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[thatauthorev1e]

The Nightmare

“What did you see?” The question isn’t out of the blue, not for Xiomara, but Jandi’s breath catches. They lay atop the covers on the bed in one of the rooms in the inn. They had been cleaning up the place, preparing for opening, and took a break to just breathe together. Sunlight streams lazily into the space, beams dancing across Xio’s face as she stares at the ceiling. Jandi rolls over, propping himself up on an elbow. He watches her. 

“I’ve told you darlin-”

Xio turns her head to meet his eyes, stopping him. Her gloved metal arm lays across her chest, a finger tapping absentmindedly on her ribcage.

“Tell me again.”

His brow furrows. It’s hard enough to have these talks with Bartholomew, the only other person he felt comfortable enough to tell. Bart was easier than Xio. He wasn’t dying in the visions. 

Her eyes are calm and soft though. She doesn’t seem angry or fearful. They’ve talked very briefly about what Jandi saw before, but Xio knows him. She knows he didn’t tell her everything. She knows he’s afraid. 

“Xiomara,” he’s half hoping she’ll cut him off again so that he doesn’t need to keep stalling, but she stares up at him gently. Her gloved hand falls back to her side and she rolls over, hugging a pillow, looking at him. Her hair glows like a halo in the sunlight. 

His gut wrenches, seeing her like this. He sighs heavily.

“Xio-”

Her other hand, the one of flesh and blood, reaches out. She cups his cheek gently, running her thumb across his skin adoringly. He closes his eyes, taking her hand in his. Her skin is unusually cold.

“Why are you so cold?” He kisses her hand, expecting a response, but Xio stays silent. “Xio?” He opens his eyes in a flash, but in those few seconds the world around him has changed. 

The walls are on fire. The wallpaper is peeling and the floorboards creak and groan as a blazing inferno rages. He leaps up.

“XIO!”

Terror floods his body, adrenaline taking over. Smoke begins to billow up towards the ceiling around them. Everything he’s built-

“XIO WE NEED TO GO!” 

His eyes fly back to his lover, but she isn’t looking at him. Her eyes are seemingly thousands of miles away, wide and terrified. Her mouth hangs open in a silent scream. Jandi doesn’t know what she’s looking at. The flames? 

XIO WE NEED TO GO

He grabs her hand again, but this time it isn’t cold. It isn’t much of anything. Xio crumbles at his touch. He watches in horror as she begins to burn away, but it isn’t from the fire. It’s like she’s being bathed in acid. Her skin cracks and breaks apart.

“NO NO NO-”

Her eyes stay wide, her mouth stays open. She melts. 

This is what he saw. Something close, anyways. 

No no no Xio please.

A sound like a thousand screams fills the room as the building begins to collapse. He can’t move. He stays frozen, grasping at her bones. Burning debris falls all around him.

Jandi.

He hears her voice in his head. Her voice. She sounds just as lovely as summer rain, a stark contrast to what he sees before him.

Jandi.

He awakens with a jolt. He can feel sweat dripping down his face as his entire body shudders. 

“Jandi?” 

The room is dark now, the sun must have set, and Xiomara is almost on top of him, seemingly trying to shake him awake. 

“Jandi baby what’s wrong what happened? Nightmare?” The moonlight illuminates half of her face. Her very real, very intact face. His breaths come heavy, and once she’s sure he’s awake Xio lays back down, attaching herself like a little backpack to him. She strokes his hair, kissing the back of his neck. “What did you see?”

[thatauthorev1e]

The Vampire Healer Excerpt

Evie notes for context: hello friends I am forcing to read this hehe, to help you understand what’s happening here is some context that I haven’t written up yet; this takes place in the Underpass, a literal underground vampire city that the group was trying to avoid. Traveling over it is just as dangerous, and the entire landscape is one huge constant sandstorm w toxic ass sand. At some point Edynn’s mask is compromised be it through a fight etc, and he breathes in the toxins, forcing them to seek healing in the Underpass :D i also didn’t name the healer till like halfway through when I chose a name for her LOL

Vampire Healer Excerpt (unfinished)

“His symptoms are severe,” The healer, a small human woman with glassy dark skin, places a long nailed hand on Edynn’s chest. Loran shifts, hand hovering over the hilt of his sword, pursing his lips as he tries to fight down the unease. Her eyes, a bright red, reveal her true nature. She may be a talented healer in the body of what once was a human, but like so many others down here she is most definitely a vampire. “He doesn’t have long, less than an hour before the toxins truly take hold I would say.” She pretends not to notice how on edge Loran is. 

