(LFRP thread here.)
(OOC thread here.)
Dust and darkness filled the small pockets of air around him. Everything was stagnant, spare the distant rumbling of settling stone and the steady pulse of a tired heart. His heart, which fluttered with the realization. Where was he? He couldn't breathe. The dust was so thick it threatened to choke him. Given a few seconds he remembered he had hands and lifted them a few inches before they collided with stone. Turning them, he pressed his palms against it, exploring its shape. Flat, just a few centimeters above his head. He kept his arms poised against the darkness, took a deep breath and pushed.
The stone shape lifted and light poured into the claustrophobic place; he squeezed his eyes shut and shoved the object aside, grimacing with discomfort as he slowly sat up. Thankfully, his eyes did not take long to adjust to the light. It illuminated the room dimly in shapes of gray. He squinted, studying those closest to him, trying to glean where exactly he'd emerged from.
The chamber- if he could call it that- took a rectangular shape; just long enough for him to lie in and just tall enough to cover without touching him. It was easy enough to recognize from foggy memories but the full implications simply didn't reach him yet. He was distracted instead by the ache in his muscles and the pall of the place. Despite the pain he pushed himself to stand, glancing down again as he heard something creaking beneath him.
It wasn't beneath him, actually. It was on him! The sound of ceremonial armor, well preserved but still slightly rusted and worn by time. He brushed his hand over a decorative breatplate, shedding a layer of dust which had settled there to reveal its steel lined with brass patterns.
Tentative to break the silence around him, he stepped out of the grave and scanned his surroundings for further context. Eventually that search brought him back to it, as he spotted a stand shaped from the same stone sticking out of the ground. He brushed debris from its surface to reveal a plaque made of bronze. Etched on its surface was the name:
Jalsinter Forheri
Heart of his family,
Last of his name,
May the Gods guide him
to clan and kin once more.
He stared, taking a few extra seconds to let it sink in before reeling from the plate and turning towards the light. It poked in from a crack in the roof of his tomb, promising little in the way of escape. Still, there had to be some way out. Jal spun around and finally spotted the doors to the chamber, speed walking to them and- with great effort- pushed them ajar.
Beyond them rested a flight of stairs he eagerly climbed in search of an exit. The further he went from the first room the darker it became, until everything was just as dark as the grave he laid in. Then, gracelessly as one might expect, he walked right into a wall.
The man hissed and braced himself against it, rubbing a now-throbbing nose. But the weight of his body was too much for the wall to withstand; it fell away, depositing him into a new place of light and seemingly cacophonous noise.
Jal's eyes had to adjust yet again but when they did they widened in awe. The man pushed himself again to his feet as he beheld a sprawling landscape around him. The gentle warmth of a springtime afternoon soothed his aching bones while he observed a sea of treetops beneath the dirt-covered platform outside of his tomb.
He glanced back to check on the doorway and found its outer wall to be completely covered in moss and ivy. Man-made structures stuck out of the mountain it was carved into but they, too, were largely reclaimed by nature. Fortunately the foliage did not grow to conceal the path down from the tomb; he started to follow it, feeling lost, tired and rather hungry after a short time descending. Jal ignored those feelings and continued, dimly hopeful that he'd find shelter and food in the vast forests below.
(OOC thread here.)
Dust and darkness filled the small pockets of air around him. Everything was stagnant, spare the distant rumbling of settling stone and the steady pulse of a tired heart. His heart, which fluttered with the realization. Where was he? He couldn't breathe. The dust was so thick it threatened to choke him. Given a few seconds he remembered he had hands and lifted them a few inches before they collided with stone. Turning them, he pressed his palms against it, exploring its shape. Flat, just a few centimeters above his head. He kept his arms poised against the darkness, took a deep breath and pushed.
The stone shape lifted and light poured into the claustrophobic place; he squeezed his eyes shut and shoved the object aside, grimacing with discomfort as he slowly sat up. Thankfully, his eyes did not take long to adjust to the light. It illuminated the room dimly in shapes of gray. He squinted, studying those closest to him, trying to glean where exactly he'd emerged from.
The chamber- if he could call it that- took a rectangular shape; just long enough for him to lie in and just tall enough to cover without touching him. It was easy enough to recognize from foggy memories but the full implications simply didn't reach him yet. He was distracted instead by the ache in his muscles and the pall of the place. Despite the pain he pushed himself to stand, glancing down again as he heard something creaking beneath him.
It wasn't beneath him, actually. It was on him! The sound of ceremonial armor, well preserved but still slightly rusted and worn by time. He brushed his hand over a decorative breatplate, shedding a layer of dust which had settled there to reveal its steel lined with brass patterns.
