ice

Be who? [[be the black haired girl]] [[be the brown haired boy]]

>Your watching everything unfold before you in slow motion. Your moving before you had the chance to think it out, and now you'll pay for it. >The arrow pierces into your ribs, straight through the lungs. >The boy catches you, he's screaming something but you don't care anymore. All that you can think about is the searing pain growing in your chest. [[try to say something back through the pain]] [[watch the chaos unfold in the hall]]

>You stand with the girl in your arms, she's not breathing but it doesn't matter. Not anymore. >The ground, the walls, your white sleeves, all covered in blood. You stumble down the hallway, tracing familiar hallways. >you come out to the courtyard, the night sky above shining bright with stars. The statue of Santia Cecilia stands tall, her open eyes looking down on you. [[pray]] [[wait]]

>blood sputters from your mouth, the pain stronger than ever. The boy is still yelling, he runs with you in his arms and everything hurts. >it hurts so bad, and all you want to do is sleep [[go to sleep]]

>you turn your head slightly, watching arrows fly in through the windows of the great hall. >a demon stands in the doorway, scarlet eyes and crimson hair. He's frowning as he fires an arrow, it hits someone in the head. >it doesn't matter anymore, all you want to do is go to sleep. [[go to sleep]]

[[be the brown haired boy]] [[be the black haired girl]] [[begin chapter one: Into The Night]]

>you lay the girl down in the pool surrounding Santia Cecilia, and kneel. Words tumble from your mouth, prayers for life and prayers for mercy. >nothing happens, instead fast moving rain clouds have covered the sky, and rain comes down on both of you. >Santia Cecilia looks as though she hes tears running down her stone face. [[yell]]

>you scream at Santia Cecilia, and thunder strikes in the distance. The rain comes down harder, the night sky gone. >and when you look down in fury, the girl is different. >very different. [[drop to your knees]]

>rain comes down on you, heavy and grim. The girl is still in your arms, and you lay her down in the scared pool around the stone saint. >you slowly whisper prayers, and still nothing happens. [[yell]]

>the girl is pale, pale as snow and sickly green. Her long black hair has turned white as ivory. >and you stare at her. >and you know, in that moment that you did not forsake Santia Cecilia, but that she had forsaken you. >and the girls eyes open. [[be the black haired girl]] [[begin chapter one: Into The Night]]

be who? [[be the boy sitting in the corner of the tavern]] [[be the boy looking for something]] [[be the girl getting stopped by the guards]]

You are Leon Highchurch, and the tavern is loud. You hate loud things. It isn't like your an angry person, but loud things really get on your nerves. Everyone notices you, and everyone ignores you. Your used to that, but loud things just don't go away. Like your partner yelling at you. "Leon! We have to go!" [[surrender]] [[be Leon's partner]]

You are Edmund Ryder. You are in the City of Ice, waiting for someone to come find you. The Hunters Guild told you to wait for your group to be assigned, that they would be heading in your direction. But Edmund, you are a ball of nerves, you sit in the streets on a cold bench waiting and looking and looking for someone with the red pin. [[look left]] [[look right]]

You are Kaida, you are angry. You were going to the demon hunters guild when the guards stopped you at the start of the city path. "Listen kid, no swords allowed in the city!" "I'm part of the Hunters Guild! I need a sword!" They don't listen to reason, they're stupid. [[fight them]] [[leave the city because orders are stupid and these guards are stupid]] [[sneak around the walls of the city]]

You are Ire, no last name given. You don't have one. Most fae don't. But that doesn't matter right now, because what matters is your orders and Leon being bothersome. Why is he always so stubborn? And so lazy? He slams his head into the table for a moment, and then looks up. It doesn't startle you like most people, what Leon actually looks like. Most half demons don't look as human as Leon does, and most half demons don't join the Demon Hunters Guild. "Ready to go?" "Call me Highchurch." [[leave the tavern]]

You slam your head into the table, god Ire just does not go away. She's so loud, so demanding. All you want is a moment of peace, but when your not running yourself ragged, she just calls you lazy. It doesn't matter, you sigh and move up from the table to go with her. Orders demand. "Ready to go?" "Call me Highchurch." [[leave the tavern]]

