Nobody's Fool

by **Trident** on January 21st, 2012, 10:28 pm

TimestampFeel free to set the date to whatever you like.

The chilled air was abuzz with the sounds of gnats and mosquitoes. The dark sea smelled of oranges and apples, tainted by the tertiary smell of decomposing organisms. All of which signalling that, despite the cold temperature, they had in fact reached the tropical islands far to the northwest of the Southern Suvan. For whatever reason, Liandra didn't know.

The dreams had been coming to her for the past couple of nights. They had all been the same; she would be wrenched from whatever peaceful dream she had been that night, wreathed in darkness. And then, a single unblinking eye formed out of the tendrils of shadow; a dark, malevolent, brown, engulfed in misty cataracts. From out of nowhere a terrible, echoing voice would say two simple words;

COME TO ME.

That had been unsettling enough, but the real kicker was the Charodaen man that had found her on the third day of her dreams. The Charoda's skin was naturally white, but it was unnaturally pale when he had found her, fear clear in his pupiless eyes. "It told me to bring you to him." the Charoda had said, voice trembling.

And thus had begun their journey to the Vanti Islands. The Charoda had said little to Liandra besides that he must follow her. If her dreams and the appearance of this man had not convinced her of this already, the desperate plead in his voice would eventually win her sympathy. But it would also raise concern; why did this man need her to follow him, and what was he afraid that would happen if she didn't?

Over the several days of swimming that it had taken to get her, she had managed to coax a few more details out her fellow Charodaen. His name was Sul'tu, and he'd been having the same sort of dreams as her. Same darkness, same eye, everything - except for the message. The message had been different.

"The eye told me to find the Charoda named Liandra." Sul'tu had finally admitted on the second day. His voice broke when he said 'the eye'. "And so I did. I found you..."

For some reason, Sul'tu had seemed anxious to reach their destination, an obscure set of islands named the Vanti Islands, beyond dawn on the fourth day. "Bad things will happen," Sul'tu had muttered in his sleep. "Must get her to the island before dawn. Yes, on the third day, third day, or I'll be punished, yes..."

It was an odd and perhaps disconcerting situation Liandra found herself in, that was to be sure, but there was no turning back now. Only a short swim away lay one of the Vanti Islands, a dark mass of jungle and beach. With no details apparent due to the lack of light, one might have doubted this was the right 'island', but Sul'tu seemed quite sure of it. Even now he bobbed in the water several feet in front of her, waiting to see what she would do.

"He's waiting for you," he murmured. "I can feel it..." And so could Liandra. From the island ahead grew in her a sudden feeling of anxiety, the gut-clenching reaction of some monster discovering your presence. But there was also curiosity. Liandra wanted to go ahead.

"...But the question is, will you go?"

by **Liandra** on February 1st, 2012, 3:56 am

Timestamp: Winter 17, 511 AV

Liandra and Kylayia were snuggled up to each other in an underwater nook in a coral covered rock formation. It had been a long day of traveling and the two had just fallen into a deep slumber.

Liandra found herself on a beach she recognized. It was near her home in Charbosi. She loved this beach, it was so peaceful. It was one of few places above water that she considered safe. The sand was far enough from the treeline that if any of the savages appeared, she would likely be able to escape into the water. She looked out over the surf and saw a much smaller Kylayia swimming and jumping with several other sea horses. She smiled, he was such a precious friend. She laid back into the warm grains, looking back into the treeline. The birds were singing in pleasure, the tide was crashing below her feet, and the wind was breezing over her.

Then her stomach dropped hard, similar to the time she'd gotten captured by those Myrian savages. She looked up toward the sky, expecting to see Syna shining down upon her. The sky was now pitch black, Syna's grace blocked from view. The darkness consumed everything. The ocean, Kylayia and the other seahorses, even the beach she was lying upon. It was just her enshrouded in inky, total blackness. Then the seeming impossible happened. Shards of the darkness ripped themselves from the sky, and began weaving themselves together, the colors shifting to a dark, dirty brown. They had formed a single, large and menacing eye. It didn't stare at her, but rather it stared through her. Could it see her soul?

Then a disembodied voice began to speak, the sound enveloping Liandra entirely.

COME TO ME.

