Bad Dream [Ilija]

[Deleted]

January 5th, 2026
@ilija

Eeva was having a very... very hard time focusing. Her attention wasn't known for being stable to begin with but.... new voices in her head did not help. Her eyes kept moving, trying to see the owners of the voices. It didn't make sense. Ever since yesterday. What were these voices? THey sounded like people.... but they weren't talking to... anyone. Like they were talking to themselves. Who were these voices? Eeva, determined to get to the bottom of it, didn't go home yesterday. While many people visiting this island were coming and going each day, Eeva had been one of the brave souls that had brought camping gear. She and a few other brave souls camped out the night before, on the beach, near some of the ship wreckage for cover. IT had been a very rough night. The constant feeling wrongness. She knew she was still unnaturally pale, probably even had a hint of green from the constant flip flops her stomach was doing, but she didn't care. That mist had done something to her.

So, this morning, after packing her all her gear, she headed out. She'd reached the wooded area when she heard a voice. What's that? Eeva looked around, trying to find the source of the voice. Nothing. But in her scan of the area, she'd turned to the cove and spotted a ship had come in. From the looks of the boat, she'd guess Gringotts. Gringotts had been sending curse breakers every day, she'd heard. She turned again, this time, finding a strange bird like creature. It had a giant beak and... if she wasn't mistake a blue tongue. She tilted her head. "Hello there," she said. The peculiar bird looked at her and made a sound. Surprisingly she didn't understand it. That was new. She understood animals normally. Then, that same voice in her head. Who's this? Okay, she knew the bird hadn't spoken but... had she still heard it somehow..? Smells bad. Don't like. The voice said again. "What? No, wait!" The bird, turned and flew away.

She stood there, several moments, trying to understand what had happened. That voice. It must have belonged to the bird. But... it hadn't understood her. IT wasn't responding to her. She let out a breath, swallowed, then started walking again. She entered the woods. Every time she heard a voice... she noticed a trend. A creature nearby. One of these bizarre and unnatural creatures. As if they were the voices. But after multiple attempts to speak to them it was clear she didn't understand them and they didn't understand her. 

An hour of this experiment and she realized one very... very... horrific thought. It didn't click until she heard two voices at the same time. One panicked. The other on the hunt. She looked over just in time to see one of the mutant rabbits rip apart a smaller creature. The realization dawned on her. She was hearing the thoughts of the creatures.  There was a bone chilling scream of agony in her mind. What little she'd manage to eat that moment immediately leapt into her throat, and she barely managed to lean into a bush before she threw up. 

Eeva, shakily, used wandless magic to clean herself up, though she could get that horrible voice out of her head. The rabbit creature devouring the other voice that had just screamed in her mind. While the entire island made Eeva feel like she was unwelcome this was the first moment she felt like she had to leave. To get away. So, stumbling a little, she ran back towards the beach. Where there were... sometimes voices but far fewer. She ran, and ran, and ran.... Until she finally broke free of the trees. She stumbled and collapsed onto her knees. SHe sat there, gasping and staring down at her hands. They were trembling. Her whole body was. It wouldn't stop. She'd just heard- She'd just heard that creature die. 

Nearby, a twig snapped. At least it wasn't a voice. She looked up, a desperately terrified look in her eyes as she searched for the source of the sound... When she saw who it was, the fear in her eyes faded just a touch to be replaced by surprise. ".... Ilija..?"

[Deleted]

Ilija had arrived along with Raleigh on the island. The new island that had appeared out of literally nowhere at all. It had been rumours that had spread and a few accounts of muggles that had gotten lost there before the island had finally gotten plottable. Gringotts hadn't taken long to respond and he'd said goodbye to Vasilia and Felix in the morning, telling him that this was a golden opportunity, even more so because it would pay incredibly well compared to most jobs (which already paid very good) and wouldn't lead him far from home. He'd be back in several days. He'd given it more time, even though at first he'd intended to go home in the evening. He'd told Teddy he wouldn't be around for a day or two due to being out for the bank to the new island.

With all of that sorted out he'd felt the familiar blood rush through his veins as he'd boarded the ship that had eventually landed on the shores of Yrisle. Everybody had been cautious and for good reason but it had been somewhat amusing that Ilija had been one of the first to brave the red sand, partially to see if it reacted weirdly to his golden leg. It was a lot easier to replace. When it had been determined that it was at the very least safe to go to shore, they'd split into groups. At first, Ilija had mostly stuck with Raleigh, feeling that there was safety in numbers and with the benefits of always having somebody around to watch ones back. That had lasted quite a while until at some point they'd decided to split ways as they'd encountered a lone curse breaker worried for his own buddy. Ilija had asked Raleigh to join the other man, figuring that he was a bit more experienced and Raleigh would need the company more than he did. He tended to be somewhat of a mentor to the younger ones due to his injury. He was mature for his age and had seen some of the worst curse breaking had to offer.

