"It shouldn't be. Not beyond mine." Vana refused to look at him, her arms wrapped tightly about herself as if to ward off the pressing anxiety, the fear. Her face was set. "I should know what to do. There must be a way."

She watched the sun sink, blood-red, into a cradle of cloud. Manners just barely prevented her from lashing out at Inanco, telling him to waste his sympathy on someone else.

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Eligh nodded. "I know... But its just.... He's gone. Its almost a shock to me, even though he was so sick... Everything that I knew to be his things are now mine. Every trade and job that were is are mine to do. And most of all.. He's not going to be there anymore when I need him. And I don't even know what killed him." He turned to look at Rayen, confusion clouding his red eyes.

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You may (or may not) know me elsewhere as Elfpen

Rayen wasn't sure what to say. She knew that nothing she could do or say would take away Eligh's pain, but she wanted to help somehow. "I don't know either," she told him when he looked at her with confusion, "I wish I could help you, but I don't know." She looked away, not knowing what do say or do. Finally, she just pulled him into a quick sympathetic embrace. She pulled back and wiped at her eye, banishing a tear that wanted to squeeze out. She hated seeing people she cared about in pain. "Where's Eliah?" she asked.

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I'm back!

(hey SG- i dont think you have me down as a toru-hi.)

Everya wrapped her arms around her eagle, Remnee's neck.
"Take me down." She said solemnly. Remnee screeched and went into a sharp dive. Remnee slid to a stop once her talons hit the ground. Everya slid off and patted the brown feathers.
"Stay close." She murmered. Remnee snapped her beak and flew off, circling Eligh's house. Everya hovered near the door, emotion flooding her. She had known Eligh for a very long time, and the death of his father hit her hard. Slowly she pushed open the door and peered in.

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Hello, I'm Amoniel
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<i>You're not a god.</i> Inanco stopped himself from saying the words outloud. <i>You don't know everything.</i> He sighed instead, staring out at the canyon as well. "Maybe out there..." he murmured. "Maybe there's something-someone who could help."

((Oh, I dont'?! I'll fix that.))

Eligh looked down, "She's with mom, in her room. Knowing her, she probably wants to be left alone. But also, knowing her, she'll want to see you later." He looked up again, "I'm sorry, Rayen... I.... I wish I could speak on better terms right now..." his head turned towards the door, seeing a disturbance in the light rays that poored through the half-open door.

"Oh.. Hello, Everya." He said, forcing a smile, trying his best to seem welcoming.

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You may (or may not) know me elsewhere as Elfpen

Roanell looked toward the door and saw Everya

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"Is all that we see or seem in a dream, but a dream?" -Edgar Allen Poe

[: ? # = $ ^ ~ +]


Normal is for Muggles!

