{SE} Bittersweet Echoes
Anden Huff
Huntsman

Age: 30 | Height: 5'11 | Race: Ascended | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Nomadic
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#1
Anden

The Sun and the Moon
In an endless game of hide and seek
As the long days, and warm Sun of Longheat faded into the past, the cool and crisp nights of Leafchange arrived. Anden had continued to explore. After his first real training session with Alina, he'd been less afraid of the world. He knew he still wasn't a warrior of any kind, but he had a new form of confidence. "It's not much further." Anden called out to Dani who trailed behind him.

Dani.

Much like Leafchange, Dani was a welcomed change to Anden's life. She was an outlander, and new to the Grounds like he was. More importantly she seemed happy. It was strange, but Anden felt like he had to be better. To try harder, to keep up with her bright smile. He'd come to accept that he might never see Eloise again. It didn't mean he was happy about it, but he knew he couldn't linger on the thought forever. He had Dani to watch over now. She wasn't Eloise's replacement, but Anden couldn't help but compare them sometimes. He hoped that Eloise would forgive him for trying to move on. For trying to move forward - without her.

He'd been waiting to show Dani the Glade. He'd discovered it when he took a wrong turn heading back to the Grounds only a few nights prior. A happy mistake, he thought. As he pushed past another branch his eyes lit up. There it was, The Glade.

The change was sudden. From the almost barren outlands, to the dense and lively Glade. A hidden grotto tucked away, safe from outsiders. He walked over to sit on overgrown roots that had surfaced and made a makeshift bench. "So what do you think?"



Dani
The Sun and the Moon
In an endless game of hide and seek
Dani Regan


Age: 26 | Height: 5'1 | Race: Accepted | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
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#2
Dani
Who have you chose
to stand as your martyr?
The familiar aroma of forest decay filled the crisp night air, indicative of the cyclic turning of seasons as longheat fell into leafchange. The sleepy sounds of wildlife hung in the air, a harmony of insects and nightfowl readying themselves for the long slumber of deepfrost.

Dani carefully picked her way around jagged stones and lonely trees, able to discern the vaguest details of her surroundings by the light of the full moon that filtered through the sparse canopy of leaves above. Her trek was further aided by the sounds of her companion, who lead the way in an unhurried manner.

Though Dani had yet to fully find her footing within Caido, she'd at least found a place for herself as Anden's friend. The man had been there to show her the ropes when nobody else had, and in turn she'd become invested in his own wellbeing. Despite being opposites in many ways, it seemed that each held on to wisdom that the other needed.

Weaving through the quieted landscape, her thoughts drifted to her day. She'd meandered about the settlement, investigating small shops and exchanging pleasantries with the locals. Though she'd enjoyed her excursion, she'd become fatigued by the copious amounts of socialization she'd recently found herself doing. As the sun had dipped beneath the horizon, she ambled to her temporary home whilst promising herself some respite from humanity (or some variation thereof.) Upon arrival, she'd instantly come face-to-face with a bright-eyed Anden. He'd insisted on taking Dani for another adventure, and she found that she was happy to make this exception.

As her thoughts seeped back into the present, she noticed that the meager woodland she'd become accustomed to had been replaced by dense forest. She wondered at the sudden change, before they abruptly found themselves in a lush glade, perfectly illuminated by the light of the moon and enveloped in the fragrance of leafchange. She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply before beaming at Anden. "It's wonderful. I didn't know such a place existed on Caido." She wandered about the edges of the glen, suppressing the urge to dance from the sheer joy brought by the discovery of this sanctuary.

When her curiosity was satiated, she found her way back to Anden. She settled beside him on the naturally-formed bench, hugging her knees snugly to her chest in an attempt to keep the chill air at bay. "It reminds me a bit of my previous world," she admitted. Though it wasn't a topic she generally cared to bring up, the feelings of nostalgia it roused from within her were not unpleasant.
To prove purposeful
in courses uncharted
Anden Huff
Huntsman

Age: 30 | Height: 5'11 | Race: Ascended | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Nomadic
Level: 1 - Strg: 17 - Dext: 11 - Endr: 11 - Luck: 6 - Int:
Played by: Mro..ddy Offline
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Posts: 110 | Total: 128
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#3
Anden

The Sun and the Moon
In an endless game of hide and seek
Dani still had places to see and explore, Anden noted. The Glade WAS naturally beautiful, but it wasn't alone in that feat. The world outside of the Grounds had treasures to the eyes, if you looked for them. The glade was one such place. "And it's not too far of a hike." Anden added. That was the best part, he was able to spend time here without rushing to get away from the daylight.

