Young Writers Society

Lyria

Lyria sighed. These Adventurers sure were popular.
"Yes, you are. Me and Suke here are trying to catch up to them too. Although, if he hadn't walked into a tree then we both probably would have caught up." She teased good-naturedly. Suke opened his mouth to protest but then seemed to think better of it.

Lyria observed the man in front of her. He was covered in tattoos, and looked like the dangerous type, but seemed a bit disorientated. His black hair fell in front of his eyes and she couldn't tell if they were green or blue. There was an aura about him that made Lyria want to reach for her daggers. She brushed away that feeling and put on a smile.
"Since we're all going in the same direction, should we group up?" she asked. "Suke doesn't seem to be the sociable type, hiding behind the nearest tree, but I don't mind. Oh! I'm Lyria by the way." She stuck out her hand for Astrian to take.

~Rio

Suke and Lyria, I repeated over and over in my head as we walked. Suke and Lyria, Lyria and Suke. Names have changed since I last visited here.

When she offered me her hand, I hesitated - not something I normally do often, but I wasn't sure what could happen. If she was my Summoner, we could have bonded, but she seemed to have no idea about me; and what kind of a Summoner would she be that way? Not the kind I'd like to find myself attached to. Not that I saw anyone else, though. The two young humans and the forest. I could hardly believe it was the trees who summoned me.

Our hands touched for a relatively short while, yet with effect I found a reason to grin widely. Scenes flashed in front of my eyes, faces and spoken words, inscriptions and emotions of some invisible creatures, eons away from me. I could tell where and when I was now. After all, it wasn't future, it was the past to where I last recalled being in this world. I knew of the battles and adventures not yet to happen. I knew of legends the Adventurers were yet to make. And I knew of what they did, and what that did to the world - what it even did to me. I couldn't stop the grin from appearing, hoping I don't look too evil. I also knew how all of which was yet to be messed with my plans - and I was pretty confident I knew the way to change it this time.

Greeting customs have changed as well - I shook the girl's hand when she offered it, but it was somewhat strange to do it, as in the past or future I came from that was considered to be a polite action only when agreeing on a marriage. I couldn't tell if she shared any of my emotions and visions, but she did feel somewhat uncomfortable around me the whole time. The boy, Suke, nodded to me and stayed silent.

I still couldn't tell which one was my Summoner, if it was either of them. I could tell which way to go to find the Adventurers, but I had no idea who I'm searching for, now how, or if, will I know when I find them. My only hope in the blurred vision of my duties was that the Summoner will recognise me.

As I walked next to the girl and the boy, I kept smiling a little. For there was another benefit of not having a master - I was able todo whatever I wished, undisturbed - and I was most certainly planning on using it.
*

Rowan

The day wore on and Rowan was beginning to reconsider his life choices. Was running away really such a big deal? They had passed several bushes and trees along the wall and the elf was certainly slim enough to duck behind one, or-

"Rocky path ahead, watch your footing now!" Bartemius' voice called from the front of the caravan and Rowan turned his eyes away from the tree he'd been wistfully locked on. Then he stopped. The peeks towered above them like the end of the world in reverse: a rocky, craggy cliff expanding into the heavens with a steep path circling up. Rowan gulped. There would be no trees fat enough to duck behind.

"You going up there?" The unfamiliar voice made Rowan jump and he spun on his heel, one hand springing to the mace at his side as he petered on the balls of his feet in a prepared stance. But not prepared for the rounded, almost charming face looking back at him. The eyes flickered between green and grey as the man took a step closer to the barren peeks.

"No- I mean yes. So what?" Rowan frowned as the rest of the party gradually came to a halt and turned around to see what was causing the disturbance. The ragged man shrugged.

"Not much food," he stated.

Bartemius pushed his way through the crowd and barrelled down on the new face.

"Oh, hoh, what have we here, another adventurer?" The old man rubbed his hands together. "Well you're just in time as we're about to enter the Peeks of Doom!" Bartemius gave him a grin and a wink. "There's a very special something we're looking for here and it could be anywhere across the peeks - hey, I don't suppose you're a mountain guide eh?" Bartemius paused for a moment and then elbowed Rowan roughly in the side as he hissed: "Don't say much, does he?"