You see the demon hunters guild, the ice spire standing tall in the center of the City of Ice. Two people stand out in the crowd, a boy and girl. A half demon and a fae. [[look right]] [[stand up]]

You see the market and one person stands out in the crowd. She's carrying a sword, she must be a demon like you. [[look left]] [[stand up]]

You get into a scuffle at the front of the city, but the guards are taller and stronger than you. They throw you out of the city, not letting you in until you leave your sword with them. [[sneak around the walls of the city]]

You turn to leave the city, but then you realize you have nowhere to go. So you spin back around. [[fight them]] [[sneak around the walls of the city]]

You leave the guards at the city gates, jogging around the side. On one side is massive pines, and on the other, a tall wall made from ice. [[climb the trees]] [[climb the wall]]

[[be the girl getting stopped by the guards]] [[be the boy looking for something]]

They were looking right at you, and anxiety builds up in your chest, a nervous feeling in your fingers making you tap them against your sword hilt. "Hey!" A girl to your right and two people coming on your left. The girl reaches you first, she has very strange eyes and stares you down. "Are you Edmund Ryder?" "I am!" "Hey! Don't ignore us, your Edmund Ryder aren't you?" [[introduce yourself]]

You climb the trees, scramble up them really, and shimmy your way down a branch hanging over the wall. You brace yourself and let go, falling onto a roof and tumbling down the tiles. [[follow your orders even though orders are stupid.]]

You pull your daggers from your boots, and click your toungue. One stab after the other, you scale the ice wall and pull yourself up the sides. You jump onto a tiled roof and down the side of the quaint house. [[follow your orders even though orders are stupid.]]

[[be the boy sitting in the corner of the tavern]] [[be the boy looking for something]]

You try to introduce yourself, but you stutter over your own words. "Kaida Akiko I assume?" The girl on your left says, she's very prim and proper but her eyes are so off setting. "I am, who are you?" "I am Ire, this is Le-" The boy raises his hand, "Highchurch. We're all partnering up from now own." The golden eyed girl, Kaida, she huffed, "Well then, whats our first objective? Kill some demons?" Leon was very odd, Edmund didn't notice them at first, but he had red eyes and red hair. And oddest of all, he had horns on his head. Leon was a half demon in the Hunters Guild? Are Ire was a fae, that much was clear with her clear glass eyes, and someone was very off about Kaida. [[be the person watching from the rooftop]]

You are Lillium, you are watching your new group from the rooftops of the city markets. They still haven't noticed you, so you take the moment to run through who they are. Leon Highchurch, the half demon and most experienced. Ire, the mysterious and painfully uptight fae. Kaida Akiko was the strange one, clearly human and very clearly not. And finally, Edmund Ryder, the odd little noble boy. Lillium was aware of something, how strange everyone's eyes were. Even his own grey ones were not normal, his old group had told him how cat eyed he was. [[wait for them to notice you]] [[jump down and introduce yourself]]

They don't notice you at all. They keep talking in their own world, Edmund clearly anxious, something ticks Kaida off and she starts bickering, Leon is aloof and cold and Ire is freaking out. [[jump down and introduce yourself]]

You jump down silently, the crowd does not part, not a head looks at you. Silent steps and grey eyes focused on them, you manage to stand behind all of them. [[yell at them]]

They all shout, well everyone except Leon who seemed to actually notice you right before you opened your mouth. "Your all very dense. Everyone except Leon, but you only slightly less." You say, Kaida scowling at you. "Who are you?" You lift a piece of paper, "I'm your group leader. Now shut up and walk. We need to get moving fast, or you'll never be ready in time for our first demon." Ire opens her mouth to refute, but she closes it as she takes in the contents of the paper, your new set of orders. Ire huffs, clearly not one to dispute paper work. She reads as easy as book, Kaida too. She's still scowling, Edmund is still nervous. This is going to take a lot of work. [[leave the city with your new group]]

[[begin chapter two: Don't Toy Me On A Whim]]

be who? [[be Leon Highchurch sitting in the back of the cart]] [[be Lillium driving the cart]]

