Out of the Shadows Pt.5 The Outskirts

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Ater wandered into the vastness of the night. The pink sands were aglow with the silver light of the moon, spilling over the dunes and glinting like the stars. He walked aimlessly for some time, until he saw lights in the distance. His long, black scarf dragged through the silvery sand behind him as he made his way to the beacon in the night. As the lights grew closer, so did the noises. He heard laughter and upbeat sounds, even the faint notes of music fluttered in the air.
Ater soon stumbled upon a grandly lit courtyard, square stones of all colors adorning the ground in random patterns and shapes. Lanterns floated lazily in the air, small chimes at their base tinkling when they ran into things. Some lanterns hung above the courtyard in a dome like display, all colors shining down on the shadow in the light. His red eyes gazed upon the lanterns, almost forgetting the well populated town. Wayfarers of all colors, shape and size, walked, ran, or even flew by him. They all seemed to be happy and chatting with one another, sitting on buildings and singing folk songs in the streets. Ater shook himself out of his daze, realizing no one here knew who, or what he was. But if they ran into him, they would surely know something was wrong with him.

Weaving through the crowds, he managed to get to the walls and fly up to the worn down roof tops, where fewer wayfarers resided. He looked down at where he had come; making sure no one had noticed him. Relieved no one had seen him, he took the time to look at this new place from his vantage point. The town was small, but full to the brim with tall towers, smooth and partially crumbled from the desert winds. They looked just like the towers he had seen at the Road of Trials all those years ago, all lit up and full of wayfarers. He had no idea so many other wayfarers resided outside his knowledge, and wondered if they had ever journeyed to the mountain at all, or suffered the bite of a Stone Serpent.
Suddenly, Ater felt a pang of loneliness. The town was large, and the merriment abundant, but it all seemed to flow like a river below him; out of reach. His insides started to pull at him again, and he knew Gelu had to be here somewhere.

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Gelu woke up with a start. Black teeth had haunted her reincarnation, and chills still hung in her cloth. She looked around, but she couldn’t see a thing. For the briefest moment she had thought she went blind, but that was soon dashed when a small lantern with a warm, orange light chimed to life. She looked to see her cloth fully restored, and her scarf now a small stub, but it was there. She sat up in her stone bed to find a small, high ceilinged room, a rough crack in the shape of a rectangle adorned the wall, and she assumed that was the door. She heard a soft sound and looked down at where she had lay. Shiny ice crystals had grown on the surface she had touched. They glimmered and started to melt, until nothing was left. She looked at the stone, puzzled. She shook off the oddity of it, and got up, only to be hit with disorienting dizziness. She fell to her knees, a little confused and allot of scared. This had never happened before, especially after a reincarnation, when she was supposed to be at her strongest.

But, the feelings passed as soon as they had started, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t shook up. She stood up again without further incident, but moved about cautiously. She came closer to the crack and ran her cloth over the frame. She stood back and looked up to see a small stone jutting out of the wall just above the door “frame.” She chirped, and it glowed with her symbol, but nothing happened. She huffed, a little irritated. She tried again. Nothing.
She started to kick the stone wall in frustration, and was so focused on what she was doing that she looked on in alarm when she kicked something soft and made noise. The door had seemed to evaporate, revealing a wayfarer keeled over, nursing a well placed kick in the gut.

“You’re a fire brand aren’t you?” He said with a cough.
The wayfarer was black cloaked with intricate pattern of all colors and random shapes, the edges cut in a clean manner. His hood looked like that of a Jester’s hat, small bells protesting at each movement, annoying Gelu to no end. The recently kicked wayfarer collected his composer, and noticed her irritated stare of ice.
“Ahem…Well. I can see you aren’t used to some of the doors here. This door is only set to open with my heart symbol, and if left alone, it closes without activity. My apologies.” His hat jingled as he chuckled, a musical and happy sound. “But where are my manners? I am Tumesco, farer of the revelry.” He bowed low with his introduction.
A wayfarer with a three tier cloak of yellow came into the room. His mask was a bright white like the Jesters, along with other ridiculous, multi colored patterns painting his cloth. His scarf was split into several small ribbons with bells at the end.
“And who is this lovely blue lady?” The yellow cloak said.
“She was just about to introduce herself.” His grey-blue eyes crested in a friendly smile as he turned back to her. “Who is the lovely blue lady?”

