.|| Chapter 9: Grave Expectations ||. Yael

[Nilah44]

Elyessi

Kresimir Post 4
“I see.” Kres thought on the new info. The earthlings in tendaji didn't really have anything similar. Sure they were religious and had their leaders but their leaders weren't necessarily the ones communicating with the gods. The earthlings had their own various ways of doing so. The closest he could think of were the Alkidike with their mystics who it was said could communicate with their goddess Aisha. It was interesting to him and he made a mental note to ask Itotia about it more later. He would've liked to talk to a priest or Priestess directly but he didn't want to disrespect anyone. “It's clear how much they're respected, they haven't even asked for silence and still everyone lowers their voice. It's kind of amazing.” Kresimir smiled at Itotia. Learning more about the yaeli from her was something he thought he could do for the rest of his life.  

[Suhuba]

Chapter 9: Grave Expectations

|| IC ||

The High Priest looked out over the crowd, his face showing the caring nature of the Sanctum and the protective guidance it provided. Years of being the High Priest and Priestess had guided them to leading the people in the vision the Gods had for people of Yael, and it brought the utmost sense of pride to see all of those in the crowd concerned for their fellow Yaeli as well. "We have called everyone here today in order to protect our families and our cities. There have been reports of disappearances on Yael, those that are simply vanishing. We want our own to know that there are precautions being put into place to help. The Gods will protect us."

The Priestess held out her hands as if to embrace all of Yael within her arms. "We encourage everyone to avoid being alone for the time being. We do not know who is doing this, but please do what you can to protect yourselves. Continue to pray, the Gods are listening, and our Priests and Priestesses are here to cleanse and bless those in need."

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[LucidStreaming]

Jacline || 5

“Ieeep-!”

In retrospect, Jacline could not have identified the exact sound that hopped from her mouth the instant something unexpected touched down on her shoulder, and in truth, she likely oughtn’t have been surprised. She was, after all, in a sea of people, among a crowd, bound to be at the very least butted slightly up against in the process of things even among the most conscious and polite of souls, which a crowd at large did not tend to be. She, however, had so far put forth great effort in occupying as little space as possible to aid in avoiding such accidents and thus far, whether miracle or not, she’d been largely successful.

Thus, not anticipating anyone but perhaps her caretaker, the tap to her shoulder was - whether she liked it or not - enough in that moment to have her hopping an inch off the ground like a startled house rodent, her eyes popping wide as they snapped to land on—

Who—?

‘That boy,’ was the only description that came to mind, but recognition was enough that she knew at least he had been the one among the crowd she’d spotted earlier, and she felt a brief train of emotions follow at a quick pace. Irritation. What was he doing here, touching her, what did he think he was doing, didn’t he have any manners? After came abashment and anxious energy. He was at least polite in that he seemed sincere in his concern and offered water, though she knew as she’d been taught that boys would do such things with foul motives often as not.

Still.

She couldn’t allow her suspicions or nerves to make her act improperly. “I-” She swallowed, whetting the dryness in her throat and flushing, her eyes dropping to the gravel just to the left of his boot, though her chin managed to stay perched up despite the passive-submissive direction of her gaze. “I’m…well. As anyone could be under the circumstances, I suppose. Have we met?” She knew they couldn’t have, as she hadn’t ‘met’ any boys, all for lack of being permitted out but for church if nothing else. But it was an opening to learn at least his name and push out the courage to meet his eyes. “Jacline Tallart.”

Only then did she notice, by his stammering apologies, the second, smaller boy who had made an approach just after, and her eyes made a quick sweep of him. He looked so young. So much energy, too, as though his words did not all quite fit in his mouth at once such that they needed to tumble forward in a rush.

The other boy in her company at least seemed better prepared to immediately address him. Privately Jacline was most relieved that this newest addition did not seem of age to be offensive as ‘a boy’ to the extent Theodal would object. He was almost cute, or might have been if she was the sort to find small over excited infant animals helpless to the world ‘cute.’ He must have made quite an undisciplined handful for his parents.

