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 Posted: Wed Jun 17, 2009 3:43 pm
Part 1: Message from Beyond (Raita, Schist, and Kailani'e)Part 2: Guardian's Guard (Enter Tayma) Part 3: Healer of his Race (Enter Abalis) Part 4: "As My Own Daughter" (Tayma, Ado, and Kailani'e)  Kailani'e. Kailani'e the Lightning-Marked. Kailani'e the Wise. Kailani'e the Guardian.
If they'd known what I did, they'd call me Kailani'e the Fool! No Guardian, no one to lead the race?! But if she had had a heart, the sometimes grumpy, always protective female would have had a lighter one. She almost bounced through the fog of the spirit dimension. At long last, at long last! She had found him, the newest Guardian! Of course, just her luck that she couldn't contact him. Curse it! There were precious few Ghost-Speakers, and it had taken her ages to find this one! Her so-called "grandmother" better let me talk to her. I have so much to do...so little time to do it...I should've found an heir long before this...
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Posted: Wed Jun 17, 2009 4:14 pm
 Raita opened her eyes. She couldn't really call it sleeping, but it seemed to help her sister when she near-- or maybe it helped the ghost more herself. After being in denial of it all-- Raita had finally accepted her fate. She was a ghost, and nothing would ever change that. However, now that she was with her sister again, in their familiar grounds, things seemed to be more normal than before--aside from the whole being dead part of it.
She slowly rose to her feet, which was easier now that she felt much lighter, and started towards the cave exit, hoping not to disturb her sister. It seemed that whenever she was near the smaller dragon that Raita felt more alive, but now that the distance was nearing the fog began to cloud her vision even more, as the world of spirits became more prominent in her mind.
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Posted: Sun Jun 28, 2009 8:50 am
Kailani'e looked around the swirling mist, clinging to trees and boulders. Somewhere in this impenetrable fog was the ghostspeaker's cave...but where? She sighed and kept plunging on. Some instinct that she never thought she'd have drew her on. A feeling of an old friend whom I can talk to...that sounds like how a ghostspeaker would feel. She's not far from here...not far now...Soon I'll be able to meet her...
The ghost came to a halt as she saw a brown dragon appear through the mist not far off. Not the ghostspeaker...the ghostspeaker was a child--nearly a teen, but a child nonetheless--not an adult. Perhaps this is the so-called grandmother. "Hello!" she called out. "Do you know where I can find the ghostspeaker?" Butterflies danced above Schist's head, whispering secrets of a valley nearby. A place that was just over that hill, the meadow grass tall and green. Schist smiled as she stood up with childish clumsiness and asked them if she could bring her grandmother along. The insects hesitated, then said no. Her grandmother could not come along.
Before Schist could ask why in a breath of protest, she found herself curled up in a nest of dried bracken in the cold cave. "Grandmother?" she whispered. The butterflies were gone. It was just a dream. A recurring dream. Sometimes, though, she slept long enough for the butterflies to tell her that her grandmother could not go into that valley; that it was forbidden. She never saw what happened next.
The northern child looked around for any sign of Raita. She was gone. No doubt hunting for herself...She heaved a sigh and trotted towards the cave entrance.
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Posted: Sun Jun 28, 2009 4:03 pm
After a few moments had past, Raita began to feel the eerie chill that signaled another ghost's nearing. She would often see other ghosts like her in the distance, some like her and others with thinner pelts and narrow bodies. However, it seemed like the closer she got to them, the farther away they seemed. When she did get any interaction, it was a blunt stare, or a grunt. But this one was different. Raita could see the dark colors grown nearer, and was almost alarmed by the flashes like lightening that blazed through the ghost's pelt.
It also startled Raita when the other ghost spoke to her. Up until now, the only interactions she had as a ghost were with her sister. "Greetings," she called back to her. She nodded her head awkwardly, not used to interactions.
