Swoosh, swirl, collide!

Alecis and Rheis were walking through the ruins, watching as the pure snow fell all around them. Tracks were laying out behind them, but being covered slowly by the flakes that fell into place around them.

The two loved taking walks in the snow and then going home for a nice cup of cocoa. It was just twilight, the stars could be seen twinkling in the sky, the moon was bright and reflected off the pond near the ruins.

It was nice to be out here, all peaceful. The holidays were coming up, soon Thanksgiving and then Christmas would be upon them. And then soon after that, New Years! Alecis smiled as she thought about how much had changed in this short year of 2008. It seemed as though the clio of Amelia had become so much nicer, so much wiser. There was hardly any fights between those of different Eilemaiden. It seemed that somehow, though for centuries the opposite had been true, it was possible for everyone to get along.

Alecis took a mittened hand and brushed it along a piece of ruin, rubbing the snow off. She hummed a little and a breeze carried the snow flakes around her and her dæmon, creating a small tunnel of white that danced in swirls. She carried it away from them when Rheis shivered(he had refused to wear the scarf Eva had made for him), and lifted it into the night sky.

It looked pretty against the backdrop of night sky, stars shining through the wind of snow. As Alecis was staring up though, something changed. Suddenly it seemed as though thousands of stars instantly started moving. The sky shifted as spots of shimmering yellow started moving towards Amelia.

Shooting stars? Alecis and Rheis both thought at the same time?

Suddenly, something even more interesting pulled the pairs eyes away from the amazing phenomenon in front of them. A ripping noise shattered the peaceful quiet and unbeknownst to the clio and dæmon, their lives forever.

RIIIIIIIIIIIIIP. (<--------------that is a link. click it. xD)

After Cray had shown him yet another strange star-related letter, Rowan once again found himself inexplicably drawn to the Ruins. He couldn't explain why; as far as he knew, the letters and the Ruins had nothing to do with each other. He just had a...a feeling?

Like when I had a feeling that we should go to the Tavern and we found the first letter! Nym said excitedly. Unlike her clio, she loved the mystery and intrigue. It made life more interesting. For Rowan, however, it just made life more complicated. Maybe we have some kind of sixth sense or something...that tells us where to go to find interesting things!

I doubt that, Rowan replied, causing Nym to frown (uh...you know, how dogs can frown? yeah...) Last time I had 'a feeling' to come here there was nothing...inter...

He trailed off, staring wide eyed at the sight before him. Nym looked at his face, puzzled, and then followed his eyes and was also rendered speechless.

At the bottom of the hill they were standing on was...it was...well, Rowan had no idea what it was. It looked like...a ripple. Like space itself was rippling. It was circular and not large in diameter, shimmering and swirling in mid air.

"What is that!?" Nym exclaimed, finding her voice. Rowan shook his head to show he didn't know. Then, very slowly and cautiously, he took a step toward it.

Instantly he and Nym were ripped from where they were standing, and before they could even comprehend what was going on they were pulled into the rift...

Cray had never been to the Ruins before, and tonight seemed like an interesting good night to just randomly show up.

As she continued her long walk, admiring the beautiful scenery, she stopped when she heard Gaston gasp.

What is it? Cray asked.

Look! Ahead! Gaston replied.

Cray did look ahead, and saw a swirly sparkly thing. Don't go near it, said Gaston.

Cray was about to listen, until her and Gaston got sucked up into the rift.

Cray and Gaston were too stunned to scream, as they swirled and swirled and swirled.

Ria was naked.

Sure, it was a bit cold as the snow fell all around her, but she had a skinny-dipping-date with Avery tonight. The colder, the better! It meant more physical contact. And physical contact with Avery was always fun. ^_~

So she and Kaelin ran through the snow, down the hill past the ruins to the lake.

Something caught her eye though, as she was running, a swirly vortex of color was dancing in mid air. Ria cocked her head and walked towards it with her arm outstretched.

What was this pretty, pretty thing?

Kaelin, Ria's reason, stayed back, willing her clio back too, but knowing she couldn't make her listen. This was going to end bad, she just knew it.

True to Kaelin's belief, Ria was there one second and gone the next. Soon, Kaelin too felt a pull and was suddenly whipped into the portal of doom.

Okay, it was way too freaking cold to go skinny dipping, that was for sure. Avery didn't know about Ria, but his clothes were staying on his body today. It was snowing, he'd have to be crazy to even think about getting in the frigid water, let alone doing it naked.

Nonetheless, he still went to the Ruins because he wasn't going to be a jerk and stand Ria up. But once he got there, she was no where to be seen. Did she stand HIM up?

Whoa, look at that swirly thing, Vi said suddenly. Avery looked and saw it; a shimmery, shiny vortex floating in mid air.

What is it? Avery asked, walking towards it.

Whoa, hey, wait! Something tells me we should stay AWAY from the mysterious vortex of doom! Vi exclaimed, hiding inside Avery's shirt.

Come on, what's the worst that could happen? Avery asked.

His question was answered because as soon as he took another step, he and Vi were pulled into the vortex and out of Amelia.

Lucern was having a good old time romping through the snowy ruins with Azarath. She was actually not being a stick-in-the mud like normal and was playing with abandon. The two whirled to a stop when they noticed an odd disturbance in the air. Azarath, who was a doe at the moment, snorted and pranced uneasily, tail raised in alarm. Luce reached out to pat her shoulder when suddenly he felt a tug. Panicked, he wrapped his arms around Azarath's neck before his feet left the ground and the two were swirling away into nothingness.

It was a horrible day outside. It felt like it was SUBZERO, and when Aven had opened his door, his initial reaction went something like, "HOLY. HE DIDN'T SAY IT WAS GOING TO BE THIS COLD. HOLY. HOLY. HOLY. EXPLITIVE. EXPLITIVE. EXPLITIVE."

But now, he was over it, and since walking in the snow builds character, that was exactly what Aven was doing.

He pranced merrily in the snow, leaving a long trail of foot prints behind him. Ra was nestled in his hoodie, grumbling the way he always did. He wondered if Lucas ever pranced in the snow. Lucas had cute hats.

Aven let himself fall into the snow on his knees. He laughed and made a snow angel. He was such a child. Suddenly, everything went really quiet save for a wooshing noise that got louder as time went on. He stood up and walked towards the noise. WHAM.

Peyton took a swig of his beer bottle. He was drunk, and high, as usuall. He stumbled along the snow, his scarf hanging from his neck. George was just as affected by the drugs as Peyton was, but he was happy.

Stumbling along, and falling a couple times, Peyton started to aproach a whirly wheel of sprakles and colors. He stared at it, squinted, and watched it, his mouth opened. Flies could fly in there, if it was warm outside.

"Woah. Trippyyyyyy..." he said out loud.

Peyton got closer, until suddenly, he's sucked up into what seemed like a black hole. The first thing that came to mind wasn't fear, but in fact, the first thought was, Shit! My beer!

A half empty beer bottle rested in the snow, near the rift.

Will was walking alongside the ruins with Sheila. This was the first time she'd ever been in them before, and she was amazed. Though it was frigid outside-SUBZERO almost-and snowing, that didn't change how wonderfully amazing the ruins were.

Suddenly Sheila spotted something strange in the sky. Will! Look! At the sky!

Will looked up and saw the same strange thing her daemon had. "What is that?!"

I don't know, but I have a bad feeling about it!!

Trusting Sheila's hummingbirdly instincts, Will started to walk away from it, taking her daemon in her hands. Before she could get very far, though, she felt a fierce tug, pulling her towards the thing in the sky. She tried to run from it, but to no avail. After a matter of moments, Will was sucked up into the rift...