baraquiel

Ember Grove - Supernatural RP

Time: Night
Location: Apartment going to Trance
Interactions:

What Monica's apartment looks like

Monica woke up with a snort. She was thinking so deeply about an idea for her next project that she didn't realize she fell asleep on her desk. It was night time and the outside was filled with yellow and white lights that came from apartment and house windows, as well as the passing cars and the lamp posts on the street. She watched people of all ages walk and go about their lives. Well, majority of them were people. The outside lights helped brighten Monica's darkened room a bit and she rubbed her face before feeling the walls to open her lights.

She sleepily walked towards her bathroom. She looked at her groggy reflection in the mirror before leaning over the sink to wash her face before wiping herself. When she stood up, she saw the reflection of another person behind her. It was a woman with bluish-grey skin and dark brown eyes wearing a long white dress with even longer billowing sleeves. Her long black hair was spread out behind her head as she looked at Monica with wide frightening eyes and an open mouth.

Monica, however, was not impressed. "How predictable, Amanda."

The ghostly woman named Amanda dropped her arms and groaned exasperatedly. "Oh come on! How are ya not afraid? Guys and girls will always scream their butts off whenever I do it!"

"Yeah, you try to scare the girl that could see ghosts." Monica shrugged and gave Amanda a 'Welp' expression as she went on of the bathroom. Amanda pouted but followed her. "That's like so unfair, y'know. I've been trying to scare ya 78 times and I didn't even hear a single scream from ya!"

78 was the number of days that passed since Monica started seeing ghosts again. It's also the number of days that had passed since she last saw her aunt, leaving nothing but a letter in an envelope. The words 'Open only when you're alone' was written on the envelope's back with the word 'alone' underlined. Monica was confused at first because she was the only one living in this apartment until she realized: her aunt knew of the girl's gift. Her aunt also knew Monica will never be alone because of the ghosts randomly roaming about the living world. Monica decided to just keep the letter a secret for now as she knew she would have to read it eventually.

She tied her hair back in a bun before heating up water for her hot chocolate. Well, it's not my fault I don't scare easily. Besides, I watch horror movies all the time. Have you seen my watch history?".

Amanda pouted, crossing her arms and hovering mid-air as she watched Monica prepare her drink. "Hmph! Ghosts from Hollywood are nothin' compared to the real ones! Not all ghosts look demonic and bloody and ugly and...", Amanda rumbled on. Monica listened to the ghost while sipping her hot chocolate and what the ghost said reminded Monica of the first time she saw her.

Ghosts could change their clothes and hairstyles but only if they wore those clothes and had those hairstyles when they were still living. The things they can't change were their sex and skin tone which was always bluish-grey. Other than that, they still retained their mannerisms, accents, and way of thinking even after death.

From Monica's time in spending here and due to Amanda's talkative nature, she knew the ghost was 22 years old when she died but she died so long ago that she lost count of how long she was a ghost. She didn't want to get to the specifics of how she died which Monica respected. Not all ghosts wanted to say how they died, especially if it was in a tragic, untimely, or humiliating way. However, Monica did notice Amanda's particular distaste in the words 'sweetie' and 'honey'.

Monica snapped back to reality when Amanda clapped. "Oh my gosh, I just remembered! I heard from a couple of my ghost friends that there's a party goin' on in Trance. Y'know, the club that's suspiciously close to a grade school? Anyway, I heard there's a lot of handsome men there. I think this is the perfect chance for ya to meet up with people, eh?". Amanda smiled and playfully nudged Monica's arm, which felt like a cool breeze blowing on her skin.

Monica sighed. "Amanda, there's always a party going on there; it's a club. I don't think I'll like it there," she said.

"Oh come on, girl! You've been cooped up in this apartment for days. Ya really need to get out and meet other people or ya might rot here forever! That's not a good way to go, y'know. Just please do it for little ol' me?", Amanda said as she batted her ghostly eyes at Monica.

It was true that she hadn't gotten out of the apartment for so long. The only people she talked to where Amanda and her online clients. She looked at Amanda acting all goofy and she sighed in defeat. "Okay fine, I'll do it. It might be good to meet some potential clients in person too."

Some time later...

Monica was riding a cab on the way to Trance. She was wearing her simple, go-to outfit: a white cardigan over her white tank top, denim jeans, brown sandals, and a faux leather brown bag. Amanda was shocked that Monica was willing to go to a club looking like that but the ghost reluctantly approved of the outfit because Monica was more comfortable wearing that. She left the apartment with the television playing Amanda's favorite telenovela show La Isla Bonita since she couldn't touch the remote.

The woman tried not to look outside of the cab's window but she glanced every once in a while. Ghosts of all ages roamed the streets while the living continued with what they were doing, ignorant of the fact that they weren't the only ones in this world. Perhaps, Monica thought, there was bliss in living ignorantly.

As her cab passed by, she saw an elderly man walking slowly with his cane accompanied by a smiling old woman, probably his wife. She put her hand on his back and looked at her husband fondly as she glowed like the warm sun. While in traffic, she saw a headless man wearing formal attire as he sat across a woman talking to someone on the phone. She broke down in tears and rested her hand on the table for support. The headless man reached out to put his hand over hers, trying to comfort her. In his other hand, he was holding a small box with an engagement ring inside.

