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| Elements Reborn IC; Elemental war; a roleplay of strategy, power, and manipulation (figurative/literal) | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: June 13, 2011, 11:44 pm (5,465 Views) | |
| Wicked | September 23, 2011, 9:27 pm Post #126 |
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The Derp Queen
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҉ Unknown ҉ Ash’s voice carried over to Sophia as she dodged away from a few running children, their presence making her want to growl in frustration. It seemed no matter where she managed to go, peace evaded her. Was there not a spot in this village that wasn’t contaminated by people? She simply wanted to be alone for a few moments or, if this was a perfect world, for a few days so that she could regain her energy. She felt dangerously close to passing out when she finally registered the fact that her sister was calling her over. Sophia fought against a cringe and, instead, smiled peacefully at Ash before making her way over to her, avoiding contact with anyone that seemed to get a little too close for comfort. She didn’t know how she managed to even keep her body upright when all she wanted to do was curl up into a ball. Maybe, she’d received a bit of her sister’s stubbornness in the womb; that made sense. It was probably the only explanation Sophia could give at the time being for allowing herself to go through the torture of parading about like she was all sunshine and daisies. She followed her sister, focusing on the words that quickly began to make Sophia go on edge. Her sister couldn’t possibly think that a blind, ungifted female could possibly be given a position in the Fire clan. It really wouldn’t make any sense. Sophia was content with simply being there, being Ash’s sister. She didn’t want anything more, really, but at the same time her pride cooed that this was right. So what if she was blind? So what if she didn’t have a stupid element to demonstrate strength? She had a fierce love for life, for helping others, for herself. She had survived alone, for years, without the aid of eyes or elements. It was only right that she finally was recognized as a person qualified for a position of power. She could carry herself, couldn’t she? Not when you feel like death. Shut up. Go away. Why did that nagging honeysweet voice have to come and ruin whatever control Sophia was beginning to feel? She suppressed a frown as Ash gave her the assignment: Heliophant of the Fire Clan. If she didn’t feel like puking whenever in the presence of others, Sophia would have been ecstatic. Right now, she simply felt like groaning. The assignment meant she’d have to be around people, almost constantly, and befriending them. She wanted to, really she did but she couldn’t see how she’d do it in her current condition. All this worrying, though, vanished when she felt the warmth of Ash’s hands on hers, comforting her in a way only Ash could. She felt herself smile, despite the negativity that seemed to bubble in the pit of her stomach. No, she could do this. She would do this. Her sister was counting on her and so were her people. My people now. For once, she belonged. She wasn’t going to let this strange illness get in her way of happiness. She let the sun soak into her skin and it glowed healthily despite everything, along with excitement Sophia willed to the surface. She would execute her job well. She would prove herself to Ash, to everyone because she wasn’t simply the blind, lame sister of the Fire Master. She was much more than that. She had to be. “Why would I ever turn anything you offer down, sister? I’m more than proud and happy to aid you, and your people, in any way possible no matter what,” Sophia replied, still smiling past the pain of being so close to people- especially her sister. It seemed the contact between them, the simple holding of hands, was making her muscles ache as if she were lifting weights. She planted a small, affectionate kiss on both of Ash’s cheeks before pulling back to give an assuring smile once more. Though, who she was assuring more- her or Ash- Sophia was no longer sure. Discreetly, she let her hands slip out of Ash’s and folded them in front of her, her joints sighing in relief. Still, she felt somewhat ill being so close to her, to Kenina. Suddenly, she felt the tale-tell rise of bile from her stomach to her throat. She swallowed, her throat constricting painfully as her body fought against her. Her smile wavered for a moment. “Sorry, I forgot I actually promised to play with this one little girl I met earlier this morning. She’s probably waiting for me where I left her a few moments ago. If I may,” Sophia bowed her head a little bit towards her sister and Kenina before excusing herself to walk away. Her stomach curled as she hurried out of their line of view before hunching next to a clay building and revoking anything she’d bothered consuming for breakfast. She squeezed her eyes shut, seeing spots of black against the white she always saw in her mind’s eye and outwardly groaned. Sophia rested her hand against the building, her fingers quivering from the exhaustion her entire body was crying from. Why? She slept like a normal person, she ate correctly, she was healthy! Why did she feel like the Grim Reaper was knocking on her skull, on her bones? I’m so sorry. “Oh, be quiet,” Sophia hissed quietly, gasping before finally forcing her breathing to steady. ҉ Earth ҉ The first time Dante embraced Raja, she didn’t know what to do. Her body froze, locked into place, when those arms tightened around her. Contact was something the redhead had no way of doing correctly. When was it okay to hug, when was a shake of hands more appropriate? For her, bodily contact was simply strange. She hadn’t really felt an embrace since her childhood, really. It wasn’t something Raja was very used to but, slowly, she allowed her arms to come up and return the hug awkwardly. Where were her hands even supposed to go? She gently patted Dante’s back before allowing the both of them to pull back. She was slowly learning how to interact with humans more, if only with Dante. It was all so alien to her, after years and years of simply resigning herself to Earth, to nature, and her quest to become the best Earth elementalist possible. But, the second time the Earth Master came to hug her, Raja was prepared and even welcoming. She gave a squeeze of her own, cherishing the strange sign of friendship as much as possible before it could possibly be taken from her. If anything, the tragedy at Twin Peaks taught Raja to embrace everything before it slipped. A sweet laugh echoed about the small clay house, the firelight dancing off of the rough surface and creating shadows of the tall man as he tossed the small redheaded girl in the air. She was four at the time, not old enough to worry about the possible consequences of not having Fire as her element. She was innocent and naïve, happy to simply see the good side of her father as he smiled up at his laughing daughter. Her mother looked on from the fire, where she was cooking their meal, with a pleasant sparkle in her eyes that always reminded Raja of the stars. “Drop her and you’re a dead man, Sebastian,” her mother warned playfully from where she sat as she stirred the contents of her clay pot. The dark man laughed, his voice heavy but pleasant- a rare thing in these times- as he lowered his daughter onto the bed, brushing her hairs out of her smiling, flushed face. “I wouldn’t dare to do that, love. But, even if I did, you’d just jump right back up, right Raja?” He asked, pinching the girl’s red cheeks. She gave a little giggle and nudged her dad’s hands away. Raja nodded vigorously. “And why’s that?” Her father continued to ask. Her mother simply shook her head, amused. “I’m Fire! I’m a fighter!” She called out eagerly. Sebastian laughed, ruffling Raja’s hair. “Yes you are. And one day, you’ll have something to fight for. I know I do,” he replied, glancing back at the woman who was a reflection of Raja- her mother, beaming up at Sebastian with love that didn’t fade despite his mistakes, his wrongdoings. Raja gave a small, devious smile before braving a small punch to her father’s gut, making him grunt in surprise before hoisting her up in the air. “Just know who you’re picking a fight with, little girl!” She squealed in delight. Raja had something to fight for and she would stand by Dante and the Earth clan no matter what, not only because she was growing fond of their leader but also- it felt right. Hugging Dante felt right. Being here with this clan felt right. Everything that had happened at Twin Peaks felt horribly wrong and Raja would die before she let any more bloodshed occur. The elements had shown their wrath at one death, she could only imagine what would happen if a war were to rise. The thought hurt. War? She’d never wanted to see that happen. No longer was she neutral. She had a cause, people to protect and a job to do, and she would do it to the best of her ability. So, when Dante asked her not to change, Raja couldn’t help but laugh, the sound light and strange to her ears. Since when did she laugh? It made her laugh even more. Too late, Dante She’d already changed, but she was sure the young female before her wouldn’t mind this change at all. She pulled away, her hands resting on Dante’s shoulders as she looked over the elementalist’s features. She admired this woman and her strength. Though Raja would proudly hold the position of Head Bodyguard, it was with mixed feelings. She resented power and what it did to most people, such as her father, and it made her slightly worried. The fact that Dante could hold so much control over a group of people and yet use it so sparingly and for the good of all made Raja want to hug her again and again. “I don’t care much for power but I thank you for the honor, Dante,” she stated simply with a small smile. Edited by Wicked, September 23, 2011, 9:58 pm.
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| Jei Ai | September 28, 2011, 1:27 pm Post #127 |
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Member
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There was no question, no request, no plea that Master Ash could make that Kenina would not take as an order. And there was no order Ash could ever place, that would not be followed swiftly, truly and effectively by her most trusted and loyal Everlight. The weight of the offer did not settle, but glided over the warrior’s head and drifted somewhere above. Unburdened as of yet, Kenina was amazingly ready and calm in her response to the Master, clicking her heels together to straighten her form and bowing forward in a very angular fashion, hands in fists by her side. Speaking in this dipped form, she still peered up so as to meet her leader’s eye. “Your faith has not been misplaced, my lady. The Fire Clan will have a military to be envied once again – you have my word.” Closing her eyes and feeling strangely uncomfortable with her next words, she added, “I won’t ask why you have done this. Leave everything to me.” Standing abruptly – tall and proud – she nodded before turning and leaving. The weight was beginning to bear down, and Kenina was troubled by her Master’s actions. Was she so worried for her own life, that she would divide the power in such a manner? It had always been tradition for the Clan Master to oversee all the happenings of the people… “No.” Kenina spoke aloud to stop herself. “You have taken a vow to serve the Master of the Fire Clan, not to question her.” Raising her chin, the muscular and lean Everlight continued her walk into the market place. If she was to be the leader of a military, then she was in need of an actual military force. Few Everlights remained, but their speciality was the protection of Ash. What of their lands? What of their people? Slightly overwhelmed by the size of the take she had been allocated, Kenina began to understand perhaps why Ash had delegated her powers thusly. For now, Ash was safe; the backlash from Twin Peaks was over, and the people were settling more and more as each day passed. For now, Kenina felt comfortable leaving her Master with her broken sister, Sophia. Now submerged in the hustle and bustle of the daily market, Kenina began to survey the people around her. Fire Clan warriors were female, strong, skilled with fire, tall, flexible, lean, courageous… Who of these people could she entrust with the skills of battle to defend the lands? Of course, she did not intend to be rigid with these standards, no; why should only women fight? Kenina had plans suddenly, dancing and burning through her mind. Men in the military – it was strange, but it was progressive. Just like Ash. Kenina was turning heads and parting crowds as she journeyed through the market place. Her armour, uniform, brand and double-headed spear were unmistakable, and people craned their necks half hoping to see the Master following closely behind her loyal guard. Half expecting to be approached concerning Master Ash, Kenina continued her slightly intimidating walk through the village market. |
![]() 'You were a happy dream in a life that's been nothing but a hellish nightmare' Tiffanie 'Lust' Marquisa, the Femme Fatale: OOC Sa’ritae Tyrundlin, the Mistress of the Earth: OOC Image by Vertify | |
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| Anamnesis | September 29, 2011, 12:58 pm Post #128 |
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Member
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The market was exactly as Cera remembered it to be. Sure, there were new shops or shops that had changed the way they displayed their items, but Cera felt a sense of nostalgia wash over her. It was amazing what one year being away could do to someone. Before this, Cera wasn't even sure a year away would have been enough before she considered coming home to face her demons but as she headed towards the smell of grilling meats and bread, she was happy. Very little had changed since she left. Deep within her, she felt a pang of bittersweetness. It also felt that it had been so much longer than just a year. To think almost two years ago, the market was void of everything that made the fire fire but now it was bustling with so much life. It occured to Cera that it had been almost that long since that day, but it still felt like a wound that had still yet to be healed. She continued walking until she reached the food that her stomach was practically begging for. The same couple that manned the shop in her younger years were manning the shop infront of her. The elderly couple had been quite fond of Cera's parents and they instantly remember her face. When she had entered the village, she left her cape on but she wasn't wearing her hood. She felt it was far better to be recognised than to be mistaken for someone suspicious, especially after Twin Peaks. She spent some time conversing with the couple, catching up on things that had happened since she left like what changes Ash made for the village. She also declined several offers of free food or a place to stay. She simply told them that she had something to do before she knew if she was staying in the village or not but she promised she would at least visit them to announce her staying or departure. That is if survive this..after what I did. She bid them goodbye and proceeded to further explore the market. She looked at all the fascinating things that were on display, remembering a time when she could buy what she wanted. Her time travelling and working odd jobs had given her enough money to spend on food, the occasional resthouse and supplies but she never had enough money to buy nice things. Not that she was attached to that sort of thing. She wondered what Ash had done to the belongings of the Fionntine family. When the previous Fire Master came into power, he had tried to kill or take away things that belonged to the families of the Everlights or anyone close to Ash's father. When Ash had gained Fire Master after the coup, what was left was returned to surviving family members. Cera thought perhaps there was nothing left after she had run away but maybe that was just one part of her punishment. She was halfway through walking when she realised people were whispering to one another and a crowd was gathering up ahead. Cera looked at what the commotion was about and saw them staring at a female walking towards her direction. Cera froze almost instantly, engulfed in the crowd. It wasn't the double-headed spear that poked behind the female's muscular lean body or the intimidation that shone brightly through her eyes that made the blond freeze. It was the uniform and brand that she wore.. Cera had grown up seeing a similar uniform and brand almost her entire life. She knew then that the female walking towards her was an Everlight just like her parents. Cera considered whether to approach the Everlight first or going straight to Ash. The Fire Master would recognise her but she wouldn't be able to take on a whole group of Everlights, however few that remained according to the elderly couple, who were sure to be on edge after what transpired in Twin Peaks. Cera sighed and realised tackling one Everlight at a time would be her best bet to seek an audience with Ash without the possibility of getting killed beforehand. Whether her life ended after that she didn't know but there was no use running away anymore. Cera stepped forward as the crowd dispersed to let the Everlight through. She stood in the way of the raven-haired Everlight and bowed a greeting her parents had thought her in respect to the Everlights. It was a somewhat formal gesture but having been raised by parents like Cera's, if she was gonna die, she'd do so with her honour intact. She straightened up and looked the Everlight in the eye. "My name is Cera Fionntine. I've been gone for the past year and there are things I need to discuss with Master Ash. I figured it was best to approach her Everlights first, especially after recent events. Please, it's important and long overdue." Edited by Anamnesis, October 1, 2011, 8:03 am.
