bookbitchprofessor:

You chuckle when Siyeta closes the book with a huff. It surprised you a little bit, since you were so into the reading. You get over the shock and give her a pat on the shoulder. “It’s quite alright. In all honesty I would’ve done the same.”

You almost forget that there was a task at hand; which happened to be the game. You were wasting precious time and as much as you would’ve liked to continue reading with your friend, you couldn’t. Not if it gave everyone the chance to slip out of reach.

“Perhaps now we should pack up and get back on with our journey. I would really like to rendezvou with the others as soon as possible and let them know what we’ve learned.”

You gently place the book down beside you, despite being upset at the content. “What kind of an ending was that? That’s their first meeting? Some sappy rescue? It all seems very fake to me.”

You stand up and dust off your skirt. Where had the time gone? It feels like only a few minutes went by. “You’re right,” you say as you help Libera up from the floor. “We should hurry. Obviously Talyum’s not here.” Disappointment cowers behind your voice.

bookbitchprofessor:

“A pretty interesting tale, isn’t it?” You comment as your eyes skim over the words eagerly. “Though I’ve not been a ‘romance novel’ type of troll, it’s interesting to read about the details that were almost erased from history.”

You almost feel as if you could jump into the pages right now and shout ‘don’t tell him anything, you moron!’ at the Scolaris. She probably knew what she was doing, but you still felt wary of the seadweller. It made you feel a little silly, really, to be wary of somebody that’s been dead for sweeps. It’s not like your skepticism was going to change the past or anything.

“Very,” you reply. “I wonder what happened to the seadweller. He must have been punished and people must have erased almost all evidence of his affairs.” You secretly urge the Scolaris to spill. It’s wrong, but not all seadwellers are bad. Besides, she needs someone to help her with her quest. Of course, Talyum has absolutely nothing to do with these thoughts.

CHAPTER TWO:

The Scolaris hesitated. Was it really safe? She decided to be vague. It was like telling the truth, except not quite. “I have a purpose in life. This purpose involves many different people and sides, and its goal is to seek justice and equality for everyone. It…has caused a war to break out and many trolls are after my corpse. This wound is from one of those trolls; they had ambushed me and managed to injure me before I could escape.”

The Explorer sat silently, eyebrows furrowed in thought. “And you’re not going to tell me what that purpose is, are you? Fair enough; I’ve heard what I needed. So, you must be pretty important to society. Well, I’m rooting for you, since you seem to be the good guy. Or gal, rather. If you ever need a place to hide from those rascals, I’ll try to provide you with one if I can.” His face glowed in the firelight, and dark shadows gave him a mysterious look.

The Scolaris bit her lip. “Oh, I don’t think you would want to.” Out of the corner of her eye, she saw ships in the distance coming toward the island. Seadweller ships. “In fact, meeting you in the first place was not a good idea. I have to leave now.” She snatched up her bookmark and started running toward her cave, but turned around after the first few steps. “I’m sorry, Explorer. Thank you for everything. Really. I hope our paths don’t cross ever again. You’ll understand why later on.” With that, she dashed to her cave, leaving the Explorer alone with a confused and hurt expression. This was a sacrifice the Scolaris would have to make for her battles. She’d only be an obstacle to him. 

You slam the book down in frustration, only to sheepishly pick it up and turn to the next page. “Excuse me. I’m just really into this, and the frustration and…” You take a deep breath. “Nevermind. Let’s continue.”

~

The Scolaris barely had time to find a hiding spot before one of the seadwellers looked in her direction. She cursed under her breath. They had already raided her belongings. So her whereabouts were no longer a secret. She had to leave this island, and fast. Gathering up her courage, she abandoned her cover and ran in the opposite direction of the villains. She hated to admit it, but the Explorer was her only hope. To her horror, the campsite was deserted. Where was he? A thought struck her. His ship! The Scolaris sprinted toward the boat and found the Explorer setting up the sails. He looked her way, then gazed down at the floor. 

