Forum Thread

🅢🅗🅐🅣🅣🅔🅡🅔🅓 🅟🅔🅐🅒🅔

Under shimmering castles, spiralling, complicated structures lies two clans, two mafias, if you will. Perfect blue skies are not as they appear, polluted by humans, who occupy one half of Iridantia, the Earth they share. Non-humans occupy the other half, known as the Saakri-Lumens by the humans. The world is shattering, there can only be space for one. But who will it be? The humans have advanced destructive technology, but have polluted the earth, removing most greenery from their part of the world. They are also excellent warriors in battle, with a fury unlike any other. Meanwhile, the Sakai-Lumens have superpowers, and their intelligence is superior to that of humans. For years the Saakri-Lumens have banned contact with humans, claiming that they are a “violent, destructive race” and that they do not deserve the land they tread on. Rumours have it, that the humans forced the Saakri-Lumens into half the world, with violence and rage, when once both parties lived in harmony. The humans speak of it differently, claiming that the Saakri-Lumens are evil, and manipulative creatures. But who is right, and who is wrong? Is there really a ‘good” side on Iridantia? Is anything what they really seem?



Form:

My form:

𝕾𝖊𝖕𝖍𝖙𝖎𝖘 𝕬𝖓𝖙𝖎𝖕𝖍𝖔𝖓𝖊𝖘
" 𝔗𝔥𝔢 𝔮𝔲𝔢𝔰𝔱𝔦𝔬𝔫 𝔦𝔰𝔫'𝔱 𝔴𝔥𝔬 𝔦𝔰 𝔤𝔬𝔦𝔫𝔤 𝔱𝔬 𝔩𝔢𝔱 𝔪𝔢; 𝔦𝔱'𝔰 𝔴𝔥𝔬 𝔦𝔰 𝔤𝔬𝔦𝔫𝔤 𝔱𝔬 𝔰𝔱𝔬𝔭 𝔪𝔢. "

The town was peaceful, just like any normal day. The markets were bustling with Saakri-Lumens getting their daily necessities and some of the young ones were running around near the grass field near the lake. The birds sang a cheerful tune that accompanied the soft breeze that carried the fallen leaves, dancing in the clear sky.

In such a peaceful place like this, the least anyone probably expected was to see a sudden chase unfold.

His hurried footsteps ran through the empty alley between the stalls, the clinking of foreign metal objects followed the beat of his steps. His glowing crimson eyes glanced back to see the two guards after him. This wasn't the first time Septhis got into trouble like this. The countless number of rules he probably broke made him smirk.

From the empty, dark corners, they eventually made their way into the busy crowd. The guards, who probably only met 'the devil' for the first time, would've thought the numbers would slow him down, as they let out a satisfied, and relieved, laugh at the boy.

As one lunged forward to catch him, Septhis leaped and caught the edge of one of the stalls' roof and flung himself into the sky with a shout of glee, kicking one of the guards in the face while he swung his body upwards. Landing perfectly on the roof, he whistled in delight as he leaped from one stall to another, earning angry shouts and glares from the owners who thought he was heavy enough to rip the cloth. He paid no heed as he made the last jump into the town square. Even with all the parkour he did, he didn't drop a single one of the possessions in his hand, fueling his pride as he happily walked around the square. While everyone was probably whispering about him, he was too busy with the things in his hands to care.

---

She was always watching.

Astrid was considered an observant person, for, well, you'd suppose obvious reasons. When you can't talk about something, you observe it. Being a small and agile girl, she was often perched on rooftops or hidden in small spaces where she could see everything, but no one could spot her. At least, most of the time. When she did get caught, usually they brushed it off, as what could a deaf girl with no relations or friends do to them? She was a secret-keeper.

Astrid was climbing up onto the roof of a small building that rounded the corner next to the town square. Roof tiles chipped and rained dust and grit as she quickly made her way up, gripping the line where the two sides of the roof met, looking down. It wasn't lost on her that there was someone running through the streets. A thief. This wasn't a particuarlly alarming occurence, and not one that Astrid saw as cause for concern. Everyone needed to eat, right? And even if it was something more sinsiter, it wasn't her buisness. Astrid took every detail without much concern of which side it caused the person speaking it to fall on, wether that be good or evil.

She jumped a little with suprise as Septhis used the same rooftop she was on to get to the stalls. She wasn't expecitng that. Astrid had seen theives before, and none of them ever thought to use the roofs as a method of transportation. She was intrigued. Not much intrigued Astrid, even though she was someone who heard and saw a lot of suprising things, so this was something new. She slid carefully off the roof, jumped down, and as soon as she had gotten a clear sign of the thief, she began following him, in her own way.

Quietly and carefully.

She would find out what she could about this thief. She always did.

---

"It's a pleasure doing business with you. I assure you... there is nothing to worry about."

A surprisingly familiar voice rang through the more discrete parts of the town square. The contralto tone, the way she rolls the letter s, both in certain words... not many Saakri-Lumen know that pronounciation but those who ventured into human territory know it and shudder:

Sara Radcliffe. One of the leading business people of the human realm, with moral codes so flexible, gummy seemed rigid by comparison. Donning a simple disguise to blend in with the Saakri-Lumen, she was finishing her deal and about to head back over the border, when her ears peaked at the sound of metallic rustling. That rustling was enough for her to know:
Some of those parts were from her manufacturing lines. Sara does not take lightly to trespassers, yet alone thieves.

Finishing the deal swiftly, she stood up, closing her eyes and starting to walk inside the crowd. With labored breathing, a concentrated mind... she blends out the whole crowd. All she heard was non-organic clunkering, as she started homing down on Septhis, making sure to not blow her cover either.

𝕾𝖊𝖕𝖍𝖙𝖎𝖘 𝕬𝖓𝖙𝖎𝖕𝖍𝖔𝖓𝖊𝖘
" 𝔗𝔥𝔢 𝔮𝔲𝔢𝔰𝔱𝔦𝔬𝔫 𝔦𝔰𝔫'𝔱 𝔴𝔥𝔬 𝔦𝔰 𝔤𝔬𝔦𝔫𝔤 𝔱𝔬 𝔩𝔢𝔱 𝔪𝔢; 𝔦𝔱'𝔰 𝔴𝔥𝔬 𝔦𝔰 𝔤𝔬𝔦𝔫𝔤 𝔱𝔬 𝔰𝔱𝔬𝔭 𝔪𝔢. "

Septhis wasn't unaware of the slight tapping of footsteps and the tiny rhythmic breathing that seems to be trailing behind him as he found his normal hiding place near the huge statue in the center of the square. He paid no mind to whoever was tracking him, he knew that if they ever intend to catch him, he'll always manage to escape their grasp.

