Less Traveled By

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Lira

Less Traveled By

Post by Lira »

OOC: We will finish this thread up over here, and then I will be pushing you two, or just Dun if Tab doesn't return, forward in time as soon as you get back from your trip, Dun. I will simply cut and past the last few responses here.

Lira
The bushes parted and the dog fled at Dun's sudden movement. Mite rolled nimbly at the bigger man's shove and came back to the balls of his feet, crouching as his hand flashed lighting-fast to the hilt of his knife. He went still, his eyes widening as Dun confronted . . . . nothing.

Or next to nothing. A small brown cat darted out of the shrubbery, pausing to meow at Dun in the highly offended tones only a cat can manage. It lowered its head and picked up a hunk of something pale and pink from the ground, then skulked away, glaring menacingly in the direction the dog had gone.

The still air slowly became still again, and nothing moved to draw Dun's attention to the spot the cat had come from; except for a few trailing spots of blood that scattered the earth at his feet.

Within the bushes was a body, dressed in simple, but sturdily made, peasant clothing. The pungent, damp smell of the foliage masked the stench of the decaying corpse, but as Dun neared it, the smell began to make itself known. The body was stiff, its pale skin slowly turning darker as sightless brown eyes stared in frozen surprise at the sky above. Hunks of flesh were missing from the exposed cheeks, hands, and arms. He - and it was a he - was still dressed, his purse at his side and two hunting knives at his belt. He could have been sleeping, but for the panicked expression, the stench, and the gaping knife hole in his chest.

Dun
Dun´s eyes widened in a mix of fear and surprize as he looked down upon the corpse. A million fears triggered in his mind as he pulled both bushes back together, concealing the body, returning it to its anonimity.

He reached down to the water and splashed some on his face, washing off his expression, hoping the others had not seen anything. "Get dressed and go!" - He said to Mite and Tab. - "Our host is waiting for us, we should not stay any longer."

Dun placed his blade once again over the rocks, but leaving it still at hand reach. "I will stay here for a few more minutes" - He added. - "I could use some time alone." - he reached for Mites clothes and offered them to him as he insisted that they should leave, hoping they would do so without question

Lira
"You're a bit off, aren't you?" Mite asked petulantly, rubbing his shoulder where Dun had shoved it. "Bit jumpy for a big'un like you." He grinned somewhat wanly, his own gaze still alert. He looked resentful, but slouched obediently away as he redressed, muttering under his breath that he wasn't a dog and shouldn't have to run when shooed. The rumbling of his stomach gave Dun the suspicion that the boy's obedience was more hunger related than anything else.

The body, not surprisingly, stayed where it was. Now that the stench had been noticed, it seemed to grow stronger. The quiet of the glade had returned, and with it a faint sense of danger that might well have been imagined, or perhaps not.

Dun
Dun waited in silence as both Tab and MIte leaved the place. He followed them carefully with his eyes untill he was sure they were heading now towards the ladys house. Seeing as he was finally alone, he decided it was time to break the silence.

He stood up quickly, and with that same speed he dressed up, placing his weapons once again by his belt. He pushed the bushes to the side once again. The body was still there of course, no way it could have moved by its own, but for no other reason other than pure paranoia he was surprised seeing it still there, just as he had left it. He closed on towards it, covering his mouth and nose with his hand, not able to help but to look aside as he aproached it, by so many obvious reasons.

He took a knee at its side as he examined it fully with his eyes. Trying to use all his little knowledge in healing and medicine, he tried to find out as much as he could about the poor man. The voice of his mother came to his memories as he dug out such knowledge, growing with it a smlie on his face that not even the stench could force to go away.


(OOC: Hey, came back for ONE day, so I made a post. I doint think I will be back now untill march. See ya when I come back!)
Lira

The nameless man

Post by Lira »

Dun could tell from the man's dress that he was common born. His hands were worn from work, old burn scars marked his wrists and hands where they could be seen. He was powerfully built and in his late middle years. His arms were massively muscled, leaving Dun with the impression of a blacksmith, perhaps.

The man had been dead for some time, most likely a few days. The knife wound in his chest was deep and wide, as if someone had thrust the knife home more than once, or turned it once the blade had sunk home.

Nothing had been stripped. The man still wore a knife on his belt, and purse with 2 Crown and a handful of smaller coins inside. He lay on a rumpled backpack, which held several suits of clothes, travel rations, and a few other everyday items.

