Endowed With The Strangeness of Undeath [Evalin]

by **Xen** on March 24th, 2014, 5:47 am

“ Spring 4, 514 A.V.”

Xen had concealed himself underneath the wild brush of the jungle. He positions himself in an ambush position and allows the tip of his metallic black tail to protrude from the brush he was waiting in. Xen twitches and wiggles his tail to gain the attention of the mammalian, avian and reptilian life above him and watches as dozens of the critters loom over him in the branches above—they were cautious and curious. Xen observes his prey as they gather together on the branches. He could tell that they were too nervous to approach his lure. The monkeys and birds could sense the danger below them but could not pin-point the exact location. The medium sized monkeys were the most cautious of them all—not a single member of their group dared to waltz to their death.

However, Xen was not only targeting prey in the treetops but also unwary prey on the jungle floor. The only problem was that he wasn’t the only thing out here. Xen had been lying on the jungle floor for hours and in those hours: an animal of some sort had been lurking outside of his field of vision. The beast knows that Xen is around somewhere, lurking within the shadows, but with his scent being masked by the surrounding vegetation and mud, finding and avoiding him was difficult. Xen knew all he had to do was remain patient and pay close attention to the vibrations, smells and life that approached him.

Xen flicks his tongue to taste the air; it was frustrating, many of these animals were so close to him yet were out of his striking range. The entire day was going away and he was still here…waiting. Xen hid his frustration under a blank and unblinking gaze, as he watches small birds fly down from the canopy and peck at his tail. Xen flicks his tail and startles the birds with his sudden movement. He was not going to settle for small prey—he needed something bigger to eat.

Although, he was frustrated and hungry—Xen was calm enough to focus and remain still. In time prey would wander within striking range: he would deliver a dose of venom, when that time came, and the prey would drop to the ground in mere minutes. The plan was simple but tedious to partake in when not executed perfectly. Xen continues his hunting tactic and waits in the brush, waiting for prey to carelessly enter his striking range.

“ ”

by **Evalin** on March 28th, 2014, 4:52 pm

It was an unusual day. Not unusual in the terrible way, but unusual in that Evalin found herself alone, away from the child Mistress and free to do as she pleased. It was a rare moment in time which Evalin could use to practice, to grow, to change and become something... more. It was a precious moment, one which gave Evalin some pleasure in finding herself in. She chose to spend this time in the Jungle Wilds, away from the prying eyes of the Dhani to practice arts she did not wish for them to know she possessed. There was on in particular she was interested in this day. One that she had been meaning to work on for some time now...

Far enough I believe we are. Evalin said softly within the walls of her subconscious, where only one creature would be able to hear. Her familiar, Tsenrika, floated close to her shoulder, hovering near her head, No eyes watch us. Make haste.

Evalin smiled as she reached up and gently stroked his smooth surface, Fear you not my dear Tsenrika, so I shall.

Undoing the clasp of her cloak Evalin let the piece fall to the ground, extending her arms and closing her arms as she enjoyed the freedom from the weight. She had decided to leave her staff behind this day, opting to keep it safe rather than risk losing it on a journey such as this.

To the Dhani I am small, insignificant... weak. They are not frightens of something such as me. Evalin mused as she flexed her fingers, drifting back into the silence of her mind to prepare herself for use of thsi strange magic.

Think they not this of your beastial form... A terrifying and awe inspiring sight it is.

Evalin chuckled as she let her mind wander over the strands of her djed, silver fingers of mental will trailing softly over the glowing strands of her life, causing her skin to crawl and tingle in places where she touched, Perhaps so Tsenrika... however, I cannot hold that form for long, and in it I have less control of myself. No, I need something... else. I require forms which will cause unease, fill their hearts with fear and dread at the sight of my approach that will not cause the lust to overcome me. Such is what I wish to perfect this day.

