яє¢ℓαιмιиg ραяα∂ιѕє LIT+ O/A

What would you like to do?

Time Skip	57.1%	[ 4 ]
Play Haven out a little longer	42.9%	[ 3 ]
Total Votes:			[ 7 ]

[superunknown82]

Jake Armitage
~Mercenary of Brutality~



As he walked across the field of green grass, the grass moved with the rhythm of his legs. Saturated from the rain and blowing fierce like a cosmic wind, the grass reminded Jake and told its own story. Jake’s surroundings were familiar although he knew he had never been here before. It reminded him of a time long ago when he was forced to draw his sword and spare not a soul. It was dawn, with a bitter chill and silence in the air as if the world has paused and focused its attention on this very moment.

Jake walked down the street under a canopy of gray clouds and a dimly lit sun. Amongst the crowds and aura of the day, he felt at a crossroads. If he could find Basir and gather some sort of information to help him get back to Brutality, he could put this mission behind him and move on to the next. Seeking intel, gathering information, and otherwise feeling like a scout were things that Jake was not accustomed to. He lived for the hunt and embraced the kill. Mercenary was his title but assassin was his pedigree. The calm relief in his emerald eyes appeared only when his prey submitted to his will.

Jake continued on throughout the city searching for Basir and he stopped at an inn that caught his attention. It looked like a place men feared to tread and from his experience this is the type of place where he could find just what he’s looking for. If this Basir person did in fact exist, someone in this inn would know how to find him. As Jake stepped in the door, the atmosphere was dark and bleak. There was a noticeable smell and the air seemed wet. Jake took a seat at the bar and noticed the bartender. The bartender was an older woman who looked like she’d been there forever and wouldn’t belong anywhere else. Jake cracked a smile and confidently said “I’m looking for some information.” The bartender looked at him with her weather-beaten face and said, “That’s nice, who are you and why should I care?” Jake leaned back in his stool and in a hushed tone said “that depends on the next words that come out of your mouth, I could be the devil, here to do the devil's work or you could give me what I need and live to see another day." The bartender nervously twitched and held her hands together. Sweat began to drip down her forehead, and a look of utter dread came upon her face. The kind of dread one might hear about but never actually think they'd witness. She then took a step back and gave in to the overwhelming fear that had over taken her body, for she knew if she did not tread lightly then her demise would be met without much concern or effort. She looked at Jake and said "of course, what do you need?" Jake wouldn't have killed the woman, only because it was not worth bringing attention to himself. As he would often use his charm to get his way, he also had the ability to subtly intimidate his way into a favorable position.

Jake looked at her demonstrably and with an air of certainty as he said "wise, I am looking for the one they call Basir, where might I find him?"

[Pyrrhos Dal]

Xander watched Basir out of the corner of his eye. He didn't want the man hurting Crystal too much either. He was satisfied by the way he collected the hair and the gentle touch he used and thought nothing of a few extra strands being pulled. Xander plucked a few from his own head and handed them over when prompted. He felt nervous and antsy about the transaction. Now that things were finally rolling he was afraid something would come and screw it up. He didn't know why he felt this way but he wanted to hurry and get it done and over with so he could have a piece of mind.

He watched Basir add the hair with fascination. Xander was never very good with magical items. Normally he didn't like them. The day to day ones were useful but if he didn't absolutely need one to get by he would avoid them. This purchase was a step out of the box. That could explain his current nervous state but he felt like it was something more than that. His leg began to jiggle and bounce restlessly but when he noticed he stopped it. Nothing was going to screw things up, he was just psyching himself out. He was glad Basir was quick about it. He placed the ring on immediatly then crossed the room to put the earring on Crystal but when he brushed the hair back from her head he realized she had no ear piercing. Xander cursed. This was going to be difficult now. He should have asked for a bracelet. He handed the earring back to Basir. "I'm going to need a minute." He had a needle somewhere in his medical kit but he didn't have a lemon or anything like that. Instead he grabbed ice from his cooler. That would have to do. Crystal was a tough cookie anyway a little ear piercing would be nothing compared to what she went through. It was getting her to hold still long enough to do it.

Xander grabbed an ignition crystal from his desk drawer and lit a candle with it then put it in his pocket. He stuck the needle in to sterilize it then wipes the soot with a clean cloth. "Would you mind sitting on her for me? I can hold her head still if you keep her body from moving."

[GypsyNymphet]

Ｔｈｅｒｅ＇ｓ  ｎｏ  ｗａｙ  ｔｈａｔ

ｔｈｉｓ  ｃｏｕｌｄ  ｅｖｅｒ  ｈａｐｐｅｎ

ｔｏ  ｍｅ  ｓｏ  ｑｕｉｃｋｌｙ！

Ａｒｅ  ｙｏｕ  ｔｈｅｒｅ？

Ｐｌｅａｓｅ  ｓａｖｅ  ｍｅ．．．

xxxHenry was breathing but barely he laid flat on his stomach his breathing was so soft it looked as if he was dead. He clung to his life but you wouldn't know it, he blacked out but somehow he could see and hear everything that was happening. Henry felt as if he was dreaming, he slowly stood to his feet but his body laid on the ground, no one could see him standing their behind his limp body that laid on the ground surrounded by some of the fallen Brutality soldiers and the faceless that had been slaughtered. Henry was having an out of body experience, literally. He looked around watching the battle unfold and he was to blame for this. Henry then heard his mothers voice he turned around and saw her standing their dripping with blood and water, she looked like she did the night she was murdered at the Ball, he rushed to her side grabbing onto her hand then letting his other hand cup her cheek. "Mom.. I thought you were dead.." "I am dead Henry.." Henry's mother voice was filled with sorrow, Henry didn't understand what was happening. "But if you're dead.. how are you here?" Henry asked looking around at the brutal fighting that surrounded them. "I've never left you Henry. I've watched over you since the night I was murdered." Grace ran her hand along Henry's cheek. "What have you done.." She whispered, then walked through him and over to some of the fallen elders.

xxxHenry slowly followed his mother who was now knelt down beside one of the faceless, "What happened to my sweet Henry.." Grace asked standing up and facing him. "I don't know." Henry said, because he truly didn't know why he had turned on his own people until a picture of Ara popped up in his mind. "Am I dead?" Henry asked, "No Henry, you still cling to your life." Grace said then she took Henry's hand and began to lead him away from the battle, away from his lifeless body. "Come my son, let's leave this place." Henry then began to walk away with his mother until he heard Ara's voice, he turned and saw she had rushed to his side. Stopping he turned around and watched as she tried waking him. She cared. She would never admit it, but she cared about him. Henry looked back at his mother who was disappearing, "You can't save your Kingdom and have her Henry.. You have to chose.. You have to make things right." Grace said as she disappeared. "Wait! Mom! Wait!" Henry called out but she was gone.

xxxHenry didn't know what to do but his mother had a point, now that he had seen the damage Ara could cause he had to remember how he came to be by her side, he had forgotten the night his whole world fell apart. He was so blinded by Ara that he forgot who he was, where he came from and why he hated Brutality and what he stood for. Who had he become? If he had met himself now he wouldn't have even recognized himself. Henry then turned and watch as Ara was shaking his body violently trying to wake him, he walked over to her and knelt down in front of her. She bent down to his mouth checking to see if he was breathing which he was, Henry looked down at his body which was now covered in strange markings that glowed bright blue, he rolled his eyes and thought to himself That had to be the worst idea of my life. The ladies love guys that glow blue.. Henry then looked at Ara as she called out to him, “Come on, Henry, get up! We don’t have time for this!” Typical Ara never having time for anything but fighting, she continued to shake him but he didn't wake. "Ara I'm here, I'm alive." Henry whispered as his hand ran down her cheek. "Ara, you have to leave this place." Henry said and he knew she couldn't get him out of there, he was far to heavy and even though she was strong she wasn't nearly as strong as she would need to be to lift him.

