#northcrest

[justbgraphic]

JBG Summer Arts Academy - High School

We’re thrilled to unveil details about the JBG Summer Arts Academy – High School program, aimed at delivering transformative summer experiences for twenty high school students within the Downsview/North York area. This enriching summer initiative is made possible through the collaborative efforts of Northcrest Development, Humber College, Focus On Youth Toronto District School Board, and Toronto…

[nightingaletrash]

some lil Vaylin sketches

[kwillow]

A Cure for Barbarity

The grand old manor of Northcrest provided more luxurious accommodations than most in the rag-tag group of soldiers in the company of the Rising Dawn were accustomed to - if they ignored the peeling wallpaper, smell of mold and the manor's creeping, foul-tempered owner. Unfortunately, Alex couldn't do the latter. She needed to wrangle their prisoner-turned-annoyance wizard Hyden into doing any work at all, and that meant negotiating with his self-appointed apprentice and biggest fan, their host with the least, Baron Theopolis North. Now she had two egotistical, unstable mages to deal with, which was two more than she ever wanted.

She was common, he was the worst kind of arrogant old-blood nobility, she no-nonsense, he excessively prone to nonsense, she hated Hyden, he adored the man beyond all reason. It was inevitable that tensions between the rat and bat would boil over into conflict. True, Alex was a disciplined soldier who knew how to keep a cool head in times of stress, but the mad mage of Northcrest knew how to get under her skin... in more ways than one.

[skekdris]

Sketch of my OC/Species graciously brought to life by @aryeonos , The Arhulian. Needless to say, a huge, six-eyed, badger-centipede is both intimidating and hard to depict visually. Thanks to Ary again for assisting me with editing and proof reading. I don't think my story could have reached this level of polish if I did not have my love to bounce it off of. <3 Down below is a short story of them meeting the Amaranthine characters by @kwillow and @chocodile . They are in for a surprising house guest, that's for sure! Seems like a good way to get a feel for a character is to put them up against some "knowns" to see how the character would react in those circumstances. Acts as a good backdrop to flesh them out from there. As for right now, I'm still 'sculpting' out a lot of the Arhulian lore and worldbuilding. Initially the story was supposed to be with Hyden, Alex, and Theo, interacting with my Arhulian character 'Niadris' - but the way things were written out and flowed - it turned out to be Alex, Theo, and Ridge instead. I really wanted Hyden to meet them in this story, but then again, Hyden being deadass asleep while all the interesting stuff happens sounds like a pretty Hyden-y thing to do. Anyways, onto the story. It's somewhat of a long read, at ~7k Words. There's a lot of character interaction, so I hope stayed close to how the three would react in such a situation!

The Visitor

It was an afternoon in middle spring - which for this area of the continent meant that if the weather was good, temperatures would rise above freezing. The cool air with the humidity of melting snow seemed pleasantly mild compared to the long, bitter winters. In the study of a large manor on the outskirts of a town called Northcrest; an older, corpulent, Rabbit with a cracked gem embedded in his forehead was gripping the sides of his hair in frustration. "A person of my mind, MY intellect should have solved this weeks - no - months ago!" Hyden snarled to himself. 

"You sure you aren't just stalling for time to enjoy your little 'vacation' here?" A Bat leaning in the doorway chided. 

Hyden put on a despondent look. "I am trying, Ms. Solokov. Really, in earnest. The faster I can put an end to this disaster, the faster I can rebuild my oh-so woefully maligned reputation!" He said, crumpling up another paper of scribbled equations of arcane theory, tossing it into a waste basket. 

Alex wanted to retort, but it would just be another fight, another exchange of barbs like all the other times before. She rolled her eyes, then stood up to wander out of the office. "Hopefully Ridge gets back soon. I want someone I can actually talk to." She thought, returning to her room to take stock of her things.

Hours later, as the sun was setting - casting the hillsides in an amber glow, a brawny teal Shark bundled in a heavy coat returned. In both of his arms were large crates, as well as canvas bags hooked around his arms. The door was opened by a short, roundish fancy Rat. "Oh, do make sure you remove your filthy boots at the entryway, I don't want any melting slush being tracked all over my estate." They sneered in their shrill voice. 

"Yes, of course Theo. I wouldn't want to sully your pristine hardwood floors." Ridge responded dryly. Before the Rat could retort, the large Shark added. "Anyways, here's everything you had on your shopping list, these supplies should keep us stocked for a few weeks before another trip." Preemptively cutting off Theo again, Ridge blurted out: "Oh, and I trust 'ya have the perfect spot to put everything. I wouldn't want to scramble 'yer pantry, after all." 

Theo scowled at the bulky outsider, their constant pokes and attempts at wit got under his skin. He knows Ridge was trying to get out of putting away the groceries after a long walk - but he was also right. "Yes, of course. As the sole keeper of this venerable estate, it is my duty to tend to all it's functions, right down to it's inventory." Theo stated. There would have been more words to shoot back, but Theo's duty as a host kept him from slipping any further into banter with his guest.

After dropping off the groceries for Theo to tend to, Ridge went off to search for alex. The manor contained more rooms and floors than any “house” he had ever set foot in. It irritated Ridge to no end that the little rich Rat insisted that the doors remain closed at all times, so he had to peek into half a dozen rooms and three closets before finding the reading room his friend was residing in. The weary Shark entered, flopping down on a chair; glad to be able to finally sit down on something soft and cushy after his trek. Alex smiled, welcoming him. "Your shopping trip took a long time Ridge, I know he asked you to grab a lot. Is everything alright?" The Bat queried.

Ridge sighed. "Yea... well maybe. Just some things 'goin on." He added before continuing. "I know you don't get out much since you 'gotta keep an eye on them two, so I figured I'd go around town and pick up a little news for ya. See what's happening. There's been talk of some strange things going on. Livestock vanishing, hunting season has been looking a little sparse, and strange tracks out in the snow. People said they look like ski pole marks, I dunno what to make of it, I figured you uh - you have gotten out more than I have, so you'd have an idea."

Alex frowned. "Well, unless we are dealing with a roaming pack of wolves with skis, it's probably another one of those magic, twisted monsters that appeared ever since this whole catastrophe began." Alex sighed, rolling her eyes. "Yet another thing I ought to give that fat Rabbit a piece of my mind about." She said, her voice lowering, oozing with contempt. 

Ridge gave Alex a concerned look. "Yeah, well, if it was just that, that wouda have been one thing. But I saw those funny tracks near the path to the mansion... I don't have a good feeling about this."

Alex nodded. "I see. As much as I want to see that guiltless loaf ripped apart and eaten like cheap, stale bread by the very monsters he's created; we need him. I'll keep my eyes and ears out for anything strange." The following nights were uneasy for Alex. Each night, she'd take station and perch herself on one of the roofs accessible via a second story window, scanning the horizon for activity. Her large ears would catch whispers of something roaming in the distance, but she never could locate the source of the sound or what direction it was coming from. It always vanished just as she felt like she was homing in on her target.

She felt an uneasy tingle in her veins as her frustration mounted. If it was just wildlife, or even a monster, she surely should have spotted something by now. "Is anything really out there?" She thought to herself. After another uneventful evening watch, Alex swallowed her worries long enough to get some rest. She already has Hyden to keep watch over, she doesn't need whatever this is stealing her attention.

During the late evening; an hour past midnight, the manor was quiet, save for the crackle of the evening fireplace, as well as the stirring of but a single person; Theo. Between his duties as host, the sole caretaker for an entire servant-less manor, as well as his intense suspicion of everybody - save for his living historical idol Hyden - Theo was often the last person to go to bed, and the first to rise. This truncated sleep schedule, the bags under his eyes; they were merely the cost of business to keep everything in order. During the final rounds of his estate, a knock came from the door just as theo entered the foyer. The ears of the diminutive Rat twitched, his shoulders jerking at the sound of the knocking, which in the dead of night was as clear as his crystal wine glasses.

Tap tap tap. Another knock came. Theos' ears were not deceiving him. "Who in their right mind would visit at this godsforsaken hour?" Theo thought to themselves. This was abnormal. Tap tap tap. He rarely had visitors, ever. Let alone at a time like this. As he neared the door, he hesitated. The magical crystal embedded in his left hand felt strangely warm, and his hand was flush with blood flow. This was never a sensation he had experienced before - something was off. Tap tap tap. Before Theo could ponder any further, the fancy Rat scrunched his nose and bared a snarl as they heard more knocking pickaxing through his inner monologue. Whatever was going on, it was a terribly rude hour to be disturbing anybody, let alone him. Arming himself with some choice verbal barbs for his unwanted visitor, Theo opened the door.

As the door swung open, he was greeted by a silhouette of something massive - even taller than Hyden - though much of it's form was obscured by the evening darkness and their ebony fur, but what could be seen was not the body of a person. It was of some kind of beast. The fuzzy forelimbs of this creature ended in large, gently curved, off-white spikes, similar to that of a praying insect that Theo had only seen depicted in a historical encyclopedia. He looked up; his eyes met with the pairs it had on their badger-like head. The creature's triangular ears flicked, then it looked down at the Rat; the creature's three pairs of eyes were arranged above one right after the other - like the pips of the six side of a die. The eyes were pure black, save for the iris that shone like a purple ring in the light of the lantern. The words Theo had prepared found themselves lodged in his throat.

Aghast, the fancy Rat stumbled backwards, but his heel snagged on the edge of a floor rug, causing the Rat to land on his posterior, painfully pinching his tail. "Eek! M-monster... Gnnnk! Demon! Hng Aberration!" Theo exclaimed in a shrill voice as his rapid breathing caused him to fumble over his own words. He wanted to call out for help, to Hyden; even to the outsider, Alex. But he could not utter anything beyond sharp gasps as his breathing went to disarray.

The imposing creature looked at the panicked Rat and spoke to them. "Oh? Is that so? Would a monster choose knocking over divorcing your door from its frame?" The creature's voice was deep, coarse, and multitudinous as if three separate beings were speaking in unison. The creature remained in the doorway, peering at the quaking Rat, examining them and their actions closely. All six eyes were locked onto Theo, and the gaze made his fur stand on end. Theo already hated being stared at by just one pair of eyes. 

Theo sat on the floor, his whole body feeling flushed and trembling from his pounding heart. That thing had just spoken to him. In fluent dialect no less! Theo had heard of monsters before, but never an intelligent one - let alone one capable of speech. Something about this creature disturbed him to his core. His mind raced at kilometers a minute trying to process just what he was witnessing.

The creature's lips tensed as if it were about to speak; but then it stopped, before looking to its left. "It seems your sentry has been roused." The creature spoke aloud.

"Ess... Sentry?" Theo questioned. Then it clicked; it was referring to Alex. She always kept watch. How did they know about her? "Was this thing spying on us?" Theo exclaimed in his mind. The Rat felt dread bubbling up within him.

