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Author Topic: The Dragons Den  (Read 9899 times)

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guest1383

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Re: The Dragons Den
« Reply #424 on: August 10, 2016, 06:51:48 pm »
She took note of the color change of his eyes and frowned. Over the weeks they had known each other, she had never witnessed his eyes wavering in color unless in they were in the heat of battle. Wondering what it meant, she watched him that much closer.

Sapiosexual? What was that?

Taking it as an insult- since he insulted her all the time- she glared and pursed her lips. The lower lip puckered out beneath the other slightly, making it appear to be more of a pout than intimidating like she wanted it seem.

"That's none of your business."

She began to walk away. She was fed up with him. There was no good reason for him being here. He just thought of it all as a joke, something to fill his time with, with the illusion that he was performing a good cause.

"A child!?" She stomped her foot, not childishly, mind you, but very adult like, and turned on him, wielding a pointed, loaded, index finger, aimed at his chest.

She dug her finger into the hard muscles that protected his ribcage.

"I am not a child," she sneered.

Because a child would not claim to not be a child, said a little and an annoying voice in the back of her mind.

She clamped down on it and raised her chin, meeting him square in the eye with a glare. "You, however, are. Follow me if you want, I don't care what you do, but do not call me a child."

She stormed away, not minding the rain as it came down in droves. Unlike others, she enjoyed rain and the way it soaked her to the bone and made her cold.

"Also, I do enjoy getting on your nerves. Face it, without me, you're one lost pup. Now let's go meet the fam."

She rolled her eyes and kept walking.

The 'fam' was sure to love this guy. He would be lucky if he lasted a week with the dysfunctional bunch. Maybe this would be good afterall. They could take care of the nuisance for her.

Yet, deep, deep, deep down, she liked having his company. It took the edge off things. That was something she would never tell him of course.

Soon, they came to the house and the rain had subsided, leaving behind more mud and humidity in its wake. Winter stood there, staring at it. She bit her lower lip and shuffled her feet.

Maybe she was not as ready to return as she had previously thought.

"I'm not ready," she murmured, without looking at Ambrose.

Winter did not bother giving him an explanation. Instead, she turned away from the house and started walking in a different direction altogether. She did not stop until the house was out of sight and they were in a nest of trees, overlooking the ocean on a cliff. Winter sat beneath one of the trees and began drawing in the mud with a stick, thinking quietly to herself.

guest1220

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Re: The Dragons Den
« Reply #423 on: August 10, 2016, 06:03:52 pm »
He fights off the irritation she aroused with the name she used for him, with a feigned benevolent grin. Try as she may, he refused to allow her to get under his skin. The way she went off on a little tangent, made him chuckle.  She was just as difficult as she always was. Also, as always she brought up points that were nearly impossible to dispute. Such as the reason why he had come.

He stares back into her blue eyes as he tightens his lips into a straight line. Nearly twenty-three, he was older than her. By how much, he had no idea, but by the look of her she was maybe sixteen. Which would mean he was about eight years her senior.

Time was not a commodity to those who did not have handle aging like mortals. In his culture, age had little significance in partnership. As long as a boy or a girl had reached their adult cycle, they were free to partner. No one could create without the consent of the highest elder. But then, partnering or creating were not allowed outside of their race.

Not that he desires this creature anymore than he did a male companion. She was a friend. A child.

He squares his shoulders. "I thought you enjoyed big words. I pegged you for more of a sapiosexual."

With that, he grins, flashing his white teeth. Along the hardened ridges of his jawline, resides a long scar. Each time his facial muscles flex, it twitches slightly.

He takes a step to her and places a hand on her shoulder. "You are a mere child. You need a protector, someone to make sure you don't get yourself killed."

By now, it had started to rain and the ocean was unleashing dangerously tall and powerful waves. They needed to travel upshore before the storm worsened.

Ambrose removes his hand from her and runs it through his hair, chaising away the water droplets that fell from the brown strands and distorted his line of view.

"Also," he says, pinning her down with two amber colored eyes as mischief flashes across them. "I do enjoy getting on your nerves. Face it, without me, you're one lost pup. Now let's go meet the fam."


guest1383

  • Guest
Re: The Dragons Den
« Reply #422 on: August 10, 2016, 05:21:17 pm »
Caught of guard by Ambrose's sudden presence, Winter only blinked at him when he spoke her name. Why was he here, in her homeland? She glowered. She swore, if he had followed her all the way here like an adult would a child, she would show him just how capable she was on her own.

"Amy," she greeted in response, knowing how the name irked him.

As always, she could not read him. She hardly understood why he would follow her, much less here. Wait...

"How did you get here?" she asked, echoing her thoughts. "No one is supposed to be able to get in except those my father had ordain-"

She shook her head as she caught up with her words, realizing what she had just said. It soured her mood to think about her father, much less to speak of him. Especially to the likes of Ambrose!

"You know what? Nevermind. Don't answer that. I don't want to know how you stalked me and how you managed to undermind Raijuta's ward."

She would storm off, but she knew he would only follow her. So instead, she mirrored his stance and folded her arms over her chest.

At his next statement, she sighed. "Sangfroid? Really, do you even know what that word means? It's as if you purposely try to get on my nerves."

She had too much to do to stay here and talk with him.

"Go home, Ambrose. Don't know why you came in the first place." She balled her hands into fists.

Winter may have been young, but she was not a child.


guest1220

  • Guest
Re: The Dragons Den
« Reply #421 on: August 10, 2016, 04:48:29 pm »
The air sizzles with unforeseen power that keeps him on edge. Easing into the land, he keeps an eye open for anything peculiar. Well, more peculiar than what someone could expect walking into a land filled with dragons, anyways.

