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Post by 𝕊𝕙𝕒𝕕𝕠𝕨 on Apr 16, 2020 3:45:21 GMT -5
Snow billowed softly in heavy flakes, the wind chanting up a song among the trees. Thorns swaying in the wind, made even more sharp by the formation of icicles. The forest was a stark comparison to the pale clouds above, with it’s thorns, dark red berries, and evergreens. What wasn’t green or red was a dark, deadly looking dark brown, some even almost black in color.
The enchanted forest, as it was called, was said to be haunted by a great and powerful monster, and other fantastical creatures. A week prior, the old king and queen were taken off to a dungeon by vengeful castle guards. Elvira and Archimedes were both proud figures, but had been off for the past years.
Little Sybil was only at age 8, barely able to function on her own with a family to guide her. It had been many years prior that her parents woefully gave up on some kind of prophecy, years since they lost the throne.
The man behind it was long dead. She wondered distantly if he had been cursed by a magic user. But his rule only lasted a few measly years, and then new royals too over. They had a son, one around her age.
After her parents had died, she had been blackmailed into becoming a maid and apprentice to a neighbor of hers. They took everything her parents had, all the money, all the jewels, and just left behind torn photos. They forced the little witch into being a messenger, delivering from house to house for them, giving letters to the town. But then, about a week after her parents disappeared, the shopkeep demanded that she’s deliver a letter to the town over. A journey that would force the young female to travel through the enchanted woods, a long, hard and grueling journey it would be.
No one tended to go in those woods, and many never returned. It was a tale everyone knew. Of course the shopkeep reported finding the letter some time later, discarded on the base of the woods, torn and almost looking decayed. The old princess was dead, the shopkeep had claimed, even appearing in front of the new royals at some point, the young girl was dead, and down in the castle cells below, two dead bodies would be found.
A week had passed since Sybil left the house. She was alone, and hungry. She wasn’t as annoying as other children tended to be. Just sullen and quiet most of the time, scared and alone, and now lost. And the loneliness was eating at her.
It was then that she had found what had caused so many to go missing. Walking through a snow storm, tiny feet leaving the barest of indents as she trekked through the storm. She noticed something that looked really odd, simply laying on the ground.
A person was there! She could have someone to talk to, someone that could help her out!
She ran towards them, noticing that they were pretty sleepy, but that was fine. She leaned down, careful not to touch them, because mama said never to touch anybody incase she hurt them, and never to let them touch her. Though she did pout slightly, “Hey, Mr. Sleepy Man, do you know how to get out of the woods?”
There was no response, instead, the man just remained asleep. She huffed in annoyance, throwing her caution to the wind as she went to grab his arm in attempt to wake him up. An arm covered in cloth, and his head covered by his scarf.
She tugged, though a scream escape her immediately. She just ripped his arm off!
She dropped it, falling back into the snow, staring at it, noticing with sickening disgust the maggots tearing on flesh, leaving mostly bone, with nothing to hold on to.
She hadn’t realized it, but her breath had stopped forming, leaving a choking feeling in her chest. She struggled to breath, panic set in, her heart rate spiking. Her eyes roamed uselessly back to the covered body, noticing that in his back was an arrow.
She heard some rustling behind her, eyes widening. She quickly ducked, hearing the telltale pull of a bow string, and watched in baffled amazement as an arrow whizzed right above her head, sinking into the tree the sleepy dead man was leaning against.
She stood up immediately, glancing back, spotting a large groupof bandits, she presumed, many with bows aimed at her.
“Reports said a little girl went missing in these parts,” a gruff, burly man with ginger hair commented, the leader, she presumed. He was a lumbering figure, with cold grey eyes and an angular jaw. He was standing at the forefront of the group, outfit dusty and dirty, “I wonder how much we could make off a princess.”
His grin was unsettling, and she backed up, eyes glancing between the bows faced her way, and the arrows.
“You plan to sell me?” Came her tiny, soft voice, ducking slightly to avoid them. Bafflement drew into her voice, shock and surprise at the very idea of being sold.
The confused look on the man’s face made her wonder if perhaps she misunderstood the context in which he meant the words, and yet he shook his head, annoyance obvious in his features, “No-“
“If you’re not going to sell me, why did you just imply how much you could make off me-“ her brow set in an angry manner, arms crossing, though she looked awfully fearful, immediately cowering down.
“Just listen.” The man demanded, breaking up the small round of snickers from his crew, “If this was any other group, you’d likely be shipped off to the castle to face trial,” sadly, the man wasn’t wrong. She had never met the new royals, but she didn’t trust them at all, especially now that her parents were gone. “If you cooperate, that won’t happen. If you don’t cooperate, you’ll end up back there, got it?”
She nodded, not really seeing any other choice present, nor rationalizing her choices in much deeper manner than: death or following a bunch of bandits.
The choice was quite simple to her.
“Verbally say it.” He commented, and she already picked up that he liked verbal affirmation, she assumed maybe he had issues with his sight? Or that he just liked being punctual.
“Okay, I got it,” she pouted, drawing back as a few of the bandits drew closer, though most of the bows were lowered. She couldn’t help the small amount of tears building in her eyes as she glanced down at the body, “Just please don’t hurt me-“
“No! No. Hey!” One of the females drew forward, a male right behind her, both talking to her at once in a soft voice, the female immediately went to coax away any tears, while the man leaned in front of her, smiling in a pointed manner.
Sybil hated being touched, meekly raising her hands to knock the woman’s fingers from her cheek, and to get the man out of her face.
Instead, the man caught her hand, before kneeling before her, “Listen, little princess, we are all similar here, we’re all users of magic,” he commented, before nodding to the body beside her, “Some people come in, with the intent to hurt the forest, and many will meet that fate for tampering with our safe haven.”
Sybil could spot the leader facepalming behind the lankier man before her, though her voice wavered, “But my magic is bad. That’s what my momma said.” Came her soft reply, staring down at her gloved hands. Even at 8, she was growing, and the gloves would soon no longer be useful.
“No magic is bad,” the leader commented, and she noted with easing comfort that all the weapons were lowered. Many in the small group just simply scattered, going about their days, and it just left the woman, the leader, and the skinner, younger man. “Magic is misunderstood. Every type of magic had the ability to create new possibilities, but also had the power to destroy.”
“But what if your power is to destroy?” She questioned, hopeless at the very topic, and feeling horrid for even mentioning it to a complete stranger. Her mother would have been so mad at her. Father would just be distant about the topic, a frown in place.
It brought on a new wave of tears to just think about.
The woman leaned closer, wiping away the tears, though Sybil tried to lean away. It was this girl that finally spoke, “In some way, even destruction is a gift. The world cannot grow unless something is destroyed. It’s a cycle. The destruction of one thing will lead to the creation of something new. Without destruction, there is nothing.”
The words stuck, it seemed, and she blinked away the last of her tears, glancing at the three figures. Two with bright beaming smile, one with a look of stoic passiveness.
“But my momma said that even if I could control it,” she froze slightly, backing away, “That people would always fear me. And then they would hurt me. Mother said it’s best to keep it secret, and I’m already failing.”
“Indeed you are,” The younger male exclaimed, laughing slightly, “But I’m glad you mentioned it, Sybil.”
Her face engulfed it a pale color, a frown crossing her features. The name didn’t feel right anymore. Sybil was a princess who could never return to the world. One who had died long ago.
“Listen, kid, people fear what they don’t understand. And people don’t understand magic. Doesn’t matter what kind of magic, unless they know it, they won’t accept it. They’re all too busy looking at it like it’s a curse.” The leader was speaking, she really had to get their names, “They forget that a curse can only harm, that a curse is never-ending, and that with a curse, no good may come.”
“If it’s not a curse, then what is it?” The conversation had kept her going, she no longer felt as afraid.
“A gift, of course. Sometimes, gifts can be bad at first sight, but inside, they have the opportunity to be the brightest of flames, the stars shining in the darkness.” The girl responded, and Leon gasped in awe as a small light came to life in the palms of the woman’s hands. “Even things that seem destructive have the opportunity to shine, if we let them.”
“And if we don’t?” Sybil question, gazing at the eyes of the three around her, before looking back at the lights the woman had conjured.
“Then our magic becomes angry with us,” The leader took over, leaves rustling overhead, as he beckoned her to follow him, before walking to the edge of the water, “What usually is a normal current runs fine. But if you clog the current, eventually it’ll break through with greater force.” He displayed this, lifting his hand, the water obstructing for a moment, before he let go, and the water spilled out at a quick rate, breaking towards nearby. “Hiding powers is a necessity. Ignoring them will cause you a despair beyond belief. Magic is a response to emotion. When you clog up your magic, you hide those emotions. You become an accident waiting to happen.”
“And that’s why people are afraid of magic,” she finished, looking at the water with her eyes narrowed, “Because of the people that concealed their powers. That ignored them, and try to hold them in. Because when that stream burst forward, it hurt someone else, and now no one can use magic.” Her eyes widened then, looking over at him “But if that’s the case, doesn’t that mean even more people will try to hide, and that more people will lose control?”