After some careful examination, Dun came across a knife on the ground. Its blade was coated with blood, and a bloody handprint was on the hilt. It looked as if the big man had pulled it out himself, just before he'd died. The knife was well made and expensive looking. And engraved on the hilt in a rather pretty silver design was a spider's web, with a black spider sitting menacingly in the center.
Dun

Post by Dun »

Dun froze before the dagger. For a long while he stayed there, unable to move, unable to speak. As he contemplated the dagger he finally realized: We can´t escape...

So far had they travelled, so many miles down the empty roads and his enemies were always one step before them. He was trapped, and he had dragged one innocent person after the other with him, and with that thought, fear only increased. The image of Niccione came to him, followed by images of Tab and Mite, one after the other falling into shadow.

But, it was for those very people that he could not lose hope now. After all... - He thought to himself - I already faced them once and survived, I can do it again. He grinned as his usual confidence returned to him. Laughing, he cursed his moment of weakness and thanked his friends were not around to see him. He got once again on his feet and grabbed the dagger and the nameless man´s purse.

"This will come in handy. I will see that you are buried properly in return for this old man" - He said before turning around and running down to the old lady´s place as fast as he could

OOC: Ok, if the character sheets are up, could you please take note of the dagger? I think I will start a collection of dark spiders weapons hehehe
Last edited by Dun on Thu Feb 27, 2003 4:06 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Lira

Dinner's Served

Post by Lira »

Dun returned the humble house to find the old woman busily dishing out food. She gestured for Tab and Dun to come inside. Mite was already there. He sat stiffly on a low stool beside a rough wooden table, his eyes following the food as the woman and her son carried it to the table. He looked at Dun as the man entered and studied him for a moment, then smiled and turned back to the food.

The woman gestured for them to sit, pushing a strand of graying hair behind her ear with one red hand as she looked carefully at the three of them. She pursed her lips thoughtfully, then turned to her son. "Tell yer sister to brings herself to dinner."

His eyes widened. "But mo-"

"No buts. It will be alright."

He looked uncertain, but obediantly left the room. The house was small, and it was only a moment before her returned again, a very small blonde girl at his side. Her long blonde hair was almost white, making her look a bit like a tiny old woman. She clutched her brother's hand and stared straight ahead with milky white eyes. Her brother touched her shoulder gently. "'Nessa, we have visitors."

The blind child smiled. "I know. I saw them last night and last week, and again three nights before. They were older then." She tilted her head. "But there's three isn't there? There should be two."

"'Nessa, go back wit' yer brother and wash your hands. Then come eat."

"I'm not hungry. I ate a wolf earlier."

"Eat anyway. Wolfs isn't lastin' food anyway." The child smiled at her mother's answer and let herself be pulled to the porch and the washbowl there. The old woman looked at her three visitors. "'Nessa is . . . .different. Some say touched, some say cursed. Most people don't like to be around her. We're not welcome in most cities. It's why we're still here, though the boy thinks its just 'cause I'm too old and stubborn to leave. 'Nessa sees more than she should. People don't like hearing the truth."

She fell silent for a moment as her children returned. Then put on a broad and false smile. "Right then. Best food in the village - even when there's other people here." She sat down to eat, telling the rest to do the same. The food WAS good. Small pieces of a roasted chicken amid heaping servings of potatoes and greens. Mite ate like he hadn't seen food for a decade, wolfing down three servings before the old woman cut him off. 'Nessa picked delicately at her food, hardly eating despite her mother's scolding.

In between peckish bites, the child turned her unnerving sightless eyes toward Dun. Her nostrils were flared a bit and she seemed to breath him in. "You smell like blood and dead things. Mr. Henry smelled like that, before he went away and lay down to sleep."

OOC: They're not up yet. :) But I'll make note of it when they are Dunny.
Last edited by Lira on Thu Feb 27, 2003 7:53 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Dun

Post by Dun »

Dun, who had barely touched his own food, choked on the one bite he had had as the girl looked at him with her sightless eyes. He stared back at them with his own filled with a mix of fear and surprise that, had the girl been able to see, Dun knew she would have noticed right away. That is, if it wasnt for the fact that, deep down, Dun felt that she had already seen inside his very soul

Dun was a prisioner in the girls eyes. Only the lack of air that followed the meat down his throat was able to pull him back to reality, to which he crash landed. With a powerfull bash at the table he grabbed his throat and loudly coughed till his throat was clean once more. Breathing with effort he raised the hand from his neck as to show he was fine.

