Posted by: inkbone - 08-08-2022, 02:12 AM - Forum: The Portals
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From one Journey — to the next
CLOSING THE CHAPTER
The wind was oddly quiet these past few days, its silent hush falling over what felt like the entirety of Novus. But even though it was Winter — a time where the lull was not unheard of — it was too quiet even for the season of snow.
The gods had all been silent for some time, too... until today.
Winter had just begun and with it, the snowstorms - but the snow itself never seemed to settle on the gods' altars, all of which seemed to pulse softly with both light and energy. And then, sometime during the night in those first few weeks of this new season, they arose from their altars and began to walk.
Come the first morning no one had seen the gods walking freely yet, though their altars were empty. Were they hidden away somewhere... or worse yet, had they left this world & abandoned Novus?
Thankfully, they had not. Instead, they rose and walked. And walked, and walked.. Until they reached the sea. At the beach that bowed before the great Mother Terminus, they finally stopped and their immense forms stood still. Over a hundred feet tall they towered, stone hooves sinking into the soft sand as their eyes all drifted towards the same spot on the horizon: the stone arch of the Portals.
Atop it, stood one god who had never set foot onto the Novus we know today. Tempus, the father of time. His eyes, somehow kind after all these years, regarded his children. His four children looked back at him with worry in their own eyes, yet no words.
Oriens - god of wisdom and knowledge, over Delumine and the Dawn Court.
Solis - god of pride and strength, over Solterra and the Day Court.
Vespera - goddess of healing and care, over Terrastella and the Dusk Court.
Caligo - demigoddess of passion and protection, over Denocte and the Night Court.
And for those who called none of the four their home, Tempus still welcomed and loved them as his own. Allfather of all inhabitants, but especially the Vagabonds.
"Do not worry, my children," he greeted them. "This world has its cracks, but it is not broken."
From the sea, rose four more stone archway Portals - two to each side of the one Tempus stood upon. Each of his children stepped forward, the waves stilling their turmoil as the stone hooves of this world's gods stepped into the Mother Terminus. Behind each step, the water receded and created a sandy path to the Portals.
Each of the children gods stood beside a Portal for a moment, before turning back towards the beach. Without a sound or a word, the stone of their knees bent and all the children gods' forms came to rest on the sandy ground, their weary legs tucked underneath them. Tempus still stood atop the largest stone archway in the middle, his eyes cast out across the rest of Novus.
"Inhabitants of Novus," came his voice, simultaneously familiar yet strange. It was not booming, but carried across the entire continent regardless. "Come to the Terminus Sea, where the Portals yawn from the waves." There was paternal care etched into each breath and syllable that left his lips.
The Gentle Exodus was to begin.
"Your eyes have not yet seen me, but you have always known me. I am Tempus, god of Time and father to Oriens, Solis, Vespera, and Caligo," was the brief and only introduction, as little was needed for Tempus himself.
"As I told my children, this world has its cracks but it is indeed not yet broken," he assured all. "But I'm sure you understand, those cracks must be mended before they deepen."
"We cannot repair Novus while the hand of Time ticks on and on, so we must make a difficult decision..." His eyes briefly looked to his children, from left to right. As inhabitants of each Court started to arrive, his children looked at them with compassion and love. Many walked up to the gods, immense even when laying down, and the gods responded in kind: pressed their foreheads, their muzzles, to those who were seeking compassion and reassurance.
"We must shield this world, freeze it in time, while we work to stitch and mend its torn edges... We would never wish to trap any inhabitant here, cut off from the rest of the world, so we offer you this."
The Portals hummed, their energy strong, as Tempus spoke of them. "These Portals will take you to your next journey, wherever that may be. We hope one day in the future, the edges of Novus' tapestry will no longer be left raw - but instead hemmed into a beautiful work of art once more, free of these breaks and cracks - and we can welcome every one of you back."
His eyes were warm, but sad, as he looked over the gathering inhabitants and his children. Surely he loved each of them, but his children loved them more and their love (even if unrequited) was so very apparent. "Unfortunately I cannot say for certain if, how, or when these cracks will be mended. Myself and my children extend our greatest love in letting you go freely to your next journey, and hopefully we will once more meet in this life or the next."
There were tears; many of them from the gods themselves, too. "If you or your loved ones choose to stay, do not worry. You will not perish; you will merely be frozen in time, encapsulated in this world, as the tether from Novus to all other realms is cinched."
