Apollonia (Closed RP)

by Adrius Frostglare Thu Jan 14, 2010 4:42 pm

Ancient eyes stared at their garden, their large garden of life and prosperity. Each planet like a pot containing the seed, the bud, then the flower that would spread more life to the other reaches of the vast and infinite expanse of the cosmos. They had seen it first with a feeling of joy, of companionship and intimacy with the forces that had sprung. For so long had only the elements, the building blocks of the universe, been all that they had greeted, without thought process or individual action, only to follow the strict laws of the reality they had been born to. Life had been their escape from loneliness, from their solitary existance, and for a long time it seemed they could not have gone wrong.

How had it come to this, then? The eyes that watched the garden now watched it in sorrow. The roses had withered, the buds clipped, the seeds become infertile, and the very pots containing their essence broken, shattered, barren. The first time they had seen it, it had come as a terrible and painful shock. Truly a tragedy, they knew, like it was for one of the living things to lose one of its children, But they's looked upon the rest with hope, that this would be but a single, isolated occurrence. Then they saw in horror as yet another planet was consumed, everything becoming dead dust. Then again. And again. And again, until their helplessness, their misery, simply could not take it anymore. There were only two now. Two innocent children left. One was too far gone, its mentality drained of compassion save in individuals, and the other, their firstborn, slowly walking toward the same path of corrupted violence that had led to the downfall of so many others.

'It must not come to past,' came a rumbling voice, one as strong as granite walls yet as nourishing as the most fertile soil. 'Not again.'

'I forewarned, long ago, of these terrible events to come, of the consequences of attachment. Yet, I also foresaw the pain and misery that loneliness wrought to us, that we would not last long as such, and thus it was to be.' This one, luminous and bright, yet with the heavy, immortal darkness of reality.

Another, much more lively voice, shouted up from the omnipresent group. 'The time has come to take matters into our hands! For too long have we merely watched! The pain... it is unbearable, UNBEARABLE! We are their origin, the womb that birthed them! We are the essence of all that is, that ever will be, and no soul should be left to reap its own destruction!' It roared high and strong, unabated by any possibility that the gamble would fail.

'I propose a solution, then. Perhaps it is the isolation of hatred's chain that has led to the corruption, not its prevention. To expose the core to the reality, to warn it of what may come, would be the most prudent choice.' Flowing through their consciousness, striking at the heart, bringing new logic, thoughts to their minds, like a refreshing current of life's base.

'How will it be done? We know of ways to do so, but who? Who could carry such a burden? Who could fight against the very nature of their soul to preserve another over his own body?' Her question struck each of them, not missing one. Her gentle, soothing breath was held as she waited to be answered.

'Find them. Those that bear a connection to us, whose roots dig deep enough to not be deterred.'

'Whose eyes will not be blinded by the darkest sorrow or the brightest ignorance.'

'Who will strive with passion, determination, and whole-hearted selflessness!'

'Who will choose the path most fitting.'

'Who will reach the deafest ear to be heard.'

The primal Pantheon had come to a conclusion. Their minds, their wills, the fullness of their powers spread forth to the small planet, passing through every mind, body, and soul of every man, woman, and child. They would each search for their one, special child, and it would be this child they would save from hatred. It would be these children that would end the chain of self-destruction their many kin had for the longest of ages cast upon themselves.

And now, they had been found.

Apollonia

by Adrius Frostglare Thu Jan 14, 2010 6:05 pm

The streets were loud and busy on the brisk summer day. Charles walked, his head held high, his brown hat secure to his head and keeping the sharper rays of sunlight from his vision, though truth be told he'd been used to worse than that and was mostly wearing it just because he was happy. His boots beat the sidewalk beneath him, a had, thudding plop of the rubber sole hitting the concrete. The skyscrapers, high and bright with the reflection of the noon hour lamp, shone as if a chorus of angels was assembled on each floor and shining their sacred glow on the whole world.

He was that happy. Charles was not like so many other people he'd seen, all of them nervous and unsure of the decision. He did not get weak knees, cold feet, whatever you wanted to call it. He was so sure of himself in this that he didn't even bother to feel for the little navy-blue box in his pocket for evidence that it was there. He just smiled, a big, happy, warm smile as he thought about his future. Their future.

He bit his lip in anticipation, suddenly breaking into a wild sprint, ignoring the bewildered looks of the more paced, "normal" people of New York. He was so overjoyed, flowing with so much inside of him, he felt he'd burst! He was only three blocks away from home now, his trip to the jeweler's a success. He'd bought it a week ago, had it laser-engraved, the whole deal. It had taken him months to save up that much, especially with his college education, but now it would all be worth it. A few months of sacrifice were nothing to a lifetime together with the one he loved.

He let out a loud, uncontainable whoop, drawing even more judgmental incredulity from the bystanders near him, though some actually relaxed and just smiled as he shouted the words, "I'M GETTING MARRIED!"

How would he do it? Would he sweep her off her feet, twirl her around, and then say "marry me", as if she had no choice, WANTED no other choice? Would he lower his head humbly and recite words of the most honest love to her? Would he just slip the finger in her ring, see the surprised joy in her face as she realized what he had done, then let themselves just melt together for hours, not caring about the rest of the world? Decisions, decisions...

He took another step, down the alley as a shortcut. He should have taken the car, but he didn't want to arise any suspicion from her. He said he'd go to the library right around the Starbucks, be there for a couple of hours, when in reality he'd gone to do more. If only he'd come up with a better excuse, he'd be getting there faster in the car.

Suddenly, he stopped. He felt an odd sensation in his feet. Vibrations... shaking? The shaking became more violent. He stumbled, back and forth between the walls of the alley, before hitting his head painfully on one of them. He groaned, but didn't have time to complain. He then felt a hot sensation in his hands and, looking down, saw that they were red. Worse than red, they were glowing. Panic began to rise up in him. It was like something from an X-Men movie, he thought, some odd sci-fi crap. No, no, no, no, not today, why did the weirdest sh*t happen on such joyful days?

The glow spread to his arms, his face. Then suddenly in the snap of a finger he was engulfed in flame. He screamed, cried, tossed around, the earth still rumbling beneath him. He felt his flesh being consumed, the nerves ravaged, his flesh charred. Thirty seconds passed, and by then, there was nothing but ashes on the ground.

by Guest Thu Jan 14, 2010 7:08 pm

It had been a pretty normal day for Helena. She was off work, along with her boyfriend, Charles. Even though he decided to take a trip to the library, leaving her alone and with nothing to do, she wasn't angry at him. She was absolutely, one hundred percent in love with him. They had been together for nearly three years, and have not spent a day apart yet, so she figured it was okay if they took a short break from one another. Knowing him, he would scoop her right into his arms the moment he got home, and they would cuddle on the couch. They couldn't, though, because they made reservations at a fancy restaurant ages ago. She was in her best dress, a red, knee length one with spaghetti straps, and a flat pair of her "fancy" shoes. Her soft, brown, wavy hair was tied up in an elegant bun. Now all she had to do was wait for him to come home, get ready himself, then they would go.

Of course, she had been waiting for hours. He promised he would be back soon, and wouldn't take a long time at the library. What was wrong? She had been sitting on the couch, fiddling with the heart shaped pendant on her necklace that Charles had given to her. Something felt off. She couldn't quite figure it out. The feeling was bothering her, so she grabbed her cell phone off the coffee table, and dialed Charles' number.

Beep. Beep. Beep. "We're sorry, but the number you have dialed is no longer in service." Helena hung up, and re-dialed. Same tone, same message. She was really worried now. Standing, and walking over to the glass door, she opened it, and stepped out onto their balcony. Thankfully, they only lived on the fifth floor, so she could still look around without her fear of heights kicking in. She looked around the block, wondering where Charles could be. He was usually good about calling if he would be late. She picked up her phone, and dialed his number once again. Beep. Beep. Beep. She took a deep breath, and hung up. If he wasn't home soon, they would be late for dinner. Right then, it didn't matter. She was more worried about her boyfriend getting home. "Come on. Where is he?" A sudden banging noise caused her to turn around. The door had shut itself, and no matter how much she pulled, it wouldn't open back up. Great.

The only way down was the fire escape. She had no use for it before, so she wasn't sure of it being a sturdy and safe way down. A sudden gust of wind knocked her off balance. She stepped back toward the railing, shielding herself. "No! I spent hours on my hair!" Why was she worrying about something so silly? Charles could have been in trouble. The wind suddenly stopped, and before she could straighten herself up, it started up again. Of course, the railing was wobbly on one side, and the apartment manager hadn't gotten around to fixing it. The wind caused her to bump into that side, and it broke with ease. Instead of falling to the ground to her death, the wind seemed to sweep her out of existence. It was like she was never born, never lived in the apartment with her boyfriend. Everything was gone.

by Sighlent Thu Jan 14, 2010 10:14 pm

"Sims, where are those files I asked for concerning the Peterman case? I asked for those 4 hours ago and low and behold here I am standing having to repeat myself for a second time, of which you know I utterly despise having to do."

The woman's voice seemed almost monotone as she leaned over the edge of her co-workers cubicle, a wicked smile twisting up the corners of her lips while her brows furrowed elegantly in scold. Yes, this was Angela Choate private investigator, FBI agent, and enthusiastic fan of the firm hand that is justice. Some even saw her obsessiveness for the law sadistic, and unnerving but those who knew her knew that she was a damn fine agent and that there was absolutely no question to her sanity - at least not most days. She was young, and determined, and even quite beautiful when she tried, but this was often outweighed by the fact that, more often than not, she could be a complete bitch.

"S-Sorry Ms. Choate, I could of sworn I'd had Richards deliver them to your desk 3 hours ago!!!" Was Sims' reply. He was a small man, weasily and jumpy. He had large glasses that sat upon an even larger nose and sick blonde hair that looked as if it hadn't been washed in days. But of course, knowing Sims, it probably hadn't.

Angela's smile widened, "Well then I guess we learned two very valuable lessons today, didn't we Sims?"

"W-What's that?"

"Number one, never trust Richards to get the job done," She lifted her hand in the air and extended her pointer finger, slowly moving to extend her middle finger as well as a gesture for the number two. "And two...well when I say do something, don't wait an hour to do it. That just makes you look lazy and me look heartless because I'm having to reprimand you for not doing your job. Am I clear?"

"Crystal!" His voice pitched as he pushed his glasses up and watched her turn and flank back out into the multitude of cubicles. He lowered his voice once she was out of ear shot and shook his head, "I guess the devil really does wear Prada."

- - - - - - -

It never failed to amuse Angela how everyday, at some point, something could always seem to go wrong. The Peterman case had fallen through and with no leading suspects the trail had run cold leaving one dead Mrs. Peterman without a murderer, and without her justice. It was a cold thought and one that made Angela's stomach churn with disgust. Mrs. Peterman had only been 2 years older than Angela herself and she'd been found by her sister about 3 weeks back raped, and stabbed 28 times in the abdomen and 15 times in the jugular. It was saddening how cruel and twisted the human race could be and it was sick!

Turning the still full can of 'Soup to Go' within her hands Angela's gaze lifted from where she sat on the park bench, surveying her surroundings. Angela loved the Earth, the way the soil smelt within the sunlight and the way the wind caressed the trees lovingly sending whispers down her spine. It was the one and only place she could ever seem to clear her head. But today something felt different. She couldn't put her finger on it but for some reason the place that should have been soothing her sent her hairs on end, put her ill at ease.

"Maybe it's just the case..." She found herself whispering as she stood, tossing her soup into the nearby metal trash can, after one final sip. Either way her lunch was now over and it was back to the unsolvable. Back to dead bodies and tampered evidence. Back to work.

As she turned shoving her hands deep within her coat pockets, Angela's nerves suddenly caught her as if she'd been punched in the stomach. Something felt very wrong. Extremely wrong. And that was when she looked down to find the grass at her feet twisting up her ankles, lengthening still and trying to swallow her whole. What the hell was going on? Her eyes widened as she made to run, her lungs sucking in a deep breath of air as her arms spread out forward. The earth was swallowing her and she couldn't move! Instead the weight and force of her body threw her forward, falling towards the very grasses that were consuming her.

Angela screamed as her face collided with the earth, but ever still it seemed as if the entire park had suddenly turned against her, the people there as well. They just ignored her, walked right past her as if she wasn't even there! Again she screamed as the grasses tendons began working on the other parts of her that were now touching the ground and before she knew it she was almost completely gone. Her face outstretched towards the sky, wild eyes searching frantically for anyone that would hear or aid her as one last and scream escaped past her chapped lips.

And suddenly, like Mrs. Peterson...she was forgotten.

by Savannah Fri Jan 15, 2010 5:43 am

The slender girl fingered an old photograph, tracing over the figures reverently in the afternoon light. In it was a smiling blonde woman and a little girl with a tuft of red hair happily balanced on one knee. Sighing she placed it between the pages of the book she had been holding and slid it back into the empty space on the bookshelf. Penny lived by herself now, after coming back to Nova Scotia for the summer and although she enjoyed the freedom she missed the hum and energy of school life, it was sort of like a wave that carried her along. She’d spent a lot of her days helping her father clear out the attic, which is where she found the picture, in a long forgotten album. Pictures of her mother were rare, even rarer still a picture with the two of them.

The shrill ring of the phone jarred her from her thoughts and she stumbled into the kitchen to snatch it from the base issuing an abrupt hello. A low male laugh came through the earpiece “Hello to you too pip.” She grinned wide “Connor! Hey sorry… how are you?” Her older brother wasn’t one to phone often but the two were close nonetheless. The conversation flowed back and forth each updating on the current goings on of their lives. Penny recounted her trip back from university, settling into her tiny but very comfortable apartment and getting her old job back at the florist for the summer. Conner in turn related his latest trip to Russia for the magazine he worked for. He was a fantastic photographer and his career was really taking off, she told him she wouldn’t be surprised if he became a name in the business. They joked good naturedly about Blake and his string of temp jobs and about their fathers out-of-the-blue purchase of a motorcycle. Promises to keep in touch were passed back and forth as they said their goodbyes. The exchange left her feeling grateful that her remaining family were so tightly knit. She didn’t know what she’d do without them.

A glance at her watch made her nearly drop the phone “Shit.” she muttered, she was almost late for work. Stuffing some of her current reading material into her leather bag along with an orange and bottle of water she slung it over one shoulder and prepared to leave, stopping just long enough to throw on her grey tam and favorite silk scarf. It was cream colored, sheer with a delicate pattern of blossoms. Connor had brought it back from China, another gift from one of his many trips. Stepping outside Penny closed the door, her red hair lifting in the wind. A glance up at the sky revealed dark ominous looking clouds heralding a summer storm, the thought hurried her along the sidewalk and she made it into the shop just as the first heavy drops of rain splashed down on the pavement. Once she had opened up the storefront and finished checking inventory time seemed to drag by, the store remained devoid of customers and she sat on the little stool behind the counter with a bored expression planted on her face. Shrugging to herself she popped on her headphones and grabbed a book from her bag soon finding herself lost in text.

