꧁ The Last Hope HBD IC (semi open- PM ME!) ꧂
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Posted 2022-10-26 18:20:11
They watched in silence, seeing other students hide their faces in their hands and try to digest what was happening. Aybis themself felt a seed of worry in their stomach. Someone has died... they thought looking done at the table. They felt hollow, and slightly mournful, but unsurprised. Was this not illegal?What is wrong with me, shouldn't I be worried for myself? their leg twitched beneath the table. This, what they were doing, was dangerous. They could die. They felt so... Strange. They felt worried and a bit scared but mostly just... Numb. Like there was nothing they could do. They couldn't go back and save that student. They could hardly do much here, they didn't know how. It made them angry. Why must someone- a child- die because of someone else's fear? they crinkled their upper lip slightly in frustration. They thought about the the wyverns, the ones who lay unhatched, newborn souls, innocent and delicate. They wanted to protect them, to keep them away from this, but they knew that they couldn't. They turned their head away from the table in disgust. |
🍁Nov-rolling events only #41117 |
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Posted 2022-10-26 19:11:37 (edited)
Someone had died. They hadn't even started what they were here to do, and someone's life had been taken. They were already chest-high in danger, and not a day had passed. Nyx's breathing hitched slightly, and she leaned forward with her hands pressed against her temples, her elbows on the table. Her bangs fell into her face, hiding it from view. Death. Will it be the first? Your first? Chilled, Nyx wiped her mind fully, using the technique she'd learned from her father. Sink thoughts and feelings into the shadows. It calmed her blood during the hunt, letting her hands steady around the bowstring before the kill. Her father. Another dead person. Who's next? "How-" Her voice was soft and ragged. She paused and restarted. "How do you know he doesn't know about us?" It was clear what she meant by he. The King. "He found one of us. He can find more. And if not us, our families." She looked up. The hawk-like tilt of her eyes was more apparent now. The blaze in her emerald eyes made it evident which meant more to her. She had a little brother to take care of, now that River had gone off to do her own thing. If he was taken away, Nyx had no idea what she would do. Scream, cry maybe both at the same time. She gave a few minutes to listen to a reply, then stood up, pushing the chair back. To whatever Ilia would say, Nyx gave no response, not in speech nor action, but simply gave a light bow, not unlike one would give to nobles, then left. ୨ ⎯⎯⎯⎯ ୧ She walked past Caisin, giving him not even a glance, not even when she heard him mutter, "Stupid, stupid, stupid!" Nyx entered her room to find Sage perched on the window sill. She chirped in welcome, but the falconer growled in reply and sat down on the edge of the bed. Running her fingers across the soft blanket and linen sheets, she laid back, sighing. "What have I gotten myself into?" she asked the air, chuckling lightly, mirthlessly. "Follow my heart, he said. Well, this heart might stop beating within the next month if we aren't careful." She folded her hands on her stomach, sighing again. A soft wind brushed through, teasing her. The pull tugged on her, trying to yank her somewhere. Nyx hopped up and then went over to lean on the window sill with her arms crossed. Suddenly this room, with its untouched bed and bare walls seemed very much like a prison. Pacing back and forth the small space of the room, Nyx clenched her hands. She couldn't go back out there again, not with Caisin there. Maybe when morning came, she could ask Ilia if she could hunt. . . Sleep seemed good. After all, she was running on the few hours she'd had last night. Unclasping the forearm guards, she set them on the small dresser. She kicked off her hunting boots on slipped under the silking covers fully clothed. Sage chirped again, ruffled her feathers, and started preening. Yes, sleep seemed good. With the window pried open, the crickets buzzing outside, she could almost imagine it. Being home, curled up in one of the apple trees, being late for dinner. . . drifting off. Before the blackness of unconsciousness claimed her, she had one feeling. Water. Saltwater. She could smell it, almost taste it. Then, blissful nothingness. |
 -ˋˏ ꒰🌸꒱ —- sakura #47305 |
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Posted 2022-10-26 19:39:07
꧁ Ilia Farra || Kyrena ꧂ |
 𓆏phrog-phrass dealer™𓆏 #15316 |
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Posted 2022-10-26 21:43:21
