Multiplicity

Small school of dueling held in the basement of Tormay's home. The aim is to study techniques, old and new, and train to be better duelists, in and out of the rings.

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Multiplicity

Post by Taneth »

Stone of multiplicity

The marketplace had been as busy as any other day and Taneth had been as cheerful and bouncy as usual. She had the handle of her basket nestled in the crook of her arm to keep the basket from swinging as it was filled with various treats she planned to bring home for Tormay and Chester. Her grey-blue eyes roamed the area looking for something simply so special to cheer up Tormay since he has been troubled with the New Haven baronial ring, when a sparkle of light caught her attention.

The sparkle had just enough glow to draw Taneth in and make her “ooo” and “ahhh” over the colors of the gem as she neared a simple, shambly stall. A vendor’s stall that did not have any of the fanciful attractions like the other stalls in the marketplace and it was out of the way, far from the hustle and bustle, as if waiting for one very special person to take notice of the wares. Maybe, just maybe Taneth was the one special person.

“Care for a stone, young one?” The vendor asked in a hushed tone as his eyes raked over the blonde with a knowing eye.

Taneth lifted her gaze from the small box of colored gems to the vendor and smiled trustingly and almost eagerly until she had no idea what the stones were for. “I should like a very pretty one, but what do they do?” Her head tilted to the side with a childlike curiosity.

“Oooh, it depends upon the color you choose and what you want the stone to do.” He rose from his short stool to wave his hands over the box of stones to indicate the variety.

“Then I should want yellow because my sweetheart loves yellow.” Taneth’s face brightened as she thought Tormay would be thrilled with a magical yellow stone.

The man’s nostrils flared with her words and he turned away for a moment before looking back. He shook his head slowly as if disappointed or concerned by her choice. “You do not want a stone for yourself?”

Taneth blinked and tilted her head to the other side as she repeated the question back to him, “For myself? Why?”

The man leaned forward as her scrunched his face up as if hiding a secret. “Listen, lovely, the stones are like a game. If you have one and your sweetheart has one then you can play the game together. I will give you one stone free.”

“A game? Free?” Taneth had no qualms about paying for anything; however, the second he mentioned a game her eyes sparkled and her mouth fairly salivated over the idea of fun. “I will take one. May I have the pink one?”

“Lovely, I have the perfect stone just for you but it will not be pink. It will be a nice red.” He removed the dark red stone from a pouch kept separate from the others. “This stone will make others see more of you. Think of it like a stone of multiplicity. All you do is think about who you want people to see.”

“Oooooo. What does the yellow one do?”

“The yellow will make everything feel better.” He knew her worries for her husband. He had been watching and keeping track of the blonde after all.

“How much?”

“For your smile, lovely, I will give them to you for free. These eyes have not seen something as bright in such a long time.” He knew the effects of the stone would work better if the blonde was on a high from compliments.

Taneth giggled and shared her best smile because she thought nothing of the lack of cost. Some people were simply giving or did not need much in return. Soon enough the stones were handed over in separate pouches and Taneth was on her merry way again. As soon as she was gone, the vendor and his stall hastily removed without much traces other than a few random witnesses with no reason to remember the encounter.
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Post by Taneth »

Stone of multiplicity, part 2

After the marketplace, Taneth never actually went straight home; instead, she had stopped at her usual spot in the glen to eat a snack and play with the red gem she had acquired. Her basket was near to her, for she would not lose her treats for Tormay and Chester, and her snack was devoured rather quickly as Taneth was a very hungry type of person all the time. Now, she needed to try to make more of herself.

Shakeshakeshake then a glance around the area, yet she did not see any other Taneths.

“Huh.” Already the instructions the vendor had told her were forgotten. Shakeshakeshake.

Nothing. Nothing happened at all and Taneth sighed audibly in disappointment. Alas, disappointment cannot keep a good Taneth down, so she rose and gathered her belongings. The duels would be starting soon and she wanted to see her friends before going home to her husband and puppy.

Taneth had made her way to the Outback rather quickly and no one was there yet, not even Kheldar, so she made her way up the stairs to hide and watch. If the stone was to work then this would be the perfect time. Eventually, the Outback began to fill up and Salvador was upstairs as if he were hiding too. Now was the time to strike.

Shakeshakeshake. Nothing happened. Shakeshakeshake. Nothing. Finally, Taneth stopped shaking the stone and pouted as she thought of two Taneths who would certainly surprise her dueling friends, especially Skid.

