NightStalkers

These dreamers call themselves Nightstalkers.

Their mission is to rid the dream of the lesser mares.

They eat them.

Nocven Oneirsom, Rayven Morpheus, and Nadia Ivanov are the ones to appear so far.

Wishbringer and the Nighstalkers

by Sadara Sat Sep 12, 2020

This past week it has been very... very much active. One of the most interesting and troubling of these events is the Nightstalkers.

The Nighstalkers This was announced by Eldryck Venym via Citywide intercom from The Center. Several Dreamers, Zahra, Restel, Koriania, Severion, and Sadara were around in the Dream at this time and heard Eldryck's announcment. They decided to move to the Breach to gain more answers. Within the Temple of Elements, Eldryck appeared and announced to the Dreamers that Nighstalkers were arriving within the City Saturday. All the while congratulating Sadara for helping in bringing the Nighstalker into the City, through Wishbringer's Darkmare phase.

After some discussion soon after Eldryck left, there was a Datoken attack, as well as an interesting ordeal. Wishbringer was sensed in the Dark Awakening fighting the mares.

After a brief battle with Magdish, Wishbringer and many other Dreamers decided to head to his Sanctuary on the Basin. After a small discussion and some observation, Sadara gave Wishbringer a vial of Dreamsoul. Wishbringer instantly collapsed.

On 9/12 two Nightstalkers that came out of Wishbringer through his mouth in the Lower Umbric Sewer, Rayvn Morpheus, and Nocven Oneirsom. They are immortal, they cannot be hurt, and they eat mares. All of them Lesser, Dark, Datoken. Their immortality is seen to be from what Eldryck has said, from their not attacking Dreamers. Only eating Mares. He stated, "Let them feast, they will do you no harm. If they lift a finger to harm you, they sacrifice their own immortality. A risk they will not take." They seem to not really pose a threat to Dreamers, however if they keep consuming at this rate us as a City will fall. All Mares will be gone and we wont have any energy for our primes, the Dream itsself will collapse as the overwhelming Chaos will be quenched. That is just a theory, however we dont know what could happen if the Mares all go extinct.

Wishbringer also is still seemingly missing. However During the feast of the two Nightstalkers, Koriania and Sadara heard from Rayvn's mouth the cries of Wishbringer: >WishBringer's voice pours out of Ravyn's lips, "HELP!" >Ravyn Morpheus punches himself in the side of the cheek, closing his jaws -{S}

UPDATE: Wishbringer has been found safe in his Sanctuary on the Basin. He appears to be feeling better and acting himself. With a loss of memory. -{S} The Matronette Protector of the Conclave The Restorator -{S}

The NightStalkers

The news came to us in pieces - something was coming to the city. On Wednesday 9 September, Eldryck Venym gave them a name. He stood in the Center of the city, near the Heart, and warned us to be ready. He told use that The Nightstalkers would arrive. He even provided the date. He promised that they would cleanse the city. That Saturday, Eldryck's statement proved to be correct.. Two brothers - Ravyn Morphus and Nocven Oneirsom arrived in a bloody crossing through the bridge Eldryck had prepared - WishBringer. They appeared as dreamers do, albeit with some disturbing tendencies.

Claiming to be immortal, the brothers had no interest in conversing with the dreamers present. Instead they left for the Lost Caves declaring their intent to hunt - and to feed. The brothers relished in the hunt, and in the kill; the dreamers attempts to harm the Nightstalkers themselves bore no fruit. Neither chakram nor arts affected either brother.

A few days later, the brothers were joined by another - Nadia Ivanov. Her arrival was a simple affair, and her demeanor was more controlled.

In the days since, their hunting has led to the complete disappearance of all mares on four of the eight outer planes; the Lost Caves, the Cenotaph of Dread, the Chasm of Souls, and the Ossuary of Dread. For the loss of the mares on each plane, the city shook as the balance shifted.

On Tuesday, 15 September, Kanto led several dreamers in a ritual to create fixed poles that release a regenerative stream of Dreamsoul. Dreamers placed these poles through out the Cairn of Sorrow and in a few other hunting spots hoping that the dreamsoul would infuse with the mares and negatively affect the Nightstalkers.

