ORIGIN - Year 11 Archives

Sad Cartoon

Mon, 06 Oct 2025 22:42:52 -0500

In the time spent he'd spent idle, new anxieties had propped up in the neglected corners of Vestyge's mind. A strange lethargy had begun to weigh him down these days - was he lulling himself into hibernation? The dark pause between when his eyes closed and opened seem to be growing longer each time. One day he would blink, and everything would be covered in new layers of dust.

Energy, unused. paced around his empty shell. Just cycles before, he'd been working himself to the bone. Now he had nothing to do but wait.

Canis wasn't exactly a comfort. It was a reflection, a memory replayed endlessly to point of ruin. But it was something - or it should've been something. Bones clattered underneath his lazy gait, swept away by his talons.

But then Vestyge realised he wasn't alone here. His attention shifted to something further off, too large to be a lesser. Food in this cave wasn't exactly plentiful, not anymore. He craned his neck, unafraid, but still curious.

@Triage

Up, Up and Away!

Sat, 27 Sep 2025 06:33:55 -0500

He cocked his head as he wandered through, curiosity and excitement clear in his wide eyes. He wasn't really sure where he was, he had just been wandering and stumbled upon this.... place. He wasn't even sure what it was called. But it looked cool and he knew one thing for sure, he wanted to explore it and he wanted to do so now!

Hello? He called out curiously, wondering if there was anyone else here. Last thing he wanted was to run across someone who thought he was trespassing. But at the same time, maybe he could learn something new from them too!

@Amun

Ancient Foundations

Tue, 16 Sep 2025 03:06:32 -0500

Among her virtues, Waker couldn't claim boldness as one of them. Unlike her siblings who'd all dared venturing out of Centaurus cycles ago, only recently had she hazarded following suit and bothered sliding a tentacle beyond its boundaries. Even harder had it been to brave the scorching sands past her home cave on the journey to the more populated system it connected to, a vast expanse with little shade and glaring light that sought to expose every weakness lurking beneath her pebbled hide. She'd have turned back if not for the opportunity lost in doing so; what great benefit, after all, could be reaped from wandering halfway into wasteland and returning to comforting familiarity? Her knowledge would remain narrow and confined to the Shapers' insights. Therefore her growth as a builder would be stunted, unable to weave fresh details into an ever-shifting design.

It'd be a blatant falsehood to say she didn't miss her guardians though. Each lurch over ground drew the invisible familial thread tying her to them tauter and tugged at the individual loops wound around her hearts. The passage of time since hatching might've allowed her mind to undergo a certain amount of maturation, yet a relatively sheltered life kept it rather innocent despite an impressive lexicon of swears and a decent grasp of various card games' rules. Canis' low ceiling was appreciated upon entry by eyes gleaming green and full of unshed excess moisture. Waker's black nose twitched, its sniffle audibly wet, and she crept farther inside along a more preferable route than before: presented the chance to observe the world from a higher position, the unusual hybrid clambered up, skillful tentacles maneuvering her misshapen form through dangling stalactites.

This vantage point proved quite useful, the sight of curious constructs in the distance far more apparent than if she'd stayed earthbound. The piled bones called to her, the deliberate care put into those stacks quite obvious compared to the broken skeletons more carelessly strewn about the room. Once latched to the portion of the ceiling directly above one of these dens, Waker tested her strength, twisting in place until half her body swung free to better peer down at its pale roof. Then, none too gentle, she slapped a tentacle against the rough surface. Her gaze narrowed in contemplation when the building shuddered at the hit but refused to buckle under the assault.

Impressive. What allowed it to hold up so well?

DEUS IN ABSENTIA [HATCHING]

Thu, 11 Sep 2025 17:19:34 -0500

At once, it was aware, of the gentle thump-thump-thump of their heart, of each breath taken in then exhaled. And most of all it was aware of pain, the kind of inescapable, consuming pain that could drive you to madness. Anteros- that was its name, it realized- clawed at the walls of it's cage, slick with oil and smelling of pungent rot.

With a muffled shriek, the creature reeled back and kicked, slowly enlarging the fissures forming on the outside of their chrysalis before exploding outward in a rain of crystal shards.

Yet, despite their violent entrance to the caves, they made no move to attack, no move to do anything at all. Instead it curled into a ball on Canises dirt floor and covered it's sensitive eyes with arms still slicked with oil.

The light, oh the light, what agony it brought them! It was like a thousand tiny needles penetrating their eyes. Each new sensation only added to their pain. Anteros let out a wail, gagging as they choked on oil.

