[F22-PP] Lost Thoughts Remain

[Sam 0]

Walking through the mist endlessly, aimlessly... Unsure what the purpose of it was. It had been a week since she left Kat standing there...waiting, wondering why. No one had come looking, but messages had been flooding in like a waterfall. No reply's, no glances, no words just thoughts. Sickening, awful, rampaged thoughts of her own volition. Betrayal, would Kat even talk to her again... Feeling like she was drowning, could catch her breath, yet she was still breathing normally. No food, eyes heavy, staring into the seeming nothingness of her life. Would death be better than this? 

Standing now in front of her own house, uknowing how or when she got there. Eyes come back into view seeing Lium sitting there on the small padio. Mind flashing back to that night, feeling like she would weep but there was nothing left to come out. Standing there staring at Lium who notices her. Starting to get up slowly or maybe that was just Sam see what her mind felt like, slowmotion. His mouth was moving but no words were being said... or was it that she could hear what was being spoke. Was he even there... Was this just all in her head... Sam starts to walk forward past the man, a grip on the door handle and she feels something around her hand. Looking down slowly gerking it away. Moving past the doorway and slamming the door behind her, with an instictually finger to the lock. Eyes, unable to move from the interior of her living room. It's like time was still... nothing was happening... 

Suddenly, feeling something... something was good... Heat boiling... Next thing she realized, that couch of hers was slamming against the wall...

Sam | HP: 820/820 | EN: 100/100 | DMG: 23 | MIT: 20 | EVA: 3 | ACC: 4 | LD: 4 | AA | PHASE | REC: 8

Spoiler

Sam,
Level: 32
Paragon Level: 45
HP: 820/820
EN: 100/100

Stats:
Damage: 23
Mitigation: 20
Evasion: 3
Accuracy: 4
Loot Dice: 4
AA
PHASE
REC: 8

Equipped Gear:
Weapon: Oracle's Watch - Inquiry (THBA-T4-Demonic): Absolute Accuracy, Accuracy 2, Phase
Armor: Acolyte's Light (T4-Perfect-Cloth Armor): Evasion 1, Recovery 2
Misc: Gold Promise - Din's Flame (T1/Perfect):Accuracy 1, Evasion 2 

Custom Skill:

Skills:
Axe R5
Cloth Armor R5
Searching R4
Quick Change

Active Mods:
Vanish
Surprise Attack (Trickster)
Tracking
Athletics
Blindside

Inactive Mods:

Addons:
Ferocity
Stamina
Precision

Active Extra Skills:
Hiding R5
Concentration

Inactive Extra Skills:

Battle Ready Inventory:
Analyst's Harvester - Lethargy (THBA-T4-Demonic): Envenom 1, Bleed 1, Frostbite 1, Static 1 x1
Hellish Bottomless-Pit of Curry +2 ACC Feast x

Housing Buffs:
Well Rested: -1 energy cost for the first three expenditures of each combat
Squeaky Clean: The first time you would suffer DoT damage in a thread, reduce damage taken from DoT each turn by 25% (rounded down)
Hard Working: +2 EXP per crafting attempt and +1 crafting attempt per day
Filling: Increase the effectiveness of a single food item consumed in a thread by +1 T1 slot.
Item Stash: +1 Battle Ready Inventory Slot
Delicious: Turn 3 identical food items (same quality, tier, & enhancements) into a Feast. A Feast contains 6 portions of the food items sacrificed.
Relaxed: Increases out of combat HP regen by (5 * Tier HP) and decreases full energy regen to 2 Out of Combat Posts.
Skylight (-): +1 Rank to the - skill.
Angler: +1 material gained when fishing
Advanced Training: +10% Exp to a thread. Limit one use per month [1/1]
Multipurpose: Gain +1 to LD, Stealth Rating, Stealth Detection, or Prosperity to one post in a thread. Can be applied after a roll
Decor [(Potted Tanabata)]: This buff affects the player and their choice of up to two party members.

