Closed Sweet Dreams Are... (Amelia)

[Coltyn]

A Random Night in the Winter Season, Five Hundred and Twelve Years After the Valterrian ''Some of them want to use you, Some of them want to get used by you Some of them want to abuse you, Some of them want to be abused'' -Annie Lennox

[Coltyn]

As Coltyn sat, he delighted in the silky surface of the sofa beneath him, which felt refreshingly cool to the touch. Pulling up his long legs and, once bent, wrapping his powerful arms around them, he then set his strong chin upon his left knee as he playfully flexed his tired toes against the luxurious fabric. He had been running on the sizzling sands of the sun-baked beach for far too long. It felt good to finally sit, relax, and enjoy the view. Granted, what he really wanted to do was shut his eyes and let the sweet, gentle breeze wash over his tanned skin, as it dried his slightly damp, golden-brown locks, but the vista that was currently taking shape around him was interesting enough to garner his full attention, eyes wide open. Hills, no, wait...mountains! Yes, lofty mountains with snowy caps rose up and sliced through the crystal-clear liquid of whatever body of water - the name mattered not - he was currently exploring. The peaks stretched toward the tangerine-colored clouds set about in the static sky, as if they were the fruit itself, hanging just out of reach. The perpetually setting sun seemed to toy with the dramatic formations as well, casting its stark, golden rays down upon them, as if to say, "I dare you to hide." In addition to this theatrical scene, there was a stately room taking shape, built from slabs of carved marble and expertly molded metals. Soon enough the space was filled with lovely, handcrafted furniture that matched the piece Coltyn sat upon. However, it was the silently sailing vessel that captured his attention the most, as it slowly approached a break in the phantom wall before him. "Well, will ya look at that," he whispered to the golden bird of prey that now sat upon his broad shoulder with its talons digging in just enough to draw a droplet or two of blood. "It looks like my ship has finally come in." However, as soon as the last word fell from the Ravokian's lips, the ship took a sharp turn toward the mountains in the west, proceeded to violently - yet, ever so quietly - crash upon the jagged rocks, and then unceremoniously sink itself, adding its broken body to the pile at the bottom of the sea. "Oh. Never mind," he continued to speak to the bird that was now sitting on his head, pecking away at his scalp and, occasionally, his left ear, "I guess I was wrong...as I usually am when you're around." Shrugging, Coltyn nestled in further upon the comfortable couch, figuring it was best to simply wait for the next vessel to arrive. It would come, he was certain it would, and when it did - that is, when the right one did - he would board it and set sail for the land that held his relentlessly absent sibling captive. "Do you have to peck so hard?" he found himself asking his fine feathered companion as his bright eyes scanned the barren horizon. "You made your point. There's no need to drill yet another hole in my head. I believe I have all the ones I need, thank you very much."

[Amelia Cross]

Amelia was covered by darkness; she couldn’t see anything here anymore. It was all black and she was lost, the only thing there was the horrible laughter coming from the shadows that mocked the girl as a disgrace to her father. Touching around the darkness with her hands outstretched, but not able to feel anything she felt like a prisoner inside an empty nothingness. ”where are you mighty moon” Amelia called with a voice of a child that was afraid of the dark. She wished for nothing but the protective light of the moon to show her where to go and who to fear, to show her who is the one that she can trust and who is making fun of her. She wished for someone to protect her from her own mind.

One more step, and she felt her fingers touch a door that seemed to be carved. She touched along them more to find a handle. What was no more than a second, seemed like decades before she managed to push the door open. As Amelia fell through the door, she was surrounded by a mist that covered her whole body. The door behind her disappeared and Amelia found herself up in the sky, she was walking on a staircase that didn’t have an end, it was made of glass and the only thing the girl saw was birds. Countless birds of all colors of the rainbow where singing, but not a cheerful song, it was a song full of sadness and pain. But Amelia was smiling, smiling as she walked down the glass stairs.