Tentative to break the silence around him, he stepped out of the grave and scanned his surroundings for further context. Eventually that search brought him back to it, as he spotted a stand shaped from the same stone sticking out of the ground. He brushed debris from its surface to reveal a plaque made of bronze. Etched on its surface was the name:
Jalsinter Forheri
Heart of his family,
Last of his name,
May the Gods guide him
to clan and kin once more.
He stared, taking a few extra seconds to let it sink in before reeling from the plate and turning towards the light. It poked in from a crack in the roof of his tomb, promising little in the way of escape. Still, there had to be some way out. Jal spun around and finally spotted the doors to the chamber, speed walking to them and- with great effort- pushed them ajar.
Beyond them rested a flight of stairs he eagerly climbed in search of an exit. The further he went from the first room the darker it became, until everything was just as dark as the grave he laid in. Then, gracelessly as one might expect, he walked right into a wall.
The man hissed and braced himself against it, rubbing a now-throbbing nose. But the weight of his body was too much for the wall to withstand; it fell away, depositing him into a new place of light and seemingly cacophonous noise.
Jal's eyes had to adjust yet again but when they did they widened in awe. The man pushed himself again to his feet as he beheld a sprawling landscape around him. The gentle warmth of a springtime afternoon soothed his aching bones while he observed a sea of treetops beneath the dirt-covered platform outside of his tomb.
He glanced back to check on the doorway and found its outer wall to be completely covered in moss and ivy. Man-made structures stuck out of the mountain it was carved into but they, too, were largely reclaimed by nature. Fortunately the foliage did not grow to conceal the path down from the tomb; he started to follow it, feeling lost, tired and rather hungry after a short time descending. Jal ignored those feelings and continued, dimly hopeful that he'd find shelter and food in the vast forests below.
In the time it took for the castles to be overgrown and the roads to be overtaken with vines, Avalynn had found that humans weren’t too fond of sharing their spaces with so many plants.
Or perhaps it was Mother Nature who was not fond of sharing with humans.
She felt either could be true, but what it meant for her now, was finding an alternative food source. And it seemed to render the mantis woman particularly muted; while she would pluck a human from the roads every so often, deer and other creatures were much easier to hunt, and didn’t like to argue and scream when your intentions were clear.
But that didn’t mean her interest would remain unpiqued when informed that something- or, someone, had crawled from a mass of stone. Avalynn wasn’t particularly hungry, but it had been some time since she had seen a human...
So the fae woman had left her den, donning a cloak of leaves and flowers, and a strange silky fiber (though this cloak could hardly cover her mantis body, it did good to maintain some decency as she had found that again, humans weren’t too fond of such boldness). And as quietly as she could, Avalynn began her trek through the overgrown forests, her antenna twitching as she stepped gently across leaves and branches. Thankfully, with her size, it was quite simple to cover the long distance, though her particularly terribly hearing offered no help in locating the human.
However, her sharp eyes landed on a figure moving down the path, and carefully the mantis began to follow, her massive pink body standing out against the backdrop of greens and browns. Each eye blinked at a different interval, as if attempting to not let this one out of her sight; the fae was easily distracted, and hardly paid attention to what was around her any longer.
Not with this new stranger wandering so absently; she almost pitied the thing, but humans tended to be more resourceful than one would expect, and so she would save her pity for another less fortunate one.
Or perhaps it was Mother Nature who was not fond of sharing with humans.
She felt either could be true, but what it meant for her now, was finding an alternative food source. And it seemed to render the mantis woman particularly muted; while she would pluck a human from the roads every so often, deer and other creatures were much easier to hunt, and didn’t like to argue and scream when your intentions were clear.
But that didn’t mean her interest would remain unpiqued when informed that something- or, someone, had crawled from a mass of stone. Avalynn wasn’t particularly hungry, but it had been some time since she had seen a human...
So the fae woman had left her den, donning a cloak of leaves and flowers, and a strange silky fiber (though this cloak could hardly cover her mantis body, it did good to maintain some decency as she had found that again, humans weren’t too fond of such boldness). And as quietly as she could, Avalynn began her trek through the overgrown forests, her antenna twitching as she stepped gently across leaves and branches. Thankfully, with her size, it was quite simple to cover the long distance, though her particularly terribly hearing offered no help in locating the human.
However, her sharp eyes landed on a figure moving down the path, and carefully the mantis began to follow, her massive pink body standing out against the backdrop of greens and browns. Each eye blinked at a different interval, as if attempting to not let this one out of her sight; the fae was easily distracted, and hardly paid attention to what was around her any longer.
Not with this new stranger wandering so absently; she almost pitied the thing, but humans tended to be more resourceful than one would expect, and so she would save her pity for another less fortunate one.
A swirling portal opened and a chinese man stepped out wearing a sarong. He was muscular and battle-scarred, with a blue chinese dragon tattoo coiling around his arms with a red roaring lion tattoo that took up his entire back.