A chill ran down Kyle's back. He swallowed thickly, hands that were resting casually on the table before him clenching into fists. He stared down at them, sharp eyebrows furrowing like small daggers over his eyes. But it wasn't fear that was rising in his stomach, wrapping around his chest and clogging his throat, it was anger. Anger at the loss of a life so early, anger at the secrecy the entire situation had demanded from the budding academy, rage swelling in his heart at the King, the one who sat at the crown of this, shrouded in an untouchable fog as he wrought devastation on his enemies. His enemies- the dragons? Kyle thought back to Neha's smooth nose prodding his hand, deep eyes so clever and lively. Kyrena, with her lofty expressions and the power that coursed through the coal black wyvern, smoke billowing and flames aplenty just seconds from erupting forth in a brilliant blaze of light. They were amazing. Kyle couldn't fathom the idea of wanting them gone forever. It was wrong. This King was wrong. With a tense breath, he tore his gaze up and away. A rush of movement, one of the students, Caisin, stumbling up and out of the dining hall. Kyle watched him go, expression stiff and worry worming its way into the mess of feelings in his chest. Another student, Nyx, spoke up, and then Ilia's response before Nyx arose abruptly, making her way out as well. He scanned over the rest of them in the room, a sense of despair threatening to arise. Yet instead, it was tamped down by another swell in his heart, edged with festering anger, but at its center a vibrant glow of protectiveness. Kyle didn't know loss, not truly, not personally. Even now, he didn't know this child who had died, he'd never met them. But even so, it felt personal. This was his home now, he wanted it to be his home. Even if he was never.. well, even if he wasn't a rider himself, he wanted to be a part of something important, learn more about dragons. Learn how to care for them, help them, bring them back to this sodden world. Somehow, he'd found himself here, this small, hopeful rebellion tucked away in a hidden crevice of the continent. And goddamnit, it was going to work. Suddenly Kyle was standing too- then realizing how it may look, he shifted on his feet, looking sheepish. "Uh.. 'scuse me, sorry," He cleared his throat, "I'm gonna go after them." Stepping away from the table, he lifted a hand to tip his hat- only he wasn't wearing one, changing course and awkwardly running a hand through his hair instead. He coughed again, then turned and hurried out of the dining hall. Kyle spotted Nyx disappearing into the students dorms and moved after her, leaning open the door after it had closed in front of him and making his way inside. He was too late to catch Nyx, already having rushed up the stairs, clearly uninterested in being stopped by anyone, but Kyle noticed Caisin sat on one of the lounge area sofas, face hidden in his hands. He slowed, hesitating just a moment before stepping up to the boy. "Hey," Kyle started, "..Caisin, right? Mind if I sit here?" He didn't wait for an answer, settling a small ways along the couch. Leaning forward, he rested his elbows on his knees, gaze sliding over to settle on Caisin. "You.. you okay, man?" |
᠂ Sephan᠂ #19309 |
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Posted 2022-10-27 11:07:23
She couldn't even process the headmaster's words for a moment. I mean.. this had to be a joke right? There was no way a student had died on their watch.. right? While everyone sounded sick, all she felt was rage. An all consuming rage firing up in the bellows of her body. It rose in her like lava rising in the stomach of a volcano. She stood, slamming her fist down on the table. "How could you let this happen?!" She yelled, her nails digging into the skin of her palms. "You were supposed to protect them. Protect US. And you practically led the king here!" She growled, face contorted in anger. "We are all going to die, just like that student because you just had to use a messaging system that was easy to hijack." She knew she might have been overreacting, but she was too angry to care. As Evangeline stormed out of the hall, slipping out of the building and into the cold night air, all she felt was regret. Not for yelling at the headmasters, but for believing this was a safe place. Nowhere is safe. And nowhere will ever be safe. Being with her awful parents would be so much better than watching the king and his spies slowly pick off the people around her. She could just leave right now, strike off into the wilderness and travel the land hiding from the king's men. She settled herself down in a corner shaded by trees and held her head in her hands. This place is awful.. She thought, pulling