Dragon Castle (Closed)

[Snowpaya]

xxxxx"May you find your worth in the waking world." The Plain Doll bowed reverently and said no more.
xxxxxTakkar and Senua departed from the Abandoned Old Workshop, crossing through the adjacent graveyard, and followed the winding road down towards Lower Maldria. For a long time, neither of them spoke, each lost in her or his own thoughts. But at the end of the road, they came to a stop together. The sparse hustle and bustle of commoners masked their druidic words as they spoke to each other, and anyone who did hear them found no interest or joy in prodding at those armed with weapons. "Best search for some high ground," Takkar mused.
xxxxx"Agreed," Senua replied. "Not like anyone here can help us...we're on our own."
xxxxx"He's on his own," quipped one of the voices. "You're never alone." "Yes, you have us, hee hee." "What fun we will have watching you fail." "I wonder which one of you will die first?"
xxxxxShaking her head in a vain attempt to clear her thoughts, Senua aimlessly meandered through the light crowd, Takkar right behind her. They climbed a nearby wall despite the complaint of the vendor below and traveled via rooftop to the highest roof they could find. Senua summoned a raven, and Takkar summoned his owl. The birds set off to investigate Lower Maldria in their masters' stead while the two sat down on a small church's rooftop and bathed in the setting sunlight. Takkar watched the streets below through the owl Archimedes's eyes, and Senua's raven peered through the windows of the settlements for any indication of suspicious or foul play by any wizard.

Location: Lower Maldria
Characters in area: Takkar and Senua, Plain Doll

 

[Snowpaya]

xxxxxThe raven returned with peculiar findings shortly before Archimedes spotted the mouse. The mouse was dressed in a bright orange shirt with a star on it, and even had a black top hat. It was bouncing up to the attic of a townhouse at the edge of Lower Maldria, and while that in itself wasn't all too unusual, the problem was the townhouse itself. It was a pink ramshackle of a building, covered in webs, located on a vacant hill surrounded by trees, and yet there were light and music and talking coming from within. Again, it wasn't much to warrant an investigation, but starting there was better than doing nothing but tanning on someone's roof.
xxxxxTakkar and Senua crossed the rooftops in the direction of the townhouse until there were no more rooftops to cross. They jumped down to the ground and passed through the trees in silence. It was still unknown how the wizard was kidnapping people. For all they knew, he could be catching people wandering into his woods, very much like what they were doing right now. Senua scanned the trees for signs of an illusion while Takkar scanned the woodland ground for tracks to follow.
xxxxxAt length, Takkar grunted. "Mice," he murmured. "A swarm of them. Headed that way."
xxxxx"A swarm, huh?" Senua mused. "I must admit, I've not faced such small opponents before. It might be hard to hit them. Might have to use my scythe."
xxxxxThe trees thinned, revealing the dilapidated townhouse on the hill. The townhouse was a two-story building with a path leading down into some kind of basement and a path leading up towards the attic. Takkar and Senua stopped at the unusual steps, staring at them in wonder.
xxxxx"What do you think they are?" Takkar asked.
xxxxxSenua shrugged. "They look like stairs, but...they appear to be made of steel as if a thousand swords were melted down into this unusual form and connected. But is it climbable?"
xxxxxTakkar removed a hunting spear from his back and tapped the metal path. "Steel...what a foreign material."
xxxxxSenua nodded. "It's not the same as crafting with bone and wood. Intense fire is required to even mold it, and I know not the methods to create even my own sword."
xxxxxTakkar gingerly took his first step on the creaking metal, then continued to ascend the steps. Each overbearing sound made him cringe and wonder if it was all going to come to life and consume him, but he forced himself all the way to the top of the townhouse. Senua, satisfied that the metal creation was not carnivorous, followed shortly afterward and inspected the door. The door was closed smoothly as if it was a part of the wall, and there was a knob-like protrusion at one end. She was about to ask her partner for ideas on how to open this new mystery when he took the initiative and pressed on the door.
xxxxxThe door slowly swung open and revealed several other unusual metal machinations that neither of them had seen before. Both of them drew their weapons and entered the attic slowly, and the door closed quickly behind them.  