Winter 19, 511 AV

Liandra awoke at the sound of an angry Kylayia. His fluting was clearly an alarm at an intruder. She was somewhat thankful for the reprieve from her nightmare filled slumbers these last few days. She looked toward the sound of alarm and saw Kylayia beating back a Charoda man. She was puzzled at this, Kylayia would never do that without really, really good reason. He was a cold white look, not unheard of in Charbosi, but not common either. But even with his strange color, he looked quite sickly. He gave off quite a peculiar vibe, which is probably what upset Kylayia. "Love, stop it! Leave him be, it's fine." She hated being stern with him, but he was incredibly protective, like he was trained to be.

"It told me to bring you to him."

He then was silent the rest of the night. Kylayia kept a watchful eye on him throughout the entirety of his stay, and surprisingly the man never slept. Liandra asked him several questions. Who was it? Why did he want her? Where was she to go with this man? And that was the first night the dream didn't come to her, because she never slept. "Follow." The man had already begun swimming away, and her damned curiosity forced her to follow, a stubborn Kylayia following behind.

When Syna rose, she continued her questioning of the curious individual. She hated that she didn't immediately distrust him, but her curiosity always got the best of her. "The eye told me to find the Charoda named Liandra." She was momentarily stunned. This man had seen the Eye too? What in Laviku's name is going on?

Over the next couple days, Liandra managed to coax out a few more details. His name was Sul'tu and they were heading to the Vanti islands, a place she'd never visited before. The man muttered often, and it was quite disconcerting. Kylayia had been constantly cranky the last few days, and Liandra was not asking as many questions as she normally would, after all, he wouldn't answer anyways.

It was just before dawn before they had arrived at their apparent destination. It looked quite ominous, especially in the dark. It reminded her of the day she was captured by Myrians all those years ago. Kylayia nudged at her, trying to get her to abandon this strange trek. But she wouldn't, couldn't let this go. She wasn't seeking peace from the nightmares. She was seeking peace from that nagging within her head to seek out the truth behind the mystery. She had to say something to Sul'tu, but what does one say to one as affected and corrupted as he?

She walked up the tide and onto the beach, and turned to him. "Thank you... Sul'tu." She continued up the beach, the mourning sound of Kylayia's flute carrying over the wind. What had she gotten herself into?

by **Trident** on February 2nd, 2012, 10:45 pm

Sul'tu didn't emerge from the water, his silvery form remaining entranced in the waters a distance away. Yellow eyes like lanterns stared forth from the head piercing the cruel waves, affixed on Liandra's head as though trying to memorize her face. "It...was good traveling with you." he said at last, and then without another word dived into the water. Only a dash of white set against the dark blue of the ocean, swimming steadily away, indicated that he had ever been. Now, Liandra was alone.

And now, onward.

Without the comfort of another's presence, the beach felt more desolate and perilous than ever, thronged by a million invisible dangers. All was silent save the wind, which howled tonelessly across the distance. The sound of Kylayia's powerful throat had died away; a glance back would show that Liandra's seahorse was nowhere to be found.

Truly, what had she gotten herself into?

When she looked back, Liandra would notice something had changed in the island. At first it was subtle, a change in lighting at the far end of her eyesight. But then, the light would grow stronger. Something was approaching, holding a lantern or candle perhaps; there was a light, icy, bluish-white, that obscured whatever was holding it in a cold halo of illumination.

It made its way towards Liandra. The light played upon the bark of trees, the fronds of plants, and finally, the sand of the beach. As it broke through the treeline, it became apparent nobody was holding the light at all. The light came from a small orb, floating about as high as Liandra's eye. At last it stopped, only a few paces up the beach from her.

After a beat of stillness, the orb bobbed a few times in front of her. Then it began to retreat back towards the forest, stopping at the treeline. It hovered there for a moment before plunging into the tropical canopy once more.

Follow, the wind seemed to whisper.

by **Liandra** on February 17th, 2012, 2:03 am

The sound of her companion's fluting died away. She looked back over her shoulder, and Sul'tu and Kylayia were both gone. She turned back, wondering what she was doing here. Her eyes were now studying the island a bit more closely. It looked a bit different than a moment ago. Was it... brighter? It continued to grow in brightness, and looked to be getting closer. Her curiosity was very much in tune now, fully taking her over. She began to step closer to the light as her eyes continued to study it. Who was carrying it?

Soon, she found the answer. No one was carrying the light, and the light didn't look to be coming from a source. It was just light, floating toward her. It was like a ball, round and glowing. It came closer, at eye level, her eyes widening, despite the brightness. It stopped just out of her reach. Then it bobbed up and down several times. It reminded her of a young seapony, all excited to meet a new person. And then it began back the way it came. Was it wanting her to follow it? She knew it was pointless to resist. She was following to doom or glory.

