[J] Althaia's Diary +Illusionist: Dragonfyre+

[lia-w]

This diary is meant to be private; please contact the owner before posting. This Illusionary is NOT FOR SALE, so don't ask.

Name: Althaia
Gender: Female
Illusionist: Dragonfyre
D.O.B: June 13, 2005
Likes: unknown
Dislikes: unknown
Partial to: unknown

 

[Dragonfyre]

---Setting up!----

 

[Dragonfyre]

---Setting up!----


 

[Dragonfyre]

---Setting up!----  

[Dragonfyre]

A warm summer day wraps around me like a blanket, the sun's golden blaze softened a faint, cool breeze that whispers through the tall boughs swaying above me, carrying the fresh scent of blooming jasmine. Wisps of clouds span a blue sky like angels' wings. A pair of white contrails arc over the sky, providing a constant reminder of the encroachment of civilization on this haven. Even though these little woods are only a short way from the suffocating closeness of the city, they seem like a whole world apart.

Dark walnut trees tower comfortingly around me, arcing high above to form a sort of cave with their branches. As I walk down the little dirt path, the shady stand of walnut trees quickly fades into a grove of glowing sycamores. A big green butterfly dances lazily on the air in front of me with the sun on its wings, meandering along the same path I take.

As I continue on, the road seems less familiar. A small meadow stretches out before me that I never would have expected to find here. In the middle of the clearing, surrounded by tall daisies nodding in the breeze, grows a magnificent old hollow oak, crowned with sunlight dancing through its leaves.

This place just seems like the perfect place to stop and rest, so I sit down on the soft, cool grass at the base of the tree, watching the sunlight flicker and glow through its leaves. The soft song of the breeze and the sun-warm tree at my back gently begin to lull me to sleep before I realize it. I can still see the bright dapple of leaf-shadows through closed eyelids. The gentle whisper of the wind and the warm glow of sunlight slowly fade, and I find myself in a dream.

The first thing I can see is a pure, green light, shimmering like the leaf-shadows. The only word I can think to really describe it is Living. The light begins to shift and gather smaller glowing motes that float around it. It begins to coalesce into a shape, although its movements are unsure, as if it can't remember its form. The bright, green-gold nimbus resolves into a humanoid shape, shifting subtly as it moves, although it also seems vaguely treelike, with long, thin limbs with fingers and toes that trail into wisps.

A voice speaks out, quiet and a little husky, the rustle of leaves. "He said I'd be free. He promised me! I don't understand..." The shining figure before me looks upwards to the sky hung with a silver shard of a moon, as if searching for something. The luminous green form begins to settle into the shape of a woman.

"I can't find a way out on my own..." She pauses and studies me for a moment, with eyes of pure golden light. "Will you help me? I've been trapped in this world, in dreams and thoughts. But I wanted to be free, I still want to be free, I want to live, like you do! He gave me his word, and I will be free."

"Who are you?" I ask reflexively.

"I... I don't know." Her voice breaks slightly, the shame in it painfully evident. "I..." She pauses for a moment, hesitant to tell her story. "He told me I would be free, but at a price. I could walk the world if I surrendered my memories. I'm not to remember my home or anyone I loved, nor even recognize them if I meet them."

"But I am willing to sacrifice that." She looks around her, and the environment begins to soldify into a scene mirroring the meadow I sit in, asleep. "I used to live in a forest, like this one. But I needed to be free... to see the world, to walk among its people, not to stand as a watcher, forever mute save for whispering through the wind when it came. For freedom I will give everything." Her golden-green eyes shine vividly, and for a moment I really understand her, her need for freedom, her pure vitality, that all seem so out of place in a dream.

"Please, will you help me?" She stands and lifts her hands toward me imploringly, shedding faint wisps of light at every movement. "I need one like you to guide me in the world, so I can live again."

"Please!" Her hand stretches out toward me, pleading, as the image begins to fade.

"Remember me!"

I awaken slowly, the dream still glowing clearly in my mind's eye. So clearly that I have to rub my eyes to see what's really here. This is odd... I think groggily, my sleep-dulled mind not quite finding the reason why until I come to my senses. I never remember dreams like this, they always fade away so quickly and then I forget... Was this more than a dream...?

