ugh," she mumbled to herself. "What the hell is this." She studied from afar, keeping low to not stick out from the wall.
Andreya and the pair of minks huddled along behind.
"Well I had a theory," Perra said. Beem prodded him in the back.
"It's my theory," he had an indignant tone and a hurt expression.
"Yeah but i can explain it better." Perra replied. Beem folded his arms and pouted, shivering a little in the cold. Perra continued regardless. "Basically we think the shard is just that, a shard. It looks like his true self shattered across the stars and we've only brought back a small part of that. If what we understand of Nero's full power is true, we should be dead already." Beem nodded in large swoops as though he were bowing, while Andreya put her hand to her hair, pulling strands as she thought.
"So a chosen person could beat him?" she asked.
"Oh a supremely powerful one, maybe," Perra said. "He's still a God after all." Beem looked out the window. He couldn't see anything. When Leo turned his light on, both the minks jumped.
"What is that?" Beem squeaked a little loud, while the pair of them swarmed around Leo's device. General Caisen giglde and stepped past them, opening the door, which let the light spill in and illuminate a tightly packed mass of shelves filled with odd shaped jars. The musty smell of dead plants permeated through the room.
-
Talin couldn't tell how much time had passed since he started walking, mostly because his several years in jail cells threw off his idea of how much time passes between the sun rising, and the sun setting. He was aware of his progress though, as he could make out the city in the distance. He couldn't help but feel nostalgia for the days before he became 'a violent criminal'. He could remember being the center of attention and gossip, how he would be an assistant instructor under Master Akela once he finished his primary duty as a battle-ready Chosen. He was well on his way of elevating his family out of the poor class and into the upper-middle class of Tina City. All he needed was a mate and he would have had a grand life.
He could feel the fur under his eyes getting wet as the thought of a 'mate' brought up the days of his imprisonment, his fancy for Tizzarath not only alleviating the boredom and depression, but also giving him some foolish hope that he might be free when his 'episode' was forgotten to the passage of time. He had worked to control the flow of information, and now no longer suffered from uncontrolled outbursts of memories.
Though it mattered little, when the woman he did it for, no longer seemed to be within reach...
-
"well who are they?" aeron asked anxiously.
-
"Wait!"
Viola looked over at Feuilly, grinning impishly.
"Did you say that they were called the Army of... the ABASED?"
Feuilly sighed. "Yes. Yes they are..."
She grinned. "They're THEM, aren't they?"
-
The figure strode towards the pair, encircled by the snarling pack of beasts. Early morning light shimmered over the figure's chestnut fur. Her thick hips and tail swayed as she neared them, a smile playing across her lips. Imshi's eyes widened in recognition "Ellin? What are you doing?" Yenchi looked from Imshi to the otter girl, one hand gripping his knife, the other at Imshi's wrist.
"Hah! You did put up quite a fight didn't you?" Ellin walked into the center of the circle, hunting beasts parting in her wake. She drew a long blade from at her hip, unhooking the carved-bone weapon from the woven Teresa clan clothing she wore. "That tricksome girl who helped you made it all the more difficult. As such I am sorry for the wound i caused you, believe me when I say the arrow was aimed for that filthy feline who pretends to be your protector."
Yenchi watched the blade with narrowed eyes. He glanced the girl up and down as she stopped in front of Imshi, a quick glance to the side comparing the two. They were surprisingly similar in stature, though the otter girl was by far the thinner of the two. Her hair short and her woven clothing simple and plain.
"The Clan will be pleased that you have returned to them. And without that boy from the plains tribe." Ellin shot a glance to Yenchi as she moved closer to Imshi. With a sly grin she leaned close and pinched the fox just above her hip, finger and thumb sinking into soft flesh. "You always were the mothers favorite weren't you Imshi. Its not hard to see why a common tribes-boy would delude himself that a woman of your figure might feel anything for him."
Yenchi blanched and stepped towards the otter girl "How dare you-" He stopped as her blade swung up to meet him at the throat, pushing his chin up until the edge pressed to his jaw.
The otter's grin widened as she pushed him back on his toes, forcing him to shuffle away from the two of them as she gripped Imshi's unresistant arm. The pack of beasts encircled him, breaking and re-forming between him and the two girls. They slathered and snapped at his legs, eyes mad with hunger. With one last push of her blade the otter girl's smile wavered into a sad scowl "You are the reason she tried to flee the clan. You are the reason they wanted her dead... If they had sent anyone else she would have been. Can't you see that its better this way? Poor boy."
-
“It's called technology form several sentries ago...” the feline sighed as he raised it up to clip it onto his shoulder and free his hands so he could work with them. He began to quickly move over the room, picking up each paper, and reading it. If he felt it bore some kind of lore, or important information he would keep it, or rip the page from the book and move on to the next selection. “I think I just may give up on humanity if you seriously believe that thing is a god, he was scared of a Lizard that...” and with that single notation, the feline paused in place and glanced to the door as an epiphany of emotions washed over him. “We... need to go.”
-
"Woa! Woa! wait!
who's them?"
aeron adopted a confused look cocking one ear back and folding one down.
"i'm confused"
-
Feuilly looked over at Viola and sighed, pressing his hand to his face. He looked up at Aeron.
"The Army of the Abased was a group of students with extraordinary fighting abilities who were some of the greatest heroes of the past. They take their name from the Friends of The ABC, a... *SIGH*... revolutionary group from the book..."
"Les Miserables!" Viola said, grinning triumphantly.
Feuilly glared at her. "Yes. THAT book. I know."
"Which is also the book which contains your namesa..."
"CAN I PLEASE CONTINUE!?" Feuilly sighed. "I'm sorry, Viola, it's just... you were getting a bit repeatative."
Viola shrugged. "It's cool, man. I'm sorry too."
Feuilly smiled. "Thanks. Anyway, about 30 years ago, the Army was sent away on an exploration mission to find a lost artifact."
-
"Stop!" Akela said, crouched to the floor, staring at the girl. "Stay still Roxy. We have a little problem." She shuffled further, making sure not to touch. "That poison in you, that black stuff. It's unnatural, it's against Seeker and it's poisoned your skin. I can't hold your hand." She looked around, trying to figure things out.
Listy stifled a slight sob and turned back and forth as if trying to look around her. A chill colder than the usual one burrowed into her fur. Suddenly she was not confidently determined, but scared. "What do you mean? I'm...I'm scared!" the girl backpedaled, honestly thinking that in the next moment something would harm her.
-
"so i was beat up by a group of kids playing make-believe!"
aeron's scruffon his neck raised and helaid his ears back and growled, a low deep rumble deep in his throat.
-
Feuilly raised one eyebrow. "Um... what?"
-
Nero awoke hours later in a pool of black ooze. The carpet had become corrupted at his touch and the extended contact had metamorphosized it. Standing up slowly, the ooze slowly drips off of his body and disappears under his feet, leaving only a rotted floor behind as he walked out of the temple. Almost nothing lived in the city now...nothing that could be considered living anyways. The streets were paved with flesh and blood as his angels scavenged the city for anything and everything that could be used. He could see Aman slinking around in front of a regiment of his angels, inspecting them. He thought of a regiment because of how the twisted horrors were lined up in a formation that vaguely resembled something military. These angels were his best, armed to the teeth with natural and material weapons and armor and standing at attention upon seeing him striding up.
-
"I WAS ALMOST KILLED BY SOME KIDS!!!!!!"
aerons eyes began to gleam in a dull red.
"it was this "army" you speak of that tried to kill me?"
-
"Wha... No, not at all!" Feuilly shrugged. "We have no idea who killed you... but I know it's not them. They went into the Badlands in their search and have been missing for the past 30 years. Only one guy came back, a packhorse worker. He seemed mentally unstable, and kept mutering about how the entire army had been 'sucked in by the Golden Eye'." The crat shrugged. "So... they probably aren't the ones who injured you."
-
"oh ok then." aeron smoothed down the fur in the scruff of his neck as his eyes slowly faded back to a golden color.
by the way i have two questions?
-
Feuilly nodded. "Ask away."
-
what were they looking for ? and also what do they have to do with us?
-
The city guards stood at the walls, while one looked out from the gates, perched upon it with a spyglass. Spotting a shadow on the horizon, he signaled down the guards below who nodded in reply. The spotter guard scanned along the horizon, and occasionally checking back to the shadow who approached. A minor gasp took him.
"It's Talin, called the chosen."
The morning sun shone across the slathering beasts, setting a shine on the otter's blade. Their shadows spilled to the wall like a undulating beast as the creatures moved and snapped. Neesa watched from above, keeping her head low as she sat upon the city walls. While the otter talked, the sound of stomping boots could be heard and from the edge of the city walls came the march. A group of five guards with armour and spears headed to the group at speed.
"Stop right there!" they yelled, spears ready, headed to them. "Cease what you're doing, right now." they moved to encircle, with the leader, a large black wolf stepping in as lead.
"We got reports of wild animals loose in the city. That doesn't seem the case; now drop the knife."
