Post by Fearn on Apr 3, 2008 2:48:39 GMT -5
OOC: Monopost time! Ducky, hop in here!
Fearn slowed Aurum after seeing the dragon's eye flash. She remembered that Anne always kept the eye with her, except when she was trying to get rid of it. The girl did not quite trust the eye, though. Besides, she didn't think it wise to run around chasing flashes of light.
As Elka and Knight went to investigate, Fearn steered Aurum off in a different direction. She supposed that the more places they looked for Anne and the demons, the better chances they had of finding some clues. Rather than heading toward the interior of the island, Fearn instead chose to skirt the perimeter of the island, along the beach.
Shells crunched under Aurum's feet, and for a while, the crunching was so noisy Fearn could hear nothing else. However, after a time another sound could be heard. it sounded almost like whispering to Fearn. She looked behind her in confusion, trying to see if someone was following her. All she saw was the beach, with the waves lapping at the shore, which was barren save for the shells. There didn't appear to even be any sea birds anymore. Whatever could be making the whispering, then? Fearn wondered.
"Alright, show yourself!" she barked to the air, trying to sound confident. Not surprisingly, not a single being spoke up. "I know you're there!" Fearn continued. Her voice echoed along the beach. The whispering continued, but no one answered her.
Fearn was both bemused and more than slightly unnerved. Deciding it was time to go back to the others, she kicked Aurum into a quick trot along the beach. The water had covered up her tracks though, and the sun was obscured by clouds, so she had no idea which direction she had come from. After a few frantic minutes of running up and down the beach, Fearn gave up. She stopped Aurum and jumped down, before plopping down onto the ground, and yelling aimlessly in desperation.
To her horror, as soon as the sound of her yell died away, the whispering sound became louder. Fearn jumped up, and the whispering was softer again.
"Ha! I get it now! The ground is talking!" Fearn said, half to herself and half to Aurum. Once she knew where the voices were coming from, her fear began to diminish. Putting her head down next to the ground, Fearn listened to the shells.
There is someone, I see shadow-
The brambles know, I heard them-
It's been many years-
Gossip and more gossip, you're a clam! Shut up already!
Fearn laughed aloud at the last statement she heard. It was the only one that made any sense to her. She realized that it wasn't the ground that was talking, but the shells. This was all very bizarre, but she was no longer afraid. Shells couldn't possibly harm her... could they?
"Oy, shells! have any of you seen a person and a bunch of demons walking around?" she shouted to them, suddenly inspired. Maybe the shells would answer back! Maybe they would know Anne's whereabouts!
Unfortunately, the shells did not answer back in the way Fearn had hoped. First, they all went silent. Then they began to sing a mantra, first quietly, but with increasing volume.
Go north, the oldest is north, and he has waited many years! Go north, the oldest is north, and he has waited many years! Go north, the oldest is north, and he has waited many years! Go north, the oldest is north, and he has waited many years! they called.
Fearn stiffened. "Okay... I'll go..." she said slowly. Her fear was beginning to rise up again. Who was "the oldest"? What did it want with her? And why was it waiting for her?
Shrugging to herself, Fearn leapt back onto Aurum's back, and nudged her north. She was curious as to who, or perhaps what, " the oldest" was. Maybe it was an ancient shell. That's what she expected, anyways.
Soon, a dark form became visible on the horizon. Fearn smiled. It appeared she had found "the oldest". Moreover, he appeared to be a huge shell, just as she had expected. As she drew nearer, Fearn saw that the form was indeed a giant clam shell, encrusted with barnacles and festooned with seaweed.
"Are you the oldest?" Fearn asked the shell.
I am... the shell replied in a rough, gravely voice that sounded like shards of glass being scraped across concrete.
"Why was I supposed to find you?" Fearn pressed on. The idea that she was talking to a shell bothered her, but her curiosity would not let her simply walk away.
I grant wishes to those who find me... the oldest replied.
Fearn winced as he spoke. finding his voice irritating. So the shell could grant wishes. Fair enough... maybe he could tell her where Anne was! But she didn't really want to know that, she would much rather have a lot of money... lots of gold would be nice. She could wish for jewels, or wardrobes of beautiful clothing. Maybe a new bow even. Or horses. Or a palace. Or to have control over magic. Or for the whole world to be hers!