Stars where near her, she was sure all of this was real and she smiled because she saw the moon. One more step and she began hearing a melody from her past, the one form her childhood. Her hands outstretched towards the moon and her eyes closed once more as she walked towards the moon. The birds turned into colorful dust that was blown away, but she didn’t notice it as anything outside the ordinary, to her it was normal. Amelia trusted her life to the shining of the sky father. One more step, one more, then again, and then she fell herself hit yet another door. There was no moon, just the door. Amelia pushed it open and entered the next chamber.

There, she felt herself walk through a red liquid that left traces on her lips and it wrapped around her like a form of silk. She looked around and there were mountains that somehow reminded her of Syliras. The girl walked down the stairs, leaving a trail of red stains behind her. When she reached the bottom of the staircase, her bare feet touched a thin layer of water that turned red. Her mind was empty and she couldn’t care less of the scenery that was the beach, the unusually good furniture and the strange shipwrecks she saw in the distance. Somehow, her mind refused to register it all as being a dream, it seemed natural and real.

Another step towards one of the chairs, the water behind her tuned a dirty blood color that was reminding the one that covered the armor of dead soldiers. She was humming a song, something she didn’t really know, something that didn’t have words, just sounds, it was all sounds. Amelia hummed it over and over as she finally reached…a man? ”is that your star?”Amelia asked, pointing her pale finger towards the bird.

[Coltyn]

Coltyn's heart skipped a beat - and it wasn't a sputter from being startled, no, it was a skip of excitement, of anticipation - as one of the doors on the upper landing flew open and a person began to emerge from the shadows held within. The last time he was here, in this room, in this place, his former lover, Jes'y, came for a visit. Could it be...? No, he quickly deduced as he reclined in his seat once more, having bolted upright at the initial sound. It's...it's a young woman. Watching the female glide down the stairs, Coltyn made an attempt to place her. She wore a brilliant red gown that flowed across her pale body as if it were made from a liquid instead of a fabric. Her full lips were painted to match and, it appeared, the nails on her toes were colored, too, but freshly painted. Why else would she be leaving a trail of red? Unless...? Are her feet bleeding? he wondered as she walked through the water, tingeing it red as well. Mine certainly felt as if they were going to crack open, after walking on that blazing beach, so it comes as no surprise if she walked the same path. Continuing to watch her approach, Coltyn felt at a loss for placing her face. She didn't seem familiar in the least, however, he had to admit, the tune she hummed was very similar to one his grandmother once used when he was a little boy and couldn't get to sleep. He was about to inquire the name of it, to see if his hunch was correct, but she cut him short with a question of her own. "My...my star?" he replied to her question about the bird that remained perched upon his head. "I'm not sure what you mean. It's a bird, not a celestial body. Unless you mean in a symbolic way, as in, is it a force that guides me? Then, the answer would be..." However, Coltyn was unable to finish his sentence as the very topic of conversation took flight, flapping and cawing as if it were a flock of birds, instead of a solitary creature. The noise it made was deafening. "For the love of the gods above!" Coltyn exclaimed as he glanced over at his new companion to ensure she was okay. "Please, forgive me...and her. She can be, uh, a bit boisterous at times."

[Amelia Cross]

The simple minds of men, her mother was right, they never see beyond their own arrogant nose. She looked at the bird, that was just like the ones that flew alongside her just now, it was just like the ones that turned into golden dust when Leth, the moon itself asked for them to become the young and little stars, to brighten the path of the many, many travelers to come. But this man, he saw this wonderful bird as nothing but a bird? Was he blind or deaf to not hear his song and warnings? Amelia didn’t understand, then again, her own mind here was not hers and her decisions weren’t made by her. What the woman said and did, was done by a puppeteer, someone in the back of her mind that controlled her in this world, someone she knew, but someone who was yet so distant.