He'd decided to head back towards the ship as the day was reaching it's peak for a bite to eat, or that was mostly what he told himself. He was tired of plodidng through alien and dangerous terrain filled with a lot more life than most tombs and while he hadn't seen any curses the rumours of horrible curses had long since started running through the ship. Possible dangerous artefacts, creatures so unnatural nobody could manage to make sense of them. Ilija found it very disconcerting, but he kept going for the most part. He was heading back now because he needed a small break to catch his breath and figure out what his next course of action would be, not to mentioned find somebody to accompany him. It wasn't safe to be out here alone. Maybe one of his friends just so happened to be around?

It was then he heard a strange noises that sounded like somebody in distress. It could be a creature, but he figured it could also be a curse breaker or other traveller that had gotten in trouble. He softly approached, although not trying to sneak up. He spotted a person nearby that looked somewhat familiar and purposefully stepped on a twig to alert her to his presence in a hopefully less spooky way. She looked up and he saw fear in her eyes, fading as she found him. He smiled a very weak smile, approaching slowly as she looked to be quite distressed. "Eeva? Are you okay?" He asked gently as he walked closer, looking at her rather carefully. Even though he knew, the shocking resemblance between her and Hannah never ceased to amaze him at least a little. Still, she looked out of sorts and he worried for her, as if he was supposed to keep her safe. He looked around for a moment, trying to see if something might have set her off like that. There was nothing to see, except perhaps a darkening in the distance, as if the dense fog that seemed to roll over this island was starting to draw near. "Did you... see something?" He mostly meant a horribly cursed creature or person, as those were the visuals he was used to from the tombs. Still, with how weird the few creatures he'd seen so far were he wouldn't even have been surprised if it had been something worse than the creatures out here. It was all together possible. He really just wanted to comfort her though.

@eeva

[Deleted]

January 5th, 2026
@ilija

Seeing someone after that... traumatic experience was a blessing. It gave her something else to focus on instead of hearing something's final thoughts. Eeva ddint' consider herself a "soft hearted" person who cried at every little thing. No, she was a druid. Bad things were a part of life. Death was a part of life. But hearing the final thoughts of a dying creature was... too much. Because hearing the thoughts made it even more real. Eeva had always had a strong connection to animals because of her ability to communicate with them. An ability unusual even for druids. But again, this was different. This was a connection on a much grander, more personal scale. It wasn't just surface level, like a conversation. She could hear them in her head. As if they were there, with her. When something was in your head like that, how did you not feel anything?

She forced her expression to relax, offering a small smile to the fellow red head. She dropped her hands to her side, trying to hide the fact that they were still shaking. "I'll be fine," she forced herself to answer. Even her voice was a little shaken. She hadn't seen him on the island before now. Had he been with the Curse Breakers that arrived today? She let out a breath, and forced herself back to her feet, stuffing her hands in the pockets of her jacket. He asked if she'd seen anything and her that small smile faltered. Did she explain it to him? How did she explain it. She looked back to the trees. The creatures themselves, while bizarre, didn't bother her. Surprised her, yes, but nothing terrifying (yet). She finally shook her head and looked back at him, offering another weak smile. "Forest just playing tricks and surprised me." No, not the truth at all, but it was the best excuse she could offer right now. She didn't want him to think she was crazy. Hearing voices was never a good thing, even in the magical world. "Is it your first day on the island?" A quick change of subject was in order. To get away from his seeing her at such a week and scared moment.

[Deleted]

Ilija didn't believe Eeva one bit when she said that she'd be fine. She didn't look fine and was exceptionally pale. He figured that she didn't really want to share, so he didn't mention it, even if he felt it. He'd never really been somebody to be very invasive about the thoughts and feelings of other, option to respect the boundaries they gave him. It wasn't always wise, but it was part of the kind of person he was. She claimed the forest was just playing tricks on her, but the pale shade to her face suggested it was more than just that. He was worried, but he didn't really want to intrude on her either. They weren't all that familiar yet and well, he wanted to keep in her good graces because he wanted to be around her more. Even if his reasons were mostly very selfish he couldn't help it. She was something so exceptional and special to him.