Salmic

The days have pasted so swiftly before Salmic, he had wandered through this forest only to deplete his food. He was sleeping on a log, in which he might have found last time. He was about to doze off when he heard someone yell "Rocky path ahead, watch your footing now!"

Salmic rushed to the sound where he saw an elf, most likely cleric, he was looking up at the peeks. "You going up there?" Salmic said smoothly, making the elf jump and he spin on his heel, one hand springing to the mace at his side as he petered on the balls of his feet in a prepared stance. As Salmic walked towards him, he crossed his arms.

"No- I mean yes. So what?" The elf frowned as the rest of the party gradually came to a halt and turned around to see what was causing the disturbance. The ragged man shrugged.

"Not much food," Salmic stated, peering into his bag to see just a few rations left.

After that an old man pushed his way through the crowd and barrelled down on the him, being the new face.

"Oh, hoh, what have we here, another adventurer?" The old man rubbed his hands together. "Well you're just in time as we're about to enter the Peeks of Doom!" The man gave Salmic a grin and a wink. "There's a very special something we're looking for here and it could be anywhere across the peeks - hey, I don't suppose you're a mountain guide eh?" He paused for a moment and then elbowed the elf roughly in the side as he hissed: "Don't say much, does he?"

"Is there a way, I can, coon-vin-ce, you to stay away?" Salmic struggled say the sentence. He was now looking about the group and their face, some where giving him confused looks. Salmic hated when he used words he didn't quite understand.

"Well as I said we are looking for something very special." The old man said, with an understanding look.
"Then I will defend you." Salmic said gesturing towards the group, "But will not lead. My name is Salmic." He said giving a slight bow.

Suke

The man's sudden appearance made him anxious, he had no idea where he had come from it was as if he had come out of thin air. Lyria introduced them, who gave her permission to do so who knows, but Suke was not going to trust this man that easily.

One thing led to another and now he was accompanying them on their journey to find the adventurer's. Rio was supposed to be his name, but somehow it seemed unreal. Suke had never heard of anyone named Astrian. Even the name made him suspicious.

Lyria ran beside Rio apparently they were getting along but me I kept myself in the shadows like I always did. My eyes stuck on the mysterious man. The sun was going down and everything was becoming dark.

"Ohh, I was so sure we would catch them before the night would eat everything up" She stomped the ground.

We were no longer in the forest but on a big rock surrounded by more even larger rocks. And straight ahead we saw it, the mountain.

"We still can" Rio said, pointing up. In the day we wouldn't been able to see it but a torch shone high up in the mountain, a guiding light to where we would find those amazing adventurer's.

And maybe this time, I could actually meet them. Suke thought.

Rowan

Yes, Rowan thought to himself. There are lots of ways you could convince me to stay away. But the elf said nothing out loud and of course Bartemius answered in the negative. No, they couldn't possibly stay away from the big, doom-filled mountains.

"Then I will defend you." The ragged, but very strong looking man, said as he gestured at the group. Rowan would settle for him defending just him, please and thank you! "But will not lead. My name is Salmic." The man gave a stiff bow.

"Well I am Bartemius and these are my fine adventurers!" Barty waved a hand to encompass the group and then rang their names off with speedy (and altogether flattering) introductions. "The elf here you've had the good fortune to meet is the famous cleric Rowan of the river tribes!" He was actually from the forest glens but Rowan grunted and didn't correct him.

Once the whole team had been introduced (which was a lengthy affair) the adventurers began their journey up into the peeks, but it wasn't long before they had to stop and set up for the night. Camp fires were lit and rations were brought out and divided between the group.

"You're welcome to share in our food in exchange for defending us!" Bartemius was telling the newest member of the group.

Rowan sat slightly apart, closest to the path that led back down the mountains and looked wistfully back. It was unlikely an attack would come from that side, but Rowan wasn't taking any chances. He shook away all the last remaining doubts and his features turned stoic once more.

Ever alert, the elf's eyes pierced the darkness even as his comrades began to fall asleep.

Lyria

As soon as she saw the torch-light only a little further up in the mountains, Lyria’s heart soared. Finally she would be able to meet the Adventurers! Suke and Astrian too. She was sure that Suke had been hiding from them before now, it seemed in his character. Well, she wouldn’t let him do that again. He was going to have to acquire some social skills sooner or later. She glanced back at him for a second and sighed. Still in the shadows. He was looking at Astrian with suspicion. She couldn’t blame him. The man made her sixth sense tingle.