Anden smiled as Dani sat beside him. He could sit there beside Dani forever, and he wouldn't mind. The silence between them wasn't striking, it was soothing. Neither had to say anything, they could just enjoy the beauty of the glade together, in peace. He pulled off his jacket and gently placed it over Dani, to keep her warm. "One of the advantages of being an ascended." Anden said lightly. After his fight with Aline, he had started to see parts of his new being as less of a curse, and more of a new way of living. Though he still hadn't come to accept it.

The mention of home perked Anden's interest. The pair were close, and they talked about much, but their homes before they'd met each other was not a topic that came up often. "Then your home must have truly been beautiful." Anden whispered.

He found himself staring up at the stars. They were perfectly bordered by the treetops. He easily found his tree, and then by tracing from the right-most star, he found Dani's bird. That's how he started his nights away from the Grounds now. Staring into the skies, and finding them. As long as he could find the stars he knew everything was going to be ok.

"It reminds me of home too." Anden admitted. It was the trees. The tall trees dancing in their colours always attracted him. Like a moth to a flame, he could stand beneath them forever. "Did you meet anyone new today?"
The Sun and the Moon
In an endless game of hide and seek
Dani Regan


Age: 26 | Height: 5'1 | Race: Accepted | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
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#4
Dani
Who have you chose
to stand as your martyr?
As the jacket settled over Dani's shoulders, the frigid night air was replaced by the modest warmth lingering on the garment. Dani relaxed into it, pulling it tightly around herself like a blanket and breathing in the scent of longleaf mixed with Anden. "As long as you promise the cold doesn't bother you." She smiled at him appreciatively. "Thank you."

The moments between words were filled by the murmurs of creatures that called the glen home, and crisp winds that swept away clouds of steady breath. Vibrant leaves muted by the shadows swayed, and every so often one surrendered itself to the currents of air and sailed to the ground below.

Resting her chin on her knees, Dani closed her eyes and mused over Anden's statement. She conjured images of her previous world, assessing each with care before forming her response. "There were beautiful aspects of my world, though I suppose I never stopped long enough to notice them," she relented. She then crinkled her nose dramatically and added, "Except for the cities. They always smelled." She giggled at her own asininity. Dani turned her face to watch Anden, now resting her cheek on her knees. "I picture your world being more beautiful, seeing how it was good enough to be missed by you."

Her eyes fluttered shut once more. "And then, there's this world." She paused. "Most of the people I've met have been relentlessly cynical. It's made those that haven't given up seem that much more a blessing though. Today I found those people at the Artist's Sanctuary."
To prove purposeful
in courses uncharted
Anden Huff
Huntsman

Age: 30 | Height: 5'11 | Race: Ascended | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Nomadic
Level: 1 - Strg: 17 - Dext: 11 - Endr: 11 - Luck: 6 - Int:
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#5
Anden

The Sun and the Moon
In an endless game of hide and seek
The cold didn't bother him anyways. He couldn't feel much, temperature was one of those things. Anden smiled as it seemed the jacket helped keep Dani warm. "I promise."

Cities. Anden wondered what the world where Dani came from was like. "Did you travel around a lot?" Anden himself never had the chance to travel. He and Eloise never left their families tavern at the edge of the Forest. The closest Anden got was went he spent a night in the Evergreen Forest, on a hunting trip with his father. That felt like a life time ago now though.

"I lived by a forest known as the Evergreen Forest. With trees so tall on a cloudy day you wouldn't see their tops." Anden closed his eyes, picturing the forest once more. "I used to think it was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen." Anden opened his eyes once more and looked around the Glade. "I was mistaken."

The sanctuary. One of the places Anden had yet to visit in the Grounds still. "What's it like there?" He turned his attention to Dani, running his hand through a small pile of leaves. "Who did you meet?" Anden was learning to be curious about Caido. It seemed like there was much more hidden away in its world than what there was at first glance. Even the people seemed to surprise him.
The Sun and the Moon
In an endless game of hide and seek
Dani Regan


Age: 26 | Height: 5'1 | Race: Accepted | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
Level: 0 - Strg: 5 - Dext: 10 - Endr: 10 - Luck: 10 - Int:
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#6
Dani
Who have you chose
to stand as your martyr?
Dani felt a twinge in her chest as the conversation guided her to her more tender memories. "A few years prior to coming here, I lived on the road with my father and two brothers. We moved from city to city out of necessity." She avoided divulging the specifics, worried that her lifestyle at that time might alter Anden's perception of her in an unfavorable way. "It's not as exciting as it sounds." Or rather, it wasn't exciting in the way that it sounded. She preoccupied herself with a loose thread on Anden's jacket, avoiding eye contact.