His eyes were blood-red and his black hair was kept short at a crewcut. As soon as he stepped through the portal, bone spikes began to protrude from his spine. They expanded into plates that covered his upper body and head, only leaving the joints and mouth unguarded.
More spikes formed on his arms until he had a pair of claws on his left arm and a broadsword like growth on his right arm. He snapped it off with a grunt and tested its balance. Satisfied, he set off to explore this strange new world.
((Isaiah appears in the field of vision of Avalynn but does not see her or Jal))
His eyes were blood-red and his black hair was kept short at a crewcut. As soon as he stepped through the portal, bone spikes began to protrude from his spine. They expanded into plates that covered his upper body and head, only leaving the joints and mouth unguarded.
More spikes formed on his arms until he had a pair of claws on his left arm and a broadsword like growth on his right arm. He snapped it off with a grunt and tested its balance. Satisfied, he set off to explore this strange new world.
((Isaiah appears in the field of vision of Avalynn but does not see her or Jal))
(( May I please join? ))
Ember sat in the castle, up in her room. Her room was the tallest room in the tallest tower. She prefered it that way. It allowed her to see the city. The city full of thieves and bandits. The city full of cruelty. The city she looked to escape someday. And today, was the day. She got to leave the city for the meeting. The meeting with the Committee of Leaders. She'd be kept under her parents' watchful eye. She'd figure it out. She had to.
Ember wore her usual outfit of comfortable clothes. It was something similar to jeans and a t-shirt of that time. But, she'd soon have to take hours to dress into her gown. Which was supposed to make her look 'acceptable'. Her crown would be placed on top of her head, and her tattoo on her neck would be clearly visible. The tattoo signified her royalty. Ember shakes the thought away for a different time. She once again focuses on what was in front of her. A city. But, behind that city was a forest. A forest which had the mind of its own. No one had ever passed the forest. No one ever will. That's why she must fly over the forest to escape. A task which was highly regulated.
Ember wore her usual outfit of comfortable clothes. It was something similar to jeans and a t-shirt of that time. But, she'd soon have to take hours to dress into her gown. Which was supposed to make her look 'acceptable'. Her crown would be placed on top of her head, and her tattoo on her neck would be clearly visible. The tattoo signified her royalty. Ember shakes the thought away for a different time. She once again focuses on what was in front of her. A city. But, behind that city was a forest. A forest which had the mind of its own. No one had ever passed the forest. No one ever will. That's why she must fly over the forest to escape. A task which was highly regulated.
Deep in the woods, at the crook of a Y-shaped crossroads, slumbered another man.
He sat cross-legged on a stone plinth with fallen leaves piled in his lap, still and silent except for the impossibly slow rise and fall of his armored chest. Dust and sunlight dappled his shoulders, and vines sprouted from cracks in the stone, climbing up his arms and using the clefts in his armor as footholds. One daring shoot even made its way to the peak of his blond head, where it put out a single white flower. How long he had been there varied depending on who was asked: some swore they hadn't seen him yesterday, while others insisted he had still been sleeping there in their grandfather's time, or their great-grandfather's. Every so often someone would try to disturb him, but he seemed to be heavier than granite--not even a single hair could be put out of place. Sometimes a white crow could be seen perching upon his knee, as if waiting for something.
He was known by many names: Way-Watcher, Sword-Keeper, Slumber, Sleeper, Janus, Lua. Rusty swords and spears protruded from the ground all around him, for he was said by some to be a psychopomp, a spirit who leads soldiers into what comes after. Other offerings were arranged on and around the plinth as well: pebble cairns, rotted shields, apple cores, copper coins, flowers, bones. His own armaments lay upon him, a falchion and tall shield both untouched by time.
In all his time at the crossroads, no one had ever seen him stir, not even the slightest flutter of his eyelids. Perhaps his spirit was dead, yet his body refused to join it. Perhaps he was waiting for the end of the world, when he would arise and raze the forest to the ground. Perhaps he would only awaken when the forest stirred ... or if he was asked, very politely, to move. A twig fell from a branch above, bopped him on the head, and fell into his lap. He slept on.
He sat cross-legged on a stone plinth with fallen leaves piled in his lap, still and silent except for the impossibly slow rise and fall of his armored chest. Dust and sunlight dappled his shoulders, and vines sprouted from cracks in the stone, climbing up his arms and using the clefts in his armor as footholds. One daring shoot even made its way to the peak of his blond head, where it put out a single white flower. How long he had been there varied depending on who was asked: some swore they hadn't seen him yesterday, while others insisted he had still been sleeping there in their grandfather's time, or their great-grandfather's. Every so often someone would try to disturb him, but he seemed to be heavier than granite--not even a single hair could be put out of place. Sometimes a white crow could be seen perching upon his knee, as if waiting for something.
