Nephriel

Where Angels Fear to Tread (Community Revived Edition)

Aevah frowned as she listened to Kyrtaar, it was obvious how much of a hold this curse had on him... how unstable it was making him. She wondered silently if he'd make it to old age with the way the nightmares and the paranoia were chipping away at his sanity. She did not say so aloud, but she pitied him. She knew what it was like to crave something so desperately... She also knew what it was to be shunned by people who should love or care for you, but instead only feared you.

She tugged the tie out of the braid in her hair and then worked her fingers through it, worrying out the braid and it's tangles as she considered how to reply. She doubted he'd want pity, she didn't... and she doubted he'd take kindly to someone telling him the power hadn't been worth it. Instead she went with understanding, it was what she'd needed not so long ago... it was something she hadn't found until she'd escaped that tower with their little group.

"I know how it feels to be feared, to be shunned. I tried to help the villagers with my abilities, when I realized that what I was seeing was real... It did no good. They already knew I was different, that I saw things... warning them in advance only made them blame the happenings on me. A house burned down, it was my fault... a child grew ill, it was because I cursed him. No one understood that I could help what I saw, that I didn't make this things happen.... that they would have anyway if I'd seen them or not."

She shrugged, "Eventually, I just quit warning them but... by then the damage was done. I was an outsider, I wasn't welcome... So I left."

She smiled over at him tiredly, "It's funny... I would have done anything to get rid of my power while you were busy seeking it out. It's interesting to see it from another perspective."

She did not mention how unstable he'd seemed, and she wasn't afraid of him... by now she'd noticed the glowing eyes. It happened when he used his power and it seemed to happen whenever strong emotions boiled over. She'd just watch for that telltale sign and stay out of the way if need be. She was a survivalist, but not one to judge considering her past. If she hadn't realized what set off her gift she'd probably have gone mad herself some time ago.

She shivered as the sensation of magic grew stronger against her skin, to be honest she hadn't felt it much till now. "Yes... though, to be honest, it didn't quite feel THIS ominous the last time I was here."

That was when they ran into a barrier... if you could call it that. Thick vines, thorns, and branches had all grown together to form a sort of wall. It was far too tall to climb and looking either way you couldn't see the ends of it. Aevah was also sure that if you were to try to blow a hole through it that it would grow back together too quickly to do any good. It was Fae magic, they were protecting themselves... The good thing? She could hear a magpie.

She looked about and saw only one and so she recited the first line of the prose... So it went every time they met one of the barriers until she'd read off every line and could see the large tree in the glade only a short distance away. The sunlight here was bright and warm, tiny sprites no more than flashes of light flitted about and skimmed the top of the still waters of the pool to the right of the tree. The water was serene, the stones at the bottom glowed like gemstones.

"Don't drink that... I know enough of Fae lore to know that sometimes the waters can be enchanted, and usually with spells to make you forget... or remain staring at yourself forever... it depends on what you most desire. So stay away from it..."

She glanced back at the tree and fiddled with her necklace momentarily, "Perhaps you should remain outside... If you go in and do not request something of her she will want to punish you so you will have a reason to return and make a request anyway."

She took off her necklace, "Will you take this for now? It is one of few things important to me and I would rather she not request it... Though there is no guarantee leaving it here with you will stop her... Or that you staying out here won't keep her from knowing you're here... The risk is yours to take, I won't stop you if you want to follow."

Where Angels Fear to Tread (Community Revived Edition)

Lol, nah. I got ya loud and clear. :)

Where Angels Fear to Tread (Community Revived Edition)

Aevah frowned a bit at his question and sighed, "Well, it can't hurt to tell you since you already know I can see things about people I touch..."

She glanced over at him as they rode along she explained to him what she'd seen when she touched him and then hesitated before going a step further and deciding to fill him in on the other part of her... gift. "Sometimes, the Seeing Touch triggers Dreamwalking... or Astral Projection."

She shook her head, "I'm still figuring it out. All I know is that when I was outside my body when I fell in those tunnels I saw shadows around you... most dense around the book at your side... It is like it has it's own aura and it is feeding off of yours... Our discussion last night reminded me of what I'd seen and... Nightmares abound."

She shrugged, "I will be fine... So long as I don't make touching you a habit."

It was daylight when she finally placed her hand above her eyes to shade them as she looked into the distance, "Do you see that?"

She pointed, in the distance was the line of trees that began the line of the Uchfos forest.

"We're close..."

It took maybe another hour for them to reach the forest, thankfully the journey had been simple so far... No guards roaming the area that she could see anyway. Once they reached the trees she pulled the horse to a stop. It had almost been too easy so far, truth be told. She'd expected to run into some scouts at least but she'd yet to see any sign of even one.

"Once we get deeper in is when we'll start seeing the ravens... I stumbled across it last time and the Fae weren't really on high alert. Without Kylmie's help I doubt we'd make it all the way this time... Also, the horses won't carry us after a certain point... I guess something about Fae magic makes them nervous."

Bitten

Yaaay!

Bitten

Dawww.... Well, if everyone else has deserted then you and I can still play.

Bitten

So, I'm checking to see who is still here before I even begin to worry with continuing. -_-

Bitten

I meant cowhorsechic and stitches.... but you can post too if you'd like. :p

Bitten

So apparently Stitches and CowHorseChic have poofed? They're who I've been waiting for... I shall give you 1 more day to reply and if there is still nothing I will be sidelining your characters.

Where Angels Fear to Tread (Community Revived Edition)

Lol, poor Aevah. His coocoo that she got to experience for herself is giving HER nightmares. It's only short term though, lucky for her. I don't think she could handle Kyrtaar's paranoia.

Where Angels Fear to Tread (Community Revived Edition)

Aevah arched a brow, "Well... you learn something new every day. I wonder how my mother got hold of something like this. Though, you full elves are exceptionally long lived. I wonder how old my mother was."

She shrugged, "That's a question for some other time."

As he explained his reasons for leaving Aevah nodded, "I hear that the elves are traditionalists, they don't really like change or anything that goes against tradition. Honestly, though humans are crude... I'm glad I was raised among them. They learn a zeal for life that I don't think think the elves have because they live so long, humans have to cherish every moment because their lives are so short."

She sighed, "The moon is up. We should rest, I would like to be on the move again before first light."

~*~

As the night wore on Aevah slept uneasily, perhaps it was their trading of stories or maybe it was her vicinity to Kyrtaar allowing her to remember what she'd seen when she touched him, but her dreams were troubled. She dreamed of stars imploding into black holes, visions of teeth and hungry mouths lingering in the back of her mind. She dreamed of crumbling stone structures, blood stained streets filled with whispers and the hauntingly discordant song of those strange stars, movement in thick fog and twinkling stars peeking through like eyes watching every move... tendrils of mist like hands reaching for her skin. She woke with a start sometime before dawn... cold sweat covering her brow and those whispers still humming in her ears. She shivered and glanced at Kyrtaar, wondering if whatever shadows lurked around him were somehow rubbing off on her. She doubted it, more likely it was just the belated after affect of having been in his head and their discussion the night before.

She stood and packed away her bedroll onto the horse, after having actually look she'd discovered that there hadn't just been their weapons in the pack saddles of the horses. Small portions of dried foods and a bedroll were the helpful givings of whatever kind soldier had packed the horses for them. She glanced at Kyrtaar once more, wondering if he was awake.

"We should move soon, if we make good time we'll reach the outer edge of the forests before nightfall..."