Guild Hall Buffs:
Lucrative: Reduce LD needed for Salvage by 5 (10+ for Alchemist crystals, 6+ for everything else). +2 EXP per craft. Rank 9 crafters receive +1 crafting attempt per day. Rank 10 crafters receive +2 crafting attempts per day.
Col Deposit: +5% bonus col from last-hit monster kills and +10% bonus col from treasure chests.

Scents of the Wild:

Wedding Ring:

 

[Lium 1]

Sitting there on the steps of Sam's abode, she had to come back eventually right? It has been a week and over a dozen messages had been sent to her just by Lium alone. There was supposed to be a wedding, but Sam never showed up.  After a few days Lium thought that is was just cold feet and that she needed a few days to recoup. After a few more days, he started thinking that something must have happened to her. The thought crossed his mind to send out a search party. Lium kept glancing to his friends list to make sure her name wasn't crossed out. Sending another message with nothing in return. Starting to grow worried, that the woman that he once loved could be missing or worse. A few more messages... still nothing. 

A few more days pass, holding a paper cup full of as much coffee as it could hold. Nawding off was not an option. His leg was bounding as his finger was tapping on the cup. Suddenly hearing foot fall in the distance... Sam walks out from the misted forest and just stands there staring. "Where the hell have you been?" Sam says nothing. Lium gets up from where he was sitting placing the cup on the stairs. "Sam you look like fucking hell..." Still not a word from her. The woman beings walking toward him, "Sam tell me what happened, please..." brows nerrow as she walks up the stairs, not a peep. Lium tries to grab her hand to get her attention, looking down toward him, her face looked almost zobified. Jerking from his grip, the door slams dam near in is face. Moments later he hears crashing within the building. Pounding on the door now, "Sam... Sam let me in... Sam..."

After a few minutes, it still sounded like she was breaking everything in the house. Who knew she had it in her.

Opening his HUD now, scrolling though the Firn Anima Guild names... Tapping a name and sending out a message:

Freyd: "Whatever your doing stop. Sam showed back at her place and it sounds like a typhoon of destruction in her house. She locked herself in and it almost seemed like she couldn't hear me. Help..."

Lium | HP: 340/340 | EN: 52/52 | DMG: 17 | MIT: 12 | ACC: 1

Spoiler

Lium,
Level: 17
Paragon Level: 0
HP: 340/340
EN: 52/52

Stats:
Damage: 17
Mitigation: 12
Accuracy: 1

Equipped Gear:
Weapon: 
Armor: 
Misc: 

Custom Skill:

Skills:
Martial Arts R5
Cloth Armor R3

Active Mods:
Athletics

Inactive Mods:

Addons:
Ferocity
Precision

Active Extra Skills:

Inactive Extra Skills:

Battle Ready Inventory:
3 Starter Healing Potions (Heals 50 HP) x1

Housing Buffs:
Filling: Increase the effectiveness of a single food item consumed in a thread by +1 T1 slot.
Delicious: Turn 3 identical food items (same quality, tier, & enhancements) into a Feast. A Feast contains 6 portions of the food items sacrificed.
Relaxed: Increases out of combat HP regen by (5 * Tier HP) and decreases full energy regen to 2 Out of Combat Posts.
Advanced Training: +10% Exp to a thread. Limit one use per month [1/1]

Guild Hall Buffs:

Scents of the Wild:

Wedding Ring:

 

Edited July 28 by Lium

[Freyd 0]

Other recent conversations with Kat were enough to corroborate Lium's utterly random warning, upon receipt.  Freyd had been training in the valley behind Witherwind Rest, completing his daily exercises, including practicing several new katas and sword arts he'd been working on.  Sheltered as it was, the sound of the nearby waterfall tended to drown out any other calls or distractions.  He and Elora had found this place together, and built a home here.  Now he was struggling to learn what it meant to build the life meant to fit within.

A word was all it took to restore his default gear.  Peering through the shadowed edges of a nearby granite outcropping confirmed her location as the destination provided.  It was a risk, but worth taking for two members of his team.  Sidestepping through the void, the Whisper reappeared instantaneously on the outskirts of the Forest of Memories.  How apt that he be so familiar with it. Shattering dishware signaled his destination, and domestic difficulties for more than a few of his friends.  Freyd sighed.  He'd had a feeling this moment might be coming.