Then, the High Priest and Priestess began to speak, and Jacline felt whatever color remained in her cheeks chill at the confirmation. Those that are simply vanishing.

Was that all the specification they were going to give?
 

[MissMisnomer]

Ko | 4 |

Ko felt his bundled nerves unwind like a small ball of twine as the two strangers looked his way and initiated conversation, even going as far as to exchanging names. In truth, he took guilty comfort in the fact that his mishap had caused not one, but TWO people to start talking with him! He wasn’t a quiet boy by nature, glad for the chance to talk to some new people other than his very devout and very demure sister, who at the moment was experiencing what could only be called a mini-rapture as she gazed in wonder at the High Priest and Priestess when they spoke again. So long as he kept his voice down, surely the Gods wouldn’t be too displeased with him?

He took a tentative step away from his sister, releasing her hand to fiddle with one of the beaded bracelets around his wrist, “My name’s Ko. Like ‘no’. Or ‘bow’. Or ‘sew’. Well, ‘bow’ and ‘sew’ are actually one letter too long, but they sound the same, so it doesn’t really matter I guess? But anyways!” He extended his hand as almost an afterthought, leaving it there if anyone should like to take it, “Nice ta meet’cha! And no, sorry, I don’t have a clue what’s going on. But that’s not saying a lot; I almost always don’t have a clue what’s-what!”

“But…” he leaned forward in an almost comically earnest manner, lowering his voice even further as he cupped a hand by his mouth, “I have my suspicions. It’s gotta have something to do with all the missing Shadow People as well. I’m thinking that the shadows that keep running away on cloudy days must have grabbed a few of their owners while they weren’t paying attention, and have hidden them away somewhere they can’t escape. Can you imagine!? They must be so scared!”

There was no doubt in Ko’s mind that this had to be a logical explanation, if not this, than what else? Regrettably, the boy was not the sharpest, so the idea that people's shadows not being present caused by the shifting visibility of the Sun due to inclement weather was a scientific occurrence that could be easily explained, never even occurred to him.

Alas, the pitfalls of being undereducated and oblivious of how the solar system works.

Faithofthefallen

LucidStreaming

 

[Miss Chief aka Uke]

Zekiel | 5

Ko was impossible to miss. This of course was particularly so when he had already called forward Zekiel’s attention to him and then remained near the front of the crowd, bobbing about like a purple buoy with a mouth attached. Fortunately, at least, for the sake of propriety (though Zekiel couldn’t personally find it much within himself to care about such things, he was aware of the great amount of attention and weight some put in it) the young boy seemed to have found others to engage with in the vicinity.

Zekiel, while entirely happy himself to go out among the crowd and engage with the boy, did think it was more expected of him to stay where he was unless the situation further necessitated change. So, it was a relief to see Ko had found entertainment for himself, and Zekiel watched with a passive smile as his bubbling voice simmered down upon the address of the High Priest and Priestess.

Even the heads of their holy law, in the presence of all their people, were not enough to fully silence the child. It brought warm amusement to Zekiel, though he did hope no one else found it far more insulting as some might be prone to do. For his own part, he made a small symbol at his chest, traced briefly in the air such that it took only a moment as he sent up a silent prayer—particularly for the boy, but for all gathered.

Though he knew everything, through private prior counsel, that the High Priest and Priestess were now divulging to the public, the situation was deeper than would be revealed so as to avoid panic. At least the message rang true.

It was a time for prayer, and for trust and calm.

Faith and their gods would guide them through the storm upon them, whatever form it came in.  

[jayoku]

Saedah - Post 5

Reaching up the young woman brushed some of the hair that was falling into her face out of the way, the robes she was wearing felt too confining. As if it was trying to stop her from breathing properly. It was all in her head and she was glad for the distraction that was Tarlok.

She shook her head at the offer of it being free, he was a merchant he made his living selling these things she couldn't just benifit from him without giving something back to him. At his suggestions though she chewed on her lip. It was a wonderful idea..

