Estylwen

Recollections: Under The Sycamore Tree [Complete]

The House on the Hill

Interactions: Sully/Sloane (@Atrophy), Amara (@Blizz), Luca (@FernStone), Brit/Ruby (@Shin Ghost Note)

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“Eww bitch, you literally just said you wouldn’t!”

Sully

“And she blew it, so stop projecting your guilt on us. Come on, Britney. Do it.”

Sloane

Alizée realized her mistake a moment too late, the words escaping her throat before she could ever, ever recall them back. She stared with wide red eyes as the woman with her dread-inducing staff pointed the weapon at her.

Immediately, the hands, or well, hand, came up again. The other was still a slowly morphing, shadowy stub. Alizée made no sudden movement, not wishing to give them another reason to jump her.

”SHUT THE FUCK UP, ALL OF YOU!!!”

”Seal her. Do it.”

Amara

“_{Fos lost Zu'u drehlaan? (What have I done?)}” She hissed to herself, before shooting a pleading look to Sloane and Amara.

“Please, don't do this. Listen, the Temple is filled with people, isn't it? Can't Layla report to you if I even dare to show up?

“I swear, I won't pursue the Void, and I won't step foot in the Temple. I won't have a way to see him. I'm not a threat to you!

“I'm sorry I asked; I shouldn't have asked. But now my search is over! I know where he is, now I can give up and move on.”

There was an audible chatter in Alizée's chains as she stood there, shivering. Her voice became higher-pitched. It wasn't necessary to use Ruby in that moment to see how terrified Alizée was.

“Please, please, don't resign me to a fate worse than death! Please don't give up on me! We were friends once, weren't we?!”

She gasped for air there, though not needing to breathe, her eyes slitted and tight. Was this fear? Never in her life had she experienced such a strong emotion. It made her want to run and hide, though she remained firmly where she was.

Desperately, she hoped she could convince these people who knew her that she was on their side. That she could change, and stop. That she could comply with their demands.

”Originally, I agreed with Britney, but she's already going against the one condition. We can't trust that. We can trust your self-serving interest, but that'll always be towards him. I understand it. It's a strange relationship, with your Apparition. But it'll always be him before us, right?”

Luca

Alizée blinked, seeing one of the group approach her. She could clearly sense the apparition hidden within them, and stiffened reflexively.

When he reached out for her hand, she accepted. But the effect was instant; Her chains, initially swirling around her in agitation, slumped to the floor. Her red eyes blinked several times, feeling a heavy weight fall against her.

This was him, wasn't it?

”One more chance. Can you ignore the Void Heart- Vul. Can you form connections with others? So you don't need him?”

Luca

It took a moment for Alizée to respond, finding the will to speak against the weakness she felt. But she didn't resist the one in front of her, her faith in this group still firm.

To form connections with others… If Luca was looking carefully, despite the absolute terror it was for Alizée to be in this room, her eyes glimmered with a shade of happiness, eagerness.

“Yes. I would love nothing more than making other connections, and being your friend. It's part of my core. What makes me who I am.”

Pain flickered across her eyes, before she willed herself to speak again, resoluteness in her tone. “I can ignore Vul. I can be your friend. I can be everyone's friend. I can be loyal to you. I will be loyal to you.”

She glanced at the woman who had read her emotions before, “Please, check me again, I'm sincere.”

Before her eyes shot to Brit desperately. “Tell them you're not going to seal me, please. My search is over; I want nothing more than to serve you.”

Recollections: Under The Sycamore Tree [Complete]

The House on the Hill

Interactions: Leon/Edict (@AtomicEmperor)

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"You certainly scared us, my sweet Sister... Mother will be thrilled to know you've come home."

Leon

Alizée was overcome, staring at a human who, for one, was taller than her, and radiant, with his own apparition within him.

He spoke like he knew her. But how? It was different than how Brit spoke to her. More familiar. And who was Mother.

It didn't occur to Alizée that she could understand yet another language until she spoke.

“Qui es-tu…? Et qui est Mère… ? (Who are you…? And who is Mother…?)”

The words came off her tongue. French. A language in her reflexes, like the ancient language of the Void. Curious.

The man turned, and Alizée watched him look at the strange, white-haired doll again, with piercing blue eyes.

