[IC] Lantern

[Mokley]

It was quick like a blow to the head.

Hot, crippling pain exploded in your skull. A piercing light flashed behind your eyes. A terrible, trembling horror ripped through you like knives of ice. Blinded, you felt as if you were falling, falling from an impossible height, down and deep into a hungry hot chasm stretched wide to receive you like the great maw of a beast. Its damp swirling breath smelled bittersweet, like chocolate laced with a hint of cinnamon ...

You awaken at night to the creaking of crickets and the sob of an owl. Your bruised, aching limbs are tangled in a pile of warm strangers -- other people, like you, deposited all in one place, to the detriment of whomever was first to arrive.

The air is cool and calm on your cheek; it smells sweet like rotting leaves and copper. You and your new comrades are collected on a low, circular metal platform that is half-buried in the dirt and looks as if it's been there for centuries; there are markings etched into the surface, obscured by ancient moss and creeping ragged vines.

Above, a thick rustle of leaves and mossy branches obscures the sky, but you are not without light: a weathered old lantern hangs from a high bough of a tree, held up by a thin shimmering thread. It casts a steady bright glow upon the platform directly below it, and it illuminates the small clearing of weedy flowers and spines that lay between you and the dark towering woods.

The tree -- which rises old and twisted beside you, and whose dark gnarled branch supports the lantern that is your only light -- is ticking.



The bright light of the lantern above casts a pale blue glow. An owl is perched on the branch above it, staring down with bright bored eyes. The metal platform is still and cold, crisscrossed with heavy brown vines and thick moss. The tree is ancient, wide, and stripped of all but a few scraps of bark; it is covered with old scars and holes from claws and burrowing birds. Deep inside the trunk, barely audible over the rustling leaves, is a metallic sound: click-clack whirrrrr. click-clack whirrrrr. click-clack whirrrr.

Just beyond the reach of the lantern's light there appears to be a path through the trees -- but it is hard to make out in the darkness.



The bright light of the lantern above casts a pale red glow. The metal platform is cracked through the middle; sapling trees grow out of the fissure, and the rest is covered in grass and tough weeds. In the grass beyond the platform, just within the light, a small white-furred rodent scrabbles in the dirt. The tree which bears the lantern is huge, ancient and twisted grotesquely. There is a deep dark hole in the bark, through which a distinct, strained mechanical noise can be heard: screee chik-chak. rrrrrrrr. screee chik-chak. rrrrrr.

Deep in the dark woods, far beyond the reddish glow of the lantern, there is sometimes a small flash of green light.



The bright light of the lantern above casts a pale green glow. The metal platform flashes bronze between wide patches of yellow lichen that fill the intricate carvings of runes and geometry, and it hums ever so slightly. The tree beside it, which holds the lantern above, is old and ragged, burned and tattered on one side as if it had been hit by lightning long ago. Inside the trunk there is a creaking and groaning noise, of metal against metal: kkssss chak. tick-tick-tick-tick kkssss chak. tick-tick-tick-tick.

Just by the edge of the lantern's reach, something smooth and white like bone sticks up out of the weeds and grass. Beside it, something small and shiny catches the green light.

[Red_massa]

He opened his eyes slowly not sure what to expect, why did he have to decide to go exploring outside of the darn town! He seen two

other people still unconscious next to him, how did the same thing happen to them also? Where the hell is he? Nothing around him is helping any of his answers since this is a place he has never seen before. He thought he would check on the other people on the ground, *shakeshakeshake* nope nothing on the first one. He put his two fingers to his neck, a practice that he often seen his father do. He had a pulse which was good. He did the same to the second person *shakeshakeshake* they didn't move either so he checked their pulse also.

[drewccapp]

"OUCH! Ow ow ow ow!" Anise had experienced pain before, but not anything more than a paper cut or bruising from tripping and falling. Her eyes were closed, but she could feel the ground solidly under her, and she could tell there were other people around her. Nervously, the girl opened her eyes and looked around to see the lantern glowing blue, an owl above it. She sat up and stared at the bird with some interest. She had never seen an owl before except for in paintings. Then the confusion hit, where was she? What happened to her? Where was the bed she liked to hide under when she was upset?

Her dress was filthy, and her hair had grass and stuff stuck in it. She aggressively brushed her hair with her hands to remove the offending material. She got most of it before a rogue twig snagged her hair as she combed through it. "OWCH!" She stopped immediately, but the twig remained a bother that she wanted to remove right away. She began to carefully pull at it to get it out. After a few futile moments, she simply gave up.

