Overview & Main Roleplay

Enuky

Enuky

Status Troll

- - - Overview - - -​

full
The Lands of Morganna
are vast and diverse. From the mountainous terrain of the Roselands, to the shorelines of the Yunakai, it is a beautiful sight to behold. However, like most lands its history has not always been beautiful. More than two hundred years ago, a cluster of malicious spirits and demonic entities brought horror to Morganna. The demons scaled the land far and wide, destroying entire villages and eliminating any who rose against them. These devastating attacks became known as the Demon Raids, but none lost as much as the Kingdom of Alethea.

full
The Demon Raids of Alethea were the last of the raids. Demons flooded the kingdom, and the Wilting Rose fought back with all of its might, but it was not enough to save Alethea. The situation soon became dismal, and defeat was surely imminent. Finally, three powerful wizards made the ultimate sacrifice to put an end to the demon raids. The first wizard sacrificed his soul to bring Alethea to the sky. His spell ripped the kingdom from the earth and placed it among the clouds. The second wizard gave his life to create a magical barrier around the kingdom, one powerful enough to trap all demonic entities inside. The last wizard brought invisibility to the land; so that no one would ever disturb the prison. The three martyrs were then turned to stone, forever casting their great spells fueled by the price of their own eternities.

full
Alethea then became known as the Umbra Carcerem, and since the Demon Raids the floating kingdom has remained undiscovered. The demons trapped inside the Umbra Carcerem have been left to grow in their numbers and strength, making the ruins of Alethea into their home. The demonic energy here is so strong that it always appears to be nighttime. In Alethea there are dense forests roamed by beasts left rabid by the energy of the atmosphere. It is said that humans were trapped in the prison as well, and one can never be sure of everything residing in the Umbra Carcerem. Many seek the Umbra Carcerem for its power, but such power getting into the wrong hands would be catastrophic for Morganna...

JOIN US

 
Last edited:
Rose--


"Are you ready, your highness?" The soft voice of an older gentleman called out through the darkness. It was a Yunakai royal adviser, fetching Throntorn to accompany him on the journey to bestow the Royal trident upon the rightful heir of the Yunakai throne. Nearly six months had gone by since Thornton was given temporary power over the Yunakai, and he hadn't visited the kingdom a single time. He knew that he should have done so, and that his actions cost the Yunakai greatly, but the memories of his deceased fiance were too much for him to bear. He did not wish to visit Kuvira's homeland and live within the Yunakai palace alone. 


Thornton was standing before a large window with his back turned to the man. He'd been alone in the King's Quarters waiting in the dark. He turned to face the man. Thornton had grown a curly red beard in the months following his fiance's death, and he appeared pale and thin. His eyes were a dull shade of blue, and his lips a pale pink. There was grief in his eyes, but his back was straight and his head held high. "Yes", said Thornton. 


"The carriage is waiting for you outside", responded the adviser who then bowed and stepped out, leavin Thornton alone once again. The Rose King glanced back towards the window and let out a soft sigh before leaving in the direction of the adviser. 


Through the dead of night the two made their way from the Rose Kingdom Capitol to the Kingdom of the Yunakai. Finally, at dawn they reached their destination. It was a large and well built home, as Thornton expected. The heir to the throne was from a wealthy upbringing, much like Kuvira. Thornton slowly climbed down from the carriage and as he did the adviser retrieved the royal trident from a back compartment. He handed it to Thornton, who was to present the magic spear to the new king. The trident was tall and golden in color, with three sharp spikes at its end. The trident was a royal heirloom passed down to Yunakai kings for many generations, a symbol of the Yunakai's powerful naval forces and coastal way of life. 


Thornton stood eyeing it for a long moment before reluctantly making his way to the doors of the home. He was somewhat bitter of this day. Oromis Silverspire was the name of the young man who would be replacing his fiance. The thought of someone other than Kuvira leading the Yunakai brought great pain to his heart. 


He reached the door and knocked firmly against it before kneeling to one knee, holding the Trident upwards from its side, presenting it to the man who he hoped would soon open the doors. 


"Oromis Silverspire of the Yunakai Royal Forces, I present to you the King's Trident; you are the rightful heir to the throne", he kept his head bowed, showing utmost respect to the new king. @Inheritance


South Yunakai--


From a hammock Prudence rested, swaying continually back and forth. It was late in the summer, and outside the manor was warm and sunny with a constant gentle breeze. 


Following Yaro's coronation, a large and luxurious manor was constructed for him by the seashore. The new King of South Yunakai was given a private beach, and scattered about the property were palm trees and orange groves. Here Prudence was able to live the lavish lifestyle of her dreams, and unlike six months ago she was much more receptive of Yaro's treatment of her. 


At more than eight months into her pregnancy, Prudence could be due to give birth in only a matter of weeks. Her belly was now massive in proportion to the rest of her small, short stature, and it made almost everything difficult for the young witch. Indeed, she often had no choice but to accept the aid of others, and in time she stopped trying to resist it. Today, the woman seemed to have no qualms about expecting the assistance of others, and often was bossy and moody. 


Prudence shifted to an upright position in the netted hammock. She took a drawn out whiff of the air; it smelled pleasantly of salt and citrus from the nearby ocean and orange trees. She then began to slowly step out, having to carefully lift her watermelon like size over the edge of the hammock. As her first tiny foot reached the sandy ground, it was greeted with a sharp pain, causing her to lose her balance and stumble to the sand with a yelp. She rolled a short distance in the sand. By the time she came to a stop, she was screaming out and throwing a small fit over the growing pain in her foot. 


Poor Prudence had stepped right on top of a crab, which then clamped its pinchers tightly around her foot. The thing wouldn't let go, and due to her massive belly the witch couldn't reach her feet! There was nothing she could do aside from whither about while trying to make the thing lose its grip and crying helplessly out, hoping Yaro or Klaus were nearby enough to hear her struggling. Her entire body was reddening as she became more and more flustered with her predicament. @DemetrioMachete @Andraus


Bathelon--


Cecile was seated beneath a tree. She was observing as Katha and Lance trained from a short distance away. Katha was demonstrating a new attack spell to Lance. The spell could absorb moisture from the air and freeze it into sharp, needle-like spears, capable of precise and quick attacks against opponents. It rained earlier that morning, leaving the air humid and perfect for such a technique.


The princess had been training with them as well, but she was never trained as rigorously as the king. This was because of her worsening condition. The curse she suffered had become more powerful, and her episodes of insanity more frequent. Eventually it was discovered that stressing herself could trigger these episodes, and after that the princess was treated with more caution. She was often asked to step out and rest while Katha worked with Lance, and she was also made to take up the practice of meditation. Katha believed meditation and yoga could help prevent her episodes. 


Much changed for the princess as a result of her condition. Being kept away from stressful situations and spending so much time alone in her thoughts made her calmer. Cecile was no longer an emotional outburst waiting to happen, and had greater control over emotions. 


In truth, she was supposed to be meditating right then, but she was too curious about the new spell so instead she watched quietly. 


Katha stood holding her old wand out in front of her. She closed her eyes and concentrated on the spell, and when she opened her eyes blinked open three sharp icicles materialized in the air with a slight crackle. She then flicked her wand, which sent the needles zipping forward where they plunged into a tree, piercing the wood where they were lodged. 


As the sharp icicles quickly began to melt in the warm air, Katha turned to Lance and crossed her arms with narrowed old eyes, watching carefully to see Lance's attempt to replicate her spell with the wand she had given him. 


@Trombone Geek
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Yunakai was his.


At this thought, still six months having passed, Yaro could still not wrap his head around the fact that the home of his ancestors...the home of his family....it was going to be his. Yaro stared at the map of Morganna in front of him, which gave sharp details onto each part of the land. Yaro knew that only the South of Yunakai technically belonged to him, but Yaro believed without a doubt, after a few more victories, the rest would follow suit. Staring at the most recent reports, Yaro would look towards the other military advisers in the room, before one would begin speaking up.