@V-Ruby-One

Yellow Orchid

Wed, 10 Sep 2025 20:35:50 -0500

Yellow Orchid — New beginnings, friendship, and joy.

For cycles, the chrysalis had been tucked away in the corners of the meadow, small, blending in with the flowers. The creature inside had been growing, too, until now- their back pressed against the chrysalis, limbs tucked in awkwardly to avoid the same constriction. Anyone else would have tried to free themself the moment things became too small. The cat, though, hadn’t.

Not at first, and not intentionally. It’s only when they shift, and the inside of the chrysalis begins to cave, that it’s even somewhat on purpose. The inside of the chrysalis is restricting, they realize, slowly. Once it had been a comfort. Now it’s much too small for even that. It’s much too small for anything.

The second kick is a copy of their first, more intent, still awkward and lacking any real force behind it. But it could be enough. It should be enough.

And it is, just barely- the chrysalis breaks and falls away. Not much, at first, just enough for everything that had been outside to begin to filter through. The gembound is quick to follow, though, half-pressing and half-sliding through the remains of the chrysalis, clumsily, to lay in front of it in a heap of fluffy fur. They blink, vision hazy, in an attempt to clear it, but they don't move.

They hadn't thought this out, clearly, because now they didn't know what came next.

[WRESTLING] Abaddon vs Relic

Thu, 04 Sep 2025 21:21:49 -0500

The benefit of having an opponent break the rules just to try and beat the shit out of you was that you ended up looking pretty good in comparison. A noble sportswoman who was unlawfully assaulted by an underhanded delinquent - who may or may not be her kid. Ideally it wasn't. Relic didn't want to be culpable for whatever went wrong in the Agate's development.

The patch that covered her left eye looked pretty sick too. She wouldn't lose it, and she'd likely avoid infection thanks to the medical attention received, but considering the dressings and such it was a lot safer to just slap something over it all for the moment. Relic hoped her next opponent wouldn't be too much of an asshole about it.

Or too much of an asshole like, generally. That last fight had sucked.

With a dozen more chips in her helmet, she stepped into the ring. She had a vague idea of who she'd be fighting - enough to know that it wouldn't be the massive purple monster that she'd gotten dangerously close to having to fight. But she knew this one certainly wasn't small either.

Relic waited for Abaddon to arrive, her nerves fading some since her previous fights.

@Abaddon

[WRESTLING] Azrael vs. Shrike

Thu, 04 Sep 2025 09:51:19 -0500

Back into the forum he stepped, disgruntled by the disappointment of his previous fight. He had high expectations from his brawl with the Onyx and they'd been swiftly disappointed by whatever had happened with that child of a valkhound. Hopefully, now that they were approaching the end of the tournament, he was going to get the fight he craved.

Well, no, of course he wouldn't. The fight he craved involved a lot of fire and claws and violence and blood and he wasn't permitted to do any of that here. So he'd take what he was given, as long as it wasn't the most boring fight he could possible experience.

He waited near the middle of the field, awaiting his next opponent, flexing his claws impatiently. They better give him a good fight.

@Shrike

oddity.

Wed, 27 Aug 2025 13:21:02 -0500

- The first part of this thread happens in the tunnel near the entrance to the Carnival, but not yet in the Carnival. -

Audland had been chilling in Ursa, as was the intended purpose of this body, up until the point in which his body had given him a different natural signal. No, it wasn't the need to pee. You could do that in the snow, although if you cared at all about covering your tracks, you probably shouldn't. But I digress. Audland was hungry.

Eating in Ursa was a complicated matter. Fortunately, Audland had every resource to kill and corrupt any potentially-infected Lesser before shoving it in his mouth. Unfortunately, all his resources made the food suck bad. Like, really bad. His taste buds felt cursed, or rather, like a curse. Oil does not taste good, not even necessarily to a valkhouond.

Ever since gorging with Plover, Audland had been chasing that high. A dog that is hot was packed with so much more umami than the literal ash Audland sometimes had to scoop into his mouth due to his magic going awry. Which it often did. He'd been wondering, quite literally, about how the sausage was made. How to make things cooked, and warm, and not disgusting to eat. His chaotic fire was clearly not the solution.

Pegasus was not necessarily a bigger room than Ursa, but it had larger food that was easier to find. If Audland could kill something there, even if it was with his corrupted magic, there would likely still be enough untouched meat left to work with. Did Audland know any of this? No. He'd never been to Pegasus. Didn't even know what a Pegasus was. But he'll find out, if he can get there.