Once everything had cooled down he looked back at Nessa with a fragile smile and said

"What makes you say such a thing young girl?"



OOC: Ok, now I must admit, once I saw your post the first thing that came to my head was: Ok, this beats me! And afterwards I kept feeling like a newbie, so if this post is simply BAD, then feel free to tell me, honest
Lira

Post by Lira »

The girl's mother sucked in a quick breath and looked at 'Nessa. "Hush, 'Nessa. Eat your food." She looked at the still somewhat breathless Dun. "You alright?"

The girl smiled somewhat absently and reached out a hand toward Dun. With unerring accuracy she found his arm and tugged at his sleeve a moment until she pulled his hand close enough to touch. Tiny fingers traced the back of his fingers as if looking for something. "I'm sorry I made you cough. Did you forget to chew? I do that. It takes such time. I wish my teeth were bigger, and I could chop food in one bite." She tugged at his hand again, trying to get it to flip over. "I can't see, you know." She told him bluntly. "But I smell good. I smell the wind and taste the air. Mama tastes like time and home. You taste like distance and wanting and smell like something dead." She grinned suddenly. "And a little bit like cherries. Do you have any cherries?"

"He don't smell bad Nessa. He's taken a bath more than you have." The brother frowned at his mother. "Come on Nessa, you're done. You shouldn't be out here."

"Leave her be! She don't need to be locked away!" The old woman's voice was fierce.

'Nessa flinched a bit. "I'm sorry." She murmured. She dropped Tab's hand and seemed to drift away, milky eyes fixing on the wall opposite her as she hummed a bit in the back of her throat.

OOC: Dun, don't worry if you don't always know where I'm taking you. :) You're post was fine. Sometimes, all you need is something simple, and you know you write very well.
Last edited by Lira on Fri Feb 28, 2003 4:53 am, edited 1 time in total.
Dun

Post by Dun »

Dun, acting as if there was no other person in the room, not hearing anyone as they argued around him, just reached for the girls hand, holding it in his own. His other hand slowly reached for the small purse hanging from his neck, gently surrounding it with his fingers, as if trying to reach through the leather, the small feather kept inside.

"Wait" - He asked - "Go on, please... What else do you know... Tell me about Mr. Henry"
Last edited by Dun on Sat Mar 01, 2003 3:01 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Lira

Post by Lira »

Mite rolled his eyes a bit and leaned in to Dun. "She's just off. Don't pay no attention. We had one like that in Roque. Called her Babblin' Brinda. Used to see snakes in her tea all the time." He shoved anothe bite in his mouth and grinned around it, displaying more half-chewed food than was attractive.

'Nessa tilted her head. "He fixed wagons and horses' feet when they stepped badly and went 'clink clink' on the stones by the river. And then he went away. I told him not to go, but I'm not supposed to say such things. 'Better seen than heard, the old man used to say'. He was mean. I pulled out his tongue and ate it, so it wouldn't say such nasty things anymore."

"'Nessa, you did no such thing. Enough of your stories." The old woman sighed and looked at Dun, and suddenly she looked 20 years older than she ought. "Just don't ask questions, stranger. No one can make sense of it, and even if you did, it wouldn't help." She leaned back against her chair and folded her plump arms over her chest. "Henry was our blacksmith. Made his living mostly doing wagons, and the odd shoeing job. With the way things have been . . . . well he went and moved out, along with everyone else. He's a good man, though a bit tight with his coin." She looked to her small daughter and smiled sadly. "Alright 'Nessa, you're done. Why don't you go out back with your brother and have a few of those wild strawberries he picked?" She cast an eye toward Mite and nodded. "You can go as well, we've enough of them."

'Nessa cast a last look at Dun and smiled faintly, the expression far older than she was. "Careful of the stories you let yourself dream." She let her brother pull her away, Mite at their heels.

Her mother looked between Tab and dun carefully. "'Nessa sees things. Sometimes, they wake her up screaming. Most of the time, we can't make heads o' tails of it. People have tried ta talk ta her 'bout it in the past, try to get her to help them. It never works. I'm not goin' ta tell you not to try. But . . . . she doesn't know what's real and what's not. So don't be expectin' too much."