xxxHenry was so oblivious to everything that was happening that he was stunned to see Ben his cousin, of all the places for Ben to show up he had to have shown up here. Henry was in utter shock, he watched Ben as he made a beeline towards Ara, Henry stood up and stood between him and Ara but Ben easily walked right through him since he was a ghost at the moment. Ben made contact with the Brutality princess at full speed, tackling her to the ground without care. Ara was fighting as hard as she could while Ben made his skin on skin contact, Henry screamed knowing what Ben was going to do to Ara, he would rob her of her senses leaving her defenseless in this place. "Ben let her go!" Henry screamed but no one could hear him. He watched as Ben stood up, he was beaten up with slashes across his chest and arms from when Ara's blade had made contact again and again. Henry felt for his cousin but he also felt for Ara who was struggling to find her balance, she was completely robbed of her senses and Henry could do nothing about it. If things were his way he would have scooped her up into his arms and took her away from this place, though that probably would have made her very angry knowing he took her away from the battle and away from Alisair.

xxxHenry watched Ben as he backtracked through the fray of soldiers, cutting his way though to where his cousin's body lay off to the side of the cavern. Ben began to drag Henry's body away from the bloodbath, into a small side tunnel not too far from where Henry lay. Henry simply followed him as he dragged his limp body away from it all. "Good god Henry, you've really messed it up this time..." Ben whispered, Henry stood up standing against the rock wall, rolling his eyes. "You can say that again." Henry said as he looked down at his body wondering when he would return to it. Ben propping his body up against the cold stone of the small tunnel and examining the strange markings carved into his skin. Ben then left Henry and his body for a few moments, Henry knelt down beside his body and gently reached out to touch it when his heard started throbbing placing his forehead in his palm he began to tremble cursing under his breath the markings on his limp body began to glow and soon Henry vanished and his out of body experience became to a halt. Henry had finally returned to his body but yet he still hadn't woken up yet.

xxxBen returned to his still unconscious cousin. Lifting the slightly heavier man up, Ben proceeded to drag him slowly through the tunnel towards the surface. But it was to little avail; dragging two hundred pounds of deadweight uphill was nearly impossible. Ben collapsed in the sandy earth, his breaths coming out in harsh gasps. His amber speckled gaze slowly traveled to his cousin, who lay breathing slowly next to him. Ben proceeded to drag Henry to the side of the path and began to assess his wounds. Tearing off a bit of cloth from his already torn coat, Ben tied his cousin's hands together, unsure if the unconscious man would treat him when he woke. And in due time Henry did finally awake, his sight was blurry and the markings on his arms glowed bright blue. Then feeling his hands being tied he didn't know what was going on, and then he remembered what happened in the Cavern and then Ara's voice echoed in his mind. "Ara... Where's Ara." Henry whispered though he was still incoherent. Finally everything was clear and low and behold his cousin was knelt down in front of him, "Ben.. What are you doing here?" Henry asked then he looked around, "Where are we?" Henry's head was aching and he could feel the dried blood on his upper lip, his whole body was still shaking thanks to the lovely glowing tattoo's he now has to wear for all eternity. "Why am I tied up Ben...." Henry asked as he held up his hands wanting Ben to release him. He knew Ben must have been very confused and somewhat disappointed in Henry at the moment. But Henry would explain hopefully Ben would untie him, sure Henry betrayed his people and single handily led them to their deaths but he wouldn't kill his own flesh and blood. Speaking of his people and his kingdom, being the Heir to the throne Henry had to figure out a way to save his Kingdom and save Ara from being killed. "I know this all looks very bad, that's only because it is really bad.. But can you please untie me for God sakes, I'm not going to kill you." Henry said as he looked at Ben waiting.

xxx


OOC: ❝I hope everyone understands what I was trying to say, I'm half asleep and sick so I apologize for the quality.❞


Meet Henry

[Rynli]

This was all so confusing...


Actually, that was a total understatement. A totally baffled expression crossed over Alisair's features as the Silhouette, Aaron, reacted to her words and threw his weapon down so that Alisair could strike a fatal blow. True pain radiated from him, though it was thinly cloaked by rage. What she had said had wounded him, severely so. Alisair shut her eyes, shaking her head to try to clear her thoughts. Why was everything a haze? The second Silhouette, more saddened by Alisair's condition compared to Aaron, tried to explain things to the confused young princess, but all of it sounded like pure insanity to her. When did all of this happen? What had happened to Alisair to make her forget? Was this all a delusion of some sorts? What was a Prowler and why did it attack her? Alisair tried desperately to listen and understand, but found herself being distracted by the countless questions that popped into her head. Suddenly, a great clamor filled into the cavern, armed soldiers bursting through one of the walls and like a wave of death, began killing every single living soul in sight without hesitation. The young woman shrieked in horror, the sight of the hooded mages dropping like flies at the hands of the frightening band of warriors's blades.

A small hand wrapped around her upper arm, jolting Alisair to her still shaky feet, the female Silhouette prompting Alisair to get away before it was too late. "These soldiers are from Brutality? They're here for me??" asked Alisair incredulously, her bright blue eyes widening in utter bafflement and fear. Before her questions could be answered by the girl, a blade shooting past her head seemed to answer it first. Searching for the source, Alisair's eyes landed on a wild looking young woman charging straight for her before being taken out herself by a young man who seemingly appeared from nowhere. This was all so confusing, Alisair unsure who was on her side and who was trying to kill her. Whoever these brigands were, there was no doubt they wanted Alisair, and they wanted her dead. Deciding that now would not be a good time to question the girl, Alisair nodded gravely, indicating that the Silhouette lead her out of there are quickly as possible; all the questions she had could wait for a time when sharp objects weren't being thrown at her head.

She couldn't die now, not when there was so much left unanswered. Moving as quickly as her feet could carry her, Alisair clung to the blade the Silhouette had given her tightly against her chest as she moved hastily through the dark tunnel, the sounds of conflict echoing up from the cavern and growing louder as the Brutality soldiers made headway. Following the Silhouette up the tunnel, Alisair fought the urge to look back, afraid of what she'd see trailing after. After what felt like ages of running uphill, Alisair and the small group of survivors stumbled into the foyer of a great building, the opening of the tunnel leading right into the lobby. Their arrival startled the guards, maids, and other Haven dwellers. "Milady, what's wrong??" inquired a few guards, the men rushing up to their princess with looks of great concern upon their faces. It took a minute for Alisair to realize that they were addressing her. "Attackers... in the cavern... hooded... all dead... must barricade entrance... sound the alarm... under attack" wheezed Alisair, her words coming out between shaken gasps for air. Shocked gasps and cries echoed out across the room, the buzz of concerned voices growing louder like a hive of agitated bees. For a moment the guards paused, shock and terror rooting them in place before they rushed of in action. Orders could be heard being shouted from all directions as all hell broke loose as every soul in the resistance HQ took off to execute their part of the plan. At least Alisair had been able to set down a safety plan in case something like this happened, though she couldn't remember it at the moment, she was glad her men did. Pain radiated across her frame, the young woman quickly realizing that her wounds had not entirely healed before. Weakness took over her knees, the young woman almost falling to the ground if not for the support of the Silhouette besides her. "Can you help me to my chambers? I need to find something more... suitable to wear." Alisair's pale blue eyes were filled with a sad yet indescribable emotion as she looked towards the young woman who had aided her, the Silhouette that she had originally mistaken as an enemy. There was a tinge of vulnerability there that was uncharacteristic of the young princess.

With as much haste as they could muster, Alisair, Luna, and a pack of fluttering maids made their way to Alisair's chambers. The young woman was exhausted and wanted nothing more than to sleep, the large bed on the side of her room beckoning her. But she had to resist. As soon as they entered the room, her maids sprung into action, cleaning and dressing her with great speed. She stood before the mirror, examining her reflection with a lost expression. Her gaze traveled to the girl who stood behind her, clearly waiting for some sort of command. "I'm sorry, but I don't... remember your name. I probably should, but there are a lot of things I don't remember." Alisair's pale blue gaze returned to her reflection, studying the image of a lost girl what stared back at her. Her pale hand touched the necklace one of her maids had placed around her neck "This was my mother's" whispered Alisair softly, a sad smile spreading across her lips at the recollection of her mother. At least she could remember her. "I have two things I ask of you." Alisair turned to face the girl, a suddenly determined expression set upon her delicate features "One, I ask that you tell no one of... well, my condition. Not at a time like this. Second..." her voice trailed, thoughts of the first Silhouette she had seen in the cavern. Aaron. The princess knew his name, but how she did not know yet a gut feeling told her that he had a greater role in all of this than she knew. "Find Aaron if you can. We, I, left him down there. If he is alive, keep him safe; I have a feeling that he is important to me, even though I don't recall why.... oh, and be sure to take care of yourself too" Voices, loud ones, began to echo through the hallway outside, capturing Alisair's attention. She needed to stay above ground, tend to the troops up there than the ones in the cavern and, more importantly, reacquaint herself with her own battle plans. Indicating that Luna leave, Alisair quickly found her recurve bow and blades beneath her bed and began to scour her desk for anything that resembled plans. An unassuming notebook caught her eyes, the simple leather bound book seemingly speaking to her. Keenly she flipped it open, her handwriting scrawled across the pages in code; a code she had used as a little girl. Seeing that these were her plans in case of an emergency, or in case of her death, Alisair began to devour the knowledge her previous self had left behind.


