>>45803869

In the mild warmth of Sol's Midday in the time of Atumm, you hold desperately onto an Araflour child as you fall from the canopies of the little hamlet of Prudenia, the forest floor fast approaching from a crippling height. Your heart races as you reach out with all of your feeling, searching for someone, anything to help you and this child from suffering this fall.

(“I don't want broken legs!”) Belia cries out fro within, as you feel your eyes close from her fear.

Suddenly, you feel something reach out to you in return and you feel branches and leaves bending around you before curling gently around you and the child, holding you fast and steady. {“My, my, I must be going senile... How could I let an Araflour child fall? And my, Namour... Such a brave heroinne.”} an old voice hums out from around you.

As you open your eyes and feel, you find yourself in the hand-like branches of one of the trees, slowly creaking its way back up to safely pass you up to the canopy.

“Oh thank you, thank you kind tree.” You say with tears of relief wetting your eyes, “Thank you, thank you.”

The child clutching you, looks up at you and frowns deeply, remiss. You feel something wet against your stomach.

“Did you?”

“I peed.” The child admits, and you can't help but to shiver in disgust.

“Beli, are you okay?” You hear Odette cry from a distant Bridge-branch, the concern wrought over her face with wrinkling worry.

“Yes, I'll just need a change of clothes.” You answer back as you gently, but firmly push the child off of you and stand up yourself, hopping off the branch of the tree. Pinching your garments, you peel the wetness away as you wrinkle your nose in dismay.

A woman opens the door from a nearby treehouse and looks right at you and the araflour child, “Oh my,” her voice rings out with a melodious tenderness, “Are the two of you alright? I felt a disturbance...”

>>45803879

The child runs to his mother, hugging her hard, “I f-fell, and this lady saved me.”

The woman looks to you with eyes twinkling in admiration, “Oh, my good lady, thank you for saving my child.”

“Don't... Uh, mention it.” Your voice is less than pleased as you try to figure out what you're to do with your soiled garments.

“What, uh, happened? Are you well my lady.. Oh.” The woman looks down at her child, frowning slighty, and then smiling with a calm understanding. She extends a hand to beckon you inside, “Come, I'll help you with that. It's the least I can do.”

You change into much humbler clothes obviously designed with humility and modesty in mind. A brown dress with earthen tones and the stains of leaves for a natural color. The attire comes with a hood that these Arafleur seem so keen on wearing.

You learn that the child's name is Arthe, and his mother's is Jiria. You don't see a man in the household...

>[Have some refreshments and food with Odette here while you wait for your clothes to dry.]
>[Go on about asking residents for details of their problems.]
>[Ask this woman if she knows anything about Teraca's past with the Faeli.]
>[Wait patiently for your clothes...]
>[Write in]

>>45803899
>[Ask this woman if she knows anything about Teraca's past with the Faeli.]

>>45803899
>[Ask this woman if she knows anything about Teraca's past with the Faeli.]

>>45803899
>[Ask this woman if she knows anything about Teraca's past with the Faeli.]

>>45803899
>[Ask this woman if she knows anything about Teraca's past with the Faeli.]

>>45803899
>[Have some refreshments and food with Odette here while you wait for your clothes to dry.]
Hope you don't fall asleep again

>>45803899
>[Go on about asking residents for details of their problems.]

>>45803936
>>45803959
>>45804032
Fuck my internet

>>45803899
>[Have some refreshments and food with Odette here while you wait for your clothes to dry.]

>>45803899
>[Ask this woman if she knows anything about Teraca's past with the Faeli.]

>>45803899

You feel uncomfortable in the unfamiliar dress, it itches in the worst places and you can't really find yourself sitting comfortably without the usual comfortable breeze through your air garb. Yet still, it's dry snd unsoiled so you've no right to complain. Sitting idly with a cup of sol-warmed tea and a few fruits from the surrounding trees, you warm your blood and fill your stomach with sustenance.

Arthe avoids eye contact with you, often blushing when he catches you looking at him. Without turning around, Jiria says, “Arthe thinks you're pretty. Unfortunately, it should be men saving the damsels, not the other way around.”

Arthe's face turns cherry red as he sinks beneath the table, rolling onto his back, “Mum, please nooo.” He whines as Jiria simply returns a motherly chuckle.

Flipping your long ember-red hair, you give smile brilliantly, “Well, he certainly does know how to pick them, unfortunately, he's a bit young for me.”

“Wouldn't care to be his betrothed, would you?”

>[“Perhaps if he saved me one day.”]
>[“I'm afraid... That's not possible.”]
>[“Do you ask that to all the young ladies he fancies?”]
>[Write in.]

>>45804496
>[“Do you ask that to all the young ladies he fancies?”]

>>45804496
>[“Do you ask that to all the young ladies he fancies?”]

