Criala

Rosalia looked to the accord within her hands, her head tilting to the side as her amber gaze took in each word. "Perhaps there can be peace for us all now... I hope Kairn can find peace as well. It's not easy to lose your family..."

Turquoise stared down from the cliff side at the ocean below. Right now, there was hardly any movement in it, from what Estellise could tell. But, soon enough, she’d find out herself. Before diving, she took a few moments to properly stretch. Didn't need to pull a muscle after all. With that done, she faced the cliff side once more. A deep breath, into position and she dove. She hit the water with a splash, surfacing almost immediately afterwards. In the distance, there was a sizable wave headed her way. Thankfully, there was just enough time for her to react and dive down below to try to avoid it. Unfortunately, she wasn't quick enough to avoid the impact of it. The wave crashed against the water, the force of it sending her deeper under. She was able to pull herself back to the surface, sputtering out a mouthful of water. However, there was hardly time to compose herself, because on the horizon there was another wave coming. And it was coming much faster than the first. She ducked under the water as she had before, but the force of that wave was stronger than the first. By some miracle, she wasn't pushed as deep down. Because of this, she was able to resurface quicker than the first time. The effort was beginning to wear on her body, but she wasn't going to give up. Another wave was coming her way, and it was raising up into the air to be the biggest of the three. She didn't look on with fear nor did she back down. Determination was evident on her features as she stared the wave down. She sucked in a deep breath before taking the plunge down once more. The wave crashed into the water, the force of it being enough to send the 'fenn straight to the bottom of the depths. Her right arm got caught between her body and the ocean's floor, likely to bruise later on. But that wasn't the worst of it. Her head also collided with the ocean's floor, hard enough to instantly knock her out. Nothing but a black abyss that was never ending. And then... A gasp as her eyes snapped open, coughing out water. She turned so she could cough it out onto the sand, Medli knelt down and supporting her with her arm. It took a moment for her to regain herself, but it was a relief. She was alive.

Rosalia carefully looked over the invitation within her hands, a smile tugging at her lips. "How wonderful!" She tucked the invitation into her dress pocket, soon pulling a small sketching pencil from it. It was only a few inches in length, an 'R' etched just above the leather grip. Time to put it to use for wedding gift for the soon to be wed couple.

The Lilac druid stared at the sky, her staff clenched in her hand. A sigh was exhaled, and she turned to walk off. "It's the start, and time to bring Hareven back."

Yes, I used to play it all the time. It was one of my favorite games.

This is really good. I absolutely enjoyed reading it.

This is the biggest crime Elvenesse has committed.

The vision was enough to cause the Lilac druid to freeze, seated beneath the willow tree with her staff resting across her lap. Once the vision ended, she took in a deep breath, letting it sink in for a moment or two. "Hareven..." With a firm nod, Vienele tightened the hold she had on her staff, soon easing herself up so she could make her way into the burrow beneath the willow tree to speak to her partner. "It must be done, llir, to bring you home."

Many years had passed since Rosalia had spoken to or even seen Vulen. The Aegrothond forge in Arcas was the last time she remembered. The memory of the man introducing himself to her and offering to teach her to forge was clear in her mind. The necklace they never got to finish was something she still had. This was the first she'd heard of the man's death, and she wept, the unfinished necklace laying on her bedside table, for the death of a man she had considered her friend.