“Yes.” The man responded, looking into the water with his grey eyes, before looking back at her, “Indeed. But that’s what they want. People feel as if magic doesn’t belong. As if magic doesn’t have a place. They don’t understand that, used correctly, magic has the ability to enchant and protect.”
He lead her once more to an area, with lush flowers despite the snow, where the stream cut through, snow fell on tents, and some people bustled about. Some with wings, some like centaurs, others simple people like Leon. Her eyes widened in excitement.
“You may stay here, Princess Valdera, until you can rightfully take back your throne.”
Her eyes immediately became downcast. Glancing forward with a sigh. Of course there had to be an ultimatum. She couldn’t just be accepted for who she was.
“Why me?” She questioned, glancing back at him.
“Every person of magic following has been hoping that you would be alive, have been riding on you growing strong so you can take back the throne and return rights to magic users. You have the status of a princess, even if it was unrightfully Taken from you. It if your right to serve as queen, not the current prince.” His face turned into a scowl, eyes narrowed off towards the sky.
“Curse the prince!” A witch bellowed from nearby, though Sybil’s eyes were blown wide.
“Curse the prince indeed,” The man commented, looking towards the side for a moment at the witch, before glancing at Leon, “We will train you, dead princess, to infiltrate that castle, and when you do, you will bring a poison with you.”
“A poison?”
“Yes, a poison. A curse, if you may. You will act as a maid, and pour it in the prince’s drink.”
“I will-“ Her voice was wavering, already feeling dread.
“Don’t worry. The cure is nearby. All that we must do is make the royals abdicate the throne or watch their dear prince die.”
“If we do that,” her voice was chilled, “wouldn’t that give them a reason to fear us?”
“Yes. But nothing ever comes without a cost. You can’t just ask please for the throne and expect it.”
That made sense, still, the whole idea was alarming.
“I...don’t really want to do that,” she commented, a chilling reminder of her mom warning her not to become the lion they should fear. “The prince is my age, right? What if he is good.”
“I suspect that you being alone should answer how he is being raised,” the words stung, the reminder of her parents burrowing deep into her chest, “Do you really think a spoiled prince would ever think of a poor little magic user like yourself?”
“No.” The reasoning was there, but the guilt wouldn’t fade. “No, but this isn’t right.”
“Nothing in life is right. Us killing to protect the forest and it’s people isn’t right. You’re parents being gone isn’t right. Us having to use the curse isn’t right-“
“What curse is it?” She questioned, glancing at him.
“The curse of Nemea,” the witch commented, the old hag fit the stereotype perfectly, and inside, her little heart froze, her mother warned her of that in specific. “Though we don’t quite have all the ingredients. That’s why we need a pretty little girl like you.”
“I’m sorry, but I can’t help you,” she eagerly replied, waving her hands sporadically, “I don’t know anything about the curse, and I don’t want to be involved with it. If you want me to sneak into the castle and take back the throne, I’ll do it, but I refuse to be involved with a curse.” Her gaze slid to the man, “And you said so yourself, a curse is only capable of bad results. What kind of result do you think we would really get?”
It was a wise thing. He looked stunned, but smiled then, “Let’s make a deal then, Sybil, you train on how to get in there undetected, and we’ll leave the rest to you.”
She stared at his hand, deciding multiple things at once, she was going to one day make the royals pay, she was going to find her parents, and she was going to change.
“Sounds like a deal,” she commented, blue eyes alight with new fire, “And call me Leonela. I can’t be going by my princess name if I’m to sneak into the city, right?”
He smirked, a small laugh escaping him, “No, Leon, you can’t. I guess since we’re trading aliases, my name is Alfaro.”
Her grin was matching, “For the record, that’s a stupid name. I think I’m going to call you Alpha instead.” She commented, and his snort didn’t go unmissed by her, “Because it’s a better, shorter version of your name, and you’re the ragtag leader here.”
“Alright, Alright, Little Lenore, let’s get this show on the road.”
(So I think, if this was canon, this would have been close to when she met Zelos and left for the city. I feel like if she’s with this group, it’s where she learned a lot about the magic she does know, and essentially her skills in general. If feel like other than Alfaro, her main teacher was Zelos.
So she wasn’t with this group for long, if I decide that this was her past, maybe a few months. I might follow up on what happened to the group, again, if I decide I like this idea.)
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Post by ƤαƖƖαѕ ✧ on Apr 16, 2020 3:53:40 GMT -5
Ooooh I really like that!)
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Post by ƤαƖƖαѕ ✧ on Apr 16, 2020 8:38:32 GMT -5
The group had made their camp hours ago, and everyone else was asleep. Eldred had been absolutely devastated by the loss of such a big part of the group, and even more so Zahavi. He felt responsible for that young man, and now he was dead. If they failed to save the king and queen, he didn’t know what they would do now the prince was gone. But what was more important to Eldred was that Zahavi was important to him, he cared about the boy, had for years. And now he was gone. It put a heavy weight on the old man’s heads. He needed to get away to think and work things through. Coincidentally, all day mind had been occupied with the familiar landscape around them, because he knew this land very well.
He was home.
And in fact, their camp wasn’t too far at all from his village. He figured they might end up passing through it the next day, but the man simply couldn’t go through the village he’d grown up in without taking some time there on his own. He didn’t want any of the others to realise that this place was important to him, because then they’d start asking questions he really didn’t want to answer. Plus, he hadn’t been home since the day he killed Helena, and he knew that it would be emotional for him. He had to get that emotion out before he went there with the others. No, he needed some time there alone.
That’s why the man stayed awake, tending the fire, until the others had gone to bed. None of them questioned why he was staying up so late, which was a relief. He didn’t want to have to be answering questions like that.
Once all was quiet, he set off on the journey towards his village. It didn’t take long; it had even been visible from their camp, the lights from the houses glowing on the neighbouring hillside. And when he got there? It was exactly as he remembered.
A small village made up of little thatched houses with smallholdings. The villagers grew their own crops, raised their own animals
It was a pretty little village, with a little dirt road running through it but lots of greenery. The little well, the small market space in the centre. It was all the same as it had been all those years ago.
The first house he stopped at was his childhood home, a quaint little cottage with the same thatched roof as the others. It was one of the smaller homes in the village, but it wasn’t tiny. Eldred’s parents were long gone, he knew that, but it seemed the house was still occupied; the low glow of a dying fire was visible from beneath the door. He supposed it was occupied by his sister, Althea, and her family. Or maybe just her children; in truth, he had no idea if his sister or her husband were still alive.
He had never made any move to contact Althea after he left for the palace. How did you explain murdering your wife, after all? Even if it was because of magic he couldn’t control, it wasn’t something he wanted to talk to his sister about. Besides, Althea had never been particularly forgiving. She was stubborn, fiery, and quick to make up her mind about people. In other words, she was exactly like Eldred. But he knew that she wouldn’t forgive him for Helena’s death. If she’d decided Eldred was a murderer, he wasn’t going to get her to change his mind.
The house had been kept well, that much he could see. The thatch was brand new. He had good memories in that house of being a child. Helping plant the food in the garden, playing games with his sister. Learning to use his magic. Spending time with Helena.
But he couldn’t stay there, not outside his sister’s house. So he simply laid his hand affectionately on the doorframe before moving off and continuing through the village. He didn’t think he had the strength to go and see the house he had lived in with Helena. That would be too much for him, and he knew for a fact it would be in disrepair. Nobody in that village would occupy that house after Helena’s death.
The thing about small villages like that was that everybody knew everything about everybody. There was no escaping gossip and scrutiny. He didn’t think it would be any different this time, which was partly why he had chosen to come at night. He did t want to run into any of the villagers who’d known him, especially not his sister.
At last he came to the bank he and Helena had frequented so often through the years. Silvery moonlight bathed the scene, but instead of making it look beautiful, it just made it look cold. It might have looked the same as it did when Eldred was young, but it certainly did not feel the same.
His flowers, he noticed, still looked the same. But when he sat down on the bank and could see them more closely, he realised that they were wilting. They were made with his magic, they shouldn’t do that. But he supposed it must be because he was dying. Because the days he had spent with Helena were long gone. Those flowers would finally die back completely the day Eldred died. Which he supposed was nice in a way, because it meant that the flowers could stay special. They were a shared thing with him and Helena, and when he was gone they’d die with him. They’d always be just for him and Helena.
Talking of which.
“Hello, Eldred.”
She was sitting beside him, seeming more ethereal than ever. Apart from the darkness of her hair, she seemed to be made out of pure moonlight, shimmering in the air beside him.
“Helena,” he breathed
“I wondered how long it would take you to come back here,” she said softly “when you would stop running from the memories and the guilt. I’ve been waiting.”
“Why?” Eldred asked, “When I’m the one who let my anger get the better of me? I lost control, I killed you. Why have you waited for my return all these years?”
“Because I love you,” Helena replied simply “and that means forgiveness. A lesson you perhaps have yet to learn. You have to forgive yourself, Eldred, you have to let this guilt go.”