Additional attempts were made in other areas as well. A concoction of pure dreamsoul made invisible and infused with the oil of Harrow leaves to hide the scent was injected by needle into each mare in Harrow.

However, the Nightstalkers have not been seen since these endeavors.

The Nightstalkers... Alive?

by Sadara » Thu Mar 11, 2021

An image appears within the plum book that lays on the ground. Though blurry, sound can be heard:

Sadara says, "Nocven!"

Nocven Oneirsom says, "What."

Sadara says, "I want to speak with you... about Ravyn. I know that is who you are looking for."

Nocven says, "Do you know where he is?"

Sadara says, "Can I see you..."

Nocven says, "I am not in your realm of view."

"Rayvn was killed."

"He can not be."

"Novcen... I saw it with my own eyes. Right here in Thresh. Ravyn attacked one of the Dreamers. And Eldryck dreamstruck him."

"Hoax. Illusion. He can not die. This is not so."

"It was not an illusion this time... Nocven.." Sadara looks down sadly at the tile. " I am sorry." Nocven says, "Its not possible. Death is not something we are familiar with, it doesn't happen. Ravyn did not die."

Nocven then begins to explain, "Let me explain something to you. We are immortal, because we have no soul. So there could not, have been a Soul Essence as you describe. Do you bleed?" Sadara nods gently. " We do not. We have no blood."

Sadara says, "So... what would happen if Rayvn were to get Dreamstruck? Would he.. be able to come back?"

Nocven says, "If he chose to, because it couldn't have landed. Precision illusions."

Sadara says, "What if I told you I have his Soul Essence?"

"It contains no soul."

"What does it contain...?"

"Nothing."

Pure Rage, and North Wind enter into the Lost Caves and join the conversation at this point.

Nocven says, "Do you trust me for a moment Sadara. Just a single moment." Sadara nods. Sadara feels a bite on her shoulder and screams aloud as she sees blood trickling down her arm from two small holes.

Nocven says, "Now abjure me."

Rage says, "So you trust us, then. Because now you're vulnerable."

Nocven says, "And even now, as you could attack me, I could be defeated yes. But I can not be killed."

Sadara says, "Is there a chance that... Rayvn can be... summoned or re summoned with the Soul Essence?"

Nocven says, "That is like asking if a bird can be summoned or re summoned from an empty egg shell."

Sadara nods to Nocven, "Is there a chance that you can summon him?"

Nocven says, "If I could summon him. I would have already. He is likely stuck in a conduit again."

Rage says, "So he's claimed, many times. But he was Struck and hasn't been seen since, nor have his pet mares, that I'm aware of."

Nocven says, "Is the conduit Bladeslayer still around?"

Rage says, "From time to time."

Nocven says, "Then Ravyn still exists."

Rage says, "Ah...well then. He must be stuck inside Blade. Would explain his outburst, last we saw him."

Nocven explains, "Ravyn was using Bladeslayer, if Bladeslayer is still around, and he has been seen after this "event" involving my brother, then Ravyn is as I said, not dead. Ravyn uses illusions of dreamers quite regularly. Its how he toys with inhabitants of these Citys. Foolish really."

Sadara brushes her hair behind her ear, "There was like 5 Ironies..."

Nocven says, "This is all Ravyn's doing. He is not dead. I need to find Bladeslayer so I can remove my brother from within."

North says, "So Edlryck is going to die and he didnt even kill Ravyn? Lame.

Sadara says, "Not on my watch..." and winks to North. -{S}

The Aftermath

Post by Zahra TrueB » Sun Mar 14, 2021

A cold wind blows across Basin.

"Eldryck..."

She felt in an instant him blink from existence; like a ray of light just cut by a sword. Two in one day. Wish had already been acting strangely. What the man had told her, the man wearing Wish's face (or was that a part of Wish?, she half-wondered) she had told to Rage, Agama and DoL to protect them. The eyes shined too much, and he put off a weird vibe, but it seemed to be Wish all the same.

She had kept close tabs on Wish since Tuesday night; but all the clues pointed to a direction that made no sense. It seem that Wish had lost himself, hurting Kori and Rage for no reason. Or, there was something else going on, as usual. This was Wishbringer after all. That morning, it seemed she had finally gotten her answer. So she had gone up and spent time on the Facade, and told them.

