NoriWasHere

Recollections: Under The Sycamore Tree Part. 1

Interactions: Drake @Punished GN- Sloane @Atrophy - Luca @FernStone
Queen of Dairy

---

“So, what brings you to these parts?”

Evelynn leaned on the window of the Uber. The question lingered in the air for a brief moment. Why did she bring herself back here? She pondered the question for a moment. Guilt, remorse, a deep sadness, and the death of members of her culty coven. Only one of those reasons was the true reason why she was back. If members of the coven were dropping like flies, and a call for help was sounded, she had to return to ensure that what they stopped never started again. Even if she was late to the party. The ones who could see the future were late because they lost track of time. It wasn’t her fault, her phone had slipped out of her hand and fallen between the grates on the road outside her house. It took her an hour to figure out what could work to get her phone out, and then realize what worked. That thought led her back to when she ordered the Uber, and the question it’s driver asked.

“Oh,” Evelynn paused as she pulled her head off of the window, “a decade ago a group of friends de-...decided that we would meet up back here at some point. Well, that point is now.” She knew that they were supposed to meet at the flower shop. Knowing the group, she knew they did not wait around there for long. She would run into them eventually, she could sense them around the town, she just wanted to get to a more central spot first before she ventured out to find them. “We all graduated together from here so..”

“Wait,” the driver said as he looked into his rearview mirror and squinted, “are you.. Eve?”

“Evelynn,” she corrected, “and who are you?”

“Jake Finch, we graduated together,” he shouted, “wow how have you been?”

“Jake! Oh wow, it's you,” she paused as she had no idea who this man was, “yeah I have been good, good, graduated from college, and have been working to pay off that student debt, you know? How about you? How’s the family?”

The two would talk for a minute. He brought up memories and Evelynn would respond with a “that was so crazy” whenever she did not remember. Eventually, she looked around and spotted a Dairy Queen, and spotted a commotion outside of it on its patio.

“Stop, stop right here,” she shouted and the driver obliged. The brakes on the car squealed in anger as the car slammed to a stop “Sorry Jim, I think I see some of them. Thank you,” she shouted as she opened the door and stepped outside onto the sidewalk.

There were a few people present and Evelynn felt like she recognized each one. Before she was able to guess who was who one man pushed another, before he swung on a smaller woman.

“Fuck,” she shouted before she turned away from the group. “I am too sober for this,” she whispered as she grabbed the flask from her pocket, twisted it open, and took a deep swig. She did not care for the time, whenever she saw someone hit another person with a power made it time to drink. “Fuck,” she whispered again as she pocketed the flask and turned around, the taste of the whisky held tightly to her throat. “Hey, can we not,” she shouted again.

Evelynn stopped moving as she channeled her power. She felt the temperature rising over the group, and she wanted to be prepared in case it got too explosive for her liking. Her eyes glazed over and began to dart around the area rapidly. The outside world faded away as she ran through the possible futures ahead of the group as a whole. Evelynn would see around five possible futures for the group as it stood. Many involved the fight continuing, all involved Luca and his aura of decay and an injured wrist, and none would be better if she didn't try and calm things down. She stayed in this trance-like state for a few seconds before she pulled herself back out of it.

“Hey, hey, hey let’s calm down, I am not sure what happened before I got here but I can assure you things may potentially get much worse from here.” She paused as she pointed to herself hoping that they remembered her accursed power, “Hi everyone, Evelynn, sorry I missed the meetup earlier. It seems I missed a lot.”

Her eyes fell to Sloane, pleading with her to listen. In the few possible futures she saw, and the past she remembered, Sloane was not the person to take a hit without getting one back in response. She shifted towards Luca, making sure to keep far enough away from the decay, and whispered ‘are you okay,’ as she pointed to his wrist.

Recollections: Under The Sycamore Tree Part. 1

@Estylwen

Thank you :3

Recollections: Under The Sycamore Tree Part. 1

Evelynn Ann Serenelight

"Maybe I will find the answer to my problems at the bottom of that next bottle.."

_______________________________________________ Evelynn Ann Serenelight She/Her | 27 | White | 64 In | 127 pnds _______________________________________________ Oracle _______________________________________________ Skills & Talents "I wish I was more useful." ___________________________________ [+] [Customer Service] ⫻ Evelynn has spent the past decade working in customer service in some shape or fashion. From client-facing, to call center work and more, Evelynn has developed a natural rapport with people. People often remark that their customer service voice is much more soothing and less agitating than her normal voice. [Lover of puzzles] ⫻ From her earliest memories, Evelynn has always loved a challenge and more so loved puzzles. Whether a puzzle board or a complex problem, Evelynn finds joy in working it out. She can often be found playing these kind of games on her phone to pass the time. [Alcoholic Bloodline] ⫻ Thanks to her family, and for her practice, Evelynn can handle her alcohol quite well. While she has yet to go bottle for bottle with her grandma, she knows it is only a matter of time before she develops a stronger liver. [Strong cup of joe] ⫻ Every morning Evelynn makes a cup of coffee and those who stay over remark that it is one strong cup of joe. [Unlucky in love] ⫻ Evelynn has no success in her love life yet this has always been for the best. She has a habit of falling in love with the first man who shows her interest. The longest relationship she has been in has been for only three months. After the breakup, it seems everyone reveals their red flags, and she realizes she has dodged a bullet.

Appearance ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ "You're not very pretty, and you're not very bright." Evelynn is a woman whose appearance is a mesmerizing blend of uniqueness and elegance. She rocks light brown hair with straight bangs that frame her face, giving off a touch of sophistication. Her hair is often pulled back into a practical ponytail, showcasing her ability to balance style with practicality. Her green eyes, like shards of emerald, carry a spark of intelligence and a hint of mischief. Evelynn's makeup is an artful expression of her creativity. She spends entirely too much time on her eyeliner as it enhances the captivating allure of her gaze. A dash of dark lipstick adds that rebellious touch. She is pierced, and each one tells a different story of herself. A small silver hoop in her left nostril and an industrial bar piercing in her right ear contribute to her rough and tough look. She got these after she left the coven and ventured far to truly find herself. This act of defiance against what was her ordinary life set the stage for what was to come. Tattoos, and many of them. Both of her arms served as a canvas for her friend's imagination. She has various small tattoos that do not look professionally done, yet she loves them all the same. The cat on top of the yarn, the dog chasing its tail, and all the various characters from her favorite movies and TV shows all blend to form the sleeve on her left arm. Her right arm shows a level of detail and refinement that contrasts with the other. A deer with a crown of roses, an owl that sits on the branch of a sycamore tree, and a snake that wraps around her arm, overlapping itself. The lines on this arm are crisp, the colors clean, and the cost too high to count. Her fashion is a bit basic. Sweaters and cropped hoodies overtop high-waisted jeans, or a crop top shirt overtop high-waisted shorts. Either way, she always fills out her outfits with an odd assortment of jewelry and Doc Martin boots.

_{Psychology
^{▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔}}
"Some days I feel like I am stuck in the middle of a raging river that pulls me downstream to a dark sea, and no matter how hard I swim I can never get back to shore."

MAIN GOAL ⫻

Evelynn harbors ambitious aspirations for her future and it has been their main goal to unravel the threads of what her purpose is. She wants to unearth a sense of purpose, a calling that resonates deeply with the core of their being.

This quest for purpose hasn't been a fleeting endeavor; it's been painful, marked by introspection and self-discovery. Hours have been devoted to unraveling the intricate layers of their interests and talents, each step a deliberate one toward the elusive goal of finding not just a job, but a vocation that aligns with her preconceived idea of what she wants to do. Evelynn wants nothing more than for the day to arrive when her job will cease to be answering phones and answering questions, instead, it will be a place where she can plant roots and grow professionally.

Beyond the realm of career pursuits, there's a second facet to Evelynn's hopes—the pursuit of love. Their journey in matters of the heart has been fraught with missteps and heartaches. Yet, amidst the echoes of past disappointments, Evelynn remains steadfast in the desire to find a genuine and enduring love.

PHILOSOPHY ⫻

Evelynn's philosophy centers around the belief that life is a kaleidoscope of experiences, both challenging and beautiful. Every experience is meant to be embraced and learned from. They see purpose as a journey rather than a destination, and that one can make a lot of progress as long as one has a continuous desire for self-discovery and adaptation.

The core tenets of Evelynn's philosophy are resilience, authenticity, and an unyielding optimism that tomorrow holds the promise of growth, connection, and a new day for new experiences.

SECRETS ⫻

The true extent of her alcoholism. She knows better than to allow someone to witness the amount she drinks, and she does well to hide the hangovers as well. Some have begun to talk to her about her rampant drinking but even they are kept out of the loop.

She was right about a few different things during the fight, but thought that it was a false future. It came true and people were hurt, killed, and it was all her fault.

SEXUALITY ⫻

Bisexual/heteroromantic. Evelynn has a deep love for both men and women, yet she feels like she can only form romantic feelings for men.

FEARS ⫻

Evelynn's family is marred by early deaths and unfulfilled purposes. She fears that one day she will find herself at death's door, no closer to knowing who she is and nowhere near understanding the true power of her purpose. That she will be alone, with no one to help her through those final difficult moments.

REPUTATION IN OLD COVEN ⫻

Evelynn was well-liked in the old coven. She was friendly, accountable, and always there for those who needed help. While she was not around them as much as she would have liked, she was often pulled away when tragedy inevitably struck, she still made the moments she was there count and held most of the members in high regard. She did not know it at the time but there were a few members who were skeptical of her and her demeanour. Her power enabled her to see a possible future, what if she was using it to keep on everyone's good side? As such, as a whole, she would have been well-liked, but not trusted.

ROLE IN THE BATTLE AGAINST THE STYGIAN SNAKE ⫻

Evelynn was a supporting party in the battle. She used her gifts to try and guide the covens' strikes, as well as see if their attacks would work. Her abilities were hampered during the battle by the sheer number of eventualities she tried to decipher. As such, some were hurt when she gave the wrong information to the wrong person.

FLAWS ⫻

Indecisiveness: Evelynn tends to struggle with making decisions, especially when faced with significant choices related to her career or personal life

Perfectionism: In her pursuit of purpose and love, Evelynn often sets exceedingly high standards for herself, leading to frustration and self-criticism when things don't go as planned.

Overthinking: She tends to overanalyze situations, creating unnecessary stress and sometimes hindering her ability to take spontaneous or intuitive actions.

Difficulty Trusting Others: The scars from previous negative experiences in relationships have left Evelynn with difficulty trusting new people, making it challenging for her to fully open up and connect on a deeper level.

_{Backstory
^{▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔}}
"If I have to go to another funeral this year I swear..."

In the quiet shadows of St. Portwell, nestled within the mist-laden landscapes of Oregon, Evelynn Ann Serenelight's story unfolded against a backdrop of perpetual gloom. The town stood as a silent witness to the cyclical tragedy that befell the Serenelight lineage. Born into a family marked by the curse of premature death, Evelynn's childhood in St. Portwell bore the weight of sorrow brought on by her constant presence at the funeral home. She lost three uncles, one aunt, three siblings, and both her parents all before her twenty-first birthday. None by natural means. Her father and mother died together in a car accident. From the report, it was suggested that her father was distracted by something while behind the wheel, causing him to drive off the road and into a pole. The same fate would befall two of her siblings, while the third drowned.

Before all that death Evelynn was involved with the Sycamore Tree Coven, and it was here that much of Evelynn's drive to better herself and better her future came from. She was in class when the apparitions started their attack. She, however, handled the attack better than the others thanks to her gift. Her gift had manifested a few days prior, and at first, she thought she had gone mad. Slowly, she trusted her gut and began to explore her gift at every possible moment. She used her gift to test if a path was safe and helped shepherd others to safety. She spent the rest of the event running from moment to moment, spending more time watching possible futures than in the present, and used her gifts to the best of her ability to help others survive. Sadly, she was not as good as the group needed her to be.

After the fallout of the event settled, and the coven disbanded, Evelynn knew she had to go far away from this whole mess. She attended college in town with the goal of graduating and moving far from this place with her girlfriend. This became a fleeting escape from the shadow cast by her experiences in the coven. Every moment of peace and happiness would be plagued by the 'what if it happens again' or the 'what if the snake manages to break free' thoughts. She would end up spending a lot of time in therapy, choosing the right words to get the point across without revealing what had happened, and ended up getting some help with the dread she faced.

In college she had a lot of trouble finding a path that suited her unique skillset, as well she found it hard to find one that would truly bring her joy and happiness. As such, her grades were never perfect as she often second-guessed her own decisions. She had a long-held desire to be a graphic designer. She was always a beacon of creativity, after all, yet it was as if everything she created was nothing more than strokes on a canvas that was veiled with a perpetual filter of ick.

While the past decade seemed to fly by, Evelynn always kept an eye on her future and one on her past. She wants to avoid any unforeseen disaster that could take her out like the rest of her father's family, and she wants to remember and always be ready in case the sins of the past break free. When news reached her ears about the deaths of coven members, Evelynn dwelled on what to do. Eventually, she elected to return home. Home to face the curse of her family, and home to ensure that the world remained safe forever more.

_{Abstraction
^{▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔}}
"If you take three steps that way you will either run into a monster or be safe."

TYPE ⫻ (Afflicted Aberration)

ABSTRACTION ⫻ Foresight - Evelynn can pull on her curse to see the possible futures ahead of her.

ABSTRACTION DESCRIPTION ⫻ Evelynn's story begins with her ancestors. It is told that her great-great Grandfather crossed a witch out in the woods, he had come to seek the power to see the path to a prosperous future, and when he did not pay what was due the witch placed a curse on the man and his bloodline. This curse allowed them to see a possible future, yet it caused many to get lost in it which caused their early death. It was as if the power itself manifested at the worst possible time for the rest of her family.

There was never any proof, mind you, and Evelynn was happy to chalk it up to a family story that was nothing more than a story. Yet, as she grew, she watched as anyone born on her father's side of the family died younger than they should have, often in accidents that could have been avoided had they been more present.

This curse has seemingly grown stronger as the generations have passed. And the events of the battle with the snake added fuel to that fire. This has resulted in Evelynn's unique gift. She has the gift of foresight, the ability to see possible outcomes for any action she wishes. Whether that is walking alone down the dark, dusty road at night or as simple as what lunch she picks to eat, Evelynn can project what may happen before it happens. She does not move, does not react, and to the outside world she looks like her eyes glaze over and she is in a trance. She can also project the possible eventualities out into the world, visible for all to see. The further she projects into a possible future the longer she has to remain idle. At the end of the day, these possible futures require an interpretation. Sometimes the projections are clear, but often they are not. Evelynn will either have to spend more time, and project more possibilities, or try and interpret from just one.

LIMITS ⫻

Her gifts never show what will happen, only what could. Thus, if she does not spend some time trying to bolster her prediction with more possibilities, she will often be wrong. As well, spending more time and energy on these predictions causes her to lose focus on the present around her.

WEAKNESSES ⫻ The gift of Foresight also comes with the curse of misfortune. Wherever she goes, a subtle telekinetic ability acts to make misfortune happen to her. Whether it's dropping something she's carrying into the water, things falling on her, or... an attack that would have otherwise missed hitting her.

^{Other
_{▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔}}
"Even with this power I still can't win the lottery."

Evelynn always has a flask of alcohol on her person.

Lila Blackwod

"Good morning my lovelies I have gifts to share with the flock."

_______________________________________________ Lila May Blackwood They/Them/She/Her | 25 | White | 65 (In Inches) | 110 (Pounds/LB) _______________________________________________ Nevermore. _______________________________________________ Skills & Talents "I have quite the bounty for you today." ___________________________________ [+] [“Quote the Raven”] ⫻ Lila is well-versed in what her avian friends want and need to thrive. After she left the coven she enrolled in Oregon State University and went through a veterinary program, and currently works as a vet tech in town. As well, she is also well-versed in taking care of most animals. [Cooking] ⫻ Lila is a fantastic cook. While she does not need anything fancy, she often shares her food with her flock and as such, she wants to have the ability to give them something new constantly. As well, she has a love for cooking for her friends and family, and this has led to her place becoming a small meetup spot. [Lay of the lands] ⫻ Lila has spent countless days outdoors tending to her flock and as such, she has learned how to navigate the woods without rousing suspicion from other witches and warlocks

Appearance ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ "I am not for everyone." Lila is a vibrant and confident soul standing at a petite five feet five inches tall. Lila rocks short, texturized hair that exudes an edgy charm, a testament to her fearless approach to self-expression. She sports an eclectic wardrobe, often opting for crop tops that flaunt her midriff, paired with flannel pants that rest tight against her hips. Lila adorns her hips with chains that jingle and dance as she moves. She proudly wears a variety of expensive-looking rings on her fingers, each telling a unique story that she does not know. These are the gifts her flock has given her over the years, and she treasures each one more than anything anyone has given her. In embracing her natural beauty, Lila chooses not to conform to conventional beauty standards and she confidently goes makeup-free, allowing her visible acne scars to shine as badges of resilience and self-love. Lila's authenticity and openness about her journey contribute to the magnetic energy she exudes. Lila proudly wears a distinctive tattoo that adds an extra layer of uniqueness to her already bold persona. Inked on her left forearm is a stylized crow, each feather on the wings are colored with the colors of the LGBTQ+ pride flag. The tattoo serves as a powerful symbol of Lila's own trans journey, resilience, and her connection to her queer community. When asked about the tattoo, Lila often shares stories of the people she has met, the challenges she has overcome, and the triumphs of her identity. It's not just body art for her; it's a narrative of her life etched into her skin, a testament to her strength, individuality, and the vibrant community she proudly represents.

_{Psychology
^{▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔}}
"Listen, all this stress is leading somewhere."

MAIN GOAL ⫻

Lila's main goal in life is to create a safe and inclusive space for LGBTQ+ youth to express themselves freely and find support in St. Portwell. Motivated by her own journey and the challenges she faced while navigating her identity, Lila is driven to make a positive impact on the lives of young individuals who may be going through similar experiences.

Her experiences with the Stygian Snake made her realize that life was already too short, and that helped push her toward acceptance of her own identity as well as push her towards wanting to be an advocate for the generations that follow.

PHILOSOPHY ⫻

Lila's philosophy revolves around the principles of authenticity, acceptance, and empowerment. At the core of her beliefs is the idea that everyone deserves the space and freedom to be their true selves without fear of judgment or discrimination.

SECRETS ⫻

Since she started her transition young, she has lived life stealthily and the outside world is never the wiser. While her friends, and the coven, know her trans identity most strangers on the street would never know.

She has a secret talent that she fears would lead to snide comments and questions that ask her why she does it. Lila likes to make origami birds. She often travels around town and leaves them behind books at the library, behind food in the grocery store, and in places, where people would never expect to see an origami bird.

Despite her outward confidence, Lila grapples with her insecurities and fears. She carries the weight of the battle with the snake even to this day, despite telling everyone that she has recovered enough from that headspace. She is always on the lookout for signs of the snake's return, as well as monitors the town and the forest around for other dangers that could threaten the world.

SEXUALITY ⫻

Queer. Lila has always had a deep love for women, and feminine presenting people.

FEARS ⫻

Lila's strong sense of community and her commitment to creating inclusive spaces stem from a deep-seated fear of isolation.

Lila has a deep fear of anything bugs. This stemmed from an early childhood encounter with a swarm of bees and this set the stage for Lila to be consistently jumpy around them. She has, in the past, used her Crows to ensure that she has a bug free day.

Lila carries a fear of regression, particularly in terms of societal progress. Despite the positive strides made in LGBTQ+ rights, she worries about the potential backlash or regression in acceptance.

Lila carries a fear of leaving important work unfinished. Whether it's her advocacy, community projects, or personal goals, she fears not being able to accomplish everything she envisions and as such, she carries boasts an insanely high work ethic. She fears the day she loses it.

REPUTATION IN OLD COVEN ⫻ (

Lila was known as Michael in the Old Coven at the start. At that time she was a timid, shy individual and more often than not followed the stronger voices that stood in front of her. She was considered meek, weak-willed, and often a pushover. Shortly after leaving the coven, she changed everything about who he was, yet these changes may not have had changed what everyone remembered

ROLE IN THE BATTLE AGAINST THE STYGIAN SNAKE ⫻

Lila used her crows in a supportive role, using her crows to distract enemies from her friends and she also used them in a limited offensive role to peck at the eyes of those she could. She eventually watched as her flock vanished after too many close calls and she was forced to be only emotional support.

FLAWS ⫻

Overcommitment - Lila's dedication to her cause sometimes leads to over-commitment. She tends to take on more responsibilities than she can handle, leading to moments of exhaustion and stress. Her fear of leaving important work unfinished exacerbates this fault as she struggles to find the balance between her personal life and her advocacy.

Difficulty Delegating - Due to her deep personal investment in her projects, Lila finds it challenging to delegate tasks. This can lead to burnout, as she may be reluctant to entrust critical responsibilities to others. Learning to share the workload is a continual struggle as she grapples with the fear that others may not approach the work with the same passion and commitment.

Impatience with Inaction - Lila's impatience with societal progress and injustices can lead to frustration. She struggles to understand those who don't share her sense of urgency, sometimes alienating individuals who may be at different stages of their journey toward acceptance and understanding.

_{Backstory
^{▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔}}
"Thanks to gran, I feel like I can do anything."

In the quiet embrace of Oregon's serene landscapes, Lila's childhood unfolded amidst the separation of her parents. She was sent to live with her Grandma, and what initially seemed like an upheaval early in her formative years turned into a blessing. Under Grandma's watchful eye, Lila's early years were the most amazing time of her life and it was filled with love, wisdom, and a caring approach that her parents never brought. These foundational moments became the bedrock of the values that would shape Lila's journey.

As adolescence dawned, Lila began to grapple with a profound sense of something wrong with her gender. Seeking answers and clarity, her grandmother sought help and took Lila to therapy. It was during these introspective moments that the extraordinary revealed itself – a mystical connection with a murder of crows, bound to Lila as if they took a fancy to the young kid. When she gave them a treat and asked them to do something, they would. This connection became an integral part of her identity and a source of her power.

The pivotal moment in Lila's journey occurred during the fierce confrontation with the Stygian Snake. As the world descended into chaos around her, she leaned on her crows to keep her safe. Cornered, and out of gifts for the crows, she was rescued by members of the coven, who brought the struggling kid into their fold. The battle ended up mirroring the internal struggle she faced with her gender identity. It became the crucible in which her decision to undergo a medical transition was forged. Post-battle, the subsequent months were marked by a labyrinthine journey through the approval process, a mosaic of challenges and triumphs that would pave the way for her rebirth. After the battle, she stayed with the Coven. These powers of hers confused, and concerned, her, and this seemed like a safe place for her to expand her knowledge of them. She never felt like she fit in with the rest of the group, and she often just followed whoever had the most confident voice and commanding pressure.

In the wake of the Coven's disbandment, Lila's path led her to higher education. Fueling her passion for nurturing and care, she emerged as a vet tech, bridging the ordinary and the mystical in her commitment to the well-being of both animals and humans alike.

Yet, the call to return echoed across the corners of her mind. Despite the personal growth and achievements of the interim period, the bonds forged within the mystical embrace of the Coven held an unyielding sway. Recognizing the significance of her power and feeling the pull of destiny, Lila chose to answer the call. As well, something strange happened in the weeks leading up to the eventual reformation of the coven. Her crows have been leading her to strange new places in the forests, and she hears the call of a mystical figure with each waking thought. This figure calls herself the Maiden of the Raven, and she promises much, and Lila is beginning to listen.

_{Abstraction
^{▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔}}
"Let..me…in”

TYPE ⫻ Adjoined

ABSTRACTION ⫻ Lila is the Veridian Wing, the Agent of Murder. Lila can use the sealed Maiden’s transformation and curse powers, as well as the full force of her Murder.

ABSTRACTION DESCRIPTION ⫻
Lila is now the only one in charge of the murder and is responsible for its safety. As well, Lila has learned to wield and use the true magic of the Maiden. She can use the transformation magic to change her appearance and form to an extent. She can only add more to her appearance or change what was already added. Thus, while she can not change back to her human form she can use the magic to become more monstrous if the need arises. As well, she can utilize the curse magic to control and change others.

A MURDER IN ST. PORTWELL ⫻
Lila, ever since becoming the agent of The Maiden, had gained full control over the murder of The Maiden. However, ever since The Maiden failed her takeover bid, Lila now has to contend with a murder who not only looks to her for guidance but also support and care. It truly is day one once again. They have more personalities now, different wants and needs, and Lila will need to learn how to manage them quickly. That is, as long as The Maiden's corruptive influences are kept in check. She can still use her fighting forms with her crows, however, Lila has learned the errors of doing so. The Murder has also shrunk in size. What was once tens of thousands have reverted to only a few hundred.

• ASSAULT Lila can have her crows attack her target in many different ways. From going for the easy spots like a throat or eyes, to completely enveloping a target in an angry swarm, Lila has a few easy ways to hurt someone. In a fight, she can also use her crows to do more complex attacks.
• PROTECTIVE SWARM When an enemy gets in too close, Lila can command her swarm to protect her. In this form, the crows will often fly circles around her in either a loose or tight shell. The crows will take the brunt of an attack, whether physical or magical, and replenish the shell as needed with fresh bodies. This shell will also lash out at targets that get too close. This is much weaker with the smaller size of the murder.
• THE HIVE MIND Lila has gained a much stronger telepathic connection with the birds. She is beginning to understand them, and they are able to communicate with gestures, however her ability to glean information from them has grown much stronger . This is useful when she sends the murder out to scout and or look for something. She’ll never get the complete picture but she gains something from them all the same.
• MISCHIEVOUS MEANDERING The crows that remained are, by nature, a mischievous group who take pleasure in causing small levels of chaos on a local level. Where Lila goes the murder is quick to follow, and without the control of the maiden they are now left to their own devices. Lila could use the same curse magic to control them but Lila is unwilling to put them through the same kind of torment that their former master did. As such, anything shiny and tasty will seemingly go missing. Everywhere Lila goes the murder will follow, as will the chaos it will bring. The murder is also much more keen on being in the same space with Lila and will only leave her alone if they get something out of it.

THE TRANSFORMATIVE POWERS OF THE MAIDEN ⫻

The first of The Maidens's magic that Lila gained control of, Lila is granted the ability to transform herself at will if the needs arise. She can never truly go back on the transformation, but she does have the ability to control how it presents itself. She was given wings, and thus she has wings, but she can make them bigger. Similarly, the maiden turned her into a monster in her bid for control and Lila will always have her defining trait of being a monster.

• THE MAIDENS GIFTS Lila has enhanced strength, speed, and durability thanks to the The Maiden and her transformations. The primary gifts that have existed from the very beginning are her clawed hands and her former black eyes. While she has been able to make the eyes just a bit less monster they’re still very much the same. With these gifts, she can cut deep, see far, and can jump high in the sky in a single bound with her gifted legs.
• THE INFLUENCE OF THE MAIDEN The Maiden broke Lila’s mind, body, and almost her spirit. As such, Lila has been changed by The Maidens. While she is as strong-willed as before, she is more cautious about apparitions and their hosts. She may have been naive before, but she now approaches encounters with new apparitions, and even some friends, with a hint of fear and doubt regarding their intention. Even now she can feel the maiden try to corrupt her further, and she will be locked into a battle with her for the rest of their time together.
• THE MAIDEN TAKES FLIGHT One of the most powerful gifts the Maiden ever gave to Lila is her wings. Lila has taken these gifts and truly made them more powerful. She no longer uses the curse that is bound to the feathers; she instead focuses on making them practical. She can now fly, though she is not graceful yet. Or good with them. They are like a pair of limbs she’s never used before. As time goes on, and as she practices, she may one day be graceful.
• THE HARPY Lila has used her magic to transform herself into a harpy. The transformation is not permanent, at least yet. In this form, she has enhanced speed, vision, durability, strength, and the power of fight. These enhancements are above peak human strength. However she is truly a Jack of all trades master of none. She is also currently stuck in this form. She can not return to her normal human body and currently does not know if she ever can. She chose this form, and she must learn to accept herself in it. Lila looks like a monster and will look like a monster to most. Her wings are massive, and her body has been changed as well.
• THE KINDLING One of the unintended powers, or curse, she gained was being a one-woman kindling machine. If a one-eyed open would see her she could very well cause a kindling event.

THE CURSE I GAINED

The Maiden's curse magic is centered around domination and control. She can use these curses to force a transformation in another creature, object, or even plant. The curse will transform them into something else, something Lila gets to decide. This magic is the same magic she uses to keep The Maiden at bay so the more she uses it, the more powerful The Maiden can become.

• BEND TO MY WILL Lila can utilize the curse magic of the maiden to force a transformation on others. This will be similar to Lila’s cursed wings but more focused, and controlled, albeit less effective. She needs a prolonged amount of time to direct the curse to do what she wants. She can improve the speed of this by drawing the cursed magic into her hand ahead of time. She has to make physical contact with the target to place the curse. When the curse is placed, blue lines will creep out from the point where the curse was cast. The stronger the emotional field the more magic she has to use to bend the target to her will.
• THE KEY AND THE CAGE The Maiden is subdued by Lila using her magic but she is not gone. As long as Lila powers the crystal that is on her chest with her curse magic she can keep her subdued. The Maiden is not weak, far from it, and she lashes out and actively resists the magic.
• THE MINDSCAPE The Mindscape is a specific curse that Lila can cast that draws a person's conscious mind into a space that Lila controls. In this space Lila can keep a person unable to act with their physical body as long as she keeps a point of contact with them. As this is a person's conscious mind and not their soul, adepts and adjoined alike will be unable to use their magic.

LIMITS ⫻

Lila’s curse magic comes with a cost. The more she uses the curse in a day the weaker the curses become. If she uses it too much she could run out of energy to power the crystal which keeps the Maiden at bay.

The curse magic is much weaker than the one The Maiden was able to wield and this is due to Lila not fully utilizing it. Thus she will be unable to pierce through an emotional field. While she could learn to be better with it, she does not have much desire to do so.

The Crows now also require much more focus from Lila. She will once again need to give them gifts, especially if she wants them to do something dangerous. The crows are now more picky with their gifts, and Lila will need to spend a lot more time trying to keep the murder in order.

Transformations for herself also require a lot of energy. As does the new form. She has to eat a lot more, to keep up. If she falls behind, she gets tired and may fall asleep. As well, this lack of energy will bring on a drunk like stupor.

The crystal gem that she uses to suppress the maiden requires a recharge once every twelve hours. She needs to channel the magic into the crystal during this time. Too much use of the curse magic will make this process long, slow, or outright impossible. As well, this limiter also limits how much of her magic she can wield. Simply put, she has to balance making sure The Maiden is kept in check, while not limiting her ability to be useful.

At the end of the day Lila is damaged. She will never be the same, and she’ll have to navigate relationships, fights, and just life with his new reality. She will make mistakes, and she’ll have to deal with any ramifications that come her way. As well, she is by no means a master with the magic she can wield. The magic can, and will, backfire. A curse could have unintended consequences especially if her fractured mine rears its ugly head. She will be forgetful, often make stupid decisions, and will sometimes have conversations with herself.

The more Lila tries to understand her crows, the more restrictive she will become with their use. She will be overly empathetic, and much quicker to anger with their deaths. This could make her get very irrational very fast as a result. As well, she is much more protective with their lives.

Lila is a one woman wrecking crew for the one eye open. She is painfully obvious as a paranormal being and will cause kindling events in her wake.

WEAKNESSES ⫻

Each transformation Lila undergoes is excruciatingly painful, leaving her physically weakened for an extended period afterward. This agony can result in temporary paralysis or a loss of motor control, rendering her vulnerable during the process. Furthermore, killing her crows inflicts severe mental and emotional anguish, causing debilitating headaches, hallucinations, or even temporary lapses in memory. While her crows provide support, their constant presence draws attention, making stealth near impossible.

Lila’s mental state is fragile, heavily influenced by the corrupting presence of The Maiden. This internal conflict can lead to unpredictable behavior, making it difficult for her to concentrate during critical moments. The influence of The Maiden looms over her. As Lila harnesses her curse magic, she risks inadvertently drawing closer to the Maiden's corruptive essence, which could lead to a loss of her sense of self or render her a pawn in the Maiden's schemes.

The intense energy demands of her transformations and curse magic result in a ravenous hunger that distracts her during crucial moments. This hunger can drive her to act impulsively, increasing the risk of mistakes. Additionally, emotional stress may cause her abilities to backfire or become erratic. Each use of her transformative powers and curse magic drains her energy rapidly. If she overextends herself, she risks becoming fatigued or incapacitated.

The crystal gem that suppresses The Maiden's influence is a double-edged sword; if it becomes damaged or runs out of energy, The Maiden could break free. Moreover, her curse magic can lead to unintended consequences, resulting in misfires or adverse effects on herself and her allies.

^{Other
_{▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔}}
"Should I listen to the Maiden, or are y'all just fucking with me?"

Lila has a constant supply of high quality snacks on her in her bags. She will not share.

Jasper Wilde

"You expect me to drop my life to run back to a fantasy?"

