[align=center]?? Folklore ??

One wouldn't believe that they had ended up in a fairy tale.

Once upon a time, you have.

 

There are those in the Netherworld that want to uprise and take over the land of the dead and the land of the living. Led by those from the Overworld, they have grown stronger and stronger.

There are still Messengers and others that can travel to the Netherworld that want to prevent this overrule and restore the balance.

Will both worlds live happily ever after?, or....

 

Rules:

Please, don't:

Raiden dug his heels in somewhat forcefully, teeth gritted, breath heaving in his chest. He was throwing Annabelle a look of pure hatred, which she didn't even acknowledge- and, of course, that only made him angrier.

 

Falling onto his butt with a thump, but catching his balance on his elbows, Will glowered up at Evany. "Fine. Eliza can stay, then." He started to pick himself up. "You all can rot for all I care."

"Give them time," someone called. "They'll soon appreciate the gift that you have given them."

Apparently, this person addressed to Annabelle, for she replied, "... Yeah. Yeah, you're right. They'll like it." She looked at Eliza. "You like it, right? Are you happy?"

Eliza hesitated before shaking her head. "I-- No. I don't."

"The poor girl's confused," the anonymous person remarked. "She's got nothing to live for now. She never had. It's no use pleasing her, Annabelle." The figure approached Annabelle from behind, revealing herself to be s'Arina.

 

"And that care is seldom, right?" Evany asked, returning to the tree. "I hope that I knocked some sense into you, whether it's now or later."

"'Gift'?!" Raiden repeated, spitting the word out like it was an expletive. It took him a moment to piece together where he'd seen s'Arina before, but that was probably because of the anger clouding up his head even more than usual. The hint of recognition didn't in any way distract him- when he remembered their encounter in the Netherworld, he just set his teeth harder. His fists were clenched so tight the nails were splitting his palms, but he ignored it, even when they drew blood. "How the hell can you call any of this a gift?!"

 

"Why can't you..." Starting to ask the question, Will tapered off, adding up inside his head for a brief moment, before he broke into a smirk. "...You haven't told Eliza you came back, have you? THAT's why you wanted me to go and make her leave. Because you can't do it. What, are you ashamed of all this, Evany? How pathetic."

"Why, immortality is a great gift, boy," s'Arina explained. "One wouldn't have to fear death any longer."

"But," Annabelle began, "to be immortal would involve dying, righ--"

Suddenly, s'Arina smacked Annabelle's head, leaving her dumbfounded for a moment. "I never gave you permission to ask questions, you twat."

Finally, Eliza spoke up, "Immortality isn't a gift. It only expands what isn't necessary."

s'Arina smirked, saying, "The Netherworld is still having an effect on you, isn't it?"

 

Evany merely glared at Will, not having a motive to speak back.

"It's not fearing death itself that's the problem," Raiden snarled in response. "The problem is not being alive anymore. Not being human anymore."

 

Will laughed, strolling a few steps past Evany. "Oh, that's just priceless. So you're moping here, hiding from her, because you're scared she'll find you like this? While she's off getting all angry about what happened to you. She's probably gonna get herself killed, by the way."

"Humans are idiotic and absentminded," s'Arina snapped. "They all deserve to be discarded of!" She looked down at Annabelle. "Let's start with this one."

"B-but what if she doesn't want to die?" the little girl asked.

"She's confused," s'Arina remarked, "and she always needs others to make up her mind."

"Oh." Annabelle looked up at the furious Raiden and asked, "Am I allowed to kill her?"

 

Evany continued to glare at Will as he walked by, his eyebrow twitching at one point. At the last mention, he asked, "What do you mean?"

Raiden stepped forwards, placing himself between them and Eliza. He unclenched one fist with some effort, not even glancing down as the blood gathering there trickled off the tips of his fingers, as he reached for a dagger. "No way in hell."

 

"I mean, she's getting even more reckless and stupid than usual. It's only a matter of time until she takes on something she can't handle, and there's no one there to save her sorry ass. Though maybe then you'd be able to face her, eh, Evany?"

Annabelle looked back at s'Arina, saying, "He said no."

s'Arina outbursted in laughter, exclaiming, "It seems that father's mistake has taken a stand. What a sight to see."

Meanwhile, Eliza continued to stand there, appearing to be mentally absent.

 

Evany froze. The reason that he ended up this way was to find a way to fix the Netherworld. The only way to was impossible for him, being dead. Now, he realized that his greatest mistake was that of another's suffering. Looking down at the ground, he pleaded, "I'm begging you. Please, get her away from here."