Tilting her head Evalin knew what she wanted. A form that was disturbing, distorted yet still somewhat recognizable. A monstrous appearance, fitting of the Immortal Witch. That which would drawn unease and discomfort from those around her. She began with the most obvious place, that place on her form that all looked first. Her facial features. Her silvery fingers of mental energy played with the strands of djed which controled her facial features, extending the muscles and bones of her jaws, stretching her skin as she let her mouth gape open wider and wider. With a pluck of the strand her skin vibrated, and with a slight wince at the sensation Evalin created slight tears in her flesh, partings in the skin of her cheeks and jaw that gave the gaping mouth a grotesque look to it. Focusing then on her teeth she sharpened them, filing them to points as her brow furrowed in concentration. She let her features become somewhat lopsided, tilted to one side as she stretched at her cheek bones, making them larger and more pronounced. Reaching up Evalin examined her work with her physical fingers, and then moved on to the strands which controlled her hair. Pushing with her physical hands as well as with her mental ones she pulled on the hair, stretching it out thin, lanky and in wavy locks as she drew from it the auburn colors and left it instead with ashy gray and dull white in uneven patterns. She fluffed this mop of hair out, twisting it in tangles and letting it fall as wildly as it wished.

Opening her eyes she waved for Tsenrika to come before her, and without her bidding he grew in size to give her a larger area in which to view herself. Evalin tilted her head this way and that, testing her jaw and working it up and down. She noted that she could not fully close her jaws in this form... instead they hung agape at all times, and her tongue stretched and deformed as it was made it impossible for her to speak. But then, Evalin did not want this form for its verbal abilities.

Closing her eyes once more Evalin then focused her attention on the rest of her body, plucking at the strands that controlled the bones of her limbs, stretching them, pulling her skin tighter over joints even as she took in the excess mass to trim herself down to a near skeleton figure. Her skin she sucked dry of its color, dulling it to a sickly grayish green as she elongated her fingers and nails, giving them uneven points, chipped and ugly to look at.

Twisting before the Familiar Evalin examined her new mounterous self. Her djed wanted to rebel against this form, however, because the changes were not quite so radical teh pressure on her will was not quite so great and Evalin found she could hold this appearance with a bit more ease than when she had changed her body before to remove all its Myrian traits. Still, she would not be wearing this skin for long periods of time. It was just used for intimidation after all...

Now it was time to fix the issue of not being able to speak... but then, Evalin did not need to use her reasoning and words in order to frighten another creature. In a time that seemed like ages now to the nuit, she had found another way to strike fear and unease in the hearts of others. So she then turned her mind's eyes on the strands which controlled her voice, her vocal cords and began to stretched them, warped them until she grew tired of playing with them. The goal was to make them as inhuman as possible, as un animal as possible as well. Something otherworldly, something wrong for this world. Then she pulled and expanded her lungs, allowing her to suck down greater amounts of air and, hopefully, letting her call fly farther and longer than a normal voice might.

Evalin had noticed it some time ago, a gathering of creatures some distance away. All interested in... something in the brush. It seemed as though the perfect opportunity had arisen for her to test this new form, and see if it truly was all that she wished it to be. Turning her body toward the gathering Evalin slowly approached, sucking in a large breath of air, letting it slide over her warped vocal cords as she gaped her deformed mouth open wide and then let loose a wail, long and loud, warbling and unearthly in their direction. The sound was made louder than normal as Evalin widened her throat, giving the voice more area to echo through her chest as it exited, filling the air and falling over those in the area. She let her mark flair, filling the are with an uneasiness, letting those creatures around feel the presence of something that did not belong, something terrible, unnatural. the birds were the first to go, quickly flapping away, chirping to escape the sounds and dark feelings of foreboding. The larger, more intelligent creatures took a few ticks longer, growing agitated, beating their chests, growling and backing away slowly before turning to sprint from the terrible noise and feelings.

The call then slowly ended, fading to noting as Evalin leaned on a tree, her clawed fingers digging into the bark as she laughed, that too distorted and twisted sounding coming from her terrible mouth, It appears to work my dear Tsenrika...

Indeed...

OOCLet me know if I need to edit anything. May have gone a bit overboard

by **Xen** on March 29th, 2014, 4:55 am

“ That wass no jungle beassst.”

Xen felt the creatures wail travel through the ground and the air—the sound sent chills down his scaly hide. He watches and frowns disapprovingly, as his precious prey retreats—all those precious minutes of waiting and luring…wasted. Xen didn’t know whether he should be expressing despair, anger or worry in his current situation. However, one thing was clear: there was something abnormal in the jungle this day and it was just some feet away from him. Xen’s first instinct was to retreat and he does so. He flattens the scales along his body, to lessen drag and to reduce the noise he created while moving, and slithers away towards a hollow tree.

