Author: Sebastian Black, Posted: Fri Jun 17, 2016 12:20 PM, Post Subject: Down the Rabbit's Hole[P/R]

"Ha!" Sebastian huffed in a jovial, but gruff manner, throwing his head back. "I believe you give me too much credit, darling," he commented in response to Bryony's interpretation of him. "I'm not the master of anything. I hold no keys to any fate. My life has been a series of locked doors, and I've been pulled into one or another with no rhyme or reason. None of that matters to us though, really. You've opened a door to me, and I have no intention of stumbling into any other. Let's lock it and throw away the key."

He grinned when Bry commented on the visions of their child, and of her own tendency to be introverted at one time. "It's always the quiet ones that are trouble," he teased. He kissed her lips after she had kissed his cheek again, and he thought on the last thing she said. He pulled away and turned, and pushing himself up out of the water lazily. "I can definitely say the same. I have not felt like this in a long time."
He paused, considering her as he paced around the spring. "A long time for me, at least," he added, as he sat cross-legged by the water's edge.
"We've a happy start. My end will come a lot sooner than yours though, I should think. I hope you're sure that this is what you want. I can see myself being a grumpy and demanding cuss in my latter years."

Sensing the unease he probably caused with the doubt in those words, Sebastian quickly changed the subject.
"My poor jacket…I may end up needing a replacement for it after all. I might have made the tear worse when I swept in today. Now there's blood that will probably never come out. Angela seems happy to oblige when it comes to such favors. On that note…"
He rose and stretched, offering Bryony his hand to pull her up from the spring. "We had best had back to the temple before long. I don't think the orcs will be so bold as to pick through our abandoned things in our absence, but I do need to prepare to head out in the next day or so. Do you remember where on the island you arrived at? The portal you took will likely be a shorter walk than the one Angela made for me."

Author: Bryony, Posted: Wed Jun 15, 2016 11:03 PM, Post Subject: Down the Rabbit's Hole[P/R]

Bryony thought on his question more after they adjusted themselves. He kissed across her body and she found herself happy but it had been that distant look in his eyes that made her fearful for but a moment. She kissed him back and snuggled into him. “To answer what you asked the first time…” She thought on it and it took her a while as she squirmed uncomfortably.

“The two of us cannot see her sister Kirika. We had ripped her from Cyprus’s arms after birth and helped raise her with the Matron Mother. We raised her to be the replacement for Cyprus one day. It took a lot to make sure the girl made it to puberty since her mother was constantly trying to kill her. I’m not even sure if all of her siblings know she exists.” Bryony gave him a sad smile as she kissed his cheek. “As for you… I think the spirits sensed Eldora’s vision and cut me off. You hold the key of your destiny in your own hands.” She reached one of his hands and held it.

Her fingers traced the inside of his palm delicately, “You are the master of your fate string. I got a strong vibe from you and that influences a lot of what I see. You helped my Kalyani as well which made me more willing to help you.” She struggled for the next words. “I see… trouble though in your future. It was foggy but it was trouble. Nothing but a gypsy vision and honestly I’m not anymore sure then that. However, what I said about your choices, I meant it. Not just because of everything that has happened but because you are strong.”

She relaxed a bit more and his hand in her’s. “As for the girl.. I would love to see her. It’s so unfair you’ve seen her twice. I bet she was beautiful in every way.” She too did not want their future based on hope but rather them forging it. Watching Angela the past few months with Drae made her more sure she could do it with Sebastian. “I use to be quiet as a child too but mostly because I did not understand what I was.”

A chuckle left her lips as she laid her head by his. “I’m just happy right now. Content. It’s been a long time for me since I could say that. For me time passes by in a blink of an eye. One day… Two.. A year. A thousand years.” She took a sigh. “It feels like life is finally slowing down for me but in a good way.” She let her ocean eyes watch his autumn ones as she kissed his cheek. “We just have to decide our own path now… We have the middle but what about now and the end?”

Author: Sebastian Black, Posted: Wed Jun 15, 2016 10:30 PM, Post Subject: Down the Rabbit's Hole[P/R]

Sebastian's eyes followed his hands as they traveled up Bryony's body. His touch was as attentive as it had been previously, but his autumn gaze seemed distant, looking past the succulent flesh before him upon his lap. It was not a vision his mind's eye chased, for unlike his lover, those only visited him in dreams. There were things intangible that his mind still grasped at, that his heart was begging him not to pursue. So many questions…there were always so many questions. The words escaped him, so they remained unspoken. He would simply do his best to remain immersed in the moment.