>>45804496
>[“Do you ask that to all the young ladies he fancies?”]

>>45804496
>[“Do you ask that to all the young ladies he fancies?”]
>young
Of course

>>45804496
>[“I'm afraid... That's not possible.”]

>>45804496
>[“Do you ask that to all the young ladies he fancies?”]

>>45804496

With that persisting coy grin, you ask, “Do you ask that to all the young ladies he fancies?”

“Ugh!” Arthe squirms on the ground, flooding with embarassment.

“Of course, if I don't how's he supposed to have the conviction to seek out a lady as lovely as yourself?” She returns, looking back to you in the midst of doing your laundry. You can see a subtle smile from beneath her delicate cowl.

“I can't take it!” Arthe rolls over onto his stomach and scramble-crawls to the door, running outside. You hear his rapidly distant footsteps banging on the bridge branches.

“Well,” you start, the smile gradually fading from your lips as you make eye contact with the mother, “I'm afraid that's still not quite...”

“Oh, what are you so serious for? I'm kidding.” Jiria chuckles and turns back to her work, her tone growing more serious,“I've heard from the others that a stranger's here to solve our problems. The wolves, and Teraca's little girl.

“That is so. I'm with the guild.” You reply, sipping slightly on your tea, “Our request was to investigate an “enchanted daughter,” but here we are, ended up with your town under seige by wolves.”

“Yes, it's been difficult up here... Though the trees have assisted our stay.”

“Do you by any chance know of Teraca's past? Anything concerning a goat man or Faeli or whatever have you? Perhaps her husband and why he might pro- nevermind,” You stop yourself, realizing that prying so freely is likely to get back to Teraca, “I'm probably overreaching here.”

“Oh no, it's quite alright. Teraca's a touch older than me, but I knew a bit of her husband as he's my older brother.” Jiria pauses for a moment, “Kale, he's a good man. I can't imagine that he'd willingly give up his daughter for no good reason.” Jiria continues to scrub out the clothes gently, minding the fibres.
“I defended his choices early on, though he made a poor case when he left Prudenia. Everyone thinks he's guilty now, of selling his own daughter to a Faeli.”

>>45805019

Jiria thinks again for a moment, you can see a troubled smile forming from the shade of her cowl, “I also thought it strange. Walking in on the two of them arguing, he didn't care. It was like he was empty perhaps? Or rather, he just didn't care to fight back for something that was already done?”
Jiria seizes up, suddenly placing a soapy hand to her mouth as she realizes something, “I'm sorry, I just started rambling on. Is there anything else you wanted to ask?”

>[“When will my clothes be ready?”]
>[“Where's your husband?”]
>[“Why do you all wear hoods?”]
>[“Can you tell me of Arafleur?”]
>[Nothing, I'll be going for a walk.]
>[Write in]

>>45805040
>[“Why do you all wear hoods?”]
>[“Can you tell me of Arafleur?”]

>>45805040
>[“Why do you all wear hoods?”]
>[“Can you tell me of Arafleur?”]

>>45805040
>[“Can you tell me of Arafleur?”]

>>45805040
>[“Can you tell me of Arafleur?”]

>>45805040
>[“Can you tell me of Arafleur?”]

>>45805040
If you fell asleep again I swear to God

>>45805040
“I've been around once or twice, but I don't think I've ever quite been privy towards Arafleur. Can you tell me a bit about yourself, your Arche?” You reach around your neck, and flick up the hood on the robe-like dress, “And also why you all wear such...” You search for a nice word, “Plain clothes?”

Jiria carefully wrings out the excess water from your clothes, thinking to herself, “Never crossed your mind to become an Arafleur?” She chuckles to herself softly, “Well, we're an Arche of peaceful folk-”

(“I've heard that before.”) You think to yourself, remembering how the Guisi prefer to portray themselves.

“-Ararfleur are blessed with kind spirits and gentle hearts as our fate is intertwined with the children of fruit and flowers around us.”

“So your fate's bound closely to... trees?”

“Yes,” Jiria nods as she takes clips to hang up your clothes on a branch just outside the window, “Plant life is precious to us as we're the few kind enough to notice them. There aren't too terribly many of us, however we make it a point to be good to others even if they don't necessarily do the same for us. That's the just of what I think it means to be Arafleur at least.”

“And...:” You tug on the hood of your borrowed robe again, “What's with this? Explain this.”

“Oh! Right, we're an Arche that favors Sol, and especially so in our village where at least a part of us live in trees. We wear hoods to show our humility before the warmth and glowing light that Sol provides. It's simply our tastes, not all Arafleur wear garb such as this.”

“So you worship Sol?”

>>45805663

“Well, don't you?” Jiria asks in return, with a slightly befuddled expression. “Namour such as you tend to follow Sol as well. Pardon me if you're an exception...”

>Well...