She removes her hand, looking up at the elf before her. Edynn moans softly, tensing and untensing. Loran watches as he fights for consciousness; a battle he is losing. Sweat drips off his forehead and glistens on his neck. Loran takes a step forward, tentatively brushing Edynn’s long, dark hair out of his face. 

“I can save him.” The woman’s voice comes slow. Loran swallows hard.

“Please.” 

She smiles, ruby eyes shining. 

“You’re desperate,” She lays the words out plainly. “He must be important to you.” Loran’s breath catches. He can’t deny it. In fact, he hadn’t even realized that fact until he started fearing for Edynn’s life just a few hours ago. The thought of losing him- it’s earth shattering. She continues.

“To be frank, I am desperate too. Most moving things down here are dead.” She takes a step towards the table, examining Edynn again. “I am weak.” Loran watches her carefully. She seems unreadable, avoiding eye contact as she checks Edynn’s vitals. Her eyes flutter just slightly with her fingers against his throat. 

“What are you saying?” He grits his teeth. The woman finally locks eyes with him again, clasping her hands together.

“You will need to trust me. I am asking for payment up front so that I have the strength to save your friend. I am asking for you to indulge me. Allow me a drink, and I will help you.” 

Loran’s heart begins to race, a chill trickling down his spine. Saying yes means she could kill them both, but saying no means she will. She doesn’t look afraid anymore, and instead a sick feeling rises up in him as he senses amusement. Of course she can tell he’s afraid. Any predator can see that in their prey. 

“I understand this is a risk for you, you have no idea what I may do.” The woman walks towards him slowly, maintaining eye contact as Loran takes a step back. She is most definitely enjoying this. “But you don’t really have a choice, do you?” She looks pointedly back at the table and Loran’s gaze follows. A painful pang ripples through his stomach as he looks at his companion. His skin is pale and his breaths are shallow, and despite being rendered unconscious he looks like he’s in pain. The choice is obvious.

“Do it.” 

She smiles. 

“Good choice.” She steps closer and motions for him to sit on the chair behind him. He obeys, suddenly extremely aware of every single sensation around him. The candle light, the musty smell of the shop, the various colorful potions and trinkets all around. The sound of Edynn’s labored breathing, the uncomfortable chair that begins to feel like an inescapable prison. His own heartbeat in his ears. Illari places a hand on his chest and begins to position herself on top of him. Her other hand strays up to his chin, tilting his head back and to the left just slightly. She grasps his throat loosely, lowering her head.

“I will be quick.” She says softly. “Just think about him.” Loran doesn’t have time to react as she opens her jaws. 

The initial pain is like fire as her sharp dagger-like teeth split him open. They grind together in his throat, almost like she’s searching for a vein, and he can’t choke down the small shocked gasp that comes flying from his lungs. His entire body tenses, screaming for him to push her off. He’s not helpless, not weak. He could kill her right now. 

But he can’t. This is happening and it’s happening for a reason. 

And so he stays still, doing everything he can to maintain a level head. Terrified thoughts swirl around in his mind like the sand storm. When will she stop? What will happen to them? Will she stop? How much is too much-

A numbness sets in. He can feel the edges of his vision grow fuzzy and soft. He raises a hand to- to do what? Stop her? She doesn’t flinch and just seems to latch on to him even harder. His heartbeat roars in his ears as it thrashes in his chest, begging for this to stop. And with every passing minute he knows the opportunity to overpower her has long since disappeared.

Now he is weak. Now he is helpless. 

The presence of her body on top of him feels like a crushing weight now, her mouth on his neck like a parasite, draining him of life. He should have said no. He should have found another healer.

Edynn wouldn’t have made it. 

He knows this is the truth. A feeling of guilt washes over his confused mind as it keeps trying to distract him from his current reality. If this is what needs to happen to save him, it shall happen. His desperate heart just hopes he gets to live too. He is losing so much blood, but it will be okay right? Everything will be fine so long as Edynn is healed? Loran stares at the ceiling, eyes tracing the wooden beams. He focuses on the shadows the candles create, dancing across the walls. He stares and he waits for her to finish. He lets her have him because it will be so much easier. 

He is barely even conscious when she stands up. She hums softly as she stares down at him, admiring her work. Loran doesn’t look at her, tired eyes training themselves on Edynn. He feels used and worst of all, he feels scared. She could so easily betray him now, and a knot in his chest squeezes the breath from his lungs.

“Help him.” Is all he can muster. His throat feels dry and rough like sandpaper. Had he screamed? He didn’t think so. Illari says nothing, and instead she walks towards Edynn on the table. Relief washes over him as she begins to work, and all he can do now is trust that she will save him. The most delicate part of his life hangs in the hands of a hungry vampire in the most dangerous city in all of Lilliad. 

