The Muse

Realms of Sun & Shadow

Location: The Village Square

“It’s probably better if you stay with Pleiades or something…”

Eris's eyes widened with panic as she looked at Sunni, her stomach twisting in knots and her heart beginning to race. "Wait-" Eris barely managed to speak before Sunni interrupted, avoiding her gaze. “Stay here, Eris. I’ll have your product out to you in a few minutes,”

She froze, watching who she thought had been her savior hastily leave her and Elara to the wolf that was Pleiades. Utterly confused, Eris's mind began to spiral. Why had Sunni changed his mind so quickly? Did she do something wrong? Did he want to put both her and Elara in danger? Was that his plan all along? Was he in on some sort of sick scheme with Pleiades to trap them both? Her heart pounded so hard against her chest that she felt breathless.

“Well, you do not seem busy with Mister Emberani anymore,”

Eris slowly turned her gaze to Pleiades, trying her best not to let it show that she felt sick to her stomach. Sunni had abandoned her and now Pleiades was going to feast on her against her will! She just knew it! If she hadn't been so petrified she might have started crying.

"Why don't you just give up?" Her brother's words echoed into her mind once again.

Taking a deep breath, Eris tried to steady herself. She had come to Dawnhaven for a reason. She had a purpose here! What good was she if she couldn't speak to all blight-born, no matter their reputation? She would need to get over this fear of hers at some point if she wanted to prove her brother - and the world - wrong.

"I-... We're quite busy. I'm sure... I'm sure Sunni will return soon." Eris's voice quivered more than she would have liked, but she was proud she managed to speak while meeting Pleiades's gaze.

An awkward silence hung between them as they waited for Sunni, Pleiades eyes upon her making her feel like she was being assessed by an apex predator. Gathering her courage, Eris decided to take a step towards over coming her fear.

"How are you on this morning, Pleiades?" She hated the way her voice shook, but she stubbornly stood her ground and awaited his answer. As far as she could recall, this was the first time she had ever addressed the man directly.

As the door of the inn creaked open, Eris smiled and her heart leaped with anticipation, hoping that her knight in shining armor had returned to whisk her and Elara away. Instead, she found Jonathan. Eris's smile immediately dropped, her stomach twisting in knots again. It wasn't that she disliked Jonathan, but she didn't have much faith that he would be able to rescue her in any regard.

“Mister Emberani said to give this to you,”

"Oh..." Eris replied softly, taking the small package of Emberbloom from him. "Thank you." Her gaze lingered on the package, her thoughts racing as she tried to fathom why Sunni hadn't returned.

“Do I make you uncomfortable?”

Eris snapped her gaze up to Pleiades, at first thinking he had been speaking to her, but finding that his attention was fixated on Jonathan now. Had Sunni abandoned the boy to be feasted upon by Pleiades too?!

“N-no… I am just doing a job,”

Feeling a sudden surge of bravery, Eris narrowed her icy blue eyes at Pleiades as Jonathan shifted himself to hide behind her. "I thought you liked to make people feel good, not terrified?" She glared at Pleiades, though she could feel her resolve fading fast as she realized just exactly what she was doing. The rabbit challenging the wolf. She could almost hear her brother laughing. Little Eris, always choosing the wrong words at the wrong times.

“Perhaps you can be of assistance to me? I assume you’re a little more familiar with the skills of the people here than I am. We’re short on artisans who can knit and sew, you see.”

Behind her, she could hear Elara speaking to Jonathan about.... knitting... and sewing? She could hardly believe her ears, but she refused to look away from Pleiades. If she wasn't currently staring down a blight-born, she might have chimed in that Eris herself could try to assist with sewing. How could Elara be so unbothered by Pleiades at a time like this?!

“MY FRIENDS! Kreztchimar nozemme jabool!”

