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I hope you feel better
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Welcome to the Community Forums at HiveWire 3D! Please note that the user name you choose for our forum will be displayed to the public. Our store was closed as January 4, 2021. You can find HiveWire 3D and Lisa's Botanicals products, as well as many of our Contributing Artists, at Renderosity. This thread lists where many are now selling their products. Renderosity is generously putting products which were purchased at HiveWire 3D and are now sold at their store into customer accounts by gifting them. This is not an overnight process so please be patient, if you have already emailed them about this. If you have NOT emailed them, please see the 2nd post in this thread for instructions on what you need to do
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In the distant, gathering darkness I heard a faint voice whisper to me "You may know your destination, but not your path. Wander carefully the forest of lost dreams, and become a dream lost in the forest."
"What happened? Where are we?" "The chanting has gone amiss!" "This place has not been seen by my mind's eye before."
"The others were dazed by this mislocation, and it seemed unaware of the grave danger we were in. Our energy was spent from the dance of worlds, all of us, and battle was unexpected. We were in unfamiliar lands, unarmed, and nearly exhausted. Even as I staggered to my feet and looked around I could see Bormo helping Nott to her feet - her complexion pale and waxy as I had never seen before - normally a dazzling and exotic dark tone with just the hints of a golden sunrise. Moirai, already on her feet, was strangely calm - which perhaps made me even more unnerved as it was strange as a hurricane without wind. In one of her milky white hands she held forth a crooked stick, almost as if presenting it to me, before turning her back to me. For the briefest of moments I caught a flash of green from beneath her hood, and so wished I could see her face once more...it had been long, and the memory of her beauty was a dim echo.
"We are not alone, something moves in the shadows" Oneroi warned as he pulled himself from the forest floor, bringing me back from my wandering thoughts.
I could hear it now, closer, heavy panting, moving to one side, then turning back the other way as it drew closer, as a great beast herding it's prey might do. My hands slid across the ground, through the grass and underbrush, feeling about in the dew and the mist, until within my grip I could feel a branch. It was gnarled and crooked, but still had the slight spring of life recently fallen from the tree - it would have to do.
"A bough, a branch, or a stave" I exclaimed in a softer tone, hoping not to be heard by our enemy. The others nodded, and they too quickly fumbled about in the dark and the mist, gathering up crooked and bent branches of varying thickness and lengths as staves. Each in turn drawing it to their lips and whispering ancient rhymes and rhythms, breathing into the branch a portion of life, and drawing forth a measure of spirit.
"Another low, rasping growl rolled through the night.
"I reached out, touching each of my four companions minds lightly "We must form a barrier, and quickly. Follow my lead." I heard the quaternary echo of consent and began my movements quickly. I planted my makeshift staff in the soils and began to whisper in ancient tongues, my movements and tones echoed four times over as we arranged ourselves back to back. With my free hand I made subtle tracings and symbols in the air, my feet tracing out patterns of their own in the soft earth, almost as if a fast dance. As the steps and motions unfolded, we each in turn took steps to one side and back, and repeated it over again, dragging the staffs in the dirt, marking out a boundary beyond the spiral designs traced by our feet. Over, and over, and over again, until the lines drawn by each connected to those started by the companion to our left...and an unbroken circle and mosaic took form on the earth around us. Each in turn grasped our staves in two hands, raising them above our heads, and driving them firmly into the ground with our final chant.
"It was just in time we finished the chant and closed the circle, as the noise acquired shape and form to go with it. Bestial swirls of black and violet, not quite cat, not quite bear, but a little bit of both, though as a shadow given form, lunged from the black of the forest with a roar. Eyes were ablaze and teeth almost seemed as neon lights against it's unnatural black body whose shape seemed to be changing ad shifting even as I watched it. It plunged headlong at me, rearing up, forelegs and claws extended, and smashed against our barrier. It almost seemed to break apart into mist and smoke as it fell backward, twisting along it's body, and landing on newly formed paws with an annoyed snarl. It's shoulders arched, it's gaze fixed on me, and it began to walk in a slow, predatory crawl along the perimeter of the circle.
"With Me, I must keep it's gaze," I whispered to my companions, as we slowly turned in unison, back to back. The beast gave a snort that almost seemed like amusement, then stopped suddenly and shifted direction. We, too, changed direction, so I could keep the creatures gaze, my staff held firmly before me, still churning the dirt where it dug into the ground of the circle. I could sense a malign intellect behind this beast, trying to shield itself from detection, wanting to seem savage and undirected, but with a definite purpose and pattern to it.
"Name yourself!" I shouted at the black form, and it froze in mid-step, lowering it's head slightly. For the briefest of moments I dared to hope I had startled whoever was controlling it, or whatever force was behind it. It became all to clear the shock was more that I recognized more to it that it wanted, as it regained it's prowling, a vicious smile overtaking it's muzzle. I must confess I was taken aback a heartbeat later when it's own voice coalesced, not bestial, or feral, but a voice I felt I should have recognized but could not.
"So, you managed a barrier. How long can you maintain it? An hour? Two? All Night?" it spoke in casual and measured tones. "I must say, I was sure you would be too weak to mount any defense at all Dreamwalker, but you merely delay the inevitable. You are on borrowed time, using borrowed spirit to hold me at bay, but I will have you."