"How about you?" She imagined grand trees dipping into the clouds and shivered. "I can hardly imagine staying put in a world like that." She paused to consider her own statement, admiring the glade with Anden. "Then again, I suppose that applies to this world as well." She smiled. "I want to see more of Caido."

Dani unfurled her legs, stretching them out and swinging them lazily. "To be frank, the sanctuary was about as grim as most of the Hallowed Grounds. That is, with the exception of the Artist's Sanctuary," she said with a grin. She recalled the unusual and upbeat music she'd heard during her visit, and subconsciously tapped her foot in time to a soundless beat. "I met the guildmaster, Bastien De Rosieres. I could instantly tell he didn't originate here," she said with a playful tone. "If you haven't been to the Santuary yet, where have you been spending your time since you arrived?"
To prove purposeful
in courses uncharted
Anden Huff
Huntsman

Age: 30 | Height: 5'11 | Race: Ascended | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Nomadic
Level: 1 - Strg: 17 - Dext: 11 - Endr: 11 - Luck: 6 - Int:
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#7
Anden

The Sun and the Moon
In an endless game of hide and seek
She was like a shooting star.

Traveling from place to place, with no end in sight - but to those who saw her passing by she was a breath of fresh air.

Much of Dani's world still seemed a mystery to Anden. He wasn't sure what everything she said meant in context, but every bit of it interested him. The idea of moving from one place to another was so foreign to the huntsman, but it seemed like an amazing way to live. From the way Dani's eyes seemed to get lost when she spoke about her past though, Anden knew there was something else lying below the surface of her pretty story. One day he was sure Dani might be ready to share more, for now though he was happy with what little he knew.

"My family owned a small inn, on the very edge of a kingdom. We were the last place people would stay before they entered the Evergreen Forest." Anden ran his hand down the bark of the tall tree. It even felt like home. "The Kingdom wasn't the most...  inviting of places." He had always wanted to break free from the Kingdom with Eloise Marie, but not a single soul ever returned after they set off on their expedition into the forest, and that was something he would never risk.

Anden wasn't shocked to hear even the sanctuary wasn't a bright and colourful place - nothing in the Grounds were. "The Artist's Sanctuary." Anden responded, as if trying to memorize the location for himself. Was it a ping of jealousy Anden felt when Dani complimented its guild master? Anden knew how smooth Bastien could be first hand. "I'm glad you're meeting new people." It wasn't an entire lie. Anden was happy for Dani, and that she was filling her new life, with new people... He just wished that he could be with her while she did it. Instead he was banished to the shadows.

"I spend my nights out here." Anden looked around the sanctuary-like area. "I never know what, or who I'll find when I come out at night. The world out here is amazing." He tried to sound happy, but even his words were only half full. The world WAS beautiful, but he longed to be able to watch the Sun rise once more. Even more so, he wanted to leave the Grounds, but where would he go?

Most importantly though, he wanted to follow his shooting star. Anden wanted to see the world with Dani, before she crashed somewhere out of his reach.
The Sun and the Moon
In an endless game of hide and seek
Dani Regan


Age: 26 | Height: 5'1 | Race: Accepted | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
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#8
Dani
Who have you chose
to stand as your martyr?
Dani imagined a small family inn on the edge of a towering forest. The idea invoked images of a hearth crackling with flames, warming a tavern filled with travelers sharing their endless tales over mugs of hot mead. Her thoughts drifted further as she imagined Anden working there. Judging from his muscled build, his tasks must have been laborious. An image of a sweat-soaked Anden flickered through her mind, and her cheeks flared in response. Dani peeked over at her friend and silently apologized to him for the thought before purposefully averting her gaze.

Dani listened as Anden mentioned the kingdom he'd known. She thought that she might have understood, as the last years in her previous world had been filled with assemblies of men who coveted power. For those unfortunate enough to not be born a noble male, value was assigned based on how one could benefit those of the aristocracy. Had Anden endured similar hardships? She wondered how much they might have actually had in common.

