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Again 🖤


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Soft emerald green grass swayed in waves along the slow rolling hills, a warm summer breeze rustled through the vibrant and musical forest that surrounded them. Behind them large stone walls crawling with lush moss showed their timeless age, but their strength remained unaltered through the trials of time. Jade statues sat and watched as the mother and child played on the outskirts of Temple’s rich grounds. Their laughter infectious as it rang throughout the grounds, the game a tag clearly going in the daughter’s favor. 

The daughter looked much like her mother, if one had to guess she was around eight years of age and still full of youthful innocence. Her face was the same soft oval of her mother’s, her eyes a rich shade of purple that matched her dark violet hair, almost border line black in some light, though in the sun it shone. 

The music of the forest grew distant, their laughter died away and as she stopped in the middle of a grassy hill to look around she found the landscape had grown darker. Quickly she looked back to where the little girl should have been, but she was no longer there. “Valana! Valana! Where did you go?” Her voice tried to hide the panic, but there was no response. 

Looking around the panic rose in her chest, nothing was stirring the leafy bamboo undergrowth, and the warm summer breeze had vanished. Nothing stirred in the forest, even the Temple grounds seemed frozen in time, only the sound of her racing heart and heated breath filled her senses. “Valana?” She took a few soft steps forward cautiously, blinking as she looked through the bamboo and the crawling unease filled her stomach.

Silence.

Darkness shrouded the land, as if the sun had vanished and no moon rose to greet her with its soft silver glow. Cackling laughter echoed through the forest, ringing in her ears from all directions at once. Her eyes darted around as she spun in place trying to find the location of the laughter. 

An icy wind whirled from behind her, goosebumps erupting from her flesh at the sudden chill and a child’s laughter that echoed from somewhere ahead of her. “Valana!” Breaking into a sprint she rushed forward, pushing through the bamboo stalks blindly. The disembodied voice sang a poetic tune in return. "It's coming soon, it wants to play. When nighttime falls and kills the day." Laughter followed once again, the girl’s voice echoed all around her.

The girl’s voice came again, closer this time as if taunting her now. "Is she lost? She won't be found. The trees are dead, they'll hear no sound." She wove her way through the forest as fast as her legs would take her. The voice still continued ahead of her uninterrupted. "Run, run, run! It's all the same. It comes for you now to end the game." She laughed again, but this time she was not alone. A chorus of voices broke out in all directions around her. No longer amused this time, but dark and malevolent. A notable sadistic edge in their tone.

Distraught she ran forward faster, the bamboo stalks slapping at her skin and leaving their red marks though she took no notice. Something was behind her, but she was sure Valana was somewhere ahead of her. Sweat dripped from her brow into her eyes, blinding her as her hair clung to her face and neck. Dropping to her knees she looked through her hair into the clearing that opened up ahead of her. Valana stood with her back to her, her head hung downward as if looking at something on the ground. “Valana?” Her voice was nothing but a whisper as she crawled forward blindly ignoring the presence of something still behind her. Still on her hands and knees she reached out for the girl’s hand, but as soon as she grabbed it the putrid smell of decay filled the air. Gagging as she clambered back away from the girl as she slowly turned to face her.

A sob choked in her throat, tears streaming down her face as she looked upon the girl’s face riddled with decay and maggots falling to the ground. Behind her the grave marker for a child who never never was. Something behind her stopped her from backing any further away, a macabre creature reached down to her grabbing her by the throat. Lifting her off the ground before throwing her back down, her body immobilized by some unseen power as she struggled to free herself. The creature leaned down over her, it’s hot breath against her face as she tried to look away in vain. Bony fingers grabbed her arm roughly, and a burning sensation seared through her right arm.

Pain.

Her vision blurred from the pain, it felt like her blood itself was boiling and a soundless scream escaped her lips though there was no one to hear her cries. Then there was nothing.

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[zaydria]

Death twitches my ear; 'Live,' he says... 'I'm coming...' - Virgil

Cobblestone streets bathed in the silvery light of a full moon, shadows flickered and danced across the streets as darkness grew in the lightless reaches. The soft trickle of moving water the only sound whispering through the quiet night; the screams of playing children, the bellowing voice of the town crier, provisioners selling their wares, and fishermen with the sounds of their casting lines and catches all gone from the city canals and without them an eerie silence was all that was left. A strange melody of creatures played the night’s hymn now, rats skittering in the shadows and stray cats howling a haunting melody from their unseen places. Her quiet footsteps became a steady beat against the melodies of the night, her eyes, fathomless depths of deep sapphire swirling with the twinkling, violet darkness of the void, scanned through the darkness with careful caution for those that may still yet linger in this dark realm of shadows as she did.