The First Climate and Item Neia had always had a soft spot for the tundra, so that one would likely be left for last. Otherwise, deciding where to go was difficult. In the end, she decided to let her instincts guide her and her feet. After quite some time and a semi-lengthy journey, she found herself in the jungle. “And I thought Elvenesse was warm..” The ‘aheral mumbled to herself. Heat was one thing. She could handle heat. But this was wet. It was almost suffocating with how wet and heavy the air felt. Strands of her pale blonde stuck to the edges of her face, and any hair that hung over her shoulders clung to the sides of her neck, along with the back of it. With a grumble, she pulled the crimson tie from her hair so she could pull her hair up to keep it off her back and neck. It didn’t do much, but at least the annoyance of her hair sticking to every surface of skin it touched was gone. She maneuvered through the jungle, bypassing shrugs. Every so often something would catch her attention, whether it be a pop of color from a flower, movement from the corner of her eye or the shape of a leaf, but after a short time of observation, it wasn’t quite what she was looking for. By now, even her clothing was starting to get damp and feel weighted from the humidity and perspiration. A huff escaped her as she yanked her gloves off. Probably should have done that sooner, but alas. The gloves were shoved into her pants pocket. At least her hands were a little cooler now. Eventually, she came across a body of water deeper within the Jungle. She slowed to a pause at the water's edge, her head tilting to the side ever so slightly. A few lily pads were spread out across the water, at least three or four. She eased herself down, so that she could watch for some time. What she observed was something she found interesting. Frogs appeared to often sit on the lily pads. There was only one frog on the lily pads right now, but a couple of them before had jumped on to the lily pads and hopped away. Being on the lily pads was apparently safer than being in the water. At first, she thought it was just so they could eat whatever insect flew by. But it wasn't just that. Water snakes seemed to enjoy frogs, and she'd seen them try to go after the frogs multiple times, only to fail when the frogs hopped onto a lily pad. "Who would have guessed?" She commented to herself, adjusting herself so she could scoot closer to the edge of the water. The frog one of the lily pads paid no attention to her, as she reached towards one that had no frog sitting on it. Her hand dipped down into the water to grasp the stem of it, giving a gentle tug. It was pulled free, and she was able to pull it out of the water. With that, she eased herself up, now standing at her full height. She turned away from the water, leaving the frogs to relax and eat flies as they pleased without being watched by her, not that they had seemed to care about her. "Now to get out of this jungle... Way too hot and damp here..." She cleared her throat, which was followed by a couple of coughs. Her chest felt a little heavy from all the humidity. At least she was done here, and she didn't have to spend more time here. It was onto the next climate now. "Four more to go." The Second Climate and Item The desert was where Neia found herself next, by following the directions that Avius had given her on how to get there. While the desert was hot, at least it was a dry heat. Not where it felt like you were gulping in water with how wet and humid the desert was. Her hair was already tied up, so it was off her neck. Maybe that would help her stay a little cooler longer this time. "Ahernan, Avius. Could have been wandering around a while, if not for you." She spoke, despite the 'ame not actually being there. The smug smirk that would have been on his face was easy to picture. Sand, sand as far as the eye could see. Also cacti and brown, almost dead and dried up looking shrubs. Cacti weren’t what she was looking for. Too obvious a choice for her liking, considering it was only the first thing she saw and how abundant they were in the desert. It wasn't that she wanted to find something rare, just that she'd rather find something by observing and spending time in the climate. "Hopefully, there's more than cacti and dead looking plants here..." Sand, sand, more sand, even more sand. She was beginning to think there was no end to the sand. Her throat was dry, and sweat was already starting to bead at her brow. While it wasn't humid and wet like the Jungle, it was still incredibly hot. "Your desert is only full of sand, Avius." A huff escaped her, her gaze narrowing at the sand on the ground. "And cacti!" She threw her arms up into the air, narrowed gaze burning a hole through a nearby cactus. She hadn't paused to shout at the cactus, her stride continuing with a huff. "Surprise. Another cactus." Her voice came out as an irritated grumble. The heat must have been starting to get to her head. It was almost as if she could hear the sand talking to her, taunting her with how much there was of it, and how many cacti there were. Suddenly, in the middle of her wondering where exactly her mind had gone since the sand was talking to her, she stumbled over something. This caused her to go face first into the sand. She pushed herself up, sputtering out a mouthful of sand. Sand was sticking to her face, and in her hair, though due to the light shade of it, it was hard to tell. With a huff, she forced herself up so she was on her knees. First, she brushed off her face, bits of sand falling down onto her shirt and shoulders. Next was her shirt, though most of the sand didn't come off. Too frustrated to deal with that right now, she looked over her shoulder to see what exactly it was that she tripped over. A tortoise was there, making its way across the sand. "I thought they needed a lot of water... Can they survive long here?" She murmured to herself, curiosity upon her features. She pulled herself to her