The full moon watched the two from the gaps between branches, and Dani stared back. "I can understand now why you spend so much of your time out here. I hardly want to go back at all." It was the sort of scene she'd once envisioned when reading the fairytales her father had found for her. Once again, her thoughts circled back to old memories. Beneath the full moon and embraced by the forest, Dani felt that maybe she could talk to Anden about her family; the only piece of her old world she had longed for, but had disappeared long before she had.

A whisper of movement from across the glade caught her attention, and her breath caught in her throat as each muscle in her body tensed. "How is this possible," she breathed, her eyes locked to the spot where three impossibly-familiar figures stood staring back at her.
To prove purposeful
in courses uncharted
Anden Huff
Huntsman

Age: 30 | Height: 5'11 | Race: Ascended | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Nomadic
Level: 1 - Strg: 17 - Dext: 11 - Endr: 11 - Luck: 6 - Int:
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Posts: 110 | Total: 128
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#9
Anden

The Sun and the Moon
In an endless game of hide and seek
There wasn't much of a life for Anden back in the Grounds. The people there had been there all their lives. They'd grown together, been through so much together it seemed. Anden didn't have the same privilege. He was new to this world, he didn't share those same bonds with the Grounders. He was free to go wherever he pleased when the Moon took over for the Sun and this, the world outside the Grounds was his. Anden was free to think, free to lay and stare at the stars, and no one would question him. Part of Anden wanted to just tell Dani right there to run away with him. To explore this world together, and never look back at the grim world of the Grounds... But that wasn't an option for him, not as long as the Sun and the Moon took turns ruling the world.

It happened too fast. Beneath the Moon's embrace Anden was quicker, part of the blessing/curse the Voice bestowed onto all of her 'children'. Anden grabbed onto Dani with one arm, then jumped onto a nearby tree, using his sticky hands to hang off the side of it. He didn't hear them. He should have heard them. Was he too distracted? If it wasn't for Dani's warning they could have been dead.

Their eyes are what sent chills down Anden's spine, calling each of the spikes along his back to raise. "It's ok." Anden whispered. "We'll be safe up here." Their eyes seemed to follow the pair as Anden brought them higher into the tree tops.

It was always the way that the Sun giggled that brought a smile to the Moon. In this moment though, beneath the Moons gentle caress, it was that all-too-familiar giggle that caused Anden to lose his grip on Dani. Somewhere in the treetrops above she was there. Anden was sure.

Call it a reflex, or something else, but Anden managed to catch Dani, pulling the pair onto a thick branch where they could rest. "Did you hear that?" He asked looking further up the tree.

It couldn't be... But it could. But was it? Had the Moon finally caught up to the Sun?
The Sun and the Moon
In an endless game of hide and seek
Dani Regan


Age: 26 | Height: 5'1 | Race: Accepted | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
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#10
Dani
Who have you chose
to stand as your martyr?
The sudden expansion of space between Dani and the ground left her head spinning. She was distantly aware of the pressure on her arm, but felt more as though she were being thrown from a dream. "Stop," she choked out, confusion swiftly being replaced by panic. A piece of Dani had never fully believed that Caido wasn't some strange purgatory, and that piece of her began to pry at the fingers that grasped her arm.

As Dani hung helplessly from the too-powerful grasp, she looked back to the glade and searched the three faces she'd so dearly missed for all these years. She cried out for them, and Anden shooshed her with reassurances of her safety, failing to understand that he was the one Dani was hoping to escape.

Until, that is, she saw their eyes. The lively green eyes that ran in her blood were absent, instead replaced by a milky white void. That void reached down into each smile and consumed all the warmth that had once lied within, leaving behind three chilling grins without a hint of recognition or love.

Within that same moment, a chilling laugh sounded above the two friends. The grip that now felt more like a lifeline loosened, and her heart lept into her throat as her body began to free-fall. The world seemed to move in slow motion as the ground pulled her towards it, and her gaze remained locked on the three figures whose eyes threatened to swallow her whole.

One moment, they appeared as her family had when she'd last seen them; malnourished and covered in grime, but alive. The next moment, their eyes were bulging, their faces bloated and skin a sickly shade of purple. The most alarming change however, was the unnatural angle at which their necks were bent, emphasized by jagged bits of protruding bone. As horror filled her mind, Dani felt a foreign pressure rapidly constrict around her own neck.

Her descent was abruptly interrupted, and though she tried to scream, air refused to move in or out of her lungs. She clawed at her throat, but found nothing holding her there. She felt as though blood were pooling into her face, the tears dripping from her eyes doing nothing to relieve her of the building pressure.

