this is Salem, a land filled with magic and maladies. It is a place where witches and their elemental familiars gather, a home to legend and
lore that predates time itself. Yet of all the wicked and wonderful stories the past can tell us of, the most magical are the ones yet to happen.
This is Salem - this is the start of your very own journey. Welcome to starfall
Starfall is an animaga witch roleplay set in mostly modern times. Members play as witches in a world plagued by monsters, where the only safe spots are walled cities. Starfall strives to be a character-driven roleplay with expansive lore and a highly interactive plotline. We want to allow members to
create and look back on a magical journey, and mold the site and its plot as their characters grow.
"Give in. Control” ”Theres so many ways to give in"
"Eyes closed"
The halls were quiet this late at night. Minutes... seconds to midnight. The second day would soon end of this festival. He had not seen anyone but his sisters all day. Well that wasn’t totally true but it felt like it. Why did he have so many?
Maybe that’s why he was here. At the tower. Why did he come here? There was a pull of his magic. Perhaps the freedom of escape from the mansion. Here at the tower though he could use one of the many communication mirrors. .
He hummed at he sat with a hand mirror in front of his face. He sat on one of the couches in the common area of the tower. Well more like sprawled lazily upon it because gays can't sit correctly. Welcome to my TED talk.
Charani waved his hand over the mirror using his mana to connect. Attempt to connect with the mirror he knew was within aiden emerson bedroom. The benefit of being rich. Like a FaceTime call it would show nothing without the call connecting.
hHe knew they would be together in mere hours to visit his teacher but it didn’t feel soon enough. He twirled his hair while he waited, hoping for it to connect. There were books set in front of him that had gone unread. Connect damnit. Unless the poor boy was asleep trying to get some much needed rest before tomorrow? Well. Who’s to say.
[attr="class","a1lyric"]i got nothing but dreams inside[break] i got nothing but dreams
[attr="class","a1lyric2"]i'm just young enough to still believe, still believe [break]young enough not to know what to believe
[attr="class","a1icon"]
[attr="class","a1white"]
[attr="class","a1scroll"]
Eyes snap open but he doesn’t sit up in his bed pausing to make sure he’s hearing correctly. There’s a soft glow that blooms in the corner of his room and the softest, but constant, of chimes as magic asks for entry to his own space. To think he had just laid down only moments prior. Aiden ignored the mirror, turning in his entirely too fluffy bed covers and burying himself further into the mattress, but the mirror is insistent. After a minute or two, the redhead lets out a hiss and kicks off his sheets before dragging himself out of bed. Feet slap onto cold hardwood and he waddles towards the soft light. Whoever was fucking calling better have had a good reason to. Hair a mess, in just his shirt and boxers, decency be damned. Someone better be dying. [break][break]
He kicks over a bean bag chair closer to the mirror and urges the lights of his room to turn on, if only a little for dim light. It stings his eyes a bit, but he can manage. The witch runs a hand over the mirror, allowing the user on the other side access to project, and narrowed eyes widen in momentary panic. He’s entirely unprepared to face Charani, much less this late at night, this messy, this- frankly unprepared. What did he say? His voice escaped him, having avoided the very face on the other side for long out of- well a lot of things. Guilt, shame, embarrassment. A whole lot of hormones, and a flurry of thoughts he had only recently allowed himself to sift through. Aiden swallows, eyes darting away from the mirror before back. “Charani, it’s late.” He began, stating the obvious to build up his own confidence in speaking. [break][break]
"Give in. Control” ”Theres so many ways to give in"
"Eyes closed"
Connected. The room was fairly dark still like only dim candles are lit for one to see. The red haired boy looks disheveled, tired. Like he had just woken up from a nap.
“Sorry, did I wake you?”
He watched the young man twitch and move in a bean bag chair as he laid upside down on a couch in the common room, head hanging off the cushions. Of course he woke the boy. It was close to midnight after all.
How was he? He was fine. Not tired at the moment, a wave of insomnia hanging over him as he awaited the next day. A day to send with Aiden. Excitement perhaps? Or maybe nervousness? He just knew he wouldn’t sleep much.
“I’m fine. I just can’t sleep. How... how are you?” He shouldn’t keep the boy long. He looked tired and like he wanted to go back to sleep. He was being selfish. He righted himself on the couch, a blur of motion visible to the redhead. There was nobody else in the room currently. Not that this won’t change eventually. Or could change at least.
