Storyboards: Delionia

Joining Adventurers | Delionia's aquest | My title

Joining Adventurers
Delionia was confused... Confused and exhausted. Born into the world of Prophecy only a few hours before, she was clueless as to where she had to go and what she had to do. Pushing her dark silky hair out of her eyes, Delionia slumped down against the pristine marble fountain at the Sendar temple square, staring blearily around at the throng of jostling people milling around under the bright Sendar sun.
A glint of something caught her pale blue luminescent eyes... A glint of sunlight reflecting off solid where there seemed to be only air. Her curiosity aroused, Delionia trudged across to the other side of the square. There, clearly outlined against the bustling chaotic backdrop of the Sendar market to the south, was a set of translucent shimmering steps rising up in a towering spiral to the heavens.
Climbing the crystal stairs, Delionia topped a rise in the clouds and finally saw an end to the climb. It was a hallway of some sort, clearly visible through the haze of mist and cloud. The clatter of her footsteps echoing hollowly, Delionia stepped into the hall. Pushing back the hood of her cloak, she stared around in wonder... It was all made of crystal… The walls, the ceiling, the floor, everything. She had never seen anything so beautiful. Delionia walked though the maze-like hallways and passages, drinking in the beauty and serenity of this divine place. There was no one in sight - the halls seemed deserted. Looking back over her shoulder, Delionia suddenly realised she didn’t know which way she had come...
The passages all looked identical to her. Her stomach cramping from pangs of hunger and her throat parched with thirst Delionia raced though the pathways, seeking a way out. Finding no exit and seeing no one after what seemed like an eternity of searching, she dropped to the floor wearily, leaning back against the cool comforting crystalline wall.
All of a sudden, someone appeared out of thin air... Tall and swathed in black. Staring up at the figure though rapidly blurring vision, all Delionia could make out was an emblem emblazoned across the front of his hooded cloak....
"Adventurers." Hands gently offered her food and water. "Who are you?" Delionia whispered hoarsely, wolfing down the food and drinking the water. A trace of a grin flitted across his shadowed features,
"I'm an Adventurer. Our clan helps newbies and the like with their problems on Prophecy," he said in a voice laced with pride. Delionia was instantly struck by the nobility of these ideals.
"Does your clan accept inexperienced people as well? Ones yet inept in this world?" she asked the tall stranger hesitantly. Smiling gently, the vision nodded,
"We are open to all who wish to join us... Would you like to be a member of our fold?" Her eyes shining with anticipation and delight, Delionia nodded enthusiastically.
Mortiris Doyen grinned... " Welcome to the Adventurers Delionia."

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Delionia’s aquest
Delionia sat gazing out of the clear glass window, watching the brilliant sun hang like and orange disc in the sky. Flustered, she leant back irritably on the velvet cushions around her.
"I'm bored," she proclaimed. Alviara looked up from where she was sitting, a enormous book sat perched on her folded legs. She smiled, her green eyes twinkling with mirth.
“When are you not?" she asked archly. Delionia stuck out her tongue impishly at her Rivan sister, who burst into laughter.
“Seriously Alvi, lets go somewhere... I'm getting sick of being stuck inside this room." Straightening she pulled her face into a rueful expression and looked pleadingly at Alviara. Tapping her fingers on the book she was reading, Alviara sighed.
"But..." She looked down at the page she was on. Narrowing her pale blue eyes, Delionia sank back into the cushions again, muttering under her breath. "Oh, I'm sorry Del…" Alviara told her. "Hm… Ok, lets see... Why don't you go visit Floyd? Maybe he'll have something for you to do?" Delionia's face brightened.
"Brilliant. That's something that'll keep me busy," she exclaimed.
"And out of my hair, thankfully." Alviara teased. Ignoring the comment, Delionia hurried to her feet and grabbed her cloak. She patted her friend on the head and with a "Happy Reading!" was out of the door and in the Sendar streets making her way to Floyd's home.
Walking through the streets she found herself opposite a bustling tavern, looking into a dim, old house. Knocking politely, and then entering, she looked at the old man sitting in the corner with a benign smile on his face, and greeted him warmly.