Eldred didn’t say anything to that, just tried his best to change the subject.
“Why are you here?” he asked, looking the spirit in the eye
In response, Helena picked a wilting flower, twirling it between her fingers.
“Your time is running out, my love,” she replied “and yet you are not at peace. The storm within you is as strong as it ever was.”
She looked at him, eyes that seemed to shine like stars examining him carefully.
“You have a job to do. You might not have long left but your story is far from over. The prince has many obstacles ahead of him, and you must guide him as you always have, no matter the cost. You still have yet to teach him the most important lessons he needs for kingship, all of which he will come across on his journey. If you are to truly prepare him for his future, a future where he is king and you are gone, you must find peace.”
The man looked in confusion at the figure of his wife, furrowing his brow. He didn’t understand.
“If you’re talking about my death,” he said “I’m quite at peace with it.”
“For a wise man, you can be quite narrow-minded,” Helena said with a chuckle “I do not mean your death, there are far bigger demons than death to face. Worse things lie ahead of you than that. No, what you fear most greatly is yourself, and that is what you must make your peace with. For it is your guilt that got you into this mess, is it not?”
Eldred was bewildered, and found himself unable to form words. With a knowing smile and a shake of her head, Helena rose to her feet, laying a hand on his shoulder.
“You will understand soon,” she said “For now, though, I must leave until we see one another again. Goodbye, my love. I’ll be waiting when the time comes.”
She pressed the flower into his palm, and suddenly she was gone, faded into the moonlight around him.
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Post by Sparky on Apr 16, 2020 12:13:59 GMT -5
[ lowkey upset he didn't talk to his sister ]
but highkey happy that he got to speak with Helena ]]
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Post by Sparky on Apr 16, 2020 16:34:16 GMT -5
Atreyu woke to the shrill screeches of an owl. His body lurched up from the forest floor instinctively, and a pit of confusion dug into his mind. The trees, the stars, the moon… each of them so otherworldly… and yet so strangely familiar.
“H-hello…?” His voice drowned in the sea of noises around him. Noises of the night. The droning of insects, the shuffling of prey and predators alike. None of these noises scared him, though. What scared him was why his own voice felt foreign to his ears.
His breaths quickened. His eyes flitted wildly about the dark scenery. No, this wasn’t right. Nothing was right. He didn’t know where he was, or…
Atreyu’s stomach dropped. No external threat of the night could compare to his internal turmoil. He didn’t know who he was. Only his name. No other memory, of which he was sure there must be thousands, came to his mind.
But when he scoured deeper into his mind, he did find one thing. And in his current state of anxiety and confusion, the certainty of that thing was comforting.
A dim glow caught his attention. Somewhere far in the distance, to his left. Atreyu stalked forward, silently advancing to the edge of the forest. The crackling that emanated from the light was familiar somehow. Fire?
He recognized the silhouettes of tents surrounding the campfire, but no one seemed to be up at this hour. With this in mind -and with little caution- Atreyu crept up to the site. The dying coals offered some semblance of warmth in the cold night.
And there he sat, blissfully ignorant of whatever the sleeping members of this camp would do to him. He grabbed a nearby stick to stir the coals, bringing up more flames. It didn’t matter much to him if anyone were to be roused by the noise. All he knew was that he needed warmth.
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Post by Sparky on Apr 17, 2020 18:57:47 GMT -5
Zach brought up the front of the group, trudging along through the night in search of the others. They had bandaged each other up with Zach's shirt, which had since been ripped to shreds and was now adorning the others in the form of makeshift tourniquets. Other wounds, however, would need different types of treatments. Zahavi's arm, Isabella's ribs... each of them would need so much more than a simple bandage.
The night was cold, and they had all unanimously agreed to trek on rather than make camp. They were reaching the foothills of the mountains, and with every step the temperature increased marginally. But though the weather was holding up, other conditions did not appear to be so favorable. They were tired, beaten down, and half-starved.
But they had to keep going, didn't they? Zach wasn't so sure anymore. Maybe it would be best for all of them if they were to settle down for the night. He had tried again and again to conjure a flame, but no such luck arose. Not even the slightest warmth greeted his fingertips. He was angry, confused, doubtful... and tired.
A single bandit could come upon them, and all they would need to do is shove each of them to the ground. Maybe the others were stronger, but Zach didn't trust himself to get back up if he fell. With that thought in mind, Zach's hand fell subconsciously to the knife at his belt. It did little to offer a sense of security, but it was a hope that he could cling to.
As they trekked onward, Zach's mind couldn't help but drift to the item that Leon now carried with her. A mystical crystal. One that had not long ago been the life source of what had attacked them. He didn't know what the creature had been, but Eldred had reminded them of the dangers that they might face on a journey outside of the kingdom.
In truth, Zach had had no idea what to expect, but somehow this wasn't it.
"Does anybody see anything?" He asked, stopping to focus better on their surroundings. He didn't want to seem completely hopeless, but the despair in his voice was difficult to mask.
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Post by 𝕊𝕙𝕒𝕕𝕠𝕨 on Apr 17, 2020 20:10:20 GMT -5
Leon, once again, brought up the back of the group. The hype of battle and victory had made the pain slightly bearable, but now that her heart rate had calmed, the burning pain was refusing to leave. She tried to use what little she knew of the magic the forest taught her.
It wasn’t going to well. The magic of blood usually belonged solely to magic healers. So every attempt she made ended with nothing more than the smallest of droplets floating, and not from controlling the blood itself, but from the abilities of her water manipulation.
She gave up, arms crossed. Instead of sticking to the back, as she had done before, she wondered forward, trudging slightly behind Zach. Helplessly looking the the barest sign of any of their members of the group.
Deciding that the silence was much too loud, and that speaking wouldn’t fill it, she fished out the crystal. Her senses alerted her that it was dangerous, powerful. Indeed, she could even feel it, pulsing with magic under the grasp of her fingers. It was a pretty jewel, bright and yellow. She feared what it meant for the journey though. The mark on the gave indicated some kind of path. Part of her wondered if that mark really stood for the ancient city of Nemea, or if it stood for something else altogether.
She quickly put it back, beside the armlet, she she frowned at. She was upset about the armlet. Realistically, she knew it was a possibility that maybe it might get scratched. It wasn’t really broken, just the clasp. It would be easy to fix with simple things.
Zach’s question caused her to stop. She was becoming depressed at this point, unsure of if she’s would see Zelos again. He, while being much older than her, was almost like a sibling. He was her closest companion, the one who carried the burden of her secrets. She hadn’t felt motivated much since the battle. Only the hope of finding Zelos kept her going.
“No, I don’t see-“ she stopped mid sentence, spotting a blue and yellow creature, small, catlike. A grin broke her face in two, tears almost escaping, she ran ahead of Zach, not caring much for the long drops and unstable rocks. “Zelos!” She cried out, joy in her voice, relief too. She staggered on the edge of the rocks, stopping as she stared up. Some rocks bounced off, kicked by her feet, and dropping below, but she paid them no mind. It was perhaps the happiest moment of her life, spotting him, after being so convinced she would never see him again.
All caution went to the wind. None of it matters anymore, secrets or not. She was relieved beyond words. She was by no means emotional, but the moment felt like a compelling case to show them. She didn’t, other than immesense relief, and a bright smile. A real smile, not one of the ones she carried as she pretended to be a noble, even if by birth, she was as much of a royal as Zahavi. It was the type of smile of a person who likely wasn’t impaled earlier that day, the type of smile that only came out during happy days. A bright one, that contrasted her usually snarky appearance. It seemed everything that day became worth it to her by simply spotting her companion. Even far away, he was obvious to see, at least for her. He was one in a million, an asshole, yes, but before all, he was her companion and trusted ally, and she loved him to the moon and back.
He was alive. Of course he was. But where were the others?
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Post by 𝕊𝕙𝕒𝕕𝕠𝕨 on Apr 17, 2020 22:51:02 GMT -5
He was diving down to her, and once he landed, even though it hurt her shoulder. She lost her balance a bit at his dive, but also lost her footing from relief. Len maybe it was just her falling back so she could hold him, curling him into her arms, and burying her face into his fur.
She felt pathetic for a moment, a split second, but he was there and safe. She felt his breath ghosting against her neck from where his face burrowed into her hair, and the tears were falling.
She never liked to cry, she didn’t cry much as it was. Not much since she lost her parents, that was. She cried on some occasions, but it was rare. She never felt so happy before. She curled him into her arms, smile bright, and eyes blurry from tears. She faced away from the group, determined not to let them show. “I know I’m an idiot, you idiot.” she commented, burying her own face into his fur. She laughed brightly at his comments, relief making her seem so different from before. His reprimands were endearing and sweet, and it was obvious it may have been a possible joke later on.
She rose her hand, hesitantly hugging him, the only creature she ever shared anything of physical comfort with. Usually with pets, or with him perched on her head. But it felt like a good occurrence. She softly pet his fur, before she sobered slightly, using her free hand to wipe tears from her face.
