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 Posted: Wed Jun 17, 2009 7:20 pm
Morning Light
Hawk awakens with 'Nesh at his side and Athan watching over them both.He woke slowly. First he noticed a heavy weight on his chest, and that his arms were beginning to cramp strangely. Both were things he did not normally experience, so it was a bit startling. He remained still as awareness came back to him. He had fallen asleep, and the suspicious weight atop him was Holicinesh. He relaxed visibly only to tense at a low chuckle that came from somewhere across the room.
’Athan?’
“Who else?” Athan replied with a faint smirk. He shifted his weight where he sat and crossed his legs comfortably while sipping contentedly at a cup of tea. He had brought in an arm chair into the room so that he might sit and watch over his nephew. It had amused him to no end to find Hawk curled up with him in a sort of protective huddle.
Hawk contemplated at saying something snarky at Athan’s remark, but decided against it. ’How long have you been there?’ he asked in a voice that he kept entirely silent from the ears of the sleeping child in his arms.
’Long enough,’ Athan replied smoothly as he took another sip of his tea.
The seer arched a brow with an incredulous look. ’Did you sleep at all?’ he hissed as he noted the dark circles beneath Athan’s eyes and his overall sleep deprived appearance. ’You make my job quite difficult, you know.’
It was Athan’s turn to look indignant. ’You shouldn’t feel obligated to take care of me,’ he insisted.
Hawk rolled his eyes and sighed. ’It’s not like that. It’s not an obligation it’s .. more … of a desire.’
Athan stared at him for a long moment, but before either of them could say another word Holicinesh began to stir. The child yawned and glanced quizzically up at Hawk before moving to fumble for his glasses.
He smiled happily to have woken up surrounded by the people he cared about most. His worry from much earlier was all but forgotten. His happiness faltered only slightly as he glanced over at his uncle. He looked exhausted, and that made him remember what the voice had said. He fretted quietly with the sleeve of his shirt before looking up at his uncle with wide, concerned eyes over the rims of his glasses.
"Uncle. You look... tired."
Hawk laughed. 'I told you so! Go to bed Athan. I can take care of 'Nesh just fine, and I'd wager Reyna has no issue with watching the shop.' The Fiend floated over towards him and nudged him up and out of the chair. 'Go. Rest,' he insisted in a tone of voice that left no room for argument.
"I'm going," Athan grumbled before pausing to pick 'Nesh up and out of bed entirely in a bear hug. "But I think I'll stop by the kitchen for another cup of tea first. Surely you'd like some breakfast?"
'Nesh grinned and hugged his uncle's neck. "Surely I would!" he chimed up, content for the time being.
Hawk didn't look especially pleased, but he knew he would get his way. He followed them both irritably, fox tail twitching behind him. He drifted past them in a smirk. By the time Athan reached the kitchen with Holicinesh there was a cup of tea and a small bowl of fruit waiting for him.
'You have two options,' the Fiend replied as he peered levelly over at 'Nesh.
The child stared at the Shadow wide-eyed. The seriousness of the Seer's tone left him waiting with bated breath.
A lazy, almost smug expression overtook Hawk's face and replaced the serious, weighted stare he had held. 'Pancakes or scrambled eggs with toast?'
"Go with the pancakes, kid!" Lorelei cheered as she settled upon his shoulder after Athan had placed him in his chair.
Blue chimed in with a singsong voice, 'Yay! Pancakes!'
The fairie scowled over at him and rolled her eyes. "Since when do you eat?" she muttered under her breath as she folded her arms over her chest.
Athan simply watched, amused. His house had gone from almost desolate in its solitude to this. And in such a short span of time, too! He had missed the simple little things that family and friends provided to a household. As much happiness as it offered him, he was now often reminded of the past. A small frown tugged at the corners of his mouth, but he hid it behind his cup of tea. He so wished he could be with the one he loved; now more than ever.
But that obviously, was not meant to be, or so he was inclined to believe. Not until some time after his death.
Hawk could feel the swirl of conflicting emotions surrounding Athan. It made his own heart ache for him. He wanted so very much to fill the void within the man's life, but it seemed every time he looked the canyon of regret and pain that ran so deeply within him had carved its way deeper into his very being. He wanted to do something for him – anything so long as it would make him smile.
'Well. What's it going to be? Tick, tock,' the Fiend teased as he leaned over the counter and rested his chin in his hands to mimic the boy who was peering over at him in much the same manner.
'Nesh glanced towards his uncle and then towards Lorelei and Blue. “I think... pancakes would be good,” he murmured thoughtfully.
'Yaaaaaaaaaaaay! Pancakes!' the Sprite sing-songed earning another roll of the eyes from Lorelei and a bemused chuckle from Athan.
In no time flat Hawk had managed to cook the pancakes one by one. He even flipped a couple for the child's amusement. It made him feel oddly … warm when he saw the child smile. As he pushed a plate stacked high with food towards 'Nesh his gaze fell once more upon Athan.
'You. Bed. Or shall I carry you the way I do 'Nesh?'
Holicinesh laughed outright at that before glancing away from his uncle with a sort of sheepish look. He crammed a mouthful of syrup laden pancakes into his mouth to stifle his snickering. The mental image of Hawk doing so was quite hilarious, but somehow he didn't doubt that the Seer could somehow do it. He had the utmost respect for him. He seemed infinitely wise, and never seemed to mind answering any questions he had. In fact, it was kind of like having another uncle entirely. He liked that.
Athan sighed as he pushed himself away from the counter and out of his chair. “You're right. I need to sleep,” he conceded wearily. He had only slept briefly, and even then it had been in his steady. Falling asleep there, while he had done so many a time, was hardly a pleasant thing. Waking up with his face half covered in freshly inked script was also a bit embarrassing. It thankfully wasn't something that happened to him often, but when it did he couldn't help but feel terribly juvenile.
'I'll take care of 'Nesh. You go take care of you for a little while, okay?' Hawk insisted as he rushed towards his side to hug him quickly and then skitter out of the way despite the urge he felt to simply cling to him. 'Besides,' he continued on in a voice only Athan could hear, 'I still have to talk to him. You know.'
Athan nodded. “Yes. I do know. Wake me if.. anything important comes up?”
Hawk murmured a quiet agreement to that and moved to settle in the chair next to 'Nesh. He rested his chin in one hand and watched him eat steadily, occasionally policing both Lorelei and Blue when they began to bicker over food. Blue of course did not eat, but it didn't mean he wasn't going to try.
The Seer sighed as a vision hit him. It was hardly helpful. He already knew it was coming without his Sight. The entire counter was about to end up covered in syrup one way or another and there was nothing he could do about it until after the fact. Lovely. He got an unnecessary vision of this fiasco but nothing of which would truly be of help in matters of true concern. It would at least allow him time enough to think about how to breach the subject of runes and terrifying dreams with Holicinesh.