As the traffic light turned green, Monica sighed and looked ahead. It sucked being able to see the dead because you'll only feel sadness for them, yearning to feel their loved one's touch and wishing they could be seen by them. Monica could help but she didn't want to meddle in the affairs of the supernatural. Besides, what good would it be to help with someone else's problems if she couldn't even solve her own first?

After a while, the cab stopped at the entrance of Trance and Monica got out. It was just like any other club in Monica's eyes, though there were a bunch of people gawking and watching something happening on the inside. She heard them say a woman was causing a ruckus with the bouncers or something like that. The people and the guards were so distracted by what's happening that Monica took this chance to sneak in so she wouldn't have to fall in line and pay.

She saw the woman being held by the bouncers while she kept screaming she's being raped even though it looked like she weren't. It's Monica's first time out in a long time and she was already met with chaos. Sighing, she pushed through the crowd until she could see a vacant seat. She waved a waiter over and told them to get her any kind of drink. She sat silently with her chin on her hand, her eyes scanning the crowd from time to time.

Ember Grove - Supernatural RP

Monica Villarreal

》B a s i c s

Full name: Monica Villarreal
Age: 21
Date of Birth: November 1, 1998
Gender: Female
Occupation: Digital Artist/Digital Streamer
Where are you from?: Cancún, Mexico
Are you aware of the supernatural?: Yes, very

》A p p e a r a n c e

Height: 5'6"
Weight: 126 lbs
Hair Color: Reddish, Brownish Black
Hair Length: Shoulder-Length
Skin Color: Naturally Tanned
Eye Color: Caramel
Tattoos, Piercings, etc skin markings: None

》R e l a t i o n s h i p s

Sexuality: Heterosexual
Relationship Status: Single
Any pre-determined friends?: Her ghostly roommate named Amanda
Siblings' Status: Alive
Parents' Status: Dead
Pets: None
How open is your character to friends from 1 to 10?: 6
How open is your character to romance from 1 to 10?: 5

》I n t e r e s t s

Likes:
🔅 Animals
🔅 The beach
🔅 Good food, especially hot chocolate
🔅 Not being pestered by all these ghosts

Dislikes:
🔅 Foul smells
🔅 Frogs
🔅 Haughty people
🔅 Being pestered by all these ghosts

Hobbies:
🔅 Running her online blog
🔅 Singing
🔅 Photography

Skills:
🔅 Skilled mediator
🔅 Photo and video editing
🔅 Being able to see spirits and other supernatural beings
🔅 Knowledgeable about spirits, the supernatural, and the afterlife

》P e r s o n a l i t y

Free-Spirited 💛 Independent 💛 Serious 💛 Brave 💛 Unapologetic

Monica, or Mo for short, is a pretty quiet person. She mostly just keeps to herself and doesn't tell others her problems, especially her close relatives, because she doesn't want anyone to worry about her. She wants to solve whatever problems she has on her own and will only seek out help if she really couldn't do it.

Some guys are pretty intimidated by her because they claim that she 'isn't like the other girls', meaning she's not easily impressed and definitely not easy to get. Still, that doesn't mean the girl doesn't like to have a boyfriend. She's a firm believer that there's someone out there for you, a.k.a. a soulmate.

Most people are also afraid of talking to her because of her resting bitch face. Once you get to know her more, she'll start to warm up to you. She's the type of friend that tells you as it is and keeps you grounded when you're flying too high, but she's also very caring in a way that she'll offer you advice and will even help you in your problems as much as she could.

》H i s t o r y
Mo is the only child of a Filipino-American woman and a full-blooded Mexican man. She has a very interesting family bloodline, especially on her mother's side. Matter of fact, Mo is related to the very first babaylan, a Filipino priestess, of her country. Supposedly, these priestesses were gifted in the supernatural. It's been told in many historical records that a babaylan has supernatural abilities such as calling upon the gods to ensure good weather for harvest season and seeking the knowledge of the spirits of their forefathers to foretell the future.

The number of priestesses in her country dwindled after the invasion of foreigners who violated their lands and forced their own tradition and culture into the natives. Even after being tainted by the blood of foreigners, Mo's priestess bloodline still continued to survive up to this day. The women in Mo's mother's side of the family have a strong connection to the spirit world. Some of them could only see these spirits while some of them could even communicate with the supernatural. While the men have a weaker connection, they could still sense if there is a ghost near them.

Mo was believed to have the strongest connection in her family. Not only could she see and talk to these spirits but she could also command them to some extent after her mother saw Mo as a child ordering a poltergeist to retrieve her teddy bear from afar. Her family thought that it was because of her being born on the day of the dead, making her connection to the spirit world much stronger than the others.

Most of Mo's childhood friends from growing up were ghosts and it concerned her parents very much as they knew the real world will treat her as a freak. They also feared that she may confuse the living from the dead while growing up. It got to the point where a malevolent spirit manipulated young Mo from making the girl follow her to a cliff. Mo, who as a child believed that all spirits were good, would've died if her parents quickly took action and save her from jumping to her death.

After that incident, Mo's parents brought the young girl to her Filipino grandmother who had the ability to shut down a person's sixth sense. They then flew her to Mexico, her father's home country, where she grew up most of her life in. Unfortunately, Mo's parents died during a car crash and she was hurt that she couldn't see their spirits during their wake.

