[YGG] Adraxia Arc - Land of the Fay, Alheim

A warmth rose upon softly tanned skin. The sweet breeze rustled cerulean locks and expensive silks. Dull ocean blue orbs observed the horizon, all from the uncanny scene of the ship's bowsprit; a seemingly fatal choice should the slightest of micalculations occur. All of this was torn away by a stark cold, drawing her momentarily back into the present reality. Shieanyth was no so far form where Rafael had emerged. The chances of perceiving her location was next to none, as she lay not in her true form yet. Delirium took its first toll on her abilities, lacking as they felt.

The moment of sanity slipped, facing her back to the moments after dawn and the brief appearance of the first Sky-Whale and oversized chicken; the result, a body slam that could put most wrestlers and snorlax out of business. Shieanyth witnessed a calm, respite that couldn't have lasted more than five minutes until this time, the skies were filled. Usually the hybrid elf would not be affected by such, but there were other magicks at play.

A piercing sensation brought her back once more, along with the coppery smell of red droplets of life slowly pooling on her front pad. A minute or two of flashback had replayed and with it, more faculties restored. Shieanyth was surely returning to her natural form, white-silk dress robes hugging her lithe form. One more shift in her state of shock, the rest of the memories came flooding back. Of beasts, storms and the massive pain all those living creatures experienced a short time before the essence of mana encroached heavily.

She wasn't sure she hadn't suffocated and returned to the land whence she was born. The druid had been on deck when it all occurred, driving the empath's senses into a manic state, coinciding not long after the influx of mana soaking into her. The wild elf inside of her revelled in the power she could have derived, if she was sober enough to actually take hold of it. The proof in that came when she could have sworn the ship was talking. Something was definitely wrong. She was not herself.




Shieanyth finally laxed her eyelids as her position because very apparent. Her first thought was to the agony on her hand, to which she tried and failed to heal. The look on her face was plain as day; confusion. From overstimulated to worm. How? A sapphire gaze took in her immediate surroundings. While elves were known to be ever graceful, Shieanyth stumbled a couple of times before managing to her feet. Spying some nearby herbs and foliage, she plucked it from a few quaint steps away, patching her hand quite rudimentary.

Once done, her usual survival instinct began to kick in. Something or someone was making the smallest of steps a few strides away. Being no fool to trust anyone, and unable to sense or smell any familiarity, she was without option but to cautiously peer over her obstructions. Disgust momentarily corrupted her otherwise expressionless face; a mortal; human. At least he didn't smell as horrible as most of the crew. Was he on the Fiertia Gold? Shieanyth couldn't recall coming down from her pained and inebriated state. Regardless, he stuck out like a sore thumb, so he was either from the ship or.. she didn't want to think about the or.





Steps were taken one foot at a time, sparing her careful time to lean on nearby sturdy flora. By half the closure of the gap between the two, she was far more steady and able to hold her own weight. It was no less than a nightmare to be seen in front of a human like this, however they didn't seem to have been sent with a change of wardrobe. Or any of the other basics. Refusing to look at Rafael directly, her gaze was fixated on the forest encasing them while she tried her best to hold back any sign that she was not coping and freezing.

"Amin uma il- rangwa." --I do not understand--
"Manke naa sina?" --Where is this--
"Sut ume lye get sinome?"  --How did we get here--
"Ya -- naa lle, Mellon ri' goth?" --Who are you, friend or foe--

Realsing she was not speaking common, Sheianyth sighed heavily. Often it was difficult to remember language barriers. It was not a habit elves made to travel the universe. Or rather, not the ones of her own quaint planet. It had been happen-stance that she had even managed to leave, given the lack of technology to traverse the skies.

"What has transpassed?"

Simple. Eloquent. All she could manage past her prior ramblings. She leaned upon a fallen log, finally slipping her arms around herself and letting her world darken to conserve warmth. Shieanyth may have appeared to be dead or unconscious, though she was simply attempting to commune with the nature beneath her, around her, within her. Why was it taking her so long to adapt this time? Idly, her thumb of the opposing hand kept pressure on the lacking one, her breathing almost appearing non-existent.

"Fire."

Nothing but a small whisper, yet it felt commanding. They needed time to recover from this wet experience. Or perhaps her excuse to warm and sober up. Maybe even strategic. If he was from the ship, then there might possibly have been others as well. Or enemies, but that was a thought for later. For now, she would replenish her energy. The actual fire? A few random embers were laying on the ground, wanting to burst into flames. None close to the elven maiden. They went unnoticed, unattended. But it was the best she could do in her current state.

{ BGM: Unexpected Guests }

As Rafael sat by the edge of the forest, a heavy wave of exhaustion gradually urged his body to rest. He nodded off into a light sleep with the sun peeking through green palms, bathing him in warmth. He could hear the therapeutic repetition of the waves on the shore and the gentle breeze caressing his soaked body.



He laid on his bed over a white comforter; its soft material, divine. Raf stirred in his sleep, his arms resting near his chest as he lay on his side. The room was cast by a cool blue light from his room’s window. Outside, the night sky was crowded by apartment buildings, neon lights, and a great white moon above it all. The hustle and bustle of the world he’d unwillingly left behind in the blink of an eye, drew concern across his sleeping face as he longed to return to it in his dreams. The blue light in his room grew brighter until his eyes caught the glow and opened steadily. A shadowy figure was silhouetted against the blinding light, standing over Raf’s bed. As his eyes adjusted, he cautiously sat himself up: crossing one leg while draping the other over the bed. The figure stepped back, a melodic voice dancing out into the room.