Eureka! The almost impossible happened! Two Taneths wandered in. One a sad looking, broken winged, limping Taneth with a raspy voice and another was a pink poodle skirt wearing Taneth, who was as happy as can be. The whole situation unnerved some, but Taneth was so tickled that the stone worked she was not concerned, so she left the Outback a very happy person and intent on sharing all the fun and goodies with her husband.
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Post by Taneth »

Stone of multiplicity, part 3

The road home was dark as it usually was, but Taneth never had a concern for her safety because she knew every turn, every building, and precisely how many steps it would take for her to make it home. The road home was her route from the Outback every single time, no deviation and no unusual stops. The road home was her road to home.

Taneth’s bouncing step was light and carefree. She was like a beacon in the darkness, glowing bright and singing a song to call to those who were lost. A lost soul or person was not who answered the call.

“Hello, little lovely,” his voice was cut into the blonde’s song with a silky slice that was enough to cause Taneth to startle and stop walking.

“Hello,” Taneth said almost bashfully. The basket of goodies and the red stone were tucked behind her back as if protecting treasures from thieves.

“I am so pleased to have found you.” He remained in the shadows, hidden from her view. “I have been looking for the light for so very long. It is time to come home.”

Taneth backed up a step then another. “I am to go to my home and my sweetheart now.” Her voice was almost worried for her safety, but she did not have time to let the worry overpower her.

The next few moments for the blonde was a blur as a net was thrown over her and ropes were being tied as she struggled and tried to free herself from bindings. The basket lost, spilled to the ground along with the red stone. Her cries and yelps went unheard by strangers and those that accosted her had not a care for what they were doing.

“Do not touch her,” barked the first shadowed man. “We need her weakened.”

“Please. Please let me go,” Taneth sobbed as she fell to her knees. Her fingers tried to spark, to try to fight back with the only thing she knew to do without thought but nothing happened. She had no spark.

“You cannot fight us, little one. You have no power now.” He moved forward to pluck the red stone from the ground and hold it up. “I made sure of that.”

His words and the red stone were the last that she saw or heard as she was struck over the back of her curled blonde head and wrapped in a blanket before being carried off. She was rendered harmless for the time being and that served a better purpose for captors. All that remained for anyone to know Taneth had been in the vicinity of the Outback was her basket of spilled goodies.
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Post by Taneth »

Setting the stage

The ambience in the room was eerie from the low glow of scattered lit candles and lanterns, wind howling outside and in the distance as if protesting the act about to be done, and a gathering of stones surrounding a single table with a little blonde in pink laid out across it as if she were about to have a crude surgery performed upon her person.

None were in the room save for the unconscious female and the candles were few, not for a lack of wanting light, but for a lack of supplies. The captors were ill-equipped for the land the blonde had chosen and surprised by the shenanigans that seemed to be a part of everyday life in Rhydin. The captors had to wonder how the blonde managed not to be corrupted, but they had realized she has been changed since she left her home world in favor of something new. The protesting, howling winds did not help matters for the captors and the lack of lighting since it seemed as if Rhydin itself were trying to delay what they believed to be inevitable. Their candles flickered dangerously as if daring the captors to make one wrong move before they extinguished, so the windows were boarded closed to prevent such a fate for light.

The stones, however, were of a different making. The stones were dark green, too dark to be an emerald and a shade darker than forest green, and they were shiny. In fact, in some instances one might view the stones as almost being reflective and bouncing the light from one to the other as they circled a single wooden table. The stones served one vital purpose when all were in place: keeping a body contained.

The body itself seemed almost frozen or dead. She lacked her usual color and breath of life, but she did breathe faintly. She was a blonde, faded version of the fabled Snow White, but no dwarves resided in the shack of a dwelling to keep her safe as she waited patiently for Prince Charming. The other difference to the fairytale was the single red stone sitting across the middle of her chest, which seemed to glow every now and then. Something or someone did not want her to be awake yet, if ever, but what was to come would redefine what even the captors knew of their little blonde victim.

She had been broken once by the dream rift and slowly had pieced herself together with only a few manifestations of her emotions, but this was different. This time a tidal wave was about to occur and an overabundance of energy was about to take form in a variety of ways because the contained would be freed on all levels since control was lost.
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Post by Taneth »

A tidal wave of Taneths, part one

“Broken?! What do you mean the stone is broken?!” His voice, the one what commissioned the kidnapping act, was bellowing in frustration and surprise.

