Estylwen

The Dark Beyond

@WhiteAngel25 How's it looking now? :)

The Dark Beyond

@Lexisheeps

Thank you! Your update looks awesome too! The pink hair is lovely. :)

The Dark Beyond: Adventures in Candyland (Prequel)

@Days Don't push yourself, health comes first like Lexi said. Hope you feel better soon!

Iris Ascendis

Ciara Ventura

Wingram Academy, Main Building
@Nanaya, @ERode

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"If you're going to be sick, then stay sick."

Ciara's eyes widened, watching.

"Just because you can't lose, doesn't mean you must win.”

Wasn't that counterintuitive? Ciara watched as Otis turned his back on her, entering the classroom.

Wasn't winning the only option?

Unless…

An idea took form in Ciara's mind, and she straightened up a bit. Maybe there was a way to win without winning.

“You've prepared, little Hunger. Now we wait.” A deep, soft Voice spoke in her mind.

Yes. No need to get ahead of herself. No need to nerve herself out so soon. The dark one had, strangely enough, imparted even more advice.

Yes. There was a way to win without winning.

Ciara took a confident step into the classroom, before her head tilted. The air felt different. Heavy, like wetness in the air right after a downpour of warm rain had stopped. The soil soaked, leaves drenched.

It felt…

“Are we home?” The childlike Voice spoke out abruptly, eager and curious.

Ciara's brows furrowed. “Not possible… but it feels like home.”

Yes. She could practically see the overgrowth, verdant green, bursting from the walls. Like if she tapped out a secret code on the wall, this plain white would pull away and reveal the essence she could feel.

Like warm, buttered toast.

A soft smile crept on her face, momentarily forgetting her struggles, and took her seat in the front row closest to the door, setting her coffee down. Her head dipped, inhaling the pleasant atmosphere of the room charged with anticipation.

Briefly, she watched Otis exchange words with a girl she didn't know. Chloe? Davil was here as well, speaking with the one who could form shields. Iraleth and Hildegunde were here as well.

Briefly, she wondered, as she had overheard talk in the hallways. What was the difference between a standard class and a compact one?

With how the room was charged, she anticipated yet another eventful morning, and she settled back in her seat, sipping her coffee, mind racing with curiosity as the time ticked down.

The Dark Beyond: Adventures in Candyland (Prequel)

Never feel pressured. This is for fun, at the end of the day!

New post is up! I haven't done too much plot-wise, as I have a feeling the parents will want to talk more and decide what to do.

The Dark Beyond: Adventures in Candyland (Prequel)

Pyramid of Giza, Outside

@Days, @WhiteAngel25, @Lexisheeps

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”We just might, ma petite lumière!”

Cosette grinned happily up at her sister. Aurélie was so nice. Always have her attention, sometimes even played with her. Out of her two siblings, Cosette was certain she was closest with Aurélie. She hoped they found something good. Something her sister would like.

As they walked across the sand, Cosette heard her mother call her name. She turned, confused, until she saw her stuffed rabbit in her mother's hand.

"I found Chignon-chignon under a bus seat. I know you would have been upset if you had forgotten her."

"Chignon-chignon!" Little Cosette cried out, reaching out for her stuffed toy and giving it a squeeze and a kiss, momentary panic in her eyes, before she looked at her mom's soft gaze. "Merci beaucoup, maman."

That was when her father stooped down beside her mother, and held out a small gift. Cosette stared for a moment, taking in her parents' affection as both looked at her with love, care, and concern. An inexplicable feeling filled her from head to toe, warming her and bringing a healthy rose to her cheeks.

This was what it felt like to be loved. She just... felt happy. She wished her parents would look at her like this forever.

"Here, you'll hold onto these for me, will you?" Her father said, pressing the bag of coins into her hand. Her eyes stared in amazement. How did he know? There was a muffled squeal as she tried to hold back the desire to jump on her feet, brimming with joy.

"Yes, papa. I will!" She smiled, holding the bag close to her chest. She, of course, gave her father the Hello Kitty flashlight when he held his hand out for it and giggled along with all his jokes, though she didn't understand what a pyramid scheme was.

