Fantasy Dream Quest [IC Hub] [Accepting]

[Berries]

iijora ebb izayoiix foxlaux

Jehan

As Jehan drifted off to sleep in his bed, he found himself wake back up in what seemed just moments later. Perhaps irritated that he was having so much trouble getting to sleep, it took a few seconds for the world around him to blur into place revealing that he was most certainly not in his bed any longer...

A deep fog surrounded the nearby area and there was a sort of chill in the air. A small wisp of wind edged the fog aside just enough to reveal that he was surrounded by small tufts of grass on the ground around him, and the ground that had replaced the pillow beneath his head was hard and cold. It was hard to see more than a few feet around due to the heavy fog, but even as the seconds passed the fog seemed to be lifting up a little bit which would hopefully help with visibility in the near future. Another strange thing seemed to be the unnatural, heavy silence surrounding the place: perhaps the fog was muffling the noise, but it seemed deathly quiet and even breathing disrupted the blanket of silence all around.

If things weren't strange enough already, a strange granite ankle band was now weighing down Jehan's right foot. No matter how hard it was shook or pulled, it remained steadfastly attached to his foot even though it seemed like it was large enough to fall right off. Walking was going to take some getting used to. On the side of his body there lay a small rucksack which seemed to contain his smithing hammer and tongs, and nearby to the sack lay a shotel. Perhaps, in this strange environment, it would be best to take a weapon with him?

While it was hard to make out shapes in the fog, a ray of light could be barely made out in the distance to the East. Maybe that was worth investigating?

Karluk

After a long day, sleep seemed pretty appealing to Karluk. Thus it was perhaps surprising that just as they drifted off they found their eyes opening again shortly after. The sound of birds squawking aggressively didn't make matters any more pleasant, nor did the bright shining sun projecting itself harshly upon the environment. The ground beneath Karluk was hot and seemed to shift, and on second inspection was made up entirely of sand? Were they in a desert? That speculation seemed to bear a lot of weight at the sight of three cacti positioned nearby and the lack of any other plant or animal life. Where, then, were the birds that had been so loud earlier? It was hard to say as the environment was completely devoid of life as far as the eye could see. Perhaps this raised the concern of how long they would be able to survive in a random desert with no semblance of civilization in sight. Luckily, Karluk didn't feel any sort of hunger or thirst yet so there was time to figure the whole scenario out.

As their eyes adapted to the harsh light, a series of small floating lights became evident. Nearly transparent, the glowing balls were suspended in the air and moved slightly from side to side every now and then. It was quite creepy to look at despite the fact that everything around was brightly lit. On the ground nearby lay a rucksack which contained Karluk's book on anatomy and ailments as well as a few bottles of medicine in addition to a small hunting knife. It didn't seem like there was life around, but it was always a safe bet to take what few possessions there were available, right?

As Karluk moved they may notice a small swinging sensation on their ears which, upon inspection, bore small feather earrings carved out of a light-weight metal. If Karluk were to try to take them off, they would stick steadfastly on, despite the fact that they should theoretically be removable. On the horizon some dark clouds seemed to be forming which seemed odd given the barren, dry desert. Perhaps that was worth investigating? Of course walking into a storm might not be the best idea, but at the moment there seemed few other options.

August

The moment August closed her eyes to rest it seemed like they opened again. Right in front of her face there was a soft, glowing orb suspended in the air and if that wasn't disorienting enough the overwhelming smell of rotting leaf litter quickly flooded her senses. The crinkle of leaves beneath her ear quickly alerted her to the fact that she seemed to be laying on top of the said rotting leaves and that was what was causing the smell. All around there were the same glowing, floating, mostly transparent orbs as before and more seemed to be appearing randomly. The air was slightly humid but the temperature was nice, and if not for the strange masses slowly moving through the air the experience may even be slightly enjoyable.

Stuck in a nearby bush there was a small rucksack, and upon investigation it would reveal that it contained a lantern, a hunting trap, a block and tackle as well as a fishing tackle. Also stuck in the bush was her bow and arrow in addition to a dagger. On closer inspection, there was also a strange cloak in the bush which had a color so similar to that of the bush it was hard to spot at first. It would, at least, provide cover from the sun that was beginning to peak through the leaves of the trees rising overhead. It seemed to be the early morning and dew also was present on many of the leaves, though tree cover made it hard to see exactly where the sun was in the sky.

A rustle in the bushes to the West alerted August to the fact that she had yet to see any other living beings in the vicinity. Such a forest would usually be covered in small insects and animals, but not a single one had emerged in her time there yet. Seeing as she had nothing else to do at the moment, perhaps trying to track down whatever had shaken the bush would be a good idea.

Nakia

Falling... falling... falling... oof.