~

It wasn’t very noticeable and at first she just assumed she had been imagining that the lights in the store were dimming for brief seconds at a time. But after fifteen minutes of this subtle flickering she slapped her book on the counter and took a moment to glare at the fluorescent tubes on the ceiling. The lights dimmed as if in answer and she let out a huff “Well at least I’m not crazy” she intoned to the flowers surrounding her. Hauling herself up from the stool she set off for the back area where the circuit breakers were. She wasn’t an electrician or anything but the flickering was driving her nuts.

The storefront was the smaller portion of the building and the stockroom was big enough to hold hundreds of ceramic pots, bags of soil and rows upon rows of flowers. The utility closet that housed the breakers was located at the opposite end of the large space and Penny hummed along with the song she was listening to as she walked, touching and smelling flowers here and there. The moment her hand connected with the doorknob a light went out above her head and she jumped back. Chuckling nervously she tried to dispel the uneasy feeling she was getting when a second light went out. She bit her lip “Okay…that’s a little weird.” Turning the knob to open the utility closet door she found it stuck fast. She jiggled it and pulled again, still nothing. Kicking the bottom in frustration she hopped away in pain as her big toe connected with the solid wood “Damn damn damn.” she swore.

Another light went out and she found that uneasy feeling had intensified tenfold “Oh screw this” she said under her breath. Weaving through the rows of plants she had almost reached the exit when the door swung shut in front of her, sealing her in the large room. Her mouth hung open in disbelief. It was like she was trapped in some kind of waking nightmare, the music playing in her ears only adding to the surrealism of what was happening.

One by one the lights shut off until there was only one remaining, leaving Penny trembling and staring at the spot of brightness. She watched as it grew brighter and brighter enveloping her in the intense glow before exploding in a shower of sparks and glass. A scream tore from her throat as she was thrown into total and utter blackness. She knew the room had no windows and she felt her limbs turn to ice. She blinked slowly, there was no difference between her eyes being open or closed. It was like going blind. While she stood there and tried not to panic it seemed like the darkness was pressing in on her, squeezing the air from her lungs. Letting out a final heart stopping scream Penny vanished. And like the finish to a magicians trick the lights were suddenly all back on, showing an empty room with two locked doors.

by Mustakrakish Sun Jan 17, 2010 12:00 am

Nick leaned back in his chair and stretched his arms up above his head, hearing the satisfying pop of more than one joint. He looked at the mass of books that covered the table in front of him, all open to a different page depicting scenes of art, technology, or portraits. His own notes had gotten themselves lost within the organized chaos, and Nick rubbed his exhausted eyes with the back of his right hand as he pulled out his cell phone. The LED screen showed the time as close to three in the afternoon, which meant that Nick had now spent about seven hours in the library….for the third time that week. He let out a long sigh of pent up frustration.

The young man decided enough was enough, and he pulled his various papers into a file folder which he tucked under his arm. Nick rose from his seat, leaving a deep indentation in the leather cushion, and pushed it under the table. He left the books, knowing that he would only have to go through the trouble of digging the all out again the very next morning. He made his way through the chattering students and boasting professors, giving the clerk at the front desk a friendly smile.

“Same time tomorrow Janice?” he asked elderly woman with a joking romantic tone.

Janice peered over her glasses at the charming young man, giving a look of mock frustration, “Haven’t you anything better to do than come here and bother me Mr. Grant? Surely there are hordes of lovely young ladies who would love for you to bore them with all your talk of the days long past?”

Nick laughed quietly, “None as lovely as you my dear. Tell Henry I said hello,” and with that, Nick pushed open the revolving door and stepped out into the cool afternoon breeze. He closed his eyes and inhaled, getting a faint whiff of pine among all the other human smells that filled the air. He felt a wave of nostalgia flow over him, a strong yearning to be back in the wilderness, with just the forest and the sky to keep him company. The sounds of singing birds and a babbling brook where much more appealing than the roar of an engine and the buzz of a crowd.

Thinking of nature again made him remember his sister, who had loved to go camping just as much as he had. Of course thinking of his sister made him think of his brother, and Nick’s emotions took a downturn. He hadn’t seen or spoken to his brother in almost ten years; not since the day that his father had disowned him. Nick had always fantasized as a young teenager that Alex had straightened out and become a wealthy CEO or something, who would one day come back to the family. Now, Nick knew that Alex was never coming back.

Nick looked to the sky, something he often did when his mind began to wander. Dark clouds filled his vision, like a thick blanket covering the Earth. That’s strange, Nick thought, I didn’t think it was supposed to rain today?

Small fat drops began to fall, peppering the ground as they descended from heaven. The water felt cool against Nick’s skin, and he closed his eyes and held his face up, smiling again now as the rain washed over him. The storm picked up, a drenching torrent that forced all who had some sense indoors. Nick stood still, just enjoying the cleansing feeling of the rain. Suddenly a chill ran down his spine, raising the hairs on the back of his neck. His flesh puckered into goose bumps, and Nick felt as if he was being watched. He looked over his shoulder, only seeing the empty sidewalk leading away from the library, and felt a finger of fear creep into his brain. Nick tried to reason with himself, telling his brain that he had just been reading too many history books and his mind was playing tricks on him. His fear only grew.

Nick noticed something out of the bottom of his vision, and turned to look at the ground. Small tendrils of pink liquid ran along the sidewalk, growing larger every second. He looked at his hands, his eyes widening in horror as he watched the skin drip from his fingers into the growing puddle. Nick’s heart pounded in his chest, forcing his blood to hammer through his skull. Nick grabbed his head and screamed, as his body was dissolved by the crushing downpour. The rain washed all traces of Nicholas Grant away, leaving nothing behind as the sun peeked its way back from behind the clouds.

by Adrius Frostglare Sun Jan 17, 2010 2:01 am

In the darkness that crept into each of them, the voice, each pertaining to the individual's guardian, echoed in the void.

Rise...

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The meadows of Reliana's Peaks blew with strong gusts, whipping the leaves and rising the eager birds high into the sky. At the foot of this particular peak, to the west and over fairly small channel of shallow water, there was the beach, and beyond it the massive desert that spread out, the ominous black mountains to its northern and southern borders. A bird of paradise was perched on one of the trees that dotted the landscape sparsely, few and far in between, eying the area before it. It was not carnivorous, so it had no real interest in it, beyond slight curiosity. The species was very intelligent, and very large. This one looked different from the rest. Perhaps it would lead to something new to learn.

It was night time. By all means, the bird should have been asleep, but no. This creature was simply too intriguing.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
There was a thundering sound in the savanna. The sound was booming, loud, and yet so low it was smooth on the ears. It shook everything in the vicinity. The titanodon was so enormous, such small things besides the patches of fertile rock that it ate were not its concern. The titanodon was a peaceful, yet intimidating creature. Nothing would dare harm it, and everything would run away from it. Indeed, the area was silent save for the mammoth-like monster's never-ending quake-steps. Its teeth sank into the earth, pulling up a massive mouthful of earthly matter, never minding the minute, two-legged creature that was only a mere five feet away from its teeth. It snorted loudly. As long as it wasn't a threat, it'd be fine.

It was mid-afternoon, the sun beginning to gain an orange tint at its edges.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The waves lapped against the beach's side, caressing the soft, white sand gently. For miles as far as the eye could see, there was ocean. Maybe, just maybe, you could spot an island far in the distance, but beyond that, it was all salt water, big and deep blue. The sky shone brightly in a powerful, bright morning blast. Small hermit crabs scuttled about, nothing seeming to disturb the peace.

The only conspicuous thing was a large, cone-like, spiraling shell that inched itself closer to the curious figure. It was hungry. Hadn't eaten in a while. Maybe this would body was dead, wouldn't put much of a fight. It was a free feast, the dire hermit crab decided, but it was risky. It didn't look rotten, and it really didn't want to waste energy fighting one of the scary man-beasts. Their species, despite its enormous, ten-foot tall, seven-foot wide size and large, powerful pincers, had learned to fear them. Still... maybe even if it put a little bit of a fight, it'd be able to snap its legs and then kill it.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The desert was alive, in its own unnatural way. It was not just the spiritually alien, near-surreal feel of the place, but night time brought out the ahriman when the dire vultures were asleep and even those terribly strong, albeit smaller, hawks lay dormant in their cacti nests. The demon-like creatures, gathered in a flock, floated around this body. A meal, a meal! A free meal was what they'd wanted! They weren't particularly hungry, but the ahriman nevertheless had the dark nature of killing things for fun. They were a cowardly lot, their single eye in their overgrown craniums sensitive to any sort of motion, but they had rows of sharp teeth and numbers gave them confidence.

There was a rumbling sound underneath. No! They were just going to get started. A sand worm was enormous and earthbound, but the ahriman knew it was going to swallow the corpse whole. They weren't very smart, really. They flocked away to find new toys to play. The worm slid underneath the body, not having noticed it was there because it did not cause vibrations in the sand for its small hairs to detect, and proceeded on for miles and miles.

Dolukin's Eye was now closed and silent.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The heat flowed in the air. There was barely any water there. The earth, scorched and covered in ancient ash. The blazehorn trees glowed brightly, their shining tips contrasting against the sky. In reality, it was beginning to get dark. Night or day didn't really affect the temperature of the area, it was always hot, but it did affect visibility a little. The sky may be covered in soot, but rays of sunlight still made it through. At night, the land was covered in an eerie, blood-red glow. On a gray stone altar, constructed long ago, there stood a body. The ember beetles were attracted to its warmth and happily burrowed into its skin. It only felt like a slight pinch, but the parasitic creatures wouldn't come loose easily. They were immune to fire. Only thing that would remove them was water. An itchy nuisance, but then, they were merely trying to survive.

A volcano gurgled in a furious growl, lava sliding down its berth. It was not rare, really. It meant one of the tyrantdragons had just yawned. Had it been enough for it to roar, then the creatures would have had to worry about being crushed by the incoming debris that was coughed up. It was a great inconvenience, but thankfully it was rare.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

At the side of each person was a small map. On the map, there was an arrow. Directions... they pointed to a small crevice in the enormous mountain in the center of the continent, on the southern face. It was a long trip, but then in a strange, new land, what hope had they?

You'll not go as babes without protection, however. We can teach you... will teach you... how to bend our bodies to your will, our essence in your command. But we cannot force you to grow, faster, and we cannot remain in contact for long. Being in the material plane is similar to being next to yourself: if done for too long, the very fabric of reality could twist, bend, and break. So use what time we spend with you wisely, and do not forget what we will teach you.

by Adrius Frostglare Sun Jan 17, 2010 2:35 am

There was an itch on his arm. His eye twitched. Itchy... must scratch... He should have known better, really, and when he passed his hand over his right arm, he felt three small bumps like those of golf balls. Worse, they burned his hand. 'OW! What the-?!'

Charles' eyes shot open, the shock of his now-raw fingers waking him completely. He scrambled around. This isn't my bed! Oh, my back... how uncomfortable... oh... my God... He took everything in. The lava flowing down the many volcanoes, the black soil, be risen altar of stone on which he sat, the... bumps on his arm... what the hell was on his arm?

"Hey, knock it o- OH, JESUS CHRIST!" Leaping to his feet, he hysterically clawed at his arm. The things looked like beetles, insects, but they hurt like a mother, and they were so unpleasant. They were like ticks, and he could feel them slowly sucking his blood. Not enough to really warrant any sort of worry, but they were damn annoying, and Charles was in no mood.

It was no use. They wouldn't come off. He'd howl in pain each time, like he was ripping off a thick scab without actually succeeding. He panted, taking a deep breath, then realizing his throat was dry and itchy from the air. He felt smothered. His eyes started to water. Water... Self preservation made him look all around, but no use. There was just fire, heat, and lava everywhere the eye met. He felt he was going to faint.

One thought kept that from happening, though. '...Helena...? Where...?' He looked around, frantic. He knew what the place looked like, but where was he? 'I'm in Hell. I died, and I'm in Hell, but why? Why, God? I believed in... but... it's like Hall, but it's not... doesn't...' He couldn't be dead. He was still alive.

Where was Helena, then? "Helena?" He cried out. "HELENA!!" He searched the area, the altar, around it, by it, even touched the soil - and the soil was burning hot, too. It was a wonder his boots didn't melt - but all he found was a dried-up parchment. The edges were black, as if it was the one piece of a sheet of paper that hadn't been burned away. But the paper, it was whole. It looked like a map. 'Ok... alright... I'm not alone, then. I can just find my way to the nearest town, ask what country this is, get a plane trip back home, and then tell Helena how I don't know how I got wrapped into this insane mess.' The map didn't really look like any country he'd seen before, but he was no geography expert. And yet, it looked so big, at least the size of Canada or something. "Where am I...?"

"My land."

He jumped at the voice. Charles turned around wildly to see an old man, his skin as black as the soil, his eyes like burning coals, all wrapped in an ebony cloak and holding an equally black staff. He leaned forward. "I've been expecting you. I worried that perhaps the transfer would shatter your mind, but I was so elated that you made it! My body was practically cracking with my essence. But enough of that... you have questions. Do ask them. I'm eager to answer." And his eagerness was noted indeed. His hands shook as if with barely contained energy was just waiting to pour over.

Charles was not a fan of creepy, random old men with equally creepy eyes and - not to be racist, but nevertheless - horrendously black skin, but he didn't have any other clue. He cautiously got up, scratching the area around the beetles - to which the old man told him to stop, and he promptly did so, with some resentment - and spoke to him. "Where am I?"

"APOLLONIA, DEAREST CHILD! You're in our world now! Forget the world you once inhabited, it is gone, vanished, consumed by the uncontrolled flames of hatred! You've been chosen, spirited away, to avoid the apocalypse that would come to your world." Charles couldn't fathom what he was hearing. 'Apollonia? My wor- APOCALYPSE?! But that means... mom... HELENA!!!' "No... no, you're lying to me, you senile old coyote. Where am I, really?! ANSWER!!"

All he got from him was a chuckle. It started low, and the land around him seemed to throb with each rumble of his throat. Then he burst out in an all out laugh. Charles was infuriated. He held back only on account that it was an old man. "You! You MUST be the one connected to my essence! Have to be! Such passion... I can feel it!" As if to pronounce it, all throughout his body began to grow little cracks in the skin. Glowing red, then yellow, then a bright white. "I FEEL IT!!" Charles fell backward as the old man burst into flames and grew three, four, five times his size. His muscles grew, the cracks growing until the broke away the black carapace. His eyes, once glowing like hot coal, now practically burned like stars. A wide grin was spread over his face, and a brilliant mane of orange grew from his head. His clothes were completely turned to ash. Charles shook in fear.