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Posted: Wed Jun 17, 2009 10:43 pm
A Blind Discussion
The Fiend finally finds a moment to discuss runes and dreams with 'Nesh.Half way through scrubbing up the sticky syrup and hissing in displeasure at both Lorelei and Blue who had prompted the entire mess, he was struck by another vision. This time it was infinitely more helpful. It was of he and Holicinesh sitting in the library, calmly discussing the dream sequence that was plaguing him. Also within the discussion were the things the 'voice' kept telling him.
Hawk looked up from the counter top to meet the child's eyes for a moment. His natural vision, for a brief moment, was crystal clear. He sighed. There was something strangely familiar about his appearance, but he couldn't place what it was. Perhaps that was what he couldn't remember and was supposed to. He shook his head and finished up his work before skittering entirely through the counter to peer curiously at the boy.
He inspected him carefully before chuckling quietly under his breath, fox tail swishing behind him in amusement. 'Now how is it that you didn't end up covered in syrup, but everything else did, hm?' He laughed again when the child simply shrugged with a look of pure innocence on his face. It was hardly feigned. He knew that 'Nesh had neither provoked or taken part of the fight that had instigated the rather large mess he had just cleaned up.
He was certainly thankful that Lorelei and Blue weren't human-sized. He could only imagine the chaos they would be capable of.
With a shudder he reached to tug playfully at the collar of Holicinesh's shirt. 'Going to stay in your pajamas all day?' he asked tentatively before giving the child a rather sly look, 'Because I was thinking that perhaps a day in the library ought to be in order. Maybe even a visit to town while your uncle rests?' The boy seemed rested enough to travel; such was the joy of youth. A trip to town would be convenient, especially if a certain dreamwalker was haunting Twilight Designs alongside his ever charming demonic guardian.
Hawk smirked when 'Nesh vehemently shook his head no and hopped down of the stool he had been perched in. He ran to his room with a joyous sort of giggle while the Fiend trailed after. He let the boy hurry ahead of him, if only because when he ventured close enough he would laugh again and dash forward quickly. It was an amusing little game, and he saw no reason to ruin his fun, especially since the discussion they would have later would be terribly grave in comparison.
He wanted to keep him happy and giggling for as long as possible. He sighed and leaned against the boy's bedroom door while he waited for him to change. He had a suspicious feeling that he was going to grow up far quicker than any other child could or otherwise should. His cool gray eyes already seemed to hold vast knowledge for someone so young. Learning was at least something he enjoyed and was quite adept at. Hawk had witness that much first hand.
The door swung open with Hawk still leaning against it as Holicinesh darted out of his room in a whirl of excitement. His eyes widened comically so when he realized that he technically threw the door right into the Shadow.
Catching onto his train of thought, the Seer seemed to smirk. 'I phased right through it. No need to worry,' he insisted before floating down to his level to wrap his arms fondly about his shoulders. He rested his chin upon his shoulder and peered intently at him with sightless eyes. 'Lead the way won't you? I am not yet as familiar with Athan's house as you.' He hardly wanted to admit that his Sight wasn't cooperating as much as he would have liked. It left him truly blind.
'Nesh nodded and began walking towards the library, humming a quiet aimless tune under his breath as he did so. “Plus, you know, the house, it moves.”
Hawk arched a brow, curious. Perhaps he had also not been about long enough to notice that particular quirk. Or more likely, it was something that required actual vision. 'Moves how?'
Holicinesh smirked, proud that he knew something important that he could share with the Seer. “The rooms move around. I noticed it the other day. My closet went missing, but then Uncle made it come back.”
The mental image that sprung forth at the boy’s words served to amuse the Seer greatly. The poor child had been so flabbergasted that he had nearly been upset to the point of tears as he asked his uncle where his things had went. Also curious was that it was less of a ward and more of a spell that had gone awry a long, long time ago, but Athan had altered it in such a way that it proved to be an effective defense against intruders. Apparently the house just wasn't used to the boy's presence as of yet.
“We're here!” 'Nesh chirped merrily as he darted into the Library.
The boy's declaration banished his thoughts and questions about the house itself and brought forth more pressing matters to his mind. He relinquished his grip on the child’s shoulders and reached blindly for a chair only to find it missing. He grumbled to himself. It must have been the chair that Athan had moved to his nephew's room. He frowned a bit that Athan had carried such a heavy piece of furniture by himself, but there was little he could do about it now. He simply hoped that he had at least enough presence of mind to use a spell of some sort to aide him.
“There's another chair about.. uhm... two steps to your left?”
Hawk nodded and moved to settle into the chair. He was quite thankful that he managed to do so without making a complete fool of himself. He was also thankful that 'Nesh was not the sarcastic sort and felt no need at all to mock him for being blind. He never viewed it as a true weakness but being mocked wasn't exactly at the top of his list favorite past times.
He fell silent and simply listened to Holicinesh rustle about papers and shuffle books around on the large, expansive desk. Really, it was more table than desk, but it was rapidly becoming the boy's work space. Athan found it amusing, so Hawk saw no reason to interfere or otherwise convince him to put his things away in his room.
The Seer caught another vision of the boy that sat before him. He was contentedly flipping through the pages of a book of ornate illustrations. He could not yet read, but he had a feeling that it wouldn't be long before he had that figured out with or without the help of he and his uncle. The child seemed to find the tomes of old, gilded artwork to be just as interesting as any of the story books present that were often read to him. It was also quite endearing how he studied each one carefully. Occasionally he could pick up the sound of him mumbling or talking to himself as he deciphered the stories behind each image. So much like Athan..
'What is?'
A look of consternation fluttered briefly across Hawk's face. 'You are supposed to be sleeping,' he insisted hotly in mental voice only Athan would be capable of hearing.
'I've never done a good job of sleeping for more than a few hours at a time.'
The Shadow sighed. He knew that to be true, though as of late he seemed to be able to convince him to sleep a little longer. The fact that he had switched out his favorite evening tea with something that was meant to relax and calm helped, too. 'Sleep,' he insisted once again. His demand was met with silence, but it didn't seem that Athan was doing anything other than lying in bed reading a novel, so he said nothing further.
Instead, he turned his attention fully upon the child before him. He was now scribbling on a piece of a paper with some rather archaic colored pencils Athan had found for him. There was a fierce look of concentration on his face as he squinted down at both his own work and that of the image in the book before him.
Hawk drifted towards him and reached to touch his hand lightly and then the edge of the paper. 'Copying the picture?' he asked tentatively.
“No,” Holicinesh replied, “Just the funny letters.”
The Seer blinked, somewhat taken aback. 'Funny letters? Tell me what they look like,' Hawk murmured softly as he moved to perch himself on the corner of the table not far from where the boy was working.