"The Lord of the Capitol still refuses to give us a straight answer on where his allegiance stands." His diplomatic adviser, Tristan Bone-singer would say.


"He's a true Yunkanian, he'll come around." Yaro said, staring at the map. He gave each city-lord a choice: Either swear allegiance to him, or be conquered. The time that had passed had changed Yaro. He had gone from the Idealistic young man he was, into a cold military leader, unafraid to snap someones neck if he had it in his grasp. It was rare now to see his eyes any other color, but blue: His eyes were only red now when he was with Prudence, and even then they normally were purple. However, he did not believe in just the killing, as they still needed people to run the city.


"Don't be so sure about that, Lord Azarus. I've intercepted messages from the Leaders of the Yunakai Royal forces: they're putting a lot pressure on him." His military adviser, Knight-Commander Corvus Branwen said.


Yaro would merely look up from the map, and grimly amused look on his face. "What would you have me do, then?"


"If he's not with us, He's against us." Corvus said, his grip on his blade tightening.


"He knows that. They all know that." Yaro said, staring down at the map below.


The Resistance and Magical Adviser from the Rose Kingdom, Josephine Aradesh, would speak up. "How long do you intend to wait, Lord Azarus?"


Yaro would not look up this time, balancing the knife in his hand as he looked at the map. "You think I need to send them a stronger message?...."


Corvus would just huff, crossing his arms. "If by message, you mean shoving a sword through his gut..."


Tristan would speak up. "Taking his city and leaving him in disgrace would make a more powerful statement, don't you think?"


Yaro would nod. "It will show that we're not the murdering band of thugs they make us out to be."


Corvus would just look towards Yaro. "So we're ready to start this war in earnest, then?"


Yaro would look up and nod. "Soon."


Josephine would just tap her shoulder impatiently, staring at the map as well. "I still say you should just take them all out, like you did DeadQueen Regina."


"Regina was merely a message."Yaro said, placing several pieces near the capitol, signalling for troops to move closer in, and cut off supply lines. "Whoever we replace them with will need the support of our armies."


"We're ready whenever you are." Corvus said, eagerly.


Tristan would look down at the map. "Things hinge on the Capitol. If we can take it without bloodshed, all the better, but if not...."


Josephine would speak up. "It doesn't matter. The people are behind us."


Yaro would merely look towards her. "Some I fear still need convincing."


Corvus would just growl. "Then let them die with their false kings."


Yaro would sigh. "We've been soldiers for a long time. We know the price of freedom. The people are still weighing things in their hearts."


Josephine would look over. "Whats left of Yunakai to wager?!"


"They have families to think of, and loved ones they need to care for." Tristan retorted.


"How many of the sons and daughters of this land have sworn fealty to our cause? We are their families."


"Well put my friend." Yaro said, looking towards Corvus. "Tell me, Corvus: Why do you fight for me?"


Corvus stood straighter, and spoke with unwavering loyalty in his voice. "I'd follow you to hell itself, you know that Yaro."


Yaro would just shake his head. "Yes, but why do you fight? If not for me, what then?"


Corvus would just respond. "I'd die before I let a weed rule over the lives of Dragons. Are we not one on this?!" Corvus said. 'Weed' was a slang term for Rose Kingdom nobles.


At being questioned, Yaro would just turn back, and walk towards his, his eyes burning with cold fury. "I fight for the men and women I've held in my arms, dying on foreign soil! I fight for their wives, husbands, family, and children, who's names I heard whispered in their last breaths! I fight for we few who did come home, only to find our country full of strangers wearing familiar faces! " Yaro said, and anyone could hear the passion coursing through his voice. "I fight for my people impoverished to pay the debts of a Kingdom too weak to rule them, yet brands them criminals for wanting to rule themselves! I fight so that all the fighting I've already done hasn't been for nothing. I fight... because I must." He said, calming down.


Josephine would smile, knowing that this ferocity and devotion towards the cause was exactly what Prudence would want. "Your words give voice to what we all feel, Yaro. And that's why you will be King. But the day words are enough, will be the day when soldiers like us are no longer needed."


Tristan would just give a tired smile to Josephine. "I'd gladly retire from the world, were a day like that ever to come."


"Aye, But in the meantime, we have a war to plan." Corvus said, looking back at the map.


Yaro would excuse himself from the proceeding, and walk out. His figure had changed over the last six months, due to extensive self-training. He'd long since abandoned fighting with a sword, and began using his own natural talent mixed with his physical strength. In doing so, he had two weapons crafted for him by Nephene Miabanise, the Wilting Rose smith who still continued to aid him: A pair of gauntlets, as black as night. Were it not for the magic crystals used to channel his mana through the weapons, they'd be nigh invisible in the dark. It wasn't long after stepping out of the room, Yaro came to look at the waters of his new home. He longed to be out there with his brothers and sisters in battle, fighting alongside them, but Prudence had held him back more than once. He had not shed blood in almost a month, and Yaro refused to miss the battle at the Capitol, should the worst come to pass.


Hearing a crying fit, Yaro rushed over immediately, before slapping his face with his hand. "Good grief...."He said, his eyes flashing purple, before he reached down, and grabbed the grab. He would then press two fingers on the pincer, before his hand would start heating up, causing the crab to cry in pain, before releasing Prudence. Yaro would then pick up the crab, and fling it into the water. " Prudence, Leader of the Resistance, and one of the most dangerous woman I know, bested by a crab.....be lucky you're beautiful. "He said teasingly.


The past few months had saw a rise in his relationship with Prudence, and Yaro couldn't help, but admit to himself: The idiot was in love. He was in love with easily the most manipulating, short-tempered, and hostile person he knew, but it was love all the same. Now, if only the man could admit it to her, that'd be grand....As Yaro thought about this, before kneeling, and rubbing her wounded foot, he would speak up. "Soft and supple skin like this shouldn't be bruised up by a small crab." He said


@Enuky K  @Trombone Geek
 
After flailing about on the sand for what seemed an eternity to Prudence, Yaro came to the rescue. She continued to whine while he knelt to her foot and grabbed the crab. After burning the thing with a spell, the crab released its hold of her foot and Yaro tossed it into the sea. 


Prudence scrambled in the sand until returning to an upright position. She crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow to Yaro's apparent amusement over her issue. "Why don't you try wallering in the sand with a boulder for a belly", she snapped. She began dusting herself off. Prudence was dressed in a loose white gown instead of her usual black, due to the hot temperatures. As she dusted herself she seemed to become agitated. 


"I hate the sun! I hate crabs! And most of all I hate sand!" The grouchy female complained, frustrated that she couldn't seem to rid herself of all the sand that was on her. She was covered from head to toe in sand from rolling about in it. She was not happy with the hot, ocean lifestyle of the Yunakai. It was different from the environment of Valpurina, to say the least. 


Then, like Humpty Dumpty who fell from the wall, Prudence cracked. She grabbed a fiat full of sand and chucked it to the groud before tossing herself back onto the sand and sobbing. 


She would have likely sobbed longer, but then she felt something touching her foot. Instinctively she kicked at the source, perhaps paranoid that it could be another crab, but it was only Yaro. He caught her ankle, preventing the kick before rubbing her sore foot. Then Prudence relaxed and quieted, allowing him to continue. 


She raised her head to look at Yaro after his last remark. Her face was round and plump and her hair a mess. Without another word she laid back down; she appreciated what Yaro was doing more than he knew. It was no surprise that her feet were often sore, given her tiny ankles.


"I couldn't see the thing...", Prudence said about the crab. Her belly blocked the view of it. 


Prudence would likely be unhappy to learn of Yaro's desire to go to battle at the capitol, but it was clear she was in no shape to be brought near there herself. 


@Andraus
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Lance glanced back at Cecile for a moment, raising his eyebrows disapprovingly when he saw she wasn't meditating. The sound of Katha's spell striking the tree jolted him back to the lesson at hand, and he mumbled irritably as he lifted his wand in an attempt to copy the spell. Which failed horribly as the ice cracked and broke before melting on the ground, adding to the puddle at Lance's feet. Thankfully, Lance had an advantage over his disadvantages: high endurance. Even with his limited knowledge of healing spells, he was still able to cast a quick one to further push away the migraine that had been building for the past hour. At least they weren't practicing any fire spells; those were especially painful. 

