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forrestjones2010
sup?
cagedmind0531
You free yet?
forrestjones2010
for a spell
cagedmind0531
k let me post what I have.
posted
just noticed I used interesting twice in a row, fixing that
forrestjones2010
Three days in passed in the forest
oops
cagedmind0531
lol
forrestjones2010
three days passed (take first "in" out
cagedmind0531
done
forrestjones2010
As if for the first time Taeran considers Axis's proposal."No...No...Taeran taught me that life was to be respected, something cherished, not merely an empty vessel to be cracked open."
how do i change font color?
cagedmind0531
em not sure. in what program?
forrestjones2010
did you mean Graven
in messenger
cagedmind0531
No, Taeran taught him that. Is that confusing?
taught graven that I mean
forrestjones2010
how can terean consider Axis's proposal?
cagedmind0531
oh...graven does let me clarify that
forrestjones2010
k
cagedmind0531
As if for the first time Graven considers Axis's proposal."No...No...Taeran taught me that life was to be respected, something cherished...
forrestjones2010
Graven scrutinized the child before him who was
take out "before him
"
The child played in the stream as if lost in some daydream and so carefully and with trepidation graven approached.
cagedmind0531
done
forrestjones2010
the child played in the stream lost in some daydream, Graven with trepidation carefully approched him.
He beckoned but go no response and so began to close the distance.
got
the distance between them
etherhil (the name for adolescent's in Gravens tribe),
etherhil,then ame for...,
good word btw
cagedmind0531
ty
forrestjones2010
more feral then bipedal
than
by axis's call Graven spri
cagedmind0531
done, done
forrestjones2010
Axis's
gotta run for a bit...dinner...sorry be back on later
cagedmind0531
k
written almost 3 pages today I think
forrestjones2010
wowsers
bazinga!
cagedmind0531
Bazinga what?
forrestjones2010
i am awake...bazinga
nap
ahhhhh
cagedmind0531
oh lol
forrestjones2010
how are you
cagedmind0531
Not bad. I did a bit more writing. Let me post it
forrestjones2010
rock and roll
cagedmind0531
Posted
forrestjones2010
k
cagedmind0531
There needs to be some events happening in the forest. They need to be added around what I already wrote. Still I did quite a bit of work.
forrestjones2010
k
want me to start where i left off and edit as i go as i was earlier?
cagedmind0531
sure
Unless it feels better to read first and edit later. Whatever works
forrestjones2010
they are both the same to me
cagedmind0531
Surprised I got so much done today. It's starting to pick up again.
forrestjones2010
and its really good too
cagedmind0531
Glad to hear that, was nervous
forrestjones2010
The pursuit ensues for many minutes before finally Graven trips upon the root of a large tree and into the clearing ahead, hitting his head upon a fallen branch.
second upon use "on"
cagedmind0531
done
forrestjones2010
sorry i just had to break up a dog fight
ha ha
cagedmind0531
lol
forrestjones2010
the rot is not taking to the elephant
cagedmind0531
rot?
forrestjones2010
rotweiler
our first born
cagedmind0531
oh
forrestjones2010
yeah we like em big
ok back on task
the explaination of the chains ties in well to what axis was saying when he saw the tree...
good tie back
cagedmind0531
groovy
forrestjones2010
You alone will play fate to all ages, denying all clairvoyance."
what does this mean
really the last part
denying all clairvoyance
cagedmind0531
Means you will make it impossible to predict the future. Yeah it is kinda vague
clairvoyance means the ability to see the future
forrestjones2010
it could work as is
the transition from mask to person is powerful good
cagedmind0531
Cool
You alone will play fate to all ages, denying all written futures.
forrestjones2010
that is clearer
cagedmind0531
k good
forrestjones2010
i noticed a few things are in parenthisese...are you still thinking about this
cagedmind0531
Yeah...I don't think explaining things flat out like that fits at all but I wasn't sure how to explain them otherwise
Also we need a word that means purpose
An etherian word
I don't like the word purpose at all
sounds like porpoise
forrestjones2010
and its repetitive
this word has to flow well because it will be used all the way through the book
cagedmind0531
aye
saura
random word
forrestjones2010
try it
have been here for ages beyond I can recall. The young one arrived before he could even speak(
beyond time i can recall
cagedmind0531
fixed
forrestjones2010
I only recently found the two siblings.
take out only
No doubt you all have=You have seen your share of trials.
home and protect you from the elements."
home. It will protect you from the elements."
cagedmind0531
done
brb need a drink
forrestjones2010
k
Graven then considers new names for the four so that he may takes steps toward teaching them to speak and find themselves once more.
so he may
take out that
The feral child he names Syrka, the tattoo'd sibling after Forge he names Gaia, the etherhil that had been sharpening the stick he names Veyn, and finally the one formerly known as Agnagn he names Adahn.
cagedmind0531
back
forrestjones2010
The feral child he names Syrka. The tatoo'd sibling is named after Forge. The etherhil he names Gaia.
I am not sure what to do with the last sentence
the message is great
cagedmind0531
yeah I knew that was problematic
forrestjones2010
it is just confusing with all the commas
break it up into 2 or 3 sentences
cagedmind0531
alrighty
forrestjones2010
on a content level...there is allot here that brings down the mythological into a real life believable setting
i am enjoying it
cagedmind0531
That's good to hear
forrestjones2010
i will be up tonight where do you want me to pick up?
cagedmind0531
Wherever. You getting off for now?
forrestjones2010
that was the end of what you wrote right?
cagedmind0531
yes
forrestjones2010
k
no i will up be up for a while i just slept 3 hours
cagedmind0531
Ah ok cool
forrestjones2010
i started another new med today that knocked me out
topamax
for migraines
cagedmind0531
I see.
I hope they don't do more harm then good.
forrestjones2010
me too
cagedmind0531
So you said from a content standpoint. What about froma structure standpoint. Are things flowing well? I know we are missing some action.
forrestjones2010
the flow is fine
as far as action
i dont know if this piece really needs anything else
cagedmind0531
Really?
forrestjones2010
it seems complete to me as is
but
cagedmind0531
Complete as in chapter done? or complete as in...
forrestjones2010
let me go back through and reread it without breaks and see
cagedmind0531
j
k
forrestjones2010
i dont think it is a done chapter
cagedmind0531
Me neither
forrestjones2010
another event when they get to where they are going would probably complete the chapter
cagedmind0531
Maybe something happens when they get to the tree.
forrestjones2010
thats what i was thinking
did you post ch 2 to the final blog?
cagedmind0531
No
forrestjones2010
do you think we should post 1 and 2 there now that we are working on 3
cagedmind0531
Yeah sure. Let me do that right fast
Done
forrestjones2010
rock
cagedmind0531
yeah there surely are some rocks in the story
I bet we are one of the first in history, who are not geologists, to spend so much time on rocks
forrestjones2010
lol
this is the age of Order right
era
cagedmind0531
Near the end of it but yes
forrestjones2010
even better
how about a theophany
cagedmind0531
A who? what is that again?
forrestjones2010
it is a god showing up on the scene...have order make an appearance in his era
brb...i have to check out something
cagedmind0531
Not opposed to it. Have to see how we would do it
forrestjones2010
back
cagedmind0531
k
By the way
In the future Siren is underground inside the earth. The atmosphere has been burned off
forrestjones2010
sweet...scalp scalp
cagedmind0531
An underground city called Solace
forrestjones2010
nice name
cagedmind0531
It's one of my favorite words
forrestjones2010
it is special
cagedmind0531
Ok so this chapter should end with the Gaia tree. The next chapter should be about the tree. The chapter after that is about them returning to
Iboga
at least that's one idea
Or we could have a rune bomb at the end of this chapter and send them back to Iboga next chapter and call it 'Origins' and have that double for
the origin of the gaia tree
If we do it that way something needs to happen either at the end of this chapter or the beginning of the next, that turns it into the Gaia tree
Which means Gaia [the sibling] dies
forrestjones2010
...thinking...
cagedmind0531
It's the biggest event in the book. Basically the center of everything
The tree becomes the focus of the story
forrestjones2010
ah
cagedmind0531
I don't mean it switches to the tree I just mean it's a huge part of things to come
forrestjones2010
right
Gaia=Forge
cagedmind0531
yah
forrestjones2010
how does gaia die?
cagedmind0531
I haven't decided yet. Something big.
AI does it
He creates a being out of runic power and electricity, and either it's creation or it does something and gaia is destroyed
forrestjones2010
where does the artifact come in?
cagedmind0531
What I just mentioned is the creation of the artifact
forrestjones2010
thought it sounded familiar
cagedmind0531
This is tough
forrestjones2010
question
when i say how does gaia die..i mean the young etherhil that was just found...is there more than one gaia?
cagedmind0531
Oh the young one is killed by a rune bomb. THen they bury her at the foot of the tree. From then on it's known as the Gaia tree.
I'd kind of like to get more attached to her before she dies
If she dies now the reader is just like 'shrug'
forrestjones2010
agreed
but when you say AI kills Gaia to who/what are you referring?
cagedmind0531
Artificial Intelligence kills the Gaia tree in the future
forrestjones2010
now i am up to speed
cagedmind0531
Would it be odd for the tree to take the eye while he is sleeping?
It does have vines
forrestjones2010
no it would not be odd
but why would graven loose axis
they are not permernantly joined?
cagedmind0531
They are, was just a random thought. See we need something obscure that is powerful. I'd say an act would work but that's kind of corny
forrestjones2010
His laughter, the crunching leaves and snapping twigs drowning out any noises from the forest.
is this line freudian?
cagedmind0531
In what way? Scared to ask
forrestjones2010
drowning out oises from forrest?
lol
noises
cagedmind0531
No he's just being noisy stomping through the forest lol
perv
rofl
forrestjones2010
not perv dumbass
cagedmind0531
OH! What if Siren creates it somehow. The doctor could order her to do it. This would be before AI goes psychotic and kills him
forrestjones2010
ok...brb
back
cagedmind0531
k
forrestjones2010
had to put tish to bed
cagedmind0531
ah ok
I've got it
I think
Ok so maybe something turns her ether blue instead of red and when she is buried the tree feeds off the power in her Ether
forrestjones2010
perfect
cagedmind0531
Problem is the only thing that turns Ether from red to blue is runic power. Like right now Graven's s purple
What if she pushes graven out of the way and saves him. It's like the ultimate act of purpose.
forrestjones2010
that would work
creates a martyr figure giving the name of the tree
even more gravity
cagedmind0531
It would be a subtle message too about how love can change things from dark to beautiful
forrestjones2010
death destruction mayhem...puppies
cagedmind0531
So now it looks like we need an entire chapter devoted to making us give a shit about Gaia
forrestjones2010
it could be this one
the ending of this one
easy enough
cagedmind0531
Think we can do that in 3-5 pages?
forrestjones2010
...and Graven was struck by one of the ethereans more so than the rest...
yes
cagedmind0531
good line
She represents forge so she needs to be really creative and imaginative
forrestjones2010
agreed
cagedmind0531
We need to establish how old Graven is...cause this could be a love interest if he isn't an old fogey
I figured the two 'adolescents' are in their 30s or so and Graven could be what? 50?
forrestjones2010
i pictured him muscular 50
cagedmind0531
50 is really young for ethereans
forrestjones2010
so we gotz a hook up
cagedmind0531
Not the first time an older guy falls for a younger chick
forrestjones2010
right...but it is the first time a tree turns blue
cagedmind0531
lol
forrestjones2010
ok so we got the basic premise down...want me to pick up from here?
cagedmind0531
sure
Don't forget that she dies by a rune bomb at the end of the chapter and he can summon stones now and possibly he can control vines if he
is put into a life and death situation
*if
There needs to be a reason he can't stop the bomb also. Like it surprises him or something because we have shown he can stop them
forrestjones2010
ok
i am get offline for a while and see what i can come up with...
cagedmind0531
alrighty. I'll try to stick around for a while
forrestjones2010
k
Friday, January 29, 2010
Chapter 3 - The Gaiasphere
Several hours pass as Artemis with surgical focus repairs the gynoid assassin that he has come to know and love as Siren Coratania. Working in tandem with the nanosuretical machines Artemis laces his artistic prowess into her broken body. Siren, the first of her kind to enter into the Holoverse, the universe from which all Artificial Inteligence resides, has been working for Artemis sometime.
* * * * * *
Graven conjured a sharp edged stone and,using a vine, attached it to a long branch.
"Alot of good that's going to do you against anything lurking here."
"If I can't be prepared the least I can do is present the illusion of it." Graven said, laughing for the first time in a long time.
"Suit yourself, I am sure whatever animal kills you will be incredibly inconvenienced by the wound you give it as it's eating you alive."
Again he laughed, half-heartedly this time. His laughter, the crunching leaves and snapping twigs drowning out any noises from the forest. Graven had been in an etherforest once before when he was younger with his father, but that time seemed ages ago and now he found himself as an infant in an unforgiving and ominous territory.
Three days passed in the forest without incident until Graven stumbled upon a clearing centered by a gargantuan tree. The tree stood over ten stories high with a massive sphere of vines taking the place of the normal blood red leavs from a normal etherean tree. Like every other tree in an forest were veins of glowing red ether running all along the dark blue bark tree, the lifeblood of all things Ether dependent. As if this sphere were not odd enough the vines moved. The entire tree was in a perpetual state of transition. Always there were vines being tied and untied, tangled and untangled.
"I think this is an interesting place to make base camp Axis. It's certainly the most intriguing thing we've seen so far and the area seems safe enough."
"It's a fragment of Forge itself...the force of creation. This is not possible. It is the era of Order, of purpose. It is not time for this to be here and yet there it stands. Alas this is the work of my forebearer Fracture. Forge's chain is not supposed to be in play for a millenia and the chain is supposed to be the strongest of the three... Unbreakable... If this is here it means that Forge's chain has been compromised. I agree this is the place to make base camp. I must investigate."
"What does all this mean?"
"Nevermind that. This is my ordeal. Set up camp."
Over the next several days Graven used a combination of stonecalling, the art of crafting stones from runic signs, and branches to make a rough shelter at the base of the Sphere tree. Each day Axis would try to teach him how to listen to the forest, to feel it's lifeforce, it's vibrations. Learning came slow to Graven and even the humblest of life runes were nearly impossible to learn without killing the beasts themselves or disecting the plantlife, both of which Graven refused to do.
"It will take an eternity if you keep refusing to get your hands dirty."
"I can't help it, I feel some connection to these lifeforms. Something deep inside I cannot deny."
"You don't listen and yet you can hear...perhaps there will be no need for carnage after all, though it will take a few more years." Axis found himself humbled by the speed at which Graven's instincts were adapting, far beyond his own comprehension.
"A few more years?...I'm not sure whether to be insulted or honored by that comment."
"Let's just say that you possess instincts beyond what I expected, perhaps that was why you were chosen. Don't let it go to your head, you still have ages to go, life is not some stone to be cast about."
Months go by as Axis begins to teach Graven how to extrapolate the three dimensional alphabet from what only reveals two dimensions using the call of each animal or the arcs of each plant. The level of intricacy involved far transcends the rocks, slabs, crystals and boulders of the cave and Graven finds himself offput and frustrated by his slow progress.
"What was that you said about me being 'beyond expectations,' and yet here I toil day by day with little to show for it. At least with the stones I could study without them hiding or panicking by my mere presence. Every day is a constant pursuit. I can't focus like this."
"Kill one. Rip the life from it's ether and you will find the pursuit much less...chaotic."
As if for the first time Graven considers Axis's proposal."No...No...Taeran taught me that life was to be respected, something cherished, not merely an empty vessel to be cracked open."
"Then I expect your complaining to wane and your patience to procreate."
For the moment the two were so busy bickering between each other they didn't notice the adolescent etherian playing in the stream before them. Suddenly quiet, Graven scrutinized the child who was seemingly unaware of his presence. The child played in the stream as if lost in some daydream and so carefully and with trepidation graven approached.
"Young one...young one." He beckoned but got no response and so began to close the distance between them.
"You there...young one...etherhil (the name for adolescent's in Gravens tribe)," Graven continued to call softly until he was upon the child. Finally he reached out and touched the child on the shoulder.
The child exploded into action, running at high speed in a manner more feral than bipedal before stopping on a branch. Turning around to look Graven dead in the eyes she turned once more and ran doggedly into the forest. Graven paused.
"Don't just stand there, after her!"
As if prodded by Axis's call Graven sprints in pursuit. Graven finds a hard time dodging the branches and roots but the child seems to have no time weaving over and through the surrounding plant life. The pursuit ensues for many minutes before finally Graven trips upon the root of a large tree and into the clearing ahead, hitting his head upon a fallen branch. The child stops and just before Graven succombs to darkness he sees three more forms approaching with the child sitting calmly in the background scrutinizing the fallen etherian.
Once again Graven is ripped from reality and into darkness. This time things are different. All things are in motion. The four masks have transcending their plaques and are now floating in orbit around the obelisk center to the four. Suddenly a voice tears the silence.
"My children you were born not of my will but of my heart and so it is bittersweet that I set you free. Here I stand ready to unshackle creation, set loose abrasion, set forth purpose and release chaos. The solemn silent silver sea will no longer swallow eternity and a new delineated universe will rage forth upon the hub of time.
With each word a crack forms on the obelisk and is alit by the following. Soon the entire obelisk is alight with cracking spitting forth blazing light and fire.
"Though bound by time you will set loose your wills upon all creation and chains will be the instrument of your influence. Forge your chain of steel shall never falter. Order your chain of iron will give all purpose. Entropy your rusted chain shall wittle the weakness from creation. Fracture your chain will shatter and you shall endure no reign over the sovereignty of time. You alone will play fate to all ages, denying all clairvoyance."
As each chain is mentioned so to are the links set ablaze with the will of the creator. Finally Fractures chain shatters in cataclysmic seizure. The four masks eight eyes burn bright assaulting Graven's eyes awakening him once more to reality. Graven is startled that upon waking the four masks place themselves on the four forms, one on each etherian, standing over him.
"Greetings Graven, it has been a long time my friend."
Blinking and clearing his eyes with his palms Graven is confronted by a friendly, familiar face.
"Abnagn is that you?"
"None other friend."
"But how...all these long years we thought you were dead."
"Not dead but exiled by Iboga."
"That's impossible I remember...I remember back to the days in lecture. Taeran mentioned how you had at one time been his best student, but one day just vanished. He spoke of you often."
"Those days are long passed and near forgotten for I fear I will never return home, and so I am Abnagn no longer. We have no names here for their ability to communicate has faded or never existed to begin with."
"We must get them speaking Graven, there is too much to be learned...to be lost," said Axis in the silence of Graven's thoughts.
At this point Graven finds himself surveying the four before him. There are two adolescents, one child and Abnagn, who seems to be in his 200th year (an old man in terms of etherian age). One adolescent is the one he chased through the forest who seems mentally adrift on another plane. The other is tattoo'd with a rainbow of exotic colors and shapes and at that very moment was kneeling down drawing in the dirt. The feral child is not more then 20 years of age (a preteen in etherial age). The other adolescent is sharpening a rough splintered branch into smooth perfection, the purpose of which is lost on Graven.
"How long have you all been here?"
"I have been here for ages beyond I can recall. The young one arrived before he could even speak( typically etherians were slow to learn to speak, often learning to hunt and forage to keep their purpose strong enough to survive their younger years). I only recently found the two siblings.I do not doubt that had I not found the three they would be long dead. There are many dangers in the forest."
"No doubt you all have seen your share of trials. For now you all must come with me, there you will find a stone shelter to call home and protect you from the elements."
"Stone? There is no stone in the forest."
"It's a long story and a tale for another time friend. For now it is getting dark and I ask that you spend not another night alone in these shadowed woods."
Resigned yet hopeful to find shelter Agnagn and the others follow Graven to the large shelter at the base of the sphere tree. Graven then considers new names for the four so that he may take steps toward teaching them to speak so they may find themselves once more. He decides to name all four after the masks he saw upon their faces at their meeting. The etherian words for Order, Entropy, Forge, and fracture that most resemble the four aspects are; Gaia for Forge, Veyn for Entropy, Adahn for Order, and Syrka for Fracture. The feral one, the child with the tattoo, he names Syrka. The next sibling takes the name Gaia meaning Forge. Graven was deeply struck by Gaia most out of all of the ethereans more so than the rest because of her frantic and constant creative and imaginative tendencies. The etherhil that had been sharpening the stick he names Veyn, and finally the one formerly known as Agnagn he names Adahn.
Adahn communicates to the three that it will be safe to travel with Graven to the stone shelter through a series of chantlike grunts and whistling noises that Graven thought for sure he could not emulate. This established Adahn as interpreter for the journey. The trip to the sphered tree would take (7)days but they were all adept at wilderness survival so minimal training and organization would need to be conveyed in order for a safe passage to take place.