Leon, Leon, Leon! Ire does not shut up, she always uses you to win arguements with Kaida, it's been like this for two days now. You drew the line earlier today, situating yourself on one side of a hay wall and covering your ears. Edmund has been muttering and watching you, he's clearly not adjusted to the presence of a half demon, although everyone else seems perfectly fine with you. The little noble has odd eyes, every one here did but him especially. Blue, blue, blue like blue. Like no other blue, but his eyes were blue. "Alright Ire, time to stop." Lillium says, turning around from the driver seat and pulling the cart into a grotto. "What are you doing Lillium?" "I'm putting an end to this bickering. Highchurch?" Lillium had his grey eyes on you, and you knew what he wanted. You sigh and jump off the cart, at least he calls you Highchurch. You don't particularly like your first name. [[get off the cart]]

You've been listening to Kaida bicker with Ire, Ire ignoring and Kaida, and Edmund muttering under his breathh for two days now. Leon sits quietly at the back of the cart, he made a wall of hay to separate himself and he covers his slight pointed ears with his hands. He seems to be bothered by noise, or maybe he's just annoyed with his group the same as you. You decide it's a good idea to start training, your not older than them by much but you have experience far beyond the rest of your group. Its why your the leader, not them. [[be Leon Highchurch sitting in the back of the cart]]

Lillium draws his sword, "Pay attention all of you. This is how we train from now on. One on one, swords and magic, whatever you want." [[draw your sword]] [[scoff]]

Lillium and you circle each other, he trained just like Uncle, you knew the look of someone who wanted to fight. And he has two swords. Two swords. Great. [[take the first hit]] [[wait for Lillium to strike]]

Lillium grins, his eyes are grey and cat like, and he draws a second sword from the same sheath. Who keeps two swords? That seems like cheating to you, but no matter. [[wait for Lillium to strike]] [[take the first hit]]

You go in to test Lillium, your not actually sure how strong he is, and also he's got two swords which again bothers you. But you take the first hit anyways, and he parrys easily. [[strike again]] [[feint]]

So he's got two swords. Whatever. Thats great, good for him, not for you. Unexpected but you manage to block it. Your own sword is big and broad, and your a half demon so your strong, but two swords? [[strike back]] [[feint and strike]]

He runs his sword on the inside of yours, taking his other blade and stopping it inches short of your neck. He frowns, "Good, but not good enough." [[back away and sheath your sword]]

Lillium blocks easily, and he slices upwards with his second sword. He stops just before your head, you weren't expecting him to be so damn fast. He's got an impish grin, "Good, but not good enough." [[drop away]]

Lillium blocks with one sword, he's clearly trained for this. He brings both swords down on you as you try to regain balance, damn your sword, and he stops before he cuts you. "Good but not good enough." [[back away and sheath your sword->back away]]

Lillium turns to face the cart, and you watch him. "Leon did good, except he got a little overzealous. Your fighting an opponent you've never fought before, best to test them out before you try anything bold like that." He motioned to Kaida, "Come down here, your next." [[be Ire sitting at the camp fire]]

"You did alright. It was a good choice to wait for me to strike, but you allowed yourself to be caught off guard by my two swords." Lillium sheathed his own swords in a swift movement, "Never allow yourself to be startled. It will be the end of you. Now Kaida, get down here." [[be Ire sitting at the camp fire]]

Lillium reacts quicker than expected, and while you got him off balance, you too are now off balance with your sword. Lillium comes quick, his swords are short and not to mention theres two of them, he leaves them just before your neck and he smiles. "Good, but not good enough." [[back away and sheath your sword->backed away]]

You sit worn and beaten to a pulp, the fire raging in front of you. You'd watched Highchurch make the fire easily, he seemed to have a knack for setting things on fire. You learned that all too easily on your last mission, but it passed over well since you got the demon. It still bothers you, but the Guild told you to let it go. Earlier, Lillium beat you to a pulp. Akiko and Highchurch got to fight with swords, but Edmund and you got fists and kicks only. Now you 5 all sat around a fire of Leon's making, him and fires... and rested. Well 4 of your rested, Lillium was off hunting something. The guy seemed to have endless energy, or maybe it was just because you were tired. [[turn to Leon]] [[turn to Kaida]] [[turn to Edmund]]