Having just fallen asleep, Nakia was shaken when her body suddenly hit the floor. Had she rolled out of bed? It was quickly established that she had most certainly not, but had seemed to fall off a small cliff instead. Rolling a little bit in the grass as the earth absorbed her landing, it was clear that the fall hadn't been great at all but instead just enough to jolt her out of her slumber. With grass reaching up past her head as she lay on the floor, Nakia would soon notice that it was clearly still nighttime. The moon was still out in full force and numerous stars twinkled in the distance, but not in any constellation or pattern she would have seen before. The enchanting nighttime scene was further added to by the presence of multiple small glowing orbs that projected small spurts of bright colors across the earth. The air was crisp and cool with a slight wind.

Around her neck was a strange leather necklace that she hadn't seen before, and that didn't seem to unclasp or break no matter how much tugging it underwent. It was hard to see in the grass but a small rucksack was situated nearby that contained her armor, a belt and her pouch. A bit further away in the grass her brother's katana lay. Even as she searched the tall grass the moon seemed to be moving and projecting odd shadows across the land until when she looked up she saw a bright light in the distance. The light was massive and long, splitting the tall grass in half, and seemed to be only explained by the fact that the sun was rising? However the moon was still in plain sight and her side of the grass was completely dark, and logic couldn't really explain what she was seeing. How could the sun and the moon exist so close together?

Perhaps it was a good idea to go investigate and see if she could locate the sun, or else find out what was causing so much light during the night.

​

 

[ebb]

Karluk
☾
​

Karluk’s life had been a series of sharp angles. The cliffs of their home, the voices of the strangers that had stormed their village, and recently, the keen edge of a scalpel. But now, in this foreign landscape, they were surrounded by softness. The sand beneath their fingers was warm and gentle, inviting them to stay a while longer. Maybe the dream wouldn’t be so bad if they just relaxed into the warmth…

No. Some deep dark instinct told them to hurry.

First, not quite knowing why, Karluk sought out the things they found familiar: the rucksack. Slowly drawing to their knees, they let a silky handful of sand slip through their fingers, watching it spiral and twist in the air. Approaching the rucksack, they looped the strap with a finger and pried it open, staring down into the bag. Medicine. Their doctor’s dictionary. Their hunting knife.

Karluk’s head shot up, eyeing the cactus deviously. Normally, they’d be more cautious of strange plants, but this was just a dream. No harm would come from experimenting. Approaching almost politely, Karluk weighted the knife in their hand before making a small slice along the surface. The meaty skin of the cactus gave way, exposing a lighter pulpy meat inside. They’d never seem the plant before, and hazily wondered if they’d remember the dream later, so they could look up what it meant.

Considering the orbs, Karluk decided they were too alien. Too ambiguous. Shuttering, they were eager to leave the unidentified light behind, not wanting to acknowledge their existence.

Now that the environment was accounted for, Karluk took inventory of themselves. They were fully intact and could keep track of each limb. Odd, for a dream. When running their hands along their neck, they noticed objects dangling from their ears. They couldn’t tell what exactly they were, but that couldn’t be important, could it?

The only abnormality on the skyline was a dark smudge. Clouds? Having a marker on the horizon gave Karluk a goal, which was preferable to walking into endless sand. Anything to get away from those orbs.

They left behind small mounds behind each footstep as they began their journey.

 

[iijora]

Jehan

Jehan shifted in his bed yet again, his eyes still closed tightly as he struggled to fall asleep. Each time he felt his mind drift and his consciousness begin to fade -- something pulled him back. After the fourth time he'd about had enough as his frustration built to a climax. He flopped over onto his opposite side hard, as if that would fix his problem. But this time something was different, much different.

Eyes shooting open he took in his strange surroundings. He wasn't home, that much was very clear. Tentatively he touched his own face, feeling the sensation of his own skin as he tugged hard on his cheek -- earning a small tinge of pain. He felt his pulse quicken as he scanned around him again. Whatever was going on, he wasn't dreaming. He was up on his feet in seconds, at the same time becoming aware of the stone ankle band on his foot. "The hell . . . " Crouching down, he'd curiously tug at it, finding it securely stuck on. He'd take a few moments tugging at the band in vain in an attempt to remove it, before sighing in defeat.

Eyes constantly looking back up to the ever present fog around him as his imagination ran wild of what creatures lurked just beyond his vision. Swiping up the shotel and his pack, he'd look around for anything to give him a direction to head in. After a moment of searching he saw it; a barely noticeable ray of light shining through the oppressive fog. With nothing left to go on, he'd strap on his pack of tools before taking off at a jog in the direction of the light, shotel in hand.​

 

[izayoiix]

Nakia​

❀❀❀​

As she landed with a thump, Nakia jerked upright. Well as upright as she could after landing flat on her back. She cursed softly to herself, glaring at the nature around her, seeing as there was no one else in sight to take her anger out on. A quick glance up at the night sky showed her what exactly she had fallen from, a small cliff, even though she was pretty sure she'd been sleeping moments ago. Letting out a huff of air, she made to push herself to her feet and figure out what to do when she noticed the small weight against her neck.