Pounding could be heard from small workshop in the middle of the village. A woman, her short air in a small ponytail, and a black apron over her tunic and trousers, pounded a long piece of metal with a hammer, on an anvil. She fashioned the sword till it was straight a flawless. She examined her work, then submurged the hot metal into a bucket of water, steam rising. Wiping sweat from her face with her sleeve, she sat down at on a wooden stool and started sharpening the sword on a round stone that turned when she pushed a petal with her foot. This would be a sword of another Toru-hi, and hopped it's owner-to-be would last longer than the owner of the last sword she had made for the ones who flew on the great eagles...

~~~~~

Selbren rode his eagle, Zephranus over the clouds, mind pondering on why so many of his kind were dieing so mysteriously. The dark-haired boy sighed, and leaned forward, resting his chin on the back of his hands that lay on the eagles soft feathers.
You ponder... stated a voice in his mind.
"Why?" he asked, knowing Zephranus knew what he talked about.
Ah, the question we all want the answer to. Why? Why is the sky blue, and the grass green? Why do we live... and then die again? Zephranus called out, his scream lingering for a moment, full of sadness. We can't answer these questions, Selbren... but I think it's better to ponder with others, then ponder alone... why don't you talk to the others much? We're opposites like that... I talk alot, or thing, and you talk little.
"Because," was all Selbren said...

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(}--{)Imagination Inspires Ideas -Zandain(}--{)
Married Cloud Strife 9/17/08

"Maybe." Vana was silent, hands clenched into fists where they lay in her lap. Powerlessness had always scared her, always made her withdraw into herself. As if you're ever open with anyone, she reminded herself. It wasn't a reprimand.

She rose abruptly. "I doubt it, though." And having sufficiently warded off yet another well-meaning individual, Vana stalked up the trail back to her cottage.

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Everya tried to smile but couldn't. She inclined her head in welcome to Roanell and walked over to Eligh.
"I'm very sorry for your loss." That was all Everya could manage to say. She rested her hand on Eligh's arm.

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Hello, I'm Amoniel
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(hey SG, i think i meant for my char Aeryn to be a toru-hi...ugh, i don't know how to fit in...let's see if this works)

Aeryn sat in a branch, cleaning a old rusty sword as the wind blew through his black shaggy hair and into his eyes. He blew it out of his face as he heard the cry of a very old friend in the distance. He looked up to see a silver-winged eagle come flying towards him. Her name was Kithsytha and she was one of the last in her race. He was glad to be friends her, for many people didn't like him much, even though he had handsome features, he was good with animals...which many people labeled him an outcast for. He sighed as Kithsytha landed on a branch near him. "Hullo, Kithsytha." He said in greeting. She inclined her head towards him and looked toward the sun. Aeryn laughed and then contiuned to clean his sword.

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Just became a college freshman; be on sparingly

[SG, you have a plot direction yet? because I've got something coming up]

The scimitar's blade glinted blood red as Tlenes stalked silently through the darkness. He reached a bend in the tunnel and, pressing himself against the wall, inched forward. Around this bend, the tunnel opened into a small cavern. This he knew from a lifetime spent wandering through the network of caves and tunnels that interwove through Neboia's canyon oasis.

Pack of wolves on your trail, lured by blood. Approaching my position. Stars above, you must be dripping blood all over. Evandyr's irascible thoughts tingled the back of his consciousness. The magnificent eagle stood rear guard at the last cavern.

Chastened, Tlenes shook his unkempt hair from his face and glanced at the blood on his scimitar. Wincing, he wiped it on his cloak. He'd have to be more careful next time. Are they a problem?

A pack of dead wolves? You insult me.

Grinning to himself, he inched farther out and risked a peek around the bend in the tunnel. His grin broadened.

Quarry in sight.

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((Yeah, Actually I do. If you want to help out with my evil plans, feel free to PM me, LDM. I know how you like doin' those things. You're good at it. In fact, I'll give some hints to it here...))

A tall, thick shouldered man, shadowy right down to the dark eyes in his deep sockets, he knelt down to the black marble floor beneath him.

"My Lord, the Utura will soon be under your command. The dwarves were of little hinderence. Our men held strong - though we lost many." He said, barely flinching at all, much less showing any emotion through his heavy accented voice.

"And what of the Yanua?" Came the zombie like, ageless voice.

"The winds grow hard, and the stars grow dark." He siad this almost as a chant, bowing his head even further than before. A wry, evil smile spread itself onto the thin lips of the tall dark figure sitting on the large chair carved into the wall.

"Good."
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Eligh nodded. He really felt overwhemled with all this attention. Seemingly on cue, Eliah walked out, having heard the comotion. Her dark hair flowed over her shoulders as she stepped forward. Eligh took this time to leave, arms crossed and head down, to his room. Eliah looked at Everya and Rayen.

"You guys didn't have to do this for us... But I... I really am glad you came. I..I d-don't..." She didn't finish, as tears took her once more as soft sobs shook her frame. She tried desparatley to stop, but the tears flowed down her raw cheeks no matter how hard she tried.

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You may (or may not) know me elsewhere as Elfpen

Rayen looked up when Eliah walked in. She was almost reduced to sobs herself at seeing one of her closest friends in such a state. With one last consoling pat on the shoulder, she left Eligh where he sat and went to his sister.

The motherliness coming out in her, Rayen took Eliah in her arms and held her as she cried. "It will be alright," she said comfortingly, "You'll see. Everything will be alright." She hoped that she could help both of them through their grief, but she remembered how hard it had been when her parents had died.

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I'm back!

(Ok, Tur! He's a Toru-hi... I'l fix that up.... And, I don't think we have any more Toru-hi spots... Unless someone just HAS to be one.)

Eliah nodded into the shoulder of her friend, trying to compose herself. How could she help anyone in this state? She was supposed to be out in the orchard today, gathering apples and ornages as she did every day of her life. And her supervisor, Gilion, wasn't known for his forgivness. Hugging her friend and then pulling back, Eliah blinked back the last of her tears.

"I need.. I need to go. Gilion will be expecting me in the orchards today. With.. With dad gone, I have to get in all the work I can." Eligh had joined them again, but this time his cheeks, like his sister's, were tear-stained and raw.

"Aye. I need to be in the fields as well... Cotton dosn't exactly pick itself." He forced a dry smile, though he really did not enjoy his work at all. "And unfortunatly, I think we will be out there all day... With mom in such a state... I think we're the fanicial support right now." they both looked at everyone in the room, Rayen, Everya, Roanell... Then, Eligh, ready to have some alone time, with at least some productivity, grabbed his large messanger-type bag, made of thick brown linnen, and headed toward the somwhat small cotton field belonging to the Yanua, followed by the graceful Norakai. Eliah stayed behind, knowing that Gilion was probably asleep still.

"I still... Well, I really wish I had something to say... She then leant over toward Rayen and whispered, "Rayen, how.. How long does it take until you get control of your emotions again?" She was slightly sarcastic, but she meant it. Knowing that Rayen's parents had died, she hoped for a good friend in her right now, dealing with that subject.

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You may (or may not) know me elsewhere as Elfpen

Rayen's emerald eyes studied Eliah for a few moments. She didn't want to sound negative, but she didn't want to lie to her either. Finally she sighed and replied, "For me.... I don't know... awhile...." She trailed off sadly. After a moment, she forced a small smile. "But it will get easier."

Searching to change the subject she offered, "Do you need help in the fields?" She recalled how she had been after the death of her parents, sluggish, not able to do much without quite a bit of distraction. She would certainly help Eliah and Eligh in the fields if they needed it.

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I'm back!