She followed it to the tree line, where it seemed to wait on her. As she got closer, it plunged into the forest. Liandra smiled, her sharp teeth shining. She wished she had a torch. Her glowcoral doesn't work above water. For all she knew, this was a trap. It was eerily similar to the Old FisherJust a made up name for an Angler Fish. It was a fish that lived in the darkest depths of the ocean, and had a glowing tentacle like appendage that it used to lure in prey.

Follow

Had she heard that? Or just imagine it? Or wish to hear it? What was going on? What was all this?

"Stop."

She often had to stop herself from rambling off questions. It was a really bad habit of hers. She shut her mouth, and plunged after the light into the forest. She wasn't sure what she'd find, maybe an animal waiting to eat her, or a pack of starving Myrians. But she continued onward, stumbling over the rough ground.

by **Trident** on February 19th, 2012, 1:12 am

Around Liandra, the jungle remained unnaturally hushed. Nothing moved besides her and the orb, which continued to shine with a frigid light as it led her steadily onward. The plant life around her was tough and hard, as well as tenaciously strong. Vines wrapped themselves around wide trunks, obscuring sight and hindering movement. More than once, Liandra lost sight of the hovering orb, but if she kept moving forward she would find it once again, patiently waiting. And then it would keep moving.

And so it went for several chimes. The orb floated serenely forth, and Liandra followed. And above, the sky above grew pink as the approach of dawn grew ever near.

At long last, when it seemed Liandra would never reach her destination before the light of day, the orb stopped. Around her, the foliage abruptly ended - a phenomena not found in nature, and a sure sign that man-made structure lay beyond. And so it did.

The cabin that lay at the center of the clearing was small and homely, more a hovel than an actual house. Various bric-a-brac lay arranged around the house; there were various tools and implements strewn about, which had seemingly been discarded at random. The hovel had a single window in its wooden frame, set right next to the humbled door. It was small and covered by a rag, which obscured whatever lay within.

The orb floated towards the house. It paused before the door, before making a sudden turn and floating through the window. As it pushed aside the curtain, a cheery light was exposed - a fire - and then the rag fell back into place.

There was another beat of silence as Liandra's guide disappeared from view completely, and then there was the sudden sound of a door being flung open. Standing in the doorway, outlined by the flames of the fireplace within, was a man - a Human.

The darkness made his features hard to discern, but the one readily visible feature was his eyes - bright blue eyes that shone like sapphires. They gleamed with some unknowable emotion as they locked on Liandra's amphibious form.

A voice, haggard and rough, called out into the silent morn. "By the Gods, girl, are you just going to stand there, or are you actually going to come on in? I didn't go to all this work getting you here for you to just stand there."

by **Liandra** on February 20th, 2012, 7:24 pm

Liandra did not like traipsing through the jungle. Jungles were constant reminders of that day she got captured by the Myrians. She shook it off, trying to pay attention to where she was going, in case she needed to escape. But every tree, every vine looked the same. She couldn't hear the sound of the ocean, but she could smell it everywhere. Maybe it was a small enough island where every direction led to water.

She looked up and saw that the orb wasn't right in front of her. She cursed herself and stumbled forward a bit faster. She tripped on a root and nearly landed face first on the orb. This seemed to be a common occurrence for a few chimes. It was getting quite irritating and frustrating. Charodae are meant to be in water, not land. Liandra began to notice that Syna was beginning to rise. How long had it been?

Once more Liandra tripped, stumbling over her feet, and she fell flat on her face into some grass. As she pulled herself up, she realized that she was in a clearing. That's odd... a clearing in a jungle? That would require a lot of upkeep by... Her eyes grew wide in realization. Someone lived here, and she was now trespassing. She looked around quickly, scanning the area, almost sure a Myrian would be here. After all, who else lived in the jungle?

Then she saw the cabin. She breathed a sigh of relief. The home didn't seem savage enough to be of Myrian make. She'd never seen a Myrian home, but always assumed they lived in houses made of mud and bones. And Myrians didn't leave a bunch of tools laying around everywhere. She watched the orb float through an open window of the cabin, the glow of a fire evident.

A human was suddenly in the door, and Liandra breathed a small sigh of relief. At least it's not a Myrian... The first thing she noticed were his sparkling blue eyes. Was he a Svefra? Those eyes were captivating, entrancing.