Frowning she picked up the small leather cord and tugged lightly, rolling the necklace between her fingers. "What the..." she mumbled, trying to think of when she could've gotten the piece of jewelry. As nothing came to mind, she began to try and put more effort into taking it off. It clearly wasn't hers and she didn't fancy being labeled a thief for something she didn't do. So obviously wasting a good five to ten minutes of her life seemed like the best thing to do in the long run. Until no matter what she tried resulted in nothing and with an exaggerated huff of hair she gave up, throwing her head back and letting out a loud groan.

Nakia stared up at the moon and stars, questioning what she should do next. It was obvious that she had no clue where she was, while the objects in the sky were familiar in name, there was nothing familiar about their placement, not to mention the floating orbs. Rolling her neck, she let her head fall onto her shoulder as she glanced at the ground around, only to pause in shock. Jolting forward, she lunged for the weapon that had been resting a few feet away from her form. She snatched the blade and held it carefully to her chest, feeling an unknown and sudden tightness relax in her chest.

She had no clue what she would have done if she'd lost her brother's blade.

Basking in her her relaxed state for a quick moment, the raven-haired young woman then began to take stock of what exactly she was wearing, just now coming to the obvious conclusion that she wasn't wearing what she had been when she'd gone to sleep. It was her basic under armor, which she wore only when practicing or before putting on her armor. Glancing around, Nakia cursed her lack of observation skills. Near where her katana had laid was a rucksack that held her armor, belt, and pouch. Quickly she dressed, wanting to be prepared for anything.

Finally she pushed herself to her feet, knowing she'd learn nothing if she kept sitting around. Once everything was situated on her person, she fingered the cord resting against her neck once more and sighed. Looking up at the moon again, she blinked in confusion, tilting her head slightly to the side, causing her hair to fall over one shoulder. It seemed to be shifting, letting a bright light in the distance began to grow. It almost seemed like....the sun? But that made no sense, the moon was still high in the sky.

What she was witnessing made no sense, but at this point Nakia was beginning to wonder if she was in some sort of hallucination or dream. "Well I won't figure anything out sitting around..." she muttered, resting a hand on her brother's weapon. With that said, she started forward, shoving her way through the grass, heading towards the light.

 

[Berries]

ebb

As Karluk moved towards the storm, the glowing orbs seemed to follow them. Well, perhaps follow was the wrong word- at the very least they were appearing nearby wherever they stepped, resulting in a trail of orbs as they moved forward. They all bore a variety of different colors but the majority seemed to be varieties of pastel. A few minutes passed and the terrain was largely unchanging, but the storm was approaching at a rather rapid pace. With the storm a few feet away, the first black orb appeared: shaking violently in the air it looked possessed in comparison to all the other orbs which had peacefully floated in the air. Moving erratically around, there was a sudden pop as the orb exploded. It left no residue, but for awhile all the other orbs around seemed to draw away.

A few minutes later and the storm was upon Karluk. Previously it hadn't seemed to be raining and instead appeared as a dry lightning storm, but as soon as the clouds moved over their head it started pouring. Sheets of rain fell to the ground, drenching everything in sight except for Karluk. A buffer zone appeared around them which seemed to totally shield them from the downpour, and while their footsteps splashed the water rapidly accumulating on the ground, none of the falling rain touched them, and seemed to also avoid the things they were touching. Perhaps that was lucky, especially since their rucksack contained a book which would have rapidly been soaked in the downpour.

"What odd weather we're having," a low, monotonous voice commented, "but you'll have to get used to that."

It seemed Karluk had managed to stumble across a small, squat fairy. A long beard fell out of his chin and heavy eyebrows covered the majority of his face. He was currently sitting right upon Karluk's head with his small, fat feet hanging over their forehead. "Fairies went extinct during the war, you know," the fae continued without waiting for Karluk to respond, "but there were a few of us sitting around in the mortal realm so I was asked to bring you here."

What could the fairy be talking about? He appeared out of nowhere and was now a small weight on the top of Karluk's head. He seemed too slow to be able to escape if Karluk were to grab him, but perhaps that wasn't the best way to get some information out of him.

iijora

With each step Jehan took the fog rapidly began to lift. It never seemed to be enough to see what was around him, however, but placing his feet without tripping became increasingly easier. As he ran the ray of light seemed to grow further and further away until it seemed like it must be an optical illusion of sorts. However, without being able to see anything else in the fog, there still seemed to be few options other than continuing on. Going straight was a strategy too, after all, Jehan would most certainly be able to find something if he continued on in this direction. As he moved, small glowing orbs of light began to appear in all sorts of colors. Their light seemed to be reflected by the fog and they seemed to grow in size as Jehan moved towards them, but as soon as they were touched or ran into they disappeared in a small puff of light.