feet, so that she could follow wherever it was that this tortoise was going. It was slow paced, since tortoises weren't very fast, but she still trailed along behind it. The journey eventually took her to a spot somewhat nearby. Once it stopped, it did something Neia hadn't expected. It began to dig little holes, at least a few of them. It didn't stop until the holes were finished, and then it sat nearby. Curiosity was what kept Neia there, just observing this tortoise. Time dragged on, feeling like it had been forever. By now, she was sitting a short distance away from the tortoise. Nothing had happened so far, and she was beginning to wonder if hole digging was just a little quirk tortoises had. Digging holes for no reason. Maybe that's all it was. She hadn't encountered tortoises before, so what did she know? A sigh escaped her, her hand lifting up to rest over her eyes. Her head was feeling somewhat light due to the heat, and her eyes felt dried out. Maybe closing them for a bit would help ease both feelings. It wasn't like the tortoise was going anywhere. And if it was, it wouldn't get far before she opened her eyes again. She dropped her hand from her eyes, opening them when she felt something on her head. Her head tilted upwards to find that it had actually started to rain. She cupped her hands together, allowing the water to pool in the palms of her hands. Once it had, she lifted her hands up to drink it. This was done a couple of times more to ease her dry throat. The rain didn't last for very long, but it was welcomed. Now her attention shifted to see what the tortoise was doing, if it was even still there. It could have wandered off while she was distracted, but it hadn't. Instead it was in front of the previously dug holes, sucking down the water in one of them. It didn't stop there though. With the current hole emptied, it moved on to the next to do the same thing. The cycle was repeated until all of the holes were empty. That was what the holes were for. Gathering water for it to drink when it did actually rain. "Strong little thing, aren't you?" She asked, moving over so she could pick the tortoise up. It wasn't 'little', but she found what she was looking for. It was time to move on from the desert, with the tortoise in hand. "Three more now." The Third Climate and Item After the heat of the jungle and the desert, the ocean was the next stop. Neia paused at the shoreline, looking over the vast body of water. Water as far as the eye can see was much preferred over sand. If she never had to look at sand again, it would be too soon. She turned her head to the right, hoping to perhaps see something on the shore, but there was nothing. A look to the left showed nothing as well. A sigh escaped her, her gaze falling on the ocean before her. Swimming under the water and trying to find something that way it was. Taking a minute to bend down, she began to unlace her boots. One foot at a time she pulled them off, left then right. She also undid the sheath to her sword, so she could set it with her boots. Her gloves were left on. With her boots and sword off, she took a moment to properly stretch her muscles. Don't want to pull anything while swimming after all. Now that she was done stretching, she faced the ocean again. Instead of diving right in, she started slow by just walking into the water. The swimming started when she was waist deep. She waded further out, but not too far that she couldn't see the shore yet. Nothing coming out of the ocean, not that she was expecting it to. It just would have been a pleasant surprise. With a deep breath, she ducked under the water so she could swim downward. It was hard to keep her eyes open underwater at first, but she adjusted after maybe twenty seconds. She had limited time to be able to look around before having to go back up for air, so straight to the task at hand. Her exploration took her a decent way beneath the water's surface. Some fish swam by, but they went by much too quickly for her to even think of trying to grab them. Deeper she went into the depths, hoping she could find more. More kinds of fish and other kinds of ocean mammals, along with some underwater plants. What really stuck out to her was all of the kelp. Lots and lots of kelp spread out across the ocean's floor. Many fish and the other kinds of critters lingered by it or in it. Before she could venture any closer, a slight sting began to twinge in her lungs, the sign that whatever air she had left was starting to run out. She pulled up, so that she could resurface to get air again. A few gulps of air, before taking a deep breath and diving back down. Her route took her straight to where she'd been before, and this time she was able to get closer to the kelp. Not only were some of the underwater critters appearing to use it as a home, but others appeared to be munching on it for dinner. So, it was both a home and food for those who inhabited the ocean. She drew closer, so that she could pluck a piece from the nearest kelp. With it in hand, she made her way back to the surface. She burst from the water, wasting no time to suck in a deep breath. A moment was taken to catch her breath, but as she did, she held up her hand to look over the piece of kelp within it. She swam to the edge of the ocean, pulling herself out of the water and dripping all over the sand and dirt. Her sword was strapped to her hip once again, and her boots pulled back on. "And two more." The Fourth Climate and Item Since Neia was saving the tundra for last, the mountains were the next destination. It wasn't too hot, and not all water. The temperature was perfect for fall weather. Up the mountains she trekked until she was closer to the top. Of course, this wasn't done easily. A few times she slipped on the way up, but she managed to catch herself so she didn't go tumbling down the mountain. On the way up she passed by a number of grasses, bushes, a tree here and there, and shrubs. A few moments of observation for each