((I left this as one post, because you are not going to be able - or allowed - to stop reading in the middle. Also, there are asterisks in this post to indicate accompanying OOC footnotes.))
"You really don't get it, do you?" Zyiada shifted closer, and Drandar couldn't help the way that he tensed. He didn't trust this woman, and he would fight if need be.
"I didn't 'give up'. I finally woke up and realized the crap wagon that I was riding on. I realized that it was important that what we were trying to do didn't happen. The world balances on its own. If we throw it off, sure humans will be free, but then what is to stop the world from tipping in the other direction?" The woman was suddenly far too close to Drandar for comfort.
"It's not a happenstance disregard, you see. The idea is quite aversive now. I'm sure you'll come around and understand, but I can't allow this to happen."
Clash. Drandar felt terrible about pushing Zandra down, but... Well, it was necessary. Fighting the woman was not easy, and he didn't manage it unscathed. She was like Zandra, but at the same time she wasn't. She was incredibly strong, and her style was like some strange derivative of Zandra's. To say the least, he didn't like it. However, like always, Drandar prevailed.
One can understand the certain amount of shock that Drandar felt as Zyiada turned around and looked at the heart he held in his hand. The organ blackened and shriveled in his grasp, and the hole in her chest closed up. She flashed him a grin.
"You think that's the only one I have?" It seemed that someone had an incredibly strong regenerative spell over them. Then again, such a powerful demon being paired with a witch, it wasn't too surprising.
It looked like she was about to leap upon them again, when suddenly she jumped back. The woman looked up and to the side, considering something. Drandar did throw a cursory glance around, but he didn't see anything out of the ordinary - besides the normal not-normal stuff, that is.
"Hmm..." Zyaida continued to look away, puzzling over something not entirely obvious. She lifted her fingers to her lips before leaping up onto boom, wickedly grinning down at her female counterpart. Her awful voice was taunting.
"Come on little Princeeeesssss, can't you hear it? Come on little Princess. Can't you smell it? What's wrong little Princess? Can't you taste the blood in the air?"
Then, the woman jumped through the air before Drandar could do anything about it. The tide from the shore swirled up and snatched her, sucking the body of the Fallen Chosen into the sea. Just like that, she was gone. Needless to say, this alarmed Drandar more than any attack she could have possibly engaged in. What could have caused someone previously so set on killing him to just... disappear? The man paused, deeply inhaling the air and picking it apart. He turned to peer at Zandra for a moment, explaining what she would not be able to pick up.
"The only blood I smell is Kiaati and her other self."
Speaking of which... Drandar nodded to Zandra. Was Itaaik still down there? The man moved and dropped into the cargo hold where he was immediately struck by the lack of movement. He knew that Kiaati had to be close. He could smell the thick scent of her blood; it was so strong and oppressive that there was no way she could have left. He raised his head, looking around from the stairs to the dark niches and storage crates where she could be hiding. The woman was amazing when it came to escaping trouble, he had seen it many a time. The man motioned for Zandra to go the way opposite of him. Itaaik could have been lurking just as easily.
"Kiaati? Where are you? Are you okay?" His ears shot up as he heard the faintest plip, a drop hitting the ground. The man's head shot around to his left, where on the floor he saw a small pool of blood. Pensively he looked at it; apparently Kiaati had been injured here, but her blood was mixed with Itaaik's. Slowly, his bright green eyes shifted up to where a drop might have dripped from. That was when he saw another drop of dark red fall over the edge of the landing above. The man turned, rushing up the ladder to the loft level of storage. The higher he climbed, the heavier the intoxicating stench of blood became. There must be severely bleeding corpse for the liquid to be creeping over the edge and to pool below - but that wasn't really Kiaati's style.
At the top step, Drandar froze, his eyes glued to the scene before him. Kiaati lay curled near the railing, chalky skin colored only with splashes of blood. Drandar moved forward slowly, looking over her carefully as he knelt down in a slight daze. She seemed small and fragile suddenly, for she was not moving at all, the fragility something that Drandar had never seen about her. Drandar's fingers found her throat, though he already knew the result. In his ears rang no stressed heartbeat, and beneath his fingers thrummed no pulse. Kiaati was dead.*
Drandar stayed knelt beside her, feeling the still hot blood soaking through the knee of his pantleg. Zandra had to know. The man's hand pulled on Kiaati's cold and lifeless arm, rolling her onto her back.
"Zandra." He tried to call for his love, but his tightly constricted throat only issued a strangled whisper. He was not particularly attached to Kiaati, but seeing this... Coughing slightly, he tried again, this time his voice full and loud, ringing through the still air with slight desperation.
"Zandra!" He had forgotten about the invisible followers; he did not think to call for them. What did they matter now? His bright green eyes shifted to the woman on the floor, studying the details. A deep and long gash stretched down her chest, where blood was seeping out still. Drandar was still having difficulty swallowing the fact that Kiaati was actually dead, but yet he knew that beneath the separated ribs there was no beating heart. She had endured so much; after everything he had seen, even after Death's warning, he had never really thought she could just die, no matter how worn or beaten she had become.
His gaze shifted about, and he realized that her death had not been quiet. Everything around him painted final flashes of Kiaati's life in the beholder - even be it someone so distant (and perhaps a bit dense) as Drandar. The air had a foul stench, something that he didn't recognize, though Zandra would have. It was the smell of bad magic. Blood was splattered across the walls and ceiling, while also forming a shallow pool across the paneling of the floor. He knew that some of it was Itaaik's, but most of it was his friend's. How did Kiaati have so much blood in her? Drandar could imagine the fight, the slamming against walls, perhaps even the screams that he hadn't heard.
His eyes shifted about, but he didn't think of what was missing. The single entity that should have been there was nowhere in his sights. There was no body, not for her opponent. The witch must have escaped, if though severely wounded.
Life had been watching this whole thing. She had known what was happening, and she had a pretty good suspicion of what was coming. Therefore, she had split herself in half, standing in two places at once. It wasn't hard; any Terrachronan could do it.
Her lips curved into a smile as she made herself visible to the man whose chest she now lay her dark hand on. She looked up into Gabriel's blue eyes, intoning softly.
"Gabriel of the house of Roan - second son of the fifth daughter, of the sixth son of the first daughter of her Imperial Highness Esma - remember, you have pledged yourself to me." She didn't bother to introduce herself. She was just like the other Terrachronans that way - people always innately recognized them, as the forces were so deeply embedded in lives.
"I am not yet finished with you." In other words, she was telling him not to go off himself because his chosen had just died. If Life was right (and she was pretty sure that she was), he was about to become very important. Despite whatever discomfort or depression it brought him at having lost his charge - Life still held her claim.
Now, at the same time, Life was also standing on the landing where Drandar knelt. She was in the shadows, pressed to the wall of the place. After he had looked around and turned to call for the Warrior Princess, Life let herself become visible to any that would cast eyes in her direction. She was waiting right now. Things would play out as they should, and then either she would move or she would be noticed without drawing attention to herself. You never could tell with this group exactly how things would work.
Life, however, could also see what the others could not. This is part of what she was waiting for.
Kiaati's translucent soul stood nearby. She couldn't see anything that was going on, her eyes scrunched tightly shut and her arms wrapped tightly about her body. She was wearing a white dress** that tied across her right shoulder. It clung to a form that was full and healthy, unmarred by the battles of life. The knee-length skirt of the dress was several layers of offset, asymmetrical pieces and sewn along the edge were flat silver beads made as disks about the size of a thumbnail. Her hair was cropped to her chin, and, though she wore no ring, the silver spirals still marked her from the fingertips of her left hand to around the base of her neck.
As she stood there, however, Kiaati's clothes and hair whipped about in what seemed to be her own personal tempest. This was to be expected, however, as it was the fate of a soul neither in the presence of Life or Death. Life was not about to touch that woman to ease her troubles, and so that was part of what she was waiting on. Death should be arriving any moment to take the soul that belonged to him. It was only fair to include him in the plan that Life had formed.
((*You might be thinking that you're noticing a theme here. However, I would like to point out that this has been it - the end of my master plan that I had in mind when I took the reins fourteen months ago. I had been considering it for a while before that, but I have been especially reluctant to do this. You see, killing Lot was honestly a dry run to see how well I am going to handle this. I'm not handling this well at all, and I only anticipate it getting worse.
**Even though I go on to describe the dress for the purposes of our book, I have a visual aid for you:
The dress is like this-
<a href='http://www.milanoo.com/upen/v/201006/Wh ... 9678-1.jpg' target='_blank' rel='nofollow'>http://www.milanoo.com/upen/v/201006/Wh ... 8-1.jpg</a>
Except that the skirt part is like this-
<a href='http://www.neckelmanns.com/sitebuilderc ... c-09-2.jpg' target='_blank' rel='nofollow'>http://www.neckelmanns.com/sitebuilderc ... 9-2.jpg</a> ))
SRMVR
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Gabriel's entire being seemed to dim. That near holly aura had vanished, his eyes even were dim, as if the life had already left him. Looking upon his person it was clear his whole essence was intertwined with his chosen. His chosen... he'd not be allowed to intervene in such a fight as this one. Now she was lost.
Life.. Life's orders were hollow upon his ears, Death was already beckoning with a simply rose in his hands, no words given to anyone present as his slender fingers pulled Gabriel to his feet.
" He has breached his contract. His pledge no longer holds sway."
He stated simply, watching how the other Obscarians were even dimmer then normal. The balance was off, you could feel the sway in the room as the life in the room was flickering. Gabriel had not yet left, but he was mayhaps a second or two away. Death was already ready to escort him so.
As for the soul lingering in the room, the one already his property? Death's smile was ever apparent as he gingerly spun Kiaati about slowly, gingerly pressing the vibrant red rose into her hair, tucking it into her ear to stay, soon her hair up and braided full of the lovely read things. A lovely crown of rose work gracing the passed woman.
" Your road has been hard to walk, now rest weary woman in my home and hold."
Even as her powers hit her, Zandra looked up the scene, stomach churning as she could feel the black magic that covered the entire place, not having issues with the blood... but when she came upon the scene....
Cautiously the woman walked up to where Kiaatie lay, but had no chance to do more then place a hand upon her chest, before she found Xamien laying there, crying something that made no sense.
zandra now shifted to sweep Ariel into her arms. what to do now?
Then she noted the new beings presence.
" What do you two want?"
So, not in the best spirits... This was NOT something pleasant.
Life.. Life's orders were hollow upon his ears, Death was already beckoning with a simply rose in his hands, no words given to anyone present as his slender fingers pulled Gabriel to his feet.
" He has breached his contract. His pledge no longer holds sway."
He stated simply, watching how the other Obscarians were even dimmer then normal. The balance was off, you could feel the sway in the room as the life in the room was flickering. Gabriel had not yet left, but he was mayhaps a second or two away. Death was already ready to escort him so.
As for the soul lingering in the room, the one already his property? Death's smile was ever apparent as he gingerly spun Kiaati about slowly, gingerly pressing the vibrant red rose into her hair, tucking it into her ear to stay, soon her hair up and braided full of the lovely read things. A lovely crown of rose work gracing the passed woman.
" Your road has been hard to walk, now rest weary woman in my home and hold."
Even as her powers hit her, Zandra looked up the scene, stomach churning as she could feel the black magic that covered the entire place, not having issues with the blood... but when she came upon the scene....
Cautiously the woman walked up to where Kiaatie lay, but had no chance to do more then place a hand upon her chest, before she found Xamien laying there, crying something that made no sense.
zandra now shifted to sweep Ariel into her arms. what to do now?
Then she noted the new beings presence.
" What do you two want?"
So, not in the best spirits... This was NOT something pleasant.
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((I broke this one up into three posts that way you have an easier time at taking breaks - and this one split more naturally.))
There were two Life embodiments as well as two Death embodiments - one set with the Obscarians on the deck where Gabriel had fallen and one with the Chosen in the cargo hold where Kiaati had died.
The set on the deck were the set talking to each other. Life now touched Gabriel's arm, though she was looking at Death.
"No, he vowed to aid her in her task, to keep her from falling in it." Life looked sure and natural. She wasn't arguing or forceful - just a statement of fact. That was how Life was.
"He fufilled that. This was not her task. Facing the failures of others was not who she was. Besides, her task isn't finished." Her voice dropped to a softer tone.
"Everything deserves a second chance - you know I believe that. After all, it is this world's second chance." Second set of Chosen. "But you also know how I feel about third chances. It'll affect you with how many souls you lose when this world dies."
As she lay her other hand on Gabriel as well, one now on his arm and the other on his chest, Life's white eyes shifted to Death.
"But I know how you are. I have a bargain for you in what I am about to propose to those left behind. You won't be left emptyhanded."
It seemed rather cryptic, but it would make sense soon enough. Life's gaze now turned to the side. And there it was, a sight that no other living being had ever and would since chance upon. The ocean stilled. A subtle mist had snuck into the area, silvery and thrumming with energy. The first thing to break through it was a tall, slender figure. Pale blue hair framed the light green skin and a the blind stare of orange eyes. Amadahy walked across the water, feet leaving ripples in the water that seemed to absorb the light from her lantern.
The next thing that came was the sound. It was the sound of wind rushing away from under powerful wings. There was a blue streak and then another. Burniletus soared overhead, and with each beat the mist was forced back. And there, crossing the way were several more figures. There were two other ladies quite visibly similar to Amadahy, both blind and holding lanterns the same. There was a splashing and a wooden boat could be seen rowing itself. Sitting at its front was the familiar woodsy figure, the one that had given Xamein the trinket wrapped in golden leaves. And behind her sat two more than looked a little less alike than the Ladies to each other, but still with the same manner as Brooke. A golden shimmer flew under Tuss's wing. Aurelia! The little bird soared about, and would come to land amongst the Obscarians, those warriors from the sky.
Strangest of all was that none of them made a sound. And least not until they reached where the group stood. Amadahy's face turned to the side and she spoke in that voice, the sound of water running across bells in a cave.
"Breath, this world welcomes you - the spirits of her earth, her air, and her waters alike." Amadahy gestured with greeting. Life now looked at Death. She had the world backing her, and that wasn't the only force she had siding with her today.
There were two Life embodiments as well as two Death embodiments - one set with the Obscarians on the deck where Gabriel had fallen and one with the Chosen in the cargo hold where Kiaati had died.
The set on the deck were the set talking to each other. Life now touched Gabriel's arm, though she was looking at Death.
"No, he vowed to aid her in her task, to keep her from falling in it." Life looked sure and natural. She wasn't arguing or forceful - just a statement of fact. That was how Life was.
"He fufilled that. This was not her task. Facing the failures of others was not who she was. Besides, her task isn't finished." Her voice dropped to a softer tone.
"Everything deserves a second chance - you know I believe that. After all, it is this world's second chance." Second set of Chosen. "But you also know how I feel about third chances. It'll affect you with how many souls you lose when this world dies."
As she lay her other hand on Gabriel as well, one now on his arm and the other on his chest, Life's white eyes shifted to Death.
"But I know how you are. I have a bargain for you in what I am about to propose to those left behind. You won't be left emptyhanded."
It seemed rather cryptic, but it would make sense soon enough. Life's gaze now turned to the side. And there it was, a sight that no other living being had ever and would since chance upon. The ocean stilled. A subtle mist had snuck into the area, silvery and thrumming with energy. The first thing to break through it was a tall, slender figure. Pale blue hair framed the light green skin and a the blind stare of orange eyes. Amadahy walked across the water, feet leaving ripples in the water that seemed to absorb the light from her lantern.
The next thing that came was the sound. It was the sound of wind rushing away from under powerful wings. There was a blue streak and then another. Burniletus soared overhead, and with each beat the mist was forced back. And there, crossing the way were several more figures. There were two other ladies quite visibly similar to Amadahy, both blind and holding lanterns the same. There was a splashing and a wooden boat could be seen rowing itself. Sitting at its front was the familiar woodsy figure, the one that had given Xamein the trinket wrapped in golden leaves. And behind her sat two more than looked a little less alike than the Ladies to each other, but still with the same manner as Brooke. A golden shimmer flew under Tuss's wing. Aurelia! The little bird soared about, and would come to land amongst the Obscarians, those warriors from the sky.
Strangest of all was that none of them made a sound. And least not until they reached where the group stood. Amadahy's face turned to the side and she spoke in that voice, the sound of water running across bells in a cave.
"Breath, this world welcomes you - the spirits of her earth, her air, and her waters alike." Amadahy gestured with greeting. Life now looked at Death. She had the world backing her, and that wasn't the only force she had siding with her today.
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The other set of Life and Death didn't say anything to each other.
The invisible soul, that part of Kiaati that existed in the room now, gave an actual sigh of relief as Death had taken her. As the tempest ceased, she had spun for him without even the inclination to fight. She didn't feel pain of any kind as he crowned her with roses. Then, as he spoke to her, Kiaati was unaware of anything else that was going on. The woman gave a grateful smile, falling into slumber surrounded by Death's embrace. Apparently, she had made a mistake in her promise to Death. She would not walk with him willingly; he would have to carry Kiaati.
