|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Sun Aug 31, 2008 7:05 am
Frowning slightly at Diana's accusal of his being a dead weight, nonetheless, Takao was glad of the assisstance, and he allowed himself to be pulled to his feet, running after the older teen to rejoin Tala and the others at 'the head of the pack', so to speak.
It had been surprising, the water jetting up from the ground. It had happened shortly after Max shouted, so the teen was sure it was his blond friend's doing. As he and Diana rushed past him, Takao reached out and took hold of one of Max's own, urging with his eyes, telling the blue-eyed boy that he should run, too.
Yuriko let Rei help her up, and though she nodded at his statement, in truth, the ebony-haired teen needed no urging. Having no obvious abilities of her own aside from her martial arts training, Yuriko could see that if she were to insist on helping to hold back the dark-haired young woman, she'd hardly be a match - she'd be steamrolled, to put it bluntly.
And so it was that she ran, glancing sideways only briefly to make sure no one else had been left behind. None had, for they were either in front of her or running beside her.
Kyouju peered around the tree he and Daichi had hidden behind, to see that the others were getting out all right. Kai had doubled back, to make sure their friends were safe, and apparently they were. Right behind him were Tala with Miki in tow, followed by Diana then Takao and Max, and last but not the least were Rei and Yuriko, who'd already been trailing behind before the attack.
The bespectacled teen let out a sigh of relief. He had not liked the look on their Guide's face when she mentioned "the Black Rose", and he wondered briefly if it was because she simply didn't like the person, or they were extremely powerful, or both.
--------------------
There was a terrified but defiant shout of "Noo!", and a shaking of the earth. Then suddenly, jets of water shot out from all around. One of them hit the ensnared teens, knocking them free of the vines. Another shot out from just to her right, missing her intended victim entirely and headed straight for her.
Keiko simply jumped backwards, out of the jet's trajectory. Upon seeing the charcoal-haired girl grab hold of the steel blue-eyed teen's hand, hauling him up and running in the direction they'd come, she threw the ball of dark fire at them both, not bothering to look if it connected or not. For now, she'd deal with this unexpected offensive.
Suddenly, a sharp, stinging pain in between her shoulder blades, blossoming outward until both her arms were fairly numb. She turned to see who'd struck her, and there stood the auburn-haired elfin woman, one hand alight with a green aura.
What had seemed like long minutes to Takao since his alarmed cry were, in fact, mere seconds. It had taken only a second or two for her to immobilize both Rei and Yuriko, less than ten for Aelian to backtrack, see that they were being attacked by none other than the Black Rose, and launch something of an offensive that was a defensive tactic as well.
"A surprise attack? That's a bit below your level, isn't it, Aelian?" Keiko said, getting to her feet, unfazed by the numbness in her arms.
"Yes, but its perfect for your level," Aelian said coldly, fixing her opponent briefly with a glare. Seeing Kai at the edge of her peripheral vision, she added, loud enough for him to hear, "the rest of you, go. Now!"
Kai stopped short at this. True, Aelian had told him earlier to 'get everyone out', but he'd doubled back upon seeing his companions safe; he wanted to see if there was some way he could test his newfound ability on their dark-haired adversary. Their Guide - Aelian (was that her name, then?) would not allow anything of the sort, however.
//Flameweaver, set fire to the trees surrounding this glade.//
Kai started. That was Aelian's voice, surely. But he hadn't seen her open her mouth to speak. Was this-
//Telepathy? Yes, it is. I have some gift of it, but only with allies who are close enough. Right now you are the only one. Now do as I ask. No need for control; we want to trap this woman, do you understand?//
Again, the maroon-eyed teen blinked, then nodded minutely. He made for the nearest tree - the same one Daichi and Kyouju had hidden behind - and rested a hand on the rough bark. Kai tried to get the feeling he had when he set the branch blazing earlier, this time not just to see if he could, but to help, as Aelian needed him to do.
She'd not said anything, but something told him the two had gone against each other in an earlier battle, and their Guide had barely escaped in one piece.
