Riven Wight

Schooled in Magic

Jazelle closed the door behind her, not waiting to find out if Priscilla intended on coming in. To her relief, the other girl did not. She pressed an ear to the door, listening to Priscilla’s footsteps fade away.
She quietly opened the door just enough to poke her head out. She looked down either side of the now deserted corridor, debating. She wanted to explore, but was unsure if she could find her way back. And, though it was still fairly early back home, the effects of an adrenaline crash pulled heavily at her, making her feel more like laying down than go wandering the halls.
Reluctantly, she pulled back inside, and turned to examine the room. Significantly larger than her bedroom, a wide canopy bed was against the center of the wall to the right, its mattress made with a blanket matching its curtains. Ornate nightstands flanked the bed. A large, wooden wardrobe sat opposite the bed, various types of birds carved into it, some Jazelle recognized, and others she did not. A couple sconces hung on the portion of wall above the wainscoting, their flames casting their flickering light about the room.
She stepped across the elegant carpet covering the wood paneling of the floor and opened the wardrobe, partially wondering if she would find a portal to Narnia inside. With no such luck, she went to a second, slightly smaller door tucked in the corner of the room. She opened it and leaned inside, one hand on either side of the door frame.
Another sconce ignited across from her, making her startle back and reach toward her muff and the knife before she realized what had happened.
Jazelle stared at the light for a moment, then took in what was the bathroom--a stone slab with a hole in it on one side of the room with a rope dangling within reach to the side of it, and a stand with a water basin across from it.
Deeming it fairly well deserted, she ducked back out, closed the door with a shake of her head, then dragged her weary body toward the bed. She sat, hard, on the mattress, and laid back with a groan, her arms sprawling out beside her.
“Weird day,” she muttered, the bed beneath her unlike any she had laid on before. Not bothering to remove her hoodie or shoes, she pulled her knife from her pocket, adjusted herself on the bed, and buried her face in one of the pillows, her weapon hidden beneath the pillow.
Without fully intending to, Jazelle fell quickly into slumber, the darkness of sleep occasionally pierced by the vision of malicious red eyes, and a cold, harsh laugh that made her shudder and turn in her sleep.

* * *

Jazelle groaned when knocking aroused her from her sleep. The strangeness of the night before had faded into the backdrop of her slumber, becoming little more than a fuzzy memory.
When her groggy brain registered the sound at the door, she hastily rolled over to check her alarm clock. Had she overslept? Why was someone knocking? Her father wouldn’t have bothered with such a formality, or even to check in on her. Was someone at the front--
Her thoughts cut off when she rolled of the edge of the bed with a surprised shout, then another groan when her head hit the nightstand.
“Ow,” she grumbled, reaching up to rub the side of her head where it had decided to get acquainted with the nightstand. Bleary-eyed and wild-haired, she blinked at her unfamiliar surroundings, sunlight filtering in through the curtains of a window to her right.
No, not unfamiliar.
I’m still here? she thought as the previous night came rushing back in full. She had not woken up in a hospital bed. She stood, using the bed to help her to her feet.
Forgetting that someone had been at the door, she rushed to the window, pulled back the curtains, and blinked in the sudden daylight. Her room was a few stories up from the ground, giving her a view of a vast expanse of treetops below, their leaves all but glowing with the morning sun. Lush, green leaves, not the fiery branches of autumn of her hometown.
She stepped away, for the first time questioning her thought that this was the delusion of a comatose mind.
But I wouldn't know the difference... would I?
Remembering that someone had to have knocked, she turned slowly toward the door.
“Y-yeah?” she called, her voice slightly raspy from sleep.

Mystic Orphanage (Aristocles and Siaya Dragalorn)

Thayva’s scaly brows furrowed. Serapis had already found the first hunt, and from the sound of it, he expected they would both be going.
“Jus’ say the word, Serapis!” The same dwarf thumped a fist to his chest. “Ye’ll have a line a mile long.”
“When will you be leaving?” a halfling woman called.
“Have you any plans in place financially for the span between your departure and return?” a lizard man asked, the beginning of his question intersecting with the end of the halfling’s.