“I’m sorry! Please, they’re after me!” The Scolaris shouted in anguish. She could hear the running footsteps in the distance, getting closer every second. The male seadweller stared for a moment, then ran down to the moist sand. “Follow me,” he said while taking her hand. Together, they dashed up the ramp and entered the ship. The Explorer struggled with the anchor, trying to heave it up to move the ship. The seadwellers were in eyesight and they were furiously running toward the ship. The Scolaris desperately shouted. “Hurry!”

“It’s stuck!” The other troll spit back. One of the seadwellers had already started to board the ship. With a sudden jerk, the anchor came loose and the ship began to move with the waves. The clinging seadweller lost his grip and fell into the ocean below.

Panting for breath, the Explorer took a seat across from the Scolaris and looked back at the beach. The seadwellers were running back toward their ship. 

“Well,” said the Scolaris.

The Explorer chuckled nervously. “Well indeed.”

“Thank you. You saved my life,” she sighed. “I’m really sorry for earlier. I hoped you’d understand.”

The seadweller nodded. “The trolls that ambushed you. They were the ones you were running from, weren’t they? You’re fighting against seadwellers.” 

The Scolaris could only nod miserably. He had found out the truth. There was no telling what he would do to her next.

“I see. I understand now your curt and suspicious attitude toward me earlier. It’s fine, I’m not mad,” The Explorer mused. “And I won’t hurt you either so you can stop looking at me like that.”

Flip.

“But you’re a seadweller and…” The female troll trailed off. 

“And? That doesn’t necessarily mean I’m a bad troll. I’ve been away at sea for so long that I don’t even know the news anymore. What are you after?”

So the Scolaris told him about her quest for justice and the scandals of the seadwellers and the war and her followers and the Dictator and everything that had happened to her since her new life purpose. 

“Sounds serious. I can’t go against my fellow kind, but what they did is unforgivable. I support you, Scolaris.”

“Thank you, Explorer. If you don’t mind, can you take me to the mainland? It’s time I stopped running and faced the music.”

“As long as you promise me that you’ll be safe, it would be my pleasure. I need to tell people about the island anyway.”

The couple sailed toward their destination in comforting silence, their hands inches away from each other. Sometime during the night, the distance would close and their hands would be intertwined together, like two vines wrapped around each other in support. 

((haley drew this amazing masterpiece wow thank you so much!))

bookbitchprofessor:

aquaticcapillaries:

You glance at Libera sympathetically. “No matter. I would want the conversation to be as short as possible if I was talking to a rude stranger like him.”

You ease the book over to her lap so that the covers are resting on both your thighs. “Quite a lot. I’m only at their first meeting, but it’s really riveting. You see, the Scolaris had been ambushed by seadweller soldiers. Having injured her arm, she searched for a safe hiding place and took refuge in a remote island somewhere. She decided to take a walk on the beach shore when she came across a seadweller, who obviously is the Explorer.

“What intrigues me the most,” You say as your finger taps the paragraph of dialogue. “is that the Explorer is very friendly and kind toward the Scolaris, not at all like the average behavior of a seadweller. I found out that it was because he was away at sea for sweeps, searching for land. The news of the war must not have reached him. The remote island that the Scolaris is hiding in happens to be the land that the Explorer sighted. A marvelous coincidence, is it not?”

Having summarized the last few pages to your friend, you turn the page.

The two trolls walked side by side, with only each other to keep them company. The Scolaris learned of the Explorer’s vocation; he sailed the seas in search of unmarked territory, where he could claim it for his people. As for the Explorer, well…he was smart enough to not ask questions ever since her first curt greeting. Still, his curiosity and worry got the better of him.

“Pardon my prying, miss, but are you willing to tell me what the blubbering fishstick happened to your arm?” The Explorer asked.

The Scolaris instinctively covered her arm with her hand, then hesitatingly withdrew it. “A clawbeast attacked me when I landed here,” she lied. Better to keep her real identity hidden.

The Explorer’s eyes furrowed. “Well, you’re in no shape to be walking around then!” He added another note at the sight of the Scolaris’s bristling. “Please, come to my camp. I’ve got some medical tools to treat your wound. You can trust me; I haven’t laid a finger on you!”