Daichi saw the first signs of flame, beginning at the roots, and it spread quickly, racing up the trunk and claiming the branches as soon as he blinked. He reached out, tugged on Kai's shirt. "Uh... Kai?" When the slate-haired teen looked at him, the redhead merely pointed out the fire, which was just as quickly spreading to other nearby trees.
Kai nodded, a grim affirmation of what he'd just done. "That should do," he muttered to himself. "Now lets get out of here. Aelian will catch up."
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Aug 31, 2008 9:00 am
Tala winced at the growing forest fire. It was getting hotter and hotter around them until..."Ah!", he heard the small cry of the younger girl behind him. Her sleeve was caught on fire and was desperately trying to put the fire. Tala started patting only to reveal frost on Miki's shoulder. Well...at it kinda of worked. But that dilly dally would have to wait and he hoisted the girl in a piggy back ride and continued to run.
Diana looked back at the two fighting female warriors and the rest of the gang behind. She wondered what she could do to help their female guide. But then it triggered one of her known powers and a temporary shadow cast over the two.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Aug 31, 2008 10:15 am
A sudden slight darkness caused Aelian to glance up. Something of a dome composed entirly of shadow hovered over her and the fox anima halfling. Diana... she thought, a bit uncomfortable at the sudden darkening. It was also getting rather hot in the glade.
Nonetheless, there was her opponent to think about. The auburn-haired elfin needed to just immobilize the younger woman for a moment, long enough for her to draw a spell of transportation and help her charges out of the Forest; she didn't want them getting lost - and it was easy to get lost in Sylvane if one didn't know where one was heading.
Then, a cutting at the same time burning sensation blazed across her upper arm, causing Aelian to avert her gaze from the figures of the retreating Chosen.
"Never turn your back on an opponent, Aelian." Keiko smirked, another dozen small spheres of black fire dancing around her. "You risk serious injury - or death - if you do so." She made a throwing motion with her hand, and three of the fireballs hurled themselves at the elfin.
Quickly, Aelian dodged each one, but knew that the Daemn was just toying with her. She knew there was a limit to Keiko's sense of 'fun' in battle, so she'd have to finish this fight as quickly as possible...
--------------------
After what seemed like an hour of running - though in truth it couldn't have been more than a few minutes - Kai glimpsed bright sunlight ahead, and he thought that there were less and less trees. Were they exiting the forest?
The slate-haired teen glanced behind him, more to get an idea of how far the fire had spread. Thankfully, he couldn't really see it, so it had contained itself somehow - he couldn't explain or understand how that could be, though.
Right behind him was Tala, with Miki riding piggy-back. He'd glimpsed the small fire that had started on the girl's shirtsleeve, and couldn't help feeling a little guilty of being the cause for that.
"Guys... where do we go now?" Daichi asked, looking at the wide plain that now faced them, once they'd left the forest behind. It seemed to stretch for miles, and truth be told, despite his seeming energetic self, the green-eyed teen didn't want to spend an hour or so running.
Kyouju also scanned the horizon, looking for some sign of where they should be headed. "Man... if only that elfin had come along when Kai started the fire; then we'd know." He was uncomfortable with this uncertainty, hated not knowing things he felt he should know.
"We could always wing it," Takao ventured, glancing furtively behind him. He'd just had a brush with Death, he felt, and he wasn't keen on meeting the Black Rose again anytime soon - especially not now, just minutes after a series of unexpected but welcome events had hauled him away from his clutches.
"Kyouju, didn't that elfin woman say that you'd been granted an ability of some sort the moment you came here?" Yuriko asked, pushing some stray bangs out of her eyes. "Maybe it can help you know where to go, if you let it tell you.... or something..." she trailed off. She'd had the idea, but it was hard to explain it without sounding either loony, or totally believing in all that had happened to them so far.
"Hm..." the bespectacled teen looked thoughtful, and he met no one's gaze for the time being. At length, he said, slowly, "I think we should just wait here, where we can quickly duck back into the forest and hide if anything or anyone should attack from out here." He gestured with a slight sideways nod at the plains that stretched from where they stood to the horizon.