Adahn organized the group instructing them all to gather a few provisions that might be needed for the hike. Veyn always carried his small tools of destruction with him were ever he went; a small hatchet, a crude sling shot for hunting, and a sharp stick for taking the life of small animals he would trap and kill for food. Syrka was a disorganized sort of character that seemed hells bent on distraction of the others. He seemed as if their was always something else on his mind like his mind was in some far away place and he didn't want you to know what he was thinking. Syrka tended to stray from the group whenever possible but never far. He would always be reigned in by Adahn. The vitals and victuals in he pack were unknown to the rest of the group due to his secretive yet unintelligent nature. He will be dangerous when evolution finally chooses to take him.
Adahn was of course the second leader and translator between Graven and the other three. His natural organizational talents and insights into language made him indispensible to Graven. In his pack were common sense items such as food, his weapon, and a few rocks that he would finger occasionally that would allow him to collect his thoughts. Adahn was spartan, simple in his appearance and his mannerisms yet deep and likable. His pleasant nature made him a good match for friendship.
Gaia was most outstandingly odd and quite brilliant in her behaviors. She incessantly created art of all kinds where ever her eyes and fingers landed. She placed into her makeshift satchel sticks of medium and small sizes, small bits of clay, powders of various scent, speckles of glitter like residue, and all manner of plant materials that were always discombobulated and rearranged to appear as if they were new life forms. Her ingenuity seemed limitless and her pack was very heavy and inconvienient but she insisted. Gaia carried no food and no weapon. Adahn explained to Graven that her beloved plants would save her if she ever was in the position that she needed to be saved. Adahn and his pleasant nature could not bring himself to tell her how foolish it was to not protect herself and took this on as his charge. Gaia would babble on about how she could see life and wanted to put it together, build things, and see how it all worked together in unison. Things that were not alive frightened her. She shunned Inanimate objects and death hence she precribed her diet to be strictly vegetarian. Anything resembling the metallic caused her to go into a wild unexplainable panic.
This had already been shown evident because of Graven and Axis. The eye caused her to go into hiding in fright as soon as she was able after their first encounter. The Metal Eye pricked her as she would come near to speaking to Adahn later. Gaia, as well as the other three could not speak verbally, but of the other three she was the closest to that ability. Her non verbals were usually easy to understand and Graven tried to cipher her dance as much of it as he could due to his own attraction and intrigue. For Graven Gaia not only held a casual curiosity, but also a heathy bit of attractive mystique.
As they had begun their journey Adahn began to explain the various traits and histories to Graven as they walked through the woods. Gaia, Veyn, and Syrka followed safely behind them. Gaia for fear of the metal eye remained in the rear.
"Graven, how many days journey is it to the stone shelter?", asked Adahn as they walked through the thick green jungle.
"From here we are near seven days journey due to the course of the river. There is a straighter path but we may run the risk of running out of water and I am not willing to take that chance just to save time besides in the time perhaps you can teach me of yourself and your family.", said Graven.
"
Several months pass
* * * * * *
Graven conjured a sharp edged stone and,using a vine, attached it to a long branch.
"Alot of good that's going to do you against anything lurking here."
"If I can't be prepared the least I can do is present the illusion of it." Graven said, laughing for the first time in a long time.
"Suit yourself, I am sure whatever animal kills you will be incredibly inconvenienced by the wound you give it as it's eating you alive."
Again he laughed, half-heartedly this time. His laughter, the crunching leaves and snapping twigs drowning out any noises from the forest. Graven had been in an etherforest once before when he was younger with his father, but that time seemed ages ago and now he found himself as an infant in an unforgiving and ominous territory.
Three days passed in the forest without incident until Graven stumbled upon a clearing centered by a gargantuan tree. The tree stood over ten stories high with a massive sphere of vines taking the place of the normal blood red leavs from a normal etherean tree. Like every other tree in an forest were veins of glowing red ether running all along the dark blue bark tree, the lifeblood of all things Ether dependent. As if this sphere were not odd enough the vines moved. The entire tree was in a perpetual state of transition. Always there were vines being tied and untied, tangled and untangled.
"I think this is an interesting place to make base camp Axis. It's certainly the most intriguing thing we've seen so far and the area seems safe enough."
"It's a fragment of Forge itself...the force of creation. This is not possible. It is the era of Order, of purpose. It is not time for this to be here and yet there it stands. Alas this is the work of my forebearer Fracture. Forge's chain is not supposed to be in play for a millenia and the chain is supposed to be the strongest of the three... Unbreakable... If this is here it means that Forge's chain has been compromised. I agree this is the place to make base camp. I must investigate."
"What does all this mean?"
"Nevermind that. This is my ordeal. Set up camp."
Over the next several days Graven used a combination of stonecalling, the art of crafting stones from runic signs, and branches to make a rough shelter at the base of the Sphere tree. Each day Axis would try to teach him how to listen to the forest, to feel it's lifeforce, it's vibrations. Learning came slow to Graven and even the humblest of life runes were nearly impossible to learn without killing the beasts themselves or disecting the plantlife, both of which Graven refused to do.
"It will take an eternity if you keep refusing to get your hands dirty."
"I can't help it, I feel some connection to these lifeforms. Something deep inside I cannot deny."
"You don't listen and yet you can hear...perhaps there will be no need for carnage after all, though it will take a few more years." Axis found himself humbled by the speed at which Graven's instincts were adapting, far beyond his own comprehension.
"A few more years?...I'm not sure whether to be insulted or honored by that comment."
"Let's just say that you possess instincts beyond what I expected, perhaps that was why you were chosen. Don't let it go to your head, you still have ages to go, life is not some stone to be cast about."
Months go by as Axis begins to teach Graven how to extrapolate the three dimensional alphabet from what only reveals two dimensions using the call of each animal or the arcs of each plant. The level of intricacy involved far transcends the rocks, slabs, crystals and boulders of the cave and Graven finds himself offput and frustrated by his slow progress.
"What was that you said about me being 'beyond expectations,' and yet here I toil day by day with little to show for it. At least with the stones I could study without them hiding or panicking by my mere presence. Every day is a constant pursuit. I can't focus like this."
"Kill one. Rip the life from it's ether and you will find the pursuit much less...chaotic."
As if for the first time Graven considers Axis's proposal."No...No...Taeran taught me that life was to be respected, something cherished, not merely an empty vessel to be cracked open."
"Then I expect your complaining to wane and your patience to procreate."
For the moment the two were so busy bickering between each other they didn't notice the adolescent etherian playing in the stream before them. Suddenly quiet, Graven scrutinized the child who was seemingly unaware of his presence. The child played in the stream as if lost in some daydream and so carefully and with trepidation graven approached.
"Young one...young one." He beckoned but got no response and so began to close the distance between them.
"You there...young one...etherhil (the name for adolescent's in Gravens tribe)," Graven continued to call softly until he was upon the child. Finally he reached out and touched the child on the shoulder.
The child exploded into action, running at high speed in a manner more feral than bipedal before stopping on a branch. Turning around to look Graven dead in the eyes she turned once more and ran doggedly into the forest. Graven paused.
"Don't just stand there, after her!"
As if prodded by Axis's call Graven sprints in pursuit. Graven finds a hard time dodging the branches and roots but the child seems to have no time weaving over and through the surrounding plant life. The pursuit ensues for many minutes before finally Graven trips upon the root of a large tree and into the clearing ahead, hitting his head upon a fallen branch. The child stops and just before Graven succombs to darkness he sees three more forms approaching with the child sitting calmly in the background scrutinizing the fallen etherian.
Once again Graven is ripped from reality and into darkness. This time things are different. All things are in motion. The four masks have transcending their plaques and are now floating in orbit around the obelisk center to the four. Suddenly a voice tears the silence.
"My children you were born not of my will but of my heart and so it is bittersweet that I set you free. Here I stand ready to unshackle creation, set loose abrasion, set forth purpose and release chaos. The solemn silent silver sea will no longer swallow eternity and a new delineated universe will rage forth upon the hub of time.
With each word a crack forms on the obelisk and is alit by the following. Soon the entire obelisk is alight with cracking spitting forth blazing light and fire.
"Though bound by time you will set loose your wills upon all creation and chains will be the instrument of your influence. Forge your chain of steel shall never falter. Order your chain of iron will give all purpose. Entropy your rusted chain shall wittle the weakness from creation. Fracture your chain will shatter and you shall endure no reign over the sovereignty of time. You alone will play fate to all ages, denying all clairvoyance."
As each chain is mentioned so to are the links set ablaze with the will of the creator. Finally Fractures chain shatters in cataclysmic seizure. The four masks eight eyes burn bright assaulting Graven's eyes awakening him once more to reality. Graven is startled that upon waking the four masks place themselves on the four forms, one on each etherian, standing over him.
"Greetings Graven, it has been a long time my friend."
Blinking and clearing his eyes with his palms Graven is confronted by a friendly, familiar face.
"Abnagn is that you?"
"None other friend."
"But how...all these long years we thought you were dead."
"Not dead but exiled by Iboga."
"That's impossible I remember...I remember back to the days in lecture. Taeran mentioned how you had at one time been his best student, but one day just vanished. He spoke of you often."
"Those days are long passed and near forgotten for I fear I will never return home, and so I am Abnagn no longer. We have no names here for their ability to communicate has faded or never existed to begin with."
"We must get them speaking Graven, there is too much to be learned...to be lost," said Axis in the silence of Graven's thoughts.
At this point Graven finds himself surveying the four before him. There are two adolescents, one child and Abnagn, who seems to be in his 200th year (an old man in terms of etherian age). One adolescent is the one he chased through the forest who seems mentally adrift on another plane. The other is tattoo'd with a rainbow of exotic colors and shapes and at that very moment was kneeling down drawing in the dirt. The feral child is not more then 20 years of age (a preteen in etherial age). The other adolescent is sharpening a rough splintered branch into smooth perfection, the purpose of which is lost on Graven.
"How long have you all been here?"
"I have been here for ages beyond I can recall. The young one arrived before he could even speak( typically etherians were slow to learn to speak, often learning to hunt and forage to keep their purpose strong enough to survive their younger years). I only recently found the two siblings.I do not doubt that had I not found the three they would be long dead. There are many dangers in the forest."
"No doubt you all have seen your share of trials. For now you all must come with me, there you will find a stone shelter to call home and protect you from the elements."
"Stone? There is no stone in the forest."
"It's a long story and a tale for another time friend. For now it is getting dark and I ask that you spend not another night alone in these shadowed woods."
Resigned yet hopeful to find shelter Agnagn and the others follow Graven to the large shelter at the base of the sphere tree. Graven then considers new names for the four so that he may take steps toward teaching them to speak so they may find themselves once more. He decides to name all four after the masks he saw upon their faces at their meeting. The etherian words for Order, Entropy, Forge, and fracture that most resemble the four aspects are; Gaia for Forge, Veyn for Entropy, Adahn for Order, and Syrka for Fracture. The feral one, the child with the tattoo, he names Syrka. The next sibling takes the name Gaia meaning Forge. Graven was deeply struck by Gaia most out of all of the ethereans more so than the rest because of her frantic and constant creative and imaginative tendencies. The etherhil that had been sharpening the stick he names Veyn, and finally the one formerly known as Agnagn he names Adahn.
Adahn communicates to the three that it will be safe to travel with Graven to the stone shelter through a series of chantlike grunts and whistling noises that Graven thought for sure he could not emulate. This established Adahn as interpreter for the journey. The trip to the sphered tree would take (7)days but they were all adept at wilderness survival so minimal training and organization would need to be conveyed in order for a safe passage to take place.
Adahn organized the group instructing them all to gather a few provisions that might be needed for the hike. Veyn always carried his small tools of destruction with him were ever he went; a small hatchet, a crude sling shot for hunting, and a sharp stick for taking the life of small animals he would trap and kill for food. Syrka was a disorganized sort of character that seemed hells bent on distraction of the others. He seemed as if their was always something else on his mind like his mind was in some far away place and he didn't want you to know what he was thinking. Syrka tended to stray from the group whenever possible but never far. He would always be reigned in by Adahn. The vitals and victuals in he pack were unknown to the rest of the group due to his secretive yet unintelligent nature. He will be dangerous when evolution finally chooses to take him.
Adahn was of course the second leader and translator between Graven and the other three. His natural organizational talents and insights into language made him indispensible to Graven. In his pack were common sense items such as food, his weapon, and a few rocks that he would finger occasionally that would allow him to collect his thoughts. Adahn was spartan, simple in his appearance and his mannerisms yet deep and likable. His pleasant nature made him a good match for friendship.
Gaia was most outstandingly odd and quite brilliant in her behaviors. She incessantly created art of all kinds where ever her eyes and fingers landed. She placed into her makeshift satchel sticks of medium and small sizes, small bits of clay, powders of various scent, speckles of glitter like residue, and all manner of plant materials that were always discombobulated and rearranged to appear as if they were new life forms. Her ingenuity seemed limitless and her pack was very heavy and inconvienient but she insisted. Gaia carried no food and no weapon. Adahn explained to Graven that her beloved plants would save her if she ever was in the position that she needed to be saved. Adahn and his pleasant nature could not bring himself to tell her how foolish it was to not protect herself and took this on as his charge. Gaia would babble on about how she could see life and wanted to put it together, build things, and see how it all worked together in unison. Things that were not alive frightened her. She shunned Inanimate objects and death hence she precribed her diet to be strictly vegetarian. Anything resembling the metallic caused her to go into a wild unexplainable panic.
This had already been shown evident because of Graven and Axis. The eye caused her to go into hiding in fright as soon as she was able after their first encounter. The Metal Eye pricked her as she would come near to speaking to Adahn later. Gaia, as well as the other three could not speak verbally, but of the other three she was the closest to that ability. Her non verbals were usually easy to understand and Graven tried to cipher her dance as much of it as he could due to his own attraction and intrigue. For Graven Gaia not only held a casual curiosity, but also a heathy bit of attractive mystique.
As they had begun their journey Adahn began to explain the various traits and histories to Graven as they walked through the woods. Gaia, Veyn, and Syrka followed safely behind them. Gaia for fear of the metal eye remained in the rear.
"Graven, how many days journey is it to the stone shelter?", asked Adahn as they walked through the thick green jungle.
"From here we are near seven days journey due to the course of the river. There is a straighter path but we may run the risk of running out of water and I am not willing to take that chance just to save time besides in the time perhaps you can teach me of yourself and your family.", said Graven.
"
Several months pass
Fracture Shard 7:39 1/29/2010
"V..V..Very well then doctor." Siren stammered before fainting.
Several hours pass as Artemis with surgical focus repairs the gynoid assassin that he has come to know and love as Siren Coratania. Working in tandem with the nanosuretical machines Artemis laces his artistic prowess into her broken body. Siren, the first of her kind to enter into the Holoverse, the universe from which all Artificial Inteligence resides, has been working for Artemis sometime.
* * * * * *
Graven conjured a sharp edged stone and,using a vine, attached it to a long branch.
"Alot of good that's going to do you against anything lurking here."
"If I can't be prepared the least I can do is present the illusion of it." Graven said, laughing for the first time in a long time.
"Suit yourself, I am sure whatever animal kills you will be incredibly inconvenienced by the wound you give it as it's eating you alive."
Again he laughed, half-heartedly this time. His laughter, the crunching leaves and snapping twigs drowning out any noises from the forest. Graven had been in an etherforest once before when he was younger with his father, but that time seemed ages ago and now he found himself an infant in an unforgiving and ominous territory.
Three days in passed in the forest without incident until Graven stumbled upon a clearing centered by a gargantuan tree. The tree stood over ten stories high with a massive sphere of vines taking the place of the normal blood red leavs from a normal etherean tree. Like every other tree in an forest were veins of glowing red ether running all along the dark blue bark tree, the lifeblood of all things Ether dependent. As if this sphere were not odd enough the vines moved. The entire tree was in a perpetual state of transition. Always there were vines being tied and untied, tangled and untangled.
"I think this is an interesting place to make base camp Axis. It's certainly the most interesting thing we've seen so far and the area seems safe enough."
"It's a fragment of Forge itself...the force of creation. This is not possible. It is the era of Order, of purpose. It is not time for this to be here and yet there it stands. Alas this is the work of my forebearer Fracture. Forge's chain is not supposed to be in play for a millenia and the chain is supposed to be the strongest of the three... Unbreakable... If this is here it means that Forge's chain has been compromised. I agree this is the place to make base camp. I must investigate."
"What does all this mean?"
"Nevermind that. This is my ordeal. Set up camp."
Over the next several days Graven used a combination of stonecalling, the art of crafting stones from runic signs, and branches to make a rough shelter at the base of the Sphere tree. Each day Axis would try to teach him how to listen to the forest, to feel it's lifeforce, it's vibrations. Learning came slow to Graven and even the humblest of life runes were nearly impossible to learn without killing the beasts themselves or disecting the plantlife, both of which Graven refused to do.
"It will take an eternity if you keep refusing to get your hands dirty."
"I can't help it, I feel some connection to these lifeforms. Something deep inside I cannot deny."
"You don't listen and yet you can hear...perhaps there will be no need for carnage after all, though it will take a few more years." Axis found himself humbled by the speed at which Graven's instincts were adapting, far beyond his own comprehension.
"A few more years?...I'm not sure whether to be insulted or honored by that comment."
"Let's just say that you possess instincts beyond what I expected, perhaps that was why you were chosen. Don't let it go to your head, you still have ages to go, life is not some stone to be cast about."
Months go by as Axis begins to teach Graven how to extrapolate the three dimensional alphabet from what only reveals two dimensions using the call of each animal or the arcs of each plant. The level of intricacy involved far transcends the rocks, slabs, crystals and boulders of the cave and Graven finds himself offput and frustrated by his slow progress.
"What was that you said about me being 'beyond expectations,' and yet here I toil day by day with little to show for it. At least with the stones I could study without them hiding or panicking by my mere presence. Every day is a constant pursuit. I can't focus like this."
"Kill one. Rip the life from it's ether and you will find the pursuit much less...chaotic."
As if for the first time Taeran considers Axis's proposal."No...No...Taeran taught me that life was to be respected, something cherished, not merely an empty vessel to be cracked open."
"Then I expect your complaining to wane and your patience to procreate."
For the moment the two were so busy bickering between each other they didn't notice the adolescent etherian playing in the stream before them. Suddenly quiet, Graven scrutinized the child before him who was seemingly unaware of his presence. The child played in the stream as if lost in some daydream and so carefully and with trepidation graven approached.
"Young one...young one." He beckoned but go no response and so began to close the distance.
"You there...young one...etherhil (the name for adolescent's in Gravens tribe)," Graven continued to call softly until he was upon the child. Finally he reached out and touched the child on the shoulder.
The child exploded into action, running at high speed in a manner more feral then bipedal before stopping on a branch. Turning around to look Graven dead in the eyes she turned once more and ran doggedly into the forest. Graven paused.
"Don't just stand there, after her!"
As if prodded by axis's call Graven sprints in pursuit. Graven finds a hard time dodging the branches and roots but the child seems to have no time weaving over and through the surrounding plant life. The pursuit ensues for many minutes before finally Graven trips upon the root of a large tree and into the clearing ahead, hitting his head upon a rock the size of a fist. The child stops and just before Graven succombs to darkness he sees three more forms approaching with the child sitting calmly in the background scrutinizing the fallen etherian.
Once again Graven is ripped from reality and into darkness. This time things are different. All things are in motion. The four masks have transcending their plaques and are now floating in orbit around the obelisk center to the four. Suddenly a voice tears the silence.
"My children you were born not of my will but of my heart and so it is bittersweet that I set you free. Here I stand ready to unshackle creation, set loose abrasion, set forth purpose and release chaos. The solemn silent silver sea will no longer swallow eternity and a new delineated universe will rage forth upon the hub of time.
With each word a crack forms on the obelisk and is alit by the following. Soon the entire obelisk is alight with cracking spitting forth blazing light and fire.
"Though bound by time you will set loose your wills upon all creation and chains will be the instrument of your influence. Forge your chain of steel shall never falter. Order your chain of iron will give all purpose. Entropy your rusted chain shall wittle the weakness from creation. Fracture your chain will shatter and you shall endure no reign over the sovereignty of time. You alone will play fate to all ages, denying all clairvoyance."
As each chain is mentioned so to are the links set ablaze with the will of the creator. Finally Fractures chain shatters in cataclysmic seizure. The four masks eight eyes burn bright assaulting Graven's eyes awakening him once more to reality. Graven is startled that upon waking the four masks place themselves on the four forms, one on each etherian, standing over him.
"Greetings Graven, it has been a long time my friend."
Blinking and clearing his eyes with his palms Graven is confronted by a friendly, familiar face.
"Abnagn is that you?"
"None other friend."
"But how...all these long years we thought you were dead."
"Not dead but exiled by Iboga."
"That's impossible I remember...I remember back to the days in lectern
Several hours pass as Artemis with surgical focus repairs the gynoid assassin that he has come to know and love as Siren Coratania. Working in tandem with the nanosuretical machines Artemis laces his artistic prowess into her broken body. Siren, the first of her kind to enter into the Holoverse, the universe from which all Artificial Inteligence resides, has been working for Artemis sometime.