"Delionia, what a pleasant surprise. It's good to see you again. Come in, come in." Stepping in, she hung up her cloak and asked if he had anything for her to do today, anyone she could help. Floyd nodded thoughtfully. "Why yes actually there is. It seems that Dedria is in need of some help. Make your way to Tol Honeth where she runs a little store, you'll find her there." Delionia assured Floyd that she would do whatever she could and headed out of Sendar.
Once outside, she gathered her Will and changed into a magestic eagle, and took to flight heading towards Tol Honeth. Not before long, she was within vicinity of the city. Landing, she changed back into her human form and entered the large bronze gates. Roaming through the crowded market place, she finally found the store she was looking for, Dryad's Delight.
Inside she met a cheery woman, tempting her with all the delicious goodies she had spread around her.
"You must be Dedria," Delionia said, "Floyd sent me, he said you were in need of some help."
The woman clapped her hands in recognition. "May Nedra bless Floyd's soul. I really do need some urgent business to be taken care of. You see it's my friend's birthday soon and she really likes flowers, especially coloured ones. I've heard you get these in Camaar, and I'd be grateful if you could get me one, Delionia." Delionia smiled and nodded.
"I'd be happy to," she told Dedria. Closing the door behind her she made her way out of Tol Honeth and resumed her eagle shape. Her sharp eyes soon saw the small town on the shore of Sendaria. Landing, she morphed back into herself and entered the gates.
She had been here many times since this was where her clan belonged and knew her way around well. In fact, she knew just where to head. She walked to the Park, where she found Xertia, the florist who was beaming as she handed her a colored flower. Once outside, Delionia placed the flower within her bag where she knew it would remain until she changed back from her eagle form. Triumphantly, she resumed her bird shape and soared through the clouds until she was at Tol Honeth again. Entering the city, she found Dedria again and gave her the flower.
"Bless you, Delionia! I thank you for your service and I'd like you to have this," she handed her a clinking pouch. Delionia accepted, graciously, and then pondered for a moment.
"I would really like one of those lollipops, you know," she said with a twinkle. Dedria laughed and handed her one. Licking her lollipop, Delionia journeyed back to Sendar and tramped into her room. Alviara was still there cuddled up on the couch.
"Back so soon?" she asked, but she has hardly looked up that Delionia was already fast asleep on the velvet cushions.

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My title
The shadowy mist in front of Delionia's eyes thickened even further as she walked forward cautiously, trying to see where she was stepping. Everything around her was hazy and she frowned to try and clear her blurry vision.
She found it surprising that she was as calm as she was, and somehow, there was no fear that she did not know where she was or what she was doing. An unearthly peace had descended upon her, leaving her devoid of any emotion, save a certain curiosity. She felt a nagging sensation that she was supposed to be looking for something here.
Something important.
She shut her eyes for an instant, trying to concentrate, to figure out what she should do next. Her mind was swimming with thoughts, and she groped to find some clarity but she found herself lost in its chaos.
Struggling, she forced herself to fix her mind on something and found herself thinking of Saphiera, the orphaned girl she had found just yesterday, wandering around in the streets of Sendar. It was strange, Delionia mused, for she seemed almost drawn to the girl. There was something peculiar about her, something haunting in her crystal blue eyes, something strange
in her every glance, something that made it very difficult to forget her face. And now that she was thinking of her, Delionia could see Saphiera's face swim before her vision and materialize in front of her.
To her surprise, the fog started to clear and she felt herself left suspended in nothingness only with the image of Saphiera before her. Confused, she reached out her hand to touch the apparition before her, and suddenly everything shuddered. Delioniafelt a cool chill run through her body, her stomach lurched and then she was falling.
Suddenly, she was somewhere else. Fields of knee high golden grass rippled around her in all directions. Delionia could hear the shrill chirping of birds and low rustle of the dry grass as it swayed in the wind. There was not a single tree visible in any direction.
Algaria, she mused, guessing by the landscape she was somewhere on the vast plain. Spotting a cozy brown cottage spouting smoke from its chimney at the edge of the fields, she started to make her way towards it. Two little girls played before the house, their shiny black hair flowing behind them. Their tinkling peals of laughter brought an unconscious smile to Delionia's face.
