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 Posted: Wed Jul 15, 2015 2:11 am
A world of enchantment, wholly magic full of many wonders...and turmoil...
Neirva-ani'eth is a world separate, on its own. But it holds its own secrets, a few forgotten bloodlines able to pass from it to others. Dragons are the main ones, but creatures like elementals, and the djinn, that are already something Other and not entirely limited to this physical plane of existence, have their ways of finding paths through the borders. However, the wild lands of Neirva-ani'eth have been getting wilder, the borders of settlements in the great forests covering the land harassed and attacked more often. With deadlier results. The people are becoming frightened, Kings and their Kingdoms preparing their citizens the best possible to counter the growing threat...
Even should it come to war.
Darkness has been growing in the Kingdom of Sharei, and unease has spread through the Nobles into their lands. The greed, the anger, and the pain has been growing more and more. Wild beasts have been running farther into settled lands than before, crops have started sickening and dying in fertile lands, and strange plants and creatures had started coming from the waste places. It's a slow process, only easily observed once passing a decade, then two... But the common people, those suffering the most, have too much to worry about with higher taxes, and harsher laws. And their King, rumored to have become Demon-ridden, sick and no longer protecting them. He hadn't necessarily been a GOOD King, but still, it hadn't been like this...Two travelers forced away from their homes, chosen, almost forgotten. But there are those who remembered...will they be in time, to bring about a prophecy long-remembered that now many looked to for Hope?Haewynn | Rocs Passing | Veirinada'a Selai-ru'um (Veira-na, for short)Neirva-ani'eth is a wild land, sparsely populated among the forests covering most of its surface. There are hills and seas, a bit of plains and one main desert leading towards the Frosnij, 'frost-born', mountains always covered in ice and snow even during the hottest of Summers. Monsters that defied imagination, and from nightmares, usually stuck to the wastelands, places said to be the 'edge of the world', and never willingly traveled to. But now, forest and plains were dying, in other places forests were encroaching while bogs and swamps slowly developed as land slowly sunk, or degraded, towards the waters beneath. Caves were being found, their inhabitants disturbed and spreading death and further confusion. It wasn't without hope, a Prophecy existed after all. But how those spoken of in its dusty words, could be found, or even whether they truly existed, almost nobody knew. All that was known, was the land itself seemed to be getting sick, those living on and in it affected greatly.
And it was spreading.
*This description was written by Star Ingd Eathe
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Posted: Fri Jul 17, 2015 3:18 am
 〠☾She had never felt such pain before.
The visions had always felt like a blinding heat consuming her mind; racking her body with spasms and causing screams to be ripped from her throat. They often left her unconscious for hours, and with a headache that would last for days. They would drain her, weaken her, leave her vulnerable until she recovered. Then, she would realize that the visions had actually helped her. They would build upon her strength so that she could do more, and do it longer. Yet somehow, she knew that as she lay dying, there would not be such a bright outcome.
She had been right. Death had destroyed her.
It had destroyed all of her. The feeling of her flesh as it was torn apart by Lily's blade. The sensation of each stab making her gasp for air, and the sound her own blood as it sloshed inside her lungs. She lost her mind, near the end. It had been her strongest muscle, the part of her she had always relied on. Each talent, each ability she had were all linked to her mind. She had found it beautiful, until Lily took it away. Every thought had been silenced. Every emotion undone. Every sense of being gone.
Katrina Nave had died in her own home, beside her own bed. Her body had been left in a pool of blood, stabbed so many times that her torso looked as if it had been put through a shredder. There was no way to survive it, not even with magic. She was a dead body. A corpse. A homicide victim. Her heart no longer beat; her soul no longer existed...On Earth, she was gone.
What she had never known, was that she was not meant to live a life in the human world. She had been created for another reason. Her purpose was exposed to her as she came into being again on Neirva-ani'eth. Katrina had once lived with her ancestor's blood flowing through her veins. It was that gene, suppressed and diluted by humanity as it was, that allowed her soul to flee from its shell and the gateway that was her lamp. She was given back to her people and her land, returned to her true self.
Home had always been Neirva-ani'eth and Katrina had always been inhuman.
The soul that Katrina owned had been stolen away many millennia ago, but it was known that someday, that soul would come again to Neirva-ani'eth. This soul, upon its arrival, was placed into a new body. Its form had been crafted by her ancestors, the Marid, who had thrived in the world long before the Sila. Preservation magic had kept it safe from the passage of time, those that acted as guardians well aware that eventually, the soul would be restored as Amani'ruya...the Awakened Seer.
Visions of what had been, and what would come to be, flooded her consciousness as her soul merged with its destined body. The guardian of Haewynn was there to witness her first breath. He stood by as the body came alive, listening to the new heartbeat while her new mind was shown everything the cosmos wished to impart upon her. She was given flashes of Neirva-ani'eth's creation and design, along with her reason for existing. There were scenes revolving around another woman, someone she felt she knew on a deeply personal level...but it was all a blur, mixed up with possibilities and unsure endings. The visions lasted for hours, days, weeks, until her soul had been completely stitched into her true form.
Finally, she opened her eyes.
Amani'ruya was the name she knew she would be greeted with when she awoke. And oddly...or perhaps comfortingly, she accepted it. She had been Katrina, she knew. She remembered that she had lived before, in another world, during another time. But now...now she understood who she was, and who she would have to be. Amani allowed herself to live here, as the person she had always truly been. The fae of Haewynn fostered her. They cared for her as she struggled to move past the cosmic visions; she was still very much disoriented and although she knew what her calling was, Amani also knew that she needed to push off all that she had seen. It was too distracting, even in this body and world; she had to mute it all, so that she could commune with the land surrounding her. Years passed by as she walked among the grass and forests, slowly emptying her mind so that she could think for herself. She partook in Haewynn celebrations and holidays, soaking up their culture as she remembered that it was her culture too.
Word of her arrival spread across the lands. Most of the world believed it all to be a myth. The prophecy was ancient, but the problems the people faced on Neirva-ani'eth were not. It would take time, and solid action to show those beyond Haewynn that she was indeed the Awakened Seer. But Amani knew that her part to play for now was time. Every day, she felt more grounded, more like a living being. She had entered the world as an entity, unbound, but as more years passed, she was finally able to see beyond the visions. She chose to wait and take advantage of her time by learning. She honed her abilities every day, and took to sparring with the fae to keep the body she was given healthy. Amani's strength grew as she waited for another...
Then the news came. News of a Sleeping Warrior.
{ooc: n/a}♢☸
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Posted: Fri Jul 17, 2015 6:11 am
Cherry-x-Sorbet You stole my color scheme XD Le sigh... Photobucket is being stupid -_-# grrrr Hope you don't mind me doing the past-time-overview thingy here instead of flashbacks ^^; I tried to leave it general *shrugs* I'm thinking Raven's been around for a month or two before Katherine was killed Warning, it's extremely long ^^;   If you don't take action, it's as bad as fulfilling the crime itself. Enjoy others' suffering, and you're the monster.
Mariah was a very strong Telepath, one of the strongest that Raven had ever come across. Still bemused, with the explanation, Raven had shrugged. She trusted Mariah, and while being casual was not Raven's thing... Boxes had floated on their own, pausing or moving out of the way as if self-aware, following the Telekinetic. Two of the strongest Psychics that were known, taking a break from all the crap their Federal jobs had been dumping on them. Raven was still quite young, and probably would go back...but she was tired of all of the rules and regulations that seemed to restrict THEM, the GOOD guys, more than helping them. She understood the need for order, but...well...Raven was a bit more 'cowboy' and 'renegade' when it came to rules. Do the job. And do it quietly. If that meant half-strangling a person, then do it. Don't kill them, and don't leave marks. Obviously. But if that's what you had to do to make sure no one else was disturbed, well then...that's what you had to do to make sure no one else was disturbed.