She pretended not to notice their flattery while she answered. “I am Gelu, farer of the snow.” “Ah. A rare one, indeed. Many here have never seen a wayfarer of the cold, and I’m sure you will get lots of attention.” He winked. “Whether you want it or not.”
Gelu chuckled at his silly nature, the yellow cloak rolling his eyes. “Come on Tum, the show starts in a few stars up, we can’t be late again.” Tumesco turned and started to his “assistant” and laughed. “It wasn’t my fault that pretty lady wanted to dance! Who am I to deny a woman her fun?”
He turned back to Gelu with a twinkle in his eye. “He’s always been a stickler for being on time. No time for fun in his schedule!” He put his scarf over her shoulders and led her down some corridors. “You must come see the show! It fantastic! Glorious! Spectacular! And made by me.” She couldn’t help but smile at his attitude. He had a contagious way of making people happy.

“If you don’t mind me asking Tumesco…. Where did you find me?”
He used his cloak to straighten his hood in thought.
“Well, one of my actors had found you, out like a light just at the edge of town. They took you to me, and I believe you were sleeping all day.”
“Did anyone else come into town recently?”
“Are you looking for someone else here?”
“I’m not sure.”
Tumesco’s bells chimed with each step, lightening the mood of the dim rooms they passed.
“Well my dear Gelu, even if they were here, they would be hard to find. New wayfarers come and go every day, only a few of us actually live here. You see, you are only allowed to visit this place once, and no one is sure why.”
“Like a law?”
“No. It’s just the simple fact. Once you leave the town, you leave forever. You never find it again. Most of us have chosen to stay for that reason, and it’s a very safe place to raise children until they are ready to make the Journey their parents did.”
“But… If you haven’t left before, how do you know you can’t come back?”

“Ah, that is the golden question. This town moves, you see. Between soul planes, and other locations on top of that. The town moves sideways, upways, downways, and every way you can think of. The phenomenon is recorded in the tomes at the library at the heart of the town. Whatever makes this place move has to be some powerful magics.”
He said all of this so matter of fact; she had no more questions she wanted to ask. He led her to a roaring crowd under the biggest dome of cloth she had ever seen. The crowd roared and chirped as he entered the big top, chirping large and flying to get a better view of the show. Gelu was all the sudden nervous that he was going to drag her into the act, but he sat her in what he called “The best seat in the house” A cloth dolphin painted white with colorful patters. It lifted her up with a playful chirp and flew up over the crowd with a spectacular view of the ring.

“Ladies and gentle-scarves! I present to you, the greatest show in all of the Outer Outskirts, Tumesco’s Revelry!”
The crowd bellowed and cheered, and Gelu marveled at how many wayfarers where here. She didn’t even know there was that many. The actors were in all kinds of colors and ridiculous cloaks, doing tricks and flying acts, all the while Tumesco stood in the center ring, presenting it all. Gelu was so absorbed in the act; she had almost forgotten why she was here. She willed the cloth dolphin to put her down, and sailed to the Big Top entrance. She came out into the streets, mostly quiet, but some lingered at the corners laughing and singing. The colorful lanterns floated lazily about the streets, and she looked at them in wonder as they chimed softly past her. The cloth dolphin left her alone, but just as she was going to wander too far, it came back with a small piece of cloth with a message.

‘Meet me at the Shifting Sand tavern at sun up.
~T’

She folded the parchment and put it in her leather satchel. She had found it in her room, and decided to bring it along. Her heart symbol got a strange pulling sensation. She looked around at the tall buildings and sighed. If he was here, she just hoped he wouldn’t leave, or he would be lost to her. She wandered around for a while, the streets alight and full of noise. She wondered if every night here was just like this, full of happiness and color. It was a wonder anyone wanted to leave at all. She found the large courtyard, the lanterns illuminating the sky and the masks of dancing wayfarers.

And there he was, running over the roof tops, his long, black scarf seaming to cut the midnight sky. She flew up and met him on the high roof tops, the wind from his momentum sweeping back her cloak as he came to a halt. There they stood, the warm breeze fondling her blue tassels, and blowing ash into the air. Ater’s eyes crested in a smile, Gelu doing the same.
“…I’m glad you’re alright.” His deep voice said, making Gelu realize how much she missed it. Suddenly feeling a little shy, she looked out over the town known as the Outskirts.