* * *

“I’d go with or without you,” Nick replied as Aurelian got up. “So there wouldn’t be anyone to keep bothering you except your own curiosity.”
Once the human was on his feet, Nick turned nad headed toward the front of the dormitory. He shrugged at Aurelian’s playful threat.
“We’ll weasel our way out of it. Tell them we got thirsty or something.” With that, he quietly opened the door and crept out into the corridor beyond.

To Cure a Curse

Rayadell leaned her staff against the table beside her. She kept all three of the house’s current occupants in her line of sight, Calanon resting more in her peripherals. When offered a glass of water, she opened her mouth to decline, but Thea placed one in front of her anyway before she could speak, then hurried back to the counter.
Noticing Calanon’s glance, she returned it, her head turning just enough to put him better in her sight before looking back to the couple.
With the stew dished out and the broth steaming invitingly, the scent tantalizing, Rayadell absently turned the ornate bowl. Though her stomach growled softly at the aroma, she made no move to consume it. She watched Merek closely as he straightened in his chair, waiting for him and Thea to take the first bite.
Merek leaned over his bowl and inhaled the scent. He gave a contented sigh, then, ignoring the spoon that had been placed beside the bowl, picked it up and slurped some down.
“Manners, Merek!” Thea scolded, glancing over her shoulder as she pulled two more glasses from a cupboard. “We have guests!”
“Who I’m sure have encountered ruder ways of eating!” All the same, he placed the bowl back on the table and used the spoon.
With a shake of her head, Thea poured two more glasses of water for her and Merek, then sat beside her husband and started on her food.
“You told me a life was at stake?” Rayadell asked, eager to get to the point of their meeting as she picked up her spoon.
Thea’s lips pulled down, and she looked suddenly ten years older, a shadow again crossing her eyes. Merek, too, looked somber as he chewed a chunk of meat.
To Rayadell’s surprise, it was Merek who answered.
“Our daughter,” he muttered into his soup.
“It’s why we’ve come to you for assistance.” Thea took a deep breath. “It came on nearly two months ago. We don’t know how, or even what it is, but even the best healer has failed to alleviate her of it. Her health has only continued to deteriorate. If we don’t obtain a cure soon...” Her trembling words trailed off.
“It’s an enchantment, I tell you!” Merek growled, his hand balling into a fist around his spoon.
“When the healers failed, we started to search,” Thea continued. “We uncovered a legend about a talisman that could cure all ills, both normal and magic. Including enchantments and, even, curses.” She glanced between Calanon and Rayadell, who raised her chin a fraction. “Treasure hunters have been after it for many a year, but all have failed to locate it.”
“But we have,” Merek added with a tone of relieved triumph.
“We’ve narrowed it down to a northern mountain. But, alas, neither of us were made for such adventures.” The couple cast each other a regretful glance, Thea’s eyes watery. “Which is what has brought us all here. You two are our last hope. Of course, should the talisman not...” she took a steadying breath, “should it not work, or if we are incorrect about its location, we’ll still compensate you greatly for your troubles.”
Rayadell sat quietly, searching for any signs of misgivings in their demeanor. But she saw none. As far as she could tell, they were truly desperate for a way to save someone they loved. Her gaze softened slightly. She knew all too well what the fear of losing someone you loved felt like.

Mystic Orphanage (Aristocles and Siaya Dragalorn)

Thayva raised her chin slightly when Serapis declared his decision, her gaze turning momentarily from the reactions of the staff to her husband. Her jaw set, but she gave no indication of arguing the decision. After all, he would not have jumped to such a decision if he had not already looked into every other possibility. She herself had spent a fair amount of time trying to secure finances, but to no avail.
“So where do we sign up?” a dwarf shouted above the peels of thunder that nearly constantly rolled through the night, his arms crossed and face unreadable from beneath his thick beard. Only his beady eyes gleamed in the lamplight flooding the dining hall. “’Cause yer daft if ya think yer goin’ alone.”
A rumble of agreement rose from the staff as a few others with a warrior’s heart and skill offered their assistance as well.

