"But you might not even have that dear Brother. I have heard things about our parents, and I don't just mean all those tales about Fathers greatness. Our Mother is special too. Father has barely aged since he wed her, if anything he is more youthful now. Look at us, we are both adult, Cionadh too. Tortha even has a child of his own at his hearth. Yet there is not a strand of grey on Father's head."
She stopped, wondering if Remis had ever even noticed these things before. Nothing much had ever been said about their mothers past, Radha had not asked and Jetamio had never volunteered the information.
"But if you really want to go hide in a deep dark crypt..." she trailed off, shuddering at the thought of such a thing.
Spindrift
Moderator: Candlelights
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Stormfollower
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Re: Spindrift
The image of the dark crypt of his once alive master crept into his mind. Alive with Its labyrinthine entrance ways dripping with the moisture of the earth and curtained with moss, its myriad of insect hosts clamoring over indefinable masses in the dark, all in joyous competition for some morsel of decaying matter to sustain their crawling impulses.
Far beneath the unknown family vaults whose naming letters had long ago been stricken from the walls by the hammer falls of some hateful hands, between the caryatid columns his sarcophagus sat solidly, carved from the stone of the great chamber itself. He would not be happy with Remis for his failure but at least he would give him new direction.
For now though, Remis lay still, secure in the comfort that he was safe here with Radha. He closed his frantic eyes and concentrated hard on summoning up a dream for himself, where he and Radha ran and played as they had once, a dream he knew that could never come for with his Power came a heavy price. Remis could not dream his own dreams and preyed solely on the dreams of others.
Far beneath the unknown family vaults whose naming letters had long ago been stricken from the walls by the hammer falls of some hateful hands, between the caryatid columns his sarcophagus sat solidly, carved from the stone of the great chamber itself. He would not be happy with Remis for his failure but at least he would give him new direction.
For now though, Remis lay still, secure in the comfort that he was safe here with Radha. He closed his frantic eyes and concentrated hard on summoning up a dream for himself, where he and Radha ran and played as they had once, a dream he knew that could never come for with his Power came a heavy price. Remis could not dream his own dreams and preyed solely on the dreams of others.
Re: Spindrift
Radha stayed with him until he finally slept. She stood up and looked down upon her sleeping twin, brushed a lock of his hair from his face and kissed his forehead lightly. Then she made herself comfortable in the stuffed chair and finally drifted off into her own dreams.
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Stormfollower
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Re: Spindrift
It took his mind some time before he realized it was her dream he was in. His deep desire for his own night realms was so great he actually believed this was his own dream for a while. But the joy was so great and the colors so vivid that he had to doubt it eventually. Nothing that bright could come from the depths of his blackened thoughts.
They were on a hill and his sister and him ran and played as they often had in the past, with him as the dragon and her as the knight their play was full of motion and excitement, laughter filled the air. Over and over they chased and ran at each other in an epic battle which always depended on no less than the future of the entire cosmos. In the end Rhada won, as she usually did. Even when she did not win it was only because of them being called into dinner too soon to finish or because Remis had engineered some ingenious plot of escape. The sat now exhausted beneath a tree...this is where he realized it was her dream for the sunset was too fantastical and the setting to ideal for it to be of his creation.
His preoccupation with perfection and emulating reality would not allow the purple-crimson hues and rainbow vistas to exist and with a small twist in perception the realm was now his. The sunset dulled to mundane levels and the rainbows faded slowly out of the scene.
"I have something to show you Rhada" He spoke in the dream realm to her dream self while in the real world he now sat up in bed, preparing himself to leave while he weaved the tapestry of this dream trap in her head.
"Its just over here beyond this hill in the corn field beyond. Something I did for you." He flashed her his perfected smile and stood to lead the way.
They were on a hill and his sister and him ran and played as they often had in the past, with him as the dragon and her as the knight their play was full of motion and excitement, laughter filled the air. Over and over they chased and ran at each other in an epic battle which always depended on no less than the future of the entire cosmos. In the end Rhada won, as she usually did. Even when she did not win it was only because of them being called into dinner too soon to finish or because Remis had engineered some ingenious plot of escape. The sat now exhausted beneath a tree...this is where he realized it was her dream for the sunset was too fantastical and the setting to ideal for it to be of his creation.
His preoccupation with perfection and emulating reality would not allow the purple-crimson hues and rainbow vistas to exist and with a small twist in perception the realm was now his. The sunset dulled to mundane levels and the rainbows faded slowly out of the scene.