“Uhmm. It's.. hard to describe them. They're.. just kind of... uhm....”
'Do they look like the shapes you've been dreaming about?'
Holicinesh glanced down at the book and then at his paper before meeting the Seer's eyes. “Yeah!” he exclaimed, “That's exactly what they look like.”
'Those are runes,' Hawk explained, 'Do you know what runes are for?'
The child paused idly twiddling one of his pencils in a nervous sort of fashion. “No,” he answered hesitantly, “Not exactly. I see them sometimes. On things. Oh. And the other day. I saw them in the circle.”
Hawk nodded quietly, carefully listening to the boy's words. 'You saw them on the circle I cast for us to go to the shop, or you saw them in another circle?'
“The one you cast,” Holicinesh said with a bit more confidence.
'Well. That's what they are for. Most of the time anyway. They are meant for casting spells, so when you see those runes on things, you should be careful. Promise me you'll be careful?'
“I promise,” the boy said with an earnest look, “I will be very careful.”
'Can I ask you about something else?'
The child's eyes widened considerably and his cheeks flushed a bit. Hawk wanted to ask him something? From the sound of his voice it sounded like something important. He wasn't sure what he could possibly know that the Seer didn't. Sure, he knew about the house moving, but there was nothing else he could think of that would be of any use to him. He hoped he hadn't done something wrong. His brow furrowed in worried lines at that thought and he nodded quietly in consent.
“Sure. Ask,” he murmured softly.
'You've been having scary dreams, right?'
'Nesh nodded.
'Can you tell me about them? About the scary voice? It's kind of important. I want to help you make the dreams stop,' Hawk explained carefully, 'I know someone who might be able to help, actually. He has the ability to banish nightmares and go into people's dreams while they are asleep.'
Holicinesh stared at Hawk, wide-eyed still. His friend sounded neat! What an awesome thing to be able to do! He fell quiet for a moment as he tried to work up a decent description of his dream. He remember nearly all of it as he knew he would, but it was difficult. Before he began to answer the question he paused with a worried look. “I.. I'm not in trouble am I? I haven't done anything bad?”
Hawk's eyes widened, somewhat shocked. He moved swiftly and scooped the boy up into his arms before sitting in the nearest chair with him cradled against his chest. 'No, no. You're not in trouble. You have done absolutely nothing wrong. I'm just worried about you that's all. I want to keep you safe,' he murmured against the boy's hair as he rubbed his back in soothing circles. 'I would never cause you harm, you know that right? Neither would your uncle Athan.'
'Nesh nodded and his eyes drifted half closed. He was sorely tempted to simply allow himself to fall asleep, but he needed to tell Hawk about his dream. And so he did in as much detail as he could muster. He flushed a bit when he was asked about the runes he had drawn out on the construction paper Reyna had given him. In all honesty, he hadn't given the drawings that much thought. He had only meant to mimic the things he had seen in his sleep, nothing more.
Hawk at least sounded proud of him for it. Why, 'Nesh wasn't exactly sure, but it was infinitely better than being in trouble. After a time they both fell quiet, and he nestled there in the protective embrace of the Seer's arms. He yawned a bit, eyes drifting close. Perhaps a nap would be nice after all. Faintly he felt himself being lifted and moved but paid it no mind. He was safe with the Shadow. Before he knew it he was back in his room and tucked in under the covers. Two nights of sleeplessness was a bit much for anyone to handle.
The Seer watched over him for a time until he was certain his nap wouldn't last long enough for any sort of terrible dream to overtake him. He left him with Lorelei and Blue to guard him, and went off in search of Athan. The potential impromptu trip to see Reyna and Mystic would have to wait for another day when both child and guardian were better rested.
Admittedly, even Hawk was beginning to feel a bit tired and wearisome from all the stress Holicinesh's nightmares had induced.
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Posted: Wed Jun 24, 2009 6:50 pm
Tentative Plans
Hawk explains what he has learned to Athan and a plan begins to form...'Tsk tsk,' Hawk's Eye admonished lightly, fox-tail swishing back and forth in what Athan knew to be a tell tale sign of mischief. 'Shouldn't you be doing something more along the lines of resting and getting some sleep?' the Fiend all but purred as he drifted lazily over towards the other man and crawled over towards him to lounge against his side.
Athan found that he suddenly had a hard time keeping his focus upon the book he held in his hands. His face flushed and he glanced quickly away when for a moment he managed to block the Shadow from his field of vision. He swallowed thickly and tried to focus on the words, but his attention span was shot. Not only was he quite exhausted, he had to deal with Hawk's allure.
He closed his eyes tightly and took a deep breath. He exhaled a bit raggedly and realized that had been a mistake. He could smell him. It was odd, as he realized a creature made entirely of darkness should not have a scent at all, but somehow Hawk did. It was sweet in a seductive sort of way with a hint of spice. Maybe it was his hair.
He could feel the weight of him pressed against his side and the silky strands of it brushing against his shoulder. His second mistake was opening his eyes when Hawk suddenly snatched the book out of his hands.
“Do you mind?” Athan all but hissed irritably as he gazed down upon the beautiful, fae-like creature at his side.
'Mm.. actually,' Hawk purred as he stretched in a hedonistic manner purely for Athan's benefit, 'I think I do.' Yes, he knew he was supposed to be keeping his allure in check. It was why he normally wore a mask outside of the house, but it was just so tempting. The fact that he was constantly plagued by visions which tempted him to use it to his benefit made it that much worse.
Athan physically turned himself away from the Fiend as he tried to clear his thoughts. His hands shook slightly as they reached for one of the night stand drawers to retrieve a bit of quartz or just anything he could to distract him from the Shadow next to him. He wasn't supposed to feel this. He wasn't supposed to want to be anything other than a father figure. He wasn't supposed to want him.
Hawk made a huffing sort of noise and reached around Athan to stop his shaking hands from reaching into the drawer. 'Oh come on,' he murmured sweetly as he pressed his cheek against his, 'There's no need for that. Lay with me for a bit so that you might actually sleep.'
“You,” Athan gritted out between clenched teeth, “She'la .. auhn sate'na LOTHE!”
The Shadow chuckled quietly, but then suddenly found himself pinned against the the bed. He stared up at Athan with wide unseeing eyes, and still he laughed breathlessly. 'And yet who has who pinned against the bed, dear heart?'
He was fairly shaking with barely contained emotion, whether it be rage or passion it was difficult for him to say. “Must you be so endlessly frustrating?!” he yelled, “I am not your lover, nor can I ever be! You … I... I am responsible for you, Hawk. If I must be anything to you it shall be a father figure, nothing more.”
The Fiend reached up to gently stroke Athan's face with one hand he phased free. 'I've never seen you as such. Not even when these eyes of mine could see. A guide perhaps, but never a father. If anyone in my life is to be referred to as such it would be Wren. Not you. Never you.'