In one of the manor's guest rooms, Alex was sleeping. The tension of the last few nights had made deep sleep an impossibility. Thus, when the sound of Theo's raised voice came from downstairs, it was enough to wake her. She rubbed her eyes as she rose from the bed. "Was that Theo shout-" Her large ears flicked as they heard the sound of something unearthly and her fur stood on end. Without any further thought, her body reacted and she grabbed her hunting rifle, sprinting to the location of the sound. Fortunately, her eyes were fully adjusted for the night, and she made it to the foyer without a stumble despite her scramble. 

She sprang into the foyer, stopping herself with the guard rail of the grand staircase. Alex laid eyes on the huge beast in the doorway, it's six met with hers. Alex was prepared to shoot, but the violet irises of the beast were staring right at her the instant she rounded the corner into the foyer; as if it already knew she was going to be there. The sight made her freeze. "Theo! What in the hells is that!?" Alex exclaimed.

"A monster!" Theo shouted.

"A visitor." The creature stated, it's baritone, stentorian voice matching Theos' shouting in volume.

No longer half asleep with no obstructing walls to deaden the sound, Alex heard the creature's course, multitoned voice clearly. "Did that thing... just speak?" She said aloud.

Before either Theo or Alex could interject, the creature filling the doorway spoke to the two startled people in the foyer of the manor. "Yes. I did. Your language is relatively simple compared to my native tongue." The beast stated flatly. 

"Meh Ms. Solokov! It's egk dangerous! It's bee been spying on us!" Theo said, his chest still struggling to steady itself. 

Alex kept her rifle leveled at the beast in the doorway. She wasn't sure if Theo was speaking the truth, or was just in shock. "Okay, who and what the hell are you?" The Bat said, keeping her focus on the creature.

They replied. "I am Niadris. I am what your tongue would call... an Arhulian." 

Alex looked at Theo in bewilderment. Theo glanced back at the Bat. "Are-rule-lee-an?" Theo said aloud, sounding out the word by each syllable. "In all my eghk studies. I've never heard of such a species!" Theo said. The Rat's eyes glanced back to the creature in the door with fear and revulsion. "More like 'arhulian'." Theo muttered under his breath. One of the Arhulian's pairs of eyes shifted it's gaze back to the Rat.

"After knocking on your door and introducing myself, you suggest that I am a feral beast?" Niadris queried, in their deep, hellish voice causing the Rat's fur to stand on end as they swallowed nervously. The 'Arhulian' did not just speak their language, but had an advanced understanding of their grammatical structure. The implications of this rattled Theo as he shuffled back to get further away from this creature.

Alex took a deep breath as she maintained composure, interjecting before the situation escalated any further. "Alright, 'Niadris', why are you here? Theo said you were spying on us." She questioned, her rifle planted firmly in the direction of the unplanned visitor. The Arhulian was unfettered by her brandishing a gun right at them. Did it really not know what a gun was, or worse - did it not care?

"Spying? Given that your kind have responded to me with either fear or hostility on sight, I must carefully select when I reveal myself and to whom. It is no act of subterfuge. It is a necessity. Even now; you have your armament at-the-ready just from me knocking on your door and speaking to you. I wanted to speak to an individual, then have them inform the rest of my presence. Do you really imagine this going any better if I had been more bold in my approach? Depicting myself as non-threatening would be an order of magnitude harder with gunshot wounds." Niadris snorted, all three pairs flicking their gaze to Alex before one of them returned to Theo. The multiple pairs of eyes looking in different directions at the same time perturbed them both. 

"I eghk do agree that your appearance ehm elicits revuls-" A second pair of eyes locked onto him again. " -ghn a response." Theo said, catching himself. The Arhulian did not speak a word, yet the message was clear; it tore Theo up on the inside to even dare admit, but so far this 'visitor' has shown themselves to be quite capable of not letting verbal barbs go unnoticed.

Alex lowered her rifle, still keeping both hands on it. "I suppose that's... a pretty good point actually." She sighed. "But still, why are you here?"

Niadris spoke calmly. "We share a common enemy. Despite my imposing stature and prowess, physical might is all but meaningless against a foe that subsumes and absorbs all flesh that it touches." Alex's eyes widened as the creature continued explaining. "All my strength and ability are merely tools to avoid becoming a hearty meal in the wake of such a lurid foe." Both Theo and Alex became less defensive as Niadris continued. "...It is a terrible entity that digests without need or moderation. It is a blight upon this world."

Alex and Theo knowingly looked at each other. 

"Yeah. We call it the Shadow." Alex said. Her mind feeling a slight amount of guilt over her hostility, her rifle lowered completely. 

"Hrm Yes. In that regard we do have a commonality..." Theo relented, stopping before adding too much.

The fancy Rat composed himself enough to stand back up, and brush himself off. "So, that brings us to the matter at hand. How did you find out about our mission? I don't think anyone would have snrk told you about Rising Dawn."

The Arhulian stared with no reaction. "Rising Dawn? Is that a title?" They paused before adding: "No, I sensed that this place had an anomalous aura, so I studied you from afar before approaching." 

Theo raised an eyebrow. "What is this urgh 'aura' you speak of? What do you mean by sense?" He asked, his voice dripping in incredulity.

"My kind - Arhulians - have a 7th sense if you will. We can see the 'aura' of living things." Niadris explained. "This place caught my attention because I observed a strange aura much further than I would normally be able to; I was at the crooked sign above the red roofed well when the aura became detectable to me. My normal range is about three-fifths of that."

Theo and Alex raised both their eyebrows. "That's half a kilometer!" They both exclaimed in their minds.

"As I approached and could resolve things in detail, I noticed five distinct auras." Niadris raised their scythe-like forelimb and pointed in various directions. "Two crimson auras; one that luminesces brightly." Niadris pointed to Theo before continuing. "Crimson auras? Is it referring to our catalyst stones?" Theo thought to himself as the creature explained. The Rat was still skeptical, as him being a witch was public knowledge after all. As the Arhulian continued narrating, they mentioned: "The second crimson aura seems faint - as if it were hibernating or asleep." Theo's face twitched in shock as the creature pointed to the direction of the room Hyden was currently residing in - an interior room with no visibility from the outside, nevermind the fact Hyden's presence was supposed to be hidden. Niadris, still speaking: "Then there are two mundane auras - one of them with a notable a tendency to perch from a defensive vantage point." The Arhulian stated, pointing their bone-tipped forelimb to Alex.

"Is that how he snuck past me? He knew I was on watch and avoided me?" Alex pondered. 

"Then lastly, the fifth aura. A writhing, squirming mass of discordant signals, that seethe and roil like water itself harboring anger, yet cannot move freely. As if it were sealed away." Niadris pointed in the direction of where the shadow sample was.

Alex and Theo were at a loss for words. There was no way this thing could have such intricate knowledge of Theo's manor without ever having set "foot" inside. 

Before either could speak up, the Arhulian spoke again. "Another one of your kind has roused. It is the other mundane aura, and a voluminous one at that. They are to the northeast, and heading in this direction. Could you inform them of my presence before another outburst happens?" Niadris asked with a dry tone.

Alex was stunned in disbelief. They must be talking about Ridge!

Theo butted into the conversation: "I'm not sure what kind of feh fool you take me for, but I highly doubt you really have such a fantastical ability. Really, you can 'see' us through solid walls?" Theo's mind was a whirlpool of doubt and skepticism. The creature's claims seemed too extraordinary to be true. Theo was not sure how, but it has to be some sort of ruse! In the depths of the Rat's mind, the idea of this creature being able to observe him constantly, undetected was a soul-chilling prospect that fundamentally violated his privacy. It has to be a ruse.

"Yes." Niadris bluntly responded.

"Hmph Well, it was a cunning deception, but I'll have you know, our guest is residing in the southwest portion of my manor. And even if they were where you claimed to be, you aren't even looking in that direction..." Theo scoffed. As he was monologuing, the Bat's large ears flicked as she picked up the sounds of footsteps... coming from the northeast. 

Niadris did not care to let the Rat finish before speaking, their baritone, multitudinous voice overpowering the Rats' in the conversation. "You have previously admitted to having no information about my species, yet you are presuming knowledge of my capabilities?" 

Theo was incensed at being interrupted. "How dar-"

Ridge entered the foyer, scratching his back with a pillow in the other hand. "Hey, uh, is there a barbershop trio here, who are you talki-" The large Shark froze in place as his eyes met with the strange, badger-like creature filling the doorway. "Ah! uh! What in the goddamn...?!" Ridge dropped his pillow and adopted a boxing pose as best they could as their limbs still felt heavy from their evening nap. The Arhulian's eyes devoted a pair to focus on each individual in the foyer.

"Calm down, Ridge! This thing isn't... being dangerous. It wanted to talk to us." Alex blurted out with as much composure as she could muster. 

Theo's face was flush as he exclaimed. "What are you doing there? Your room is on the other side of the manor!" The Rat's entire body tingled as any shred of doubt he could summon was scalded away by the unfolding situation. 

The muscular teal Shark stammered, as so much was happening all at once for him. "Uh, well, I wandered around and dozed off in one of the book rooms. I got up because it was cold, then I heard this guy... thing?" Ridge said, glancing at Niadris, reluctantly dropping their boxing pose and grabbing their pillow.

"Well, at the very least, Niadris isn't lying to us." Alex said exasperated. Though she too, had her doubts about this 'visitor', she did not appreciate Theo antagonizing them openly. Theo glared at her. So far the Rat has shown hospitality to the outsider, but this jab from her really rubbed him the wrong way. In the uncomfortable silence of the foyer that was now getting cold due to the door still being open, Alex's mind sparked with an idea. "Wait a minute. Your special 'sense' is omnidirectional? And it works through stuff?" The Bat thought aloud, raising her voice as her ideas congealed before her. "You mentioned exactly where our sample of the Shadow was earlier too... Theo! They can detect the Shadow long before any of us can see it coming! Don't you realize how insanely useful that could be?"

The fancy Rat stammered as they choked on the shreds of their ego. "Hhhhnngh I'll... take that into consideration... Eugh if we are going to board this creature. I just hope it's civilized enough to behave as a guest." Theo sneered.

The Arhulian made a grin, showing off their sharp, carnivorous fangs to the Rat, as well as the deep plum hue of their interior flesh. "Considering your kind have reacted negatively to my being - often with violence - my exposure to 'civilization' has been quite limited. If my lack of knowledge bothers you so greatly, perhaps you could take some time to elucidate on the matter of guest-hood~" Niadris smirked. 

"Grrrr... Perhaps I will." Theo scoffed. “But I hope you know, we do not have the culinary erk inventory for something of your dietary needs.” Niadris nodded. “I am more than capable of procuring my own food, so you will not have to worry about my nutrition. In fact, I had eaten a deer a few days prior. I should be satiated for several days at least.” The fancy Rat raised an eyebrow. “You have, egh ‘eaten’ ’a’ deer? I think your grammar is a touch underdeveloped. Don’t you mean you caught a deer? hmph What did you do? Swallow it whole?” Theo sarcastically remarked. “I had to break off those meddlesome antlers, but yes, I devoured it whole.” The Arhulian responded nonchalantly. The foyer was stunned. “A-an entire deer?” Alex said incredulously. Theo’s face contorted with disgust. The thought of a creature this size ingesting prey whole - and possibly alive - summoned dreadful imagery in his mind. “So… that would uh... ‘splain the missing animals without a trace. Heh, we thought that was the Shadow ‘fer a moment there.” Ridge chuckled nervously. Theo did not relish being in the room with this lurid creature any longer than he had to. He turned up his scrunched nose before walking off. He was ready for this evening to end. “As I was stating; ehm your first lesson on etiquette will be on closing the door. You're letting all the warm air escape!" Theo spoke as he slinked to the other room, pulling out a cigarette and a lighter from his suit pocket, needing something to take the edge off. As he puffed on his cigarette, the tingling in his hand faded.

