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 Posted: Sun Apr 08, 2007 1:00 pm
The Twilight Wood. Most fear to venture into this fog-ridden forest that separates Telythia from the rest of Asgard. Only a few have ever dared to dwell within it, let alone walk through it. The tall, twisted and gnarled trees never sang the wind song, and no sunlight ever came through their canopy. The sound of friendly birds and other forest creatures could not be heard, and they were never seen there. Long ago, the woods were peaceful, until a war broke out. As many tried to flee to Telythia through those woods, they were discovered and killed, and as punishment for defiling sacred ground with murder, Frigg killed those who had slain in the forest, and it became cursed.
Not only was it always filled with a fog that never went away, but foul creatures resided in it, remnants of the bitter souls who were slain within its shade.
----+
This is a carry-over from the battle between Omie and Anarel. Others are welcome to join but please wait until after Maya and Anarel meet in the forest. =)
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Posted: Sun Apr 08, 2007 1:15 pm
Somewhere deep within the Twilight Wood....
In the eerie silence, the sound of clinking could be heard, and gentle footsteps. The fog rolled away from the light of the girl's lantern with a gentle hiss, never covering the girl in its damp clutch.
Milky Skin, dark maroon hair that was let down to her waist, some pieces of it tied up ornamentally. Her eyes were a strange hue of violet with the smallest bit of red-orange in them. Overall, she seemed gentle, perhaps a little ghost-like from her milky skin, but very gentle, as she kneeled down, fragily handling various plants and mushrooms and twigs, examining them. Some she put away in a basket she carried with her that contained various specimens, jars, and other "ingredients".
As she gathered, she broke the silence of the forest by humming a soft song, stopping to rest for a moment on a patch of moss. She propped her glowing lantern upon her basket and laid back on it, closing her eyes.
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Posted: Tue Apr 10, 2007 6:06 pm
She said I would find her in the Twilight Wood.
A hand reached to place its palm against the rough bark that clothed the foremost tree of the Twilight Wood's tree line. The thick fog before Anarel rolled and billowed menacingly. The few branches that were long enough to extend beyond the fog's territorial haunt disappeared in and out of view as the mist morphed and mutated its form.
Anarel clenched his jaw, and narrowed his eyes into the path that seemed to be devoured by the fog itself. Even his elven eyesight could not see any further than the fog. If his mother had been around longer, he could have learned to disenchant the obvious magic that lay upon the forest, just for himself, to get through somewhat safely. Unfortunately, he was a half-elf with limited knowledge of sorcery and the like.
Anarel shifted Magni on his back into a more comfortable position as he remembered the previous trek through he unforgiving Lathe Mountains. It took him days to traverse the wide mountain range, and here he was, met by another obstacle. A desolate, but deadly fog. Anarel has heard the stories, and the rumors. The task before him seemed daunting. Omie stated that her daughter lived here. Anarel was not sure if she was speaking the truth, but he could not find any reason for Omie to lie.
The forest must not be so perilous, if even a young girl could choose to make her living in such a distasteful place as the Twilight. He was an archer, a hunter -- tracking a young girl should not prove to be so difficult. But then again, she was the offspring of the formidable Omie.
He stepped into the fog, afraid to breath as the fog was so opaque and full of motion that it seemed like a plague ready to seep into him if he so much as breathed. He let his fear go, and traveled deeper into the fog. He kept his footsteps light, trying not to attract attention to him. He was sure of the presence of the many malevolent creatures that inhabited the Twilight, and played on the side of caution.
Anarel's ears perked up, picking up the faint and distant sound of a voice. A humming voice, strangled by the fog from even the most acute of ears. But his elven blood allowed him to retrieve the sound. The sound came from either Maya, or some creature who has sensed his presence and is luring him into a trap. He had no inkling as to where Maya resided, so that sound that he heard was the only true lead that he had.
Anarel sighed, placed his hand on Modi's hilt and made his way deeper into the living fog of the Twilight.