You turn to Leon on your left, he's poking a fire of his own pyromanic creation. Your already fairly aquanted, and he doesn't seem to like talking to you anyways. [[talk to him anyways]] [[turn to Kaida]] [[turn to Edmund]]

You turn to Kaida, she's half hidden by the fire, Leon between you two on your left. She has golden eyes and long black hair, something is very peculiar about her. You've never seen her type of sword before, she looks strange, your all quite strange really. [[ask her about her life]] [[ask her about her sword]] [[turn to Edmund]] [[turn to Leon]]

You turn to Edmund, he's sitting next to you. In light of the fire, his blonde hair shines gold and red, the shadows rest on his pale face extremely dark. He's looking at Leon, Leon's poking the fire with a stick, and Kaida is watching the smoke. [[ask him about his life]] [[ask him about his sword]] [[turn to Leon]] [[turn to Kaida]]

"Edmund, where do you hail from?" Leon snorts, Edmund fiddles with his sword hilt nervously. "I'm from the City of Stone, but uhhh, you probably know how that went." You wince, Kaida looks curiously at both of you, and Edmund goes back to thinking whatever he was thinking. [[wait for Lillium]] [[turn to Kaida]]

"Edmund, where did you get that sword?" He looks up, "Ah, from the family home. I took it from our basement, my dad's a swordsmith." "Oh? Thats a longsword right?" "Yeah, do you wanna see?" Kaida pops up, the fire casting hard shadows on her as she taps Edmunds shoulder, "Can I see?" "Wow! Is that an Odachi your carrying?" Kaida nods, and the two fall into a easy conversation trading blades. [[try talking to Leon]] [[wait for Lillium]]

"Kaida, where do you come from?" She looks up, you catch Leon's eyes for just a moment before he looks back to the fire. "I'm from the forest." [[what forest]]

"Kaida, where did you get a sword like that?" Leon snorts, "Never seen a Odachi?" Ire huffs, "I asked Kaida, not you." Kaida shrugs, "Mom gave it to me." "Mom?" Leon mocks, "Mom make you breakfast too?" Kaida pokes him with a stick, "My mom, Stupid. My mom gave me sword." Edmund chimed in, "Odachi's are cool, I wanted one but I ended up getting a longsword." "Wanna see?" Kaida asks and Edmund nods. Leon stands up and moves, Edmund coming around to steal his spot and look at Kaida's sword. [[wait for Lillium]] [[try talking to Leon]]

"ummm, the warm ones? I don't really know where it was." Kaida says, Edmund is listening now and Leon still pokes his fire. "Well which way did you get to the City of Ice?" "I found the glass one first. I think I came south from there, it took me a while to get up this far north." She was at the City of Glass? "How long did it take you to get up here?" "About a month." Great dragons, only a month to cross the entire country? "Your insane!" Edmund said, "Thats a massive trip!" "I guess?" [[wait for Lillium]]

Lillium turns to face the cart and you watch him, "It was a good fight, but you got distracted by your own weight and my double swords. Do not get distracted, ever." [[be Ire sitting at the camp fire]]

Lillium turns to the cart, and you watch him. "Leon did well, normally I would never take the first hit but Leon has a big sword, so it did well in that favour." But it didn't, "Unforunately, Leon let himself go off balance. So I beat him, he's dead. I decapitated him. Kaida, your next, come down here." [[be Ire sitting at the camp fire]]

You decide to wait for Lillium to come back, and he comes back shortly, two rabbits in his hands, both skinned and ready for cooking. "Ire come help me with this, Highchurch, can you make coals out of the fire?" Highcurch nodds, and you move to help him deal with food. Theres only two rabbits, so it'll be a small meal. Even so, two rabbits is good hunting for those travelling past the City of Ice, you wonder how he caught two whole fat rabbits like these. [[eat dinner]]