"Lium."  Calling out the man's name was as much to declare his arrival as it was a request for details.  A wayward spatula came flying out the door, sailing between them on its way to plant itself somewhere on the lawn.  "How long has she been like this?  And, is Katoka in there with her?"  Folding his arms while he waited to hear the tale, Freyd might as well have been parsing out a battle plan.  Somehow, this situation felt even more perilous than the latest raid had proven to be.

***

Freyd | HP: 1180/1180 | EN: 156/156 | DMG: 21 | MIT: 45 | EVA: 4 | ACC: 3 | BH: 64 | LD: 6 | FLN: 16 | HLY: 16 | REC: 8 | V.D.: 129

Note: CS (Shades of the Gemini) is in use.  If any other player objects to this, please state in first post and it will be considered inactive.

Spoiler

Freyd, The Whisper in Shadows
Level: 33
Paragon Level: 131
HP: 1180/1180
EN: 156/156

Stats:
Damage: 21
Mitigation: 45
Evasion: 4
Accuracy: 3
Battle Healing: 64
Loot Dice: 6
FLN: 16
HLY: 16
REC: 8
V.D.: 129

Equipped Gear:
Weapon: Samael's Pride | T4 MA | FLN 2 | HLY 2  
Armor: Black Cowled Traveling Garb | T4 CA | VD 2 | REC 2
Misc: Fight O'er Flight (ACC 2 | EVA 2)

Combat Mastery: Damage R3
Combat Shift: AOE
Familiar Skill: Grappling Familiar
Custom Skill: Shades of the Gemini

Skills:
Martial Arts R5
Battle Healing R5
Cloth Armor R5
Searching R4
Charge
Energist
Quick Change
Extended Mod Limit
Extended Weight Limit
Fighting Spirit
Howl

Active Mods:
Night Vision
Tracking
Athletics
Emergency Recovery
Untraceable
Detect

Inactive Mods:

Addons:
Focus
Precision
Nimble
Reveal
Stamina
Focused Howl

Active Extra Skills:
Disguise
Survival
Forgotten King’s Authority
Hiding R4

Inactive Extra Skills:
Meditation
Frozen Hide
Brawler
Photosynthesize

Battle Ready Inventory:
Teleport Crystals x7
Mass HP Rec [Inst] (+10% HP) x7
T4 Vitality (+16 EN) x7
Crystal of Divine Light (Reusable) x1
Rhino's Horn (Reusable) x1
Hmr.Pk:  Hope's Covenant - Resolve +4 (T4 Demonic Weapon (MA) - AA, Phase, Frostbite, VO x1
EWL: The Thing Behind All Lies (T4 Demonic MA, AA, Blight, Static, Para.Ven (Off))    x1
EWL:  Shadowed Rose (ACC 3 | Para.Imm.) x1

Housing Buffs:
Rested: -1 energy cost for the first two expenditures of each combat
Clean: The first time you would suffer DoT damage in a thread, reduce damage taken from DoT each turn by 20% (rounded down)
Hard Working: +2 EXP per crafting attempt and +1 crafting attempt per day
Filling: Increase the effectiveness of a single food item consumed in a thread by +1 T1 slot.
Item Stash: +1 Battle Ready Inventory Slot
Delicious: Turn 3 identical food items (same quality, tier, & enhancements) into a Feast. A Feast contains 6 portions of the food items sacrificed.
Relaxed: Increases out of combat HP regen by (5 * Tier HP) and decreases full energy regen to 2 Out of Combat Posts.
Skylight (Searching): +1 Rank to the Searching skill.
Angler: +2 Fishing EXP per attempt
Practiced Angler: +2 Fishing EXP per attempt, addition +1 LD/CD to fishing attempts
Advanced Training: +10% Exp to a thread. Limit one use per month [1/1]
Multipurpose: Gain +1 to LD, Stealth Rating, Stealth Detection, or Prosperity to one post in a thread. Can be applied after a roll
Decor [Potted Tanabata Bamboo Tree]: This buff affects the player and their choice of up to two party members.

