Standing on the shore with his arms full of scrolls and maps, staring at the road inland with his ears pinned close to his head, axe strapped to his back, and the ground unmoving below his feet. And for the first time in his life, despite knowing precisely where he was thanks to the stars… He had no idea where he was going. Mismatched eyes glanced once more over his shoulder to the shore, his footsteps leading up the beach and onto the scrubby slope to the path below him.
From here, he’d never be able to look back. His eyes shifted from the shore to the horizon, to the expanse of sea and sky that was only differentiated by the stars that flickered brightly in the inky sky. His heart clenched as he peered out across it. It wasn’t too late to go back to the ship, a small voice whispered in the back of his mind, insistent. Terrified of change, of the unknown path before him.
“I have to do this,” he said aloud, his voice almost scaring himself in the night, and he shook his head, a few stray strands falling into his face from unruly hair. Too many lives had been taken at his axe blade, for the things he did to help that ship afloat… Perhaps he did not lift his weapon for all of them, but this was the right thing to do, to recompense for all those lives he’d taken. And they’d not be completely lost, plenty of the crew knew how to navigate by shorelines or at least estimate location based on stars… He wasn’t leaving them with anything they couldn’t overcome.
D’avias didn’t turn and look back, the path winding before him along Thanalan’s shores. It was a hike to Ul’dah, and another long trip to Gridania, but the forest was the last place they’d think to look for him… No hesitation left, he pressed on.
Red stained the morning skies as Sunsgerel stood upon the shoreline. Worry wore at her expression as she grasped at the knot in her stomach. Lips were curled into a frown, leftover from the tears that still stained porcelain cheeks. She swallowed back the lump in her throat and knocked her head back. She startled a little when her head made contact with something other than air. Moonlight eyes snapped open to stare up at the source.
Tension bled from her immediate as Kaito made himself known. He took a hesitant step closer and she could feel his arms tremble as they wrapped around her. The lump may have been swallowed back but her throat still seemed to close up. Breath was pulled and held in her lungs and her gaze was cast towards the sands. He nigh pulled away but her arms rose to pin his to her before he had the chance. Lengthy tail flicked and curled around behind his ankles.
“I want to hate you,” came her voice, soft in the breeze. “I want to hate you so badly.”
“I know,” he reassured, his voice broken by the weight of her words.
“But I don’t,” she eventually added. “I don’t hate you for dragging me in. I don’t hate you for all the nights we spent together. I don’t hate you for all the ways you strung my heart along. I don’t hate you for making me love you. I don’t hate you for abandoning me when I needed you most. I don’t hate you for never being there when I needed you most. I don’t hate you for all the unreturned letters. I don’t. . . I don’t hate you.
“And that makes me wish I could more. You left, Kaito. You left knowing exactly what it would do to me and you didn’t care. Did you ever care? But I should have known better. I’ve always been convenient. I was convenient to Cary. I was convenient to Aurhik. It’s only fair I would be convenient for you. A convenient exit from Khit, from Pony, from responsibility, from hope. . . I gave you every secret, did they even matter? Probably not. I was another notch in your belt and I should have known better.
“I don’t hate you because the guilt falls upon me.”
Another shaky breath was pulled into her lungs and slowly she turned around to watch him. A broken whimper was choked out as she watched the tears roll freely down his cheek. A quiet, trembling hush was released from her lips as she reached up to him. Her thumbs brushed against his cheek and he took the opportunity to reach up and grab her wrist. His fingers held her hand to his face as he sunk his face into her touch.
“You are the exception,” he barely managed to whisper. “You were always the exception.”
“I don’t believe you,” she admitted freely. “I was never anyone’s exception, just their monster. And most run from monsters so how can I fault you? All you did was reveal my true nature. I should be thanking you for your honesty and your willingness to tolerate being around that which terrifies you.”
“It’s not you—. . .”
“—It’s not you, it’s me,” she mocked. “Yeah okay, been there, done that. Thanks.”
