Atlantic Roleplay Community Boards

[NightShade]

---

Wisteria stood on the edge of the lake her mind a chaotic turmoil. How she longed to throw herself perilously into the water to her destruction and end the deadly veil that crept through her body. Long had she held herself firm in the beliefs of the virtues. Her mission had been one of good not evil. Yet now she warred within herself for the very existence of her sanity. She had held herself strong, piously proud and without flaw. She had gazed many times at her reflection in the mirror and marveled at the sweet kindness, the strong ambition to bring joy and laughter to the world. As a little girl she had dreamed of being married by now to a loving man who would protect her, shield her from the darkness that chased her sister and she about. She had once dreamed of the day when her future children would run carefree thru the fields laughing and falling with joy into their mothers loving arms. Yet now she stared down the dark abyss before her. Saddened, her heart hardened to all that she had once believed. Her once strong purpose to bring purity and light had shattered. The illness inflicted by the hand of her own sister she had loved and protected for years had sapped away more than her strength but weakened her soul. Nightshade's betrayal had hurt her deeply but still she had tried to find reason in it, make excuses for her. She knew she could no longer escape the truth, her sister was a monster, a powerful being that only brought death and destruction. Even more painful was the knowledge that she Wisteria, beloved by all, had turned a blind eye to her sisters wickedness, leaving her to fester and harm innocents. She wondered how many lives had been slain at Nightshades' hands. How many innocents had suffered in her grasp and she felt a wave of nausea overcome her. Her mind tortured she stared in the glassy lake and dropped a pebble onto its smooth surface. Ripples echoed out from it and broke the placid calmness of the water.

With silent grace she began to walk slowly into the water her heavy skirts keeping her feet planted to the bottom swaying out as the depth deepened. She was drawn out further and the water now rose to her chin. It was hard to walk now but the lake for all its iciness felt warm to her and she continued forward. Her red hair slipped silently beneath the surface of the water yet she made no move to pull herself up for air. She just stopped and stood there. Air began slowly to run in short supply and her lungs hurt and begged for it she longed to open her mouth and draw the sweetness of the water in. Yet she kept her mouth closed and her mind began to dim the water growing hazy around her. She felt her mind slipping gently away her body growing limp and cushioned by the waters loving arms.

From the silent depths she had been watching as the young woman had stood upon the shore of her lake. The silent path the woman had taken thru her watery home intrigued her. No one had ever walked slowly into her home and simply stopped and stayed. Her fishy mind reeled and she wondered if perhaps the woman wished to stay.

The mermaid hesitated for a moment then swam with force to the woman and kissed her lips. Wisty's eyes flew open and air rushed into her mouth. Confusion struck her as she stared nose to nose with a sea creature that she had never thought existed. The mermaids hair floated about her, Wisty had always believed mermaids to be half human, but her face though pretty held an unearthly quality. Her teeth were small and pointy like those of a dolphin and she had a wild look in the depth of her eyes. The mermaid blinked and smiled fanning her tail about her like a goldfish and Wisty realized that that kiss had made it possible for her to breath in this watery place. She took another deep breath and air rushed thru the water into her mouth. The mermaid smiled, hugged Wisty, and swam silently away, disappearing rapidly into the darkness of the lake.

Wisty turned and walked slowly from the lake upon reaching the bank she began to sputter and water gushed out of her mouth. She vomited on the shore and dropped to her knees still baffled at what had just occurred. She looked out upon the lake and saw a tail slip silently under the water and realized this magnificent sea creature had saved her life. Curious she turned once more and walked back under the water and found that though she gasped about for a moment soon air began to travel down her throat filling her lungs again. Perplexed she left the water wondering how indeed such a thing was possible. Life had a way of stepping in at the oddest times and taking one by surprise.

Lost deep in thought she touched the crystal about her neck gently summoning Shadow to her. He pawed the ground and snorted his demon red eyes glowing. If he noticed her wet clothing as she climbed upon his black he said nothing though his eyes stared out over the lake. She shook her head shaking the notion away that he new of what had just occurred. She heard him sniff the air about them and knew in that moment he could smell the mermaid’s short lived presence still. Snorting loudly and tossing his mane he turned and headed towards home.
_________________
Something is Wrong, I can still feel Existence...

[Alonwynn]

---

Alon heard a sudden rapping at her door, She opened it to see Wisteria.

