SHF High-school Fanfic

[Azure_Fog]

(what's the long summary? )

OOC: (duh)
So slightly over a year ago when I created Azure, she was basically my cynicism and other negative feelings given character. Hence, the way I acted at the start—causing chaos for everyone and stabbing without a shred of regret.

Anyways as the fic went on, my character softened a bit. (I think Matcha pointed this out) This was probably because I had found a place where I felt I belonged for once, even if it’s just a band of people doing rp on the internet.

I didn’t really notice at the time, but my mental state had been improved in correlation with my character’s softening. (Anyways I think there’s causation too?)

Anyways, since the dead months of the fic, my mental state has continued to improve. Sure, it isn’t great still, but it’s better. I am still Azure, but Azure is no longer me.

ah, you know, the usual... busy lots of work and no energy because winter is wintering I'm trying to get back to writing, but things are going slow

I see~ I’ve been doing a bit of writing and it’s been slow I spent like 30m on 3 paragraphs…

how bout chu?

See above~
Other than that, I’ve been doing nothing exciting in particular..:

 

[Simple_Russian_Boi]

OOC: (duh)
So slightly over a year ago when I created Azure, she was basically my cynicism and other negative feelings given character. Hence, the way I acted at the start—causing chaos for everyone and stabbing without a shred of regret.

Anyways as the fic went on, my character softened a bit. (I think Matcha pointed this out) This was probably because I had found a place where I felt I belonged for once, even if it’s just a band of people doing rp on the internet.

I didn’t really notice at the time, but my mental state had been improved in correlation with my character’s softening. (Anyways I think there’s causation too?)

Anyways, since the dead months of the fic, my mental state has continued to improve. Sure, it isn’t great still, but it’s better. I am still Azure, but Azure is no longer me.

Aw, that's very sweet. I'm happy for you.

 

[DannyTheDaikon]

OOC: (duh)
So slightly over a year ago when I created Azure, she was basically my cynicism and other negative feelings given character. Hence, the way I acted at the start—causing chaos for everyone and stabbing without a shred of regret.

Anyways as the fic went on, my character softened a bit. (I think Matcha pointed this out) This was probably because I had found a place where I felt I belonged for once, even if it’s just a band of people doing rp on the internet.

I didn’t really notice at the time, but my mental state had been improved in correlation with my character’s softening. (Anyways I think there’s causation too?)

Anyways, since the dead months of the fic, my mental state has continued to improve. Sure, it isn’t great still, but it’s better. I am still Azure, but Azure is no longer me.

This is berry good I'm really glad your mental state is improving and I hope it will continue on this trend if you ever need to talk, we're be here

I see~ I’ve been doing a bit of writing and it’s been slow I spent like 30m on 3 paragraphs…

30min for 3 paragraphs is not bad continuing the same story or a new one?

See above~
Other than that, I’ve been doing nothing exciting in particular..:

nothing exciting is good too... there can be too much exciting sometimes

 

[Azure_Fog]

Aw, that's very sweet. I'm happy for you.

Ehe~ Thanks~

This is berry good I'm really glad your mental state is improving and I hope it will continue on this trend if you ever need to talk, we're be here

Thank you~

30min for 3 paragraphs is not bad continuing the same story or a new one?

New one~ I’ve finished 2 chapters so far, if you want to read them~
(they aren’t posted)

 

[DannyTheDaikon]

New one~ I’ve finished 2 chapters so far, if you want to read them~
(they aren’t posted)

Show show

 

[Azure_Fog]

Show show

okay okay one sec

 

[Azure_Fog]

If there a random punctuations in it, they’re marks to go back and edit hinge so ignore them~

Spoiler: Chapters

Chapter 1 — The Cycle


Editor: Procrastinator








The room is dark. It’s cold. Barely any light from the moon shines through the veil of clouds surrounding the moon and even less through cracks in the roof. Even the stars that shine gently behind the cracks seem to be brighter than the moon itself.


I huddle in a corner, trying to conserve whatever warmth I can, but a biting wind still pierces through the rundown shack. Winter is always the hardest time of the year, especially since King Blatreedi came to power. His taxes always run us dry…


It wasn’t always like this though… he promised a better life for everyone. We trusted him, supported his revolution, and yet he turned his back on us only a few mere months after his ascension to the throne.


The cold seems to encroach further, stabbing deeper into my soul. Yet, the winds are quiet, with no sign of their glacial gusts.


Ice is forming around the edges of the walls… Is it that cold already?


Wisps of black smoke gently fall from the ceiling and roll across the floor.


Smoke…? I smell the air, yet find no trace of fires burning.


The slowly forming crystals of ice are entrancing, growing slowly into snowflakes that cover every inch of the room, leaving only a small area around me free from the ice.


The once wisps of smoke slowly turn more viscous, turning into a lazy, drifting liquid… It rises and slowly covers the roof, blocking out the last of any light.


It’s dark. It’s quiet.


Too dark… too quiet…


A chill sweeps through my feet as they are enveloped in a foamy substance.


I push off the wall, trying to scramble away. Yet, my attempt is futile. I crash to the floor, tripping as it pulls me back. I catch myself with my hands. The same foamy substance coats them and starts to wrap around me, encasing me in a dark, lathery cocoon.


I try to claw my way out, but the wispy liquid covers my eyes and I drift into darkness.


As the last strands of my consciousness fade, I hear a faint giggle… “Hehe~ We’ll be great friends, Feifei~”


~~~~~~⟪✾❦✾⟫~~~~~~


Magic…


To those who have it, the fabric of reality is but a suggestion. They use it to meet their needs… and to tear down the empires of others. Maybe they’ll rule benevolently… or maybe they won’t… Regardless of their choice, there’s always someone to replace them.


Sovereignty flows viciously from one to another. A few years is all that you get… and then your term and life will be over. Every ruler has their delusions of grandeur, yet they are fleeting. No matter the ideals behind them; no matter the goal they strive for; no matter the lives they wish to leave; everything follows a single cycle.


Everyone rules benevolently… at first.


~~~~~~⟪✾❦✾⟫~~~~~~


I open my bleary eyes to see nothing but darkness. It swirls around me like a gas, yet somehow I am lying on it.