>[“I think both of them are great. Why choose one over the other?”]
>[“I'm kidding. I'm all for Sol. I love the warmth of his light upon my body in the zenith of the day. Such kindness, and power, and passion!”]
>[“Actually, I prefer Luna. Her gentle silver glow fills my heart and soul with tranquil beauty. How could I not love her?”]
>[Write in.]

>>45805681
>[“Actually, I prefer Luna. Her gentle silver glow fills my heart and soul with tranquil beauty. How could I not love her?”]
Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't Luna "dead" in this setting and it was suprising that we heared her at some point?
If I remember correctly incorporate this somehow

>>45805681
>[“Actually, I prefer Luna. Her gentle silver glow fills my heart and soul with tranquil beauty. How could I not love her?”]

>>45805681
>[“Actually, I prefer Luna. Her gentle silver glow fills my heart and soul with tranquil beauty. How could I not love her?”]

>>45805681
>[“I think both of them are great. Why choose one over the other?”]

>>45805728

Luna represents an aspect of death rather than actually being dead.

It was surprising that she took notice of you as a thespian. It's basically the equivalent of being talked to by god.

>>45805756
Ah ok.

>>45805765
You could mention being spoken to by Luna if you'd like.

>>45805681
>[“Actually, I prefer Luna. Her gentle silver glow fills my heart and soul with tranquil beauty. How could I not love her?”]

>>45805781
I'd rather not pull that amount of attention

>>45805681
>[“Actually, I prefer Luna. Her gentle silver glow fills my heart and soul with tranquil beauty. How could I not love her?”]

>>45805781
Rather not

>>45805681
>[“I think both of them are great. Why choose one over the other?”]

>>45805681
>[“Actually, I prefer Luna. Her gentle silver glow fills my heart and soul with tranquil beauty. How could I not love her?”]

>>45805681


“Actually...” You start, feeling a slight nagging sensation in the back of your mind as Belinda quietly disagrees before you even get to state your case. “I prefer Luna.” You say almost quietly as you interlace your fingers and bring your body together snugly as you imagine a Lun-filled night. “Her gentle silver glow. The way it fills the heart and soul with tranquil beauty, self-reflection and meditation... How could I not love her?”

You let your true opinion out and feel more willful for it as you realize that love for Luna runs deeply.

Jiria raises her head a touch, peering at you through the cusp of her hood with her flower-shaped eyes, “How odd. I've heard of Namour that have passion for Luna. Never thought I'd meet one. Goodness, at least you do not seek her for aspects of death.”

“Of death?” You ask, most certainly confused. “Why would I do that?”

“Well, some seek her for as such. Deception of the nights, the empty hunger of the shadows, a deadly path of perfection... Some seek her for those things. Some might call those that smile upon Lun's dark side evil.”

>[“Does Sol not bear his own brand of wrath? Unabashed pride, Blind following... Perhaps an ignorant kindness?”]
>[“Well, one must accept all the flaws of another along with their virtues. I could not deny Luna's virtue..]
>[Go silent, it's not worth disvussing this further. Wait for your clothes to dry.]
>[Beg your pardon, and step out to continue your work.]
>[Write in.]

>>45806132
>[“Does Sol not bear his own brand of wrath? Unabashed pride, Blind following... Perhaps an ignorant kindness?”]

>>45806132
>[“Well, one must accept all the flaws of another along with their virtues. I could not deny Luna's virtue..]

>>45806132
>[“Does Sol not bear his own brand of wrath? Unabashed pride, Blind following... Perhaps an ignorant kindness?”]

>>45806132
>[“Does Sol not bear his own brand of wrath? Unabashed pride, Blind following... Perhaps an ignorant kindness?”]
This exchange should help us remember more about ourself

>>45806132
>[“Does Sol not bear his own brand of wrath? Unabashed pride, Blind following... Perhaps an ignorant kindness?”]

>>45806132
>[“Does Sol not bear his own brand of wrath? Unabashed pride, Blind following... Perhaps an ignorant kindness?”]

>>45806132
>>[“Does Sol not bear his own brand of wrath? Unabashed pride, Blind following... Perhaps an ignorant kindness?”]
>>[“Well, one must accept all the flaws of another along with their virtues. I could not deny Luna's virtue..]

>>45806132

You cam feel yourself being rubbed the wrong way, as though you're looking through a window to see someone acting out in blatant ignorance of a truth. It's with a deep inhalation that you concentrate your thoughts before smiling pretty as Belinda is wont to do, “I'm afraid I don't understand. Is Sol not capable of his own brand of what one may call foul?”

Jiria peers up at you keenly as she starts on her son's clothes, “By chance, what do you mean? You mean to say that Sol is not radiant with perfection?”

“Of course he's not.” You say with an eversmile, not even batting an eyelash, “Could he not also be construed of reckless merriment, unabashed pride, vlind followership, and even... ignorant kindness?”