“Hello young traveler, what brings you to Alheim?” the voice asked curiously.
“Alheim? Is that where I am?” Raf responded, not to the figure in particular. “I’m not quite sure, myself. I must have drifted here by accident from the ship.”
The figure considered this for a moment and then proceeded, “What is your name, young traveler?”
“Rafael,” he responded, his eyes squinting to keep the full outline of the figure standing in front of him. His neck was tilted upward, his arms against the bed.
“Rafael, a strange name,” the figure mulled this over.
“Listen, it’s a bit difficult to see you when you’re standing in front of a bright light,” he said. His hand was raised in a half salute as he tried to cover the light from his eyes to get a better look at this individual.

“Indeed,” the voice said in an impish tone as it moved a few steps backward. Raf dropped his gaze for a moment and observed his surroundings. In his surprise of waking up to this person questioning him, he did not realize that he was no longer on the beach - in fact, he had wound up back in his condo. Even more curious, he wasn’t quite sure how he had made his way home after being in a perilous situation on that flying ship. The figure turned out to be a female, by how she appeared at least. Rafael cleared his throat and stood to his feet. As he did so, they made eye contact. She had electric violet eyes, glossed by the light behind her, and she gave him a careful smile.

“You know my name, can you tell me yours?” he said in a kind voice.
“Ciri,” she responded with a wry remark to which Raf made a disapproving face.
“Forgive my intrusion, but you must understand that we do not have many visitors,” she began. Raf gave her a questioning look at this comment and she continued. “We need your help, if you’re willing. My people are currently in need of assistance with a menacing force. I fear that our court will not survive the outcome, or worse, the survivors may be enslaved.”
Rafael deliberated this for a few moments, but sensed that this was urgent. Her body language gave it away when she started to retreat from her position back toward the window and into the light.
“Hey, wait a minute. You just spring this up on me, and now you’re leaving? And what is going on here?” Raf pleaded.
“I must go, but I do hope that you will consider aiding us. Please know that my people are proud and would never ask for help openly, unless it includes a deal or a favor. Find me in the Seelie Court, I have already conveyed the message to your companions.” she said hurriedly as she began to fade into the light.
“But, how do I get there?” Raf asked, walking toward the light to follow her.
“You’re already in our lands, I’ve been talking to you in your dream. When you awaken, you’ll know where to go. Find us, and most of all, be careful when you talk to us; words are a tricky matter,” the voice trailed off and then the figure disappeared completely.
“Wait-” he said quickly, but stopped. The blinding light flashed instantly; he threw his arms up to cover his eyes and awoke to an entirely different scene.

{ BGM: The Forest }

A small fire was being rekindled by a stocky man with a blue bandana - he remembered him from the deck battle with the horde of beasts. Beside him and a few feet away, lay another person. This one he did not recognize and wondered whether she was part of the crew on the ship, or if she was from the island. Regardless of origin, she was easily recognizable as an elf due to her pointed ears. He gathered his bearings for a moment and tried to remember how he had gotten here. He remembered the ship in distress; he remembered crewmen needing help; he also remembered blinking from the ship and into the ocean in front of him. With the realization that the three of them were stranded, he noticed the weight of his wet clothes on his body and felt a shiver creep through him. The day had barely begun to set, prompting Raf to determine that he must’ve fallen asleep for perhaps an hour or two; there was plenty of daylight out.

“Har har har har...I guess you fell into the drink as well, eh?” the pirate asked, but continued. “Is, uh, she ok?”

Raf turned to look at the elven woman, then back to the stocky man, “I wasn’t drinking. I don’t think she’s not okay, and I don’t know how I got here, to be completely honest with you,” he replied. The pirate continued to build the small fire expertly, then procured some food from the pockets of his pack and sat across from them.

“Here. A bit of food. Don’t think we’ve ‘ad the pleasure to speak yet. Name’s Craven. What about you guys...and, eh...what are your specialties...if’n ye don’ mind meh askin’...” he said. The pirate known as Craven seemed like a decent enough fellow, Raf thought. He looked at him and kindly declined the offering of jerky. He assumed, like many before Craven, that this would prompt some kind of discussion about food preference, but was happy to see that Craven did not press him for declining. As Raf huddled closer to the fire pit, his memory began to jog - the words of the woman and to help her people rang in his mind.

“My name is Rafael. My friends call me Raf,” he started, “This probably sounds crazy, however, I had an odd dream just now-”. As Raf recounted his dream to the two by the fire, they in turn exchanged what they dreamed about. It was a peculiar retelling of stories across the fire; three strangers coming together under an afternoon sunset by the fire: brought together by unknown forces at play. Raf felt better about the situation now that he was not alone in this island. They spent the better half of an hour determining what the woman had wanted them to do, and how to find their city. Raf and Craven both agreed that the path further into the forest would most likely lead closer to their destination, and with Sheiyanith’s help (as a druid, as she had boasted with pride about), they started off into the forest. Along the way, Raf remembered a question Craven had initially asked them.

“Hey, Craven.” Raf called to him.
“Yar,” Craven replied flatly, but not unkind.
“Mimicry.”
“Say wha?”
“What I can do. I can mimic...stuff, and make it my own.” he explained.
“Oh, neat!” Craven replied enthusiastically.
“Interesting,” Sheianyth said quietly. Raf shot a quick glance at her as they continued forward into the denser part of the forest.