The Life in the cargo hold smiled at the two demons warmly. She moved to them, the air easier to breath and handle as she approached. Then, she knelt, reaching out and stroking Xamein's head. She wasn't concerned about introductions. All living souls instantly knew her for her salience in and about them. Besides, she had already manifested to this little one.
"Dry your tears, Little One. All is not lost."
Then, gently, she lifted the corpse from the floor. The body was limp as Life held it, the blood running down and dripping of Kiaati's limbs. The woman was smaller than Kiaati's corpse, but she had no trouble handling it at all. She gazed at Kiaati's bloodstained face tenderly and with true compassion before looking up to Zandra and answering her question.
"Her. We both want Kiaati." Then, she gave a solemn nod, glancing up.
"Come with me. You are allowed say in the decision of who shall have her."
Life then turned, carrying the body - the soul left to Death. She moved to take the corpse to deck, where so many were congregating. The manifestation of herself near Gabriel - the one not holding Kiaati's body - was the one that disappeared. At this point, Life's eyes drifted to the triad: Drandar, Zandra, and the corpse of Kiaati that she now placed down on the planks of the deck. She spoke softly, sparing only a glance to Death. She would lay her cards on the table, she would show everything she had up her sleeve.
The invisible soul, that part of Kiaati that existed in the room now, gave an actual sigh of relief as Death had taken her. As the tempest ceased, she had spun for him without even the inclination to fight. She didn't feel pain of any kind as he crowned her with roses. Then, as he spoke to her, Kiaati was unaware of anything else that was going on. The woman gave a grateful smile, falling into slumber surrounded by Death's embrace. Apparently, she had made a mistake in her promise to Death. She would not walk with him willingly; he would have to carry Kiaati.
The Life in the cargo hold smiled at the two demons warmly. She moved to them, the air easier to breath and handle as she approached. Then, she knelt, reaching out and stroking Xamein's head. She wasn't concerned about introductions. All living souls instantly knew her for her salience in and about them. Besides, she had already manifested to this little one.
"Dry your tears, Little One. All is not lost."
Then, gently, she lifted the corpse from the floor. The body was limp as Life held it, the blood running down and dripping of Kiaati's limbs. The woman was smaller than Kiaati's corpse, but she had no trouble handling it at all. She gazed at Kiaati's bloodstained face tenderly and with true compassion before looking up to Zandra and answering her question.
"Her. We both want Kiaati." Then, she gave a solemn nod, glancing up.
"Come with me. You are allowed say in the decision of who shall have her."
Life then turned, carrying the body - the soul left to Death. She moved to take the corpse to deck, where so many were congregating. The manifestation of herself near Gabriel - the one not holding Kiaati's body - was the one that disappeared. At this point, Life's eyes drifted to the triad: Drandar, Zandra, and the corpse of Kiaati that she now placed down on the planks of the deck. She spoke softly, sparing only a glance to Death. She would lay her cards on the table, she would show everything she had up her sleeve.
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"It is interesting that this world is so invested in all of you. Each having been marked and favored by its elements." Her fingers brushed across the silver spirals on the woman, the extension of the marking that had at first only covered Kiaati's hand. It was through Amadahy that they had come to fruition, marking from fingertip to throat. Life's eyes rested on the Ladies.
"I recognize you, Water." The dark-skinned woman looked down at the blue crystal that appeared in her hand and glanced to Death. Surely he would recognize what this meant: Harmony was backing her, stepping in.The crystals belonged together, with each other there was harmony. Life gave an apologetic look to the water spirits.
"But, today your advocate has been silenced. For now, we will lend your strength and your spirit into her guardian, who shall speak for her as he knew her better than all." She draped the silver chain around Gabriel's neck, the crystal of Elocin glowing and thrumming faintly as it fell against his chest. Life didn't bother to look at Death now. She had made her point. Next, Life drifted to stand near Drandar, noting the sheen his skin held that was invisible to most viewers and knowing the deep loyalty of it in his past. Her eyes shifted to the woodsy figures in the boat.
"I recognize you, Earth." After all, it was only because of Earth that he was alive today. With out the Opal he would have been lost to demonic provocation. Life hung the green crystal around Drandar's neck. Finally, Life stood before Zandra. She smiled warmly, eyes sliding across the vastly changed woman and all the markings that identified her rebirth. This time the Terrachronan spoke directly to the heroine.
"You probably think that I am going to return to you that destructive force you once held, but that is not so. Fire is not an element of life. It is belongs to everything I am not. You are no longer the woman you were. You have stepped away and into the grace of a new life." Her eyes lifted to brush across the Obscarians and the creatures of the sky. She spoke softly to them now as she slipped the clear crystal over Zandra's head.
"I recognize you, Air." She was the Warrior Princess to the sky people, the Obscarians. It was air that had rescued her, and with that fire had lost its unwavering sway. Life now stepped back, looking down at the red crystal in her hand.
"But, believe me, my existence would not be as precious if there were no Death. Harmony would not be as sweet without Chaos. And Time would have no meaning without the bittersweet of Fate. So I recognize fire, and entrust it to all of you, lest the temptation throw the balance." Life clapped her hands together, the red crystal shattering into three pieces which then shot to each individual, bonding with their own respective crystals.
"Let these bear weight along with your sorrow as you speak your hearts today."
"I recognize you, Water." The dark-skinned woman looked down at the blue crystal that appeared in her hand and glanced to Death. Surely he would recognize what this meant: Harmony was backing her, stepping in.The crystals belonged together, with each other there was harmony. Life gave an apologetic look to the water spirits.
"But, today your advocate has been silenced. For now, we will lend your strength and your spirit into her guardian, who shall speak for her as he knew her better than all." She draped the silver chain around Gabriel's neck, the crystal of Elocin glowing and thrumming faintly as it fell against his chest. Life didn't bother to look at Death now. She had made her point. Next, Life drifted to stand near Drandar, noting the sheen his skin held that was invisible to most viewers and knowing the deep loyalty of it in his past. Her eyes shifted to the woodsy figures in the boat.
"I recognize you, Earth." After all, it was only because of Earth that he was alive today. With out the Opal he would have been lost to demonic provocation. Life hung the green crystal around Drandar's neck. Finally, Life stood before Zandra. She smiled warmly, eyes sliding across the vastly changed woman and all the markings that identified her rebirth. This time the Terrachronan spoke directly to the heroine.
"You probably think that I am going to return to you that destructive force you once held, but that is not so. Fire is not an element of life. It is belongs to everything I am not. You are no longer the woman you were. You have stepped away and into the grace of a new life." Her eyes lifted to brush across the Obscarians and the creatures of the sky. She spoke softly to them now as she slipped the clear crystal over Zandra's head.
"I recognize you, Air." She was the Warrior Princess to the sky people, the Obscarians. It was air that had rescued her, and with that fire had lost its unwavering sway. Life now stepped back, looking down at the red crystal in her hand.
"But, believe me, my existence would not be as precious if there were no Death. Harmony would not be as sweet without Chaos. And Time would have no meaning without the bittersweet of Fate. So I recognize fire, and entrust it to all of you, lest the temptation throw the balance." Life clapped her hands together, the red crystal shattering into three pieces which then shot to each individual, bonding with their own respective crystals.
"Let these bear weight along with your sorrow as you speak your hearts today."
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Zandra glanced to her lover, and then to the unmoving body upon the deck, cradling frightened Ariel that had found her, watching a 'brave' Xamien stare at all those that had shown up. But it was Death that had his full attention. It was Death that held his mother.
Death was not bothered by the promises of those behind Life. He knew as well as Life did this was not the first time he'd had such cards placed before him. The world tended to have a predictableness to it. But he did spare the young Xamien a glance.
Children were welcomed as all others were, but children to be in his comfort were a bit more complex. He knew this boy would not live long without this mother. Not that this guilted him, just one of those tiny things you note about people.
Death maintained his silence as his hands lightly brushed over the slumbering Kiaati's face, kissing each cheek lightly.
" My slumbering queen, wake. Take part in the Fate of your soul."
He instructed of the soul in his arms. He would hold her, if she wished escape from the difficult life she'd lead. He'd be comfortable with either decision. After all, all life eventually ends in Death. He would hold his women now, or later. Time held little relevance for him.
Zandra watched as Kiaati's soul became animated once more, watching her wake in such a peaceful way. She'd never woken with that tiny stretch and smile that she knew of. Ever. And the slightly dreamy look to her face..... Perhaps it would be better if this ended... if Kiaati could have the comforts of death.
Gabriel did not move, even when the soul stirred. At least, not right away. When he did move, it was to the body upon the floor. It was to clean the body up with care that was uncanny. The odd thing to note? Aside from the filth, the woman was now healed. The body was whole, and waiting. Still chilled to the touch, and clearly dead, but perfectly whole.
Zandra did not question the actions of the Obscarian, but she did let her eyes wonder over Kiril, and then she moved towards Tuss, petting the bird and cat alike. Even if the choice was to remain departed, at least there was the comfort of friends here.
Now she finally spoke, eyes looking to Drandar.
"Love... if she chooses death..."
They needed to find a new planet, this one was doomed. She could tell you that, just by the face that Fate had made upon her appearance.
Death was not bothered by the promises of those behind Life. He knew as well as Life did this was not the first time he'd had such cards placed before him. The world tended to have a predictableness to it. But he did spare the young Xamien a glance.
Children were welcomed as all others were, but children to be in his comfort were a bit more complex. He knew this boy would not live long without this mother. Not that this guilted him, just one of those tiny things you note about people.
Death maintained his silence as his hands lightly brushed over the slumbering Kiaati's face, kissing each cheek lightly.
" My slumbering queen, wake. Take part in the Fate of your soul."
He instructed of the soul in his arms. He would hold her, if she wished escape from the difficult life she'd lead. He'd be comfortable with either decision. After all, all life eventually ends in Death. He would hold his women now, or later. Time held little relevance for him.
Zandra watched as Kiaati's soul became animated once more, watching her wake in such a peaceful way. She'd never woken with that tiny stretch and smile that she knew of. Ever. And the slightly dreamy look to her face..... Perhaps it would be better if this ended... if Kiaati could have the comforts of death.
Gabriel did not move, even when the soul stirred. At least, not right away. When he did move, it was to the body upon the floor. It was to clean the body up with care that was uncanny. The odd thing to note? Aside from the filth, the woman was now healed. The body was whole, and waiting. Still chilled to the touch, and clearly dead, but perfectly whole.
Zandra did not question the actions of the Obscarian, but she did let her eyes wonder over Kiril, and then she moved towards Tuss, petting the bird and cat alike. Even if the choice was to remain departed, at least there was the comfort of friends here.
Now she finally spoke, eyes looking to Drandar.
"Love... if she chooses death..."
They needed to find a new planet, this one was doomed. She could tell you that, just by the face that Fate had made upon her appearance.
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Life knelt beside Xamein, pulling her up onto her knees. She patted the boy gently, speaking soothingly. Life's touch would have felt to him like what people describe when they say 'love' or 'mom' or 'home'. It would have been everything of both Lunar and Kiaati. She felt for the child.
Drandar was standing there, kind of pale. He was just having a hard time wrapping his head around this whole thing. He was stumbling over the single issue that Kiaati was dead, that it was her lifeblood that was on his hands and clothes. From there, it was easy to see why he was struggling with everything else.
"I..." He didn't know what to say right now, or even how to respond to Zandra. He just couldn't formulate right this moment. What did this all mean? Opal was crying endlessly, and Torin was obviously broken up. Everyone... This death weighed heavily on the air, heavier than any other thus far.
Harmony did not materialize - nor did Chaos. In general, they both liked to look on and weave their ways from afar. Harmony had just made her presence known enough by bring together those balanced pieces for Life to hand out. For a moment, there was a silence as all the creatures seemed to be waiting on each other. Slowly, the Ladies and the Dryads climbed up onto the deck of the boat as they reached the shore by their own means. They moved to stand around their favored ones. Life let out a breath and took in the silence with her own words as she put the little boy back down and stood up herself.
"I can do it, but there is compense to every birth. There are rules." Life's white eyes turned to Death, though she continued to speak to the two demons. She didn't bother to clarify what 'it' was. After all, that would only be insulting the intelligence of everyone present. They all knew that the majority of the people here wanted Life to restore Kiaati. However, what she spoke was truth - the other Terrachronans would know this.
"I could breathe into this body right this moment and you would have nothing but a living corpse. A body is useless without a soul. But, there are rules for binding a soul to a body, just like there are rules for cleaving it. Which brings us to a question: Will you fight for Kiaati's life?" The woman asked this with her gaze settling upon the two demons. However, she barely gave a pause at this point.
"Don't worry, though. I know that is an unfair question. I know that I cannot ask it yet. You do not know what you would be jumping in to, what you would be fighting to do. For me to bind that soul to a body, I need two things. You must bring me someone to endure the pain brought by bringing a soul to my side - someone that does not know her, someone willing to suffer for the stranger, not their purpose, not their name." That made sense. After all, wasn't every birth marked by the endurance of pain for a new stranger? Life's gaze remained unbreakingly on the two demons, and she did not flinch or waver in what she said next.
"And you must bring me a shroud of her mother." Her eyes held the two faces for a long moment before sighing and smiling faintly. Then there was that familiar, almost lazy voice. It drifted across the air before the man with golden hair appeared. It seemed that Time had deemed it appropriate to make an appearance as well.
"And you will only have the space of two moons to achieve this." His eyes drifted to Life as though he was just as much telling her just as much as he was telling the demons. "It is not natural nor fair to suspend time. Not for the dead. Not for the living." Life inclined her head in a gesture of acknowledgement. After all, why would she even dream of fighting Time? However, the ivory-haired woman did look back to the demons and offered another tidbit.
"There was one more condition, but this is out of your hands just as much as it is out of mine. This one rests with you, Beloved." Life's attention had turned to face the soul in Death's arms. Honestly, she had been a little surprised that he had chosen to wake her up, to have her watch this. After all, at this point Kiaati was as good as dead.
"Understand that you can always change your mind - it is your free will. However, just so the others have an idea of whether it is worth trying, answer me this: Would you allow me to hold you? If your friends fought for you and won, would you come back to this?" Life gestured to the body on the deck that Gabriel was now watching over. Those that didn't want to be helped couldn't be helped - end of story. Kiaati's soul was strong, though... Said woman now turned her eyes to her own corpse for the first time since dying. She gasped in a sharp breath, the fingers of her furthest hand actually curling into the fabric of Death's shirt. No one would have noticed it save for that Terrachronan, which might have been a good sign for him. After all, even if this deal was struck, he would have up to two months in which he could hold this soul, to attempt to sway her opinion so that she might choose to stay dead. Life must have known this, for no sooner had Kiaati given a tiny nod did Life look to the man and speak.
"But I know how you are. I agree that souls that move so close to you can never really walk the same path as before, so I wouldn't take her from you completely. To keep the balance, you may have her when time naturally stops and the toils of life abandon a soul. Even if restored, you will always have her when she sleeps." Life had been peering at Death intently, but now she tossed a small glance and a few more words to the demons. She was striking a bargain with more than one entity at once.
"There lies the road before you. Given this, now I do ask you: Will you fight for Kiaati's life?"
Drandar was standing there, kind of pale. He was just having a hard time wrapping his head around this whole thing. He was stumbling over the single issue that Kiaati was dead, that it was her lifeblood that was on his hands and clothes. From there, it was easy to see why he was struggling with everything else.
"I..." He didn't know what to say right now, or even how to respond to Zandra. He just couldn't formulate right this moment. What did this all mean? Opal was crying endlessly, and Torin was obviously broken up. Everyone... This death weighed heavily on the air, heavier than any other thus far.
Harmony did not materialize - nor did Chaos. In general, they both liked to look on and weave their ways from afar. Harmony had just made her presence known enough by bring together those balanced pieces for Life to hand out. For a moment, there was a silence as all the creatures seemed to be waiting on each other. Slowly, the Ladies and the Dryads climbed up onto the deck of the boat as they reached the shore by their own means. They moved to stand around their favored ones. Life let out a breath and took in the silence with her own words as she put the little boy back down and stood up herself.
"I can do it, but there is compense to every birth. There are rules." Life's white eyes turned to Death, though she continued to speak to the two demons. She didn't bother to clarify what 'it' was. After all, that would only be insulting the intelligence of everyone present. They all knew that the majority of the people here wanted Life to restore Kiaati. However, what she spoke was truth - the other Terrachronans would know this.
"I could breathe into this body right this moment and you would have nothing but a living corpse. A body is useless without a soul. But, there are rules for binding a soul to a body, just like there are rules for cleaving it. Which brings us to a question: Will you fight for Kiaati's life?" The woman asked this with her gaze settling upon the two demons. However, she barely gave a pause at this point.
"Don't worry, though. I know that is an unfair question. I know that I cannot ask it yet. You do not know what you would be jumping in to, what you would be fighting to do. For me to bind that soul to a body, I need two things. You must bring me someone to endure the pain brought by bringing a soul to my side - someone that does not know her, someone willing to suffer for the stranger, not their purpose, not their name." That made sense. After all, wasn't every birth marked by the endurance of pain for a new stranger? Life's gaze remained unbreakingly on the two demons, and she did not flinch or waver in what she said next.