* * * * * *
Graven conjured a sharp edged stone and,using a vine, attached it to a long branch.
"Alot of good that's going to do you against anything lurking here."
"If I can't be prepared the least I can do is present the illusion of it." Graven said, laughing for the first time in a long time.
"Suit yourself, I am sure whatever animal kills you will be incredibly inconvenienced by the wound you give it as it's eating you alive."
Again he laughed, half-heartedly this time. His laughter, the crunching leaves and snapping twigs drowning out any noises from the forest. Graven had been in an etherforest once before when he was younger with his father, but that time seemed ages ago and now he found himself an infant in an unforgiving and ominous territory.
Three days in passed in the forest without incident until Graven stumbled upon a clearing centered by a gargantuan tree. The tree stood over ten stories high with a massive sphere of vines taking the place of the normal blood red leavs from a normal etherean tree. Like every other tree in an forest were veins of glowing red ether running all along the dark blue bark tree, the lifeblood of all things Ether dependent. As if this sphere were not odd enough the vines moved. The entire tree was in a perpetual state of transition. Always there were vines being tied and untied, tangled and untangled.
"I think this is an interesting place to make base camp Axis. It's certainly the most interesting thing we've seen so far and the area seems safe enough."
"It's a fragment of Forge itself...the force of creation. This is not possible. It is the era of Order, of purpose. It is not time for this to be here and yet there it stands. Alas this is the work of my forebearer Fracture. Forge's chain is not supposed to be in play for a millenia and the chain is supposed to be the strongest of the three... Unbreakable... If this is here it means that Forge's chain has been compromised. I agree this is the place to make base camp. I must investigate."
"What does all this mean?"
"Nevermind that. This is my ordeal. Set up camp."
Over the next several days Graven used a combination of stonecalling, the art of crafting stones from runic signs, and branches to make a rough shelter at the base of the Sphere tree. Each day Axis would try to teach him how to listen to the forest, to feel it's lifeforce, it's vibrations. Learning came slow to Graven and even the humblest of life runes were nearly impossible to learn without killing the beasts themselves or disecting the plantlife, both of which Graven refused to do.
"It will take an eternity if you keep refusing to get your hands dirty."
"I can't help it, I feel some connection to these lifeforms. Something deep inside I cannot deny."
"You don't listen and yet you can hear...perhaps there will be no need for carnage after all, though it will take a few more years." Axis found himself humbled by the speed at which Graven's instincts were adapting, far beyond his own comprehension.
"A few more years?...I'm not sure whether to be insulted or honored by that comment."
"Let's just say that you possess instincts beyond what I expected, perhaps that was why you were chosen. Don't let it go to your head, you still have ages to go, life is not some stone to be cast about."
Months go by as Axis begins to teach Graven how to extrapolate the three dimensional alphabet from what only reveals two dimensions using the call of each animal or the arcs of each plant. The level of intricacy involved far transcends the rocks, slabs, crystals and boulders of the cave and Graven finds himself offput and frustrated by his slow progress.
"What was that you said about me being 'beyond expectations,' and yet here I toil day by day with little to show for it. At least with the stones I could study without them hiding or panicking by my mere presence. Every day is a constant pursuit. I can't focus like this."
"Kill one. Rip the life from it's ether and you will find the pursuit much less...chaotic."
As if for the first time Taeran considers Axis's proposal."No...No...Taeran taught me that life was to be respected, something cherished, not merely an empty vessel to be cracked open."
"Then I expect your complaining to wane and your patience to procreate."
For the moment the two were so busy bickering between each other they didn't notice the adolescent etherian playing in the stream before them. Suddenly quiet, Graven scrutinized the child before him who was seemingly unaware of his presence. The child played in the stream as if lost in some daydream and so carefully and with trepidation graven approached.
"Young one...young one." He beckoned but go no response and so began to close the distance.
"You there...young one...etherhil (the name for adolescent's in Gravens tribe)," Graven continued to call softly until he was upon the child. Finally he reached out and touched the child on the shoulder.
The child exploded into action, running at high speed in a manner more feral then bipedal before stopping on a branch. Turning around to look Graven dead in the eyes she turned once more and ran doggedly into the forest. Graven paused.
"Don't just stand there, after her!"
As if prodded by axis's call Graven sprints in pursuit. Graven finds a hard time dodging the branches and roots but the child seems to have no time weaving over and through the surrounding plant life. The pursuit ensues for many minutes before finally Graven trips upon the root of a large tree and into the clearing ahead, hitting his head upon a rock the size of a fist. The child stops and just before Graven succombs to darkness he sees three more forms approaching with the child sitting calmly in the background scrutinizing the fallen etherian.
Once again Graven is ripped from reality and into darkness. This time things are different. All things are in motion. The four masks have transcending their plaques and are now floating in orbit around the obelisk center to the four. Suddenly a voice tears the silence.
"My children you were born not of my will but of my heart and so it is bittersweet that I set you free. Here I stand ready to unshackle creation, set loose abrasion, set forth purpose and release chaos. The solemn silent silver sea will no longer swallow eternity and a new delineated universe will rage forth upon the hub of time.
With each word a crack forms on the obelisk and is alit by the following. Soon the entire obelisk is alight with cracking spitting forth blazing light and fire.
"Though bound by time you will set loose your wills upon all creation and chains will be the instrument of your influence. Forge your chain of steel shall never falter. Order your chain of iron will give all purpose. Entropy your rusted chain shall wittle the weakness from creation. Fracture your chain will shatter and you shall endure no reign over the sovereignty of time. You alone will play fate to all ages, denying all clairvoyance."
As each chain is mentioned so to are the links set ablaze with the will of the creator. Finally Fractures chain shatters in cataclysmic seizure. The four masks eight eyes burn bright assaulting Graven's eyes awakening him once more to reality. Graven is startled that upon waking the four masks place themselves on the four forms, one on each etherian, standing over him.
"Greetings Graven, it has been a long time my friend."
Blinking and clearing his eyes with his palms Graven is confronted by a friendly, familiar face.
"Abnagn is that you?"
"None other friend."
"But how...all these long years we thought you were dead."
"Not dead but exiled by Iboga."
"That's impossible I remember...I remember back to the days in lectern
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Fracture Shard 8:25 1/28/2010
Chapter 1 – Graven and the Masks
Four masks interlocked in dreadful stare
Observation changing all before
Entangled weave of gazes entwined
To make all, that once was not,
Now there
Four masks caged in pained haunt
To build, To burn, To act, To plan
A raging storm with no end or halt
The vortex spiral of dreamland
Four masks making haste to plan all fate
Fighting for a secure place in the abyss
Longing to fill a thirst they cannot sate
Creating chaos in darkened mist
Blazing alight in the summer night a shard descends from the sky guided by the hand of fate. As sure as the shard is falling so to are many eyes upon it. Curious eyes seeking an explanation of the events of this as of yet, untold night. And so the shard falls as a burning beacon to the tent of a man amongst three other dwellings. All are awake and gaze in marvel as it burns through the tent and into the screams of the man within.
A man erupts from the tent screaming and holding his hand over his now searing eye. All attention is now on the screaming man, and no longer on the smoking hole in the tent. Standing awestruck by the scene before them four men gathered around the campfire and are slow to act as their friend runs frantic. Finally one of them shakes off the trance and moves to help his friend.
"Graven what the hell is wrong!"
"My eye! My eye is burning. By the hells it burns! Water! I need water!"
The older man opens his canteen as he pulls his friend to the ground. Pooring the entire contents of the vessel into Graven's smoking eye. The sizzle of the water evaporating is tangible as the heat from the shard cauterizes the wound where his eye once was. Slowly the smoke from the shard becomes steam and ultimately the water drips cool upon his face, and over the smooth metallic surface that has replaced his eye. Graven then drifts into unconsciousness...
Suddenly he is a bird soaring on muscular guided wings over a sea of subtle bliss. An ocean of mercurial primordial essence. The essence of all things in existence, he somehow knows. Deep within he feels a sorrow and deeper still a fear. The waters below grant him peace and yet he knows peace is no longer what he needs, nor wants. Soaring low near the gentle waves of the rolling silver sea the serenity begins to make him physically ill. Subtly upon the horizon an island is visible, centered by a large monolith. He is now filled with a renewed hope and the fear within begins to peak over the surface of his mind.
Arriving at the island he flies high only to perch upon the monolith. Sitting around the obelisk are four masks in cardinal directions to his perch. Each mask has a plaque beneath it. His eyes settle upon the first mask he sees. The mask of Order.
[Picture of Crow on Obelisk]
The skin of the mask is a labyrinth of lines parallel and perpendicular with a decadent visor over the eyes, forehead, and around the top of the nose. An orb adorns the forehead center of the mask and from which a radial pattern emerges with sections devoted to several rectangular emeralds and gems. The forehead gem is a solid black sphere from which a spine of gems follows the forehead in a contouring arc. His eyes fall to the plaque below.
[Picture of Order]
The Mask of Order: Keeper and Sentinel of the Spire. First of the two motivations it is responsible for all of the organized action to be set forth upon time. It holds all forms and actions deliberate for the goal of control and predictability. The voice of caution dwelling on fear of the unknown, but also as a positive force instilling purpose and guidance. From this need to guide it will obsessively seek out and quantify all variables, a savage desperate will set forth to seer. Encapsulating all that seems predictable for the guise of future sight. The idealistic catalogue of all action and events are locked inside of Order, filed away for all time. With fathomed charts and graphs of probability, it will long forever for the solace found in prophecy, but will not find it. Though a slave to linear time, it will gain affluence and influence through this esoteric education.
With the last word read the eyes blaze and Graven is ripped suddenly and forcibly from the dream.
"Graven! Graven! Are you alright?"
Graven awakens to being slapped lightly by the old man.
"Graven wake up damn you."
"I'm here. I'm here. I'm awake."
"Of course you're here what happened."
"I...I..."
Graven pauses as if trying to remember.
"I was asleep dreaming and I awoke to...to an intense pain in my left eye"
Suddenly all eyes turn to see the burning hole in the tent.
"What? Why are you all looking at the tent?"
Timidly, Aidan, one of Graven's friends begins to speak.
"Your tent...we watched a star fall from the sky only to hit your tent...and then you started screaming..."
"My eye. How is this possible. What is wrong with my eye."
The old man, Taeran, now speaks.
"Your eye is...it's gone Graven. Replaced by this [he says while tapping the metallic piece revealing itself where Graven's eye once was.]"
"That's impossible. My eye isn't gone. I can see you all perfectly. Better then perfectly."
"The lake. Come with me to the lake," said Taeran.
Aidan, Taeran and Graven make their way to the waterside. Graven walks forward and kneels before the water, looking into the mirrored reflection of the moon above. Slowly he moves his head above the rippled mirror and sees himself staring back. A solid opaque sphere where his eye once was. Standing up abruptly taken aback Graven runs his hand over his face to the metallic orb in his socket. His fingers touch the now cool metal and he falls once more into darkness.
After this near collapse into the river Taeran calls back to the other men for help to carry Graven to Iboga, the medicine man, of the village. It is night and the medicine man resides just outside the perimeter of the village where he plies his wares as magician and judge to the tribe.
"Corrin take Mach and get a stretcher made and grab supplies for the trek to Iboga's; and Corrin, he pauses for a moment, get my bow."
"Taeran, what do you need the bow for?"
"There is no time to explain just grab the bow."
A stretcher is made from the discarded limbs of the forest strong and secure to carry Graven from the center of the village to the medicine man's domain in the event that he is unconsious the whole way. Twenty minutes go by and the crew is now ready to depart for the journey. The path is littered with light from the constellations and a near full moon. The men begin with an unconcious Graven placed carefully upon the makeshift stretcher. Graven finds himself in vision once more.
Again through the eyes of the crow as if no time at all had passed in this ethereal place, he is compelled to look to the next mask encircling the monolith.
[Description of Forge]
[Picture of Forge]
The Mask of Forge: The Sword of Creation and Temperance. The furnace of all matter and energy, Forge takes the most basic of forms and expands upon them. Striving toward the perfection of stability and sparking the spire’s cultivation in the expanse of the abyss. It is the one force in existence that provokes the endurance of being and resists the hindering spurn of degradation. The vehemence of the Mask of Forge stokes the flames of existence to boil the molten thread that will be woven into the fabric of all things. It matters not the nature of a new idea or form. All corporeal or fleeting in nature are viciously torn into reality from nothingness then encouraged, cultured, and honed as equal components in its smelter.
The eyes blaze of the mask once more. Graven finds himself on his back, looking at the stars, and feeling very dizzy. As if the burden of all creation is now upon his shoulders. He looks around to see his friends carrying him by stretcher.
"What is going on? Why am I on a stretcher?"
"We are going to see Iboga, you are in dire need of help young man," said Taeran.
The younger Aidan speaks.
"We were worried about you Graven, you keep feinting. Ever since the falling star you have been babbling in your sleep and passing out. You keep screaming about some mask while twisting and turning."
With that comment Graven resigns himself to the trip. Curious himself to what may be wrong and what is going on with his strange visions, not to mention the shard that took his eye. Many minutes pass before Graven notices two eyes alight in the darkness, seemingly malevolent in shape and intent. Before he can say a word of warning to his companions, he once more feints to blackness.
Once again in the realm of silver shores and darkness Graven finds himself atop the obelisk. This time he is compelled to look upon the mask of Entropy.
[Description of Entropy]
[Picture of Entropy]
Entropy: Consolidator and Restrictor of the spire’s mass of form. For every item or idea made real a passive but enduring trial is in place to test its very nature. Either metaphorically or literally, all in the spire is subject to the forces of decay and resistance. It is responsible for evolution in the reverse, set forth to destroy that which is temporal or limited. Entropy is the vigor of simplification. Where opposing energies cultivate and complicate, Entropy compels all things toward the tranquillity of the mercurial sea. Envision creation as a mountain stretching far and vast. Entropy is the instigator of the avalanche that breaks loose all destabilized elements.
Once more the eyes of fire signal his return to reality only to find him laying on the ground atop the makeshift stretcher and surrounded by carnage.
"Hold very still Graven, don't breathe," he could tell the voice was Taeran's.
Suddenly he can feel swatting at his foot, and the pointed edge of some tooth or claw hoping to prod him into exodus so to run him down. He didn't move. He didn't breath, but his eyes did wander in the direction of his foot. A large creature riddled with fur and contoured by manastreams of glowing fire red. It's teeth grazing the skin of Graven's bare foot, it turned and sniffed the air, seemingly content with it's inspection. Taeran and Graven sat there many minutes with stifled breath as the creature turned, grabbed the leg of the mauled and dead Aidan before dragging him into the dark. As the creature left Graven watched with new sight as a flicker of something hinted at some form within the beast. Looking into the very essense of it's being he saw...he began to see...something, but before it became tangible in his mind so did it fade.
"We best leave before it comes back Graven," whispered Taeran. It is now more important than ever that we reach Iboga. Something dark drew the Etherbeast for any other night it would have noted our presence and passed without incident.
Quickly the two grabbed what remained of the slaughter that could be useful, including the bow fallen now from where Aidan had stood. For once Taeran recognized the danger he dropped the bow, and stood his ground all the while warning them to be still with baited breath. Aidan had grabbed the bow and deftly loosed an arrow at the beast only to have the the ether stolen from his veins.
The trek didn't take much longer before finally reaching the tent of Iboga Dhastrum, the magician of Graven's tribe. Winded and traumatized the two were invited in, before they could even see silouhette of the faith healer.
"You come at a dark time this night. The 4 stars are in alignment and their dark light has cast shadow on all lit by other stellar bodies."
"We came to seek your wisdom shaman and in doing so were attacked by an Etherbeast of voracious agression."
This was the first time Graven had ever seen the medicine man. He was a short man, abnormally short, and walked with a cane. The ether in his veins burnt a low-light purple, and his ashen skin was abnormally taut for a man his age. Rumour had found the mysticant to be well over 1300 years old, an anomally to be sure among the 3-400 hundred year average of his people. The etherforms. His eyes were of dark purple and burned with the light of twig aflame.
"You were lucky to reach me at all. You know well not to travel at this hour."
"Something has happened mysticant, a meteor has fallen from the sky striking young Graven here."
"Oh? What is this? Where did it strike you?" suddenly the magician's interest piqued.
"My eye sir, my left eye."
"Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear. A shard of Fracture's chain! How in heaven's grasp did it find you?"
"I don't know sir, it...it hit my tent and took my eye."
"No, no, no young one, it did not take from you, but has given thee."
"Given 'thee' what?" Graven was obviously skeptical and was losing interest in taking the medicine man seriously.
"Sight. The most precious of sights given to any life form. Runesight."
"Let me touch it, I must touch it, just one touch."
"No don't do that." Taeran and Graven spoke in Unison.
The mysticant tapped the shard lightly with his finger and once again Graven laid victim to slumber and visions. This time the mask known as Fracture faces him and he is filled with fear. The shattered, cracked visage stares into his very soul. It's drought addled skin covered by adornments sweeping across the nose, eyes, over the ears, and forehead. Random gems and shapes cover the chaotic facade with everything from scales to lines of pearl, to the crown of amalgamated gems and stone.
Fracture: The Evader of the Maze and the Prism of Impulsive Action.” Fracture is instantaneous and unpredictable action. It is the small crack in the glass that cascades throughout the ventana, racing in fervor toward variant beauty. With abstraction the tempest of the cosmos is made volatile. Unpredictability exists in any moment of Order’s weakness, or Fracture’s strength. Purpose is nowhere to be found and made in a moment unaffected by the need to create, destroy, or accomplish. Instinct is responsible for beauty in the universe. It gives flame its erratic nature, causes errant and unpredictable action, and brings forth individuality to all entities and objects. Fracture is the voice of wisdom in the Quadra of Masks, for it knows no future. It embraces the unpredictable aspect of every moment and feeds upon it. It is the heart of the unknown, denying form but embracing potential.
The eyes of fracture flare into life and Graven fears his crowish form will be taken in...Suddenly he wakes to the image of the old man Taeran sitting observant in an opposing chair and the mysticant poking his ribs hard with cane.
"What in the blazes! Stop that! Stop poking me."
"I must know what you saw. I must know it now. I must."
"If you 'must' know I suppose I can enlighten you, but don't ever poke me with that cane again."
"Settled! Now please begin."
"First I was gliding through the air where there was none, adrift above a sea of silver. I was a crow, a crow of blackest shadow that made all light stray. I..then flew to an island, an island so distant so as to never reach it and with a thought I was circling above an obelisk center to the island. Before I knew it I was perched atop it being scrutinized by 4 masks...I..I remember their names."
"Speak young man, what were the names. I would hear them slip your tongue before I make any presumption."
"Forge."
"Correct, the creator and consolidator of all things."
"Order."
"The organizer and keeper"
"Entropy."
"The wind blown sand of limtation."
Suddenly Graven hesitated and was visibly shaken.
"Spit it out young man, you know whom calls last."
"Fracture."
"The chaos and prism of all things."
"I don't understand. What does this all mean?" said Taeran.
"Graven has been struck by a shard of Fracture's chain."
"A what?" Taeran and Graven spoke in unison.
The mysticant took a deep breath and sat down.
"Before time was time there was the crow. A being of eternity and divinity. It flew aloft the ocean of primordial essence. The very fabric of everything we know to exist. And so the crow was alone, adrift above it's sea of solitude. Without forethought parts of it's being were made manifest to represent it's facets, it's four personalities, it's four sides. These took the form of four masks, each to represent a seperate will.
The four masks were not merely inanimate sculpture but embodied with the essence of the creator itself. So the crow bound them to his will, and this will was made manifest by four chains. One chain for one mask and all center to a black obelisk. Though the creator was alone, it was still unsettled by these four parts of himself and so it was an eternity before he considered their release. An eternity of solitude, loneliness, and boredom. So in dark ritual it is said he pecked the obelisk before chanting a spell to unwrap reality.
The 4 masks twisted their chains, and became alight with the power of creation. The obelisk shattered forming a vacuum which pulled the solemn silver sea, the shadow crow, and the masks themselves by their chains into the vortex spire that we now call time itself. The steel chain of Forge, the iron chain of Order, the rusted chain of Entropy and the shattered chain of Fracture. For when all 4 chains were pulled Fracture alone broke free.
Now each era is ruled by the dominant chain of one mask at a time, and all eras are influenced and wrought by the chaos of Fracture. As the chains are pulled through time so too is history made. All that is written, is being written, or will be written are products of the four masks vying for power, leaving creation in their wake."
"So what does this have to do with me?" asked the Graven, now more confused then ever.
"And why did it strike Graven, surely it wasn't by chance that a meteor fromt he sky should land in the socket of a etherform of no consequence...No offense Graven."
"None taken"
"It was not by chance it struck Graven but for what purpose and by what means I do not know. I can however tell you about chaos-sight."
"The what?" Taeran and Graven spoke in unison once more.