Eris startled as a familiar voice boomed through the village, breaking the tension and offering a welcome distraction. Eris grinned as she spotted Ivor approaching, the only blight-born she had come to truly enjoy so far. Despite his intimidating appearance, Ivor had grown on her quickly. She felt safer with him around and his return to the village was always celebrated.

"Ivor!" She greeted him excitedly, feeling a wave of relief rush over her as Ivor stopped. "It is good to see you as well." He had no idea just how perfect his timing was. Perhaps Ivor would be her savior instead.

Eris turned her attention back to Pleiades as Ivor greeted him, though not by his name. She felt a tinge of sympathy for the man, but knew that his name was far too advanced for Ivor to grasp at the moment. "Mr. Porter." Eris added, glancing at Ivor. "This is Mr. Porter." She clarified, holding a warm smile. She didn't hold love for Pleiades, but she could imagine that no one wanted to be called "bird man" to their face.

"What did good things did you bring, Ivor?" She asked, looking around Ivor to get a view of the sled he had pulled along. Her eye brows raised as she spotted a woman who appeared in poor condition. "Oh! Ivor, uhm.. Who is this?" She inquired, moving around the man and looking over the woman swiftly to see if she could spot any open wounds or signs that she had been stricken with blight. "Hello, miss." She addressed the stranger, kneeling down next to the sled to look her over more closely. "Are you well?" With worried eyes, Eris met the woman's gaze.

Silently, Eris cursed herself for having used her mana on illusions of her brother earlier this morning. As a healer, she could easily use her magic to heal the woman of any wounds, but it would come at a great cost. These days, without the sun overhead to fuel the Aurelian's natural mana source, each spell chipped away a large chunk of her energy for the day. If this woman needed serious help she would have to sacrifice her own wellness for the day, but she was prepared to do just that.

---

_{Interactions: Sunni, Pleiades @The Savant, Elara @Qia, Ivor @BeastofDestiny, Persephone @PrinceAlexus}

Realms of Sun & Shadow

@PrinceAlexus They do all need to breathe and have a heart beat, etc. They died and came back to life, but they are alive. I think the level of oxygen or number of beats per minute their heart needs to live will vary depending on the type of blight born they become since it can be wildly different person to person. It'll be less than what is required for a human in most cases though.

However, they no longer need to eat human food and can only live by draining whatever is required for the type of blight born they became. I think Kira, for example, will even get sick if she eats regular human food now haha

Realms of Sun & Shadow

Location: The Northern Forest Outside of Dawnhaven

Although she remained silent and feigned ignorance, Kira knew that the Prince's lapdog was tailing her. She could feel his eyes on her, smell his scent, hear his heart beat, and the distant crunch of his shoes on the dirt. He was skilled, she'd give him that, but her new abilities granted her an enhanced awareness that he wasn't able to get around. She wondered how far he would track her into the woods; it almost felt like a game. Had the Prince tasked Orion with making sure she behaved? Kira briefly considered using her psychic magic to pry into his thoughts, but dismissed the idea as a waste of time. The last time she had tried that on a blight-born it had drained her energy with little reward. Instead, she decided to revel in the mystery and wait for him to reveal himself.

Rather than worry about him, she focused on her next meal. Humans were hard to come by while living in Dawnhaven, which was unfortunate. The Prince made it a point to know each and every individual personally, so anyone suddenly going missing would be noticed. This forced her to look outside the village, which was frustrating at times. As the weather grew harsher, the weary road travelers were beginning to disappear, and military patrols became less frequent. While humans were the most satisfying, they weren't her only option. For the past month, she had been sustaining herself on animals: squirrels, rabbits, deer — anything she could hunt to avoid preying on the innocent citizens of Dawnhaven. She felt disgusted with herself nearly every time, but it had become necessary. The refuge Dawnhaven provided was too valuable to give up. At least for now.