But, even with her experiences in a place that was definitely more of a city than this quieter place, Raven had been settling in pretty well. She'd have to find work as well, despite Mariah's plan on keeping Raven around for 'free'. Raven knew that SHE'D go stircrazy if she didn't have SOMETHING to do. Mariah would want Raven to relax...Raven would want to be keeping busy. She was very action-based, and it felt WRONG to be completely idle. Besides, Raven had heard about a few games she wanted to check out, see what they were like. And the barely-legal woman wasn't about to use Mariah's money for THAT. Even if the older woman would have been quite happy to 'spoil' Raven. She was like a mother, had been to their whole little Family. But Raven was like a 'project' to the very-feminine, fun-loving Mariah.
~ * ~
It hadn't been too bad. Raven had made a few...cautious...friends, her bare-bones Telepathy keeping her aware of those around her. And, kind of 'pinging' against someone. Raven had blinked, the sense similar to Mariah...but it wasn't Mariah. Uneasy, she had looked around, ready to confront someone maybe trying to 'cover' their mind with Mariah's signature...only to meet some VERY startled eyes. That quickly smiled, despite Raven's tension. Rocky beginning, but Katrina had been kind, and intrigued by Raven's story. And they became friends. Enough so, that when 'it' happened...
~ * ~
Raven couldn't sleep. So she got up, walking around. Mariah murmured something, Raven going to her door to answer the mumbled question. They were close enough that Raven could get a bit of Mariah's thoughts, not much; the Telepath knew how to shield VERY well. But they communicated in silence for a moment, until Raven started getting a headache; her own Telepathy was minimal, and more like a radar than a phone. But it helped reach Mariah's subconscious mind better, and the woman rested back into deep sleep. Raven gave the figure in the spring-colored sheets a fond smile, and moved to go to the balcony of their second-floor apartment. Cards opened up in a pack behind her, multiple decks out. They opened as well, Raven needing some sort of distraction. So she worked on shuffling the decks of cards, eyes half-closed as she leaned on the balcony railing. It was how she meditated, soothed by the focus it took to do such fine manipulation of multiple objects. It wasn't to her limit, but it was comfortable. Precise.
Shuffle...shuffle...bridge, stack, shuffle. Shuffle, bridge, shuffle, bridge, half the deck moving in a circle over to the right. Shuffle, bridge, stack. Shuffle, bridge... Raven straightened, eyes wide. Mariah cried out almost at the same time, and Raven scowled. For JUST a second, she had seen a blurred scene. Not much, but there was a familiar glimmering gem, and fear at another, metallic gleam... Shivering, Raven ran to be with Mariah. As much to be comforted, as to comfort, the Telepath having caught a scream of pain from someone. They spent the rest of the night together, Raven silent. She hadn't seen it clearly...it hadn't been THAT long since they'd met...but Raven recognized the emerald. -Katrina...- Raven thought behind her constant shields to keep others out of her own mind.
The news came later. Katrina was gone, blood found in her room proven to be hers. Unknown assailant, unknown death. But anyone strong enough to sense the energies of what was left in her room, confirmed the sense of Life...of Death. Still Raven stayed silent. Along with the glimmer of metal, there had been a face... No one else really knew her here. She couldn't talk to them...couldn't give out her suspicions. But, important things, features or details her subconscious mind picked up on, are what the young woman was to use to 'find' people. Identify them, when within her range. She had clearly seen the emerald. And now it was gone. Whatever had destroyed her body, couldn't have destroyed the gem. Which meant it'd been taken. Raven spent most of her time comforting the shaken Mariah, the rest of it spent walking through Janhall. She'd gotten a BIT used to using her Telekinesis on a daily basis, but there were still quite a few things she wouldn't reveal unless absolutely necessary. Why show her hand now, and risk tipping the scales unfavorably? It was habit, too. Stupid government, taking away her gun along with her badge for this move.
It had been going to evening, around a week later, when Raven saw it. The emerald... She didn't recognize the face, but then a flash came. Glee, something about the eyes...seemed, off. Insane, but not mad. Controlled...sort of. Raven scowled, moving after the woman through the crowd. She picked up pace, dodging like a buttered noodle slippery around people with only the lightest of brushes. Shorter than most, these days, Raven hated how people would get in the way. But 'walking on air' would just be ridiculous, get her laughed at... Maybe get her noticed. There was finally a clear bit of road, and Raven had started to sprint. She could catch the woman, demand to know what happened. And get the emerald back...Raven may not have known WHY, precisely, but she knew that gem was important! So she ran, putting on a fair show of speed...
Only to have a pale figure seem to come out of nowhere. Raven had to twist and spin to redirect her forward motion. Angered rich blue eyes met silver... Ah, so you are the Sleeper... Hush, your time has come... ran through her mind, cool like chilled water on a Summer day. It spread through her body, the woman-like form shimmering into something else. What the hell...a dragon?!? Raven had time to think, before blackness. And then she was gone...
Relaxing at the familiar weight...But I never carried a sword...in her hand. Moving with a fluid grace, the blade silent as motions were carried out smoothly...I never HAD a sword, how would I know how to use it?? and ending in a final stance. But I never HAD. A. FREAKING. SWORD!! Twitching, losing the balance. A clatter and a quiet hiss. Blood. She could see the blood...smell it. Wariness as another echo was heard. Originating away from the cave she was in. Awkwardly, the sword was raised, the body remembering what her mind could not... Words. Smooth and liquid, like melted chocolate over the tongue. Melting, smooth...musical. And definitely not English. A moment, and then their meaning came quite clearly. ...your death would have left marks. Thankfully, your soul remained unharmed by the great wyrm's magic. And now you're back, you're finally back! A sort of quiet awe, the voice rasped. A squint and slight head tilt. She could see, an older man looking around as if blind...how come she could see, and he couldn't? A murmured pardon, a quick warning...but still, she didn't understand. She couldn't smell wax, or tinder, what'd he mean by a li-... Hand up to protect her eyes, she grimaced. And he apologized, quite concerned.
Blinking with a shake of her head, she scowled. But not in anger, making a strange gesture that yet held familiar meaning. She was fine, a 'don't worry'. The man quieted, smiling thankfully. He carried a simple staff, something she recognized. A name came through from...somewhere. A memory? "Maru'uin..." He grinned, nodding and issuing her a small bow more graceful than his age-bent body would have seemed capable of. M'lady he answered, pleased at her remembrance. Another scowl, but she sheathed the sword, relaxing...
The fight with the Black Sha'drugu-ul. He'd been a tough one, wily with age. He had finally gotten some of his tainted blood inside of her, poisoning her. Burning her. Her last breath used to shove what little magic she knew to push her sword true, the magic always connected to the sword. His scream of rage, sending boulders down. Almost crushing her. A surge of energy, her scream as much of pain as defiance as the sword went true. His head low in rage, the blade sinking deeply through his eye to the brain. Energy leaving her in a rush, the black 'blade' leaving her sword to slice through his brain. Death throes, his last breath a stifled curse as he reached for her with his claws piercing through her body...