The general and scientists continued searching around, picking out vials and pots. Been picked out a box of herbs which he gleefully scuttled away with out the door.
"Yeah he's right, we should go," he beamed. Perra groaned and picked up a few bottles and bags with him. Andreya watched them confused.
"Wait what did you guys get?" she asked.
"No time, gotta go." Beem insisted and began heading back through the corridor, going slow in the dark. Perra frowned a little at him, then pointed Andreya to a circle of spikes with umbrellas at their base, all tied with string.
"What's this?" she asked.
"I'll show you once we leave." He smiled until a chill ran through him. Andreya noted the thick dark and agreed.
"Leo, lead the way," she said
As she spoke, the sound of wet steps splashed on the steps at the end of the corridor.
Akela crouched low and reached for Listy, before freezing and pulling her hand back.
"It's okay, it's okay. We're going off to get it fixed, right?" She sat and thought for a moment, then reached for the girl again, tugging on her clothes. That seemed okay, and a sigh of relief fluttered out of her. "Everything's fine, once we find that hyena of yours, everything will take care of itself." She reached for her cloak and pulled it into her hands. Gripping tight, she tore a long shred away holding onto one end. "Grab hold of this and never let go, okay?" she smiled, but her eyes wouldn't let go of the worry that pierced through her.
Aman turned and bowed low. His intestines were now completely shredded, leaking in his wake as he presented the line of angels to his god.
"My lord, we are so very strong now."
-
Talin continued to make his way towards the gate, only taking note of the guards on the walls, but not the ones on the ground. He soon reached the guards at the gate, and gave them both a warm smile despite the opposing emotions gathering underneath that smile. He spoke with a confidence that would have set most people on edge. "I have come with information for the High Priestess Karabelle Kara, Queen Tizzarath, and several of the high-ranking Chosen. If you wish to prevent me from meeting them, then I will simply push through whatever barriers you can erect within the next four hours." The first half of his speech sounded very friendly and respectable, while the other half sounded more like he was stating a proven fact rather than a threat.
-
The otter turned to address the guards, blade glinting in the light at Yenchi's throat. A pained expression stole across her face as she narrowed her amber eyes. "This is clan matters... You will not meddle with the will of the elders!"
Behind her Imshi put a hand to the otter's shoulder, shaking her slightly and muttering "Ellin, please-"
With a hiss the blade swung to Imshi, her wrist released by the otter as she shook her head "No, you deserve better Imshi... You should be with us, in the clan. Not running with some boy from the plains." The blade went back to Yenchi at this, thrusting accusingly at him. Around Yenchi the beasts whined.
Imshi sighed and spoke softly, a half-made gesture to take her hand "You don't have to be like you're mother Ellin, thats not the friend I've known all these years..."
The otter girl's eyes brimmed with tears as she lowered the blade, then finally dropped it to the floor. She glanced across at Imshi, then to Yenchi, her shoulders shuddering. "I do not care for the power-crazed wants of my mother. All I know is that boy is not good enough for you Imshi... Even if you do not seem able to see it for yourself." She sighed and whistled a command to the hunting beasts, the animals shuffling uncomfortably, but not dispersing. Ellin frowned and whistled again.
This time the command was met with a low growl from behind the guards, a growl that grew into a hissing shriek as the pack leader burst from the undergrowth. With slathering jaws the great beast bowled over an unsuspecting guard, blood-crazed eyes darting as it leaped for Yenchi. Following the lead, the pack rushed forward. Lithe black forms squabbled as they leaped onto the feline, dragging him down to tear at him with teeth and claws. With a fierce shout Ellin burst into a sprint, stooping for her blade and diving in front of the pack leader, smashed to the ground under its ferocity as it turned on her instead.
-
Nero nodded and looked over the angels as a general would inspect his troops. Running his claws along their bodies, he admired his handiwork up close. Moving through the ranks he spotted a paticularly small 'angel'. It must have been a strong child before he had warped his followers. Smiling slightly, he knelt down to the tiny angel and ran his claws over its face before stabbing a single finger into its chest. The angel let out a shrill screech as it's body suddenly began to bulge and swell, its muscles tensing and twisting as it grew. Pulling his hand out of the angel, he stepped back as it grew to the size of a small elephant. The other angels were unphased by the tiny angel's transformation and as its cries turned into a menacing roar, it too seemed to forget its pain. Turning back to Aman, he licked his teeth slowly. "They are ready to march....."
-
Listy managed a weak nod. Already a painful tingle entered her legs and feet, as if they were falling asleep. She worried she would not be able to stand much longer. Her tiny fingers held onto the shred of cloak as tightly as a vice, for she truly felt that if she were to let go now, she would sink into blackness and it would all be over.
Through her sobs, she said: "Okay, let's hurry..."
-
Leo was already charging down the halway, his footsteps remaining light as he just continued to streak without to much worries. “Oh of course, why didn't I think of this sooner! A inmortal scared of a glowing lizard. Nothing is odd about a glowing lizard striking fear into the rotten heart god damn walking worm thrall of sheer broken logic,” he grumbled to himself as he pondered over this. He had finally came to a halt and immediately pressed his back against the wall that lead to the exit after hearing something. It sounded much like clanking armor, but with an unnatural fluid movement. With a hessitant frown, he would quickly motion them off the side as well.
-
Cifero cocked his head. "Um... nothing. I just like telling that story. The men we're REALLY looking for is a hard-to-find coven of gentlemanly bandits who took the same name."
"Alright, now I'M confused," Viola said.
-
oh so i guess i'll join you guys on your quest.
-
Feuilly grinned. "Splendid!" He extends a paw. "Glad to have you!"
-
"well i cant remember anything else.......but thanks"
-
"Um... alright." Feuilly turned to Viola and extended a paw. "How about you, Viola? Care to join us?"
Viola smiled and took Feuilly's paw. "Totally."
"Alrighty then!" Feuilly said. "We're all in agreement, I suppose."
-
The guards watched him intently, taking account of every twitch and move he made.
"You've no reason to tell us that. We've been told not to engage you," the one with the spy glass said. He was some bit shorter than the others, a cat among two large dogs. "The Chosen are most likely sending their best. You can have your meeting out-" One of the other guards nudged his side and gestured behind them into the gatehouse. He turned and at once gasped and saluted. "Your majesty," he said, and stood aside. A little feather could be seen bobbing along the castle walls. It was attached to the hat of Queen Tizzarath, followed by a Cheetah who put a box at the wall. The Queen nodded at the guards.
"Keep watch of the area," she said. "While he won't hurt me, we don't know who's with him." The guards nodded and shifted along the walls while she moved up to it, stepping upon the box and looking down at Talin.
"You've never been discreet, have you," she said, a slight smile on her face. "And I suppose you have important things to say." Her ears poked from under the hat, twitching and searching around in the sounds about them.
The guard yelped as he was slammed to the ground, the other leapt in, spear raised he lunged into the fray, skewering beasts and slashing with his sword. The guard on the ground stumbled to his feet and reached into his pocket and retrieved a small bag from his pocket. He crushed it in his hand and hurled it up into the air. Once high, reaching the peak of its ascent, it burst into cloud of dust, the sound blasting across the city. After which, the guard then leapt in as well, hacking as he could.
All the while, Neesa peered down at it all. Once the first creature struck, she clampered to the lip of the wall and leapt to the air, rocketing down and landing feet first onto the beasts, crushing their backs, and pulling the skewered spear join the fray.
Aman smiled as best he could with the tatters that were left of his own lips, while his tongue lolled out like an errant muscle with thoughts of its own. "To the city my Lord? There are so many people there," he said, twisting and craning his body toward Nero, like a lovesick child. He eventually turned to the 'angels' themselves and pointed out of the village, toward the road that led to the distance. The angels snarled and jostled, eager to go. "is it an order sir?"
Listy and Chosen Akela moved along the road in a hurried jog; the girl's little legs weak and fragile. Sun was high in the sky, moving along as they rushed toward the town of the Shard. In the distance, there was a shadow, like a new dark sunrise. Akela frowned at it, but headed along at any rate. It was in the direction of the town.
The general and the two minks clung to the wall and shuffled over toward Leo, while the slick and wet movement of two armoured creatures moved down the stairs. Turning the corner, the peered down at the level the group were at, and stepped down toward them. The sound of sniffing impeded by thick globules of blood and phlegm. At the final steps, a pool of meat and fluids flowed out ahead of them, thickened and dark. At the sigh of it, Perra leaned forward, almost reaching out to touch, until the creatures appeared. Twisted mutilations of guards, whose skin and meat grabbed and held plate armour, and an arm with a spear clutched in the bones and tendons that was left of a hand. What was left of a tail was more like a serrated blade. Looking in at them, the creature found Leo and swung its arm, reaching for his neck to pin him to the wall.
-
Talin returned the smile with a grin of his own, unaware that he was bouncing on the balls of his feet. "Can Kara be here as well? I want to see her twitch and fidget when I explain what happened." He imagined that the high priestess would be wanting to object to every mention of Nero and Chronin, and he might even talk about Aria if it would make a vein pop out on her skull.
