Oakenwey: Thorns & Arrows

[xinoehp512 he/him]

"No, not ordinary silence. The kind used to talk like this-

He cut off, grimacing in pain.

[I think I am here. he/him]

29 minutes ago, xinoehp512 said:

He cut off, grimacing in pain.

Nekri raised an eyebrow. So it wasn’t just him who thought the voice was weird. It was some kind of ‘silence’. He didn’t understand how an odd voice corresponded to silence, but he grinned at Jared all the same.

What? He asked, mimicking the voice. It was always easy to mimic voices, it came with practise. Can’t you speak like this for long? That’s odd, you’re the one I managed to mimic it from anyway.

[Lecky Twig she/her]

Jahora left his table and trudged upstairs when his thoughts had cleared and all the adrenaline from the night seeped into ineffectiveness. His shoulders drooped in exhaustion as the activity from the night finally caught up to him leaving him to revel in the a mildly blissful state where tire and contentment flowed through his body, granting him an easy peace. 

On 23/01/2021 at 6:49 PM, Shard of Thought said:

"Well," Rose said tightly. "Goodnight, then." With that, she turned and walked silently up the stairs, picking the room at the end of the hall and closing the door behind her and sitting on the bed.

On 23/01/2021 at 6:49 PM, Shard of Thought said:

Her jaw dropped in shock and the notebook wavered. Curious, she flicked her hand to see if it would follow, but it did not. When she pictured it flying about the room, however, it zipped through the air.

Jahora walked to the very end of the hallway and opened the door to his room. He crossed familiar room in the dark towards his bed when his foot landed on what felt like a thick wad of paper. He reached down and picked up the object, squinting suspiciously as he recognised the rough leather and smooth pages of his notebook. Why was his notebook lying open in the middle of the floor? His eyes darted around the room and landed on a shadowed lump on his bed. He creeped closer to his bed the sleeping lump's features became clearer. Rose is in my bed, and she has been flicking through my notebook he thought with a gulp. Too tired to care or worry about it, he staggered over to his wardrobe and pulled out a more comfortable set of clothes to change into, he spared Rose a glance to double check she was asleep before stripping and changing into them. Then, he set Tydel's top hat gently onto the desk, trying not to wake up Rose. He lowered himself into the cushioned chair, behind the desk and crossed his arms, clutching his notebook tightly against his chest. He shifted uncomfortably in his chair for a few minutes before drifting off to sleep. 

 

 

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

Quote

I think I should wait for you two to post before I have Rose wake up.

@Fallapede @AmazingGoob

[Fallapede]

While the rest of the house slept, Kieran ransacked the pantry for all the sugar, alcohol, and mold he could find. The others probably wouldn't approve if they found out, but he was getting dangerously low on proper medical supplies, and the odds of someone getting injured in this particular line of work seemed high. Fortunately, he had plenty of clean cloth, so the curtains could stay intact for the moment.

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

Rose dreamed. Her mind was not a pleasant place to be, for the most part. Tonight was no exception. 

She sat, staring at a stained glass window in a gazebo. It was a real place, a little hideaway on her mother's property. Only, the stained glass depicted something different than it did in real life; instead of the vaguely outlined purple woman that Rose's family accepted as their deity, it was Rose herself. Star's garden was dark and no stars chased away the sense of doom that the scene carried with it. The glass looked menacing and the air was cold, like the hand of a corpse. She shivered. And the glass moved.

Glass-Rose folded her arms, displeased. "So, you've learned how to move a notebook, have you?"

The scene changed jarringly. It was still dark, but Rose felt paralyzing fear. No. She was fearful because she was paralyzed? It was hard to tell. Glimpses of the future were like that. Vague. More feelings and images than actual experience. She felt herself being grabbed, felt a knife against her throat. Piercing green eyes and chuckling. Her throat was cut and as the warmth of blood gushed from the incision, she was thrown back to the garden. 

"A notebook won't protect you against that," Glass-Rose sneered. 

Rose herself gasped, sweating, disoriented from being thrown to one thing to another so fast. In Jahora's shop, she tossed in bed, but the dream was where her mind was. She crawled backwards and the glass version of her stepped out of the window, leaving an empty hole behind it. Her glass-self wore a magnificent dress of blood red. It flared out at the bottom, but was tight everywhere else, with a ribbon around the waist and sleeves that fell off her shoulders. 

"Defend yourself, daughter of Star!" 

Rose was too frightened to do so. She continued crawling backwards, almost tumbling down the short set of stairs to the courtyard, but Glass-Rose caught her by the front of her shirt and held her up. 

"Darrin and Riva can't protect you now, Rose! And Jahora won't either. It's just you, on your own. But that's what you wanted isn't it? That's why you left. Isn't it?!"

A whimper escaped her lips.