However, before even the puppeteer managed to open Amelia’s lips to speak, the very star spoke more. What seemed to be nothing but a foul noise to the man was a melody to Amelia’s troubled mind and ear. She smiled; her face didn’t twitch even the slightest bit at the sounds that would make most turn angry. She seemed to be even happy, her pale hand lifted up and she pulled it closer to the bird ”do you ever listen, to what she says?” the woman questioned, with a face that seemed to lack emotions, like a fresh mask was pulled upon it, gentle features but no life, beautiful but fake ”she sings truth” almost a dreamful voice as finally, Amelia’s finger touched the bird. Her face seemed to crack, as if the porcelain mask cracked and it was a matter of seconds that the bird knocked its beak into her palm, but it didn’t draw blood, it just broke it…like porcelain. She quickly jerked the hand back, and watched as the bird flew up, up and towards a ship in the distance.

”I didn’t…mean to frighten~” she began speaking, but the sentence wasn’t meant to be finished as she was startled by a loud crash of lightning, heavy rain and it all turned dark. She looked around as if it was natural, in a dream, she didn’t tell the difference between reality and tricks of her mind. Even the blood banes running over the waters glass surface seemed to be natural. ”come” Amelia said with her slightly cracked face and voice as she pulled the man’s hand in hers and dragged him in a place unknown.

oocfeel free to come up with the place if you want, actually, that is even welcomed

[Coltyn]

"Oh, I listen to her...as I have for most of my life...but she doesn't always speak the truth. Sometimes, when the mood strikes her, she can say cruel and unusual things. I think she takes pleasure in causing me pain," he informed the woman as he watched her make an effort to communicate with the creature, to touch it. CRACK! "What the...!" Coltyn barked as the bird lashed out at the woman and then took flight. CRACK! This time, it was a clash of thunder that caused him to jump as the sky began to weep. Drops of blood red rain fell from the sky now as he watched the bird make its way toward a ship on the horizon. "It's okay," he informed his companion who seemed worried by the creature's departure. "She'll be back when you least expect her," he continued to speak as she reached out and took his hand in hers, pulling him to his feet. They walked now, hand in hand, through the sticky rain. They allowed it to mat their hair and stain their exposed skin red. Although, Coltyn could swear that the liquid was simply rolling off her flesh, not soaking in as it should. However, somehow, it still managed to appear tinged, but more glossy than dull. "Where are you taking me?" he asked as they began to make their way across the beach. "A ship is coming. I should probably wait to see if it's the right one. Do you mind if we wait?" he asked, however, she seemed determined to move on. They continued to walk, until they came upon a door. It was tall and narrow, and it rose up out of the ground without any walls to support it. Withdrawing his hand from hers, he reached for the knob. Turning it, the door remained firmly shut. Using both hands now, Coltyn twisted and turned, pushed and pulled, but it held. "Hmm," he pondered as he gave the door a puzzled look, but then his gaze shifted to his companion and his demeanor seemed to brighten. "I have an idea. Please give me your hand." Grasping her delicate wrist with one hand, he proceeded to wiggle her index finger with his other. CRACK! The outer surface, which was already fractured, easily gave way, and the next thing Coltyn knew he had the bone contained within fully exposed. It was just as he had hoped it would be. The fit should be perfect. "Give it a try," he informed her as he guided her hand toward the door and, more specifically, her finger toward the lock. Watching her closely, Coltyn suddenly felt a strong need to get the portal open. The storm was taking a turn for the worse and, more importantly, the thunder no longer sounded that far off. As a matter of fact, it sounded... CRACK! The flash of lightening was blinding and the clap of thunder that came with it was deafening. It seemed to take forever for Coltyn's sight to clear and even longer to hear any of the words that were currently spewing from his companion's mouth. Had she managed to get the door open? Looking at it, it appeared to be shut tight, however, there was now a name carved into it: House of Immortal Pleasures.

