Tales from Terminus

[Shaon]

So yes, everyone must be anxiously waiting.

Especially 3kul.

Sadly, however, the project name would reveal everything. Srsly.

So here and now I announce the name. I'll change the title eventually.

The name is...



Yes, seriously! I will post the first chapter after this commercial break.

[Shaon]

((Best break ever!))

Hi, I'm Auin.

I live in this city, it's called Terminus.

I'm not sure where Terminus is, or anything.

In fact, I just learned there are places out there other than Terminus.
---

I work as a tailor -- as in, I custom-make things in order to fit DEMONs. It's busy work, you know.

Everyone in Terminus is a DEMON.

Today was rather menial -- the only major thing I did was take out measurements and start work on a pair of wing covers for some poor newly-awakened DEMON.

I'm lucky, though -- my house isn't that far away.

I share my home with three other DEMONs -- Ost, Warin, and Elos.

Ost is an electrician -- she's really good at her job.

Warin is a Hellcat -- more on those later.

And Elos is a librarian -- boring work, in my opinion, but she seems to like it.

Anyway, Hellcats are the organization that runs Terminus. They are a highly-esteemed job here, and you are highly respected if you are one.

Anyway, once I get home, only Elos was home, which was unusual -- Ost usually gets here first. Must be doing field work.

Elos is a very nice girl. She's very quiet, and looks it too. Black hair, cream-colored ears, and unguligrade legs.

So I sit down and relax for a bit, until Warin comes stomping in.

Warin's a blond, with large gray ears, a gray fuffy tail, and gray fur on his hands and digitigrade legs.

He's usually a very playful guy, but right now he's on some kind of rampage.

"God, I hate my job!" He fumed.

"I was working at the office today, and one of my coworkers comes in with his child in one hand, not awakened yet -- and begs me to hire the kid! There aren't any openings, though, and I told him this, and he continues begging! He says all of his family are Hellcats, for as many generations as we can remember, and he didn't want to break the tradition, I really wanted to recruit the kid, you know, I really did, but I really don't want to know what She would do if She found out. God, I hate this job so much."

She -- She is Lucifer. She runs Terminus. She founded Terminus. She's extremely reclusive, though, no one's ever seen her, no one knows why She has such an eccentric name, and by the rumors they spread, She isn't the kind of person you want to see in a dark alley.

So Warin continues ranting for a while, and eventually it starts getting dark.

Now I'm getting worried; where's Ost?

As if on cue, the door slams open, and there she is,

Ost is very much a tomboy. She has short brown hair, some backward-pointing grayish horns, a tail that splits in two, and digitigrade feet that end in claws. She is made for her work.

"Guys," she says, panting, "I have something important to show you. Come with me," and goes back outside.

I follow, with Warin and Elos tailing.

Ost was pointing straight up, into the darkening sky.

"Guys, you see that?"

I look up. Nothing but black, up there, same as usual.

"Nope," Warin says, sarcastically.

"That, you see up there," she says, now grinning, "is made of glass."
---

[3kul]

Ah cool, I was thrown off with the new names, but it's awesome to see this story continuing in a new form. I look forward to reading more as you get around to writing it .

[Shaon]

What?

"Ost, are you okay?" Was my reply.

"I knew you would doubt me, but it's true!" Ost told us.

"Listen, the reason I was so late today is because I was helping some repairs at the clock tower up in the northern outskirts of the city. You know, the one run by CP?"

There were four clocktowers, one in each cardinal direction.

"Well, I had to do some wiring, and when I took my lunch break I decided that curiosity was too much, and did a quick climb to the roof."

Ost sighed.

"You know how Terminus is built in a crater?"

We nodded at various times.

"So, if you got over the rim of the crater, you'd see what was outside, right?"

"But there's a wall," said Elos.

"Exactly. Well, when I was on the roof of the clock tower, I could see over the wall. And you know what I saw?" Ost paused for obvious reasons.

"I saw the sky. The same sky that is right above us. And, at such a close range, I could make out what it truely is. It's not the sky, it's glass!"

I blinked.

"Ost, you're crazy. Are you sure you didn't daydream your way through your break?" I asked.