...Or she could wish for nothing at all. That would be much safer. If she wished for nothing, there was no way the shell could corrupt her wish. She shuddered at the thought of being crushed under too much gold, suffocated by piles of clothing, shot be her own bow, trampled by wild horses, locked in her own palace, or rebelled upon by the inhabitants of the world.
"I don't want anything," Fearn stated flatly.
The shell paused. Of course you do... Tell me... Just tell me and I shall grant your wish...
"Look, when I said I didn't want anything, I meant it!" Fearn snapped. "Stop tempting me! I'm not a little kid and your not a candy bar! Therefore I'm not gonna give into you!"
This isn't a matter of giving in... I could give you any gift, prize, or luxury...
Fearn decided that arguing with the shell was getting her nowhere. Scowling, she turned Aurum south wards and set off the way she had come. However, she had not gone more than a few yards before she heard a grinding sound behind her. Looking over her shoulder, Fearn saw something that nearly caused her to scream.
The shell had begun inching its way across the ground, pushing the sand up and away from its path. Grinding sounds could be heard as it scraped over stones. She was being followed by a giant shell!
"Why are you following me?!" Fearn yelped, sending Aurum into a canter.
You must wish... the oldest answered. It accelerated so as not to fall behind Fear and Aurum.
"I don't want to, though!" Fearn shouted, very frightened. Aurum began to gallop without being told.
Just wish...
"I want you to leave me alone already!" Fearn screamed.
...And the shell stopped moving.
That wasn't so hard, was it?... the shell said, before going silent.
Fearn kept Aurum at a gallop for at least a mile, before stopping. The oldest had gone no further, to Fearn's relief. Apparently all it wanted was to be asked to grant a wish. Fearn wondered if she should have asked for more, but put the notion out of her mind. What if the shell had corrupted her wish?
Hungry and lost, Fearn sat down, forgot about the shell, and pulled a squashed biscuit out of her bag. Yay, lunch.
Fearn slowed Aurum after seeing the dragon's eye flash. She remembered that Anne always kept the eye with her, except when she was trying to get rid of it. The girl did not quite trust the eye, though. Besides, she didn't think it wise to run around chasing flashes of light.
As Elka and Knight went to investigate, Fearn steered Aurum off in a different direction. She supposed that the more places they looked for Anne and the demons, the better chances they had of finding some clues. Rather than heading toward the interior of the island, Fearn instead chose to skirt the perimeter of the island, along the beach.
Shells crunched under Aurum's feet, and for a while, the crunching was so noisy Fearn could hear nothing else. However, after a time another sound could be heard. it sounded almost like whispering to Fearn. She looked behind her in confusion, trying to see if someone was following her. All she saw was the beach, with the waves lapping at the shore, which was barren save for the shells. There didn't appear to even be any sea birds anymore. Whatever could be making the whispering, then? Fearn wondered.
"Alright, show yourself!" she barked to the air, trying to sound confident. Not surprisingly, not a single being spoke up. "I know you're there!" Fearn continued. Her voice echoed along the beach. The whispering continued, but no one answered her.
Fearn was both bemused and more than slightly unnerved. Deciding it was time to go back to the others, she kicked Aurum into a quick trot along the beach. The water had covered up her tracks though, and the sun was obscured by clouds, so she had no idea which direction she had come from. After a few frantic minutes of running up and down the beach, Fearn gave up. She stopped Aurum and jumped down, before plopping down onto the ground, and yelling aimlessly in desperation.
To her horror, as soon as the sound of her yell died away, the whispering sound became louder. Fearn jumped up, and the whispering was softer again.
"Ha! I get it now! The ground is talking!" Fearn said, half to herself and half to Aurum. Once she knew where the voices were coming from, her fear began to diminish. Putting her head down next to the ground, Fearn listened to the shells.
There is someone, I see shadow-
The brambles know, I heard them-
It's been many years-
Gossip and more gossip, you're a clam! Shut up already!