{ BGM: The Signal }

Somewhere within the city of the faeries, a stone corridor is barely lit by the faint glow of torches hanging on the walls. Beyond the darkness of the hallway, two faeries appear garbed in traditional faerie knight attire. Their strides are long and weightless, seemingly floating over the floor as they maneuver through the corridors in a rush. As they round a corner, the corridor leads to a staircase downward.

“Can we really trust her to keep her end of the bargain?” the first faerie asked.
“Milord trusts her - that means we trust her too,” the second faerie responded curtly.

They followed the spiral steps of the stone tower until it flattened to a landing with a thick wooden door. They entered one at a time and shut the door behind them. The room was dark, no light or windows to illuminate its contents. Their eyes glowed in the darkness as they approached the far wall of this closed-in square stone room. As they grew closer to the wall, a thin light outlined the shape of a door against the stone. The faeries looked at one another, and pushed the wall, revealing a hidden doorway. They found themselves outside the city gates, open to the wild.A wide expanse revealed a manmade trail winding down a hillside, however the forest and the afternoon sky were not visible The trees were wide and old, almost dead.

The air was denser here, and a light hue of gray reflected off surfaces of the ground and the foliage. The sky was remarkably strewn with colors of black with fading red clouds. There were no stars or moons, a solid black background that felt almost closed off to the world around it. As they stepped out, they magicked the door shut behind them. The first faerie was male; tall; with sleek ash gray hair, and high cheekbones. The other was shorter; female; with a rounder face than her counterpart, and had dark red hair. They split off and lit two torches near the entrance of the door to the tower, and stood - waiting. A signal in the darkness of the Outworld. As minutes passed, the horns of war resounded through the sky above, and a single horse with a rider upon it, materialized. It raced downward at an incredible speed, the horse rearing as it halted several feet away from the two knights floating in mid-air. The faerie sitting atop the horse wore an ivory mask with long black curled back horns. His armor was almost a mirror, reflecting his surroundings off its surface, nearly camouflaging him from sight.

“The path is cleared?” the faerie knight asked. His voice was mystical and ethereal, it held authority as he scrutinized the two knights.
“Y-yes Frey Aedwyn,” the male faerie responded and stiffened under the pressure of his presence. The other faerie stood petrified.
“Malfur is indeed reliable, good. We will come with the night,” Aedwyn responded and raised his head. His midnight black steed reared up once more, neighing as he lifted to the skies and disappeared among gray clouds lit by a heat storm in the backdrop.
“What have we done?” the female knight asked herself quietly. The male knight turned to her with a severe expression.
“Our duty,” he responded, before turning to the sealed door and opening it. The female followed close behind, and the door remained open. An open channel for the Outworld to creep inside.

The elf, who gave the name Aedra, was mostly silent during their time together. Craven knew better than to try and push people to open up, but he would remain his usual, high-spirited self in hopes to weaken any walls she had. Raf, on the other hand, was more open to getting to know his companions, and Craven had let loose a small chuckle at the young man misinterpreting his euphemism. Once everyone had gotten dry and was ready to go, they packed up. Craven made sure to put the fire out, and stacked the rocks up to make a small marker. Though the pirate had a decent sense of direction, he was unsure if there was a chance the land would make it difficult and thus wanted to take no chances.

They walked a ways, keeping their eyes out for any threats, when Raf answered his question from earlier about specialties. And then the elf mentioned...something herself.

“Mimicry.”

“I've kinship in the world around us. A duty. A connection. The power that comes with it."

“Interestin’...I guess we have us a pretty solid team then.”

Aedra kept her head down and remained silent, though Craven could tell she was open to everything around her. Her power would be the most useful in this time, and Raf’s mimicry would help in a fight. Craven pulled out another piece of his jerky and munched on it as they walked, and the pirate appeared to relax.

“Ahhh, beautiful day.”

He stared up through the trees and noticed the sky begin to darken a bit a ways off…

Hmmm...that could be bad…

Shieanyth stood by for a moment longer as she watched the two depart off on their own little adventures for the day. The elven woman was left wondering what exactly it was that she could do, outside of really wandering around the village. The oocupants would either be barely hospitible, or completely horrible, now that the humans she was traveling with were no longer at her side. It wasn't something that bothered her entirely, but it would have been less annoying in the long run not to be agitated by the passing gazes. A good five minutes passed before she even took one step from where she had been standing, lost deep within her own thoughts the entire time. Down a well-tredded path and in the opposite direction of the other two, her eyes took in the scenery afforded to her, ignoring the looks in her direction.

The sun-kissed woman stopped only when she stumbled upon a small structure that took her interest, if only because of the smells drifting from it. If she were honest, it smelled a little too close to what home did and it did take her off guard. There was barely a crease on her eyebrow when she took a couple steps forward. A moments hesitation was given before she pushed the door open, the full force of the fresh herbs hitting her sensitive nose the moment she stepped in. Shieanyth felt the quirk of a smile rise up on her face, although it only lasted a few seconds due to the reaction of the shopkeeper.

"Good day, how can I be--" The other started, staring as she cut off.

"No need. I can see you have a fantastic choice of stock here. I'll be most fine sorting through it myself." A curt response given, which surprised the faerie.

"Are you sure?" Hesitation was the flavour of the day, poured into that tone.

