Welcome to Gaia! ::

It was like closing your eyes and opening them again. That's how smooth the transition between worlds was for Azuria. A cold breeze blew past her from the right, a few leaves ruffling by. Above her was a sea of overcast skies. The portal stood behind her; and all around, for miles and miles, were cobblestone streets lined with tall, grey structures of wood and stone. She seemed to be in a city circle, and around her feet were the remnants of a garden, dead now, with only a few patches of dead grass left. Behind the portal was a wide and tall foutain, long unused; brown vines covering half the artform. Another cold breeze swept by, this time from behind, almost forcing her to look forward. There in the distance, down the wide and empty street seemed to be a large wooden stage. Up above, stringed from rooftop to rooftop were colored pendants, deep purples and red, all tattered and burned. But there was a single light...yes, on the stage not too far ahead. Someone had just lit a torch, and she could see him...her...or it, standing just in front of it.

Wolf's ears picked the sounds of loose wood disturbed and looked over to Adante, who was rather ecstatic. He seemed subdued and weary "So... Adante, exactly what is it?" he asked as he inspected the sight. Kneeling down he gave a sniff of the lower air flow and stood again, "I think Azu found it first, there's a fresh scent here from tonight."

"Don't know where she is right now though, the scent drops dead. Just what did you invent Adante?" He asked trying to contain senses of worry.

Andante was jumping up and down now,
ha-HA! it's amazing! See...
He ran down the stairs and marvelled at it. Then, taking a deep breath, he almost exploded with information
I was trying to create stronger objects like a new tea kettle for everyone or a new sword or new metal for Alto so that he wouldn't get hurt as often, and also new metals and stuff to help in the construction of my own workshop but then I realized when I magnified thing all the way down to the atoms and electrons, that I could never do such a thing because the electrons and Atoms kept dissappearing!
He took another deep breath.
And so I wondered where they went and continued to study them and it seemed to me that they came backafter a few micro seconds of dissappearing, and it wasn't that they were going around so fast that I couldn't see them, they just poofed away! And then I wondered if they went somewhere, else, other than this world or even plain of existence! So then i continued studying until i found that atoms, and everything connected make up this huge elaborate sphere of strings!
but then Andante stopped and rubbed his head,
oops....Well, So I discovered i could essentially ride those atoms to different spheres in existence...but the thing is...i dunno where they go...
he tilted his head though,
Azuria? you mean she went in? But!....well...i suppose it shouldn't be too bad....I wonder where she ended up...Should we go and get her?
He asked, finally settling down.

Azuria stood there, frigid with fear and absolute confusion.
"Alto.. Andante...?" She said softly, taking a step towards the light, "Ember? Wolf... anyone?"
She started to walk faster, still frightened but hoping against all logic that the figure on the stage was someone from the castle.
"Hello!?" She called out, almost at a jog now.

She had to be a mile away from the stage, but after only a few steps, she was infront of what she could see now to clearly be a "him". His palms were in his hands and his knees close together.
"Helsh katoh-va'jha ruahye..jab.. and you are a stranger here. You don't belong here Haktoothmallllllllllllvoghe..."
His frown turned into a sinister smile,
"But you are here now and cannot WAIT to see our festival of flames ehhhhhh?"
The last bit trailed off into an almost high picthed shreek.
"Sit here no STAND! So that we may all get a good look at you hulskushhhhtival! t'ij'sa'skeck!"
he suddenly grabbed her hand and pulled her up onto the stage.
"Ahhhhh now doesn't it look nice from heeerrree?! Ahehehehe"
The stage looked a lot taller now, and Azuria was able to see above the old stone buildings now. They were still completely alone, A wall of mist surrounded them and the city circle, which she could see back down the road.
"Welcome to our City of Haze, Msssss.! And enjoy our festival! You'll be participating yes? why yes of cour'se you are! Shelockujh...relockjujh..."
((Azurias new friend - http://i17.tinypic.com/2n74hmh.jpg ))

Andante looked down at Wolfs arm, and tilted his head.
Mr. Wolf....what's the matter?...you aren't hurt are you?
suddenly becoming very serious.
I could take a look at that...it's...it's not good to let those things settle...

~

back within the portal, The jesture that was with Azuria suddenly began to sob uncontrollably, then laugh uncontrollably.
"Ahhh yessss, you'll do nice won't you!"
he gasped, placing a hand in front of his mouth a little too feminine-like.
"My my, you could even be our maiden of honor...wouldn't that be something? The queen of the festival..Shekal'jets..a'nui'tuke...Ahhhhh you'd look wonderful!"
he suddenly clapped his hands, An a warmth below them began to grow, the smell of smoke becoming apparent. The jesture laughed out loud.
"LET THE FESTIVAL BEGIN!!! ACK'ULGHE STEHLGURDE!"

He pointed forward, and in a poof of fiery smoke, another man, and a woman, there faces both hidden by large top hats, appeared. The girl was wearing a beautiful black dress, a black silk scarf wrapped around her neck, its ends ending just above her thighs; whilst the man was wearing a handsom tuxedo, with a long overcoat. The man was holding a clarinet, whilst the woman was holding an oboe.

With another clap, two more individuals appeared, another man and woman. The man, dressed almost exactly the same as the first, held a single drum, whilst the other woman held nothing.
The jesture then grinned at Azuria...
"Well?...they're waiting for you.."

The jesture stared at her, amused, and clicked his fingers.
"Hely'otukgh....Why so afraid?"
Ashes suddenly began kreeping up from between the wooden floor boards, first covering Azurias feet, the her legs. No matter how much she tried to kick them off, the continued to stack until they were up her waist, and still going. The jesture was smiling all the while, and the band members down below were waiting patiently. The ashes from the waist down suddenly broke off and fell, leaving nothing but a long flowling skirt, a dirty grey color. The ashes clung to her arms, revealing black silk gloves, and black silk bustier. On her head, a black veil materialized, and the kitsune quickly looked like some dark kind of bride.

The mist now began the break away, and the sounds of other people began to be apparent. The musicians suddenly started playing as the other citizens began to get closer and closer to the stage, some from all directions, down every street. Though there was something very wrong with them. They were all dressed in black, their hands in the air. most of them were limping, others could only crawl with their hands. Their faces, both men and women were hidden with black pieces of cloth, and were moaning in a mourning type of tone, at the sound of the music.

Suddenly with a shrill laugh from the jesture, the windows of the buildings burst, flames spewing out of them. It seemed the whole city was quickly becoming engulfed in flames, and the mist was continuing to dissappear, revealing a large castle, which loomed over the burning city.

The musicians simply marched in a circle around the platform all the while, and woman holding nothing making the noises that no instrument could produce on its own.