A quiet gasp as pain made her stumble back, hand clasping over her ribs where Sha'drugu-ul had moved to try to eat her heart. Where he had shredded her...had killed her. Her body still ached after the quick adrenaline rush, and the remembered pain brought her down to her knees. The elderly man Maru'uin...a mage of the Wilderness Acolytes, known as 'the Brown Order'...hurried over while she fought to breathe as her body remembered its death. His words rushed quietly, worried, a spell at the ready. "No..." she croaked, first time speaking. In at least a century, apparently. Her voice was low, soothing. But also husky...although whether from lack of use, or naturally 'wilder' in that way... "I'm fine." Head down, breathing deeply, deeply-colored eyes gleamed for a moment in the dark. She stood again. "Tell me, Maru'uin of the Twisted Oak...what has befallen fair Neirva-ani'eth, that I had been sent away in sleep?"
~ * ~
It took time, the mage...one of the last of the Brown Order, most dead and those few still alive in hiding...helping her remember. Her birth, the story she had finally shared with him as a haunted girl, barely a woman when she had joined the great Dragonhunters to find vengeance for her slaughtered village. For her family. The scars from that time seemed to have faded, Maru'uin endearingly embarrassed at the invasion of privacy to her body. They had had to absolutely make CERTAIN her body would stay healthy and safe, taken to Kruv sai-Crav Taru'un, the 'Caverns of Endless Time', said to be a Gateway between Realms. Dreams, spirits and souls, and some of the Fae lands lost in the NetherRealms had made the cave system an interesting place. Dangerous, and a place that couldn't be mapped. Memories would be lost, or the place would change... Only Dragons and the strongest Fae, Light or Dark, Hale or Twisted, could maneuver. And the goddess Syrael-eir Sara'as-dei'l herself had left instructions in a vision. Instructions carefully observed by the faithful, brought to the Brown Order for safekeeping. They were the Wilderness Acolytes, partnered with the land and nature, listening to the land's needs and acting as healers and defenders. And the more they were one with the land, if needed, the longer they lived, as stories told...
Poor old Maru'uin wasn't a fighter, and she needed to make sure she had kept her skills. She felt strong, but that didn't mean anything after a century's sleep. And the magic of her blade seemed locked, disturbing. Aggravating. It hadn't been immediately usable when she had first found it, in a secret room under the smithy's forge. But that didn't make it any less annoying. So she traveled, first through the woods with Maru'uin, until they found a brother Acolyte of his. Dark news indeed, the land's pain twisting it and spawning darkness that they needed help with. Maru'uin had been torn, but she knew where his duty lay. To the lands. And a faded memory came to mind, old...shadowed as if by something else. Flashes from dreams. But still strong. The foothills of the Frosnij, the mountains that ringed in the edge of the world, held great beasts. Hunters...the Laneik. She would head there.
Time passed, and she traveled. Stories went out about this dragon slayer. Some remembered tales, most laughed or gawked at her silver-white hair, her black blade. Her armor, when it manifested as if out of the shadows. The 'Shrouded Draekan' had returned, named for the black dragon made of scales down the back of the sheath of her black blade, and its misty manifestations that nonetheless held solid relevance. Shadow magic, something normally associated with dragons. Not Black dragons, they were poison and pain, but still, it garnered unease and distrust. And anger, competition among other mercenaries she came across, the Dragonhunters only groups set out after their own gain. Not that much different than before, but instead of extorting people for ridding them of wyverns and the like, now they were simply extorting people, and without rule. Hmph. Not surprising, that.
But there were some who recognized the blade and who recognized what it had done, the outlying villages that had been hounded the most by the Black dragons, the evil monsters of Neirva-ani'eth, having kept stories of 'the Shrouded Draekan'. Gratitude, and when the land started failing... Prayers went to her. Even though she wasn't a hero, even though she was a female...the only woman Hunter...they were looking for her. Hoping she'd save them. Many had been disappointed, even becoming bitter. But some held onto hope. Some believed that she'd find her way around, as she always seemed to, to where need was greatest. To where the Blacks were the most destructive. To where they killed. Some of these had lost hope as news of her death spread... And it was their descendants, mocking and derisive, distrustful of this stranger. Of this so-called 'magic' blade. Magic abounded, but magic weapons were still rare. And none were black like hers. Weapons, like people, had 'families', their father the smith. Hers was alone, and had no others. Had no family... Like her, it had been taken, and removed to an Elsewhere place. Some rumors said it had come from a NetherRealm, or from the Grey Lands. The place where all the dead went.
But, she was back. The Shrouded Draekan once again traveled Neirva-ani'eth. Something, something had brought her back here. She had been Awoken from her sleep, and was ready to fight. Monsters fell before her sword, damage taken but she pushed herself. Always pushed herself. She would NOT be so 'easily' beaten this time. The world couldn't afford her to be lax. And besides...she'd been kept for over a century, right? Only fools slept so long without taking action worth it. She'd been asleep for far too long. She was awake...and it was time to kick some a**.  
Do not hate me for who I am...rather, feel anger at what I cannot do. Or have already done.
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Posted: Sat Jul 18, 2015 12:25 am
♢☸By the end of her second year, Amani'ruya had decided to venture out beyond the trees of Haewynn. The gods of the world had stopped showing her visions, forcing her to live beyond her mind and in the moment. She began to venture into the forests surrounding the city of fae people, where she was taught how to put her lessons to use. She hunted for many meals, until the day came for her to face one of the dark monsters of Neirva-ani'eth.
It had felt like fate, when she stumbled upon a spider-like creature, twice as big as she was and far more intimidating. She had been frozen in fear for several seconds, until the creature moved closer to her, and she saw a flash of a golden haired woman...Lily...she had seen Lily in the being's eyes, reminding Amani of Katrina's demise and forcing adrenaline into her body. Shoving out the past and its horrors, Amani had managed to evade the beast long enough to confuse it. While it searched for her, she took aim from above, where she had nestled herself atop a tree branch. Everything in that moment felt strangely natural, and she was reminded once again that she had been born to do this. '
With a single swift motion, she let loose an arrow. Her mouth stretched into a grin when the projectile met its mark, the head of the horrendous spider. It collapsed, dying, and Amani felt her smile disappear. Her mind was once again flooded with the memory of her...no...no, of Katrina's death. She knew how it felt to die. How could she allow another being, even a monster like this, to go through that same fate? Eventually, she was able to move, and she did her best to dismount from the tree, but had ended up half falling, sliding down the bark rather ungracefully before stumbling over to the giant spider. She sat beside it, crying.
Sobs escaped her in bursts, and she did nothing to fight the onslaught of Katrina's memories. Until that day, she had thought of Katrina as another person, a woman who she missed, but never grieved for. But suddenly, she could feel it all; not only her death, but her life, and that hurt worst of all. She realized, then, that she would always be Kat...even if she was supposed to be Amani'ruya.
She missed her family, a mother, father, and brother who may not even know what had happened to her. She hoped they didn't; she prayed that they would always assume she had just chosen to stop answering calls...she could imagine their faced clearly, now that she had given in to Katrina's memories. She cried harder, wailing beside the dead monster as she also remembered Navarre, who she knew had no chance of being ignorant of the knowledge of her death. He might have even been the one to find her, she realized with horror. He'd had a spare key to her home...
Amani collapsed further into herself, trying to keep away the hysteria but knowing that this had to happen. She needed to remember. She needed to accept it all. Yukiko, Artie, and...and Amos. They would have to fight against...against her without Katrina's help. Would they die, too? Murdered by...by....Lily? Whatever amount of self control she had left disappeared completely as finally remembered Lily in all her glory. It was the last step, but finally, she accepted it. She accepted her death, and accepted the pain it gave her.
She had no idea how long she laid on the ground, but when Amani raised her head and returned to her surroundings, her gaze fixated on the spider in front of her. It was dead, she reminded herself. It was dead because she had killed it. She'd killed it because it was a being born of darkness and evil. She was supposed to do this. She would have to do it again, many times, before her purpose was fulfilled.