one, before she continued onward. Along the mountain, coming up from the other side, was a long river. It went down the side she had climbed up, trailing down until it was hard to see from where she was on the mountain. A bird flew over head, catching her attention. From the looks of it, maybe an eagle, but she couldn't be certain. It swooped down towards the river, using its sharp talons to dip under the water and coming out with a fish in its grasp. "Well then..." Her eyes widened, watching the bird fly off with its meal. With a shake of her head, she snapped out of it. This put her focus on the river now, and she made her way to the edge of it, squatting down once she was there. Upon getting closer, she was able to recognize the fish within the river as salmon. A fish that she was somewhat familiar with. They appeared to be going up the river, against its current. Probably on their way to make the journey back to wherever it was that they came from. She knew enough to know it was something that salmon did. Unfortunately, it seemed to make them an easier target to be eaten. Still, it was pretty incredible they could make such a journey. "Sorry, but I'm going to have to take one of you." Not that the salmon could hear her, but she spoke to them anyways. Her gloved hands shot into the river, hoping to catch one in the first try. Alas, this was too much to hope for. One was caught, but it managed to wiggle out of her fingers. A grumble under her breath when she pulled back her hands, full of absolutely nothing. Time to try again. Another time of thrusting her hands into the water. This time, the salmon wasn't able to wiggle free from her death grip. There wasn't much time to celebrate her victory in catching it though, because a faint noise reached her ear drums Her head turned upward to see something in the distance up the mountain. She couldn't tell what it was, most likely a bear, but she wasn't going to stick around to find out and have to fight against a bear. "Time to go. If I want to fight against a bear, I'll just ask Miven to spar." She stood up at her full height, as quick as she could. The salmon was sucessfully caught. It was now time to make her way down the mountain, as careful as possible so she didn't slip and roll down it. Only one more climate to go. "One more now." The Final Climate and Item Even though it was incredibly cold, the chill of the frozen tundra was welcomed. There was always a soft place in her heart for it. Neia looked out across the snow covered land, her form already starting to shiver from the cold. There was even a blanket wrapped around her shoulders, hanging down to the back of her knees. Even with the blanket to help shield some of the cold, if she stayed too long, she knew frostbite would set in. Hopefully it wouldn't get to that point, because loss of flesh wasn't something she wanted to experience. But it all depended on if she found her item or not on how long she was there. As she walked further into the tundra, foot prints were left in the snow. Her boots kept her feet warm, her gloves shielded her hands somewhat, and the blanket against her back and arms kept the cold air from biting at her skin. It didn't appear as though there were many things that grew here, or at least could survive the intense cold. But everything was covered in snow, so perhaps there was something hidden there where she couldn't see. The only thing she could make out were snow covered trees. Only the sound of the wind was heard. Chattering of her teeth as starting, but it wasn't enough to be more than a slight noise so far. Her nose and cheeks were definitely turning red from the cold. In the short distance ahead, she saw what could have perhaps been a marsh. It was a body of water, not quite frozen over fully yet, but it was getting there. Some vegetation around it stuck out, though it just looked like tall grass or something like it. She forced herself forward, despite the way her nose and cheeks were starting to tingle. If there was vegetation there, there might be something to gather there. At the edge of the water, she squatted down at the edge. This caused the blanket to shift, and a burst of cold air rushed up her back. A shudder went up and down her spine, since her back had kept some sort of warmth with the blanket on it. She brushed it off though, so she could look over the water. At first, nothing caught her attention. The water had ice across most of it. She assumed that whatever didn't have ice just hadn't frozen yet. Her teeth were starting to chatter harder, enough that it was starting to make noise. Since the first spot she looked over didn't yield anything, she scooted herself down along it to check further down. Every few steps she paused to check, and after a couple of times of doing this, something stuck out to her in a spot of water that wasn't frozen over yet. At the line of it was short, small moss looking plants. Upon closer inspection, she found that it grew closer to the ground, and if she looked closer, she was able to see there was plenty of it around. "Bit different than the moss I've seen before... Don't think that moss grows in this way." She murmured to herself, amidst the chattering of her teeth. Obviously, she couldn't see the impact it had on the environment, but it must have been vital, no matter how small it was, since there was this much of it. One hand reached out, the other keeping the blanket securely around her shoulders, so that she could gather some of this interesting moss. It was easy enough, just cold on her hand even with the glove it. The moss was picked up, and she pulled her hand back into the blanket. While the tundra was one of her favorite climates to be in, she didn't fancy losing any limbs or appendages to frostbite. The final item was gathered, so it was time to head back to Elvenesse and warm up. It was hard to feel her nose and cheeks by now, only a dull almost stinging cold in them as she made the journey back out of the tundra.