_______________________________________________ Jasper Nathaniel Wilde He/Him | 24 | German-American | 75 inches | 170 pounds _______________________________________________ Visonary. _______________________________________________ Skills & Talents "I may have a thing or two that could fix that problem" ___________________________________ [+] [Green Thumb] ⫻ Thanks to his off-the-grid dwellings Jasper has grown quite a garden. He prides himself on being able to produce much of what he eats and has plans to expand his growing operation further. [Artist] ⫻ While his style is not for everyone Jasper is considered talented enough and is considered an emerging artist. He is currently focused on networking with other artists in the PNW region and is a constant presence at many art festivals. He currently has two collections, one that he brings to the various creator fairs for sale, and his collection that he plans to exhibit someday. [Connections] ⫻ Jasper has connections all over St. Portwell. Thanks to his social butterfly nature he has found a place in the heart of many. As such, if he is not back in his studio creating art he is out with his various friends enjoying the town. [Creative Problem Solver] ⫻ Jasper has always liked finding creative solutions to his problems.

Appearance ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ "If you can overlook the paint this shirt is quite nice" At a towering six foot five, Jasper possesses an undeniable physical presence that commands attention. While he does not have the most muscular of frames, he still does enough manual labor to keep himself in some shape. His hair is like a manifestation of his artistic chaos, as it tumbles in waves and carries an untamable energy that defies both styling attempts and product alike. His hair often frames his face highlighting his striking green eyes that seem to hold an entire range of emotions all within themselves. Jasper often dresses comfy but nice, and he is often seen in well-fitted trousers accompanied by a button-up shirt. However, he leaves an intentional gap by leaving the shirt unbuttoned, revealing a lot more chest hair than one might expect and a gold chain nestled against it. He is a big fan of accessories, and he will have any number of rings on his fingers and bracelets on his wrists. Despite his attempt at having a more refined look, he will often be seen with paint stains on even his nicest clothes. This is something that he cares less about. He is an artist, and he will have inspiration regardless of what clothes he wears.

_{Psychology
^{▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔}}
"Just because I can do something does not mean I will do it."

MAIN GOAL ⫻

Jasper has a dream of being able to live as self-sufficiently as possible. This is in part driven by his desire to create authentic art pieces. In truth, he does not care if he never becomes famous, as long as he can make enough money to cover his ever-growing compound, and enough to cover his art, he will be content.

PHILOSOPHY ⫻

Jasper's philosophy is of individualism, and embracing the beauty found in the unconventional and the chaotic. Jasper believes that true creativity flourishes in the freedom to break away from tradition and expectation. Regardless of whether someone pursues an art, he feels that people at their core are better served by not restraining themselves from what society or others deem appropriate or normal.

In essence, Jasper's philosophy revolves around the idea that art, and humanity, at its core, is a celebration of the unpredictable. To truly embrace one’s self you must first rid yourself of any preconceived expectations of what you have to be and just, simply, be yourself.

SECRETS ⫻

Jasper, despite his confident exterior, hides a few personal secrets. He has a past marked by struggles with addiction, a part of his life that's not apparent in his art. As such he has a checkered past that led to a few run-ins with the police. While he is sober from the stuff he abused, it still pulls at him to return. His art was more beautiful, he was more charismatic, and above all else he was more loved when he was an addict, at least that's what he thinks.

SEXUALITY ⫻

Straight. He has dabbled a few times, and he’ll more than likely dabble some more.

FEARS ⫻

He has a persistent fear of becoming stagnant in his artistic journey, a fear that he might cease to evolve and innovate, risking a loss of relevance and connection with his audience.

Despite his confident exterior, Jasper harbors a fear of exposing the raw, unfiltered layers of his true self through his art. For starters, how would someone interpret his fear about the Stygian Snake? Of the countless bodies of his dead friends? Of the chaos that unfolded in the streets? And of the sadness that swept the coven after the final body was accounted for? He knows the only way he can advance as an artist is to confront these issues of his own, but he is not truly ready for this. Maybe he never will, and maybe this will forever hamper him and his art.

REPUTATION IN OLD COVEN ⫻

Jasper was a friend to all and all were friends to Jasper. He had enough social energy to keep up with the jocks, and enough creativity as a kid to draw in the rest. He spent a lot of his free time working on his art and some were close to him because of that. There was one who he never wanted to befriend, Sloane. There was just something about that woman that made him irrationally angry.

He left the Coven early due to how rigid and controlling it became.

ROLE IN THE BATTLE AGAINST THE STYGIAN SNAKE ⫻

Jasper used his art constructs to help fight the Stygian Snake directly. Early on in the prolonged conflict he would draw, paint, and animate bird-like constructs and send them to harass the snake. Later in the fight he was constantly drawing, painting, and animating shield-carrying creatures to take the hit for his friends and the Coven. When he ran out of paint, he transitioned to a support role and pulled the injured members

FLAWS ⫻

Jasper tends to isolate whenever he is dealing with any intense personal or artistic troubles. He will ignore any text, call, or even people at his door in favor of just ignoring the problems until they go away.

Jasper’s creative spirit will sometimes bleed into impulsivity in a way that impacts both his personal, and financial stability.

He also has a reluctance to collaborate with others on projects, especially ones that involve being creative. This reluctance to collaborate with others has also led to him having a resistance to structure. He does not like a hierarchal structure, and he does not have any desire to join the new coven because of this.

_{Backstory
^{▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔}}
"I have been through some… tough times. I like to think I owe my artistic drive to it.."

Jasper's early years were much alike the other kids in St. Portwell. He and his sister, Octavia, spent their entire childhood in the city. He spent entirely too much time inside making art, and when he did venture out he did so with his best friends James, Doug, and Hugh. They did everything together, and eventually, this included saving the world. At the tender age of fourteen, the four of them were pulled into the Coven after the Stygian snake began its rampage. Jasper and his friends were at the park when it all started. A firetruck was run off the road by another car, causing it to skid across the grass before coming to a stop near a baseball diamond. A single firefighter stepped out of the truck, bloody axe in hand. The Fireman began attacking people at the park, triggering Jasper and his friends' Kindling events.

Jasper saw his great-great-grandfather in his vision. The man was old, and he was painting a picture filled with deep blue hues. He talked with Jasper and told him about his Lux and what this all meant, and that he would need to be brave not only for himself, and not only for his friends but for everyone else who did not have the strength to fight or the ability to. As the trance ended, and the firefighter approached, Jasper drew a stickman in his sketchbook with black ink, channeled his Lux, and pulled the figure from the page. His stick-figure held back the firefighter for only a few moments, but it was enough for them to run. As they ran, they were intercepted by a small group from the Sycamore Tree Coven. They were offered a safe place from the madness, and further explanations for their powers. Without a second thought, they joined up. They did not know fully what they were capable of, or what their powers meant, but the Coven had answers and the answers would come after the defeat of the Stygian Snake.

The four became a tight-knit group within the coven. They were well-liked by most, even if their powers were on the weaker side. Jasper was the weakest of the group. At first, no one knew what his power could do. He could only create weak paper figures as he only used black paint. Eventually, someone suggested he add color to the paintings and that is when he was able to finally utilize his lux to its full power.

The four, along with the rest of the Coven faced the Stygian Snake in a final confrontation. In the face of danger, Jasper painted himself dry. He had initially let his creativity run wild, but this made his constructs weak and ineffective. He resorted back to simple figures with simple powers and let them do the work for him. Even when he ran out of ink, he still found a way to be useful dragging the wounded and injured to the healers.

However, the victory came at a heavy cost. Jasper, standing strong and feeling confident, found himself the lone survivor among his childhood friends. The weight of grief, coupled with the toxic dynamics and rigid leadership within the coven, gradually eroded the enchantment that had initially drawn him in. While he wanted to stay and help in any way he could, he began to feel weighed down by the leadership and the decisions that they had made. The very thing that once united them now became a source of discomfort, and as the coven's aura turned from wonderful to oppressive, Jasper made the difficult decision to sever ties.

Leaving behind the coven and its haunting memories, Jasper embarked on a solitary journey of self-discovery. The mystical powers that had once defined his adolescence became a quieter, more intimate part of his identity, woven into the threads of his art and the complexities of his adult life. The scars of his past adventures lingered, however, and he developed a dependence on numerous substances. He would spend the better part of three years an addict and has only recently gotten sober.

When Auri called, he welcomed the conversation. He did not want to return but mentioned that if anyone wanted to catch up he would be down for a class reunion. When he put down the phone, he began to paint his latest project which was a look back at the coven itself, showing all the members from right before the final fight with the Stygian Snake. The sight of his friends, and all the other dead Coven members, has made him reconsider not joining up.

_{Abstraction
^{▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔}}
"If I don't make them perfect they will never be able to help."

TYPE ⫻

Adept - Red/Yellow/Gold Lux with his channeler being a paintbrush.

ABSTRACTION ⫻

A stroke of paint - Jasper can bring his paintings to life and enhance them with different colored paint

ABSTRACTION DESCRIPTION ⫻

Jasper can pull his paintings from canvas and bring them to life with specific purposes. He needs to paint the figure or object first and channel his intention for it as he does. If he wanted to create a figure to attack something he would need to channel that attack into his brush as he paints, and if he wanted to create a barrier unit he would need to also channel that defensive intention. While he can still pull paintings from the canvas without this specific intention, they would be much weaker and melt faster than ones with a specific intention. Jasper can enhance these constructs by using color.

• Paint it black: Jasper can pull his paintings from the canvas and bring them to life. The first step in the creation of any of these constructs is painting the Canvas black. While he can instead outline the construct with the brush, the spell works best when the entire canvas serves as the channeling surface. If he chooses to go forward with the outline instead the construct will be weaker and may melt into a puddle of acrylic or oil within a few minutes. During the process, he must constantly make his intention known and channel it into the paint itself. By using his channeling power, the oil or acrylic paint will dry within a few minutes and be ready for the next part and he uses the other end of the paintbrush to channel this effect. He has to move from step to step, and can not prepare a hundred painted canvases otherwise they run into the same issue as the outline.
• A dash of detail: Once the canvas is dried, he can then move on to creating the construct. Detail is incredibly important in this step. Any mistake he makes, such as a leg being shorter or disproportional, will make its way into the summoned construct. The more detail he adds will also make the construct more powerful. Depending on the situation he can spend ten minutes on creating a basic construct that would serve for its intended function. He has practiced the creation of three basic constructs to a near-machine level efficiency. The knight, the paladin, and the ranger. The knight is modeled after the typical knight in armor with a long two-handed sword. The Paladin has a large shield and nothing else while having a bulkier armor style than the knight. The ranger has a longbow and is devoid of any armor. Much like painting the canvas black, he can quickly use his Lux to dry the painting allowing a rapid application of the next layer.
• A splash of color: If the situation calls for it, Jasper can spend more time on each painting and can add different effects to each one. The two colors that he focuses on are red and yellow. The red color is an offensive-focused one. When he paints the knight's sword, the paladin's shield, or the ranger's arrow if he paints them in a red color he can channel his Lux to give his constructs a fire effect. The knight's sword is engulfed in flames, the paladin's shield radiates intense heat, and the ranger's arrow explodes in a firey spray. As well, if he paints the Paladin with a yellow hue, or adds yellow to the knight's sword, it makes the construct more durable in those locations. He can only work with red and yellow paint for this purpose, and he can not combine the colors to combine their properties.
• Put it together: When he finishes the painting, he can use his paintbrush to pull the construct from the canvas and into the real world. As they are pulled, they grow in size at a rate of three to one. Thus, a painting that is two feet by one foot will become a construct that is six feet by three feet. It is here where any imperfections will be truly highlighted. The more complex constructs, like the knight, paladin, and ranger, can last five minutes on average, meanwhile, a quick outline without doing the full spell may last a minute at most.
• A fine paintbrush: Jasper's paintbrush is a special one. He only uses it to create his constructs and for no other painting. It, when combined with his lux, ensures that not a drop of paint is left on the bristles after use. As well, the bristles themselves seem to remain as new as the day he picked it up.

LIMITS ⫻

The biggest figure that Jasper has been able to summon is a six-foot-tall one. As the size increases on a creation so too does the strength needed to pull it from the canvas. As well, the process of doing so exerts a toll on his body. While he can paint, summon, and paint again he will tire himself out quickly if he tries to summon too many too quickly. He can only have one summon at a time, meaning he will need to determine which form makes the most sense and commit to it until he can summon the next.

There is an inherent need for complexity in these paintings. While he can create simple ones and use them, they lack any form of strength to stand for long, and the more simple they are the less punishment they can take.

At the end of the day, his constructs are nothing more than reinforced ink or oil. While his lux can grant them strength to absorb some punishment, they can not withstand much for long.

WEAKNESSES ⫻ > Jasper’s constructs have an elemental weakness in the form of water and heat. Water will instantly destroy his constructs and cause them to wash away. Heat will cause them to dry up, lose their mobility, and become more frail until they cannot move. By bringing his art to life, he puts a little bit of himself into it.... As in his life force. By doing so he will make himself weak and pushing himself too far can cause organ failure.

^{Other
_{▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔}}
"I will need about ten minutes of cover or a really, really good distraction to get anything worthwhile going."

Anyyyything else?

Aaron/Aryin Thorne

" Liking me is hella gay bro."

(credit to @fernstone for help with the img. _______________________________________________ Aaron/Aryin Thorne Any | 26 | White | 5’7”-5’11” | 140-145 pounds _______________________________________________ Strange. _______________________________________________ Skills & Talents " Oh that was me. Yes, I know you thought it was a dude. I’m really good with makeup. No, they’re not that short." ___________________________________ [+] [Singer at a bar] ⫻ Aryin is a great singer, and they try to spend every weekend at the local karaoke bars. While they’re not good enough to become a professional singer, they’re more than good enough to be the best in their friend group, the coven, and the 317. [Art as a passion] ⫻ Aryin is also an artist and they make their living at the 317. They don’t claim any one style but prefer to let the art tell them which direction to take it. Their abstract art is made in a rather strange way. [Amateur Boxer] ⫻ Aaron has also spent quite a few hours in the gym learning boxing. While they’re not going to go anywhere with it they can still use their skills from this martial art to further bolster their fighting skills when powered up. [DJ] ⫻ Aaron has a side hustle as a DJ for hire. They are nothing fancy, but they know how to get a crowd dancing at whatever function they’re hired for.

Appearance ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ "I can be whichever one you want me to be." There are a few constants that are shared between these two halves of Aryin’s same whole. They are both white, with Heterochromia. Their eyes are green and brown, and the location of these colors switch sides when they swap. They like to wear loose, baggy clothes because Aryin is tall at 5’11 while Aaron is shorter at 5’7. Thus, when they’re out as Aaron they need to always ensure that whatever they wear will also fit the taller Aryin and vice versa. While that is a necessity, they do have a separate style for each. Aryin tends to be bubble gum pink and colorful meanwhile Aaron simple and basic with his clothes. Aaron has shorter, fluffy brown hair while Aryin has longer straight hair that they often keep bangs with. Neither have any tattoos nor piercings as that could mess with their body transformation. A tattoo that could look good on one might look distorted and wrong on the other.

_{Psychology
^{▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔}}
" We’re literally the same person, why do you think I’m more bitchy??"

MAIN GOAL ⫻ Aryin has the goal to protect their found family at whatever cost it might incur. They will not hesitate to jump into a fight to protect someone who is close to them, and oftentimes that has led to injuries for all parties involved. Aryin will also stop at nothing to ensure that once a threat identifies themself that the threat is dealt with. They also have a desire to truly find someone capable of loving them, the whole them, and not just one half of them. This has proven much more difficult than they imagined, as they can not date a blind.

PHILOSOPHY ⫻ The strong must protect the week. Those who have the strength to do so must do everything in their power to ensure those without it do not come to harm. Whether that is with physical strength, mental fortitude, or material wealth, those who are in a privileged position must use it to better those who are not on their level. Any less is betraying not only themself, but everyone around them.

SECRETS ⫻ They often lead a secret double life as each part of themself with the blind. Aaron is a sports nerd who likes to hang out with the boys at the bar watching a game while having a drink, meanwhile Aryin is a nature loving, power to the people activist who finds peace on hikes. Their two friend groups never intersect but if they did, they’d have up become like Ms. Doubtfire in every social engagement. As well, if it became common knowledge that they love to live this double life people would think less of them for their talk about embracing your whole truth, but living in a way that was anything but.

SEXUALITY ⫻ Queer as fuck.

FEARS ⫻ They have a deep fear surrounding the Stygian Snake and monsters like it. They were not strong enough to hold the line, nor fight the monster back itself. If another threat like that came into the world they know that they’d never be able to do more than what they have already did.

They also have a fear about being alone. Their birth family already abandoned them, what would happen if their found family did the same?

REPUTATION IN OLD COVEN ⫻ Aryin was simply Aaron back in the old coven day in both forms. They were known to be a fiery, opinionated person who was ready to fight both the Stygian Snake and the less chill members of the coven. They were often seen arguing with the leadership about one thing or the other, and on a few times their temper got the best of them. People also knew them as this kind, compassionate person who would rather throw themself in front of a raging monster instead of risking injury to someone else. They left before they could be kicked out by the leadership, and that vote was likely to occur. Their biggest hater was Emily, and if she simply breathed around Aaron he would’ve made it a huge issue.

ROLE IN THE BATTLE AGAINST THE STYGIAN SNAKE ⫻ They were a common sight on the frontlines. They would tank the hits of the various monsters to allow the more finesse fighters a clear opening to strike, before switching to their long range form to clear the monsters from a distance. You never saw them stay in the same form for long, and more often they would be tanking a hit before they switched to kill a target before they switched back to resume their tank status.

FLAWS ⫻ They often care too much about those around them. If someone hurts their friend, or creates the situation where their friend gets hurt, they will become increasingly unreliable and irrational. As well, they often read too much into what people say. A simple misunderstanding could turn heated without much warning.

_{Backstory
^{▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔}}
" Let’s not focus on the past."

Aaron was born in St. Portwell to an upper middle class family. He did not want for a lot, and had a relatively happy childhood even if his gender fluid nature drew the ire of his parents. He had average grades, but a strong friend group that created a lot of great childhood memories. Because of their constant desire to present differently than what their parents had intended, they often were pulled away from their friends and the fun that he enjoyed so much and forced to spend weeks at a time restricted to their room.

As they entered Highschool they hoped that things would finally be different, that they could be their authentic self and get the approval of their parents and be able to have friends that matched their energy. That would have to wait. During a normal after school visit to the mall the Snake launched its attack. It was during this attack that Aaron underwent their kindling and learned how to fight back. As soon as their kindling was finished they underwent their first swap and what would become known as Aryin was born. Aryin would fight in this form for a few minutes before she swapped back. He then used his light based powers to fight the apparitions that had killed his friends and began to go after any other one he could find. Eventually he was cornered and took a few hits that forced him to swap back to Aryin. For the next hour she threw hands with the monsters, unable to hurt them and unable to be hurt in return. They think that they would still be there to this day, hands flying through the air, if it wasn’t for the Sycamore Tree Coven finding her and killing the monsters.

From here it was clear what their path would be, and it was clear that it would be paved with the bodies of the snake and its minions. Fighting became a new normal during the month-long ordeal, and they were never far from the frontlines. Tank a hit, swap, blast them with energy, swap again, and repeat. They got help with enhancing their spells from Ella, and their memory lingers on with Aaron in their spell names. When the snake was defeated, they tried to stay with the coven to help protect the people she cared about. People like Emily and the other leaders made that difficult, and Aryin transitioned to fight this new fight for those who could not. This would go on for more than Aryin intended, and they knew when they were no longer wanted by the leadership. As those they cared about left, so too did Aryin. This closed her time with coven’s and has never joined another.

After the coven, and Highschool, they fully came out and refused to back down when their parents threatened to disown them. They made good on the threat and Aryin had to chart their own path forward, completely cut off from everyone in her family. They went to school in St. Portwell and is still paying down the debt they took out to pay for it. They have a small apartment down the road from the 317 and have done their best to keep in contact with their friends from before. They have begun to rent a space in the 317 and have begun to be brought into more of the organization's structure. They have heard that their coven has returned, and part of them wants to return and rejoin their former friends.

_{Abstraction
^{▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔}}
" You’re not strong enough. And you can’t ran fast enough."

TYPE ⫻ Aryin is a green adept with a necklace as her channeler, Aaron is a red adept with the same channeler. Technically they’re a Red/Green adept however their powers are restricted depending on their presentation.

ABSTRACTION ⫻ Gender Bender. Aryin can swap their gender to either be an immovable object of pure defensive strength, or an unstoppable object of raw destructive power.

ABSTRACTION DESCRIPTION ⫻ Aryin is an adept who uses a power they’ve referred to as Gender Bender. This power allows them to completely change their sex at will, complete with both primary and secondary characteristics. While some traits remain, such as their eyes, everything else will be changed and this includes their powers. The transformation is near instant, and they’re able to swap back and forth without issue or delay. Their two forms compliment each other, one can tank the hits and apply the power to the other that can dish out punishment and increase the former's speed.

STONEWALL ⫻ When they are Aryin they become an immovable object that can tank hits from most sources both physical and magical. They draw their power entirely from the green lux aspect of their power and have not been able to integrate any red lux spells whatsoever. The secondary function of this form is it is the most efficient way to power Aaron’s spells. Their skin can store the energy of a hit and this stored energy is then used up with their offensive spells. They can not store an infinite amount of this energy and thus, they’ll want to switch to get the most out of it. As well, if they store too much it begins to slow them down.

• HOLD THE LINE Aryin becomes incredibly hard to move. No matter what they are hit with they can not be pushed back nor moved from their position. Each hit will feel like it’s hitting a solid surface no matter where it falls.
• STILL IN THE FIGHT As well, in this form they have a nearly unlimited source of stamina. This means that even if they throw a thousand punches they’ll be ready to throw a thousand more. They’re punches are enhanced compared to normal but it is not by much. They can hit hard but not hard enough to be considered supernatural.
• IN THE LINE OF FIRE When someone they care about is in danger they are able to temporarily increase their speed to get themselves in front of the danger. This is a short lived burst of energy that seems to be triggered by their fear of loss.

WEEB ENHANCEMENT ⫻ Aaron is a bit different in his application of his power. He can not access any green lux abilities and instead must focus on the raw power from his red. Aaron can draw from Aryin’s stored energy to power his abilities. He can still use his power without this stored energy but they are much weaker, and will instead pull from his own life force.

• TWILIGHT FLASH Aaron can draw on his power to create light in the palm of his hands . The intensity of the light depends on how much energy he pulls into the spell. Simply put the more energy he draws the brighter the light. This also acts as a charge up system for his other spells If he charges this for a second, he might be able to hurt and possibly kill an enemy. More than likely this will stun a target rather than anything more. If he charges for ten seconds there is not much that can take multiple hits from his offensive spells.
  
  In simple terms, he draws power from the stored energy of Stonewall that he can then convert into a power that he can use for his spells.
• EVIL SPIRITS, BE GONE The most telegraphed attack he will use, Evil Spirits, Be Gone is an incredibly concentrated and consistent blast of energy. This ray can burn incredibly hot and the duration of the blast is determined by the charge time. The longer he charges the longer he can keep the blast on target before he runs out of power.
• SPIRIT BOMB The second, and most powerful, of his abilities is Spirt Bomb. He concentrates the energy into one hand and forms it into a ball that he can throw and detonate on command. The size and power of the explosion is determined by how much energy he pulls from within, growing from a baseball to a basketball to a beach ball and upwards. There is no upper limit to how big it can get however there is a limit to how much he himself can hold or throw. As well, there’s a limit on how much power he can store. Once detonated it will explode outwards in a massive explosion that can devastate those who are caught within the blast.
• KI BLAST Ki blast is Aaron primary form of offense and defense. He can pull energy from within and then use it to fire off a blast of explosive power. The longer he charges the more shots he has. It is a useful tool for engage, as he can fire them off as he approaches a target before swapping, harassing at range, and even as a short range blast to get separation from a target.

LIMITS ⫻ While they can stay in both forms indefinitely, they can not fight in both forever. The Stonewall form is not meant for prolonged fights. While they are very durable something can eventually overwhelm them. As well, there is a finite amount of energy that can be stored. Aaron also has a limit for his duration. The longer that they try and maintain this form the weaker their spells become and the more energy needed.

WEAKNESSES ⫻ Aryin/Aaron's ability to switch genders and spell groups is connected to their emotions and could lead to unintentionally switching forms and even getting temporarily stuck in either Aaron or Aryin. Which can be pretty risky in situations in which they need one form or another. Aryin/Aaron's Abstraction is specialized, with each form focusing solely on defense or offense, which means they sacrifice one for the other. While Aryin's Stonewall form provides excellent defense, it also limits her mobility and range of movement, making her slow, sluggish, inert, and easier to maneuver around in a fight. Aaron's spells, particularly Evil Spirits, Be Gone and Spirit Bomb, are highly telegraphed and require charging time, making them incredibly easy to react to in a fight. While Aaron's offensive form grants him powerful destructive abilities, it may also leave him physically vulnerable due to decreased defense and a weaker Emotional-Field which means he is more susceptible to magic than average.

^{Other
_{▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔}}
" No, I don’t know Aaron. No, we’re not related."

They do enjoy messing with people, and have a knack for comedic timing.

---

---

---

An Oracles Guess On How People Have Changed

Britney.Williams
"You will redeem yourself, or you will die trying to." _______________________________________________ ...................................................................	You did something that I don’t think I have it in me to forgive. You made monsters out of our friends, and yet if our roles were reversed I don’t know what I would have done. Britney Williams, you make me feel conflicted. In this new coven, I will keep one eye on you and a second on your future. If are truly trying to make amends, you had better show up here and in the future. What you did for Lila was a start. What would you say if I thought the sealing failed?
Drake.Blackmore
“The man who I thought could move mountains." _______________________________________________ ...................................................................	Oh you were so my type back in the day. Strong, charismatic, and heroic all bundled into a cute frame. Time has changed, but not you. You may try and keep your secrets today, but the future has a funny way of telling some truths. If you ever need someone to talk to, I am always available and I will bring the strong stuff to help you out. l think you need therapy.
Alizée.Altieri
"I saw you die a hundred times, but it never prepared me for it actually happen." _______________________________________________ ...................................................................	I shall bring flowers to the mural for you.And I shall do whatever is needed to ensure the void is never a problem again.
Eksa.Thresh
”A promising future awaited you, I’m sorry I couldn’t be there for you." _______________________________________________ ...................................................................	i wish I could have got to know you better. It’s getting hard to look at the mural today knowing who might be on it tomorrow
Linqian.Han
"We shared a drink in one future." _______________________________________________ ...................................................................	You used to be a colossal bitch. I looked to the possible futures and I don’t think you are. I think you’re like a New York nice, abrasive, and rude with your words but secretly you care very much about the rest of us. At least those of us not named Sloane. Though if that possible future taught me anything it was to not get drunk with you. You’re an angry drunk and I’m a sad one. That does not mix well.
Luca.Oliviera
"I looked to the future to see if I can help. I never find answers but you never stop being you." _______________________________________________ ...................................................................	Luca, there are many words that I want to say to you, but we both know you’ve heard them a million times before. I will say no matter what the future actually brings, you will greet it with a smile and a brave face. I have a super soaker I can fill with alcohol if you ever want to have a drink
Tayla.Choi
" You cut yourself off but the future still has plans for you.." _______________________________________________ ...................................................................	You don’t need any more power than what you have now. You and your son always look happy together in the future I’ve seen, and I’m here for you if you need any help in the here and now. If you ever need to know if a gift is a good idea let me know and I’ll look for you.
Finn.Reid
"Another name on the mural, another face I thought I’d forgotten." _______________________________________________ ...................................................................	I will never stop until we find who did this to you. I think I’ll take a shot in your memory
"Edict".Devola
” You are and always will be, a fuckup. You’re our fuckup, but a fuckup all the same." _______________________________________________ ...................................................................	You caught a lot of flak, some of it deserved but most not, back then. I see you haven’t changed today. You nearly killed us all back in the church because you were scared. If I could I’d vote you out again, but that wouldn't be for the best. I think the future holds hope for you, and I might stick around to help get you there. I will never let anyone leave a drink unattended around you. Ever.
Kali.Mahendra
"For a fed you were alright.." _______________________________________________ ...................................................................	I did not like learning that you were a fed, I liked it even less as I learned you were gone at the same time. I hope you can rest easy now.
Simone.Le.Fay
"Another close friend lost to the wolf." _______________________________________________ ...................................................................	You always had my back before, I’m sorry I wasn’t there to havea yours. Maybe I’ll need to take my power more seriously to help the others
Clancy.Patrick
" Your an enigma. What does the future hold for you?" _______________________________________________ ...................................................................	I can’t say I hope to get to know you. Kids scare me.
Jack.Hawthorne
"I hope we can talk one day about your future." _______________________________________________ ...................................................................	You came back. I worried that you’d stay home forever. You were another guy I felt was owed much. You did things that no one else could’ve done, and I never thanked you for that. What if I told you that in every possible future, with every possible threat I see, you’re there holding the lines alongside us. You left us before, but the future says you’ll never leave us again for long. I always wanted to talk to you one-on-one back in the day. Maybe we can get a drink and catch up sometime in the present?
"Sully".McPherson
"My man." _______________________________________________ ...................................................................	You did something that no one else could have done, and that made the bad times bearable. Beer chalice aside, you did more to keep my sanity during those dark times than I can count. I owe you much, and I hope we can reconnect now that I’m back. I looked into your future, you’re always the life of the party..
Everleigh.Thorn
" While your future isn’t with us, I still wish you the best. If anyone can protect you from father wolf it’s the feds." _______________________________________________ ...................................................................	Actions. Your actions brought the PRA raid and for that I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to trust you. I hope you can find peace in those cells
Leon.Richoux
"Your future scares me.." _______________________________________________ ...................................................................	I try to not look at your future. They can be frightening. Maybe seeing you again and talking to you again will change how I feel. I don’t know what you like to drink but I suspect it’s weird
Stormy.Carson
" You’re our eternal protector." _______________________________________________ ...................................................................	You protect. You’ve always protected us and you will continue to do so. As far as I’m concerned you’ve earned free drinks for life. Back in the day I wish we could’ve been closer. I know I will make up for that here and now. Why did you have to get so hot? You age very well into the future
"Lyss".Burns
"My first crush. I’m glad I was right about you." _______________________________________________ ...................................................................	I do want to know what your little book contains. In every future, you would never let me see. Regardless, I’m glad to see to doing so well. If you ever need a look into the future you can count on your friendly oracle in these uncertain times. While he’s a fed, go for it. Mamma gets what mamma wants
Anya.Baksh
" You are a loser, honey you’re an uptight little bitch who plays games with the dreams of others. You don’t change. You never want to change." _______________________________________________ ...................................................................	You are a cunt. I don’t know what made you into this horrible person but one thing is for certain, I won’t let you ever get power over the coven. It’s not like you’ll have any dreams to steal from me. You have the power to do so much good, and yet you squander it by being a petty, vindictive, shadow of Sloane. I would have a hundred shots with Sloane before I have one with you.
Adora.Phoenix-Prescott
"You are always our strongest. Yesterday, today, and tomorrow. I will not let your sorrow consume you." _______________________________________________ ...................................................................	You were dealt the toughest hand of everyone in our coven. Your saved me, you saved Luca, and you’ll save us all again before long. It’s who you are, and I want to be here for you now. I never got to say how sorry I was. I should have told you what I saw. If you knew, you might’ve done things differently
Layla.Hyacinthus
" You will not be the voids next victim." _______________________________________________ ...................................................................	I don’t know what I can do, but I will see you free from that abuse. I admit I do not know you all that well. I think we walked in different circles, and it feels like today was the first time I met you. But I am here for you if you ever decide you need a friend. I can let you know what a free future looks like. You can’t end up like her.
Jasper.Wilde
"A fed? Really? That’s who catches your eye? Bro I can see the future, why try and hide this?." _______________________________________________ ...................................................................	I can’t tell you how excited I was to see you again. It’s like no time has passed since we last saw each other, and I’m so happy you got sober. I’ll be hanging out with you a lot more again and that means I get to judge you for your taste in women. Like bro common. I am just glad that you’re with me today. I missed our friendship, I missed our adventures, and I am glad we get to do it all over again.
Lila.Blackwood
"The sister I got to know. I’m so glad to be back with you. _______________________________________________ ...................................................................	Words will never describe what you mean to me. You have become this strong, independent, young woman who is no longer afraid of what others say. You are authentically yourself and that is all you need to be. Though I am noticing something weird with you. It seems like that ever since we sealed The Maiden. I see terrible things coming your way, and your future is filled with it. I think you should talk to Britney again, if the future is any indication the sealing did not go as planned
Sloane.Faris
“I know I fucked up. I should have done more." _______________________________________________ ...................................................................	Look, Sloane... everything you said about me back in the day was absolutely right. I was unreliable, I was always trying to make myself look the best, and when it mattered the most I failed us. I should have asked you for help. You were rude, but you were honest. Maybe if I asked for your help, I could have made more sense of what the possible futures were telling me. Instead, I thought I knew best because it was my curse to bear and people died. I got a free pass for my failures because. my. curse. is. unreliable. I am also sorry that I let Jasper be Jasper to you. I should speak up more, I should be doing a lot more to calm the tensions that have built up, but I can't. And for that I am sorry. I've kept up this facade of hatred towards you for a decade already, what's another year more?