"Star lillies, harendall and Silverroot. Like I said, I'm fine." Nothing but polite, despite her distaste.

Sheianyth had grabbed a basket, picking through the herbs and flowers in the shop, bringing most of them to either her nose or to press them against her tongue. There was more than enough to fill that basket, various bits and pieces in order to make more salves or potions, some just to bath with and others to eat. If it was one thing she could be sure of when it came to faeries, was the simple fact they took as much care of nature around them that most elves did. It just wasn't something other humanoid and sentient beings she had met, could understand. Her view of the world was skewed, there was no mistaking that, but maybe travelling with the crew meant that she would open her eyes. Hell, she had already talked to Raf and Craven more than most. Her hand brought the basket to the counter, and while she may not have had the currency of the realm so to speak, she did pluck off one of her bracelets off her wrist.

While it was more than enough to cover that and more, and much to the shopowners trial to get her to just take the products for free, she eventually managed to pay for it with the silver. Shieanyth ended up taking the basket with her, unexpected but appreciated nonetheless. It seemed odd to walk around the village with a basket full of trimmings, so her next stop was back to the lodgings that held her room, placing it on a desk. She even went so far as to refresh her parched self with a mead, and left out to explore once more. Half a day would pass with her simply watching the life of this village, watching children running around trees, teasing each other and parents coming to scold them for it. That was something that bothered Shieanyth to see, for reasons she would keep to herself, but it was obvious growing up for her hadn't been simple or clean.

Eventually she would strike out again, this time in search of Craven or Raf. Her first thought was simply to no longer be completely alone in this civilisation, as it didn't bode well with her senses. The magic floating around here was amplified many times what she was used to and they had seen its affects on her when she woke up at the waterfall. She had done her best to hold it all in, but she had her limits. Of course, the first person she would see would be the mysterious Rafael. Her mouth opened and closed a few times as she watched him from a distance. Initially she was going to call out his name, maybe have a conversation. But there was something deep down that had stopped her. Frowning at her own inability to socialise, a small white glow formed around her. Before anyone could see, her body had shrunk in size and shifted into another, forming fur and claws. The ferret version of the druid scampered after the brunette, keeping to foliage and fences where possible.

Posted by Shin:

{ BGM: About town }


There was but one thought on Rafael's mind as he strolled through the liveliest part of the faerie village: restoring his abilities. It led to a grander desire to find a way out of this world. Since arriving in this new dimension (he assumed), there was barely any time to sit and think about his predicament. Having arrived with his two companions to this town, it was a brief respite from looking for the rest of the pirate crew he found himself tagging along with. The openness and natural state of the town was different and welcoming for him. By comparison, Raf had just spent a gradual amount of time in Terra, now a desolate sand prison, ravaged by two wars in the past decade. It was a cemetery with a fraction of the population, and an ever increasing demand for disaster relief that Regna seemed to drag its feet to provide. His work was important in this regard, and thus his urgency to want to return was ever of the highest importance. Having arrived in this dimension, Raf was without his weapons, his powers, and transportation. Relying on this pirate group to allow him to board their vessel and use them as transportation was his only lifeline. Stick with them long enough, he thought, and perhaps he could arrive at a metropolis or central area of population where he could get answers, and perhaps find a way back.
Amid being lost in thought, he caught the attention of a few villagers who had traded looks with each other and looked unsure at him. He broke from his trance to realize that he had been staring off, and it might have appeared to them as if he were looking at them intently. He shook his head and turned away, now observing his surroundings. Small stony cottages lined either side of the road, and passersby carried on about their day. Unfortunately, shops and door signs all had undecipherable language he didn't understand, and some stores used his language. One of the fascinating aspects of traveling the stars, even dimensions, was the mystery in how other species evolved and learned to communicate, and among that thought, how they developed a similarity in language that could similarly compare to his own. If he understood that right, he entered a narrow store that read "Cards" and a heavy cloud of incense lingered inside. The shop was dark and musty, and a shorter faerie creeped at a snail's pace from the backroom.
"Good morn', are you here for a reading?" He asked. His face was old, wrinkled, half covered by a bandana with silver wisps of hair poking out the sides.
Raf looked around the store, unsure he would be able to use anything here to aid him on this errand, "A reading?" He asked.
"Perhaps runes? Though, I haven't practiced in recent years." The old faerie admitted.
"Sure, I guess you could choose whichever one you are more comfortable with." Raf replied, unsure how any of this would help him. The artifacts and spherical objects on the walls looked useless to him. A wall of rolled parchments on the other side happened to catch him interest.
"I will prepare the runes then, it has been a while, and I do enjoy them." The old faerie said with a smile.
"What are these for?" Raf asked, pointing to the wall of scrolls.
"Ah, those are magic scrolls. Menial spells, but I barely make or sell any since most of us here can do just fine without them. Are you interested in purchasing some?" He asked with interest.
"I would be lying if I said I was not interested. Can I browse through any of these? More importantly, is a human able to utilize these?" Raf asked, catching on to the rules of the species. He felt a bit of pride having remembered Aedra's warnings toward him and Craven about the faerie folk.
"Hm. Yes, humans can use these, but beware of the mental and spiritual toll these spells take. An ordinary human can experience short-term fatigue from their use." The old faerie replied. He hobbled over to the wall, where the built in storage held all of the scrolls. He grabbed a few from the wall and began to open each one, explaining their use while Raf stood behind him peeking over with genuine interest.