"Yes, Eldora…" he pondered aloud, his expression unreadable. "Between the two of you, has there ever been strings of fate that you have not been able to see? You said my destiny is a clouded one. That I could make choices. I…"
Her shifting atop him made his voice catch in his throat a bit. His cheeks flushed when her lips touched his forehead, and his previous resolve not to dwell in the present was broken. His hips shifted beneath hers as his entire body squirmed, and he returned her kiss, but to her neck. Then several more across the tops of her breasts.

"She's gorgeous. She really is," he commented, his touch becoming far less passive as it found its way down her back. "If the trials at the temple allowed for it, we might be able to see her again, somewhat grown. Like I said before though, she's a quiet thing. I used to be as well, believe it or not."

He hoped with every fiber of his being that the wonderful visions would truly come to pass. He had many hopes. That they had not rushed into things, that what they sought to build was not built entirely upon a foundation of hope. Most of all, he did not want to end up breaking Bryony even more than she already had been. The weight of so much now rode with him…
He was glad to bear it all. The constant nagging fear would just be difficult to be fully rid of.

Sebastian's eyes searched Bryony's, expression still somewhat unreadable for a brief moment, before he offered her a smile, and kissed her.

Author: Bryony, Posted: Sun Jun 12, 2016 4:56 PM, Post Subject: Down the Rabbit's Hole[P/R]

Feeling at peace with him she laughed. “I’m glad.” After he said that traveling would be a lot harder for just him she chuckled. “You aren’t the only one. Maybe we can travel together on occasion.” He set her on the edge of the springs and she gently kicked her feet. The now cool air felt good against her back. She stretched a bit and chuckled. “Indeed.. Distance makes the heart grow fonder or so Angela says.”



He set to making her pleasured and she enjoyed it greatly. 

She squealed as he pulled her back into the water. She wrapped her one arm around him gently. There was silence for moments before he laid out his real concerns. She gripped his hand slightly before thinking on it. “We do have Angela if we need to have powers restricted or voices blocked out. I would never let any child of ours be hurt.” A deep breath left her mouth. “If something ever happened to us, I’m sure Kalyani would raise our babies. Or even Angela. I know that’s not your concern.”

She leaned her head into him and smiled. “We have to just take what life gives us, one step at a time. If they have trouble we will help them. This is a new time line for both of us. We will fight everything that gets in our way.” She tried to reassure him and smiled a bit chuckling. “I wish I could see what Eldora showed you. I want to see our baby too.” She kissed his forehead.


“I’m afraid most of my time will be spent in Sularia… If you wish to come some time and spend time eating grapes from my fingers and drinking wine like a god, I could do that for you.”

Author: Sebastian Black, Posted: Fri Jun 10, 2016 9:22 PM, Post Subject: Down the Rabbit's Hole[P/R]

Sebastian gasped against Bryony's lips and squirmed beneath her when she rolled on top of him, returning her kiss with equal intensity. His hands traveled down her back to give her round sand-covered arse a firm squeeze. When she moved off and he was suddenly pulled to his feet, he held up his index, gesturing to have a moment as she tugged on his arm to follow. There was probably a rather stupid grin plastered to his face, which stuck even after the dizzying rush of blood. He followed her through the forest, playfully grabbing at her as they went.


Holding his breath in time before he hit the water, Sebastian let himself just float after being pushed in, giving Bryony another kiss as she dove in after. He surfaced with her, and immediately took to her with a maddening hunger. Pinning her to the side of the springs, his fingers laced through her raven hair as they kissed, then pulled. Lips and teeth pressed to the soft flesh of her throat as he reached down, wrapping her legs about him. This set the pace for a wildly passionate first tryst between them, which left them both panting for breath in each other's arms, silently enjoying the afterglow of it all for several long moments.

Twirling Bryony's hair around his finger thoughtfully, he considered her question. "I could more than live with this," he answered. "Only…I'm sure traveling will be a lot harder now. It will be for me, at least."
Kissing her again, he got up, changing positions with her - only, he set her up on the edge out of the water, with her feet dangling in. Rising up out of the water enough to reach her neck, his kisses descended her body, attentively, wantonly, but also much more patiently than before. "Time apart can be good though," he mused, his kisses teasingly lingering along her stomach, and across the tops of her thighs. "It will make us appreciate the time we have together that much more…"

He grew quiet then, sinking down into the water more, ever so slightly. Busying himself with pleasing her, he was not able to speak for a good, long while.