He was known by many names: Way-Watcher, Sword-Keeper, Slumber, Sleeper, Janus, Lua. Rusty swords and spears protruded from the ground all around him, for he was said by some to be a psychopomp, a spirit who leads soldiers into what comes after. Other offerings were arranged on and around the plinth as well: pebble cairns, rotted shields, apple cores, copper coins, flowers, bones. His own armaments lay upon him, a falchion and tall shield both untouched by time.
In all his time at the crossroads, no one had ever seen him stir, not even the slightest flutter of his eyelids. Perhaps his spirit was dead, yet his body refused to join it. Perhaps he was waiting for the end of the world, when he would arise and raze the forest to the ground. Perhaps he would only awaken when the forest stirred ... or if he was asked, very politely, to move. A twig fell from a branch above, bopped him on the head, and fell into his lap. He slept on.
Down an old forest path a young woman walked. Her soft leaf-green dress fluttered about her calves in the breeze as she made her way down the curving road. Marenithiel was on her way to a wonderfully abandoned orchard; She had found it one day while exploring some ruins. The disguised unicorn decided to take a different route this time and figured it was a good chance to practice her human form... Human paths were made for humans to travel on, after all. She smiled to herself as she hummed a tune that birds sang in the morning.
Her bare feet padded down the unkempt trail until she paused. The path ahead split into two directions, but that hardly seemed to matter as her attention was drawn to the figure sitting between them. As soon as her amber gaze fell upon their armored form, the girl froze in place for a few breaths... before she relaxed. He looked more like a forgotten statue than a living being, covered with twisting vines as he was. Even if he was surrounded with old weapons and armored like a proud knight, there was little to worry over unless he awoke, and that seemed unlikely.
Maren approached quietly until she stood before him. With a flick of her hand she pushed her unruly hair from her face to better look over his dusty appearance. An odd feeling came over her as she stared, making her easygoing smile fade into a blank mask of neutrality.
What kind of magic held him here? Was he waiting for something, or someone?...Was he dreaming?
As her gaze lifted to his face, she beheld the pale flower atop his head. Her face lit up with a broad smile at the sight of it, forgetting the lonely sensation instantly. It was a stunning contrast to this old being. She knew she had to have it. Her gaze darted back to his sleeping face as she whispered to him in a soft lilt.
“Surely, you wouldn’t mind if I take that little flower? You’re sleeping so soundly, after all…”
Maren inched closer to him and leaned forward, standing on her toes as she reached for the lone flower atop his golden head. Her other hand pressed gently against his breastplate as she sought balance. There was a small zipping shock as soon as the contact was made. Even in her human form, metal still affected her.
Her bare feet padded down the unkempt trail until she paused. The path ahead split into two directions, but that hardly seemed to matter as her attention was drawn to the figure sitting between them. As soon as her amber gaze fell upon their armored form, the girl froze in place for a few breaths... before she relaxed. He looked more like a forgotten statue than a living being, covered with twisting vines as he was. Even if he was surrounded with old weapons and armored like a proud knight, there was little to worry over unless he awoke, and that seemed unlikely.
Maren approached quietly until she stood before him. With a flick of her hand she pushed her unruly hair from her face to better look over his dusty appearance. An odd feeling came over her as she stared, making her easygoing smile fade into a blank mask of neutrality.
What kind of magic held him here? Was he waiting for something, or someone?...Was he dreaming?
As her gaze lifted to his face, she beheld the pale flower atop his head. Her face lit up with a broad smile at the sight of it, forgetting the lonely sensation instantly. It was a stunning contrast to this old being. She knew she had to have it. Her gaze darted back to his sleeping face as she whispered to him in a soft lilt.
“Surely, you wouldn’t mind if I take that little flower? You’re sleeping so soundly, after all…”
Maren inched closer to him and leaned forward, standing on her toes as she reached for the lone flower atop his golden head. Her other hand pressed gently against his breastplate as she sought balance. There was a small zipping shock as soon as the contact was made. Even in her human form, metal still affected her.
At the basin of a mountain range spilling out into a forest an ancient city lay dormant, its secrets hidden from the naked eye by moss, and fog, and vines. Ruins taller than castles stood in neat rows seemingly touching the sky. Made of Dwarven metal and crystal, the glints of light that would flash through hinted at the fact. One would need to clear away all the dust and foliage from the structures to reveal them once more, long since degraded over time they were almost impossible to notice. Paths of what were likely streets lay in-between them, many covered in over grown grasses, leaves and debris.
The inhabitants of the city having long since abandoned it, the area was quiet, the whistling of winds or animalistic cries the only break in the silence. Rumours from those who'd stumbled upon it stated that a grand disaster had resulted in a mass exodus, though it could never be confirmed.
