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| − | * - Back to [[GoldenCat/SecondMovement|Second Movement]]
| + | #REDIRECT ADanceOfAngels |
| − | * - Back to [[GoldenCat/DanceOfAngels|A Dance of Angels]]
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| − | == Within a Web of Silence ==
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| − | On the outskirts of Windia...
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| − | The temple was something great, once. Away from the city proper, but a place of power and worship, a place of essence and magic. Yet, the years had not been kind to it. It lies ruined now, a good part of its walls broken and exposed to the winds, the songs of the windmills but a whisper throughout the trees, here. Broken as it was, it was still a Manse, and its precarious state had imbued their own unique properties to it – a wonder of spontaneous architecture.And a testament to the Tierney’s generosity to Izabella de Windia.
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| − | They had taken her in, cared for her, treated her as one of their children, made her learn the science of Geomancy, so she could manipulate the shining winds within the magical academy and imbue herself with power. And even when it went horribly wrong, they hid her, they went through all the pains to find her this Manse, with the help of their friends. Friends powerful enough to call for the mysterious man who made her open her eyes, who made her see the world through the veil, the first step to learn how to handle her wands. And they gave her a purpose.
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| − | Days had been troubled lately – the fall of Whiteshield, the stream of refugees upon Windia, the dead marching on the countryside. But they had yet to call her. Until the day Faina, her contact, sent her a infallible messenger... to meet with her, at dusk, outside of the temple.
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| − | And there the woman stood, long, bland, fine golden hair out in the wind, dressed in a wine-colored evening gown.... like another lady of lesser nobility, betraying the danger inherent to the woman... one not unlike Iselsis, not unlike her masters – tip-toeing in the edge of shadows and nobility.
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| − | '''Iselsis: ''' She'd followed the woman from atop the roof. She had a hard time trusting anyone anymore, least of all anyone who was to say work related. Having satisfied her curiosity and determined she was alone, and not a threat to her, she hopped down from the roof, landing in a perfect crouch, then dropping down in front of the beam pillars, straightening, and leaning sideways against it, arms crossed over her chest. Her hat wasn't pulled low, and her scarf was hanging loosely around her neck, not covering her face like it usually did.
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| − | "You came alone, that's good. I don't like crowds much."
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| − | '''Faina: ''' The woman simply smiles, not at all fazed by Iselsis' manners "And your location seems to be... ''perfect'' for it, hmmm?" She asks, taking some wisps of her hair out of her face... the winds blowing stronger every passing day, heralding a harsh winter. "I trust you has been well?"
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| − | * Iselsis rolls her eyes slightly "Is this a social call? Should I invite you in, offer you some tea? I think the normally appropriate answer to that question would be 'I'm fine', isn't it? Now then, now we've gotten those pleasantries out of the way let's cut to the chase, shall we?". Obviously life as a hermit living in the shadows hadn't done much for her social graces.
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| − | '''Faina: ''' "Yes, yes, it would be. And I would ''love'' some tea!" She looks around, her eyes catching on the wilderness around the temple... "Do you grow it yourself?"
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| − | '''Iselsis: ''' "Nope, and sorry, we're fresh out of tea right now.", she fishes into her coat and pulls out a cigarette and a match, the latter she strikes on the wooden upright beam she's leaning against. After lighting her cigarette and taking several puffs she asks "Don't mind if I smoke, do you?"
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| − | '''Faina: ''' "Suit yourself. You keep a healthy distance, at least." She nods, looking at the distance... lost in thought, as if building will or wish to say something that felt... ''wrong'' to her..
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| − | "There is a Shadowland in Windia."
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| − | Powerful words, coming from the only country on the North safe from Wyld lands. Warded against the Wyld by the force of the windmill's songs, keeping vigilance against the shadow... and yet, if she is true, there is a patch of shadow, a gate to the underworld, within its very core.
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| − | '''Iselsis: ''' She inhales another puff of smoke, and exhales slowly, then shakes her head, the smoke making her voice slightly more raw. "That's not possible." she states. "My research doesn't indicate anything like that, and I keep up with current events, nothing's happened that would form one unless it was kept firmly under wraps."
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| − | '''Swift Whisper: ''' "We did not think it possible either. But that is what they did - beneath our notice."
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| − | The voice comes seemingly from nowhere. To Iselsis' left, near the woods.
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| − | They turned a nearly-forgotten temple, much like yours', in one. They desecrated a place of woship, and put shadows on its place."