His awkwardness from earlier had disappeared and he moved with an easy, dangerous grace. Lyria shivered. Who was this man really? She suddenly felt the need to know. SHe closed her eyes and let her instincts take over. Sucking in a deep breath, she listened to the sounds of the forest, their feet flying across the ground, the wind rushing past her, her heart thumping in her chest. She opened her eyes. The world shone with colours. The wind in white, the forest in greens, the earth in browns. She looked at Suke. Light grey swirling with blue. She smiled. It suited him. Quiet and shadow loving. She turned to look at Astrian and her blood froze in her veins. Black. Pure, evil black. Her hold on the auras slipped and the world returned to the darkness of before. Astrian looked at her and smiled. The air suddenly seemed glacial, the forest inhospitable. She wanted to run far, far away, but her feet wouldn’t let her move from the path that they were following. Panic held her heart in a grip of ice and her head span.

The torch-light in front of them suddenly seemed like the last place that she wanted to go to. She didn’t want to bring this danger into the Adventurer’s midst but she couldn’t stop running. She couldn’t say anything either. The torch-light grew ever brighter. Suddenly a man with long hair stepped out in front of them, a mace in hand. The three of them skidded to a halt.
“Who are you?” He asked. Suddenly Lyria could talk. She turned to Astrian and tried to speak to him but found that she couldn’t speak again. Fear swirled in her heart. She turned back to the man and sealed their fate.
“We want to join the Adventurers.”

~Rio

As we walked through the forest, I did my best to calm my breathing. As always, with new
summoning and in the new time, I needed my time to adapt - to feel every atom of my
strength flowing through my body again, to get used to the beating of the heart, the moving of the blood in my veins, the sensations on my skin. With every moment, I felt more powerful, more like myself, and I couldn't help but grin. A lot.

I was indeed lost in my mind, yet I never stopped carefully observing both of them.
The girl, Lyria, was clearly getting creeps, and the boy eyed me as suspiciously as it was possible to get - for a moment, I thought of just killing them all, or making them bow to me and follow every word I say, but my powers weren't yet as strong as I liked them to be, and I couldn't have risked to accidentally kill my Summoner and send myself back to the oblivion I was in for so long. Things needed to be done - objects found, people deceived, other people killed..

The girl could see auras. Why, that was interesting to know - very interesting indeed. For
some reason, that was a thing I couldn't do, and though I failed to find much potential in that ability, I always wondered about the variety of colours. Whatever it was that she saw, scared her out of her mind - her eyes widened and she opened her mouth to speak, and I smiled at her. I couldn't risk having her blab wrong thing in a wrong moment, not while I still - which annoyed me out of my mind - couldn't tell who was exactly my Summoner. Or where he or she was.

Oh, no, dearie, I thought to myself, not letting go of Lyria's glare. Well, I couldn't have killed them, but some persuasion, some magic and some control, that usually worked more than fine anyway. Fear now, I ordered in my mind, knowing she will comply, though not hear the words. It was funny, the way it worked - my thoughts made her feel as I wished, almost as if I sewed her lips and turned her blood into ice, but there was nothing I was really doing to her. Mortal brains and mortal hearts, so fragile yet given so much responsibility.

Lyria ran to the light, and Suke and me followed. I had no idea if he noticed anything, not
even if my little manipulation happened to affect him as well - rather possibly, actually, I knew I wasn't yet in control of what I was doing as much as I liked to be. As a long-haired man appeared from the trees, with big weapon I didn't find very likable in his hand, I moved closer to Suke and Lyria. They we young mortals, yes, but the guy seemed suspicious already - knowing that I'm not a young mortal myself may lead to tiring questions and complicated explanations, not to mention fights that would just make my job harder and my journey longer.

I carefully observed the man, but found nothing; not even a hint of feeling I used to have near my Summoners. I wasn't sure if I should blame that to my own temporal disability to do anything but manipulate emotions a little, or I was really as far from finding the one who called me as I was when I first appeared in the woods.