Niadris scuttled forward into the foyer, bowing their head to ensure they cleared the door. As the Arhulian entered, their full figure and size was apparent to Alex, Ridge, and a distant Theo peeking from a doorway. Though superficially resembling a badger from the neck up, from the neck down; the Arhulian had a long, Myriapodic form with six pairs of pointed, centipede-like legs. The limbs started off fleshy, covered in fur, then transitioned to softly curved limb spikes that were off-white in color, like bone or horn after the third joint. The Arhulian's body was long and arranged like that of a large, furry millipede or caterpillar, albeit with no segments. Despite their body arrangement, the Arhulian was mammalian - bone clad in flesh - yet clearly centipede-like in their silhouette and locomotion. Niadris closed the door with a light slap of their long, tapered, heavy tail.

"Holy shit. That's... not somethin' you see everyday." A tired Ridge said, not entirely sure if they were still dreaming or not. 

Alex looked at Niadris and saw that they had the strap of what appeared to be some kind of homemade rucksack across their chest as their only article of clothing. "Yeah, I was about to ask about the lack of clothes... but I guess there's nothing in your size." She remarked lightheartedly, trying to break the tension in the air.

"No. There is not. My metabolism can vary to maintain body heat relative to the environment, so clothes would be unnecessary. In addition, they would both limit my range of movement, and be unlikely to hold up to the kind of abuses my hide experiences." Niadris responded earnestly.

The teal Shark spoke up once there was a gap in the conversation. "So, uh... How do I say this? I don't see nothin' down there, and yet your voice is deeper than an Ironfrost coal mine. What are ya? A guy or girl?" The Shark asked. 

Alex's face went wide with shock before scrunching back down into a glare at the Shark. "Ridge! That's terribly rude to just go and ask someone a thing like that!"

Niadris interjected. "There is no need to chide him. It is a perfectly legitimate question. After all, that den keeper did state there appears to be no documentation whatsoever of my kind in their knowledge base - and given the encounters I have had - neither do the rest of your kind for that matter. To answer the first question, my reproductive organs are housed internally to protect them from the rigors of life. Likewise, the answer to the latter question is that your binary terms are insufficient to describe me. Arhulians possess both the ability to fertilize a mate, and sire children. We are hermaphroditic." Niadris explained. "Your language is... limited in expressing my form, so gender neutral terms will be adequate."

Ridge's face was flush with embarrassment as he realized how personal and blunt his question was. "So yeah, on that... if 'yer talkin' about mates; doesn't that mean there are more of 'you' out there?" The shark said sheepishly, trying to adjust the course of the conversation away from his prying faux pas. He clutched his borrowed pillow tightly. Talking to this thing still seemed like a surreal dream to him.

The Arhulian was silent for several seconds. Up until now, they had been immediate to respond to questions. Alex and Ridge glanced at each other. "My kind are not native to this land. In addition, I have traveled a substantial distance. It is highly unlikely you will encounter another Arhulian." Niadris stated, with a briskness to their voice. 

Alex looked down at Ridge from the second floor and gave Ridge a gesture to "Cut it out." Ridge gave a small nod. Alex sighed. "Well, it's safe to say your arrival has been quite a surprise. I think we all should get some rest and continue your introduction properly tomorrow." The Bat said, waving her arm for Ridge to come over to her.

Ridge added: "Oh, uh, I don't think we have any beds that'd fit you. 'Fer now you'll have to stay in the reading room I was in. Theo's got a big cushy rug in there. The fire is dyin' down, but I'm sure it's better than out there, heh.``

Niadris gave an acknowledging nod while their triangular ears perked up. They then pointed in the direction of the room Ridge came from with their uppermost arms, that had regular - albeit large, clawed - hands instead of a fang-shaped spike like the rest of their limbs. The shark raised an eyebrow. 

"Hey, uh, how do ya know what room I came from?" Ridge asked, confused. 

Alex sighed and rolled her eyes. "Yeah... I'll explain that in a minute, Ridge. I think Niadris here wants some space, they need a moment to relax after the 'welcome' we gave them." She said, physically pushing on the Shark to usher them out of the foyer.

It was true that they wanted to be left alone. Niadris had little experience dealing with people. They felt exhausted having to keep their composure on total lockdown to appear as non-threatening as possible. Niadris was eager to find this "reading room" Ridge had mentioned. Spatially, they knew exactly where it was based on the Shark's location in their mindsphere. On the other hand, their mindsphere did not consider walls, thus the Arhulian had to take a few moments to figure out how to navigate the interior of the manor to the reading room. 

Despite their size and bulk, the sound of the Arhulian's centipede-like legs scuttling across the floor were much quieter than one would anticipate. Niadris made it a point to take light steps, and maneuver on rugs and carpets to minimize sound. Not out of etiquette, but as a means to hone their stealth. Never before Niadris had such an opportunity to interact and maneuver around people in close proximity in a safe environment.

The Arhulian noted a single aura tailing him; it was the bright, crimson one of Theo. Not desiring further drama, Niadris elected to ignore the Rat's presence as they made their way to the "reading room" Ridge had spoken of. The comforts of fire and shelter were secondary to the Arhulian; what had piqued their interest was the very title of the room itself. Alex and Ridge were returning to their rooms, trying to process the evening's events. "They were... quite the visitor." Ridge said, his tone unsure. Alex looked down at the floor as she walked. "Yeah. Something about them makes my fur stand on end. It's like a creeping feeling going up my back." The tall Shark looked down at his troubled friend. "Are... are ya afraid? They give me the creeps somethin' fierce too." The Bat exhaled. " I... I don't know Ridge. I had my gun pointed right at their head, but they were unfazed. Niadris seemed to know what guns are, yet they treated me like an afterthought. They don't seem dumb either; they gave Theo a good run for their money in a debate. So either they got a damn good poker face, or... this 'Arhulian' might be even tougher than it looks." Alex trailed on, the confidence in her voice gone now that she was in private with the one person here she could truly consider her friend. "...I'm a soldier. A hunter. I've had scraps with big game, I've fought people bigger than me. Even gave ol' lard chops a bloody face." Alex said, referencing her brawl with Hyden. "But that creature, it isn't like anything my training could have prepared me for. I don't fancy getting into a fight with them." Ridge scratched his fin. "So, was letting 'em in really a good idea?" "Personally, I think their alibi passed the sniff test. They could have attacked any time and hit us when we couldn't see it coming. If they wanted to make a move, I'm pretty sure they wouldn't be playing mind games like a certain someone I know. We have that going for us at least." Alex paused. "Even so, I feel like they aren't telling us everything." Ridge nodded. As they reached their bedrooms, the two parted ways, then closed the doors to their rooms.

In the other portion of the manor, the Arhulian arrived at the reading room; their three pairs of eyes widened in delight. Wall to wall shelves lined with books! Niadris had very limited experience with books from their fleeting encounters - or spoils - from outsiders. Most of those books contained relatively uninteresting data like logs or journals, or completely fictitious tales. Here however, had an assortment of books on a large variety of subjects and organized quite neatly. The Arhulian removed their handcrafted backpack and pulled something out. It was a thick leather-bound book. It was plainly covered, with the sole word "Dictionary" for the title. 

Niadris' chest seemed to squirm and writhe all on its own, followed by the faintest of popping and cracking of stiff joints. With a sound of flesh being pulled taught, numerous pairs of spindly arms came slinking out from in between the creature's ribs on the sides of their chest! These arms were very thin; near-skeletal in appearance. The hands on them were clawless, and consisted of three vaguely conical digits - two fingers, one thumb. These limbs were much slower and deliberate in their movements, and the leathery skin they had was a very deep plum color, almost black. In their travels, Niadris had quickly learned that the pages of books often were too delicate for their stronger, clawed, "normal" arms.

After tenderly putting away their dictionary, the creature's three pairs of eyes darted all across the room, scanning the spines of each book for topics of interest. The low-light conditions of the dying fire was more than enough for the Arhulian to discern the titles. Then, the Arhulian scuttled across the perimeter of the room, picking out a dozen books before returning to the center of the reading room by the smoldering fireplace. The huge, badger-centipede-like being then rested their long form on the floor, their body and abdomen landing on the carpet with a plompf. Niadris laid out three books with the covers open, while each pair of eyes scanned it's own book.

Theo had been quietly observing the beast from a hidden spot in another room through a peephole; and totally-not-a-hole that he had not gotten around to patching yet. The Rat monitored them carefully, shuddering at the sight of the numerous lanky arms protruding from the Arhulian's chest, and those arms touching his books. Yet, his attention was stolen when he witnessed this creature reading three books at a time! Was this creature really that capable of absorbing knowledge? Then, another thought crept into his mind. "Wait, who taught them to read in the first place?" As his mind contemplated, Theo's eyes widened when the creature looked up, and peered straight at him. Eye to eye contact, as if the wall parting them was not even there. Niadris gestured "come over here" with one of their their large, scythe-like forelimbs that were mounted below their exterior arms. Theo ducked down from the footstool he was standing on - nearly falling off in the process - then he covered his face in embarrassment. It seemed like there really was no hiding from this damned creature.

Letting out a sigh, Theo came to the reading room. The warm tingling sensation in his left hand returned. Was his catalyst stone reacting to this creature? The fancy Rat took slow, cautious steps forward. "It is remarkable. A wealth of knowledge at my fingertips." Niadris spoke aloud. They continued. "For so many years, I had to learn matters in direct fashion. I knew your kind stored information on physical documents, but I never could have imagined this place being lined to the ceiling with this treasure." When Theo was up close to Niadris, and composed enough to listen clearly, the Arhulians stentorian voice seemed to be composed of multiple octaves speaking in perfect unison. The scholarly Rat recalled the Arhulians' comment on their native language... “If the multiple octaves can be modulated separately, the grammar of this species could be phenomenally intricate!” However, Theo had more pressing things on his mind than appealing to his inner linguist, and set aside that tangent in his mind for later. The voice had strong projection, and the beast seemed to be making a concerted effort to whisper - which was speaking volume to Theo’s delicate ears.