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Like a mistress of memory, I bask in knowledge of the past, hidden behind killer curves and a demure smile.
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| avocadosquirrel | October 1, 2011, 3:01 am Post #129 |
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Vance stood on the stage where he had been left and watched in horror as Dante raised the earth near Raja. She was elevating that silent simpleton? His control on events was slipping further with each passing day. Ever since that brat had taken on the rank of Earth master plans had been falling to pieces faster than he could fix them. But her? Really? Raja was a capable earth user at best, though very few had actually seen her manipulate it. If only the fool had waited. The time was almost ripe to install someone he wanted into the position of head bodyguard and claim it was 'for the good of the master'. Now the fool had ruined it for him. Subduing the anger inside he contemplated how this changed matters. True, he would not be able to put his own man in the esteemed position but maybe... just maybe this would work in his favour. After all, an elementalist shunned by not just her birth clan but her adopted clan as well would be easy pickings. Perhaps everything had worked out for the best anyway. He chuckled to himself as he descended from the platform and as he walked over to the master he plastered a smile on his face. He would look cheerful and content right up until the moment he put a dagger in the brat's back. Soon it would all be over. Soon he would stand at the head of the earth clan. Edited by avocadosquirrel, October 4, 2011, 8:09 am.
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| Chaos Storm | October 3, 2011, 6:56 am Post #130 |
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Resident
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Zane was exploring the fire clan. The people were still giving him different looks. Maybe the clans coming together was seen as a mistake to many, but Zane honestly in his heart, and logically speaking knew it was no mistake, it was something this world needed for the coming age. However what Zane did not see coming was spotting what seemed to be Ash's sister, and as Zane went over to see what the woman was doing all alone out of most people's view...well...Zane said "Would you like to come with me, I would like to chat" as Zane figured the woman could tell who he was by his voice, and Zane went on to add "You want a hand to help you up? It will only make you more sick breathing in....what you just lost" as they would most likely go together. The Princess's sister, it was logical to help the sister of the leader of the fire clan, when they were allies now. Zane also could tell Sophia needed some help even if she would not admit it. Though Zane did wonder if that stubbornness was from being blind, or being Ash's sister. Though if they do walk together, Zane figured he would need to hold her hand, or put his arm on her shoulder to help her, though from what he seen so far the woman most likely would not take that help. Zane planned on saying while they were walking "You want to come with me to the building me and Sala are staying out? I think she be sleeping or gone out on her business so it be a good place to sat down and talk. I been walking around my self so some rest would be good" Meanwhile Zane orders should be carried out by this point. His clan should be prepared for the worse case, and be on the out look for spies from the other clans. Supplies should be arriving at the other clans in good faith that no one would attack his clan members, and if a outcast does, his clan member did have permission to protect their self and be on the look out since right now war was a possible thought for most, with the deaths of so many from each clan, a clan leader no longer alive, and with it being mention at the last meeting that a outcast could be behind it to trick the clans into fighting each other only makes it worse because that meant something could be going on, and it was nothing small. It almost would had been better if a clan was behind it. However since the elements had caused so much damage and told everyone it was cause they broke the contract, then it was clear things were quite dangerous. What happens if just the earthquake part hits the entire land, instead of just the valley, let alone all the other things that had happen. If Sophia agrees, or even if she does not agree to any of it, Zane would still end up making conversation, and asking "If it is alright with you, would you like to tell me about your past. I would love to learn more about you, and maybe that help me figure out Ash. You know you have quite a unique sister, and it quite ironic that two leaders would fall in love, and join their clans. But no one can argue that that is something we need for our future. As things can not go on like they are", and "Should I get you something ....to you know...in case you still have some breakfast left", and then "By the way if you need something to drink, or wish to lay down just let me know. But you can just say what ever you wish to get it off your chest, and let it out. Things like that make people feel better, and who knows I might have a suggestion or might say something stupid for you to a least get a laugh from" |
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| Blue | October 4, 2011, 6:06 am Post #131 |
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The Token Australian
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Dante lifted a hand to the one resting on her shoulder, a smile ever present on her features. “I know that you’ll be amazing, and that you’ll always make the right call. We only met a week ago, but already I can see you doing great things for this Clan. Heck, if any of what you’ve already done is an indication…” The Master shook her head, a chuckle escaping from her lips. “You’ll be just fine.” Looking out towards the residential areas of the Clan’s home, Dante couldn’t help but feel hope at the things that had begun to take place. Already she could see people starting to talk, laugh and work together, all with smiles on their faces. It was a welcoming sight, and much more so than the ways in which they had conducted themselves before. “Mark my words Raja,” she folded her arms as the warmth resonated from the tone of her voice. “This Clan will go on to do wondrous things...” And then, something caught her attention. A single, old man walking towards the two of them, proud and wise in the way he walked. Vance had always represented what it meant to be an Advisor of the Earth Clan’s Council, and even outside of that, a great Earth Clansman. While the two of them had never seen eye to eye – especially not since the passing of Terrence – Dante couldn’t help but harbour a large amount of respect for what he’d contributed over the years. For too long she had gone on Leading and taking her people for granted. Drogo had been the most recent victim of such an attitude. But with his untimely passing, also died that very attitude. No longer would she allow her People – least of all those she worked so closely with – to be oppressed under a mini-tyrant. “Ah, Advisor Vance!” she greeted him warmly, her arms still folded comfortably against her chest; she’d always enjoyed the feeling of security such a gesture could impose upon an individual. “I trust you are we—“ “Master Dante!” a voice rang out from the rocky overhang of the city, interrupting their conversation before it had a chance to begin. “There is a convoy of horse drawn carts on the outskirts of the territory and entering our city limits. They seem to be carrying provisions of a sort!” Instantly, a confused expression found its way onto the Master’s face. She’d not called for any provisions or supplies, nor had she ordered anyone in her group to do so. Surely Cyril hadn’t made an effort to assist the Earth Clan at the expense of his own resources; that would certainly be something she’d feel guilty about… “I apologise Vance, but it appears we have matters to attend to. Never a moment of rest, you understand. Raja, best you follow me.” And with that Dante was off, down the hillside and rushing towards her new job. Curiosity more than anything had peaked her interest, but she couldn’t help but shake the feeling that something wasn’t right. Not in a violent sense, but rather in terms of suspicion and trickery. It wasn’t every day that a convoy of provisions entered their territory out of nowhere hoping to give them a hand. They were at the base of the mountain in mere minutes, simply due to the fact that Dante knew the city better than anyone else. And when you were a leader, these things were paramount. As they got there, a thought struck Dante – they had no defensive capabilities whatsoever. No walls or gates, simply some watch towers that were stationed all the way back up the mountain on the rock overhang. While Dante appreciated the openness of the Earth Clan, war was certainly coming. And Elements forbid, if that war ever came to them, they would certainly need to be prepared. The convoy was fast approaching, and it was that action more than anything else that made Dante think about just how unprepared they really were. “Raja, once we’ve sorted this out, as your first duty I would like you to get some of the bodyguards to go around and recruit men to start building a wall around the base of our city. Have one of the Advisors make an announcement in the meeting area.” With those words, Dante put all of her focus into watching the convoy make its final approach. As the horses slowed, she steeled herself just in case. No proper stance was taken, but the Master was certainly alert and only hoped Raja was too… “Earth Master Dante!” called a voice from the first cart, though as Dante took sight of the person who owned it, she became both irritated and confused. As the man exited the cart, it became clear that he was dressed in Air Clan robes, similar in pattern to the ones that had seen Brooke’s murder. While it was almost completely certain that the guy wasn’t the perpetrator, Dante’s fist clenched without her noticing. “What on Earth does Zane think he’s doing..?” she muttered to herself, so quietly that he couldn’t hear her. “I am glad to find you well.” He mused as he stepped ever closer to her. “My Master, Zane of the Air Clan, has instructed us to provide you with any provisions you may require in these times of need. And it certainly looks to me that you could use it. You’re thin as a tack… Have you been eating right..?” If looks had the power to kill, Dante would’ve killed that man a hundred times over in those few seconds of silence. Surely he’d heard about the reason for her slimmer than average figure from Zane. Or perhaps he’d known and neglected to tell the man on purpose. Regardless of the situation, he was no friend of hers in that moment. “I appreciate the offer, but we don’t need any of this. As the Earth Clan always has been, I’m sure you’ll realise we’re doing f—“The man lifted up a hand, rather rudely stopping her train of thought in its tracks. “I was told not to take “no” for an answer, Dante.” He lifted an eyebrow at her, and looked her up and down once more. It almost appeared that he pitied her, and her clan. He pitied them just like Zane pitied them. And that, made her incredibly angry. “Do not be a fool and make the mistake of trying to force my hand as your Master did back in the Twin Peaks, Air-User.” She grunted sternly, staring the boy down once more. “I am still not on good terms with Zane, and you would do well to respect me and my wishes if you wish for that to change.” Dante stepped forward, getting in the man’s face. He was no older than she was, but she could bet that he wasn’t expecting what was coming next. “I’ll take the provisions; bring them into our city limits. But do not take this as any kind of acceptance of the Air Clan. Zane is too suspicious to be trusted right now – to be honest; I expect that you’re harbouring spies as well as supplies. And if I find so much as one either during your time here or after you’ve gone, be absolutely certain that you and your men will all suffer the consequences that treachery and deceit beget. Let’s go.” As Dante turned away, the Earth seemed to make a low rumbling sound right below everyone’s feet. No quakes or fissures opened up, but the warning was clear enough. Edited by Blue, October 5, 2011, 12:57 am.