Yuriko sat down on a nearby rock, trying to get as comfortable as possible on the rough hard surface. "Then we wait... unless you guys want to keep running, as your Guide said to?" While she was a bit reluctant to trust these unseen forces Aelian had said ran things here, she was more than willing to trust her friend.
--------------------
Quickly, Aelian made her way through the burning brush, hardly daring to look back. She didn't know how much time her Spell of Temporary Blindness would buy - she wasn't even sure if Keiko had succumbed to it - but it would have to do. In the best of outcomes, that particular spell would have been augmented by Diana's 'dome of darkness', or whatever it was called.
Surprisingly, the fire had somehow contained itself, and so the elfin was reassured that her charges had made it out safely A few minutes' running proved this sentiment right, for as she exited the forest and faced the wide Plains that stretchedS from this part of Sylvane until Fioraln and Umilnae, the teens stood off in a group to her left.
"Everyone here?" she asked, approaching them. She did a swift head count - yes, all ten had gotten out. But now came the choice - would they head for Fioraln, where Aelian herself had sought sanctuary just the day before? Or would Umilnae be a better although farther destination, just because it was better protected?
"Scroll Mage, what should our destination be - the Ice Kingdom or the Water Kingdom. Fioraln is closer than its sister, yet Umilnae offers somewhat better security. Its up to you and your friends to decide."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Sep 03, 2008 7:52 am
"I vote for the Fioraln. But we talk about security so i guess Umilnae sounds better." Tala blurted out
"Agree with Crayon-head" Diana muttered. But not after getting an annoyed glare at her which she brushed off.
"I would vote to Umilnae. It's the kingdom of my element and we might want to have the better security to get longer days of training"
Rei looked at Kyouju "Well...Kyouju? Where do you think we should go?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Sep 04, 2008 4:49 am
Kyouju said nothing for a while, not trusting himself to speak. Frankly, he didn't believe that he was the Scroll Mage. Everyone was looking to him for a decision, even those who hadn't said anything, as though he had the answer. He didn't, so what now?
He took a deep breath, looked once more at the plains before them, and tried to speak as steadily as he could "Umilnae's our best bet at the moment. The farther we go, the longer it will take for us to reach it, but at the same time, the longer it will take for... that girl back there to catch up."
Yuriko stood up, stretched a little. "Well, then, what are we still standing around for? Let's go!"
Takao nodded his assent. He was a little shaken up by what had happened earlier, but he was recovering. It would still be nice, though, to get as far away as possible from that forest - did Aelian call it the 'Forest of Silence'? She had, the dark blue-haired teen decided.
"So... 'Aelian', is it? That's what the girl - the Black Rose called you. "How do we get to Umilnae from here?" Kai asked, although he did not look at the elfin when he spoke, fumbling a little at the place name - damn, this... 'Arkanna' place had strange names. But then, he supposed, to the inhabitants of this world, the names given to places and such were no more strange than his or any of his companions' names were for them.
The auburn-haired woman nodded once, curtly. "We head southeast. Travel will be less smooth since there are no roads there like there are between kingdoms, but we will reach Umilnae faster than if we took the conventional route." She did not elaborate on this further, instead striking out ahead of the group; they'd follow, as they had earlier.
And follow they did. It wasn't as though they had a choice. For Kai, it was more of a need to satisfy his curiosity, since Aelian herself had said there were things even she couldn't answer because she didn't know. So perhaps the best way to get those answers was to go along with the whole thing.
--------------------
Keiko pushed her way roughly through the tight-grown bushes, coughing. She hadn't been hurt - much - in the short fight. The smoke and growing fire, however, had made it a bit hard to breathe and see. Still the amethyst-eyed young woman was furious with the fact that, for the second time, Aelian Zurea had slipped from her grasp for the second time.
And not just Zurea, but the Chosen as well.
The Shadowed One will not be pleased... she thought, resigning herself to a scolding or a lecture - even some form of physical punishment - when she reported back at the Daemn's Keep.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Sep 07, 2008 9:13 am
It was a considerable distance, the walk from Sylvane to Dunzuren. At least it was if one had just come from a fight, and were dreading punishment.
