Fantasy Andros - [ Always Accepting ]

[. D O V E]

[class name=name]font-size:50px;[/class]

[div class=name]HARIN[/div]​

With a loud thump, Harin crashed onto the ground face-first, groaning for a few moments before pulling herself back on her feet. She immediately faced her Astrian, hands placed on her hips looking like a squawking chicken. "Thank you for the ride, Yxial, but can you not make me kiss the ground next time, please? It hurts physically and emotionally, you know?" Anyone could easily tell she was pouting behind her mask.

However, the Aasimar quickly bounced back to her cheery self when she was reminded of the man she was looking for. "My prince was just down there a few hours ago! I think he retrieved something, but I'm not so sure." She added to Yxial's report. "But it doesn't matter. What matters is that we're on the right track!" The girl was practically bouncing with glee as she made her way to Yuann and Ronath, a broken sword dangling on her hands.

"Here," she extended the said ornate sword to the mercenary, rubbing the back of her neck sheepishly once it has been accepted. "We stumbled upon it while investigating. I know it's broken and all, but I thought of you when I saw it." She paused, realizing her implication. "I-I'm not saying you're broken or something! I just remembered how fascinated you are with old things like this." Then she paused again. "And no, I'm not trying to weasel my way out of paying you this month." She let out an awkward chuckle, silently wishing that Yuann would find a good use or at least appreciate her gift. "Just wanted to make your day brighter, is all."

"Aaaand don't think I forgot about you, big boy!" The blonde walked closer to Ronath. She then reached for something underneath her cloak, the tip of her tongue poking out of her lips as she took at least a minute rummaging. However, she didn't even show the Astrian her gift as she randomly jumped on her position and tucked a yellow flower behind his ear. "Tada! You look even prettier now." She laughed once more, but it wasn't one out of mockery. Instead, it was filled with genuine delight. "And just so you know, I didn't pick that flower. It was already on the ground when I found it."

When that was all said and done, Harin walked towards her bag and began fishing for something. After a few fumbling, she pulled out a worn-out map before examining it, her free hand scratching her mask as she pondered. "Okay, so that road leads to... Galeford!" She announced, shoving the map back to her bag. "We gotta get there! How do you guys wanna do this? Should Yxial and I transform into horses and the two of you can ride us? Oooh! Even better, how about Yxial transforms into a giant, rainbow butterfly then we all ride him?"

AI10100 Athanas Colorless Spectrum

 

[AI10100]

O S H I A R , Y X I A L​

"I expected you to land on your feet." Yxial responded with a tilt of his head, his wings folding back and disappearing. He sounded genuinely confused by the outcome. "I suppose I can't expect a kitten to get it on their first leap." Though he had been with her for a while, her reflexes should have been enough. During battle, there was no doubt that Harin could hold her own. The mere fact that she can go all out yet still never kill anyone is already a feat. With his added blessing, she should be even more capable than she was before. Her training, though she might have largely forgotten the people around her, should still be ingrained into her very being. This woman was shaped up to be a royal guard ever since her birth.

Could it be it was because she had let her guard down? She mentioned emotionally as part of her statement. Did she let her guard down because she trusted him to deliver her safely to the ground? Was it because she specifically trusted him to do so? Certainly, Harin made it clear time and time again that they were 'friends'. There always was a specific amount of trust placed in an Astrian by the master - to not kill them. But Harin... there was complete trust in that simple action that she let herself be caught off-guard.

Fatal attacks come from the unlikeliest of places. Yxial knew Ronath from a long time ago, fought alongside him and perished with him. They were partners. But that didn't mean Yxial would completely let his guard down. Two predators presented with prey would end up competing with each other. Even family can turn against each other if it was for survival.

That only means he needed to be extra careful. Harin was too trusting. He can't have her die so quickly. Yuann and Ronath, though they've grown close to them during their adventures together, were still suspects. Yuann is, after all, a mercenary. Money is what makes a mercenary move. Though she also was unpredictable, having stuck around with Harin despite being underpaid. In fact, it seems that Harin always suspiciously gains money to pay her with every time it's due, despite Harin never collecting prize money. Nevertheless, they were allies now. No need to get tied up in a knot.

He looked back to the group, tearing himself away from his pondering thoughts, to see that Yuann had been given the broken sword. "I believe that's of Astrian make, Yuann. Though it's useless in its current condition, the material would be an interesting study." Ronath, on the other hand, was given... a yellow flower that was immediately tucked behind his ear. "Not a bad look. It's very... natural." His comment was devoid of any sense of emotion before moving to Harin, peeking over her shoulder as she traced her finger to their next destination. There was a flash of irritation in his eyes as he resisted the urge to take the girl by her armor and throw her again. "Your suggestions never cease to surprise, master." Was what he said instead. "I can turn into a griffin. Much faster than your butterfly idea." Or anything else really. Though butterflies are important in their own regard, speed is not something it boasts against birds of prey.

. D O V E Colorless Spectrum Athanas

 

[Lazaro1505]

Dagger
​

Kingdom: East-Elysia
Location: Small shop
Name of shop: The Black Bird

This day was just like any other for the past few years he had been here. Everyday, he would open his shop when the sun begins to rise and closes it when the sun falls back down, and everyday he would have customers that would look at his adventuring equipment and weapons of good or great quality that he either would buy or make, and get a certain amount of coin each day. But unlike the other days, this day seem to be slow, few customers have arrived and even fewer have bought some of his equipment, only having 3 silver and 9 bronze coins, with non of the weapons he has made being sold yet. He would sigh as this day may be one of the worst one yet in his days of business here for this month, tapping his middle finger of his three finger claw on his desk, waiting for someone to come in and buy else wares. One of the other employees of the small shop, was his much younger brother who recently turned 12, becoming mature enough to help in his shop, was sleeping on a chair leaning against the wall behind him, due to the slow flow of customers coming in today which allowed his little brother to get some rest. Dagger sigh as he said “squawk, wake up Feather, Dagger will take over shop for now...... go sleep now upstairs.” his brother would wake up as he heard those words, before getting off his chair and started to go in the storage room, which had a set of stairs that led to the housing part upstairs. Dagger would just sit down in his chair.... waiting for anyone to come inside.