A lone dwarf lumbered toward the forges, his stout figure a dark shadow against the illuminating flame of the roaring forges that surrounded him in the night. A guardian of the flames, air whooshed into the flames as they roared back into life. Her ear twitching as the flames crackled and popped against the silence of the night, his gaze shifting in her direction as she passed by without a word. Strangers in the night, he grunted, turning his back to her and walking away. Sapphire orbs followed his trail into the darkness until it consumed him, blinking she continued along the path toward the announcement board littered with recruitment flyers. Mercenaries for hire, bodyguards, treasure hunters and employment opportunities splayed out in a colorful display before her eyes. Scanning the pages lazily as she passed, her figure disappearing behind the billboard and descending the ivory stone stairs that led to the embassy. Gravel crunched beneath her light footstep, the chilling grasp of winter clawed through the breeze and raked through the thick ebony robes she wore, the cloth wrapped tightly around her body and head leaving only her eyes exposed to the harsh chill. A haunter of the night she moved with slow grace across the open space between the city and the embassy. Leaves rustled gently overhead, her sapphire orbs looking skyward at the glittering expanse of stars that glittered across the sky. Her footsteps slowed before coming to a complete halt in their path, inhaling deeply her eyes closed as she held her breath for a moment before exhaling and opening her eyes. Looking forward once more her focus turned now to the portal that was open before her, Hues of deep sapphire and violet danced with traces of ebony depths, much like her eyes, reaching a hand out from her robes and into the void she watched as it vanished, her arm soon to follow as she took a slow step forward and with one more step she was completely consumed. Infinite void stretched out before her, the same hues of the portal that brought her here, sapphire and violet danced and twirled together across the never ending sky littered with glittering lights. Massive chunks of land floated freely throughout the sky, peebles to small land masses held together closely by an invisible force. Ren’dori and Quel’dorei gathered in loose groups, the soft murmur of conversation humming through the air. Sapphire orbs blinked slowly as she stood there and observed in silence. Home. This was the home of her people now, cast from the scarlet and golden city of magic and beauty. There was a charm to this place though, a beauty in the void that surrounded them. Telgorus was a place of infinite beginnings and ends, every possibility, every outcome, it was all here. Ebony robes flowed around her as she took a step forward, moving past the groups that gathered across the primitive camp like home they had created. Not a single eye turned to observe the violet woman wrapped in black, her eyes unwavered as she moved forward. There was nothing left before her, an endless chasm opened up before her, rock crumbling underneath her weight and drifting into the air as her eyes scanned the distance for a suitable location. Her body vanishing from view, enveloped by shadows, as she leapt through the void and away from Telgorus mainland. Shadows manifested some distance from Telgorus, her body appearing from the darkness. Pulling away the hood and mask of the robes the loose fabric rested against her shoulders and back, draped across her. Violet hands raised from within the folds of fabric, reaching for a clasp that held the ebony robes around her body, finding the ornate golden clasp shaped in the fashion of a raven’s skull she carefully released the pin that held the fabric together. The ebony fabric cascading down her body and onto the ground. Manganese violet hair falling over her lavender shoulders and brushing down against her lower back. Slipping her feet from the silk slips she wore, her bare feet paused against the rough stone ground beneath her. Pulling her satchel away from her body, kneeling down, her hair cascade froward covering her upper body as she set the bag upon the ground and opened it, pulling forth a tome. Black leather, blacker than night, worn around the ages from many years of use and decorated with swirling dark violet patterns. A single smooth amethyst was set into the cover of the tome, the dark light of Telgorus shimmering and dancing within the crystal. Her voice nothing more than a hushed whisper upon the silence that hung in the air. “Messorum evoco qui me tetigit.” The light flared violently within the crystal and the dark violet swirls began to emit a dark glow that matched their color. A smirk slowly crept along the corners of her lips as she stood, tome in hand, and began to walk toward the area she had already prepared. Set before her on the ground was a large circle, within the circle was a large ‘X’ and at the cross section of the ‘X’ a triangle was painted, the flat bottom of the triangle painted straight through the cross section evenly. On each corner of the triangle small circles were painted and candles placed within them, from the bottom center of the triangle’s a straight line was painted down, branching into three lines like fire. Carefully placing the tome at the center of the circle she carefully took a step back, kneeling in front of the circle. Pushing her hair away from her face, sweeping it back behind her ears to secure it there, she smoothed the black and scarlet tunic she wore against her skin and unsheathed a dagger from the holster strapped against her thigh. The delicate silver shone in the dark as she placed it softly on the ground in front of her. Letting her gaze fall to the candles placed on the corners of the triangle she snapped her fingers, electricity flickered and sparked toward the three candles and ignited them. A soft red flame flickering