Amani'ruya gave once last look to the spider beast, then turned her back, and returned to Haewynn.
¤·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸¸.¤·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸¸.¤
It was another three years before she was granted another vision. This one woke her in the night, but instead of annoyance or pain, she felt joy. The Shrouded Draekan had returned to the world. Finally, she knew she was not alone on this quest.
For months afterwards, she continued to train with renewed vigor. Her years of existence in Neirva-ani'eth had been full of self reflection, but now she could do more. More for her people and the ancestors who had blessed her. Amani gathered all the news she could about the 'stranger,' and memorized each tale she heard. The Draekan was somebody she had know long ago for a brief time...but she knew they would meet again soon.
{ooc: n/af}
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Posted: Sat Jul 18, 2015 3:24 am
Cherry-x-Sorbet Soooo many pictures to try to keep track of x_x Do not hate me for who I am...rather, feel anger at what I cannot do. Or have already done. She had found the Laneik all right. Rather, they had found her, this invader in their lands strange, seeming to resist the cold of the Frosnij. It wasn't that she was immune, she just moved quickly and knew where she was going. Or at least, where she was wanting to go.
The dwarves weren't found easily, and while an ally of hers might still live, she wasn't about to seek him out on such a long shot of location. And she wanted a drink. More, she needed news. A Seer had come to the world, Manu'uin had told her. One long-awaited for, prepared as her body had been even after death. A flash of pain was ignored. It had been some time since she'd awoken again, a bunch of it spent traveling through the Frosnij.
Encircled by the great hunters, she didn't blink as her hand reached for the sword at her back. Giant and wolf-like, somehow seeming to hold genetics of a yeti for the burly muscle and thick fur, the Laneik were not to be taken lightly. And she had invaded their territory. Signs of challenge, snarling... Even as big as they were, easily the size of a plow horse, one larger came through. All creams and white, nonetheless this one seemed purest silver-traced white, as if having Runes naturally along his fur. As big as this, it had to be a male, to defend against invading yetis, and ice giants. He was given obeisance, staring into her rich blue gaze with his silver one.Silver eyes meeting hers, sweet gentleness in her mind choosing her, calling her away from her current objective. She had to get that emerald, she had to find...!Narrowing her eyes in challenge, she didn't close them, didn't look away even as the gracefully brutish Lan'ai stalked closer. They were almost nose to nose, his breath burning hot against her chilled face where she stood there in winter furs, but not a whole lot else. She still needed to find her armor, but...
Welcome, Star-sister... was murmured into her mind. And then he bowed his head. She who dances among the sky with her sword, we greet you Leiranae Su'ur Lae. And call you our Star-sister, Sana'as-hasera, Sana'ashaer. She looked at him for a moment, resting a hand on the furred head. There would be a trial, but she had heard of him. She knew him... Some of the unease, the watchfulness left her, and she understood; she'd been sensing their attention towards her. Even so was a near-silent murmur, silver eyes gleaming in the blinding light of the blizzarding snow. "Han-aterae'at..." Laughter, smooth and clear like ice, like crystal, glided through her mind.
~ * ~
Traveling along with her companion, she made her way much quicker through the Frosnij. All she had to do, was stay low deep in his fur. It seemed natural, like they'd been chosen for each other. Like they had had this partnership before...like he'd been waiting for her to find him. But she hadn't had the joy of riding him, the privilege of sharing the wild mind of one of the Laneik. Stories of old, warriors who rode the giant beasts to war. Magic, fear, blood and strength... A terrible ally indeed.
It still took a goodly amount of time, her needing to make the rest of the trip on foot. Han-aterae'at...Haeterai for short...needed to shed fur out of sight. And that way, the smaller horses wouldn't freak out and run. Or attack. He'd just eat them. Calm, having shed her furs and packed them into a bundle to sell while out of the Frosnij, deep blue eyes looked around to the soaring branches and housing overhead. Only a few structures were on the ground, for visitors who couldn't stand heights. Most of them were simply doorways to the steps. Looking around for a moment, she barely glanced at a post, taking some steps up towards a wide platform. A tavern. A place to visit once her excess gear was taken care of.
Edging in, the young silver-white-haired woman kept her gaze ahead. By this time, she was used to the whispers. Used to the rumors. A sardonic smirk barely twisted the corner of her lips, a normal expression. From both sets of memories. Sitting at the bar and leaning on her elbows, amused at how she was almost as tall as the slender Fae living in Haewynn, her ears more subtly pointed and her eyes slightly wider, but she wasn't Fae. Especially not as a grin showed all eight canines subtly longer and sharper. A sign of her blood. Of her strength. Ordering a tankard of their strongest, Leiranae Su'ur Lae, Sana'as-hasera or Sana'ashaer among the Laneik, calmly looked around. Those who met her gaze would either lower their own to look back to their drinks. Or glare in outright challenge. Not only Fae attended this tavern. Another, self-confident smirk, eyes glinting so dark, they were almost purple at the excitement of a prospective challenge.
Her drink came, Leiranae calmly turning her back indolently to the mildly-threatening room...dragons weren't tolerated ANYWHERE these days, and the scales on her scabbard making it look like an honor to dragons rather than a trophy of one's death, agitated more than just a few of the other patrons. Yer kind ain't gon' last long, wee lass a growling voice grumbled quietly. She didn't respond, even as the beefy man settled his bulk carefully on a creaking stool next to her. She didn't even look at the hulking brute, some sort of giant or maybe even troll in his blood, his teeth blunt and a bit oversized. Probably troll. "You're not a Black dragon...go away, you're not worth my time," she stated clearly into the breath-held silence. His face turned an interesting shade of green-tinged red, hand slamming onto the bar right in front of her. As if to knock over her drink. A flash, and she merely grinned, having spun on her stool with the heavy pewter tankard. Chugging down the contents, the warmth pleasurable but not too concerning towards her balance and judgement, she finally looked at him. And into the heavy hazel eyes. And he crashed to the ground, unaware of how he'd been momentarily balanced from a shove of her foot against his stool.
Roaring, he rose up with incredible speed. But she was gone, out of reach. Eyes laughing, expression a cocky smirk over her lips, the woman never once reach for her sword. But it seemed like no one could touch her, the man's buddies...all taller than her, all of them some brand of muscle-bound Fae...joining in. Drunk or angry, either way, other patrons either chose to join in, or watch. From a safe distance. It wasn't one of the 'nicer' taverns, so a brawl wasn't unusual. Someone called out how she had started it as the barkeep rushed out from the kitchen with a scowl. She shrugged, tossing the appropriate coinage towards him, paying for her drink. He snorted, leaning back and crossing his deceptively-thin limbs. And watched her, seeming more...thoughtful...than disturbed by her presence, despite the 'wilder' aura she had about her. Furniture flew, in hands and abruptly leaving them, sturdy stools used to such abusive treatment.
She kept the same, almost-sneering smirk, a constant challenge that seemed to rile the competitive nature of the males in the room. Women, simply weren't fighters. And she, on top of that idiocy and insult, also had a DRAGON on her scabbard. Some recognized it, but most seemed content to watch or join the animosity towards the odd-colored stranger, skin tanned from living outside, muscles lean but carrying inhuman strength...the troll-man from before got thrown over her body in a strange maneuver no one knew. It was almost like magic, how she angled her body, letting people move around her until she manipulated which way they went. Smooth, balanced...graceful.
Dangerous, this warrior. This fighter, this...this...STRANGER.