"And you must bring me a shroud of her mother." Her eyes held the two faces for a long moment before sighing and smiling faintly. Then there was that familiar, almost lazy voice. It drifted across the air before the man with golden hair appeared. It seemed that Time had deemed it appropriate to make an appearance as well.
"And you will only have the space of two moons to achieve this." His eyes drifted to Life as though he was just as much telling her just as much as he was telling the demons. "It is not natural nor fair to suspend time. Not for the dead. Not for the living." Life inclined her head in a gesture of acknowledgement. After all, why would she even dream of fighting Time? However, the ivory-haired woman did look back to the demons and offered another tidbit.
"There was one more condition, but this is out of your hands just as much as it is out of mine. This one rests with you, Beloved." Life's attention had turned to face the soul in Death's arms. Honestly, she had been a little surprised that he had chosen to wake her up, to have her watch this. After all, at this point Kiaati was as good as dead.
"Understand that you can always change your mind - it is your free will. However, just so the others have an idea of whether it is worth trying, answer me this: Would you allow me to hold you? If your friends fought for you and won, would you come back to this?" Life gestured to the body on the deck that Gabriel was now watching over. Those that didn't want to be helped couldn't be helped - end of story. Kiaati's soul was strong, though... Said woman now turned her eyes to her own corpse for the first time since dying. She gasped in a sharp breath, the fingers of her furthest hand actually curling into the fabric of Death's shirt. No one would have noticed it save for that Terrachronan, which might have been a good sign for him. After all, even if this deal was struck, he would have up to two months in which he could hold this soul, to attempt to sway her opinion so that she might choose to stay dead. Life must have known this, for no sooner had Kiaati given a tiny nod did Life look to the man and speak.
"But I know how you are. I agree that souls that move so close to you can never really walk the same path as before, so I wouldn't take her from you completely. To keep the balance, you may have her when time naturally stops and the toils of life abandon a soul. Even if restored, you will always have her when she sleeps." Life had been peering at Death intently, but now she tossed a small glance and a few more words to the demons. She was striking a bargain with more than one entity at once.
"There lies the road before you. Given this, now I do ask you: Will you fight for Kiaati's life?"
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Zandra's answer was long in coming, though, to be fair, consider what was being asked of her. it was not the issue of the shroud, enough work could get that, but finding a stranger ... that would be difficult, there were those out there, and she was certain they could find them...
Now her eyes fell away as her thoughts turned inward. If the did this and failed, they lost nothing more then they already had. All they would cost these people would be the effort put forth. Which is what now summoned a tiny look from the woman as she glanced over towards Drandar.
Slowly she turned her eyes to run over Ariel. And then back to Drandar. As odd as it were, these were the priority in her life. These two people. Ariel would be her charge as long as she was here to tend her, and Drandar....
Eventually her eyes fell to precious little innocent crying Opal, and torn Torin... Shaking her head, she finally let her eyes return to the one that made her decision the easiest. Xamien. A child needed a mother more so then they needed anything else in this world. he'd been robed of one, and now she was not about to just sit aside and allow the earth to claim the second.
No words were offered in her consent though, just a small nod as she brushed Ariel's hair back from her face.
Death looked over his soul in his arms, kissing her without the smallest of hesitation. Come on, we all know how Death is.
" Then know your free to return, but remember, your are now, and always will, belong to me."
He'd given his consent, for the most part. He'd simply reminded Life he was not permitting her to reclaim Kiaati. He was allowing the soul the liberty to return to her body, should her friends follow through successfully, but he was, in no way, relinquishing his rights to her. Life would not be granted that from this man.
Now his eyes returned to the others, and his smiled, in a way that earned him a look that would likely repulse most men... he was not most men.
" You will be right beside her when you chose to part."
Forever two of the three queens who would share his house, his home, his hold, and his bed, in eternal death.
Zandra shook her head, moving to Drandar. Nope, she didn't want Death, no matter the comforts he clearly granted those that took him.
Fate nodded with approval to Zandra's consent, looking to Drandar.
" You must commit, one way or the other."
They all likely knew he'd go with Zandra, but this was one of those things you have to sincerely, and obviously state which way your going. Implication wasn't holding it here.
Now her eyes fell away as her thoughts turned inward. If the did this and failed, they lost nothing more then they already had. All they would cost these people would be the effort put forth. Which is what now summoned a tiny look from the woman as she glanced over towards Drandar.
Slowly she turned her eyes to run over Ariel. And then back to Drandar. As odd as it were, these were the priority in her life. These two people. Ariel would be her charge as long as she was here to tend her, and Drandar....
Eventually her eyes fell to precious little innocent crying Opal, and torn Torin... Shaking her head, she finally let her eyes return to the one that made her decision the easiest. Xamien. A child needed a mother more so then they needed anything else in this world. he'd been robed of one, and now she was not about to just sit aside and allow the earth to claim the second.
No words were offered in her consent though, just a small nod as she brushed Ariel's hair back from her face.
Death looked over his soul in his arms, kissing her without the smallest of hesitation. Come on, we all know how Death is.
" Then know your free to return, but remember, your are now, and always will, belong to me."
He'd given his consent, for the most part. He'd simply reminded Life he was not permitting her to reclaim Kiaati. He was allowing the soul the liberty to return to her body, should her friends follow through successfully, but he was, in no way, relinquishing his rights to her. Life would not be granted that from this man.
Now his eyes returned to the others, and his smiled, in a way that earned him a look that would likely repulse most men... he was not most men.
" You will be right beside her when you chose to part."
Forever two of the three queens who would share his house, his home, his hold, and his bed, in eternal death.
Zandra shook her head, moving to Drandar. Nope, she didn't want Death, no matter the comforts he clearly granted those that took him.
Fate nodded with approval to Zandra's consent, looking to Drandar.
" You must commit, one way or the other."
They all likely knew he'd go with Zandra, but this was one of those things you have to sincerely, and obviously state which way your going. Implication wasn't holding it here.
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Sushi
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Drandar watched the whole thing happen in that sort of surreal blur. He heard all of the words - from the warnings to the demands. He watched as the people moved - from the way that Life glided about them to the way that Kiaati jumped when kissed. Drandar thought that was strange. Death had startled Kiaati, but she had not smacked him for daring to kiss her.
He understood what was happening, but... The man looked over at Zandra, and then reached out, pressing a bloody hand to her back. It wasn't clear if this was to comfort her or if it was to comfort him. Drandar just wasn't sure at this point. Nothing seemed like the crystal clear 'right' thing to do. Normally, it was apparent, but this time it seemed that someone lost either way.
Drandar just gave a small nod as well, standing near to Zandra. That's all he could do. He would always have her back. On this one he would follow her, he had to trust her.
Life now looked to Death and gave him a small nod, just of acknowledgement. Then, she turned to the others.
"Alright, then. You know what must be done. For two months and only two months, I will keep her body from returning to the earth." Life bent down to the corpse, looking at Gabriel who was still there. She looked up at the Obscarian, smiling gently. The woman picked up his hand off of the corpse, holding the massive thing between her two small ones. She turned it over, placing one hand across his palm. She spoke to him quietly.
"Go on, Chosen Guardian. They need you and what you know. Your charge is safe with me." Then, she drew away her hand, leaving a daisy in his. Life then reached down and took the body once more into her arms, standing. There were only two words left to say, and she offered them to the demons.
"Good luck." Life swirled around as though to walk away. As her skirt flaired around her knees, more white fabric seemed to reach up and she disappeared into it, leaving the two. Now that there was little reason for him to remain present, Time nodded to Death cordially before he fell apart into a thousand little particles of sand that blew away on a nonexistent breeze. He didn't normally show off, but hey - this sort of thing didn't happen every day.
Only now did something occur to the male demon. Drandar swallowed hard and looked pointedly to Zandra.
"I thought Kiaati never had parents..." And they only had two months to find a shroud of her mother.
Now apart from all other living creatures, Life gazed down at the body in her arms. Poor girl. It was probably better that Death had taken her soul, and this Terrachronan felt bad for her, bad for the fact that if the two succeeded, then she was going to have to take it back. Her bare feet padded across the cool hardwood floor that was her own. It was a small place, nothing like Death's, but then again she did prefer to roam the surface of the living planets. Either way...
This was much like a monastery - flat, open, and mostly empty. Life crossed the floor and turned around a corner, carrying Kiaati's limp corpse all the way to the back. The woman leaned over a stone basin and lowered the body that she had been carrying. Kiaati's body submerged into the pool of liquid that looked much like a translucent mercury. Life gave a sigh and leaned over, dipping her hand into the liquid and stroking the woman's forehead. She spoke softly.
"Just for a while, child." She stood up and flicked her dress, every single blood drop that had gathered onto her clothes earlier flying off and landing in the basin. It was sad, the life she had to spin and the way that Fate had to treat this poor girl.
He understood what was happening, but... The man looked over at Zandra, and then reached out, pressing a bloody hand to her back. It wasn't clear if this was to comfort her or if it was to comfort him. Drandar just wasn't sure at this point. Nothing seemed like the crystal clear 'right' thing to do. Normally, it was apparent, but this time it seemed that someone lost either way.
Drandar just gave a small nod as well, standing near to Zandra. That's all he could do. He would always have her back. On this one he would follow her, he had to trust her.
Life now looked to Death and gave him a small nod, just of acknowledgement. Then, she turned to the others.
"Alright, then. You know what must be done. For two months and only two months, I will keep her body from returning to the earth." Life bent down to the corpse, looking at Gabriel who was still there. She looked up at the Obscarian, smiling gently. The woman picked up his hand off of the corpse, holding the massive thing between her two small ones. She turned it over, placing one hand across his palm. She spoke to him quietly.
"Go on, Chosen Guardian. They need you and what you know. Your charge is safe with me." Then, she drew away her hand, leaving a daisy in his. Life then reached down and took the body once more into her arms, standing. There were only two words left to say, and she offered them to the demons.
"Good luck." Life swirled around as though to walk away. As her skirt flaired around her knees, more white fabric seemed to reach up and she disappeared into it, leaving the two. Now that there was little reason for him to remain present, Time nodded to Death cordially before he fell apart into a thousand little particles of sand that blew away on a nonexistent breeze. He didn't normally show off, but hey - this sort of thing didn't happen every day.
Only now did something occur to the male demon. Drandar swallowed hard and looked pointedly to Zandra.
"I thought Kiaati never had parents..." And they only had two months to find a shroud of her mother.
Now apart from all other living creatures, Life gazed down at the body in her arms. Poor girl. It was probably better that Death had taken her soul, and this Terrachronan felt bad for her, bad for the fact that if the two succeeded, then she was going to have to take it back. Her bare feet padded across the cool hardwood floor that was her own. It was a small place, nothing like Death's, but then again she did prefer to roam the surface of the living planets. Either way...
This was much like a monastery - flat, open, and mostly empty. Life crossed the floor and turned around a corner, carrying Kiaati's limp corpse all the way to the back. The woman leaned over a stone basin and lowered the body that she had been carrying. Kiaati's body submerged into the pool of liquid that looked much like a translucent mercury. Life gave a sigh and leaned over, dipping her hand into the liquid and stroking the woman's forehead. She spoke softly.
"Just for a while, child." She stood up and flicked her dress, every single blood drop that had gathered onto her clothes earlier flying off and landing in the basin. It was sad, the life she had to spin and the way that Fate had to treat this poor girl.
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Death had vanished the same time as Life. Though he left his soul waking as he placed Kiaati down in his sitting room, his eyes roaming over her, lightly allowing his finger to brush back her firey red hair.
" Welcome home, love."
He motioned gently with his hand.
Zandra sighed.
" Every creature has a mother."
She offered her lover gently, looking to Gabriel. She was not put in charge now, was she? She was certain that this next two months was going to be.. difficult.
" I suppose we ought to get started."
She purred gently, snuggling Ariel, looking at poor Xamien... and then hee.. faded?
Fate had taken the child for now. Xamien was actually currently sitting in Harmony's lap, smiling at her.
" My mother would have liked you."
Of course she would have. His birth mother had worshiped this deity. She'd believed in Harmony above and before all things. Not that this was an uncommon thing, there were those out there to support Life, Death, Fate, ect. Fate had brought the boy free of the situation, merely because he'd been on the verge of commiting an act that would have later -Should the group succeed- made Kiaati worthless. A mother who mourns her child is not what they needed on their hands.
Which is why Xamien was currently looking at Harmony's scales. Fate wins when she wants to
Zandra glanced to Angelica when she spoke, a bit startled.
" The gods hold them now."
Oh, that was a comfort, the same gods who'd cursed them all to this issue in the first forsaken place? Oh yes, Angelica, do not get Zandra on that one...
Gabriel was still holding his silence, looking like he was everywhere else, but here. He had not moved since Kiaati's body had been moved away. He felt .. off. He was. he was lingering between Life and Death. His fate was in the stakes just as much as Kiaati's was.
" Welcome home, love."
He motioned gently with his hand.
Zandra sighed.
" Every creature has a mother."
She offered her lover gently, looking to Gabriel. She was not put in charge now, was she? She was certain that this next two months was going to be.. difficult.
" I suppose we ought to get started."
She purred gently, snuggling Ariel, looking at poor Xamien... and then hee.. faded?
Fate had taken the child for now. Xamien was actually currently sitting in Harmony's lap, smiling at her.
" My mother would have liked you."
Of course she would have. His birth mother had worshiped this deity. She'd believed in Harmony above and before all things. Not that this was an uncommon thing, there were those out there to support Life, Death, Fate, ect. Fate had brought the boy free of the situation, merely because he'd been on the verge of commiting an act that would have later -Should the group succeed- made Kiaati worthless. A mother who mourns her child is not what they needed on their hands.
Which is why Xamien was currently looking at Harmony's scales. Fate wins when she wants to
Zandra glanced to Angelica when she spoke, a bit startled.
" The gods hold them now."
Oh, that was a comfort, the same gods who'd cursed them all to this issue in the first forsaken place? Oh yes, Angelica, do not get Zandra on that one...
Gabriel was still holding his silence, looking like he was everywhere else, but here. He had not moved since Kiaati's body had been moved away. He felt .. off. He was. he was lingering between Life and Death. His fate was in the stakes just as much as Kiaati's was.
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Amadahy turned her head to face Zandra's familiar voice, and she gave a small smile.
"You are a perplexity, High One. Yet, if that is your wish, then we will gladly aid you on your way." The woman paused, shifting her lantern to her other hand as she quietly paced over to the side of the boat, standing there and seeming to gaze over the waters left behind at this shored up place. Yet, she did not move to leave, not yet.
"Will you rush forward? Or will you stay for a while to see what can be found on this isle of forgotten things?" The other two Ladies moved to other edges of the boat, also considering the seas as though weighing it for answers. Then, another of them spoke.
"We cannot stay for long, so choose well. Would you have us protect you or guide you?"
Tuss lowered his massive blue body so that he was just laying on the deck. Kiril leapt up on his back, but the bird didn't move, his head resting upon the planks even as the cat spoke.
"I was beginning to worry about you. I mean, you left like it was forever. Are you staying around this time?"
The bird didn't respond at first. He just lay there as the cat walked around on him, only lifting his head a little so that his big eye could rest upon Gabriel. He gave a soft, beaten response.
"It does not really matter, now does it? I suppose I will do as M'lord commands." That was Gabriel. Tuss belonged to Kiaati, and she was gone. It was a deep loss for him as well as for the Obscarian.
Drandar, meanwhile, had simply shook his head. He knew that. He knew that obviously Kiaati had come from somewhere, but she was orphaned. She made it sound like she didn't even know who her parents were. And then, a stranger? Kiaati seemed to know everyone, to have a reach out everywhere. How could they function outside of that?
"Where do we even begin?" His question was spoken with a soft despair.
Drandar was wrong. Kiaati had known who her parents were, but not until recently. In the unfolding of dreams, or rather of memories, it had come to her in a way that only she and her Chosen Guardian would know. Weren't there hints that she had known aloud? After all, she had told her friends that she remembered her name: Kiaati Ileena-Tay Eldridge. She was the daughter of two Eldridges, Asauna and Kovu. Slowly in her sleep she had come to know them in a fleeting way, through Liana.
Where to begin? That was hardly the question that should be asked. The one that Drandar should be trying to tackle was much more fundamental. Where had Kiaati come from? That was where they should begin, and that was perhaps good news. After all, they had been to where Kiaati had grown up. Her orphanage was the same as Ariel's.
Harmony smiled gently at the little boy.
"How about you? Do you like me?" The childlike Terrachronan moved, taking Xamein by the hand and tugging him over towards her scales. Yes, she had seen him looking over it.
Kiaati, meanwhile, had turned her eyes about the place. She didn't shy away from Death's touch, though that lock of hair was rather stubborn and fell right back into her face. You should have woven it into her coronet if you wanted something else from it. After a moment, the soul shifted to her feet. Her eyes drifted across the room, seeming to be drinking everything in.
"Please..." Kiaati jumped slightly. It was obvious that the sound of her voice had startled her a little bit. It sounded different, though she couldn't quite put her finger on how. Either way, she shook her head and then turned those dark green eyes to rest on Death.
"Don't call me 'Love'. I've had quite enough of false names." After all, very few people could be certain what her real one was.