Athan exhaled raggedly and pressed his face against the crook of Hawk's neck with one hand fisted in his two-toned hair. “You .. you will be the death of me,” he whispered softly.
Hawk paled a bit, and was somewhat thankful that Athan was not peering at him directly and had missed the stricken look across his face. That could so easily be true. He was bound and determined that that particular fate never happen, but he knew there was potential there. He would do anything he could to keep that from happening. His eyes sifted closed and he wrapped an arm around Athan's shoulders which were still tense as though he were ready to flee at any moment.
It wasn't an option. He would sooner kill himself than give in to darkness and hurt Athan.
He toyed with one of Athan's dreads before phasing out of his arms with a playful chuckle. He picked up a pillow and thwapped Athan over the head with it. His laughter began again when he successfully instigated a pillow fight that in turn quickly turned into a wrestling match. The one benefit of his not being more human was that he so easily phase through Athan's arms, though he did finally settle there.
Once it seemed Athan's anger with him cooled, and a small smile threatened at his lips he carefully settled into the other man's arms with a pleased look upon his face. 'You know,' he began quietly as he titled Athan's face towards his and idly massaged his temples to ease the headache he knew that would surely be upon him in a moment's time, 'I did not simply interrupt your night of restless fantasy book reading for my own selfish purposes.'
Athan arched a brow and chuckled quietly before replying with an incredulous tone, “Oh really now?”
'It's true,' Hawk insisted as he squirmed to get more comfortable as he curled against Athan's side and shifted to rest his head against his shoulder. 'I discovered partly why 'Nesh was scribbling runes. It has something to do with his dreams. He said he was copying them.'
“Mh. But to do so … so accurately,” Athan mused aloud in a low voice.
'Indeed,' the Fiend replied, tail swishing to and fro before elaborating, 'I think Mystic could help us solve this particular puzzle.'
An exasperated noise escaped Athan, but before he could complain about his general dislike of that idea Hawk cut him short and pressed a hand over his mouth.
'I a distinctly aware of your distaste and lack of faith in his abilities, but he has grown since the last time you attempted to offer him counsel in magic studies. Not just physically, but mentally. His powers, while they have remained latent for so long, are awakening rapidly. He is learning, and he can help.'
Athan fell silent and simply frowned down at the Shadow. He didn't like it one bit, but he did trust the Seer's judgment. It was foolish not to. After all, he wasn't the one who could See the future.
“And you think you'll be able to coerce him into willingly helping? He's as stubborn as his bond, and equally prone to fits of rage.”
A pleased look crossed Hawk's face. 'Oh no. We couldn't so much as coerce him into taking his next non-existent breath.'
Athan stared down at him, somewhat puzzled.
'But I know who can, and so do you!' Hawk announced, quiet pleased with himself and the little plan he had that was slowly coming together.
“Reyna,” Athan murmured softly. He didn't much like that idea either. Favors from demons did not sit well with him for a variety of reasons. In fact, the very thought made his head ache. He really and truly wanted nothing to do with the situation, but he was Holicinesh's guardian, and thus would be held responsible should something go awry.
'Exactly right,' Hawk almost seemed to chirp cheerfully as he arched up slightly to nuzzle his cheek against Athan's in what likely would have been a good night kiss. 'So get some rest. I will handle Reyna. You just worry about teaching proper rune scrying and writing to a certain up and coming magic-user in the morning after breakfast.'
Athan sighed as Hawk pulled away from him and drifted off. “I think I may be able to manage that part.”
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Posted: Wed Jun 24, 2009 6:52 pm
Of Shadows & Books
RP with Dg as Hawk heads to Twilight Designs with 'Nesh. RP is in progress here.
Reyna Crelos It hadn't taken Hawk much convincing on his part to coerce 'Nesh out of the house and back towards Twilight Designs. He most definitely needed to speak with Reyna, and his plans would only work if he managed to speak with the demon first rather than Mystic himself. He paused as he stepped through the portal, firmly grasping the child's hand. He had Foreseen their entering town through the portal and the conversation he was meant to have with Reyna. Everything in between was fuzzy shades of gray and black. It was frustrating to no end to be truly blind. He sighed heavily at that thought and squeezed Holicinesh's hand. 'Be my eyes for me, hm?' he murmured gently. He could all but feel the boy swell with pride at his sudden usefulness. He drifted along, content to follow the boy. He occasionally whispered general directions when he sensed they were no longer on the correct path. They came to a stop and his brow furrowed in confusion. They weren't at the shop yet -- at least not the one he had intended. 'Come along, 'Nesh. It's not too much farther...'The child glanced up at Hawk with wide eyes behind his glasses as he tore his gaze away from the large window display of books. "... can we go inside the bookstore first?" he pleaded before rushing out, "Just real quick!" Hawk paused for a moment before his expression warmed a bit. Why not? 'Only for a minute...'
Dgcakes Inside of the book store, a young man with brown hair and a squirrel tail was idly walking his little brother through the aisles. Jake pat Kodi's head between his ears now and again, attempting to keep the bear boy from getting too nervous when he saw or heard people enter. Picking the bear boy up, Jake proceeded to show him through some of the boys, quietly asking his brother if Kodi would like that one to take home with them, or if one of their siblings would like it. Since they were very small, Divine tended to read to them, so the older boy had thought it good to pick up some new books for that purpose. Plus, it got Kodi out of the house for a while.
Reyna Crelos 'Nesh babbled quietly as he tried to sound out the syllables to the titles of the various books they past. Hawk half listened, half drifted as he kept one hand atop the boy's shoulder so as to not lose him in the store. "This one looks good," the child announced as he picked up a hefty book from up off the shelf filled with faerie tales. "D'you think Uncle Athan would like?" He glanced up at the Shadow from behind his glasses before his gaze drifted off towards the other child that had entered the store. 'Perhaps,' was all Hawk could muster, though there was a certain twinkle of amusement in his eye at the thought of Athan reading faerie tales.
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Posted: Wed Jun 24, 2009 6:55 pm
Coercion
Hawk convinces Reyna to coerce/force Mystic into helping Holicinesh with his wickedbad dreams. RP is ongoing with Wren via email as of 10/04/2009.
