Dice Our Shenanigans

[Zer0]

- Frozen Mine -
"Night Time, Mysterious Portal, Heart of Windshear Mountains"​

"Yeah." agreed Moss absently a far away look on his face. His cheeks reddened a little, then he looked away, and withdrew his arm, clearing his throat. He still sat close, shoulder to shoulder with Isa, then looked back at him and smiled. "Same, not used to comforting other guys like this except for my close friends."

He fibbed around for something to talk about. "O, Isa, look what I found!" And he pulled his backpack close, then took out his blue coral box and opened it. There were new herbs inside, not yet dry, but it was good amount. "Mallow, mint, yarrow, elder flower, and valerian blooms! They were growing on the collapsed roof of a shop, I think an alchemist's what with all the glass and metal instruments. And I found this too." he pulled out a jar that had a bone of an animal inside. It looked like a broken piece of a fish spine, but gold was fused into it, and there was a socket as though a gem had been embedded in the spine in the past.

Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

- Frozen Mine -
"Night Time, Mysterious Portal, Heart of Windshear Mountains"​

Isa smiled warmly back, not minding that the merman withdrew his arm. So Moss comforted him like he would comfort his close friends.

”Hm?” The redhead crossed his legs in a lotus style and leaned in a bit to see the new herbs. He raised a brow at the sight of the golden fish bone within the jar. “Definitely an alchemist or a kooky jeweler who likes fish?”

He curiously poked the jar, seeing the tip of the spine slightly jiggle inside, and tilted his head. Wondering out loud why, in the world, would an alchemist would fuse gold with a fish spine. Then he picked up the Mallow to sniff it. “It looks like a morphed four leaf clover.”

Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- Frozen Mine -
"Night Time, Mysterious Portal, Heart of Windshear Mountains"​

Moss shrugged, then nodded. "Mallow is good for coughing and stomach problems." he placed the coral box in front of them on the floor. The inside of the coral box cover had an engraving of three mermen and a mermaid, all four with horns and smiling, the short haired one in the middle a striking resemblance to Moss.

He picked up the jar. "I was wondering, could you please identify this? I sense magic in it and I have a detect magic spell, but I was thinking maybe it's better if you who is an expert on old civilizations could maybe take a look at this instead?"

Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

- Frozen Mine -
"Night Time, Mysterious Portal, Heart of Windshear Mountains"​

“Okay...” Isa nodded, his eyes lingering on the engraving as he reached out for the jar.

“Née, isn’t that you?” He asked, pointing at the lid with a gloved finger.

Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- Frozen Mine -
"Night Time, Mysterious Portal, Heart of Windshear Mountains"​

"Ah, yes. Me, Tybalt ---" he pointed at the tallest merman to his right. "Estevan." He pointed to the other merman, this one with an aquiline nose and long pointed face. "And Titania." The gentlest of expressions softened Moss' face, as he ran a finger over the faces of his friends.

"They're the ones who followed me, and got banished along with me because of that. They're . . . " he looked for the words to describe them. " awesome crazy people and my truest friends. Tybalt backed me up in arguments and fights even though he knows he would lose. Titiana used to do silly things just to make me smile, she's naturally beautiful with no idea how to use make up, but she never brags about her beauty, and never hesitates to protest if something wrong happens in front of her eyes. She also has a sharp memory. Estevan and I used to have silly arguments, that guy is loyal to the core. Whenever we got into fights, he didn't just beat the stuffing out of guys who messed with us, he made sure there was a permanent fist print on their face." he smiled, clearly missing them, and then sighed.

"I got to get them back home to their loved ones, Isa." said Moss, looking at his backpack where inside was his journal with all his drawings of Smoky from these past days and his sketches of the underwater machine he had been working on for who knows how long. "They're wasting away in their grief, I can't stand it."

Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

- Frozen Mine -
"Night Time, Mysterious Portal, Heart of Windshear Mountains"​

Moss would feel a hand on his shoulder, gently squeezing in comfort. Isa smiled optimistically, eyes shining bright in his confidence. “I know this is just words and it might take time, but I believe you can do it. If there’s anything I find in my travels that will help ya, then I’ll let ya know—- not just my bike. I mean anything.”

”I prayed to Loki many times too, so I’m sure even an ancient is looking for answer to help ya.” The redhead smirked impishly. “He’s probably annoyed that I’m praying too much for the same thing. Kekekek!”