[attr="class","a1lyric"]i got nothing but dreams inside[break] i got nothing but dreams
[attr="class","a1lyric2"]i'm just young enough to still believe, still believe [break]young enough not to know what to believe
[attr="class","a1icon"]
[attr="class","a1white"]
[attr="class","a1scroll"] Aiden found himself nodding in response, sitting up straight in his bean bag if only to focus on staying awake. “Yeah, but it’s fine. I’d barely laid down.” He said with a shrug. He was far less angry now, not concerned. For himself as well as his friend. Then again, this kind of thing wasn’t new to him. Before he’d- well- before the holidays, Charani and him had often spoken to each other at odd hours of the night. Though, that was mostly facilitated because of the amount of times they’d shared a bed while staying at each other’s residence. [break][break]
He wanted to hide, but that was the thing about face to face is that you couldn’t. He didn’t have a lot of time to craft the perfect response to hide his own feelings. Charani had caught him, quite literally, with his pants down and after so long it was awkward trying to talk like normal. After all, letters and written sentiments took time to perfect. This felt like he was starting all over again. Though, he had no one to blame but himself. “Good. Bad luck to start Saturnalia sick or something…” he said though he wasn’t quite relieved. He knew a little on his friend’s sleeping habits and had done his best to help. “I- I’m well. Just finished up things for tomorrow, nothing serious.” It wasn’t like he had been stressing about meeting someone like Charani’s teacher or anything. [break][break]
Besides it’d be the first time he would have seen the boy in a long time, aside from the quick glances as waves throughout the coven as he kept his distance and stuck to himself. “How is your family? I’m sorry, again, I couldn’t visit today.” No, he had leaned on the Lin family for support in these trying times, attached to his employer’s elbow for the entirety of today. Such a tricky family, but it was far less tiresome than his own reunions and their prodding questions he didn’t want to answer. How did he explain he had muddied the boundaries of his relationship with Charani? Completely ghosted him for a couple of months as he tried to go comatose in his own bed to avoid the responsibility of what he had done? No. He already knew it had been wrong, he didn’t need everyone else weighing in on it either. “You have a big family, right? I hope they were well.” Hope they didn’t want to strangle him on sight either. He wouldn’t blame them though. He wanted to strangle himself right now.
"I change the way I speak and how I act and what I say” ”caus I’m afraid you won’t like me any other way"
I close my eyes and count to ten. I need to stop overthinking. He still felt bad that he woke Aiden up. He would push it away for now though. The thoughts would hang in his head later when he tried to sleep. When he replayed this conversation a few dozen times.
“Are you sure?”
He watched as the red head went on with his questioning. His voice sounded familiar, thick with sleep and exhaustion like it was when they used to share a bed. Something that wouldn’t happen again. Nostalgia. “Deciding what to wear? Well it’s good that you’re starting to feel better. I’m glad.” He was joking a bit at the wearing clothes phrase. Ezra no doubt already knew what the boy was going to wear. Already knew how the conversation was going to go... or at least a vague idea of the progression of events.
”They’re fine. My sisters seemed a little annoyed that you weren’t there but I think they had some kind of scheme planned so it’s probably good you weren’t.”
The assassination plot would have to wait for another day. No wait what? Ahahaha. Honestly the girls had probably planned to force the boys to play dress up in their clothes by force. After all they’d need two models for their ‘couples’ selections. One of the poor boys forced into a dress probably. Girls.