"It was so confident, so sure...and worst of all, it was right. We could not maintain this barrier long, even pooling our energy and drawing from that around us. We certainly did not have the essence of reverie needed for a battle of any sort. The timing, urgency, and coincidence of this encounter was not lost on me - it had unfolded to some grand and careful design...but who's?
"What happened? Where are we?" "The chanting has gone amiss!" "This place has not been seen by my mind's eye before."
"The others were dazed by this mislocation, and it seemed unaware of the grave danger we were in. Our energy was spent from the dance of worlds, all of us, and battle was unexpected. We were in unfamiliar lands, unarmed, and nearly exhausted. Even as I staggered to my feet and looked around I could see Bormo helping Nott to her feet - her complexion pale and waxy as I had never seen before - normally a dazzling and exotic dark tone with just the hints of a golden sunrise. Moirai, already on her feet, was strangely calm - which perhaps made me even more unnerved as it was strange as a hurricane without wind. In one of her milky white hands she held forth a crooked stick, almost as if presenting it to me, before turning her back to me. For the briefest of moments I caught a flash of green from beneath her hood, and so wished I could see her face once more...it had been long, and the memory of her beauty was a dim echo.
"We are not alone, something moves in the shadows" Oneroi warned as he pulled himself from the forest floor, bringing me back from my wandering thoughts.
I could hear it now, closer, heavy panting, moving to one side, then turning back the other way as it drew closer, as a great beast herding it's prey might do. My hands slid across the ground, through the grass and underbrush, feeling about in the dew and the mist, until within my grip I could feel a branch. It was gnarled and crooked, but still had the slight spring of life recently fallen from the tree - it would have to do.
"A bough, a branch, or a stave" I exclaimed in a softer tone, hoping not to be heard by our enemy. The others nodded, and they too quickly fumbled about in the dark and the mist, gathering up crooked and bent branches of varying thickness and lengths as staves. Each in turn drawing it to their lips and whispering ancient rhymes and rhythms, breathing into the branch a portion of life, and drawing forth a measure of spirit.
"Another low, rasping growl rolled through the night.
"I reached out, touching each of my four companions minds lightly "We must form a barrier, and quickly. Follow my lead." I heard the quaternary echo of consent and began my movements quickly. I planted my makeshift staff in the soils and began to whisper in ancient tongues, my movements and tones echoed four times over as we arranged ourselves back to back. With my free hand I made subtle tracings and symbols in the air, my feet tracing out patterns of their own in the soft earth, almost as if a fast dance. As the steps and motions unfolded, we each in turn took steps to one side and back, and repeated it over again, dragging the staffs in the dirt, marking out a boundary beyond the spiral designs traced by our feet. Over, and over, and over again, until the lines drawn by each connected to those started by the companion to our left...and an unbroken circle and mosaic took form on the earth around us. Each in turn grasped our staves in two hands, raising them above our heads, and driving them firmly into the ground with our final chant.
"It was just in time we finished the chant and closed the circle, as the noise acquired shape and form to go with it. Bestial swirls of black and violet, not quite cat, not quite bear, but a little bit of both, though as a shadow given form, lunged from the black of the forest with a roar. Eyes were ablaze and teeth almost seemed as neon lights against it's unnatural black body whose shape seemed to be changing ad shifting even as I watched it. It plunged headlong at me, rearing up, forelegs and claws extended, and smashed against our barrier. It almost seemed to break apart into mist and smoke as it fell backward, twisting along it's body, and landing on newly formed paws with an annoyed snarl. It's shoulders arched, it's gaze fixed on me, and it began to walk in a slow, predatory crawl along the perimeter of the circle.
"With Me, I must keep it's gaze," I whispered to my companions, as we slowly turned in unison, back to back. The beast gave a snort that almost seemed like amusement, then stopped suddenly and shifted direction. We, too, changed direction, so I could keep the creatures gaze, my staff held firmly before me, still churning the dirt where it dug into the ground of the circle. I could sense a malign intellect behind this beast, trying to shield itself from detection, wanting to seem savage and undirected, but with a definite purpose and pattern to it.
"Name yourself!" I shouted at the black form, and it froze in mid-step, lowering it's head slightly. For the briefest of moments I dared to hope I had startled whoever was controlling it, or whatever force was behind it. It became all to clear the shock was more that I recognized more to it that it wanted, as it regained it's prowling, a vicious smile overtaking it's muzzle. I must confess I was taken aback a heartbeat later when it's own voice coalesced, not bestial, or feral, but a voice I felt I should have recognized but could not.
"So, you managed a barrier. How long can you maintain it? An hour? Two? All Night?" it spoke in casual and measured tones. "I must say, I was sure you would be too weak to mount any defense at all Dreamwalker, but you merely delay the inevitable. You are on borrowed time, using borrowed spirit to hold me at bay, but I will have you."
"It was so confident, so sure...and worst of all, it was right. We could not maintain this barrier long, even pooling our energy and drawing from that around us. We certainly did not have the essence of reverie needed for a battle of any sort. The timing, urgency, and coincidence of this encounter was not lost on me - it had unfolded to some grand and careful design...but who's?
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wow... it's been almost a month... I need to get these next couple passages finished then...
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Deleted member 325
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"The beast continued to pace, and circle, studying the barrier, probing for weaknesses. Black mist swirled about it, from it, within it, as it moved. I could feel it's strength growing, taking in the shadows and darkness around it... or perhaps it was our strength, my comrades and I, weakening.