"Auin, I know I didn't! I saw it with my own two eyes!" Ost pointed at her eyes. "And you know what? Lucifer is hiding something. I want to know why the sky is made of glass, I want to know if there's something out there other than Terminus, even if the Hellcats try to stop me!"

Warin cringed. "Ost, as much as I'd like to otherwise, I'd have to arrest you if you attempt to-"

"Warin! We've been friends - we've all been friends - since before we even awakened! Would you turn your childhood friend in? You know what She would do!"

Warin looked away.

It's times like this when I hate Ost. She knows everyone's weakness, is able to make them surrender if need be.

"Ost," I said, weakly, "Ost, that's going a bit too far-"

"Auin! Auin, why aren't you with me? We were best friends in school, closer than anything! We'd never let anything between us, nothing at all!"

Didn't I tell you? Ost is a master at this.

I looked away.

"Ost, please..."

Elos remained silent the entire time.

"I'm going to find a way out of here!" Was the only thing Ost would say, as she went back inside.
---

[Shaon]

It was... I don't know, a month? Two months? Well, it was a while before Ost started ranting again.

I finished the wing covers in a week or so -- the girl loved them, I heard her recommending me to her friends while on my lunch break. They thought I was a girl.

Apparently, one of her friends was a Hellcat or something -- the next day, I got orders to make more Hellcat uniforms (I made the patterns for the current uniform myself -- something I'm proud of), this time with wing covers sown in and stuffed. Weird idea, if I do say so, but it kept me busy for a long while.

I asked Warin about this -- he said that the "Elites" needed a new uniform design, for some reason.

Elos didn't really say anything about her job, often -- she was more an intellectual than a socialite.

But, yes, it was yet another late night when Ost appeared this time.

"Guys," she yelled, "you gotta come with me! I've done it!"

"Done what?" Warin idly said. Not a smart idea to take Ost seriously.

"I found it, I found a way out! I need you guys to go with me, it'll be awesome!"

Warin frowned. "Ost, the Hell-"

"How can you arrest me if I'm not in Terminus? We'll be free, we can go wherever we want, we can be the only DEMONs to leave!"

We had no reason to leave. As amazing as it seems, Terminus is a nice place, and we had no idea what was out there, if there even was anything.

Finally, Elos stood.

"I'll come with you, Ost."

"Elos-" I started.

"Auin, she might've just found something amazing. Isn't it a shame to just leave it alone?"

I sighed.

"Fine, I'll come too."

"You guys, you can't- She'll-" Warin started.

"She doesn't have any power outside of here. The Hellcats can't leave Terminus. Except you." Said Ost.

"But- She- Hellcats- Fine" Managed Warin.

So we were all in.

All in for what, exactly?
---

[3kul]

My guess is adventure

Great work as always Shaon, though the chapters to this story are feeling a bit short compared to your other work (except Kumostory, that's like, Shaon short post central ), it feels like I'm done reading before I've barely started.

Write more damn you!

[Shaon]

((I was planning on making it longer, then I decided I was bored. ))

It was dark out.

Well, dark for a city that has no natural light.

Even as Ost urged us to go faster, we kept a casual pace, heading for -- you guessed it -- the north tower.

Terminus is kind've weird shaped -- the east tower is actually in the exact center between the other three towers, but it's up on a hill in the farming district, so it is hard to tell. The wall is also higher than normal there, as well, so you still can't see over it. Unless you're Ost.

We lived relatively close to the northern tower -- the northwest corner is the residential district, where most people live.

The tower was on the border between the residential and farming districts, right next to a cattle ranch.

We went into the doorway of the tower. Inside was a disgruntled, yellow eared, DEMON.

"I'm sorry for the disturbance, so late at night, CP, sir," apologized Ost, "But I couldn't get here any faster. We'll be done quickly, sir."

CP shook his head in silence, and Ost signaled for us to follow him as he proceeded to go up the stairs.

Obviously, it's a long and winding stairway, and I feel extremely bad for poor Elos -- hooves are such a disadvantage for climbing. Warin and I are fairly decent at it, but she can never get a foothold.

Once we reached the (fairly lofty) top of the stairs, for some unexplicable reason, there was a window. Which was open.

