[hider=characters and skillset] [indent][i] Mentioned: • Faela[@Write] • Vadik [@RedDusk][/i][/indent] [ ⍚ ] [b][color=f49ac2][b]S[/b][/color][sub][color=797a9e] K I L L S E T[/color][/sub][/b] [list][*][color=f49ac2][b]Intuitive[/b]: Blessed with the power of intuition, allowing her to make better decisions and sense threat before it comes[/color][*] [color=f6989d][b]Green Thumb[/b]: The knowledge of plants. She can identify which plants are edible and which plants are poisonous. She can also decipher which plants have healing properties and which ones don't. [/color] [*][color=f49ac2][b]Observant[/b]: She can observe the slightest change in behavior or movement. She can read a person's body language, allowing her to identify whether a person is lying or not.[/color] [*][color=f6989d][b]Adaptive[/b]: Can easily adapt to changes in food, environment, and other things[/color] [*][color=f49ac2][b]Melody[/b]: Using her flute, she plays a melody that has been passed on from generation to generation. The song has a mysterious effect on animals, calming them down and making them less likely to attack.[/color] [*][color=f6989d][b]Self-defense[/b]: Knows a bit of self-defense but does not know any offensive moves.[/color][/list][/hider] [center][img]http://i.imgur.com/t71yFAd.jpg[/img] [img]http://txt-dynamic.static.1001fonts.net/txt/dHRmLjYwLmU2NjViOC5XR1Z1WVNCdlppQkJZbUZ1Wld0cC4w/queen-of-heaven.regular.png[/img][h3][color=f49ac2]The woods[/color] || [color=f49ac2]Unconscious[/color] [color=f49ac2]Mood: Confused and afraid[/color][/h3] [color=gray]∴ ∵ ∴ ∵ ∴ ∵ ∴ ∵ ∴ ∵ ∴ ∵ ∴ ∵ ∴ ∵ ∴ ∵ ∴ ∵ ∴ ∵ ∴ ∵ ∴ ∵ ∴ ∵ ∴ ∵ ∴ ∵ ∴ ∵ ∴ ∵ ∴ ∵ ∴ ∵ ∴ ∵ ∴ ∵ ∴ ∵ ∴ ∵ ∴ ∵ ∴ ∵ ∴ ∵ [/color][/center] The foreboding feeling rooted itself deeper into the pit of her gut; a mysterious chill she’d been feeling since she arrived at the Gathering. She’d done a great job ignoring it, but she felt it again — that familiar shiver, as if someone had crept up behind her and was breathing down her neck. She turned, but no one was there. The light chill in the air seemed to press closer. She thought she heard a faint voice in the wind, laughing. Every muscle in her body tensed; she couldn’t shake the feeling that something was about to go terribly wrong. Xena quickly grabbed Vadik’s arm and pulled him toward the path they had come from, every atom in her body screaming for her to leave the forest. [i]Go back,[/i] it seemed to say. Before she could take another step, a familiar voice made her halt. [i]Faela[/i]. A wave of comfort washed over her, relieved to see a familiar face in the dark shadows that blanketed over them. She opened her mouth to speak, but a sudden sound ripped through the silence that hung heavy in the air; it was the same sound she’d heard as a young child when she had stepped onto the frozen lake, only to be submerged into the freezing water moments after. If her brother hadn’t grabbed her immediately, life would have ended for her then and there. The same sound she was hearing now brought back memories of her traumatic experience. She looked around, but it was too dark to see anything. Xena felt as if someone had draped a cold washcloth across her back. A shiver ran down her spine. “[color=f49ac2]We need to head back. Now.[/color]” She reached for Vadik’s arm once again, but as soon as flesh touched flesh, a gush of wind zipped past them, cold as winter and harsh as a storm, it’s strength strong enough to send her back a few steps. Before she could react, she heard that whispering laughter again, the chilling presence now seeming to loom over her. But it wasn’t the wind, nor voices, that caused her eyes to widen and her jaw drop slightly open — it was the sight before her; white wisps of cold air took the form of feminine figures, darting from tree to tree, disappearing into thin air and reappearing seconds later only to