"Think fast you old fool!" I cursed to myself...
"You are only delaying the inevitable," the shadow beast snarled, "While your futile resistance is delicious it is also annoying. I do have other things I could be doing, so why waste all of our time? I will breach this barrier. I promise you, if you simply surrender, I will make all of your deaths quick and painless. Far more merciful than you deserve, Usurper!"
"I knew know, without a doubt, this was personal. Why was still a question lost in shadow. Usurper? Userper of what? I am not king, or chieftain. My mind reeled and screamed for answers, despite more pressing issues at hand. Still, as long as I kept him talking, I could keep him from noticing the cracks beginning to form in the barrier. On the down side, the longer I kept talking, the longer I was distracted from finding some thing, some trick, some shred of energy, some ally to aide us.
"You have me at a loss, shade - obviously you have some personal vexation with me, but I do not know you. Why not show yourself?"
The shadowcat paused momentarily and sneered, before shifting direction again, "I think not. Not yet. Perhaps, when the last moments of breath are escaping you, then I will let you see me, old friend."
"Are you afraid?" it was a rhetorical question really, I already knew his answer, but I also knew the truth...I could sense it...ever so faintly. This grand masquerade, the deceptions, the elaborate plans, whoever it was feared me yet, and feared... what... retaliation? revenge? No... I something more subtle...but it danced just out of reach of reasoning. Old friend was perhaps another important clue, despite the dripping sarcasm it was spat with... puzzles in darkness, all of it.
"Fear?!" it roared, lunging at the barrier again, and I could feel an ever so slight give before the beast reeled off of it in pain...at least it was hurt.
"Drop your barrier and I will teach you fear!"
"Perhaps you should not taunt the beast, given our situation" Oneroi chastised in a rasping whisper, and was seconded by Nott.
"I am open to suggestions," I sent to their minds, hoping this shade did not have the ability to eavesdrop on our commune of musing. While not surprised by the lack of immediate responses, it still made my heart sink. Surely the five of us had escaped far more dangerous and dreadful predicaments, hadn't we... or was that perhaps only in dreams within dreams?
"It was Moira's uneasily calm voice that broke the silence in all of our minds, "The nature of the beast is not as it appears. The behavior is as much a mask as is it's form."
"Her voice came again, and I thought I sensed the slightest hint of frustration at my lack of understanding, "Even in darkness, embers of light flicker, if you know where to look."
"I watched the shadow beast more closely now, tuning out it's mocking banter and calls for my surrender. Carefully I followed it's moves as it paced the ground, and stopped suddenly, turning... I thought, for the briefest moment I could almost see it wince in pain, as if stung or stepping on a thorn, causing it to suddenly shift direction. This drew my focus even more intently now, as it strode the dirt, I watched each paw rise and fall with unwavering seriousness. There, as it was making a step, a brief flash of orange in the grass as the smokey, swirling shadow of form came down...and almost appeared to burn away at the flickering ember of a casual firefly! Yes, Fireflies, allies did indeed exist in this overcast and darkness choked forest after all. Perhaps one firefly was a mere annoyance, a sting of a bee or bite of a mosquito, but a swarm might just bring enough light to dispel this shade.
"Think fast you old fool!" I cursed to myself...
"You are only delaying the inevitable," the shadow beast snarled, "While your futile resistance is delicious it is also annoying. I do have other things I could be doing, so why waste all of our time? I will breach this barrier. I promise you, if you simply surrender, I will make all of your deaths quick and painless. Far more merciful than you deserve, Usurper!"
"I knew know, without a doubt, this was personal. Why was still a question lost in shadow. Usurper? Userper of what? I am not king, or chieftain. My mind reeled and screamed for answers, despite more pressing issues at hand. Still, as long as I kept him talking, I could keep him from noticing the cracks beginning to form in the barrier. On the down side, the longer I kept talking, the longer I was distracted from finding some thing, some trick, some shred of energy, some ally to aide us.
"You have me at a loss, shade - obviously you have some personal vexation with me, but I do not know you. Why not show yourself?"
The shadowcat paused momentarily and sneered, before shifting direction again, "I think not. Not yet. Perhaps, when the last moments of breath are escaping you, then I will let you see me, old friend."
"Are you afraid?" it was a rhetorical question really, I already knew his answer, but I also knew the truth...I could sense it...ever so faintly. This grand masquerade, the deceptions, the elaborate plans, whoever it was feared me yet, and feared... what... retaliation? revenge? No... I something more subtle...but it danced just out of reach of reasoning. Old friend was perhaps another important clue, despite the dripping sarcasm it was spat with... puzzles in darkness, all of it.
"Fear?!" it roared, lunging at the barrier again, and I could feel an ever so slight give before the beast reeled off of it in pain...at least it was hurt.
"Drop your barrier and I will teach you fear!"
"Perhaps you should not taunt the beast, given our situation" Oneroi chastised in a rasping whisper, and was seconded by Nott.
"I am open to suggestions," I sent to their minds, hoping this shade did not have the ability to eavesdrop on our commune of musing. While not surprised by the lack of immediate responses, it still made my heart sink. Surely the five of us had escaped far more dangerous and dreadful predicaments, hadn't we... or was that perhaps only in dreams within dreams?
"It was Moira's uneasily calm voice that broke the silence in all of our minds, "The nature of the beast is not as it appears. The behavior is as much a mask as is it's form."