“Isn’t it beautiful, Ater? I never knew such a place could be real.” She looked back at him, her eyes grinning. “There’s someone I want you to meet. He wants to see us at sun up.”
Ater nodded. They sat there on the edge, their “feet” dangling in the air and over the wayfarer’s heads. They watched the horizon as it slowly started to gain color, talking about unimportant things.
“So, any idea where this “Bleeding Sands” is?” She said after hearing Ater’s story about Rhythm. She was amazed that he had seen such a rare deity up close, and wanted to know everything about her.
“I have no clue. I was hoping someone here might now, but… I haven’t exactly asked around.” He said shyly. He had mostly stuck to the roof tops, avoiding contact with anyone for fear of burning them by mistake. Hopefully he could learn to get that under control soon. But something else was bothering him at the moment. He was getting an unfamiliar pang deep inside him, festering and clawing his insides. It had started out subtle, but had grown to an irritation. He pushed the feelings aside, and saw the early signs of dawn over the distant dunes.

“Come on. I saw the tavern while I was looking for you.” Ater said, standing up and leading the way. Most wayfarers had gone inside to sleep off the day, so the streets were nearly empty. They soon came upon a building, short and squat among the tall towers. They landed in front of the cloth door, flapping lazily in the steadily warming breeze. Upon entry, the air was full of the smell of Dishnal, a potent rock that was crushed and boiled into a strange liquid. But the smell was a lingering one, since the night of partying was over. A few wayfarers lingered, sitting at the bar and at the stone tables, talking to the staff.

Gelu saw Tumesco across the room, and he gestured grandly for them to come over.
“There you are my cold little sapphire! You broke my heart symbol when you left my show so early!” He said, a large grin bending his eyes. They sat down in some stone chairs, His mood lifting the spirits of the place. Ater reined in his long scarf carefully; making sure it wasn’t out in the open for people to trip over.
“And who might you be, hmmm? Is this the friend you were looking for?”
“I’m Ater, farer of shadow.”
Tumesco stiffened and seamed to sober in mere seconds. He drew in close, leaning in over the table, as if seeing Ater clearly for the first time.

“…The Blood Shadow himself?”
Ater started to fidget nervously. Gelu looked at Ater in worry.
“Please Tumesco. We need your help.”
Tum leaned back in his chair, regarding them with silent thought heavy in his eyes.
“You’re lucky no one knows what you look like, boy. But you came to the right person. If ANYONE else knows he’s here, things could get ugly. Your presence is a bad omen.”
“What do you mean?” Gelu asked, a little nervous at his reaction.
He shook his head. “There was an old tome, one of the oldest we have, that contained an omen, a verse. I can’t phrase it exactly, but your appearance is connected to the return of Nadir… the bringer of darkness. It was foretold the sky would go dark one day…” He stopped himself as the two looked at him wide eyed.
“Ahem… Anyway. What was it you needed help with?’

Gelu begrudgingly dropped the subject. “We needed to know where to find the Bleeding Sands.” “And who told you about this place?” He said. He was looking around nervously, as if he was making sure no one else was listening.
Ater chimed in then. “Rhythm told me. She said to find the holy statue at the edge of the Bleeding Sands.” “And you are sure she mentioned that place specifically?”
They both nodded.

He sighed and tapped his cloak against the stone table in thought. His bells chimed as he looked through his satchel and pulled out an old piece of torn cloth with a map.
“I was a map drawer back in my days as a traveler, so this should help. But I must warn you…It’s not like the pink sands you know, oh no. That place has allot of secrets. It was said one of the bloodiest battles ever fought was in that region, back when the Ancestors had fought. But that’s not the only reason it gets its name. It’s said something awful lives there. Well, I’ve never seen this thing myself, but sources say its one scary monstrosity.”
Ater and Gelu exchanged a worried glance.

“But, whatever it is, they say it only comes out at night. So I wouldn’t worry too much about it.” He chuckled. He pushed the map over the table and settled back in his seat.
“Thank you, Tumesco, for everything.” She knew once she left this place, she would never see it again. Her heart symbol wrenched at the thought, not willing to forget her night in this strange and wonderful place.
“Oh come now, my little snow cap. Greater things await the both of you.” His eyes lingered on Ater, his eyes deep in more thinking. “Whatever you may face, Just make sure you stay together. No wayfarer is meant to be alone.”
He stood up and left some silver coin on the table top. He led them out and away to the edge of town. They stood at the edge, where the cobble stone met with the desert. They waved their goodbyes, and stepped out of its bounds. Gelu looked back one last time, but the town had vanished.

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Few! I've been typing up this chapter little by little for a long time.

Again, this story is of my interpretation on the world of Journey, please do not insert your characters into the story or steal any of the characters.

On another note, Tumesco is drawn above. Funny little fellow that one. He isn't a character, and he is only exclusive to the story. Since I knew I was only going to draw him once, I went all out with his patterns.

Enjoy!

Out of the Shadows story (c) me

Art (c) me

Character(s) (c) me