The peaceful setting seemed to shatter as a sudden shift in the wind created an eerie screech. Nearby animals were taken by surprise, the disturbance causing them to lift their heads before deciding to abandon the area quickly. Their ability to feel the change in atmosphere giving them a heads up that something was quite wrong. In an instant, a crack in the very fabric of space and time tore itself into existence for a moment before widening quickly, an explosion of air, sound and light quickly spread from the epicentre. Ruins undisturbed for millennia groaned in protest before collapsing from their own weight, vines snapped, dust was lifted, and the ancient city could be seen shining once again, if only for a moment.
A gaping maw was left standing in the centre, as dark as night it remained still, ominously creating a quiet circle of darkness. Just as quickly as it began the giant portal, a black void with white outline collapsed in on itself spewing out its sole traveller into this new world.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Lucy collapsed onto the ground, the feeling of vertigo, exhaustion, and nausea filling her and threatening to take over. Darkness was replaced by blinding light and dust, she couldn't help but squint as she tried to make out her bearings. A city as grand as the ones in her father's stories appeared before her searching eyes and she couldn't help but take a deep breath at the awespiring sight, only to choke on the surrounding dust. "Crap!" she shouted out at no one covering her face with her sleeves as her eyes began to water. 'At least it can't get worse' she thought to herself, before the floor beneath her promptly collapsed, dropping her into a long forgotten cave system.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Opening her eyes she couldn't help but scowl, the fall had left her leg bruised heavily, and as she gazed up she realized she must have been out for hours, the light of day having been replaced by the white glow of the moon. Standing slowly she sighed before muttering out, "might as well figure out a way back up" before shuffling down the tunnel she found herself in.
The inhabitants of the city having long since abandoned it, the area was quiet, the whistling of winds or animalistic cries the only break in the silence. Rumours from those who'd stumbled upon it stated that a grand disaster had resulted in a mass exodus, though it could never be confirmed.
The peaceful setting seemed to shatter as a sudden shift in the wind created an eerie screech. Nearby animals were taken by surprise, the disturbance causing them to lift their heads before deciding to abandon the area quickly. Their ability to feel the change in atmosphere giving them a heads up that something was quite wrong. In an instant, a crack in the very fabric of space and time tore itself into existence for a moment before widening quickly, an explosion of air, sound and light quickly spread from the epicentre. Ruins undisturbed for millennia groaned in protest before collapsing from their own weight, vines snapped, dust was lifted, and the ancient city could be seen shining once again, if only for a moment.
A gaping maw was left standing in the centre, as dark as night it remained still, ominously creating a quiet circle of darkness. Just as quickly as it began the giant portal, a black void with white outline collapsed in on itself spewing out its sole traveller into this new world.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Lucy collapsed onto the ground, the feeling of vertigo, exhaustion, and nausea filling her and threatening to take over. Darkness was replaced by blinding light and dust, she couldn't help but squint as she tried to make out her bearings. A city as grand as the ones in her father's stories appeared before her searching eyes and she couldn't help but take a deep breath at the awespiring sight, only to choke on the surrounding dust. "Crap!" she shouted out at no one covering her face with her sleeves as her eyes began to water. 'At least it can't get worse' she thought to herself, before the floor beneath her promptly collapsed, dropping her into a long forgotten cave system.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Opening her eyes she couldn't help but scowl, the fall had left her leg bruised heavily, and as she gazed up she realized she must have been out for hours, the light of day having been replaced by the white glow of the moon. Standing slowly she sighed before muttering out, "might as well figure out a way back up" before shuffling down the tunnel she found herself in.
Jal's eyes remained downcast as he made his way down the mountain path and into the forest. For most of the trip he was accompanied only by the sounds of forest birds, the rustle of branches against the gentle winds and the clicking sound his boots made against the rocky steps. When the fae took notice of him, he paused a moment to sigh and paw at the armor strap on his left shoulder. Then he looked to the forests ahead, observing that the path beyond the slope was so aged that hardly any trace of it remained. The man resolved to follow it anyway, stepping stiffly around saplings along the way.
His eyes dropped to the forest floor to anticipate further obstacles just in time for the other human to appear; he wouldn't have noticed the stranger at all if the following transformation of bone hadn't occurred. Suddenly wary, Jal twisted around to discern just what was making those noises. To him the source of the noise was obscured, hidden behind a sturdy oak tree, but a certain fae wasn't. The man noticed the splash of color in his periphery and turned further to face her.
Jalsinter thought that he might find answers in this forest. Instead, he found far more questions. He squinted at Avalynn in confusion and mistrust. "Who goes there?" He croaked.