Sighing, Lance raised his wand and tried a second time, with much more progress. This time one of the ice shards hit the tree, although it shattered upon impact, and a second one missed, while the third backfired enough to hit Lance in the arm. It was too dull to pierce, but would leave a nasty bruise. The king looked down at the already purpling area and frowned before he realized what had happened. Red colored his cheeks and he crossed his arms, shuffling to hide his embarrassment. Sword fighting was obviously much more his style.

While he tossed about for an excuse, any excuse, to get out of this training, Lance went over to sit next to Cecile, deciding a break would be an excellent idea. He pulled his knees up to his chest and rested his head on them, closing his eyes on the light that was gradually becoming more painful to see and wishing that the birds and other wildlife around them could be just a bit quieter.  "How're you feeling, Cecile?" he asked, his voice muffled slightly.

///


A slim, tall, cloaked figure landed quietly on the sand a ways away from Prudence and Yaro, leaning against the tree they'd jumped out of and resting against it in a relaxed but ready stance. Strapped to their back was a long, thin blade, and what little could be shown of their face from underneath the hood seemed feminine and pale. Shaz Arden was her name, and she was the newest addition to the Order of the Raven, quickly picked as a personal guard for the Order's head himself, sparking jealousy from the other members. She said nothing as a second person approached the couple (for it was obvious they were that, whether they said so or otherwise). He was less hidden, wearing casual clothing meant for travelling with a knife strapped to his side and a normal pair of grey gloves on his hands--that is, were it not for the intricate stitching on each palm, they would be normal. In fact, they used the man's own mana instead of having a storage like Yaro's gauntlets. 

"Greetings, Lord Azarus. I see things are going rather well for you personally." Syniad acknowledged the two with a somewhat low bow, enough to show his allegiance, respect, and loyalty, but no more. "I apologize for taking so long to get here. When I returned to Bathelon things had gotten rather out of order; I've made better arrangements this time around. I've brought myself and one other; her name is Shaz Arden, and she's over by that tree. How goes the rebellion?" 



///



From a distance, a single figure watched, perched high on a steeple, her golden eyes staring at Yaro with a hint of jealousy and a lot of grudging acceptance. She'd hoped things would work out, in the end, but she saw it coming from miles away. She had suffered heavily at Kuvira's death, but had refused to believe it had been Yaro and the resistance. Until now, of course; seeing all the progress the Resistance had made seemed to help things set in stone.

She could end it all right now. Yaro was just within reach. Kill him and his girlfriend and the resistance would be so demoralized that everyone else could sweep in and finish the job. And she'd be spared from having to deal with the fact that Lanister's threat had been as empty as Yaro's little crush. She could do it; the seconds-in-command were in the room just below her. Do it fast enough and she could be down to the beach and get at least one of the two lovebirds. That would be enough to bring the other one down.

:You know you can't do it. Pathetic of you. If you let me do it then you can blame it on an unexpected outburst and not have to feel any guilt,: Kalamitat nudged, fully aware of Maeve's current fragility.

'I bet he didn't even think of me once when he fell in love with that witch..' Maeve thought, and Kalamitat huffed in annoyance. 


:Whining about it like some maiden won't help you. I could take over right now with or without your permission, and do the deed. However, I don't think we'll quite get away with more than one SIC and going after Yaro for intimidation. Does that sound good?: Maeve hesitated, then nodded slightly.

:The one below us is the weakest. We shall strike him, first, then move fast. You, or I?:

'I will. A puncture wound from a needle will be message enough to Yaro.' With that, the assassin crept down the steeple, touching the tiled roof lightly and moving down it to the window. She quietly reached down to see if it was open--it was--before letting herself fall enough to be out of sight as she gripped the windowsill. She peered into the room where one of the commanders sat writing on some parchment. Quietly, Maeve reached back and took a poisoned needle from the pouch at her side and whistled once to get her victim's attention. When he stood and turned to face her, Maeve let the needle fly; it punctured his windpipe and left him as good as dead, with little mess until some poor sod removed the murder weapon.

Satisfied, Maeve climbed back onto the roof. 'Create as much noise as possible, and be as scary as possible, on the way to Yaro. He won't back down from a challenge.'


:I'm aware of this,: her demon replied in a dull tone as she shifted into a huge cat-like form. Instead of the feathery movements its paws normally had, Kalamitat was landing heavily on the roof and yowling as she launched herself from roof to roof across the surrounding area, causing startled passerby to look up and flee in terror of what was obviously a monster. It wasn't long until Kalamitat reached the beach, and it wasted no time in pouncing towards Yaro with enough force that even Syniad knew he needed to move.

Kalamitat stared into the lord's eyes, growling lowly as it flexed its claws around his shoulders with the faint hint of death around the corner.


'Don't you dare!' Maeve cried, but the demon's claws dug in enough to make Yaro bleed. Its mouth opened enough to go for the killing bite--


"NO!" The cry was sudden, and enough to get Kalamitat to back off and revert back to its human counterpart, grumbling and leaving Maeve to fend for herself. The woman stood and brushed as much sand as she could off of her dark attire, which was reminiscent of the uniform of her all-but-decimated Wyrthriel squads used with the exception that it was plain and in mourning colors, and Maeve wore no mask. There was no need.

She stared at the group with hostility, but something kept Syniad and Shaz from attacking. Her gaze landed on Yaro and Prudence and melted into a full on glare.
 
 
Yaro was about to respond, when he heard the sounds of commotion, He began to rise, before being sent flying to the ground. Yaro was then face to face with his literal worst nightmare: The Demon Kalamitat. Fear flashed in his eyes, before turning to rage. Then to cold fury. When Yaro rose, the look in Yaro's eye would be enough to chill anyone to the bone: There was no emotion in there...but hatred. Pure, undiluted hatred. Yaro knew Maeve was in the Castle the day that Troy was murdered by Kuvira, and he didn't doubt for a second that Maeve had something to do with her death: How else would you explain how someone like Troy was murdered? Even if she didn't take a hand in it, Maeve was Kuvira's most trusted aide, and would've known her intent. Yet, she did nothing to save a girl who simply wanted to make the world a better place.


In his eyes, Maeve had betrayed the care and trust that he had placed in her.


Yaro would stand, before his eyes would shift to blue, as he would glare back at Maeve. There was no fear any longer in his face, only darkness. Losing the last of his family had finally sent Yaro over the edge he had been tittering on: He no longer saw the woman he once held feelings for, or any sort of affection for. He saw an issue, a traitor, and a problem.


Yaro LOVED dealing with problems.


"So, you survived.....Good. I wouldn't miss the chance to meet my sisters murderers face-to-face."He said. Even his voice sounded different. They had the same effect as icy winds over a mountain. "So, you finally come to face me, Maeve....I would offer to show you mercy.....but I would ask if you showed any to Troy, and we both know the answer to that." Yaro said, taking a step forward.


Yaro would reach over his back, as he placed the gauntlets on his arms. There was no longer any hesitation in his steps, as there was so long ago: There was cold determination, and the look on his face that he was willing to do what must be done. "Maeve, Wyrthriel Commander, and former aide to the Traitorous whore Kuvira: You are guilty of Treason to the people of Yunakai, and you will die a traitors death, by my hand!" Yaro said, pulling his fists up into a combat stance. He would discreetly press a switch on his gauntlets, causing them to emit a faint whistling sound.


Only time would tell what it would do....


@Trombone Geek @Enuky K
 
Preceeding the present day...