Disappearing out of the eyes of the crowd, he examined his findings for the day. He twisted and turned the cold, grey metal in his hands, his sharp claws making a satisfying 'clink!' sound as it made contact with the object. He pressed on the surfaces of the square thing to test its strength, unaware that one of the faces was made out of glass that shattered under his unbelievably strong push. The shards cut through his skin causing blood to trickle out the wound. He didn't let out a hiss or any indication of pain but stared at the flow of red liquid nonchalantly through the searing pain before he plucked out the tiny shards and wrapped the cut with spare cloth. Seeing the object didn't have any particular use anymore, except the battery which he removed and kept, he simply threw the piece away and focused on his other items, which were just a mess of gears, wires and more metal.

However, even with his uncaring attitude, the scent of human blood nearby was enough to send a wave of alarm to his brain. His senses heightened as he scanned the area with bright eyes, trying to follow the slight beats of the footsteps, but the inconsistency of direction made it difficult for him to pinpoint where the person was located. Trying to calm himself, he untied the cloth around his wound and let the liquid slowly flow to the ground. Since he heals really slow, just a small wound can let out a dangerously high amount of blood.

"Scutum," he stated when the blood was enough to envelop him in a circle. The liquid suddenly expanded and surrounded the boy, keeping him within a dome, a shield of searing hot blood. While the protection wasn't the strongest, it would be enough to buy time for him to escape if needed. He continued fiddling with the foreign pieces.

---

Sara followed suite, though keeping a fair distance as well. She does know a bit more about their rivaling species than the average human, including superhuman abilities that vary widely. So better not confront a possible reality shifter. Once she heard the metallic malpractice though, she couldn't help and give a slight chuckle.

Not even flinching from the sound of a dome of hemoglobin being erected, she just leans against the opposite side of the statue, crossing arms and lowering her glasses slightly. "I take it, you are not that tech savvy?" She asked, still wary but trying to establish a more relaxed atmosphere. At least, given the circumstances...

Astrid jumped slightly at the sound of Sara's voice, nearly giving away her hiding place. This was something new as well. It made it even more important that she not give herself away, as she wanted to let the entire interaction play out without her interference. If this new person sent the thief to the authorties, so be it. At least she'd have something to think about in her other wise montinous life. Astrid was dying with questions. Who was he? What was going on? What did he need the parts for? She was in the perfect position to find all this out, if everything went to plan. She was tempted to use her powers, but, that wouldn't be good. Right? But what if..No, no, it wouldn't be right. She'd wait and see how this played out.

---

𝕾𝖊𝖕𝖍𝖙𝖎𝖘 𝕬𝖓𝖙𝖎𝖕𝖍𝖔𝖓𝖊𝖘
" 𝔗𝔥𝔢 𝔮𝔲𝔢𝔰𝔱𝔦𝔬𝔫 𝔦𝔰𝔫'𝔱 𝔴𝔥𝔬 𝔦𝔰 𝔤𝔬𝔦𝔫𝔤 𝔱𝔬 𝔩𝔢𝔱 𝔪𝔢; 𝔦𝔱'𝔰 𝔴𝔥𝔬 𝔦𝔰 𝔤𝔬𝔦𝔫𝔤 𝔱𝔬 𝔰𝔱𝔬𝔭 𝔪𝔢. "

The voice outside his shield wasn't that unfamiliar to him. In fact, he knew who it belonged to pretty well, having to hear of her reputation almost everywhere. Linking it to the items he scavenged, he could predict the reason this person even bothered to approach him.

"It's not like the guys here even handled all these complex machinery. We're still stuck in the old days," he simply answered as he was putting pieces together. Full of distrust, he didn't let his guard down, cautiously peeking at the human through the transparent parts of his shield.

"And in case you came here to scold me about these machine parts, keep them out of the woods and store them neatly within your buildings or whatever for god sake. The amount of litter there is horrendous, I'm actually doing good by picking your scraps up," he groaned. The picture of the woods, tainted with piles and piles of metal scraps was enough to make his blood boil, literally, as he unconsiously caused his shield to produce some sparks of fire. Letting out a long sigh, he diverted his attention away from the human again, hoping to be left alone in peace if he paid no attention to her.

---

Sara gave a small scoff in return, looking back at the peeping Lumen, then crossing her arms even more. Her voice became a little more raspy, but she regained composure quickly.

"You're complaining about living in the olden days, yet berate me for not doing so. I'd work on persuasion, if I were you. Plus... I am trying to repurpose my waste products. It saves resources. Also, I can literally hear from here that you're just toying around with those scraps like a cat would with a ball of yarn. Why not return them to me, where I can make use of them more than you." She continued, reaching out her hand around the statue to Sephtis but not attacking or any of that. Instead just opening her hand, as a receptacle.

The life of a woodsman was nothing to laugh at. The physical demand of carrying your supplies and using them was enormous, though dwarfed in comparison to bringing the goods of the trade back to where they could be further processed and sold. Hides were stretched and tanned, turned into fur to heat jackets and pad cradles. Or they were shaved and turned to leather for lace, or even further processed into treats for animals. The meat of a hunt was, of course, either cooked and consumed, or salted and hung to dry, to be saved as jerky for later. Or it was chopped into the slices of the animal and sold at market, salted there to keep the flies off.

And, aside from a hunt, there were other materials. Wood and stone, cut to size and sold at market. Fine marble could even be sold for steep prices in other cities and kingdoms. The great pine and ironwood trees made beautiful planks and furniture, and other woods were highly scented, a fragrant slice of woods often set in chests or boxes to keep the mold at bay. The other flora of the forests were also valuable; spring flowers made wonderful nosegays, little bundles of fragrant, sweet scents. The larger flowers found within the fields could make bouquets or be dug up and replanted within a garden. Some flowers could be consumed as well, as well as other bushes and flora. Berries could be used in both dyes and meals, a flavorful topping or seasoning or a volatile, deep-staining color.