She stood up, accidentally stepping on someone's leg and stumbling forward and catching her balance on a tree. She brushed her hair back and looked down at the people she had been brought here with. "Who, are you? Where's my Daddy!? Where's home? You didn't kidnap me did you?!" She felt fear, or she thought it was fear, she had never experienced this emotion before. This shaking. This worry. She had never been scared before, and now... now. She had no idea what to do. She backed up into the barren tree taking some sort of shelter from it. "What do I do? This has to be a dream. There's no way... no way..." She curled up at the roots in a defensive position afraid of what might happen next.

[Napoleon]

Tubal's eyes slowly fluttered open. His entire body felt like he'd just been thrown into the bad end of a battle with nought, but his flute and let's just say, the enemy didn't have much respect for the chivalry in not attacking the enemies fifers. He begrudgingly pushed himself up, feeling the cold metal platform on his aching palms until he was sat straight up, his arms the only support to prevent him from falling. He surveyed the area, a scarred and damaged lantern hung from a tree nearby and he could hear the monotonous noise of ticking, much alike a clock.

He slowly pushed himself to his feet, only to almost trip over an unconscious body that lay in front of him. He soon realized this was not the only body. A boy of dark skin, another taller one of light and a girl lay at his feet. He had considered robbing them, but to be honest waking up on a metal platform in the middle of nowhere with the chance of help literally laying at your feet is a better situation than risking anyone waking up halfway through Tubal rummaging through their pockets.

He wandered about the perimeter of the circle and took at the lantern. It had definitely seen better days, but what had caught his ear was the ticking. He was now certain it was coming from inside the tree, very strange indeed. He noticed a lever like object sticking out of the foliage and considered inspecting it further, but something else caught his eye, something shiny and possibly valuable. He picked it up and examined it.

[nichinichisou]

There's one thing.



One damned thing, worse than heartbreak, worse than losing a family member, worse than going into deep depression.

Pain.

Not just some prissy 'Mawmmy, ai hurt my fingurrra!' pain, straight up breaking your arm, then proceeding to dip it into smoking hot lava, then having a bunch of wrestlers body slam it at the same exact time pain.

And it turns out, that is just what good ol' Quintilliano da Hereford was experiencing.

Internally, she was screaming, crying out for help, trying to find someone that could help. Of course, the pain was too bad to do it outside, but still, it should count.

When the pain stopped, she could see a little green glow, but...also the arms and legs of what looked like other people. She stood up, and saw a man that seemed to be looking at something, It looked shiny, and I assume that's what drew the man to it. Before walking over to said man, she quickly looked down at the two boys that were still unconscious, and ruled them as the deadies of deadland.

Then, she looked back at that light, and it seemed to be a lantern. Old one, as well. Probably older than her mother and father combined. Suddenly, she lost interest in that old thing, and decided to walk up to that man with the shiny thing.

She tapped him on the shoulder, and asked, "What's that?"

[Pyro V]

The familiar feeling of bodies on top of him was not what woke Alexander. It was not uncommon for men to become grossly intoxicated while at the tavern, to the point where they could not leave and so slept on the floor. Commonly, they were tossed on top of each other and woken with a bucket of cold water. Even the fact that he was beneath the others was not what woke him up. The fact that he, of all people, would have been tossed into the corner. Or that he'd become so drunk to have passed out in the floor in the first place, was astonishing, once he realized just what was going on. No, it was the fact that what woke him was that someone voluntarily got up and began shaking him and the other person on top of him.

With a grunt, and without even bothering to open his eyes, the large man sat up, the body of the person who laid atop him sliding off to fall onto the metal plate they were on. A metal plate. Clearly not the bar. His eyes fluttered open, his vision blurred for a moment. Definitely not the tavern at all. He stood, ignoring the other two who were with him, and looked around. Forest. Dark. Night? Maybe. The lantern. He'd never seen one that glowed any color but the natural colors of fire. He'd need to take it with him. First, though, the others. They were definitely in the same boat as him.

He ran a hand through his short hair, then smoothed it back down. He looked down at the two like he would look at a beer that had come from a questionable source. Scratching at his beard, he let out a sigh. It was easy to tell that he was their senior by several years, just by looking at them. A sigh escaped him, then he looked past them, at the flashing green in the distance. He was curious, but not enough to just run off towards it. For all he knew, it was a trap. Or another lantern, flickering dangerously. Then his eyes fell upon the little rodent, digging in the dirt.

