Fantasy Fantasian Rhapsody (WhiteMagicMan x RanixAurus)

[Ranix Aurus]

The forests of the Wraithwoods were overflowing with mystery.

Separated from the outside world, its bountiful nature left untouched by the encroaching industrialization of Men and Dwarves, the trees were thicker, the leaves were greener, and the grasses were more flush than everywhere else. Such beautiful mirage was kept hidden by its wary inhabitants, those also known as the High Elves, protected by their introverted nature and strict guarding against people not of their own kind.

But of course, such vigilance would never be perfect, for holes would kept on sprouting throughout its long-stretched border. While a large group of intruders would be hard-pressed to stay hidden from the protectors' heightened senses, a lone rogue or two would, from time to time, found their way into the groves of the High Elves, drunk in their dreams of exploring the numerous untouched ruins dotting their land.

It was the age of adventurers. Even though the world was slowly turning grim with the prospect of war looming over the horizon, it was least prominent in the mind of the laypeople. It was the time of romance! Of breaking through the horizon, to find the lost, forgotten wonders of the ancient era and made their name through history! As such, no feat was too daring nor too overbearing, as long as they could keep their life intact in the very end.

Dragamar Ferlusson was the same. He ran away from home at the age of eight in order to become an adventurer. Finding a master who taught him the way of the... stuffs, he had managed to make quite a name in the Adventurer's Guild since his grand entrance six months ago. Nevertheless, he still couldn't got up from his rank as an apprentice adventurer, mainly because he couldn't muster the will to go on any of the quests.

Gathering herbs? Exterminating Dire Rats? What did they think he is, a fool? He wanted big adventures! Smacking down Dragons! Taking down rampaging Werebeasts! Give him stimulation, damnit!

...Well, those were mostly saved for the highest-ranked adventurers, so of course he got rejected sternly when he requested that. And thus, he spent the last six months... gathering herbs for his daily expenses, yet too embarrassed to record them with the guild.

That was until he heard about a mystical ruins located in the outskirts of the Wraithwood's territory.

Naturally, nobody dared to explore there, because... they were too afraid of getting turned into hedgehog, alright? If not from arrows, then they'd become roasted meat! Those High Elves were too scary!

But what kind of person was Dragamar Ferlusson? He didn't fear that kind of thing! And thus the warrior found himself sneaking through the border of the woods, delving deeper and deeper until he ended up in a small, quaint grove. A large, dilapidated marble gate stood at the center just a few inches from the water's edge.

S O N D E R

 

[S O N D E R]

They who seek the Wraithwood, take caution and sleep not before the crystal lake, for revealed to you would be the kingdom of the Ancients. White wooded-trees with white leaves, thrumming with magic wild and old... There would be no Entrance to the Ancient Ones. No dark forest ridden with demons and no mountains ridden with precious metals for you will have passed into Their world. Swim strong across the lake and fear its empty crystalline depths, for within lies a beast so great and so hungry that it would devour the soul of any creature that fails to escape its domain. Fear the enchanting forest and its dance of pale silhouettes. He who passes the lake will never pass the forest... for within lies something so magical and so wonderful that those who go are lost eternally to the aether. The man or the woman that passes the first two trials will fall upon misfortune at the third, his reward only to be greeted by the Ancient One's most powerful guardians. They, Ancient Ones, whose skin are like pastel gems, whose hair shimmers like soft glass, and whose eyes are bright and vibrant... Be not fooled by their soft pink lips, their slender, doll-like features, or their kind demeanor... Their language of songs will seal your fate and make you lost to us forever...


Aurus was sublimely unaware of the adventuring whirlwind that stampeded his way. He, the King of the Wraithwood, being of magic and mysticism... too content basking in the sun to notice the approach of company.

Draped over the white stone beneath the white willow, the Wraith-King simply enjoyed the chatter of the songbirds that perched on the large, pristine branches of his antlers and the sweet breeze that rustled through the weeping leaves of the willow. Such that the stone was underneath the tree's reach, the ribbons of its branches swayed gently over him much a like a lullaby and a dream. Little sparrows, chickadees, and parakeets mingled in his safety and hopped from antler to earth, plucking up the occasional, unsuspecting insect and returning to their roost once sated. Once and a while a pair would chirp loudly and pirouette off into the sky but they would not be gone long and would return almost as soon as they had left.

