RainbowFizz

Forest of the Future

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Forest of the Future

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X e l l

Southeastern Mir - The Fall

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Xell looked on dumbfounded at the Youth's words. His eyes followed the motion of the otter boy taking another swig of the bottle before continuing on with his statements. Hearing the poison swish so vividly within the bottle. Senses were acute while the Draconi was still on the ground. Mind wheeling from the nagging tug of war between the dark nature residing within him and his true self.
He was also trying to process what the youth meant about a fox and a similar past time event perhaps. He could he possibly relate to what he was going through right now?

Xell was still anaemic and shaky when he rose from the floor with a wince on his face. Eyes a persistent red colour despite the hallucinogene being momentarily quelled.

"Dude come on... I'm not a weapon," Xell appealed with open palms as he turned to speak to Yonath. Trailing off as he tried to regather his littered thoughts. The weathered appearance on the once pristine Draconi was pitiful.

“For what it’s worth…” he looked away and scratched the back of his head, before looking back and forcing a sheepish smile “thanks for the fix!”

The smile disappeared as the Draconi took a side step and turned half his torso to get a sideways glance of the latest newcomer to their entourage. The red panda girl. Standing there quietly and appearing to be on the opposite end of the spectrum in temperament compared to Max. That being said, his body twitched as despite the masked façade looking back at him, the ominous stare felt oppressive in some ways. She portrayed a demeanour of friendliness, but even he felt she could see more than what she was letting on. For a second, his eyes glinted an even brighter shade of red, the longer he looked at her.

He finally managed to hear her name as herself and Taffy exchanged them. Akaeyla Wildgrove. The Coon invited her to join them on their journey.

Xell gritted his teeth and turned back to face the group. Or at the very least, what was remaining of them at this point. Yoni still had the drink in hand, Akaeyla stood there perpetually composed, and Taffy was giving the Draconi a wary look. That of concern and confusion, etched with a judgemental frown.
“Ha! Bet I make great practice for your sick patients,” Xell broke the silence, pointing at her shakily as he met her look “please don’t look at me like you’ve just laid an egg!”

He sighed. Facepalming for an intense few seconds. The jig was up. The skeleton was out of the closet and the Draconi was beginning to reach his limits in trying to suppress it.

“I’m sorry…” he continued to stare at the ground. He wiped some of the blood off his jaw from the blood clot he spat out earlier “I’ll save the story for a rainy day.”

He looked back to the group with a more sombre calmness. Head tilted with placid observation and perhaps even bittersweet defeat.

“If you guys ever see him, you really should take measures.” He said, trembling as he forced out the words “it’ll take more than knives and
copper heads to deal with it though.”

He looked away and focused on the endless horizon of dark fields and gauntly trees. Deep in thought.

“We should find Nikki… I don’t think we should leave her out here alone. She's just a kid too.”
It was then he felt a wave of guilt wash over him. All she'd try to do since the group first got together was to look out for him. Certainly it seemed that she believed that he was crazy. Even a hypermaniac that she, too, was wary of. At least she was sticking his company out.

“And maybe not Max either…” he sighed reluctantly. Starting to walk off, nodding towards Taffy to lead the way.

Forest of the Future

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X e l l

Southeastern Mir - The Fall

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“…you… you don’t envy me dealing with that thing…?” Xell said softly, wiping a stream of sweat from his forehead. Eyes still congealed with layers of cerise and ruddy-like mud textures.

The Draconi dry-heaved aggressively. His lungs feeling like daggers pincing the pleura. White corneas flushing to pink from the pressure, before coughing up a sputum of blood. The large clot hitting the ground and splattering onto his clothes.

Bent over double again. Hearing the Otter boy continue to talk.

“You… you seem different somehow…” Xell slowly lifted his eroded face to see a whitehead capsule float within the furry palm. His eyes bulged out. Scaly hand trembling as he reached out for the capsule and sculled it.

The remedy appeared to be working. The dose appeared was doing enough to take away the red diffusion surrounding the periphery of this vision.

He noted the liqueur bottle he had in one hand. Almost half consumed. Was it this that had brought on this outspoken manner of the Lutran-
like being?

“Honestly… I would prefer what the Quack has in her backpack there…” he laughed almost insanely “I’ve never tried dope before. Seems meth spirits to me. A blind man’s liquor. But… if it would help me to see less of…”

He went silent. He knew who it was that haunted him. He gave the Youth a sorrowful look.

Wait, Ruby eyes? He can’t possibly know him!

He was hanging onto a tree for support branch for support. With a clunk, the decayed gave way and he fell to the ground in a heap.
Shaking his head to rid of the flying stars circling his head, he looked up at the group and tried to focus on their faces. By now, Max and Nikki appeared to have made themselves scarce.