And finally, Anden's hand returned to hold her, and the invisible force was gone as quickly as it'd come. Dani gasped for air, and turned to look up at her friend who appeared mesmerized by the voice from the treetops above.

"Run," she rasped.
To prove purposeful
in courses uncharted
Anden Huff
Huntsman

Age: 30 | Height: 5'11 | Race: Ascended | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Nomadic
Level: 1 - Strg: 17 - Dext: 11 - Endr: 11 - Luck: 6 - Int:
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Posts: 110 | Total: 128
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#11
Anden

The Sun and the Moon
In an endless game of hide and seek
Nothing seemed to matter. In those moments it was instinct over mental willpower. Anden had to keep them safe. Anden had to protect her... But his mind, and eyes searched for that familiar giggle that had haunted him ever since he'd arrived in Caido. The oh-so-endearing giggle that he longed for.

It was Dani's voice that broke him from his trance. Run.

Run where though? Anden had brought them to the tree tops to avoid the figures on the ground. One glance at them explained it all. Their bodies weren't human anymore. Replaced with something from a Childs nightmare. Stretched out and bloated. The only way Anden could recognize they were human was from the holes where he'd assume their eyes once gazed into the world.

"Anden. Won't you come dance with me?"

Anden locked his hand onto Dani's, his grip tightening around her thin wrist. It had to be her. It had to be Eloise. This entire time that he spent looking, spent forgetting she was right her - waiting for him. He was foolish to ever think that even a goddess like The Voice could separate them. Love conquers all.

"Anden. I'm waiting. I have to show you something."

It was a flood of memories all at once. Images of Eloise dancing as leafs drifted and danced around. Or of the time she got stuck in a tree. Or of when they raced through the inn to meet the latest guest.

Her fragile hand reached down through the branches for Anden. His eyes locked onto the outstretched arm. Anden let go of Dani's wrist and intertwined his fingers with his twins.

And then everything was gone.

The ghost of his twin pulled him higher, and higher. Up the tree until they stood face to face at the top of the tree. With every second that passed her face faded. It morphed. It changed. Anden stared on his horror as the once youthful image of his twin hallowed out to nothing but a shell of who she once was.

"Anden. Why did you stop looking? You could have saved me."

This was wrong. It was a lie. Anden closed his eyes, pressing his hands against his ears trying to block out her voice. This was a trick of the forest. It had to be. "DANI!" Anden shouted with all the force he could muster. They had to escape. They had to.
The Sun and the Moon
In an endless game of hide and seek
Dani Regan


Age: 26 | Height: 5'1 | Race: Accepted | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
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#12
Dani
Who have you chose
to stand as your martyr?
The ringing in her ears was accompanied by the thundering of her heart as Dani looked on in horror at Anden, whose gaze had returned to the treetops above. Dani desperately rasped Anden's name, but the disembodied voice above held her friend's attention. Her wrist ached beneath the force of Anden's grip as the voice beckoned to him, his inner conflict evident. Dani knew she needed to act fast if the the two were to leave this glade alive.

Mustering all of her strength, Dani used her free hand to grasp the nearest branch and heave herself atop it. Her body shook with physical strain, weakened from the attack and never having had much athletic aptitude. Her decision quickly turned out to be the correct one, as Anden once more released her. She reached out to catch his retreating hand, but her movements were too slow in comparison to the ascended. "Anden, please. We have to go-" her voice trailed off as she noticed the ghostly arm interlocking fingers with her friend, its owner a mystery to Dani as all else was enshrouded by the veil of leaves. Dani drew in breath to cry out to Anden, but before she could utter another sound, the man was suddenly drawn upward as though he were weightless.

Dani screamed Anden's name, but he did not return. Panicked, she crawled unsteadily across the thick branch that held her until she was able to grab hold of the trunk. She clung to the trunk, finding herself paralyzed by her fear and uncertainty. What could she, a girl who'd spent her life either buried in books or kissing the boots of aristocrats, do to save Anden? She had no experience with any form of combat, let alone against wraiths, or whatever these things were. She was violently wrenched from her thoughts as she heard Anden scream. A wave of adrenaline crashed over Dani as she realized that their fate depended on her actions. As quickly as she was physically able, she began to climb up to the top of the tree in search of her friend.

When Dani spotted the two figures above, her gut twisted at the inhuman qualities of the girl that had abducted Anden. The nauseating way her features morphed reminded her of clay, as though her flesh were being sculpted by the invisible hands of gods. Dani was not foolish enough to believe that she could kill the wraith, but if she could just get Anden back to his senses...