Suddenly, the scent of human blood hit Kira like a brick wall. She halted in her tracks, her eyes dilating and mouth salivating. It had been so long since she had come in contact with human blood... Her eyes darted back toward town, taking note of the oblivious Aurelian guards. Then, her bright orange eyes found Orion, revealing to him that she knew exactly where he was. She locked eyes with him for a brief moment, silently asking if he, too, could smell what she did. The prospect of a human to feed on was tantalizing, but the scent's proximity to town was concerning. Had someone been attacked without the guards noticing? Reaching into her girdle, Kira pulled out a hidden dagger and bolted toward the scent. She didn't want to alert the town if it was a false alarm, but she would handle any threat herself if there was one. Plus, she was certain Orion would be on her heels soon enough.

Coming up on the target, Kira slowed her pace and quietly moved off the path, weaving between the trees of the dense forest. Although she had been highly skilled in stealth all her life, the blight had altered her eyes so drastically that they now gave off a glow. In the eternal darkness, she was hard to miss unless she had her eyes closed. It was one of the more infuriating things the blight had taken from her.

Crouching now, Kira stepped lightly as she moved closer to the beast that was giving off such a strong smell of fresh blood. She crept near a bush, narrowing her eyes as she peered at the creature through it's dying leaves. “A man... ” she thought, watching him bite into the squirming body of a squirrel. “Blight-Born....” She stayed silent, observing. His clothing was drenched in human blood, which explained the scent she had picked up on from so far away. But why was he feeding on a squirrel now if he had clearly just slayed people?

"I know where you are. Come out! Face me!"

As he turned towards her, Kira raised a brow at the mans own glowing red eyes. Someone who had the same affliction as her? Now this was interesting. Kira gripped her dagger more securely, ready to jam it into the mans jugular if he advanced towards her. Blight-Born were unpredictable, and though she was curious, she wasn't about to trust him. He seemed rabid, unable to control his hunger.

Slowly, Kira stood from the cover of the bushes to reveal herself to him, her dagger hidden in her hand beneath her black cloak. “Such a shame.” She sighed, looking towards the lifeless body of the squirrel on the ground and resisting the urge to check where Orion was. “You took my snack.” She pouted and locked eyes with the stranger, holding the pout for a moment before her gaze hardened. Kira stepped forward, her glowing eyes narrowing as she assessed the blood-covered figure. “Why do you reek of human blood?” She asked bluntly, “Answer carefully now. I have little patience for liars.” Her voice was cold, each word laced with with an undercurrent of threat.

---

_{Interactions: Orion @Qia, Willis @BOOM}

Realms of Sun & Shadow

@amorphical I think a collab post would be best for that, if @Girlie Go Boom is down to do that as well. That way you can both describe at the same time how they are both feeling in the moment without over stepping any boundaries on what @Girlie Go Boom wants for Na'Ri.

Realms of Sun & Shadow

Location: The Eye of The Beholder

“No stew for me, Syraeia, but thank you. Perhaps at a later time.” Flynn slightly bowed his head to her in gratitude for her service before returning his attention back to his wife as she directed Lord Coswain and his comrades. Flynn agreed with Octavia's assessment, Dawnhaven needed assistance in getting more buildings constructed quickly, especially before the harsh winter arrived. As they discussed matters, Flynn's gaze wandered curiously over to the tan woman who had pleasantly greeted the royal couple - Naz'Riani LaReina. Though they hadn't interacted much during their time in Dawnhaven thus far, Flynn knew of her renowned reputation for being a spectacular entertainer for the Lunarian royal family previously. He had considered seeing one of her shows here at the inn, but had not found the opportunity just yet. Honestly, it had been low on his list of priorities. However, observing Naz'Riani now, he couldn't help but notice the way she stared at Octavia. A hint of jealousy briefly flashed through him. He had seen that look in a women's eyes many times before. Intrigued, he arched a brow, suddenly more interested in learning more about the minstrel of Dawnhaven.