On the steps of Miven's house was a basket. One of those big baskets that you use when you're going to go on a picnic and you pack it full of food. A note was stuck to the top flap of the basket, which read 'For Miven'. Smaller lettering was beneath that, reading 'And Celiasil if Miven decides to share'. If the basket was opened, one would find a variety of baked goods. The basket was filled to the top almost. There was bread that had been baked into the shape of a bear, a couple of pies with the design of a bear holding a berry on top, a batch of cookies, a few little cakes and even some cheese to go with the bear shaped bread. There was no name signed or anything to say who had left the basket. Just who had left it?

Leilani scanned the parchment in front of her, reading over the invitation. So, it was time. She knew of the plans since the young Tresery and Tanila had asked for her blessing. She just didn't realize it would be so... soon. "My oem'ii... Getting married." Nope, she wasn't starting to tear up that her baby out of her children was getting married, nope. "Perhaps I can get Lyemar out to attend with me." Rosalia let out a gasp, upon reading the invitation over her mother's shoulder. "Tanila's getting married! How exciting!"

The immense damage done to Eir'thall and Ara'nora's home was an incident that was known by everyone in the Father Circle, and not only that, but likely most of Elvenesse as a whole. However, if Eir'thall and Ara'nora went by their home, they would now find that the damage done to their home had been repaired. Fresh new support beams, new wood that wasn't splintered and the like. It was almost as if there had been no damage in the first place. There would have been no evidence of who had repaired the house left behind. Yet another mystery for the Grove. Just who had repaired their home?

Within the Father Grove, outside of Cullas’ house, were chickens. Anyone who walked by would likely know the chickens. One look at them showed they were well fed and well taken care of. Plump and round creatures, doing whatever it is that chickens do with their time. Probably only hanging on by a thread before having a heart attack. However, if anyone happened to be nearby in the recent months and glanced at the chickens, they might notice that the chickens were even more rotund than before. The way they'd expanded was the only evidence that they'd been fed extra. So, just who has been feeding the chickens? Would the mystery ever be solved?

There was a pot within the 'aheral's hands as she walked. The pot wasn't anything fancy or special, just an ordinary small pot. Tucked in between her thumb and the palm or her hand was a trowel. Neia was walking through the Father Grove, looking for something by the way her gaze trailed here and there. Whatever she was searching for took her to the upper part of the Grove, down the path of Morea's Forest housing and into the forest at the path's end. It was only here that she stopped. An open space at the edge of the forest. A look around to see how far away the other trees were, then a look upward to see if there was space up there for a tree to grow and leaves to branch out. Apparently satisfied with what she saw, she nodded to herself and bent somewhat so she could set the pot down a short ways away. There was a small sapling just barely peeking out of the soil within the pot. She knelt down onto her knees, taking the trowel properly into her hand. With the trowel in hand, she began to dig a hole in the dirt. Every so often she glanced at the pot, then back to the growing hole, to double check what size she was making the hole. After a short time, she stopped her digging. One last glance from the hole to the pot then back told her it was the right size. Reaching over with one hand, she grasped the edge of the pot and lifted it so she could place it beside the freshly dug hole. Carefully, and going slowly so that she didn't make a mistake, she used the trowel to scoop the sapling out, dirt and all. With it out of the pot, she lowered the trowel so she could transfer it into the hole. Once it was transferred, she used the trowel to pile the dirt over the sapling and back into the hole. All of the dirt was soon back in place, and she patted it down. She eased herself up from her knelt position, taking the now empty pot with her. There were only some remnants of dirt left inside it now. There was a satisfied look on her face, seemingly proud of the final result. One last look at the now planted sapling, and she was off, heading back down the path from which she came. "I haven't planted and grown anything in a long time, but this'll do the trick. Now to let Andria know when I see her again."