 

[Kloudy]

Marx Aurelius
(East-Elysia - The Guildhouse)

Marx's eyebrows rose in surprise. Honestly anything the Astrian did would come as a surprise to the ex-prince, it was his first time encountering one too. Thankfully, he had been able to keep a somewhat straighter face upon meeting Arnora, saving himself some pride. Her discomfort with being kept in her item was understandable and Marx sympathised, which had led him to endeavour a rendezvous with Tyieson to begin with. Marx did not move rashly in any attempt to bismirch her appearance, but he supposed his cautious nature may have intruded on the Astrian's pride. He was certain that she saw him, as with other mortals, as ants beneath her feet. Barely stimulating enough to humour for their short little lifetimes. But that was nothing new for him.

"Your pardon, Miss Arnora. I merely wished to conceal your form from threatening eyes, your visage has no need for alteration otherwise." The Genasi looked over at Tyieson, who was eyeing them both curiously. He was clearly intrigued to see how their immortal guest would act.

"I am in a vulnerable position, I regret to say. There are those that wish to see my fall," Marx crossed his legs and steepled his fingers together, thoughtful pondering written across his face, "If I had a stable territory to govern, this vulnerability would not eke long..."

He blinked, suddenly aware that now was not the time for pondering or planning. He returned to Arnora with a diplomatic smile, gesturing to her.

"But if this arrangement displeases you, I am certain Mister Tyieson would accept our declination."

Marx glanced to the Guildmaster, who shrugged passively. Simply laying eyes on an Astrian had been payment enough for him.

Deadwood Deer

 

[Lazaro1505]

Leonida​

Location: Elysia | The Guild
He had been in the Guild for some time now, but he was spending his time there doing nothing but look for any jobs and bounties he can go after. While soon of the jobs and bounties seem good enough, most of them would last more than a few days and have not good enough pay for it. He sigh as he decided to sit on the nearest empty table, as he looked around the room at the experience and new adventurers inside, often listening to many things around him but nothing was interesting enough to hear about. He then took out a small Journal from his bag, him still wearing his armor and his Flail laying on the table while his shield leaned on it, as he took out a small quill and a small bottle of ink from one of his pockets as he opened his journal and began writing about yesterday and today’s events, which were pretty uneventful, as he became preoccupied with his journal and stopped listening to the outside sounds as he wrote in it.

 

[Colorless Spectrum]

Yuann Tefezht

Normally, Yuann would laugh at the sight of Harin crashing to the ground with her face but she wasn't exactly feeling so cheery. Her expression turned sour when the Aasimar spoke of her dear Pirncey as she walked to the half-elf. With a frown on her face, she raised an eyebrow at the broken sword being offered to her and took it. Squinting her eye at the implication and giving a bitter whatever as she held the broken sword like it was glued to her hand. Her day won't get any brighter the closer they were to finding the man of Harin's dreams but, "Thanks for this."

"The fact that its Astrian made does make this interesting." She held the sword out to have a better look before sliding it to an empty holster. "Could make for good cash if someone is willing to pay for it." Looking at Ronath, with the yellow flowing tucked to his ear, she wanted to say that he looked like an idiot but kept her mouth from doing so.

"A griffin seems much better." Agreeing to Yxial's suggestion rather than go parading as a gigantic butterfly. "We should get going if we want to meet up with dear Prince at Galeford." She breathed out, there was still a decision for her to make. To stay with Harin and her soon to be royal companion or leave them be and go back to her merry life. She shot Ronath a look, because of his question earlier, before walking closer to Yxial, waiting to get out of the cliff.

mention: n/a|| interaction: Athanas . D O V E AI10100

 

[Remembrance]

Aranande of Jeser & EzethAt the top of one of the spires at one of the colleges in Estermead, there lied an observatory and garden. Used for observing the stars and admiring the ocean, the observatory is typically empty. Aranande needed to find some flowers and herbs for his professor. Ezeth, now a servant to a rather beautiful but abnormal young assistant, had to follow. The observatory was large and made with very intricate details and designs. Paintings and sketches stretched the walls and ceilings. As Aranande paced the room, searching for ingredients, Ezeth took a seat in a random chair and began admiring the art and architecture. He did, however, have some concerns about their next move.

"So, what now?" Ezeth slouched down in his chair, resting his head on the top rail. His eyes slowly moved across the ceiling, admiring the architecture and design.
"What do you mean?" Aranande quickly moved about, searching around for something.
"You awakened me and now I'm here." He rose his head to look at his new master. "Shouldn't we be conquering cities and plundering dungeons? Not staying in this peculiar place wasting our time."
"Aren't I immortal? Time shouldn't matter then." Aranande opened a window and inspected some plants hanging off the windowsill. He held the base of one of the plants, feeling it's withering leaves. He shook his head and clicked his tongue. "I have to get more of that then." He mumbled under his breath.
"Oh come on!" Ezeth rose from his chair and waved his hand at the withering plant. "It's dead! At least try and use your gift!"
Aranande closed the window, turning around and looking at the trouble he had accidentally spawned out of a pocket watch. "We have to go to do some shopping at Elysia." Aranande looked past his problems in front of him and seeing a small casket on a stone counter. He hastily walked over to it and opened it, in it was an assortment of chalk. Aranande grabbed a piece of chalk and turned around. "Be on your best behavior."
Ezeth groaned. "What do you think I am? A child? And why can't we just buy your things here?" He looked at the man who, since given eternal life, would own Ezeth until the end of time. I'm finally out of that godforsaken timepiece and now I'm nothing more than an accessory. "Shouldn't you be appealing to my good side? I could teach you how to master certain magics or even the gifts I graciously gave you."
Aranande stood in the doorway, cleaning the chalk off his fingertips. "Well, I like it better over there." He smiled as he began walking down the hallway. "I know enough, and I'm sure I'll get the hang of them."
Ezeth sighed and followed him out the observatory. "Arrogance like that led to a certain beings downfall." Ezeth chuckled at his own remark.