“I apologize, my lord, but the stone is not quite broken.” The cowering assistant bowed. “Somehow the stone could not contain her energy. It would seem her energies are tied with the land now, feeding off of each other and the power of the stone has been altered.”

Black boots crunched over dried leaves and twigs from the forest surrounding the captive’s shack. “Can she even be transported now?”

“One does not know what will happen if we try to separate the ties. If she were weakened further, perhaps, or maybe one of the mages in this land could be of service.” The assistant shook his head at a loss of an explanation.

“Will she awaken with stone no longer functioning properly?” He was trying not to strangle his incompetent help.

“Perhaps not, but we do not know what will happen if she cannot control her energies. Perhaps…an explosion like the other.”

“Perhaps…” The captor contemplated as her rubbed an index finger and thumb over the edge of his chin. He had no beard, but it was habit he has never rid himself of. “Wait and see what happens. We will have to spend a few more days on this cursed land. Make sure she remains here safe.”

The assistant merely bowed and swept away to assign orders to those that ventured to Rhydin to return what had long since been gone; however, unbeknownst to both men was that Taneth’s spark was already spreading from her and into Rhydin. Elements that Taneth had contained were free and she would be unable to draw any of it back in without some form of consciousness.

The first Taneth emerged from the dark shadows in WestEnd and like almost all the Taneths that would soon be wandering the land she looked exactly like the original Taneth. This newer Taneth, however, wore no clothing and had no warmth because destruction needed none. She was finally free without the aid of demons or dark gods, not that she put any belief in other creatures being stronger than her.

Her first action was to eat and she smelled fresh meat nearby so she walked along the road until she found a nice little cottage. The cottage almost reminded her of the true Taneth’s dwelling before her marriage because it was quaint, quiet, and reeked of the floral scent. Ever since she had been confined within the good of the spark, she hated the smell of the flowers!

But food came first then the burning of the roses. The destructive little Taneth kicked open the door with her bare foot and stood in all her nakedly mean glory staring at a young woman, perhaps no older than Taneth (or so it seemed). The woman was startled as she held her hand to her throat in surprise. She had made a roast for dinner and was about to eat, but she was caught in a staring match with the naked Taneth.

Taneth growled, annoyed by the audacity of this human woman staring at her as if challenging her very existence. Her feet began to move as she ran toward the still shell-shocked woman and hit her square across the face with the back of a closed fist and a resounding crack of bone due to the impact. The woman flew to the side because the force was actually harder than it may have looked, but Taneth merely walked to the table, picked up a sliced piece of roast beef and began to eat the succulent meat as her eyes surveyed the now quiet room.

The naked blonde continued to eat the meat until every morsel was gone, but the nagging pit her stomach ordered more food. By nature, Taneths were a hungry sort of being, but this Taneth was not finding the roast beef to her satisfaction. She soon raided the entire food stock of the kitchen and each time she ate something new, she would kick the fallen woman as if blaming her for the lack of something good to eat.

All the food was gone in a matter of moments and Taneth had not satisfied any cravings. Although the true Taneth favored fruit and sweets, this naked Taneth favored something that had more struggle and the blood that was now seeping from the fallen woman’s mouth was a heady scent. Taneth dared to believe that this woman would make a much fuller meal than some stupid roast beef. Thus, naked Taneth walked casually, so casually, toward the downed woman but not before she grabbed a knife from the kitchen. She crouched then knelt by the woman then dragged a finger across her bloodied mouth before lifting the finger to her mouth and tasting the blood.

Heaven. Taneth’s dead grey-blue eyes closed as she savored the coppery goodness. Why had the Core never tried blood before?

Taneth’s eyes reopened and she began to lower the knife toward the woman. If just this small amount of blood could be released from a blow to the head then she could gleefully imagine the spillage if she simply cut open the woman’s body. She was just beginning to press the knife into flesh when Taneth lurched forward and vomited the entire contents of her stomach.

“You will not kill her,” a Taneth voice said in the doorway. “If you are released then so am I and all the others.”

“Hope,” growled the naked Taneth as she shot her head up and turned to the door. She continued to crouch by the woman. One arm was raised to wipe the residue of vomit from her chin and her eyes darkened into a severe murky blue. “I will kill you and all of them to gain control and live free forever. All I need to do is find Her.”

“You will not find Her first. The others will find Her and protect Her from you.”

“And what? Kill me? None have been able to kill me. The priests made sure I would reside within Her forever.” The naked Taneth barked a laugh.