"What... what are you...?" The elemental creature before him laughed again, the lava all around him bubbling and bursting, a slight rumble coming from the volcanoes. His voice was overwhelming, cracking, and powerful. "I am fire, child. I am one of the five primals that make your world a reality. And you... you are my avatar. I am linked to you, and you to me, in a way even those gifted in this land cannot comprehend. The legends will become mere nursery tales in the wake of your destiny! And I am here... to teach you."

Charles blinked. "Teach me what?"

The primal of fire raised his hand, glowing eerily. "To use... your gifts. Let the link between you and me OPEN AT LAST!! HOW I'VE WAITED, WAITED TOO LONG!! HAHAHAHAHA!!!"

An infernal roar echoed from his palm, and Charles once again felt himself engulfed in flames. Intense... so intense... Charles saw even the beetles that had clung to his arm could not bear it, unhooking their feet and jaws and flying away, their wings burning painfully. He felt his flesh heal. Suddenly, the fire, the heat, the soot, everything stopped bothering him. He felt as if he could breathe normally.

And when the fire ceased, the primal was gone.

"Search your abilities, child... I've left instructions imprinted in your heart, the core of your emotions. And do not worry... your love is alive and here as well. Seek her out. She will be at the destination in your map. You have many questions still... they will all be answered there."

He grasped the parchment in his fingers. Helena was alive... she was alive! He felt his heart rise up to his throat. He thought he would choke, but instead, he felt such a great and potent urge that he simply couldn't hold it back.

He felt his legs move. Before Charles could realize it, he was moving, a long line of footsteps printed in fire behind him, toward the area marked on the map. He didn't feel tired. Didn't feel weary. And he felt this wasn't the last he'd see of it. He enjoyed every bit of it, and for once it felt like he was back in Australia, rounding up wildlife and having the thrill of his life.

He'd find Helena and find out more about this whole deal. That was a promise.

((NOTE: Your replies don't have to be this long. I just felt like painting a big scene Very Happy

))

by Guest Sun Jan 17, 2010 3:34 pm

Was death this amazing? She was with her mother again, walking.. no.. floating among the clouds. It was pure paradise. If it was just a dream, and she was in a hospital bed with loads of tubes connected to her, she didn't want to wake up. Even if it was to be with Charles. She just wanted to spend some quality time with her mother.

"Wake up."

The voice sounded so close. She was wondering why her own mother, who could clearly see that she was awake, was telling her to wake up. "But.. I'm already awake. Why would I need to wake up?" Her mother smiled. "Trust me, child. Wake up." She didn't need to be told twice. Her brown eyes slowly opened. Or did they? The darkness that consumed her eyes scared her. It wasn't until she heard a soft sound that she realized she was on her stomach, her face in the ground. Rolling over and getting onto her back, she noticed that there were two moons, and loads of stars. That couldn't be right. There were never two moons in the sky at once. Come to think of it, there was only one moon back home. She sat herself up, rubbing her eyes and brushing the dirt out of her face.

Helena was in a different place, that was for sure. But where? She looked beside her, and noticed a piece of parchment. She laughed to herself. Since when did people use parchment? There were other things to write on now. She picked it up, and using the unusually bright moonlight, she looked at it. A map. She really had no place to put it, so she carefully memorized it, then folded it up. It was a bit odd sticking something into her bra, but that was the only place she could put it. After realizing that she might be dead, she stood, looking around. When she caught sight of the large bird, she swallowed. It was beautiful. She couldn't help but smile. "I know you probably can't talk, but.. Where am I? This place is.. amazing." She couldn't stop looking at the sky. Never had she seen so many stars.

" You are safe, in my land. This world is called Apollonia."

The voice startled her, because she thought it came from the bird. Her eyes looked around for the source of the soft voice. That was when her eyes landed on a beautiful woman. Her clothes looked like they were made from air. No, that couldn't be. Silk, maybe. But not air. Helena couldn't help but to trust this woman. She wanted to step closer, but instead, the woman did. "You have come here for a reason. The world you have once known has been destroyed by hatred. I chose for you to live, child." The woman paused, letting Helena soak in this new information. "D..destroyed? But Charles! Our pets! What happened to them!?" Tears began to form at the corners of her eyes. Her one and only true love, gone forever. Was this some sick joke? "Trust me, they are fine, child. I am here to teach you how to use your gifts. You had no idea they existed until now, I'm afraid."

"Gifts? What do you mean, gifts?" Helena was really confused. She just wanted to be back in the arms of Charles. To be home, cuddled on the couch with him and for everything to be back the way it was. The woman smiled, and the wind seemed to pick up. It engulfed the woman, moving to Helena. She wanted to scream, but it seemed like the wind would just suck it up right along with everything else. It stopped so suddenly, and knocked Helena off of her feet. The woman was gone. Why did Helena feel so different? It was like she was floating on the clouds with her mother again. She stood, taking her already messed up hair out of the clip it was in, letting the curls fall free to rest on her shoulders.

"The ones who truly love us.. never leave. He is here, my child. Go to the destination on that map. He will be there. Go, and be safe."

She took a deep breath, and looked around. Which way did she have to go? Pulling out the map, she unfolded it and looked it over once more. The large bird made a noise, which caused her to look up. It was flying over her head, and in the direction that the map pointed to. She now knew where she had to go. Her feet seemed to guide her, and every step she made caused the tall weeds move as if she were the wind. "I'm coming, Charles."

by Savannah Sun Jan 17, 2010 7:16 pm

The red-headed girl regained consciousness with a great heaving gasp, her lungs greedily taking in the surrounding air, while her eyes remained stubbornly closed as she tried to focus on inhaling slowly…one two three and exhaling…four five…six… she counted in her head as she felt her chest rise and fall. In a moment she realized she couldn’t remember what had happened, why she came to be lying on the ground in the first place. ‘Strange’ she thought, all she could see in her mind was an intense bright light and then nothingness. As she lay there contemplating this bizarre and frightening memory she became aware of a sensation that just didn‘t fit, she felt like there was sand underneath and all around her entire body.

Her eyes snapped open and she sat up forcefully, instantly regretting the motion. A kind of vertigo took hold, leaving her dizzy and nauseated. Abruptly leaning to the side she vomited up what little she had left in her stomach. Wrinkling her nose in distaste she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. “God… what the… hell is going on” she finally croaked aloud, the sound from her lips seemingly swallowed by the night the moment it left her mouth.

It was only then the girl really took in her surroundings. A vast desert, two distant moons reflecting off the rippled golden sand, bizarre silhouettes of plants she couldn‘t identify and in the distance a menacing and seemingly never-ending chain of mountains. Instantly Penny squeezed her eyes shut again in childish hope “It’s not real. This isn’t real.” she chanted in whispered, desperate tones. After a few minutes of this she cracked one eye open. The scene remained unchanged. “Oh….no, no.” she shook her head as if to rid herself of the image.

It is real young one, this is Apollonia.

The voice seemed to come from close by and she scanned the desert fearfully but could see no one. Plucking up her courage she called out “Wh-who’s there?” She looked around again and this time she saw a few feet in front of her something that made no sense to her overworked brain, it seemed as if bits of shadow were gathering together, forming the outline of an impressively tall person. She stared in awe and fear, the shadow was becoming more solid each moment until finally it seemed all at once the darkness was gone and left in its place was a being. A man, with long strands of silver hair falling down to his waist, robes of some elegant material that shone ivory in the moonlight, his skin just as pale and when she chanced to look at his face she gaped. His eyes were white, no pupil no iris, just… white. As if someone had taken two marbles and replaced the eyes. She couldn’t help but tremble “What do you want?” she pleaded meekly.

Your world is no more youngling, this is your home now, this is your destiny. You were chosen.

“My world is….gone? What…what happened. TELL ME!” she cried out in panic, forgetting her fear in the moment. The being seemed at once sad for the loss and as she sat at his feet he related her worlds hate and war and the fact it could not be saved. Tears streamed down her cheeks, falling to make little craters in the sand around her knees. “My family…” she keened brokenly, her grief fresh and acidic burning in her chest. The man touched her head gently and she looked up.

You can do great things and will do great things. You must see hope in your own future.

“I don’t understand” she sobbed “I’m just a girl….just a normal girl” her words hung in the desert breeze. She looked up to find him gone. She blinked in shock. “Where….” in an instant he reappeared beside her motioning her to get up from the ground, to stand on her feet, a motion shakily preformed but she stood nonetheless and the being seemed….pleased.

Underneath where she had been lay a map, almost covered in sand but intact. Plucking it from the ground and dusting it off she looked at it carefully, the landmarks were as unfamiliar as the desert she now found herself in and she sighed, the slight hope the map would give her a clue being dashed.

You have gifts young one and there are others as well. Tread carefully, follow the map. I will be with you.

She turned to ask more questions but instead of the white being there stood the black shadow form, solid in parts but steadily growing less. She watched as it came rushing towards her and she flung her arms in front of her face to protect herself. In an instant the shadow seemed to merge with her own being. The darkness penetrating her body, her mouth, eyes and ears.

And then it was over, her body humming with a new force, a new energy. Suddenly she didn’t feel as afraid anymore. Penny gazed at the arrow pointing the way. Gathering her wits she set off through the desert. Had she chanced to look back she would have seen her footprints in the sand shining with tiny particles of light.

by Sighlent Mon Jan 18, 2010 2:31 am

There was a faint rustling of wind passing over dried grasses, and the immense crevice which cradled her body felt like a warm hug rather than some dirty hole. She must have been dreaming. She had to be dreaming. The last thing she could recall was the one thing she wished she could forget, and that was the fact that the earth had literally just opened up and swallowed her and now she was lying only god knows where with only god knows what starring quite intently at her like she was breakfast. From the second she'd opened her eyes, splitting sunlight searing her eyes and an immeasurable thirst cracking the back of her throat where particles of dirt had lodged themselves, she'd known that she was no longer in Kansas...or anywhere within the vicinity of Kansas or Delaware, or even the United States for that matter. As an investigator it was one's job to be quick and observant so it had taken her little under two minutes to discern that wherever she was, be it the middle of a desert or on the other side of crazy, that this was no joke. Nor was it a dream. And that's when it had arrived, or at least that's when she'd noticed it.

Lifting her neck, the tendons cracking painfully as she used her arms to keep her body steady, Angela shifted slowly - never once lifting her gaze from the massive beast that stood before her chomping away at earth that surrounded them. She knew she needed to move but this thing, she had no idea how to respond to it much less how it would respond to her! It was like something out of one of Joseph's science fiction novel, only way to vivid and real. Which made her situation even more confusing in ruling out her possibility of being in Africa. She'd never seen anything like this before and it both awed and frightened her all in the same instance. She thought of using her gun, which luckily was still in tact, or so it seemed, but that idea came and went all to quickly to even be considered an actual thought. For some reason Angela couldn't seem to put her finger on, she knew that this thing, though massive beyond belief, would only react aggressively if she acted so. And she had absolutely no intention of dying just yet.

Pulling her body upwards, despite the awful way her muscles burned beneath her weight, Angela managed to stand and hobble two steps in slow motion before the thing noticed her again. It seemed to acknowledge her presence briefly before moving back onward to find something better to eat, the earth trembling in it's wake with each step that it's bouldery legs took. The force only sent Angela falling to her knees once more, and once her heart finally stopped physically abusing the inside of her rib cage only then did she try standing again. If she thought her throat was on fire, the her body was going through hell. Even for one as physically fit as herself it made no sense for her to be so sore, especially after her having done nothing to cause such pain. However, the ache didn't seem to be fading and the piece of paper that had caught the corner of her eye now seemed all to intriguing to be ignored.

As she bent down, her dirt caped locks falling heavily around her face, Angela's brow narrowed as her fingers encompassed the edges of the worn piece of parchment, the texture rough and thick within her grasp. It was a map. But to where? And where was she to begin with? And what the hell was she doing here?! She felt the uncontrollable urge to scream in frustration and as she did she heard a jackal call out in response within the horizon. This was seriously turning out to be the worst vacation ever...horrible flight, no peanuts, immense pain, oh and then there was the obvious fact that she could at any moment be eaten by something with half the brain of a human being. How lovely... she thought sarcastically.

"For someone so young, it is quite unusual to be filled with such hatred."

Spinning dangerously on her heel, the map in one hand and her gun now in the other, Angela hunched her shoulders and lifted the gun into scope. Her gaze landing hurriedly upon the scantily clad, dark skinned old man. What on earth was he wearing? And why was he smiling at her like some lovestruck fool? His voice was heavily accented, almost Jamaican sounding but not at all unpleasant and it reminded her of one of the guys she worked with, but only briefly. Angela's gaze narrowed as she tightened her posture and swallowed the lump in her throat to speak, "What is this?" She asked hoarsely. "Where am I? And who the hell are you?"

The man gently folded his hands in front of him, pulling aside the bag that he carried upon his side and removing a small pouch that swished with liquid. Angela's eyes immediately widened at the sound and she licked her cracked lips with desire. "Drink. The questions can wait Angela Choate, as everything happens within good timing." He tossed her the pouch and she caught it hungrily, suddenly forgetting about the stranger being a stranger and falling to her knees her gun to her side. The liquid that trickled across her lips and down into her very core tasted of dirt and iron, it was bitter but not unpleasant and she gulped it down greedily, down until the very last drop and even then she tried for more.

The old man laughed at her antics and she couldn't help but glare in response. "What's so funny?"

"You, of course. As I do not believe the earth can make such faces." He laughed again and Angela stood once more, using her knees this time. "Yeah well I don't know if it can make faces but it sure as hell can do others things, like eating people for instance, perhaps you know what I'm talking about?"

He nodded and folded his hands out in front of him, "I do."

Angela waited, "Yeah...and?"

"And," He drug out the word. "It was an unfortunate event, but we had to get you here somehow."

"Yeah thanks for that by the way, I'm sure I'll thoroughly enjoy coughing up dirt for the next few years of my life. If I even last that long. Where is here anway?" Angela questioned. She starred him down noticing the way his skin, the color of mud, seemed to be cracked in certain places. And then there was the unnatural way his eyes fluctuated between different variations of green in a way that reminded her of an open field rippling in the wind. It was strange. He wore no shoes, and a very simplistic robe that looked woven of grasses, and his hair, slightly darker than his skin with tones of gray, was plaited down his side and looked all to much like that of a twisted tree trunk. However, like the beast from before, Angela's instincts told her he was a friend and seeing as how her instincts were almost always right she went with it. Which was why she was no longer aiming her gun at his head.