Though the woods harbor so much for pure, clean money, there were also those few who sought the darker corners of those woods. Yes, the woodsmen sold to them as well, whether it be a flower that put a human to sleep, or a plant made purely of toxins. Some looked for the biting and stinging variety of insects, whereas others sniffed around for venomous and poisonous varieties. Many believed the woodsmen were blessed by the forests, and called upon them for more exotic reasons; where practical herbs and medicine failed, the right set of bones might heal an ailment. Or a bowl of blood from some wild beats, and a length of flesh or tendon.

The last of the woodsman's services, and possibly the most expensive, was guide work. A human might pay with pure gold for a guide over a mountain or through the thick woodlands. However, the rarest of prizes was to guide a Saakri-Lumen somewhere. Among the woodsmen, that proved to be the zenith of guiding a living creature anywhere. The Saakri-Lumen were known to have powers of the supernatural, and often envied by the woodsmen. For one to commission a human guide was to show not only equality between the Saakri-Lumen and human, but to show trust. Trust would lead not to money, but to perhaps a favor, a single use of the mysterious power of the inhuman species. Some woodsmen became fast friends with the more adventurous Saakri-Lumen, others simply became used to their presence.

Wade was one of the woodsmen who grew accustomed to the Saakri-Lumen, usually waving at any if he saw them. Few waved back. Most became agitated, and tried to run him back to the human kingdom. At this particular point in time, however, Wade was returning to the human kingdom on his own. On his back, there sat his tree cutting axe, as well as bundles of plants, lashed tight around his waist and beneath his arms. He also drug a skidding sled behind him, the wooden construct laden with fragrant lumber and ironwood, cut to ragged lengths and stacked with caution. Several rabbits hung from the boy's belt, caught in snares throughout the day. All of it would be sold, and likely very soon. Wade had left two days ago, gathering and hunting. He'd slept in the woods, and woken up before the crack of dawn to set up his snares and find the best trees to chop down. He'd snared five rabbits, then went about chopping down the trees he'd decided to mark for sale. Now, he was returning to the city he called home to sell his goods.

However, something else drew his attention first. A gathering was happening, right before his eyes. Dragging his sled within earshot of the speaker, he crawled upon the pines and firs and sat, mindful of the tree sap and pitch that would gladly cling to his clothes.

Imagine if you can a beautiful young woman, perhaps the most beautiful woman you have ever seen. That would be Andrea. Hair a raven black color, one would notice the way the light catches in it and it shimmers as it flows with her every move. Her hair is very lengthy reaching down to the middle of her torso, so long in fact that it almost caresses the small of her back. If you were to run your fingers through her hair, it would feel as though you are touching some of the finest silken fabric ever woven. Soft, and almost liquid like, Andrea’s hair would flow over your fingers like water as you touch it. Her beautiful face is demanding of attention. Its high cheekbones calling your eyes to the statuesque bone structure underlying its gentleness. She has been graced with a look that could be that of royalty. She has heart shaped, rose colored lips that are always curved into a slight smile. The slight hint of moisture on her lips making them glisten in the light, causing them to look as though they are really a reflection on the waters of a pond and not really a part of her at all. Her emerald green eyes staring back at you as though to pierce your very soul and derive your thoughts and feelings. You can see the different shades of green streaking through her eyes, making them appear to be alive just as fire does when it moves and flickers, or twisting figures of snakes. Andrea had eyes that could make one neglect all else and freeze in a state of mystified awe, or horror, and once she had set her eyes on her target, one could feel hypnotized by her piercing gaze, cold yet unwavering, then again warm and kind. But under that fragile and ethereal looking figure, lies something dark, something powerful and something sinister. Caused by hatred, anger, and a burning desire that clawed at her, it was a ball of negative emotion, one that she would channel each and every drop into her project and desire to keep her people safe.


As the leader of her people, she was very well loved, constantly promoting ideas that would benefit her people’s well-being, encouraging equality, and making sure no one lacked a roof over their head, a warm bed to sleep in, food to eat or clothes to wear. Boutiques, restaurants, arcades and almost anything you could think of, intricately weaved alongside nature. Unlike the humans, whose cities reeked of pollution, theirs was a world where nature and Saakri-Lumens shared peacefully, a near perfect world. Andrea stands on the balcony of one of the many towers in her home, staring plainly at the border, and the world of the humans. The humans had taken the world, shaped it for their own violent, destructive ways, not caring for Mother Nature at all. And yet, their technology was superb. Destructive, yes, but incredibly useful. She exhaled, a sigh echoing through her home. She gazes at the horizon that stretches across her entire field of view in the most spectacular fashion. A massive expanse of crystal clear water is all she can see ahead of her with a miniature sail boat proudly sailing along with its small white sails catching the little sea breeze. This same breeze caresses her skin, keeping it pleasantly warm in spite of the slowing fading sun, making me feel like it is hugging me warmly. The beautiful colour which seems to be a mix of orange and pink fills the dark blue sky and colours the puffy white clouds. The calm ocean reflects this most amazing colour in the way which only it can. The waves gently lull on the sandy shore, slowly breaking then receding, always gracefully touching one’s toes. The smell which these waves conjure is not fishy and disgusting as it sometimes is but rather soft and a little salty which just so luscious. The sea gulls circle in the air, occasionally landing or catch their food. One sea gull dives from the air only to lift itself up again as it nears the water, making a small V in the water behind it. She finds herself thinking that their world has grown and developed, becoming a world unlike the humans, free of most pollution. From another tower, she could observe an exotic forest, connected to the ones that grew along the unmarked borders. That forest was different, far more beautiful with lush, rare, greenery, cascading waterfalls, streams, flowers and animals of of shapes and sizes. The Saakri-Lumens were indeed blessed. She thought to herself. Such a peaceful world, where nothing could, or would go wrong

A storm raged, and the heavens broke forth with a storm rivalling the rage of the seven suns. Thunder crashed, and lightning streaked across a dark electric blue sky. The first thing the little girl noticed was the pungent smell of dead, rotting, flesh from all her fallen comrades and enemies. The cool wind that blows around her doesn't seem to help to get rid of the disgusting smell, in fact it brings additional smells; Smells of dust, smoke and blood from the surrounding area. These smells bring in feelings of anxiousness and nervousness as she has no idea if she would be the next target, would she be joining those already scattered on the ground in pieces after the next massive explosion? The floor is a bloody battlefield, streaked with crimson blood and dead bodies, bullet shells and pieces of metal.