Raiden narrowed his eyes at her, trying to keep his breathing under control, so he wouldn't be struggling for it when he moved. After all, the anger was acting as a source of adrenaline, sort of- so strong it was nearly a rush. He couldn't remember the last time he'd allowed it to truly get the better of him- he must have been human, the last time. "Shut up," he snapped towards s'Arina. Then he adressed Eliza, without turning to look at her. "Run and get out of here. Go and rest up like you were going to. I don't want you to get attacked while I'm busy... Go.

 

Will rolled his eyes, still not dropping the smirk. "And what do I get outta this?"

".... Miss s'Ari--" Annabelle began, but she was soon interrupted.

As though to be in a trance, Eliza made an attempt to snatch the dagger from Raiden.

 

Evany thought hardly for a moment. Despite not wanting to give anything to the arrogant man, he felt as though he had no choice. "I'll help you accomplish what you came here for." (( What that may be, I don't know, but I'll make my character be aware of it. ))

Raiden spun around, tugging the dagger away from her. "Eliza, what the-?!" He yelled, stumbling backwards, pushing a hand out in front of him as though warning her to stay back.

 

The smirk dropped, and was quickly replaced by a face like thunder. "...I... How will you do that, if getting Eliza away and keeping her away would mean I'd have to force her? Besides... It's not something that can be fixed while I'm here to see it."

 

(( Uhm, I'm coming up with this on the spot. xDDD Er, his twin sister died, came back, he wants her to... pass on? Whatever? -dies-))

Eliza stood there, back hunched over, as she mumbled to herself. Annabelle looked at her in horror.

"Is this still the effect of the Netherworld...?" s'Arina questioned, sounding confused as the others. After a moment, a realisation came to her just as fast as her smirk. "The puppet's strings have been cut," she stated. "She does want to die."

Eliza took another lung for the dagger.

 

"There is a way, Will," Evany said, "at the Netherworld Core. It may have to with the two Trees, but I'm not able to get there."

Acting on instinct, Raiden moved back again, tossing the dagger away in the hopes she wouldn't persue it. "Eliza, stop it!" he protested, coming close to actually stamping his foot, like some annoyed toddler.

 

"The Netherworld Core?" Will frowned for a moment, but the arrogance soon flickered back into his expression. "Good thing I'm not scared of anything, with all the facing your fears crap it's supposed to cause. But why can't you get there-? Oh, wait, I forgot you were kind of dead." He kept the smirk off his face, standing there utterly deadpan.

"Annabelle, come," s'Arina said. "We're leaving." As the blue creature waved farewell, s'Arina opened her own portal (as that's all she really could do in the real world) and entered it, followed by Annabelle.

Meanwhile, Eliza continued to stand there. Though her eyes were blank, she appeared to be looking in the general direction of the dagger.

 

"Yeah," Evany confirmed. "So, do we have a deal?"

Raiden took a few cautious steps forwards, edging back towards Eliza. He tried to put himself between her and the dagger as much as he could, standing with his feet planted far apart enough for him to be sure of standing his ground. He grabbed at her shoulders, probably far too roughly, and shook her, trying not to let too much of his irritation get the better of him now s'Arina and Annabelle were gone. "Eliza, snap out of it!"

 

Reaching up to scratch the back of his neck, Will scowled. The idea of a deal was pretty much an annoyance to him- it meant he had to at least think about upholding his end of the bargain.

"Fine," he said eventually. "Although, I have to say, if you were giving up and just wanted to sit around... why pick one of the Trees as your angst spot?"

Eliza's head simply tipped to the side, like a rag doll, as her eyes rolled. After a moment, staring into space, a faint grin appeared on her face. "Damned child..." she muttered. "That's what they called me, all because I could see the dead. I was a blaspheme to my father, and my mother always avoided me. I'm so tired, but if I sleep, I'll drown..." She eyed the direction of the dagger's location once again. "... I just want to sleep... just how everyone else wanted of me...."

 

"Other than the fact that I can?" Evany asked. He looked up. The glorious leaves were illuminated by the light of the sky. "It's just... nice, I guess." Finally, Evany stood up. "I got myself into this mess. I'm going to untangle this mess."

