The Foreign Voice at Immsmore (not the actual name
Replies
</p>
<p>Message</p>
<p>The world was blanketed in white, and shimmering crystals fell from the sky, muting every sound in the sleepy little town. Immsmore, a town of two hundred; measured a strange place by even the most eccentric observer. During the summer, they seemed common enough, and their overlook of the old forest drew a fair few traveler. But most knew not to judge them by the three seasons; for with the first snow came the peculiarities.
As the sun retreated to the western sky, the townsfolk hastened to complete their daily tasks. Even the children did not delight in the snow, but rather turned to the sky with a look of despair. The carts in the market place were quickly folded up and tucked to the side, and all of the shopkeepers finalized what business they had. Soon, there was a rush of movement as everyone made straight for their homes.
Before the last ray of sun, the citizens shut up their doors and windows tight, fretful of the darkness that came with the night.
Soon it was difficult to tell if anyone was living in the town at all. Virgin snow dusted the cobblestone streets, and not a sound could be heard. Save for the smoke rising from the chimneys and the smell of tomorrow&;s bread, Immsmore seemed abandoned.
And then, the sacred silence was disrupted, though not all at once. At first, it was too faint to hear; the sound of snow crunching over rapid footfalls. The sound of heavy breaths that whispered steam against the chill. But soon, the visitor made themselves known.
"Help! Please!" A shrill voice reverberated off of stone and snow. "Someone, please!" The voice grew louder as it drew closer to the town. But the townsfolk did nothing. Instead, they huddled amongst themselves tighter still, and prayed for the foreign voice to pass, and pass quickly.
"Please, let me in!" The voice first visited the blacksmith. Frantically, it banged on the smithy&;s door. Snow slid from the edge of the roof, but no one responded, no matter how hard the voice knocked.
The voice moved with mad haste. It drew closer to the town square, and banged at every door it could find. "Let me in! Please!" The voice choked back a sob.
But no one answered. They were fearful that it was one of them. That it was another trick that would cost them their lives. So they ignored the voice as best they could and ignored the tugging at their chest. It sounded so sincere... but they always did.
At last, the voice arrived to the final house; the house of Blanche. There it rapped thrice with enough fervor to rattle the whole door. "Please," the voice was fainter than before, and could barely be heard at all. "...please."
o.O But who could be outside at this hour, today of all days?! And this desperate? õ_o Damn it, the new door didn't get ready yet and a peephole could definitely be useful now -_-; Guess it's better to check out who's that, the old door won't survive too many more hits like that.... but not without a backup plan, though! /finds a weapon and heads for the door
[edit] Thanks anon! That item is so cute :3
When first the door opened, there was nothing beyond the threshold. Only darkness and the silhouettes of the neighboring cabins against the backdrop of the ever-looming old forest. And snow that&;s blanketed everything, turning it pristine and picturesque and foreboding all at once.</p>
<p>But then, a sound. A single, solitary breath, soft against the moist air. Crumpled on the doorstep like a discarded toy is a thin form, underdressed for the winter, damp and pale as bone. Was it one of them? As real as the girl appeared, it was known they could look any way they wanted. They borrowed and wriggled into the mind and pulled whatever images they needed, needed to make you listen, make you hesitate. And then they broke your spirit and devoured your flesh, and crafted it into their own, until their victim was made of the same darkness they were.</p>
<p>Everyone knew the warnings. But she did not seem one of them.</p>
<p>"Thank you," the young woman pressed her pale lips together and slowly came to an unsteady stand.</p>
<p>But then, the wind howled through the holes in the boarded cabins; howled like the wailing dead.</p>
<p>What little hesitance she had was gone. Shivering with fright and hypothermia both, the young woman hurried inside the strange building, and checked to make certain the door was latched.</p>
<p>"They&;re after me," she shuddered and rubbed at her bare arms. Tattered fabric hung about her, and blood smeared from an open wound on her shoulder, but she did not seem to notice. "Something is after me!" Though chilled to the bone, the woman was reluctant to stay still. Instead, she paced back and forth on the floor in front of the hearth, backlit by the embers in the fireplace. Her sweat-covered hands wrung over one another, and she looked deep in thought and consumed by worry.</p>
<p>"This is Immsmore, right?" Her head snapped up to look at her house with equal parts desperation and anxious hope. "I&;d not thought I&;d wandered so far south..." she murmured to herself, but continued. "Please. This village has a history with the ruins, does it not? You should know something about the creatures. Is there any way to best them?"</p>
<p>The wind howled again, but close, close enough to hear the whisper it brought with it. Ash blew into the air as the winter chill cut down the chimney and across the fireplace, as if directed by a hand.</p>
<p>They were coming.