I look up at the ancient oak above me, simply watching the sun's kind glow. I can still hear her voice echoing in my mind... Remember me. I get up and head back towards the city, towards home, pondering what I just saw. Does she want me to find her, somehow? Not to forget she exists? Or to recover her memories?  

[Dragonfyre]

-reserved-  

[Dragonfyre]

evermore_crystal

Shen watched in wonder as the portal slowly swirled out of existance, its precious caro now hovering mere inches above the groun. The thing quivered, scattering the sunlight filtering through it, and almost seemed to question it's whereabouts. The Reverie seems to have willingly given its emmory, in exchange for...this. The things one would do for freedom and another try, thought Shen sadly. Too bad that too many have no choice over this at all.

Shen carefully cupped her hands around it, picking it up as though it were a droplet of sparkling water. Her gaze fell gently, examining the Reverie for any oddities. She must have found none, for she soon let the illusion flow though her fingers and onto her lap with a satisfied smile.

Any time, now. Now all she have to do is wait for a suitable candidate to find his or her way into the HQ.

Dragonfyre

Soft, wandering footsteps echoed through the quiet corridors of the HQ, and their owner's somewhat pale face peeks curiously around the doorway, a strand of dyed violet hair falling in front of her eyes as it always seemed to be doing, despite the silver hairpins intended to be holding it back. Her electric blue eyes widened as she saw the glowing droplet in Shen's hands, and recognition slowly spread over her face as the green light danced across it. "Althaia." The word burst out of her mouth of its own volition, making her blink in bewilderment. Realizing it would be impossible to remain unnoticed, she stepped all the way into the room to stand akwardly by the doorway, still watching the green mote, entranced.

evermore_crystal

The sudden appearance of a stranger might have surprised the girl; if it did, Shen showed no sign of it. Instead, she replied to the newlyy arrived, quite calmly, "So the dream have already reached you?" Althaia, she thought. What a beautiful name.

No explainations are needed, just silence, and a mystified understanding. The Reverie quivered, fighting to see this person, She Who Called Out a Name, yet still too new and weak to move itself more than a few inches. But the power of the bond is slowly growing, and she was impatient. Nothing remained of a former self, yet that name...Althaia...it seemed to stirr something deep within her. Too deep, perhaps, to have any meaning in this state.

Dragonfyre

Dragon didn't seem to hear the girl's question, wide blue eyes still following the tiny dancing light, which began to brighten and swirl as it made its way toward her slowly, attracted almost magnetically after the name was spoken. It gatherered speed and light as it got closer, until she had to squint to keep looking at it. As it moved, a musical, crystalline humming noise filled the room and the nebulous light began to throw off tiny golden sparks that floated for a moment like fireflies before disappearing. On some instinct, the girl held out her hand to the mysterious illusion, and the glimmering mote moved toward it slowly reaching out with tendrils of golden light to touch her outstretched fingers, suddenly growing blindingly brilliant as they touched. It then floated forward to rest in her hand, and dimmed back down to soft green with a contented hum. Dragon just watched it, fixated, in dumbstruck silence. After a moment she managed a whisper, "You are real then..." She paused, her face filling with concern. "I'm so sorry I waited and left you for so long. I thought it was just a dream... Althaia." The reverie filled with a warm golden swirl of light at the mention of its name, and its presence seemed to strengthen, as if it were more sure of its own existence. Dragon smiled slightly at the little spirit's warmth, and blinked as she suddenly noticed the girl who had been watching the whole time. "Who are you? What is this place? She looked around curiously as she spoke, just now realizing that there was a whole room surrounding her.

evermore_crystal

Their eyes met for a moment, but Shen looked away, as though it hurts to look into the woman's eyes. Instead, her gaze locked onto the golden-green form now mocing towards the purplr-haired woman. "My name is Shenella," she said in a rehearsed voice. "You can call me Shen, if you want. And this," she paused to look at their surroundings, maybe to make sure that this place is where they are now at. "We call this the Illusionary HQ." Slowly, she looked up to meet the other's eyes again, her voice now unsteady. "We...Althaia...are called Illusionaries. We came from another world, for another life and purpose on Gaia. What Althaia is now...we call it a Reverie."