In his serpent form, Xen found that sneaking around was easy. The color, length and width of his body were what made him appear to be an extremely dangerous and wild snake—only when someone holds and closely inspects his physical traits was when they would discover that he was pretending. Xen was confident that he could fool those unfamiliar with his kind by pretending to be a wild snake. The overwhelming and primal instinct of his being always threatens to take control of him: when in serpent or dhani form. There were times where he forgot he was a dhani and took on the intense nature and attitude of an untamed serpent.

Once Xen emerges from the brush, he realizes that a miscalculation was made on his part. There, just a foot away from him, was some kind of female…thing. Xen could not place what he was observing, its skin was that of a normal humanoid but its body was cold, ice cold. How could someone’s body temperature be so cold: like ice? The danger meter within Xen’s subconscious was about to burst, telling him to hide and wait until this danger has passed. Xen was moving across the path until a small branch lands beside him. He, on instinct, lifts his body off the ground, flares his hood and hisses loudly: to be as intimidating as possible.

Xen realizes he was hissing at a branch and would have facepalmed, if it were not for the fact that he did not have hands at the moment. He turns and looks into the direction of the she-beast, knowing that he would surely be discovered. A very large male black viper had his hood flaring on an open trail. Xen was certain that his over sensitivity to movement would lead to his downfall someday but not this early. Xen turns his entire body in the direction of this creature, his eyes focusing on the feet of this thing, as he could not look at its visage of deformity.

“ ”

by **Evalin** on March 31st, 2014, 4:14 am

The sound of hissing brought Evalin's attention around, and there in the path was a large snake, hood up, vicious in its appearance, deadly was its poison surely. It was rather large as far as Evalin could tell, but she had not seen enough vipers in their serpent forms to even guess that it might not be an ordinary creature.

Brave this one is. Evalin thought, turning her full attention on the creature then. Her gaping mouth hung open at odd angles as she turned her head this way and that to examen the beast, How odd that it did not run away. Perhaps this is its territory?

Tsenrika floated around Evalin, still a large sphere as tall as Evalin was herself. His smooth surface was a perfect mirror, reflecting everything around him, even the snake before them both, Or perhaps your screech was not quite so terrifying after all.

Evalin straightens her back, sucking in gulps of hair once more as she readied herself, Let us see... and then leaned forward once more, letting out a bellowing well louder than the last, falling directly upon the creature. As she did so the nuit decided to add an extra flare. From the pores on her back res began to spew, the world through them distorting as though trapped in heatwaves. This res she caused to swirl behind her, in tendrils, around her, between her legs and over her shoulders and over her hair, and then they ignited so that her body looked as though it were lit on fire, though the flames were merely fueled by the nearly see through, heat wave like res.

OOCJust pushing the story along a little bit with this post. I apologize for it being so short!

by **Xen** on April 1st, 2014, 11:25 pm

“ It’sss like sssomeone with iron clawss isss ssscratching on the sssurface of my sssoul!?”

He said within his thoughts.

Xen writhes in pain, as his eardrums were forced to absorb the dreadful noise once more. He slithers wildly across the jungle floor and zips from here to there in quick bursts of speed, enduring his pain. Xen slithers through the jungle brush in search of something, something to cover his ears and shelter them from the terrible wail of this creature. He rue’s this day that he stumbled upon this monstrosities being and conceals his entire body in the nearby shrubs.

In the undergrowth, Xen saw that there were two options for him in this situation and that was to shift either into his dhani or human form. The two forms granted him access to hands, hands that he would use to cover his ears and free his mind from the agonizing cries of this beast. Xen shifts into his dhani form, knowing that it would grant better mobility than his current form while allowing him to maintain all his important serpentine abilities. In this process, his body doubles in size and length with his scales and nails becoming more pronounced than before.

