Aurazin

Icarus (Astraea & Carmela)

Every morning, Astraea would wake up earlier than the others and do her morning workout routine which was just to jog around the prairie and water the bonsai plant she had in her room. It has been a several months since she got it as a gift from the kind old lady she has been helping since they came to Evermore. The old lady owned a humble candle shop, the Aurazin has also been helping her out a few times over the week. Because of that, she received plenty of lessons on how to make candles and fragrance oils from her. For someone who likes to gain new knowledge, it was something she never dare take for granted. Her eyes fell on the calendar she hung across the room as she stepped closer, taking one pencil to cross out the date today before sighing to herself, it has been months since they first came to Evermore. She was no longer a temporary worker at the Wanderlust cafe she worked at too, which really told her how long they have been staying here in the eternal city. 

That's not to say that they, as a faction, also discovered more information regarding their fall here. Like it or not, they're not here to stay, they're only here because the circumstances said so. The door to the Veil was still locked for them, but the same couldn't be said for the others. And by others, she meant the voidlings. Who knew they had the ability to trespass another realm and wreak havoc after all? Not them, at first, that's for sure. It wasn't until she went scouting with Lucien around the meadow, close to where the gateway to the Veil was located at, that they stumbled across this new information. Of course, they had their suspicions that some of the residents in Evermore were being very negative lately, all due to the voidlings sucking their life force. Sometimes they were put in groups to patrol every once in a while and Astraea, being the persistent girl she was, also led her own expedition personally. There was more to what they have seen and she wanted to get to the bottom of it. 

That's why she's leaning against the dresser because she was being careful not to get the bedsheets dirty while tightening her grip on the pencil that soon broke into half. The dark haired female quickly pressed her hand against her left torso and winced slightly, realizing that she had reopened her wound from yesterday. Her right arm had a few bite marks, three to be exact, but she successfully covered them up with long sleeved tops. However, yesterday she was chasing off a group of voidlings from feeding over an innocent single mother and ended up falling over the hill after an altercation with them. She managed to chase them away, but not without suffering from an injury. When she rolled down, a sharp branch pierced her left spot. It would've been fine if she had stopped moving and rested but she had to go to work so the excessive movements caused her wound to reopen. She sighed heavily and got up so she could go to the kitchen to get a glass of water. Only, she didn't make it far. She had a glass in her grasp but didn't make it past the counter to the sink and fainted on the spot.

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AurazinPermalink Reply by ✓ Carmela Hidalgo on February 10, 2021 at 0:26

Carmela was one that slept in since the nightmares seem to run rampant in her mind. She was always concerned with what was happening to her son in the void without her there. How could they still be here stuck on the earthen plane, she wanted to be back with her child. Though she was sure many of them could express this want. She was sure they all feared that the door locked because the void was not what it once was. She worried that it had been overrun with the voidlings and their loved ones were no longer there. It was something she never expressed to the others. As there was no sense in worrying them when there seemed to be little they could do about it.

As she awoke from her slumber she gave a groan as she felt just as tired as she had the day before. She moved out of the bed and looked around the small space thankful to just have a place to lay her head. As she pulled on her robe she made her way down to the kitchen to make coffee. She would need it to take up, to make her way to the hospital for her volunteer hours. When she walked into the kitchen a gasp left her lips as she took sight of Astraea on the floor. She moved around her and placed her fingers to her chin to lift it up. “Astraea, Rae!” She said loudly before she noticed the blood. “What have you gotten yourself into.” She muttered under her breath.

She rolled Astraea over and lifted her shirt seeing where the blood was coming from. With what strength she could use she hauled Rae off the floor and moved to the closest room that had a bed on the bottom floor. “What has happened to you.” She asked as she laid her down and quickly got to work getting rags, bowls of water along with a glass. She found a sewing kit and bandages. “You are pushing yourself.” She said to Rae as she placed a cool rag to her head as she got to work cleaning the largest wound.


AurazinPermalink Reply by ✓ Astraea Wu on March 18, 2021 at 19:23

Perhaps she shouldn't have underestimated the actual pain the wound gave her body rather than just her own feelings, maybe then she wouldn't have found it hard to even stand, much less walk towards the kitchen. The distance between the kitchen and her room would've taken anyone a good 2 minutes when walking, so with Astraea limping downstairs towards that exact destination, it took her double the usual duration. The last thing she remembered was her feeling both victorious and lightheaded when she gripped the glass in her hand before blacking out. Did the glass fall alongside her? Did it break the moment it hit the floor too? Because the splitting headache she had was enough to send the aurazin back to her very much needed slumber. 