In this peaceful painting, Aurus's long, wavy white-blond locks were drawn over one shoulder, pooling into waves and ringlets that shimmered in the sun. To compliment his image, white silk robes were wrapped up against his tall, pale, and slender form, meant to enhance and display the vibrant strand of bi-colored tourmaline suspended from his throat. (Gems, as such, that were massive by mortal standard and surely worth a penny!) Long, pointed ears aside, there was one trait that Aurus carried unlike the other subjects of his people. Cloved, white, deer-like hooves and soft, satiny, creamy fur often mistaken as his skin from afar...

Aurus startled from his half-slumber when both he and his little bird companions noticed the first sound of a presence. Footsteps on grass. Repelled by the thought of danger, the flock protested and flew off into the sky to scatter and retun to the forest, no less significant to the intruder as they were to Aurus.

Opening his eyes, white lashes fluttering open, Aurus shifted his soft, golden gaze to the archway and noticed the silhouette of a man stepping near the pond. Completely aware that this was no normal 'chance encounter', he sat up and pushed himself off the warm stone with no more than a whisper of motion and turned to face the man with unnatural grace.

After a few moments of silence and allowing the other to really admire the ruins strewn about them, he took one step forward and said, "What do you need here?" His voice was sturdy but soft and his expression lacked everything save for gaze that would unsettle most people. Direct, deep-seeing, and also very wise despite the placidity in them.

How little he knew about the encounter that would unfold before him...

 

[Ranix Aurus]

The sudden flight of the birds had roused his alert, causing him to stumble on his feet. Upon exiting the rounds of bushes hiding his image from the grove, he came face-to-face with the existence that had made the soft voice calling over his presence.

Dragamar Ferlusson was a tough, burly man.

At the prime of his life, the man was a piece of work after his long, strenuous training under his battle-crazed master. He towered over his fellow mortals, and his well-toned muscles bulged out uncontrollably under his flimsy leather armor. His dark hair was left in a messy stage, and while he regularly shaved, but rather slovenly, leaving thin-layer of stubble over his face.

The point was, the two beings standing upon each other were complete opposites.

He was trained as an adventurer, so he realized that for someone to be at a place of importance could only meant two things; either they were fellow adventurers, or they were guards protecting the sanctity of the site. This fellow certainly didn't look like any adventurer that he knew, so all the more for the possibility to wedge over to the second one.

He raised his hand, seemingly ready to get into a fight. His steps were taken cautiously, his gaze never faltering from his 'opponent'. One step, two steps, he quietly crossed over the grove until he was right in front of the heavenly being.

"My name is Dragamar Ferlusson! I'm an adventurer! Hereby I ask thee!"

With a loud roar, he fell onto his knees, and then presented a hastily-made bouquet filled with random flowers he had plucked right then and there in the bushes.

"Please marry me!"

The morning mist thinned at that moment, revealing the intense joyful gaze within his eyes.

 

[S O N D E R]

Aurus hadn't expected such a hulking figure to be his... counterpart. The man, alone, did not look to terribly approachable though he couldn't say what was going on behind the man's eyes. He did not that he was clad in flimsy leather armor, though figured, that a man of his stature really did not need much to begin with. He already imagined it would be difficult to lug around a body like that.

When the two made eye contact, Aurus's soft, golden eyes flickered over his form, identifying any potential threats that might be present. Though... the man seemed harmless. Least, until he lifted his hand. Pursing his lips, the Wraith-King lifted his chin in the slightest way and prepared himself for anything. This man was... strange. Strange in the way that he approached. Silent. Measured. Focused.

Startled by the sudden burst of the man's voice, Aurus's eyes widened in the slightest way and listened as the man proclaimed his name. With impressive speed, he ripped up some flowers and presented to him and asked the most incredulous thing!!

Dumbstruck, all that the Wraith-King could do was stare at this man with... something akin to...

...Well.

There was absolutely no appropriate word.

A draw of silence passed between them, he... gazing into the man's joyous eyes. He analyzed and wondered what the ever living f*ck was happening to him at that moment. "I... believe you... are mistaken..." he replied. "I am not sure who you think I am." Other than baffled as hell. "I do not wed strangers..." Aurus never realized that he'd have to speak those words within his lifetime.