Tempus' head bowed, as he finally lay atop the center stone archway where the largest Portal hummed. "Go in peace and with love. From both my children and me: thank you."
Synopsis
In accordance with Novus' closure occurring on 10/31/2022, Tempus and his children have opened up the Portals to allow inhabitants to partake in the 'Gentle Exodus.' The Portals will take anyone who enters them safely away from Novus and onto their next journey, wherever that may be.
If a character chooses to stay in Novus after the closure happens, they will not die. They can be considered frozen in time (think cryogenically frozen), encapsulated in Novus and effectively cut off from the rest of the world. Even in this frozen-in-time state, should the character even (astrally/etc) project thoughts of wanting to leave Novus - Tempus himself will transport them safely to wherever they wish to go. No one will be trapped ICly in Novus indefinitely against their will.
As its name implies, the 'Gentle Exodus' is not a traumatic event by any means. It is meant as a peaceful way to allow for Novus' closure while keeping it intentionally open-ended, should Novus ever be brought back in the future.
More detail on Novus' closure can be found in the thread linked above, but if you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to me either via site PM (@inkbone), Discord (inkbone#9064), or posting on the site closure OOC thread. This thread is reserved for IC Responses.
Hey all, I know it's been a hot minute since most of you have heard from me! I wanted to post this announcement as an update to what's going on in mine & the other staff's lives, as well as what upcoming plans are.
An update on the staff team
For me, life has been REALLY busy lately - in a lot of really great ways with some difficult happenings scattered in there too.
On the good side:
I just started at my new job; I got an awesome opportunity to work for a more stable (and larger!) team, with better pay and the opportunity to be 100% remote.
After almost two full months of house shopping (screw this market, holy shit)... my husband and I finally signed contract on our brand new house that's being built! It will be ready in October and we're just waiting for closing, so cross fingers for us!
On the bad side:
Yall know my precious 15-almost-16 y/o senior dachshund Mango - she's unfortunately been having a lot of health issues. In February she was diagnosed with DCM & as of late, has been having a lot of eye health issues too. Stressful vet visits with not a lot of improvement, sleepless nights worrying about her, and overall we're seeing her slow down. She's still good ol' Mango, but her age is showing and that's a hard pill for me to swallow. I can't put into words how thankful I am for the new job that will allow me to remain remote and keep an eye on her, take her to appointments - and most importantly, just spend time with her.
I've been periodically keeping in touch with Lull too. Life has certainly kept her busy but I'm very proud to see her pursuing something she loves in life with dog training ♥
Unfortunately, I haven't been able to get in touch with Sprow for over 2 months now (which, being truthful, was part of the reason this announcement has been delayed as I was really hoping for their input/opinion) - so I can't provide an update on how they are doing, though I hope all is well.
Difficulties we have run into - from a staff perspective
Novus has always been a fairly large site with a lot of manual staff duties. In good times, this is easily manageable by having various active staff on our team. There is a balance needed: enough staff to accommodate when one needs off time, while not too large of a team so that there are too few duties spread among too many people. In most respects, a team of three to four has proved sufficient for the average level of duties.
However, since ~September 2021, I've been doing staff duties primarily on my own. The circumstances of why are mostly irrelevant as I'm not pointing fingers - just merely stating a fact that Lull and Sprow have both needed to step away from duties. I have, and will continue, to support both of them in choosing what is the best path forward for them personally, even if that path takes them away from the staff team.
The ramifications of this are that I myself am left with a hard-to-navigate decision. No matter how much I want Novus to thrive, the bottom line is that I cannot continue to run Novus on my own. To remedy this, I would need to bring replacements onto the staff team.
But here lies another problem: Likewise to how I cannot run the site on my own, I also cannot train an entire new staff team on my own either, particularly with all the RL things currently going on in my life. Unfortunately, this leaves me stuck between a rock and a hard place.. with no other real way around it.
My personal, truthful perspective
I love the community that we have created here at Novus - and I've loved it since its inception. I've learned and enjoyed and read and laughed SO much with every single one of you, that Novus has come to feel like a home to me. These past five years have been wonderful in so many ways ♥ And five years, holy shit! It feels like yesterday that Novus opened, it's honestly surreal. And I couldn't be prouder of this little corner of the internet we've created ♥
But despite all of these positives - for years, I've subconsciously put Novus before myself in almost every aspect. This is no one's doing except my own, really... Even during all the good times, I have never been able to shake the feeling of guilt with taking any semblance of time to myself with there being outstanding staff duties. And there was never a time where there wasn't something on the staff's to-do list - either applications, maintenance requests, announcements, events, updates, or a slew of other things.