Well of course they were coming. Of course.
Her hand held the knife in a shaky hand as she looked at the woman. Veins peeking out behind pale skin, blue lips and chattering teeth. Wordlessly, she offered the women her tea cup, still warm from being poured and not a sip taken from it yet.
After that, she began to spring into action. Drawing the curtains shut, relocking the door, grabbing her letter opener from her door side table.
She was very sneaky with that last action, of course.
How could she be them, if they were coming?
Or was it all a big play?
Her hand shook with the knife.
Thank you again anon! I just love this entire thing <3
Gah, just got the next part. I am loving this entire thing. Loving too much. It's bad enough having to take a break from reading a book, but at least I can disappear into that for hours. This is just some sort evil tease. I want to read moreeee.
Of course they're coming. Bitch, you brought them here. Sits down and gets ready for the show
<p>When first the door opened, there was nothing beyond the threshold. Only darkness and the silhouettes of the neighboring cabins against the backdrop of the ever-looming old forest. And snow that&;s blanketed everything, turning it pristine and picturesque and foreboding all at once.</p>
<p>But then, a sound. A single, solitary breath, soft against the moist air. Crumpled on the doorstep like a discarded toy is a thin form, underdressed for the winter, damp and pale as bone. Was it one of them? As real as the girl appeared, it was known they could look any way they wanted. They borrowed and wriggled into the mind and pulled whatever images they needed, needed to make you listen, make you hesitate. And then they broke your spirit and devoured your flesh, and crafted it into their own, until their victim was made of the same darkness they were.</p>
<p>Everyone knew the warnings. But she did not seem one of them.</p>
<p>"Thank you," the young woman pressed her pale lips together and slowly came to an unsteady stand. "Yes, yes I&;m alright."</p>
<p>But then, the wind howled through the holes in the boarded cabins; howled like the wailing dead.</p>
<p>What little hesitance she had was gone. Shivering with fright and hypothermia both, the young woman hurried inside the strange inn, and checked to make certain the door was latched. Thankfully, there were few patrons, and what few there were had gone to their rooms.</p>
<p>"They&;re after me," she shuddered and rubbed at her bare arms. Tattered fabric hung about her, and blood smeared from an open wound on her shoulder, but she did not seem to notice. "Something is after me!" Though chilled to the bone, the woman was reluctant to stay still. Instead, she paced back and forth on the floor in front of the hearth, backlit by the embers in the fireplace. Her sweat-covered hands wrung over one another, and she looked deep in thought and consumed by worry.</p>
<p>"This is Immsmore, right?" Her head snapped up to look at her house with equal parts desperation and anxious hope. "I&;d not thought I&;d wandered so far south..." she murmured to herself, but continued. "Please. This village has a history with the ruins, does it not? You should know something about the creatures. Is there any way to best them?"</p>
<p>The wind howled again, but close, close enough to hear the whisper it brought with it. Ash blew into the air as the winter chill cut down the chimney and across the fireplace, as if directed by a hand.</p>
<p>They were coming.
Through all that was visible of the caretaker, a look of worry broke across her lips. Her tattered hood obscured her face from the nose and up.