[ezmii11-1]

Sanura squinted as she stepped out of her home. The light beaming brightly. "Ugh...I forget how bright it is outside my home" Sanura pulled her hat forward in attempt to give her some shade while her eyes adjusted. She had emerged from her little paradise because she needed to buy food and take a break. Her mind was starting to shut down and disabling her from creating new projects. She figured a stroll out in the evening would be nice.

She made her way towards a park in Maldria and sat down on a bench noting how peaceful everything seemed to be. She felt a cool breeze pass her by and with it came along a few sounds she recognized well. She stood up and looked around trying to pinpoint where the small distress calls ere coming from.
If only she could find her one weakness. Kittens.The mewing broke her heart. Were they stuck? Hungry? Abandoned? Lost? She would not give up until she found it.

 

[Snowpaya]

xxxxxZeus sat down at one of the many desks in one of the many libraries of the Mystic Wing and cracked open a book on practical alchemy. She propped the book up on her left, then opened up a cookbook and propped it up on her right. A journal was placed in the middle and opened up to the last page with writing on it. Zeus spread her eyes out, one eye for each side book, and read both books in tandem for a few minutes before recentering her eye and meticulously writing down some notes in the journal. She continued this process for a good half hour before flipping to the next page. Every now and then she would have one eye still reading a book while the other eye focused on writing, but her handwriting and her concentration did not falter. Even as the time wore on and other library patrons took small breaks to digest what they read or rest their eyes, Zeus continued to read and write simultaneously. Her mechanical brain and eyes did not tire, and her rubber fingers did not cramp.
xxxxxOn the fourth page, Zeus leaned back in her chair until it reared back on the back legs. She let her head drape over the back of the chair and her long hair touch the floor, then closed her eyes and visualized the information she'd just written down. How did it all together? How could it all go together? The practical applications listed were nice, but were there other things she could do with it? All it needed was just a little bit of imagination, and with a tireless mind like hers, there was plenty of imagination to go around.
xxxxxA shaft of evening sunlight peered through the drawn curtains and landed on her cheek. The sunlight warmed her cheek, the small amount of kinetic energy converted into an electrical charge that was stored in her body and made her feel better. Even with an artificial body, she could still feel. She could feel the warmth of a lover's arms, the coldness of being alone, and the texture of skin. A passing memory ran through her mind, and she wrapped her arms under her chest. Several minutes passed, and at length, the sunlight left her face. She opened her eyes to find that some of the patrons were gawking. Of course, as soon as they noticed that she noticed, they returned to their studies.
xxxxxA person walked up behind her and reached for her chest. Reflexively, Zeus grabbed the man's wrists and held him in place. She was not going to shock him, not yet. First, he would be humiliated by the fact that he was caught. Except...except it was Liam, her husband. "Well, look at you," he said, smirking. "Pretty as a picture, and everyone wants a look."
xxxxx"Funny," Zeus drawled. "You don't strike me as someone who gets jealous easily."
xxxxx"I get jealous all the time," Liam pouted. "I don't like anyone working with my wife but me. It just drives me up the wall."
xxxxxZeus smiled and allowed Liam to touch her chest. "Well, I like when you pay attention to me. And you usually pay the most attention to me when other guys are paying attention to me." She held him close for a few seconds and breathed in his scent, resting her head on his forearms. "So, why are you really here? Need help with your homework?"
xxxxx"Well, if you're willing to tutor me, I could pay you handsomely."
xxxxx"I don't know if you can afford my rate."
xxxxx"I can last longer this time, I promise."
xxxxx"Hah, I'll hold you to it." She got up and closed all three books, then handed the alchemy book and the cookbook to Liam. "You can start by putting these away for me."
xxxxxLiam smiled. "Anything for you, Lady Northstar." He turned around and disappeared into the library, determined to find the resting place of the books. Little did he know that the books were fairly deep inside, and he'd be gone for a bit. Zeus laughed to herself at the task and sat on the desk, propping her feet on the seat of the chair and flipping through her journal to take another look at her notes.  