As she ventured further into hell the screams and shouts from nearby soldiers gets progressively louder. Gunshots and explosions are sounding closer as she continued creeping further into depths of hell. Debris from explosions are landing closer and closer around her..

She finally reached a friendly base that is under enemy fire, a young Saakri-Lumen quickly pulls her down to the ground by her shoulder just as a bullet flies over her head ricocheting off the tree several meters behind her. As she started to move from the ground to a nearby cover dodging bullets and grenades the adrenalin she had been waiting for to kick in has finally decided to take part, making her senses more aware than before and speeding everything up giving her the strength to continue and allowing her to forget about the foul taste of dirt in her mouth. Too young. Too young to be fighting this war, too young to be forced into this chaos, this madness. And yet still here, living, breathing, and fighting.

The little girl finds cover and cower in fear hiding like a small scared child, the sounds of machine guns and explosives are all around her; she was terrified, even the adrenalin rush is not enough to calm her down.

As she looked up, she notice the shiny, metallic bullet shells, freshly spewed blood, body parts and debris splattered all over the ground. An unknown ally collapses as his head was just blown off by an enemy sniper in the distance.

A lone M16 with a fully loaded magazine is within her reach; she grabs the weapon's cold, metallic, handle getting ready to spring up, aim down the sight and kill the first enemy she spots. She gets up and start shooting like a rookie in training, spraying bullets everywhere. While she is shooting this gun she notice the spent bullet casings ejecting out of the chamber and landing on the ground next to her. The soft metallic clinging sound and the smell of gunpowder overpowers her nose, distracting her from important matters at hand and then a THUD!

Realizing she have been shot she drops to the ground behind the cover. She looks over to her left shoulder and sees where the bullet hither. She feels the warm blood that starts running down her arm and see the bullet still imbedded into her shoulder. Mercury red blood dripped on the ground. The pain is so unbearable that she starts screaming and shouting for a medic to come and rescue her; Hearing her screams a Saakri-Lumen blessed with the power of healing rushes over to her side and pulls her to a safer location. He then examines your shoulder, pulling out the bullet with a pair of pliers and heals her with a warm glow. Just in time to save her life…..but not his. The humans had started the war and her mom, the previous leader of the Saakri-Lumens has sworn to end it. She remembered the screams of anguish of her father in the failed peace treaty they had with the humans. “Please, I’m begging you, listen to us! We only want good for both our species, we want to flourish and benefit together. Don’t do this to us, we have no intention to harm you.” And then his head was slashed off, humans giving off triumphant yells as they tossed a grenade that weakened and confused the Saakri-Lumens, before carrying his head away, a signal of their victory. And them days later they attacked, leaving Andrea an orphan.



She was now older, the new leader after her mom had tragically died in battle. Shot by a human. A whole case of bullets emptied into her heart, another bullet to the head. Her mother didn’t escape in time. Andrea was only 6 when then incident happened, 6 when she crowned the new leader. She swore everything in her power she would keep the Saakri-Lumens safe back then, she would still uphold that promise now. Her eyes harden, her lips purse. Empty emotionless turquoise eyes stare into the mirror. She had grown up now. Things were different. She adjusted her coat, and headed to the town square. She had to give another speech soon….she wouldn’t want to be late. Besides, leaving early would give her a chance to make a small detour. Nobody noticed as her figure weaved through the crowd, and with barely a side glance at the crowd forming, she slipped away….somewhere.

---

It hurt. It hurt so much. The little girl with the large eyes and dark hair felt blood travel down the side of her face from the cuts. Bruises littered her small body, and she kept her arms close to her chest, cuts over those too. She tripped over a rock, and fell, the fresh bruises hitting the ground and sending pain jolting through her. Tears ran down her face as she cried, picking up speed as she ran to a dirtier, shadier and darker group of houses, running up the porch of one, knocking on the door. She winced from the rough surface of the door hitting her bruised knuckles, but a man answered the door, and horror dawned over his face. “Astrid?” He pulled her inside. “What happened?!”

Later, Astrid was sitting on a wooden stool, her tiny 8-year old leg being bandaged with gentle persicson by the large man. “So, wanna tell me what happened?” She shook her head stubbornly. He sighed. “Astrid…” The little girl signed out with shaking, bandaged hands, “He was stealing food from little kids! That isn’t good!” “Was he bigger than you?” She nodded hesitantly. “Stronger?” Another nod. “Faster?” A final nod as Astrid avoided looking at the man. He sighed, tying off the bandage. “Astrid, you have to pick your battles, you know that, right?” “But you always tell me to do the right thing!” she signed. “That is true, but sometimes, if it means saving your own skin, you just have to keep walking. You’re only eight years old, there will be a time when it’s okay to be the hero. That time isn’t now, but only you will know when you’re really ready. All I know is that you’re too young to get yourself into fights like that, okay?” Astrid nodded with a sigh as the man gingerly hugged her. “Know the right time and place for everything, Astrid. There’s always going to be one.”

Astrid was suddenly brought back to the present as the memory faded. She…had forgotten about that. Who was the man? Was it her father? Was it a friend? Where even was that place? Who was the person she’d fought? There were so many questions that Astrid had, which made her want to scream in frustration. Until the last thing that the man had said echoed in her mind. “Know the right time and place for everything, Astrid. There’s always going to be one.” Astrid had some kind of…intuitive notion that no matter how small this interaction was, nothing was going to be the same after this. But was it her place to reveal herself? Was it her place to jump in, and try and figure out was going on? Or would it be better for her to just..keep watching? Then again, was the right thing to do to leave and never return? Astrid was being riddled with questions, and it was starting to get overwhelming. She slapped her hands over her ears, and as she let go, dust and gravel went tumbling to the ground, a slight skittering sound. But to someone who depended on silence, that sound was as loud as an avalanche.