"Running after you? Who is? Do not fear, you should be safe here. I have no company, and rarely is this inn disturbed." She limped towards what she thought was the source of the sound, and tried to palpate for her. In a nervous frenzy, it was revealed that the girl was in fact, blind, as soon as the cloth draping over her eyes slid back towards her nape. "You may sit, or lay down wherever you wish. In the meantime, would you like something hot to drink? All rooms have sheets and spare clothing for you to get warm with."
She then stopped and spoke to herself loudly. "Creatures? I do not really know of such creatures you speak... for all I see is blackness."
No need to apologize, anon, I understand! Sometimes I fail to select the anonymous option when I send out gifts, so I can understand mix-ups and such. I have to commend you as well for your writing -- now you have me intrigued as to what they are! :o
I know how much trouble it is to type out separate responses, so feel free to send me the standard script. :) I just like your story too much is all, ehe :'D
I'm honoured to be part of this anon's route -- thank you so much for the message!
Thank you for the freckle lotion! ^_^
That she's survived so far is definitely a good sign - who from the village could stand their ground in that condition? I'll be sure to do my best to help her if I can. c:
🔭🐢
When first the door opened, there was nothing beyond the threshold. Only darkness and the silhouettes of the neighboring cabins against the backdrop of the ever-looming old forest. And snow that&;s blanketed everything, turning it pristine and picturesque and foreboding all at once.</p>
<p>But then, a sound. A single, solitary breath, soft against the moist air. Crumpled on the doorstep like a discarded toy is a thin form, underdressed for the winter, damp and pale as bone. Was it one of them? As real as the girl appeared, it was known they could look any way they wanted. They borrowed and wriggled into the mind and pulled whatever images they needed, needed to make you listen, make you hesitate. And then they broke your spirit and devoured your flesh, and crafted it into their own, until their victim was made of the same darkness they were.</p>
<p>Everyone knew the warnings. But she did not seem one of them.</p>
<p>"Thank you," the young woman pressed her pale lips together and slowly came to an unsteady stand.</p>
<p>But then, the wind howled through the holes in the boarded cabins; howled like the wailing dead.</p>
<p>What little hesitance she had was gone. Shivering with fright and hypothermia both, the young woman hurried inside the strange building, and checked to make certain the door was latched.</p>
<p>"They&;re after me," she shuddered and rubbed at her bare arms. Tattered fabric hung about her, and blood smeared from an open wound on her shoulder, but she did not seem to notice. "Something is after me!" Though chilled to the bone, the woman was reluctant to stay still. Instead, she paced back and forth on the floor in front of the hearth, backlit by the embers in the fireplace. Her sweat-covered hands wrung over one another, and she looked deep in thought and consumed by worry.</p>
<p>"This is Immsmore, right?" Her head snapped up to look at her house with equal parts desperation and anxious hope. "I&;d not thought I&;d wandered so far south..." she murmured to herself, but continued. "Please. This village has a history with the ruins, does it not? You should know something about the creatures. Is there any way to best them?"</p>
<p>The wind howled again, but close, close enough to hear the whisper it brought with it. Ash blew into the air as the winter chill cut down the chimney and across the fireplace, as if directed by a hand.</p>
<p>They were coming.
Of course they are coming, don't they always do that.....
Thank you again anon ❤ So curious to see what will happen next
I'm getting more and more absorbed into the story =0 Whoever you are anon, that is really well written and I enjoy it soo much. I want to know what happens next >.< Also, thank you for being so thoughtful with the items you attach to the gift.
Guess I'd tell her to calm down first, since I'm pretty sure those creatures drive on fear and things like that :)
My Toyhou.se I am always in need of art.
| My deviantart
[TOT=Kushiel]
All Alleycat could do was rub against the poor girls legs urging her towards the lone chair by the fireplace. "mreow,mreow" When she finally sat in the chair Alley jumped onto her lap. Snuggling close, purring, and gently kneading the girls arms, she slept. Alley,wide awake, was consumed with more curiosity than ever. What to do? How to prepare? Friend/fiend or foe? The one thing she knew, she had to make this confused being her ally. With Alleys brains,courage, and finesse and the young girls opposable thumb they could overcome whatever awaited them.
