A dream within a dream (Isaac)

Post by **Syrawenn** » Tue Feb 08, 2005 6:29 pm

Meanwhile Rackman brought them back to the -by now very familiar to Isaac- little wooden cottage. Ushering them inside the tall man closed the door behind them.

"The family won't be home for a while longer." He said, obviously not too sure about this new arrival. It had taken a full day before his wife's name had been revealed to Isaac. Nothing in the man suggested he was going to tell them anything about his precious loves under these new circumstances.

"Mio, do you need food, drinks?" Rackman gestured, trying to mimic his words to the strange creature that had such trouble with the human language. "You must understand...people here do not like strangeness. To them, you are strange. To me...you might be a gift...or a curse. I do not know yet. Please do not be angry with me for my doubts. If you are from the Ancient Ones, know that I have always tried to do my best, to believe. If you are not, forgive me my ramblings."

Shaking his head the man rummaged around on the few shelves and placed a hump of cheese and bread on the little table. He entrusted his guests with the knife to cut it, the gesture taking him some trouble as he eyed them both in turn, wondering if they were going to turn on him now.

"We must...I mean...it would be wise to have an idea of what to do if people come knocking on our door." Rackman tried carefully after a little while, not moving from his place. "They should not see Mio."

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Feb 08, 2005 8:22 pm

Mio turned to look briefly at Isaac when he spoke, turning back to push vegetation out of her path. She let his words circle in her head for a moment, finding that she could understand the question, but even if it had been asked in Elvish she would have had difficulty finding the answer. 'Before here...' she began carefully in common, raising her voice slightly so that Isaac could hear her, 'I come from... cave. Island in sea.' She frowned, unsure as to how much to give away, 'We, Anarie and I, we in ship... broken. Wrecked in sea.' A small jolt of grief ran through when she thought of her friend, and she clamped her lips together, refusing to say anymore until they reached their destination.

Mio hesitated before stepping into the house. Why had these people led her to their home? She turned to look at Isaac, trying to puzzle out what was happening, and then looked at Rackman. If she went inside, the only escape was the door, and that was not enough. However, she could feel the warmth from inside the house, and her physical needs prevailed over her fear. She stepped inside.

The taller man, Rackman, seemed anxious, even scared. Though of what Mio couldn't be sure. She tried hard to watch his lips carefully as he talked, but he was going too fast for her to understand and she could only catch the odd word here and there. She shook her head in confusion and turned to Isaac, her eyes questioning, looking for his help. She couldn't explain why she did this, but it seemed that the smaller man had better control over the situation, whatever the situation was. Perhaps it was kinship that led Mio to look for his assistance, as it had been such a while since she has seen one of her own kind.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Feb 08, 2005 11:10 pm

The sea?

As he went on he recalled the stories from his youth of unfortunate expeditions across the great expanse of waters ending in total disaster, of mariners stranded on rocks in the middle of nowhere, doomed to sit beneath ragged wilted trees, catching the odd seagull unawares and eating it raw before succumbing to exposure or drowning themselves in fits of despair amongst the colored reefs and exotic vegetation.

She could be lying. He smelled discreetly for a whiff of salt.

He wasn't taken aback by the distrust apparent in the manners of their host, having speculated now and then upon the man's tolerance for intrusive phenomena. Rackman's limits were the least of his worries. He left the other knife on the table for Mio to use, unsheathed his own and partook of the bread and cheese, serving himself substantial portions of each, chewing and swallowing quickly.

"I don't belong here either," he said to Mio. "I'm helping our friend Rackman to solve a problem, that is all. And once that is done with, I intend to go west. So, you could say I'm only passing through." He spoke in a flat tone, meeting her gaze at the end of each sentence and talking slowly. "West, toward the sea. Where you say you're from. Oh, you've managed to find a dark place, alright. This is the territory of Dominicus." Isaac had seen that his questions had pained her, and he would ask nothing more of her for the time being; would try to lay to rest, in fact, his interest in her origin altogether, until such time as she seemed willing to attempt its explanation.

