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The Prologue, starring Danie, Esthaenie, and Adelram:
The mist wound thick around the meadow as Danielle Amora picked her way across, cloak dragging through the dew-hung grass. Her boots were soaked through, toes clenched against the chill that drifted across the way.
Ahead of her, Adelram stalked through the fog, feathered arms clasped in reverence.
“This is as far as I shall take you. Be wary and wise, Amora.” The kenku’s beak clicked as he spoke, silhouetted by the light of the moon. His simple brown robe draped in billows over his shoulders. Danielle liked the man: he was quiet, and honest, much unlike most kenku. Adelram was an excellent monk and guide.
“Thank you, Adelram,” Danie said, wrapping her cloak more tightly around her middle. She winced at the tremor in her voice. Adelram nodded solemnly and began to leave when he paused.
“Ms. Amora,” he said, raven-like head bowed, “if I may… why are you here? There is naught here but a meadow, last I heard.”
Danie’s ears turned pink. “Do you know the Oracle of Verineth?”
The kenku shrank back. Danie regretted her words, wincing under her mask of calm. She was a fool to tell him.
“You spoke to the Oracle himself?” Adelram said, half-terrified and half-reverent. Danie’s eyebrows quirked at the hint of awe in his tone. She straightened.
“Yes, I did. And he said to come to this meadow, outside Graywing City.” Danie crossed her arms, but doubt ate at her all the same.
Adelram, however, looked satisfied. “The Oracle is wise, and trustworthy, despite being a filth--”
Adelram’s eyes widened. He put a hand to his beak. “Amora, I did not mean to speak in that way. I hope you understand.”
Danielle nodded. “I get it. And I know what he is. I’m not afraid of them.” Her voice went just a bit too high on the last word.
Adelram nodded, casting his eyes down. “Until we meet again.”
Danielle gave him a weak smile. “So long.”
He vanished into the mist without a sound. Danie shivered.
She walked forward, eyes scanning for trouble, ears pricked for the sound of pursuers. She was a rogue. Rogues prepared for the worst.
There were no footprints on the ground. The wet earth sucked at her feet as she walked, caking her boots and dragging her backward. She grumbled under her breath.
She dragged her boot along the ground until she came to a toadstool. It was green, like her cloak and hair, and almost blended into the grass but for the pulsing glow that came from within the bulbous top. It was a flight fungus.
She stopped in the meadow and screamed in irritation.
“A flight fungus?” she called, “I walk for miles to get to the city, pay 30 diamonds to hire a guide, and I get a flight fungus?”
She swooped down and plucked it, eyes blazing in blind irritation. Flight fungi were common around Verineth, and almost completely useless. One bite meant fifteen seconds of flight, and only fifteen. They couldn’t even be useful enough to give more than one bite, either. They crumbled to powder after the first nibble. Danie growled and crumpled the stalk in her hand. There went the last of her money until she bartered or stole for a meal. There went three days of walking. By the gods, she had had enough of Oracles.
A thunderclap drowned out her screaming. She tensed, waiting for rain, but it never fell. An electrical storm. Perfect. She looked up to the sky, daring the lightning to hit her. It would be preferable to her current existence.
A flash of golden lightning illuminated the woman in the clouds. Danie stopped shouting, suddenly sobered by the sight.
The woman hovered, violet dress billowing against the clouds, curls of red hair scattering across her back. Two ivory wings curved against her back as she levitated in the clouds.
An angel? Danie watched in awe as the woman’s eyes fluttered open for a moment, deep gray-green eyes glazed with lightning’s glow.
The woman began to fall.
Danie’s breath caught. The woman pitched backward and fell, unconscious, skirts twirling in dizzying whorls. The flight fungus grew heavy in her hand.
Danie took a bite from the fungus and felt it crumble in her hand. She stepped off the ground and began flailing, trying to make it to the falling woman. Thirteen seconds left.
She picked up some speed, wind battering her face, and swept in under the falling woman. Danie wrapped her arms around the tall woman and tried to slow the descent, breath wheezing through her lungs, grasping for oxygen. Seven seconds left.
Danie slowed in the air and readjusted her grip on the winged elf. The woman curled against her. A strained sigh escaped Danie’s lips. She was safe.