[attr="class","a1lyric"]i got nothing but dreams inside[break] i got nothing but dreams
[attr="class","a1lyric2"]i'm just young enough to still believe, still believe [break]young enough not to know what to believe
[attr="class","a1icon"]
[attr="class","a1white"]
[attr="class","a1scroll"] “Yeah, don’t worry ‘bout it.” Aiden assured, his lips twitching into a smile for moment before relaxing once more. And then the heat rises back up stinging his arm pits, neck, and ears. “I- Well- Yes. More or less.” He stuttered out, not wanting to admit the nerves that had accumulated in his gut like he’d told Jiayi. He didn’t like people knowing he was unnerved or upset. Usually he thought he hid it pretty well and when he didn’t, well, he wasn’t around was he? Isolating himself until he could easily put on a mask of calm was what he did best. “Just wanna make a good impression and all.” He continued. Let’s not forget he had probably already made a terrible one before even showing up. [break][break]
A bead of cold sweat streaked down his spine, and he’s too tired to hide the mix of relief and panic that flash through him. His eyes simply dart around the space as a couple of gears turn in his head before he decides it is probably for the best he did not show. He needed…a little more time. Just a bit more. “Well…that gives them a bit more time to refine it then.” He returned with a short laugh. “But there’ll be more holidays. More rich people parties I can see them at.” Saturnalia he had an excuse. But if the Petrov’s happened to be hosting a high-class gala, there was very little chance he’d be able to get away. Especially with Marjorie more than happy to push on her grandson’s little relationship with one of the Petrov’s heirs. [break][break]
Aiden didn’t want to know, even fathom, what his grandparents thought they could get out of this. His muddied feelings notwithstanding, he didn’t want his involvement with Charani to become political. He wasn’t afraid of Charani thinking anything of it, they’d been friends for long enough, but it just….it felt like it was tainting something of his. He wanted to keep this for himself, without anyone else interfering in it. He pushed this line of thought down, burying it for later as it didn’t matter right now. He wanted to make it up to Charani right? Being a terrible friend and all, he had to focus now. “I’m sorry about your sleep. It’s not nightmares again is it?” the boy asked, meeting the seer’s eyes as he tried to gage him. At another time, he would’ve offered to make him tea, or given him a hug but he couldn’t do that like this. He doubted he’d ever have the courage to do that again anyway.
"I change the way I speak and how I act and what I say” ”caus I’m afraid you won’t like me any other way"
I don’t really wan to ask or know. Because I know the answer will be, disappointing. I ask how you’re feeling and get no answer back.
It was good that he was feeling better... even if just a little bit. Any progress was good progress after all. He looked tired and like he needed to run away. Run away to bed. A nice warm bed.
“Thats good to hear. And don’t worry about making an impression. You’ll be okay. I promise.”
He promised. Not that he could know. Or at least not that Aiden could know that he didn’t know. Divination powers and all did tend to get wonky when it was about your own future or any emotion got involved with your readings. “I mean that just gives them more time to plot something embarrassing.” He was probably not wrong either. Some way to embarrass them because it was cute. Damn BL fanfic girls and their ships. Why did he have to have so many sisters? Cursed. That’s the reason. He was cursed.
”No it’s not that. I just can’t seem to fall asleep? I don’t know. It doesn’t happen very often but it’s still odd.”
The young man wasn’t sure when the insomnia started. At first it had been because of the nightmares. Now his body just refused to sleep some nights. Like it was waiting for something to happen. A dream that it wished for and wouldn’t come.
”But anyway how was your job? I hope they’re treating you well.”
[attr="class","a1lyric"]i got nothing but dreams inside[break] i got nothing but dreams
[attr="class","a1lyric2"]i'm just young enough to still believe, still believe [break]young enough not to know what to believe
[attr="class","a1icon"]
[attr="class","a1white"]
[attr="class","a1scroll"] He appreciated the thought, even if his friend’s words didn’t exactly settle many feelings for him. He still had that mostly controlled anxiety. He supposed it would numb out when he was actually there with Charani, hopefully. He nodded absently and mumbled a ‘thanks’ as he did his best to set aside his concerns. He manages another tiny smile shrugging at his friend. “You’ve met my family and seen my baby photos. I think I’ll be ok with your sisters.” What could they do to him? Find photos of the time he’s gotten a fishhook stuck in his thumb? The time someone had broken his nose with a brick for stealing their lunch? He was fine. [break][break]
The witch tilted his head mulling it over. He had issues sleeping sure, but it was more feverish guilt nightmares than anything else. Sleep happened, but it was far from restful. “Can’t say I’m familiar with that.” After all, being an heir was running him into the ground. He could only try to keep up. “Most of the time I’ve been trying to tire myself out enough when I close my eyes I just black out.” It wasn’t the healthiest way to deal with the humiliating dreams that plagued him, but for now it was the best he could do to avoid him- them. Before he can begin to see that tell-tale smirk or picture that low rumble of laughter, Aiden pinched the bridge of his nose to keep himself present, grounded. Thinking about it was only an omen and guaranteed another visit from the incessant nightmares. [break][break]
Aiden perked up, happy to focus all his thoughts on something else. “It’s- it’s good. My boss is nice, kind of overworks himself more than he works me.” He explained. “You? Last I heard you picked up work in the hospital. You’re probably more tired than I am.” He doubted medical work was very relaxing. “Maybe I can visit you some day, instead of waking up in a hospital bed again.” He added, snorting at the unfortunate circumstances that led to a few of their meetings. Oh well. At least he hadn’t, you know, died.