Taking one of the safer, if not the most polite, course of action, he began to walk to the edge of the platform, towards the rodent, attempting to shoo it away and see what it was digging at.

[Zealous Blade]

Having spent the entirety of his life behind the walls of a city in the middle of a desert which he did not know the boundaries to, it was only natural that Kituo had never seen a forest before. Upon coming to, he was met with the shock of being in an unfamiliar place - a great distress to someone with as much as no independence whatsoever. The pain that tortured his joints did not help to comfort him. His eyes fluttered as he regained consciousness, a feint green glow greeting him along with the twisted branches of the canopy. He lay on his back, his head throbbing in addition to his already aching arms and legs. He took a brief observation of his surroundings and, without little concern for the three others who shared his predicament, began to panic.

Just where am I?

Kituo's eyes darted from corner to corner. He couldn't focus long enough to take in any details for he desperately wanted to find his way back home. He stood up, a sharp pain almost forcing him back onto his behind. Once he was able to muster enough strength to balance, he exhaled the breath he had been holding in since his awakening. Kituo took a moment to calm himself for there was no foreseeable threat. This allowed him to start panicking all over again. Not only was he now inquiring on his whereabouts, he wanted to know where his father or rather his safety net was. Only then did it register with Kituo that there were other people with him.

They all looked very different from Kituo and this startled him. In the city were he originated, almost everyone was of dark complexion. He had heard about lighter skinned peoples living northward but he never had any experience with them. This was the most new things Kituo had ever been exposed to in a single dosage. He didn't know how to take it all in without briefly nibbling on his fingernails. He remained quiet but attentive as one of the others fiddled with a shiny object. That was just great. Not only was he stuck between a rock and a hard place with three potential harbingers of his demise, but there were now strange objects sitting around. Kituo wanted to tell the guy to leave it alone. There was no telling what kind of destructive properties it had. He hesitated as the only girl within the assembly approached the guy caressing the object. He couldn't stand it any further. Kituo had reached his breaking point.

"Um...excuse me," he meekly said, trembling. "Why are you touching that? What if its dangerous?"

That was probably the boldest he had ever been.

[Damiann47]

Randold eye's fluttered open, pupils adjusting to the change in lighting. Steadily everything came into focus, a forest seemed to rise above him, the most distinct feature was just a lone blue lantern. While the entire situation itself was more then just unsettling, being taken suddenly from home and work is hardly a small mater, Randold found the scene to be somewhat serene. Groaning softly Randold held his head, most of the sharp pain the accompanied him seemed to be mostly gone only a dull discomfort remaining. Any peace was suddenly broken as someone else ran over him, their feet caught on his own legs. He felt whoever it was, stumbled forward although, thankfully, it seemed they caught themselves before falling upon the ground.

Shouting rang out, assumed to be from the stranger, definitely a feminine voice and definitely fairly young. Whoever she was it was clear that she was panicking, Randold however was unable to clearly pick out what she was saying. He shifted onto his side, it appeared she was curled on the floor. Randold had no idea who she was, still she was the only one where who could possibly answer any questions.

Randold slowly stood up, hoping not to startle the girl, while attempting to appear as calm and friendly as he could Randold called out,
" Ms? Are you alright? Have you been here for long?"

[Mokley]

Tubal said . . . something else caught his eye, something shiny and possibly valuable. He picked it up and examined it.

The shiny, as it turned out, was a key: a small, silver key, bright and not at all tarnished, with no markings nor features of particular interest. It was threaded onto a similarly new and delicate silver chain.

This chain was stuck in a mass of old roots and vines that was shaped curiously like a man-sized cocoon half-buried in the ground and obscured by tall weeds. The white lever-like thing that had been visible from a distance was, indeed, a bone: the bone of a human's upper arm, to be precise, sticking out from inside the cocoon of roots. The hand and lower arm must've been snapped and carried off by the hungry wildlife long ago.

Or, rather, not so long ago, given that the bits of silk and embroidery that peeked out from between the roots were as new and bright as the key. Even the bone was fresh and white, if a little gnawed.

There were hand-sized gaps between the roots: through these, in the very dim light at this farthest reach of the lantern's light, the full skeleton of a man could be seen, stretched out as if trying to escape his coffin. His robe and belt were expensive and mostly intact -- as was an embroidered scabbard and the knife inside it, and a stoppered glass bottle of purple liquid.