Thankfully, she woke up after a while. Astraea was either a deep sleeper or the faintest one, never in between. Today, she decided that falling asleep shouldn't be in her schedule. Though, admittedly waking up while someone who was halfway about to stitch you up was probably not the best idea she had in mind. But hey, at least she hasn't started yet. Nevertheless, she was already conscious so there was no point in faking that. Peeking one eye open, she noticed a familiar silhouette next to her; one she recognized to be Carmela. She tried her best not to move as to not make it harder for the other female to clean her wound and groaned internally, "It definitely didn't feel as painful the first time… it's been a few days though, why is it still sharp. I even cleaned it properly to make sure no splinter got in…" 

It wasn't her first rodeo but it was definitely the first time they didn't go back to the Veil to heal themselves. Being a shepherd wasn't easy, it was a shift between being a healer or a warrior in between the two shifts. For someone who usually delves into being an Empath for the most part of her life, the sudden shift to being a full time Shepherd a century ago was still shocking. "The wound keeps reopening… I swear I've stitched it up twice though. Is there an error in that? Or am I just being stubborn…"


AurazinPermalink Reply by ✓ Carmela Hidalgo on May 3, 2021 at 2:11

Carmela had spent plenty of time patching people up at this point, long before they had been trapped upon the mortal world. So as she had looked in the wound before patching up. Removing debris that was deep inside that would be easily missed without the skilled unfogged eyes that Carmela was working towards. Though she was far from a doctor at that moment in time. So when she was as sure she could be she had what she needed out she got to work sewing it up. She was focused on doing a cross stitch, almost done doing what was needed she looked up to Astraea who was stirring. “Hey there sleeping beauty.” She said as she finished off the stitch and then started to clean around it.

“You have been wounded a few days?” She asked, wondering for a moment if their healing speed was slowing down or if it had always been at a slower rate just being in the veil made it seem like less time. As an empath she was less likely to get hurt then a shepherd. “I pulled out this.” She picked up what looked like the tip of a nail to her, but it was clear almost see through. “I am not overly sure what it is.” She said softly, staring at it for a long moment before placing it in the basin that was there. “How did you get injured?” She was curious for Astraea well being and how hard she was pushing herself.

She removed the rag from her head, dipping it into the water again and placing it back on her head. “You have a fever and need to rest. So you are not to move. You hear me Rae?” She said in her best motherly stern voice to get her point across as she glanced back to the stitches and gasped softly as they seemed to be eaten away and the wound was opening up once again. “What the hell.” She said as she looked back at it. “Astraea...What the hell were you doing when you got this injury.” The panic clear upon Carmela's face as she glanced back up to her.


AurazinPermalink Reply by ✓ Astraea Wu on August 2, 2021 at 13:25

Who would've known chasing after a person who was possessed by a voidling would cause her this much trouble when they all decided to gang up on her while she was still reluctant to hurt or maim the human vessel. The aurazin moved slightly and massaged her temple as she groaned, "That has got to be my 13th reason… the stitches kept coming off and it's starting to annoy me." It wasn't the first time she has suffered from wounds, hell she has suffered deeper one's than this but she was always able to heal by the time she returns to the Veil. Not this time, of course. This time, they're stuck here. "Hey Carmela" she mumbled, sighing heavily when she heard the familiar tone coming from the woman, she knew she was going to get questioned like this. "I was hoping to keep this injury a secret from… others. Especially Arcadia, god Cadia cannot hear about this." 

Who knows what the elder aurazin would do? Arcadia could very well ground her and even though it didn't have to be the final say, Astraea being Astraea would still follow her words. "Yeah it's been a while…" When she pulled out the nail, an almost crystal clear shard, she squinted her eyes and took it from the basin to examine it closely, "This shouldn't even be there… why would things like this lie around in the wake in a forest in Evermore…" Unless of course, someone put it there because it was a trap that they wanted her to step into. "I doubt anyone's growing this in Evermore, it's not native to this part of the world. It's native to Sicily… or the Mediterranean." How did it even come this far? 

When asked how she got injured, Astraea knew she couldn't hide this part, not when she's like this so she begrudgingly told her the story of how she was initially chasing 2 voidlings inhabiting their respective vessels, hoping she'd catch them to see where they came from, seeing as they couldn't open the portal back home nor to the Void, which got worse after she found out they teamed up with another 2 so it was 4 to 1 and the cat became the mouse instead. "I had a fever when I first got it… but it didn't last long because it wasn't supposed to be that bad. I feel like it's getting worse day by day though…" and true to her words, the wound was reopening again, "Now that… I did not expect that." She shook her head and leaned against the bed, "Are you sure there's nothing else stuck in it? It could be more of those needles… or something, I was chasing voidlings, not diviners…" Unless she really did get into a trap set by them. 