The Scolaris stared warily at the male troll. What if this was all a hoax? She could be walking straight into a trap! Yet…something in her nook was telling her to accept his offer. He hasn’t hurt her yet, and he seemed kind enough. Her arm WAS in pain, and it was beginning to grow numb. Still, he was a seadweller. 

“Very well. But wait here for a moment,” she commanded. The Scolaris dashed to her cave shelter and snatched up her bookmark. Only a fool would risk danger unarmed. She rushed back to where the seadweller was crouched, doodling in the sand. A blush crept up her cheeks, which made her furiously itch them. What an immature idiot. Doodling in the sand! She calmly walked up to him. “Shall we depart?”

You scoot over next to your friend and read alongside her. Reading this enchanting tale made you feel closer to the Scolaris in a way. You could relate to many of her decisions and admired her skepticism, even in the presence of a friendly-seeming seadweller. The Explorer still seemed a little odd though. Not his personality, but his place in all this. Why would Talyum have a book about their romance? Surely he wouldn’t give a single care for the history of your ancestor. Unless there was some secret obsession with you he had, which you highly doubted.

You scan the bookself for any more books about the Explorer. You find one entitled ‘The Explorer; A biography’. Opening it up eagerly, you search for any significance. Nothing catches your interest, to your disappointment. This whole experience with the game and your research has caused nothing but disappointment, actually. You redirect your attention to the book that Siyeta had, keeping the biography in your lap in case something came up.

You wait for Libera to adjust her position, then flip the page.

The Explorer led the way to his makeshift camp, with the Scolaris close behind him. A warm, cozy fire crackled next to a tattered, green tent. Packets of grubsauce were scattered on the floor and an empty can of soup rested at the edge of the tent. The male troll vanished into the tent momentarily, then returned with a small kit. He opened the box and took out ointment, thread, a needle, alcohol, and some gauze. Gingerly, he removed the bloodied cloth from the Scolaris’s arm. As he began to apply the alcohol to clean the wound, he began to make conversation.

“As a sailor, medicine was part of my education. I never really had a use for it, except that one time my hand was mangled by a clawbeast. Luckily, I had it replaced.” He gestured to his left hand, which in the light of the fire, had a different shade than the rest of his body. “Oh, by the way, this is going to hurt.”

The burn came too soon. An anguished cry gurgled out of the Scolaris’s windhole like a dying animal. She struggled to remain calm. “I-you’re right. It did.”

The Explorer chuckled sympathetically. “Apologies for that, but I had to clean the wound. Now for the stitches.” He picked up the thread and needle and examined the wound.

Your slim fingers almost move on their own.

His eyebrows furrowed in deep thought. 

As the Scolaris tried her best to contain her moans of agony, the Explorer silently but expertly stitched the wound back closed. He was almost done when he finally uttered out a sentence. “You didn’t get this from a clawbeast, did you?”

The Scolaris’s eyes widened in fear. How had he figured it out? She had underestimated his intelligence. There was no use lying. “No. I had to lie. The real reason behind my wound is much more darker and sinister. And it might change your view toward me.”

The Explorer said nothing as he finished the stitches and applied the ointment. Having finished the process, he finally wrapped the arm in gauze and stood up. “Well, I’ve seen a lot of dark and sinister things during my voyage. Pretty certain your tale won’t surprise me that much. And I can already tell that you’re a good gal, despite being a little paranoid of everything I do,” He chuckled. “Besides, I could do for a good story. Haven’t heard one in sweeps. So how did you get that nasty wound, miss?” The troll made himself comfortable on the floor. 

bookbitchprofessor:

graveavenger:

From your viewport you read over the blueblood’s shoulder. It was quite an interesting tale she was reading. You almost feel bad for calling their research useless shit. Even though it was.

GA: WELL. i’ll just LEAVE it at this.

GA: you’re going to be CREATING something. quite IMPORTANT to me.

GA: let’s JUST. continue this conversation LATER, once you rendezvous with the others.