This coupled with me primarily being the only active staff for almost a year, has as of late made me feel Novus is an obligation I cannot get away from. Oftentimes it feels like I leave one job, just to come home to another and there's no longer a light at the end of the tunnel. And it hurts to feel so burdened by something I still love SO very much regardless.
The bottom line: I feel it is time for Novus' chapter to come to a close
Novus' legacy will wrap up on 10/31/2022, after which the site will close and go into read-only mode.
More on OOC / IC aftermath and important notes are listed below, so please keep reading!
My inability to be able to train an entire new staff team on my own with my RL circumstances, coupled with the increasing burden of actively running a site solo, sadly led me to this. This was a hard decision that still hurts to think about, and unfortunately one I had to make primarily on my own. I can't tell you how many times I've typed this announcement (I lost track at 35, I think?) and each time, it's sat like a stone in my stomach.
Even now, it's still so difficult to write this because it feels like I'm giving up... and those who know me, know I don't like giving up. I don't want to let people down, and I know doing this will. But I'm so very tired. I still want Novus to exist and yet, just as much... I want to feel like I can afford myself the time to write and roleplay and have fun, too. I have so much guilt in making this decision because it feels selfish in many ways.
I know this will illicit a lot of responses and feelings, so please know that I am completely open to listening to everyone, both privately and publicly. You can post here in response to this thread, contact me via site PM or Discord DM or post in the Discord #ask-staff (for questions) or #discussion (just to talk about the decision). If you want to discuss, talk, vent, or share opinions: I will listen to any.
Where will I be after Novus' closure?
I won't be quitting roleplaying, and definitely won't be leaving the community! Instead, I'm going to take this time to have fun, enjoy developing my characters, and actually get back into roleplaying/writing again. It's something I've missed very much!
You can keep in touch with me (please do!!) via:
Discord: Inkbone#9064 (My friend requests are open)
All of my characters are stored on my TH and I'm quite active there. Likewise my DA is still active, though I spend less time daily on DA. I definitely want to keep in touch with everyone and I hope others would want to keep in touch with me too, so I'd love it if yall would add me as a Discord friend ♥
And to those who have privately reached out to me over the past month or so to check on me... sincerely, thank you so much. Your concern and friendship means the world to me, that you would think of me even amid my silence.
OOC Aftermath The site will remain open in a limited capacity for the next two months (until 10/31/2022) to allow everyone time to wrap up anything necessary, post to the IC Closure Thread if they wish (not required, of course!) as well as grab all of their profile, code, character information, etc.
IC Boards will remain open until the close date, but all staff duties have been suspended effective immediately:
No new accounts will be able to register.
No new character or OOC account applications will be accepted or processed.
The Maintenance forums will become read-only.
All currently outstanding Maintenance requests (such as signos and item redemptions, etc) and any pending character applications will be archived.
After closure:
The site itself will remain up as an archive of Novus' legacy. It will remain this way for an undetermined amount of time, so I cannot guarantee a timeframe that data within will be kept - thus please make sure you collect all of your information prior to close.
The Discord will also remain up to allow others to stay connected with each other. The IC & Court channels will be archived (removed from view except to staff), and I will add a special section for Mementos etc.
IC Aftermath
The end of Novus, in character, will not be traumatic. Instead, I want to focus on a closure that revolves around peace and the need for regenerative healing. I also want to leave it intentionally open-ended because who knows, maybe Novus will come back sometime in the future? Perhaps one day I will be in a good enough place to dedicate the time Novus needs & deserves and be able to rebuild the team ♥
The 'Gentle Exodus' IC Closure thread is NOW UP in the Portals board
It will be pinned as a global announcement (across all forums to ensure visibility) in the coming days while I wrap up remaining staff items.
Disclaimers
Existing characters are free to continue with any lore they were part of while here. Mentions of Novus & Novus-related happenings in character histories etc is perfectly fine! Anything a character did or was part of on Novus can absolutely follow them wherever.
At this time, no one has permission to create any sort of Novus off-shoot sites. If this is something you would like to discuss, please contact me privately via DM!
Likewise, no one has permission to reuse Novus OFFICIAL content (copying the guidebook, map, overall lore, flora & fauna, systems, etc) elsewhere without discussing with me first.