Guild Hall Buffs:
Lucrative: Reduce LD needed for Salvage by 5 (10+ for Alchemist crystals, 6+ for everything else). +2 EXP per craft. Rank 9 crafters receive +1 crafting attempt per day. Rank 10 crafters receive +2 crafting attempts per day.
Col Deposit: +5% bonus col from last-hit monster kills and +10% bonus col from treasure chests.

Scents of the Wild:
Tanos Statue: +25 Mitigation for a thread.

Wedding Ring: n/a

Fishing: Level 5 | 576XP                                       

 

Edited July 28 by Freyd

[Lium 1]

There was stuff laying all over the lawn. The couch was half out of the door, hinges to it were broken outward. Standing with his arms folding leaning against the outside wall of the house with his eyes closed listening to the outrage just inside. Lifting one eye open hearing Freyd's voice. A soft sigh as a spatula wizzes past. "She saved me the trouble of bashing the door open myself," saying as he pushes off the wall. Peaking in the building around the large weight in the way. Without looking toward him, "Its been about 20 minutes. I have been camping here since what was supposed to be her wedding day, and this is the first I've seen of her since then." Pushing himself back against the wall again as a lamp comes spiraling out. 

Eyes shutting again, head lightly hitting the tiles. "I have known this woman for 10 years, and in that 10 years I have never seen or rather heard her this bad." Sniffling now coming from the main hall. Poking his head around the corner again. Waiting for her to glance this way but never does. Sam is just sitting there staring at the fireplace. "Sammy, I know that you could kick my ass, but you're not gonna if I walk in there are you?" Nothing from Sam, listening for other foot fall or notion that Kat would be in there. "I think she is in there alone," cautiously placing hands on the couch to move it slightly out of the way. Slowly walking inside, it was a mess. There was glass everywhere, the only thing that seemed unmoved was a photo of Sam and Katoka on the top of the fireplace. Carefully walking toward the kitchen, shards laying across every inch of the tile. Moving to Sammy's room he grabs a blanket off the bed. Stepping over a table leg coming back to the main room, the girl was still unmoved. 

Wrapping the blanket around the woman, Lium gets onto the ground next to her, pulling her into a bear hug tightly knowing that there was going to be some struggle. Trying to move to get away, "Shhhh, calm, shhh," as he moves the blanket more around as his grip becomes tighter. Eventually Samantha stops moving and begins soaking his garb. Glancing toward the door in a small voice, "She is so cold," with a worried expression pasted on his face.   

[Freyd 0]

Walking in silently behind Lium, the Whisper did what he always did and explored beyond the box.  Could there be some plot or outside agency at work?  Might some third party have it out for Sam, or be seeking to use her as a gateway for revenge against the guild.  While his heart wept to see Sam in such a state, he had a job to do.  Lium would take care of their friend.

A fingertap on his thigh was all it took for a shadowy for to slink down his pantleg, pooling at this feet and then swelling back into the third dimension in the form of a mongoose.  Persistence., better known as Persi , was instantly on the prowl.  While she scoured the debris with her nose to the ground, Freyd surveyed the damage, keeping one eye on the pair of players huddled in the far corner.  The portrait's survival had not gone unnoticed, and none of this jived with what Katoka had been telling him about their relationship.  But Freyd was in the business of lies.  It hadn't taken much deduction to determine that there might be trouble in paradise.  Sam's absence hadn't gone unnoticed, either.  O&I wasn't idle when their members didn't check in.  His role here was largely procedural: check for untoward influence or third wheels.  He wasn't seeing any.  This whole thing looked far too much like a lover's quarrel, of sorts.  A merciless clandestine plot to destroy Firm Anima might have been more welcome.  This was was going to be hard on a lot of people - people he was close to.

Face concealed within his cowl, only the neutral line of his lips could be seen from their vantage.  Freyd didn't want to interfere with their personal trouble, and would only even consider it if invited and required.  Figuring out his own relationship had proven complex enough.  Trying to decipher the one between Katoka and Sam?  Not a chance.

