Dani 🌕
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paraurelian.me
Dani 🌕
@paraurelian.me
39 followers 44 following 330 posts
Writer, music ed student, """content creator"""
Gotta enjoy life any way you can. // she/her

pfp by lowpolyfrog, banner by @atomicflare.bsky.social
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paraurelian.me
July 30, 2025 at 6:00 PM
paraurelian.me
close enough™️
July 24, 2025 at 9:05 PM
paraurelian.me
Remembering Kirby's Epic Yarn exists has caused an Effect on my life
July 14, 2025 at 12:06 PM
paraurelian.me
I know I said I'd post some clips to this account, so I might as well hold myself to that statement.

Photosensitivity Warning
May 29, 2025 at 11:38 PM
paraurelian.me
okay, we might be back
May 24, 2025 at 12:27 AM
paraurelian.me
May 9, 2025 at 5:10 AM
paraurelian.me
May 5, 2025 at 6:08 AM
paraurelian.me
May 5, 2025 at 4:39 AM
paraurelian.me
April 24, 2025 at 5:18 PM
paraurelian.me
Today's the only day I can post this HAPPY LAQUE DAY!!!
April 16, 2025 at 7:38 PM
paraurelian.me
YAYYY YAYYY YIPPEEE WOOO YAYYY—
April 16, 2025 at 6:16 AM
paraurelian.me
OC Lore Train! Explain your OC's lore in the worst way possible!

"DON'T FUCK WITH ME! I GOT THE POWER OF GOD AND ANIME ON MY SIDE!"
April 11, 2025 at 2:01 AM
paraurelian.me
March 6, 2025 at 7:49 PM
paraurelian.me
oh it's so over
January 19, 2025 at 7:07 AM
paraurelian.me
So I figured out how to mod Survive the Internet
January 18, 2025 at 8:45 PM
paraurelian.me
I won't !!
January 18, 2025 at 8:44 PM
paraurelian.me
December 15, 2024 at 7:56 PM
paraurelian.me
There's an entire chunk I plan to write later on—unsure of when. I'm going to take a decent-sized break to give myself a well deserved rest. The next update you'll see about this book will hopefully be a final product!

Thanks for sticking around :^)
- Dani
In the reflection of the tram’s glass, I noticed a white lily in place of my left eye. - 30 -
November 30, 2024 at 6:26 AM
paraurelian.me
The tea party with Caesar has been a scene I've bounced around in my mind since the middle of October. I think it's the greatest climax to add after practically meeting God, despite how tame the scene is.
At first, Caesar attempted to respond. However, he choked on his words at first before letting out a small cough. His eyes glazed for a moment before he wiped his face with the sleeve of his jacket. “Caesar?” “I’m fine! Don’t worry. Just swallowed my own spit, is all.” “Hate when that happens. What were you going to say?” “I was gonna tell you that your tea’s probably cooled off enough to drink!” I brought the cup to my lips to test his claim. Unlike the strange meat days prior, the temperature was hot—yet tolerable. The heat added to its flavor, but it didn’t distract me from the overwhelming taste of water. Once we finished our cups, we noticed the approaching airships. Our flare vanished moments ago, but that didn’t seem to matter to the pilots. Everything else afterwards was pretty self-explanatory. We returned to Sol Invictus, showed him the flower, and got our audience with Goddess Fortuna. I remember the grandiose nature of her throne room. Her ceiling was a hemisphere of glass held up by an assortment of pillars. To me, they were all randomly placed within the room, leaving her throne room to rest in the middle of it all. The only detail I could glance from their placement is the groupings of circles strewn across the room. Nonetheless, she freed the prisoners of Temple Cross upon my request. In the moment, I felt a surge of power stating my request with authority. Of the two of us, I wasn’t the one wearing the brilliant golden armor. The silence afterward brought in second doubts of my delivery. However, after some thought, she agreed. This was the end. My grand journey came to a close. After spending hours reciting my memories off to Ozymandias, I lost track of the time. He seemed to be on the edge of his seat throughout my entire spiel. Alongside, he didn’t have any questions to interrupt my story. By the end, he sat up on the couch and clapped. “Way to go, Autumn!” I was a little perplexed by his response at first. Once he finished his brief standing ovation, I returned his gratitudes with a question, “I thought it was pretty obvious that I was going to win in the