Astrid’s power had always rested in the back of her consciousness, like an animal curled to spring. While most Saakri-Lumen might describe their ability as part of them, Astrid had never felt that connection. Maybe it was the looming terror of what she knew that she could do if she really wanted to. Maybe it was the small part of her that wanted to really wreck ultimate chaos, to really test her limits. But she would never let that part of herself take over. She’d never go that far. Despite her indifference to a lot of things, Astrid wouldn’t do it. Still, her power called to her to speak into their minds, confuse and frighten them. They’d never know it was her. She could steal away easily, leaving them behind. Besides, what real difference would it make? She’d be giving the darkest depths of her mind a bit of freedom, before leaving and drawing it back. This debate kept raging in her mind, like a black and dark storm.

But then it hit her.

This was the best way to know. To satiate her curiosity, without exposing herself and possibly endangering herself. She would use her ability to interrogate these strangers, satiating her curiosity while giving herself a perfect moment to slip away. But it would all depend, mostly on pure luck. Was Astrid’s luck really strong enough to get her through this? Or would it all run out? Over the years, Astrid had gotten pulled out of many sticky situations, mostly because of her muteness. But they wouldn’t spare her this time just because she was mute. This time,that wasn’t going to save her. If she was caught, there was nothing stopping them from doing…anything to her. Astrid was quick, but she wasn’t strong enough to put up a real fight. Astrid, though she hated to admit it, would always choose the flight when it came to fight or flight.

Astrid was indeed quick, and she proved this as she quickly moved, quiet as a shadow as she darted to another, deeper hiding place, where she would be less noticeable. The ability was perking up. It knew that she would be calling upon it for the first time in so, so long a time. At first, Astrid was extremely hesitant to do this. What if something went wrong? What if she couldn’t let go of the connection? What if..her deepest, darkest fear came true and she gave into the chaotic monster that lived inside of Astrid? She was very much afraid. But she wasn’t going to let that stop her. She took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and reached into herself, releasing the thread that connected to the psyches of the people around her. And so, she used her power to “speak” into their minds.The voice that they would hear was a raspy, quiet female voice that asked in a tired voice, “Who are you, and what are you doing here anyways? This definitely isn’t normal.” She didn’t want to go further, and was preparing to release the connection, since she could already feel it tiring her out.

---

𝕾𝖊𝖕𝖍𝖙𝖎𝖘 𝕬𝖓𝖙𝖎𝖕𝖍𝖔𝖓𝖊𝖘
" 𝔗𝔥𝔢 𝔮𝔲𝔢𝔰𝔱𝔦𝔬𝔫 𝔦𝔰𝔫'𝔱 𝔴𝔥𝔬 𝔦𝔰 𝔤𝔬𝔦𝔫𝔤 𝔱𝔬 𝔩𝔢𝔱 𝔪𝔢; 𝔦𝔱'𝔰 𝔴𝔥𝔬 𝔦𝔰 𝔤𝔬𝔦𝔫𝔤 𝔱𝔬 𝔰𝔱𝔬𝔭 𝔪𝔢. "

Sephtis, being one who loses his temper too easily made straight eye contact with the human, the blazing, red glow in his eyes was close to that of a raging flame. The mocking tone the human had used to speak to him really bugged him, his anger getting too crazy for him to process his actions. He dropped the shield around him allowing nothing between the two individuals, two individuals from completely separate worlds that could just kill off one another in a mere second, especially him. His unfinished invention lay on the ground, the smoldering blood was still welding the pieces together to what looked close to a gun. A crazed smile formed on the boy’s face as the other Saakri-Lumens around them watched in complete shock.

Everyone knows that, if he loses it, he couldn’t be considered a Saakri-Lumen any longer, he can’t possibly be one of the beings who don’t favor violence. They would say that when the switch was flicked, he was more menacing and crueler than any human roaming the face of the earth.

Oh, when was the last time he was let out? The other side of him sitting at the back of his mind, the demon awaiting release, just sitting patiently for the right moment for Sephtis to snap and allow him to surface. He remembered he was only seven, no eight when he first had control over the body. When the little child was in a crisis, being pinned to the ground by guards for going too close to the border for the first time. He remembered snickering at the helpless child as he laid there under their grip, the anger in his face when his own voices taunted at how weak he was as he desperately tried to shut them away. That was his first real meeting with his inner demon, with him.

At that time, Sephtis felt like he was staring straight at his own reflection in the mirror, except his reflection was one with brighter red eyes and blood-tipped horns, claws and fangs. The feeling of being looked down upon by no one other than himself crushed him, making him an easy victim as the reflection stepped out the confines of the glass. ”I see you’re having a quandary here,” the voice teased with a chuckle at disordered little Septhis. He clearly recalled the feeling of confusion, similar to having two minds control one body. He remembered the copy of himself circle around him as he stood there motionless, slowly losing his touch with time and reality as the demon suddenly stood closer beside him.

“Aren’t you tired of being trapped by those above you? Don’t you hate having to follow orders and obey what they tell you?” it chanted, entrancing the boy with words. Obviously, being in Sephtis’s unconsciousness, he knew well about him. How he was raised. How he lost his parents. How his disease made him an easy pick among the other Saakri-Lumens. He knew far too well about all the pain and weight the boy’s frail body was holding, and he knew how soon it could be that the boy crumbled in his own despair. “Good for you, I came to save you, just close your eyes and rest. Let me handle everything” he soothed. Of course, Sephtis, being who he is, didn’t trust even himself one bit.

“I won’t let you do that, who knows what you’ll do to me,” he hissed. The other him didn’t react; the same smile stuck on his face, one that was comforting to him that Sephtis started doubting his words.

“Trust me. I may be the enemy to some, but I promise I only mean to protect you,” he answered, taking the strings as Sephtis’s thread with reality finally snapped. He remembered seeing the world through his eyes for the first time, no longer sitting at the back and watching everything play before him like a show on the television screen. He could still relive the feeling of moving the joints, having control over the body systems he never had before. It didn’t even take a second for him to get rid of the guards that held the boy. In the blink of an eye, a boy so frail suddenly mustered strength top to those of the greatest warriors. Of course, he could only hold on for so long before Sephtis awakens and switches back. Being left confused for days on what happened between the fuzzy memories he sees when he regains control of himself. He laughs at the sight, the boy has yet to learn to work together with him.

This time he rises again, expressed through the brighter red eyes and glowing claws.