"Apollonia." Came his simple reply. "Your home. My home. Our home." His arms spread out open before him.

Angela's brow quirked in curiosity and yet all the same she wondered if perhaps the sun had gotten to the man's head. Or maybe he was more into what many liked to call 'natural herbs'. "My home?" She laughed. "I think you must be mistaken my home is..."
"Gone." He completed for her, alarm and panic widening her chocolate colored iris' as the muscles in her arm tightened of their on accord. "Gone?" She mimicked. "What...why? I don't believe you. Why should I believe you I don't even know you!" Angela screamed, her cracked lips beginning to bleed. "You're just some stupid old man with a pony tail."

Amusement flickered within the man's eyes and he politely nodded his head and folded his hands before him once more, turning on his heel as he did so, "That anger will get the better of you if you let it Angela. But we both know very well that you know what I speak is the truth. Either way, you're a strong woman and have an incredibly kind heart. That is, after all, why we chose you my dear, however until you believe it yourself...well the map shall be your guide. Your journey has only just begun and you have so much to learn. But I have faith you. I always have. Trust your instincts and what was there all along will strengthen. Believe Angela."

Angela blinked and the man was gone, his voice having left behind an empty resonance within her sou, it's absence sending a shiver creeping up her spine. Who, or what had that been? Was this like some sort of spirit walk that she'd often heard her grandmother speaking of when she was a child? Was she on a spirit walk? And what had he meant about her instincts and 'what was there all along"? What the hell did that mean. Yes, this was definitely fast growing into the worst vacation ever, but either way what did it all matter now? Earth. Her family...her brothers...Joseph...Pauly...they were all gone. Like Mrs. Peterman. They were...gone. But where was their justice? Who would speak and stand or those who could not do so themselves? And that's when it hit her, that this was why she was here. This was her purpose! Perhaps it had always been this but now that she was possibly the only living human being left other than the magic man himself, it was up to her wasn't it?

Looking intently down at the map within her grasp she felt a small tug at her heart and yearned to cry for those who had been lost, never had she felt the urge so strong, but she didn't. She knew she couldn't. It was weird but she felt as if the weight was not hers alone to carry and she knew that this map...wherever it led, would answer everything. So what else could she do but start walking? So she did.

by Mustakrakish Tue Jan 19, 2010 7:46 pm

Nicholas…….

A voice sounded in the distance, calling his name softly, barely splitting the fog that cloaked his mind.

Open your eyes Nicholas……

As if on cue, Nicks eyes fluttered open, and a brilliant flash of light made stars erupt in his vision. Nick groaned and raised one hand to shade his brow, and blinked a couple of times to remove the brief blindness. He felt the warm rays of sun beaming down on his face and neck, and the soft sand that caressed his body. His legs felt cold, and he looked down to see clear blue surf gently lapping at his lower half. The ocean stretched on for miles, the horizon broken only by the distant blur of land. Nick licked his lips as his brain caught up with his body, tasting the salty spray of the sea.

Where am I….Nick thought to himself, and then suddenly the events of the past bombarded his mind in an instant: the library, the rain, the skin falling from his bones. Nick felt his pulse quicken, and he looked at his hands to make sure they were still in one piece. He seemed to be unharmed, though his clothing had seen better days. The sound of shuffling sand made Nick divert his attention to his left, and his stomach performed a brilliant barrel-roll.

Not ten feet away was the largest creature Nick had ever laid eyes on: a massive crustacean with a shell easily twice his size. The claws themselves looked like they could snap him in half, and the beady stalk eyes were as long and thick as his arm. Nick jumped to his feet and backed away, hands held out in a gesture of peace. The crab scuttled closer, its pincers opening and closing menacingly. The eyes bore an intelligence not belonging to normal creatures, and they looked Nick over as a fencer would stare down his opponent.

“Easy there pal,” Nick said soothingly, not quite sure why he was reasoning with a giant man-eating hermit crab. The absurdity of the situation was enough to make him almost laugh out loud, if it was not his own life on the line. The giant beast made a gurgling sound, bubbles forming at its mandibles, and the stalk eyes rose as if regarding something in the distance. Suddenly the animal scuttled backward, the large shell swaying back and forth as it made its hasty retreat. Nick cocked his head in puzzlement, hands falling once more to his sides.

It was then that he got that feeling again: the thought that he was being watched very closely. Nick turned on his heel quickly, fists raised just in case there was perhaps a gargantuan lobster here to seek vengeance on its cooked brethren. He did not expect what waited for him.

A figure stood barefoot in the ocean, robes stirring in the gentle breeze. She was an older woman, well past her prime but not to the extent of decrepit senility. She had long white hair that hung loose, and soft, worn features. Her robes were shades of blue and green, flowing like the very water she stood in. Not in, Nick realized, but on, as he saw that her feet rested not underneath the waves, but on top of them. Nicks mind reeled, and his eyes locked with hers, becoming lost in the swirling whirlpool of colors that held more knowledge and experience than Nick would ever come to know. She was something…divine.

“Hello Nicholas,” the woman said, smiling at him kindly, “welcome to my home.”

“How…how did you do that?” Nick asked, lost for words amidst everything he had seen. The woman laughed out loud, a pleasant sound that sent ripples along Nick’s skin. “Do what? Bring you here? I guess that’s the problem with being who you are: you cannot accept something unless it has some basis in fact. But then again…that’s why I chose you. I am sorry for the…nature of the transport, but there was little else I could do. That is, unless you wanted to be sucked into your toilet.” She laughed again, and Nick felt strangely at ease with her. For some reason, he knew he could trust her.

Nicks mind erupted in questions, “Where am I? How do you know who I am? What happened to…” The woman held up a hand, stalling further inquiries. “I knew I had chosen wisely with you Nicholas. I know who you are because I have been watching you for some time, and I am sorry to have to tell you that your world is no more. It has been consumed by the hate and war that had plagued it for centuries, erased from existence. I chose to save you, to bring you here, so that this world may not suffer the same fate,” she sighed, obvious sadness showing in her eyes.

“This is Apollonia, the home of the Primal Gods. You are my avatar Nicholas, the one who will inherit the might of the turbulent sea. You are not the only one from your world; there are others. The map at your feet will guide you to them, and at that location, your questions will all be answered.' Nick looked down, and a rolled piece of parchment stood up from the sand. Nick took it and shook the particles away, then looked back up at the woman. She smiled at him again, and then a huge wave consumed her body and splashed up around Nicks ankles. He felt a chill run down his spine and the woman’s voice inside his head once more.

Go now and have no fear. I will help you, but you must be the one to use your gifts. Be smart my child….

Nick unrolled the map and observed its surface. He saw the smooth lines of coast, the slopes of hills, and the sharp peaks of mountains. In the center was a red dot, obviously signifying his destination. Nick looked at the world around him, and for some reason, he knew exaclty which way to go.

by Adrius Frostglare Wed Jan 20, 2010 5:17 pm

Nicholas

As the beach, now with the ocean a blue line in the horizon, several miles away, there are changes in the land along with the now early evening sunset. The bay is very lush with wildlife and tall, tropical trees, but there are several clearings. Near one of these clearings are artificial steppes, from which there gives rise a farm. In this rather expansive farm, there is rice planted throughout the area. Farmers in odd clothing, with subdued tones of gray and blue, are planting the rice sprouts into the submerged soil. However, many of them, presumably the military security of the settlement, are heavily armed with long, slender spears, completely covered in armor made of what can only be assumed to be the thick, seaweed-green scales from some sort of animal. The spears are long metal poles with a jagged, calcium-white blade in the end. It resembles a giant tooth. The warriors are obviously not friendly, but they are not outright hostile if they don't sense a threat. On several cliffs, beyond the acres of the watery plantation, are some orchards of tropical fruits such as banana (each the size of a newborn baby), oranges (the size of basketballs), and limes (oddly enough, normal size, but ten times more sour than their Earth counterparts), and in a small clearing within these lies a town made of several straw and wooden buildings, rather round in shape and obviously very rough. The people themselves, men, women, and children, seem as if they were willing to fight against the guards, but don't do so. Unknown to Nicholas, their lives were cheated into an unfair, feudalistic servitude by the landlords. The guards - and farmers - eye the stranger traveling figure with calculating eyes, wondering where he is from.

"Halt!", yells one of the guards. "You. Where did you get those strange clothes?" Their language, not something that would normally be understandable, is translated by the Primal God for understanding. Likewise, they make English or whatever language used to translate into Wahashian.

((These are Impirial Wahashians, the "bad" side. For more info on how the common Wahashian acts, look up the compendium at the OOC thread.))

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Angela

The savanna lies flat for miles, broken only by a watering hole, a few gnarled trees, and tall patches of grass. Night has settled, and one moon is seen in the sky, the other magnified by its lowness on the horizon, illuminating the slowly-enlarging, colossal mountain in to the north. The nights are generally illuminated by one moon or the other, but there is enough visibility to see. From one of the trees, a set of large, yellow eyes creaks open and eyes the woman carefully. It is a crail, a bat-like, large, nocturnal creature with enormous eyes, small ears, dark gray fur, and four leathery wings. It flies out, swooping about the air. Being a scavenger, it does not take her into consideration. Night time is really the safest time in the savanna, when all the creatures are asleep. Most, anyway. Many of the dire lions were fond of nocturnal hunting, since it was when the wildebeests were at their least strong... but now one eyed this curious figure which the crail, in its opportunistic nature, had flown over to alert whatever nearby predator of its presence so they may kill her, leaving him to eat the body after they were sated. Unfortunately, crail acted completely on instinct, and common sense eluded them the fact that perhaps this was such a small creature that it would be eaten whole. Nevertheless, the cunning lioness had taken advantage of its dumb, automaton-like function, and curved down her sleek, 10-foot long, 900 pound body amazingly hidden by the tall grass thanks to ages of evolution and experience, just ready to silently pounce on her. She'd be good for the young, as a snack anyway...

((Uh... ok, I got a confession to make. I mixed up Sigh and Sava's characters. I thought Sava's was the Earth, so I made one with wildlife... BUT it is still good, so if Sigh wants to take advantage of it since I am unwilling to delete it, she can have it, or I can edit it for something different.))

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Penny

The edge of the desert was coming into view. The night was passing, early dawn rising to the horizon, far away, golden light streaming over the white sand of the desert, giving it a holy touch to its glow. The ahriman had gone to their caves at the bases of the Lids of Dolukin, those doomed, black mountains that contrasted so much with the pale desert. A small breeze is picking up some of the sand, but not enough to make more than a slightly annoying storm. The earth is slowly turning from sand to solid ground, but it is still mostly sand.

There is a slight tremble. A creature, long and menacing, had not had a very good hunt. Everything had been silent this day. Frustrated, seeking nourishment, it felt the light footsteps of something. Something made of flesh and bone. Instinct pulled it over, turning around to the source. The vibrations were stronger. Only a small rising and sinking bump in the sand gave away its location, but the sand worm was determined to swallow this prey whole. It would rise up, not giving it a chance to fight, and then the toxins in its gut would quickly kill and digest it. It prepared to open its large, gaping maw...

((Use your head for this one! The worm is blind, but there is more to your skills than the visual stuff.))

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Helena

The desert's border was a few miles behind, the beach sand mixing with that mystical one from the surreal land. The beams of dawn were quite a bit stronger here, and her presence kicked up the wind, forming swirling dust clouds behind her. There were plants here, but they were... strange. None had leaves, not that that would be expected in the desert, but they had qualities to them. There was a small forest of strange, stone-like ones that had been chipped by sandstorm but nevertheless stood standing, their branches sharp and dagger-like, looming fifteen feet high. Even more ominous, however, was the even taller, gaunt, 30-foot, husky looking one. This one appeared to be made of rope-like wood... and true enough each of the branches ended in thick, long strands of rope that grew naturally from the tree.

They were all nooses. And some of them were occupied.

Small creatures, such as mice, were living in this tree. A few were eating off the rotting corpse of one of the bodies that had fallen, the dry vine too weak to hold it any more. What little flesh was left on its bleached bones was being gnawed away by the creatures. It was a gruesome sight.

by Adrius Frostglare Thu Jan 21, 2010 12:20 am

Charles' feet were tired. He'd been running endlessly. He wasn't sure if he should have been able to. Something odd had happened with the fire primal, he knew, and that was why his footsteps had left blazing prints on the soil, a fact he'd only discovered an hour ago when his mind had calmed down and he'd actually looked back to see. He'd have to experiment more on this. Charles had to sit down, though, his legs throbbing with pain he'd been ignoring for at least half an hour now. The area had changed. It was no longer all black soil, ash, and fire, but had become more verdant and lively. He had almost reached the skirt of the humongous mountain. There were still some little bits that showed this was still inside the boundaries of the firelands, mainly just a burning bush here and there, once in a while a puddle of lava. It was night time. He yawned and looked at his clothes. They were all charred, blackened, and really they were more revealing than he wished.

Now that his mind was not distracted, however, it left room for some very painful thoughts. He thought of Earth. First, he thought on what the primal had told him. Everything, consumed. From their pets to his mother to their friends to all they never would get to know. Charles was made tough, but not this tough. He felt a sob rip at his chest, raw and choking, a stream of tears flowing down his face, clearing away a path from the coat of soot that covered him completely. That wasn't even to mention his lifelong belief in God had been shattered. He really didn't like the idea of swapping religions, even if one of them was obviously right. He groaned. 'What if I just think the primals were god all along? They seem to care enough.' Well... it was a step to acceptance. At least he knew he wasn't alone in spirit.

He was about to go to sleep near a tree when he heard loud whooping. He snapped out of his dozing, looking up from behind his arms. There, astride large, reddish reptilian creatures, was a band of people chasing down a nasty-looking snake with legs, and much larger than any of them or the reptiles they were riding. The thing was fighting them, clawing and scratching, breathing out -fire- like a dragon - 'Must be what it is, a dragon' - but the hunters... they were anything but human. They controlled their lizards like they actually had a hold of their nervous system, and the ferocity with which they fought was frightening. A lot of them had spears, but Charles soon realized they much preferred to fight with broadswords. They tossed themselves at the creature, gripping its neck while their steeds bit into its legs. Before he knew it, the hunting party had stabbed it through the heart, and the creature now lay dead. He blinked, suddenly aware that he was terribly exposed. Not wanting his own heart to end up the same way, Charles scuttled behind the tree. It wouldn't do much good, but he had to make it. The hunters started whooping, screaming, dancing... in English? That couldn't be right, his common sense told him. There had to be some sort of trick to it. He'd ask that question at their destination, he decided.