"I change the way I speak and how I act and what I say” ”caus I’m afraid you won’t like me any other way"
The woman who shared his blood was more apprehensive to show any pictures of Aidens youth. Probably because she wasn’t there for most of it. Unlike the better half. The grandmother who opened her home and kitchen to a young man like he was part of her family. A woman who still spoke to him even when her idiot grandson avoided him.
“I have and stand by what I said. You’ve never experienced the true evil of my sisters.”
He shuttered at the memories of growing up being used as a living doll. A mannequin for their weaving magic. It was different when Aiden made things for him. It felt different. Better. “Its hard to explain. It just feels weird. Like your body feels kind of tried but your brain is dancing around a party.” He was mostly just kind of numb feeling at the moment. Like he wanted to just lay in bed and listen to music until sleep overcame him. He couldn’t lay down like that though, he was much to restless for that. Even as he spoke he was moving and changing positions every so often.
”Okay. As long as you aren’t overdoing it. I’m glad they’re treating you well. You really shouldn’t run yourself ragged, especially after your injuries.”
The young man was definitely not above forcing the red heads hand by going to his grandmother. Besides he obviously kept in contact with the rosy cheeked woman outside of his visits due to Aiden. How else do you think he found out about the hospitalized state of the boy. Define not from the old bag he was heir to.
”Yes. I really like it. I’m not really a fan of fighting when it’s unnecessary or anything. We can get lunch or something. It’d make some of the girls there jealous and I’m kinda here for that.”
He laughed at the mental image. Leaning into the image of the mirror. Of course as friends but they didn’t need to know that. After all he was the one who had heard tons of complaints about not getting flowers on Valentine’s Day or how their boyfriends or husbands never came to take them to lunch at work or anything like that.
[attr="class","a1lyric"]i got nothing but dreams inside[break] i got nothing but dreams
[attr="class","a1lyric2"]i'm just young enough to still believe, still believe [break]young enough not to know what to believe
[attr="class","a1icon"]
[attr="class","a1white"]
[attr="class","a1scroll"] Aiden trusted Charani, with his life some would argue, and the conviction he had when describing his sisters successfully put an edge of nerves in him. Again, he feared the future meeting. Maybe he would put that off for a while. Just until he absolutely had to. It’s fine. They were adults it wasn’t like you HAD to bring your friends over to your house to meet your family all the time, right? Then again maybe it was different as their friendship had become an amalgamation of itself. Not quite just a friendship but still not something more. “How many do you have…again? I…just have cousins and I think it’s only four or five at most.” That were of the main family anyway. Gods know how far the Emersons had pushed on the continent. Marjorie knew, but Aiden had yet to really meet all of his family members. He wasn’t in any rush to. [break][break]
“Oh, you’re wired and exhausted then..” Aiden didn’t quite get it, but he imagined it was like what he had felt before taking his Adept test. He’d come out of it fine at least, but the entire 24 hours before hand had been a mess. “It’s alright I’m trying not to.” That is to say, he was comfortable with the notion of pushing himself too hard, but he was trying to limit it to 3 all nighters a week instead of 5. If he was too tired to eat or clean himself, Marjorie would mag him as well. “Oh yeah…my injuries are healing up pretty nicely though. Barely a scar and all.” Though the muscles were still sore, and every so often he’d flinch away from the knives pulled on him in during training. And every time he did flinch another smack right where it hurt the most. Treatment by exposure and all that. [break][break]
The boy did his best to smile but he couldn’t quite sympathize. He wanted to share the sentiment, but he’d been fighting for a long time now. And being under the Emerson constraints only made the urges to lash out worse. In his experience, going to blows was so much simpler than civility but he couldn’t say that now in his position. He had slipped once, and Marjorie had made sure he would never again. “As long as you’re happy with it.” He said finally. “Teasing your coworkers huh? Sure.” He added a little too easily. He was trying to be a better friend. He had meant it. That meant getting over his own feelings and trying to make things right again. “Send a schedule and I’ll make something work.”
"I change the way I speak and how I act and what I say” ”caus I’m afraid you won’t like me any other way"
“I have four sisters. Two older and two younger. The older ones are the ones to watch out for. Though my oldest sister has kids and they have seemed to mellow her out just a bit.”