His attire was simple: a pair of jeans and a white shirt. Hardly worth a second glance, he was seemingly normal. He was an inch or so over six foot, dark hair, bright eyes, and medium build. Nothing flashy, nothing suspicious.

In its purest state, the realm was beautiful. The skies were a menacing grey and the seas reflected that as they tossed with unparalleled ferocity, yet there was something picturesque about it all. He was not stupid though. The realm was not something to mess with.

"There she is," he murmurs to himself as he climbs the descent of the hill he finds himself on.

On the shore, standing so small against the backdrop of roaring waves, is Winter. Either unaware or uncaring, she stands without giving the approaching storm a passing thought.

He curses his way around rocks and across muddy terrian. It would have been wiser of him to have chosen a different shirt. Perhaps a black one. He should have known the girl would have led him places that would ruin any white or dainty apparel. Nonetheless, he carries forward, undeterred.

She would sense his presence, but still he maintains silence until he was right up on her.

"Winter." A small smile creeps across his lips as he stops and studies her.

He considers her expression, writing it off as contemplation and emptiness, before taking a step closer to her. All this time, hardly a few months in reality, yet it seemed like years, he had come to know her well enough to be able to somewhat read her expressions. More often than not, he was incapable of deciphering her ever wavering looks. However, there were special instances where he could catch a glimpse through her walls and peek into her soul.

Those times were a rarity. Usually, they occurred when either of them least expected it- when she was deep in thought or too tired to keep up with the pretenses. Either way, he loved the way it irritated her. Surely this time would be no exception.

"So this is your home?" He looks around. "No wonder you left. It is a bit... dismal? Sangfroid, maybe?"

He folds his arms over his chest and waits for her to speak.

guest1383

  • Guest
Re: The Dragons Den
« Reply #420 on: August 10, 2016, 03:59:30 pm »
Winter had not planned on returning to the realm so soon after her departure, but there were outstanding circumstances that led her to her decision. That did not mean she was thrilled about it. With every purposeful step, she had to swallow back an onslaught of emotions. They threatened to overwhelm her as she walked over the familiar terrian. The same path she had taken with her sister and father many times before. She was alone now. Undeniably, alone.

Winter tugged at her sleeves, pulling them lower on her arms to ward her against a sudden chill. The source of the shiver, she knew, was not from the weather.

'This is what it is like to walk with phantoms,' she thought, bitterly. 'To feel the holes that others once filled.'

The ground turned muddy as she neared the shore. With brutal force, the waves tossed against the monstrous rocks that bordered the cliffs and ocean. The air was heavy with salt and rain. It was cool, yet humid. Winter refused to remove her jacket despite how clammy the air made her skin feel.

As if synchronizing with her thoughts, the intensity of the waves increased, spraying her small frame with water droplets as she walked nearer and nearer to her home. She dreaded returning. There was nothing for her here. Yet, a small voice in the back of her mind drove her to return. No matter how angry she had been at Calyx, he did not deserve to be left alone to deal with the repercussions of their actions and their father's death. Though she doubted Soraya would have abandoned him completely. Or Uncle A.

'Like the way Cal abandoned me?'

She was distracted from her musings when her eye caught a glimpse of a shiny, blue surface hidden beneath a combination of sand and mudd just a few feet from her. Approaching it, she bent over and scooped it up.

Sensing the fragility of the item, she tenderally dusted it off and marveled. It was a piece of a dragon egg. The sapphire blue was mixed with purple, and speckled with yellow. It measured about a half foot in length and width. The piece looked as if it fit onto an egg about the size of her own dragon's when Raijuta had given it to her.

A lump rose in her throat. So much pain, yet there was a void as well that left her numb.

Crack.

The sound was so small, yet she heard it as if it were an explosion. All at once, the shell crumbled and the breeze carried away any remnants of it.

Winter dropped her hands.

Everything was broken. Everything. Yet, even in her broken state, she had never felt so invincible. Perhaps it was due to the void inside her. Aside from the pain, there was no fear or timidity like there once had been. It should have scared her. Yet, knowing that she was capable of laying waste to an entire army only aroused indifference. Battle gave her a goal, and she treated her opponents as what they truly were: a means to an end.

Just like how she had treated Em.

No!

She shook her head, denying the lie, but it was stayed buried deep within her. There, it rested within the void. The numbness allowed her to keep existing. It was what kept her going. Especially now that she was in her father's land. What would he say to them all if he could see them now? Probably nothing. He would play the quiet, observant type while offering advise only when asked. He would be the same hero she had envisioned him to be as a child. Knowing that, brought a wretched taste to her mouth. Where had playing the good guy gotten him? Dead. That's where. The very reason why she had idolized him was the reason why he was gone.

Yet Em was also gone. Perhaps it was all about balance. If she could just harness the darkness and live in the light...

She sighed. All her teachings had taught her it was impossible. When anyone tried to live in both worlds, they would always be pulled into one. More than likely, it was the darkness. But darkness did not necessarily equate evil, did it?

She shook her head, distancing her mind from the philosophical aspect of it all. None of that mattered. What only mattered was that she do what she thought was necessary.

Despite how difficult that may be.

guest1456

  • Guest
Re: The Dragons Den
« Reply #419 on: July 27, 2016, 12:55:59 pm »
There was no denying it. It was just one of those dreaded things she would have to live with.

She was getting fat.

Marie was undeniably upset as she walked into the house, headed for the hidden cupcakes in the kitchen cabinet. Since her arrival, she had yet seen any of the family. Avoidance had been entirely on her part.

Glowering at whatever came her way, even at the unfortunate green chair in the corner of the stairwell, Marie entered the kitchen.