"You are a perplexity, High One. Yet, if that is your wish, then we will gladly aid you on your way." The woman paused, shifting her lantern to her other hand as she quietly paced over to the side of the boat, standing there and seeming to gaze over the waters left behind at this shored up place. Yet, she did not move to leave, not yet.
"Will you rush forward? Or will you stay for a while to see what can be found on this isle of forgotten things?" The other two Ladies moved to other edges of the boat, also considering the seas as though weighing it for answers. Then, another of them spoke.
"We cannot stay for long, so choose well. Would you have us protect you or guide you?"
Tuss lowered his massive blue body so that he was just laying on the deck. Kiril leapt up on his back, but the bird didn't move, his head resting upon the planks even as the cat spoke.
"I was beginning to worry about you. I mean, you left like it was forever. Are you staying around this time?"
The bird didn't respond at first. He just lay there as the cat walked around on him, only lifting his head a little so that his big eye could rest upon Gabriel. He gave a soft, beaten response.
"It does not really matter, now does it? I suppose I will do as M'lord commands." That was Gabriel. Tuss belonged to Kiaati, and she was gone. It was a deep loss for him as well as for the Obscarian.
Drandar, meanwhile, had simply shook his head. He knew that. He knew that obviously Kiaati had come from somewhere, but she was orphaned. She made it sound like she didn't even know who her parents were. And then, a stranger? Kiaati seemed to know everyone, to have a reach out everywhere. How could they function outside of that?
"Where do we even begin?" His question was spoken with a soft despair.
Drandar was wrong. Kiaati had known who her parents were, but not until recently. In the unfolding of dreams, or rather of memories, it had come to her in a way that only she and her Chosen Guardian would know. Weren't there hints that she had known aloud? After all, she had told her friends that she remembered her name: Kiaati Ileena-Tay Eldridge. She was the daughter of two Eldridges, Asauna and Kovu. Slowly in her sleep she had come to know them in a fleeting way, through Liana.
Where to begin? That was hardly the question that should be asked. The one that Drandar should be trying to tackle was much more fundamental. Where had Kiaati come from? That was where they should begin, and that was perhaps good news. After all, they had been to where Kiaati had grown up. Her orphanage was the same as Ariel's.
Harmony smiled gently at the little boy.
"How about you? Do you like me?" The childlike Terrachronan moved, taking Xamein by the hand and tugging him over towards her scales. Yes, she had seen him looking over it.
Kiaati, meanwhile, had turned her eyes about the place. She didn't shy away from Death's touch, though that lock of hair was rather stubborn and fell right back into her face. You should have woven it into her coronet if you wanted something else from it. After a moment, the soul shifted to her feet. Her eyes drifted across the room, seeming to be drinking everything in.
"Please..." Kiaati jumped slightly. It was obvious that the sound of her voice had startled her a little bit. It sounded different, though she couldn't quite put her finger on how. Either way, she shook her head and then turned those dark green eyes to rest on Death.
"Don't call me 'Love'. I've had quite enough of false names." After all, very few people could be certain what her real one was.
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Death smiled upon Kiaati, laughing softly.
" It will not be false before long, darling. Like it or not, you will fall prey to as they all do. You grow to love the peace death offers."
He purred casually, leaving the woman to her tasks now. After all, he had work to tend to too.
Xamien looked over the scales, and he reached out, lightly touching them. He was a small child, curiosity was like their occupation, questions in the job description as he looked up at her.
" I do not know. I do not know you."
He replied honestly, smiling at her charmingly.
As much as she could lead, as much as she was a leader, she'd gotten use to following. Calling the shots was second nature, but it was still a struggle right now. There were easily things that were important to discover upon this island, but there were more important things pressing, away form it.
This is why Zandra's eyes rolled to Amadahy, her voice sounding aged suddenly.
" Guide us on."
She purred gently, looking to Drandar.
" We simply must go back to where we know to start. ... Finding a kind person to suffer for the good of another is not so much of a challenge as you think. Not in comparison."
She commented, moving to take Ariel to a safe place, the Obscarians already preparing the ship to ship out once more.
" It will not be false before long, darling. Like it or not, you will fall prey to as they all do. You grow to love the peace death offers."
He purred casually, leaving the woman to her tasks now. After all, he had work to tend to too.
Xamien looked over the scales, and he reached out, lightly touching them. He was a small child, curiosity was like their occupation, questions in the job description as he looked up at her.
" I do not know. I do not know you."
He replied honestly, smiling at her charmingly.
As much as she could lead, as much as she was a leader, she'd gotten use to following. Calling the shots was second nature, but it was still a struggle right now. There were easily things that were important to discover upon this island, but there were more important things pressing, away form it.
This is why Zandra's eyes rolled to Amadahy, her voice sounding aged suddenly.
" Guide us on."
She purred gently, looking to Drandar.
" We simply must go back to where we know to start. ... Finding a kind person to suffer for the good of another is not so much of a challenge as you think. Not in comparison."
She commented, moving to take Ariel to a safe place, the Obscarians already preparing the ship to ship out once more.
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((Split into three posts, one for each story arc. Hope that it helps with your reading efforts.))
Drandar could do almost nothing but shake his head. This was a death that could be felt to the very core of his being, though he couldn't explain it. After all, Zandra was his Princess, his love - why did that suddenly feel even more important than it had been before? Either way, it was Zandra that he was so attached to. It had merely been a respect that he and Kiaati had shared, a sort of ideological professionalism. No, wait. They were friends too. He had been a friend with that crazy woman.
Now, the man thought about that. What exactly did that mean? What did this mean? He suddenly felt lost and ashamed. He was realizing how fragile of a fiber that had been. How could he say that he was her friend? How could any of them? No one had really known who Kiaati was. They had seen her suffer, and had seen her drag herself out of the gutter from her lowest point. gnihtemos about her had seemed impossibly, well, not human. Drandar had forgotten her fragility; she had masked it with strength just as she masked everything else. At least, he had forgotten it before. Now he couldn't rid that image from his head, the picture of the woman's body crumpled on the planks below. Had she always been so small? Kiaati had always seemed larger than life to him.
Drandar shook his head again, trying to push away the thoughts. He was plenty steady, as Zandra was his anchor, but it felt like some part of their gravitational pull was off balance. The demon kind of felt... lost.
However, he moved. Food. He was starving, and he was pretty sure that others would be hungry too. Even as he moved down to the cargo hold, though, Drandar had to wonder why he had to work up so much courage. It was just blood. Blood couldn't hurt anyone, unless it was diseased or gnihtemos. Kiaati hadn't had a disease. At least, he didn't think she did. They would have noticed gnihtemos like that, right? Suddenly, Drandar wasn't so sure.
Meanwhile, above deck, Amadahy and the other two Ladies shifted about the boat. Amadahy and one other had blinded orange eyes - this was not the sort of water they were the guardians of. However, the third sister, the Lady of the Sea, could see just fine. She carried her lantern with her as she climbed to the forwardmost point on the helm. Amadahy moved to the starboard side and her sister to the port.
The Lady of the Sea turned for a moment to look over the Obscarians. She gave a soft smile.
"Work holds you together, but only with rest might you mend." It was spoken just as a sort of soft riddling, and then it was followed by a gentle reminder. "Your souls are not the most wounded." They needed the Princess and Prince to not let this gaping wound cripple them. Sometimes, though, people needed help to heal. Don't worry about inanimate things like a ship. Not right now. Worry about people - they were more important.
Either way, the Lady did not mention any of that. The Obscarians already knew that. Reminding them directly was only insult to injury. The Ladies were simply not that way. There was not another word that passed between them. However, the Lady of the Sea turned to face forward. She lifted both hands slightly, and each of her sisters lifted only the one that was closest to the outside of the boat. The ocean's tide swelled slightly, sweeping the boat away from the shore. Just like that, the path of the chosen changed again. The waters of the sea were calm, pushing the boat along. It wouldn't matter the winds or sailing. The Ginger Crest would go well on her own under the guidance of the Ladies.
Drandar paused as he stepped back up onto the deck. He was holding a large crate that he intended to take into the kitchen. He had no inclination to eat the whole thing, but there were a lot of people, and he didn't want to go back down there soon. He glanced around at everyone.
"Where are we going?"
Amadahy gave a soft smile and replied to him.
"Back to where it all began." At least, Zandra and Drandar would be. The Ladies would take them no further than the shore. Then they would be under the keep of Brooke and her sisters. Once they reached the orphanage, though, they would be on their own.
Drandar moved on into the internal part of the ship. He put the crate down in the kitchen, moving to rinse the blood off of his hands in a basin of seawater. His eyes turned to Zandra now.
"Did you know her?" More than it seemed, at least? Drandar hadn't been there at the beginning. He hadn't been present for when Kiaati and Zandra encountered each other. He didn't know how long Kiaati waited before telling Zandra exactly who she was... er... had been.
Drandar could do almost nothing but shake his head. This was a death that could be felt to the very core of his being, though he couldn't explain it. After all, Zandra was his Princess, his love - why did that suddenly feel even more important than it had been before? Either way, it was Zandra that he was so attached to. It had merely been a respect that he and Kiaati had shared, a sort of ideological professionalism. No, wait. They were friends too. He had been a friend with that crazy woman.
Now, the man thought about that. What exactly did that mean? What did this mean? He suddenly felt lost and ashamed. He was realizing how fragile of a fiber that had been. How could he say that he was her friend? How could any of them? No one had really known who Kiaati was. They had seen her suffer, and had seen her drag herself out of the gutter from her lowest point. gnihtemos about her had seemed impossibly, well, not human. Drandar had forgotten her fragility; she had masked it with strength just as she masked everything else. At least, he had forgotten it before. Now he couldn't rid that image from his head, the picture of the woman's body crumpled on the planks below. Had she always been so small? Kiaati had always seemed larger than life to him.
Drandar shook his head again, trying to push away the thoughts. He was plenty steady, as Zandra was his anchor, but it felt like some part of their gravitational pull was off balance. The demon kind of felt... lost.
However, he moved. Food. He was starving, and he was pretty sure that others would be hungry too. Even as he moved down to the cargo hold, though, Drandar had to wonder why he had to work up so much courage. It was just blood. Blood couldn't hurt anyone, unless it was diseased or gnihtemos. Kiaati hadn't had a disease. At least, he didn't think she did. They would have noticed gnihtemos like that, right? Suddenly, Drandar wasn't so sure.
Meanwhile, above deck, Amadahy and the other two Ladies shifted about the boat. Amadahy and one other had blinded orange eyes - this was not the sort of water they were the guardians of. However, the third sister, the Lady of the Sea, could see just fine. She carried her lantern with her as she climbed to the forwardmost point on the helm. Amadahy moved to the starboard side and her sister to the port.
The Lady of the Sea turned for a moment to look over the Obscarians. She gave a soft smile.
"Work holds you together, but only with rest might you mend." It was spoken just as a sort of soft riddling, and then it was followed by a gentle reminder. "Your souls are not the most wounded." They needed the Princess and Prince to not let this gaping wound cripple them. Sometimes, though, people needed help to heal. Don't worry about inanimate things like a ship. Not right now. Worry about people - they were more important.
Either way, the Lady did not mention any of that. The Obscarians already knew that. Reminding them directly was only insult to injury. The Ladies were simply not that way. There was not another word that passed between them. However, the Lady of the Sea turned to face forward. She lifted both hands slightly, and each of her sisters lifted only the one that was closest to the outside of the boat. The ocean's tide swelled slightly, sweeping the boat away from the shore. Just like that, the path of the chosen changed again. The waters of the sea were calm, pushing the boat along. It wouldn't matter the winds or sailing. The Ginger Crest would go well on her own under the guidance of the Ladies.
Drandar paused as he stepped back up onto the deck. He was holding a large crate that he intended to take into the kitchen. He had no inclination to eat the whole thing, but there were a lot of people, and he didn't want to go back down there soon. He glanced around at everyone.
"Where are we going?"
Amadahy gave a soft smile and replied to him.
"Back to where it all began." At least, Zandra and Drandar would be. The Ladies would take them no further than the shore. Then they would be under the keep of Brooke and her sisters. Once they reached the orphanage, though, they would be on their own.
Drandar moved on into the internal part of the ship. He put the crate down in the kitchen, moving to rinse the blood off of his hands in a basin of seawater. His eyes turned to Zandra now.
"Did you know her?" More than it seemed, at least? Drandar hadn't been there at the beginning. He hadn't been present for when Kiaati and Zandra encountered each other. He didn't know how long Kiaati waited before telling Zandra exactly who she was... er... had been.
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Harmony laughed gently.
"Yes, you do. I suppose you might feel like you know my brother, Chaos, better. Still, you do know me."
The childlike Terrachronan reached into one side of her scales. She drew out a single grain of sand, then placing it into the child's hand for him to consider. The scales quivered slightly. As it had been for a while now, the left side hung about two inches lower than the right. One of the worlds was starkly off kilter, out of balance. Chaos was winning. Harmony wasn't concerned. It would come back to her eventually.
"Yes, you do. I suppose you might feel like you know my brother, Chaos, better. Still, you do know me."
The childlike Terrachronan reached into one side of her scales. She drew out a single grain of sand, then placing it into the child's hand for him to consider. The scales quivered slightly. As it had been for a while now, the left side hung about two inches lower than the right. One of the worlds was starkly off kilter, out of balance. Chaos was winning. Harmony wasn't concerned. It would come back to her eventually.
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Kiaati watched Death go. She had no inclination to bicker with him, despite his ridiculous penchant for pet names. It bothered her more than she expected in that the woman really wished only to be called by her true name, gnihtemos she had seldom heard in life. However, at the same time, she found that she didn't care so much that Death spoke to her like she was a tender heart of his, even though she wasn't.
The woman moved through the house slowly. It took her a minute or two to place it, but then Kiaati remembered that she had been here before, once in a dream. She did not know that was Time's fault. However, she was able to see why it took her so long to recognize. The place seemed different now. Even as she stepped from the house, the air was not hot or stifling as she had remembered. The woman found herself moving through a garden flowing with the richest red roses she had ever seen. Were these the roses he had been giving her for the longest time now?
Her dark green eyes lifted then. The landscape was different than she remembered, yet it was oddly familiar to her as well. The woman didn't know that this was gnihtemos that changed to each soul that beheld it, millions of things all at once. When some good souls looked upon it, this world became streets of gold and clouds. For some, it overlapped with the worlds of other souls, people they had known and lost.
However, Kiaati's "heaven" was much simpler than most would have expected. It showed gnihtemos far more intimate about her than anything she could have said. The woman walked through the tall field of wheat, the golden stalks tickling about her elbows in the breeze. Though she had never been here before, she moved without question - some part of her knew this place. Kiaati made it to where the field ended, not far away at all. She stood still for a moment on the hill beneath the tree full of red apples ready for the harvest. A tiny piece of her knew that this was impossible, the golden wheat that was to be taken in early summer next to the rich apples of the fall, but Kiaati found that she didn't care about that either. It simply was. Oddly, that felt like enough.
The woman sat down under the shade of that tree, letting her feet drop over the edge of the cliff. She looked down at the shore far below. The intricate design of crop circles were carved into the sand, and each lapping wave of the incoming tide stretched a little further to wash them away. Kiaati watched this with a small, content smile. There were no people here, no one that she missed. If she chose, there would be plenty of time for that later. Right now, the woman wanted the quiet. Being alone was peaceful. No one was chasing her here. This was Kiaati's heaven.
After a couple minutes, Kiaati drew one of the many roses from her hair, twirling it between her fingers. She let the velvety petals brush her face as she smelled it and smiled. Then, she gave a soft laugh in amusement.
"Never in my entire life did I imagine you to be a romantic." She wasn't talking to anyone, not really. However, she was speaking of Death. It struck her as funny.
The woman moved through the house slowly. It took her a minute or two to place it, but then Kiaati remembered that she had been here before, once in a dream. She did not know that was Time's fault. However, she was able to see why it took her so long to recognize. The place seemed different now. Even as she stepped from the house, the air was not hot or stifling as she had remembered. The woman found herself moving through a garden flowing with the richest red roses she had ever seen. Were these the roses he had been giving her for the longest time now?
Her dark green eyes lifted then. The landscape was different than she remembered, yet it was oddly familiar to her as well. The woman didn't know that this was gnihtemos that changed to each soul that beheld it, millions of things all at once. When some good souls looked upon it, this world became streets of gold and clouds. For some, it overlapped with the worlds of other souls, people they had known and lost.
However, Kiaati's "heaven" was much simpler than most would have expected. It showed gnihtemos far more intimate about her than anything she could have said. The woman walked through the tall field of wheat, the golden stalks tickling about her elbows in the breeze. Though she had never been here before, she moved without question - some part of her knew this place. Kiaati made it to where the field ended, not far away at all. She stood still for a moment on the hill beneath the tree full of red apples ready for the harvest. A tiny piece of her knew that this was impossible, the golden wheat that was to be taken in early summer next to the rich apples of the fall, but Kiaati found that she didn't care about that either. It simply was. Oddly, that felt like enough.