The time Klaus spent with Prudence and Yaro, he considered one of the finer moments in his life. He considered the two of them the only people that truly understood him; even if they actually didnt. As the resistance played out their attacks on the Nobility of Yunakai, Klaus contributed whenever he could, healing when a friend was injured, and maiming their foes with sickening glee. Prior to the assassination of Kuvira, Klaus had embraced his self-labeled "Craze", and his actions became significantly harder to predict. Many people would complain about animal corpses being left near them or on them while they slept; Yaro and Prudence would get strange offers to have their feet rubbed, oral and written, and then Klaus released an unlicensed medical book; describing his rather brutal and unethical way of practicing medicine. It did not catch on. Despite all of that, he never once showed sign of betraying Yaro and Prudence.


When the time came that Yaro was leading Yunakai, Klaus began to grow slightly more withdrawn. The rate of animal and beggar death in the kingdom slowed down significantly, and Klaus would be caught reading far more often. Most of his literature consisted of old Hero stories and Religious texts in relation to his Deity, Saint Cuthbert; the God of Knowledge and Common Sense. When questioned, he explained his rumored Hero ancestor, for he desired to claim an unspecified fortune. He had yet to tell Yaro or Prudence about this.


Present day.


There was a change in the doctor's posture. It reeked of confidence. He had woken up that morning with an epiphany, and he desired to see his two most powerful meatpuppe- no. His two most powerful friends. The doctor had been in such a hurry he forgot his hat, and to hide his scars. Now his shiny white hair, having been cut slightly shorter than it was, was fully exposed to the air, as was his grotesque smiling scar. Even without the scar, Klaus was smiling. He thought he had finally done it!


It wasnt too long of a walk to Yaro's manor. Klaus had chosen to live in a homeless shelter with filthy drunken beggars; for he had made a killing, operating on them and their various illnesses, injuries and deformities. His pockets were lined with copper, silver and gold, made in a semi-honest way. When Klaus finally arrived, as Yaro was rubbing Prudence's foot, his eyes closed half-way, and he took a deep breath. How loathesome, he thought.


"So many times I offered to rub the two of you and your battered feet down with my cold doctor-like hands, and every time you either ignored me or said no!" He said to them in jest, as he approached. "The way I see it the two of you should just spend your days chewing on each other's lips." 


He had a new leather coat on his person, and light gray pants, with a white rose pinned to his breast. This was the new Doctor Klaus; no longer concerned with silly plagues. He looked far spiffier, since he had last visited his friends. As though he hadn't seen them in years, he bowed to the two of them. In truth it had just been maybe two months. 


...


And then someone else arrived. Klaus eyed this person up and down with suspicion.. the doctor thought maybe this was a bad time to bother his friends, but he really, really wanted to speak with them. So without really thinking, and knowing he didnt have a weapon on his person, he approached this Maeve, making shooing motions with his hands.


"Sorry but you'll have to wait your turn. These are my friends, and so I have priority. Now shoo. Tss. Skedaddle!"


. . .


Valpurina, Present Day.


Following the death of Kuvira, Aizen returned to Valpurina; speaking not a word to Lanisters or the Grandmasters of it. He wasnt mad at them or himself.. but he felt that a change was in order. Just his blades and tools weren't enough to keep people alive, it seemed. Maybe... maybe he needed a new approach.


From his quarters, he wrote a letter to Sir Lanister. He wrote it in common Goblin, for he struggled to write coherently in english characters. The letter, which he requested be sent to Lanister, read as follows.


Hello, sir.


I am aware that you have lost people close to you. It is unfair to be burdened with a heavy heart, for it decreases efficiency. But I am not one to talk, either. I see myself as inefficient, period. Ever since I returned here, I have been thinking over what I could have done differently to stop those Insurgent bastards. And so it dawned on me. I will keep this short, and simple.


Would you teach me how to use magic, some day?


-Aizen.


@Enuky K @Andraus


@Trombone Geek
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Ornis Silverspire


He kept his cool during the crowning, especially with all the looks of apparent horror to his casual wear. Once again, he cared not for the affairs of the suit and clothes he could barley breath in. He couldn't fight in those, nor do anything that he wanted. He sat through the boring dinner, and was only really excited when the party started. He would give himself a few days of relaxation and enjoying the new privileges he had. Once again, his lust for power was great, and what was the point of having power when he couldn't enjoy it? Well he was actually cut short the next morning, as a few advisors began nagging him about the resistance problem. FINE, he'd deal with that. Thinking on it, he saw they obviously did not have great might. It seemed they thrived off the disorder here...not only that, the north was no longer happy with Yunakai because of their last pathetic King. Well then, the best thing here would be to make an example out of the resistance here.


The question was of course how to do that, a military victory would be crucial here but the main point would be to try to cripple the resistance. Take out a leader, capture them, lead them into a trap. Well...he had always wanted a red wedding...perhaps he could have a little slaughter. Not very honorable but neither is hiding like rats. No...At the moment the first thing to do would be to attack the Southeastern peninsula, as it was cut off from all resistance territory, and their swarming Navy could block any sea escapes.


However the first thing that had to be done, was fixing this damn army. All of them were partly trained in magic, partly trained in combat. Not going to work. He had to specialize the army, and with the Arcane Knights in one elite section, he would divide the others so they could be used as a better unit. Destruction Magi in one category, Support in the other, Archers, Front line, cavalry. When you focus on too much with one unit, they get worse. So magic should be used lightly by soldiers or fighters, and it should be left to the strong groups of magi that can really get shit done. Healers need to have their own section, the support can help the fighters while the destruction shoots devastation in the backfields. This would be a key to victory, and he began to give his orders out immediately to begin this. However, he could not complete any kind of attack just yet, so the plan was to hold the borders while training commenced, and he would turn north to see the politics going on. As it stood, Thornton was a strong ally, and a good leader. People would listen to him, much more then a new king. If nothing else, he could be a figure head, as this new army stuff needed to be done with the armies of Yunakai, because he wanted to eventually be ruler of all. But he was patient, he could wait.


Right now, he needed to speak with Thornton, as that was the only thing he could really do. Another EASY day as King...Right?


@Enuky K


 
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Yunakai--


Following Thornton's initial meeting with Ornis, the two made the remainder of the journey to the Yunakai capitol city. During the trip Thornton made little conversation with Ornis and instead peered stonily to the road they travelled; praying to himself the trip would soon end. After several more hours of silence, the group made it safely to the Yunakai capitol city, where the palace was located. Thornton sighed as he climbed down from the carriage, brushing himself off slightly when he reached the ground. He then took a moment to take in the palace; it was his first time seeing it. 


The palace was well built from stone and had few windows. Thornton was surprised to see the palace wasn't overly ornate, but this was because it was built to withstand the stormy weather brought to the city from the coast. Upon entering the castle they found the palace to be a rather lonesome sight. It was easy to see the place had been left uninhabited for quite some time. Indeed, no royalty had been there since the royal family left for the Rose Kingdom.


For his wedding... 


The Rose King relented to an urge to avoid the new king after their arrival. He quietly slipped away from the group, and since then wandered the palace aimlessly. He couldn't shake the feeling of being near Kuvira everywhere he went, and it was beginning agitating to the man. He wandered and wandered... never paying attention to the hallways and doorways he passed. He likely couldn't have found his way back to his starting point, but this hadn't crossed his mind yet either. After a great deal of walking, Thornton pushed up a set of large doors that opened up to a much larger space: it was the throne room. 


He paused and stepped warily inside where he approached the two throns. His hand gently ran across the arm of the king's throne. This was the throne Kuvira used; she was a queen ruling independently here. Although he knew it wasn't proper of him, Thornton climbed into Osuin's throne, feeling vaguely comforted by sitting upon his deceased fiance's throne. There he remained in the dark throne room, lost in his own thoughts. 


@Inheritance


South Yunakai--


Prudence's complaints about the Yunakai terrain went unanswered as a stranger approached Yaro and Prudence. Prudence remained where she was seated on the sand, and listened with an uninterested expression as he introduced himself. He was someone from Bathelon it seemed, there to discuss more politcal matters with Yaro. Prudence let out an irritated sigh and turned then to face Yaro for his answer. She knew Yaro would likely leave her now that an ambassador was there to meet with him. It was a shame as she'd hoped to get a longer foot rub out of him, but Yaro was often busy now that he was a king. Prudence, however; was usually left to herself. The other politicians Yaro met with didn't seem to approve of her in their meetings, and at eight months pregnant the witch couldn't bring herself to care enough to oppose this. Instead, she was normally lounging around the manor and taking long naps. Yaro would explain the details of the meeting to her later, she trusted. 