Mo decided to stay at a relative's house in Ember Grove, South Carolina indefinitely for a fresh start. During her stay in Ember Grove, Mo searched the local library for anything supernatural, anything that can help her awaken her sixth sense so she could see her parents again but found nothing. Mo's aunt knew her problem so when Mo was asleep, her aunt went in her room, placed a hand on her forehead, muttered something softly, before kissing her forehead and leaving. When Mo awakened, she never saw her aunt again except for a letter.

That was when all her problems started.

Ghost FAQs

+ What are ghosts?
Simply put, ghosts are the spirits or souls of dead humans and animals.

+ What do they look like?
They vary differently in terms of how they look, from bright wispy shapes to hauntingly life-like to just plain essence. They can choose to alter their appearance from being invisible, a wisp, or human but they can't change their gender, the age they died as, the type of ghost they are, and the color of their aura. If they choose to appear as humans, their skin will be the colored bluish grey and the color of the clothes they died in won't change. Some even choose to look like how they died.

+ What are the types of ghosts?

Click to know more

Spirits - They are the souls of the dead. They're generally harmless. They can choose to wander around or stay in one place. They have the ability to appear in photographs and reflections in mirrors. They don't have auras.

Kindred - They are mostly the ghosts of deceased loved ones. They'll emit a faint familiar smell or do something that they're known for while living to remind their families that they're there. If you were very kind and compassionate when you were living, you'll most likely end up as a Kindred. They can emit positive energy at the place they're in. Their auras are colored white or yellow.

Poltergeists - They are powerful spirits that can control the physical environment like making loud noises or throwing inanimate objects around. If you have a strong connection to the supernatural while you were living, you can end up as a Poltergeist. Their auras are colored light green.

Furies - They are powerful spirits who have the ability to cause immense feelings of anger to the people around them. They were so full of rage when they were living that they continued to carry it even as ghosts. If you end up suddenly feeling angry out of nowhere, that's the work of a Fury. Their auras are colored red.

Glooms - They look like shadows that formed as humans and are considered one of the most dangerous types of ghosts. They latch on to the happiest living human they could find and suck the positive energy out of him, making him feel emotionally empty until he doesn't have the will to live anymore. That person then becomes another Gloom. Their auras are colored dark violet.

Corrupted - These are the ghosts of people who joined satanic cults, dabbled in demonic magic, or made a deal with a demon. They can also be the ghosts of innocent people who were used as a sacrifice or medium to summon a demonic being. A Corrupted has dark grey skin and pure black eyes. They emit negative energy at any place they're in. Their auras are colored black.

Dreamers - These are ghosts that can only appear in someone's dreams while they're sleeping. They feed off the dreams of those who are sleeping, which is why you always forget 90% of your dream when you wake up. They can also choose to give you sweet dreams or nightmares. They appear as greyish mists.

Incubi/Succubi - They are ghosts that are driven by immense feelings of lust. They have the power to make anyone near them feel horny and they're also one of the few types of ghosts who can change forms based on their gender. They can also have sex with the soul of a sleeping human in their dreams, feeding off their psycho-sexual energy. Their true forms are unknown but they have pink-colored auras.

Will-o'-The-Wisps - These are ghosts who take the forms as spheres of light. Some could even appear as floating orbs of heatless fire. These are the spirits of those who went missing, that's why they are mostly seen by travelers in mountains, forests, bogs, and swamps. They help those who have lost their way to the outside of a forest, mountain, etc. They are also known to guide people and lead them to their true calling. They are bright blue in color.

+ Why do they exist?
Every living being on Earth has a soul. It was even believed by ancient civilizations that inanimate objects also had souls, even the celestial bodies like the sun and moon. More importantly though: if you're a living, breathing organism, you definitely have a soul.

+ Why are they here?
People most likely believe that ghosts can move on to the Afterlife whenever they wanted. It's believed that some ghosts choose not to move on because they either have some unfinished business, they're bound here and cannot move on even though they want to for whatever reason, they haven't even realized they're dead yet and they're refusing to believe their time on earth is over, or they really just choose not to move on.

+ What is the Afterlife?
The Afterlife is a place where a ghost is supposed to go when they die. Nobody knows what it looks like except for those who moved on. Once you moved on to the Afterlife, you can't go back to the world of the living except for reincarnation where the memories of your past life will be erased and you'll be reborn as an entirely new being.

Types of Afterlife

Heaven - This is the place where mostly good people go to. It's also called the Light.
Hell - It's where very bad people go to get punished until the end of time. It's also called the Dark.
Twilight - This is where bad people go to when they don't want to go to Hell but can't enter Heaven. They'll gradually lose all their memories until they're reduced to blank spirits, aimlessly wandering through Twilight for all eternity. It's also called the Grey.

+ Should I be scared of ghosts?
Not really. Almost all of the humans on Earth have no ability to sense or see the spirit of the dead. If you're one of them then continue to live your life the way you want. Ignorance is bliss.

+ How can I talk to ghosts?
There is the most famous ritual called the ouija board. There's also a bunch of other rituals that you can follow, but be warned. If you talk to the dead, ALL of them can hear you.

+ How do I know if there are ghosts nearby?
You can feel the hairs on the back of your neck stand up. You can also feel a sudden drop in temperature where you are or the feeling of something heavy on your chest.

+ Do ghosts follow rules?
- They can't possess a living human's body unless the person's soul is out of their physical body.
- They can't possess a corpse.
- They can choose to reincarnate from Heaven and Hell but not from Twilight. Even so, ghosts in Hell must be earnest in repenting for their sins before having the right to be reincarnated.
- They can't directly harm a living being.