Last Updated: 04/05/2010Reyna Crelos Reyna was sitting at her desk, quietly minding her own business. It was a slow day. Sometimes it was a nice break, but business had been slow for several weeks now. This in turn made her quite restless and Athan rather cranky. She sighed and stared down at the blank tablet of paper before her. She was even too irritable to draw. What a pain! She sighed and leaned back in her chair, visible eye half lidded as she stared out towards the front of the shop. Mystic wasn’t even here to entertain her. ’I could change that,’ was his soft reply inside her mind. She smirked faintly at that thought. Before snickering outright when a Shadow other than her own trailed into the shop with a child grasping his hand. ’Looks like you’d have company if you did,’ she teased before giggling outright when he looked further into her mind to scoff at the sight of Hawk’s Eye. “Good afternoon, gentleman,” she purred, half-serious and half-joking as she propped her chin up in one hand as she leaned against her desk, “How can I help you?”
azuredreams 'We're going to ask Auntie Reyna for some assistance,' he murmured to the small boy, though he hardly reminded him of one as mature as he rapidly was becoming. It was oddly funny that the child was going to be much taller than Hawk had ever been - probably in both of his lives; he just knew he was going to be. "Will she?" 'Nesh let out a yawn, covering it with one hand as he opened up the door to the shop for Hawk's Eye. Not like the shadow could not just go through regardless, but it was the polite thing to do. After all, he was the Seer's eyes when he could not use his Sight to see. 'Oh, I'm sure she will ...' He might have grinned at Reyna's greeting, knowing her lack of inspiration and annoyance. Hawk hated the slow business days himself - with a passion. Customers WERE amusing at times. 'Actually,' he said slowly in response to her, wrapping an arm around 'Nesh's shoulder briefly, 'yes, you can help us with something.'
Reyna Crelos The demoness arched a brow as she peered over at the two curiously. “Oh?” she replied, “And what might this ‘something’ be?” It would no doubt prove to be interesting. Hawk was not one to make simple requests, never mind ask for help unless it was truly warranted. Her gaze settled upon the child at his side. She offered him a small smile, and wondered idly why he looked so very tired. “I’m going to guess you’re not looking for jewelry,” she smirked as she leaned back into her chair and stretched, back arching in a very feline manner, “Probably a good thing too, as I’ve not the patience for it today. But I’m sure you already know that, hm?” ’Some company,’ was Mystic’s snarky reply. Reyna ignored him outright, which served only to rile Mystic’s irritation further. She had no desire to get on the Seer’s bad side, and just because he didn’t like Hawk didn’t mean that she had be a petulant brat as well.
azuredreams 'Not much business,' Hawk moved into the shop, letting the door drift shut and gave a shrug of his shoulders. 'Even I would be annoyed - which means you're down right cranky about it.' It was more in agreement than to be a know-it-all Seer. He navigated 'Nesh over to one of the chairs and lifted him up into it, all most chuckling with the boy continued to yawn. 'Actually,' he spoke quietly, gently pushing 'Nesh's glasses back up the bridge of his nose, 'it's about sleepy head here.'"M'not," 'Nesh yawned again, "... sleepy." 'Right,' Hawk agreed, shaking his head, 'It's about Holicinesh.' Pausing for a moment, he turned to look at her seriously. 'And I need to talk to you - NOT Mystic.' Which is to say that the elder fiend needed to keep his nose out of it for the time being. After all, he was fairly sure the other would deny it outright unless he got Reyna to explain the situation to him.
Reyna Crelos Reyna’s expression softened at the sight of the boy looking so utterly adorable and only half awake. She stood from her desk and moved towards him instinctively. Being mother to her Sam had conditioned a nurturing side she never knew she had. It annoyed her, but it simply couldn’t be helped. She scooped him up into her arms and held him close as she settled herself into the chair he had been sitting in. Mystic edged into her mind curiously before Reyna metaphorically slammed the door shut on her connection to him with only a quick warning: ’Sorry bud, having a moment with the Seer. Shall share later if I feel like it.’ It served him right for being such a moody pain in the butt lately. She was more than happy to let him sit and stew in his discontent. ‘Nesh snuggled happily into her arms. She was very warm, and he did so like her. He didn't understand why his uncle sometimes grumbled about her. "Well,” she began slowly as she cradled ‘Nesh close, “What can I help you with, sweetness?” “I have bad dreams,” the little boy told her with a frown. Reyna’s arms tightened around him in response. There had been a time that her daughter had been plagued by bad dreams. It seemed like forever ago. “I’m sorry to hear that,” she told him softly as she brushed her fingers through his hair in a soothing manner. Her gaze drifted over towards the Seer. Her curiosity was certainly piqued now.
azuredreams 'The kind of dreams where the nightmare beasts are real and so are the magics they cast.' Hawk paused for a moment, before balancing himself against the counter. His fingers toyed with the quartz pendant, mind lost for a moment in the paths laid out before him. 'Binding magic,' he murmured, 'Though he is only a child, he has great potential ...' Which somewhat explained why someone would be trying to bind him - but who, Hawk did not know. That part was clouded from him, someone, something was keeping it out of his Sight. 'Still, he's being attacked in the Dreamworld ...' he trailed off, looking in Reyna's direction, tail swishing back and forth haltingly.
Reyna Crelos "Uh huuh," Reyna murmured quietly as she idly sifted her fingers through the soft gray hair of the child in her arms. She chuckled. It was a low, almost sultry sound under her breath as she peered intently over at the Seer. She sensed where this was going. A slow smirk tugged at her lips as she met Hawk's blind gaze. "I'm not so sure how helpful the little piss ant is going to be right now. He's… a bit off. But most things are when they're attached to me." "I'm not the ant…… right…?" Holicinesh asked with a sleepy yawn and a worried look. The demon snickered and petted at his hair. "No, dear. You are not the insect I'm referring to."
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Posted: Thu Jun 25, 2009 8:09 pm
The Awakening
'Nesh awakens a little bit older.He once again found himself sound asleep in the comfort of his bed. A familiar darkness surrounded him, and once again he was presented with the blank slate of the dream realm. It felt different this time. There was a noticeable change to the air the moment he became lucid. Perhaps that was the difference it itself. He was distinctly aware that he was dreaming.
He still felt fear that he didn't understand, and he still felt compelled to scribble runes across the dark floor. When he began to do just that he noticed that much like the first time he had dreamed of this place, his hands weren't that of a child's. His hands were much bigger, though not quite the same as his uncle's.
Holicinesh smiled at the thought of him. His uncle always brought him comfort, as did his Shadow who had rapidly become what he considered to be his very best of friends. With thoughts of them to comfort him, he continued his work. The runes came out much neater this time, much more coherent.
He knew them. He knew in his heart that he knew them, and they simply had to be drawn.
He frowned as he completed the circle. It was a circle of protection, but from what?
Laughter echoed off the blank walls and caused a sharp chill to run down his spine. His eyes widened and he positioned himself inside the circle. He closed his eyes and exhaled raggedly as he braced himself for whatever it was that he was going to be bombarded with this time. The temperature seemed to plummet, and he desperately wished he could just wake up.
Wake up wake up wake up wake up!
He'd drawn the circle, but he didn't know the words to set it alight.