The woman sat down under the shade of that tree, letting her feet drop over the edge of the cliff. She looked down at the shore far below. The intricate design of crop circles were carved into the sand, and each lapping wave of the incoming tide stretched a little further to wash them away. Kiaati watched this with a small, content smile. There were no people here, no one that she missed. If she chose, there would be plenty of time for that later. Right now, the woman wanted the quiet. Being alone was peaceful. No one was chasing her here. This was Kiaati's heaven.
After a couple minutes, Kiaati drew one of the many roses from her hair, twirling it between her fingers. She let the velvety petals brush her face as she smelled it and smiled. Then, she gave a soft laugh in amusement.
"Never in my entire life did I imagine you to be a romantic." She wasn't talking to anyone, not really. However, she was speaking of Death. It struck her as funny.
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Xamien looked completely unconvinced, but this did not matter as he was not fascinated with the grain of sand. It seemed to trivial, a grain of sand to the grown adult, but to a small man child as he was, it was a world of wonder that one grain could change the balanceÂ… on person could change it all.
“ How do they work?”
How did the sands represent the worlds?
“ What is more romantic then Death?”
Death questioned simply, eyes roaming over Kiaati as she sat there. gnihtemos, gnihtemos deep and dark inside of him was chuckling at such a thought. The rest of him knew this to be a fair reasoning as he placed a new ringlet of braided roses upon KiaatiÂ’s brow.
Zandra sighed.
“ I knew information, but that does not mean I knew the woman behind the facts. It ... She was very selective. I knew enough to think I could call her my friend.”
she replied gently, exhausted. But there was no break now as she moved to the edge of the ship, looking at the land fast approaching. They would soon dock. Then their would be constant movement. No rest for the weary.
“ How do they work?”
How did the sands represent the worlds?
“ What is more romantic then Death?”
Death questioned simply, eyes roaming over Kiaati as she sat there. gnihtemos, gnihtemos deep and dark inside of him was chuckling at such a thought. The rest of him knew this to be a fair reasoning as he placed a new ringlet of braided roses upon KiaatiÂ’s brow.
Zandra sighed.
“ I knew information, but that does not mean I knew the woman behind the facts. It ... She was very selective. I knew enough to think I could call her my friend.”
she replied gently, exhausted. But there was no break now as she moved to the edge of the ship, looking at the land fast approaching. They would soon dock. Then their would be constant movement. No rest for the weary.
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Drandar was silent for a while after this, just placing one hand around her waist and the other on the side of the ship. As he looked out at the water, he felt sick, but he wasn't so sure that it was the sea's doing this time. He also felt the need to keep Zandra close to him, which he did for now.
"She was a living ghost."
He said this thoughtfully and so quiet that it was barely above their threshold of hearing. After a minute or two more, his bright green eyes turned to rest on his woman.
"I'm sorry."
He felt guilty. He hadn't even realized that Kiaati was in trouble. It seemed like he should have known, should have been able to help. He was just distracted by Zyiada. That didn't seem like much of an excuse. Kiaati had died alone, and he felt like it was partly his fault.
"They are just a reflection of what is happening."
Harmony smiled at the little boy. She reached out, cupping her small hand under his while taking her other fingers to gently touch the grain of sand.
"This is you. See, you don't weigh very much."
She let her hands fall away, gesturing to the scales.
"But, when you are with everyone else, you weigh a lot. There's always people on either side. Sometimes, it's really close."
The ageless girl reached out into the heavier basin and scooped up some of the sand. It wouldn't hurt anything. The scales shifted, moving so that they quivered, bobbing back and forth as though they couldn't decide which side was heavier.
"Sometimes, that last little bit, that last person, is enough to decide the balance."
Harmony looked at him pointedly with a soft smile. The interest of one so young in her ways was refreshing.
Kiaati glanced back to Death now with a small chuckle and a smile as she twirled the rose she had been holding.
"I don't know. Roses? Choc...?"
She trailed off for a moment, considering this as her dark green eyes turned back to the sea.. Chocolate. You know, she realized that she didn't even actually know what that tasted like. For all she knew, all that was said about it was a myth. It was an expensive and rare treat, at least for the humans. She had never had the opportunity... No, she had. She just hadn't stopped long enough to take it.
"No. I suppose those are just romanticized."
She thought about it a little more. More romantic than death? She didn't even know what she thought romance was. She seemed to have forgotten it, she realized. Funny, for a girl that only wanted to be a mother. Then, she gave a small smile. It came to her. There was one thing more romantic than death. Her gaze returned to the tall man.
"Presence."
"She was a living ghost."
He said this thoughtfully and so quiet that it was barely above their threshold of hearing. After a minute or two more, his bright green eyes turned to rest on his woman.
"I'm sorry."
He felt guilty. He hadn't even realized that Kiaati was in trouble. It seemed like he should have known, should have been able to help. He was just distracted by Zyiada. That didn't seem like much of an excuse. Kiaati had died alone, and he felt like it was partly his fault.
"They are just a reflection of what is happening."
Harmony smiled at the little boy. She reached out, cupping her small hand under his while taking her other fingers to gently touch the grain of sand.
"This is you. See, you don't weigh very much."
She let her hands fall away, gesturing to the scales.
"But, when you are with everyone else, you weigh a lot. There's always people on either side. Sometimes, it's really close."
The ageless girl reached out into the heavier basin and scooped up some of the sand. It wouldn't hurt anything. The scales shifted, moving so that they quivered, bobbing back and forth as though they couldn't decide which side was heavier.
"Sometimes, that last little bit, that last person, is enough to decide the balance."
Harmony looked at him pointedly with a soft smile. The interest of one so young in her ways was refreshing.
Kiaati glanced back to Death now with a small chuckle and a smile as she twirled the rose she had been holding.
"I don't know. Roses? Choc...?"
She trailed off for a moment, considering this as her dark green eyes turned back to the sea.. Chocolate. You know, she realized that she didn't even actually know what that tasted like. For all she knew, all that was said about it was a myth. It was an expensive and rare treat, at least for the humans. She had never had the opportunity... No, she had. She just hadn't stopped long enough to take it.
"No. I suppose those are just romanticized."
She thought about it a little more. More romantic than death? She didn't even know what she thought romance was. She seemed to have forgotten it, she realized. Funny, for a girl that only wanted to be a mother. Then, she gave a small smile. It came to her. There was one thing more romantic than death. Her gaze returned to the tall man.
"Presence."
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Death considered Kiaati, motioning about vaguely.
" I can have as much of as little of that as you long for, here."
Death replied. It was true, it could change and shift, appease or terrorize. That was what this place was for.
Xamien looked over the grain of sand, and then the scales.
" Why is my piece of sand the same size as everyone else's? I am much smaller..."
Xamien reasoned, looking at the rest of the sand. He was a child, not too terribly old, so the fact he reached over and poked the rest of the sand to find out if their were bigger pieces he was missing... no real surprise... However, his eyes never left Harmony. He was waiting for more answers.
" It is nothing to apologize over. It was merely the truth."
Zandra offered faintly, resting back against him, fingers running over his arm lightly as she watched the land that was fast approaching. They would be their by day break. they should go and get some rest.. this was going to be a long journey...
" Come, let's lay down."
No promise of sleep in her words, just less stress then standing.
" I can have as much of as little of that as you long for, here."
Death replied. It was true, it could change and shift, appease or terrorize. That was what this place was for.
Xamien looked over the grain of sand, and then the scales.
" Why is my piece of sand the same size as everyone else's? I am much smaller..."
Xamien reasoned, looking at the rest of the sand. He was a child, not too terribly old, so the fact he reached over and poked the rest of the sand to find out if their were bigger pieces he was missing... no real surprise... However, his eyes never left Harmony. He was waiting for more answers.
" It is nothing to apologize over. It was merely the truth."
Zandra offered faintly, resting back against him, fingers running over his arm lightly as she watched the land that was fast approaching. They would be their by day break. they should go and get some rest.. this was going to be a long journey...
" Come, let's lay down."
No promise of sleep in her words, just less stress then standing.
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Drandar gave a sort of hollow nod, sort of just doing it because he was told to. That, and he didn't know what else to do.
"How are you doing it?"
He asked this quietly once they had stretched out in their cabin. How was this one not bothering her? Yes, they had lost friends and family before, but this was different. Something about this seemed to shake the earth.
Harmony smiled brightly.
"Because your physical size doesn't matter. Everyone has the same chance. They can pick which side they want to be on, can pick what they are going to do. Little kids can be just as important as grownups, sometimes even more important."
She was replacing some of the sand that she had drawn out, one grain at a time into alternating basins.
Kiaati contemplated this, her eyes brushing across the wheat field for a moment. The woman then gave a very dull smile, leaning back against the tree. She stifled a yawn. This spirit was a tired one. Had she not been so strong, she likely would have simply passed out again already. Then again, this spirit really didn't know how to rest. It had been beaten and bloodied from the very beginning, passed along and having to move forward continuously, never spared a moment for wounds or weariness. Either way, Kiaati now asked a soft question, finding herself vaguely curious.
"What would happen if I fell off of this cliff?"
Had it been earlier today, the answer would have been, 'die'. Now, though, it seemed slightly absurd. She had already done that.
"How are you doing it?"
He asked this quietly once they had stretched out in their cabin. How was this one not bothering her? Yes, they had lost friends and family before, but this was different. Something about this seemed to shake the earth.
Harmony smiled brightly.
"Because your physical size doesn't matter. Everyone has the same chance. They can pick which side they want to be on, can pick what they are going to do. Little kids can be just as important as grownups, sometimes even more important."
She was replacing some of the sand that she had drawn out, one grain at a time into alternating basins.
Kiaati contemplated this, her eyes brushing across the wheat field for a moment. The woman then gave a very dull smile, leaning back against the tree. She stifled a yawn. This spirit was a tired one. Had she not been so strong, she likely would have simply passed out again already. Then again, this spirit really didn't know how to rest. It had been beaten and bloodied from the very beginning, passed along and having to move forward continuously, never spared a moment for wounds or weariness. Either way, Kiaati now asked a soft question, finding herself vaguely curious.
"What would happen if I fell off of this cliff?"
Had it been earlier today, the answer would have been, 'die'. Now, though, it seemed slightly absurd. She had already done that.
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" You would not fall, unless you wished to. You would remain right where your feet took you, lovely one."
Death offered simply, demonstrating without a blink.
Xamien looked disbelieving. He reached over and lightly dropped himself on the scales. He didn't know which was good or which was bad, but it felt like he'd just been put in the right place.
" Did you like my mom?"
Zandra laid down, snuggling to him, kissing him lightly.
" How am I doing what?"
She asked gently. Look at this proud woman, Drandar. She knew how to hold it close to herself when it was needed. She had just been put incharge of things again. It had been so long the woman was questioning whether she was able to do such a thing. Lead people, be responsible... she had never really cared who lived or died before, as long as she made it... but now...
Zandra rolled onto her back now, unable to force herself into sleep. Time was passing like sand through her fingers right now.
Death offered simply, demonstrating without a blink.
Xamien looked disbelieving. He reached over and lightly dropped himself on the scales. He didn't know which was good or which was bad, but it felt like he'd just been put in the right place.
" Did you like my mom?"
Zandra laid down, snuggling to him, kissing him lightly.
" How am I doing what?"
She asked gently. Look at this proud woman, Drandar. She knew how to hold it close to herself when it was needed. She had just been put incharge of things again. It had been so long the woman was questioning whether she was able to do such a thing. Lead people, be responsible... she had never really cared who lived or died before, as long as she made it... but now...
Zandra rolled onto her back now, unable to force herself into sleep. Time was passing like sand through her fingers right now.
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Drandar did hold close to him, not feeling any guilt about that. He was quiet for a little while, trying to come up with a way to put it into words.
"Maintaining grace."
Then, Drandar had a horrible thought. He hated that he did, but he was only mortal. He thought about how thankful he was that it hadn't been Zandra. He wouldn't have had any grace at all if it had been her. He didn't realize that he was squeezing her slightly with that thought.
Harmony considered the boy before lightly dropping the rest of the sand into one side. The scales dipped heavily to that one, just like they had been when he entered. Interestingly enough, it was the side opposite to the one that Xamein had put himself into.
"Which one?"
Not that she hated either of them, but she could speak better if she knew which woman the child was referring to.
Kiaati's dark green eyes followed the man with a small fascination. Okay, so, she had been around magic users and experienced quite a few odd phenomena in her time. However, she found herself thinking that this was definitely interesting. The woman stood up, both feet squarely on terra firma as she peered over the side of the cliff.
She wasn't sure whether she wanted to trust this or if it was a trick. After all, if she tried it and fell... Well, she would definitely be the butt of the joke. However, she eyed Death suspiciously before looking up at the big apple tree above her head. The branches didn't really reach out far enough, but she really wished that she had something that she could hold on to as she wanted to try it.
"Maintaining grace."
Then, Drandar had a horrible thought. He hated that he did, but he was only mortal. He thought about how thankful he was that it hadn't been Zandra. He wouldn't have had any grace at all if it had been her. He didn't realize that he was squeezing her slightly with that thought.
Harmony considered the boy before lightly dropping the rest of the sand into one side. The scales dipped heavily to that one, just like they had been when he entered. Interestingly enough, it was the side opposite to the one that Xamein had put himself into.
"Which one?"
Not that she hated either of them, but she could speak better if she knew which woman the child was referring to.
Kiaati's dark green eyes followed the man with a small fascination. Okay, so, she had been around magic users and experienced quite a few odd phenomena in her time. However, she found herself thinking that this was definitely interesting. The woman stood up, both feet squarely on terra firma as she peered over the side of the cliff.
She wasn't sure whether she wanted to trust this or if it was a trick. After all, if she tried it and fell... Well, she would definitely be the butt of the joke. However, she eyed Death suspiciously before looking up at the big apple tree above her head. The branches didn't really reach out far enough, but she really wished that she had something that she could hold on to as she wanted to try it.
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Zandra smiled bitterly now as she moved at how Drandar held to her. She thought many things over, but over all, it came back to just one simple thing. She was doing what she had always done.
" I have no choice."
Zandra offered to him, fingers gently drawing shapes as she forced her eyes closed. One step closer to sleep. This would get her just a little bit closer to rest and no thoughts. Not really, the woman was kidding herself and knew it. There was no rest for the wicked, and she was definitely flirting with those lines.
Xamien frowned. He was a small child and was use to people following him when he spoke of one mother or the other. He supposed he'd not been too specific, given the fact they were both gone now...
" the one who had me in her tummy."
There we go.
Death stared at Kiaati a moment, tossing the rose from his hands into the air. He did not wish it to fall. So the item stayed suspended in the air until he would want it to come back.
" Why would I risk damaging the thing I have waited so patiently for when even such a simple thing as a rose would be spared harm?"
He asked of Kiaati. He had zero motives to harm you or trick you. Besides, it was much more fun to trick and deceive those that were a bit more...dastardly. They would get all riled up and make a rather large game of everything.
" I have no choice."
Zandra offered to him, fingers gently drawing shapes as she forced her eyes closed. One step closer to sleep. This would get her just a little bit closer to rest and no thoughts. Not really, the woman was kidding herself and knew it. There was no rest for the wicked, and she was definitely flirting with those lines.
Xamien frowned. He was a small child and was use to people following him when he spoke of one mother or the other. He supposed he'd not been too specific, given the fact they were both gone now...
" the one who had me in her tummy."
There we go.
Death stared at Kiaati a moment, tossing the rose from his hands into the air. He did not wish it to fall. So the item stayed suspended in the air until he would want it to come back.
" Why would I risk damaging the thing I have waited so patiently for when even such a simple thing as a rose would be spared harm?"
He asked of Kiaati. He had zero motives to harm you or trick you. Besides, it was much more fun to trick and deceive those that were a bit more...dastardly. They would get all riled up and make a rather large game of everything.
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Drandar sighed then, letting his forehead rest against the woman's head. In the back of his head, he was dissecting her scent, as though trying to reassure himself of something. It was slightly floral with undertones of lavender, yet there was something raw about it. It wasn't a bad thing; it was living.
"What are we going to do?"
It was really more of a rhetorical question, as the man wasn't looking for an answer at all. He simply closed his eyes. Sleep. The man would be able to achieve it after a little while of the ship rocking back and forth, but it was not deep and it was not sound.
Harmony smiled and nodded.
"Yes. She and I were very good friends."
She pulled the boy so that he would sit beside her now on her chaise. The childlike Terrachronan looked over Xamien.
"Why do you ask?"
Kiaati watched this, considering it for a while. The woman didn't say anything in response, at least not at first. She was working through the whole situation, the plausibility of it. After a minute, she edged a little closer to the edge, glancing over again. Well, if she got hurt at this point...
The woman tentatively put one foot over the edge, standing on the one that was still firmly planted on the cliff. Then, she let out a sigh and moved the other one. The smile was immediate as she looked down at the nothing below her and then to the shore far below. Who was she kidding? This was cool. She gave a little bounce as though to test it, the coins of her skirt jingling against each other. Only then did she look up at Death, raising a brow.
"Waiting for me? I didn't even do anything."
She was bound to die sooner or later. Why on earth would he be waiting for a nameless, faceless failure?
"What are we going to do?"
It was really more of a rhetorical question, as the man wasn't looking for an answer at all. He simply closed his eyes. Sleep. The man would be able to achieve it after a little while of the ship rocking back and forth, but it was not deep and it was not sound.