Avalia

---

TIME: Afternoon
LOCATION: Somewhere in Daka Island
INTERACTIONS: None

---

Despite being the land of the demons, Daka Island was also known to have places where it will always be constantly dark no matter what time of the day it was. Creatures of darkness thrived on the island as they could comfortably hunt down unsuspecting prey without the fear of being harmed by sunlight. An example of a place on Daka Island where the sun cannot shine upon was a cave that was blocked by hanging vines of flowers so deadly that one touch of them could instantly rot your flesh. Deep inside the cave was an expansive space bountiful of luminous crystals. For some reason, demons and those who were weak to light were not affected by the natural soft light emitted by these objects. It was then decided that this will be the main hideout of a group of demons.

Two members of the mentioned group were already there. Zatu the Mask of Pain was sitting right in front of these glowing crystals. He, along with his sister, was asleep for so long, he forgot that such things like these exist in this world. A larger humanoid loomed over the little one. Using one hand, the red-faced demon tossed his kanabō up in the air and caught it by its handle. He tossed it again but he was too slow this time to catch its handle and his kanabō pulverized the ground it landed on. He laughed boisterously as the wheel on his back was automatically lit on fire and spun, reacting to his emotions.

"Little Zatu, where are the others?", Gekido the Searing Storm said. No matter how joyful he could be, one could notice the immeasurable amount of rage he had in his voice, like a volcano threatening to erupt. "We have been waiting here for about quite some ti-"

"Hush now, Gekido." Zatu and Gekido turned to the source of the voice. A corner in the cavern was not as light and it was filled with pure darkness as two figures stepped out of the shadow. The first was a beautiful woman whose skin was as pale as death, and under her was an enormous spider. One could mistake her as riding the arachnid when in fact the spider was a part of her. She was soon followed by Urna the Mask of Woe, head always looking down in shyness as she hugged her stuffed toy.

When the spider woman spoke, it's as if a swarm of insects learned to speak in unison. "Greetings, Zatu, Gekido. We hoped we did not make you men wait for too long?".

"Oh not at all, Lady Hōshasen! Patience is a virtue, especially if we are waiting for such beautiful women like you," Gekido smiled as he bowed before Urna and Hōshasen the Plaguemother. Zatu ran towards his sister and the siblings embraced each other. Hōshasen smiled at the homunculi children. "Excellent. Now, all we are waiting for is one."

A loud thud echoed throughout the cavern. The four demonic creatures looked expectantly at the darkened pathway of the cavern that led to the vine-covered entrance. What emerged was a middle-aged rabbit demihuman, walking forward like a puppet on a string. His irises and pupils were grey as he looked in front of him with lifeless eyes. What followed him was an even taller bat-like creature. It hunched as it crawled, leaning on its long and muscular arms.

The creature opened its mouth to speak but instead, it was the demi-rabbit that spoke for him. It used the poor demihuman to channel its voice; it sounded bellowing and echo-like as if it were speaking through a well. "Apologies for the wait. I had trouble finding a suitable channel."

"Worry not, Utsuro. Come and take your place," Hōshasen said as Utsuro the Voidcaller and his channel went to their place. The rest of the demons sat in a circle as Utsuro's channel produced a map of Roshmi City and spread it at the center.

Once everyone was in position, Hōshasen spoke. "Utsuro, you are tasked with killing the rulers of Roshmi City. Urna, assist Utsuro in his mission. Zatu, Gekido, and I will cause death and chaos throughout the entire city as a distraction for the two of you to carry your mission safely.

We are the first of Master's many servants and it is our duty to do the mission given to us. We will all show no mercy to anyone who stands in our way of completing our mission, but we must try not to get carried away in murdering creatures who are not worth our time. I am looking at you two, Zatu and Gekido," Hōshasen said as she leered towards the men who frowned and crossed their arms at her. Urna put a hand on her mouth, seemingly laughing at her brother, as Zatu playfully nudged her sister.

Hōshasen smiled at the two before continuing. "We all know our parts. The best thing to do right now is to rest up and gather our strength. We attack tonight."

The rest of them nodded. "This channel is flawed. I have no use for you now. So long," Utsuro said through its channel as it swiftly swiped the rabbit demi-humans head off his shoulders cleanly. His lifeless body fell to the ground as Hōshasen's spider half gladly feasted on the corpse, the first of many casualties to come.

Avalia

---

TIME: Afternoon
LOCATION: Roshmi City
INTERACTIONS: Ayita @13org, Cadence @Helo, Ilan @dreamingflowers

---

Sakura smiled at Ilan and nodded at both him and his centaur friend, but she was seething in annoyance on the inside. She hated it when things don't go according to plan. She especially hated Cade, the big yellow cat with muscles for a brain. How dumb was he to easily trust these two who just got into a mess a while ago? Now, he's willing to go to a place with a bunch of strangers he just met. He's so irritatingly good.

Wait, why was she so worked up over him? He's just a mere demi-human! She should focus her attention on her mission instead.

She's only supposed to be Ayita and having Cade along will help the human trust her more. Now with the addition of the stoic centaur and the softspoken faun, who were unlucky enough to annoy what seemed to be one important figure in Roshmi City, the demoness was afraid their group will garner more attention than needed as there's also the possibility of her being exposed.