“Where did the others go?” he lowered his ears, looking from side to side frantically.

Forest of the Future

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X e l l

Southeastern Mir - The Fall

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Xell furrowed his brow, awaiting an answer from the skittish Youth who was clinging onto the map for dear life and also scrambling to hide some of the pieces of paper back into his rucksack. Some, however, he seemed to want to purge as he noted ripped pieces being hailed away by the wind. Like meaningless snowflakes that wouldn’t last.

He noted one document still lying beside Nikki. It, too, was picked up by the wind and smacked into her, but she plucked it off of her and placed it on the ground.

He raised his eyebrows as he thought he caught sight of some scrawlings on the paper.
‘Yonath Syrain?’ he thought ‘Is that his name…?’

Were these the pieces of a puzzle the Youth was trying to put together?
He appeared to let a lot of them he was desperately trying to retrieve to escape in the end. A helpless expression on his face. As he if any urge he had to fight was collapsed.

One piece of gold dust he was able to retain was a photo. One that appeared to have a much younger image of himself in. Two figures behind him trying to catch him before he fell. The air of a family composition, except none of them looked anything alike.

The Draconi’s head turned in morbid surprise as he noted the Lotori arrive and make an announcement.

"Guys," she said, coming up to the group, "I know we just got an earful from that mystic, but I think she's right about that pirate who's on our tail. We need to get moving if we want to get to my uncle's place so we can use it for cover.”

The Draconi continued to watch and folded his arms as the Coon tried to offer words of support to the broken Youth whilst placing a hand on his shoulder. This appeared to be met with dismissal as he jerked away and widened the distance between himself and the group resentfully.

“I’m not sure he’s one for hugs,” Xell smiled wryly, tipping his head towards Taffy with folded arms still “I don’t know if this is the 411 exactly, but I think his name might be Yonath. All the clues to his existence was in his backpack…” Xell pointed to it as the otter boy stood some distance away by now.

“Except most of the truth now has been cast away,” he spoke almost poetically as he pitched an open palm out to the skies. The Lotori and Nekomi following to see pieces of shredded and whole paper glide in their own different directions by the air currents in the sky.

“You know, he was actually about to talk to me,” Nikki brought her head back down raised an eyebrow at Taffy, hands placed on her hips defiantly.

“Would it have been anything more than a mutter or two?” Taffy retorted with a glare “anyway, like I said, we don’t have time for this! Rather than waste our time on deep and meaningfuls, perhaps we should hightail it out of here. Maybe he'll warm up later.”

Various silent expressions of acknowledgement were exchanged across the board. The group turning to make their way on the dark path away from the arena of surrounding ominous statues. The large figurines watching with their contorted and harrowing faces as the assembly turned their backs on them. Howling winds continued to strain through the industrial metal work.

The group now comprising of Taffy leading the frontline, Max, Nikki, Sasha, Akaeyla, Yoni, and Xell himself. The more amicable members were supporting each other towards the more anterior part of the group whereas some of the other more reserved members were preferring to keep a distance from afar. All using their torches to pave the way through artificial light.

Xell made a deliberate attempt to walk side by side with Yoni for a moment. Although the extreme antisocial vibes given off by the Lutran-being made it clear that this wasn’t a time for long engaging conversations.

“I’m sorry I took what you said the wrong way,” Xell turned away from looking at him, to focus on the distance ahead. In an attempt to ease the burden.

“One thing I will say, however, thank you for your aid earlier.”

The Lutran offered nothing to say in return. That being a given, Xell reached into one of his pockets and retrieved the alcoholic beverage he had stolen off of Max’s plane earlier.

“Not sure if this is great for someone your age, but thought I’d return the favour.”
The youth did nothing more than hold a perpetual scowl, staring straight ahead, even as he found Xell handing the compact bottle over to him until it was within the Youth’s grip.

“Do as you will.”

The Draconi dispersed from the row the Lutran being was in and found himself walking around the periphery of the group. His mind drifting through waves of deep thought, and concentrating on the task at hand. Which was straight forward in itself, if his mental state wouldn’t oscillate like the burden of a pendulum.

Just as they were about to leave the statue garden for good, one monument caught his attention. Mangled and elongated with several metallic pole heads like a hydra, it had scales that were constructed out of shards of mirror.

It was that moment that made Xell take a small detour as he snared the reflection from the periphery of his eye. Quickly shuffling towards it, footsteps thudding upon the ground softly, he panted as he wiped the condensation and debris off of them. Exercising caution not to lacerate his skin upon the sharp edges. The refracted rainbows on the broken edges reminiscent of once a whole mirror image themselves.