But how in the Darkness did you come?! Why, for what reason? No sense, no sense!

He stood. "I should think we need a hiding place for the lady," he said. "Do you have any? If you don't think that'll do, then we've got to finish our work now- the sooner we're done, the sooner I'll be out of your hands. If you wish, I will go on my own. Tell me what to do- I'll fix the stones on my way out, but I don't want her to suffer as well. Why, I wouldn't be surprised if Hope was on his way now. Where else would he go? Everyone knows I'm staying here, and who else but me could have anything to do with thunder on a sunny day?"

Post by **Syrawenn** » Fri Feb 11, 2005 9:38 pm

"Caves in the sea...what forces are playing with us?" Rackman mumbled and got up from his chair. He looked out of the small window towards the familiar path.

The cheese and bread mingled with a slightly salty tang coming from Mio. It contrasted sharply with the sweet forest air permeating everything. Rackman looked at Isaac as he explained his own predicament to the strange girl. He shook his head, not saying another word until Isaac hit on their plans to lift the stone.

Keeping a watchful eye out the tall man's worried voice held determination despite everything: "Isaac, with Dreaming alone you will not lift the stones. I am glad you have decided to help, but it will not be possible like this. We must work together or end up in darkness. She was sent here, do you not see it? Just like you ended up here...there must be a reason. Ask here what happened before she came here. Ask her how she came here. The answers will help us in our quest, I am sure!"

Rackman turned away from the window. "The world has gone mad and I refuse to go with it this way. If we must hide, then let's hide. I cannot stay in hiding or they will make my family pay. But you can. Go into the woods to the north and find Abi. Ask the trees and the grass and you will find her. I had preferred to keep you here, Isaac, but you are right: your presence and our new honoured guest will be hard to explain to someone of the likes of Hope. Go. Please, go. We will meet at nightfall at the stone."

It was an unusually long speech for the thoughtful man. His face radiated his fears for their safety and everything beyond. "To the north...do not follow the west, no matter what you see. I will keep Hope here. Go, please."

Opening the door he stepped outside. "Nobody here yet."

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sat Feb 12, 2005 10:12 pm

Isaac was filled with a thin but sharpening sense of anger, stirred to it by something within Rackman's words, of which the gist aggravated greatly his fixed impulse to act in some cowardly way, limiting his capacity to provide his host with any but the least congenial of possible responses, and obstructing even his quick movement across the threshold.

He checked himself. He thought he had everything he needed. "A reason. Yes, I suppose so. Why not." He said to Mio: "Shall we be going then? I'll try and show you the way to the road, in case you wish not to follow me. Or, you can come along all the way." Then, to Rackman: "At nightfall then." It was in this disorderly manner that he stood there, looking about from place to place outside, his hand opening and closing around the walking stick.

He made to leave, awaiting Mio.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sun Feb 13, 2005 6:15 pm

Mio chewed hesitantly on the cheese and bread, wanting desperately to wolf it down as fast as she could; she was so hungry. But she was unsure of the proper etiquette to use around the new company, so she sufficed with nibbling eagerly on her crust, her stomach growling her onto greater endeavors.

She sat on a chair and watched the two men talk, her head turning to look at each one as they took their turn to speak, as if watching a ball game. Her hazel eyes widened as she caught the gist of what they where saying: they were in trouble. She swallowed a lump of dry bread and frowned. Would they include her in their trouble? Sighing, she rubbed one tired hand over her eyes and tried to think straight. Mio couldn't remember the last time she's had a good lengthy sleep, and it seemed to be catching up on her. She lifted her head as she was addressed. Isaac was inviting her to go with him.

Outside seemed so much more inviting than the house with one door. Mio made her decision as she stood: she would go along, purely out of curiosity more than anything. After all, Isaac might take her to a road, somewhere where she could find the others again. Mio walked to the door, had a thought, and turned back to Rackman, 'Thank you.' she said, 'For the bread and cheese.'

