shylarah

Adelon: Steeling the Faith [Open!]

@AlexStarsion Why you glaring at me? One, it's not my turn, two, I don't have school, three, I posted. =P

@AngelKitten COME BACK! *tries to drag you IC*

Adelon: Steeling the Faith [Open!]

Zander ran off ahead like a sulky child. Amuné hoped he would stay run off. Then she wouldn't have to deal with him. But Geoffrey provided a wonderful distraction now. She blinked at the thought of telling stories. But maybe she had one or two that would work -- or ones her daddy had told her about when he'd travelled with the Ydran tribe he'd grown up with. She took the reed leaf the innkeeper's son handed her, running her fingers over the rough surface. But the sudden shriek the man made caused her to scowl, and jerk her shoulders up as if to protect her ears. "No! Don't do that here, you'll scare the horses!" she scolded him, angry that he'd be so inconsiderate. Jorvind pranced under her, and she reached a hand forward to stroke the gelding's neck, trying to soothe him. "That's mean!" the girl accused, but the animals calmed quickly enough so she let it go. "Daddy taught me how to do that with grass but he said don't do it where I'll frighten the animals. He doesn't even need a piece of grass, he just sticks his fingers in his mouth and out pops a loud whistle. Mommy and I tried that, but we can't, we just look silly."

When Geoffrey started playing his flute, the girl fell silent to listen. It was an interesting song. Pretty, but a little spooky too. Still, it was nice enough.

---

That evening, Amuné watched the stars after they'd had dinner. Nymira commented about her clothing, and the girl looked at the Dimuran in surprise. "That's what washing them's for," she responded, not understanding why someone would want to get all new clothes before they were too worn to fix anymore. Maybe a couple sets instead of just one, but hadn't Nymira packed a bag before she'd left home? She didn't really care. The girl was just exhausted, physically and mentally. Wyth at her side, she made her way to where Ethan was lying down.

"Can I sleep with you?" she asked him, quickly snuggling close when he said she might. "I thought you said your friend was waiting for you," Amuné said softly, also looking up at the stars. "Why do you need to go get him? Did something happen?"

Adelon: Steeling the Faith [Open!]

*working on a post too*

Enigma: Dawn of the Rebellion (soft Reboot)

@Foster @Pree YESYESYES

Wings Askew

@Ebonsquire Mazel tov on your upcoming graduation!

Adelon: Steeling the Faith [Open!]

@Vena Sera It's your turn unless you want new chars now. I just want someone to post. *bounces impatiently*

@AlexStarsion yeah, my clarinetist cousin recommended them to me when she found out I was taking flute. <3 Classical flute is great, but other kinds of flute are just as awesome!

Wings Askew

Even though she was still a fair distance away from the group, Nikki couldn’t fail to hear a scream like that. She looked at each of the gliders before her in turn, surprised when it seemed to be Gaius having trouble. No way, the knight was the one that screamed? He sounded like a girl. She was /never/ going to let him forget this day, not ever. She couldn’t very well help him much, since he had armor and her wings wouldn’t support much more than just her, but she still angled closer for a better look. Her bit of schadenfreude vanished when she realized that he was carrying someone else. She didn’t know the woman, which meant any enjoyment from general misfortune was nonexistent. Nikki only rejoiced at the downfall of rivals -- or mayhem she herself caused. The latter could involve anyone.

It looked like one of Gaius’s wings was coming free, she observed, which was bad news in a big way. They were a long way up. Losing half of a glider would be disastrous. Good thing she knew just who to enlist for help. A quick barrel roll and she was heading for Blin. He’d be able to take another rider easy! He had a glider designed for weight, because of his job, and he’d love a chance to play hero. Not the most maneuverable set of wings, but if he was just below, one of the others could probably help transfer the lady from one to the other. Maybe she could do it herself -- after all, she /was/ the most agile one in Heron. If she couldn’t work it, no one could!

“Blin!” she shouted, cutting her speed so she fell even with him. “How’d you like to rescue a damsel in distress?” The panicked look on his face and another even girlier scream made her wince. “What’s wrong? ...Your wings have a problem too? What the heck, guys, am I the only one that bothered to check my glider today?” She shook her head slightly, trying to come up with another plan.

Adelon: Steeling the Faith [Open!]

@AlexStarsion I love flute music. This sounds more like a recorder, probably because of the type of flute used, and I love it! You should check out Jethro Tull's music. Ian Anderson is AMAZING. Songs in particular are...hm. The Whistler, and Boureé, I think. *nods* I took flute in school for a number of years. Still can play, though not nearly so well.

And it's totally your fault, don't lie.

Elemental Legacy Reboot(Closed)

If anyone is interested in seeing an image of the rune, here you go.

Elemental Legacy Reboot(Closed)

Mira reached out to touch the shining crystal, and all at once she felt like she was falling, her surroundings seeming to shift. Everything was strangely surreal, and she couldn't really make out any sort of scenery, just the Light Sage before her.

"Why are you here?" The girl's soft voice echoed slightly, and the woman facing her squared her shoulders under the searching gaze. "I came to learn what I need to stop the Dark Lord's return," she replied.

"And what do you hope to accomplish?"

That was a question the healer had a ready answer to as well. "I want to defend this world and its people, especially those who cannot defend themselves," she answered confidently, not even needing to think about it. Hikari considered the woman for a moment, sensing something more there, but let it go without comment. Instead she continued with her next question. "What do you hold closest to your heart?"