"Layla? Aren't we being rude? To not welcome our Sister with open arms? Come here."

Leon

Layla sat there self-consciously with her glass of milk, eyes widened in surprise. She hadn't expected this. For Leon to call upon her.

But she had to remember her loyalties, and her family, who promised her the world, and then some. She, of course, had never seen Leon like this, not which she could remember. It made her feel… uneasy.

Regardless, she set her glass of milk aside, and made to move off her stool. Before she saw a flash of a gun, and a gentle hand on her shoulder.

"U-uh... I wouldn't..."

Edict

Layla's heart skipped a beat, actually looking at Edict, dragging her eyes away from the gun. Despite the darkness settled in her chest, she couldn't, and wouldn't blame Edict for his intervention. He was her friend, just like Britney. Just like Jea-jie. It still caused alarm bells to ring in her head, like she had to stand a little taller, straighten her back a little more.

She swallowed nervously, before shaking her head. “It'll be fine, Mr. Devola. Trust me.”

Then she eased off the stool, shooting Edict as reassuring of a face as she could, gently shrugging off his hand. Before she knew it, her feet had walked on their own accord, and she was in front of two impossibly tall beings. Beings being the key word as neither appeared human in that moment. She took her position beside Leon, and looked up at Alizée.

A breath.

“Welcome, Sister. The Temple and Her Grace have missed you. I'm Layla. Your… well, the retainer of your legacy.” Layla said in a slow, even tone.

Alizée, who had stood from the floor, and now floated in spot, gazed down at Layla with a curious look. Quickly, however, that curiosity turned to suspicion, and outrage.

“The scent of Vul, of the Void Heart is most potent on you. Why?”

Layla grimaced, waving her hands in a placating manner. “I can explain. Just don't get mad, okay?”

Alizée stared silently, waiting. Layla took that as her cue to continue. She reached forward, and grasped one of Alizée’s gnarled hands. Her tone was soft.

“After Alizée Aliteri passed away, the Void Heart sought a new host. That host… was me.”

“However…” Layla's gaze glanced at Jack, darkening for a moment, before returning to Alizée.“Some people didn't like the Void Heart being out and about.”

Layla's face grew pained, seeing Void in her own mind. Feeling that ache of absence.

“Alizée… I don't know how to tell you this, but… Void is sealed.”

There was a beat of silence before there was a sharp seethe, and several of Alizée's chains punched through the floor, splintering the wood. Alizée's hand clenched around Layla's porcelain hands, her eyes burning with fury.

“Where is he?!” Her distorted voice hissed. “Where have they sealed him?”

Layla gave a small yelp, but didn't back away. She stood there as resolutely as she could, her own fury and hurt burning in her chest.

“The Temple! The Temple has him. Listen, I'm just as mad as you. But if you stick with me, we'll both see him again. Okay?!”

Alizée wasn't satisfied, her grip on Layla tightening. “You're asking me to wait? When my entire existence is for the Void Heart?!”

Layla growled back. “Yes! What do you think I've been doing? Listen, the Temple has agreed to return what's been lost, but I have to prove Void won't go on a rampage, or corrupt my mind, like he did to you in your previous life. I'm here fixing your sins, Alizée. You just have to let me do my job. This is technically your fault we have to wait!”

Alizée blinked, before she growled in disbelief. Slowly, her grip on Layla weakened, and her hand came free. Layla braced herself as Alizée came closer to her, but was wholly unprepared for what came next.

The tall, intimidating voidling leaned in and wrapped her hands around Layla in a hug.

“I'm trusting you.” Alizée said in a low tone, her head resting against the side of Layla's head.

Before she leaned back, and looked over at Leon. “Perhaps… I should meet this Mother you speak of…”

Luna watched the entire interaction with half-lidded eyes, though not many would notice she had been white-knuckling the edge of the counter the entire time. Surely, the worst of this meeting was behind them, now.

Luna shook her head, before taking one of the bottles of alcohol, cracked it open, and drank straight from it.

Backrooms: The Thing that Breathes

@Squirrel98 That's correct! You see all the changes happening in the room, like the worm being moved.

ArrowFell: The Wizard Queen's Court

Schemes really do be scheming, that would definitely work. It really be game of thrones up in here.