Theo initially had some words for the Arhulian prepared, but the "treasure" comment gave him pause. The Rat stood there in silence for several minutes as the Arhulian continued reading what appeared to be volumes from an encyclopedia series, watching their thin ribcage arms turn the pages of each book. The hands were slow, deliberate, and delicate. Near by was a cloth that seemed to have been borrowed to wipe the oils from the creature's hands before interacting with his books. The rat let out a swift, small exhale. This monster treated his things better than some people he's hosted. Theo then spoke up. "At least someone else besides His Grace sees my library for what it is, and not eguh ornamentation. Though, I am surprised you would have any academic interest at all." Theo's words trailed on. Niadris shot a glance at him. "However, I presume it is not a completely irrational observation; a thing like you just can't sceh scuttle into a library. Which begs the question at hand, just who would teach you to read?"

The Arhulian paused, before giving Theo their full attention. "I... am not sure." They responded.

"What." Theo said, the word seemingly having spilled out of his mouth in disbelief. "What do you mean you don't know? How ek! How is that even a facsimile of an answer!? Didn't your moth-er well, parents teach you?" Theo said, his voice raised in frustration.  

Niadris explained. "I do not know how I came to this knowledge. My earliest memories were of me being carried in my brood lord's abdomen. In my cradle of flesh, I would see and hear the world as they would. They would make demonstrations for me to observe as I nursed inside them. Their past memories would come to me in my dreams." As the Arhulian narrated, Theo shuddered at the prospect of being entombed alive and conscious in writhing, moist, undulating flesh from all sides. The fancy Rat took a deep breath and persisted in wading through the graphic descriptions from the beast - he wanted answers for the trouble he had gone through this evening. 

Theo waited for an opening in the creature's explanation to jump in. "Your kind- urk Arhulians, have hereditary memory? If so, how is it you do not know where your knowledge came from? Perhaps a past ancestor?" Theo questioned, only half seriously.

The Arhulian shook its head in disappointment. "If only the answer was that simple. It is far more complex, and I am uncertain of the details. I will tell you what I know." Theo rubbed his brow, adjusted his glasses, and nodded. "When I dream, I see fragments of memories; but these memories are abnormal. I see... a settlement, a school, memories of a life not only not that of my ancestors, but not of my kind entirely... and our biology cannot interbreed. That I do know." 

Theo gestured for the creature to get on with it. It was unconscionably late.

"I do have one possible hypothesis. There is another way our kind can exchange memories and experience. A ritual called Arhel-vāl." The strange word was accentuated by the Arhulian's multitudinous voice. "In your tongue, the closest word to it and what it means is amalgamation. Two mature specimens of our kind, typically one larger than their partner, subsumes the other into their flesh..." Theo's stomach churned at the vexing, visceral, possibly even vulgar imagery the Arhulian had verbally illustrated to him. "...but unlike ordinary cannibalism, the subsumed being is absorbed alive, mind intact, and two, become one." Niadris described, sparing no detail, much to Theo's revulsion.

The fancy Rat's tail quaked as his analytical mind began to put together a picture his sensibilities did not want to see. "You're hnnngh suggesting you have Esss assimilated a person?" He said, his mind racing as fast as his heart. "Oh heavens! Is that why it is here? To consume our minds and seize our knowledge?!" Theo's mind screamed.

The Arhulian peered down at the Rat. "Your luminant aura is flaring and seething. Do you find this knowledge troubling?" Niadris asked. Theo looked at the beast glaring down at him, his eyes wide with terror. "I see. You imagine me as your would-be predator." The beast let out a hushed, hellish chuckle with their deep, multitudinous voice. "Worry not, Theo. The ritual of Arhel-vāl is strictly between my kind; the 'donor' in question must be of the utmost certainty in their union - lest their knowledge be torn apart in a maelstrom of panic and fear. Your kind were never even considered a possibility due to the mental fortitude required to uphold the ritual. The being that amalgamated with me - whomever they were - must have been exceptional in their conviction."

The trembling Theo swallowed. "Well, erf I suppose that is good to know. Hrf Well, if you'll excuse me, egk I need to be getting some rest.” He stammered. “It is dreadfully late. And do take care to return my books exactly as you have found them. hgn It was painstaking to order them all as I have." With an abnormal spring in their step, the fancy Rat wheeled around and left the reading room with haste. 

"By the gods, what is that thing? How does it exist? And why did it show up to MY manor, of all places?" Theo cogitated. Their attempt to seek out answers seemed to have only made the question mark hovering over this mysterious creature even fatter. Theo paced around the manor, and passed by the room Hyden was sleeping in; him blissfully unaware of all that had transpired this evening. Theo raised his gloved hand, as if to knock on the door, but he stopped himself. "I can't disturb His Grace during his rest... but I must inform him of this aberrant thing as soon as I can." 

Theo, anxious and jittering, sat down on a cushioned chair outside of Hyden's room, fumbling with a pack of cigarettes. Alone with his thoughts his mind began to wander; all trains of thought leading back to that enigmatic creature. A particular moment from the Arhulian’s behavior stood out to Theo. The way they retreated to the library, and found refuge in books where they were not judged for their appearance or the mannerisms that others found odd... Theo shivered as he felt what was quite possibly a degree of familiarity with this creature. He did not want to fancy such feelings. The Rat shook their head and calmed their mind enough for exhaustion to take its toll; his head bobbed down, and the unlit cigarette in his hand fell onto the floor beside him as he lapsed into sleep right in his chair. The heavyset Rabbit snoozing under their blanket on the other side of the door was the only person in the manor to have had quality sleep that evening.

[commanderauri-art]

This one was really super cute and a lot of fun to write, especially towards the end! Going to definitely try to keep this energy up! I’ll go back and edit it all later.

Elizabeth rolled over for the umpteenth time in her bed before kicking back the covers with a small huff. A quick glance at the clock by her bedside revealed it to be just after two in the morning. She desperately wanted to follow that siren call of sleep but her mind wouldn’t shut off. And her cramps had come back sometime within the last few hours. She’d already taken the painkillers Charlotte left her and they dulled the aches just enough to take the edge off. Elizabeth hugged the hot water bladder she’d stuffed under her covers prior to falling asleep to her chest, wishing its warmth would take away the aches to no avail.

Sighing quietly to herself, she pushed the bladder to the side before finally climbing out of bed. She’d poke around in the pantry for a late night treat then maybe hide away in the library reading till morning. Forgoing her slippers and throwing a thin robe over her shift, Elizabeth eased her bedroom door open to peer out into the hallway and wait. She strained her ears for any sort of sound to indicate a guard patrol or servant carrying out the baron’s orders and heard nothing on this floor. Mildly pleased she wouldn’t be bumping into anyone, Elizabeth grabbed a candlestick resting on a nearby table top in the hallway, lit the wick and began tiptoeing her way down towards the pantry and kitchen.

As she neared another landing on her trek downwards, Elizabeth froze as soft bits of conversation filtered down the corridor which branched out away from the landing through a T junction. It was a pair of guards, their tones light and bored sounding. One had been complaining to his comrade about the increase in patrols. The new faction that had been rising up in the ranks of infamy dubbed themselves the Graven had proven to be more than just a nuisance lately. Even the baron had taken an interest in them and their leader, Orion. They hadn’t started really pestering the regular city folk. Yet.

“Let’s just ‘ope the Council cobbles togetha’ something to get these piss poor sods off the streets and outta our way,” one guard had been saying, his voice rising in volume. His friend quickly shushed him harshly.

“I’m sure Northcrest’s got somethin’ in mind for ‘em,” his friend replied. “Hells, just throw his cousin here at ‘em. Woman’s got a saucy pair ‘o tits on ‘er. If old Thaddeus weren’t interested in ‘er, I’d try ‘er mahself.” The dull sound of metal on metal clinked down the hall to Elizabeth’s ears. It sounded like the first Watchman knocked his hand against his fellow’s chest plating.

“Don’ let the baron hear you talkin’ ‘bout her like that. And, ‘sides, Riddic, you ain’t got no chance with ‘er. She’s clearly outta your league.”

“Hey, can’t blame a man for tryin’.” The pair let out a low chortle before resuming their patrol. Elizabeth kept a hand cupped around her candle’s flame to hide the light and waited until she couldn’t hear their footsteps any longer before pressing on. Tried as she might to repress the shudder that ran down her spine, their words echoed in her mind on the way down.

“You certainly can blame a man for trying, thank you very much,” Elizabeth muttered under her breath. She thanked her lucky stars for not running into anyone else as she reached the kitchen at last, hurrying down the last set of stairs. Not wanting to risk turning the electric lights on, Elizabeth kept her candlestick close as she perused the kitchen’s contents. Seemed they’d gotten in a new shipment overnight by the looks of it and the invoice that had been left atop the center counterpiece. She picked up the stained paper and held it up to her face, eyes squinting as she tried reading the letters in the dim light when a noise startled her.

A yelp had gathered up in her throat but died almost instantly as she jerked back from the counter and let go of the candlestick. She braced herself for the sound of the thing clanging loudly against the floor along with an admonishment for sneaking around but neither came.

“I believe you dropped this,” came a familiar, dry, male voice. A hand clad in darkness held out her candlestick, the flame still lit and flickering happily. Elizabeth’s breath left her in a rush as she snatched it from the Master Thief’s fingers. Already she could make out the telltale signs of a smile hidden under his face mask. It was all the more confirmed after he removed the covering, letting it rest below his chin. “What’re you doing here? Bit late for dinner, isn’t it?” Garrett arched a brow at her. That odd bluish glow from his one eye still unnerved her but she was starting to grow accustomed to it. He still hadn’t revealed much in the way in he’d received it. What little he had told her, it hadn’t been a willing choice.

“Could ask you the same thing, Thief,” Elizabeth countered in a mock haughty tone before sticking her tongue out at him.

Garrett’s shoulders shook slightly as he laughed. “Your lady in waiting, Charlotte? She tipped me off about the incoming shipment of food and said to help myself to a few of the extra items she had ordered. Nothing anyone would miss,” the thief supplied as he plucked a red apple out of a crate beside him. He gently squeezed the fruit, testing its ripeness before rubbing it on his cowl and tucking it away in his pack.

“Can’t have you go hungry or anyone else for that matter,” Elizabeth replied as she returned her attention to the invoice she had been studying before Garrett had stepped out of thin air. The rogue stood with his arms crossed and a hip braced against the counter as he waited for her answer. Elizabeth ignored his questioning look while running the pad of her index finger down the parchment, examining the items listed one by one before stopping on the piece she’d been searching for. “Ah, perfect! They actually got them in this time,” she exclaimed with a grin.

“Got what?” Garrett asked, leaning in to peruse the list for himself but Elizabeth plucked it up from the counter and away from his gaze as she set down her candlestick beside a crate of oranges.

“Just wait. They should be in a carton inside the refrigerator. And… Ah, Garrett? Could you be a dear and check the pantry for a small pouch of white sugar, please? That’ll go just perfect with what I’ve in mind.”

The thief shot her another look before pushing off from the counter when she shooed him away and walked toward the pantry for the requested item.

“Still not going to tell me what it is you’re looking for?” Elizabeth heard him call over to her from within the pantry as she searched the fridge.