Gazing at the web of fragments, he was horrified to see his own reflections looking back at him. The rich rocky grey tone having disintegrated to a pale skin tone that resembled an anaemic maggot. The bags under his skin, too, appeared to hollow his face out with the sickly blue hues.

The most unforgiving sight were his irises. Unrecognisable as that once focused rich azure look had dwindled to a hue he didn’t even recognise. The colour of blue that was slipping towards the red part of the colour spectrum. Fresh eyes being forced or rebranded towards an unnatural crimson. As of yet, they were looking a dull magenta, starved of vitality.

“Well well… look at you!”

Xell turned and almost leapt out of his scales to see the familiar face before him. Moonlight outlining the feline creature.

“Nikki?”

“Trust you to wander from the group to check yourself out,” she laughed, swishing her ears “but you can do plenty of that later.”
She too, looked into the shards and tidied up her bob of lush hair. Xell looking on with a frown, jumped scared again as he felt caught off guard when she turned back to look at him with a grin.

“Well, I’ve seen better myself, come on! Let’s get back to the group!”
He nodded once, before keeping up the pace with her as they jogged back towards the group. It seemed no one had noticed. Or if they had, they hadn’t said anything out loud.

There was a silence amongst all individuals as the even march continued on and on past the clearing of statues, through fields, until they eventually arrived before an entry which would lend itself into a new corridor of woods. All amassed amongst each other in a linear fashion. Tall with ebony like wood during this dark hour. The path ahead was long and winding, which had velvet like lavender mist hovering above the primitive cobbled path.

“This doesn’t seem to be getting any easier…” Xell stopped and put his face into the palm of his hand. He spread the fingers planted across his face and caught sight of Taffy’s backpack again. Grinding his teeth at remembering what it was he wanted from it.

“Yous gonna be a burden on us?” Max turned around to size the Draconi up and down condescendingly “no one asked ya to join!”
This statement was met with an aggressive counter turn on the heals as the Coon turned to glare daggers at the Spicati. The expression all too vivid despite the veiling night hour.

“I told you earlier! He’s with us… no one is leaving this group!” she said through gnarled teeth.

“Oi, who made yous in charge anyway? Or are ye gonna bitchslap me again Sheila?!” Max demanded “don’t ya think I forgot ‘bout that…!”
The Draconi’s head began to spin as the bickering flooded out. Tit for tat as one voice argued against another in the frontline of the group. Which did nothing more than to augment the rising headache within Xell’s skull. Hoarse whispers of that Voice flowing through the visceral meninges of his brain.

The voices of the own group started to sound like chipmunks. Uneven tempos, before the pitch started to delve to lower octaves.
Digging both nails into his temples again to open up the fresh wounds he made earlier, blood oozed out as smogs of red started to infiltrate his vision. He coughed violently as the hazy scene around him started to flutter around him. Through his distorted vision, he could make out the arguing voices of the frontline, a pair of sceptical eyes from the back scrutinising him, the blindfolded hermit analysing the situation, and a couple of females trying to support him up. His legs unstable as the rest of his body shook furiously. Cold sweat oozing from his scales.

He couldn’t even remember nearly falling. He oscillated from side to side, trying to insist through his own garbled voice that he didn’t need their help. Muscles feeling paralysed around the musel itself and uncertain if he got the words out. Smiling with eyes closed and trying to push them away, only to find he could hardly move.

“…el… ell…. Xell…. Come one!” his ears were trying to focus as on the voice being spoken to him. Jaded irises seeing both Nikki… and Sasharya. They hybrid’s look more concerned and awkward at the revelation unfolding.

“I… I can’t…” Xell winced, standing upright, not without cascading from side to side in a disorientated manner “I’ve been gone too long like this. I can’t do this anymore.” His face disappeared beneath the shadows of the bangs of his hair.

He forced himself away from the Nekomi and ran off.

Max and Taffy suddenly stopped in their tracks. Fireflies of torches buzzing around to catch the source of the sound. Shuffling through shrub and the glint of a metallic object caught by the moon in the abyss of barbed brushes.

“What was that…?” Taffy uttered in a hoarse whisper, turning to the group for answers.
As Taffy turned around towards the front again, her heart skipped a beat as she saw the distraught Draconi in front of her. Blocking their path as his stance twitched haphazardly.

“Please… there’s something in your backpack I need…” he said, coughing violently, hands hovering over his knife, albeit reluctantly
“please. Just let me have some.” He winced, his hands suddenly clutching his torso as he bent double.