He was her companion, he was more than her companion. He was the one creature in the world that she loved more than anything, the most important thing in her life. Before a curse. Before a title. He was, in many ways, her world. A possible life without him in it wasn’t much of one at all.
She then sighed out, though she froze slightly, feeling a wetness on her shoulder, her neck. Her eyes filled with more tears, just as she was about to stop crying, she’s had to realize that he was crying too. “You really missed me, didn’t you?” It wasn’t even a joke, she was shocked that he was crying. He had never done that before. She wondered if maybe that was the first time ever.
“I love you so much Zelos, I would never leave you behind on purpose, I’m sorry.” She commented, choking back her crying. Dire situations brought out some of that kindness that she buried. It wouldn’t last, but she meant every word. But now wasn’t the time to cry. Now was the time to act, which brought her to a complete sober. Her voice taking on a reprimanding tone.
“Wait, why are you alone?” She started, frantically checking over him like a mother hen. Always protective of him, though most of the time she blew it off. “Do you know where the group is?” She tacked on, drying up the last of her tears, and carefully returning to a stand, trying to cradle him so he could rest. Sure, the group would have seen him, but if anyone made the move to hurt him, she would make them Rue ever even thinking of it. But she doubted they would.
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Post by 𝓗𝓸𝓷𝓮𝔂 𝓑𝓮𝓮 on Apr 18, 2020 21:30:42 GMT -5
εïз εïз-- ZAHAVI --εïз εïз
Zahavi was nothing more than deadweight at this point in their journey. His clothes were still uncomfortably damp from their unwanted dip in the river, his skin was chilled by the cool wind that swept through the mountains, and his arm hurt with every step he took. It was a wonder that his teeth weren’t chattering or that he hadn’t collapsed from exhaustion yet.
Not that he had any right to complain. It wasn’t like he did the majority of the fighting, down in that cavern of death. A lot of trying not to throw up and curling into a ball of pain, yes. Playing a large part in putting a stop to that monster’s attack, no. Zach and Leon are certainly in need of the most rest.
Magic must have been a draining talent.
He could have fallen asleep on his feet, if it weren’t for Leon’s exclamation. She dashed forward before he had the chance to ask what was going on, and in an instance, she was reunited with her—friend? Squinting, he tried to make out the small figure, but his head was pounding in rhythm with his heart and he wasn’t certain he understood what was happening.
Nausea hit him fast, a wave that left him lightheaded and trembling. “I think...I think I’m going to be sick. If you’ll excuse me,” he said, and unable to put his focus toward the startling display of friendly affection, he wandered a few steps over to a clump of undergrowth. Let himself have some semblance of privacy.
In the moments that passed, after his stomach settled, he was better able to give his attention to the others. Crouched down by the poor bush he chose, one that likely didn’t deserve the fate he bestowed upon it, he turned his head to tiredly look at Leon. “Is the group somewhere nearby? I would very much like to sleep.”
And see Eldred.
Gods, Zahavi missed Eldred so much.
𝓗𝓸𝓷𝓮𝔂 𝓑𝓮𝓮 |
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Post by Sparky on Apr 18, 2020 22:45:50 GMT -5
[  it's beautiful ] |
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Post by ƤαƖƖαѕ ✧ on Apr 19, 2020 6:44:00 GMT -5
It had not been an easy walk from the cave. Everyone was injured, and in pain. Isabella less so than her teammates, something she admittedly felt a tad guilty about; Leon and Zach did so much in that fight. Of course, that wasn’t unexpected, considering that they possessed magic. But still.
They had been walking for some time when they paused, Zach asking if anyone could see anything. That was when a creature Isabella had seen before came crashing to collide with Leon in a hug, startling the young woman.
It had been a very long and strange day for Isabella, and she was rather confused by everything happening around her. A feeling which wasn’t helped by Zahavi suddenly vomiting. He hadn’t been looking well for a while now, but she still hadn’t expected him to actually vomit. All of which made this whole situation a little more bizarre and confusing than it already was.
The women pinched the bridge of her nose, taking a deep breath.
“This is a lot to take in,” she commented
But she looked to where Zelos and Leon were, because Zelos was obviously the main thing that Isabella couldn’t wrap her head around. It felt like she was in some bizarre dream, in fact she wasn’t sure whether or not she was hallucinating.
“I think we might require a little more explanation about Zelos,” Isabella admitted “I’m.... confused by what the hell is happening right now.”
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Post by Sparky on Apr 19, 2020 12:53:02 GMT -5
Zach had only just finished his sentence when Leon ran ahead, shouting the name of her companion. Relief flooded his mind, but it was a short-lived emotion. Leon seemed to voice his own concerns to the shifter.
Where was the rest of the group? He walked forward slowly, not wanting to interrupt the reunion between the two. The joy that they felt was painful to watch... a stark reminder to what he knew he couldn't have. The events of the day only solidified his distrust in the pyrokinetic abilities he possessed. During the group's tussle with the earth elemental -when he needed it most- the flame had abandoned him. And ever since then, it refused to return. They were cold, wounded, tired, and he couldn't offer warmth at the moment.
Zach was vaguely aware of Zahavi's retching behind him, but he dared not look. As much sympathy he felt for the boy, he couldn't bring himself to show any directly.
"The group, civilization, anything." Zach said, desperation clear in his voice.
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Demisexual
Leo
Surviving off Thai tea and Miguel O'hara
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Post by Leo on Apr 19, 2020 17:43:13 GMT -5
(Atlas post is hereeeeee finally! I stole someone's technique I forgot who I'm sorry >.< and used song lyrics in my writing which are in bold. Enjoy being sad  ) If you must wait,
Wait for them here in my arms as I shake Heavy boot steps sounded in the night. Nothing but the weight of loss could be heard as a figure trudged heavily forward. The nocturnal creatures were not as active as they usually were. The air was still and did not carry the man that entered the town with weightlessness. It sat still as he moved. Forcing him to carry himself. Everything was completely silent. The Innkeeper wasn’t paying much attention when the stranger walked in. Too busy burying his nose in a good book to notice a new late-night customer. Only when the man cleared his throat quietly did he jump and catch sight of the horrible state the man was in. Blood and mud-covered his leather armor in splotches and splatter. Bruises and cuts littered his body indicating a fresh fight, his shoulder we’re hunched from exhaustion, and his weapon- despite having been wiped clean- still had droplets of blood on it. A little metal badge hung on his armor indicating his title. Witch hunter“How much for a room?” he asked. His voice sounded gravelly and hoarse when it should normally be smoother. As if he had been exhorting his voice too much. His accent hit words, more specifically vowels, harder than most people from around town. It was a thick dialect meaning he was from out of town, the innkeeper finally decided. It wasn’t often someone who came to his inn covered in blood. In fact, it never happened, this was a first. “Are ya full?” the stranger asked grabbing the innkeeper’s eyes again. The man just looked so tired and… haunted. “No,” the older man chuckled awkwardly. “Quite the opposite actually. Don’t have many visitors in this town,” he said as he went for his ledger and a room key. He was rambling now. Talking about nothing to keep his focus off of the blood-stained clothing and weapons. Blood he still wasn’t sure was all of his or not. But, they both knew the innkeeper was terrified of the blood. Finally, the ledger was opened to a page with blank spaces and a pen was handed to the witch hunter. “Just sign your name in there and pay 12 gold per night you wish to stay. That should do it.” Following the instructions as specified, the witch hunter took the quill, signed his name, and paid for a single night. As he started to leave towards his room, the stranger asked if he could order food to his room and a bath. The innkeeper agreed, to which the hunter grunted a thank you and disappeared into his temporary room. Curiously, the innkeeper took the ledger and looked at what name he had decided to sign with. Not one he would recognize but one he wasn’t soon to forget. Atlas Fox~~~~
If you must weep,
Do it right here in my bed as I sleep Atlas couldn’t find the will to sleep once he was clean and treated his wounds. He couldn’t get his mind to be quiet he was so caught up in the storm swirling within him. A range of emotions keep pounding themselves against his head and pressing against his chest. Rage, pain, devastation… All hitting him in waves until once more, for a few more seconds he was numb all over again. Scenes replayed in his head. Happy memories of him with his older brother when they were kids. How proud he was of him and all of his accomplishments. How much he looked up to him. How hard his death had affected Atlas. Then he thought of Isla and her smile. How curious and intelligent she is. Was…If you must mourn, my love