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'Friends will come and go, but you're stuck with your Mates forever." | |
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| Juicesir | October 4, 2011, 6:30 am Post #132 |
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Sexy Shoeless God of Something
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Her sister and her faithful friend departed, Ash turned to reenter her tent. It's time for the truth to come out. She stopped just before her tent's guard. "Inform Kenina and Sophia that I will be out patrolling the Eastern Boarder with the Water Clan and will be on leave for a few day's notice. I will return." "Understood!" Ash turned to enter the tent, but a thought crept into her mind. "Also, if Zane asks, tell him I'm sending off supplies and helping to strengthen our bond with the Water Clan." The guard again acknowledged the request, and Ash went into her tent. Once inside the tent, she began to change out of her formal attire into something slim and average, a pair of commoner's robes. Letting her robe drape to the ground, she allowed herself a moment of reflection over her body. In a way, she was desirable, but one can be desirable without being approachable. This was certainly the case with Ash. Her leg still bore the scars from that day at the Peaks. Otherwise, her body was fairly clean, even fair to look upon. She allowed herself only a moment of this reflection, only a moment to ground her in the reality of what she was facing. This ruse of Zane's has gone on for far too long... She left out of the back entrance carrying a clothes hamper woven of thick wool. For all intents and purposes she looked like a maid or a woman on her way to the wash. Face concealed and with hurried but not suspicious pace, she made her way to one of the stables on the east side of the town. She rode as fast and as hard as she could, traversing first the plains and then the mountains. She headed northwest. East had never been her intention. The Water Clan was, for now, well cared for. She had business elsewhere. |
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| Wicked | October 5, 2011, 5:22 am Post #133 |
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The Derp Queen
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҉ Unknown ҉ She felt her stomach churn as someone approached her and Sophia groaned inwardly, clutching the complaining abdomen. She kept her head down, her eyes shut against the thumping in her brain, the incessant chatter going on in there as well, and the sound of feet stepping closer and closer. Each inch gained in the stranger’s favor made the woman feel ready to curl into a ball. Why the hell couldn’t she be left alone for a small span of time? Didn’t this person see she was ill? She had hoped the intruder would notice and turn course to avoid getting whatever sickness Sophia had been so unfortunate to stumble upon somewhere along the road. That’s what it was, right? Some strange bug, influenza, something she could explain away as a passing thing right? She didn’t want to think that this was here to stay, especially as this person continued to approach her despite her apparent discomfort and bad state. If she wasn’t about ready to dry heave, since she’d already given up whatever she’d digested lately, she would have considered this person to be kind. Right now, it was just her luck. His voice slammed the last nail into her coffin. She was done for. Zane had found her, of all people. He was sure to tell her sister and then she’d probably be stuck with Ash fretting over whatever on earth her lame sister was suffering through. Sophia did not want that pity, least of all from Ash. She wanted to be strong, like her. But, she just wasn’t. This much was becoming vividly clear to Sophia the more and more her control over this illness slipped. Her temples began to press upon her skull and the white canvas that was her eye’s mind blanched for a moment as Zane continued to speak as if Sophia wasn’t falling through the hole that must have suddenly shown up beneath her. Why wouldn’t a hole present itself? That would solve everything. Instead, as Sophia’s hand curled on the clay building before her, she tried to regain her sanity long enough to reply. She slowly stood up straight, her hand still pressing against the supporting wall for assurance as she opened her eyes, however pointless the notion was, and gently smiled at her sister’s supposed love. “I’m sure I can’t possibly become any more ill. It’ll pass,” she stated as calmly as she could. She gave a small sigh as she tried to remember what else the Air clan leader had said while she was still trying to compose herself. Slowly, her eyebrows furrowed in curiosity and confusion. He wanted to talk to her? What for? She voiced her wonderment. “Strange of you to request my company but I’ll come no matter, if you’d like to speak,” she replied. Of course, it would have been more logical for him to go to Ash if they were really a couple. They’d finally revealed their relationship and, in Sophia’s opinion, they should be inseparable. But, then again, Sophia’s theory of them not actually being in love was becoming more and more solid. And then he spoke again as she began to walk, letting him take the lead as she had no idea where his temporary residence was. “Rest sounds very good,” she admitted with an amused smile. Rest sounded simply blissful. Too bad it wasn’t likely to happen at the time being. Her walk was tentative, her mind more focused on the movements than usually needed. She wasn’t at her best anymore, the constant ache keeping her from sensing her environment as distinctly as possible and it was annoying to say the least. She frowned slowly in concentration, not wanting to ask for help. That would simply be the last blow to whatever strength she’d established thus far with those around her. She already knew many considered her weak and frail; who wouldn’t when her sister was the embodiment of Fire? Sophia didn’t compare and, yet, she still fought to maintain dignity. And that was all stunted the second Zane requested to talk about Sophia and, ultimately, Ash’s past. She stumbled a bit on an innocent looking rock and bit her lip before continuing her stride. She laughed lightly, nervously, before waving him and his worries off. “Trust me, neither food or drink will help.” She’d simply reject it all over again, especially if she kept up appearances- and she would. The thought of getting anything off her chest was a dangerous one. What would you say? She didn’t know. Nothing had been explained to her as to what on earth was going on with her body. The thought drained her of warmth and the air around her increased in temperature not-so-subtly as her skin went cold. She shivered, frightened by the sudden drop in her body heat and her mouth opened slightly as if to speak and then shut it. There really was no point. He wouldn’t understand. How could he when she didn’t? She suppressed the frown threatening to show and simply smiled, as she always did. “It’s nothing, really. I’ve said I’m sick but it’s not much you can ‘make feel better’ unless you have healing powers somehow,” she attempted to joke. It fell flat on its face. “Besides, I’m sure you’d rather hear about Ash?” Now, her sister as a topic would surely keep her own issues from coming to light. That was one positive in this pool of negatives. She rubbed her arms slowly, the cold of her skin making her sure that this had to be some kind of flu. ҉ Earth ҉ The sensation was strange, this upward movement. Every time it happened, Raja had the interesting feel of her cheeks cushioning her eye sockets like pillows. The skin on the sides of her face gave a pleasant tug and her features softened, if only for a moment. Smiling was a queer, fun little thing Raja was starting to experiment with more and more these days; a thing she could get used to. She effortlessly gave one to Dante as she listened to her friend speak so optimistically about the clan’s future and, more importantly, the implied future of New Earth as a whole. It was always nice to hear Dante speak like that, when Raja was so sure that everything was meant to be severe and dark after the Twin Peaks. But, it was somehow easier to soothe her nerves when she was in Dante’s company. She was simply a very light person. And it was because of her that Earth had a promising horizon, despite the clouds of war threatening to roll in. That storm, Raja decided, needed to dissipate. Of course, her smile was short lived. She had barely acknowledged the presence of one of Dante’s advisors, one Raja wasn’t exactly acquainted with (though, she was barely acquainted with anyone other than the Earth clan leader), before a call from above caught Raja’s attention immediately. A trace of a frown outlined her face for a moment before going composed once more, her mind trying to work out the man’s words. There were people heading towards the Earth clan with provisions? What for? Inwardly, her suspicion rose but she she followed Dante wordlessly, on guard already for a possible confrontation depending on who was on the other side of the hillside. She watched Dante from a few paces behind, and the area around her, noting the clear skies and a bird that seemed completely unperturbed by human feuds. How would this world have turned out if humans had not been here to forsaken it and then be redeemed? She could not ponder for long and quickly, the bird vanished from view as it gracefully soared beyond the hill. And then, she saw the convoy as they descended. The robes instantly increased her suspicions. The air clan was making yet another move, it seemed. She wasn’t very political, probably never would be, but she knew when to register a group as a threat and, thanks to Air’s current tense situation with Earth, this could very well end badly. The elementalist was increasingly alert, feeling the buzz of Earth within her as she concentrated on the beautiful element, ready for anything. If they appeared hostile, she would have no issue throttling them with the help of the ground beneath her bare feet. She did not like the feeling that settled within her; the one that came with the thought that her home was being intruded upon. This was, now, her home and she had a fierce need to protect it. One day, you’ll have something to fight for And she would fight for Earth until the elements decided it time for her to meet Earth wholly. Swiftly, Dante’s first order was given and Raja nodded in agreement and acceptance. It made sense to do so, now that Raja truly took in her surroundings. They were extremely vulnerable in this vast land, multiple high hills obscuring the view while also allowing for them to get a bird’s eye view of any intruders from afar but without a thing in the way to keep them from continuing their approach. That unsettled her. “I’ll get that done immediately,” she replied quietly, tracing an outline of exactly where to place the wall. It would take quite a few people but it would be manageable and worth the effort, especially if it was effective against an attack. It was, obviously, planning for the worst but better to do that than simply be crippled in the off chance it happened. And, really, it wasn’t too off of a chance. She was feeling too edgy for attacks not to be a possibility. A knot formed in her stomach, a flash of crippled bodies causing her body to fall hollow for a split moment. The Twin Peaks had been the elements’ retribution. What was to come would simply be… Raja didn’t have a word for it. And she didn’t have a word for what was to transpire in front of her as the Air members approached and one decided to step forward and speak to Dante as if she were simply a child. That would not go over well. Raja fought back a smirk as, quickly, her friend defended her rightful position and intelligence. He was arrogant to say the least and Raja would have been happy to see Earth simply open up and swallow the rude man whole for the way he was speaking. She was tempted to help by giving the ground a nudge. Of course, it would take more than a nudge and, despite her increasing skill, it would be impossible to do. Still, it was a tempting idea… but it seemed that Dante was, as always, in control of the situation. Raja would never be able to be that aggressive with her words. It simply didn’t come naturally to her, as speaking was limited to begin with, and she found it more comforting to express her emotions through Earth. It was her extension, and she felt it tingle beneath her toes with her own agitation at the man’s foul words. Once the small dispute was done, with Dante ultimately winning no matter the settled arrangements, Raja followed Dante from close behind- close enough to speak to her while also maintaining a good guard against any possible sudden attacks. The assassination during the Anniversary had enlightened Raja that her father wasn’t the only one to suddenly change from calm to maddening. People were unpredictable and she had to be ready for anything. Had the Water clan done the same, Raja doubted their leader would have been killed so easily. She was not about to let the same happen to her fellow elementalist, her friend. She wouldn’t be able to live with herself if she did. “It seems that wall would have been a good idea to implement earlier… it would have been convenient against annoying visitors,” Raja commented quietly, grimacing slightly as she mulled it over. They could have acted as if they simply did not notice their presence. Well, maybe not. Soon, they were at the city limits and her eyes ran over the Air clan members analytically, reading their expressions thoroughly as they stood about their carts. It seemed they were discussing something and, then, the Air-user from before approached Dante once more. She eyed him questioningly. Did he have a death wish? “Where would you like us to place the provisions? I expected to be able to place them in the city’s central area but it seems we won’t get that privilege. Though,” he trailed off for a moment as he glanced at the Earth’s settlement and then back at Dante with a gleaming smile. “We are quite tired and either way we will have to rest for a while before heading back to our own lands. I request that we make camp either within or on your city limits. We do not know the terrain here well and it would be safer, and more pleasant, among others,” he commented calmly, as if talking about the weather, that smile still on his face. Raja glanced over at Dante, unsure whether or not she should jump in the way of an attack… from her friend towards this blatantly ignorant Air-user. Edited by Wicked, October 5, 2011, 6:39 am.
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| avocadosquirrel | October 5, 2011, 7:59 am Post #134 |
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"No, No master. I completely understand." As the girl and her followers turned away Vance let the smile drop from his face. She had nerve, turning away from him as if he was some child looking for an adult to pester. As she began walking away Vance had to resist the urge to throtle her there and then; she had not even asked him to follow. Instead he clencehed his fists at his sides and reapplied his smile. As they walked he listened to the conversation between the two children in front of him; the master and her lap dog. When the issue of the wall was brought up Vance had to concede that it was a good idea, even if only politically. Maybe he had given the girl too little credit. A wall separating the Earth clan from all others would be a symbol of great strength and would mean that other clans seeking to gain entry would have to beg and grovel. That image filled Vance with a warm feeling. He made a mental note to be the advisor who announced it to the clan. Downplaying the fact that it was Dante's idea would help him even more. He turned to see what the commotion was about and saw a number of carts drawing closer. As the distance between Vance and the carts lessened he saw the mark of the Air clan on the drivers. This would be an interesting meeting. Vance had heard many things about the leader of the Air Clan; that he was arrogant and headstrong. How then would his people behave? As the argument between the clansman and the master got under way Vnce had to repress the urge to chuckle. They were both handling the situation so badly. Apparently Zane's clan was as foolish as their master and the girl who called herself leader was not helping matters with her temper. The temper did have something going for it however; it was nice to see the air clan get what was coming to them. They had talked down to Dante, treating an earth clan member as a child. He was tempted to call spikes up from the ground to punish their insolence but thought better of it. Too obvious, he need someone to blame it on. Still, it was quite a nice punishment. He would have to remember it for later. As the rest of the retinue departed Vance remained close to the carts. Yes the messengers were fools, but they were useful fools. He stood next to one of the men who hadn't spoken and put his hand warmly on his shoulder. "Please forgive our master my good man. She has had a rough few days. Though I will not deny that she is a mite too forceful with her words." Here he chuckled and the man glanced at him suspiciously. "What do you want old man?" "I want to send a message, you are a messenger are you not? Boy?" Here Vance's grip tightened and the earth shifted a little, throwing the man off balance thoguh his congenial tone did not falter. Kindness was not the attitude to take with these youths. Strength was called for. "I want you to tell your master that whilst the girl may be too childish to understand what is happening there are those who do. I would further like you to stress to him that change comes upon us quickly and the role of a master is a dangerous one to possess." As he said this, his honeyed tone never dropping, the earth began to wrap itself slowly around the mans legs preventing him from moving. Vance pulled the cermonial dagger he had stolen so long ago from within his robes and placed it in the small of the man's back as he raised his hands to manipulate the air. "Do we understand each other... Boy?" As the point of the dagger touched the man's back he glanced at Vance and nodded, though without fear as much as anger. "Good, then I look forward to hearing a reply from your leader." Vance concealed the dagger once more and the tendrils of earth unwrapped themselves from the man's legs. Vance hurried across the field to the meeting square to tell the people of his wonderful plan for a magnificent wall. The pride of the Earth clan. As he walked his breathing became heavy. Channeling that much earth was a challenge nowadays. Still, where one source of power dwindled, another rose stronger than ever. His breathing steadied and as he walked he whistled. It was turning into a very good day. Edited by avocadosquirrel, October 5, 2011, 8:11 am.