He then stopped and his smile turned to a smirk as he rose onto the tips of his toes and whispered. "Though if you want to talk about being discreet, I could tell during some of your visits that you were looking me over before even bothering to speak to me. Or, did you just want to be a horrible tease by speaking with me so casually, Tizz?"
-
Nero smirked and shook his head. "Not to the city....not yet. Remember that there are at least a half a dozen little villages between here and there. This crusade isn't about stealth and striking before they're ready...its about fear. I want them to know we're coming and to hear about our deeds through the last tortured breaths of the men, women, and children of their kingdom." Nero licked his teeth in gleeful anticipation as he turned away from Aman and the angels. "Our footsteps will be the sound of an undertaker's hammer against their coffin. We will show them that there is more pain between heaven and hell than their fragile minds can hope to dream! We will bring them suffering!" He swung aound to face his troops, his eyes burning into their corrupted souls and stirring them into a frenzy. "We will bring them death!!" The angels began pounding at the ground with their weapons, shaking the earth around them. "WE WILL BRING THEM....OBLIVIOOOOOON!!!" Nero screeched out his last words, the angels mimicking his screech in a mass chorus of demonic howls. Swinging his gnarled claw to point outside the city he let out an insane cackle. "My angels! Forward MARCH!!"
-
Listy did her best to keep up, and her crying was replaced by heavy breathing from the exertion. On her skin, she felt a change in temperature that she had learned meant a change in the sky. Her heart jumped in her chest. A feeling like something uncoiling after a long nap coursed through her stomach and she slowed a bit. "I felt something...does that mean we're getting closer?"
-
so tell me fair gentlemen what is our destination?
-
Viola raised an eyebrow. "Do I look like a dude to you?"
Feuilly chuckled. "Well, for right now, dreamland. We should all get some rest."
-
sorry lady and gentleman good night
-
Feuilly yawned. "Goodnight, Aeron..."
THE NEXT MORNING
"Wake up, guys!" Viola said. "Sun's up!"
-
*aeron thrashes around in his sleep swinging his arms, claws out yelling profanities*
-
"Aeron?" Viola said inquisitively. Feuilly got up and walked over to Aeron, restraining his arms. "aeron, it's okay! It's just a dream!"
-
*aerons eyes snap open as his claws retract* "huh?" he said sleepily "whats going on?"
-
Feuilly looked down at Aeron. "Well... I think you were having a nightmare."
-
nightmare? what was i saying?
-
Feuilly widened his eyes, looking left and right. "Um... I'd prefer not to repeat it. I don't use that kinda language..."
-
"oh" underneath his pure white fur a tinge of redishnish could be seen as aeron blushed " i apologise fair lady"
-
Viola shrugged. "It's okay, Aeron. I know you've been through a lot."
Feuilly got up and stretched. "Well, we'd better plot our course. We've got a long day ahead of us."
-
well where are we headed?
-
"Hmm..."
Feuilly drew a map out of his bag, then unfurled it on the ground.
"Well, we should start by heading through the Pass of Grenching."
-
who is grenching? and where is this pass you speak of?
-
"Grenching is a small area not too far from Arendale," Feuilly explained. "The Pass is the main way to get to where we're going." He frowned. "It's also one of the most monster-ridden places you can come across. There have been tremor serpent sightings, odd disappearances, and numerous other weird events."
(Whitewolf, ask what a tremor serpent looks like.)
-
Together the smaller beasts fought savagely, but as other pack members died one by one they soon turned tail to flee. It was not long until the few that remained after the guard's attack ran whimpering into the undergrowth. In the centre of the body-strewn area now only one hunting beast remained, the pack leader hissing and roaring defiantly, saliva flecking off long tongues and razor teeth.
The great beast pinned Ellin below its powerful claws, snapping jaws at any who tried to approach. It seemed to have grown in size since the fight began, until it rivaled that of a large shadow of a horse, spines shivering from its flanks and mane. Long gashes ran deep into its side from the otter-girl's blade but the wounds seemed only to aggravate the beast into a higher state of madness. Ellin shouted a word of command at the beast, to which the creature cocked its head to one side and stepped back from her. Even as she started to get to her feet triumphantly the beast let out a gurgling hiss of feral laughter.
Through the blood-crazed madness, a glint of intelligence in the beasts eyes. It spoke, voice rasping and guttural, as its jaws chewed on every syllable "I... Do not bow to thy command small mistress..." With a wracking spasm of spines and its flicking tongue it let out another rasping laugh "Only command of the clan elder... Is mine to bow to..." With that it batted Ellin aside like a straw doll and advanced on Imshi, ignoring the many blades of the guards around it.
From under several of the bloodied bodies of the hunting beasts, Yenchi crawled to his feet. Dark red matted his white-dapple fur, ear limp and torn and several deep gashes to join the scar on his chest. He stood slowly, between the alpha beast and Imshi, twin knives of carved bone dripping ichor. The great beast paused, eyes flicking over the feline. It laughed again, shuddering where it stood until the quills on its back shook and shivered. It spoke again with a wracking hiss "How... Precious."
-
Leo's brows furrowed together as he pressed himself up closer against the walls after hearing the faint sounds of something Feral like sniffing just ahead. He dared not to move as he heard the foot steps come closer to the small rag tag group, and slowly began to dig his claws into the wall in anticipation. He could hear his own heart beat now as it began to sound rushed, but oddly relaxed which had confused himself. His eyes would follow the fluid as it came close to him, slowly drifting off to the side and then downwards as if being conducted by some unknown intentity. His breathing which had been calm and silent now halted as he could practically feel the prescene of the guards coming closer to them until it had practically became unbareable to his own sanity. His vision now began to warp and twist into a scene of incredible horrors as his own stress just seemed to skyrocket while he now dipped his chin downwards. His claws dug even further into the wall, leaving their own scratches in as he finally laid eyes on one of the horrid things. Before he had a chance to move, or do anything, the creatures god aweful had him pinned against the wall by his throat, and by que, his heart now had skipped a beat and began beatting frantically as the adrenaline had surged through his body.
With a frightened and staggered hiss, the feline promptly raised his hand up to snatch the heavy duty flash light from the clip of his shoulder as he was pushed against the wall with a loud thump. The other hand had quickly went up to grab the creature by the arm as he finally pulled the flashlight free and quickly swung it as hard as he could to try and crush the strange creature's temple, or at least do some kind of damage to it. Upon contact the flashlight's torch light would flicker for a moment under the shock as it would then quickly be brought back around to try and break it's elbow while he frantically pulled up his legs and attempted to push the creature away from himself with a kick.
-
The Queen looked down at Talin from the walls of the city, perched as she was on the gatehouse. Her teal dress softened her look to an almost formless gentility. "Do you wish I play your games, and act the fool? Or do I have your execution fulfilled as I was supposed to, and show how truly foolish I am?" She leaned over the wall peering down. Her red streaked hair spilled around her neck. "I would rather neither come to be true. Tell me I didn't save you for no reason. Tell me what you saw at the village."
Aman dropped to his knees and bowed to Nero. "Yes my Lord, such wonderous violence will be wrought, my Lord." He then clambered to his feet, joining the vicious cheer before heading out, leading the abominable army of twisted forms. Their weapons clutched in lumps of flesh, their feet tearing the dirt with protruding bone as they marched onward toward the violence of the future. Aman led, his innards in tatters, coiled and shredded about his knees. Up ahead, through wide lidless eyes, he gazed up toward the incline, where two figures stood at a ridge, silhouetted against the sun. One wore a cloak, the other was a small child.
Chosen Akela tugged the piece of cloth up, bringing Listy up a hill, meeting a ridge. The black dome smothered the village ahead of them, and they both looked down, watching shadows in the blackness march and sprawl. Akela knelt down beside Listy and pointed down toward the village.
"That's where we're going, right?" she asked. "I mean, if stuff's happening as we get closer to here, it probably is right?" She looked over to it. Someone looked back.
Neesa was sprawled to the side, looking up at the confrontation. The great beast towered over Yenchi, teeth bared and blood dripping to the grass. Then there was a shadow. It flickered in the sky, clouds whipped. The air warped, then she appeared. A dark cloak, body poised over the beast, dropping down, bare feet onto its back. Looking down from under her hood, she watched with a smile as the beast lost its strength. Stood on quivering legs, its eyes lost focus and rolled up.
The monstrosity twitched and snarled at Leo, pressing the cat up against the wall, while the other twisted angel pushed past, spear aimed. General Caisen pulled up her pistol and fired off a shot, blasting through the head of the first, spilling meat across Leo and out to the stairwell. The second jabbed with his spear, slicing past the General as she aimed again. All the while, the serrated tail of the second whipped and sliced into Perra who was knocked bleeding against the wall.