"By the Gods, girl, are you just going to stand there, or are you actually going to come on in? I didn't go to all this work getting you here for you to just stand there."

She was startled by his frank nature. He didn't seem to be menacing, or leading her into a trap. So she walked toward the cabin, careful, cautious, ready to run. Why had he summoned her? Who was he? Why was she so important to him, to go through all this effort? These questions flooded her mind, as she neared him in the doorway. Meekly, "Hello..." She decided that politeness would be the best course of action for now. "Um... Thank you for bringing me here. You have a lovely home." She then began making her way inside, not really sure what she would find within.

by **Trident** on February 23rd, 2012, 1:52 am

Thin arms were crossed over a chest that was becoming increasingly discernible. The man who beckoned Liandra forth was tall and lean, regal of bearing yet sickly of skin. Most of the man's body was covered in a large black robe that might have once belonged to a priest, but the part that could be seen of him was indefinably aged. His hair was nearly pure white, shaded by only a few threads of black and gray. The man's face had shrunken around his piercing blue irises, leaving his once-handsome countenance pinched and slightly contrived.

And yet, there was an air of easy menace around his figure, like the kind of air surrounding a jungle cat. This feeling was only heightened by his easy posture and unwavering eyes.

"Come on in." he said ever so softly as Liandra entered his home.

Inside, the room was cozy and a bit snug. A large fireplace dominated the far wall, burning merrily. A pot with some sort of soup rested above it, soaking in the warmth. A large oaken counter functioned both as a reading table and as a dinner table, lined on either side by bookcases. On the right side was a door to a second and final room, through which a small futon could be ascertained.

But the real interest of the hovel lay above; hanging from strings above Liandra's head were various grisly artifacts, bones and other unmentionable parts.

"Take a seat, my dear, take a seat." an encouraging hand sent Liandra in the direction of one of the chairs arrayed in front of the table. Only after she was seated would the man take the chair opposite her.

There was a moment of silence, and then a tightening of the lips exposed sharp molars to the Charoda. "Now, then." the man said, in a cheery enough voice, "I suppose you have a lot of questions for me. Maybe why I called you here and how I did it? Please, go ahead and ask them."

His teeth, pearly white, gleamed in the flickering firelight. "I'll be sure to answer them to the best of my ability."

by **Liandra** on February 23rd, 2012, 2:44 pm

As she passed by the man, the menace that went undetected before, was felt in full now. She felt like she was being watched by a Myrian's tiger. She was immediately wary and put on the defensive. She entered his cabin, watchful eyes looking for anything trying to kill her, as well as an escape route. She saw that same open window the orb of light had gone through earlier. She immediately wondered where the light had gone? Was it magic? Or an item? Or even some unknown creature?

She continued to look about, surprised at how comfortable the cabin was. She hadn't expected it to be so.... normal. He seemed to live a civilized life, even a cultured one, now that she looked at his bookshelves. It was all so... What the petch was that hanging from the ceiling?!?! It looked like bones and body parts, preserved and dangling from the ceiling. While she was slightly disgusted, her curiosity made her stare at them. She wanted to know what they were, and why they were there. Wait. Why was she here? As if reading her mind, the man suggested she take a seat.

She did as he suggested, then he began by suggesting she ask him the questions that are on her mind. She didn't want to overwhelm him, so she tried to narrow it down to only the most important ones. She started with the how. "How did you come to know about me? I don't have many friends." She felt a bit awkward at mentioning that, but the truth was the truth. She really did need more friends. "And how did you come about getting me here?" She suspected that magic was involved somehow, but she was not versed in that sort of thing. She knew many magics made crazy people, and it was used to hurt others. None of the magics she'd heard of seemed to be interesting enough. And now finally the big question, "Why did you bring me here?"

by **Trident** on February 24th, 2012, 9:22 pm

The protesting creak of a chair set rocking forward was followed by the affable glint of yet another smile. His voice, still so chillingly normal, echoed around the room in its infinite depths.

"Now, you see, I'm glad you didn't ask me who I am. Names have power, and they cannot be given out so easily."

Above, the bones clicked together in some unseen and unheard wind, the clicking of their flesh stripped vertebrae malevolent in Syna's premature rise.

The man leaned back, giving Liandra back her breathing space. "But I suppose you'll need something to address me with, if we are to be acquainted, yes? And I know your name, so I'd say it's hardly fair for you to not know one of mine. How about...Runi. Yes, I've always liked that name." The man grinned. "It'll do nicely."

