nixstarmaven

[nixstarmaven]

DAY 1 I’m not entirely sure how long it's been since I fell from the heavens. Time moves strangely here. Sometimes it crawls, sometimes it stands still. But I wasn't alone—Withers was there with me, keeping me company in the old church. His presence was... unsettling at first, and his words often felt more like riddles than conversation. Still, in his own cryptic way, he was a companion.

Eventually, he grew quiet. Too quiet. I think even he got bored of our little sanctuary. He went to sleep—and stayed that way for centuries. Just silence after that. Endless, heavy silence.

That was until an adventurer arrived. A human, no less. His name was Roland.

He was handsome and quick with a joke, the kind of charm that gets under your skin before you even realize it. He told me Withers would be traveling with him and his companions, and then—with that same smile—suggested I come along too. He tried to impress me with a little show of strength. It was... cute. He didn’t know I was strong as well—stronger than I looked, certainly stronger than he expected.

I caught him staring. He tried to play it off, but I couldn’t resist teasing him.

“See something you like?” I asked, and watched the surprise flash across his face. He recovered quickly, but the moment lingered. I scolded him—playfully—and we both ended up laughing. Real laughter. The kind that echoes in your chest and feels warm in your bones.

I hadn't laughed like that in decades. I met Roland's companions not long after we left the church. The first was a wizard named Gale. He was… polite, but clearly less than thrilled about traveling with a fallen star. I can’t say I blame him. The elf, on the other hand, remained silent. He didn’t say much, but I sensed no hostility from him. Just quiet observation. We made our way to a Tiefling and druid sanctuary nestled in the woods. It was beautiful. There, we met a swordsman named Wyll. He has the heart of a hero and a soft spot for children. I watched him play and laugh with them, sword always close at hand but never threatening. There's a warmth to him. Soon after that's when I learned the truth about my companions. All three of them—Roland, Gale, and Wyll—carry something inside them. Tadpoles, parasites buried in their brains, threatening to turn them into mind flayers. They’re searching for a cure, a way to rid themselves of the corruption. Unfortunately my healing magic just isn't enough. Despite the danger hanging over us, there was joy too. Some Tiefling children took a liking to me and taught me a few coin tricks and tried to pick my pockets. Later, we met a human named Volo. A storyteller. His tales were fantastical and impossible to believe—but I listened all the same. Roland stayed by my side, and as the sun dipped below the horizon, we listened together. But even when Volo retired for the night, Roland and I didn’t stop talking.

We stayed up through the night, words flowing like water, laughter threading through our conversation like gold. There’s something in the way he speaks to me—like he sees me, not just what I am.

I haven’t felt this... awake in a long time, and so our journey began.

[nixstarmaven]

[nixstarmaven]

A freebie for Local 58 over at Gaiaonline

[nixstarmaven]

A freebie headshot for

Hiro Akemi

over at Gaiaonline