After squeezing his shoulder again, Isa nodded and looked at the jar. He muttered his spell under his breath, sounding dark yet alluring with the way he purred his words. His eyes sparked, like how a fire spits debris, and glowed a bright blue color; revealing the cat-like pupil that’s dilating. Then he furrowed his brows in concern at what he was looking.

”There’s a soul stone in here.” Isa explained to Moss what the item can do, staying honest at his findings even as his grip tightened around the glass. An ancient soul of a Dorudon, a creature that’s related to the current whales, orcas, and sharks. They don’t exist anymore, dying out as the world changed around them —- even if they still exist, they would live in the deep depths of the waters. Moss can use it to breathe longer underwater and talk with the orcas, whales, and sharks, but it seems that it will only work on one person at a time.

The redhead looked pained by the end, stopping his spell; his eyes stopped sparking. He looked at Moss, frowning sadly. “You need a ragnite to use it . . . But . . . the soul that’s trapped in here is hurting a lot. What do you want to do with it?”

Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- Frozen Mine -
"Night Time, Mysterious Portal, Heart of Windshear Mountains"​

Moss searched his eyes and believed Isa's promise. He looked down, smiling. He cleared his throat again and looked away. "Thank you, Isa." he ruffled his hair.

After Isa cast his spell and told him what the item was, his expression became stern. "Destroy it." And without further ado, he took the bone out of the glass, drew out a seraph dagger and then stabbed the soul stone deep in the center of the bone, there was a shatter like glass, and a wispy silver essence rose up and vanished from the bone.

"Thanks for using your spell for this, Isa, I'm sorry that it's gone to waste." He carefully gathered the bone and stood up. "I'll be back, I need to give the remains of this magnificent creature a proper burial."

Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

- Frozen Mine -
"Night Time, Mysterious Portal, Heart of Windshear Mountains"​

The redhead laughed when Moss ruffled his hair, glad that he could cheer Moss up.

Isa stared at Moss with wide eyes after saying his choice, looking at him in a new light. His respect towards Moss grew as the redhead smiled warmly. He didn’t expect the merman to quickly free the spirit inside.

”No! No! It wasn’t a waste at all!” He reassured him, eagerly helping Moss gather the bones, and stood up as well. “Here, let me help — I’m happy that we can put the creature to rest!”

Grabbing a loose piece of wood from the stairs, the redhead followed Moss to where he wanted to bury the remains and started digging through the snow and dirt. Once the remains were buried, Isa sat down and gently cupped the air as if he was holding something precious. Closing his eyes and started to sing in an unknown language.

”Jiunmata ivelischpfuli
Neftyoma sorepiyamei
Schijiyako alefni fatalliliya
Nic'hpisfa unhoreselye.”

Suddenly, as Isa became more serene and body relaxed, flames of pure gold swirled in the space he was cupping; forming into a halo. Tiny orbs floating around the golden fire, disappearing as they floated to high up—- or maybe the eyes of the living couldn’t see them anymore as they floated up? If Moss was near the redhead, he’d feel like his own burdened spirit was being wrapped by a warm comforting blanket.

”Rest well. You’ll see your family once more as you swim in the Southern lights.” Isa prayed, placing his hands on top of the grave, and leaving the halo on top; it merged down into the grave —— as that was happening, Moss could hear an echo of a whale hum within the winds and see a golden semi transparent form of the said majestic sea creature, swimming around the pair in peaceful joy and jumping up before the form bursts into the same floating orbs like it splashed into water. Disappearing from their sight.

With a deep sigh, Isa finally opened his eyes half-lidded and smiled sweetly at Moss. “I can tell it was very happy to finally leave from it’s chains.“

Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- Frozen Mine -
"Night Time, Mysterious Portal, Heart of Windshear Mountains"​

"S-same." said Moss absently in that same far away look he had earlier, only this time he had been gazing in awe at the golden flames, then happily at the free and peaceful Dorudon spirit, and then at Isa, his cheeks red. He looked away, coughing.

A gold orb floated down gently into Isa's hand. It coalesced into a single dark blue shard, flecked with pearlescent green and opalescent blues like the southern lights frozen in a stone. A soul shard. It felt warm and peaceful.

Moss gazed at the spot where they buried the bone: in the river where eventually the water will carry it away into the ocean. He held his own shoulder where he felt the warmth of the freed Dorudon from earlier, wrapping his soul in a blanket, and for the first time Moss prayed.

