WhiteAngel25

The Dark Beyond

@Estylwen That post was phenomenal! Enjoyed every heartbreaking moment of it!

@Days I think it is time for that collab between Stella and Theo. 😉

Tales From the Realm of Laelilon

@Red Wizard OMG! Happy to have your interest again! I’ll keep you informed if anything changes. :) I hope you’re feeling better! And yes, I agree with @Ti, you need to read the end of the old one. XD

Tales From the Realm of Laelilon

@Pandolin You're welcome! I'm glad that helped guide her in the whatever direction she was considering.

Tales From the Realm of Laelilon

@jasbraq Jas, feel free to jump in at any time. I just thought that it was best to keep the story moving.

Tales From the Realm of Laelilon

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In Lock & Key Tavern's Back Room...

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One look at Amandine and Faline could tell that she was less than happy to hear that they were to retrieve a lost artifact from ancient Dragonians. She listened to the petite woman and took another look at the legend in the book, she noticed the markings in the margins of the book while she began to write notes on a blank paper.

Sir Dorian gave a sympathetic smile to Amandine as she explained one of the many legends of her people. "While I understand your sarcasm and notion about the Emperor, Amandine. This disease has been proven to affect all races throughout Vradia, not just humans and Elvian. This is much bigger than protecting an ancient trinket with magical properties," he explained as there was a look in Dorian's eye that Faline didn't like.

Faline paused to listen to Maltar and Torsten. She wanted to give a show of support for Amandine's connection to the Dragonian culture and support for the quest at hand but froze upon Budi casually taking a lock of her hair and taking a sniff. Faline didn’t know a lot about Orcs, aside from the fact that they were a race of large, strong beings. She flicked her emerald gaze to the Northern Orcs as he moved on from her. The half-Elvian concluded that scenting must be a gesture of his culture or upbringing. Faline turned her attention back to the book and map on the table.

Dorian was about to speak a reply to the group when Faline stopped him. "Our mentors have already found the ruins," Faline said as she crossed her arms while showing Amandine the code she had broken. "My uncle wouldn't suggest taking something from an ancient culture unless it was agreed upon. He's a negotiator at heart. He could probably convince a tree to give up its leaves if necessary. The ruins they found were void of life, not including forest animals and vegetation. That's my uncle's handwriting and marks in the margins of the book. It was his mission to locate the ruins," she said as Dorian nodded in agreement to Faline's conclusion.

"Sir Nikolai didn't have time to retrieve the Amulet by himself, not with the increase of Duskrot cases. He thought that it would be best to test you younger members," Sir Dorian explained as he placed a different piece of paper on the table. "This is your supply list. I would suggest you rest here tonight and take off in the morning. I'll have the cook bring in a meal for all of you," he instructed before leaving the room.

"Well, isn't that just fantastic? This night is just full of surprises," Faline muttered as she looked at Amandine. "I hope we don't have to use the Amulet and your people can retain the bobble. My uncle noted in the legend that the side effects of the magic aren't great," she explained as a very short, round old woman trotted in. The pot-bellied woman was definitely of Dwarven descent with a long, grayed braid rolled up into two buns on her head. She rolled in a cart with a large stew pot on top, then a basket of biscuits and a few desserts on the tray below with the bowls and silverware.

"Y'll needin' to eat up now, gots to have yas strength. Or so says the boss," the old woman said as she passed out the bowls and soup spoons.

Faline glanced over the list on the table. "Eight-bed rolls and a crate of supplies for the trip, or so it appears. It says that each mentor has placed appropriate weapons in the chest with their symbol on said chest," she announced for anyone’s curiosity. Interesting, there are only seven of us here, Faline thought as she raised her eyebrows at the Orc's advance, or what seemed like one.

"As for your answer, Tiny, I believe those are bunk beds if you’re tired. Also, niceties mean comforts, like beds and access to already made food," Faline explained as she gestured to the eight beds in the room of the opened door as she grabbed a bowl of Cook's stew, not one to pass up a free meal.

"The boss says that ya kids will need to be up early in the morn," Cook said before she placed the rest of the food on the table. "Best be gettin' to bed after eating." The dwarven woman rolled her cart out of the room. The silence is filled with the squeakiness of the wheels on the cart.

After finishing her bowl of stew and biscuit, Faline took one of the bottom bunks and placed her pack on the bed before she went back over to the table to read her uncle's notes. She frowned as there was nothing left to decipher except the location of the ruins. "I have a feeling that there is more going on than just Duskrot. With our mentors being separated on various missions, it almost feels like a deliberate action," she commented as she pulled out her uncle's journal to see if there was anything that she could find that would help them tomorrow on their journey.

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Meanwhile with Pebble at the Crossroads...

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A snow-white owl called out as dusk was uproaching and landed in front of the half-dwarf woman. Its bright blue eyes blinked slowly one at a time at Pebble before hooting at her. The large feathered being rotated its head, then returned to staring at Pebble, tilting its stare before suddenly flapping its large wings. It flew up and landed on the Somerset sign. The bird cawed at Pebble continuously until she stood and then took off to the tree that was the start of the Somerset path, calling out to her again.