Bryony's body was languid after his attentions, but he was far from through with her. Sebastian pulled her back into the water, back onto his lap in the position they were before. He enjoyed just touching and being for a time, hands still lazily exploring as he pulled her close. He bit his lip, frowning slightly at a passing thought. He took her hand in his and squeezed it.
"I think the only real concerns I have is what will happen when and if you are with child? Afterwards too…growing up. It's certain they will inherit some unnatural parts of both of us. I just worry because of…well, you've seen it, in your visions. The place I'm often drug off to…where I went when I was slipping away. No child should ever have to battle with monsters like that."

Author: Bryony, Posted: Thu Jun 9, 2016 7:18 PM, Post Subject: Down the Rabbit's Hole[P/R]

Bryony chuckled at the man and nodded. “It’s crossed my mind as well. That I’m sterile I mean. Never did get pregnant or even have a miscarriage all these years of fucking and running.” She tilted her head and smiled at him. “Maybe there was a reason for that and the spirits were just waiting.” It was weird thinking about it and again she laughed. “Adoption never really was a choice it just happened. I felt obligated to take care of Kalyani and the rest were my responsibility as the lead oracle.”

She chuckled at his kissed and returned them to his neck. A giggle left her lips much like a younger version of herself would have. Her blue eyes watched him for a moment as she rolled onto him and kissed him hard. “I have an idea just for that cause.” She got up pulling him with her. “Trust me?” Of course he did. 

Kissing him gently she led him through the thick tropical forest. The steam of the hot springs rolled out and she smiled as they twirled about in a circle. “Surprise.” She pushed him into the pool before diving in with him. Coming up from the water she shook the droplets from her hair and pulled him closer. It didn’t take too long for him to prove if he definitely wasn’t shabby at the baby making part.

Afterward the two sank into a low spot of the hot springs and Bryony sat on his lap. She cuddled up to him and had her forehead against his neck.  “Not too shabby indeed.” She chuckled and turned his face to kiss hers. “I could live with this. What about you?”

Author: Sebastian Black, Posted: Thu Jun 9, 2016 7:03 PM, Post Subject: Down the Rabbit's Hole[P/R]

Easily influenced by things from moment to moment, Sebastian's heart felt for Eldora as Bryony filled him in on the details of her life. He knew what it was like to be born for a malign purpose you didn't fully understand, or that was not entirely tangible. At least he had loving parents in this life, for what little time he knew them. "Poor girl," Sebastian repeated with a frown. The curve of his lips did reverse some when Bryony kissed his hand though, and he was brought back into the moment.

"Not weird at all. Not even uncommon, really," he replied to her musings over her motherhood. "It never even crossed my mind that I would ever be a father…or even could be. To tell you the truth, for some reason, I was always under the impression that I might be sterile or something. You know, that I wasn't entirely normal. Not entirely a man, because of what I can see and do." His smiled broadened. "Adoption was never really something I considered either. I've been on the move all my life. I can't say I was ever given any sum of experiences to prepare me for being a father, but I'd like to think I would be good at it, given the chance."

Sebastian turned on his side in the sand to face Bryony, leaning over to plant a soft kisses along her shoulder, which traveled up her neck. His hand caressed feather-light down her belly, and he groped at her hip playfully as he gave her ear a nibble. "I don't think I'm too shabby at the bits preceding that title, either," he whispered to her suggestively.

Author: Bryony, Posted: Thu Jun 9, 2016 2:31 PM, Post Subject: Down the Rabbit's Hole[P/R]

Bryony was lost in the moment as well but not enough to not notice his hands trembling. It tickled as he went down her body and she chuckled putting her forehead to his. He touched her thigh and she winced lightly, she knew that he didn’t mean to hurt her. She went ashore with him and laid down. She kept  her body with his as she kissed him back. Though not for long as he chuckled towards her. “She’s always been a terrible actress but the girl has her tricks.”

Pushing his hair with her fingertips she chuckled more. “Eldora.” She looked up at the sky for a moment. “Has not had a kind life. I don’t know if she can feel… It’s why she can’t act.” Her fingers twirled his hair and she frowned. “Poor girl never even had her mother’s love. Eldora is Angela’s niece to her late sister Cyprus. Cyprus was an evil bitch, we tore about every child we could get from her arms as soon as they were born. Short of Eldora, that is. Cyprus pushed that child out with the intention to stab the girl’s heart out. She was experimenting to wage war against Angela.”

Bryony hid her head in his neck for a moment. “I got there just as she was about to kill the child but lucky for us, Eldora was dead. Which meant one thing, she would be an oracle. I tried to raise her but Eldora had always heard the spirits telling her what type of mother she had. She’s never been able to form relationships or even know if anything was wrong with the way she was acting. All of Cyprus’s children were scarred by their mother.”