“I was afraid,” he stated, assured in his words, “but it wasn’t of you. It was of us. It was of me. It was of life. I couldn’t support me, let alone you. I forgot that we could support each other. Leaving was a mistake, my responsibility not yours, but I needed to make that mistake. I needed to forgo worship so that I could witness life without your blessings. I needed to see suns of grey to understand the beauty of color. I needed to witness a moonless sky. I needed to die without you so I could understand I was alive before.”
“What about me, Kaito? What about my needs? So soon you forget the heart that beats in your chest is mine.”
“I won’t forget again,” he vowed. “You’re the one person I can’t run from.”
“Your friends stopped by,” Ambrosia spoke idly as she dragged Hoshi up the stairs. “It was interesting to watch them. They made quite a mess. Though, I’ll make sure they pay for that later.”
Chou was tossed onto a bed and the master bedroom’s doors were slammed shut. Ambrosia released a little sigh and crossed her arms beneath her chest. Amethyst gaze focused on the disobedient mortal’s features. Lips popped before they formed into a disapproving frown.
“Not even going to ask how they didn’t find you? Boring. You’re starting to be more trouble than you’re worth.”
“You have what you want now, don’t you? So leave them alone.”
“Have what I want?” the queen burst into a fit of sarcastic laughter. “Oh, baby of mine, you have no idea what I want. Oh, yes, you are quite intricate, but you’re nothing truly exquisite. Oh, no, no, this has very little to do with you. You’re an item promised to me, and I do like when promises are kept, but this feud started before I even bothered to trace your little wings to Eorzea. Family is complicated, don’t you think?”
Chou dug her nails into the bed sheets beneath her to restraint trying to launch herself at the voidsent in front of her. In the back of her mind she began to calculate how much energy she had. The broken hand hardly helped in light of things. Ambrosia gave an amused little hum before she continued.
“Consider the generations of chosen bound to me, princess. Curious, don’t you think? How many of them do you think you’ve killed in your time fighting against me? See, that’s really just it. You were all only added peons to my army. It was only a matter of time before I got bored and just slaughtered the village for fodder but, I mean, at least this way I had generation and generations to steal from. I was, I am, a goddess. I will admit to being greedy, child, it’s in my nature. The Pearl certainly made my job a little easier by weakening my sister but they played a part in taking from me that which is mine. Evalynn stole my sister’s power from me. Evalynn, who is supposed to be dead. For that, the Pearl signed their lives away. They stand between Evalynn and I. They stood for Evalynn. It’s almost a shame, really.
"Oh, but don’t worry, I still fully intend to keep my promise to you. You’ll watch all your cute little friends die. I’ll save Maneshi for last, hmn? No, better yet, I’ll let you kill him. See, tomorrow night, you’re going to fulfill that promise your family made. I am going to start taking back that which belongs to me, baby of mine.”
Hoshichou had never been that mad. She was beyond livid. She screamed as she launched towards the succubus. Shadows wrapped around her and yanked her back to the bed. Chou continued to flail and scream as she struggled against the bonds. Ambrosia’s laughter made it all that much worse.
- Baby Mine, @kintsukuroi-memoir
‘Jane’ stood outside the manor with her arms crossed. Fingertips tapped an unheard beat on her biceps. Ebony lips were twisted into a thoughtful bud off to the side. Her tail flicked several times as she studied the large, locked doors. Her brows narrowed as her expression twisted, unconvinced by the seemingly silent manor. With a hum, Jane stretched her neck out from side-to-side and nodded to herself.
“Time for games, then.”
With a step forward, Jane lowered her hands towards the ground and grasped at the whispers of magick that coursed through the air. Darkness bled into her periwinkle gaze as the veins around her eyes went black. A low hum resonated in her throat. As she walked, her hands continued to rake slowly at the air. Shadows spilled out from the cracks in the cobble, loomed away from garden cages, and misted in a growing abyss around the witch’s hands.
