Status: active.
Shattered Silence
Journey Beginning
The massacre at the keep and the knowledge of missing people are weighing heavy on us as we trudge through the dense forest. We decided it was best to avoid the main roads, especially knowing that Mathias was still out to get us.
The forest was known as Twisted Shroud, if one was not careful they could become lost. The forest was in a way, alive. It has been in Sevainelle since the earliest memory, a place of danger, mystery, and magic. Mathias once tried to eradicate it by way of fire but failed. A week later the city that he held close burned to the ground, destroying everything. Since then, it has been forbidden to enter, however once entered the Twisted Shroud will test your mettle.
The will is strong in us, there is fire in everyone eyes but also strain. The journey has already begun and I wonder if I should’ve protested my coming. The exhaustion is evident on everyone. Kalix still staggers from Zorak attacks to the point that Lathan has to support her, but she keeps pushing forward. Lathan may be a Dream Daemon, but I can see the marks of exhaustion all over his face. Tristan looks calm and collective, but I’ve spent enough time with him to know the signs. He hardly blinks and barely notices what’s around him. He’s stuck in his head blaming himself for something or another.
As they keep pushing themselves, they only grow stronger. I on the other hand find it harder and harder to keep up with the pace they set. From dawn till dusk we cover as much distance as possible. I try to not show my weariness but the problem is I’m only part Night Daemon. I don’t have the stamina of a full blooded daemon nor the magical rebound. The more I push myself the faster I get to the brink of exhaustion.
“How did they find us?” Kalix whispers fiercely as we all huddle behind a gnarled tree, watching a group of Cuffed daemons explore the forest. They keep pointing to the ground and surrounding foliage, they’re looking of signs of our passage.
“It’s not like they have an elf,” Tristian remarks with a slight curve to his lip. Lathan snorts and shakes his head. If anyone could find a way to make a bad situation into a funny one he was it. The way they flawlessly interacted between each other has me feeling like the odd one out. “I think if we’re quick and quiet we can out maneuver-”
“There they are!” We crane our necks behind us; to our surprise a squad of soldiers has approached us without our knowing. With soldiers at our back and daemons at our front we quickly realize our only point of escape. Once it’s too late we notice we have divided ourselves.
Ash, Tristan, and Lathan find themselves cut off from Deimos, Kalix and I. The looks the boys cast at us are pitiful. They think we can’t take care of ourselves. As a line of soldiers charge us I begin to wonder if maybe we should turn back. It’s not like we are at our best.
Kalix elbows me, seemly to break my sudden fall to impending doom. “Let’s show them us women can take care of ourselves.” The smile Kalix gives dazzles with confidence and pride. I have to wonder if she is talking about our enemies or our friends. The unfortunate truth is all I want to do is turn tail and find a place to lay low and rest; it’s stupid to even think that, because I know I can’t back down. As adrenaline courses through my blood, my exhaustion dissipates
I pull my swords from my back preparing for my first match. However I get distracted as Kalix starts to move her hands in random patterns, slowly she’s rearranging the terrain to our needs. The soldiers are slow to what’s happening but the daemons aren’t. A swift daemon rapidly advances towards Kalix and catches her off guard. She tries to move the boulders to her left but they refuse to budge.
Panic sets in as gives a loud war cry and draws her bow. For some reason I fear for her life. The next instant I find myself in the path of the hairless daemon. At the edge of my vision I catch wisps of smoke solidifying into my clothes and skin. The daemon is upon me with a shark like grin. He swings his arms up and they morph into steel blades.
“Holy shit!” The words fall from my mouth as I duck and roll to avoid his hack and slash. I stagger back to my feet and bring a sword up to block him. The sudden weight and momentum of him pushes me to the ground. My eyes jump Kalix to see how she is fairing as bad as me, but she’s not. Two daemons have solid stone spikes impaling them from the ground up, while three soldiers are covered in arrows.
“How does it feel Rune?” I focus my attention back to the daemon in front of me. “Not Ordianry, not Other. You can’t even control your ability of smoke. And what of your familiar?” The daemons mocks trying to rail me up as he keeps putting pressure on my sword. My arms waiver as I realize I’m not strong enough. “It abandoned you! It knows your weak!” My footing slips making me vulnerable, the daemon pulls his arm back and angles it to drive it through my chest. However Lady Luck proves her love as my vision fills with black smoke.