She doesn't know if the leaders of the races knew of Aklenroth's daughter but they will surely use all their forces in hunting her down. They'll do everything they can to have leverage over the Lich King and replace him as the ruler of Avalia, and she doesn't want to be the cause of another problem for her father.

Nevertheless, she just had to make do with what she had. Besides, she's been craving to cause some trouble, but the real fun will begin later tonight.

She interjected when she heard what Cade said. "Wait, postpone lunchtime? Over my dead gorgeous body. We can take the food we've bought in that place, wherever it is, so we can discuss whatever plans we have while eating. Are you really going to let your two beautiful lady friends starve that long?". Sakura said as she went to Ayita's side and point at their faces while the demoness pouted.

The demoness thought best to be friendly and outgoing to the two newcomers. Who knows, maybe she'll have some use for them later on.

Avalia

---

TIME: Morning -> Noon
LOCATION: Roshmi City
INTERACTIONS: Ayita @13org, Cadence @Helo, Ilan @dreamingflowers

---

"Hmph. You've barely gotten a glimpse of what I can do, Cadence. Go and look for toys that suit your barbaric needs while I do some exploring myself." Sakura teased back at him with a smirk. She was indeed very hungry but she doesn't want to be seen as haughty, so she decided to just go with the flow and take a look at the displays.

They were very different from the type of weaponry used in Daka Island. These weapons were diverse as some looked like they could only be fully utilized by an expert who knew how they worked, while most were quite simple in design; one look at them and anyone could tell what they were and what they could do when used in battle.

Sakura exhaled. While Cadence and Ayita looked around the weapon shop and gushed about these sharp metals on wooden sticks, the demoness twirled her flower-adorned parasol as she was bored right out of her mind. She switched her weight on one foot and another while suppressing the urge to do things to pass the time, which in her terms meant using her magic to mess with a random creature she could chance upon. She was never really a big fan of weaponry like these, but she could be more interested in a weapon if it could channel magic and it looked like the weapons here were made only for ordinary fighters and hunters: the normal commonfolk.

Master... She heard child-like whispers that came from the back of her head, and the demoness smiled. Finally, something to distract her from boredom. She could sense that they were done with their missions. She picked up one of the daggers in display and held it so she could see her reflection in the blade. Her face was then changed as the terrifying Masks of Zaturna were looking back at her.

Wonderful work, you too. Proceed to the rendezvous point and begin Phase 2. She said to them in her mind. The two children nodded and their reflections disappeared. To the random folk, it looked like Sakura was just being vain by admiring herself in the blade's reflection before putting it back down. She then glanced towards Ayita that showed child-like excitement upon testing and finally buying weapons that suited her taste. Sakura forgot how easily impressed Ayita was. Was living on her world that boring that a simple tomahawk easily impressed her?

Just then, Sakura shifted her attention to the commotion going on the other side of the market. She couldn't really understand what the chaos was all about, but she guessed it had something to do with that faun with his musical instrument, a regal-looking elf, and a centaur.

Sakura shrugged when Cade suggested on making friends with the centaur and Ayita asking on how to approach them. "Couldn't we just make friends with a friendlier individual rather than someone who just pissed off a very important-looking elf? I don't want to get involved with the affairs of this city, and it's better for our safety if we steer clear out of trouble altogether." Sakura suggested. Besides, she couldn't risk being found out as one of Aklenroth's most powerful agents that was here at Roshmi City mingling with a human.

Then, just as soon as Sakura said those words, the centaur and the faun decided to approach their trio. After all, Sakura was a demon and trouble always followed demons wherever they go.

The centaur complimented Cade's halberd and of course, the feline demi-human felt very proud of that. The centaur's newfound companion, the faun, was a little timider as he complemented Sakura's parasol. Sakura just smiled sweetly at the faun. "Why thank you, dear faun, how very kind of you. I am Sakura Shinibana but you can call me Sakura, and these are my friends, Cade and Ayita." She pointed at both of them before bowing in greeting to the faun. "And you are...?"

Avalia

---

TIME: Present day, morning
LOCATION: Sakura's home, somewhere in Daka Island
INTERACTIONS: none

---

Two child-size puppets were shaking on the ground, the sound of their wooden bodies clanking against each other as it filled Sakura's once-quiet home. Their clicking sounds were soon mixed with child-like screams that were getting louder the more they shone brighter, one in orange and green while the other in blue and red. One of the puppets, the one that looked more masculine, seemed to be screaming in pain while the other, more feminine one was screaming out of sadness. It lasted for a moment or two before everything went silent again. Then, they stood up from the ground as a zombie would rise from its grave. They wore the Masks of Zaturna, one of Mania and one of Sorrow. Their large yellow eyes darted around and Urna the Mask of Sorrow showed signs of elatedness as she picked up her favorite stuffed toy. Zatu the Mask of Mania approached his sister and placed his forehead before hers. They closed their eyes, delighted upon seeing each other once again before they went to go their separate ways. After all, they have a mission to complete.

---

TIME: Morning
LOCATION: Roshmi City
INTERACTIONS: Ayita @13org, Cadence @Helo

---

As Sakura smiled at how Cade replied to her teasing, she felt like something deep within her was set free.

Children, you know what to do, Sakura said in her head. She then turned to her two companions and acted like everything was just as normal as they should be.