It took time, nonhumans having a lot more strength and stamina. But she had speed, and while Leiranae didn't have the crushing strength of the troll-man, she had more than plenty for the job of throwing people over and around her body. With help, but the results were the same; dense mass proving not quite as malleable as would have helped. A few blows actually landed, one splitting her lip and making it bleed. She simply licked the blood clean...and grinned. "Finally, now we're GETTING somewhere," she near-crooned in a low tone. There seemed to be a moment where the room held its breath. And she got mobbed, holding her own. But there were just too many people, and one person grabbed her travelling clothes. Then another, and someone clung to her arm. She struggled, still calm and smirking, even as the blue eyes gleaming deepest, gem-toned purple...everything seemed to freeze, people struggling against stools and items that suddenly held still.
In the stunned silence, a long, slow exhale came from her. Eyes half-closed, still smirking, she slowly rolled her head up to grin malevolently at the troll-man who had started with his insulting provocation. And opened her eyes, thin slits in the deep midnight purple. "Boo," she whispered, the silence at breaking point. There seemed to be a moment of total confusion, people who had noticed the Seer's presence giving her space. She was respected, and known. And valued, people ready to protect her if needed. Blowing into the troll-man's face, his face was a mix of outrage and confusion...and a bit of fear...as he went flying backwards. Space in front of her now, there was a stomp to the wood, the woman grabbing the arms of her 'captors', twisting her body up and around with incredible flexibility to lock her ankles around a neck. A twist of her legs, and the man flipped, sent crashing into a wall. He slid down, staying still, looking dazed. There was a sharp inhale of breath, whispers of 'magic' hissed around.
No matter how much strength someone had, bodies just couldn't be flipped that way by using the FEET. Not without steady ground, Leiranae still suspended in the air. For just a moment, something making the two still holding her fall. Her half-full tankard came over to meet her as she walked calmly back to the bar, not even rolling her stiff shoulders. Drinking from the tankard, she grinned with her dragon eyes across the room. Seven men passed out, others sporting bruises and a few cuts from unlucky blows.
And not once had she drawn her sword. It wasn't necessary, they weren't the dragons she was used to out-maneuvering. "I told you...none of you are Black dragons." Shrugging as she calmly stated that to the room, disregarding the insult it'd be taken as, she sat back down. And blinked at the woman staring at her. Raising a brow, there was a flicker of blue to her eyes, but overall they stayed deep purple as she looked ahead and finished her drink. And called for another. Waiting for she wasn't sure what, in the strained silence a deck of cards shuffled themselves. Leiranae seemed distracted, gaze distant as she was given a second drink. She scrunched her nose at it, but drank it despite the 'sleepy time' someone had slipped into it. It was a familiar scent, and it wouldn't bother her. Ruined the drink, its flavor more appropriate to other dishes, but she couldn't be picky. Wasn't like it was all that strong, the alcohol. Pity. The silence grew, people staring at the cards as they shuffled, bridged, shuffled, bridged. Stack, cut, shuffle...cut, dealing out a game. Eyes closing as she swallowed the rest of her second drink and called for a third, Leiranae didn't seem to take notice as the 'game' played out, accurate despite no one playing the cards. And people backed away, nervous at the 'possessed' cards playing themselves despite being a three-'person' hand having been dealt.
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Posted: Sun Jul 19, 2015 3:15 am
♢☸Amani was walking through the city when she saw a familiar face jog up to her. Her guardian and the first person to greet her when she had awoken in Neirva-ani'eth. She waved to him before pulling her wrap tighter to fend off the cool nightly breeze as she greeted him. "Good evening, Buwei." He fell into step with her, his face oddly serious as he spoke, cutting to the chase as he delivered news of what he had witnessed. The small smile on her face faded as she listened, her steps slowing the longer he talked. When he mentioned that the stranger in the bar was throwing furniture without touching them, she stopped walking all together. A moment passed in silence, before she felt herself lurch forward, running towards the bar with Buwei close behind.
Luckily, she hadn't been far from that section of town, and as she continued up the steps to the bar, she could hear the rumbling and shouting of a fight. Amani entered the room swiftly, her gaze sweeping across a...a completely still room. Confusion was clear on her face, but Amani kept silent until the stranger broke it. She watched as a man was flipped, ignoring the fact that half the room seemed to have recognized her own presence. They would do as she said, but while she kept silent, she knew they would as well. She would wait for the fight to end, and it seemed that now, it had. The stranger, a woman with silvery-white hair stood, completely suspended in air, the unconscious bodies of seven men littered around her.
There was no mistaking it. This was not the woman Amani had been waiting for. She was not the Sleeping Warrior, an unknown ally against the struggles in their world. She was so much more than any of that. The style of fighting was unique, something Amani had only seen once, in her past life. Katrina had known this woman, long before either of them had know who they were now. But beyond the physical form of attacking, her aura became clear once she saw the stranger floating, levitating above the ground.
"Leiranae." said Amani softly, her voice quiet but causing the name to spread among the crowd quickly. They kept looking between the stranger and the seer, trying to figure out exactly what to do. Most, the ones that clearly held Amani in higher regards and believed in the prophecy, seemed to extend their affections toward the stranger now, as well. The seemed unnerved by the sight of the cards, but Amani found comfort in them. She visibly relaxed, and took a step forward. The people began to mill about, some of them leaving, the few drunkards returning to their drinks, but several were still trying to figure out if the things they had just witnessed were on the side of 'good.'
Amani finally looked away from the stranger. She had been staring for a long while, unaware, or maybe uncaring, of the people's concern. It wasn't until Buwei touched her elbow gently that she glanced around, noticing the serious expression on everyone's face. Amani turned slightly, giving a reassuring smile as she reached up to cup her guardian's cheek, her intent flowing out from the contact, it's power reaching each person in the room besides Leiranae. Buwei would voice his anger at being manipulated later, but she would remind him of the importance of this meeting. It outweighed everything else, and she knew he would only agree.
Within seconds, everyone appeared much calmer. Those that didn't have a seat found one, their eyes slightly glassy as they let go of all the emotions blocking a sense of calmness. She held back the anger, surprise, fear, and curiosity of the room. Now, with the bar goers preoccupied with their own thoughts, Amani approached Leiranae. "Raven, I know it's you. How did you get here? I...I never saw-...I mean, I saw you arrive but...I never knew you were the one. My visions showed me Leiranae...they never showed me Raven." She wanted to ask if the other woman had died too, but something kept the question back. Perhaps her own grief, but Amani waited patiently for a response, not even considering the idea of stating her own old name. She was too caught up in the fact that Raven sat before her, the ally she never expected to have.
{ooc: lol, I get that feeling. It's why I use a basic one unless something changes drastically~}
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Posted: Sun Jul 19, 2015 4:15 am
Cherry-x-Sorbet Blegh, I haven't gotten to use pics in a while, and I don't like the risk of seeming 'boring'... *does air quotes* not saying basics is boring, it's just....bleh *snorts* Do not hate me for who I am...rather, feel anger at what I cannot do. Or have already done. Eyes closed, Leiranae didn't respond at once. How this woman knew her name, she didn't know. But the tension leaving the room... Was unnerving. Familiar, in a sense, but...Telepaths messin' with empathy. Guess it's useful for things, M...Mar...Mariah had done it, instead of anesthetics. She frowned slightly. Why had she struggled to remember that name, yet know so much about this Mariah? The cards stilled, cleaned themselves up and shuffled, stacking themselves neatly and staying still. The closest person watched, momentarily uneasy, but more disturbed out of their calm than actually upset. They seemed to sink into wary caution, and continued on with what they were doing.