But the strange spirit's question confused her, "Ghostspeaker?" Raita slowly said the words, trying to figure their meaning. Ghost was obvious enough. Raita was a ghost. This other dragon was a ghost. So a ghost-speaker must be someone who could talk to them. But since all ghosts could communticate, as far as she knew, then the ghost-speaker must be someone different--- living.
"I know of another dragon. She is living, yet she continues to speak to me," Raita answered, not wanted to put her sister at risk, since she had no way of knowing whether this dragon was friend or foe.
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Posted: Sun Jun 28, 2009 4:22 pm
"Oh, thank the spirits of glaciers and elk!" Kailani'e crowed at the strange ghost. She bounded towards the brown femme, her gold paws hovering above the ground, her eyes bright. The stranger's hesitation worried her for a second, as did the stranger's lack of knowledge about ghostspeakers. She acts like she's never heard of them before--hasn't she heard the stories? Who raised her if she doesn't know about ghostspeakers?! The guardian ghost shook her head. Not important at the moment--she could always explain, anyway.
She sat down on the ground and gracefully wrapped her striped tail around her paws. "My name is Kailani'e," she said, dipping her head the barest, slightest amount. "I was the Guardian of the Northern dragons before my untimely death some months ago." Wryly, she added, "Don't tell me you've never heard of a Guardian before. It is long past time I named a new Guardian of the Northern dragons, and I think I've found him. The only problem is that I cannot communicate. Your sister is a ghost speaker. I need her to...let's call it, 'translate' for me." I hope I'm not going too fast...I'd hate to confuse her, I need her help...
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Posted: Sun Jun 28, 2009 6:56 pm
Raita was surprised by the stranger's sudden reaction, but felt better knowing that she must've said something right, "My name is Raita," she replied to Kailani'e. The brown dragon listen to the other ghost's story. She did know of the Guardians. What she didn't know was that they were all dead.
It cleared up some of Raita's confusion when the ghost told her that Schist was a Ghost-speaker. It made sense now that she could see her, when Raita couldn't see any other living creatures. If her sister was gifted with this-- power-- then perhaps there was a reason. But Raita was hesitant in that Schist knew nothing of her "grandmother's" death. But the situation seemed to be very important to Kailani'e, and Raita found that even though they had just met, she trusted the lighting-marked dragon.
"If a new Guardian is to be found, then I will help," she looked over at Kailani'e, "I can take you to see my sister. However, she knows nothing of ghosts, or the fact that I am one."
Raita turned her body, facing the direction of her cave. She turned to face the dead Guardian once more, "Also, to Schist, I am her Grandmother."
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Posted: Sun Jun 28, 2009 8:46 pm
"Yes, so I understood. I can...pick up a tiny bit about some dragons. It comes from being a Guardian." Kailani'e sighed. "This is going to be awkward...very awkward...I promise I will not tell her of your situation. I wouldn't be so cruel." The Guardian peered into the cave, seeing, through the mist, a young, black dragon. The living were obscured by a ghost's sight, but Kailani'e could almost see her. I guess that's one of the things about being a ghostspeaker. Ghosts can see you...straddling the line between living and dead, how can she not know what she is? Why didn't Raita tell her what ghosts were? I can understand not telling her that she's dead, but...not telling her about her magic? How does that happen?
At the sound of voices, Schist turned around. There she was! And who was that black dragon with her? "Grandmother!" she cried out joyously, her claws clacking against the floor as she raced towards the brown dragon, screeching to a halt before touching her. Grandmother didn't like to be touched anymore; it was a big no-no now. "Hi!" she said enthusiastically to the lightning-marked stranger. "My name's Schist, what's yours?"
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Posted: Mon Jun 29, 2009 10:42 am
Raita was glad that the ghost was willing to work with the situation, as awkward as it was. She figured that the little black dragon would have to find out eventually, but discovering her power would probably be enough for one night.