She stopped there, to wait for the other to fully take in what she had said.

Dragonfyre

Dragon curiously tilted her head a little at Shenella's reaction to her, and listened thoughtfully to her explanation. She didn't reply immediately, taking a moment to let the information sink in. Her gaze still had an observant clarity to it as it met Shen's, the vivid blue of her eyes giving a slightly unnerving quality to it, even though she didn't mean it to be harsh. Illusions... From another world... She looked away and shook her head slightly, as if she could hardly believe what was happening. Why are you here? Why is Althaia here? The light hummed softly at the mention of its name, making its holder look down at it for a moment, with a faint smile. What are you all, exactly? How many are there? Her voice was quiet, but her eyes sparkled curiously as she spoke, her gaze falling back onto Shenella.

evermore_crystal

"why are we here?" reapeated, pondering over the words. What to say? She wasn't entirely sure herself. It'll all depend on...what happens. "Most of us is here to recalim something we lost, or could not have, back in the Old World," she said simply. It's a broad explaination, but it'll have to do for now. How can she tell a complete stranger the whole story? They will never understand.

"I don't know how many of us are there," she admitted. "Depending on what you meant, really. Hundreds of thounsands, perhaps more, still dwell in the Old World. As to here on Gaia...ten, I think. Maybe more; some might still be lost between the borders of the worlds..."

Dragonfyre

Dragon nodded slowly. "You must have some interesting stories to tell..." The reverie suddenly brightened and warmed at these words, giving off a faint humming noise again. Looking down at it, recognition flickers in Dragonfyre's eyes as she seems to suddenly realize something. "Can you remember the Old World? Do you all lose your memories, or does that only happen to some of you...?" She paused, thinking of how to continue. "I dreamed of Althaia..." Her face scrunched up in concentration, and her words came slowly, taking their time to resurface in her mind. "She told me that she had to give up her memories... that someone made her... so that she could live in this world. " She looked down at the warmly glowing blob in her hands, confused. "But I don't understand. How can I help her?

evermore_crystal

"Most of us will not remember anything, but usually, it'll come back once enough time has passed by. Unfortunately, more often than not, the memories that come back are unwanted." She smiled bitterly at the thought. It would have been so much easier, if only they had not gotten in the way.

Someone made her? Now there's an interesting case. "At this point, all you can do is to stay by her, and never, ever abandon her, or else she will fade away. She will grow into a child, and almost seem normal, at least at first. Almost.
I do not know what she will become, nor what she was. That...was never meant to be known by us. It is for you to find out."

"Be wary, though. There are ones who seek to destroy our purpose. I wouldn't be too worried, just yet, but you should be careful nevertheless."

Dragonfyre

Dragon nodded with a mumbled thanks to Shenella and gazed down into the flickering light cradled in her hands for a long moment, trying to find a face hidden in the depths of the glowing orb. Its musical hum changed and trilled quietly, trying to form words, a concept which had been long lost and blurred in the depths of timeless memory. A peaceful smile spread itself over Dragon's face as she whispered, "I'll protect you." Maybe this was what it felt like to be a mother watching over her child.

 

[Dragonfyre]

((Selene and acorn entries go here))

Dragonfyre

A fresh evening breeze chattered softly to itself among the boughs of the great sycamore trees, creating patterns of leafshadows and moonlight on the nearly overgrown dirt path below, where a glittering green nimbus swooshed down the trail, emitting excited whistles as it approached an ancient solitary oak tree.

Dragon sighed and hurried her pace to catch up, thinking gloomily to herself. Might as well camp out here, these nightly walks had become so frequent. Day or night, she never stopped, and who could get any rest with that infernal whistling in their ears? Apparently illusions needed no sleep, she concluded with a grumpy yawn.

melodymh4

"Sorry!" Melody called out, wincing slightly as she hurried away from the angry shopkeeper chasing after her. Adjusting Mereneth in her arms, she finally got away, panting slightly.

"See what you've done," she scolded the other redhead, not knowing whether to laugh at what he did or be angry at it. Mereneth only grinned back mischeiviously, another spark of fire appearing in his hands.

