The Carnival

[acetalon]

"...Where am I?"

Virato Talon closed his eyes slowly, wondering what he was doing here.  It was brighter...more cheerful than his home.  Yes...it must be a dream.  

Virato heard music.  Strange music, but oddly pleasant.  He saw nothing but an inviting mist blocking his way.  

"If this is a dream, then I shall not lag behind,"  He thought quietly.  Dreams had a bad habit of having short and aprupt endings.

Without a second thought he stepped into the mist.

[Chilord]

Virato found the mists hiding a whirling breeze that swept around him, almost seeming to pull him up into the air with its stength. Then, it was gone and the way before him was clear, showing a stone archway, the rough hewn rocks composing it worn and weathered with time with vines of ivy growing up its rough surface. There, leaning against one side, a young girl stood, waiting with a quiet, demure stature.

She looked no older than just past her first decade, yet, her hair was colored the grey of one long past their prime. In fact as he looked closer, it seemed as if she was painted into the world without color, her cheeks and skin a soft, pale white as they surrounded eyes of a glittering cool grey. Her plain dress was of rough cotton and fell heavily from her body, from neck to wrists to ankles, all were covered from sight.

"Hello..."

[acetalon]

Virato bowed his head, unable to look her in the eye.  For a moment, she had a passing resemblence to 'her'.  

"Hello, miss."  He looked at her, but didn't quite make eye contact.  "What is that music?"

[thepanda]

Aaron pulled into the service station  muttering curses at his youngest sister's rich friends. Why couldn't they have had a birthday party at home like normal people? God knows their house was big enough.

But oh no. They just had to have it out in the boondocks. And here he was. Lost. He'd never hear the end of it for picking Jess up so late.

Great. Just freaking GREAT.

Stepping quickly toward the rather dilapidated store front, he slowed as music suddenly caught his attention.  

He turned toward its origin and spotted a mist shrouded dirt road leading back into the woods.

"Well, they did say it was down a dirt road..." he mumbled absently. The mist looked a bit too difficult to drive through so he set off on foot, all the while wondering at the strangeness of his sister's rich friends.

[Chilord]

"It is the call of the carnival," her voice was soft, calm, elegant, but, restrained.

[Chilord]

The mists swirled in front of Aaron, waiting for him as the music slipped out into the world, calling to him to join it.

[acetalon]

"What...is the carnival?"  Verato felt foolish asking this, but his interest was piqued.

[thepanda]

Aaron followed the music through the fog.

[Chilord]

The girl shrugged slightly, her eyes growing distant, "A place of change, where the heart's desire can be fulfilled and destiny and fate can be altered."

[Chilord]

A chill brush of ice seemed flow over Aaron as he stepped forward,  the world seeming to close into a momentary flurry of cold before the mist seemed to explode outwards, leaving Aaron standing before the a large stone gate surrounded by a lenght of stone wall. Standing there before the gate stool a figured cloaked in a black robe and shadows, silent as it stood there firmly.

[DY]

"My heart's desire will be granted..." Nathan whispered quietly. 'That can't be true but why do I feel that he's telling the truth? I shouldn't go in there yet, I feel this strange compulsion to. What is going on?'

Shaking his head a bit, Nathan said to the man, "Alright, I'll take a chance. How do I get into this 'carnival'?"

[acetalon]

"Change..."  Verato glowered and made a noise of disbelief.  There was no such thing!  Nothing would ever change.  His heart had no desires that could ever be fulfilled.  He almost turned around and walked away.

Except...

Her.  The girl reminded him of her.  If there was one thing he wanted in this world or the next, it was to find out what happened to the one who disapeared from his life so long ago.  If for nothing else, he would do this for her.

"How do I get in the Carnival?"  He asked.

[thepanda]

Aaron took a moment to orient himself after stepping out of the fog. Taking in his surroundings his eyes fell on the cloaked figure.

"Excuse me... sir? Could you tell me where I am?  I'm not sure if this is the place I was looking for." A nervous laugh passed his lips. The place certainly had atmosphere.

[Chilord]

The barker grinned widely at the man before him and made a sweeping gesture towards the gate, "Well then good sir, all you need to is step forward and enter."

[Chilord]

The girl raised a slender hand and pointed to the open gate, "THrough there."