"AH..but..won't you...need the money..?" She inquired slowly her hands going to clutch at the hem of her robe. Though her next thought was derailed as the High Priest and Priestess finally spoke. At the mention of the Gods and Goddess she closed her eyes and made a holy symbol across her chest. Yes..they would protect them. Feeling reassured she returned to Tarlok looking more..settled than before. Funny how a few words from the High Priest and Priestess could bring such reassurance in the young woman.

"P..Perhaps...I ..c..can see if the ..temple would buy the talismans from you...then we could give them out to the people. I..would not want to see you suffer financially from your selfless act." She murmured offering him a smile, she looked a lot better after the others had spoken, but still she gave off a nervous energy.

DraconicFeline

 

[LucidStreaming]

MissMisnomer

She is a snooty rude little thing,
don't mind her too much. Ko is adorable. heart

Faithofthefallen

Jacline || 6

Shadow people.

For but a moment, Jacline was drawn from her state of statuesque disbelief at his rambling nonsense to feel a true thread of anxiety pinch her gut. He was but a small boy, yet Jacline had zero experience with even that breed of ‘other’ in her life, having been highly restricted from other children aside from those she saw from across the pews at mass, and so the stark contrast in his behavior from what was expected of her was endlessly baffling. Except for this. The first instant he said it, it had not yet fully occurred to her that, as with everything else from his mouth, it was a child’s wild mind speaking, and her own capacity for great imagination when it came to concocting things to fear made her all too ready to feel the seize of it.

…the shadows that keep running away on cloudy days…

As quickly as that, she was closer to insulted than afraid. What a stupid child. Her lips thinned. She tucked her hands behind herself, and made every effort not to look quite so offended as she was.

In truth, it was likely more her pride than anything that was affected, to be shaken so easily by such a small boy over something so silly, if only for an instant. Perhaps the other boy in her company, who already had a younger one with him, would be more adept at handling the youth of their people than she. She, convinced now of her better upbringing as to proper behavior, unwittingly notched her chin a half inch higher and stubbornly focussed her attention on the High Priest and Priestess.

Did this child not understand the concept of respect?
 

[Indigo_Plateau]

Xelannis | 5

The High Priest and Priestess of the Sanctum stepped forward, and if the hush and awe that fell upon the crowd were anything to go by, they may as well have been regarded as deities in their own right. To Xelannis, who was ill-prepared to give out complements to any mortal and thought people, High or otherwise, deserved very few of them, they seemed absurdly decorative for those who portrayed themselves as guardians of holy law and preached modesty and humility.

Of course, in the moment, it was hardly relevant. Their ornate attire meant little as compared to what ought to have sounded like a crisis, and a lash of annoyance striped across and tightened Xelannis' chest after they spoke. That could not be all they needed to say.

A crowd of this size, with its tumultuous fear and disastrous uncertainty could not be comforted by two sentences and an aura of protective guidance, or it seemed it should be as such to Xel, anyway. Though he'd been almost expectant that the gathering would be a disappointing one, Xelannis had hoped for a bit more than he'd been given. He tipped his head down with a quiet sigh and murmured, "So they know nothing else, hm?" It rang with him: "We do not know who is doing this."

What did they know? What measures were being taken? None he'd been privy to, though perhaps that wasn't so surprising. What measures could be taken? Other than encourage people not to travel alone, which they really ought not to be doing anyway in a land rife with dangerous beasts and amazon infidels, there didn't seem to be many ways to enforce any type of restriction. 'Vanishing,' they'd said, as if the heavens themselves had opened up to claim it's victims.

Or perhaps it was somewhere less favorable, a dark abyss reaching out to abduct their people from the realm of the gods.  

[Miss Chief aka Uke]

Zekiel | 6

Xelannis remained unenthused. Zekiel, for his part, had not expected there to be more revealed than what little he knew of the situation as privately conveyed to him, and yet, while he was not of a mind to find the minimalistic approach insulting or otherwise, he did passively wonder if any among them knew more even than he did. We do not know who is doing this, however, seemed to answer that question, as he could not imagine either of their High spiritual leaders as deceiving the public.

So they knew next to nothing.