-
Talin crossed his arms and pouted "You're no fun at all...". Shortly after composing himself, Talin gave her a even gaze and a serious face. "Nero has returned, and Shard City's populace was either turned into monsters, or they were devoured by the 'god-ling'." He saw a little arch in her eyebrow and he let out a sigh through his nose. "No, these are not monsters in the form of townspeople, these are people turned into creatures with their innards dragging outside their body, and their skeletons changed into forms suited for ripping and mauling. If you send a scout to validate my report, they will either be devoured, turned, or return in a state of madness."
He then furrowed his brow as he locked eyes with her. "Aria and Dim Lane have left my custody and fled from the City as I attempted to stop Nero before he could leave the city. Please forgive my failure to follow thy wisdom, as I had the foolish belief that I could stop him on my own." He couldn't help but show sorrow as the next string of words left his mouth. "Am I to be restrained and locked away, now that my 'mission' is done?"
-
Listy wished she could see what Akela could see, but the texture of the air, the smells on the breeze, the temperature, it was enough to tell her that they were going in the right direction. "I...I think so..."
Something cold and sleek rushed into her head all at once and the deer swayed on her feet, trying as hard as she could to hold onto the cloth, then, seconds after, falling to the ground, landing on her side with a thud. She whined in pain, and her hooved hands reached towards the city with a will of their own. "It hurts..." she cried, and her legs jerked as the feeling inside her grew more concrete, more real, like there something was struggling to escape her body with hatred. "I can't stand it, it hurts......" Though she could not see anyway, she closed her eyes and struggled in vain to get up. "I have to go there right now, or it's just going to hurt more."
From the corner of each dark eye, equally black tears traced fresh, much darker stains down her cheeks.
-
The beast fell to the ground with a dull thud, quills flicking and twitching as it lay to rest. Ellin watched the creature go down from where she lay in the grass with the smallest hint of a grin. Slowly she stood to her feet, one hand clutched to her side as she shot a glance across at Imshi. The vixen met eyes with the otter then, with tears in her eyes, ran to Yenchi.
She pulled him into an enveloping embrace, ignoring the hot blood that matted his fur and muffled protests. Finally she released him and stood back, a pink flush in her cheeks as she muttered "You would have lain down your life for mine, had help not arrived."
He merely nodded, eyes not quite focused on her. Even as she gripped him tight at the shoulders he swayed slightly where he stood. Finally he turned to Ellin, glancing from her to the guards. The otter girl shied away from his gaze, instead dropping her blade to the ground before them as she spoke in a hushed voice, quite different from the victorious laughter of a moment before "I take full responsibility for what has happened here today... The hunters would not have chased had I not helped carry out the orders. Imshi, I only hope you can forgive me."
At the walls of the city a lone pair of figures turned from the scene and started back into the depths of the city. Shrouded in shadow, one could be made out to be an otter in the brief glimpses of early morning sunlight. She sighed, fingers gripping the hilt of a blade "Both of them should have been killed by my hand... You're plan with the hunters failed, as I believed it would." She paused for a moment, drawing the blade "And my daughter should have done better. She too has failed, and the clan cannot have such a girl to be the next elder when I am gone."
-
Dipped his head downwards as the gore had splashed over his body and saturated his dark fur, and already messy enough white hair so he could avoid having his eyes blinded by singed and chared meat with splashed spoiled blood. He grimmaced as he saw the sphear pass him, and hit someone else, but that currently remained the least of his concerns. With some effort, he forced his body to push himself off the wall and dip downwards so he could get some leverage over one of the other guards to grab his sphere and press it into it's body all while attempting to lift him up and toss him down the halway and away from them. “Give me one of the guns after this!”
-
Nero's gaze followed Aman's as they began their march, eyes setting upon the two figures in the distance. The cloaked figure brought him little concern...but he could feel something else up there. Not the cloaked one, but the child....the child piqued his curiousity. He felt a familiar warmth in his core, long extinguished upon the collapse of his dimension when he looked at the child. He could almost taste his old world the moment he saw the child. Could she...?
-
"tremor serpent?" aeron said confused " what is a tremor serpent?"
-
"Yeah, what is it?" Viola said, flicking an ear.
Feuilly thought for a second. "Hmm... well, it's hard to say what it looks like, since most people don't live to give a description... but I'd say it's a big, long worm-like creature with a carnivorous streak that tends to attack in groups of two or three."
-
Queen Tizzarath looked down at Talin, her eyebrow raised, her arms at her side, calm with hands pressed to the castle walls. A little twitch in her lips hint at a smile as Talin displays his humility and failure.
"Well isn't that a rare sight," she says with a sigh. Her face pulls with a spectre of sadness. "You were foolish, and now you've endangered people by leaving them undefended." She stands straight, stretching her back and looming over him. "But as the law stated, you are all exiles and i have no reason to protect any of you, and nor should i kill you for fighting monsters." She shrugs and turns away heading back along the wall. "By all rights, you don't exist," she says. The guards watch her leave, some frowning, others simply surprised at her.
Chosen Akela drops to Listy's side, she hovers her paws around the girl, frustrated in her bustling, unable to touch.
"okay," she says. "okay, I'll get you there, hold on." She puts grabs Listy's hips,pressing at her clothes, making sure not to touch her directly. Even then she winces, pain pouring through her fingers. Lifting the girl, she hurries down the hill, keeping to the trees toward the black mass, holding Listy ahead.
Neesa stands to her feet, smiling at the group as they make up. All the while, the guards step back, creeping away toward the city. The chosen woman stands upon the fallen beast. Its slow breaths pushing at her bare feet, white furred feet. She watches the group of escapees, a smile on her face glistening sharp teeth among the shadows of her hooded cloak. She turns to the guards. They've kept their distance some way away, keeping watch. She shrugs and steps off the fallen beast. She picks it up with one hand and flings it over her back, hanging like a bag.
General Caisen snarled at Leo before she took aim and fired, blasting through the second abomination. It splattered across the stairs and fell back into a heap, leaving three of the group standing, while Perra lay at the floor bleeding. Beem was at his side, hoisting him up to his feet. The General walks on past and rolled her eyes at Leo. "Even with a gun, you'd still be pinned to the wall and instead of me shooting it, you'd be blasting a hole right through to Perra's head." She scowled at him and clambered past the bodies, heading up the stairs.
Aman pointed up as he spotted the two figures move down the hill. "My lord, they come. The little one is injured. Should we attack?" he asks.
-
Nero holds up his hand to silence Aman. "No....let them come. They are but two and I am interested in their purpose. Keep the troops marching. I will handle them myself if they are hostile. Besides...we march to spread fear, remember? What better way to do that than to send a messenger?" A grin curled upon his corpselike face as he began to walk to the two. He knew that they were coming for him, but sensed no malice. Almost as if it were another worshipper amongst the two.
-
Talin's body went stiff. His mind couldn't get past the thought that Talin Kor'vial, who he believed all his life was his identity, no longer existed in the city that he lived in for just as long. He had dropped to his knees, but he didn't feel the impact on his knees. His eyes watered from scarce blinking, but that too was unnoticed by him.
A voice, both alien and familiar, trailed up his spine before reaching his ears and pulling him out of his loop of inactivity. "Well boy, if you're not Talin Kor'vial... then who is this creature I see before me?" From where Tizzarath left, he saw himself with jet black fur and no lips. Every moment of the mouth caused black ooze to drip out from his lower jaw while his glazed eyes looked at the still recovering panther. Though he couldn't smile, the self-image was still able to smile like a true monster as he got in Talin's face.
"Maybe I should go visit Aria and tell her Talin doesn't exist... maybe make a mo-" The guards could see Talin lash out at something in front of him, but he vanished halfway through the swipe. To Talin, he just dispersed the illusion, and found himself standing in front of Aria while finishing his swipe. He just sat there for a few moments as his right eye started to twitch, then he wrapped both arms around her and started crying, but no sobs or shudders were heard.
"By the Grace of Seeker, please let her be real..." he whispered unintentionally to Aria's ears.
-
"well.... that sounds interesting and somewhat fun...i've never had the pleasure of slayin such a beast, shall we begin our travels?" aeron hefted his warhammers......and promptly began walking in the wrong direction.
-
Feuilly stood up and began walking in the right direction with Viola keeping pace. Realizing something, he glanced over his shoulder, stopping short. "Um... Aeron?" he called to the wolf. "It's this way." The crat motioned in the direction that he and Viola were walking.
-
aeron grined sheepishly "i knew that!" he quickly ran up following behind them.
-
Viola smiled coyly. "Oh did you?" she said, lightly punching his arm.