A familiar voice from behind her jerked the witch's attention. She twisted herself around to face the man; yes, it was Klaus! The color in her green hues intensified as she fumbled for words, "doctor!" she called out, waving her arms upward as if trying to capture his attention. It had been two months since she'd seen the Doctor Klaus, and Prudence had grown quite a bit since then. She was angry to have been left so long without his care. Indeed, Klaus could work wonders on a sick stomach or a sleepless night... 


Finally, all seemingly at the same time, a third surprise entered the scene. In a blur a figure sped by and pounced to Yaro, causing Prudence to become flustered. "Hey!" she yelled as sand from the sudden movement was jostled in her direction, but she was ignored. As she ovrheard the bits and pieces from their heated  conversaton, Prudence's expression then became somewhat worried. This woman was connected to the royal family! As Yaro readied himself for battle and declared he would end the woman's life, Prudence scrambled clumsily to her feet. She decided it would be best to avoid such action; she could see the wrath in Yaro's eyes. She distanced herself from the group and crossed her arms. She wanted to return inside, but felt uncertain about leaving Yaro's sight, wondering if there were any other surprise guests lurking about. 


It was then that Klaus acknowledged the woman, and his words came as a big surprise to Prudence, whose face became red while she resisted the urge to bark at him for his insolence, but she controlled herself. Afterall, she wanted Klaus to do as she said later. Instead, Prudence could only wait and see what more was to come. 


@DemetrioMachete @Andraus


Bathelon--


Cecile watched with interest as Lance attempted the spell, feeling unsurprised when his first attempt failed. It turned out magic wasn't easy for the king, and the princess couldn't help but smile at his obvious embarassment after being pelted in the arm by the ice produced in his second attempt. Then it seemed Lance had enough, as he turned to Cecile and approached where she was seated under a tree. 


"How are you feeling?


There was no question Cecile hated quite as much as this. It did nothing but remind her of her contidion, and make her aware of what a liability she was. "I feel fine", Cecile whispered dismissively as Lance's grandmother made her way over to them. 


"You are doing fine, Lance, don't be discouraged", the old woman said with a smile. "Why don't you pracice with Cecile now? I think she's had enough rest", she added, eyeing Cecile closely as if searching for some visible sign that an episode could be approaching. At this remark Cecile perked up slightly; usually she was done with her training for the day by this time. "Don't overwork yourself", said Katha sternly to Cecile after noticing the spark in her energy. Katha then headed back towards the Bathelon castle, deciding that Lance would probably work better without the pressure of her watchful eye critiquing him. The old woman was feeling tired as well. 


Cecile watched as Katha left, and didn't speak until the woman reached the palace. Then she sprang to her feet, eager to try the spell. She was confident she could do better than Lance. 


"Show me how to do the ice spell", she said anyway, only really wanting to see him fail again before her attempt. 


@Trombone Geek
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Maeve's head dropped in what could be considered shame, to Yaro's eyes, although in reality she was listening to Kalamitat. As Yaro reached his death threat's culmination her eyes widened, still in response to her inner voice.


She calmly looked up at Yaro as he donned his mama-harnessing gauntlets. "I don't think you realize the reason behind Troy's death. She committed a severe crime :against every mortal and immortal being, God or otherwise,:" she said, her voice merging with that of an angry Kalamitat toward the end of her sentence. But before the dramatic moment could continue, some insane good-for-nothing stepped in and made shooing motions and spoke as if to dismiss Maeve, who was very confused at this.


"You really wanna stand between Yaro and the object of his hatred? Not a good idea," the assassin said quietly, eyeing Yaro warily the entire time.


Was it really worth it, to kill him? More than anything, could Maeve bring herself to do it?


'Not this day.'


:Coward,: hissed Kalamitat, still fuming, but it retreated away anyways. Maeve sighed and stepped away from the eccentric man and the unfolding scene, planning to leave and return to Yunakai.


"I can't say I'll kill you when I next see you, but watch yourself, because Kalamitat might.. Especially if you take after your ill-fated sister enough to be judged by the Gods." With that, Maeve turned and walked away, refusing to run no matter how desperately she wanted to get away.. Or run into Yaro's arms, even if it meant her death.


:That would've been a lot better with more blood spilling from that imbecile's gut,: Kalamitat muttered. Maeve didn't respond.


/// 


Lance sighed at Cecile's dissmissive response, cracking an eye to try and judge her condition through how sane she looked to be expression-wise, although he only lasted a moment before he had to shut both eyes tight against the piercing light. At least she looked fine, although that wouldn't keep the king from worrying. 


Lance nodded in a slightly dismal manner at Katha's encouragement, waiting until she was gone and a while after before finally feeling ready to face the world again. "How come my grandmother gets a talent with magic and I get an allergy from it? I bet you it's from my mother. Father got everything from Katha, except his rule, but he got her skills for merchanting and that paid off for sure.." Lance continued to mumble and complain as he rose to his feet and offered Cecile a hand to help her up.


"I think you know more than enough to cast that simple ice spell.. It should be easy to shape the magic with those gloves of yours. If I cast another offensive spell my skull is going to split from the figurative hammer beating at it," he replied to Cecile's request, flushing again at the reminder of his embarrassing failure.
 
South Yunakai--


Prudence stood firmly and held her ground while she waited for a bloody battle to ensue. In truth, the situation was making her quite anxious. Too many people were surrounding her, and her forehead and palms were becoming sweaty. 


To the witch's surprise, however; the loyalist female chose not to strike at Klaus for his dismissal of her. Instead, the female turned and began her leave, walking calmly in the opposite direction with her back facing them. 


Prudence immediately then turned to Yaro, her hips finding their spot on her hips. 


"How do you know that woman?!" She snapped first, having no idea about Yaro's history with her. She pointed towars the demon woman. "Are you going to let her leave?! She's a loyalist, there could be more of them here!" Prudence said worriedly to him, giving a suspcious stare to Shaz and Syniad who hadn't exactly jumped to their aid. 


@Andraus 


Bathelon--


Cecile smirked at Lance's refusal to demonstrate the spell to her. He was right in that Cecile could do it. The princess secretly enjoyed showing off her new skills. With the help of a witch as powerful as Katha, Cecile was advancing rapidly in her studies. 


Now she held her hands outward with her palms facing the sky. "Condice!" she whispered while clenching her fingers. As her fingers moved, a blob of ice appeared floating above each palm. With several quick movements of her hands, Cecile sculpted the ice into thhe shape of small daggers and flicked her wrist, sending the sharp icicles forward where they hit the tree directly. 


Afte eyeing the icicles while for a moment she turned back to Lance.  "Maybe you should meditate", Cecile said sarcastically to him upon hearing his complaints about his head. She felt Lance was avoiding practicing with her, but she wasn't going to waste the rare treat of unsupervised practice. 


She created another blob of ice then, this time rubbing her hands around it in circular motions until it became a sphere. She threw it to the tree, causing the dull shape to bounce off and hit Lance again in the arm. She was immitating his failed attempt from earlier!


@Trombone Geek
 
Yaro tapped his arm impatiently, as he awaited Maeve to respond. When he heard her start 'blaming' Troy of crimes against humanity, his rage started building. When the doctor appeared, Yaro was beyond agitated. He would walk over towards Klaus, and place a hand on his shoulder. "Klaus.....please, go by Prudence, would you kindly? I need to have a 'talk' with this woman. " He said, as he turned to face Maeve again. "The object of my hatred? You really know how to make yourself seem special, don't you?!..."