Then Nocven, that cursed Nightstalker, had to show up asking for his brother. She couldn't control her fear around that man and he seemed to enjoy it. When she finally did get to Wish, the Stalker was already gone. Everyone was acting strangely, creepily normal. Then the gaslighting began, again. She didn't immediately dismiss Wish's whisper to her, but she was cautious. She knew what she had heard.

She would never hurt Wish, and certainly not intentionally. But, it turned out she had been tricked, as least partly by the Stalker. Nocven must have known, and so gave her that info to throw everyone off, knowing she would tell them. She told Wish and Braelynn the truth of why she warned DoL that morning. It didn't make much difference. She was glad at least Jevik knew about the doubles, so he could check if it was actually them.

She stood holding Wish's head in the Basin. The scene in the Sepulchure haunted her. She hoped she could change wherever these events were leading and fix the broken bonds, between Wish and Kor and Brae and Rage. Hoping, madly dashing, that she might be able to change it. But no...it was in vain. Wish had been tortured and then blown from the world like so many dead leaves, leaving them nothing but inhuman growling and rending shrieks. Wish was gone.

Her friend was gone. She had tried to help keep him alive all these months, and he was...gone.

And Eldryck was no better. Finally the truth came out with the Oracle of Asmyr, and Alder and Sadara. Eldryck Venym was no longer an close outsider with a long history in the City. He has parents, a sister, an adopted brother...and he had her. Ever since she had the dance with Eldryck to learn about him, she had had doubts, but she could see the good in him. He wasn't completely a monster, never was. And she had held to it.

And at the last, she saw him take Dumah's burden on his own shoulders, and come to terms with his own past...well, most of it. Her sister Sama had helped him too. It hurt her to see him hunted by the Circle like an animal, running here, running there, to the Cenotaph, to the Cave of Mildew, to Chasm. She had wracked her brain for ways to save him, kept tabs on the Circle.

All useless. He slipped from her helping hands, from the City itself. Where he finally ended up was a place she couldn't reach. Stabbed, his heart and soul stolen, then Struck.

"What can I do?" Zahra wondered, as she started walking. Both of them gone, both had shaped her Dreams as much as anyone in her House families. Sorrow and guilt clouded her. A cloud of vengeance started to gather around her. Wish and Eldryck would be avenged, whether they came back or were lost.

Harkyn would be dealt, and then...

And then, she would plunge a dagger into Nocven Oneirsom's heart.

The Glimpse - Bringer Stories

by Koi-Wish » Fri Mar 12, 2021

Entry 1:

WishBringer chuckles a bit staring at the ground.

“I certainly hope no one comes and wanders what this is?”, he laughs a bit despite of himself.

Before him on the ground, his eyes trace the path where he had been pacing back and forth for what felt like an eternity, but certainly couldn’t have been all day, was it? The ground seemed to say so, the path grooved in like a well-worn animal path heading to a bed of water, but no water was at either end.

WishBringer lets out a deep sigh and looks up the mountain path. “Why doesn’t she know I am here?”, he thinks to himself as a sigh escapes him yet again, deeper each time. His brow furrows as he looks up the path yet gain through the Illapse. This time he turns to go up it, the thousandth time, his foot nearly lifts to go forward, but he turns again and continues down the worn-down path.

He evokes his art to locate others and his mind informs him yet again what he already knew. She is there, atop the mountain at that fateful house.

He lifts his hand and smiles as he breathes in the fragrance of the flower he carries, a single tear strolls down his face, its path also known, as a accumulation of tears rests on his garment, the spot glistening in the sunlight. He sighs, as he looks at the petals starting to sag, “I have to get her another one” He tosses the flower to the side and heads out through a side portal, knowing he will return shortly to pace. He turns one last time to look up the path before entering the portal, this time his eyes catch the hundreds of flowers he has now tossed wilted all along his route.