Slowly opening her deep blue eyes, a silvery-whiter eyebrow was raised. "What?" she said, tone flat. And blinked, no recognition on her face. "I'm Leiranae, you've got that right..." Blue gaze hard, the eyes narrowed as she swallowed more alcohol from her third tankard. How had this stranger known her name? It wasn't like she was ENTIRELY secretive about it, but she's been introducing herself as Saenah, a much-shortened version of what the Laneik called her. Knew her as. No one would recognize her old name, that Tongue long forgotten even when she'd been alive. The first time. Soul passed to another world... there was a quick glimmer, chased away by a frustration deep in stubbornness, a familiar trait. Aggravation, eyes closing with a quick shake of the head as the tankard got put down.
Giving the stranger an admonishing look, eyes still narrowed, Leiranae...or Saenah...shrugged a single shoulder. "You must be a Seer, to be able to know of that lost Tongue," she stated calmly, turning back to her drink. But there was a greater tension through her body, an extra 'awareness' of what was around her. A tension that had been felt when everything had been held still, the cards moving again but faster, splitting into two separate groups...she was more ready to fight, despite the calming influence currently lessening her aggression. Leiranae was still affected, but she wasn't as in thrall as the rest of the room and was uneasy.
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Posted: Sun Jul 19, 2015 4:59 am
♢☸Amani noted the card's stillness, no longer shuffling themselves as the other woman continued to drink. She spoke, voicing her confusion as Amani was forced to realize that she may not even remember...maybe she wasn't-...no. No, she was Raven. It was unmistakable. The body may be different, definitely taller, but Amani knew what she could feel. And she knew what she had seen.
"Tell me, Leiranae Su'ur Lae...do you not remember anything prior to your return?" Her gaze flew back to the cards as they moved again. This time, there was a sense of unease as they moved, faster but still fluid. The occupants of the room seemed to find the magic even more interesting, their gazes locked on the cards as Amani spoke again. "I am the seer." Her tone held a note of pride, the title she had been praised with for almost five years was clearly an important one around Haewynn. "Raven. Let me show you." she said, almost pleading for the chance to prove that she was correct. Whether she was more concerned with proving it to Leiranae or herself, it was anyone's guess.
Buwei was still close beside her, his eyes locked on Amani despite the influence he was under. She glanced at him, one hand raised slightly to put a little extra effort on forcing his empathy to remain calm. His mind was rather close to her own, making him a tougher one to affect, but she managed. He looked away for awhile, passing the time by staring out of a nearby window.
{ooc: I just get so frustrated with layouts sometimes. I do try to change up the styles every now then, if only so I don't get bored lol}
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Posted: Sun Jul 19, 2015 6:12 am
Cherry-x-Sorbet Enh, makes sense. Makes sense *shrugs with a slight nod* And yes (typed this after I started replying) I copped out by just copying and pasting a previous post sweatdrop Do not hate me for who I am...rather, feel anger at what I cannot do. Or have already done. Glaring at the woman...THE Seer, as she claimed as a title...with a suspicious gaze, Leiranae stayed silent. It sounded like a challenge, this woman having the full extent of the name she'd been born with. The cards moved faster, faster, shuffling, bridging, stacking. Faster, faster, seeming to quiver even while being in motion. "What kind of thing would someone like you want to show someone like me?" she asked, clearly wary, cautious. Still tense, ready to move. As 'the Seer' moved her hand, Leiranae's eyes followed the movement, saw the man closest to them seem to twitch. It was minuscule, but her eyes caught it. Narrowing them further, a low sound vibrated deep in her ribs. A low growl, too animal for her very-clearly 'human' frame. Ears just a bit pointed, and the eight canines, showed otherwise. And her eyes, darkening with spikes of red seeming to appear for a moment before 'dispersing' into her gaze, making them a rich, deep midnight purple. With darker-than-night, obsidian slit pupils.NOT human...NOT Fae either, despite the more feline ones here and there. Not anything at all, that anyone would have seen...
There were no such things as half-dragons, after all.
Something, though... The gaze was a constant, hard. Assessing. Well, her sword HAD both comforted and confused her, waking up. Something about the woman's words...they matched what Maru'uin had said, slightly. What the old man had explained. Sent away... And that comment of being found, before... Silver eyes. Silver eyes... Closing her own, strange gaze, Leiranae kept her body crouched on the stool, slightly slumped as if affected by the alcohol. Or unable to fight, or something. But she was like a spring, deceptively loose and ready to move. There seemed to be a moment of stillness, again, all attention on the frenzied cards.
Leiranae looked at them. She froze, hand having gone to her hip where a dagger lay. It was unnatural, it was...calming. Eyes narrowing again after a momentary widening of surprise, expression otherwise revealing nothing, the silver-white-haired woman watched as the cards stilled, quivering...and then fell. That 'something' seemed to grow, the woman this stranger kept calling 'Raven', more and more agitated. The cards...something about the cards...Cards opened up in a pack behind her, multiple decks out. They opened as well, Raven needing some sort of distraction. So she worked on shuffling the decks of cards, eyes half-closed as she leaned on the balcony railing. It was how she meditated, soothed by the focus it took to do such fine manipulation of multiple objects. It wasn't to her limit, but it was comfortable. Precise.
Shuffle...shuffle...bridge, stack, shuffle. Shuffle, bridge, shuffle, bridge, half the deck moving in a circle over to the right. Shuffle, bridge, stack. Shuffle, bridge... Raven straightened, eyes wide. Mariah cried out almost at the same time, and Raven scowled. For JUST a second, she had seen a blurred scene. Not much, but there was a familiar glimmering gem, and fear at another, metallic gleam... Shivering, Raven ran to be with Mariah. As much to be comforted, as to comfort, the Telepath having caught a scream of pain from someone. They spent the rest of the night together, Raven silent. She hadn't seen it clearly...it hadn't been THAT long since they'd met...but Raven recognized the emerald. -Katrina...-A shudder ran through the woman, back bowing as she bent forward, a hand to her throat. Her other hand gripped the dagger as a snarl silently twisted her lips, showed her sharp canines. There was a howl, eerie and feral. Challenging...frightening. The hand at her throat went to her sternum for a moment, then over her torso...places that Katrina had been stabbed. Then back to the top of her sternum, where the emerald had lain... Hissing quietly, knuckles white along the grip of the weapon at her hip, Leiranae...RAVEN...glared at the Seer. "You're supposed to be DEAD," she snarled, slowly straightening and moving slowly off the stool. Much taller than before, she almost loomed over Katrina, in presence more than body. Items still quivered, a few patrons surprised as their stools shifted despite them still sitting. The everything still, holding that 'hush' as the tension slowly left the room...as Raven contained her spatial awareness. A few people took greater notice, as if this stranger was threatening their beloved Seer...
But she wasn't, just standing there, eyes hard...but Raven-blue, deep with many layers of meaning. Of awareness...of secrets. It'd been easier, Raven a bit spooked at how easily this 'other' had taken over...no. How easy it'd been to SLIP into this 'other' mind. At least she hadn't cut herself on her own weapon, again. Knives and the occasional dagger, yes, Raven could use. More with her Kinesis than anything else, but... Sword? HELL no. And the whole 'magic' thing...she hadn't been used to that. Her arrival had been sudden, no sense of time to one moment and the next, when...wait. Darkness.