Yaro continued to listen to her, and again brought up his sister. Now, Yaro had strained for patience before, out of care and respect for Maeve, but that had long since been gone. Yaro would just simply walk towards her. "Oh no no no! Come on out, Kalamitat! Or is there any of you left swimming in that body, Maeve?!.....This is all your fault, so own up to it! I always thought it was me, what I did. But no, you're the source, you and that traitorous royal family are the reason ANY of this happened!" Yaro said, anger bleeding into his voice.


He then exploded.


"EVERYONE IS GONE, BECAUSE OF YOU! You let Kuvira murder my brother, my mom, and my baby sister! Don't you dare try to justify that to me! She was FIVE YEARS OLD, MAEVE!" Yaro yelled, magic now bleeding from him, before he got it back under control. "In what world can you justify putting a five year old girl to death?!"He said, continuing to walk towards her. "-and crimes again humanity?! Troy never wanted anything more than to help people! Don't you dare lie to me! I've had enough of hearing lies from you!"


Yaro would then clutch onto his head, as he felt a sharp pain go through it, obviously the sign of internal conflict. "ALL OF MY FRIENDS AND FAMILY ARE GONE, BECAUSE OF ALL OF YOU!...."Yaro said, before looking in the sky, and seeing AveNix approaching. "But you know what!? I'll give Kalamitat what he wants! IF you don't do the right thing, and BURN TO DEATH, You come and find me! You know where I'll be! We'll settle this...."He said, taking several steps back.


Yaro's voice spoke with anger long retained and bottled up, long restrained and controlled...But not any longer. The loss of his close family broke him, and the loss of his adoptive sister finally caused him to snap. His body felt it was burning up with rage, and that the only way to erase it, was to ensure that those that hurt the people closest to him paid the ultimate price.


He would ensure he'd bring them endless pain.


As if on cue, Yaro would look up, to see a dragon, flying overhead. It was AveNix, the Yunakanian Wintersbreath. Yaro had intended it to be a surprise for Prudence, but that was out of the window now. The dragon was now a young adult, and VERY strong. Landing next to Yaro, the dragon would look towards him, before Yaro waved his hand in front of him.


AveNix would then open her maw, before letting out icy blue fire towards Maeve. After that, The creature would fly up, and take off, with Yaro having vanished with it...


Lanister was sitting in one of the practice areas for the city of Valpurna, trying to get his head clear. For all his talk and bluster, Lanister could not shake one solitary feeling in his head: He had failed. He had tried to steer Yaro and Troy in the right direction, give them focus.....but it ended with Yaro becoming the leader of the Insurgency, and Troy....


Lanister had to shake himself from that scene.


When Kuvira was discovered to have killed Troy, Lanister had informed the Grand-Masters, and they had gone to deliver justice themselves. However, they were stopped by the King. Furious at justice being denied by the lovesick fool of a king, The Grand-Masters ordered the Wilting Rose to all return to Valpurna. After that, they had heard that Kuvira was murdered the following day by Yaro and his followers.


Lanister couldn't help but feel that if he had just kept his men there, just a bit longer, then maybe....


No, he couldn't dwell on the issue any longer. It had been six months ago, and the people had to move on.


Lanister left his training room, and went to go and equip himself appropriately for taking on an Assassination contract. He then saw the notice for him by Aizen, asking him to be trained in Magic. Lanister would sigh, before thinking. Aizen had become indispensable since the incident at the Rose Kingdom capitol, and someone Lanister felt that could succeed him, given his long life. 


He decided right then and there he'd go and teach the Half ling what he knew....


@Enuky K @Trombone Geek @DemetrioMachete
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Lance rolled his eyes at Cecile's sarcastic comment, watching with slight confusion as she formed a sphere instead until he realized exactly what was happening when she threw it at the tree and it bounced off towards him. He caught it, instead, and looked triumphantly at Cecile before tossing it into the air and casting a barrier spell in just the right position to break it in half. "I bet you didn't know that was possible," he said, moving to the side of the clearing opposite Cecile. While Lance was mediocre at best at any form of magic, barriers and shields seemed to be his forte, also causing the king no pain, which was a plus.

"If you can figure out how to pierce a barrier all on your own then we'll do whatever you want," Lance said, although he was quick to add, "as long as it's not too strenuous." He decided to cast a medium-strength barrier, to present a challenge but still be possible. "I'll give you a hint; it requires a different sort of mental work than just casting and aiming." 

///

Maeve kept her posture stiff as she stopped to let Yaro speak, although Kalamitat raced to the forefront so quickly that Maeve didn't even hear most of Yaro's words until AveNix landed and Yaro finished speaking. When the dragon breathed its fire towards Kalamitat, the demon's own 'fire' leaped out from Maeve's still-humanoid body, seeming to devour the blue flame with a destructive glee. 

"You're really going to keep talking, Yaro? Maeve could have walked away and lived longer without the guilt of your death on her hands. Now there's no chance I'm letting you live!" it snarled, turning and racing towards Yaro before grabbing him around the throat and holding him up in the air. "You're pathetic! Troy was judged by the Gods and they dictated that she should die. If you keep defending your god-playing sister then you won't have to face the truth. And since you're so scared--" the demon's enraged voice broke and with a frustrated cry it slung Yaro to the ground. Then the demon was gone, racing away in lynx form.

:I could have killed him right then and there!: it shrieked, but Maeve was too terrified to answer. She hadn't fought back when Kalamitat had taken over, and had watched with almost glee as Yaro came close to his death; but then the assassin had realized what was actually happening. 

'I'm never going back there again. Ever. I'm never going to look at him again. I'll gouge out my eyes if I have to!'


:You human-kind are too sensitive to these things,: Kalamitat replied tiredly, but for some reason it wrapped its presence around Maeve's mind, blocking out the world as it ran back. Kalamitat knew the destination, but Maeve had fallen asleep mentally, and she didn't care; she just wanted to get away. When she returned to consciousness and viewing through her demon's eyes, she practically wailed. 'Why are we here? I don't want the memories--' Visions of her, Yaro, and Troy playing hide-'n-seek danced around in the cavern. Maeve shut her eyes tight against the scene.

:I thought you never knew Troy,: the demon murmured as it handed back control, trusting Maeve not to run away. She didn't; instead, she wandered silently about the caves, occasionally reaching out to touch an Echo Flower that hummed with a good memory. After a while, she calmed down.

'What made me convince you to leave earlier?'


:There are weaknesses of mine that I don't enjoy parting with.:

'You felt sorry for me, didn't you?'

:Just play with your stupid flowers,: Kalamitat answered crossly.


///


Syniad stared calmly back at Prudence despite her accusing gaze. "I know better than to get into a battle that has nothing to do with me. I suggest staying out of it, too. They're at each other's throats, if you can't tell, and stepping in will only get you killed," he answered, watching the scene unfold expressionlessly until a Yunakaian Wintersbreath landed just beside Yaro. "How long has he--" he began to ask, awestruck, but realized that most everyone else probably didn't know either. He'd never actually seen a dragon before, and it was almost fear-inducing. Syniad took an extra step back for good measure, crossing his arms. He needed to speak with Yaro, but first the hot-headed young lord needed to cool down a bit.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Yaro walked into the cave after awhile, stepping in, and staring at the familiar walls and crystals in the cave. It was as if the civil war had left this place completely untouched. Yaro placed a hand on the crystal formation, following the foot-path, as he had done so many times before. He could remember each crystal in this cave, and the flowers that were here simply helped him remember times....back when things were simple. He would run his hand over the cave wall, before arriving to his destination:


Height markings.


Stepping over, He checked them to see that they were indeed the same wall markings he, his brother Sotha, his sister Isabelle, Troy, and Maeve made when they were younger. Yaro placed a hand on his own.....he had grown since then, both in height and personality.....He saw the year markings, and saw that, while he was gone, Sotha, Troy, and Isabelle had been keeping check on their height differences. Likely Maeve was too busy, and Yaro was too far away.


He also saw an echo flower there.


Holding up his hand, he would lightly tap it, before the petals would spread, revealing the memory within.....


One and a half years ago....