“Wisty this is certainly a supr....” she trailed off, “you’re all wet. Has it been raining?” Both women looked skyward, not a single cloud was in sight.
Wisteria just stood on the doorway.
“Did you forget to take off your clothes before you went for a swim?” She stood expectantly waiting for an answer. She examined Wisty again. Her clothes were heavy with water and she indeed looked like a drowned rat. The strangest thing was that she has goose bumps the size of pebbles and yet her teeth weren’t chattering and she wasn’t shivering. She simply has a look of amazement. This worried Alon most of all. She was certain Wisty had another sanity episode.
Alonwynn made a beckoning motion for Wisty to come inside. Alonwynn lead her guest to the sitting room, and motioned to the seat next to her.
Hoping Wisteria had enough sense Alon asked, “ What happened to you?”
In an awestruck voice she regaled Alonwynn with how she simply ventured into the water and made no attempt to leave. Alon listened and thought surely she couldn’t have seen a ....mermaid? The creature she described sounded more of a monster than the beautiful sirens from the the stories Alon knew from childhood. This must have been a fabrication. A hallucination of her minds eye due to her attempted drowning.
With that thought Alonwynn got up from her seat and said, “ Mermaid you say? Wish I could have seen a mermaid” She smiled widely at Wisteria. “ Come, follow me you must be freezing. Would care for some tea Wisty?”

[Alonwynn]

---

The day was crystal clear. The sky was a brilliant sapphire blue. A slight aroma of wild flowers drifted through the air. There was no need for heavy robes today as the sun shined bright.
Alonwynn sat with her back against a great oak tree. She had been basking in the sun moments ago. She ran her hands over the grass, feeling the individual blades with the palm of her hands. She sat there pondering Wisty’s encounter with the mermaids, or whatever it was she saw in the water. Wisteria swears that it was a mermaid. But how can that be possible, as no one has claimed to see mermaids outside of a story?
Alonwynn’s arms gave a painful jolt. She groaned and rubbed her arms to ease the increasing pain. Alonwynn looked up at the lake that was before her. I wonder if the water is cool, it certainly would relieve my arms a bit. She rose from the ground and headed toward the water. She noticed something odd about the water, not a single ripple could be seen. The lake was serene. Alon dropped to her knees and put her whole arm into the lake. Feeling instant relief she began to move her arm back and forth. The water was indeed cold and soothing. Then her other arm began to hurt. So with out thinking, she plunged that arm into the water as well and began to sway it in the same fashion. For just a moment it felt that she was purging herself of more than the pain in her arms. She felt that her thoughts and fears we being extracted as well.
Bringing up her arms Alonwynn decided she wanted to go for a swim. First though she decided to look for a stone to skip on the still water. Looking all around she finally found a turquoise stone that really resembled more of a gem than a rock. Alon cast the stone across the lake watching it skip and finally sink into the water’s abyss.
At once she jumped into the refreshing water. All the pain she had been feeling, both emotional and physical left her. She felt free to do as she pleased. She plunged her head beneath the surface again and when she came back up for air she noticed it. Something was hurling through the air at top speed aimed at Alonwynn’s head. Ducking in the water with less than a second to spare Alon wondered What was that? As she began to resurface she noticed that her leg was caught. She glanced down to see what it was, and panicked As she saw the very creatures Wisty described to her a few weeks ago. With their fishy faces and silvery fins. Only they weren’t as benevolent as Wisteria had described. Kicking with all her might Alonwynn managed to get free from the mermaid’s grip and kicked violently. As she resurface she gaps and gaged for air, but didn’t dare stay stationary. She swam toward the banks and pulled herself out of the water thinking I am never casting a stone into the water again. She crawled to the tree, unsure her legs would carry her yet to walk. She collapsed as she reached the safety of the shade. Her hand fell upon something hard. She rolled over and brought it up to her eyes. Alon’s eyes grew wide with fear and amazement. For she had picked up the very rock she cast in to the lake. With that she called for her steed and raced away. She knew what she had to do.
The steed did not stop until it reached it’s destination. Alon dismounted and walked to the door. She pounded on it with all her might.
Wisteria stood there beautiful, proud and confused as she looked at Alon.
"Alonwynn, what brings you here, and why are you wet?"
Ignoring the questions Alonwynn simply said, "Wisty, I think I believe you now."