Xen rises from the undergrowth, slithering carefully to avoid appearing hostile. The black metallic scales flattened along Xen’s body shined in the direct sunlight that granted him a smooth appearance, as though his body was made out of obsidian. He raises both hands, up to his chest, in a I-don’t-want-no-trouble kind of fashion. Xen wasn’t entirely sure if he could communicate with the cold-bodied figure in front of him, judging from its disproportionate jaw. So, he looks into other details on the beings form with utmost scrutiny, trying to find something that would give him some form of information and by what features he noticed, the creature looked female.

“If you want thiss territory it’ss yourss but ssstop wailing!”

The unease was definitely present; Xen was unable to look the creature in the eye. He straightens his body, allowing the other portions to remain relaxed and limber: in case there was a need for some evasive and defensive maneuvers. Xen flicks his tongue to taste the air for any discernible scents and picks up the odd beings scent: which was dry and bland to his senses.

by **Evalin** on April 2nd, 2014, 4:47 pm

Evailn was pleased to see the creature fleeing despite its own attempts at intimidation. AS it slithered away Evalin silenced her voice, straightening her back again as she looked back at the floating orb, It seems that my efforts were not in vain. See how it retreats?

Indeed. The Familiar responded, shrinking down now to the size of a sparrow to float over Evalin's shoulder, But be it from intimidation or to simply escape the ghastly appearance of my Master?

Matter it not. Evalin replied simply, already working to undo the morph, The effects are still the same. It was as she was already undoing her appearance that Xen appeared then, a metallic sheen of black and the familiar heavy slithering sounds as the Dhani revealed himself, hands raised as if to ward off hostilities. So surprised was she that Evalin was speechless for a tick, yet it mattered little as her mouth was still shrinking back to its normal state. When her tongue was in its proper place Evalin reached up a hand to work her jaw, frowning when she noticed that it was oddly crooked. Other peculiarities began to make themselves known to the nuit. Her thin frame did not completely shrink back, her nails did not return to normal. Overall she was more gaunt looking than usual, even for her normally dead appearance. Her hair as well, though it shortened to just past her shoulders and took on its usual wavy forms it did not return to the auburn color. Instead it kept the ugly splotchy coloring of gray and black.

Flexing her long fingers, Evalin let such concerns fall to the back of her mind, a matter to be looked into at a later time when there was not business to attend to. Shifting her mask to place Evalin smiled a slow smile, raising one long fingered hand and showing her teeth, which she then realized were still filed to points, "Fear not good Dhani, the wailing is ceased for the moment by curiosity. Tell me, what is your name... and what are you doing so far from your next?"

Tsenrika floated to her other shoulder, a silent observer for the moment.

by **Xen** on April 4th, 2014, 1:27 am

Xen narrowed his eyes in suspicion, unsure of this cold bodied beings intent. He flicks his tongue, watching Evalin the entire time until he notices something strange. A cold spot was hovering over her shoulder. Xen had not noticed it before, it lingered too closely to her for him to see it clearly—their body temperatures were too alike. He narrowed his pupils and focused his sight, enabling him to see the world in colors. He could now perceive the shades of color and gaze upon the odd blue orb or coldness and ice.

“ I’am Kssssen but you can call me Jörí. This jungle is my hunting ground: where I look for prey. ”

The jungle was Xen’s home; he was raised along its boarders and grew strong while in its presence. The mighty and irrepressible constrictors strengthened his body and honed his spirit. The Myrian’s and wild beasts, as fierce as they were, kept him in-touch with his feral side, making the fires that fueled his soul explosive and savage by nature. Xen was a jungle viper, one of the few members of his kind that could survive in Falyndar. However, there was one question that was on Xen’s mind, what was this cold bodied person doing here?

Xen assumed her body was unable to withstand the cold and would become sluggish like his body when too cold. He wanted to believe his assumption but like all his assumptions…they were terribly wrong. Xen flicks his tail in the brush, something was crawling on it. He manages to flick the creature off and decides to coil his body, seeing that it was too risky to be bitten by something venomous out here. Xen reared-up his pearl white underbelly and lays on his body coils.

“ May I know your name? ”

by **Evalin** on April 4th, 2014, 7:43 pm

"Jori..." Evalin said softly, noting the downward turn of her voice and the slight rasping there in. It seemed there were consequences for this particular morph, ones that she would have to address at another time... For now she paced slowly to the side, her long nailed fingers absently playing along the bark of a tree that she passed, leaving a light gouge in the things hide, "An unusual name."