Lila And How The Crow Views The Coven

Britney.Williams
"You did good helping me seal The Maiden away, yet you must do more." _______________________________________________ ...................................................................	What you did back then is.. hard to forgive. Impossible to. I will never have it in me to forgive you for what you did to all those poor people. Were we fighting for our lives, and did the surge in support help turn the tide in our favor? Yes. Was it the right move to do it without offering it as an option first? No. You should have asked. Given people the choice. Once we saw what we were fighting, and what would happen if we lost, I know I would have said yes, and I often wonder how many others would’ve as well. You know she did not do what she said she'd do. Why do you hold onto hope she'd do better next time?
Drake.Blackmore
“You were kinda an asshole. I am not surprised you still are." _______________________________________________ ...................................................................	I never quite got your popularity. Sure, you did a lot to help us out back in the day but you also put us in dangerous situations when you tried to do too much too quickly. I had hoped that a decade removed from the chaos of our youth would calm you down. Dairy Queen proved me wrong. You are still the same hot-headed jock who can’t control his emotions. I hope you stay away from the new coven, but I won’t push you away. You did too much for us for me to shut you out completely. With that being said, I will keep an eye on you. I hope time around the rest of us will help you out some more. He hides more than he says. Keep him far, far away and don’t let him in.
Alizée.Altieri
"You did too much for us for me to wish you dead." _______________________________________________ ...................................................................	You were a strong presence on the battlefield before, but that parasite you called friend did much damage. I hope we can honor your memory by getting rid of him forever more. The void is rough, but a strong ally to keep. Don’t push him out so soon. He will be of use before long.
Eksa.Thresh
”I wish we hung out more. Now, I only see you when i stop by the mural." _______________________________________________ ...................................................................	We will figure out who did this to you. The dead should not concern you. Focus on the living, and focus on the ones worth your attention.
Linqian.Han
"You’re a spark in an otherwise dull affair." _______________________________________________ ...................................................................	I did not know you well enough before. I hope we can change that now. Out of everyone in the church, you showed me that you have the right kind of energy. If I am to last in this new coven I need to have friends like you. I am sure we’re going to see those fucks again soon, and I hope we can both tell them to fuck all the way off together. You would do well to keep the distance you had. She would not be a good friend, she would not be someone who can help you become who you are meant to be.
Luca.Oliviera
"I fucking love you dude" _______________________________________________ ...................................................................	Luca, I hope you know how much you mean to me. Back in our old coven days, you were unapologetically you. From the time I met you until now, you have never stopped. Because you were you, I was able to be me. I think I would’ve still been little old Michael for another couple of years before the crushing weight of living that lie forced me to embrace the truth. Luca, your strength helped me come out. I owe you much more than I will be able to communicate, and much more than I can repay. As such, if you ever, ever need anything you can always reach out to me. I will always be there for you, and I will not stop to help you with anything if needed. The Rot is a powerful ally, you should remind Luca that through great pain comes a power that can not be replaced.
Tayla.Choi
"Welcome back, and for fucks sake can you just shut up about missing work." _______________________________________________ ...................................................................	Tayla, girl, let’s be real with each other for just a minute. I.. Don’t.. Care. We’re all adults, and most of us don’t have the luxury that someone like Jasper has. We all have work. We are all taking PTO. Yet we are still here because some things are more important than work. I for one like living. I for one do not want to be a name etched into the back of the mural. I get it though, PTO is useful and I’d rather not waste it either. Do not worry about this one. This one is not a threat to us.
Finn.Reid
"This list keeps getting longer.." _______________________________________________ ...................................................................	It makes it hard to come visit. I worry I will see someone new soon. Father wolf is your focus, don’t worry about his victims. Remember them, but worry not.
"Edict".Devola
” You got a bad rap. I don’t know if I trust you, right now, but I can be here if you need help" _______________________________________________ ...................................................................	Edict. There is a lot I wanted to say to you but I don’t know if my words would carry the meaning I intend. You tried to use your lux on me, and I think I should hate you for it. But we were all kids gifted grand powers and expected to behave. I also don’t think you did those actions because you simply found it fun. I hope I am right that beneath the smooth-talking exterior, there is someone who just wants to be liked above all. Do not interact with this one. Do not talk, do not look, stay far away from him.
Kali.Mahendra
"I promise I won’t speak ill of the dead." _______________________________________________ ...................................................................	Why did you become a fed though? He thought he could change the world. He thought wrong..
Simone.Le.Fay
"I need to stop reading. I can’t read any more of these.." _______________________________________________ ...................................................................	I will stop back another day and stay and chat with everyone here. I just can’t today. Avenge them.
Clancy.Patrick
"What are you?" _______________________________________________ ...................................................................	You say you are related to our former leader. You say she told you about us. But I get the feeling I should not trust you. I get the feeling that there is something I should be weary of. A strong ally, perhaps.
Jack.Hawthorne
"I am glad you’re back." _______________________________________________ ...................................................................	I never really got the chance to know you before. I think by the time I realized that I did not want to be the afterthought of the group you were already gone from shimmer. It is a shame because I think we would’ve been decent enough friends. Stay far from this one. He will only bring us misery
"Sully".McPherson
"I looked up to you when we were kids. I am glad that you have continued to exceed my expectations." _______________________________________________ ...................................................................	It’s weird to think of everyone from the before times. You are always the one that surprises me the most. Our community is such a beautiful and wonderful place, and it is made ever brighter to have you amongst our ranks. He is acceptable..
Everleigh.Thorn
"I hope you don’t stay behind bars for long." _______________________________________________ ...................................................................	Fuck the feds, and may you see the light of day before long. Another threat.
Leon.Richoux
"They said that we were a cult. Now, I am not so sure after hearing about your temple." _______________________________________________ ...................................................................	I don’t know how you can handle your chained mistress. If The Maiden was anything like that, I would have sealed her away a long time ago. I think that I would be open to getting to know you better, so if I catch you around wherever our coven calls home next I will say hi. This one is a problem. You would be wise to stay far from his cults influence.
Stormy.Carson
"You’re still the same kid I remember, next time we’re in a fight I know where I am hiding.”." _______________________________________________ ...................................................................	Stormy, I hope you have been well since the old coven days. You were always so nice. Whenever someone would try and bully me you were there to quickly have my back. Not many others did that for me. For that you have my eternal thanks, if you need help with anything I am but an ask away from being there for you. Stormy is unreliable. He is a self-centered, egotistical fool. Do not let your appreciation cloud your judgment today. You must stay far away from him, and you must never ask him for help.
"Lyss".Burns
"I’ll be honest, you left at the right time. Any longer and you would’ve felt the same crushing loss I did when we disbanded." _______________________________________________ ...................................................................	I remember you well. You were just a normal, run-of-the-mill, member of the coven. Yet you always seemed to make an impact on the battle whenever it sprung up. I think you saved me once, but it is easy to make a mistake because of the robes we wore. Still, I know you did a lot of work in that final fight so I am glad you’re still with me. She did not do half of what you remember.
Anya.Baksh
"I get why Lynn dislikes you." _______________________________________________ ...................................................................	I don’t know where to start with you. You have the foundation to be someone truly special. To waste it the way you do is so frustrating. I would give anything to have a power like yours. I am almost glad your power is restricted to the dreaming world, I couldn’t imagine the ego you’d have if you could do anything in the waking world. With that said, you are not 100% evil. If you ever need help, I will help you. Do not go poking around in my dreams, and I will not have my crows shit over your perfect image. She would be a powerful friend to have. Do not let your friends corrupt what little power exists in the coven.
Adora.Phoenix-Prescott
"I owe you much more than I can repay. I would not be here if it weren’t for you." _______________________________________________ ...................................................................	I am sorry that I was not there for you, that we as a coven were not there for you, after the battle with the snake. I owe you my life. Hell, I think we all owe you our lives and our success that day. I understand why you left, like who would want to stay around a place that did not care for you after you lost your best friend to such a gruesome death? I know being back is probably doing a lot of bad things for you right now, so you will have all the space you need to reintroduce yourself back into the ranks. I hope we can be better friends this time around than before. Forget the weakling. Focus on the strength of the coven and let the failures fall away
Layla.Hyacinthus
"You are not alone, you were never alone." _______________________________________________ ...................................................................	You are always welcome to join our group if you ever need a place where you belong. I don’t know what the monster has said to you, or what you plan to do from where, but if you choose to stay with us I will welcome you with open arms. She will make a most powerful ally.
Jasper.Wilde
"A fed? Really? That’s who catches your eye? Bro Lynn can see the future, why try and hide this?." _______________________________________________ ...................................................................	Jasper, Jasper, Jasper..tsk tsk tsk I missed my best friend. We had no excuse to not hang out these past few years, and I am glad that you decided to come. Maybe I can see what your shop looks like now that you’re more successful. You don’t know what it meant when you adopted me into your friend group, you embraced my transition without fuss, and you have always gone to bat for me. It is time I return that favor. If anyone messes with you, they mess with me too. He has more power than he can wield. He would do well to remember his limits before he tries to summon something that will kill him.
Evelynn Ann .Serenelight
"You mean the whole world to me. I let us drift apart when you moved away, never again.” _______________________________________________ ...................................................................	Lynn, you know I love you right? You are the best friend a girl could ask for, and then some. Though we have to have a talk soon about your drinking habit. I know it is something that has been passed down your bloodline like some fucked up tradition but I worry about you. But you’re back. And for right now, that is all that matters. I hope you decide to stay here. I have the spare room, gran loves you, and with your remote work, I don’t think it will be a big issue. If you do go back home for work, I demand we keep in contact with each other. This one needs more training. Her curse is a gift in the right hands. While she is terrible with it now, she will be a very powerful friend to keep for the future
Sloane.Faris
“I don’t know why, but for some reason, I get the feeling you think I am the same kid from our last meeting. Things have changed." _______________________________________________ ...................................................................	I don’t think I am meant to hate you like Jasper is. I dislike you plenty, but that is healthy. I can respect what you did for our coven back in the day, and I can respect what you were trying to do for the coven before I learned that you were hoarding all those artifacts. That was dangerous. That was stupid. That was the kind of thing Jasper expects from you. I know you will prove him wrong time, and time again, and I will be sure to make him see that you are not the worst person to ever exist. You’re just a lot. I hope I can prove to you that I am not the same pushover I once was as well. You are wise to let her have a chance.

Jasper looks inward and begin asking the big questions

Britney Williams
" There were a few reason I came back, and I’m looking at the first." _______________________________________________ ...................................................................	Britney- Oh, my first crush. Everyone who hates on you for what you did would have done the same thing if the roles were reversed. We were fighting to stop the end of the world as we know it, sacrifices had to be made and you did what you had to do to help us survive. I do wish you would have done more after the fight to cure those you afflicted but that is my only complaint. I hope now, that the coven is back together, we can catch up sometime over a bottle of wine.
Drake.Blackmore
“Bro, what’s this I hear about you decking Sloane? The fuck is wrong with you." _______________________________________________ ...................................................................	I don’t know what to say to you other than “what the fuck bro”. Why did you hit Sloane? From what I can hear you guys were arguing but that’s no fucking excuse. You’re much stronger than me, but do something stupid like that again and I won’t be afraid to step in. Maybe my absence has been felt. Maybe I should have never left everyone, and maybe I should have been there for you when things got rough. Let’s meet up, let’s talk, and let’s see if we can work through that anger of yours. Maybe it’ll help me with mine.
Alizée.Altieri
"You will be remembered." _______________________________________________ ...................................................................	The Void will be help responsible for your death.
Eksa.Thresh
”i can’t remember what you did" _______________________________________________ ...................................................................	It was weird looking at the painting and seeing your face, and it was weird looking at the mural seeing your name.
Linqian.Han
"Oh hello again, I’m glad to see you still around" _______________________________________________ ...................................................................	i can not stress how excited I am to see you again my friend. I know we had a few periods of our friendship going on the back burner but we always found our ways back together. Was it a mutual hated person? Maybe. Was it the fact that we’re both two cool people who found different ways to keep friends? I think that’s the more likely explanation. Let’s meet up again. You’re always welcome in the studio, or we can catch up at a bar you don’t work at.
Luca.Oliviera
"If it’s not my favorite man, I’ll ask Stormy to put up his aura so I can give you a hug." _______________________________________________ ...................................................................	Luca, I am beyond thrilled to see you again. But I have to admit there is a guilt that knaws at my mind. It is something that I feel terrible about. It’s is something that has kept me up for a single night, maybe two. And that is I have yet to show you my art. I have yet to show you all that our childhood inspired. And before you say ‘oh, thanks! I don’t think that’s a good idea because I have this crazy ability to rot everything around me, but you can send me a photo! I have plenty of burner phones’ consider this. I want to make my art available, accessible, and that starts with me making that effort. Let me figure out how to, and I’ll treat you. So. Tell me when you’re free, and I’ll open up the exhibit.
Tayla.Choi
"A coven is not defined by the strength of its magic, but on the strength of its members. We’ll always be strong with people like you around" _______________________________________________ ...................................................................	So, I heard about you severing your connection to your lux. I could never cut myself off from mine. I could never. That’s a strength I don’t have. I’m glad to have you around
Finn.Reid
"When I painted us all I never thought I’d be painting more death.." _______________________________________________ ...................................................................	A toast to the fallen.
"Edict".Devola
” Edict. You are not someone I thought I’d miss. But I did. I missed you bro." _______________________________________________ ...................................................................	Edict I don’t know why, but I missed you. I missed your weird voice, your crazy ideas, and I just missed you. Talk to me the next time you get the idea to burn a church down. That wasn’t a good look.
Kali.Mahendra
"What can we do to honor our dead" _______________________________________________ ...................................................................	I don’t know why, this has to be personal.
Simone.Le.Fay
"I don’t know where to begin _______________________________________________ ...................................................................	I don’t think I’ll ever get used to seeing your name on this mural.
Clancy.Patrick
" There’s something off about you" _______________________________________________ ...................................................................	I will keep both my eyes on you.
Jack.Hawthorne
"I never thought I’d see you again.." _______________________________________________ ...................................................................	I think you should swing by sometime. I’d love to hear the tales of your adventures. I think it’s just the inspiration I need.
"Sully".McPherson
" Do my eyes deceive me? Is that Sully? And why do I hear the angelic sounds of a chalice? You think you can cook up some extra tasty cocktails?." _______________________________________________ ...................................................................	I was hoping to see you. I’m sure that you’re still the same person I remember. But I want to be sure that you know that I find it unacceptable that you haven’t stopped by to help me out even my paint ran low. I should have reached out to someone like you when things got rough for me. I could’ve used a friend to talk to, someone who would have listened but also help pull me from the darkness that was eating me alive. Still, I’m just glad that you’re around now.
Everleigh.Thorn
" This too shall pass." _______________________________________________ ...................................................................	I’ll toss some money on your account
Leon.Richoux
" Hey….Leon. I see you’ve been busy." _______________________________________________ ...................................................................	I don’t think I knew you as well as should’ve. Though if we ever wanted to hang we’re going to go far, far, far away from that cult you call home.
Stormy.Carson
" You sir are a calming presence in these chaotic times. I may need your help soon" _______________________________________________ ...................................................................	Friend you are a sight to be sure. I’ve heard so much about you through the grapevine. I can not think of someone who makes a very teacher than you, and I’m so glad you took the time to come back and be with us.
"Lyss".Burns
"I with judge you for thirsting over a fed. I’m catching enough flack myself for the same reason" _______________________________________________ ...................................................................	I So. A fed caught your eye? Me too, me too. Don’t worry I’ll never judge you for it, especially not for that man.
Anya.Baksh
"I dislike you. Not for your association with Sloane, not because Lynn hates you, I just dislike you because you’re dangerous.." _______________________________________________ ...................................................................	I hope I dream a dream of these words so you know how I truly feel. You are dangerous. And not in the ‘oh I’m powerful, I can do it all’ kinda ways but in the ‘i will run your life over a dream’ kinda one. As well, you can influence the dreams of everyone. So anytime you tell us what someone dreamed I know you’re lying. You’re changing the dreams of others, blackmailing them with them, and pretending that makes you important. You’re not. And I think deep down you know that.
Adora.Phoenix-Prescott
"I don’t know how to show my gratitude without making things worse" _______________________________________________ ...................................................................	I think we’re all aware that you have suffered, and I am sorry that I don’t know how to make it better. I know I would be dead right now if you didn’t stop Scott from chasing us back in the day. And I know I wasn’t there when you were suffering after the battle. If you need anything all you need to do is ask.
Layla.Hyacinthus
" We have your back." _______________________________________________ ...................................................................	You do not need to worry, Jasper is here and I’ll do everything I can to make you feel welcome in the group.
Lila.Blackwood
"We were all so close in the past. Let’s not make the same mistakes again" _______________________________________________ ...................................................................	Looks like everyone’s favorite bird lady is back and better than ever. You look amazing, you sound so confident, and I’m so proud of the person you’re growing into. I think our group will be able to help guide this new coven in the best ways possible.
Evelynn Ann .Serenelight
"Lynn, Lynn, Lynn. I missed you Lynn.” _______________________________________________ ...................................................................	Lynn, Lynn, Lynn, I can’t begin to thank you for everything you did for us back in the day. And I’m sure you’ll do it all over again in the here and now. Don’t let what the others say get to you. No one else knows what it’s like to see all that death, all that failure, and still have the ability to prevent it all. I see a lot of the same things in you that I saw in myself before. If you ever need a sober buddy, or to just talk, I’m always here for you.
Sloane.Faris
“I’ve hated you ever since we first met. I don’t know why, but I don’t think I’ll never not hate you.” _______________________________________________ ...................................................................	I know you’ll never see this, and I know you must think so low of me. I know I hate you for no reason. I know this hate has infected others around me, and I know that others have fed off it. I am not sorry.

Recollections: Who Is Eleanor Black [CANCELLED]

“Not that you have to do what I say. I’m not trying to—I mean, you’re your own—what I’m saying is—um, what do you think we should do?”

“You’re fine,” Olivia chuckled at the awkward attempt at making a first impression. “I think we should go talk to the butler. I am more than happy to be the note taker on a little excursion.” Olivia looked at the map as she finished her remark. The cabin itself seemed a bit further out, near the edge of the swamp. The swamp that was apparently filled to the brim with monsters. That swamp was off limits to the group because it was filled with monsters. Monsters and missing girls. Olivia’s mind peaked at the scene that began to play in her head. The adventures group gets to the cabin in the swamp, an antagonizing force appears and forces them into the swamp itself, and the group would have to defend themselves from monsters of both natural and otherworldly. At least if it was a movie. If it did play out like that, she wondered who would play her in the staring role.

“We should be careful for sure though, I don’t like the idea of spending too much time around that swamp.”

- - - - - - - -

As the makeshift group arrived at the cabin in the swamp, Wyatt cracked a joke that Olivia laughed at. “Well, we should probably not speak to him with the notion that we are reporting on this area. Think about it, everyone here is scared by something and seem to not like when outsiders pry. Maybe we should play the role of dump tourists and slowly add in questions?”

“I like the idea of us playing it dumb to start.” Jordan responded as he pulled his eyes off the swamp. He had wondered what diseases these bugs would carry and was worried that by deciding to join team swamp he would get bitten by something that would cause him to fall ill. What if he got Malaria? Is Malaria even in the states? His mind began to race. “If we play our hand too early it could come back to bite ya-know?

Jordan did not like the way this area felt, whether in town or otherwise. This cabin by the swamp doubled that sense of discomfort. He did not know where this sensation of dread came from, nor why it suddenly washed over him, but there was a loud voice at the back of his mind that begged him to leave. Instead, Jordan pushed forward and headed towards the cabin before he ultimately looked into the window.

Nori had also decided to join the team swamp trip. Not because she had any desire to see the swamp life up close, but because she wanted to try and get away from the murder first and foremost thinking that they would stick to the town itself. Yet as the group traveled away from the coffee house, Nori knew that these crows were following her. She would look back, carefully at the trees behind the group, and watch as they flew from branch to branch, tree to tree, and always seemed to have their attention fixated on her and her alone.

On the one hand she was flattered. She had always wanted a murder to adopt her as their favorite human, and she would love to put in the effort to get them to trust her and reap those rewards when they started to bring her weird stuff. On the other hand, it felt like this was really, really rushed. They adopted her way too fast and Nori worried that there truly was something sinister loose on this small town. When the group arrived at the cabin, she kept back a few paces from the rest of the group. She had brought one of her bags, the one that carried her snacks. Maybe they were following her because of this bag. Crows were smart, and they may have saw her pull the previous gift from the bag before. Nori reached in and grabbed another bag of treats, opened it, and placed the contents on the ground in front of her.

“Another gift I guess,” she whispered. As she did, the murder descended onto the food and began to peck at the feast before them. “Do me a favor, keep an eye out for any monsters coming our way, yeah?” She joked as she turned back to the group.

Recollections: Who Is Eleanor Black [CANCELLED]

“What is with these crows,” Nori thought to herself as she caught sight of one in the window. Normally, she would chalk it up to her avian friends being curious creatures. And what would be more interesting to a murder than an open window and sweet smells that beckon them forth. Yet this one seemed to have a very peculiar interest in her, not the pie at the table or the food being served elsewhere, this crow was fixated on Nori. She shifted side to side in her seat and the crow followed her as she did. Was it the snacks she gave them earlier? Nori’s thoughts drifted from the conversation at hand even more so than they already were. “Should I give it another gift? What would it even want, I did not bring any trinkets or shinny stuff… Maybe some more food?” They grabbed a nearby menu and looked it over. “I know crows like nuts and stuff, but I wonder if they would be okay wi-“

“This spooky girls’ friend…”

Nori’s focus was pulled back to the conversation by a finger pointed her way. Spooky girl? Nori knew the way she dressed could be abrasive, yes, but spooky? Nori fixed her gaze on Jasmine as she continued listing off who Eleanor was to everyone, and Nori did indeed find that strange. Who was Eleanor Black, why was everyone’s experience with her different, and what did this town have to do with it? Eventually, their gracious host unfurled a map and pointed out a spot that marked the next leg of their journey. Nori began to look it over and had a question ready to ask, when a blur of motion in the window grabbed her attention once more. “Two..” Nori thought to herself as she slid back into her seat. Two crows were now perched in the window. Each one had their attention fixated on Nori.

“What is up with these guys,” she whispered under her breath, and forgot the question she wanted to ask.

The discussion within the group about the skull, and their plans to avoid it, did not fall deaf on Jordan’s ears. He was pleased that no one wanted to explore the skull area. He had always headed words of caution when spoken by locals, so if they are afraid or concerned about that area Jordan wanted to stick well clear of it. There was the issue of everyone wanting to go together as one big group. They were all outsiders in a town that disliked outsiders. If they traveled in one large herd that would be obvious to everyone in town. Jordan wondered what would happen if they were discovered and someone mentioned that they all knew an Eleanor Black, each one different from the last. Would they try and get them all institutionalized? What would those facilities be like down here in the south. Jordan looked towards the door. Healthcare in general was rough down here. He assumed that if he was institutionalized, he would much rather have it done back home. Jordan shook himself free of his racing thoughts and returned his focus back to the group as someone suggested they split up.

“I am inclined to agree. We have a big group, and a lot of ground to cover, so it only makes sense that we split up and knock out as many of these points as possible.”

“You all just love falling into the tropes,” Olivia said in a half-joking tone, "The 'don't go in there', and the 'let's split up'. If this was truly a horror movie we'd be playing into the antagonists hand." She had continued taking notes of everyone’s conversations, making detailed notes on what they said and, more importantly, how they said it. She was beginning to get a decent understanding of each member on the surface. Each one was different and that was good, in her mind at least. From their fashion to their personality, they all brought something unique to the table. Olivia wanted to make sure she captured their essences as she wrote down more information about them. She doubted she would every need to use these character snap-shots professionally, she figured it may help her understand these people better as time went on.

There was a question that gnawed at the back of her mind. Something that pushed her to clarify exactly what made that area so cursed. Did something happen there? Has there been anything happening recently? Was it something that originated there, or did it spread out from the city? She also got the feeling that this Jennifer was not telling them everything. These questions demanded answers and Olivia wanted to get them.

“What did they say about that area? What makes it cursed? And by ‘this place’ do you mean this place,” she paused as she pointed to the skull marker, “or this place,” she paused as she pointed to the whole of the city.

Recollections: Who Is Eleanor Black [CANCELLED]

As Nori exited the rental car, she felt like she was hit by a wall of moisture. It was hot. It was humid. It was more than anything they had ever experienced in her lifetime. A dampness welled up on and around her as an unnatural frizz destroyed whatever work she had done earlier that day for her hair.

“Hell is real after all,” Nori whispered as she swept her hand across her forehead. She had seen that sign too many times to count, but it was here over a thousand miles, two flights, and a short car ride away that she truly believed it so. She had arrived the night before in Lafayette and from the moment she exited the airport she had hated this heat. It was always there, lingering at the back of her mind. Even in the air-conditioned hotel her mind raced at the thought of stepping outside to travel here today. And she was right to worry. Even though she dressed down in anticipation, wearing shorts and a cropped t-shirt, she still felt like she was bathing in the air alone.

*caw* *caw*

A sound pulled her focus up to the skies. Her eyes darted around, searching, yet it could not find the source of the call. Nori wondered what the wildlife must be like down here. Up in Ohio the animal population was quite tame in comparison to what must lurk in the swamps, this much was certain. There were plenty of deer, flying squirrels (the fact that flying squirrels were the most common form of squirrels in Ohio still made Nori feel uneasy), and various other critters. These swamps more than likely had gators, and gators were neither cute nor cuddly.

Nori moved around to the back of the car and opened the trunk. She had grabbed some snacks and water before she left Lafayette and tied the bag containing them around the handle of her medicine bag. She did not want to bring these snacks into a coffee shop. She pulled the bags out of the trunk, untied the knot, and placed the snack bag back into the trunk of the car. As she went to close it, she heard the same *caw* sound but this time it sounded from all around and was quickly overcome by the sound of flapping wings. Nori looked around and could only mouth a “what the fuck” as everywhere they looked a crow was looking back. On top of the buildings, light poles and even trees crows looked back.

“A murder in Quintin,” she smiled, “a beautiful sight. I have a gift.” She thought to herself as she leaned back into the truck of the car, and grabbed a bag of unsalted pistachios and opened it up. She held the bag up to the masses, shaking it, before walking away from the car and pouring out all of the food on the ground.

“There, I hope you all enjoy the snack.” Nori put the wrapper in her medicine bag before she headed inside the coffee shop.

Everyone knew Jordan was about to travel. Yet no one was kept in the loop as to where he was about to go. If anyone asked, he would simply tell them there was a lot of this country he wanted to see, from the Rocky Mountains to the great lakes, and that this trip was to simply knock off a few of those places from his list. In truth he was heading to a small town down in the swamps of Louisiana, a place called Quintin. It was not far from Lafayette, and it would be the first time Jordan spent any time down south.

“Okay, let’s check it over again. Do I have.. yes, toothbrush and paste, and did I… yep, portable chargers and… okay I got enough clothes for a bit in this bag as well. Sick.”

His flight was not for another twelve hours, and it would be nearly twenty hours until he stepped foot in this town of destiny. Yet his mind raced, and when his mind races, he gets anxious, and when he is anxious, he has to make sure everything is accounted for multiple times. As he checked over his other bag, he made mental notes of everything inside of it. Before long, he found himself in bed scrolling through his photos. He would stop and stare at each one, wondering how this stranger came to exist in each photo.

“Is this one big prank?”

He thought over the logistics of such a thing and concluded that it was not. I mean how would someone fake a relationship, fake the photos? Why would they do that? He knew the answer to this question. No one did. No one faked his relationship nor anything else for that matter. He truly went through a paranormal experience, and he was not alone in it.

He arose from his bed and went back to checking his luggage, and he would check it again in an hour, and check it one last time an hour later. His dreams beckoned, and he had hope that they would treat him well. He left early the next morning and flew down to a regional hub before taking a second plane to Lafayette. When he left the airport, he felt the moisture of the air immediately and it brought him back to his football days. He would do two-a-days in hot, moist weather not too far off from this and to him it wasn’t as bad as he thought it would be. It was annoying, yes, it was uncomfortable, but it was not the end of the world. He made his way to his cheap hotel and made his plans for the trip to Quintin the following day.

“Grab an Uber to pick up the car from Turo, pray the AC works, and then see what my future holds.”

Olivia Uber stopped a mile up the road from the welcome sign to Quintin. She had flown into the bigger city earlier in the morning and had to fight tooth and nail to get a ride even this far. While money does open most doors, it seemed that no one was willing to take her into the town itself. It took her an hour to adjust the drop off point far enough away to find someone willing to take her. The driver warned her the entire way there to not linger in the town any longer than she needed to, but she only half listened to his ramblings. Her attention was fixed on the matters at hand.

She had wondered what the meeting would be. It is not every day that your best friend turns up missing, with a stranger taking their place, and it is doubly true when a whole host of individuals claim the same thing happened to them.

“Alright, this is as far as I will go. You have about a mile to walk,” the driver paused as he stared Olivia down, “it’s not too late to turn around, you know. This town is.. not a place for a good person to stay.”

“No, no I am good. Thank you though,” she paused as she met his gaze, “it’s not too late to take up my offer, extra hundred dollars on your tip if you drop me off inside the town, even at the welcome sign.”

“Not a chance.”

“All the same have a wonderful day!”

Olivia regretted not taking his offer as she walked in the heat of the bayou. It was hot, it was wet, and every step stole a large part of her strength. She finished off her bottle of water and clenched it in her hand. She would arrive before long, however she very much looked forward to being out of this heat and have a nice cup of coffee in her hand.

A half hour later she stood in front of the coffee shop. To the side she could see a massive amount of crows attacking the ground, pecking at something. She wondered how, and why, they got there but did not fixate on it. She opened the door to the coffee shop and headed inside. She quickly spotted the group, and pulled up a seat next to a tall muscular guy, and waited for what came next.

Nori, Olivia, and Jordan had all found themselves seated at the table with the group. Each one had ordered a coffee before sitting down. Nori arrived first and had a cup of black coffee, she sipped at it as she listened to each story. Her leg began to noticeably shake as each one relayed a different version of the same person. Jordan, arriving second, had grabbed a black coffee as well and took one sip before he added in some cream. He sat, leaning back into the chair, and appeared engaged in each story. Olivia, the last of the three, had a cup of black coffee but she had only taken one sip before she pushed it far in front of her. She had a notebook and had started to take notes of what everyone said. Eventually, the introductions hit a lull and Nori leg stopped shaking. She decided to make the most of the silence and get her introduction out of the way.

“I’m Nori,” she said quickly, “The Eleanor I knew was a light in the dark, she was kind, friendly, and she lifted me up when I most needed it.” She paused as she sipped from her cup of coffee. A small look of disgust fell on her face, but she took another sip before she put the cup down. “We did everything together, and when they moved away, I thought we would still have each other.” Nori paused once again as her leg began to shake. “We went to meet up after my grandparents passed and they were someone different. I don’t know any leads on where to go from here, but I hope we all find our Eleanor’s.”

“Jordan, pleasure,” he quickly followed. His voice carried with it a noticeable New England accent. “I dated my Eleanor for quite a few years. When we broke up it hit me hard. She was the love of my life and I thought we would’ve…. would’ve taken that next step, you know?” Jordan leaned forward and rested his arms on the table. “We met up to catch up, but it wasn’t the woman I loved who showed up, it was someone else. I have just existed since then. I wish I knew more but,” he paused, “if I did, I don’t think I would be here.”

Olivia put her pen down and sighed as she did. “My name is Olivia, and Eleanor was also my best friend, we separated when we went to college and same story, one day they were Eleanor and the next they were a stranger.” She paused as she looked over her notes before she exhaled and leaned back into her chair.

Nori And Her Stuff

The birds and the bees

“You are not good at this,” The Maiden whispered as she yawned.

“You’re not very good at being a mentor,” Lila scoffed as she walked a few more steps into the forest.

“Yet,” The Maiden chuckled back, “but you have the makings of a powerful avatar for me. You are charismatic, have a strong leadership drive, and are a natural with my beloved murder.” The Maiden with a hint of pride in her voice.

“Aww do you mean-,” Lila started but was hushed.

“You are also incredibly indecisive, don’t know how to wield the murder to its full potential, painfully naive,” The Maiden started with a stern tone.

“Okay, okay I,” Lila paused as she came to a clearing not far from the running trail, “the only people who are out today are crazy runners and they’re too focused on not realizing how much running sucks,” Lila said as she looked down at her outfit. She wore a thick pair of leggings with some athletic shorts over top. She had a tight fitting but warm athletic shirt under a thin red sleeveless windbreaker. She felt warm, and ready to train. “If anyone sees me they’ll just think I’m a crazy crow lady,” Lila said with a grin as she stretched her arms out.

“You are a crazy crow lady. I’m not actually sealed in you. Nothing has changed from before. You just have voices in your head,” The Maiden said with a dry voice. After an uncomfortable silence the entire murder cawed in what sounded like laughter. Lila sighed as she actually believed it for the briefest moment. “Painfully naiv-,”

“Don’t make me push you down,” Lila said before she felt the wings stirring beneath her back.

“And you make threats you can’t keep,” The Maiden said with an angry voice as she forced the wings to writhe under her back.