Mourn with the moon and the stars up above The witch hunter just kept staring out at the window at the pale moon vaguely covered by thin white clouds. How the stars seemed a little duller in his eyes. Blurry even. It was only when there was a knock at his door that he realized why. Atlas stood and wiped at his eyes, doing his best to hide the fact that he was crying and opened the door. A man about 25, close to his own age, with russet-colored hair and striking light green eyes walked in with a tray of food. Mostly fruits, cheese, and bread nothing too extravagant. He set the tray down on a side table and turned to catch the eye of said customer. “You look awful.” He observed nonchalantly. As if they were friends and could speak freely with each other. The man didn’t even bother to correct himself. He had meant to say what he did. Atlas narrowed his eyes slightly and gave him a thin smile. “Battle will do that to a person,” he said dismissively. He moved away from the door and approached the table. “Thank ya-“ The other man’s hand pressed against his chest, stopping him from walking any further. He stood there in front of him just studying his face. With a lift of one eyebrow and the removal of his hand, the green-eyed man nodded as if understanding. “I have seen many people come through this sad little Inn to know a thing or two. You’re grieving.” He started then narrowed his eyes. “Which means you might do something stupid.” Atlas couldn’t bring himself to say anything to that. He couldn’t find the words to confirm or deny the claims that this strange inn worker was suggesting. And he didn’t need to. His silence was an answer enough. The other man stared hard at him as if deciding what to do. “Tell me what you want. What you need.” It was an odd demand. Asking a complete stranger what they needed in a time of pain. There was much he wanted except for his Isla to come back. For this just to be one long nightmare that his daughter would wake him from. But what he wished was impossible. He almost said that he wanted to be left alone to his sleepless night. Left to think of happier times and suffer in the dark of the room. “ If you must mourn,” The servant said suddenly. He was closing any distance left between them. He looked as if he knew exactly what Atlas was going to say. Their noses brushed as the space between them closed. Atlas didn’t move away. Part of him wanted to but the other part… the other part wanted to feel something other than grief or numbness. Anything other than the pain weighing down on his shoulders. Something to distract him if only for a moment… The other man’s lips were close enough to touch his and still, Atlas didn’t move away when the man cupped his face in his hands. “ Don't do it alone.” ~~~~ “ If you must leave…” “I should. I only paid for a night,” Atlas interrupted as he stood from the bed and began gathering his things. He was numb again. Temporary relief from pain can only last so long before either emotions or numbness hit again. “Before you go.” the other man had cut back in starring at the witch hunter hard. He wanted him to listen and was determined to have him understand what he was saying. So, Atlas finished putting on his shirt and sat at the edge of the bed, nodding for him to continue. The servant leaned forward and took his hand in his tightly. “Just remember this. If you must die, Remember your life. If you must fight, Fight with yourself and your thoughts in the night. If you must work, Work to leave some part of you on this earth. If you must live, darling one, Just live.” Atlas checked out of the inn, setting off through the town and towards an unknown destination. He didn’t walk with the wind behind him, or with an even slightly lighter step. He walked out the same way he had come in. Heavy and alone. But there was a bit of a shift in his emotions. Something the servant man had said stuck with him. And once he was alone, truly alone within the forest, Atlas crumpled to the ground under the shade of a willow tree. There he sat, curled into himself sobbing. Just live. |
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Post by 𝕊𝕙𝕒𝕕𝕠𝕨 on Apr 21, 2020 13:31:14 GMT -5
Leon’s reunion with Zelos lasted moments, a peaceful silence and tranquility. But like all good things, it couldn’t last. Not with a larger task at hand. So she eventually let him go, drying her tears. She would ignore them, just as she had eveyrtime before.
Continuing on is what they needed to do now. So she let Zelos take the lead in guiding them back to the other group. Remaining at the forefront, with her eyes looking a great the bright stars above, glimmering brightly in the sky. They were so bright outfit of the main kingdom city, Treffaire was a large kingdom, with many neighboring kingdoms. Some kingdoms were large, but not as large as the main rulers of the kingdom.
It made sense, though, in the mountains, separating the kingdoms ever so slightly, no light, no festivals would interrupt the peaceful night. The moon was bright, almost full, gleaming powerful rays at the ground.
It provided some light, easier to avoid the dangerous falls. After a long while of walking down the mountain, Leon spotted something, a light, flickering off in the distance. A normal colored fire, mind you, not the bright mystic blue of Zach’s.
And then, even as she smiled slightly, excited to reunite with the group, something seemed to click, whispering in her ear, ”Fate is fate, if she’s to die...”
Since the boat, she hadn’t thought over the vision, she simply ventured on the journey, fighting, winning merrily reuniting with Zelos. But now she remembered it. A journey! Last the cursed lands and mountains, the man had said in the vision.
They were heading the right way. She was sure.
That begged the question of who she was. But the context of the vision left an almost sinking feeling in her chest. Her mother always warned of her powers, of hurting people, of fear.
Her gaze drifted to Zach, wondering if that’s what he had to deal with. And part of her wondered if it was even safe to remain in the group at all. The fear she ad escaped for so long had been thrown back into her face, in the worst way possible. Her mother always mentioned sometype of self-identified prophecy, a future she saw in which Leon became similar to the Nemean lion, a creature only able to destroy itself due to it’s destructive claws. But Leon always blew it off as a simple warning. The fact that her parents had tried so actively to avoid such a fate scarred her a bit. If she was really so dangerous, she shouldn’t even be there. She had already hurt them once.
Her eyes lingered onto her fingers, the darkened colors seem to have subsided. But they remained, veiny like darkened structures snaked around her fingers, like tree branches reaching into her palm. She clenched her fist, stepping forward, thinking over her possibilities.
So she made a decision.
—
Lyra was sleeping, though not well. She often cried, as she had done earlier, and the thought of a prince that she tended to and got to know being dead stuck deep in her heart, like a stubborn thorn that wouldn’t quite budge.
The group had split up, trying to find the lost group, but never found any clues at all. Nothing at all had been found in the waters that seemed to exit the mountain.
She had cried quite a bit since, not loud ones, but soft hiccups as she tried to stay strong. The gravity of how dangerous the journey was weighed heavily on her shoulders.
If only it has been her instead of the prince...
She heard a soft voice, her eyes widening slightly as she woke with a start, hoping she wasn’t imagining it. Was it them?
She ran out of her tent, Never even having changed, still stuck in a tattered and torn short dress, her eyes welling up with new tears as she spotted them, bloody, bruised, and looking completely defeated, yes.
She spotted a creature by Leon too, an uncanny scream escaping her before she threw her hand over her mouth, absolutely terrified, it seemed. She staggered back, eyes unbelievably wide.
She turned towards Leon, who the creature seemed to be taken up to, her eyes wide and panicked, before she harshly pointed, “What. Is. That?” She questioned, accentuating each one with a new point, her voice hissed out through her teeth.
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Post by 𝓗𝓸𝓷𝓮𝔂 𝓑𝓮𝓮 on Apr 22, 2020 12:41:35 GMT -5
εïз εïз-- ZAHAVI --εïз εïз
Hours of walking left Zahavi boneless and exhausted. His stomach churned dangerously with every step, threatening to make him retch once more, and he was forced to actively fight off the feeling. He knew that they didn’t have time to stop every time he needed a break, much as he wanted to complain for one. This was one of those times that he would just need to ignore his wants—and natural desire to demand them, as the kingdom’s crowned prince—for the good of the group as a whole.
Besides, he really wanted to see Eldred again, and sleep for at least a day. After that, and only then, would he allow himself to freak out over the sight of Zelos. Truly, he might have been in a state of shock after their near death experiences. Everything around him felt slow and numb, like it wasn’t real. Like he wasn’t real. He felt detached from his own body, separating his mind from the physical aspect of himself.
It felt like an eternity, when at last they arrived within proximity of a camp that the strange dragon or cat-like being led them to. He heard Lyra’s unholy shriek of fear, but barely processed it, as he stumbled his way behind the group and to the front. Nearly collapsed as he spread his arms and enveloped the servant in a limp, heavy hug. He was so very happy to see her, to see that the rest of the group had made it out of the mountains somewhat safe and sound. It was a big relief to his worried heart.
“Wonderful to see you, Lyra. Pay the dragon...creature no mind. I think he’s a friend of Leon’s. I don’t actually know,” he mumbled into her shoulder, too tired to move, and probably putting far too much weight on her. His arm was screaming at him in protest, but he couldn’t find the strength to let go or move away. Really, he could have fallen asleep right there, standing up and using her for support. “As long as he doesn’t try to kill, maim or harass anyone, I don’t care.”
At this point, that was all he could really ask for.
After a few moments of silence, still refusing to move, he mumbled out a sleepy, “Is Eldred around?”
𝓗𝓸𝓷𝓮𝔂 𝓑𝓮𝓮------------------------------------------------------------------------- ⚔⚔-- DRUSILLA --⚔⚔
The sound of a terrified scream woke Drusilla from a restless, dreamless slumber. She thought at first that it was her imagination, but quickly realized that it was the voice of Lyra, who had no reason to be in her mind. On instinct, she reached for her blade, the one given to her by her father that she kept as sharp as possible, and exited her tent in a rush. Only once she was outside did she see that there was no real need for any alarm—well, possibly.
Their missing group members had returned to them, incredibly worse for wear and each bearing the clear signs of serious injuries. She could read the lines of exhaustion on each of their faces, see blood on some and bruises on most. Her hand, gripping the handle of her dagger, loosened. She tucked it back into its rightful place at her waist, then put her hands on her hips. There was much to be angry about.