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| − | '''Iselsis: ''' ''That voice... ''
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| − | She pushed off from the beam, rolling on the balls of her feet. Her hands are a blur as her plasma repeater pistols find their way into her hands, pointed into the direction of the voice.
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| − | ''A spirit maybe? ''
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| − | Her eyes scanning around, searching for anything that shouldn't be there, anything that could indicate the source of the voice.
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| − | '''Swift Whisper: ''' As she truly looks.... then it is there!
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| − | Something she should not have missed before, and yet did. A woman, not very tall, her body covered with a soft brown fur, ears and eyes and teeth of a cat, covered in a shining green cape. "... You may want to point that somewhere else..." She says with a mew, carefully gesturing her hand down. "We wouldn't want any ''accidents'' would we? I ''certainly'' wouldn't..."
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| − | '''Faina: ''' "Iselsis, meet Swfit Whisper..." Faina says with a sigh
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| − | ''... again... ''
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| − | ".. who ''really'' should not have done this...."
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| − | * Iselsis slowly moves her fingers from the triggers of her plasma repeater pistols, with those telltale little clicks that would tell someone whoever was holding them was relaxing. She slowly tucks them back into her coat. "That's a nice trick, I suggest you don't repeat it around me. You see, I have itchy trigger fingers, and we wouldn't want any... accidents, would we?", she relaxes visible and glances at Faina, without facing her. "I told you to come alone."
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| − | '''Faina: ''' "And I never sad I ''did'', now, did I? Far from me to lie to you..."
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| − | The woman takes a step back, shaking her head, "She is trustworthy, though," ''You really should know... '' "Your benefactors place their full trust in her. I believe you should as well. And she can explain you the current happenings better than I would."
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| − | '''Iselsis: ''' She leans casually back against the beam, taking another puff of her cigarette "I work alone. You know that. If they trust her so much, let her do it alone."
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| − | '''Swift Whisper: ''' The threat of the pistols taken out, she stretches, seeming to detach herself from the scene for a moment...
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| − | "I am ~not~ here to do your job for you, Iselsis. I just thought I could help Faina filling you in!" As she finishes, she begins to walk towards the demon-tainted dragoness, almost as if she was tip-toeing... "Well, and I admit, I was curious."
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| − | '''Iselsis: ''' The cigarette drops, flicking bits of light around, before the butt is crushed under a heavy boot. "I suggest you stop right there kitty, I don't like people invading my personal space, and it's taking me a lot of effort to tolerate you here."
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| − | '''Swift Whisper: ''' She moves a few steps back with a silent 'awww', seeming to do so without her feet moving. "Same, same. Nothing much changes on you, it seems... you really need to get out more." She pouts, bringing a finger to her lips.... "Hmmm, maybe the Tierneys have a party soon..."
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| − | '''Iselsis: ''' She glances at the kittygirl from the corner of her eyes. "Are you going to explain yourself at all? I don't enjoy games, and you're trying my patience."
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| − | * Faina just shakes her head, leaning on a rock and waiting. Whisper could try to be more professional, sometimes...
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| − | '''Swift Whisper: ''' She pouts once again, "You are ''still'' no fun. I will change this yet!" She nods, then changes her face slightly, looking at the sunset. "You know of Blue Wind? A little district, not that much far from here. Also part of Windia city, but hidden in crevasses of the mountains."
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| − | "Thanks to that, much of what happens in Blue Wind, stays in Blue Wind. It acts like a little village, here... and for some reason, people have always been very quiet, and tight-lipped there. An old man's place, many people think. Or just creepy."
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| − | "I have no idea wether this is the perfect place for them to sneak a shadowland in, or if it has always been creepy due to the shadows already being there..."
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| − | '''Iselsis: ''' "Still no fun? I don't know you, and I know you don't know me. Now are you going to explain ''that''? Because if I want to be debriefed, I'm sure Faina is talented enough at flapping her lips to do so.", she seemed very irritable at this point. If Faina had ever seen her like this before she'd know she was only mere moments away from turning her back on both of them and retreating back into her manse.
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| − | '''Faina: ''' "Easy, Iselsis... for Wind's sake, easy. She may be a brat, but this is an assignament from our masters. You owe them as much as I do..." Faina says, making low hand gestures... "Just because she is unprofessional, does not mean you will have to respond in kind."