It’s silent… No wind, no trickling of streams… Nothing. The only sound is the beating heart in my chest. Where am I? How did I get here?


I was resting in a shack… and then…


The black foam. It crawled and wormed its way around me until it encased me in a prison of darkness… W-why am I here?


I look around, yet only the swirling darkness greets me. Tentatively, I stand up. The swirling darkness somehow supports me, but it writhes as if wanting me to move.


It stops. Then, it grows colder, colder, colder.


I look down. The void is replaced by ice—a single solid sheet above an endless abyss, made of frozen twisting tendrils.


“Hey! Feifei~” A blue-gray figure runs behind a gaseous wall of shadow.


I turn towards them. “W-who are you? How d-do you know my n-name?”


Black chains drag across the floor. “I’m Sylvie~”


I take a step back.


Cascading, white hair peeks through the tendrils of darkness. “As for how I know your name…”


I step back again.


A pair of red eyes poke out from under their bangs. “It’s because we’re going to be the greatest of friends~”


A girl dressed in a plain black dress steps forward.


Then she stops.


“Ehehehe~ Your reaction’s cute~” She giggles, laughing into one of her long, droopy sleeves.


I look on in stunned silence. “Huh?”


“Still,” she dashes in front of me and grabs my hands. “Can we be friends? Please~~?”


“W-why should I trust you?” I pull my hands away.


“I dunno,” Sylvie smiles. “But something tells me you will~”


~~~~~~⟪✾❦✾⟫~~~~~~


Sylvie is a Whisper, one of the enigmatic embodiments of magic.


To most, Whispers are but a myth. Yet, they are what allow us to use magic. The stronger the Whisper, the stronger magic we can use. We borrow their abilities to bend the fabric of our reality, and in turn, they can do the same. After all, every use of magic has its price.


And so, rulers use their magic to make a better world… at a price.


~~~~~~⟪✾❦✾⟫~~~~~~


It’s been a year since I met Sylvie.


“Feifei!” Sylvie peaks around the corner. ”The vault’s over here.”


“Cracking this will be easy.” I walk over to the massive door. “Where do nobles even get all of this? Stealing it from us?”


I turn the lock. It glides as it turns, then clicks into place. The ground shakes and the door moves. It opens slowly, revealing a shining pile of gold and gems.


Sylvie flies around the vault. “It’s pretty~”


“Eh. Not for me.” I stuff some gold into my pockets.


“Ha! You thought you could steal from me, girl?”


Shit. I turn to see a bulky man with a rifle—The baron. We’ve been caught.


“ℍ𝕒𝕙𝕒𝕙𝕒! A young one like you… such a pity! “ A trail of black smoke falls from his mouth. “With your blonde hair, you would have gone for so much! You could have had a good life, but you thre—”


The world turns gray.


*tick*


A bullet flies from the rifle’s barrel. Yet, it moves slowly.


*tock*


It flies through the air, leaving a trail of gold.


*tick*


It slowly approaches and taps me on the head.


*tock*


Then, the world returns to normal.


“—ew it all away! Now, 𝔻𝕀𝔼!” The baron raises his gun.


I dash to the side. “Time to go!”


*CRACK*


A pile of gold explodes.


I run as I feel a liquid flowing from my eyes.


“ℂ𝕆𝕄𝔼 𝔹𝔸ℂ𝕂 ℍ𝔼ℝ𝔼, you little shit!” The baron turns to chase me.


Sylvie flies ahead and I follow her. Black smoke falls from the ceiling.


My eyes burn. A black smoke fringes my vision.


𝕂𝕚𝕝𝕝 𝕙𝕚𝕞... 𝕜𝕚𝕝𝕝 𝕙𝕚𝕞...


“Sylvie.” I crash through a door. “What the hell was that?”


“What was what?” She turns to face me. “Feifei! Your eyes are bleeding!”


~~~~~~⟪✾❦✾⟫~~~~~~


The more magic someone uses, the faster their corruption comes. It chips away at their sanity and body, slowly turning them into a husk. The more corrupt rulers become, the faster their nations fall. And the faster their successors succumb.


~~~~~~⟪✾❦✾⟫~~~~~~


“Feifei! Wake up!” Sylvie’s voice pierces through the night. “We need to leave. Now!”


Six years since I met Sylvie, and hearing her panicked voice has not become any easier.


I stand up and grab my guns. “Right, let’s go.”


I kick down the door and run out into the empty streets.


Sylvie flies ahead. “Go south! We don’t have long!”


Whatever has Sylvie this concerned can’t be good.


I jump onto the roofs and look up to see a blanket of darkness. “That does not look great.”


I dash across the rooftops as the sea of dark blue falls. I accelerate, yet the blanket falls faster and faster. I take a final leap off of a roof, and the blanket envelopes me.


The world inside is ghostly. White, ethereal flames cover everything and the world itself seems devoid of color. And then there’s wind. It blows from all directions yet none at once, carrying screams from the void.


Sylvie floats nearby. “There’s still time. Keep running!”


Then, she takes off.


The roofs have become harder to traverse. It doesn’t matter. A simple illusion could never stop me. So, I redouble my efforts and chase after Sylvie.


I jump and dash over the rooftops while she flies ahead.


Sylvie sharply turns upwards. “Jump!”


I launch into the air, shingles shattering beneath me. And not a moment too late either. Skeletal yet ghostly hands burst through the ground I once stood upon. Through the opening, I see a family… or what remains of them.


One was clawing his eyes out, the other screaming like a banshee, and their child crying blood.


I can’t linger here.


A skull made of ghostly melting flesh flies up from below me. It opens its mouth to scream, but I’m faster. I kick off of it in the direction of Sylvie’s flight.


*S̴̺͝K̸͕̎R̸̞͂Ë̶͖́Ě̶̫-̵̫̔Y̷̰̑Y̵͔͛Y̴̺͂R̶͕̔R̶̯̊R̴̛̙A̴̠͊Ạ̷̽A̷͙̿!̸͙͝!̶͍͝!̴͚̈́!̴̃ͅ*


Two blank tendrils fly out of its eyes and zip past me.