OOC: Sorry, I missed a day. :( Got busy with stuff.
Dun

Post by Dun »

While events passed by in the small room one after the other, Dun waited away from them in total silence, with his mind working as fast as it could, making out what he could from what he could see, hear and feel in every word and gesture, specially in Nessa´s last sentence, and her mother as she tried to make reason out of her daughters curse

As it all ended, Dun finally came out of his mind, and standing up from his seat he looked at the woman and Tab

"Well, I dont know how much of what she knows is in fact real, but I guess this is..." - He said with a grim look on his face as he grabbed the purse and placed it on the table.

"And I guess, that the corpse from which I got it has to be real too, and so must be this dagger" - He added, and with a powerfull blow he nailed the dagger to the table, letting the dark spider on its handle glitter with the light of the room.

"Now, I dont know what is going on here, but if Nessa cant give me an answer, then I have to ask you to give me one: What is going on in this place?!" - He finally said, giving Tab a quick look, knowing that he was know thinking exactly what he had back in the streams


OOC: No prob
Last edited by Dun on Sun Mar 02, 2003 7:34 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Lira

Post by Lira »

She sighed heavily and looked at the knife he'd produced with a frown that seemed more for the new hole in the table than for the weapon. "I've no idea what that is." She snapped, then her brow furrowed. "Corpse?" She reached out a hand and lifted the purse. She looked at it, hefting it's weight in her hand. "Henry? That's why you asked 'Nessa about him, wasn't it?"

She glanced toward where the young ones had gone and leaned forward. "It's not just this town - it's everywhere. Orc armies are on the move, raiding parties sweeping through villages like a plague. People flee, too scared to stay, head for Roque or King's Court, but don't do them no good. My boy's found a few bodies pieced around too. Dead with all there clothes and things on 'em. Only thing we ever found was blood." She gestured toward the knife. "don't look much like an Orc weapon, does it?" She looked between the two of them for a moment, studying them. "I never seen that spider before, but you have, haven't ya?"
Dun

Post by Dun »

Dun dropped on his seat once more. Everything was going from bad to worse for them all now. "As the old frase goes: From the frypan to the fire" He though with a sigh. A lot of questions jumped up to Duns mouth, trying to go out all at the same time. For a while Dun could do nothing but untie his tongue. It took him an ebarrasing while, but finally, with somewhat of a confused look on his face, one question did come out

"How can you still be here then? Why havent you left to some city? There has to be a place where you can live, where Nessa does not inspire fear!"

In part, Dun was just curious on how this family had survived so far with all the fears the woman described lurking everywhere, but mostly, he hoped he could turn aside the topic about the spiders to the last minute. He did not dare drop the real meaning of the knife to the poor woman
Last edited by Dun on Mon Mar 03, 2003 12:02 am, edited 1 time in total.
Lira

Post by Lira »

"Like I said, we find the ones that leave. They don't make it far. We could find a place - though it's not so easy as all that. My own sister threw 'Nessa out of her house and never let her back in, because she told her she would miscarry her third little one, and then she did. We stay here because better here, alive and scared, then travelin' somewhere and dying on the way." She shrugged. "We heard of the Orc raids - isn't a village in the Western Kingdom that hasn't. But you ask me, this is different. Orcs came in and took out those villages all at once. This is slow. Like they bleeding us away drop by drop for some reason." She crossed her arms over her ample chest. "We stay close by, we haven't had no trouble. Not a lick of it. Everyone else was the same way. Trouble didn't start till they started leaving."

"Now what's so special about that knife that you need to make holes in my table, eh?" She glared. "And don't think to gets away without answering, neither. I know boys, and you ain't much older than one. No dancin' away from me when I wanna know somethin'."
Dun

Post by Dun »

"By your words ma'am, Im young, but Im no boy. This dagger belongs to a guild of thieves back in Kings Court. They call themselves the dark spiders. Seems that they have been around for a while, the body I pulled this dagger out from had more than a couple of days so far."

Dun pulled out the dagger from the table and rub his thumb over the hole he had made. "The money in that purse should be enough to fix this" - He said - "I dont think Mr. Henry will need it anymore"

Thinking that his words had calmed the topic about the spiders for a while he leaned back on his chair as he pushed away the remaining food in front of him

"Well, I guess, if you have made it through all this time, then you must know what you are doing."