Ezeth and Aranande arrived at a church or it could've been a monastery. Ezeth didn't know and Aranande didn't care enough to tell him what it was. As they exited the church, Ezeth started to talk. "And how did that teleportation circle work again?"
Aranande stopped in the middle of the street and stared straight at Ezeth. "Listen, I don't care how old, powerful, or grand you are, I simply want to continue where I was before you came along."
"And I simply want to make sure my new master doesn't die and forsake me to another few hundred years in a timepiece."
Aranande seemed to be considering his suggestion as he stared at Ezeth before making his way into the marketplace.
"Oh come on," Ezeth mumbled under his breath.



Aranande sifted through multiple market stalls, conversing with vendors about the quality of the items they sell. Ezeth followed of course and observed his master's behavior and demeanor towards the sellers. Ezeth began thinking, He's good at bartering huh? He must be good with words then.

The two traversed the busy market and encountered many interesting fellows. Aranande bartered and haggled with vendors, and Ezeth watched and observed. As time passed, hours felt like minutes and Ezeth already felt like he knew his master well and that they were good friends. The duo eventually came upon a small building aptly named The Black Bird. Aranande stood in front of the building with a look of confusion. "What's wrong?" Ezeth asked.
"I've shopped in this city for almost all my life and I've never once seen this particular shop. Where are we?"
Ezeth looked upwards at the clouds and sky, "I'd say we're east."
"East? East of what?" Aranande glanced at Ezeth for but a moment before looking back at the shop.
"East of the city, kingdom, world? All of the previously mentioned?" Ezeth replied.
Aranande shook his head and rolled his eyes. "Why do I even ask?" He sighed with disapproval.
Ezeth leaned in towards his master and whispered in his ear. "You know, you could just use my gifts to you and find out when this building was built or when it became The Black Bird." Ezeth straightened himself out and looked at Aranande. "But since we're here, we may as well enter the place. We have just been standing here for 3 minutes now."
Aranande almost considered the temptations brought onto him by his servant but he decided against it. He did, however, decide to investigate the shop.

The pair entered the shop, Ezeth smiled and nodded his head towards the shopowner, Aranande did the same as his eyes darted around the store.

"Greetings, I am in need of a new dagger; something sharp and durable, something that'll last a long while." Aranande stood in front of the store counter, hiding his conflicted feelings about greeting an oversized bird.
Ezeth paced around the store, inspecting weapons and gear. He was no artisan, much less a blacksmith but he could tell there was at least some amount of effort put into creating the assortment of weaponry in the store. It's been so long since I've been about, everything seems so foreign and yet, weapons share their distinct shape and purpose as before, how peculiar.
Lazaro1505 ​

 

[Deadwood Deer]

Arnora the War Hawk
Galeford Guildhouse
Interaction/Mentioned: Kloudy ​

So this air genasi feared falling from grace as a result of her presence? Then why had he summoned her? "If this is where you fall from," Arnora said, looking around the room and the general situation, "Then you are already as fallen." The guildhouse was surely impressive to a mortal, but Arnora found it little more than a place to sit down for a short while and catch your breath. There wasn't very much farther you could fall, in her estimation.

"And if you believe that your dangers are beyond my ability to deal with, then your estimation of my capabilities is far below reality." Standing up to her full height, she nodded to Tyieson. "I believe the phrasing mortals use is 'Regard those that are old in a profession where one usually dies young.' I would hope you live to prove that an accurate phrase." She turned on her heels and started for the door. This had been interesting but ultimately futile.

3EE0BE

 

[Lazaro1505]

Dagger​

Location: East Elysia / The Black Bird
After a while of waiting, two more potential customers have entered the shop, one of which said he needed a durable and sharp knife, as the Kenku smiled and said “Squawk, if your looking for a good knife to use, then Dagger’s small shop is the perfect place.” as he got off his chair and went towards the weapon side of the shop, as he went to the section which had multiple knifes that had no sign of being different to the other and said “If durable and sharp is what you are looking for, then Dagger suggests that you should look at the steel daggers up for selection, each of which are made with the same quality ... each of which are two gold and five silver coins.” as he waited for them to respond, hoping that they would at least buy something here, as he tried his best to look professionally and succeeding. While waiting for them to respond, he also said “If you need anything else other than a knife, let Dagger know and he will help you with anything else.” as he finally stopped speaking for now.

Remembrance​

 

[Remembrance]

Aranande of Jeser & EzethAranande felt a little intimidated from the bird's peculiar clack. As the bird reassured Aranande that he was in the right place for, as the bird called it, a good knife. Only after the oversized bird rose from its chair did Aranande realize that its name was Dagger. Now with a new combination of emotions: shock and disbelief. Aranande followed it towards what he assumed to be the weaponry area. As Aranande eyes shifted across the tables, he suddenly discerned that all of the daggers present in the storefront are exactly the same. His wariness was sort of relieved after the bird told him that they are all of the same quality but what he wasn't told was of what quality. Aranande's feelings of disbelief were magnified by the price of these daggers.

As Aranande planned out how he could haggle the price down, the bird gave him another reassurance that if there is anything else needed, it's the one to ask. Aranande didn't enjoy the price of the daggers so he made his offer. "I respect your work and smithing but I can only offer 2 gold."

Ezeth, not participating in the initial interactions with the store owner, stood in the center of the store. He looked at the ceiling, then to the ground and then to the walls. Staring at the wall, he appeared to have an idea. Ezeth walked towards the merchant's side. He stood perpendicular to the merchant and leaned in towards it. "Actually, I could use some things." Ezeth continued, "A pair of silver rings please."
Lazaro1505​

 

[Kloudy]

Dreams of the Gatekeeper
(South Rudoras - Elias' Fishing Villlage)

​

"Avriel..."

Rays of light shone in bright hues as his eyelids parted slightly. Pools of gold glowing through the intercises, tumbling forth from the cracks until incandescent orbs bore witness to...