disappear again. Everything happened so fast. A shard of ice was hurled swiftly through the air, missing them both in just a hair’s breadth. And then a second one. Unfortunately, this one didn’t miss. Xena watched in horror as it sliced through Vadik’s flesh. “[color=f49ac2]Vadik[/color]!” she screamed, her voice echoing throughout the woods. Red blood tainted white snow—snow she hadn’t even realized was there—and before she could reach out to him, icy winds knocked her off her feet. She fell to the ground, the freezing temperature of the unnatural snow invading her senses like a buffet of hail falling down a broken roof. Shards of ice pierced her numb flesh. Frost seemed to envelope her body, but she wasn’t sure. Xena’s vision dimmed. She must have been falling into unconsciousness. She could feel her head pounding and her teeth aching, as if she had just chugged a jar of freezing water. Her lips and throat were dry and they ached for moisture. Xena tried to move her delicate fingers, but they didn’t budge. She thought she could hear someone calling her name, but the voice seemed too far away to make any sense. The voice slowly faded and was replaced by a silent buzzing in her ears. The silence was deafening. Everything turned pitch black. [center]∴ ∵ ∴ ∵ ∴ ∵ ∴ ∵ ∴ ∵ ∴ ∵ ∴ ∵ ∴ ∵ ∴ ∵ ∴ ∵ ∴ ∵ ∴ ∵ ∴ ∵ ∴ ∵ ∴ ∵ ∴ ∵ ∴ ∵ ∴ ∵ ∴ ∵ ∴ ∵ ∴ ∵ ∴ ∵ ∴ ∵ ∴ ∵ ∴ ∵ ∴ ∵ ∴ ∵[/center] [i]“You’ll really grant my wish?” The little girl asked, staring at the woman with her adorable round eyes. She held two roses in her hand, a basket of varying flowers in the other. “[color=f49ac2]Yes, I will grant your wish.[/color]” The mysterious woman replied; her voice was soft and pleasing to the ears, almost like a melody. “Anything? You will really grant anything?” The girl asked once again, her eyes gleaming as tears threatened to fall. She gripped the flowers tighter and held them close to her chest. Tears sprang down her cheeks, and the woman bent down to wipe them. “[color=f49ac2]Anything, dear child.[/color]” “How? Are you a fairy?” Her chocolate brown eyes looked up to the woman in wonder, eyes filled with innocence and curiosity. The woman chuckled. “[color=f49ac2]Yes, I am a fairy,[/color]” she replied with a beautiful smile. The girl’s eyes lit up, a wide smile now etched on her face. She reached her hand out, giving her the red roses. “Then, can you bring my father back?” she asked, eyes filled with hope. The woman took the flowers from her hand and brought them close to her nose, breathing in their sweet scent. "[color=f49ac2]If that's your wish, I will grant it. When you wake tomorrow, your father will be there as if he never left.[/color]" "You really mean it?" A huge smile was plastered on the little girl's lips, and the woman watched her with an unreadable expression. "[color=f49ac2]Then, I'm going to sing a song. Will you listen?[/color]" The girl nodded eagerly. “[color=f49ac2]Well… close your eyes and listen to me sing, sweet child.[/color]” A beautiful melody filled the air. Trees swayed back and forth, the lake glistening under the pale moonlight. The little girl closed her eyes and fell into a deep slumber. The next morning, she awoke with vague memories of her dreams from the previous night. Her father knocked on her door, "Is my little girl awake?" he asked. Somewhere inside a large chamber, the woman watched the child and her father in front of a large mirror. She tapped the cool glass, and the image was replaced by a man clad in gleaming armor. The man walked down the halls of the temple, slowly making his way toward the woman’s chamber. “[color=f49ac2]Ah, now I wait for The Keeper to deliver retribution.[/color]” There was no hint of regret written on her face. She slowly walked toward her window and sat on her windowsill, staring up at the beautiful night sky as the sound of footsteps drew close.[/i]