Tanuchan

Laranta's form wavers in the pentagram, unable to keep her hold in the living world without Heinrich's power. "I'll help," whispers as she fades away. "You showed me a way." Laranta smiles, letting the evil spirit draw her back to shadows.

Laranta fights the Evil clawing at her soul. "Witch-hunter, beware mind tricks!" whispers near panic, sensing Heinrich's power waver. "Do not forget your true self!" Evil hisses at her feeling the power steady. She smiles, small victory as it seems. "I might help. Ask what you need to."

A woman floats in the pentagram, free for a moment. Hastily Laranta turns to Heinrich in her true form. "There's evil controling my cat-shape... the same who tries controlling your memories. Witch-hunter, find the evil. Free the city. I'll help if I can. If I have time."

The Evil in the darkness laughs silently, exerting his power over Laranta's alternate form. "You cannot hold true shape without help, not while I drink your soul's fear." Laranta struggles, reaching to strands of power coming from Heinrich. "Help me... you need me. I need you. The town needs you!"

Chanting tugs at her. Evil holds her. But finally the name written in runes of power draws Laranta to the pentagram. The delicate probe soothes her fear, her cat shape changing back to a delicate woman's. "You are here." Part of Heinrich's mind analyses the change... "Laranta, a shapechanger then."

As she looks at the maze, Rialla senses something moving there. She frowns slightly, taking in the sun's height and looking back at the maze. "Middle afternoon..." She sighs, focusing her attention completely in that strong spark of conciousness that had drawn her mind. Pushing everything aside, she lets her mind fly freely, questioning, searching, finding its direction. *Inside the maze. Curiosity. Purpose of being purposeless... ?* Rialla comes to herself with a start. "How can one have as a purpose being purposeless?" She shakes her head, sensing still that mind weaving through the maze. Her telepathy-like skill was useful most of times, but she often had some trouble sorting out strong feelings if they were mixed up in their owner's own mind. Sighing, Rialla broadens her mind's area of search automatically, now tuned also to weaker sentient sources. Grayness slides back, fleeing in panic as a shiny mind brushes hers. Surprised, Rialla turns sharply, catching the hint of a shadow slip under the southern door. Lessons learned not long ago come back to her mind. "You can sense the spark of any awakened mind. It will be stronger in living beings, but you will sense also through the veil that protects the Other World. You will feel also some of its stronger emotions. Use that wisely, child... it's a useful skill in a ranger, in one who's to guide our people through the forest." Rialla snorts at that last memory, quite angry. "Guide our people? Hah! I got lost trying a shortcut in a place I should know like my own home! One would say the land changed as by magic..." Her voice trails off, as she realizes that hedge maze wasn't there when she had arrived... and that she had just skirted the edges of an unknown swamp when looking for the shortcut. Rialla draws a sharp breath. And another one, as she finally takes in full the maze's shape. "Acorn... " whispers, still following that mind's progress through the maze. She fingers the acorn in the pocket of her tunic, and takes it out suddenly as touching something different... The acorn's shell has cracked, and the whitish tip of a root appears. Outside, without anyone noticing, a part of the hedge shimmers and seems to fade for a moment, before coming back showing a new branching towards the castle. Rialla looks back at both doors, trying to feel any other sentient mind behind them. The results confuse her, as she seems to grasp a flicker of life to just lose it amid something distorting her probe. Mentally pocketing her mind skill, she shrugs. "Let's be practical, then... there's someone in that maze, and something within this castle. I can see stairs going down to the garden where the maze should open. And a door that seems to lead to that wing of the castle. A door that also leads in the direction of a sentient shadow." Rialla goes to the southern door, never noticing the growing branching in the maze that seems to lead not to the garden, but to the castle itself.

1. a Pen Member => Degenero Angelus 2. verb => sleep 3. colour => blue 4. time of day => night 5. adverb => slowly 6. verb => read 7. plural noun => glasses 8. noun => door 9. adjective => soft 10. adjective => bright 11. adjective => noisy 12. plural noun => pants 13. verb => travel 14. a body part => cheek

Terri's ghost turns to Albert a sad face. He's nice but he never liked Zach. He's even now laughing at her poor desperate love. Would he laugh also if Zach were the dead, and she the desperate one? She shakes her head, telling Albert that she will first see Zach well, then maybe she'd feel free to have some company while waiting for him join her in afterlife. She fades away, following her heart's call.