* * *

“Ha, ha.” Nick rolled his eyes. “You’re a rock if you can sleep through--” As if on cue, another clash of thunder filled the house, quickly followed by another flash of lightning that lit the curtained windows, and an immediate, lower rumble.
“I heard talk about a meeting tonight,” he began, pausing with a scowl at each thunderclap that drowned out his voice. “In the dining hall. I was going to go check it out. You coming, or staying?”

To Cure a Curse

Thankfully, Rayadell did not have long to wait. Only a few seconds after Merek had disappeared through the house to the front door, her head cocked toward the kitchen’s back door beside her as a voice she recognized as Salven’s wafted faintly through it. She gripped her staff tighter, and she stepped hastily aside, expecting Salven to enter, bow or sword at the ready.
But it was not Salven the gentle breeze blew in. She took in the elf who walked through instead. Though he looked as young as she was often mistaken for, she knew better than to speculate. He could easily be her elder.
Thea, whose attention had turned from her stew to look to the new arrival, smiled at his compliment.
“Thanks, hon. But hold that thought!” Thea hastily sat her ladle down and hurried to the front door, calling her husband’s name as she disappeared into the adjoining room, her movements rather sprightly for one of her stature.
Her expression apathetic, Rayadell returned Calanon’s greeting with one of her own. Placing her right hand in front of her chest, her palm held flat toward the floor, she mimicked his slight bow.
“Calanon, I presume?” she asked as she straightened, her tone lukewarm.
Thea quickly reappeared, her husband, who towered over her by at least a foot, right behind her.
“Pardon my poor manners, hon!” Thea flicked her apron at her own rudeness. “I’m Thea. And this--”
“Her husband, Merek Carish,” the man introduced himself, stepping forward to offer Calanon a hand in greeting.
“Like I told Rayadell,” Thea continued, ignoring the others in the kitchen, “we can discuss the matters at hand over stew.” A slight shadow crossed her eyes, her expression sobering slightly, but she quickly replaced it with her friendly smile. “I’m sure you’re half-starved by now!” She quickly set to laying out wooden bowls at each of the chairs around the small table. “Please, have a seat!” she added as Merek sat heavily in one of the chairs, leaned back, and linked his fingers behind his head.
Rayadel hesitated, but turned one of the chairs closest to the back door to the side. She sat carefully, ever mindful of the wings hidden beneath her cloak, as Thea began to dish out the stew.

Schooled in Magic

@OfWindAndRain
That's cool that he's managed to collect all that! That's quite a bit.

Going simple-ish this year with a vampire. Been on that kind of kick lately, so figured what the hey.

True that!

Aww. So, no Halloween events you plan on or want to attend? No traditions besides dressing up that you like to do? Though, dressing up is always fun, no matter what time of year. ^.^

They Live Among Us (Vampiricchild x Siaya)

Suspicion glinted in Nyaira’s dark eyes as she cautiously opened the door into the guest room. The girl’s scent hung in the air, the smell strong and the most recent. She was here. Yet, she did not feel triumphant. Illyad and Alex were far too calm, and had scarcely moved from their seats. She looked around the room, searching for any sign of trickery, but alas, as familiar as she was with magic, sensing it was not one of her talents.
As discretely as she could, she pulled the pocket watch-turned-compass from her pocket to pop it open, but she stopped when she noticed a faint maroon aura radiating around it. She held it out, staring at it for a moment. When nothing else happened, she slowly opened it, hoping the aura was a good sign, and not an ill omen.
No matter which way she turned, the needle pointed firmly toward the closet.
She glanced to the window, debating on the best way to get the human out of there. She supposed she would have to go back out the way she came, past the two men somehow with the human in toe.
With a snort, she closed the watch, replaced it, and went to the closet.