“Nope,” came her short reply as she scooped up the green mesh carton. As Garrett emerged from the other side of the kitchen, Elizabeth stood at the counter with her prize in hand. She held the reddish pink fruits up for him to see. “Strawberries. Haven’t had them in ages! They’ve gotten to be very expensive in some parts but Lottie must’ve pulled a few strings to get these picked up. One of the servants had set these aside specifically for me and I’ve had such a sweet tooth lately!” Elizabeth strode over to run the fruits under a little water from the sink faucet then set the carton down on a towel that rested between the two of them.

“The sugar, please? We won’t need all of that. Just pour a bit into the bowl here and voilá!” The grain’s sweet scent wafted up into the air once she poured a little out. Elizabeth quickly sealed up the pouch and set it aside before picking a large strawberry up from its fellows, holding it out for Garrett to take. The thief gingerly held the fruit between his thumb and forefinger after taking it from her and sniffed it.

“Have you never had one before?” she asked, given his reaction. Garrett frowned and shook his head.

“Can’t say that I have,” he replied as he examined the fruit. “Most markets I’ve… frequented don’t usually have exotic fruits in store and if they do, it’s a rare thing.”

“Well, I’m happy to be sharing this first with you.” Elizabeth flashed him a broad grin, cramps and discomfort temporarily forgotten while she waited for her shadow to take his first bite. Garrett rolled his eyes before considering the fruit once more and bit off the end, letting it sit on his tongue a moment. When she saw him nodding his approval, Elizabeth‘s grin widened.

“So, you like it?” she prodded, doing her best to keep her voice down as much as possible. She didn’t want to risk the guards hearing her, especially if they were the pair she’d eavesdropped on her way down.

“I don’t dislike it,” was the thief’s noncommittal answer before he popped the rest of the berry into his mouth. Elizabeth let out an unladylike snort at that. He liked it, he just didn’t want to admit it, she reasoned. Garrett nodded his chin at the little bowl on the counter. “What’s the sugar for? Berry’s already sweet enough as it is.”

“Be that as it may but some people like an extra sweetness in their lives,” Elizabeth countered as she dipped her own strawberry into the bowl, coating the bottom half entirely in sugar.

“Hm. Maybe that’s why I’ve enjoyed being around you.” Garrett gave her a quick wink right after he plucked another strawberry from the carton. He said it so casually that it took Elizabeth a second to process the rogue’s words and, once they registered, her face flushed something fierce. She started to stammer as her own words weren’t coming out just right and it took nearly a full minute before she managed to regain her composure. Even then, it was desperately hanging on by a thread.

Elizabeth glanced briefly up at the rogue, having abandoned her sugar coated fruit, and placed both hands over the bottom half of her face. Garrett’s mouth was twitching at the corners as he fought a valiant war against the grin that threatened to appear just then. “You okay?” he asked. While the smile wasn’t on his face, it was very plainly in his tone.

“Yes,” she answered though they both knew she was lying. Garrett, thankfully, hadn’t called her on it, yet. “Yes. I-Yes. I’m fine.”

“Good because if you don’t eat that, I will.” He gestured with one finger at the forgotten berry. Elizabeth glared at him then snatched it away before the thief could try anything. She bit off the coated half, taking a moment to enjoy the sugary sweetness, before realizing a bit of sugar had gotten stuck on the side of her mouth. One of her hands had already risen up to wipe it away when Garrett gently took hold of her wrist, halting the motion.

“Allow me,” he softly said.

Elizabeth didn’t dare breathe as he closed the gap between them, releasing her wrist to cup the back of her head. The hand he’d held a moment before pressed up against his chest but she didn’t push him away. Garrett paused just for a second or two, their noses barely grazing each other. While he’d gone to kiss the corner of her mouth where the sugar lay, Elizabeth tilted her head to the side just enough for her lips to meet his. Her hand curled around the buckles on his chest piece to pull him closer as she felt his own fingers tangle themselves up in her hair.

Her heart hammered hard against her breast bone but it was a distant feeling as she was solely aware of the man before her. The musky scent of his leather oil. The light coating of rain that had been slowly drying on his cloak. For someone who was all hard edges and roughness, Garrett had a soft side to him that he rarely ever displayed. This was a gift and was going to be a memory Elizabeth would treasure in the years to come. Then the burning sensation in her lungs begged for attention. She needed air but she needed Garrett more.

Before she broke the kiss in its entirety, she nipped the rogue’s bottom lip enough for him to get that dark, hungry look in his eyes that made her toes curl against the cold tile and gave her that fluttering in her stomach. Their breath mingled together as they each took a moment, much as they both wouldn’t have minded continuing.

“I think it was very good that I came down here tonight,” she said, her voice huskier than she had anticipated. In her other hand, the one not laying against Garrett’s chest where she could feel his racing heart, dropped the other half of the berry into her mouth. She then licked the juice away from the tips of her fingers, noting how the thief’s eyes fell briefly down on her tongue before flicking back up to meet her gaze.

There was that half grin of his. The one just spoke of danger and a very good night in bed.

“Yes, it was,” Garrett replied as he gathered her up in his arms, pressing another kiss to her juice flecked lips.

[chocodile]

Another set of Amaranthine setting speedpaints! These focus on the world as it exists in the Present era... you can see a previous set focusing on the Past era here. Hopefully, this should give the present-era stuff and characters (including Alex, Theo, The Rising Dawn, older greying Ambroys, and depowered very unhappy prisoner Hyden) a bit more context. See under the cut for info on each of these settings.

(Just for fun: The first speedpaint took around 1 hr 20 mins, second one took 45 mins, third one also took 1 hr 20 mins, fourth one took 2 hrs 15 mins.)

Post-Fall Northern Tundra (City-State of Ironfrost, Year 1912)

Over the 300 years following the magical apocalypse that destroyed the old kingdoms, the climate grew colder each year. It is only the heat from geothermal vents and Ironfrost's endless coal-powered furnaces that keep the city and its residents from freezing solid.

Densely built, grimy, and chaotic, Ironfrost residents have become accustomed to the coal exhaust and industrial fumes they breathe on a daily basis. It is, after all, a small price to pay for a warm bed every night and safety from the bandits and monsters that prowl the icy wastes outside the city. Besides, there is always a chance that with hard work and a lot of luck, they could someday join the city's upper caste, moving from the slums below to the massive blocky penthouse mansions that loom over the city, far above the smog and smoke.

Also a small price to pay is the mandatory military conscription that every Ironfrost resident must take part in. A success during one's military service is a way to social climb, after all, and is the only option for outsiders to gain citizenship. This is the path that one particular orphan child by the name of Alex Sokolov took when she wandered in from the frozen wastes with nothing but her dead father's antique hunting rifle.

Post-Fall Northern Tundra (Secret Rising Dawn Research Outpost, Year 1920)

Many years later, Alex and her partner Ridge ride a stolen Ironfrost snowmobile across the northern wastes. The tundra up here is even more inhospitable than region around Ironfrost, with thick, year-round ice pack covering the ground, and winter temperatures so brutally cold that they can kill a person in minutes. Much of the continent's climate looks like this these days.

But the two outlaws are here on a mission. They are members of a group known as The Rising Dawn, and they are looking for a way to stop one particular monster: The Shadow.

Their sights are set on a distant hillside, where a research outpost has been built into a cave system that runs beneath the valley. Perhaps this year they will finally find the lead they have spent so many years looking for.

Post-Fall Southern Rim (Village of Northcrest, 1921)

Dozens of small villages dot the southern and eastern edges of the continent--the only place where the winters are not (yet) as murderous and brutal as the they are further north. The chilly town of Northcrest is one such settlement. Once a thriving (if remote) village, the town's vigor has been fading for many years. The loss of the town witch, Baroness North, hit it especially hard. Rumor has it that her eccentric hermit son has done a poor job filling her shoes, and with crops suffering and winters getting worse with each passing year, many have left to seek their fortunes elsewhere (mainly Ironfrost).

Still, though, eccentric or not, witches and wizards (and the obscure magical knowledge and skills they possess) are in exceedingly short supply these days. Alex and Ridge, now accompanied by a strange new ally-slash-prisoner they unearthed last fall at the Rising Dawn research base, have a job they need magic for. The group set out for Northcrest as soon as the spring thawed the tundra enough to permit travel.

Post-Fall Northern Tundra? (The City of the Sun, 1921)

Some whisper of a fantastical walled city nestled deep in the frozen tundras of the north. According to the legends, The City of the Sun was founded by the only living survivor of the Old Kingdoms, a supposed Celestial child of the gods known as Ambroys De Soleil. His divine blessing--according to His devout followers--keep His city at balmy tropical temperatures even as the world around it freezes.

More rational minds, of course, do not believe these tall tales. Most likely, De Soleil is simply some sort of charlatan sorcerer pulling a con on the gullible sheep that follow him. Surely this city--if it exists at all--is not so grand. Few, after all, have ever seen it--De Soleil does not allow just anyone within his city's high marble walls.

But followers of the Sun Lord are occasionally found outside those hallowed walls, building shrines to their lord and leaving His mark at taverns, inns, and trading posts along the roads. Most sensible folk view them as a delusional cult.

However, The Rising Dawn's captive says there may be something to the Sun Lord's rumors after all. In fact, he thinks it may be a good idea to try to arrange a meeting with him....

[wren-0]

Immure • Yandere! Wendigo x Fem! Reader ｡❅

❅｡One

“Beauty has arrived on the mountain”

❅｡ 

     The NorthCrest Mountains were especially beautiful in the winter. The stream and lakes would frost over, creating mirrors of ice, and the entire mountain would be coated in a layer of cold powder. But not many would ever see these wonders, due to the treacherous terrain. Or so they say that’s the reason. Either way, enjoying the sights from afar was enough, at least for you.

    The bus engine gave a low hum as it drove along the snow covered road. A dust of red coated your face from the frost nipping at your skin. You’d known it was cold in the mountains, but you hadn’t anticipated the severity. After all, it had been years since you last visited. It was bittersweet re-visiting the mountains, considering you were only coming back in light of your grandmother’s passing. You were coming for the funeral next week. She had raised you along with your mother when your father left, becoming more like a second mom. The times she would hold your hand, say it was all alright… those were the days you were happiest. The joy of seeing her was enough. Enough to trek through even blizzards. Anything to hear her voice. 

     Her passing wasn’t unexpected, but to say it didn’t affect you would be a lie. But you were always one to ignore things like that. To go numb with the pain, to not even acknowledge it. It wasn’t because you were detached, no, it was more of a survival instinct. A way to keep on moving. A way to live. 

     This “survival instinct” was something you were engaging in right now, letting your eyes rest from the blinding snow outside and clearing your mind, drifting off. Rides like these were places where many people would say that they can think. But that was just the problem: you’d think. Think about school, the stress of it, your Grandmother’s passing, the bitter cold… Just resting is better. You lost track of time you stayed in that daze. 

     A sharp halt pulled you out of your thoughts. You didn’t have to open your eyes to know that this was where the drive ended. Packing up your things, you maneuvered out of your seat. Your legs ached and the grogginess from dozing off hadn’t left you, but you ignored your body’s cries and whines and got off the bus. 