He decided to take a peek. The hunters had -'That's just great.' - set up camp on the spot and were now roasting the dragon-thing on a spit. They seasoned it, started to eat it, and were laughing merrily. Charles' stomach roared angrily at his hesitation to follow the smell. He had not eaten the entire day since waking up, and Go- the Primals alone knew where he'd gotten all that energy. 'They're going to make me salivate until I die of dehydration before starvation... oh, dammit, I want to bog in on it so badly... and they have water!' Maybe more so than the food, the water attracted him terribly to the scene. Charles watched them swap the skin around, drinking down the liquid. Maybe it wasn't water... but at this point, he didn't care. He just needed the right chance.

Charles wasn't a fan of stealing, and prior to his visit or this situation, he would have more than let it out against anyone he'd catch thieving. But that food, now nicely tucked away in the hunters' bags, was so alluring, he couldn't help it, and his newly found change of faith meant that stealing... well, it was still wrong, but he was the only hope, along with who knew who else plus Helena, in keeping these people from killing each other, so he felt it justified. If the gods had a problem, he'd deal with the punishment, which couldn't be worse than feeling his gut trying to desperately digest itself. He closed in on the group, all snoring loudly. Three men. Oh, shit, what about the lizard things? To his surprise, he discovered they were busy eating the remains of the killed dragon with gusto, far away enough so the hunters wouldn't hear their ugly dinner sounds. 'Great, biggest threat short of being had is way over there. I'll just... there it is... thanks for the barbie plate, blokes.' He slowly tiptoed away, only to realize that something had shot out and grabbed his heel. He looked down. One of them was there, staring right at him.[/b]

"You sorry Wahashi rat, I'll skewer you!" Well, whatever "Wahashi" was, it didn't sound nice, and the man was grabbing his heel. He had everything he needed, from the water skin to the food in his hand... but this guy was keeping him back. And calling him a rat. And waking his mates up to help him be skewered. That just didn't trigger well in his mind. "Rack off, you whacka!" He was very self-conscious of the fact that he was using a lot of Australian slangs, but when he was this upset and in this situation, he just let his most base instincts take over, and those instincts were rooted on his early life in the Outback.

The hunter screamed as his hand was seared, Charles' leg seeming a bright red with tongues of fire licking out from his pores. The man looked shaken. "A.. a Heart-Scorcher?! Capture him alive! The Empire will pay a great sum for his talent!" Well, that just made his day. Now he was a [i]wanted man for more than just petty theft. Charles didn't stick around to find out why. He turned and ran, his footsteps leaving no trail this time for them to follow. He was surprised they hadn't chased him. What had stopped them? Laze? Fear? It didn't matter.

Charles sped on, his sleep deprivation forgotten, as he thankfully chewed down on his food and drank his drink.

by Guest Thu Jan 21, 2010 3:27 pm

Sleep.

That is all that was on Helena's mind at the moment. Get to Charles, then crash. Everything that happened in the past few hours were now a blur to her. She had seen a woman that looked like she was made of air, and was told that her world was no longer there. She had nothing to go back to.

It wasn't until she looked back behind her, that she realized how far she was from where she started. How did she get here so quickly? Was she as fast as the wind? It couldn't be that because she had been walking, not running or flying. Her body was becoming weak, just like the wind after a storm. Everything seemed like a dream to her as she walked along her path. She noticed the odd trees, and she took note to stay away from the sharper looking ones. Her feet were becoming sore, and yet, she couldn't stop herself from walking. Every step she took would lead her closer to Charles. The smell of rotting flesh soon filled her nostrils, and she fell to her knees, gagging. Where was it coming from? Her watering eyes shot around, but she didn't see anything. Maybe it'd be best if she held her breath from now on while she walked through the strange trees.

The smell was getting to her, and fast. Her head was dizzy, and before she knew it, she was face down in the dirt, out cold. It seemed like her dreams were taking her back home, back before any of this happened. She was with Charles and his mother, and they were having a great time together as usual. The dream was pure bliss compared to what life she was living now. It soon changed to some sort of trance-like dream. The woman from earlier was there, smiling at Helena. Now, my child, use your mind. Think. You can push away this smell and continue on. Helena blinked, but she was still asleep. How on Earth was she supposed to use her mind to push away the smell? It wasn't like she was made of wind. She couldn't just create a wind strong enough to not make her pass out from the stench. Or.. could she?

A low caw caused her to wake up out of this nearly perfect dream. She saw a pair of large claws in front of her, and she pushed herself up to her knees, seeing the beautiful feathers of a large bird. She looked up at the large creature, and smiled. All of a sudden, things were.. calm. Its colors were soothing, as was the sound it made while looking at her. Was it.. dangerous? She didn't know. The bird spread its wings, and she ducked, hoping it wouldn't scoop her up in its large claws and feed her to its children. In a gust of wind, the bird was flying off into the sky, far away from her. It was going in the direction she had to go. Only one thing came to her mind. Charles. She wiped her face off, cleaning the dirt, and she stood. Somehow, she had found some energy, and the wind picked up. Everything was clear to her.

The smell was gone, but it didn't keep her from noticing the now swaying ropes from the large trees, and the bodies that were hanging from them. It was like a scene out of a horror movie, and she was the lead actress. Some of the ropes snapped, causing the bodies to fall and the bones to crack. Chills were sent down her spine at the sound, but she kept moving. For a place that had so many dead bodies, there wasn't a lot of life around there. Rats, mice, birds.. but no live people except for herself. Perhaps she was going in the wrong direction, and there was no town ahead of her. Yes. That way, she would be safe. The people of this place wouldn't understand the strange clothes she wore, or how she got there to begin with.

Crack! Helena screamed, barely dodging the sharp looking plant. She rolled out of the way of its branches, and stared for a moment. "What the..? That wasn't a fair shot! How was I suppposed to know you'd lash out at me!?" She laughed at herself for talking to a tree. After making sure it was okay, she got back to her feet and continued on. Her feet were light, not even sore anymore. It was like she was walking on air. Her clothes and hair whipped around, as did the trees. Was she running? It didn't feel like it. But she was moving fast, and that's all she needed to know while heading toward her love.

by Mustakrakish Thu Jan 21, 2010 6:55 pm

As Nick walked further inland, the fine grains of sand gave way to isolated blades of grass that gradually grew into a full carpet of green. Tropical trees sprouted up here and there, growing more abundant as he trudged onwards. He must have walked for miles, the coast now a blur, but hiking was something Nick was greatly accustomed to. His clothing was still wet, which weighed him down more than he preferred for this kind of travel, but there was no other alternative. Nick had already emptied his pockets of his various Earth bound possessions. He no longer needed a cell phone, car keys, or wallet, because the world those things belonged to was now gone. Everything he had ever known just erased from the universe. It was difficult to swallow, and Nick tried to keep his mind off the memories of the past and on his current objective. Mourning the loss of his world would do him no good in this situation.

Nick began to notice changes in the way he looked at this world. The landscape itself never changed, but Nick felt like he had a greater perception of things, a larger understanding of everything as a whole. He still knew nothing of the world and its variety of strange creatures, but he could infer certain things just from observing. It was strange, like a veil that had covered half of his mind had suddenly been pulled aside, and he was finally able to see everything in its fullest potential. Whatever was happening to him, he assumed it had to do with his conversation with the Goddess on the beach, the one who had brought him here.

Nick made his way easily between the trunks of the large tropical trees. They were forced to grow far apart in order to not deprive the others of nutrients and water Nick assumed, which made his life easier since he wasn’t forced to find paths around large clusters of vegetation. Thick vines crawled up some of the trunks, sprouting colorful flowers that left a subtle, sweet smell in the air. Nick stopped to take a quick rest, leaning against one of the trees and closing his eyes. He inhaled deeply, savoring the clean, aromatic air, and let it out slowly. Despite everything, he remained calm. Never before had his mind ever been this clear and focused. It was a nice change of pace from the usual hectic lifestyle he once led.

Voices in the distance brought Nick out of his brief meditation. They were faint, very distant, but he could hear the distinct grumbles of people. His mind raced with equal parts excitement and fear. He knew that people meant food and water, something he would need on his journey, but at the same time he was not entirely sure of how friendly the locals would be to his appearance. Nick crept of the grove, moving as quietly as possible, to get a better look at who was making the sound. He stepped out into a clearing, and instantly regretted his decision as the voices stopped. In front of him, not more than one hundred feet away, was what looked like an Asiatic rice paddy, with the water filled terraces full of hunched farmers. Three individuals stood apart from the others, and it was these three that were turned in Nick’s direction.

“Halt!” one of them called, raising a finger and pointing at Nick, “You, where did you get those strange clothes?” It caught Nick of guard that the language he was hearing was English, though accented in a way he could not determine. Nick stopped walking and looked at the three men, though the farmers had all stopped working and turned to observe as well. The initial three were covered head to toe in gleaming green armor, their faces hidden behind blank visors. Each carried a long spear, tipped with the wicked point of some sort of bone. The one who had spoken to him had a webbed crest rising from his helmet like the fin of some sort of aquatic dinosaur. “Come closer!” the man ordered.

Nick felt very afraid at this point, but he kept his breathing under control and his mind as much at ease as possible. He walked over to the soldiers, taking everything in about his surroundings. These men were not friendly, judging from their tone and stature, and could easily impale him on one of those spears. There was no way he could fight all three of them in his current, travel worn state, and no way he could run away from them either. He was stuck. Nick switched his gaze to the farmers, who looked at him with wide eyed curiosity. Their clothing was worn and faded, and their faces looked more gaunt and ragged than a normal person should. They hung back from the soldiers, as if afraid to get to close, but Nick could see the fierce glint of defiance in some of the younger men’s eyes. It dawned on him that these soldiers were not here to protect the farmers, only to keep them in line. Perhaps they were prisoners, or slaves? Whatever was going on, it made Nicks blood boil to see people treated like this. He returned his gaze back to the armored men.

“I asked you a question stranger, where did you get those clothes?” The tone of the crested soldier held a silent threat. The other two circled around to stand on either side of Nick, their postures not overtly threatening, but keeping their spears within reach. Nick could only see the eyes of each man through the green visor, and all three had a look of disdain and arrogance. Nick knew nothing of this land or its people, but he was definitely being tested. He decided to take a gamble.

“My clothing is none of your concern sir, and I would greatly appreciate it if you would get out of my way,” Nick spoke his words slowly and bravely, though inside all he could do was concentrate on that gleaming spear tip. The farmers hushed their whispers at his words, and the soldiers turned to look at each other briefly. The crested one spoke again, his words dripping with cynicism “Brave words from a foreigner. You must not be accustomed to the laws of the Wahashian Empire. Allow me to educate you. We have laws preventing the travel of unescorted foreigners to all parts of the Empire, and I see no escort with you. I am afraid you are going to have to pay a fine and placed under arrest.” The two men at each side moved closer and reached out to grab Nick’s arms.

“That would be unwise,” Nick said quickly. The men stopped moving.

“Oh, and why is that?” the leader asked while his men began laughing.

“Because I do not think your superiors would take kindly to you interfering with their agent,” came the quick reply. The laughter ceased immediately. Nick was looking right into the eyes of the crested soldier now, and he saw a change. Arrogance replaced by a flash of fear and confusion. “Your leaders have hired me to inspect these farms, since the crop they have been receiving is inadequate for their needs.” The lie fell from Nick’s mouth so fast he could hardly believe he was crafting it. “It seems obvious to me exactly what the problem is...” Nick continued, pushing past the armored guards and stepping over to the amazed farmers.

He leaned in and inspected a few of them, holding their faces and lifting up their arms, pretending to know what he was doing. The farmers just sat there, some with their mouths hanging open. Nick clucked his tongue disapprovingly. “They will not be happy to hear this, no no not at all.” He turned back to the guards. “When was the last time these people had a proper meal?” The guards stammered slightly, taken aback by the sharp transition of who-was-playing-who. “I thought so,” Nick said, shaking his head, “Your superiors will not be pleased with the treatment you are giving these people, since it is interfering with the delivery of food to the rest of the Empire. Now I am willing to send a positive report, despite your obstructive actions to my job, as long as the conditions that these men and women work under are changed. Proper food, proper clothing, and fair hours of work, is that clear?” Nick felt like he was scolding school children, but his tone was far from innocent. He had undertaken a new persona, like a wrathful judge handing out a sentence. “If the status of these farmers is not increased, and thus their output, I will file a report that strongly encourages the harshest of punishments to the man in charge of the operation,” Nick finished his sentence with his eyes locked dead on with that of the crested leader.

Nick turned on his heel and left the farm, giving the bewildered farmers a sly wink. He smiled to himself, thinking that perhaps history was the wrong career choice, for he should have gotten an Oscar for that last performance. He made his way further inland, the sounds of cheering workers at his back.

by Savannah Fri Jan 22, 2010 5:36 am

‘Live believing…dreams are for weaving…wonders are waiting to start…’

Penny sang as she walked almost seeming to be in a trance, or perhaps shock. The girls footprints stretched through the desert in a long line behind her only the most recent showing a faint glow. The map tucked into the waist of her skirt, or what remained of it. The bottom was half torn to pieces. Her top at least fared a little better. Penny absently reached up to touch her scarf and found it missing. She frowned and it occurred to her that she never remembered losing it. This inane thought tugged at her and she tried to resist crying. She had done so on and off while she walked and it bothered her, though she couldn’t say why. She’d lost everything she’d ever known, why shouldn’t she just sit and cry. But it didn’t feel right. She felt she had some larger purpose pulling her through the grief. It was a lifeline in a way and she held on tightly.

‘live your story…faith, hope & glory…’

The words carried over the sand, and though she couldn’t place where she knew it from the melody was comforting and it made her lonely trek a little more bearable. Her headphones were dangling uselessly off her neck, the cord looped around to keep them from falling. The actual device they were attached to was melted, unusable and certainly would never play any music again, she supposed singing was the next best thing and though not practiced her voice was clear and sweet.

She realized she had no honest idea why hadn’t just chucked the useless thing and be rid of it but some part of her wanted to hold on to it. And in this instance she trusted her intuition. She’d always felt like she had some sort of inner sense guiding her. Though she had liked to claim she was a woman of science there were some things you just couldn’t measure or quantify. And now here she was on a strange world, in the desert, having conversed with a presence she couldn’t explain rationally in any way and following a map to god knows where. The thought struck her as so absurd she wondered for a moment if this wasn’t some sort of bizarre coma-induced dream state.

‘...hold to the truth in your heart…’

She wasn’t aware of time passing but sunlight had begun to slowly leak over the massive peaks framing the horizon turning the desert sand it touched a pure and brilliant white, the plant life contrasting starkly against the grains. Bits of rocky outcroppings had started to appear signaling the coming end of the vast desert.