GA: tell your GIRLFRIEND. or WHATEVER she is. that i will be talking to you all LATER. 

Before you can respond, GA stops trolling you.

It’s very frustrating, to have such a short-lived conversation with a being that appeared to know much more than he was letting on and to not have gotten anything out of it. “Aaaand he’s gone,” you sigh dejectedly.

You look over to Siyeta and she appears to be very interested in what she’s reading. “What have you found out so far?” You ask with interest. Instead of passing on GA’s message and getting a move on, you decide to check out what she was up to. It’s very unlikely that you’ll get much time in the future to actually enjoy some reading, so you might as well take advantage of the opportunity.

You glance at Libera sympathetically. “No matter. I would want the conversation to be as short as possible if I was talking to a rude stranger like him.”

You ease the book over to her lap so that the covers are resting on both your thighs. “Quite a lot. I’m only at their first meeting, but it’s really riveting. You see, the Scolaris had been ambushed by seadweller soldiers. Having injured her arm, she searched for a safe hiding place and took refuge in a remote island somewhere. She decided to take a walk on the beach shore when she came across a seadweller, who obviously is the Explorer.

“What intrigues me the most,” You say as your finger taps the paragraph of dialogue. “is that the Explorer is very friendly and kind toward the Scolaris, not at all like the average behavior of a seadweller. I found out that it was because he was away at sea for sweeps, searching for land. The news of the war must not have reached him. The remote island that the Scolaris is hiding in happens to be the land that the Explorer sighted. A marvelous coincidence, is it not?”

Having summarized the last few pages to your friend, you turn the page.

The two trolls walked side by side, with only each other to keep them company. The Scolaris learned of the Explorer’s vocation; he sailed the seas in search of unmarked territory, where he could claim it for his people. As for the Explorer, well…he was smart enough to not ask questions ever since her first curt greeting. Still, his curiosity and worry got the better of him.

“Pardon my prying, miss, but are you willing to tell me what the blubbering fishstick happened to your arm?” The Explorer asked.

The Scolaris instinctively covered her arm with her hand, then hesitatingly withdrew it. “A clawbeast attacked me when I landed here,” she lied. Better to keep her real identity hidden.

The Explorer’s eyes furrowed. “Well, you’re in no shape to be walking around then!” He added another note at the sight of the Scolaris’s bristling. “Please, come to my camp. I’ve got some medical tools to treat your wound. You can trust me; I haven’t laid a finger on you!”

The Scolaris stared warily at the male troll. What if this was all a hoax? She could be walking straight into a trap! Yet…something in her nook was telling her to accept his offer. He hasn’t hurt her yet, and he seemed kind enough. Her arm WAS in pain, and it was beginning to grow numb. Still, he was a seadweller. 

“Very well. But wait here for a moment,” she commanded. The Scolaris dashed to her cave shelter and snatched up her bookmark. Only a fool would risk danger unarmed. She rushed back to where the seadweller was crouched, doodling in the sand. A blush crept up her cheeks, which made her furiously itch them. What an immature idiot. Doodling in the sand! She calmly walked up to him. “Shall we depart?”

bookbitchprofessor:

graveavenger:

aquaticcapillaries:

Libera’s words leave you with a sense of dread and unease. A possibility that this mysterious stranger was a different species? “He’s not intent on inflicting any harm, is he?” You worry aloud. As Libera responds to the strange message, you resume your hunt to uncover the infatuated seadweller’s identity. You’re about to surrender defeat when a shine from a silk, green bookmark catches your gander bulbs. You hobble over and gently cradle the thick volume in your arms. The worn, leather cover has The Scolaris and Her Forbidden Secret engraved on it in gold. Riveted, you eagerly open the book to the very first page and make yourself comfortable. You have quite a bit of reading to do.