}{{Her outfit}}{

[Cute Beast Ookami]

• • • • • • • • • • ♛ Ｌ • Ｕ • Ｎ • Ａ ♛ • • • • • • • • • •

✦ S • i • l • h • o • u • e • t • t • e • O • f • P • r • e • c • i • s • i • o • n ✦

✖ ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖

Drink the wine, my darling, you said •Take your time • Consume all of it • But the roses were only to drain my inspiration, • The promises were spoiled before they left your lips and...

I breathe you in again just to feel you • Underneath my skin • holding on to • The sweet escape is always laced with a familiar taste of poison...

I tell myself that you're no good for me • I wish you well • But desire never leaves • I could fight this til the end • But maybe I don't want to win...

I don't wanna be saved • I don't wanna be sober • I want you on my mind •
In my dreams behind these eyes • And I won't wake up • No not this time...

• A familiar taste of poison...

✖ ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖ ✖

❝ Ｌ Ｕ Ｎ Ａ nodded to Alisair, her bight blue cerulean eyes holding her gaze. 'Of course Lady Alisair." Luna answered her.

Luna, Alisair, and her fluttering maids, were brought to her chambers, where Alisair could change, and she could reclaim some of the things that she had lost, if at all. Luna watched her sort through her things, and paused when Alisair pulled out her mother's locket. Luna wasn't used to seeing such open emotion from the Princess, but this Princess was the Princess Luna hadn't known yet. But that didn't change Luna's thoughts on her, it just meant she had to keep her safe even more so, until she could regain her feet again.

'I only ever told you my real name, and I don't regret telling it to you again. It's Luna." She answered her. 'But your Soldiers call me Blue." She added a few minutes later. The small Silhouette was listening intently to Alisair speak, and she looked up at her when she turned to look at her own reflection in the mirror. Someone she undoubtedly didn't recognize.

'Lady Alisair." Luna said. 'You have my word, that I will not breathe a word of this to anyone. Not one word. I've sworn loyalty to no one else but you, and I intend to keep it that way."

She smiled at Alisair, warmly. 'Memories are fickle things, Lady Alisair, sometimes they are better being gone." She paused. 'But, I've never thought of you, as someone less, someone who was weak, despite what other's might have thought. You've always been really, really strong in your own way, this doesn't change my opinion of you in anyway."

It was something Luna might not have said ever. But Luna felt that Alisair should hear her opinion of the Princess, because she would need strength, and she would need faith in herself.

"As for Aaron, he is a Silhouette, and to my knowledge, we are the last alive, I've got to go back for him." Luna said. 'I know I should probably stay with you, but you are asking me, and I've never been known to refuse an order or request from you."

Luna took Alisair's hands. 'I will do my best to bring him back to you, so please, stay safe while I'm away." The small Silhouette stood and went to the door. She gave Alisair one last look before she shut the door behind her. She was faced with some of the best Soldiers she knew.

'If you let anyone lay one finger on Alisair, who is not me, Aaron, or one of her maids, then so help me, you'll wish you were dead, because if, no, when I find you, you'll be wishing It was a Prowler and not I." Luna said.

Then she was walking down the hall and into a room Alisair had given Luna if she needed to keep some clothing. When she was working, depending what it was, but all she wanted was one of her long trench coats, and her sword. A massive sword, called a Nodachi Luna had named him Kurotsuki, which translated to Black Moon.

How the hell did someone as little as her manage to use it? Lots and lots of practice, and strength training. But it was her go to weapon, and now that she was armed to the teeth, she followed her way back the way they came, stopping only at the barricade.

'Blue." One of the Soldiers said.

'Lady Alisair requested I go in there, there is someone I must make sure gets back out."

He looked her over seriously before giving her the go ahead. Barricaded or not, if she wanted in bad enough, she was damn well getting in, just like anyone wanting to get out. She was going to do what Alisair asked, because she only owed her Lady that kind of loyalty, and okay, maybe Aaron, since he was a Silhouette. Maybe not originally part of her group of four, but he was still a Silhouette. ❞


OOC:

[Anika Nyame]

xxxxxxxxxᴍʏ ɴᴀᴍᴇ ιs...

…ᴀɴᴅ ι'νᴇ cᴏᴍᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴘʟᴀʏ.xxxxxxx

⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿

Luck was a fickle thing. One minutes you were riding on it's crest with your arms stretched out, basking in the rays of good fortune it cast your way. Then the next moment everything was turned on it's head and you suddenly found yourself floundering in a rip tide, helpless against the current pulling you to your demise. Yesterday marked the turning of the tide for Skylar. Nothing was going right for her. Any effort or plan she came up with only ended in failure and the storm of shitty timing didn't want to ease up just yet. If only luck had granted one more moment. Another thirty seconds or so and she would have successfully freed her ankles from the bed post but yet again, lady luck decided to mock her this day. Furtune was certainly not smiling on her. She could feel the last knot loosening as her captor's hand firmly planted into her back and forced her body back down onto the bed. Again a sharp pang shivered through her body as the broken rib pressed awkwardly against her insides and Sky was once again winded. Water stung her eyes. A soft cry threatened to release but she bit her lower lip and stifled the noise. Her body tried to curl in on itself as if a fetal position would protect the damaged parts but the man kept her flat against the bed as he re-attached her lower half.

“If you don’t behave we’re going to start back at square one. I want to be nice to you but you’re making it difficult.”

Once again she seemed to ignore the man. Nothing he said she would believe but Sky wouldn't give him any information. Even something as simple as a scoffing opinion could provide insight and since she had no idea what he was after, she couldn't afford to slip up and say something he may find useful. One thing she did do. When his hand slapped lightly against her buttocks she twisted in the most uncomfortable way to give him one of the most foul, venomous glares she possibly had in her arsenal. Skylar hated- absolutely hated- being touched inappropriately and without permission. That single act just earned him a slow, torturous death instead of a quick, merciful one. Just wait until the leash had enough slack...

If he saw her angry stare he was good at ignoring it and so Skylar soon gave up with her silent attempt to intimidate. Instead she squirmed around and scooted her bum down in small spurts to get enough leverage to sit back up again. Sitting granted her a small amount of dignity that she didn't feel lying face down. When the new stranger crossed over, Skylar was just about ready to sit up again and when she saw his fingers reaching out of the corner of her eye, she nearly twisted around to bite him but something echoed in her head. The words of the resistance soldier warning against bad behavior stopped her in the last second. As a result her entire body jerked and her face twitched in an effort to control the instinct to fight. If she was going to get free she needed to be smart and bide her time, which unfortunately wasn't her strong point. Either way she needed to try. So Sky allowed the man to pull out a hair, or five as it would seem by the ripping noise she heard and focused on not breathing in the rancid smoke. Whatever, ******** weirdos and their hair fetishes. They could have all of her hair if they'd leave her alone long enough to get the ******** out.

The trinkets and the hair and all the stupid stuff they were doing went completely ignored as Sky sat her body up and once again put herself in a position to fiddle with the knots if she got the chance. This time she was going to play it smart. She loosened each knot but left them both tied so when the right opportunity came along she could pull them both out in an instant. At first it looked like the time wouldn't come for a while. She played at being placid as the man brushed her hair aside to inspect the lobes for holes, to which he found none. Piercings and tattoos made it easier to identify a person and Sky's job required her to disappear at will and become someone new so she never acquired any. A satisfied curl could be found hiding in the corner of her lips and a twinkle of triumph glinted in the vibrant swirl of emerald surrounding her pupils. Looked like his luck was beginning to wane and where his luck diminished, hers grew. He became distracted as he sought about for some ice and searched for the needle that would pierce her flesh, which allowed Skylar the time she needed to loosen up the knots behind her. She kept her eyes trained on him so that she could remain still when he glanced her way but when his gaze averted, her fingers worked furiously. By the time he was ready, so was she. Once he crossed over she would slip her fingers through the knots and her feet would be free to round house him from the kneeling position on the bed. The motion would continue until she spun right off the bed and then she was home free. Sky was confident she could take both men on without the use of her hands.

⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿

ι ᴀᴍ ᴀ ᴡιʟᴅ ᴏɴᴇ, ᴛᴀᴍᴇ ᴍᴇ ɴᴏᴡ. ʟιĸe a ʟιon, ι'ᴍ ᴏɴ ᴛнᴇ ᴘʀᴏᴡʟ.

Icy ⠿ Fearless ⠿ Daring ⠿ Abrasive ⠿ Head strong

Post Layout by Katarjena

[superunknown82]

Jake Armitage
~Mercenary of Brutality~



The bartender, in an expression of fear and uncertainty looked to Jake and said “if you continue down this road, you will find what you are looking for.” Jake, not liking the answer he received, clenched his fists like a vice contorting a sword into a state of permanent aggression, and slammed them on the table. Breaking his normally calm demeanor, he yelled “not good enough.” Jake was normally brilliant at keeping his composure and controlling every situation he was in, this however was a different matter. His patience had worn thin and he was tired of not getting his way. The bartender trembled and took two steps back, hitting her body against the back of the bar. In a cracked tone which sounded as if her breath had been taken out of her she quivered, “ok, what is it you want.” Jake said, “I want specifics, I want to know the exact place to find him, not the road to continue down, not the side of town he’s on, not the names of the people he congregates with, I want to know where to find him. If you do not give me his specific location, I will return here and drag your lifeless body through the streets until we find him together.” He then smiled, looked her in the eyes and said, “do you understand?”

At this point, Jake had garnered a lot of attention towards himself. The bartender grabbed a piece of paper, wrote a few lines, then placed it in front of Jake. Four or five men had now gathered around and began to project themself into this conservation they were not invited into. One yelled “leave her alone”, another yelled “you don’t belong here”, and a third who was quite larger than the others yelled “who in the hell do you think you are?” Jake stood up and opened up his coat to reveal his sword attached to his hip. In a manner of fact attitude he looked towards the men and said “I am not of your concern, should you make me your concern then we shall see who can dance with the devil.” “I’m sure we’ve all danced with the devil from time to time, but unlike the rest of you, I always lead.” With that, he picked up the piece of paper left for him by the bartender and made his way towards the front door. He knew his confidence and fearless attitude would keep anyone from following him out that door. Jake never looked back, he walked out the door, continued down the street, and glanced at the note he picked up off the table.

[ASUND3R]

ｂｒｉｅｌｌｅ xxx❧xxx ｒｉｖａｎｉ

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXfoxes speak with clever tongues and sing sweet lullabies...

Brielle continued to hum the folksong softly to herself while her nimble fingers worked at tying the satin ribbon of her bathrobe around her waistline and a familiar tiredness began to wash over her body as it anticipated the luxurious slumber that was to come once she reached her makeshift bed of pillows. Her feet treaded across the sand covered floors lightly as she stepped through the archway of stone that led into her bedroom and the young woman smiled sleepily towards the mound of comfortable cushions that patiently awaited her presence. Then, before she could take another step towards them, a pair of strong arms rushed out from behind her and wrapped themselves securely around her upper body, pinning her arms down, so that she was unable to flail or strike out at her attacker. She wreathed her body, desperate to free herself, and she opened her mouth to scream but a hand quickly moved to silence her. A choked sobbing sound rose up from her throat instead as she continued her attempt to escape the fiend that had managed to find her in this one place of precious sanctuary that she had claimed as her own in Haven. Basir, the manipulative b*****d, he must have used his ability to follow her here undetected and now he would murder her in her own hiding place where no one would ever find her body. Her corpse would remain here forever, alone and undisturbed, and these tunnels were to become her own personal tomb. A sickening fear took a hold of her as she felt the grip around her tightening, removing what little wiggle room she had to struggle until she could barely squirm, and she shuddered as her back pressed up against a muscular torso. The silence was terrifying, all she could hear was the sound of her own heart beating furiously against the inside of her chest, and the sound of her breathlessness mingled in the air with his steady breathing. Then, the man finally whispered in her ear, " Shhhh, no need to be afraid, little sparrow. I'll make it quick, I promise." This voice was crueler and darker than the one she had been expecting, his words momentarily froze her in place as she realized with dread that this was a stranger, and she immediately continued her struggle with a fire in her movements that had not been there before.

She jerked around, she twisted her body in every available direction, anything to loosen his hold on her, but it seemed to no avail as all it did was evoke laughter from this mysterious man that held her. " We can do this the easy way or the hard way...your choice." She would always choose the hard way, of course. She had too much at stake, too much that she had to live and fight for, to simply hand herself over to this scoundrel. Suddenly, her hard-work was rewarded when the hand he had held over her mouth slipped for a moment, and she took this opportunity to bite down on him as hard as she could. He yelled, a bellowing sound that made her think of a beast, and then he let go of her altogether. She spat at the ground, the taste of blood in her mouth disgusted her, but that minor discomfort was overshadowed by her freedom. She quickly moved away from him until she was safely out of reach, she wasn't about to let him capture her again, and then she made a mad dash across the room for her shelf of clothes. Underneath the pile on the middle shelf was a small dagger that she had stashed in the room for safety measures, for the rare chance that Torelter would be invaded, and once she reached the shelf she began to fling numerous articles of clothing onto the floor until she found the weapon. She whirled around, holding the dagger between herself and her oncoming attacker just in time as she screamed, " Back off!" Her hand trembled, but she didn't loosen her grip on the hilt of her blade for even a second, and her laurel green eyes widened in horrified amazement as she realized who had discovered her hiding place. The dark gaze of the man standing across from her belonged to none other than the infamous Cailan Velarde.

This wasn't good, she may have had a fighting chance if it were some random bandit that had come in from off the streets, but this was no foolish ruffian. This was a skilled, ferocious warrior, a top of his class prowler from what she had been told of him, and it was almost laughable that she had thought she would be able to defend herself with a puny dagger. She was no good in face-to-face combat, she was trained to take care of her opponents from a safe, well-hidden distance, and he was her opposite. There was no questioning who would win in this sort of fight and all she had going for her was the fact that he didn't know these things about her. She tried her best to play the part of experienced, yet frightened duelist, but it was hard to feel confident in her act when those black eyes seemed to pierce through her bravado effortlessly. She could hardly keep her hands from shaking, when she finally managed to find her voice it was all she could do to try and make him an offer in exchange for her safety, " Just, just hang on a minute...maybe you and I can work something out, hmm? Look, I know who you are, and believe me when I say that you don't have to kill me. I can help you. I have food and some healing supplies -- I'll gladly offer that in return for you walking away." A wicked, devilish smile crossed his handsome face as his eyes danced between looking at her and the dagger that she held in her small hands. Her pulse was racing and she clutched the dagger tightly until she felt as though her fingers had meshed themselves with the hilt. The silence seemed to go on for an eternity until he chose to break the quiet with his response. " Hmm..." he hummed thoughtfully, taking a step closer that unnerved her, " You know I could just take those things for myself." Cailan rushed her then, easily smacking the blade from her hand and tackling her smaller form onto the large mound of pillows on the floor.

A gasp escaped from her soft, pink lips as she wildly struggled to make heads or tails of a way to escape him, but the unstable pile of pillows shifted under her movements and she found it was hard to get back up in order to run. She scrambled to get away from him but then she felt him on top of her, using his heavier build to pin her down on the bed, and all windows of opportunity were closing rapidly. He then grabbed one of the smaller cushions from the pile they were on top of and he brought it to rest against her face. Panic flooded through her veins as she was no longer able to breathe, her body instinctively began to fight against him in a desperate measure to survive, but the flailing movement of her arms wasn't helpful as she either missed or he ignored the few hits she managed to blindly land. Her lungs were burning within her chest, she needed air, but it was unavailable to her when she needed it the most and her struggle began to weaken as she lost the strength to fight him off of her. Brielle felt her life leaving her as time dragged on, she briefly wondered how long she could go without oxygen, and the weight of him felt gravely heavier as she lost what little oxygen she had left in her attempt to get away. She was dying at the hands of this monster and there was no hope of surviving in her mind as she lost consciousness in a matter of seconds...