"Hm. I do agree with you on that point, Cade. Landing a physical hit on your opponent and using your physical form to hunt down prey seemed to feel more fulfilling, one might say. However, spells, hexes, and magic are not only tools of 'deception' as you might believe. Even the simplest of magic requires a lot of concentration and creativity on the caster's part just so it can be used to its full potential. I'd say that magic is much more complex and challenging yet adaptable and even fun that just simply swinging a sword or a fist on your foe and calling it a day," Sakura said to Cade with a teasing smile.

The demoness was not surprised by the demi-human's choice of words; warriors who were not gifted in the arts of sorcery either look at magic casters with envy or disdain. She observed the way Cade's tail flicked when he boasted of a proud moment and she found herself smiling earnestly at him. "Same here, Cade. Same here," Sakura said with her eyes shining with pride upon remembering the first subject she successfully had to torture with practice her magic on.

Sakura turned her attention to Ayita when the human recalled her hunting days and her celebration with her tribe. Judging from how fast her reflexes were when running away from Soruklithbaal, Sakura already had an idea how much of a skilled huntress Ayita was. Add to that her newfound affinity for magic and she could one day become a very skilled sorcerer-warrior hybrid. The demoness could already see how she could be powerful in battle.

"Oh that sounds so delightful, Ayita! We may not be a part of your tribe but we'll do our best to make you feel at home here in Avalia, even though an evil lich king has released an order to kill you and several others like you. Hm-hm. Just an average day in Avalia," Sakura cheerfully said to her as she linked her arm with Ayita's, holding her parasol over them to shade them both from the sun.

"Go and take your time with your sharp 'toys', Cade. After this, we will feast like there's no tomorrow," Sakura said to the both of them as her stomach grumbled.

Avalia

Woe and Pain

Name: The Masks of Zaturna

Species: Soul-infused homunculi

Danger Level (1-10): 6 when alone, 8 when together

Joined Abilities:
- Madness Miasma
- Sorrowful Aura
- Illusion-casting
- Shadow-travelling

Weaknesses:
- Light Magic
- Purification Magic
- The sun
- To free the souls of the children, one must break both their Masks at once with the same ax used to split Zaturna's Mask in half.

The story of Zaturna has long been forgotten by the people of Avalia, yet his memory still exists in hushed whispers and frantic rumors. No one even knew his species as they say he was even more terrible and horrifying than a demon as even speaking his name out loud brought shivers down their spines. However, legends say that his soul is infused within his mask and whoever successfully finds and wears it will be granted power beyond their wildest dreams. All those who tried and failed to find his mask end up in both madness and sorrow until the only thing that can bring them freedom is death. Those who succeeded in finding his mask couldn't handle the power it possesses and they too end up dead. Even when he is not here, Zaturna still finds a way to bring woe and pain to everyone...

Pain

Name: Zatu, Mask of Mania
Individual Abilities:
- Madness Miasma
- Illusion-casting

Zatu is the male half of the pair. Unlike his sister, he is more energetic and animated. His body is stronger and his reflexes are faster, allowing him to easily battle a group of skilled warriors on his own. Those who stand near the Mask of Mania or even dare to look at him will be consumed with pure madness. They will act on their darkest impulses and will turn into the primal, savage versions of themselves. It is said that those consumed with madness brought by Zatu have known to go into a killing spree, murdering anyone in their path. He is more powerful when he is with Urna.

Woe

Name: Urna, Mask of Sorrow
Individual Abilities:
- Sorrowful Aura
- Shadow-travelling

Urna is the female half of the pair. Unlike his brother, she is more quiet and stoic. She is known to do a haunting yet elegant dance over corpses, humming along to a tune only she could hear. Those who stand near the Mask of Sorrow or even dare to look at her will be consumed with deep sorrow. It will remind them of their deepest feelings of regret, sadness, and grief all at once. They will lower their defenses as grave sadness consumes them until they are devoid of emotions. They will find they can't do anything to stop their sorrow; they will have no choice but to accept the sweet release of death by killing themselves to end their woes. She is more powerful when she is with Zatu.

Avalia

---

TIME: Many years ago
LOCATION: Slums of Roshmi City
INTERACTIONS: none

---

"Stop that kid!", shouted a guard to his men as he pointed at a child running away. The child mention looked back at them and stuck his tongue out in a teasing way before running and disappearing into an alleyway. The guards chased after the kid but when they got to the alleyway, he was gone. The alleyway was filled with random junk and the kid just hid behind one of the bigger ones.

"Come out, come out, wherever you are... You little brat", the guard said with spite. The kid closed his mouth so he wouldn't hear his breath as the guards walked closer and closer to his hiding spot.

Just then, one of the guard's men called their attention. "I found him, sir! He went inside a shop!". The guard ordered his men to go to that area. The guard stayed behind for a bit, growling and leering at the pile of junk, before leaving the alleyway and following his men.

After a few minutes of tense waiting, the kid emerged from his hiding spot. He looked at the direction where the guards were heading to and then, making sure the coast was clear, he went in the opposite direction with a smug look on his face. There were those who have seen the child, but those who live in the slums were too caught up in their own problems to care about some random kid's law-breaking.

The kid passed a grungy store with windows to look at his reflection. Bits of dirt and grime were on his ragged clothes and his yellow-ish-green-scaled body was etched with various scars he gained from living on the streets and fleeing from the city guards. He looked at the bag he stole which comprised of freshly baked bread he stole from a baker.