Ost promptly ducked onto the windowledge, leaned out, and swiftly flipped over onto what is probably the roof overhang.

She held out a hand for me.

I took it.

Next thing I knew, I was flat on the roof of the clocktower. She managed to flip me onto it.

Then I had to quickly dodge the oncoming rain of Warin and Elos, both of which landed unharmed, followed by the much more elegant landing of Ost.

On the other side of the roof was a ladder reaching onto the top of the wall. Ost crossed it and we followed (boy, do I pity Elos).

Now we had to balance ourselves carefully, leaning onto the pale blue walls of Terminus, as Ost stalked off in one direction.

After several minutes of just silent walking on the (not very large) top of the wall, she stopped, turning around and kneeling.

"This is it!"

"... this is what?" I questioned.

"This is the way out! I found this button earlier, while doing a 'follow up' examination on the clocktower, and when I press it... something will happen! I hope it's a way out."

"... So this is what you brought us out here?" Remarked Warin, who was busy making sure Elos didn't kill herself.

"Yeah! It's so cool, watch!"

"AUIN!"

Suddenly, out of nowhere, everyone was falling up, and I was tumbling down something hard and metal.

The tunnel suddenly made a right angle, and I was thrown out into something bright before hearing a splash --

And blackness.

[Mitsukai]

Darn cliffhangers! *waits for more*

[Shaon]

((ACCIDENTALLY FORGOT DH2 EXISTED SORRY GUYS))

I woke up, and it was bright out. Really bright.

Ost was kneeling over me.

"Auin? Are you awake?"

I groaned, leaning up.

"Yeah, I'm fine... where are we?"

"I'm not really sure." Was Ost's reply.

I looked around.

Apparently we were on some island in the middle of a lake or something.

A really shallow lake.

To my left was some really bright white object that was floating in the sky (is this one made of glass, too?), which made it hard to look at things that way.

Warin was relaxing. Elos was just staring at things.

"Eh? Auin's up?" Warin asked.

I nodded, standing up and stretching.

"What happened?"

"Uh, you fell into some kind of trap door thing and we all followed. It kinda sucked us in, really."

Warin gestured behind him.

"You see that, over there?"

I walked over and away from the willow tree (yes, we have willow trees in Terminus, we have a lake too. Everyone's been there at least once), looking in the direction Warin pointed.

There was... some kind of floating building puttering by.

"What is that?" I asked.

"That's what we left, Auin. That's Terminus."

"... That's Terminus? But... it's so small, it felt so much larger when we lived in it... how are we going to get back?"

Now Warin was the confused one.

"... Go back?"

"We can't stay here, Warin. We don't know how to survive on our own, we need supplies." Said Elos, still staring at some kind of animal that was moving by rather casually.

"Hmm, good point. Ost, any ideas?" Replied Warin.

Ost was mildly startled, as she was too busy looking proudly at her surroundings to listen.

"On what?"
"Getting back. We need supplies."
"Oh, uh..." Ost thought for a few moments. "I guess... we go back the way we came. There was the ladder, you know."
---

[Shaon]

((Bah, almost over. Depends on how far I decide to drag this out. Looking out for the craziness of 3 (Once I think of a frigging name), because cars cost less there.))

"That was a lot easier falling down," I muttered, pulling myself back onto the wall, with the aid of Warin. Elos was after me. Poor girl.

"Stop complaining. It's not my fault you're so out of shape. You should've waited until you got a more athletic job before awakening!" Warin teased.

"Oh shush." I replied, standing up fully and getting a better view of Terminus.

It really is kind of small.

There are five towers in all of Terminus -- the four clocktowers, and the center tower. There really isn't a name for the center tower, but it's where the Hellcats not on field duty work.

"So," Ost said, clapping her hands together. "We need supplies. Auin, you can get packs for us, Elos can get food-"

"Ost," I interrupted, "How are we going to get down?"

"- and I'll supervise -- wait, isn't the ladder still there?"

Ost promptly skitters down the wall to the clocktower. I follow, presumably with Elos and Warin behind me.

"It's not here!" She cried. I finished following her.

She was pointing at a carving in the wall of the clocktower.

"See, look. I set up the ladder right above this weird carving thing."

