Nameless

[visualspice]

In a land surrounded by a fog of no color, where tall towers coexsist against the crags of mountains, and streams flow endlessly through the churning mills and the natural beauty of the architectural design of a kingdom long forgotten to time itself.

This was a kingdom of no name, for it had been as forgotten as the people and it's myth.  Bordering the mountains and thick throngs of trees, this empire once stood, mighty and powerful, a forced to be reckoned with.  They had once been blessed by the Guaridan of the Forest, but as it stands, only ruins remain...

Though, in a vastly different world, exsisting on a vastly different plain.. the angered Goddess had sent her protectors to wallow in their own miseries as punishment for their crimes. Dabbling into such powers.... it lead to their own damnation, no matter the reason. It was forbidden, and the prince himself took the bait....


Now, living in a world of Purgatory and withering wait, Prince Draven, not feeling it appropriate to name himself King- a king of what? A nation that had been cursed away, locked up from the world and being snuffed of all its memories, life and color? No, a prince he remained, but a head strong one; proud and still a wonderful leader for his people that began to turn into just nameless beings before him.


Time never affected the people here, but memories faded over the centuries so that the people of the city became nothing but mindless, wondering shells.  Somehow, the royal blood line persevered, but in recent times Draven had come to realize they were hardly saved, and that it was becoming increasingly more evident that this plague would soon effect them.

It was why he had to save his family, to fidn the cure for his people; no matter the cost. It would be his destiny to return his Nameless Nation back to is' former glory...


No matter the costs.



Drawing away from the massive, stone balcony he had been perched upon, he turned around to admire his castle.  It was his, all his, but it was nothing without a name, without the memories that cradled inside...
He could recall much of who he was and what they were...
but it was the names that began escaping first.
Everyone seemed to forget the name first...
and then other things began to go...
Now the whole valley was lame with color, and the skies had long turned to a dreary grey.


Yes, it was time to let his brother and sister know his plan... but his sister, he feared for her most of all. She seemed to be more affected than the others, and his worry grew.  His brother, on the other hand... he worried, at times, that he was not affected, for he was the same Laighean he had ever known and smirked when he caught sight of him and gave way to a wave.

"Laighean!" his voice echoed over the massive balcony and carried into the vale as he stepped at the open ledge, his smile widening at his brother. "Why don't you come up here for a minute?"

[Paradox]

Standing high on the decrepit ramparts of an ancient castle there stood a young man peering out beyond over the decaying landscape below. Death and decay reigned supreme in every single inch of earth and the sky was a dark and ominous shroud that denied this world even the smallest glimmer of light. The young man pulled hugged his woolen cloak about him more tightly, though it offered him no comfort or warmth against the eternal chill that gripped his land as well as his soul.

He held his hand out , trying to catch snowflakes in his hand. They passed right through his fingers and he couldn't even feel a change. He was cold. He always felt cold. He sighed. What he wouldn't give to feel something different for a change. Or the nice warm body of a lady...

On rare occasion, he found himself slipping into the dead woods, wandering alone to the Goddesss's shrine to offer her a prayer, but he could not be certain if she even listened anymore. And he wondered about the new magic that Draven had mastered, but he never questioned his brother's decisions. He trusted the man, but he couldn't help but feel a sense of deep regret nagging at his heart. Ever since Draven had acquired it, everything had changed. For the worse.

Everyone had changed, everything. And the Goddess no longer spoke to his people. She had turned her back on them, sealing them away to resolve the problems that they had created. And it seemed their time, as long as it was, was limited. They would need to make amends with the Goddess and heal the land they had selfishly ravaged or fade as if they never were.
"Laighean!"

His brother's voice jolted him from his contemplation. He swiftly descended from the wall, and jogged across the courtyard, his steps making not a sound as his boots moved over the cracked stone.