Taffy’s constricted pupils were unrelenting within the paled saphhire irises, gasping even more as the Draconi made his next move. Suddenly looking up to glare at the both of them with crimson eyes that bore the sea of a thousand dead souls.

Forest of the Future

Diablosi

An insidious and sinister race where sightings are reported to be sparse amongst Novans and Mirans. Presenting commonly with tall 6 foot + stature, long vampiric ears, long tails and of different fur colours. Rumour has it that they emerge during a Novan or Miran’s most vulnerable hour. When a creature is overwhelmed by adverse emotions and become of unsound mind. It is then that a Diablosi may make himself or herself seen and known. Their malintent being to see how far they can push their victim to their darkest place. Taunting, manipulating them and perhaps play sadistic games.

Unfortunately, those that have claimed to have seen a Diablosi almost always end up incarcerated in mental asylums or they go missing. Rumours have it those being cursed by having met one hide out in the Fall to avoid being taken in. Seeing as the controversy lies in whether they really exist or whether they are a perception from mental illness.

Subjects that do claim to have seen them report that they have their own supernatural abilities or magic. Mostly powers to inflict harm than to do good. It has also been reported that due to their strong negative auras, that one cannot get too close to them or the radiance burns or drains energy out of the subject. Some subjects have also claimed to have been bitten by them, most commonly on the neck. It has also been noted they never stay within a subject’s company for too long.
Some will question in that case that, if they are as powerful as they appear to be, why have they not tried to destroy or take over
Miran/Novan civilisation? Perhaps their agenda is being overlooked with complacent eyes.
Powers vary from the various individuals. What can be denoted is the more their host is declining mentally, the more powerful their presence becomes. Should they find a means to become an indefinite presence on Mir, reported powers are known to be teleporting, oppressing anyone nearby with their noxious auras, compelling hosts to do things out of character and mind control. Some are also reported to be pyromancers or shapeshifters.

Their weaknesses are, at this point, the inability to day walk. They rely completely on walking during night time hours. Recovery from mental illnesses will also relinquish their transcendence into the real world such that more than just the host can see them physically.
There are reported to have been 3 or 4 seen, as of yet. Some legends reporting that a magenta coloured one is perhaps the most dangerous of them all as all that have seen him have never truly recovered.
Their origins are unknown, although a military company known as Winterfeld & Hill are committing a lot of research into uncovering the truth about their existence.

Forest of the Future

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X e l l

Southeastern Mir - The Fall

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Xell continued to bury his face flat into the withered wooden surface of the table. Blinking morbidly, despite it appearing that he was asleep. Perhaps not even acquainted with the real around him.

He could see the ground through the slits of the table’s occlusal surface. He’d shuffle his feet every now and again. Trying to chase traces of moonlight with his toes.

He had heard some muffling conversation in the background which appeared to resonate between the newcomer Panda guru and the Youth. He had no idea what conversation was taking a hold.

He was too preoccupied from his oppressive symptoms that the half-life of the drugs had brought with the discension process. Including shivering aggressively, skin impaling beneath loose grey scales, and his temporal arteries bulging from an incoming headache.

He wasn’t too sure how long his mental state had been decaying in this one spot. Breathing heavily, he stopped when he had this strange feeling he wasn’t quite alone anymore.

Somehow, he could feel someone was suddenly watching him. And then he heard that fractious tone.

“Why can’t you do something, fok.”

The Draconi rolled his head to one side morbidly. By that time, all he could see was the back of a pink hoody and a limp walk disappearing farther and farther away.

“Did he really just do that?!” The dragon sneered with protruded canines as he hoisted his torso up with hands against the surface of the table.

As Xell jumped on the seat and hopped off to land to the ground deftly, he started following the Youth. A deoxygenated purple hue colouring the bags under his eyes as the irises started to bleed red again.

It seems you’re becoming agitated. That monotoned voice spoke through his thoughts again. Almost like a Psychiatrist who was telling off a troublesome patient.

“Agitated? YOU BET I’M AGITATED!” Xell practically yelled.

The Draconi stopped. Peering up to the skies before turning around 360 as if to chase his own tail which was dragging on the floor. Somehow, the thought occurred to him to try and find this entity.

One day you’ll find me. the grey reptile felt stabbed by this thought criminal, eyes neurotically twitching from the violations in his head and so will the rest of the group…

The Draconi shook his head furiously before storming off further towards the Otter child. Stopping just short before them as he noted Nikki trying to make conversation with him.

Don’t be so harsh on the vagabond. Are you really going to bite the hand that leant you a torch, so that you could seek refuge from the rain earlier?

“This is the reward I get in this glowing afterlife?!” Xell demanded incredulously, eyes directed towards the air above him. He gasped when he suddenly realised where he was standing. And realised what he said may have been heard out loud by the Nekomi and the Youth.