Purgatory. An endless horizon of unblemished white greeted his gaze. It spanned in all the directions. A familiar sight, one that he had sentenced himself to many, many aeons ago. Half-remembered memories at the border of consciousness bubbled and surfaced to fill the whiteness, painting the canvas with swirling scenes of the past. Scenes of grand mountains upon mountains climbing up through the sky in the land of celestials. Scenes of winged armies and scrawling dark masses colliding in glorious bouts of blinding light and fiery chaos. A clear image of holding an ineffable ornate greatsword, tip raised in the face of a fanged monster of darkness.

A great unfurling of wings blocked his vision and now a vast view of the world was brought before him, Andros in its entirety but a drop in the endless oceans and seas. Turning around, pure clouds and bursts of golden light revealed a glimpse into something beyond and an overwhelming sense of content and warmth. Thunder cracked with a sharp slash of lightning, and suddenly dark skies overhead left an overcast shadow across the land. In the swirling mist, strange monstrous shapes and forms stalked in obscurity. All around they came in droves, amalgamations of claws, teeth, flesh, skin and mystical dark energies. Then beams of holy light, arcing off into the distance, piercing through the hordes like pillars and monuments to the celestial gods. Rising Dawn spun and flew in mesmerising circles, gliding through the forces of undead in beautiful patterns. A pair of luminescent irises quickly filled his vision with lustrous gold.

The scene shifted and Elias found himself staring off into the distance, suddenly refocused and aware of his surroundings again. How long had he been stood there... staring? What had he been seeing... imagining...? Then quite otherworldly, a voice softly echoed in his mind.

"Elias..."

EMIYAman

 

[Coyote Hart]

​

A young man walked down a bright street market of Elysia, a dark joy emanating in each of his steps. Mars was in a good mood today. It was today that he would meet up with the man that had hired him, an interesting individual who Mars longed to be able to sink his blade into. To feel the soft skin break as the man's deep-sea blue eyes widened with agony, despair, and betrayal. Then, everything, including those bright blue eyes that stared back at him, would be awashed with red.

And until then, Mars could entertain himself with twisting the man's heart around like a puppet on a string. Mars was definitely not going to be bored for quite a while. Oh, this was going to be so much fun!

Whistling a jaunty tune, Mars strolled down the aisles of the market. Mars hadn't really been able to browse the exotic array of goods that had been on sale for quite a while, mostly due to his employment at Tom's Tavern. But now his leave of absence was in session, he had all the time that day to look at the amazing art and the wafting smells of food in the market. Tom had been sad that Mars wasn't going to be working with him for the foreseeable future, but hey. Mars was going to come back. So Mars knew that he didn't need to feel guilty about leaving. So why was there just that tiny, sand-sized speck of guilt lingering?

Mars stopped at one of the stalls. It was selling a beautiful array of pottery, showing all the amazing beauties of nature. It was so bright, joyous, and harmonious Mars wanted to head over and just smash them all into the ground. They didn't show the dark side of the world enough. It was pitiful that they would deny the existence of all the horrible things people were willing to do to each other. But then again, the pots probably wouldn't sell if they depicted people carving other people up. So Mars didn't go and smash them all. That, and because Mars had a feeling the stoic-looking guards with their spears would probably send him into the slammer if he tried. And Mars wasn't about to ruin such an amazing day.

After buying a delicious loaf of bread filled with the most amazing combination of cream and peaches, Mars noticed a man walk down a dark alley with a large box. A brilliant smile spread over Mars' lips as he thanked fate for the gift.

In the dark alleyway, there was a curve that led around one of the buildings. The man was going to deliver his daily stock to one of the houses around another bend, when suddenly, a cold, sharp blade pierced through his back.

"Hello, handsome lad. What are you doing here? You know alleyways like this aren't safe." Mars said behind the man. He leaned over the man's shoulders with a wicked grin as he watched the shock register on his face. People like him never knew that their life was going to be snuffed out so quickly.

When the man fell down, dead, Mars took a step back and sheathed his shortsword. From all the experience that he had, he managed to avoid getting any blood on him. Then, curiosity overtook Mars and he leaned down to open the box that the man had dropped. To his surprise, it was filled with coffee beans, but strangely, a ledger and a scale accompanied it.

Mars picked up the scale, marveling at its weight and beauty. He set it even as he hated imbalance, tucked it under his arm and then he turned to the ledger.

"Time for me to spill the beans of what we have here," Mars said as he kicked over the box of coffee beans, literally spilling the beans all over the streets. He read over a few lines of the book before his face drooped in disappointment, "Oh. Sales history. That's boring."

Carelessly, Mars tossed the ledger behind him and stood up. As far as he knew, this was the boring conclusion to this random Joe's murder.

Oh, but if that was really how it was. Unknowingly, Mars had triggered something much larger than a few coffee beans to occur.

LazyDaze

 

[Lazaro1505]

Dagger​

Location: East Elysia | The Black Bird
After a while of showing him his goods, one of the customers agreed to buying one of the knifes but at the cost of a lowered price to 2 gold, while anyone else would try to at least increase the price a little bit, he agreed to it for he does not want to lose a potential customer. But before he can respond, the other approached him from the side and said that he wants a pair of silver rings. Dagger then said “Why would Dagger have silver rings in an adventuring weapons and goods shop... Squawk.”
as he looked at him confused, but quickly turned to Aranande and said “But Dagger will agree to selling knife at 2 gold......squawk...... but if you have anything else that is ‘in’ this shop, then ask me.” as he waited for their responses.
Remembrance

 

[Remembrance]

Aranande of Jeser & EzethAranande watched as the bird thought momentarily about his offer, considering the circumstances and how the proposition wasn't that low, it stood to reason that the bird would undeniably accept it. Aranande's confidence was broken when Ezeth heard the merchant's retort and leaned over to Aranande. "He is kidding right?" Aranande turned to look at his servant, his eyes a dead stare as to avoid encouraging the behavior that makes people talk behind other people's backs.

Aranande considered acquiring more things at this bird's shop but considering the abnormal similarity between its daggers and other items; he didn't think it was worth the money. Aranande reached into his pocket and pulled out a pouch, he then picked out two gold coins and laid them out on the surface the daggers were on. As he picked from the assortment of daggers, Ezeth seemed to be pondering something, Aranande didn't very much want to know what he was thinking though.