[ezmii11-1]

Zuki roamed the streets looking around. She knew she'd have to get a job soon and was going in and out of shops and stores. Everyone as of late seemed to be doing well with the staff that they had. She sighed as she sat down on the side of the road, tired of walking around everywhere. "I know, I know...let me take a break...geez" The girl seemed to be talking to herself, but in reality she had a few companions that liked to keep her company from the other side. As she looked ahead she noticed a shop. A tailor place it seemed with fancy outfits on the window. She cocked her head curiously as she stood up and walked towards it. As she reached her destination, she gently put her hand on the glass looking at the outfits in awe. "What do you think the chances of getting a job here would be?" She sighed walking right past it. Her little companions urging her to go in and give it a try. "I think I'm done with enough disappointment for one day..." she argued back having been denied multiple times already earlier in the day. "Fine fine...if you guys will shush after this....I'll do it...geez..." The girl pouted as she took a deep breath and headed back towards the tailors.

As she opened the door she heard a bell chime. She carefully made her way in looking at what was on display as she reached the register. She looked around not seeing anyone. "H-hello? Anyone here...?" She hoped she'd get a response from a living being and not another spirit.

Avacnela

 

[Miss Hibiskiss]

↟||Location: Outside of Maldria||Currently With: Corra and ViLorra ||About: Faelar||OOC:Carriage they are riding on

❝Hush now, don't be scared, through this tide of darkness

↟X╬════════════════════════════════════╬X↟

Evening had come much faster than Faelar anticipated; however, there was that minor distraction a few hours earlier. Upon remembering that the elf sighed to himself and turned his attention to the two girls sitting across from him. Mirror images the two twins were, if he wasn’t so observant he wouldn’t know which whom was. Raven hair, gold eyes, same height, same skin color and they took it upon themselves to dress the same way just for the sake of confusing others. He couldn’t help but smile remembering how much trouble they loved to cause back in Choisya, it would be quiet with them not there. Despite their similarities one small yet major difference was in their personalities. Corra tended to be warmer to others while ViLorra was colder to people, especially those she didn’t know. Ironic considering Corra specializes in ice magic and ViLorra in fire; another difference. They sat quietly as they had dozed off about an hour or so ago. They held hands and it seemed to Faelar that it was for comfort, after all they’ve gone through in a short span of time. The elf frowned and looked out the small window the carriage had, it seemed that they were approaching their destination and the driver confirmed it as he spoke from his seat. Faelar nodded “We will be heading directly to the castle, no stops of any sorts,” he spoke loud enough to be heard over the tapping of hooves, but low enough not to wake the girls. His azure eyes traveled back to the identical siblings worried that they would wake. He would rather not risk yet another interruption on the journey, he would wake them once they were closer.

↟X╬════════════════════════════════════╬X↟

Shadows may march, thunders may roar. But peace will soon prevail.❞

show spoilerhide spoiler

ezmii11-1

 

[ezmii11-1]

"Maybe they stepped out-hm?" It didn't take long for Zuki to begin hearing some hurried footsteps. She dusted herself off to make sure she looked presentable before hearing a loud woah along with a loud thud. She closed an eye and winced at the sound. It didn't sound pretty. The sound grew louder and closer as a young man flew out struggling to keep his cool. It took every ounce of her being not to laugh. His face had turned quickly from a pink to a bright red. She couldn't help but smile and eventually let a short quiet giggle. "Hello, sir" she said politely and sweetly. She extended her hand and offered a hand shake. "Well.... You see, I am currently in search of a job and was hoping you might need some help..and if so...I'd love to be the one to help out" Her grip was firm but gentle. She was hearing so many voices behind her telling her how to act and she was struggling to keep her composure as she picked and chose which lines she would say. She noted that he seemed like he was getting ready to go out. "Unless... You're busy...I can come back sir." Her companions were not happy about the offer she gave up, but she also didn't want to be a burden to anyone when they already had plans. She had her hands behind her back as she awaited his response. She didn't have high hopes for this place taking her but she definitely was hoping for it.