“Who are you?” He asked. Having forgotten to keep Lyria under my control, I quickly called for a simple word-stealing spell.
Talking to me? I gave her a little smile. No, not going to happen. I'm sorry, but until you decide to talk about things I want you to talk about, you won't be able to talk at all.
She seemed scared, but I could have bet I saw a glimpse of anger in her eyes as well. She
turned to the man, and finally said something I wanted to hear her saying.

“We want to join the Adventurers.”
*

Rowan

Rowan took in the strangers with a sharp, suspicious stare. It was very unusual for one set of travellers to scale the peeks of doom, but for them to be closely followed by a second group? His instincts were burning with an ice cold flame.

The mace in his hand felt solid and Rowan was prepared to send it slamming into the body of any one of the trio. The closest, a red-haired young female, cloaked and on edge was the least threatening. About the most threatening thing about her was that sense Rowan got that she was on edge; three versus one were not reasons for a quick-footed girl to be on edge.

Next the male. Equally young, familiar. Shadow boy. That caused Rowan's lips to quirk into the briefest of smiles as he quipped: "Tired of hiding behind trees, boy?" Both so young; go home little ones.

Then the third. A something. Rowan couldn't be sure if it was male or female and the inky markings across its skin were delicate and entrancing. Female? But there was something in its careful observation and posture that had Rowan in mind of a confidence he more readily observed in men. A young man? Whoever he was, he made Rowan feel uneasy.

"Who are you?" Rowan asked. There were shifty glances shared and then the girl, who looked less than comfortable with her current choice of companions said:

“We want to join the Adventurers.”

Rowan snorted. "You and every stray on the way from here to the Nethershore."

"The Nethershore? Where's that?" The boy spoke this time and he seemed to be hanging back, the shadows hugging to his frame, as if trying to keep Rowan from getting a clear sighting on him. Rowan got the strange feeling from the group that they were less than eager to actually join up, which seemed at odds with all the effort they had gone to.

"Next we'll have a troll offering us his club, or a dragon asking us how we like our meat cooked." Rowan shook his head, his guard lifted slightly. What, afterall, could they hope to gain from entering their camp? They hardly had anything worth stealing and whatever name they had started to form for themselves, there couldn't be anyone who wanted them dead... yet.

"Medium rare," the older male said with a smile that had Rowan feeling uneasy all over again.

"You can sleep with the dwarf," Rowan told him, hooking a thumb in the direction of the sleeping female whose hands were wrapped around her nasty looking axe.

"You mean we can join?" the girl asked, her eyes widening in an expression which Rowan couldn't define as fear or delight, but somewhere in between.

He lowered his mace and then swung it up again. "I don't know why you'd want to," he said in a cold, clear tone. "But we're likely to see half our party slain before this is over so I'll not have to keep a close watch on you too long." He gave a shrug and settled back down in front of his tree, the mace across his lap and a ripple of readiness shivering through his muscles. "Your choice." What did it matter to him if a couple of kids wanted to get themselves killed? It wasn't like he'd be responsible for healing their broken bones or anything, oh wait, he would. Go home little ones before it's too late.

But Rowan said nothing out loud and his gaze was aloof and stern.

Ira

Rowan seemed upset by the new arrivals. He shifted his mace from hand to hand and narrowed his eyes at them — a girl with tense shoulders and a hand which trembled slightly, a boy who looked more like a ghost than anything else and a... man? Most likely.

It was the man who seemed to upset Rowan the most. Ira could almost sense his hackles rising, but the elf finally let down his guard and allowed the strangers to pass. She shadowed them silently, crouching behind boulders and stunted trees along the cliff — nothing grew well here — all the while keeping a strong grip on her knife. The man looked relaxed, even grinning from time to time as he surveyed the camp. It was not a comforting sort of smile — there was something predatory in his glittering eyes, and the way his black tattoos slid over his lithe body.

Ira turned her attention back to the younger boy. There was a white bandage wrapped around his arm, but the middle was already stained with blood. She tip-toed around a boulder and moved slightly higher up the cliffside for a better view. These people seemed worth watching. The tension between them was clearly visible, even from above. What was going on? She bent low into a spider crouch. If only she could get a little—

A flash of pain shot through her shoulder and her arm gave way beneath her. She tumbled down the cliff to a loud accompaniment of stones and landed with an audible crack at the feet of the strangers. The girl gave a hiss and clamped a hand around her dagger. The boy darted back with wide eyes. Ira whined softly and tried to roll over. Something in her shoulder was grinding again. The black-haired man stepped forward leisurely. A mindless fear enveloped her as he examined her. Slowly, calculatingly. He was very tall. Ira tried to smother a sob of pain.