Many, he anticipated, would have numerous questions in the coming weeks. Even now, despite the holy presence, some among the crowd looked more openly distressed than they had before the announcement, and a bubble of anxious whispers came from pockets in the crowd. At the occasional more vocal upset or demand for answers, attempts at soothing were given, but what truly could be said?

The gods had not yet given them answers, and for whatever trials came before them, they would have to endure with ignorance until such time as things were made clearer. As Zekiel’s eyes studied the shifting moods of the crowd, he felt as he sometimes did, adrift, and more a third party observer as through a dream, rather than an active participant. He could not bring himself to feel fear, concern, agitation or anxiety, but rather felt the push and pull of such emotions among his people like tides.

Once the grandiose presentation reached its conclusion, he would need to make a number of more personalized visits to ascertain the state of persons and families he had come to know on a more individual basis. There was only so much solace that could be given to the masses at large, and even less power in him to give it when the focus was — as it should be for this instance — on their two most esteemed leaders.

“It would seem not,” he said at length, in airy answer to Xelannis’ inquiry whether or not the boy intended to draw an answer from him at all. “Is the mystery the gods put before us not wondrous?”  

[Painted Moose]

Taijana - 4

"The Gods will protect us," Taijana murmured, taking a deep breath to steady herself. If the High Priest himself said it then it must be true. Surely, out of anyone here, he would know just what the spirits had in store for them.

As soon as those words, those blessed words exited the High Priestesses' lips, Taijana turned her attention to Kieran. Who else out of her family would spend so much time on their own? He had done well to stay close while on Yael, thanks mostly because of their dates, but what if he went off on one of his adventures and was abducted-

She wanted to stay so much to him, but the words were backing up inside of her mouth, leaving the woman's face flushed and her lips folded ontop of themselves.
 

[Faithofthefallen]

Rainier || Post 5


Despite the gravity of the situation at hand, Rain couldn't help the amusement bubbling inside him at the woman's reaction. Hissy cat He thought to himself, with a silent laugh. He kept his face schooled however, not wanting to give the impression that he was poking fun at her, but his eyes were sparkling as he beheld her once more. "Its possible we've passed each other in the streets I suppose, we moved to Pajore a few months back, but I'm sure we haven't met, Jacline." He tucked a braid back behind his ear as he winked at her. "I'm Rain, sorry again, for startling you."

He turned back to Ko, and broke out into a chuckle, he took the boy's hand and squeezed it gently in greeting. "No worries, Ko, I have a hard time keeping up on whats going on myself." Rainier's brow creased as he considered this new information, "Shadow people?" his mouth formed an 'O' and his heart raced, misunderstanding Ko and thinking the boy had instead named the monster haunting his people. He'd never heard of such a thing, but Rain had never seen an outsider either before they came to Yael, who knew what sort of creatures inhabited the mainland, who knew what may have crossed the waters with them.

The words their leaders spoke, did nothing to allay Rain's worst fears, the gods had not protected them from the Elaria. Rainier immediately felt a surge of fear and guilt, he was inviting disaster into his home with such blasphemy. He would accept the priest's offer of a cleansing ceremony before he returned home.

"People disappearing?" He glanced at Ko, "Do you know anyone who was...taken?" he spoke the word in a low voice, as though speaking the word too loudly would call the attention of whatever was committing these crimes. Rainier made a sign against evil on his chest and turned to Jacline, "Have you heard of these shadow people?" he asked, his voice hushed, conspiratorial. He glanced around for the man she had arrived with, "They said we shouldn't travel alone. But your friend hasn't returned, we'll wait with you until he comes back." His voice was steadier, although concern radiated from him. He still had many unanswered questions, for the first time in his life the Sanctum had done nothing to soothe his fears, if anything, they were worse now than before the high priest and priestess had ever spoken.

MissMisnomer

LucidStreaming

 

[Indigo_Plateau]

Xelannis | 6

They did not know each other very well at all. Xelannis' few meetings with Zekiel so far had been while in the company of another young man seeking guidance to ease a heavy and irrational spiritual burden which Xel had to admit to seeing no cause for. Those sessions were spent predominantly for Strais' benefit, with Xelannis participating more with his ears than with his mouth. Zekiel spoke, of course, and it was only through those fleeting moments that Xel knew anything about him.

