The Lady of Death (Ndale)

[Aello]

Timestamp: Spring 23, 512 AV The rising sun illuminated the yellowed pages. Stained with sinking black ink. The girl's eyes glossed over the cursive words hastily as blood trickled into the jar. Red splotches dripped down the sides of glass. Shards rising to lick at their offering. All seemed lazy, as if still wiping the sleep crystals from their eyes. Aello's hand shook, falling onto the jar's mouth. Its crooked grin. Another droplet of red rain sank into the pool. Rippling, rippling, sloshing against the jar's side. She could hear it, the remnants of the infuriating plop. The grinding of her teeth before they fell onto her bottom lip. Pinning it down. Indents forming; crowns crawling against pale rose petals. Crushing, crushing, falling down. Metal so heavy, adorning death's companion. The lonely mistress with nothing more to devote herself to than the black. Time ticked away, chime after chime. Blood fell away from shriveling flesh. Wrinkled, pale, aging before one's eyes. Dust and rubble circled it all hungrily; scavengers, awaiting their turn. An endless mote as the glass trembled. Tremors sent by the incessant groan, the grate, of a woman stifling the pain. The container was only half full. Sighing, as her form refused to give, Aello tore her hand away. She pressed it into the prepared strip of cloth, before swiftly binding it with her teeth. Streaks of lightning crashed against the pale white fabric, as she reached for the jar. You'll have to do, she thought, as she dipped her unscathed hand into the jar. She forced a finger past the fold, soaking it in her own life's force. Slowly, she extracted it, and began to paint over the remains. Triangles without a base. Over and over, connected by a narrow margin. Sixteen points, to form a single star. When all was done, the spiritist scrutinized her work. Sloppy, imperfect as it rose and fell over the city's fallen. Stone blocks, particles of whitened dust. "You'll just have to do," she whispered, not at all in the mood to shed more of her blood. Slowly, she lifted the jar of blood again, and placed it in the star's center. The book had said a cup would be best, but she figured, the jar would do just as well. It was a container after all, and her blood was resting inside, wasn't it? Pooling against the cool surface of those still clear. Of that still pure. Now all that is left is calling you here, Aello thought, as she stared at the mark. Wondering what there was to say. For a long time, she remained mute, her hands resting idly upon her knees. The sun refracting off the glass, dazing her, as the blood glowed all the more ominously. Finally, taking a deep breath, in through her nose, and out through her mouth, before beginning: We are the fallen, we are the ashes, that crumbling alongside cities, falling into the rubble, distant memories of that long past. We are those without breath, with whispers, the coldest touch, chilling life to the bone. We are the ghosts, those who have come and gone, and served our maiden well, balancing life and unlife, until she claimed us with her scythe. We are the fallen of the mistress of death, counter to the mighty Kihala, we are the servants of the one with the jackals, white and black, Before and After... We are the servants of lady Dira, coming for you. The winds seemed to pick up, sweeping the spirtist's hair off her shoulders, before setting it back down. She could hear it dying off in the distance, as the blood slowly swirled away, as though being sucked into the ground. The lines of her star twinkled, then settled into a blinding glow, before fading away into oblivion. The air grew cool, and then surprisingly warm, causing the hairs on the back of Aello's neck to stand on end. The rubble swished, as the dust danced. But nothing seemed to be.

[Ndale Soromund]

It is not an uncommon feeling to be hunted. It is the natural course of things for one such as Ndale but this was different. There was no feeling imminent danger but a feeling of fear. Usually such a thing would be ignored by the young bird. Her clothes were strapped to her back, her sling in place. She had everything needed to flee in either form but it was what was in her field of vision that spurred her fear. Djed user. Magic. Witch. Fear. Fascinating. Dangerous. Caution. And yet, the woman herself did not seem dangerous to Ndale. Inching closer she could only watch in fascination as the scene unfolded before her. The human woman was cutting herself—or was she human? Wizards and the like never seemed human. A strange non-humanness permeating them. Still even her fear of the strange happenings that surrounding them could not pull her away. And when the woman spoke. Oh! It was wondrous! Her tone seeming a bit awkward yet her words were steady. It was as if she was watching one of those ‘acting’ things she had read about. The ones where humans pretended they were something else. And it did seem such. The light, blood and powder stones creating an ethereal beauty that many would fear and had every right too. But still the foolish bird pressed forward. Nearly dropping her clothes in an effort to see what horrify—horrifying and amazing things the human had done. But nothing. The same atmosphere stayed—intensified, but otherwise nothing Ndale could note. Still something had happened. Something important. She could tell. Humans did not wander to nowhere and alone to do things that were not important or secret. They were strange creatures like that. The questions mauled her mind. The thickness in the air making her dizzy. At a loss of what to do, her hunger wished for her to continue on her journey for food and shade, perhaps a nap as well. But her mind begged her to stay. Warring with herself the large bird finally sat beside the human and honked in mild irritation, debating becoming human.