He sighed silently.  Elora would want him to try.

"What happened, Sam?  Are you injured?  Or is this strictly between you and Katoka?"

Blunt.  But that stood the best chance of cutting through the emotional whirlwind that had torn this place apart.  Persi, meanwhile, had found the half-open ice box and was taking care of every single ounce of food they possessed, to make sure it didn't spoil, or something.

[Sam 0]

Ears began to ring as if the sound was coming into focus again. Feeling warms around her, eyes tightly closed before realizing that this wasn't a figment of her imagination. The squeezing around her, the soft fabric, Lium's voice trying to hush her panic. Words from another direction, it sounds familiar. "I..." trying to speak, "I can't" muffled within a rough fabric. Pulling slowly away, Lium loosens that grip against her figure. Wiping the blanket against her face and she is frantically trying to catch her breath, it burned though. The body was freezing but inside in felt as though molten lava was coursing through her veins. Cradling the blanket tight, "Is Kat okay, did she make it back," pushing out in the softest words, it was the only volume she had that wasn't going to cause a crackle between words. Glancing up slowly to meet Lium's eyes, then to the other person in the room, Freyd... They both nod their heads to the question. A deep breath was given, "Katoka is never going to for..." This is when she realized that there was rubble laying all around her. 

Fear within the soaking eyes, "Did I... When... How long was I..." Trying to put words out that could possibly make some resemblance of since. It seemed as though she could remember anything that happened in the last unknown amount of time... Shaking her head... "Did we get married... Kat and I..." she would think that she would remember at least that, but everything was a blur. Sam didn't trust her mind right now... 

[Freyd 0]

"You're remodeling, apparently." A dismissive wave drew Sam's attention away from the surrounding chaos. Realizing the damage she'd caused would only tip her back over they edge, and they needed her lucid if there was any hope of getting some answers. 

"Remembering that you were going to get married is good.  That means you haven't been out of it for too long." Leave it to him to put a positive spin on memory loss.  "And Katoka is perfectly safe.  In fact, she's stronger than ever.  You needn't worry about her. She's definitely grown into her own."  wandering over to the coffee table, probably the sole remaining piece of undestroyed furniture in the place, Freyd ran a long, slender finger along the top of the untouched picture frame, as if stressing the importance that it had remained intact.

"We've been trying to piece together what happened since you left to meet James.  Seems that things went wonky around that time." He spoke softly and calmly, surprisingly so compared to what she was accustomed to hearing from her captain. It was strangely and unexpectedly comforting, which weren't traits most people associated with the Whisper. He wasn't entirely certain of this new approach, himself, but thought it their best chance to find a path forward. People's ability to change felt like something likely to sit at the heart of whatever this was, and would be essential to finding Sam and Kat a path forward.  Judging by the state of their house, maintaining the status quo simply wasn't an option.

Sparing a glance through nearby shadow, Freyd used his tracking skills to locate his friend's position.  Kasumi and Setsuna could run interference, if necessary, but having her walk in at such a sensitive moment seemed like a potential disaster.

[Sam 0]

"Were going to..." eyes begin to swell again, "Oh god... what did I do..." swiftly getting up from where she sat as the blanket falls to the floor. "I got to... I have to..." looking around frantically for her shoes. Shaking her head, eyes shut tight. Feeling a hand against her bare arm, eyes open with a swift turn of her head toward Lium. "Let... Me... Go..." saying in a slow angered voice. Slowly Lium removes his hand, putting them both up in front of his frame. Glaring at Lium then to Freyd who was stepping aside. Sam starts slowly walking toward the door watching them both as she back peddles, holding the couch and door frame staring before she turns and darts out the door.