"Her voice came again, and I thought I sensed the slightest hint of frustration at my lack of understanding, "Even in darkness, embers of light flicker, if you know where to look."
"I watched the shadow beast more closely now, tuning out it's mocking banter and calls for my surrender. Carefully I followed it's moves as it paced the ground, and stopped suddenly, turning... I thought, for the briefest moment I could almost see it wince in pain, as if stung or stepping on a thorn, causing it to suddenly shift direction. This drew my focus even more intently now, as it strode the dirt, I watched each paw rise and fall with unwavering seriousness. There, as it was making a step, a brief flash of orange in the grass as the smokey, swirling shadow of form came down...and almost appeared to burn away at the flickering ember of a casual firefly! Yes, Fireflies, allies did indeed exist in this overcast and darkness choked forest after all. Perhaps one firefly was a mere annoyance, a sting of a bee or bite of a mosquito, but a swarm might just bring enough light to dispel this shade.
It is so hard to believe I started this so many years ago - how my life has been derailed in that time. I had so much more planned, and some written, I will need to find those passages and return to this. I hate that I have left you all hanging. I am just unsure if my writing skills are still up to snuff.
Long overdue...I had to rewrite this next passage three times due to data loss... I am saddened LisaB is not here to enjoy as she seemed to enjoy the first few passages.
Though writing lately comes at great cost, so much bad has happened it is difficult to focus. I will at least finish this chapter in honor of LisaB.
"We will burn this shadow away with light," I mused to the others. "We must work together to call the fireflies to our aide... and we must be discreet." It was fortunate it still seemed as if this phantom could not hear our mind to mind musing, or it was playing a much deeper and
longer game than I imagined.
"What" The incredulity of the idea saturated Onerai's single worded question. "How can mere insects fight this beast?"
"Nott, and I will help call the swarms, Onerai and Moirai - you must reinforce the barrier" Bormo wasted no time in asserting as the beast threw itself against the barrier again.
Nott cut in quickly, "I have no power over Fireflies, they are of the light and the flame."
I could sense doubt heavily in Onerai's thoughts, "how are we to be discreet in such a summoning while also keeping the beast at bay?"
"We can not hope to fight this wraith with mere fireflies" came heavy and fearful waves through the musing, threatening to disrupt the harmony. I was unsure whose thoughts they were, they almost seemed a distant cry in the night. I could sense the others all looking to me with my scrying - I could sense their growing concerns - the chorus threatened to break. The barrier shook again and I felt it's ethereal form begin to give with the beast once again throwing itself against the immaterial shield.
I shot a quick retort at one of the shades insults as it paced to keep it distracted from the hidden happenings before musing "Moira, Bormo, you will aide me in calling the swarms, Oneroi and Not you must hold the barrier while we work. We have no time for squabbling, I fear this beast feeds on our despair. We mustn't underestimate this shade, I feel it is but a shadow puppet of a very practiced chess player - he may already be prepared for us. We will use the ancient arts - the Mudra." This did not sit well with the others, though while they did not muse it, I could feel the unease through our commune.
You have grown slow in your age, old man" the spectral panther snorted, "or is it you realize you are in checkmate?" It's hubris was almost a tangible force - but it may also have been deserved. Unless I was going mad, not entirely an unreasonable possibility, it had gotten bigger since it's first attak on us. Yes, it was definitely bigger, and still growing. I could see it now, though very slow, almost barely perceptible. It was as if the beast was feeding on the darkness, drawing it in and making it part of itself. Things were far more dire than I first realized.
I began to carefully sign the Mudras with one hand while I maintained a firm grip and continued the careful patterns of my staff that held the shield with the other. It was my greatest hope that these subtle changes of movement would go unnoticed by the shade that confronted us. As I wove the sygils and aetheric threads I began to faintly hear the fireflies in my mind. They were few and small at first - the tiny whispers of children in the dark. The spell began to project our consciousness further outward, connecting Moira, Bormo, Myself, and the fireflies into a commonality. With each completed Mudra there were more and more fireflies in the union - thousands of them spread throughout the forest. The small and tiny voices had now become a symphony. They began to move from their hiding places in the forest of night, and gather and swarm, gaining brightness and force. They agreed to honor the old alliances of light and aide us."
I hope to have the final stages of this chapter soon, but can not make promises at this time.
Though writing lately comes at great cost, so much bad has happened it is difficult to focus. I will at least finish this chapter in honor of LisaB.
"We will burn this shadow away with light," I mused to the others. "We must work together to call the fireflies to our aide... and we must be discreet." It was fortunate it still seemed as if this phantom could not hear our mind to mind musing, or it was playing a much deeper and
longer game than I imagined.
"What" The incredulity of the idea saturated Onerai's single worded question. "How can mere insects fight this beast?"
"Nott, and I will help call the swarms, Onerai and Moirai - you must reinforce the barrier" Bormo wasted no time in asserting as the beast threw itself against the barrier again.
Nott cut in quickly, "I have no power over Fireflies, they are of the light and the flame."
I could sense doubt heavily in Onerai's thoughts, "how are we to be discreet in such a summoning while also keeping the beast at bay?"
"We can not hope to fight this wraith with mere fireflies" came heavy and fearful waves through the musing, threatening to disrupt the harmony. I was unsure whose thoughts they were, they almost seemed a distant cry in the night. I could sense the others all looking to me with my scrying - I could sense their growing concerns - the chorus threatened to break. The barrier shook again and I felt it's ethereal form begin to give with the beast once again throwing itself against the immaterial shield.