It will be great to see how Callum settles, once the sides vying for him have had their fun.

Umbra: The Abyssal Connection

Small post is up. Feedback is appreciated.

@Herald

It's perfect. You've put yourself in a strategic position. I love how he has history with the Bears.

ArrowFell: The Wizard Queen's Court

@ERode In my head the meeting with the Ghost King happened first, and the Wizard Queen scene at the ship happened second. But yeah, I have no issue with making the Ghost King meeting a day before Sev's execution, we can do that, @Izurich.

@Donut Look Now I believe Duke Rhinecliff saw Sev a few days before the execution, right @ERode?

Edit: ERode beat me to it. xD

ArrowFell: The Wizard Queen's Court

<Snipped quote by Estylwen>

Is it known that the king has teleportation skills?

@Click This

Not well-known, no. At least, not across the border. And it's not technically the King that has the teleportarion skill, it's a small legion of mages that do the ferrying service in their own unique way.

The collab looks amazing, @Click This and @Irradiant! Well worth the wait!

ArrowFell: The Wizard Queen's Court

Also Est, timeline-wise, when is this Ravenfell meeting happening, vs the 'current' situation of Wizard-Queen prepping to go sailing?

@ERode

They are technically happening at the same time, but the Ghost King is teleporting those at the meeting to wherever they want right after, so timelines should line up.

The only big thing happening next after the Ghost King Meeting is Sev's execution at the end of the day, then they set sail. Then I'm planning another timeskip to when everyone arrives in Athius. You can let me know if you want to hit the Fields then or later.

ArrowFell: The Wizard Queen's Court

I'll probably do something similar with Altina. That, or if you don't mind, Estel, I can just pretend that she's been there all along, so as to not ruin the flow of things. ETA for post: this... weekend?

@Irradiant

Yeah, you can absolutely say she's been there all along, that's totally fine. The ETA sounds great!

The card looks awesome, btw. :)

Iris Ascendis

Ciara Ventura

Iris Record, Arena
@Nanaya

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Ciara's eyes fluttered, struggling to swallow, half choking on the potion offered to her. Sounds started to filter in. Her vision was hazy, but she made out the features of Michael, hovering over her.

"...Even bother to learn those spells earlier if you were just gonna try to kill the kid anyway?! And, even once she recovers…”

Michael

Ciara blinked, not quite comprehending. Her whole body felt strange. Like she was being flushed with cold water, then fire, over and over again. Like bad heat flashes.

Her eyes flickered over to two figures beside her. Iraleth, collapsed, the Head Advisor over her, illuminated with healing magic. She noticed the Head Advisor had, glancing at her every now and again.

Fear.

Same as the mistresses of the orphanages.

Ciara winced, eyes shifting back up to Michael. She remembered the sweet taste of her light, devouring it wholeheartedly, wholly prepared to go the full distance, to devour every last drop.

Ciara's face crumpled in shame.

“What have I done…?”

Her gaze shifted up to Michael. “I… I didn't mean…”

She took in a shaky suck of air, the tension in her body too much for her to handle, causing the edges of her vision to black out. It felt like she had dead weight strapped to every inch of her body, the healing potion desperately restoring what the purification had burned away.

Another few gasps of air, before Ciara weakly asked. “What's going to happen with me…?”

It was them she noticed her Adapa pinging. Ciara shut her eyes, the burden of her fight weighing wholly on her. A few breaths, before her eyes opened, and she summoned her Adapa, reading the email through slitted eyes.

The Adapa fizzled out, and Ciara's head leaned against Michael's support. She mumbled curses under her breath, before her eyes cracked open, and she looked at Michael desperately.

“Davil is here. In the Record. I have to-”

As she spoke, she slowly pushed herself off the ground, wincing with effort as black spots appeared in her vision once more. As she reached a sitting position, she huffed a moment. Her eyes descended on the stairwell beyond the arena, where she caught the tail end of Valen ascending up.

Growling under the effort, she forced herself to raise a little further, before she abruptly disappeared in the shadow of Otis’ sword. She appeared at the stairwell, taking a step before collapsing against the wall, leaning on it and the sword for support, before she took another step up, and teleported to the top of the stairs.

Duel be damned, where is Davil?