AurazinPermalink Reply by ✓ Carmela Hidalgo on January 4, 2022 at 17:10

Carmela gave a gentle sigh past her lips as she looked towards Astraea who had clearly been suffering from this wound in secret. She gave a slow shake of her head as her eyes moved from the beautiful young girl's face. “You shouldn’t be keeping it a secret, even just so Arcadia doesn’t worry. We need to know when things like this are happening. We may believe that we are immortal but the fact is. With the Veil closed. We don’t know anything for sure anymore.” She said lightly concerned lacing her tone as she had come to notice some things were growing off with them all. Though most of it being minor things like growing sadness. That was something to expect when it came to losing your home.

Carmela's eyes flicked between the fraction of weapon between her tweezers to the woman on the bed in front of her.  Watching as the woman who was much more of a fighter then Carm herself seemed to gain a brightness in her eyes from noticing the item. “Getting anything to Evermore doesn’t seem like it should be hard. Since it is an epicenter for magic and supernatural things, and beings.” She gave a heavy sigh past her lips. It was honestly not too much of a jump to assume that items found around the world could be found here now in this day and age. A plane, a boat, mail. The growth of human kind and other beings have stretched far now.

Carmela took in what Astraea was explaining when it came to the Voidlings. Creatures she had caught glimpses of but she herself had yet to fight. Sitting with her lips pressed into a thin line her gaze moved towards the window in the room. “Voidlings ganging up, and getting smart to get the jump on us?” She thought aloud for that moment as a frown took over her features, not only from the wound reopening. “I can explore more but you have lost a lot of blood as is. Even though we are not sure what would happen when it comes to mortal wounds. Is there anything you know that these needles cause our kind?” moving to dive back into Astraea side and search for more. “Or some kind of poison they admit that needs to be counteracted?”


AurazinPermalink Reply by ✓ Astraea Wu on February 13, 2023 at 16:52

She knew she should've told someone about it but she didn't know it would get this bad honestly. It wasn't this bad last time. How on earth did she get to suffer a bad wound like this when the initial injury wasn't even that bad? Like Carmela suggested, perhaps it had something to do with magic. "I hate that it's always related to magic…" She grunted and sighed, what did she expect? They're magical creatures… The supernatural are created from magic. "I know… it's just that Cadia has been going through plenty… she has been looking out for me for centuries Carmela… I really really don't wish to burden her." Astraea cares more than she shows, which is already plenty general considering how the aurazin is a naturally considerate and empathetic person. 

She nodded when Carmela asked about the voidlings, "Yeah… Lucien and I wen tto have a look at where we fell… where the door was closed because we were told that a surge of energy leads there. After some talks and investigation going around, the Aspect of Magic told us that the spot where we fell is the epicenter of it all. The ley lines of magic connects right back to it as the center. And people have been seeing voidlings exiting and entering the doorway from there." There was enough room for doubt and curiosity. "The question is… how are they able to travel between realms like that and we couldn't? What do they have that we don't…?" Unfortunately, they are nowhere near to finding the answer. 

She looked down to her wound and bit her lip, trying to tack her mind when Carmela asked if there was anything she knew about the needles. "I guess we can go and see a diviner for this… for a better look because I don't dare make assumptions myself. A light diviner would heal me better but it'll be futile if they could not reverse the poison and effects… so I'd say dark diviner first then. Would you come with me? I really don't want to go alone…"


AurazinPermalink Reply by ✓ Carmela Hidalgo on March 11, 2023 at 1:27

✧ Icarus ✧
Since they had all experienced death you think they would be easier at admitting they were in pain or suffering from something. Maybe the thought of already being dead meant they should be invincible but they all seem to be learning that wasn’t the case in one way or another. “If it wasn’t magic related, It wouldn’t have harmed you then.” It was the only thing that made sense in her mind. “You can’t be there for Cadiz if you don’t take care of yourself.” She said in the most mom voice. “You aren’t burdening her.” She said as she pushed some of Astraea's hair out of her face. “She would rather know what is going on to solve it together than risk losing you fully.” Because that was an option.

“So the doorway maybe opening again soon?” She felt a surge of hope in her soul but knew to crush it quickly, not allowing it to touch her face. “The voidlings that you have seen going in and out, are they the ones that attacked you?” She asked Asher mind went to the void and how she wished to see the Voidlings going in and out. “Is it possible that they are following someone’s orders and that person is giving them the ability to travel through? Did this person take our ability away to go back in the Veil. No one could really be that powerful?” She was so busy theorizing not really expecting her to answer her.