She took one of his hands and kissed it. “The shit I’ve seen over the years… I’ve raised many children but… never my own.” Bryony chuckled. “Is that weird?”

Author: Sebastian Black, Posted: Wed Jun 8, 2016 10:42 PM, Post Subject: Down the Rabbit's Hole[P/R]

Sebastian wasn't sure if body hands trembled from the chill of the water, from fear of the overwhelming emotion coursing through him, or from the intensity of the moment and the ones preceding it. It was likely all of the above. He could barely keep his touch steady as he explored Bryony tentatively. His hands wandered, memorizing her every curve, and her every scar. He did manage a single moment of sobriety in his love-tinged thoughts when he touched her thigh. They had both washed themselves of blood in the bay, and Bryony had been injured. He swam ashore with her enough so that they could lay on the fringe of the surf in the sand.

Speaking to her with only his lips, voice silent, he responded to what she had said by sheer volition, willing what he felt into his caress and his kiss. Another thought crossed his mind though, which caused him to pause and chuckle, pressing his forehead to hers. It became a full on hearty laugh as he pulled from their embrace to lie next to her, rolling away and splashing into the surf. "Eldora," he explained as he caught his breath a bit. "She'd had me even more worried about you. The look you had as you stormed off from the balcony didn't help. She did have her fun though, like you said. Pretended to be you. I thought you had gotten drunk and were coming onto me in the most unbecoming of ways."

His grin faded a bit, realizing that Bryony's wrath upon her young pupil would likely now be more severe. He quickly followed up before she began to fume. "She seemed to have more of an idea about us than you or I put together though. At least that we would admit at the time."
Sebastian cleared his throat, "'I've come to tell you that your flower has wilted and run away,'" he repeated dramatically, doing his best to imitate her strange voice through his own deep and accented vocals. "I didn't fall for the ruse, of course. Acting is not her strong suit, even with the aid of magic. You should have seen her face when I left though. The poor thing isn't used to physical contact. You should really give her a hug once in awhile."

Author: Bryony, Posted: Wed Jun 8, 2016 2:37 AM, Post Subject: Down the Rabbit's Hole[P/R]

His words made her frown. There was something telling her to hold her tongue but also at the same time her heart sunk. Though his words broke her hope it was renewed with the kiss. She coiled her arms about his shoulder. The passion raged and she offered him a smile. “Then I’ll save you just like you saved me.”

She kissed him slowly in response and put her forehead to his. “I’ll keep you grounded.” Her hands ran up and down his shoulders softly. She froze for a moment as he kissed her collarbone and over her heart. A smile crossed her lips. “You are no monster for seeking happiness Sebastion.” She pulled him up and caressed his face lightly. “I would fault you for walking away without trying after what you’ve seen.”

Her voice was quiet and soft as she leaned back in and kissed him. “I’m ready not to run away. As long as you stay I’ll do everything in my power to keep you safe from those restless nights, from that future you so fear. That is my promise. As long as there is hope I will not falter.” 

Author: Sebastian Black, Posted: Wed Jun 8, 2016 2:29 AM, Post Subject: Down the Rabbit's Hole[P/R]

"I believe that my mind was already made up before we parted on the balcony. Though, the part of me that masquerades as better judgement would have none of it. To this very moment, absolutely will not."
Sebastian reached out and touched Bryony's face, stroking her cheek, tracing her jaw. He shook his head.
"How am I to stay, I, a man whose life is like the changing of seasons to you? If the loss of one life can nearly destroy you, what will one more do?"

Sebastian's words denied her, but his actions did not. He would surprise her with a kiss, sudden, and burning intensely with an arduous passion and urgency, as though he had been stifled the desire over the course of years of knowing her. His arms circled about her waist pulling her body against his own, though he quickly pulled away.
"You say I am free from any web of fate, but who is to say I will not suffer in the same ways that I have so many times before? I've already suffered many of the same losses. I fear for dragging you down with me in the end. Not just you, but what could be."

He kissed her again. Then again. "What if I am to become a monster, like I have dreamt of on so many restless nights?"
Chuckling as his voice took a turn towards mania, he kissed along her collar, and over her heart.
"Would you fault me for considering that I have already chosen to become a monster by heeding the vision's call, rather than walk away, knowing you would have suffered far less in the end?"

Author: Bryony, Posted: Wed Jun 8, 2016 1:58 AM, Post Subject: Down the Rabbit's Hole[P/R]

The water was like her second home. It was sacred to both the Oracles and Arri. From the powerful spring beneath the castle to the lake water, it was their life source. Oracles were often reborn in the water, where the spirits mingled with their flesh and life force. It was also peaceful and ever changing, something that Bryony treasured always.