She frowned.

Nothing was the same as it had been. Same room, same chipped coffee cup sitting on the windowsill that Soraya swore she would pitch once the fondness of its floral design would damper off; but the atmosphere was off.

"Morning," she greeted, not granting a glance in anyone's direction as she went.

She acted as if she had not vanished following Raijuta's death- as if nothing had changed.

Soraya did not even see her as she twirled around like a pup given a bag full of bones and nearly flew out of the room. It was good to see her so elated, but there was an undeniable ache in knowing that she had not been the one to cause it.

"I have found you, tasty little rascals!" She hardly blinked as she piled the cupcakes into her mouth.

They were hardly sufficient. It would have to do for now.

"I'll be out of your hair in just a minute," she said, finally looking toward the two seated at the table. "Can you just tell me where the tea is?"

She hated tea. Despised it. But perhaps she could hunt Soraya down and give some to her as a peace offering. 

Clearly she had interrupted something. Calyx looked as tired as ever, but there was a spark in his eyes that matched the one reflected in the girl. She grinned.

"Have we met?" Marie waltzed over to the girl and sat on the table in front of her. "You are gorgeous. I wish my skin glowed like yours. Really, you must do something. Honey, maybe? Diamonds? There's naysayers, but I truly believe diamonds help the skin radiate."

Marie then stood and gave the girl a wink before going back to search for some tea.

"Of course! It was right in front of my eyes all along," she said. "The best things often are."

Throwing a meaningful glance at Calyx, she blew him and the girl a kiss and headed out the door to find Soraya.

guest1218

  • Guest
Re: The Dragons Den
« Reply #418 on: July 26, 2016, 08:04:29 pm »
The morning sun swept across the window of her bedroom, beckoning her awake. Stretching, she further entangled herself in the white sheets. A smile appeared on her lips as she thought of the night before. After coming home early, she had snuck off and found the dragon and spent extra time with him. Perhaps it was unhealthy to hang around him, but she was not ready to let Raijuta go yet and the dragon kept him alive.

Once dressed in a simple pair of jeans and a cotton, white shirt, she ran down the stairs, taking three steps at a time instead of one. Downstairs, she hummed her way into the kitchen, eyes glued to the new black heels on her feet.

"It's the eye of the dragon, it's the thrill of the bread. Bending down to the jelly."

She whispered the song, hardly audible enough to anyone except herself. Unaware of anyone else in the room, she sang and bobbed her head while fishing out the ingredients to a pbj. After making the sandwich- at an impressive speed- she shoved the sandwich into her mouth and turned around only to see Calyx and the new arrival sitting in the room.

She choked.

"G-good morning," she greeted after recovering. She rubbed her chest as the bread she had hastily swallowed painfully went down. "Yes. You two stay eaten- I mean good. Anyways. Yeah."

She grinned and waved farewell before running out the door.

Smooth, she thought to herself, shaking her head.

Offline Calyx Ochoa

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Re: The Dragons Den
« Reply #417 on: July 24, 2016, 12:06:30 pm »
Cadence' thoughts flooded Calyx' mind as she examined the food, almost instantly causing him to feel bad. He hadn't connsidered that as a sea creature, she probably wasn't likely to have eaten any of the food they had on the surface before. She wasn't used to it, and he hadn't taken the time to ask! his family ate a lot of fish! Would she find that offensive? He was completely unprepared. But all he could do for now, was watch as she tried her eggs, and hope that she was able to properly digest them! Well, she -was- part Dragon! More than likely, her stomach could handle most anything...

The clang of her fork against her plate tore Calyx' eyes from his food, commanding his full attention. Her reaction wasn't surprising or uncalled for, but for some reason, it still caught him off guard. He didn't attempt to interrupt, or object as she lectured him; He understood that it was out of concern. Instead, he used his fork to cut into his pancakes, offering her a demonstration. Once she offered a pause, he would speak up..

"If not for my Dragon blood, I would be half Angel, and half Human." He started. "Both are creatures that are strong of heart, but with weak and fragile bodies. I likely would have been bedridden for weeks. Maybe longer. But Dragon's are different. They're some of the most physically strong and resilient creatures you'll find around. That's the reason I'm able to be up and functional so quickly." 'And the reason you probably would be as well...'

Calyx took from his plate between sentences, but Cadence'other question caused him to stop eating.  It wasn't nearly as easy to discuss as the reason he could move, but he understood that a part of getting Cadence to trust him was being open with her. Besides, he knew that he would have to face these demons sooner or later...

He put his fork down and a sigh forced it's way past his lips. His eyes settled on the marble counter behind Cadence. He always liked the way the series of black lines across the white surface reminded him of water. Today, it did little to distract him from her question. His eyes finally settled on hers as he thought back.

"My youngest sister, Ember, was possessed by a demonic Phoenix spirit." His breath was shallow as he thought back. "I wasn't home at the time. I was on something of a 'discovery journey.' and my other sister, Winter, was away at one of the top Combat Academies in the Multiverse. The Phoenix slowly took over Ember's mind, convincing her that we had abandoned her. It taught her to hate, until it could take full control..."

By this point, his fists were clenched, and his hands shaking. But he continued anyway.  "While under the Phoenix control, she destroyed all of the eggs containing the unborn Dragons of the realm. My father confronted her after that."

Calyx nails had extended into claws as he recalled that day, but his demeanor remained otherwise calm. He wouldn't let his Dragon get out of control. Not now. "My father was an amazing warrior. Even with the combined power of Ember and the Phoenix, she couldn't best him. But try asking any father to destroy his own child... He hesitated at the critical moment and she drove a sword through his heart!"