to lift, motionless as the wicked burned a straight flame, no wind to disrupt it. Lifting the dagger from the ground with a deep breath she held it against the opposite palm, pausing. “What lengths are you willing to go for power?” The voice echoed through her thoughts, but it was not her own. How far was she willing to go? Taking a deep breath and exhaling, her thoughts focused on drawing the void forward, the potent power consuming her body and dancing like flames against her skin. Running the blade against her palm, she winced at the sudden sting of pain that radiated through her hand. Quickly she clenched her hand into a fist as the blood began to run. Holding her hand directly above the tome the blood dripping and running slowly over the smooth amethyst embedded in the cover of the tome. A burst of heat from the candles flared and the flames grew higher, their red flames turning a violent purple and as if a sudden wind had taken them, they whipped back and forth angrily. Closing her eyes slowly and tilting her head back, looking skyward blindly, she began chanting softly. “Ad construgendum, ad ligandum eos, pariter et solvendum. et ad, congregantum eos, coram me.” Darkness surrounded her, a malicious black fog, growing darker, more powerful, with every word she whispered. A hand reached out of the darkness, or more something akin to the likeness of a hand, it grasped at her exposed throat, her breath growing ragged and her pulse quickening at the creature’s touch. Fingers tightened against the soft flesh of her neck as she rose to her feet slowly. Opening her eyes a devious smirk spread across her lips as she viewed the aberration that flickered in front of her for the first time. “You are bound to me, to my blood and my will, you can not harm me.” Clear, concise and unafraid of the creature she had released her voice never waivered. Haunting laughter, like nails against a chalkboard echoed through her mind. “What will he think when he learns what you have done?” The determination in her gaze faltered for a moment, a pang of worry and doubt flashing across her eyes. Growling she glared at the aberration, her emotions playing games. “I will control you this time, you have no power over me creature!” The conviction in her voice was weaker, the doubt that had seeded itself already growing in the pit of her stomach. What if she could not control this thing? What if she was truly in over her head this time and the aberration that held her now would finally bring about the end it had already attempted? Her gaze narrowed, as she looked up at it, observed it. A dark creature with no legs, it flickered like an animated shadow before her, though its grasp upon her neck was very much so real. “You will control me little Ren’dorei? Child of the Shadows? Or is it I that will control you?” That same haunting laughter echoed through her mind along with its voice. Her nostrils flared and her glare fixated hard on the creature. “Unhand me, I command you to release me from your grasp.” A command, no question or request lingered in the tone of her voice. Conceding, the aberration released its hold on her neck, the arm of the thing falling to its side. Taking a deep breath of air she steeled herself, this was no time for doubt or troublesome emotion. Emotions where a gateway, something that the void would exploit and use against her in her times of weakness when she was easiest to manipulate. “You care for him, you love him, but what of his demons? What of yours?” The ring, his sudden outburst and inability to control himself, her failure to protect herself and the loss she suffered due to it. No, nothing had happened in ages and if something had happened or would happen he would come to her, he swore to her he would, and they had moved past her past transgressions and failures. “What if you can not stop him the next time? Where is he now? Do you not wish he was here with you now? Or are you ashamed of your actions? Must you hide your true colors from him?” A sinister grin cracked across the aberrations features, the claw like hands held out, turned upward toward her. Where was he right now? The question echoed through her mind over and over again. Why had she not tell him where she was going? She could have left a note, but would that have been enough to explain what she was doing? Would he have come to stop her? “I am not hiding from him, and he would never hurt me. You are trying to find something to make me falter, to concede to you, open myself up to you, and I will never.” Her words venom upon her lips as she spat at the aberration, she would never allow herself to be swallowed by the darkness inside of her, she would control it, wield it as she pleased and use it to protect those she cared about. “You will never achieve your goals with thoughts like that, power comes at a price. You know that little dove. What price are you willing to pay for the power you desire? What price?” The echoing voice trailed away, turning sinister as the energies around her began to flare and spark. Growling her eyes darted back and forth searching the darkness as power surged around them. “You want this? You want to control this? What will you give for it!?” A booming echo filled her ears as chaos erupted around her. From nowhere a cyclone of wind stirred and flung her hair upward as the swirling winds spun faster around the clearing, tossing loose rocks into the air and the candles on the ground lashed out with their flames. Rooted in her spot she would not give up now. “Stop this! Your mind games are lost upon me.” A command, her voice thundered over the roaring winds and as quickly as they had appeared they vanished. An eerie calm fell over them as she looked around, panting. A bead of sweat trickled down her brow, her hand rising to wipe it away but instead smeared blood along her face. The cut she had made in her hand was bleeding again, blinking as if lost