There was a strange creature by Leon’s side, which would certainly need some explaining. More importantly, she would have her hands full treating the wounds of those around her, and she mentally calculated her supplies and how much she might have left afterwards.
“What in the gods names have you children done? You’re all half dead on your feet,” she hissed, squished down the surge of relief at seeing them at least alive, because there was no way that she would allow them to get away with clearly being reckless. “Is there any one of you that isn’t injured? Or did all of you take turns trying to die? Well, however you managed to beat each other up, you better decide who needs my help first and hope I’m in a good enough mood to treat you.”
A lie. She would always treat injured patients. Not that they needed to know that.
𝓗𝓸𝓷𝓮𝔂 𝓑𝓮𝓮 |
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Post by ƤαƖƖαѕ ✧ on Apr 22, 2020 12:59:42 GMT -5
Isabella followed the others back to the camp, still incredibly confused and unsettled by the whole Zelos situation, but honestly too confused and in pain to really say anything more about it.
Drusilla emerged at that moment,, concerned obviously about the state of the group and seemingly angry that they’d gotten themselves in that state.
“I’ll go last,” Isabella replies “I’m the least injured, I can wait.”
That seemed only fair in her opinion, what with the state the others were in. They had done so much, and they were years younger than her. They ought to be seen first.
“And for the record,” we continued “we’re lucky we’re only this injured. Or that we even got out. By all accounts, we should be dead.”
She didn’t know if she had the energy or time to explain to everyone exactly what had happened, plus Lyra was shocked enough already after her encounter with Zelos.
Zahavi asked where Eldred was, and it was at that moment the old man emerged from a path leading up the hill. He looked strange. Tired, maybe even upset. Just emotionally wrung out and a little pale. But when he saw the group his face brightened, and he even almost mailers
“Zahavi!” he said, relief flooding his voice as he hurried to approach the young prince, “thank god you’re alive.”
He seemed happier than Isabella had ever seen him.
But then he seemed to register the boy’s injuries, his moment of joy at seeing the prince alive abating and concern for his injuries taking over.
“What the hell happened to you?”
He should have expected the boy to be injured, he supposed. He couldn’t imagine getting out of a situation like that unhurt. But he supposed he hadn’t expected him to be that hurt.
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Post by Sparky on Apr 22, 2020 14:50:12 GMT -5
The newly exposed coals of the fire radiated a warmth that brought a sense of comfort to Atreyu. A few times the boy dozed off, but with each passing second he managed to regain some sense.
His name was Atreyu, that much was clear. But he didn't exactly know who he was. Or where he was. Every piece of knowledge seemed eerily innate. For instance, he knew not to touch the dying fire -knew that such an action would burn him- but he didn't understand how he knew this. Or when he had learned it. He knew the shapes around him as tents, and that there would likely be people inside of them.
The knowledge was there, but all memories attached to said knowledge was gone, leaving only an unsettling, vague familiarity with his surroundings.
Soon enough, Atreyu regained enough sense to realize that the position he had set himself in was unsafe. The recent fire was evidence enough to prove that the tents were occupied, and a rustling inside one of them only confirmed this thought.
He stole his gaze from the fire and peered into the darkness around him. The coldness. Atreyu shivered at the thought.
A distant movement caught his eye. Shapes, coming towards the camp. Four of them... and the leader seemed to have a disfigured upper body. Raiders? Surely not... no, they looked injured. Limping down the mountainside weakly.
Members of the camp? This seemed more likely, but it in turn raised a lot of questions. Questions that Atreyu didn't need to answer to.
And just like that, he was on his feet, stealing away into the forest to avoid any sort of confrontation. There was slight rustle to his right, coming from another figure on a path. A path that looked as if it lead to a small village. Atreyu dodged to his left and deeper into the forest, intent on avoiding danger.
It was then, as he stepped back into the coldness of the night, that Atreyu noticed a small weight on his left hip. He reached for it, surprised to find a weapon attached to his belt.
A short dagger, perhaps better described as a knife. He knew of this type of weapon, but felt no specific connection to the blade. This had to be his first experience with it, he was sure.
Atreyu cradled it in a patch of moonlight that had sifted down through the trees and -using what little illumination he had- inspected the weapon.
A series of strange inscriptions carved veritcally along the blade were the first things to grasp Atreyu's attention. They reflected off the moonlight beautifully, and he found himself tracing the mysterious symbols. Atreyu had no clue what they meant, but they were enchanting nevertheless.
Upon further inspection a second detail caught his eye. A crystal. Embedded into the weapon where hilt melts into blade. Small and reddish in color. As Atreyu peered closer, he noticed something within the crystal. A sort of... mist. Golden in colr, and swirling about within its red prison. Its movements... the way it pulsated in brightness... almost as if it were breathing.
Almost as if it were alive.
Atreyu rubbed the crystal with his thumb, and immediately afterward gasped. It gave off an alarming warmth, and he speculated that it must've stolen some heat from the fire.
Whatever it was, Atreyu was determined to find out. And so he slinked deeper into the forest, subconsciously sticking parallel to the path. A path that with each step would lead him closer and closer to a nearby village. It was a world of uncertainty for Atreyu, and he had set out to get some answers.
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Post by 𝕊𝕙𝕒𝕕𝕠𝕨 on Apr 22, 2020 15:07:17 GMT -5
Lyra started wearily at the creature, but then Zahavi was wrapping the taller than average female in a hug, and she felt him bury his head into her shoulder. She delicately placed her hand on the back of his head, feeling pity for the younger boy. He looked to be in so much pain. “I am glad to see you well, Prince Zahavi, I had thought you-you had-“ she didn’t finish the sentence. She just hugged the boy a tiny bit more, being careful to not further the injuries to his arm. She looked over his head at Isabella, noting with a sigh of relief that while battered, she seemed alive and well.
She had come to cherish every member of the group, and had taken up well with the merchant and Drusilla, who both aided her just the morning before. It was well after midnight on the new day as it was.
She held back a snicker as Drusilla took to fretting over the children. But then Zahavi was asking for Eldred, and the man appeared.
She let go of Zahavi, nudging him softly towards Eldred, a smile overcoming her face. Eldred had never seemed so joyous before. It seemed he always had these stormclouds over his head. But it was good to see him so relieved.
Leon glanced between Zelos and the others, weary of what they may do. Then Zahavi made a moment about not caring, as long as Zelos didn’t harm anyone, she shrugged ever so slightly, “I wouldn’t put it past him to maim someone if they mess with his food.” She commented, looking tired and deadpan as she glanced ack at the creature, a fond smile on her lips, “And if someone bothers him, they bother me. If anyone has an issue with his presence, then you could count me out of the trip.”
She never was very gentle about those things, and she shrugged again, “He’s been here the whole time anyways,” she said that a bit softer, more to herself than anyone, and watched as both Lyra and Eldred fretted over Zahavi. A tired expression on her face as she shrugged, “Wow Guys, I’m feeling loved. As a recap, we got attacked by a giant skeletal stone monster.”
She had every intention to go and pass out. Sleep sounded much too endearing. So when Drusilla came over, berating the group, she rolled her eyes, before gesturing towards Zach and Zahavi, “They’re pretty injured. The prince has broken his arm, I think, at least, that’s why I assume it looks like a broken twig,” She then gestured towards Zach, “And this one decided to tick off said creature, but saved all of us along with Zahavi, so tend to them first. I myself am going to bed.”
Stupid decision, really. Her intentions weren’t just to sleep. Part of it was, but not everything about it. She had learned many things that day. A lack of control for years, and ignorance to her abilities almost killed her and everyone else. But when the time came to properly use the abilities she had, she failed to do so correctly. She was sure that wouldn’t be the last issue they had to overcome, and she had no time for letting someone else play doctor. Zach had been bravely defending the group, and even Zahavi had been throwing rocks to distract the creature. But everyone was hurt, and she couldn’t help the overbearing cloud of guilt the fact alone brought.
She went to turn away, glancing over the camp, her eyes narrowed in exhaustion. It didn’t even pass her mind to properly think of the consequences of leaving so brashly before, but she suddenly remembered everyone’s reaction to Zelos. So, Instead of walking over to a tent, she plopped herself down on the ground, before glancing back at Eldred, “So where’s the witch hunter? Because before I run off to sleep, we probably need to set a few things straight about how we’re going to handle this,” She lazily pointed at Zelos, before looking back at Eldred, “And him.”
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Post by ƤαƖƖαѕ ✧ on Apr 22, 2020 16:28:13 GMT -5
Eldred’s attention was pulled away from the prince when Leon sat down and started talking to him.
“Your Highness,” he said with a smile “I promise we will talk soon, yes? Come find me after Drusilla has taken a look at you.”
There, that should sort things out. It would give Eldred time to talk to Leon - which he had been intending to do anyway - and it would calm Zahavi with the knowledge that he would get a chance to get some time with Eldred. Plus, it would also encourage him to actually have his wounds looked at.