The room grew seven degrees colder as bits of emotion leaked past Calyx' mask. Contempt flared in his usually bright hazel eyes. But the hatred in his gaze wasn't directed toward Ember. Never that! There was nothing in existence that Calyx loved more than his own sisters. His disdain was for the damned bird that took everything away from him!

"With my father gone, it fell on me to protect this land.''  A responsibility that shouldn't have landed on his shoulders for another twenty years. "It fell on me and Winter to.... Stop... Ember..." Tears welled up in the young Draconian's eyes, but he wouldn't allow them to fall. With a deep breath, they seemed to be absorbed back into his eyes. "Next thing I knew, I was waking up in the living room..."

The change of subject was more than welcome. But it didn't take long for Cadence' story to take a dark turn as well! Calyx was surprised to find that she too, had lost a parent recently. "I'm sorry to hear about your mother." Calyx said, his claws having retracted once more. "I know there's nothing we can do to replace her, but I do hope that you'll come to find that you have a family here as well..."

All of the depressing talk had caused Calyx to lose his appetite. He looked down to see that he had only cleared about half of his plate. He started to clear his plate into a bin that had been reserved for feeding the baby dragons when he realized there would be none. With a sigh, he cleared his plate into the trash before seating himself once more. His eyes settled on the ebony beauty across from him. He had much to teach her. Not only about her new home, but about herself, and the Dragon Spirit she carried with her. But between his story and hers, it felt almost inappropriate to talk business...

Offline Ru

Re: The Dragons Den
« Reply #416 on: July 21, 2016, 10:24:23 am »
The food spread out on the table in front of the two of them caused Cadence to tilt her head to the right. She had not tried the food on land before. Even last night at dinner, Cadence had not touched the food that Imperfect sat in front of her; partially due to curiosity and Calyx’s job at being a respectable host when he showed Addie and herself around. ‘I guess it should be okay to eat it since Calyx is enjoying it. And….I’m going to have to get accustomed to this instead of Atlantean food…. ’ The woman took a small bite of the yellow fluffy things on her place, and to her surprise, they didn’t taste half bad. ‘Maybe, adjusting to the life on land isn’t going to be as hard as I expected.’

As Calyx answered her question, her fork fell from her hand as she stared at him in shock. “A coma!? You should not be moving around right now! Your body needs more than one night’s sleep to recover. What happened to put you in the coma in the first place? How could you move around right after waking from such a thing?” She had more questions but she felt like she was talking too much at the moment. With an almost silent sigh, her eyes turned down as she tried to process what he told her as she decided on which food she would try next.

After picking her fork back up, she began to poke at the fluffy bread disks, mostly because she did not know the proper way to eat it. ‘Hands? Fork? How does Calyx eat them?’ Her eyes turned to him to see but in that moment, he asked her a question that she had not expected. “I am Atlantean but I cannot return home…….” her words dropped off for a second as she bit the inside of her bottom lip. “My mother was killed and the High Council tried to pin the murder on me. They did not give me a chance to defend myself. They would not give me the chance to even answer the question of if I had done it or not. You tell me, why would anyone kill the one person who raised them and gave their child any and everything under the sea within their power?” Her hands moved from the table to her lap; her fingers played together in a nervous motion while she waited for him to respond.

Offline Calyx Ochoa

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Re: The Dragons Den
« Reply #415 on: July 19, 2016, 05:34:05 pm »
A smile played on Calyx face as Cadence joined him in the kitchen. After resting for most of the evening, and all night, he was far more energized than the day before. "Good morning!" She thanked him for the clothes, and he shook his head in response. "It's no problem." It was just convenient that she was comparable in size to Winter.

If there was one thing Calyx could say about Cadence, it was that she was polite. Since her arrival, her manners had been stellar! Perhaps she felt it was the least she could do, being a guest in someone else's home. "Not at all!" He said, when she asked if there was anything she could help with. "Everything is all done." He said, as he joined her at the table to eat.

She was mistaken. If her logic was as he suspected, that was; She wasn't a guest in someone else's home. She was a Draconian in need of refuge, and as long as she willed it, this was her home, and she was family. That was the way it worked. It crossed the yound Draconian's mind that at some point in time, his father had invited Soraya into the manor in the same fashion. The thought brought a blush to the boy's face, but taking a lesson from the late Raijuta, he quickly lowered his body temperature, causing the color to fade away. There was no need for him to even bother thinking like that.

Calyx had just finished chewing a forkful of eggs when Cadence asked her question. It was a reasonable one. There was no doubt anyone could tell he had been running on fumes the entire day. "In all honesty, I had been in a coma, for around a month. I had only awakened an hour or two before your arrival, and hadn't had the time to rest and recover properly..." He said. A medical professional would insist that he rest for longer, but his boyd had a way of recovering rather quickly.

It was Cadence, however, who was the object of mystery. Calyx would answer as many questions as she wished, but he had his own as well. "And what about you?" He asked as he cut into his pancakes. No one just appears here unless they're in desperate need. What happened to you before your arrival?" He recalled seeing gills on the side of her neck when she arrived. "Are you Maridian? Or Atlanean maybe?" There were many things he wanted to know. But he didn't want to bombard her with a million questions at once either. For now he decided it best if they just ate and enjoyed a mild conversation, rather than interrogate her about who she was. The truth would all come out with time.

Offline Ru

Re: The Dragons Den
« Reply #414 on: July 18, 2016, 09:58:16 pm »
Cadence sat on the edge of her bed, longer than she cared realized, staring at the fire and brimstone world just outside. Her curiosity wanted to explore but her rational mind reminded her that Atlanteans and fire are not meant to be friends. So, she sat, waiting for something, although, she did not know what it could be. ‘Maybe I could explore the manor. It’s so many rooms that I’m bound to find something interesting.’