“What do you expect me to do?” Xell demanded, answering the Youth’s earlier question as his eyes faded back to their former azure colour. His natural eye colour not the same tone of blue it used to be. He clenched and unclenched his fists.
"I can't control what's happened."

He looked down on a piece of paper the Youth was holding. Some sort of a map it seemed. Not the most professionally crafted one he had ever seen. He recognised the Fall on the map, but that was about it. Everything else orbiting the origin they were in was completely alien.
"Nikki, you could do with some art lessons."

Forest of the Future

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X e l l

Southeastern Mir - The Fall

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The harrowing breeze that seeped through every old wood piece, withered steel and stonework of the statues was unnerving for the Draconi. They donned humanoid outlooks but some appeared to be representative of unsightly abominations. His inquisitive brow slowly etched to that of paranoia. His pupils constricting to mere specs despite the unforgiving black skies with sparing light from the moon, flashlights and headlamp.

"We can take a quick break here," the Coon finally reported. Half lit and half in shadow "It isn't that far now, maybe another mile before we see-"

Xell noted that as the Lotori girl had fallen silent, everyone had frozen. He looked to the ensemble on either side of him. Turning his head from side to side with a stoic frown, before finally realising what it was that had the cast playing statues themselves.

His ears lowered as yet another remarkable creature of the unknown practically shifted from shadow to motion. By now, he bit his lower lip and frowned as he looked her up and down. She spoke very clearly and articulated every word precisely. The first impression the Draconi receiving that maybe she was educated to a large extent. Or wise? If it were the latter, however, it appeared her age defied it. Then again, the most jarring piece of the attire was the blindfold that completely obscured her eyes.

"Pardon me if I startled you," she turned to speak to the Coon "That wasn't meant at all... I forgot you might not be able to see me so well at this time of day. I thought this might be a good place to wait in case the pilot of that downed plane happened by, as I found out something earlier it might be useful for them to know."

Xell slightly turned to look at Max questioningly. The Spicati simply giving the panda hybrid a bothered look.
She then proceeded to pose a question. One that resembled that of a riddle and a joke. The first to respond being Nikki, who transformed it more into the latter. Xell found himself looking down to force a short but sweet smile at the endearing notion of it. He noted Max and the Youth walk towards her. Max ungrateful for what the guru like hybrid had to say. In return he uttered some impolite words and demanded how many more characters he would come across in this forest. The Youth, exhibiting a long pause before asking a question where his voice appeared to be completely relinquished of the tone he had spoken with earlier.

Xell simply looked on. His placid and partially curious mood was now starting to become riddled with unease again. He felt his heart skip a beat as he turned to look at the statues towering above him. His eyes darting from face to face. The fear causing his body to become a shrinking violet.

’How long has it been since I’ve topped up?’ he thought to himself, visceral eyes wandering towards Taffy’s bag. He knew he saw her earlier packing it away just before they departed the crash site.
’No no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no’ he perspired

There’s a wildcard, the Draconi looked up, the impassive low octave voice spoke out from a statue it seemed. He could see red eyes glaring out from one of the metallic figurines that resembled a black panther, crowned with cowhorns on its head. Its black form towering higher and higher.

I don’t like her. You need to keep your distance Weaver.

Or better still…

Xell remained tight lipped and gestured towards the group, as if to illustrate his awkward situation.

Before he heard anymore from the unknown entity, it appeared all shapes and sounds resumed to their normal environmental pattern. The statues reformed to their static and ill formed looking selves, the darkness and light faded to their usual dims and the Draconi could feel himself breathing normally again.

He shook his head, and weaved a hand through his hair to brush off the sweat.

“I need to sit down. I don’t feel flash.”

“I hope you guys can work out whether Ms. VIP will be joining us,” Xell sighed with closed eyes “didn’t think blindfolds would be anyone’s thing. She got me there!” he jested lightly, waving a dismissive hand before turning around to find a safety haven.

They could be here a while, and much like earlier, he was beginning to feel tired. Skin becoming visibly pale even during this dark hour of the night. The rollercoaster of emotions had also worn him out and he wasn’t sure if he could handle another mile for wherever it was they were trying to get to.
Finding a nearby dishevelled picnic bench which appeared to have seen better days, he decided to hop between the seating compartment and the table. Letting his head collapse upon the surface with his arms sprawled out. Cold and pale fingers curled tensely.

Forest of the Future

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X e l l

Southeastern Mir - The Fall

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“Ain’t feel dangerous, oke. Back dat way though? Koud as fok.”