The woman’s steps were slow, not too fast so she didn’t miss what it was that she was looking for. Seaglass. Her task was to collect it and create a mosaic representing an aspect of Thalassa. The first few minutes were unsuccessful, but that didn’t stop her. She kept close to the shoreline, so it’d be easier to spot any seaglass. With that, her search continued, and soon it proved fruitful. The first bit of seaglass, which she didn’t hesitate to bend down and scoop up. A nod of her head as she looked it over, but this only lasted a few more seconds. As good as it was that she finally found some, one piece of seaglass wasn’t going to be enough for a full mosaic. As she continued, many footprints had been left in her wake, showing the path she’d taken in her search. At this part of the shore, if there were any pieces of seaglass, they were super small or broken pieces that she wouldn’t have been able to use. It prompted a sigh from her. Disappointing, but it didn’t cause any halt in her steps. She’d just keep going until she found more. Even further down the shoreline, she was able to find an abundance of seaglass. Enough for any plans that she had for her mosaic. With all of the seaglass gathered, she took her leave, another set of footprints leading away from the beach left. She didn’t stop until she found herself at home, seaglass in hand. Then she seated herself in the middle of the bedroom floor, where she would have plenty of room. Carefully, she set the seaglass beside her in a pile, so that none of it broke. She reached out a hand, taking one piece of the seaglass and setting it in front of her. As each piece was grabbed and placed with the first, she lost herself in the creation, not overthinking what it was she wanted. It was coming from within. Some time later, all of her seaglass had been placed together. She breathed out a sigh, leaning back just enough so she could look over her work. It painted a picture of a feminine figure, bursting forth from the roaring waves of the sea. Her arms outstretched, and a look of victory on her face as if she’d just broken free from something that held her captive. “How fitting.” She murmured to herself, appearing satisfied with the result. Now all that was left was to turn it into Medli.

IGN: ItsmearcherDiscord: Zadie#4764Skin(s): PeriwinkleBid: 60

Another patron entered the tavern of Elvenesse. A mali’ame man whose green gaze scanned the interior of the building. It was empty, except for a figure that was tucked into the way back corner, away from all the other tables. He didn’t approach yet though, taking a few minutes to observe her. Her attention was on a piece of parchment in front of her on the table, her back facing the wall. It was something he’d noticed about her in the decades since he first met her. She never sat with her back to open spaces, and she often preferred to be by herself rather than in a large crowd. It may have come off as stand-offish or cold to others, but he knew better. The first time he met her came to mind. A neutral expression on her face, but there was a pain in her eyes that was unmistakable. Her guard was up, and it was easy for him to see. The first time he saw it down was when he walked into the Aegrothond tavern in Arcas one day. A soft melody came from within, accompanied by a voice just as soft singing along to it. She had looked so at peace there, and his feet took him to the piano side. That was when he saw the women behind the mask. A woman who was lost and struggling to keep herself together. It was hard to believe how long ago that was, thinking back on it. The woman he first met was a different person than the one in that corner now, though there were pieces of that woman which lingered. The scars under the surface remained and hints of the pain that used to plague her. Not that he was surprised. It was expected with the past that haunted her and what she went through. The look on her face changed ever so slightly, and he knew the meaning of it right away. Pulled back to where she was once again that lost woman, where her cries for help were hidden behind the walls she used to protect herself. Times where she was still struggling to keep herself from drowning and losing herself. Without a second thought, at the sight of that shift in her expression, he strode forward to close the distance between himself and the table. By the time he was sliding himself into the seat beside her, she seemed to snap out of it. But that didn’t change anything. His hand still sought out hers to curl around it, which caused her head to turn from the parchment to look at him. Green met turquoise. He would always do what he could to keep her head above water, to keep her from drowning under her scars. Art by Wolf-Fram