After some time had passed, Raf declined any Telling services, but purchased several scrolls with low level spells that he could make use of. Payment was the second issue in this new world. He settled on an agreement with the old faerie, one he was not proud to agree to, knowing the dangers that Aedra again had warned the two of. In exchange for the spells, he would run an errand for the old faerie down at the lake. While it sounded like a simple errand, he overthought what it could mean for him if he failed to uphold his end of the favor. Considering it to be a pertinent duty to his current addition of temporary magic, he headed down for the lake at once. It was mid-afternoon around the time he arrived at the waterfront, and approached a red gondola with gold trim. If the description was right, this must have been it. He approached and looked inside. There were a few wooden crates, and a stack of cloth piled at the end of the boat.
"Hello?" He asked.
"Huh? Wh-what?!" The bundle of cloth shifted and beneath the mound out came a young faerie with a piece of straw in his mouth. The higher pitched voice surprised Raf, and he took a step back to see the young kid sit up with a drowsy expression.
"I was told to pick up a package for Cyril?" Raf relayed the message. The kid nodded in agreement in a hypnotized manner, and then reached out to one of the crates and opened it with a prybar. He reached in, pulled out a wrapped bundle almost his size, and handed it over to Raf. He grabbed the package, and the kid slipped back under his makeshift bed. Raf stood in silence and captured the weirdness of the moment, then turned and awkwardly carried the package with him back to the main town area. Passing the hot springs, he caught sight of two individuals exiting the inn. They stood by the entrance and scanned the area until their gaze met Raf's, and began to walk toward him. He instantly recognized the first as Wes, and beside him a taller faerie wearing a regal outfit and leather armor. As they approached, he saw a similarity between the two and surmised they might be related.
"Hey Raf, this is Quinlan, my brother. He is one of Princess Cirilla's royal guard." Wes began, "She's pretty busy right now, from what Quin tells me, and she has a message for you all."
Quin was taller than Wes, but not as dark-skinned. They both had the same curly brown hair, and his eyes were blue. He took a step forward and offered his right hand for a handshake. Raf obliged and nodded at their introduction.
"The Princess regrets not being able to meet you all before. She has requested the three of you meet with her. Meet us by the portal when you are ready." He announced. He turned and began to walk back up the path toward the bridge leading to the dais. Wes saluted with a toothy grin and turned to follow his brother, leaving Raf with his awkward package. He returned to the small stony storefront and knocked on the closed door. A minute later, the old faerie appeared, and relieved Raf of the bundle and bade him farewell. A favor returned, and no spooky curses for breaking his word. It was a welcome feeling for such a small task.
"Right then, guess I need to find the others." He said and set forth to look for Aedra and Craven.

Posted by Shin:

{ BGM: The Seelie Court }[/b][/size]

"Was this path here before?" Raf turned to the other two as he pointed to the new foyer extending to a forked passage splitting into three different corridors. Upon further inspection, the entire layout of the castle appeared to have also changed; morphing into a new castle, with even higher ceilings, more light fixtures, and admittedly more light flooding in from floor to ceiling windows. The windows were tall with thicker pulled back curtains, and polished onyx flooring. Just ahead, Quin and Wes stood by the right most path, waiting patiently for the group to arrive. The trio approached, and without introduction or explanation of the changes, led the way toward a tall tower connected to the main building. After three flights of stairs, they entered what looked like living quarters. Guests, travelers, and extended family likely resided here. Another set of stairs and they arrived at Cirilla's quarters. The two faeries announced their arrival, and they ushered the trio into a wide open room. The greeting room was adorned with plush purple fabrics, with gold lining and a flair of twirled designs on the trim and hardware of most of the furniture. The off-white walls and ceiling shaped the room into a perfect cube, with a door in the back end leading to the princess's bed chambers. The velvet carpeting was soft to the touch, and muted most of the previous clicking and stamping of the trio's footfalls.

Cirilla emerged from her bed chambers in traditional royal wear, as she greeted her guests. Raf was pleasantly surprised at how similar, and yet, different she had appeared from his vision of her while he dreamed by the ocean side. Cirilla[/b], quite the opposite of her father in every aspect of her appearance, had long violet hair cascading down her back like sheets of fine silk with a crown of verbena resting on her head. Alluring amethyst eyes scanned her guests as she sat on a loveseat staged for intimate conversation. She motioned for the trio to sit in the opposing couch and chair which faced her. She had smooth fair skin and wore a ball gown silhouette styled satin dress with puffy shouldered juliette sleeves, a flattering corset bodice, and a full laced choker. Her wardrobe was a mixture of purple shades that accentuated her hair and most especially her luminous eyes. She smiled at them, and bowed her head, her arms were spread, resting on the chair's round tapered arms. Her legs were crossed, revealing tips of her black pointed boots, and she sat a moment in silence, before she began to address the group.