-
aeron heard the tone of her voice and felt his body jar when she punched his arm, and he wondered faintly if she was flirting with him, he then blacked out after seeing a blue-white flash and suddenly he was in a battlefeild, in the midst of the aftermath of a war he looked around and not a soul was standing, wait over there he herd a sob, he ran toward the noise and saw a large black wolf with orange eyes sitting over a figure... but he could not see the face of the fallen warrior he saw the large wolf pick up a set of hammers, aeron gasped, this must be his killer if this was a vision of the future, he saw the wolf walk over to a slain demonic looking figure, and bury both hammers in the skull of the creature, ensuring its death, and in the process shattering the hammerheads and hafts with an unnatural strength, the wolf dropped what was left of the haft of the hammers and he slowly began to fade to gray, his eyes slowly turning brown, then blue, as his fur faded to the purest white.
it was him.
the other aeron made his way over to the fallen warrior, reached down and shut their eyes so that they may have peace in death, he picked up the warrior in one final embrace, tilting their head over his shoulder
i-it was
"VIOLA!!!!"
and then he awoke
-
"OWW!" Viola covered her ears. "Well, you're awake," she said, looking down at him from where she knelt. Feuilly was standing nearby.
"You okay, Aeron?" he asked, flicking his tail.
-
Aeron looks up at the two and starts babbling "you were dead- and some kind of horrible beast-and i was black!!!!
-
"Wait, who was dead?" Viola asked.
"What beast?" Feuilly inquired. The crat and the kangaroo looked at eachother, then turned to Aeron and asked simultaneously:
"And what the heck do you mean by black?"
-
aeron sat and after a minute he calmed enough and he relayed his entire vision to them.
-
Feuilly and Viola stood there, silent.
"So... I was dead?" Viola asked. "And bloody? And you had black fur? And you were mourning me?"
"And I wasn't there..." Feuilly said, thinking. "Hmm... perhaps this is a vision of what will come to pass if we fail in our quest."
-
aeron avoided feuilly's eyes....he had been there...beside viola...lifelessly lying there
"it was just not that my fur changed colors, it was all of the colors were reversed....my claws were white, my fur was black and my eyes instead of being blue were orange, and when i looked in my eyes there was an unreal flood of anguish, sorrow, and malice." he left out the passion he had felt in his eyes as he had held her lifeless corpse, he was confused because he didn't really feel that way about viola(he does not yet), and his confusion bothered him and showed on his face "and then i was able, while i was black to break these"he said gesturing to his warhammers "both in one swing, as strong as i am, that is impossible for any normal mortal" (not saying i am immortal just that i'm not a NORMAL mortal)
-
The feline's head spun around to glance over his shoulder to see what was thrown against the wall, and quickly noticed Perra slumped against her companion. Leo's ear wuold fidget after hearing the General's tone changed; his eyes flashed in rage as he glanced over his own shoulder to General Caisen and called out to her, “HEY! WELL EXCUUUUSE ME, PRINCESS! Last I checked, the little ferret, mink... what ever she is still got hit,” he growled lowly as he pulled a nearby rag from the wall and tore it down the middle. He shuffled a little closer to the girl, and quickly folded up one of the halves into a tight scare and draped it directly over the wound, followed by tieing the other around her body and the second rag it's self to create a makeshift bandage.
“And I don't know about you Ms. Caisen, but I would much rather be nailed with a plasma bolt at seventy hundred degrees celcius then a bloody spear from a meat mannequin pie! One of which has less of a chance to kill you in a non-fatal area with infection or bleedout, and the other does not!”
The feline would shake his head some, not even carring if she heard his retort. His eyes would glance down to the corpses, followed by his body slowly bending over to quickly search each one of them for anything useful and pocketing said item if he did. He then picked up the nearby spear and proceeded to use it to chop off one of the creatures tail by repeatedly stabbing it down it's vertebrae. Eventually, he managed to sever it which he would now crack the middle of the spear against a cornor to break it in half. Afterwards, he would line the tail up with one of the halves, and proceeded to tie the two together tightly into a makeshift short sword. “Rather have this and not need it,” he grumbled to himself as he picked up the makeshift sword along with the second half of the spear. He would then followed in suit with the general.
-
aeron avoided feuilly's eyes....he had been there...beside viola...lifelessly lying there
"it was just not that my fur changed colors, it was all of the colors were reversed....my claws were white, my fur was black and my eyes instead of being blue were orange, and when i looked in my eyes there was an unreal flood of anguish, sorrow, and malice." he left out the passion he had felt in his eyes as he had held her lifeless corpse, he was confused because he didn't really feel that way about viola(he does not yet), and his confusion bothered him and showed on his face "and then i was able, while i was black to break these"he said gesturing to his warhammers "both in one swing, as strong as i am, that is impossible for any normal mortal" (not saying i am immortal just that i'm not a NORMAL mortal)
"Hmm..." Feuilly thought for a moment. "I'm not quite sure what to make of this... let us hope for all of our sakes that your vision doesn't become reality."
Viola hugged Aeron gently. "It must have been terrible... seeing all that carnage and darkness..." She doesn't mention her death to him, for it seemed as though it seriously bothered him.
-
aeron looked shyly up into her eyes murring softly he leaned into her hug, wrapping his arms around her, he looked up and murmered, "the worst part was that i didn't know who i was" , and he thought, seeing you in a strangers arms.
-
Viola gently patted Aeron's back. "I know how you feel," she said. "I've been rather lost myself a few times... but I always come out of it."
-
The otter girl watched the hooded figure, slinging the great hunting beast over one shoulder like she would a mere river-pike while hunting on the clan barges. She shot a glance from the figure to Imshi and Yenchi. The pair seemed barely to have noticed this feat of strength, Imshi fussing over the livid-red wounds that criss-crossed the feline's white fur.
Ellin had heard tales of chosen individuals from the city. Individuals Capable of harnessing the strength of a hundred men. She strode quickly across to where Neesa stood, glancing from the rabbit to the hooded figure. For a moment she regarded the girl with a haughty gaze, hand reflexively reaching for a blade at her hip, then her shoulders fell. Her hand grasped for a moment at thin air and her tail flicked awkwardly as she glanced to Neesa's eyes, muttering "Pray tell, who... or what was that figure?"
-
aeron looks up at viola and whimpers a bit, truly scared "you don't understand! i thought that i was someone else! and that would have ment..........."
-
Viola cocked her head. "What would it have meant?"
"Yeah," Feuilly said. "What would it mean, Aeron?"
-
"nothing………" he mumbled quietly looking away from her, blushing. It would have ment he was dead, and she in someone else's arms.
-
Feuilly shrugged. "Well, no matter what the case is, we must keep moving."
Viola nodded. "Alright." She took Aeron's hand and helped him up. "C'mon, big guy. Let's go."
-
Aeron blushed again as she took his hand, he got to his feet and began following them being unusualy quiet.
-
Viola stayed back with Aeron and walked next to him, looking at him every once in a while.
Feuilly led on towards their destination...
-
Aeron could not help staring at viola as they walked, to him she seemed the most interesting thing in their journey, he wondered to himself if he was falling for her, if so, how could he? He didn't know her, even if he did he could not remember, everytime she would glance at him he would look away, just in time, pretending to admire the scenery, until he looked away too late.
-
Viola had noticed that Aeron was staring at her from the start; the way he always turned his head to admire the scenery when she looked over at him. She rubbed her left upper arm awkwardly, as she realized that she actually was starting to like him a bit... perhaps even more.
-
The great lizard narrowed his eyes at Aria.
"So I was right. You are her. You understand me, and wave that voice around like a flag, drenched in Seeker's pain. Though even though you hear my words, i doubt you know what i talk about." He opened his jaw and Dim Lane dropped, sprawled on the grass as he scrambled away, flapping over to Aria. He stood in front of her, pushing back.
"Let's just back away slowly, that should work, right?" the raven said.
The lizard shifted his shoulders to keep the unconscious girl balanced comfortably. "You can call me whatever you will, though my friend here calls me Saviour." He gestured to the girl. He turned his head and gripped her in his mouth. A haze of light hissed among his teeth and the girl whimpered as he lay her on the floor in front. "She is not okay. Maybe you can help that." Black ooze dribbled out of her. "Her name is Little Hands."
Talin's body went stiff. His mind couldn't get past the thought that Talin Kor'vial, who he believed all his life was his identity, no longer existed in the city that he lived in for just as long. He had dropped to his knees, but he didn't feel the impact on his knees. His eyes watered from scarce blinking, but that too was unnoticed by him.
A voice, both alien and familiar, trailed up his spine before reaching his ears and pulling him out of his loop of inactivity. "Well boy, if you're not Talin Kor'vial... then who is this creature I see before me?" From where Tizzarath left, he saw himself with jet black fur and no lips. Every moment of the mouth caused black ooze to drip out from his lower jaw while his glazed eyes looked at the still recovering panther. Though he couldn't smile, the self-image was still able to smile like a true monster as he got in Talin's face.
"Maybe I should go visit Aria and tell her Talin doesn't exist... maybe make a mo-" The guards could see Talin lash out at something in front of him, but he vanished halfway through the swipe. To Talin, he just dispersed the illusion, and found himself standing in front of Aria while finishing his swipe. He just sat there for a few moments as his right eye started to twitch, then he wrapped both arms around her and started crying, but no sobs or shudders were heard.
