Creative Corner

Lost

One thing Veldr noticed was, he wasn't really that scared, all things considered.

It didn't make much sense. At least, not compared to how he usually responded to such things. Such obvious danger. Pain. Such complete lack of escape route.

But instead he felt somehow removed from the situation. As if he were observing some stranger who happened to wear his face as a veritable army of serthis closed in.

He didn't call out; didn't tell Silverbell to run, save herself. He figured she knew to do so. Come to think of it, she had a better chance of making it out if he didn't alert the beastfolk to her presence, anyway.

Dully, he considered how everything had gotten so strange since the volcano began erupting. How much more aggressive every living thing had become.

They'd just been looking for shelter.

His legs began to buckle, and he swayed to the side. Another spear pierced near his shoulder in immediate response, and he caught a whiff of something acrid as he turned to look.

Ah, that's why, he thought, watching as a pale orange fluid dripped from where he had been pierced. Venom.
He was shutting down. It might've even been numbing him. Hard to say.

He buckled fully, shutting his eyes as the sound of rushing wind overtook his senses. He mostly just felt tired, really. Perhaps this was okay. He was free, he'd done something worthwhile - even if it was small - and now he was going to just... fall asleep.

Even as the side of his face met the ground, he still felt so dizzy. Soon, all he could feel was the vertigo, exhaustion, and the warm earth beneath him.

And then a peculiarly cold hand on his stomach, and then -

He tried to scream, but whatever came out wasn't sound. Not drool or vomit either, but even if he'd been in his right mind he wouldn't have been able to figure out what. Maybe if he could see, but even then the sudden shift from numbness to white-hot pain in his gut made that doubtful.

The next few minutes, or perhaps few dozen minutes, were a blur. He couldn't understand what happened. He might've been convulsing. He still couldn't see, or hear much of anything. But nothing else touched him, nothing else moved at all, until he felt a familiar scrabbling of something small and draconic against his back.

_{"What... d - ^{...you do}"}
The words faded in and out, in spite of lacking any intonation. It was Bell.

He felt a vague pinching along his abdomen as skin and flesh attempted to mesh back together, spurred by magic. He felt his bones shift without his consent - and then slip back out of place.

The little fae shuddered.

^{"I can't _fix it."}

He managed a slight nod.
"You should go," he managed somehow, the words ripping thickly from his throat.

_{^{"But where."}}

He didn't have an answer. The lands had become hostile, and the eruptions weren't stopping. He couldn't begin to think of which way to go. He couldn't think.

Bell started, let out a shout. He heard the fae call out in alarm, and then heard something else. Was it the serthis? What had happened to them, anyway?

In what he presumed would be his final words, Veldr swore bitterly.

---

In Shadow Of The Gods Pinglist:

@Dovalore, @Valishtu, @Gloomyvibes, @AnimeLover9631, @Akash, @tigressRising, @ArgenteaMoon, @mintSMASH, @StormWendjule, @IronPen, @Solaristigres, @Acuarela, @Rivix, @Keet, @catmeow1, @Sharuna, @owlstar7, @Fallacies, @Cngx, @Arinemera, @Weredogalism, @Kosaa, @astrallis, @ShadewingRising, @Kyaritty, @Chalkolate, @Luteia, @Drachenschwinge, @Kaskade, @InfiniteIrony, @Darunia, @OrderedChaos, @Kaskade, @Viperfishy, @SallyJane, @huskies709, @mmuted, @Pastie, @cybo, @Synchros, @Damindra, @Velvetpaws, @Macrocosm, @Sabariel, @demitri, @PipDragon40, @Dreamcoyote, @casdeth, @Khazraj, @DreamSlayer, @SoftDemon, @Petall, @Borkbean, @dragonstars12q, @Erithuet, @nwn

Thanks for your interest in Veldr's side of things, folks! Here's a little snippet of our favourite... uh. Well maybe he's someone's favourite something.

Oh MAN poor guy D: I cant help but giggle a little at the idea of swearing as (presumed) last words though.

@mmuted

I kept thinking of a certain comic that... I realize I can't describe with great detail onsite but involved a group trying to find a king's future resting place via blindly shooting an arrow into (ideally) the distant ground. It wasn't going well and the dying king was extremely fed up lol

Oh noooo haha

Wretch

"Hey, d'you think you're coming out?" Rorin's voice came, reedy as always in spite of being muffled through the wooden door. "Things are starting up out here."