Thank you Anon, for the story AND the purrfect gift!
many edits, not enough coffee/catnip," blech "spelling errors, spits out hairball and starts over :(
[item=Treasure Map Piece ]
<p>But then, a sound. A single, solitary breath, soft against the moist air. Crumpled on the doorstep like a discarded toy is a thin form, underdressed for the winter, damp and pale as bone. Was it one of them? As real as the girl appeared, it was known they could look any way they wanted. They borrowed and wriggled into the mind and pulled whatever images they needed, needed to make you listen, make you hesitate. And then they broke your spirit and devoured your flesh, and crafted it into their own, until their victim was made of the same darkness they were.</p>
<p>Everyone knew the warnings. But she did not seem one of them.</p>
<p>"Thank you," the young woman pressed her pale lips together and slowly came to an unsteady stand.</p>
<p>But then, the wind howled through the holes in the boarded cabins; howled like the wailing dead.</p>
<p>What little hesitance she had was gone. Shivering with fright and hypothermia both, the young woman hurried inside the strange building, and checked to make certain the door was latched.</p>
<p>"They&;re after me," she shuddered and rubbed at her bare arms. Tattered fabric hung about her, and blood smeared from an open wound on her shoulder, but she did not seem to notice. "Something is after me!" Though chilled to the bone, the woman was reluctant to stay still. Instead, she paced back and forth on the floor in front of the hearth, backlit by the embers in the fireplace. Her sweat-covered hands wrung over one another, and she looked deep in thought and consumed by worry.</p>
<p>"This is Immsmore, right?" Her head snapped up to look at her house with equal parts desperation and anxious hope. "I&;d not thought I&;d wandered so far south..." she murmured to herself, but continued. "Please. This village has a history with the ruins, does it not? You should know something about the creatures. Is there any way to best them?"</p>
<p>The wind howled again, but close, close enough to hear the whisper it brought with it. Ash blew into the air as the winter chill cut down the chimney and across the fireplace, as if directed by a hand.</p>
<p>They were coming.
This story continues to be amazing! I'm curious to see what happens next. Thank you so much anon! ^_^
...ok so I was coming post the second part here and then
HAHAHA best reactions ever ❤
But yes, back to the story...
</p>
<p>Message</p>
<p>When first the door opened, there was nothing beyond the threshold. Only darkness and the silhouettes of the neighboring cabins against the backdrop of the ever-looming old forest. And snow that&;s blanketed everything, turning it pristine and picturesque and foreboding all at once.</p>
<p>But then, a sound. A single, solitary breath, soft against the moist air. Crumpled on the doorstep like a discarded toy is a thin form, underdressed for the winter, damp and pale as bone. Was it one of them? As real as the girl appeared, it was known they could look any way they wanted. They borrowed and wriggled into the mind and pulled whatever images they needed, needed to make you listen, make you hesitate. And then they broke your spirit and devoured your flesh, and crafted it into their own, until their victim was made of the same darkness they were.</p>
<p>Everyone knew the warnings. But she did not seem one of them.</p>
<p>"Thank you," the young woman pressed her pale lips together and slowly came to an unsteady stand.</p>
<p>But then, the wind howled through the holes in the boarded cabins; howled like the wailing dead.</p>
<p>What little hesitance she had was gone. Shivering with fright and hypothermia both, the young woman hurried inside the strange building, and checked to make certain the door was latched.</p>
<p>"They&;re after me," she shuddered and rubbed at her bare arms. Tattered fabric hung about her, and blood smeared from an open wound on her shoulder, but she did not seem to notice. "Something is after me!" Though chilled to the bone, the woman was reluctant to stay still. Instead, she paced back and forth on the floor in front of the hearth, backlit by the embers in the fireplace. Her sweat-covered hands wrung over one another, and she looked deep in thought and consumed by worry.</p>
<p>"This is Immsmore, right?" Her head snapped up to look at her house with equal parts desperation and anxious hope. "I&;d not thought I&;d wandered so far south..." she murmured to herself, but continued. "Please. This village has a history with the ruins, does it not? You should know something about the creatures. Is there any way to best them?"</p>
<p>The wind howled again, but close, close enough to hear the whisper it brought with it. Ash blew into the air as the winter chill cut down the chimney and across the fireplace, as if directed by a hand.</p>
<p>They were coming.