I shot a quick retort at one of the shades insults as it paced to keep it distracted from the hidden happenings before musing "Moira, Bormo, you will aide me in calling the swarms, Oneroi and Not you must hold the barrier while we work. We have no time for squabbling, I fear this beast feeds on our despair. We mustn't underestimate this shade, I feel it is but a shadow puppet of a very practiced chess player - he may already be prepared for us. We will use the ancient arts - the Mudra." This did not sit well with the others, though while they did not muse it, I could feel the unease through our commune.
You have grown slow in your age, old man" the spectral panther snorted, "or is it you realize you are in checkmate?" It's hubris was almost a tangible force - but it may also have been deserved. Unless I was going mad, not entirely an unreasonable possibility, it had gotten bigger since it's first attak on us. Yes, it was definitely bigger, and still growing. I could see it now, though very slow, almost barely perceptible. It was as if the beast was feeding on the darkness, drawing it in and making it part of itself. Things were far more dire than I first realized.
I began to carefully sign the Mudras with one hand while I maintained a firm grip and continued the careful patterns of my staff that held the shield with the other. It was my greatest hope that these subtle changes of movement would go unnoticed by the shade that confronted us. As I wove the sygils and aetheric threads I began to faintly hear the fireflies in my mind. They were few and small at first - the tiny whispers of children in the dark. The spell began to project our consciousness further outward, connecting Moira, Bormo, Myself, and the fireflies into a commonality. With each completed Mudra there were more and more fireflies in the union - thousands of them spread throughout the forest. The small and tiny voices had now become a symphony. They began to move from their hiding places in the forest of night, and gather and swarm, gaining brightness and force. They agreed to honor the old alliances of light and aide us."
I hope to have the final stages of this chapter soon, but can not make promises at this time.
"You have learned nothing from the October war," the shade snarled as it continued to circle and test the barrier. "Did your arrogance then not extol a high enough price? No, I can see from the company you keep you still want to live in the past - trying to ignore what you lost." The beasts voice seemed to gain a sadistic glee as it continued, "How much of your essence and reverie do you waste on this charade?" Suddenly the creature froze in it's tracks, it's body tensed, and it's eyes narrowed - It knew something was amiss!
"You are distracted" the shadow snarled, it's voice far more forceful than before. It crouched low and seemed to begin drawing in the night around us for strength. The corner's of it's mouth peeled back to reveal it's fangs as it prepared to lunge. "I see you still have tricks! No matter, you can not hope to divide your focus three ways and still hold this barrier! Your time ends now! Now I will show you the error of your hubris and revisit upon you all of your lies!"
It was on to us. Time was shorter than I had hoped, and I made one final push to muster the conclave of firelies in the hopes they would be strong enough. They seemed to understand the plan, though the risk to them was equally high. The shade's voice grew more disturbing, "Your three companions will not be able to save you - when they are gone will you only hang on to more ghosts? Will you weave more lies?"
"The beast grows desperate and can not count" Onerai's mood seemed slightly uplifted at the thought - but mine only darkened. There was some sinister reality to it's statement that lodged in my mind like a poisoned stone...three companions? Was one of the five of us the cause
of this? Behind this?
With a roar the umbral monstrosity lunged toward the barrier, and for a moment I could feel the despair of my companions as a tangible force within the commune of our minds - and it threatened to break our alliance. As the beast of night lunged, a great lion formed of the embers of countless fireflies collided against its rib-cage and sent it reeling sideways with a howl.
"You are distracted" the shadow snarled, it's voice far more forceful than before. It crouched low and seemed to begin drawing in the night around us for strength. The corner's of it's mouth peeled back to reveal it's fangs as it prepared to lunge. "I see you still have tricks! No matter, you can not hope to divide your focus three ways and still hold this barrier! Your time ends now! Now I will show you the error of your hubris and revisit upon you all of your lies!"
It was on to us. Time was shorter than I had hoped, and I made one final push to muster the conclave of firelies in the hopes they would be strong enough. They seemed to understand the plan, though the risk to them was equally high. The shade's voice grew more disturbing, "Your three companions will not be able to save you - when they are gone will you only hang on to more ghosts? Will you weave more lies?"
"The beast grows desperate and can not count" Onerai's mood seemed slightly uplifted at the thought - but mine only darkened. There was some sinister reality to it's statement that lodged in my mind like a poisoned stone...three companions? Was one of the five of us the cause
of this? Behind this?
With a roar the umbral monstrosity lunged toward the barrier, and for a moment I could feel the despair of my companions as a tangible force within the commune of our minds - and it threatened to break our alliance. As the beast of night lunged, a great lion formed of the embers of countless fireflies collided against its rib-cage and sent it reeling sideways with a howl.
I think that would be cruel to readers. I was just being snarky. Though I am concerned that my writing has deteriorated in the years since I started this and I may not be able to do the conflict justice. In my mind's eye it is quite a spectacle...but these days I sometimes find I struggle for words.
I think all writers no matter how experienced at times doubt themselves and also it would take time to get used to writing again. Give yourself the time to just write before judging yourself too harshly in terms of what you write. You're one step ahead of me at least you're trying and writing. I keep meaning to have a go but never getting there.
I've heard authors who get paid say the important thing is to just write...