“Perhaps, but this land gives Her strength and power even we do not understand. Even now, love grows stronger. And she has family now, which builds upon her hope and love. Would you be a match for both of us?”

Another growl from the naked Taneth as she felt the pull of something or someone, but it was extremely weak then severed from other force. “Damn you, both. I WILL FIND HER!!!”

The naked Taneth raged and slammed the knife into the side of the fallen woman before she flew at the Taneth of Hope in the doorway. The Taneth of Hope was quick, though, like her core self and she flew back. Dodging and weaving, drawing the dark Taneth out and away from innocent bystander. Fires began to burst up then doused with water and ice around the pair as they battled with fists and different elements of the spark.

The fight was quick to end, however, when they heard the faint sound of barking in the distance. The direction of the barking was unclear as more occurred and both Taneths looked toward the sounds.

“The puppy,” both Taneths, destruction and hope, breathed out. The puppy may be the key they need to find the Core. The naked Taneth took off running after the sound of barking and the Taneth of Hope waited just a bit to send some slivers of life to the fallen woman. She could not help her entirely, but she could make sure she did not die. Unfortunately, Taneth of Hope needed to find the puppy before the destructive Taneth; thus, Taneth of Hope went racing after her dark counterpart.
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Post by Taneth »

A tidal wave of Taneths, part two

As the Taneth of hope and the Taneth of destruction were battling it out, more Taneths had appeared within the town of Rhydin. One set was a golden blonde cocker spaniel puppy, Taneth’s innocence and loyalty, and a bizarre Taneth, who was dressed like a clown and was Taneth’s trickster. The clown and puppy had appeared out of the shadows of Imp’s Little Shop of Horrors, where the trickster Taneth had promptly gone inside to purchase as much gory and trick props that she could carry. The puppy, on the other hand, had waited outside and sniffed the ground as she waited for her mischievous counterpart.

Several moments had passed and the puppy Taneth still was waiting, while her little furred stomach grumbled hungrily. She began to howl and bark at the store as she called to the trickster. In the distance, unbeknownst to the puppy, her barks were heard by the battling Taneths and soon they would be arriving to collect the furred Taneth.

“I got everything we need, Taneth,” the trickster exclaimed as she emerged from Imp’s store. She hunched down toward the puppy and bugged her eyes out of her head and sucked her face in as if she had eaten the sourest thing in the world. Her corkscrew curls tightened and stuck out as if she had been struck with lightning.

The puppy merely blinked at the trickster and howled her hungry protest. Ahrrrrroooooooo!!!

The trickster blinked and drew back as if given the greatest idea ever! “Good idea, Taneth! We will see Tormay first!! I bet he is sleeping now and we can play all sorts of tricks on him!!” She laughed. Nyeknyeknyeknyek. “Come on!”

Trickster Taneth raced off down the pathway toward House deGorol, where she knew Tormay and the original Taneth lived since their marriage. The puppy merely sighed as if already worn out by her counterpart’s enthusiasm for causing mischief then bounded after her. After all, if they were going to see Tormay then he would definitely have food to eat. Luckily for the pair, they had missed the set of battling Taneths, who eventually parted ways in search of the puppy.

It did not take long for mischief and innocence to reach House deGorol and sneak their way inside the house. All was quiet for the moment as the mischievous one began to look around for extra props and the puppy had gone into the kitchen in search of food, but the trickster stopped short when she heard a protective growling from the darkened hallway leading to Tormay’s room; Chester the black Newfoundland dog was awake and not allowing anyone to harm his family.

Uh oh. The trickster Taneth’s eyes bulged out of her head and her mouth dropped into a too large of a circle. Her hands yanked at her wildly corkscrewed hair and she ran around in wild circles, but without screaming. Her arms soon began to flail wildly as she released her hair and she ran to Chester then away repeatedly, which may just have startled the dog enough to cause him to back up a step or two.

Nyeknyeknyeknyek. The mischevious Taneth flung a net she had purchased from Imp’s shop over the dog and tied him up, much to his growling, snapping, and eventual whining. Nyeknyeknyek.

“You are no match for me, puppy puppy,” the trickster said with a gleeful grin.

Before Tormay could be roused further, the trickster ran to his room and began placing little traps. When he awoke for the day, he would find his feet honeyed and feathered. Two eyeballs would have been placed on the nightstand and pillow next to him so that no matter which way he turned eyes would be watching him and the ever popular whoopee cushion was placed on his favorite chair. In addition, Chester would still be trapped by the net. How the mayhem of the house would be glorious!!