He found Draven waiting for him, perched on a balcony. Having spent far more time at home in the forest than in the castle proper, climbing things became natural to the young man. He pulled himself up to stand beside the man and looked up at him with an easy smile on his face as usual, " You called?"   


ooc: I have no idea where Draven is supposed to be so I was vague about this. >>

[Ivory]

Fíona nearly passed the room without a glance, but something -- an unusual glimmer in the corner of her eye -- made her stop in her tracks.  She studied the wooden door in front of her, trying to determine what it was about this particular door that had caught her eye.

It was an old door, rickety, really, with gaps forming between its planks.  Her head tilted slowly to the left -- and there!  There was that strange glimmer again!  It seemed so familiar, and yet...  What was it?

Heedless of where this unused door might take her, the woman pushed open the door and into a narrow, winding staircase.  The stone stairs glittered with fallen snow, making the well-worn steps slick even against Fíona's bare feet.  She didn't notice -- neither the treachery nor the cold -- as she ascended; her eyes remained on the growing glimmer of light, just faintly visible, far above.

It didn't take her long.  One moment, she was climbing those narrow steps -- and, in the next, she had burst onto the battlements of one of the ancient towers.  The wind swirled about her, tugging on the skirt of her dress and blowing her hair every direction.  She hurriedly brushed her long locks out of her eyes so that she could see it clearly.

This was the source of that glimmer.

And she remembered it now.

Like a pocket in the storm around her, she could see an archway...and on the other side, she could see something truly wonderful: sunshine.  The archway opened upon a vast meadow.  There was so much color there: greens and yellows, blues and reds...and the sun!  It spilled outwards onto the narrow walkway.

Heedless of the danger, Fíona stepped forward with her arms outstretched to either side of her, as if she could embrace the archway and the beauty it brought.  A melody, the words of which she had long forgotten, rose to her lips as she felt the warming touch of the light spill over her.

It was so beautiful...

"Dum de dum dum," she sang out, flinging her head backwards with her eyes closed, simply basking.  "De de doo dum..."

And to those far below, her white dress would be all-but lost in the swirling snow -- but her hair would wave like a red banner.  And to them, there would be no sign of the sun nor the flowers nor the blue sky -- just a crazy girl, high above, lost in a hallucination.

[visualspice]

Draven placed his hands on his hips and looked down at his younger brother.
"And you wonder why I call you a monkey," he qipped, shaking his head at him. "But none of that now, where's your sister?" he glanced around, but didn't see her. "Never mind that, I need to talk to you anyhow." he said, shaking the thought momentarily away and gesturing for his brother to follow. "Come with me over here. I need to show you something."

It only took a few strides before the two found themselves standing on the opposing end of the overlook before Draven paused, his eyes scanning the colorless water that spilled through the architecture. It was a marvelous architectural wonder, to build the tower they were perched beside around a tall, thin water fall that fell like glass from the tall mountains that reached for the sky.
and this was the first time this place appeared... more grey, faded even as he stared at it.

"Another piece of the castle has fallen to the colorless," he said, staring at it for a long while before he finally turned to face his brother. "Laighean, I've called you over here today because I can't sit here any longer, waiting for the dim, grey color to take the rest of my mind and memories. Nor yours, or your sisters." He hesitated, after mentioning Fiona."It has been countless years that we had to witness the slow decay of our people, feeling there was not much more we could do but pray. But I think there is a solution. Something we're becoming ignorant of as places and names and faces become lost to us."

[Paradox]

Laighean smirked a bit at his brother's posture. It almost looked a bit haughty, scolding.
At being called a monkey, Laighean grinned broadly.He was the best one at climbing among them and scaling tall surfaces was second nature to him.

He frowned at Draven's question though. Did anyone know where Fíona was half of the time? His sister might have had an even greater wanderlust than even he did. She could roam the forests for hours, picking flowers and speaking to the spirits or the animals or whatever it was she did. She'd always been just a little bit odd, but that was what Laighean found to be so endearing. He shrugged and his eyes followed his brother's gaze but then turned back to focus on Draven as the man spoke once more.