“My, oh my, you seemed to have driven the boy to the edge there,” he sighed. With a snap of his fingers, the human was restrained by strings of blood, the heat penetrating through her clothes, threatening to burn her alive. He wasn’t as cautious as the boy, he knew his strength. He closed the distance between the two, picking up Sephtis’s craft on the ground and flipping it over to examine it. “He really did a good job making this, might sell it for millions in the illegal markets,” he continued on as he filled the barrel with blood before shooting it to the sky, the gel-like substance erupting into a show of flying flames. He let out a laugh of glee as he reloaded it with more.

“Damn, and with someone that has never even seen a machine like this before, you’d reckon they wouldn’t even imagine it,” he proudly said as he aimed it right at the human’s skull. “Though, maybe we should test its lethality,” he laughed evilly as his fingers slightly pressed the trigger. “It’s not a big deal if I kill you here and now, right? Technically, you aren’t supposed to venture here anyway,” he laughed, the press on the trigger increasing.

”Who are you, and what are you doing here anyway? This definitely isn’t normal”

The sudden interruption through his thoughts slightly shocked him and could've shot the human if he were to jump from surprise. The voice that clearly echoed through his mind shifted his attention away from the human for a minute, the grip of the strings around her lessened as his eyes latched at a hidden corner in the distance. He let out a sneer. While it was probably enough to make Sephtis completely baffled, he was different. The Saakri-Lumen's power was no different than how he lived in Sephtis, just a voice channeled through his brain.

“I’m guessing that was meant for this intruder right here, but you were following me around since I, well he, came back from his tiny expedition so I reckon you’d want to know about him too considering you even bothered to stalk him,” he laughed. The way he addressed Sephtis emphasized that the one talking now wasn’t Sephtis himself but another person. “But I wouldn’t want to spoil his identity for him, even though he’s pretty much known by everyone here,” he sighed, ranting off like a father annoyed by their son’s attitude. “Well, I’m going. I only came to make sure the boy doesn’t get convicted for murder,” he ended, not bothering to say any goodbyes as he picked up whatever remains from Sephtis’s junk and disappears.

As they finally get away from the crowd, he wraps the wounds, mentally scolding the boy to be careful about his blood loss. After he was sure all the cuts were treated, he let Sephtis take control again, the boy's eyes blinking with confusion. He was sure he was at the square just now, why did he suddenly end up in another dark alley?

---

The exchange that just happened was certainly a little shock for Sara... though she quickly recollected herself and looked at her own self in a nearby puddle, now with damaged clothing and slight burns. Her robotic arm suffered minor damage but that was alright in her book, it had suffered worse. Her breath racing, she shook her head and groaned, this whole exchange was a tad bit too much. This voice though...

"Who are you and what are you doing here? This isn't normal?" She repeated the sentence, looking down at her own arm again. "A different voice... but I am sure I wasn't the only one who heard it. That unstable "inventor" must've also heard it..." She said to herself, even making air quotes over the word. "A blood launcher... and a horrendous one at that. Making millions... HAH!" That last laugh was a loud cackle, as she could not help herself but laugh at that statement. "That poor son is no different than those helpless chaps that try to sell me their "groundbreaking invention", only to realize I always have the same model, in a better quality, in R&D. Overconfident idiots..."

Going into a different dark alleyway, Sara quickly pulls out her briefcase and changes clothing, now in a more discrete and casual style than the business heavy suit from before. With that, she went outside again, trying to broadcast her own mind... which just meant being sure and confident in having a strong mental voice.

"I'm an investor. Looking to help out people in need... do you require help?" She thought back, smiling while closing her eyes again to hear for any metallic sounds, in hopes of tracking down that jury-rigged abomination. What the boy had done, was of no interest. She had terrorist attacks on herself already... but misusing her products is where she draws the line.

Andrea returned, just in time to see the commotion that had happened. She snaps her fingers sharply, and immediately Saakri-Lumen guards teleport all around Septhis and Sara, dragging them back to her home. She didn’t want to cause any more of a spectacle then there already was. Struggle was futile, as the guards were personally trained by her, ready to temporarily disable any tricks the Saakri-Lumens had, by giving them a special black and red cuff. “May I know why the two of you are causing a ruckus in such a public area? If you have your childish matters to settle, you should go do it somewhere more private. I discourage violence, and while I can’t restrain you from being violent, I will not accept you rampaging around like a bambling, bumbling band of baboons, disrupting the peace of the saakri-lumens in the town square.” She asked, standing before them as the pair was released and the cuff taken off. “Be warned, do that again and my guards will not hesitate to get you back. Otherwise consider yourself at home, feel free to take what refreshments you want. I only need to hear why the two of you have done what you did”

---

Sara gives a dissatisfied smirk, crossing her arms again and raising an eyebrow. "First of all, for someone with this much power, you're pretty blind, if you consider me hostile. All I requested was the return of my property." She asked, pointing at Sephtis' bag and then turning away. "Secondly, I am sure you caused more of an commotion with your glorified workers than I did in my entire stay. So why not restrain yourself alongside us next time." This level of sass she hadn't felt and/or used in a while and it felt surprisingly good.

The clatter of an empty beer bottle hitting the cold tile of the floor echoed through the lonely and miserable house Fier Dunsway called home. It was the beginning of her lovely new day, albeit being almost noon, and she already chugged a beer. She didn't know why she still drank that stuff, it was rather disgusting and did nothing for her other than give her a temporary rush, but feeling nasty afterwards honestly wasn't all that worth it. She'd much rather get her thrill from pure adrenaline or fear, but nooooo hurting people in this society was too hard to deal with. She let out a yawn as she looked down at the littered floor below her, staring blankly with bored eyes for a few minutes before snapping back to reality and continued her journey downstairs. The world around her was so far ahead, and yet she was stuck living like this, no fancy technology to help Fier with her oh so important struggles of keeping a clean house, nothing like that. She wouldn't be able to afford anything like that anyways, hell, even her beer was stolen. She was a thief and that's how she intended to live. She couldn't deal with the rules society had to restrain her to, it was stupid. She let out a sigh as she looked out the window, watching as the world went on without her. She had to get things today, she couldn't deny that, but... Was it that she didn't want to go out today, or that she had a slight urge to just enjoy being out? Nah, who was she kidding? That was stupid, this earth had nothing enjoyable for her, it was all bland and dull. Anyways, with her plan set in mind, she got ready to leave and made her way towards the door, saying goodbye to the comfort of her home and reluctantly welcoming the oh so glorious freedom of the great outdoors.

