31st of Fall, 515 AV
Aislyn had always loved the night. She could never quite pinpoint why it was so much preferred to the daytime, but in theory it was due to a number of reasons. First of all, one of the only pluses to half-Zith blood was the ability to see somewhat better in the dark. Albeit murky, but at least she could make out most objects from a good range away. That still didn't make up for the fact that the woman's eyes were an unnerving black-red colour.
With every blessing a curse, perhaps.
Another reason was, again, to do with her sight. From Aislyn's experience, most people were practically blind in the dark, seeing nothing but the blackness and nothing beyond. That meant that she was invisible, or close enough, if she chose to wander out at night. It was peaceful, as well, due to the lack of citizens meandering around the city.
Not to mention the fact that Ionu's most beautiful illusions came from the dark. Or, glowed in the dark. They were stunning.
That was why Aislyn had been such a fan of the past few days (or rather, nights) in Alvadas.
The woman had woken up at the supposedly normal time, yet no light danced through the lazily drawn windows. Leth regained control outside, swaying stars and a stoic moon staying worryingly high. At first, Aislyn was convinced she had just woken up in the middle of the night.... except it appeared everyone else had, too. Outside, the streets were just as busy as midday, complete with sluggish people who almost appeared still asleep. Like the world had remained in motion, but the sky stayed still. Frozen in time. Or, perhaps, frozen in an illusion.
Aislyn absolutely adored it. It was an amazing opportunity to do so much and more; including bringing back Thief, the illusion Aislyn used most often with the night anyway. Inky black, shoulder-length hair, hazel brown eyes, and a personality the woman wouldn’t mind tarnishing. It made good fun to run around in the dark, a shadow dressed in black, like she were a child again. Except now, no sunrise to end the adventure. A few of Alvadas’ citizens had capitalized on the endless night, selling candles and other sources of light in the darkness. Aislyn had bought a couple of the candles, using them to enhance her already well-off vision in the dark. Alone, she couldn’t make out the colours of the night, but coupled with the candle, the full beauty was revealed. Still tinted in blues and greys, of course, but also coupled with yellows and oranges from distant candles, greens from plants fast asleep, reds from flashes of colourful clothing, hidden in the dark.
Aislyn had make it her mission to draw them all. Throughout her adventures, her backpack was strapped tight to her back, sketchbook just barely tucked inside. She sat down every so often, if an image caught her eye, but never for long. Thief was a human doing, a human moving. Never just a human moving.
Unfortunately, other beings didn’t share the same idea.
Candle in one hand, sacred book in the other, Aislyn had been moving along the side of the street, a shadow with a bright light close to it’s chest. A shadow that, unfortunately, wasn’t looking where it was going.
A shadow that was rudely interrupted by another shadow, who knocked the shadow to the ground when they collided.
Immediately, pages went everywhere. Old artwork, new artwork, detached from Aislyn’s journal due to the nature of how it was made. All the journal entries, luckily, were still attached to the book, making them safe from harm. For one glorious moment, the air was filled with parchment, and, unfortunately, flames. The candle had flown from the woman’s grasp as well, briefly illuminating the sky before the sharp winds extinguished the light, leaving the two strangers in the dark.
Aislyn had always loved the night. She could never quite pinpoint why it was so much preferred to the daytime, but in theory it was due to a number of reasons. First of all, one of the only pluses to half-Zith blood was the ability to see somewhat better in the dark. Albeit murky, but at least she could make out most objects from a good range away. That still didn't make up for the fact that the woman's eyes were an unnerving black-red colour.
With every blessing a curse, perhaps.
Another reason was, again, to do with her sight. From Aislyn's experience, most people were practically blind in the dark, seeing nothing but the blackness and nothing beyond. That meant that she was invisible, or close enough, if she chose to wander out at night. It was peaceful, as well, due to the lack of citizens meandering around the city.
Not to mention the fact that Ionu's most beautiful illusions came from the dark. Or, glowed in the dark. They were stunning.
That was why Aislyn had been such a fan of the past few days (or rather, nights) in Alvadas.
The woman had woken up at the supposedly normal time, yet no light danced through the lazily drawn windows. Leth regained control outside, swaying stars and a stoic moon staying worryingly high. At first, Aislyn was convinced she had just woken up in the middle of the night.... except it appeared everyone else had, too. Outside, the streets were just as busy as midday, complete with sluggish people who almost appeared still asleep. Like the world had remained in motion, but the sky stayed still. Frozen in time. Or, perhaps, frozen in an illusion.
Aislyn absolutely adored it. It was an amazing opportunity to do so much and more; including bringing back Thief, the illusion Aislyn used most often with the night anyway. Inky black, shoulder-length hair, hazel brown eyes, and a personality the woman wouldn’t mind tarnishing. It made good fun to run around in the dark, a shadow dressed in black, like she were a child again. Except now, no sunrise to end the adventure. A few of Alvadas’ citizens had capitalized on the endless night, selling candles and other sources of light in the darkness. Aislyn had bought a couple of the candles, using them to enhance her already well-off vision in the dark. Alone, she couldn’t make out the colours of the night, but coupled with the candle, the full beauty was revealed. Still tinted in blues and greys, of course, but also coupled with yellows and oranges from distant candles, greens from plants fast asleep, reds from flashes of colourful clothing, hidden in the dark.
Aislyn had make it her mission to draw them all. Throughout her adventures, her backpack was strapped tight to her back, sketchbook just barely tucked inside. She sat down every so often, if an image caught her eye, but never for long. Thief was a human doing, a human moving. Never just a human moving.
Unfortunately, other beings didn’t share the same idea.
Candle in one hand, sacred book in the other, Aislyn had been moving along the side of the street, a shadow with a bright light close to it’s chest. A shadow that, unfortunately, wasn’t looking where it was going.
A shadow that was rudely interrupted by another shadow, who knocked the shadow to the ground when they collided.
Immediately, pages went everywhere. Old artwork, new artwork, detached from Aislyn’s journal due to the nature of how it was made. All the journal entries, luckily, were still attached to the book, making them safe from harm. For one glorious moment, the air was filled with parchment, and, unfortunately, flames. The candle had flown from the woman’s grasp as well, briefly illuminating the sky before the sharp winds extinguished the light, leaving the two strangers in the dark.