As the two took their leave, Ezeth asked Aranande if the merchant seemed a little eccentric.
"I think it was fine. It could just suffer from the fact it's not like we are." Aranande responded.
"What's that to mean?" Ezeth asked, tilting his head, clearly puzzled.
The two stopped in the middle of the bustling road. Citizens and haulers alike maneuvering around them.
"Well, it's... It's not human." Aranande lightly shook his head in disbelief. "It's not even elvish, or a dwarf, or even an orc." Aranande scoffed as he started down the road once again.
"I guess. Surely it isn't any of those." Ezeth chuckled at his joke like always.
Aranande stopped once more. "Listen, if you want to understand me and become friends; you have to understand that there is a difference between us and them."

Aranande started anew down the road, Ezeth following directly behind him.
"Why did you need the silver rings?" Aranande queried towards Ezeth. "You'd think it'd have some in stock, right?" Aranande continued as they navigated through the crowds of people.
"A spell that I know. It'd help us with the adventures coming forth."
"What's the spell called? What does it do exactly?" Aranande asked.
Ezeth scoffed as he knocked into a man hauling some kind of brewery. "It connects us. Grants us the ability to talk through our minds, lets us send emotions and feelings." As Ezeth turned to face Aranande again after looking back at the brewery damage he had just done, he continued. "It'll let us bond a little bit, don't you think?"
Aranande stopped at a local market stall, considering the idea. He figured that since he was gonna be stuck with this ancient being for what was the foreseeable future; he may as well get to know and befriend him. "Let's do it."

Aranande and Ezeth stopped at multiple market stalls but because Aranande was a shrewd buyer and wanted the best deal he could get, he refused to buy a pair of silver rings for any more than 1 gold coin. They eventually found a stall that was willing to sell them for a very low price but as Aranande felt safe to buy them, the vendor began haggling and started at a high price. Aranande was almost ready just to leave but he was already this far and it's never bad to train and maintain his bartering skill.
Lazaro1505

​

 

[Lumina]

The heat blazed against ashen earth with more intensity than should be allowed as the battle between the two Astrians raged on. Two opposing forces who had finally met a worthy match, battling to the ends of the earth in a gridlocked battle to see who would emerge victorious. Such was the nature of most Astrians, but at the moment these two served as the pinnacle of power and destruction and absolute fury.

Solaria, the Phoenix, embodiment of the sun found herself at a standstill against Ayen, the lord of nature itself, father of the mortal elven race.

The two were noteworthy beings in their own right. Solaria championed herself for her race, believing more and more with each passion eon that the phoenixes stood rightfully so at the top of all the Astrians in terms of power and strength. Hailing from the god of the sun, phoenixes were one of the oldest races that had made their home on the mortal plane. They were a proud race, preferring to maintain their status within their own communities than pass down their power to a mortal race. Ayen, on the other hand, held a vastly different view, viewing himself as someone who had knowledge that could be shared and passed down to whoever would be curious enough to want to know and learn about it. At their core they couldn’t have been any different from one another. If given the chance to meet, there would be no doubt that there would be some sort of clash. Inevitably, history proved that sentiment correct.

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It happened far quicker than she had expected. As far as she was aware she had finally delivered the final blow, the last attack that would finally take him down. Astrians were tough opponents. Solaria knew this, having taken down plenty of them before, including members of her own race who dared to get in her way. But Ayen… Ayen was something different. He posed a challenge she had never experienced before. It was exhilarating. She longed to burn anything and everything she could, yet here he was actively being able to combat against her and who she was as an Astrian. Even still, she prevailed, and managed to wound him enough to seal him away.

Yet here she was, recognizing the unfamiliar sting of inevitable defeat. Even with a fatal injury, he had managed to summon up some sort of weapon that he managed to pierce into the very center of her being. It was so sudden she couldn’t even react to it, but the moment that it impacted she knew what was happening. Her body fell, the bident summoned up by Ayen lodging itself into the ground and pinning her form there. She could only stare over at Ayen’s also dying body as she felt the essence of her very being slowly being sucked away into what she could only guess was the abyss. Dying was a strange word for Astrians after all. They couldn’t truly die. Especially not herself. She was a phoenix, after all. Death and rebirth were at the core of her race and who she really was. This couldn’t be the end, right? There were so many things that she could have burned and destroyed if it wasn’t for him getting in her way. Well, if it was the end for now, at least she took the bastard down with her. Ayen and Solaria finally fell, leaving nothing behind but a bident and a phoenix feather.

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Nothing.

That’s all there was, really. Nothing. Maybe it could have been compared to floating in a sea of nothingness, but that was the closest you could get to describing what it was like, wherever she was. The faint spark of life did not know who it was or what it was, just that it existed in the abyss of the nothingness.

Sometimes it felt like there was something else there with it. But those moments were fleeting. A whitehot burst that disappeared as quickly as it came. A drop of spitfire into the empty ocean and it was gone as quickly as it came. She did not know what those moments were, or if they meant anything. Did they occur often enough to mean anything? She did not know.

Floating was a strangely familiar sensation. The weightlessness drew on some deep level of understanding that she could not recognize. The feeling of being unbound and free. Sometimes this would couple with a tight pull on her back. There was something there that she could not place or understand why it was there. Maybe eventually she would know, but it did not matter amidst the nothingness.

If she tried to think back as far as she could remember, that’s all there was. She couldn’t say one way or another if that was a good or bad thing, given that it was all she knew. It was probably all she was ever going to know. What else was there?

It came as a surprise to find that eventually, there was something other than nothingness. It was… bright. Light? She wasn’t sure. It began as a speck and seemed to grow exponentially all around her. It was warm, encompassing all of who she was and ever had been. There was a sound that accompanied this warm light, something she had never heard before. It was echoey, and she couldn’t make it out. She found herself drawn to this warmth, reaching out for whatever it was. She couldn’t recognize why she found herself so drawn to it. Curiosity wasn’t something she had ever known, but here she was, longing for whatever this new something was. The light and warmth and sound grew brighter and warmer and louder, until she thought she couldn’t bear it anymore.

And suddenly there was something in front of her. Someone.