His eyes dropped to the forest floor to anticipate further obstacles just in time for the other human to appear; he wouldn't have noticed the stranger at all if the following transformation of bone hadn't occurred. Suddenly wary, Jal twisted around to discern just what was making those noises. To him the source of the noise was obscured, hidden behind a sturdy oak tree, but a certain fae wasn't. The man noticed the splash of color in his periphery and turned further to face her.
Jalsinter thought that he might find answers in this forest. Instead, he found far more questions. He squinted at Avalynn in confusion and mistrust. "Who goes there?" He croaked.
Avalynn had attempted to move once he turned, not entirely fond of the idea of being spotted; and her eyes scanned for the stranger as well, spotting him briefly- the strange outside bones he bore must’ve made him an insect too, yes? She wasn’t too sure; humans made strange armor too. She turned her focus back to Jal, but before she could slide away, he had spotted her.
So the fae only smiled sweetly, slowly moving from her hiding spot (though she hadn’t been doing well at the hiding part). Slowly, she advanced, carefully navigating herself around trees and brush- as she closed the distance between them, her size became apparent, towering at nearly nine feet tall. “Talk louder, vegetable-human. I’m afraid I’m very hard of hearing. I can read lips but it takes focus and sometimes...” her front legs folded together with a satisfying click, “I can’t do that.”
Avalynn’s glossy green eyes blinked each, seeming to roll around for a moment as she examined him, before slowly settling down (though it did little to make her much shorter), “I should be asking you, who are you? My fairies say you had sprouted from the dirt like some kind of oversized mushroom. What are you doing here, coming out of the ground in such a loud manner. Obviously those bloody kings and lords hadn’t banished you. Those ones they put in the grounds...those ones usually stay down. But you, have gotten out.”
One of her front legs swung out, and the way she offered it seemed like she was asking for a handshake- though Jal would need to be wary of the spikes on the pink limb, “But then again, humans tend to be greedy. And I am curious. I will answer your question, and you will answer mine.” She smiled, flashing a stunningly white — and stunningly sharp — set of teeth.
“I am many people, as I always will be, yet your kind best describe me as the maiden of the fae. You, strange mushroom, may call me Avalynn.” She drummed her pale fingers on her cheek, “And you, who are you? What are you?”
So the fae only smiled sweetly, slowly moving from her hiding spot (though she hadn’t been doing well at the hiding part). Slowly, she advanced, carefully navigating herself around trees and brush- as she closed the distance between them, her size became apparent, towering at nearly nine feet tall. “Talk louder, vegetable-human. I’m afraid I’m very hard of hearing. I can read lips but it takes focus and sometimes...” her front legs folded together with a satisfying click, “I can’t do that.”
Avalynn’s glossy green eyes blinked each, seeming to roll around for a moment as she examined him, before slowly settling down (though it did little to make her much shorter), “I should be asking you, who are you? My fairies say you had sprouted from the dirt like some kind of oversized mushroom. What are you doing here, coming out of the ground in such a loud manner. Obviously those bloody kings and lords hadn’t banished you. Those ones they put in the grounds...those ones usually stay down. But you, have gotten out.”
One of her front legs swung out, and the way she offered it seemed like she was asking for a handshake- though Jal would need to be wary of the spikes on the pink limb, “But then again, humans tend to be greedy. And I am curious. I will answer your question, and you will answer mine.” She smiled, flashing a stunningly white — and stunningly sharp — set of teeth.
“I am many people, as I always will be, yet your kind best describe me as the maiden of the fae. You, strange mushroom, may call me Avalynn.” She drummed her pale fingers on her cheek, “And you, who are you? What are you?”
Isaiah heard voices a little way ahead. He turned to see a giant pink mantis with the upper body of a woman and a coat of leaves, towering over an armoured man. Lesser man may have frozen or run away. The strong but cautious may have given them a wide berth. The foolish may have charged in bellowing some barbaric war cry. Isaiah was none of these.
Curious, Isaiah's inner scientist surged forth, asking questions, goading him to move toward the strange pair. He obeyed and took his first wary steps forward. Curiosity without caution was foolishness in and of itself.
Curious, Isaiah's inner scientist surged forth, asking questions, goading him to move toward the strange pair. He obeyed and took his first wary steps forward. Curiosity without caution was foolishness in and of itself.
On the top of the mountain a half fallen tree grew for decades. No human being ever dared to come here, where the water was clearer then crystals and the sun was brighter than any lit candle. Only one being that was similar to human ever dared to step onto the tree, a gumiho. The man's hair grew long, already reaching his waist. A white robe he was wearing danced in the soft, pleasant wind.
Like everyday, for past thousands of years, he just sat there, not allowed to go down unless something disturbed the mountain. He thought that this day would be like always, "Boring" He mumbled under his breath. As he continued on observing and eating pink peaches from the tree he noticed a movement, however it was too far away for him to see clearly.