Blue eyes held a dull look, trailing along the walls of the woman’s bedroom. Seated in a chair was a high elven woman. Held in her right hand was a sword, black wisps emitting from the blade. Even after so long, at times, it still felt like he was going to be around a corner, waiting. Waiting for the perfect moment to try to capture what he considered to be his prey. There had been a time where it almost seemed like there was going to be no end to his torment. It’d been years since she’d seen him. He was dead as far as she knew. That didn’t stop the nagging feeling in the back of her mind, telling her to not let her guard down, to remain on alert. For he was a man that maybe even death would have a hard time stopping. What if he showed up again one day? You thought he was gone before, Valerica. And then he appeared again. Her form grew even more tense at the thought. A slow sigh escaped her, fingers tightening around that hilt, her knuckles turning white. The line her lips thinned into left almost no space between them. Her free hand was on the arm of the chair, hand grasping the end of it. Her nails dug into the cushioned end, scratching at it. The fabric there began to fray, ever so slightly. He wouldn’t leave you alone. He wouldn’t leave. He made you what you are now. A tool for murder. And it was so easy for him to do. A snarl almost escaped, her face twisting. But her expression soon relaxed as the thought of Rothilion came to her mind. A light in the darkness she’d found herself in. The light she’d met in that Sutica tavern. Amidst how unsafe she had felt and the constant worry and paranoia of him showing up, Roth was her safe haven. A place where she didn’t have to feel that way, where she could feel safe and happy. Guidance to show her the way and where to go. But he’s gone now, Valerica. A hint of sadness washed over her face. There was an empty space left in her heart from when Rothilion had passed. It ached and ached, not lessening even with how many years since his passing. So long, too long, it had been since his sweet voice had called her ‘love’ or his ‘snowflake’. Without him being the one to say them, it just wasn’t quite the same. No one would be able to take his place in her heart. Roth was the only good part of you. Look at the things you’ve done. The blood on your hands. Out of instinct, her gaze shifted down to each of her hands. Deep crimson coated both of her hands. It even appeared to be dripping down the hilt of her sword, since it was clutched in her fingers. In the blink of an eye though, everything was back to normal. There was no blood on her hands or the hilt of her sword. Nothing at all. Is there any hope for you to be good without him? Do you even want to be good? A battle she often had with herself. Many people had fallen at her hands. So many people she’d hurt. All the things she’d done in the past… Could they ever be righted? There was also the fact of… people. Being good meant people, and she hated those. Everyone but a select few.. Rhaella, Estellise, Daemeon… They are worth the effort, aren’t they? The effort it would take to be good? You couldn’t even keep your children alive, Valerica. How could you be good? A quiet, yet sharp, intake of breath, before it was slowly exhaled. None of her children were alive. She’d outlived all of them. Her shoulders curved forward somewhat, a slight slump forming as she leaned her weight against the left arm of the chair, her fingers relaxing so that her nails weren’t digging into the fabric there. How could you ever hope to protect those you care about when you couldn’t even protect your children? Look how they ended up, where they ended up. Almost as soon as that thought had finished though, she shook her head, however slight a movement it was. No, that wasn’t true. Not all of her children were dead. Rhaella was still alive. Her niece by blood, but in actuality a daughter to her. Her God-daughter. So, she still had one of her children with her. One she would do anything for, sacrifice anything for. Her fingers started to fiddle with the ring around her left ring finger. The hilt of her sword was still clutched in her right hand. What of Daemeon? Do you deserve him? After everything, do you deserve to be loved by him? Her love for Daemeon was unwavering, and Daemon had pulled her out of that pit of despair she’d fallen into with Roth’s death, something she’d be forever grateful for. It was a struggle, as it always was, to not fall deeper and deeper. The few she cared about though, they were what kept her going, what kept her fighting off the thoughts she had. The ones that made her feel like she was nothing more than her past. A cold-hearted murder. A tool to be used to take the lives of others. That is all you are, Valerica. It’s all there is to you. By now, she was doing her best to ignore the voice in the back of her mind. Whether what it was saying was true or not, she could look forward. Because of them, her loved ones, she was able to walk forward, try to move on from what she’d been in her past. Rhaella, Estellise, Daemeon, Rothilion, the rest of the Tathvirs…. They didn’t stop the internal battle she had going on, and it certainly wouldn’t be the last time she fought within herself, but they made it worth it. She could keep going forward, even if it was only for them. Art by Numirya

Within the walls of the tavern in Elvenesse, in the far back corner away from the noise of the square outside, was a mali’fenn woman. Silence filled the air as Estellise was seated at a table, parchment laid in front of her as she wrote. A lesson plan of sorts for her healing classes in the clinic. A few words added here and there, adding a section to the next set of lessons she had planned. Amputation wasn’t something she normally would have added to General Healing and Triage, but after recent events, she deemed the knowledge useful. The back corner was quiet. A corner of solitude, just the way she liked it. A welcomed change from the chaos that used to be her life for so many years. Her attention drifted away from the plan in front of her, mind not fully focused on the task at hand. As much as the silence was nice, there were times that the silence was almost too much. Being left alone with one's thoughts is not always a good thing. At times she’d find herself back in there. Once again, trapped in obedience and guilt, as well as a need back then to prove she could be trusted, lest any other actions be taken as an act of betrayal. Betrayal resulted in death, and that was not an option. A promise made to her daughter that she would be the one to stay, one that would not leave. She did what she had to to keep herself alive, but even then, it almost didn’t seem like enough. Even as she tried her hardest to prove that she could be trusted, said life was often dangled in front of her daughter. Stuck in the same cycle without any end in sight. Until one day, she realized it wasn’t a way for her to live anymore. She had to get out. A slow sigh escaped her, a hand lifting to her face where it then ran down it. It felt like there was an invisible weight on her shoulders, but she tried to ignore it, now trying to pull herself out of her time in that place. It was a place and time better to be left in the past. Better left in the darkness and shadows where it belonged. A darkness she had been confined in for far too long. She’d fought so hard to get herself out, to be out of the cage she’d been locked in. Free to spread her wings and fly. Just a look only showed a woman by herself, turquoise eyes on the parchment in front of her. Merely reading something. If they could see past the neutral façade, they’d see a woman who was struggling to keep her head above water and not to suffocate. Art by Wlop