The previous Night Rose just tossed, hits the ground as his shadow fades through the portal, its petals mystical and resolute. A spot sparkles on single petal where a tear drop fell upon it just seconds before, but it dries and blends in with the many others within seconds. And for another short window, the valley well below the summit of Mt. Illapse is empty save for a graveyard of flowers that fill the air with a fragrance like no other. He breathes in sharply, his body shakes as he weeps on his journey to pluck another.

“I will wait for forever” his voice weak with sorrow, “I have to, I must.” “I love you.”, and with that he his confidence lifts and he moves forward….. again.

Hours pass and still he doesn’t return, the rose’s once wilting ends now twist and turn, their broken stem base growing, reaching, and splitting digging into the soil. They stand up right, wilt completely gone, they bloom fully and reach for the sky. A light wind blows by and the fragrance jumps on board the swirling wind.

Silence then settles in, a single petal falls.

Entry 2:

Nocven gasps for breath as his head reaches the surface.

“What a pathetic need,”, he states to himself as his breath calms, “Fragile as they are, no wonder they think he is dead.”

Around him the chaos pool spins; the deep blackness and stars swirl like a vortex around his central figure as he rises up from the pool. He trenches his way out of the chaos, and into the muck of the sewers and up onto the bridge before wiping himself off. A beast greets him and his eyes glisten for a moment as the creature barrels down on him. “Breakfast.” he states and his claws spring forth.

The bogrom itself winces in momentary terror as the claws pierce through its flesh, its internals exposed looking eerily similar to the chaos pool before turning to blood and bone. Nocven’s mouth flares open, stretching like a snake around the head of the bogrom. The Nightstalker proceeds to push and press the entirety of the bogrom into its mouth, as the flesh passes the razor sharp teeth its shreds and bleeds out spraying blood and material across the bridge.

Moments later it is gone.

Nocven takes a seat on the bridge and grins toothily in earnest, “Now lets see what we can do with this body.” He begins gesticulating with his hands and various cones of color erupt from one hand down to the other, he focused on himself a few times and feels protected, feels his body more limber and even blinks as his vision improves. “Interesting” he states as he flings out a fireball from his palm. “Time for more learning later, I must find him” he stands firmly and head out through a nearby portal.

The passageways twist and turn, with various portals and changes in scenery. He evokes a cone between his hands, “Hmm, the mountain.” He pauses a moment as if trying to reflect on a distant memory before proceeding. As he passes through portals, small creatures come at him and he bats them away with a flick of the wrist, “Time enough for you later.” At the base of the mount he comes across a field of flowers. He suppressed a gag as he makes his way through them, he pauses though, as a single petal on the ground draws his attention. He picks it up, and hold it to his nose, his eyes glimmer as he attempts to focus in on the connection, dissatisfied he places the petal in a satchel at his side and continues up the mountain.

He reaches the house atop the mountain and a being of this place stands, “Do you know?” he bellows and the hapless being reacts immediately crying out, “Not again! Oh heaven, not again!” A larger being hears her cries and says “What?” Nocven turns away, ‘I am not ready to challenge them’, he thinks to himself. ‘I can feel him, where he was last’ and races back down the mountain back towards the sewers. He pauses at the sewers and turns towards some caves his eyes focused on the entry. ‘Here’, this thoughts focus. The large being shows up, weapons drawn, “Know what” he doesn’t hesitate. Nocven narrows his eyes and focuses on the being, his mind pulling out his name, ‘PuRe RaGe’ “Where is my brother?” he states simply. PuRe RaGe responds back, “Who is your brother?” “Rayvn, he was station here”, he replies reading the others face. PuRe RaGe’s face shows no emotion as he states, “He was killed by Eldryck, defending WishBringer. Dreamstruck. Felled.” Nocven watch’s the heart beat along RaGe’s neck trying to pick up changes in pulse, “Dreamstruck. He can not be Dreamstruck. He can’t be harmed in any way” PuRe Rage shrugs. Nocven proceeds, “Your trivial arts mean nothing to the immortal” RaGe replies, “His soul essence was on the floor along with his essence, it happened here, even” Nocven sighs, “Hoax. Fabrications. Where is he?” PuRe RaGe replies “Probably abandoned his station then.” Nocven shakes his head, “Foolishness.” and moves past the man in earnest.