in confusion she swayed a little before catching herself. “What are you willing to give up little dove? You refused to give us what we asked for before.” A memory, just a single memory. That is all it wanted from her in exchange, but it had to be of its choosing. She had no say in what it was she would forget. All the bad and the good, what would it have taken from her? No. She refused to forget any of it in exchange for the power she craved, maybe she was simply greedy. She wanted it all with none of the cost. Dark laughter escaped her lips, her head shaking slowly. “A memory is not so easily given, everything that has brought me here has made me who I am and I refuse to forget even a second of it.” “Why walk this path then little dove? The void will consume you, the Gods Will, will be done and their Empire built again tenfold.” Pursing her lips into a tight frown she clenched her hands into a fist, flinching at the pain that shot through her right hand and arm. A soft green mist enveloping her wounded hand, the bleeding stopping for now. “You are nothing but a pawn to the Gods. An instrument of their destruction created entirely by your own choice!” “I will be no one’s instrument. I am not a dog to be made to heel.” She had to remain concentrated, keep this thing controlled or banish it should things become too tiring. The fact she had been able to summon and control it so far already delighted her, she had been correct in her assumptions and research this far. Taking a deep breath and exhaling slowly she could feel the exhaustion in her bones, it was time to end this. “You, my little aberration, shall be mine.” Taking a step forward she entered the circle, standing just before the aberration. Something tugged at the pit of her stomach, was it fear? Pushing the thought out of her mind she rose her hands, her wrist touching as she raised her open palms toward the aberration. Void energies gathered in her palms, a link quickly forming between the two. The connection between the two twisted and flared a siphon of deep violet and sapphire colors, siphoning the energies from the aberration and transferring them into her. Maniacal laughter echoed around them, her brow furrowing in concentration as she tried to block away the eerie sound and focus on her task at hand. “There is always a price little dove.” And explosion of energy sent her flying backward, slamming into an outcropping of rock with a sickening thud. Sliding to the ground she groaned, her hand instinctively lifting to inspect the back of her head where it had hit the rock. Warm, sticky liquid coated her fingers through her hair and she winced against the touch of her fingers. The world flickered in and out of view as she attempted to stand upon shaking legs. One hand pressed against the rock behind her, the other pressed against her thigh as she stood hunched over and relying greatly on the support of the rock behind her. A hand pressed against her neck again, lifting her off her feet and holding her limp body like a ragdoll. Blinking through the blurred vision she gasped, the aberration grasped her now, broken free from the circle and the book that had bound it. The book was burning, violet purple flames consumed the pages and this time it was truly burning. “You will make a lovely addition to my power little do-.” The aberrations words were cut short and without warning she was falling again, her body falling limp upon the ground. Through the lapse in her vision something yipped at her, a lovely shade of sky blue and ivory. Her vision was failing through and everything was growing colder. This was how things ended, she still had so much she wanted to do- so much left unsaid. Tears began to slid down her cheek, the clear liquid running streaks through the blood smeared across her features. Something warm touched her hand, nudged her from the thoughts consuming her mind. The same yip she had heard earlier echoed through her mid, forcing herself to focus on the creature before her it was a large sky blue fox. The creature was trying to nudge her up, pull her from the darkness that was consuming her. Gritting her teeth she growled in pain and determination, clawing her way forward and bringing herself onto her knees. Her focus remained on the fox as it leapt away from her and attacked the aberration, keeping it at bay so she could gather her energy. This was her chance. Mustering what energy she had left and bringing herself back onto her feet, she mimicked what she had done before. Focused on the aberration as it warred with the fox-like creature she placed the bases of her palms together and took a deep breath to steady herself. Another link was formed between herself and the aberration, this time with the help of the fox though she was not the sole focus of the thing. “That is where you were mistaken, I will not so easily be claimed.” Her words labored as her breathing grew ragged, the fox leaping away from the aberration as it screeched out in agony. Gasping she dropped to her knees as the aberration vanished from site and the connection was broken, but not entirely lost. There was a surge of new energy that coursed through her veins and burned through her mind. Sighing as the fatigue and blood loss finally began to take its toll on her body. Gleefully the fox leaped over toward her, sniffing around her face and neck curious though she had no energy to shoo it away. “Feel like helping me out a little more?” A small smile broke across her lips with her raspy voice, looking over the fox as if waiting for a response. As if knowing what she was asking it laid down beside her and allowed her to climb on top of it. Wrapping her arms weakly around its neck she held herself against it as it jumped up into the air and wings appeared as if by some magic of their own. Closing her eyes as her breathing slowed down, there was nothing but darkness and calm as they flew back to the mainland.