Harmony smiled and nodded.
"Yes. She and I were very good friends."
She pulled the boy so that he would sit beside her now on her chaise. The childlike Terrachronan looked over Xamien.
"Why do you ask?"
Kiaati watched this, considering it for a while. The woman didn't say anything in response, at least not at first. She was working through the whole situation, the plausibility of it. After a minute, she edged a little closer to the edge, glancing over again. Well, if she got hurt at this point...
The woman tentatively put one foot over the edge, standing on the one that was still firmly planted on the cliff. Then, she let out a sigh and moved the other one. The smile was immediate as she looked down at the nothing below her and then to the shore far below. Who was she kidding? This was cool. She gave a little bounce as though to test it, the coins of her skirt jingling against each other. Only then did she look up at Death, raising a brow.
"Waiting for me? I didn't even do anything."
She was bound to die sooner or later. Why on earth would he be waiting for a nameless, faceless failure?
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Xamien sat there for a little while, frowning a bit.
" Do you know what she looked like?"
He asked gently. He was young, and he was feeling badly. He was forgetting.
Zandra would lay, wide awake until she felt the boat rock as it collided with the shore. Her chest gave a tiny lurch as they had zero choice but to move forward now. The woman would rise and scoop up the still passed out Ariel, even as she would lightly wake Drandar with a kiss. It was time. They had to move... Like it or not.
Death smirked now.
" You did. You died."
" Do you know what she looked like?"
He asked gently. He was young, and he was feeling badly. He was forgetting.
Zandra would lay, wide awake until she felt the boat rock as it collided with the shore. Her chest gave a tiny lurch as they had zero choice but to move forward now. The woman would rise and scoop up the still passed out Ariel, even as she would lightly wake Drandar with a kiss. It was time. They had to move... Like it or not.
Death smirked now.
" You did. You died."
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Drandar roused, moving to the deck. His eyes turned over the land, and he didn't think that he had been here before. Then again, that wasn't really anything new.
It was mostly flat here. The land seemed to rise slowly away from the sea, and trees raced out to meet the shore. It seemed that this place had seen better times. There was evidence of a fire that happened not recently but neither so far in the past as to be forgotten either. The trees were for the most part dead and the undergrowth was underdeveloped. There were creepers and briars and other hardy plants that had struck up first. There were little sprigs of green and brown, as the earth had reached that point where it wanted to try again at living.
The Lady of the Sea and the Lady of Moving Waters climbed out of the boat, each carrying their lanterns. They stood on the shore, waiting for the Lady of Still Waters. Amadahy, however, had something else to do first. The woman moved to Gabriel. She paused there, turning her face up towards his, and then she placed a hand on his chest. The woman leaned up so that she could whisper into his ear.
"All is not lost, Blessed One."
She smiled faintly and patted his chest, drawing away.
"Not yet."
Then, gracefully she exited the boat, joining her sisters as they dove into the ocean with not so much as a ripple. Now the group was left to Brooke and the others.
Harmony's eyes brushed across the child and she nodded with a tender smile.
"She was a pretty girl."
Then, sitting there, Harmony began to describe the woman to Xamien, as she could tell the child wanted to know. Harmony didn't remember what everyone looked like - that was more in the purview of Life or Death - but there were a few people that stuck out in her memory.
Kiaati considered this and then gave a soft sigh.
"As does everyone."
Then, the woman turned and walked away. In some way, she kind of felt like she had just been made fun of. Kiaati didn't particularly care, but it disinclined her towards anymore nonsense. She walked back down the hill and into the wheat field now. Something about the memory of dying seemed surreal.
Then, all at once the woman was upon the ground amongst the stalks of wheat. It was far more graceful and deliberate than falling, but it was obviously not intentional either. Kiaati lay on her belly in the field, head turned to one side and resting upon her folded arms. The spirit was fast asleep.
It was mostly flat here. The land seemed to rise slowly away from the sea, and trees raced out to meet the shore. It seemed that this place had seen better times. There was evidence of a fire that happened not recently but neither so far in the past as to be forgotten either. The trees were for the most part dead and the undergrowth was underdeveloped. There were creepers and briars and other hardy plants that had struck up first. There were little sprigs of green and brown, as the earth had reached that point where it wanted to try again at living.
The Lady of the Sea and the Lady of Moving Waters climbed out of the boat, each carrying their lanterns. They stood on the shore, waiting for the Lady of Still Waters. Amadahy, however, had something else to do first. The woman moved to Gabriel. She paused there, turning her face up towards his, and then she placed a hand on his chest. The woman leaned up so that she could whisper into his ear.
"All is not lost, Blessed One."
She smiled faintly and patted his chest, drawing away.
"Not yet."
Then, gracefully she exited the boat, joining her sisters as they dove into the ocean with not so much as a ripple. Now the group was left to Brooke and the others.
Harmony's eyes brushed across the child and she nodded with a tender smile.
"She was a pretty girl."
Then, sitting there, Harmony began to describe the woman to Xamien, as she could tell the child wanted to know. Harmony didn't remember what everyone looked like - that was more in the purview of Life or Death - but there were a few people that stuck out in her memory.
Kiaati considered this and then gave a soft sigh.
"As does everyone."
Then, the woman turned and walked away. In some way, she kind of felt like she had just been made fun of. Kiaati didn't particularly care, but it disinclined her towards anymore nonsense. She walked back down the hill and into the wheat field now. Something about the memory of dying seemed surreal.
Then, all at once the woman was upon the ground amongst the stalks of wheat. It was far more graceful and deliberate than falling, but it was obviously not intentional either. Kiaati lay on her belly in the field, head turned to one side and resting upon her folded arms. The spirit was fast asleep.
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Xamien listened and smiled as she finished describing his birth mother, frowning.
" Would it insult my mother's memory if I were to say sometimes I miss her?"
Insult Kiaati's memory to say he missed his birth mother, that is.
Zandra swallowed and climbed out with the small child, some food and such packed away, trudging along now. Gabriel did not come. He could not. This is where his chosen had died. The fact he was not dead yet, a miracle, the fact that he could not leave the sight, not surprise.
So with Thad, Angelica, Ariel, Drandar, and herself, the would walk into the wooded lands. Brooke and the others would not greet the group instantly, they would be on their own for a short while.
" Would it insult my mother's memory if I were to say sometimes I miss her?"
Insult Kiaati's memory to say he missed his birth mother, that is.
Zandra swallowed and climbed out with the small child, some food and such packed away, trudging along now. Gabriel did not come. He could not. This is where his chosen had died. The fact he was not dead yet, a miracle, the fact that he could not leave the sight, not surprise.
So with Thad, Angelica, Ariel, Drandar, and herself, the would walk into the wooded lands. Brooke and the others would not greet the group instantly, they would be on their own for a short while.
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Opal would be the one to break the unnatural silence, the quiet that lacked even animals in the background.
"Where are we going?"
Drandar looked down to the little pixie in his pocket and then gave a shrug. He turned his eyes back to Zandra and the others. Well, he had been told 'back to the beginning', but that wasn't very much help. It was a perfectly oblique answer. He was just walking.
Harmony shook her head. She gave a tender smile to the child. He was so precious.
"No. The dead do not take so much to offense as you would think. Most of them like to be remembered fondly from time to time, but more than that they normally just want the living people to be happy."
She touched his knee.
"It's okay to miss them, but you have to be brave and keep on walking your path."
When Kiaati woke, she passed through a series of odd thoughts. At first, she told herself that she had to wake up now, but then she realized that she didn't want to sleep anymore. That had been probably the best rest that she had ever had. She wasn't tired, for the first time in a very long time. Then, she told herself she had to get up because... but then she realized that she couldn't finish that sentence. She didn't have to get up. There was nothing chasing her here. The woman slowly rolled onto her back in the wheat field, smiling in spite of herself as she watched the stalks about her wave back and forth in the breeze.
"Where are we going?"
Drandar looked down to the little pixie in his pocket and then gave a shrug. He turned his eyes back to Zandra and the others. Well, he had been told 'back to the beginning', but that wasn't very much help. It was a perfectly oblique answer. He was just walking.
Harmony shook her head. She gave a tender smile to the child. He was so precious.
"No. The dead do not take so much to offense as you would think. Most of them like to be remembered fondly from time to time, but more than that they normally just want the living people to be happy."
She touched his knee.
"It's okay to miss them, but you have to be brave and keep on walking your path."
When Kiaati woke, she passed through a series of odd thoughts. At first, she told herself that she had to wake up now, but then she realized that she didn't want to sleep anymore. That had been probably the best rest that she had ever had. She wasn't tired, for the first time in a very long time. Then, she told herself she had to get up because... but then she realized that she couldn't finish that sentence. She didn't have to get up. There was nothing chasing her here. The woman slowly rolled onto her back in the wheat field, smiling in spite of herself as she watched the stalks about her wave back and forth in the breeze.
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Zandra remained silent, battling many thoughts and feelings as they traipsed under the tall trees that provided the perfect canopy for hiding. Her feet made not a sound as the undergrowth gave way to her steady, absent foot falls. She was definitely anything but 'here' at the moment.
Drandar, Kiaati had been Zandra's friend, despite the fact Zandra was, well... Zandra. Despite the fact Kiaati had been Kiaati, there was simply a unspoken friendship there. Not only this, but Kiaati had been the one to know how to make this work. Zandra wasn't in the dark, she had a solid 'duh' logic to it all. Even prophecy said they need all of the parts to make this work.
" Screw prophecy."
She commented absently, her persona had shifted to something rather... unpleasant. Something about the attitude radiating from this demon woman made it known that to mess with her would be less then wise. Zandra had switched ever so slightly as, much to Brooke's dismay as the woman was pinned and nearly killed before Zandra caught herself.
Brooke swallowed twice as she felt Zandra shift from her, watch as Zandra's arms fell to her sides. Brooke rubbed at her neck, confirming that her skin had been nicked, wiping the sap like blood away from neck as she considered the group.
" Come on, I can take you a ways, they you'll run into my sisters, Autumn and Breeze..."
She offered, already leading off. Zandra would follow, not a word uttered in response.
Xamien nodded, eyes alight.
" Of course! ...... Do you think my mother is happy?"
Either of them.
Death had made himself scarce, as he had a job. As much as it would please him to bother Kiaati a bit more, it would have to wait.
Drandar, Kiaati had been Zandra's friend, despite the fact Zandra was, well... Zandra. Despite the fact Kiaati had been Kiaati, there was simply a unspoken friendship there. Not only this, but Kiaati had been the one to know how to make this work. Zandra wasn't in the dark, she had a solid 'duh' logic to it all. Even prophecy said they need all of the parts to make this work.
" Screw prophecy."
She commented absently, her persona had shifted to something rather... unpleasant. Something about the attitude radiating from this demon woman made it known that to mess with her would be less then wise. Zandra had switched ever so slightly as, much to Brooke's dismay as the woman was pinned and nearly killed before Zandra caught herself.
Brooke swallowed twice as she felt Zandra shift from her, watch as Zandra's arms fell to her sides. Brooke rubbed at her neck, confirming that her skin had been nicked, wiping the sap like blood away from neck as she considered the group.
" Come on, I can take you a ways, they you'll run into my sisters, Autumn and Breeze..."
She offered, already leading off. Zandra would follow, not a word uttered in response.
Xamien nodded, eyes alight.
" Of course! ...... Do you think my mother is happy?"
Either of them.
Death had made himself scarce, as he had a job. As much as it would please him to bother Kiaati a bit more, it would have to wait.
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Drandar considered Zandra, slowly moving to her side. With the same amount of tenacity as if he were trying to swallow a handful of nails, he reached over and wrapped his hand around Zandra's. With his side pressed close to hers so that the movement would not be obvious to others, Drandar tentatively moved Zandra's hand so as to slid her weapon back into its sheath.
However, the man didn't say anything about that. He wasn't stupid. Something about him was able to sense the threat there, and he was not so ignorant as to think that he was excepted from it. Drandar was fairly certain she would decapitate him if he were to step too far over the line. That was the reason that now he moved to where he was not walking quite so close to her. They weren't touching anymore.
"Prophecy..."
He repeated her word bitterly. The worst part was that everyone seemed to know the rules of the prophecy except for those involved. That was a bummer for the trio... or, as it was now, for the duo.
"Are we going to do this?"
Because, it seemed to him that if they were going to quit that they should do it before they began. Once they put work into it, they might as well finish, or at least try to.
It wasn't just Drandar that had picked up on the odd sense about Zandra, however. It was Opal and Torin and even little Ariel. The child didn't know what to do. She seemed to be okay even though they were missing someone of their group. In fact, now, she seemed not phased at all, and it was eerie. However, she did walk a little closer to Drandar's leg than Zandra's, eying the female demon with confusion. Opal, meanwhile, had landed upon Brooke's shoulder.
Harmony smiled at Xamien warmly, now finishing replacing the last of the sand. Her eyes then turned to the scales, which were starkly unbalanced still and quivering. She considered them as she gave a small nod.
"Yes, I believe that she would be."
The childlike Terrachronan considered this.
"Both of your mothers were good people. Good people do not suffer when they die. Death would end their unhappiness."
Harmony did not mean that they didn't suffer while they were dying. That would be a ridiculous statement. After all, the best people tended to suffer the most. A martyr was not made through pleasantry.
It seemed that something of happiness was perhaps true about Kiaati. The longer that she was dead, the more it seemed to heal her weary spirit. She had eventually risen from her lounging in the wheat field, and now the woman had moved again to the cliff. Her eyes brushed over the wide field to Death's mansion, but then her gaze turned instead to the aquamarine sea.
The woman gave a soft smile to herself, and then she had to pause to figure out why. Then, she knew why it was. Her fears, her troubles, her life - it was all okay now. Those things didn't matter anymore. Kiaati's bare feet propelled her forward as she sprinted along the edge of the cliff as fast as she could. As she ran, her hair slipped free of the braids and roses that Death had woven into it. The red flowers fell to the earth in her wake. As the woman blazed through that space, the coins on her skirt jingled against each other excitedly. Her hair whipped behind her, and with each step it grew until it had forgotten the toils of life that had severed it. It did not grow back to the waist-long curtain it had once been, but that was alright. It fell just below her collarbone, cut with long bangs to frame her heart-shaped face. Kiaati had always imagined that if she had been a normal human that she would have liked it cut that way, not that she knew what had happened yet.
A soft pink flush colored in about the apples of her cheeks as she smiled, running on. The woman looked like what she was for once. She did not seem a mighty rebel leader. She simply appeared to by a young woman full of vitality. Then, Kiaati did it. She reached the end of the cliff, but she did not pause. The woman took a leap, diving in a smooth arc over the edge of the rocky precipice. She did not panic. Her fears and her life pains did not reach up to to swallow her. The woman had developed a near crippling fear of falling over the edge of the cliff while she was living, but she did not feel it now. All that she felt was the ecstasy of flying through the air, and she let out a peel of laughter as she plunged into the warm blue-green waters of the ocean. She would swim, climbing out upon the shore breathlessly.
((Another project that I have been working on.))
However, the man didn't say anything about that. He wasn't stupid. Something about him was able to sense the threat there, and he was not so ignorant as to think that he was excepted from it. Drandar was fairly certain she would decapitate him if he were to step too far over the line. That was the reason that now he moved to where he was not walking quite so close to her. They weren't touching anymore.
"Prophecy..."
He repeated her word bitterly. The worst part was that everyone seemed to know the rules of the prophecy except for those involved. That was a bummer for the trio... or, as it was now, for the duo.
"Are we going to do this?"
Because, it seemed to him that if they were going to quit that they should do it before they began. Once they put work into it, they might as well finish, or at least try to.
It wasn't just Drandar that had picked up on the odd sense about Zandra, however. It was Opal and Torin and even little Ariel. The child didn't know what to do. She seemed to be okay even though they were missing someone of their group. In fact, now, she seemed not phased at all, and it was eerie. However, she did walk a little closer to Drandar's leg than Zandra's, eying the female demon with confusion. Opal, meanwhile, had landed upon Brooke's shoulder.
Harmony smiled at Xamien warmly, now finishing replacing the last of the sand. Her eyes then turned to the scales, which were starkly unbalanced still and quivering. She considered them as she gave a small nod.
"Yes, I believe that she would be."
The childlike Terrachronan considered this.
"Both of your mothers were good people. Good people do not suffer when they die. Death would end their unhappiness."
Harmony did not mean that they didn't suffer while they were dying. That would be a ridiculous statement. After all, the best people tended to suffer the most. A martyr was not made through pleasantry.
It seemed that something of happiness was perhaps true about Kiaati. The longer that she was dead, the more it seemed to heal her weary spirit. She had eventually risen from her lounging in the wheat field, and now the woman had moved again to the cliff. Her eyes brushed over the wide field to Death's mansion, but then her gaze turned instead to the aquamarine sea.