With that settled, Eldred turned his attention to Leon. She asked where Atlas was, saying they should probably talk about how to handle the whole Zelos situation, which Eldred nodded.
“Yes, I think that would be wise,” Eldred reply drily “As for the witch-hunter, he’s-“
The old man was interrupted by Atlas’s emergence from his tent and the whole subsequent interaction with Zelos. With a sigh, Eldred glanced to Leon.
“I presume that answers your question,” he said with a raised eyebrow “but we ought to talk nonetheless. Come, we can talk in my tent.”
He led the way, entering and waiting for Leon to follow him. This was good, the others were distracted by the arrival of the wounded group members, and by the presence of Zelos. Nobody would interrupt or even notice they were gone, most likely. Once Leon entered the tent, Eldred turned to the girl, his face unreadable.
“If I had been informed there would be two royals accompanying us on this trip I might have at least packed some of my finer clothes,” Eldred said
He just paused, looking Leon up and down. He was more and more convinced, especially now, about who she was. She was grown up now, of course, but given everything he knew about Leon she couldn’t be anyone other than the Valdera princess. He folded his arms triumphantly.
“It’s been a long time, Your Highness.”
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Post by 𝓗𝓸𝓷𝓮𝔂 𝓑𝓮𝓮 on Apr 22, 2020 16:38:38 GMT -5
⚔⚔-- DRUSILLA --⚔⚔
Regardless of what was currently going on and the amount of drama that was unfolding among the group, there was only one thing that Drusilla knew for certain: she had multiple patients to treat before the night was over and all of them would need to be tended to as soon as possible. The longer she waited, the more likely it was that something bad would happen. That their wounds would get worse or, most likely, become infected.
That was the last thing they needed on this journey, when she didn’t have access to her large stores of herbs and remedies. She brought with her the most essential supplies, what she could fit into her lightweight bags.
However, she was unwilling to let one part of their group drink himself into a stupor while many of them were in pain and she had her hands full. No, Atlas could be allowed to drink over her dead body, or at the very least when all was said and done.
“Atlas, put down that flask this instant. If you have time to drink, you have time to come help me. I have my hands full enough,” Dru demanded from where she stood, turning her head to look over at the man with a withering glare. Daring him silently to argue, her face pinched tight with seriousness. Then, she pointed to Zach and beckoned him to come closer, one hand still on her hip. “You. Go to my tent. Now. No arguments. I can see how bad your injuries are from over here.”
Zach looked to be the one who was the most battered, and while Zahavi may have been royalty, that didn’t mean he was her top priority. She approached Atlas and gave him a slap on the back—not quite hard enough to hurt, but far from gentle. “You’ll fetch me some rags and bucket of clean water, won’t you, Atlas? Thank you, I knew you would.”
𝓗𝓸𝓷𝓮𝔂 𝓑𝓮𝓮 |
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Post by 𝕊𝕙𝕒𝕕𝕠𝕨 on Apr 22, 2020 17:00:01 GMT -5
Leon’s eyes widened, she felt a small gust of wind when Zelos lazily lifted his wings, and turned ever so slightly, smirking as she saw the flabbergasted look on Atlas’ face when Zelos told him off.
She considered revealing her magic out of taunting the witch-hunter, but then Eldred dashed all those hopes. He was talking about how good of an idea it would be to go and talk. Which, even if she suggested it, she kind of regretted now.
She looked at Zach, Zahavi, and Isabella, before standing up again, “Zelos, be good for Zach. Listen to him until I get back, and try not to cause too much trouble. I’ll be right back.” She commented, though she didn’t really care if he chose to stay or not, she didn’t make any moves to get him off. Not with him lounging on her shoulders like a parrot. She grinned ever so slightly, “And since when have you gotten so mature?”
Drusilla was beckoning Zach then, and Leon nodded back at her companion, as if asking him to watch the boy. She then followed Eldred, biting back her taunts towards Atlas. It would do no good to earn his ire, not when she likely had a target on her back already.
She stepped into the tent, looking around, “So, you said you wanted to talk to-“ she started, but his face was unreadable and the word says died on her tongue.
Well shit. This wasn’t good. Did he just make some comment about two royals? Was he still confused over the whole facade at the palace? She hoped so. But she also knew he wasn’t, because not even Zahavi would be that stupid.
“I should amend that I was only pretending to be royal to get into the palace.” She commented, deadpanning, arms crossed over her chest. She tended to do that a lot, like she was comforting herself and securing herself from the world.
Oh, now he looked smug, she copied his movements, though she glanced to the side of him. For a moment, it was calm, she just listened to his accusation, rather, his simple comment. Her face gave nothing away. She glanced at the ground, before back up at him, her features still deadpanned like before, “You better not bow or some shit.” She blandly commented.
She then decided to address the actual issue at hand, deciding on her words a bit carefully, but still honestly, “I’d love to say I have no clue what you’re talking about-“ she started, drumming her fingers against her skin, before clasping her fingers together and holding them down, a bit more regal, though with the confused, conflicted look on her face, it didn’t exactly match, though her eyes narrowed, “But that title doesn’t fit me anymore. And quite frankly, it never will. I’m not exactly graceful.”
She stared down for a moment, thinking over how to correctly reply to all the conflicting thoughts in her head. Her eyes lingered on her darkened fingertips, before she moved her arms again, this time clasping them behind her back, before glancing at him on more, having selected her words, “So, how exactly long have you known anyways? And why tell me? Aren’t you, I don’t know, suspicious I did this? That I’m leading you all to your ultimate demise or something? That I’m here to take back what belonged to me?”
Maybe it wasn’t exactly smart to voice such thoughts out loud, but she was genuinely curious. Her voice kept that sarcastic tone for some of her words, but she was wondering why on earth he would reveal he knew. If she was a traitor, she could target him and take him down to keep that secret safe.
Not that she would do it. She didn’t give him long as it was. Her eyes narrowed, not in an overly playful manner, but in a teasing one at least.
“I don’t know why, but I always imagined you would look younger.” She commented, hands still behind her back. Though it seemed in some manner, she had become a bit panicked, wavering slightly. Her shoulder still was bleeding, not as bad as before due to the tourniquet, and even used to the pain, it still hurt.
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Post by Sparky on Apr 22, 2020 17:36:13 GMT -5
In just the few moments after the group had reunited, Zach's anxiety towards the future had lessened somewhat. But they all needed dire medical attention, and Dru's entrance had been more than on cue. She was angry, that much he was sure about. And for good reason, too. The four of them had gone off and almost gotten themselves killed.
"What Leon said," Zach stated simply in response to Dru's question. His mind recollected the events of the fight, and the injuries that each of them had sustained. The prince was very obviously hosting some sort of broken bone. Leon was bleeding out of both shoulders, and Isabella was battered and bruised. She'd be feeling every single one of those much worse tomorrow.
Himself? Zach tried not to think about that. He had kept the makeshift vine-tourniquet around his arm and shoulder, where the monster had sank its teeth into after throwing him halfway across the cavern. The vines were tight, and they had done a mediocre job of stopping the blood flow, but so much had already been lost. Zach was pale, and with each step came the threat of collapsing onto the ground.
What he wanted more than anything right now was to fall asleep, but past experiences with blood loss told him this was a bad idea. And he had never gone through this much before... fear of not waking up was a legitimate one at this point. Leon was being whisked away to speak with Eldred, and Dru beckoned Zach into her tent before he could protest.
His mind wasn't working properly. Zelos needed protection and Leon was alone with Eldred. What were they talking about? He squinted his eyes in distrust... but perhaps the old man had some type of healing magic. No, that didn't make sense. Nothing made sense.
Not in the state Zach was in, at the least.
Realizing that he was on the verge of losing consciousness, Zach hurried into Dru's tent, complying with every word of hers.
"The thing, it... it got my arm," Zach said, his mind now sober of earlier emotions. And with his mind cleared, the pain became more and more evident. Each fang mark dug into his skin and muscle, pulsating with each beat of his heart. "It's teeth," he breathed, knowing that his attempts at explaining were failing. "I just need rest, really..."
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Post by Hawkeyes258 on Apr 22, 2020 17:50:15 GMT -5
Zander wasn't happy that the prince and his friends had been found, but knew there would be other opportunities for accidents to happen. However, he had been more surprised by the strange creature clinging to Leon. What on earth was that? He stared at the weird lizard thing with wings. Only encounter, Zander had with any magical creature was at a circus or roadside zoo. Honestly, he forgot that such creatures existed to be honest. "What's next a flying pig?" He muttered before settling down on the grass to process everything. Wait till the nobles back at court hear about this!
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Post by ƤαƖƖαѕ ✧ on Apr 23, 2020 2:03:04 GMT -5
“Yes,” Eldred replied “I’m aware. I wasn’t fooled by your little act at the time, and I am not fooled by it now.”
That was in answer to Leon’s words about her pretending to have been a noble in order to get entry into the palace. He and Drusilla had seen through that, though of course Eldred hadn’t had any idea at the time who Leon really was. They’d just thought she was a thief sneaking in off the streets.
