Dancing in the Dark[Stardust Prettywhisk]

[Namenlos]

They call it Tor Donolan, the Humans did that is, which meant something all very doom and gloom she was sure. It wasn't really important, not to the colony of Pixies that had made a home in a secluded glade as far from the bumbling humans as possible. The silly goofs still wandered in from time to time, which was fine with the pixies; It's always good to have new friends to play with!

[Namenlos]

The Year is 507

When Stardust first placed her tiny toes on the worlds surface the Divine Adoratrice had been there to welcome and guide her. The strange sun of the new world had burned her eyes at first and when they adjusted, there she was standing upon a tree stump. Light blond hair waving about her face to form a golden halo that reflected the sun, gossamer wings stretched majestically behind her as she grinned down impishly at Stardust from her perch. She had rushed down from the stump almost immediately, sweeping Stardust into a warm embrace and giggling as she twirled her in a circle. "Welcome, welcome. It is so good to have you here with us!" she cries happily before tweaking Stardusts nose and scampering away into the forest. Laughing Stardust had given chase finally catching her "prey" at the side of a large pond at the base of a waterfall and swiftly tackling her into the nearby water. Giggling riotiously they spent several minutes dunking each other before Stardust realized they were surrounded by a gaggle of grinning Faeries. Stardust realized she was home now, and it felt good.

Her first few years living in Tor Donolan were spent almost entirely with the Divine Adoratrice learning her responsibilities as a fairy in this world, they were few. The real "training" came in the form of learning the tricks that made the Fairy able to go about their business in the wood without attracting unwanted attention. They ran among the tree leaves blindly firing sleep arrows at each other, as much to train Stardust as for the fun of it. They mixed potions from the plants found within what was considered their forest and each time Stardust succeeded her mentor would be almost as excited as Stardust herself, showering her with praise. The Divine Adoratrice even brought Stardust to the edge of the forest to gape at the "big folk" as they stumbled oafishly about their tasks, Stardust was even allowed to "help" one of them rest, with the aid of her bow and an Arrow of Sleep.

For five years Stardust learned all she could from the Divine Adoratrice and her efforts were noticed. Her mentor swiftly piled more difficult tasks before her pupil only to watch her succeed where others had failed, and she couldn't help but smile with pride. Finally on the fifth year her mentor shared her "true" name with Stardust, Anabelle Snowberry, and began instructing her in using True names in the working of powerful Faerie rituals. These varied from the mundane of causing a plant to grow swiftly from the earth to the more powerful spells to cause a change in the weather and bring rain or to shift a particularly violent storm off course. Though the Pixie community kept their distance from the Humans of the land they had a sort of pact with the local ruler to keep their lands safe from Human interference in exchange for the Faeries ritual magic. Snowberry led these rituals for the Faeries and Stardust soon learned she was being groomed to become the next Divine Adoratrice at Snowberrys insistance.

Four and a half years passed and Stardusts learning and training continued at a rapid pace as she eagerly mastered each new Ritual that Snowberry brought before her. Though the Rituals are dependant on the entire clan to participate and add their strength, it was Stardusts expert leadership that would bring them about without mistake and the others noticed and were impressed.

7:OO A.M. on Cepha, the 13th of Surch(July)

it was during that ninth year that tragedy struck into Stardusts life for perhaps the first time ever. One morning Annabelle Snowberry had been about the forest as usual ,except unlike usual she was struck from behind and sorely wounded without ever seeing her attacker. Snowberry had crawled, limped and weakly fluttered her way back to Tor Donolan and the safety of the clan. She was found by Stardust who had been gathering herbs for her newest concoction at the edge of the glade. A distrought Stardust had rushed to her mentors aid, her heart in her throat as she ran to Snowberry. Sobbing wildly Stardust had found the strength to carry her mentor back to her home and tend to her wounds. Finally summoning Heather, a trained healer, as she finds that the damage is beyond her skill to aid.

Heather was able to stabilize Snowberrys torn body though the look she had given Stardust tore her heart. She had fled; unable to look upon her mentors body so wounded each, breath seeming to flutter as if it were to be her last. Flying faster than she had ever tried before Stardust soon found herself far from her home, among hills and mountains that she had only seen by climbing to the highest tree tops.