The closer she got to the stairs, the more volatile the shadow magick became. It lashed out at the realm around her. Jane’s hands began to tremble as she fought against the gravity of her spellwork. Her jaw set firmly into place as she stepped up to the door. Chaos seemingly tore at the fabric of reality as she stood there. Opalescent glimmers shimmered and shattered as shadows lashed out and ripped at the air. The quirk of a smile curled on Jane’s lips.
Slowly, her hands dragged the darkness up against their will. With a solid glare at the door, Jane suddenly rolled her hands outwards and pressed at the realm around her. The abyss exploded out from her spot. It lashed at every glimmer until it had consumed the entire glamour. Jane stood in the center of its wake and lowered her hands. Before her, the manor was not so quiet. Its lock was broken and replaced with the Void’s seal.
“Disappointing.”
Further investigation took pause, however, as she listened to the oncoming arrival of another. Her attention snapped back to the gate and she cursed beneath her breath. With the flick of her wrist, a simplistic glamour spell was tossed over the door. Though not elaborate to wholly mask the manor from the darkness within, perhaps it would discourage a curious adventure, or silence any wandering child. With that, Jane darted around the manor’s bend and watched from afar.
Unexpected was the arrival of Basim’a Jinkjhal. A seeker-keeper she had known in a life’s past. Explicit orders were given to her by Evalynn not to intervene with Pearl’s operations. You work better alone, she reminded herself in Evalynn’s voice. Still, it was doubtful that the redhead noticed her, and if he was investigating the manor than maybe something important was within. She crouched down slowly and fished out a lollipop from her pocket.
Several minutes of observation passed before Jane started to grow bored with his meandering. Her brows creased and she tilted her head slightly when she overheard a linkpearl conversation. Who was he talking to? Arah? About. . . Hoshichou. Jane paled a shade (a feat, given she was albino), and she glanced towards the manor. If Ambrosia was within, and had her hands on Hoshichou, that could explain the glamour spell. With a hissed curse, Jane slinked out from her hiding spot.
Without being noticed, the Xaela settled herself down into the corner of the outer manor wall. A bouncy ball was drawn from her pouch and tossed idly from cobblestone to pillar, from pillar to cobblestone, before it returned to her hand and she repeated. The end of his linkpearl was listened to more closely until it came to an end. She hummed thoughtfully but hadn’t taken her gaze from the ball.
“Voidsent problems?”
That she could still startle him was a point of pride.
“Who the hells are you?” he asked quickly.
The bouncy ball was caught only to be hurled towards him.
Featuring: @themyriadmen (#aurhik, who never uses tumblr)
Scene: A glimpse between two conversations.
Read More: Click Me
Hosted By: @sea-wolf-coast-to-coast
“I could force you to stay forever.”
She could still hear his footsteps crash into the water as he walked away. She could still feel his shadows, wrapped around her throat, she could feel as they sunk into her skin, and she trembled as they sunk into her soul. This wasn’t what she wanted and she wasn’t what he wanted. Khenbish stumbled back until her spine met the cavern wall. One hand rose to her throat while she collapsed into the Twelveswood waters.
“This is my fault,” she whispered into the breeze. “This is my fault, this is my fault, this is my fault.”
Painted claws pierced at her skin as she dug down towards her artery. She choked on iron that flushed across her tongue. Fingers were yanked away and her brows creased in pain. The chill of nothingness chased away the shadows that lingered in the pain of his absence. Inky tentacles began to spread further up her skin, claiming porcelain in their wake. The abyss of her sclera began to bleed out into the veins around her eyes and into the color of her pupils.
But even her darkness ceased abruptly. Khenbish exhaled a shaky breath and shook her head a little. Tears began to roll freely down her cheeks and her tattoos receded. She knocked her head back against the cavern wall several times— until she was certain that she caused a bit of damage. Yet, despite the warmth and ache that bloomed in her skull, her mind still spun with blame. The first formations of ice began to twinkle in the river water.