"Leon, what is it with you and fire?" His scarlet eyes look right at you, "Talkative today aren't you Ire. I told you to call me Highchurch" Leon, no Highchurch, he sighs, "I like fire. Is that so weird?" "Well you seem to set everything on fire when you get the chance." He shrugs, "Its fun." And he quickly lapses back into tending the flames. [[wait for Lillium]]

You and Lillium hand out cooked rabbit, Kaida eats like an animal, everyone else dutifully avoids her. You take your place at the fire, and Lillium stops eating to lift his arm. You wonder what he's doing until a crow lands on his arm, and Lillium takes a note off it. "Well, we have our sixth, but they won't be arriving until a couple months from now. I'd like to try getting the rest of you up to speed before they arrive, our last party member is not exactly... friendly." "What are they like?" "Mean." Lillium says, grim and he bites into his rabbit. "She likes to screw with people. A lot." Leon scoffs, "Great. Can't wait." "They're really good at her job. Better than anyone, a one man army really." Edmund looks excited, Kaida goes back to her half staring, and Leon pokes his fire. What a group you are. [[begin chapter three: The Humours Of Whiskey]]

be who? [[be the traveller]] [[be the monster]]

You are the Traveller. You walk the road north past the great cities, it is empty because this path is riddled with demons. Thankfully, you are a demon hunter on a mission, so demons are of little concern to you. [[kill the demon stalking you]]

You are a demon, your name is of little consquence. The traveller has spotted you, and they are sprinting at you full force. She wears a fur cloak made from leather and sheep wool, and her sword is the last thing you see before it slices through your neck. [[be the traveller]]

You sprint at it full force, rapier drawn and grin on your face. It takes one slice from your enchanted sword for the demon to die, beheading is always easier with a sword that cuts through steel like its butter. "Gross." You say, looking down at spilled demon guts, and you continue back on the path. [[be Lillium]]

"Highchurch, what is it with you and fire?" He pokes it one last time, "I like fire. Its simple." Alright then. Good conversation. [[wait for Lillium]]

Its been 5 months now, travelling with your group. Your sixth avoids meeting up with you but now they've finally agreed to meet up. They said they'd find you, so you wait. If you ever trusted that hunter, you knew they'd find you one way or another. So you wait. "LILLIUM!" Kaida is standing at the edge of the forest, holding a dead elk in her hands. How she hunts, no one knows, she has animal instincts or something. And she's strong, really strong and really quite fast. "What? Your kill your work!" Kaida yells something untelligible, Ire running over to help her carry the elk. You sit and wait, the rest of the group doesn't know that your sixth member is coming. They all forgot another person was coming to join you but you couldn't. Not them. [[look left->look left 2]] [[look right->look right 2]]

Theres empty field to your left, the heat will soon be over in the High North, and the burning cold will be come back to this green clearing you've found. But as you view the left, you notice a presence behind you. [[look right->look right special]] [[look behind you]]

To your right, theres the end of the clearing, forest and field divided by a small babbling brook. The brook is ice cold, the High North may be unfrozen but its still cold. But as you view the left, you notice a presence behind you. [[look left->look left special]] [[look behind you]]

To your right, theres the end of the clearing, forest and field divided by a small babbling brook. The brook is ice cold, the High North may be unfrozen but its still cold. That presence is still behind you, waiting. [[look behind you]]

Its them. [[be them]]

Theres empty field to your left, the heat will soon be over in the High North, and the burning cold will be come back to this green clearing you've found. That presence is still behind you, waiting. [[look behind you]]

You are sitting behind your old friend, smugly grinning because what else do you do when you've expertly snuck up behind them after avoiding them for 5+ months. "Pendragon. How-" You silence Lillium with your hand, indicating the group of fools behind who you've assumed are your new group mates. He scowls, Lillium is an odd mix of uptight and loose, theres little inbetween although most would describe you the same way. "You haven't changed one bit." He whispers, turning back to his group and feigning innocence. He hasn't changed much either, still annoyed with you but still willing to go along with your antics. You figure he finds it amusing in some way, otherwise he wouldn't let it slide. [[kidnap your future group mates]]