From this position -- far from the metal platform and at the very end of the lantern light's reach -- a flash of pale blue light could be seen shimmering deep in the woods, appearing and disappearing as the trees moved in the breeze.

Out of the darkness of the forest, silent as a shadow, a dark root slithered through the weeds. It touched the sole of Quintilliano's shoe, then lifted itself up and snapped around her ankle, holding her tight.

Alexander said . . . he began to walk to the edge of the platform, towards the rodent, attempting to shoo it away and see what it was digging at.

The little rodent went very still when big Alexander's shadow fell upon it. Upon closer inspection it was a curious little thing, with big beady eyes, a long bushy striped tail and ears each as big as the rest of its body. it stared at Alexander for awhile with an adorable sheen in its black eyes -- but when it became clear that the human wanted its treasure, the animal's fur stood on-end and it hissed like a snake, flashing teeny needle-teeth in defense of its prize.

After a moment, the rodent leaped high in the air and was immediately attached to Alexander's sleeve; it scrabbled and scurried up his shoulder and down his back in a blink, pricking through his clothes with its claws.

Beneath the freshly turned soil where the rodent had been digging, a hand-sized silver box shone in the light.

[Tatsua Aiisen]

This cold feeling... it was not the first time the young girl had felt like this. Darkness. Separation. Anxiety. Still not completely conscious, she drifted lazily through a cloud of passing emotions, imagining what unknowable scenario she had gotten herself into, all the while trying to distract herself from the growing feeling of dread in her stomach.

As far as she knew she should have been lying on the ground behind Grandma's hut, collapsed beneath a basket of herbs. Grandma Cecil, hearing the commotion, would have hobbled out from her living room to see what was going on. That old lady would help her up, even with her sore back, but she would certainly give her a harsh scolding afterwards.

Annabel smiles.

Then, she feels somebody shaking her shoulder. She opens her eyes slowly, knowing instinctively that it wouldn't be the familiar scene she was yearning for, letting the queer red light filter in past her eyelids.

A boy stood over her, his fingers pressed warmly against the vein on her neck. In the corner of her mind, she acknowledges that the boy must be checking her pulse. Was she dead? No, probably unconscious. That fall must have done a number on her, for her vision to be this hazy.

"Who are you?", asks the voice of a dreamy young girl.

Annabel lets out the first thing that comes to her mind upon seeing the boys face. She knew everybody in the village, and yet she had never seen a face like that before.

Still, somehow, she felt a connection to this person whom she had never seen in her life. She didn't know what it was at first, but after a few moments of staring, she figured it out. It was that expression. In those eyes, she could see the very same sense of confusion that had been radiating through her entire body since she had blacked out.

Her eyes were adjusted now, and she could see the object hanging above the boy's head. A lantern, flickering queerly with red light, one final sign to show that she had left the world she loved.

Annabel sighs, and begins to sit up from the cold, metal platform. What is it that Grandma Cecil would say at a time like this? If you have time to sit and gawk, you should get moving.

[drewccapp]

Anise jumped when she saw someone stand up and she shook like a leaf as he calmly called out to her. Was she alright? Of course not! She wasn't in her father's nice and cozy castle. Her home. "I'm not alright!" She cried. "I hurt. I'm dirty. I'm not in my Daddy's castle! Where's my maid? Lena!" She looked around as she called out. Still hoping this was just a bad dream and that she'd wake up. The last thing she remembered though wasn't going to sleep... She was going to meet her fiance for the first time. She remembered being excited for that, but now that excitement was uncertainty.

"I don't know how long I've been here. I just woke up." She finally looked at the tall man that had spoken kindly to her. She tried to stand up, but her legs shook so much that she fell back to her seated position. She tried again and succeeded out of her sheer pride and stubbornness. "I am Princess Anise Sinclair or Riverforde. You may call me, Your Highness, or Lady." She spoke with a slightly wavering voice, but there was no way she as royalty could show weakness to a commoner. She had to set an example.

[Jedly]

Growing Pains:

Pain. That was all Hato felt for that split second. But he only caught a glimpse of the nerval sense, as the young man was out in an instant. Unfortunately, he didn’t have as much of a threshold for the feeling as he did for other human beings, and his mind went blank within a split second. Now the problem was at hand, and he would need to find a solution to it. But first, it would be required that said predicament faces him, and such an experience in impossible as long as he is knocked out. Over the years, Hato had faced many obstacles which were ridden within his path. Sleep deprivation, impudent competitors, and worst of all, envoys of the church who wished to preach and conform him under their imagined deity. During the time while he was awake, research took priority over all other aspects of life, which left no time to analyze the other ordeals he dealt with throughout the day. But while one is asleep, time can literally come to a halt, and bear no worth to one’s peace of mind.