I've heard authors who get paid say the important thing is to just write...
The nocturne feline crashed to the forest floor, tumbling and rolling, shrieking in pain. Branches cracked and splintered beneath it as it tumbled. It had seemed to have been deeply wounded. Whisps of purple and black smoke ebbed from it's side as if blood. It's face twisted to a mask of shock and surprise as it scrambled to regain it's footing. The Lion of light pushed the attack, following through with a bounding lunge towards the stricken shade. The beast of night had just managed to regain it's poise when the two collided again, and it was once more sent wildly careening sideways. The Lion of fire pressed the attack, but this time the great shadow cat was ready for it, and the two collided head on. They both reared up on their hind legs, swatting and swiping at one another with their paws. With each hit from the conclave of fireflies, gouges were torn into the shadow and smoke of the night cat, and too, with each hit from those shadowy claws fireflies were flung from the swarm, their frail and broken bodies spiraling to the forest floor. The two great avatars of light and dark continued to wrestle, and swat, and bite - rolling and tumbling across the forest floor as they fought. At the start it had clearly seemed that the Swarm of fireflies had the upper hand, though as the fight continued and more and more embers flickered and died, it was clear that the firelion was diminishing, smaller and smaller compared to the shadow beast.
"No!" screamed Bormo. "The Shadow Demon is drawing strength from the night itself! We have to do something! Nott, the night is your province, can you not diminish it?"
Nott shook her head in frustration, "the beast does not lie within the natural realms of the eve. I have no power over it. I fear my magics will only fuel it."
"There is hope," Onerai turned to me, "The Swarm has bought us time. If we drop the barrier and you all lend me your strength we may manage an attack yet."
I nodded in agreement, "then let us strike at this shade before it is too late."
With that Bormo, Moira, Nott, and I lined up behind Onerai and joined hands as I placed a hand at the center of his back. We began to whisper the invocations of transference as he produced a small vial of torch oil from beneath his robes and coated the end of his makeshift
stave with it. He struck it to flint and steel and it was aflame. It was a small, dim flame, and seemed hardly significant in the darkness of the forest, only just shedding a small amount of light on Onerai himself. Onerai cupped his left hand around the flame and began to whisper his
own words to it, as if trying to encourage it.
"May you burn as the star that streaks across the night, may you blaze as bright as falling star light - that arrow of gods that burns across the sky. May you be graced by it's power as I let you fly."
As we made our preparations and weaved our spells, the two great magical felines were once again at each others throats. Once again they were reared up on their hind legs, biting and swatting, though this time the feline night shade clearly had the upper hand. It got it's phantom
fangs around the throat of the avatar of fireflies and twisted, leveraging it's now greater size to roll the luminous cat over side ward and onto the ground. It stood over it's adversary, still grasping it by the throat, and began pummeling with it's paws mercilessly. With each swing it was ripping and tearing fireflies from the gathered form of the cat, sending the embers of their lights flying this way and that as their light died. The coalesced flickers grew fewer and fewer, and the lion of light was clearly powerless to fight back now. As the demon cat continued it's savage assault, the remaining embers suddenly flared briefly, then scattered, abandoned their conclave, and fled back into the forest...having suffered terrible losses. With that my blood ran cold as the Black shape of night raised it's head and turned it's burning, red, hateful eyes on me once more.
Onerai brought his arm back and hurled his makeshift, burning stave like a javelin. As it took flight, that tiniest of flames exploded into a great ball of light, as if a piece of the sun had been snatched from the morning sky. It flew, fast and true, and struck the crawling shadow square in it's muzzle, where it exploded. It was as if the smoke and shadow that comprised that horrible beast had suddenly been lit aflame itself, and now tendrils of fire and light swirled and churned with whisps of smoke and darkness. The beast let out a shriek that just rolled through the night and seemed to pierce the soul as it dropped and began frantically rolling and writhing in the underbrush in a desperate attempt to extinguish itself. It was no use. The flames continued to spread and grow, burning away the shadow as they did, yet somehow leaving the forest floor and underbrush untouched. The creature began to howl and curse as it flailed about, hurling threats at us. I must admit, I watched with satisfaction as the shadow continued to diminish, and would take some small pleasure from it's demise...but it would not give me that satisfaction. It sprung to it's feet and charged off into the darkness of the forest, howling and screeching, the flames continuing to burn into the distance until we finally lost sight of it.
Bormo stepped foreward and laid his hand on Onerai's shoulder, "Magnificent work!"
As I let out a great sigh of relief I could hear Nott confess that she thought we were done for. Onerai, however did not seem to share our celebratory mood. He remained stiff and alert, as if expecting the creature to reform from the shadows around us.
"I fear it is not over my friends. We merely drove it off. I did not have enough power in my attack to finish the fiend," with that he turned and fixed his gaze upon Moira, "why did you hold back?"
Moira remained silent, and merely lowered her gaze to look down at her hands, held open before her. Nott and Bormo now stared at her as well with questioning gazes. It was after a long silence when her voice finally came, shallow and soft - no louder than the lightest breeze, "I... I gave you everything I had... I..."
I cannot say what happened after that, as the exhaustion finally overtook me. I stumbled foreward, brushing against Bormo's shoulder as I fell to darkness and lay in the underbrush.
"No!" screamed Bormo. "The Shadow Demon is drawing strength from the night itself! We have to do something! Nott, the night is your province, can you not diminish it?"