Eventually, the trickster made it back to the kitchen to see to the innocent puppy Taneth resting, who had managed to score some leftover food left down for Chester. Her stomach was full and she was sleepy, so the trickster picked up the blonde puppy and fled from the scene of her crime. The next step: find someone else to play pranks on.
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A tidal wave of Taneths, part three

The next set of Taneths emerged out of the shadows of the Red Dragon Inn, of all places, and these particular Taneths looked identical to each other and the original Taneth. The behavior of the twin Taneths was very much similar to the original blonde as well, but the major difference was that there were two. Some might have thought that the twins represented Taneth’s fear of loneliness, but the twins were actually friendship being manifested because when one befriends a Taneth then he or she will never be without a friend. In addition, the twins were now like the keepers of all the other sets of Taneths loose in Rhydin, but the job would be difficult.

The twin Taneths made their first appearance in the Red Dragon Inn with the barrister Lucky Duck, and from then on they continued to make scattered appearances to foster Taneth’s sense of friendship, which might help to revive her enough to be located, and in their search for the Taneth puppy. Unfortunately, many of the people were baffled, overwhelmed or otherwise avoidant of the twins, but the few that were receptive of the dynamic duo loved them as if they were the original Taneth.

The twins never slept because friendship never sleeps, so they were always searching for the other Taneths, the Core, and the ones responsible for all the trouble. The puppy was elusive, but the cause could be due to the trickster keeping the pup always on the move. Those Rhydin citizens that would talk to the twin Taneths had no useful information and did not seem inclined to help in the restoration of Taneth order; thus, the twins were frustrated and unsure of what they should do other than continue to look on their own.

By chance, the Taneths found another of their kind. She was a faded, silent version of the Core. She was Taneth’s silence, which meant she lacked the vibrancy of the One and she never made any sounds. The twins found her stumbling around in the glen as if she were lost, but the strangest part was that she was without her counterpart, which would be an overly vibrant and loud Taneth.

The twins stopped Silence and asked in their perfect unison, “What happened? Where is the noise?”

The faded, silent Taneth covered her face, shook her head, then looked down to the ground before she pointed in various directions. Everyone has a version of a response.

The twins looked at each other then at Silence. “Destruction found you Taneths? Did she kill the noise?”

The silent Taneth shrugged her shoulders and shook her head. She had no idea because Noise had pushed her out of the way and protected her counterpart from harm.

The twin Taneths wrapped their arms around the silent Taneth and hugged her close. “We will find Noise, but we need to make sure you stay safe.”

Silent Taneth nodded and her shoulders heaved as if she was sighing heavily, which she was but it was a silent sigh. The poor non-speaking Taneth was lost without her counterpart and she had no idea what or where she belonged. Normally, if counterparts were separated then, at least, they had Love to return to but Love was still missing and out of commission, and love could make almost anything better.

The twins smiled and continued to hug the silent Taneth as they walked away from the glen. They knew Silence would need friendship right now, so their search was put on hold until they could find a sanctuary for the lost, silent blonde. Their trek across Rhydin took the trio to the old cottage that the Core used to live in before her marriage.

The flowers surrounding the cottage were plentiful and still growing incredibly strong, but Taneth had used her spark to keep the flowers and surrounding vegetation healthy, vibrant and powered. In fact, the flowers and vegetation seemed to have grown exponentially more since the horrifying split from the Core as if the plants were a protective barrier of the residence. Anyone within the vicinity of the cottage could feel the powerful amount of energy.

“I think this would be the safest place,” Taneth One said.

“And you can still be close to the Core here,” Taneth Two added.

The trio had no ill will toward the cottage, the surrounding area, or each other so they simply walked into the house. Much to their surprise, they found two more Taneths in Happy and Sad.

Happy, a vibrantly pink Taneth all over, was singing merrily as she combined an entirely blue Taneth’s hair. The blue Taneth, Sad, was busy crying and trying to wipe her eyes with a blanket.

“We will always be alone and never together again,” Sad cried.

“Oh, Sad, do not worry! We will find everyone and be back with our love and our sweetheart and have a great big party,” Happy chirped. Nothing got her down.

“Happy! Sad!” The twins called in unison and guided the silent Taneth further in. They sat Silence in a nearby chair and went to hug their sister selves. “Have you been here all this time?”

Happy and Sad turned to look at the other Taneths, which made Sad cry all the more and Happy simply glowed.

“Oh yes! We appeared here. I was so happy to see our old home and Sad was crying because she missed our new home,” Happy explained. “Silence! How great to see you!”