The flames under the bident began to flicker rapidly, the heat expanding and increasing as a burst of feathers and light exploded from underneath the bident. The bident itself seemed to lift away from its eternal pedestal as a figure formed around the weapon. A petite female-oriented body materialized from the centerpoint that Thomas had sent his mana into. This body was slender and pale, contrasted greatly against the pair of blazingly bright wings on its back that were now spread widely across the garden. The feathers of the wings were every shade you could imagine of reds, oranges, and yellows, the way they reflected the light around them made them look like they could have been made of fire themselves. Brown hair appeared on its head, floating in the air as the figure continued to appear. A white dress floated just slightly on it’s body as the light faded, and the figure fell forward to its knees, bident still impaled completely through their figure.

The winged figure took a moment before moving, looking up with curious brown eyes at the unfamiliar figure before her. She didn't know who or what they were, or where she was. But somehow she knew that it was this... person that she had been reaching for, the person that managed to bring her here. There was a part of her that still wanted to reach out, but the warmth and light were gone and now replaced with a scene that was honestly overwhelming. All she had known was emptiness. And this was the opposite of that. Her eyes wandered around, jumping around the various parts of the garden. Soon however, a different feeling seemed to take the forefront, drawing her attention to her own torso. There was something sticking straight through her, something that upon looking at it seemed to spark flashes of those whitehot bursts she had come to expect in the emptiness. Her body struggled against it, and she found herself drawn to looking at the figure that she somehow knew had brought her here, her face flushing a bit not knowing what else to do or how to feel or how to process what was going on.

Extra Info

Location:
A garden

Mood:
Confused

Status:
Looking at Thomas

Objective:
n/a

Interacting with: Thomas

Tags: Tobi Naefaerne

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[LazyDaze]

Purgatory, a parallel universe...the center of a doughnut, well it didn't really matter where he was, or who he was anymore. The endless void mirrored his soul...nothing. For quit some time, he had felt this way. True apathy, for it was the only path to pure impartiality. Fitting, that the self proclaimed entity of death seal himself away to exist within nothing, until the day that.

*spill the beans*

...Ahem, as I was monologuing...he felt no comfort, or pain. His whimsical desire to exist without the desire to live, stemed from his desire to fulfill one purpose death. Be that as it may-

(You know what you have to do)

"Yes, but that joke was horrible...even by my standards."

(Indeed, but standards are exactly what you failed to put in place)

That was because my standard is supposed to be standard practice.

(Tell them that)

"I should have just waltzed into hell if I knew this was the dreadful humor being concocted eons later"

(Has it been eons, or just a few minutes.)

"No clue, but I'd assume the former. Being awakened minutes after being sealed would be rather anti-climatic."

(You can't keep talking to yourself to avoid your awakening)

"Actually I can, and I wil-"

Halfway through his sentence Azazel realized that he was no longer floating within the void conversing with his own conscious, but he was standing atop spilled beans while the remnants of a black fog swirled and shifted dramatically in the air, fading ever so slowly as it accentuated his ominous presence. His face held no expression, an expression that was practiced over millennia, as he his gaze focused on nothing in particular. It was strange, being thrust in this world...the air seemed a lot thinner. The atmosphere...much lighter. Paying no mind to his summoner, he slowly looked down and grimaced at the beans beneath his feet. "Spilled...beeeaaaannns," Azazel said slowly, enunciating with purpose as if the language was foreign. A voice...that was truly foreign. He then looked toward Mars, twisting his lips into a forced smile that probably turned out creepier than intended. "Greetings, I'm Death...some call me Azazel, but you can just call me Anytime. I see this might be awkward timing," Azazel said the last part with a nod of his head in the direction of the dead guy. Ironically, it was fitting that one would die on the day of his reemergence. After a taking in his own features, moving his arms and taking elongated steps toward Mars, Azazel finally stood in front of him.

"You get it...Scared to Death...well, one bad joke deserves another. Either way you have just acquired an all powerful being at your service...kinda. You just got pay with your life sometimes."

Coyote Hart

 

[Roman]

The foils of her unblemished skin shone harshly under the blaring rays of the sun, the shadows settling even deeper around crooked lips because of it; bringing tiredness to an expression which spoke otherwise. In the background, the cries of the cicadas grew in strength the longer they lingered, impatient lamentations over the stillness ringing out for relief but none responding. A soft breeze the only brief respite of sound in the lazy rustle of leaves and rippling of waves over the field.

Blinking slowly, Eulalia suddenly fell into a trickle of cracked sniggers. Eyebrow cocked to curiously arch at the end of it as crows feet crinkled mockingly in the corners of narrowed eyes.

"So the legends do have some truth to them..." Unshaken by his dismissal of her polite gesture, she withdrew the extended hand to let it rest on the hilt of the sword; bluejays gleaming with mischief as she did so "-Though...to think an astrian would worry about a mere mortal..."

Although she was smiling said smile only seemed to grow further and further from its original purpose, a disconnect between the thin lips which curdled up to expose teeth and the gaze which would soon come to stab daggers in the other as she suddenly shot out for the man. Bloodied palm pressing up against parched lips and nails digging into skin to scrunch up cheeks in a resolute grasp of his jaw.

"That isn't quite right..." She laughed and her grip tightened "Gods don't care about mortals so leave the worrying to me. All you need to do is accept this gracious offering."

It wasn't until the warmth of a tongue flicked over her wound, teeth descending in two stings into flesh, that she relaxed her arm; face faltering somewhat at the same time. As young as she looked for her age, skin fair from years of isolation within walls stone walls and harsh lines few from a lack of physical exertion she suddenly looked much older as she unravelled in an inevitable sigh. The sincerity returning to her expression in a tilt of her head, baring her neck along with a golden strand of hair which gave off a lustre just like satin.

"You should've just hit me instead of saying something so useless after I provoked you. Honestly..."

Let's not pretend that we're not using each other as tools.

After all, was said and done she strapped on her glove once again and tidied her appearance from possible dust.

"Three days, was it? Well, we'll be heading for the capital so there will be plenty of opportunities along the road. I'll be picking up my rapier as well so you can have this old sword after that. Let's go astrian."