The woman’s eyes fluttered open, bleary in the mist. She blinked twice and let out a ragged cough.
Danie’s vision faded for a moment. In her mind, she saw the dark, gaunt face of the Oracle of Verineth, laughing, the third eye stitched to his forehead glowing with scarlet light. She shuddered.
She snapped out of her reverie when the gorgeous woman screamed and punched her in the face.
submitted by Brookeira
(October 24, 2017 - 8:10 am)
(October 24, 2017 - 8:10 am)
Oh! Cool Fight scene!
(November 10, 2017 - 11:40 am)
Love the action!
(November 10, 2017 - 12:32 pm)
*Applauds along with Illaeara* This is awesome! Keep up the good work, Brooke!
(November 10, 2017 - 3:37 pm)
I will not let this thread go down!
(November 11, 2017 - 1:00 pm)
(November 12, 2017 - 3:06 pm)
(November 12, 2017 - 4:04 pm)
Who’s the man from Illaeara’s vision? And who’s this Shaiduyn guy?
Find out, Monday or Tuesday!
(November 12, 2017 - 7:11 pm)
Good!
(November 13, 2017 - 10:32 am)
Hey admins, where’s the new story part?
Hmmm...we published a new part this morning, November 13, at 9:28am. It should be at http://www.cricketmagkids.com/comment/node/345819
If it's showing up under the wrong thread you can try reposting it here.
-Admin
(November 13, 2017 - 12:13 pm)
“Don’t waste another healing on me, West.” Illaeara said as they hiked over the hill.
West turned to regard her, something strange in his eyes. “It wasn’t a waste.”
Silence stretched on. West cleared his throat.
“The party needs its wizard. We wouldn’t have been able to finish off the troll without you. Thanks.”
“You’re welcome.”
Westward walked rapidly to the front of the party, leaving her at the back with Danielle. Danie turned to her, one eyebrow raised.
“I thought the cleric was too righteous for friendship.” The rogue said, smirking.
Illaeara stiffened. “It’s not friendship. He just considers me a… valuable asset. To the team.”
Her eye-lights tinged blue. She forced them back into their neutral silver glow.
“Look, all I know is that if a troll hit me like that, he’d be ticked… but not enough to dive bomb a giant.”
“He’s just talented.” Illaeara said, straightening up.
“Alright.” Danie said.
Illaeara turned. “You’re agreeing?”
“Yeah. West is a talented guy. That’s what it is.”
“You aren’t going to argue?”
“Nope.”
“I’m glad we’re in agreement, then.” Illaeara said quickly. Danielle rolled her eyes and fell into step beside Esthaenie, whispering.
Illaeara turned to the front of the party. Her lip curled beneath the unnatural darkness of her mask.
Westward smiled like an idiot at Star, ruffling a hand through his smooth, icy-blonde hair. She wasn’t even looking at him; instead she helped Eris over a tree stump. Eris swatted at her. Making an angry mewling noise. Star let out a melodic giggle and continued, West still staring in awe.
Illaeara sighed. It wasn’t Star’s fault that she was utterly and completely gorgeous. Star’s hair floated like coils of black feather-down in the wind, layering over honey-brown shoulders and her vine-covered back. West reached out to take her hand. She stepped away to stroke the bark of a sapling. West stumbled. Illaeara let out a snort.
He whirled. “Something funny?”
“Nothing at all.” Illaeara said, folding her arms.
West turned around and stepped ahead. They had almost crested the hill. Star jumped up and down in glee as they came to the head of the valley.
“Welcome,” Star said, beaming, “to Vrinka-Wood!”
The sight took Illaeara’s breath away. A sea of gently fluttering leaves washed down before her, coating houses formed naturally from trees with no cutting involved. The trees had simply grown in the shapes of houses to fit the enigmatic wood elves’ needs. And from the trees hung ornaments, stones and crystals and knitted spiderwebs, all fluttering in the wind.
The chattering of woodland creatures became louder as the party walked toward the valley. A sparrow flew to Star and chirruped at her. She smiled and chirruped back. Esthaenie gave the sparrow a strange look as it flew off.
“Good news! I’ve told them of our arrival. The royal family will be arriving soon!” Star straightened her posture and bounced on her heels. Eris rolled her eyes.