PROLOGUE:

The fascinating legend of the Scolaris and the Dictator has captured the nooks of thousands of trolls. It’s dramatic, interesting, mysterious, and suspenseful. But most of all, it dabbles with a forbidden romance that young boys and girls crave in stories. I had discovered that most books about the Scolaris’s tale only grazed the surface of her love. I have taken it upon myself to elaborate on this matter because there can never be too much romance in a tale. And I was right to do so. As I researched this history, I had come to a realization that with the Scolaris’s hidden flush came a chain of devastating and shocking events. So, without further ado, I present you with the marvelous tale of the Scolaris and the Explorer.

You pause. The Explorer. That was his name. A triumphant smile spreads over your face. You like this author’s sass and style of literature. Even though you have only witnessed the prologue, you have a feeling that you’re going to enjoy this book very much. Taking a deep breath, you turn the page.

After a long period of waiting, a response from the bookbitch was finally recieved. You can’t believe it. You were kind enough to grace that ungrateful swine with your polite words and tone and she repays you by making you wait so long? Unforgiveable!

GA: you sure did take your dear SWEET time responding, didn’t you?

GA: it’s NOT polite. to make people WAIT.

GA: to THINK i was painfully kind to you. how STUPID i was. this log is most definitely being DELETED when we’re finished with this conversation.

GA: your FRIEND. she at least has the COURTESY of reminding you to reply to my message.

GA: as for WHO i am, that information. will not come to you EASILY.

GA: i’m not here to be buddy-buddy with YOU. i’m here to get your ass on TRACK. without my help you are SURE to fail.

“As of now I’m not too sure,” You respond, reading the new messages. This character sure is baffling. You’d be a little offended at his sudden change of tone if you weren’t used to being heckled.

BP: 1m n0 expert at psych0l0gy but 1m qu1te certa1n that y0ur m00d sw1ng 1snt c0mm0n t0 0ne wh0 1s

BP: Mentally stable

BP: H0wever 1ll 1gn0re y0ur t0ne and 1nstead get 0n w1th my quest10n1ng

BP: 1ll start w1th a rather 0bv10us quest10n

BP: What exactly 1s the purp0se 0f th1s game

“Not exactly the kindest person to talk to, despite the first few messages sent, but hopefully they’re willing to offer their assistance,” You sigh, looking over to Siyeta. “How are you doing with your research?”

You hold your book in the air to show Libera the cover. “I can’t believe we’ve missed this. This book is entirely devoted to the tale of the Scolaris and her lover. It’s going to be amazingly helpful. I’ve already discovered the seadweller’s name and it’s only the prologue. He goes by the Explorer.”

“Hopefully,” You grimly nod. “However, if he won’t cooperate and share information with you, perhaps try a new method. Flattery is usually the best way to go. Considering he is aware of our every moves, threats or blackmail would leave us at a disadvantage.”

After Libera turns her focus on Trollian again, you turn back to the page you were on. Ah, here we are.

It was only after sweeps of research that I was able to uncover the first meeting of the Scolaris and the Explorer. However, the only evidence I had was very vague. Although the story is accurately portrayed, please note that the small details are of my imagination.

The night was cool with a slight breeze, and the luminescence of the pink and green moon showered the remote island the Scolaris had taken refuge in. An ambush of seadweller soldiers had injured her arm. There was a deep, brown, bloody gash on the upper section, and even slight movements sent jolts of pain through her entire body. She had taken shelter in a cave of a small, remote island to nurse herself back to health. 

After applying some herbs onto the wound, the Scolaris wrapped her arm in cloth from her tattered robe and decided to take a walk on the beach shore. She silently strolled, relishing the cold, moist sand between her toes. It was so peaceful here; the Scolaris was tempted to reside here forever, and it had only been a day since she’d arrived. She pushed the thought away in disgust. She did not have time for leisure, what with the war and all. 

After ten minutes or so, the Scolaris sighted something that made her blood cold. There, not twenty feet away, loomed the silhouette of a ship. 

Your nook beats faster, despite your better judgement. Hands shaking, you flip the page.

The Scolaris considered her options. She was unarmed and wounded, for she had left her weapon in the cave. Silently, she cursed her naive carelessness. Still, the ship could be abandoned. And it might be a couple of innocent trolls who decided to rest for a night here. 