It was there she had met Bhantuf, a strange Human(though they were all strange to her) that lived in the hills and mountain range. The Human had kindly shown concern upon spotting her fluttering about in a tormented state, barely able to rise above the ground, her wings worn ragged by her furious flight. The Human had shown great concern for her plight and her wounded mentor even hinting that there may be hope for her yet, even if her state was as dire as Stardust had been led to believe.

A simple remedy, really, especially considering the scope of power Stardust wielded while leading their rituals. Just place the small red stone the Human gave her upon Snowberrys breast and it's power would heal her, just like that, just like magic.

Despite her exhaustion Stardust left immediately though only running through the trees at first to allow her worn wings a chance to recover. The entire trip she repeated the simple instructions to herself, a mantra to stave of the fear that haunted her every step. Her return trip seemed to last years, and she felt that she would never make it back to the clan, let alone in time to save Snowberry. Yet she did and the sun still remained well in the sky as she finally fluttered up into Snowberrys home to see Heather curled up on a rock with her eyes shut from exhaustion. Stardust spared Heather not a second glance as she approached her beloved mentor, watching the steady rise and fall of her breathing. Snowberry looked much better than when Stardust had left, who now felt ashamed to have run during her mentors time of need. Tears falling from her face Stardust had approached her mentor, reaching into a simple leaf pouch to grasp the stone given to her. The stone shined a dark, lustreless red and pulsed in time with Stardusts breathing, it was warm to the touch and as Stardust lifted it before her she could feel it almost eagerly reaching out for her mentor. Shaking off any trepidation she may have about her task she finally came within arms reach of Snowberry and was able to finally get a good glance at her wounds, drawing forth a final sob and steadying her mind for the job she MUST complete.

A look of determination crosses her face and she reaches out to gently place the stone upon Snowberrys breast, before falling to her knees at Snowberrys side and grasping a limp hand within her own. Stardust rests her weary head next to her mentors and slips into a troubled sleep, darkness swirling up to cloud her vision.

Only to awaken after what seemed to be seconds, yet day had turned to night and she finds herself surrounded by darkness. A heavy drop of rain bounces upon her head, dousing her with water and causing her hair to cling stringily about her head as she casts about to take in her surroundings. She is within the ritual circle, the polished stones reflecting the few rays of moonlight to make it through the clouds above... all except the center stone. The center stone was bathed in a small circle of moonlight and yet it reflected none of the light, in fact the stone seemed to have gone dark and only a few patches of its white surface can be seen. As she approaches the stone a tingle of fear and trepidation races along her spine, her mind still cloudy from sleep she stumbles roughly, tripping on a large toadstool and falls to her knees before the stone. She tentatively reaches a hand forth to rub against the stones smooth surface only to encounter a slick, sticky substance smeared atop it. As she brings her hand into the moonlight to investigate she finds it to be painted red and her heart skips a beat... This could only be blood... what else could it be? But whos? and how had it been smeared on the stone? and how had she come to be here? So many questions and there did not appear to be any answers here... Wait! Snowberry, what had happened to HER!

[Jenara]

Stardust glances from side to side her eyes wide in panic, with her wings fluttering nervously behind her she rises unsteadily in the air to get a better look..

"Snowberry?" She cries weakly, her little voice breaking as the rain falls down soaking her dress through, "I wanted to save you.. I..." Her voice snaps, the rain mingles with her tears as images flash through her mind, playing with Snowberry in the tall grass, the elder pixie giggling and laughing.. And now... What had she done? "Somebody help.." She sobs her tiny body moving back and forth in the air.

Wiping back the tears the young Pixie flutters above the circle looking for signs of her mentor, but more importantly signs of her friend,

[Namenlos]

As she rises heavily into the air, the water clinging to her drags her back down and she struggles mightily against its pull. Her wings beat furiously splashing her with the the collected water and obscuring her vision. She searches about the small field where the Ritual stones are located hoping for a sign of her beloved mentor.