Salmic

Newcomers came into the camp, they seemed to annoy the cleric very much. Salmic couldn't tell if it was directed at one of them specifically or if he hated new people. But Salmic paid no mind to the conversation, he instead took the time to walk around the edge of their camp. When he almost made a complete circle something kicked a rock down from higher up. Salmic saw something ragged making it's way around a boulder, he walked to see on the other side. At first he didn't see anything, then he saw a young girl in tattered rags that blended in. She was nearing the edge and about to fall, Salmic tried to speak a warning but it was too late. She fell infront of the strangers and the group was stunned that the little girl had just fallen in front of them. Salmic rushed to help, but stopped mid stride as one of the strangers examined her.
"Is her hurt?" Salmic says walking towards the two, Ira moved her shoulders. Salmic was sure he heard something grinding. "Her bones sound bad." he directed towards the cleric. Salmic saw that the elf's face display disappointment that someone got hurt, although he walked over as though he wanted to help.

Suke

Lyria wasn't herself, even just knowing her a short while I could sense that there was a problem and it had something to do with the man.

We had arrived and before them stood the elf I had spoken briefly to before. Unsure whether he recognized me, I did not know. The elf eyed them suspiciously.

"Tired of hiding behind trees, boy?" Suke was a little startled, he didn't answer, but felt annoyed. He glanced at Lyria she looked rather rigid. He face was a little pale and showed of struggling.

“We want to join the Adventurers.” She said her voice seemed steady. The elf looked at us unsure of what exactly what to do. I would have as well. Two kids and a mysterious man, and the way we were acting of course he was unsure.

"You and every stray on the way from here to the Nethershore." The elf said with a sort of snort.

"The Nethershore? Where's that?" I asked keeping myself in the shadows where I felt safe and in control. Whatever was happening to Lyria was not about to happen to me.

A flicker of movement caught my eye and the heat of the conversation left my ears as I looked up. A creature stood over them lurking in the shadows. He felt Lyria and the others start walking when suddenly the creature dropped landing straight before them.

~Astrian

A curious pack indeed, these Adventurers. They seemed suspicious, yet not suspicious enough to test us. Not enough to ask about magic, to challenge us to fight them, to poke around our pasts - sloppier than the last group I remembered approaching, many years before or later, but it came in handy.

I turned at the sound of something cracking - along with Lyria, Suke and the rest of the mortals - to find a little girl falling from, as it seemed, thin air. She didn't make a sound, but it was obvious something was hurting her. Without a proper thought, I stepped forward and kneeled down next to her.

She looked scared, and suppressing a cry, but didn't run nor make a sound. I smiled a little dark smile, focusing my eyes on hers - she was a little elf with no clue, but there was no doubt who she was. The one who woke me up. Who called me in. A kid Summoner. How much easier can this get? Unlike others I've met during my long lifetime, I preferred children to be my Summoners - they were naive and cute and easily persuaded, they trusted promises and never payed much attention to holes in their orders - there was hardly anything better than that.
"You'll be alright," I said silently, extending my hand and gesturing to put hers in mine. She hesitated for a moment, but eventually gave in. As our hands touched, I clutched hers so she doesn't pull it back - dark lines resembling tattoos, much like those covering my own skin, crept onto hers, shaping in forms she observed with widened eyes. Then I let her go, and carefully waved over her shoulder. When she moved it again, she made no grimace of pain anymore.

"I suppose you don't know who I am, do you?" She slowly shook her head, though she did seem somewhat unsure - I was rather sure she felt something too, and Summoners always got some sort of ability or knowledge as they made the very first contact with us. But what? I couldn't tell yet. "My name is Astrian. But I believe I can let you call me Rio for short."
***

Ira

Ira scrambled to her feet and backed away slightly, eyeing the swirling inky patterns on her skin in alarm and amazement.
"It won't hurt you," Astrian said silkily. He flashed a smile at Salmic, who eyed him suspiciously in return.
In fact, most of the Adventurers who were awake were shooting him distrustful looks. Ira noticed hands moving furtively to grasp weapons concealed under cloaks. She stole a glance back at Astrian. He appeared unfazed by the hostility — he looked ready to start bedding down. There was something familiar about him, but she was sure she had never seen him before. Everything was simply too confusing — she wished she could say something, but searching for words proved as useless as before. Besides, a strange, icy feeling was trickling slowly through her body, starting at her right hand's fingertips, where Rio had touched her.