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Posted: Tue Apr 10, 2007 9:09 pm
As Anarel proceeded deep into the fog, the sound of thumping upon the ground drew closer to him. The fog swirled and from it burst forth a magnificent steed. White, with black mane and taila nd fetlocks, and blood red eyes. It snorted at him and reared, pawing the ground with its gigantic hooves before it turned tail and cantered away in the opposite direction, the ground almost seeming to shake under its forceful hooves. It disappeared into the fog once more, the sound of its hoofbeats growing distant. The steed stopped when he reached Maya, who dozed upon the mossy ground.
The white of her clothes spready out around her like a ghostly lace, her dark hair contrasting to it. She did indeed look like a sleeping ghost of the woods, her lantern setting a warm but eerie glow around the area.
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Posted: Wed Apr 11, 2007 6:27 pm
As soon as the thumping of hooves drew closer to him, Anarel swiftly spun and around and slung an arrow into his longbow, only to be met by large horse with no rider. It padded its hooves softly into the ground. Anarel narrowed his eyes, ready to launch the arrow if the animal meant him any harm.
The horse, instead, galloped off into the direction it came from. Without wasting any time, he lowered the bow and arrow, but did not put them away. He ran after the horse, keeping track of its hooves as it traveled through the wood, hidden in the mist. The horse was a swift one, but Anarel had no problem in keeping within earshot of its mighty, ground shaking hooves.
Must be a wild horse. But how did it survive in the Twilight for so long? It seemed to be full grown. But its eyes. Blood red. Either he is a rare breed, or the Twilight's evil has consumed the unfortunate creature.
The forest's silence was barely shattered by Anarel swift and light footsteps. He dogged and leaped over branches and roots, hiking up small mounds of dirt, sprinting from side to side just to keep up with the animal.
Anarel heard the horse's pace slow, leading him to an area where the mist seemed so much thinner, and less dominative. It was as if the veil of fog parted and gave way to a soft glow of light, warm, and definitely man-made. Before he could scan the area his trailing had brought him to, his eyes immediately darted to a young girl, lying on the moss covered forest floor.
He abruptly stopped, and quickly leaped behind a tree so as not to be seen. His back lay against the trunk, where he now faced the surrounding mist that he had just emerged from. Anarel knew it was Maya. No other would choose to live in the Twilight.
The ground's surface was so uneven, sloping at a downward angle. Anarel's feet felt it difficult to keep a still posture. He moved his foot to one side, accidentally stepping on a frail twig. A sharp snapping sounded echoed shortly throughout the area. Anarel clenched his jaw.
He hoped it did not disturb her slumber. Anarel was not ready to reveal himself. His back remained against the tree trunk, outside of plain view.
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Posted: Wed Apr 11, 2007 8:39 pm
The sound of the snapping twig shot through her mind like an electric jolt. Maya sat up, gazing around her surroundings. However, it was not fear, but curiousity which stirred her to rise. In the many years she came here, the spirits and creatures had never dared to harm her. For why, she did not know, but why should they choose now of all times to hurt her?
The steed pawed the ground beside her, agitated. For a moment she turned her attention to the great beast, placing her hands upon its muzzle and rubbing it. "Now Dead, don't be so noisy. You'll wake the corpses up." She gave a small smile to the horse, pushing its head away and patting its flanks. It scuffled a distance away, disappearing into the fog again.
Maya gave a thoughtful glance to where the sound had come from, picking up her lantern, and walking toward it, her feet barely making a sound on the soft bed of moss. So silently she crept up on that very tree, peeking her face around it with lantern in hand, the soft glow from the lantern making her milky skin seem almost glowing itself.
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Posted: Wed Apr 11, 2007 11:09 pm
Anarel continued to stare forward into the mist. He knew that the girl had seen him, but he didn't want to believe it.