The fog was still unnaturally quiet, and all Jehan could hear was the beating of his own heart, his breathing and his footsteps. His senses were stifled by the fog, and despite the fact it was gradually lifting his circumstances didn't seem to get any better. At least the light show unfolding in front of his eyes provided by the glowing orbs made a beautiful scene, and one so enchanting it was tempting to stop in this fog and watch them forever.

Before Jehan realized it, he had suddenly arrived at the ray of light. For so long the light seemed to be moving further and further away, but with two steps he had suddenly and finally come upon it. The ray of light beamed down at his feet, bringing startling resolution to them in contrast to the fog. The fog still surrounded him aside from this singular piece of sun, and if Jehan were to look up he would see a blue sky peaking through a small hole in the fog. Right in the middle of the ray of light, however, was the strangest thing: a small fairy girl. She was dressed in bright yellows and looked up at Jehan from the ground with a merry smile. She was two inches tall at the maximum.

"Oh, you finally found me! I didn't mean to get lost but I lost my concentration during our journey here." The fairy commented brightly and apologetically. The ray of light around her began to fade as she got on her feet. "I'm glad my sunlight led you here though, I don't know what I would've done if I had lost you! I have so much to tell you, after all."

What could the fairy be talking about? She seemed to be pretty conversational, perhaps she would answer some questions.

izayoiix

As Nakia walked through the tall grass in pursuit of the day and night boundary, a small but loud voice began cursing from down below. "Dammit, useless woman!" It cried in a sharp but somehow male voice. "Pick me up already! You totally missed me earlier! Humans, I knew this wasn't a good idea. Why choose humans? There are so many more intelligent creatures in the world... even without the rest of the creatures... but would you find me already?" The small voice ranted. The creature, whatever it was, seemed to be buried in the grass somewhere. "Such a long trip too... why did I get roped into this... that was a waste of so much magic. I'm not going to be able to fly for days." The voice continued to grumble. It was quite remarkable that Nakia hadn't heard him carrying on before because certainly he must have been complaining ever since she woke up. Was the voice even speaking to her, though? And where could it possibly be coming from? What kind of being was so small as to be invisible in the grass?

"What was your name, again? Nadia? Nada? Completely useless? That seems like a good name, that last one..." As the seconds past the voice seemed to grow increasingly more infuriated. While it was clear that the voice was coming from somewhere in the grass, it was hard to pinpoint the exact location, especially as the grass was muffling the sound somewhat. After a few moments, however, a small blade of grass shaking seemed to be the best possible answer to the riddle.

After Nakia moved toward the moving blade of grass, a small figure became apparent standing on the ground with one hand on the grass blade and the other placed angrily on his hip. "Finally you found me." He grumbled complaints once more. "Well, what are you waiting for? Pick me up already! I'm not a fan of dirt." It demanded. The fairy was slim and seemed to have a pair of tiny glasses on with a sharp nose and even sharper pointed ears. His entire face was contorted into an intense frown. He didn't seem to be particularly conversational, but he had been saying something about magic earlier?

 

[ebb]

Karluk
☾​

The orbs didn’t go away. In fact, they multiplied, each new bubble doubling Karluk’s need to escape them. Taking large strides, Karluk was close to running, glancing over their shoulder frequently to make sure the lights weren’t closing in. Karluk jumped when the bubble popped, not knowing what to expect. Raising their knife defensively, they only lowered it after nothing happened for a minute. Perhaps they weren’t dangerous after all?

It became clear that Karluk had bigger things to worry about. The storm was rolling in.

Karluk felt the air physically change against their face, colder and drier than before. Bracing themselves for the rain gathering overhead, they laughed breathlessly when the moisture didn’t reach their skin. Holding out their arms, they watched the droplets bounce away before making it to them. Feeling invincible, Karluk stared up into the storm, exhilarated.

When they returned their gaze to the path ahead, they noticed a certain weigh on their skull.

"What odd weather we're having, but you'll have to get used to that. Fairies went extinct during the war, you know, but there were a few of us sitting around in the mortal realm so I was asked to bring you here."

Karluk couldn’t see the voice’s owner, so they did their best to imagine what he looked like. It seemed rude, to just grab a stranger, so they let him stay up top for the time being. “Waqaa,” Karluk greeted in their native tongue. “Don’t you think? I’m no expert, and my slice of the world may be small, but I’ve never seen weather so inconsistent.” They walked in silent for a small moment. “You said you were a fairy?” Karluk was raised in a place rich with lore and mentions of another world, so they took this as well as could be expected. “I-” they searched for the right words, staring intensely into the rain. “What’re you doing in my dream, Mr. Fairy? You said you were asked to bring me here? But where is here? And what is this war you speak of?”