"This is not the first time this has happened but it is not in recorded history the last time it chanced this planet.The chaosgift or chaos-sight as it is called is something not unknown to our people. It is held secret for the power it carries but one child in one-thousand is born with the ability to see the runes of creation, the very writing of the Masks themselves."
"Writing?" asked Graven.
"Runes dear boy. The runes are in everything. Every rock, every plant, every animal, every etherform in existence holds the runes of creation itself."
"So how do I read this writing, and what is the point?"
"The point is power young one."
"Power?"
With that Iboga traced a line in the air before him and it alit in purple flame, the same purple of his etherblood. A second or two passed and a small rock formed before him and dropped to the ground.
"Wow a rock!" Graven spoke with obvious sarcasm, Taeran obviously feigning wonder."
"This is just a touch of the written runes and no more can I show you. Spoken runes however are another matter entirely..."
With that Iboga began a chant of some language foreign and ethereal. This time the runes flared to life once more, this time brighter and more intense. A rock burst into creation, vibrated with intensity, then shattered spreading rubble all over Taeran and Graven, somehow missing Iboga.
"What the hells! Was that really necessary?"
"I'm an old man here, that almost took out my eye," complained Taeran.
"Think of it this way young Graven, written is the adjective and noun, spoken is all the previous with a verb. However this is all I can show you or tell you. The rest you must find on your own, and you must move immediately. The chaos-benders are banished until they can learn to control their power and sight."
"Banished?" asked Taeran. "He's just a young man. He will stand no chance in the wild."
"What about my family? My father? My mother? My sister?"
"This imperative supercedes your family, you will leave at once, this very night!" Suddenly Iboga's ether veins are glowing bright dark purple with his eyes blazing.
"Very well old man. I will leave."
"You don't have to Graven, I can speak to the elder. He will," spoke Taeran before being interrupted.
"No. I suppose this is something I must do for myself. If indeed this is where the shard is leading me then I suppose my feet possess little choice then to follow."
Resigned to Graven's decision Taeran says, "Very well, if he must leave I will at the least guide him to the wilderness edge."
"You may travel with him to the border of the frontier but no further, this is something he must do himself."
"I understand." Spoke Taeran.
And so the two left the tent, more confused now then ever before they arrived. Taeran spent most of the time together teaching Graven everything he knew about the wilds, their Etherbeasts, and their Etherforms. He taught him how to keep his purpose strong and alight in dark times. How belief was always more powerful then reality. A week later they reached the edge of the wilds.
"I guess this is where we part young one. I have taught you all I could in such a short time, hopefully it will guide you to a better fate then the others."
"I don't know what to say Taeran, you saved my life. I will remember you till my end my mentor, my friend."
Chapter 2 – The Cave of Hollow Intentions
And so Graven trekked into the wilds, a conglomeration of rugged mountains, boulders and briars. Food and water were not issues for etherforms so he found little trouble surviving the heat, or the dire cold of night. Etherforms existed simply from the idea of purpose. So long as a being possessed the will to grow and evolve it did so. It was only when it's reason for being ceased that the ether in it's veins extinguished and it became mortal and subject to the passage of time.
The more Graven walked and the more he dreamed, the more he finally came to terms with his plight, and in finding that new purpose so too did his sight evolve. Soon his new vision allowed him to see the rune patterns in rocks, plants, and even the life of the wilds. Continually he tried to replicate the patterns as Iboga had done but to no effect. Not even a modicum of success accompanied his efforts.
While he walked Graven heard something strange, a harmonic pulsing resonation not unlike music. Following this sound he comes upon a cave lined with crystals, like a cracked open geode. This elaborate structure possessed crystals pulsing independent of each other to the resonance within the cave. Upon closer examination the individual crystals possessed runic forms. Only with the clear nature of the crystals he was able to discern that the runes were not two-dimensional inscriptions as he had observed but elaborate constructions encompassing a three dimensional and intricate shape.
With this discovery Graven decides to make camp in the crystal cave.
And so he began to practice, with renewed fervor, the shapes inherent in the crystals. The crystals proved too intricate for him to complete a rune sequence and so he thought about the rock Iboga had summoned. Using the hard nails inherent in etherforms Graven found the nearest rock. Turning the rock he noticed the edges of runes on each face and so he began to carve into the stone itself in an effort to excavate the rune within.
[Insert Picture of excavation]
Hours he toiled chipping away at the rock and eventually the rune began to reveal itself. It took days before he finally chiseled away all the unneccesary gravel. Eventually the rune lay bare before him. Tracing the rune with his finger it alit before him until finally the rock reformed before him.
For two years he continued with this process with rocks of all shapes, size, and textures before finally learning an alphabet of shapes and strokes.
As the time wore on so did Graven's temperament. Often he would find himself babbling or talking to himself or Taeran, who had long since left for the village. Time was taking it's toll upon Graven and the loneliness inherent in his task was taxing his composure. On occasion Etherbeasts would show their face and Graven, remembering the lessons of Taeran regarding their sight depending on movement, would become a statue. He would stand stoic against the scrutizing breath of the creatures. Sometimes he would have to sit still with baited breath hours at a time before left at peace to study. As if these beasts weren't enough to contend with always there were the masks tormenting him in dreams. Restless dreams bringing no reprieve other then the solace of physical rest, always his mind was at work. His entire life seemed but a ceaseless daydream.
Another lonely day passed by as he carved before he heard a noise emanating from beyond a bend in the cave. Moving to examine the cause Graven edged around the side of the cave to see that someone had been watching him for sometime. He cringed as a reflexive posture caused him to retreat for a moment in fear as to what or who was observing his runic testing ground.
Siren spoke softly, "I will not harm you."
"Who are you and why are you here watching me? How long have you been here?" Graven replied a bit defensive.
Siren was dressed in a body length trench coat that dripped with calcified, blackened scales, perfect in there precision they danced like the faces of a storm projecting fractals upon the chrystalne interior of the cave. It was obvious she was not an Etherform as he was, her skin was smooth and pale tan and she was tall and seemingly lithe.
"My name is Siren. I am merely a passer by on the plains nearby and heard the cave songs. I heard the music and it lead me to you. I have been drawn here by the harp and the lyre embedded in this earthen glass temple. Do you come here to worship?" stated Siren calmly.
Suddenly a voice begins to echo in Graven's head. "Don't trust her." He is startled and looks around as if confused. He pauses a moment before finally answering.
"I worship nothing and no one. I am alone. Long have I lost my will for the hunt or for temples carved in stone, other than the one you see here before you." Graven held his arms out wide." There is only one entrance to this cave how did you get in?, Graven demanded with authority because he had surveyed every crevice of the cave for near two years now.
Siren observes Graven's twitching behavior, "Are you haunted by some vision or voice? You search the cave as if it speaks to you."
Again the voice resonates within him, "She has come to kill you, to take your power."
With his constant twitching Siren is noticeably offput, and now it is obvious he is scrutinizing her with some foreknowledge she did not expect.
"Enough distraction creature, what are you?"
"I came by way of the night air. I travel in silent darkness and you see me now only because I have allowed you to see me, but Graven this is not the first time you have arrested your gaze upon me. In dreams our eyes have met. You have breathed your passions to me in the deepest of your night terrors. I am your dark vision mirrored back at you.", Siren's voice trailed off and became hypnotizing but somewhere deep within her trepidation spread.
"I have not fallen yet to my madness, I will not fall to yours cloaked villain. Leave here at once." The cave echoed in acoustic perfection and shook with force.
It was not like Siren to feel fear but for some reason when Graven spoke she felt compelled to obey his wishes, despite her intentions. "Does the one who is banished also wish to place me in exile?
At that moment Siren with her left hand caused the roof of the cave to open up to a dark star absent sky. The four masks that Graven had originally seen and explained to Iboga appeared and descended into the space surrounding him. Immediately she seized the oppurtunity to take up the shard of Fracture from his eye but again she was assailed with trepidation and reverance and could not bring herself to take it.
He viewed each mask in awe and walked slowly around each one reading again their plaques and eyeing the obelisk and crow. Then in an instance everything melted away from his vision as he regained consciousness.
Siren jumped back startled by his rapid recovery and quickly faded from sight.
"Damned visions." he blurted out upon waking. Graven looked around but Siren was nowhere to be found. He wondered whether he was dreaming again but she had seemed so vivid. Maybe he had fallen to the madness afterall. His mind wrote off the encounter and soon things were back to 'normal.'
Day followed night as time passed away. Weeks followed days and months followed weeks which eventually dissolved into years. Graven kept time in the beginning of his exile but soon lost track. Vision and reality blurred continuously dissolving boundaries but to Siren time was irrelevant,
a mere variable in an equation long since solved. Only moments had passed from the retreating of the four masks in the cave with Graven, but several years had been added to Graven's character as she was many visions removed from him now.
This time Siren took a new approach to assuaging Graven. This time he would see her not as foe but friend. Again she stood before him but this time not recognized as Siren but as Aidan, Graven's etherian brother.
"That is not your friend, he has long since left this world. Don't listen to it" The voice in his head again rang out and this time he screamed.
"Leave my mind wicked bird there is not enough room for you among my other hallucinations. Now back to the matter at hand, Aidan is it you brother?", said Graven with a glad heart. "But wait...Aidan I saw you die. Your carcass was carried into the wilds near Iboga's...alas another crag dream come to torment me are you?" said Graven in despair when he realized his lucid state. If anyone must visit me in purgatory I would have it as none other than you dear Aidan. Come let us sit. Let's drink and eat. "
While drinking and eating were not required for Etherforms to live, they did indulge in drink and food for recreation. Graven used the original canteen he brought to get some of the water dripping from the back of the cave along with the mushrooms growing nearby. Graven grew to the farthest lonely point in himself realizing that if he did not interact with his visions then he would interact with no one. So he played along thinking that he may be delaying his inevitable madness by a few choice days.
The two men sat in the geode cave and talked of simple things as they enjoyed the drink, laughter and kind words.
"Graven what brings you to this cave and why have you stayed so long?"
"I was exiled years ago. A threat to our kind. I always found myself buried in the fringes of our tribal society. I spent most of my time with Taeran learning all I could about life, always scared to lose my purpose and fade into the ether. Now I am brought to this place. I have come to bear the burden of this...chaos-sight."
"Why do you not roam as you once did? Why so long in one place with no wife, no stability, no home. Why have you not sought out the other exiles?"
"Other exiles?" This is the first Graven ever heard of other exiles being alive and in the wilds.
"Yes the others. Why have you not joined them? It has been five years Graven. "
"I know nothing of time. I know only of purpose. I know of no others because when I get to far away from the crystals my ether fades and if it fades too intensely then I perish. So I remain here tethered to these rocks until death or time frees me. My purpose must be fulfilled prior to freedom Aidan. As it is with all purpose. This is how our people chose lands to roam and mates to wed and fields to plant and letters of the law. This is how we chose war over silence. Purpose is our faithful master and servant. It admonishes us when we stray and punishes us when we kill improperly and though it may beckon us to insanity sometimes, it must be respected and adhered to with dire passions. As some are tied to fate we are driven merciless often to the very heels of oblivion by an unsated mistress. This is Purpose in our lives as Ethereals. There is no other way."
"Have you discovered her here: Purpose? Have you found your purpose here in these light trapping walls?"
"No I have not and it drives me hells to the brink."
"Siren feeling satisfaction at lowering Graven's psychological walls moves her agenda forward by getting the information she came for."
"Graven tell me what have you learned here in this place? What have the spirits taught you?"
"Aidan I can not make out reality from vision, past from future, lie from truth. Ever since the night my eye was impaled by this blasted metal I have been cursed."
"Nevertheless surely you have learned something about the shard and the reason it found you."
"Nothing. In fact nothing has been near as muddled in all my life as the purpose of this blasted eye.
Blatantly it taunts me with some haunting purpose. It beckons me with allure of some secret, some epithany, and yet all I have to show for it is some rocks." He looks down at his nails worn now to the nub from carving years on end. Then kicks the nearest rock making his foot throb. So provoked is Graven that he suddenly grabs at the eye and tries to pull it from it's socket."
Silently Siren, in the guise of Aidan, watches intently at the scene unraveling before her. The cave begins to shake. A humming noise is now emanating from outside the cave and suddenly Graven is torn from his tantrum. Running to find the source of the noise beyond the cave's threshold. So too does Siren follow, just as curious as to the humming as Graven.
Exiting the cave the two are aware that the humming has gotten louder and now has started to buzz. In the distance the two are aware of three small spherical shapes heading toward them. Siren stands curious using a telescopic lens to scan the three rapidly approaching shapes before realizing danger.
"Run you idiot! Run now!" the voice in his head now more a will of compulsion then an echo.
Without thinking Graven begins to run as if his life were in jeapordy. Indeed it was. Seconds after Graven began to run Siren followed. It was too late. The buzzing became a high pitched squeel before ultimately exploding in range of Siren, the gust and shards threw her to the ground. Graven stops after a brief sprint before turning around panting.
"Don't stop you fool! Run!"
Just then amidst the smoke and rubble two spheres emerge and begin their pursuit of Graven. Urgently Graven turns about and begins to run for his life once more. He is gaining distance but still the spheres tempt to close the distance. An hour passes and Graven is near to passing out but still the voice compells him forward toward the forest in the distance. Finally reaching the forest the Etherian finds refuge hiding in the bowels of roten tree nearby. The second he falls into the tree he is assailed with all manner of many legged intrusions upon his ashen skin.With all desperation he struggles to get the bugs off of himself to no avail.
"Shut up and hold still!"
Abruptly Graven finds himself unable to move. The tiny legs proding his skin searching for food or a burrow. Again the humming returns with Graven standing unceremoniously statuesque among the bugs and the foulness of the rotten tree. After many minutes the humming has faded and now he finds himself able to move. Swatting madly and stomping he exits the tree before falling to the ground and catching his breath. Without warning the humming begins again. The time for running had passed.
"Quickly you primate, the runes. Look at it's runes."
Looking at the sphere Graven quickly responds by recognizing the runes on the surface of the sphere as parts of the earthen alphabet he learned in the cave. Intently he focuses while making the rune sequence in the air before him. The first time he fails. The second sequence stops the sphere mere feet before it would have triggered, killing aidan whether purpose faded or not.
"Now get back and hum the resonation from the cave."
Thinking back vividly he can recall the humming from the cave and as the reverberation echoed from his lips so to did a rune alight on the bomb before him.
"Now run!"
The sphere begins to vibrate then to shake and spin violently before causing a huge explosion of blue flame and wind, the effect of which leaves a large crater in the surface of the forest as we as felling a number of trees. The force of the explosion knocked Graven off his feet.
"There, now that that is settled let's get down to business," again the voice spoke.
"What is going on? Has madness finally taken me?"
"Don't be so meladramatic, you're not insane, that is you are no more insane then any others in the mortal coil."
"Who are you?"
"You know me simply by the facet in your eye, but I am all eternity. I am the will of Fracture. The touch of chaos."
"Yes I remember Iboga's tale. I remember how he called you the shattered chain of Fracture."
"Good, that will save us some time then. Already I have imparted all the knowledge you need in order to stave off the fool's onslaught of people who would steal your life to have me."
"Knowledge? What knowledge?"
"Through visions of the shadow crow and the masks have you been marked. By observation have you been touched by my hand, and the hand of all influence. For while the Masks see through you, so to do you see through them, and in time this gift will mark you as an instrument of fate."
"Instrument of fate? I can barely keep consciousness at my will, much less face some convoluted since of destiny."
"Yes, well that is a necessary consequence of our binding, but that is at an end now. Now you will sleep for the first time in these many years Graven, for we have much work to do."
"No wait I have questions...." In the middle of speaking Graven is taken for the first time in ages to dreams of his own; his family, his people, his mentor."
And so Graven slept. So deep was his slumber that it endured for twenty-seven days before ultimately he awoke to a dark sun ringed with light.
"I...I feel like myself again. The madness, the voices, the nightmares. They're gone."
"Your mind has purged the sickness of the four, for the four have found your gift warranted."
"So all these years have been a test...A test of my fortitude."
"Yes and they have deemed me as your keeper and protector. I am known as Axis."
"Why me? Why was I chosen? What makes me so special?"
"Fracture works in mysterious ways Graven, there is no way to no it's will."
"When I saw the mask of Fracture in the nightmare I was overwhelmed with fear and yet I knew not why."
"When you took the form of the crow you took in an infintesimal part of the creator himself, a being of omnipotence and divinity. With that came the one thing that he feared in all the universe, chaos. Before Fracture was released the Shadow Crow knew all, and controlled all. Once Fracture was given life all that changed. Chaos and randomness, imperfection littered the universe and so the maker's vision was clouded."
"I understand but...I no longer feel that fear. Something has changed since we entered the forest..since I rested."
"You have come as nearly as close to the maker is as allowed by a mortal, already has it touched your very essence."Axis scrutinizes his left arm to find the ether in his veins a light shade of purple, now very much like Iboga himself.
"What is this? What is happening to me?"
"When your race has touched the planes of creation they are forever changed. Some are born with this sight and in turn are struck deranged by things they cannot hope to understand. You have overcome your madness and the very essence of your being has become tainted by the journey. The violet blood now running through your veins is the evidence of this milestone."
"So all the exiles have been struck by this madness...we must find them."
"If that is your choice, so be it. Though they may not be as receptive as you hope."
* * * * * *
There Siren laid upon the ground bloodied and bruised with bones shattered and crushed. Purposefully she moves to the pad on her left arm before pushing six buttons; year, month, date, hour, minute, second. Several moments later her body flickers then fades from the time of the explosion.
Chapter 3 – The Exiled
Deep underground many years into the future, and in the laboratory of Dr. Artemis Fleinburg a light began to flicker in the emergency medical chamber. He Turns his head witnessing the light as it goes from a flicker, to a blinding light before it fades completely. As his eyes adjust back to the levels of the lab he sees Siren, his hired partner, bloodied and bruised.
"Siren!" Running to the medical capsule where nanomachines are already in place for the medical procedures that will restore her.
"Apparently I wasn't as...prepared as I would have liked."
"You have to be more careful Siren." said Artemis while glancing down at the translucent medical scanning device. "One more broken bone and it is unlikely you could even have manipulated the the temporal pad to return here."
"Somehow he manipulated me doctor... I...I can't explain it," said Siren with labored breath.
"That is enough talk for now Siren. Rest. There will be time for discussion when you are awake and rejuvenated. Hear take this."
Artemis hands her a lazinge shaped like a five pointed star. Siren swallows the star with little effort in compliance.
"V..V..Very well then doctor." Siren stammered before fainting.
Several hours pass as Artemis with surgical focus repairs the gynoid assassin that he has come to know and love as Siren Coratania. Working in tandem with the nanosuretical machines Artemis laces his artistic prowess into her broken body. Siren, the first of her kind to enter into the Holoverse, which is the universe from which all Artificial Inteligence hales from, has been working for Artemis sometime.
(DID'NT HAVE ALLOT OF TIME THIS MORNING WILL PICK BACK UP LATER 6:39AM 1.29.2010)
* * * * * *
Graven conjured a sharp edged stone and,using a vine, attached it to a long branch.
"Alot of good that's going to do you against anything lurking here."
"If I can't be prepared the least I can do is present the illusion of it." Graven said, laughing for the first time in a long time.
"Suit yourself, I am sure whatever animal kills you will be incredibly inconvenienced by the wound you give it as it's eating you alive."
Again he laughed, half-heartedly this time. His laughter, the crunching leaves and snapping twigs drowning out any noises from the forest. Graven had been in an etherforest once before when he was younger with his father, but that time seemed ages ago and now he found himself an infant in an unforgiving and ominous territory.
Three days in passed in the forest without incident until Graven stumbled upon a clearing centered by a gargantuan tree. The tree stood over ten stories high with a massive sphere of vines taking the place of the normal blood red leavs from a normal etherean tree. Like every other tree in an forest were veins of glowing red ether running all along the dark blue bark tree, the lifeblood of all things Ether dependent. As if this sphere were not odd enough the vines moved. The entire tree was in a perpetual state of transition. Always there were vines being tied and untied, tangled and untangled.
"I think this is an interesting place to make base camp Axis. It's certainly the most interesting thing we've seen so far and the area seems safe enough."
"It's a fragment of Forge itself...the force of creation. This is not possible. It is the era of Order, of purpose. It is not time for this to be here and yet there it stands. Alas this is the work of my forebearer Fracture. Forge's chain is not supposed to be in play for a millenia and the chain is supposed to be the strongest of the three... Unbreakable... If this is here it means that Forge's chain has been compromised. I agree this is the place to make base camp. I must investigate."
"What does all this mean?"
"Nevermind that. This is my ordeal. Set up camp."
Over the next several days Graven used a combination of stonecalling, the art of crafting stones from runic signs, and branches to make a rough shelter at the base of the Sphere tree. Each day Axis would try to teach him how to listen to the forest, to feel it's lifeforce, it's vibrations. Learning came slow to Graven and even the humblest of life runes were nearly impossible to learn without killing the beasts themselves or disecting the plantlife, both of which Graven refused to do.