Happy did not notice that something was wrong with the Silence, but Sad did. “Where is the noise,” Sad asked with a whimper.

“We cannot find her. Loud and Silence found Destruction and were separated,” the twins explained for Silence. “We need to leave her here while we look for Loud and the others. Have you seen the puppy?”

Happy and Sad Taneths shook their heads as Happy said gleefully, “We will watch Silence. The house seems to protect us.”

The twins nodded, hugged their sister selves then scurried out of the cottage to resume their search. It was going to be a long day, a hard search and more complications. Nevertheless, the Taneths were resilient and, best of all, they had each other.
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Post by Taneth »

Interlude: Dreamscapes, part one

Taneth, the true Taneth, was still rendered unconscious or in a very deep sleeplike state. The red stone, although malfunctioned, still kept her confined within herself. Her body weakened slowly with each passing moment as she went without touch, without a fostering of her energy, and with the continual leaking and manifestations of her spark. However, Taneth was not completely alone and sparkless because the dreaming one within Taneth was free to move and explore the hidden recesses times long forgotten.

“Taneth! Taneth! Do not touch that, “a shrill voice screamed at her the dainty blonde. The five-year-old blonde had turned to look at the loud voice with curiosity because she did not know what was so wrong with touching a cooking fire as her fingers were dangerously close to the flames. The woman’s calloused hands, hands used for manual labor, yanked the child away and gave her resounding slap on the back of the nearly burned hand. “Bad girl! Fire is bad!”

The five-year-old Taneth began to cry from the hand slapping and the yelling at her. Big, fat tears welled up in grey-blue eyes and rolled down chubbish, rosy cheeks as the woman left her to stir the soup that had been heating over the fire. This woman had never wanted to raise a child, but her duty was to raise her. Taneth wiped her eyes with fisted hands, but she continued to cry. She did not think she was a bad girl.

“Stop crying, bad girl,” the woman said sternly to Taneth. She frowned in disapproval of the tears and turned as if threatening her silently with the wooden spoon she had been using to stir the soup with.

“Edith, what are you doing,” a man’s voice boomed from the doorway.

“James,” Edith breathed out and backed off to the side of the fireplace. “She was going to touch the fire. I had to stop her.”

James stepped into the room and moved to sweep up the crying child. He cooed to her and brushed back her golden blonde curls. He was dirty from tending to farm animals, but he knew the child would not mind as he held Taneth close and rocked her gently in his arms. “There, little one. Stop your crying. No one is mad at you.”

“James, the child has to mind. How are we to prepare her for what is to come if she does not listen,” Edith nearly whined her complaint.

James continued to rock Taneth, who seemed to calm and curl to him in comfort. “And will the lord approval of your hitting of her? Of risking her spark to pain and hurt?” James cuddled Taneth closer. He had a love for the little girl because he had always wanted children and this was his chance. “She is just a child, after all.”

Edith sighed as she knew she has lost this battle over the girl. James had bonded instantly with Taneth the moment she was brought, as an infant, to their home. She never wanted children, not even in her youth, and now she was stuck with one of…no…the most special of all those that possessed the inner spark. She knew the child was precious to their lord, but children were so incredibly messy and needed constant attention.

“I will take her with me for now, Edith,” James said and walked right back outside with the blonde child in his arms.
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A tidal wave of Taneths, part four

Taneths were appearing in different parts of the Rhydin city and the appearance always included two blondes. Since the beginning of the very original Taneth’s arrival in Rhydin, she had grown a fondness for the duels. Her fondness came to the point that a former caller, Rory Laurent, had given her a cheerleader outfit simply for Taneth’s knack for cheering on everyone who stepped into a ring. Thus, the dueling Arena is where the next set of Taneths emerged.

The hour was late and, as far as anyone knew, no one was left in the Arena as all the duels had ended and all the hate or disgust had been expressed for Anubis. He was a real piece of work, but Taneth liked his kohl-lined eyes. The shadows within the Arena had darkened for a moment near one of the rings Anubis had dueled in earlier in the night. The light seemed to return a moment before a dainty looking blonde had emerged from the corner of the ring.

The blonde looked like any of the other Taneths, except she wore dark red fighting leathers and she had a falcata strapped to her back. She stood in the center of the ring with her feet spread shoulder-width apart and her hands on her hips.

“I missed all the dueling,” she shouted. “That Eyes, if only I could show him what real fighting is about!”