"But back to your questions. All of them are related, so I will answer them all at once. As to how I brought you hither...here." Runi outstretched an arm, the frittered robe falling back and exposing bony white forearm. He turned his wrist, exposing ink writ across the inside of his arm. It was a true majesty of tattooing; a kaleidoscope of colors rendered within a fractal design, all of which that seemed to change with every movement. Its elusive nature brought to mind a half-forgotten dream - wondrous yet lost within the tangled recesses of the mind, frustratingly tempting in its lost meaning.

"The dreamer marked me when I was young, when I held the world within the palm of my hand." Runi remarked. "And he was not the only one...I attracted the attention of many gods in my day. But as I grow old and my bones start to bend and my joints start to creak, I find myself using Nysel's gift more and more often. Dreamwalking has become my method of communication, and it was how I found you, as I stumbled across your dream quite by chance. And since then, I have planned...I have prepared."

Runi sighed, and stood up. He turned his back on Liandra even as he continued speaking, examining a skull dangling from a string above. "You see, my dear, for several years now I've been doing a lot of thinking. I might have worked wonders in my day, but when Dira comes for me, what will I have to show for it? I have never taught a single apprentice the secrets of my eldritch craft. Not a single one. When my blood runs no longer, everything I have worked so hard to achieve, everything I have ever attempted, all of it will be for naught. I will be forgotten."

"But I have decided to change my fate, my dear, never you worry! You see, I will make sure I'm not forgotten, by teaching...you."

A pause, a silence, as the magus allowed Liandra time to process what he had said. "You see, my dear," Runi allowed at length, "I have been in many dreams, looking for a worthy apprentice. But I can find no more worthy apprentice than you. I have seen your drive, your ambition. I went to great pains getting you here - conscripting that foolish Charoda to do my bidding, giving you a repeated message so you would believe him - because I can help you channel all of your raw power into something - into something more." At last Runi turned back to Liandra, eyes bright with some passionate emotion. They burned so bright it almost seemed insanity smoldered within those pools of blue.

"Tell me, my dear, how would you like to learn magic?"

by **Liandra** on February 25th, 2012, 4:09 am

Liandra was enraptured by the way this man talked. The fact that he wouldn't give out his name didn't worry or scare her. It made him all the more mysterious. But what did he mean by 'Names have power'? She almost giggled at the name Runi. For some reason, she thought the name was a bit funny. Perhaps it was the immature, adventurous side of her. Runi pulled back the robe sleeve to reveal his awfully pale arm. But on that arm was a beautiful masterpiece. It was full of color, in a most unusual, intriguing design. It almost looked as alive as the skin it was on. Her eyes grew wide. It reminded her of dreams past, both dark and pleasant. Then Runi said he was marked by the Dreamer. And had attracted the attention of many gods. Just how powerful was this man? Could she attain that sort of attention? For surely the gods' blessings were a beautiful and wonderful reward. She made a note to honor her gods more, and to learn more on Nysel. How does one worship a God in their dreams? Perhaps praying before falling asleep?

Runi turned away from her, examining a skull that dangled from above. She continued to listen intently to his words, hooked on every single one. Her eyes widened once more, this time at the mention of teaching her. Why her? She was a mere Charoda traveler. Sure, she'd aspired to a much greater and adventurous life. But then he began talking of how he'd been searching for a worthy apprentice, and searching far and wide. And had found her. Out of everyone. Was she really that special? She felt a pang of sorrow at the insult toward Sul'tu. He wasn't the most normal or friendly of Charoda, but he had helped her here, and apparently helped Runi too. He deserved a little gratitude. Liandra hoped that maybe she could see him another day. And thank him once more.

Runi wanted to make her into something more. Something more. That was always what she'd wanted. It was the reason she'd left Charbosi. She wanted something more. It was the reason she was doing things that weren't considered normal or proper for a Charoda woman. She wanted the same thing he did. He turned, his eyes were full of life as they locked on her own. They seemed to show his very soul, and every intent. It wasn't all purity, all joy, but it wasn't all bad either. But she didn't flinch, didn't balk, didn't back down.

"Tell me, my dear, how would you like to learn magic?"

Liandra didn't think about it. She didn't ponder the possible dangers of magic, or the effects, or the perception it would cause. That was something a "typical" Charoda would do. She had never been typical, and didn't want to start now. She leapt at the chance, blurting out with a simple, short, and a tad loud, "YES!"