Erm. Time to regret being antisocial on all those social occasions and totally not asking everyone else what exactly they are, or looking for a better explanation about how we got to this point :x However, if word is it that they rely on making you listen and accept their words, with which they intend to break your spirit, then I guess we got to remain strong. Strong minds are capable to overcome amazing challenges, however no enemy is as hard to overcome as our own fears and insecurities. If that, alone, would be enough to deal with them? No idea. But I guess it's time for some warm drinks and bandages.
[edit] Thank you for the items anon! Yay wl scarf ^_^
<p>When first the door opened, there was nothing beyond the threshold. Only darkness and the silhouettes of the neighboring cabins against the backdrop of the ever-looming old forest. And snow that&;s blanketed everything, turning it pristine and picturesque and foreboding all at once.</p>
<p>But then, a sound. A single, solitary breath, soft against the moist air. Crumpled on the doorstep like a discarded toy is a thin form, underdressed for the winter, damp and pale as bone. Was it one of them? As real as the girl appeared, it was known they could look any way they wanted. They borrowed and wriggled into the mind and pulled whatever images they needed, needed to make you listen, make you hesitate. And then they broke your spirit and devoured your flesh, and crafted it into their own, until their victim was made of the same darkness they were.</p>
<p>Everyone knew the warnings. But she did not seem one of them.</p>
<p>"Thank you," the young woman pressed her pale lips together and slowly came to an unsteady stand.</p>
<p>But then, the wind howled through the holes in the boarded cabins; howled like the wailing dead.</p>
<p>What little hesitance she had was gone. Shivering with fright and hypothermia both, the young woman hurried inside the strange building, and checked to make certain the door was latched.</p>
<p>"They&;re after me," she shuddered and rubbed at her bare arms. Tattered fabric hung about her, and blood smeared from an open wound on her shoulder, but she did not seem to notice. "Something is after me!" Though chilled to the bone, the woman was reluctant to stay still. Instead, she paced back and forth on the floor in front of the hearth, backlit by the embers in the fireplace. Her sweat-covered hands wrung over one another, and she looked deep in thought and consumed by worry.</p>
<p>"This is Immsmore, right?" Her head snapped up to look at her house with equal parts desperation and anxious hope. "I&;d not thought I&;d wandered so far south..." she murmured to herself, but continued. "Please. This village has a history with the ruins, does it not? You should know something about the creatures. Is there any way to best them?"</p>
<p>The wind howled again, but close, close enough to hear the whisper it brought with it. Ash blew into the air as the winter chill cut down the chimney and across the fireplace, as if directed by a hand.</p>
<p>They were coming.
"You shouldn't have come" I replied, shaking. "You shouldn't have come!"
