Vayond: The Shadowed Hunters

Lady Shyanne crossed her arms, rubbing them to generate warmth. "How are you feeling?"

~*~ Brywahr Academy ~*~

The ticking of the clock echoed through every hall of the enormous stone Academy. It was more than just an echo. It was the breath, the pulse, the very heart and center of the Academy and all who lived inside it. For the Givers, as they were called -- since instructors and teachers are the givers of knowledge -- the rhythmic ticking of the great clock represented order, structure, a way of doing things without questioning anything. That was a code they lived by, and a code they expected everyone else to live by. For the children, the receivers, the clock represented time -- the endless-seeming amount of time they had been kept there at the Academy, and the unknown time when they would finally understand why they were brought there, and if they could ever get back home. Brywahr Academy prided itself on holding over 100 souls. "Collected" souls, as they were called, though a more appropriate term would be "stolen".
The world of Brywahr was one of many worlds in the Ditto Universe. And most worlds (such as ours) are unaware that any others exist, since they can't be reached or seen or heard of in any known way. That’s the way it was meant to be. But one small group of people discovered the secret of reaching the other worlds -- and they were the people in whose hand the secret was the most dangerous -- the people of the World of Brywahr.
No one quite knows who they are. None of the Brywahr citizens are ever seen, except for the stern, cruel Givers. No one has ever seen any part of their world, except for The Academy, who’s barred, frosted windows cannot be looked through. No one knows what they want, or what they are planning. But using their Great Secret, they have filled their Academy with children from various other worlds, telling them their old lives are over -- never to be regained -- and their new lives begin now in Brywahr, where they will remain for the rest of their lives. Children, varying in ages from four to sixteen are brought into the Academy -- suddenly, without warning -- given orders, disciplined, and taught strange, advanced Scientific principles unknown to any other world. No one is told why they are taught this -- only that it will be vital to them in this new world.
Of all the varying ages of the students, there was no one of the age of twenty ever seen inside the Academy. And children seen just before their twentieth birthday have never been seen again. No one above sixteen was ever brought into the Academy for the first time. The only ones older than sixteen were those who had lived there awhile -- people like Nan, who, at Nineteen-and-Ten-Months old, was the oldest child there. And just like the children past, what would become of these on the day of their twentieth birthday was as unclear of all the other mysteries of this enigmatic, cruel world.
And so, taken from their old lives, forced into their new ones, the Receivers of Brywahr Academy lived in fear -- fear of the Givers, and fear of their own futures…

~

The tall, dark, imposing figure, known as Ms. Tivvens, held the eye of every child in the classroom. She paced slowly up and down the main aisle, a ruler in her hand, her sharp stare burning through the hearts of everyone she glanced at.
Ms. Tivvens loved discipline. And she loved sending children to Punishment -- the room in the Academy that gave every child nightmares, though they hadn’t any idea what it contained. The only ones who knew what Punishment was were the Givers themselves, and the children who had been sent there -- and they never talked about it afterward. But one thing was known: Every child who had ever gone to Punishment, no matter how careless or rebellious they were, were sure to follow every letter of the Academy Code from that point on.
Ms. Tivvens eyed the children almost hungrily, hoping one of them would misbehave. None of them moved, but stayed frozen in fear. No one had forgotten how easily they could be sent to Punishment. And even if they had, they had a recent reminder when, just a few hours ago, Ms. Tivvens had sent Sam there -- the Wild Girl, and the newest addition to the Academy. They would not give the Giver the satisfaction of sending another that day. So there they all sat, as motionless as statues.
Among the children was a tall, fourteen year old girl from our world named Alder Eliza Worthington. She had long brown hair, gentle brown eyes, and a quiet, caring spirit. Except for Nan (who was the most experienced, and a sort of mother to the others), Alder was the most sensible child at the Academy.
Beside her was her two best friends, who she had known since the beginning of her stay there, as all three had arrived at the Academy at approximately the same time.
The first of these was small, fragile-looking Stevie -- a thirteen year old girl with a boy's name. She was from a world of Opposites. And indeed, she was a bit of an opposite herself, as the way she looked was not always how she was on the inside.
The second was Brownie William Mason, a boy of twelve who came from a world he could not remember. It was supposed that the process that brought him out of his own world and into Brywahr had somehow erased his memory -- though no child but him had ever experienced such an effect.
And on the other side of the aisle, across from these three, was a fifteen year old girl whose hair was like tiny strands of glowing light (for she came from a world of beauty and light). She was another of Alder’s friends -- but not a best friend. No one could truly be best friends with Lyssa LuVinna. Past her cynical exterior lay a heart of gold -- but not many people could get past that exterior.
These were a few of many children at the Academy whose hearts, although they held fear, also held something else. Even though they had lost their home worlds, lost their families, and all they had known, they had not lost hope. Even though hope could not be seen, for these children, it could be felt. They could never stop believing that the hope of finding their old ways, and of finding the truth, was somehow, in some way, not too far off…

((OOC: I apologize for the length. It's the first post for the story, and it was hard to make it short, what with all the introductions in it. BTW, when it says "souls" in the post, that's just a fancy way of saying people. Also, there will be no magic in this story. ))

~Riella

Vayond: The Shadowed Hunters

The girl took the coins from him, and smiled. "You're most welcome." She replied. "Oh, I'm so sorry! Forgive my rudeness! My name is Grace. May I ask, your name?"