She watched them at their game from a few feet away, and they carried on with their play, blissfully unaware of her presence. Suddenly, their little ball rolled towards Delionia's feet.
One of the little girls hurried over to retrieve it and finally noticed her standing there. In the fleeting instant that Delionia's eyes met the child's curious glance, she noticed the girl's eyes for the first time.
They were a familiar pale crystal blue. Delionia's eyes widened in recognition.
"Saphiera?" She asked disbelievingly. The girl before her was no more than five, but the Saphiera she knew was around sixteen. The little girl stopped, and something changed in her face.
Her sister, further away, had begun calling to her, but suddenly, everything changed again. The landscape faded away, the fields disappeared, and Delionia was suddenly in a small street in Sendar. The place where she had found Saphiera, and there she was, sitting on the filthy street corner before her just the way she had been when she had found her.
The image flickered again, and they both were in Delionia's room, and Delionia was giving Saphiera something to eat and tucking her into the makeshift bed she had prepared in one corner of her room.
The image dissolved and suddenly Saphiera was five again, her sister's call haunting the air, then she was on a rain-drenched footpath, her clothing ragged and her hair lank, staring into the sky alone.
The scene blurred and suddenly Delionia was watching as the orphan slept soundly in her room, her dark hair gleaming in the pale glow of the lamp on the wall. The images rotated continuously, more and more pictures flashing in Delionia's vision. Confused, she faltered, screaming. In shock, she jolted awake and sat up in bed. Her entire body was drenched in sweat. Gasping, she fumbled and lit a candle.
"Delionia?” A soft voice called. Goosebumps ran over Delionia's skin.
"I'm sorry Saphiera, I didn't mean to wake you. It’s just that I had this horrible nightmare."
"Really? I did too. And its funny, you were in it." Saphiera's eyes gleamed in the pale light. A chill ran through Delionia.
"I was there? Are you sure?" she whispered, her throat suddenly dry.
"Yeah. I was having one of my normal dreams, you know. And then suddenly something happened, and you were there. And, things just sort of lost control after that." Her heart pounding
Delionia stared into the girl's azure eyes.
"Are you sure it was me?” she croaked.
Saphiera nodded, shivering, "Yes, it was really strange." She shivered again and pulled her blanket closer about her shoulders.
At her words, something nagged at the back of Delionia's mind. It was something she had once heard an old shaman say, that there were some sorcerers who had the power, the ability to venture into other people's thoughts and dreams. If they cleared their mind and concentrated they could enter into the minds and dreams of the people they were thinking of. The shaman had said that most of these sorcerers stumbled upon this rare power purely by chance and that many of them had yet to realise the full potential of their gift. Her mind still fogged with sleep and shock, Delionia struggled to recall the name which the senile old man had used all those years ago in Riva to describe this rare and powerful breed of sorcerers.
Suddenly the name came to her, emerging from the haze and cloud of her still confused mind and memory. Dreamwalker. Delionia gasped, trying to take in the enormity of this new reality being thrust upon her. Could it be true? Could she be one of the rare Dreamwalkers?
Adventure...
Delionia awoke with a jolt, her entire body was drenched in sweat, and her hands were pale and shivering. She could feel her beating heart drumming a rapid tattoo against her chest. Breathing deeply to calm herself, she looked over to the other side of the bed at her peacefully sleeping husband. Rylas seemed blissfully unaware of her awakening and even in her distraught state, Delionia smiled inwardly at the thought.
Not even a thousand stampeding elephants from Gandahar could wake that man from his sleep.
Slipping out from under the covers, she walked over to the window and gazed blankly out of it. Slowly she shut her eyes and thought about what she had seen in her dream.
The dream had been vaguely familiar before she had realized that it was the same one she had been having for several nights now. It wasn't the same as dream walking but she had learnt by now that ignoring her dreams, especially the recurring ones was not a very good idea for they almost always ended up having some sort of significance.
She could see a large cold plain stretching before her, ravaged by icy winds and snowfall. The sparse trees and grass confirmed to her that this place was in fact Morindland. She could see a lone figure, cloaked in black moving along the plain, struggling hard against the relentless winds but moving on.