I land on one, transferring my momentum into running. Every step I make, more tendrils seem to seep out of it and chase after me.


Some form into skulls and they begin to whisper. 𝕃𝕖𝕥 𝕗𝕣𝕖𝕖 𝕪𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝕚𝕟𝕟𝕖𝕣 𝕕𝕖𝕤𝕚𝕣𝕖𝕤… 𝕂𝕚𝕝𝕝 𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕞 𝕒𝕝𝕝! 𝔽𝕖𝕒𝕤𝕥 𝕦𝕡𝕠𝕟 𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕚𝕣 𝕗𝕝𝕖𝕤𝕙…


“The only thing I’ll kill is you!” I pull out my revolver.


*bang bang*


Then I keep running, but this tendril is nearing its end and the other one is about to catch me.


I speed up. “Almost there…”


I jump—off the tendril and into the air. The second tendril slams into the first, knocking off its course chasing me. But, I have a surprise for them.


I pull out my second gun, a shotgun without its barrel. “Eat this!”


*crac-BANG!*


The recoil sends me flying just a bit faster and I pass over the edge of this domain. The world returns to normal and I fall into some trees.


“Not a bad landing...” I climb down from the canopy and back up where I landed. “I doubt the trees agree though.”


“Let’s head to Yellowstep.” Sylvie settles onto the ground beside me. “If we’re lucky, it’ll be a few days before the army catches up.”


~~~~~~⟪✾❦✾⟫~~~~~~


The tall walls of Yellowstep are certainly imposing, but I have a feeling I could tear them down if I wanted. King Albertide has been on a warpath directly to here and the town we were just in was the last stop before it.


This is the capital of the Council of Soul, those who fight against the King—the current King—of Salhi.


“Let’s go, Sylvie.” I look back over my shoulder.


Sylvie is already gone. Maybe I’ll see her later then?





Chapter 2 — The Price of Fear


Editor: Procrastinator








The city streets are lively as ever, despite the encroaching army. Everything seems centered around a keep, where the Council of Soul now resides. It’s a typical city.


“Hey~ Feifei~ I smell something nice from that stall over there. Can you take a look?” Sylvie asks, still only a voice in my head.


I walk into the crowds, moving towards whichever stall Sylvie directed me at. “Why don’t you come out and look for yourself?”


“I would, but the Council is here… I don’t want them to notice me.”


Sighing, I reached the stall Sylvie wanted. “Well, take a look.”


Candy, shining bright in the afternoon sun, lines the stall, with variations of seemingly every color. Personally, I like the purple ones…


“Ooooo~ They look even better than they smell~”


“Which one would you like?”


“Indecisive? I can give you some suggestions. Who’re you buying for?” The stall owner shoves a candy right in front of my face. “My favorite is the red one. Fresh sequoiaberry flavoring, sweet and juicy.”


“I want it! I want it!”


I grab the candy, which looks like a berry, and hand the stall owner a few copper Ynneps. “Alright. We’ll take that one.”


Hmmm… We seem to be getting a bit low on money. We only have a handful of Ynneps and Lekcins left…


I turn and walk away, heading towards the tavern. “Sylvie, how are you going to eat your candy if you can’t manifest yourself right now?”


“I… uhhhh… I didn’t think of that!”


I pop the candy into my mouth. “Guess I’ll eat it instead.”


Tastes sweet… guess it was to be expected.


“Hey! No fair!”


I can almost see Sylvie’s pouting face. “Should’ve said to save it.”


“Hmph!”


The tavern’s filled with joyous conversation and a subtle smell of wood, despite the impending invasion. Perhaps they’re drinking themselves silly, just to avoid the imminent threat of death.


“Welcome to the tavern, lassie.” A short man walks up. “What can I get for ya? An ale like everyone else?”


“I’m… not here to drink, as fun as that would be.” I grab two Lekcins. “I’ll take a room though.”


The man snatches the coins. “Sure thing. Follow me.”


We climb up to the second floor and the innkeeper shows me to my room. It’s small, a bed and table with light shining in through the cracks in the wall and a window. It’s not horrible.


The innkeeper turns to leave. “If you need anything, come downstairs.”


The door closes.


“Sylvie, is it safe for you to come out here?”


Sylvie appears in front of me. “It should be fine for a bit… The other Whispers seem to be busy with something.”


“Busy?”


That’s odd… Normally the mere presence of Whispers is enough to scare Sylvie away. Why are they after her anyways? She never wants to talk about it…


“Yes, they seem to be preparing for something, but I can’t tell what. I’d be extra careful…” Sylvie sits down on the bed’s end. “Anyways now that I’m here, you can give me a candy~ Right~?”


“I ate it all.”


Sylvie pouts, crossing her arms. “Go buy another one!”


“No.”


It’s still early, only afternoon, but after earlier’s events. So, I lie down on the bed. It’s not soft, harsh just like the world around us. The mattress only partially functions and the blankets have a rough, scrappy feel to them.


“I’m taking a nap.”


“Hey!” Sylvie stands up. “What about my candy?”


“I already said no.”


“Fine…”


~~~~~~⟪✾❦✾⟫~~~~~~


[Sylvie’s POV]





Feifei is asleep.


And so, I vanish, returning to the Soul Plane. Black tendrils scrawl throughout it, connecting everything to a distant point in the sky. We, as Whispers control these tendrils and give meaning to what it connects to.


The other Whispers are preparing something and I have a bad feeling about it. The only time I've seen them this active was shortly before that blanket fell.


I pace around the room, circling the center of the room like a vulture. It’s dangerous, but nobody should be looking for me here…


This… is troubling…


I look out the window. The red sky is filled with wisps of dark smoke, the sun replaced by a crimson moon wreathed in a black cloud. The smoke seems to be gathering, gently drifting towards a house in the distance.


Why would it be doing that?


𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝕥𝕣𝕒𝕚𝕥𝕠𝕣… 𝕙𝕒𝕤 𝕘𝕣𝕒𝕔𝕖𝕕 𝕦𝕤 𝕨𝕚𝕥𝕙 𝕙𝕖𝕣 𝕡𝕣𝕖𝕤𝕖𝕟𝕔𝕖 𝕠𝕟𝕔𝕖 𝕞𝕠𝕣𝕖…


𝔽𝕚𝕟𝕕 𝕙𝕖𝕣…


𝔽𝕀ℕ𝔻 ℍ𝔼ℝ… 𝔽𝕀ℕ𝔻 ℍ𝔼ℝ!!!!