"Bah, pathetic." Glass-Rose threw her counterpart down, but she didn't land on the grass. She landed in a white room, sitting in a familiar chair. The blood-letting chair. 

Finally, Rose spoke. "No. Oh, storms, no." She wriggled, but was restrained by a faceless doctor. "STOP IT! STOP IT, LET ME GO!" 

Rose shrieked, sitting up in the room she slept in. She was shaking, drenched in sweat, pale as death. 

Edited January 25, 2021 by Shard of Thought

[xinoehp512 he/him]

19 hours ago, I think I am here. said:

Nekri raised an eyebrow. So it wasn’t just him who thought the voice was weird. It was some kind of ‘silence’. He didn’t understand how an odd voice corresponded to silence, but he grinned at Jared all the same.

What? He asked, mimicking the voice. It was always easy to mimic voices, it came with practise. Can’t you speak like this for long? That’s odd, you’re the one I managed to mimic it from anyway.

Jared frowned. "Wait- that was the first time you spoke like that?"

[Goob he/him]

Kess lay in bed, staring at the ceiling. She twirled a small piece of clear in her right hand, which was hanging off the side of her bed. Today had been... Interesting. She had gotten her first job (which was for some mysterious girlfriend), met an... interesting co-worker, and a mind-reading child. What will tommorow bring, she wonders...

[I think I am here. he/him]

13 hours ago, xinoehp512 said:

Jared frowned. "Wait- that was the first time you spoke like that?"

Uh huh, Nekri said, nodding. He smiled, raising his palm and conjuring a miniature illusion of Jared himself on it, standing tall.

I’m Jared! the small illusion-Jared said in Jared’s voice. I’m being chased by a woman. Wow, who knew an illusionist could make illusions?

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

It was morning. Early morning, true, but morning all the same. Sunlight peeked through the curtains, a golden line of illumination running down the side of Rose's bed. 

The light did nothing to quell her terror. 

Rose stared forward sightlessly, her chest heaving up and down with breath that was nigh impossible to slow. Her unbraided auburn hair - more red than brown in the sun's rays, but dark at the roots from sweat - cascaded down her shoulders, obscuring her view of the sides of the room. The reduced size of the room helped her calm down. Less to focus on, easier to see inward. She gripped the sheets and closed her eyes, reminding herself that it had just been a dream and that she was safe here. As tears streamed down her face, she made her breath come out in a shhhh sound, giving herself the motherly comfort that had been absent most her life. "It's okay, Rose, it's okay, shhhh. Shhh..."

Quote

Just finished art of Rose!  

 

Edited January 26, 2021 by Shard of Thought

[xinoehp512 he/him]

6 hours ago, I think I am here. said:

Uh huh, Nekri said, nodding. He smiled, raising his palm and conjuring a miniature illusion of Jared himself on it, standing tall.

I’m Jared! the small illusion-Jared said in Jared’s voice. I’m being chased by a woman. Wow, who knew an illusionist could make illusions?

"So... you copied it from me?" Jared frowned. "That shouldn't be possible..."

[I think I am here. he/him]

3 hours ago, xinoehp512 said:

"So... you copied it from me?" Jared frowned. "That shouldn't be possible..."

“According to most people’s understanding of the world,” Nekri said, switching to a different voice. “Summoning a blade from thin air and being able to toss people people aside with wind shouldn’t be possible either.”

He tilted his head to the side.

“Well, the only reason my illusions work so well is because nobody thinks it’s possible. If you went to someone and told them you saw a shape-changing man I’m sure they’d lock you in an asylum over believing you.”

[xinoehp512 he/him]

"But... but it's not just sound," replied Jared. "In order to copy it that well, you'd have to have the same power I do."

[I think I am here. he/him]

Nekri paused, thinking it over.

“Then... maybe I have it, then.” He shrugged, looking towards Jared. He laughed.

“Seems as though I didn’t need to learn it, though. Just hearing you was enough.”

[Lecky Twig she/her]

10 hours ago, Shard of Thought said:

Rose stared forward sightlessly, her chest heaving up and down with breath that was nigh impossible to slow. Her unbraided auburn hair - more red than brown in the sun's rays, but dark at the roots from sweat - cascaded down her shoulders, obscuring her view of the sides of the room. The reduced size of the room helped her calm down. Less to focus on, easier to see inward. She gripped the sheets and closed her eyes, reminding herself that it had just been a dream and that she was safe here. As tears streamed down her face, she made her breath come out in a shhhh sound, giving herself the motherly comfort that had been absent most her life. "It's okay, Rose, it's okay, shhhh. Shhh..."

Jahora's eyes snapped open as rustling sounds brought him out of his light slumber. He squinted in the morning light and stood up to stretch, groaning slightly at his stiff muscles' protests. With some of his senses still waking up, he spun around to open the curtains and saw Rose sitting in the glare of the morning sun with her long auburn hair hanging loose around her. He looked at the notebook that was still in his hands, remembering that he'd have to find out what Rose had been doing with it the night before.