end.” “Well, not necessarily. You had me convinced you died during your encounter with Skymarcher.” “I guess that could be a possibility.” “You know.” Ozymandias scratches his chin. “Now that I mention it…” “Hm?” “If you didn’t die on your journey, how did you perish?” “Oh, that’s…” I trailed off for a moment. My final memories of life came back to me in a flash. “Right, about that. Goddess Fortuna said she needed a task done to finish off the payment. She spoke of an unknown force in the center of the Grand Capital. When Caesar and I went off to investigate, we were completely ambushed.” “Wait—in the center of the Grand Capital?” “Yeah, I think somewhere around there.” “Interesting, do continue.” “We weren’t well-equipped for the task. I feel like Laque over prepared us during the quest for the lily, but didn’t equip us for Fortuna’s deal. It was completely invisible, and it bit my leg off before it fully sunk in. I didn’t want Caesar to fall under the same mistake, so I told him to run away and shut the doors behind him.” Ozymandias remained silent. “Honestly, it wasn’t my best move. It wasn’t as painless as you think it would be, but I do remember seeing Caesar fully escape right before the beast bit my head off.” “That’s good to hear,” he squeaked, “That he escaped—not that you died.” “I know what you’re talking about, don’t worry.” “Good, I just wanted to make sure.” Ozymandias pushed himself off the couch and dusted his pants off. As he brought his WRIST up to his face, he jolted his head back before continuing, “It’s nearly three-thirty! I won’t keep you for long—go catch the train before it’s too late.” “Oh, shoot, you’re right!” I immediately checked my WRIST to confirm the time. It was 3:28 PM. “Well, hope you enjoyed the story! See you in the Heartland!” “Bye Autumn!” He called out as I booked it for the tram, “See you in the Heartland!” I sprinted through the nexus, remembering the exact pathway out to the tram station below. By the time I bolted through a quarter of the nexus’ distance, I was nearly at the entrance. My first sight upon entering the station was Miyana standing at the platform and the tram itself. I brought my WRIST up, 4:02 PM. I didn’t have the stamina to dash all the way to the station, but I made sure to run as much as I could. I was tasting metal long before I arrived. Miyana ushered me over with her hand. “Come on, Autumn! The tram’s gonna leave any minute now!” I joined the swordswoman in her designated cart. The interior looked the same to me—same seating, same railings. It felt like she chose the same cart deliberately. Nonetheless, I sat down next to the window, opposite of Miyana. Her lips were drawn back—I think she was concerned. It took her a moment to speak her mind, “Geez, kid, why were you in such a rush? Did you sleep through your alarm?” I couldn’t respond to her right away. I was too focused on controlling my breathing. Deep breaths in, deep breaths out. “Kid, are you gonna be okay?” “Yeah, I’m fine,” I wheezed. She didn’t seem to buy it. I passed the time by checking through my Tabula. However, my mind stuck to the small tea party Caesar threw. Nothing particularly added up to me. I know how awkward he can be sometimes, but still. I voiced my thoughts once I caught most of my composure, “This is gonna seem like a strange question, but…” Even before I began, Miyana raised an eyebrow. “Do you think it’s a little odd to say ‘there’s something I’ve been meaning to ask you for a while now’ and then say your tea’s done?” “What do you mean?” She leaned her head back slightly. “Well, Caesar tried to ask me something after he poured us some tea." Then he got all teary-eyed and brushed it off. Is that normal?” A smile broke upon Miyana’s face. She tried to cover it up with her mouth, yet the corners of her lips broke through. “What’s that smile about?” “Oh, nothing.” A soft chuckle escaped through her fingers. “It’s probably nothing, post-adventure nerves.” “You sure?” Her face snapped into a neutral expression. “Dead serious.” “Well, if you say so…” I turned away from Miyana to look out the window. It’s all the same rock and stone—as it was before. The occasional light passed by, blurring past from our speed. However, there was an odd detail which caught my attention.