"It will take an eternity if you keep refusing to get your hands dirty."
"I can't help it, I feel some connection to these lifeforms. Something deep inside I cannot deny."
"You can hear them but you don't listen...perhaps there will be no need for carnage after all." Axis found himself humbled by the speed at which Graven's instincts were adapting, far beyond his own comprehension.
Four masks interlocked in dreadful stare
Observation changing all before
Entangled weave of gazes entwined
To make all, that once was not,
Now there
Four masks caged in pained haunt
To build, To burn, To act, To plan
A raging storm with no end or halt
The vortex spiral of dreamland
Four masks making haste to plan all fate
Fighting for a secure place in the abyss
Longing to fill a thirst they cannot sate
Creating chaos in darkened mist
Blazing alight in the summer night a shard descends from the sky guided by the hand of fate. As sure as the shard is falling so to are many eyes upon it. Curious eyes seeking an explanation of the events of this as of yet, untold night. And so the shard falls as a burning beacon to the tent of a man amongst three other dwellings. All are awake and gaze in marvel as it burns through the tent and into the screams of the man within.
A man erupts from the tent screaming and holding his hand over his now searing eye. All attention is now on the screaming man, and no longer on the smoking hole in the tent. Standing awestruck by the scene before them four men gathered around the campfire and are slow to act as their friend runs frantic. Finally one of them shakes off the trance and moves to help his friend.
"Graven what the hell is wrong!"
"My eye! My eye is burning. By the hells it burns! Water! I need water!"
The older man opens his canteen as he pulls his friend to the ground. Pooring the entire contents of the vessel into Graven's smoking eye. The sizzle of the water evaporating is tangible as the heat from the shard cauterizes the wound where his eye once was. Slowly the smoke from the shard becomes steam and ultimately the water drips cool upon his face, and over the smooth metallic surface that has replaced his eye. Graven then drifts into unconsciousness...
Suddenly he is a bird soaring on muscular guided wings over a sea of subtle bliss. An ocean of mercurial primordial essence. The essence of all things in existence, he somehow knows. Deep within he feels a sorrow and deeper still a fear. The waters below grant him peace and yet he knows peace is no longer what he needs, nor wants. Soaring low near the gentle waves of the rolling silver sea the serenity begins to make him physically ill. Subtly upon the horizon an island is visible, centered by a large monolith. He is now filled with a renewed hope and the fear within begins to peak over the surface of his mind.
Arriving at the island he flies high only to perch upon the monolith. Sitting around the obelisk are four masks in cardinal directions to his perch. Each mask has a plaque beneath it. His eyes settle upon the first mask he sees. The mask of Order.
[Picture of Crow on Obelisk]
The skin of the mask is a labyrinth of lines parallel and perpendicular with a decadent visor over the eyes, forehead, and around the top of the nose. An orb adorns the forehead center of the mask and from which a radial pattern emerges with sections devoted to several rectangular emeralds and gems. The forehead gem is a solid black sphere from which a spine of gems follows the forehead in a contouring arc. His eyes fall to the plaque below.
[Picture of Order]
The Mask of Order: Keeper and Sentinel of the Spire. First of the two motivations it is responsible for all of the organized action to be set forth upon time. It holds all forms and actions deliberate for the goal of control and predictability. The voice of caution dwelling on fear of the unknown, but also as a positive force instilling purpose and guidance. From this need to guide it will obsessively seek out and quantify all variables, a savage desperate will set forth to seer. Encapsulating all that seems predictable for the guise of future sight. The idealistic catalogue of all action and events are locked inside of Order, filed away for all time. With fathomed charts and graphs of probability, it will long forever for the solace found in prophecy, but will not find it. Though a slave to linear time, it will gain affluence and influence through this esoteric education.
With the last word read the eyes blaze and Graven is ripped suddenly and forcibly from the dream.
"Graven! Graven! Are you alright?"
Graven awakens to being slapped lightly by the old man.
"Graven wake up damn you."
"I'm here. I'm here. I'm awake."
"Of course you're here what happened."
"I...I..."
Graven pauses as if trying to remember.
"I was asleep dreaming and I awoke to...to an intense pain in my left eye"
Suddenly all eyes turn to see the burning hole in the tent.
"What? Why are you all looking at the tent?"
Timidly, Aidan, one of Graven's friends begins to speak.
"Your tent...we watched a star fall from the sky only to hit your tent...and then you started screaming..."
"My eye. How is this possible. What is wrong with my eye."
The old man, Taeran, now speaks.
"Your eye is...it's gone Graven. Replaced by this [he says while tapping the metallic piece revealing itself where Graven's eye once was.]"
"That's impossible. My eye isn't gone. I can see you all perfectly. Better then perfectly."
"The lake. Come with me to the lake," said Taeran.
Aidan, Taeran and Graven make their way to the waterside. Graven walks forward and kneels before the water, looking into the mirrored reflection of the moon above. Slowly he moves his head above the rippled mirror and sees himself staring back. A solid opaque sphere where his eye once was. Standing up abruptly taken aback Graven runs his hand over his face to the metallic orb in his socket. His fingers touch the now cool metal and he falls once more into darkness.
After this near collapse into the river Taeran calls back to the other men for help to carry Graven to Iboga, the medicine man, of the village. It is night and the medicine man resides just outside the perimeter of the village where he plies his wares as magician and judge to the tribe.
"Corrin take Mach and get a stretcher made and grab supplies for the trek to Iboga's; and Corrin, he pauses for a moment, get my bow."
"Taeran, what do you need the bow for?"
"There is no time to explain just grab the bow."
A stretcher is made from the discarded limbs of the forest strong and secure to carry Graven from the center of the village to the medicine man's domain in the event that he is unconsious the whole way. Twenty minutes go by and the crew is now ready to depart for the journey. The path is littered with light from the constellations and a near full moon. The men begin with an unconcious Graven placed carefully upon the makeshift stretcher. Graven finds himself in vision once more.
Again through the eyes of the crow as if no time at all had passed in this ethereal place, he is compelled to look to the next mask encircling the monolith.
[Description of Forge]
[Picture of Forge]
The Mask of Forge: The Sword of Creation and Temperance. The furnace of all matter and energy, Forge takes the most basic of forms and expands upon them. Striving toward the perfection of stability and sparking the spire’s cultivation in the expanse of the abyss. It is the one force in existence that provokes the endurance of being and resists the hindering spurn of degradation. The vehemence of the Mask of Forge stokes the flames of existence to boil the molten thread that will be woven into the fabric of all things. It matters not the nature of a new idea or form. All corporeal or fleeting in nature are viciously torn into reality from nothingness then encouraged, cultured, and honed as equal components in its smelter.
The eyes blaze of the mask once more. Graven finds himself on his back, looking at the stars, and feeling very dizzy. As if the burden of all creation is now upon his shoulders. He looks around to see his friends carrying him by stretcher.
"What is going on? Why am I on a stretcher?"
"We are going to see Iboga, you are in dire need of help young man," said Taeran.
The younger Aidan speaks.
"We were worried about you Graven, you keep feinting. Ever since the falling star you have been babbling in your sleep and passing out. You keep screaming about some mask while twisting and turning."
With that comment Graven resigns himself to the trip. Curious himself to what may be wrong and what is going on with his strange visions, not to mention the shard that took his eye. Many minutes pass before Graven notices two eyes alight in the darkness, seemingly malevolent in shape and intent. Before he can say a word of warning to his companions, he once more feints to blackness.
Once again in the realm of silver shores and darkness Graven finds himself atop the obelisk. This time he is compelled to look upon the mask of Entropy.
[Description of Entropy]
[Picture of Entropy]
Entropy: Consolidator and Restrictor of the spire’s mass of form. For every item or idea made real a passive but enduring trial is in place to test its very nature. Either metaphorically or literally, all in the spire is subject to the forces of decay and resistance. It is responsible for evolution in the reverse, set forth to destroy that which is temporal or limited. Entropy is the vigor of simplification. Where opposing energies cultivate and complicate, Entropy compels all things toward the tranquillity of the mercurial sea. Envision creation as a mountain stretching far and vast. Entropy is the instigator of the avalanche that breaks loose all destabilized elements.
Once more the eyes of fire signal his return to reality only to find him laying on the ground atop the makeshift stretcher and surrounded by carnage.
"Hold very still Graven, don't breathe," he could tell the voice was Taeran's.
Suddenly he can feel swatting at his foot, and the pointed edge of some tooth or claw hoping to prod him into exodus so to run him down. He didn't move. He didn't breath, but his eyes did wander in the direction of his foot. A large creature riddled with fur and contoured by manastreams of glowing fire red. It's teeth grazing the skin of Graven's bare foot, it turned and sniffed the air, seemingly content with it's inspection. Taeran and Graven sat there many minutes with stifled breath as the creature turned, grabbed the leg of the mauled and dead Aidan before dragging him into the dark. As the creature left Graven watched with new sight as a flicker of something hinted at some form within the beast. Looking into the very essense of it's being he saw...he began to see...something, but before it became tangible in his mind so did it fade.
"We best leave before it comes back Graven," whispered Taeran. It is now more important than ever that we reach Iboga. Something dark drew the Etherbeast for any other night it would have noted our presence and passed without incident.
Quickly the two grabbed what remained of the slaughter that could be useful, including the bow fallen now from where Aidan had stood. For once Taeran recognized the danger he dropped the bow, and stood his ground all the while warning them to be still with baited breath. Aidan had grabbed the bow and deftly loosed an arrow at the beast only to have the the ether stolen from his veins.
The trek didn't take much longer before finally reaching the tent of Iboga Dhastrum, the magician of Graven's tribe. Winded and traumatized the two were invited in, before they could even see silouhette of the faith healer.
"You come at a dark time this night. The 4 stars are in alignment and their dark light has cast shadow on all lit by other stellar bodies."
"We came to seek your wisdom shaman and in doing so were attacked by an Etherbeast of voracious agression."
This was the first time Graven had ever seen the medicine man. He was a short man, abnormally short, and walked with a cane. The ether in his veins burnt a low-light purple, and his ashen skin was abnormally taut for a man his age. Rumour had found the mysticant to be well over 1300 years old, an anomally to be sure among the 3-400 hundred year average of his people. The etherforms. His eyes were of dark purple and burned with the light of twig aflame.
"You were lucky to reach me at all. You know well not to travel at this hour."
"Something has happened mysticant, a meteor has fallen from the sky striking young Graven here."
"Oh? What is this? Where did it strike you?" suddenly the magician's interest piqued.
"My eye sir, my left eye."
"Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear. A shard of Fracture's chain! How in heaven's grasp did it find you?"
"I don't know sir, it...it hit my tent and took my eye."
"No, no, no young one, it did not take from you, but has given thee."
"Given 'thee' what?" Graven was obviously skeptical and was losing interest in taking the medicine man seriously.
"Sight. The most precious of sights given to any life form. Runesight."
"Let me touch it, I must touch it, just one touch."
"No don't do that." Taeran and Graven spoke in Unison.
The mysticant tapped the shard lightly with his finger and once again Graven laid victim to slumber and visions. This time the mask known as Fracture faces him and he is filled with fear. The shattered, cracked visage stares into his very soul. It's drought addled skin covered by adornments sweeping across the nose, eyes, over the ears, and forehead. Random gems and shapes cover the chaotic facade with everything from scales to lines of pearl, to the crown of amalgamated gems and stone.
Fracture: The Evader of the Maze and the Prism of Impulsive Action.” Fracture is instantaneous and unpredictable action. It is the small crack in the glass that cascades throughout the ventana, racing in fervor toward variant beauty. With abstraction the tempest of the cosmos is made volatile. Unpredictability exists in any moment of Order’s weakness, or Fracture’s strength. Purpose is nowhere to be found and made in a moment unaffected by the need to create, destroy, or accomplish. Instinct is responsible for beauty in the universe. It gives flame its erratic nature, causes errant and unpredictable action, and brings forth individuality to all entities and objects. Fracture is the voice of wisdom in the Quadra of Masks, for it knows no future. It embraces the unpredictable aspect of every moment and feeds upon it. It is the heart of the unknown, denying form but embracing potential.
The eyes of fracture flare into life and Graven fears his crowish form will be taken in...Suddenly he wakes to the image of the old man Taeran sitting observant in an opposing chair and the mysticant poking his ribs hard with cane.
"What in the blazes! Stop that! Stop poking me."
"I must know what you saw. I must know it now. I must."
"If you 'must' know I suppose I can enlighten you, but don't ever poke me with that cane again."
"Settled! Now please begin."
"First I was gliding through the air where there was none, adrift above a sea of silver. I was a crow, a crow of blackest shadow that made all light stray. I..then flew to an island, an island so distant so as to never reach it and with a thought I was circling above an obelisk center to the island. Before I knew it I was perched atop it being scrutinized by 4 masks...I..I remember their names."
"Speak young man, what were the names. I would hear them slip your tongue before I make any presumption."
"Forge."
"Correct, the creator and consolidator of all things."
"Order."
"The organizer and keeper"
"Entropy."
"The wind blown sand of limtation."
Suddenly Graven hesitated and was visibly shaken.
"Spit it out young man, you know whom calls last."
"Fracture."
"The chaos and prism of all things."
"I don't understand. What does this all mean?" said Taeran.
"Graven has been struck by a shard of Fracture's chain."
"A what?" Taeran and Graven spoke in unison.
The mysticant took a deep breath and sat down.
"Before time was time there was the crow. A being of eternity and divinity. It flew aloft the ocean of primordial essence. The very fabric of everything we know to exist. And so the crow was alone, adrift above it's sea of solitude. Without forethought parts of it's being were made manifest to represent it's facets, it's four personalities, it's four sides. These took the form of four masks, each to represent a seperate will.
The four masks were not merely inanimate sculpture but embodied with the essence of the creator itself. So the crow bound them to his will, and this will was made manifest by four chains. One chain for one mask and all center to a black obelisk. Though the creator was alone, it was still unsettled by these four parts of himself and so it was an eternity before he considered their release. An eternity of solitude, loneliness, and boredom. So in dark ritual it is said he pecked the obelisk before chanting a spell to unwrap reality.
The 4 masks twisted their chains, and became alight with the power of creation. The obelisk shattered forming a vacuum which pulled the solemn silver sea, the shadow crow, and the masks themselves by their chains into the vortex spire that we now call time itself. The steel chain of Forge, the iron chain of Order, the rusted chain of Entropy and the shattered chain of Fracture. For when all 4 chains were pulled Fracture alone broke free.
Now each era is ruled by the dominant chain of one mask at a time, and all eras are influenced and wrought by the chaos of Fracture. As the chains are pulled through time so too is history made. All that is written, is being written, or will be written are products of the four masks vying for power, leaving creation in their wake."
"So what does this have to do with me?" asked the Graven, now more confused then ever.
"And why did it strike Graven, surely it wasn't by chance that a meteor fromt he sky should land in the socket of a etherform of no consequence...No offense Graven."
"None taken"
"It was not by chance it struck Graven but for what purpose and by what means I do not know. I can however tell you about chaos-sight."
"The what?" Taeran and Graven spoke in unison once more.
"This is not the first time this has happened but it is not in recorded history the last time it chanced this planet.The chaosgift or chaos-sight as it is called is something not unknown to our people. It is held secret for the power it carries but one child in one-thousand is born with the ability to see the runes of creation, the very writing of the Masks themselves."
"Writing?" asked Graven.
"Runes dear boy. The runes are in everything. Every rock, every plant, every animal, every etherform in existence holds the runes of creation itself."
"So how do I read this writing, and what is the point?"
"The point is power young one."
"Power?"
With that Iboga traced a line in the air before him and it alit in purple flame, the same purple of his etherblood. A second or two passed and a small rock formed before him and dropped to the ground.
"Wow a rock!" Graven spoke with obvious sarcasm, Taeran obviously feigning wonder."
"This is just a touch of the written runes and no more can I show you. Spoken runes however are another matter entirely..."
With that Iboga began a chant of some language foreign and ethereal. This time the runes flared to life once more, this time brighter and more intense. A rock burst into creation, vibrated with intensity, then shattered spreading rubble all over Taeran and Graven, somehow missing Iboga.
"What the hells! Was that really necessary?"
"I'm an old man here, that almost took out my eye," complained Taeran.
"Think of it this way young Graven, written is the adjective and noun, spoken is all the previous with a verb. However this is all I can show you or tell you. The rest you must find on your own, and you must move immediately. The chaos-benders are banished until they can learn to control their power and sight."
"Banished?" asked Taeran. "He's just a young man. He will stand no chance in the wild."
"What about my family? My father? My mother? My sister?"
"This imperative supercedes your family, you will leave at once, this very night!" Suddenly Iboga's ether veins are glowing bright dark purple with his eyes blazing.
"Very well old man. I will leave."
"You don't have to Graven, I can speak to the elder. He will," spoke Taeran before being interrupted.
"No. I suppose this is something I must do for myself. If indeed this is where the shard is leading me then I suppose my feet possess little choice then to follow."
Resigned to Graven's decision Taeran says, "Very well, if he must leave I will at the least guide him to the wilderness edge."
"You may travel with him to the border of the frontier but no further, this is something he must do himself."
"I understand." Spoke Taeran.
And so the two left the tent, more confused now then ever before they arrived. Taeran spent most of the time together teaching Graven everything he knew about the wilds, their Etherbeasts, and their Etherforms. He taught him how to keep his purpose strong and alight in dark times. How belief was always more powerful then reality. A week later they reached the edge of the wilds.
"I guess this is where we part young one. I have taught you all I could in such a short time, hopefully it will guide you to a better fate then the others."
"I don't know what to say Taeran, you saved my life. I will remember you till my end my mentor, my friend."
Chapter 2 – The Cave of Hollow Intentions
And so Graven trekked into the wilds, a conglomeration of rugged mountains, boulders and briars. Food and water were not issues for etherforms so he found little trouble surviving the heat, or the dire cold of night. Etherforms existed simply from the idea of purpose. So long as a being possessed the will to grow and evolve it did so. It was only when it's reason for being ceased that the ether in it's veins extinguished and it became mortal and subject to the passage of time.
The more Graven walked and the more he dreamed, the more he finally came to terms with his plight, and in finding that new purpose so too did his sight evolve. Soon his new vision allowed him to see the rune patterns in rocks, plants, and even the life of the wilds. Continually he tried to replicate the patterns as Iboga had done but to no effect. Not even a modicum of success accompanied his efforts.
While he walked Graven heard something strange, a harmonic pulsing resonation not unlike music. Following this sound he comes upon a cave lined with crystals, like a cracked open geode. This elaborate structure possessed crystals pulsing independent of each other to the resonance within the cave. Upon closer examination the individual crystals possessed runic forms. Only with the clear nature of the crystals he was able to discern that the runes were not two-dimensional inscriptions as he had observed but elaborate constructions encompassing a three dimensional and intricate shape.
With this discovery Graven decides to make camp in the crystal cave.
And so he began to practice, with renewed fervor, the shapes inherent in the crystals. The crystals proved too intricate for him to complete a rune sequence and so he thought about the rock Iboga had summoned. Using the hard nails inherent in etherforms Graven found the nearest rock. Turning the rock he noticed the edges of runes on each face and so he began to carve into the stone itself in an effort to excavate the rune within.
[Insert Picture of excavation]
Hours he toiled chipping away at the rock and eventually the rune began to reveal itself. It took days before he finally chiseled away all the unneccesary gravel. Eventually the rune lay bare before him. Tracing the rune with his finger it alit before him until finally the rock reformed before him.
For two years he continued with this process with rocks of all shapes, size, and textures before finally learning an alphabet of shapes and strokes.
As the time wore on so did Graven's temperament. Often he would find himself babbling or talking to himself or Taeran, who had long since left for the village. Time was taking it's toll upon Graven and the loneliness inherent in his task was taxing his composure. On occasion Etherbeasts would show their face and Graven, remembering the lessons of Taeran regarding their sight depending on movement, would become a statue. He would stand stoic against the scrutizing breath of the creatures. Sometimes he would have to sit still with baited breath hours at a time before left at peace to study. As if these beasts weren't enough to contend with always there were the masks tormenting him in dreams. Restless dreams bringing no reprieve other then the solace of physical rest, always his mind was at work. His entire life seemed but a ceaseless daydream.
Another lonely day passed by as he carved before he heard a noise emanating from beyond a bend in the cave. Moving to examine the cause Graven edged around the side of the cave to see that someone had been watching him for sometime. He cringed as a reflexive posture caused him to retreat for a moment in fear as to what or who was observing his runic testing ground.
Siren spoke softly, "I will not harm you."
"Who are you and why are you here watching me? How long have you been here?" Graven replied a bit defensive.
Siren was dressed in a body length trench coat that dripped with calcified, blackened scales, perfect in there precision they danced like the faces of a storm projecting fractals upon the chrystalne interior of the cave. It was obvious she was not an Etherform as he was, her skin was smooth and pale tan and she was tall and seemingly lithe.