Of course, if that one were Keiko, tiredness might have been setting in, but dread? No. She was wary of punishment, had not recieved the like since she pledged fealty to the Shadow Lord. But she did not dread it; almost nothing scared her anymore, really, least of all physical pain.
It had been close to three hours since the dark-haired young woman set off for the Keep, from yet another failed attempt at eliminating the Guide and Arkanna's Chosen. In that span of time, she'd had time to think. The attacks, she felt were too close to each other. Perhaps that was it - so little time passed in between one assault and the next, so it was likely the group expected them somewhat. Also, Zurea had known how to deal with the situations presented her, the opponents she or the Chosen had faced. That, too, was a possible factor in the constant failure so far.
Keiko let the thought sit for a while, just sit there in her head as she examined it. Up ahead, she could already begin to see the spires of the Daemn's Keep. It was a dark, foreboding place, somewhat like a castle in a fantasy story, only it had a dread aura about it. What should have been the gardens that graced the front was nothing more now than a battle court, where training sessions and sometimes public excommunications were held. The rolling fields behind it was a corral of graek, large reptilian creatures with feathered wings and deadly talons and beaks. They were messengers, for communicating with army divisions sent off to destroy or at least gain entrance into the various kingdoms. They were sleeping now, Keiko was sure, for graek are active only at night.
The Keep itself was wrought of obsidian rock, the spires on the towers piercing the clouds. Most of the windows were of smoked glass, although there were quite a number that were clear; these were usually in the watchtowers, but a few had found their way to various rooms in the Keep.
Keiko crossed the front courtyard gate, noted in passing that a training session was under way. She saw her former division commander, D'Arr, and the thought suddenly completed itself. It was so simple, the Black Rose was suprised she hadn't thought of it earlier. Quickly, she summoned two Morhanae to her and spoke to them in their thought-language. She knew just the basics, but it was enough to convey what she wanted them to do.
The shadow creatures slinked back into the inky blackness from whence they came, and Keiko needed no visual confirmation that her little 'pets' would carry out her orders. They were too loyal to him who released them from their confines within that endless limbo of shadows and silence to not do as she asked. Now all she had to do was wait for her two underlings - assisstants, perhaps, was a better term - to make their appearance. The brother-and-sister duo had been itching for a mission for quite a while; now Keiko had something to challenge them with.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Sep 08, 2008 7:13 am
Two black blurs continue hitting each other, sparks flying as the sharp blades collided. As both retracted, one, a female, covered herself to vanish into the shadows as her male opponent's eyes darted in every direction to try and find her. As she was about to move in for the kill, both were summoned and darted immediately.
Both arrived behind a black-haired woman and knelt in respect and both revealed their faces. The male, had tea green hair and cyan eyes. The female, had also tea green hair but very pale blue eyes. The male responded "Joumyaku". The female, "Doumyaku". Both, "You called us, Mistress?"
decided to use Joumyaku's color first.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Sep 08, 2008 9:55 am
It always amused Keiko how quickly the siblings responded when she called. She'd barely had to wait more than five minutes each time; this was the quickest response yet.
"Yes, Joumyaku, Doumyaku. I need to send you on a mission." The dark-haired young woman waited a moment or two before going on, starting out a strolling pace on the invisible path to the grounds rear of the keep, silent indicator that the siblings should follow.
"They've arrived," she said simply. Surely the two knew who she was referring to when she said 'they'. "I've been after them since the day before, when the elfin Aelian Zurea was assigned to me. She escaped, however-" and inward grimace at this admission - "And now she is attempting to fulfill her role as Guide. She and her charges - the Chosen - already know what I look like, so I'll not risk jeopardizing the Shadow Lord's plans by attempting another assault myself.
"Instead, I'll send the both of you. You've accomplished much, independent of and working with each other; surely you can handle eight younglings younger than you with hardly an idea of the extent of their abilities." It wasn't a question; it was a challenge.
Keiko decided to wait until either of the siblings reacted or replied, to not divulge the extent of the information she had so far on the group. She had to know first, of course, if Joumyaku and Doumyaku would take the mission.
--------------------
Sea breeze. Aelian took a deep breath and tasted salt in the wind. They were close. "Water Wizard," she ventured, "do you feel anything at the moment, anything at all?"