All official Novus content will remain owned by me unless ownership is officially transferred.
If you wish to use a Novus-specific mythical species, please also contact me first so I can keep a running list of who/what/where.
Closing note
From the bottom of my heart, thank you. I am SO PROUD of our wonderful little community, even with all its ups and downs!
I highly encourage others to check out our affiliate sites (at the bottom of every page), as well as @c.widow's Equine RPG Directory.
I heard from God today and She sounded just like me What have I done, and who have I become? I saw the devil today and he looked a lot like me I looked away, I turned away
Another day under the blessed sunshine of Solis, another day of training and getting to know his court better. He once more found himself within the colosseum, stretching and warming up his muscles. He had hoped that more court members would continue to arrive to train with him during these daily exercises. They would then meet each other, bond and create friendships. He had set his mind to building an elite collection of soldiers with different talents, these talents could be applied to different situations. And most importantly be used to train other citizens to defend themselves and each other.
His coat was covered in a thick sheen of sweat, collecting around the mineralization of his coat. His thick wavy hair was tied into tight buns atop the crest of his neck. It kept it tidy and out of the way. If he had kept it down, it would become a tangled mess. It would be a disaster to become tied up in someone else's hooves or Solis knew what else!
He had hoped that his taking over had pleased Solis. He worked vigorously to try and encourage the citizens to train and develop their strength. He felt that Solis had been robbed of his blood shed when he ascended the throne without battle. That old sovereign had simply rolled over and given him the crown. He would bleed for Solis and for Solterra. He would be dedicated. He would push for what was best for Solterra and her souls.
He continued moving smoothly around the outside of the colosseum, his enormous hooves beating the ground in a consistent rhythm. He would hope that with this new day, there would be a fresh training opportunity. But most of all he wanted to get to know the souls of Solterra, those he would fight for.
Hello everyone! I apologize for the delay, life has kicked my pants a bit lately. That being said, it is time for leg 2! If any need a reminder of what this leg will be, here is the initial information from the first even thread. <3
Quote:Leg two: The second race of the event will take place on the Praistigia Cliff. This race will test your agility. While there is only one lap, there will be three separate posts from each character as well as the updates from the Official Dusk Court. Runners beware! This leg may have random events that happen as the race is being run that your character will have to react to. These events will come from the Official Dusk Court account and will either affect one character or the entire group!
The morning for the second leg had dawned hot and clear. Uzuri took to the skies, taking a moment to see the course and make sure it was all set for those that would be taking part in the race. The dark fae had withdrawn, her ankle still needing time to heal before she tried again. That left the three warriors from her court and the saurian mare.
Returning to the start, she dipped her head at each of the horses. They would start as they had finished, with Below Zero being the first position. She smiled at the familiar mare and then to each of the others. "Welcome, and thank you for continuing! The weather is working in our favor and it looks like it will be clear skies. However, it is likely to get extremely hot as the day grows later. The first third of the race is through the forest, so beware of the limbs and trees that will fight your path." Her words are warm and kind, though gave them an idea of what to expect with the first part of the race. Stepping back from the line, she nodded to one of her court members and the bell sounded to release the racers.
And so with the sunshine
and the great bursts of leaves growing on the trees,
just as things grow fast in movies,
I had that familiar conviction that
life was beginning over again with summer.
Posted by: Jarek - 07-19-2022, 01:47 PM - Forum: The Colosseum
- No Replies
JA R E K
I heard from God today and She sounded just like me What have I done, and who have I become? I saw the devil today and he looked a lot like me I looked away, I turned away
The sunlight battered his blackened pelt, as though Solis himself was helping beat Jarek into shape. The warmth of the sunlight was welcome and encouraging. He would not be the man who would sit in his office and push papers around. He was a soldier before he was the monarch here. He would remember that Solis valued the strength, that those who lived under his gaze should be able to defend themselves or each other. He would be available for his citizens young and old. Part of that in his mind would be training amongst them. His flesh needed to be worked to maintain muscle as much as the next man.
He found himself standing in the center of the colosseum. Admiring the height and grandeur of the looming stadium. It was becoming close to noon, and he was aware that most preferred to fight at this time so Solis himself could witness their glory. He could see the battering that time had worn on the colosseum. Perhaps; rather than forging something new - he would set his mind to ensure that this place would be restored to its beauty and function. Of course to make it look new would take away from its character, but he was certain there were works that could be completed to attempt to maintain what was left. He also wanted to make sure that the levels set for observation would be safe.