Mythology looked at the woman remorsefully; "You bring doom to us all"
The lantern at the farthest end of the street dimmed; the warm aura it cast through frosted glass receded until it drew in upon itself. Though the flame still flickered a vibrant red dance, it no long illuminated. The inky sky was a moonless midnight, and with lanterns muted, the western walks became black as pitch.</p>
<p>Next, the lantern adorning the Blacksmith was dampened, then the candle in his window. Frost wound, rapid as ivy across the window pane, coating it in a crystalline sheet of ice. The darkness grew thickest toward the old forest, and seemed to flow out like a heavy smoke.</p>
<p>Not a sound was heard. For the nearer anything was to the unyielding blackness, the less real it seemed.</p>
<p>Candle after candle, lantern after lantern. Anything that could offer light, warmth or succor became a pale shadow of itself. The flames cooled and dimmed, yet flickered in the breeze, waltzing in time with the wind&;s cacophony. The last light to fall were the embers in Illusion&;s fireplace, which simply consumed themselves as if smothered.</p>
<p>"I don&;t know how much time we&;ll have. As soon as I retrieved the crystal, they were upon me." The visitor looked contemplative. "Are they weak to anything? Do you know?"</p>
<p>"Why are you looking out the window?" The young woman glanced over at her host, dread palpable as if she were plunged into ice water.</p>
<p>Darkness. Outside, that was all there was to be seen. Blackness dark as tar, covering all that lay beyond. And then, ice. Wrapping and winding, it ebbed up the window pane as some unnatural liquid. The glass groaned at its presence and began to bow inward, pushed by some unseen strength.</p>
<p>The fellest parts of a madman&;s heart, realized by his derangement and desires, they were spun from the shadows of man. The men that they consumed and twisted into their kind. This came, unbidden into the host&;s mind, just before the glass exploded into shards.</p>
<p>"Run!"</p>
<p>As if beckoning her call, the world was gripped by unnatural silence. The wind no longer wriggled through cracks in the old wooden boards. The embers no longer crackled crisp in the fire place. The constant creak of the building settling and swaying in the wind was no more. It was... utterly silent.</p>
<p>And then...</p>
<p>"Illusion?" "Illusion, are you alright? You look pale. Please, I need your help. We need to figure out how to overcome these creatures! There&;s no hope of outrunning them!"
[I wanted to post this here before I fell asleep so I didn't forget! I'll write something tomorrow morning. :p )
Part three is getting skeery shudders
Alley wasn't really concerned about the darkness, in her world it is her friend. However, all the drama this person was creating in her life was getting a tad annoying. Alley did run.....right over to her catnip stash! *It's going to take more than a pinch of nip * Alley thought as she scooped out a pawful. Now, I need to find those pants and perhaps that person will use her opposable thumb to help me get them on my head properly.( Alley always did her best planning after a hefty dose of nip!)
Thoroughly disguised, Alley swatted the crystal from the girls hands. Feeling frisky and as strong as a young lion, Alley pounced on the strange contraption. Much to both their surprise it exploded! There!.... on the floor,the walls, even the ceiling was their answer to the problem of "THEM"
Thank you ANON for allowing us to participate in your continuing mystery.
Of course I'm pale, silly, I'm a skeleton.
(This is very entertaining)
The lantern at the farthest end of the street dimmed; the warm aura it cast through frosted glass receded until it drew in upon itself. Though the flame still flickered a vibrant red dance, it no long illuminated. The inky sky was a moonless midnight, and with lanterns muted, the western walks became black as pitch.</p>
<p>Next, the lantern adorning the Blacksmith was dampened, then the candle in his window. Frost wound, rapid as ivy across the window pane, coating it in a crystalline sheet of ice. The darkness grew thickest toward the old forest, and seemed to flow out like a heavy smoke.</p>
<p>Not a sound was heard. For the nearer anything was to the unyielding blackness, the less real it seemed.</p>
<p>Candle after candle, lantern after lantern. Anything that could offer light, warmth or succor became a pale shadow of itself. The flames cooled and dimmed, yet flickered in the breeze, waltzing in time with the wind&;s cacophony. The last light to fall were the embers in Rox&;s fireplace, which simply consumed themselves as if smothered.</p>
<p>"I don&;t know how much time we&;ll have. As soon as I retrieved the crystal, they were upon me." The visitor looked contemplative. "Are they weak to anything? Do you know?"</p>
<p>"Why are you looking out the window?" The young woman glanced over at her host, dread palpable as if she were plunged into ice water.</p>
<p>Darkness. Outside, that was all there was to be seen. Blackness dark as tar, covering all that lay beyond. And then, ice. Wrapping and winding, it ebbed up the window pane as some unnatural liquid. The glass groaned at its presence and began to bow inward, pushed by some unseen strength.</p>
<p>The fellest parts of a madman&;s heart, realized by his derangement and desires, they were spun from the shadows of man. The men that they consumed and twisted into their kind. This came, unbidden into the host&;s mind, just before the glass exploded into shards.</p>
<p>"Run!"</p>
<p>As if beckoning her call, the world was gripped by unnatural silence. The wind no longer wriggled through cracks in the old wooden boards. The embers no longer crackled crisp in the fire place. The constant creak of the building settling and swaying in the wind was no more. It was... utterly silent.</p>
<p>And then...</p>
<p>"Rox?" "Rox, are you alright? You look pale. Please, I need your help. We need to figure out how to overcome these creatures! There&;s no hope of outrunning them!"