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| Blue | October 6, 2011, 12:44 pm Post #135 |
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The Token Australian
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“You can put them in the Low-End Barracks. My troops will see to the proper distribution of these provisions.” The man’s smile irked Dante to no end, and she would’ve rather scraped it off his face with a jagged rock than accept him and his convoy into the City of her People. “As I side note, my men tolerate sneaking and treachery just about as well as I do, Light-foot. Make the mistake of crossing them, and you’ll wish Zane had decided to bring this convoy here himself.” As she said it, the thought gave her the urge to growl angrily. However in the presence of such people, it wasn’t considered wise to pander to such acts of feigned supremacy. The Low-End Barracks would make slightly more work for her troops than if she’d chosen to let them unload the provisions at the High-End Barracks. But, if it meant there was less of a chance of even one Air Clan member disappearing into her city, then it was a price that no one would argue. “You will not set foot inside my city, of that you can be certain. The Low-End Barracks sit at the base of the Mountain; you will unpack and you will take up residency in there. If you have a problem, you will need to have a long hard think and figure out just whether it’s worth the trouble bringing it up with me. My day was going rather well, Light-foot – your Master has decidedly screwed that up for me. Listen to me when I warn you; push neither me, nor my Head Bodyguard. Because you see, she is not as understanding as I am…” Her instincts told her to simply roar in his face and be done, but Dante knew better than most where and what that would get her. So instead she turned around, and began making her way back up to the Council’s Court, hoping to get a start on making preparations on the wall. As she walked by Raja, her stern expression lightened a little bit. “I want at least three soldiers with their eyes on all of those men at all times. They will take shifts on a night watch. Make sure that they all sleep in the same place; heck, even outside the barracks would be nice – I don’t like the idea of dirtying up the place.” She half-joked, pinching the bridge of her nose as a quiet chuckle escaped her lips. “At the first sign of trouble, have someone send for me immediately. Even if it looks like nothing, ok?” With that, she gave her friend a quick hug, before making her departure. She had every confidence that Raja would do her proud. As sharp as the Earth Master was however, she’d neither seen nor heard the exchange made between Vance and his Light-footed friend. She merely watched as the seemingly innocent Advisor made his way up the hill in the same direction she was. “Vance, a word if I may..? I want to talk to you about a new project concerning the defences of our city…” she smiled unwaveringly, completely oblivious to the treachery that had already rooted itself well into the Earth Clan’s oldest Advisor. |
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'Friends will come and go, but you're stuck with your Mates forever." | |
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| psy | October 10, 2011, 1:55 am Post #136 |
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Addict
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Cyril Cyril now stood atop his small plateau overlooking the beach and the sea just beyond the village. What he needed now more than anything was to have a spare moment to think without interruption. He could no longer sit in quiet silence thinking of nothing, doing nothing. His time to mourn had ended as soon as he addressed the people. Now was the time when preparations had to be made for the future. Soon after the bodies were buried the clan's idle chatter would all be centered around who would become the next Master. A position he had now resolved to take despite the risks. First the clan would shove the dreadful thoughts to the back of their minds, that would occur within perhaps a week or more. The Water Clan had always dealt with incidents like this well enough. They were a people who thought of life a flowing river. Mulling over things interrupted the flow of life and disrupted natural processes. Yet at the same time like the tide they would constantly return to visit that thought, that emotion of dread. The clan would never forget this time. Something was coming though, something that would change this world and that same natural order. Whether it be war, the Air Clan poking its nose in where it's not wanted, or something far more mystical, it was coming. Cyril's thoughts kept going back to the mist that covered the land during the catastrophe and the things he saw while he was unconscious. He had heard the whispers, most people had heard a voice, but only some saw visions. Were they visions? He had seen his village, empty and abandoned, the coming storm. He had heard his element beg him awake. Did the elements want a greater influence on the world? People had always revered the elements, but yet still used them like tools. In some way the four clans seemed to rule the world, but did they? “If you stand out here for much longer you'll catch cold, boy.” came a voice from behind him. The rain was but a light drizzle now. The sort of weather children ran out to play in, splashing in puddles and covering each other in mud. He had been out for long enough to be completely soaked though, but he didn't mind and catching a cold was the least of his worries. “Some things are more important than my health, Matias.” To which the old man grunted. It was true that to the hounds, little more besides the clan's well-being was more important to them than their health. “Mmph. Well one of those things just appeared at the edge of the forest. Air Clan, so the watchers say. The others are too shaken and I'll die of hypothermia out here, so you deal with it.” “Air Clan? You'd think they'd have more respect and sense than that. Though I suppose after what I've seen I shouldn't expect more of them than to walk headlong into a lion's den after killing its cubs.” “You really do think they killed Brooke? --” “No, but it's too soon to expect the clan to not act on their own compulsion. Return to your home and family, Matias, I'll greet our visitor.” “Mmph.” Matias turned and left and Cyril turned and made his way down the village's main street soon after. He walked through the town, observing the people as he made his journey. People had started to come out of their homes to tend to their clothes, food and other goods that might have been set out in the rain. It was too late to save what they had neglected now, but at least they were coming out of their secluded hovels. He even saw a few fishermen walking by with their rods and spears. Fish came out in the rain, and the dedicated fishermen of the Water Clan knew that their mourning could wait if they smelled a big catch. Soon Cyril was outside the main village. Expanding out to his left and right were other roads and farm land. The farmers were like the fishermen, not wasting time. They had to check that their crops to see what had to be replanted after the rain passed. Cyril was a lone figure walking in the middle of everything. It was symbolic really of the role he had taken upon himself since Brooke's death. An unpraised figurehead without any title. Other leaders held an aura of mastery but he was just Cyril, albeit still a prominent figure. To everyone outside of the clan, that really didn't mean much. Coming down the road he could see a horse-drawn cart with two riders. Both were dressed in Air Clan attire. To that he found himself scowling. How could Zane have been so bold? Sending a convoy of what seemed like supplies to what was right now a land of people who spit on his name. But at the same time Cyril had almost expected him to send a war party. That was the sort of person Zane was, a bold play-maker. Someone who didn't question his acts, he just acted. He was too egotistical to question himself, the opposite of he, Cyril, who seldom didn't question himself. Cyril could see them whispering to one another for a second. It seemed like they really didn't know who he was. Certainly Zane had made mention of who was currently representing the Water Clan so they'd know who to speak to, he would have been foolish not to. Finally, once they had drawn close enough to not have to shout one of them raised a hand in greetings and began to speak. “Greetings. Are you Cyril, the representative from Twin Peaks?” the man asked while gesturing towards the stern figure before him. “I am. If my suspicions are correct that is a gift from Master Zane you're carrying, provisions?” Cyril glanced behind the men at the cart that was covered with several layers of cloth to protect the goods from the rain. “That's exactly right. Our Ma--” “Surely your Master realizes the extent of my clan's feelings towards anyone garbing themselves in Air Clan robes right now. There is a period of emotional healing that must be observed and respected.” Cyril cut in, berating the men as scapegoats for Zane. “Yes but we were told not to accept having the gift turned away.” “I am not so much a fool to not accept your goods. I'm sure if nothing else they could be used as bait for our hooks, fur for our doormats and iron for our tools. But I cannot accept you two into our villages for fear that my people may well take up 'eye for an eye' as their philosophy, unwarranted as it may be.” Cyril had no look of compassion despite his words. The man seemed to understand his words, and his partner looked left and right at the farmland surrounding them. This young one who had not yet spoken seemed to suddenly realize that he was indeed in the middle of the lion's den. “I will send men and carts here to collect the provisions, and then you will return to your homeland and inform Master Zane that the Water Clan is thankful for his generosity.” Cyril instructed the two men, to which the older one opened his mouth to speak out against the orders, but he was cut off once more by Cyril, “Do you understand, or shall I bring you before the entire Council who are busy grieving over the loss of their dear Master? Her life having been taken by a man disguised in your robes.” The two men nodded and shrunk back into simply whispering to each other. Cyril turned away from them and started on his way back to the village. |
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(☞゚ヮ゚)☞ | |
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| Juicesir | October 10, 2011, 8:51 am Post #137 |
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Sexy Shoeless God of Something
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Fire A horse and its rider. A simple pairing traversing a broken land. Elders told tales that this land, this world, had once been divided. Great oceans had split the land and driven it to the corners of the world. And the people fought and remained in ignorance until the elements themselves brought forth a new era of enlightenment. Then, just as humanity was united with the earth, so too was the earthy united with itself. The land tore across the seas in a rushing embrace with itself, and in unity it stood once again. All elements, all peoples, all land, united once again. This was how the New Age had come. But as the young Fire Master rode across it she could not hope but feel that that age had long passed. What they were now, what the world was now, was something new. Or perhaps not yet new. On the cusp of the dawning tomorrow, they were all at the brink of some great transformation yet waiting to happen. And she would not be the horse of it. She would be the rider. She pushed the physical bounds of reason. She was one who had never entertained pain, never entertained weakness. Earth had always been the hardiest of peoples, Air the most ingenious. In water there had been healing, but in fire burned a spirit hotter than anywhere else. She had allowed her temper and primacy of youth to get the better of her in recent times, but such mistakes were unfitting of her own new order. Her own new order... Here was a time in which changes were made. Her power as Fire Master was now almost one of figurehead. Yes, she had retained most of her ultimate power over the clan through her two most trusted advisers, and in truth this was the natural order, the easy path to choose for one who wished to retain power. If you wish to hold power, her father had always said, you must know how to give it. And thus she had. In war and peace, her country was safe. Were she to perish her people would live on. This she was sure of. And it was now more difficult for anyone else to claim right over the Fire Clan than they had before. Within the old system there had been weakness, exploitation, a chance for others less worthy to garner power where they should not have been given it. But now, her reign was secure. But the land, this great united land, was not yet secure. Her people were the horse, and they were being ridden, broken, by an unrighteous beast. She knew what few others had, she had discerned and gained insight into what few others had not. She knew Zane, and her alliance with the Air Clan had placed her and her people at a relative disadvantage with her surrendering to their occupation. But that would change. As she rode, as the great mountains drew closer and as the air of the deserts and dryness were left behind, she knew this would change. Already the seeds had been planted, already the growth had been fostered. What was needed now was the harvest. All rest would follow. The land now stood in halves. By the end of two days, it would be nearly united, and her work would be nearly complete. But for now, she rode. Cross the hills and the valleys, through the forests and meadows. Onward they sped. A horse and its rider. Shadow One step at a time. Quietly he waited in his cell. He hadn't spoken a word to the wretches. They guarded him, he eyed them for the opportune moment. They got lazy, easy, they'd been misinformed. The Water Clan man had dropped him off without any warning to the wiser. They didn't underestimate him; they'd never been given a proper moment to estimate him. He was an unknown factor, a nothing. Like he always had been. One step at a time. He'd come to accept what had transpired. He knew what every maker of change knew: that they would never see the new day they worked for, never be able to live in the world they desired for others. He was on a path from which there was no return. And for Arram, that was more than acceptable. It filled him with a sense of calm, a sense of purpose. Suddenly nothing mattered except the three elements remaining. Fire. Earth. Air. Fire. Earth. Air. The three ran about his head clearing out all else. It was all he lived for, the extermination of these three. And so he was ready that day when the Water Guard fell asleep came, ready when the second guard went home early to be with his family, ready to use the shadows in his cell to lift off the keys around the sleeping guard's chain and plug them into the hole of his cell, ready to kill and slit the sleeping guard's neck as soon as he was out. One step at a time. Blood pooling on the floor behind him, Arram dropped the keys and opened the door to the prison. The rain was but a light drizzle now. It curtained across the land of the Water Clan, clothing it in somber light. "Fine by me." The whisper was lost almost to the drops of rain. With the guard's clothes upon him, he made his way for the western edge of the city. First, he must leave the Water Clan. He would use all of his stealth, all of his new found ability to wipe out any who would get in his way of departure. Then, he would reap his vengeance. Then more blood would be spilled. But first, it was just one step at a time. |
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| Jei Ai | October 14, 2011, 3:08 am Post #138 |
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The market had always been a curious place for Kenina. The people, whether out of respect, fear, or both, had always parted the crowds to allow her free movement through the many shops, stalls and attractions that made up the daily marketplace. There had been times when people had offered tributes – to both the Everlights if they had returned from battle or to Master Ash for her wisdom and bravery. She’d been stared at with cautious and sometimes threatening eyes which had been quickly averted when Kenina met the gaze with her fiery looks. She’d chased thieves on behalf of the people, she’d defended herself against an assassin, and she’d even been clapped at one point in time. But these were all rarities that hardly ever graced the market. Usually the people would part like flames in the face of water, allowing her through like a dangerous predator that nobody wanted to stir. And so it struck Kenina as incredibly strange when a cloaked figure blocked her path with a certain sense of purpose. After a sweeping gesture that had long since been left behind by the Everlights, the young girl rose to introduce herself. With a pursing of the lips, Kenina worked hard to keep both laughter and frustration swallowed down her throat. The girl was unusual, and Kenina had certainly never seen her about the Fire Clan before. And yet she claimed to be one of them? Did she think Everlights were so naïve? And as if to strengthen Kenina’s suspicions, the girl demanded an audience with Master Ash under the pretence of having important issues to discuss. It was almost insulting, but at the same time so ridiculous that it provoked a small chuckled to Kenina’s chest. It truly was a battle to maintain her stern composure. But will all that being said, there was something about the foolish girl that cocked Kenina’s interest. She bore the eyes of a Fire National, and the fiercely stubborn bravery typical of fire carriers. So perhaps she was one of them after all. But she was still a fool. Trying her best to be diplomatic, Kenina responded, “You respect me with your movements, and while I wonder where you learnt that particular gesture, I thank your reverie all the same.” Stepping forward and raising her chin, Kenina looked down at this ‘Cera’ person. “But your words suggest otherwise.” Her voice grew stern and fierce as the issue of her Master’s protection came forward. “If you honestly believe, citizen, that you can simply call a rendezvous with the wise and young Master Ash, then your respect for Everlights is perhaps not as grand as your gesture denotes.” Reaching back, Kenina gripped her spear and unfastened it from the hold across her shoulder blades. Bringing the weapon forward, Kenina strengthened her stance and slammed one end of the barbed spear into the dirt near her feet. “Come with me.” Turning to the east, the crowd parted to allow Kenina through. She wasn’t about to leave this Cera woman without a further explanation. Moving behind the woman, Kenina motioned down the path made by the parted crowd. “You’ll walk ahead of me, Stranger. Move – now.” The crowd was silent as they departed the marketplace. Without talking, the pair continued east, exiting the bustle of the town and moving to the dusty outskirts between town centre and the outer settlements. A lone Acacia tree wound itself towards the sky, and Kenina directed Cera towards it. The gentle shade of the tree was welcome, given the heat of the afternoon was beginning to set in. Father Sun was it his best, blazing down upon the Fire Clan with his warm blessing. After a quick scan of the immediate area, Kenina turned a stern face to her companion. Though foolish, the girl had at least taken instruction well. She was familiar with Everlight custom – proven by her earlier gesture – she had honour, and she had bravery to stand in the path of a warrior. Not only that, but she was a woman – a sister of the Fire Clan – who held potential in her strong frame. But before Kenina could allow herself t chase after wild new plans, she forced herself to deal with the more pressing matter of who exactly Cera was. “You believe yourself so important – so well informed – that you should be permitted audience with our brave and good Master Ash. Why?” |
![]() 'You were a happy dream in a life that's been nothing but a hellish nightmare' Tiffanie 'Lust' Marquisa, the Femme Fatale: OOC Sa’ritae Tyrundlin, the Mistress of the Earth: OOC Image by Vertify | |
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| Anamnesis | October 14, 2011, 8:26 am Post #139 |
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Cera held her calm as the Everlight scrutinised her. Surely she hadn't thought to receive a friendly welcome after running away like she did so despite the condescending manner of which the female warrior was looking at her, Cera allowed it to flow through her like the wind moving through an open flame. Was was happening right now was still much better than simply being killed for disobeying an order. Cera wasn't sure what Master Ash had told her subordinates after she fled but knowing Ash's personality, she'd have most likely left Cera's disappearance as it is and moved on to more pressing matters. She after all had a Clan to rebuild. When the Everlight finally responded to her request, Cera took it in stride. Of course..she would know about my family if she bothered reading up the history books or even the names etched in stone in memory of that horrible day, Cera thought. She let the thought dissipate for now, opting to focus on the situation at hand. A wise choice considering the Everlight had stepped towards her. "If you honestly believe, citizen, that you can simply call a rendezvous with the wise and young Master Ash, then your respect for Everlights is perhaps not as grand as your gesture denotes.” Cera kept silent but her eyes blazed in a very muted tone. It took a bit out of her to not snap at the young Everlight, knowing full well that action wouldn't bring her any closure to her goal of meeting Ash. Cera tried to reason with her anger. The Everlight was simply doing her job to protect her Master. She didn't know that Cera's respect towards the Everlights didn't just course through her because she was a Fire National; it ran through her blood. While that calmed her down to a certain degree, there was still some anger within her. Cera followed the Everlight's command obediently, using the time to calm herself down. She let her hands rest against her thighs out in the open but it wasn't too far away from the tonfas that hid under her cloak incase her confrontation with the Everlight turned sour. The Everlight directed Cera towards the outskirts near an Acacia tree and looked at her before speaking. Cera in turn surveyed the Everlight now that she was closer to her and figured they must be of similar age. “You believe yourself so important – so well informed – that you should be permitted audience with our brave and good Master Ash. Why?” Cera pursed her lips, deciding how best to tell her of her circumstances. She didn't know this Everlight, but through her behaviour, Cera figured that this Everlight was fiercely loyal to the woman Cera had grown up seeing almost every day of her childhood. She figured it was best to tell her truth, but she would keep some of the details to herself. It was Ash that needed to hear the words that Cera had been keeping at bay for a year. She took a deep breath, closing her eyes slightly then looked straight into the Everlight's eye. "Because there are things that I need to tell her that I should've told her a year ago. If she had known them then, then perhaps I didn't have to disappear in a time when every abled Fire brethren were needed to rebuilt our clan.." Cera let out a breath in frustration and looked away. She closed her eyes momentarily then tried again, this time in a softer tone. "But sometimes when you lose a part of you, it doesn't always work out that way.." She looked back at the Everlight and spoke in a stronger tone. "I was there. I was there when we planned the coup, was there when we executed it and was there when..afterwards." Cera visibly shook her head slightly; she couldn't recall the last time, if there even was a last time, she had told anyone about what she went through. She sighed and looked the Everlight in the eye. She figured that the Everlight would still be skeptical at this point. "I can tell you things that the history books can't tell you about what happened. You can ask Master Ash about me and she can tell you I have known her ever since we were children. My parents were Everlights to her father. I was also there at Twin Peaks so I know what's happened and I won't allow myself to run away from my problems anymore." |
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Like a mistress of memory, I bask in knowledge of the past, hidden behind killer curves and a demure smile.