With the wind, he too moved. His steps quiet like a snake and graceful like a deer, only his robe creating soft noises as it brushed against the woods, rocks and plants. His eyes suddenly turning from deep brown to a shade between green and yellow. His vision became much clearer as he could slowly see what was happening, many beings in the same area. Yet he did not dare to approach them. His steps now became much slower and he yet again found his place on one of the trees. Close enough to see what was happening.
"Interesting." He smirked as he gazed at what was happening, he had to remind himself that he should not try to change the fate of any living thing, especially humans', if not he would probably be down there long ago.
Like everyday, for past thousands of years, he just sat there, not allowed to go down unless something disturbed the mountain. He thought that this day would be like always, "Boring" He mumbled under his breath. As he continued on observing and eating pink peaches from the tree he noticed a movement, however it was too far away for him to see clearly.
With the wind, he too moved. His steps quiet like a snake and graceful like a deer, only his robe creating soft noises as it brushed against the woods, rocks and plants. His eyes suddenly turning from deep brown to a shade between green and yellow. His vision became much clearer as he could slowly see what was happening, many beings in the same area. Yet he did not dare to approach them. His steps now became much slower and he yet again found his place on one of the trees. Close enough to see what was happening.
"Interesting." He smirked as he gazed at what was happening, he had to remind himself that he should not try to change the fate of any living thing, especially humans', if not he would probably be down there long ago.
The little white flower stirred in an otherworldly breeze as Maren reached up towards it. Her hand connected with the black surface of his antique breastplate. Time seemed to slow to a crawl.
... but nothing happened. The lone bloom came off easily into Maren's hand, a memento of their fleeting encounter. Somewhere a pair of birds twittered, and a crow answered them with a hoarse cawing.
... but nothing happened. The lone bloom came off easily into Maren's hand, a memento of their fleeting encounter. Somewhere a pair of birds twittered, and a crow answered them with a hoarse cawing.
((s*** man that's scary af))
A small creature slipped through the forest, long ears flickering at every sound. Stopping for a moment, she took a bite of grass and chewed. Then she swallowed and lifted her head towards the tree tops. A long howl broke through the silence. It was long and musical, but at the same time, warning of danger.
She was not an ordinary unicorn, rather a more rare species. They were the size of wolves, though their pelts often did not carry the same color. They were capable of surviving any terrain, being able to eat anything available.
She lowered her head and galloped through the thickets, nimbly avoiding the thorns in any of the bushes. She stopped just short at the top of a cliff like rise and reared, howling again. Her silver-white pelt gleamed in the light. Her blue eyes flashed as she looked around on top of her post.
She was not an ordinary unicorn, rather a more rare species. They were the size of wolves, though their pelts often did not carry the same color. They were capable of surviving any terrain, being able to eat anything available.
She lowered her head and galloped through the thickets, nimbly avoiding the thorns in any of the bushes. She stopped just short at the top of a cliff like rise and reared, howling again. Her silver-white pelt gleamed in the light. Her blue eyes flashed as she looked around on top of her post.
Deep in one of the forests, a small pond sat quietly, a few bugs landing on its surface only to be sucked underneath by the fish inhabiting the calm waters. Resting on the bottom, a blue rock-looking object glittered in the sunlight streaming through the surface, a dusting of mud covering the top of it. Upon closer inspection, though, the rock turned out not to be a rock at all. Two curvy horns protruded from it, arcing over what looked like a neck with slits in the side, the scaly tube descending into the mud and disappearing underneath. This rock was not a rock, after all - It was the head of some creature, laying dormant for many years as the chemicals in the water had changed, their sleep deepening until it had reached a coma-like state.
Now, though, the time came for it to wake. A small bubble drifted upwards from one of the nostrils of the creature, settling on the surface before rapidly dissolving into smaller droplets. The slits in the neck of the dragon suddenly opened, drawing in more water as a stream of bubbles suddenly escaped from the mud-covered snout, the head gently starting to move. The few fish that had taken to resting beside this creature quickly darted away, stirring up small clouds of foul-smelling muck from the bottom of the pond.
Nothing moved for a moment, and then suddenly, the silt billowed up, filling the water with gill-clogging sediment. The heavy particles soon fell back down, and the lighter ones were sucked away from the surface as the creature stirred again, pulling itself from the mud that had settled around it as it slept. Two reptilian eyes snapped open, pupils adjusting to the light levels around them, and the sapphire-scaled dragon began to extract itself from the mud, their body emerging into the clouds that it had made.
The surface of the pond was hardly disturbed, at least until the head of the creature broke it, slowly rising as the murky water flowed down from the scales. Squinting in the bright sunlight that happened to filter through the leaves, the creature rose from the pond, crawling out and lying on the bank, an action akin to just leaving an egg; a rebirth of sorts after such a long time underwater.