November 30, 2024 at 6:26 AM
paraurelian.me
Most of the scenes in the encounter with Skymarcher come from different projects/stories. With my whole philosophy of SCH being a standalone title, I thought it'd be nice to throw these in to add a bit of mystique/otherworldly-ness
Yet, I remain curious. What irony is it to leave in full only to return in husk.” He moved his mask vertically. I can tell he’s scanning me down. “Nothing in this world can truly be forgotten. Mortality brings within itself a gift; death. Death is less than nothing. Death has no reference on which to base nothing on. An empty cup—which contains only air—exists in its boundary. “You can not kill Gods whole. To do so is to extract them from the public conscience. Their ideals spread like wildfire—their gift. You’ve escaped the Pantheon, yet you’ve left your impact among the cosmos. Do you know why you exist, Lady of the Lake?” I replied, uncertain, “No.” “You exist because of me. An indirect reference unto myself. Every fiber of your being—every part of your greater whole—exists in opposition, because I never forget. Because I am not mortal. You are none other than yourself.” The Avatar of Reality folds his arms inward. Both pairs of his hands clasp together, obscuring his chest in whole. “You are the Intruder. You are life. You shaped the shores of existence with your sea of dreams. In absolute you were everything I yearned to be, and I despised you. For once, I felt an emotion I had forgotten in ascension. Fear.” The Circle of Myths slowly begins to crack. The rigid lines the fractures carved grew branches which tore itself apart. “I keep you alive not out of spite, but of respect. May you attain your glories, Autumn Sforzando. May you forgive my trespasses, then and now.” He pulled his arms apart to extend them out to the sky. I watched as the eclipse behind him faltered. Cracks tore the moon asunder, bringing the shadowed sun through its tears. As the moon splits apart, scattering off into the cosmos, a decimating cry reverberates the lands. The tremors brought me to my knees; I could barely focus my eyes. And then, there was nothing. I woke up on the temple floor, back where I started. Caesar had already woken up. His worried gaze glanced down toward my laying body. Once I opened my eyes, he bent his knees and extended his arm. I firmly gripped his hand to pull myself up. Standing up took a while to get used to. I wasn’t sure how long I was knocked out for, or how much of what I lived through was real. Skymarcher’s words bounced around in my mind—an immortalized memory impenetrable to degradation. Caesar wrapped his arms around my body, encasing me in a tight hug. “Oh, Autumn, you’re awake! Thank Skymarcher.” I let out a lighthearted chuckle. “Yeah, thank Skymarcher.” “Here, I found the lily! It’s at the top of the temple!” The sun shined upon the top of the temple as it stood at its apex. Upon a stone altar was a skeletal corpse—one with a flower in its eye socket. Surrounding the altar was a dais covered in violet flowers. We carefully tread through the field of flowers, making sure not to step on them. Once we approached the lily, Caesar extended his hand out to cover my chest. “Hold on.” The prophet rubbed his hands together. “I got this.” As his hand made contact with the skeleton’s skull, he easily folded the material as if it were clay. Once the bone was separated from the lily, he nodded his head toward me. I slowly lowered my right hand down to delicately pinch the lily’s stem. Once I had a solid grasp on the flower, I raised it out of the warped skull until it was fully disconnected. Caesar quickly took his hands off the skeleton and reached into his supplies. Once he fished out a small box, he opened the container to reveal a cushioned interior for the flower to rest in. Naturally, I placed it inside for safe keeping. We left the temple soon after. I wasn’t looking forward to the arduous trip back, but Caesar’s spirits seemed to be unaffected by the notion. He reached into the cart of supplies to retrieve a strange gun bearing a solid color. Once he loaded a strange bullet with a similar color scheme, the prophet aimed the gun in the air and shot up toward the sun. A trail of particles stained the sky, a collection of colors streaked amongst the clouds. Caesar placed the gun back in the cart and clasped his hands together. “Right! I’ve been told there’s a pair of watchmen nearby meant to retrieve us once we find the lily. They should be on their way. But, while we’re waiting, why don’t I treat us to some tea?” “Tea?” I repeated, “I mean, why not? We have some time to kill.” Hidden within the cart was a small box containing a set of materials. Caesar took a small pebble similar in composition to the sticky rocks and stuck it to a metal plate. As he placed the teapot on top of the remaining