Hidden Gate (Entrance to Veriglen)

[VelvonVeden]

SorceressJacklyn

~~Lana~~Rose~~

~~HP: 490/490~~//~~Energy: 800/800~~//~~Strength: 3~~//~~Speed: 7~~//~~Bloodline: Kokoro~~//~~Class: SpellSlinger~~//~~Rank: C

Hey There ♥Cutie♥ wink

☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼ ☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼

First would come the music, floating through the tree on the tail of the wind. It was a melody drawn the strings of instruments of wood, as soft and melancholy as birdsong. It would grow louder, more frantic – a bird in panic – finally rising to a crash, and changing to the mesmerizing drone of piped instruments playing a snake-charmers song. And with the change, women would emerge from the trees.

Tall, lithe curvy fingers wrapped in silk and chiffon; writhing, twirling making their red silk skirts, swirl into full disks around them. Their hands moved likes snakes, making the gold bangles stacked on their arms jangle. There were six in all, each with full pink lips and large, full-lashed eyes set in small heart-shaped faces framed by long waves. They danced a V, like birds in formation, flying forward on feet that matched the rhythm of the music flowing from the cart behind them.

The cart was ugly in comparison to the beauty leading them. It was a rickety brown box – no bigger than a boxcar – worn, rotting, and sitting atom four rusted wheels. Leading it was the most bizarre of horses. And perched atop this horse was Lana.

The bells and chains attached to the bottom of her red top tinkled with each bounce of the horse, and the crown perched among her bright green locks threatened to fall; a bright smile lit her face. She raised her staff.

One of the dancers – pale and brunette – stepped out the V and her voice rose, high clear, and sweet. The song was in a language strange and exotic. One by one each woman followed, till a chorus of sweetness filled the trees.

As they danced forward, Lana began to speak over them.

“Your voice and your steps are off Isabella.”

“Rose, that is not a high C.”

She barked corrections and the ladies complied, changing their moves and their melody to fulfil her demands. They continued on this way approaching the gate, unaware of the entrance beyond, until one of the women called attention to the guard.

“Lady Lane!” She pointed at the man.

“Do not interru -” Lana began to snap, but her voice faded as she followed the finger and spotted the guard. A frown turned her red-rouged lips.

A guard...what is a guard doing the middle of a forest?

The answer came to her in the next moment, and her lips formed an O.
“Oh, I didn’t think we were so close to the city already,” she muttered. She twirled her hand and lifted her staff

The dancers before her hand stopped and fell back into V formation. One red-head winked and fluttered her lashes at the guard, which earned her a swift kick from the woman standing next to her.

There was a brief silence, which was shattered by the high, sweet voice of the red-head. They began their dance anew, writhing and twirling, their arms like snakes at their sides, their feet like drum-sticks upon the ground. The lyrics were no longer exotic but sung in the language of the many, weaving the tale of Lana and Marco, off their rise from the ashes of a ruined city like two phoenixes.

They sang of the wonders and delights of the troupe, the pleasure the city could know if only they would be allowed inside. And as the last strains of song faded, Lana leaped down from her horse. The women parted before her; from inside the cart, Marco stepped, holding a basket.

His ebony locks were pulled back from the pale crest of his face. With his full lips a grim line, his lavender eyes clouded, and his slender frame clad in jeans and a black shirt, he was a stark contrast to Lana. She was all smiles and colour as the two stepped forward.

“Hello there sir!”a bright smile, “Either you are enjoying the beauty of the forest or you are immensely bored and I imagine, very hungry.”

Marco stepped forward, and opened the basket. Piled inside were rolls, golden brown and steaming. The air filled the smell of grilled meat and dough
.
“Just a sample of the treats and entertainment that we can provide to your lovely city” Lana remarked, picking up a meat roll and extending it toward the guard, “And we assure you we have no tricks up our sleeves. We wish only to bring entertainment and fun, if you will allow us?

☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼ ☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼

When a fire destroys the forest, it also cleanses the soil so new life can grow

•••• Skills Used:  

[VelvonVeden]

SorceressJacklyn

~~Lana~~Rose~~

~~HP: 490/490~~//~~Energy: 800/800~~//~~Strength: 3~~//~~Speed: 7~~//~~Bloodline: Kokoro~~//~~Class: SpellSlinger~~//~~Rank: C

Hey There ♥Cutie♥ wink

☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼ ☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼

Marco’s lips pulled into a frown.
Liberation Celebration?
He had heard of no such festival; with every town they visited, the checked – if possible – for holidays that were likely to be in season when they arrived. No holiday had been mentioned in any of his research.
But he had heard of the Falls, albeit it passing. From the little he had read, to venture into the falls was to make a gamble with one’s life. Dangerous creatures lurked in the forest that surrounded it, the water that looked so clear from afar was – up close – dark with evils that lurked below the surface.
They are trying to send us into a death trap.
The anger flared in her eyes before she could suppress it; she smothered its flame with a deep breath.
The Idol glanced at Lana; her eyes hinted at some emotion, her brows furrowed over them. Behind her the dancers stood like statues; only their eyes moved between their masters and the guards.
“Well…” Marco began, “We like to arrive early, to…get ahead of the rush, so to speak. Less competition, more guests. The early bird gets the worm as the saying goes, and-“ Lana’s hand his her arm silenced him; Marco turned to him with his eyebrow raised.
“Excuse us for a moment sirs.” Lana bowed
Marco opened his mouth to protest, but Lana tugged him away before he could say a word.
“What the hell are you doing?!” he hissed, once they were a bit away. his attempts to speak softly were thwarted by the wind, which carried both their voices toward the guard.
“Take the cart there, and wait for me. I will enter the city alone and get some information about this festival, or anything else we might want to know. Arguing with the guard will get us nowhere.”
“I have heard about these fall’s Lana” Marco snapped, crossing his arms over his chest, “I’ve read that they are dangerous, a death trap!“
“Marco,” Lana kneaded her forehead with long fingers, “Not all you read in books is true. They have no reason to send us into a “death trap” as you call it.”
“But the books..”
“The books also say that Idols lare modern day rebirths of the sea siren of old, that they are all beautiful women, and that hearing one word of their song will make a man fall dead. If all that were true, you would have killed thousands of people by now.”
Marco shot a glare in the direction of the guards, and then in the direction of the red-head from before, who was trying in vain to catch the attention of the guard with winks and inviting hand gestures. The woman flushed, ducking beneath a curtain of hair she created by flipping her firey locks over one shoulder.
Scowling, he turned back to Lana, who held up a hand.
“Your behavior is only going to make them suspicious. We have no ill intentions and we not behave as though we do. Go to falls, or if you are uncomfortable with that, wait near them till I join you. I’ll go myself and show you there is nothing to fear.”
“I am not afraid; I’m cautious. I’m not sending you and our entire troupe to their deaths!”
Lana shook her head, with a sigh, “Why are you always so melodramatic? Why would they send people they’ve never met to such a place? They have no reason to; you are exaggerating. Please, if you don’t want to go to the falls, I will go, and you can check out the city. If we have to wait for competition, we should at least put ourselves ahead of the pack by knowing where are performing well, and perhaps, restocking on some provisions. Alright?” She looked up at him.
For a long minute, Marco stared at her, his eyes shadowed with the war raging in his mind. And then with a curse and a scowl he turned away. He stalked toward the cart, muttering, and grabbed his jacket and instrument from inside.
He donned both, cursing the whole while. Not a word did he throw in Lana’s direction; he simply stalked past her and toward the gate.
“I guess I’m going to the falls then.” Lana mumbled, rolling her eyes.
“Don’t.” he threw the words over his shoulder,”Go near the falls, but don’t enter; its dangerous, just wait for me there.” He glanced back, his eyes soft, “Please listen to me this time, I don’t want anything happening to you.”

With that, he turned and continued walking away.

Lana shook her head and gave a wistful smile as she stared after him. With a wave of her hand, the girls gathered back around the cart, as Lana mounted the rancor.

This time, there was no music as they went on their way.

[exit to Fatefull Falls]

____________________________________________________________

Marco approached the gate. He’d thrown on a red leather jacket over his t-shirt and let his hair down; it framed his face in black waves. A guitar case swung from his arm. With the edges of his lips turned up into an attempt at a smile that looked more like a grimace, he dipped his head respectfully to the guard.


“I apologize, we were not aware of any festival. My companion has taken the troupe to the falls as you suggestion, however, we do need provisions and I would love to explore your beautiful city if you would allow me?”

☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼ ☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼

When a fire destroys the forest, it also cleanses the soil so new life can grow

•••• Skills Used:  

[VelvonVeden]

Naldus

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How could he forget that day?

At times he’d lain awake, gazing at stars winking between leaves, and the green would turn to pink, the night to say, and the silence to birdsong, and he’d find himself standing beneath the tree - a statue among the living - his eyes stringing with the effort not to cry, his throat burning with the cries that claws at its sides, and his chest twisting as he watched his dreams shattered by a diamond ring and a whispered yes.

How could he forget her voice?

Pure, sweet, scratchy with inexperience, beautiful because it was hers. Everyone had told her, but he didn’t think anyone believed it as much as he did. He remembered sitting outside her window, his senses closed to everything but her voice floating through the night.

Athena had though she’d acquired a stalker, and he’d nearly been killed by Jace.

Jace…

He glanced at Athena, who was all tears and nostalgia. The sorrow in her voice echoed in his mind.

How could he tell her?

Tell her that Jace was nothing but a ghost from the past, that he lived on only in memories and in the guitar strapped to his back? He looked at her his lips forming her pain, and then away – he could not.

“He…went to seek his dream,” the words were whispered; his voice trembled with the lie…one of many he knew he would have to tell her.

“Oh…we’re already at the gate.” He smiled as he released her, to enter the cusp of trees. With a gesture for her to follow,, him, he melted into the black between the green.

[Exit Verligen]

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"Well, one of us has to appear to be◘serious◘"

XXHP:490/490XX//XXEnergy: 1200/1200XX//XXStrength: 2XX//XXSpeed: 7XX//XXBloodline: IdolXX//XXClass: Elementalist

"Never again will I ◘regret◘"