Xell suppressed surprise hearing the boy’s raspy voice crackle quietly not far from him. He also noted him standing back somewhat, still doning the headlamp as if to cover more surface area with it.
‘So he can talk?’ Xell scratched his head ‘what the hell is that dialect though? The way-upward mountains or something?’

The Draconi turned back to the source of the voice in a slight daze. Perplextion washing over his face as he noted a strange hybrid like creature emerge from the shaded foliage. Her form outlined from the light coming off the Youth.

The newcomer appeared to be mostly canine but had feline traits. Even doning a pair of wings which didn’t look particularly fit for flight or other heavy duty aerodynamics.

“Ha.” Xell drawled curtly “you remind me of one of hell’s oil feathered serpents! I'd say that's why you survived this long in the Fall
without getting eaten.”
‘Oh God, did I just say that out loud.’ he bit his lower lip after his comment was met with silence.

“Where exactly are you trying to get to?” He said, adopting a friendlier tone. He’d give what the Youth said about the newcomer the benefit of the doubt.

Forest of the Future

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X e l l

Southeastern Mir - The Fall

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Xell’s mandible was ajar in child-like wonder as he felt a metallic like object clink against his toes. The object rolling back a bit with a chink. He closed his azure blue eyes momentarily, wiping the sockets with his fists, before bending down further to take in what it was.
As if to answer his call, a light beam shone onto the ground to reveal that it was, in fact, a flashlight.
He rose up ever so slightly from his crouch, not enough to be far away from the torch but high enough to cast his sight upon the source of the light.

Coming from the Otter kid? he frowned, tilting his head from side to side unsubtly to weigh up if that was the case.

Had he been the one to throw out a lifeline? To hand him a match? In spite of his unhinged attitude towards a situation that could’ve been better handled with polite a question towards the assembly?

And where did that radiance of light come from to reveal the torch in the first place?

With what little light there was, however, all the grey Draconi was able to make out was a placid, yet tight lipped and guarded expression upon the Youth’s face.

Before Xell could reach to fetch in time, the object was swiped away and denied.

“That’s a weird looking flashlight.” Max's voice bellowed which the Draconi processed slowly, with contempt.

‘Big kid of the playground trying to assert his way.’ The pint sized dragon rose slowly. Staring daggers at Max.
He’d let it go for now but push any more buttons at this inflammatory rate, and even the Draconi himself knew it wouldn’t be a matter of if, but when the gloves would be dropped.

“Yeah thanks!” he called out sarcastically to the Coon, catching the torch Taffy had tossed over to him deftly “nice of you to show the moral high ground.” He retorted, after listening on as she had a whinge about her night vision being perfect but condemned the unwise actions of people shining lights in one another’s eyes.

He then listened on as she spoke of her Uncle’s lodge and how she used to vacation there. Her Uncle’s reason for living so remotely being to get away from the city and ‘it all’.
There’s always more to that one than meets the eye he frowned conspicuously. If the Coon was all the more aware, being older and wiser of how dangerous it was to live out alone in the Fall, why was he still living a solitary life? Was there something she wasn't telling them?

Although she seemed benevolent in her act of tending to the Youth’s wounds and providing him with a nutrient bar, she still had a real chip on her shoulder.

“All to be saved for a rainy day’s story though, right?” he asked changing his tone with a smirk, catching up with the frontline of the group.

“What?” the Coon carried on striding forwards, giving the Draconi an incredulous look whilst recoiling her head.

“Oh, nothing. Nothing at all,” he practically sang. Earning a fatale styled sneer from the group leader who turned away to focus on the journey ahead.

“Do you have anything else to add?” Taffy asked sternly, not in favour of his company.

“Well… maybe I could refer you to various philosophies or belief systems, but I think you may find inspiration from this saying alone.”

“Whatever first impressions you get of Novans, for better or for worse, it won’t be the whole nine yards.”
With that said, Xell let his pace slow down so that he was more amongst the middle of the group. Still keeping far to the side as his social energy had reached their limits.

Hopefully they’d find shelter or a location to settle in soon. A yawn escaped his mussel as his eyes started to weigh down like lead.

Taffy trailed to a stop, turning a radial 180 degrees to cover her perimeter with the flashlight without blinding the group.

“I think I heard something,” Xell cottoned on, he too, shining the flashlight around the periphery of his area. Normally he’d be afraid, especially since it had got this dark deep in these parts of the woods but the half life of the drugs wearing off was leaving him stoically fatigued.

He heard a faint voice, ears perking towards some rustling shrub and leaves as he turned his whole body towards the resonance.

“Hello? Excuse me? Can you help me, I think I'm lost.”