space, the rock gradually changed in color to take on a bright red hue. Before I could ask, he answered my question, “That’s a heating rock!” He poured a small container of water into the teapot. After doing so, Caesar retrieved the lily’s black box alongside a mortar and pestle. Almost immediately, I sprung up and tried to reach out for the box before it was too late. Caesar quickly reacted by extending his hand outward. He saw the fear in my eyes afterward and brought out another similar black box. “The lily’s still in this box, see? I know which one’s which. Why don’t you grab the teacups while I’m preparing the bags.” Without another word, I searched through the cart’s supplies for two teacups. As I pushed through the assortment of items, Caesar got to work crushing up the tea’s flower. Once I re-emerged with the needed supplies, I handed one cup while keeping one for myself. Caesar placed two small bags in each of our cups afterward. The teapot started hissing a few minutes later. After he knocked the heating stone off with a measuring stick, the prophet poured out the water into our cups. We both sat and watched the water mix with the contents of the teabags to form an opaque golden hue. However, as I looked at Caesar’s cup, his was a little darker than mine. “I probably wasn’t perfect with the measurement,” he reassured me, “Nothing too serious.” I’m not sure why I didn’t think of that before, but I nodded in response. “Well, Autumn, how do you feel about this whole trip?” It took me a moment to think of an answer. “I don’t know, I’m still processing the last hour or so.” Caesar raised an eyebrow. “Why so?” “I’ll talk to you about it later. I’m still trying to make sense of it all. Otherwise, I think it’s been pretty eventful.” “Right! I think it’s been a pleasure to be with you for the last few months. Only one more day until we can save your mother.” My mother—I’d forgotten about her. In retrospect, I didn’t have much time to even think about my mom. I’ve done nothing but train and work, it all practically distracted me. “Don’t tell me you forgot…” “Oh, no I didn’t forget! Just a little sentimental, is all.” “Ah, I see.” We both sat in silence for a moment. Neither of us drank our tea. “Right, Autumn. There’s something I’ve been meaning to ask you for a while now.” “Hm? What is it?”
November 30, 2024 at 6:26 AM
paraurelian.me
I'm very glad I started early for this one. Once I woke up for my nap, I went straight to work writing.

Safe to say, I've had a lot of fun writing this chapter.
swift flame which engulfed the structure whole. The embers hopped across the plot of land as it torched the pens, grass, and sheds alike. The homestead quickly fell victim to its influence. I watched it burn to the ground. No one fled from the scene. The stars above had long vanished, all that remained was a black expanse of nothingness. The world tore apart at the seams. Chunks of land violently tore itself apart, separating the fire into various camps. Even if the ground gave way, I remained suspended above a deep purple void. Once the world had vanished in full, a voice echoed from the depths. “I threw my life away. For what?” Behind me was a tall, slender figure. His face was obscured by an orange fox mask—Skymarcher’s mask. Tattered clothes covered his body, revealing his many scratches and wounds. I couldn’t help but notice his sharp claws which took the place of his nails. “I’ll never get them back,” he continued, “I’ll never find another soul who will understand me. My family, my friends, Cynthia—I lost them all, and for what?” His golden eyes shined through the mask’s openings. “What’s an eternity of Godhood without a soul to share it with?” The figure reaches his hand up to press against his mask. A tear rolls out from under his mask as his eyes gradually cloud up. “A burden. What a cruel fate.” Soon after, he turns his gaze away from me. He walks off into the depths of the void, leaving me without guidance. I tried to run after him. For every step I took, the distance between us only grew. Once he vanished past an invisible fog, a crimson red cityscape grew closer with each step. I escaped the shadows of its alleyways to find a small opening among the towering buildings. The overhead streetlamps gave light to a group of figures around a mangled motorcycle. A lone paramedic—with bright red hair—stood above a figure similar in appearance to the previous men. A cloth mask matching his blue robe laid astray near the group. Skymarcher’s mask was nowhere to be found. He quickly pressed his hand against his mouth to cover his violent coughs. The figure’s voice was hoarse. After giving himself a moment to recollect, he shakily spoke to the paramedic, “Is she dead? Did we win?” Another figure stood a fair distance behind the group. I could discern their hot pink hair from a mile