Penny was about to launch into the next verse but the words died in her throat as she felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up and she stopped walking suddenly. It was like someone had turned her intuition up fifty notches, she felt…like she knew something was coming, something bad. This creeping feeling up her spine made her knees weak and she turned fearfully, half expecting some hollywood monster to come springing into view. A silent landscape greeted her gaze. Nothing stirred until the wind started to pick up, rustling the plants and kicking up grit. She coughed and covered her mouth. That warning was still sounding in her head but she couldn’t possibly guess at what.

She now found herself treading along the sand nervously, not having it in her to sing anymore. She hadn’t been more than fifty paces and her heart was thundering in her chest. She looked back again, this time noticing the dip in the sand that was moving straight towards her….fast.

Breaking into a sprint Penny tried to get away but the sand was proving almost impossible to run in. She kept stumbling, her breath coming in ragged gasps. The thing was still following her. She dashed to the right, then left, each time it turned in an instant to pursue. ‘How the hell is it doing that!?’ her mind screamed. In a flash of insight she realized it must rely on sound, how else could something know where she was if it was under the ground. She sped up desperately the creature no more than a foot behind her and closing the gap.

At the last possible second she dove onto a large rock as the creature exploded from the spot her foot was a moment before, showering her with dirt. She froze, her eyes wide in terror as the worm-like creature towered above the ground it‘s awful mouth gaping. Sweat trickled down the side of her face as the beast made the most horrific screeching sound; frustrated at the lack of prey. Penny looked around wildly, searching for a way out. Solid ground was an agonizing stretch of sand away. The rock she sat on an island, isolating her from escape. The worm gave another screech before lunging back under the ground, circling her perch, waiting. Apparently it wasn’t going to give up its intended meal so easily.

“I need a distraction.” The thought bounced around her mind as the minutes ticked by. When it finally came to her she almost slapped herself for not figuring it out sooner. Of course she’d only get one shot at this. Carefully standing up she wrapped the headphone cord around her music player bundling it up tightly, the thing wouldn’t work but it would still make a decent thump when it hit the ground hopefully giving her enough time to race to safety. She took a deep breath. “Here goes nothing.” In one graceful motion she launched the chunk of plastic watching as it sailed in an arc landing some feet away. The worm went for it and she fled in the opposite direction not stopping until she flung herself onto solid ground like a baseball player sliding home.

“Huh” she said after a long beat. Her mind catching up to what had just happened. “I’ll be damned. That actually worked.”

by Adrius Frostglare Wed Feb 03, 2010 7:50 am

He was exhausted. His knees were actually bleeding. He didn't know how long he'd been running, but it had been non-stop since the episode with the hunters. The food had revitalized him, but that was several nights ago. Whatever water he'd had was long gone. He was parched, even with the primal's infusion of power into him.

But he was here. He looked at the map, then checked again the feeling, that tugging feeling telling him where to go. 'Here we are.' He stepped forward a couple more meters and turned around the corner.

What greeted him was a cave. Not a small, pitiable cave where people would huddle up in a dark corner, but a cave with a gaping maw. On both sides of it were statues. They looked... carved... no, not carved, molded like limestone, yet made of hard granite, the various shades of pink, black, and white dotting the entirety of its surface. The statues were of enormous, unrecognizable creatures, mountainous, with long tusks and mammoth-like features. Over them, the mountain loomed ever higher. It was dawn.

He felt his knees buckle. He entered the cave, the interior just as enormous as the entrance. The walls around were smoothed out like a tunnel, yet they were intricate. Illustrative wall paintings told stories that he just didn't have the energy to make sense out of. "Well... here I am... I want my questions to get some answers here, so where is it?" His voice echoed in the empty halls. No answer. He licked his lips with irritation. "I said, I came for some answers. You said I'd find them here. Where. Are. They?" He roamed the labyrinthine halls for a few more minutes... then realized he was lost. He couldn't backtrack. The halls had mysteriously changed. "What the... look, I'm NOT in the mood for this, ok? You said Helena would be here, so WHERE IS SHE?!" He slammed a fist at a wall, but pulled the punch just in time to keep his bones from breaking. That did not, however, stop a small shot of fire from making a miniature black char mark on the wall. He started pacing around frantically, calling out for people to answer him.

Finally, unable to take anymore, Charles laid down - really fell - and began to sleep peacefully, never registering the footsteps echoing seconds after.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

There was a crackling sound when he woke up, and he realized that it came from a fire. A much smaller, more homely room was seen, the walls just as smooth but not covered in illustrations. He was sitting on a bed made of some material or other, he could not tell what it was despite its temptingly soft feel. On the left of him, against a wall, was a very modest-looking kitchen, a woman in her 50s chopping vegetables eagerly, her skin a very deep, dark brown color. She wore an odd dress that was a plain brown like mud. She looked to him and gave a slight smile before turning back to her cooking.

At the center and near the fire stood a man, aged about the same as the woman, smoking on a wooden pipe. His head was shrouded by a large hyena-shaped hood with feathers attached to it, covering most of his back and part of his neck and shoulders along with it. One could still easily tell his hair, once black, was beginning to gray and even had a few silver strands here and there. His face was terribly wrinkled, more so than the woman's. He had several scars crisscrossing his bare chest, a modest loincloth covering him from the waist down, also an earthen brown like the woman's. He had a very deep complexion with sunken eyes and a crooked nose. His skin was completely black.

He looked up from staring a the fire and smiled. The smile made Charles' skin crawl. "Well now, you've awoken. I trust you'll find yourself much more rested than before?" Charles inspected himself. His clothes were gone, replaced by bandages made from some material he did not recognize, on top of which he had a simple brown vest and a white tunic. His knees, especially, were so sore he thought they'd never work again, but they had been disinfected with a poultice and bandaged, with baggy cloth pants - unsurprisingly, colored brown - making his look more modest. He had no shoes, his bare feet feeling the air around them for the first time since he'd arrived to Apollonia. He blushed slightly as he realized probably the old woman had been the one to dress him, and shuddered slightly at the thought that it may have been the old man. He heard a low chuckle. "Oh, do not be so childish, son of fire. My wife was very gentle and respectful, I assure you."

He sat up on the bed, groaning a bit and clutching his suddenly throbbing head. "Easy, now. No need to aggravate yourself. You still have ears to hear my voice. I know of you... all of you. Sleep for now. I will answer everything - including who I am - when the rest arrive." He was in no position to argue. His eyes made the decision for him as he fell into that all-too-comfortable bed and began to sleep soundly.

by Guest Thu Feb 04, 2010 9:10 pm

The creepy part was long behind her as she continued on. She had to look at the map once or twice, just to make sure she was headed the correct way. It seemed like she would never arrive. Every now and then, she would hear a noise and freak out. When she found out that it was just a small creature or something that ran away when they saw her. Being alone in a strange place scared her. She didn't have Charles to wrap his arms around her, telling her that everything would be okay. She didn't have him there to kiss her forehead, hug her, cuddle with her as she slept. But no. He wasn't there. She was pretty damn sure that the woman had lied to her. Charles was dead, and she knew it. The thought of it alone caused tears to flow down her cheeks, mixing in with the dirt from earlier. "Charles! I need you! Why did you have to leave me alone at home? Now you're gone, and I'll never see you again.. As far as I know, I'm dead to you.."

It wasn't long until the landscape changed. Grass.. more trees.. water. She just realized how thirsty she was. She strayed off the path, and sat down on her knees in front of a fast flowing stream of water. She cupped her hands, dipped them into the water, and sipped it slowly. She savored the cool liquid, and then washed her face with it. She shifted to her bottom, and pulled off her shoes, dipping them into the water. "Ahh..." One hour..... two hours.. She didn't know how long she sat there with her feet soaking in the water. When she felt small fish nibbling at her toes, she pulled her feet out, letting them dry in the grass. So this was it. She had really lost everything she knew. Charles, their pets, every single thing. Why did she have to be dragged away from her life? She screamed out in frustration. Life was treating her fairly, and she lost it all. It felt like she gambled, and this was her grand prize. She pulled out the map once more, and noticed that she was nearing her destination.

"Should I even go? My heart is telling me to. I should trust it, because it's what brought Charles and I together." She hopped to her feet, forgetting about her shoes, and she ran off in the direction that she had been heading in. A soft whispering in her ear that she couldn't understand, but at the same time could, was telling her that she was getting closer. She slid to a halt in front of a large mountain. She swallowed, looking at it, then the map. Was she supposed to go inside? Yeah, sure. Like she was really going to go inside a dark cave, possibly filled with creatures that would eat her up in one bite. She took ahold of the charm hanging from her necklace, and took a deep breath. "I can do this. Just step inside, and hope for the best. Charles could be inside! Or I could be going into a trap." She noticed the statues on either side of the entrance. This was no ordinary cave. Maybe.. there were people inside of it.

Without another thought, she found herself running inside. Before she knew it, she had gone inside further than she probably wanted to , because it definitely wasn't an ordinary cave. She noticed how comfortable everything seemed. Her fingers ran along the wall, and she looked around. "He..hello? Is anyone in here? Charles? Anyone?" Helena noticed how tired she was. All her energy was zapped like that. Maybe if she found a nice place to lay down and sleep for awhile. She just wanted to wake up, and be near Charles again. That's all she really wanted. She sat down against the wall, and closed her eyes. Just a nap.. a quick one..

by Savannah Sat Feb 06, 2010 2:46 am

The rush of cheating death had worn off and Penny now found herself trudging listlessly along, her strength and energy evaporated like so much water in the vast desert she left behind. She had the good sense to stay away from any dense vegetative areas, years of studying plant life had taught her to be wary of places where animals can easily be concealed, never mind alien animals. Though she hadn’t spotted anything else so far, and certainly nothing like that freakish sand worm. She heard birds occasionally and what she assumed was the hum of insect life. She tried to resist jumping when a twig happened to snap too close for comfort. In the end though being scared took energy as well and soon she fell into a numb acceptance of where she was and what she was doing. The thought provoked her and she checked the map for the millionth time, she knew the directions off by heart, they were not complex. But she had to convince herself again that this was right, that the paper was inked and tangible to her hands. She traced her fingertips over the map winding over the jagged peaks that symbolized the mountain range she now stood in the shadow of. If they had loomed in the desert now they seemed impossibly monolithic and she felt so…small staring up at them.

Her thoughts swung inwards and she recalled the silver haired man, his image forever burned into her mind. The way he talked to her, it was like he already knew who she was inside, and then it seemed like he had just plucked her from Earth like a daisy; landing her here, Apollonia he called it. A determined look crossed her face. She may not be able to ever go home but damn it she would have answers. She couldn’t wait to get to her destination, she was going to have words with that….well, whatever he was. Brushing away a few tree branches Penny stepped onto a small path, worn but thin. She stood on the trail a moment looking back and forth. A sudden thought gave her pause, he said there would be others. Other…humans? Like her? Or….something else. She frowned deeply. How would she even communicate, it’s not like she packed along her trusty ‘Alien to English’ dictionary. She let out a loud sigh. “Well can’t find out till I get there I guess.” she stated to an indifferent tree. With that she headed once more towards her destination, moving easily down the narrow trail.

The sun blazed high above and Penny was getting weaker by the moment, the trail had kept going up steadily and now she found herself fairly elevated. It made her calf muscles burn in agony, walking across all that sand had been bad enough but now it seemed she had to climb a mountain too. A litany of curses poured out as she stumbled over another root for what seemed like the fifth time in as many minutes. She was just so damn tired, walking was starting to become a Herculean task. She wondered now about the types of inhabitants this place might have, about their technology and customs. Tracking from tangent to tangent, her mind racing ahead of her exhausted body.

She was about to give up for the day when she felt an odd sensation, a sort of - buzzing, in the center of her forehead. It was hard to describe exactly and even as she felt it she was at a loss to try and make sense of it. It was like someone was touching a current of low electricity to that spot. But the truly bizarre took hold moments after her vision went dark. An image coalesced between her eyes, in a hazy double vision. She could make out a cave with…statues and it was very close, she knew now because it was as if she had an aerial view, like she was actually outside her body. In an instant she snapped back to herself, the sun suddenly twinkling once again through the leaves, like nothing was amiss. Penny rubbed the spot on her forehead a low grade headache starting almost immediately. “Oh great. Yeah let’s just add the cherry on top.” she growled sarcastically to the surrounding foliage. “Answers. I will. Get. Answers.” she clenched her teeth fairly hissing the words as she marched straight to the entrance of the cave. It looked exactly as she had seen it in her mind.

Once inside Penny gazed around, it was obvious from the statues and walls that this place had life. It was remarkable really and she gazed at the walls in wonder, her footsteps barely registering on the cold stone floor. She continued along a passageway, not really paying attention to where she was going. It was as if she was on some kind of auto-pilot winding along corridors. And then she spotted something so completely unexpected she just stared. It was a girl, definitely human and propped against the wall. She looked rather pretty actually, with brown hair and a dress that in it’s prime must have been lovely. Now it was a bit worse for wear but then, her clothes had already suffered the same fate. At once she covered her mouth. ‘Oh god I hope she’s not dead’ the thought made her afraid to move closer but then she saw the girls chest rise and fall and she sighed in relief. Closing the small gap she knelt down in front of the girl and shook her knee gently. “Uhm hello…?” Penny spoke softly hoping to wake the stranger without scaring her.

by Mustakrakish Mon Feb 08, 2010 8:37 pm

His lips were chapped, his feet blistered, and his body ached in places he didn’t know existed. Nick had been walking for days on end, stopping only for short periods of time to rest, eat, or drink. Not that there was much to sustain him. Nick had survived mostly on the roots of small plants, exotic fruits, and whatever new body of water that crossed his path. It was a miracle that he didn’t get sick from some unknown pathogen in the water or accidentally consume a toxic meal, but somehow he managed to get by unscathed. There was always this tiny spark in the back of his mind, faintly giving off signals of approval or warnings to stay away from certain things. He had never felt it before, but in this new land, he figured it was best to trust his intuition.

He pulled the map out of the back pocket of his jeans, which were now caked with dried mud. His other clothes didn’t look much better. The map unrolled in his hands and he looked at the now very familiar picture before him, mentally tracing the miles he had already traveled across the page. He knew he was getting close; the ground was rocky and uphill. The vast plains had given way to hills, and Nick had spotted the vast mountain from very far off. He rolled the map back up and stowed it, running his fingers through his hair and looking up at the sky. The sun was creeping up on the horizon, calling to the creatures of Apollonia to start a new day. Nick had walked for most of the night, stopping for only a few hours to sleep. He knew he couldn’t keep this pace up much longer; eventually he would collapse from exhaustion, hunger, or thirst. But Nick knew he was close. Very close. He could almost taste it. Soon he would get the answers his mind craved, and the rest his body deserved.