Karluk was hit by a sudden, intense sensation of instability. Trying to keep a brave face, they pressed on.

Berries

 

[Berries]

foxlaux

As August continued to rest despite her odd surroundings, a small hand began to tug at her nose. "Miss? Are you alive?" A small voice asked skeptically and waited for a few moments in silence before seeming to become anxious. "Oh no, oh no, what if I killed her? I knew I wasn't fit for this, I knew my magic wasn't good enough!" A young, panicked fairy paced back and forth in front of August's face. He seemed to be in his teens, and a small green hat sat skewed to the right of his head. His voice was laden with blatant concern and as the seconds passed tears began to gather at the edges of his eyes.

YumenoTsukishiro

As Olaf drifted off to sleep, he soon found himself opening his eyes again in a strange place.

The rather familiar sound of waves greeted him, but after only a few seconds it became apparent that something was not right. The waves were coming from all around him, as if he were right in the middle of an ocean.

That suspicion was quickly proved as Olaf realized he was sat in the middle of a small island in some strange sea. The island was barely big enough to contain his entire body, and any movement was going to have to be done carefully lest he fall off into the water. The water itself was also strange; instead of being blue like earthen water, it was completely black. The pitch black ocean flowed like normal water but it couldn't be said what may lie within the water, perhaps making it too risky to jump in and swim to shore lest there was some dangerous creature lurking beneath.

The waves continued to lap against the edges of the island, sending the occasional splash of water into Olaf's face. Other than the odd nature of the water, the environment was rather soothing. There was no land in sight aside from this singular island, however. All of a sudden, one of the incoming waves brought with it a screeching sound:

"Aaaaaah!" A small being flung itself out of the water and landed, flopping like a fish, at Olaf's feet. Shivering and with a terrified look on its face, the small being seemed immensely relieved to see him. "Thank goodness I found you! There's all sorts of terrifying things in that water, please save me!" The fairy cried, flinging itself onto Olaf's shoe and clinging there as if his life depended on it. He was a few inches shorter than the viking's shoe, and had a dark complexion to match long dreadlocks. Looking up at Olaf, he seemed to pause for a second before groaning. "Oh shoot, your belongings! They dropped into the ocean!" He said with a shiver.

 

[iijora]

Jehan

Jehan would skid to a stop as a stray orb of light drifted into his path. Tentatively he'd poke it with his sword, before it 'poofed' into nothing. Looking around, more and more of the orbs floated out of the fog. He stood with his mouth agape for a few moments at the enchanting sight of the floating spheres of light twinkling through the fog. Curious he'd start walking up to them and touching them with his bare hands, watching as they disappeared after contact.

For a few minutes he was completely enamored by the orbs before remembering his goal; he needed to get out of here! Eyes drifting back to the column of light. He was no closer to it than he'd been before -- in fact if anything he seemed even further away. Looking around at the dense fog however he sighed to himself. The light was the only thing that stood out in the gray fog filled wasteland so he had no choice but to head towards it.

Taking off at a light run, Jehan had nothing but the sound of his echoing footfalls, the clattering of his shackle, and his own labored breathing to keep him company. Further and further he ran, occasionally stopping to catch his breath before continuing, the pillar of light seeming to not grow any closer in distance -- until finally it did. It was as strange as it was sudden. One moment the light was far away, the next he was standing right in front of where it beamed down.

And in that instant he was greeted by a voice. Eyes scanning for the origin of the sound he finally noticed her. A small winged person, no bigger than a few inches. "What are you? Who are you? And where in the heck is this place?" The questions tumbled out one after the other completely unbidden. He'd look around as he spoke, noticing the small patch of sky where the ray of light shone through.


Berries​

 

[YumenoTsukishiro]

Olaf, son of Erik, Viking of the Western lands, cook of the best roast goat, and sailor of the wild seas, found himself at a loss standing (rather, keeping balance) on a small strip of land in the middle of a black ocean. For all his experience rigging masts, hoisting sails, and hearing tales of wonder from beyond the horizons, Olaf had never heard of, or seen anything like this: waters as dark as night, shimmering like oil, roiling with sinister promises of what lurked beneath.

Yet Olaf felt a kinship with the strange ocean. The undulating waves reminded him of the longboats and that one night Svanhild found a creative and pleasurable use for the motion. Sprays of black splattered across his bearded face, and he tasted salt so familiar it reminded him of home. All at once he realized that he was as far away from home as he could ever be.