Redirecting his focus to his wife, Flynn smiled, satisfied with Octavia's choice and relieved that Lord Coswain did not oppose her suggestion. Could it be that the military unit had less sinister motives than Flynn initially suspected? Or perhaps they were still merely playing the political game of diplomacy for now. “Brilliant.” The Prince chimed in, stepping away from Syraeia and returning to Octavia's side. “Syraeia will get you taken care of here. Take the day to get settled and meet with me tomorrow. We will get you started with the construction tasks.” While Flynn wasn't well-versed in construction himself, he had been lending a hand with the manual labor of it all when he could. Fortunately, he had brought along a small group of carpenters and architects from Aurelia who were spearheading the operation, but there was only so much they could get done with so few hands.

“I'm afraid we must be on our way now.” Flynn announced, his gaze meeting Octavia's to silently inquire if she would accompany him out of the inn. Getting introduced to Lord Coswain had been beneficial, but they needed to continue their search for Sunni. As he turned towards the exit, Flynn spotted Dawnhaven's new blacksmith amidst the growing crowd. Though they had never met, Flynn recognized Wenyr instantly from the description provided by the noble benefactor who had recommended that Wenyr join them in Dawnhaven. “Ah, Wenyr. Good Morning,” Flynn greeted warmly as he approached the man, happy to see a fellow Aurelian. “I'm glad to see you made it.” He clasped Wenyr's shoulder, offering a light reassuring squeeze. “The Eye of the Beholder is a good place to acquaint yourself with everyone.” Flynn stepped back and made his way towards the door once more. “I will be sure to meet with you more formally soon. For now, please make yourself comfortable.”

Opening up the door, Flynn looked towards Octavia and held it open for her to step out into the village square. “Shall we?” He asked, calling back to their earlier private exchange where he had asked her to enter the tavern with him. As he waited for her response, his mind reminded him of the jealousy he had felt over her just moments before. It struck him as peculiar. Could he truly feel that way over her already? The only time he had felt that intense green rage rise up in his chest before was with his former lover, the woman he had believed he was going to marry before duty bound him to Octavia. It had only been two months, and Octavia had remained distant throughout, yet he clearly had a strong reaction at the mere thought that someone else might pose a threat to their marriage.

---

_{Interactions: Octavia @The Savant, Lord Coswain & Syraeia @PrinceAlexus, Wenyr @Fetzen
Mentions: Na'Ri @Girlie Go Boom}

Realms of Sun & Shadow

Location: The Village Square

“And how are you, specifically, Eris?”

A shiver ran down Eris' spine as Pleiades gently touched her hair, the intensity of his full attention making her feel weak and vulnerable. She froze like a hare before a predator, cheeks already flushed from her earlier embarrassment in front of Sunni, her blue eyes now locked on the bird-like man before her. He was unlike anything she had ever encountered before and she found that fascinating, but terrifying too. He could be unpredictable, but the worst part was the type of blight-born he was. She had never come across his specific kind before, but she had heard the stories. Despite never imagining an attraction to a bird-like creature, Pleiades held a certain allure to him that tugged at her soul whenever he spoke and rested his gaze upon her. His presence alone seemed to cloud her mind, tantalizing her, and urging her logical thoughts to fade away for awhile. He was dangerous.

As Sunni grabbed her hand and forcibly pulled her away, Eris stumbled, caught off guard as she was ripped from her petrified trance. Looking down at their intertwined hands, her cheeks deepened to a crimson hue, but she willingly followed his lead without protest. She was grateful for Sunni, truly. Had she been alone with Pleiades, she wasn't sure what would have happened. She had been avoiding Pleiades this whole time for a reason. "I'm not cut out for this..." She thought, reminded of her brothers criticisms.

“Good morning,” Eris looked over her shoulder to find Elara, the beautiful Lunarian handmaiden who Eris admired for the confidence and positivity she often exuded. “It seems we're all quite busy today, already.”