𝔼ℕ𝔻 ℍ𝔼ℝ, 𝔼ℕ𝔻 ℍ𝔼ℝ, 𝔼ℕ𝔻 ℍ𝔼ℝ!!!


The other Whispers! If I stay out any longer, they’ll find me. I need to leave…


“Sorry Feifei,” I dive into her body and enter her soul. “I couldn’t find out what was happening…”


~~~~~~⟪✾❦✾⟫~~~~~~


[Feifei’s POV]





I wake up shortly before the sun rises.


“Morning Feifei~ Can you take a look around town today?” Sylvie’s voice resounds once more. “I have a bad feeling.... And you still owe me a candy!”


“Alright. I’ll take a look, and get some candy if there’s time.” I walk out the door. “The first step is the black market. It’s a good place to gather information.”


I dabble a bit in gunsmithing, so I can sell some of my modifications there too. We’re short on money, and this seems like the best way to solve the problem.


“If there’s time? You’re just procrastinating so we don’t have to!”


“Yeah, yeah.” I reach the ground floor and leave.


Now for the hard part: finding the black market. Thankfully, they all seem to have one thing in common—a single candle on top of a bee sculpture. For some reason, they also seem to be near stores run by Lepkoinese merchants…


The nation of Lepkoi… quite the odd place. Everyone there only cares about money. Well, at least in the part that doesn’t support the monarchy.


It doesn’t take me long to find the telltale bee, right next to another installment of the Lepkoi Merchant Republic.


“Looks like we’re here.” I walk past the bee. “Seems the demand for weapons is higher with the brewing invasion.”


“Who’re ye talkin’ to?" An old man with a few teeth missing glares at me.


“None of your business, old man.” I turn to face him. “Unless of course, you need your gun fixed. Not like you would know how to use one.”


He shakes his fist. “Ye imbecile! Ye clearly know nothin’! In our era, we threw rocks. Rocks! None of yer silly bullets.”


“It seems you’re mad your gun can’t stand up to competition. Why don’t I fix that?” I take out a few basic gun modifications.


“Hand it, fledgling.” He snatches an extended barrel from my hand. “I’ll show ye what a fool ye are!”


He fumbles, trying to attach it. His face turns redder and redder as he continues trying to put it on, only drawing some giggles from the now forming crowd.


“Need some help?” I watch him.


He glares at me. “Ye better respect yer elders.”


“Sure thing. But it’ll cost you~” I smirk.


His face contorts through various shades of crimson. “FINE!!”


I walk over to him and swipe up both his gun and my attachment. “Quite the old model you have here.”


I look at the crowd and spin the gun around my fingers. Then, I stick the extended barrel on the gun in one clean motion.


*click*


“Here you go, old man.” I point it, handle first, towards the old man with a flourish. “That will be seven Emids.”


“HMPH!!” He slams the coins into my hand and snatches his gun. “Take it!”


“Pleasure doing business…” I turn to the crowd. “If anyone else is in the market for modifications, I’ll be back tomorrow.”


The guards will be here shortly, and I’d rather not deal with them. So, I duck into an alleyway. The invasion is a few days away, so I should be able to make a little bit more money before leaving.


The alleyways are quite impressive. I’ve gone left and right, the left again and I’m still in a maze of pathways. The walls of the surrounding buildings shroud the entire area in darkness, but there is a light ahead.


I head towards the light. “It seems I’ve finally found an exit.”


The alley opens up into another section of the market, with yet another wax bee sculpture on one of the stalls. It’s calmer here. There is no hustle and bustle of a normal market, only faint whispers of dealings.


Now for the hard part… trying to find somewhere to get information. The most likely option is the stall with the bee statue, after all, it seems to be a common theme between all these markets. Still, there’s no guarantee I’ll even be able to find anything.


I walk towards the stall. A cloaked figure stands there with two fluffy ears protruding from their cloak.


A catkin? How rare…


“What business do you have here?” A sharp, female voice responds.


I glance around the place. “I’m looking for information.”


“This isn’t a library.” She slams the desk. “Now, if you don’t feel like wasting more of my time, leave!”


Grumpy, huh?


“I’m not looking for something conventional. I assumed you would know something…” I turn to leave. “...but it seems I was mistaken. Seems I’ve underestimated you.”


“You!” She clenches her fists, snatching bits of the stall in them. “I know everything that goes around here! Not that a simpleton like you could understand that!”


Hmmm… She seems a bit arrogant. I suppose that will be her downfall…


“I see… So, you must know what is lurking in the shadows then.”


She slams the stall’s posts. “Of course I do! If you want to know, you’re going to have to pay! And double the usual price for your insolence!”


I only have a Lekcin and the seven Emids from earlier. “Sure, I’ll pay. What’s the usual price?”


“Why… you!! You come in here, without even knowing my prices?” She stamps her foot. “Two Retrauqs! Two of them! Now pay up!”


I take out five of the iron Emids—the equivalent of two Retrauqs—and place them down onto the stall.


“Finally, you have some use. Well, here’s what I’ve heard.” The cloaked catkin woman looks me in the eye. “In a matter of hours, King Albertide’s inner circle will stage a coup of the Council of Soul.”

 

[Azure_Fog]

Also the formatting broke :/

 

[Theirl]

OOC: (duh)
So slightly over a year ago when I created Azure, she was basically my cynicism and other negative feelings given character. Hence, the way I acted at the start—causing chaos for everyone and stabbing without a shred of regret.

Anyways as the fic went on, my character softened a bit. (I think Matcha pointed this out) This was probably because I had found a place where I felt I belonged for once, even if it’s just a band of people doing rp on the internet.

I didn’t really notice at the time, but my mental state had been improved in correlation with my character’s softening. (Anyways I think there’s causation too?)

Anyways, since the dead months of the fic, my mental state has continued to improve. Sure, it isn’t great still, but it’s better. I am still Azure, but Azure is no longer me.

I see~ I’ve been doing a bit of writing and it’s been slow I spent like 30m on 3 paragraphs…

See above~
Other than that, I’ve been doing nothing exciting in particular..:

congratz hope u continue to see yourself improving

 

[Azure_Fog]

congratz hope u continue to see yourself improving

Thanks~

 

[DannyTheDaikon]

If there a random punctuations in it, they’re marks to go back and edit hinge so ignore them~

Spoiler: Chapters

Chapter 1 — The Cycle


Editor: Procrastinator








The room is dark. It’s cold. Barely any light from the moon shines through the veil of clouds surrounding the moon and even less through cracks in the roof. Even the stars that shine gently behind the cracks seem to be brighter than the moon itself.


I huddle in a corner, trying to conserve whatever warmth I can, but a biting wind still pierces through the rundown shack. Winter is always the hardest time of the year, especially since King Blatreedi came to power. His taxes always run us dry…


It wasn’t always like this though… he promised a better life for everyone. We trusted him, supported his revolution, and yet he turned his back on us only a few mere months after his ascension to the throne.


The cold seems to encroach further, stabbing deeper into my soul. Yet, the winds are quiet, with no sign of their glacial gusts.


Ice is forming around the edges of the walls… Is it that cold already?


Wisps of black smoke gently fall from the ceiling and roll across the floor.


Smoke…? I smell the air, yet find no trace of fires burning.


The slowly forming crystals of ice are entrancing, growing slowly into snowflakes that cover every inch of the room, leaving only a small area around me free from the ice.


The once wisps of smoke slowly turn more viscous, turning into a lazy, drifting liquid… It rises and slowly covers the roof, blocking out the last of any light.


It’s dark. It’s quiet.


Too dark… too quiet…


A chill sweeps through my feet as they are enveloped in a foamy substance.


I push off the wall, trying to scramble away. Yet, my attempt is futile. I crash to the floor, tripping as it pulls me back. I catch myself with my hands. The same foamy substance coats them and starts to wrap around me, encasing me in a dark, lathery cocoon.


I try to claw my way out, but the wispy liquid covers my eyes and I drift into darkness.


As the last strands of my consciousness fade, I hear a faint giggle… “Hehe~ We’ll be great friends, Feifei~”