They reached the entrance to the massive pyramid, and Cosette watched her father speak with a strange man. She looked up at him, not recognizing him but liking him anyway.

"Shall we go find our tents?" Cosette's mother said.

Cosette gripped her mother's hand enthusiastically, nodding her head vigorously. They had tents? All to themselves? Were they big tents? She had to see them!

"They can look around the main tourist's section first, if they'd like." Her father said.

Cosette's eyes somehow got bigger. She stared enthusiastically at her father, nodding her head again, before turning to her mother.

"Please, maman? I wanna see it! I wanna see it!"

The tents Sabrina inquired about were about 200 paces to the right of the entrance, set against the foot of the pyramid. There was more than one tent, lined up in a row. One for Ramses, one for Thierry and Sabrina, and one for the kids to share. Each was spacious, proper archeologist style, filled with cots, desks, chairs, rugs on the sandy ground, and wired lights. There was another tent set slightly apart that was filled with crates. Tools and other equipment for the job. There were also several jeeps and excavation tools at hand.

The Louvre had outfitted Thierry and his family with everything they needed, plus more to get the job done and put rumours to rest.

The entrance to the Pyramid of Giza was lit up, with wired lights running along the edges as the narrow cut into the stone offered a unique, cool atmosphere, surrounded by ancient dust and slightly claustrophobic rock. The initial entryway split into a descending and an ascending path, the descending path roped off. The ascending path stretched onward into the far distance, wired lights ringing the top right corner. There was something spooky as well as entrancing, taking a step into the tomb of the pharoh.

Recollections: Under The Sycamore Tree Part. 1

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STARSET - TELEKINETIC

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Alizée Altieri

Location: Veni Vedi Veni, Parking Lot
@Punished GN, @AtomicEmperor, @Zombiedude101

---

"Drop the fucking Ginger!"

WHAM.

She couldn't breathe. One moment, she had tunnel vision, ready to attack the girls again. The next? On the ground, the wind knocked out of her. Leon was nearly transformed, his familiar features silhouetting the street lights and night sky. He was yelling. Her ears were ringing.

Had Leon just... betrayed her? Walked into her fight and then turned on her.

Frustrated tears penetrated her waterline as she glared up, her eyes full of venom, and hurt.

"Qu'as-tu fait, Loup?" (What have you done, Wolf?)

A nickname from eons ago, reserved only for serious conversation. Leon was one of the few who understood. Surely, he knew she had to do this. The redhead was the chosen victim. She had already switched targets once. Any more fiddling, and Void might strike out. Might make her the victim.

She hissed, her free phantom hand snapping up Leon's leg, pulling harshly. The move was fast and quick, squeezing hard enough that he would ideally flinch, or at least get distracted. If she was successful, she'd pull him up into the air, and away from interfering further.

She wheezed, pushing herself off the pavement. Her white silk shirt had dirt marks on it, and started looking a bit worse for wear. She was missing a shoe, as she had to kick off the web one of the girls had managed to touch her with. And to make matters worse, two more girls joined the... the group. Obviously, a group of girls. Alizée didn't know what to make of this, but in her heart burned a fury. She'd take them all on. It was their fault, not hers. They got in her way. And they would regret it.

Void's phantom hands pulled away before the webs could reach them, halting his blanket of protection.

That was when the air became chillingly cold. Alizée watched a Korean girl approach.

"We do not wish to fight! Please release our friend and we will leave! There are more of us on the way, and the Wolfpack is likely on the way as well; there is no way for you to win! We will do anything for our friends. If you do not stop... we will be forced to kill you! And trust me, everyone here has taken a life before, and we will show you no quarter!"

Alizée was caught up in the speech, but Void was paying attention. As the girl with the wind powers swooped for the redhead, Voi'd phantom hands snapped up, fingers outstretched to clasp the girl like a shark's jaws on a lone swimmer. Quick, and all-encompassing. If she tried to dodge, the hands would follow a little, trying to keep her away from the redhead. Alizée's attention snapped over to the redhead, and pulled the hand back, positioning her behind Alizée, close to Leon.