"Good morning." he said 'did you sleep okay?"

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

Rose jumped and shrieked, holding the blanket up to her chest. "What are you doing in here! Have you been here all right?!" Her eyes were slightly red with tears.

[xinoehp512 he/him]

6 hours ago, I think I am here. said:

Nekri paused, thinking it over.

“Then... maybe I have it, then.” He shrugged, looking towards Jared. He laughed.

“Seems as though I didn’t need to learn it, though. Just hearing you was enough.”

"Well that would be almost too lucky to imagine," muttered Jared. "Hmm. Can you feel anything different when you talk like that?"

[I think I am here. he/him]

2 minutes ago, xinoehp512 said:

"Well that would be almost too lucky to imagine," muttered Jared. "Hmm. Can you feel anything different when you talk like that?"

“It feels weird,” Nekri said, then shrugged again. “I’m not too good at descriptions.”

The sudden inquiry into himself and what he could do made Nekri frown. He looked to Jared firmly, an illusion colourful smoke swirling around him.

“But enough about me, I doubt my voice is important anyhow. The only reason I came up here was because I thought you might offer me money to track that lady in the photograph. See, I’m not good at descriptions, but I am good at hunting.”

[Lecky Twig she/her]

4 minutes ago, Shard of Thought said:

Rose jumped and shrieked, holding the blanket up to her chest. "What are you doing in here! Have you been here all right?!" Her eyes were slightly red with tears.

Jahora jumped back in shock and raised his hands defensively "Huh, what? This is my room! You know, filled with my stuff." He said gesturing profusely at his possessions.  "Yes, I have been here all night. I came an hour or so after you and didn't want to wake you, so I just let you sleep." From his new position in the room, he could see Rose's face more clearly and noticed the slight redness to her eyes "Are you all right? What's wrong? Oh gosh, I hope I haven't upset you." 

[xinoehp512 he/him]

2 minutes ago, I think I am here. said:

“It feels weird,” Nekri said, then shrugged again. “I’m not too good at descriptions.”

The sudden inquiry into himself and what he could do made Nekri frown. He looked to Jared firmly, an illusion colourful smoke swirling around him.

“But enough about me, I doubt my voice is important anyhow. The only reason I came up here was because I thought you might offer me money to track that lady in the photograph. See, I’m not good at descriptions, but I am good at hunting.”

"Have you seen her?" asked Jared intently.

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

"I don't sleep well," Rose snapped. She changed the subject immediately. "How was I supposed to know this was your room? It was dark and I was exhausted, I fell asleep seconds after I laid down."

[I think I am here. he/him]

3 minutes ago, xinoehp512 said:

"Have you seen her?" asked Jared intently.

“No, but I don’t need to, see?” Nekri tilted his head up and recalled the photo Jared had shown him, waving a hand and manifesting it in illusion-form in front of them.

“See, if she wanted to hide, looking’ at her eyes and hair, the best place to blend in would probably be Dox-Marina, south of here. Judging by the people in the background, it could also be one of the surrounding towns.”

He looked up and smiled at Jared.

“See? That’s what you get when you ally with a bounty hunter who’s also a local.”

[xinoehp512 he/him]

5 minutes ago, I think I am here. said:

“No, but I don’t need to, see?” Nekri tilted his head up and recalled the photo Jared had shown him, waving a hand and manifesting it in illusion-form in front of them.

“See, if she wanted to hide, looking’ at her eyes and hair, the best place to blend in would probably be Dox-Marina, south of here. Judging by the people in the background, it could also be one of the surrounding towns.”

He looked up and smiled at Jared.

“See? That’s what you get when you ally with a bounty hunter who’s also a local.”

Quote

Picture is only of her, by the way.

Jared looked at the image, intently, lost in thought. He shook his head, snapping himself out of it.

"We should check, then." he replied. "She'll be moving on soon... if she hasn't already."

[Lecky Twig she/her]

8 minutes ago, Shard of Thought said:

"I don't sleep well," Rose snapped. She changed the subject immediately. "How was I supposed to know this was your room? It was dark and I was exhausted, I fell asleep seconds after I laid down."

Jahora recoiled further at Rose's snapping and immediately focused on calming himself down, "No, it's okay; it was dark and we were all exhausted. But, if you don't mind me asking, how long were you pottering around in here before you laid down" He said, waving his notebook meaningfully in front of him. 

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

Rose raised an eyebrow. Then she paled. He thinks I was poking around in it... It wasn't as if she could tell him the truth. She just hoped he didn't notice that she'd paled and that her eyes had widened slightly. "I didn't potter around in here at all. You can go waving that notebook at me, but that doesn't change that I've never seen that thing before in my life."

Edited January 27, 2021 by Shard of Thought