[Aello]

"Hello?" Aello whispered, as though it would bring something out of the rubble. She sighed, perhaps she had done something wrong, or the ghosts simply didn't want to come. But what could it have been? Not enough blood? Not a perfect enough star? Not a good enough invocation or the right time of day? The aurist simply couldn't be sure. Her mind wandered as she began to return her things to her bag. Humming a tune within the confines of her mind until it was broken by the call of a bird. Something she wasn't so sure had ever reached her ears before. The girl looked up, blinking as she took in the subtle sweep of milky white feathers. "Well hello," Aello whispered, as she shoved her book a little more deeply into her bag, and then closed the flap. "Bit of an odd time for you to be dropping in," she muttered, before casting her gaze towards where her summoning star had once been, still, devoid of life, or rather, unlife. I suppose I failed then, Aello thought with an inward groan, as she outstretched her right hand, and held it under the bird's beak. Her fingers furled, coming under the edge, as though trying to lift Ndale's chin. "Not that it matters now." There was a slight pause as Aello took in the train. Her eyes narrowed. "You know, I don't believe I've ever seen the likes of a bird quite like you around here before. Although, it's been such a long time since everything happened... and yet... no, no, you are definitely not of this place." I do not need my magic to tell me that. Which leaves one to wonder, just what a peacock is doing out here. Perhaps she's a pet of some sort? Aello's fingers fell away, and soon settled in her lap. "Were you looking for something my dear?" Aello asked. "A bite to eat perhaps? Someone's problems to take in? Or is it something else entirely which your heart desires?" There was a slight pause, "which you seek?"

[Ndale Soromund]

OOCFirst I am really sorry about the delay. But I can write like crazy now ^-^ Also, in case you can't read the text she asked what Aellos' name is and if she tried a spell before. Obviously she is crap at spelling~ She tried not to be startled when the young woman grasped her chin. Her feet swinging out on instinct but not meeting their target her voice let loose a squawk. What was it with humans being too touchy-feely or too stiff. But she was not annoyed only curious, they seemed perfectly fine touching things without permission but she was always scolded when she did the same in turn. They were odd. Then again, who was she to complain? It felt quite pleasant to have fingers run through her feathers for even a brief moment. Not to mention she enjoyed this human, they so rarely spoke to her in this form. Oh, that is not to say they did not speak of her or at her but not to. She was a peahen not a hospital patient! She watched the woman with the same amount of curiosity in which she was watched, shaking her head in response to the first two questions. Whatever atmosphere that had begun earlier was now gone, whisked away with the winds. So was it the woman in front of her who had made it so? She wanted to ask but she did not wish to change. Tilting her head side to side quickly she made up her mind and hopped forward nudging her beak in the earth beside them. Chirping loudly she carefully tried to nose the words. They were difficult. Common was easier spoken than written…well, sort of. The whole language was ridiculous. So long when compared to her native tongue. All the same Ndale was able to carefully scratch her name in the dirt. Ndale Honking excitedly she carefully wrote out her question. It took time and she hoped the human did not leave before she could spell it all out. Wat naem is؟ You dun magyk afore؟ Ndale was pleased with herself to say the least and although her beak tasted like dirt she puffed out her feathers and flapped her good wing awkwardly. How fun this was!