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| avocadosquirrel | October 19, 2011, 12:17 pm Post #140 |
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“Yes, Master?” Vance’s smile never faltered for a minute. If this worked his plan would advance far faster than he could have dreamed. The girl spoke. “We here in the Earth Clan pride ourselves on being able to provide our people with all they will ever need; food, shelter and purpose. By all means, this should also include defence of our great city.” “Surely not master. None of the other clans would dare to break our hard won peace. You needn't concern yourself with such matters. I'm sure the ill-feelings will pass.” “And that is precisely the issue, Vance...” “What do you mean master?” He had to fight down a grin. He had been right: the idiot was actually going to recruit an army. The elements were smiling on him. “New Earth is on the brink of something big. Bigger than all of us put together. Whether it be worldwide natural disasters rained down by the Elements, or a full scale war, I cannot sit idly by and assume things will simply pass us by.” She replied. “The Earth Clan needs to be ready for whatever there is to come.” “But... Hmmm... You may be right actually Master. In any case a proper military cannot hurt our nation. Besides it will give people your age something to do... no offence meant.” He cursed his own foolishness in his head. He was letting his true feelings show through. Perhaps she would not continue if he simply hurried his agreement. Not too fast though. Balance was called for. “Very well. If we are to have a military we will need to change our society; Generals, recruiters, things of that nation. Did you have any thoughts master?” “I've already placed Head Bodyguard Raja in charge of constructing a wall that can be used as a last defence for the city. But without soldiers to adorn it, I see no point to a wall. Which is where you come in. While Raja handles the recruitment of our Clansmen that can help in construction, you will be in charge of recruiting the Army. I imagine there are many who are willing to fight for their clan for the sake of its safety.” That clan-traitor was going to be given the army? She wouldn’t even know what to do with it. He calmed himself; there would be enough time for fuming in private. Now it was time to try something a little bolder though. “Me master? Well then, I humbly accept the responsibility and will do my best to honour the position. Out of interest, has the construction of the wall been announced to the people yet?” “It hasn't, no. But if you would like the job, it is yours. Just remember to tell them that Raja is who they are to see.” Like a fish rising to the bait. He had to repress yet another grin. This was the happiest he’d been in a long time. “Very well master. I will tell the people immediately. On that note master, if you will allow me, I shall go and attend to my duties, there is much that must be done” “Of Course, Advisor Vance. I wish to hear back from you on these matters within the next few hours.” “With the greatest of pleasure my master.” Sometimes, he thought as he left the child’s presence, things just go well for you and he whistled gleefully to himself as the wheels of his mind turned. |
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| Requiem | October 21, 2011, 6:20 am Post #141 |
Scintillating Sinner
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Kaelyn Loredane “Oh, my love, don't forsake me, Take what the water gave me.” Haunting, cerulean hues, that could compete in color only by that of the clearest sea, peered forward; scanning the landscape. The abandoned woods that stood miles outside her village had always offered a calm, serene place for her to go and collect herself. “Brooke was murdered by a mystery assailant who garbed himself in Air Clan robes.” Cyril had said. She still was unable to believe that Brooke had been murdered. Those twin pools of Sapphire searched for life, movement and wondered if they were alone. A curtain of obsidian locks blanketed an oval face and tumbled passed thin shoulders, nearly to her knees. That mid-night colored hair fell in a mass of chaotic, wild waves, with no intent to be tamed. “The man escaped into the forest.. All I ask is that you not act rashly or foolishly.” The sound of Cyril’s voice echoed through her thoughts. A variety of animal pelts had been created in the form of scarves, that had been belted around her waist, which formed and improvised a bodice and skirt. The scarves rippled around long, toned legs, revealing more than what was modest within her clan. A string of peacock and turkey feathers fell passed the furs, as if a second layer and they moved with the slightest sift of air. Long, curled, ebony lashes fluttered against a porcelain complexion, in protest to the fresh, crispness of the wind. The breath of Mother Nature converged on her, engulfing the females being within it’s chilled embrace. A shutter coursed its way through her, causing the baby hair on the back of her neck to rise. The surrounding trees groaned in protest with each sway the wind forced, causing leaves to fall loose and leaving them to wither and die, unnoticed. “And then, when we have cried our final tear we will continue to move forward..” The voice rang once more and Kaelyn threw a curse to the sky. The deep scent of burning hickory, with a touch of a distant rain curled around her. Moisture laced the draft and the promise of a storm rose a giddy sort of excitement from deep within her. Kaelyn Loredane was that of the Water Clan, what better source of water was there, than a rough storm? With a simple shake of her head, She cleared her thoughts from the biting wind and took refuge in the knowledge that she was strong and nothing could shake her. “Lay me down. Let the only sound. Be the overflow. Pockets full of stones.” Edited by Requiem, October 21, 2011, 6:32 am.
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| Wicked | October 26, 2011, 10:09 pm Post #142 |
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The Derp Queen
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҉ Earth ҉ Brown eyes followed Dante as she walked away after giving Raja her duties. She didn’t have to be told twice when it came to keeping an eye on these intruders. A twitch of the lip revealed the Earth member’s amusement at her friend’s treatment of the Air clan group, her warnings probably going in one ear of that arrogant man and out the other. Still, Raja hoped that the man understood Dante’s warnings loud and clear since she was not the type to fall through with her promises, and neither was Raja. She would watch them carefully and if any single member seemed a bit suspicious, the redhead would not hesitate to report to Dante… after placing him inside a comfortable cocoon of Earth, just for safe measure in case he decided to run. Once Dante and her advisor were off to talk politics, Raja followed the Air group as the men led the provisions towards the Low-End Barracks the Earth Master had pointed out earlier. They didn’t seem exactly enthused by their decided dwellings for the night but none would speak up to Raja, the designated Earth clan member, about their complaints. It wouldn’t have been wise of them to do so. They seemed to read the atmosphere around her quite accurately: she didn’t hold many conversations and, unless they had true meaning to them, Raja wasn’t about to start a dialogue with them about their silly qualms. They were lucky just to be allowed within walking range of the Earth’s central location. If it had been up to Raja, who had no real understanding of what was suitable behavior towards others, she would have made them head right back to their own territory. Soon, they arrived at the location and the Air clan members began to unload the provisions, eying Raja the entire time as she surveyed their actions. She had called past the Barracks to some stray Earth members, who had been collecting products from one of the many vegetable gardens they maintained, to bring back others who would help in bringing the provisions back to the village. Within a matter of minutes, a few able-bodied men arrived, along with some females, to carry the offerings back. Raja kept back a few of the more strong, sharp looking folk to stay with her and watch over the group of visitors while she turned her attention to the other task at hand: preparing for the wall. The young woman knew that she would have to wait for the Air clan representatives to leave before she could actually go about constructing the wall; her suspicions were much too high to allow them to see it erected. Raja sensed that there was a high possibility that they would report its construction straight back to their leader and she wanted its presence to be a surprise for anyone who would dare to infiltrate Earth territory. As she scanned the land before her, Raja smiled to herself. She was finally of use, real concrete use, and she would soon have something to show for her time on New Earth. All the calculations ran in her head as her eyes traced over every grain of dirt and rock on the outskirts of their home. She would have the strongest sediments make up the wall, so that meant that she and her workers would have to reach deep within the Earth. The challenge presented by this wall made her…giddy. It had been a long time since such an emotion had made itself known. It made her smile warmer, more excited as she took in her surroundings, her home, blatantly ignoring the annoying looks of Air members as they walked about behind her. They would not disturb this new peace that had washed over her, and she knew that they would not stir any trouble- because she would squash it in a heartbeat. One of the Earth clan members she’d asked to stay back approached her, his skin dark from the dirt he’d most likely worked with earlier in the day. He nodded at her in welcome, and she automatically repeated the gesture. She was still trying to figure out the right things to do. She stayed quiet, not exactly knowing the right words to say either. “How long are they going to be here?” He asked bluntly. Earth clan members weren’t known to beat around the bush. Raja glanced over at him and repressed a sigh. “Until dawn tomorrow. They are to leave immediately after they wake up. Of course, you and the others will not stay until then. I’ve already found a few others to take on the watch in the night. They’re resting now and, if you do not mind, I’ll have you wake them up for their shift when I send you back,” Raja replied calmly, looking back out at the land, already seeing the wall in her mind, proudly standing and defending. “Though, all of you will be returning once they have left for another task I have in mind,” Raja continued stoically, still with her eyes to her beloved element as the man stood calmly beside her. He nodded briskly, having already noted Raja’s authority. None of the others would argue this announcement, either, when he returned to his fellow members to relay the orders. Tomorrow, they would no longer be defenseless against the threats that thundered just beyond the horizon. ҉ Unknown ҉ It was extremely cold, frost nipping at her fingertips. After following Ash’s intended, Zane, to his clay quarters only a few paces away from her sister’s Sophia had found herself growing more and more chilly from the fever that must have been sweeping over her. How on earth had she caught such an illness? As long as she could remember, the young woman had been extremely healthy. When others had fallen ill during her time with the Air clan as a child, Sophia was observed to be somewhat immune to it. When she mulled it over, it kind of made sense. She had, for years now, been cast aside from civilization. Sophia reasoned that she must have lost whatever defenses her immune system had built up with others during her time in isolation, wandering New Earth. Now that she had suddenly plunged back into society’s grasp, she was suffering the consequences Mother Nature tossed at her carelessly. Still, wasn’t this a bit rash? She would soon break out in a cold sweat if this sickness had its way. In a way, Sophia envied Zane. He smelled flushed with the heat of Fire’s naturally dry, hot climate, his body’s odor increasing with the temperature. She could hear him patting at his forehead, catching a stray bead of sweat as he spoke to her. It only assured her even more that she was sick. How on earth could she possibly be this cold with him practically sweltering over there, just a few feet away from her? Sophia nodded along with his conversation, as he asked useless questions about Ash’s personality. Had she always been this way, was she feisty when little, did she have a soft spot… really, who was he kidding? She sat idly on the seat across from his small mat, gazing down at the floor, seeing nothing but white. She was, obviously, not herself. Her radiance was gone, plummeting with the subzero temperatures she was facing as he continued to ramble as if there was nothing wrong. He was probably simply following her lead, as Sophia had told him that she was fine, but still. Could he at least do her the favor of shutting it for simply a moment so that the spinning in her head would slow down? All she could hear was this loud, buzzing sound inside her head like a hive of bees had decided to take permanent residence in there, just to keep the illness that was attacking her body some company. She wanted to scowl but fought to keep composure over her face. It was too hard to keep a smile on so, instead, she sat monotonous. It probably was no better than simply letting her struggle visible, but Sophia had too much pride to just show that she was losing a battle with her own body. Her hands clenched at her upper arms, her knuckles somehow stark white against the pale skin. “I truly am glad to finally be acquainted with my love’s sibling. In a way, I’m jealous that you have known her longer than I.” Ice accumulated, crackling as it reached her eyes and turned them into glass as she snapped up to look dead on at Zane despite her impediment with pure and unadulterated hatred. “You don’t know her,” she hissed, frost blowing from her blue, cracked lips as her eyes locked on his heated face, beads of sweat still oozing from his begging pores. She could smell his perspiration, feel the heat coming off of him; a thermal energy she thirsted for at that moment. He had no right to speak of Ash in any manner but that of politics. He may have been able to trick others, as Ash did, but Sophia knew her sister- knew her soul. She would never have fallen for this man with all his arrogance and Air qualities, and she could tell when someone’s intentions were not pure- she could see it in them. She could not see his face, she could not see the irritation on his face from her words or, more importantly, the fire that was consuming his blood. But, she could see his light- and it was tainted with darkness. She stood, unsteady and shivering from the cold sweat that was falling over her in chunks of glacier. Her entire body was turning blue from the frost that had enveloped her as she stood there, unsure of how long she could remain in that position but stubbornly, angrily holding it all the same. She could not see him as he began to wave his hands about his body, as if trying to calm down a fire that was getting out of control. He was barely paying attention to her words. The Air clan master was eyeing his hands, his arms, his body in a panic- eyes wide as he looked from the Ice Queen in front of him and his own body, burning hot. “Don’t you dare talk about my sister. Ever. Again. I won’t tolerate you tainting her. I won’t tolerate anyone touching her, looking at her, talking to her, breathing near her if she does not want it- if I do not allow it,” she spoke, her voice chilling to the core and yet, it ignited an inferno. There was a burst of bright, piercing light within the clay building that poured out through the eve of the door- just begging to be let out. Zane screamed and Sophia let out a small, tortured cry as an immense pressure pressed down upon her head, the buzzing a now loud roar as she fell to the ground and curled upon herself, trying hard to conserve whatever heat she still had. All she could feel was the cold, all she could hear was that roar. It successfully shuttered out Zane’s tortured hollers as his veins burned, a fire running through the inside of his body through those thin, fragile lines to the bomb- his heart- setting everything aflame at disastrous temperatures until he burned completely from within. She was frozen; her ears, eyes, mouth, legs, arms, all her limbs, her mind- frozen. Everything stopped and she could hear nothing. Finally, the roaring was gone and all that was left was ice. Edited by Wicked, October 28, 2011, 2:11 am.