[Amelia Cross]

The man followed her, but it seemed to be unwilling as he mentioned the desire to stay where he was. On any other times, outside the lands of dreams, she’d stop and let the man go. At most, she’d question the motives, as her curios parts are craving to do. But not now, she was ignoring everything and lead the man to a place she had been before. Nothing but a door stood there, it was just that…a door. You could walk around it, and nothing would prevent you from it. None the less, you could feel the faint smell that lingered in the air, coming from the small cracks you could see in the door. Something was clearly there, locked behind it. She wanted to see what was there, was that why she brought the stranger here?

None the less, the man seemed to fail. He had little to no chances of opening the door that remained a mystery to her. Despite the emotion, which should come off as sadness, her cracked, porcelain face refused to give in. She held no emotion. Even as the man finally decided to turn to her, take her cold hand, she remained still, like a doll. His actions didn’t seem to confuse Amelia, quite the contrary, she seemed like if she had known what happened. ”let ashes come to ashes…” she whispered, as the porcelain of her hand cracked more, reveling the hallow of her body, her form. Even though it was just one bone, that was there, no blood, no flesh.

Amelia attempted to unlock the door with the bone that was now exposed. It didn’t give in as easily as expected and she wished to ask for assistance, but she didn’t manage as the lightning and the light wind blew away her words. She was there, just waiting for the newly found companion to help her, but before she knew it. The door, it held a sign...it changed. It was now, the house of pleasure. Amelia was not a common there, but that made the soul even more eager, she wanted to know why? Is it her dream, or is it his? The impatient nature showed itself, even here, even in dreams, she pushed her bone in deeper, to unlock, to get inside and question. Her bone cracked, the very tip of it was now a prisoner of the door. However, it did what was meant.

The door slowly opened, with a warm, almost hot wind blowing in Amelia’s face. She could hear laughter, she could hear moans and screams, but she couldn’t tell was it pleasure or pain. Every bit of sanity, would tell her to go away, but in a dream, nobody is truly sane. She entered, stepping inside the door, for a moment, she looked back at the man who had helped her. Amelia’s hand, the one which still held its full bone structure and porcelain cover. Lifted up to her chest, and with a twist of her index finger, she invited the man to follow. Her bright red lips beginning to glister in the warm light of the slightest smile could be noticeable, but only for a brief moment, before her back was turned to the man and she walked in further.

You couldn’t see the walls, but you could see humans, or more precisely, human figures. Bodies glistering in the dim, warm light of the building. But just as Amelia came closer to any of them, they would turn into glistering dust. ”ashes to ashes, dust to dust…what am I” she wondered aloud, only to be distracted by the loud sound laughter. Like a monkey mocking her.

oocSorry it toke me ages, had quite a lot of things bugging me out and away of mizahar

[Coltyn]

"What...what is this place?" Coltyn muttered as he stepped through the doorway just as a bolt of lightening struck the very spot where they once stood. Oddly enough, there was just the nearly blinding bolt, no roar of thunder to go with it, which would've been deafening had it come. That was way too close for comfort. Slamming the heavy door shut behind them, the young man quickly assessed the state of the chamber they now stood in. The first thing he came to realize was it was hot - like, really hot - but not because of the weather, no, more so because of the amount of body heat that was being generated. This much Coltyn could tell in the dim light. There were bodies everywhere. Single forms, couples, and larger groups of three or more, all either enjoying themselves or each other. It appeared that this was a house of ill re... "What did you just say?" the Ravokian found himself asking his companion who muttered something about ashes as she reached out to touch the gyrating, pulsating, throbbing mass of... Dust? Had that body she gently stroked with her porcelain hand really just crumbled into a pile of glittering dust! This...it...no, it wasn't possible! But then he continued to watch, in horror, as it happened once more, then again, and again. One by one, they were reduced to nothing more than piles of ash. Recoiling in fear, Coltyn took more than a few steps back. He had no desire to be treated the same way. Who was this woman? What other powers did she wield? He suddenly felt sick to his stomach as a wave of dread washed over him and his skin grew slick with sweat. "I...I have to go now," he casually noted as he continued to step away from her. "I think my mother is calling for me," he rambled. "It must be time for the evening meal." Clearly, none of what he was saying made any sense...or did it? It was hard to tell. Things were not as they appeared. For all he knew, his horrible mother was off somewhere, right at this very chime, calling out his name. It would be a first, as far as he was concerned, since she never cared one bit if he and his brother were safe or being slaughtered, but, for some reason it seemed to fit in the here and now.