"I have something to show you Rhada" He spoke in the dream realm to her dream self while in the real world he now sat up in bed, preparing himself to leave while he weaved the tapestry of this dream trap in her head.
"Its just over here beyond this hill in the corn field beyond. Something I did for you." He flashed her his perfected smile and stood to lead the way.
Re: Spindrift
A slight frown flitted across her face the glorious sunset gave way to the more sombre colours of twilight. She looked over to her brother to see if he were worried, but he flashed a smile at her. Relaxing, she smiled back and took his hand as she got to her feet.
"Show me brother. What have you done?"
"Show me brother. What have you done?"
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Stormfollower
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Re: Spindrift
He led her to the ridge of the hill and stopped for a moment for her to take in the field below. A massive crop of corn spread out below them, its stalks not quite at full height yet. The yellow tops swayed and undulated like the spray upon the swells in a sea of green. In the center of the field she could barely make out a clearing amidst the corn and he tugged at her hand now running them both towards it. At the bottom of the hill they entered the first row of corn. He turned to her and smiled.
"Catch me if you can!" He darted off into the field, disappearing in an instant.
"This way slow poke!" Giggling, his voice came at her from a few rows ahead now.
In the real world Remis prepared the note he hoped would reach his father all the while maintaining the dream for his sister. she now stood in front of the stuffed chair, miming the parting of invisible corn stalks with her outstretched arms. The note read simply. A gift for you father. So you may see what you could not before. He placed it on the side table and on it he set an empty, open ring box.
"Catch me if you can!" He darted off into the field, disappearing in an instant.
"This way slow poke!" Giggling, his voice came at her from a few rows ahead now.
In the real world Remis prepared the note he hoped would reach his father all the while maintaining the dream for his sister. she now stood in front of the stuffed chair, miming the parting of invisible corn stalks with her outstretched arms. The note read simply. A gift for you father. So you may see what you could not before. He placed it on the side table and on it he set an empty, open ring box.
Re: Spindrift
She crept through the corn, keeping an ear out for her brother. She heard his shouts and closed in on him but when she found him his back was to her and he seemed slightly distracted. Reaching out she put her hand on his shoulder and turned him around to face her.
In the small room her hand also found his shoulder, spinning him round on the spot. Her golden eyes were open looking right into his yet at the same time through him. Her face was deadly serious as though trying to figure something out. Then suddenly she grinned her girlish grin at him and in both the dream and the real world said,
"Got you!"
In the small room her hand also found his shoulder, spinning him round on the spot. Her golden eyes were open looking right into his yet at the same time through him. Her face was deadly serious as though trying to figure something out. Then suddenly she grinned her girlish grin at him and in both the dream and the real world said,
"Got you!"
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Stormfollower
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Re: Spindrift
Her lucidity shocked him at first. No other victim had ever shown the clarity of thought she now exhibited, she might know, somehow, this was a dream.
"Oh yes. You`ve caught me." He would need to proceed slowly.
"Up ahead. its not far now." He pointed the way and headed carefully closer to the center of the field, where the clearing they saw from the hill was. He looked into her eyes once more. Was she still dreaming? He had never had to doubt his power over others, yet this victim was of his own blood, his twin no less.
"I hope you like them. I know father would be proud."
They came into the clearing. Hastily plucked stalks of corn where strewn about all around as a carpet for the ghastly scene they beheld. Splayed out in a huge radial mandala atop the broken corn stalks were the corpses of two young gnolls, their organs, veins and nerves carefully dissected out of their bodies and flayed out into the circular pattern that trailed away in all directions from their bodies. No part had been completely severed and all the connective branches still remained attached at one end. Fresh blood stained the corn all around them and wa beginning to dry slowly in the sun, the first few bugs only now landing to eat and spawn their young. The dead gnolls faces frozen in the torture of what they had been through. The chaffing on their arms and legs which were tightly tied and staked to the ground betrayed the fact that they had been alive while it was done.
"Oh yes. You`ve caught me." He would need to proceed slowly.
"Up ahead. its not far now." He pointed the way and headed carefully closer to the center of the field, where the clearing they saw from the hill was. He looked into her eyes once more. Was she still dreaming? He had never had to doubt his power over others, yet this victim was of his own blood, his twin no less.
"I hope you like them. I know father would be proud."