She is able to notice a small trail of tiny red droplets leading towards ... a small cry of escapes her as she realizes they lead to Snowberrys home. A dark fog swirling around the edges of the clearing begins to encroach closer to her location the wind forcing its movements and obscuring her vision even more. The darkened clouds above are blocking out almost all moonlight rendering her low light vision to the point of near uselessness.

Her sodden dress keeps her near the ground as she is blown more and more violently about, back and forth as she fights its pull. Her sorrow wracked voice barely pierces the gloom... but that should not matter, the others should be here....

[Jenara]

Trying fruitlessly ito fly into the wind she feels a massive gust throw her tuny body into the air depositing her smack into the ground with a barely noticeable thud.

Fighting the wind she leans forward and starts to do the only thing she can do... Walk.

"Help.." She sobs, her eyes trying to spot anything she can in the rain, looking for signs of her friends.. Where were the Nymphs, or the Dryads? Something was so very wrong... Had she done this?

[Namenlos]

Forcing her way onward and following the small trail of red droplets Stardust arrives at the base of the tree where Snowberry had made her home.

The storm still thrashes about her, the winds whipping dangerously though losing some of their power in the treeline; deep blasts of thunder can be heard rolling in the distance. With the trees to shield her the wind does not seem too bad for flying if she were to try to reach her mentors small domicile. The tree is also studded with branches sticking out at odd angles and looks like it could be easily climbed.

Between blasts of thunder she feels almost more than hears a voice calling out from, what sounds to be, far away. The storm is playing havoc with the sounds about her and pin pointing a direction seems impossible.

[Jenara]

Trying her wings once more she attempts lift off the ground, Pixies didn't climb, the thought was just too alien for her. Flitting upwards allowing the wind currents to aid her she tries to aim for the opening of her Snowberrys home.. Where was that voice coming from? Had she gone what did the funny humans call it? mad like old Lunadale? It was possible..

[Namenlos]

A red glow emanates from the direction of Snowberrys home guiding Stardust to its location, like a moth to the flame.

She swoops through the entrance and a swoosh of air brushes her dangerously close to the branch filled edges.

Her eyes adjust to the warm red light bathing the room and take in a scene of horror. She had found Snowberry, and Heather as well, their mangled bodies visible through a light swirl of dark smoke and a sharp smell that she has trouble identifying. Snowberrys body lies in the center of the room near where Stardust had left her, however her chest is a bloody wreck. Heather has been tossed casually into a corner dark gashes mar her once flawless features.

The pulsing light can be traced to the protective runes in the room, Runes that had once shined a bright Silver have now been daubed over with blood.

[Jenara]

"No.. No..." She sobs, rushing to Snowberrys torn and mangled form. "What...?" Trying to block out the horror she pulls the elder Pixie closer, ignoring the blood and gore that surrounds her.

"My friend.. What...?" The words were unspoken, the horrible sinking feeling in her chest told her what had happened, but she couldn't believe it, why would anyone be so mean? So cruel..?

Lowering Snowberry to the floor reverently between sobs she moves to Heather checking her body she came to a sad conclusion, one that she doubted any pixie would have come to: they were dead, someone had killed them both.

Wiping back her tears using her bloodstained gown she rises up.. Someone had to pay.. There must be a way. Collecting anything of use or value as quickly as she can she stands by the entrance to her friends home.

[Namenlos]

Her rushed movement of Snowberrys body produces a light tap from within her torn chest cavity. A quick glance within reveals the stone Stardust had placed upon her breast, the noise caused by its rocking against one of her ribs.

... the "body" in the center of the room was a mess and as Stardust pulls away to stand she finds her dress is not only heavy with rain but smeared with blood now as well.

Heather's body lies twisted and gashed, it appears that something heavy and sharply bladed had tossed her against the wall. An impact point can be discerned several feet above where she lies.

The gown is warm against her face as she daubs away her tears and it clings to her skin as she pulls her hand away.

Searching the rooms produces a quiver of arrows that her and Snowberry had just finished working on together. Several potions stand amid a scattering of ingredients on the rock used as a table, these are familiar to Stardust. There is also a knapsack and two small pouches against the base of the "Rock table", they are splashed with red stains and slightly torn, Stardust recognizes them as belonging to Heather.