[Amelia Cross]

Even inside a dream, Amelia’s nature that wished to explore and understand couldn’t leave her alone. Still, it wasn’t the bodies of dust that really bothered her, it was something else, something beyond that, it was her companion for the night. The strange man she had encountered and the man who seemed to be frightened. Amelia turned around and silently looked at him, no words, no emotion, just a figure staring blankly in his eyes ”An illusion, this house and its inhabitants…illusions of one’s sick mind…why are you afraid of illusions? Is it your mind that made them?” the pale woman stated, as she began coming back closer to him, walking patiently with her legs slowly covering in glitter just as her hair began covering in it as well.

Soon enough, despite his own retrieval, Amelia had reached him. ”or are you afraid of me?” she questioned him with the same emotionless expression. Pulling her hand up to his sweaty forehead, leaving some of the dust there ”It’s hard to wash off this place and it’s illusions of love…it makes one…believe in gold dust…in love” the body moving without her own will, the voice speaking words that seemed new. ”where do you want to go, there is no way back…you opened the door, but one doesn’t just go back…” she explained, as the door they entered through slowly reduced to black nothingness, fading into the sounds and heat of the room they had entered.

”If you wish to leave, let us walk…” Amelia explained, as she began walking backwards, her hands…the porcelain frame of the hands she owned, held the man by his, still feeling the fright. She gently, almost lovingly, pulled him through the dark. Each body he or Amelia touched, were reduced to glitter…to shimmering dust until it faded. However, the one that was on them, didn’t go away, it stayed, but it didn’t appear as if Amelia would care that much. Her companions mind, was something else.

The walk continued, more and more, one and on, it would seem as if had taken countless bells for them to reach the corridor that lead from the room of pleasures, to something else.

oocHope I’m not too twisted for your comfort-zone

[Coltyn]

Coltyn felt a mix of emotions as his companion spoke and then approached him. At first, he felt like a little boy who had done something horribly wrong, but then he felt a sudden wave of adult fear, mixed with aggression, wash over him as her hand touched his face. He flinched as her cold, porcelain skin touched his warm, damp flesh, and then he flinched again, shocked that he hadn't been reduced to dust as everything else had at her touch. "I...I don't understand. What is this place?" he questioned as she began to draw him through the space. "I mean, I know where we are, as in this specific location, I have indeed been here before, but...this...this world...what is it? Where is it?" He continued to mutter now, more to himself, as they moved along a hallway and toward another door. The hall was narrow, a bit too narrow for his own comfort, but the door ahead held more promise, since it appeared to be lofty in its make, towering over them for hundreds of feet. "Will this take us...home?" he questioned as he now stood before the portal, shoulder to shoulder with his companion. "Or deeper inside this den of love and lies, pleasure and pain?" He looked to his companion now and, in the same moment, felt something wet spray across his cheek. Bringing a hand to his face, he brought a sample of the unknown moisture away on the tips of his fingers. In the dim light, it was hard to make out, but it felt thick and sticky. Rubbing it around the pads of his fingers, it clung firmly and stained them dark. "What...what is this?" he questioned as he brought his hand closer to his eyes. "It feels warm and smells a bit...like...oh gods...like blood!" he moaned as his hand flew once more to his face. "Where is it coming from?" he questioned his companion. "Can you see? Can you tell me?" he begged her, not really wanting her to speak the truth, but demanding it nonetheless.