To enable his productivity, Hato mastered lucid dreaming. With this skill, he basically had all the time in the world. ”Alright. First, let’s get something straight. I’m knocked out. I have no idea where I’m going or where I am, or who the hell did this to me. I’m in the unknown, and I can’t observe anything to become informed. Great.” Hopefully, he would regain his senses soon.

"Hopefully."

After a few moments of debating the pros and cons of using a telescope as a bludgeoning tool, his body finally regained conscious. And of course, the first thing he felt was complete and utter soreness. His joints were stiff, as if cement had been poured into his bone marrow and his arms were coated in sticky resin. After the effects of the immense pain subsided, the other aspect of the scene began to gain color. Hato followed a preemptive procedure he had developed for occurrences such as this; a list of the five senses. The sweet taste on his tongue was a mixture chocolate and cinnamon, both items of food he lacked the palette for. ”Taste. Check.” The ground he was resting on was soothing, almost frighteningly calming. But there was something off about it. The lingering feeling of confusion and uneasiness slithered on his damp back.

”Wait a moment. Damp.” He thought to himself, feeling the cool dew seep into his robes. ”Interesting. Alright, next up. Hear.” Frantic movement and the shuffling of feet on the grass, and the squeaking of an animal. Most likely a rodent of some sort, given the pitch of the emitted sound. The sound of a contraption shrieking as its metallic internals churned also vibrated in his eardrum. ”Next up. Sight.” But, his eyes were sealed shut. ”Come on. Open!” The astronomer’s lids receded swiftly, and his irises were met with a vibrant star-spangled sky. Instantly, he was reminded why he had chosen the field he studied in. Such a calming display of lights, so close yet so far. But, he had no time to reminisce about his research, as there were more pressing matters to attend to.

Woefully turning his head towards the sounds of the others, his line of sight focused on a set of white drapery. Rather than backing away in a startled manner, he kept a straight face and glanced up at the young man leaning over them. Perhaps he cared about their well-being, and was making sure they were alive. Hato was glad such people exist in this world. A few meters away was a taller individual, a giant of a human being, who was currently being assaulted by the source of the scritch a few moments prior. Next he took into account their hair color, all of them inheriting the common and generic black follicle. In contrast, his hair consisted of concise shades of teal, cyan, turquoise, and tipped off on the right side by a large patch of white. He was definitely the needle in the haystack.

It smelled like a bog, or maybe it was a cold forest. His eyes droned over to a nearby tree, where a lamp glowing with a red hue was attached to. Hato confirmed that this was the source of creaking sound of gears, but would leave the contraption for later exploration. He would need to reach out to the trio he woke up with. Focusing on the two, he tried to avert his eyes from a portion of the robes.

”Um. I’m not at the purest angle at the moment.” And with that, he got to his feet, pushing against the metallic surface. ”Hello.” He gave a quick nod of greeting, keeping a straight expression as he glanced past the two, taking a note on the man who’s being attacked by a rodent. The gleam of a silver box next to the man’s feet caught his attention. Hato slid past the two and reached for it, dodging the man as he stomped around, trying to rid himself of the mammalian adversary. He picked it up in his palm, but didn’t dare to open it. Not yet, at least. First, introductions were in order. Without flinching, he reached through the back of his elder’s shirt, wrenching the assailant by the tail. His eyes met those of the rodent, void and lacking sentience. Or, well, it appeared that way. It was probably just simple-minded. The astronomer placed the rodent on his shoulder, then poked at it with a jutted finger.

”Stay. I’ll need you to be a witness.” After all, he was still in the dark about this whole shebang. Facing all three individuals, he took in a breath, then exhaled. I’m Hato Shiruda. Astronomer. Pleased to be your acquaintance. Now, let’s exchange names, then get to the bottom of this. I have a cup of coffee awaiting me at home.”

[Damiann47]

Royalty, that explains her clothing at the very least, however she is hardly one to command any authority, not someone who has been pampered her entire life... Randold shook his head. Still she is young, as well as it would be better for us all if she could calm down.