Draven claimed to need to show him something. Nodding, Laighean followed his elder brother, his would-be King, obediently. "What would you have me see?" He frowned, observing the freshly tainted portion of the castle that his brother revealed to him. 

"If it is the Guardian's will..." Laighean trailed off, choosing to swallow his words, and his thoughts. Draven would not want to hear this opinion. He shook his head, sighing , "That's well and good, brother, but if we cannot remember anything in the slightest ...what good does that do us? Do you not think that I've thought of this myself? Day after day I visit the Guardian's Shrine, looking for clues. I....recall she spoke to us before we fell to shadows. But her words are lost in the mists of my clouded mind. Everything is beginning to break apart. I can hardly see father's face anymore..." He sounded remorseful, and looked as though he might have been in pain. He bowed his head momentarily.

"Perhaps it might have been nothing, but there's something nagging at me telling me that is not so. I wish I could remember." How terrible it would have been if he'd forgotten words that could have saved them from this mess!

"But never mind me and my ramblings. Please, tell me more about this solution of yours. "   

[visualspice]

Draven grew somber as his brother went on about the Guardian.  He knew where their faith's lay, but he couldn't help but be on edge everytime there was mention of it, for not a day went by he did not contemplate the meaning behind their existence here in the veiled world.
After all, he could never forgive himself. He was the only one to blame.

Draven placed a hand shoulder on his shoulder. 
"Laighean, not a day goes by I don't fear the same thing. We'll find a way to get over this we'll find a way to-"  It was only then Draven took notice of something.
The voice, the song he heard from earlier was far, far above them as he craned his eyes upwards and noticed with a start..

"Fiona!!"
What was she doing!?

OOC: Ugh, had to fix my typos XD I Shouldn't post when watching a movie >>

[Paradox]

Laighean did look up too and when he  recognized bright red hair that only he and his little sister shared in common with their mother. He clapped his brother on the shoulder, "I'll get her!" and then took off running.

Having had centuries of free time on their hands, Laighean knew where to go. He crossed through a room , vaulted up the crumbling stone steps high through the tower and when he reached the top of the narrow , winding path, he joined Fíona on the battlements.

He approached her casually and greeted her with the usual adoring manner that he always did, "Fíona, dear sister, what are you doing up here?"  He stepped around her and tried to get a better look at whatever it was that she was so intent upon. He didn't expect to see anything , however.

He took her gently by the arm, " How about we go downstairs together and see Draven? He wants to speak with us both."

Ooc: I made it short and to the point. SUE ME. Bwaha!

[Ivory]

"Can't you feel it?"  Fiona asked dreamily, her expression so content and peaceful as she stared (seemingly) into the swirling snow.  "I'd forgotten...  It's been so long..."

With the sunlight -- so vibrant and beautiful -- in front of her, she could scarcely believe that she had forgotten, that for a moment she had failed to recognize such a simple and lovely thing as sunshine...

"It's so warm, isn't it?"  It was so real to her -- she could, in fact, feel the caress of the sun on her face and hands.  Obviously, Laighean should be able to feel it as well!

"Laighean," she said suddenly, bringing her attention to her brother and settling her free arm on his shoulder.  Her eyes were large and sparkling with an enthusiasm and joy that so many of their people now lacked.  Even Fíona sometimes lost that sparkle of life sometimes -- but her expression was rarely as vibrant and beautiful as it was now.  "I want a flower."  Her eyes went back to the meadow Laighean could not see, and her breath caught in her throat as she considered the options.  "Imagine what Mother would say if we brought her an entire bouquet!"

And although the narrow walkway was barely large enough for two, she stepped forwards, towards that source of beauty, light, and warmth.

[visualspice]

"Laighean!" Draven called after, then looked up, growing frantic as she stared at his sister. His heart raced inside his chest as he feared for her life and safety, and once his brother was up there, he found himself pausing in his pacing, hands to his hips as he released his anxious breath.