Avacnela

 

[Snowpaya]

xxxxxTakkar and Senua slowly moved forward inside the attic. Unnatural light emanated from small circular objects attached to strings near the ceiling, casting a flickering illumination throughout the encampment. There were small identical pots with wheels attached propped up at varying angles with tiny ramps next to them, their purpose as a whole completely unknown. At the far end of the attic was a tent unlike any either of them had seen before. This tent was red and yellow in vertical stripes, and there was yet another light coming from within.
xxxxxtakkar crouched down before the opening and sniffed at it for a few seconds before looking to Senua. "The mice tracks continue in here," he informed her. "This whole place is strange."
xxxxxSenua crouched down next to Takkar and peered inside. The sight was quite confusing, to say the least, but then again she had seen stranger and far more terrifying things in her trials. "The inside seems bigger, somehow," she said carefully. "I don't know how. It could be a trick, but this place is beginning to seem like a place where a wizard might hide." She looked to Takkar, concerned. "Listen, if something happens and our foe is much stronger than either of us, I want you to run and live your life. I've already lived mine."
xxxxxTakkar chuckled. "I appreciate your lack of faith in me," he said dryly, "but I too have faced darkness, same as you. If the foe bests us, we shall retreat together or we shall die together." He frowned slightly. "And if it comes down to it, I'll call for help from my friends."
xxxxxSenua frowned herself. She was trying to do the noble thing, and he was undermining it by staying with her. There was no fear of her darkness infecting him. At least, there shouldn't have been. But then again, old habits die hard, and her mental wounds were still recovering. If he planned to call his friends for help, she would call on Dillion if the need arose.
xxxxxThe pair entered the tent, Senua taking the lead, Takkar poised behind her with his spear at the ready for throwing. It was not an illusion. The tent was indeed larger on the inside. Long wooden chairs painted red formed several circles around a bare wooden area where several cages were on display. Within those cages sat all manner of exotic animals that she had never seen before; and based on the look on Takkar's face, he had never seen them before either. The animals quivered at their approach as if they were afraid of the newcomers. Perhaps they had been abused by whoever had locked them in these cages.
xxxxxA large raven stood out amongst the animals to Senua. It was much larger than any raven she had seen, and she had seen some large ravens. The blackbird opened its beak to caw, and instead human noises emanated from its mouth. Senua could not recognize any of the sounds, but she recognized the subtle changes in pitch, the breaks in between sounds, to realize that this bird was speaking words. It was not a language she spoke of, but it was definitely a language, and those were definitely strained and alarmed words. Almost as if led by some unseen puppeteer, the other animals in their cages began speaking in the same way, all in different tongues but most definitely words. "Girl," the raven said in druidic.
xxxxx"Girl?" Senua repeated, clinging on to the one word she could recognize. Takkar leaned in behind her.
xxxxxThe raven seemed to understand that its audience could speak druidic. "Girl," it crowed. "Boy! You are both in terrible danger! A wizard has turned all of us into animals for some worldly gain! You cannot let him change you, too!"
xxxxx"We understand," Takkar acknowledged. "Where is your wizard, that we may conquer him?"
xxxxx"Release us, and we shall show you," the crow offered. "Perhaps if you can defeat him, he will change us back to our true selves."
xxxxxTakkar and Senua nodded to each other, then began prying the animal cage doors open and freeing their contents. Some of the animals fled immediately in their panic, but some stayed to fulfill their promise. The raven took the lead, leading the animals and their rescuers out of the tent. But just as Senua and Takkar exited, a dry cloth suddenly wrapped around Senua's arm and threatened to drag her back into the tent. "It's got me!" she screamed. "Takkar, run!"
xxxxxTakkar did the complete opposite and grabbed Senua's sword hand, allowing himself to be pulled in with her. As they were pulled into the air, he let go of her hand and rolled on the floor. He quickly ignited his spear with some spare flint and animal fat, then stabbed at the cloth that wriggled around in midair like a possessed serpent. The cloth caught on fire quickly and burned away, dropping Senua onto Takkar and knocking him to the ground. The pair got back to their feet as a male figure appeared from behind the wooden chairs. "Who are you?" he asked, brandishing a staff with several strands of cloth and leather swirling around like water snakes. "Why have you released my pets?"
xxxxxTakkar and Senua exchanged another glance. They could understand this man. He was another druid. "What are you doing with these people?" Takkar demanded. "They belong with their own tribes."
xxxxx"You have brought pain and suffering to their families!" Senua accused. "You will change them back! I know you can!"
xxxxxThe wizard scoffed and stood a little straighter. "You know nothing," he spat. "I am trying to save the world! These are necessary sacrifices to get the materials I need! The things I need cannot be found in nature. I must deal with the evils of the modern world to combat the threat of the Great Evils!" His mad eyes swiveled and focused on Senua. "Surely you've sensed them. Crawling around within their prisons, absorbing strength from the decay of our world, biding their time, calling like-minded individuals to find them."
xxxxxSenua's voice caught in her throat. It was true, she was having terrible dreams as of late, dreams she hadn't told Takkar about for fear of driving him away. She saw the faces, heard the voices, knew the names, and yet she could not bring any of them to her tongue. Such dreams had been hastily dismissed as remnants of the abuse of her father, Zymbel. "Yes, I have seen the visions," she admitted, daring not to look at her partner for fear of acknowledging the betrayal in his eyes. "And I have heard the voices." Her own voice shook with that all-too-familiar tone of fear.
xxxxxThe wizard nodded. "So you know of what they ask of us. Sacrifices, that we may be spared their wrath. The God Eater has reached for me." The wizard's lips trembled, and his eyes paled at the recollection. "And I will not ignore him." His eyes recovered their mad lucidity. "I see who calls for you, girl, and - "
xxxxxSeveral of the rescued animals barged into the tent, interrupting the wizard's monologue. His cloth serpents shot out to bind them, but Takkar equipped his bow and burned them with his flame arrows. One of the animals, a malformed tiger, knocked the wizard down and wrapped her mouth around his face. Takkar quickly jumped in and held out a hand to get her attention. "Whoa now," he cooed. "I know you are in pain, but we need him alive to change you back."
xxxxx"There is no going back," the tiger seemed to say through her eyes. "We are all damned. Can you not see!?"
xxxxx"We don't know that," Takkar objected softly, slowly approaching. "And if you kill him, we'll never know."
xxxxx"He will not help you."
xxxxxTakkar smiled wryly. "He's a druid, same as us. We know how to make him talk."
xxxxxHesitantly, the tiger let go of the wizard and backed away. Takkar and Senua stood over the wizard, their weapons pointed at him. The tiger pawed away the man's staff, and the raven perched down on Senua's shoulder. "Time for us to talk about your darkness," Senua said darkly, her grip tightening on her weapon.  