At her comment about bowing, Eldred didn’t say anything. That was actually a far trickier issue than Leon knew. To bow was to give his allegiance one way or the other, to choose between Leon and Zahavi.
He watched the way the girl fidgeted, obviously nervous that she had been caught. Yes, she ought to be.
“Neither is Zahavi,” Eldred pointed out at her graceful comment “what’s your point?”
Neither Zahavi nor Leonela were exactly ideal royal children, that much had to be said. But Eldred didn’t really care so much about all that stuff. It was the royal blood in their veins that interested him.
“To answer your first question,” Eldred started “I began to suspect from the start, really. You looked something like the young princess, though of course you were a child last I saw you, and children kind of look like everybody. You were the right age, you had magic, and you said your name was Leon. Your mother had called you her little lion more than once. I chalked it all up to coincidence at first.”
He paused to cough into his handkerchief before continuing.
”And then today happened. You got all dazed on the mountain, and you looked just like how your mother looked when she got one of her visions. But what sealed the deal was your hands,”
He gestured to her hands, this time clasped behind her back. But he’d seen her holding them in front of her even during their conversation.
”I am not stupid. Do you think I don’t recognise dark magic when I see it? The only person I knew with destruction powers like that was the princess. You.”
Then he paused once again, unfolding his arms.
”As for your second question, of course I am and was suspicious of you. I don’t trust anyone in this group who was in the palace when the king and queen died aside from Zahavi, and Drusilla who was sitting next to me. And my suspicion only grew when I started to suspect about who you were. But you protected the rest of that group today. Surely if your aim was to kill Zahavi and take back the throne you would have found a way for him to die down in that cave. But I am telling you for this very reason. I want you to know that I know who you are, and that if you ever want to harm Zahavi to take back the throne, you will have to go through me. That boy has been under my protection his entire life and that isn’t ending now. My loyalty remains with the current rulers, no matter how much I might sympathise with the former ones.”
And at her final words, he just raised an eyebrow.
”Yes,” he commented “who knew that time passes while you’re not there.”
But then, the issue of Leon’s identity addressed, Eldred moved on.
”You can rest assured your secret is safe with me,” Eldred said “but now we must discuss the issue of the witch-hunter. How do you think this should be handled?”
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Post by 𝕊𝕙𝕒𝕕𝕠𝕨 on Apr 23, 2020 12:24:01 GMT -5
She forced herself to calm, her body falling into a stillness, as her fingers tapped, nail against nail, behind her back. She didn’t reply for a while until he commented about Zahavi also not being graceful. She actually snorted, choking back a chuckle, ”Okay, yeah, that’s true. But I didn’t mean specifically in a physical ideal. He’s very caring for his subjects, he doesn’t hurt or endanger them.” Her face gave way little to how deep the words were, with deepseated fear and paranoia of herself. Instead, she said it with an air of calm. Poised a bit, as a thief should be when caught.
She always had issues maintaining a secret once someone sniffed it out. But until that point she was good with it. Insecurities were no different, except, even if someone got a sniff on them, she wouldn’t reveal a thing. Insecurity was a weakness, and people would use them against whomever they pleased to ensure that they go at what they wanted. She’d seen it before, and she was sure Eldred, no matter how caring he seemed to be over Zahavi’s was the exact same.
“As you should have,” She responded when he began talking about his first suspicions, shrugging ever so slightly, “Looks change as we mature, though my black hair and overly blue eyes might be a giveaway, such features aren’t as common in the kingdom-“ she continued onwards, smirking ever so slightly, “I could have even been hiding as someone like Zach, based on the information you gave, he could have been the lost princess,” the very idea of Zach in a tiara and gown almost made her lose it.
She kept a mostly straight face, as he went onwards, expressing about how she looked like her mother. She found her hands clasping once more, turning white at the knuckles. Dead, she was dead, Eldred told her so at the gala. He went on talking about how similar she looked to her mother, whose features were lighter, her hair wasn’t as dark as night, her eyes weren’t such a saturated blue, rather, a pale color like the early morning skies. And still, the very idea of her mother’s visions sent a sad feeling into her veins.
Mother was dead. She schooled her features, keeping her straight face, tasting a rush of blood as she bit her tongue to keep from speaking. She wouldn’t respond to that comment, she was nothing like her brave mother.
He mentioned her hands, she brought one forward, leaving the other tucked at her side. No sense in hiding if he already knew. “And how would you know about it?” She questioned, though the answer was obvious, he’d seen her magic when she was a child, but his whole comment about recognizing it concerned her a bit. Had she done something terrible as a child that stuck with him that easily? She didn’t even remember him! Then again, he also had a ton of books and did a lot of research, he’d likely encountered dark magic texts in his past.
Her eyes narrowed ever so slightly when he began talking about the rulers, when the king and queen died. While she believed that their chances of surviving were slim, she didn’t go on this hellbound journey just to play around. ”I might not be Royal, and it may be incredibly rude for me to correct you. But the current king and queen aren’t dead. An example of dead would be my parents. You told me last week that they were dead, at the gala. You said that the king and queen were going to free them. So unless you’re lying, I owe a lot more to them than trying to take back the crown. If I can sneak into a castle, I could have easily killed all of them, not to mention the aid of all the angry magic users who have been pushed into submission. If I wanted the prince dead, he would be dead, you and I both know it wouldn’t be that hard to do.” She didn’t expect any less of him in regards to loyalty. He had remained a lapdog to the royals that would give him the time of day as long as she had known of. She didn’t expect a pampered servant to do anything less. Though, perhaps that was a cruel thought. Eldred was looking out for the foolish prince.
”Though, in regards to his importance. I must warn you, he’s very self-sacrificing. With a good chance of possibly not finding a cure or not getting it in time, I think it’s important that he remains safe. If he dies, the throne is open to whoever is strong enough to take it. That means a war. I admire the fact that he places himself on par with everyone else, but since he was allowed to roam free, it’s probably in your best interest to try and explain that to him.” She didn’t bring up any invalid points. But she also wasn’t doing it to be mature, because why would she do that? It was more of a thing about pointing out something wrong, just to be a bit of an ass, while also almost showing concern.
Disgusting.
She tapped her chin with her index finger, pondering for a moment on his question about the witch hunter, before crossing her arms, posture straight and proud. She never seemed to lack much on confidence or poise outwardly, other than fidgeting at times, ”I suggest that he gets over himself. And also, why was a witch hunter allowed to go on this journey. I get that Zahavi didn’t know about magic, but why did you never tell him? I though you trusted him?” She looked at him, seeming a little curious, but also triumphant as well.
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Post by ƤαƖƖαѕ ✧ on Apr 23, 2020 12:54:34 GMT -5
And how would you know about it?
Leon’s response to his comment about her magic made him pause. He could not, would not tell her about why he knew and recognised dark magic. It brought back painful memories to even think about it. The desperation he had been in during his own encounter with the magic. No, she couldn’t know.
“Not that it’s any of your business,” Eldred said pointedly “but I’m acquainted with your abilities. Not to mention my own research.”
There, that ought to be enough of an explanation for her and if it wasn’t he didn’t intend to answer any more of her questions about it.
“Oh, please, they’re as good as,” Eldred replied “I would never say so in front of the prince but we both know we’re against the odds here in terms of finding this cure, nor do we know anything about who the culprit might be. And yes, you owe a lot to Zahavi’s parents, but you didn’t know any of that until after they’d been poisoned. Plus, because Zahavi did not drink his wine we cannot know whether he was intended to be poisoned as well. But I grant you that had you intended to wipe out the royals you would have done so, indeed as I have myself pointed out. The fact that Zahavi came out of that cave alive proves as much to me. I just felt that it was worth warning you. I went through a hell of a lot for this job and you can bet that I’m going to do it right. Whether it be protecting Zahavi, or protecting the kingdom.”
At her comments about Zahavi being self-sacrificing, Eldred rolled his eyes.
“I know that, I’ve known Zahavi his whole life. But what I also know about Zahavi is that he’s stubborn as all hell, and telling him he can’t do something is a surefire way to guarantee he does it. I’m looking out for him as best I can, Leon, and I’d appreciate it if you don’t try to tell me how to do my job. Well, technically it’s not my job but I think we can both agree it might as well be. Either way, I’m doing everything I can to keep Zahavi safe but at the end of the day that boy is sick of feeling like he’s useless. I’ll do what I can but I’m not sure if it’ll work.”
Her question made Eldred shrug.
“You’ve already said it,” he responded “because I trust Zahavi. He knows about my magic, has for a long time. I can give Zahavi advice but I can’t stop him from doing something. And he wanted Atlas here. I trust Zahavi on this decision, but moreso I trust on our ability to deal with any problems that may arise from having him on the trip. He’s going to prove useful, I’m sure of it. We aren’t the only magical things out there, after all, and a witch-hunter will know a great deal on how to defend against magic, probably more than any of us magic-users might. That’s why he’s here.”
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it's beautiful ]
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