"By the Grace of Seeker, please let her be real..." he whispered unintentionally to Aria's ears.
____________________________________________________________________________________________
Aria was surprised by the speech of the lizard creature and the sudden appearance of Talin, her heart pounded wildly, he looked odd to her but before she could react, she was in his arms, her body became tense before she felt herself grow hot with a full body blush. she left her eyes open before she heard him speak.
"By the Grace of Seeker, please let her be real..."
Aria blinked, confused yet felt flattered by that statement, she gently pulled away "I am real...if your hugging me?" she questioned innocently, staring into his eyes unknowingly of his turmoil, her voice caused her throat much pain that she could not hide.
"Talin...look behind you" she said softly. trying to get him to notice the creature with the little girl behind him.
-
As deep as the pit he had felt himself plunge into, just hearing Aria's voice whether hurt or not was still enough to lift his spirits. He slowly got up, a lopsided smile on his face as he cleared away the tears and gazed upon the creature and the girl on top of it. He let his mind wander while he unfocused his vision. He noticed the sludge coming from the small girl's mouth and immediately ignored the large lizard carrying her.
"This one suffers from Nero's touch... though a treatment currently escapes me. Give me a moment of meditation, and I will have the answer to her ills." He casually said, his face regaining the seriousness that used to be so uncommon for him.
-
Chosen Akela stopped in her tracks, holding Listy back with the strip of cloth as she stands in front of her. She watches the dark figure approach, and she feels the very air burn in her lungs.
The Lizard known as Saviour recoiled at Talin's appearance, and a sharp hiss poured from him as he stepped back and bared sharp teeth, defending Little-Hands. Hearing Talin's explanation of the girl's affliction, he narrows his eyes. "Who is this one?" he asks Aria, believing her to be the only one who can hear.
Beem watched, wide eyed with a kind of uncontrolled curiosity as Leo bandaged the injured mink. Once covered, he kept prodding her, making her wince. Caisen meanwhile, scowled silently at Leo as she slowly shook her head and sidled past, stepping through the gore, leaving squishy footsteps up the stairs. Eventually the group reached the corridor, where shadows spilled in through the gaping hole blown through by Little-Hands. Caisen clambered over the rubble and covered her mouth as the smothering darkness almost overwhelmed.
Neesa looks over at the otter a little confused. "One of the chosen, I guess," she says, keeping her distance and her eyes on the blade. "But then I've never seen a chosen people are afraid of." She gives a nervous little laugh, puffing out of her. "You could ask her if you like." She gestures over with her eyes, as the Chosen woman strolls back toward the city gates at a leisurely stroll. The beast twitches, seemingly still alive.
-
Talin looked right at the lizard, hardly unsettled that the lizard was speaking to him.
"My name is Talin, and I am a Chosen of the Seeker..." without even asking the lizard to approach the body, Saviour caught his right leg with his tail and attempted to pull him to the ground. Talin stood still as the lizard tried to pull, only feeling a little give before the leg returned to its' original spot. His voice was calm, despite his body being so tense.
"Aria, please tell this lizard that trying to stop me will not save his passenger's life."
-
Nero would stop only a few feet from the pair, a smirk on his grim countenance. The air was filled with the sound of clanking metal and hisses as his angels marched onward behind him. His eyes would pierce into the Chosen's own before chuckling to himself and looking at the child before him. Rolling his shoulders, he'd look at her curiously before smiling. "You've come a long way......just to see me. Haven't you?"
-
Ellin turned away from Nessa and started off to where the chosen walked towards the city walls, but then stopped and turned back. For a moment she seemed to undergo an internal struggle then, with the smallest nod of her head, she muttered "Thank you."
Imshi watched the otter girl set off at a run, her lithe and silent pace at odds with her appearances, dark chestnut fur glinting in the sunlight. Standing beside her Yenchi followed her gaze and sighed. "Whatever is going on between the two of you, is not my business..."
At that Imshi turned to him with a sad smile, sighing in return as she walked over to Neesa. "There is nothing between us, not any more. You need not worry yourself over this, merely what we are to do next." Yenchi watched her walk away, her hips no longer swaying with the high-spirits she had held before, and he sighed. As he watched her a small flash of blue fluttered onto his shoulder. He grinned and stroked Vin, the harker bird, with one finger.
Imshi stopped beside Neesa and sighed. "I am indeed sorry for that... You have been put through more trouble getting us out of the city than I had hoped." She glanced from Neesa to the lithe form of the otter girl in the distance. "That girl thrives on the melodrama... It is not her fault, really."
-
as aeron walked along, he couldn't help but notice the slight blush that rose to viola's cheeks every time he looked away, he mumbled to himself, a little too loud, "does she know i'm staring, if she does then why hasn't she said anything? is it possible she might...like me?"
-
Aria wasn't exactly sure what to actually say, she looked over she shoulder at Dim before she put her hands up and walked forward.
"He say's fighting him is pointless...please calm down, we want to help your friend, let me come and get her, I will help her...Talin is a friend, he healed me..." she touched her throat. to indicate that Talin had healed the voice problem.
However, she was starting to see why she was silenced, her voice was dangerous, harmful to her body. a voice to beautiful and dangerous...
-
Leo followed the woman down the corridor, and out of the hole. When he crawled in he felt a horrible feeling rack over his mind. His body rocked in a sickly motion as he finally pulled himself out of the hole, and quickly spun off to the side and vomited onto the nearby ground. Afterwards he stumbled back for a moment, grabbing a hold of his head as his own vision began to warp before his very eyes.
His heart beat had rapidly climbed to the point where he could hear it in his own head over the top of millions of whispers and crys. “W-what the hell is going on," he growled as he fell over now, and began to scoot back staring at the floor. The very ground it's self had appeared to have began to melt the more he observed it with what appears to be scorched and mangled bodies crawling from the developing ravines from the ripping it's self apart.
-
Saviour snarled and stepped back, his eyes locked to Talin.
"Such an arrogant word, Chosen," he said, sounds wreathed in menace while he circled over toward Aria, keeping beside her. "I would rather kill her myself than let such twisted acts of mutilation go ahead. He has already doomed you, girl," he said nodding to Aria. "I have no intention of letting him do the same to my own." He turned to look at Aria, though kept his distance from the offending creature. He turns, presenting the girl to Aria alone. "I approached you for your help, no other," he said, gesturing for Aria to approach Little-Hands.
Neesa folded her arms and shook her head with a sigh. "Well it's not like i haven't been through worse," she says with a quick smile. "So does that mean you're no longer on the run? Is it all sunshine and lollipops, because I'm pretty hungry," she says, seeming much more chipper.
Caisen reached back, grabbing Leo's collar. She pulled him along, dragging him through the streets. Following them, Beem and Perra walked quite easily, almost utterly unperturbed, though Perra still hung loose to Beem's shoulder. His eyes looked out into the dark, wide and wanting, inviting the shadows in. Beem sparked a smile.
-
Imshi frowned, glancing from Neesa to Yenchi as the white-furred feline walked slowly over to them. She shrugged slightly and sighed "On the run? I don't know..." Her ears flicked back as the shrug bore her shoulders down in dismay "The clan elder is still most likely after my hide... I hoped we could go to the plains tribe, Yenchi's family-"
Yenchi, having finally reached the pair, huffed a sour laugh. "You think I am welcome back there? Let alone, bringing you with me. I am as much an outcast as you are." He glanced over to Neesa and despite himself couldn't help but match her grin. "Anyway, why must you run? We bested the hunting pack that they sent for you... I am no master of your clans traditions, but surely that makes you the victor? We should go back to the city and face your family, rather than running and proving ourselves the cowards they think us."
In the shadows of the city walls Ellin darted between tussocks of grass, running swiftly until the hooded figure and the body of the hunting beast over her shoulder were in plain view. She moved silently, barely a rustle through the tall grass as her fur shimmered with the rippling movements over her otter body. Closing the final distance Ellin drew the blade at her hip and leaped like that of a feral beast with all the speed and ferocity she could muster, her dilated pupils fixed hungrily on the back of the hooded figure.
-
Talin growled at the lizard, but he didn't dare try to jostle the girl by taking her forcefully. He turned away and sat down by a tree, clearly frustrated at being denied the chance to help Little Hands. After a few moments though, guilt returned and he couldn't just sit there and let someone suffer if something could be done about it. He slowly walked back to the lizard, then dropped to his knees and knelt before it.
"I beg of you, let me save her. I'll suffer any punishment you deem worthy for my sins against the Seeker..." He wasn't sure what else he could have done "wrong", but he knew that giving Aria a voice was among the worst of them.
-
Aria removed her hand from her throat, she gave Talin a pained look before she gently too little hands into her arms. she held back a cough and cradled the little one as she sat down, resting the child in her lap.
she had no clue what she was doing.
"Little Hands..." she murmured gently, pushing back her hair to see her face...such a sweet looking child.
