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 Posted: Sat Oct 31, 2009 5:15 pm
It had been a month since the attacks upon the moonlore village. It had lost its original name and had now became known as the Lost Village, even though it had been regained through strange help.
Where rubble once stood, now fine buildings had been erected, restored. The festive atmosphere had feturned, tinged with a tuch of tragedy from the loss it's people had suffered, and the reminder of their weakness.
Eisha had kept her promise to whomever she had made it to, but was now growing bored. And, one day, without a word, she left.
Meanwhile, not too far away, those who had caused the ruckus were recovered. Haveni had since seemed to return to her normal self, not having any other frightening displays of violence or horror, but was still determined to find Ruin.
This town was indeed a large one. Priyal, one of the port cities. It stood beautiful and elegant near the coast, surrounded by high trees, the sound of the waves heard and the sea mist smelled quite easily from anywhere.
It seemed untouched by the curse, or the fact that such a thing existed right now. That could change though, couldn't it?
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Posted: Sat Oct 31, 2009 6:08 pm
The traveling group that arrived at Priyal was a small one, consisting only of five members in total. Among
moonfolk, the party didn’t particularly look very strange. However, neither could they be regarded as mundane. In
fact, they seemed more dangerous than many others combined, with the exception of the harmless looking white-
lavender constellation stationed right at their middle. Those surrounding her looked quite like her ragtag
bodyguards, or her captors.
Whether it was true or not, the group proceeded into the port city without a fuss. Priyal truly hadn’t experienced the
terror of the cursed, or seemed to be affected by any rumors of Seir’s attacks on any previous village. It was truly
peaceful, as though untouched by one of the world’s greatest disasters.
Enveloped in a dark cloak that trailed down to his feet, Seir stopped amidst the bustle of the city’s square. “Judging
from the direction of the influx of cursed, Priyal is somewhere along her route.” His gaze shifted towards Haveni
perceptively, a strange smile curving his lips. Seir had been mildly disappointed at the fact that Haveni’s
possessed state hadn’t appeared at all during their travels, but there was still time.
His gaze shifted back towards their surroundings.
There certainly was time.
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Posted: Sat Oct 31, 2009 6:35 pm
Priyal was a peaceful town. It soon might not be considering the crowd that had just arrived. But they might as well enjoy it while they could. "So we're taking a break here, right?" Noctis confirmed, his coat had been cleaned and patched like new. He took a look at their little group, always noting that they looked cool like hell. They had good guys and girls. Speaking of girls..
One girl who walked past him gave him a second glance, a wide grin returned in her direction. "Since we're in Priyal, we might as well enjoy it. Nice town means happy women. Happy women means a lot of attention. Let's go. The sooner we get lodgings at this town, the sooner I can leave for all these gorgeous women." By now, he didn't hide his habits from Haveni or the group. After all, he wasn't the worst womanizer out there. After all, they clearly knew he was still onto the plan. He wouldnt leave them at this late stage. Besides, Noctis wasn't stupid enough to incur Seir's wrath by going too far.
They didn't have any other interruptions like the last time on the way. A good thing considering the hole Noctis nearly dug himself into last time. This time was free unattached women that wouldnt cause him trouble. For sure. There had been far too much trouble for his taste last time.
"Don't worry. I haven't forgotten why we're here though." He added in, just in case he would get a degrading comment from one of the group.
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Posted: Sat Oct 31, 2009 6:37 pm
He had never been to Priyal before.
Well, no, maybe that was a lie. He honestly couldn't remember where he'd been, or when; moreover, he couldn't shake the familiarity of the scent, although this could be explained by the mere fact that the sea carried. Shrugging a shoulder with a sigh, Loki flicked his gaze to the left and right, taking in the city. He'd half-expected his memory to come back little-by-little, but it didn't seem to want to budge from whatever corner of his mind it had settled.
Ah, well.
Feet barely alighting upon the ground, the constellation half-skipped across the road, hands laced casually behind his back. He hadn't a thing to do but wander, and rumors of horrors from weeks ago were surfacing everywhere he went. He couldn't help but be mildly interested by them, maybe even a bit jealous that it hadn't been he would had caused the trouble.
Coming to a stop, he craned his neck to watch people bustle about, admiring the buildings. He wrinkled his nose; it was no fun being alone.
[ ] [ ] [ ]
"Mother, look at the buildings," the twilif began, giving a tug to the sleeve of the constellation at his side. Ashdel turned his head to look up to his mother, Yysida, and then to his brother, brow furrowing. "I have never seen anything like them, have you, Larkin?" The city was by far the largest he had ever seen, and the same applied to the number of folk meandering about. He almost felt he would be swept up by the crowd, if given the chance, and so he tightened his grip on Yysida's sleeve instinctively.