Laughter rang through the air again, though now it had more of a musical quality to it. It faintly reminded him of Hawk's voice. He frowned and opened his eyes only to stumble backwards in a panic as he was faced with a sick, strange, sentient darkness.
“Isn't this darling,” the dark being replied, “You think you can protect them? Foolish child. You can't even protect yourself!”
'Nesh gaped it and took a step backwards as it lunged towards him. He broke out into a run, but it was catching up to him. No matter how fast he ran, it seemed to be just inches behind him, snapping at his heels until finally he fell. The creature pounced upon him, and he fought and clawed at the darkness as it filled his mouth and all but suffocated him.
He tried to scream, but his voice was lost to the darkness.
He could still hear the laughter.
He felt cold hands on his face.
His eyes snapped open as he choked and coughed as he fell to the floor. He laid there panting, out of breath and realized that there was no longer darkness all around him. There was only morning light filtering in through his bedroom window. Hawk hovered close by and once again laid a cool hand on his face.
'...'Nesh?'
He looked up at the Shadow and studied his puzzled face for a moment before reaching for his glasses so that he could see him more clearly. “Y-yes?” he managed in a rasped voice that was far lower than it had been the evening before. He frowned, and an equally confused look crossed his own face. Was that … his voice..?
Cool hands pressed against his face and ghosted across his features lightly. Hawk chuckled quietly. It was a much more pleasant a sound than the haunting laughter from his dream. 'I leave you be for one evening and you awake older than before,' Hawk teased quietly as he ruffled the boy's hair. 'Won't your uncle be surprised.'
'Nesh nodded in agreement with a somewhat stupefied expression. He had grown? That was good. It had to be good. He ought to be happy, but at the same time he was still puzzled and somewhat shaken.
The dreams were getting worse.
“Will your dreamwalker friend still help me?” he asked tentatively.
The Seer's amused expression melted into something much more serious. 'Yes,' he replied, 'He shall.'
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Posted: Thu Jun 25, 2009 8:11 pm
An Ancient Library
Athan takes 'Nesh to a library of a different sort. Ongoing RP with Em here.Reyna Crelos "Where are we going, Uncle?" he asked curiously as he gazed up at Athan. He had grown quite a bit taller, and while he wasn't exactly close to his uncle's towering six feet, he could at least look up at him without feeling terribly small. Not that he had ever minded before, but it was pleasant to feel as though he were on about the same level as his guardian, if not well on his way. "To a library. I keep you locked up far too much," Athan replied smoothly as he took the boy's hand as they stepped through a portal to take them to the realm where the library resided. Once through he continued his explanation, "There are also a few books that might aid us with your nightmares." He paused again before clarifying, "Well. It may aid Mystic with helping you with your nightmares." 'Nesh nodded solemnly. Really, it didn't seem like such a big deal to him. Everyone had nightmares, right? It seemed silly to be so scared during the day when they were out in the bright sun. At night it was a different story. He sighed a bit. Hawk had insisted that what he dreamed of was important, and he was inclined to have faith in the Seer as his uncle did. He fell silent for a moment as they came upon a bustling street before finally approaching a rather impressive building. It seemed more monument than building with its sculptures and gilded appearance. 'Nesh stared at it wide-eyed and full of awe. It was huge. If anything else, the trip would prove fascinating no matter what they would find; he was absolutely certain of that much. Athan chuckled quietly and clapped the boy on the back to shake him out of his momentary stupor. "I also figured you'd enjoy this," he smirked as he read the boy's expression, "Did you really think I'd bring you all the way here to simply work without any fun at all?" Holicinesh grinned broadly and darted up the steps. He paused just long enough for his uncle to reach the top of the stairs before he darted inside the building in a flurry of excitement.
romesilk It wasn't that there were books. It was that there were so many. The place was awash in old tomes and new printings. It smelled like dust and old leather and ink. Shelves were stacked up to the ceiling and the books were crammed so tightly that upon removing one, others simply relaxed with a wispy, page-rubbing sigh and filled the gap. Beyond each row of shelves lay another, and still more beyond that. There were rooms stacked high to their vaulted ceilings and narrow, winding corridors hiding magic treasures in their irregular shelves. There did not seem to be a single subject that was not covered. Even the most crackpot theories were entertained; shoved between more practical titles like "A History of the Uses of Wormsbane" and "Druidic Incantations" were titles like the "Journal of Asymmetrical Matrices," several volumes of which were clearly the word of a singular, deranged mind operating under various pseudonyms, and "Halloway's Mystic Remedies," which promised to restore youth, love, and grant riches beyond belief with spices and herbs so common that they were routinely mixed in kitchen pots the world around, none of which had ever experienced any magical effects like those Halloway asserted. At most, the combinations might yield a decently-seasoned meal. So vast and varied were the library's offerings that it not only invited but demanded visitors to wander about it rather than make any attempt to work through the arcane and clearly misused categorical systems. There were helpful librarians who could procure a specific tome if so needed, but that was not the appeal of this library. The charm was in the act of exploration. It was not generally a place where children might wander, but then, Holicinesh was certainly no regular hoodlum, and today he was not alone in that distinction. Standing in the midst of a section labeled "Global Enchantments" (which of course contained books on everything except what it was supposed to) was a young girl, slender and brunette, whose guardian had also found her to be a young person of exceptional restraint and maturity and therefore had allowed her to wander off alone amidst the shelves and stairways: Katie Magos.
Reyna Crelos Holcinesh was taken aback by the sheer amount of books available. He stood there, dumbstruck up until his uncle moved to stand next to him and placed a steady hand upon his shoulder. He glanced over at Athan with a brilliant smile. Oh, this was absolutely the greatest thing he had ever encountered in his young life! Simply amazing! He couldn't find words to express his joy or excitement at the prospect, so he simply smiled widely. He was completely within his element. Athan chuckled quietly and patted the boy's shoulder. "You go browse and have fun. I know what I'm looking for mostly, and ... generally where to find it. Though as you can see it may take me a while," he replied as he gestured towards the grand expanse of endless rows of books. 'Nesh simply nodded, still at a loss for words. With a grin plastered across his face he began to wander the aisles. In truth it felt more like he was wading through the books rather than browsing through the shelves, but he was hardly going to complain. It was heavenly! And here he thought there was no better place in the universe than his uncle's library at home. While quite impressive a collection, it paled in comparison to this. In his distraction he soon found himself in an interesting section about enchantments. He looked a bit puzzled by the fact that there seemed to be no real order to things, but it didn't phase him. He traced the bindings with his fingertips as he quietly read the titles under his breath. So absorbed in his exploration he very nearly bumped into Katie. Thankfully he righted himself before he did so, and blushed profusely. "Sorry," he managed in a quiet voice, "I.. wasn't really paying attention to where I was going."
romesilk Katie was surprised by the jostle and showed it. She too had gotten so engrossed in reading the book titles and authors (silently, in her mind) that she had rather much tuned out the noises of the library -- such as the brief flutter that seemed to echo from somewhere in the distance now and then, like the library might have birds or bats, but more likely was the sound of some sort of magical book-summoning. She would have smiled at most anybody when meeting them for the first time, that was just Katie's nature, but given the boy's relative size and similar youth, she seemed to smile all the more brightly. "Oh, it's okay!" Because this was a library, and a hue one at that, her cheery voice echoed and bounced beyond her ability to control it. Her eyes went quickly wide. Thane had told her to be very quiet so as not to disturb anyone, and she immediately hushed her voice to a whisper. "I'm Katie."