Dani did the first thing she could think of. She gripped firmly onto a small stick and snapped it off the tree. She wound her arm backwards, and threw it with all her strength at Anden. She knew the ascended were built in a way that she could never dream of doing him any real harm, but all she needed was his attention.

"Anden, please! Run!"
To prove purposeful
in courses uncharted
Anden Huff
Huntsman

Age: 30 | Height: 5'11 | Race: Ascended | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Nomadic
Level: 1 - Strg: 17 - Dext: 11 - Endr: 11 - Luck: 6 - Int:
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#13
Anden

The Sun and the Moon
In an endless game of hide and seek
A standoff. Neither willing to make the first move. The woman infront of him had to be Eloise Marie. Who else could it be? But her figure... Everything that had made Eloise the Sun to all those who came to their inn, everything that made her Eloise... Those traits were gone. Her smile turned to a grin, which turned to an unnatural darkness. The opening for her mouth had no teeth, in its place memories of the pair filled its darkness. Her giggle, now twisted and high-pitched filled the air.

Anden never should have stopped looking. He knew the dangers of Caido, he knew she needed him... Instead he started a new life.

"Won't you tell me I'm pretty?"

"I...Eloise..." Anden stuttered - something he hadn't done since he'd arrived in Caido. Remnants of the past always find ways into your future. His mother always warned him to think well of the travelers who passed through their inn. He never knew when they might one day need their help.

It was just a gentle tap. A twig brushing against his leg. Anden shot his head in the direction that it came from. Suddenly he saw her. Dani clutching for dear life against the tree.

This was happening. They were in danger.

They had to run.

Anden turned to face away from the ghost of his twin. He felt the needles along his back raise, as they seperated themselves from his body. They fly through the air in a sporadic pattern. They pierced through the ghost of Eloise.

"An... Anden?"

The wraith-like spirit faded into a dark cloud, as it began to reform itself into Anden's past. This was their chance. This was their only chance to get away. Anden jumped from his perch, joining Dani on the trunk of the tree. Wrapping his arms around his companion he prepared himself for their descent.

One jump. Then another. Then another. He could see the ground now. Above them, the leaves rustled. Something was coming, and it was coming fast. Below them, the other spirits circled the tree. "What do we do?
The Sun and the Moon
In an endless game of hide and seek
Dani Regan


Age: 26 | Height: 5'1 | Race: Accepted | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
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#14
Dani
Who have you chose
to stand as your martyr?
Had she not been gripping the tree's trunk for dear life, Dani's body would have gone limp with the wave of relief that overtook her as Anden snapped out of whatever trance the wraith - or whatever it was - had had him under. Of course, the relief was short-lived. Only moments later, the silhouette of spikes appearing from her friend's back had her heart sinking in a way she'd only felt once before, years ago. Her breath came quickly as she assumed the worst, until the shapes shot away from his body to penetrate the ghost's form.

That was... Anden? She hadn't known he could do that. As Anden came to her and shielded her in his arms, she felt just as inclined to flinch away from the touch as she did to lean into it. For the first time, she had begun to understand the complete difference in physical capabilities that separated the two. She filed this epiphany away, to be examined later when they didn't appear to be at death's door.

What now? Anden's question sharpened her focus. Once, Dani had been a self-proclaimed escape artist; but her arsenal had contained lies and trickery, devoid of anything useful for physical confrontations such as this. Her mind raced, but only one salvation presented itself. If she was wrong, they'd both pay the price.

"I think we say goodbye." She said it as resolutely as she could manage, wanting to instill the confidence in her friend that she was desperately searching for within herself. She gripped his wrist firmly, and raised his arm towards the ghost that raced towards them from the treetops. The distorted shape of the woman burst into sight, and it took everything Dani had to not squeeze her eyes shut and leap to the ground below.

The moment the apparition's hand made contact with Anden's, its twisted expression settled into a look that was... serene. For a moment, Dani saw not a monster, but a bright young girl whose face resembled Anden's enough to make her heart skip a beat. She thought the girl smiled at her friend, before fading into a haze that seemed to shimmer like sunlight on an ocean.

Dani leaned fully into Anden; it was all she could do to keep herself collapsing beneath the weight of her relief. She looked to her family below, to find them smiling up at her with the same goofy expressions she'd once so depended on. Then, they too seemed to fade away, their essence whisked away by the soothing winds of leafchange.
To prove purposeful
in courses uncharted


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