“I know not what you mean, Stranger.”

“My name is Beli.” You say as you notice that you don't feel Belinda denying these other aspects of Sol.

(“You agree then?”) You ask her.

(“I've lived too long not to. Even so, I still have more love for Sol as a Namour. Both Celestial graces have their place in the Scaffos and our lives. Why should I deny what they truly are?”) Belinda replies with a surprisingly mature demeanor given her usual playfulness.

Jiria's gentle smile quivers, “Well, Beli. I've never felt that my kindness was necessarily ignorant...”

“Well, you've already said that in your Arche you deliver kindness without question. What if you were to lay that kindness upon the most evil of men?”

“Then I would hope he has a change of heart.”

>>45806731

“Even if he went on to slay your kin? Only to have a change of heart in sparing you? To let you live with that grief?”

“I...”

“You questioned my answer for why I refer to Luna. I find her serene, and she contemplates instead of going forth without question. She is intelligent and wise while Sol is prideful and brilliant.” As the woman reels under your scathing review of her beliefs, you find a pause and change your tone, “However both of them are beautiful in their own right when it comes down to it. Never one without the other.”

Jiria seems to feel some relief, as she sighs, disarmed, “Yes... They do love each other as the story does go... I will be wary of whom I tend to from now on. You're right.”

>You feel as though you remember what she's referencing to.

>[Wait patiently for your clothes to dry.]
>[Go out to collect more information.]
>[Meet with Odette and Biz, see what they've found.]
>[Write in.]

>>45806745
>[Wait patiently for your clothes to dry.]

>>45806745
>[Wait patiently for your clothes to dry.]
So will we get that information in a dream/flashback later or is it just a feeling?

>>45806797
Dreamback, yes.

>>45806745
>[Go out to collect more information.]

>>45806810
Nice

>>45806745
>[Go out to collect more information]
Time is short

>>45806745
Did we even ask this one for information?

>>45806745
>[meditate now]
can Beli put on a little fireshow while meditating, a passive practice exercise of control?

>activate lava lamp mode

>>45806845
This.
Meditate until the clothes are dried

This one is long. almost done.

>>45806745

With nothing more you'd like to ask, you abandon your chair in favor of the floor, crossing your legs over, letting the soles of your feet face the sky.

“Erm, what are you doing, Beli?” Jiria asks, perplexed by your sudden decision.

“I'm going to wait, meditate, and hopefully wake up when my clothes are finished.” You explain as you bring your hands together upon your lap, performing a slighty shake of them to ignite your eternal flame. Bringing your palms up, you turn them up, each with a small swirling flame upon them as you rest them against your legs.

The task is a touch more difficult than you thought as the flame quickly wicks away without your movement to spring it to life.

(“The eternal flame becomes excited with my dance. Stillness bores it to embers.”) Belinda chuckles. (“Oh, you still can't hear him, can you?”)

(“Him? The flame?”) You reply.

(“Yes, the eternal flame.”)

(“... No”) You admit. (“I'm usually good at listening, has he been talking?”)

(“Here and there. It appears he's still judging you. He's been around for longer than I have after all...”)

(“What does he want to know?”)

There's a deafening silence before you feel the rumble of a great primordial power deep within your spirit. Its voice quakes you down to the threads of your being, (“I wait. To know. Who you are... Impostor.”)

The rumble dies down, and you can feel sweat chilling your brow, just what by Luna did Belinda pact with?

---

Some time passes as you let yourself meditate in silence with the occasional sloshing of Jiria's washing. Eventually you land in the realm of stained windows again.

You feel the unveiling of one that bears a twinkling monochrome of the scaffos. Without delay, you reach into the mirror and feel yourself taken to a time long ago where you listened to a story...

>>45807808

***

>The Story Of Thespia

Sol and Luna danced amongst the stars, weaving the tapestry of fate, pulling the threads to give birth to Thespia's first dawn.

She spun with her father and mother in cosmic symmetry as the stars would look into the tapestry she'd become.

As fate would spring forth life from its threads, all can't into existence by the moment onto moment. The stars gathered in a gallery across the Scaffos to watch what life her threads would play.
Yet then came a day where she would look to them as well in wonder as their celestial bodies would burn brighter than anything she had known. When she came off age, Thespia would say, "I've fallen in love!" And the stars would say,

"With whom?"

Bashful she was as she blushed before Sol and kept her secrets with Luna, she was scarcely prepared to say, "With only one of you." 'Fore a gallery of their shining art.

Luna whispered the secret to Thespia's love and the starset was taken aback,"Why me? This star would say like a dumbfounded fool. "Why me?" This star would say like the wisest of all.

Under the shadow of Luna, this star would speak to Thespia, and she'd blush like the first virgin daughter, hanging upon every word.