It was neccessary to test each Chosen's ties to their element - well, the more or less concrete elements, at least. Affinity with light and darkness was difficult to do, but usually the strength of the affinity would be revealed at some point.
Kai, too, could taste the salty tang in the air. Had the elfin woman mentioned a sea or ocean when she told them - somewhat - of Fioraln and Umilnae. No, he decided; she hadn't. So where were they? The slate-haired teen didn't know. He didn't ask, though; better to see where they'd end up, he thought.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Sep 09, 2008 2:02 am
Joumyaku grinned revealing a single fang on the right side of his face "A challenge. Yet a privilege. We will waste no time in disposing such inexperienced creatures--OW!". He snarled at his sister who shot him back an even glare.
Doumyaku fired a small shadow flame to her brother, who snarled in annoyance at her. Shooting him an even glare, she responded "Forgive the stupidity, My mistress. What my brother is trying to say is that...If we have your permission, we wish to scout their relationship with one another. As one of my ravens informed me..."
Doumyaku adored ravens and had a flock of them scouting the Forest of Silence. It helped to be very informative of their enemies. "...that they seem to be a tight bond of youngsters. Proceeding with caution seems wise for the current extent of their power is triggered by a sudden burst of emotion. We may need to use some tactics to make them be vulnerable"
As much as he hated, Joumyaku silently admitted to himself that it was best to let his sister do the thinking. He was acknowledge as the one who acts before he thinks. And both await for further instructions.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Sep 09, 2008 5:10 pm
Keiko shook her head inwardly at the siblings' interaction. Strange how the younger sibling used her head more often than the elder. "Hm. Your information proves correct, Doumyaku; the Chosen's powers - save for a precious few - are indeed triggered by sudden waves of emotion, particularly fear. However, they are still mostly unstable; I'm sure the two of you will find a way to use that to your advantage."
She stopped for a while, observing the graek in their enclosures - huge stable compartments twice that used to house horses. The army had once used horses, but in time, they were considered too troublesome to keep, and were not as stealthy as they wished. Hence the graek. Oh, there were still horses here, but mostly they were used for riding target practice by the less experienced 'soldiers', if one could call them that.
"Doumyaku, Joumyaku," the Black Rose said finally, after a few moments. "Are you familiar with the entire prophecy regarding the Chosen?" Without waiting for a reply, she half-turned to keep the half-veyprs in her line of sight. "Not all the Chosen will remain with their fellows to stand against us; in fact, some of them were prophesied to stand with the Daemn when the time comes." She smiled here, a small, wicked smile. "You know how some elements have more darkness than light in them. Once you identify the Chosen tied with those elements, as well as the one who controls darkness, endeavor to bring them here, where we will turn them.
"If you don't manage to kill the Chosen, do that, at least. And take as long as you wish, or need to. There's no rush, really, not if we're to have four of Arkanna's supposed 'heroes' on our side..."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Sep 10, 2008 4:51 am
Joumyaku's cyan orbs blinked "That means...we can have the power of the Chosen alongside with us! This is most wondrous news. If we choose the most powerful then we surely can defeat our enemies". And yet another flame on his shoulder to silence him.
"Brother! Have you now brains? Power is meaningless without skill and knowledge of how to use them to their utmost potential. So what if we manage to capture one, but how are we sure that particular chosen isn't some bumbling fool who can't even make his stone glow? Besides..."
Doumyaku composed herself to reveal a cunning smile "Why bother trying to get some when we can make them all join us. As Mistress has said, they are tied to each other. Their care for one another would be their downfall. There is nothing more weakening than a strong bond with another person"
--------------------------------------------
Max felt the breezed and slowly closed his eyes. He heard the soft faint sounds of ripples and clashes of waves. Water. The drops, the splashes, the blurs. Peaceful smile and he gently opened back his eyes "I...feel calm for a second. Strange but...i felt peace here".
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Sep 10, 2008 9:15 am
Keiko smirked, a small one; a smirk nonetheless. She looked somewhat fragile, but Doumyaku was the sort who hid her dark twisted mind behind her 'delicate' appearance. Was it any wonder why the Shadow Lord appointed her to a rank that could have been considered as 'captain'?