* * *

Victoria held her breath when she heard the bedroom door open. She breathed deeply, trying to steady her nerves as she gripped the metal pole of the long duster she had found in the corner of the otherwise empty closet. Though she doubted it would do any good, it granted her a false sense of security; at least she had a weapon, as pathetic as it was.
She gasped and scurried to her feet, her back pressing against the closet wall as the knob turned, her eyes wide and heart pounding in her chest.
The knob seemed to stick, as if the door was locked. The knob shifted a few more times, becoming almost frantic, before a faint reddish glow surrounded the knob and it fully turned.
The moment the door opened, Victoria drew her makeshift weapon in front of her like a lance, and jabbed it forward as hard and fast as she could, not caring who stood in the doorway.
Nyaira scowled and easily sidestepped Victoria’s surprise attack.
Victoria shouted when Nyaira gripped the duster and pulled her stumbling forward, bending the pole in the process.
Moving quicker than Victoria could perceive, one moment, Nyaira was to the side of the door, then the next she was behind her, the vampire’s fingers wrapping tightly around Victoria’s throat as she pulled the girl into her.
Panic bloomed in Victoria’s chest as she realized who she had attacked, not only for herself, but for Alex and Illyad. If Nyaira had gotten this far, what did that mean for the other two?
“We meet again, peu mortel,” Nyaira growled sinisterly in Victoria’s ear.
Her breaths quick, fearful spurts, Victoria reached up to try prying Nyaira’s hand from her, but the vampire rewarded her vain attempt by tightening her grip, making Victoria gasp for air.
“What...” she gasped out, “what’ve you done with Alex?”
Nyaira only smirked, and ignored her question. “So much trouble, for such a pathetic human.” Nyaira dug her manicured nails into Victoria’s neck.
Victoria stumbled as the vampire marched her forward, holding Victoria in front of her like a shield as they headed into the hall.
“It seems you’ve got yourself a stowaway, Illyad,” Nyaira said darkly as they emerged into the living room. “Lookie what I found hiding in your closet!”
Victoria looked at the two men with both relief and confusion when she realized they were both apparently fine.
“Alex! Are you--” Victoria’s words cut off with a choke as Nyaira shifted her grip painfully.
“So, if you two don’t mind, we’ll just be going now.” Nyaira edged toward the door, careful to not show her back.
Victoria’s eyes pleaded with them to do something as she tried to keep the same pace as Nyaira to prevent the woman’s nails from digging further into her skin.

Deleted

Izzy’s attention turned fully to Cerasus when his posture shifted. She shied away slightly when he looked to her, unsure what kind of response to expect from him. Though irritation at his first statement crossed her eyes, she dared not argue, silencing the retort at the back of her tongue. Her brows twitched ever so slightly in surprise at his use of “precious.” Then they rose, silently questioning, “What’d we come up here for, then?”
When Cerasus finished, she inhaled, hesitating.
“Seventeen,” she began slowly, uncertainly. “I’ll be a senior in high school.” She shifted her grip around her knees. “There’s really not much to tell. Like I said, lived here my entire life, like my parents and grandparents. Don’t know why, but they love the place. It’s a dull, small town that keeps getting smaller. And impossibly duller. My brothers like to stir up trouble, though. Those two could probably drive Gandhi to an enraged insanity.” She smirked at the thought, but the expression faltered. She had avoided mentioning her family thus far for fear of them getting hurt, that they could be used against her, as Trevor had been. It felt almost wrong to talk of them now.
“Other than that,” she continued a bit quieter, “spent a lot of time outdoors with my granddad until he died." She gave a small smile at the memory. Talk of the dead felt safe enough. “Still do, though. I’d take the open air over staying inside any time, day or night.” In emphasis, she leaned back on her hands, closed her eyes, and took a deep breath of the cool night’s air, relishing the lingering crisp scent of rain. “There isn’t much better than the warmth of the sun on your face, and having a dirt trail beneath your feet, if you ask me.”

Schooled in Magic

@OfWindAndRain

Alright's better than horrible, I suppose. :-)

Ooo, costume! To hand out candy, I take it, or just because? What are you going to dress up as?

Things are okay on my end. Throwing a party the weekend before, which should be interesting. Wasn't actually expecting to do anything this year, but one thing led to another...

The Collector (2) [Closed]

@Scarifar
That's gotta be one of the best can-opening methods I've ever read. xD