"Tell me what I should do...I have never had healing powers...what could my voice do...." it was a near silent plee for help to Seeker, though never truly a believe, in this moment, she knew that she needed some guidance.
she felt another wave of pain in her throat and she held it back, it hurt to do so but she didn't want to cough over the child. this pain was worse than the last...it was as if her throat was being torn apart.
-
Leo's mental state only progressively grew worst the deeper Caisan pulled him in. He quickly recalled a certain doctor a few thousandth years back who fell under the same condition, though possibly not as bad as this. “Hm... is that what she went through,” the feline thought as he warily glanced over his shoulder to the direction that Caisan was walking, and then back to the two Minks who were following them. He'd studied the two for a moment, noticing that one of them was gazing off in a strange manner.
“A look of desire perhaps, same as that damned naked male,” concluded Leo while standing and pushing Caisan's hand away from him. He'd then plant a hand on her shoulder and nod his head in the two Mink's direction, but more specifically Beems. “What do you think of that,” Leo asked in a raspy voice clouded by enduring his own mental drama.
-
"Ain't nothing wrong with a coward." Neesa grabs onto Yenchi's arm and sticks close to him, jostling him with her bounce. "My family ran, and guess what, we're alive and were able to help you." She grins and turns to cat away from the city, looking out across the fields to the distant tree covered mountains. "The world ain't just relatives and politics." She looks back at Imshi, into her eyes, trying to get her to understand.
The chosen woman stopped and her bare feet twitched upon the grass. A ripple of energy whipped through the green blades. Ellin leapt through the air, blade ready, pointed to kill. In reply, the grass shot up, wrapping and grabbing to Ellin. Clamping tight to her limbs and torso. She's held there, trapped in the wrapping leaves. The woman turned, with the beast still on her back. She looked up at her, examined her. Warm eyes, brimming with life. She had a wide jackal smile, even as she took the knife, easing it out of Ellin's grip. The blade was turned, pointed at Ellin's throat, stroking the tip, finding the artery. She stabbed it in, lodging it there, all with a smile.
Little Hands lay motionless in Aria's lap. Saviour watched and stepped close, curling around them both, while he kept an eye on Talin. He bared his teeth, warding the chosen away. As Aria spoke, Little Hands twitched. She coughed black sludge into her mouth, her eyes tensed shut as the tar-like poison spilled over her tongue. But then, with every word, every phrase Aria spoke, the girl seemed to glow. A light shone along her fur, and the tar twisted. Little Hands gave a pained wheeze and she shifted about in Aria's lap. She coughed some more, spitting upon the grass, making the very earth hiss. And yet as Aria spoke, the tar whined, twisting and boiling. A thick smog, dispersing into nothing. More and more was coughed up, Little hands convulsed, vomiting the tar. As the puddle grew, it began to shift, swirling and wriggling. It cowered from the light.
The General looked back at the pair of minks.
"I really do not have the time, Leo. We'll try to fix them up once we get out of this god forsaken village." She spat the whisper, charging through the streets. It was much faster when they had the giant lizard to carry them, but now it took forever until at last they saw the village edge and the meadow that stretched on back to the coast.
Though with every step, the Perra slowed. He looked back at the village, and whined as they left the black dome of mist. Beem giggled, pulling him all the faster. SHe kept looking down at him, watching the black ooze seep into Perra's wound.
Chosen Akela raced forward. The black dome reached for her, and as she stepped into its mists, she screamed. The pain of carrying Listy burned through her arms and she dropped to her knees, letting listy tumble from her arms. The pair looked up, toward toward the mass of people, of twisted beasts. Akela could see them truly now. She looked to Nero and so the true darkness. She could feel his poison seep into her eyes.
"Oh no," she whispered and reached for Listy's hand. "We've got to leave." But Listy was already up. Black tears poured from her eyes, staining her fur. THe little girl stood on her hooves, just out of reach, and through constant gulping cries, she limped toward Nero.
-
Talin didn't stay kneeling for long, as he saw the light coming from Aria's direction. He was momentarily dumbstruck, wondering how this was happening. He then turned to the lizard, almost forgetting that he was angry at it just a moment ago.
"So you have a problem with my former city calling abominations like us "Chosen". At that city, our power is considered a gift by the Seeker, to be praised and valued. However, I got a little more than what most people in my position usually attain." He intentionally left a pause so the lizard could either digest or at least comprehend what was just said.
"Here is my conundrum: you didn't get hostile because I arrived with a claw-swipe. You don't even know who I am, only part of what I am. Can you at least help me understand why you have an issue with "Chosen"?"
-
Aria was more than dumbstruck when her voice made the girl glow, she watched as every word she spoke, the tar was forced out of the little girls body. Talin was talking to the lizard, however, he was breaking her concentration, her emerald gaze on him, she gave him a stern frown.
"Be quiet Talin, right now is not the time to be accusing Saviour!" her celestial voice held an unusual amount of strength, but it was so painful to speak, the pain showed clearly in her young face.
She turned her attention back to Little Hands, cooing and softly telling her that everything will be alright, stroking her hair and holding her convulsing body. Like a mother taking care of a sick child, she eyed the boiling, twisting, smoking and whining tar.
-
Nero knelt down as the child approached him, smiling to the little deer. Holding out his gnarled claw to her he'd reach behind himself, into his cloak. "Hello again little one....do you remember me?" He'd pull out a black ball of ooze from out of his cloak and would begin to shape it in front of her like a clown making a ballon animal. It would slowly form into a little ragged hyena doll, the ooze suddenly falling away from it to reveal the doll better. He'd hand it down to her with a crooked smile. "I was wondering how long it would take you to show up....my little Listy" He'd look back up to Akela, smirking a bit as he began to wonder what he should do with the Chosen.
-
"Time miss Caisan," the feline asked in an annoyed hiss as he continued to follow behind her. He'd wait before going any further to at least gain some distance in front of the village as he remained just slightly behind her. It wasn't till a few minutes later had the feline actually dared to continue.
"Oh yes you have time, just currently there is a stick shoved so far up the place where the sun and the very moon it's self doesn't shine, a place that not even darkness could exist where light is considered to be abscent because you want to stay alive. Currnetly a one track mind can most certainly get you places," the cat spoke diligently with nigh madness on the wake as he promptly increased his speed to catch up with the general. This time he spoke much faster than any sane man could possibly muster, "you like life, you like to live, I can respect that but your one tracked mind will certainly get yourself killed if you don't paused for a minute and listen to me."
He'd remain silent for a moment as he glanced behind himself to observe Beem and Perra for a moment longer, noticing the desire in Perra's eyes to go back and the dreadful ooze that had plagued the city before them crawl it's way into her system. With a shake of the head, Leo's gaze turned back to Caisan as they continued to walk and this time spoke in a slower tempo than the last, although it was clearly evident that there was some form of rage boiling behind his voice, "Oh yes, just do what you believe is best and keep walking. But you won't be breathing any longer if you don't listen to me..." now snarling and violently grabing a hold of Caison. He quickly spun her around and grabbed her by her head to angle it downwards towards the two's odd behavior as well as the blackish ooze all while screaming, "LISTEN TO ME. TAKE A LOOK!" Afterwards the cat immediately released the general and continued to walk on in their previous vector with a low muttered hiss. Eventually he stopped and turned around not careing if the General thought any less of himself at this point.
"Take a look! I might be daft now, but paranoid is something that you and I both can be. That behavior there... that behavior I have seen time and time again... repeated like a message with some hidden meaning from one of those civilized cultist inside that blasted dome! A possibly seduced naked one at that, like he simply desired to be seduced by the false god before him, and now I am beginning to see the same exact thing on Perra. And don't even get me started on the biomateria that had been seeping from Nero's body that some how managed it's way onto one of them!" Now he pointed to Caisan and came a step closer with a soft but vicious hiss, "You've been wanting to run things your way so far, and last I checked you have both weapons at your disposal. Like it has been for the past hour, what you do with them is your choice now. But you will not ignore me again!"
-
Ellin was hit mid air by the lashing tendrils of grass, knocking the breath from her lungs as they whiplashed around her arms and chest, tightened their grip. She struggled in vain, then fell limp as the thrill of the chase left a grim realization in its wake. Her chest heaved and her eyes were wide as the chosen woman stroked the blade back and forth. The otter girl's body shivering in cold fright, then spasmed with pain as the blade bit deep and welled up hot blood.
Frowning, Imshi glanced from Yenchi to Neesa and sighed, as the other was jostled with a flush in his white-furred cheeks as she pulled close. Imshi turned her gaze away from the pair to the mountains that she had motioned to, rubbed at her upper arm gingerly with one hand and clenched the other in a tight fist. "I guess you're right. It was never going to work, any of it-" She stopped suddenly, staring over Yenchi's shoulder "Ellin?" Then started to run, pushed roughly past Yenchi, shouting "Ellin, no!"
-
Saviour shot a scowl at Talin, though it was only brief, his attention pulled to the girl, devoted entirely. Little hands crawled onto her front and a bulge of bubbling sludge pushed up her throat and in a great lump it spat out, squirming on the grass. Saviour moved close and curled around Aria, leaning in to Little Hands. The girl slowly opened her eyes and looked up. A smile grew, and on Aria's lap, she seemed lighter than air.