Joumyaku, too, was in a similar rank, although it was probably due more to his service than his devious ideas. Still, neither was more important; their services were equally needed, Keiko knew.
"Do as you wish," she repeated, deep purple orbs flashing with an insidious, dark light. "As long as, in the end, the threat these Chosen pose is lessened, or eliminated altogether.
--------------------
At the blond's reply, Aelian nodded, curly. Affirmation. The more time these teens spent in Arkanna, the more their affinity with their respective elements seemed to grow.
"Good," the elfin said as she crested the rise of a small hill, "because we're just at the outskirts of Umilnae." She stopped just short of the sloping downward 'path' that led to the western gate into the outer sector of the Water Kingdom.
Yuriko came up a little behind and to the left of the elfin Guide. Her eyes widened in pleasant surprise. A slate gray wall meandered across the verdant green field dotted here and there with sky blue flowers - what they were exactly, the hazel-eyed teen couldn't tell. Just past the wall, roofs of various colors - most of them varying shades of blue - crowded the horizon line, like a vibrant pleasing tableau of flowers. The buildings, one could tell, were of different heights as well.
There was a pale blue tower in what could have been the center of the kingdom, quite far from where they were standing. Yuriko thought she could catch a glimpse of what must have been an ocean in the numerous gaps between houses and buildings.
"Whoa..." Takao breathed, taking the sight in. "That's Umilnae?" It was plain-looking - not what he'd imagined a kingdom to look like - but there was something about it that awed him.
"Apparently, Takao." Kyouju polished his glasses, put them back on. "I believe that tower is some sort of lighthouse, since this kingdom seems to face an ocean. Is there any reason for the almost monochromatic housing color scheme?" This last he addressed to Aelian, for it piqued his curiosity.
Daichi nodded in agreement. "Yeah. Are the other kingdoms like this?" The sight of a place that reminded him of home made the green-eyed teen restless; he wanted to get past the walls and find a place where he could just crash, like he did at home. But his own curiosity kept him from rushing ahead of his companions.
Aelian did not look at either one as she replied. "To some extent, there is a similarity in color schemes, but not in all the kingdoms. Here in Umilnae, the various shades of blue on the rooftops is something of a safeguard against a marine seige. At a distance, viewed from the ocean, the differing heights of the buildings and the colors are meant to suggest the tapering off of the water, from dark to light. The tower, meanwhile, is more of a lookout point, for advance warning should the inhabitants need to evacuate.
Kai listened to all this, grinning inwardly at the ingenuity of Umilnae's people. He turned his gaze northwest, not quite the direction they'd come from. Maroon gaze traced the length of the wall, found that it was almost unbroken for what was easily a distance of 50 miles or so; it disappeared over the horizon then, so the slate-haired teen had no idea how far along the wall actually stretched.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Sep 12, 2008 11:26 am
Both siblings bowed their heads "At once, Mistress" and disappeared before their superior. Both arrive outside the territory, with Joumyaku being the first to speak "Sister, what do you suppose we do first?"
Doumyaku gave a smirk "Simple, brother dear". She took out a small pouch and out came small jewel-like gems. Her pale sky blue eyes turn even whiter as if she didn't have any irises "I return you to the earth, and a wish shall i receive". And she dropped it to the ground. First contact of the soil, the jewels broke and out came black, wriggling leech-like flies. "Scout each Kingdom and come back with their location". As the tea-green female commanded, the mist of black scattered, each doing what was commanded of them to do.
---------------------------------------------------
Max continued looking at the beautiful sea of flowers. It looked even more serene than what he imagined it to be. Giving a small smile, he closed his eyes. A small breeze of petals gently brushed his face as he smell the salty ocean.