He closes his eyes, furrowing his brow. He wants to sit up straight, but his head is spinning with the blood loss. He thinks of Mirani and Jax, though his brain is barely capable of coming up with a coherent thought. He hopes that they’re staying put. He remembers how he felt like a desperate mother willing her children to heed her words; ‘Don’t open the door for anyone’, ‘just stay right here, I’ll be back soon’. The thought is amusing, but he just hopes they listened. They are capable, and he knows they will be safe in the inn. He just needs to get Edynn and himself back in one piece so everyone can rest, and they will continue their trek in the morning. 

Exhaustion weighs on him like a heavy cloud. 

He opens his eyes again as the world continues to spin, but from what he can tell the vampire healer is doing good work. She weaves the toxins from Edynn’s body and holds the tiny particles in her hand held above her head. 

“Are people sick like this often?” He doesn’t remember thinking about the question, but it comes out either way. Illari doesn’t look up, only nodding slowly.

“Wretched thing that storm is.” She makes another waving motion over Edynn’s chest and more golden yellow pieces seep through his skin. It's amazing, the magic some people can wield. “It’s frequent that people die, but more often than not they live if they find someone like me quick enough. Some are so stubborn that they won’t come into the city, even if they’re infected. It’s the smart ones like you that are willing to risk their necks who survive.” He takes a deep breath and she smirks very slightly. 

She continues her work in silence before telling Loran that Edynn should awaken shortly. She hands him a small blue vial.

“Give this to him before he rests tonight. I’ve pulled the toxins out completely, but he won’t feel himself for a few days. This will help the restoration process.” Loran takes the bottle tentatively.

“What is it?”

“A resistance potion. It will do its best to minimize the effects of any remaining poison.” 

He tucks the vial into a pocket on his chest. Illari does one more once over of Loran, checking his pulse again. She nods happily, and turns towards Loran again.

“Take your time when he wakes up. He’ll feel just as shitty as you do.” She laughs, walking to the door to the front of the shop. 

“Wait-” Loran bites his cheek. She turns around, raising an eyebrow. “Thank you.” He says after a moment of awkward silence. She smiles.

“Thank you.” Her hand rests on the doorknob. “Like I said it isn’t often that blood so fresh makes its way down here.” His stomach flips and turns. “And take care of yourself. There is more in these bowels than vampires, and everything is just as bloodthirsty.” With this warning she opens the door, taking her leave. 

Loran stands up, holding onto the arm rests of the wooden chair to maintain his balance. He pulls it towards the table, sitting back down right beside Edynn’s head. His breathing has shifted from pained, labored gasps to an even gentle rhythm, and when Loran places a tentative hand to his wrist he feels a heartbeat that brings him a feeling of peace. Normal. Nothing erratic. 

He looks at the man in front of him. Edynn’s hair flattens out behind his head like a dark halo, matted with blood. His bare chest is riddled with various fresh wounds and old scars, telling the story of a devoted soldier. His skin is cold.

Loran’s body aches as he removes his cloak, dragging it clumsily off his shoulders and arms. He knows Edynn’s top is around here somewhere, but frankly he’s too tired to look for it. He places the dark cloth over his friend gently, smoothing it down and hoping it warms him up. 

He leans back in the chair once again, the feeling of the wood against his back one of discomfort. He feels a phantom pressure in his lap, an ache in his neck. He closes his eyes and hopes this feeling won’t haunt him for long, but an ugly little whisper in the back of his head tells him it might. 

He keeps his eyes closed as he reaches for Edynn’s wrist again. He holds it in his hands, thumb pressed against it. He drifts away uneasily to the gentle beat of Edynn’s heart.

[thatauthorev1e]

Hello! Allow me to introduce myself

Hi! My name is Evie, and I am a pretty new tumblr user LMAO (i'm very late to the party mb guys) I have a love for writing, reading, and playing dnd and other ttrpgs/rpgs! This blog is going to be all about writing, prompts, excerpts from projects and dnd related pieces!

I have been writing literally for as long as I can remember and seriously hope to become a full fledged author one day, but for now I feel a little too busy and overwhelmed with full time work and schooling :') I am 21 (almost 22) and so I would appreciate keeping this an 18+ blog, minors dni etc, just for the safety of everyone involved!

I cannot wait to get started on posts here as I haven't decided where exactly posting original works is best, and I felt like tumblr was a good option. I'm looking for mutuals who love dnd and writing themselves!!

Anyways thank you for hanging out with me :D