The Draconi exchanged looks with everyone. Wondering how they’d react to a newcomer. At this point, he felt it was their call. Although he was familiar of fables of monsters that could imitate innocent Novans, much like cats imitate a baby’s cry to earn attention from their owners, he thought it may still worth be uncovering the veiled identity.
He knew he had a knife ready, and that ruffian Spicate a handgun, if it was to boil to a smack down.

“Do enlighten us and show yourself,” Xell called out, shining a light towards the plumage of leaves. Getting a bit too tired for these larger parties of people now.

Forest of the Future

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X e l l

Southeastern Mir - The Fall

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The Draconi swayed slightly from side to side as he heard the Nekomi's voice trail behind him. Asking him if he was alright.
"Ha," he uttered with a bitter laugh "poor kitty. I'll never be alright."

He held onto a tree branch to steady himself with an exasperated sigh.

She reminded him of someone he once knew. Another femme with a confident, flirtatious and foxy demeanour and had a tendency the see the world through a phosphorescent filter.

That demeanour he found to be both admirable and candidly naive. Something he craved but felt the need to reject simualtaneously.
Still, right now he'd place her as his only friend as of yet. Maybe.
The only restraint keeping himself and Max for instance from lashing at each other's throats was the Coon leader, and the need to escort the lost boy. Or at the very least, to help recover him to what can be deemed fit and healthy?

He noted the Lutran-like figure finally acknowledge and consume the bar. Muttering an incomprehensible expression of gratitude from what he could make out.
He overheard a sarcastic retort from the red Spicati. Something about ridiculing the flavour of the ration. The Coon's answer being that she had to budget with her ongoing medical studies.

Folding his arms as the Coon miraculously appeared to have the group’s undivided attention, he listened on as she stated that her Uncle lived near Merecc and that they could seek food and shelter there. She suggested that there may be places along the way but that the safety at this time of the night was questionable.
He rolled his eyes as the group finally made their way. It was never safe in the Fall. Who was she kidding? He did agree with her ‘safety in numbers’ plan, however. Even if the company was less than desirable.

The Draconi started to drift into a deep thought. Weighing up his options on the future of this venture, whether it be long or short. The trip to Merecc may be an eye opener or a fresh slate for him from small town areas around the peripheries of this Forest. He had heard there were more resources there, being more of an urban setting. Should it prove to be high maintenance, however, to conceal his lifestyle in a society with more infra structure and 'tabs' as it were, he'd be sure to leave if and when the group are on their merry way home. The anonymity of surviving in in the Forest may be safer with his habits.
He wouldn't know until he embarked on this journey whilst being with the group so, who knows?

He turned and saw the chatty Nekomi extend an olive branch to the vague Otter boy who she had pointed a fire extinguisher at earlier.
Not knowing the outcome of that conversation, he switched off and focused on the journey ahead.
His weary eyes downcast as he saw the dead leaves, flint and stone become darker and darker as the saturated light started to wither to darker tones. The evening aging deceptively fast.
That's one thing he had not thought of. A torch. He looked up with an inquisitive expression and wondered if anyone looked as if they may have one in their possession.

"Taffy, is it true Lotoris can see in the dark?" He asked jovially "because if I'm proved to be disappointed, we're going to have a really interesting journey ahead."

He switched off for a minute. Not out of disrespect but because he felt a wave of unease and tunnel vision suddenly hit him. His mind in a slight panic as he realised something he should've done earlier had not been committed to.

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Flashback

A tall, coral coloured Diablosi stood against a weathered, moss infested and decaying tree. Long perked vampiric like ears with a suave, dark cerulean parted hairstyle framed his clean cut face. His eyes were a set of nature defying HellGrün green irises that were so bright, they stood tall and proud amongst the darkness. Like a pair of neon flares. Irises echoing a sinister sense of arrogance and need to play cat and mouse.

His demeanour and attire, clad in a leather jacket and jeans suggested his style to be very similar to a young Novan from the 1950s era.
He threw out his arm within the blink of an eye to check his watch. Spiralling deeply black inked tribal tattoos decorating his right forearm and wrist.

He simpered at the reading from his device.

He delved the same inked hand into one of this silken leather pockets and retrieved a cigarette.

Holding it up with the same hand to position it between his index and middle finger, a small flame blue flame was emitted after snapping his fingers upon his left hand twice. Efficiently lighting up his smoke.

Shaking his flopped hand to fan out the solitary oxygen flame of his self catalysed fire, he took a drag and looked down towards ground with his eyelids without moving his craned head.

His ears perked as he heard some rustling through the grass. The sounds were resonating miles away which he picked up about 5 minutes ago.