Though he kept his neck craned, he studied them a moment and debated going up there to be with them, then found himself faltering as Fiona stepped forward.
"FIONA!" his voice boomed, echoing across the wide expanse of the land covered in a sightless light and dusty snow.
He bared his teeth, braced himself, holding a breath and even whispering a prayer...

Great Guardian.. don't let her fall...

[Paradox]

Laighean started at his sister curiously, "Feel?" He shook his head. He felt numb physically, almost spiritually even. "Yeah. Met too." Perhaps if he pretended , if he agreed she'd be satisfied and come down with him.

She babbled on about warmth. He was almost jealous of her hallucinations. None of his dreams ever brought him warmth. Heck, he could hardly dream anymore. "Fíona, it's snowing . I think you might have hot and cold a little mixed up..."

Though his words died on his lips when his sister turned to look him in the eyes. So directly. For a moment, he saw a rare glimpse of the sister he could still remember growing up with. He embraced her briefly and laughed softly." You and your flowers." He frowned, looking back to where her eyes had been. He thought of his mother too and nodded, " I imagine she'd love  that. But what do flowers have to do with what I asked-"

He didn't have the heart to remind her that everything was dead now. Her flowers included. Not that she'd accept his reminder as truth each time...she was now funny like that.

He heard his brother's yelling carried on the wind. Were he not so focused on concerning himself with the possibility of his little sister slipping and falling, he might have yelled assurance back at his brother. That he had the situation under control. He really didn't but Draven's hysteria wasn't really helping. It only made him even more nervous.

"Fíona?! Fíona, please come down with me. I'll get your flowers for you, I promise. " Then under his breath, "Mother is going to kill me!" He begged her. Did she seriously think there were flowers up here!? She probably did!

[Ivory]

Fiona looked at him as though he, perhaps, was the mad one.  "Everything," she answered him simply, as though it were obvious.  A gust of wind tore her laughter away from them, crashing it down into the wall behind them.  Her expression was filled with mirth as she turned, searching for the owner of the voice who had called her name.  When she found him, so far down below, she lifted her hand to wave.

"I didn't bring the picnic basket!" she called down to him merrily.  She offered him a final wave, then turned to face Laighean again.

Taking both of her brother's hands in hers, she told him, with complete sincerity, "I think we might fall through.  But we'll come right back once we have our flowers."

So saying, Fiona turned her back on Laighean, releasing his hands only just long enough to turn her body.  Then, she took his hands again and began marching forward towards the doorway with a confident, purposeful step.

"Quack, quack!" she announced gaily, oblivious to anything but her goal.

And, as they approached the archway, hovering over the walkway a mere two feet from a collapsed portion of the battlements, Laighean might -- if he allowed himself to be led -- notice a familiar flicker of something...  And the closer they came to the arch, the more color would swim up to his gaze -- and the more he would be able to see what Fiona saw, like a shimmering mirage.

[Paradox]

Laighean's cheery expression instantly altered to one of sheer dread. "Fall?" What in the Guardian's teeth was she talking about?! She was in the grips of madness again. There was to be no reasoning with her and he wasn't so sure he wanted to play along because he did not like this idea of falling...from a very high place. Because even in this realm...they could 'die' and end up as nothing. That idea terrified him more than existing here...

"Fiona, I am serious, " He now spoke sternly, "you come with me right this in-"  She took his hands and spoke to him in a tone that was devoid of madness. She sounded pretty convincing. Oh why was he even considering this!? " Sis, I don't understand. I -" And perhaps , stupidly, he trusted her, allowing her to lead him...but to where? "Fiona there aren't any flowers that way!" He protested.

If things took a turn for the worse, then he might have to use magic. Mother wouldn't mind. It would be for-

Oh? "What-? What is...? Is that...?" He thought he'd seen...? He shook his head and blinked. "Oh Goddess. Now I'm losing it..." But the view was...he had no words. But he wanted to believe it wasn't a hallucination because it was one of the most beautiful things he'd seen in centuries.