Return of the Fountain Fellowship

He nodded to her as she accepted what he had said and pointed out that he may want to think before he punched someone next time. He gave a small chuckle and nodded again, "Yeah... I suppose my temper did get the better of me."

As she smiled, and said she was preaching a sermon, he chuckled along with her, "Well... you did a pretty good job of it."

He looked back at David for a second and noted a puzzled look on his friends face. He was still looking at him, when the lady introduced herself as "Grace Cunningham" and asked his name. He turned back to her and answered, "Ace... My name is Ace... and just Ace"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

CYG, Shalen and Liminata waited as Zakk contacted his friend. Limi turned to them, "what do you think? from the sound of it, his buddy is in almost open rebellion... can we risk helping him?"

Shalen looked at CYG, "Well... we've been taking risks for a long time... and going against the MESS alot."

CYG nodded, but seemed to not be listening, he was facing Zakk, but not looking at him. Shalen was confused, "Cy?"

That's when Zakk closed his communicator and smiled, "I'll show you the way." The patron of the bar sitting behind Zakk, at the closest table, suddenly got up and walked briskly to the door, shoving something in his pocket. Zakk jumped up and rushed after him.

Shalen gave one glance at CYG and they both bolted upright. Cyg grabbed Liminata from the table and they rushed outside, coming to a halt next to Zakk, watching a speeder make a fast getaway.

Shalen tured to him, "Zakk? Who was that?"

Return of the Fountain Fellowship

Zakk kicked a wall "I saw his speeder, he was a MESS spy" he said "he must just stake out this building, I've seen him once or twice in here but I've never noticed his speeder before"

"I have to warn Cale, that man heard what I said" he said rushing back inside to grab his communicator, on the other end of the line, it never rang, Cale had turned it off. Zakk hung up and rushed back outside "The war has begun, are you in or not?" he asked the others.

~*~ Brywahr Academy ~*~

A young girl, of eleven was forced into the Academy from a world long forgotten when she was six. Her long, brown hair covered the bruises on her face given by her boyfriend last night. She was only eleven but had to live as if she were 16. She didn't know the difference, because she had been raised in rigidness. She noticed a handsome boy, with stylish brown hair. It was Brownie. The two of them had become very good friends and she was hoping for something more someday.

Return of the Fountain Fellowship

Grace smiled in a friendly way. "It's nice to meet you, Ace. I'm going to be around here for awhile, so maybe I'll see you again.

All through these sentences, David had been trying to speak. It was uncharacteristic of him to be at a loss for words. Finally, he choked out, "Grace!"

Grace heard her name and turned around. For a moment, she just looked at David without any recognition. Then her mouth dropped open. "David?!?"

Return of the Fountain Fellowship

Ace nodded to Grace, "Perhaps so, and it's nice to meet you too." He smiled again and turned to look at David, who still had an extremely... confused? agonized? look.

David also looked as if he was trying to say something, Ace had never seen his friend at a loss for words, or looking this distressed. He was about to say something to him, when David blurted out, "Grace?"

Ace was taken aback, David knew her? How? David never told me of any female friends... he thought.

Then Grace spun around and said, "David?"

Ace glanced between them, "have you met before?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

CYG grunted as Zakk told them who the man must have been. Shalen shook her head and looked down, "So he's got us... they know that we are all in on it... "

Limi's voice came out of CYG's speakers, "It would appear...." but she stopped when Zakk turned and spoke again "The war has begun, are you in or not?"

Shalen looked at Cyg, and CYG looked at Shalen, and they nodded. Liminata spoke, "It doesn't appear we have much of a choice... I take it this Cale is the one we are going to meet?"

Vayond: The Shadowed Hunters

Dalin watched her sweep away into the night taking her pay, and any evidence that she ever existed, with her. Her laughs that echoed around the clearing annoyed him. She was forever making that merry sound, and he didn't understand it. He had laughed before, long ago, but she always was doing it and it pulled his inner strings. Happiness was something that had been escaping his grasp for years.

He pulled the dark cloak around himself and took to the trees heading toward where his men would be waiting for him. He had left them within the shadows but far from where he and the Rouge had met. They didn't really know about her. And they never asked.

****

Stendar hesitated. If the guards came would it only put her in danger if he told her the truth? Could he afford to risk an innocent life? "My name is Stendar. But if anyone asks, you don't know. I didn't tell you" he patted her shoulder with one hand and turned back to the young man, who stirred on the bed.

***

"Cold....lonely and lost" Susanne whispered, frowning sadly

Vayond: The Shadowed Hunters

Grace looked a little confused for a moment, then she nodded her head. "Yes sir, you never told me." She looked down at the younger man. "I'll be right back. Let me put this stuff downstairs." Grace left the room and a few minutes later came back in. "Is he awake?" She asked as she walked in.