Nott shook her head in frustration, "the beast does not lie within the natural realms of the eve. I have no power over it. I fear my magics will only fuel it."
"There is hope," Onerai turned to me, "The Swarm has bought us time. If we drop the barrier and you all lend me your strength we may manage an attack yet."
I nodded in agreement, "then let us strike at this shade before it is too late."
With that Bormo, Moira, Nott, and I lined up behind Onerai and joined hands as I placed a hand at the center of his back. We began to whisper the invocations of transference as he produced a small vial of torch oil from beneath his robes and coated the end of his makeshift
stave with it. He struck it to flint and steel and it was aflame. It was a small, dim flame, and seemed hardly significant in the darkness of the forest, only just shedding a small amount of light on Onerai himself. Onerai cupped his left hand around the flame and began to whisper his
own words to it, as if trying to encourage it.
"May you burn as the star that streaks across the night, may you blaze as bright as falling star light - that arrow of gods that burns across the sky. May you be graced by it's power as I let you fly."
As we made our preparations and weaved our spells, the two great magical felines were once again at each others throats. Once again they were reared up on their hind legs, biting and swatting, though this time the feline night shade clearly had the upper hand. It got it's phantom
fangs around the throat of the avatar of fireflies and twisted, leveraging it's now greater size to roll the luminous cat over side ward and onto the ground. It stood over it's adversary, still grasping it by the throat, and began pummeling with it's paws mercilessly. With each swing it was ripping and tearing fireflies from the gathered form of the cat, sending the embers of their lights flying this way and that as their light died. The coalesced flickers grew fewer and fewer, and the lion of light was clearly powerless to fight back now. As the demon cat continued it's savage assault, the remaining embers suddenly flared briefly, then scattered, abandoned their conclave, and fled back into the forest...having suffered terrible losses. With that my blood ran cold as the Black shape of night raised it's head and turned it's burning, red, hateful eyes on me once more.
Onerai brought his arm back and hurled his makeshift, burning stave like a javelin. As it took flight, that tiniest of flames exploded into a great ball of light, as if a piece of the sun had been snatched from the morning sky. It flew, fast and true, and struck the crawling shadow square in it's muzzle, where it exploded. It was as if the smoke and shadow that comprised that horrible beast had suddenly been lit aflame itself, and now tendrils of fire and light swirled and churned with whisps of smoke and darkness. The beast let out a shriek that just rolled through the night and seemed to pierce the soul as it dropped and began frantically rolling and writhing in the underbrush in a desperate attempt to extinguish itself. It was no use. The flames continued to spread and grow, burning away the shadow as they did, yet somehow leaving the forest floor and underbrush untouched. The creature began to howl and curse as it flailed about, hurling threats at us. I must admit, I watched with satisfaction as the shadow continued to diminish, and would take some small pleasure from it's demise...but it would not give me that satisfaction. It sprung to it's feet and charged off into the darkness of the forest, howling and screeching, the flames continuing to burn into the distance until we finally lost sight of it.
Bormo stepped foreward and laid his hand on Onerai's shoulder, "Magnificent work!"
As I let out a great sigh of relief I could hear Nott confess that she thought we were done for. Onerai, however did not seem to share our celebratory mood. He remained stiff and alert, as if expecting the creature to reform from the shadows around us.
"I fear it is not over my friends. We merely drove it off. I did not have enough power in my attack to finish the fiend," with that he turned and fixed his gaze upon Moira, "why did you hold back?"
Moira remained silent, and merely lowered her gaze to look down at her hands, held open before her. Nott and Bormo now stared at her as well with questioning gazes. It was after a long silence when her voice finally came, shallow and soft - no louder than the lightest breeze, "I... I gave you everything I had... I..."
I cannot say what happened after that, as the exhaustion finally overtook me. I stumbled foreward, brushing against Bormo's shoulder as I fell to darkness and lay in the underbrush.
Strange visions and unearthly sounds came to me in my delirium. It was almost like alien music, but no, not music, just single tones repeated at regular intervals - not even really a melody. I was in a bed...or it felt like a bed of sorts, with strange metal rails. My vision was blured, but the lights hurt my eyes. My whole body, every joint, every muscle ached and was stiff. I found my breathing labored. A woman stood above me, and in her face I thought I saw something familiar. Long locks of dark hair fell from her shoulders as she leand closer to me, and though her lips formed words I could not make them out or understand. She seemed pleased to see me, and so I focused my strength and tried to raise my hand to brush her face. It was then that I saw my hand was wrinkled and withered, as if the years of my life had been sapped from me. Though I tried to speak I could not...I could only manage an exasperated gasp before I fell back into darkness and disorientation.
I was almost relieved to awaken to the pungent odor of one of Bormo's herbal concoctions, though my body still ached and my head throbbed. I awoke with a bit of a start and hurriedly looked at my hands. I let out a gasp of relief to find nothing out of the ordinary. We were still in that strange forest, though it was somewhat less dark as it seemed the others had managed to start a small camp fire. As it crackled and flickered shadows danced on nearby trees, and Bormo sat with a small bowl and pestle crushing and mixing something. I could see the fire light
reflect in Moira's emerald eyes, and with her milky white skin almost casting her as an apparition as she sat staring despondently into the flames, transfixed. Onerai stood at the very edge of the fire's light, leaning heavily against a stout tree, eyes focused off into the night and the dark, still watching for the shadow creature to return. Though, I saw no sign of Nott. As I propped myself up on my elbows and tried to clear my head I became aware of something small moving in the foliage nearby. It was a small bundle of brown and white fur, with a pouffe of a tail, and long ears that watched me closely with glassy black marbles of eyes. It was strange that a rabbit had wandered so close to the fire, but I though just as well, as I was hungry.