Slowly, her door opened until she stood alone in her doorway staring down the hall. ‘Which way should I go? Maybe I should start in the basement and work my way up…..? But, which way is it?’ She gazed to the left then to  the right as she attempted to make a decision to begin her journey around the manor. ‘When in doubt, always go left.’ With that thought, she was off.

Doors, more and more doors, how many rooms hid within this manor? Once or twice as she rounded random corners on her journey, she tried a knob or two to find out what hid within. More than once she found empty bedrooms, though, this one opened into a library with books going to the ceiling on every wall. She would have to remember how to get to this room when she wanted time to disappear into a different world but for now, she would move on to see what else the house hid.

Down one flight, down two, one right and a left led her to a frosted glass set of french doors. Her head tilted to the right as she grabbed one of the handles, and turned gently downward until she heard the latch release. Her free hand gently pushed the door open and the sight before her eyes caused her to gasp from relief before a sigh passed those same lips. ‘A pool! But, something is wrong with this water. It smells of chemicals. Not the smell of salt or fresh but some harsh chemical that is already disagreeing with me…….well, maybe I can ask Calyx about it to see what he thinks.’

Her shoulders slumped as she closed the door to the pool. She was so close to having a little piece of home that she could disappear to when ever she needed it. Her steps slowed as she made her way back to her bedroom, somehow she did not lose her way.

With a gentle huff, she opened the door to her room. She had not wanted to end her adventure around the manor so soon, but, she did not want to run into even more disappointment. Another soft huff passed her lips as she crawled under the covers to attempt to sleep.

Calyx tapped on her door then spoke to gently bring Cadence out of her slumber and to inform her that he was preparing breakfast. As his footsteps receded, the thought of a shower crossed her mind while she attempted to process everything that Calyx had said.

She sauntered to the bathroom and to her surprise, Calxy had picked out the right sized clothing for her. “Good job on that one.” She looked into the shower for a moment to try to figure out how to turn it on. With a shake of her head, she attempted and failed the first two times but as always, the third time's the charm.

After a few minutes, Cadence found her way into the kitchen to join Calyx with a smile upon her lips. “Thank you for the change of clothes! They fit perfectly. And it smells like you know your way around the kitchen. Do you need help with anything?”

Her head tilted to the left for a before she decided to sit to be polite since Calyx decided to pull out a chair. “You looked like yesterday was the longest day in the world. May I know what happened prior to my getting here?” The sound of his voice rang in her ears caused a smile to cross her lips as she nodded in response to him.

Offline Calyx Ochoa

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Re: The Dragons Den
« Reply #413 on: June 22, 2016, 05:07:00 pm »
Morning...

Calyx had intended to take only a short nap before tending to Cadence and getting her better acclimated into her new home. Instead he had slept all the way through the night. He tried to recall the events of the night before. After he finished speaking with Addie, Soraya had told him she was going out, and promised to return by nightfall. He decided to take a quick rest and  then have a sit down with Cadence. He wanted to talk to Soraya about something else when she returned.He had sensed his father's presence, and he had a feeling she knew something about it...

But instead he was out cold before Soraya even made her way back! And poor Cadence had been left to the solitude of her room without so much as a good night! With a huff, he climbed out of bed, and went to shower. He had of course, mastered Raijuta's chosen method of cleansing, but he felt a shower would help him awaken better. Dressed in grey sweatpants and a black shirt, he made his way to Cadence' door, and knocked a few times. "You up?" He asked through the door. I'm going to make breakfast. I left you some clothes in the bathroom if you want to take a shower before you eat!"

With that, he made his way downstairs, and made his own favorite breakfast; Pancakes and bacon, Eggs and cheese. He wouldn't eat until his guest arrived though. "Sorry about last night." He would say once she arrived. "I guess I was more tired than I realized. I planned to take a quick nap, but I didn't wake up until morning!" It shouldnt' have been surprising. He hadn't given himself any time at all to recover before being active, just like it was any other day. "I promise I'll make it up to you today though." He smiled as he pulled out a seat for the lady. "You've got my undivided attention."

Offline Ru

Re: The Dragons Den
« Reply #412 on: June 07, 2016, 11:34:06 pm »
Within the moment Cadence caught Calyx turning in her direction, it was chanced from curious to almost  frantic as he grabbed the hands of Addie and herself. 'Something drastic must be troubling him....what could it be?'

As she felt the beginning of the stairs, she realizes how far the three of them ran without a second guess. This wouldn't sit with Cadence because she needed to know if something was behind them; her head turned to the right to look over her shoulder and her jaw dropped. The beautiful landscape that she had gotten use to changed into something that reminded her of a fire and brimstone world. A small shiver ran down her back as she imagines the outside temperature.

Cadence noticed the movement of Addie and Calyx toward the interior of the house and decided that it would be in her best interest to finish out the tour to see the rest of the manor instead of just the entry way and the dining room.

On the third floor, Calyx motioned to a sparsely decorated room beyond the basics but to Cadence, it felt like home already. He then motioned in the direction of his bedroom, offering any help if needed, before leading Addie farther down the hall without another word. "Thank you Calyx!" Her words more than likely lost as the two figures disappeared down the hall but it was worth a shot to thank him for his kindness.

She turned to face the interior of her bedroom, door closed behind her as her eyes scanned the room. Already, Cadence began plans on how to change the room around and what to decorate with to make the room scream her name, even to someone who doesn't know her personality; sadly, that quickly began to bore her as she wandered the room, glancing out the windows every now and again with a wondering about the fiery world outside....