"If you dont mind me asking. How long has Nessa been like this?"
Lira

Post by Lira »

"'Nessa was born much as she is now. She was silent as a babe - didn't speak a word till she was almost four, and then it was full sentences. Never cried. Before she spoke, most thought she was slow of mind." A flash of pained guilt in the woman's eyes told Dun and Tab that she herself had thought that of her only daughter as well. "Then . . . . she weren't slow at all, she was just odd. She said things a'fore they happened, and talked about things that didn't exist, or that we couldn't undertstand."

"I can figure out my daughter better than most. But lately, she's grown worse I think. Maybe it's the death, or the lonliness, but she speaks less, and is less understandable than she ever was. The few times we understand her, it has some grim meaning we can only figure out too late. The Resdins left about two weeks ago for Roque - they were good friends of ours. A young couple, both born and raised in this village. 'Nessa came out to say goodbye and bit Nanci on the finger. Said someting about 'Looking for warm blood'. They left, angry. We found 'em dead the next week. 'Nessa was with me - we were picking berries. She said the blood was cold now."

She hesitated. "'Lad, why would there be thieves round here? There's not enough money to make it worth their while, and Mr. Henry's purse was still fat when you found him."
Dun

Post by Dun »

"I dont know" - Inmediatly lied Dun - "But they have been here for some days now, and if they havent attacked this, the only remaining house in the village, then Im sure that some plan they must have"

Dun decided that should he lie or not, those people were now part of his curse now, and there was nothing they could do. Better to leave them in ignorance of what is heading towards them if they cant stop it.

Besides - Thought Dun - Most of what I had said is true anyway

"Well, I guess we should go to bed now. Its late, we are tired beyond your imagination, and there is more road to travel tomorrow"
Last edited by Dun on Thu Mar 06, 2003 3:41 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Lira

Boys Will Be . . . . Pests

Post by Lira »

The woman nodded and hesitated a moment. "You seem good enough lads. If you want, you can stay here. We've extra bedrolls. If not, there's likely pallets and beds to be found in the house next door, though it's not been aired out in a few weeks."

She stopped on the verge of saying something when they heard the pounding of small, running feet. 'Nessa burst back into the room. Her pink mouth was ringed with berry juice and pulled up into a grin. She ran quickly and sure-footedly, avoiding everything in her path without seeing it. "Slipped my leash, Mama. Boys outside with fists and fury, by the trees where squirrels can hear but Mama and men can't." She stood for a moment as silence filled the room, then did an impatient half skipping step. "They're FIGHTING." She told them, obviously exhasperated with the thick-headedness of adults.

She rose instantly. "Oh by the One. Can't leave that boy alone for half a minute without trouble." She gave Dun and half glare, half smile. "Come and claim yours then too."

She hurried outside, grabbing the latern on the porch. In the dark, near a small copse of trees, Mite and her son were glaring at one another, slowly circling with the grace of gawky young boys who really don't know how to fight, but think they do. Mite was already nursing a split lip, and the local boy seemed to have a puffy right cheek and the beginnings of a lovely black eye. "Alann Grillock you stop that RIGHT NOW!!" The woman hollered, hands at her hips.

The boy instantly stopped, unfortunately before noticing that Mite had already taken another swing. The blonde boys fist connected with his nose and he fell back, letting out a surprised moan. Alann's mother huffed and stepped forward. With a mother's expertise, she took each boy by and ear as they both complained about the pain. "WHAT is going on here?"

Alann licked the blood from his nose and glared resentfully. "Bit of city-trash tried to pick my pocket!"

"Aye, and what was I picking for, lint and hayseeds?" Mite yelled shrilly back.

"Shut up, both of you!" The woman looked at Mite. "Is that true? Did you try to pick his pockets?"

Mite folded his arms over his chest and sulked. "I dunno." He looked at Dun apprehensivly. "It was . .. an accident."
Dun

Post by Dun »

Dun walked up to Mite, laughing inside as he remembered again and again what the lady had said."Come and claim yours then too." But as he realized what the kid had done all signs of laughter faded quickly and were replaced by crossed arms and an obviously not happy face. He asked the woman to let go of him as he placed his own hand over the kids shoulders

"Well Mite, no matter how it happened, if you took something, then return it, if not, then at least apologize"
Last edited by Dun on Sun Mar 09, 2003 5:35 am, edited 3 times in total.
Lira

Post by Lira »

Mite looked mutinous. "Like you're one to stand on morals and laws. Last I heard, you was in worse shape than me." He sighed and reached into his pouch, removing two coins and a small ring. "Fine then. Here." He didn't apologize.