Normally, he would rather bury himself in the sand close to the water's edge than wander into such a crowded area. Festivities abounded, certainly, and that was a treat. However, the bustling crowd made him wary, and his natural tendency to worry didn't make things any better. He kept this hidden behind a somber mask, although he was certain his mother could feel it through his hand, even if it was only fabric he touched.
A tiny frown had set itself onto his lips at the unfamiliar, strong scent of sea water. He had become so used to the clear scent of dew and trees that it had startled him initially, but he was steadily growing used to it.
Shaking his head, he looked again to his brother, making sure he was in sight. "Don't wander off," he commanded, voice serious and - he hoped - authoritative. "We'll never find you if you become lost."
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Posted: Sat Oct 31, 2009 6:44 pm
Priyal was wonderfully big. Larkin had never seen so many buildings in his entire life, though he hadn't actually been in existence very long. Why, the buildings looked like fat people, all squashed together, peering at one another from across streets and the like. There were more creatures, of every shape and size, than he could wrap his mind around, and more than once, he found himself staring about, a bit slack-jawed.
He was so glad he'd convinced his mother to bring them. Really, so glad. He would've snuck away if he had to, because this was worth it.
Beginning to drift, he shifted his lantern over his shoulder, marveling at the scene before him. Mother didn't like to go into towns, or where there was really much of anyone, and he couldn't understand why. The entire place seemed so alive, so much fun. Sure, there had been rumors of this and that, but none of that destruction was here. If it was, Mother would protect them. He knew she would.
And, he could protect her! He didn't have a sword yet, but when Father was better, he would learn. Siryn had promised that Father would be better soon. Larkin trusted Siryn implicitly, and so knew that only absolute truth passed its lips.
Oh, he couldn't wait for the day when they became a family. It would be so... just so...
"Amazing!" Ignoring his brother's words - really, he hadn't actually heard them - he lunged forward, a bright smile on his face. There was so much to see!
Behind him, he heard Yysida warn, "Don't wander, Larkin."
His mouth puckered into a frown, and he tossed a saucy look over his shoulder. "Can't I? Come, Ashdel, you'd like to wander as well, wouldn't you?"
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Posted: Sat Oct 31, 2009 6:47 pm
Priyal was much bigger than any other place Noel and his family had been to. He and his brother, Fulmine, were out in the town to do some shopping for Cuire, who had decided to stay back at the inn with their newest family member, Lirai. Someone had to stay back there to help, correct?
For now, they were wandering up and down the marketplace to find strange ingredients to fit the needs of their latest customers at the inn. Food that Noel could not grow in his garden. Even one customer requested fish, which was a bit awkward for the now quad group of people who ran the little hostel. None of them ate meet, for respect of the land, but they had to meet demands.
Fulmine, on the other hand, was not very amused with their travels. He loved to travel on his own, when he had no goal in mind, but to be dragged along to carry groceries was not what he would call entertaining. With every step he took, he grumbled, his arms filled with more and more containers of food. Perhaps.. They should grab a cart on the way back.
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Posted: Sat Oct 31, 2009 6:47 pm
She wandered around, lost and frightened. She could no longer hear the voices, the prayers which were the one constant she had clung to. She could not feel her sister anywhere near. This more than anything added to the sense of fear. Where was she? And what was she doing here?
Though she knew in her heart that since she was lost it was probably a good idea to stay in one spot and hope that someone found her, Azhure wandered slowly. There was some sort of town or something nearby, she could tell from the barrage of emotions that assailed her senses. Maybe, just maybe, she would find her sister there. With that hope held tight to her, she walked forward.
The emotions became more overwhelming as she approached. Giant buildings rose up before her, and Azhure felt a sense of foreboding. This wasn't just some small town, as she had thought. It was a bustling harbor city. Her steps faltered, and she fell to her knees weeping silent tears.
How was she supposed to find her way now?
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Posted: Sat Oct 31, 2009 6:53 pm
An exasperated sigh escaped Haveni as she looked after Noctis. She shook her head, the long tails of hair she had now kept tied on the sides of her head waggling around like haughty whips.
"Honestly! One day you're going to get played, then where will you be!" she crossed her arms, looking huffily to the side, a slightly sour look on her face. Surely Rosel agreed with her!
Wisteria colored eyes roved over the town. There was a soft taste of the sea in the air, and a very gentle and warm breeze that gracefully ebbed through the main street. There was a feeling of glowing in Haveni's chest - she liked it here.
A blue streak along the horizon caught her attention, and she quickly wriggled her way out of the living box made of Seir, Aeos, Noctis and Rosel, running a bit away so she could see it better. The ocean! She'd never seen it. It was beautiful, so blue and azure... Her heart sank a little, and she wondered if she'd ever see it again after this.
As she turned to return to the group she arrived with, she had managed to walk straight into the trouncing Loki, throwing both off balance. She 'eeked' as she staggered backwards, falling to her rear in an ungraceful and sore manner.
