Post by Brendan on Dec 27, 2010 18:27:26 GMT -8
Red hair played across a snowdrift of a face. Eyes of emerald peeked out behind stray strands. A small, pressed lip, half smile was easily visible beneath. A black and ruby dress modestly covered a very attractive young lady, one who Ulrim was all too familiar with.
Aislinn's hands held a small box with golden wrapping paper and a red ribbon. She stood several yards away, with her half smile unmoving. She didn't look like someone who was crying, but never the less, twin strands of moisture trailed down her cheeks.
Ulrim became aware of the forest around him. Tall leafless oaks reached for the sky as though they yearned to escape the ground's firm hold, and winter's cruel grasp. A stone path stretched behind Ulrim to... 'Where had I come from?' he asked himself. 'Where am I going? I can't remember...' The stone path flowed past Aislinn in to oblivion, and the horizon offered no clue as to where it led.
Are those... voices? Ulrim asked himself.
Just out from the treeline on the left were figures he barely recognized. They wore dark clothing, and most of them looked like grizzled war veterans. They stood there, either glowering or grinning coldly at him. 'The... society of Leopold.' The realization brought him no anger. That struck him as odd.m
The figures lining the tree line on the right were much more familiar. YT stood there, well in to her pregnancy, and visible. In her hands was Cineris' insulated iron box, the chimera looking at him pleadingly. Anthem was there, leaning on a tree. Count K stood amongst them, weapon drawn. Most of the area's changelings were there...
Ulrim took a step towards Aislinn. He kept walking.
"No, Ulrim! Don't go to her!"
"Ulrim, you're our leader now! Stop acting foolish!"
"Ulrim... what about our baby?"
"I was counting on you."
And then, Count K stepped off his standing place, and walked to where Ulrim was about to pass him. Ulrim stopped, and looked at him. Count K's hand was comfortingly on his shoulder. "Be careful, Ulrim Starbreaker."
Ulrim nodded, and finished his approach to Aislinn. Her half smile became a full one, and she looked up at him with love.
"Merry Christmas, Jacob."
She opened the box, and raw darkness poured out, wrapping around Ulrim, flowing past him... Behind him, the changelings and the society raised arms, and charged each other. The fight began in earnest.
"Merry Christmas, Jacob."
--
Ulrim awoke in a cold sweat, breathing hard.
Cineris was looking at him curiously, but said nothing.
Aislinn's hands held a small box with golden wrapping paper and a red ribbon. She stood several yards away, with her half smile unmoving. She didn't look like someone who was crying, but never the less, twin strands of moisture trailed down her cheeks.
Ulrim became aware of the forest around him. Tall leafless oaks reached for the sky as though they yearned to escape the ground's firm hold, and winter's cruel grasp. A stone path stretched behind Ulrim to... 'Where had I come from?' he asked himself. 'Where am I going? I can't remember...' The stone path flowed past Aislinn in to oblivion, and the horizon offered no clue as to where it led.
Are those... voices? Ulrim asked himself.
Just out from the treeline on the left were figures he barely recognized. They wore dark clothing, and most of them looked like grizzled war veterans. They stood there, either glowering or grinning coldly at him. 'The... society of Leopold.' The realization brought him no anger. That struck him as odd.m
The figures lining the tree line on the right were much more familiar. YT stood there, well in to her pregnancy, and visible. In her hands was Cineris' insulated iron box, the chimera looking at him pleadingly. Anthem was there, leaning on a tree. Count K stood amongst them, weapon drawn. Most of the area's changelings were there...
Ulrim took a step towards Aislinn. He kept walking.
"No, Ulrim! Don't go to her!"
"Ulrim, you're our leader now! Stop acting foolish!"
"Ulrim... what about our baby?"
"I was counting on you."
And then, Count K stepped off his standing place, and walked to where Ulrim was about to pass him. Ulrim stopped, and looked at him. Count K's hand was comfortingly on his shoulder. "Be careful, Ulrim Starbreaker."
Ulrim nodded, and finished his approach to Aislinn. Her half smile became a full one, and she looked up at him with love.
"Merry Christmas, Jacob."
She opened the box, and raw darkness poured out, wrapping around Ulrim, flowing past him... Behind him, the changelings and the society raised arms, and charged each other. The fight began in earnest.
"Merry Christmas, Jacob."
--
Ulrim awoke in a cold sweat, breathing hard.
Cineris was looking at him curiously, but said nothing.