her legs to her chest and tensing as angry tears ran down her cheeks. Are the dragons worth dying here for? □● Calliope Cresthill ○■ Callie smiled gently at her companion's squeeze, giving her one back. She slowly finished her apple, reaching out every now and then to give Ida a sliver. Eventually she put the small knife back in it's sheath at her side and sat up, moving to sit facing forward. She looked up at the castle, but all she saw was another cramped space she'd have to stay in at night. And she wasn't looking forward to it, she'd probably just sleep with Dragonfly in the barn. Raymond never seemed to mind it, and she knew she wouldn't get a good nights' sleep otherwise. "As fun as climbing the gate sounds when I'm this tired, we should probably go through the back entrance." She answered, sending a small smirk in Ida's direction before tugging the stallion's reigns to the side to turn him. She tapped his side with her heel and he sped up slightly. She absolutely refused to be out here longer than she needed to, but she knew she needed to be alert in case they came upon anyone suspicious. ☆ Raymond Monet ☆ He snapped out of it as he heard Nikita's voice. What a sweet lady.. He thought, smiling gently down at her as she patted his shoulder. "Just feeling a little out of it tonight." He reached up, rubbing at the back of his neck nervously. For all the rest of the academy knew, his was a happy family. No troubles, no quarrels, no nothing. And that suited him just fine. He didn't need everyone knowing about every aspect of his home life. But sometimes he wished that he could talk to someone about his childhood. His siblings had traveling jobs except for two, so he couldn't take the chance that his letter would end up in the wrong hands. He listened to Ilia explain what had happened, only barely hearing the cries of disgust from the students. He couldn't think about that poor child's dead body. It was disgusting what the spy had done, and the other students had every right to leave if they chose to do so. It was their choice to come, and it would be their choice to leave as well. He refused to stand in their way. |
 𓆏 Angel 𓆏 #9655 |
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Posted 2022-10-27 14:14:21
They winced as another student, Evangeline? shouted at the headmasters. They looked at Headmaster Farra and Arros, both looked devastated already. They turned to Headmaster Arros. "I'll be back," they said quietly, removing themself from the table. They didn't want it to seem like they were ditching, they just... Needed space. Open space. - They slipped out the door of the building and into the night. It wasn't terribly cold but a lingering chill of winter still clung to the air. They moved out, deeper into the little area of encampment(?), surveying the different buildings. The moon was bright enough to highlight the old walls and small pathes, casting a cool glow over the valley. They inhaled, trying to calm down a bit. They listened to the night's sounds, the occasional bird call or scuffling of brush in the woods, the wind in the trees. Suddenly, a sound caught their attention, a familiar sound. They moved towards it, stopping at the door of the building it must have came from. There it was again; a horse's soft whinny. The sound filled them with joy, how they missed the horses back home, the company they gave. A quick glimpse into the barn wouldn't hurt, right? They'll hardly know I've gone.. they thought, tentatively opening the door, just a crack. The whinny sounded again, stronger now. Aybis crept into the barn, looking at the sleeping animals. They walked softly, trying to avoid waking anything up. Finally, they reached the stall of the whinnying horse. The animal inside was a stocky brown mare with a silvery mane, she whipped around to face Aybis. Her eyes appeared black in the low light, and as she pinned her ears in frustration she looked almost frightening. She hooved the door of the stall, longing to get out. "Shh little one, not now," Aybis whispered to the mare. Maybe I shouldn't have done this... they panicked. "Shhh, it's okay, I'll come back and see what I can do for you tomorrow. Promise." The mare went quiet at this, watching Aybis intently. Aybis themself silently crept out of the barn, latching the door behind them. I hope noone will be angery I was in there.. they swallowed hard, walking back towards the dorms for the night. |
🍁Nov-rolling events only #41117 |
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Posted 2022-10-27 19:41:21