"Why me?" Said they, "When Hylios is the brightest and most dazzling of us all."
"Because I love you. The way you'd acknowledge him despite being a shadow. I already know of my father Sol as the brightest I'll ever know in life."

"Why me?" Said he, "Whereas Akkorion strives valiantly towards perfection? They are so serene."
"Because I love you. You'd look at their path and see it as so. I know not of serenity or pursuit beyond Mother Luna's grace after Father Sol."

>>45807858

"Why me?" Said he, "When Danhora would love you obediently and without question hang upon your every word."

"You know the answer... And their obedience, well, it does make me blush."

"Why me? Said he, "When Heki-Jespra could make you laugh? You'd only know endless laughter with they."

"Well, because they'll always be their to make me giggle. But I want you to be the one by my side."
"Thespia, how you trouble me. Not even Slotharis? For how patient they are?"
"Well indeed, they are insightful. But you're the one."

"Guisar? Tell me. What of them, why would you choose me when they have such secrets to offer you?"
"They'll share with me... One of these days. But-"

"Amouria? They are the most passionate. Your skies would be blessed with the power of their love. It's the most radiant in the Scaffos."

"And yet you are still the one that holds my heart."

"Giparri could share their joy. You'd smile every day."

"Well, I do love to smile. But only if with you I'd have my way."

"Drezarion then. They could offer you all the riches of the Scaffos, and tell you the stories of what they've made."

"They are enticing... Won't you give up already?"

"Stellathis? What of their wisdom and knowledge, vast and wide?"

"I can already guess the next one."

"Fleurona-"

"I knew it."

"Blast it, they'd be far kinder than I'd ever be to you."
"Have you given up yet?"

The foolish, yet wise star did not answer, he merely thought of all the others that had been chosen over himself. "Did you not ever consider the others?"

>>45807883

Thespia would smile to this star that she loves so dearly, "Until you spoke of them, I'm afraid I did not. I'd fallen for you from the moment you brushed against my skies. And you've shown me that I was right to love you. Thinking of the others, and watching them, I can feel how you might envy them. Yet here you are, staying yourself. You do not raise yourself above the others, and you care for them as well."

Thespia would reach out to this star, with a celestial tangle of her own cosmic fate. "You care deeply for how they'll be affected were I to only love you."
"This is true." The star would sigh, breathing out his dust, blinking back the dark tears of his silver eyes.

"I'd not have them scorned because you loved one as insignificant as I."

"Well, why should they be scorned?" Thespia's fated hand glimmered as it brushed away the star's tears.

"I'll simply have to love you all, especially you Ni-"


You feel a sudden shake rouse you, springing you to waking consciousness as that dream returns to the depths of your mind.

“Beli? Beli? Wake up.” You hear a familiar voice say.

Blinking your eyes open, you squint against a fragrant candlelight to see Odette's shadow against the flickering light. “Odette?”

“Goodness, have you been here all day?” You hear Biz say as he strums his lute, reclined already into a chair despite their likely just-arrival.

>>45808186

“My clo-” you try to say mid-yawn as you instinctively stretch back. “-ooothes.”

“On the table her, madame Beli.” Biz gets right to standing and stepping through the curtains of the entryway, “I'll step out to let you change in private m'lady.”

“What's with him? He's so...”

“Chivalrous?” Odette smiles as she helps you to uncross your legs and stand up, “I knocked some sense into him and made it clear that he can take the credit for the actual saving of the maiden.”

“But our reward.” Still half-asleep, you shed the plain robes happily from your body.

“He can ask the maiden for a kiss. We get our reward from Teraca.” Odette takes the robe, delicately folding it as you grab your own clothes from the table.

Shimmying up your small-clothes first, you find Odette eying you a bit intently. “Oh!” You give a brief expression of surprise, “Odette, I didn't know you were interested in a woman's body like that, “You say with a coy smile, obscuring your breasts, and touching your lips.

Odette remains unflustered, though she does avert eye contact somewhat, “I was merely thinking, It would be nice if I were maybe ten, twelve years younger. Thirty's when you start to feel worn down as a Guisi. Must be nice to be able to just put on a body like that too. Can't help but to think I wouldn't feel myself though...”

>[“Feeling myself is a work in progress. Can't help but to feel that the real me is out there, waiting.”]
>[“And here I thought you might be interested in me. Do I have to become a man again for you?”]
>[“You're right, I scarcely feel myself. It's a struggle. I hold onto the things that they have that remind me of who I am.”]
>[“Would you... like to try?”]

>>45808186
Fucking cockblockers

>>45808202
>[Write in]

>>45808202
>[“Feeling myself is a work in progress. Can't help but to feel that the real me is out there, waiting.”]

>>45808202
>[“Feeling myself is a work in progress. Can't help but to feel that the real me is out there, waiting.”]