Audna broke the tension by rolling over and groaning, her mail clattering against her axe and startling the group. Ira jumped back with a hiss of surprise. A blue spark leapt from her fingertips and bounced on the ground before disappearing. Most of the Adventurers were still regarding Audna with some amusement, but some, notably Astrian, were looking at her with narrowed eyes, though the sorcerer seemed more amused than suspicious. Ira flinched back into the shadows and darted away.
"Where did she go?" a voice asked.
"She's just an elf," another replied. "Leave her be. We should be getting to sleep in any case, not making trouble about newcomers."

In the darkness, Ira brushed her fingers over the strange, black markings all over her skin and calmed her breathing. She wasn't sure what Astrian had done to her, but the unpleasantly icy feeling was fading through her body and her shoulder felt marvelously smooth and supple. She scurried up a stunted tree, found a comfortably forked branch and drifted off into disquieted dreams while the last remaining voices faded and died until only the watchman was awake, and the breeze rustled the sparse leaves.

Lyria

Lyria was both delighted and terrified that the man had let them into the camp. She wouldn't forgive herself if Astrian did something to the Adventurers. As they walked into the camp, something rattled down the slope and landed in a pile at their feet. Lyria grabbed her dagger, already on edge as it was. It was a little elf girl - Ira. Well she'd found the mute again. Next to her, Astrian moved forwards and crouched in front of Ira. "You'll be alright," he told her in a quiet voice. He grasped her out-stretched hand and dark lines crept up her arm. My eyes widened and I stared at the couple crouched on the ground. Astrian passed his hand over her shoulder and when she moved it, there was nothing wrong with it.
He leaned forwards and asked her something, to which she shook her head. He whispered something again, seemingly oblivious of the suspicious looks that everyone was giving to him. The mute scrambled backwards and stared at her arm.
"It won't hurt you," Astrian told her.

Suddenly, the dwarf that the guard had pointed out earlier rolled over. Everyone turned to look at her but Lyria stayed frozen to the spot, staring at Astrian. The little elf girl had disappeared, leaving a blue spark of magic behind her. Astrian stood up and made his way over to a tree. Lyria followed him and grabbed his arm. She posted himself in front of him and tried not to look into his eyes so that he couldn't influence her.

"Gi- Give me my voice." she choked out, not liking the pleading tone to her voice. Astrian just smiled at her. The lump in her throat that was stopping her from talking melted slightly, but it was still there, threatening to come back at any moment. She took a few deep breaths and stared at Astrian. "What are you?" she rasped. "Your aura - and those spells and marks..."
"What does my aura look like?" he asked curiously, avoiding the question. She wanted to ask the question again, but the lump was obstructing her throat. "Black," she choked out. "Pure, evil black." Tears beaded at the corners of her eyes, but she refused to let them spill over. Astrian, though, seemed pleased by her reply and the lump melted a little. Her fear and anger didn't disappear.
"I've always wanted to know. Well, you answered my question, so I'll answer yours. I am what you'd probably call a demon."
"But why -" She coughed as her speech was cut off. Clawing at her throat, she glared at Astrian despite her fear. "Stop. Doing. This." She growled at Astrian's smiling face.
"Oh no, dearie. I can see that I'm going to have to keep a very close eye on you from now on. You seem so inclined to tell the Advennturers of my presence, when I clearly have other plans. Well, now. Go and sleep dearie. We're climbing mountain tomorrow." He turned and left, but the lump in her throat stayed - a constant reminder that he was watching her. She let out a low shriek of exasperation, then, seeing that apparently nothing could be done that day, she lay on the bare ground and pulled her cloak over her.

It took her a long time to fall asleep, despite her tiredness, and when she did, she was plagued by dreams of smiles appearing from the night and a dark presence that she could never quite see hovering close by.