They came into the clearing. Hastily plucked stalks of corn where strewn about all around as a carpet for the ghastly scene they beheld. Splayed out in a huge radial mandala atop the broken corn stalks were the corpses of two young gnolls, their organs, veins and nerves carefully dissected out of their bodies and flayed out into the circular pattern that trailed away in all directions from their bodies. No part had been completely severed and all the connective branches still remained attached at one end. Fresh blood stained the corn all around them and wa beginning to dry slowly in the sun, the first few bugs only now landing to eat and spawn their young. The dead gnolls faces frozen in the torture of what they had been through. The chaffing on their arms and legs which were tightly tied and staked to the ground betrayed the fact that they had been alive while it was done.
Re: Spindrift
The young Paladin swallowed a few times, trying valiantly to keep the contents of her stomach. She had seen death before, even inflicted it upon some, but she had never tortured anything. What made it even more sickening was that her own brother, her twin even, had done this.
She looked at Remis and tried to smile. Obviously he wanted her to be impressed with his 'gift', but despite their fathers hatred for gnolls, she strongly doubted the Shaman would be thrilled with this scene either.
"We should get Father. He would want to see."
She looked at Remis and tried to smile. Obviously he wanted her to be impressed with his 'gift', but despite their fathers hatred for gnolls, she strongly doubted the Shaman would be thrilled with this scene either.
"We should get Father. He would want to see."
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Stormfollower
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Re: Spindrift
His eyes narrowed, and he cocked his head to one side. It was obvious to him she did not approve of his art, also he would have to be careful about envisioning their father here in this dream, lest he leave clues to his real life whereabouts. He would need to keep Rhada here for as long as possible while he made good his escape.
"I made them good and beautiful. even mother should see." Smiling he lifted a hidden hatchway beneath the feet of the closest gnoll.
"But there is more, come see."
A makeshift ladder led down through the trapdoor into a six foot by 4 foot hole, covered over by a wooden roof. A secret play fort had been carefully hidden beneath a thin layer of soil, scattered corn stalks and two dead gnolls. The light from many candles could be seen flickering up from below,
"No adults allowed." He grinned madly and gestured for her to go down.
"I made them good and beautiful. even mother should see." Smiling he lifted a hidden hatchway beneath the feet of the closest gnoll.
"But there is more, come see."
A makeshift ladder led down through the trapdoor into a six foot by 4 foot hole, covered over by a wooden roof. A secret play fort had been carefully hidden beneath a thin layer of soil, scattered corn stalks and two dead gnolls. The light from many candles could be seen flickering up from below,
"No adults allowed." He grinned madly and gestured for her to go down.
Re: Spindrift
Radha stood stock still at the edge looking down. It looked too much like a grave to her, and being buried alive was her greatest fear. She finally took a step back and looked at her brother shrewdly.
"After you dear brother."
"After you dear brother."
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Stormfollower
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Re: Spindrift
Remis looked down into the hole, then sadly up at Rhada
"I built this for you sister. Don`t you want to be the first one? All the other kids will be so envious of you! "
He opened the lid even further and nodded for her to enter from where he crouched.
"I built this for you sister. Don`t you want to be the first one? All the other kids will be so envious of you! "
He opened the lid even further and nodded for her to enter from where he crouched.
Re: Spindrift
Radha did not like to see her brother sad, and she frowned but still did not move any closer.
"I do not need their envy Brother."
She then looked up at the sombre sky. She smiled again and held out her arms as the clouds parted revealing the now velvety black sky, studded with millions of stars twinkling like diamonds. A gibbeous moon hung low on the horizon over a dark expanse of water, that sparkled under the moons light.
"I want to play over there." She said, pointing in that direction. She looked back at her brother and his dismayed expression. She cocked her head, with a strange smile. "Why play in a dark hole when we can play under the stars by the sound of the sea?"
Without waiting for an answer she turned in that direction and started walking. In the waking world, her movements took her out their room and along the corridor, although her movements were stiff and cumbersome, while in the dream she was all strength and grace.
"I do not need their envy Brother."
She then looked up at the sombre sky. She smiled again and held out her arms as the clouds parted revealing the now velvety black sky, studded with millions of stars twinkling like diamonds. A gibbeous moon hung low on the horizon over a dark expanse of water, that sparkled under the moons light.