"My name is Siren. I am merely a passer by on the plains nearby and heard the cave songs. I heard the music and it lead me to you. I have been drawn here by the harp and the lyre embedded in this earthen glass temple. Do you come here to worship?" stated Siren calmly.
Suddenly a voice begins to echo in Graven's head. "Don't trust her." He is startled and looks around as if confused. He pauses a moment before finally answering.
"I worship nothing and no one. I am alone. Long have I lost my will for the hunt or for temples carved in stone, other than the one you see here before you." Graven held his arms out wide." There is only one entrance to this cave how did you get in?, Graven demanded with authority because he had surveyed every crevice of the cave for near two years now.
Siren observes Graven's twitching behavior, "Are you haunted by some vision or voice? You search the cave as if it speaks to you."
Again the voice resonates within him, "She has come to kill you, to take your power."
With his constant twitching Siren is noticeably offput, and now it is obvious he is scrutinizing her with some foreknowledge she did not expect.
"Enough distraction creature, what are you?"
"I came by way of the night air. I travel in silent darkness and you see me now only because I have allowed you to see me, but Graven this is not the first time you have arrested your gaze upon me. In dreams our eyes have met. You have breathed your passions to me in the deepest of your night terrors. I am your dark vision mirrored back at you.", Siren's voice trailed off and became hypnotizing but somewhere deep within her trepidation spread.
"I have not fallen yet to my madness, I will not fall to yours cloaked villain. Leave here at once." The cave echoed in acoustic perfection and shook with force.
It was not like Siren to feel fear but for some reason when Graven spoke she felt compelled to obey his wishes, despite her intentions. "Does the one who is banished also wish to place me in exile?
At that moment Siren with her left hand caused the roof of the cave to open up to a dark star absent sky. The four masks that Graven had originally seen and explained to Iboga appeared and descended into the space surrounding him. Immediately she seized the oppurtunity to take up the shard of Fracture from his eye but again she was assailed with trepidation and reverance and could not bring herself to take it.
He viewed each mask in awe and walked slowly around each one reading again their plaques and eyeing the obelisk and crow. Then in an instance everything melted away from his vision as he regained consciousness.
Siren jumped back startled by his rapid recovery and quickly faded from sight.
"Damned visions." he blurted out upon waking. Graven looked around but Siren was nowhere to be found. He wondered whether he was dreaming again but she had seemed so vivid. Maybe he had fallen to the madness afterall. His mind wrote off the encounter and soon things were back to 'normal.'
Day followed night as time passed away. Weeks followed days and months followed weeks which eventually dissolved into years. Graven kept time in the beginning of his exile but soon lost track. Vision and reality blurred continuously dissolving boundaries but to Siren time was irrelevant,
a mere variable in an equation long since solved. Only moments had passed from the retreating of the four masks in the cave with Graven, but several years had been added to Graven's character as she was many visions removed from him now.
This time Siren took a new approach to assuaging Graven. This time he would see her not as foe but friend. Again she stood before him but this time not recognized as Siren but as Aidan, Graven's etherian brother.
"That is not your friend, he has long since left this world. Don't listen to it" The voice in his head again rang out and this time he screamed.
"Leave my mind wicked bird there is not enough room for you among my other hallucinations. Now back to the matter at hand, Aidan is it you brother?", said Graven with a glad heart. "But wait...Aidan I saw you die. Your carcass was carried into the wilds near Iboga's...alas another crag dream come to torment me are you?" said Graven in despair when he realized his lucid state. If anyone must visit me in purgatory I would have it as none other than you dear Aidan. Come let us sit. Let's drink and eat. "
While drinking and eating were not required for Etherforms to live, they did indulge in drink and food for recreation. Graven used the original canteen he brought to get some of the water dripping from the back of the cave along with the mushrooms growing nearby. Graven grew to the farthest lonely point in himself realizing that if he did not interact with his visions then he would interact with no one. So he played along thinking that he may be delaying his inevitable madness by a few choice days.
The two men sat in the geode cave and talked of simple things as they enjoyed the drink, laughter and kind words.
"Graven what brings you to this cave and why have you stayed so long?"
"I was exiled years ago. A threat to our kind. I always found myself buried in the fringes of our tribal society. I spent most of my time with Taeran learning all I could about life, always scared to lose my purpose and fade into the ether. Now I am brought to this place. I have come to bear the burden of this...chaos-sight."
"Why do you not roam as you once did? Why so long in one place with no wife, no stability, no home. Why have you not sought out the other exiles?"
"Other exiles?" This is the first Graven ever heard of other exiles being alive and in the wilds.
"Yes the others. Why have you not joined them? It has been five years Graven. "
"I know nothing of time. I know only of purpose. I know of no others because when I get to far away from the crystals my ether fades and if it fades too intensely then I perish. So I remain here tethered to these rocks until death or time frees me. My purpose must be fulfilled prior to freedom Aidan. As it is with all purpose. This is how our people chose lands to roam and mates to wed and fields to plant and letters of the law. This is how we chose war over silence. Purpose is our faithful master and servant. It admonishes us when we stray and punishes us when we kill improperly and though it may beckon us to insanity sometimes, it must be respected and adhered to with dire passions. As some are tied to fate we are driven merciless often to the very heels of oblivion by an unsated mistress. This is Purpose in our lives as Ethereals. There is no other way."
"Have you discovered her here: Purpose? Have you found your purpose here in these light trapping walls?"
"No I have not and it drives me hells to the brink."
"Siren feeling satisfaction at lowering Graven's psychological walls moves her agenda forward by getting the information she came for."
"Graven tell me what have you learned here in this place? What have the spirits taught you?"
"Aidan I can not make out reality from vision, past from future, lie from truth. Ever since the night my eye was impaled by this blasted metal I have been cursed."
"Nevertheless surely you have learned something about the shard and the reason it found you."
"Nothing. In fact nothing has been near as muddled in all my life as the purpose of this blasted eye.
Blatantly it taunts me with some haunting purpose. It beckons me with allure of some secret, some epithany, and yet all I have to show for it is some rocks." He looks down at his nails worn now to the nub from carving years on end. Then kicks the nearest rock making his foot throb. So provoked is Graven that he suddenly grabs at the eye and tries to pull it from it's socket."
Silently Siren, in the guise of Aidan, watches intently at the scene unraveling before her. The cave begins to shake. A humming noise is now emanating from outside the cave and suddenly Graven is torn from his tantrum. Running to find the source of the noise beyond the cave's threshold. So too does Siren follow, just as curious as to the humming as Graven.
Exiting the cave the two are aware that the humming has gotten louder and now has started to buzz. In the distance the two are aware of three small spherical shapes heading toward them. Siren stands curious using a telescopic lens to scan the three rapidly approaching shapes before realizing danger.
"Run you idiot! Run now!" the voice in his head now more a will of compulsion then an echo.
Without thinking Graven begins to run as if his life were in jeapordy. Indeed it was. Seconds after Graven began to run Siren followed. It was too late. The buzzing became a high pitched squeel before ultimately exploding in range of Siren, the gust and shards threw her to the ground. Graven stops after a brief sprint before turning around panting.
"Don't stop you fool! Run!"
Just then amidst the smoke and rubble two spheres emerge and begin their pursuit of Graven. Urgently Graven turns about and begins to run for his life once more. He is gaining distance but still the spheres tempt to close the distance. An hour passes and Graven is near to passing out but still the voice compells him forward toward the forest in the distance. Finally reaching the forest the Etherian finds refuge hiding in the bowels of roten tree nearby. The second he falls into the tree he is assailed with all manner of many legged intrusions upon his ashen skin.With all desperation he struggles to get the bugs off of himself to no avail.
"Shut up and hold still!"
Abruptly Graven finds himself unable to move. The tiny legs proding his skin searching for food or a burrow. Again the humming returns with Graven standing unceremoniously statuesque among the bugs and the foulness of the rotten tree. After many minutes the humming has faded and now he finds himself able to move. Swatting madly and stomping he exits the tree before falling to the ground and catching his breath. Without warning the humming begins again. The time for running had passed.
"Quickly you primate, the runes. Look at it's runes."
Looking at the sphere Graven quickly responds by recognizing the runes on the surface of the sphere as parts of the earthen alphabet he learned in the cave. Intently he focuses while making the rune sequence in the air before him. The first time he fails. The second sequence stops the sphere mere feet before it would have triggered, killing aidan whether purpose faded or not.
"Now get back and hum the resonation from the cave."
Thinking back vividly he can recall the humming from the cave and as the reverberation echoed from his lips so to did a rune alight on the bomb before him.
"Now run!"
The sphere begins to vibrate then to shake and spin violently before causing a huge explosion of blue flame and wind, the effect of which leaves a large crater in the surface of the forest as we as felling a number of trees. The force of the explosion knocked Graven off his feet.
"There, now that that is settled let's get down to business," again the voice spoke.
"What is going on? Has madness finally taken me?"
"Don't be so meladramatic, you're not insane, that is you are no more insane then any others in the mortal coil."
"Who are you?"
"You know me simply by the facet in your eye, but I am all eternity. I am the will of Fracture. The touch of chaos."
"Yes I remember Iboga's tale. I remember how he called you the shattered chain of Fracture."
"Good, that will save us some time then. Already I have imparted all the knowledge you need in order to stave off the fool's onslaught of people who would steal your life to have me."
"Knowledge? What knowledge?"
"Through visions of the shadow crow and the masks have you been marked. By observation have you been touched by my hand, and the hand of all influence. For while the Masks see through you, so to do you see through them, and in time this gift will mark you as an instrument of fate."
"Instrument of fate? I can barely keep consciousness at my will, much less face some convoluted since of destiny."
"Yes, well that is a necessary consequence of our binding, but that is at an end now. Now you will sleep for the first time in these many years Graven, for we have much work to do."
"No wait I have questions...." In the middle of speaking Graven is taken for the first time in ages to dreams of his own; his family, his people, his mentor."
And so Graven slept. So deep was his slumber that it endured for twenty-seven days before ultimately he awoke to a dark sun ringed with light.
"I...I feel like myself again. The madness, the voices, the nightmares. They're gone."
"Your mind has purged the sickness of the four, for the four have found your gift warranted."
"So all these years have been a test...A test of my fortitude."
"Yes and they have deemed me as your keeper and protector. I am known as Axis."
"Why me? Why was I chosen? What makes me so special?"
"Fracture works in mysterious ways Graven, there is no way to no it's will."
"When I saw the mask of Fracture in the nightmare I was overwhelmed with fear and yet I knew not why."
"When you took the form of the crow you took in an infintesimal part of the creator himself, a being of omnipotence and divinity. With that came the one thing that he feared in all the universe, chaos. Before Fracture was released the Shadow Crow knew all, and controlled all. Once Fracture was given life all that changed. Chaos and randomness, imperfection littered the universe and so the maker's vision was clouded."
"I understand but...I no longer feel that fear. Something has changed since we entered the forest..since I rested."
"You have come as nearly as close to the maker is as allowed by a mortal, already has it touched your very essence."Axis scrutinizes his left arm to find the ether in his veins a light shade of purple, now very much like Iboga himself.
"What is this? What is happening to me?"
"When your race has touched the planes of creation they are forever changed. Some are born with this sight and in turn are struck deranged by things they cannot hope to understand. You have overcome your madness and the very essence of your being has become tainted by the journey. The violet blood now running through your veins is the evidence of this milestone."
"So all the exiles have been struck by this madness...we must find them."
"If that is your choice, so be it. Though they may not be as receptive as you hope."
* * * * * *
There Siren laid upon the ground bloodied and bruised with bones shattered and crushed. Purposefully she moves to the pad on her left arm before pushing six buttons; year, month, date, hour, minute, second. Several moments later her body flickers then fades from the time of the explosion.
Chapter 3 – The Exiled
Deep underground many years into the future, and in the laboratory of Dr. Artemis Fleinburg a light began to flicker in the emergency medical chamber. He Turns his head witnessing the light as it goes from a flicker, to a blinding light before it fades completely. As his eyes adjust back to the levels of the lab he sees Siren, his hired partner, bloodied and bruised.
"Siren!" Running to the medical capsule where nanomachines are already in place for the medical procedures that will restore her.
"Apparently I wasn't as...prepared as I would have liked."
"You have to be more careful Siren." said Artemis while glancing down at the translucent medical scanning device. "One more broken bone and it is unlikely you could even have manipulated the the temporal pad to return here."
"Somehow he manipulated me doctor... I...I can't explain it," said Siren with labored breath.
"That is enough talk for now Siren. Rest. There will be time for discussion when you are awake and rejuvenated. Hear take this."
Artemis hands her a lazinge shaped like a five pointed star. Siren swallows the star with little effort in compliance.
"V..V..Very well then doctor." Siren stammered before fainting.
Several hours pass as Artemis with surgical focus repairs the gynoid assassin that he has come to know and love as Siren Coratania. Working in tandem with the nanosuretical machines Artemis laces his artistic prowess into her broken body. Siren, the first of her kind to enter into the Holoverse, which is the universe from which all Artificial Inteligence hales from, has been working for Artemis sometime.
(DID'NT HAVE ALLOT OF TIME THIS MORNING WILL PICK BACK UP LATER 6:39AM 1.29.2010)
* * * * * *
Graven conjured a sharp edged stone and,using a vine, attached it to a long branch.
"Alot of good that's going to do you against anything lurking here."
"If I can't be prepared the least I can do is present the illusion of it." Graven said, laughing for the first time in a long time.
"Suit yourself, I am sure whatever animal kills you will be incredibly inconvenienced by the wound you give it as it's eating you alive."
Again he laughed, half-heartedly this time. His laughter, the crunching leaves and snapping twigs drowning out any noises from the forest. Graven had been in an etherforest once before when he was younger with his father, but that time seemed ages ago and now he found himself an infant in an unforgiving and ominous territory.
Three days in passed in the forest without incident until Graven stumbled upon a clearing centered by a gargantuan tree. The tree stood over ten stories high with a massive sphere of vines taking the place of the normal blood red leavs from a normal etherean tree. Like every other tree in an forest were veins of glowing red ether running all along the dark blue bark tree, the lifeblood of all things Ether dependent. As if this sphere were not odd enough the vines moved. The entire tree was in a perpetual state of transition. Always there were vines being tied and untied, tangled and untangled.
"I think this is an interesting place to make base camp Axis. It's certainly the most interesting thing we've seen so far and the area seems safe enough."
"It's a fragment of Forge itself...the force of creation. This is not possible. It is the era of Order, of purpose. It is not time for this to be here and yet there it stands. Alas this is the work of my forebearer Fracture. Forge's chain is not supposed to be in play for a millenia and the chain is supposed to be the strongest of the three... Unbreakable... If this is here it means that Forge's chain has been compromised. I agree this is the place to make base camp. I must investigate."
"What does all this mean?"
"Nevermind that. This is my ordeal. Set up camp."
Over the next several days Graven used a combination of stonecalling, the art of crafting stones from runic signs, and branches to make a rough shelter at the base of the Sphere tree. Each day Axis would try to teach him how to listen to the forest, to feel it's lifeforce, it's vibrations. Learning came slow to Graven and even the humblest of life runes were nearly impossible to learn without killing the beasts themselves or disecting the plantlife, both of which Graven refused to do.
"It will take an eternity if you keep refusing to get your hands dirty."
"I can't help it, I feel some connection to these lifeforms. Something deep inside I cannot deny."
"You can hear them but you don't listen...perhaps there will be no need for carnage after all." Axis found himself humbled by the speed at which Graven's instincts were adapting, far beyond his own comprehension.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
1/27/2010
forrestjones2010: your mask look great
cagedmind0531: Good afternoon sir
forrestjones2010: Afternoon
cagedmind0531: Yeah I finally got the forge mask done but it needs alot of work. It's very sloppy
forrestjones2010: I like it
cagedmind0531: How's your day progressing?
forrestjones2010: Jesse likes your work too
cagedmind0531: Cool
forrestjones2010: Going good...i have a new addition to my family!
cagedmind0531: Oh? A pet?
forrestjones2010: english mastiff...
cagedmind0531: That's an ugly dog isn't it? :P
forrestjones2010: Ugly & big as a houe...170 pounds
cagedmind0531: ROFL
forrestjones2010: Did you read what I wrote?
cagedmind0531: No, where is it?
forrestjones2010: on the post from last night...
cagedmind0531: Not seeing it...
forrestjones2010: The siren stuff?
cagedmind0531: One sec. Think I found it.
forrestjones2010: Fracture shard 3 at the end...the stuff we were hashing last night...
cagedmind0531: I like it so far. Good stuff. Siren is a very subtle character and I'm glad you went that direction.
forrestjones2010: Me too...its not her show...its gravens
forrestjones2010: She is just a literary device to create dialouge...
cagedmind0531: I want to show the evolution of graven from being a smart ass to a hard ass, we need some stuff devoted to his evolution
forrestjones2010: K
cagedmind0531: I mean emotionally what is he going through exactly. Does he miss something? Someone?
cagedmind0531: Missing the camping trips with Taeran his teacher definitely needs to be an element
forrestjones2010: Not following here? Elaborate
cagedmind0531: Well that scene at the start of the book isn't a village it's a camping trip. Maybe mention how he misses his teacher and wish he had his advice now.
forrestjones2010: Ok I am with you now
forrestjones2010: Didn't realize it was a camping trip
cagedmind0531: Yeah it was only 4 people.
forrestjones2010: Gotcha...but they belong to a village right?
cagedmind0531: Right
forrestjones2010: k
cagedmind0531: Maybe explain exactly why he is going mad. That the eye is driving him on or the constant failures. Something more specific then just cave dwelling
forrestjones2010: For sure
cagedmind0531: We could make the eye sentient...it could talk to him. That would definitely add some more input.
cagedmind0531: Talk to him in his head of course
forrestjones2010: Love that idea
cagedmind0531: It could even help teach him, and it should criticize him CONSTANTLY.
cagedmind0531: Filled with ideas today.
cagedmind0531: What exactly is Siren? Human? Robot? Explain her powers etc.
forrestjones2010: She is technology & a heavy does of fracture
forrestjones2010: Dose
forrestjones2010: She is also a linguist & teacher...her main fuction is a recruiter for the war
forrestjones2010: The Great War
cagedmind0531: I think going back a bit and adding the shard talking to him is going to help. It could tell him not to trust her or something.
forrestjones2010: specialty is guns & stealth coverings
forrestjones2010: Sounds perfect
cagedmind0531: I'm leaving for a bit. Be back before long
forrestjones2010: K
cagedmind0531: Home
forrestjones2010: Sup
cagedmind0531: Got a canvas at Hobby Lobby. Going to paint 1 mask in each corner and have the gaia tree probably at the center
forrestjones2010: Nice onion
cagedmind0531: onion?
forrestjones2010: Random shinanagans
cagedmind0531: What's going on sir
cagedmind0531: How's work?
forrestjones2010: Gravy baby...livin the dream...
cagedmind0531: You going to have time to do some writing tonight or do you want me to pick it up?
forrestjones2010: I can right if you want to paint yourpicture
cagedmind0531: I am not starting the painting yet. I'm not certain that is what I want to do. The masks are really hard to draw and will be 10 times harder to paint
forrestjones2010: I agree...
forrestjones2010: Just let me know what you want to do...i am flexible...i need to do a purgatory pic today too...
cagedmind0531: I'm doing some revisions and adding him talking to himself.
forrestjones2010: K
cagedmind0531: Inverted black iris sounds like she is calling herself the shard.
forrestjones2010: Change it if ya like...
cagedmind0531: What exactly is her purpose in coming to Graven? To use him as a weapon?
forrestjones2010: To observe him to see if she can learn how to make new weapons with his knowledge...or if he is a warrior...possible recruitment...
cagedmind0531: gotcha
forrestjones2010: In this visitation she realizes he is at the beginning of his learning & tracks him throughout his life
cagedmind0531: I need more description of her. What does she look like other then her trenchcoat. Is she tall? Is she tan? etc?
forrestjones2010: She thinks for a moment that she may want to attack him & take the shard...she knows its origin & other uses...but she is held back...
forrestjones2010: Tall...thin...smoking hot...megan fo hot
forrestjones2010: Fox
cagedmind0531: Again the voice resonates within him, "She has come to kill you, to take your power."