     The air was even cooler outside. You could see your fast paced breaths as you realized how ill-prepared you truly were, worn out from carrying your luggage (you swore it wasn’t that much). The walk wasn’t far at all, though, thank goodness. Step after step you closed the distance between you and your destination. The house was the same as when you left, even down to the scent of the pine trees. You stepped through the thick and fluffy sheet of snow onto the porch. 

     You gave the door two knocks and waited, the weight from your bags tugged and pulled on the skin of your hands. Finally giving in, you put them down to peek through one of the front windows. You saw no one. You listened intently for any kind of movement inside, but when nothing but the wind accompanied your ears you sighed. Returning to the door you tried the knob of the door. It opened. “What a waste of time…”

     You were greeted with the familiar sight of your grandmother’s- well mother’s home. You took your bags inside, sitting them by the door and closing it behind you. After taking your shoes and coat off, you called for your mother, to no reply. As you walked through the house you found answers on a note on the kitchen table, it read: 

    ‘ Hello sweetie! I’m so happy you’ve come home! I’ve run to town to grab some things, I will be home very soon! There is food in the fridge if you’re hungry. ‘

-Mom

     It seems that you were alone, then. Leaning against the kitchen counter you thought about your next move. Smiling fondly, you ran upstairs to your old room. It felt good to be back, nostalgic even. But the reminder of why you were back came rushing back, silencing that fluttery feeling instantly. You plopped down on your bed. The warm, soft sheets felt so good after bearing the cold. You lay there for a moment. But even if it was only a moment for you, you opened your eyes to pitch black darkness. 

     Damn… I fell asleep.

     You grabbed your phone out of your pocket to check the time, the light of it nearly blinding you. After the initial shock you read the small numbers: 11:57 pm. How long did you sleep? Couldn’t have been that long, considering how exhausted you still felt. Setting your phone on the bedside table, you got up quietly. Was your mom even awake? If not, should you even bother getting up? Your eyes drifted to your now coated-with-ice window, something it wasn’t before. You stood still to listen. The wind was harsh tonight, and the house rattled in response. There were no other sounds but the storm outside. A serene scene.

     You took the lack of sound beside the storm outside as a sign your mother wasn’t awake. After a mental debate, you decided to quietly go downstairs to grab your bags and maybe a drink.. Mom shouldn’t wake up, right? You were always good at sneaking out. You crept down the stairs without making a sound. 

     That’s when you heard it: a familiar voice. It called for you, its cadence twinged with longing. It was your Grandmother’s voice. You hadn’t heard it in so long, but still recognized it instantly. Maybe you were hallucinating; you could never be sure. But it felt like it was fading, leaving you. You took faster but still silent steps towards it. You couldn’t help it. It came closer again and then faded, like a cruel game of cat and mouse. Soon you approached the door that kept the storm out. Were you willing to open it? Was all of your better judgment completely buried under your grief? 

     Maybe it was desperation, hope, or pent up emotions you couldn’t name, but you turned the knob and opened the door to be faced with the harsh pitch black scenery of a winter’s night. The cold snow hit your face causing you to shiver. The voice called again, and oh was it enticing. You wanted to run, wanted to see her face again, tell her everything you hadn’t. But the snow held you painfully back. 

      You couldn’t see anything, so you let the voice guide you. It was freezing, the tips of your body turning to ice. Turning back wasn’t an option anymore, no. You couldn’t if you wanted to. You didn’t know where you were, only that she was close. So close. You wanted to call out, but your lips were sealed shut. Your eyes felt weak and the snow felt like needles harshly pricking your skin with every hit, the wind deafening with its howl.

      All your senses slowly shut the winter out, laying you to rest in a bed of snow. The voice was gone now. Your frosted over eyelids closed at last. Would you wake up in bed? Would she be there by your side again? Was this all just a dream?

    ‘  Stop thinking. Stop thinking. Just sleep. ‘

      ━─━────༺༻────━─━

Word Count: 1,184

Authors Notes, 

From Penny (2centminstrel): Glub Glub. I hope you know Wendigo lore. It'll explain a lot of things… wren you gotta write something.

From Wren (W_r_3_n): ty for reading chapter 1 updates come weekly at least!!

Nov. 20, 2022

This is originally written for wattpad so please check that out at this link - https://www.wattpad.com/1287938547-immure-%E2%80%A2-yandere-wendigo-x-fem-reader-%EF%BD%A1%E2%9D%85-%E2%9D%85%EF%BD%A1one

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Reside Nation Leisure has unveiled plans for a brand new 50,000-seat stadium in north Toronto to host high world music acts. Rogers Stadium, to be constructed on a former runway, will open in June 2025 on former Downsview Airport lands earlier slated to host an enormous movie studio advanced. Reside Nation is partnering with Northcrest Developments after it shelved plans for the movie studio on…

[lovingnighttyphoon]

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[nightingaletrash]

Orion’s out here thinking he’s a Silco bitch you aren’t even a Marcus

[kwillow]

Does Theo even have a game plan to stave off poverty? Or is he just going to eventually end up dead and destitute in a gutter somewhere? 😩

Sure, he has a plan. It is, um… elegant in its simplicity, shall we say.

Listen, Theo is an intelligent guy if we measure by fact recall and ability to learn new skills, but he’s not much of a planner, more of a single-minded, self-destructive, do-or-die-er.

Thankfully for him, he’s not so poor he’s about to starve. Before his mother died, they were getting by. They were poor for the circles they traveled in - political players and dignitaries, where poverty is defined by the inability to maintain a large household staff instead of not knowing where your next meal is going to come from.

Theo has enough money stashed away to maintain his current hermit’s lifestyle, wherein his only real splurge is eating something other than canned food once every few months. So you don’t need to worry about him (for a while, anyway).

In theory, he could shore up his finances by doing what he is supposed to as Northcrest’s resident mage instead of going crazy alone in his house. Collecting fees or tax proceeds in exchange for using magic to help the public is how his family historically earned their keep, but he hasn’t exactly been holding up his end of the bargain. Many townspeople think he died at some point, so they’ve stopped bothering to set aside funds for work he’s not doing for reasons of apparent laziness, madness or decomposition. That's a little bit of money he could get his hands on, but he's too busy chasing his pipe-dream/nightmare instead.

Even if he did end up running out of money completely, he wouldn’t end up a corpse in a gutter anyway. He’d sooner die than let anyone take his manor from him. So he’s end up a corpse in a decaying old mansion instead! Much more dignified.

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Thief Lock and Key ch 2

“Where’d you disappear off to?” Erin asked in a searching tone as he entered the clock tower at long last. Looking up, Garrett could see the girl had braced her hip against the banister of the top landing peering down at him with a half smile on her face. Her hood was pushed away from her head and pooled around the back of her neck revealing dark brown close cropped hair. The dark circles under her eyes stood out against her light skin. Like him, she didn’t go out during the day much if at all. The younger thief arched her eyebrows at him in a silent question as Garrett slid the door closed behind him.

“Saw an opportunity to make a quick bit of coin and took it,” Garrett replied simply. Erin merely rolled her eyes as he made his way up the stairs, his footfalls soft against the aging wood.

“Riiiiiight,” the girl replied, drawing out the syllable as she walked over toward the open window their carrier birds flew in and out from. “You saw an opportunity to fuck with the Watch during the day and took it.”

“You could say that,” Garrett allowed as he neared a display case and opened it up to gently slot a unique and beautiful looking diamond ring into one of the red velvet slots before securing the case once more. “Any word from Basso?”

“All right. Keep your secrets.” Erin stuck her tongue out at him before leaning against the open window sill, rifling through the various little boxes no bigger than her pinky. “Ah, yup. He’s got another client job. Ol’ Ritchie Chambers claiming some dusty tome of his got stolen by the Baron. Says to come to him for more details. Another here’s asking for an update on the Baron Dreyfus job you took up a few days ago and this one… Oh, this one I can handle.” Erin held the little box between her thumb and forefinger, rocking it back and forth.

“And which one is that?” Garrett went to snatch the box from her hand but Erin moved it quickly out of reach. He had to admit Erin was getting faster and more adept since she’d tagged along with him. After a moment’s pause, Erin chucked the box underhanded to him. Garrett plucked it out of the air and glanced at the tiny scrawl written on its surface.

“Lady Marimond is in the middle of moving her belongings to her third husband’s house past Riverside. Client’s asking a pretty penny if we, more namely I, steal a silver hand mirror encrusted with supposedly very precious diamonds along with a pair of earrings. They also added they’ll pay extra for any additional piece added to the collection,” Erin explained as she hopped off the window sill just as another small bird flew in. She landed in the spot Erin had just vacated and bounced away, a slip of paper wrapped around one leg.

“Jenivere, I was beginning to wonder where you’d been off to,” Garrett remarked in a soft voice. The bird hopped into his waiting palm and held relatively still as he unfurled the message she bore.

“Who’s it from?” Erin asked, attempting to peer around the taller thief’s shoulders.

“Basso. Says the Baron’s increased the number of guards around the manor. This has to be the third time in the last four months.”

“It’s probably due to some distant relative he’s got living with him now,” Erin said with a shrug as she helped herself to Garrett’s stash of extra supplies. “Don’t worry. I’ll pay you back. And yeah. Some cousin or niece or whoever moved in a few months back. Where’ve you been, Garrett? Living under a rock?”

“I don’t normally keep up to date on who’s living with Baron Northcrest. Most of it’s idle gossip anyway. You know better than believe most of what you hear.”

“You’re no fun.” Erin nabbed a bundle of arrows and stuffed them into her quiver. “Rumors going around say she’s some sort of weird eccentric her parents pawned off on the Baron. That she’s completely unmarriable with a hunch back and a bad eye. They say she’s also got a sizable dowry but no man back home would take her.”

“Why bring her here then?” Garrett asked after letting Jenivere go. The plucky bird flew up into the rafters to preen her feathers and settle in for a quick nap.

“Nobody knows. Ever since her carriage arrived, nobody’s been able to spot hide nor hair of her. Baron’s keeping her under lock and key since she moved in. The intrigue’s piqued a few mens’ interest but those who’ve gone in for one reason or another to speak with Baron Northcrest still haven’t spotted her. I’m half tempted to scale the walls myself.” She waved off the pointed look Garrett shot her way dismissively as she finished pilfering his supply stash. “I know that look. I won’t. I won’t. All right.” Erin patted her clothes down before pulling her hood back over her head. “I’ll be paying Lady Marimond a short visit. Have fun speaking to Ritchie without me.” Without so much as backwards glance back, Erin vaulted up the window sill and began to scale down the tower’s wall quick as a lizard.

“I don’t know about that girl sometimes though the Baron’s mysterious guest sounds interesting,” the Master Thief said to himself. “Should see what Basso has to say about her. Not much in this city gets by without him hearing about it.” After restocking his quiver from his steadily dwindling supply, Garrett left through the same window Erin had exited and made his way over to the rooftops to the Crippled Burrick.