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| Blue | October 30, 2011, 6:56 am Post #143 |
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The Token Australian
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Dante Terraria As Vance left her, Dante had no more than a few seconds of privacy before another voice chimed in. The only difference this time however, was that no Citizen of the Earth owned it. It was calm, collected and cool. The girl would’ve even gone as far as calling it familiar – though she couldn’t pinpoint where she’d heard it before. It sounded almost like a whisper on the wind. And ironically enough, that phrase was certainly the one to use. Another amongst you is gone – claimed by a raging and unforgiving inferno. At the meeting, there shall be only three. The winds of change are well and truly blowing now, and they are about to sweep fiercely through one of the Clans. “Dead..?” The Earth Master could believe her ears… or rather the voice that took such a presence inside her head. Another of the Four Leaders was gone, and with them more of the already declining order of the situation. Heavy thoughts ran through her head as she tried to piece together who exactly could’ve fallen. Dante’s heart fluttered when she considered that there was a possibility that Cyril could be dead. He wasn’t exactly a Master yet, but may as well have been. Surely no assassin had the fortitude to return and cause even more destruction. “The winds of change…” she repeated, picking apart the words as they’d been spoken. There was a good chance that Zane was the one to have perished. It was unlikely that the Water Clan would be dealt another blow so soon – not to mention the fact that fire wouldn’t hold that clan back for very long. Meanwhile, the Earth Master’s feelings towards Ash suddenly began to feel a little more uneasy. She’d been in a relationship with Zane, a conniving, self-centred and egotistical jerk. More than enough motive considering the way she’d acted out against him during the first meeting. Relationship or not, Dante didn’t dismiss her for a second. As far as she knew now, Ash was just as dangerous as her “partner” was. And as it looked now, it seemed very likely that Zane had been the one to burn. No tears were shed for him however. There was never a chance that she would ever grieve for the loss of such a soul. As far as she believed, it was a time to celebrate. ”Ding Dong, The Air-Head’s dead.” Dante’s mind trailed off on a tangent for a moment, wondering if Cyril had heard the voice too. Her eyes darted around, looking to see if anyone else had heard the voice. But as she watched, no person had stopped or stalled in their work. Even Vance had continued on at his own pace. It would seem that she would need to wait until the meeting to see just who had fallen, and which of them remained. Or would she..? All clans had their own way of sending messages to each other. Surely she could send a messenger birds out to the rest of the Leaders. But as she eyed the Light-Footed jerks at the bottom of the hill, she realised that sending out three messages simultaneously probably wasn’t the wisest of choices. They’d definitely report back to their Master on that, assuming he was still alive. Perhaps a single bird would be enough – the only problem there was figuring out just who to send the bird to. Dante’s satirical side told her to send it to Cyril, just so that he could smile at the possibility that Zane was dead. Heck, it would’ve been hilarious sending the message to any one of them. She could almost see the look on Zane’s face as he read the letter. “Zane, you wouldn’t happen to be dead would you? Regards, Dante.” A smile crept up on her face, before she decided to get moving. It was decided; Cyril would have his letter in a couple days. After 10 minutes of walking uphill and answering many a question about the Air-Heads who continued to unpack their “gifts”, Dante finally reached the messenger station. The Advisor she’d left in charge of the place was quick to greet her. “What can I do for you, Master?” he bowed. “I wish to send a message to Cyril of the Water Clan. It is a matter of our Peoples’ Security, and must not be seen by another other than myself and its recipient. Is that clear?” Her voice was back to it’s stern nature, lacking in any expression other than a demanding tone. The advisor took it in stride and led her to a room in the back of the station. Once there, she wrote her message. It read thusly; Cyril, I am unaware if you are privy to the knowledge that I hold, but if not, then let me be so kind as to inform you. It has come to my attention - through a source that I can’t begin to explain – that another Leader has been killed. If my suspicions are correct, the one who fell this time was Zane of the Air Clan. As much as I’m sure this delights you – it certainly delights me – I feel I should also inform you that it is very likely that Ash was the one to destroy him. If such an event has taken place, and Ash is truly responsible, we must be incredibly careful who we ally ourselves with. I hope to hear back from you soon. The meeting shall go ahead as planned. Regards, Dante. With that, the Earth Master rolled up her note and tied the ribbon. Across the back, she wrote the note of address; For Cyril’s Eyes only. Top Secret. Returning to the front, she handed the Advisor the letter and as she watched the Messenger Falcon fly off into the now setting sun, she only hoped that it would reach its destination quickly. |
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'Friends will come and go, but you're stuck with your Mates forever." | |
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| Juicesir | October 30, 2011, 7:05 pm Post #144 |
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Sexy Shoeless God of Something
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Four Days Later... Things suddenly seemed to have a mind of their own. The world, it appeared, was working in much a different way than she had remembered. And while the Fire Master rode across the divide between her beloved lands and that of Earth's, she had heard a whisper on the wind. For five days and nights it had spoke with her, no louder than the gentle coo of a far off dove. But the news it heralded had made her the happiest person she could have asked to be. Zane was dead. This she knew, this she felt. The voice had been ambiguous as to the nature of who had died, but in her heart she knew it to be true. None of Earth could have died, and she was most certainly still alive. Water had already suffered their leader dead, so it was with utmost certainty that she could say, with unflinching conviction, that Zane was dead. But by whose hands? It proved a matter that would either redeem or destroy her people. The nature of the killer was of the utmost importance. Ash couldn't imagine Zane being killed by anyone lesser than herself, which only left a few options. It could have been a conspiratorial effort of her guard, the Everlights. Kenina had certainly nursed a hatred for the man, more subtly than most. It was entirely likely that they had taken charge, and if that was the case, then it would be in her best interest. The Everlights had done what she had so desired to do, and she suspected many of wanting. But... She wondered if Kenina knew what she did. About Zane. About his true intentions. She could not imagine Kenina as being privy to the knowledge she had. This meant that Kenina would have acted purely out of her dislike for the man, which was dangerous. But there were others indeed. Many held a grudge against the Air Master, and the second most likely scenario that sprung to her mind as she had rode was that Zane had noticed her disappearance and tried to assert himself. Lacking his usual tact, a fight had erupted and in the process he'd been slain. This was quite possibly the less desirable of the two choices. A fight between Air and Fire would be most undesirable having had their union so close at hand. But it would still be controllable. However, one possibility had settled itself into the bosom of Ash's mind. It lay there, dormant, foreboding. What if it was Sophia? It was not based in anything rational. The likelihood of that happening was far lesser than that of the other two circumstances, and Ash's fixation upon the notion was unhealthy and only had out of emotional attachment. It couldn't have been her sister. But... She hardly knew her sister anymore. She was a person whom she had long looked for, but barely known for a few days. And her candor belied a nature that was far more terrible than Ash really allowed herself to admit. If it was Sophia... No, it could still be dealt with. Whatever the situation was in her homeland, whatever the action which had ensued, Ash knew two things: it was for the best, and it was not for the knowledge which she harbored. The knowledge she guarded like a secret fire, a precious candle in the dark of the windy night. The knowledge which she now deemed worthy to share with Dante. Dante... She approached the Earth Clan, and was surprised to see a wall now being constructed around it. We are much alike, my Earthly friend. It was exactly the move she would have done, given the circumstances. Earth was best upon the defensive. Their ability to attack was indeed ferocious, but where they truly shined upon the battlefield was in defense and sanctuary, guardianship. This is why Ash had come to the land first, why she had deemed it necessary for her visit to be with Earth and not Water. And she needed it now more than ever. She approached the half-built gate. A few lingering guards among the workers turned to look at her approach, and by the time she had arrived she was thoroughly surrounded. It seems that word has reached Dante of the death as well. She would not have expected such a welcoming as this were it not to be true. Again, she trusted her heart, a thing she had long been loathe to do but which now seemed to be her only guiding help. "Halt, traveler. What brings you to the Earth Clan?" Ash had to play this off correctly. The Flair of Fire would not do well right now. It would only make Dante suspicious of her, and that was something she could not afford in this hour. "I come from far away to speak with the Earth Master Dante. My business with her is my own to share." She spoke with as decent a tone as she could muster. It would not be well for her to be antagonistic, and as much as she would have liked to blast through this confounded barricade with her stature and station, flaunting it above all others, she could not afford it. Tact was required. Besides, this allowed her to know something: whether it was indeed Zane who was dead or not. "Were the Earth Master Dante to take all visitors she would indeed be the busiest Master known." There, it was confirmed. Dante was alive; Zane was dead. She eased a little, comfortable in that knowing. "If you wish counsel with her, you must have better reason than just the desire to." Her words would have to be very guarded. Above all else, she could not alienate the Earth Clan. So, she decided to be honest. She dismounted, the Earth guards looked battle ready. Her movements, however, belied no intention of a fight. She walked carefully up to the head guard, and raised her hooded head to look at him. Tears were in her eyes. "Please, let me speak with her." The scene was a tense one. The action around the gate had long ceased. All eyes were fixed on the robed stranger clad in no land's garb confronting the gate of the Earth Clan. She held her gaze with the captain for a long time. The subtly of emotion was more powerful than Ash had long allowed herself to believe. With her heart now guiding her actions and her brain keeping them in check, she was allowing herself to show emotion in a way she had long locked away. The captain, whose gaze as first was as cold as stone, now softened, and he looked at the girl with white hair and a limp with pity. Such a sad and loose creature. How could he be so heartless as to deny her, who had rode so long to get her, a chance for an audience with Dante. His own heart softened, and he smiled consolingly. "Alright, miss. Please don't cry. We will take you to Master Dante, alright?" He turned to his men. "Guardsmen, take care of this girl's mount." It had worked. Her young looks, her tired and worn tears, it all had allowed her entrance, and without any need of her to flaunt station or status. So far as the guard knew, they were now escorting an Unknown to see Master Dante. An Unknown with a sad story to tell. And that is just the way that Ash desired it to be. Her presence, for now, must not be known to the Earth Clan, or to that of fire. Were it to be, she might be thrown in shackles. It was obvious Dante would suspect Ash as having some foul part to play in this affair, and while Ash knew she did not, she must also convince the Earth Master of this. The guard led the small, crying girl through the Earth Clan to where Dante was. Ash would finally get her meeting. Ash would finally be able to tell Dante what she had been dying to her upon their first meeting. "Master Dante, a traveler has arrived and wishes to speak with you. We do not know her Clan or name, but her business appears urgent." Ash approached Dante hood down, allowing the tears to remain. "If I may speak with you privately, Earth Master, I would be most appreciative." The hood hid her face, her voice cracked and meekly retreated with sadness, for with her heart now guiding her light, she was its subject. A great slave of this long suppressed emotion. But as to whether the tears were for joy or sorrow, she could not tell. They merely came, as she stood, and awaited to speak with the Earth Master. |
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| Wicked | November 2, 2011, 5:30 pm Post #145 |
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The Derp Queen