Nocven leaps up and takes to the sky, he pauses a moment after a few feet into the night sky, his brows furrowing. He reaches into the satchel and pulls out the petal. He looks at it closely.

“WishBringer you say?” he shakes his head.

“Lets see what he has to say” he turns and looks across the dreamscape, and sensing his target, he heads towards the Basin.

Entry 3

Nocven soars across the dreamscape back past the mountain, he pauses to get his baring’s, to focus in on where he is.

Various beings pour onto the mountain path where he flies overhead. He sighs and intends to ignore them, but not before focusing in and pulling out their names one by one just in case. A ball of flame hits him in the side a few times, from varying directions. His skin gets charred but feels no immediate pain or sensation of real suffering, satisfied he replies, “There is no need for aggression, I will not retaliation.”

The one he notes as Harkyn hollers out, “I was just pointing where ye were!” Nocven shakes his head and lowers himself to be more visible to those below him. “My brother Ravyn is not subject to your laws and rules of pain and anguish. Where is he?” he states. Harkyn responds, “Maybe ye should go talk with Wishbringer then?” Nocven pauses, ‘That name again’ “Who among you is this Wishbringer?” he looks to those below. “He is in threshold” a voice calls out. “He is in thresh” hollers another. Harkyn shouts, “Wishbringer, get up here and talk to this guy!”

Nocven heads towards the threshold. As he enters through a portal his target stands before him. “Where is my brother?” WishBringer glances back at “I am sorry?” “Where is my brother, Ravyn?” Nocven retorts. “He got struck” WishBringer says matter of factly. Nocven shakes his head, “This can not be, he is immortal.” WishBringer pauses before saying “Well apparently if one of your kind decides to make physical attacks, you become susceptible to attack and your immortality is in jeopardy right?” Nocven shakes his head, ‘this is what they believe’, and responds, “He is not a fool” Nocven considers for a moment, ‘Not yet, I am not fully ready’ his thinks. Nocven looks at WishBringer, his eyes squinting his mind assessing, “I will pick up the trail.” The Nightstalker turns and head back towards the portal.

“Should I let them know?” he says out loud as he heads back towards the caves. He nods to himself. He stands in the Caves and waits. Sadara shows up and he grins to himself, ‘She will do.’

Entry 4:

"Nocven!" Sadara's voice rings out into the Caves. "Nocven! I want to talk to you" she screams again. Nocven's voice but no seen entity calls out from the shadows, "What do you want?" Sadara reigns in, and her nervousness causes her to tense up before feigning relaxation. "I want to speak to you about Ravyn" she says quickly. "Do you know where he is?" Nocven's voice lowers but inquires. Sadara looks around for the location of the voice, "Can I see you?" Nocven's voice still low and steady, "I am not within your realm of view." Sadara considers for a moment but continues, "Ravyn was killed. I saw it with my own eyes. Right here. Ravyn attacked one of the dreamers and the Eldryck dreamstruck him." "Hoax. Illusion. He can not die." Nocven retorts, "This is not so." Sadara's voice calmly responds, "It was not an illusion this time... Nocven" Sadara looks down at the caves floor, "I am sorry" Sadara pauses before going on, "I learned something else as well, Eldryck" she pauses, "He is my brother. And for killing Ravyn he soon will be killed as well." Nocven's voice rises slightly, "Death is not something we are very familiar with, it does not happen!" and with firm tone, "Ravyn did not die!" Sadara's voice nearly pleads, "Nocven, I am certain of it" She continues, "There were eye witnesses, many other dreamers were here saw! Nocven his very Soul Essence fell where he was dropp..." "Your name is?" Nocven interupts. Shaken for a moment she gives pause, "My name.... its Sadara" PuRe RaGe enters the caves and cautiously stands next to Sadara looking about and around for the source of her conversation. "Let me explain something to you, Sadara. We are immortal, because we have no soul. So there could not have been this Soul Essence" The sound of larges wings descending and bits of dirt and rocks scatter as an unseen figure lands in the middle of the Lost Caves followed by Nocven's voice, "Do you bleed?" Sadara nods gently towards the spot where it appeared something may have landed. "We do not. We have no blood. Anything you saw would have been precision illusion, nothing more. Our forms are not as your eyes see them" Sadara listens, "But the Soul Essence, it has to contain something... its hefty. It looks real. Feels real. Even has all the proper strength" PuRe RaGe speaks up, "Perhaps you show it to him. I watched Trish Pawn retrie...." RaGe grunts as Nocven interupts him, "Do you trust me a moment, Sadara?" Sadara looks to PuRe RaGe a moment, he nods, and she replies "Sure?" A brisk wind blows by Sadara, as she reaches to cover her eyes she stops suddenly as a two holes poke into her shoulder and blood begins to trickle out. She grits her teeth but makes no noise. "Now abjure me" Nocven states. Sadara lifts her arm weakly and evokes. Nocven's form appears directly in front of her. She tilts her head, "Oh, there you are, but did you have to bite me?" Nocven's mouth curls up briefly, "Its the only way you would have been able to abjure me." Sadara looks over her shoulder and brings her hand over the wound, suddenly her hand glowing a bright emerald. PuRe RaGe his hand gripping a chakram, "So you trust us then, because now you're vulnerable. Or, as you said, you don't care. I'm not sure which." Nocven turns towards RaGe and glances at the chakram, "Even now, you could attack me. I could be defeated, yes." he pauses catching RaGe's eye, "But I can not be killed" "This is a dream, illusion and what is reality are something used quite regularly, especially by Ravyn, its how he entertains himself with local inhabitants" Sadara brusher her hair behind her ear, "There were like 5 Ironie II's and other doppelgangars in the City" Nocven lowers his head a moment, as if remembering, "Illusions, figments. This is all Ravyn's doing" RaGe speaks up, "BladeSlayer, he went in to the chaos to fight Ravyn and came out all chaotic and new pet mares attacking the City as well" Nocven inquires "BladeSlayer then, perhaps he is the new conduit" RaGe continues, tapping his chin "Kruugaar. Ah... well then, he must be stuck inside Bladeslayer. Would explain his outburst, last we saw him" Nocven questions, "When did Ravyn supposedly die?" RaGe responds, "A couple of weeks ago, perhaps closer to three" Nocven then suggests, "If Bladeslayer is still around, these pet mares and doppelgangers? Then as I said, Ravyn is not dead." Sadara steps forward, "So Eldryck is going to die, and he didnt even kill Ravyn!" Nocven turns away to hide his small grin, "I do not know this Eldryck" Sadara huffs and speaks firmly, "Not on my watch!" Nocven breaths in deeply and turns back to them, "I will need to find Bladeslayer and retrieve my brother from within" Nocven turns away and heads towards a solid rock face, his eyes hidden to the dreamers turn to swirls of chaos, his smile firm just as he passes through the rock and disappears from view.

Nocven turns and looks into the open caves through the rock walls at the small gathering of dreamers at the caves entrance. "Fools. Chaos reigns." he chuckles quietly, and turns away again.

Entry 5:

Nocven watches her leave the Palace, he tucks back into the corner as to not be seen. But as Braelynn passes through the portal, he comes out and flies around the Palace windows peering in. He catches WishBringer sitting tub side, his feet in the water looking cheery and oblivious.

Nocven slips in quietly and walks around the side of the hot tub.

WishBringer looks up startled, “Wha!?”

Nocven holds a finger to his lips, “Shhh” he attempts to reassure, “Don’t get up” The Nightstalker sits across from Wish and slides his own feet, boots, and all into the water, looking across at WishBringer.