The Scolaris took a few tentative steps forward. What was the point of being afraid? The ship looked vacant. Yes, she convinced herself. She overreacted for nothing.

“And who might you be, madam?” a voice sprang up from behind her. The Scolaris visibly jumped and whipped around to face the stranger. The troll was a male, and he was tall and lean. He was clothed in a brown sailor’s suit and a black blazer with his violet symbol embroidered on the chest. However, the most important trait were the two fins protruding out of his cheeks. A seadweller. Shit. 

“Madam?” The seadweller repeated. The Scolaris struggled to regain her composure. “I’m afraid that’s none of your business, seeing as how I’ve never met you before.”

The troll chuckled. “Well, that’s your call, I guess. You can call me the Explorer. I’ve been away at sea for sweeps, and it’s a lucky break that I’ve finally found land. Imagine my shock when I spotted you walking around! Do you happen to be a native? Though I doubt it; you seem too…civilized.”

The Explorer seems kind, you think. Very uncharacteristic of seadwellers. Another page turn.

The Scolaris stared, puzzled. Why was a seadweller acting kindly to her? Wasn’t he aware of her reputation? He did say he was away at sea. Was there a chance that the news didn’t spread to him? She decided to test her theory.

“Why are you acting friendly toward a lowblood like me? Don’t seadwellers usually have a condescending attitude toward others in the lower part of the hemospectrum?” The Scolaris inwardly grimaced at the term lowblood. Desperate times called for desperate measures.

The Explorer sighed. “Oh, that. Yes, you’re correct. Most seadwellers think it’s immoral to ‘taint’ themselves with lowblood company. But after sweeps of sailing alone, I could honestly care less about the whole hemospectrum business. As long as I have a friend to chat with, their blood color means rubbish to me, you know?” 

The Scolaris nodded. It was confirmed; he had no idea that she was on a quest to justify the seadwellers’ nasty scandalous ways. 

“Anyway,” the Explorer awkwardly scratched the back of his neck. “Mind if I join you on your walk? I was also out for some fresh air after being cooped up on my ship.” The Scolaris briefly mulled it over, then reluctantly nodded. “I suppose not. Very well.” She was smart enough to not let her guard down. Friend or foe, seadwellers were seadwellers. She would have a hard time learning to trust one, and she was still wary of the Explorer’s actions.

bookbitchprofessor:

“I’ll reply right away,” You tell her as you put your glasses back on. “I haven’t the foggiest clue how they would be able to know our current course of action, but I hope by asking the right questions I’ll find out. Also… I’m not entirely sure what we’re dealing with here. We’re talking about somebody that not only helped steer the course of our Ancestors, but our present and likely our future. It’s a miracle that they’re still alive, even if they were a Highblood. It’s possible we might not even be dealing with a troll here.”

BP: 1m supr1sed y0u ch0se t0 c0ntact us n0w

BP: 1ts a l1ttle exc1t1ng 1n all h0nesty

BP: 1 l00k f0rward t0 extract1ng answers fr0m y0u

BP: F1rst 0f all wh0 are y0u

Libera’s words leave you with a sense of dread and unease. A possibility that this mysterious stranger was a different species? “He’s not intent on inflicting any harm, is he?” You worry aloud. As Libera responds to the strange message, you resume your hunt to uncover the infatuated seadweller’s identity. You’re about to surrender defeat when a shine from a silk, green bookmark catches your gander bulbs. You hobble over and gently cradle the thick volume in your arms. The worn, leather cover has The Scolaris and Her Forbidden Secret engraved on it in gold. Riveted, you eagerly open the book to the very first page and make yourself comfortable. You have quite a bit of reading to do.

PROLOGUE:

The fascinating legend of the Scolaris and the Dictator has captured the nooks of thousands of trolls. It’s dramatic, interesting, mysterious, and suspenseful. But most of all, it dabbles with a forbidden romance that young boys and girls crave in stories. I had discovered that most books about the Scolaris’s tale only grazed the surface of her love. I have taken it upon myself to elaborate on this matter because there can never be too much romance in a tale. And I was right to do so. As I researched this history, I had come to a realization that with the Scolaris’s hidden flush came a chain of devastating and shocking events. So, without further ado, I present you with the marvelous tale of the Scolaris and the Explorer.