“Hey, Esthaenie... “ Danie began. Esthaenie cocked her head before realizing what Danielle meant and threw the cloak over her wings. Westward straightened up as well. Illaeara hunched at the back.
There was silence and a rustling of wind in the clearing before the procession approached. A regal stag approached, alongside a tall and graceful doe. If their crowns of golden flowers were indicative of status, they were the High Druids, the rulers of the wood elves.
A few druid courtiers came, all songbirds and minks and mice, all gray cats and snowy owls and elegant, light creatures.
Except the last. Illaeara strained to look.
He hunched at the back of the party, perhaps embarrassed about his looks in comparison to the others. He was a small, dark fox, with coal eyes and a small dark nose. There was a speck of gold fur on his chest. He turned to her and their eyes met. She smiled at him, though he couldn’t see it. They were the dark ones. They didn’t match their companions.
The courtiers shifted back with grace. The High Druid and High Druidess smiled down at the group, golden flowers woven into their long hair. The High Druid had the beginnings of a beard, a rarity in elves. The courtiers behind them were dressed in the same vines and blossoms as the rulers, as they were all equal in nature’s eyes (if Illaeara remembered her lessons correctly) and yet the rulers were clearly the ones at the front.
The fox in the back hadn’t changed yet, but when he caught sight of Starflower, he barked and trotted over. She squealed with delight.
Shadows bent around him and he shifted, dark eyes burning into dark gold.
And he was the most handsome man Illaeara had ever seen.
His burnished eyes were set into smooth skin with high cheekbones, framed by short hair cropped just as it fell. He smiled and spun Star around, laughing with her, his ebony cloak spinning around them.
“How’s my little blossom?” he said.
“Cousin Shaiduyn! I missed you.” Star said.
So this was Shaiduyn. Illaeara stepped a bit closer to the front of the party to watch the tall, dark man, dressed so differently from the others.
She barely heard West as he introduced the party, nearly forgetting to bow when he indicated her. The High Druid was Anyamis, the High Druidess was Lorine, and courtiers with names, courtiers, courtiers of the druid-king she barley bothered to remember.
Shaiduyn approached each, shaking their hands. He shook a smiling Danielle’s hand, a twitchy Esthaenie, a reproachful Eris, and then stepped directly past West to take her hand.
His grip was strong as he took her hand and shook it, a smile on his face.
“The most enigmatic member of the party. I’m Shaiduyn.”
“Illaeara. Pleased to meet you.” she said, watching as his hair fell.
He took her hand and kissed it, his faint stubble grazing her hand.
“Your hands feel like those of a princess,” Shaiduyn said, smiling, “and I would now. I’m the Druid-Prince, aren’t I?”
Illaeara felt her eye-lights go pink. She caught Westward’s eye. He was furious. Why?
Illaeara began to curtsy. “No need, Princess Illaeara.” he joked.
She found herself reaching after him, a smile on her face, as he walked away. He stopped in front of Westward with a smile that didn’t reach his eyes.
With her hearing, Illaeara could make out what he said.
“Well? I believe this is the moment where you bow.”
Illaeara had to stop herself from snorting aloud.
—
Crypto said funk! Dance boy!
(November 13, 2017 - 12:49 pm)
Sooo good Brookeira! Sorry I haven’t been commenting but I have been reading, and I am in awe. You are one of the most fantastic writers! Keep it up!
(November 13, 2017 - 4:29 pm)
So this is Shaiduyn! This is becoming quite and interesting love... triangle? square? pentagon?
(November 13, 2017 - 5:57 pm)
A love... 4-pointed, 3-sided pyramid, otherwise known as a four-sided die.
We only post art submitted by way of the Art selection field.
Admin
(November 13, 2017 - 10:55 pm)
(November 14, 2017 - 8:37 am)
UVMIRH MVVWH ZM ZEZGZI
OLPR DZRGH YVBLMW GSV HGZIH
RG HVVNH GSZG DRAZIWH ZIV SRH ELTFV,
YFG DSL'W VEVI HFHKVXG Z DLOU RM Z ILTFV?
Clue: atbash cipher.
(November 14, 2017 - 8:40 am)