away—Miyana. However, she didn’t seem to notice the dying figure. The paramedic stumbled upon her words. She couldn’t muster a response while she laid eyes upon the dying figure. Something within me urged myself to draw closer. Whether it be the volume of his voice or his injured state, I found myself kneeled down with my eyes locked to his. The figure noticed my presence. He peeled his sights away from the paramedic. With his hand outstretched, his arm visibly trembled as he exerted his energy. “Another husk.” He brought his band back to cover another cough. “Who is your soul?” I attempted to reply, “I…” “Do not ponder. Reconcile with yourself.” A smile cracked upon his face. Despite his condition, he let out a small laugh before bursting into another cough. Audible crackles filled the air as the world quickly blinked. At first, the pair stood in front of me. After a slight hiccup of time, they vanished. Small artifacts quickly gathered around my sight as it gradually swallowed my peripheral vision. Strings of slime spontaneously appeared where Miyana once stood, encasing a radiant being obscured by a bright block of light. Three wings extended out from the gatherance of squares, held still in fear of piercing through the slime. Soon, all my senses gave way. A brilliant light blinded my vision before a collage of colors crept in, constantly changing in hue. A high-pitched ringing remained for hours. I couldn’t feel anything around me. Temperature had vanished in the presence of searing pain. Everything gradually diminished away. My sight slowly returned to me, revealing the temple’s altar in front of me. I felt the humid air of the jungle return in tandem with my hearing. Insect cries returned to fill the atmosphere with noise. However, they were soon drowned out by the whistling wind outside. I found Caesar next to my feet. He was passed out on the floor. My attempts to wake him up didn’t seem to work. I tried lightly tapping his ankle, shaking his arms, and slapping his face. In retrospect, I probably shouldn’t have done the latter. Upon stepping outside, I was met face to face with Skymarcher. His nebulous gown waved in the wind as He remained stationary above the air. The solar eclipse moved to sit just behind his wisped face to form a bright halo. As He floated around the temple, the eclipse stayed in place; anchored to His head. “The Beast Who Dreams.” His voice bellowed within my mind. Skymarcher crossed His bottom arms across his chest, obscuring His sash of Empyrean Runes. His remaining hands stretched skyward. Bright blue fissures cracked upon the night sky, forming a series of circles surrounding a point. It bore a resemblance to Caesar’s necklace—the Circle of Myths. “I thought you fled this world in fear.” Skymarcher continued, “Why do you return, Invader? Why sow your seeds upon my lands once more?” The winds howled in my ears. I felt like the only choice I had was to raise my voice in defiance, “I don’t know the person you’re referring to. I’m not the love you lost.” Skymarcher’s mask visibly tilted upward. I wasn’t sure where I found my answer. He walked across the air as if it was solid. The Avatar of Reality closed the gap between us, leaving only a few meters of distance. I could barely look straight at Him—the light of his body and the halo burned themselves within my retinas. Yet, I kept my eye contact with his mask. The wind abruptly hushed. His voice softened, yet it continued to resonate within my skull. “So you know. Answer me now, vessel.” Skymarcher paused. His body remained still as his eyes pierced through mine. “Are you Solfami Laremore Laredo?” I knew the answer was no. Through my memories, I justified the response as such. Deep within my soul, however, the answer differed. The option burdened me—my mind grew heavy. I could feel how dry my tongue was against the top of my roof. I caved to my soul. “Yes, I am.” Nothing. Neither of us moved. Yet, something had changed. The Ambrosia around Him took a multitude of forms simultaneously. Within the mix was the Farmer, the Apotheosized One, and Caeliter. His physical form remained. However, as He spoke, only the Apotheosized One moved His lips, “Why?” I didn’t have a response for Him. Both my mind and soul remained still. Silence was the only answer I could give. “Why do you return?” My body was a statue—petrified. “You’ve surrendered yourself to my destiny. You planted your seeds of life and uprooted your garden in departure. And yet, you’ve abandoned our Son. “Your past isn’t your own—I understand with clarity. The circumstances in which you carry yourself long separate your origin.
November 30, 2024 at 6:26 AM
paraurelian.me
DAY 29! This is it, the final day. While day 30 is technically the final day, I've decided to give myself the day off to relax (and focus on other work. The grind never ends).