He began chewing at a little grit that was stuck in his teeth, but he did not look at her. Anarel thought of all the ways he could speak to her, initiate conversation without seeming suspicious. But he was hiding behind a tree after all, so seeming suspicious was inevitable. He blinked a few times, then turned to the girl with his back still against the tree.
"By the Gods! How did a young girl such as yourself find your way into such a dreadful place as the Twilight?" He turned to face her, standing upright. "You must be lost."
He smiled an awkward smile, then cleared his throat.
"My name is Anarel." He nodded his head. Feigning a friendly disposition was something this half-elf could not do so well.
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Posted: Wed Apr 11, 2007 11:30 pm
Maya blinked several times in confusion, staring at him bewildered. For a moment her heart stopped, skipping a few beats. Her eyes studied him from head to toe, before she took a step back, and a silly grin crossed her face.
"A ghost!? I'm so fortunate to meet one of the damned! Oh I have so many questions to ask you, Mr. Ghost!" She squealed her words with delight, circling him excitedly, believing him to be one of the damned souls who was cursed to reside in this place. "I've been here for so long but never have I seen a ghost as solid as you! Only wisps of them. You must be a strong spirit!" her hand found a twig and began to cautiously poke and jab at various places. "How many did you kill? Did you chop off heads? Cull out hearts? Did you, did you?! EEEE!" She gave another squeal of ecstasy.
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Posted: Thu Apr 12, 2007 12:27 am
My, my. If only Omie could see her now.
Anarel smiled slightly.
He did not want to reveal himself to her just yet. It did not seem wise to do so. After all, he only needed information from her, or so he thought.
He quickly grabbed the twig, trying to make her hand still.
"A ghost?" He furrowed his brow, "Oh, yes of course, soul of the damned. Yes." He cleared his throat, "It's just that I have resided here for so long, I forget who I am at times. I don't even remember how I ended up in such a place as this." He chuckled.
"I guess I am solid. I haven't really taken the time to notice. Although, the other ghosts here seem somewhat...transparent." Anarel couldn't think of the right terms or words to use at the moment.
He bent down slightly, to meet the girl's height. "I live on the other side of the forest. That's why you haven't seen me." He stood up and put his hands at his waist, smiling at the young girl.
He cleared his throat, "Way out...on the other side."
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Posted: Thu Apr 12, 2007 1:55 pm
Maya gave another studying glance and then looked back at him. "A solid ghost! Marry me!" She squealed delightedly again, then paused. "But if you're a ghost who was killed in the unholy war, then why are there no wounds, gashes or missing limbs or guts spewing out of open holes? Are you hiding them?!" She jumped at him, tugging at his shirt and sleeves, trying to find them.
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Posted: Sun Apr 15, 2007 7:59 am
This child is the essence of curiosity.
Anarel gave a small smile, unable to react appropriately to the her playful jibes. His duty as Erudia's palace guard did not give him time to spend with the little ones, so she appeared alien to him.
"Yes, I am hiding them," the lies came from him naturally now, plain and unthoughtful as he was anxious to know what she knew; what Omie sent him there to seek from her daughter. "Along with the ability to make my body a solid being, I can....um," he furrowed his brow, "hide my wounds as well." Anarel was unaware of this Holy War that she spoke of, although in time he would understand what she meant.
"Besides, it would be distasteful for a fair girl such as yourself to see gruesome things as mutilated bodies." He smiled again. "I wouldn't want to frighten you."
He gazed at the moss covered ground before him, still puzzled as to why the fog did not permeate this area. Was Omie's child a sorceress herself? It would be no surprise, Anarel thought to himself.
His eyes darted to her lantern, wanting to ask her about its craft and how she made it, but he thought otherwise. The more Anarel stalled, the more the fog grew thick. He gazed around him, already alienated as the fog shifted and morphed the area into a place that looked similar from all angles. He could not sense from which part of the forest he entered from.
A slight look of worry painted itself across his face. Anarel then turned to her.
"So, girl of the Twilight, what shall I call you?"