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Posted: Sat Oct 31, 2009 7:01 pm
It was big. It was loud. There was... too much.
Rustling her wings at her sides, agitated, Roen clipped along the walk, head swaying this way and that as she went. There was too much to take in, and it bothered her. This was why she kept to the forest - it was quiet. Quiet, and there were less. Less of everything.
Less real, less unreal.
The phyri beside her smiled, and she skirted to the side, heart hammering. Wasn't real, wasn't real.
Curling her hands to her chest, she wove her way around a crowd, feeling her palms dampen with anxiety. Why had she come here? She couldn't remember -
Oh, they'd been chasing her. Mean spirited little beings, they'd chased her in, and they'd left when she reached the edge of the city. They'd come back if she left, she was sure of it. They'd come back, and they'd chase her again.
Mouth twisting, she broke into a run, ignoring the strange looks she got from onlookers. They'd look anyway, let them look, let them -
Flying around a corner, she nearly stumbled over the bright creature before her. It seemed to be crying, lost in its own sorrow, and she swallowed a small scream at the sight. Oh no, she'd almost touched it.
Hands climbing to her mouth, lips trembling, she asked, "Did Roen... Did Roen... Is you hurt?"
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Posted: Sat Oct 31, 2009 7:05 pm
He wasn't listening. Typical, and the exact reason Ashdel worried so. Sometimes, he wondered how his mother managed them without their father, or Larkin, at least. Yes, he was quite capable, he'd decided, and could handle himself easily enough. His brother, however...
Shaking his head again, Ashdel let go of Yysida's sleeve long enough to cross in front of his mother and to his brother's side, expression firm. "Larkin," he said, feeling resolve already begin to waver. He drew the rope of his lantern up to keep it from dragging. "Mother said not to wander."
He knew he was being a mood-killer, but he couldn't help but try to quell whatever mischievous intent he saw in Larkin's eyes; for his own good, really, because he could already feel himself wanting to get in on whatever it was his brother was planning on doing. He hated it, the way he would set out to do the right thing, but then become so easily swayed to do something else. It was as if he had two little creatures, one on each shoulder, telling him what to do. He couldn't discern the good voice from the bad sometimes...
Casting a furtive glance over his shoulder, he snapped his gaze back to Larkin, then whispered, "But... I suppose it is a bit of a bore, walking about like this with her in tow. What would you propose we do? I doubt we could leave without her noticing so easily."
Oh, he was going to be in trouble for this later. But they would cross that bridge when they came to it.
[ ] [ ] [ ]
Just when he'd thought he would die of boredom, something interesting met with him; rather, it bumped right into him, much to his delight. Not quite quick enough to grasp the girl's hand as he fell back, he watched with wide eyes and mouth curved in surprise as his center of balance was thrown off and he landed to the ground, a small noise escaping his lips at the impact.
Had he just been knocked onto his rear by a small woman? He knew he wasn't the tallest - or the stoutest - of creatures, but honestly, his mind really must have been in the clouds. Scrambling up immediately, he rubbed his bum gingerly, unable to contain a small, bitter laugh toward himself.
"My goodness!" he said with a start, swiping his hand back and forth a couple times to dust his pants off. "Nothing quite like seeing the sky so clearly, I must admit." His hand had already rose to his wallet, experience telling him to check to make sure it remained where he'd kept it. When he felt it in its concealed place, he drew his hand back to offer it to the girl.
"It would seem not a black cat nor brutish thug has crossed my path, but a lady fair! Would you like a hand, or perhaps two?" He tsked, clicking his tongue on the roof of his mouth. "And such fine, fine clothes. It wouldn't do to get them dirty. You really should practice grace when walking, milady." He hummed with a wide smile. "Then again, I suppose the same could be said to me."
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Posted: Sat Oct 31, 2009 7:10 pm
Noel looked away from the kelp powder he was examining for Cuire's cooking, out towards the sea. He had never seen it before, and he could stare at it for ages. His serene mindset had been disturbed by the soft weeping of someone. Fulmine heard it as well, and they both followed the sound, making their way to a kneeling, brightly colored Homunculus. Another group had already made their way toward her, and were in the process of asking what was wrong, so they felt that they shouldn't overwhelm the crying being.
Noel and Fulmine gazed at one another, a soft purring noise emitting from Noel's throat. Fulmine sighed, taking his brother's hand and leading him away from the party, shaking his head.
"You can't help everyone, Noel. You must let others try that as well. The world cannot consist of just one Good Samaritan." He scolded the mist constellation as they headed out towards the water. Noel gave a look of protest, but followed him, holding a basket in his arms with various breads wrapped in rice paper for protection.
Be that as it may... I still want to help.. To make up for what happened before.. Noel's mist letter appeared beside Fulmine, disappearing after a few moment.