Reyna Crelos 'Nesh laughed good-naturedly under his breath at the echo of her voice. His sudden bout of shyness seemed to melt away for a moment at the girl's brilliant smile. He had not yet had the opportunity to socialize with someone his age, and the only other girl he knew was Reyna. He didn't really count Lorelei since she kind of reminded him of a boy what with her brusque attitude and behavior. The prospect of making a new friend seemed rather exciting. "Hello, Miss Katie," he whispered back politely with an incline of his head, "I'm Holicinesh. It's a pleasure to meet you." There. That sounded about right. It was how he had heard his uncle speak when greeting someone he wasn't familiar with. He flushed a bit, unsure whether or not his introduction was acceptable. He pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose in nervous habit before turning his attention towards the books that Katie had been glancing at on the shelf before them. "Looking for anything in particular, or just browsing?" he asked tentatively, curious as to what someone else his age would want with such texts. From what he could tell from how Athan and Hawk spoke of him, his interest in knowledge and reading was rather unheard of for someone his age.
romesilk Holicinesh. That was quite a long name, but it was very charming, like something out of a story. Katie herself had a good deal of experience meeting new people, particularly strange and unusual folk, and was quick to try and put Holicinesh at ease. "Just browsing," she said casually, which was the truth. It was Thane who had come to look for a specific text. Katie was merely following him to somewhere new and interesting. It was not the first such trip Thane had taken her on, nor would it be the last, but it was certainly the first time she had been allowed to wander on her own and her first solo encounter with a new face. Athan and Hawk's assertions were correct. Holicinesh's interests were above and beyond the usual for his age, but Katie did at least have a more than passing interest in the subject of magic given her more-than-average home. It manifested in her honest admiration for the craft her guardian practiced. "I think it's all amazing, don't you? There are so many things that can be done with magic." She was careful to exclude herself from the category of spellcasters with the tone of her voice, indicating that to her at least, magic was a faraway art.
Reyna Crelos He nodded enthusiastically in agreement. "It is indeed amazing," he replied before his voice took on a more daydream-like quality, "I have seen my uncle do amazing things." He smiled warmly at the thought of his beloved guardian. He shoved his hands in his pockets for lack of anything better to do with them and to keep himself from constantly fiddling with his glasses. "He and his Shadow promised that they'd teach me," he told her with a bright grin, "I can already read runes. Well. A little bit."
romesilk "What kind of runes?" asked Katie. Though she had not begun to study any aspect of magic herself, and did not expect to any time in the hear future, she did at least know that there were different kinds of runes from one world to the next. Katie had seen a few types and thought that the elven ones were the prettiest, but liked the directness of some of the more utilitarian scripts. Thane had even showed her a scroll with some demonic runes. Just seeing the shapes of those vicious letters chilled her to the soul. She sincerely hoped those weren't the runes Holicinesh was studying, he seemed so nice, she would hate to think of him dabbling in dark magics!
Reyna Crelos A flush stole across Holcinesh's cheeks at her question which did well to draw him out of his awe over his own uncle's magicks. "Oh," he replied as he gathered his thoughts and wits about him so that he might properly answer her question, "Mostly that of the Mhiros'nan. It's the common script in the world he's from." He smiled faintly at the thought of the flowing, elegant script and how effortlessly his uncle wrote and cast with it. He sincerely hoped to be that good some day, and he felt confident that if he study as his uncle instructed him he would. The only doubt that lingered in his mind was the fear his uncle and Hawk's Eye held for him over his darkness filled dreams and the equally dark runes the dreamrealm presented him. "I mostly know wards for protection," he spoke up before too long a span of silence passed between them. "Probably one of the best places to start, you know?"
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Posted: Sun Oct 04, 2009 7:06 pm
The Nightmare Beast
Posted for the sake of the story's continuity, and not to be counted in requirements. The nightmare beast emerges!Dreams are like to repeat themselves, especially when they are nightmares and especially when they are not truly of one's own creation - but that of another.
The foul creature of darkness that tried to bind Holicinesh in his dreams was making his way slowly back. Dark fingers trailing along the corridors of the Dreamrealm with grace that he should not have had. Not for someone not so skilled in Dreamwalking as he.
As his fingers grazed against the pathway to 'Nesh's dreams, dark smirk on his face, he felt himself suddenly pulled back - pulled in another direction entirely. To a realm that was neither dream nor waking world.
He growled in frustration, his dream form growing darker than his other ever could. When he felt arms around his shoulders and a whisper of breath against his ear, he let out a startled gasp. Who has snuck past his wards and gotten so close ... ?
"Really? You think it is that hard to get past the wards of someone I trained ... ?" There was teasing in the voice, but it was hard. Friendly, but also deadly - and the dark creature knew it far too well. His teacher, his mentor ...
When he turned around, all he saw was a shadowed form. Darkness blurring the edges. The only thing he saw was two pinpoints of what should have been eyes. They glowed faintly, black, then grey, then brilliant blue, and faded all over again.
"... they ..." Killed you. He never finished the phrase, darkness pressing softly against his lips.
"Doesn't matter what THEY did. What matters is what WE'RE going to do to them." The darkness curled it's way around him, as if enveloping the creature in more power. He liked the feeling - it was intoxicating in it's own way. Was this what had happened to his mentor ... ?
"I don't think you can do much as you are ..." He raised an eyebrow curiously, watching the darkness writhe and move about him. Unsure what sort of things it could truly do. Then again, it HAD stopped him from going into the child's dream. Stopped him from continuing his attemps to ...
"About that," the darkness jarred his thoughts, "you need to be careful." Not quite fingers toyed along his cheek, brushing carefully down the runes that kept him in this creature form. "The Seer has plans to get the Dreamwalker involved more ..."
"It doesn't matter, it's not like either of them -"
"They CAN stop you. Will a number of times, actually." The darkness seemed to solidify, holding firm onto his chin and forcing it to look at it. "Trust me, I share some of the Seer's gifts and I know that you will be defeated before you are able to do anything."