"But... but you said you never knew your parents..." Raiden recalled, keeping his tight grip on her shoulders, even though he didn't think shaking her any harder would help. "Eliza... I... I don't understand. S-sleeping, sure... but of you want to sleep, why are you trying to...?" He leaned forwards a little, just enough to try and force her to make proper eye contact with him. "Listen here. You're gonna stay alive. Human. The past doesn't matter, so long as you're human, because you can live on, move on, grow up. Trust me... Being half and half is so much worse than trying to keep fighting. Because this never ends. And... and it hurts."

 

Will nodded, then hesitated. "Evany? Wait. How.. how do you..." He gestured at the post. "How do you get... get to the Core? I never paid attention about it, because I didn't think it was important."

For a moment, Eliza completely froze. Slowly, it seemed that her conscience returned. By this time, she had become so confused as to what happened. However, it all came back to her in an instant. "Human?" she asked as her eyes slowly welled up. She shut her eyes tightly, slightly chuckling. "For most of my life, I haven't been treated as one. Ever sinced I washed up onto shore here, I thought that I was given a chance... but, I guess my old, selfish wants are getting the best of me."

 

Evany paused. Now that he thought of it, he hadn't paid attention either. Up until now, there was no reason to know such a thing. "... It's at a separate portal, somewhere in the village...." he recalled, but that was all he knew.

"Uweehee, maybe I can help."

"But you are one. That's the part that matters," Raiden continued, loosening his grip on her shoulders. He'd been grabbing so tightly his knuckles had bleached white, the skin straining. But he did his best to relax. "What you see doesn't change what you are. It makes you different, but it doesn't take away any of your humanity..." He hesitated. "You... You're human to me. Incredibly human."

 

Will turned to look at the newcomer, his hand automatically twitching towards his sword before he even caught sight of them.

Eliza snapped open her eyes, growing tense for a brief moment. Her face cringed as something wet went down her cheek. She instantly remembered her promise of no water shows. She desperately tried to put a stop to her tears, but to no avail. "I'm sorry... I'm sorry..." Eliza repeated as she looked down, acting like a child who feared that they were in trouble.

 

"Gee, do I make everyone on edge?" the figure, who turned out to be Scarecrow, asked as he cocked his head to the side.

"Yeah," Evany said quite bluntly.

"Nothing to be sorry about..." Raiden's frown deepened a little, but he didn't pull away or show any other OCD-fueled displeasure- something he found surprisingly easy to avoid, given his usual attitude toward crying.

 

Will dropped his hand, rolling his eyes in an attempt to hide the fact he looked slightly abashed. "Pretty much. But fine. How do I get through to the Core, then?" His tone was challenging, nearly bordering on aggressive- the hesitation from before was totally gone.

Slightly snickering, Eliza said, "Yeah. Sorry." She continued her attempt at banishing her tears. It had only been a minute or two before they subsided. Her voice rather choked up, she stated, "Heh, I'm so exhausted..."

 

"What bright aura draws souls here?" Scarecrow riddled. "High above the clouds, one would find all dear."

At first, Evany became rather aggravated by his riddles. However, after a moment, he found the trivia rather simple. "The lighthouse..." he stated.

"Well, I DID tell you to go home and get your rest, before you flipped out on me. Guess that little bit of advice got ignored." Raiden stepped back, rummaging in his pockets, where he hoped he might have a tissue or something similar stashed away. He, after a few moments, yanked a somewhat crumpled one from the pocket, brushing off the worst of the fluff before he waved it at her. "C'mon, I'll walk you back in case you fall asleep getting there. But clean yourself up."

 

Will tried to bite down on the sarcasm upon hearing the riddle, but he genuinely couldn't help himself. "High above the clouds, one would find aircraft. Which would kill you if you just popped your head up and one hit you flying by." He looked over at Evany, surprised. "...Lighthouse...?"

"I was on my way," Eliza remarked, "before those two showed up." Taking the tissue, she went ahead and dried her cheeks and under her eyes. When she was finished, she kept it in her closed hand before walking.

 

"What bright aura draws souls here? A lighthouse," Evany explained. "It's "high above the clouds", and the light helps people find their way to the island, even through the thickest fog."

Raiden fell into step beside her, not bothering to go and search for his dagger. He didn't particularly fancy crawling around on all fours in the gloom, just in the hopes he'd come across the thing. Especially since, knowing his luck, he'd probably stumble upon it and injure himself. It wasn't as if he was going to particularly miss it much- as a standalone object, it really had no sentimental value to him at all. "...Don't go back to the Netherworld tomorrow," he told her after a long silence. "Stay home for a while."

 

"Then why couldn't he just say "lighthouse"?" Will grumbled. "I'm sick of all the crappy riddles."