He thought everything was wondrous.

The word had sat ill with him the first time the older priest spoke it. Though Xelannis couldn't recall the exact point it had been used in, he did remember thinking that it was out of place, and to him, it seemed a very consistent flaw every time it tumbled from Zekiel's lips, and Xel had to wonder if the man actually knew what the word meant.

Xelannis was young and far from fully trained. Maybe he would understand when he was older, if the gods chose to bless him with the same rosy-tinted vision as the man before him, but he did very strongly doubt it. Few things were 'wondrous,' but few things needed to be, as far as he was concerned. If everything was wondrous, nothing would be special, nothing would be sacred. Some things were unpleasant. Some things should be unpleasant, to make the truly wondrous things brighter and unique and good.

This ordeal was not a wondrous thing.

Xelannis pinched his lips in displeasure and notched his chin high. "No, it isn't. Not when it terrorizes our island. Not when it throws fathers and mothers, sisters and brothers into despair over their missing loved ones. Not when it drives good people to act out in unsavory ways to protect themselves from an unseen danger. But so long as you are pleased, Priest Zekiel, perhaps that will be enough to tide the rest of us over until something truly wondrous happens."  

[Elyessi]

Nilah44

Itotia Post 4

"Indeed...they are our leaders...and they speak for the gods. With our obsession for purity and cleansing, they are seen as the authority for helping us survive in this world..." She was soft spoke and contemplative, but noticed too when everyone hushed as the leaders began to speak. It was simple, to the point, and reassuring that they would be fine.

But would they? Itotia knew her gods, and she didn't quite follow them as she once did. They had allowed her to disappear, and even upon her return they seemed...gone. Her glow was no more, did that mean they have abandoned her?

Turning, she nodded to Kres and forced a grin, "Don't leave my side, I'll protect you."  

[Sabra Knight]

Painted Moose

Kieran - 5

As the truth was revealed Kieran's brow furrowed in concentration. Disappearances? Were the extremists perhaps a part of this? No, they had preferred to let others know of their destructive rampages...so what could be going on? Though the man's thoughtful gaze did stop when he noticed Taijana's expression. Quietly Kieran's fingers reached over and gave Taijana's hand a comforting squeeze, "I suppose it's a good thing I have a few creatures with me at all times then." He teased lightly, "But I worry about you as well...perhaps I should stay in town for the time being or something?"  

[MissMisnomer]

Ko | 5 |

Ko nodded earnestly, pulling his hand back into his own personal bubble to fiddle with his bracelet once again, “Yeah, it’s got quite a few people all worked up right now.” He glanced over momentarily at his occupied sister, genuine worry working into his tone, “The nice family across the street from us, the ones who run a glazier business, their daughter went missing last week. She has such a pretty smile; I sure hope she’s okay…”

“My parents are pretty worried; they’ve been a lot stricter than usual making sure my siblings and I always leave the house in groups. Which I guess I can’t complain about: I like spending time with them. And that way, I can always keep an eye on their Shadow Person and make sure it doesn’t try anything shifty. You can’t be too careful, they’re very crafty!” He reached over and linked pinkies with his sister’s hand, which at the gentle touch seemed to snap her out of the religious stupor occupying her attention. She smiled down at him and turned her attention to the new strangers in their midst, offering a polite head nod at them, “I’m sorry, I was just overwhelmed by the splendor of our Holy Ones. Please excuse my inattentiveness. My name’s Adellia, if Ko hasn’t gotten my introduction out of the way already.”

He shook his head emphatically, the purple mop atop his head flicking about vigorously, “Nope! I didn’t want to disturb you; it looked like you were really enjoying yourself. This nice guy was just offering to walk this other girl home after the meeting, since her partner seems to have walked off. I thought it might be nice to join them!”

Faithofthefallen

Ko just casually inviting himself along without asking first X3

LucidStreaming

No offense taken, he's just a goober that should not be taken seriously = u =