"I want to play over there." She said, pointing in that direction. She looked back at her brother and his dismayed expression. She cocked her head, with a strange smile. "Why play in a dark hole when we can play under the stars by the sound of the sea?"
Without waiting for an answer she turned in that direction and started walking. In the waking world, her movements took her out their room and along the corridor, although her movements were stiff and cumbersome, while in the dream she was all strength and grace.
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Stormfollower
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Re: Spindrift
He had not counted on this. She had control of her dream again and he was being swept away with it.
Not only was she aware it was a dream but she was also aware that she had full control.
His head reeled as the sky swirled and opened around him. The gnolls became their parents Stormfollower and Jetamio, their splayed innards crawling back inside themselves as they came back to life their bonds broke and they rose in each others arms alive and smiling. They kissed.
"The stars and the sea," He spoke softly. These sounded good to him. To be where they had been as children... beneath the stars and beside the sea this was his only desire, to live in that far away past before she went away. Together a family. He was wafted along with her for a few steps but then his dark inner voice bade him stay. Yet fight as it might it could not wrest him from her dream, he wanted to live in there forever, his soul would not be taken back to that dark place again.
But the dark place was not through with him, its power still clutched his spirit in sharp taloned claws and his soul had little choice. The darkness made him do what he had planned to do all along. With a mortified scream that pierced both the waking and the sleeping realms he tore himself from her dream. Hastily placing his fathers gift in the ring box and placing it on top of the note he had written he ran fully awake and whimpering to the window and flung himself through its opening into the streets beyond dissolving silently into the night.
He had hoped Stormfollower would have found his gift with a starving dream trapped Rhada. Perhaps even too late. Now he knew that it would reach him much sooner and by her very free very strong hands. He could not harm his father that way it seamed.
He would need a very deep hole to hide in now. Now that he had attempted to harm the only person he had ever really cared about he had nowhere left to turn. She had seen him as he truly was.
Not only was she aware it was a dream but she was also aware that she had full control.
His head reeled as the sky swirled and opened around him. The gnolls became their parents Stormfollower and Jetamio, their splayed innards crawling back inside themselves as they came back to life their bonds broke and they rose in each others arms alive and smiling. They kissed.
"The stars and the sea," He spoke softly. These sounded good to him. To be where they had been as children... beneath the stars and beside the sea this was his only desire, to live in that far away past before she went away. Together a family. He was wafted along with her for a few steps but then his dark inner voice bade him stay. Yet fight as it might it could not wrest him from her dream, he wanted to live in there forever, his soul would not be taken back to that dark place again.
But the dark place was not through with him, its power still clutched his spirit in sharp taloned claws and his soul had little choice. The darkness made him do what he had planned to do all along. With a mortified scream that pierced both the waking and the sleeping realms he tore himself from her dream. Hastily placing his fathers gift in the ring box and placing it on top of the note he had written he ran fully awake and whimpering to the window and flung himself through its opening into the streets beyond dissolving silently into the night.
He had hoped Stormfollower would have found his gift with a starving dream trapped Rhada. Perhaps even too late. Now he knew that it would reach him much sooner and by her very free very strong hands. He could not harm his father that way it seamed.
He would need a very deep hole to hide in now. Now that he had attempted to harm the only person he had ever really cared about he had nowhere left to turn. She had seen him as he truly was.
Re: Spindrift
She heard his anguished scream and spun round.
"Remis no! Stay with me!"
But instead the dream dissolved around her and she found herself standing in the inn's lobby amongst some confused people eyeing her warily after her shouts. Ignoring them, she bounded back up the stairs to the room only to find her brother gone. She sighed. She didn't fully understand what she had done, but evidently she had unconsiously learned a thing or two from their father about dreams. But she knew Remis could have held her if he'd really wanted to, she was no dreamer. It gave her hope that perhaps his soul was not lost forever.
She spotted the little box and note. After a moments hesitation she picked them up and put them in her pack before leaving.
"Remis no! Stay with me!"
But instead the dream dissolved around her and she found herself standing in the inn's lobby amongst some confused people eyeing her warily after her shouts. Ignoring them, she bounded back up the stairs to the room only to find her brother gone. She sighed. She didn't fully understand what she had done, but evidently she had unconsiously learned a thing or two from their father about dreams. But she knew Remis could have held her if he'd really wanted to, she was no dreamer. It gave her hope that perhaps his soul was not lost forever.
She spotted the little box and note. After a moments hesitation she picked them up and put them in her pack before leaving.