ZACH? ZACH! Are you okay? Aren't you hurt? In some minutes, recovering from the shock and impulse that had made her punch that button, Terri hides into Zach's arms, sobbing. That man... you were so right, he was so horrible! And he dared accusing you.... Zach pats her back, comforting her. "Don't forget Kerri, my dearest... she was the one who was suspicious... and Albert. " Yeah... *sobs* Albert... and my poor sis...

Darkness stirs, echoing Heinrich's far chanting. Drawn by his power, something tries reaching across the barrier. And stops at wards spelling L-A-R-A-N-T-A in dark runes. Evil stretches unseen, yearning for Heinrich's powerful soul. Trying also to stop Laranta's soul, sating his hunger in her deep, stronger-than-death fear. ~~~~~~~~ OOC You did it really well, it was very descriptive in spite of the word limit! Edit: wording, to make it clearer

Appy, Solivagus has started a RP thread at Conservatory using this idea You're welcome to participate! Check it here ~Tanny

...huh ... how about breeding stock?

Kerri looks at Terri, then both smile happily. Kerri gets the ice cream, Terri gets the bowls and spoons, and Zach soon brings three more stools. Terri gives Zach a generous scoop, then another one, bigger, to Timmy when he asks it. As Kerri looks at her with a pout, she laughs and gives her an even bigger scoop. "YUMMMM..." Soon all five are chattering in a relaxed way, for a while forgetting all the scaring stuff happening around there.

Terri overhears Pavlov's mutterings and, completely losing her temper, walks to him very purposefully. LOVE TRIANGLE?? WHERE DID YOU SEE ANY LOVE TRIANGLE, YOUR SORRY ACTOR??? Although shorter than him, Terri looks at him without any fear and stares him down. Zach loves ME and JUST ME! There's NO LOVE TRIANGLE! HOW DARE YOU saying such thing? Are you one of those STUPID ADULTS that look at an adolescent in love and think it's not possibly love, JUST BECAUSE WE ARE YOUNG? Are you one of those who think that because we are twins, we just share everthing, INCLUDING BOYFRIENDS? Do you think a boy can get that confused over the two of us, without knowing the DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ONE AND THE OTHER?? She pokes her finger on his chest, angrily. DO YOU THINK MY OWN SISTER WOULD BETRAY ME? And DON'T YOU HAVE ANY RESPECT FOR HER?? She LOST a boy she LOVED!! How DARE you saying that she would take Zach from me?? YOU ARE DESPICABLE! If you DARE accusing Zach, SO GO ON AND ACCUSE ME ALSO! I'M SO INVOLVED IN YOUR LOVE TRIANGLE AS HIM!! Zach rushes in, dragging her away from Pavlov while she's still shouting at him. He holds her and speaks carefully, not willing to get her screaming at him also. "Ter, stop this. Please. I don't need you going over everybody who whispers against me. I can take care of this. Don't you go putting yourself in danger. " Terri stops screaming, then sags in Zach's arms. Sorry... sorry, sorry, sorry... I'm just so scared... Albert's dead... and that explosion... *sobs* I can't stand people not trusting you... *sobs* I want to go home... *sobs* I want to go home... Zach sighs, just holding her. ~~~~ Edit: adding some lines

OOC Sorry, Vahk, but there are 3 votes against Ozy/Pavlov (mine, Katz', and Deg's)... please check the posts Katz voted between the kill post and the scorecard... ~Tanny

I'm getting more and more curious, Elwen! What happened to the Kyoday? Did Lord Toriyama get his revenge by someway making Hisoka into a geisha? Is he responsible for the end of the Oracles? Aww, I want more!!! *hugs* Keep writing, please The story is great, I do enjoy it a lot, and I'm sure more people feel the same! ~Tanny

Terri looks at Timmy, at a loss. Then, sighs and gives up controlling her temper. *quite angry* Aw!! Jealous little brother... you'll be a terrible man when you grow up!!!

Terri sobs softly still in Zach's arms, but finally notices Timmy's angry stares at Zach. She kneels by her baby brother, hugging him tight. Oh, my baby... *kisses his face softly* Timmy cries a bit more, hiding into her arms. Then he sniffs, looking at her then up at Zach, who keeps holding Kerri in one arm and resting his other hand on Terri's shoulder. (Timmy) ... *Terri dries Timmy's last tears* I know it's terrible for you... Albert was such a good friend, we all really liked him. *hugs* I wish you wouldn't look at Zach like he was to blame. I love him, Timmy... but I do love you, and that won't change. Albert was sorry for that argument, you know that. Wouldn't you at least try not to hate him? Timmy bites his lips, silent. Terri looks at both Zach and Kerri, and sighs. Still holding Timmy, she stands up and goes back to Zach's arm.