[zaydria]

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Jessica Roux

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Chrysalide by vin gm

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WE LOVE THE THINGS THAT KILL US... My childhood spat back out the Monster that you see... Dawn light shimmered through the pale curtains that danced in the warm breeze wafting from the balcony of their bed chambers. Soft footsteps echoed from the streets below, though the gentle morning sounds of the city were lost to the numbing silence that filled her eardrums. Palms upturned toward the ceiling lifelessly resting on the top of her thighs, her golden hair splayed out on the bed sheets behind her. Emerald eyes looked into the light coming in through the window with a listless stare. They had fought again last night, it was always her studies and practice of the void. A deep sigh escaped her lips, her shoulders slumping forward in defeat. The door to the room slow creaked open, the hinges protesting the weight they supported. Fiery red hair was set ablaze in the morning sunlight as the curvy elven woman entered the room. Slowly and without a word she closed the door behind her, her back pressed against the cold wood and gold that decorated it. Scarce breaths escaped her lips as she watch, unblinking, the other woman from across the room, neither acknowledging the other. It seemed like an eternity had passed since she had entered the room before she took a hesitant step forward. Her body stiff and unsure of each agonizing step that brought her closer to the golden haired beauty that sat at the edge of the bed still turned away from her. “Asea?” The breathless words left her lips, her heart heavy as if a pit had formed there and was devouring her from the inside out. There was no movement from the woman seated at the edge of the bed, Zaydria reached out a hand tentatively, afraid that she might disappear upon touch. A ghost of her imagination, a figment of the void conjured by her subconscious as punishment for her studies. The fair skin of the other woman was warm against her touch, both flinching at the sudden spark of electricity conjured by their touch. Bated breath caught in her throat, the words escaping her as her hand rested on the other woman’s shoulder. The golden haired woman muffling a sob as she brought her right hand to her lips, the other wiping away a single tear that escaped her beautiful emerald eyes. “Asea..” Her words trailed away into silence, a sigh escaping her lips. “I hate it when we fight.” The defeat in her tone evident in her quiet words. Silence fell between the two as she waited for something, anything from the other woman who remained with her back to her silently. Zaydria’s hand slowly slid away from her shoulder, falling loosely to her side as the other woman’s body sudden grew rigid. Her hands clutched around the golden silk robes that brushed against her thighs, the fabric wrinkling in her tight grasp and her knuckles turned white. Her eyes closed tightly as she took a few deep breaths and shook her head with silent fury. “You hate it when we fight.” Her words articulate, each one quiet yet full of the fury of her voice, a statement and not a question. “Yet you continue to do the one thing I request you to stop.” Flinching back Zaydria took a step away, her shoulders falling forward and defeat completely engulfed her. There were no excused, not anymore. Without hesitation now the fair skinned elven woman stood, her golden hair cascading over her shoulders and shimmering behind her in the morning light. Deep emerald eyes focused on Zaydria, they were unwavering and relentless in their anger. Something inside Zaydria flared to life, the anger she saw in Asea’s eyes became mirrored in her own. “You ask me to quit my studies, to focus on arcane magic and be like everyone else. To accept the status quo and live a normal life!” Her breathing grew heavy, her gaze narrowed, “Have you never considered that there are other paths our people could take?!” Nostrils flaring as she exhaled loudly, spinning on her heel and began pacing the corner nearest the door, muttering under her breath and rubbing her temples with her thumb and middle finger, eyes closed. She had no interest in look at Asea as the blonde woman countered her, “I just want you to be around more!” Her words were a cry of desperation and anger, “I want you to flourish from your work, not be consumed by it! Do you know what they say about the Magister?” There was a