I'm not even going to try to run for them.....it's my house we're talking about, I will fight for what's mine! I don't know how I'm supposed to fight those creatures, but let me think about that for a little while
</p>
<p>Message</p>
<p>The lantern at the farthest end of the street dimmed; the warm aura it cast through frosted glass receded until it drew in upon itself. Though the flame still flickered a vibrant red dance, it no long illuminated. The inky sky was a moonless midnight, and with lanterns muted, the western walks became black as pitch.</p>
<p>Next, the lantern adorning the Blacksmith was dampened, then the candle in his window. Frost wound, rapid as ivy across the window pane, coating it in a crystalline sheet of ice. The darkness grew thickest toward the old forest, and seemed to flow out like a heavy smoke.</p>
<p>Not a sound was heard. For the nearer anything was to the unyielding blackness, the less real it seemed.</p>
<p>Candle after candle, lantern after lantern. Anything that could offer light, warmth or succor became a pale shadow of itself. The flames cooled and dimmed, yet flickered in the breeze, waltzing in time with the wind&;s cacophony. The last light to fall were the embers in Blanche&;s fireplace, which simply consumed themselves as if smothered.</p>
<p>"I don&;t know how much time we&;ll have. As soon as I retrieved the crystal, they were upon me." The visitor looked contemplative. "Are they weak to anything? Do you know?"</p>
<p>"Why are you looking out the window?" The young woman glanced over at her host, dread palpable as if she were plunged into ice water.</p>
<p>Darkness. Outside, that was all there was to be seen. Blackness dark as tar, covering all that lay beyond. And then, ice. Wrapping and winding, it ebbed up the window pane as some unnatural liquid. The glass groaned at its presence and began to bow inward, pushed by some unseen strength.</p>
<p>The fellest parts of a madman&;s heart, realized by his derangement and desires, they were spun from the shadows of man. The men that they consumed and twisted into their kind. This came, unbidden into the host&;s mind, just before the glass exploded into shards.</p>
<p>"Run!"</p>
<p>As if beckoning her call, the world was gripped by unnatural silence. The wind no longer wriggled through cracks in the old wooden boards. The embers no longer crackled crisp in the fire place. The constant creak of the building settling and swaying in the wind was no more. It was... utterly silent.</p>
<p>And then...</p>
<p>"Blanche?" "Blanche, are you alright? You look pale. Please, I need your help. We need to figure out how to overcome these creatures! There&;s no hope of outrunning them!"
pshh it's because I'm a zombie in disguise XD
...oh? Yeah, right, them... what the hell just happened? Of course, I suppose there's nowhere you can hide from darkness, it's everywhere and engulfs all it can, it's just within its nature... -frowns- Did you just mention a crystal? Well, let me know why exactly they are hunting you down, it does look like they want more from you than just another body to their collection...
Ohh I am excited even more. I would not flee though, I would want answers first, as to what kind of crystal that is.
My Toyhou.se I am always in need of art.