The sound of metal clashing with metal echoes in the clearing as Deimos charges the daemon and all but tramples him to death. Rune what happened? The concerned laced words drift through my head. I’m falling short and Deimos can tell.
“Here.” Kalix’s hand appears in front of me and I take it. She pulls me to my feet. “Thanks for trying to help…” Silence falls between us and I can tell she wants to say more but she doesn’t. Kalix quickly wraps an arm around me as our friends approach. “So this just proves it, we women can take care of ourselves.” She smiles at them and squeezes my shoulder. She wants me to play along. I force a smile as Tristan whistles at the body count.
He smiles at me confident as ever. I try to match him smile, but I’m to shaken. The truth is there’s no way I’m going to be able to keep up with them, if anything I will be holding them back.
“This is the point of no return.” Ash announces as come upon a great stone wall that goes as far as the eye can see. The wall is covered in etching of symbols and words. Some I recognize as Ordinary letters and daemon symbols, others I can’t even comprehend. “Once we enter the realm; it’s do or die. We only get to leave if we complete what we’ve set out for or we are forever lost to wander until time ends.” Ash’s voice is grave and dramatic.
One by one Lathan nods his head, then Kalix, and Tristan. I want to look over my shoulder and find an escape route, but I force myself to nod. Any signs of weakness or doubt and Kalix will call it off. She made it very clear that we all go or no one goes. She wants me with them. I don’t know why but she does. I think it’s because of Tristan. After the battle he was on me like white on paper, stricken with worry. I thought no one saw my weak moment, but now I’m not so sure.
“Good now everyone place a hand on the stone close your eyes. Visualize the mission: recruit the dragons.” My hand touches the stone and my eyes fall shut. I try to focus but it’s no use. I reopen see how the others are doing. Slowly each hand starts to glow the same pale white light. Each one is thinking of the same task. I look to Deimos for help, he just stares back. I must do this on my own. As my eyes shut I catch my hand emitting a faint blue light, instead of the pale white.
The wall trembles. Our eyes fly open in time to see the symbols combine making to images. With a roar we are yanked from out world into a realm of harsh red light and swirling fog. I avoid eye contact with the others; I have failed them. As hard as I tried I couldn’t focus on recruiting the dragons. The only way I will be able to leave this realm is if I complete the task I set for myself: I can no longer fear what I don’t understand. I have doomed myself, our paths will separate and I will be alone. No matter what I will still be here. Deimos whispers.
“Are we in the correct place?” Kalix asks.
“The Hidden Realm.” Ash nods. “The dragons created this world before the massive war started. They had foresight. They planned ahead and it paid off. We dragons like to think in long term.” Ash frills out her wings in pride. I can’t help but smirk as we follow her. Deimos slowly disappears into shadows. I will be around. The thoughts slip through my head. He is no longer visible but I can still feel him with me.
“You know that’s the first time I’ve seen you crack any kind of true smile in a while.” Tristan says falling into step with me. He brushes my arm with his as they swing back and forth with our stride.
“I’ve smiled.” I force a smile tight smile, causing Tristan to frown. He lightly grabs and wrist and pulls us to a stop, letting Kalix and Lathan go on ahead.
“No you haven’t. You think I haven’t noticed…you’re wrong.” I tilt my head trying to head behind my hair. Tristan eyes are unnerving. The things I see in them are things I could only hope for and at one time dreaded. “Stop that.” He gently touches my chin and tilts my face up, causing my hair to part. His other hand slowly pushes the few strain left covering my eyes to the side. “I know what you’ve been trying to hide.” I gasp thinking he knows about my different task. “You’re right you aren’t like us, but you’re not useless.” I give him a confused look. Before I can stay anything, I hear Deimos.
I would get moving. Kalix is looking for you two. Just think what she would say. Deimos thoughts enter my head. I go to pull away but Tristian stops me.
“Don’t worry about Kalix.” He smiles and laughs as my eyes go wide.