Ocean eyes stared at him as he spoke. Perhaps what Eldora had seen was the cause for everything. The moment the two had connected minds the fate string had been created. She took a heavy breath herself as she tried to decide what to do with the information. She had a chance at having a daughter and from the sounds of it Sebastian would not have left.

Her lips twitched a bit as she sought answers in his eyes without speaking words at first. It took her several minutes as she smoothed back her wet dark hair. “What will you do with that vision? Will you leave the fate string or will you stay?” That determined just what she would do. She suddenly wasn’t afraid much anymore. Eldora had seen something good, a new life. She still needed to smack the girl but in the end she knew what the younger oracle did was a good deed.

“Will you stay with me?”

Author: Sebastian Black, Posted: Wed Jun 8, 2016 1:52 AM, Post Subject: Down the Rabbit's Hole[P/R]

The art that was Bryony's combative acrobatics had nothing on the way she took to the water. Sebastian watched her glide through it, and looked at the water glisten on her skin in the light of the moons and soon-to-be slumbering sun as she turned over to drift upon the gently rolling waves. She was really a sight; but he was more interested in studying her eyes as she spoke, wondering what could lay behind them, in her mind's eye, when she spoke of happiness. Though treading was easy at low tide, he realized his breath had become a little unnecessarily heavy. His heart thundered in his chest, louder in his ears than the beat of the orcish war drums.

Sebastian took several slow deep breaths when Bryony swam over to him. He hesitated at her question. He could very well simply lie to her, or play it off, like there was not much more to the stirring visions he was shown. Things that were wholly unimportant. As meddling as Eldora seemed to be, he did not think she would ever speak of it to Bryony, were he out of the picture. Still, he found himself forming the words.
"…When I first came to the temple, I…" he cleared his throat. "There was a girl that I saw in the first trial. Quiet, like I once was. With eyes like quicksilver. She took my hand. I was unsure of how to respond at that point. The hag's venom in my veins had me pretty far gone."

His eyes diverted from hers a bit as he continued.

"You handed me a small bundle you were cradling in the vision that Eldora showed me. …There was no mistaking eyes like that."

Author: Bryony, Posted: Wed Jun 8, 2016 1:32 AM, Post Subject: Down the Rabbit's Hole[P/R]

“Everyone has multiple fate strings but it’s up to you which one you take.” She smiled a bit, “Must be interesting with all of your futures.”


She froze up a bit when he asked her that question. Her fingertips were tracing the wound as if she were thinking what to say as not to scare him off. He had no time for her to answer though and it made her chuckle. “It won’t hurt anymore than it does now.” She shed the bindings of her breast and the rest of her coverings before getting into the water.



The ocean was cool and it felt at home to her. She swam a little ways and began to float on top of the water. Night time swimming was always the best. “Happiness. I wanted to see happiness. As far as specifics… I’m not sure what I would have liked to see entirely.” Pausing for a moment she flipped back over and swam over to him. “What else did Eldora show you?” It had been eating at her. “There had to be more knowing her.”

Author: Sebastian Black, Posted: Wed Jun 8, 2016 1:23 AM, Post Subject: Down the Rabbit's Hole[P/R]

Sebastian laughed quietly to himself, and dumped the ash from his pipe in the sand. "Every one of my futures have always been a riddle, as far as I've been able to tell."
He watched Bryony curiously as her robe fell to the sand, and she assessed her wound. His gaze traveled the expanse of her body and up again to her oceanic eyes, but his features would prove hard to read. "It was no trouble," he dismissed, with a voice that was soft. "Eldora showed me that you were in danger, likely knowing I could help."
Turning away casually, he hid a smile from her. He bit his lip. "When things began to get murky…what would you have liked to see…?"

Not waiting for an answer, Sebastian got up from the rock, and removed his boots, then jacket, and then his tunic. The clothing style he wore made him appear quite slim, but looking beneath, there could never be a doubt for the power behind his movements. He possessed a very uniquely dense musculature, a hallmark of an unusual style of training. He stretched, and cracked his neck as he paced down towards the water. When he had waded in a ways, he tossed his trousers ashore, and dove under momentarily, to cleanse himself of the blood.

Sebastian beckoned for Bryony to join him as he leisurely treaded water. "It might sting your leg a bit at first, but it feels fantastic!"

Author: Bryony, Posted: Wed Jun 8, 2016 12:53 AM, Post Subject: Down the Rabbit's Hole[P/R]

Bryony gave him a smile when he gave some what of a praise. It was more so a victory for her. This wasn’t something that happened to her all of the time and nor would she have liked it too. Deep down the oracle had been scared of change, something that all old creatures deal with at one time or another. Old ones tended to be stuck in their ways no matter what they may have wanted for themselves.