You pause. The Explorer. That was his name. A triumphant smile spreads over your face. You like this author’s sass and style of literature. Even though you have only witnessed the prologue, you have a feeling that you’re going to enjoy this book very much. Taking a deep breath, you turn the page.

randomgamzenshit started following you

i appreciatE youR gesturE oF friendshiP. it’lL bE a nicE waY oF distractinG myselF froM alL thE chaoS happeninG righT noW.

bookbitchprofessor:

“Especially if it were a seadweller that was linked directly to what she fought against. It almost makes me pity the poor dear a little,” You say absentmindedly. Your hands flow through the pages as if you were on autopilot as your eyes scanned the familiar pages, looking for overlooked details or something you had forgotten. Little to nothing shows up that was of any worth.

Your glasses alert you to a new message on Trollian, from an unidentified yet familiar handle. All that was left was a few messages, then the stranger left.

GA: well well WELL. what are you LOVELY ladies even doing?

GA: useless SHIT. THAT’S what.

GA: i’ll OVERLOOK your screwed up priorities. just this ONCE.

GA: :)

GA: GOD. that looks STUPID.

GA: forget i even SENT that face.

You’re petrified for a second. You collect yourself quickly and nudge Siyeta. “I’ve waited for this for a while. I’ve finally been contacted by the mysterious stranger from the journal,” you tell her as you slide the glasses off your face and hand them to her to see the messages for herself. “Though the context of the messages aren’t of importance, a little stupid even, I think this person can help us with the game. They seemed to know a thing or two about it in the journal, at least.”

You pause your hunt at the sound of Libera’s wavering voice. As you slip on her glasses, a Trollian chat message covers your vision. After a moment, you hand the glasses back to your friend.

“This was sent a while ago. Have you tried replying? They can always see it later,” You suggest. “Though what I’m wondering is how in paradox space did he know what we were up to?” A cold shudder involuntarily travels through your spine. 

bookbitchprofessor:

You make your way over to Siyeta and plop yourself down beside her. Though under normal circumstances you would’ve highly disapproved of going through the belongings of others, the book that your friend held just looked too good to turn away from. You peer into the book and adjust your glasses, scanning the pages for any interesting information. “I see. It looks like this book answers many of the questions that the journal could not.”

The dusty journal which you kept in your sylladex is now on your lap and you flip through the pages. You are brought to the last page in which the writing mysteriously cuts off. “If these two stories are linked, then this must be the moment when the Scolaris is killed.” You turn back a few pages. “A red romance with a seadweller is very vaguely mentioned. Either the Scolaris wanted to keep it a secret or she was embarrassed by it. Or both.”

“It’s very interesting, really. I’ve always been quite frustrated with the holes in my knowledge that couldn’t be answered until now. I wonder what else this book has to say?”

You rapidly skim over Libera’s ancient journal. “I understand why she kept it hidden. Imagine the scandals and rumors that would have risen if people had gotten a whiff of her forbidden romance! And with a seadweller too.”

You pause before speaking. “Who is the seadweller, though? I wonder if any of the other books here mention his name.” You leave Libera to explore the rest of the book as she pleases. Meanwhile, your gander bulbs hungrily scan the other books’ spines in hopes of finding a clue about the mysterious seadweller. 

bookbitchprofessor:

You shield you face from the raging storm and look around. “It’s likely he’s taking shelter in his hive. If not, we could’ve missed him and he went through the gate already,” you hypothesize, secretly wishing for the latter. As happy as it would make Siyeta to see Talyum safe and sound, the last thing you wanted was to be in his presence. He’s an annoying little twit, you think.