You knew better.
You always brought out the worst in him.
You bring out the worst in everyone.
You’re the monster and yet you keep trying to blend in with everyone else.
You knew better.
“You’re right,” Khenbish whispered into the darkness. “You could try to bind me here forever, but, I won’t give you the chance.”
Quietly, Khen stood from the water. She turned to the earth behind her and wiped away her tears. Fingertips brushed through the blood that dripped down her throat. She swallowed thickly as she started to carve sigils into the realm around her. How close she had come to the spellwork’s completion when she heard the footfalls of another. With an abrupt gasp, Khenbish quickly rubbed away the old magicks and tucked herself into the darkness.
. . .But Aurhik had a knack for finding her in the shadows.
Dusk claimed the northern shoreline of Othard. In the distance, stars twinkled along the horizon and dotted cool-tone skies. Outside the sea-twisted yurt stood a rarity on the tribe grounds: an elezen woman. She had raven hair and was dressed in finery befitting a queen had the hems not been tattered. Her voice was dull — bored — a tone the woman within the yurt had heard before. Yet, despite her growing irritant, she hadn’t dared to step beyond sea silk curtains.
“Look, you don’t have to come out for me, but you should come out for them.”
Within the tent, the young Xaela sat upon a round plush bed. A pelt was drawn across her legs and she ran her fingers slowly through it. Pale eyes stared at the sandy ground beneath her feet. She had rolled up and shoved carpeted flooring off to the side. Scrawlings and runes were blended into the dirt, some half-destroyed and written over. The same writing continued on the walls as she inevitably ran out of space.
Memory hadn’t come back to her easily. It wasn’t the gentle whispers of the past. No, it was a sea that flooded her every moment, and how many times had she nearly drowned?
The insistent whining outside was the spark to a budding headache. Who was, ‘them’ and why should she care? They weren’t here! As soon as the retaliation budded in her mind, Khenbish brought a palm up to her eye and cringed. They couldn’t be here. They didn’t know. Her tail curled around her ankles and her right hand gripped firmly at the fur. A broken sob was swallowed back as she fought against making a noise. The memories were dizzying.
“Come on, child,” Evalynn pleaded from outside. “You cannot weather this alone. Please let me in.”
The hand covering her eye dropped back to her lap. Khenbish lifted her gaze to stare at the entryway. Her brows creased and her lips parted slightly. No sound came out as her attention drifted across the lettering all over her walls. Her brows creased and she tugged the fur up against her chest. With a few rapid shakes of her head, the Xaela quickly rolled back into the depths. She curled up beneath the blankets and began to sob.
Eva was about to drop to the sands with a sigh when the yurt’s anemone finally pulled its limbs from the entry. Purple eyes shot it an uncertain glare before she stepped into the shadows beyond its light. Once on the other side, the ‘door’ closed behind her, and she was left to stare at the walls in horror. How long had it been since she looked so terrified? Evalynn shook her head and moved cautiously to the Xaela’s side.
“I’m here, child,” she whispered. “I will always be here.”
Thanks so much to everyone that’s taken the time to read these, but also for supporting each other through the month and providing me with such great things to read.
Hello darkness, my old friend,
Come to claim my heart again,
Sing sad songs inside my head,
Tell my soul I’m better dead.
Sit and stay you always do,
Reminisce what we’ve been through,
Tell me I need a talking to,
Remind me my days are few.
Chant and echo inside my mind,
Whisper about all my lost time,
Of love long gone, of being left behind,
Speak damnations of all my crimes.
I’ll light one candle that you’ll snuff out,
You’ll leave me haunted by all my doubt,
But I will rise from this pain,
I’ll find the light and I’ll shine again.
Goodbye darkness, my old friend,
You came and claimed my heart again,
Sung sad songs inside my head,
But I know I’m better off alive than dead.