#writing #oc #Novelmber #Novelmber+

[ #Aureverse ]
Caesar and I ran out toward the temple’s porch with haste. We realized our travels took us to the top floor, giving us a view of the plane of trees covering our sights from horizon to horizon. A swarm of birds nearby took flight, rustling the leaves in their wake. The world had become restless—the cacophony of cries was immediate and evident. The sky had gone black. The overhung sun had been eclipsed by an unfamiliar object. Caesar was the first to try to unravel the mystery. He placed his array of supplies on the floor as he hurriedly looked through for a specific object. “This isn’t right. The moon was in its third quarter when we landed—how long were we in the jungle for?!” Despite the situation, I was much calmer than the prophet. My tone remained neutral, “Three days, at least.” I watched as Caesar’s hasty movements drew to a halt. His hands pressed down on an outstretched paper as he looked up at me. Before he could speak, a bright dot revealed itself on the surface of the moon. It gradually grew in size as it streaked across the sky. A visible spotlight raced across Caelitra as it brightly illuminated everything in its path. With its path, it was almost inevitable that it would cross upon the temple. Caesar’s focus fixed on another detail—the spot. “Since when has the moon had a hole in it?!” He exclaimed in terror. It was Laque. I recall the spike that pierced thoroughly through the moon’s surface. I thought it would go unnoticed; unmentioned. Once the spotlight engulfed the temple, it stationed itself in its spot. From my brief glimpse at the spot on the moon, it had fully formed into a perfect circle. In the sun’s wake, the sky had returned back to its bright blue color. The distant insects called upon each other, cuing the sounds of night to echo from the jungle. The prophet remained attentive amidst the rapidly shifting environment. As I absent-mindedly stared upon the dark shadow beyond the spotlight’s reach. “We’re moving,” he exclaimed, “Autumn, we’re moving!” The world slowly sunk beneath us. The edges of the horizon curved inwards, forming a small hill where the ground vanishes beyond our sights. However, the world wasn’t falling. We were rising up in the sun’s tractor beam. As we picked up speed, I couldn’t balance to stand up. Our oxygen continued to thin out, causing us to pass out on the top floor of the temple. I wasn’t expecting to wake up. The moment I could get back on my feet, I thought I reached the afterlife. A circular wall of rock reached up to the heavens, holding a crystal blue skylight at its apex. When I reached over to wake up Caesar, he was nowhere to be found. My first instinct was to call out his name, “Caesar?” My voice echoed against the cavernous walls. “Hello? Where are you, Caesar?” His items were still splayed across the floor. I left the outside of the temple for the inside altar. Using the path of rocks, I made my way through the brick labyrinth and back to the entrance. I couldn’t find our cart outside the temple. Maybe he did leave, but why didn’t he wake me up? My sights tunneled in on the cart’s absence. I spent the next few minutes searching the nearby area for its whereabouts. Eventually, I branched out. I kept the temple’s location in mind as I searched the jungle for its whereabouts. I searched around the towering trees for any clues, yet I came up empty handed. A symphony of chirping crickets filled the air, accompanied by a group of hooting owls. The nighttime birds sang their songs, piercing through the forest’s soundscape. Despite the temple’s sunlight, all I could see was a bright night sky with its homogenous starscape. Each time I looked away, a selection of stars disappeared from the twilight. I wasn’t in the jungle anymore. I acquainted myself with a beaten down path which led me farther away from the temple. In the distance, I could see the lantern lights of a far away barn. I couldn’t tell if I was still inside the moon, I’m not sure if I wanted to check for myself. Approaching the barn led me to a clearing among the forest. To the right of the barn was a quaint homestead with its interior lights softly pouring out. I could still see the stars in the sky—the abundance of light barely made a dent with its pollution. Outside the front porch of the homestead was a man, at first glance, who looked like Caesar. His blue jacket was nowhere to be seen. Rather, his shit was a solid shade of blue with a pair of overalls concealing the bottom portion of his shirt. They had a similar pair of eyes, as well; they were unmistakably golden in hue. His hair—which held a similar shade of brown—was scraggly and only reached toward the top of his neck. His hair covered his right eye too. As he spoke to me, I realized his voice housed more depth than Caesar’s. His inflections seldom matched the prophets. In place was a monotone delivery. “Where did you come from?” He questioned, “What business do you bring?” Only now did I realize the Old World