The woman gave a soft smile to herself, and then she had to pause to figure out why. Then, she knew why it was. Her fears, her troubles, her life - it was all okay now. Those things didn't matter anymore. Kiaati's bare feet propelled her forward as she sprinted along the edge of the cliff as fast as she could. As she ran, her hair slipped free of the braids and roses that Death had woven into it. The red flowers fell to the earth in her wake. As the woman blazed through that space, the coins on her skirt jingled against each other excitedly. Her hair whipped behind her, and with each step it grew until it had forgotten the toils of life that had severed it. It did not grow back to the waist-long curtain it had once been, but that was alright. It fell just below her collarbone, cut with long bangs to frame her heart-shaped face. Kiaati had always imagined that if she had been a normal human that she would have liked it cut that way, not that she knew what had happened yet.
A soft pink flush colored in about the apples of her cheeks as she smiled, running on. The woman looked like what she was for once. She did not seem a mighty rebel leader. She simply appeared to by a young woman full of vitality. Then, Kiaati did it. She reached the end of the cliff, but she did not pause. The woman took a leap, diving in a smooth arc over the edge of the rocky precipice. She did not panic. Her fears and her life pains did not reach up to to swallow her. The woman had developed a near crippling fear of falling over the edge of the cliff while she was living, but she did not feel it now. All that she felt was the ecstasy of flying through the air, and she let out a peel of laughter as she plunged into the warm blue-green waters of the ocean. She would swim, climbing out upon the shore breathlessly.
((Another project that I have been working on.))
-
Tree
- Writer of Words
- Posts: 135099
- Joined: Mon Aug 20, 2007 11:00 pm
- Contact:
Zandra paid Drandar no mind, he wasn't even a blip on her radar as she walked on with the group. He earned no response to his question. Nothing was uttered but a simple shoulder shrug was offer. Might as well, what did he have in mind for them to do instead? Run away and go have kids and pretend none of this had ever happened? No. I think not. He wasn't the sort to deliver on something like that. Not to mention, until things were tended, they couldn't happily live until then.
Brooke held the silence, glancing over Opal, smiling brightly.
" How are you little pixie?"
She asked, her normal bubbly self, the echos of water bouncing about in her voice as she lead them deeper and deeper into the woodlands.
Xamein considered this, thinking awful hard, and then the next glorious question came.
" Will they remember me?"
There was silence was the group trudged on. There was no joy, no smiles, not even words for the most part. Zandra was something to be worried about, if not down right fearful of. She was coiled tight, and the smallest thing sent her into a bit of a rather unpleasant defensive that flirted with aggressive offense. She had one of the many daggers she owned out, and was twirling it in her fingers in a rather familiar threatening way. Was she intending to take someone else's life, or her own? With the way Zandra was, it would be impossible to tell.
Either way, soon they would be joined by a girl, with rich, golden lochs, and long eye lashes, more slender then Brooke, and she kind of ruffled, even when she walked. Autumn.
" Let us rest, the sun sets soon."
Zandra snickered.
" I think not."
She had no inclination to let rest come for any.
" We'll get enough sleep once we're dead."
she offered with a snide sneer as she absently wondered deeper into the woods on her own. Well, were they coming?
Brooke held the silence, glancing over Opal, smiling brightly.
" How are you little pixie?"
She asked, her normal bubbly self, the echos of water bouncing about in her voice as she lead them deeper and deeper into the woodlands.
Xamein considered this, thinking awful hard, and then the next glorious question came.
" Will they remember me?"
There was silence was the group trudged on. There was no joy, no smiles, not even words for the most part. Zandra was something to be worried about, if not down right fearful of. She was coiled tight, and the smallest thing sent her into a bit of a rather unpleasant defensive that flirted with aggressive offense. She had one of the many daggers she owned out, and was twirling it in her fingers in a rather familiar threatening way. Was she intending to take someone else's life, or her own? With the way Zandra was, it would be impossible to tell.
Either way, soon they would be joined by a girl, with rich, golden lochs, and long eye lashes, more slender then Brooke, and she kind of ruffled, even when she walked. Autumn.
" Let us rest, the sun sets soon."
Zandra snickered.
" I think not."
She had no inclination to let rest come for any.
" We'll get enough sleep once we're dead."
she offered with a snide sneer as she absently wondered deeper into the woods on her own. Well, were they coming?
-
Sushi
- Board Overlord
- Posts: 135803
- Joined: Mon Aug 20, 2007 11:00 pm
- Contact:
Drandar simply picked up little Ariel with every intent of carrying her. The poor child just simply couldn't walk anymore on her own feet, not that this was unreasonable. Even if it weren't that she was a child, the girl really was only a human - and a regular human at that. They couldn't match demons in stamina.
However, the man was too wary to say anything. Some part of him recoiled. He was aware of the fact that he wasn't really walking with his lover anymore. No, right now, he was moving beside the Demon Queen.
That was odd for him. He had never really seen Zandra as that, as the figure that the tales and such suggested. When they had met, she had even been in disguise. All of his life, Drandar had been fed whispers to where he was a traitor demon, an aide to the Rebellion. He instinctively hated the Demon Queen and would have hated her once he met her, were it not for the circumstances.
Either way, he knew not to mess with her. Drandar knew that in reality she was the same woman that he loved, that different people handled grief different ways. However, it still felt like a personal blow as he followed in silence.
Opal looked over at Brooke, shrugging a little as she answered with a sad tone in her voice.
"Not so good."
Harmony smiled with a soft laugh.
"Of course! Xamein..."
She plucked on his sleeve to get his attention.
"Just because people move out of their bodies, it doesn't mean that they cease to be. They live on in a different way, and they remember. If you live a good life, then you will see them again when you too leave your body."
Kiaati lay there on the beach, the waters washing about her. She basked in the sand and the sun, in health and happiness. Eventually, she would rise though, slowly climbing back up the incline. Once she was there, Kiaati cast her eyes about. Something... She couldn't quite remember what it was. However, whatever fact it was bothered her slightly. Perhaps that was why she stopped trying to remember. She didn't want to hurt or to be bothered or any of that. The woman would just walk back the way she had come, shaking the sand out of her now dried hair. Even without his presence, Kiaati was settling into the comforts of death.
However, the man was too wary to say anything. Some part of him recoiled. He was aware of the fact that he wasn't really walking with his lover anymore. No, right now, he was moving beside the Demon Queen.
That was odd for him. He had never really seen Zandra as that, as the figure that the tales and such suggested. When they had met, she had even been in disguise. All of his life, Drandar had been fed whispers to where he was a traitor demon, an aide to the Rebellion. He instinctively hated the Demon Queen and would have hated her once he met her, were it not for the circumstances.
Either way, he knew not to mess with her. Drandar knew that in reality she was the same woman that he loved, that different people handled grief different ways. However, it still felt like a personal blow as he followed in silence.
Opal looked over at Brooke, shrugging a little as she answered with a sad tone in her voice.
"Not so good."
Harmony smiled with a soft laugh.
"Of course! Xamein..."
She plucked on his sleeve to get his attention.
"Just because people move out of their bodies, it doesn't mean that they cease to be. They live on in a different way, and they remember. If you live a good life, then you will see them again when you too leave your body."
Kiaati lay there on the beach, the waters washing about her. She basked in the sand and the sun, in health and happiness. Eventually, she would rise though, slowly climbing back up the incline. Once she was there, Kiaati cast her eyes about. Something... She couldn't quite remember what it was. However, whatever fact it was bothered her slightly. Perhaps that was why she stopped trying to remember. She didn't want to hurt or to be bothered or any of that. The woman would just walk back the way she had come, shaking the sand out of her now dried hair. Even without his presence, Kiaati was settling into the comforts of death.
-
Sushi
- Board Overlord
- Posts: 135803
- Joined: Mon Aug 20, 2007 11:00 pm
- Contact:
Dear Tree,
It's currently 5:45 in the morning on Christmas Eve. I find that tonight, as I often do during the holidays, I am completely and entirely alone. To be alone is bad enough, but to be alone with something you hate, something that you cannot avoid as surely as the sun will rise, is worse still. I cannot tell you why I hate the holidays exactly, except that I do. For a very long time, holidays have brought a queasy feeling to my stomach and a darkness to my heart.
Look at me, I'm trying to write my first Christmas letter, and all I can do is prattle about things that don't really matter. That is the great thing about it though; I know that whatever I write, no matter how silly or stupid, you'll read it. You always do. Anyhow, this is it: my first Christmas letter.
I realized that I have no one to write to but you. You're my only real friend. At the end of the day, when I'm sitting in the dark at four in the morning crying over something ridiculous or whining that I'm tired, you are the only one there. For that I am thankful this and every year. I am thankful that you are my friend, that little voice in my ear that saves me from so utterly alone. I am thankful that you put up with me, no matter my moods or trangressions. I am thankful that I can say that I have one person in the world that knows what I look like without my mask.
This year, nothing much has changed. Actually, it really feels like it was just yesterday we were dealing with the blizzard. Here it is, though, the end of another year. We're older now - though whether I'm 21 or 22 is still a mystery. I suppose we'll figure that one out a little closer to March. I'm glad that your family is doing so well, and I'm thankful that you let me visit them. I adore your kiddos, and they're getting so big too! I hope that they continue to thrive.
I know it will sound odd, but I find that I am thankful for surprises this year. There have been many that weren't so pleasant. Sometimes it was something as simple as dish soap on a toilet seat; sometimes it was a little more serious. However, I think that those were necessary. They reminded me of who means the most to me. Once I remembered that, it was incredibly easy to celebrate the good surprises with those people. I am hoping that you get a few good surprises too. You've had too many bad ones this year, and it is time that you get a break.
I love you my dear friend and sister, and I wish you every happiness in your both your holidays and in life itself.
<div align=center>Merry Christmas,
Sushi</div>
It's currently 5:45 in the morning on Christmas Eve. I find that tonight, as I often do during the holidays, I am completely and entirely alone. To be alone is bad enough, but to be alone with something you hate, something that you cannot avoid as surely as the sun will rise, is worse still. I cannot tell you why I hate the holidays exactly, except that I do. For a very long time, holidays have brought a queasy feeling to my stomach and a darkness to my heart.
Look at me, I'm trying to write my first Christmas letter, and all I can do is prattle about things that don't really matter. That is the great thing about it though; I know that whatever I write, no matter how silly or stupid, you'll read it. You always do. Anyhow, this is it: my first Christmas letter.
I realized that I have no one to write to but you. You're my only real friend. At the end of the day, when I'm sitting in the dark at four in the morning crying over something ridiculous or whining that I'm tired, you are the only one there. For that I am thankful this and every year. I am thankful that you are my friend, that little voice in my ear that saves me from so utterly alone. I am thankful that you put up with me, no matter my moods or trangressions. I am thankful that I can say that I have one person in the world that knows what I look like without my mask.
This year, nothing much has changed. Actually, it really feels like it was just yesterday we were dealing with the blizzard. Here it is, though, the end of another year. We're older now - though whether I'm 21 or 22 is still a mystery. I suppose we'll figure that one out a little closer to March. I'm glad that your family is doing so well, and I'm thankful that you let me visit them. I adore your kiddos, and they're getting so big too! I hope that they continue to thrive.
I know it will sound odd, but I find that I am thankful for surprises this year. There have been many that weren't so pleasant. Sometimes it was something as simple as dish soap on a toilet seat; sometimes it was a little more serious. However, I think that those were necessary. They reminded me of who means the most to me. Once I remembered that, it was incredibly easy to celebrate the good surprises with those people. I am hoping that you get a few good surprises too. You've had too many bad ones this year, and it is time that you get a break.
I love you my dear friend and sister, and I wish you every happiness in your both your holidays and in life itself.
<div align=center>Merry Christmas,
Sushi</div>
-
Tree
- Writer of Words
- Posts: 135099
- Joined: Mon Aug 20, 2007 11:00 pm
- Contact:
You just made a pregnant not pregnant woman cry her eyes out!!!
Gosh I love you!
*Snuggles*
I adore you, you are my bestest buddy. I feel so bad that I just passed out, but I've already been up three hours today. It's the holidays that keep me on my toes. the best surprise for me would be that I am pregnant. The next best is the fact you worked so hard so that you could be here for my darling little girl's second birthday. That means I get to spend the time with you <3
OH!!!
We have photos on the 26th, early in the morning. Sorry. Birthday plans and all.
Oh, I said pregnant not pregnant cause I got a negative this morning. What the hell? It's so confusing that I'm just giving up and going to just stick with pregnant until further notice.
*Cuddles*
Call the moment your up or alone today. I will totally be here making Lasagna, or mashed potatoes, or something
Love you,
Tree
Gosh I love you!
*Snuggles*
I adore you, you are my bestest buddy. I feel so bad that I just passed out, but I've already been up three hours today. It's the holidays that keep me on my toes. the best surprise for me would be that I am pregnant. The next best is the fact you worked so hard so that you could be here for my darling little girl's second birthday. That means I get to spend the time with you <3
OH!!!
We have photos on the 26th, early in the morning. Sorry. Birthday plans and all.
Oh, I said pregnant not pregnant cause I got a negative this morning. What the hell? It's so confusing that I'm just giving up and going to just stick with pregnant until further notice.
*Cuddles*
Call the moment your up or alone today. I will totally be here making Lasagna, or mashed potatoes, or something
Love you,
Tree
-
Tree
- Writer of Words
- Posts: 135099
- Joined: Mon Aug 20, 2007 11:00 pm
- Contact:
Xamien smiled brightly, and would bounce off to look about now. He had recovered for the most part. At least, for the next two minutes before the child would be bobbing back and forth at Harmony's elbow once more.
" So...... Why can't you just make it stay balanced all the time?"
the beauty of children.
Brooke nodded, growing tired as they rolled into the next morning, looking exhaustedly to Zandra, who showed no sign of rest or stopping.
" I'm sorry, but to force the body on further is not possible..."
She offered, seemign to fade right into the ground.
Zandra growled, eyes flashing as she watched the guide vanish. Fine. Just what the needed. To stop. Zandra just huffed off to get things for camping, soon procuring food and camp fire. She would silently feed the others, keeping watch as people started to slip into sleep. She was in no mood to sleep.
" So...... Why can't you just make it stay balanced all the time?"
the beauty of children.
Brooke nodded, growing tired as they rolled into the next morning, looking exhaustedly to Zandra, who showed no sign of rest or stopping.
" I'm sorry, but to force the body on further is not possible..."
She offered, seemign to fade right into the ground.
Zandra growled, eyes flashing as she watched the guide vanish. Fine. Just what the needed. To stop. Zandra just huffed off to get things for camping, soon procuring food and camp fire. She would silently feed the others, keeping watch as people started to slip into sleep. She was in no mood to sleep.
-
Sushi
- Board Overlord
- Posts: 135803
- Joined: Mon Aug 20, 2007 11:00 pm
- Contact:
Drandar sat down and he ate, but more of an uneasy picking. Even he seemed to have lost much of his appetite. The man looked around, his eyes considering the thinned group. Over the years, it seemed that their losses just continued to grow, slowly outweighing whatever they had gained.
He still stood. Somewhere around here was Angelica and Thad, but he thought to himself that they weren't looking quite as well as they normally did. He didn't dare ask. He had a feeling that he knew, at least to some extent, and he imagined that he likely looked the same to them. There was little Opal, Torin, both tucked into his front pocket, sleeping in escape from all of the pain out here. Over before the fire slept Ariel, the innocent little child that had seemed the least shaken by all of this. She shouldn't have to be part of it, being this young and already so accustomed to loss. Then, somewhere around here was Zandra. He was a little worried about her, but he didn't say anything to her at all. He figured that, if she was tired enough, she would stop - one way or another. Different people had different ways of coping.
As he lay down though, back pressed against a tree, Drandar found his thoughts turning away from those there and dwelling on who was missing. There was Xamein, Kiaati, Gabriel. Before that, there was Akako and Jeff. They had lost Lunar, and though her stay had been brief, her death had possessed a great weight. Even, in her own dark way, they had lost Mizuka. He wondered if Tuss had ever even been there, if really any of the friends had been so much of a friend to them. Drandar remembered his own lost father, and then his thoughts shifted to all of the people that everyone else had lost. One way or another, there was no family left. Really, they were just a bunch of orphans, banded together against the world in hope of changing it. As Drandar fell asleep, he couldn't help but wonder how they had ever expected to succeed.
Drandar would wake only three hours later. He wasn't able to rest very soundly, and when he rose he was just as disheartened as when he had fallen to sleep. Slumber had not eased any of those dark feelings. A night was not near enough time to cure those wounds.
"I will fix breakfast," he offered simply to Zandra as he walked off. There was nothing else to say, was there? Maybe the hunt would help in some way. He doubted it, but it was better than just sitting still. Suddenly, he understood what Zandra had not wanted to stop and make camp.
Kiril wound about the woman's legs, though he was careful to stay out from under her feet. Though he possessed the power of speech, the cat found that right now, there was nothing that he could do with it. He didn't know what to say.
Harmony smiled lightly, watching the child wander about this place. It was not as though it would hurt anything. There was barely even furniture. After all, if they wanted something, the inhabiting powers would just make it - they didn't exactly entertain many guests. However, as he came back the childlike Terrachronan stood up off of her chaise then, the skirts of her gown swishing around her legs.