With his constant twitching Siren is noticeably offput, and now it is obvious he is scrutinizing her with some foreknowledge she did not expect.
forrestjones2010: Love it
cagedmind0531: He quickly learned that his exile and prison of solitude was two fold. It was to protect his brothers from himself and also to contain the plague of what would become his greatest gift; his core descending into the rune. This is good but a little vague.
forrestjones2010: Dig
forrestjones2010: She is the leading general of the army of the universe...one bad biaaaaatch...>:-)
cagedmind0531: Let's rope that in a bit.
cagedmind0531: No superheroes.
forrestjones2010: :-(
forrestjones2010: Not really I was joking anyway...but sh do be suppa bad
cagedmind0531: lol
forrestjones2010: She
cagedmind0531: Keep in mind that the characters are just the medium through which we explain the universe. That's the point of the book.
cagedmind0531: We can change it if it comes to that but that's where we are now
forrestjones2010: Gotcha...also remember that people love people so we need characters with depth & solid relationships which reinforces motive and morals
cagedmind0531: dig
cagedmind0531: I only gave the eye 2 lines or so. It will appear again later but for now it doesn't respect him enough to address him properly.
cagedmind0531: Corrections and revisions are done. Want me to post it?
cagedmind0531: Ya there?
cagedmind0531: poke
forrestjones2010: Here now
cagedmind0531: I wrote quite a bit, you at the computer yet?
forrestjones2010: Church tonight home at 9ish
cagedmind0531: damn ok
forrestjones2010: Send it to email & I can read it from fone
cagedmind0531: ok
cagedmind0531: what's the address again?
forrestjones2010: Forrestjones2010@gmail.com
cagedmind0531: sent
forrestjones2010: I read about half but have to put it down...what I have read so far is fantastic....some of your best work
cagedmind0531: Do you know if ink works decently on top of oil paint? If the paint is dry I mean?
forrestjones2010: Don't know
cagedmind0531: You home yet?
forrestjones2010: Almost
cagedmind0531: Cool beans
forrestjones2010: Sup nuccan
cagedmind0531: Got time to read?
forrestjones2010: Yup
cagedmind0531: k I'll post it
forrestjones2010: You realize we are approaching 40 pages...
cagedmind0531: posted
cagedmind0531: I show 27 pages when I compare it to one of my books with the same margins
forrestjones2010: I really liked the way you handled time passing
cagedmind0531: What do you mean?
forrestjones2010: Ok 27 is cool too
cagedmind0531: Seemed like a good number
cagedmind0531: If something isn't right be sure to let me know. I'm not a sensitive snowflake
forrestjones2010: Give me a sec
cagedmind0531: Also if something seems dull I'd like to know that too
cagedmind0531: Take your time
forrestjones2010: k
forrestjones2010: Tracing the rune with his finger it alit before him until finally the rock reformed before him.
forrestjones2010: just delete "before him"
cagedmind0531: kk
forrestjones2010: Graven, remembering the lessons of Taeran, would become a statue, standing stoic against the scrutizing breath of the creatures. Sometimes he would have to sit still with baited breath hours at a time before left at peace to study.
forrestjones2010: i like this but i am not sure what it is talking about
cagedmind0531: Oh remember when the beast attacked the camp and Taeran stood still so it wouldn't see him.
forrestjones2010: i thouht the beast attacked at iboga's
forrestjones2010: were there 2 attacks
cagedmind0531: Near the camp I meant
cagedmind0531: You are right. It attacked near Iboga's
forrestjones2010: ok then its fine
cagedmind0531: Should I make that more clear? Or did you just forget the standing still thing?
forrestjones2010: it would be clearer if it mentioned the attack near iboga's...but this could just be me forgetting a piece
cagedmind0531: k fixing it
forrestjones2010: other then the one you see here before you."
forrestjones2010: then=than
cagedmind0531: On occasion Etherbeasts would show their face and Graven, remembering the lessons of
cagedmind0531: Taeran regarding their sight depending on movement, would become a statue.
forrestjones2010: peaks to you."
forrestjones2010: needs"?"
cagedmind0531: let me find that
cagedmind0531: What's that full sentence?
forrestjones2010: Siren observes Graven's twitching behavior, "Are you haunted by some vision or voice? You search the cave as if it speaks to you."
forrestjones2010: Siren's voice trailed off and became hypnotizing but somewhere deep within her trepidation spread.
forrestjones2010: this is a very strong line
cagedmind0531: Cool
forrestjones2010: The four masks that Graven had originally seen and explained to Iboga appeared and descended into the space surrounding Graven.
forrestjones2010: second Graven=him
cagedmind0531: k
forrestjones2010: but to Siren time was irrelevant,
a mere variable in an equation long since solved.
forrestjones2010: very nice
forrestjones2010: alas another crag dream come to torment me are you."
forrestjones2010: needs?
cagedmind0531: k
forrestjones2010: Let drink and eat.
forrestjones2010: =let us
forrestjones2010: or let's
forrestjones2010: shrooms
forrestjones2010: rock on
cagedmind0531: lol
forrestjones2010: maybe those are making him hallucinate
forrestjones2010: played along thinking to that he may be delaying his inevitable madness by a few choice days.
forrestjones2010: too
forrestjones2010: oo intensely then i perish.
forrestjones2010: =I
forrestjones2010: capital "I"
cagedmind0531: k
forrestjones2010: He looks down at his nails worn now to the nub from carving years on end and kicks the nearest rock setting hit foot to throbbing.
forrestjones2010: making his foot throb
forrestjones2010: .
cagedmind0531: k
forrestjones2010: not sure about that one just a little akward
cagedmind0531: He looks down at his nails worn now to the nub from carving years on end. Then kicks the nearest rock making his foot throb
forrestjones2010: k
cagedmind0531: that better? or still sketchy?
forrestjones2010: better
forrestjones2010: Siren stands curious using a telescopic lens to scan the three rapidly approaching shapes before too late realizing the danger.
forrestjones2010: before its to late she realizes the danger
forrestjones2010: perhaps
cagedmind0531: k
forrestjones2010: Siren follow but it was too late.
forrestjones2010: indeed too late
forrestjones2010: the gust and shards throwing her to the ground.
forrestjones2010: threw
cagedmind0531: ahhH! trying to keep up lol
forrestjones2010: :)
forrestjones2010: The second he falls into the tree he is assailed with all manner of many legged intrusions upon his ashen skin.
forrestjones2010: not sure about this
forrestjones2010: nevermind
forrestjones2010: that one is fine
forrestjones2010: rns with Graven standing unceremoniously statuesque among the bugs and foulness of the rotten tree.
forrestjones2010: the foulness
forrestjones2010: "too late"
forrestjones2010: is used a few too many time
forrestjones2010: s
cagedmind0531: ok
cagedmind0531: k fixed that
forrestjones2010: The force of the explosion knocking Graven down as well.
cagedmind0531: Thank god for the search feature
forrestjones2010: lol
forrestjones2010: The force of the explosion knocked Graven down.
forrestjones2010: Has my madness finally taken me?
forrestjones2010: has madness finally taken me
forrestjones2010: just loose "my"
forrestjones2010: that is you are no more insane then any others in the mortal coil."
forrestjones2010: love it
cagedmind0531: k I'm caught up so far
forrestjones2010: k
forrestjones2010: The touch of chaos."
forrestjones2010: torch
forrestjones2010: or not
forrestjones2010: your call eithyer works
cagedmind0531: k
forrestjones2010: "Good, that will save us some time then. Already I have imparted all the knowledge you need in order to stave off the fool's onslaught of people who would steal your life to have me."
forrestjones2010: very powerful
forrestjones2010: i love how you introduced fracture
forrestjones2010: clever indeed
cagedmind0531: Cool beans
forrestjones2010: No wait I have question...." In the middle
forrestjones2010: a
forrestjones2010: a question
forrestjones2010: or questions
cagedmind0531: shoot
forrestjones2010: no that sentence subject/verb agreement off
cagedmind0531: oh ok
forrestjones2010: No wait I have question...." In the middle of speaking Graven is taken for the first time in ages to dreams of his own; his family, his people, his mentor."
cagedmind0531: How do I fix it?
forrestjones2010: No wait I have questions
forrestjones2010: plural
forrestjones2010: or a question=singular
cagedmind0531: oh
cagedmind0531: Your typing is gray, can you fix tthat?
cagedmind0531: It's hard to read
forrestjones2010: yes
cagedmind0531: I noticed it does that when you copy it. Weird
forrestjones2010: that better
cagedmind0531: yes
forrestjones2010: done
forrestjones2010: rock on
cagedmind0531: Were you afraid I killed Siren?
cagedmind0531: lol
forrestjones2010: yes
forrestjones2010: she can die
forrestjones2010: as we all can
forrestjones2010: nice work jason
cagedmind0531: No I don't want her to die yet. She just teleports back to the future, get's patched up by future gadgets etc
forrestjones2010: brb
cagedmind0531: I figure you can take over a where Siren is. Discuss her motive etc. Don't make it too far out there.
forrestjones2010: k
forrestjones2010: i thought she was done
forrestjones2010: just in and out to flesh out Gravens motive
forrestjones2010: i like forge btw
cagedmind0531: Oh I figured she had a larger role
forrestjones2010: lava and metal
cagedmind0531: Thanks :D
forrestjones2010: not unless you want her to
forrestjones2010: she can bounce in and out if we get stuck
forrestjones2010: she is just a literary device
forrestjones2010: unless you think she is sexy and needs to stck around
cagedmind0531: rofl. I am going to admit at first I thought she was too far out there but now I see how she can work and be a tie in between Graven and the
cagedmind0531: future
cagedmind0531: So where do we stand. Are we headed in the right direction?\
forrestjones2010: this is superb man
forrestjones2010: i am not blowing smoke
cagedmind0531: I really hope the others share your opinion
forrestjones2010: you saw the edit i just did right
forrestjones2010: there was not much wrong with it
forrestjones2010: i am telling you your writing has taken on a new level
forrestjones2010: i am a harsh critic
forrestjones2010: if its not good i will let you know
cagedmind0531: The writing is coming slower right now then it did at first but I'm trying to be consistently productive
forrestjones2010: not to go to far with this but i have read near 5000 books
forrestjones2010: i know good literature when i see it
forrestjones2010: and this is "Literature"
forrestjones2010: its not just a story
cagedmind0531: That's what I want for sure
forrestjones2010: so let's roll
cagedmind0531: Ok so let's discuss where it goes from here
forrestjones2010: i think that is a wrap for chapter 2
cagedmind0531: Agreed
forrestjones2010: lets start ch 3
cagedmind0531: Ok so chapter 3...
forrestjones2010: k
forrestjones2010: thinking
cagedmind0531: In this chapter for starters the Gaia tree is born...or found
cagedmind0531: In it's infancy
forrestjones2010: so you want to move away from graven entirely
cagedmind0531: No. Graven lives for a long long time
forrestjones2010: k
forrestjones2010: where are his people?
forrestjones2010: i know he is in exile
cagedmind0531: In a village near Iboga.
forrestjones2010: but are they ever mentioned again?
cagedmind0531: He has to deal with Iboga, so at some point he should probably return home.
forrestjones2010: question
cagedmind0531: shoot
forrestjones2010: what happened to iboga back there?
forrestjones2010: he was chunkin bombs
forrestjones2010: but where did he go after that
cagedmind0531: No, the bombs found him on their own
forrestjones2010: oh
cagedmind0531: Iboga is off god knows where
forrestjones2010: k
forrestjones2010: you had mentioned it in im
forrestjones2010: that iboga would attack
forrestjones2010: so i mixed it up in my head while reading
cagedmind0531: He basically programmed the things to track down Graven
forrestjones2010: that makes sense
forrestjones2010: does graven know he was behind it?
cagedmind0531: With the next bomb he finds the shard tells him.
cagedmind0531: The eye didn't want to risk it this time but next time he freezes a bomb in the air the eye asks to examine it
forrestjones2010: ah ok
forrestjones2010: so fracture is now leading graven conciosly now right
cagedmind0531: Not leading, more like advising, observing. Helping sometimes with some motive we don't know
forrestjones2010: k
cagedmind0531: The eye needs a name
forrestjones2010: but graven is aware that he is there?
cagedmind0531: He's aware the eye is communicating with him
forrestjones2010: The Eschaton
forrestjones2010: it is the singularity at the end of time
forrestjones2010: k
cagedmind0531: I like that word but not that meaning
forrestjones2010: it is the object of Eschatology
forrestjones2010: Soliton
forrestjones2010: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soliton
cagedmind0531: I like that word. I was thinking something more...practical. Something he can be called all the time without it being something noticeable
forrestjones2010: gotcha
forrestjones2010: sometimes i like flash
cagedmind0531: in other words
cagedmind0531: If I say soliton 3 times it starts to get bleh
forrestjones2010: how about Axis Mutatis
cagedmind0531: AXIS!
cagedmind0531: Axis works
forrestjones2010: ok i was trying to be funny
cagedmind0531: I like Axis
forrestjones2010: but cool
forrestjones2010: i do to
forrestjones2010: and your right about soliton
forrestjones2010: it is a one timer
forrestjones2010: why do you choose gai next?
forrestjones2010: gaia
cagedmind0531: What do you mean?
forrestjones2010: why do you want to go the direction gaia tree next?
forrestjones2010: just curious
forrestjones2010: do you have an order in mind?
cagedmind0531: I don't want to devote the chapter to it but basically something is done that sparks the creation of the Gaia tree. He leaves the forest
cagedmind0531: and returns home. While gaia evolves
forrestjones2010: k
forrestjones2010: what about a mistake he makes while trying to creat something different
cagedmind0531: That would work.
forrestjones2010: what does the gai tree become
cagedmind0531: The center of worship, of a culture. Whether it actually does anything I don't know
forrestjones2010: k
cagedmind0531: This chapter he becomes a teacher
cagedmind0531: He finds the others, and they are primal. They've gone mad
forrestjones2010: ok to whom his people
cagedmind0531: The other exiles
forrestjones2010: k
forrestjones2010: now im with you
cagedmind0531: He saves one from a rune bomb and that is where he finds out it's Iboga. The primals could hear that name and recoil.
forrestjones2010: the primals are the exiles?
cagedmind0531: yes
cagedmind0531: Unlike graven they were born with chaos-site. As children they were thrown into the wilds
cagedmind0531: chaos-sight*
forrestjones2010: i like
forrestjones2010: he teaches them to make things from runes while honing his craft
cagedmind0531: His main way of teaching them will be to teach them to deal with the madness that comes with rune-sight
cagedmind0531: but both for sure
forrestjones2010: what is the goal of this teaching?
cagedmind0531: To restore them to society while teaching them control of their power.
forrestjones2010: after they are educated where does graven go
cagedmind0531: I think one of his students should be killed by a rune and at that point he decides to settle things with Iboga.
cagedmind0531: I have a very elaborate scene where toward the end of their education they freeze and explosion in ice then take the momentum of the explosion
cagedmind0531: into themselves to save them Scarring them all.
cagedmind0531: an*
cagedmind0531: to save him rather*
forrestjones2010: when did you wite that
cagedmind0531: Long time ago when I wrote the forest stuff.
forrestjones2010: k
cagedmind0531: Ok this is kind of hard to explain...
forrestjones2010: do you think an outline would be useful?
forrestjones2010: or stifling
cagedmind0531: one sec let me get this out. Probably would be
cagedmind0531: helpful maybe
cagedmind0531: But there is a tree. It later becomes the Gaia tree. Basically it has vines. Each vine has a resonance that coincides with a creature in the
cagedmind0531: forest
cagedmind0531: Every time there is a growl, howl, caw, anything one of the vines unwraps
cagedmind0531: He makes it his goal to basically untie this massive tree and once he does he makes his home at the base that held the sphere atop the tree.
cagedmind0531: Ok I think that's what I want but how to explain it and how to impliment it is another matter. That is if you think it's a cool idea.
cagedmind0531: If not no worries
forrestjones2010: i do like the idea
forrestjones2010: just rying to understand it in the context of what era we are in and when and how do we shift to the next era
cagedmind0531: OMG The student that dies could be called Gaia and that's what he names the tree after
forrestjones2010: trying*
forrestjones2010: hells brink i think he's got it
cagedmind0531: lol
cagedmind0531: So he calls his home Gaia and eventually from the primals a city is born.
cagedmind0531: With Gaia at it's center.
cagedmind0531: Somehow the tree changes and starts to mutate everything around it
forrestjones2010: love it lets role with this
cagedmind0531: With what we have you mean or keep going?
forrestjones2010: graven goes back to primals teaches them gaias killed gaia become tree then city
forrestjones2010: thats ch 3
cagedmind0531: lol
forrestjones2010: serious that is a rough outine but that makes for a good ch
cagedmind0531: Just the way you worded it
cagedmind0531: :P
forrestjones2010: gotcha
forrestjones2010: that work for you?
cagedmind0531: The hard part is explaining why the tree works. The reason it is important to him is of course it's a test.
cagedmind0531: Yes that works
cagedmind0531: The chapter after this will be interesting because I have no clue what we are going to do with it. This is the last chapter I've worked on before
forrestjones2010: no bother i have ideas...
forrestjones2010: oh and if we need it i have a screen play all about gaia
forrestjones2010: we can rip that up too
cagedmind0531: One thing we need to do is add more history of the universe
cagedmind0531: The spell that creates the universe etc
forrestjones2010: agreed
cagedmind0531: Not sure how...
forrestjones2010: the bird speaks the spell right
cagedmind0531: yes
forrestjones2010: k
forrestjones2010: i have some thoughts percolatin on that there too
cagedmind0531: Oh?
forrestjones2010: they aints quite ruddy yet...they still percolatin
cagedmind0531: alrighty
cagedmind0531: As far as illustrations go for chapter 3I have many many ideas but chapter 2 is going to need some more.
forrestjones2010: i can carve some visualls out of two
cagedmind0531: I have a rune bomb drawn
cagedmind0531: You online a while?
forrestjones2010: actually i have to get up early so i will be out in a little while
cagedmind0531: k I was gonna scan some stuff to show you but if you gotta go soon I'll do it later
forrestjones2010: go ahead
forrestjones2010: i have about 20 minutes left or so
cagedmind0531: k brb
cagedmind0531: still there?
forrestjones2010: yup
forrestjones2010: purpose is fading fast for the night though
forrestjones2010: you postin them to the site
cagedmind0531: Yes
cagedmind0531: almost done
cagedmind0531: Posted
forrestjones2010: K
Last message received on 1/28 at 12:52 AM
forrestjones2010: Nice work...
forrestjones2010: I must go dreamy by now
cagedmind0531: I've had these drawings for years. Glad they are finally going to be of use
cagedmind0531: Night man
forrestjones2010: Nite...good stuff today...wow today was amazing...
cagedmind0531: Yeah I was a bit worried but we did good stuff
forrestjones2010: No worries mate
forrestjones2010: Will you post todays convo to blog
cagedmind0531: Yeah can do
cagedmind0531: Good afternoon sir
forrestjones2010: Afternoon
cagedmind0531: Yeah I finally got the forge mask done but it needs alot of work. It's very sloppy
forrestjones2010: I like it
cagedmind0531: How's your day progressing?
forrestjones2010: Jesse likes your work too
cagedmind0531: Cool
forrestjones2010: Going good...i have a new addition to my family!
cagedmind0531: Oh? A pet?
forrestjones2010: english mastiff...
cagedmind0531: That's an ugly dog isn't it? :P
forrestjones2010: Ugly & big as a houe...170 pounds
cagedmind0531: ROFL
forrestjones2010: Did you read what I wrote?
cagedmind0531: No, where is it?
forrestjones2010: on the post from last night...
cagedmind0531: Not seeing it...
forrestjones2010: The siren stuff?
cagedmind0531: One sec. Think I found it.
forrestjones2010: Fracture shard 3 at the end...the stuff we were hashing last night...
cagedmind0531: I like it so far. Good stuff. Siren is a very subtle character and I'm glad you went that direction.
forrestjones2010: Me too...its not her show...its gravens
forrestjones2010: She is just a literary device to create dialouge...
cagedmind0531: I want to show the evolution of graven from being a smart ass to a hard ass, we need some stuff devoted to his evolution
forrestjones2010: K
cagedmind0531: I mean emotionally what is he going through exactly. Does he miss something? Someone?
cagedmind0531: Missing the camping trips with Taeran his teacher definitely needs to be an element
forrestjones2010: Not following here? Elaborate
cagedmind0531: Well that scene at the start of the book isn't a village it's a camping trip. Maybe mention how he misses his teacher and wish he had his advice now.
forrestjones2010: Ok I am with you now
forrestjones2010: Didn't realize it was a camping trip
cagedmind0531: Yeah it was only 4 people.
forrestjones2010: Gotcha...but they belong to a village right?
cagedmind0531: Right
forrestjones2010: k
cagedmind0531: Maybe explain exactly why he is going mad. That the eye is driving him on or the constant failures. Something more specific then just cave dwelling
forrestjones2010: For sure
cagedmind0531: We could make the eye sentient...it could talk to him. That would definitely add some more input.
cagedmind0531: Talk to him in his head of course
forrestjones2010: Love that idea
cagedmind0531: It could even help teach him, and it should criticize him CONSTANTLY.
cagedmind0531: Filled with ideas today.
cagedmind0531: What exactly is Siren? Human? Robot? Explain her powers etc.
forrestjones2010: She is technology & a heavy does of fracture
forrestjones2010: Dose
forrestjones2010: She is also a linguist & teacher...her main fuction is a recruiter for the war
forrestjones2010: The Great War
cagedmind0531: I think going back a bit and adding the shard talking to him is going to help. It could tell him not to trust her or something.
forrestjones2010: specialty is guns & stealth coverings
forrestjones2010: Sounds perfect
cagedmind0531: I'm leaving for a bit. Be back before long
forrestjones2010: K
cagedmind0531: Home
forrestjones2010: Sup
cagedmind0531: Got a canvas at Hobby Lobby. Going to paint 1 mask in each corner and have the gaia tree probably at the center
forrestjones2010: Nice onion
cagedmind0531: onion?
forrestjones2010: Random shinanagans
cagedmind0531: What's going on sir
cagedmind0531: How's work?
forrestjones2010: Gravy baby...livin the dream...
cagedmind0531: You going to have time to do some writing tonight or do you want me to pick it up?
forrestjones2010: I can right if you want to paint yourpicture
cagedmind0531: I am not starting the painting yet. I'm not certain that is what I want to do. The masks are really hard to draw and will be 10 times harder to paint
forrestjones2010: I agree...
forrestjones2010: Just let me know what you want to do...i am flexible...i need to do a purgatory pic today too...
cagedmind0531: I'm doing some revisions and adding him talking to himself.
forrestjones2010: K
cagedmind0531: Inverted black iris sounds like she is calling herself the shard.
forrestjones2010: Change it if ya like...
cagedmind0531: What exactly is her purpose in coming to Graven? To use him as a weapon?
forrestjones2010: To observe him to see if she can learn how to make new weapons with his knowledge...or if he is a warrior...possible recruitment...
cagedmind0531: gotcha
forrestjones2010: In this visitation she realizes he is at the beginning of his learning & tracks him throughout his life
cagedmind0531: I need more description of her. What does she look like other then her trenchcoat. Is she tall? Is she tan? etc?
forrestjones2010: She thinks for a moment that she may want to attack him & take the shard...she knows its origin & other uses...but she is held back...
forrestjones2010: Tall...thin...smoking hot...megan fo hot
forrestjones2010: Fox
cagedmind0531: Again the voice resonates within him, "She has come to kill you, to take your power."