Terri strokes softly Kerri's head, not minding even her crying into Zach's arms. She looks at him, glad that he can also help her sister. Kerri... sis, we will get revenge. She follows Kerri's gaze, at the actor, and shoots him an almost murderous look You... you cannot hurt my poor sis like that... OOC A vote for Morris Pavlov/Ozy

Terri keeps holding Kerri, unable to find more words and crying with her. She looks at Zach, pleading with her eyes.

OOC The castle is pretty big... hehe... and your maze seems magical, so I guess there are *lots* of things that can happen Don't worry, right now Rialla isn't possibly going to meet anyone

Kerri's scream wakes both Terri and Zach in a start, Terri almost falling from the chair and Zach sitting upright, looking completely lost. Still dizzy from sleep, Terri just holds her sister trying hard to understand what she says between sobs. Sis, it's okay... c'mon... *mumbling* rabbits, again.... *pats her back softly* Terri finally gets awake enough to get Kerri's words. *sighs* Oh, sis... your clothes always match... I would tell you they didn't, and so would you... Yeah, yeah, it's terrible... but such thing won't ever happen... She looks at Zach, who's just looking at them with a very sleepy and puzzled expression.

The staircase. Lights play on the first steps, shadows recoil to the upper ones. In the gray zone in-between, something catches Rialla's attention. A faint rustle, a hint of a shadow where light should be. Rialla squints, trying to bring to focus what seems to be a spot of a darker grayness. Shadowy eyes look at a shadow world, blinking at seeing something wrapped in light in her dark domains. The statue also reflects light, making her glide back into her protective shadows. *Light... light against shadows... does she see? Does she know?* The bright spot she had seen seems to waver somewhat, then comes closer... Rialla goes upstairs carefully, testing the steps and peering into the grayness. Once, she turns back and wonders at seeing the statue apparently wrapped in a shining white veil. As she shakes her head, the veil disappears. She blinks, surprised. "Get a hold on yourself, girl," she chides herself. "Don't start seeing things now!" The staircase leads to a corridor overhanging the main room, with a door on each end. Three heavily curtained windows keep everything deep in shadows. Resolutely, Rialla draws them open. A swirl of deep gray, almost black, seems to linger for some seconds at the southern end of the corridor, but Rialla doesn't notice it. From the middle window, she stares at a hedge maze... A hedge maze that she was sure hasn't been there. Rialla opens the window easily in spite of its rusty hinges. There, down the western slope of the low hill where the castle is, there's a huge hedge maze. As she keeps staring at it, a fleeting thought nibbles at the edge of her mind, trying to call her attention to something significative... But she's quite unable to catch it. ~~~~~~ Edit: typos and better wording

Necromancy. The town whispers the dreaded word. People look at the Keep, knowing Laranta's dead. That stranger... and Laranta's Sight revealing his coming. Foe or friend? She hadn't revealed. Heinrich feels both curiosity and fear coming from the townsfolk. And hints of something darker. He must investigate. ~~~~~~ OOC A question... do contractions count as one word or two?

Terri sighs, observing Zach's troubled sleep and not daring to leave him. She sits on a comfy chair besides the bed, holding his hand and thinking about the days' events... they had been so excited to come, although for different reasons... Timmy, of course, wanted to see the explosion. She was here because she could have time with Zach, who was here for the same reason. Kerri was here because she wouldn't leave her. And maybe because she wouldn't let her have Zach just for herself... although this apparently had been taken care of. Blessed Albert! Hm... no, not so blessed Albert. Oh, he was a nice guy, a bit too nerdy for her but nice all the same... His only problem was his dislike of Zach. It *was* a real problem. What led to all the trouble that was biting at her love right now. Aw... he had apologized most thoroughly to both her and Zach... but... she had heard some comments... all that talk about radiation... mutants... everybody was near... Timmy also didn't like Zach... he was so jealous, poor baby... those scientists... some sooo creepy... and then... all... who... ... ... . *sighs* Her thoughts put her in a dreamy state, and she slips into a somewhat troubled sleep herself, still holding Zach's hand.