—-

“Who you askin’ about? The Baron’s cousin?” Basso looked up from the ink stained ledger on his desk at the thief standing before him. Basso’s office was situated directly below the tavern. Conversation drifted dully down to the pair as Basso scribbled something onto the paper, swearing quietly as the quill spilled black ink over the page. “These damned quills. Ever since they switched to a new supplier, I swear, they haven't been the same since!” He continued his mutterrings as he tore the page free and began to copy over his work onto a fresh page. “I’m puttin’ in a complaint the next time I need to stock up. They’re shit!”

“The girl, Basso,” Garrett said, annoyance leaking into his voice. Raucous laughter could suddenly be heard through the ceiling just then, drawing the thief’s attention upwards briefly before settling back on the portly man. His clothes were in desperate need of a wash.

“Right, yeah. Yeah.” Basso finally pulled his attention away from his scribbling. “I don’t know all of what to tell ya, Garrett. Like Erin’s said, girl’s been a recluse since comin’ here. Don’t know if it’s due to the Baron or a quirk of her’s. Some of my boys think they caught sight of her leaving the carriage when it first pulled in here but apart from that, nada. Why the sudden interest anyway?”

“Call it idle curiosity. Anyway, you’ll both have your answer by this week’s end.” Basso arched a furry eyebrow at him askance. “Ritchie Chambers claims a book of his somehow made its way into the Baron’s possession. He’s asked that I return it to its rightful owner.”

“Oh, that old sodden pisspot.” Basso laughed and shook his head. “Better make sure it’s actually something of his this time, yeah? That man would lose his head if it wasn’t attached. When you stop by his shop, tell him still owes twenty gold pieces the last time he was here. This ain’t a damned charity.”

“I’ll let him know you said hi,” Garrett replied, offering up a rare smile before tugging his face mask into place and slipped out the back.

“What? That’s not what I said, Garrett! Garrett? Damn him to hell,” Basso called out but the thief had already vanished.

—-

“I don’t know why you and that mead head Basso never believe a word I say! I’m telling you the Baron stepped into my shop three weeks ago asking about some dusty tome or another, wandered about when I wasn’t looking and left without buying anything. I entered my private back room and the novel was gone! I know for a damned fact that arse head stole it. He stole it!” The short, stocky man with oversized glasses sliding further down his beak shaped nose flapped his hands animatedly as he paced back and forth in front of Garrett. The light affixed to the ceiling in Ritchie’s back office flickered twice before steadying itself.

One look at the desk crammed into one side revealed crumple papers, invoices and newspapers littering its surface and spilled onto the carpet which didn’t look much better. There were ink blots everywhere and it appeared to have not been cleaned in some time. A hutch hugged another wall and, through the slits, one could make out piles of books hidden inside.

“I take it reporting the stolen book to the Watch didn’t conjure up any favors?” the thief asked in a dry tone as his gaze tracked his new client. Given how short the man was, Garrett could clearly see a bald spot that had been poorly combed over in an attempt to hide it on the back of Ritchie’s head.

“No, they didn’t. They just laughed me out of the building,” Ritchie Chambers replied indignantly as he halted his pacing for a moment to readjust his suspenders. “‘What does the Baron have need of a book on flowers, anyway?’” he continued in a mocking voice, supposedly imitating one guard he’d spoken to. “Flowers have many medicinal properties and the Baron was specifically asking about a certain strain of poppies. I admitted I did have a book like the one he was searching for but, I will repeat, it was not on sale! That means jack all to Baron Northcrest.” Chambers let out a huff and placed both hands on his hips, tapping his shoe in a rhythmnless beat.

“Do you at least have a book similar to it so I know what I’m looking for? I’ve heard the Baron’s library is vast and going in blind won’t do me any good. The less time I spend there, the sooner you get your book back.”

Chambers darted towards the hutch and yanked open its doors, the hinges squeaking loudly in protest. He rummaged furiously around until he located a tome that looked similar to the one that had been stolen. He then shoved it into Garrett’s hands and stepped back, crossing his arms over his chest.

The thief glanced at the man before peering down at the novel. He ran a light thumb over its surface, tracing a part of its title in the process. It had clearly aged some, one corner was moth eaten and the pages were slowly turning yellow. “‘Dr. Russeou’s Guide to Everything Medicinal?” Garrett read the title out loud, giving Chambers another look. The stocky man just shrugged.

“It’ll look just like that minus the words,” he explained. “A large golden poppy is emblazoned on the front and an eye on the back. It’s about this thick, maybe a few pages less, and the fabric is a blood red color.”

“And you’re positive that’s the one Baron Northcrest stole,” Garrett said, sounding rather skeptical as he handed the book back. Ritchie took it and cradled it to his chest, frowning at the thief.

“Yes, I’m sure. I know there was a mix up in the past but that tome is mine. I’ve reached out to other blackhands but most either passed me by despite the price or laughed in my face then tried to rob me blind. Master Thief, if you’re able to retrieve my stolen property, I’ll double my asking price.”

“I have been meaning to upgrade my bow. Add an additional fifty gold coins and you’ll have yourself a deal.”

“Done,” Ritchie replied quickly. “When do you think you’ll have it back by?”

“Week’s end. I’ll need to search the manor. Extra guards will be patrolling the grounds. They’ll be covering my usual entry points.”

“All right then. I’ll await your return, Thief. Hells, if you can take back any other books from that bastard, please do. He deserves his comeuppance.”

“Politics doesn’t really concern me as long as I get paid,” Garrett said over his shoulder as he left the bookkeeper behind. He only had a few days to monitor the patrols and search for openings in the guard. This was going to prove an interesting challenge.

—-

The week had proven to be rather uneventful. After recovering from her first day of sword play, Elizabeth fell flat on her bed. The day before, she’d slipped out of the manor, keeping mostly to Stonemarket, and had stepped into the Burrick for food and ale. The place had proven to be full of gossip, most of them involving the affluents in their gilded houses and the remaining bits centering around her. She’d done her best to keep from laughing at their ridiculous theories and imaginings as she ate her meal and returned to the manor shortly after with her shopping clutched in hand. There’d still been no word on the Master Thief and she’d been tempted to ask the tavern keeper if he’d heard anything but she didn’t want to stir up any suspicion.

How do you search for someone who doesn’t want to be seen? Even asking around the manor’s guards hadn’t revealed anything of note. The man was a ghost, aided by the spirits. Bestowed upon were skills one was given if they made a deal with the devil. It was hard to keep from rolling her eyes at their tall tales. From the brief interaction she’d had with him, he was merely a man. A skilled one at that but just a man. Rolling over onto her back made her wince. Her arms felt leaden. The trek upstairs had been difficult and she knew she had to wash off but that meant leaving behind her comfy mattress.

Lottie was away downstairs looking after dinner business. Apparently the Baron was entertaining yet another batch of guests and she was to remain out of sight. Fine with her, Elizabeth detested formal dinners. Having to wear a corsets for an ungodly amount of time and taking only tiny bites as was seemly for a woman while the men tore into their meat like savages. Then came the polite conversation. How was she doing? What hobbies did she partake in? How good was her sewing? Did she have a husband yet? Why not? Oh, child, one does not marry for love. Love matches are a rare thing! One marries for wealth and riches and influence. Elizabeth let out a snort and heaved herself up and off the bed, hobbling into the bathroom.

Turning the water to its hottest settings, she poured a bit of scented oil and salts to ease her sore muscles and waited until the tub finally filled to the brim. She hissed as she entered the steaming water and sank in until it rose up to her chin with her hair floating around her like kelp. It didn’t take long for her to hear the Baron’s guests arrive and their voices echoed up the landing though she couldn’t make out their words. It didn’t interest her much as she let the warm water work its magic.

She must’ve dozed off for sometime as rolling thunder jerked her awake. Elizabeth floundered briefly and winced at the crick in her neck. How long had she been asleep? The candle on the sink counter had only melted down to just over the halfway point and the water was still somewhat warm. Her shoulders and the top of her head were not. After dunking her hair and washing off quickly, Elizabeth pulled the plug and wrapped herself up in a soft towel then, once dry enough, changed into a robe before making for her room and into her night clothes. The oils left her skin soft and a floral scent clung to her damp hair as she loosely braided it and threw it over one shoulder. A flash of lightning illuminated her bedroom momentarily prompting her to pull the curtains close and then slip into her nightgown.

After hanging her towel and bathrobe to dry, Elizabeth peeked out her door. Inane conversation could be heard faintly. Clearly, their guests were still here. Sleep was still far from her reach and she hardly felt like drawing. What she really wanted to do was get down to the library but how…

The servants’ stairway! Grinning a little at the idea, Elizabeth left her room quietly as she could then padded down to the far end of the hall when she pulled open a small two foot wide door. The staircase inside was just as narrow but it would take her directly down towards the library level and, thus, into sanctuary. After nearly slipping twice and smacking her shin at least once, she finally made it to her destination. Lights were still on here but were spaced out far enough to allow deep shadows into their gaps. The hearth was cold but it seemed someone had placed in a few new logs since she was last here. After getting some kindling to catch flame and tossing it onto the wood, she very quickly had a hot, roaring fire.

Settling into her favorite old recliner with a tall back and plush cushions, Elizabeth picked up the book she’d last been reading and let out a content sigh. Nobody would bother her here. The guards were aware that if she were away from her room, they’d find her on this level or out in the gardens, weather permitting. While she mourned the loss of a hot cup of tea, Elizabeth did not fancy leaving her spot unless absolutely necessary. Plus, she’d just gotten to a very steamy scene in her novel. Nothing could pull her attention away unless it was an act from the gods. Or a thief.

She couldn’t quite tell what it was exactly that drew her attention from the pages but it was enough to make her glance up in time to see a shadow move to the side no more than fifty feet away from her. Her movements stilled immediately and she didn’t dare breathe as she waited. There it was again! Now she was certain someone was down here with her. Whether it was her shadow from the week prior or someone else entirely, that remained to be seen. The fire had since died down to nothing more than burning embers, allowing the darkness to cloak her in its embrace. Elizabeth was quietly grateful for slipping into a dark gown and foregoing slippers despite her feet getting cold on the way down.

She waited for the shadow to dart out of sight before moving from her seat. While she didn’t have her dagger, there was a fire poker at her disposal which she very slowly eased out away from its fellows. Elizabeth stepped back around her chair, makeshift weapon in hand and waited for movement to show her where this shadow was. She had her answer a few short seconds later. A bolt of lightning flashed, blanketing the room in white light through the long, floor to ceiling windows. In that split second, Elizabeth could make a dark cloaked figure perusing the shelves. It had to be her shadow, she was sure of it! But what in the heavens was he doing here?

A job. He has to be carrying out some sort of job. Why else would he be here? Certainly not looking for you, some plain looking woman from Riverside.

Steeling herself, Elizabeth figured this would be the best chance she’d get at maybe an answer or two. And perhaps seeing the fire poker in her hands would show him she was most certainly a threat. Or so she hoped. Elizabeth really only had a day’s worth of proper training. This man here had a lifetime of experience working against her but perhaps it’d still give him enough of a pause. Elizabeth walked on the balls of her feet, stepping softly, carefully across the old wooden floors. She’d walked amongst these shelves ever since she first arrived. She knew where most of the creaky planks were. To be safe, though, she kept to the rugs as much as possible as she closed in on her quarry. Whenever thunder cracked the sky, Elizabeth used it to her advantage to get even closer until she was maybe two meters away from him.