Now the lady hesitated, her intent eyes looking off at nothing. "A few years ago, I would have said my family, but...right now? Trill -- ah, Trillian." She flushed and looked down, suddenly awkward. "I know I'm going to regret it when he leaves, but...I think the good memories will outweigh any lingering pain, in the end. Besides, he's really not as bad as he seems."

There was a faint flicker of interest in Hikari's eyes, but she just nodded. "A last question, then. What are you willing to sacrifice to defeat the Dark Lord?"

Mira met her gaze and returned it without reservation. "Whatever it takes, even if the price is my life!" she answered fiercely, eyes flashing with determination.

Moments later she blinked to clear her vision and frowned slightly. Hadn't there just been something going on? No, that couldn't be right -- yet she now held something in her hand that she hadn't had before. It was a broad wrist cuff of tooled silver, patterned with intricate interlace over most of it, surrounding seven gems. The largest was silvery-clear with its many facets catching the light. Around it, forming the four corners of a square, were smaller smooth stones of deep green, jet black, brilliant red, and blue with just a hint of green. Farther out on each side were set two more such jewels, one pale blue and one that swirled with a rainbow of colors. The piece was gorgeous, and it took Mira a moment to realize her jaw had dropped, and to shut it again. She bowed her head towards the preserved Sage again. "I am honored," she said softly, slipping the cuff on.

~~~~~~~~~

The elven minstrel had been lounging against the fountain, apparently paying no attention to the cloaked figure and its speech, but he jumped upright in a hurry when a sudden lightheadedness accompanied his surroundings blurring out of focus. Some sort of magic? He tensed to run, and spun around when a bright, childish voice addressed him from behind.

"You are the one Mira mentioned... Trillian is it?" she questioned, a surprised look upon her face, "I did not call you here but... there is something about you, elf, something I cannot quiet place just yet."

He looked down at the blonde girl in surprise before relaxing. "Ah, you must be Hikari. You've got the wrong person, though. You want Mira."

"I have already spoken to the new Sage... I wish to speak to you. I am rather curious about why it is you are here when it is clear that you are disinterested in the ways of Mages. Tell me... Why did you come to the University if you have no desire to learn?"

"Moral support," he replied, a wide smile on his face. "Oh, and because I'm selfish, but don't worry. I won't keep Mira from her glorious mission." Sarcasm dripped from the final two words.

"What do you hope to accomplish?"

"Accomplish?" Trill looked taken aback, but he supposed he had nothing to lose by answering. "Eh, I’ve never much worried about accomplishing anything. Spreading joy, I suppose, though that sounds conceited. Really, all I want to do is travel and have a good time." He shrugged, and gave the girl a grin, but she didn't return it. Instead she began another question.

"What are you willing to sacrifice--"

"Nope, not happening. I’d really prefer not to sacrifice anything, thank you very much." He warded the thought off with a shielding gesture of his hands.

"And should Mira fail...would you be willing to take her place?"

Now /that/ got Trill's attention. "What?" he asked, as if not sure he heard right. He waved dismissively. "She won’t. Question is moot."

"Answer anyway."

The man frowned, and shook his head. "There's no way I could succeed where she could not. I'm a terrible mage, I'm a terrible fighter. You want her. Not me." Silently he added, "And I would totally run away first chance I got."

Those bright, searching eyes glared at him. "I'm in your head; I know your thoughts."

"Then you know I would not."

"You say that... but should the need arise I think you will." Now it was the elf's turn to narrow his eyes. He didn't like the way the girl was looking at him, not at all, and he responded in his normal way for such discomfort: flippancy. "If you can read my thoughts, I don't need to actually answer~ What's the point of this again?"

"Answer me elf. Should it ever come to it, what would you be willing to sacrifice? While I have the confidence in the sage that I have chosen... there is something in her heart that concerns me...."

"If Mira fails, you will need to find someone else. I am not joining any fool's quest nor any such nonsense, and you cannot make me."

Clearly not pleased, Hikari glared at the man as she muttered under her breath. The moment she fell silent, there was a flash of light and a searing hot pain on Trill's left hand. She was not at all pleased with the elf's insubordination, and she wasn't about to let him go unmarked. As the light disappeared, Trill was left with a rune on his hand, a crescent moon with a music-note tail. "Your talent is wasted," she stated. "Wasted because you refuse to nurture it, like a fool."

Trill yelped in pain, and said a few choice words. "I've never claimed not to be a fool, you condescending do-gooder," he exclaimed in anger. "No more questions -- get out of my head!" And with that he started singing one of the bawdiest songs he knew, running through the complicated fingerings that would accompany it if he'd had an instrument to hand in order to focus all his attention on something else. He'd never once played that particular song to a quiet room; indeed, it was guaranteed to cause a bit of a ruckus, and the minstrel had learned to shut everything else out to get through it with as few mistakes as possible.

The ploy worked. A sudden vertigo and he found himself again in the courtyard, hand still burning from the child's branding. He bent over, pulling his hand close and pressing his other palm against the mark. The musician didn't need to look to tell it was still there; the agony made it plain enough. How dare she? And on his hand! He cherished his music above all else, and the physical things he needed for that craft came a close second. Trill didn't recall the details, but he knew that patronizing, prissy, puerile girl was the cause and he felt nothing but loathing for her in return.