Wednesday, April 26, 2006

   oh no! oh no! oh no! ooh...a panda! wait! wait for me!

inside

a backroom
a guestbook
a wallpapers
a fan art
a add me
a pm me

outside

a yurusu
a hybrid genesis
a design fruit
a miss m
a fractured sanity

Konnichiwa! ^^ Welcome to Nocturnal Clivya's myOtaku site. Feel free to do practically everything that you can possibly do in a MyO site. Hihi...anyway, it's me, Clivya aka Rai, your average 16-year-old anime fan. I may not look like it but I'm already a college student. Hehe...enough about useless stuff. Look around and take anything that you like (EXCEPT the layout and codes). If you'd like to have these, feel free to ask and drop me a PM. And before you leave, you can sign my guestbook and I'll gladly return the favor. Check out my wallpapers too. Visit my friends, too. ^^ Their links are way up there in the navigation area. Well, I guess that's it for my welcome message. Hihi...enjoy your stay, ne?

layout details

Layout Name: breathless
Version: 8.0
Featuring: Ritsuka and Soubi of Loveless
Images: Yurusu
Brushes: Hybrid Genesis, Fractured Sanity and Design Fruit
Fonts: Miss M and Dafont

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Currently listening to: Vestige - performed by T.M. Revolution


Commentary Comment!


Forgotten-Heart
[Well, I guess being busy is not so bad after all. ^^ Oooh...sorry...I have no idea about that one...=___=]

KeikoNoKokoro
[Yeah...I hate those, too. It's a waste of time.]

lordsesshomaru
[Thanks for the information and advice! I'll do that! ^^ And I want to go back to ancient Japan. Hihi...I want to see real samurai! ^^]

ElvesAteMyRamen
[It's cold there and why would there be a resort there? Hmm...yeah, I can't remember myself shivering in cold waters when I was a little eetie bittie kid. For the question, hmm...what about Brenda Song?? Hehe...*___*]

Karumichan
[My family dragged me that's why I ended up in swimming in the cold. =__= Whee! To Forgotten-Heart: Karumichan knows the answer to your question! ^^)]

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First of all, sorry for the late update. And I don't think I won't be able to visit your sites because I still have to go back to my school and enroll for the 4th year...I also need to have my picture taken for our ID. Hontou ni gomen-nasai! =___= I'll get back when I can, I promise!

The worst thing just happened: my Photoshop won't work anymore...=____= And I won't be able to make wallpapers or even KeikoNoKokoro's layout. (To Keiko: I'm very, very sorry. I promise I'll get back on it when this problem is over.) I'll try lordsesshomaru's suggestion! Thanks, by the way!

Okay, I'll talk about Yakitate!! Japan for a while. Gel was the one who told me that this is a pretty good anime and it was true. But then, he got tired of watching the series. Why? He thought the story was about baking breads but as it progresses, the highlight seems to have been shifted to the judge's reaction upon taking a bit from their breads. And yesterday's episode was not really about breads nor baking. I think that was pretty okay. The story could change from one topic to another. It adds that touch of variety to the series. ^^

Whee! Now I can continue with my novel! ^^ However, I realized that the story's pacing is soooo slow! =___= I'm now on the 16th chapter and there's only the three of them whereas their party will be composed of three people by the end of the story! =___= Man...

Anyway, is anyone's interested, here's an excerpt. This is the first chapter, by the way, entitled, 'The Forgotten Tale'.

It was already dark outside. The stars were twinkling merrily at that time. The branches of a fir tree by the window were delicately dancing with the gentle breeze.

Venture in the town of Khandre, a serene and quiescent village residing along the shoreline of the Criselnan River. Its small wooden cabins emit their homes' candlelights, a sign that they're preparing to retire for the day. Laughter and chit-chats were heard from every household. It was already dark, and families are now feasting over supper or having some quality time.

But one chalet stands out from the rest. It stood by the village's outskirts, in a barren and isolated part of Khandre. This cottage was small, enough for one single person to live in.

Inside that minute domicile, in its kitchen, was a tall young woman wearing a long black dress. She was by the sink and seem to be fetching some water from the faucet. After that, she took a small towel from the closet above her. The woman then placed it inside her water-filled container.

She slowly walked to a diminutive door just by the right of the sink. When she had stepped inside, she opened the lights and went closer to the bed where a young girl with short black hair was sleeping in. The woman tried to place her pot of water on the neighboring table without making any noise. She wouldn't want the girl to wake up now, does she?