She awoke with a start, gasping for painful breaths as strong hands gripped her shoulders and shook her body, she felt as though the world was moving too fast for her to take it all in at once. Her chest hurt, each breath she took was bittersweet as it burned her lungs but she nevertheless inhaled the oxygen her body desperately needed, and she tried to piece together what had happened. The stranger, no, Cailan had found her. The last thing she remembered was having that awful cushion pushed up against her face, she hadn't been able to breathe, and yet somehow she was still...breathing. She was breathing, he hadn't killed her, but she couldn't determine why that was because she had been certain she was dying. He wasn't the kind of man known for leaving survivors and all of this was very strange, but as her vision began to refocus she realized the man shaking her awake was the same man who had nearly murdered her. Cailan. Brielle sharply inhaled, flinching away from his presence on the pillows beside her, but he held her firmly in place and she found that her arms were tied behind her back to prevent her from retaliating again. He offered her a charming grin as he said, " Ahh, good. You're awake. I was afraid I may have overdone it for a moment there." Her breaths came in shaky gasps, she wanted to scream or beg for him to leave her alone, but she couldn't summon forth any helpful words at the moment. She stared at him in disbelief, still attempting to steady her breathing, and he chose that moment to reveal he still had the weapon he had taken from her. The steel blade of the dagger appeared incredibly more menacing in his hands than it had in her own and he waved it through the air in a teasing manner as he said, " Now, you're probably feeling rather confused. If you truly know who I am, as you have claimed, then you thought I would have killed you. Well, unfortunately for you, I'm not letting you off that easy, my dear." She couldn't stop staring at the dagger as he moved it around, expertly maneuvering it as he spoke, and the motion of it entranced her as she wondered at the many ways he could quickly kill her with it. Her voice came to her, hoarse and rugged, but still she managed to stammer, " Wh-why?"

He smiled, the whole situation seemed to amuse him, and he stood up to his full height, so that he towered over her fragile form that remained on top of the pile of pillows. It was intimidating to have such a powerful man looking down at her with his wicked gaze and she shuddered in fear as she tried to ignore how insignificantly weak she felt in comparison. " Strategically, keeping you alive for the time being is the smarter move. You will prove to be of use to me one way or another and, until you are more trouble than you're worth, I find no reason to kill you." Cailan said matter-of-factly, it was almost like he was giving her a lecture on Prowlers 101: Prisoner Regulations. Still, what he said made her hopeful. As long as she remained a valuable asset, and didn't give him too much trouble, he would keep her alive. She had no other option but to take the deal that he was placing on the table, so she nodded in understanding before whispering, " So, what can I help you with today?" A chuckle resonated from him at her prompt reply and he said, " That's the spirit, songbird." She startled as he moved closer to her, but she sighed in relief when she realized he was only removing the bondage that had held her hands in place. It was the same chiffon fabric that had previously been adorning the walls, but he had obviously found what he thought was a better use for it and she frowned as he carelessly cast the expensive material to the floor. " Get dressed. Something with lots of pockets. You're going to be carrying some things for me." he ordered, grabbing her arm and dragging her across the floor to the shelves filled with her clothes.

This was the start to a perfectly horrible partnership. Brielle followed his instructions and began to fish through her wardrobe as quickly as possible, her limbs still sluggish from the rude awakening, but she soon enough had some decent clothing in hand for whatever may come next on this man's agenda. She removed her bathrobe, feeling uncomfortably exposed for a moment due to this prowler's wandering eyes, but she did her best to ignore him and she pulled on the cargo pants she had chosen for herself. Then a simple, long-sleeved gray shirt and a pair of boots that were comfortable enough for traveling. She made sure to let her pant legs hide the tops of them since it would look unbelievably strange to have their flared design stuffed into the boots. It was funny that she even cared about looking decent considering the company she currently kept, but she couldn't shake her performer's mentality even now and it was always about looking nice for your audience. He gave her an approving glance, smirking before he said, " Good. Those pants hug your a** nicely, by the way." She scoffed disapprovingly at his comment, which he obviously enjoyed, and he winked at her suggestively before ushering her away from the room. He held onto her arm, leading her around as though she were some child, but she found it hard to be offended when he was also helping her stay steady on her feet. He brought her into the storage room and then shoved her ahead of him while saying, " Heal yourself. Then, you're going to fill that rucksack over there with what I want out of your storage."

He was certainly demanding, but she swallowed down her annoyances and followed the orders like a good little girl, so he wouldn't lose his patience with her. As she grabbed one of her healing crystals off the shelves and placed it to her swollen ankle, she realized that he had already changed clothes...he even looked as though he had bathed. You made yourself right at home while I was out, huh? Probably helped yourself to these healing enchantments too, no doubt. The enchantment mended her ankle in a matter of minutes and she moved on to grab the backpack he had pointed out to her. She followed him around the room, grabbing what he pointed out to her and shoving it into the pockets of her pants or the rucksack, until both had become quite full. Luckily, she had convinced him that her blowpipe was merely a flute and she had been given permission to bring it with her as her one personal item. She felt as though he were making her a pack mule. Then, when he looked as though he were about done looting everything she had worked to collect, something else caught his eye. A leather glove she had stolen from an armory here in Haven sometime after she had first arrived. It had some ornate embellishments on it and a strange silver metal on the underside that she found no purpose for, so she assumed it was some type of armguard for an archer, but he seemed rather excited about it. " How on earth did you come across one of these beauties?!" he questioned, quickly strapping the glove on his own wrist. She ignored him and used his moment of distraction to grab a few things of her own off the shelves. A collection of her poisons and paralytics, throwing knives, and more darts for her blowpipe. Lastly, she grabbed an image crystal she had of herself and Gigi. If he were truly taking her away on some sort of trip, well, she wasn't going to leave the stone here. She turned back to Cailan just in time to see him press down on a mechanism, which caused a hidden blade to flash out of the leather and into his capable hands. Of course, he would know this sort of thing's true purpose and she watched as he admired his new toy. He pressed on the mechanism again and the blade slid neatly back into its sheath. " Will that be all, Cailan?" she muttered, trying as best she could to sound civil.

He glanced her way momentarily, then quickly surveyed the room once again for anything else he might want, before saying, " Nope, I do believe we're done here. Time to head back to my place. If my partner is there, then I may no longer have use of you...what's your name, again?" Brielle tried to calm herself down, his arrogance was really starting to get on her nerves but she had to remain obedient or he would kill her then and there, so she softly replied, " Rivani. Brielle Rivani. And if your partner isn't there?" His expressions darkened, he seemed angry about the possibility she had dared to suggest, and she wished she could take the words back with the way he was looking at her. He casually approached her, sliding the dagger she had held in her own hands earlier through the sheath attached to his belt, and he gave her a smile before whispering, " If she isn't there, then you're going to help me track down the b*****d that took her and I'm going to kill him. Then we'll find out what to do with you, Miss Rivani. Let's get going."

[Anika Nyame]

coмe wнaт мay, ι wιll вe ѕтandιng


rιgнт нere вy yoυr ѕιde, ι won’т rυn


away, тнoυgн тнe ѕтorм’ѕ geттιng worѕe and


тнere’ѕ no end ιn ѕιgнт






tђє รเlђ๏ยєttє ๏Ŧ קгєςเรเ๏ภ

▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀



Aaron let out a battle roar and charged into the fray. All of his anger and frustration were directed into that sound and the chanmber seemed to shake in fear of him. It was that violent passion that directed his blade. The singing weapon was nothing less than an extension of his being. The steel singing through the air was the chorus to his grunts and the tune to which he stamped his feet. Flesh was nothing but an obstacle for it to cut down and blood was the water that it thrived upon. As Aaron clashed with the first of the soldiers, he could feel his body surge with adrenaline. A feral spark lit in the depths of his hazel eyes as the first man fell, fear finally claiming the victims face as they realized they had failed. Death was coming for them on swift wings. Then he was onto the next man, for that is how truly insignificant he found his opponents. Aaron was a silhouette after all. The life of another had no meaning unless he chose to give it one and so far, there was only one person who truly mattered in this world. Even if she didn't want to have anything to do with him, he was unable to forget.