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Posted: Sat Oct 31, 2009 7:20 pm
Lost in her own fears and sorrows, the emotions of all the beings bustling about were down to a muted roar, and Azhure couldn't pick out any individual feelings. While, in a way, it was a good thing Azhure almost wished that there were stronger emotions to drown out her own. She wasn't meant to deal with the intensity of her own emotions, and it was far easier to cope when she felt someone else's.
A bright burst of fear and anxiety flashed like fireworks, breaking through her emotions, startling her from her tears. With a silent sniff she surruptiously wiped the tears from her face. A silent scream came from the one. She looked up.
"You shouldn't hide your screams. It'll only hurt you."
She shuddered and pulled back into herself. She wasn't to talk to strangers. They might hurt her, or...or she didn't know what, but she knew it wouldn't be pleasant. But this one didn't seem so bad.
"I'm not hurt." She moved a step closer. "Are you ok?"
Then she noticed that there was a crowd gathering around her, and she grew even more frightened, curling in on herself. "Where's sis?" She murmured softly, as if to herself. "I want sis."
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Posted: Sat Oct 31, 2009 7:31 pm
A little of the light in Larkin's face faded when his brother insisted on being such a stickler to the rules, and he shifted, scenting the ocean on the air. Who could be so stuffy when they had the prospect of such a grand adventure on their hands?
His brother, apparently.
Sneaking a glance at his mother, he noted that her eyes had slitted open and she was watching them intently. Well, that wasn't good. Mother didn't like to look at the world, and she so rarely opened her eyes.
She must be quite serious about this "not wandering" business.
Inching closer to his brother, Larkin slipped an arm around his waist, all but grafting himself to Ashdel's side. They were twins, but it still amazed him a little how well they fit against one another. Almost like two pieces of a puzzle.
Leaning in, he whispered, "She's watching us. We won't get away easily."
He was young, and so it was a game. Everything was a game, really, shiny and bright. The prospect of being hurt, really being hurt, hadn't occurred to him.
Such things couldn't happen, after all, not to the sons of Amiel and Yysida. Right?
***
Digging her nails into her chin, Roen's gaze darted around the ground at the other being's feet, wondering. She couldn't bring herself to venture her gaze further, but she could see that the other had risen. Good. Roen hadn't hurt her.
Had she touched her? She couldn't remember.
Hands drifting to her hair, she began to twirl her fingers around the ends of it, ignoring the odd clipping noises as the other phyri meandered into her plane of vision. He wanted attention, and she refused. He would only get more insistent if she acknowledged him.
Besides, there was this other one. Was it real or not? Hm.
Eyes flicking upward, she realized it was a homunculus. She hadn't seen one of those in a long time.
And... it had heard her scream?
Eyes going wide, she took several steps back, hands coming up to shield her face. Not real. If it heard her scream, not real.
Voice shaking, she slurred, "Not real, not real, not real. Please don't. Roen is sorry. Roen doesn't talk to not real."
Shaking her head fiercely, she backed up a few more steps, hind legs smacking into a building. Her heart leapt into her throat, but she did little more than freeze, eyes still too wide, aimed at the ground.
Oh, no.
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Posted: Sat Oct 31, 2009 7:31 pm
"Happy." Noctis replied aggravatingly. Even if a woman did play him, there were more fish in the sea. There was no such thing as depression in his life. "Don't worry Haveni. I won't stray far from your company. Even if I only get shot down by rejections constantly." He grinned, enjoying the expression that played across her face. Who knew the berserk candle lady from before could be so amusing?
He couldn't help but stare at the ocean as well for completely different reasons. Damn. That thing looked menacing. Like it could swallow them up in one gulp without even trying. Just because it was deceptively calm now.. His attention was distracted as the excited Haveni ran off.
The person Haveni had bumped into.. God, he seemed full of it. For some reason, Noctis couldnt help but feel an immediate dislike. What was he doing, trying to sway a woman with those words? Sheesh, didn't the man learn how to talk? What era was he from?
"Oh, gag me." He muttered, rolling his eyes in the corner.
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Posted: Sat Oct 31, 2009 7:39 pm
In a pale flurry, Haveni had came to her knees to stand, taking Loki's offered hand as well.
"My apologies," she spoke in her soft tone, and began to pat the dust from her dress. It was embarrassing to be so clumsy when she was, on average, not.
"I've never seen the ocean before, so I suppose I was in not paying very much attention to where I was going."
Her eyes left the ground that she had been staring at so intently, and observed the one before her. He seemed quite..foreign, to say the least. She glanced back at Noctis, hearing him muttering. She could easily see his aggravation and dislike. Oh ho, was this jealousy?
"What is your name? Are you foreign?" she seemed quite intrigued, having never met any from very far away.
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