“Stop….. Please stop,” Lila begged as the pain became unbearable and she fell to her knees. A moment later the writhing stopped.

“You can’t even control,” The Maiden sighed, “you can’t even control my body yet,” The Maiden paused as she pulled Lila up like a marionette puppet, “whereas I can control yours.”

“Your body is inside mine,” Lila said as she pulled herself free from the strings, “there’s a lot of flesh between you and me,” Lila scoffed back, “it’s incredibly painful.”

“Two can’t be one if one rejects the other,” The Maiden tried to sound wise.

Lila looked at one of her crows with a dumbfounded stare. “What the fuck does that even mean?

Lila could feel The Maiden sigh. The murder began to form shapes in the sky above. They formed a crude stuck figure in the sky. Lila felt like it was supposed to be her. The crows put on a crude show in the air showing the stick figure in pain as wings and claws and more crow-like features erupted forth from their body. Lila had a look of disgust on her face. The crows reformed into another figure. It was more detailed, and had crow like features from the get go. A lot more attention was paid to the details here. The wings came out naturally as did the claws. It was as if Lila and The Maiden were one. Lila had a hand on her chin, and she nodded in understanding. “Two can’t be one if one rejects the other,” The Maiden paused, “do you understand now?”

Lila nodded for a second longer before she looked away from the display above her. “Nope.”

The murder cawed in frustration, the sound was deafening, and Lila winced at the sound.

“You reject my gifts at every advance, you prefer to keep looking as human as possible, you haven’t given a gift to the murder since I was sealed in you,” The Maiden paused, “we share a body now. Until you accept that fact you will only have a fraction of my power. Our power. You have to learn how to control the transformations and to do that you must transform more.”

“And how do I know you’re not trying to push your way to the surface more so that you can take full control,” Lila asked with a sigh.

As Lila asked she felt The Maiden's cold talons grip tightly around her mind. The sky around her grew distant and she felt herself pulled all the way down. A chuckle was heard coming from no direction but every direction at once. The laugh was The Maiden but also a chorus of thousands upon thousands of men and women. From the darkness floated forth a woman, her wings stretched far and wide and seemed so massive in comparison to the tiny wings Lila could summon forth. She wore a gorgeous dress with various jeweils and crystals. The laughter grew in strength until it reached a crescendo as the maiden towered over Lila, breaking for a moment as The Maiden leaned in, hands behind her back. Lila gasped at just how big the maiden looked and just how small she felt in this moment.

“You don’t.”

A moment later Lila felt the grip of the maiden release and she shot upwards back to the surface. As she ascended the laughter resumed all around her, sounding like it came from the darkness itself. As Lila assumed control once more she took a deep breath, and then gasped for air as she fell to the ground. She took a series of short shallow breaths before she realized there was something casting a vaguely wing shaped shadow on the ground. As well, her once skin tight athletic top had quite a few more ruffles of feathers that traveled far up her arm, which was seemingly much longer than normal. And her eyesight was much more focused than normal. A quick command was sent out to the murder. She needed to see. A series of crows flew past and she was able to capture just a quick few frames.

Her face was…different. Her nose was more beak like, coming to a much more visible peak. Her lower jaw had also grown a peak. Her face had much more of a beak-like feature to it. Half her face was covered in feathers. Her red windbreaker was also ripped in half, with one half still on each shoulder, pushed apart by the massive wings that now spread out much further than her normal wings. She looked like a proper crows maiden now, and Lila couldn’t help but gasp at the visage. Yet, this rapid and massive of a transformation would normally elicit a torrent of pain. But she felt none.

“Get it,” The Maiden asked finally as more crow swarmed around Lila allowing her to truly see the scope of her transformation. Lila unzipped her athletic top and pulled it apart and saw that her arms were longer and thinner and completely covered in feathers. Her legs were also much, much longer, which pushed Lila’s height up by a few inches. Lila's breathing stopped for a moment as she tried to understand what she was seeing. “Two can’t be one,” the maiden said with a chuckle as she pulled back all the transformations at once causing unimaginable pain all across her body. The wings zipped back into her back, her legs snapped back into their proper place, her arms shrunk and reformed, and every extra feather pulled itself back into her skin. She was covered in feather cuts, broken bones, and she couldn’t even scream. And yet, a moment later she felt a strange warmth envelop her and within a few moments her body was as good as new. She still had her talons, and feathers lower arms, but the rest of her body was back to normal.

“Get…it,” The Maiden asked as Lila pushed herself to her feet. As she rose to her feet she finally caught her breath. Lila could only shake her head yes.

“Good,” The maiden said as she summoned forth a new round of transformations, “we have a lot to practice.”

---

“I need a break,” Lila coughed out as she placed her clawed hands on her thigh.

“A pity. You’re making good progress somehow.”. Lila simply raised her middle finger to a crow as her transformation was once again reversed and the maiden healed all her wounds. Lila looked like a mess. Her clothes were shredded, none more than her leggings which were now cut off right above her knees. She simply wore her sports bra and had the athletic coverup overtop.

“Shit since when could you heal me like that,” Lila joked as she took a drink of water. “I‘ll be ready to go in just one second,” Lila paused as she noticed that her murder was revealing her position too much. As such, she commanded them to hide in the forest away from the trail for the time being.

“Holy shit, Lila?!"

Trisha had, maybe, deviated a bit from the route she'd promised Casey she'd take. Just a little bit. Half an hour of running by Temple after Temple business hadn't resulted in the clear head she'd hoped for, so she'd taken a detour through Memorial Park on the way back. Hopefully he wouldn't know… and she'd be back early, that would make up for it, right? This running path was a bit more out of the way than she'd liked, but it was the most direct way from where she'd ended up. She just picked up the pace… until she spotted many crows and someone familiar.

Different, but familiar. Lila, formerly Michael, looked different - and not just because of the ripped clothing. More like herself, probably. Trisha had heard through various Sycamore people she was still in contact with about the name change… and while she was many things, transphobic wasn't one of them. And while they hadn't been so close ten years ago, she'd been friendly with Jasper and Luca. Luca especially… the one person who'd really escaped her resentment.

Normally, she'd still keep going and ignore her. But, from memory, Lila wasn't like Adora. She was quieter, and less likely to punch Trisha in the face. Her ability to hold an amicable conversation with Leon, and Casey's confidence in her, was enough to make her want to try again. Maybe she could rebuild the bridges she'd burnt. It was possible to have a conversation without her snapping. That was all she wanted… just a conversation. To try and change a bit, to not have this resentment towards the entire coven for falling apart.

“Are you alright?" Trisha paused her running, jogging over towards Lila instead. As she did, the bees hidden in her thick, wavy ponytail started to crawl out and into more obvious positions - her shoulders, ears, a couple on her face.
“Isn’t being alone dangerous… uh, hi. It's been a while. Ten years."

“Oh hey,” Lila said as she leaned up and stretched her back, she thought a ‘did you see her coming’ to The Maiden and she could tell The Maiden had, “Yeah I’m fine. Just training today, you know? I’m never truly alone anyway so I figured if father wolf was on the prowl I’d at least have a chance. But it has been a while, you look good! How have things been,” Lila paused as she took a few steps closer.

“Is she a threat?”

“No,” she whispered back.

“Never truly alone… huh…" Trisha looked thoughtful for a moment, remembering that Lila was adjoined just like her. “I never thought about it like that when it comes to the Ghost attached to me. Next time I need to go somewhere alone…"

She shook her head, realising Lila probably didn't care about her needing excuses to be able to go out alone without a whole cult security team. Not that she wanted to go into it anyway… “Things have been good! Really good… I moved in with my boyfriend last week. I feel a lot safer thanks to that, and it's been really nice."

Trisha smiled, looking actually happy… it was difficult to not when she thought about Casey. Of course there was a risk with mentioning it, because of her reputation in the old coven. All of the short lived and explosively ending relationships she had…
“How about you? Did you… go back to the coven?"

“Yeah, it’s hard to be alone when your body is what sealing a ghost ha,” Lila chuckled nervously as she rubbed her arms. “Right now company
is needed with that monster on the prowl,” Lila talked about Emily but the words carried weight for the wolf, “that’s so cool though. How’s living with your boyfriend,” Lila asked genuinely.

Trisha's brow furrowed a little bit. She hadn't even realised an Apparition could be sealed by a body… well, maybe that was what it was like for Leon? She remembered it being a bit like that, but she decided not to ask any questions, for once using a bit of tact. Not asking things she'd dislike having to answer, and talking about something she could easily go on about.
“Honestly, it's great. Really comfortable, he treats me well… maybe a bit overprotective with the whole Father Wolf thing, but I get it. It's just because he cares." Trisha's expression softened further as she spoke about Casey, bees wriggling on her shoulders in reaction to the gentle pheromones she gave out that only they could smell.

“Our apartment is really nice and central, and there's loads more space for my bees too. It's perfect, really, aside from having to deal with his family more… oh-" Trisha paused, letting out a slight laugh. “My boyfriend- Casey- is Leon's younger brother… I don't know how much you know about his family- or the, uh, Temple, but it's a lot. Worth it, just weird. They're really obsessed with us- Sycamore, that is."

“Leon? Oh yeah that makes sense. How’s his brother? I don’t recall meeting him,” Lila chuckled as she stretched her arms out, “so do you remember Luca? I’ve been staying with him, Jasper and,” Lynn paused as her conversation with Lynn flashed through her mind, “Lynn. She went by Evelynn back in the day. Do you remember them? Luca’s apartment is nice enough and we’re safe together there.”

“He’s way more chill than Leon is… pretty goofy, but it's cute. He wasn't kindled ten years ago so… he wasn't around," Trisha smiled, before moving into the next question.
“Yeah, I remember everyone." And everything they'd done against her. Evelynn. Trisha had tried to be friends with her back in the day but it had gone how it always did… She could still remember everything Evelynn had said. About her future. About how she would die alone.

“Luca was always so nice, I- well, wish I'd kept in contact, maybe. Jasper too. I'm glad you're all safe together." It was true that Luca was one of the few people she'd never properly pissed off in the old coven. She wasn't sure if he could even get upset. Jasper was similar. But Evelynn… Trisha was really trying her hardest not to say something horrible right off the bat. She did what Casey had told her to do with Lena - imagined him, how happy he'd be that she was able to be friendly with another coven member. It held back the words on the tip of her tongue, turning into another boring question.
“Are they all doing alright too?"

“Luca and Jasper are doing really good. They’re both falling heads over heels for each other but neither are brave enough to make the first move. Jasper said he had something special planned though so fingers crossed on that front. I’ve been watching it all play out and it’s adorable,” Lila paused as she looked down, “I’m worried about Lynn though. She has been quietly struggling since way back when, I think it’s about to be a lot more visible soon with what I’ve seen. She’s such a good friend that I want to be there to help her but she always has these walls up, you know,” Lila asked Trisha, almost pleading for guidance.

Trisha was genuinely happy to hear that Luca and Jasper were doing well… and also that Lynn wasn't. She didn't deserve to. Why did she deserve Lila putting in that effort for her? And if Lynn had those walls up, they should just be left. Just like hers. But she had hers because she'd been hurt so much before, not because she was a bitch.
“If she's not letting you in, what can you do?" Trisha tried to hold back still. Thought about going home to Casey… but if Lynn got her wishes, Trisha wouldn't have anyone at all. She'd be alone. Like she always had been… and she'd said it as if she deserved it. But really-
“Maybe she deserves to struggle without any help. What did she ever do for anyone?"

“What did she-,” Lila paused as she let out a single chuckle as her head slightly crooked to the side. What did Lynn do for anyone? If only this bitch in front of her knew. But she didn’t, and probably couldn’t know. That didn’t excuse the coldness with how she delivered that final line. Lila did not know if there was any bad blood between Lynn and Trisha, but she knew that Lynn was there for her every step of the way. “Lynn helped me embrace who I always was well before the rest of the coven knew. Lynn helped me learn to stand up to people who misgendered me, dead named me,” as Lila talked her arms and legs began to get a little more feathered, “out of everyone in the coven, both past, present and future, there is no one more deserving of my help, my kindness, and my support,” Lila paused as she looked Trisha in her eyes.

“Don’t be a bitch like Emily, okay thanks.

“She said I was going to die alone but thinking she deserves to feel shit is the same as being a near Nazi?" Trisha hissed, eyes narrowed. She didn't look away from Lila but her gaze turned cold. Loud buzzing filled the air around her as around a hundred bees crawled out from in her hair, her skirt, and even under her tank top. They didn't move from her, instead their wings just flapped in what was supposed to be a threatening display. The sound almost drowned out Trisha words, delivered with a harsh coldness but no increase of volume.
“I’m nothing like Emily- but I get it, I say one thing, and I'm the worst. Fuck you. No wonder your friends with a bitch like Lynn who enjoys watching everyone's worst nightmares in their futures."

“Oh I’m friends with Lynn because we’ve also both struggled through loss, adversity and hardship unlike the rich bitch of the coven, Lila spat out as even more feathers sprouted forth from her body. Her arms and legs, most of her chest, and even her face were now covered with feathers. A moment later her eyes went fully black as well. At this point she was halfway between human and monster. “You never met a problem daddy’s money couldn’t fix. Well, except your rotten personality and your abrasive fucking voice. I see no amount of money could ever fix you.

“You don't even know me," Trisha snapped, not even flinching as Lila transformed. She didn't care. She'd seen worse - they'd both seem worse. This was nothing. Not when she was being told she was nothing without her father's money - the father who abandoned her, didn't care about her, and died before she was old enough to reform any relationship with. She was just a Vanburen. It was always that, never Trisha.

But that didn't matter, because in their eyes Trisha was something terrible that needed fixed. She was right.
“Don’t bring up my dead father- Maybe you should stop blaming all your problems on not being rich and realise it's because you're both bitches you deserve everything you get. Judgemental, callous bitches. I'm not the one turning into a fucking bird, if anyone needs fixing, it's you."

“I don’t need fixed, Lila spat out as she sudden felt her arms grow longer. “Remember this, cunt, Lynn may have said that you’ll die alone but I have the power to ensure that

YOU

DO.

Lila’s voice remained her own. The Maiden did not goad her into saying that, but Lila said it all the same. There was no regret in her mind. Lila suddenly saw one of her crows swoop down and eat one of the bees. She could sense it wasn’t the maiden who commanded it nor did she. The crow was simply hungry and the bee looked like a treat.

“You can't even help your asshole friend, what can you- fuck," Trisha jolted as a pain shot through her mind, like an electric zap to her brain. Just one bee… one bee too many…
“She didn't do anything to you, you murderous bitch," Trisha bit out. The physical pain subsided immediately, but the emotional pain - the loss of the bee, and Lila's words hammering at her already fragile confidence… it was all her worst fears. Everything she didn't want. Losing even the bees. Lila could do it. Her crows could eat all the bees, and then what would Trisha have?

The ninety-nine other bees with her all swarmed the crow that had eaten one of their sisters, trying to sting them to death. At the same time, Trisha called her entire hive, blinded by anger and the loss of a single bee.

Lila watched as the bees swarmed her crow. The crow attempted to break free from the stinging swarm but did not get far before it collapsed dead. Lila pressed her talon to her right eye as the immediate psychic backlash was profound and strong. Lila looked at Trisha with an even angrier look to her expression. All wildlife around them stopped making noise. Lila’s head twitched three times in quick succession. Not a single cricket, bird, or any other creature dared make a sound. Instead, Trisha would hear what sounded like a twig snapping. Yet this was no branch breaking, instead the rest of Lila’s bones finally gave way as she reached a true mid point in the transformation. Talons emerged from her feet, her legs stretched giving her an extra three inches in height, and her back exploded out revealing the much more massive wings that somehow had only grown in beauty.

From behind Lila the tree line erupted in a flurry of caws as a large portion of the present murder, tens of thousands strong, emerged from the tree line and beelined towards Trisha

Trisha commanded the bees to come back to her, landing all over her body. It would take at least a minute for the rest of the bees to arrive, she had to keep this group alive until then. She was at a disadvantage until then, she could grow wings like Lila, but she was far too pissed to back down or flee. Her phone buzzed in the pocket of her skirt. She had no idea who it was, and didn’t care, she didn’t have time to think about it as all the crows flew at her. She squatted down, making herself smaller. Her hands came up in front of her face but she glared at Lila from behind them.

“Stay back,” Trisha hissed, as she bombarded the area with fear pheromones. It would hit through Lila’s emotional field, enough to make her feel strong panic and have an overwhelming need to flee… but it wouldn’t have any effect on the crows.

“Don’t say that. We’re just starting to have fun, Lila started before the fear pheromones hit. In an instant she wanted to flee and run away from this chaotic mess of a fight but the maiden’s emotional field was barely holding together under the stress of the fear, and was the only thing keeping Lila where she was. Meanwhile, the crows had begun breaking apart the bee dome. Some acted as decoys to draw the bees away from one spot only to slash at Trisha from another. Some even stopped swooping down and began to pick off her bees one at a time.

As the crows attacked her, it was difficult for Trisha to stop her bees from scattering in panic. With such small numbers their natural instinct was to flee in front of things that could kill them. Instead some were distracted and chased away by the crows, and some hid in her clothes. Trisha hissed in pain as sharp claws cut through her shoulder, blood trickling down her arm. Another caught her cheek, beak gouging into her forehead. But the pain from the scratch was nothing compared to the constant hits of bee death as they got eaten by the crows.

“I’ll show you… fun…” Trisha gritted out. Her fear pheromones intensified, but she could sense her other bees now. They were close. She got control again, switching up the pheromones she was sending the bees here, commanding them to fly up into the sky and away from her.

Lila and The Maiden both struggled against this new wave of pheromones and they were both pushed to the edge of breaking. Lila’s wings began to flicker a pale green color. It was short, but weak, bursts of her cursed wings but they were powerful enough to draw Trisha’s gaze. A second matter they fizzled out in numerous flashes but they went dark for seven seconds. Then, without warning, they erupted at full power momentarily making the surrounding area dark. They were brought, vividly green, and almost irresistible. Lila’s crows meanwhile chased the bees up following their previous commands.

The bees Trisha had with her stopped suddenly middair… and a loud, intense buzzing broke through the otherwise eerily quiet surroundings, and the crows were met with an entire swarm of bees. Sixty-thousand bees clashed with them.

Lila looked up to the sky and her mouth dropped. “Good luck, Lila says as she looked Trisha in the eyes well aware the two were about to suffer.

The relief from the crows stopping attacking Trisha was short-lived as her gaze was drawn to the wings. She was lured to move towards them, to take a feather, going towards Lila with a hand raised.
NO!

A small group of bees sped down from the larger group fighting the crows, covering Trisha’s eyes and cutting off the link. She couldn’t see the feathers anymore, and the temptation was immediately gone. She couldn’t see anything but… she didn’t need to. The Queen was awake, and she could sense all of her bees' pheromones in a much more accurate way. She could tell where each bee was, what they could sense, and it gave her a picture of exactly what was happening. She didn’t need her sight.

So, naturally, she reached up and grabbed Lila’s hair to pull as hard as she could… While directing her bees to make targeted attacks on the Crows in groups of the hundreds, leading them around. Others swarmed Lila and started stinging her.
“You need the luck.”

Lila refused to back down from this fight. While her mind was shattering from the countless dead crows she knew for every one crow Trisha killed she had taken out many more bees. If Lila's mind was breaking so too would Trisha. Lila’s face had changed slightly with the increased death of her murder. Her veins had all gone black as well, and could be seen through the pale face that Lila had. Lila’s wings flapped backwards before they shot forward, sending all the bees in front of her flying with the powerful gust of wind. She commanded a small murder to envelop her in overlapping lines to try and keep the bees off her as best as possible. “Bitch.”

Trisha was in intense pain, as if her mind was being electrocuted. Blood dripped down her face from her nose in an unstoppable flood. She could hardly think, working on pure adrenaline and instincts sensing pheromones and commanding the bees. Some of her bees covered her in a similar action to protect her from the crows' claws, while more kept going at Crows and Lila herself. “Feathery asshole.”

”Bee freak.” Lila hissed out as she took a step towards Trisha.

“Bird bitch,” Trisha gritted out, bees reactively covering her front as Lila moved closer, a group going for her face. At the same time Trisha reached out to try and grab her wings.

“Buzz-kill.” Lila spat as she took another step and reached for Trisha’s hair.

Something moving faster than the speed of sound was bound to make an entrance with noise and flare… But the only noise that pierced the air between the two combatants was a loud crack: Wind spiraled between Trisha’s face and Lila’s hand, and it was hot like a summer day as the pressure knocked the incoming hand aside.
Impacting a fairly large crow in the vicinity, there was a loud pop resounding across the space as the poor thing ruptured into a red mist. The shockwave of the impact shattered the bones within, sending a shrapnel of bird bone shards that ripped its comrades apart in a small area.

Unclear of the cause, one could only look into the distance and see a squat tower structure and an old roof cistern overlooking the bay area. A gentle glint directed the eye to that water tower… Before three more whizzing cracks left equally exploded crows as puddles to rain down.

A fucking gun…

Trisha had no idea what was happening. All she heard was an ear piercing crack. She still couldn’t see, the bees beginning to peel back to show her a sliver of what was happening… only to see a crow explode. Her heart started pounding in her chest. What the fuck? What the actual fuck. It didn’t stop her from attacking Lila, instead she got closer, using the opportunity to pull harshly at her wings. In case the bees were next, somehow. Her head hurt too much from the hundreds dead to even consider who would be intervening. She could barely think through the pain and anger and pheromones bombarding her, that she had to be constantly intune to.
“You’re- getting what you… deserve… birdbrains…”

Lila, meanwhile, wrapped her wings all the way around Trisha instinctively as well as used her arms to grab Trisha around her waist before using her supernatural strength to pull Trisha with her back into the woodline of the forest and hopefully away from whoever was shooting at them. Once she reached the relative safety of the woods Lila used her wings to strike at Trisha. ” You’re so fucking dumb, do you even know what will happen if you pull a feather? No, because you have the intelligence of a fucking bee.”. Lila could barely even see straight at this point. Her mind had fractured into a hundred pieces at the death of so many crows. ” You are like baby,” Lila said in a slightly slurred tone before she commanded the murder to retreat to the safety of the canopy as she sent another wing strike. After the strike landed she quickly put her wings as far back as she could away from the hands of Trisha. She placed her taloned hands on a tree trunk to pull herself away from Trisha further but her strength was too much and she simply pulled a chunk of tree with her. Instead of dropping it to the ground she simply dropped it gently at Trisha’s head. The Maiden roared a command to the murder to look for incoming threats and their eyes would all begin to scan the area, she also ordered them to help pull any stingers out of any who were afflicted. Lila turned her attention back to Trisha and reached for her legs with her long, thin, arms with their long, sharp, claws.

“AND WHO IS SITTING SHOOOOTING AT US.”

“My bees are much smarter than you…" Trisha mumbled out. The second wing strike caused her to fall back onto the ground. She managed to narrowly avoid the piece of tree dropped on her head by rolling, sudden movement only making her dizzier… she didn't understand, but at least she didn't have any feathers in her hands. She kicked at Lila's hands as they came for her legs, half her bee swarm covering her skin in a constantly flickering mass and the other half going for Lila's arms.
“How would I know?! You got… the crows… bet they just think… you looked like a great target…"

It was really difficult for Trisha to process anything beyond keeping on going, as Lila's claws dug into her calves. Trisha curled forward, trembling hands trying to pull them off her. Her pheromones shifted slightly as the Queen woke up further, targeting Trisha with a light dose of aggression pheromones to help her get through the debilitating pain. She couldn't get up off the forest floor, but she could keep fighting Lila, practically becoming a mass of bees with their stingers out.
“At least I'm not part bird… who will ever like you… like that…"

With Lila rushing off into the forest, the hail of gunfire ceased for a brief moment. The two were allowed to get far enough in that they were surrounded by trees.
And then the assault continued. There was hardly any warning as the trunks of trees around the duo began to shatter and explode with loud, hollow wood noises. Those were followed by loud snapping, crackling as the wounded trees began to fall one by one.

They very quickly blocked any hope of easy escape on foot, leaving Trisha with no real options, and only the option of flight to Lila. Though, without much cover in the air and presumably magical bullets covering that angle, leaving in any way was getting more precarious.

“What the fuck?!" Now Trisha was panicking in a way she hadn't when fighting Lila - and even fight, someone she wanted to hurt without fearing her own death. But now she was terrified as the trees practically exploded around them, sharp pieces of wood raining around them. She went from trying to pry Lila's hands off her to gripping onto them… moving forward to practically cling to her in another instinctual move this time pushed by fear rather than anger. The constant throbbing of her head meant there were very few thoughts, and very few commands given to the bees who also acted on instinct… continuing to sting Lila even as their Queen clung to her in fear.

”Don’t worry, I’ll..oww.. I’ll protect…oww… I’ll protect you,” Lila responded in a sing-song manner as she maneuvered Trisha behind her and spread her wings out wide. Her vision had gotten only more blurry and her mind only more fractured. Lila barely even registered what Trisha had said just prior to her clinging to Lila out of fear. ”Maybe..oww.. this fight wasn’t my..oww.. best idea,” Lila scanned the area around them but she couldn’t see the forest for the trees.

“Don’t need…" Trisha wasn't even able to finish whatever contrary thing she was going to say, instead using the little bit of concentration she had left to get her bees to crawl back to her and stop stinging Lila. For now.

As the two Adjoined clung to one another out of fear and safety, the telling crack of a bullet passed Trisha's face within millimeters. The round smashed into Lila's shoulder like a full on jackhammer, causing a blast of air to knock both of them out of one another's grip.

”Trisha!? Trisha!!!”
Bounding out from the woods in the direction they'd come from, a massive man was holding a long, sleek and futuristic looking rifle. While his lower body moved, it was like his upper body was a stable platform that didn't lose its aimpoint no matter how much he jostled around. Legs moved robotically, almost automatically as they took great big strides across the ruined ground.
”Trisha, get back to the road, Now! Norm!? Get her to safety!”

”Fuck,” Lila said through gritted teeth, placing a hand over the impact sight and groaned in pain, as the man emerged in the forest calling out for someone named Visha, ” I will not let you hurt her,” Lila said and the murder began to caw as her anger builded. The sound of bones snapping and twisting could be heard a moment before the wings once again grew larger and larger. Lila spread them out even further as she tried to make herself look as big as possible.

Trisha could barely see past the wings even as they were knocked away from each other, once again landing on the ground with a light thud. Her vision was so blurred from tears and agony that she could only make out vague outlines - Lila's wings spreading, three men, one coming closer…
“No no no no no," Trisha said in panic, crawling back towards Lila again, ears ringing from the crack of the bullet and the constant buzz of bees as they clung to her and instinctively stung anything that came near. But eventually her slow, shattered mind processed what she'd heard. She couldn't see him, couldn't figure out where he was- not the one approaching, the bees told her as they couldn't sense any of their pheromones on that man. But he was around here somewhere.
“C-Casey?"

”Close your eyes when I say- wait, your boyfriend Casey?”

There was no time. Three more rounds sung through the air from Casey's rifle, blasting Lila further away from Trisha. Only enough so there was a gap between them where a speeding sheet of ice kicked up a torrent of snow. Trisha would feel the strength of frozen arms gripping her by the waist before accelerating in the opposite direction.

”Who the fuck sent you!? Fucking Bird Demons! All the fucking same!” Casey screamed as he closed in further on Lila, as if he was ready to begin the final confrontation.

”I’ll show you a bird demon if you keep shooting me,” Lila said as her limbs cracked and expanded, lengthening her arms and legs. Her chest also cracked and shifted as her ribcage grew wide. More feathers erupted and her face contorted into a more bird-like beak-like shape. ” Trisha, Trish, hey girl is this your Cassidy-Casey,” Lila asked as she looked at the man who shot her. She pointed two fingers at her eyes before she pointed them at the man with a growl.

“L-let go of me!" Trisha struggled against the frozen arms grabbing her with little luck, still confused and absolutely not thinking straight. The bees were going wild trying to sting through solid ice and their panicked pheromones were bombarding her. But without the active bee deaths the pain was beginning to alleviate a bit, enough for her to squint through the blurry vision and see what was going on a bit more. She could actually see Casey now, or enough of him to recognise where he was… pointing a gun at Lila.

“Yes, yes, my Casey, Lila, my boyfriend- Casey, babe, it's fine, I'm fine, it was just an argument!" Trisha shouted. It wasn't very believable when she was covered in scratches, some very deep, with blood all down her face and barely able to move. But she didn't hate Lila enough to want her to get killed- and she really didn't want Lila to try and kill Casey! Her brain was functioning enough to try prevent that, but messed up enough to think that she could somehow play it all off.

Norm yarded hard on his feet, skidding the ice to a stop next to Casey. An entire igloo-like structure seemed to form itself around them, leaving the gun barrel and a hole for Casey to talk out of pointing at Lila.
”Casey fucking Richoux… Tell me you're Lila Blackwood, Adjoined of the Maiden of Murders… The Veridian Wing…”

He hadn't recognized her off the bat, but Theo had been feeding him sight info through his ear piece since he and Norm first left the apartments. With the majority of remaining Sycamore Members picking up activity, he started to make assumptions. They'd collected a great deal of information about desirable additions: Lila Blackwood was among those the Temple had a vested interest in.
The Maiden was a fairly recognizable Apparition, even having a small part in the lore of the Temple long ago.

Casey had reverence for this fact alone; but if she was going to try and hurt Trisha anymore, he wasn't going to stop shooting.
”You tell me what the fuck happened here… Why are you threatening my Trisha?” he barked from inside the barrier.

” That’s a cool nickname, I like that nickname. Sounds terrifying and cool,” Lila, Adjoined of the Maiden of Murders, responded by doing a quick fist pump. ”Yes yes that’s me. We were actually having a wonderful conversation, Trisha insulted my friend and then I insulted her and then one of my crows accidentally ate one of her bees and then her bees killed one of my crows and, that hurt a lot a lot for the both of us we feel their deaths, and then we fought and it was epic. Birds fighting bees, bees fighting birds,” Lila paused as she smirked, ” I did say some things I didn’t mean to Trisha, I had alllllll morning having my bones broken, healed, broken, healed so my brain is not here. Good fight though Trisha you did great, great, great fight. Your boyfriend is cute, good for you,” Lila paused as she squinted towards Casey, ” At least I think so I can’t see shit.”

Casey, completely fed up with Sycamore garbage, pulled his gun through the little slot. This prompted Norm to drop the ice bunker, and it quickly blew away in a cloud of snow.
”What the fuck is the problem with you people? Leave Trisha alone, if she doesn't want to be a part of your dysfunctional gang, then steer clear of her. Tell your fucking friends that too: She's under Temple protection. We don't need you people around here causing problems like this…”

”We fought a world ending threat alone as kids and watched as so many died, and are all deeply traumatized as a result,” Lila paused as she used her wings to point to Trisha, ”She did approach me for the conversation, it is my fault we escalated first. And then Trisha escalated and then I...” Lila paused as her vision cleared enough to get a rough outline of Casey. Her brain began to feel less like a jelly.

“I- I-" Trisha looked down at her feet, vision swimming, in what was the closest to an admission of ‘guilt’ as she'd get. It was very difficult for her to stay standing, visibly swaying. The constant zaps had ceased but her mind was still trying to recover, and then there were the deep scratches bleeding all over her… it really hurt…

“I was just trying to be polite, I thought it would be fine, I didn't even do anything… I'm not deeply traumatised at all, maybe the rest of you are… her crows ate one of my- my bees…" The words tumbled out of Trisha's mouth in an absolute mess as she refused to look at anyone, but everything she said was what she believed was the truth… trying to explain why she approached Lila while getting away from any blame that she didn't believe should be pointed at her. She hadn't even said anything bad before Lila escalated.
“C-Casey, it wasn't- not worrying-" Trisha grimaced, sinking down onto one knee with a hand pressing into the ground to stop herself from properly falling over as another wave of pain hit her. The bees buzzed in panicked circles around her, with a few landing on Casey as they recognised her scent all over him.

Casey’s mind reeled at the possibilities surrounding the circumstance. None of them were good, and each took their toll upon his blood pressure. With Trisha and Lila both in various stages of dazed, he knew he wasn’t going to get a clear picture: But he knew he was pissed. Pissed that she’d been so far off the planned route, pissed that yet another Sycamite was responsible for Trisha having a bad day, pissed that he probably wasn’t going to be k-
”Christ on a small fucking bike, Trisha… Lila, just… Just fuck off! Whatever happened, you’ve made your point: But normal fucking people do not attack one another over their trauma! Fuck, go to a Goddamn Veteran’s meeting, talk to some of the guys that fought out in the Eastern Pacific and let me know if they attack one another or not… Fuck!”

As he turned his body, he knelt down in front of Trisha.
”Babe… Open up, just… Just eat. Don’t think.-”
He moved to his small pack, pulling a couple of the pouches of key lime mixture. Lila would be able to see the clear container with vibrant green jelly sliding about inside. One was held up to Norm, whose ice-covered form was barely recognizable as a man in a suit of frozen crystals.

Casey split the pack he was still holding open, putting the mouthpiece up for Trisha to eat. Norm began to walk forward toward Lila, holding out the package of green jelly.
”Temple’s famous Key Lime Pie. It’ll fix what’s broken, and the Maiden’ll love it. No funny business in there, I swear to you.” the icicle-covered man said with a gentlemanly accent.
”You’re uh… You’re quite the looker like that…”
”Norman!?” Casey barked up at him.