pause, silence falling between them before Asea continued, “They say he has gone mad, that he talks to things that are not there. They say that his experiments bring nothing but harm!” A heavy sigh escaped her lips, “I want you to be safe Zaydria.” Turning swiftly again Zaydria faced her now, taking several measured steps toward the other woman, “Oh and I would be so safe being consumed by my need for arcane magics? It is not that simple for us Asea! You know that!” A growl escaped her lips as she shook her head, closing her eyes again. “No, nothing is that simple. I need my research Asea, I think the real issue here is you do not want to see me succeed. That is what it really is, is it not?” Her eyes opened now, clearly glaring at the blonder haired woman as she stumbled over her words, “What..? No.. Zaydria.” “I KNEW IT.”Her words exploded throughout the room, cutting off anything Asea was attempting to say, the shadows in the corners of the room shimmering with life at her rage as if they fed off of it. Fear glimmered in Asea’s eyes as she glanced around the room, her words broken as she tried to shrink away from Zaydria now. “Zay.. Zaydria.. C-calm down love..” It was Zaydria’s cackling laughter that drowned her out, “It is all so clear now, I have no idea how I never saw it before.” Tendrils crawled from the corner of the room, the amorphous body of the dark aberration slithering closer to Asea. “You would rather see my ambitions and dreams wither than come to fruition. You would rather lock me away in this tower like your own personal little toy that no one else can have. My father warned me about you, warned me that you would only cause me to stray from my true path and distract me. I wanted to think he was wrong, I wanted to think you could accept me.” The morning light that had previously glimmered through the window softly had almost all but vanished as darkness cast across the room, their epicenter radiating from Zaydria’s figure. Her control slipping as the shadows claimed her mind and ability to reason. A blood curdling scream ripped her from the spiraling thoughts in her mind, spinning around to see the manifestation of the void she had birthed into the world slowly consuming Asea. Long tendrils slithered up her body, a maniacal laughter echoing through Zaydria’s mind, or was that her own laughter as she watch Asea struggle in vain? Shaking her head violent, her voice booming through the room, “NO!” Rushing forward her hands thrust against the aberration that was consuming Asea, it hissed at her touch, withdrawing from Asea and turning on Zaydria now. Tendrils lashed out from the ground and ripped away shreds of her clothing and ripped through her flesh so easily. She gritted her teeth through the pain before gasping and falling to her knees. In front of her she caught a glimpse of Asea, her motionless body laying on the floor of their room in a pool of her own blood. A silent cry choke her as her body fell forward and the aberration began to lash out against her with more fury than before as it fed from her emotions. This was not how things were supposed to go, she had lost control.. She had let herself lose control.. Grabbing the aberrations tendrils she ripped them from her flesh and stood on shaking legs. Growling at the creature her gaze narrowed as she focused her mind now, trying to grasp for some amount of control again. “I am your master.. I brought you here and I can banish you!” Leaping forward she pushed her hands against the aberration and it shrieked at her touch, vanishing. Light consumed the room once again from the large balcony window as she fell to her knees. The soft sounds of the streets below filtered back into the room upon her deaf ears. Crawling toward Asea her blood smeared hands lovingly stroking the smooth, peaceful features of the woman’s face. “I am so sorry Asea..” Sobs escaping her throat as she bent over the woman and buried her head against her chest and cried. A gasping breath from Asea shocked her, leaping away from the woman out of fear and surprise. Hurriedly crawling back to her and checking to see if she was indeed still alive. “Shh.. It is going to be ok Asea.. It is all going to be ok.” Looking up toward the window she stood up and rushed over to the balcony, covered in blood she screamed for help, several guards down on the street rushing from their post up into the building. Upon entering the room they found Asea unconscious in a pool of her own blood, but the woman screaming for help was gone.