He found himself running steady circles around the outside, stretching his stride and enjoying the feeling of the sweat trickling down his sides. It ran an unusual path due to the texture of the mineralisation on his coat. His mind lazily also ran laps about what his first goals could be. He had hoped that his citizens would meet him here and they could discuss what the court desired. He couldn't help but hear the words of Swahili in his mind. He was sure that most would still consider him an outsider; and perhaps the nature of his takeover would not be welcome. It was clear to him that the day court needed a strong and capable sovereign; he felt that he could provide that to them. He would do his very best to ensure their needs would be met.
Arms wide open
I stand alone
I'm no hero
And I'm not made of stone
Day court Citizens are welcome to come and spar with Jarek/talk about their concerns! If this thread gets too busy/there are alot of responses I will make more open threads! | speaks
I heard from God today and She sounded just like me What have I done, and who have I become? I saw the devil today and he looked a lot like me I looked away, I turned away
He had done it, he had taken over the court. The weight of his decision was still heavy on his shoulders. He was not a stranger to the importance of politics in such a situation. He was mildly aware of some of the discomfort between the day and dusk courts due to the disagreements between previous monarchs. But he had the unique opportunity to correct some of these issues. He would not let these issues sit and fester any longer. The day court was proud and fierce but he would not let pride get in the way of progress.
He had yet to meet the sovereign of the dusk court, but his mind naturally wanted to visit these lands first. The mare he had become bonded with was from the dusk court. It was very important in his mind that their courts would be adequately aligned. He was sure there were aspects of each court that would benefit from the interaction.
He found himself within the rolling green scenery of the dusk herdlands. It could not be more different to his desert home. The lush green shoots of grass tickled at his legs, the colours were all so vibrant. He wondered what Phoebe’s perception of the desert had been like on her initial arrival. He made a mental note to discuss this with her the next time they met.
He wondered where she would be on his arrival. He did not wish to disturb her, but he also couldn’t help but hope he would see a glimpse of her. Perhaps it would be best that he go seek her out after this meeting had concluded.
He made his way towards the court and citadel. He made his way through the crowds of souls living their lives. Slipping smoothly between the bustling streets. He found his way to the entrance of the citadel. He was still not accustomed to the customs of Novus, there was much still to learn. He stood at the door and knocked, he would wait to be invited in. "Hello, it is Jarek I am here to seek a meeting with Uzuri"
I heard from God today and She sounded just like me What have I done, and who have I become? I saw the devil today and he looked a lot like me I looked away, I turned away
With the radiant warmth of summer already threatening to start to slip from his grasp, it was time for something more dramatic. He needed to see Phoebe and he needed to do it in a meaningful fashion. He needed to spend more time with her, this living between different courts was more challenging than he had thought. That his soul still yearned for the connection to hers. He had sent her a letter, to meet him tonight within a secluded spot of the Elatus Canyon - drawn on the back was a detailed map to find it. It was one of the more simple places to find, but clouded in seclusion all the same.
As the sun had started to set, he had found himself deep with the belly of the rising rocks. The blanket of stars stretching out overhead. He wondered looking up at the sky, so clear and beautiful; what prophetical mare would think of this place. Perhaps sometime he would bring her here and show her. But tonight would be about Phoebe. About their future. The universe had drawn them close enough, allowing them to reach out and touch - fusing them onwards.
The sky above reminded him of the beauty of the warrior mare he had found himself enraptured with. She was coloured the hues of dusk, purples to oranges with markings of the sky. His mind remembered the meeting at the oasis,and how comfortable it had been in her presence. How perfectly they seemed to mentally fit together like jigsaw pieces. He smiled, enjoying the moment as he collected firewood for their bonfire. It would start to become chilly in the desert before long, there was something miraculous about the presence of fire.
He had already pitched their large tent and began to form the firepit. He hoped she would come. He hoped she would see the beauty that he had found in this place. The way the terrain was shaped felt mystical and how closely connected to the earth he felt. He hoped that Solis would approve of his choices. It reminded him of how he felt when he had visited the temple previously. Perhaps this was just a further sign that their partnership was blessed, it was to be.
He would keep collecting firewood into a heavy pile while he waited with growing excitement for her arrival.