The door was bumped open louder and swung with a creak. The loud sound of something being dragged across the carpet was heard. Pluph's voice was recognizable but the red panda couldn't be seen until he rounded a pillar. A large bottle was being dragged by the ends as he tried to take it over to Gerel.
"Elh. . ."
Maneshi stared owlishly at the crimson furred trash panda. He'd... He'd done something nice? For someone who wasn't Hoshi? Shi's face blanked as he began questioning everything. Aurhik, for his part, smiled. A few rocks rose from Gerel's garden and floated over to the bottle, squirmed beneath it and helped to carry its weight.
Pluph relaxed a little when the burden was aided. He continued to bring the bottle over to the cuddled tetrad. It was released near the group. Gerel took the bottle and set it on her lower stomach. Then she grabbed the panda and snuggled him close.
"Thank you," she murmured with a kiss to his forehead; Pluph snuggled up against her.
Maneshi's jaw dropped open a fraction. Snuggles, too?! Who was he and what had he done with Pluph? Aurhik just pat-patted the familiar on the head.
"Should have taken Pup with me to help," Pluph grumbled. "It was heavy."
There was a slight rustle on the bed, where it was revealed that a good portion of the pillow pile Muka slept on was not, in fact, pillows. A fluffy white head lifted up at the sound of his name and Pup looked around the room lazily. Seeing nothing of concern he yawned and curled back up, retaking his place as a lizard nest.
"That overgrown lump is lazier than I am, how is that possible?"
"He's Aurhik's," Hoshi supplied.
Pluph scowled at Aurhik.
"He's still a puppy," Aurhik deflected. "They need a good bit of sleep as they grow."
"What's your excuse?" Gerel accused playfully.
"He is not a puppy, he is a fully grown wolf," Chou informed.
"I'm old," A classic defense, "and I wouldn't be so sure. Pup isn't quite finished growing yet, I don't think."
"So is Gerel and she does not sleep so much. . ."
"I think. . . that's a backhanded compliment."
Aurhik snickered. Maneshi seemed oddly comforted. Oh, good, Pluph could still be an ass.
Gerel pressed a kiss to the top of Pluph's forehead and handed him off to Chou. Chou squeezed him and mushed her cheek against the top of his head.
"I'm feeling better now," Gerel murmured.
Aurhik mimicked Gerel and touched his lips to her head, then looked over his shoulder into the crib. This was the closest he'd been to their son since he'd been born, and now that Gerel wasn't in so much pain he allowed himself a moment to stare.
"You should hold him," Gerel encouraged gently.
Aurhik seemed torn for a moment, but with Gerel's encouragement, he gently shifted his wife to Maneshi's lap and climbed to his feet. He stared down into the crib for a long, long moment, before he reached in with shaking hands. The infant was drawn to his chest and he sank back down with the others, tears streaming down his cheeks.
"Hello, little one..."
Gerel reached up and grabbed Maneshi's horns. He was dragged down to her and she mushed his face closer to her throat. She settled that way. Her feet rested in Chou's lap with her tail in Aurhik's. Chou set Pluph down and massaged her wife's feet. Gerel relaxed into her husband and watched Aurhik with her son. He nestled a little against his father's warmth and fell asleep.
"I was thinking about names," Gerel said quietly.
"Any ideas?" Shi asked softly; Aurhik was still too entranced to speak.
"Aurhik's mother was Chevelle," she informed, "it was one of the smaller rivers. His father's name was Reinhardt so. . ."
Aurhik's eyes glistened as they moved from the baby and over to Gerel. He was obviously touched she'd remembered.
"I was thinking maybe. . . Batugol Monsaran-Chevalier? Reinhardt means. . . brave counsel, strong decision, or fox? And, Batu means a loyal, faithful, devoted individual but it's made up of Bat which is strong and Batukhan is a strong ruler so it nods in various ways? And gol means river, to represent his mother. . ."