The Rabbit's head cocked to one side, in Bormo's direction, but keeping it's eye on me...and then it spoke!
"He's awake."
Bormo, who did not seem at all phased by this, nor did Onerai for that matter, rose from his seat by the fire and approached me. "It's about time you woke. Here," he extended the bowl toward me, "eat this, it should help restore you."
I took the bowl and gave it a gentle smell, it did not smell at all appetizing.
"How long was I out? What happened?"
Bormo helped me to sit up, "It's been several hours. It seems you expended all of your essence and collapsed - though we are unsure why just you as we all exerted ourselves equally," he paused and shot a glance toward Moira, "well, almost all of us."
Bormo sat next to me and continued, "Moira hasn't spoken, or been much help at all, since you collapsed. Nott is convinced she is an agent of the shadow beast, or even it's master..."
"No," I spat insistently, "She would never betray us!"
Bormo shook his head, "You are letting your feelings cloud your judgement, something is not right..."
I cut him short with a curt "No! Not Moira!"
Bormo lowered his eyes and took a breath, "in any event, Moira became despondent. Nott and Onerai argued over what our course of action should be. We haven't the Essence of Reverie for the dance of worlds, especially with only four of us, and none of us think it would work at this point. It has been interfered with." Bormor looked again toward Moira and Onerai before continuing, "Nott is convinced this is a fools errand, and though Onerai seems to agree with her, he does not wish to leave you to the mercy of your enemies."
I gave another look around, but could not see Nott, "Where is Nott?"
Bormo's expression turned sour, "She said she was no use to us, her magic would only feed the shadows, so she went off to try to see where we are. I did not get the impression she would return. If she had waited, I could have saved her the trouble." Bormo's gaze turned toward the rabbit.
I fixed my attention on the ball of fur, and as I starred at it, it starred at me. It's nose twitched, and it leaned in, as if trying to get me to look away first. Finally I gave in and asked, "What's with the talking Rabbit?"
I was almost relieved to awaken to the pungent odor of one of Bormo's herbal concoctions, though my body still ached and my head throbbed. I awoke with a bit of a start and hurriedly looked at my hands. I let out a gasp of relief to find nothing out of the ordinary. We were still in that strange forest, though it was somewhat less dark as it seemed the others had managed to start a small camp fire. As it crackled and flickered shadows danced on nearby trees, and Bormo sat with a small bowl and pestle crushing and mixing something. I could see the fire light
reflect in Moira's emerald eyes, and with her milky white skin almost casting her as an apparition as she sat staring despondently into the flames, transfixed. Onerai stood at the very edge of the fire's light, leaning heavily against a stout tree, eyes focused off into the night and the dark, still watching for the shadow creature to return. Though, I saw no sign of Nott. As I propped myself up on my elbows and tried to clear my head I became aware of something small moving in the foliage nearby. It was a small bundle of brown and white fur, with a pouffe of a tail, and long ears that watched me closely with glassy black marbles of eyes. It was strange that a rabbit had wandered so close to the fire, but I though just as well, as I was hungry.
The Rabbit's head cocked to one side, in Bormo's direction, but keeping it's eye on me...and then it spoke!
"He's awake."
Bormo, who did not seem at all phased by this, nor did Onerai for that matter, rose from his seat by the fire and approached me. "It's about time you woke. Here," he extended the bowl toward me, "eat this, it should help restore you."
I took the bowl and gave it a gentle smell, it did not smell at all appetizing.
"How long was I out? What happened?"
Bormo helped me to sit up, "It's been several hours. It seems you expended all of your essence and collapsed - though we are unsure why just you as we all exerted ourselves equally," he paused and shot a glance toward Moira, "well, almost all of us."
Bormo sat next to me and continued, "Moira hasn't spoken, or been much help at all, since you collapsed. Nott is convinced she is an agent of the shadow beast, or even it's master..."
"No," I spat insistently, "She would never betray us!"
Bormo shook his head, "You are letting your feelings cloud your judgement, something is not right..."
I cut him short with a curt "No! Not Moira!"
Bormo lowered his eyes and took a breath, "in any event, Moira became despondent. Nott and Onerai argued over what our course of action should be. We haven't the Essence of Reverie for the dance of worlds, especially with only four of us, and none of us think it would work at this point. It has been interfered with." Bormor looked again toward Moira and Onerai before continuing, "Nott is convinced this is a fools errand, and though Onerai seems to agree with her, he does not wish to leave you to the mercy of your enemies."
I gave another look around, but could not see Nott, "Where is Nott?"
Bormo's expression turned sour, "She said she was no use to us, her magic would only feed the shadows, so she went off to try to see where we are. I did not get the impression she would return. If she had waited, I could have saved her the trouble." Bormo's gaze turned toward the rabbit.
I fixed my attention on the ball of fur, and as I starred at it, it starred at me. It's nose twitched, and it leaned in, as if trying to get me to look away first. Finally I gave in and asked, "What's with the talking Rabbit?"