"Please, oh please..." running as droplet fall behind her. Out of breath, not caring, she had to get back to Katoka and apologize for not showing up. After some time, standing in front of the door, breathing heavy. Patting herself down for the key as the door seemed to be locked. Unlocking the door, opening it quickly, seeing Kat in the kitchen, turning scarcely. Katoka's expression goes from freaked instantly to anger. "Please, please, Kat... Let me explain," walking inside as she hears "No." Sams brows narrow a bit as Katoka is staring daggers at her. "If you just allow me to explain everything will..." Cutting her off, "OKAY, EVERYTHING WILL BE OKAY. Sam nothing about this is okay. I was waiting for hours, hours and you never showed. HOURS SAM!" Slamming her fist against the countertop. "I thought maybe you weren't ready or something but THEN, THEN SAM you didn't come to see me leave OR at the house when I got done with the front lines..." Tears flowing down her cheeks as her face began to redden with rage. "Kat Please, just," cutting her off again, "JUST WHAT SAM... Let you come back, and everything will go back to what it was???" Silence filled the room for only a moment before she says in a lower voice now, "I want you to leave..." Closing her eyes tight now pointing toward the door. "Kat please..." "GET OUT!!!" Kat picks up a dish and throws it in Sams direct as it shatters against the wall behind her. "Please..." mug wizzes past her head. "GET THE HELL OUT..." Another cup but this one was full of some form of liquid that hits Sam spilling the content all over her front end.

Sniffling, Sam turns toward the door and begins walking. Stopping at the door, without looking back, "Do you want me to grab my stuff..." Shortly after, "Not yet..." taking a deep breath and walking out. 

Sam sees Lium and Freyd just outside keeping their distance. Walking to them with a disgruntled look on her face. "I don't remember much but ask and I will see if I can answer." Holding her right arm now, chest tight, emotions overwhelming, but if they could help figure out what actually happened, maybe Sam would get some kind of clarity.

[Lium 1]

Seeing his friend walk out, getting ready to run to her aid if it was needed. Instead, the girl walks to them. The two of them heard everything that was said inside. It was exactly how Lium thought it was going to be. Kat was still furious, and Sam was in denial. Thinking that maybe the reason Sam came back out so calm was because she thought that they had a chance to be together. In all the relationships that he saw fail around him in the real world, they all started and ending something similar to this. Madly in love, huge fight, think that everything will be fine if they just took that last foot forward then BAM, nothing... Why would this time be any different. It pained Lium to see Sammy in pain, but it hurt him even more to know that she is the one that caused that pain. 

Not taking any sudden movement, not wanting her to run off. "I saw you walk out of the Forest of Memories," pausing for a moment trying to choose his words very carefully, "When you sent me a message saying that you were tying the knot, I waited for another message for the location. When it never came, I went to your house." Gaging her reaction to all of this, it was honestly weird see how calm she was. The girl's eyes veer downward away from his gaze. "You never showed, so I went to James to find Kat standing there alone." It was sad that Sam was possible of doing this, but he would get to the bottom of why...

Thinking for a moment, "I think that we should start by retracing your steps in the misted forest. Figure out why you were gone for so long." Sam simply nods her head slowly and begins walking back to the Firm Anima Guild Hall. Lium darts an eye to Freyd, "I don't know the forest very well, just know that it is a dangerous place if you follow the wrong path. I will keep pace with Sam but if you know that we are running into something bad please speak up." Completely serious face now. He was determined to figure out why his friend fell of the face of the world for a week...

[Freyd 0]

Nodding his acceptance and agreement at Lium's suggestion, Freyd's gaze remained locked on Sam.  Neutral and unreadable, his face remained numb mainly because he really wasn't sure what he should be feeling.  All of this was outside his experience.  Though he'd worked with Sam for some time, it was painfully obvious that he didn't really know her very well personally. Those details had never been part of his considerations - an oversight to be corrected in due time.  Too often, his perspective had been constrained to the ruthless calculus of spycraft: what was useful, practical and required to achieve a goal.  Elora  had taught him to see people beyond their appraised value. Sam was in pain, and she was his responsibility as a member of O&I.  This was actually his job.