"Come on, big bro! We gotta leave a message for Yaro!" The childish voice would echo in the cave. It was Isabelle Azarus, would just drag a man into the flowers view.


"Please, Issie, I have to get to this meeting with Kuvira and the rest of the idiot nobles she's been catering too." said another voice. Being dragged into the camera's view was Sotha Sil Azarus, the elder brother of Yaro. Though he complained, he had a good-natured smile on his face. 


"Come on, Bro, you know that it ain't gonna work: Once Issie get's started, she won't stop." An all too familiar voice joined in. "But has Kuvira been bothering you about the Southern Trade networks again?"


"You have no idea. What part of 'I don't care' Doesn't she understand? I have more honor then to exploit my traders by raising taxes and tariffs. They already can barley afford the current ones, I increase them anymore it will cripple them. Maybe I should do what I did last week, and embarrass her in front of the other nobles. Maybe then she'll back the fuck off." He said, obviously agitated that Kuvira wanted him to stoop so low.


"You need to be careful, Sotha. Kuvira may be a new queen, but she is still a queen, and she is pretty quick to anger, Plus the noble families are likely the ones backing her. You really want to risk getting called on for treason, or some other bullshit charge?" Troy said, crossing her arms.


"I don't care! I will never allow myself to be corrupted or exploited by the other families. Maybe there is little left in this world for honor or tradition, but I'll never accept it, nor will I condone it." He said, obviously believing he was in the right about the situation. 


Isabelle, who had been waiting patiently for them to stop, started flailing her arms. "Can you two stop arguing?! We need to leave a message for big-brother, for when he gets back!"


"Oh shit, that's right! He's coming back in a few months, isn't he? Didn't he like, make it big on his expedition?" Troy asked. "I might as well leave a message as well: I'll be in the Rose Kingdom by the time he gets back."


Sotha sighed, knowing he wasn't getting out of this, before looking over. "Alright, lets start."


"Good!" Isabelle said cheerfully, not realizing the memory flower was active. When she saw it was, she just started speaking. "HI big brother! I hope you had fun on your expedition! I've been doing okay. Me and big brother Sotha and big sister Tori are here." She said, waving her hands at them.


Sotha would be the first to speak up. "Hello there little brother, I am glad to see you're gonna be home soon. Mom misses you, and I am betting without a doubt that Maeve is too." He said, with a sly grin.


"You weren't teasing her again, were you...?"


"I will neither confirm, nor deny that statement."


"oh good grief, she's gonna hit you for that one of these days. If they fall in love, which they are obviously, then let it happen naturally. Seriously, you keep teasing her, and she's liable to stab you in the gut one day, along with that creepy demon she keeps around." Troy said.


"Hey! Who are you calling creepy?!"


"Oh shush, Muramasa, you know you're the best partner anyone could ever ask for." She said, patting the blade affectionately. She would then look at the flower. "Hell-o, bro! It's your awesome sister Troy, giving you the scoop on my daily life! Things have been pretty boring lately, but I managed to save a supply caravan from bandits outside of Ravendale. Got a hefty gold sum for it too." She said, holding up the coin bag. "I think I'm gonna spread it across the orphanage in the capitol, the kids there could use some new clothes."


"Anyway, We miss you brother! Hope to see you soon! Love you!"


"Take care, Little Dragon, and come home safe."


"See you, little bro!"


Present day....


Yaro watched the flower close up, tears pouring down his face, as a smile was visible on his face. He reached over, and stroked the marks on the wall, with their names on it. "See you too....guys.....I love you...." He said.
 
Klaus sighed, abiding by Yaro's wishes as he stepped over to accompany Prudence. He folded his arms across his chest; watching Yaro lose his temper. He shook his head, smiling.


"What a whiner, that boy is." he whispered to Prudence. "He acts as though death is a permanent thing. No, no.. most people get about 100 years in our perception of time to come back. I uh.. I suppose I will have to have the "talk" with my proud little king later." he took a deep breath, dusting off his coat as he turned to face Prudence.


"So what have you been doing, Pru-dy? How is the baby coming along? I apologize for not being around for so long; I've been making a KILLING cutting people open for money. Heh... a "Killing"... not since the monastery have I heard such a terrible play on words."


to emphasize his point, Klaus pulled a pouch from his hip, and spilled its contents onto the sand. All of it, coins of gold silver and copper. He beamed at this, smiling proudly at Prudence.


"I was thinking about getting lunch, later. You and Yaro should come with me. My treat." As much as Klaus wanted to tell her about his special thing.. he felt now wasnt appropriate.


@enuky k @andraus @Trombone Geek
 
South Yunakai--


When Yaro unexpectedly climbed onto AveNix and vanished into the sky Prudence's jaw gaped slightly and she followed after the two from the ground several steps until they were out of sight. She didn't appreciate being ignored much less left with responsibilities to attend to. She crossed her arms and turned back to face the group. 


She watched Klaus as he approached her. Left to babysit me, she thought bitterly to herself and glanced back to the sky. She was wondering about Yaro. He had become distant from her lately. It was so unlike him to leave a political matter like him, she reflected. 


Klaus's question about her pregnancy drew her attention back to him. "I've been miserable. My feet ache and ache and I have to walk everywhere. " Indeed, Prudence found she could no longer balance on her broomstick. She then whined and complained about her symptoms until Klaus started explaining his absence. 


"I see", Prudence said, raising an eyebrow to his riches. She wasn't happy to hear that while she was left in "misery" Klaus was... doing well for himself. Prudence hadn't believed the man capable of caring for himself alone, but he seemed well off. She reflected briefly about how this meant he likely wouldn't need she or yaro anymore. 


"Yes, yes, we can do that when Yaro returns", she said and waved her arm. She looked to the sky once more, deciding something would have to be done if he did not return soon. 


She then sighed and turned to Syniad and Shaz who she slowly made her way to. She stopped in front of them and crossed her arms, "it seems I will have to be good enough for whatever it is you were here to discuss with the king", she said. As much as she would rather not be bothered with such things, Prudence knew when to take responsibility for South Yunakai affairs. 


"Let's get out of this horrible sun", she grumbled and gestured for them all to follow her into the manor. 


Prudence led the three to a sitting area around the back side of the stone castle. There were cushions and sofas and the area was well shaded. The door to the sitting area was left open, allowing the breeze to keep the place cool. 


Prudence laid across a long sofa with a gentle sigh. "Now...", she began, "what is it you want with the resistance?" She asked the order ambassadors. 


@Trombone Geek 
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Klaus raised a finger to Prudence, wiggling it in disappointment as he made 'tch' sounds with his mouth.


"For the past several months from when we boarded that boat and up until we killed that girl, I have been asking to rub your feet, and if I recall.. both you and Yaro either ignored me, or told me no outright." it seemed quite bizarre to Heinrich that she would turn down his offers.. It was purely platonic in nature. As Klaus thought on that.. maybe that was why she didnt accept.


He shook his head clear of thoughts as she addressed this Shaz and Syniad. They would discuss business, now? The doctor knelt down, picking his coins back up and settling them back into his pouch. As he followed Prudence inside, he whispered to her.


"I believe you should know.. I truly have missed yours and Yaro's company. Those city folk are hardly any fun at all.. though they have made me expand on my Inquisition technique. It surprises me that some people dont mind pain, but they cant stand laughing." his eyes rolled up a bit, as though remembering.


As the doctor entered, his eyes aimlessly gazed around the lovely manor. His mouth hung open; impressed. 


"How how how have you been miserable with all this?" Klaus asked her, dragging his open hands across the stone. "I'd be happy to just laze around in here, Heaven forbid walk anywhere!" As they entered the seating area, Klaus confined himself to the nearest wall, and fell silent. Prudence's dealings were not his business, but if these two made a scene, he would gladly "escort" them out .