"It was unfortunate that I was unable to greet you upon your arrival to my home, and for that, I apologize. I am Cirilla of the Seelie Court, daughter of King Gaftalion, one of the Elders in our society whom many events have circulated around in our long lived history. We are but one of many races of people who live on this floating world named Adraxia. As I am aware, some of you might already know the name of such a place, and even what it might hold. Regardless, I would formally like to welcome you all as visitors to our arcane land."
"It is our honor, to be welcomed by the rulers of this land." Raf replied, bowing his head in return.
"I would also request a pardon of my intrusion into each of your dreams to invite you here. I would not have done so, if I was not certain we would require your assistance. I gleaned from you three, many useful and noteworthy traits. Traits that we could use, for what will inevitably result in a standoff between our Seelie Court, and our mirrored Underworld, the Unseelie Court." She said.
"We reside in a pocket dimension than most the rest do, within this floating world. Our magicks have allowed us to manipulate time and space to allow for our societies to live for extended years in fractions of minutes, in comparison to the rest of our world. These same magicks allowed us to separate into two ruling communities, Seelie and Unseelie, and to be ruled by both a King and a Queen, respectively. However, I am afraid that your arrival here, has triggered movement between all of the different races within this world, not just the Fay."
"What does this have to do with us?" Raf asked. He thought that if what Cirilla was saying turned out to be true, he had hitched a ride with a group who really was, in fact, a pirate crew true to their name. On that thought, his gaze shot to both Craven and Aedra, whom had been members of that crew well before he joined as a random invite by that one guy. What did they know about this mission to Adraxia, and what could he learn from them about why they were here now?
"You are not the first to have arrived on this floating world. Others have successfully and unsuccessfully entered through our barriers, however, none have done so, in such a fashion as your ship has. The consequences in conflicting magicks are what resulted in you all being separated," she explained.
"How do you know all of that happened to us if you weren't there to witness it?" Raf asked stupidly.
"Mr. Blake-" she started.
"Call me Raf." He replied quickly correcting her formality.
"Very well, Raf, your mind was very easy to penetrate, and I was able to witness a great many events in your past. If you plan to remain in the land of the Fay, I would highly suggest fortifying your mind. Perhaps, lessons may be necessary in learning how to close one's mind to the magickal influence of our people?" she asked with a sly grin.
"I'll not sure that'll help..." He said more to himself than in response.
"In any case, you must be wondering why I have asked you to come today. I prefaced with our two societies, as now I am seeking your help in a very important matter. The Unseelie Court and its queen, are mounting forces to invade the Seelie Court and destroy us. We are a peaceful people, and we do not have the needed resources to defend our home properly. If we are able to uncover evidence against the Queen before an all-out war begins, we can minimize casualties and put her on trial for treason with judgment from our Elder Council." She said and turned to Quin. "Quin here, will be accompanying me to one of our outer territories, Zanbar, and we plan to obtain evidence there. If a skirmish is to occur, it would be best to minimize the fighting away from the palace. My father is sending a squad, however, Quin and I have been working on this objective for quite a long time now. Embarrassingly, it has taken us this long to find such a lead, and I fear we may be too late. Nevertheless, we must try. And so, I am asking for your help in this matter. Wouldn't you like to prove to the king that you are worthy guests, and above all, allies to a greater cause? To obtain the freedom to come and go as you please, and utilize our services in a manner that can help you without trickery? Will you three help us?" She asked sincerely and placed her hands upon her lap.

Raf turned to look at the group and gave them a look of helpless agreement. The other two agreed with careless shrugs, but the look of apprehension was starkly contrasted behind their plain expressions. To meddle in the affairs of another world and their issues, from Raf's world perspective, was a big problem. He gave a light shrug, realizing that foregoing standard procedure, they really had nothing else to go on to find the remainder of their companions.
"From my limited perspective: helping you would benefit us as you say. And if that is the case, we will agree to help, so long as it allows us any resource we can use to help find our companions." Raf replied.
"Excellent, and I will speak with my father once everything is said and done, and ensure you three have every ability to reconnect with your lost companions." She said and stood up with vigorous energy, unlike a moment before.

Raf looked back at his two partners and shrugged and gave a weak smile of reassurance. Up till now, Rafael barely worked with people, let alone super powered individuals in a team setting such as this. In his world, he was a loner, and at times, worked with his mentor. His lack of socializing with others made him come off as meek at times, and at others, incredibly sheltered. In conversations such as these, he was grateful for the experience to earn more confidence in carrying conversation with others, formal or informal. The trio stood up and Cirilla quickly procured traveling packs for the trio, as if expecting them to have agreed to the plan all along. Quin and Wes remained in the room while Cirilla retreated to her bed chambers in order to prepare for the journey.
"Sorry to spring this on you three so quickly and abruptly." Wes said with a guilt smile.
"It couldn't be helped, time was of the essence." Quin replied as he readjusted his armor.
"So it is just the six of us then?" Raf asked.
"Yes, and we want to keep it light and quiet, to avoid too much attention. The King is unaware of the plan, and the scouting party has most likely already been dispatched. We'll need to travel light and quickly to catch up and enter the city and avoid detection by them while we investigate for clues.
"What exactly are we going to be looking for?" Raf questioned, seemingly unconvinced of this hare brained scheme.
"Oh you know, this and that." Wes was grinning widely as he too, was readjusting his armor and bracers. He now wore a headband on top of his usual hunting clothes, and the leather armor seemed to match properly. Judging by his expression, he could barely hide the thrill of adventure.