The fighting continued and she too thought they each other’s opposites, but it was fitting. Her nimble body was built to be more fluid and acrobatic like compared to his. Just like Sebastian she lowered her weapon as soon as the orcs took off. Her blue eyes looked at him as he stared out at the city. “The moment when you said you needed a moment and we were to meet at the library… My visions of your future got very blurry. I couldn’t see them anymore. For me it was too close too fast. The spirits know this but they must have sent Eldora to you for a reason. I didn’t plan on ending up in trouble but for whatever reason it happened… and here we are. I still can’t see you. It is unnerving but also… for once it is relaxing not being a pest in someone’s fate strings.”

The Rosenite stretched and bit and looked up to the revealing two moons up in the sky. “I just wanted a moment and a moment turned into a dangerous situation, that if you hadn’t snapped me out of it I would have been dead. You have my gratitude for that.”

Taking off the robe she looked at the blood on it. Her leg had a wound as well though it appeared to be on the mend already. “A perfectly good robe… Willow is going to love me.” She chuckled softly and shook her head. “I would never have put myself in danger on purpose, I just want you to know that.”

Author: Sebastian Black, Posted: Wed Jun 8, 2016 12:40 AM, Post Subject: Down the Rabbit's Hole[P/R]

"That's a girl," Sebastian commented to himself as he watched Bryony spring into the thick of the action.
He himself returned to engage in much a different fashion. While he was frantic while trying to find her, now that they had a handle on the situation, he was far more methodical in his movements. He did not have the acrobatic and constantly flowing style that Bryony had. Bash preferred to deceptively and calmly saunter about when engaged in combat, absorbing every detail before making quick and decisive attacks. Their contrasting styles worked seamlessly together, like Yin and Yang.

An orc charged towards Sebastian, and he concentrated on weaving the sand where he knew they would meet. When he got to where he wanted him, he took a deep breath, and made an effort to blink several times rapidly to meet his enemy, so as to gain momentum for a strike. Sebastian's gauntlet hit home hard, the velocity of the attack and the orc's sprinting in the opposite direction causing it to flip backwards from the impact. The moment the creature was airborne and his feet touched the ground, all concentration was diverted to the spot of earth, and the gesture of an uppercut was made. The sand hardened and rose in a column to meet the back of the orc's head and neck, shattering the entirety of its cervical vertebra.

Each assault was not always so precise and psionically-driven, however. Sometimes all the was needed was an opening, and a flurry of punches.

Ultimately, violence was never a first resort for Sebastian. Though excelling at it to a degree, he did not revel in it. All of this, despite his current blood-stained dishevelment akin to some sort of highland berserker. He had always heard rumors that orcs were cowardly in small numbers. This proved to to be fact. No sooner had he and Bryony cut their numbers to but a few, these turned tail and ran. He had no desire to run after them and hunt them down like animals. Much more though, he did not have any desire for the inevitable conversation to follow the calm after the storm. He sat down on a rock, watching the orcs flee for a time. His eyes turned out to the sea, across to distant Adeluna.

Removing his gauntlets and carelessly tossing them in the sand next to him, Sebastian rummaged through his pockets until he located his case of herbs with his pipe. He lit up, taking a long drag, before exhaling the fragrant fumes in a long sigh.
"So," he spoke at last, fiery autumn eyes never leaving the city and the sunset across the water. "You needed a moment too. What for?"

Author: Bryony, Posted: Tue Jun 7, 2016 6:52 PM, Post Subject: Down the Rabbit's Hole[P/R]

Bryony sighed a bit and tried to put it out of her mind. “I suppose I should. Though she wouldn’t have told you without having a bit of fun doing it.” She was losing her own thoughts way too easily. She began to become comfortable with having him near by but his words made her frown. “My apologies, I am glad you are helping me.”

Though she still wasn’t out of the clouds. He came to help her and she was frustrated. He blinked them away and she took a huge heavy sigh as she nodded. “I’m sorry…” She put her hand on her head for a moment. “Just foggy so I’ll try to get it together.” She looked towards the orcs incoming. “I just don’t go through this often enough to really be use to it.” She tried to reinforce that she would be alright.

Lifting her hand, she used the water around them to whip at some of the orcs. She seemed to be clearer now that he snapped her out of it. Bryony gave him a smile before launching her glaive like a spear. It was fast and like a whip as it went through the chest of an orc. She was nimble as she sprinted and pulled it up whipping it around to catch the leg of another war orc.