"Chalaróste stin iremía, to mageftikó Dorudon. Boreíte na eíste enoménoi me tin oikogéneiá sas sta nótia fóta." he said in Nazja, and bowed at the grave.

"So that's how demon hunters rest spirits." He looked at Isa amazed. "You're like a cleric of the Ancients . . . Isa, if ever I die, will you please be the one to help my spirit move on too?"

Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

- Frozen Mine -
"Night Time, Mysterious Portal, Heart of Windshear Mountains"​

“Hm?” Isa looked in his hand and gently moved the shard side to side, seeing the pearlescent shines change colors. Smiling still as he listened to Moss’ prayer in Nazja with the river’s current; he can see why people would compare their language to the flow of water. It’s smooth and fluid like the currents of the water. Then he looked at the awed merman, tilting his head a bit to the right. His red fringes swayed from the movement as he raised a single brow.

” A cleric of the Ancients, hm? That’s one way to look at us . . . If it brings you peace, I will. To be honest, I hope that won’t happen anytime soon. Loki, forbid it.” The redhead said quietly, still dazed as he knocked on the wooden makeshift shovel; a silly belief from childhood that knocking on wood would repel the negative possibility that they casted in the universe.

“When I die, will you pray for me too? You sounded nice.” Again, he knocked on wood. Isa is not planning to die either. “Except when you coughed. You’re not coming down with a cold, are you?”

The redhead leaned in close and lightly bumped his forehead with Moss’ forehead, closing his eyes for a moment. Then he leaned back, smiling sweetly again; in relief this time. “Doesn’t feel like you have a fever. Maybe we should heat up the rest of the food so you can fight off the cold.”

Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- Frozen Mine -
"Night Time, Mysterious Portal, Heart of Windshear Mountains"​

"Of course I will, though I need to learn the words you were singi --- aaaaaaahhh!" Moss immediately recoiled, blushing furiously from the light head bump. "Don't do that again, Isa! You cinammon troll! Stay away from my face!" he made chop-chop motions in front of him.

"Arghhhh." He wipes his forehead and horn as though to wipe off Isa's cooties. "Cold? Are you kidding me? Me get sick from the cold?" Still red, he turned around, and rubbed his face vigorously with his hands and emerged tousle-haired. "You just wanted an opportunity to troll." He was completely overreacting, and walked past Isa back to their little camp, grumpy.

Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

- Frozen Mine -
"Night Time, Mysterious Portal, Heart of Windshear Mountains"​

Isa flinched back, his daze broken by Moss’ exclaimation as he blinked owlishly. His smile wiped away. Troll? But he wasn’t-

“You don’t get colds?” He asked as he watched the merman walk back to the camp. The redhead was so confused, not knowing what he did for Moss to react like that. He was just worried if he got sick. Feeling he should clear the misunderstanding, Isa stood up and made his way back to camp. Making sure he gave the merman a bit of space in case he overreacted again for something —- for whatever it is that he does.

”...I don’t know how merfolk check for sickness, but humans check by touching the forehead in case someone has a fever...and I’m wearing gloves, so...” Isa explained, his brows furrowed in worry of offending Moss again. Then he humbly looked at the ground, still confused but willing to try explaining anyways. He frowned softly. “We also check by touching foreheads . . . I’m sorry. I thought you were okay with direct contact.”

Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- Frozen Mine -
"Night Time, Mysterious Portal, Heart of Windshear Mountains"​

Moss eyes widened in realization of what he had done. "I am! I am okay with direct touch! I thought you were teasing me. I thought you were tease flirting me? Er . . " His grumpiness was entirely gone, replaced by awkwardness.

Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

- Frozen Mine -
"Night Time, Mysterious Portal, Heart of Windshear Mountains"​

Isa looked up, staring at Moss for a quiet moment. “You don’t like it when someone flirts with you?”

Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- Frozen Mine -
"Night Time, Mysterious Portal, Heart of Windshear Mountains"​

"Not to mess with me." he clarified. "I like flirting if it's a genuine compliment or if I like the person back, not to treat me like a boy toy because of my looks." He crossed his arms, looking at the dim walls of the room. "Every now and then some chick or dude comes up and starts doing whatever they want --- customers, mostly, in places where I work --- it's annoying. They have no respect whatsoever."

Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

- Frozen Mine -
"Night Time, Mysterious Portal, Heart of Windshear Mountains"​

Isa hummed, raising a brow. Lightly pinching his chin between his thumb and index finger as he continued to stare at Moss curiously. “How can you tell if the person’s flirting was genuine though? Just now, you thought I was teasing ya when I wasn’t...”

Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- Frozen Mine -
"Night Time, Mysterious Portal, Heart of Windshear Mountains"​

"I-I can't tell all the time." he admitted, uncrossing his arms. "Sorry about that, Isa." he rubbed the back of his neck. "It's just . . . I've been around land walkers long enough to know that the head bumping isn't what guys normally do. I thought you were teasing me like back at the tower."

Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

- Frozen Mine -
"Night Time, Mysterious Portal, Heart of Windshear Mountains"​

“No, I don’t suppose guys do that normally.” Isa said thoughtfully, realizing that he hugged and touched Moss more times than he ever done in the past with strangers within the year. “My mother used to do that to me.”

He tapped his own forehead with a gloved finger, grinning in amusement. “To check when I got sick. I get what you mean though. It’s understandable to be annoyed getting hit on when you just want to work—- I tease when it’s daylight or when I know for sure we’re safe enough to troll. It’s dark outside and we’re inside a mine....where we might be snowed in by a loud noise.”

Isa fell in the blasted place. Who knows what else this mine has in store for him?!

Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- Frozen Mine -
"Night Time, Mysterious Portal, Heart of Windshear Mountains"​

"You only flirt at daytime?" repeated Moss in disbelief. "Well . . . alright . . . Just, ask permission before you come close to my face. That was a tease, back in the tower, right?"

Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

- Frozen Mine -
"Night Time, Mysterious Portal, Heart of Windshear Mountains"​

“N-no. I can flirt anytime if I want. I don’t troll if it’s night time or if we’re not safe enough to joke around.” Isa corrected, his cheeks turning red. Who only flirts in daytime?! What?! Gosh, this is embarrassing!

”. . . “ His eyes narrowed in disbelief. Is he that suspicious?! Really?! Isa should have known that his own face would even confuse his friend. Sometimes, he hated his face. “ . . . I wanted to surprise you, if you count that as tease.”

Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- Frozen Mine -
"Night Time, Mysterious Portal, Heart of Windshear Mountains"​

Moss' cheeks went red again. "Alright." he said quietly, and then looked away. "E-eat your dinner." he said in a tone of finality and went off to assemble his sleeping bag and get ready for bed opposite the campfire of Isa.

Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

- Frozen Mine -
"Night Time, Mysterious Portal, Heart of Windshear Mountains"​

It was quiet. Too quiet for a couple of minutes. No tapping from the stirring in the pot nor footsteps softly echoing the mine. Just frozen quiet-

Suddenly, Moss got hit with something soft on his back. A rolled up sleeping bag. Isa huffed as he straightened up his posture; from throwing to leaning against Smoky. His arms crossed and pouted. “Payback for your assumptions.” He felt slightly annoyed. Had Moss always believed that Isa was flirting with him every time he trolled? Ever since they were at the tower or longer?

Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- Frozen Mine -
"Night Time, Mysterious Portal, Heart of Windshear Mountains"​

"What was that for?!" Unbelievably, his face was still red. He turned his back once again on Isa and laid back down on his sleeping bag. "I said I was sorry. And besides, it's not my fault I was born gorgeous."

Katsuya

 

[Katsuya]

- Frozen Mine -
"Night Time, Mysterious Portal, Heart of Windshear Mountains"​

“Ah-ha-! And your ego reveals itself!” Isa pointed out, his pout stretching into his usual impish grin. “That-! Was payback for not believing in me—- I can’t believe you honestly thought I was flirting. Is flirting trolling for you or something? Hey-!”

The redhead walked over to him and sat down, crossing his legs in the lotus position. Moss can tell by the tone of Isa’s voice that he is amused and annoyed. “Unless . . . You believe that every land dweller will instantly flirt with you just because you’re handsome? Really? Are you secretly that egotistical about your looks?” He snorted.

Zer0

 

[Zer0]

- Frozen Mine -
"Night Time, Mysterious Portal, Heart of Windshear Mountains"​

"Yes, I do." said Moss in the most annoying obnoxious voice he could muster, his face still red. "Why? Do you deny that I'm handsome?" And he watched Isa's expression for a moment, before burrying himself in his sleeping bag like a cocoon. "And I said I was sorry, what do you want me to do?" said his muffled voice.

Katsuya