One girl. Two cats. A world full of adventure.
Abbernathy Tells is a twelve year old girl who prefers the companionship of her two cats and a dying tree over others her age. When a horrible tragedy strikes on her thirteenth birthday, robbing h...
For most of his days in his cell, Lain was left in the dark. It was like he was screaming into a void, his voice growing hoarse, until one day, the void started talking back. It wove lies and doubts into his mind. He questioned his reality, wondering if he'd died back in Exul and because he'd failed to protect his charge, had found himself mired in some inescapable hell-scape.
Other times, when he'd gotten a sip of water and his mind had been clear of the delirium, he'd remembered he was alive. He'd felt Feign's knives drag across his flesh, coercing blood color his fur. As the Commander's laughter burrowed its way into Lain's being, he'd wished the life he'd been resigned to had been the lie.
Why had he gotten to live? Why had he failed so miserably?
Now, staring at the horrible truth laid out in front of him, he wished he could go back to his cell, lie in the darkness, and let the lies take control of him. A creature, patched together from horrible black and white and grey colored fur moved in rigid movements a few paces from him.
Dim gold eyes stared back at him, hollowed of all the life they once had.
It couldn't be real. He'd seen her die. That night, all those years ago. His queen lying next to him, her back fur burnt and smoking from a bolt of lightning one of the mages cast. He'd seen the life leave her but then his world had grown dark. All the arrows had taken their toll - his body had cooled and when he woke, he was no longer in the grassy field of Exul but lying face down on the cold stone of a cell.
But there she was, in front of him again. Her head cocked awkwardly to the right, a purple tongue hanging slightly out of her mouth. Hands dangled at her sides and she twitched every so often, though she didn't take one step toward him. No breath sounded from her. No noise. No movement signifying some recognition at the sight of Lain. He wanted to leave this room, close his eyes and find himself back in his cell, but he couldn't. The chains rubbed at his ankles and wrists. He was bolted firmly in place.
As Lain stared at his queen, all mangled and silent standing there backlight by the red of the moon, the door opened up. Four figures were pushed into the room. Lain recognized none of them, though they all were hemma disguises. Behind them, a tall man strode in, a smile etched in the milk-white stone of his face. Lain recognized this man's blood-colored eyes and the ax he wore on his back.
"Feign," he hissed, tugging at his chains. They dug into his flesh, droplets of blood falling and staining his already dirtied fur.
Feign smiled and pushed the other four forward. A girl with black hair glared at Feign and the heavy hand he'd laid upon her shoulder through her brown eyes bulged with fear. The two boys were no more than a few cycles old, and each, oddly enough, had gold eyes similar to those of Lain's queen. Though these sparkled with life. Sandwiched between the two boys was a small girl, frail and tan, with eyes the color of the sea. A ribbon stuck on the top of her head and Lain was hit with a wave of nostalgia. Blonde hemma, ribbon in her hair. Could it be? No, certainly.
That would mean— No! We gave up our lives so they could—
"The shock on your face tells me you recognize them," Feign said, his deep voice echoing with a nasty sort of glee. Lain snarled and the small blond girl shrunk back.
"How?" Lain asked, his voice cracking under the strain of forming words. He hadn't had water since two days ago.
Feign laughed, his voice echoing off the empty walls. He ignored Lain and moved toward the Queen. As he did, the others finally noticed the creature standing near the window. All of them looked at her with wide-eyed horror. The dark-skinned girl released a little growl, and snarled, anger boiling in her brown eyes. The others were struck by the sheer monstrosity of it all. Lain wanted to scream at them to leave. He wanted to break free of his restraints and slit Feign's throat with his own ax. He wanted to spare the two boys the horrible truth of it all.
"My queen," Feign said breathily, talking into her ear. She twitched, what was left of her whiskers rising up in a jagged movement. Caressing her cheek, he continued. "Do you recognize them? They have your eyes. Even in these disgusting forms." Feign looked downward and grimaced at his own lack of fur.
"L-let them go," the black-haired girl piped up. She was trying to keep her voice steady, trying to keep the fear from slipping in.
Feign turned and wretched Soulrend off his back. "And why would I do that?" He ran his thumb down the blade with enough pressure he drew a line of blood.
The black-haired girl flashed Lain a look. Had she come for him? Was she a spy? For the Cloude?
"I'm--I'm a wizardess." The words tumbled from her mouth. Her legs quivered. Feign's smile grew wide. The girl, unfazed by his apparent amusement, continued. "I'll turn you into a toad."
Within seconds, Feign was on the girl, his large hand clasped around her throat. Her gasps for breath echoed in the room, her eyes watering. With his hand tightening around her throat, he reached into her pocket and produced a green stone pendant. "You're low on life force. Should be more careful with your magick, disgusting ratta mage."
He released the girl and she fell backward onto the ground, her eyes red and bulging out of her head. The blond girl rushed to her side, despite how much she was trembling.
"Now," Feign said, turning his gaze on Lain. "No more acts of aggression," he ran the edge of his ax along Lain's cheek. "After all, this is a family reunion."
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Abbernathy Fun Fact 10:Lain was meant to stay dead. And well, here we are. :-)