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Re: The Dragons Den
« Reply #411 on: June 07, 2016, 04:43:36 pm »
There was a gaping hole in every aspect of her life, but she was gradually learning how to not only cope, but to live again.

During the day when there were chores to do or errands to run, it was not as bad.  It was during the night when the silence became just as heavy as the empty spot in bed next to her.  Lately, it had became a habit to turn on music and fall asleep to it.  It hardly worked, but after days running on few hours of sleep, she eventually got too drained to stay awake. 

The night before had been like that, leaving her all too awake to face the day. 

"One large cappuccino to go?" repeated the woman. 

Soraya blinked, snapping out of a daze and nodded.  After paying for it, she returned home, dreading it as always.  The only bright side to any of it was seeing the dragon that reminded her of Raijuta.  Ever since she had approached him, she had stayed at a good distance.  What she needed, he could not provide.

Many things were on her mind as she walked around, drink in hand.  Calyx would be somewhere near, but as for Winter, she had not a clue.  She had felt her presence the other day, but she had not followed her, fearing that doing so would only widened the wedge between them. 

She found herself traveling in the direction of Raijuta's grave and abruptly stopped.  It had become a routine to visit his grave several times in a day, always looking for something that she would never find. 

Not today.  She could not bear it any longer.  The ghosts in this place was slowly smothering her. 

Her hand laid splayed across her chest as her heart quickened.  What if the pain never reseeded, or this cloud, never lifted?  She felt as if she were one fit of crying away from insanity. 

Without thinking too much on what she was about to do, her hand slid down her torso, following it to her hips, then her thighs.  The simple fabric covering her was replaced with leather.  Once she was satisfied with the new attire, she pried apart the braid on her head, leaving the black curls to cascade down her back freely.  Today would not be filled with mourning.  Instead, she was going to get out.

Tracking Calyx down, she found him and told him of her leaving, promising to return before nightfall.  Afterwards, she left in search of a distraction.

Offline Calyx Ochoa

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Re: The Dragons Den
« Reply #410 on: May 29, 2016, 02:07:41 pm »
Surely as expected, Cadence was able to hear Calyx' thoughts, and responded to them. Based on her expression, it was safe to assume that she wasn't fully aware of her abilities, let alone the ability to control them. He turned to face Cadence, but before any words could escape his lips, his eyes widened, as if something had surprised him!

"We have to get back to the manor, now!" He said. He grabbed both girls by the hand and attempted to open up a portal to the house, but still didn't have the physical strength. Without taking the time to ponder, he took off running with the girls in tow.

Just as they arrived, the realm began to change. The beautiful night sky turned blood red and the smell of sulfur took hold in the air. All of the grass died out, and the temperature rose exponentially, as every body of water turned to a lake of lava instead. Fire and brimstone were the best words to describe this version of the realm. The realm of Blaze, the fire dragon. Calyx was used to these conditions, but he wouldn't expose Addie or Cadence to it.

As if my some magic, the inside of the manor, and even the front porch remained cool, as if air conditioned. Calyx appeared worn though, even moreso than previously. It was clear that he was done for the day. "Let me show you to your room." He said to Cadence, leading the girls up the stairs to the third floor. He opened the door to the second room on the left, and guided Cadence in. It wasn't much as far as decorations, but it had a large comfortable bed, and a desk and a dresser to fill with clothes, as well as a decent sized closet. Once personalized, it would surely feel like home. "My room is all the way down the hall, he said, pointing to the left. He had moved from his old room years ago, after the sounds of Raijuta and Soraya were no longer bearable. "Just knock if you need anything at all."

He then headed back to the stairs with Adelaide. He stopped, and wrapped his arms around her waist tightly. It was the kind of hug that everyone needed every once in a while. One that consumed pain and made everything feel like it was going to be okay. Then he opened up a small portal, one big enough to reach his hand into, and he did just that. What he pulled out was a gold coin. In his mind, he flashed back to the words Adelaide had spoken when she gave it to him.

"For as long as you have this, you are always allowed to kiss me. Deal?"

Calyx took a step forward and pressed his lips against Addie's. It may not have been as hot as some of their past kisses. No tongue action at all. But there was a whole different kind of intensity. But when their lips parted, he placed the coin in her hand. The smile on his face was a tired one. "Thank you for coming to watch over me Addie..."  There was a deeper meaning in his words...

Thank you for coming to watch over me Addie, but I've got it from here...

The truth of the matter was, no matter how much the two cared for each other, they were attempting to walk two different paths. They were unable to help each other while progressing on those paths, and they needed to separate in order to reach for their own goals. So this was Calyx' way of setting Adelaide free. She would never shoot for the heights he knew she could reach, if she was concerned with taking care of him. "I'm going to get some rest now." He said, giving Adelaide one more tight squeeze, before heading to his own room....

Offline Demonreach

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Re: The Dragons Den
« Reply #409 on: May 24, 2016, 06:06:47 am »
It had been many nights since Odin's Transference, an event likely scarred into this reality despite Cernunnos's and Demonreachs' own attempts to make it less so.

Odin opened an eye, the hue an ocean blue; the depths of such a color enough to drown oneself in with the calm that radiated from it. After glancing around for a second, he determined he was within the house; upon a couch.

He noted there were a few others within, but he did not stir save the lone eye that stared about, despite the fact it only saw the ceiling, as if trying to decipher that which it could not see. Closing this eye, he turned his thoughts inward; noting the Lord of the Hunt, though the old gods spirit was more of a feeling, like a warm autumn day as the sun was beginning to fade into the horizon.

