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The Fall of Stardust [Lunaria]

Started by Ethereal-Star, August 04, 2015, 04:47:53 AM

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Ethereal-Star

As the night fell in full, Stardust made her horn light up with a pure white blinding light, more than enough to illuminate both books being read. Glancing at the pages, the silver unicorn flipped to another chapter instead and found what looked like a purification spell to free possessed persons. But then, something about it also seemed to be not quite right. However, Stardust pushed the concern aside as this looked like their most promising lead. It looked like a way to help Erian!

Perusing the following ceremony, the unicorn eagerly read on and on, growing more optimistic as the seconds ticked on by. In order for the ritual to be a complete success, the caster who had to be pure of heart, and pure of soul had to offer something of theirs, something just as pure as they themselves. Thinking about it a moment, she decided that some magical dust from her horn would suffice. There were few things more pure than a unicorn horn's dust. Stardust could easily scrape her horn on a rock to produce the needed ingredient.

Looking over at the half-elf, she told him her discovery. "I have found a purification ceremony. This looks like it should do." Smiling happily at the knowledge that soon a solution would be brought about for one in need.

SilmeriaElemred

''You did? That is amazing'' Erian said with enthausiasm. In truth deep inside he was laughing. Had she actually bought this?

He took the book like any normal person would and read it. ''But it says you need to offer something... of yourself. Something as pure as yourself. What would you have in mind?''

Ethereal-Star

Unaware of his inner glee, Stardust answered him truthfully. "Some dust from my horn will do. The ceremony also requires a half an hour of silent contemplation and then after that, the necessary precautions need to be taken as well."

Standing up, Stardust stretched her neck out, her horn still glowing brilliantly so they could see each other to talk to. "I am ready enough to begin, if you are. All you need do is sit back and be open to the cleansing."

Little did she know that 'purification ceremony' would spell her doom.

SilmeriaElemred

''If you damage your horn it will hurt. You will not be able to planewalk at all until it is restored. I... I will protect you then alright?'' he said and took a deep breath. ''Let's do this then.'' he nodded.

''We do need solid ground, like a rock. It seems to require a circle with a circle inside of it on the edge. so we will need to draw it.''

Ethereal-Star

"Not to worry, my horn will not be damaged, the ritual doesn't require much of it to succeed. A pinch of dust should do it."

Stardust nodded at his words and began looking around for a flat area of ground in which to perform the ritual. Walking about a few yards, she found a suitable place and nodded her head again in satisfaction. "This here will do." she told the elven man, looking over at him. "Now what we need now is a writing tool--there." she pointed with her horn at a sharp rock with a triangular point on one end of it.

"While I begin my preparations you can start inscribing the circles needed." The silver unicorn settled down and began to clear her mind of thoughts, focusing only on the purpose of the ceremony about to be had.

SilmeriaElemred

''Right.'' Erian said and started to get to work. He looked forward to this show and worked focussed on the circles and inscriptions.

First he would let it look like all would go well. If he could keep his game up long enough then let it look like it went wrong before he would reveal his true colors; when Stardust litterly would have no way to go. Trapped in the sickle moon circle. He was glad her horn would not damage. It was after all the trophy he wished for.

The horn dust, or even if it had been Stardust manes or hair. It would make it so she would be captured. Ahhh how long he had longed for this.

Ethereal-Star

Half an hour later, the unicorn's mind sufficiently cleared, the great beast looked over toward the half-elf to see how he had progressed with his part of the preparation stages. A sense of purpose was shown in her steps, focused and entirely intent on helping to rid the man of the dark force which plagued him. Stardust felt confident they would succeed. They had to.

"Is everything ready?" she asked Erian. Her silver-white eyes showed such calm, as though an inner light glowed inside their depths. It was truly the light of peace and purity. Little did Stardust know she was about to forsake all of that in order to help an evil man whom she thought was innocent. This mistake would be the death of her.

SilmeriaElemred

''Ready. I checked everything and should be good to start.'' Erian replied.

He sat down on his spot placing his hands on the ground. ''Let's do this before he knows what we are up to. Would not want to be interfered. When the ritual starts none of us can back out of it though and can not leave until it is completed.'' The wind started to blow softly making the leaves dance in the wind.

Ethereal-Star

"Yes, I agree. We both need to be at least one step ahead of the evil creature." Stardust proceeded to sit down in the circle as well and got situated.

Casting a sphere of white light around the area that took the form of a shimmering luminescent bubble, the silver unicorn began the first of the incantations, chanting the words in the Celestial tongue. The light began to get brighter with each word spoken, and a feeling of peace descended upon them. It seemed to be working as planned so far...