Alann glared and took back his scant belongings. "Now get in the house." He obeyed his mother sulkily. The old woman stood looking at Mite a moment. "Hard life breeds hard children." She told Dun quietly. Her voice resumed its briskness. "Right then, lad. You keep your hands to yourself while you're in Etta's house, or you'll find yourself missing one. Got that? I don't have enough to spare it on thieving hands." Etta put her hands on her hips and sighed heavily as Mite nodded and ambled back toward the porch. "Can't blame 'em, when they're raised that way. He's a city boy, yes? Out of Roque? I know the type. They wander through here every so often, running from something." She looked at Dun. "Well, it's bed for us then. Alann will get you bedrolls if yous tay here. If not, pick an empty house. come see me in the morn, I'll make you up somethin' to break your fast."
Dun

Post by Dun »

Dun ignored Mites reply even when it still was quite a heavy blow to his honor, but laughed inside at Etta´s powerfull order, only because it reminded him of his own mother when he was a kid, and he hadnt thought of her for quite a while.

Dun asked Etta to give Mite a bedroll so that he could sleep with them, but decided to sleep on another house himself, leaving the open choise to Tab, after all, he was no kid.

"I think the kid could use some time whit little ones like him. Even more now that they seem to have become such good friends!" - He laughed out loud at that last sentence and then aproached Etta once the young kids where gone - "Im sorry for all this" - He said to her - "If there is any problems, you tell me. That kid has had a rough childhood and can be a bit hard to control, but deep down he´s a good kid"

He waited in silence for a response, waiting specially for a time when he could talk to Tab without any ears around besides their own. More things troubled Duns mind besides Mite´s pickpocketing habbits


(OOC: SOrry for not posting lately, internet died in my house, posting from a cybercafé here! Should have the net up soon)
Lira

Post by Lira »

Etta smiled at Dun. The expression took a few years off her face and hinted at the beauty that time and hardship had stolen from her. She obviously didn't smile like that very often anymore. "I'll keep an eye on the lad. I don't sleep much, most nights." Her eyes wandered toward the porch where 'Nessa stood. Her white eyes seemed to catch the frail moonlight and reflect it, making her a tiny, eerie figure in the night. The child had her head tilted to the side, small fingers twisting and twining around one another in a strangely nervous habit. "Come back if ya need anything. I wake easy enough."

The woman headed into the small house, hustling Mite and 'Nessa with her. The girl lingered a moment, somehow dancing out of her mother's reach without seeing it. She was frowning and there was an expression on her face that seemed fearful. "He won't mean it. They never do. Sheep in wolf's clothing, you know." She smiled suddenly, the change as sudden and complete as a sunrise. "Baaa!" She turned and skipped back into the house with her mother, leaving Tab and Dun to their own devices.

OOC: It's fine. I figured you had left. :) I've seen Tab around on the boards, but he hasn't posted. :( I PM'ed him, but didn't get a response. Hopefully he'll come join us again. You can take yourself to a house - don't worry about waiting for me to describe it. Small and shack like, typical small-village place - whenever you're ready. I'm going to hang here just a bit and see if Tab comes over before we move on.
Dun

Post by Dun »

Deciding it was best to stay away from both Etta and her children, and also Mite, just in case the spiders felt like attacking them once again in the middle of the night, he leaded Tab to some house nearby.

He explained to Tab, everything that had happened to full detail, including his reasons to decline on Etta´s offer for shelter, but kept his uncertain interest for Nessa to himself, and it was on that that he kept his mind fixed for the rest of the night.

There was something about Nessa, something more than what her mother and brother belived, he knew it. Eventually, as he twirled around that idea, he fell into an uneasy dream.

(OOC: Ok, im back and on regular basis)
Lira

Post by Lira »

The stale smell of the empty cabin permeated Dun's dreams, wafting through and filling him with feelings of abandonment, loneliness, and emptiness. It was dark in his dreams tonight, an endless black sea of shifting shadows that seemed to slide along his limbs like snakeskin.