There was silence and his irritation was obvious. This WAS his mentor, however, and he knew that the words he spoke were not lies. If anything, he should have listened more. This thing who was once a man, but now mere shadows and darkness ... He had made a deal with ...
"You wish to deal with them?" The dark voice was against his ear and the creature felt like something was pressed against his back again. "I think I may be able to help with that ..."
"What do I have to do then?" The words came out in a rush, so unlike him. Here in the Dreamrealm, he was so eager, so obvious at times - but there was a certain thrill that it gave him.
"The Seer and the Dreamwalker need to be removed from play. Both of them have ways of figuring you out. The Seer is merely blinded because of my presence, but he'll eventually figure it all out, despite being ... blinded ..." There was a snort from the darkness and once again fingers were trailing against him seductively - the seduction of dark powers that could be at his finger tips.
"I've all ready made plans to ..." He paused when he felt the fingers tighten and he leaned his head back briefly. "Speed them up, shall I?"
"It would be best." There was an appreciative sigh at his response.
"As for the Dreamwalker ... ?" The creature trailed off, waiting for the response from the darkness that now shifted and moved around him.
"You will need to trap him in his dreams. ... and make sure that no one leads him to her." The darkness nipped at his ear, pushing him forward and away - moving far too fast for his liking. "My time is growing short and I've other things to attend to."
"When you say her, do you mean ... ?" The sudden coldness that washed over the creature answered his question. He knew exactly who the darkness was talking about. Before he could ask anymore questions, he was shoved back into the waking world.
Light filtered in and stung. Pulling the cloak tightly over himself, he groggily turned in the bed. His mind was a blur, his dreams a haze - what had he dreamed? Looking over he brushed dark fingers over what was a blank page in a book, but he knew the moment he was asleep they would be filled with everything he needed to know.
Was he certain about that?
He was, just as he was sure that he had gained something in his last dream. Not that he could recall it, but whatever it was ... it would be of help.
And he knew he needed all the help he could get.
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Posted: Thu Oct 22, 2009 4:08 pm
Eternally Awake
Holicinesh struggles to remain awake to avoid his nightmare entirely.To say he was tired, or even exhausted, was a vast understatement. He couldn’t remember the last time he had slept. His nightmares had become progressively worse with each passing day. It wasn’t even so much that he feared his dreams any longer – he anticipated it. His recent growth allowed him a better understanding of what was going on around him, but it didn’t make enduring night after night of terrible nightmares any easier.
Each time he closed his eyes he could see the sick, twisted darkness that was threatening to consume him. He didn’t have to be fully asleep any longer. The torment was endless. He determined that if he never slept again, if he never even closed his eyes again even so much as to simply blink, then so be it. If that’s what it took for him to achieve some sort of peace then it was a sacrifice he was willing to make.
’Oh really,’ came Hawk’s familiar voice. The Shadow appeared near his side and draped himself against one shoulder as he was often wont to do. For a creature that was so standoffish at times he was very much like a feline with those he was familiar with.
Holicinesh arched a brow as he turned his gaze upon the ghostly creature at his side. “Yes,” he replied matter of factly, “Really.”
’I certainly understand your point, but it’s not exactly the brightest idea you’ve ever come up with, dear,’ the Seer told him with a quiet chuckle as he wrapped his arms about his shoulders and leaned his cheek atop the boy’s head. He had grown considerably in such a short time. Strangely he found that he missed his being little already. That, and it mildly irked him that ‘Nesh was already taller than him and thus destined to no doubt tower over him one day.
“And how do you figure that o’ Great Seer,” he teased as he pushed his glasses up along the bridge of his nose and moved to sit in one of the barstools in the kitchen.
Hawk settled next to him on another stool and with a smug look formed his own legs so he could cross them to mirror Holicinesh. ’Well,’ he began with an air of authority that bordered on simple haughtiness that the boy at his side had come to recognize as merely being part of the Shadow’s personality, ’Despite the nightmares you do rest at night. It may not seem like it, but it’s true. Your willingly subjecting yourself to sleep deprivation is wasting your energy. In turn you’re weakening yourself which is what causes the nightmares to appear as that much worse.’
‘Nesh sighed and shifted to prop his chin up in one hand as he turned to fully face the Seer. “That very well may be true, but the dreams are becoming more intense regardless.”
A glassy look crossed the Fiend’s face for a moment before his blind eyes seemed to once more focus upon him. ’That is true,’ he replied slowly. His brow furrowed into a look of consternation. ’But you,’ he went on as he reached over and jabbed one pointed finger against the boy’s chest to emphasize his point, ’Are exacerbating the problem. Get some rest or I will force you into a temporary coma myself.’
Somehow ‘Nesh didn’t doubt that for even a moment, so he chose not to argue. “Then when is your so-called friend going to show up? Auntie Reyna promised she’d ask her Shadow to help,” he complained since his idea of staying awake forever, ludicrous as he believed it to be in the first place, had been blatantly dashed by Hawk’s threat.
Again that far away look washed across the Shadow’s face, though this time it lasted for much longer than a single moment. A long span of silence stretched between them, and Hawk grew incredibly still; not even his fox tail swished about.
’Soon,’ was his reply, though his voice still held a strange sort of distant quality to it, ’The Dreamwalker and his kindred darkness will come to you. Do not be fooled by the guise of the nightmare beasts that seek the fabric of your realm. The Sentinels struggle to protect you as you are of Keloswyn’s brethren. Their contracts cannot be broken, but the gates have not yet been restored.’
Holicinesh’s eyes widened slightly, and he remained silent for a long moment until it seemed the Shadow had returned to himself. “So…” he began slowly before he trailed off in obvious hesitation, “Soon..?”
Hawk’s musical laughter filled the air as he reached to ruffle the boy’s hair. ’Yes, o’ Impatient One,’ he replied, ’’Soon’ is your answer. The rest your dear uncle and I shall interpret.’ The Shadow’s expression softened at the weary expression on the boy’s face. ’For now I suggest hot tea and sleep. I’ll stay by your side and wake you should I sense anything amiss.’
‘Nesh sighed and nodded in quiet agreement. It seemed he had no other options but continue to play the terrible, nightmare-filled waiting game that had been thrust upon him.
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Posted: Sun Jan 03, 2010 12:48 pm
A Holiday Matter
Hawk coerces 'Nesh into helping with holiday festivities.
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Posted: Sun Jan 03, 2010 12:50 pm
Winter Star Solstice: Day of Protection
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Posted: Sun Jan 03, 2010 12:51 pm
Winter Star Solstice: Day of Knowledge
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Posted: Sun Jan 03, 2010 12:52 pm
Winter Star Solstice: Day of the Lost
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Posted: Sun Jan 03, 2010 12:53 pm
Winter Star Solstice: Day of Hope
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Posted: Sun Jan 03, 2010 12:54 pm
Winter Star Solstice: Day of Victory
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