[Snowpaya]

xxxxxLiam followed the bookshelves down for some distance, trying to find an open spot that happened to correlate to the last names of the authors. After a while, it occurred to him that perhaps his time would be better suited to sorting these books by content and not by author. With this in mind, he set forth to put away the books properly and return to his beloved. The tactic was paying off, as he found the aisle for both the alchemy and cooking books. How interesting it was to think that both subjects would be in the same field of study. Then again, what was cooking but basic alchemy?
xxxxxSomeone was already inhabiting the bookshelf area, effectively blocking off his path toward his destination. Hiyama Aeros, the Secretary of Dragon Castle. An elf with the ability to speak to the Guardians themselves. "Good evening, Secretary Hiyama," Liam greeted him upon noticing his formal stance.
xxxxx"I don't think I've seen you in here often," Secretary Hiyama mused.
xxxxxLiam smiled automatically. "Ah, well, I tend to be a night owl when it comes to my study habits, and the library is usually marginally used at night." He chuckled darkly. "Besides, I think some of our fellow mages are...less than comfortable being around someone with my affliction, particularly at night."
xxxxxSecretary Hiyama glanced at the books, raising an eyebrow. "Can I assume Zeus put you to this task?"
xxxxxLiam nodded. It was well known that even though both Northstars could easily stay up for much longer than their human counterparts, Zeus was the faster reader and better at academia while Liam shone best in practical application and innovation. "Alas, this is the price I must pay for my wife to help me with my homework," he explained. "An enchantment that is super effective against all manner of unnatural beings would be a boon to our non-magical fighters and warriors who rely solely on steel and the strength of their impressive muscular builds." He put the books away silently. "Of course, Zeus can also happen to study twice as much material as I at the same time, so I must redouble my efforts to keep pace with her lest her eyes wander elsewhere." He chuckled. "I kid, of course. I'm sure she wouldn't - er, I mean, what brings the Secretary of Dragon Castle down into the lower denizens of the Mystic Ward? I thought you'd be communing with the Guardians about some great struggle or other?"