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҉ Earth ҉ Her hand came away from her face caked with dirt. The young woman coughed up some debris and gave the horrified man a reassuring smile, though the whole ordeal was so foreign to her. Only moments ago, one of the many Earth members Raja had rallied up to help in constructing the wall that would defend their land had lost focus on his task. He'd caught a glimpse of a rather attractive female passing by with food for the workers. The result of his male tendencies was a partial section of the tender wall collapsing from lack of pressure. It cascaded downwards towards an unknowing Raja who’d been working with someone else on sharpening his skills, causing quite a scene. There were a few hollers but it wasn’t very dramatic as all that, Raja concluded. She’d sensed something coming her way and blocked most of it, though a good chunk of debris had hit her and smothered her in the rich soil. Now, she looked as if she’d just crawled out from a burial site. “Forgive me,” the man grumbled, ashamed and turning red rapidly. She waved him off, along with some earth that clung to her arms, and turned her attention back to the wall. Really, Raja didn’t mind it much and continued on with what she’d been doing previously while the man who’d caused the havoc looked at her, aghast, for a moment before turning back to the wall in order to clean up his mess and repair his section. The man Raja was now working with, on putting enough pressure to solidify his portion of the wall, slipped side glances at her every once in a while, wondering about her mental health. How could she just stand there, covered in dirt? The same thought was crossing quite a few minds along the forming barrier but she wasn’t focused on the eyes that scanned her over. Head to toe, Raja had dirt on her. With a few movements, particles would fall off and, sometimes, land on the man beside her. She barely noticed, since there were much more important things at hand than getting a “little dirty”. “Now, you try,” Raja stated, motioning towards the small pile of sediment that was before them, which had taken quite the time to summon from deep within the layers of earth in the previous days of construction. He blinked once, twice, and then looked back at the redheaded Head Bodyguard, trying to conceal the fact that he hadn’t been paying attention to what she’d been saying. He had been too fixated on the small lump of rock that had landed on his shoulder from somewhere inside the woman’s thick, curly hair. “Um, sure,” he mumbled, figuring she meant forming it into a strong, solidified form. He frowned, looking down at the pile for a little while before raising his hands slightly, furrowing his brows in concentration as he shaped his element. Raja shook her head and placed a hand on his wrist, stopping him momentarily. “If you try to shape the entire pile, you’ll break out in a sweat and tire too easily. I told you to do it bit by bit, gradually. That way, you get a better, more solid result while not using up too much of your strength,” she calmly reiterated. Hadn’t he been listening to her? Her brown eyes fell on him, observing his reaction. He was still frowning. He was still young, trying to figure out the best way to go about manipulating his element. She liked that about him. He was still spirited, energetic, if a bit impatient. He showed as much with his next statement. “But, that will take forever,” he complained, his arms going down to his sides in frustration. She felt her lips lift in amusement. “Patience is key. Would you rather create a wall that was erected in a short span of time, but is fallible or a wall that took time to create and is impenetrable?” Well, when she put it that way… He raised his arms once more and worked on the pile, bit by bit as she’d instructed and she smiled easily. It was becoming more and more natural for her to do so. It was strange and she felt a bubble of excitement whenever she felt her lips form a new expression. Of course, Raja would never admit it. Instead, a flash from the side caught her attention and she spotted a few people peering over at what seemed to be a conversation between someone who’d arrived and a guard Raja had allocated to watching for suspicious visitors since she could not see past the wall where she was. The next step in building this barrier would be to build outposts at select areas, so that those at level with where the wall was could overlook the other side. From her estimates, Raja would have that completed by tomorrow or the next day. But, for now, she had guards and one of them was intercepting a female with a horse. Everyone seemed interested and turned from their assignments, even herself. Who on earth was this woman? And why was she being lead towards Dante? Her lips curved downwards in a frown. For once, she was not excited by this development in emotion. ҉҉ Unknown ҉ Warmth. For once, she felt it touch her face but just barely, as if it was filtering through some barrier. That annoyed her. She wanted to be bathed in a fire, away from the chills that racked her body as she came into consciousness. Everything hurt, complaining from contracted muscles and frostbite that had bitten at her toes and her fingers. Sophia couldn’t help the shivers that overtook her skin, her bones, her teeth as they rattled and announced to anyone in the room with her that she was finally out of her slumber. They had been thinking the worst, or maybe the best, that she was dying. She hadn’t stirred for four days, simply lying in a frozen state as they worked about her with their element, Fire, trying to heat up their Master’s sister. She had been “thawing out”, so to speak, over the past few days, and they could see color take on her face and her blue lips start to return to their normally rosy color. Still, whenever they would near her, spasms would take over her little body that could no more be explained than stopped lest they move away from her. Yet, sometimes, she would be perfectly still when they came about her body to help her heal. The times this happened were selective and few, more likely to happen at the very beginning when they found her and a very dead Zane, whose body had repeatedly returned to those who’d discovered it in their sleep. It seemed her body would allow for some help, but not much, and that was why they were beginning to think that their efforts would just not be enough. But, Sophia’s body was more apt than that, than the skinny girl they saw. Internally, it was repairing itself but slowly, unable to get what it needed without consequences from living forms. Sophia wanted the sun, but it seemed someone had covered the window in the room and that’s why the warmth she’d felt before was weak. Why was that? Slowly, her eyebrows furrowed in confusion as she regained feeling in the different regions of her body. Past the pain, there was that buzz again, like before but subtler- not angry and loud. The voice that had constantly berated her, though, was nowhere to be found within her mind, no matter how far she searched. She was lonely, and for once she wanted someone- or something to speak to her. “Ash?” Her voice came out faint, and cracked disgustingly. She was saddened knowing that others were around –she could hear them moving about- when she was like this. But, why were they here? Where was she anyways? And why wasn’t her sister near? She couldn’t feel her. And as the silence built up after her one-worded question, Sophia felt the urge to scream but, then, the urge quickly faded away into the background as if absorbed by some sponge in her brain. Now, she felt quaint and even attempted to smile, though her cracked lips did not like this action one bit. She went to move, to sit up in the cot she’d been placed in, only to hiss as someone went to press her back down into a lying position. The person quickly backed away. “Sorry!” Sophia quickly apologized as a look of horror washed over her features. She hadn’t even known she’d reacted so harshly to someone who was helping her, but, the sudden pain had made her let out that hiss without her consent. The sudden contact had made her feel sick to her stomach, though the sensation vanished upon the person’s recoil. Still, that was rude. “I’m so, so sorry,” Sophia grieved as she quickly sat up in the cot and peered in the general direction of whoever she’d offended, sensing the atmosphere changing after her outbursts. Why was it so tense? Her eyebrows furrowed once more and a small, tender frown formed on her face as she tried to figure out what was going on. Drawing blanks, she decided to simply ask since no one seemed to want to speak otherwise. “What happened? And where’s Ash?” She asked, kindly to make up for her past offense. The silence was broken with a low mumble from people a little farther off in the room but Sophia didn’t have to strain much to hear them- her sense of hearing sharpened to compensate her lack of sight. “Does she really not know?” Someone murmured, while others asked the same thing in various ways. “I don’t know...” “This is very peculiar...” “Wonder what Master Ash would do…” “Should we tell her?” “Tell me what?” Sophia broke in, facing them head on even though she could only see bright white. “What happened? Please, tell me,” she pleaded, confusion sweeping over her. She felt a knot in the pit of her stomach. Had something bad happened? Do you know? She asked urgently inside her head, to no avail. That sweet voice was gone. She was alone. Again. “Miss Sophia,” someone boldly called out as she heard the distinct sounds of footsteps coming towards her. She moved her head to the sound of the voice. “Miss Sophia, we found you four days ago with Air Master, Zane who was dead. We’re under the impression that you killed him, Miss Sophia.” Edited by Wicked, November 3, 2011, 1:58 am.
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| psy | November 3, 2011, 7:40 am Post #146 |
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Addict
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Cyril What was once a quiet cell for his prisoner, the murderer, was now a bloody murder scene. Cyril stood in stoic silence over the corpse of the young guard who had only recently volunteered himself to the task. Was it only a few months ago this youth had presented himself to the Council wishing to help protect the villages against threats from within and without? Yes, only a few months and he was already dead. The small standing military force the Water Clan had at its beck and call was filled with young men like this. And in the end, it was the naivety of youth that ended with their unfortunate deaths. It was true, Cyril had never informed the guards of who this man was or why he was here. But to let down their guard so easily against an unknown was both pitiable and disappointing. Cyril looked all along the floor, and into the cell where the murderer had been held. Blood painted everything in a dark, frightening red. The minimal candle light made parts of it glisten and shine. Truly there was even art in death. The smallest smile formed as he looked upon the murderer's handiwork. “You pass, you are truly talented and I underestimated you. Is that what you wanted to hear, or are your goals not so simple?” Cyril asked out loud. His recognition of the man echoed throughout the jail where the only remaining resident was neither a guard nor a prisoner, just him. “Of course they aren't. Your methods, however, could use refinement.” he lectured the man who was no longer there. This would have to be brought to the public view sooner rather than later. This young guard had family and friends who would have to hear of his passing. He would also have to reveal that he had secretly jailed the murderer. The people were already emotional, this could only bring forth angry emotions. If anyone was happy with his decision to jail the man initially he would be pleasantly surprised. That would surely not happen though, sad as it may be. Still, the sooner he handled this unfortunate circumstance, the better. He simply needed a short while to gather his thoughts. Cyril left the young guard as he was, he would have to have him cleaned and moved before he addressed the people for a second time in such a short while. As he left the jail he was struck with a sudden feeling, a whisper on the wind that spoke not in his mother tongue, nor any other, but simply through his emotions. Somewhere else in this world something significant had just recently happened. This was the same disgusting feeling that he had felt when Brooke fell to the knife, but not nearly as potent. Was another Master dead? More importantly, would there be another catastrophe, and where would it occur? As he made his way once more towards the village his thoughts had split off in many directions. There was the issue of the guard's death, and then this feeling of dread that tormented his senses. The elements were crying out as the world changed around all those living things connected to them. If it was indeed another Master that had fell what would be the repercussions? If Ash or Dante, perhaps Zane would strike out for more territory. If it was Zane, the other two Masters would more than likely feel relieved and perhaps even gleeful. Cyril could only feel sick to his stomach after seeing the blood splattered jail and now being struck by such a clouded message. |
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(☞゚ヮ゚)☞ | |
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| Anamnesis | November 4, 2011, 2:04 am Post #147 |
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Member
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This is honestly.. Cera felt there was no need to really answer her own question as she sat cross-legged in one of the quieter areas of the Fire Clan. She sat on a short hill facing the main part of her clan of birth. This area was more for growing crops and sustenance for her clan but it was quite well protected from harm in the prospect of invasion. Quite frankly, the only way one could get here was still following one of the main paths within the Fire Clan and to an outsider, the only way through to the fields was walking through the main gate of the clan. Cera cast her thoughts back to the events that occured the past four days. She firstly remembered her clash of willpowers with Kenina. The Everlight was strong, Cera could admit. She recognised similar traits within her but it was not to a point where they were friendly with each other. Of course she didn't expect this woman to suddenly be nice to her after finding out that Cera was involved in the coup. She was sure Kenina was still angry but Cera at the time paid little mind. The Everlight had pointed out a few things that hurt, and it was a hard truth that Cera had difficulty swallowing but it was just what she needed to hear. She had been gone for a year since the coup and Cera was sure the Everlight would've interrogated her further had it not been for more pressing matters that arose. Cera's thoughts wandered back to that day, back to her master and hoping she was safe, wherever she was. No one knew where Master Ash had gone and while Cera knew the woman was strong, she prayed that nothing ill would befall on her before she came back home. She was sure Kenina was worried for her Master and while Cera was similarly so, Ash's departure reminded her of something the Fire Master did 4 years ago and somehow Cera knew that whenever Ash were to return (she had faith in her Master), change would come. ----- Flashback #1 - 4 days ago ----- "I should be doing more than this." Cera broke out from her train of thought to look at the Everlight that was sitting watch of her a few paces away. "You and I both." For the past four days Cera had spent almost every waking hour of the day with Kris guarding her at all times. Cera didn't like the idea of having someone watching her every move but she figured it was a much better option than waiting around in a prison cell. Since Kenina had left her with Kris however, it had been a slightly awkward encounter. Both would make conversation but it seemed that neither really wanted to delve into more personal matters. Kris had learnt of Cera's situation through Kenina and kept his distance from the blond who had fled their clan in a crucial period of time. Kris hadn't exactly voiced out this opinion but Cera felt this emotion and tried to keep her conversation topics as general as possible. She had managed to find out that the young Everlight was in fact not younger but two years older than her. Even though she enjoyed being back within Fire walls and encountering familiar smells and sights, it was starting to annoy her. She was not used to having someone constantly around her, guarding her. It was then she decided that she'd take a risk and do something she hadn't done in a while that may or may not get her into trouble but she figured her guard would enjoy it. She stood up and started walking back into the main part of the village. Kris swiftly got up and followed her. "Where are you going?" She stopped and turned back towards the older man, her eyes amusingly challenging him but not enough to threaten. "We're going to spar. I wanna see what Master Ash's Everlights can do." Kris maintained a neutral expression for a moment before a smirk appeared on his lips. Well, this is going to be interesting.. Edited by Anamnesis, November 23, 2011, 5:23 am.