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sun Feb 13, 2005 11:06 pm

He left, took to the route remembered as leading toward the stone, stopping somewhere midway to orient himself, and looking across the terrain through numberless paths imagined to crisscross and terminate within dark caves or run on, ceaseless, loosing its travelers into the wilderness.

No paths here but what you've seen already. Don't go losing your head now.

He spoke to the elf, exhibiting fully his face, so that its expression, along with the occasional awkward flourish of his hands, might aid her in understanding his words. "Reason, he says. Imagine if that were true. Let me tell you," he said, looking into her eyes, "I've been sent by someone, that's a fact. Something like what's to blame for your being here. Now I'm to go and save a member of his family. A daughter. And, I cannot end it now, I've promised him I'd go and do so. You, though... you, what purpose is there to you? None I can think of, him neither. Why- I even think you're just, innocent- unlike myself. Innocent, that's what I think you are, looking at you. No, I wouldn't like that anybody so. You couldn't end up coming to harm. Unless that's what you want," he said. "There's conflict enough. No. If you wish, you can leave- I will take you now to the Abi he mentioned- she's a member of this village- and she'll no doubt be able to show you the quickest way off."

And what would the elvish be for 'disaster?'

"Unless you want to stick around. But tell me, if you can. If anything I've said has been more than just grumbles and grunts to you, tell me, who are you? More I mean," he said, "I've... never met an elf."

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Feb 14, 2005 3:43 pm

Mio walked in silence beside Isaac, her face clouded in thought. One hand swung absently over her sword hilt, as if to reassure herself of her own safety. For a few moments they walked in silence, with only the dull thuds of their own steps in the dirt, the birds their only company.

When Isaac talked, Mio, startled, lifted her head to look at him. She pushed herself to understand every word, and observed that he was trying to make it easier for her by speaking with his face and hands, as well as speech. Relief flooded through her as she listened, and she realised that, slowly, she was beginning to get used to understanding the Common tongue.

She was surprised at his curiosity to know who she was, and for a moment she hesitated, unsure what to do, before slowly nodding her head and picking her words carefully, 'My name is Lomiodien Waelith,' she said slowly so he could hear the name in it's proper form, 'I from.. Kisloven. Elvish island. It is... East, I think.' her eyes kept contact with his, willing him to understand her, 'I go to Dort, try to find collections.... No.' she shook her head, frustrated by her mistake, 'Connections.' she corrected, 'Grand.. mother? Once go there. I go to find.' She paused, anxiety welling up inside her as she strained for the right words, 'I meet Anarie. She is good... the word is ''friend'', I think?' Anxious Hazel eyes implored his approval, and she felt the familiar jolt of sadness in her stomach when she started talking about her friend, 'She is very good friend. We travel together on boat. Big storm hit us.' she gestured with her arms to emphasize her words, 'I fall over... over side with Gwiryan. Horse.' Again the jolt in her stomach, 'Almost drowning. Anarie save us. We stuck on island. Something happen... I do not know.' she shook her head, confused with memories, 'We get... moved. Taken by.... weather.' She frowned, angry with herself for her lack of descriptions. She floundered briefly, stopping to try to show Isaac what had happened. 'We sat down.' she explained, demonstrating, 'Big noise, nasty noise in sky. Flash of bright... bright...light.' She stood gesturing at the sky, 'Then boom! We are on boat.' She dropped her arms and looked desperately at the man in front of her. He had to understand. It was important that he understood that she was nothing special, just a victim of some undescribable force.