As silent as possible, she picked up the drenched towel from the container and then squeezed the excess water off. Slowly, she knelt beside the sleeping lass and gently wiped her forehead with the slightly wet towel.

Just then, the girl's eyes began to gradually open. Later on, her pupils of red color were almost exposed. As of she's not that conscious yet, she squinted at the young woman above her.

"Oh! Did I wake you up? I'm so sorry!" she quickly apologized as she threw back the towel inside the container. Then, she instantly placed a hand on top of the girl's head. "Your fever had somehow subsided. Are you feeling okay now?"

But unfortunately, the girl couldn't answer and just kept on looking askance at her.

"Hm? I guess you're still dazed after your accident. Maybe I can talk to you tomorrow, I suppose. Well, get some rest. Goodnight!" the woman walked away from the bed, towards the door. She switched off the lights and walked out.

Inside that dark room, the girl's eyes were still narrow, as if she couldn't see anything. However, she looked somewhat sad, as if she had undergone an experience of utter anguish. Suddenly, tears started flowing from her scarlet eyes.

Where...where am I? Who...who...who is she? And...who...am I?

The light of the morning sun almost blinded her. She tried to mutter a word and luckily, her ability of speech had returned back. The girl then slowly sat up and stared outside the room's window. The Criselnan River was already shimmering in the bright sunlight. She slowly rose of to her feet and went to the door.

At the moment she had opened it, the same woman was standing by the doorway that leads to the outside of that house. She was so tall and beautiful. The girl could just remember her gentle face beaming at her at the time that she woke up.

Afterwards, the woman looked over her shoulder and noticed her. She smiled and approached her.

"Ah, you're awake. Let's eat our breakfast, shall we?" she warmly invited and held her arm as they both went towards the table.

Both of them sat down. But the girl couldn't remove the staggered expression that still hasn't receded from the moment she saw her. Just then, she saw all the alluring cuisine before her. And at that instant, she discerned the fact that she was so hungry.

She sat down the table and began to stare at all the food in front of her.

The woman was suprised as well. "They won't be eaten on their own now, would they?" she smiled and took a bite from her bread.

It was true. So the girl picked up a piece from the plate by her side and nibbled on it. Well, it was good. It was the first time that she had tasted a bread of that taste.

But what really fascinated her was a very foreign feeling.

"Tell me, if you don't mind," the woman paused and looked intently at her. "Tell me your name."

The girl was taken by surprise. "M-my name...?" she asked while trembling.

"Yes, your name. Is there a problem?"

"Actually..." she paused for some moments. "There is..."

"You don't want to tell me?" the woman inquired. "Well, I'm so sorry. I think I should go first. By the way, I'm Elydr."

Still, the girl didn't even utter a word. All she did was sulk with her head kept down. "It's not that I don't want to tell you...but..." she stopped dead all of a sudden.

"But...I can't...I can't remember..."

It seemed that Elydr wasn't surprised at all. "I see..." she sadly commented. "Maybe your accident is somehow the cause. You can't remember anything? You mean, null?"

The mysterious black-haired lass just nodded once in ignominy. She was trying to look away from Elydr.

"I'm so sorry..." was all that she could say.

"Aren't you...aren't you anxious to know who you are?" said Elydr, sounding as if she's a psychologist. "I would be if I were you."

"If I could...when I'm given the chance..." the girl replied miserably.

"What was the last thing that you saw? Before you opened your eyes, I know there's something, even the smallest of all the details that you could recall. Do you think you can?" Elydr requested as she stared at her.

She thought hard, long and intensely. The pressure could be vividly traced from her expressions.

At last, she had come up of something. "Fire...screaming people...a river..." she replied in a rickety manner.

"Fires? Screaming? The river? Hm..." Elydr thought. "I have no idea about any burnt village as of now. But...I heard that Herdis was destroyed about two days ago...and the Monarchy's soldiers confirmed that everybody died... and about the river, maybe it's the Criselnan River. It could be, I found you unconsciously clinged among its rocks the other day. You must be carried by the current..."

"Herdis? Did I...did I come from there?" the girl excitedly asked.

"Well, I don't know. There's only one way to find out," Elydr answered. "Go there and verify for yourself. But it's too dangerous..."

"W-why? Can you tell me?" the girl fervently went on. Now it's obvious that she's eager to rediscover who she really is.

Elydr desolately looked away from the person before her. Something must be going on in Herdis, and it's not pleasant like what she have just said.