[Ivory]

"The sun," Fiona answered happily.  "I think I want a blue one for myself..."

Because he really should have been able to see the flowers and the meadow all along!

Heedless of any danger -- and in spite of the yawning chasm located on the other side of the arch -- she tugged her older brother happily along in her wake.  She was determined to reach that meadow, to play in the sun and to pick some flowers.  Maybe she'd make a crown for her mother -- she would, truly, love that, she thought!  If she could find the right colors, she might even able to make one that would match her eyes...

...And she would smile for the first time in a very long time.

Fiona reached the archway first, of course; one moment there was cold stone beneath her feet, and, in the next moment, it was the soft grass of a meadow that stretched in every direction.  In between the two places, she had felt something -- something like a lurch, as though she had just passed through a wall of molasses that did not want to let her go.  The moment was quickly forgotten, however, as she released her brother and hurried over to the nearest flowers, admiring their beauty and leaning forward to inhale their scent deeply.

It was all so beautiful!

[Paradox]

"It is bright, " Laighean mused as they drew closer to archway, " I guess that would make sense but how is that even poss-" His sister pulled him through out of the land of dismal grey and into a world that was vibrant and radiant.

The trip through had a bizarre effect on him. It felt as though something were trying to keep him from leaving , but it wasn't quite strong enough to win against his sister's determination and it released it's hold of him swiftly. He felt a rush of queasiness grip him and he stood there for a moment, shielding his eyes from the blinding light of the golden orb in the sky. "The sun...?" He had to lower his gaze. He had not seen the sun like this in....so long.

And the second thing he noticed...was he could feel the breeze, gentle and cool against his skin and the warmth of light on his face. He could smell the flowers...and he tried to contain his emotions at this revelation.

Surely, he reasoned, he was mad or he was dreaming. For this could not be. And yet ..."It feels real," he murmured, kneeling down to observe the verdant grasses and feel therm between his dexterous fingers. "I can't believe it, " he felt a swell of emotion building deep in his chest and he brushed a tear from his eye.

He did not dream. This was real or he'd gone insane. And even if it was the latter, he strangely found himself not caring anymore. This hallucination , if it was one, was far better than being trapped in a dead world with his sanity intact while watching everyone else lose their minds and fade from existence.

He looked over his shoulder at where his sister was, contentedly gathering flowers. He smiled. It reminded him of times long ago. He remembered. Partially. His memories weren't quite so broken as others, but even his mind wasn't immune. There were chunks of time lost to him as well.

He rose and made his way over to where Fiona was gathering flowers, "Are you going to make a crown for Draven as well?" He teased, picturing his brother with a flowery mantle on his head.

Speaking of Draven...they probably ought to return soon but Laighean wanted to linger. Just for a little bit. He dared to look over across the meadows and the rolling hills and east towards the mountains and forest. "I feel as though I should know this place, "he said softly to himself. And he turned away, looking to the West and saw the ruins of what looked to be a castle that was nearly identical to the one they'd lived in.

[Ivory]

"Draven doesn't like crowns," Fiona replied matter-of-factly as she gathered up the flowers.  Quite the bouquet was forming in her hands, filled with all the colors of the meadow -- red, blues, yellows, purples, and whites...  She acted like this was no wonder, as though this place had simply been hiding behind a door waiting to be discovered.  "I'll make him a necklace instead!"

Yes, Draven would get a necklace...  Their mother would get a crown...  And for Laighean and herself...

She momentarily paused in gathering up the flowers long enough to tuck a forget-me-not in Laighean's lapel.  "One for you, too."

She scooped up her bundle of flowers, laying them gently in the crook of her arm to rest.  She rearranged them neatly, and, although they had been hastily pulled and assembled, they added a splash of color against her white dress that was beautiful.