>>45808202
>[“Would you... like to try?”]
SCIENCE

err, I mean, maybe AFTER we complete the job.

>>45808202
>[“Feeling myself is a work in progress. Can't help but to feel that the real me is out there, waiting.”]

>>45808247

Oh dear, I could imagine how crazy a civ quest would get in this setting... There are at least two arches that make it a culture to look into vastly different form of "technology."

>>45808202
>[“Feeling myself is a work in progress. Can't help but to feel that the real me is out there, waiting.”]
>>45808247
There's no way this could go wrong

>>45808247
I predict a 90% chance of Odette dying
Because I sure as hell doubt she has what made it "work" for us

>>45808202
>[“Feeling myself is a work in progress. Can't help but to feel that the real me is out there, waiting.”]
I WANT TO KNOW MORE
Fuck this fucking interruption

File: Image018.jpg (27 KB, 656x398)

27 KB JPG

>>45808305

You really think I'd kill off one of my favorite characters so easily?

Seems you guys are pretty straightforward for your response... What do you think of >The Story Of Thespia?

Implications, what it could mean for the Faceless's origin? Whatever happened to put him in the well...

>>45808399
I think we might need the blurb for each star saved somewhere in the pastebin.

But Faceless is something like a direct child to Thespia?

>>45808399
>You really think I'd kill off one of my favorite characters so easily?
Well you kinda did with the Spider-bone in Overhuman.
Or Jacky
>The Story Of Thespia?
It leaves me wanting more.
For me it's just a fragment so I can't really judge it.

>>45808399
It's pretty clear that our arche is Thespia's favourite one.
I have multiple theories about the well but they aren't solid.
Did we get the name of the twins' arche before?

>>45808515
Dramani. Their star wasn't mentioned.

>>45808399
>You really think I'd kill off one of my favorite characters so easily?
I don't trust you one bit.
I remember Jacky and how that ended.
Though Odette seems closer to Gertrude.
>The Story Of Thespia?
Interesting.
But it lacks the ending.
I hate splitting things up like that without the rest being already available.

>>45808541
Oh well.
That makes for an interesting turn of events

>>45808541
For me there's now a 50% chance that they put us into the well.
Which would mean they are lying to us about everything

>>45808541
Oh shit.
I'm intrigued

>>45808202

“Feeling myself is...” You reach for your brassiere and let down your arms from covering your modesty. Whether it's you or Belinda's influence, you find yourself not much caring. “Well, it's a work in progress.” You clip it snugly into place, making sure that everything is where it should be before putting a leg through your pants. “I can't help but feel that the real me is out there somewhere, waiting.”

Odette blinks at that,“Wait, you don't know where your real face is?” You realize that this is the first she's heard of it as you slip on the rest of your garb, satisfied once you're fully clothed.

“Afraid not. I just feel it out there. I'd like to find it, though there are people to help along the way.” You say, standing firm with a hip cocked to one side, “Like these Arafleur and the girl that's been enchanted.” You turn on your heel and head for the curtains to leave, “Come, let's go.”

“Right.” Odette says, standing idly for a moment. She looks to her fingers still wrapped in cloth, clenches her fist with resolution and carries on after you.


Outside, night has fallen and Luna shines with but a crescent of her light. The world is dark, though the livingwood houses each flicker with the lights of several candles that stand resolute against the wind, resolute in defending their masters from the darkness. You are filled with determination.

Biz joins with your party, and you find a guard to sing the elevator to lower ground. Once upon the forest floor, Biz seems to shake in his boots, yet finds his courage when Odette reminds him of the girl that needs saving.

The three of you walk forward, Odette at the lead with her bow ready to where sightings of wisps were reported.

“It's nightfall now, but if you should dance, they may still come if they fancy you.”

>>45808740


>[“If? They most certainly will.” Dance to your heart's content to draw out the wisps!]
>[“Could we track the wolves? If we find their lair, we might also find the girl.”]
>[“Biz, you have experience with men. Why not try singing the Satire out of hiding?”]
>[Write in.]

>>45808759
>[“If? They most certainly will.” Dance to your heart's content to draw out the wisps!]

>>45808759
>[“If? They most certainly will.” Dance to your heart's content to draw out the wisps!]

>>45808759
>[“If? They most certainly will.” Dance to your heart's content to draw out the wisps!]

>>45808759
>[“If? They most certainly will.” Dance to your heart's content to draw out the wisps!]
let's not bully Biz any more. Although soothing the savage wolves may be the only thing he can really do

>>45808759
>[“If? They most certainly will.” Dance to your heart's content to draw out the wisps!]

>>45808759

“If?” You jaunt forward and swirl, your flames dancing against the darkness. “They most certainly will! Just watch...”

Odette and Biz keep at distance, watching on from afar as you steady your breathing to the Concerto Crickets tuning their music...