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| − | '''Swift Whisper: ''' "Well, um, er.... I heard about you? Or something?" The beastgirl says, with a toothy grin.
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| − | "Actually, we meant, some time ago... but you don't remember meeee. I'm sad."
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| − | '''Iselsis: ''' ''Owe them. Owe them what? They're why I'm where I am in life... ''
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| − | "Faina. Suggestion, don't talk, you're not helping."
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| − | She glances back at Whisper "Well if you sprouted fur in the meantime, that might explain it. Or maybe your utter unprofessional behaviour made me bury the memory of you so deeply in my subconscious that I'd never have to be reminded of you ever again."
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| − | * Faina sighs. This wasn't going well at all... she could deal with Iselsis and make some shots without anything of the sort breaking in... usually... but Whisper seemed simply oblivious to how easy the hermit could just storm back to her cave.
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| − | '''Swift Whisper: ''' "No, I was born like this! Common enough in my tribe! ... and you are mean, you know that? That explains why you stay so lonely here... now, can did you hear a single word I said about Blue Wind?"
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| − | '''Iselsis: ''' "I stay so lonely so people like you don't come and bother me. Yes, I heard. A closed community, and they have a shadowland. Big deal, go there, remove whatever spirits are hanging around and it'll all sort itself out." she shrugs a little, obviously not too concerned "Unless there's something more about this that I should know?". She levels her gaze on Faina then, probably making her glad that those piercing otherworldly eyes were usually obscured by the shadow of her wide brimmed hat.
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| − | '''Swift Whisper: ''' "When we got tipped of its existence... three days ago... the Windian Guard stormed it. Far as we know, the place got razed, and we sent people there to populate the edges of the shadowland with life until it is no more, and to guard it."
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| − | "Seemed well enough. But see... a few of the soldiers there weren't coming home. Some on the office were... strange. We don't think the situation has been solved, after all. And sending more people might be like sending lambs to the slaughter... and if we overdo it, we might be falling into a trap. I assume you are following."
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| − | '''Iselsis: ''' "Yes, you're sending soldiers to do a job of those who can deal with actual spirits. It might be that one of them is on the loose and only materializing occasionally to pick off stray targets."
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| − | '''Iselsis: ''' "Doesn't sound like a huge problem, at any rate."
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| − | '''Swift Whisper: ''' "But it is. And, since it is a Shadowland's edge, it is probably more than one."
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| − | "We want you to go there, find out what you can, pick out whatever spirits you can... and warn us if it is greater than we know."
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| − | '''Faina: ''' ''Something you could have said quite a few minutes ago... '' Faina thinks, sighing once again.
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| − | "Oh, and... it is urgent. Which means, if you can leave now, you should."
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| − | * Swift Whisper nods. "Hope we are not interrupting a date or anything, but you will have to cancel any interesting compromises you might have tonight..."
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| − | '''Iselsis: ''' She tips her hat down and grabs the loose ends of her long, wide scarf, wrapping it to cover the lower end of her face. Thank whatever god kept the north in perpetual cold, or she'd overheat from all the covering. "I would've been gone ages ago if you hadn't brought the brat to antagonize me.", she walks down the steps and stops next to Faina "Oh and Faina, if I don't return, no flowers on my grave please.", a little recurring joke she always made, even if it was bleak, it was probably as much levity as Faina ever got when meeting the other agent.
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| − | '''Faina: ''' Fainda nods, getting up, patting Iselsis back slightly, "We will see. I might leave some poisonous ones just to keep the vultures away." She says, motioning for Whisper, "Whisper, come on! We are leaving now."
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| − | After a few steps down the path, she turns back to Iselsis. "You know where to find me, right? If you find out that is more than it seems... or more than you can handle... make sure you come. Not just for bleeding hearts, but if it ''is'' too much, then I at least trust you will be able to come tell us what it is."
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| − | '''Swift Whisper: ''' "You ''are'' mean!" She says, taking the steps tiowards Faina... "See you, Iselsis! Love what you did to your home, too! All warm and cozy!"
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| − | '''Iselsis: ''' She simply nods at Faina. "If it's too much and I can get out alive..." she stipulates, always the bleak minded pessimist. Then she turns away from the other two, and stalks off, dissapearing into the shadows not long after.
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| − | ----
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| − | * - Back to [[GoldenCat/SecondMovement|Second Movement]]
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| − | * - Back to [[GoldenCat/DanceOfAngels|A Dance of Angels]]
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