“They say you and Ravyn had a bit of a situation, at the Lost Caves, and …. “, Nocven watches the others eyes, “….. one thing led to another you were collapsed, and you were about to be Dreamstruck by Dumah, and then my brother sensed the hesitation, got involved and was attacked and collapsed by dreamers, and then everyone wanted Dumah to instead Strike him…. then, correct me if any of this doesn’t line up for you, suddenly Eldryck shows up and Dreamstrikes my brother.” Nocven eyes the neckline of WishBringer, noting the hurried pulse. “That about sum up things, or is there more then that?” WishBringer swallows, “I was, there, but… I couldn’t communicate, Ravyn had me tossed around the Caves and I, I am telling you, I couldn’t focus on what was happening, I was… lost in it” “Lost in it?” Nocven’s voice raises, “My brother was obviously upset with you for something, what, I am not sure, but my brothers enemy is certainly mine, wouldn’t you say?” WishBringer looks down, “Not necessarily, I … I didn’t choose to be this conduit, I … I well, again, I had no control. I didn’t attack him.” Nocven tilts his head, “He can’t be dead. We are immortal. I am not sure what happened, but death is not possible. Yes, oh yes, we can be foolish and lose our defenses against your attacks, but we are soulless, Wish, we can not die. You, however…”, looks WishBringer directly in the eyes, “can.” WishBringer swallows again, he looks quickly over to his satchel of weapons and shields and then back to Nocven, “What are you saying?” The Nightstalker twirls his finger around his chest and a crest appears, showing his sphere and more importantly a crimson red ring around the outside. He lifts a single brow and looks as WishBringer’s face begins to tremble a bit. “You are in the Circle? Wait, are you intending to kill me?” WishBringer asks firmly Nocven nods, “Yes.” WishBringer immediately jumps up and flings Firestorm and Flame fire at Nocven, who breaths in deeply and sighs but shrugs off the attacks as if nothing happened. “Really?” Nocven smirks, and then lifts his hand out in the direction of WishBringer, and unseen force lifts WishBringer by his neck and Wish grabs onto a nothingness at his neck as he is lifted into the air, his face contorting and turning red. Nocven casually gets up and walks up as WishBringer gasps but grabs no air. Nocven looks him in the eyes, and as his face turns purple he releases the grip slightly allowing Wish to breathe. “I am going to have you choose a life, her’s or yours” and with those words he slams Wish against the Palace wall, releasing his throat but holding him immobile.

WishBringer gasps, and pulls in air sharply and vigorously looking up at Nocven, “Who’s?” Novcven, “The young lady that left here, or your own?” WishBringer’s face goes deathly white, “Brae!?”, he tries to read the Nightstalkers face, “No, no! Me, I choose me!” Nocven chuckles, “Then go tell her goodbye, she is at her fortress atop the mountain, let us go.”

The Nightstalker spins his finger and WishBringer finds himself standing at the Main Entrance of the Dreamers of Light, he turns to go through the portal, but Nocven catches him mid spin, “No no, wait for her” WishBringer turns towards the house, tears streaming from his face. He begins to use his locator, and see’s she is inside, with him. He shakes his head. “She wont come out, she is with him” WishBringer turns towards Nocven, “Lets go back, kill me there, not here… please” Nocven grabs Wish by the arm and whips him in and out of the portal, between the house and the mountain multiple times, setting off a signal inside altering them Wish was there. The Nightstalker squints and turns to Wish, “Stay here” and he turns invisible and heads inside. He see’s Braelynn and RaGe talking, as RaGe tells Brae, “He is here”, Braelynn grabs his arm and says, “Ignore him.” Nocven silently chuckles to himself and heads back out. The Nighstalker swoops down and grabs Wish by one arm, flying across the dreamscape back towards the Palace, he looks down at Wish, “It doesn’t appear its going to your night” WishBringer struggles to release Nocven’s grip but it is tremendously strong, he looks down as he passes over the City. His Palace comes into view, and for a moment he feels the warmth it brings each time he see’s it, but its quickly replaced as the Nightstalker flings him through the window onto the floor.

Nocven circles Wish and pulls out a small petal and a vial of liquid that’s contents can be seen through the glass encasing. The contents are a constant swirling mass of black and glimmering sparkles that remind one of stars. Wish stands up and races toward the window, just as he reaches it, Nocven swoops past him and paralyzes him with a glance. “Now now, you haven’t had a drink yet” Nocven grins and drops the petal into the vial. The vial immediately turns blood red and stops swirling. Nocven starts to hand it forward and stops suddenly his head tilting and listening. “Ah! She has come to you after all, break her heart, Wish, do it, now, or I will make her drink this and let you watch her suffer and die as the chaos eats her alive.” “No! You will not!” WishBringer eyes the portal, “Oh my gawd, no.. No! I will, I will! Don’t you touch her! Please, I am begging you!”

