[attr="class","burnt"]"On the seventh consecutive night, Võ Kiều Ry pored over all scraps of information available to her, rending with unfeeling flame irrelevant communiqués and documents. The witch had believed with her entire being that the Ghoul Purge would not begin until later in the month. 'Was it Quilliam? She wouldn't, so who would?' she gnawed on her mind's image of every acquaintance she had spoken to in the last year. Beneath the ashes of extraneous reports were the remains of plans written in careful code. 'Not even a matter of days, just a handful of hours to dash tactics already set,' Võ Kiều Ry repeated this to herself again, as she had the previous seven nights. Her pained visage and ensnared speech spun one tale but her mind remained separate and ever sharp.
"The witch concerned her conscious, where and when she could focus to do so, on how to proceed, as well as with who left alive to proceed with. Having exited the decrepit cellar just outside the Coven limits, she meandered around the Pass in thought, almost stumbling over an abandoned cask of whisky. She cursed the Council once, herself twice for failing to stay ahead enough such that their ghastly offences would not have occurred to begin with. As the witch loosed a scream, fire erupted at the corners of her mouth, causing her to stop lest she self-immolate again without purpose. Her heart burnt regret's chains such that her wits could remain enflamed, thinking towards better aiding those the Council would cast aside next. Doing what she would for those that could not be saved from terror.
"Licks of flame fanned from between her clenched teeth, contrasting an otherwise clear, though mildly stern, expression. Võ Kiều Ry sat down on the rocky path, looking to address the intruder. 'I quite dislike that you're knocking at my door with stares instead of greetings. What have you to say to me?'
[attr="class","icf"]Horror and moral terror are your friends. If they are not, then they are enemies to be feared.
"Oh dear, is this how you greet your guest?" Urella announced, voice echoing before seemingly appearing out of thin air. Her long dark hair was twisted in a single braid reaching the middle of her back. She wore a bright pink skirt and an apple red top which was jarring to the eyes. Anyone with an ounce of power could feel the energy wound tightly around her.
"Would you rather pleasantries or straight to business? I personally enjoy some social norms."
[attr="class","burnt"]"Dusk crept closer, not of its own volition but by that of the Great Witch's sheer presence. Võ Kiều Ry's tongues of fire waned so much so that she opted to extinguish them herself now. Reclined in a more comfortable pose, she wiped the remaining embers from the edges of her lips, curling as they created an indistinct smile. 'Impropriety can distill down to results, my limited years have instructed me this much. It won't be I who denies someone their wish for social niceties, not now certainly,' responded Võ Kiều Ry.
"She pulled at her red ascot, singeing the ends inadvertently. Võ Kiều Ry now reconsidered how easily she had passed up on indulging in that cask of spirits that had assailed her foot earlier.
[attr="class","icf"]Horror and moral terror are your friends. If they are not, then they are enemies to be feared.
"In that case," Urella clapped her hands excitedly, "Let us enjoy ourselves before I request a 'favor' ". The tone of the last word indicated it was not something as pleasant as a simple request. From each clap, magickal energy boomed and simple objects appeared into existence.
Clap! Clap! A set of chairs. Clap! A table. Clap! Clap! Clap! A tea set, spoons and a simple jar of sugar.
"Come come," Urella's small hands wrapped around Võ Kiều Ry 's hand began tugging at the witch, to sit on the opposite chair. A childish grin was on the Great Witch's face, from ear to ear almost. It had been quite some time since her last tea time... or was it? Her memories left something to be desired.
"What is your preferred tea?" The witch mused, thinking back to her stock at home. "Simple herbs? Perhaps something a little jarring? Poison?"
"Oop! I almost forgot."
Clap!
Nothing appeared to change. However, anyone coming along the rocky path they were on would suddenly find themselves confused and wanting to go home.
"Now, where was I?" She tapped her pale chin with a small finger, purple-painted. "Oh yes, which tea?"