Sighing, she turned away from him, knowing how stupid she must look, having the language of a human child and trying to make him understand something even she couldn't. 'We go to cave.' she said softly, a few moments later, 'Lucas save me. I close my eyes...' she rubbed one hand frustratedly over her face, 'Same thing happen.' she said, turning on Isaac, the fear and anxiety evident on her face, 'I come here... from... from... nowhere! I do not know how! I cannot.. ex.. explain why!' Her distress was clear, and tears began to form in her eyes. She wiped them angrily away and advanced on Isaac. 'You are nice man.' she said, making it more of a statement than a question, 'You want to know why. You think I am... special? You say I am innocent, yes? No, I say I am guilty of... something! To be... thrown from here to there like... like...animal in cage!' Her gesturing arms dropped dejected to her sides, and she leant heavily against a tree, tears flowing freely down cheeks reddened with distress, her head bowed to try to hide her wild emotions from Isaac.

'I leave home young. Excitable...excited,' she said, so softly it was almost a whisper, 'I wanted to learn more, exper...experience more.' She lifted her head and looked at Isaac, defeat written all over her face, 'Now I have experience.' she said, 'I want no more. I am being...punished.' She wanted him to understand so badly it hurt, 'I want no more.'

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Feb 15, 2005 4:30 am

He had taken a step towards her in mimicry of the consolatory acts most clearly recalled with the sight of her tears, held out his hand but then withdrawn, narrowed his eyes and turned aside, not eager to offer physical comfort, nor versed well enough in its procedure, lacking a precise knowledge of the depth of her sadness or its severity, and so unsure of which lengths he must go.

Settled again few paces away, he fixed her with a look reflective of her own plaintive signals, its source genuine, and its appearance authentic, and spoke more softly, his hands now held unmoving at his sides.

"You needn't feel bad. Nothing you mention, none of those things, seem at all offensive, not to anybody I could imagine- they're not like crimes, or what gets a person condemned, not to anything like... this, which you so hate. There're helpful people about. I know. You shouldn't cry. Here, you'll recieve kindess, I'm sure, all the more than I have already, considering you're..." He considered. "You're not doomed, miss."

He sighed, at a loss for words. The few which came to mind he voiced in silence, moving his lips while he stared above the treeline, but deemed them inadequate. Nothing further would offer itself, no customary gesture felt at all appropriate. He looked at her again. "I'm sure, it will get no worse than this. Might even improve," he said, referring vaguely to their predicament. "You'll see, this is no cage. I'm convinced, there's little else that I can be, hearing you, that you're only a victim, if anything- and that, being so, well. I'm sure whatever treatment you recieve, will be that which you truly deserve- and I believe I am right, when I say you seem deserving of nothing but... It may in fact be fortunate, this turn. But what do I know? Hell, maybe it's all of us, we're all finished. Don't ask me. I've only so much to provide you, the others, myself with. I've begun and I'll finish, and by then- perhaps I'll have helped you too, if only a bit. It's what I will do, for you. If I can."

Post by **Syrawenn** » Tue Feb 15, 2005 7:38 pm

Leaves rustled around them, twigs cracked under their feet. Nothing suggested they were anything but alone.

The tree supported Mio's leaning, warming comfortably against her back.

Something shiny caught the filtered sunlight, reflecting it happily back through the undergrowth.

Words caught in the breeze reached the path they were following. Rackman's low voice was hard to catch, but the strong tone taken by another man was easier to follow. To Isaac it was a familiar voice, to Mio it might be the voice of a natural born leader, expecting to be obeyed.

"...Abigail...your guest..."

The wind played through the leaves again, drowning out the rest.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Thu Feb 17, 2005 1:11 am

He accepted calmly the voices while they came, his agitation at their own talk only rising slightly as he heard them, and gripped the staff more tightly rather by reflex than from fearful apprehension, turning toward the source and twisting his face, ready then to swiftly break the growing link and escape the fact of her tears as quickly as react to the sign of their pursuers. But what could he turn to for guidance, besides that absurd advice of Rackman's?

Ask the trees and the grass? he thought. The darkness that doubtless lay beyond the last marker in these woods, waiting to swallow whoever wandered too far, seemed as though recognizably concentrated in expectation of his choice, formed in the expression of a will not wholly benevolent. You're losing it. But in comparison with what barred the opposite way, these woods were welcoming. Their way was negotiable.