"You're dead." Her voice was blunt, clear. To the point. Something crossed behind the deeply blue eyes, almost like fear. "Am I dead?" she murmured to herself, scowling. Not fear at death...fear at not knowing whether she was or not. "No...wait..." Hand to her face, the silvery-white-haired young woman scowled. She was NOT happy. "Saw you die...blurred face, gem clearest," Raven/Leiranae muttered, a grumpy tone to her voice. Very, very Raven, annoyed at any stupidity around her. Especially if coming FROM her. "Saw the emerald, chased...silver." Raven snorted, shaking her head and throwing her hands up slightly, though they never went higher than her shoulders. As if to say she gave up, eyes glaring up at the ceiling. "Got interrupted by a freaking DRAGON, person, thing." Raven's annoyance was clear.
Giving the Seer a look, Raven could see it now. Sort of. Katrina was WAY more intense, seeming hopeful... Raven sighed. And crossed her arms, glaring. She was NOT going to let Katrina off the hook. Not at all. She stood there in silence, but Katrina would probably know it was just Raven being Raven...and she didn't react well to surprises. Considering what she had shared about fighting other Psychics, it made sense. Would also make sense to be this leanly-muscled, clearly-skilled warrior. Raven...she worked at it, but motions seemed to flow smoother with her. Balance and precision, even though she could duke out a wild brawl if needed. But it wasn't all her Telekinesis...Raven had sparred using her martial arts regularly, once she started. That muscle, back 'home', had been EARNED.
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Posted: Sun Jul 19, 2015 10:00 pm
♢☸It was the growl that set Amani on edge. She watched as the woman in front of her seemed to shift from the being she knew held Raven inside, to something else entirely unknown. Her gaze no longer felt human, but nothing of her presence felt like the fae surrounding them. This feeling was something she had never felt before; not as Amani'ruya, nor Katrina...She desperately wanted to calm her down, to extend her trick of empathy onto Leiranae but she refrained. If Amani was truly correct, then this woman would be more than an excellent fighter; she would know that her mind was being manipulated, and Amani had a feeling she would not likely be as understanding as Buwei was. In fact, she was not at all sure that her powers would even be able to do anything beyond aggravate Leiranae further.
She remained silent, her gaze studying Leiranae closely. She heard the cards freeze, and then fall, but Amani kept her attention on the other woman's hand; she watched as it rested on a dagger, causing a sense of unease to rise in Amani. Still, she watched, although she was now preparing herself for a greater problem. She still wasn't prepared for what happened.
Leiranae, or maybe it was Raven, shining through this other vessel, now squirmed with pain; it took Amani only a moment to realize that her death wounds were being relived by the other woman. "Raven? Raven, no!" she moved towards Raven, damning whatever the consequences were of these memories. She couldn't bear to see that death yet again...How was it possible that seeing someone else feel the pain was worse than when she had gone through it herself? It didn't matter, she would make it stop. Amani was going to force her sense of calm on the woman, thinking to herself that whatever backlash she could have faced would be nothing compared to what she saw happening...but she was too slow. Raven was already standing, looming over Amani, snarling as she spoke. Automatically, Amani leaned away, her back against the bar counter as she made no attempt to hide the tears falling from her face. She paid no attention to those around them, unable to care for their affections and concerns as she stood still, stifling a sob as Leiranae...stared...no...not, not Leiranae.
She was Raven.
It was Raven's eyes, a clear blue, that sent a sudden wave of relief through Amani...or rather now, she could be more like Katrina. She managed a wobbly smile, listening as Raven spoke in her familiar, no nonsense way. When it was stated once again that she was dead, Katrina gave a small shrug, her mood lifting higher with each passing second. Slowly, she used a sleeve to wipe away the moisture on her face as she stood straight once again. She didn't answer the statement, nor the question of death; she truly had no clue as to how or why Raven was chosen to be the Warrior...but when a dragon was mentioned, Katrina could no longer resist the urge to laugh. It felt good to do so, like a release of the room's pent up tension; It had taken ahold of her, and so she felt much lighter after finally letting it go. The simple comfort she felt, just because Raven was being, well, Raven. "I-" she was interrupted by her own lingering chuckles, but she did manage to say, after a couple of attempts, "I apologize for the surprise, Raven. I'm just as shocked, really. I just...Sometimes I forget how this side of me feels." She felt so purely like Katrina, lighthearted enough that those under her control were clearly more than calm now; they looked happy.
Only when she had quieted and given herself a second to think about what Raven said, did she realize what the mentioned gem would be referring to. "Gem? My gem...the emerald? Did L-....Did she take the emerald?" Kat asked, concern clear in her voice. Her gaze swept across the room, suddenly, and she waved a hand quickly, releasing all from her empathy. Most of the patrons looked confused, aware that they had been in a sort of daze, unsure of what exactly was going on. Leave. It's time that you all return home to your wives and families... she had nearly shouted the command, letting an inkling of Amani shine through. It was enough for those loyal to the Seer to do as she said, and the rest likely followed suit because they were either frightened or annoyed by the ridiculous amount of unnatural things happening in the room. The bartender scowled at Katrina, earning a glare fill with enough contempt to keep him silent. She watched for a few seconds as he started to close up shop, until Buwei stepped up to offer him a bag full of coins. Silver, most likely. Enough to keep him from badmouthing the Seer. Buwei himself seemed to barely keep from scolding Katrina; she knew he was planning an entire lecture the moment they left the building. She deserved it, she supposed, but her excitement at finding the Warrior had overcome her.
{ooc: That's totally fine, I would've done it the same way~l}
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Posted: Mon Jul 20, 2015 12:19 am
Cherry-x-Sorbet *smirks* Raven and Leiranae are so close together already, it wasn't difficult for them to mesh into the same entity *chuckles* Do not hate me for who I am...rather, feel anger at what I cannot do. Or have already done. Watching the Seer...Katrina, as it turned out...back away, there was a flicker of unease as Raven watched the lingering fear fade away. She took a single step back, allowing this MUCH different woman room. Raven slowly blinked, her usual expression of surprise; she HAD loomed over the other woman. She was taller, not something that Raven had really thought about. Crossing her arms as Katrina laughed, Raven scowled. She almost growled again, not happy at being 'made fun of', but she'd just scared Katrina. Raven could let it go...for now. She was still too close for some of the muzzied patrons' comfort, but neither Raven nor Leiranae backed down. Give room to a friend, an ally, sure. But back down?
Not unless they were too broken to keep standing.
Glare-staring at Katrina for a moment, still uncomfortable and edgy, Raven/Leiranae shrugged. Her face twitched, eyes narrowing...expression still so Raven, even after this 'other her' had the freaky moment...as Katrina mentioned 'sides'. Well, it made sense, considering the...memories. Or whatever. Raven's gaze darkened, like how it had Back There...but it gained a more solid purple edge, not just the change in lighting making the dark blue seem purple, but the color truly changing. She growled quietly, to herself, body tense. Something going on in Raven's mind.
Nodding in a sharp jerk, Raven gave Katrina a sharp glance. 'L'...? Did Katrina know her own killer? For a moment, Raven looked annoyed; she had failed, and gotten stuck in someone else's body. Or, rather, her body. Old body? Raven pursed her lips, not happy about the mixed memories. Telepathy wasn't her thing; it was starting to give her a headache. Resting a single hand over her face and just shaking her head, Raven huffed quietly, still an edge of a growl in her voice. "I'm going by Saenah...this generation wouldn't really recognize or remember Leiranae, and it's short for what the Laneik call me. I didn't think about it, but it applies." She shrugged. "It's in reference to someone who moves through the stars, which to them is like where all spirits go. So I move through spirits...I'm alive among the dead." Her lips twitched, an uneasiness in Raven's eyes. Saenah, for here. "Might as well start calling me that..."