Location: Mystic Ward Library
Characters in area: Liam Northstar, Zeus Northstar, Hiyama Aeros

show spoilerhide spoiler

Avacnela

 

[Miss Hibiskiss]

X
X
X

`·.¸¸.♡║ Amara’s hands clasped together as she swoons over the man she has a great obsession with fallen for. “Oh Jodan you’re the greatest tailor that has ever woven such beautiful clothing,” The women spun in a dress that seemed to be meant for a glorious ball.

“Amara, you sparkle like the reflection of the moon in the water. Every stitch is meant only for you,” The blonde-haired man, Jodan, took the woman’s hand and kissed it gently. This caused Amara’s face to turn completely red and bashfully she looked away. “Is something the matter my dearest?” His pleasant blue hues showed concerned, his hand making its way to her face cupping her cheek and gently he turned her face back to look at his. “Don’t turn away from me, I get lonely when your ruby eyes are not peering upon me.”

“They’re only meant to stare on you and you alone,” she placed a hand on top of his and gazed at his calm caerulean eyes “I only wished that your lips would plant themselves on my own and not on my hand,” Her voice became so innocent and timid as she spoke such embarrassing words. What she said made the man smirk and that reaction nearly made the ashen haired woman melt. “Jodan I-” He placed a finger over her lips and leaned in closer. ‘H-He’s going to kiss me!’ her heart began to beat rapidly that it made a ringing noise. In fact that noise was oddly familiar, oh well! She focused back on his lips which opened up to yell and awkward ‘Hi!’

Quickly the woman sat up and looked around her realizing that she had fallen asleep amongst the fabric in Jodan’s shop. “O-oh!....oh..” she said rather disappointed the second time. It turned out she was only dreaming, it wasn’t real. Her eyes wield up as she held back the tears. ‘Even if it was a dream I was soooo close’ With a sigh of disappointment she looked at the pile of fabric laid around her and tried to remember what had happened. She remembers slipping in the store while Jodan was chatting with some client wanting something, but all she could remember was the customer service smile he gave them, which in all honesty gave her fits of jealousy. Anyway, she was observing the fabrics as she wanted something new made, but the smell of the materials distracted her. They smelled like Jodan, well honestly it was more like the man smelled like the cloths or his shop for that matter, but it was his scent! It relaxed her and before she knew it she had knocked out without realizing it. ‘Embarrassing’ as soon as she started cleaning her mess she just as quickly stopped. A female voice she could hear, wanting a job, here? “Oh, no,” she mumbled to herself with an expression that could kill. Before her heart could take another beat she had taken off, the soles of her flats echoing as they hit the floor and in no time was
besides the sales counter ready to make a dramatic scene, until she saw Jodan's charming face. "J-Jodan!" she fixed her hair and straightened out her outfit before giving him a sweet smile "I'm glad you're still here!" The woman didn't realize how obvious it was that she had been in the shop.

Although she really didn't want to she turned her body to face the violet girl "Hello," her smile went from sweet to forced as soon as she wasn't facing Jodan. Amara was hopeless when it came to making her annoyed or jealous type feelings. She did her best to be on her kindest behavior in front of the blonde haired human. Amara had nothing more to say to the intruder, she'd let them have their conversation and when it was time for the girl to leave a demon will have a little snack. ║♥·.¸¸.·´

||Location: Napping in Jodan's shop
||Currently With: Jodan and.....a person
||About:Amara
||The Clothes She is Wearing: Casual Attire
||OOC: Ugh! I'm still working on Amara's post format -flips table over-

Current Souls: 6

Souls in Battle: 0

show spoilerhide spoiler

ezmii11-1

Avacnela