"I hear those saakri-lumens are monsters! Real terrible ones, ones that will take all they can, real relentless... Say, Fier, wanna go over the border, see some for ourselves? We gotta see if the stories are true, right? They sound so evil, so heartless!" Fier was only 6 years old when she made the worst choice of her life, being involved with the 2 "demon children" of their town. They were her best friends when they had met, their brattish and manipulative personalities being perfect for each other. Those two were orphan sisters, their parents being murdered in the war but they were unaware of what had happened. They did so much together, so much of it being terrible things, but they were friends. Fier's parents didn't approve of it of course, as they realized their sweet daughter had turned into a demon child as well. The line was crossed for them when one day, when Fier was 8 and the sisters were 10, they ventured over the border of the land of humans and went to cause trouble to the saakri-lumens. Things turned for the worse when they were discovered by a merciless man of the saakri-lumens and the girls somehow ended up dead, Fier being the only survivor. She turned and ran, the blood of her friends splattered on her face. That day, she thought the rumors were true, the saakri-lumens were terrible monsters who didn't own a heart, and it broke Fier's to see the only ones who could put up with her end up dead. "Momma! Momma, please help! S-Sadie, Laura, they're both dead! They killed them momma, those terrible monsters! I hate them! Why did they have to do that momma, it's so mean!" Those were the only words she could say as she ran to her parent's arms and cry, yelling and screaming and kicking her feet in anguish. "Oh sweetie, you know they deserve it..."

Somehow, her mind had wandered to that memory again, the memory of the day her beloved friend's deaths. She had later come to realize that the girls had killed themselves with small steak knives they stole as soon as the saakri-lumen laid his hand on them, creating the stupid illusion that he had killed the girls in order to make her believe the stories, but that didn't matter now. She still hated them with a passion, maybe out of bitter memories or perhaps even jealousy, and she hated humans for how cruel she saw they could be. If her own parents acted like that to the only friends she knew, how bad could they truely be? Well, that was pretty much her mission in life. A dumb one at that, but maybe it was just a manifestation of the terrible things she had in her head as a child. She was just simply determined to see how horrible one could be, see if she could recreate the devastation she felt when hearing her parent's words, see if she could get others to feel that too.

Fier had finally made it out the door, which she followed with a slow head turn towards the partly cloudy sky and a slow blink, then pulled her hood over her unbrushed hair and stuffed her hands in her pockets. A sharp pain followed the action, which came from a few needles she had left in her pocket. She slowly pulled out her hand and examined the bloody spots, a small smile appearing on her previously stagnant face. The rush of unexpected pain was like a nice coffee, it woke her up quite well and gave her a bit of needed energy. She then licked the blood off her skin, which received understandably grossed looks from other civilians, and kept walking. She let out a yawn as she leaned her head back to face the sky, watching the weird shaped clouds move slowly across the vast ocean of blue. Lumps, vague figures, masses of white, none of it interested her after a few seconds, so she just moved on to those walking around her instead. Whenever she made eye contact, she always made sure to flash the most disturbing grin, which would be followed by a disturbed face.

She finally ended up in the center of town, but unfortunately it looked like it was the busiest day of the week. Fier was already tempted to go home and just forget it, but she at least wanted to have some fun first. Besides, she was hungry and going home on an empty stomach made it hard to relax. She walked alongside everyone as they went to their stores, jumping from one person to follow to another, before finally finding the store that sold the best food. They were incredibly easy to steal from too, which just made it even better. She snuck in alongside a few others entering the store, discretely grabbed a few foods and stuffed them in her shirt, and walked back to the entrance. There was no one to stop her as she walked out, and no one took a second glance. It was all too easy, she almost laughed at the lack of difficulty.

---

“And here I thought you’d be a little more clever. I guessed wrong. The Saakri-Lumens only saw your childish squabbling, they didn’t see you getting taken away like a screaming bratty man-child. Lucky for me, I suppose, that you two were in dark alleyways. Apparently I’ve not made myself clear enough. Humans are unwelcome here. I wish not to harm any of you. Should you cross my territory, and challenge my people, then that’s where I step in. I won’t allow this, but perhaps in this case I can make an exception, seeing as one of us decided to continue the ruckus of a petty human.” Andrea scoffs, dismissing Sara with a disdainful wave. “Please leave us now, human. Leave this territory, otherwise the next time you come here I won’t be as lenient.”


“As for you…Septhis. Why? You know we dont embrace violence.”

---

Sara just gave a little smile. She couldn't hide it, her usual more stern and professional behavior seemingly overridden by a weird urge to talk some sense. It's not clear what was the cause but... she did not fight it either. In fact, for the time being, she embraced it.

"Let me get this straight then, Miss "Let me judge despite being blind". You pretend to be in the right, despite me only being here because I discussed business with another one of your kind. I haven't engaged in any discriminatory deeds, just discovering that excuse for an inventor having stolen parts from my manufacturing line... and now you're pretending to have a high ground despite you being quite literally the worst from all of us?"

A few seconds of pause...

"You. Little constructor. Can you ensnare me in blood again? That makes more sense than the [REDACTED] that she's spitting at the two of us."

𝕾𝖊𝖕𝖍𝖙𝖎𝖘 𝕬𝖓𝖙𝖎𝖕𝖍𝖔𝖓𝖊𝖘
" 𝔗𝔥𝔢 𝔮𝔲𝔢𝔰𝔱𝔦𝔬𝔫 𝔦𝔰𝔫'𝔱 𝔴𝔥𝔬 𝔦𝔰 𝔤𝔬𝔦𝔫𝔤 𝔱𝔬 𝔩𝔢𝔱 𝔪𝔢; 𝔦𝔱'𝔰 𝔴𝔥𝔬 𝔦𝔰 𝔤𝔬𝔦𝔫𝔤 𝔱𝔬 𝔰𝔱𝔬𝔭 𝔪𝔢. "

The confusion was literally scrawled on Sephtis’s face. What in the world just happen? The last thing he remembered before his vision go black was his burning rage at the human, then nothing. Try as he might, he couldn’t recall a single memory of the events that lined up since he faded away up until he woke up in the alley, the only hints of what happened were the blurry images, ones that were almost incomprehensible to him like something on a terribly glitching screen.