Is it? He lacked as of yet any force with which to deal, to ask literally as Rackman had suggested he do. You think he meant just that? Maybe he took greater stock in your skill as a traveler. You ought, with all your time spent off the cobbled path, to know better how to go about in the wilderness.

So thinking, he located north by its relation to the sun, and pointed himself there, envisioned again the face of the farther reaches beyond the known paths of the woods, and met it with his question.

Where is Abigail? he thought. Trees, grass, show me where she's gone to!

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Thu Feb 17, 2005 12:48 pm

Mio had lifted her head to stare at Isaac with tear stained eyes. She was aware that she had made him uncomfortable with her tears, and that in itself made her feel the same in empathy for him. She lifted a hand to wipe her face, feeling suddenly embarrassed and rather small. 'Thank you,' she said softly to Isaac. A small smile lit her face and she stepped away from the tree she had been leaning on, 'I am sorry.' she said awkwardly, 'I not usually do... this,' one hand gesture seemed to encompass everything that had happened in the past few flickers, 'to strangers. It is not fair of me to.. do so. I am sorry.' she repeated, hoping that Isaac did not thing too little of her after her unexpected outburst.

Her head snapped up in surprise at the sound of voices other than theirs. A rush of panic rippled through her and she automatically looked at Isaac for guidance, her hand hovering doubtfully over her sword hilt. However, Isaac did not seem perplexed by the new sound. Instead he seemed to become lost deep in thought, and Mio watched him, puzzled.

Post by **Syrawenn** » Fri Feb 18, 2005 5:49 pm

The wind picked up, rattling the branches of the trees surrounding the confused twosome. Bodiless voices joined the ones off in the distance. These voices were dancing around them, touching their clothes and brushing their hair. Both could hear the questions wrapped in the little dance.

Who are you? The wind queried.

Why do you seek her? The trees asked.

What do you offer? The grass rustled.

To Isaac's left a few branches parted, revealing a path made my the other forest inhabitants. Tracks betrayed the deer using this road from time to time.

A blackbird repeated the last song it heard and flew up, leaving silence behind when the wind died down as sudden as it had appeared.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sat Feb 19, 2005 6:54 am

He wondered how remote from the owners of these voices were his own cares, both for himself and for Mio, and of how little consequence to them were his intentions and purpose.

"I am Isaac," he said. "This is Mio. We are travelers. I wish to find Abigail, to save myself and my companion here. We'd seek shelter there with Abigail. And she in turn would help me with a task. And though I've no clue what may please you, I can't but think that a pledge never to harm you, in fact to assist you, however I can, in whatever you might need; that kind of pledge, the kind I'm offering- would serve, would it not? I don't know what else to give. But I'd do whatever you ask, if you'd guide me on."

If it wasn't for a reflexive trust in these woods, quite different from his apprehension of its aspect a moment ago, he would not have uttered the words. But the vision of that path opening before him, and the sounds coming from so many sources, instilled in him a kind of awe, in which he felt a degree of reverence toward this, their environment and possible savior. And he had the greatest faith then in the goodness of the place, and did believe that any order originating from it, or its denizens, could not run contrary to his own natural inclination, and that in pledging his service to the woods he was merely making but another promise to himself.

But he moved more closely to Mio for comfort, more than a little disconcerted by the process.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sun Feb 20, 2005 12:45 pm

The voices unnerved Mio completely. Her hand reached for her sword hilt and her body instinctively went into a defensive stance; Legs slightly bent, muscles taught and ready for movement. But her breathing came heavily, and the fear she felt almost overruled the bravado. At first she had shaken her head vigorously, sure that she was hearing the voices in her own head, but when it became apparent that Isaac too could hear them clearly, Mio was certain that some sort of Magick was taking place.