 

[Ranix Aurus]

Dragamar blinked his eyes like a little girl in love as he tip-toed closer and closer toward the Wraith-King. The person's baffled gaze was lost to him, as he himself was stuck in his own personal euphoria.

Was that the test bestowed by this mystical place? To witness a beauty both lovable and pleasing to the eye, the Warrior's heart swelled triple their size on that day.

That's right. Dragamar Ferlusson, the manliest warrior in the entire Velkazar... had fallen in love.

Such madness!

"Not wedding a stranger?" His voice trembled a bit as the rusty gears within his barren skulls cranked and turned. After a few moments of silence, his frown turned back to grin as he beamed toward Aurus with the flowers still at hand.

"No problem! Henceforth we shall deepen our relationship! Trust in me that we won't call each other a stranger in the blink of an eye!"

He scooted closer, and then pushed the bouquet up to the Wraith-King's chest, while his face grew even closer with each passing seconds...

 

[S O N D E R]

Not quite sure how to handle the ridiculousness of the entire situation, Aurus took a step away from the man when the flowers were pressed into his silk-wrapped chest. His pale, golden eyes observing as the man brought himself closer... and closer... Taking a large step back at the last moment, a subtle dust of pink hue washed over his cheeks.

"You are incredibly ridiculous. I do not simply just deepen my relationship with just anyone." The Wraith-King walked around Dragamar and observed him from behind as if inspecting him from more than just the frontward angle. "What is it that you want here? Surely it's not the silly tale about the enchanted gems."

Pursing his lips, Aurus found himself rather befuddled that he'd broken his composure by blushing. Never in his years!

Crossing his arms over his chest, he pressed a hip to one side; completely unaware that he lifted one shoulder in the process. Truly, in no way, what one would consider the idea of masculinity.

 

[Ranix Aurus]

He had puckered his lips and closed his eyes as he moved forward, thinking of stealing a peck on those lustrous lips. However, his hope crumbled down upon realizing that his target had escaped from his grasp. Feeling defeated, he sighed and turned around to face him.

Watching his antics, however, filled him with overflowing joy once again.

Dear Anumbra, how the heck can a creature be devastatingly beautiful and lethally cute at the same time? Aaargh I really want to kidnap this thing away and lock it forever!

"Ahem." Careful enough not to let his... uh, wild imagination, showed in his face, he coughed rather loudly. "I'll be honest, it is true that I've come here to search for the tall-told enchanted gems. The Revered King had made a post in the guild, saying that whoever managed to recover them from the depth of the forbidden forest would be given the honor of a hero. But screw that stuff."

He knelt down, again, in front of Aurus.

"I've found a treasure worth more than a million gems. Please, my dear, accept this love of mine! Whatever you shall ask of me, I shall obey!"

His tongue then proceeded to spew out nonsense too elaborate for an ordinary warrior. By no means was he not an ordinary warrior, though. It was just that his brain had simply gone senile and thus went all the way around through the border of stupidity and genius.

 

[S O N D E R]

The gems indeed.

Aurus dropped his gaze down to the vibrant strand of gems suspended from his throat. Cast a simple spell that would benefit the king and it should fit the bill, yes? The Wraith-King lifted his hand and curled it around a gem before his attention was pulled back to the warrior. Seeing that he was approaching him, he seemed suspicious but waited and watched as Dragamar knelt before him once again.

Ask and he shall receive?

The Wraith-King, however, could not see himself dismissing the warrior out of bitterness. No, he was far too compassionate for that. Seeming somewhat resigned, he sighed gently to himself and listened to the oddly intelligent words that fell from his face. Looks were certainly deceiving, in this case. When Dragamar continued and continued, he ended up just lifting his pale hand to the man's lips and pressing it over his mouth to silence him. "If it is a gem you want, I can give you one of mine. Then you can be on your way. You could even say that you battled some sort of beast to get it." He supposed he counted, in a way.

Once certain that he had stopped the slew of words, he removed his hand and simply watched the other. He didn't understand love at first and was certainly, also, amused by the comedy of it all. A big, burly man smitten by him. In love, even!