The group retreated to the sitting area and huddled together while they checked their own equipment. Raf practiced what little magic he could feel, coursing as gentle prickly sensation on the tips of his fingers and palms. He looked at his hands in disappointment, knowing one of his best tools in battle, if it came to that, was sorely lacking in this world. Something happened, he thought, something must have happened that blocked his flow of energy when he involuntarily crossed dimensions into this world. A limiter, perhaps, he did not know, and without the ability to use his magic, he could not draw his weapons or his skills out. He was naked, relying only on observation, quick thinking, and close-quarters combat skill as an unarmed fighter. Being in an unknown place, without protection, gave him much to worry about. It was a good thing he had two companions at least. He stopped focusing on himself, and turned to them as they too were reviewing their gear.
"Are you both ready? We're going to need to work together – communication will be important in combat – when we are out there, let's practice a bit to nail our timing and our call outs." He offered. [/size][/font]

Posted by Jorsh:

The pirate finished his bath and had been on his way back to the inn when he came across the young Raf. He mentioned the princess finally being ready to meet with them, so the trio headed off to the castle. Despite the changes to the castle, Craven was less surprised and more just awestruck at the Fay architecture and the way the decorations were placed. With all the crazy stuff that the Crew goes through on a regular basis, he was used to stuff like this.

Eventually, they came to a tower with the princess inside, which made the pirate chuckle at the pun as they entered her room. She began speaking to the group, but primarily talked to Raf as Craven and the young lady stayed back a bit. The grizzled pirate didn’t quite feel any real threat from the princess or her guards, but for some reason had this feeling of unease while they spoke. He just couldn’t put his finger on it, so he put it to the back of his mind for now. They exited the tower and returned to the sitting room while the Fay gathered their gear.

After the druid cast her spell on the group, the pirate smirked and looked over at the pair when Raf spoke about teamwork.

“Eh, tha’s nah much o’ a prollem for meh, lad. I’ve been following the Capn’s or’ers for ‘ears. Just tell me what to do and A’ll be rea’y to back ye up. Both yoo an’ th’ missy, there. Le’ meh be yoor swor’ an’ shield while ye back meh up wi’h yoor abilities. Ah, bu’ speakin’ o’ shiel’s, perhaps they migh’ have one ah ken borrow…an’ thank ye for the spell. Ah’m no good when it comes to magic, and while Ah ken use the Materia the Cap’n has on the ship, Ah forgo’ to equip some before we left. But I believe in you guys. After all…the Cap’n did.”

Craven pulled his cutlass out along with a whetstone he kept on his person and began sharpening the slightly curved blade while they waited for the entourage to fill and he whistled an old pirate tune while he did so. He would definitely remember to ask for a shield before they left however.

Posted by Kae:



Time passed without much notice as they traversed from their previous locale, onward toward this seemingly unknown destination to the trio. Aedra made note of the fact new armaments and weapons had been procured, and for once, she made no disguise of her hatred toward the like. More than ever, it was obvious she relied on her own hands, rather than the tools that she could place in them. Healer and protector, than fighter. But what she seemingly lacked in martial prowess, they would see exactly how useful she could be. On or off the field. Perhaps all these thoughts distracted and prodded at her because she felt so threatened by their company, although there was hardly a reason to feel the like.

They were washed away by the time they arrived, azure eyes focusing on their surroundings more than the people talking. Grand, as to be expected and she even felt a little swallowed up by the sizeable emptiness that filled the air, choking her of her ability to breath for a moment or two. The halfbreed surprisingly rubbed hands over her arms, as if to disperse the chill that ran down her spine. This place was not somewhere that she should have been, but it seemed they had little choice in the matter now. As the group conversed with a fay she didn't particularly put stock to, a hand rose to detach from herself and cast slender, unmarred fingers over Raf's forearm, very well feeling the ill-at-ease manner rolling over him.

It was brief, and needed no words for him to understand that they were there with him. Wary as he might be, they were all together until the end. A mark that Aedra at last, had shown him even the slightest of kindnesses since they plummeted to this land what felt like weeks ago. The feeling passed and her hand withdrawn, for they had stepped forward to teleport seconds later. The druid would act as if no such act had been bestowed, even if there may have been a little change in that formerly pure, stern stoneface she had. It seemed softer, perhaps a chance more trusting of her companions.

The first thing that Aedra noticed was the scent that offended her nostrils, sickening her stomach with its unfamiliarity. The woman was born of the forest, and while she had travelled far and wide, had yet to truly grasp the aroma that was a seaside village. For a shocking period, she seemed dazed until they came upon a place of convergence and meeting, listening yet again. Be inconspicuous? Gazing down at her usual choice of clothing, she wondered if that was going to be possible. Well, then again, an elf in fay lands was going to be difficult enough to hide. Better to hide in plain sight.

"Nevermind that one side smells of life, the other of death." Her tone was quiet and subdued, even the lingering gaze had been lowered to the leafy floor below them. Words that were lost and meaningless, or perhaps just a jab. Aedra truly felt like she was disembodied and her mind floated, becoming harder to keep track of her surroundings while she followed her companions, even going to far as to find a cloak to place over that almost-royal-in-design garb of hers. Not that she would ever say.

Once they had set upon their given task, her lower lip sucked in against her teeth as they were questioned. Would they find anything? She was sure they'd find something, but whether that something was their something.. who knew. For the moment, Aedra followed behind the two and nursed the unsettled emotions that brushed over her in unfamiliar, tainted territory. She seemed barely cognisant of the conversation that Craven and Rafael were having with the locals up until the mention of food struck out. Surprisingly, it was the comfort of the tavern that they ventured into that struck her out of her miserable state, nodding in agreement.