"... well, we needed a way to figure this out somehow. Can you get down?"

"Well, of course I can, but that's not the point. We need you guys down as well."

"Dude, climb down. I'll help Warin and Elos down, and I'll get down myself. I'm not completely useless, Ost."

Ost sighed, climbing (well, sliding) down the wall with ease.

I signaled Warin and Elos to head over.

They were surprisingly easy to drop -- I mean... uh, yeah. Drop down.

As I stood up, though, I heard lights being switched on as some quite heavy DEMON tromped up the stairs in the clocktower.

Immediately, we began rushing, as Ost caught me, put me down, and we began to race for the main city.

The problem is, Elos is really fast at racing, but also really loud.

The heavy-sounding DEMON obviously heard this, and he also conveniently had a spotlight.

Being, lucky as I was, the one in the back, I was suddenly blinded by the convenient spotlight.

The next thing I knew, I was rammed by a Hellcat, knocking me over also knocking the air out of me.

He picked me up with one of his four arms, scowled at me from under his horn.

"You're under arrest."

He promptly punched me in the face with another arm, knocking me out.
---

[3kul]

HOW DID I MISS THIS?!?!

I would have to fire my secretary if I had one, hooray for HollowEyes cameo! Face punch, yay!

Another excellent chapter of DH Shaon, I'm more intruiged than ever to see what happens next chapter

[Fort]

Where has this story been all my life?!

*Sits down on his haunches patiently for another installment.*

[Shaon]

((I have a working title (No, 3kul, it isn't DH3:WTFACAWDTCLH), but it sucks horribly.))

I awoke in a well lit room, my hands tied behind my back and-

"... Where's my shirt?" I asked, blinking.

"You didn't have it when Byule delivered you here," replied a voice, "and, besides, we need to remind the Elites that you indeed aren't female."

I craned my sore neck, looking for the origin of the voice.

It was another Elite hellcat. She had no legs, perched on top of a table, but six pairs of arms, two of which were crossed. She had long blonde, almost white, hair, draped over her entire body. The stuffed wings that signified her position in the Hellcat hierarchy were the only things not obscured by her hair.

"I'm Liyao, and I will be your interrogator for tonight."

I blinked. Interrogator?

"You're lucky that your hands are the only things binded; She said to go light on you, for whatever reason. I don't know why."

"... Go ... light?" I shook my head, confused. With all the being knocked-out-ings that have been going on, I have a huge headache.

"Honestly, I think she's absolutely crazy, off her rocker, if you will. But if anyone asks, I didn't say anything of the matter. Anyway, let's get to business."

Liyao picked up a packet of papers, reading them with a yellowish eye.

As her hair shifted, I could make out a red, flower-like marking on her forehead.

"So, prisoner, what is your name?"

"I'm -- I'm Auin, but I-"

"Prisoner, you were arrested just outside the Wall, near the North Clocktower. My associate and fellow Hellcat Byule believes he saw you running away from the Wall. Please explain."

"I- I was chasing after a friend of-"

"A friend? Who is the name of your friend?"

"I- I-" Come on, self, think fast! "A-Asema."

Asema being one of my customers.

"And why were you chasing after her?"

"She was teasing me over- over- um, my hair."

"Your hair?"

"You know, it's weird-colored."

"Good point. Well, anyway, next question. Th-"

Before she could really even start, the door behind her opened. The Hellcat who arrested me, "Byule," was behind it.

"L, it's important."

Liyao slammed down the papers, turning around.

"What?"

"I was talking with Her. She wants to see him."

I blinked.

"She wants to see this kid? She really is crazy. He's over here," Liyao replied, gesturing over to me.

Byule walked easily over to me, lifting me up easily by the shoulder.

"No offence, kid," he muttered, "but we're out of blindfolds."

He promptly socked me in the face, knocking me out for the second time.
---

[Somefreakoverthere]

I've been following this story, and I've gotta hand it to you; you write better stuff then I ever will. Ever.

Oh, and face punches = funny + awesome.

*sits down near-ish Fort before she's hit*

[3kul]

Oh, cool to know that my characters are such high-ranking cameos

Another great chapter Shaon, and I second SFOT's post - face-punching is indeed hilarious and awesome