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The Mirror of Masquerades
Hosted by Valecia Valentine
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The interior of the tent shimmered with candlelight and the faint scent of myrrh. Silken curtains of midnight blue framed a single tall mirror that gleamed like liquid glass. Candles floated in the air around it, their flames steady despite the restless October wind. Valecia sat beside the mirror, her crimson gown pooling like spilled wine, a single silver ring glinting at her throat. She did not look up when visitors entered. Her gaze stayed fixed upon the mirror as though she were listening to a voice only she could hear.
When the light shifted and a new reflection appeared, she smiled faintly. “Welcome, traveler. This mirror shows the face beneath the mask. Do you wish to look?”
Her fingers traced the air, and the glass rippled like water. “All who gaze upon it see not what they are, but what they hide. Be warned. It does not lie.”
She turned her head slightly, eyes glinting in the soft glow. “Tell me, who do you come as tonight, and what does the mirror reveal to you?”
Beside the mirror rested a small crystal dish filled with confections that shimmered faintly in the candlelight. Some were wrapped in violet foil embossed with silver sigils, others glowed softly through translucent paper like captured fireflies. There were sugared violets that melted into honey on the tongue, dark truffles dusted with edible silver that carried the taste of pomegranate and midnight wine, and tiny glassy candies that released a cool breath of mint and lavender. To the ordinary eye they were only sweets, yet those who believed claimed each carried a fleeting charm such as a pleasant memory, a laugh unburdened, or a whisper of courage for the path ahead.
You may post a description of what your reflection shows, beautiful, eerie, or absurd. Valecia will answer briefly for quick Trick or Treat stops, or linger for a deeper reading if you wish to stay longer.
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An odd silhouette steps out from the shadows with a single eye yet to blink, seven feet in height yet staring down with a sort of hidden glee only his eye could show, hunched over so his size could fit within the boundaries of the blue tent. Clef arrives to peer into what the mirror might hold, no mouth to present yet words seemingly emitting from what could be best described as his face.
"Let me guess, this is some sort of fake set up meant to scare kids just to make some adults cackle to themselves for a solid few seconds, isn't it?" He says with major doubt in what the mirror can do, stepping forwards to get a closer look. His attention span lasts the same amount of time as a moth in a lamp store, but eventually he quits admiring the scenery of the tent and gains a focus on the mirror, standing back only to gawk at himself. His reflection simply looks dull, evade of the joy and pride he has in himself, standing as if it had done something horribly wrong and had yet to confess on what tragedies behold.
Clef takes a moment to himself trying to test the reflection, waving his spike-ending arms around and tilting his head confused, only still met with a reflection cast in it's own variant of depression. "This isn't a fun house mirror, is it..." He says to himself, finally getting a grasp on what he's faced with.
"Let me guess, this is some sort of fake set up meant to scare kids just to make some adults cackle to themselves for a solid few seconds, isn't it?" He says with major doubt in what the mirror can do, stepping forwards to get a closer look. His attention span lasts the same amount of time as a moth in a lamp store, but eventually he quits admiring the scenery of the tent and gains a focus on the mirror, standing back only to gawk at himself. His reflection simply looks dull, evade of the joy and pride he has in himself, standing as if it had done something horribly wrong and had yet to confess on what tragedies behold.
Clef takes a moment to himself trying to test the reflection, waving his spike-ending arms around and tilting his head confused, only still met with a reflection cast in it's own variant of depression. "This isn't a fun house mirror, is it..." He says to himself, finally getting a grasp on what he's faced with.
Valecia did not flinch at the size or strangeness of the visitor who stepped through her curtain. If anything, the faintest glimmer of curiosity crossed her eyes as she studied the towering silhouette. The mirror brightened of its own accord, its surface rippling like a pond disturbed by the weight of an unseen breeze.
“You doubt,” she murmured, voice smooth as glass. “And yet you look. That is how most truths find us, even when we expect tricks and laughter.”
The reflection behind the glass stirred. The dullness that Clef saw began to move, light gathering faintly at its chest until the outline of a small, steady glow appeared where the heart should be. It pulsed once, dim but real. Valecia’s gaze softened.
“No mirror shows what we are forever,” she said. “It reveals what we are this moment. You hide your fire behind doubt, as if to protect it from a world that does not understand its shape. But still, it burns.”
Her lips curved in the faintest smile. “If you wish it, take a sweet. They are for travelers who are not quite done being surprised.”
The mirror steadied once more, the pulse of light within his reflection still glowing faintly.
“You doubt,” she murmured, voice smooth as glass. “And yet you look. That is how most truths find us, even when we expect tricks and laughter.”