Trisha leaned forward, sucking up the green jelly. One hand curled around Casey's holding out the pack to her, while the other gripped onto his knee. It started to circulate her body, the deep gashes restitching themselves. Muscle reformed painfully, before the skin pressed itself back together. She finished the key lime before curling forward into Casey with pained groans as her body worked to repair any damage. It was strange, the pain from losing the bees getting worse before getting magically fixed… but the bees were still gone. Still an emptiness.
Oh, I like this… why don't you eat it more?
“I’m fine, all fixed… I didn't attack her over trauma, I didn't start it… I didn't mean to worry you again…" Trisha mumbled as her brain began to come back online, but she didn't have the capacity to consider what the Queen had said right now.

”Quite the looker,” Lila asked as her head crooked to the side as she grabbed the jelly and began to eat it while maintaining eye contact with the strange man. Instantly, as soon as she started chewing she felt herself pulled down by the maiden. Pulled back down to the delta depts with a chorus of caws around her as she fell. Soon, she landed near the maiden who was busy doing something she’d never seen before. The maiden was pulling a vaguely humanoid shape from the green crystal on her chest and combined it with a black colored magic from her hands. A second later the spell was complete and a new crow was brought into the murder.

“Don’t worry about the ones lost. I haven’t gave you any that couldn’t be replaced in a moments notice. That food is delightful, chew slower so I can savor every last bite. Oh, as punishment for the lack of focus you showed in that fight you are going to remain in this form for a full day. The changes won’t entirely be permanent, but some will,” The Maiden said as she flicked her wrist sending Lila back to the surface.

She immediately started chewing slower on the jelly as a fearful look spread across her face. ” Well it looks like I’m stuck in this form until tomorrow. The Maiden is punishing me,” Lila said as she slowed down on the chewing even more, ”quite the looker,” Lila asked the man again, still oblivious to the meaning behind it.

Listening to what Trisha said, Casey’s heavy dose of White Lux kept his ears keen and sharp enough to hear and respond to both conversations. His finger slipped up against Trisha’s lips, but his head twisted upward again to stare at Norm. The man in question was letting the ice crystals around him start to fall, revealing a handsome man with gaelic features and dirty-red hair and a beard to match.
”Looker, yeah… Like… Beautiful.” his deep blue eyes stared at Lila in all her avian glory like a man caught in the gaze of the Lord.

”Oh, for fuck’s sake Norm… Fine! When you end up having your eyes and guts picked out, you… Fucking…-”
Gritting his teeth, Casey took a deep breath while his face turned back to face Trisha.
”I’m actually mad. I’m so mad at you. And honestly, I don’t care if you get mad at me, or get sad: I’m going to have this one. I won’t rub it in, I won’t say anything more. Now, can you stand?” he spoke to Trisha in an incredibly stern voice, strained as it was by the frustration of the moment.

“I can," Trisha whispered, voice incredibly weak. She forced herself to her feet and hung her head with a sullen frown. Tears still reflexively streamed down her cheeks, her response systems not quite registering that the pain was gone yet. She wasn't mad, and just a little sad, but more than that she was scared. Not of Casey. She wasn't scared that he would hurt her or anything, just that he'd leave. Just his tone had her trembling, completely different from the Trisha who hadn't backed down when a whole group of crows were clawing at her flesh. It was just too like…
“I really didn't mean to." There were so many things she could mean by that, and really she knew none of that mattered or would dampen Casey's anger. But as long as he was there and angry it wasn't so bad…

She looked up slightly, towards Lila.
“I hope you can replace your crows." It wasn't an apology or anything, but it was at least an acknowledgement of the pain they'd both inflicted on the other.

Lila moved next to Norm as silently as she could, which was not very, and leaned over and whispered a not so silent whisper ”they are a cute couple,” she paused as she looked down at Trisha. ” And your bees. The maiden is busy bringing more out to replace but, but those were just the pawns I think. I’m worried about the rest of the board,” she paused as she chuckled. It was clearly a nervous chuckle. The death, the destruction, the compliment from an attractive man had made her very nervous.

Still holding tightly to Trisha, Casey turned his head to look up at Lila.
”You… Are always welcome to seek the fold of the Temple of Charming and Graceful Individuals. We can help you with whatever issues the Maiden may present to you. And I hope next time, we can avoid something like this happening. Until then, Lila Blackwood… Norm?”

Norm turned his head to look up at Lila. From his pocket, he produced a wet business card that had his name and number on them.
”Gimmie a call somet-”
”God fucking dammit Norman…-” Casey grunted, putting his free hand up to his ear. ”-Theo, pull the plug. We’re good.”

There was a strange series of noises that followed. In a danse macabre of rustling foliage and dust clouds, the fallen trees began to rise from their positions on the ground as if they were being pulled back through time. The explosions reversed, sucking the material back into place until the damaged forest had been repaired.
In an equally macabre display, the crows which had been shot initially were reconstituted into their whole forms; all were still dead, which left one to question the status of the trees, but their corpses now littered the road and the path into the forest from whence they came.

”I guess I’ll go get the car…-” Norm started, looking back at Lila. ”-I’ll never forget you!”
His foot flicked, and pressing off against the ground left a long trail of thin black ice that he skated off upon. Only Casey and Trisha remained with Lila in that final moment.

”And… I’m sorry for shooting at you. But we couldn’t have known it was you.” he said to Lila in solemn fashion.

”Nor will I, you wet card man Norman,” Lila said as she waved. ”I am tougher than I look, I don’t trust the temple fully but I know Leon. I may pay a visit in the future if that is alright,” Lila paused, ” this is all just so new and I don’t know what I’m doing,” Lila paused as she sighed.

”Then you find Leon, and you ask him to show you the truth. He will.”
Casey turned fully, his face twisting to look at Trisha fully.
”I’m so fucking glad you’re safe… God in Heaven, do you kn-” he chastised the girl on into the forest toward the main road until Lila was left alone in that woodland of dead trees, birds and bees.

Lila smirked at the silence. Finally after was alone again. She could head home and tell Luca what happened, how the fight went, and she was sure that he would do everything he could to help her with this new form. She could eat, watch dumb romcoms and just enjoy the rest of the day. Nothing could go wrong.

“That was just your break, remember,” The Maiden laughed as she pulled Lila down to her level. “Time for your next lesson.”

”Oh fuck.”

---

Lila is a fighter

Always falling the same, always sent up different.

It took too many transformations to truly drive it home but she finally learned how the maidens transformation magic worked. At least, as much as one can figure out on the go as one’s own body is no longer entirely their own. The battle with Trisha took a toll on her mind, and this made her unable to prevent the maiden from trying to take full control. At first, she thought that the maiden just wanted to train her more to punish her for the failure during the battle. But as more and more of her body was taken away during these ‘transformation’ training sessions, Lila knew that she needed to figure a way out of it.

Even if she felt half drunk from her mind being broken into a hundred pieces she knew this with a steadfast clarity. She needed to find a way to stop the maiden. Her mind was held back by the death of five hundred or so crows today, a dozen or so yesterday, a few hundred over the past few weeks, but she had the formation of a plan. A dumb plan, a stupid plan, an out of the box plan, but a plan all the same.

Lila knew that controlling the process of the transformative powers of the maiden was only one piece of an equation that she had never learned but she did know she had to figure out the other half quickly. If she didn’t she would have single handedly brought doom to St. Portwell. That is what Lila thought, at least. To pull it off she needed to let the maiden put down her guard, and Lila needed to figure out how the curse magic worked.

As Lila landed she tilted her eyes and saw that her wings were positively massive at this point. They were easily twenty feet long each, and her body was also much more massive as well. She never remembered the ground being so far away. Lila fell from the light again and fell down to the cold depths of the maidens' sanctum. As she hit the ground she went limp so that the maiden would think that she was as broken as the maiden needed her to be. Her feathered head and crow-like head lay motionless as she watched the maiden manipulate the transformation magic to bring out more, and more, and more crows while her other hand infused them with the curse magic and, with a hand behind her back, Lila began to mimic the motions of the magic. She minced the motion of how the maiden pulled the crows out of her body and the way the maiden embedded them with her curses. The way the maiden shaped the magic. She tried to channel this magic into that hand.

“So,” Lila spoke as she left her eyes lifeless, “are you ever going to tell me more about yourself,” Lila asked genuinely.

The maiden paused her spell work as she started to grow massive and began to tower over Lila once more. Lila stopped practicing the magic and let her arm remain limp at her side. The Maiden head looked over the form that she had crafted thus far. “More practice is needed,”The Maiden paused and with a flick of her wrist upwards Lila flew back to the light. Back to transform once again.

---

Falling had always felt the same, but this time it felt different. This time Lila had laid the foundation of her salvation without alerting the maiden. It was a simple transformation, but a powerful one in the grand scheme of things. A dull crystal was now present on the chest of her monstrous form, molded from her very own flesh and after the one that adorned the maiden. It was unassuming, and it was well hidden beneath the thick tuft of feathers that covered her chest. It wasn’t hard to pull off, which means that the maiden must be focused on getting ready to take over.

Thud.

Lila was once again in the sanctum of the maiden. Her body was even more monstrous, ever more massive, and she was completely okay with it. She did not know if she’d be able to reverse what was changed but she could at least prevent the maiden from doing what she planned.

“I assume you were a green-blue adept in life, and when you died you became whatever this is,” Lila said with an uninspired tone, ”how did you die?”

The maiden head crooked at the question. She continued with the magic work she had been doing all this time. “What makes you think I was a green-blue adept,” The Maiden asked back.

”The transformation magic, the cursed wings, this space,” Lila’s hand still mimicked the maidens motion, ”you kept your powers even in death, you curse people and turn them into crows, you keep their souls in that crystal right there. When one dies you use the soul again to create a new one, Lila paused, her head remained still on the ground her eyes staring lifelessly at the maiden, ”when our ancestors finally murdered you, a creature that desired revenge was born, Lila paused again as she finally pulled some magic into her hand for the first time ”how am I doing?”

The Maiden hissed as she flicked her wrist once again and sent Lila back up.

---

Falling no longer felt the same. The Maiden was distracted by the clearly successful line of questioning. So much so that she knew that The Maiden did not sense that she used the curse magic on herself. She just needed one final trip to the surface to execute her plan.

Thud

This time Lila stood up. ”I’m right,” Lila said with a sad tone, ”I know that I am. What did they do to you that caused you to be so angry that you became this?”

“They killed my wife,” The Maiden finally admitted.

”I don’t feel like you’re a force of rage, or revenge, or anything really. What emotion made you like this,” Lila asked and took a few steps towards The Maiden. Thanks to her massive form it was a large distance she crossed. A test.

“I was left alone, ostracized from what we considered a society at the time. Years passed, and I was still left alone. Do you know how lonely that solitude was,” The Maiden hissed back, “They made me feel that way, they made me feel so discarded. and I developed a spell to make them feel the same,” The maiden paused as she looked at her crystal. Lila knew it. It was important. The Maiden paused as she looked at Lila, before she flicked her wrist and sent Lila back up once more.

---

Lila fell with a purpose this time. She knew how long it took to fall to the sanctum. The maiden had forced the transformations at least a few hundred times today, probably a few hundred times more so she knew the right moment to show that the maiden was not in control. Halfway through the fall Lila flipped her body and pulled her wings in close like a bird of prey. She dove at a frightening speed before she landed in front of the Maiden. Before The Maiden could react, the green of her crystal began to be corrupted by a fast spreading blue wave. Before she was pulled back into the Sanctum Lila had used her curse magic on herself once again. She used this magic to curse her body in a way that would weaken the magic in her body, thus weakening the bitch, thus giving her the edge in maintaining control over her body.

Once the last bit of the green light faded from the crystal blue lines shot outwards to The Maidens arms and then her hands and began to spread down her body. The Maiden tried to take full control over Lila’s body, to kill Lila with the magic she infused into the transformation magic, but she quickly realized that they was prevented from doing so, and that she no longer had the power to try it.

”I am so glad you apparitions are always the same,” Lila smirked as she began to grow in size, towering over The Maidens like she had done to Lila. ”Did you forget that I stopped a world threatening monster like you before?”

“What did you do,” The Maidens' voice echoed against the walls of the sanctum.

”You are an apparition sealed in my body,” Lila paused as she chuckled in a way that betrayed her excitement. ”I learned how to use your magic. Your magic is my magic. The transformation, the curse magic, I learned how to make a prison with a lock,” Lila paused as her form grew even taller over The Maiden, ”and I’m about to throw away the key,” Lila paused as she pulled herself out of the Mindscape. As soon as she was back she began to channel the magic into her hand. The magic took the form of a blue ball that seemed to generate a fog that fell to the ground. She slammed that magic into her chest and instantly she replenished the curse magic stored within and the blue feathers that now adorned her body began to glow. As it spread she tried to transform herself back to her normal form, she summoned all the magic she could command but the magic would not budge. Her transformation magic was weakened too much to even attempt such a feat

Lila knew that was why she was forced to undergo so many transformations. Lila summoned every last bit of the transformation magic as she tried to at least change the monster to be more presentable.

The air was filled with the sounds of bones breaking, muscles snapping, and the sheer agony that finally escaped her throat as she channeled the transformation magic of the maiden. She did not know exactly what to transform to but she tried to transform to something more her. Her body grew much smaller, quickly, and she watched as the ground grew closer and closer before she ultimately collapsed to it, landing on her hands and knees, and nearly passed out. The sheer physic toll on her mind from the death of her crows and the sheer pain of a day full of transformations had finally reared its head. The scream of agony that Lila sent out finally echoed back for several seconds before the transformation was complete.

And then she fully collapsed to the ground without seeing if it was a success and began to cry like she never cried before. The afternoon sun still shines bright, but it hid its warmth from Lila. She could feel the maiden trying to break free but the magic was much stronger than it ever needed to be.

All Lila could do is hope she was still quite the looker.

---

How you remind me

Lila panted as she pulled herself upright and pressed her back into the trunk of the tree. She was slowly losing her mind thanks in part to the pain that radiated out from her legs, and from the five hundred dead crows that dotted the landscape. She looked down and her eyes went wide at what she saw. Her legs were completely covered in a thick layer of feathers, there were now purple feathers that covered a swath of her legs, and her legs were contorted into a hindlimb shape with three large talons that replaced her toes. Every shred of her humanity was missing from what she saw. She closed her eyes as she started to hyperventilate. She dug her clawed hands into the dirt below. Her head began to pound as her fractured mind reared its ugly head again, no longer hidden from her by the maiden. As her breathing reached its crescendo a single caw forced her eyes to open and her breathing to stop. In front of her was a singular crow who seemed almost frozen in place. She held out a singular clawed finger and the crow landed on it without prompting. Lila held her breath for another second longer as she exhaled. The crow spun it’s head around and looked down at her legs. Lila’s eyes followed and she finally saw the real problem with them, they were both broken.

“Oh,” Lila chuckled at the sight, she giggled like she saw the funniest thing she’d ever seen. Her laugh was very reminiscent of a drunken night out that never ended. “I don’t like how that looks,” Lila said as she looked around for her phone, “I know who can help. Maybe some alcohol will fix this,” Lila said as she turned her head to her crow and she could’ve sworn it shook its head no, “healing elixir,” Lila asked and now she was sure that it understood as it shook its head up and down, “Sully. Sully! Sully could do both. Bring both,” Lila asked as she looked around for her phone. She found it, and the screen cracked down the middle. The time said 5:15PM, was it already that late? She tried to type in her password but quickly realized her claws did not register on the touch screen. Quickly she tried another solution that sounded smarter and she raised it up for her Face ID, but the denied screen and the reflection of her face on the screen made her realize that wouldn’t work either. She thought for a second before she stuck her tongue out and used it to tap in her password. “Okay Google, call Sully” Lila said confidently. When nothing happened she looked down at her Apple device. “Hey Siri, call Sully.”

The phone started to ring.

And ring.

And ring.

And when it finally felt that the phone had rung for too long and Sully wasn’t going to answer there was a click, followed by a, “Hey, what’s up?” only the “what’s up” was said like a Gen Xer making a dated reference to an old beer commercial, the epic whassup soaring on a melodic glissando. However, before Lila would be able to give a full response, Sully’s laughing voice would interrupt as he said, “Oh, man, just playing, you’ve been talking to a machine. Deuces!”

There was a beep, a robot voice stating that the voicemail box was full,followed by another beep on Lila’s phone showing that Sully was already calling back.

“Lila! Que pasta?” hollered Sully, mispronouncing the Spanish.

“Sully,” Lila nearly slurred out. Her voice was entirely her own but there was a giddiness to it that was unusual. “Bro..bro..broo,” She paused as she had forgotten why she called him. “I forgot why I called you but it’s good that you answered! Why did I,” Lila paused as she once again saw the broken legs. “Oh THAT’S RIGHT! My legs are broken,” Lila chuckled again at the sight, “I think I’ve torn muscles, lots of muscles, a painful amount of muscles. Are you free,” Lila paused as she rested the base of her feathered head against the tree. She could still see that she was very monstrous. No transformation would fix that now, but at least she was able to control the end result even if it broke her the most. “I could use some healing and some bro bro time. Especially the healing. But also bro time,” Lila finally stopped talking. “I might be able to send you a pin where I’m at. If you’re free, that is.”

“What? What!? Yeah, send it, the calvary is on the way. Stay on the line with me, okay? How did you—” Sully was cut off by the sound of an engine roaring to life accompanied by a deafening wave of dad rock. “You said your legs? As in both legs? How did you break both legs?”

Lila pulled the phone away from her face as she used her tongue to send Sully her location. “I will. It was hard to call you because my hands are a bit rough again. I don’t know what kind of phone I have. Things are difficult with my mind right now so I don’t want to think too much about that,” Lila paused as she looked to the sky, “Nice day today though. What was I doing today?”. A crow fluttered in front of her face and Lila shook her head. “It was something involving the birds and the bees,” Lila paused, “OH OH I remember. The Maiden tried to take over my body! What a stinker. I broke a lot fighting her.”

“Okay, okay, okay, I’m not that far from there,” said Sully, glancing at the pin. Lila clearly sounded out of it, probably due to some heavy blood loss or a head injury. He felt like the best thing to do was to keep her talking, even if what she was saying was nonsensical. “Now you’re gonna be fine, buddy. Dr. Sully will be there in no time but for now let me just get this straight. You were trying to get your freak on but then the Maiden clam jammed you? How…how do you fight something that’s inside of you?”

“Is difficult. She’s much stronger than I thought, so I had to learn to wield her magic. Her curses, her transformations, the whole kit and kaboodle. I had to fight her in a place she called her sanctum, it’s like a mind thing where she brought me to when she took control of my body. Once I won there I changed my body. Rapidly. Rapid body changes are bad for the body. Very very bad for the body. Put a lock on the maidens' own power, and threw the key somewhere. I should probably find that key unless it was a metaphorical key?”

“You could always just find a locksmith. Trust me, way easier than finding a key sometimes,” said Sully, his new set of keys jingling in the roughly repaired ignition of his truck. He glanced over at the Chalice that rolled around haphazardly on the ground of the passenger seat. For all his bemoaning of being the supernatural equivalent of a waterboy, he was pretty certain he’d be able to soundly beat up the Chalice if it had ever challenged him to a duel. “Look, let’s not focus on the pain. All that’s gonna be taken care of real soon, real, real soon. Should be there in a couple of minutes. We’ll get you walking in no time. You won right? That’s pretty impressive using their own thingies against them, you know. So now what? Does this mean the Maiden is donezo or is this just a rest break between rounds?”

“We’re in between rounds. As long as she’s sealed in me I think we’re going to be tussling for the rest of my days,” Lila laughed maniacally, “ who’s to say who won and lost? I kept control but the maiden did warn me the gifts she gave would be permanent. And she made a lot of changes, a lot if gifts,” Lila paused as she looked at herself through a crow's eyes, seeing the blue and black feathers that now covered her face and body and the blue crystal that shined bright on her chest, “a lot of changes-a lot of changes. You’re close, good, just mind the hundreds of dead crows and thousands of dead bees on your walk over,” Lila laughed again as she remembered the fight with Trisha that caused all of this. What fun that was.

“Right, right, okay so actual birds and bees, okay,” said Sully. It didn’t make much more sense than before as he drove past a sign reading something about park hours and pulled into a small, empty parking lot. Sully killed the engine, grabbed the Chalice, and hopped out of his truck. Something squished under his boot. He didn’t have to move his foot to see what he’d stepped on. The path leading into the park was covered in the dead bodies of bees. Lots and lots of bees. He was lucky he hadn’t put his foot down a few inches to the right. He imagined that crow would be a lot more difficult to scrape off his shoes than bees. “Okay, um, that’s a lot of dead bees. Why are there so many dead bees? Aren’t they supposed to be like, I don’t know, hibernating through the winter or something?”

“The birds and the bees! Trisha and I,” Lila chuckled for several seconds, “had a talk about the birds and the bees.. oh we talked alright …specifically about who would win in a fight, the birds or the bees. The answer was neither. If you’re seeing the death that means you’re close,” Lila paused as she pulled her wings across her body as best she could to hide as much of her as she could.

“Hey, you’re going to see me very differently than yesterday. Promise me you won’t judge,” Lila asked in the first clear tone since the call started. No longer did she sound delirious. She looked at Sully through a crow and her crows began to caw out for Sully revealing her hiding location. She buried her head beneath her wings leaving only the broken and distorted hindlimb like legs that were birdlike and feathered visible for Sully to see when he arrived. He would also see a few crows pulling stingers from these broken legs.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah, I’m not going to rip on you for having broken legs,” said Sully, his voice raised to be heard of the cawing of crows that echoed through the phone’s speaker. It felt like he was walking through the aftermath of a war scene where the bee commander had horrifically ordered a full bee charge across No Bee’s Land and the crows had been taunted out of their machine gun nests to meet them. He followed the trail of broken wings and loose feathers until he came upon a huddled form that looked like it had been through hell.

“Oh, shit. Hey, Lila. New haircut?” said Sully, squatting down near the broken bird. The Chalice filled up with the healing elixir. “Sorry, dumb joke. Time to drink up, buddy.”

The wings parted enough to allow a clawed hand to reach out towards the chalice but the hand could only reach so far. She tried to stretch out even more to grab at it but soon it became evident that she had misjudged the distance. An audible sigh could be heard a second before the wings parted revealing Lila in the form of a harpy. Everywhere Sully looked feathers would be the only thing Sully would see. They were sleek, fit close to the body, but feathers all the same. The blue feathers were prominent around the chest, down the insides of the arms, and the front of her thighs and waist. The blue feathers were especially vibrant around a crystal-like protrusion on her chest that glowed with a vivid blue hue. Lila’s face was her own, albeit more pale. Her hair remained unchanged. Her eyes were still mostly black, but they had now adopted a circle of blue where her iris once was. Her clothes were missing but she was not exposed, thanks to the sleek feathers that covered her body. As well, her body was taller, longer, and lankier. Her legs and arms were disproportionately long compared to her torso.

Lila reached out and grabbed the chalice, her pain filled groan showed that her ribs were very much out of place if not broken. She brought it back towards her face as she downed as much elixir a single drink could bring. Immediately Lila leaned back as the healing elixir began to take hold, and the air was once again filled with the sounds of bones snapping and muscles being pulled back to their rightful place. It took thirty long seconds before she felt almost fully healed. She took another drink from the chalice before she passed it back to Sully as her wings once again covered her new form.

“Thank you. You’ve always been a good bro. The best bro. Really? Why are you so awesome? How are those Greenwood people, they good bros? Ruby is not mad at me is she?”

“Oh, come on, it ain’t nothing. You’d have done the same if you were in my shoes,” said Sully, rubbing the back of his head self-consciously at the compliment barrage. The only impressive thing he’d done was manage to keep his lunch down as the woods echoed with the snapping and popping of Lila’s broken body. “But nah, Ruby ain’t mad. Not at you, anyway. I probably could’ve made it a little more clear to her that the old crew puts the fun in dysfunctional. But Greenwood are all real good dudes. It sucks the meeting got so derailed. It would’ve been fun to be able to hang with everyone. I miss just being able to goof around. I feel like I’m spending everyday either lying low or looking over my shoulder.”

“I miss that too.”

As if to demonstrate, Sully glanced back down the path he’d taken towards Lila. As he looked back, he pointed his finger up at the crows gathering on the branches and swirled it around in a circle. “By the way, if any of your buddies spot a dude who looks like Jason Mamoa screen testing for a role on Sons of Anarchy give me a heads up.”

“You need anymore?” said Sully, jiggling the Chalice in one hand while reaching out to help Lila up with the other. “Or you good to get out of here? It’s starting to get dark. As cool as it is to hang around a bunch of dead birds, I’ve seen enough movies to know that we’d really be tempting fate. We can at least go back to my truck and chill in case we need to make a quick getaway. You hungry? Maybe once you molt we can grab a burger. Just don’t want to freak out the squares and have them start a pitchfork mob because they weren’t ready for Goth Big Bird.”

“I might be stuck like this so I need to figure out a disguise fast, Lila laughed extremely hard, “Goth Big Bird that’s meeeeee,” Lila leaned back as she laughed even hard, the crows cawed as if they too laughed at the comparison. In the laughter Lila passed the order to be on the lookout for the man Sully mentioned yet the crows did not budge, did not stop their caws, but they all looked to Lila with a familiar expectation. They wanted something in return. Lila craned her head as she stopped laughing, “how strange. They usually follow my commands without a gift. I think they want the gifts again. Lila gracefully grabbed Sully's hand and allowed herself to be pulled up, and she noticed he was no longer as tall as he used to be. Did he get shorter?

“I think I’m mostly fixed. Mostly mostly. Did you get shorter, I could’ve sworn you were taller yesterday. I don’t think I can molt yet I think I’m more on a bird schedule so if I do molt I’ll do it once or twice over the next year. I really don’t understand this magic fully. Like I figured out enough to win, but I was warned that transformations eventually become permanent and from what I remember permanent means something like forever, so I need to figure something out fast…if there’s anything that can be figured out,” Lila chuckled before she sighed, her voice less delirious again, “can we go back to truck and talk some more? I am really hungry.”

“Hey man, I really don’t understand magic at all,” said Sully, jerking his head back towards the path to indicate to Lila to follow him. He squared up his shoulders and straightened his posture up as he walked back to the truck, as if the comments on him getting shorter struck something, moving in a stiff, soldierly march instead of his usual slouched saunter. “Everytime Britney attempted to explain it all to me my nose would start bleeding and I’d forget where I was for a couple of minutes. Regardless, I’m sure there’s something we can do to change you back. Assuming you want to, you know. Personally I find there’s something kind of appealing about being a bird.”

They made it to Sully’s old beaten up truck. A quick estimate was all he needed to know that the cab, while possibly able to fit Lila’s wingspan inside, wouldn’t be comfortable. Sully fiddled around inside for a second, grabbed a now dry picnic blanket that he’d used to soak up some of the rain damage from the other day, and clicked on the radio. He jumped at the sound of some shredding guitar solo from some overplayed Lynyrd Skynyrd song blasted through the speakers, bumping his head on the top of the truck, as he turned the radio down to appropriate “background noise” level. Rubbing his head, Sully went around to the back of the truck, unlatched the bed, and raised his eyebrow in surprise at the small, banged up cooler sitting back there. Well, that explained the rattling he’d been hearing. He draped the blanket over the edge of the bed and sat on it, leaving plenty of room for Lila to come join him while giving her room to stretch her wings.

All the while there had been a meandering commentary from the guy, fantasizing about bird life.

“Like you get to go around everyday just singing and eating food. You got no need for glasses or contacts because eagle vision. And obviously flying would be the big winner. Plus there’s migration. Like, man, I’d love to go winter in Cancun every year. I’d imagine it’s like being on a singles cruise, just a bunch of hot, young birds chasing tail around. Of course, you know, thumbs are tight, and you gotta watch out for planes, cats, and those dangerous ass windows,” said Sully. He was clearly just trying to make light of the situation for Lila’s sake. “But going to the bathroom anywhere has gotta be freeing. Like, you could just follow a dick like Emily around for weeks just absolutely ruining their life whenever they go outside.”

“For the last week my crows have been shitting on Emily. On her, the entirety of her house, at vehicles parked outside, and they have been following her. If she goes to a store they’ll wait, before bombs away, Lila joked as she sat down next to Sully, carefully to avoid her wings smacking him in the face, “I haven’t heard or seen anything from them since then. Maybe she drowned in the shit.”

Lila sighed as a small smile crept her face. “You were right earlier, I’m sure there is a way to change back. Part of me likes the power I feel, you know? Like I was so useless ten years ago and now,” Lila paused as she raised her talons up, “I feel very strong. I feel like I can make a difference in a fight now. If I can learn a way to control the transformations further, most of me would go back in an instant,” Lila paused as two crows landed on her shoulders and looked at Sully. “Part of me is okay with staying. I was warned that transformations would become permanent and I let The Maiden convince me to transform a lot. This is a consequence of my decision to do that.”

“All of me knows that it’s hard to truly think at all about it. Every time I lose a crow I get this backlash in my mind. It’s strong, hurts like hell, and kind of prevents me from thinking straight. I lost over five hundred. I think my mind is broken and needs to be healed but your elixir refused to touch it.”

“Oh.”

The playful tirade hiding genuine feelings of inadequacy that Sully was going to go on about wishing how he was a big, strong bird instead of just a dude carrying around the Gatorade was killed in that moment. A real look of concern crossed his face before his eyes fell down to the Chalice as he turned it in his hands. The taste of bitterness rose up in his mouth at the thought that his stupid little cup was limited in what it could actually fix. Sully looked back up at Lila with a sadness in his eyes. He sighed deeply, moving to put his hand on her shoulder but dropping it as the crow sitting on it gave him a look that Sully could only interpret as the bird weighing in its own judgment on Sully’s uselessness when it came to something like this.

“You serious? That, uh, yeah, that sucks, Lila,” said Sully, fighting off the urge to deflect with a dumb joke. He racked his brain, trying to come up with a useful idea or some poignant advice. He was pretty sure Ruby knew a little mental magic, but nothing that qualified. Greyson loved rooting around in people’s heads, but Sully truly doubted that dude would leave anyone off in a better state than from where they started.

“Sorry, Lila, I’m a little thick,” said Sully. “But in a way I think everybody in the OG Coven is a bit broken. Going through the shit we went through and then pretending everything is hunky dory after…that doesn’t work, really. Not trying to belittle what you’re going through, obviously, just saying that you ain’t alone. Uh, to clarify, when you say broken, do you mean, like, man I’m fucking burnt out, could really use a little R&R, or do you mean like…”

Sully circled his finger on the outside of his head and whistled like a cuckoo.

Lila mimicked the motion while nodding her head. Before she stopped and sighed. She pressed her hands against the side of her head. Why did she mimic him like that?

“I don’t think I’m crazy? But my emotions are cycling so fast without any cause. I’ll go from giggling like a mad woman at the sight of my broken legs, to crying about how I defeated The Maiden, to crying with joy at how much I’m loving my crows and our closer connection, to hating them for not doing anything anymore. I was never given an instruction manual for how ‘crow deaths affect the mind for idiots’ so I don’t know what to expect,” Lila paused as she did some simple head math. “Since The Maiden was sealed I’ve probably lost a thousand. Looking back I did think it was suspicious that The Maiden let me be so bad with the murder. Like she needed me to lose to gain control.”

Lila smirked as she thought over the rest of what Sully said. “I’m blessed that I’m looking go-” Lila paused as she sighed, before she smiled again. “Sorry, that phrase is stuck in my mind. I’m blessed that I am surrounded by amazing people. Even if you’re with Greenwood now you still came. Being a Sycamore did have some perks, then and now,” Lila paused as she playfully tapped Sully, “looking good. You have always been one of the best perks. Thank you for being so cool. Like the coolest of cools. Even as a kid I thought you were fucking rad.” Lynn’s voice began to sound delirious once again.

“Takes a cool dude to recognize a cool dude, dude. I think that right there is proof you’re not crazy,” said Sully with a little, mild laugh. “Now despite having a magical medicine cup, I am technically not a doctor so all if this is me talking out of my ass, but maybe you’re still in like some kind of shock. Or concussed. Either way…”

Sully handed Lila the Chalice, once again filled to the brim with healing elixir.

“Wouldn’t hurt to have just a little more if it is a concussion or something like that. Who knows, it could clear things up a bit. There’s no manual for health potions either. While we wait to see if it works, you mind sharing why you were out here in the first place?” asked Sully, craning his neck to look around the park’s parking lot as if any of it was distinguishable from other parks. He was worried about Lila’s headspace, but felt like showing too much worry might agitate her when she needed to be clear minded. “Isn’t this place near where Leon’s family is trying to reenact Waco?”

Lila took the chalice and began to drink out of it. Maybe Sully was right. Maybe this fractured mind was just a symptom of something much more mundane. She finished the drink and passed the chalice back to Sully, feeling no worse but a bit better. “Training. I only used the sealed power in a very limited way. With everything that happened yesterday I wanted to get better. The Maiden offered to show me the ropes but she only did so to hang me by them.”