Braelynn walks in and WishBringer turns from the window, and looks at her. His heart shatters before the words begin.

Entry 6:

It seemed like hours since Braelynn walked out the portal. Before Nocven had left he had set the vial on the table and simply said “Drink it” before fading away. WishBringer looks up at the sky, trying to gauge the time. “Soon it will be done”, he whispers to himself his voice breaking up. He places his head back into his hands, as he sits on the pedestal of the palace. The room is tattered and torn, things overturned and pushed aside, drawers opened and cabinets wide open. Walls are littered with burn marks from flame or chakram fire. His tables used for dining covered with half eaten foods and partial glass of wine where Nocven had rummaged through his things and laughed at the basic needs to eat food. He thinks he hears someone coming up the path and he glances up; his heart skips a beat for a moment. He evokes locate dreamer, and immediately sulks back into his hands as he sees she is back at the mountain. His face normally full of smirks and grins is grim and dark. He eyes the chakrams on the floor in front of him, mostly depleted now, and picks one up, points it at himself and braces, his face grimaces for a long minute before he sighs and tosses the chakram to the floor. WishBringer gets up and screams his knees buckled halfway, his arms bent and fingers curling as his voice hollers out, “BRRRRAEEEEE!!” The palace shakes from the ferocity of the scream, which is shortly replaced by an agonizing whimper and wail of man seemingly in tremendous pain. He stands their gasping for breath and then his face goes firm. He looks around the room, and twirls his finger and all that was, goes back to order, the room is clean and unblemished. He picks up the vial and rolls it in his hand, eyeing the contents. Sighing, he then reaches in his satchel and takes out a beautiful locket. He holds it close to his chest for a moment before setting it on the pedestal and heading upstairs. Tears stream his face again as he climbs, smaller trails this time, his eyes bloodshot having cried themselves nearly dry. His tub in his view, he shakes visibly and walks toward it. Slowly methodically he sinks into the water fully clothed. He sits quietly there for a moment, his lips just above the water, the tears on his cheeks slipping into and onto the water like a glistening oil. He lifts the dark red vial, and without hesitation open it and swallows its contents. One final lone tear falls down his cheek. His face twists slightly in agony before going pale, and then slowly he sinks the rest of the way into the water. Bubbles fail to rise to the surface and his eyes open for a moment before closing as a final gasp of air releases from his mouth, the room goes deathly quiet.

His body starts to change color, abyss and dark before floating up out of the water, he stands at the edge of the tub. His eyes open, swirls of complete blackness and stars fill his eye space as he walks towards the portal. As he passes the locket it glows a brilliant blue and red. His walk takes him down the Basin, methodical and slow. He passes emphants and as they charge at him in their typical bloodlust they dissolve into nothingness before getting close. He steps into the halls of the sewers, his motions purposeful and his direction known. He passes by the reservoir where Nocven sits casually toying with a bogrom essence, he hardly looks up as WishBringer’s form passes him by but says, “First volunteer is here to find you, my brother, soon you will be home.” WishBringer continues past Nocven and takes a sudden turn off the path, stepping off the bridge into the murky sewer waters, a bogrom dissolves as it chases him into it, the dreamer never even turns. Minutes later, Liolira enters, she tilts her head eyeing WishBringer oddly as he runs into the dark corners of the sewers and back out again, spinning and twirling, letting a new bogrom attack him and remove his avatar. She gasps as the soulsphere floating starts firing flames at the bogom and restores itself, giving the form of WishBringer again, albeit dark and growling. As the moment dawns on her, her face turns suddenly terrified. As she races out of the room in a panic, her screams for help carry across the dreamscape. Nocven looks up from where he sits, drops the essence in the sewer waters, and turns towards the crys for help, “It is time, he is ready.” He pulls out an Obsidian Blade and evokes the art of Invisibility before passing through the portal after his prey.

Reference

• https://forums.underlight.com/viewtopic.php?f=41&t=8709
• https://forums.underlight.com/viewtopic.php?f=41&t=8741
• https://forums.underlight.com/viewtopic.php?p=25787#p25787
• https://forums.underlight.com/viewtopic.php?p=25799#p25799