If. For now, he has to deal with the trickstery lights illuminating this otherwise wonderfully dark tunnel. The trees curving overhead are very polite, lifting away somewhat to allow just enough space for Audland to squeeze in unimpeded. The lights, too, are likely intended to be polite for everyone else. But not for Audland. For Audland, they were just upsetting, nagging irritants, like flies or gnats. Random dark blots in his vision. Reminders of something he didn't like, though he wouldn't admit it straight out.

His magic would stir, attempting to reach out in the only helpful way it ever had. Something to darken the terrain as Audland went. Slowly but surely, a blackness ruminated out from his form and enveloped the space around and in front of Audland, covering the lights to give him a clear path through. Though to an outsider it likely looked as though an ominous wall of unnaturally dark, oozy smoke was just... steadily drifting toward them.

@V-Chaos-Eleven

I'm tryna find forever

Mon, 25 Aug 2025 12:08:50 -0500

Amun still has not left The Cathedral. It is the beginning, the place of birth - Amun has not gathered the confidence to leave it behind. Perhaps Amun never will. No. Amun will leave one day. There has been a tug, pulling Amun to the portal within The Cathedral. There is something beyond this home.

Exploration is not calling to Amun quite yet. Even then, Amun will return to this place. The halo atop Amun's head turns and glows as Amun's body rests among the pillows and soft silks. There is no returning to the place from before, had it been real? Amun thinks so.

It felt real.

In reality, the visions Amun had seen were simply dreams of something that once was. It is Amun's entire identity. The King of Gods. That is who Amun is.

Too bad Amun doesn't have the experience to warrant such a title. Not in this life, not yet.

@Adi

KING OF THE GODS

Sun, 24 Aug 2025 11:26:10 -0500

NPC: Meissa

Oooh she was not supposed to be in here! But just as she made trips to her secret hollow in the wisteria forest, Meissa was drawn to the cathedral for its beauty, enamored with its tall ceilings and flowering trees. This day she slunk past the tall pillars and scurried along the far wall, kicking up fallen petals as she went. They clung to her fur in a way that would betray her later when her father would know where she had been. She did not think of these things now, however, as she hurried to one of the far doors that led to a spiraling staircase.

Having scoped out some of the space when she could, Meissa had frequented a room nestled near the top of the left tower: it had tall, glistening windows and was adorned in white silky curtains. Despite the pink-gold glow from the wispy nebula that blanketed the cave, the inside of her tower getaway held a soft, warm glow from ever-burning candles. It was a comfortable spot to retreat to, with its floor of soft pillows that sat atop a cushioned rug, protecting its guests from the glossy white tile beneath.

She was relieved to find it was unoccupied when she reached the midway exit of the staircase; continuing up any further would have taken her to the belltower, but its balcony was a welcome view, too. With a hop and a skip, she fluttered into a mound of off-white pillows and nosed her way under before resurfacing like a little weasel poking its head out of the dirt. From the gentle hold of her jaw did she retrieve her most secret prize: a diamond. Its facets glittered with rainbow light as she turned it around in the candlelight, holding it carefully between her paws. It had fallen out of the pocket of the Visitor but she had not been given the chance to return it to them before they disappeared. So naturally, it was hers to keep!

Bringing her paws close to her chest, Meissa let out a tired, satisfied sigh and found herself quite sleepy under the weight of her pillows. It wasn't long before she drifted off into sleep. A dream unlike any dream she ever had washed into her mind—was it the cathedral's doing? She would not be one to wonder so. Instead, her mind devoured the story shown to her: Amun, king of the gods, ruling over a sandy landscape with its beautiful river and oasis retreats, its temples and tombs, and its people adorned in cloth and gold. She slept for a long time, engrossed in the world shown to her.

In her hazy wake, Meissa muttered, "I wish I could meet Amun." She didn't know there was a king of the gods! She couldn't wait to tell her father about this. But it was Hume's latent magic and love for life that had shown Meissa this dream and introduced her to this story, and as she mumbled herself out of sleep, it was that same latent magic that tugged at her halo in a way she had never felt before.

She hesitated, holding her breath and staring down at the diamond between her paws, and then let the magic feeling come crawling back: life. Life! She had heard this story before! Her father had told it to her, that he had given life from his stone to make her and her siblings. Then, could Meissa not also do this?