Saerun frowned, pulling her legs in closer and resting her head on her arm, idly twirling the wine bottle held loosely in her hand.
She could tell he was right; she could smell freshly cooked food, baked bread, and some sort of sweet confection she couldn't quite identify. Aside from that, she was fairly sure she could hear singing from just outside the house. One of Solveig's kids, she presumed - nobody she knew sounded like that.
Evidently, Ila had chosen to throw a proper party that evening.

That certainly didn't appeal to her. She'd never been a fan of parties, especially not in her adult life; the sounds and crowds had always made her uneasy. Even among friends as she was, the thought of either dragging everyone's mood down with her, or pretending everything was fine was exhausting, to say the least.

And those were certainly the only options.

Briefly, she wondered how many others were just going through the motions. She could feel the anxiety that simmered in the clan, though she'd not been out to put faces to it, or to pinpoint the reasons why.

"...I'd love to eat dinner with you," Rorin added, barely audible.

At that, she couldn't hold back a derisive snort.
Good lord, you have no idea. No idea how little you actually want that, she thought with bitter amusement - though it quickly faded as she felt the echo of his hurt pass through, shooting down her antennae like an electric shock and leaving the vague but unignorable feeling of being slapped in the face. Guess he heard her.
It proved her point, really.
Still, she couldn't help but feel slightly bad at the fact.

"I'll pass," she replied, her own voice thicker and words more slurred than she expected. She cleared her throat. "...Thanks, though."

"'Kay," Rorin replied, still with that strained, quiet tone she had to strain to hear over everything else.

He was quiet for some minutes after that, but she could tell he hadn't actually left. Haphazard mixes of frustration, confusion, and even jealousy leeched in through the door. It would have been somewhat disconcerting if she wasn't becoming so annoyed by the whole affair.

"...Edan is back," he finally said, his voice tense and a bit louder than before. "I'm sure he'd like to see you."

So that's what this is, she thought, at once angered and amused by whatever this boy had concocted in his own mind. She certainly didn't feel bad for him anymore.
She wasn't sure whether she was going to shout at him or laugh in response until she opened her mouth, but it turned out to be the latter.
"Well, tell him he's free to come visit if that's true."

Finally, the young mirror left, his heavy footfalls disappearing into the distant party murmur and music.

Saerun felt a bit lighter as the miasma of his foul mood finally dissipated. She wasn't sure how she felt about him anymore. All her former hunting companion had been doing recently was getting on her nerves; trying to get closer in a way that made her want to...
she didn't really know how to put it. Yell at him? Chase him off. Peel off her skin? Something in that range.

She didn't need to be an empath to be aware of his annoying little crush - as if the pleading and possessiveness didn't give it away - but it had been easier to play dumb. Until recently, anyway.

Still, she couldn't fathom why he did. Slim pickings, probably. Mixed with some... grotesque hero complex.
It disgusted her, but she supposed why didn't matter much.

She lay back, taking a long swig from the bottle and, once more, laughing bitterly to herself.
No accounting for bad taste, after all.

---

_{Today on Saerun Has Depression}
@Dovalore, @Valishtu, @Gloomyvibes, @AnimeLover9631, @Akash, @tigressRising, @ArgenteaMoon, @mintSMASH, @StormWendjule, @IronPen, @Solaristigres, @Acuarela, @Rivix, @Keet, @catmeow1, @Sharuna, @owlstar7, @Fallacies, @Cngx, @Arinemera, @Weredogalism, @Kosaa, @astrallis, @ShadewingRising, @Kyaritty, @Chalkolate, @Luteia, @Drachenschwinge, @Kaskade, @InfiniteIrony, @Darunia, @OrderedChaos, @Kaskade, @Viperfishy, @SallyJane, @huskies709, @mmuted, @Pastie, @cybo, @Synchros, @Damindra, @Velvetpaws, @Macrocosm, @Sabariel, @demitri, @PipDragon40, @Dreamcoyote, @casdeth, @Khazraj, @DreamSlayer, @SoftDemon, @Petall, @Borkbean, @dragonstars12q, @Erithuet, @nwn

Oh no, I actually as somewhat fond of Veldr, or at least, I was curious as to where his story would go over time. I'm sad to hear it's (presumably) cut so short...

Evening

Edan was really too tired for a party.
He didn't have much in the way of energy for them even at the best of times, let alone after a day of solid travel.

But seeing Ila's delighted - and somewhat desperate - smile as he walked in the door quickly put the thoughts of collapsing into bed out of his mind.

Company was already on the way, after all.