She had jumped when Isaac, as calm as a cool breeze, began to address the voices, and she watched him warily. Her eyes darted from one area to the next, watching for any movement that she might defend herself from. When Isaac moved closer to her she turned on him, her eyes wide with fear, 'What is this??' she demanded, her voice barely a whisper. She feared that speaking loudly would awake some hidden force within the woodland, and she did not understand magick in the slightest.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Feb 23, 2005 4:46 am

"I don't know," he said, "but I think they'll be willing to help us out." He looked attentively down the new way provided them, not certain that he should start down it immediately as he would like, but waiting for notification on the part of the land, afraid that moving in the absence of an answer to his plea would incur some dramatic form of punishment, such as impalement upon tree branches, or living burial within a sinkhole, imprisoned by thick roots. He was nonetheless appreciative of the responding powers, wherever they did ultimately stem from, and spared rather more thought in contemplation of its kindness than of its capacity for spite.

He decided to start off down the path, checking to see if Mio would follow. He spoke again to the woods. "Forgive me my haste, but there are hostile folks in pursuit of us."

OOC: Sorry about he brevity and lateness, I have a ton of schoolwork that's bogging me down. :cry:

Post by **Syrawenn** » Wed Feb 23, 2005 4:22 pm

ooc As I have stated before and will again without hesitation: do not worry yourself, Isaac

I'm glad you give us the heads up on your situation. Post at leisure. I'm sure we'll work it out.

IC
The leaves rustled their answer without words. It did not sound overly worrying, merely a sweet breeze playing with it's surroundings. A little light played through the branches to Isaac's left, right between the trees that had kindly bent their arms to show the hidden road.

The light danced up and down, a soft red glow emenating from whatever kind of firefly this was.

At the same time the grass bent towards the place Isaac had been facing a moment ago. A robin flew up through the undergrowth, making a lot of noise for such a small bird.

It was as if the entire place waited for them to make a move.
Any move.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Mar 02, 2005 12:12 am

Mio followed hesitantly behind Isaac, eyeing him warily as he continued to insist on addressing their surroundings as if they could understand. But then, it felt as though the whole place was...breathing, as if the vegetation was not only alive, but could comprehend everything that was happening. Mio sighed and shook her head wearily; better to go along with it now and question later. Better to try not to understand at all. All the same, one hand remained determinedly on her sword hilt, and her eyes darted automatically towards movement, her heart beating rhythms against her ribs. And yet her mind stayed calm.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sat Mar 05, 2005 5:40 am

The firefly seemed like the kind that he had glimpsed within his dreams, and which had guided him along, to another place of similar aspect, and of a sense of mystery just as deep, as that found here, amongst the leaves and the birds. The trust earlier touched upon, now came back again, together with the alluring prospect of its investment in the guiding light.

He went along without ever wholly letting the presence of Mio stray from his attention, within the midst of the surrounding details; he was cautious, and afraid that something should happen to her, the less-deserving of the two.

He was eager to arrive at whatever point the path should bring them to. It was with the same attitude of submission, which he had taken when walking those many marks through the wood from the single smashed cart in the dirt road, that he now plodded onwards, defensive and wary, aimed ever so straight as the way would allow, unflinching and yet expectant of harm, hoping to soon see shelter, and the Abigail whom they saught, waiting within and smiling with surprise and appreciation.

Post by **Syrawenn** » Thu Mar 10, 2005 9:50 pm

The robin perched on a branch in the north, chirping at the top of it's lungs as the strange twosome followed the little light to the other side.

The grass fell flat under a sudden gust of wind, following the direction Isaac had been facing when he spoke his elegant oath while the newly matched pair turned to the easy opening to the west.

Behind them the opening closed, impenetrable brambles saving them from being discovered by the nearing voices. The little firefly danced in front of them, following the path at a pace they could keep up. The singing birds were left behind, the silence augmenting the breaking growth under their feet.