“Yessss. Casey, Leon’s brother, shot me a few times during my fight with Trisha. He was with another one of those temple cultists and saw my even more monstrous form and said I was looking good. Straight men are so weird,” Lila chuckled, “so be on the lookout for their recruitment team for me. I might have enough damage upstairs right now to listen to them.”

“Oof, yikes. We could mark down fetishists as another reason not to stay a bird, but frankly creepy dudes are gonna be creepy dudes no matter what you—CASEY SHOT YOU!?”

“Not with bullets? More like an incredibly powerful paintball gun I think? It hurt really, really bad.”

Well that was good, thought Sully. For a moment there he was worried he’d have to talk to Leon about his brother being a murderer. Now it’d just be about his brother being a dick, but he was pretty sure Leon already knew that.

Lila thought for a second as she nearly gagged. “oh nooooooooo, oh my god I’m their dream bird person now. I have to figure out this magic and fix this.”

“Oh man, it’s gonna be hell from now on. You’re gonna get so many dudes sliding into your DMs asking for talon pics. You could probably make a small killing, but I feel like thirst trapping isn’t really your vibe,” said Sully, then he arched an eyebrow. “Wait, would the Blind see talons or toes? Like magic Blind, blind blind would obviously not…what the fuck am I saying, give me that.”

Sully grabbed the Chalice back from Lila and took a quaff, worried for a moment that he’d hit his head a little too hard on the ceiling of his truck. He didn’t know if it did anything to bleach his brain, but the top of his noggin no longer hurt and a pain in his knee that he’d been ignoring faded instantaneously

“I should be safe for the blind, but the one eyed open,” Lila paused as she looked at her feathered form, “is there a paranormal strip club in town? I would make a killing. Could retire young,” Lila said with a heavy sarcastic tone, “but the blind should just see my normal form and….”. Lila paused as she looked down at her body. “I’ll appear naked right now.”

Sully hopped off the bed of the truck and threw his end of the blanket over Lila with a sharp laugh, “Ew, bitch, cover up. This truck’s shares the same, good ol’ fashioned Catholic values held by Father McDonalds when it comes to no shirt and no shoes. No wonder the choir boy was so shook up by seeing you.”

“But seriously we should get you some clothes that’d fit before a cop drives by and arrests you for public nudity,” said Sully, scratching his beard. “You know what might work?”

“Oh no, it’s not a big bird costume is it because that’d be in poor taste.”

“Nah,” said Sully, grinning ear to ear as he nodded to the blanket. “Toga.”

---

Streetlights fired up as the sun went down on St. Portwell. An office worker sat in bumper to bumper traffic on one side of the road, stuck thanks to a detour from road work that somehow led into even more roadwork, on the way back to suburbia. With knuckles tightening and head shaking she silently cursed the idiot in front of them and the asshole behind them, unable to fathom who even let them drive in the first place. A kind of jealousy was felt for the drivers on the other side of the road, the freewheeling bunch of vagabonds that didn’t work a nine to five, rats that had escaped from the race, who hadn't made the mistake of settling down. It was a jealousy that would go away the minute she pulled into the driveway, one that wasn’t really real, but in that moment it was felt. And in the next moment, the office worker saw something that she knew when she got home her family wouldn’t believe. Burning down the otherside of the road was a clunky, beat-up truck with its windows down, loudly blasting butt rock, the passenger and driver wearing little more than blankets fashioned crudely into togas.

“And this is how you remind me of what I really am!” belted out Sully, decked out yet again in a toga composed largely of flannel shirts tied together, the radio cranked as Canada’s finest rock band played. [color=goldenrod]“This is how you remind me that I’m a toga wearing man!”

He turned to Lila, who was rocking the picnic blanket toga, queuing her in as he continued to adlib, ignoring the stares from the people in the parking lot as they pulled into the line at a drive thru for Dairy Queen.

“It’s not like you to wear togas, turns out you waiting for a different toga, this time, uh, suh…something, FOR HANDING YOU A TOGA WORTH WEARING! JUST TWO PALS! IN TOGAS!_{...bottom of every bottle…}these five words in my head scream, are you wearing togas?”

The next song soon came on, and it was one Lila knew well. She waited for her moment to add her own rendition. “‘Cause you’re my Mississippi princess, you’re my California queen, like the Duchess of Detroit, wearing EVERY TOGA IN BETWEEN,” Lila sang along, her tone was off and her singing was a half second behind the song. Still, she held her arms against her chest as she sang and kept her wing as close as possible.

“Oh shi—” Sully turned down the Nickelback as a static voice came in over the intercom. “Sorry, bro. Yeah, I’ll have the Two Cheese Deluxe, and a Chili Cheese Dog, and the 4-piece Chicken Strip Basket. Does that come with a drink? Yeah, no worries, I’ll do an Orange Julius then. And, oh, a Peanut Buster. Oh, and then we’ll also do…Lila?” said Sully, flattening himself as much as he could against the driver seat so that Lila could shout her order over him.

“Can I have,” Lila paused as she placed a hand on her stomach. Without the butt rock blasting and the cringey adlib additions to the music to distract her Lila realized she was hungry. So. Very. Hungry. She could have fifty five burgers and fifty five fries right now but she couldn’t afford it. Thankfully her phone still had her Apple Wallet. “Can I get two 4-piece chicken strip baskets with the Orange Julius as well. Three Two Cheese Deluxe, and a large Oreo Blizzard? A large peanut buster. A thing of zesty pretzels, cheese curds, and one onion ring.”. Lila knew deep in heart that she was going to eat it all and want more, but she still gave Sully two thumbs up, “my treat.”

“You paying for it is the only thing that kept me from asking the dude to blend it up so we could baby bird that shit into your mouth,” said Sully, jamming up the radio to drown out Lila’s retort.

“I would eat it like that right now, don’t tempt me with laziness.”

---

“Thank you for not tempting me with laziness,” Lila said as she devoured another chicken finger. Lila had Sully drive to a nearby spot she remembered the coven using to plot excursions. Lila thought it would be a good spot to eat the feast she had bought and oh did she eat. The first victims were the zesty pretzels, cheese curds, and onion rings. Their greasy goodness could not be resisted forever, and as the two sat on the trunk door to the truck they were devoured with a rabid intensity. Next were the burgers and fries, the meat and cheese simply called her name in a sultry way and she was more than happy to oblige. Next was the Oreo blizzard, she needed a cool refresher after all that food. Within seven minutes she was then on her way to the tenders.

“Dairy Queen is special,” Lila chuckled as she ate another chicken tender.

”There’s a damn good reason it’s the only fast food available in St. Portwell,” said Sully, one-eye closed as he used the Chalice to pour a little extra hot fudge on his ice cream. He cursed silently as some dribbled over onto his fingers, licking both them and the rim of the Chalice clean. He joked, nodding to the chicken tenders, “I’m honestly kinda surprised after you housed all that food you’re still hungry enough to resort to cannibalism.”

“But, uh, for real. Now that you got some food in you, how are you doing?” he asked.

“I’m more crow than chicken soooooo,” Lila paused as she took another bite, “better. I don’t think I’ve ever been that hungry since first and second puberty,”Lila looked over to Sully, “I think I’ll be good. I am tired though. I think I will sleep for a day or two. Maybe a week.” Lila paused as she smiled weakly. “Thank you for staying with me tonight. I truly appreciate you.”

Lila looked out to the area around them. She knew she wanted to talk to others about what happened. “I will be okay. I think I’ll want to take a walk, clear my head you know? I know it’s not super smart to be alone with what’s going on but I’ll be safe. If Father Wolf wanted to kill me he’d have done it earlier.”

“Nah, you got too many homies around for that pun,” said Sully, pointing to the murder of crows that had been gathering around them. He tossed a handful of french fries out of the truck's window. “Hey birds, you keep Lila safe okay?” Sully rolled up the window before the flock could descend upon his own share of the fires.

“I should probably check in with Greenwood anyway before they start sending out search parties. But if you ever get attacked by a bunch of bees and the lady living inside of your noggin again you know who to call,” said Sully, reaching out for a fist bump.

“Ghostbusters,” Lila joked as she connected the fist bump, “keep this on the down low for me,” Lila paused as she turned around and raised a peace sign behind her. As she walked away it could be heard in the cold night air that a song was present. ““Never made it as a wise man, couldn’t cut it as a poor man stealing,” Lila laughed as she continued to sing along to the fun song.

---

St. Portwell After Dark

It was dark and cold tonight. A rolling haze of clouds hit the stars from view over St. Portwell, and blocked out the moon from sight. It was the perfect conditions for Jack to navigate through. He appeared through the shadows, wearing his usual long wool coat and combat boots, walking into a clearing in the forest outside of St Portwell. The cool air was dead silent as he took his surroundings in. He seemed to be alone here, arriving before anyone else without a sound, as usual. He took his phone out and sent a reply to the message he received.

I am here.

Lila had texted him, asking to meet in this exact spot that some members of the coven had once used to plot their incursions. It was why he could be here so easily. She didn’t say why, but that was only moments ago, so he’d ask when he saw her.

“Hey,” a voice called out from behind a tree, “hey buddy. Buddy friend. So so do you remember when we were kids, when you lost your arm,” Lila started as she pressed her form further into the tree she hid behind. She hid her wings as best as possible. To Jack, the forest would hide her well and she wouldn’t be seen visually.

“How long did it take you to get used to that…. change?”

Jack could tell where she was, but he wasn’t capable of darkvision without a joint spell. ”...Long enough to stabilize the spell I used to recover. There were worse things I had experienced than that. It did not take long. Why?”

“Oh,” Lila paused as age tapped her claws on the trunk of a tree. She contemplated how to best explain. “It is… a long story. Very long,” Lila paused as she looked up to a crow on the branches above her and watched as it nodded its head at her, “so.” Lila paused, “it’ll explain something before I have to show you. Not that I’m hiding anything, drastic-drastic,” Lila chuckled nervously.

”Alright. Tell me.”

“Do you remember back in the day I only had ten or so crows,” Lila paused as she looked around and at the murder, “before I joined back up with the coven my murder had grown to nearly a hundred,” Lila paused as she tapped her talons again on the trunk, “I felt cursed, you know? Suddenly my murder grew, there was a voice in my head. So I got scared and I asked for help. Instead of doing it while we were sober we attempted the sealing while drunk and the maiden was sealed in me and my murder grew to the tens of thousands,” Lila paused as she looked down at the purple crystal on her chest, “mayyybe more. And I think there were tens of thousands more to come. I tried to ignore the maiden, and she is usually incredibly bored by everything and anything not utter chaos so it’s usually pretty easy. At least I thought it was. She wanted me to be her good little herald. This morning she convinced me to go train. And I did. She told me that I needed to master her magic. And she broke my body a hundred times because she wanted me to embrace her vision of who I was meant to be. A monster. And I didn’t like that one bit,” Lila chuckled as she took several deep breaths.

She was trying to decide if she was going to be brave at this moment and she went to move out of the tree line but stopped. Jack would be able to see her wings for the first time since the meeting, and he would see they were much massive. She looked down at her new form and pondered how she would be perceived. “So like the good agent I am, I learned more about the maiden. She was a green-blue adept in life several millennia ago. Her powers remained similar to them even after she became an apparition, she has the power to transform forms and uses her other power to curse,” Lila paused as she looked out from the tree line. “Do you follow me thus far, info dump of the year,” Lila chuckled.

”She cursed you. I follow,” he said, knitting his fingers together and observing the huge wings. They were surprisingly easy to see in the gloom. ”Sealing an apparition in a living person grants them full access to the apparition’s magic, that is not unusual.”

“So she forced a transformation and I didn’t know how to use her magic yet. She kept forcing me to become more, and more of a monster all the while she was preparing to take control once and for all and I allowed it at first because I thought she was making me stronger. Evidently I wasn’t strong enough to resist, at least yet. I learned how to pull her power and use it. I undid parts of the monster, but I had to use her curse magic on myself to keep her locked up. I couldn’t go back as some aspects of the transformation were already permanent ,” Lila sighed. “I don’t know how I’m going to go around the coven like this though. And I need a ride home,” Lila paused as she gripped the tree tightly causing her to accidentally shatter it.

Ah.

”We are surrounded by people who have witnessed a demigod tear reality to pieces, Lila. No one with a hint of empathy will think twice about whatever form you take, you have learned this before,” he said, walking around the tree and looking at her directly.

He saw the wings, the talons, all of it. And he didn’t see her differently.

“Okie-dokie,” Lila chuckled. Lila dropped the chunks of tree and took a deep breath. Two crows, seemingly sensing the apprehension, flew down and took a rest on her shoulders. Lila stepped out from the clearing and revealed the same form she showed Sully earlier. There were no modifications, no further changes, but it still felt like a giant leap of faith even with someone like Jack. Though the Toga did help her feel less naked

“Okie-dokie,” Lila repeated the phrase and paused her breathing for just a second, “I need new clothes, this Toga is a little breezy” Lila chuckled.

Jack tilted his head, quietly thinking of what might work for her. ”You have been cursed by her, and yet you should have her abstraction. That is strange, but for now, I may be able to help you.”

Jack held a hand out in the open air, and a door appeared suddenly. Dark wood, carved with kanji symbols. He opened it, and the light of an early day spilled through. Jack stepped through, and motioned for Lila to follow.

”Come. I have something to show you.”

“I have been cursed in a roundabout way. Did she curse me? No, not with magic. Was she a cunt, yeah, that feels like a curse being attached to her,” Lila chuckled, “as long as you don’t show me Ohio,” Lila said matter-of-factly, “never take me back to Ohio.” . Lila followed Jack's lead and went to step through the door but did not account for her wings, and was abruptly stopped in her tracks, before she took a step back and extended her wings and shimmied through the door sideways.

On the other side of the portal was a pocket dimension. The sky above them was a kaleidoscope of watery images showing distant worlds throughout the All-Verse, and before them was a stone staircase that led to a building styled like a japanese estate. Purple torches burned up and down the steps and down the side to a pathway into a large cave far behind them.

”This is the Eleventh Path, a pocket reality created by Kenshiro and myself. I believe I mentioned it at our most recent meeting.”

“You did,” Lila gasped as she took in the visage before her. It was gorgeous. “You did. this place.. quite the looker,” Lila repeated herself as she took a step forward and realized she was about to enter a building. “I’m not going to ruin the floor in there will I?”

”No,” he said, sliding the wide shoji door open. ”But if you did, I would only need to wave a hand over the damage to mend it. This space was made from mine and Kenshiro’s purple Lux, and so we can freely reshape it as we wish.”

Inside was a wide, spacious room that hadn’t been decorated much. There were stairs leading up to a second floor, which was visible from the ground much like a mall’s floors. There was also a long staircase leading downwards and away from the interior, towards a humid, mossy world tucked away.

”Down that passage lies Tennogama’s resting place. His builders assisted us in creating this, and it was agreed that he would have his own area to reside in.”

There were four other wide doors on this floor, and Jack was walking towards one.

“Wait.. the giant guy is here,” Lila asked as she smiled. “What’s he like in person? This place is crazy, if only we could agree upon anything as a coven. I doubt father wolf could ever find his way in here.”

”He is patient, calm and above all else, weary. We should not disturb him now. I will ask another time if he’d like visitors,” Jack offered as the door opened on its own. Behind it was a space that was very Jack. The room was dimly lit, with braziers and candles of purple fire illuminating it. There were bookshelves and a rather comfortable looking leather chair placed just before a desk, as well as a long couch resting against a wall.

“Jack, did you secretly read my teenage mind and create the most perfect space possible,” Lila’s wings spread out in this space. The crows that had tagged along flew off her shoulders and began examining the space in detail. They also looked for shiny things. Jack might notice a thing or two missing tomorrow. “it’s amazing.”

”Every individual room is a pocket space within the larger pocket space; they can be changed independent of the “anchor” room. That is why I can do this-”

Another chair appeared next to Lila, one with a back just low enough to accommodate her wings.

”Effortlessly.” He then started looking through the closet.

Lila sat down as her head craned, crooked, and shifted as she looked around the space. “That is incredible,” Lila said as her crows started to circle her again. She looked at herself through their eyes and she sighed. At least she didn’t look like that thing the maiden had her become. As long as Lila kept this form the magic she was able to draw from the maiden would keep the maiden far away from influencing her again. Far away from the light. Lila looked at her hand and tried to use the magic to bring the human hand back to the surface but her body did not yield and she was left staring at the claws.

“Quite the looker,” she repeated back from that conversation. “Jack, I have a question for you. Why in my entire life have I never attracted a straight man, nor ever wanted to, but as soon as I look like a bird monster I get a guys number,” Lila head tilted to the side.

Jack turned around and gave Lila a blank stare.

”You are asking the wrong person.”

“He said I was quite the looker,” Lila leaned forward, “he was painfully straight looking guy but I like my men a little more,” Lila paused as she laughed, “feminine.”

”Who was he?”

“Someone from the temple. Trisha and I had a little fight earlier which is, kinda, the catalyst for this. Which was fun, by the way, she’s gotten a lot stronger. I was impressed,” Lila sighed as she used a single claw to point to her body, “they followed the bee trail and shot me a few times. They had a cool name for me though.”

Lila took a deep breath in as she pulled a fist close to her chest. Her eyes closed as she looked to the ground. As she looked up, eyes opening, and fist shooting to the air as she confidently spoke “Lila Blackwood. Adjoined of the Maiden of Murders… The Veridian Wing…ahhhh” as Lila finished her crows cawed while she slowly dropped her hand with the palm facing up.

”The temple…” He scowled for a moment. ”Of course it was them.” He pulled something from the closet, a long woolen coat much like the one Jack was wearing right now.

He tossed it to her. ”You should be able to conceal your wings under this.”

Lila’s head crooked to the side as she looked at the coat. She spread her wings out fully, each one longer than she was tall, and tried to do the geometry on her mind. “I might have to cut out some holes for them I think,” Lila said as she grabbed the long coat from Jack and tried to get it around her wings. “I can try to make this work,” Lila said as she tried to collapse the wings behind her back. She pulled the wings back into her body just a little, the air filling with the sounds of bones crunching, before they refused to go any further. “I can’t change my form any further down.”

”That is large enough without being tied shut that it should have enough room. Have you tried folding the wings in on themselves?”

Lila folded her wings in if by command and the tips still stood out a good head length overtop her head. “That makes so much more sense,” Lila said as she tried the coat on again. It was not easy to put the coat on and several swear words, some English and some vaguely crow-like, could be heard before she finally went. “ta-da,” as she closed the coat. It did very little to hide her form and she very much looked like a bird like monster stuffed into a tiny jacket.

Jack nodded. ”That would certainly make you seem less Adjoined from a distance. I have few more, they may fit you better, if you’d like. I have too many to wear, if I’m being honest. I tend to hoard such things.”

“If only it were that easy.”

There were a lot of books and vaguely supernatural objects in this room that confirmed what he just said.

“I am all for not accidentally being a furry's wet dream as well,” Lila said as she shuddered, “bring them out Jack. We’re here anyway so maybe I can try on a few more to see if I can find one that fits better,” Lila took off the jacket and her wings instinctively spread and flapped, the force of which lifted Lila off the ground by an inch.

Jack pulled out a few more, each somewhat large or smaller than the other, and varying shades of dark blue, black or brown. ”Feel free. These would go to waste otherwise.”

Lila proceeded to do an impromptu fashion show. Her mind was still somewhat fractured from the loss of her crows, and for some reason this was the thing that called to her, even if she didn’t realize she wanted this. Each one had the same problem, her wings would stick out from the top but she felt much less exposed to the world even if her skin was long since completely it was buried under her sleek feathers. She smiled, laughed, and for a brief moment forgot all about the traumas of the day and focused more on the fun she was having with a friend. “There,” Lila said as she buttoned the first jacket Jack had brought out. ”Now I can completely hide these changes from my friends and they’ll never know I had the worst day of my life,” Lila laughed at first, then sighed, then groaned, then felt the urge to cry. She knew the jacket did nothing to help but she was hoping with a broken mind that it might.

Jack didn’t like the sound of what he just heard. ”If that is necessary… Are they your friends?” He asked, holding a bunch of coats she discarded.

”I am not myself right now,” Lila responded as she tapped her claws on her head, ”everytime I lose a crow I get a psychic backlash. It’s painful, and feels like my brain is breaking and fracturing. I lost five hundred crows today. My mind is broken in a way I’ve never experienced. I know they’ll be concerned, want to care for me, but my brain is still screaming in pain and I don’t have a way to quell that,” Lila paused as she looked up and smirked. ”Part of me knows I’m overreacting but I feel like I have a devil,” a crow landed on her left shoulder, ” and an angel,” the other crow landed on her right, ”fighting for control right now. Sudden change is hard to deal with on a good day, you know? Sudden, drastic, monstrous changes are harder.”

The other chair magically moved closer to Jack, who fell into it. ”That is not unheard of. Apparitions who choose to adjoin themselves to humans rarely have benign intentions, and the Maiden obsessed over you before she had been sealed, did she not?”

”Oh yes, oh yes yes. The Maiden didn’t even reveal herself to me until a few weeks before the coven reformed. She likes to talk about how strong I am, how smart I am, and how good I am for the murder, and how much I mean to the coven,” Lila paused as she leaned to the side, ”but she also tells me I am too weak to make a difference, that I need to let her change me to make me perfect, and she thought it was fun to break my bones and my body multiple times today to make me stronger, and she did make me stronger,” Lila paused as she took a deep breath, ”and I know she means to be a threat to humanity again. That pink mist showed us our desires, right? Back at Kari’s house. I saw one for me, which was kinda like this,” Lila said as she pointed to her new form, ” and everyone was still my friend, and they came to have a party with me despite how I look,” Lila paused as she took a deep breath, ”but I also saw hers. I saw St. Portwell burning, I saw our coven dead at my feet. Killed by my hands. I saw a murderous murder ready to sweep across the world and there was nothing that could be done to stop them.. Lila began talking deep shallow breaths. ”And I still let her in more, let her talk up my strength, but the entire time I knew she was planning to take over my body and cast me aside like everyone she’d ever loved. She’s an apparition of loneliness,” Lila’s leg began to bounce rapidly as her mind began to grow weak.

Jack leaned forward in his seat. ”Apparitions live very long lives, and those lives are often lonely without a host. The Maiden may be a century old, or eons older than Shimmer, and her understanding of us mortals is therefore skewed,” he said. ”I was subjected to those illusions as well. What you saw may have been her idea of “good,” but she only takes and takes, as I understand her. There are ways of removing apparitions that cannot or refuse to leave willingly.”

“I know. The problem is,” Lila said as she held out one claw on each finger and her crows flew over and perched on them, “these guys are quite delightful. They were all human once,” Lila smiled as she looked over them. “I think they deserve better than what the maiden commands of them. They deserve love.”

”Perhaps they do,” Jack acknowledged. ”But you deserve a fate better than theirs. A fate where your mind and body are not twisted by something you have no defense against.”

“You’re right,” Lila paused as she stood up confidently, “but I’m a pretty good seal. I beat the maiden at her own game and figured out how to suppress her,” she said as she tapped the crystal on her chest. “Maybe after we deal with the murderer killing us, 8th street, and every other threat we face along the way I’ll be more ready to look into getting her out of me,” Lila paused as she made a fist with her claws, “I can help more now like this. And I have all these cute guys to learn more about,” Lila paused as she made a noise that someone makes when they see a baby or a cute dog. She was clearly in a drunk state now, the heavy conversation weighed her down..

”That is a justifiably decision to make…” He chose his words carefully, wondering if he even should say this.

”…But if the Maiden is influencing your mind, at what point will your decision to stay Adjoined no longer be your own?”

“You won’t,” Lila repeated the maidens words from this morning back to herself as she slinked back down to the chair, “she’s really strong, Jack, but I think, no I feel, like this, this was me,” Lila said as she contemplated what was said. “Can you do any magic that would take away her influence, even for a minute, to see if I am making a stupid mistake staying like this,” Lila asked, unsure if Jack had any power or item to test this theory.

”Not unless the Maiden happens to originate from the Void,” he said, pulling the Black Star up and over his hand and handing it to Lila for a moment.

”How does she respond to this?”

“Well,” Lila said as she looked down into the depths where the Maiden resided and was greeted by the wrathful face of a apparition chained to the walls of a soul, “she’s not any more angry than she was earlier.”

”Then until Kenshiro and I find the Brass Needle, you may just have to be patient. We know where it is, and it may be able to unadjoin you, assuming you are not truly cursed.”

“I at least choose a good form to be my cursed form,” Lila said as she looked at all the purple feathers that covered her body, “very emo colored,” she chuckled.

”And useful, it seems. Have you tried flying?”

“Not yet,” Lila said as she narrowed her eyes at Jack and smiled wide. She unbuttoned the jacket and placed it neatly on the chair as she took several long strides back. She stood confidently, and stood tall as she did. It felt almost like it did the first time she gained a new power, ten whole years ago. A surge of excitement filled her body. “Will you two show me how it’s done,” Lila asked her crows but they simply flapped their wings in response. Lila sighed as she crouched down and raised her wings up high. She closed her eyes as she leapt into the air, her enhanced strength allowed her to jump fairly high as she began to furiously flap her wings. After a few frantic seconds she opened her eyes and she was still in the air. It was not graceful, it was not controlled, but she was airborne. For a few seconds at least before she miss timed her wings and fell to the ground hard.

”Be careful, there is a ceiling in here,” he commented.

Lila, face down on the floor, held up a thumb at the comment. “I hit the floor not the ceiling though,” Lila’s voice was muffled by the floor before an infectious laugh escaped her lips as she rose to her knees and fell down backwards to the floor. She kept laughing as she laid on the ground. “I will lay here for a second-a second. I think I’m trying to do much fast,” Lila said as her words began to lose their grammar. “How time here work,” Lila asked with a tone that hinted
she was feeling uneasy about everything again.

”Slightly quicker than Shimmer. Ten minutes here is eight minutes there.”

“So not in a way to help me train and control this body,” Lila sighed before she chuckled.

”You certainly could,” Jack noted. ”Four hours in here is only three hours in Shimmer. You have more time in this place than otherwise.”

“I don’t know if I have even that,” Lila said as she grinned, “friends worried you know.” Lila pulled out her phone and found it very hard to pull up her text app to see what Lynn and them were saying. Her clawed hands are still unable to register on the touch screen. She thought about using her tongue again but decided against it.

”If anything did happen, Kenshiro has access to this place as well, and could find us easily.” There was, unfortunately, no cell service in this place between universes.

“So we can stay here for a couple more hours,” Lila said as she craned her head to look at Jack, her eyes starting to feel heavy “I have had a long day.”

”I believe that. Yes, we can stay here. As long as I am here, or Kenshiro, then you’re permitted to be here as well. That was part of the agreement we made with Tennogama’ servants. No one can be left alone here without us.”

“Okay-okay, I’m going to take a nap. Please don’t leave then.” Lila said before she was swiftly taken away by a much needed rest. One of the two crows flew over to Jack and landed on his shoulder while the other remained with Lila

---

Lila opened her eyes once again and her head was pounding. The rest had not done much to fix the damage that her mind experienced but it was much needed all the same for her body. The pain from this day would forever be saved in the fabric of her body as a snapshot, but a nice good night's sleep was everything she could hope for right now. Lila's eyes flickered for a moment before she pushed herself up at least a little and looked around for Jack. The fact that she was actually here with him confirmed that this wasn’t the nightmare she had secretly hoped it was.

Jack didn’t look like he had gotten up. The remnants of the fashion show were put away, and he had several books stacked beside him, along with one in hand.

“You still here,” Lila asked as she yawned a big yawn. She could sleep for at least another twelve hours. “How long was I out for?”

”Two hours,” he said, turning a page without looking up. ”You must have been exhausted.”

Lila looked down at the crystal as she did another yawn. The vibrant blue color had begun to fade slightly as the maiden fought to release herself from the prison. Lila held up her right hand and a blue mist began to fall from it as Lila summoned the curse magic before twisting the magic into a ball before she placed it on the crystal. She held it there as the mist fell from her hand and onto the ground below. After a few moments the Crystal returned to its full glow. “Yeah,” Lila saw that her crow was on Jack’s shoulder. “I could go for a few hours more. Like twenty four hours,” Lila chuckled as she rubbed her eyes

”What are you doing? Is that a seal?” He asked.

“Hmm,” Lila asked before her mind clicked into gear. “No, I used the curse magic on myself. The Maiden’s curse magic can force things to transform. I forced my body to transform in a way to prevent her from trying to force me from the light. This just kinda holds the curse magic I think. It’s like a canary in the coal mine,” Lila used a claw to tap the crystal, “the maiden has something like this at the same spot though she used hers differently. She used it as a conduit for her power I think. When I took control over her I made one for myself thinking it would help,” Lila paused as she pointed to the blue feathers all across her body, “from what I understand these feathers are cursed like my wings, and have been affected by whatever I did. The crystal is truly just a repository of the magic that I wield now,” Lila responded with another yawn, “the more she fights the faster it drains and I have to refill the magic.”

He leaned forward, setting his book down on the stack. ”What power do you draw from to maintain it? Her? Have you found a way to bleed her of her own Abstraction?”

“Her magic,” Lila said as she leaned all the way on her side again, “today is day one Jack, I have a lot to learn.”

He nodded. ”That is very clever. Harvesting apparitions is not unheard of, but to do it as you’ve done is rare. I have books for this, one moment-” Jack stood up, and stepped over to his bookshelf, looking for something.

“The Maiden was cocky and taught me how to do it,” Lila smirked, ”she thought she broke me enough to make me weak and that I wouldn’t figure out how to draw her power for myself, but she just made me want revenge.”. Lila felt like she said that once before but couldn’t remember when.

”Here it is…” Jack walked back over and handed Lila a rather heavy book with an old illustration on the front. The Lifeblood of the Spirits, original author unknown. ”This details many ways of stealing the power of apparitions, especially ones sealed within their hosts. You should have plenty to learn from it.”

“I will hopefully be able to explain what I did,” Lila paused as she grabbed the book and carefully opened it to the first page. “Would I not have just used the powers like an agent would, like her power is based on curses and transformation magic,” Lila asked inquisitively. This was all new to her, and she was thankful that Jack was a wealth of knowledge.

”You could, if you learned. Though, every Agent is different, especially among those with the apparition sealed within them. You are essentially a living artifact, and your abstraction is now fundamentally bound to your soul. Unlike when you were Adjoined, your abstraction cannot be taken from you by the Maiden now. You have full access to every ability she does, there will be plenty to learn.”

“Which makes it difficult to get rid of her,” Lila finally said. “Transformation and curses,” Lila spoke to Jack, “application of these magics can go far.”

”Difficult, but not impossible,” Jack said, sitting back down. ”Moreover, there are ways to reinforce your hold on her, to ensure she does not poison your mind further. Continuously draining her power for your own use is a start, but all things magic can be improved in their own ways.”

“So I’ll have to train. A lot. And actually try to learn as much as I can about this power. After tonight, do you think I can come back here again sometime soon,” Lila asked Jack, “you have helped me a lot with this all. And I hate to intrude on you and Ken like this without asking.”

”You have permission, Lila. We constructed the Eleventh Path for the coven, not for ourselves,” he said this firmly. ”Anytime I am here, or Kenshiro, ask. This is a sanctuary, a safe space. You are welcome here.”

“Perfect,” Lila said as she finally stood up and stretched out her wings, her back, and then her arms. “I wish everyone could see this place. I think more would want to stay,” Lila said as she walked over to where Jack got the book but she held onto it. “Jasper, Luca, and Lynn especially.”

”Tell them. I offered to let the coven use this space as a meeting area, it still stands.”

“Would you want more company here tonight?”

”I would not say no.”

“If we get enough people to actually visit this place, I think it will be an easy choice to turn this into our meeting space. With you, Ken, Jasper, Luca, Lynn, and myself you have the votes to do it, Lila paused as she stretched her arms out. “this place feels like it’ll be perfect for what we need.”

He nodded. ”That is the intention. There are additional rooms we have yet to find a purpose for. We built a room specifically for the storage of artifacts as well. We have options, now that this is completed.”

“How about a tour of those rooms, and then we can go back to Lucas’s and see if they’re down to come, Lila smirked.

Jack stood up again. ”Of course. Follow me,” He said, walking back out of the room and up a flight of stairs. They both stopped before the would-be meeting room. A large circular table with over a dozen chairs, and plenty of purple candles floating around, suspended by magic.

Lila’s crows took off into the room and circled around the table, the floating candles, and then back to their shoulders. Lynn placed a hand on the table and walked along the circular rim as she did. This felt proper. This felt like a coven meeting room.

“This is what we need”, Lila said with a wide smile. Away from the chaos of the past two meeting spots.

Jack walked in behind her. ”My thoughts exactly, I would have explained more at the last meeting. But we had other things to discuss.” The candles floated one way and the other, making room as someone walked by. ”Anyone could be brought directly to this room, by Kenshiro and I. We could gather within minutes, and disperse just as quickly.”

“Could this be turned into something like what the mansion was for us back in the day,”

”Not quite. The Eleventh Path only has so much space within its walls, but we could rearrange one of the adjacent rooms to be a safe house if we needed. This pocket dimension is like wet clay, we do not add or remove anything from it. We simply reconfigure.”

“Still, this place is incredible,” Lila paused as she looked at Jack, “I’ll make sure it’s used.”