"We don't belong," she reminded him softly.  "How would we ever find the door again?"

[Paradox]

"Are you sure? I  thought I saw him wearing mother's the other day," he snickered. He admired the vibrant bouquet arrangement his sister had made. He laughed at her declaration to make their elder brother a necklace instead, "Even better."

He looked down at the forget-me-not, " Thanks," he was perfectly fine with not having to wear a flowery necklace or a crown. The pollens tended to irritate his nose a little.

He nodded solemnly, "Perhaps not. We seem to have crossed through...I don't know. A tear or a rip in the magic barrier the Guardian created. I wouldn't have even noticed it without your help. Though before we crossed through I felt something peculiar. A distortion in energies. It's not that easy to detect unless I'm nearby. Although, I suppose we could try leaving some sort of marker near so that we might not lose our way. We should go back though and tell Draven about what we've found. And I'm sure you're eager to give your mother her gift."

ooc: It's very possible that I misunderstood what she meant. x3

[Ivory]

OOC: It doesn't matter if you misunderstood or not!  <3

Fiona's eyebrows drew together into a look of confusion.  Sometimes, she forgot that not everybody saw what she saw; not everybody held the same unique understanding for the world around them...

"It isn't always in the same place," the woman explained patiently, as though he were but a child to whom the concept was brand new and she the experienced tutor.  "And, anyway, it's dangerous to be here.  It's..."  Fiona paused a moment, then reached towards his shoulder.  She moved her hand slowly down his arm, hovering half an inch above.  "You're coming unraveled."

With a hearty sigh, she held out her hand for him to take.

[Paradox]

ooc: You have no idea how much of a relief it is for me that you said that!

ic:


Laighean blinked , puzzled, "Dangerous?Unraveled? What do you mean? " He had felt strange ever since coming here. Uncomfortable. Ill. Weak. It was not an entirely unpleasant feeling to endure in exchange for the ability to feel period.

He took his sister's hand and would let her lead him, but let his gaze linger on the grassy meadows. He almost wished he could stay there forever, but he would never leave his family or his people. Not for anything.

[visualspice]

When they turned around, their brother was standing at the other end, arms folded over his chest.

"I suppose this is your method of handling things?" Draven chided with a scrutinizing tilt of his head.
"Laighean, when you rushed after your sister, I thought you meant to protect her from danger, not lead her into it."

He was careful when he approached his sister, his face softening into a smile as he held out his hand for her.
"Fiona, why don't you come with me? I bet there is a lot for you to see in the Courtyard."

OOC: Because I shouldn't post when I'm sleeping- disregard the strike out text above XD~

IC:
DRaven had grown anxious, watching both his brother and sister disappear and found himself racing towards where they were, only to be halted in his tracks when he did not see them. Fear gripped his heart- had he missed them? Had both fallen ... had...

Where on earth had they gone? Surely they hadn't continued out onto the dangerous ledge.  But then he thought he heard their voice in another direction and turned around, making chase towards the echoes.


OOC: There, I attempted to fix? lol  >> If this still doesn't work I'll give up untila fter i eat my breakfast! <3

[Ivory]

Fiona didn't bother to try and explain; she couldn't describe what she saw, even if she tried.  Instead, she simply took her brother's hand and smiled serenely.  "It's alright, Laighean.  I have the flowers I need."

To her, that was the end of it.

Stalwartly, she led him back through the doorway.  They left the bright, beautiful meadow basking in the sunshine behind and, with another of those disconcerting pops, stepped back into the gray, lifeless world that was their own.

Her smile brightened considerably as Draven suddenly appeared in front of them, stepping out from around a thick wall that had long ago fallen into ruin.  They were on the ground, now, just inside the gates of the castle.

"Hi, Draven!" she called, releasing her brother's hand in order to wave to the eldest.  "I've brought you flowers!"

But, slowly, the color was already draining from the flowers; they were withering and dying in Fiona's arms.