Diana couldn't remember the time where she gazed upon a field of flowers before. Sure, plants were around the gardens of her home but none were as beautiful as the Umilnae's own. But this wasn't a tour. This was a mission. This was war. Her peaceful demeanor reverted back to her cold, serious eyes as she started scouting, familiarizing herself with the kingdom.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Sep 13, 2008 11:30 am
The elfin woman stopped, glancing over her shoulder at her charges. "Come," she urged, although considerably less harried than earlier. Perhaps it was because she'd felt no warning, nothing to tell her of impending danger to her person or the Chosen. "This is but part of the field between Sylvane and the rest of Arkanna; we are not yet inside Umilnae itself."
Of course, this field may have been considered part of the Water Kingdom, since the variety of flowers that grew here were known as 'Akuieus' - 'of the water' in the Ancient Tongue. But there was no protective barrier here, only the flowers and open field. Powers or none, it was still quite unsafe to remain outside the stone walls for too long.
Kai, too, stopped to wait for his companions. Tempted though he was to look around, to explore, he wanted to be on his way. For some reason, he could not stay still, just standing in one place for long minutes at a time. The sooner they completed their 'mission', the sooner they could all go home, he felt.
Home. Did he truly miss it that much? Or was it just the certainty connoted by such a word? Perhaps it was a bit of both. The slate-haired teen could handle himself quite well in places he wasn't familiar with, there was no problem with that. There was something, however, about knowing where one would go at night, where one would sleep, knowing that he would wake in the same place he'd slumbered. Here, in this world with ties to elemental magick and kingdoms divided yet united - such a contradiction - there was no guarantee of that. The simplicity with which he and his friends had been brought there was an example of the fleeting stability in this magical place.
Briefly, his mind flickered to thoughts of the kingdom tied to his element, fire. What was it like? Did it, too, face the sea? Or else a field dotted with flowers such as these? It was too soon to say.
Yuriko, ever curious, knelt to pluck a flower of palest blue - paler even than the sky above - off its stem. The stem broke easily, surprising the hazel-eyed teen, but the flower held fast. She examined it closely. Six petals, arranged so that they overlapped each other, striking white in the center and growing somewhat darker towards the edges. There were no stamens or pistils that she could see, just what looked like a single large dewdrop in the center.
Strange.
Carefully, Yuriko tucked the flower into her skirt pocket, then turned to Aelian. "Ms. Aelian," - thankful that she knew the elfin woman's name now - "How long will we be staying in Umilnae?"
The auburn-haired young woman shook her head slowly, looking rueful. "I'm not sure. I have been trying to contact Yumeru-hime regarding this, but it seems she is not nearby at the moment. Perhaps only a few days, then, unless we are told to stay longer."
"I see."
Takao, meanwhile, had walked up to Max and slung an arm around his friend's shoulders. "Pretty cool kingdom y'got here, Maxie," he said, grinning as he took in his surroundings - the glimpse of ocean they could see, the stone walls, tower, and varying blue-roofed houses - for what seemed the umpteenth time. "Think you'll enjoy your stay here?"
--------------------
Keiko watched, silent, as the half-veypr siblings faded from view. She knew they'd teleported somewhere, to lessen the time it would take for them to find the Chosen and carry out their tasks.
A while longer she stood, looking at the spot where Joumyaku and Doumyaku had been previously, and then the Black Rose heaved an inaudible sigh, turned, and made her way to one of the side entrances to the keep. She'd have to report this latest failure, whether she wanted to or not.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Sep 13, 2008 8:33 pm
Rei gave a smile to Max "Takao's right. It's very beautiful". There wasn't any much to say really. But Rei still felt an attachment to his once glorious kingdom. But the downfall of it made him have an excuse to want to defeat the shadows (or whatever they are) in order to give back it's beauty.
Max was still busy closing his eyes until a certain best friend slung his arm around him, resulting to him almost falling "Aaah!". Composing himself, he gave a small smile "I sure hope i will, Takao".
Miki also knelt down to see the flowers "So beautiful". Gently reaching to pluck a small bud, Tala already decided to reach so she patiently waited.
He watched as Miki reaching for a bud. Being sweet, he went to pluck it for her. But before his fingers curled around the stem, the pale blue petals slowly start to bloom. His blue eyes widen at the sight of the flower slowly unfolding it's head, revealing the dew inside. His power was ice, so how..
Miki looked in wonder "Tala, how did you..."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