"We'll stop at the first church."

Roman

Sylas Kline

As the two of them stood there, Sylas remained strong in keeping himself from being a victim to his own desire. Looking at her directly in the face, he could tell she was intrigued by his actions. Either that or baffled. She seemed to be aware of who he was, possibly coming across some old lore that documented Sylas' endeavors back before and during the war. Perhaps she had come across some Dark Elves who told her the stories that they had passed down for generations about their 'savior', who was in fact, actually the complete opposite and worst. That didn't matter though. Those were things of the past. What mattered now is the present. With a simple sigh, Sylas explained himself.

"It's not that I-"

Before he could continue with what he was going to say, in the blink of an eye, this mortal's palm had come into contact with Sylas' mouth. He was finally pushed into the abyss that was his hunger. It had been so long since he had tasted the delicacy that is virgin blood. Her gripped tightening didn't make this situation better for him at all. As she tightened it, more blood secreted from the wound, dripping both into and onto his mouth. His tongue finally coming into contact with her palm as he licked the blood. A quick and precise lick, yet gentle. His teeth following after, sinking into the soft skin that rested upon his mouth. While he may be beyond mortals in every aspect, something about their blood made him feel even more powerful than he already was. As Sylas drank the blood, his features began to change, as the woman seemed a bit older, he looked as if he just entered his late thirties to early forties. As the hand was removed from his mouth, Sylas raised a hand and snapped his fingers, the last of the blood disappearing.

"What would hitting you gain me? As an Astrian, my only key to freedom from this prison is you. Hitting you would lower my chances of finding someone to work with... Especially a person of worship... But for future reference, don't force-feed me. I won't be as 'caring' next time."

As Sylas finished speaking, it was evident he was rather upset from just his tone alone. The skies had finally begun to clear up. The darkness fading away from existence as if it were never there. With the mention of three days, he raised a brow, truly interested in where this woman would end up taking him. From what she described earlier, whatever this little quest of hers may be, it could lead to an inevitable demise, but Sylas was interested nonetheless. She did agree to help him with his own ambitions, as they seemed to line up. Whether she sought him out or not, this was a meeting he considered fated to happen. Then there was the mention of the capital and church. With another snap of his fingers, Sanguine appeared in Sylas' hands. Placing the blade onto his shoulder, he stood there, ready.

"Lead the way."
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[Athanas]

Ronath's face fell ever so slightly as he saw Yuann persist in her foul mood. He didn't know what it's cause was-maybe the fact that they were so close to finding this prince, or maybe the fact that she was losing money by staying with them and yet didnt seem to really want to do otherwise. Mortals were complex and while in most cases he found the complexity enjoyable, there was the occasional moment just like this one where he wished he had clear insight on the situation.

His pondering was interrupted by the arrival of his friend. He was about to greet them when he saw Harin get promptly tossed to the ground like some sort of wheat sack. Against his better judgement, he chuckled a bit, trying to hide his mouth with his hand. His interest was piqued by the nature of the broken sword handed to her-Yes, indeed, of great value, both allegorically and literally. He wasn't going to call Yuann broken-not to her face, at least, but it was an apt description.

Why else would she accept Belial's offer?

Harin soon turned her attention towards him, and she, as expected, continued bouncing up and down excitedly, claiming she "hadn't forgotten about him". Despite the slight feeling of nausea that came with it, he couldn't help but smile at the raw, unadulterated positive energy that oozed off of her. He...He could hardly remember the last time he'd ever met something so bright.
And he was sure that none could even stomach being anywhere near him.

He felt the feeling intensify when she put the flower up to his ear. The symbol on his forehead hissed loudly at her, like a confused dog barking at an unusually friendly stranger. Of course, this sound was imperceptible by mortal ears, but Yxial would definitely see it flare up and hear the noise.
Harin was ignoring the script. Again. A small part of him was frustrated. It wanted to change into a more horrid form, to truly push her, test her resolve, finally put a stop to this illogical behavior. But these thoughts were very quickly drowned out as he heard her laugh with absolute glee. What a delightful sound! His smile merely widened, showing no traces of his inner pain.

"What a gift! I truly was worried i lacked something colorful in my aesthetic! You indeed have nothing but the best for me in mind. Although, I say, pretty is not amongst my top 5 most frequent words used to describe me." He gave a small laugh of his own at his joke, before he theatrically waved his hands, producing what looked like a small halo of thin branches and leaves. With a wave of his hand, he applied an illusion to it, making it golden, before he gingerly balanced it on her head. "There! Just so you don't go saying I never give anything back! I must say, it will really help liven up your hood~and you can change it to it's more natural color if you want it to go along with your hair"

For an Astrian with so many ominous names, Ronath always seemed to know a lot about the artistic value of things. Most people found it surprising...If they bothered to learn about it. Turning to the other Astrian, he couldn't help but chuckle at the mental image. "Although seeing you as a beautiful butterfly would do my mood wonders, ultimately, speed is of the essence. The prince is probably on the run, won't stick in one place for long. What a pity, though!" He chuckled a bit more.


As could be expected, it did not take them too long to reach Galeford, as Yxial's speed was something to behold. As they landed a fair distance away from the city's walls( no need to upset the residents over the sight of a massive griffon), Ronath dismounted first, donning a tragedy mask and stretching. This was it. The outsider prince would be here. What wondrous schemes would he have in store for them?


. D O V E AI10100 Colorless Spectrum

 

[Kloudy]

Marx followed Arnora with his eyes as she decisively exited the room. Tyieson did so too before returning his attention back to the Genasi.

“An interesting find, eh? I hope you know what you’re doing.”

“I’ll be fine,” Marx’s generally amicable expression dropped for a moment to an annoyed frown before slipping back.

“I always make sure I’m fine.”

Marx followed his Astrian from the room. They appeared to be back in the main lobby of the guildhouse. The smell of some kind of smoke mingled with alcohol and low chatter, somewhere someone was slowly sharpening a blade. The air felt like your general tavern with a more serious gravity to the atmosphere. This was a place of business after all. Marx gestured to Arnora as he came to a stop beside her.