It was a feeling that left Odin bereft of thought, of emotion; losing himself as he did within this moment of momentary bliss. A bliss that stretched and stretched for eons, his troubled mind easing itself of its burdens; his shoulders growing lax and his back straightening.

His body tingled with a new kind of power. It was exciting, his body eager and ready to test of the limits of this newfound gift.

He could hear Cernunnos whispering to him, like soft wind through trees. The words were lost to him, given how enraptured he was within the old gods' presence within himself. There was a new light to his life and Odin felt free from the chains his father had given him so many nights prior.

He avoided the Eon Dragoon, knowing it lurked like a giant; looming above both Odin and Cernunnos, awaiting like a cat to pounce upon weakness and crush its prey with ruthless abandon. That prey being Odin himself.

A heavy sigh escaped the lips of the man, both eyes opening lazily, peering through half-lidded eyes he took the world in. While the blue eye remained as soothing as ever, the yellow eye was a storm; and through his half-lidded gaze, that storm seemed barely contained.

Perhaps a duel is in order, to fully stretch out his new powers.

The problem with that: who to fight?
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Offline Ru

Re: The Dragons Den
« Reply #408 on: May 24, 2016, 12:15:28 am »
"Calyx seems so cold toward Addie now, after having somewhat of an awkward introduction to his uncle. I want to know what is going on in his mind. Every thought that could cause him to withdraw so deeply into himself.' His voice turned her deep chocolate irises in his direction as he responded to her question.

Apparently, he had not spoken the question she responded to, but, before either of them could investigate what happened, the earth beneath them began to sake due to a massive energy storm; but, as her eyes remained trained on Calyx, she saw that he remained calm and uninterested in the moment. For some reason, he aided more than she could understand in keeping herself calm.

'"I guess we have a lot to talk about."' His statement caused her head to **** to the left with an inquisitive gaze in her eyes, "please let me know the subject in question." Her words, almost whispered as they passed her full lips while she tried to process the fact that his lips did not move when eh spoke to her and Addie did not look as if she had heard him. "What is going on with this man? Why can I hear his voice without seeing him speak....?"

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Re: The Dragons Den
« Reply #407 on: May 03, 2016, 12:43:16 pm »
She heard all that he said, soaked it all in like her skin did the sun, but few words penetrated the icy barrier of her core.

Death is beautiful in its disregard for how we feel.


Death held no beauty within it. There was no good, no reason to it. Perhaps the change that followed would be good, but that only meant that those left behind were capable of adapting. At least some were.

Winter's gaze settled on his son pointedly after hearing his offer. His shoulders were much too full to carry any one else's issues. Yet, the offer tempted her more than anything had before. When Calyx had been weakened, the first thing he had done was accuse her of hiding here. After spending months burdening the tasks of the realm and looking after him while he slept because he could not handle reality, he had the gall to say such a thing. Out of everyone, she would have thought he would understand, would have noticed how she was writhing inside. Their secret should have pushed them together, but instead it had the opposite effect.

No one had noticed her grief. Everyone allowed her space, never breaking the silence to reach out and console her. It was Winter's way, they assumed, to lock herself away with a book away from everyone. They had permitted her space, drowning her in her own hell.

She silently left the man and his son before his last words could reach her ears.

The study was in the same condition it had been in when she had left. It seemed as though no one had  touched anything within the last month. Her fingers brushed the rigid spines of the book's along the shelf closest to an oak desk. The girl longed to take the books along with her, but where she was headed called only for light luggage.

At the desk, her heart skipped painfully at the sight of her father's work. She eyed it all a moment longer before she started going through it. Minutes later, she found the vile she had been looking for in a secret compartment within the desk that she had found one day years ago by accident.

Hearing echoes of distant footsteps approaching the study, she stuffed it into her pocket and vanished before Soraya walked in.

Offline Demonreach

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Re: The Dragons Den
« Reply #406 on: May 02, 2016, 12:25:25 am »
Demonreach watched the young girl approach, a flower soon to blossom and give any man a run for their money; one to strike envy, perhaps, the hearts of her peers.

The creature rolled his shoulders in a shrug, uncaring.

'Who said I was guarding it? Perhaps I am merely here to prevent his returning to this mortal coil? Perhaps I am guarding you all from his wrath, so frozen in death at such a dishonorable death.' His eyes, so blue and infinite in their gaze, bore into Winter. 'Perhaps I am here to force you to ask questions, to come to terms with the emotions boiling within you at the injustice of his fate.

'Does JD and Adrani not also protect this realm? Would you scold them into fleeing? Into inactivity? Into slothlike behavior? No, I fear not, for JD would put you in your place and beneath Adrani's withering tirade, you'd melt.

'Death is a disgrace, it is not honorable; it does not heed to our laws or views on such things, nor does it care. Death is beautiful in its disregard for how we feel.'

Demonreach sighed before continuing, his gaze softening, 'Perhaps, Winter, his death is to prevent what caused it to begin with. I cannot say to know his mind, as we were never close, but he forgave me my moment of weakness. I am not apart of your family through blood, merely adopted by it. The Draconian's have accepted me as one of their own, giving unto me a dragon to mark my adoption.'

The air around the two of them grew melancholic with Demonreach's speech, his own life fraught with loneliness very few could understand; to have no one, to have nothing to call his own save himself.

He had grown used to it, after he had murdered his followers for their blind devotion. How it irked him, how it drove him insane. After that, he knew no shackles and would let none hold him. He relished in his freedom from the restraints of godhood; of the expectations of the blind and ignorant.