Tsenrika floated close to Evalin's side, always remaining over one shoulder, A most unfortunate inconvenience. None should know of what you do here. The child should die to preserve my Master's secrets.

The nuit pondered this as she continued her slow pace around Xen, her eyes looking the Dhani up and down as her hand continued to make lines in the bark of the trees, It is regrettable, but such may be unavoidable.

Grinning Evalin showed her sharpened teeth, her black tongue snaking out to wet her pale lips as she brushed back a strand of her black and gray hair behind one ear, "My name you ask..." She paused, folding her arms at her waist and tilting her head to the side, "What is there in a name for one such as I? Be it of no consequence, and perhaps it is best you ask not too many questions. Upon the knifes edge you now dance, though I suspect you know it not." She said this almost conversationally, as if they were simply talking about the water. Looking up Evailn grasped a branch that hung low overhead, plucking from it a single leaf which she twirled in her long fingers before continuing, "I am know by many things, and by nothing at all. I am she who exists yet does not live. I am the silence before the breaking storms. I am the whisper before death draws near..." The leaf in her hands slowly crumbled, small sparks of flame sending the green to scatter to the wind as nothing but ash, "Few who see me may speak of their ventures any longer."

Folding her arms over her chest Evalin's smile faded, her eyes filled with intent, "To you I am but a dream, a passing delusion of the mind. Or so it should be if you do value the life you live. Flee now from this place, and do not look back. Pray to your gods that we never meet again, for never has anyone seen me twice and left to speak of it."

She waved a dismissive hand, clearly intent to see Xen leave, her eyes not leaving him until he made a move to do so.

by **Xen** on April 5th, 2014, 2:17 am

“ All memorized: a blank scent, black tongue, pale lips and shape shifting. I’ll include how her presence feels and straightforward gaze.”

Xen thought

Xen listened closely to the orbs speech partner, memorizing every one of its words and how its physical presence felt to him. He took into consideration in how Evalin figured he had a nest and asked why he was this far away from it. Xen then knew if she was aware of the nest—the constrictors were aware of her, believing that they’ve probably noticed the things he did but were keeping their distance and with good reason. He remained facing forward, never allowing his composure or demeanor to change. Xen was aware of his minor skills in battle but he knew when someone or something was trying to intimidate him and whether they were human or not, he would not be perturbed.

All the training Xen underwent and battles he endured would mean nothing if he was intimidated by this and Xen knew it. He would dishonor his family, his ancestors would frown upon him and he would be unable to pass on, knowing that the gods were aware of such cowardice.

“This excessively long monologue has made her less creepy and more of a person who wants their secret kept hidden. Heh, she reminds me of Aka: except Aka doesn’t threaten folk while in their striking range and home turf.” Xen thought

Xen tightens the muscles throughout his body, hardening the coils beneath him. He leans his body backwards by only an inch and then lunges forward with extreme speed. Xen streamlines through the air and into the thick jungle vegetation. He slithers fast through the undergrowth and takes routes through the trees—where he could duck and weave through the openings of the trees in a serpentine fashion: a maneuver he was fond of. Xen would respect Evalin’s desire to keep her secret hidden and take her words with a grain of salt. However, regardless if she considered him to be just another foolish dhani, he’d make sure she’d rued the day she met him, if she disturbed his home.

“I managed to dodge another myrian arrow today it seems. Ha! That’s what I get for living the jungle life, it’ll kill me someday—all this danger I mean but this is how I know I’m truly alive!”

Xen dashed through the jungle with widened eyes and a mad grin on his face. A new kind enemy lurked in the jungle and he was lucky enough to meet it firsthand. The fires of passion began to blaze within his spirit. A series of tough training sessions would be born from this day, he’d have to fight and train harder, if he wanted to surpass this new threat and show all that when you try to step on a dhani’s tail, you get bitten and constricted. Xen disappears into the jungle with his heart set aflame!

by **Catastrophe** on April 17th, 2014, 8:41 pm

Xen :

Evalin :

Notes :

.

Completed Endowed With The Strangeness of Undeath [Evalin]