~~~~~~⟪✾❦✾⟫~~~~~~


Magic…


To those who have it, the fabric of reality is but a suggestion. They use it to meet their needs… and to tear down the empires of others. Maybe they’ll rule benevolently… or maybe they won’t… Regardless of their choice, there’s always someone to replace them.


Sovereignty flows viciously from one to another. A few years is all that you get… and then your term and life will be over. Every ruler has their delusions of grandeur, yet they are fleeting. No matter the ideals behind them; no matter the goal they strive for; no matter the lives they wish to leave; everything follows a single cycle.


Everyone rules benevolently… at first.


~~~~~~⟪✾❦✾⟫~~~~~~


I open my bleary eyes to see nothing but darkness. It swirls around me like a gas, yet somehow I am lying on it.


It’s silent… No wind, no trickling of streams… Nothing. The only sound is the beating heart in my chest. Where am I? How did I get here?


I was resting in a shack… and then…


The black foam. It crawled and wormed its way around me until it encased me in a prison of darkness… W-why am I here?


I look around, yet only the swirling darkness greets me. Tentatively, I stand up. The swirling darkness somehow supports me, but it writhes as if wanting me to move.


It stops. Then, it grows colder, colder, colder.


I look down. The void is replaced by ice—a single solid sheet above an endless abyss, made of frozen twisting tendrils.


“Hey! Feifei~” A blue-gray figure runs behind a gaseous wall of shadow.


I turn towards them. “W-who are you? How d-do you know my n-name?”


Black chains drag across the floor. “I’m Sylvie~”


I take a step back.


Cascading, white hair peeks through the tendrils of darkness. “As for how I know your name…”


I step back again.


A pair of red eyes poke out from under their bangs. “It’s because we’re going to be the greatest of friends~”


A girl dressed in a plain black dress steps forward.


Then she stops.


“Ehehehe~ Your reaction’s cute~” She giggles, laughing into one of her long, droopy sleeves.


I look on in stunned silence. “Huh?”


“Still,” she dashes in front of me and grabs my hands. “Can we be friends? Please~~?”


“W-why should I trust you?” I pull my hands away.


“I dunno,” Sylvie smiles. “But something tells me you will~”


~~~~~~⟪✾❦✾⟫~~~~~~


Sylvie is a Whisper, one of the enigmatic embodiments of magic.


To most, Whispers are but a myth. Yet, they are what allow us to use magic. The stronger the Whisper, the stronger magic we can use. We borrow their abilities to bend the fabric of our reality, and in turn, they can do the same. After all, every use of magic has its price.


And so, rulers use their magic to make a better world… at a price.


~~~~~~⟪✾❦✾⟫~~~~~~


It’s been a year since I met Sylvie.


“Feifei!” Sylvie peaks around the corner. ”The vault’s over here.”


“Cracking this will be easy.” I walk over to the massive door. “Where do nobles even get all of this? Stealing it from us?”


I turn the lock. It glides as it turns, then clicks into place. The ground shakes and the door moves. It opens slowly, revealing a shining pile of gold and gems.


Sylvie flies around the vault. “It’s pretty~”


“Eh. Not for me.” I stuff some gold into my pockets.


“Ha! You thought you could steal from me, girl?”


Shit. I turn to see a bulky man with a rifle—The baron. We’ve been caught.


“ℍ𝕒𝕙𝕒𝕙𝕒! A young one like you… such a pity! “ A trail of black smoke falls from his mouth. “With your blonde hair, you would have gone for so much! You could have had a good life, but you thre—”


The world turns gray.


*tick*


A bullet flies from the rifle’s barrel. Yet, it moves slowly.


*tock*


It flies through the air, leaving a trail of gold.


*tick*


It slowly approaches and taps me on the head.


*tock*


Then, the world returns to normal.


“—ew it all away! Now, 𝔻𝕀𝔼!” The baron raises his gun.


I dash to the side. “Time to go!”


*CRACK*


A pile of gold explodes.


I run as I feel a liquid flowing from my eyes.


“ℂ𝕆𝕄𝔼 𝔹𝔸ℂ𝕂 ℍ𝔼ℝ𝔼, you little shit!” The baron turns to chase me.


Sylvie flies ahead and I follow her. Black smoke falls from the ceiling.


My eyes burn. A black smoke fringes my vision.


𝕂𝕚𝕝𝕝 𝕙𝕚𝕞... 𝕜𝕚𝕝𝕝 𝕙𝕚𝕞...


“Sylvie.” I crash through a door. “What the hell was that?”


“What was what?” She turns to face me. “Feifei! Your eyes are bleeding!”


