ORIGIN - Almost Ghosts

backdated to October 1st or so, just to avoid conflict with a later thread

Diem Dark took a seat at the pit's edge. It was dark--black, shadowed so deeply that she couldn't see to its bottom. She squinted, purple eyes glowing, but just couldn't make out any details below. It was, she had to admit, spooky. Exciting, but spooky.

Out of the corners of her vision she'd spot fleeting images: shapes, barely touched by color, like wisps of memories moving past. But from everything she'd heard, those shapes would take much clearer form below.

Was she ready to see it..? The caves, she knew, had a dark past. Black as the pit below-? Maybe. Some horrors, some deep grief, rooted and echoing through the oldest corners. There was joy, too; fleeting friendships, bittersweet in this place of temporary lives, lives that hadn't ever been meant to be. Accidental. Temporary... yes. That was the word for it.

She stood, taking a breath, and stretched. It was feeling more and more like her time here wouldn't last as long as she had hoped; but for now, at least, she'd grab those bittersweet moments while she could.

And anyway, her curiosity had always led her into stupid decisions. This one maybe wasn't stupid, exactly; but it might leave her with some horrors of her own, depending on what the pit decided to reveal to her.

With careful steps, she descended, half-closing her eyes against the seeping dark.

I'm throwing two chars in here for the Halloween content, but anyone is welcome to join! Note the backdate :)

Giggle wasn't far off. She held a little trepidation, too--and doubts that what lay in the pit were mere "echoes." She wanted to see it for herself. But... the darkness was still a horror to her. It wasn't the pit itself, just old memories of being lost in pitch black, a formless void that had cut away all connection to the world around her. A magic, a torment, one that still haunted her. It wasn't as bad as it'd been, but she found herself delaying nonetheless: pacing, putting it off, eyeing the black below with a wary eye.

It was only when she saw another figure delving in that she at last stepped down herself, breath held with anxiety.

It's not as steep as it could be, she told herself, shuddering briefly. Still... light would be welcome, and Giggle paused to take a moment to properly prepare.

Her enchanted necklace--a cord with a little jar full of magic fireflies--she tipped down along her neck, using awkward pawing motions to get it free. Then she pulled the cork free with her jaws; the flitting lights remained within.

A surge of carefully placed magic touched the already-baubled stone that hung upon her necklace. A firefly now flitted free, and the light that glowed pale turned bright, casting a white glow all around her. Better. She corked the vial with her teeth and, with snout and again a touch of paw, slid the cord back around her neck.

When she descended, it was with a light around her... reassuring, if not strictly necessary.