Maya.
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Posted: Sun Apr 15, 2007 4:08 pm
Maya tilted her head, hugging her lantern to her chest. "Ghosts don't usually ask for names do they?" She blinked in confusion a few times before answering. Of course, she knew he wasn't a ghost now, since to her knowledge, the lingering ghosts in the twilight never engage in conversation, let alone curiousity. He was probably demon, were her first thoughts. Couldn't be anything else, nothing else was foolish enough to wander into these woods alone.
"My name is Maya, but you can't have my last name, I know what you'll do with it!" She turned and trotted back onto the mossy ground, popping her lantern down beside her. From the pouch tied at her waist, she extracted a small glass bottle filled with a sort of blue powder that sparkled a little, even in the dull light of the twilight wood. She poured only a sprinkle into her lantern and it seemed to burst at the seams with blue light, forcing the fog around them to retreat.
She turned and sat down next to it. "Come over here." She beckoned with her arm, patting the ground beside her.
Hehe, now comes the true ghost or demon test! If he's a ghost he won't be able to leave the fog, if he's a demon he will be revealed by this blue wyrm-eye dust!
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Posted: Mon Apr 16, 2007 2:01 pm
Not having much knowledge of sorcery and the like, Anarel could not tell what sort of concoction she was brewing in her lantern-like contraption, much less the test she had created to tell truth from lie.
Anarel noticed from the corner of his eye the fog rolling back mysteriously, fleeting from the blue light that flooded from Maya's lantern. Nothing less was to be expected from Omie's offspring. He smiled, but never took his gaze from her lantern.
If such a magic exists, then maybe the Twilight isn't as perilous as the stories have made it seem.
"Maya. It suits you." His eyes darted to her from where he stood.
He became hesitant at her gesture for him to approach her. He smiled awkwardly again, and took an over-confident stride to where she pat her hand on the ground. As he walked to her, he asked, "And what would I do with your last name?"
He finally arrived to where she sat, but instead, took to squatting beside her. With the phantom longbow, Magni, positioned as it was on his back, it didn't allow him a comfortable position sitting down. He stared forward and clasped his hands together, watching the mist retreat deep into the woods, as if it were cowering.
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Posted: Mon Apr 16, 2007 7:59 pm
When he didn't change into a more grotesque form or fade from the lack of fog, Maya let out a disappointed groan. "You're no ghost! You're just some random guy stupid enough to walk into these woods and get yourself lost and you think telling me you're a ghost will get me to help you find the hoarde in the trees!" She crossed her arms, snubbing him.
"Well I'm not telling you how to find it! Never! Nuh-uh! If you're smart you'll go back into the light and not remain in these woods." She stood up, picking up her basket of ingredients and her lantern, looking around through the brim of the fog for Dead. "And anyways..." she whistled for Dead, but the pounding of hooves was pretty far off. "....If you aren't here for lost, cursed treasure, what are you here for? If you were going to Telythia you could just hire a dragon or something."
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Posted: Mon Apr 16, 2007 9:16 pm
He tightened his lip as she saw through his lie. It was obvious the magic from her lantern had done something to alert her. Although he wasn't sure of the workings of her sorcery, or alchemy most-likely.
I should have known that she was up to something. No one is that inviting of strangers. Not in Asgard, and definitely not in the Twilight.
Anarel continued to stare forward into the wood, and unclasped his hands. Realizing how crafty she was, he decided not to push the lie any further. He wasn't the type to dance around some falsehood in order to get what he wanted.
"Maya." He said sternly, continuing to stare forward. His eyes then darted to her after a brief pause. "Everything you accuse me of, is true." He stood up slowly, now facing her. The chain necklaces gave off a crisp clinking sound as they rearranged themselves across his chest.
"I'm not interested in treasure. I'm here only to ask of your assistance." He shifted his weight to his right leg. His friendly demeanor had now melted away, and he was now the stern, ex-palace guard he had always been.
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