| My deviantart
[TOT=Kushiel]
<p>Next, the lantern adorning the Blacksmith was dampened, then the candle in his window. Frost wound, rapid as ivy across the window pane, coating it in a crystalline sheet of ice. The darkness grew thickest toward the old forest, and seemed to flow out like a heavy smoke.</p>
<p>Not a sound was heard. For the nearer anything was to the unyielding blackness, the less real it seemed.</p>
<p>Candle after candle, lantern after lantern. Anything that could offer light, warmth or succor became a pale shadow of itself. The flames cooled and dimmed, yet flickered in the breeze, waltzing in time with the wind&;s cacophony. The last light to fall were the embers in Pax&;s fireplace, which simply consumed themselves as if smothered.</p>
<p>"I... I don&;t know who. It suddenly became cold, and dark, and!" The woman gulped back her words and released a frustrated sigh. "This may sound mad, but I knew something was pursuing me. Ever since I uncovered the crystal--"</p>
<p>"Thank... thank you." The girl openly stared for a moment at her blind host, but then quickly averted her eyes in shame. "I would sit, but I do not know how much time we have."</p>
<p>As if beckoning her call, the world was gripped by unnatural silence. The wind no longer wriggled through cracks in the old wooden boards. The embers no longer crackled crisp in the fire place. The constant creak of the building settling and swaying in the wind was no more. It was... utterly silent.</p>
<p>And then...</p>
<p>"Pax?"</p>
<p>"Pax, are you alright? You look pale. Please, I need your help. We need to figure out how to overcome these creatures! ... Or, or we need to run! We can&;t just stay here!"
But this story... I... I can't wait to see how it progresses, anon! ;w;
"It's cold. Did the flames die out?" The caretaker shuffled towards where she memorised the fireplace to be, when her guest started to speak again.
"A crystal? You don't mean..." She definitely heard of the rumours before, but she paid them no mind. They weren't real, after all. She couldn't see them, but she also did not feel them. She was prepared to be proven wrong, but she was confident at the time that it could have just been the inclement weather outside.
And then, complete silence. She felt the embers die out, and the wind cease to blow. Must definitely be the weather.
"I should be alright. But I do not know how I can help you. Where to? Where should we run? Is there any place..."
<p>When first the door opened, there was nothing beyond the threshold. Only darkness and the silhouettes of the neighboring cabins against the backdrop of the ever-looming old forest. And snow that&;s blanketed everything, turning it pristine and picturesque and foreboding all at once.</p>
<p>But then, a sound. A single, solitary breath, soft against the moist air. Crumpled on the doorstep like a discarded toy is a thin form, underdressed for the winter, damp and pale as bone. Was it one of them? As real as the girl appeared, it was known they could look any way they wanted. They borrowed and wriggled into the mind and pulled whatever images they needed, needed to make you listen, make you hesitate. And then they broke your spirit and devoured your flesh, and crafted it into their own, until their victim was made of the same darkness they were.</p>
<p>Everyone knew the warnings. But she did not seem one of them.</p>
<p>"Thank you," the young woman pressed her pale lips together and slowly came to an unsteady stand.</p>
<p>But then, the wind howled through the holes in the boarded cabins; howled like the wailing dead.</p>
<p>What little hesitance she had was gone. Shivering with fright and hypothermia both, the young woman hurried inside the strange building, and checked to make certain the door was latched.</p>
<p>"They&;re after me," she shuddered and rubbed at her bare arms. Tattered fabric hung about her, and blood smeared from an open wound on her shoulder, but she did not seem to notice. "Something is after me!" Though chilled to the bone, the woman was reluctant to stay still. Instead, she paced back and forth on the floor in front of the hearth, backlit by the embers in the fireplace. Her sweat-covered hands wrung over one another, and she looked deep in thought and consumed by worry.</p>
<p>"This is Immsmore, right?" Her head snapped up to look at her house with equal parts desperation and anxious hope. "I&;d not thought I&;d wandered so far south..." she murmured to herself, but continued. "Please. This village has a history with the ruins, does it not? You should know something about the creatures. Is there any way to best them?"</p>
<p>The wind howled again, but close, close enough to hear the whisper it brought with it. Ash blew into the air as the winter chill cut down the chimney and across the fireplace, as if directed by a hand.</p>
<p>They were coming.
"All I know is if you are the one that brings them, you must be the one to destroy them." She sat on a chair next to the fireplace, her eyes tight with worry. Mother had always taught her to extend kindness and she wouldn't stop now, but this woman would be the death of them. She didn't know much about those that lurked in the darkness, but their fate would be sealed unless they discovered more.
PS Thanks for the gifts!!!
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