“Is this a dream?” he asked, and was answered by a fresh slap of brine. Wiping away the water from his beard, he muttered, “No, no it isn’t.”

The last thing he remembered was falling into slumber on the longboat that carried him and his warband across the ocean to their next conquests. He had made sweet love to his wife only days ago and promised his daughter Hilda that he would bring back a suitable souvenir from the far lands. Then by some sorcery or trickery of Loki he woke up to this strange but somewhat soothing place.

Or… Not Loki. Demons, maybe. From hell. He wasn’t sure what to think of yet. Francis’ death didn’t leave enough time for the words to sink in.

A screeching sound snapped Olaf from his musings, followed by the unpleasant wet slap of… something on his feet. Much to his surprise, the something had arms, legs, and wings. The bizarre sight took the words from his mouth for a good few seconds, until the creature mentioned his belongings. They were gone, so the creature said. Swallowed by the ocean, so it said.

Instinct took over, washing away any hesitation as he dove headfirst into the dark depths. His axe and shield were important, but none more so than the Tiwaz Rune blessed by a kiss from his wife. And the necklace Francis handed to him in his dying breaths. Damn Olaf if he didn’t brave the black ocean to take them back, come what may.

Berries

 

[Berries]

ebb

Swinging his legs so that they routinely hit Karluk's head, the fairy seemed to be content with the small talk they offered and responded to Karluk's greeting with a chuckle. "That is true, that is true," he agreed with a voice one might expect from a cheery old man. Afterwards the fairy mulled over their questions for a few seconds with a small hmm sound that somehow pierced through the loud sound of rainfall. "I forgot that you humans stopped keeping records awhile ago," the fairy said with a sigh, his contemplation stopping the swings of his legs above Karluk's head. "I shall have to start from the beginning, then, but I don't have much time." The fairy resolved, his voice sprouting a sudden hurry.

"Magical beings like me used to openly roam the earth, you know," began the elderly sprite, "but there was a massive war several centuries ago... That lead to the Great Leader locking all us up in here." He paused for a moment before resuming, with significantly more urgency than before, and in his rush, he managed to forget to address the question of exactly where they were. "So we all got locked up here for centuries upon centuries - well, aside from some of the fairy folk who stayed in the mortal realm, like me - and kept fighting. I'm not sure what state the war is in now, but I think it's become clear that there isn't any getting out. In the event of that happening, the Leader asked some of us fairy folk to send a few humans in to help out." The fairy was talking at a frantic speed, just slow enough that he could be understood.

However, even after the final sentence, his voice began to fade away. "Looks like my time here is up, then." He remarked with a shrug, hopping down from Karluk's head onto his shoulder. Looking at their face, the elderly fairy began to fade away right before their eyes. "Good luck!" Were his final words before he vanished entirely, answering some questions but leaving many more unanswered. Just as he disappeared, the rain disappeared too revealing yet another oddity: Karluk was now positioned on a beach looking into the weirdest ocean they had ever seen, one with waters completely black. In the distance to his right, he saw another figure standing: a boy with dark skin and hair, it seemed ( iijora )

iijora

Still smiling up at Jehan, the small fairy patted the pleats of her skirt which had ruffled a bit when she had sat down. "Could you please pick me up? It's hard to talk from down here! You're a little bit tall, after all." She requested, holding her hands up in the air for Jehan to pick her up by. She hadn't started to answer his questions yet but soon made a start after pausing to try and figure out the best way to phrase her answers. "Well, we're in the dream plane of course!" she began with, "this is where you come when you're dreaming. That's what all the little orbs are, sleeping people!" She explained in a peppy tone, her smile never leaving her face. Upon talking about them, she pointed at one of the colorful orbs floating in the fog. At this point, the fog was receding at an even faster rate and beginning to reveal the sand beneath Jehan's feet.

"As for me, my name is Fay, and I'm a fairy," she introduced herself with a small curtsy, "I was asked to bring you here by my clan." Fay remarked, crossing her arms triumphantly. "I didn't know if I had enough magic to make it here with you but I did! Once I get back my mom is going to be really proud-" she began to ramble off before stopping suddenly, staring at her arms with a frown. "Oh, that's unfortunate. Looks like my magic is wearing off already... just as I was bragging about it too." She said with a disappointed sigh, holding her arms out to Jehan to show him that she seemed to be fading away. Her already small frame was becoming transparent and she tapped her foot a few times in dissatisfaction. "I wish I had more time to spend with you, but it is what it is." She said with a nod.