Randold hesitated for a moment for it felt wrong to bow, but it is best if Anise could settle down. He clinches his fists while he bows forward while addressing to Anise, " I do not know why we are here, my Highness, I have also just woken up." Randold takes a deep breath then continues. " My name is Randold Breaker, only a carpenter as my father and my father before him." Randold stands straight up again, attempting to force a faint smile. Talking to the princess in such a way clearly did damage Randold's pride.

[Red_massa]

Everyone seemed to be alright as we could be given out situation, thank his god. His eyes were first caught on the female who has

spoken to him "Hello my name is Simon, Simon Connor" *Pushes the glasses further up his nose after leaning over* "I'm glad to see that everyone is ... well awake, I definitely would like to figure some things out too, because if I don't get home soon my father won't let me practice with him"

Simon was slightly happy that someone had picked up the rodent to keep the male who had not introduced himself to the group

a moment to compose himself and proceed with his introduction. While Simon was thinking of questions to ask the group he had noticed that Hato had peered over his head while he was getting back to his feet after checking the females pulse. After giving his little introduction he decided to turn around and look at what Hato had examined. It was a lantern that had a red tint to it, similar to one of the herbs that his father had occasionally used. Knowing better than to touch it he decided to sit down and mull over his thoughts, because like Hato he wasn't particularly eager to stay any longer in this ... lovely area then absolutely necessary.

[Pyro V]

When the little rodent leapt up onto him, Alex let out a small squeal, unbefitting of a man his size. Then his sense came back to him as it began to crawl around him, and he reached around to try and grab it by the ears. To no avail. The little bastard had gotten into a spot that he wasn't able to reach. He was a big man, and because of that, being limber wasn't his strong point. The runt began to claw and bite into his back, causing him to leap up and dance around, hopping and stomping and swearing, in hopes of dislodging the animal. He was getting ready to slam his back into the tree and bash its brains out when someone else finally pulled it off of him, taking a a bit of the skin off his back with it.

With that over, Alex looked to find the box the animal had been guarding, only to see it missing and in the hands of someone else. Not fair. That was his prize. He'd been attacked by a vicious wild animal for it! But rather than complain, he kept his mouth shut. It didn't matter. His pride was hurt more than anything else. He sighed once more, then turned to face the rest of them, crossing his arms over his chest. His eyes kept flitting over to look at the lantern, but for the most part, his attention stayed on the children. He didn't really see them as children; he'd been working and making his keep by the time he was their age. But others would, and if parents knew they were out here with him, then he'd be blamed if they didn't make it back. And angry people made for bad business.

In response to the boy, Hato Shirudo, who had asked for names, he said, "Alexander Valerian." There was no "thank you" added to that, no gratitude in his voice. In fact, it seemed to be oddly neutral about the whole rodent incident. His eyes fell down to the silver box, then rocketed back up to stare down at Hato. "Anyone know just where we are?" he asked. Out of four people, surely one knew at least something about the area. Though, he'd seen people remember less. Maybe they all had hangovers and couldn't remember a thing. Even at their age, alcohol wasn't exactly restricted. But, it didn't matter right now. No booze in sight. He ran a hand through his hair, something he often did when he either had no words to say or felt he was in an awkward situation, and remained quiet while he waited for the others to answer him.

[Mokley]

Hato said He picked [the silver box] up in his palm, but didn’t dare to open it. Not yet, at least. First, introductions were in order. Without flinching, he reached through the back of his elder’s shirt, wrenching the assailant by the tail. His eyes met those of the rodent, void and lacking sentience. Or, well, it appeared that way. It was probably just simple-minded. The astronomer placed the rodent on his shoulder, then poked at it with a jutted finger.

”Stay. I’ll need you to be a witness.”

The locked silver box was heavier than it looked, as if it were filled with metal. When he moved it or shook it, nothing moved inside: it was all very well secured. If he held it for awhile, however, he might notice a small rhythmic vibration. Only with an ear pressed against it might he hear it ticking inside.

The rodent sat on Hato's shoulder, ruffled and puffed and rigid as stone, its little pin-claws sticking in his skin -- and its eyes were set fast on the silver box.

After awhile, when Alexander and Hato were both distracted, the rodent suddenly leaped off of his shoulder and landed neatly on the box. Immediately it sank his teeth into the tip of Hato's index finger, biting quickly and neatly right to the bone.

The little animal was thereafter fastened to Hato's bleeding finger, and would not under any circumstances let go.