"Make a wrong move, and I'll snap her spine," Alizée said flatly, giving the redhead another squeeze. She would likely be feeling cold, numbness in her bones, a lack of energy at this point.

"Take her; I want my hands free." She thought, glancing sideways at Void. Without objection, the redhead was transferred from Alizée's hand to Void's. Leon, if he was held, was dropped. Alizée tried to stop the shivering as the air grew increasingly cold. She could see her breath. Feeling her temper flare, her phantom hands were at her sides, racing forward, claw-like fingers ready to trap the Korean girl. Alizée smirked, despite her lips turning a shade of blue, the phantom hands growing in size, inching closer.

Before the Void opened up behind the girls.

Denizens of the horrific darkness splurged forth, sensing Alizée's desire to go all out. A giant, the size of the strip club, was a shadow looming over Alizée, angry red eyes staring at her, begging for her to move so it could drive its claws into her throat.

Alizée froze up.

Her pale hands pressed against her mouth, her breath held. The giant dipped its head down, showing off its sharp teeth. Taunting her.

Her phantom hands dissipated into thin air, followed closely by the dispersion of her aura and Void eyes. She had pushed it way too far. She had attracted way too much attention.

"Uh... I'm lost."

Alizée's head whipped around, seeing a small form enter the scene. A... a child.

Was a child about to witness violence..?

Alizée swallowed anxiously, her heartbeat racing. She wasn't in a position to raise a fist. Not now. The kid had good timing...

Keeping her eyes on the Korean girl and the rest of the group, Alizée spoke, her voice carrying. "Void... drop her."

Void's jagged smirk widened, and his own grip on the redhead tightened. "Make me."

Alizée sucked in a sharp breath. "The hell did you say?"

"You're really terrible at this, you know. Just one victim is all I ask."

"I'll get you someone, you think I'm not hungry too?!"

"Heh... maybe I'll just feast on you this round."

Alizée hissed, spinning to glare at Void head on. "We are not discussing this in front of a damn crowd!"

He moved lazily through the air, a dark grin lighting up his features. "Scared?"

"I said we're not discussing this!"

"Not telling me to shut up? Being so polite all of a sudden?"

Alizée's head twisted sharply, teetering between fear and flaring anger. "...Listen. Why are we here?"

"Don't change the su-"

"The damn Wolfpack! That's why we're here. There's more going on than just our damn nightly strolls, okay?!" Her voice reached a shrill note, practically yelling at Void at this point.

Void stared at her for a long, long moment. His Void eyes narrowed, before, reluctantly, the redhead was dropped.

Finally.

"You owe me."

"I know."

With all four Void Hands dissipated, the presence of the Void denizens reduced. Alizée watched the Korean girl and the rest of the group, seeing if they would try anything now that they had what they wanted. She pressed her hand frustratedly across her face, realizing something. Leon was right.

That's when she remembered there was a child watching them. She turned curiously, staring down at the small, dark-haired child. Her head tilted, noticing the blood on his hand. Had he hurt himself?

Her expression softened, and she stepped forward, stooping down to be eye level with the child. "Hey, are you okay? You look hurt. Let me see your hand."

She pulled out a small handkerchief and hand sanitizer from her purse, putting a bit on the white cloth before reaching for the child's hand, cleaning off the blood. Huh, that was strange. There was no break in the skin. What happened to this child?

She looked at him curiously. "Where are your parents, kiddo? This uh... isn't necessarily the nicest part of town."

Void was staring, completely mesmerized by the small child. He had entirely forgotten about the girls they had been fighting, as if his entire world now only consisted of the boy. Void started doing slow circles around him, basking in some sort of aura.

"I like this one."

The Dark Beyond

Sounds good, Angel. Thanks for the heads up! Enjoy!

Recollections: Under The Sycamore Tree Part. 1

Only temporarily! If this little stunt doesn't end things, they're getting howled on.

@AtomicEmperor

//wants to press the button...

... we will be forced to kill you!

Real moment, right there.

Recollections: Under The Sycamore Tree Part. 1

"Drop the fucking Ginger!"

When the 2v3 turns into a 1v4. o-o;;