Her mind went back to the task at hand. “Well I have met a few diviners through time, there is Penelope, a light Diviner that works with the Ailwards and Malva directly. There is also Bexley, a dark diviner who works with the Ailward Guard. So I feel we could get easy enough access to them both, Maybe even Malva could have a look.” She said as she was already moving to get her coat. “Of course I would come with you, you aren’t alone and nor would I let you go alone.” She gave a friendly smile to Astraea. “Come on, let me help you get your coat on and down to the car.” With gentle movements that showed her current training coming in handy she helped her to her feet placing the coat on her without too much pain and moved to make sure she got down the stairs and into the car safely before taking off towards the Ailward Mansion.

AurazinPermalink Reply by ✓ Astraea Wu on April 14, 2024 at 13:58

What Carmela said kept ringing in her ear as if it was trying to tell her something she wasn't aware of. Was she right to think that? Astraea averted her gaze and bit her lip as it fell onto her wound that had miraculously reopened despite the other female stitching it up for her earlier. "You really think it's magically related?" It wouldn't exactly be a surprise considering their species as a whole are prone to things most people never thought they would be. She wanted to believe otherwise but Carmela was making a lot of sense right now. It doesn't help that the wound was already looking ghastly.

It was making her cringe internally because she had never been good with scratches or wounds. Yes, the aurazin plays rough sometimes, but never to this extent. And never to the point she was not confident she could just patch herself up without batting an eyelash. "I'm not going to die over a small wound, Carmela..." It sounded absurd but she was wondering if that's the case when she's bleeding out now that the wound won't close. She pursed her lips slightly as she saw the glimmer of hope in her eyes, she didn't want to crush it after giving hope so the brunette shook her head sadly "We don't know for sure. I would rather not make any promises... but I will continue to keep checking it out."

All the theories the other female threw at her made her chuckle because it was nice to see someone else who shared the same sentiment as her regarding this whole ordeal. She wanted to protest because she didn't want to be a burden and inconvenience the Ailwards when they have given so much to them already but the moment she moved to do so, the aurazin felt a sharp pain that made her double over. "Nevermind... let's go..." Not the best time to be saying no.

It didn't take them long to get to their destination and once they were there, she limped as she was hoisted gently to the steps. "I don't want to be Frankenstein so please... tell them that" she joked. It wasn't the time to joke around but that was the only thing she could think of at the moment. She noticed she has started bleeding again and whined softly "I hate Voidlings..."


AurazinPermalink Reply by ✓ Carmela Hidalgo on May 30, 2024 at 0:54

✧ Icarus ✧
Carmela shrugged gently as she looked at Astraea for a moment. “I’ve come to realize just how much magic exists in this world, and it's terrifying how much of it is used for nefarious purposes,” she said with a heavy sigh. “Sometimes I miss the days when I was naive about all this. But there’s also plenty of good that can be done with magic, like hopefully healing this wound.” She offered Astraea a gentle smile, hoping it would provide some comfort despite the severity of her injury.

“You may think that, but can we die?” Carmela wondered aloud. She was always curious about the extent of their second life. If they died in mortal form, would they become voidlings? Or was there something even darker waiting for them? The lack of answers gnawed at her; most of her life had been filled with uncertainty. She hoped Lucian, who never gave false hope, would eventually find a way for them to return home. “I’m sure there will be a way back someday, to our loved ones who are waiting for us,” she added, trying to keep the mood light with a gentle smile.

The wound was especially concerning since it was the first time she had seen anything like it. As an empath rather than a shepherd, Carmela was unfamiliar with the unique dangers shepherds faced. She could theorize endlessly if given the chance. When Astraea doubled over in pain, Carmela immediately supported her, offering some stability. “Yeah, best not to wait. Things are so different here,” she murmured as they made their way to the Ailward’s home, hoping Malva could help.

As they climbed the manor steps, Carmela chuckled softly at Astraea’s attempt to joke through her pain. “No Frankensteining is going to happen,” she assured, appreciating Astraea's humor despite the circumstances. “I think we all do,” she added softly, pressing the doorbell. The sound seemed to echo more than it should. Moments later, the door creaked open to reveal Bexley, the dark diviner, who took one look at them and swallowed hard.

“What happened?” Bexley asked, moving to support Astraea from the other side and helping her through the manor doors. The hall seemed to shift, a clear sign of Bexley's magic guiding them.

“We’re not entirely sure,” Carmela explained. “She got hit by a voidling, but this doesn’t seem normal. We wanted to see if Malva could help. It feels like a magical wound.” She revealed the piece she had pulled out of Astraea, tucked safely in her pocket.

Bexley opened the door to Malva’s study, guiding them inside and placing Astraea on an empty table. She called out, “Malva!” knowing her magical call would reach Malva long before her voice could.

“Oh, and she doesn’t want to become Frankenstein,” Carmela added, receiving a confused look from Bexley but offering a reassuring smile to Astraea.

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