Neither he nor his younger sister knew anything about their parents; they don't even have names. The only thing he could remember was living in an orphanage, where he grew up to become a wild troublemaker while his sister grew up to be mute. He would always end up in fights with the other kids who teased his younger sister. The siblings were not likable by prospective parents either as they don't want to adopt a hard-headed troublemaker boy or a special-needs mute girl. Knowing that no one will ever love them, they both left the orphanage as they believe it's better for them to live in hardship together as they always knew they had each other's backs.

In this part of Roshmi, it's every demihuman for themselves. The young boy made sure that he secured a spot for him and his sister so they'll never have to worry about finding a place to sleep in. As the boy approached their spot, he could hear a bunch of children laughing and it seemed that it came from the direction of their spot.

The boy rushed to the place and discovered that a bunch of other street children was teasing his sister. They were more heartless than the kids at the orphanage; they tugged at his poor sister's hair, pushed her around and kicked her, while she could only cower in a fetal position as tears ran down her face. One of them grabbed the girl's cherished stuff toy and began to tear it apart right in front of the sister, and that's when the young lizard boy first heard his younger sister cry. It was so loud and full of pain and hearing it made the brother remember all the hardships they have endured together. He felt the bread he stole drop to the ground, and then he blacked out.

When he came to, the first thing he saw was his sister's face that's full of fear. He looked around and saw the children that were once teasing his sister were now lying motionless on a pool of blood. They were covered in scratches, bite marks, and bruises; most of them even had broken bones. He looked at his hands and was surprised to see that he too was mostly covered in blood, their blood.

He fell on his knees on to the pool of blood, realized what he's done and cried in anguish for the first time in years. His sister crawled to him and hugged him as he shook in fear and shock, not caring about her becoming stained in blood. They cried in each other's arms: the brother because of how much of a failure he was from not being able to give a better life for the both of them, and the sister because she knew how much her brother sacrificed for the both of them.

"If only there was a way, huh?"

The siblings stopped crying in surprise to look at the person who just spoke. The brother immediately faced the stranger, spreading his arm to keep his sister protected behind him. The stranger was using an umbrella and wore very foreign clothing. Her long, white hair flowed through the wind, and she looked at the siblings with a glint in her pupil-less yellow eyes.

"There is nothing more powerful in this world than the bond of a family. You have endured so much together, experienced so much together, at such a tender young age. You may call me Sakura and I'm here to help you. I know you want nothing in this world than to be together forever, so I have a proposition to make...

I want both of you to help me do some work. In exchange, I will both give you power you can't even imagine, power you can use to defend yourselves, and power you can use to hurt those who dare hurt you back. Of course, both of you will be inseparable. Nothing and no one can ever tear you apart from each other."

As Sakura said that, she knelt down and handed out the little girl's stuff toy that looked good as new. The girl's eyes brightened and she grabbed her toy while smiling graciously at Sakura. The boy was still confused about whether or not to trust this stranger, because no one actually paid attention to them nor showed them kindness.

"If you agree to my proposition, all you have to do is take my hand." Sakura said as she opened her hand while smiling serenely at them. The girl smiled at her brother, eyes twinkling with excitement. Trusting his sister's judgment, he looked at Sakura, nodded, and shook her hand.

---

TIME: Later than night
LOCATION: Sakura's place of witchcraft, somewhere in Daka Island
INTERACTIONS: none

---

The siblings, once feeling cleaned and refreshed from taking a decent bath and having a decent dinner for years, now knelt in the middle of a blood circle while facing together. Candles surrounded the perimeter of the blood circle and Sakura stood at the edge, holding a large wooden mask. Standing beside her were two figures made of various materials, mostly wood. Their heights were exactly the same as the siblings'.

When Sakura began chanting, the flames on the candles turned grey and grew in size, surrounding the three of them in a large tornado of grey fire combined with the shadows of the night. The siblings began to cower in fright, but Sakura wrapped them in an embrace and gently shushed them. "Would you like me to tell you a story?". Sakura kindly asked the two of them, and they nodded.

"There was once a man, grey and hollow
Where woe and pain were sure to follow
Weighted by the curse of being alone
Burdened with sins he hoped to atone..."

While Sakura told them the story, the grey fire began to consume the siblings. They arched their backs and screamed in immense pain. Their eyes and mouths began turning as black as night. Despite that, Sakura continued:

"As he lived on, time receded his sanity
Until his heart had forgotten how to be happy
So he picked up an ax and split his core
And he finally had a friend forevermore..."

Their bodies shuddered and they kept on screaming until two bluish-white orbs, their souls, came out of their mouths. Black energy emerged from the wooden mask, grabbing the children's souls and infusing them within it while their physical bodies burned to ash. The plan mask began to change until it turned into a despicable object of terror, a mask so horrifying that it will cause anyone who looked at it to fall into madness and despair.

The mask was brimming with power and Sakura simply picked up an ax next to the ground and split the mask into two. Both of the two halves let out a blood-curling scream and they flew around in the air, vibrating violently. They both flew into the faces of the child-like figures beside Sakura, changing their appearance to look more like two smaller versions of the original mask. The energy from the two masks flowed through the two figures' bodies, and they shook violently, their bodies jerking and snapping until they finally came to life.

"From then on, they no longer felt hollow
In their wake, woe and pain will surely follow
And when someone dares to separate the two-"

"THE MASKS OF ZATURNA WILL COME FOR YOU."