There is an open book resting against another stone table, a book Stardust had seen Snowberry use often.

A small recess carved into the purple reading table holds a box edged in silver that she is able to remove.

Standing at the edge of the entree way and looking down she can see that the storm has not abated at all, perhaps even increased in power. Blasts of lightning give brief glimpses of the ground beneath her, The edge of the stone ring is barely visible and she can just make out the ponds edge as well. The weather makes it hard to tell if the shadowy movement she sees below her are caused by the other inhabitants or just the wind and lightning.


----
OOC: The quiver contains twenty arrows. There are five potions on the table and a quick glance in the knapsack showed five more. One of the pouches contains common ingredients found in the area that Stardust has used and the other includes an amount of healing supplies, bandages at the top giving this away. The small silvered box rattles lightly as it is removed from its resting place.

[Jenara]

"I will.. I will avenge you." Her chest wracked with sobs she moves with purpose, taking the knapsack she starts to collect the items from the room, first the pouches, then the potions, she throws the arrows over her shoulder and the book.

Finally she kneels by Snowberry's form, reverently she reaches into her chest and touches the stone with her tiny fingers. If it doesn't react she pulls it from her mentors body.

[Namenlos]

The stone is slick with blood and warm to the touch, but gives no visual reaction to Stardusts touch but as her fingers graze its surface she can almost feel it caressing her gently back. If she pulls her fingers away the stone will "call" out to her, begging to be taken.

The tree shakes violently for just a moment as she kneels at her mentors side. The desecrated runes no longer providing their protective enchantments that helped hold the small home together.

[Jenara]

Taking the stone with as much care as the falling tree will allow she slips it into her own pouch. Ignoring the sticky taste of blood she leans down and kisses her mentors forehead.

"Goodbye." With that one word she moves to Heathers managed form, kissing her lightly she searches for a candle, a way to ensure that the animals that would soon invade the once protected glade could not get to their bodies... She learnt that Pixies just vanish when their time has come.. But this wasn't natural... Still she had much to learn, so much to read, at least she had the book, all the fairy knowledge.. That was no more than a small comfort right now.

[Namenlos]

(OOC: I Put a link to your character sheet in the first post of your private thread for Ease of Access. Stardust has a candle in her inventory and there is a small supply that Snowberry kept, either are available to Stardust. Lighting it could be an issue if Stardust doesn't have a spell to use.)

----

The shaking building interferes little as she goes about her actions, though the trembling structure becomes increasingly more violent as time progresses. Cracks along the walls form with loud snapping noises periodically and the room begins to take on a definite feeling of being angled.

She notices the room remains reasonably dry as she turns her mind to the creation of a funeral pyre of sorts. Several drops of water have splashed down from a crack in the ceiling, to little effect yet.

Candle in hand Stardust stands in the swaying home the memory of Snowberry using spells too light anything with fire in her mind...

[Jenara]

(OOC: I was trying to show how confused she is. Too confused and shocked to act straight away..
Now let's be honest, what fun would pixies have if they didn't have a potion to make an explosion? One that makes a big flash that would easily set alright wood.. For the purposes of the story can we say that Heather had one of those potions? (Ie the book shows how to make more, but right now she only has one, thus can't do it again?)

Letting out a little shriek Stardust watches the Lightning hit a nearby tree, the ancient oak shuddered and tire itself apart, she had to leave, to find a place of safety.. If one existed in this world anymore.

Placing the stone absentmindedly into her small pouch she retrieves a single candle, unless in this weather, and pointless without a light.. Fumbling through the knapsack her hands come across a small vial, just like one Snowberry had shown her only once, and told her never to play with... So she snuck to the human world... Had that been the cause of all of this? It was only a few sheep, the barn was mostly ok, just some smoke damage, no one got hurt that bad..

Taking a deep breath she raises the potion over her head, one simple throw and the tiny bodies would be gone forever.. Hovering by the entrance her hand raised above her head, hesitating she scrunches up her eyes and with a simple flick of her wrist the potion sails through the air.

"Forgive me, my loves..." She whispers and jumps backwards into the wind, her tiny body fluttering with the air currents..