New Music with Plots and Previous Interest Ideas +18

bump

The Dark Beyond: Adventures in Candyland (Prequel)

You all are so sweet! Thank you for the compliments. 😊

@Estylwen The lore was a link from a previous Lexi post. I looked it up and used it as idea fuel. 😅

Tales From the Realm of Laelilon

@Pandolin The Great Gus is making an appearance this weekend. ;)

@jasbraq Thank you for clarifying your status. Gus is always a pleasure to read about. :)

The Dark Beyond: Adventures in Candyland (Prequel)

The Dark Beyond: Adventures in Candyland (Prequel)

Sacrifical Chamber

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Sabrina was quickly reminded of the sickly sweet scent of dark matter-energy. Otherwise known as MAGIC- Matter of Antagonistic Gravity In Conduits. She had deciphered the acronym for ancient Greek scrolls she had found in the field before Aurelie had come into the picture. She believed the scroll had been written by Plato, although his source, like most of his work, had not been accredited. She heard the disembodied voice and remembered that the girls would get sick if they breathed in MAGIC for too long. MAGIC was hard on young bodies, and it hadn’t been studied enough to learn various outcomes. Not many knew of its existence except those on the Council, Thierry, and the agents chosen for assignments such as these.

Realization hit the mother of three like a train. That’s why the higher-ups encouraged Thierry to take her and the children along. Sabrina, like Thierry, knew of the existence of MAGIC and had been exposed to it multiple times, and chances were, the children had some sort of immunity to pass down from them.

What almost made Sabrina think this was all a dream was Thierry admitting she was right. Her honey eyes blinked in a shocked manner. She watched as Thierry made amendments with Cosette. Then Sabrina heard the whispered voice encouraging her to take the children to the Afterlife. She looked up at the symbols above the hallways as she heard Auri ask what was happening.

She sighed softly, the children were a part of this game now whether she and Thierry liked it or not. The kids deserved the truth.

“That scent you are smelling is a form of dark energy, known as MAGIC. Your father and I have been studying cultures that used said energy for the last two decades before you came into the picture. The scent means that we are close to a source of MAGIC that could be an artifact, a tomb, or whatever the ancient culture decided to use as a containment vessel,” Sabrina explained to her eldest and her youngest, although she knew most of this would go over Cosette’s head.

“We need to leave before you two girls succumb to the side effects, however, I’m not so inclined to listen to the voice that attempted to coerce me in my ear,” Sabrina admitted as her gaze flicked to the symbols.

“The Egyptians revered the Afterlife, even going as far as to create tombs such as these to protect themselves through the cycle of Rebirth. If the person going through the Afterlife was judged well on their deeds and how they lived their life, they were rewarded with a better position in the next life,” Sabrina spoke loud, mostly to herself, but to also explain her thoughts on what was in front of her.

Sabrina pinched the bridge of her nose in thought as she was placing the puzzle pieces in her mind together. Chances were the voice was right in suggesting the Afterlife, however, one had to be prepared to leave their former life behind. They had to sacrifice what would be considered a high pierce.

Sabrina sat her pack on the ground and fished through until she found her chisel for tapping away the dirt. She sliced her hand open before grabbing the artifact that Cosette had swiped earlier. Sabrina used her blood to draw the symbol for Isis, followed by ‘life’ and ‘birth’. Isis pieced Osiris back together which ultimately created the Afterlife. A woman ‘sacrificing’ her life source to obtain guidance for her husband and children.

She held the bloodied statue in her hands and took a deep breath as she began to walk towards the Afterlife chamber. She paused just before the stairs and looked at Auri and Cosette. “Stay behind me, whatever figure may be in this chamber, don’t look them in the eyes. Keep your gaze locked on the floor or your feet. Your father will keep you safe,” Sabrina explained as she edged up the stairs to find a throne room. She sighed softly in relief when the room was empty. Bioluminescent designs decorated the walls and floors as if one had kept the lights on all this time. Gold trims and hieroglyphs indicated that this was no mere pharaoh. They were dealing with Amun-Re, the chief god of the Theban Triad. There was still a presence though, as if something was watching.

Carefully, Sabrina acted as though she were greeting royalty. Keeping her head bowed, bowing before the throne before placing the artifact statue on the throne. She slowly backed up and began to speak in Arabic, the closest modern language to Ancient Egyptian.

“Almuaqar amwn rae, min fadlik 'arshadani waeayilati 'iilaa biri al'amani. nahn la naqsid al'adhaa, nurid faqat aleawdat alamint 'iilaa alwatan. laqad dae aibni, min fadlik qum biqiadatih 'iilaa biri al'aman aydan. 'arju 'an taqbaluu dam hayaati muqabil eawdat eayilati salimatin.”

Translation

"Revered Amun-Re, please guide my family and me to safety. We mean no harm, we just wish for safe passage home. My son is lost, please lead him to safety as well. Please accept my lifeblood in exchange for my family's safe return."