"You're here to collect the pieces, by the way! Good luck!" The small fairy exclaimed just before she disappeared, answering all of Jehan's questions but perhaps leaving even more unknowns. What pieces? As Jehan looked around, he would notice that the fog had entirely disappeared. He was now standing on a beach facing an ocean but the ocean was unlike any he had ever seen before: instead of blue water, the water was entirely a pitch black hue impossible to see through. In the distance to his left, another figure stood, bearing pale skin and red hair. ( ebb )

YumenoTsukishiro

As Olaf dived straight into the water, the fairy who had just washed up on the island screamed. "Wait!" He cried, but it was too late. Shuddering, the fairy stared at the depths below and began to shiver. "Nonono, the one thing I'm scared of- why'd I have to land here?" The fae whimpered, crouching down into a little ball as he started at the black water. It seemed that he had encountered something truly terrifying on his way to the island and sat trembling there for a few moments. His wings rubbed together, still soaked and likely useless for at least the next few minutes. Unable to fly away and with water spraying onto the island into his face, the fae slowly gathered himself while staring at the ocean. "I guess- I guess it was my fault his stuff fell into the water." The fairy mumbled, shivering once more before diving back in after Olaf.

Meanwhile, Olaf was experiencing surprisingly sound vision underwater. As soon as the surface had been breached, the water had cleared just like it would in a normal ocean. The water's depth was approximately twenty feet, and visibility was high all the way down. At first glance, it seemed like there was nothing but Olaf in the water: no fish, no crabs, no anything. The sand moved gently with the waves. A few feet away at the bottom of the ocean lay what Olaf was looking for: his axe, shield and other items. Also on the sea floor a few more feet away was a rucksack containing knives, his eye patch, traveling cloak, seasonings, water skin, twine, jerky, whetstone, rune and rosary. The empty ocean swayed invitingly, and Olaf's items were easy to retrieve for the experienced swimmer.

A few seconds after he had jumped in, Olaf might notice that his small fairy companion had followed and was rapidly swimming down towards him. Forming an air bubble in his hands, the fairy spoke into it before pushing the air bubble towards Olaf. Once it made contact with the human, the air bubble popped, giving him some extra oxygen and releasing the words "hurry up before it comes back!".

 

[ebb]

Karluk
☾​

“Curious,” Karluk replied, saddened by what the small man was telling them. Karluk’s experience of war had always been the aftermath. The pain, death, and disease that followed the glory of battle. “That reminds me of a story I was told as a child- about a devious raven spirit stealing away the sun out of jealousy and locking it away.” They couldn’t help but imagine the Great Leader as a large bumbling man covered with feathers. Brows drawn, they continued to listen intently, processing what he was saying. “So-... If you’ve been sent to gather help, then I am that help-?” They stopped dead, face pale. “If this isn’t a dream, then-?” Before they could finish the question, the fairy was gone, and despite the well wishes, Karluk felt more lost and confused then before. Taking a moment, they reminded themselves of what they’ve survived before. And what they can survive now.

The rain cleared, as if it never existed. Karluk blinked up at the sky, shielding their eyes from the new light.

Once adjusted, Karluk noticed two things: the inky black water, and that they were once again with company. Their first instinct was to take cover, but there was none, aside from jumping straight into the water. And that seemed like a terrible idea, who knew what was brewing in those murky depths? The water lapped menacingly.

With no other option, they gingerly approached the man, weight distributed on the balls of their feet in case they needed to flee. If this wasn’t a dream, then they could be in real danger.

“Ho! Stranger. I come with peaceful intent,” they sang with forced courage, slipping the knife into their pocket carefully. The man didn’t appear bizarre, like most of what they’d experienced since they'd entered this reality, although his build indicated a physical job. Perhaps a builder or a fighter? “Are you familiar with these lands?” They added, hopeful that they could find somebody more helpful than their little friend.

Berries iijora

 

[YumenoTsukishiro]

It was jarring, expecting night blindness once his face broke through the dark surface, only to find waters clearer than anywhere he’d ever swam before. Olaf could see to the bottom (which wasn’t deep to begin with) and far beyond the dim horizon. The lack of corals, fish, or any water creatures made him wary, but his belongings were right there on the sand waiting for him, just like that creature said.

Speaking of which, apparently the little one had followed him into the water, flapping funnily with those little limbs. Then the creature formed a large bubble in its hands, breathing something into it, before pushing it towards Olaf’s face. Before he could process what exactly was going on, the bubble had given him both air and a warning.

Whatever dangers lurked in the water could go punt themselves in the arse. Getting his belongings back was more important than some fantasy monster. And even if something did come, Olaf had once fought a shark that came too close to their boat. He survived the terror of the seas. He would survive this.

But as he dove closer towards his sack, he noticed something strange about his shield, in that it wasn’t his shield at all. It shimmered with a faint light, mesmerizing with its pattern of growing circles. For a moment he grieved for the lost, wooden shield that bore the scars of a thousand battles. The next, he marvelled at the otherworldly beauty of the metallic shield, so much so that when he reached his belongings it was the first thing he picked up.