Now they could work together and really put an end to the orcs around them. The promise of a talk later really helped her. She jumped away like an acrobat and landed near Sebastian. “I’m trying to hold it together.” She reassured him now as she let out another blast of her water weave.

Author: Sebastian Black, Posted: Tue Jun 7, 2016 6:15 PM, Post Subject: Down the Rabbit's Hole[P/R]

Sebastian chuckled darkly at Bryony's words as he reached his mind out to the greatsword of the orc he had just slain. It came up from the sand and drug across it to his feet, ready to be used again for a much different purpose. "You should really thank Eldora before you kill her. That dust-covered shrew saw that this confrontation would not end well for you."
There was a lot more to the vision than that, of course; but Sebastian kept the rest to himself.

When Bryony ensnared the drummers at the rear, this sparked a few of the more bold in the horde at the front to attack. Sebastian's immediate response to the bum rush was to grasp the greatsword telekinetically once more, hurling it like a javelin. It found its mark, impaling the nearest orc, and sending it airborne amidst the others who had a mind to push their luck. Their morale was beginning to crumble.

He tried not to laugh at her, but he couldn't help it. Her stubbornness was utterly ridiculous. "Aye…it sure looks like you've got a handle on things. I'll just be on my way."
Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted one of the orcs winding up to chuck a throwing axe towards Bryony. He gestured towards it as soon as it left the thing's green hand, and sent it back the other way between the eyes of a comrade over his shoulder.
"Can you not just accept that I came because I knew that it had to be done after what I saw? I helped your daughter too, did I not?"

It became clear to him that her focus seemed to diminish even further after he had arrived. Perhaps the vision was wrong. From what he was seeing, she stood a better chance alone.
"Bloody…ugh…Damnit!"
With her head in the clouds, Bryony did not seem to be aware of the gangly orc that had creeped up from her side. Pushing the one in front of him back with a front snap kick to the belly, he whipped around, embracing her to blink a good hundred meters or so away from the group as soon as the orc swung its scimitar.

He took her by the shoulders, gently, because of his gauntlets, and shook her a bit. "I need you to focus! We can talk later!"

Author: Bryony, Posted: Mon Jun 6, 2016 10:53 PM, Post Subject: Down the Rabbit's Hole[P/R]

She was more like a trapped rat as she formulated just what the hell she was going to do. That was when the crashing happened and she was completely taken a back by everything for that single moment. She wasn’t planning on seeing him again, she had run away, so how in the world had he known how to find her?


There for many moment she watched him and as distracted as she was it was on instinct that she put her glaive up in time to catch an orc in its face. The metal as old as it appeared was as sharp as ever. She swung with all of her might and the body got cast aside. Soon they were back to back and she looked over her shoulder at him. “Didn’t plan on it. I fell through a portal one of Angela’s clergy members opened.” She took a big breath before her next words came out.


“Who told you where I was?” It took her only a few moment to groan. “I’ll kill the little bitch.” Rose would never dream of invading her privacy. Vadimas would have come himself and that left only one little bitch left. “Eldora.” The dust covered shrew who loved getting in the middle of every single aspect of Bryony’s life.


“Thank you for showing up but I know not the miracle you speak of.” She found him being near by was calming her down, well enough to be able to keep in contact with some of her magic. The plants near by let out groans as if something was forcing them to grow, and grow they did. They lashed out at the drummers and while it wouldn’t kill them it would stop the noises for now. “Giving me a damn headache. I already can’t bloody think.” The clacking of the adornments around her glaive was distracting as well.


“Why did you come?” She was frustrated. “Did they bribe you? Did Eldora scare you here? I can very damn well take care of myself.” She was being stubborn as she tried to once again conjure more of the weave but again it fizzled. Why? She groaned once more. Was this the spirits doing?



“I’m normally a lot more careful than this. I just… I needed a moment and that damn portal was right there. I didn’t even see it.” Thinking more on his words she tilted her head. "What kind of miracle are you talking about anyways. I'm just a woman who sees things."

Author: Sebastian Black, Posted: Mon Jun 6, 2016 10:41 PM, Post Subject: Down the Rabbit's Hole[P/R]

Sebastian had not hesitated for a moment to rush through the portal the Goddess had opened. He was aware of the island that he was being sent to. He saw it every time he passed through Adeluna, but never really had a reason to visit it until now. Though it had always looked so small off in the distance, it seemed vast now that he was attempting to locate an Oracle battling a war party of orcs…in a place teeming with life. Trying to project from where he stood to find her aura was fruitless. The entire damn island had an aura of its own that tended to muddle everything together into one big ball of light in his mind's eye. He would have to physically search.