“Shall I get us a meal or beverage? Do Astrians even eat like mortals do?”

After a moment of thought, Arnora realized she did not have an answer to that question. “I do not know. I have not had this body for long enough to determine its physical needs.” The smell of food and drink did not rouse anything within, so she could only assume. “I would assume not, as I am housed in a weapon, not a flesh and blood form.”

“Is a meal something you require at the moment?”

Marx waved a hand in a blasé manner.

“Sure, we need to meet up with Kraven anyway. He should have rendezvoused with my contact by now.”

“And where is this contact?”

“A tavern by the north entrance of the city, we passed it earlier.”

“You passed it earlier,” the Astrian corrected.

Marx started down the stairs to the main lobby, pulling out a notebook and quill to do some scribbling. He began thinking out loud to himself.

“It would be good to get some more muscle though… Our next quest is going to be quite…”

Nearby on a nearly empty table, a man in armor finished writing in his journal for now and put it away inside his satchel, before getting up and picking up both his flail and kite shield. But he heard about a conversation nearby about someone needing more ‘muscle’ for something, so he began to approach both the man he heard along with the woman next to him.

After approaching them, he said out loud, “I heard you needed some backup for something…. I’m interested but I need more information for this job.” As he waited for them to respond.

Marx’s eyebrows rose in response as he looked up from his internal monologue. The man presented before him was large, fairly close in size to Kraven, armoured and definitely within the realm of what Marx defined as ‘muscle’. It seemed he wouldn’t have to look far for what he wanted in Galeford.

“Hmm… I assume your skill with that weapon is as impressive as your hearing?” The noble put his notebook and quill away and tapped his chin thoughtfully.

“I am in need of some mercenaries to assist me in a quest to some Astrian ruins. I’m not expecting anything particularly complicated, but I don’t want to be bothered by bandits, hostile creatures or otherwise. You can expect payment after the job is done, with extra if we do end up running into trouble,” Marx smiled quizzically at the larger mercenary.

“Is this agreeable?”

Leonida had taken in the words about the potential job he may take soon, but he still needed more from this man in order, since he would not enjoy something that would last for weeks.

“So……. while I am inclined to accept this job, I still need more information about it, such as travel time, locations, equipment if it takes more than three days, and finally the potential payment if the job is finished.”

He said as he waited a bit before speaking again, “And if you're looking for someone who has some skill, I am an expert on using the flail, because why would I use a weapon that can greatly harm its user if not used correctly. But, if the job is deemed acceptable, you will have a loyal ally that would never leave your side, even if I am offered more money than I can even think of, I must always follow the code I go by.” He waited for the person’s response.

Marx was almost curious by how straightforward and one-track minded this man was, but he pushed that aside with a nod to get down to business.

“It’s about four days' south to the ruins by horse, I have the general location already outlined on this map here…” The Genasi produced a leather scroll from within his robes and offered it to Leonida.

Leonida looked at the leather scroll the man held in his hands and accepted it, grabbing it from his hands and opening it to look at the details on it.

“You are remarkably eager to labor under another,” Arnora noted, having remained silent during the interaction so far. “And you,” she turned her head to Marx, “Are remarkably trusting of others. What if this man were to slip a blade between your ribs while you sleep? I cannot defend against dangers you place yourself into.”

Marx summoned all his remaining willpower not to sigh or let fly with a sarcastic comment. He had been carefree enough on his previous excursion to find Arnora, but now was the time for business. Things would get tiresome if he had to explain every little detail regarding the commerce of the guild system. But for now, he would humour her.

“This man is an affiliate of this guild. He has more to gain from the stream of business this establishment provides than to prey upon sleeping nobles at night. If that isn’t enough to convince you, rest assured that Tyieson does not allow unsavoury characters to take quests on his premises,” Marx gestured to the mercenary in question.

“And to top it off, I’d like to think I’m a good judge of character.” Marx turned back to Leonida with an apologetic smile. Unbeknownst to both of them, the noble had been using subtle psychic magic to sense any hostile intent from the mercenary before him. Of course, there was none as this was merely a business deal, but it never hurt to be cautious.

“Sorry, my friend here is not very aware as to how business is run in these parts. So as I was saying - the location of the ruins is roughly at the marked section at the bottom. Any damaged equipment will be repaired or replaced if needed after the job is completed, same as the payment. Speaking of…”

Marx produced a small pouch of coins that fit comfortably in the palm. He offered it for Leonida to hold, so he could gauge its weight as any good mercenary should.

“This and one more for after we return to Galeford, plus another if we are attacked along the way.”

Leonida raised a brow underneath his helmet when the man’s companion spoke up, talking about how there was a chance that he would stab his employer in the back if given the chance. While it is true that there are some people that cannot be trusted, he always had to follow his code. He was about to say something but Marx already beat him to it, and the man said some things he would have said as well. He then saw Marx offer him a small pouch of coins to hold, which he accepted and listened to what else he said.

He nodded and said, “Well… while it may take more than three days due to the travel to and from the ruins… I accept your job offer.” He then raised his right hand out for a hand shake and said, “The name is Leonida Tetricus… now… we best get ready now for the journey ahead.”

Marx smiled and obliged, shaking the man’s hand in return.

“Great! I am Marx Aurelius, pleasure to make your acquaintance, and this is my friend…” Marx turned to Arnora, unsure if it was particularly wise to start spouting her full title to people he had just met, “Arnora.”

With the gold pouch returned, Marx turned to make a start for the guildhouse main entrance.

“We leave tomorrow when the sun is high. If you would like to take lodging in the tavern we will be using tonight, I can make the arrangements. As part of our contract, of course.”

Leonida looked at Marx making his way to exit the guildhouse, talking about if he needed to stay in a tavern as part of the contract. Leonida thought about it and said, “Well... since I have been already planning on staying in a tavern for the night, might as well follow. But I will pay for my own room with my money, and it’s my own money so you have no say in this. While anyone else would just accept it, I got enough coins on me that I don’t need the help.” As he started to follow Marx out the door.

Marx could not help but smirk at the man’s response on his way out. This would certainly turn out to be an interesting journey after all.

Deadwood Deer
Lazaro1505