Berries

 

[foxlaux]

August

August shut her eyes to rest. A strange glow started to appear,
and she opened her eyes back up. Leaves crunched beneath her,
a foul smell accompanying them. More and more of these mysterious glowing orbs began to show up. Her brow furrowed as she looked around in confusion. 'I think I’m hallucinating,' she thought to herself.


A rustle could be heard in the brush nearby. August hadn’t come across game in this forest for nearly an entire day. She knew that it would be smart to go and investigate what was in the bush, but she couldn't bring herself to move her body. She was tired and felt immobilized. Her eyes began to close again. Than, she felt a tug on her nose, like a small itch. She scratched at her nose, and heard a voice. Her eyes opened to reveal a small fairy, with tears in its eyes. Was this a dream?


“Hey..” August said, finally sitting up. She rubbed her sleepy eyes, thinking she was imagining him. “Are you..real? Why are you crying?” She asked him, concern in her voice.​

 

[iijora]

Jehan

"Ah -- Alright." Mildly flustered at the request there was a moment of pause as he fastened his sword to his waist band before kneeling down to pick up her up in his hands. She felt light as a feather as he held her aloft. Jehan couldn't help but smile in wonder at the adorable sight of the fairy in his palms as she spoke. There was a brief bout of silence as he watched her thinking in response to his questions before she began speaking. She was a fairy, and her clan specifically wanted to summon him? Why? And all the orbs were sleeping people? What happened to all the 'people' he'd popped earlier? Through her answers he found himself only having even more questions. He fought off the urge to interrupt as Fay picked up her stride figuring he'd have all the time to ask questions later . . . or not. Because in what seemed like no time, he watched as the little fairy girl began to fade away in his hands. "W-W-W-Wait! You're leaving already? You can't be!", the uncertainty in his tone was palpable. He swallowed nervously as she quickly began to disappear -- but not before parting with one final message.

"Pieces? What pieces?" His questions would fall on deaf ears as he looked down at his empty palms, his gaze flicking upwards only to suddenly be greeted by a black ocean. Water. Deep and foreboding; or at least he assumed it was deep. The black waves were impossible to see through. Not that he'd want to. Unconsciously he'd taken several steps back from the waters edge, before looking around and noticing he wasn't quite alone spotting a red haired individual on the beach with him. Apprehension of the water quickly forgotten he'd wave at them with a grin, closing the distance between them nonchalantly as his anklet clattered with each step.

At their formal greeting, Jehan felt the edges of his smile, curl that much higher as he found himself somewhat amused. After making a point of clearing his throat, he'd attempt to mimic the strangers tone. "A-Ah yes. Hullo' good s-sir?" His words would trail off in a question as he gave them a once over, somewhat unsure as to what gender they were. "Name's Jehan -- and no. I'm definitely not familiar of these parts.", he would add, with a cursory glance at the terrifying black sea to his right. He was at a complete loss of what to do. Fay had told him to find 'pieces' to something, but what? First he was in a foggy wasteland and now he was on the beach with this person, there had to be a reason for it . . . right? Eyes drifting back towards the stranger, he assumed it may be safe to guess that they were in a similar situation as him by their earlier response. Shrugging internally at the potential outcome of them thinking him crazy, he continued. "Um . . . bit of a weird question, but you wouldn't happen to have been kidnapped by fairies too?"

Berries ebb ​

 

[izayoiix]

Nakia​

❀❀❀​

"Ehhh?" she hummed, pausing as she glanced at the ground around her. There was a voice....yelling at her? Turning around, she searched the grass, trying to find where it was coming from. "Where the hell are ya then?" she grumbled, bending at the waist to try and see if she could find whoever was starting to piss her off. "Complaining at me for missing you when you won't even show yourself..." she mumbled, beginning to push random blades of grass apart in an attempt to better see the ground.

As the strange voice began to insult her name, Nakia's eyes narrowed and she paused in her search. "My name is Nakia you little imp, and if anyone here is useless, it's you!" she snapped. Standing upright, she planted her hands on her hips as she glared at the ground, starting to consider turning back around and leaving the rotten little imp who seemed determined to make her crush it.

The moment she started to turn again, that's when she spotted it. Frowning, she took a small step forward. Nakia sighed before bending down once more and gently shoving the grass aside. "You really are an imp." was all she could think of to say at the sight of the small man who seemed to angrily adjust the glasses on his nose. Taking note of his pointed ears, Nakia frowned even more, ignoring his disgruntled words as she cupped her hands and scooped him up.

"What are you...?" she mumbled to herself, tilting her head slightly, as if that would help her learn more about the creature in her hands. "What were you talking about a minute ago? Something about magic?" she asked, wondering why such a thing would be brought up.

Berries