"Please...what is it? It may be useful, one way or another..." the young child pleaded.

Finally, Elydr's eyes switched on hers. But they weren't in high spirits. Instead, they were sorrowful and full of sympathy. "Herdis...is the village of the so-called Valkyries, or warrior goddesses. The night before the morning when I had found you, the tragedy I was talking about was caused by the Durgans..."

The girl was so silent all of a sudden. It seemed that she had somehow recalled her own personality.

"V-Valkyries...? Durgans?" she was mumbling. "W-who...what are...you talking about?"

"The Durgans, they came all the way from Lycurgus, a cavern hidden beneath the northern mountains. They worship the Devil God, Durga. These people are of pure evil, and will do anything in order to fulfill their god's prophecy, which is for him to live again after the Bloody Full Moon..." Elydr explained with a weary voice.

"B-Bloody Full Moon?"

"The night when the Durgans must sacrifice the blood of a hundred men. To top it all off, a demon must unite with him. And the only living demon in the whole world is the Demon Valkyrie of Herdis. That's the reason why they travelled to that village, to hit two birds with one stone. Why should they conduct their killing spree in all parts of the world when they could just massacre the Valkyries of Herdis. Unfortunately, they haven't seen the one with the demon's blood running in her veins. Well they'll never really find her. The Demon Valkyrie's already dead...fifteen years ago..."

Because of shock, the young girl placed her hands over her mouth. She couldn't believe such a thing. "How did you know that she's already dead? Were you there?"

"No...not really...but..."

"What's her name, then?" the girl asked.

"Aglaea..." Elydr answered, smiling. "Come, follow me." She slowly stood up and walked outside the door where she was standing in a while ago.

The girl, desperate to find out who she was, rose up to her feet and went behind the young woman in black.

The morning sun was brightly shining during that time. Khandre was so peaceful and its villagers portray the ideal image of nature-loving people.

Elydr stood against the trunk of a fir tree by the riverbank. It was so resilient and unyielding. Yet its branches were swaying gently by the placid breeze. "That afternoon, I was standing here as I watched the river's endless flow. But what really caught my attention was a wounded young girl trapped amongst the boulders. And that was you. I took care of you until you're capable of moving again, only to find out that you had an amnesia. Distressing, isn't it? To wake up one day without even remembering your name..." she began to narrate and sound so grief-stricken.

"It's hard to admit...but...yes...I feel that I'm...I'm alone..." the girl softly whispered as she stared at the river.

"You know...you're a lot different from everybody...there's something in you that I couldn't decipher..." whispered Elydr. "Something so strong....and...and yearn for a certain event..."

The girl, who was already impatient to what Elydr has to say, instantly countered the young woman. However, she tried to be as polite as she could. "Please, Miss Elydr, tell me what you have to tell. Do you know something? Or anything? I really want to discover my true character..."

"Well, if that's how fraught you are, let me give you a reminder," she halted briefly. "What if you found out that you're someone malevolent in the past? What if you come across the fact that someone is after you and willing to kill you? You have two choices, young one. One, strive hard to rediscover your identity. On the other hand, once you have unearthed the truth, there's no other way to conceal it again. And the other one is to be asserted as a new person and live a new life, away from your past...that's the easy way out..."

"But..." the girl mumbled to herself. Somehow, there's a voice inside her head telling her to take the former. It could be very painful but it would silence her conscience. Her loved ones could even be looking for her. But the question is: does she still HAVE loved ones?

"Could she be...a Valkyrie? But...they're no longer..." Elydr muttered to herself while staring sharply at the girl.

All of a sudden, a loud explosion was heard from the direction of Khandre's entrance. Both of them, Elydr and the girl, turned their heads from the blast's indication.

"What was that?!" gasped Elydr as she ran from the short-haired girl.

Moments later, a group of panting young men came running towards Elydr. Their faces were so white, it's as if they've seen a ghost.

"Mistress Elydr, the Shamans have returned!" one of them bellowed, his despair could be traced from his voice.

"But that's impossible! I have already sealed them sixty years ago!" Elydr couldn't believe what she just heard. Then she went away with that group. "You! Stay there and don't follow us!" she yelled at the girl.

Moments later, she slowly felt the tension creeping all over her. It doesn't concern her but why is she desiring to see for herself what those 'Shamans' are. And why did Elydr mention something about sealing these beings sixty years ago? Sixty years? But why does she look so young, then?

It wasn't long before she began to run towards the direction where they had gone. And while sprinting along the stress-driven homes of Khandre, she was also thinking about all the baffling questions kept in her mind.