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Where I Came From

I've been walking this road of desire, I've been begging for blood on the wall. I don't care if I'm playing with fire, I'm aware that I'm frozen inside, I have known all along. So much more going on, no denying, but I know I'm not standing alone. Welcome to your life…The House of Mysteries- a noble family with an affinity for acquiring other.. less desirable titles. The outcast, the occult, the Rilyn'tlar’s. They were the gypsies, the black swans of their society, nothing was off limits and the world was their playground. Ambition always a driving force in their lives, an ambition for knowledge, and a hunger for power that was never and could never be sated. A dangerous ambition, and something that blinded the family for centuries. A noble family by birth right there was a time in the family’s history that they resided within the walls of Silvermoon, alongside all other noble families. Their studies were always considered taboo, and brought them a great deal of strife within the community, but it was nothing that deterred them or drove them from society completely. Velanvia Rilyn'tlar was the youngest child of the family, a promising youth who held great power, a blessing any family would be eternally grateful for. Though it was upon her shoulders that the family thrust all their expectations and desire for power, if anyone would grant them a powerful Magister, it would be her. It was beneath this weight that she suffered silently and lost her chance for any semblance of a childhood, a calm and emotionless smile the mask that carried her day to day. Caitus Rilyn'tlar, her older brother, who was to be the heir of the family and with Velanvia on path the become her family’s first Magistrix and Caitus set to become head of the family, everything seemed to be moving forward smoothly for the Rilyn'tlar House. I don't believe in fairy-tales, but I believe in you and me... Forbidden love, a girlish desire buried deep and long forgotten was finally awakened. A slave to her studies, she learned how to smile- how to really smile- again. Her laughter felt wrong, her happiness became a drug, an addiction her family knew nothing of. A common man by the name of Aeriaen Heartshield, a man who held no magically abilities nor did he have any kind of family name to grant him merit, but for some reason unbeknownst to Velanvia’s family she fell in love with the way he made her laugh. Love was never something her family planned for her, arranged marriage had been the path always destined for her, love would never be enough for them. It was not long before Velanvia became pregnant against her family's will and her life changed drastically for the worse. She stopped all her studies and vanished from society once they learned of her pregnancy and lost her chance to become the Magistix her family desired her to become. Her family were furious, and knowing who the father was, they quickly sought him out. Velanyia would never see Aeriaen again and after her son was born Velanvia and the Rilyn’tlar family vanished from society. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Monsters are real and ghost are, too. They live inside of us… And sometimes they win… Years passed and young Asel, the son of Velanyia and Aeriaen, grew strong, his grandparents, and several other family members who had remained with them, told him that his parents had died together in some tragic ritual that had the family exiled from Silvermoon due to the danger they unleashed into the city that cause the murder of two others. Having been forced to change their family name to Ama’ki to disguise their true identities. Knowing nothing else he took up his mother’s former mantle and pushed to fill the place in the family she had never had the chance to have. As time passed the elder members of their family began passing away or moving to more remote locations and the family was left with nothing but stories and hearsay of the past none of them had known. His grandparents passed last, leaving Asel the only living relative of his family he knew of and the sole person to carry on his family's research. Eventually he married a Sin’dorei woman he met out in the countryside, she was a fair woman, and had no dealings with anyone from the capital and no clue of Asel’s family’s secret. Her name was Elydine Dawnspear, a beautiful woman with fiery red hair and emerald green eyes. They had a daughter together and decided to move closer to the city in hopes their daughter would receive a better life being closer to Silvermoon. Her name was Zaydria Ama’ki. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Our lives are all just amorphous. This infinite, undefined thing called life... Their house was nestled just a half days travel from Silvermoon City, upon their arrive it was always found odd the magics and studies that their family partook in, though it was mainly only Zaydria and her father who practiced any magic while Elydine refrained from the practice and cared for the house and land. Her mother and father never treated her as a child should be, she was pushed just as hard as an adult would be and she was expected to not make a mistake, mistakes were met with severe punishment. Rarely was she allowed to be a child, and that was only during her time spent with a nearby family’s daughter, Asea Tahl'atri. The two girls become an odd pair of friends as they grow though eventually Asea’s family moved to the city to avoid the troll raids in the local area and Zay didn't see Asea again for many years. Unafraid of the troll raids, Asel kept his family in their home and saw it as a chance to train Zaydria practically, often times forcing her to out into the wilderness alone to deal with the dangerous creatures or die. Nearly twenty to twenty-five years passed and as the troll raids died down Zay had grown to maturity, her father received word of a Magister who had a great deal of practice with the void and research similar to what their family had always been trying to research and achieve. She was allowed to move to the city, moving into the same flat as Asea, her old childhood friend. Seeking out Magister Umbric she proved herself worthy to become one of his many students, but new to the city and living there she quickly became a black sheep once it became knowledge that she is was one of Umbric’s students. Unaware that the void and things associated with it are considered more taboo within their society, she leaned on Asea to help her blend into society and learn proper etiquette to get through day to day. Asea teached her how to act properly and disguise the things she studied, and the friendship the two shared slowly became something more. Their relationship was quickly cemented, though Asea constantly worried and wanted Zaydria to devote less of her time to studying the void and practice proper arcane magic, something that she wouldn’t have to hide from everyone else and something far less dangerous. Zaydria ignored every one of Asea’s request to quit her studies and pick a more appropriate field, the two often fighting more and more as time passed. Eventually Asea called her out on her lack of attention and dedication to the relationship and that she was letting herself slip further toward the void, becoming too consumed by her research. Dangerously consumed like was common within her family, unbeknownst to her. Zaydria shot back with her own accusations that Asea simply did not want to see her succeed, and in the heat of the moment Zaydria unleashed a creature of the void inside their small flat, almost killing Asea in the process. Though she had killed the creature she had released, she left the flat and Asea, there to die. The next day, the Scourge came for them all. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - All the king's horses and all the king's men, couldn't put me back together again... Zaydria was critically injured in the fight with the Scourge and in the genocide that followed. She was able to use what knowledge of the void she had to slip into the shadows unseen and under the cloak of shadows she was able to escape south to the Ghostlands where a small group of elves who had survived took her in and aided her in healing her wounds. Unaware if her family or Asea had survived the attack she left the small camp, even against the advisement of those there healing her. When she arrived at her family home she discovered nothing left there except bones and ashes, the entire place she had once called home was burned to the ground and all who had been there perished with it. Unable to and unwilling to she never sought out Asea to see if she survived. She left the shattered forest and her broken life in search of something different, eventually discovering the shores of Pandaria and meeting several monks who trained at the monastery in Kun’lai. They agreed to take her in and teach her how to properly use her Chi along with martial arts in combat and healing. Studying with the monks of Kun’lai she formed multiple friendships with the Pandaren there, and she chose to make a permanent residence in the mountains. She received word though that the Sin’dorei had rebuilt, the city of Silvermoon once again the center of their people. Returning to what was once her home she found Magister Umbric, but this time things were different and he was on a path to power they had never thought available to them. She joined him and his other students again, this time with her new abilities and knowledge of the world, but she was never prepared for what was on the other side of that rift.