“How? How… did-”
“Elves are known for being monogamous.” He then leans forward and pulls me to his chest. There is nothing sexual about, but more of a statement. He wants me to know that we are a pair and he will always protect me. I just wish it was the other way around too.
The forest was known as Twisted Shroud, if one was not careful they could become lost. The forest was in a way, alive. It has been in Sevainelle since the earliest memory, a place of danger, mystery, and magic. Mathias once tried to eradicate it by way of fire but failed. A week later the city that he held close burned to the ground, destroying everything. Since then, it has been forbidden to enter, however once entered the Twisted Shroud will test your mettle.
The will is strong in us, there is fire in everyone eyes but also strain. The journey has already begun and I wonder if I should’ve protested my coming. The exhaustion is evident on everyone. Kalix still staggers from Zorak attacks to the point that Lathan has to support her, but she keeps pushing forward. Lathan may be a Dream Daemon, but I can see the marks of exhaustion all over his face. Tristan looks calm and collective, but I’ve spent enough time with him to know the signs. He hardly blinks and barely notices what’s around him. He’s stuck in his head blaming himself for something or another.
As they keep pushing themselves, they only grow stronger. I on the other hand find it harder and harder to keep up with the pace they set. From dawn till dusk we cover as much distance as possible. I try to not show my weariness but the problem is I’m only part Night Daemon. I don’t have the stamina of a full blooded daemon nor the magical rebound. The more I push myself the faster I get to the brink of exhaustion.
“How did they find us?” Kalix whispers fiercely as we all huddle behind a gnarled tree, watching a group of Cuffed daemons explore the forest. They keep pointing to the ground and surrounding foliage, they’re looking of signs of our passage.
“It’s not like they have an elf,” Tristian remarks with a slight curve to his lip. Lathan snorts and shakes his head. If anyone could find a way to make a bad situation into a funny one he was it. The way they flawlessly interacted between each other has me feeling like the odd one out. “I think if we’re quick and quiet we can out maneuver-”
“There they are!” We crane our necks behind us; to our surprise a squad of soldiers has approached us without our knowing. With soldiers at our back and daemons at our front we quickly realize our only point of escape. Once it’s too late we notice we have divided ourselves.
Ash, Tristan, and Lathan find themselves cut off from Deimos, Kalix and I. The looks the boys cast at us are pitiful. They think we can’t take care of ourselves. As a line of soldiers charge us I begin to wonder if maybe we should turn back. It’s not like we are at our best.
Kalix elbows me, seemly to break my sudden fall to impending doom. “Let’s show them us women can take care of ourselves.” The smile Kalix gives dazzles with confidence and pride. I have to wonder if she is talking about our enemies or our friends. The unfortunate truth is all I want to do is turn tail and find a place to lay low and rest; it’s stupid to even think that, because I know I can’t back down. As adrenaline courses through my blood, my exhaustion dissipates
I pull my swords from my back preparing for my first match. However I get distracted as Kalix starts to move her hands in random patterns, slowly she’s rearranging the terrain to our needs. The soldiers are slow to what’s happening but the daemons aren’t. A swift daemon rapidly advances towards Kalix and catches her off guard. She tries to move the boulders to her left but they refuse to budge.
Panic sets in as gives a loud war cry and draws her bow. For some reason I fear for her life. The next instant I find myself in the path of the hairless daemon. At the edge of my vision I catch wisps of smoke solidifying into my clothes and skin. The daemon is upon me with a shark like grin. He swings his arms up and they morph into steel blades.
“Holy shit!” The words fall from my mouth as I duck and roll to avoid his hack and slash. I stagger back to my feet and bring a sword up to block him. The sudden weight and momentum of him pushes me to the ground. My eyes jump Kalix to see how she is fairing as bad as me, but she’s not. Two daemons have solid stone spikes impaling them from the ground up, while three soldiers are covered in arrows.
“How does it feel Rune?” I focus my attention back to the daemon in front of me. “Not Ordianry, not Other. You can’t even control your ability of smoke. And what of your familiar?” The daemons mocks trying to rail me up as he keeps putting pressure on my sword. My arms waiver as I realize I’m not strong enough. “It abandoned you! It knows your weak!” My footing slips making me vulnerable, the daemon pulls his arm back and angles it to drive it through my chest. However Lady Luck proves her love as my vision fills with black smoke.