Then suddenly, in a flash she could see ahead of the traveler. Hiding where the bushes were thick were a band of Murgos, their clothes torn and tattered and their limbs freezing in the cold. They had expressions of ruthlessness and a violent hunger and anticipation written all over their faces. Tarnished swords were clenched tightly in their fists as they sat silently, waiting to prey upon the unaware traveler.
As the figure neared the bushes, the Murgos leapt out and attacked. Caught by surprise, the figure immediately drew a shining sword and tried its best to fend off the attackers, but they proved to be too many in number. A slash of a Murgo sword sliced through its back and another Murgo ran his sword through its stomach. The figure stumbled and collapsed, blood staining the stark cold white ice of the landscape around it, a deep rich red.
In every dream before now, Delionia had jolted awake at this moment, never knowing who she had seen in her dream. In every dream, the identity of the black cloaked traveller had been a mystery, the origin of the dream itself was shrouded.
But tonight, the face of the stranger had come to her in a flash. A cold chill had run through her when she had finally glimpsed the traveller's blood spattered face.
She knew that face...those piercing green eyes. Delionia shuddered and blinked away the tears of fear that were welling up in the corners of her eyes. "Eltara," she whispered.

"Are you sure?" Delionia asked desperately another time. The blond maid looked slightly annoyed.
"Yes ma'am," she replied curtly, "Miss Eltara has left the house in my charge while she's away and she left me strict instructions to tell any of her visitors that she had decided to go away for a while and would not be back until later this month." She droned the speech like she had said it a hundred times.
"So she didn't tell you where she was going at all? She just picked up and left, just like that?" Delionia prodded persistently.
The woman sighed wearily, "Yes, ma'am. Though, she did say that she was heading out somewhere north. She made me fetch her woolen cloak for that reason." Her worst fears confirmed, Delionia hurried out of Eltara's home, muttering a quick thank you to the maid as she left. I have to save her, my dream has to mean something, she thought fiercely. Suddenly, she stopped short, a determined look flashed over her face and she stalked into a clump of trees nearby where no one could see her. A few minutes later, a golden falcon emerged from among the trees, a rare sight in the normal sky, swooping and speeding away to the horizon. Delionia loosened her wings, she was in for a long and tiring journey. Her mind was so set on her worry for Eltara's life that she scarcely noticed the exhilarating rush of being in the air. She flew on relentlessly, ignoring the dull ache building up in her wings and stopping only when she could not last without a bite to eat or a moment of rest.
She flew into the night, the landscape around her darkening, but nothing seemed to stop her. Somewhere in the early hours of the morning, she finally began to notice the change in the scenery below her. The winds were becoming colder and there were mounds of snow in several places. Relieved that the plains had begun, she bunched her shoulders against the winds and flew faster, terrified that perhaps she was too late.
Her sharp eyes searched the surroundings for any speck of black that could be Eltara. Suddenly, a strangely shaped piece of broken driftwood caught her eye. It was something she had seen in her dream. Eltara was close by, and hopefully safe. Flying a bit further, she spotted the bushes where the Murgo warriors had been hiding and to her dismay Eltara was standing before them, trying her best to parry their vicious slashes. Delionia flew swiftly and swooped down on the attacking Murgos, piercing their eyes with her razor sharp beak and blinding them.
With her aid Eltara was easily able to kill her now weakened attackers. Panting, Eltara slumped on her sword hilt once the last attacker had been slain. The falcon alighted on the frozen plain and fluttered her golden wings. Eltara watched it curiously and then said gratefully, "Thank you." The falcon tilted its head and blinked its large amber eyes at her and then to Eltara's amazement slowly morphed into a tall slender woman. Eltara shrieked and hugged her friend hard. "What are you doing here?"
"Saving your life," Delionia replied wryly. And then she rubbed her hands together, "This superhero thing will definitely be the death of me. I don't know what possessed me to fly to Morindland in my nightgown." She shivered slightly. Eltara laughed.
"You don't know how thankful I am-," She began but Delionia didn't let her finish.
"We have all the time in the world for fancy speeches, dear. Now let’s just get home and get ourselves a nice steaming mug of hot chocolate."

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