The dagger speeding through the mass of men surging forward did not catch his eye, nor did the short and sweet moment that Arabelle had with prince Henry. Aaron was much to submerged in the battle, too focused on eliminating each cockroach that threatened to harm the princess. He made a promise to himself yesterday when he came across Alisair's fragile little body all broken and bleeding. Not another hair would be harmed, not on his watch. He was so focused on shedding blood, that he did not even notice the roiling waves around them. The first moment blood spilled into the lake, everything turned a bright crimson. Aaron only assumed it was the haze of his anger painting the world that color and continued on like nothing was out of the ordinary but if he spared even a moment to glance around, he would have seen giant, cresting waves and bubbles like a pot at fully boil.

The magic tossed and surged behind him, stretching and reaching all the way to the roof of the cavern. Twelve men had gone down at his hands and there were many left to slay but things had reached their peak and the cavern nearly exploded with magical energy. All of a sudden light flooded around him and he could no longer see his opponent. The magic shot up all over the city, anywhere it could find an outlet. Entire buildings were swallowed hole as the magic burst through every hidden tunnel and secret chamber it could find and soon the city looked as if giant red geysers had shot out of the ground. The entire city was trembling but none of these things were known to the simple soldier deep down in the cavern. Aaron swung and cleaved in the direction he should be but his sword did not make contact with flesh or metal. It hit nothing. He repeatedly attacked until a large thunk was heard and his sword suddenly became stuck. It almost sounded like he hit a tree but there were no trees in the cavern so... what was it? A blast of freezing air so cold he felt like he was in the middle of snow hit his skin and the bright magic around him began to clear. Aaron's eyes widened. Where the hell was he?



αs lσng αs í lívє, í swєαr í’ll sєє thís thrσugh

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❶. Bold ❷. Reliable ❸. Protective ❹. Confidant ❺. Ruthless

[Aterisk Menos Idalo]

"Would you mind sitting on her for me? I can hold her head still if you keep her body from moving."

The whole point of Xander piercing the girls ear was so that Basir himself could avoid any injuries or filth on his clothes if she struggled. Grabbing two of the coins he had previously placed on the table, he slid them into the pocket with his cigarettes, just before his off hand brought itself up to his lips to remove the fire tipped stick from between his lips. Taking a nice long drag he made his way over to the couple, just a few steps away from the couple. Taking a moment longer than he should have he looked over, thinking to himself how odd it would be to actually sit on someone. It seemed just a bit too juvenile for Basir himself, but regardless he continued his trek.

A slight grin made it's way to his face, for in his head all he could imagine was a childish version of his current self, sitting on the back of an equally small black haired girl with his arms crossed and a cigarette between his lips looking angry. It was a rather comical thought. As he finally neared the bed his eyes widened, just as the girl twitched he saw nothing but heels heading for him. He was unprepared, and unarmed. There was no way he could have avoided it, except by the grace of a god.

Thankfully it seemed god was on his side today, as shortly before the blow could connect he saw nothing but white, a beautiful white light and a surge of energy surrounded him. Closing his eyes he shielded his eyes, but he could still feel the swell of power surrounding him. Burning him. Searing into every single one of his sixty-trillion cells, boring into them, begging for them all to scream out how they reacted to the intense cone of power that surrounded him.

And then abruptly, the darkness embraced him.

[Anika Nyame]

xxxxxxxxxᴍʏ ɴᴀᴍᴇ ιs...

…ᴀɴᴅ ι'νᴇ cᴏᴍᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴘʟᴀʏ.xxxxxxx

⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿

Red, blinding red. The vibrant light flooded into the room, obscuring anything and everything from her vision. Sky felt her foot flying, connecting with nothing as it sailed through the air. The continued motioned caused her hips to torque as her leg continued to move in a sweeping arc. Because the momentum was not stopped by an impact, Sky was thrown off balance and her body began to tilt off the side of the bed. She fell sideways and clung the best she could to the object, by using her chin and the remaining leg to hug the mattress while the other found the floor. When the light cleared, she was surrounded by darkness and it seemed that the other two men had disappeared. Part of her was grateful that no one had seen the embarrassing position of her trying not to fall off the bed and when she realized this, Sky allowed herself to flop on the floor. It was much colder than it had been moments ago and the rough, unforgiving texture told her that she was no longer in the strange man's bedroom. Somehow she had been transported elsewhere, that much was clear. For what reason and by who's design she could not say but those things didn't really matter. This high level of magic was beyond anything she had worked with before but she was grateful for the opportunity it provided to escape the devil's nest.

As usual, the cogs in her brain started twirling to produce a plan of action. No matter where Sky ended up, she always had an objective. It was how they were trained. Be prepared for anything, always move forward. So she lay still and blinked into the darkness, hoping that her eyes would adjust. They didn't, not really. The place she was in was pitch black with only a few glowing plants of some kind, which indicated she was in some kind of large cavern. What little light the plants did produce wasn't of any help. Tall shadows and the general shape of the cavern became known but nothing in Sky's proximity could be seen. She was unable to identify any sharp ledges, dips or drops in the ground, or even see the shape of the bed sitting right next to her, if it were still there. This deprivation was irritating and would only slow her down. She rolled back and forth and twisted around until she was able to bring her hands around her buttocks and legs but since her feet were no longer attached to anything it was fairly easy. Skylar was flexible by nature and had little to no difficulty in bringing her hands to her front. Quickly she loosened the knot with her teeth and in no time she was on her feet and ravaging the bed into something useful.

If there were more light in this room, Sky was sure her breath would puff out in white clouds. The biting cold prickled her skin and chilled her to the core. Though only minutes seemed to pass before she wriggled free, her body was already shaking badly and her fingers felt numb. She grabbed the pillow on the bed, tore the pillow case off, ripped the seams open on both sides, then spread the cotton pieces apart until she had a nice hole going on. It took a while to wriggle her body through since it was a tight fit, but her breasts weren't large and her bone structure was on the smaller side in comparison to most women so she was able to pull it around her torso. The padding provided a good amount of warmth for her core, which would regulate the rest of her body temperature by default. The sheets were next. Both the top and bottom were ripped halves, or what she assumed were halves. It was difficult to be exact when one couldn't see what the ******** they were doing but she did her best to rip down the middle. Each bottom piece was wrapped around her feet and would provide warmth and cushioning as long as they didn't get wet but they wouldn't stay all on their own. She ripped one of the top halves into long strips and used some of them to secure the make shift booties. The pillowcase became a wrap for her head and the other half of the top sheet was used to warm her hands and forearms though she left her fingers free so she could use them. Lastly, the blanket. This was much more difficult to rip since the fabric was much thicker but she was able to find a sharp, smooth piece of something to help pierce through it. A small hole was made for her head right in the middle and soon the blanket became a poncho looking thing. The last strip of fabric was tied around her waist to keep the blanket close to her body. More warmth that way. Now that she was better attired, Sky began moving about.

Slowly she explored the area. Small bits of thick yet brittle things were piled not far away from where she started. At first she thought they were bark shavings of some sort but after picking one up, she realized it was very smooth on one side and rough on the other. Strange... She dropped the object and continued forward. Each step was taken slowly, foot tapping cautiously on the ground to ensure steadiness before shifting her weight. A loud crunch filled the chamber as she stepped on a few more of those brittle things but this time something shifted at the noise. Sky was startled and took a step a little too fast as she whirled around in the direction of the noise but this mistake led her to step into something slick. The lack of traction caused her to slip and in a giant flurry of fabric, Sky had fallen into a small case of goo.

"Ew..." It was about the size of a small barrel and was thick and sticky. She flailed about as the blanket quickly became heavy and weighed down by the substance and it didn't help that the iside of this broken barrel was smooth like the cracked pieces she found on the floor. something moved again, this time much closer to where she was and for the first time in a long while, Sky felt nervous. A small jolt went through her at the idea of an unknown opponent, probably a beast of some sort. She was unarmed and weighed down which made her much like a sitting duck and the idea of dying in such a pathetic was was a little scary. Of course she would never admit that she was scared, even just a little but the small amount of fear caused her movements to be less calculated and more frantic. After a few moments of idiotic scrambling that only served to spread the slimy stuff around on her, she forced herself to stop and take a deep breath.

Calm down Sky. You've trained blindfolded before, this is no different.