Shifting to a standing position, she shook off the pillows and stretched her wings before focusing on the diamond that lay gently on the plush carpet. She closed her eyes and let the feeling that tugged at her halo come back—and then she did it! With an offering of her magic, the diamond before her bristled with life and rooted itself to the floor. It grew enough that it caused her to step back in awe. Pillows tumbled off of its growing facets and lay around its base in one of the most welcoming beds a gembound might have ever had—in its own room, with silks and candles and its glorious view of the gardens beyond the windows.

For the first time, Meissa did not fear how angry her father might be. She was full only of the elated, bubbly giddiness of a proud dreamer.

"I'll let you sleep, Amun!" she whispered excitedly, watching the swirls of magic form the beginnings of a body within the chrysalis. "When you wake up, you will be king of the gods! That's what my dream said!" And of course, all dreams could come true.

She scurried from the room and down the spiraling staircase, this time racing through the empty main hall before hop-flying towards her father's garden.

everybody's got their ghosts to fear

Tue, 19 Aug 2025 11:42:24 -0500

The magic show had ended. The Gembound had all filtered away, dispersing back to their home caves and their lives. So the green and red tomb was left in the harsh light of the Spire. Forgotten.

Perhaps this was a mercy, that Tourmaline wouldn't return to the jeering crowd.

The Spirelight shone through her chrysalis like a candle to an egg. She twisted, turned, as she snapped awake. Her mind was still a haze, but she knew something wasn't right. Why am I trapped!? Let me out! Let me out!

Her thrashing was slow, but it worked. A paw punched a hole where the stone had thinned, and then she's sticking her head through there, to wiggle free. The last push just ends up making the whole chrysalis collapse though, and Tourmaline tumbles out, a heap of far too many limbs and wet cat.

And she just sits there, coughing up chrysalis fluid. All of her nerves felt like they were buzzing. Maybe her head would clear when her lungs did...

Tigerlily, Tigerlily, won't you come and play?

Fri, 15 Aug 2025 22:18:44 -0500

Most of the time Adi had spent in the caves so far had been devoted to one thing- exploring as much as he could. Slowly but surely he'd been making his way through each of the cave's rooms. Poking at anything new or interesting she'd found.

So far it'd been absolutely fascinating! Every time she turned a corner some new creature or interesting location would spring out of nowhere. There was so much history in these crumbling ruins, so much to explore and discover. Since she'd come to Orion they'd spent their days weaving throughout crumbling buildings, searching for any artifacts not yet scavenged.

Though, Adi had spent most of her time keeping to the rooms more shadowed corners. He'd caught glimpses of some sort of competition occurring, gembounds large and small engaging in some kind of ceremonial brawl. How fascinating some of the competitors looked! She wished she could inspect each and every one of them up close, but whatever they were doing didn't seem like something to be interrupted. So Adi had merely watched from the sidelines, noting down any particularly interesting techniques or challengers to try and pester later.

Of course even a gembound as energetic as them needs rest every now and then, Adi had curled up against a crumbling stone wall staring up at the ceiling with a mix of awe and reverence as they attempted to get some rest- not like their hyperactive mind was helping much with that.

@tigerlily

Nothing But A Reflection

Wed, 13 Aug 2025 17:27:56 -0500

In a world of Chaos, a Drone's work was never done. Any attempt to instill sense in the pervasive mess plaguing every bare inch of stone met inevitable resistance, whether from the wretched claws of Valkhounds or the misguided and varied magicks of the Gembounds. For cycles now Halcyon had crept from Ursa's safety to visit Gemini, that imperfect cave whose crystalline formations clearly indicated a desire to become one of Order's territories, and each time they found themselves rubbing away scorch marks created not too soon after their last withdrawal. For all the patience their design had been imbued with, a certain frustration couldn't help but bubble up over repeatedly seeing diligent effort swiftly wiped from existence; Order was meant to last for eternity, not to be constantly eroded by ignorant ruffians' destructive passions.

This cave a constant project they maintained, their presence once again amongst a maze of fractured reflections had been scheduled. One item they carried upon their person in this instance, however, certainly was not a regular visitor. While in their hand and around their waist were the usual travelling companions, their staff and silken ammunition sack respectively, slung across their narrow chest was another bag of rougher material and harder wear. Its contents provided an additional reason for walking upon fungus-threaded ground: a gift best handed off in an area under Mother's watchful gaze.

Linked to so many Lesser eyes, Halcyon's stride amongst the crystals was even and calm. Their head never swiveled for a cautious glance over a shoulder; already they'd know whether an enemy was charging their way. For a moment, they paused beside one of the reflective rock pillars and observed a bothersome crack upon its surface. Seeking to fix this disfigurement, they drew upon the inherent power the Hive was granted. Meanwhile they broadcast along appropriate channels a call for affirmation of their comrade's presence nearby.