And then there was light. It was sudden and piercing and the shadows backed gracefully away, yielding the stage as dancers before the show's star. It burned at his eyes, but there was a freshness in the pain, making it welcome after the shadows.

One light became two, then three, then four. The first shone white as an old man's beard and felt warm and steady. The second flared in crimson and orange, wild and erratic as a storm-ridden sea, heat blazing from it as sharp and dangerous as it was warm and welcome. The third shimmered blue and fragile, the shadows pushing close to its frail luminescence; it was cool and gentle, a balm to his burning eyes and tired mind. The last smoldered in quiet green, its depths as icy cold as the seabed, it felt heavy and final and powerful to him.

And then there were shadows. The crowded in, weaving their way between the lights, never touching at him. And he felt their snake-slick skin against his own pushing, pulling, tugging, tearing. Their grip became unbearable, and he became certain. He had to choose. Choose a direction, or they would choose for him, and he would fall into the dark.

It was dream logic, dream reality. In the depths of a dream he was both utterly certain it was real, and fairly sure that he was locked in sleep. Still, he felt its urgency. Choose a light and follow its path, or fall to the dark.

OOC: Welcome back. :) We're just going to go forward here. I'll write Tab to the side when we get to a point where we need to, and he can rejoin us when he returns.
Dun

Post by Dun »

The lights danced around him in among the shadows. The darkness and the light twirled about as blinding kaleidoscope of oniric uncertainty. The flashes called out for him like the scorching faces of truth, as the shadows crawled up to him, offering and end to it all, an end to the struggle... to the indecision... to the fear.

The lights called him to escape the shadows, to choose a path, to save himself. But... was that... what he wanted to do? Niccione had said it once, what if he really had a death wish? What if that small voice on the back on his head that begged for him to let go and embrace the darkness was in fact his true self?

He could not take it. Light and darkness combined in his mind, from the zenith of his soul to the lowest depths of his madness, showing nothing but choises, options, paths. Nothing but overwhelming fates and one desicion to define them all.

Launched by his own frustrations he broke himself a gateway through the dreamed reality of his world, waking up in tears, with his hand around the feather on his neck, and an echoe in the dark that he kept trying to ignore... The sound of his own laughter.





OOC: More and more philosofical challenges for Dun! Ok, 2 can play the same game! (But I must admit... I love it all! Its so much fun to have a character succed when he is fighting himself) the only thing I fear is that Dun will end up having nightmares everynight and developing a Phobia to sleeping!
Last edited by Dun on Tue Mar 25, 2003 2:10 am, edited 1 time in total.
Lira

Post by Lira »

He awoke to a dark room and distant hum of insects outside. A candle flared inches from his face, and he looked into 'Nessa's pale face and white eyes. "In the dark, I sees better than you can. Wolves and sheep and blood. He doesn't mean it. No one does. They just fall in the web and dance for the spiders." She thrust the candle at his face then, the flame searing his cheek as she dropped it without warning. "Choices in the night, dreams that talk. White skin and black clothes. It might have been easier, you know." The light went out, and the pain vanished, and he felt a jolt of awareness.

And then he woke up. Again. His cheek burned with remembered pain, though he couldn't feel a wound. Faint traces of moonlit trickled through the small windows; the room was filled with the rhythmic sound of Tab's sleeping breathing. It felt real, this waking. But then, the last one had too. Perhaps this was just another waking dream.

In the faint light, Dun saw a slight figure. As his eyes adjusted, he realized it was Mite. The boy hovered over Tab, a look of deep concentration on his young face. And in his hand was a dagger, inches above the sleeping man's chest.
Dun

Post by Dun »

Dun´s eyes wandered in the faint moonlight as it danced over the blade, so much like his dream. Time seemed to stop, and everything felt like a simple picture of lights and shadows. Then Mite leaned closer over Tab and Dun realized that, dream or not, this was real, more real than ever before.

Time started to go again, and felt as if it was ncreasing speed with every second. Without wasting time, Dun jumped right over Mite, hoping to catch him by surprise. He tried to reach for the wrist that leaded to the hand where the dagger was. Turning him around from it and throwing him to the ground unarmed was the only thing that he could think of as the burst of paranoia and hate were pushed aside... For the moment.
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