"There are other forces at work in the universe. Everything has its opposite, and it is the bad that makes people appreciate the good. If everything just went perfectly and smoothly all the time, people would forget how precious harmony is. So, the other side pushes things out of balance every now and again. I could do more to try and tug it back, but I generally tend to let things run their course. The universe always eventually comes back to being in balance. That is its natural state."
She considered the sweet little child, stepping around to stand beside him.
"However, no. I can't make it stay balanced all of the time, even if I wanted to. I cannot control beings entirely, and people do weigh in on their own destiny because of that. They have an effect on whether I hold sway or whether Chaos holds sway. It's called free will. It says that no one in the world can control you completely, can tell you how to think. You have the ability to make your own choices. Even Fate cannot completely take that away."
Now, she offered her tiny hand to the boy.
"Come with me. I'll let you see the man that pushes it out of balance."
Even though she had a great animosity with Chaos, she would be willing to take her little charge to meet him. It wasn't like the boy was a complete stranger to his workings, anyhow. However, Harmony would not let anything happen to the child. If she had to, this is one place that she would be willing to exert her own force. Xamein was her disciple, and as such a charge she would not let him be harmed while he was with her. Chaos better not pull anything, or he wouldn't know what hit him.
As she retraced her steps, eventually Kiaati would find herself beside the grand house again, stepping through the gardens. She let her fingers brush over the velvet petals of the most brilliant crimson that she had ever seen. She found herself wondering if they had been this beautiful before on Earth, or if somehow life had diluted their luster and depth. She wondered if she had simply not seen it before, how she could have been completely insensitive to how sweet they smelled, how soft they felt.
Faintly smiling, Kiaati lifted a small watering can and went about, slowly watering the plants and the flowers. As she gently pulled aside the leaves, letting the glistening water fall into the dark soil, the woman had the strangest impression that she wasn't watering the roses with water at all but instead with tears. Then, as she thought about it, looking over the blooms the color of blood, that somehow seemed appropriate if it were true.
((As a side note, I have discovered that I have always been intensely interested in talking to our thread stalkers, and trying to get them to talk to me. For a reason that I'd rather not admit to, I opened up our archive of the thread before we switched to this forum, and I was reading when I discovered this set of posts:
LDM--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hey guys!
Great job on the roleplay!
I repped both of you's, just wanted to let you know that.
ICY--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
((Hey. Thanks... um, who are you? Have you been reading along or something? *is curious*))
LDM--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Quote:
Originally Posted by IcyDewDrop
((Hey. Thanks... um, who are you? Have you been reading along or something? *is curious*))
lol.. Actually, yes, for the past um... 5 minutes... I think...? ))
SA---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(( *is in shock* wow... we have a page stalker lol *Waves* hello!!))
LDM Quoting SA-------------------------------------------------------------------
"(( I knew one had more then the other, but didn't remember if it was women or men. Did you know that one of the main reasons women live longer is the fact we handle stress differently ...))"
YEA!
We socialize... While they screw innocent women who don't want to be screwed with... heh.
LDM--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*waves back* hi, there.
LDM--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
YOu guys can continue rolepalying, sorry to keep you off track. Now lights, camera, "ACTION!"
ICY--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
((*holds out hand to shake* Well hello, LDM, I'm Icy. Pleased to meet you. To SA: Well, I didn't know. I hope that your mom and sister aren't going to stalk me or anything. O.o lol. j/k))
----------
Me. Right now. Presently. The woman that wrote the preceding post. I'm saying this to you, Tree: Don't ask me who that was. I don't have the username. I only know the initials because I happened to mention them in an OOC *points up* I don't know who it was. But, this sets a precedent for my deep desire to have our current stalker post in the cbox at the bottom of the page. ))
He still stood. Somewhere around here was Angelica and Thad, but he thought to himself that they weren't looking quite as well as they normally did. He didn't dare ask. He had a feeling that he knew, at least to some extent, and he imagined that he likely looked the same to them. There was little Opal, Torin, both tucked into his front pocket, sleeping in escape from all of the pain out here. Over before the fire slept Ariel, the innocent little child that had seemed the least shaken by all of this. She shouldn't have to be part of it, being this young and already so accustomed to loss. Then, somewhere around here was Zandra. He was a little worried about her, but he didn't say anything to her at all. He figured that, if she was tired enough, she would stop - one way or another. Different people had different ways of coping.
As he lay down though, back pressed against a tree, Drandar found his thoughts turning away from those there and dwelling on who was missing. There was Xamein, Kiaati, Gabriel. Before that, there was Akako and Jeff. They had lost Lunar, and though her stay had been brief, her death had possessed a great weight. Even, in her own dark way, they had lost Mizuka. He wondered if Tuss had ever even been there, if really any of the friends had been so much of a friend to them. Drandar remembered his own lost father, and then his thoughts shifted to all of the people that everyone else had lost. One way or another, there was no family left. Really, they were just a bunch of orphans, banded together against the world in hope of changing it. As Drandar fell asleep, he couldn't help but wonder how they had ever expected to succeed.
Drandar would wake only three hours later. He wasn't able to rest very soundly, and when he rose he was just as disheartened as when he had fallen to sleep. Slumber had not eased any of those dark feelings. A night was not near enough time to cure those wounds.
"I will fix breakfast," he offered simply to Zandra as he walked off. There was nothing else to say, was there? Maybe the hunt would help in some way. He doubted it, but it was better than just sitting still. Suddenly, he understood what Zandra had not wanted to stop and make camp.
Kiril wound about the woman's legs, though he was careful to stay out from under her feet. Though he possessed the power of speech, the cat found that right now, there was nothing that he could do with it. He didn't know what to say.
Harmony smiled lightly, watching the child wander about this place. It was not as though it would hurt anything. There was barely even furniture. After all, if they wanted something, the inhabiting powers would just make it - they didn't exactly entertain many guests. However, as he came back the childlike Terrachronan stood up off of her chaise then, the skirts of her gown swishing around her legs.
"There are other forces at work in the universe. Everything has its opposite, and it is the bad that makes people appreciate the good. If everything just went perfectly and smoothly all the time, people would forget how precious harmony is. So, the other side pushes things out of balance every now and again. I could do more to try and tug it back, but I generally tend to let things run their course. The universe always eventually comes back to being in balance. That is its natural state."
She considered the sweet little child, stepping around to stand beside him.
"However, no. I can't make it stay balanced all of the time, even if I wanted to. I cannot control beings entirely, and people do weigh in on their own destiny because of that. They have an effect on whether I hold sway or whether Chaos holds sway. It's called free will. It says that no one in the world can control you completely, can tell you how to think. You have the ability to make your own choices. Even Fate cannot completely take that away."
Now, she offered her tiny hand to the boy.
"Come with me. I'll let you see the man that pushes it out of balance."
Even though she had a great animosity with Chaos, she would be willing to take her little charge to meet him. It wasn't like the boy was a complete stranger to his workings, anyhow. However, Harmony would not let anything happen to the child. If she had to, this is one place that she would be willing to exert her own force. Xamein was her disciple, and as such a charge she would not let him be harmed while he was with her. Chaos better not pull anything, or he wouldn't know what hit him.
As she retraced her steps, eventually Kiaati would find herself beside the grand house again, stepping through the gardens. She let her fingers brush over the velvet petals of the most brilliant crimson that she had ever seen. She found herself wondering if they had been this beautiful before on Earth, or if somehow life had diluted their luster and depth. She wondered if she had simply not seen it before, how she could have been completely insensitive to how sweet they smelled, how soft they felt.
Faintly smiling, Kiaati lifted a small watering can and went about, slowly watering the plants and the flowers. As she gently pulled aside the leaves, letting the glistening water fall into the dark soil, the woman had the strangest impression that she wasn't watering the roses with water at all but instead with tears. Then, as she thought about it, looking over the blooms the color of blood, that somehow seemed appropriate if it were true.
((As a side note, I have discovered that I have always been intensely interested in talking to our thread stalkers, and trying to get them to talk to me. For a reason that I'd rather not admit to, I opened up our archive of the thread before we switched to this forum, and I was reading when I discovered this set of posts:
LDM--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hey guys!
Great job on the roleplay!
I repped both of you's, just wanted to let you know that.
ICY--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
((Hey. Thanks... um, who are you? Have you been reading along or something? *is curious*))
LDM--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Quote:
Originally Posted by IcyDewDrop
((Hey. Thanks... um, who are you? Have you been reading along or something? *is curious*))
lol.. Actually, yes, for the past um... 5 minutes... I think...? ))
SA---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(( *is in shock* wow... we have a page stalker lol *Waves* hello!!))
LDM Quoting SA-------------------------------------------------------------------
"(( I knew one had more then the other, but didn't remember if it was women or men. Did you know that one of the main reasons women live longer is the fact we handle stress differently ...))"
YEA!
We socialize... While they screw innocent women who don't want to be screwed with... heh.
LDM--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*waves back* hi, there.
LDM--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
YOu guys can continue rolepalying, sorry to keep you off track. Now lights, camera, "ACTION!"
ICY--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
((*holds out hand to shake* Well hello, LDM, I'm Icy. Pleased to meet you. To SA: Well, I didn't know. I hope that your mom and sister aren't going to stalk me or anything. O.o lol. j/k))
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Me. Right now. Presently. The woman that wrote the preceding post. I'm saying this to you, Tree: Don't ask me who that was. I don't have the username. I only know the initials because I happened to mention them in an OOC *points up* I don't know who it was. But, this sets a precedent for my deep desire to have our current stalker post in the cbox at the bottom of the page. ))
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Tree
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" Tears of loved ones past."
Death answered gently.
" Only love spawned tears can form such lovely roses."
He imparted as he absently braided one into Kiaati's hair, kissing her cheek.
Zandra absently reached down to pet Kiril, even as she nodded to Drandar.
" We're leaving soon, with or without her. So not be long."
Her tone let no option, she was not inclined to wait or seek out why you were missing.
Xamien's little hand easily took Harmony's, a trusting little soul with a heart of gold as he moved with her, little feet padding along as his longer hair brushed across his shoulder blades.
Chaos was happily residing in his fortress like location, absently toying with his crystal ball as he glanced up to watch Harmony enter his 'lovely' abode.
" Yes?"
Death answered gently.
" Only love spawned tears can form such lovely roses."
He imparted as he absently braided one into Kiaati's hair, kissing her cheek.
Zandra absently reached down to pet Kiril, even as she nodded to Drandar.
" We're leaving soon, with or without her. So not be long."
Her tone let no option, she was not inclined to wait or seek out why you were missing.
Xamien's little hand easily took Harmony's, a trusting little soul with a heart of gold as he moved with her, little feet padding along as his longer hair brushed across his shoulder blades.
Chaos was happily residing in his fortress like location, absently toying with his crystal ball as he glanced up to watch Harmony enter his 'lovely' abode.
" Yes?"
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Sushi
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When he returned, Drandar cooked only a meager breakfast. It wasn't that he couldn't do better. It was simply that he doubted anyone would be terribly hungry.
"Do you want to eat something before we leave?"
He put the little bit into her lap anyhow, not waiting for an answer.
"Chaos, this is my friend, Xamein. Xamein, this is Chaos."
Harmony spoke lightly even though her feelings were not quite so airy towards the man. Either way, she wasn't here to pick a fight, even if she was braced for one. She didn't trust him. All of the others would agree that the bitterest rivalry was between these two.
"Loved ones past," the woman repeated pensively.
Kiaati glanced down at the way her hair brushed her shoulders, raising a brow a little. However, she didn't ask questions about that. It, like so many other things, was just okay. She put down the can, glancing up at Death then.
"You're awful handsy, you know it?"
"Do you want to eat something before we leave?"
He put the little bit into her lap anyhow, not waiting for an answer.
"Chaos, this is my friend, Xamein. Xamein, this is Chaos."
Harmony spoke lightly even though her feelings were not quite so airy towards the man. Either way, she wasn't here to pick a fight, even if she was braced for one. She didn't trust him. All of the others would agree that the bitterest rivalry was between these two.
"Loved ones past," the woman repeated pensively.
Kiaati glanced down at the way her hair brushed her shoulders, raising a brow a little. However, she didn't ask questions about that. It, like so many other things, was just okay. She put down the can, glancing up at Death then.
"You're awful handsy, you know it?"
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Tree
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Death laughed, something deep and dangerous lurking in it's depths as his eyes took in her simple stress free beauty. Slowly his long fingers stretched out to tilt her chin up just so that she may stare straight into his own eyes.
" That is the least of your worries here. Remember in death you are mine, dearly departed mortal."
Chaos slowly leaned forward, his lord like robes in drab colors of blue, gray and black falling about him easily as he considered the small child half hiding behind Harmony.
" I know him well, he's known my company for a long while."
He purred, seeming to have little issues with the pair there. Why would he? He could use any situation in his favor, it was so easy to tug on discord...
" What brings him to my hall?"
Zandra stood now, food falling to the ground as her emotionally void eyes turned to Drandar.
" Get Ariel, we march on."
she offered, walking off from the camp now, with or without the others.
" That is the least of your worries here. Remember in death you are mine, dearly departed mortal."
Chaos slowly leaned forward, his lord like robes in drab colors of blue, gray and black falling about him easily as he considered the small child half hiding behind Harmony.
" I know him well, he's known my company for a long while."
He purred, seeming to have little issues with the pair there. Why would he? He could use any situation in his favor, it was so easy to tug on discord...
" What brings him to my hall?"
Zandra stood now, food falling to the ground as her emotionally void eyes turned to Drandar.
" Get Ariel, we march on."
she offered, walking off from the camp now, with or without the others.
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Sushi
- Board Overlord
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Drandar rushed to pick up the little one into his arms, swallowing down that last little bit of water and dashing some dirt into the first to extinguish it. He gave a deep sigh as he moved after the woman.
"You're going to end up moving by yourself if you push them too hard."
The man offered this simply as he carried the girl along, keeping pace with the woman he had followed this far. He wasn't going to lose her now.
Harmony gently held to Xamein's hand, not letting go.
"Just to see you, face to face while he was up here."
She looked to the child that really couldn't hide that well anyhow due to the fact of her size. He didn't have to worry, though. She would keep him perfectly safe. There were plenty of reasons that the boy had been left in her care.
"Is there anything you wanted to ask Chaos before we go?"
Then a very familiar spark lit Kiaati's eyes, though it had not been seen since she died, and the woman pulled her chin out of Death's grasp. She turned half away from him, taking a step back.
"I am not a thing."
She had been. She had been a tool, a figurehead, a means to an end. Now, though, it was a different story. She didn't appreciate being talked to like a little pet or something, and so as Kiaati looked at Death, it was clear that she had cooled to him some. Actually, she had cooled to him a lot, feeling threatened.
"I am a person."
"You're going to end up moving by yourself if you push them too hard."
The man offered this simply as he carried the girl along, keeping pace with the woman he had followed this far. He wasn't going to lose her now.
Harmony gently held to Xamein's hand, not letting go.
"Just to see you, face to face while he was up here."
She looked to the child that really couldn't hide that well anyhow due to the fact of her size. He didn't have to worry, though. She would keep him perfectly safe. There were plenty of reasons that the boy had been left in her care.
"Is there anything you wanted to ask Chaos before we go?"
Then a very familiar spark lit Kiaati's eyes, though it had not been seen since she died, and the woman pulled her chin out of Death's grasp. She turned half away from him, taking a step back.
"I am not a thing."
She had been. She had been a tool, a figurehead, a means to an end. Now, though, it was a different story. She didn't appreciate being talked to like a little pet or something, and so as Kiaati looked at Death, it was clear that she had cooled to him some. Actually, she had cooled to him a lot, feeling threatened.
"I am a person."
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Tree
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" Your dead, dear. You are my property here. All those dead are mine to take and keep."
Death imparted upon the free spirited woman. Slowly he moved and kissed her lightly, his lips barely brushing her's. For a few moments after she'd likely feel a sudden surge of infatuation and admiration. Not to mention a strong chill take over her being. He could end your existence here. You would cease to exist everywhere.
Xamein thought about this, and frowned.
" why did you steal my mama?"
chaos chuckled.
" I am not Death, little one. I am merely Chaos. I bring about discord to make others appreciate the harmony."
he offered honestly.
Drandar earned not a word in response. He barely got a glance as the woman pushed on. After a bit Brooke would be chasing them, trying to get Zandra to correct her course. This wasn't going to work! They were going the wrong way!!
She got them corrected easily enough, but not even a snort or grunt was offered. Zandra either didn't speak, or wasn't intending to, or something.
Death imparted upon the free spirited woman. Slowly he moved and kissed her lightly, his lips barely brushing her's. For a few moments after she'd likely feel a sudden surge of infatuation and admiration. Not to mention a strong chill take over her being. He could end your existence here. You would cease to exist everywhere.
Xamein thought about this, and frowned.
" why did you steal my mama?"
chaos chuckled.
" I am not Death, little one. I am merely Chaos. I bring about discord to make others appreciate the harmony."
he offered honestly.
Drandar earned not a word in response. He barely got a glance as the woman pushed on. After a bit Brooke would be chasing them, trying to get Zandra to correct her course. This wasn't going to work! They were going the wrong way!!
She got them corrected easily enough, but not even a snort or grunt was offered. Zandra either didn't speak, or wasn't intending to, or something.
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