At last, she had arrived in the village's entrance and saw three giant beasts that possess the body of a bear and the head of a wild boar. A very hideous creature, indeed.

That girl saw Elydr along with the other men. This time, each of them were holding a sword and prepared to vanquish the beasts. However, the young woman held nothing and just kept her hands raised up in mid-air.

"This is useless! It seems that my Seal of Permanence is just temporary to them..." said Elydr while aiming her hand at the monsters that were already destroying the village's houses. Its residents had already evacuated and were crowding under a nearby shed supervised by one of the young men earlier.

"Buy me some time! This spell needs a lot of casting!" Elydr ordered to the man beside her as she slowly placed her hands on top of her chest.

"Got it!" he replied and drew forth his sword. He signalled the others to call the beasts' attention when he took a step backward. Some of them were throwing small rocks at the creatures and then attacking them with small balls of fire. In some way, these individuals still know a bit of sorcery.

Meanwhile, the girl was silently watching all of them while trying to drive off these monsters. This time, the latter were striking these humans with an attack using the wind. However, they just evade everything that they're about to recieve. Because of this, there was really nothing to worry about.

Until one of the Shamans had seemed to have recieved the last it could. As if it was already insulted, it growled for a couple of minutes before it emitted an eerie purple aura. The villagers and the ones that fight alongside Elydr were totally frightened by this. But what's worse was when the other two large beasts joined their friend in intimidating these souls by letting out that malicious atmosphere.

At last, this lot had unleashed their ultimate attack by inflicting an awfully strong earthquake that had destroyed the very earth they were stepping on. But alas, even Elydr's men couldn't avoid it. They dropped down heavily to the ground and while they were trying to escape from the clutches of these beasts, Elydr had just finished her spell.

"I command you..." she continued. "Be gone!" Elydr set her spell free towards the faces of the Shamans.

Unfortunately, that great force of light appeared to be ineffective to these creatures, and just disappeared before them like water droplets. Dumbstruck, Elydr stood paralyzed in front of these beings. She was trembling all over and and didn't know what to do.

Just then, one of the Shamans assaulted the young woman with its wind attack and pushed Elydr towards the wall of a nearby stone house. She fell almost unconscious and could barely open her eyes.

"Miss Elydr!" the girl came running towards her. At first, this angered her because she told the child to stay behind.

"Y-you...I...I...told you...n-not to...not to come...!" Elydr tried to say. But the pain she was experiencing was so tremendous that she could hardly see the girl. Suddenly, her vision gradually blurred and she felt her eyes slowly drooping down.

Just then, she saw the girl emitting an aura of dark blue color. She was confronting the Shamans and they, too, were surprised by her sudden appearance. Elydr couldn't see it clearly but the young girl began to evade the monsters' attacks, as if she had already mastered it. Her movements were so swift that she couldn't even see the girl anymore.

In the end, Elydr's strength was totally drained and she eventually fell unconscious.

***

Night had slowly approached and covered the whole land like a dark blanket.

Elydr suddenly found herself in a very familiar place. It appeared to be some sort of village. But it's a ghost town as well. All the houses were found shattered and destroyed. Everything was obliterated and it seemed that a war had broken out there. She walked further until she had arrived near the a river.

While walking along its banks, she saw a young girl. She seemed very familiar but Elydr couldn't confirm it because of the murky surroundings. Because of curiosity, she gaited closer and had finally verified who that was. And as expected, she was utterly taken aback.

The girl by the banks seemed to be trembling and very nervous. She was checking her back, as if someone's chasing her. Meanwhile, bellows could be heard not far from them. Upon hearing this, the girl's face turned pale as she took a small step towards the river's edge.

It wasn't long before a group of cloaked men arrived in her location. They immediately surrounded her and handed out their staffs and rods. These men were probably sages and sorcerors.

"There's no escaping now, Demon..." one of them said.

The girl, who appeared to be the 'Demon', didn't seem surprised at all. "Pardon..." she paused for a threatening smirk. "But you'll never have me..."

She took a high leap upwards as the men below gasped and pointed their rods at her. Moments later, the girl dropped down into the waters and disappeared from then on.

Elydr can hear herself screaming but the men didn't seem to notice her. It's as if she's invisible. Because of great shock, she tried to saunter towards a tree. But upon touching its hard trunk, her hand instantly passed through. Either she's the unseen one or the tree.