~~~~~~⟪✾❦✾⟫~~~~~~


The more magic someone uses, the faster their corruption comes. It chips away at their sanity and body, slowly turning them into a husk. The more corrupt rulers become, the faster their nations fall. And the faster their successors succumb.


~~~~~~⟪✾❦✾⟫~~~~~~


“Feifei! Wake up!” Sylvie’s voice pierces through the night. “We need to leave. Now!”


Six years since I met Sylvie, and hearing her panicked voice has not become any easier.


I stand up and grab my guns. “Right, let’s go.”


I kick down the door and run out into the empty streets.


Sylvie flies ahead. “Go south! We don’t have long!”


Whatever has Sylvie this concerned can’t be good.


I jump onto the roofs and look up to see a blanket of darkness. “That does not look great.”


I dash across the rooftops as the sea of dark blue falls. I accelerate, yet the blanket falls faster and faster. I take a final leap off of a roof, and the blanket envelopes me.


The world inside is ghostly. White, ethereal flames cover everything and the world itself seems devoid of color. And then there’s wind. It blows from all directions yet none at once, carrying screams from the void.


Sylvie floats nearby. “There’s still time. Keep running!”


Then, she takes off.


The roofs have become harder to traverse. It doesn’t matter. A simple illusion could never stop me. So, I redouble my efforts and chase after Sylvie.


I jump and dash over the rooftops while she flies ahead.


Sylvie sharply turns upwards. “Jump!”


I launch into the air, shingles shattering beneath me. And not a moment too late either. Skeletal yet ghostly hands burst through the ground I once stood upon. Through the opening, I see a family… or what remains of them.


One was clawing his eyes out, the other screaming like a banshee, and their child crying blood.


I can’t linger here.


A skull made of ghostly melting flesh flies up from below me. It opens its mouth to scream, but I’m faster. I kick off of it in the direction of Sylvie’s flight.


*S̴̺͝K̸͕̎R̸̞͂Ë̶͖́Ě̶̫-̵̫̔Y̷̰̑Y̵͔͛Y̴̺͂R̶͕̔R̶̯̊R̴̛̙A̴̠͊Ạ̷̽A̷͙̿!̸͙͝!̶͍͝!̴͚̈́!̴̃ͅ*


Two blank tendrils fly out of its eyes and zip past me.


I land on one, transferring my momentum into running. Every step I make, more tendrils seem to seep out of it and chase after me.


Some form into skulls and they begin to whisper. 𝕃𝕖𝕥 𝕗𝕣𝕖𝕖 𝕪𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝕚𝕟𝕟𝕖𝕣 𝕕𝕖𝕤𝕚𝕣𝕖𝕤… 𝕂𝕚𝕝𝕝 𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕞 𝕒𝕝𝕝! 𝔽𝕖𝕒𝕤𝕥 𝕦𝕡𝕠𝕟 𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕚𝕣 𝕗𝕝𝕖𝕤𝕙…


“The only thing I’ll kill is you!” I pull out my revolver.


*bang bang*


Then I keep running, but this tendril is nearing its end and the other one is about to catch me.


I speed up. “Almost there…”


I jump—off the tendril and into the air. The second tendril slams into the first, knocking off its course chasing me. But, I have a surprise for them.


I pull out my second gun, a shotgun without its barrel. “Eat this!”


*crac-BANG!*


The recoil sends me flying just a bit faster and I pass over the edge of this domain. The world returns to normal and I fall into some trees.


“Not a bad landing...” I climb down from the canopy and back up where I landed. “I doubt the trees agree though.”


“Let’s head to Yellowstep.” Sylvie settles onto the ground beside me. “If we’re lucky, it’ll be a few days before the army catches up.”


~~~~~~⟪✾❦✾⟫~~~~~~


The tall walls of Yellowstep are certainly imposing, but I have a feeling I could tear them down if I wanted. King Albertide has been on a warpath directly to here and the town we were just in was the last stop before it.


This is the capital of the Council of Soul, those who fight against the King—the current King—of Salhi.


“Let’s go, Sylvie.” I look back over my shoulder.


Sylvie is already gone. Maybe I’ll see her later then?





Chapter 2 — The Price of Fear


Editor: Procrastinator








The city streets are lively as ever, despite the encroaching army. Everything seems centered around a keep, where the Council of Soul now resides. It’s a typical city.


“Hey~ Feifei~ I smell something nice from that stall over there. Can you take a look?” Sylvie asks, still only a voice in my head.


I walk into the crowds, moving towards whichever stall Sylvie directed me at. “Why don’t you come out and look for yourself?”


“I would, but the Council is here… I don’t want them to notice me.”


Sighing, I reached the stall Sylvie wanted. “Well, take a look.”


Candy, shining bright in the afternoon sun, lines the stall, with variations of seemingly every color. Personally, I like the purple ones…


“Ooooo~ They look even better than they smell~”


“Which one would you like?”


“Indecisive? I can give you some suggestions. Who’re you buying for?” The stall owner shoves a candy right in front of my face. “My favorite is the red one. Fresh sequoiaberry flavoring, sweet and juicy.”


“I want it! I want it!”


I grab the candy, which looks like a berry, and hand the stall owner a few copper Ynneps. “Alright. We’ll take that one.”


Hmmm… We seem to be getting a bit low on money. We only have a handful of Ynneps and Lekcins left…


I turn and walk away, heading towards the tavern. “Sylvie, how are you going to eat your candy if you can’t manifest yourself right now?”


“I… uhhhh… I didn’t think of that!”