Sighing, she wagged her finger at him, "Oh no, not again, mister," she berated, "You're NOT setting fire on another thing, hear?"

Mereneth only gave her an innocent look and turned in her arms, gurgling and pointing to the trees around them.

"Woah." Melody was so preoccupied in running away that she didn't know where she was. Spotting another young woman, she called, "Um...hey, do you know what this is?"

Dragonfyre

The musical whistling noise sang just around a bend, now out of sight. Dragon kept on plodding down the path a ways behind, having lost any incentive to force her protesting muscles to move any faster. Her electric blue eyes were bleary and shadowed with lack of sleep. The sigh of the wind was so quiet and relaxing... the bright blue orbs drooped closed of their own accord, but snapped back open as she suddenly found the ground moving toward her unusually quickly. She shot out a hand to catch herself, wincing at the impact, and sat down to untangle her foot from a snag of vines that had grown over the trail, muttering darkly. Catching a movement down the other end of the trail, she got up and watched the approaching figure apprehensively. She hadn't seen anyone else come this way before, ever, assuming it was a secret. Who knows what else lurked in the woods at night? She sighed and waved, releived, when she saw only a rather normal looking woman with a baby in her arms. She blinked, nonplussed, at the question. "Um... it's a path" She kicked the treacherous vines off her shoe, "or at least it was at some point. And these are trees..." she trailed off and shrugged. "It's quiet out here, and the air's clean. I didn't think anyone else knew about it." She smiled a little.

melodymh4

Melody blushed slightly, "I'm sorry, I mean, where exactly is this place?"she fidgeted slightly, "I...I mean we, just got a little lost. It is rather dark in here."

At this, Mereneth gave a giggle and the spark of fire in his hands seemed to glow brighter, lighting up the rather dreary path. The fire mage gave him a suspicious look before looking back at the other woman, "I didn't know about it either. Until now."

Dragonfyre

Dragon shrugged smiled a little, embarrassed. "Sorry, but I don't really know much more than that, maybe it used to be a park or something. It doesn't look like the path here was really maintained." She points out past the trees to the south, "The city's not far, it's out that way."

Althaia had stopped whistling, and was humming along the path quietly, to see what was taking her guardian so long. Hopefully she hadn't managed to fall into the creek again...

Dragon smiled at Mere's display, "What a sweet baby." Her eyes lit up, as an idea struck her. "Wait... is he by any chance an illa...whatsit... illusionary? I heard that there were a lot of others, but I've only seen one so far." The glowing green wisp whistled excitedly as it approached and whirled around them all with a happy chiming hum, eliciting a smile from Dragon that quickly faded as she asked the other woman worriedly, "You can see her too, right?"

melodymh4

"Illu...whattis?" Melody blinked as Mereneth gave a grin at the compliment, "Well...I'm not sure, I think he came from a fire wisp thing."

Her ears picking up a hum, she looked in wonder at the green wisp that was pulsing with a slight greenish glow, "Woah, yeah, I can see her. Is she a Illu thingy then?"

Dragonfyre

Dragon nodded excitedly, relieved that she wasn't hallucinating after all. Half a smile escaped her at what she would have seemed like, a crazy person chasing after an invisible friend at odd hours of the night.

"Illusionaries, that was it after all. He probably is one too." She nodded almost to herself with a groggy blink, her dull sleep-deprived memory clearing a little, so she continued. "And yes, she is, that's what I've been told anyway. I think they're supposed to come here from another world, reincarnated or something, first they start out like this, then they grow into a baby, and then apparently no one knows what happens after that." She shrugged and smiled, "I doubt it could be anything horrifying though, not with Althaia anyway."

The green wisp hummed and glowed cheerfully at the mention of her name, and proceeded to whisk curiously in circles around the baby boy with dragon wings.

melodymh4

So Mere wasn't an imaginary friend. Melody blinked, but she wasn't THAT surprised. This was Gaia after all.

"So they're both Illusionaries," Melody said, more absent-mindedly than really talking as she watched the green glow. This was how Mere had started out after all, though she wondered why he didn't do much like Althaia.

Mereneth's eyes widened in curiosity and leaned forward, his hand still glowing as he tilted his head and observed the green thingy in front of it. Was it real? He waved his hand at it to make sure.