Firearm situated in his hands. He held a tight grip on the bottom of the shotgun’s barrel with his other hand resting on the handle. To the right of his feet was a woman face down on the ground. She looked similar in appearance to Miyana—same pink hair, same physique. She quickly corroded into a pool of slime. As I looked back toward the figure, I was quickly reacquainted with his unnerved scowl. “I don’t know,” I replied, unsure, “I saw your lights. I came from the temple close by.” He seemed to be content with that answer. The figure lowered the barrel’s opening toward the floor. With his attention placed to the sky, he continued, “I pray you’re not from the City in the Clouds. I’ve been told of their anomalies, their exploits.” I landed my sights on the city overlooking the forest’s trees. Rings of clouds surrounded the towering behemoth, obscuring the structure in layers. It looked similar to the city found in the tapestry—skyscrapers and all. The figure sighed. “I wish to live a normal life, Autumn. My family can’t compete against their rampant exports. We’ve been in debt for months.” I froze in shock when he mentioned my name. My head snapped to face back toward the figure. Once I collected my thoughts. “How do you know my name?!” I hissed. He didn’t seem to react. “It’s an invasion to learn the names of men you don’t know.” I blinked. A cluster of stars vanished from my peripherals. “I must leave. Please do not destroy our farms. I must’ve woken up mother with my shotgun blast.” The figure walked back to the homestead’s porch. As he rested the firearm on the porch’s railing, his parents swiftly opened the door and raced to encase him in a warm embrace. I knew how dark it was outside. Even if they weren’t focused on the figure, the shadows hid me well from their sights. They soon sought refuge inside, leaving the forest empty of commotion. Caesar was nowhere to be found. I attempted to retrace my steps back toward the temple. Maybe he wasn’t that far, I thought. Maybe he’s somewhere inside the temple. Suddenly, I heard a faint shatter within the barn’s walls. After a few seconds, a pillar of smoke rose from the backside followed by a
November 30, 2024 at 6:26 AM
paraurelian.me
y'know what? Let's see how far I get with this
November 30, 2024 at 3:01 AM
paraurelian.me
Hopefully, y'all will like the last two entries when I write them. I plan for Chapter 10 to be the biggest (or to at least segment them somewhere in the middle).
“What? I was just reading what the runes say.” “You weren’t supposed to read what the runes say!” “What do you mean…” His eyes scan the wall again. Caesar’s surprised expression dropped further into horror. “Uh oh.”
November 29, 2024 at 7:29 AM
paraurelian.me
Personally, I think I'm going to have a lot of fun writing this chapter. I didn't intentionally save this chapter for last, but knowing I'm close to the finish line, why not motivate myself?
I stood with my arms crossed. I watched with malice in my eyes as he brought out a small sack with lots of bumps around its material. Caesar reached into the bag to grab a small pebble. Once he threw it into the temple, it stuck to the ground upon impact. The pebble created a small amount of light which illuminated a sizable area around it. “Sticky rocks,” he clarified, “they have a day’s worth of charge once they’re attached to a hard surface. There’s about five hundred inside this bag, so we should be okay.” He continued to prepare by bringing out a large stretch of blank paper, a pencil, and an unmarked measuring stick. Caesar creates two lines in the top left portion of the paper. The distances he wrote on the paper are replicated on the stick. Once he rolled up his map, he gave a small nod. “Okay! I’m good to go.” Now, I’m starting to understand why Laque chose us to find the lily. We ventured through a series of rooms which contained nothing more than unlit torches and various tapestries. It was hard to find any meaning among the maroon-bricked walls. I couldn’t imagine being a cultist living my life here. If there was anyone who’d know, it would be Caesar. I passed the time by prodding him with questions. “So, do you know what exactly these cultists were worshipping? They seem to be less civilized and orderly than the church back home.” I could tell that mentioning the cultist’s order garnered a reaction out of the prophet. Nonetheless, he replied without any change in tone, “Well, there’s different denominations and ways to worship Skymarcher.” “Do tell. I’ve got nothing else to do.” “I only know of three major forms. The first being communal worship. This is what Temple Coast and most other cities practice. We gather once a week to remind ourselves of the teachings of Skymarcher while further devoting our lives and time to him both in and outside of our gatherings.” “Right, makes sense.” “The second one is Ampersandi worship. I’m not too keen on how they function, but they claim their form of worship is the closest to Skymarcher’s roots. They treat their lives