I pop the candy into my mouth. “Guess I’ll eat it instead.”


Tastes sweet… guess it was to be expected.


“Hey! No fair!”


I can almost see Sylvie’s pouting face. “Should’ve said to save it.”


“Hmph!”


The tavern’s filled with joyous conversation and a subtle smell of wood, despite the impending invasion. Perhaps they’re drinking themselves silly, just to avoid the imminent threat of death.


“Welcome to the tavern, lassie.” A short man walks up. “What can I get for ya? An ale like everyone else?”


“I’m… not here to drink, as fun as that would be.” I grab two Lekcins. “I’ll take a room though.”


The man snatches the coins. “Sure thing. Follow me.”


We climb up to the second floor and the innkeeper shows me to my room. It’s small, a bed and table with light shining in through the cracks in the wall and a window. It’s not horrible.


The innkeeper turns to leave. “If you need anything, come downstairs.”


The door closes.


“Sylvie, is it safe for you to come out here?”


Sylvie appears in front of me. “It should be fine for a bit… The other Whispers seem to be busy with something.”


“Busy?”


That’s odd… Normally the mere presence of Whispers is enough to scare Sylvie away. Why are they after her anyways? She never wants to talk about it…


“Yes, they seem to be preparing for something, but I can’t tell what. I’d be extra careful…” Sylvie sits down on the bed’s end. “Anyways now that I’m here, you can give me a candy~ Right~?”


“I ate it all.”


Sylvie pouts, crossing her arms. “Go buy another one!”


“No.”


It’s still early, only afternoon, but after earlier’s events. So, I lie down on the bed. It’s not soft, harsh just like the world around us. The mattress only partially functions and the blankets have a rough, scrappy feel to them.


“I’m taking a nap.”


“Hey!” Sylvie stands up. “What about my candy?”


“I already said no.”


“Fine…”


~~~~~~⟪✾❦✾⟫~~~~~~


[Sylvie’s POV]





Feifei is asleep.


And so, I vanish, returning to the Soul Plane. Black tendrils scrawl throughout it, connecting everything to a distant point in the sky. We, as Whispers control these tendrils and give meaning to what it connects to.


The other Whispers are preparing something and I have a bad feeling about it. The only time I've seen them this active was shortly before that blanket fell.


I pace around the room, circling the center of the room like a vulture. It’s dangerous, but nobody should be looking for me here…


This… is troubling…


I look out the window. The red sky is filled with wisps of dark smoke, the sun replaced by a crimson moon wreathed in a black cloud. The smoke seems to be gathering, gently drifting towards a house in the distance.


Why would it be doing that?


𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝕥𝕣𝕒𝕚𝕥𝕠𝕣… 𝕙𝕒𝕤 𝕘𝕣𝕒𝕔𝕖𝕕 𝕦𝕤 𝕨𝕚𝕥𝕙 𝕙𝕖𝕣 𝕡𝕣𝕖𝕤𝕖𝕟𝕔𝕖 𝕠𝕟𝕔𝕖 𝕞𝕠𝕣𝕖…


𝔽𝕚𝕟𝕕 𝕙𝕖𝕣…


𝔽𝕀ℕ𝔻 ℍ𝔼ℝ… 𝔽𝕀ℕ𝔻 ℍ𝔼ℝ!!!!


𝔼ℕ𝔻 ℍ𝔼ℝ, 𝔼ℕ𝔻 ℍ𝔼ℝ, 𝔼ℕ𝔻 ℍ𝔼ℝ!!!


The other Whispers! If I stay out any longer, they’ll find me. I need to leave…


“Sorry Feifei,” I dive into her body and enter her soul. “I couldn’t find out what was happening…”


~~~~~~⟪✾❦✾⟫~~~~~~


[Feifei’s POV]





I wake up shortly before the sun rises.


“Morning Feifei~ Can you take a look around town today?” Sylvie’s voice resounds once more. “I have a bad feeling.... And you still owe me a candy!”


“Alright. I’ll take a look, and get some candy if there’s time.” I walk out the door. “The first step is the black market. It’s a good place to gather information.”


I dabble a bit in gunsmithing, so I can sell some of my modifications there too. We’re short on money, and this seems like the best way to solve the problem.


“If there’s time? You’re just procrastinating so we don’t have to!”


“Yeah, yeah.” I reach the ground floor and leave.


Now for the hard part: finding the black market. Thankfully, they all seem to have one thing in common—a single candle on top of a bee sculpture. For some reason, they also seem to be near stores run by Lepkoinese merchants…


The nation of Lepkoi… quite the odd place. Everyone there only cares about money. Well, at least in the part that doesn’t support the monarchy.


It doesn’t take me long to find the telltale bee, right next to another installment of the Lepkoi Merchant Republic.


“Looks like we’re here.” I walk past the bee. “Seems the demand for weapons is higher with the brewing invasion.”


“Who’re ye talkin’ to?" An old man with a few teeth missing glares at me.


“None of your business, old man.” I turn to face him. “Unless of course, you need your gun fixed. Not like you would know how to use one.”


He shakes his fist. “Ye imbecile! Ye clearly know nothin’! In our era, we threw rocks. Rocks! None of yer silly bullets.”


“It seems you’re mad your gun can’t stand up to competition. Why don’t I fix that?” I take out a few basic gun modifications.


“Hand it, fledgling.” He snatches an extended barrel from my hand. “I’ll show ye what a fool ye are!”


He fumbles, trying to attach it. His face turns redder and redder as he continues trying to put it on, only drawing some giggles from the now forming crowd.


“Need some help?” I watch him.


He glares at me. “Ye better respect yer elders.”


“Sure thing. But it’ll cost you~” I smirk.


His face contorts through various shades of crimson. “FINE!!”


I walk over to him and swipe up both his gun and my attachment. “Quite the old model you have here.”


I look at the crowd and spin the gun around my fingers. Then, I stick the extended barrel on the gun in one clean motion.


*click*


“Here you go, old man.” I point it, handle first, towards the old man with a flourish. “That will be seven Emids.”


“HMPH!!” He slams the coins into my hand and snatches his gun. “Take it!”