“Come on, let’s go check his hive,” You say as you walk the distance to his hive. It’s probably the only place he would take shelter. Even though he was a seadweller and should be accustomed to the water, he was probably hiding for some superficial reason like protecting his hair or something. You push open the door to his hive and enter, glad to be out of the rain. “Talyum! Are you here?”

You dash ahead of Libera and search frantically. “Talyum! Please answer! Talyum?” 

You face your friend. “Let’s move in more. He probably can’t hear us.” With a determined flash in your eyes, you zip up a flight of stairs and enter his respiteblock. You feel a little guilty for snooping, but it’s for a good intention. Machines from the game are strewn about, and his belongings are scattered. The entire respiteblock radiates a gloomy, eerie mood. 

You wander about, curiously gazing at the numerous track trophies piled onto shelves. He’s really got a gift for the sport, you think to yourself. Moving on, you absentmindedly run your fingers over the spines of the countless history books you found in a section of his respiteblock. Now that you think about it, you really don’t know about Talyum’s interests at all. Despite your rational thinking, you eagerly open a book to a random page and sit down in a comfortable spot on the floor.

The Dictator was a blueblood, yet her circle of companions revolved around the seadwellers. Her steely personality and knack for getting things done earned her respect from the aquatic trolls. She had been controlling the reigns of an ongoing manhunt-or womanhunt in this case-for quite some time; the victim being the Scolaris, a determined troll fighting to reveal the truth about the scandalous seadwellers. The war had been going on for sweeps, the Scolaris and her followers against the Dictator and her enraged army of seadwellers.

But now the hunt is only ancient history. I witnessed the beginning and end with my very own eyes. The Dictator gets craftier and orders a professional assassin who goes by the name of the Sicarius to go out and murder the Scolaris. Unfortunately for her, no living soul can escape the Sicarius for long once a job is issued to her. Fair enough, not two sweeps passed when the Scolaris’s corpse was brought to the Dictator’s waiting feet. Many lowblooded trolls grieved, but as time passed, most trolls moved on with their daily life. However, I know of one troll that could never get over it. And this may be shocking, but the lad happens to be a seadweller. 

Somebody had torn out the last few pages concerning the subject. You sit there, puzzled. You know who the characters are since Libera had once chatted with you about them, but you were too tired back then to remember the complex web of history between them. How could I have been too tired to listen to her back then? You ask yourself. This is completely intriguing!

But the author’s name is never revealed. It might’ve been on one of the pages that were torn out, but you can’t say for certain. You wave Libera over to where you’re sitting. “Libera! There’s something I want to show you that I think you’d be very interested in!” Maybe she could tell you who the grieving seadweller is. After all, she has vast knowledge about books and she also harbors a common interest about ancestors.

bookbitchprofessor:

“Don’t worry, I got it covered while I waited for your arrival,” You tell her as you get a jet pack out of your captchalouge. “It took a while to get it alchemized, but it’s fully functional, though it looks a little odd.” The thing looked like somebody put a deformed rainbow into a blender then dumped it onto the jet pack.

“I only have one, so I’ll have to carry you,” You say as you equip the jet back and pick up your friend, carrying her bridal style. The jet pack activates and the two of you fly up to the gate, sending you through into a land that was currently being ravaged by a wicked storm.

Your face adopts a bright blue shade as Libera gently carries you in her arms. “Oh, this isn’t really…” You trail off. Shhhh, you hush yourself. Let the extremely attractive female troll whisk you away in her arms and stop complaining.

You hesitantly wrap your arms around her neck to support yourself. The bright blue gate looms closer and closer, until you break through it in a blinding flash. When you open your eyes, you find chaos among you. A fierce, angry storm is roaring in the sky, pelting the ground with rain and slapping it with lightning. Frogs frantically hop and try to find refuge from this storm. Dinosaur like creatures are scattered about, moaning in fear. “Mawwwwwhhhhh!”

A thought intrudes your thinkpan, causing all others to flee. This is Talyum’s land. You anxiously leap out of Libera’s arms. “Where’s Talyum? It’s dangerous out here in this storm.” You begin to wander and call out his name. “Talyum! Talyuuuuuuum! Where are you?”