[Aello]

Aello's eyes followed the creature's beak. The way the dirt trailed away as she insisted. Her ears prickled, trying to make out the sound of the falling, and displaced grains. Her lips curled as she kept on studying the letters, until they formed words. When the creature had finished, she looked into the eyes of the Kelvic. "Hello there Ndale, my name is Aello." There was a slight pause as she tilted her head to the side, and her gaze narrowed, scrutinizing the bird's pale features. "You may shift if you'd like. It's easier to talk that way I'd suppose." Again the girl paused. "If you're worried about getting cold or anything there are a few spare dresses in the bag," she added, as she jerked her head in its direction. "You're welcome to borrow one if you'd like... or you could just fly away." Slowly she shook her head. "No, no you cannot fly. Nor can I." Nor can I seem to get them to come, Aello thought, to her great displeasure. Wondering how much the Kelvic had seen, and even understood about what she had attempted only moments before. She could feel her palms growing a bit sweaty as she thought of it, and then considered her own companions, how clueless they both seemed in the magical arts. Unless, of course, she bothered to take the time to explain. Maybe then, she wouldn't have to worry after all. "But that's no matter," Aello whispered. "Not all of us need to..."

[Ndale Soromund]

Ndale’s thoughts were not to change instantly. In fact she planned on staying in her bird form, finding great amusement in writing with her beak. Although it did get tiny grains of sand on her tongue which was not all together pleasant and tasted acutely of dirty salt. She had even begin writing more words in the dirt but the almost forlorn tone in the woman’s voice snapped her attention to her. It was an odd sound. No sadness accompanied the young woman’s features as Ndale was so used to seeing with the sound of her voice. Instead it was odd to describe. Something new! Something she would discover. There was most likely even the awkward feeling of trying to comfort someone. A thing Ndale was not familiar with but wish to try. The shift then came without a second thought, almost a conditioned response to when she found something intriguing that she could not express in her animal form. And with this thought a thin wisp of knowledge and enlightenment slid by her, almost as if she had almost realized the thought that always plagued her but in the next moment she was human. Her thoughts now back on this woman, this Aello. Not bother to get the afore mentioned clothes Ndale instead sat on her knees and wasted no time sending a barrage of questions at Aello. “You are…sad? Maybe?" Her face inched slightly towards her companions, attempting to pull her answer from the expression the other wore but she gained nothing and instead continued her questioning and pulled back, if only slightly. "What it was you do before? With the—the…” She trailed off, her arm which had begun to wave about excitedly feel with a slap to her side. She could not exactly describe what the woman had done because she had no idea. Instead she managed only to make herself confused and a crease between her brows formed. It disappeared just as quickly though when more questions crept up behind her tongue. “You are human? Or magic-being?”

[Aello]

Aello turned to the huddled women with fair hair, stripped of color, and deep red eyes, like the blood on her cursed dagger. "Sad no. A bit disappointed perhaps," she explained as she locked eyes with the questions within the bird's own. As Ndale continued to speak to her, to question everything she had seen, she could almost see the creases. The wrinkles, the marks of pain and concentration. "Before?" Aello whispered, her heart skipping a beat, as the words came to an end. "You do not know, do you, that a person can encompass both. Be both." Aello paused for a moment, her hands falling onto the earth, circling, wiping Ndale's words away. Stripping them from one's memory as the waves crashing into shore might. "You do not know what it is you have seen here," Aello whispered, before falling silent for a time, her eyes dancing over the Kelvic's bare flesh. "Perhaps it would be best if you dressed, if you seek an explanation. The tale can be long, if only we delve into intricacies." Again she paused, wondering what it was the bird would do, before waring on. "You seem to know of magic, if only in passing dear Ndale. With the blood in your eyes you have seen some spilt, some cast into the grain. Manipulated until it became something of use. You see if only, if only one creates that which is stated in the old tomes, if only one follows the rules true, they can summon that which has already come and gone. Bring some back from the past. Those whose simple, fleeting, miserable lives have already come to an end." For a moment, Aello cast her gaze away, towards the space where the star had once been. "By ridding ourselves of but a piece of what is; what belongs to only us, we can have them again. See them again. Speak with them again." There was a pause, "do you know of that which reaches your ears, young Kelvic?" Aello asked, as her eyes came up, a mask of inky obscurity, hiding her true emotions, to the best of her ability, from anyone who had the heart to read her eyes as though they were a simple children's book.

[Paragon]

Aello

Experience

Skill	XP Earned
Spiritism	1
Observation	1
Philosophy	1

Lores

•	Lore Earned
•	Drawing in One's Own Blood
•	Ndale: Kelvic

Legend Becomes Reality

As always, it's a shame when a thread gets cut short. If you have any questions or concerns regarding your grade, please send me a PM and we can work from there.