Though, he still didn’t like the fact that he was pinned down again, after 10 years of easily escaping the hands of the guards. Even if he were to erode the cuffs on his wrists with acidic blood, he knew his limits, his eyes were starting to lose their glow. He gave out an angry scoff.

He watched as the most powerful Saakri-Lumen, none other than the leader, towered above him. He didn’t want to admit it, but he felt respect building up in him for this Saakri-Lumen. Her strong and strict voice was enough to shove the sense of authority into the prideful boy’s face. He swore his mind started to drift away again, the aftermath of the switch made him dizzy, his attention coming and going, as Andrea interrogated them further. Everything was a blur, again. Maybe it is happening again-

A sharp kick in his side broke him from the haze as the guard harshly told him to answer the question. With his brain scattered, he didn’t even know what the question was. Though, he reckoned it was about the reason they were causing havoc in the middle of the square, even when the boy didn’t mean for all this to happen. They would have been better off if the human didn’t pester him and test his already limited patience. Why was the leader letting her live anyway? Weren’t the two clans great rivals? The never-ending thoughts just made him dizzier than he already was.

“Maybe we should have just finished her off,” he groaned. Another voice perked in his head; one he’s never heard of before.
“Oh, we wouldn’t be here if you two didn’t decide to start a war in the middle of the town,” he retorted. The voice was gentler than the first, having a calmer attitude than the two temperamental boys. Sephtis swore he heard him let out a sigh. “Guess I’ll have to clean up after your mess again, as usual,” he said before Septhis’s vision faded to black again.

The boy’s head that was hanging low previously gently raised up. He blinked several times before making eye contact with Andrea, his face gave off a calmer, yet colder, expression.

“I am truly sorry for what happened there. We were just not thinking straight. We’ll try to not repeat those mistakes again,” he said with a monotone voice to match the blank face, though there was a sign of conflict going on in his head as his eyebrows twitch, the other one annoyed that he was literally battering his pride. “And if you so want those silly metal things, just take them. I don’t like the ruckus these two are making because of some scrap” he sighed, addressing the human.

However, the trigger that the she pulled again, made him lose control and it switched back to Sephtis’s beast mode.

“Oh, I would’ve done that. In fact, if I didn’t think twice previously, you’d be ashes by now,” he growled menacingly, completely opposite to the one before. He almost glared at the leader, with his usual smile that can confirm someone’s thoughts of him losing his sanity. “Clearly, you only see things as they appear on the surface,” he laughed, standing up, his acidic blood starting to leak through the cloth and cause the metal cuffs to let out a hiss as it slowly corroded away. He pushed away the thought of dying of blood loss. His pride had been trampled enough today.

“Maybe you don’t know, but whatever we’ve been through is a far cry of what you think us Saakri-Lumens are. While these useless ones here don’t favor violence, I guess you’ve never considered those who were forced to live near the borders,” he started, the guards that tried to restrain him were sent flying with a kick. Even with his powers weakened and nearly disabled, his crazy physical strength made up for the loss, his combat on par with the wave of guards that keep approaching him. They were stronger than the average ones he dealt with everyday and it was quite a challenge for him to stop all of them, having to keep dodging and leaping from the walls as they struggled to pin him again.

“And, I hate to break it to you, but we are not as ‘Saakri-Lumen’ as you think. We’ve seen our own kind murder each other in cold blood for space, we’ve had wars there fighting for food, almost all of us were orphans at young ages forced to fend for ourselves due to the never-ending violence happening there while these people that you see around you happily live their lives within the inner depths,” he ranted, the things on his wrists were on the verge of breaking. “So, let me ask you again, you think those [bleep] are anywhere near as innocent as you think? I’m only a tiny fraction of the Saakri-Lumens living there, so you might want to consider your definition of what we are,” he spat, breaking the final scraps of metals. Without another word, he sped off onto the rooftops again until he was a considerable distance away from the square. If he gave in to his desire, he would’ve just murdered everyone within the area from anger, but he suppressed it. It wouldn’t be worth it, the boy was running low on blood and energy. With an annoyed sigh, he made the last few steps to their small, battered shed near the border.

“I’m pretty sure that the leader was there for an important reason,” he noted, implying that they should head back to the town center in case there was going to be an important announcement.

“I don’t care. We have that tower for a reason,” he pointed out. He climbed up the ladder until he reached the top, greeted by the view of the entire town and beyond into the human territory, blocked off from the rest of the world with the sheer cliff and its huge metal gates. He could feel Sephtis’s desire to venture into there. Surely if the human could even blend into the Saakri-Lumen grounds without getting beheaded, then they should be able to do the same, right?

“You won’t pull that off. They’re an entirely different kind. Stop daydreaming” he warned, reading the other’s thoughts. He didn’t respond, busy writing a note for the boy who was about to awake before properly wrapping the wounds again, with a special-treated bandage for Sephtis to speed up the clotting and withstand the unpredictable properties of his blood. Sticking the note to the wall, he lets go of Sephtis’s controls.

“Maybe we should let him do things on his own for a while”
“If he doesn’t die first” was the last thing he said before the two voices vanished from his head.

He squinted, wiping his eyes, as he tried to comprehend his surroundings. How did he end up in the tower when he was just at the town center, a good distance away from where he was at. He heard the familiar shouting and beating going on below.

“What’s up with me today,” he sighed as his eyes caught the yellow note stuck on the wall. ”Stay in the tower,” it wrote in his own scrawny handwriting. Even with his little recollection of what had happened, it was enough to warn him that he didn’t want to be anywhere close to there for the time being. He peered through the lens of his binoculars and fixed in on the town center, watching as the other Saakri-Lumens started to gather, either for a speech of some kind or just to see the drama unfold. He smiled, it was probably a crazy day for them too. Well, if it was a speech, the number of speakers around the center would even be enough to reach the human’s land, if the walls weren’t there to block out the sounds from both sides. He sat there, leaning against the comfort of the chair with a slight headache, watching out for any new activity through his binoculars.

---