Eris felt the pull from Sunni immediately stop just then, and her hand cast aside. She glanced over to Sunni, who now had his full attention on Elara. Feeling somewhat safe at a mild distance from Pleiades, Eris began to worry that Elara would get caught in his grasp instead and suffer some kind of consequence from the blight-born man. "Good Morning, Elara." Eris spoke softly, but had finally found her voice. "Sunni was just taking me to... uhm..." She paused, remembering what Sunni had said earlier about her requested order of Emberbloom. "Well... to his room." She realized how odd that sounded, but couldn't stop herself from saying it. "To- .. For an order! An order I had. Uh... would you care to join us?" Eris bit the inner corner of her lower lip, her brain begging for her mouth to stop speaking. It sounded odd.. but it was true! At least... she thought so.

---

_{Interactions: Sunni, Pleiades @The Savant, Elara @Qia}

Realms of Sun & Shadow

@amorphical If they are both feeding off each other at the same time then there probably isn't much gain. I think it would vary on each situation though depending on which types are involved - if they are lovers and feeding in the heat of the moment then an emotional or sexual type blight born is going to get a lot more out of that than the rest of them would. They'd have to be careful not to totally over power the other person involved and avoid killing them as well haha

Realms of Sun & Shadow

@amorphical Great post! I'm sure Olivia will have tons to feed on in the tavern haha Also, her coat is so fabulous! I love it lol

Realms of Sun & Shadow

Location: The Village Square

Leaning against the base of a pine tree, hidden in the shadows, Kira quietly observed a scene unfold before her in the village square. The Aurelian Prince speaking to the Princess before holding hands and entering the tavern as a united front. The hyper-sexual birdman, Pleiades, flying overhead and roosting atop the tavern, achieving a far better view of the town than she had. The Prince's right-hand-man, Orion, posting up outside the establishment to keep guard. And then, best of all, that wholesome little Sage Eris taking a tumble head first into the dirt while the red-headed merchant struggled to act quickly enough to catch her. Kira nearly laughed out loud at the sound Eris had squeaked out when she fell. “Serves her right.” Kira thought, having a disdain for all Sages these days. Eris had poked, prodded and interrogated Kira incessantly over the past two months, so she couldn't help but take some satisfaction in the woman's misfortune.

However, as the silver haired woman known as the Handmaiden to the Princess entered the scene, Kira's amusement vanished instantly. Her eyes, glowing brightly in the shadows, began to dilate. Her attention fully focused in on the woman as she stopped to speak with Sunni and Eris. With her heightened senses, Kira honed in on the sound of Elara's heartbeat. Even from over 100 feet away, Kira could smell the blood coursing through her veins. A familiar hunger began to settle in, and Kira fought the urge to bare her fangs and sink them into the woman's pale neck.

Kira closed her eyes and took a deep breath, trying to push her feral thoughts away. “Not her, not her, not her. Not.... Her....” Kira repeated to herself, continuing to inhale the crisp winter air. For nearly two months now, Kira had been avoiding Elara, despite having known her during her time at the capital. Both were servants to the Kingdom and they had bonded over that in their younger years, even though their lines of service had been vastly different. Nonetheless, they both lived in the castle under the heels of the royal family.

When Kira had arrived in Dawnhaven seeking refuge, now a blight-born monster, she had initially been happy to see Elara's familiar face. At least she would have someone to converse with! However, Kira quickly realized she could not allow herself near Elara. Something about her blood type made Kira feel uncontrollable. It was different than all the rest; sweeter, almost. If only she could just try a little.... “No!” She thought, cutting off her thoughts before they turned darker. “I have to get out of here.” She thought, feeling sweat beginning to bead up on her forehead as she resisted her instincts.

Leaving the village square, Kira began to head for the northern exit. If she didn't want to think about getting a taste of her childhood friend all night, she'd need to hunt something down instead...

---

_{Mentions: Elara, Orion @Qia, Sunni, Octavia, Pleiades @The Savant, Eris}

Realms of Sun & Shadow

@BOOM Looks great! Go ahead and post him :)