She led Kailani'e to the cave, and was about to call out to her sister, when she saw Schist was already eagerly bounding over to her. Raita didn't think that she'd be awake at this time of night. She wondered how well the other ghost could see her sister. Raita could rarely see any other living creatures, and if she did, they were always just second-long glimpses. But she could always see Schist, which always made her feel better. Without her sister, life as a ghost would be unbearable.
Schist seemed welcoming enough to the former Guardian, which was a good sign. She didn't think that Schist had ever interacted with a ghost besides her 'grandmother' before.
"Schist, this is Kailani'e," she said the guardian's name carefully, hoping that her sister would remember, "I met her when I was outside. She wanted to meet you."
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Posted: Fri Jul 10, 2009 3:11 pm
"Nice to meet you!" Schist said happily. Her wide, innocent eyes gazed up at the strange female. Politeness prevented her from running around the black dragon to check her out.
Where to begin...? she wondered. Kailani'e sighed. If she had been alive, she would've taken a deep breath...but I'm not, so I won't. Here goes nothing but a little girl's sanity... "It's a pleasure to meet you, too...Schist, this may shock you, but I am not alive. I am a ghost. In life, I was the Guardian of all Northern dragons. I looked out for all of them. I made sure every Northern dragon was safe and there were no wars or disputes." She paused to let it soak into the child.
((One turn for each character per post. xD))
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Posted: Fri Jul 10, 2009 3:16 pm
Schist's eyes grew wide as she stared at Kailani'e with a mix of shock and sorrow. She wasn't alive? She was...a ghost? "You're...but...I thought ghosts were see-through...?" She turned desperately to Grandmother. There must be an explanation, and Grandmother would know! "Or that you can't see them...You're not joking are you?"
Kailani'e smiled ruefully. "No. I do not joke about serious matters. As to why you can see or hear me? You possess a rare magic, Schist. You are what is known as a ghost-speaker; that is, you can communicate with dragons who have passed on. You are the only Northern dragon left who can do this..." Kailani'e shifted and laid down, paws in front of her as she gazed up at the standing hatchling. "...And I need your help. I left you all without a Guardian. You need one. I've found a Guardian for the North, but I can't talk to him without you. Will you help me?"
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Posted: Fri Jul 10, 2009 3:21 pm
Her mind still swirled with the information. Ghosts, Guardians, Help...She could talk to the dead. But I hate death! It's so horrible...if Grandmother died...I couldn't live without her...
You won't, another part of Schist's young mind murmured. When Grandmother dies, if she comes back as a ghost, you'll always be able to be with her. You can always talk with her all the time. She'll still be there... "...Oh..." she whispered. "That's...that's good...right? I mean...that means nothing will be truly dead to me..." Her eyes brightened as she stood straighter and she started to smile. "I like this!" she giggled, then, soberly, she turned to her grandmother. "You'll come back as a ghost when you die, right, Grandmother?" she asked. "'Cause I don't want to be alone, and if you come back as a ghost, I won't be alone. I can talk to you. We can always be together." She smiled happily and turned back to Kailani'e. "Sure I'll help! What do I need to do?"
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Posted: Mon Jul 13, 2009 4:46 pm
Raita listened while the previous Guardian explained the situation to Schist. She seemed to be taking it all well, but the brown ghost hoped that she wouldn't get overwhelmed with it all. The decision to help would be up to her sister, and Raita wanted her to fully understand what it meant.
It also worried her that Schist would now know of the ghosts around her, and that she would one day learn of her grandmother's death. She knew that her living pretense wouldn't last forever, nor would it ever bring her back to the truly living, but for now their situation was best. But Raita was unprepared for her sister’s sudden question.
"I... well," she stuttered for a second before finally getting a clear answer in her mind, "Yes, Schist. No matter what happens, I will never leave you alone." And I'm not. She shot a subtle glance at Kailani'e. Maybe finding the truth to tell would be harder than she expected.
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