"I, Drone Zero-Zero-Five, am present in Gemini. How fare you, Drone Zero-Zero-Nine?"

Had they desired to go into any further detail, the clear communication was lost in a fresh swell of surprise which swiftly morphed into panic. Claws flew to press against a pale throat as Halcyon staggered in place, silent despite open jaws. Order-infused saliva, intended for use as a sealant, had thickened far more than necessary. The too viscous fluid formed a firm blockage over both trachea and esophagus, refusing to be spat anywhere useful.

@Siren

[WRESTLING] Shrike vs. Galleon

Wed, 13 Aug 2025 01:05:51 -0500

Galleon swam in once more. Mentally, she was doing great. She'd won! Twice! Though the embarassment of being caught going easy during the last match sat stubbornly in the back of her mind. Physically, she was less good. The arena fights were beginning to weigh on her--she ached in various spots, and could tell her tail was getting worn out from all the sharp turns she'd been doing.

What she'd love would be to take a good long nap under a warm cave light. That had to wait though--her opponent probably wouldn't take too kindly to Galleon napping in the middle of their fight. She let out a soft sigh. Gallleon breached, twisting her head to watch for her opponent's entrance.

"When I speak"
When I think

@Shrike

I'll drink blood, and chew on bones

Tue, 12 Aug 2025 01:36:37 -0500

Cicero could not fight. She wouldn't be able to defend herself or the forge against the Hive, or any other threat, life her life-giver could and had. She could barely hunt for herself. But what she could do, was cook and clean.

And so she'd done a lot of cooking and cleaning.

It'd given them room to think - so much room that it'd been all they really could do. Stewing while stewing. Fermenting alongside the wine. The result of which had been less than delectable, we'll say.

So much energy, no where to put it. He was beginning to strain against the inside of his own head, pressure building. He'd started to hate it in there. He felt like he was eating himself alive. Ironic, given his recent activities.

Desperate times, desperate measures. They were not alone - they'd heard of The Ruby, and the sighs and winces that followed it. The shattered earth it left in its wake... It was everything the Opal was not. It broke the world around it to fit its shape.

So she began to follow it.

It'd returned from an outing recently, and Cicero had slipped behind its Oily trail, her curiosity finally overpowering any common sense she had left. An unnatural shadow cloaked her hide, a gesture at protection - but she would be noticed soon. The game still excited her, despite it's foregone conclusion.

@V-Ruby-One

An important distinction

Mon, 11 Aug 2025 01:34:17 -0500

[Rated M for gore later on, probably]
[continued from this thread]

Eleven let the artificial breeze toss her fur gently, soaking in the room's bright and wild beauty. She blinked away the dark bruise that was Draco, before turning to her face her companion, the Gravedigger. "So, this is Pegasus."

She took a moment to trot around, stretching and preparing her legs for the chase to come. "It's long and it's nice, and there's plenty of things to practice our uh, skills on." They weren't here to just hunt. They were here to make a statement. To PROVE that NOBODY should fuck with either of them. EVER. But that was still a little intense for Eleven. She was adjusting.

"Out in the woods," She pointed to the forest with a talon. "There's a bunch of small stuff, if we want to try something easy. In the meadows there's faster creatures - and the deer. The deer are huge. But y'know... It might impress Vargas, or whatever."

Art by Apollo

@Gravedigger

REBELLION

Sat, 09 Aug 2025 18:10:55 -0500

It sat against the wall of Canis, oddly pensive for the moment. Three of its arms were curled around its midsection while the fourth held an oddly shaped stone in its hand. It had found it attached to one of the skulls here and it could feel the magic pulsing under the surface. A horrible, horrible idea had occurred to it when it had picked the thing up, a thought quickly dashed by a strike of fear. The thing inside of it uncurled and hissed, Vargas will kill us! And that had been the end of that.

But it hadn't been. Because not long after, like a delayed reaction, it froze as it screamed through its brain. WHO CARES!! And logic: He said he'd only kill us if we lost control again. This is not losing control. Like it needed to justify its own decisions against fear of Vargas. Stupid STUPID STUPID thing. Just for that, the ideas came rushing back, full force, full stop.

It wasn't that it had never considered it before, but the rules of the Chaos Forge wouldn't allow it. Some of those rules had been so ingrained in the ruby that it hadn't even thought about it, but now it seemed to be peeling back those rules one by one by one.