To her back, he said, 'I won't stop you from leaving, as it is not my right; and your grief causes my soul to ache. Just as you feel ashamed for your words now, remember that feeling and let it guide your actions with your family as they suffer in their own miserable silence. Do not further shame yourself. While you may feel lost without him, know that I am here; a beacon of hope, stalwart in its illumination against the darkness of dread and terror. My shoulders are big enough for you and the rest of them.'

He almost wished he could've baited her into something more direct, though he knew it would've ended poorly.

Demonreach looked to his slumbering son, comatose from the Transference; twisting and writhing in silent nightmares.

'And you wonder why I left...', the words soft and lost into the wind, to anyone's ears save his own.
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guest1383

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Re: The Dragons Den
« Reply #405 on: May 01, 2016, 01:02:59 pm »
Expelled.

Scribbled in delicate strokes of ink along the crinkled paper told of her recent expulsion, and not too apologetically. Without an ounce of mercy, without so much as a hesitant blot, the signature of the school's president at the bottom sealed her fate. Perhaps, the paper should be framed and hung where all could see. It did document her first ever mishap, afterall. Well, hardly a mishap. More of a near killing spree that had shaken her to the very core.

The realm was in the exact same state she had left it in, but then again it was not. Ever-changing weather, this time it held a brooding sky with dormant, pregnant clouds, rolling hills in the distance that turned into mountainous monsters as they neared, and her home nestled in the middle there within all the chaos. Yet, the absence of a familiar warmth made her feel like she was trespassing on a stranger's land.

Roseate lips pursed, a thousand thoughts locked behind them hanging at the edges of her grinding teeth. There was no sane reason behind her return. In fact, she had more reason to become a hippie and move to the jungles of Africa than to show up here again.

Like a mother's off-key lullaby, an ugly, but still melodic chirping of a bird broke through the, what felt to be impenetrable, barricade of thoughts. Her eyes swept the green floor below her and then slowly traced the land until it landed on the bird wedged between the teeth of a dragon.

Such was life, she mused, leaving the scene with a bitter taste on her tongue.

Soon thereafter, she found herself standing in front of her father's grave, trapped within a sea of memories that plagued her mind more like a disease than a fond collection of remembrance that it should have been.

A memory of him in his study perched over a book, like a bird gawking its prey, crossed her mind. Evidence of subdued joy of a pirate finding his treasure was etched within his bay-blue eyes. It pained her to recall such a memory of him in nonchalance. Having no sense of foreboding for the future, his untimely death had been as much as a surprise as it was a tragedy to the man. Raijuta, in her eyes- the eyes of an endearing daughter- had been an invincible force. Fate, she thought, would have cried at the thought of his passing. But then, if that were true, her toes would not have been inches away from his occupied tomb.

Waves crashed down on her reverie. With her father's blue eyes, she beheld the man standing guard over his tomb. Nothing reflected in Demon's gaze; nothing, at least, she was capable of deciphering.

She took a step back, away from the vulnerability the gravesite left her in, and exhaled a breath that carried with it a million unspoken words. Too young, or perhaps, too innocent, she had yet to harness the ability of shielding her emotions from others. The pain she refused to feel surfaced along her features as plainly as blood against snow.

"Why are you protecting his grave?" she asked, eyebrows scrunched together in accusation.

Unlike JD, her other uncle, this man did not share her lineage. He had married her father's sister. Yet, the lack of respect would have been present in her voice for any one of her family members.

"His death is a disgrace. Why guard something he died unwilling to protect?" Winter's gaze seared into Demon, but somehow bypassed him altogether.

There was no answer he could offer her that would sate this hunger raging within her. Yet, she was set on probing him until the words drew blood; whether his or hers.

"And where is my mother?" Despite the question, she did not bother to lift her gaze from his. "Let me guess. She is mourning? While Calyx and I bear everything. Take up our loads. And how about my other uncles, uncle? Where would they be? Mourning. Traveling. Yet you, perhaps the most intuitive of the lot, are the only one here."

It was a question and a statement. Her eyes scoped his shoulders and then traveled down, looking for more than he could give her, and for something she did not know what. No man had touched the girl, yet she felt her innocence wane. What had unfolded in her life these past few months was more invasive than a man's hands could ever be. The happenings had greedily plundered her soul, depriving her of naivety that had once sugar-coated her outlook on life.

Her hands felt dirty, but they were clean. She wrung them now, unconscious of the movement.

"Where is it?" she breathed. "The book that can unravel the truths. The script that can make sense of it all."

The words had come out, amounting to nothing more than a rhetorical whisper. Winter had not yet met Demon's gaze again, neither would she. Shame enveloped her. A shame that went deeper than the disrespect she displayed just now ever could. It was the shame that transpired after a tragedy orchestrated by a pair of hands belonging to the same blood as the victim's.

She gazed far away, her mind falling short of the sky her eyes beheld.

Whether or not he spoke made little difference. The woman was deaf to reason. A beast dwelled within her and it was set to ravage everything she was.

Subtle curves that had the beginnings of womanhood, still lacking emphasis, beneath a tight-fitting attire, swayed as she maneuvered her feet across the soil. At the head of the tomb, she splayed her fingers against the solidity of the surface.

"I cannot watch you tear apart this realm, with your own cold, dead hands, father," she whispered, mindless of any other presence. "You failed and left us alone to handle your defeat. We burdened ourselves with what should have been your responsibility."

Winter hung her head. A veil of snowy-white hair fell over her face.

"Let your friend guard your tomb. I will not be in shackles trying to hold together what you so willingly destroyed. You lost. We conquered."

She looked up at the tomb. The blue hues of her eyes had taken on a devastating crimson.

"I conquered."

With that, she stood erect, almost victoriously so, over his grave and then walked away from the remains of her father, toward the house. She had no plans of staying, but there was one last thing she needed before she left.

 

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