”I appreciate that.” He walked closer to her, and waved the door back to Shimmer into existence. ”But for now, I have rounds I should tend to, I’ll send you back to where we first entered.”

Lila sighed as her one leg began to shake. “Well I have to do this eventually,” Lila paused as she flashed Jack a smile as she tossed of Jack’s jacket, knowing all too well that that it would not do anything, “any chance I could convince you to drop me off at Lucas’s? Maybe in the apartment,” Lila asked with an almost pleading tone to her voice.

”That is where I am going first. By all means, let’s go.”

”Lead the way.”

Name Change Request

MagratheanWhale --> NoriWasHere

Nori And Her Stuff

ELEANOR BLACK

Nori

"What a drag."

_______________________________________________ Nori Jaye *REDACTED* They/Them/She/Her | 28 | White | 5'5"| 125 lbs) _______________________________________________ Intense. _______________________________________________ Skills & Talents "I know a thing or two about a thing or two." ___________________________________ [+] [Animal Friend] ⫻ Ever since Nori escaped from their abusive family they have always had a friend in her, and others, pets. Whether it is a cat, dog, bird, or something else Nori has always been an animal’s favorite human. [Career Student] ⫻ Nori has been a career student ever since they graduated high school at the age of 16. There has not been a subject that they have fallen in love with, and as such they have accumulated numerous associate degrees and nothing more. Nori is very good at researching and has a wealth of knowledge at their disposal. [Wicked Pot] ⫻ Nori is really good at making a good cup of coffee. [Trust Fund Kid] ⫻ As she was de-facto adopted by her grandparents, and she was the only one to care for them in their waning years, she became the sole beneficiary of their bank, and retirement accounts. While it wasn’t a lot, it is still enough for Nori to continue with their schooling while she supplements it with income from working.

Appearance ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ "I don’t know how many pink shirts I own and at this point I am too afraid to count." Nori is never ignored in a crowd. When she is seen she always comes across as *intense*. To say that they are another faceless body in a sea of people would be a colossal error. Nori is neither short nor tall, standing at a height of 5’5” and carries a small frame on an almost fragile looking body. She has no curves to speak of, despite being on hormones for a decade her genetics never had it in them. The hormones, and the blockers before them, helped shape their waist at least and that is the part of their body that they feel the most confident having exposed. When one looks upon her, they often look away without gaining any useful information about who Nori is, however her eyes betray her rough upbringing. To most it looks like Nori is able to see through them, both physically and emotionally. People often find it very difficult to match her gaze. They are a very dark brown color that is close to black, though in direct sunlight their tones become clearer. The longer one is in Nori’s orbit the more lifelike her gaze becomes. They develop a bit more warmth, and the sharpness dulls. Their hair is never without color. It has been so long that even Nori sometimes forgets what color it is naturally (it is a light brunette color). They go to a local salon every two weeks to reapply the color and get their roots touched up once a month. Nori knows that they are putting their stylists’ kid through college with how much they spend, and they prefer to not dwell on the cost of the services. For the past decade Nori has been in their bubblegum era and their hair is three-toned, pink-blue-purple, and pastel. Nori is also found covered in color. Their fits always follow the same basic pattern. Colorful shirt that matches one of the three colors of their hair, black bottom pieces, and accessories. Nori has taken a fancy to the cyber singlism tattoo style and her body is covered in various pieces within that style, most notably on her chest, stomach, hips and thighs. Nori also loves watercolor tattoos. They a piece in this stye most notably on their right arm, running from just below their elbow to the top of their palm. In terms of body modifications Nori has a few. Most noticeable is their ears. Mirrored across both, Nori sports an industrial, a helix, and two piercings on the lobes themselves.

_{Psychology
^{▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔}}
"I can’t let just anyone get close to me, not again. Not after her."

MAIN GOAL ⫻
Nori’s main goal in life is one of self-improvement. For themselves that is simply doing one step better today than they were yesterday. For those in her circle, her goal is to constantly and consistently uplift those around her. Nori has a driven desire to see her friends, her chosen families, succeed and she will do everything in her power to do so.

PHILOSOPHY ⫻
Nori believes that one’s purpose is defined by the person. They do not believe in fate, they do not believe in a guiding force, and she does not believe that we walk a predetermined path. Instead, every action is a choice.

SECRETS ⫻

Nori lives life stealth. No one knows who they were when they were born, and Nori does not share their secrets with most.

SEXUALITY ⫻

Nori is Bisexual.

FEARS ⫻

Nori fears her family. Every last one knew what her parents were doing, where they sent her, and they approved of every last horror that they experienced. As such, Nori is afraid that her family will finally track her down again. As well, they are afraid that her secrets will be outed.

WHO IS ELEANOR BLACK TO YOU? ⫻

Eleanor Black was the first friend that Nori had as themself. Eleanor was the first face she would see in the morning, as the two would be the first souls on campus for those early classes. She was the first friend Nori had who knew her secrets and accepted her for who they were. Eleanor truly was the first person to become apart of Nori’s chosen family and for that she will forever hold a place in her heart.

FLAWS ⫻

Nori is incredibly awkward around strangers. Like incredibly awkward. While she has a desire to meet new people, she still finds it very difficult to completely let down her walls and she often gets in her own way. They will often find themselves in bouts of prolonged eye contact with a piercing stare.

Nori is chronically ill. She has a rare genetic disorder that is currently treated by medication she has to take every three months however it is not 100% and she will often experience flare ups if she experiences physical trauma, whether minor or major. She does carry some rescue medication with her but she rarely needs to administer them.

_{Backstory
^{▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔}}
"I don’t think I will ever remember my childhood in full, nor do I think I want to."

There was never a young Nori Jaye. In the beginning, there was only *REDACTED*, born to two people who should have never been together, nor have any kids. Her parents were hyper-religious, and they made every effort to bring their child into their flock. The few memories she has of her childhood revolve around going to, and coming back from, church and religious events.

The other memories she can remember clearly was when she first began to question her existence, and who she truly was. They knew from an early age that things felt wrong. The toys they gave *REDACTED* were not the toys that Nori wanted, the clothes they put *REDACTED* in always made her look like a boy and that made her feel wrong, and every expectation for the future was for one that Nori did not want to live in.

Eventually Nori would turn to God for help. She would stay awake, late into the night, praying for God to make their body and mind whole. When God was silent, she changed her prayer. Asking instead for God to take away the thoughts and feelings she was thinking. When God was silent, she changed her approach and went to her parents to get their help.

They did not help. Nori does not remember what happened afterwards, however she does know her parents would talk about how that camp should have cured them of these wicked desires. They would attempt to fix the issues themselves, and attempted to fix it they did numerous times. The rest of her childhood, and the entirety of her teenage years, was lived with a mission: hide away who they were and get away. She had support in both regards from her mother’s parents. They were the lone bright spot in a sea of hate. They allowed Nori to explore who they were in a safe spot, and had promised that if Nori ever needed it, she had a home far away.

Nori poured every ounce of her strength into her schooling. She excelled in every area of her studies, and she graduated two years early at 16. After her graduation, back at home, her parents finally made their move to get Nori out of their house for good and told her that she had 24 hours to get out and find their own way in the world. Nori knew they could not kick her out, but she knew that this was her chance to leave without any fuss. She contacted her grandmother, who flew out that day and took her to what would become her home for the next four years.

Within a year of moving in with her grandparents Nori would finally get the diagnosis for the illness that plagued her. A rare hereditary disorder that did not have any hereditary link, meaning she developed the mutation all her own.

Nori’s eighteenth year was one of change, and excitement. She had been on blockers for two years already, but she had finally started hormone therapy. As such, Nori was undergoing rapid and obvious changes that made their queerness very visible and that made Nori afraid. It was at a coffee shop, one week after her birthday, that she met Eleanor Black. Eleanor was a fellow student, and they shared an early morning class together at the University. They were always the first ones outside the classroom door, arriving earlier than even the professor. It was here the duo became fast friends. They talked about their rough childhoods, they talked about Nori and their transition, and they talked about their hopes and dreams for the future. Eventually, the two would make it a habit to meet up after classes to study together and more.

Over the next year Eleanor Black was the best friend Nori could ever ask for. Eleanor saw Nori at every step of their transition, helped Nori navigate their queerness, and broke the shell that Nori built around her.

Eventually Eleanor finished her degree and found a job across the country, and the parting of the two friends was bittersweet. Both made promises to visit, and both ensured the other that this was not the end of their friendship.

As the year dragged on, her grandfather’s health began to decline, and he eventually passed away. Not long after, their grandmother would do so as well. They left Nori most of their money. It wasn’t enough to set them up for life, but it was enough to help them for a long time. It took Nori a while to recover from their demise. With the support of Eleanor from across the country Nori was able to move on and move forward.

Eventually Eleanor decided to fly back and spend a week with Nori as she mourned the loss further and Nori was ecstatic to have her best friend back. She got to the airport two hours earlier than needed and waited with a fun sign. She did not see Eleanor, but instead was rushed and hugged by a stranger who said she was her best friend. Nori played along, because the more they talked the more the experiences lined up. As the week ended, her friend returned home and Nori was left with a question that loomed larger than any other. The contact in her phone for Eleanor was under a different name, each photo they had together was different, and nothing made sense. Who was this Eleanor Black? And why did her memory of her not match reality?

Until she did more research and found others just like her who had experienced this same situation.

Nori wanted to know more.

_{Paranormal-Abilities
^{▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔}}
"Quote about abstraction here."

Jordan Fuchs

"How about we don't do that"

_______________________________________________ Jordan Thomas Fuchs He/Him | 24 | German-American | 6'3" | 180 _______________________________________________ Sociable _______________________________________________ Skills & Talents "I am not deluded, I doubt I could have ever gone pro.. in any sport. They are fun though." ___________________________________ [+] [Friend of many] ⫻ Jordan has a way to become everyone's friends. Growing up it was his goal to turn bullies into buddies, and he far exceeded it. No matter who he meets he can quickly find a way to become a friend. [Social Butterfly] ⫻ Jordan excels in groups of strangers. He quickly makes it a point to learn everyone's name, story, and will tailor his personality to make the strongest first impression. In these groups Jordan can often be the loudest, most commanding presence. [College Graduate] ⫻ Jordan graduated with a degree in International Business Management. He does not work in that sector but he finished the degree just for the sake of his family. [Amateur Athlete] ⫻ Ever since he was young Jordan has always loved the thrill of contact sports. He played football, and American football, and recently has begun to dabble in Gaelic Football. His biggest asset is his speed, both straight line and in his cuts.

Appearance ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ "I may be simple but I am comfortable" Despite his height it is hard to pick out Jordan in a crowd. His fashion is typically utilitarian underneath an odd assortment of sweaters and jackets. Jordan has never really felt the need to dress up more than what is needed, and that is not something that has bothered him. Jordan has brown eyes that mesh well with his slightly tan completion and dark hair. He keeps his beard long, but it is well groomed and healthy. His skin is completely free of blemishes, thanks in no small part to his families’ genetics and his skin care routine. Jordan will often wear a few different frames for his glasses, normally one that has a circle for one side and a square for the other. On the surface Jordan is a clean cut, and moderately attractive man. Under the surface Jordan’s personal taste shows more. His muscular body is covered with tattoos. While there is no rhyme or reason to them, as he often visits local shops and purchases small tattoos from their flash, he does love them all equally. He has plans to get more done. Jordan is also very muscular, which is often hidden under his clothing. Ever since he was young, he has been in the gym, whether training for sports or training to keep sad thoughts away. While he is not the strongest person on any given team, nor in a given location, his strength is function not form.

_{Psychology
^{▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔}}
"Why should I develop my own when I can simply borrow yours."

MAIN GOAL ⫻

Jordan's main goal in life is to always put his best foot forward and eventually start a family of his own. As well, he knows that he has yet to find his true calling. He knows that once he finds what it is it will help him reach his final goals.

PHILOSOPHY ⫻

One's worth is not determined by their wealth, and one's strength is not based on their muscles.

Jordan does not believe there is one way to be successful. Whether you make a million dollars and are happy, or live in a van down by the river and are happy, it does not matter. As long as you are happy, and you take care of yourself, you are successful enough. As well, Jordan does not believe you need raw strength to be a strong person. The strongest people he has met were those who have overcome the most and not the ones who can put the most weights on a bar.

SECRETS ⫻

Jordan cheated his way through university. He had no intent on even going to university however his hand was forced by his parents'. As such he had no drive of his own to actually graduate, and instead allowed his parents' to waste their money on this endeavor. Cheating was almost harder than actually studying but Jordan committed to it and graduated as a result.

SEXUALITY ⫻

Jordan is somewhere on the bi spectrum. He prefers women 9 times out of 10 but that 1 time is enough that he considers himself not straight.

FEARS ⫻

Jordan is afraid that he is destined to end up alone. Even now, he watches as friend after friend gets engaged or has a kid meanwhile he has been finding it harder and harder to connect with new romantic partners. He has always had a desire to raise a family and raise them well

WHO IS ELEANOR BLACK TO YOU? ⫻

Eleanor is Jordan's former partner. They dated for two whole years and broke up a year ago.

FLAWS ⫻

Jordan often drinks an unhealthy amount of caffeine. People have voiced their concerns numerous times.

He also suffers from a martyr complex. He has a fear of death, however that fear wanes when it pertains to the misguided notion that his death could save someone else. He often thinks that a good death saving another, no matter who, would be a good enough reward.

Jordan does not have a true personality. He instead borrows elements of those around him. This has allowed him to befriend most, however it has made it impossible for him to develop the close attachments he truly craves.

_{Backstory
^{▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔}}
"It was almost too perfect."

Conventional is the only word one could think of to describe the normal life of the star athlete.
Jordan grew up in New England to an upper middle-class family. His father worked for a major financial firm and his mother stayed at home. He had three siblings, one brother and two sisters, each a year apart from the next. His family paid their dues to get the four of them into the best schools they could. Early on Jordan began showing his natural athletic gifts and he was placed into sports early on. As he grew, so to did his skills in these sports. By the time he reached high school he was considered a very talented athlete with a lot of prospects ahead of him.

His parents pushed him to excel even more so than he already was. His father wanted to live that life vicariously, and he would force Jordan to forgo all personal wants to achieve it. He would wake up early, train, go to school, train after school, go home for homework, and then bed. This would repeat. Day in, day out. It was unrelenting. Even though he was getting burned out he pushed through it and kept at the grind. By the time he finished high school he had won a few state championships and had gotten some interest in some collegiate play.

He would end up competing at the college level for a short time, but he was never talented nor fast enough to compete fully. No matter how much he trained there was just a divide that was too far too cross. Eventually, after a few injuries slowed him further, he was off the team and the next phase of his life began.

It was at this time Jordan met Eleanor Black. She was a classmate of his and the two sat next to each other. She was always early, and he was always late. She was cute, more so than anyone else that Jordan had met up to this point and she tried to catch him up on topics he was late for. Eventually they swapped numbers, and met up for drinks, and drinks turned into a two-year relationship with more ups than downs. They would break up not long after that second anniversary as they were at two different points in life and in expectations for what would come next.

While the breakup was mutual, it still hurt Jordan and he would end up falling into a prolonged depressive episode. The two remained in contact with each other and eventually they agreed to meet up for food and to catch up. Only.. it wasn’t Eleanor that showed up. It was Allison. She did not look like the person he wanted to build a family with, she did not sound like his former lover, however she talked like she knew every fine detail about their time together. What’s more, she reminisced about some vacations they took together and showed him a photo that had come up in her memories and it was not Eleanor in the photo with him. Sure enough, as Jordan looked back at the photos each one had Allison. Each one had her name. His phone contact read Allison. His friends all remember how sweet Allison was and had no idea he dated someone named Eleanor.

Jordan has tried to put this whole ordeal behind him but no matter what he does, he can not shake the thought that something colossally fucked up happened and he cannot explain what. He has graduated, he has worked odd jobs, and he had made it a goal to just *forget* that she had even existed until, one night, when browsing the internet, Jordan would stumble on a post that would bring light to the chaos.

Others had experiences with this Eleanor. Each one is different, but at the same time not unique. In an instant all those thoughts returned and they reignited his desire to get to the bottom of what had happened, and who this Eleanor black truly was.

_{Paranormal-Abilities
^{▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔}}
"Quote about abstraction here."

^{Other
_{▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔}}
"OH, an ultimate frisby league! Do I have the time? Does it matter? Yes, I must join."

Anyyyything else?

TREE

Evelynn Ann Serenelight

"Maybe I will find the answer to my problems at the bottom of that next bottle.."

_______________________________________________ Evelynn Ann Serenelight She/Her | 29 | White | 64 In | 127 pnds _______________________________________________ Oracle _______________________________________________ Skills & Talents "I wish I was more useful." ___________________________________ [+] [Customer Service] ⫻ Evelynn has spent the past decade working in customer service in some shape or fashion. From client-facing, to call center work and more, Evelynn has developed a natural rapport with people. People often remark that their customer service voice is much more soothing and less agitating than her normal voice. [Lover of puzzles] ⫻ From her earliest memories, Evelynn has always loved a challenge and more so loved puzzles. Whether a puzzle board or a complex problem, Evelynn finds joy in working it out. She can often be found playing these kind of games on her phone to pass the time. [Alcoholic Bloodline] ⫻ Thanks to her family, and for her practice, Evelynn can handle her alcohol quite well. While she has yet to go bottle for bottle with her grandma, she knows it is only a matter of time before she develops a stronger liver. [Strong cup of joe] ⫻ Every morning Evelynn makes a cup of coffee and those who stay over remark that it is one strong cup of joe. [Unlucky in love] ⫻ Evelynn has no success in her love life yet this has always been for the best. She has a habit of falling in love with the first man who shows her interest. The longest relationship she has been in has been for only three months. After the breakup, it seems everyone reveals their red flags, and she realizes she has dodged a bullet.

Appearance ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ "You're not very pretty, and you're not very bright." Evelynn is a woman whose appearance is a mesmerizing blend of uniqueness and elegance. She rocks light brown hair with straight bangs that frame her face, giving off a touch of sophistication. Her hair is often pulled back into a practical ponytail, showcasing her ability to balance style with practicality. Her green eyes, like shards of emerald, carry a spark of intelligence and a hint of mischief. Evelynn's makeup is an artful expression of her creativity. She spends entirely too much time on her eyeliner as it enhances the captivating allure of her gaze. A dash of dark lipstick adds that rebellious touch. She is pierced, and each one tells a different story of herself. A small silver hoop in her left nostril and an industrial bar piercing in her right ear contribute to her rough and tough look. She got these after she left the coven and ventured far to truly find herself. This act of defiance against what was her ordinary life set the stage for what was to come. Tattoos, and many of them. Both of her arms served as a canvas for her friend's imagination. She has various small tattoos that do not look professionally done, yet she loves them all the same. The cat on top of the yarn, the dog chasing its tail, and all the various characters from her favorite movies and TV shows all blend to form the sleeve on her left arm. Her right arm shows a level of detail and refinement that contrasts with the other. A deer with a crown of roses, an owl that sits on the branch of a sycamore tree, and a snake that wraps around her arm, overlapping itself. The lines on this arm are crisp, the colors clean, and the cost too high to count. Her fashion is a bit basic. Sweaters and cropped hoodies overtop high-waisted jeans, or a crop top shirt overtop high-waisted shorts. Either way, she always fills out her outfits with an odd assortment of jewelry and Doc Martin boots.

_{Psychology
^{▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔}}
"Some days I feel like I am stuck in the middle of a raging river that pulls me downstream to a dark sea, and no matter how hard I swim I can never get back to shore."

MAIN GOAL ⫻

Evelynn harbors ambitious aspirations for her future and it has been their main goal to unravel the threads of what her purpose is. She wants to unearth a sense of purpose, a calling that resonates deeply with the core of their being.

This quest for purpose hasn't been a fleeting endeavor; it's been painful, marked by introspection and self-discovery. Hours have been devoted to unraveling the intricate layers of their interests and talents, each step a deliberate one toward the elusive goal of finding not just a job, but a vocation that aligns with her preconceived idea of what she wants to do. Evelynn wants nothing more than for the day to arrive when her job will cease to be answering phones and answering questions, instead, it will be a place where she can plant roots and grow professionally.

Beyond the realm of career pursuits, there's a second facet to Evelynn's hopes—the pursuit of love. Their journey in matters of the heart has been fraught with missteps and heartaches. Yet, amidst the echoes of past disappointments, Evelynn remains steadfast in the desire to find a genuine and enduring love.

PHILOSOPHY ⫻

Evelynn's philosophy centers around the belief that life is a kaleidoscope of experiences, both challenging and beautiful. Every experience is meant to be embraced and learned from. They see purpose as a journey rather than a destination, and that one can make a lot of progress as long as one has a continuous desire for self-discovery and adaptation.

The core tenets of Evelynn's philosophy are resilience, authenticity, and an unyielding optimism that tomorrow holds the promise of growth, connection, and a new day for new experiences.

SECRETS ⫻

The true extent of her alcoholism. She knows better than to allow someone to witness the amount she drinks, and she does well to hide the hangovers as well. Some have begun to talk to her about her rampant drinking but even they are kept out of the loop.

SEXUALITY ⫻

Bisexual/heteroromantic. Evelynn has a deep love for both men and women, yet she feels like she can only form romantic feelings for men.

FEARS ⫻

Evelynn's family is marred by early deaths and unfulfilled purposes. She fears that one day she will find herself at death's door, no closer to knowing who she is and nowhere near understanding the true power of her purpose. That she will be alone, with no one to help her through those final difficult moments.

REPUTATION IN OLD COVEN ⫻

Evelynn was well-liked in the old coven. She was friendly, accountable, and always there for those who needed help. While she was not around them as much as she would have liked, she was often pulled away when tragedy inevitably struck, she still made the moments she was there count and held most of the members in high regard. She did not know it at the time but there were a few members who were skeptical of her and her demeanour. Her power enabled her to see a possible future, what if she was using it to keep on everyone's good side? As such, as a whole, she would have been well-liked, but not trusted.

ROLE IN THE BATTLE AGAINST THE STYGIAN SNAKE ⫻

Evelynn was a supporting party in the battle. She used her gifts to try and guide the covens' strikes, as well as see if their attacks would work. Her abilities were hampered during the battle by the sheer number of eventualities she tried to decipher. As such, some were hurt when she gave the wrong information to the wrong person.

FLAWS ⫻

Indecisiveness: Evelynn tends to struggle with making decisions, especially when faced with significant choices related to her career or personal life

Perfectionism: In her pursuit of purpose and love, Evelynn often sets exceedingly high standards for herself, leading to frustration and self-criticism when things don't go as planned.

Overthinking: She tends to overanalyze situations, creating unnecessary stress and sometimes hindering her ability to take spontaneous or intuitive actions.

Difficulty Trusting Others: The scars from previous negative experiences in relationships have left Evelynn with difficulty trusting new people, making it challenging for her to fully open up and connect on a deeper level.

_{Backstory
^{▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔}}
"If I have to go to another funeral this year I swear..."

In the quiet shadows of St. Portwell, nestled within the mist-laden landscapes of Oregon, Evelynn Ann Serenelight's story unfolded against a backdrop of perpetual gloom. The town stood as a silent witness to the cyclical tragedy that befell the Serenelight lineage. Born into a family marked by the curse of premature death, Evelynn's childhood in St. Portwell bore the weight of sorrow brought on by her constant presence at the funeral home. She lost three uncles, one aunt, three siblings, and both her parents all before her twenty-first birthday. None by natural means. Her father and mother died together in a car accident. From the report, it was suggested that her father was distracted by something while behind the wheel, causing him to drive off the road and into a pole. The same fate would befall two of her siblings, while the third drowned.

Before all that death Evelynn was involved with the Sycamore Tree Coven, and it was here that much of Evelynn's drive to better herself and better her future came from. She was in class when the apparitions started their attack. She, however, handled the attack better than the others thanks to her gift. Her gift had manifested a few days prior, and at first, she thought she had gone mad. Slowly, she trusted her gut and began to explore her gift at every possible moment. She used her gift to test if a path was safe and helped shepherd others to safety. She spent the rest of the event running from moment to moment, spending more time watching possible futures than in the present, and used her gifts to the best of her ability to help others survive. Sadly, she was not as good as the group needed her to be.

After the fallout of the event settled, and the coven disbanded, Evelynn knew she had to go far away from this whole mess. She moved across the country for college and spent more time with her mom's side of the family. This place became a fleeting escape from the shadow cast by her experiences in the coven. Every moment of peace and happiness would be plagued by the 'what if it happens again here' or the 'what if the snake manages to break free' thoughts. She would end up spending a lot of time in therapy, choosing the right words to get the point across without revealing what had happened, and ended up getting some help with the dread she faced.

In college she had a lot of trouble finding a path that suited her unique skillset, as well she found it hard to find one that would truly bring her joy and happiness. As such, her grades were never perfect as she often second-guessed her own decisions. She had a long-held desire to be a graphic designer. She was always a beacon of creativity, after all, yet it was as if everything she created was nothing more than strokes on a canvas that was veiled with a perpetual filter of ick.

While the past decade seemed to fly by, Evelynn always kept an eye on her future and one on her past. She wants to avoid any unforeseen disaster that could take her out like the rest of her father's family, and she wants to remember and always be ready in case the sins of the past break free. When news reached her ears about the deaths of coven members, Evelynn dwelled on what to do. Eventually, she elected to return home. Home to face the curse of her family, and home to ensure that the world remained safe forever more.

_{Abstraction
^{▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔}}
"If you take three steps that way you will either run into a monster or be safe."

TYPE ⫻ (Afflicted Aberration)

ABSTRACTION ⫻ Foresight - Evelynn can pull on her curse to see the possible futures ahead of her.

ABSTRACTION DESCRIPTION ⫻ Evelynn's story begins with her ancestors. It is told that her great-great Grandfather crossed a witch out in the woods, he had come to seek the power to see the path to a prosperous future, and when he did not pay what was due the witch placed a curse on the man and his bloodline. This curse allowed them to see a possible future, yet it caused many to get lost in it which caused their early death. It was as if the power itself manifested at the worst possible time for the rest of her family.

There was never any proof, mind you, and Evelynn was happy to chalk it up to a family story that was nothing more than a story. Yet, as she grew, she watched as anyone born on her father's side of the family died younger than they should have, often in accidents that could have been avoided had they been more present.

This curse has seemingly grown stronger as the generations have passed. And the events of the battle with the snake added fuel to that fire. This has resulted in Evelynn's unique gift. She has the gift of foresight, the ability to see possible outcomes for any action she wishes. Whether that is walking alone down the dark, dusty road at night or as simple as what lunch she picks to eat, Evelynn can project what may happen before it happens. She does not move, does not react, and to the outside world the projections look as real as anything out. The further she projects into a possible future the longer she has to remain idle. At the end of the day, these possible futures require an interpretation. Sometimes the projections are clear, but often they are not. Evelynn will either have to spend more time, and project more possibilities, or try and interpret from just one.

LIMITS ⫻

Her gifts never show what will happen, only what could. Thus, if she does not spend some time trying to bolster her prediction with more possibilities, she will often be wrong. As well, spending more time and energy on these predictions causes her to lose focus on the present around her.

WEAKNESSES ⫻ The gift of Foresight also comes with the curse of misfortune. Wherever she goes, a subtle telekinetic ability acts to make misfortune happen to her. Whether it's dropping something she's carrying into the water, things falling on her, or... an attack that would have otherwise missed hitting her.

^{Other
_{▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔}}
"Even with this power I still can't win the lottery."

Evelynn always has a flask of alcohol on her person.

Lila Blackwod

"Good morning my lovelies I have gifts to share with the flock."

_______________________________________________ Lila May Blackwood They/Them/She/Her | 25 | White | 65 (In Inches) | 110 (Pounds/LB) _______________________________________________ Nevermore. _______________________________________________ Skills & Talents "I have quite the bounty for you today." ___________________________________ [+] [“Quote the Raven”] ⫻ Lila is well-versed in what her avian friends want and need to thrive. After she left the coven she enrolled in Oregon State University and went through a veterinary program, and currently works as a vet tech in town. As well, she is also well-versed in taking care of most animals. [Cooking] ⫻ Lila is a fantastic cook. While she does not need anything fancy, she often shares her food with her flock and as such, she wants to have the ability to give them something new constantly. As well, she has a love for cooking for her friends and family, and this has led to her place becoming a small meetup spot. [Lay of the lands] ⫻ Lila has spent countless days outdoors tending to her flock and as such, she has learned how to navigate the woods without rousing suspicion from other witches and warlocks

Appearance ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ "I am not for everyone." Lila is a vibrant and confident soul standing at a petite five feet five inches tall. Lila rocks short, texturized hair that exudes an edgy charm, a testament to her fearless approach to self-expression. She sports an eclectic wardrobe, often opting for crop tops that flaunt her midriff, paired with flannel pants that rest tight against her hips. Lila adorns her hips with chains that jingle and dance as she moves. She proudly wears a variety of expensive-looking rings on her fingers, each telling a unique story that she does not know. These are the gifts her flock has given her over the years, and she treasures each one more than anything anyone has given her. In embracing her natural beauty, Lila chooses not to conform to conventional beauty standards and she confidently goes makeup-free, allowing her visible acne scars to shine as badges of resilience and self-love. Lila's authenticity and openness about her journey contribute to the magnetic energy she exudes. Lila proudly wears a distinctive tattoo that adds an extra layer of uniqueness to her already bold persona. Inked on her left forearm is a stylized crow, each feather on the wings are colored with the colors of the LGBTQ+ pride flag. The tattoo serves as a powerful symbol of Lila's own trans journey, resilience, and her connection to her queer community. When asked about the tattoo, Lila often shares stories of the people she has met, the challenges she has overcome, and the triumphs of her identity. It's not just body art for her; it's a narrative of her life etched into her skin, a testament to her strength, individuality, and the vibrant community she proudly represents.

_{Psychology
^{▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔}}
"Listen, all this stress is leading somewhere."

MAIN GOAL ⫻

Lila's main goal in life is to create a safe and inclusive space for LGBTQ+ youth to express themselves freely and find support in St. Portwell. Motivated by her own journey and the challenges she faced while navigating her identity, Lila is driven to make a positive impact on the lives of young individuals who may be going through similar experiences.

Her experiences with the Stygian Snake made her realize that life was already too short, and that helped push her toward acceptance of her own identity as well as push her towards wanting to be an advocate for the generations that follow.

PHILOSOPHY ⫻

Lila's philosophy revolves around the principles of authenticity, acceptance, and empowerment. At the core of her beliefs is the idea that everyone deserves the space and freedom to be their true selves without fear of judgment or discrimination.

SECRETS ⫻

Since she started her transition young, she has lived life stealthily and the outside world is never the wiser. While her friends, and the coven, know her trans identity most strangers on the street would never know.

She has a secret talent that she fears would lead to snide comments and questions that ask her why she does it. Lila likes to make origami birds. She often travels around town and leaves them behind books at the library, behind food in the grocery store, and in places, where people would never expect to see an origami bird.

Despite her outward confidence, Lila grapples with her insecurities and fears. She carries the weight of the battle with the snake even to this day, despite telling everyone that she has recovered enough from that headspace. She is always on the lookout for signs of the snake's return, as well as monitors the town and the forest around for other dangers that could threaten the world.

SEXUALITY ⫻

Queer. Lila has always had a deep love for women, and feminine presenting people.

FEARS ⫻

Lila's strong sense of community and her commitment to creating inclusive spaces stem from a deep-seated fear of isolation.

Lila carries a fear of regression, particularly in terms of societal progress. Despite the positive strides made in LGBTQ+ rights, she worries about the potential backlash or regression in acceptance.

Lila carries a fear of leaving important work unfinished. Whether it's her advocacy, community projects, or personal goals, she fears not being able to accomplish everything she envisions and as such, she carries boasts an insanely high work ethic. She fears the day she loses it.

REPUTATION IN OLD COVEN ⫻ (

Lila was known as Michael in the Old Coven at the start. At that time she was a timid, shy individual and more often than not followed the stronger voices that stood in front of her. She was considered meek, weak-willed, and often a pushover. Shortly after leaving the coven, she changed everything about who he was, yet these changes may not have had changed what everyone remembered

ROLE IN THE BATTLE AGAINST THE STYGIAN SNAKE ⫻

Lila used her crows in a supportive role, using her crows to distract enemies from her friends and she also used them in a limited offensive role to peck at the eyes of those she could. She eventually watched as her flock vanished after too many close calls and she was forced to be only emotional support.

FLAWS ⫻

Overcommitment - Lila's dedication to her cause sometimes leads to over-commitment. She tends to take on more responsibilities than she can handle, leading to moments of exhaustion and stress. Her fear of leaving important work unfinished exacerbates this fault as she struggles to find the balance between her personal life and her advocacy.

Difficulty Delegating - Due to her deep personal investment in her projects, Lila finds it challenging to delegate tasks. This can lead to burnout, as she may be reluctant to entrust critical responsibilities to others. Learning to share the workload is a continual struggle as she grapples with the fear that others may not approach the work with the same passion and commitment.

Impatience with Inaction - Lila's impatience with societal progress and injustices can lead to frustration. She struggles to understand those who don't share her sense of urgency, sometimes alienating individuals who may be at different stages of their journey toward acceptance and understanding.