Discord: Zadie#4764 IGN: Itsmearcher Skin name: Grace Bid amount: 40

It took a little time for the news of Lilith's passing to reach Leilani. When it did, the world just stopped. Her eyes widened, whatever had been in her hands slipped from them and met the ground. However long, she just stood there, blue gaze zoned out upon the ground. Finally, her lips parted, and she managed to get a word out, her voice beginning to crack. "Lilith..." A breath was sucked in, a hand clasping over Leilani's mouth. Her shoulders shook, the tears flowing down her cheeks. Sobs were choked back and muffled by her hand. There was barely a moment before she heard foot steps approaching. Likely Lyemar. But the voice she soon heard was not that of her husband. "Haelun? What's wrong?" Her eyes shot up, blue meeting amber. Leilani froze, only for a few seconds as it dawned on her. I have to break it to her that Lilith is gone. There was a concerned, yet confused, look on Rosalia's face as she looked at her mother. "Haelun, what is it?" Another shuddering breath escaped Leilani, her hand lifting to rub down her face, before she was able to work up the courage to speak. "Rosa.." A frown began to tug at Rosalia's lips, the concern on her face only grew. "Haelun? Is Lyemar okay?" Leilani gave a nod of her head, her hand dropping to hang at her side. "Lyemar's okay, dear." A sigh of relief escaped the younger 'ame, but the concern didn't fully fade from Rosalia's features. "What is it then, Haelun?" The thought of it was enough to bring another fresh round of tears welling up in Leilani's eyes. Her hand soon lifted again to clasp with the other, her weight shifting a little from foot to foot. It was a struggle to try to get the words out. Her mouth opened and closed a couple of times, but nothing came out. "Haelun, what's going on?" The frown on Rosalia's face only deepened, her mother's actions only prompting more concern from her. "It's Lilith." Finally, Leilani was able to get something out. But any other words caught in her throat. "Lilith? Is she okay?" Confusion twisted along Rosalia's face once more, head tilting to the side ever so slightly. "Rosa, She's... She's gone." It took everything Leilani had to not buckle down and sob right there, though more tears did start to dribble down her cheeks. One hand pulled from the other to wipe at the corners of her eyes. "What?" One faint word, Rosalia's frame beginning to tremble, but it was slight for now. She'd heard wrong, right? Right...? "She's gone." It was quiet repeated confirmation from Leilani, who was still struggling to keep herself somewhat composed. "No... No..." Rosalia began to shake her head, her breathing picking up. "Rosa..." Leilani took in a deep breath, which was followed by a thick swallow. Her throat felt dry and heavy. "She... She can't be gone! Sh.. She always comes back! No matter how long she's gone, she always comes back!" Tears had began to freely flow down Rosalia's cheeks, rapid breaths and hiccups starting to wrack her body. "Rosa, I... She..." Leilani took steps forward so that she could lift her arms and wrap them around her daughter. Her own frame was shaking as she held her. "She always comes back, Haelun..." A broken and resigned whisper, and yet there was still a tiny bit of hope that clung to the words. Rosalia's face was buried in her mother's shoulder, sobs erupting from her. "Not this time, Rosa." Leilani whispered back to Rosalia, her cheek resting on the top of her head. Any attempt to hold herself back was stopped, and stream after stream of tears poured down her cheeks, dampening Rosalia's hair.

Eyes scanned the parchment in front of their face, reading over each word, green eyes soon pausing upon the signed names. One in particular stuck out. "Feels like just yesterday she was in my classroom." It was murmured, a fond tone to the words, thumb brushing along the edge of the parchment. "You've come so far. I'm proud of you." The parchment was soon folded, tucked away in a dress pocket as the person turned to walk, green leaves just barely visible atop the woman's shoulders, having spread up her shoulder blades from her back. "I have faith that you will do amazing, Medli."

Wow, this is so nice of you! 😄

Amazing. Love it, Mattio.