[attr="class","burnt"]"To the magicked table, Võ Kiều Ry went, drawn by Urella and pulled by her hand. The premise of sitting with The Great Witch seemed an inestimable privilege, one she could not have imagined to come at such a tumultuous time. 'I'm partial to barley tea.'
"A bead of sweat evaporated as it touched the nape of her neck, having dripped from her hair. Võ Kiều Ry modulated her heartbeat down to seventy beats per minute, straightening her ascot upon completion.
[attr="class","icf"]Horror and moral terror are your friends. If they are not, then they are enemies to be feared.
"Barley hm? Quite a boring choice but I guess to each their own. Though I suppose it is quite good for this hot weather,"
Clap!
A lightly colored liquid, fragrant, neatly poured into the teacup in front of Võ Kiều Ry . It filled the cup to the brim, almost capsizing. "Go ahead and add the amount of sugar you would like."
The witch giggled, "Do be careful to not spill the tea I so carefully prepared for you."
Clap! Clap!
Her own dark colored beverage slipped onto her cup, about halfway before a cream-colored addition. She dropped several sugar cubes into her drink.
Plop! Plop!
Plop!
Plop! Plop! Plop! Plop! Plop! Plop! Plop!
At this point it seemed like tea was a faraway concept in Urella's cup.
She stared at the tea in front of her companion while stirring, eagerly waiting for Võ Kiều Ry to take the first sip.
[attr="class","burnt"]"'Naturally,' she said, lifting the full cup with deft hands. Tea sessions previous would not have seen Võ Kiều Ry take any sugar but a unique occasion allowed for minuscule indulgence, as the witch had stirred in a single cube. Half-licked, her lips touched the edge of the vessel, the meniscus of tea advancing towards her lip at the stimulus of external and applied pressures. A funny smile she couldn't help made its way across her face. 'Ah, it's still hot. Even for me.' Võ Kiều Ry said, unable to keep from letting out a light laugh. 'It has a full aroma to it, rare generally to come across such.'
"She removed one hand from the cup, letting the other slide beneath the porcelain item to grasp it from the bottom. The witch fixed her hair, pressing with the side of her hand to straighten errant locks. Võ Kiều Ry then gave way to the tea, sampling it.
[attr="class","icf"]Horror and moral terror are your friends. If they are not, then they are enemies to be feared.
Anyone in Pavane would be able to tell the disappointment on Urella's childish face. Why did the tea not spill? She filled it to the brim. She offered a sugar cube. She did everything right as she usually did. Why was the tea intact?
All pleasantries simply disappeared. Eyes lost their shine and excitement.
CLAP!
This one echoed, blowing everything but the two chairs and Ry's teacup away. They disappeared the same way they came into existence. Urella stared at the witch, then at the teacup before it began to crack.
CRRR-
CRACK!
The teacup shattered. The shards flung in all sorts of directions, suddenly suspended in the air before slowly grinding into dust and landing on the ground.
"Enough pleasantries. There is a bar in Middle Pavane that recently opened. I don't care how you get in there as a witch. Surely you're brilliant enough to figure some sort of disguise out." Urella crossed her legs, bouncing the supported one. "They're hiring. You are to report to me who is managing this bar and why. Perhaps you can find employment at the same time. Win win for the both of us yes?"
Last Edit: Apr 13, 2020 22:13:24 GMT -5 by Urella Flora
[attr="class","burnt"]"She plucked a shard of porcelain out of her lower gum and flung it in the air to float with the rest of the shrapnel as they ground to bits. Her frontmost teeth glimmered with red, shiny like candied apples. Embers dribbled out of her mouth ahead of the blood. The cuts on her face self-cauterised, stopping just short of healed, as The Great Witch spoke. Võ Kiều Ry let the blood sit in her mouth. Voice changing to suit wistfulness yet expression static, the witch gazed plainly at Urella's disappointment. She smiled, saying 'Yes, madam. Very much so, Great Witch. A win-win.' Võ Kiều Ry drew in a breath and practised, 'I've suffered an injury at my previous workplace, and they've let me go to avoid needing to cover healing expenses,' she continued, saliva bubbling up red after each syllable. 'Could I take a job here? I can work in the back until I've managed to set my wounds right. I've tonnes of experience managing as well as personally running bottle services. I worked at the establishment Fitzgerald's, for a time, before moving to my most recent employer.' she finished the introduction she'd use.