The thief was standing before the dying fire, the dark red-orange glow catching on his armor. He was looking for something, muttering to himself in the low rumble of a voice.

“Dark red cover. Poppy on the front and an eye on… the… back. Well, what do we have here?” That matter of fact statement almost made Elizabeth lose her nerve and drop the poker until she realized her shadow wasn’t speaking to her. He was talking to a… book? Her head cocked to the side as he lifted the novel up from the mantelpiece and examined it carefully, his long fingers stretching across the cover and traced the image carved into the front. “It seems I owe Mr. Chambers an apology. Northcrest really did have it here. Go figure.”

Something in his tone very obviously indicated he was about to slip out the same way he came in. She was going to lose her chance! Before she could change her mind, Elizabeth took in a breath to prepare herself and leaned forward to poke the Master Thief in the small of his back. Even through the cloak and leather armor, he could definitely feel it. She watched him carefully lift up his arms, the pilfered tome still held in hand.

“You know, it’s not just anyone who can sneak up on me,” he remarked, glancing at her over one shoulder. The one eye she could see was studying her rather closely. It was almost like he could see right through her. Resisting the urge to wrap her arms over her chest to word off his piercing gaze, Elizabeth fixed him with a look.

“Yes, well, that’s what I get spending most of my life invisible. Now. Put the book down. You and I are going to have a little chat.” She tried to sound intimidating but she could hear much past the sound of blood rushing through her ears.

“While you hold a poker to my back?” The thief huffed out a laugh. “I don’t think so.” Elizabeth opened her mouth to shoot off a retort when he dropped the book and suddenly wrapped his cloak around the sharp end of her makeshift weapon. She then felt it yanked hard out from her hands. The metal cut into her palms and knicked her left hand in the process. Before she knew it, the poker had been turned around on her. Their roles now reversed, Elizabeth very, very reluctantly held her arms up and gave the Master Thief a withering glare that would have sent a weaker man running. “You really need to work on your stance. Footwork can certainly save you in a fight,” he quipped. Elizabeth’s eyes narrowed a fraction. It was like he was enjoying this and it infuriated her all the more.

“Noted,” she replied through gritted teeth. Damn him! There goes that failed plan.

“So, is this the famed cousin of the Baron Northcrest that I’ve heard so much about? Hm.” His head tilted a little to the side as he peered a little closer. “And the plain Jane from Glimmer Lane. Who would’ve guessed you two were the same.”

“You don’t get points for your shitty rhyme.”

“Your words wound me.” The phrase was said with a bit of dramatic flare but the fire poker never wavered from her body.

“Give me the poker and I’ll show you how much that can really wound you,” Elizabeth bit out. The smile she gave him bore more of a threat than kindness.

“It's a wonder you haven’t yet found a husband, isn’t it? With that tongue of yours, men should be falling over themselves after you.”

“Oh, for fuck’s sake. Not you too. Just because you got me away from those halfwits last week does not mean you get a say in my damned love life!” Elizabeth nearly shouted as she took a step forward in anger, her arms down at her sides. Her fists were clenched tightly and shaking just a little. “I’m not some sow to be put on display for everyone and their damned mother. Let alone some blasted thief!”

The thief in question appeared to wince in mock sympathy. “Touched a nerve there, didn’t I? Sorry, sweetheart.”

“Fuck your apology, Thief.” Elizabeth let out an explosive sigh and rested her hands on her hips before giving him yet another signature glare. “Keep aiming that damned thing at me and I will scream,” she threatened.

“Doubtful. You would’ve done so the moment you first saw me.” His eyes crinkled ever so slightly above that half mask. He was very much enjoying getting a rise out of her.

“You wanna bet?” She bent at the waist just so and peered up at him with a mirthless smile.

“I only ever bet on things I know I'll win.” That tone he used was deliciously dangerous and sent a thrill down Elizabeth’s spine. Her lips parted as she angled her face slightly away from him when the lights shut off, covering the entire manor in darkness. The sound of the generator powering down reverberated throughout the lower levels before being overwhelmed by a woman’s scream of fright followed by male cursing.

“What did you do?” Elizabeth hissed, whipping around to face the thief. Frankly, she was surprised he still remained standing there.

“That wasn’t me. The storm must’ve blown out the breaker.”

“I don-“

“Miss? Miss Elizabeth! Are you down here?” A guard’s heavy footsteps could be heard as he shouted near one of the landings across the library. Elizabeth went to respond when she was pulled rather harshly backward by her shadow and closer to her reading chair. She felt her dress being bunched tightly in his hand while the other angled the poker enough that she could feel the end prod her side.

“Get rid of him,” the rogue growled out in a warning tone. At the moment, it hit home with Elizabeth on just how threatening this man could truly be. For the first time, she felt fearful of him. If truly pressed, he would kill her.

“I-I’m fine, Charlie!” Elizabeth finally called out after clearing her throat twice. “Just a little startled is all. W-what happened?”

“Storm, miss. Musta blown out a breaker or somethin’. We’ve got someone workin’ on it now!”

She could hardly hear the rogue breathing behind her. Had he not been holding onto her dress, she would’ve suspected he’d disappeared.

“Perfect, thank you!”

“Will you be all right down here in the meantime, miss?”

Oh, for fuck’s- “Yes, Charlie. I will be! I’ve enough firewood to last me through the night. I’ll wait until the lights come back on to head upstairs.”

“All right, miss. They should be back on momentarily.”

Neither relaxed until the guard’s footfalls could no longer be heard. Once he was well out of earshot, Elizabeth ripped her gown from the thief’s clutches and stumbled backward a few steps until there was ample space between them. She was grateful the lights had gone out and the fire was nearly gone as she was certain her face was bright red from embarrassment and anger.

“All right. He’s gone. You’ve got your chance to leave. Now go,” Elizabeth bit out, wrapping her arms around her middle. A soft dull thunk could be heard landing away from them. The thief had tossed away the poker, keeping it well out of reach from the both of them.

“You really didn't scream,” her shadow remarked after a heartbeat. His eyes glittered eerily in the dark as he watched before stooping to pick up the discarded book he’d been sent to reclaim, such as it was.

“You’re still hung on that?” Elizabeth shook her head in disbelief. “Clock’s ticking, Master Thief. They’ll have the lights back on shortly and the grounds will be covered in guards.”

“In a minute. Would you have, if the guard hadn’t shown up?”

“You first. You failed to answer my question. Why should I answer yours now?”

There was that soft laugh again. “Word to the wise: any man you marry will snuff out that spark you’ve got. When you do pick one, make sure he can handle it. If not, he’s not worth keeping around.”

“Right. Like I’m going to be taking love advice from a damned blackhand.”

“Hey, I only call it like I see it. You’re a rare breed. Most women I’ve encountered run, mainly screaming, away when they first see me. You? You went after me with a fire poker and attempted to detain me.”

“Mmhmm. And we both saw how that panned out, now, didn’t we? Fat lot of good it did me.” Sarcasm was just dripping from her mouth. “Let’s not replay those events. Now, back to my question, Master Thief.” He didn’t seem overly inclined to dispose of her especially since she wasn’t impeding his means of escape. That did let her feel a bit more brave.

“You had asked why I intervened,” the thief stated as he brushed some errant dust that had collected on the book’s surface before tucking it away in a bag stowed on his person.

“Yes. What was I to you?” Elizabeth paced a little, eyes squinting at the dark man shaped blob in front of her. “There were three heavily armed men. You could’ve just left me there. Hells, most others would have.” She threw her arms wide. “So, why didn’t you?”

The thief seemed to make to leave without answering her but stopped. He drew in a breath then let it out slowly. “There’s a lot of bad in this world,” he began, picking his words deliberately. “There are days when I feel like I’ve seen it but then there’s something else out there that surprises me. I’m not exactly what you’d call a good man.” He laughed briefly but there was no substance to it. “But those men were going to do something inexcusable. I can overlook plenty but-“

“But that you couldn’t,” Elizabeth interrupted, drawing the rogue’s dark gaze.

“To put it simply, yes. It was reckless and certainly dangerous but those types of men need to be put in their places. Had you not been there, there would’ve been tumbling into watery graves.”

“I’ve… already let the captain in charge here know,” Elizabeth said hesitantly. “I made up some story about hearing a rumor and the captain went off to investigate. The man in charge of those cronies was likely suspended but I don’t know about the other two.”

“It’s better than nothing. Too many of those folks get away unpunished.”

“I’m well aware of that, Thief.”

“I also stopped because of you,” he added.

“Me?” Elizabeth guffawed and scoffed. “What about me? I was scared shitless.”

“You almost couldn’t tell considering the holes you were glaring into the captain’s face.”

“I wanted to claw his bloody eyes out but I think he would’ve sooner stabbed before letting that happen.”

“That’s a… safe assumption.”

“Don’t worry. I haven’t been down that way since you’ve warned me. I really don’t fancy a repeat meeting.” Elizabeth shuddered a little. “Something tells me those boys have not forgotten my face. Or maybe they have. Most do, anyway.” She’d glanced away toward the window just as another flash lit up the room. The mechanic was certainly taking his time repairing the blasted breaker box. A small gust of air brushing her arms was all that indicated the rogue’s presence. Elizabeth nearly jumped out of her skin when she felt his thumb under her chin and tilt her head back to face him.

“You give yourself too little credit, Elizabeth,” her shadow murmured gently. “I, for one, never forget a face.”

Faster than she could react, the thief pulled back and, with a wink, disappeared into the shadows blanketing that half of the library. Moments later, the lights flickered back on and the low hum of electricity could now be heard. Elizabeth was still staring off the way he’d left before she clapped both palms to her ever heating cheeks.

Oh my gods! What in the name of the seven hells-? He just- And I- Gods! For the next several minutes, Elizabeth continued to scream quietly inside her head. On her trek upward and into bed, after ensuring the fire was out completely, did the mental screaming continue. Come dawn, she was surely bringing Lottie in on what had just happened. Her handmaid was most definitely going to give her the scolding of a lifetime but certainly going to enjoy every bit of drama regardless.

Burrowing deep below the warm covers, someone had stuck a covered pan with hot coals to scare away the cold, Elizabeth replayed their interaction in her mind’s eye. The thief could’ve just been charming her in order to make sure his getaway was swift and clean but what if… No. No. She was not going to entertain that thought. Definitely, definitely not. He was not flirting with her. He was not! But what if he was? The implication caused her to blush ever more and Elizabeth yanked her comforter well over her head, drowning out the sound of rain pattering against her window.

It wasn’t until the following morning that Elizabeth realized she never answered his question. Something told her she and her shadow were going to be meeting again very soon.

[looksforleaders]

Check out this listing I just added to my Poshmark closet: 🔺️NorthCrest Lavender Textured Buttoned Cardigan Large.