The sound of metal clashing with metal echoes in the clearing as Deimos charges the daemon and all but tramples him to death. Rune what happened? The concerned laced words drift through my head. I’m falling short and Deimos can tell.
“Here.” Kalix’s hand appears in front of me and I take it. She pulls me to my feet. “Thanks for trying to help…” Silence falls between us and I can tell she wants to say more but she doesn’t. Kalix quickly wraps an arm around me as our friends approach. “So this just proves it, we women can take care of ourselves.” She smiles at them and squeezes my shoulder. She wants me to play along. I force a smile as Tristan whistles at the body count.
He smiles at me confident as ever. I try to match him smile, but I’m to shaken. The truth is there’s no way I’m going to be able to keep up with them, if anything I will be holding them back.
“This is the point of no return.” Ash announces as come upon a great stone wall that goes as far as the eye can see. The wall is covered in etching of symbols and words. Some I recognize as Ordinary letters and daemon symbols, others I can’t even comprehend. “Once we enter the realm; it’s do or die. We only get to leave if we complete what we’ve set out for or we are forever lost to wander until time ends.” Ash’s voice is grave and dramatic.
One by one Lathan nods his head, then Kalix, and Tristan. I want to look over my shoulder and find an escape route, but I force myself to nod. Any signs of weakness or doubt and Kalix will call it off. She made it very clear that we all go or no one goes. She wants me with them. I don’t know why but she does. I think it’s because of Tristan. After the battle he was on me like white on paper, stricken with worry. I thought no one saw my weak moment, but now I’m not so sure.
“Good now everyone place a hand on the stone close your eyes. Visualize the mission: recruit the dragons.” My hand touches the stone and my eyes fall shut. I try to focus but it’s no use. I reopen see how the others are doing. Slowly each hand starts to glow the same pale white light. Each one is thinking of the same task. I look to Deimos for help, he just stares back. I must do this on my own. As my eyes shut I catch my hand emitting a faint blue light, instead of the pale white.
The wall trembles. Our eyes fly open in time to see the symbols combine making to images. With a roar we are yanked from out world into a realm of harsh red light and swirling fog. I avoid eye contact with the others; I have failed them. As hard as I tried I couldn’t focus on recruiting the dragons. The only way I will be able to leave this realm is if I complete the task I set for myself: I can no longer fear what I don’t understand. I have doomed myself, our paths will separate and I will be alone. No matter what I will still be here. Deimos whispers.
“Are we in the correct place?” Kalix asks.
“The Hidden Realm.” Ash nods. “The dragons created this world before the massive war started. They had foresight. They planned ahead and it paid off. We dragons like to think in long term.” Ash frills out her wings in pride. I can’t help but smirk as we follow her. Deimos slowly disappears into shadows. I will be around. The thoughts slip through my head. He is no longer visible but I can still feel him with me.
“You know that’s the first time I’ve seen you crack any kind of true smile in a while.” Tristan says falling into step with me. He brushes my arm with his as they swing back and forth with our stride.
“I’ve smiled.” I force a smile tight smile, causing Tristan to frown. He lightly grabs and wrist and pulls us to a stop, letting Kalix and Lathan go on ahead.
“No you haven’t. You think I haven’t noticed…you’re wrong.” I tilt my head trying to head behind my hair. Tristan eyes are unnerving. The things I see in them are things I could only hope for and at one time dreaded. “Stop that.” He gently touches my chin and tilts my face up, causing my hair to part. His other hand slowly pushes the few strain left covering my eyes to the side. “I know what you’ve been trying to hide.” I gasp thinking he knows about my different task. “You’re right you aren’t like us, but you’re not useless.” I give him a confused look. Before I can stay anything, I hear Deimos.
I would get moving. Kalix is looking for you two. Just think what she would say. Deimos thoughts enter my head. I go to pull away but Tristian stops me.
“Don’t worry about Kalix.” He smiles and laughs as my eyes go wide.
“How? How… did-”
“Elves are known for being monogamous.” He then leans forward and pulls me to his chest. There is nothing sexual about, but more of a statement. He wants me to know that we are a pair and he will always protect me. I just wish it was the other way around too.