The scaled figure, ever approaching through the dark as his silhouette was made visible by the moonlight and a lit up lodge not too far, started to lower his sprint to a light jog.

"You're late, Weaver." The Diablosi said beneath an ominous smirk that masqueraded mind-game tones.

Xell’s light jog ended with a few defiant further steps. Standing no closer than 5 metres to spare between himself and the unnatural bête noire before him. Standing with guarded fists.
Feeling violated for his name being known and the fact that it wasn't his original name.

“So the legend is true after all.” The Draconi said “I come to this part of the Fall at 3AM, and the Diablosi himself appears.”

“Your fashion is untimely,” the Diablosi took another hoarse drag of his cigarette “really gets on my nerves.” He said through one side of his mouth with a gritted canine. Pupils constricted and eyes flaring.

Xell felt his posture almost unwillingly shrink before the damned figure ahead of him. His aura was oppressive.

“Still, you’re here now and ready to ask for a favour?” The coral figure shrugged off the noxious tone and sniggered as he looked off to the side. His left hand cradling the elbow of the right which still held the cigarette with fumes blowing into the air.

“Ready to ask for a wish, yes…” Xell recoiled his neck with grimace. Uncertainty starting to hollow out his confidence and holler at the back of his head. Despite seeing the profile of the Diablosi’s head, it still felt like all eyes were on him somehow. Burning.

“This is it how it works, Weaver,” the Diablosi turned and narrowed his look at Xell authoritatively “Legend states that the white Devil offers you a favour.”

He began taking some steps forwards. Xell’s scales twitching in neurotic dance.

This Diablosi wasn’t even white…

He continued to pace towards him, still talking.

“Legend states that, any one Novan or Miran, who comes by the lonely path to the edge of the Fall during the last night of any season at 3AM will be granted a favour. The favour of the Ruined King.”

The ever-approaching presence was stinging Xell’s eyes. Not so much a sense of feeling burnt by Fahrenheit but rather the Diablosi’s aura
was like dry ice.

The Draconi was withering to a crouch.

He shut his eyes in discomfort. Opening them up in alarm to see a patch of blisters start to form on the outter most hand closest to the approaching creature. Grey scale segments becoming purple from oxygen deprivation and tumour like swellings proliferating close to rupture.

The Diablosi smiled wryly as he stopped. Throwing his cigarette to the ground and stubbing it. The ashes causing nearby grass to rot to the core.

“I know you’re just trying to escape,” he tilted his head to one side, speaking softly “just factor this, a favour now, is a favour later.”
He Diablosi clicked his fingers on his right hand. Xell’s eyes fixated on the tattoos streaking across his wrist.

There was a moment’s silence. A gust howling through the dead branches of the trees. The whole atmosphere feeling like a barren wasteland. Even the lumination of the moon had disappeared. Instead, borrowed light coming from the distant lodge sparing what sight there was. That, and the ominous monster's eyes.

“That’s it?” Xell stepped back a bit, to ease his body from the irradiating beast. Patches of his skin feeling bulbous. Mostly veiled by darkness but even he noted the crude outlines from the artificial light.

“You know, you didn’t even ask my name.” The Diablosi frowned.
Xell's eyes were once again drawn to the tattoo scattered on the Coral Daemon’s wrist. Strange scribe somehow coming to light within his head.

“Aleksei.”

He mock clapped. Left hand static whilst the tattooed hand propagated the echoing resonance across the fields.

“Sometime, I’ll drop by and I’ll ask you return my favour,” he explained with open arms.

“No questions asked.” He then pointed at Xell menacingly.

Aleksei tilted his head to one side again. Shoving both hands in his jacket pockets again. The popular high school look kid about him. He turned to walk away. His final words clear as if he was in front of Xell’s face.

“I want you to bring me some of that precious Elixir the Mirans and Novans rely on so dearly,” he spoke, back turned and holding a finger up “if you want more advice on how I can help you achieve your ‘favour’, help yourself to some of the draft I need and you’ll see more of me on the other side.” He smirked, unseen to Xell. His body beginning to disappear into the inky blackness.

A sense of lingering betrayal as heavy as the clouds that started to suffocate the nightmarish skies. Leaving the Novan dragon alone in isolated periphery of the 'Fall'. The light from the lone lodge waning in the distance.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________

“Woah… gosh sorry!” Xell almost knocked Nikki over as he bumped into her from the side. He grabbed onto a nearby branch to stop himself from toppling over. Gritting his teeth.
Taking a few breathes in, he managed to stand up and acquaint himself with the real world once again. Noting that the skies had rapidly tarnished to darker shades.

“Well?” he asked out loud, turning around with open palms out “do I really have to ask again whether anyone has a torch or not?”