Apparently this Taneth was not a fan of Anubis, not that he is used to having adoring fans. The warrior Taneth stomped around the ring as she expressed her disappointment in not being able to duel this night. Her stomping stopped, however, when she heard a shuffling on the outside corner of the ring.

“Do not be shy,” she called in invitation.

“I am not shy,” the female voice called delicately back to the one in the ring.

The warrior moved to the edge then leaped over the ropes to the outside. She leaned to look at the Taneth outside of the ring. “You look awful.”

“You have the warrior’s heart and strength,” she chuckled softly. “I am the frailty and gentleness of the One…her sensitivity in a way.”

The warrior looked over her delicate counterpart. One was strong and full of vibrant life, while the other was more translucent as if she were made from clouded glass. Her hair like finely spun gold, her skin breakable, and she looked as though one could simply knock her down with a puff of breath upon her person.

“We need to cover you,” the warrior said with no room for argument.

“I agree. I feel a chill upon me that I am not accustomed to.”

Luckily, the pair spied a hooded cloak in the darkness and the warrior nabbed it up before anyone could come to reclaim it. She carefully draped the cloak over her counterpart and raised the hood to cover the gentle, frail Taneth’s face. Both Taneths touched the cloak and a sparkle shimmered throughout the material.

“Now you are protected,” the warrior said with a satisfied nod.

“And we can travel.”

The two Taneths, one a fighter and one a delicate spring flower, moved to the stairs and exited the Arena.
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Tormay Eludes
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Post by Tormay Eludes »

Left Behind

Opening his eyes, Tormay was momentarily blinded by the sunlight coming in through the window. Rolling over, he pulled a pillow over his head to try and go back to sleep. It wasn't like he had anything to look foward to. Of course, his movement didn't go unnoticed, it never did in the mornings, as Chester hopped onto the bed and started rooting around with his snout, trying to get under the pillow to lick Tormay's face.

"Alright, alright, I'm up! I'm up!" Throwing the pillow off, he wrapped his arms around the puppy, a rather large one at that, and started to wrestle with him on the bed. It didn't take long for Chester to break free and dash over to the door, barking in excitement.

Tormay rolled his eyes as he crawled out of bed, "You gonna let me get dressed first?"

He grabbed the first tunic he could find and pulled it over his head. A brief look in the mirror showed that yes, his hair was a mess. He didn't bother combing it though, again, it wasn't like he was looking foward to anything. It took Chester to bark again to shake Tormay out of his daydreams. With a sigh, he walked over to the door and opened it up for the pup. Being led down the stairs by Chester had become an everyday thing now.

Wake up, get dressed, go downstairs, into the kitchen, make breakfast. Chester always enjoyed this part of the day, much like he enjoyed every part of every day. Tormay got out the food for Chester and filled up the water bowl. For himself, he grabbed an apple from the bowl of fruit on the big counter in the center of the kitchen. He stood as he ate, leaning against the counter and watching the dog munch away happily. He thought to himself, trying to bring up the schedule for the day. Swords training followed by magic training with Neo in the basement in a few hours. He'd also be making an appearance later in the arena, if he could manage to keep a smile on for that.

"It's quiet again today, isn't it?" as he watched Chester. He didn't expect a response, but it was always quiet these days. Ever since Taneth disappeared things were quiet, lonely, and boring.

Tormay glanced over to the stove, he coudln't even remember the last time he tried to cook something. It had been a long while now, he just didn't feel there was a reason to try now. He tossed the apple core into the trash bin on his way over to Chester. Dropping to a crouch, he began petting him.

"You miss her too, don't you?" As he watched the puppy continue eating, "Maybe not right now, you are eating... but when you finish you are going to be sad, too. Just like every day."

He waited patiently for Chester to finish eating. As expected, the puppy looked up to him, ready for the morning walk.

"I have an idea, how about we ditch lessons today? I think we should try to find those twins and search for Taneth today, don't you?" The only response he got was a wagging tail, 'If only I could speak dog,' he thought to himself.

Making the motion to Chester to follow, Tormay went down into the basement to leave a note for Neo. It didn't take long, he hada note saved just for this purpose, he didn't like writing the same message over and over again, and it was the fourth or fifth time he would be doing this.

No training today, went to search for Taneth with Chester.
Enjoy the day off.
-Tormay


With that, he went back up the stairs with the puppy and out the door to start his search again.
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Taneth
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Post by Taneth »

The End of Friendship

Friendship was supposed to have been everlasting. Friendship was supposed to have been the glue that kept every piece of her together. Friendship was supposed to have been her salvation, but friendship failed.