With his constant twitching Siren is noticeably offput, and now it is obvious he is scrutinizing her with some foreknowledge she did not expect.
forrestjones2010: Love it
cagedmind0531: He quickly learned that his exile and prison of solitude was two fold. It was to protect his brothers from himself and also to contain the plague of what would become his greatest gift; his core descending into the rune. This is good but a little vague.
forrestjones2010: Dig
forrestjones2010: She is the leading general of the army of the universe...one bad biaaaaatch...>:-)
cagedmind0531: Let's rope that in a bit.
cagedmind0531: No superheroes.
forrestjones2010: :-(
forrestjones2010: Not really I was joking anyway...but sh do be suppa bad
cagedmind0531: lol
forrestjones2010: She
cagedmind0531: Keep in mind that the characters are just the medium through which we explain the universe. That's the point of the book.
cagedmind0531: We can change it if it comes to that but that's where we are now
forrestjones2010: Gotcha...also remember that people love people so we need characters with depth & solid relationships which reinforces motive and morals
cagedmind0531: dig
cagedmind0531: I only gave the eye 2 lines or so. It will appear again later but for now it doesn't respect him enough to address him properly.
cagedmind0531: Corrections and revisions are done. Want me to post it?
cagedmind0531: Ya there?
cagedmind0531: poke
forrestjones2010: Here now
cagedmind0531: I wrote quite a bit, you at the computer yet?
forrestjones2010: Church tonight home at 9ish
cagedmind0531: damn ok
forrestjones2010: Send it to email & I can read it from fone
cagedmind0531: ok
cagedmind0531: what's the address again?
forrestjones2010: Forrestjones2010@gmail.com
cagedmind0531: sent
forrestjones2010: I read about half but have to put it down...what I have read so far is fantastic....some of your best work
cagedmind0531: Do you know if ink works decently on top of oil paint? If the paint is dry I mean?
forrestjones2010: Don't know
cagedmind0531: You home yet?
forrestjones2010: Almost
cagedmind0531: Cool beans
forrestjones2010: Sup nuccan
cagedmind0531: Got time to read?
forrestjones2010: Yup
cagedmind0531: k I'll post it
forrestjones2010: You realize we are approaching 40 pages...
cagedmind0531: posted
cagedmind0531: I show 27 pages when I compare it to one of my books with the same margins
forrestjones2010: I really liked the way you handled time passing
cagedmind0531: What do you mean?
forrestjones2010: Ok 27 is cool too
cagedmind0531: Seemed like a good number
cagedmind0531: If something isn't right be sure to let me know. I'm not a sensitive snowflake
forrestjones2010: Give me a sec
cagedmind0531: Also if something seems dull I'd like to know that too
cagedmind0531: Take your time
forrestjones2010: k
forrestjones2010: Tracing the rune with his finger it alit before him until finally the rock reformed before him.
forrestjones2010: just delete "before him"
cagedmind0531: kk
forrestjones2010: Graven, remembering the lessons of Taeran, would become a statue, standing stoic against the scrutizing breath of the creatures. Sometimes he would have to sit still with baited breath hours at a time before left at peace to study.
forrestjones2010: i like this but i am not sure what it is talking about
cagedmind0531: Oh remember when the beast attacked the camp and Taeran stood still so it wouldn't see him.
forrestjones2010: i thouht the beast attacked at iboga's
forrestjones2010: were there 2 attacks
cagedmind0531: Near the camp I meant
cagedmind0531: You are right. It attacked near Iboga's
forrestjones2010: ok then its fine
cagedmind0531: Should I make that more clear? Or did you just forget the standing still thing?
forrestjones2010: it would be clearer if it mentioned the attack near iboga's...but this could just be me forgetting a piece
cagedmind0531: k fixing it
forrestjones2010: other then the one you see here before you."
forrestjones2010: then=than
cagedmind0531: On occasion Etherbeasts would show their face and Graven, remembering the lessons of
cagedmind0531: Taeran regarding their sight depending on movement, would become a statue.
forrestjones2010: peaks to you."
forrestjones2010: needs"?"
cagedmind0531: let me find that
cagedmind0531: What's that full sentence?
forrestjones2010: Siren observes Graven's twitching behavior, "Are you haunted by some vision or voice? You search the cave as if it speaks to you."
forrestjones2010: Siren's voice trailed off and became hypnotizing but somewhere deep within her trepidation spread.
forrestjones2010: this is a very strong line
cagedmind0531: Cool
forrestjones2010: The four masks that Graven had originally seen and explained to Iboga appeared and descended into the space surrounding Graven.
forrestjones2010: second Graven=him
cagedmind0531: k
forrestjones2010: but to Siren time was irrelevant,
a mere variable in an equation long since solved.
forrestjones2010: very nice
forrestjones2010: alas another crag dream come to torment me are you."
forrestjones2010: needs?
cagedmind0531: k
forrestjones2010: Let drink and eat.
forrestjones2010: =let us
forrestjones2010: or let's
forrestjones2010: shrooms
forrestjones2010: rock on
cagedmind0531: lol
forrestjones2010: maybe those are making him hallucinate
forrestjones2010: played along thinking to that he may be delaying his inevitable madness by a few choice days.
forrestjones2010: too
forrestjones2010: oo intensely then i perish.
forrestjones2010: =I
forrestjones2010: capital "I"
cagedmind0531: k
forrestjones2010: He looks down at his nails worn now to the nub from carving years on end and kicks the nearest rock setting hit foot to throbbing.
forrestjones2010: making his foot throb
forrestjones2010: .
cagedmind0531: k
forrestjones2010: not sure about that one just a little akward
cagedmind0531: He looks down at his nails worn now to the nub from carving years on end. Then kicks the nearest rock making his foot throb
forrestjones2010: k
cagedmind0531: that better? or still sketchy?
forrestjones2010: better
forrestjones2010: Siren stands curious using a telescopic lens to scan the three rapidly approaching shapes before too late realizing the danger.
forrestjones2010: before its to late she realizes the danger
forrestjones2010: perhaps
cagedmind0531: k
forrestjones2010: Siren follow but it was too late.
forrestjones2010: indeed too late
forrestjones2010: the gust and shards throwing her to the ground.
forrestjones2010: threw
cagedmind0531: ahhH! trying to keep up lol
forrestjones2010: :)
forrestjones2010: The second he falls into the tree he is assailed with all manner of many legged intrusions upon his ashen skin.
forrestjones2010: not sure about this
forrestjones2010: nevermind
forrestjones2010: that one is fine
forrestjones2010: rns with Graven standing unceremoniously statuesque among the bugs and foulness of the rotten tree.
forrestjones2010: the foulness
forrestjones2010: "too late"
forrestjones2010: is used a few too many time
forrestjones2010: s
cagedmind0531: ok
cagedmind0531: k fixed that
forrestjones2010: The force of the explosion knocking Graven down as well.
cagedmind0531: Thank god for the search feature
forrestjones2010: lol
forrestjones2010: The force of the explosion knocked Graven down.
forrestjones2010: Has my madness finally taken me?
forrestjones2010: has madness finally taken me
forrestjones2010: just loose "my"
forrestjones2010: that is you are no more insane then any others in the mortal coil."
forrestjones2010: love it
cagedmind0531: k I'm caught up so far
forrestjones2010: k
forrestjones2010: The touch of chaos."
forrestjones2010: torch
forrestjones2010: or not
forrestjones2010: your call eithyer works
cagedmind0531: k
forrestjones2010: "Good, that will save us some time then. Already I have imparted all the knowledge you need in order to stave off the fool's onslaught of people who would steal your life to have me."
forrestjones2010: very powerful
forrestjones2010: i love how you introduced fracture
forrestjones2010: clever indeed
cagedmind0531: Cool beans
forrestjones2010: No wait I have question...." In the middle
forrestjones2010: a
forrestjones2010: a question
forrestjones2010: or questions
cagedmind0531: shoot
forrestjones2010: no that sentence subject/verb agreement off
cagedmind0531: oh ok
forrestjones2010: No wait I have question...." In the middle of speaking Graven is taken for the first time in ages to dreams of his own; his family, his people, his mentor."
cagedmind0531: How do I fix it?
forrestjones2010: No wait I have questions
forrestjones2010: plural
forrestjones2010: or a question=singular
cagedmind0531: oh
cagedmind0531: Your typing is gray, can you fix tthat?
cagedmind0531: It's hard to read
forrestjones2010: yes
cagedmind0531: I noticed it does that when you copy it. Weird
forrestjones2010: that better
cagedmind0531: yes
forrestjones2010: done
forrestjones2010: rock on
cagedmind0531: Were you afraid I killed Siren?
cagedmind0531: lol
forrestjones2010: yes
forrestjones2010: she can die
forrestjones2010: as we all can
forrestjones2010: nice work jason
cagedmind0531: No I don't want her to die yet. She just teleports back to the future, get's patched up by future gadgets etc
forrestjones2010: brb
cagedmind0531: I figure you can take over a where Siren is. Discuss her motive etc. Don't make it too far out there.
forrestjones2010: k
forrestjones2010: i thought she was done
forrestjones2010: just in and out to flesh out Gravens motive
forrestjones2010: i like forge btw
cagedmind0531: Oh I figured she had a larger role
forrestjones2010: lava and metal
cagedmind0531: Thanks :D
forrestjones2010: not unless you want her to
forrestjones2010: she can bounce in and out if we get stuck
forrestjones2010: she is just a literary device
forrestjones2010: unless you think she is sexy and needs to stck around
cagedmind0531: rofl. I am going to admit at first I thought she was too far out there but now I see how she can work and be a tie in between Graven and the
cagedmind0531: future
cagedmind0531: So where do we stand. Are we headed in the right direction?\
forrestjones2010: this is superb man
forrestjones2010: i am not blowing smoke
cagedmind0531: I really hope the others share your opinion
forrestjones2010: you saw the edit i just did right
forrestjones2010: there was not much wrong with it
forrestjones2010: i am telling you your writing has taken on a new level
forrestjones2010: i am a harsh critic
forrestjones2010: if its not good i will let you know
cagedmind0531: The writing is coming slower right now then it did at first but I'm trying to be consistently productive
forrestjones2010: not to go to far with this but i have read near 5000 books
forrestjones2010: i know good literature when i see it
forrestjones2010: and this is "Literature"
forrestjones2010: its not just a story
cagedmind0531: That's what I want for sure
forrestjones2010: so let's roll
cagedmind0531: Ok so let's discuss where it goes from here
forrestjones2010: i think that is a wrap for chapter 2
cagedmind0531: Agreed
forrestjones2010: lets start ch 3
cagedmind0531: Ok so chapter 3...
forrestjones2010: k
forrestjones2010: thinking
cagedmind0531: In this chapter for starters the Gaia tree is born...or found
cagedmind0531: In it's infancy
forrestjones2010: so you want to move away from graven entirely
cagedmind0531: No. Graven lives for a long long time
forrestjones2010: k
forrestjones2010: where are his people?
forrestjones2010: i know he is in exile
cagedmind0531: In a village near Iboga.
forrestjones2010: but are they ever mentioned again?
cagedmind0531: He has to deal with Iboga, so at some point he should probably return home.
forrestjones2010: question
cagedmind0531: shoot
forrestjones2010: what happened to iboga back there?
forrestjones2010: he was chunkin bombs
forrestjones2010: but where did he go after that
cagedmind0531: No, the bombs found him on their own
forrestjones2010: oh
cagedmind0531: Iboga is off god knows where
forrestjones2010: k
forrestjones2010: you had mentioned it in im
forrestjones2010: that iboga would attack
forrestjones2010: so i mixed it up in my head while reading
cagedmind0531: He basically programmed the things to track down Graven
forrestjones2010: that makes sense
forrestjones2010: does graven know he was behind it?
cagedmind0531: With the next bomb he finds the shard tells him.
cagedmind0531: The eye didn't want to risk it this time but next time he freezes a bomb in the air the eye asks to examine it
forrestjones2010: ah ok
forrestjones2010: so fracture is now leading graven conciosly now right
cagedmind0531: Not leading, more like advising, observing. Helping sometimes with some motive we don't know
forrestjones2010: k
cagedmind0531: The eye needs a name
forrestjones2010: but graven is aware that he is there?
cagedmind0531: He's aware the eye is communicating with him
forrestjones2010: The Eschaton
forrestjones2010: it is the singularity at the end of time
forrestjones2010: k
cagedmind0531: I like that word but not that meaning
forrestjones2010: it is the object of Eschatology
forrestjones2010: Soliton
forrestjones2010: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soliton
cagedmind0531: I like that word. I was thinking something more...practical. Something he can be called all the time without it being something noticeable
forrestjones2010: gotcha
forrestjones2010: sometimes i like flash
cagedmind0531: in other words
cagedmind0531: If I say soliton 3 times it starts to get bleh
forrestjones2010: how about Axis Mutatis
cagedmind0531: AXIS!
cagedmind0531: Axis works
forrestjones2010: ok i was trying to be funny
cagedmind0531: I like Axis
forrestjones2010: but cool
forrestjones2010: i do to
forrestjones2010: and your right about soliton
forrestjones2010: it is a one timer
forrestjones2010: why do you choose gai next?
forrestjones2010: gaia
cagedmind0531: What do you mean?
forrestjones2010: why do you want to go the direction gaia tree next?
forrestjones2010: just curious
forrestjones2010: do you have an order in mind?
cagedmind0531: I don't want to devote the chapter to it but basically something is done that sparks the creation of the Gaia tree. He leaves the forest
cagedmind0531: and returns home. While gaia evolves
forrestjones2010: k
forrestjones2010: what about a mistake he makes while trying to creat something different
cagedmind0531: That would work.
forrestjones2010: what does the gai tree become
cagedmind0531: The center of worship, of a culture. Whether it actually does anything I don't know
forrestjones2010: k
cagedmind0531: This chapter he becomes a teacher
cagedmind0531: He finds the others, and they are primal. They've gone mad
forrestjones2010: ok to whom his people
cagedmind0531: The other exiles
forrestjones2010: k
forrestjones2010: now im with you
cagedmind0531: He saves one from a rune bomb and that is where he finds out it's Iboga. The primals could hear that name and recoil.
forrestjones2010: the primals are the exiles?
cagedmind0531: yes
cagedmind0531: Unlike graven they were born with chaos-site. As children they were thrown into the wilds
cagedmind0531: chaos-sight*
forrestjones2010: i like
forrestjones2010: he teaches them to make things from runes while honing his craft
cagedmind0531: His main way of teaching them will be to teach them to deal with the madness that comes with rune-sight
cagedmind0531: but both for sure
forrestjones2010: what is the goal of this teaching?
cagedmind0531: To restore them to society while teaching them control of their power.
forrestjones2010: after they are educated where does graven go
cagedmind0531: I think one of his students should be killed by a rune and at that point he decides to settle things with Iboga.
cagedmind0531: I have a very elaborate scene where toward the end of their education they freeze and explosion in ice then take the momentum of the explosion
cagedmind0531: into themselves to save them Scarring them all.
cagedmind0531: an*
cagedmind0531: to save him rather*
forrestjones2010: when did you wite that
cagedmind0531: Long time ago when I wrote the forest stuff.
forrestjones2010: k
cagedmind0531: Ok this is kind of hard to explain...
forrestjones2010: do you think an outline would be useful?
forrestjones2010: or stifling
cagedmind0531: one sec let me get this out. Probably would be
cagedmind0531: helpful maybe
cagedmind0531: But there is a tree. It later becomes the Gaia tree. Basically it has vines. Each vine has a resonance that coincides with a creature in the
cagedmind0531: forest
cagedmind0531: Every time there is a growl, howl, caw, anything one of the vines unwraps
cagedmind0531: He makes it his goal to basically untie this massive tree and once he does he makes his home at the base that held the sphere atop the tree.
cagedmind0531: Ok I think that's what I want but how to explain it and how to impliment it is another matter. That is if you think it's a cool idea.
cagedmind0531: If not no worries
forrestjones2010: i do like the idea
forrestjones2010: just rying to understand it in the context of what era we are in and when and how do we shift to the next era
cagedmind0531: OMG The student that dies could be called Gaia and that's what he names the tree after
forrestjones2010: trying*
forrestjones2010: hells brink i think he's got it
cagedmind0531: lol
cagedmind0531: So he calls his home Gaia and eventually from the primals a city is born.
cagedmind0531: With Gaia at it's center.
cagedmind0531: Somehow the tree changes and starts to mutate everything around it
forrestjones2010: love it lets role with this
cagedmind0531: With what we have you mean or keep going?
forrestjones2010: graven goes back to primals teaches them gaias killed gaia become tree then city
forrestjones2010: thats ch 3
cagedmind0531: lol
forrestjones2010: serious that is a rough outine but that makes for a good ch
cagedmind0531: Just the way you worded it
cagedmind0531: :P
forrestjones2010: gotcha
forrestjones2010: that work for you?
cagedmind0531: The hard part is explaining why the tree works. The reason it is important to him is of course it's a test.
cagedmind0531: Yes that works
cagedmind0531: The chapter after this will be interesting because I have no clue what we are going to do with it. This is the last chapter I've worked on before
forrestjones2010: no bother i have ideas...
forrestjones2010: oh and if we need it i have a screen play all about gaia
forrestjones2010: we can rip that up too
cagedmind0531: One thing we need to do is add more history of the universe
cagedmind0531: The spell that creates the universe etc
forrestjones2010: agreed
cagedmind0531: Not sure how...
forrestjones2010: the bird speaks the spell right
cagedmind0531: yes
forrestjones2010: k
forrestjones2010: i have some thoughts percolatin on that there too
cagedmind0531: Oh?
forrestjones2010: they aints quite ruddy yet...they still percolatin
cagedmind0531: alrighty
cagedmind0531: As far as illustrations go for chapter 3I have many many ideas but chapter 2 is going to need some more.
forrestjones2010: i can carve some visualls out of two
cagedmind0531: I have a rune bomb drawn
cagedmind0531: You online a while?
forrestjones2010: actually i have to get up early so i will be out in a little while
cagedmind0531: k I was gonna scan some stuff to show you but if you gotta go soon I'll do it later
forrestjones2010: go ahead
forrestjones2010: i have about 20 minutes left or so
cagedmind0531: k brb
cagedmind0531: still there?
forrestjones2010: yup
forrestjones2010: purpose is fading fast for the night though
forrestjones2010: you postin them to the site
cagedmind0531: Yes
cagedmind0531: almost done
cagedmind0531: Posted
forrestjones2010: K
Last message received on 1/28 at 12:52 AM
forrestjones2010: Nice work...
forrestjones2010: I must go dreamy by now
cagedmind0531: I've had these drawings for years. Glad they are finally going to be of use
cagedmind0531: Night man
forrestjones2010: Nite...good stuff today...wow today was amazing...
cagedmind0531: Yeah I was a bit worried but we did good stuff
forrestjones2010: No worries mate
forrestjones2010: Will you post todays convo to blog
cagedmind0531: Yeah can do
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