So instead, he'd spent his first few hours working in the cellar, hanging and processing as much of he and Reika's catches as he could before everything started.
He'd only managed about a third by the time everyone had arrived.


Solveig looked so different when he saw them. Older, he supposed - and a bit wilder, somehow, their mane long and unkempt, and horns chipped and buffeted. It was nothing compared to their sons and daughters, of course. He'd hardly even seen the youngest two, but they already were almost grown up; far cries from the feeble, sickly hatchlings that had survived the terrible flu that took their clutchmates. The oldest girls were vibrant, excited, and talking Ila's ears off as they helped her cook, and Eldin sat quietly with his mother, nursing new scars he'd sustained out caravanning. She gently sung to herself as she bandaged them.

Aika and Clara lay side by side on a blanket spread out over the frozen ground, evidently trying to teach Ryla and Cedar, Sol's youngest son, how to weave. Hazel was attempting to show Magni and the golden twins how to build forts out of snow while Poe, Snowdrop, and Marshall all worked to dig proper pathways through it.

Espen was at least outside with the others, milling about, though it was clear her mood was still dour. It was obvious she missed Ciron - the two had been relatively close - but she was trying, Edan supposed.

He wondered how many others were still feeling the loss so keenly; it was getting harder to tell, and nobody really wanted to bring it up.

Well, there was 'Run, of course.
Of course...

Edan wasn't surprised to see she wasn't outside, but it still gave him pause.

Food was brought out, and his clanmates began to eat. Ila had made a wonderful dinner; it was somewhat more extravagant than the get-together a year prior, and he had a feeling she was trying to outdo herself. Or maybe she was just trying to make things feel normal, like back then.
He didn't know.

Rorin came stomping out of the main house, head low to the ground and tail lashing. Edan briefly switched to his second sight and scanned the forest, wondering if the other mirror had seen something out in the trees.

But, no. There was nothing, and when Edan looked back in confusion he found that the other male's furious gaze was on him - but the moment they made eye contact, he turned away.
_{What in tarnation.}

Edan stood and walked toward the other mirror, who seemed to wilt somewhat in response.
"Problem, Rorin?" he asked, brisk but polite in spite of his confusion.

"No, nothing," Rorin slowly shook his head, still avoiding Edan's gaze as he turned. "...Saerun wants to see you," he added, mumbling something unintelligible before walking off once more.

Edan raised a brow as he watched him wander away. Some part of him wanted to ask what the hell was going on with him, but he didn't have the energy.

Instead, well... he supposed he'd make Saerun up a plate.

---

Aah two introspective and tell-y chapters in a row. Go me!! But seriously, some stuff needed fleshing out, we don't see a lot of these characters too often, etc etc etc.
It's about three and a half months until I have my baby. Crazy, huh? Part of me is hoping I'll have the bulk of this story all finished up by the time my son is here, but I don't want to rush it after about 1 and a half years of work sooo... we'll see! Either way, expect more soon. I actually do have more written and edited already, it just isn't time to post it yet.

Hope you all are doing well! Thanks so much for your comments - they keep me going.

@Dovalore, @Valishtu, @Gloomyvibes, @AnimeLover9631, @Akash, @tigressRising, @ArgenteaMoon, @mintSMASH, @StormWendjule, @IronPen, @Solaristigres, @Acuarela, @Rivix, @Keet, @catmeow1, @Sharuna, @owlstar7, @Fallacies, @Cngx, @Arinemera, @Weredogalism, @Kosaa, @astrallis, @ShadewingRising, @Kyaritty, @Chalkolate, @Luteia, @Drachenschwinge, @Kaskade, @InfiniteIrony, @Darunia, @OrderedChaos, @Kaskade, @Viperfishy, @SallyJane, @huskies709, @mmuted, @Pastie, @cybo, @Synchros, @Damindra, @Velvetpaws, @Macrocosm, @Sabariel, @demitri, @PipDragon40, @Dreamcoyote, @casdeth, @Khazraj, @DreamSlayer, @SoftDemon, @Petall, @Borkbean, @dragonstars12q, @Erithuet, @nwn

Wow three and a half months already, that’s so exciting!

I’m loving how things are going on the story so far though. I feel so bad for Rune ;A;

Could you please add me to the pinglist, please? I love your writing! I may or may not have binged this whole thread in the course of two hours XD

@DreamSlayer
Yea he's coming up soon! God... it's hard to wrap my head around.

@SammySepticEye
Sure thing! Thanks for your interest.