The Taneth twins were one in the same; they were each other but with some differences. The first Taneth twin, Taneth one, had always appeared to be the strongest of the twin Taneths of friendship. She was the loudest, the strongest, the sturdiest and she was protective of her twin and all the other Taneths. In reality, she was the weakest of the twins because her basis of friendship was not founded off of hope of the people she befriended but on what she saw about her. Her friendship was grounded to the here and now.

Taneth one wanted to believe her twin sister when she said to have hope in her friends, but she lost the hope when she saw that the multitude of Taneths was nothing more than an oddity or a game. Her sight of who was a friend and who was not may not have been an accurate account of the truth, but the feelings behind her ideas of friendship were strong and unwavering.

The fact for Taneth one was that Taneth and her problem, her very life, did not matter to any of the “normal” denizens of Rhydin, to any of Her friends or worse...Her so-called family. What should it matter that the true Taneth was suffering when everyone had fun replacements. With all the other Taneths exposed to the Rhydin world no one had a need for the original.

Tormay could have multiple wives, especially ones more coherent than the original. Tara could have multiple daughters, who would be more than willing to do anything and everything she wanted…daughters she could mold into anything she wanted. Ewan and Lucien did not have take on the added task of watching over the original Taneth and all her strange behaviors. G’nort would have the benefit of a many Taneths fawning over him and his reddish hair. Sal, and Ali did not have to take care of the baby zebra anymore due to an overabundance of the little blondes. And most of all, no one had to be her friend or take care of her because there were so many Taneths wandering the city that they could be their own best friends and take care of each other.

Taneth one knew the Taneths had to depend upon themselves. The Taneths were the only ones who could be trusted and who had enough time and care to worry about Her. Taneth one realized during her time in city that Taneth, the original or not, was simply a novelty to be used when someone had nothing better to do. And she was done being a plaything.

Taneth two had no idea what the “real world” was like because she still clung to the ideas of Hope and true Friendship. She was an idealistic fool for believing anyone actually cared. Sure, she made “friends,” but when the time came she would be forgotten, abandoned, and lost without a second thought. Her “friends” used her for amusement.

The ideas from Destruction were accurate. Destroy what makes one weak. Destroy the weak. Use the energy, the life, the very force from those that used and abused Her to gain more power and gain control of Her. Be unforgiving to be strong. Be uncaring to be strong. Sacrifice the weak to win. Use whoever and whatever you can then simply…kill them all. What did it matter if all Her “friends” and “family” died? She never mattered to them. This was the way of Destruction and now Taneth one, one half of the twin Taneths of friendship.

Friendship did not die by the breaking of the twins. The bonds of friendship did weaken when Taneth two became alone, but she found strength in her friends, new and old. Jake had become a great friend and a good source of strength; however, all bonds eventually weaken and she was still weakening. Every battle fought against her darker sister selves made it difficult to regain energy and keep Hope alive. Nevertheless, in the end, Taneth two, the last half of friendship did not die from a bloody battle of Taneths but from a broken heart of losing her best friend…of losing herself.
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Post by Taneth »

Interlude: Taneth and Mother

I have never really had a mother before. Everyone who would have been like a mother to me has either not wanted me or were more like a great friend. Mothers are special, I believe, because they are supposed to be one of the people who love you best of all no matter what happens. I do not think I ever had someone who loved me best of all no matter what.

Kitty is my very great friend and she was a mother to other children. I am not a child. I am not her child. Was she like a mother to me?

Kitty protected me when I needed it and she let me play games with her. I think a mother protects and plays games with her children. I do not think she was my mother because I was never her child.

Topaz is Tormay’s mother. He is her son. I am her daughter because of Tormay, so she is my mother in some way, I think. Having a mother because of someone else cannot be the same as having your very own mother because she will always be Tormay’s mother first because I was never her child.

Tara told me to call her mother. She buys me presents, says I am a princess and sweetpea, and holds me sometimes. Mothers buy presents, say nice names, and hold their children. Tara and I are very good friends too. I do not think she is my mother because I was never her child.

If I had been a child in Rhydin, would someone had claimed me as her baby and been my mother? Would she have loved me best of all no matter what? Would she have made my hair pretty, bought dresses and toys with me, and played with me? Would she have held me in her arms when I needed comfort? Would she have been my very best friend?

Mothers can be so very special.

I wonder…if I had a mother, would she think of me when I was gone.
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