The reflection behind the glass stirred. The dullness that Clef saw began to move, light gathering faintly at its chest until the outline of a small, steady glow appeared where the heart should be. It pulsed once, dim but real. Valecia’s gaze softened.
“No mirror shows what we are forever,” she said. “It reveals what we are this moment. You hide your fire behind doubt, as if to protect it from a world that does not understand its shape. But still, it burns.”
Her lips curved in the faintest smile. “If you wish it, take a sweet. They are for travelers who are not quite done being surprised.”
The mirror steadied once more, the pulse of light within his reflection still glowing faintly.
Clef, trembling at the hands (or what could be considered,) grabs a twix and takes a step back with an expression growing more fearful by the moment purely of denial towards his own thoughts.
"I'm taking this but not because you're offering-" He states, staring dead at the single pulse made in the mirror where his heart should be. Even without a steady structure of bones let alone organs, he feels bizarre through the moment as if he had lost a heart beat he once had, a warmth he once held, or something related.
Mild discomfort overtakes Clef after watching the lights and weird presence of his wellbeing presented to him through the mirror in such an unsaturated state and he steps to the front of the tent, looking back for a moment as if to say something, but only placing a singular coin heads up on the ground and silently walks off into the night, leaving behind perhaps a sign of luck to the next visitor.
"I'm taking this but not because you're offering-" He states, staring dead at the single pulse made in the mirror where his heart should be. Even without a steady structure of bones let alone organs, he feels bizarre through the moment as if he had lost a heart beat he once had, a warmth he once held, or something related.
Mild discomfort overtakes Clef after watching the lights and weird presence of his wellbeing presented to him through the mirror in such an unsaturated state and he steps to the front of the tent, looking back for a moment as if to say something, but only placing a singular coin heads up on the ground and silently walks off into the night, leaving behind perhaps a sign of luck to the next visitor.
Evelyn arrived at the tent with curiosity. Tonight she could dress like herself. She wore the clothes that her ancestors had worn in times long past. A pointed, brimmed hat sat atop her head, and her hair was a mix of purple and turquoise tonight, streaked with both vibrant hues.
Her boots were laced up, and were more practical than stylish. Bright green eyes looked upon the sorceress with admiration. Though Evelyn called herself a witch and was an attractive young woman, the elegance and class of this woman was on another level altogether. And that mirror. What mysterious abilities might this fellow magic user wield? She did look down and see a coin upon the ground, kneeling to pick it up. "Someone dropped this, they may come back for it."
Her attention moved to the woman and the mirror again with intense interest, spurred by the questions. She hardly noticed the candy.
"I will dare to look," she replied, "it's a pleasant night for it after all." The glass rippling was intriguing, she had seen magical mirrors before but she had never seen one like this. Evelyn stepped forward, "I arrive as myself tonight, able to show who I truly am to the world without attracting any suspicion or malice." She held the coin in her hand, absently flipping it over in her fingers and fidgeting. The witch felt a mix of excitement and anxiety over her true self being revealed in the mirror, as well as her love of magic. She loved discovering forms of magic that were new to her.
Within the mirror, her image was vibrant and shifting with the power of her magic, purple rays of light were emitted. And then, over that brilliant display a veneer was placed that muted and calmed her aura, making her more presentable for the rest of the world. It concealed her secrets and kept her safe, though sometimes some of the energy behind it slipped through anyway.
She wore a long dress that was often the custom of her kind.
Her boots were laced up, and were more practical than stylish. Bright green eyes looked upon the sorceress with admiration. Though Evelyn called herself a witch and was an attractive young woman, the elegance and class of this woman was on another level altogether. And that mirror. What mysterious abilities might this fellow magic user wield? She did look down and see a coin upon the ground, kneeling to pick it up. "Someone dropped this, they may come back for it."
Her attention moved to the woman and the mirror again with intense interest, spurred by the questions. She hardly noticed the candy.
"I will dare to look," she replied, "it's a pleasant night for it after all." The glass rippling was intriguing, she had seen magical mirrors before but she had never seen one like this. Evelyn stepped forward, "I arrive as myself tonight, able to show who I truly am to the world without attracting any suspicion or malice." She held the coin in her hand, absently flipping it over in her fingers and fidgeting. The witch felt a mix of excitement and anxiety over her true self being revealed in the mirror, as well as her love of magic. She loved discovering forms of magic that were new to her.
Within the mirror, her image was vibrant and shifting with the power of her magic, purple rays of light were emitted. And then, over that brilliant display a veneer was placed that muted and calmed her aura, making her more presentable for the rest of the world. It concealed her secrets and kept her safe, though sometimes some of the energy behind it slipped through anyway.