Another kind of singing broke the eerie silence, followed by tinkling laughter. "Gold, gold....it's all gold!" The merry, soft voices repeated, their laughter echoing between the trees. A sweet glow illuminated the darker parts of the forest.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sat Mar 12, 2005 3:57 am

Gold? he echoed within, to better record as he could the sense of the remarkable, the nigh impossible occurance as it developed further. He repeated to himself the names of those supernatural creatures which he knew from Rackman's description of the woodlands' inhabitants, wondering which of them could belong to the owners of these latest voices; surely neither of the beings already described could produce that pleasant glow, or laugh with such an innocent sound, as he now saw and heard. Their effect was disorienting. He looked about, searching for their figures, and nearly lost track of the direction in which they were taken. Panic failed to set, however; its place at the fore of his consciousness was filled rather by an increasingly disruptive wonderment, before which his skepticism thinned, and then vanished, leaving his curiousity free to grow.

"Gold?" he said, still walking. "Who speaks of it? Whose light is that?"

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Mar 23, 2005 8:13 pm

ooc: I'm incredibly sorry for the delay I've caused here. I'm afraid coursework and revision has got the better of me, far more than I expected recently. I should be able to get back into more of a routine now, although I apologize again for the complete inconsistency.

ic: Mio felt she could just about handle being thrown about the cosmos like a ragdoll. Up to a point anyway. But talking vegetation?! The wariness she had felt before had intensified into complete confusion, and the distressed adhiel now turned to Isaac, her eyes displaying a varied mixture of emotions: anger, confusion, disbelief, and most of all: Fear.

'I would like,' she began calmly, her voice barely more than whisper, 'to know what is going on.' Her right hand was gripping her sword hilt hard enough to make the knuckles white. One lock of curly chestnut hair fell in front of her face. She ignored it. 'You talk to these....' she struggled to find the right word, '..these things like they are us.' She turned away and gestured wildly at her surroundings, 'The trees, the grass, the sky.' Her face turned to glare at him, 'I want... I want to know why. I want.. I.. I demand to know what is happening.' Her voice shook as she held his gaze. The man had been talking to voices in the air like it was something he did everyday. Mio would not, could not let this pass.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Thu Mar 24, 2005 11:58 pm

He looked at her with something of a humorous glint in his eyes that belied his weary features. "These things are as much a mystery to me as to you! But I've no trouble speaking to them; they're no worse than all the other freaks I've dealt with, my whole way here! You'll see. I see you can't believe it. You've had so little to do with them, these kinds of thing; but your vision of the world will change, just as mine has been made to change." With that he turned away, but continued to address her: "We'd best worry over those folks behind us, before we fret over what form the little help available may take. A pity I can't judge a tree so well as I can a human's face. Nor can I tell by their answers, their voices, what their intent may truly be. Oh but they've offered it! Our chance, it's here to escape, by their help-" he waved his arm toward the canopy of branches. "Who else is there to trust?"

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Mar 25, 2005 8:10 pm

'..your vision on the world will change..' Mio echoed, frowning. She gazed at his face carefully, as if trying to pry open his mind for more information. But there was no more to be found. Her frown deepened. 'Who else is there to trust?' she muttered, more to herself than Isaac, turning from him with a small sigh. Her grip relaxed on her sword hilt as she surveyed their surroundings thoughtfully. You'll see. He'd said... But she couldn't see. The trees where just trees, the grass just grass. She swung back round to face him. 'These..' she used the word he had, 'These folk behind us. What do they want?'

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Mar 28, 2005 12:39 am

"They're bad people," he answered, "who are coming to do bad things to me, and to you too, probably." He lacked any finer a description, having only met Hope once; but he could fill the blanks in his conception of the man easily enough, by reference to the words which Rackman had used the other night, when telling Isaac of the priests' agenda.

"They worship the One. Have you heard of him? His followers tend not to like your kind. Nor will they take kindly to me. They control this place. They burn anyone whose convictions differ from theirs. Anybody with anything else to say, gets it. And now we're headed for someone else who had to leave, because she acted wrong. She behaved the wrong way. And now she's forced to live in hiding."