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Like a mistress of memory, I bask in knowledge of the past, hidden behind killer curves and a demure smile.
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| avocadosquirrel | November 4, 2011, 12:03 pm Post #148 |
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Vance happily munched on his roll. Truly, he thought, the earth was a great and powerful power. To produce something as nourishing as wheat and then to tear apart mountains and demolish cities. The passion with which the earth delivered its punishments and rewards had never ceased to shock him. Even in the days of old the earth had been the most powerful of all elements. Of course fire could burn and water could wash away cities. Even air had the power to rip houses from their foundations but Earth could kill without recourse to such flashy gestures. The legends claimed that amidst all the carnage of the final days before new earth the ground had stopped giving off its bounty. People had starved. Vance smiled and popped the last of the bread into his mouth. He marched up to the desk in front of which a line snaked back through the streets. True, the line wasn't as long as Vance would have liked but it was a start nonetheless. Recruitment was going well. Admittedly the speech certainly helped. The memory of it sent shivers up his spine. It was an amazingly joyous moment for Vance as he had stood in front of the people. Those easily led sheep had responded beyond his wildest hopes. As he had painted vivid pictures of the greatest wall the world had ever seen the crowd had gone into a frenzy of pride and patriotism. This wasn't just a defence for them, this was a monument to the greatness and power of Earth. At the moment when the audience was most vigorous he had calmly dropped in the fact that the Earth master wanted an army and that the strongest of the Earth clan would be needed for service. Most of them didn't realize what he had said until they were already signing up at the desk which Vance now approached. He still laughed sometimes at just how easy it was to gain that particular speech from the stupid girl. At the head of the line a commotion had broken out. As Vance approached one of the men Vance had placed in charge of recuitment, a new suboridinate called Ebrik, called out to him. Vance strode over to the table and asked in a cheery voice "What seems to be the problem Ebrik?" "It's this boy here sir, he says he wants to join the army." "And the problem is?" "Well... I mean..." Ebrik was obviously flustered. "He's a little... well... small, don't you think sir?" Upon looking at the boy Vance was forced to conclude that Ebrik was right. He was barely as tall as Vance's chest and it looked as if he had been brought up on one very small meal a day. His shirt slipped down from his shoulders as Vance looked at him and the boy hurried to hike it up again. "Well Ebrik, you have a new recurit." "Sir?" "Let him join. This man wants to help his nation. Who are we to deny him this? In fact Ebrik, I would take it as a personal favour if you would assist this boy youself." "Ye-Yes sir." Ebrik did not look happy at this prospect. It was understandable, the boy would never make a good warrior. He was too weak and simpering. Vance thought that if war ever touched these lands the boy would die in the first hour of battle. Second at the latest. Oh well, accepting the boy would solidify his personality as benign in the eyes of the people. It was a sacrifice the boy would have to be willing to make. Vance leaned closer to Ebrik and whispered to him as the boy, name given as Toth, toddled off, still pulling his ill-fitting shirt up around his shoulders. "On the note of recruitment, Ebrik. Do you have the list I wanted?" Ebrik's expression did not change as he reached under the desk and brought up a single sheet of paper with a names running down it in two columns. There were about fifty names there; far too many for Vances purposes. Still, it would have to do for a start. "Very good job my friend. And these are the most able men and women you could find." Ebrik nodded. "We're sorry we couldn't find more names for you sir." "Nonsense Ebrik, you've done wonderfully. Finish up in an hour and go and have a drink with your friends. Maybe I'll even join you later on." Now all that remained was to cull the list to account for Ebrik and his friend's slight stupidity. This was a burden that had to be carried. Vance couldn't waste any of his real men on so trivial a task. He dismissed Ebrik from his mind as he moved away from the table. Everything was going so well, so easily. Now it was time for him to peruse this list and then maybe, if there was an opportunity he would go and have a chit-chat with the half-clan dog. He and Raja were long overdue for a talk. |
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| Blue | November 7, 2011, 7:33 am Post #149 |
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The Token Australian
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How do they always know where to find me..? I know it’s ironic, but sometimes my bodyguards are too efficient for their own good. Dante rolled her tired eyes. Turning to face the two who had come from the Gate, she refocused her attention towards the hooded figure, who’d chosen to keep her identity a secret. The Earth Master’s mind was already in motion, piecing what little information she had in an attempt to figure out just who she was dealing with. The body, though robed up, still contained somewhat of a female figure. At the very least, Dante was certain that she would be talking with a woman - or an incredibly well disguised man. Zane..? She felt the humour lock itself behind the bars of her forward thinking mind. The knowledge she had so far; Zane was probab—Zane was dead. So. Very. Dead. She’d sent an urgent message to the Water Clan four days prior, and was yet to receive any kind of reply from The Scholar. None of the Earth Clan had heard from Ash since their encounter at the Twin Peaks. The wall was right in the middle of construction, so they were still mostly defenceless. The recruitment for the Earth Army was going well, with Raja and Vance working incredibly hard to ensure that some of the weight was off her shoulders. The Meeting of the Clans was soon, and as far as it seemed, no one – not even her - was ready for it. Suddenly, what looked like a tear cascaded down through the space between the Earth Master and the Robed Figure. “I don’t have the time for guessing games or waterworks today. There is far too much to be done.” Dante pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed. Her drive to figure out the mystery woman’s identity disappeared in a flash, replaced with another, slightly more important question. Did she really have time to send out another envoy..? No. Between organising the armies, supervising shifts at the wall, bi-daily Earth Meetings, all the progress reports coming out of the walls and her own Earth Training, Dante barely had time for any of her needs as a human, let alone as a scribe. She would just have to be patient and go about her business until SOMEONE reached her. And then, SOMETHING struck her. She Who Hid Her Face was… about Ash’s height. It was a long shot, damn near impossible in fact. But the time it would’ve take her to travel from the Land of Fire to the Earth Territories synced up perfectly. The figure stood still, tears still flowing from her face. She was certainly upset – or ecstatic – about something. Possibly the death of someone close – or not so close – to her..? Dante’s mind was fixed upon that which seemed the case. It had to be Ash, there was no other solution. Randomly cloaked people didn’t just show up crying and get escorted to her every week. That would be ridiculous by all accounts. “Wait…” She remarked, lifting a hand towards the veil that separated her suspicion from the truth. She half expected the figure to recoil out of fear – or defence. That thought made Dante hesitate for a moment. What if it was Ash, and she was here to end her too..? Before she could think up an excuse not to however, she’d grabbed hold of her mystery woman’s hood and flicked it up and over her head. Silence… And then… “Ash.” There was quite honestly not another phrase she could muster up. Nothing better, nothing worse. Nothing cool like “Totally called it.” or “Hm. I wondered if we’d meet again before a month had come to pass.” or “Hahahah. Kill her.” Just… “Ash.” But finally – and thankfully – her brain kicked back into gear, and with the notion came a million questions, statements and curses. “I suppose that first and foremost, I should ask something like ‘How are you..?’ or ‘What are you doing here..?’ but in light of the circumstances… I’m going to give you a statement, and then ask you a question pertaining to that statement.” She didn’t wait for a reply, getting right down to business. “First: Zane is dead. Second: Did you do it?” |
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'Friends will come and go, but you're stuck with your Mates forever." | |
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| Juicesir | November 7, 2011, 11:27 pm Post #150 |
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Sexy Shoeless God of Something
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Fire The guards brushed back, the name Ash being whispered through the immediate area as Dante spoke it aloud. Ash merely stood, merely waited. "First: Zane is dead. Second: Did you do it?" The tears stained her face, and calmed. She faced the Earth Master very seriously, and looked her straight in her eyes. "No. Your riders I am sure can tell you the distance it takes to travel here. I am also sure that you know when the death occurred. If you match up the two, you will know that I am incapable of having killed Zane." Ash betrayed no emotion, showed no concern. Her voice was flat, declarative. She hoped that Dante could see the logic in her words and find it for herself to understand that it was not she who killed the Air Master. "Now, if I may speak with you privately, Earth Master, I would be most appreciative." These same words were spoken with the same tone and inflection she had previously uttered them with, and yet the reactions around her could not have been more different. Context was something which had always fascinated Ash; the play of power off of those without it. Whereas her words had commanded nothing more than the cries of a woman, her simple request now sounded like the summons of a queen, the word of law. The simplicity with which she stated them underlined an attempt on her part to once again not upstage the Earth Master in her own domain, and it was taken as such. Dante's guard looked to her for the signal. Ash purposefully held no power here. It was a formality, and in some ways an unnecessary one, but one which she would abide. Tact and reason were required here. Her heart knew this. Thus it guided her. Shadow Fire. That wretch, that vile queen of scorched earth and tainted lies. One was dead, now Fire would pay. It should have been done from the start, really. Should have been the first to be killed. Arram knew this. There was no trusting fire. They should have been the first to suffer. And now, in the blind darkness that was consuming him, he could only think of fire. Fire. He'd grown accustomed to his weapons and ways. Everyday he grew stronger with shadow, and Fire was but a hop away from the land of the Water Clans. He'd run afoul of several Fire Clan bands. They'd all been killed. Throats slit, bleeding out like the pigs they were. They'd abandoned him. Water was a convenience, a contrivance thought up by someone other than he. He should have listened to his aching veins, to the blood which coursed through them, to the still deep wounds wrenched from his past. He killed the women. He killed the children. He killed all of Fire whom he met on his path. None of them could find him afterwards. He'd killed dozens already. He didn't care that they knew. He didn't care that the Fire Master would know he was coming. He wanted her to know. He wanted to know that this proud nation would see it's ruin at the hands of one they had scorned. Once they were eliminated, he could breathe easier. If at least Fire was ruined, then he at least could pass on knowing one thing had been taken care off. But they all needed to die in the end. All of them must suffer the way he had. A patrol of Everlights on a lonely road. They always sent their troops out this far. Those arrogant sons of nothing. He rested beside a tree, like any other traveler taking a break upon the road. "Spare a coin?" He played the beggar, the shade of the tree masking his face and form. Half a dozen men looked down on him with disdain. "We have none to give." "Then I shall take it from you." He was gone before any of them could realize what was happening. The man, so previously sitting beneath the tree, was now behind the last guard, dagger already drawn, throat already letting the blood out, shadow already disappeared back into. Fire. This was child's play. Practice for the real thing. He ducked up from each of their own shadows, twisting through the darkness of their own shade to take their life from them. They screamed, they shouted, like so many weaker creatures before them. But in the end it would always be Arram standing with the last guard, the final of the six, dagger to his throat, friends laying dead all around him. He begged for his life, like all of the others had. Like that child had, or that mother. They all were always the same. Never a difference between the meek lambs being led to the slaughter. The guard promised him sanctuary, to be let go. Arram held the dagger to the man's throat as he came around the front of him to stare into his eyes. Fire. There was no flame behind the other dead guard's eyes. They lay lightless now. But a darkness also pervaded the man's cowering look. It was the same look all the others had had before him. The same dark knowing with which they grasped at their demise. He heard the mans pleas, and Arram put a finger to his mouth. A quiet shushing, and the man only whimpered. "I'm going to let you live." The guard let out a barely contained cry of joy. "But," The fear returned to the guard's eyes, "I want something for your release." The guard looked as if he would grant any wish Arram asked of him. Arram raised his hand to the man's face, the thumb pointed at the man's right eyes, the forefinger pointed at the left. The guard went cross-eyed in trying to focus on the two fingers now aimed at his eyes. "W-what?" He stammered. Arram smiled. "I want you to give a message to the Fire Master." A silence, only punctured by the guard's heavy breathing and whimpering, lay over the quiet area. The man looked feverishly about. "What message?" "It is not one of words." Arram placed his two fingers onto the man's eyes. He tried to blink, to close them, but Arram forced his fingers between the lids onto the pupil of the guard's eyes. The guard cried out in protest, asked Arram what he was doing. He begged for mercy. The eye is a place of shadow, a place which can be manipulated and touched upon if you have the right knowledge of how to manipulate it. Arram now drew forth the natural shadow contained within the pupils of this guard's eyes, and emblazoned an image of himself upon the man's vision. It seared into his mind, the shadow cutting through all other senses. The guard's eyes were now black, just like all of the rest of them had been. He could certainly see, but burned forever into his vision was Arram standing there before him, a grin stretched over all the entered his sight. That image would never leave the guard. It was one which even if he closed his eyes he could make out the detail of Arram's face in the darkness. The black, cold, dead eyes of the guard now wandered over the landscape, unable to escape the vision of his victor. "Go now, and take that image to the Fire Clan. Tell them shadow will now cover their light. Tell them their time of Fire is at an end." Fire. The guard wandered off, like all of the other victims he'd spared had. That vision would never leave him. Arram's legacy would live on, even if he did not. Of this he dreamed. Of this he would blacken the world with. |
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5:53 PM Jul 13
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5:53 PM Jul 13