She didn't mind this at all. What was really bothering her was the girl. There's something in her that she couldn't understand. Elydr immediately closed her eyes and wished for everything to disappear.

Fortunately, when she had opened them again, she finally found herself back in her room. She immediately sat up and placed her face within her palms. She was sweating and her heart was beating so fast.

"It couldn't be..." she whispered to herself. As she was slowly raising up her head, someone was standing by the bed's end.

And it was that girl that she had found unconscious from the other day.

"What couldn't be, Miss Elydr?" she asked, full of concern. She was so worried but the expression of innocence was impossible to conceal.

Surprised, Elydr gasped all of a sudden and stared intently at her. Now she's not mistaken. She was totally sure that her dream just might be the answer to this person's identity. But knowing that this innocent being is a demon must shatter her heart into pieces.

She should discover this on her own. Elydr doesn't want her to encumber herself in this painful truth. She needs to unearth reality, bit by bit.

Furthermore, she also wants to verify something, and this girl will lead her to the answer that she's looking for.

However, she still needs a companion, or her unruly nature might get the best of her.

And she knows the right person for this proposition.

"Miss Elydr?" the girl asked once again.

As a response, she smiled and gawked at her. "What do you plan to do now?" she inquired.

"W-what do you mean?" she asked back, puzzled.

"What do you want to do now about your identity?"

"I...uh..."

It was obvious that she doesn't know what to do. This was also palpable to Elydr. What can she do if the person doesn't want to do it, anyway?

After some moments of thinking, the girl seemed to have an answer. It was quite immediate for such a very crucial matter. Whatever this is, she must be very excited and determined about it.

"Would it be okay if I...if I go...?" the girl shyly asked.

This answer really fascinated Elydr. She 's quite an interesting individual, straightforward and commited to what she's about to do, even if there's no reassurance to it. She slowly smiled and closed her eyes to think.

"You have answered that, so that means you're prepared for anything that'll come your way while searching for who you are..." Elydr reminded and opened her eyes. "When do you plan do start?"

"As...as soon as possible...but I don't know where to begin..." the girl replied.

"Proceed to where your heart leads you. You know what I mean, and I expect you to. However, I won't let you go off alone."

"What? Someone's coming with me?" the girl couldn't believe what she just heard.

"I believe, yes. Anyway, I have called my son through mental telepathy," Elydr said, quite embarrassed.

"You're a mother?! And called him through telepathy?" asked the girl, quite skeptical about what Elydr had just said. She also flushed into bright pink because of the thought that a boy would accompany her during her quest.

"Well, of course. He and I share a special kind of connection, mind you. Anyway, he'll arrive here tomorrow. He still has to walk a long way before reaching this remote area," Elydr gave as a final reminder. "You can leave as soon as he arrives. Will that be okay? I hope you won't mind."

"N-no, not at all! In fact...in fact, I'm so grateful...if not for you, then I'm probably dead by now...and thank you for everything you've done, especially calling your son..." the girl timidly showed her gratitude.

Elydr warmly smiled and slowly rose up to her feet and gently walked up to her. She placed her hands on top of the young girl's shoulders and slowly knelt down before her and embracing her tenderly, as if they have known each other for so long.

"It's my pleasure to help someone like you..." Elydr softly whispered. But within the depths of her mind, she was thinking about someone else.

"Um...can I...can I ask one last favor, Miss Elydr?" the girl asked as she tried to look over her shoulder.

Upon hearing this, the young woman stood up and slightly went away from her. "What is it?" she smiled.

"Uh...can you...give me a new name? I know it sounds quite bizarre...but I want to be called by my name...it's uncomfortable to call me using pronouns..."

"That's understandable..." Elydr seemed to have agreed and closed her eyes to think.

After some moments, she opened her eyes and stared at the girl. "What about...Khaia? Then from now on, you are known as Khaia."

"Khaia...so I'm Khaia..." the girl repeated to herself.

"Yes, young one, now you are...now you are the being whose name pertains to a determined person..." Elydr thought as she watched Khaia rejoice over her new but temporary identity.

But several questions still obscure her mind. What is this girl, really? And what is her dream trying to tell her? Khaia couldn't be a Valkyrie, for Elydr knows whether someone is a Valkyrie...or not...

Well, that's that. I have to run now! Ja matta ne, minna! I'll see all of you later! ^^

Question of the Day:
What song (if any) are you listening to right now? ^^ (The song above was when I started typing the post. Right now, it's Mou Sukoshi, Mou Sukoshi from Midori no Hibi.)

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