as a game created by Him. Their main goal is to elevate their souls to a higher plane of existence through the completion of this game.” “What type of game? Is it like a sport?” “It’s more esoteric and individualized. Part of growing up as an Ampersandi requires you to understand what completing your game is about. Think of it as your life purpose.” I nodded in understanding. “The last method I know of is grounded more in sacrifice and exchange. There isn’t an umbrella word to describe these types of sacrifice since they differ from group to group. Temples like these exist as a place for worshippers to eat, sleep, and live in the teachings of Skymarcher. I think they’re called monks. At least, that’s what my dad called them.” “That makes sense. Is there a reason for why they live their lives or does that also depend?” “Well, yes. It depends. From what I’ve seen with the tapestry, these cultists focused on attempting to understand and locate Skymarcher. Usually, that’s a very tall order to achieve. Maybe they gave up and left.” I took a moment to gaze upon the tapestries. The pebble’s lights were enough to make out the woven details. The first tapestry had three separate segments. The topmost showed a cloud-like floor with the icon of Skymarcher’s mask. The second showed a variety of geographic landmarks like mountains and rivers. At the bottom is a collection of unknown landmarks all seen swirling around. There’s a few figures depicted with their hands in the air alongside a litany of chains strung around. The next tapestry showed a cylindrical structure separated into seven layers. As the height increases, the size and polish increased in tandem. Anchored at the bottom are small houses in disrepair. One story houses turned to multistory buildings. The layers at the top lose their borders in favor of towering skyscrapers. Right next to the layered city is a tapestry of similar landscape with a large crater in the middle. One room was covered in strange diamond symbols. They each held a random assortment of dots and differences which formed an even yet asynchronous row of tapestries. To me, they looked like chain-linked fences. Three tapestries linked with each other in the form of a series of diamond symbols. Underneath these symbols are different symbols. The leftmost tapestry shows a lone geyser spilling out its contents into the sky above. Next in line was a tapestry showcasing a warrior surrounded in strange lines stringing together the floor and ceiling. The backdrop resembles that of a cityscape. Oddly, the right side of the tapestry has a chunk torn out. All that remains are two extruding wings. The third tapestry shows a random selection of shapes and colors. It’s hard to determine a definitive shape as random blocks of color overlap upon each other. During my investigations, Caesar audibly gasped while pointing toward the ceiling. “Oh, Autumn! Look over there!” Overseeing an altar was a pair of cloth woven together to form one big canvas. In the center of the tapestry was a humanoid body with four arms. The material had been replaced with a thinner material which allowed for the outside sun to fill the main body with radiance. A skirt made of nebulous particles wrapped around the figure's waist. On closer inspection, I made out nine tips resembling a canine tail interwoven in the gown. Their top right arm had been scorched upon—sunlight hardly shined through its material. A large sash wrapped around their right shoulder and across their waist with a series of diamond symbols. On top of it all is a large wisp-like head covered by Skymarcher’s mask. “Empyrean Runes,” Caesar mentioned, “It’s been a while since I’ve transcribed these. Let’s see if I’m still good at it! I… O…” While he slowly read off the sash, I peered my head over toward a wall containing both Empyrean Runes and written text underneath. Each rune corresponded with a letter, forming out a full phrase, “We have succeeded, yet we have lost. Do not utter His name.” “I think that’s a K?” Caesar scratches his head. “I’m sure that’s a K. O…” I stood with my hands pressed against my sides. I spoke aloud to try and comprehend the message, “His name? Isn’t it Skymarcher?” “Z… R! Oh! It spells ‘Iokoz’r’!” The light inside the masked figure suddenly dims. It’s an instant switch between brilliant radiance to nothing. The walls shook briefly before stabilizing. I watched Caesar’s expression go from satisfaction back to confusion. He scrunched his eyebrows while he raised one side of his lip. “Did I solve it?” He asked, puzzled. The sign’s warning now dawned on me. “I don’t think you were supposed to.” “Why’s that?” “Look over here, Caesar.” The prophet turned his attention toward the warning sign behind me. His eyes scanned the text as he slowly read to himself. Caesar’s warped face straightened out as his eyes widened in realization. The prophet softly spoke in a hushed tone, “Iokoz’r ack Mof-dh’lxi. The true name of Skymarcher.” “Caesar!” I shouted.
November 29, 2024 at 7:29 AM