Avalia

---

TIME: Morning
LOCATION: Roshmi City
INTERACTIONS: Ayita @13org, Cadence @Helo

---

Sakura looked at how Ayita was acting like an excitedly oversized child. It was a wonder for the demoness on how the human wasn't even fazed about Aklenroth's announcement last night about hunting her kind. She should be terrified right now, hiding in the shadows and survive on insects and rats until their timely death, but here she was in plain sight and in one of the most populous cities of Avalia. Sakura even remembered about the two of her companions being so easily trusting to other people. Cade should definitely know Sakura was a demon and not all demons were to be trusted, yet he just hugged her yesterday and was even genuinely happy about having her on their side.

Suddenly, this world didn't make sense to Sakura anymore.

However, she was glad about seeing the familiar chaos of Roshmi City once again. "I have been here before, but I believe I hadn't explored the wholeness of this city yet," Sakura admitted to Cade. It was the truth: the only times Sakura had ever been here was when she was tasked by Aklenroth to assassinate someone, and she only did those as quickly and quietly as she could so this was her first time going to the city as a tourist.

Even with her umbrella opened to protect herself from the sun, she could see a handful of people throwing side-glances at her. There were lots of different kinds of races that come and go to this city, all of them have their own stories to tell from the unique adventures and types of lifestyles that they have. Sakura has yet to know what kind of secrets this bustling city had to offer.

"A weapon merchant's store? How barbaric, Cade. Everybody knows spells and hexes are far more superior than swords and whatever," Sakura scoffed with a smirk as she teased the demihuman while they walk. They said you'll get to know a person more once you know what makes them tick, and Sakura was very interested in how the large, burly cat and the strange, naive human will react to being angered. Finally, this day just got better for the demoness.

---

TIME: Morning
LOCATION: All over Avalia

---

Sakura's shades were scattered all over Avalia, each of them tasked on seeking a human and keeping an eye on them. The hard part was they were easily eradicated by light, especially sunlight, so some of them have no choice but to seek out shelter in the shadows. Thankfully, no one could ever see them unless that person was adept was sensing magic as these shikigami have a portion of Sakura's life energy inside them. They could go all night but they can't really do much in the morning. So they hid in dark corners and alleyways, sewages and even empty caves, waiting for the sun to return to its peaceful slumber again.

---

TIME: Morning
LOCATION: Sakura's house, somewhere in Daka Island

---

Click...
Click...
Click...

THE OUSAMA GAME | a Short-Term Horror

Risa was still sitting down on the ground, clutching the finger where she plucked her nail from to let the pain subside from even a little. On second thought, she really would've just used the nail on her coffin as an alternative for the King's order, but she was still unsure about everything that's going on that she decided to play it safe. Since this game was all about pain and suffering, she might as well go with the flow to win. However, it might not be that worth it when all her limbs were cut off so she had to think of a way to outsmart the King. Risa also observed the looks on everyone's faces when she acted and pried her nail off. From her perspective, it seemed that they did believe her to be nothing but a weak-hearted little girl, which meant everything was going to plan.

No matter how much fun Risa was having, her focus was still blurry from the pain brought by her finger. She saw something land next to her and realize it was a necktie. She looked up to the blond who motioned her to use it as a bandage, at which Risa replied with a grateful smile and nod. The blood stained through her red coat and she replaced it with Seven's necktie. Was this an alliance brewing or did he just feel pity for her? In any case, it definitely got her blushing a bit.

What she didn't realize was how One was so calm and collected throughout the entire process. Was she giving out an act like what Risa was doing? It definitely worked, and Risa thought of One as one bad-ass girl. Risa can't help but be excited to hear out how One will cry out in pain and agony as the game continued.

She turned her attention to Four, and Risa thought: Oh yay, looks like we have another scaredy-cat in our midst; of course, she didn't say that out loud. Then again, she doesn't blame him. Some of her 'playmates' back at her mansion were just like him: desperately trying to think of a way out, only to be met with the most excruciating way to die brought upon them by yours truly. Whoever's giving out these orders were definitely human, which meant they were kill-able.

What Seven said could also be true. If there was someone upstairs, no way would they be unarmed in any way. She looked up at the ceiling. It looked like it was so rundown and would collapse at anytime, but that might happen in a few years or so. Time was not something the group had.

She heard Seven sharing the idea of unlocking one of the doors using the key he had, which was quite questionable. "I-I want to go explore too", Risa said as she stood up and followed Seven. While he was walking towards the door, a girl with long black hair spoke up, suggesting that we try not to follow an order and that the punishment was just a bluff. Another interesting thought, but Risa didn't want to go beyond the line. After all, that's why she chose to pry her own nail off instead of getting the one on her coffin. She couldn't risk agitating the King and ordering her to take all of her fingernails out. However fun that may sound, the pain was still not worth it.

Just as Seven was inserting the key into the hole, the familiar sound of the dumbwaiter could be heard, descending from the second floor as it brought about another set of orders. The girl who spoke up was the one who approached the dumbwaiter to read the orders. Hope drained from her face while she was reading the card before she held it for everyone to see. Risa approached the girl and read the card aloud for everyone:

"Player #3, rip out all of Player #4's eyelashes. Player #6, consume the blood, tooth, nail, and lashes."

Risa's eyes lowered to look at the girl's bloodied hand and gasped, looking at her with pity. On the inside, she was bursting with laughter.