"Thank you," she said in a weak little voice. She then turned to Saviour, whose large head leaned up, nuzzling her. She wrapped her arms around it, stroking his scaled skin and hugging him close. He lowered his head and she fluidly clambered onto his neck as though he were an extension of her. Saviour bowed at Aria and sat by her side.
"What a fortuitous girl you are," he said. Eventually he turned and looked over to Talin, a rumbling animosity rippling through him. "Your powers are not a gift from Seeker. They are a side effect of Seeker's existence, and you harm her very fabric with every liberty you take." little Hands looked down at her lizard friend.
"Szavaro berkjameh?" she asked. The lizard sighed and gestured to Talin, then Aria. "Bezha bistracgyara. Ne cyobin.... Cyobin matara."
Listy struggled forward, every step filling her with darkness, spewing from her eyes and mouth, seeping from her fur. She looked up at him. The one she knew, the one she'd hoped and dreamed for. She stumbled and raced foward, throwing herself to him, pressing into his chest.
"It's you... it's... you," she gulped. Chosen Akela tried to stand, tears streaming as her body twisted and burned. Every inch of her rejecting everything that he was. She reaches out, but watching the girl lose herself to such a beast. It overwhelmed her, everything screamed inside her. She turned away, she had to escape. She crawled. She stood and ran. Bleeding feet hit the dead soil. Her body igniting in violent pain at every step.
Caisen stared at the two minks. Perra had lost almost all her strength, and Beem was dragging her, quite happily along the ground. A black trail was left in their wake. She was silent for a moment then turned to Leo. Her hand shifted to her side, slipping around one of the pistols.
"We are not a team any more." She spoke simply, with a definite edge, as though reciting it from a sheet of facts. "I can ignore anything you say. I choose what I ignore. I ignore you grabbing hold of me like that. I ignore your loss of control and lack of discipline. Would you like me to stop ignoring you?" she asked, and slipped the pistol out of her trousers. She held it up and aimed it at the approaching minks. Without hesitation, she aimed at Perra. She pulled the trigger. The flash of light burst out, sliced through the air.
Perra's poisoned head smashed open, spilling blackened flesh splattering upon the floor. beem shrieked and tumbled back with the body and yowled at the pain of hot skull splattering his face. His eyes were as wide as his smile.
"There," Caisen said, with a deathly serious stare. "I have not ignored you." And in a flash, she flicked her aim over. The barrel pointed straight at Leo's head. "I will not ignore the next time you touch me. I will not ignore the next time you endanger people or get in my way. Do you understand me?"
The woman was slow and with gentle grace, she stroked her fingers along the blade teasing through the blood. She smiled quite sweetly as she did something she'd done a thousand times before. Ellin couldn't feel it, all she could feel was the absence as her life was drained away. Like a fire running out of fuel, she felt small and waning. The wind brushed past her. She could feel it go through her until all that was left was the tiniest glow. The woman let go, leaving her alive, and she turned and strolled away, leaving the blade to bleed the rest out.
Neesa recoiled a little at the sudden burst from Imshi, and watched her run. She turned to Yenchi, and looked into his eyes, gesturing as though to ask for an explanation.
-
The feline remained calm, not even moved by the fact that a gun is now held in his direction. “Next time I endanger people,” the cat sighed and then repeated with his eyes rolling, “The next time “I” endanger people. Why this is the FIRST time I have ever heard of a General holding a life over the general population! You CAN'T save everyone, I've known this and witnessed it a long time back, you've known this and witnessed it now!”
Leo shook his head hesitantly as he looked down to the fresh corpse and began to walk away from the other's before turning around. “I am doing this because what happened to the galaxy, I felt was partially my fault in some shape or fashion. I am not sure what it was, but the fact that some “Seeker” predicted my arrival and sent me on a quest to death is enough to assume so.What I did back there was because I was not going to spend half a day trying to coax out TWO MINKS to help us through a dome, no, A VILLAGE infested with that thing's Influence!” The cat would quickly throw his arm off towards the village to gesture to it; then his gaze would turn back to Caisan and quickly wagged a finger in her direction “And that entire village is now infested with inside out abominations who in turn released this aura in the air. You might not feel it, but I certainly can! I can practically feel all the traces of these... things... demi-god creatures what ever the hell they want to call themselves because I have spent TO MUCH time around each one of them. So excuse me if I felt the danger in a single area was to high for a prolonged stay to keep you alive. If you want to spit up, fine!”
Then the cat would begin walking, throwing a single hand up in the air as a wave of good bye after tossing the makeshift sword onto the ground, “Oh and keep the gun. I apparently worked better as a pacifist on the Sphere, maybe my uncanny luck will drive me on.” The cat would adjust his coat, before turning completely to a land mark he had noted in the past, and slowly crossed the field towards Little foot's cave.
-
Talin was too busy taking in the sight before him to register the lizard's reaction, rather dumbstruck as Aria apparently used her fabricated vocal chords to purge the vile black from the girl's body. The strength in her voice was also a surprise, but not quite as large as the one before him. It didn't make sense that someone who wasn't a Chosen could now suddenly perform one of their miracles, until the lizard called his gift a "side-effect" of the Seeker's existence. He simply sat down, covered his face in both hands, and tried to relax as both the girl and lizard spoke in a language he didn't understand. When they finished, Talin uncovered his face and looked at nobody in particular.
"Hello, I was kicked out of my home because I was considered a madman for having visions of other higher powers beyond the Seeker. I would be saying the "C" word, but apparently that is the equivalent of condemning the Seeker in the lizard's head." He then looked off to the side and scraped up some dirt, cupping it in his hand and focusing his gaze and will upon it. It then started to float up and suspend itself about four inches above his hand. There wasn't a vacuum in his chest when he tapped into this new ability, just a small tingling under the solar plexus.
"I also can do this, apparently..."
-
Aria smiled at little hands as she thanked her before she hugged her friend, she could only smile at the sweet reunion between two beings who loved each other very much.
Aria felt too tired to move as she sat in the same place, breathing in and out as the pain in throat throbbed, she could barely make a sound, to describe how much pain she was. She listened to the voices, the words as she felt the pain subside enough for her to make some amount of noise. Though intrigued by the strange speech girl and lizard spoke to each other.
"Am I the only one who has no idea whats going on?" she asked, her voice loud enough for everyone to hear
but she had spoken too soon, she had the most violent coughing session, blood and bits of flesh sprayed from her mouth and onto her palm, she when she finally gathered her breath, she looked at her palm and swallowed the iron taste.
"I want to know if my voice is slowly killing me..." her celestial voice so painful, it almost seemed that the plants and trees around them began to bend and weep in sorrow.
-
Nero would gently pet the girl as she clung to him, smiling down at the corrupted child. "So little one...why don't you tell me who this friend is?" He'd smirk as his shadow stretched from his body and moved to engulf the Chosen. Black tendrils would curl out of the shadow to wrap around the fleeing Chosen's limbs. "A word of advice should you survive, my dear..." He'd be adressing the chosen with a sadistic grin. "...when faced with an immortal enemy, don't run. It attracts our attention. Why so frightened anyways? You're in the presence of this world's true god. I would expect kneeling...."
-
aeron ran and pounced hard on viola, knocking her hard to the ground and then leaping off a second later.
-
"OOF!"
Viola chuckled. "What was that for?" she asked, giggling.
-
aeron lifted his left paw "that was close" in his paw was a poisonous snake with a crushed skull "snake was about to bite....i don't think it will e able to bite with its brains smeared on my hammer"
-
Viola stared in shock. "Oh my g.... thank you...." Getting up, she hugged Aeron tight.
Feuilly watched from a distance, smiling.
-
aeron faltered for a moment, then wrapped his arms lightly around her(being sure not to crush her this time) "u-um it was no problem....after all i couldn't let such a beautiful face come to such a tragic end..." at this he blushed a deep red and began to stammer "i-i mean if you are single......not that you are only beautiful as long as you are not....but i wouldn't steal you away from someone you loved...i mean you are worth stealing, but no you are not a possession and i......i.....Feuilly, can you help me?"
-
Feuilly looked right at Viola. "He likes you," he said nonchalantly.
Viola widened her eyes and looked up at Aeron. "You...you do?" She smiled and blushed deeply.
-
"when i was drifting in and out of consciousness....i thought you were an angel, come to take me away" he blushed heavily "i'm glad your face is the first thing i will remember, and i will give my life before i let yours leave this earth"
-
Viola smiled, blushing lightly.
"Thank you," she said. "I'm honored... to mean so much to you...."
Leaning close, she gave Aeron's cheek a good lick, kurring happily.
-
aeron blushes bright red and faints, falling heavily on his back, smiling stupidly.
-
Viola blushed. "Oh gosh... is he gonna be alright?"
Feuilly chuckled. "He'll be just fine."