[Thundercat]

If not for the unfamiliar scent of the forest coupled with the sound of shrieking, Arin would have remained unconscious. The moment his eyes opened he knew in his heart that something was wrong, something was different. His sight was blurry but he could barely make out the outline of a tree. The boy's eyes shot left and right as he rubbed his eyelids, his body the color blue as it sprawled out on the metal platform. He felt both the cold metal surface as well as the soft touch of vines pressing into his back. He was disoriented both physically and mentally. Not once had he ever stepped foot outside his small hometown of Mayloom, it's buildings and roads were burned into his brain. Upon opening his eyes and taking in the scenery before him, slowly the reality of the situation began to kick in. It was painfully obvious the area surrounding him wasn't Mayloom at all.

"Where...am I?"

Any sense of curiosity or wonder from venturing out of Mayloom for the first time was drowned out by fear. There was no apparent danger before him, yet he couldn't help but feel afraid. The boy rubbed his left index finger with his thumb, caressing the thimble that remained on the tip of his finger. The action not only told him he wasn't dreaming, but also calmed him somewhat. Suddenly the thimble became much more precious to him now than it ever was back home.

"Who...brought me here?"

Arin pulled himself onto all fours, his hands and knees pressing into the cold platform and vines. For reasons unbeknownst to him it was becoming more and more difficult to breath with every second. He could feel sweat begin to form on his forehead as he frantically searched the area for something, anything that would prove he was still in Mayloom. But there was nothing. He was becoming less disoriented by the moment. This made him more aware but wasn't really a good thing, as his awareness only made his uneasy feeling that much more intense.

"Am I finally being....judged?"

Anise said "OWCH!"

Arin's eyes shot towards a young girl, pulling a piece of twig from her hair. The moment his eyes laid on her he could tell she was of royal descent. He had sewn together an ungodly amount of princess garments, but never had he seen somebody actually wearing them. He almost couldn't comprehend it. There was no royal presence in Mayloom, no kings or queens, just a man everybody called the mayor. Even he was nothing special.

click-clack whirrrrr. click-clack whirrrrr. click-clack whirrrr.

At first Arin thought he had damaged his head, and the sound was in his mind. He stood up, and followed the sound of the noise which increased in volume as he approached the ancient tree before them. It was difficult for him to walk, he had to move slowly, otherwise he would probably trip. Pain was a discomfort he had the pleasure of never experiencing, however that experience would most likely have been helpful considering the situation. The boy tried to take a moment to take in the unfamiliar surroundings, to assess the situation calmly and with precise thought, but it was proving to be impossible. Arin's mind was racing at the moment, every part of him wanted to return to Mayloom, yet his entire time spent there he couldn't help but feel like he was waiting for an opportunity to leave. Not only that, but the presence of strangers was beginning to tease his ill mind. He couldn't help but feel like he had been dragged here as punishment for his dark thoughts.

click-clack whirrrrr. click-clack whirrrrr. click-clack whirrrr.

As Arin approached the ancient tree which seemed to be the source of the noise, he practically threw himself onto it's trunk. His hands frantically moving across the bark as he searched for the noise. He was drawn to it, more so out of irritation and fear. He wanted answers, he wanted to know what had happened to him and why he was in the middle of nowhere. Why he had been taken from the only world he knew. Every click he heard was driving him closer and closer to madness, his anxiety was practically skyrocketing at this point and his breathing was rapid. He was unable to think clearly, and came to the inane conclusion that his family and friends had somehow found out about his murderous mindset and were finally punishing him. The thought made him sick to his stomach.

By now he could hear the sounds of conversation behind him as the others began introducing themselves. He couldn't confront people right now. Not the way he was. More so out of fear for his actions than theirs. It felt like a knife was stabbing his brain every time he heard them speak. Already the images of death were beginning to plague his mind. Arin pressed his ear against the trunk, his face scrunched up in agony as he crawled at the tree both at an attempt to silence the noise as well as his own thoughts.

click-clack whirrrrr. click-clack whirrrrr. click-clack whirrrr.

Anise said "I am Princess Anise Sinclair or Riverforde. You may call me, Your Highness, or Lady."

click-clack whirrrrr. click-clack whirrrrr. click-clack whirrrr.

Randold said "I do not know why we are here, my Highness, I have also just woken up. My name is Randold Breaker, only a carpenter as my father and my father before him."

click-clack whirrrrr. click-clack whirrrrr. click-clack whirrrr.