Blinking to and fro, Sebastian gained enough height to use the tree tops to kick off from. He kept his eyes below, and rested on a branch only momentarily when he needed it. He focused mainly on keeping Bryony in his thoughts, reaching his consciousness out to try and pinpoint where she was. With his mind being so open while using his powers to this extent, he began to hear gibbering voices, urging him to head further out along the coast line of the island. Seeing as that Bryony was so closely connected with spirits herself, he thought it best to heed their advice.

Sure enough, he saw them all off in the distance. The grouping of orcs had tightened in on all sides around her, but he saw the occasional flash of Bryony's glaive in the dusk sunlight. Taking a deep breath, Sebastian gave everything he got into traversing the distance between them.

He moved like a blur, yet time seem slowed in the moments that he arrived. Blinking above the conflict, Sebastian then blinked downward, using the momentum to kick both feet into the side of the creature's skull that currently engaged Bryony. He rode the orc's body all the way to the ground, stomping its head into the sand. Another of its more quick-witted brethren that had spotted him some distance away lunged, swinging a greatsword in a downward slash towards him. With matched aggression, Sebastian focused kinetic energy to his gauntlet-clad hand. Throwing his arm out as he side-stepped, his fist caught the flat of the blade, making the steel sing, and the sword violently fly into the sand. The wielder predictably did not let the hilt go as he lost control of his weapon, and was staggered to the point of nearly toppling over himself. Letting out a loud, growl-like cry, Sebastian thrust forward with clawed fingers, stabbing into the loathsome thing's viscera, then tore his hand away as he clasped his hand into a fist.

The sudden assault was so brutal and vicious, the orcs spaced themselves out from the pair, thinking that perhaps the Oracle had herself some sort of pet lycan they were previously unaware of.

Now covered in blood, panting, voice raspy, and two bodies to his name, Sebastian backed towards Bryony protectively. Several of the orcs let out blood-curdling war cries, and the ones at the back beat on their drums ever the harder. He returned their shouts, and focused energy downward around both he and Bryony intimidatingly. The sound it made, a hollow sort of thoom, sent sand scattering about in the orc's faces. The war party circled them hesitantly, looking for an opening.

Sebastian glanced over his shoulder at Bryony as they took defensive stances, back to back. "You could have told me you'd planned on putting yourself in harm's way a little sooner, lass," he quipped. "I need to earn myself another miracle. Never know when I may need it."

Author: Bryony, Posted: Mon Jun 6, 2016 9:34 PM, Post Subject: Down the Rabbit's Hole[P/R]

Angela was watering some of the flowers at the grave when he arrived. He nearly took the goddess by surprise in her own home! She stared with wide eyes for  a moment or two. “Well, don’t explain it to me! GO!” She opened a gateway for him straight to Apoy Island. This wasn’t good, Bryony was a stepping stone in their community. Their way of life was with her towards the top. The goddess was worried as she cradled the watering can for a moment. “And good luck..” Her words were low with worry as she thought it would be best if she stayed behind for the moment. 

–
Bryony was not in her right mind as she left the mighty temple. She had ended up taking a wrong turn into some stupid portal some naive clergy member had left open. She ended up tripping over a rock and landing on her knees only to be held up by the glaive she held in her hands. “God damnit, what has me so…” She let out a frustrated noise as she pulled herself up. It wasn’t that she had seen something more so the lack of something.

She had gotten too close. She also had found it rude to cut out and just leave the man there. Even she couldn’t follow her own words to heart. There were war drums in the distance as a traveling group of orc warriors hiding from the last of the bounties showed up. There had to be a good twenty. The oracle turned her blue eyes to each and every one of them.

Prey. That’s what the orcs saw in her was prey. A defenseless, or so it seemed, woman of the cloth. Not that she was holy by any means. Her head was in the damn clouds still as she took a defensive position with the glaive. The adornments on the glaive clacked together and it seemed to unnerve the Rosenite even more.

They were talking about what to do with her now. She tried to summon magic but the psionic magic fizzled as she tried to weave the water. They were on alert now as one lunged towards her and managed to graze her leg. She tried not to wince as she swung the blade of the glaive into the orc’s arm almost cleanly slicing it off.

“Not fucking good.” She wanted to bash her own head in as she tried to get a clear image of how the fight would happen. The spirits were yelling in pain now as they wanted her to run. She defended herself again but it was just cats playing with a single mouse. She was backing up into a corner. “Not good at all.” Her magic was even fizzling over her inability to focus.