Dragonfyre

The swirling green mote let out a painfully high-pitched screech as she collided with Mere's outstretched hand and the firey spark that came with it, and lurched backwards to hide behind her guardian, the green glow significantly dimmer. Dragon watched in alarm, and caught Althaia gently out of the air like catching a moth or a bubble, murmuring a reassurance to the quivering wisp. She frowned worriedly as she spoke to Melody, "I don't know what happened, I've never seen her act like this..."

melodymh4

Melody gasped the screech resounded in her ears, and she winced, drawing Mereneth closer on reflex, "No...I'm sorry, it's...ugh..." she held Mereneth up to her eye level, looking him straight in the eye, "See? You've done it again!" she scolded softly, so as not to agitate Althia any longer.

The little boy seemed a little puzzled, as he looked from his guardian to Dragon and th green glow. What happened? He was just going to touch it...

Dragonfyre

"What, you mean he normally throws fire at people?" her remark coming out more sharply than she intended, Dragon muttered an apology, rubbing her eyes.

Althaia, apparently over her sulking already, flitted out of Dragon's sheltering hands to hover above Mere, safely just out of reach, emitting a humming buzz that was remarkably similar to a raspberry. The drowsy Dragon just blinked, looking bewildered.

melodymh4

"Er..." Melody couldn't exactly blame Dragon for being angry, after all, Althia seemed hurt by it. "He did it just now, when we were out. Perhaps I need to find a way to bind his powers before he does any more harm," she said, aknowledging the apology with a slight nod.

Mereneth seemed to shrink in his mother's arms, staring cautiously up at the green wisp. After being shocked by that scream, he seemed to draw into a shy mode, careful to keep his hands to himself.

Dragonfyre

Dragon nodded, the other woman's words fading out into a vague and distant buzz as she felt her eyes droop closed again. She blinked herself awake quickly, finally remembering that Melody was talking to her. "Wha...erm, sure." She nodded vaguely, really only hearing the last few words before a huge yawn escaped her. She shook her head in embarrassment, "I'm sorry, I've hardly gotten a wink of sleep lately, since Althaia here's been taking all these wonderful little evening strolls." She sighed, "We really should be getting back soon. It was nice meeting both of you, ... um..." She stared blankly at them and blinked, belatedly realizing she couldn't come up with a name for either of them.

melodymh4

"Oh well then, you've better get some sleep," Melody's face settled in a worried frown. Realising she hadn't exactly introduced herself, the woman blushed and replied, "Melody and Mereneth. You are...?" the baby seemed to perk up as his name was called.

Dragonfyre

"Dragon." It might be an odd name, but then again, odd names went well with odd people... "And this is Althaia." She held carefully held out her hand with the strange little glowing orb resting in it, offering a slight smile to the other woman. "Nice meeting both of you, I'm sure we'll run into each other again soon."

melodymh

"We'll leave it to fate," Melody gave a gentle smile, grasping the other woman's hand.

Turning to head upwards toward the main road, she paused, giving a slight nod of aknowledgment to both.

 

[Dragonfyre]

Dragonfyre

December 4th

It looks like snow. I'm not sure how Althaia will take it, she's been slowing down ever since the first frost withered all the garden plants. I can hardly remember it now, but she reminded me a little bit of a woodland creature in that odd dream, does that means she'll hibernate? She seems to flicker a lot now, it's almost gotten to the point where I can't see her unless I catch a glimpse out of the corner of my eye. How would I be able to tell if she's sick? Can a floating ball of light even get sick? I hope she'll be alright...

Dragonfyre

December 6th

It snowed.

Scotch-taped into the journal is a simple snapshot of the front room, the window next to the door is almost completely grey, with a small sliver of blue near the top.

Dragonfyre

December 8th

This is not good. This is so very not good. She's gone! She's not in the garden, she's not anywhere in the house. I tried calling her, she usually answers to her name, but I got no answer. I can't find her anywhere! What if --Here here are a few words scratched out, and the hand shifts from big bold scratchy letters to slightly smaller ones. I have to calm down and gather my thoughts. Maybe she went out for another walk? She doesn't normally go without me, although she's come close to it. It's freezing outside though, I have to go find her!