Arin slammed his fist into the trunk.

"SHUT UP! PLEASE! BE QUIET!"

[XLegs]

Thomas' eyes blinked open, to the sound of movement. He stared at the high, natural canopy that blocked out the sky, trying to understand where he was and how he had gotten here.

Finding that he had absolutely no idea, he simply rubbed his eyes, vaguely remembering the pain that had torn through him. It had apparently left an after-effect, as the boy's body was more sore than it had ever been. Planting his arm on the ground, he swiftly pushed himself up into a sitting position, wincing from the pain.

It was then that he saw the source of the movement: three other people. A younger girl, a dark-skinned boy, and a small man who seemed to be in his late twenties.

Confusion overrode any panic Thomas may have felt. The boy rubbed some dirt off the back of his head as he studied the others. The older man picked something up, and inspected it. The girl moved towards him, curious about what he had picked up. The other boy stood back.

None of them seemed to know anymore about where they were than he did, and they didn't look particularly threatening - if it came to blows, Thomas felt that only the dark-skinned boy would be of any danger.

That was until he opened his mouth. Thomas frowned disapprovingly at his words. He was... meek. He eyed the boy further, trying to figure out his game. Manipulate others into helping him by acting weak and harmless.

Thomas decided he'd play along.

He pushed himself to his feet, and placed his hand on the boy's shoulder, giving him a confident and reassuring smile.

"No need to be so worried," he said, looking at the shiny object. "See? Just a key..." Thomas then noticed the mass of roots that seemed to contain the remains of a human. "...huh. That's disconcerting."

Despite how strange and confusing the whole situation was, Thomas couldn't help but feel a little excited. It seemed like the beginning of a story - his own story.

He stepped away from the dark-skinned boy, moving to squat in front of the coffin-of-sorts. He took note of the strange vial of liquid and still-intact robe, understanding that this person hadn't been killed too long ago, but what really caught his eye was the scabbard and the knife it seemed to contain. That was something he'd rather not let fall into the hands of the strangers around him, but he couldn't very well take it himself without seeming suspicious.

Thomas decided to go on the hope that none of them would be bold enough to stick their hands inside.

He turned his head to face the others, still sitting on his haunches. "Looks like this fellow wasn't all that lucky," he said with a tilted smile, trying to make light of the situation.

It was then that his eye caught movement along the ground. He stopped dead for a moment, not understanding what he was seeing - some sort of root that was moving on it's own and...

His eyes snapped open. "Girl!" he yelled as the root quickly wrapped itself around her ankle.

In the moment of panic, he realized he had the excuse he needed.

Whipping back around towards the cocoon, he hastily plunged his hand through one of the holes, aiming to grab the knife and cut the root.

[YandereNoodle]

The tense atmosphere between the princess and the pauper was little resistance for what happened next. A faint screaming was heard, seemingly from a young girl. It grew steadily louder as it's source picked up speed before the air above Anise gave way and the third arrival made herself known.

Anise buckled under the force of the falling Hania, draped in nightgown and clutching a small stuffed bear. She laid against Anise back and groaned, "Ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch..."

She opened her eyes one at a time and cast then across her field of vision. A forest with what appears to be a path, though not well illumimated. Her eyes were drawn up to the lantern suspended in air and then down to the princess she'd squashed like a pea.

"...oops."

[Damiann47]

To say the situation was starting to spiral out of control with the introduction of a newcomer with quite an entrance at that, managing somehow to fall out of the trees and on top of the princess. Plus with the sudden outburst from a completely another individual, his smashing against the tree only added to the effect. Randold held his hands to his temples, his patience was already being stretched from the confusion and fear of a strange land, nothing has helped much so far after just waking up. Randold looks over his shoulder, seems that there was only one more who haven't waken up, which Randold was actually thankful for, dealing with another person could prove to be too much. He sighs and makes his way over to a tree then sits. He closed his eyes, taking a few minutes to gather his thoughts, so far there has been nothing but questions, such as where were they, why were they there in the first place, was there a way out, and perhaps most importantly could they even hope to survive there. First things first however, for now the most important thing was to get organized, no way running around now would help their chances.

Taking a deep breath Randold stands up, hoping to address to the entire group. He looks over the others before starting, an edge was starting to creep into his voice. " As I said before my name is Randold Breaker, I am a carpenter. I assume its safe to say that none of us have any knowledge on where we are and why? As of now I am more then willing to hear anything, as in anything at all."