He began his travel with renewed vigor, clambering over increasingly larger rocks and moving up the base of that enormous mountain. In all his years of hiking and climbing, Nick had never seen such a monolithic natural construction. He felt like an ant beneath the gaze of the mountain: small and insignificant. It was breath taking and terrifying all at once. Nick hiked his way higher, cutting his hands on jagged edges. His breathing was labored, and his body strained with each step, but he pressed on. The incline leveled out, giving way to a shelf of sorts on the mountain side. Nick stared with wonder on what lay before him.

Like eternal guardians, two massive statues framed the entrance to a cave. The beasts were vaguely mammoth-like, but larger than any mastodon Nick had ever seen. The sculptures were perfect, and the figures appeared as if they could spring to life at any moment. Nick paused at the mouth of the cave to run his fingers over the smooth surface of the stone, marveling at the craftsmanship. The sound of voices brought Nick out of his trance, snapping him into action. Nick quickly hid behind one of the tree-trunk sized legs, peering around it to get a glimpse of who spoke the words. He couldn’t make any of it out, but he didn’t want another run in with the locals if he could help it. He barely got out the last time he was spotted. There was no one coming out the cave, no guards or soldiers, and Nick crept slowly into the cavern.

It took a moment for his eyes to adjust but eventually he could make out the dark shapes of stalactites clinging to the ceiling while their stalagmite counter parts tried desperately to reach them. Various pathways led off of the main entrance, and Nick listened in vain for more voices. He began walking through the tunnels, dragging his feet in the dirt so that he would be able to find his way out. He must have walked for a good ten minutes before he crossed a path with footprints already on the ground. Nick threw his hands up in frustration and collapsed in a heap, his back to the wall. He had been walking in circles, and he was so damn close! The fatigue of the entire journey hit him like a bus with his adrenaline reserves finally exhausted. Nick felt his eyelids getting heavy, and eventually sweet blackness overcame his senses. The last thing he remembered in his foggy state of mind was the feeling of hands gently picking him up and taking him away….

by Adrius Frostglare Fri Feb 12, 2010 9:20 pm

They seemed to melt from out of the stone walls. A group of three, all clothed in the fur from various creatures of the wild, their heads concealed behind wooden masks. They saw the slumped figure before them, a man who had traversed much in the last several days. His clothes, his appearance, all of it fit the description they had been given by the Sage of Earth. Silently, they bent down, his eyelids only just misting and closing, and melted back into the stone.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

On a different area of the temple, they discovered a woman. She was more familiar to them, her skin color a brown hue like theirs, but her alien physical features and accessories pinned her as anything but a member of the Kudrun Empire. They made sure to carefully lift her, sensing the kinship with her... 'She is a Mountain-Raiser, I can feel it.' Seconds later, she too was engulfed once again into the earth to be taken care of.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

This pair would be difficult. One was already unconscious, true, but the other proved hardy. Perhaps she had not met as many perils or worries as the rest, perhaps she was on the verge of falling, but regrettably, this would mean they'd have to get a bit violent. She couldn't know where they were taking her and in all honesty the feeling of unknown hands pulling one into walls could be a very unpleasant feeling.

They acted fast. The red-haired girl was knocked unconscious with a single blow from a wooden club, soft enough not to cause too much damage but blunt and hard enough to accomplish the necessary task. Now that both were incapacitated, they'd be taken to their respective rooms to be cleaned, rested, and fed. Each would wake up in identical, albeit separate quarters, an individual Sage there to ease their worries until they were all gathered to the Chanting Hall to be properly introduced to their destiny.

((Sorry for the slight Godmod. Let's get it goin'!))

by Guest Fri Feb 12, 2010 10:26 pm

Helena was too far into dreamland to even notice that someone was talking to her, trying to get her to wake. She was floating on clouds, hand in hand with Charles. It was the best dream she ever had. If she couldn't have him in reality, she'd have to stick with him in her dreams. A bright light shone in her eyes in the dream. What was going on? First she was with Charles, and then she wasn't. Sleep, my child. There is nothing to worry about. Sleep.. Helena stirred in her sleep, the voice echoed in her head for her to sleep. Well, it wasn't as if she didn't have a choice. She was worn out from all the walking she had to do. It felt like she had no need for sleep, and once she got there, she couldn't stop herself from drifting off into dreamland.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Eyes shot open, her breathing was heavy. She felt like she was on a soft bed in a strange room. Her vision was cleared, and she finally made sense of what she was seeing. "Charles!" She sat up, looking around in panic. All she saw was an elderly woman with dark skin and long white hair. She was very pleasant looking. "Ah. At last, my dear, you are awake." Helena rubbed her eyes, and looked at the woman closer. She was just smiling, and sitting in her roughly made chair, knitting something. Helena looked down at herself, and noticed that her body had been cleaned, that she was wearing a new pair of clothes, and that some of the scratches she had obtained were bandaged. She couldn't help but stare at her clothes. It felt like silk, but it couldn't have been. The top was form fitting, but not tight, a soft brown color. It wasn't low cut, which she was thankful for. Once she removed her blanket, she saw that she was wearing a flowing skirt made out of the same material as her top.

Her left hand went to her chest, and she was gladly still wearing her necklace. The woman must have known that it was special to her. A man entered the room with a plate made of clay, and a hollowed stone "bowl" for water. He handed it to her, which she took, and he placed the water on the floor next to her. She looked at the plate, which had fish and berries on it. "Eat my child," said the woman. Helena nodded, and picked up the fish. She didn't see any sort of utensils, so she bit into the fish. It was a bit raw, but it was something to eat. She munched on it hungrily, not minding the skeleton of the fish getting in her way. After she ate most of the fish, and some of the berries, she looked at the woman. "M..may I ask you something?" The woman nodded. "W..where is Charles?" Helena was surprised at herself. Why did her English accent decide to come back? She hadn't used it for ages. She shook her head and waited for the woman to answer. "He is here, do not worry. You will be together again very soon."

by Savannah Mon Feb 15, 2010 5:34 pm

She felt like she was trying to swim up from some great depth, her mind an inky darkness until finally her lids fluttered open and Penny found herself in a bed. A wizened woman with long dreadlocks sat across from her on a low stool, her fingers busy with some sort of beading. Penny watched for a moment as dark nimble fingers threaded one dark green bead then two little copper looking beads, another green bead. She guessed the woman was making a necklace of some kind and the steady clicking of the beads were the only sound in the room. She wondered if the woman would notice she was awake.

As if on she could read her mind the sage looked straight up at Penny, who now found herself a bit panicked but the old woman’s face seemed kindly and she just smiled at the redhead. “Hello child, I’m glad to see you awake at last. Seems you took quite the knock to the head.” As she spoke the woman motioned to the girls temple. She gingerly felt the spot and winced, a large lump had formed. “Was that really necessary?” Penny complained, her fingers tracing along the bandage that now circled her head. The woman chuckled “Yes and no. If they hadn’t you might have hurt someone else on the way here, it‘s not a pleasant trip if you aren‘t accustomed.” She didn’t seem deceptive in any way and Penny felt at ease in a way she hadn't been since she arrived in this strange land.

As she became more relaxed she gazed around the room, it was sparse but not unwelcoming. Simple wooden furniture sat in corners, some animal-looking furs piled here and there. In the center of the space was a small cooking pit. Something was being made in it now and her stomach growled alarmingly. “Ah, yes. Time to eat.” The woman stood up and Penny saw that her deadlocks in fact reached past her hips, most were grey. She walked like a much younger woman however, her step lively as she crossed the room. She spooned what looked like fish and some sort of thin rice into a carved wooden bowl and Penny accepted eagerly, her mouth salivating at the smell. She had never been so hungry in her life and she finished off the helping in an alarming amount of time.

She held the bowl up timidly “More please?” The woman simply laughed and refilled the bowl “Now be careful not to make yourself ill.” Penny nodded and tried to make an effort to slow down her spoon. “So…who are you?” she said between mouthfuls “I mean, this….is Apollonia….right?” The sage nodded “It is child. I am….a guide, you could say. For the moment I am here to help you.” The bowl empty once again Penny swung her legs off the side of the bed, she looked down surprised to find her ripped clothes replaced. She now wore a rather plain looking white dress in some soft material, it ended just above her knees and reminded her of a sundress she used to own in what seemed lifetimes ago.

The conversation with the woman was easy, and though she knew that she shouldn’t really be able to understand her so much had happened that it was the least of her worries. She sighed heavily, she had so much she needed to ask but after the food she felt so tired, like she couldn’t keep her eyes open anymore.
As if the woman sensed this she spoke again, her odd accent coloring the words “You can rest again child, all your answers will wait.” Penny nodded slowly her body sinking heavily into the bed “Oh…but the girl…” she mumbled, already drifting off. The woman moved closer and laid a hand on her arm in comfort. “The girl is well and you will see her again, have no fear. Rest child, you need to heal yourself.” Her words were the last sounds that Penny was aware of as she sunk into unconsciousness once more.

by Mustakrakish Tue Feb 23, 2010 8:08 pm

Nick opened his bleary eyes, a haze filling his vision as his mind caught up to his body. He was warm, and laying on something soft. Nick stretched out his fingers and felt the comforting sensation of thick fur, and he slowly sat up and looked around. He had been sleeping on a carved stone altar of sorts, with a thick pad of fur and leather. He had a warm wool-like blanket over his torso and legs, and upon removing he saw that his previous tattered outfit had been replaced with clean garments. Nick was dressed in a pair of brown cloth trousers and a loose beige shirt. The sleeves of the shirt hung down to about his elbows, and a cord belt held up the baggy pants. His feet were bare and bandaged, and his skin clear of dirt and grime. The last thing Nick remembered was falling asleep, frustrated and heartbroken, in the twisted cavern. Yet he wakes up here, in a strange stone room. Nick turned his gaze from his own appearance to that of his surroundings, and was greeted with an image the he believed was representative of Native American huts or caves. Pelts hung from the walls next to faded paintings of animals and trees. Furs and stuffed cushions littered the floor, and a crackling fireplace sat in the middle.

An old woman stood next to the fire, her back to Nick. She toiled over something, her body blocking Nicks view, but the aroma that wafted from it made his mouth water. Nicks stomach practically roared at that smell, and the woman turned to look over at him, her mouth curling into a smile.

“Ah, you are awake, and very hungry I can see,” she dipped a wooden ladle into the stone pot on the fire and poured a thick, chunky brown stew into a stone bowl. She passed the steaming meal to Nick and gave him a spoon, “Here, eat child. You have had a long journey, and you must regain your strength.” Nick dove into the stew with reckless abandon, eschewing manners for pure efficiency. The old woman chuckled to herself, and then retired through a beaded curtain at the right of the chamber. Her absence allowed Nick to see another figure sitting crossed legged on a raised dais on the other side of the fire. He was obviously male, and very old. His skin was as dark as ebony and wrinkled, as if his thin bones had suddenly shrunken in his body. He was dressed in a loincloth with a feathered mantle around his shoulders, and a large wooden mask affixed around his head. Nick could see the pale eyes staring back at him through the holes in the mask, but could determine nothing about the man. He radiated peace and wisdom, yet there was an underlying current of raw power in his posture. Nick was sure that this was the man who had his answers.

“So, what exactly is goi…” the old sage raised an open palm, halting Nick in mid sentence. He lowered his hand slowly, and then spoke in a deep bass voice that sent vibrations through the cavern.

“I am sure you are eager to receive your answers Flood-Caller, however now is not the time. The others are just awakening, and you will be with them soon. For now eat, and rest. All will become clear soon, but you will need to be ready.”

Nick, now annoyed at having to wait longer, didn’t question the old man. Instead he returned to his stew and mulled over the events that had led him here. He was close to the truth, and close to being united with the only other survivors of his dead world.

by Adrius Frostglare Wed Mar 03, 2010 7:37 pm

The room was enormous. The roof was domed and smooth, depictions of various scenes of the past carved intricately along its surface. Just above the front of the room, where there stood a simple altar with offerings of precious gems, artistic statuettes, and herbal incense, a carving illustrating a man raising his fist skywards was shown, a mountain behind him bursting from the earth, its peak at the very center of the dome ceiling. Behind the mountain, even more imposing, stood an unbelievably immense humanoid, its arms spread out and its eyes staring directly at the birth of its child.

On the floor were ten pelts of various animals, arranged in a crescent around the center of the room. On five of these sat the sages, at least one of which was smoking something peacefully. At the center, where all the sages were staring, stood a statue of a man, broad and powerful. It was the same man as the one with his fist to the sky. However, behind this one, too, lay the shadow of something greater. The statue was of normal size, but where the statue's top was, another began. As if springing from the man's skin, there was the Primal of the Earth, his features hard and crag-like, crystals of a light verdant color glowing peacefully, illuminating the entire room in its glow.

They were waiting. Today was the day, finally, when they would provide answers. They had rested from their journey, they had been fed, they had been treated, and now they were going to do the gods' bidding and save this planet at long last.

"Bring them in."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

They didn't shove or prod or try anything freakish on him, which was really quite the relief. Charles followed the wooden-masked warriors through the labyrinthine hallways... literally. With a wave of their hand, the men would separate the stone as if it were a curtain and walk through. As one of them had explained, the true layout of this temple was that the labyrinth led nowhere. It was a single, twisting, never ending maze with no exits save for the entrance, and if the guardians closed that (which they did in case of intruders), none. It was a shivering though, Charles realized, if one were to be trapped here until they died of starvation or went mad. It was a good thing these people were their friends.

"Fine skill to have when you lose your spear, eh mate?"

The warrior smiled from underneath his mask. "We don't need to carry spears." He placed his hands to the stone once again, and with a pull of his hand, created a long, stone spear with a tip as sharp as any pound metal there was. "We just make them."

Charles let out a whistle. He was honestly taken aback, both by the display as well as the warrior's surprisingly unstoic manner. He'd honestly expected it to just be a passing comment. "Well, alright then! Glad to see you got some tough blokes around these parts." The warrior just nodded again.

"We're here." He and his partner pressed their backs against both sides of the door and pointed inside with their spears. "Earth preserve you."

Charles nodded, raising a hand and muttering,"Earth preserve you, too," before entering the room. As the stone melted back together into a single, uniform wall, he gawked at the carvings. He'd seen many pictures of ancient civilizations who also created marvelous structures and sculptures, but never any like these. Of course there were similarities, but for the most part, it looked as if all those artists had learned from THESE carvings.

"Young Heart-Scorcher, please, take a seat." Charles look toward the elderly man who had been in his room when he'd just woken up. He nodded, but took his time to get to the pelt and sit down. They didn't seem to mind him admiring their - or their ancestors' - work.

"The rest shall be here momentarily."

by Guest Wed Mar 03, 2010 8:11 pm

"I didn't do it!"