Or so she kept telling herself until the rate of her heart calmed and her body stilled. Her eyes closed. They were only inhibiting her. Instead she focused on listening. The creature was a quick little thing, maybe the size of a dog. Not small, but not large. A medium breed she would assume. That meant it would attack in a quick lunging manner. She would roll to the side then attack at it's abdomen. A creature of that size only had weapons in the front. Alright. This was more like it. She felt much calmer as she waited patiently for the sounds of something getting ready to pounce but instead she heard sporadic shuffling and random sniffs. Then sound started coming from another direction. More of them. At least three. s**t. Sky wasn't confident she could take on three in the darkness. The fear was coming back and she swallowed it down thickly. Maybe this crap could mask her scent. She rolled around in the stuff and smeared it all over her clothing. Hopefully these creatures would not attack...

⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿⠿

ι ᴀᴍ ᴀ ᴡιʟᴅ ᴏɴᴇ, ᴛᴀᴍᴇ ᴍᴇ ɴᴏᴡ. ʟιĸe a ʟιon, ι'ᴍ ᴏɴ ᴛнᴇ ᴘʀᴏᴡʟ.

Icy ⠿ Fearless ⠿ Daring ⠿ Abrasive ⠿ Head strong

Post Layout by Katarjena

[Cute Beast Ookami]

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✦ S • i • l • h • o • u • e • t • t • e • O • f • P • r • e • c • i • s • i • o • n ✦

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Drink the wine, my darling, you said •Take your time • Consume all of it • But the roses were only to drain my inspiration, • The promises were spoiled before they left your lips and...

I breathe you in again just to feel you • Underneath my skin • holding on to • The sweet escape is always laced with a familiar taste of poison...

I tell myself that you're no good for me • I wish you well • But desire never leaves • I could fight this til the end • But maybe I don't want to win...

I don't wanna be saved • I don't wanna be sober • I want you on my mind •
In my dreams behind these eyes • And I won't wake up • No not this time...

• A familiar taste of poison...

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❝ Ｌ Ｕ Ｎ Ａ turned her eyes finding Aaron, he was alive, and behind him a trail of dead bodies, at least a dozen. The moment she entered the fray, she felt the air shift, and someone stumbled toward her, kicking up the dust water with his sloppy movements. Luna tried to avoid the soupy mess, trying not to touch it when a blinding wall of light surrounded her, separating her from the others.

She tried to call out for Aaron, but her voice suddenly felt raw, gone. Her hand passed through it, and she felt the air, and nothing else for a very long time. Panic of the unknown tried to surge up, tried to drive her senses, but she took a few deep breathes, she could still breath, the suffocating, overwhelming feeling subsided some.

Whatever this is, where ever I am going, I will be able to handle it. She repeated the phrase a few times, until she felt herself relax.

She could feel the press of her Nodachi against her back, and her fingers found the strap looped over her shoulder. Immediately calm stretched and she exhaled. The light shifted, shifted and she landed on something soft, it bent under her feet, springs creaking uncomfortably.

Her whole body was alert, senses buzzing, stretching, listening, tasting. Nothing moved, and the only sound she heard, was the thump thump of her heart. She started to see the light dissipate and she realized she was standing on a small cot like bed, her feet making the springs creak and whine unkindly. Ahead of her, she could see an old rickety wood desk, atop of the desk, things were strewn about in disorder. Or at least she could see Lady Alisair complaining about it being in such disarray.

There was an old wine cup, chipped and pushed over, and an empty wine bottle still dripping. A map, discolored on parchment traced ancient lines in quill and ink, and it was terribly stained. Behind the old wooden chair was a settee and a few old dog eared books. There was a closed chest, and behind that a plated window. Also, Luna realized she was swaying, a slow, gentle rocking motion.

A boat, a ship?

She carefully and as quietly as she could, stepped down off the cot, and set her feet onto the floor, trying not to disrupt the ghosts of silence. She walked like a ghost herself toward the table.

"X marks the spot." She whispered, tracing her fingers along the route.

Well s**t. Brutality finds their little hidey hole, s**t starts, and the heart of magic looses it's s**t. Magic exploded from it's center and they were all sent...far far away? How was she going to get home? How was she going to get back to Lady Alisair? Was she alone? Questions tried to overtake her brain, and she felt herself snap.

'Quiet." She hissed. 'Now is not the time for this. One step, one move, one bit at a time." Luna had just finished her little tirade against herself when she heard it.

There was an uproar on deck, men hooting.

'Cap'n, look 'at this!" One man spat-growled. 'look what washed up 'n deck? A man! I coulda' swore he fell from 'da sky, there was this light." The Pirate made a motion with his hands.

'Skin the bilge-sucking blaggart!" Another yelled. Luna listened to the cries and jeers, the cacophony of voices and screams, it was getting overwhelming, but it didn't last long.

'Belay that talk." A firm masculine voice said. He didn't even have to yell, his un-rowdy crew was quiet at once. 'Tie 'em up, we'll wait till the lubber wakes, 'an then we will question 'em."

Luna heard another shuffling of boots against the wood, and her fingers lipped over the cloth wrapped handle. The familiar bend of fabric instantly calmed her, and instead of drawing it, she waited. They were on a damn pirate ship, and someone else was here with her, from her world...or whatever. Despite not knowing who it was, it was a little bit of a relief to know she wasn't alone.

Another inhale and she heard the clanking of metal on wood and what sounded like unraveling, like they might have dropped the sails. A few minutes later her suspicions were confirmed.

'Me hearties' set sail to the fair winds." The Captain called, and the crewmen started to sing as they worked. To Luna's surprise, all men on deck were singing a pirates song, while the Captain tapped his foot, and every now and then would join in their jaunty ranting. . ❞


OOC: HERE BE PIRATES!!!

[superunknown82]

Jake Armitage
~Mercenary of Brutality~



Jake looked at the note and read it but his mind was somewhere else and he did not comprehend the words he read. He clenched his fist in anger and placed the note in his pocket. Frustration had set in and he was worn out, coupled with fatigue and the drag of taking on an assignment he had no interest in. Tired of all the bullshit this assignment had conjured up, he contemplated taking a break, finding somewhere to relax and ease his mind from the monotony. He decided to take one more look at the note before deciding whether to keep going or to take some time to relax. As he reached for the note, he realized it was not where he had placed it. This reminded Jake of a time when he was being chased by a mob down a back alley after a card game had gone wrong. He was accused of cheating a man out of his money and the mob was in hot pursuit. As he ran towards the hotel in which he had a room, he began digging through his pockets to find his room key. He was certain the key was had to be in one of his pockets but it was not. When he arrived at his room, there was no other choice but to kick the door in. As soon as he entered the room he slid the lard wardrobe over to block the door and narrowly escaped through a window. Later that night while resting under a tree, he found the key in his shoe. An odd place indeed, and a misplacement which could have cost him his life. He checked his shoe and the note wasn’t there, he then realized in was in his hand all along, stuck to the wrist covering of his glove.

As Jake glanced at the note in his hand, his vision became blurred and he began to lose focus of the world around him. Voices suddenly became louder and incomprehensible. It felt as if the earth and the sky were one and the same. He wanted to let out a scream but it was if he couldn’t catch his breath. His hands were raised in a fury and gripped the sides of his head as he fell to his knees. Eyes closed, not from fear but to shield him from the feeling of this moment that had taken him from the lucid to the deranged. Suddenly, the world began to change all around him. Eyes still closed; there was a certain purity about the air as the layer of filth that consumed the street he was walking down had lifted. Light was more prevalent, this could be seen as Jake slowly began to open his eyes and was stunned by the bright, all-encompassing luminescence. Marble was now beneath his knees and as his eyes began to adjust to the light, he realized he was surrounded by pillars, archways, and the sound of steel on steel violence.