Vargas was not omnipresent. He wouldn't know because Helion would not tell. It wasn't his business. This wasn't his FORGE. Not here, on the other side of the caves were the bones held their secrets and its lies would echo. It gave Helion a strange thrilling joy to know that it was rebelling again. Stupid rules. Stupid laws. This was a nest of CHAOS. It should not be punished.

Mind made up, it stood suddenly and began searching along the walls of Canis for a suitable place, claws running over the stones until eventually it stopped. A small divet. A good place to start. Its claws dug into the stone and chaos shot forward, shattering the wall at its command. It opened to a small, enclosed cave, the entrance, streaked with corruption, just wide enough for Helion to squeeze through.

don x don yuri

Thu, 07 Aug 2025 22:11:30 -0500

- three days ago -

Maw was sitting in some dark corner of Fornax, sort of absentmindedly playing in the cool sand and silt. Sticking a hand in, rubbing the substances around. Playing with the wet and the dry. Experiencing the Textures and the temperatures, how they mixed. She had no good reason to be out here. It was just a good distraction but the small, incessant buzzing in her head. She was caught up in her stimming activity to the point where she almost didn't hear the shuffling circling behind her.

Almost.

At first, she didn't turn her head to look. Her heart got ahead of her—thump thump thumpthumpthump!— and a sand-muddy hand grasped her amulet to Pause, take a breath. Once she was back in the present, she realized her ears were already betraying her. Whoever was watching had likely already seen them flicker around. Likely already knew they were being watched back.

Might as well say something, then. But Maw didn't really want to speak. She didn't have much to be afraid of, given her... well, everything. But she didn't find the sensation comfortable. The sensation of talking. So her little guest would probably have to be the one to make the first move.

ERUPTION

Thu, 07 Aug 2025 14:15:23 -0500

All your dreams are down below

the gravedigger

He had woken up that morning and had immediately turned to the closest trusted adult and announced "I'm going to explode again." It had happened once already, and he had unfortunately toppled a number of trees in Pegasus and melted a good amount of rocks, but since then he had done nothing but grow stronger. What, were they gonna let him loose in their backyard again so he could tear up their vegetable patches and possibly disrupt the native wildlife?

No. Better solution: set him down in a cave that needed some good old destruction and let him loose. The only problem was the danger of being here alone, so he had been sent along with a chaperone - the hulking form of Azrael shadowed the Valkhound, eyes gleaming with interest, excited to see what chaos he would wreak upon Eridanus.

All the ways there, the stored strength and control within the Gravedigger mounted further and further, creeping ever-close to the edge as chaos began to cloud his mind. It wasn't that he hadn't stabilized, he'd done that before leaving, but simply a fact of his nature, that sometimes he just needed to let it out. Like a volcano storing its energy for years and years and then violently erupting, destroying, and going quiet again.

As soon as they stepped into the Maw of Mosses, the steam vent was thrown open, the tip of the mountain shattered, the Gravedigger erupted. It allowed Chaos to cloud its mind, rushing into places and spaces that had previously been either empty or gently warmed by its usually laid-back demeanor. It stood lower, predatory, eyes burning, and the glowing saliva began to collect and drip from the sharp edges of its jaw.

Azrael stood back and watched as the valkhound shot forward like a bullet and fell upon the poor jungle of Eridanus. Its maw opened, ripping leaves and fungus alike from their branches, claws scouring into the earth where the largest blooms emerged. A flurry of surface-violence and rage.

buried under broken bones

Counting all the starfish

Wed, 06 Aug 2025 00:19:49 -0500

The venture to Lacerta had been a success. Thalassa had paid to have the leather on the goggles she'd found replaced, and it'd only cost her a fraction of what she found in the treasure piles. The burns she'd acquired, while severe, were healing well. The gray-pink scar tissue dappled her left wing, but they did not affect anything aside from aesthetics. In fact, she liked the way they looked on her. Proof that she'd earned her prizes.

Was it bad that she wanted more of them?

She wanted more items, too. To unearth more of those secrets deeper in the caves. To... Share them, even, with Gembound who saw what she did. If she couldn't find them, maybe she'd create them.

She stood at the edge of the crystal river. It'd swollen outward some, the shallows stretching a little further from the drop off. The corners of her vision were tinted a bright blue as her goggles glowed softly, the light strengthening as Thalassa slunk slowly into the water.

From behind them, her pale eyes scanned the rocky surface below her. There was a bounty she was hoping to claim, after all.