"The Great Witch had referred to the Ren Bar, newly of Middle Pavane. Innocuous otherwise, its location provided for the witch distinct advantages over operating out of a dive bar near the Coven. Võ Kiều Ry pressed down on her top, steaming the spilled tea out. 'I shall be on my way there today, Great Witch.' she said, flashing the same red smile again.
[attr="class","icf"]Horror and moral terror are your friends. If they are not, then they are enemies to be feared.
"Perfect" Urella stood, after all her job here was finished.
Clap!
5 dark pellets manifested in front of Võ Kiều Ry . The witch motioned for her to take them.
"The first tip for you, don't accept any drinks while you're there. You seem to have no qualms about taking drinks for strangers. These," She pointed at the pellets, "Are antidotes for the tea you carelessly drank. You will need one last dose from me so find me once you've finished them. Once a day."
Urella dusted her fluffy skirt with her hands, to take away the dust from earlier. "Do a good job and I might reward you. Any questions?"
[attr="class","burnt"]"Clearing her mouth of crimson spittle, Võ Kiều Ry crunched down on a pellet and attempted to feel out the texture. 'My upbringing, scant as it may have been, taught me not to disregard the gifts of The Great Witch,' she paused to wipe some blood from her eye, 'no matter they form they take, madam.' Her stained smile appeared once more.
"Võ Kiều Ry's eyes acted upon her face as though they were sources of static light. 'No questions to speak of, Great Witch. A win-win is not something to be questioned, even at a collegiate level, madam.' The four remaining pellets disappeared into a sewn-in pocket. She unfurled her ascot and used a portion of its deceptively long full length to wipe her gum wounds and teeth clean. From birth, Võ Kiều Ry had run on a schedule, both of her volition and not. How could she begin to treat this any different? Somehow, the groundwork for immense plans remained unchanged, save for a mild detour to the centre of Pavane earlier than anticipated. 'No questions to speak of, Great Witch.' she repeated with a warm grin before tying her ascot back on.
[attr="class","icf"]Horror and moral terror are your friends. If they are not, then they are enemies to be feared.
Hmmm flattery left a pretty sweet taste on Urella's tongue. She didn't get too much of that these days.
"Your upbringing huh?" Urella stepped towards Ry, both hands reaching up to the witch's face. She set her hands on both of Ry's cheeks, twisting the witch's head left and right. Truly inspecting her for the first time. Hm, not too bad. She would need to find where Ry's upbringing was. Plenty of fresh specimen to trick.
"Second tip, accept nothing from the Grand Witch. Drinks, items, or otherwise." Urella whispered then stepped back. She gave a small grin before clapping. "I expect to hear from you soon."
CLAP!
The 'notice-me-not' disappeared and so did the witch.
Living in a dystopian society, seven mystic races are trapped due to their own selfishness. Tensions rise between the races and the different social classes, leading up to the constant struggle for power, with no end in sight.
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4/11 - With the Ghoul Purge complete, Pavane's fear shifts from the goddesses towards the Council. Check out the aftermath here to get an understanding of the current situation in the plot.
MYSTICAL SOULS belongs to YUMEKUI, DYLZOE AND LUNARIS. This is an original plot created by staff members.. The skin "Midnight Madness" was created by Dorothia. This includes Board Mod, Mini-Profile Mod and such. Thread list was made by Kagney. User Profile mod was made by Pharaoh Leap. Graphics belong to their rightful owner. Plagiarism is not appreciated and will not be tolerated.
Horror and moral terror are your friends. If they are not, then they are enemies to be feared.