Valecia’s attention shifted when the young witch stepped into her tent. Her eyes followed the flash of turquoise and violet, a quiet appreciation glimmering there that needed no words. She rose gracefully, her crimson skirts whispering against the floor as she regarded Evelyn with something between curiosity and kinship.
“Ah,” she murmured, a faint smile curving her lips. “One who dares to wear her truth openly beneath the moon. How rare, and how beautiful.”
Her gaze drifted toward the mirror as the ripples deepened, violet light spilling like spilled ink across the glass. The reflection shimmered, showing both the vibrant power of Evelyn’s inner self and the soft veil that contained it. Valecia’s tone gentled.
“So much power beneath that calm surface,” she said softly. “It is not disguise you wear, child of the old ways, but mercy. You temper your storm so the world does not break beneath its beauty. Yet never forget, control and suppression are not the same. One day, you may find the veil no longer necessary.”
Her gaze flicked to the coin in Evelyn’s hand, and a knowing glint touched her smile. “Keep it,” Valecia said. “A coin found upon the ground on All Hallows’ Eve is never lost. It chooses.”
With a subtle motion, she lifted the crystal dish toward her guest, the sweets within catching the candlelight and glowing faintly between amethyst and rose.
“Take one. For truth bravely spoken and masks set aside.”
The mirror behind her stilled, though the faint hum of magic lingered in the air like the last note of a forgotten song.
“Ah,” she murmured, a faint smile curving her lips. “One who dares to wear her truth openly beneath the moon. How rare, and how beautiful.”
Her gaze drifted toward the mirror as the ripples deepened, violet light spilling like spilled ink across the glass. The reflection shimmered, showing both the vibrant power of Evelyn’s inner self and the soft veil that contained it. Valecia’s tone gentled.
“So much power beneath that calm surface,” she said softly. “It is not disguise you wear, child of the old ways, but mercy. You temper your storm so the world does not break beneath its beauty. Yet never forget, control and suppression are not the same. One day, you may find the veil no longer necessary.”
Her gaze flicked to the coin in Evelyn’s hand, and a knowing glint touched her smile. “Keep it,” Valecia said. “A coin found upon the ground on All Hallows’ Eve is never lost. It chooses.”
With a subtle motion, she lifted the crystal dish toward her guest, the sweets within catching the candlelight and glowing faintly between amethyst and rose.
“Take one. For truth bravely spoken and masks set aside.”
The mirror behind her stilled, though the faint hum of magic lingered in the air like the last note of a forgotten song.
The doe wanders along, she has decided to leave all preparations of anything going on to take a bowl of fresh air.
She's neither disguised nor aware that it's today, Halloween. She unconsciously mixed up the days. So there's this innocent doe, not wondering about anyone passing along in disguise, smiling and confident.
She comes across this tent, unknown to her. She's intrigued as people go in and out, some smiling before but not afterwards, some smiling only when coming out again. Something weird is happening inside, she gets curious and no more no less finds herself within a nick of time, to her own astonishment, at the entrance of this tent. She opens slowly the silken curtains to step inside.
She freezes, not awaiting such a scene, magic fills the tent, but strangely no dark magic, this one is maybe not kind but truthful. The doe has a very awkward feeling inside her, but not to fear. So she gathers all her courage and enters with the voice speaking to her. A person, a woman in a long red dress speaks to her through the reflection of a mirror.
Very hesitantly Lizbeth dares have a look at that mirror, will it reflect her past, or will she see her Mom, Angel.
Nothing of all, Lizbeth is amazed, all she can see is a fawn, a feral fawn, with numerous little white spots in her fur.
Lizbeth puts both hands on her muzzle, her eyes shimmering moist in the fluttering candlelight.
She's neither disguised nor aware that it's today, Halloween. She unconsciously mixed up the days. So there's this innocent doe, not wondering about anyone passing along in disguise, smiling and confident.
She comes across this tent, unknown to her. She's intrigued as people go in and out, some smiling before but not afterwards, some smiling only when coming out again. Something weird is happening inside, she gets curious and no more no less finds herself within a nick of time, to her own astonishment, at the entrance of this tent. She opens slowly the silken curtains to step inside.
She freezes, not awaiting such a scene, magic fills the tent, but strangely no dark magic, this one is maybe not kind but truthful. The doe has a very awkward feeling inside her, but not to fear. So she gathers all her courage and enters with the voice speaking to her. A person, a woman in a long red dress speaks to her through the reflection of a mirror.
Very hesitantly Lizbeth dares have a look at that mirror, will it reflect her past, or will she see her Mom, Angel.
Nothing of all, Lizbeth is amazed, all she can see is a fawn, a feral fawn, with numerous little white spots in her fur.
Lizbeth puts both hands on her muzzle, her eyes shimmering moist in the fluttering candlelight.
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