 Caisin Caisin heard the doors open and shut not long after he had settled on the couch. Breifly wondering who it was, he almost raised his head to check, when he heard their footsteps retreating up the stairs. Whoever it was, wasn't looking for him it seemed. He was contemplating returning to the hall to explain himself, when the door opened yet again. However this time, the person seemed to linger in the hallway before entering the room he was in. He expected it might have been one of the headmasters, wondering why he had left in such a rush. He was about to apologize for the potential disturbance he might have caused, but was caught off guard when the voice came from Kyle, the stablehand. Sitting himself gently across the sofa, he asked Caisin how he was doing. Oh great so i did make a scene… He thought, now slightly embarrassed. Removing his hands from rubbing his head to ease his racing thoughts, now placing them on his chest, he gave a sigh as he gathered his thoughts. "You know…" He started, giving a wry smile. "My parents think I'm out on a hunting trip. Learning from one of the best hunters in town, who also happens to be on his own hunting trip right now." He chuckled dryly. "Little do they know their kid ran off and joined a secret civil war that just might get him and them killed." He sat up now, slumping down into a more comfortable position on the sofa, his arms folded against his chest. "I had a brother, he ran off a while ago, looking for adventure or something like that. I always hated him for just leaving us like that, not caring what happened to us, yet it looks like I did the exact same thing, though my case might be a tad worse. You know, with the whole treason thing…" "I'm not angry at anyone really, not at the headmasters, or even the dragons for choosing me, mostly just scared at what might happen, and angry at myself for how stupid I was jumping into this headfirst without thinking." Giving another sigh, he fell quiet for a moment, letting his thoughts start to race once more. Leaning forward on his knees now, mirroring Kyles position, He started up again. "Anyways, I gotta figure out a way to either get out of this mess or fix it, I guess." Shrugging his shoulders. "How did everyone else handle it?" Caisin asked, finally looking at Kyle. |
 AngryTiger-[Item_Hoarder] #10140 |
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Posted 2022-10-27 20:02:18 (edited)
❖ Byxem Arros |
 〚 𝔟 𝔩 𝔢 𝔲 〛 #75908 |
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Posted 2022-10-27 21:31:12
Kyle had sat quietly, listening intently as he held his tongue to let Caisin speak. Then the other finally turned to him, leaning forward to settle in a similar position, inquiry hanging in the air. Kyle chewed on his bottom lip, head tilted in thought, before he took a breath to answer. "Not.. great, to be honest," He admitted, "I think I heard a shout behind me as I was leaving. The headmasters sure have their hands full." He managed a small smile, but it faded soon after. "Can't really blame them.. you included," Kyle mused, "It's a lot. No one was meant to.. meant to die. Obviously. Fucking sucks." He grimaced. Ever so eloquent, huh. Kyle turned his head away to stare down at the floor, brows furrowing pensively. He was never usually much one for sharing, but with Caisin's words running through his mind, his own burned at his tongue, begging to be let out. He sighed carefully, resolve crumbling. "Honestly, I.. I ran away too. From home. I didn't.. I didn't even tell my family I was leaving, just disappeared in the middle of the night. I left a note. So they know I'm not dead, I guess, and to not come after me." He wrung his hands, looking distinctly uncomfortable. "They'll be okay without me, never really needed me in the first place. I always just.. screwed things up. Maybe I'll go back one day, but I made my choice, I suppose. I try not to think about it." He was quiet for a moment, then shook his head, as if to shake away the dark thoughts threatening to crawl in. Rolling his shoulders back, Kyle straightened up, meeting Caisin's gaze once again. "Look, we can't force you to stay, any of you, really. But.. but I know the headmasters wouldn't have brought everyone here if they weren't absolutely certain." He lifted a hand to rest on his chest, over his heart, eyebrows lifting earnestly. "I trust them." His hand gave a pat, for emphasis, "And I want to help bring the dragons back. I mean.." Kyle sighed again, this time the breath lighter, laced with a hopeful feeling. "They're incredible, aren't they? the dragons? I can't believe the King wants them gone, permanently. It makes me feel.. sick, the idea of following someone who would do that, you know? Here, we've got a real chance at turning things around, of saving them." |
᠂ Sephan᠂ #19309 |
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Posted 2022-10-27 22:25:01 (edited)
═══ *.·:·.☽✧ ✦ ✧☾.·:·.* ═══ |
𓆏phrog-phrass dealer™𓆏 #15316 |