Blinking again, she frowned. There was agitation in her mind, and the woman...Saenah...sighed. She closed her eyes and raised a hand, palm towards Katrina, her lips murmuring something under her breath. What was heard, would clearly be an unfamiliar language. It seemed wild, rougher...raw. In a sense...purer. It was spoken almost with a constant growl, possibly making Katrina's voice ache. But this being...almost a creature...before her had managed a much deeper, harsher sound. Growls weren't unusual for her, and hadn't been even before Raven had any 'other' blood through her veins. Opening her eyes slightly, as people moved Saenah watched them. It was like they were in a daydream, and she gave Katrina a quick, disapproving glare. She didn't like how EASY it seemed for Katrina to just CONTROL them, the semi-purple gaze with slit pupils watching a man apparently pay off the bartender. Her lips curled in a silent snarl; neither side, no part of Raven approved.
But it wasn't her town. Making sure she payed for her own drinks, Saenah turned and walked out from the bar. She had to go make sure Han-aterae'at...Haeterai...hadn't eaten anybody upon sensing her agitation. Her anger. She got a silent sense of indignation, almost challenge, but a simple Sending smoothed things over; she wasn't implying that he had no control, she was merely trying to be cautious over her own reactions. She was still very 'young', in comparison to the great Lan'ai. Even her body's time, first as Leiranae Su'ur Lae and now as Raven, going by Saenah and taking the name the Laneik gave her...Sana'as-hasera, Sana'ashaer...even then, over a century old, Haeterai was much older. Strong in the ways of his kind's strengths. And very, very dangerous. During her life as Leiranae, she'd heard his stories. And had come across the Laneik. She was one of the few who had learned their language, directly from the giant wolf-like creatures. Smiling slightly, relaxing, Saenah sighed. Katrina wouldn't have found it easy to just COMMAND so many others. Saenah wasn't sure how she knew, but it was almost like a pack acknowledging an alpha. Her lips twitched. Still very new to what the connection with Han-aterae'at, 'he who calls to ride the storm', gave her the silver-white-haired woman had been feeling a sense of the 'air' of the room. NOWHERE near as well as even a weak Telepath could, but...
It had still bothered her, made her uneasy...and angry...at the sense of them connected to Katrina. To this 'Seer' she'd apparently become. How would that work anyways, she's dead. My mind got moved over, I hadn't died... There was a sense of inquiry, and Saenah spent her time waiting for Katrina by staring absently over the buildings among the trees in the Fae city, Sending...and as a side effect, deepening her Bond...with Haeterai. 'Storm caller'. One of the fabled Laneik. She smirked, knowing how people would react upon sight of his glorious ferocity. Saenah personally just found him beautiful. Dangerous, she'd NEVER forget that and become lax around him...he was amused, and considered it a wise decision...but still beautiful. As if all the predators ever had been maximized to all that they could be. Tigers, panthers, cheetahs. Mostly the cats, but the wolves too, hawks...they all had beauty in their danger, form and function. To their wildness, their alien ways. And it all came together in the Laneik, purified ferocity and raw danger. It was exciting and enervating to her. And whether by instinct, by command from some Higher Being the beasts...for they WERE beasts, knew it and glorified themselves in the 'category'...recognized, or just his own desires, Haeterai had acquiesced to a Bond with her. For even had she hoped for it, Saenah had no illusions that they could just have eaten her had a Bond been unacceptable to them. It had been his choice, his power and control, that allowed such a connection. A bit more amusement, Saenah scrunching her nose in a very-her...Raven...reaction. Unaware of how her eyes would seem nearly blind while she was Sending with the Laneik, a sort of silvered blue of snow...
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Posted: Wed Jul 22, 2015 1:48 am
♢☸Katrina listened as Leiranae explained that she was to be called Saenah, drawing a nod from the seer. Before she could open her mouth to speak again, Kat noticed the slight change in eye color. That, doubled with the gesture she was given to stay put for a minute kept her quiet. In the silence that followed, her own mind whirred with the question still unanswered...Had that psycho gotten her hands on the emerald?...In all her grieving and times of concern for her past life, she had never once considered the idea that Lily could have the gem. Kat had worn it around her neck, telling anyone who asked that it was a fake, a present from her brother when they had both been children and assumed that any shiny rock was a precious gemstone. Only Artie and Yukiko had been told a different tale, that it was one of the three gems working to protect Janhall...and that had been a lie as well.
She was brought back to her surroundings by Saenah's odd speech, deep and unfamiliar. Kat watched her the whole time, her own gaze silent as she took in each detail presented. There was a quick flash, a look she almost missed by blinking, where she was given a glare. Kat rose a brow in question, wondering if there was a problem concerning her conduct of the people. Following Saenah's gaze to Buwei, she nearly laughed again. Was bribing considered wrong to the other woman? He shot her an annoyed look of his own, as if to remind her that he wasn't rich enough to afford doing this all the time. I did not command you to pay him, she reminded him, sending her thoughts into his mind to be heard. You just worry too much. He would never have spoken against me, even without a sack of silver. She watched as Buwei shook his head, but there was an undeniable ghost of a smile on his face.
Katrina turned back to where she thought Saenah still stood, but realized instead that the woman was moving, paying for her drinks and leaving the bar. Kat began to run after her, her mind returning to the unanswered question. It was so important, couldn't she tell? "My GEM! Did that-" her shouting was cut off as Buwei caught her arm. The motion caused her to nearly fall, and earned the man a look of pure frustration from Kat. "I just need to know if that psychotic woman has my emerald!" she screamed at him, a very unusual action from the seer. She heard the bar keeper snicker, causing her to spin around and meet his gaze with her own yellowy eyes. She lifted a hand, slowly, counting backwards from ten as she felt is fear rise with every second. "Four, three, two..." The bar keeper rushed out the door, and Katrina let him go. He was just a simple man, she reminded herself. Scaring him would be far more effective than paying him off. As if to prove her point, she watched as Buwei retrieved his silver. They could use that later, if need be.
"Amani'ruya..." began Buwei, his tone respectful but clearly he meant to remind her of something. "I know you worry for those in your other life but....You mustn't forget why you are here. It does not matter what is happening in the other world. You were to be born here."
Amani sighed, shutting her eyes as she rubbed the side of her head. It took a few minutes for her to properly calm down, where she managed to find that certain balance between Katrina and herself. When she spoke again, her voice was soft despite the seriousness her words held. "That emerald can summon me. If that...that girl ever discovers what it truly is, not only will the human world be faced with destruction, but this land will never come to be as it should." Buwei took a moment to process her words; he had not known that her lamp was still out there. He worried that she may disappear someday, but he knew that the only course of action was to press on. Let the humans worry for themselves, he had told her, and she had no choice but to nod in agreement. Eventually, they left the bar as well, Amani already tired with the night and wishing for nothing more than sleep. But she still had a task to do. She had to explain to Saenah that they were returned to Neirva-ani'eth for a greater purpose.
As she descended the stairs back to the ground level of the city, Amani was quick to spot Saenah. She had grown to love this city, and had long ago memorized each nook and cranny, every hideaway and secluded areas. Before she got any closer, Amani turned to Buwei, resting her hand atop his own as she told him, "Thank you for your help. I will see you tomorrow." It was something they said each night, this time was no exception. He knew that with the Warrior's arrival, things would be changing quickly, but he had the utmost faith in his beloved Seer.
When Amani finally moved to approach Saeha, she cleared her throat loudly, not wanting to risk shocking the other woman out whatever trance she had been in. It had felt like a line of communication to Amani, but she didn't dig too deep into the matter. Instead, she waited for the woman to turn around, then asked her, "Do you believe that every person's life has a special purpose? Something only they can do?"
{ooc: n/a}
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