He hadn’t spent much time with her husband. He seemed nice enough though. He had spent more time with the kids. They were still fairly young. Maybe 5 or 6? Well spent time with them when he wasn’t ditching family affairs to spend time with aiden emerson to be honest. Not that he needed to know that. Or would ever know that.
Nor would he know any time soon that the kids knew who Aiden was by virtue of their uncle. Keep him away long enough until the kids got old enough to be able to lie well instead of screaming the truth like kids want to do. “Something like that. Yes.” He was feeling like he had a cup or twelve or coffee without having anything like that in... well he honestly didn’t drink coffee much. Only occasionally at the cafe when he visited Ezra there.
”I’ll let you know. But yeah I’d like to leave the fighting to people who are better at it and enjoy it more. Like you.”
The red head seemed... at least in his opinion... to like the display of strength and power. He liked allowing his body to fight and communicated like a warrior. Crossing swords to learn and speak with another person. A kind of communication he didn’t speak or understand. A champions language.
”I should let you sleep. I’ll probably wander around the tower for a bit and play with my cards before I try to sleep. Let me know when you’re ready tomorrow. Should we meet at the tower or the festival ground?.”
He would see the boy tomorrow. Seconds to midnight. Tick tick tick. The night of the next day would be nothing compared to what is to come. A world eater. A dragon like death. Nobody could know. At least these two boys couldn’t know the pain that was to come. After midnight.
[attr="class","a1lyric"]i got nothing but dreams inside[break] i got nothing but dreams
[attr="class","a1lyric2"]i'm just young enough to still believe, still believe [break]young enough not to know what to believe
[attr="class","a1icon"]
[attr="class","a1white"]
[attr="class","a1scroll"] “Oh, cool you’re an uncle.” Aiden blinked having no real concept of that. His own family was his dead mom, who he had been the only child of, and his grandparents, who had a dead daughter and an adopted son who, to their knowledge, had never had children. Any family they had was so far out in Salem, he had never really spent a lot of time with them. Not to mention most relatives were far older than him. Ah, maybe this was why Charani was so comfortable with the idea of kids. Exposure always seemed to change the way you thought about things. [break][break]
He nodded, unable to offer anything of comfort to Charani. All he knew was sleep by exhaustion after all. Charani wasn’t even home so he couldn’t say ‘Get cocoa.’ Though maybe that was a very Aiden-centric solution. Cocoa with ab it of milk always made him sleepy. Something he just couldn’t shake off from his childhood. Aiden tried to laugh. “If you need any hands broken, I’m your guy.” He said before adding quickly. “You can fix up what’s fucked up.” Obviously. Not about to let a stranger suffer. Obviously… [break][break]
Ahh….so that’s where he was. He should’ve figured as much with how close the image was. “Try to get some rest too. In your own bed.” Aiden replied, the lilt in his voice half a tease. “I’ll actually be on the grounds early-ish with my boss while he takes care of a small family meeting, and I’m free after. So better meet me there yeah?” He covered his mouth to stifle a yawn, turning his head to the side politely before looking back at his friend. “Try to eat a small breakfast. I wanna check out all of the food stalls with you.” Gods knew he would be shoving anything fried down his throat before and after his meeting with Ezra.
"I change the way I speak and how I act and what I say” ”caus I’m afraid you won’t like me any other way"
“You'd do that for me? How sweet~”
He wouldn't feel it. Or at least they wouldn’t feel it. The cold chill that waves through his room. Like someone opened a window. He just needed to curl up in his bed and sleep. Aiden would hear a knock on his door. Just a quick knock of three. Knock. Knock. Knock.
Charani hummed at the mirror as Aiden continued to talk. It was a nice sound. A pleasant sound. Not as pleasant as the sounds that would come later. Not at all. The sweet song of sleep. “Okay sounds good. I will see you soon. Gnight Aiden.” He waved at the other boy and the light from the mirror faded to a gentle black hum. Sort of like a television without a channel on. The room was quiet, dark. The bed called to Aiden.
Sleep. Sleep. Sleep.
The red head would feel his eyes growing heavy. Sleep was calling to him. The beds warm embrace asking for him to come. Ignore the doors knocking. The bed desires his presence.
There was another knock on the door. Knock. Knock. Knock. Ignore it. Ignore it. The bed desired him. It radiates warmth and makes his eyes feel heavy. Sleep. Sleep.