As she asked if it was his first day on the island he smiled a little and nodded, running a hand through his hair. "Yeah, I arrived this morning with some other curse breakers. I think Gringotts wants the place looted before somebody manages to claim authority so they don't have to bother with the bureaucracy." He admitted in full honesty. It wasn't as if anybody would think differently of a bank either way. The concept of ownership was very different between goblins and wizards either way. He looked at her a little concerned. "Have you been here long? You look like the island is kind of throwing you for a loop. I can't really explain but it feels off to be here, you know? Like something off, like we're not really welcome? It's really peculiar." He wasn't sure how else to voice it and gently suggest that she could admit to being a little thrown off without think he'd see her as weak. No, she was strong to him, that much had been obvious after their first meeting. He wasn't sure why he felt that, but it really drew him to her. There was nobody quite like her.

@eeva

[Deleted]

January 5th, 2026
@ilija

Eeva offered the smallest of smiles as he didn't press the subject. She didn't want to have to try and explain what was going on, as she didn't really understand it herself. It shouldn't be possible. Sure, she'd always had a strong affinity with animals, stronger then most druids. She could communicate with them in a way even other druids couldn't. But thoughts? That was new. If that even was what she was hearing. By Gaia... she didn't even know if another druid would believe her if she told them she was hearing animals' thoughts.

As he explained he'd arrived with other Curse breakers, and the banks scheme she chuckled. "I don't know if it helps, but I haven't seen anything worth looting." THough, to be honest, she hadn't explored the entire island yet. No doubt there was something of value on the island.

The island itself was already doing a number on Eeva. She found feel it's wrong-ness eating away at her. Ever since she stepped on the beach. It was a horrible, nauseating feeling. Like she was being rejected, and it was trying to expel her. She'd lost count over the amount of times someone had asked her if she was alright. She wasn't. Wouldn't be until she left the island. But she could live with this level of discomfort. She'd done it overnight. She could keep doing it. Though, the voices of creatures dying would test her resilience. So, when he mentioned her looking like "it had thrown her for a loop" she offered a smile and a soft chuckle. "Seems this island really doesn't like me. Most everyone else seems fine... to an extent. The only people that haven't are-" she stopped, the realization hitting her then. Druids. The only people that were feeling like her were other druids. Those with the strongest connection to nature were the ones feeling the worst affects. "Other druids." she finished her thought, so he wouldn't have to ask. She hadn't told him she was a druid before that point, but it was the only thing that made sense as to why she was feeling like this.

[Deleted]

Ilija chuckled slightly as she mentioned she hadn't seen anything worth looting. "I'm pretty sure that as far as Gringotts in concerned any place with people of any kind on it is a place worth looting. You never know the hidden treasures that an isolated society might produce." Although he himself had some doubts about this island, even more so considering the fact it was at least as dangerous as the average tomb but a whole lot bigger. Were they needlessly risking lives for the sake of treasure when the biggest hints on any sort of sign of life was the fact there was a shipwreck and some signs on the beach? It seemed very little to go on, even more so with the ship already stripped of any valuables a long time ago. Whatever lived on here had enough of an eye for items that they had emptied that out. Whether or not they had been real issues was unsure, but they certainly were gone to some other place on the island.

The island didn't like her? It was an odd thing to say, normally. Considering the place they were and the strange things he'd seen so far he didn't find it half as strange as he otherwise might have. It suggested the island itself was sentient, which he found a bit of a creepy idea. It didn't sit right with him, but there was little to be done. If the floor would swallow him up in the next moment there was nothing he could have done, although he suspected with how she spoke he'd be less likely to be the target with her around. But when she stopped mid sentence he worried for a brief moment, though she finished it saying other druids. He didn't know much about druids, but he blinked a few times in surprise. If this entire place wasn't natural, maybe that was why the druids didn't like it. Not many of the natural laws seemed to feel like applying here to begin with. "Do you think the island itself is some sort of unnatural sentient being? Because I don't like the idea of the floor opening up to so giant mouth to swallow us both to be honest." He said with a frown on his face. It wasn't even a joke since he had no idea what to expect from this place. "So far I mostly hear people talk about some fog? Some sort of creepy mist of sorts?" He couldn't help but question, since that usually meant staying alive or dying. He just hated the idea of putting pressure on Eeva when she already seemed to be so terribly off her game. He walked a little closer to her and looked at her kindly and gently. "Just... let me know if I can do anything. I can handle more than people seem to think, despite having a leg to prove it." He joked with a crooked little smile. Maybe it would relief some of the tension.

@eeva