Arms wide open
I stand alone
I'm no hero
And I'm not made of stone
@Phoebe Lets liquidy time this to shortly after they've met at the oasis? <3
It’s been a long time since Fang has flown for this long.
The muscles in his shoulders have begun to ache from the strain on his wings, and despite the cool air, sweat has gathered in a sheen along his skin. He couldn’t even explain why—why push himself? Why come this far? He watches as the familiar landscape of Denocte passes by beneath him, steadily fading away into unknown regions and foreign expanses. Tilting his wings up, he rides a breeze higher, coasting through a gentle silence that only a quiet sky can offer. Breathing the crisp air into his lungs, he sighs happily.
He doesn’t know how much time passes, and he only knows when he will land when the earth eventually calls to him. Sweeping his fiery eyes over the wind-swept sands below, the red stallion circles an oasis twice before he begins a slow dive, leathery wings half-tucked into his body. Considering too late that the water might not be deep enough, he breathes a prayer (Vasanta— is his heart’s natural call) before plunging head first into the small body of water.
There is a loud splash as he breaks through the surface, sending waves that lap at the lake’s sandy shore, and then Fang surfaces with a smile. Laughing at the thrill of adrenaline that sings in his veins, he rolls onto his back, floating in this little haven and tucked away from the surrounding wasteland.
caling one of the many precipices of the Arma Mountains, the stallion places a large hoof forward, settling his weight as he lowers his head to inspect a sprig that peaks out from between the rocks. With his attention absorbed elsewhere, he doesn’t notice the stone falter beneath his foot, trembling from his weight a half second before it gives way completely.
The large rock is suddenly ricocheting down the mountainside, leaving Fang off balance and lurching forward. Thrusting his wings out, he is just able to catch himself from falling and following the stone as it continues to plummet to the ground.
Watching it land far below with a final reverberation of sound, Fang can’t help but exhale a breathless chuckle. “Woah. Close call,” he shakes his head, “Let’s be more careful, shall we?” He mutters to himself, ridding his skin of the prickle of nerves as he refocuses his attention. He has come to the mountains in search of supplies—more specifically, plant supplies. Perhaps it is a habit, or maybe nostalgia from his talents with magic; in any case, the red stallion finds himself comforted by the simple task.
Side-stepping onto a more worn part of the path, he resumes his search, humming softly as he does so.
Posted by: Apollune - 06-07-2022, 10:45 AM - Forum: Mors Desert
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How long had it been since she had been awake?
Too long. A voice answered her. She was unsure if it was her own voice or one of those she was formerly bound to. Still, beneath the beating sun of the desert, all she saw was darkness. Time was passing, she could feel it. It was always the first thing she could feel when she was revived. The sand phoenix they called her. Each time she rose, she clambered from the piles of sediment rather than the ashes. It was no different this time around. After she began to feel the passing of time, she felt how the heavy sands pressed on her bodice. The way they scraped against newly formed flesh as she rose from the depths of the sandy seas. Then she felt the metal as it pulled itself together along her frame until she was bound again. The djinn breathed and sputtered the sand from her lungs as she crawled from the dunes. Her body erupted from the sands like someone crawling from a grave. It is a grave. The voice responded to her thoughts again. It was true, this was her grave. The seas of sand created her each time she perished.
Apollune felt the sand rush from her throat and lungs. It spilled from her mouth until that too became flesh. It poured from her like water until her flesh was whole again. The shimmer of ivory beneath the sun's hot rays appeared on the horizon. She turned her gaze to the city of the Sun. Her golden voids squinted to shield themselves from the assault of light. Apollune glanced back over her bodice once after she spotted the grand structure. She woke each time, facing the city. Some say that her immortality might be a curse, but she didn't think of it that way. It had a familiar pattern. It was no different than the cyclical nature of life and death. It was life and death. Her limbs moved awkwardly at first. The fresh muscles began to ache as they snapped and pulled her bodice forward. The only thing she was sure of was the fact that the deserts still weren't safe. That had never changed, no matter how many centuries had passed since she last took form.
The gray dappled djinn bound in gold moved swiftly. As swiftly as she could without gaining too much fatigue. At a moment, she began to feel the heat of the sun less, and the heat of another's eyes more. Apollune paused her movements and looked around. The feeling gnawed on her nape and caused her to twitch the skin of her withers. "You can come out, I know you're there." She called out. That voice she was hearing definitely was not hers. That could be a problem for a different day.