You've come up with a great introductory prank. A kidnapping to induce anxiety and stress, as you do. You recognize your twisted nature and accept it to the fullest. [[Highchurch]] [[Ryder]] [[Akiko]] [[Ire]]

You start with Highchurch, he's the most perceptive so a blow to his ego is the best way to go. Its an easy task, he's collecting firewood when you decide to take him out. You climb a tree and pull some rope from your belt, and jump him. He's a big guy but your fast and swift, you've got him down and head smashed into the dirt. "Shut up an watch." You say, dragging him up into a tree and thumbs upping him. "Now, who to deal with next?" [[Akiko->Kaida1]] [[Ryder->Ryder1]] [[Ire->Ire1]]

Ryder is first then, he's an anxious guy and he's very clearly not from the streets like the rest of the idiots lumbering around the camp. He's sitting around in the field looking like a baby bird who just learned to fly. You drop your cloak and draw behind him slowly. With a rope from your belt, you capture him and drag him down into the tall grass. "Shut it fledgeling, don't give me and fun some fun watching." You say, "Now, who to deal with next." [[Highchurch->Leon2]] [[Akiko->Kaida2]] [[Ire->Ire2]]

Akiko first, a interesting but absolutely riveting choice. The angry and loud one is hunting. You take extra care in sneaking up on her, you've been watching them for a while and Akiko seems to have some sixth sense. She's a hunter through and through, so you enjoy turning the tables on her. You use your cloak as a decoy animal, and circle around to wait for her to aim with the bow. You use the rope on your belt to capture her, smashing her into the ground and silencing her. "Shut up and watch," You say, grinning as she struggles in your grip. "Don't worry Akiko, I'm sure it'll be fun watching me take down the rest of your team." [[Highchurch->Leon3]] [[Ryder->Edmund3]] [[Ire->Ire3]]

You pick Ire, she's the uptight fae girl, you know exactly who she is. But when you last met, she swore you to secrecy. And while a fae's promise is binding, yours are not. But your not that twisted, so you kept quiet, and it was never your place to make that call for her. "Ire." You say, she knows you were coming, she knows everything. "Pendragon." "Help me out here?" "I'd never." You huff, "Well at the very least don't blow my cover. Lillium doesn't know anything so work with me here." The glass eyed girl turns to you, copper brown skin and curly hair in thin braids, she sighs and weakly smiles at you. "Who's next on your list?" "[[Highchurch->Leon4]]" "[[Akiko->Kaida4]] "[[Ryder->Edmund4]]

You decide on the hunter, she's also in the forest but far away from you. You slink away from Highchurch, and find your new target. You take your cloak and set up an ambush, the fur acting as a decoy as you wait nearby for the golden eyed girl to aim. She has animal instincts or something, so you took extra care in sneaking up to her. But she falls for the fur coat, and you slam her into the ground, covering her mouth with your hand. "Ow!" She bit you, but you keep her down, "Shut up shut up shut up! And stop trying to bite me you little- saints your bothersome! Come on, get up and go find your red headed friend, I tied him up somewhere over there, just don't blow my cover!" You let her go, Akiko looks like she could kill, although with your hand all covered in marks, you might kill her first. "Just go! Shoo, come watch if you want to, but do not get seen!" Akiko growls and crawls away, you've humbled her but she'll get back up angrier than before. [[Ryder->Edmund5]] [[Ire->Ire5]]

Ryder has moved from where he last was. From the field near the brook, he's moved closer to Lillium, who is still thankfully playing innocent. Ryder is a little blonde shit, he's not special in anyother way than his magic, but its not helpful if he never notices the attacker. So you sneak up on him, Lillium catches your eye for just a moment as you take down Edmund silently. You toss Ryder over in the dirt towards Lillium, who grins down at his friend and helps you push him into the tall grass and hide him. Lillium shushes his buddy, "Don't worry about it Edmund, just keep hidden would you?" [[Akiko->Kaida5]] [[Ire->Ire6]]

Ire, she knows you and you know she knows that your here. She's been catching your eyes from the moment you started, so you approach her carefully.

Double-click this passage to edit it.

With the whole group recovering from Pendragon's sneak attack,