SilmeriaElemred

It indeed seemed to work as dark tendrils seemed to grow out of Erian's skin. He looked as if he was hurting. ''T-The demon it knows! Whatever happens do not stop'' he grunted as dark energy seemed to pour out of his body and collected itself in a sphere that looked a lot like tar.

The wind outside of the white sphere though grew colder. So much that the leaves and branches of the trees started to freeze and shatter due to the strong winds that seemed to moan voices. But the voices got louder and more audible while the wind remained the same.

Erian screamed and he seemed to be bleeding. The ritual though could not be stopped. It being one of those things that needed to be finished regardless of what happened.

Ethereal-Star

Seeing this had the silver unicorn worried, but Stardust did not stop as doing so could be detrimental. She continued to chant in the Celestial tongue, her own voice growing steadily louder to match that of the strong winds which blew through the area. The area inside the protective sphere though was very warm, not cold at all. Soon it would be time to give her offering of horn dust.

SilmeriaElemred

As the ritual progressed it soon started to become clear that the voices were not from the wind but from wraiths. One after another appearing from the bushes and attempting to enter the circle but the barrier stopped them.

From the blood escaping Erian's body and the dark tendrils the demon had started to slowly take form as well and started to become solid. According to the book, all the demon needed was the offering and it would be exorsized out of Erian's body.

Ethereal-Star

Louder and louder Stardust intoned the chants until the words reached their full crescendo, but even then did not stop the momentum she had going. As the demon took form, the silver unicorn concluded the time was right for the final offering. A pinch of her horn dust. Lightly scraping her horn on a small smooth stone, she deposited the dust in the center of the circle where the runic words for 'offering' had been inscribed on the ground.

After the last bit had been placed there, the white sparkle of horn dust glimmered brightly, her horn none the worse for wear. Now it was done. Now all they had to do was wait for the last stage to commence, for the demon to accept the gift given. Then Erian would be free at last, and this whole nightmare ended.

SilmeriaElemred

After a final scream, Erian's body grew limb. Both the blood and dark tendrils stopped to come out of his body and the demon fully materialised. But despite the ritual was over the circle still stood. Not just that though. The white energies from the outer circle grew grey and then black and the wraiths could enter through the barrier. Ignoring Erian and the demon and made their way to Stardust.

''Well that did not go as planned did it.'' the demon asked as it looked at his hands. He knew Stardust could not leave the circle in whatever way. The clouds were dark and no single God or Goddess or kindred could save her now. ''Matters not though. I had my fun.'' the wraiths that reached Stardust first started to cling on her with their constant moaning voices begging for release.

Ethereal-Star

When the demon fully materialized in the mortal realm, Stardust expected it to take the offering given. But it did not. More confusing and worrying than that though, were all the wraiths that still lingered, coming closer and closer to the circle, the protective shield around it starting to flicker wildly, turning grey, then black, before something horrible happened.

It shattered, leaving Stardust defenseless from the wraiths which came closer and closer to her, clinging onto her relentlessly. Begging. Moaning. Crying for freedom and peace. But the true terror came when the unicorn of light realized she could not move. Her body was immobilized completely, she could not even turn her head. That was when the fear started to take hold, more and more of it showing in her gentle equine eyes. Once more she tried moving, to shake off the wraiths but found the results were the same as before. She was trapped. The ritual had gone horribly wrong.

Opening her mouth to speak, Stardust's words came out frantic and utterly puzzled. "What has happened? Erian? Why can I not move?"

SilmeriaElemred

Erian remained still. It was almost as if he was dead. A cold laugh then came from his lips.

''Finally you stopped fooling around. Let's get this over with I want my reward.'' the demon spoke before turning to Stardust. ''Do not worry little naive unicorn. Erian will tell you what kind of a person he truely is. I never posessed him. Well. He permitted me anyway. Making a deal with me to get you.''

''And he is not lying.'' Erian said as he got in his feet. ''You see these wraiths? They are lost souls and I am their master. I am a collector of rare and beautiful things. And I am about to add you to my collection. I used to be satisfied with the smallest things. Seeing a flowerbed in bloom. The sight of a rainbow. But eventually those things were no longer enough. I got gifts of priceless value. It satisfied my desires but not long so I collected more and more. From creatures alive and dead till objects.'' He walked towards Stardust, taking a knife out of his clothing.

''You will understand this will be a win win for you and me when it is over. People always used you for their own gain. Never thinking how much their pains affected you. By taking the rest what you offered you will be free from having to help anyone but me. The last person you will ever need to help. All I want in my life is feeling satisfied again. I do not care what it takes. My previous large pray got away from me. Almost killed me. I suppose owning fire is not as easy. I was certain to make no mistakes with you so I used my wraiths and a binding spell so you can not get away from me.''

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