>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g59gWtc3Jis

You can feel it start, and you let it flow through you. Whether it's Belinda guiding you, or what you've begun to inherit from her, every move is in respect to the beat, gracious and flowing, with elegant flames following your every movement in an enchanting, surreal dance. Unlike what you had to do to subdue the bandits, you can simply let yourself flow free without fear or worry.

As you carry on into the night, you can see t he wisps fly around you, observing you carefully as they cheerfully chase after your playful flames. The music carries on and you dance further, exemplifying a sensual mystique as you flirt with the strange globs of light...

>[Dance off into the woods and see how they follow.]
>[Stay where you are, perhaps slow your movements to give them a chance to try something.]
>[Lash out at them with a twirling flame!]
>[“Wail out about your need for love.]
>[Write in.]

>>45809302
>[Dance off into the woods and see how they follow.]

>>45809302
>[Stay where you are, perhaps slow your movements to give them a chance to try something.]
How long are you running today

>>45809302
>[Dance off into the woods and see how they follow.]

>>45809302
>[Dance off into the woods and see how they follow.]
wisp train, dancing through the night

>>45809338
another few posts.

>>45809302
>09302 >>45809318 >>45809338 >>45809345 >>45809383>>45808759(You)

As you dance, you can sense how the wisps are attracted to your performance, their mystical light searches over you as you let yourself go, prancing about into the woods with wild abandon. There's something about the way the wisps chase you that make you feel like a giggling girl. The way they trace over you, brushing so gently across your skin and over your fingers.

As you prance further into the woods, you find yourself feeling lighter and more free with the air kissing all over your body

The world seems to melt away into a cascade of light and colors as you try to take another leap only to lose your grace, and roll. Twirling into a kaleidoscope of surging colors, all sense seems lost until you come into something's arms.

Strong and burly, you can feel warm breath falling upon your neck in steady deep breaths. Tightly, you hold this man, feeling safe in his arms. “Oh, I've been looking for you.” You say in a half-daze, your mind confused and tangled.

“As I've always been looking for you. Come, let us go play in the fields of laughing flowers.” The figure leads you somewhere and you find yourself walking, the world still spinning.

You hear distant shouts that make his hair stand on end. You can feel him turn, and cling to his arm with all your fragile might, “What's wrong.”

>>45809933

“They come for us. You must go.” You feel a hand upon your shoulders push you forward towards a tree. As you anticipate a sudden crash, you feel yourself slip through, a burst of colors as you fall into a field of golden flowers laughing with mirth and joy all around you.

As you rise you realize that he's not there, the emptiness makes you feel cold. You want his arms around you, to be close to him. Looking out, you see other several other women dancing about the fields, laughing, singing, playing. The sky is a clear blue and light fills this place, though there's no Sol in the sky.

It's strange to you, yet not too far distant... You still feel as though you're in Thespia.

>[Find a flower, play “Loves me, Loves me not.”]
>[Sit by the sole tree here and sing with the other women.]
>[Dance with the other girls through the fields.]
>[“I'll wait for him, for whenever he returns.”]
>[Write in.]

>>45809954
>[Dance with the other girls through the fields.]
And now I'm off to bed.
25hours awake without coffee

>>45809954
>[Find a flower, play “Loves me, Loves me not.”]

>>45809954
>Listen to the voices and try to understand where we are

>>45809954
>[Channel the Reaper. These people are slaves, not by conquest of body but of mind]

>>45810020
But what are we supposed to do as the Reaper?

>>45810040
think clearly? Who cares if this may involve raging a bit and ravaging the garden before coming to our senses?

>>45809954

You feel yourself rise up, as though it's what you should do, and walking into a run after the other girls as they dance and play. You want to join them, to frolic as you wait for him. All of you are waiting for him. For that man to...

Looking down, you feel that taught red thread stretching into the ephemeral distance. “What... is this?” You ponder aloud as you reach for it, twanging it with a pull of a finger. At once, you feel something distant and so familiar. Something that expects better of you.

Through you, it senses what's happening to this women, and you yourself feel something stir inside of you. There's a mumbling word that resounds within your spirit, and you feel it rumbling louder and louder, and louder.

“I am a slave to no one(man)!” Two voices resound! You can feel the air of the area begin to answer your whims, swirling to your call...

>[“Rend!” Slash and tear whatever facade this place is.]
>[Release it, you're free from the spell.]
>[Tight the thread further, you won't let it lapse again!]
>[Write in]

>>45810209
>[“Rend!” Slash and tear whatever facade this place is.]
That's The King of Blades isn't it?

>>45810209
>[Tight the thread further, you won't let it lapse again!]

>>45810230
nope, still Ventus Falcem covered in INFERNOS

>>45810230
Nah, Dramir had wind blades.