“Pleasure doing business…” I turn to the crowd. “If anyone else is in the market for modifications, I’ll be back tomorrow.”


The guards will be here shortly, and I’d rather not deal with them. So, I duck into an alleyway. The invasion is a few days away, so I should be able to make a little bit more money before leaving.


The alleyways are quite impressive. I’ve gone left and right, the left again and I’m still in a maze of pathways. The walls of the surrounding buildings shroud the entire area in darkness, but there is a light ahead.


I head towards the light. “It seems I’ve finally found an exit.”


The alley opens up into another section of the market, with yet another wax bee sculpture on one of the stalls. It’s calmer here. There is no hustle and bustle of a normal market, only faint whispers of dealings.


Now for the hard part… trying to find somewhere to get information. The most likely option is the stall with the bee statue, after all, it seems to be a common theme between all these markets. Still, there’s no guarantee I’ll even be able to find anything.


I walk towards the stall. A cloaked figure stands there with two fluffy ears protruding from their cloak.


A catkin? How rare…


“What business do you have here?” A sharp, female voice responds.


I glance around the place. “I’m looking for information.”


“This isn’t a library.” She slams the desk. “Now, if you don’t feel like wasting more of my time, leave!”


Grumpy, huh?


“I’m not looking for something conventional. I assumed you would know something…” I turn to leave. “...but it seems I was mistaken. Seems I’ve underestimated you.”


“You!” She clenches her fists, snatching bits of the stall in them. “I know everything that goes around here! Not that a simpleton like you could understand that!”


Hmmm… She seems a bit arrogant. I suppose that will be her downfall…


“I see… So, you must know what is lurking in the shadows then.”


She slams the stall’s posts. “Of course I do! If you want to know, you’re going to have to pay! And double the usual price for your insolence!”


I only have a Lekcin and the seven Emids from earlier. “Sure, I’ll pay. What’s the usual price?”


“Why… you!! You come in here, without even knowing my prices?” She stamps her foot. “Two Retrauqs! Two of them! Now pay up!”


I take out five of the iron Emids—the equivalent of two Retrauqs—and place them down onto the stall.


“Finally, you have some use. Well, here’s what I’ve heard.” The cloaked catkin woman looks me in the eye. “In a matter of hours, King Albertide’s inner circle will stage a coup of the Council of Soul.”

Feels much darker than your previous novel but there's also a significant improvement in your writing, Danny is proud want me to write you proper feedback?

 

[Azure_Fog]

Feels much darker than your previous novel but there's also a significant improvement in your writing, Danny is proud want me to write you proper feedback?

Hehe~ thanks~
I’d appreciate the feedback, if you have the time to give it at least~

 

[DannyTheDaikon]

Hehe~ thanks~
I’d appreciate the feedback, if you have the time to give it at least~

I will scribble (hehe ) something tomorrow, because today brain is not braining from having only 3h of sleep

 

[Azure_Fog]

I will scribble (hehe ) something tomorrow, because today brain is not braining from having only 3h of sleep

Alright~

 

[JayMark80]

One of the most normal things here, honestly

 

[MatchaChocolate69]

Damn, I missed the anniversary of Scribble Hub High School. Oh well, let's celebrate anyway.

@Azure_Fog Tribute

Just a Story (Scarlet Apple)

LYRICS:

[Intro Spoken]
Hahahahahah...
Beautiful story, my dear Jester,
I almost believed it—so convincing, so real.
After sharing a toast, hot chocolate in hand,
Allow me to return the favor with a tale of my own…

[Verse 1]
Amazing dagger you wield—does it have a name?
A relic, a witness to history’s flame.
It gleams so sharp, a perfect edge,
Yet you’ve never seen the Scarlet Apple.

And you never will…

Because those who see it—cease to be.
You think you know of cosmic fright,
Of eldritch gods beyond the night.
You think you’ve glimpsed the great unknown,
Perhaps in this timeline, you have grown…

[Pre-Chorus]
But there’s a terror far worse than death,
Beyond the void, beyond lost breath.
A nightmare drifting through time’s decay,
Devouring multiverses in the cruelest way.

[Chorus]
Scarlet Apple cuts through fate,
Not just flesh—it obliterates.
Erased from time, erased from thought,
A scream unheard, an existence forgot.

[Verse 2]
I dare not speak the nightmare’s name,
It stalks through timelines, setting them aflame.
Let’s call it αφ, the whisper in screams,
The shadow erasing our fondest dreams.

This blade does not slice, nor does it break,
It erases all—leaving endless ache.
Piercing through isn’t simple pain,
It's an infinite torment, a burning chain.

Each second—one eternity drowned,
A trillion stars snuffed without a sound.


[Bridge]
The nervous breakdown comes too fast,
Yet I remain, my mind still lasts.
A hollow soul detached from skin,
Forced to watch where fate has been.

All the lives that fell to αφ’s hands,
Hopes erased like grains of sand.
Universes, destinies burned,
To never return, to never be learned.

Billions upon billions upon billions—(10¹²)
Tears. Like dying suns,
Fading, falling, forever gone.
A cruelty with no design,
A hand unchecked, a fate malign.

[Final Chorus]
Scarlet Apple cuts through fate,
Not just flesh—it obliterates.
Erased from time, erased from thought,
A scream unheard, an existence forgot.

[Outro Spoken]
But it’s just a story, just a lie,
There’s no way I survived the sky…
No way I walked through endless doom,
And spoke to you inside this room.

I’m just a chocolatier, my friend.
A simple man, here 'til the end.

 

[Chiyuki_Hoshino]

given to us from birth, we always carry it everywhere, always by our side at all times, but more often used by other people. what is that thing?

Pls can some one tell me what the answer is?

 

[Simple_Russian_Boi]

given to us from birth, we always carry it everywhere, always by our side at all times, but more often used by other people. what is that thing?

Pls can some one tell me what the answer is?

Your name.

 

[Corty]

given to us from birth, we always carry it everywhere, always by our side at all times, but more often used by other people. what is that thing?

Pls can some one tell me what the answer is?

Reviewing my thread as a compulsive disorder.

 

[Chiyuki_Hoshino]

Your name.

Yes Mama, you right it's name