Fearn laughed aloud at the last statement she heard. It was the only one that made any sense to her. She realized that it wasn't the ground that was talking, but the shells. This was all very bizarre, but she was no longer afraid. Shells couldn't possibly harm her... could they?
"Oy, shells! have any of you seen a person and a bunch of demons walking around?" she shouted to them, suddenly inspired. Maybe the shells would answer back! Maybe they would know Anne's whereabouts!
Unfortunately, the shells did not answer back in the way Fearn had hoped. First, they all went silent. Then they began to sing a mantra, first quietly, but with increasing volume.
Go north, the oldest is north, and he has waited many years! Go north, the oldest is north, and he has waited many years! Go north, the oldest is north, and he has waited many years! Go north, the oldest is north, and he has waited many years! they called.
Fearn stiffened. "Okay... I'll go..." she said slowly. Her fear was beginning to rise up again. Who was "the oldest"? What did it want with her? And why was it waiting for her?
Shrugging to herself, Fearn leapt back onto Aurum's back, and nudged her north. She was curious as to who, or perhaps what, " the oldest" was. Maybe it was an ancient shell. That's what she expected, anyways.
Soon, a dark form became visible on the horizon. Fearn smiled. It appeared she had found "the oldest". Moreover, he appeared to be a huge shell, just as she had expected. As she drew nearer, Fearn saw that the form was indeed a giant clam shell, encrusted with barnacles and festooned with seaweed.
"Are you the oldest?" Fearn asked the shell.
I am... the shell replied in a rough, gravely voice that sounded like shards of glass being scraped across concrete.
"Why was I supposed to find you?" Fearn pressed on. The idea that she was talking to a shell bothered her, but her curiosity would not let her simply walk away.
I grant wishes to those who find me... the oldest replied.
Fearn winced as he spoke. finding his voice irritating. So the shell could grant wishes. Fair enough... maybe he could tell her where Anne was! But she didn't really want to know that, she would much rather have a lot of money... lots of gold would be nice. She could wish for jewels, or wardrobes of beautiful clothing. Maybe a new bow even. Or horses. Or a palace. Or to have control over magic. Or for the whole world to be hers!
...Or she could wish for nothing at all. That would be much safer. If she wished for nothing, there was no way the shell could corrupt her wish. She shuddered at the thought of being crushed under too much gold, suffocated by piles of clothing, shot be her own bow, trampled by wild horses, locked in her own palace, or rebelled upon by the inhabitants of the world.
"I don't want anything," Fearn stated flatly.
The shell paused. Of course you do... Tell me... Just tell me and I shall grant your wish...
"Look, when I said I didn't want anything, I meant it!" Fearn snapped. "Stop tempting me! I'm not a little kid and your not a candy bar! Therefore I'm not gonna give into you!"
This isn't a matter of giving in... I could give you any gift, prize, or luxury...
Fearn decided that arguing with the shell was getting her nowhere. Scowling, she turned Aurum south wards and set off the way she had come. However, she had not gone more than a few yards before she heard a grinding sound behind her. Looking over her shoulder, Fearn saw something that nearly caused her to scream.
The shell had begun inching its way across the ground, pushing the sand up and away from its path. Grinding sounds could be heard as it scraped over stones. She was being followed by a giant shell!
"Why are you following me?!" Fearn yelped, sending Aurum into a canter.
You must wish... the oldest answered. It accelerated so as not to fall behind Fear and Aurum.
"I don't want to, though!" Fearn shouted, very frightened. Aurum began to gallop without being told.
Just wish...
"I want you to leave me alone already!" Fearn screamed.
...And the shell stopped moving.
That wasn't so hard, was it?... the shell said, before going silent.
Fearn kept Aurum at a gallop for at least a mile, before stopping. The oldest had gone no further, to Fearn's relief. Apparently all it wanted was to be asked to grant a wish. Fearn wondered if she should have asked for more, but put the notion out of her mind. What if the shell had corrupted her wish?
Hungry and lost, Fearn sat down, forgot about the shell, and pulled a squashed biscuit out of her bag. Yay, lunch.