The fins on the dragon's arms and legs shrank, as did the webbing between their fingers and toes. The gills slid shut, and the scaled creature took a deep, shuddering breath through their jaws, coughing up water into the dirt and grass. Laying there in the sun, the reptilian creature warmed, slowly drying off, certain features present on their body clearly marking it as a female.
She laid there for a good half hour, the only movement being her chest as she acclimatized back to breathing straight air, and not filtering it through her gills. Sooner or later, though, she knew that the time would come for her to get up and start moving, seeing what had changed since she had fallen asleep.
Now, though, the time came for it to wake. A small bubble drifted upwards from one of the nostrils of the creature, settling on the surface before rapidly dissolving into smaller droplets. The slits in the neck of the dragon suddenly opened, drawing in more water as a stream of bubbles suddenly escaped from the mud-covered snout, the head gently starting to move. The few fish that had taken to resting beside this creature quickly darted away, stirring up small clouds of foul-smelling muck from the bottom of the pond.
Nothing moved for a moment, and then suddenly, the silt billowed up, filling the water with gill-clogging sediment. The heavy particles soon fell back down, and the lighter ones were sucked away from the surface as the creature stirred again, pulling itself from the mud that had settled around it as it slept. Two reptilian eyes snapped open, pupils adjusting to the light levels around them, and the sapphire-scaled dragon began to extract itself from the mud, their body emerging into the clouds that it had made.
The surface of the pond was hardly disturbed, at least until the head of the creature broke it, slowly rising as the murky water flowed down from the scales. Squinting in the bright sunlight that happened to filter through the leaves, the creature rose from the pond, crawling out and lying on the bank, an action akin to just leaving an egg; a rebirth of sorts after such a long time underwater.
The fins on the dragon's arms and legs shrank, as did the webbing between their fingers and toes. The gills slid shut, and the scaled creature took a deep, shuddering breath through their jaws, coughing up water into the dirt and grass. Laying there in the sun, the reptilian creature warmed, slowly drying off, certain features present on their body clearly marking it as a female.
She laid there for a good half hour, the only movement being her chest as she acclimatized back to breathing straight air, and not filtering it through her gills. Sooner or later, though, she knew that the time would come for her to get up and start moving, seeing what had changed since she had fallen asleep.
Ember, bored decides to go to Murk Pond. The name was fitting of its condition, as it was full of algae and parasites. The depths were unexplored, no one even swam in the pond. The pond was full of inhuman chemicals, which would force any living creature into a coma-like slumber. The pond was located in one of the many forests in Zuhan. The place was full of woodlands actually, but the one that most people knew about was the one around the kingdom's perimeter. This particular forest had been around for centuries, it was located directly behind the castle. Most people didn't know about the pond, as you had to hike for hours at a time to reach it.
The scent of flowers and spring was in the air. The ground was still wet from the morning dew. The sun shined down intensely, warming Ember up in an instant. Ember was barefoot, letting Spring's mud squish between her toes. The sticks and leaves didn't bother her feet, it toughened them up. Her father would find this to be not ladylike, maybe that's why she does it. It made her giggle like she was a small child, though she wasn't. "I could have the throne if those old crones would just die." She mumbles, referring to her parents.
Her thoughts were interrupted when she came upon a nude woman, sun bathing. She shuts her eyes quickly, assuming this was the nicest thing to do. "Um..do you need clothes?" She asks, eyes still firmly closed. She opens her eyes for a split second, taking a towel out of the small satchel she wore. She threw it towards the woman. "Wrap that around yourself for the time being." She said, scared of opening one eye to see if the woman had obeyed.
The scent of flowers and spring was in the air. The ground was still wet from the morning dew. The sun shined down intensely, warming Ember up in an instant. Ember was barefoot, letting Spring's mud squish between her toes. The sticks and leaves didn't bother her feet, it toughened them up. Her father would find this to be not ladylike, maybe that's why she does it. It made her giggle like she was a small child, though she wasn't. "I could have the throne if those old crones would just die." She mumbles, referring to her parents.
Her thoughts were interrupted when she came upon a nude woman, sun bathing. She shuts her eyes quickly, assuming this was the nicest thing to do. "Um..do you need clothes?" She asks, eyes still firmly closed. She opens her eyes for a split second, taking a towel out of the small satchel she wore. She threw it towards the woman. "Wrap that around yourself for the time being." She said, scared of opening one eye to see if the woman had obeyed.
((hope you don't mind it's in Zuhan, you could have fell asleep before it was a kingdom maybe?))
((Seems fitting. She is a dragoness, though, more similar to a reptile than to a woman, so her...assets, shall we say, aren't present like they would be on a human or an elf.))
((yeah, I got the gist ))
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