[zaydria]

This is Me

Full Name: Zaydria Ama’ki (Rilyn'tlar) (Ama’ki translates to Beautiful Void, Rilyn'tlar translates to House of Mystery.) Age: Adult Height: 5’6” Weight: 145lbs Measurements: Bust: 36DD Waist: 28” Hips: 38” Mystery shrouds the Ren’dorei woman like a cloak of secrets bound tightly around her collar, completely enveloping. Shadows dance and come to life at the very presence of the dark woman, their shadowy tendrils reaching out and caressing her body, begging for ownership. Even when in direct light the shadows seem to dance around her and almost come to life within the shadow she cast. Smooth flawless skin not marred by so much as a freckle or blemish, long beautiful hair reaches thickly down her back when not bound back, the length of her hair brushing against her lower back smoothly. Long sweeping bangs are securely tucked behind her elongated ear on the right side, though it is not uncommon for the bangs to rebelliously drape in the woman’s face, masking her. The haunting melody of her voice whispers an exotically dark song through painted lips with smooth elegance. In times of heated emotional highs the echoing depths of the void darken her rather bellchime voice to something far more sinister. Her gaze sparkled with confidence swirl with fathomless depths of deep sapphire swirling with twinkling, violet darkness of the void. The captivating allure of the void beckons you closer, softly whispering to your mind’s dark secrets. The captivating allure of the void beckons you closer, softly whispering your darkest fears and hidden emotions. Alluring features draw you in with every thoughtful and calculated movement of her soft feminine body, gracious curves a mirror image of a hourglass. Thinner at the waist she is generously endowed in the chest and buttocks regions, a prime example of a hourglass shape. The spicy sweet aroma of exotic patchouli cast a captivating spell upon your senses as it penetrates the air around the woman. The Ren’dorei woman stands average for the women of her race, roughly somewhere around five foot six inches. It is with a strong sense of confidence that the woman carries herself, unafraid of how others perceive her or look at her, and undaunted by their stares. Her face a soft oval shape, fuller in the cheeks with a defined jawline and tall neck. Her lips, soft and full- permanently painted a deep ebony since becoming void-touched. Her nose smaller and the angles and creases very softly defined, to either side her cheekbones raised highly on her face. Her brows dark, medium sized arches set highly above her eyes. Upon her right forearm there are many intricate runes and circular designs all intermingling with each other and glowing faintly with the shimmering energy of the void. They mirror very much like mandala circles mixed with norse symbols.

[zaydria]

by Ashley Joncas