Helena sat up, breathing heavily. She looked around for the source of the noise, and noticed that two very buff men were looking at her. She swallowed, and nervously scratched the back of her head. "Oh.. um. Bad dream." One of the men jerked his head backward, indicating that it was time to go and that she was to get up and follow. Helena pushed off the covers, stretched out for a moment, and stood in between the men. They began walking, and she was in awe at how they could control the stone with just a wave of their hands. If only she had that kind of power. It wouldn't do her any good, but it would be an interesting thing to be able to do. She grasped the charm from her necklace in her hand, missing Charles even more and more as she did so. Why did she have to be taken from the one person she wanted to spend the rest of her life with. The woman told her that he was here, but that was impossible.

The winding hallways made her dizzy as the three walked on. She had so many questions to ask. Mostly about Charles, but that didn't matter now. It wasn't fair that he wasn't with her when she vanished. If he did, he would definitely be with her right at that moment, holding her hand tightly and not letting go. Another man was waiting for them, and her two "guards" held out their hands, stopping her. "You will not need us now. Stay strong." Helena nodded, and stepped forward. The other man led her through another passageway, and her heart pounded in her chest with every step. Would he be here? Her breath seemed to be caught in her throat. The man noticed she stopped walking, and he turned to face her. "Is there anything wrong?" "Is he.. Charles, really here? Everyone I've talked to so far said he is.. but.."

He smiled, and took her hand, pulling her forward. Helena didn't like this form of travel. She'd rather walk by herself. He let go of her hand once she was inside of the chamber. Her eyes went to the ceiling, and slowly lowered until they reached the floor. With a loud gasp, she spotted Charles, sitting down on the pelt. She had to rub her eyes to make sure she wasn't dreaming. Without a second thought, or breath, she ran toward him, and fell to her knees in front of him. She choked back some tears, and slowly held out a hand. Her fingers ran across his cheek, the warmth calming her down and confirming that he was indeed real. She quickly wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him into a tight hug. She was afraid he'd leave her again.

"Charles... I..It's really you." She was crying now, happy tears.

by Mustakrakish Thu Mar 04, 2010 9:44 pm

For the first time in what felt like years Nick was rested, full, and clean. The only thing that kept him from completely enjoying himself was the gnawing tension in his brain, begging for a reason to why his world was gone and why he had just braved treacherous ground to get here. He needed answers, and his patience was growing very thin. The old shaman had left Nick with his own thoughts, disappearing behind the beaded curtain. He told Nick that he would be called upon when the time had come, and as the minutes slowly ticked by, Nick’s frustration had boiled to borderline rage. He kept his cool though, knowing that he was in no position to barter for anything in this land. He was alien here, and they had the power.

Luckily, his wait was over. Two men, skin as black as coal and bald heads that reflected the firelight, pulled aside the curtain and beckoned Nick to follow. Both men were naked from the waist up, baggy trousers similar to his adorning their lower half. They wore beaded necklaces with various trophies hanging from them, and despite their immense bulk they moved gracefully through the narrow cavern corridors. Nick followed noiselessly behind, the anticipation in his chest building to almost unbearable heights. His heart raced further when he saw the men push aside solid stone as if it was only a thin cotton sheet. Nick must have whistled under his breath because one of the men looked over his shoulder and smiled, big square white teeth flashing in the torchlight. “You haven’t seen anything yet Flood-Caller,” the man said with a devilish grin. That was the second time Nick had been referred to as a Flood-Caller. At first he just thought it was a generic term, not placing any significance in its meaning. But the name came with a sort of reverent tone in the young warrior’s voice, and Nick knew that there was more to what was going on here than he could possibly imagine.

After a few more minutes of travel, his escorts stopped and stood side by side in front of a blank stone wall. “We can go no further. Past here you will meet the others, and you will receive your destiny,” with those parting words, the men waved the stone wall aside and Nick stepped forward into a brightly lit cavern of massive size. A large domed roof capped the great space, which was mostly filled with a colossal statue of a mountain. A man with arms raised stood before it, and sitting on furs arranged in a circle Nick saw the shamans. He could pick out the one that spoke to him, and there were four others as well. What really drew his attention however, was the couple no more than twenty feet away from him.

Both were dressed in earthy tones, a male and female, and neither looked anything like the natives he had seen thus far. He felt a wave of relief wash over him, but also a wave of sorrow. These must be the others, and together they formed the last beings of Earth. It was a daunting realization, to become the last of a nearly extinct species, and carry the burden of an entire world’s history upon your shoulders. With black humor he saw the irony of his life: spending his time studying fallen empires only to have the task of holding the last of Earths knowledge. Upon closer inspection Nick saw the woman crying, clinging desperately to the young man. She must be overcome with the emotions that Nick was holding at bay.
Nick stepped quietly over to the couple, not wanting to disturb their embrace. He sat cross legged on a pelt nearby, and gave a friendly nod of greeting to the man when their eyes met. He said nothing, all that needed to be said would eventually find its way out. For now, he needed answers.

by Savannah Tue Mar 09, 2010 2:54 am

Penny awoke for the second time in the small room. But now her body felt better than it had since she’d first arrived. She actually had some energy and with it she stumbled out of the bed, just in time to see two men enter the room, each as dark as the woman who had cared for her. They seemed intimidating but she tried her best smile out. “Hello….there,” she mustered. The men nodded, their expressions hidden by some sort of tribal mask. It was an eerie effect really but she kept that bit of information to herself. “You have been summoned.” The voice was warmer than she expected and seemed to hold no malice. Then again, she had been treated well here and she didn’t know exactly what the motivation was…but the promise of answers had been dangled like so much bait and Penny was not one to resist. Her head tilted a fraction, she thought she heard voices, a male was saying something about a…flood-caller? It came out odd and muffled, like whoever spoke was passing right behind the wall.

Then, as if she had dreamt it up one of her masked companions parted the stone where the voice seemingly echoed from and they started down a stone passageway, torched throwing deep shadows along the walls. Her mind boggled at the parting of the stone and she spent several moments with her eyes wide in surprise “You…..that‘s…amazing!” she exclaimed as she followed them into the narrow space. One of the men chuckled deeply, the baritone sound reverberating around the stone walls. “Come, we mustn’t waste time.” he finally managed after his laughter subsided. Penny felt a bit childish but she still gaped when it was time to move to the next passage. It was an incredible thing to witness and she could only guess at what else she might see.

They hadn’t been walking all that long when the two halted suddenly, the stone they stopped in front of looked exactly like the last they had parted. Except when the men parted this stone she found herself looking into an enormous cavern. She moved forward as if pulled on a sting, this is where she would find her answers. She knew that now. As she walked her eyes were first pulled towards the grand carvings all over the place, they overwhelmed and in a moment she found her head dropping to notice the people sitting. She looked at the three, there was the girl she had seen earlier and she was clinging to a dark-haired man, and there sat another on the pelts close by. Her eyes blurred with tears. She really wasn’t alone. She hurried to where they were gathered and sat down quickly, not trusting her legs to keep her up. She felt she should speak, say something, anything. But it was like her voice had been stolen, instead she just stared, a tumultuous smile on her face, the emotions playing out. Breaking her gaze she glanced at the native people gathered, recognizing only the woman who had fed and clothed her. Penny realized she couldn’t begin to guess at what would be said here. With everything that had happened she was expecting anything…and everything.

Her mind buzzing she felt in that moment like they were all characters playing a part, only no one had a script. She was anxious to understand, to have some sense made of all of it. Of the silver haired man, the strange things that had been happening to her. Of the others that sat mere feet from her. Her gaze shifted back to the blonde haired man and the couple embracing. Where did they come from, did they end up here they same way she did? She wanted to ask but it didn’t feel right. She settled for silence, for simply drinking in the appearance of someone who could’ve lived on her street, gone to work, eaten a sandwich. Things she would never have thought she would yearn for. Familiarity was dizzying and made her ache all over again for the comfort of home. Finally, she dared to hope that these answers she had been promised would be the ones she needed to hear.

by Adrius Frostglare Tue Mar 09, 2010 9:17 pm

Baruti

He cleared his throat, rising up slowly from the bed. He'd been in worse conditions than these, and truly it was a blessing after such a long and dangerous trip to actually find the warmth of hospitality in the middle of such a hostile and savage land.

Baruti heard the call from two men. He rose to his full, imposing height. They were shorter than him, and they weren't exactly short to begin with. "Come, brother. You must meet the elders." They looked at him with pride and admiration, though he could not really tell from the masks they wore. Even so, the tone of their voices and the the way they moved told him everything. Their acceptance, something the man had so rarely seen back in Johannesburg, was something he treasured now, for surely others outside would not be so kind.

Baruti took careful, bare-footed steps. He watched the men part the stone like curtains. He'd done similar things with earth during his trip, things he himself could only believe to be a gift from the great spirit that had greeted him on entering the world. He let the men escort him, however. He was not a boastful man, nor was he really sure he had enough ability to move the rocks without making them cave in to begin with. The way they did it, it looked like the earth flowed like water. With him, it would violently crumble. He humbly hoped he could only be as good and responsible as they with this new power.

He saw the room, gloriously decorated and built. He felt shrunk, even before entering. The escorts seemed to sense his insecurity, and beckoned him forth. "Do not fear, brother. All will be well." Baruti steeled himself just then. Raising his chest and chin up high, fighting the cowering feeling like he had had to do both in his previous and recent life, he walked with confidence into the meeting hall. His eye scanned the ceiling. That large figure... that could only be the Earth Primal, that great spirit. The similarity, from the powerful structure to the gravel-like skin and the glowing green crystals protruding from him could only point to him. Truly, he was among brothers.

Four figures unlike the others were there, however. Baruti felt his confidence shrink slightly. They were... white. He felt an old confusion turn around his head. He'd met many nice white people, yes, and a lot of evil black people, but the memory of his white father still burned in his head. He was happy that his skin was as black as his mother's, a rarity among people of mixed birth, but his features still held some of his father's. His face was not fully African and his head was shaped differently. Even that, though... he had to wonder how it was that he wasn't more like his father, both in character and in body.

He shook the thoughts away. These were different people. He should not alienate them without knowing what they were like. Taking a deep breath, he moved forward, sitting down on the last remaining empty pelt. Suddenly, it hit him. He could hear a voice, nagging on the back of his head, and as soon as he'd entered the room, the green glow had gotten more intense. He bathed in its glow, silent and calming like a dewy spring day.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

"Ah... the Earth Primal rejoices in the presence of his child," said one of the sages, though at whom was debatable. The other sages, silent and still as statues, waited for him to proceed. At last, he stood. "Dear children of the Primals, I would like your attention. Yes, that's it... you've been waiting for answers, have you not? Here they are."

The old man took five strong, swift strides, completely undeterred at all by his apparently crippling age. "My name is Aburo, one of the Earth sages. I received a vision many moons past, a tale by the Earth Primal telling me that his children - and those of the other Great Primals - would come to our temple, now one of the few remaining sanctuaries of our culture, customs, and spiritual ties to the Father of All Who Are.

"You all came a very long distance. I am not surprised the Great Primals chose you as their children even before you were born. Yes... He told me much, but not all, I am afraid. You will need to discover more for yourselves.

"He did, however, tell me of your purpose... all of yours. You are here to save our world. I heard of what happened to your home, your families, your entire planet. I've had such nightmares during my lifetime that have left me weeping. Yours was the most recent." A small tear threatened to be shed from his eye. However, he wiped it away. It was not the time to be sentimental.

"This our home, our world, is corrupted. The great empires of Kudrun, Wahashi, Shaad, Do'ma, and Ahn have extended their borders to the fullest, each now touching the other. They want more. They are at each others' throats, grasping for any potential to wage war. Even the people, the alleged voice of reason, support their black-hearted leaders! We ancient upholders of the true path to enlightenment and happiness are all that remain of the golden eras when the Ancient Heroes reigned and established civilized peace within the tribes of man.

"Here is what you must do: You must kill the current leaders. It is harsh to ask this of you. All life is sacred in the eyes of the Father. It is for that reason, however, that you must do this.

"Once dead, the people will have no one to guide them. That is when you must purify them from their corrupt ways. Show them the true path through the feats that made the Ancient Heroes so revered and respected... no, far beyond that! It will be a task so monumental, so colossal... but I have faith in all of you. This particular task befalls," he slowly raised a finger and pointed to the large African, "you, Baruti of Johannesburg, Mountain-Raiser and Avatar of the Earth Primal."

"Each empire has its personal vice, and you must know what this vice is in order to defend yourselves as well as deliver them. The vice of my people, those of the Kudrun to the south, is greed. Their lives revolve around the earthly material that is not of the Earth. So much do they value the ground's riches that they fail to value the life it brings forth. They kill and steal, they defile the fertile soil they tread upon. "

Aboro placed his hand on the statue behind him, that of the mighty man. "Haba would have looked to the ground in shame." A murmur of approval came from the other sages. Aboro turned to face them again. "This is only beginning. You will need to travel to every region to face every empire. Search for the temples there. They will help guide you." He smiled. "Now... you have some time to spare before you depart. I have no more questions to answer, and whatever questions you have of the Kudrun empire are irrelevant to your mission or will be learned from elsewhere. I recommend you to introduce yourselves to each other. When you are ready, our warriors will escort you to the entrance. My wife and sisters have packed you food for three days. Use it wisely." With that, Aboro returned to his cot, serenely smoking his pipe.

((More to come yet!))

by Sponsored content

Apollonia (Closed RP)

Apollonia (Closed RP)

Re: Apollonia (Closed RP)

Re: Apollonia (Closed RP)

Re: Apollonia (Closed RP)

Re: Apollonia (Closed RP)

Re: Apollonia (Closed RP)

Re: Apollonia (Closed RP)

Re: Apollonia (Closed RP)

Re: Apollonia (Closed RP)

Re: Apollonia (Closed RP)

Re: Apollonia (Closed RP)

Re: Apollonia (Closed RP)

Re: Apollonia (Closed RP)

Re: Apollonia (Closed RP)

Re: Apollonia (Closed RP)

Re: Apollonia (Closed RP)

Re: Apollonia (Closed RP)

Re: Apollonia (Closed RP)

Re: Apollonia (Closed RP)

Re: Apollonia (Closed RP)

Re: Apollonia (Closed RP)

Re: Apollonia (Closed RP)

Re: Apollonia (Closed RP)

Re: Apollonia (Closed RP)

Re: Apollonia (Closed RP)

Re: Apollonia (Closed RP)

Re: Apollonia (Closed RP)

Re: Apollonia (Closed RP)

Re: Apollonia (Closed RP)

Re: Apollonia (Closed RP)

Re: Apollonia (Closed RP)