>>45810253
>>45810255
Oh well.
Calling it Rend confused me

>>45810209
>[Tight the thread further, you won't let it lapse again!]

>>45810209

With every bit of effort you can muster, you tighten the thread further, intent to let the union stick for longer than the momentary burst, yet you still feel it slipping from your body.
With what control you have, you summon the air to your side in a swirling gale as you feel horns sprout from your head, curling backward. The power of that other presence, the reaper still present. With a resolute conviction, you repeat the feeling to yourself, “I won't be a slave, I won't let them be slaves.”

The wind rushes to your call, you can feel it arriving at its own discretion. “Aquilos!” The wind bursts into a gale, “Et Igni!” Then into an explosive whipping flame. You bring a leg back, a single talon appearing at your heel, wreathed in the rapidly spinning flame, “Carmen Inguia!” Kicking to the sky, the whirlwind of flames burning the field of flowers to cinders as the sky itself is similarly burned away.

All around you, the true voice of the domain screams as you fall out onto the darkness of the forest floor, a grand old tree burning to warm the dark night with its cinders.

Your horns rapidly fade as the thread slackens, the power waning. Yet you look about to see that all the women are safely out of the domain.
As the tree burns, branches fall, setting fire to the underbrush. As the brilliant flames flow, you swallow hard as you remember something important, These flames keep burning until willed away.

(“Belinda, how do I make it stop?”) You ask out, panicking as you sprint to action, dragging the unconscious women away from a fiery demise.

(“I don't know! I still don't understand what by Luna is happening when you do that to me! It's like these flames were caused by a different person!”)

>>45810636

The flames wrathfully carry on, consuming the screaming tree as its despair fills your ears. You and Belinda scream in return. (“Make it stop!”) She screams. (“I can't keep listening to this!”)

As you and Belinda go back and forth, you continue dragging the women to safety, avoiding the falling limbs of the trees or the subtle flashing as it slowly burns to death from the inside out.

By the time you've gotten most of the women to safety, you and Belinda continue crying about the pain caused to the tree, especially in its death throes. As you look back, you notice something surround the burning tree, as though a blessing from the sky, threads bar off the tree and the flames from everything else. With that, the forest will continue without burning down at least...

>End scene..?

>>45810647


>Interlude?(epilogue)

The shadow's pursuit of its target, the dancer, looks on at the fire of a great old Oak, a domain of a powerful Faeli lord go up in flames. Calmly and quickly, it draws a scroll from its satchels, looking for a specific incantation that was used long ago. Eyes widening, it finds the specific spell it seeks. Drawing forth a jar of living threads, the shadow uncorks the threads as he wills them forth with his incantation.

“Extingnisa Rapi!” The threads seize, gifted with new purpose and extend to breach the fire. Yet as soon as they make contact to end the flames they are destroyed.

With a curse to the divine Luna, the shadow throws out a second jar of fate threads, calling out a second spell, “Continigni, Fortem.” The threads fly and surround the burning tree, barring off the flames from their spread yet not making an attempt to quell them.

“So this is eternal fire... What a terrifying force.” The shadow whispers as they meld quietly into the darkness once more.

>End Interude(epilogue)

>>45810647
Memo at myself.
Don't let the Reaper play with fire

Thanks for attending tonight guys! What'd you think?

>Comments, questions, concerns?

>The Good
>The Bad
>The Weird

>>45810676
Nice thread.
Backstory on Thespia was interesting.
And we really should stop letting the Reaper power the fire

>>45810663
HAHA, NO REGRETS

Well, some regrets, but I wasn't expecting anons to actually vote to attack.

>>45810676
I swear to god, Dran, you really love your mind control AND violent retaliation against psychics, don't you?

>>45810712
>I swear to god, Dran, you really love your mind control AND violent retaliation against psychics, don't you?
I mean at this point you should be used to it.
Atleast it isn't on Violett levels of fucked up

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>>45810712
>>45810740

Well, you guys are the ones that violently retaliated. Though it was a good thing, I expected you guys to bank more for the write in on that first
"mind controlled, what do?" post.

All of the options were faffing about in lala land. Taking control there was the right option before it went deeper.

And remember, Belinda HATES fake love.

Also, Belinda really is the only character I'd trust with eternal flame. Her lack of willingness to just burn down everything forever makes her the ideal character to hold that pact.

Of course, when you guys use fusion, that goes out the window with a "world burns" character like the Reaper.

>>45810791
Hey, I only stated it as a possibility, my votes have been firmly treating the Reaper as not automatically violent.

....even if he's a very wrathful sorta guy.

>>45810791
Night Dran.
Also go watch The Revenant

>>45810819
And you're right. This practice is still unstable.

>>45810852
I'll see it like thursday or something.

>>45810865
what does the Eternal Flame feel about all this?

>>45810871
You'll have to see about that...
Next week.