Before she truly had a second to comprehend much more had happened, the 'leader' of their merry band was scattering his way out and she had only instinct to drag her after him. "Now is not the time to be crass." She muttered out to the other, looking over at his shield-bound form and then toward the argument devolving before them. A moment later, she was left with the pounding impression of Raf's mental fortitude slapping her in the face, not that he knew just how solid their connection might be. With her proclivity toward magic, she was far more sensitive to receiving than either of them might have been, had she amounted to do the same.

Instead, the druid would act out a feint, grasping at her head as if she were struck with a malady of agony. Sounding a clink of silver bracelets on her wrist and a dim glow of the vines that wrapped around her body below the cloak and dress she wore, proof that indeed she had heard Rafael and was planning some sort of magical explosion that she dare not express. The first of a duality of spells resulted in a hidden sprite behind all of the 'demonstration' she presented, barely a tiny bauble of light that neither of the other Fay could see. It's intended destination and purpose was that of Cirilla and Quin, to inform the pair quite secretly that the group had run into some trouble.

Despite the act she played, Aedra was already down a third of her power maintaining their connection in a foreign land, with foreign magic she had issues drawing energy back from, and to pull off the spectacular shower of icicles (albeit only a small handful of shards circling around both arms), were distributed towards their untimely and unlucky foes as little more than a distraction to help her partners in their fight to give them any advantage she could. Lastly, was the remainder of her mental faculties she possessed, crouching down to the ground and placing a hand flat on the earth below. That nausea struck again, the seaside smell infecting her senses as she began to map the immediate area much like she had the forest when they were lost before. "W-we ---" She swallowed, calming her senses. "..two choices. Alley to the right leads into a series of twists and turns. Or straight through the opposition for a wide path and more berth to make a getaway." She struggled, a few beads of sweat covering her face. Aedra refused to be downed by so little though.

Posted by Kae:


Aedra may gave been weakened by the drain of her own mana supply, but that didn't mean for a second that she didn't see exactly how Rafael managed to bring one of their opponents down. It wasn't a move she had ever seen and she was intrigued to say the least. Many humans, or more specifically human men, generally did not have the discipline to strike a woman in battle and either not break her, or miss her entirely. Perhaps he was worth more merit than she had given him. It was a thought she would have to consider at a later date, because if she lost her thoughts to him now, they would surely find themselves in more of a pickle than they were all already in.

The battle had moved quicker than she anticipated and the next thing she could even register was the hand on her shoulder. Azure hues met amber in that instant, the uncanny understanding that had formed Aedra was not entirely sure of just her magics. The spell was powerful, surely.. But there was a concern she was not accustomed to written across his face. It took the poor woman a moment or two to snap out of her reverie, not in the least aided by her temporary exhaustion. A nod was given in return before her legs forced her into action and followed after her two compatriots. What a task to get away from what could have easily been their incarceration. Far too risky. Maybe next time she would think to use the same spell she was using to guide them, to get a head-start on who might be around to jump them.

Focusing on her breathing while the two conversed, the half-elf let the facts sit in her mind for a moment or two. Craven was certainly asking the right questions, and Raf was as much detective as fighter, it seemed. Never before had she wondered what her place might have been in this rag-tag group, or that she might have needed the companionship to survive this place. Funny how things turn ones mind slowly toward socialising and making bonds. Unlike either of the two, Aedra hadn't been keeping her ears peeled, but was grateful when they all stopped to have a moments rest. Almost instantly did the druid find a barrel to sit upon, catching her own breath. The sooner they were gone from the fae lands, the less weakness she would feel in her own form, she swore it.

"Rafael. We should not think of what could have been. It is done now, best to look to what is ahead. Even.. I have made my fair share of mistakes when it comes to the course I needed to take." Ah, there she was, being nice again. This was really going to bit her in the ass sooner or later.

Her voice lowered as she heard the sounds of nature calling out, shivers running down her spine. There was hardly a worry or concern for the fleeing beings around her, but a spark in her eye for what manner of beast had been released. To hunt them, surely? As if that weren't bad enough, a certain someone decided to clamber toward the animals with every intention of stopping them. Bravery or stupidity, she knew not which they were. A soft sigh came from her lips, as the spell connecting the three of them dipped ever so slightly. If Raf was going to risk his own life for the sake of these forsaken people.. if animals who would have otherwise been innocent in all of this were to be harmed...

Aedra disagreed entirely with that assessment, and in a flash of light, the half-breed druid disappeared from view. As no one knew the true depths of her power, or what she was capable of, most would have assumed the elven woman to be a coward, to have fled the field and left her new friends to their fates. But no, there was a soft blue glow bouncing around in the air moments later, striving past the brown-haired bravado, unkept in its steps as white fur blurred on past. These beasts were trained to slaughter, and yet for some of them, this would not be their be-all-end-all fate. A couple of the bobcat beasts found her paw pressed against their forehead as she moved past, the sound of a drop of water echoing through their minds at the activation of yet another spell.

Almost as intensive as the one she had placed on the three of them, meant to not only quell the attackers, but to turn their attention to their brethren.. or more importantly, the foul fae that would have controlled them. Two, or three, she wasn't sure how many she had reached before her supply was tapped out and she was forced to return to the party. It seemed for the moment she was stuck in this form, but not entirely defenceless once she had recuperated. There was a soft nudge of mental pressure toward Raf, mostly, but also toward the others to do what they could. Support was the best she could give, once her body had passed its weakest.