_{Backstory
^{▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔}}
"Thanks to gran, I feel like I can do anything."

In the quiet embrace of Oregon's serene landscapes, Lila's childhood unfolded amidst the separation of her parents. She was sent to live with her Grandma, and what initially seemed like an upheaval early in her formative years turned into a blessing. Under Grandma's watchful eye, Lila's early years were the most amazing time of her life and it was filled with love, wisdom, and a caring approach that her parents never brought. These foundational moments became the bedrock of the values that would shape Lila's journey.

As adolescence dawned, Lila began to grapple with a profound sense of something wrong with her gender. Seeking answers and clarity, her grandmother sought help and took Lila to therapy. It was during these introspective moments that the extraordinary revealed itself – a mystical connection with a murder of crows, bound to Lila as if they took a fancy to the young kid. When she gave them a treat and asked them to do something, they would. This connection became an integral part of her identity and a source of her power.

The pivotal moment in Lila's journey occurred during the fierce confrontation with the Stygian Snake. As the world descended into chaos around her, she leaned on her crows to keep her safe. Cornered, and out of gifts for the crows, she was rescued by members of the coven, who brought the struggling kid into their fold. The battle ended up mirroring the internal struggle she faced with her gender identity. It became the crucible in which her decision to undergo a medical transition was forged. Post-battle, the subsequent months were marked by a labyrinthine journey through the approval process, a mosaic of challenges and triumphs that would pave the way for her rebirth. After the battle, she stayed with the Coven. These powers of hers confused, and concerned, her, and this seemed like a safe place for her to expand her knowledge of them. She never felt like she fit in with the rest of the group, and she often just followed whoever had the most confident voice and commanding pressure.

In the wake of the Coven's disbandment, Lila's path led her to higher education. Fueling her passion for nurturing and care, she emerged as a vet tech, bridging the ordinary and the mystical in her commitment to the well-being of both animals and humans alike.

Yet, the call to return echoed across the corners of her mind. Despite the personal growth and achievements of the interim period, the bonds forged within the mystical embrace of the Coven held an unyielding sway. Recognizing the significance of her power and feeling the pull of destiny, Lila chose to answer the call. As well, something strange happened in the weeks leading up to the eventual reformation of the coven. Her crows have been leading her to strange new places in the forests, and she hears the call of a mystical figure with each waking thought. This figure calls herself the Maiden of the Raven, and she promises much, and Lila is beginning to listen.

_{Abstraction
^{▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔}}
"I will have them scout ahead, quick give me your watch."

TYPE ⫻ Aberration (Adjoined)

ABSTRACTION ⫻ The Crow Pact, a supernatural connection with the crows of St. Portwell that gift Lila with information, items, and protection, in exchange for shiny objects and food.

ABSTRACTION DESCRIPTION ⫻ The Crows of St. Portwell noticed Lila the moment things started to get weird with the Snake. They quickly took a liking to her and attached themselves to her soul without her knowing, at least at first. The Crows Pact is a strange abstraction as it's unknown what Apparition is adjoined to Lila, as the Crows do not speak in the traditional sense as the only way they can communicate is nonverbally (though, they are known to gather together to spell out words). It's unknown if the Crow Pact is one Apparition controlling all the birds, several different Apparitions in the crows, or if the Crows are Apparitions themselves. Given the situation in St. Portwell, it's completely irrelevant as the Crow Pact is possibly one of the most powerful Abstractions among the cast.

It's a psychic connection to the crows... which will follow Lila around town wherever she goes. Wherever Lila goes, there will be one giant murder of crows following her, even in places where the crows logically have no way of getting to. They will form up and will gesture to Lila to give them something: whether it's food or something shiny and in return they will do a favor for Lila. (They can strangely understand English). This can be anything that comes to mind, she can ask the crows to grab something for her, find someone in St. Portwell, or even attack someone. This depends on the gift; if she gives them a measly penny, maybe they'll do something but if she drops a bag of diamonds in front of them; best believe they'll put their foot in it.

At the start, she had just a dozen crows that would assist her with her tasks but now she has well over a hundred. The price to get rid of them for a little while is fairly low, but they'll always be back even if Lila tells them to never come back.

Something strange has started to happen with her crows. They have begun to direct her deeper and deeper into the woods around the town, almost directing her towards something. As well, she has begun to hear whispers in the corner of her mind, whispers that come from The Maiden of Crows. It beckons her to let her in, and reap the rewards of her acts of kindness towards her subjects.

LIMITS ⫻

First and foremost, the crows are just regular crows other than the psychic connection nonsense - they can't do anything more than a regular crow can do. It requires a lot of shiny objects and food in order to motivate the crows to do something in return, and they'll complete that one task and then require another gift in order to fulfill another task. The Crows are a very picky sort, and will only fulfill five favors in a day (whether they're tiny or monumental does not matter, so Lila has to be careful), and once Lila reaches those five tasks - the crows will be satisfied and will disappear for the day.

WEAKNESSES ⫻

There are two primary disadvantages to the Crow pact... the primary one being that the crows will follow Lila everywhere and a giant mass of crows in one spot is very conspicuous. She can ask them to go away for a little while, but that's at the cost of one of a favor. The thing that Lila has to keep in mind is that the Crows are literal minded as they come, so she has to be careful with phrasing or the Crows will end up being an issue for her. The crows are weak against attacks with areas of effect such as explosions, fire, etc, etc, and if enough crows are killed, they will flee and Lila will be without them for the day.

^{Other
_{▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔}}
"Should I listen to the Maiden, or are y'all just fucking with me?"

Lila has a constant supply of high quality snacks on her in her bags. She will not share.

NPC The Maiden

The Maiden.of the Crows

Millennia's old | The Maiden of the Crows | She/Her

---

"I only ask for you to trust me."

Description:

The Maiden of the Crows is a mysterious figure who stands at a height of five feet seven inches. Its attire is a mesmerizing display of otherworldliness, as both its dress and cloak are crafted from the sleek, iridescent feathers of crows. These feathers cascade down gracefully, creating a flowing and ethereal appearance. If she so costs she can expand the cloak, causing it to turn into her winter. These wings unfold with broken beauty and cast a green light on the area in front of it. The feathers are much, much larger than any crow seen on Earth suggesting that there exists a giant one out there, somewhere in the void, or the feathers are simply a construct of The Maiden. On a close look, it may be that The Maiden has a flair for the dramatic and simply modeled her dress after the Crows she so affectionately loves, but on a second glance one might see that the dress, and the outfit a whole, can separate in the middle. A possible second set of wings, or a possible entry point to something more monstrous underneath.

The Maiden's hair seamlessly merges with her cloak. A mask conceals her face, leaving observers unable to discern the features behind it. Her visage is further heightened by a vibrant green emerald that adorns her waist, catching the eye amidst the dark feathers. The gem has a quality that draws in all eyes, causing those who stare for too long to be entranced with a desire to trade anything, and everything, to try and convince The Maiden to part with it. If that fails, they will then take it from her.

A green glow envelops the Maiden. The glow is the same color as the emerald that sits on her waist and it carries a softer form of the trance effect of the gem. Those who bask too long under the glow are eventually driven mad with a desire to pluck the feathers off the Maidens's wings. On top of her head is a crown of feathers. Each feather seems to be plucked from a separate crow, and the more crows that are available to Lila the more feathers adorn the crown.

Abstraction:

Apparition - A Murder of Crows

The Maiden is an Apparition born from the emotion of loneliness. Long, long ago she spawned into existence in this realm and has sought out a companion, a friend, or a lover to keep her company and break her loneliness. Yet, no matter who she lets in or gets close they are taken under the spell of her form, compelling them to break her body to steal her feathers and her jewels. The Maiden has a curse, and her body is hexed to enact revenge on those who succumb to the allure of her gifts. Those who pluck and steal a feather will eventually be turned into one of her servant crows within a week of the theft, and those who steal the jewels from her body eventually get turned into the very item they stole. As such, The Maiden maintains a treasure trove that is next to none in terms of size and has a flock of followers to keep her company on her eternal search for a companion, a friend, or a lover to keep her company and break her loneliness until the end of time.

The Maiden becomes adjoined with every person she tries to bring into her life, and once selected there is no way to break free of her grasp except distance. If the person she is adjoined to has gifted her enough valuable stuff, however, distance is no longer a hurdle and The Maiden will follow the person forever more. Until they either accept her invitation, and gaze on her form, or die. Once adjoined, The Maiden will bind her crows to a chosen mortal. Her current choice is Lila.

Once The Maiden binds her Crows there is no way to undo it. The Crows will take commands from the chosen, as long as they are offered a reward for doing so. The Crows themselves take great pleasure in shiny things, be it jewelry like rings and necklaces or raw gems. In the modern world the Crows have an intense love of anything diamonds although, in the past, gold was king. The Crows will also love a delicious treat, and they have been known to do many a bold thing for a particular dish that Lila cooks often for them.

The Crows do not collect the jewelry and the gems for themselves. They collect, and return, them back to The Maiden. While it is unclear why The Maiden requests these gifts for a favor from the crows, especially considering the vast wealth she has available, it is suspected that it is a way to gauge the soul of a person. A gift given freely, without a task, is often considered especially important to The Maiden, as are gifts that carry a significant emotional reason or history. As such, a ring that has been in a family line for generations could convince The Maiden to advance her trust faster as there is power in that emotional connection.

After the Maiden has deemed a mortal worthy, she will begin to unlock more of her power, and with that comes her voice. The Maiden will begin trying to build trust with her chosen. Offering her guidance, her opinions, and her assistance in their struggles. These whispers also have some of the infecting qualities much like her appearance. The more The Maiden whispers, the more she will want to talk. The more she talks, the more persuasive The Maiden becomes. The Maiden's end goal is to convince the chosen to take her challenge, and she will do anything she can and say anything she needs to get the chosen to let her in, and then she will let the chosen into her realm. And once she has the chosen in her realm, she will make them undergo her trials.

The Maiden is covered in cursed feathers, gems, and jewelry. The curse works in two stages. Stage one is infection. When the chosen gazes on The Maiden's true form they will be overcome with a desire to take something from her body, and the infection that follows will be based on that choice. No chosen has managed to avoid taking something from The Maiden and the curse that compels them to look is strong. If the chosen takes a feather from her wings, they will start to notice a change happening within a few days. Feathers will begin to sprout all across their body until, after exactly one week they will be transformed into one of The Maiden's crows and be subjugated to be a servant of The Maiden for the rest of time. If a jewelry piece or gem is taken the mortal will undergo a similar transformation though instead of a crow they will instead transform into whatever they stole, a ring stolen means the mortal becomes a ring.

Recollections: Who Is Eleanor Black [CANCELLED]

Nori

"What a drag."

_______________________________________________ Nori Jaye *REDACTED* They/Them/She/Her | 28 | White | 5'5"| 125 lbs) _______________________________________________ Intense. _______________________________________________ Skills & Talents "I know a thing or two about a thing or two." ___________________________________ [+] [Animal Friend] ⫻ Ever since Nori escaped from their abusive family they have always had a friend in her, and others, pets. Whether it is a cat, dog, bird, or something else Nori has always been an animal’s favorite human. [Career Student] ⫻ Nori has been a career student ever since they graduated high school at the age of 16. There has not been a subject that they have fallen in love with, and as such they have accumulated numerous associate degrees and nothing more. Nori is very good at researching and has a wealth of knowledge at their disposal. [Wicked Pot] ⫻ Nori is really good at making a good cup of coffee. [Trust Fund Kid] ⫻ As she was de-facto adopted by her grandparents, and she was the only one to care for them in their waning years, she became the sole beneficiary of their bank, and retirement accounts. While it wasn’t a lot, it is still enough for Nori to continue with their schooling while she supplements it with income from working.

Appearance ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ "I don’t know how many pink shirts I own and at this point I am too afraid to count." Nori is never ignored in a crowd. When she is seen she always comes across as *intense*. To say that they are another faceless body in a sea of people would be a colossal error. Nori is neither short nor tall, standing at a height of 5’5” and carries a small frame on an almost fragile looking body. She has no curves to speak of, despite being on hormones for a decade her genetics never had it in them. The hormones, and the blockers before them, helped shape their waist at least and that is the part of their body that they feel the most confident having exposed. When one looks upon her, they often look away without gaining any useful information about who Nori is, however her eyes betray her rough upbringing. To most it looks like Nori is able to see through them, both physically and emotionally. People often find it very difficult to match her gaze. They are a very dark brown color that is close to black, though in direct sunlight their tones become clearer. The longer one is in Nori’s orbit the more lifelike her gaze becomes. They develop a bit more warmth, and the sharpness dulls. Their hair is never without color. It has been so long that even Nori sometimes forgets what color it is naturally (it is a light brunette color). They go to a local salon every two weeks to reapply the color and get their roots touched up once a month. Nori knows that they are putting their stylists’ kid through college with how much they spend, and they prefer to not dwell on the cost of the services. For the past decade Nori has been in their bubblegum era and their hair is three-toned, pink-blue-purple, and pastel. Nori is also found covered in color. Their fits always follow the same basic pattern. Colorful shirt that matches one of the three colors of their hair, black bottom pieces, and accessories. Nori has taken a fancy to the cyber singlism tattoo style and her body is covered in various pieces within that style, most notably on her chest, stomach, hips and thighs. Nori also loves watercolor tattoos. They a piece in this stye most notably on their right arm, running from just below their elbow to the top of their palm. In terms of body modifications Nori has a few. Most noticeable is their ears. Mirrored across both, Nori sports an industrial, a helix, and two piercings on the lobes themselves.

_{Psychology
^{▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔}}
"I can’t let just anyone get close to me, not again. Not after her."

MAIN GOAL ⫻
Nori’s main goal in life is one of self-improvement. For themselves that is simply doing one step better today than they were yesterday. For those in her circle, her goal is to constantly and consistently uplift those around her. Nori has a driven desire to see her friends, her chosen families, succeed and she will do everything in her power to do so.

PHILOSOPHY ⫻
Nori believes that one’s purpose is defined by the person. They do not believe in fate, they do not believe in a guiding force, and she does not believe that we walk a predetermined path. Instead, every action is a choice.

SECRETS ⫻

Nori lives life stealth. No one knows who they were when they were born, and Nori does not share their secrets with most.

SEXUALITY ⫻

Nori is Bisexual.

FEARS ⫻

Nori fears her family. Every last one knew what her parents were doing, where they sent her, and they approved of every last horror that they experienced. As such, Nori is afraid that her family will finally track her down again. As well, they are afraid that her secrets will be outed.

WHO IS ELEANOR BLACK TO YOU? ⫻

Eleanor Black was the first friend that Nori had as themself. Eleanor was the first face she would see in the morning, as the two would be the first souls on campus for those early classes. She was the first friend Nori had who knew her secrets and accepted her for who they were. Eleanor truly was the first person to become apart of Nori’s chosen family and for that she will forever hold a place in her heart.

FLAWS ⫻

Nori is incredibly awkward around strangers. Like incredibly awkward. While she has a desire to meet new people, she still finds it very difficult to completely let down her walls and she often gets in her own way. They will often find themselves in bouts of prolonged eye contact with a piercing stare.

Nori is chronically ill. She has a rare genetic disorder that is currently treated by medication she has to take every three months however it is not 100% and she will often experience flare ups if she experiences physical trauma, whether minor or major. She does carry some rescue medication with her but she rarely needs to administer them.

_{Backstory
^{▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔}}
"I don’t think I will ever remember my childhood in full, nor do I think I want to."

There was never a young Nori Jaye. In the beginning, there was only *REDACTED*, born to two people who should have never been together, nor have any kids. Her parents were hyper-religious, and they made every effort to bring their child into their flock. The few memories she has of her childhood revolve around going to, and coming back from, church and religious events.

The other memories she can remember clearly was when she first began to question her existence, and who she truly was. They knew from an early age that things felt wrong. The toys they gave *REDACTED* were not the toys that Nori wanted, the clothes they put *REDACTED* in always made her look like a boy and that made her feel wrong, and every expectation for the future was for one that Nori did not want to live in.

Eventually Nori would turn to God for help. She would stay awake, late into the night, praying for God to make their body and mind whole. When God was silent, she changed her prayer. Asking instead for God to take away the thoughts and feelings she was thinking. When God was silent, she changed her approach and went to her parents to get their help.

They did not help. Nori does not remember what happened afterwards, however she does know her parents would talk about how that camp should have cured them of these wicked desires. They would attempt to fix the issues themselves, and attempted to fix it they did numerous times. The rest of her childhood, and the entirety of her teenage years, was lived with a mission: hide away who they were and get away. She had support in both regards from her mother’s parents. They were the lone bright spot in a sea of hate. They allowed Nori to explore who they were in a safe spot, and had promised that if Nori ever needed it, she had a home far away.

Nori poured every ounce of her strength into her schooling. She excelled in every area of her studies, and she graduated two years early at 16. After her graduation, back at home, her parents finally made their move to get Nori out of their house for good and told her that she had 24 hours to get out and find their own way in the world. Nori knew they could not kick her out, but she knew that this was her chance to leave without any fuss. She contacted her grandmother, who flew out that day and took her to what would become her home for the next four years.

Within a year of moving in with her grandparents Nori would finally get the diagnosis for the illness that plagued her. A rare hereditary disorder that did not have any hereditary link, meaning she developed the mutation all her own.

Nori’s eighteenth year was one of change, and excitement. She had been on blockers for two years already, but she had finally started hormone therapy. As such, Nori was undergoing rapid and obvious changes that made their queerness very visible and that made Nori afraid. It was at a coffee shop, one week after her birthday, that she met Eleanor Black. Eleanor was a fellow student, and they shared an early morning class together at the University. They were always the first ones outside the classroom door, arriving earlier than even the professor. It was here the duo became fast friends. They talked about their rough childhoods, they talked about Nori and their transition, and they talked about their hopes and dreams for the future. Eventually, the two would make it a habit to meet up after classes to study together and more.

Over the next year Eleanor Black was the best friend Nori could ever ask for. Eleanor saw Nori at every step of their transition, helped Nori navigate their queerness, and broke the shell that Nori built around her.

Eventually Eleanor finished her degree and found a job across the country, and the parting of the two friends was bittersweet. Both made promises to visit, and both ensured the other that this was not the end of their friendship.

As the year dragged on, her grandfather’s health began to decline, and he eventually passed away. Not long after, their grandmother would do so as well. They left Nori most of their money. It wasn’t enough to set them up for life, but it was enough to help them for a long time. It took Nori a while to recover from their demise. With the support of Eleanor from across the country Nori was able to move on and move forward.

Eventually Eleanor decided to fly back and spend a week with Nori as she mourned the loss further and Nori was ecstatic to have her best friend back. She got to the airport two hours earlier than needed and waited with a fun sign. She did not see Eleanor, but instead was rushed and hugged by a stranger who said she was her best friend. Nori played along, because the more they talked the more the experiences lined up. As the week ended, her friend returned home and Nori was left with a question that loomed larger than any other. The contact in her phone for Eleanor was under a different name, each photo they had together was different, and nothing made sense. Who was this Eleanor Black? And why did her memory of her not match reality?

Until she did more research and found others just like her who had experienced this same situation.

Nori wanted to know more.

_{Paranormal-Abilities
^{▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔}}
"Quote about abstraction here."

Jordan Fuchs

"How about we don't do that"

_______________________________________________ Jordan Thomas Fuchs He/Him | 24 | German-American | 6'3" | 180 _______________________________________________ Sociable _______________________________________________ Skills & Talents "I am not deluded, I doubt I could have ever gone pro.. in any sport. They are fun though." ___________________________________ [+] [Friend of many] ⫻ Jordan has a way to become everyone's friends. Growing up it was his goal to turn bullies into buddies, and he far exceeded it. No matter who he meets he can quickly find a way to become a friend. [Social Butterfly] ⫻ Jordan excels in groups of strangers. He quickly makes it a point to learn everyone's name, story, and will tailor his personality to make the strongest first impression. In these groups Jordan can often be the loudest, most commanding presence. [College Graduate] ⫻ Jordan graduated with a degree in International Business Management. He does not work in that sector but he finished the degree just for the sake of his family. [Amateur Athlete] ⫻ Ever since he was young Jordan has always loved the thrill of contact sports. He played football, and American football, and recently has begun to dabble in Gaelic Football. His biggest asset is his speed, both straight line and in his cuts.

Appearance ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ "I may be simple but I am comfortable" Despite his height it is hard to pick out Jordan in a crowd. His fashion is typically utilitarian underneath an odd assortment of sweaters and jackets. Jordan has never really felt the need to dress up more than what is needed, and that is not something that has bothered him. Jordan has brown eyes that mesh well with his slightly tan completion and dark hair. He keeps his beard long, but it is well groomed and healthy. His skin is completely free of blemishes, thanks in no small part to his families’ genetics and his skin care routine. Jordan will often wear a few different frames for his glasses, normally one that has a circle for one side and a square for the other. On the surface Jordan is a clean cut, and moderately attractive man. Under the surface Jordan’s personal taste shows more. His muscular body is covered with tattoos. While there is no rhyme or reason to them, as he often visits local shops and purchases small tattoos from their flash, he does love them all equally. He has plans to get more done. Jordan is also very muscular, which is often hidden under his clothing. Ever since he was young, he has been in the gym, whether training for sports or training to keep sad thoughts away. While he is not the strongest person on any given team, nor in a given location, his strength is function not form.

_{Psychology
^{▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔}}
"Why should I develop my own when I can simply borrow yours."

MAIN GOAL ⫻

Jordan's main goal in life is to always put his best foot forward and eventually start a family of his own. As well, he knows that he has yet to find his true calling. He knows that once he finds what it is it will help him reach his final goals.

PHILOSOPHY ⫻

One's worth is not determined by their wealth, and one's strength is not based on their muscles.

Jordan does not believe there is one way to be successful. Whether you make a million dollars and are happy, or live in a van down by the river and are happy, it does not matter. As long as you are happy, and you take care of yourself, you are successful enough. As well, Jordan does not believe you need raw strength to be a strong person. The strongest people he has met were those who have overcome the most and not the ones who can put the most weights on a bar.

SECRETS ⫻

Jordan cheated his way through university. He had no intent on even going to university however his hand was forced by his parents'. As such he had no drive of his own to actually graduate, and instead allowed his parents' to waste their money on this endeavor. Cheating was almost harder than actually studying but Jordan committed to it and graduated as a result.

SEXUALITY ⫻

Jordan is somewhere on the bi spectrum. He prefers women 9 times out of 10 but that 1 time is enough that he considers himself not straight.

FEARS ⫻

Jordan is afraid that he is destined to end up alone. Even now, he watches as friend after friend gets engaged or has a kid meanwhile he has been finding it harder and harder to connect with new romantic partners. He has always had a desire to raise a family and raise them well

WHO IS ELEANOR BLACK TO YOU? ⫻

Eleanor is Jordan's former partner. They dated for two whole years and broke up a year ago.

FLAWS ⫻

Jordan often drinks an unhealthy amount of caffeine. People have voiced their concerns numerous times.

He also suffers from a martyr complex. He has a fear of death, however that fear wanes when it pertains to the misguided notion that his death could save someone else. He often thinks that a good death saving another, no matter who, would be a good enough reward.

Jordan does not have a true personality. He instead borrows elements of those around him. This has allowed him to befriend most, however it has made it impossible for him to develop the close attachments he truly craves.

_{Backstory
^{▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔}}
"It was almost too perfect."

Conventional. The former star athlete had a very conventional family and conventional childhood.

Jordan grew up in New England to an upper middle-class family. His father worked for a major financial firm and his mother stayed at home. He had three siblings, one brother and two sisters, each a year apart from the next. His family paid their dues to get the four of them into the best schools they could. Early on Jordan began showing his natural athletic gifts and he was placed into sports early on. As he grew, so to did his skills in these sports. By the time he reached high school he was considered a very talented athlete with a lot of prospects ahead of him.

His parents pushed him to excel even more so than he already was. His father wanted to live that life vicariously, and he would force Jordan to forgo all personal wants to achieve it. He would wake up early, train, go to school, train after school, go home for homework, and then bed. This would repeat. Day in, day out. It was unrelenting. Even though he was getting burned out he pushed through it and kept at the grind. By the time he finished high school he had won a few state championships and had gotten some interest in some collegiate play.

He would end up competing at the college level for a short time, but he was never talented nor fast enough to compete fully. No matter how much he trained there was just a divide that was too far too cross. Eventually, after a few injuries slowed him further, he was off the team and the next phase of his life began.

It was at this time Jordan met Eleanor Black. She was a classmate of his and the two sat next to each other. She was always early, and he was always late. She was cute, more so than anyone else that Jordan had met up to this point and she tried to catch him up on topics he was late for. Eventually they swapped numbers, and met up for drinks, and drinks turned into a two-year relationship with more ups than downs. They would break up not long after that second anniversary as they were at two different points in life and in expectations for what would come next.

While the breakup was mutual, it still hurt Jordan and he would end up falling into a prolonged depressive episode. The two remained in contact with each other and eventually they agreed to meet up for food and to catch up. Only.. it wasn’t Eleanor that showed up. It was Allison. She did not look like the person he wanted to build a family with, she did not sound like his former lover, however she talked like she knew every fine detail about their time together. What’s more, she reminisced about some vacations they took together and showed him a photo that had come up in her memories and it was not Eleanor in the photo with him. Sure enough, as Jordan looked back at the photos each one had Allison. Each one had her name. His phone contact read Allison. His friends all remember how sweet Allison was and had no idea he dated someone named Eleanor.

Jordan has tried to put this whole ordeal behind him but no matter what he does, he can not shake the thought that something colossally fucked up happened and he cannot explain what. He has graduated, he has worked odd jobs, and he had made it a goal to just *forget* that she had even existed until, one night, when browsing the internet, Jordan would stumble on a post that would bring light to the chaos.

Others had experiences with this Eleanor. Each one is different, but at the same time not unique. In an instant all those thoughts returned and they reignited his desire to get to the bottom of what had happened, and who this Eleanor black truly was.

_{Paranormal-Abilities
^{▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔}}
"Quote about abstraction here."

^{Other
_{▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔}}
"OH, an ultimate frisby league! Do I have the time? Does it matter? Yes, I must join."

Anyyyything else?

Olivia Weiss

"There, there, you're okay."

_______________________________________________ Olivia Anne Marie Weiss She/Her | 19 | German-American | 5'3" | 120 _______________________________________________ Stout. _______________________________________________ Skills & Talents "If there is a pattern I will find it." ___________________________________ [+] [Out of the box] ⫻ Olivia has always had a knack for coming up with creative solutions to complex, and sometimes impossible problems. As long as she can see the start, and the destination, she can figure out the middle steps. [Performance of a lifetime] ⫻ Olivia has been involved in theater her entire life. While her early plays left much to be desired, she quickly developed a passion for the craft. As well, she is a talented singer and has been working to get even better. [A shoulder to cry on] ⫻ Olivia has always counted empathy as one of her strengths. When her friends or family need an ear to vent, or a shoulder to cry on, Olivia is always ready, able, and willing to help. [Seamstress] ⫻ Olivia has had to sew, patch, and do it again ever since she first joined her first theater production. As such, as long as she has the supplies she can fix and mend any damage her favorite clothes suffer. As well, Olivia has also developed a knack for knitting. She has made scarves, gloves, and hats for friends and has been working on completing a knitted blanket. [Photo and video editing] ⫻ Olivia has developed a solid skill set when it comes to editing her media. From her headshots, to videos posted to TikTok, and even clips of her performances Olivia has made it a mission to sell herself as high as possible and that starts with the quality of her own content.

Appearance ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ "I mean it has a few patches but my grandma bought it for me ten years ago, I can't throw it out yet." Olivia stands at a rather short height of 5’3”. She is a tiny character that moves through her life with grace in her step. Olivia is confident and she carries her posture as such. Her head is always held high, her steps carry with it the weight of her expectations, and her smile is ever present on her face. Her typical outfits are often simple, with most being items gifted to her by her extended family or things she has found thrifting. A lot of her clothes have been sewn and patched up more than once, and her favorite pieces have been under the needle too many times to count. Olivia has dark hair that she carries long, going well past her shoulders, with the bangs draped over the front of her face. Olivia’s eyes are a light blue that shine even brighter due to the paleness of her skin. Her eyes carry the same warmth that emanates from her smiles. Olivia, outside of a production, is often seen dressed in plain. She swears by the basics and will rarely dress up unless on a date or for an important event or meeting. There are no tattoos nor any other body modification on her body. She thinks they are often pretty, and some even look like something she could wear; however she has never pulled the trigger on any yet. She did make a promise to her friend Eleanor that when she returned from her trip they would go and get matching tattoos.

_{Psychology
^{▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔}}
"Listen, talk all you want I am here for you, you won't push me away."

MAIN GOAL ⫻

Olivia's main goal in life is to become an actress. She has the talent, she has the drive, she will soon have the degree to back that up.

PHILOSOPHY ⫻

Hard work equals success. While talent always plays a part in how far you go, having a solid work ethic and a good foundation of basic skills will take you far enough by itself.

SECRETS ⫻

While she will always be a shoulder to cry on, but that does not mean she does it for free. Olivia will write down what was said in confidence, and keeps this journal hidden. She will often use this journal to supplement a character she is playing, adding little emotional facets from another's life. If someone were to discover this journal, it would paint her giving nature in a new light.

SEXUALITY ⫻

Straight. While she finds women beautiful she has never really had any romantic nor sexual attraction to them.

FEARS ⫻

Olivia is afraid that she is not as talented as she needs to be. She has had to work incredibly hard, much harder than she ever thought she could, and even still it feels like she might be on the outside looking in. Olivia is also afraid that she is forgettable.

Olivia is also terrified of what life will be if she does not make her dream a reality. So much of her life, her energy, has been invested in anticipation of the payoff of becoming a household name. If she fails, then all of this work would be for not and she does not know where that will lead her.

WHO IS ELEANOR BLACK TO YOU? ⫻

Eleanor Black was Olivia's best friend for the entirety of high school. They did everything together, from band to the theater and every activity from there. They helped each other through relationships, rough times, and deaths in the families. While they ended up going to different schools after graduation, they have still kept in contact.

FLAWS ⫻

Olivia is a naïve person who is often easily deceived by others. As such, she will often misplace her trust in others and this has, and will continue to, bite her in the ass.

Olivia is also easily obsessed, whether in an individual, an idea, or a role. This will lead to a hyper-fixation that can be nearly impossible to break out of. Once on the other side, she will often lament over the problems that arose during her obsession.

_{Backstory
^{▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔}}
"There were lights, cameras, but not a lot of action."

Olivia Weiss is the sole child in her family to a middle-class family. Her father worked in some financial building somewhere downtown that drained life from his face, and her mother was a teacher at the elementary school that drained life from her soul. They were both loving parents despite their jobs, and Olivia was never left wanting while growing up. She had begun to show a knack for performance, as she was enrolled in a pre-school dance academy and was quickly declared the *star* of the program. Looking back, Olivia realized that everyone was told they were the star of the program. Regardless, Olivia took her newfound fame to heart and began to seek out new avenues for performance.

When she was in elementary school, she began to play the trombone and joined the choir program. She enjoyed playing music, however she never truly felt like it called to her. Still, with a push from her parents, she continued with both programs and developed a decent skill in both areas. When she hit middle school, she joined the theater program which helped her develop the foundational skills needed later on. By the time she reached High School she had grown quite comfortable and had high expectations for each avenue of self-expression, and even higher expectations for the drama club.

It was on the first day of Freshman year she would meet her future best friend, Eleanor Black. They were seated next to each other in their homeroom class and hit it off right away. Eleanor had recently moved to the district so she was excited to have a new friend, and Olivia could never have enough. The pair became inseparable before long. Even after the pair graduated High School, they kept close even though they are on opposite sides of the country. Olivia went to, and is still attending, NYU Tisch School of the Arts, meanwhile Eleanor is in college in California. The two have spent the past year far apart, but they keep connected through facetime.

It was on one of these calls where Eleanor looked… different. Olivia thought at first that Eleanor was playing a prank and had one of her friends pretend to be her on their call. While the two had never had a prank relationship, Olivia assumed that this was another TikTok trend that had yet to cross her FYP. She even played along when “Eleanor” corrected her name, and said she was “Danny”. The call was smooth, and eventually Olivia had to drop, and she signed off with her normal goodbye.

The next day she went to message Eleanor and saw that her contact was different. The name, the photo, and the profile attached to it were for that Danny person. Curious, she went into the photos, and she began a multi-hour lookback on her life told through a stranger’s lens. Every single shared memory had Olivia, but it did not have Eleanor. Danny was as present in Olivia’s life as Eleanor was.

Olivia did not take well to this revelation. Even now she has fifty missed calls, and over a hundred texts from this 'Danny' person, and her parents have been asking what happened as well. They keep trying to pry for more information yet how do you tell your family that your friend is an imposter? A completely different person?

It wasn't until Olivia saw others online looking for this so called Eleanor Black that she felt a break from the mania. She decided that her sanity demanded answers, and if her friend was out there she had to be the one to find her.

_{Paranormal-Abilities
^{▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔}}
"If you take those videos frame by frame you can see how they fake those ghost videos."

^{Other
_{▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔}}
"Extra Quote here."

Anyyyything else?