Pity didn't feel right either.  She wouldn't want it.  In a rare moment of empathy, Freyd did what he'd commonly struggled to achieve and placed himself in the shoes of another.  How must she feel right now?  Realizing what just happened hit Freyd like a rampaging Ugzeke, causing him to stagger back a pace involuntarily while him mind reeled.  It wasn't just that he'd asked himself the question, but the raw epiphany that he had no idea how to respond was an unfathomably humbling truth.  This is how people live.  Sounding like Montjoy's voice in his head, but this time didn't feel like it came from some cold and distant void. Brows furrowed in pondering fierce enough to split his addled brain.  Were he a Grinch, this might have been worth two heart sizes, at least.  Maybe he was, or had been without realizing it.

"I'll make sure you're safe."  The words were meant for Sam as much as Lium.  Maybe even also a little for himself.  It was the best a Whisper could manage.  Hopefully, it was enough.

***

Vanity Tag: @Elora @tricolor_mina

[Sam 0]

Into the misted forest, maybe there was a point that she broke while she was here. Unable to remember certain things, maybe it was purposely blocked out. They had been walking for about an hour, before Sam foot lightly kicks a stump, shutting her eyes abruptly. A flash of memory slides through her head, glancing around like she knew that something should have been there. "This is where I sat," saying in a small voice trying to make sense of time. How did it only feel like hours but was missing for a week. Holding her right arm with her left hand now, none of this made sense...

Feeling an overwhelming fear, did she black out, was she in a trans. The expression on her face was full of panic. Feeling a hand on her shoulder now, darting her vision to find Lium. "There was a door..." confusion now, "It was bright white, glowing even." Trying to scan the horizen for what she knew was here somewhere, the factor of unknown, uncertainty. "I sat here and it appeared about 3 feet that way,' pointing now that she was starting to regain what was lost. "I could see it clear as day in this mist, like it shouldn't of been there but it was..." Hoping that she didn't sound that crazy, they have seen weirder though, why wouldn't this fit the catagory. "It felt like it was calling me to it," remembering just sitting on the stump staring, "I couldn't make myself move. It scared the hell out of me. I thought I was only here for hours but..." recalling the way she reacted when she got back to her house. Was that just build up anger being held in. Maybe underneath she knew that the wedding was missed, her wedding...

Taking a deep breath in, "I think that I need to find that door again. I have not a clue what it was or where it leads but I think that I need to do this." Looking back to Lium and then Freyd, "I think my mind is finally cleared. I know what I have to do now." Determination peers upon her face now. "If this door showed itself to me, then it means something important. This is something that I have to do alone though..." Meeting Liums misted gaze, and Freyd's scowled mouth. "I will try not to be gone so long this time..." setting a hand now on Liums that was left on her shoulder still. After a moment, she starts to head into the depths of the mist alone to find the door, hoping that she wasn't just losing her mind when she saw it.

[Freyd 0]

Freyd sighed, disturbed as much by what Sam had said as by how she had said it.  He knew this place too well, and the tricks that it could play on one's mind.

"Lium."  Hesitation burned, but the man deserved to hear his thoughts.  "This is the Forest of Memories. Many think of it fondly as a way to reminisce, but it will devour your past as soon as force you to revisit the worst of it.  Do not take it likely.  Worse yet, Sam may be clinging to a memory she wants, but never lived.  There are few things more dangerous." Freyd didn't want to press his concerns further, but there would be no other chance.  "If she follows a false path in here, we could lose her.  Go with her, Lium.  Keep her safe.  Check in with me daily.  I'll see what I can do on my end." 

Waiting for a nod, the Whisper vanished into shadow, as if he was never there.  Only as he turned to follow Sam did Lium realize that, in light of his warning, maybe Freyd himself was never really there.

***

RP Thread Closing:

Sam receives:

1,982 EXP (Word Count [4139/10*8*0.6])
297 col (1 page [0] + 15% P5 Reward [297])

Lium receives:

495 EXP (Word Count [4139/10*2*0.6])
400 col (1 page [400])

Freyd receives:

4,212 EXP (Word Count [4139X/10*17*0.6])
613 col (1 page [0] + 15% P5 Reward [613])

Edited August 6 by Freyd