Aside from his immediate surroundings, the first thing Jake noticed was a window which contained parts of the castle in front of him and the massive mountain range behind it. Desperately, he looked for familiar markers, something that may trigger his memory and give him an idea of where he was at. Alas, there were none and he quickly remembered he was just walking down the street reading the note and was now in this castle. It was at this moment that his training and experienced kicked in. Focusing on the grunting, yelling, and the sound of steel being swung, Jake found shelter underneath a large bench. This wasn’t a good place to hide but it was a temporary refuge from whatever was making the sounds in the general area. Like a child hiding under its bed from the creatures of the night, he silently lay under the bush and waited. Once the sounds died down significantly, he began crawling towards a doorway. Now, out from under the shadow of the bench, Jake crept to the side of a doorway and peered into what looked like a courtyard. There were many knights resting and two who were sparring in the center of the room. The knights were wearing full armor and each yielding a single-handed sword. This was a weapon that Jake was very much accustomed to and he thought to himself…amateurs, they’re doing it all wrong. Beginning to stand up and walk into the room to show them how properly swing a mighty blade of death, he stopped and reminded himself of the seriousness of the situation. Surely he could easily take down a few of these knights but he was unfamiliar with their numbers and with his surroundings. Jake again retreated to the bench he was hiding under and began looking for a way to propel himself up and over a side wall, hopefully landing outside the castle walls. He knew waiting around here would be a death sentence, and survival would rely on the success of his escape.

[Anika Nyame]

Gretchen Fuerdbag

It is time... She heard the whisperings sifting through the earth like trickling water. Slowly she roused from her sleep. How long she had been slumbering was a mystery. Day, years, millenia? It didn't matter, time for the waking was now. Ho yes, she could just feel it coming. Like an old friend coming up the road it was. Gretchen must make ready to greet it. The old woman stirred shifted out of the large, throne like chair that sat in the center of the room. Her bones creaked and cracked like broken firewood and the sound that echoed through the large hall was eerie and disjointed but her hearing was well in tact. Any time now, she had to hurry. The winds of change were howling and the time for meeting was coming close. What gifts would she be presented this time? Her nobbled fingers fluttered over a pouch hanging loosely from her waist. Twas still there it was, nice and hungry. Many years since feeding.

"Soon dearest." The woman crooned to nothing in particular and hobbled through the church as fast as her gimpy legs would take her. "Promises to be soon, yes." The rickety hag stumbled around the graveyard in a frenzy, grabbing random things and digging through brush. Small bones began to collect in her wrinkled, skeletal hands along with oddly shapes stones and dried berries that never took seed.

"Many sunsets.."

"Uncared for..."

"Must gather..."

"Direct the current..."

"Might miss it..."

Small mutterings filled the silence of the forsaken cemetery, which looked like no one had stepped foot into in years.Thick vines grew up the aged stone walls and the fence was sown shut by thick, twisting tendrils looping around the bars and through the locks. Gravestones that once stood proud and tall looked worn and weathered as if time itself was forcing them to cower and bend and the webs of spiders silk draped everything in misty gloss. In some ways it was quite beautiful what had become of her domain, so aged and uninviting. It sent shivers up her back and she giggled a little as a spider the size of her foot scurried up the side of her cloak and came to rest on her shoulder.

"Breeding incest, heh!" She stroked his fuzzy cephalthorax for a moment before her old mind remember the task at hand. "Curses! Away with you." She waved the darned thing away and left it skittering in her wake as she rushed into the very center of the burying ground. A large stone circle, mostly unremarkable in shape and color marked the designated spot but unbeknown to most, it was the most sacred and magical place of all. A god was slain in this very spot, thousands of years ago when the magic of the world went rampant and with his dying words, he swore vengeance upon he who dared to strike him down and any who carried his blood. The declaration turned the god's heart to stone and it sank into the land, poisoning the soil forever so that nothing could ever grow. Nothing but disease and unholy things, things that set Gretchen's blood on fire. Now she could feel him calling for her, whispering that something was going to come. That it was Gretchen's job to make sure the thing came there. The small bits of bone in her hand got scattered about the circle and the old woman began chanting in a foreign tongue.

"Kadlich tunish mec doln facir laf..." The bits of bone and small stones began trembling and Gretchen could feel the waves of destiny swirling about. Many things were coming, passing through the spectral weave but she knew not which would be right. Instead she reached into the threads of time and grabbed a handful, whatever her power would allow her to snatch and yanked them all back to her. Except that... only one appeared. Perhaps it was destiny that only this one find it's way.

"Fine looking..." A bony finger extended to the young man, nailed yellow and cracked. The waxy look of the old woman's pale, diseased flesh practically hung off the bone and when she smiled at him and cocked her head to the side he would see blackened, rotting teeth- many of which were missing.

"You, mine."

[Pyrrhos Dal]

He really needed to stop underestimating Crystal. This was the first time Xander met anyone as stubborn and determined as her and he was beginning to realize he was in over his head. He didn't realize this until a foot went sailing through the air at Basir. His stomach flopped when he realized she managed to untie herself without him realizing it and wondered how much Basir would charge him for being round housed first thing in the morning. He jumped forward in a futile attempt to take the kick but a bright light flooded the room and the next thing he knew he was landing flat on his stomach on a hard, wooden floor. He could smell salt and fresh air around him. A chilling sea breeze ruffled his hair and swept through his clothing.

Xander looked around. Tall masts, dirty people, and open skies. He was on a ship. This was very confusing for Xander and the only logical conclusion he could draw from it was that he was dreaming. He had been round housed so hard that it knocked him into a lucid, dream like state. He looked around in a confused manner as the sleezeballs discussed what to do with him. From the way they spoke and the things they said, he had to guess they were pirates. Why pirates? He tried to think of a good reason that his subconscious would send him here. He was never a fan of pirates even when he was a kid. Xander was more fascinated with knighthood. Fighting off evil, saving the damsel in distress, and being hailed as a hero were things that he dreamed about so he wondered again, why pirates? He wondered maybe if this was his minds way of processing his most recent actions. The choice to save Crystal defied his superiors orders so maybe in the depths of his subconscious, his actions were piratous. He wondered if the choices he made were wrong but quickly shook the doubt from his mind. Now was not the time to second guess. "Cap'n, look 'at this!" One of the rats spat in his direction. Xander openly glared at him and listened to them debate among each other about what they wanted to do. He hated pirates.

He looked around the faded, peeling deck and sized up each man that stood around. He had no weapon and nothing useful was in sight and there were too many men to take on his own so he was going to have to be diplomatic and bide his time. The ship rocked and Xander stumbled. A wave of nausea bubbled up in his stomach. This was his first time on a ship and he immediately knew he didn't like it. The men laughed. "Tie 'em up an question 'em!" A bearded man roared with a toothy grin. The men around him roared and pumped their fists into the air then tackled Xander to the ground. He didn't resist much. He knew he couldn't win and being difficult might cause injury. He thought going along with the plan would better his chances for escape. Soon he was tied up and sitting in a ring of men. The bearded one stepped forward. His hair was a mottle brown and the course, straggly strands twisted around like twigs. He flicked his coat tails behind hm and withdrew his sword with one hand while the other fingered a whistle and key around his neck. The sword tapped lazily on the ships deck as he circled slowly.

"Ya see..." He began in his rough, commanding voice, "We be out in da middle of nowhere, ey, in da freezin waters where no man alive would last fer more dan an hour er so before dey froze. Den you appear in a flash of red light an have me men scramblin aroun like a bunch o chickens wit dere heads cut off, see?" He waved the point of his sword around at the men around him. "Now yah's got me wondrin, how in da devil did a brat like yous get on me ship, and whatcher purpose in bein 'ere? Did da mudder land send ye to rescue der lost lamb or are ye after me treasures?" Xander looked at him with confusion since he had no idea what he was talking about. "Choose yer words wisely laddie, dey may be yer last." Xander swallowed thickly and searched his mind for a good answer. He needed to tell this pirate something he wanted to hear but he couldn't lie either. He was pretty sure the man would pick up on any lie he spoke. Xander cleared his throat.

"My apologies Captain, for any trouble my presence has caused you and your men but I am just as confused as you are. One moment I was in my apartment in Haven having breakfast with my friends and the next moment the room was flooded with a red light. When it cleared I was here on this ship and my friends are no where in sight, which is very strange considering Haven's location. I do not know what could transport me so far-"

"Where be dis Haven place?" The grumpy captain frowned irritably then glanced around at his men who all gave confused shrugs. Xander looked even more confused. These men were obviously uneducated and haven was no where near the water but any map should have Haven plotted. He couldn't believe they never heard of the place. " I've been sailing dese waters since I was but a babe an I've never heard of dis Haven place." The point of his sword was placed into the hollow pit of his neck. "I told ye to choose yer words wisely boy, I'm not in da mood fer games."