@Enuky K @Trombone Geek
 
Bathelon--


Cecile was inwardly disappointed when Lance caught her ball of ice, preventing it from pelting him in the arm. Then as Lance demonstrated his barrier magic by splitting the ball of ice her lips curved into a slight frown. She didn't know how to do that, and she wasn't sure when it was he was trained in such magic. She stepped nearer to the square shaped barrier to examine it more closely, rubbing a hand gently across its surface. The magical touch of the barrier sent a slight tingling sensation in her hand as she felt it. 


She raised an eyebrow to Lance and his challenge. She didn't want to be bested by Lance at anything related to their training, but she wasn't sure what he meant by the type of attack needed to break it. She hesitated slightly before casting the condice spell again, creating several sharp icicles. She flung them into the barrier, but the icicles only shattered. She attempted again several times with her ice spears, and finally she lost her patience with it. Stepping closer to the barrier, Cecile produced a great flame from her hands and blanketed it. When the flames seemed to have no effect on the barrier, Cecile's eyes narrowed and she focused on intensifying the flames. 


The flames began to erupt in vibrant shades of crimson, orange, and yellow. The heat was so powerful that it was causing Cecile's hair to blow wildly around, and she was forced to turn away. After submerging the barrier in flames for the next several minutes, the flames dissipated, and the barrier was still standing strong. 


Cecile let out a sigh and dropped her arms. That flame spell had taken a significant chunk of her energy, and she wasn't sure she could produce another spell of its caliber right then and there. Not that she was sure she could even break the barrier, now. 


The witch faced Lance now. Her skin was reddened from standing so close to the heat of her spell, but she smiled slightly to him. "So what was it you wanted us to do now?" she asked, hoping her own embarrassment wasn't noticeable. @Trombone Geek


South Yunakai-- 


Prudence was surprised by what Klaus had to say to her; she never would have expected it. She glanced over to him as they entered the manor, and rolled her eyes at his final comments. People often thought Prudence's complaints were a bit much, and perhaps Prudence was being dramatic. If she was, she had no remorse for it.


Prudence shifted to face the doctor as he spoke. She shook her head as she remembered. It was true that Klaus had offered to rub her feet before, but two months earlier her belly wasn't as large, and her attitude much different. She hadn't wanted the help of his cold, slender hands then... but now was a different story. She couldn't be too picky now that she couldn't reach her feet. 


"Because I am miserable", Prudence said in response to him. She then stretched her legs out and flexed her ankles for Klaus to see, "now come rub my feet", she added. 


@DemetrioMachete
 
:He's here.. Do you want to leave?:

'Why even ask me that when I know you won't let me?' Maeve snapped back, and Kalamitat sighed. 


:If you really want to leave, we can. But you don't, do you?:

Maeve refused to respond, seeing as the demon obviously already knew the answer. As she wandered the caverns, she knew she would eventually run into Yaro. She was reluctant, but as she turned a corner to see him staring down at one of the crystal flowers with a teary face she knew there was no running away. Not now; he'd probably realized she was there. She wondered what memory had triggered that, but as she saw the height marks she realized that it was probably one of the flowers' messages from a long time ago.

"I hate to ruin the moment. Should we put the killing-each-other off for some other time?" Maeve remarked in a neutral tone of voice, giving no hint to her real feelings on the confrontation.

///

Syniad nodded and followed Prudence, motioning for Shaz to follow as well. The cloaked woman stayed a small distance away, having no place nor care for the intricacies of negotiation. The Order leader chose to lean against the manor wall, while his guard chose one of the cushions. "The Order has its own motivations, but its goals are very similar to the resistance's. I feel that you could probably use more people to build your strength; and if we join together, then we can all get what we want. After this, if you and Yaro agree to be the Order's allies, we'll probably move into deciding where my men go." ((Sorry for the short post from this POV.))

///

Lance watched as Cecile tried several times with the ice shards to break his barrier. When she failed continuously, Lance smirked triumphantly, until suddenly Cecile charged up and casted an insanely strong fire spell. The king watched with awe for a few moments until the spell ended, releasing his barrier after the heat died down. "Alright, so we can still do whatever you want after this quick little lesson that might also help you control your curse's outbreaks. Most magics require a certain mindset, whether you've noticed or not--although you can always cast them the 'normal way,' they'll be a lot weaker." Lance refused to admit the somewhat obvious truth that he'd studied intensely during his free time.

"So when you throw your ice shards, you think of piercing something, depending on what you're going for. If it's another spell, imagine your aim being fine enough to break a thread; if it's a person or tree, thing of just hitting it and going straight through. Can you guess what you need for a barrier? And mind, this won't always work if the magician is quick enough to change their mental 'picture' of sorts fast enough to rebound your spell, although at that point it boils down to pure magical power--at least, that's what the book said.."

Shrugging, Lance cast another barrier. In his free hand, as he braced for a second surge of head pains, he cast an ice shard. With his divided focus, he barely managed to have enough success to make the sharp projectile obey him, but he finally got the ice to break right through the barrier, shattering it. "All you have to do is imagine drilling into a wall and said wall crumbling. Would you like to try again, or do you want to take a break first?"
 
 
((  @DemetrioMachete  I did respond that Lanister was looking for Aizen, earlier. ))


Yaro would look up from his spot. His eyes....they were a purple color, hinting at his already softened disposition. He would then move his hand away from the wall, wiping his eyes. Before speaking. "Through the years, it will remain....The blood I've shed on this plain of existence....When I think about it, it burns, as if my skin is on fire....But I knew this day would soon come. Here we stand, once again, face to face.....only this time, an empty glass here awaits." He said, referring the old saying that those that saw these as bleak referred to the glass as 'Half-empty'. Yaro didn't see a light at the end of this....this was going to end one of two ways, either he died.....or she did. It made his chest hurt something horrible.....But he couldn't run away this time.


Now, there was simply too much at stake.


Yaro looked down at his gauntlets, his purple eyes glowing....before looking up. "I am not asking you to forgive me....or to spare me.....but I expect the same thing from you." He said. "Understand this Maeve, I am not doing this for want of power.....you know me, I never wanted this life, or anything like this......but I can't stomach seeing my country like this.....and I couldn't stand seeing everything my family worked up be torn down.....I am doing this for Isabelle.....for Sotha.....for Troy.....for Mom.....and for everyone else.....The family and Friends I've loved....and lost." He said, raising his gauntlets. 


Yaro would then look up, his eyes red....It was obvious he wanted to cry, but his tears couldn't shed anymore. "From now on, there is no escape....But I can't lie: I will miss this place....and I'll always remember your friendly face." He said, before getting into his fighting stance. He had to do this now: For his family, his friends, his people....he needed to be the King they deserved, But despite believing he was doing the right thing, that he was capable of doing something like this, he couldn't bring himself to look in her in the eye.


It just hurt too much...


@Trombone Geek
 
At her acceptance, Klaus, let out an evil-sounding laugh as she finally accepted a foot rub. It was the doctor's anticipation that she would not bw disappointed. He knelt down and got to work. 


He started on the soles; pressing his freakishly cold hands against them, pressing down harder in various spots.. determining which was the roughest. He moved back to her heel, pressing down hard and rubbing it down thoroughly. Once he got to her toes, he grabbed each one individually, gently twisting or pulling until he heard it pop, even more gleeful when one toe managed to pop twice.


"We are all miserable at one point. Many people find ways to try and cope with it. Money, romance, murder, wanderlust, they're all viable options." His foot rub conceded when he took up her whole foot and calmly twisted it until the ankle popped. Rinse and repeat for her other foot. 


@Enuky K @Trombone Geek


. . .


Aizen was... Half-anticipating Lanister to arrive, at some point. He was within his quarters, so it wasn't like he was making himself hard to find. With a deep breath, anxious as to what would come of his request, he sat down in the middle of the stone floor, and began to meditate. 


Magic... he thought to himself. Would he even be capable of learning it? The answer would arrive with Lanister, he thought.


@Andraus
 
Ornis Silverspire


Ornis stalked across his halls looking around at what he now owned. He enjoyed it...though at the moment he had no legacy, and if he died, nobody would care...though he really wasn't planning on being assassinated as well, a coward's way to go. Pathetic, weak, and cowardly. He pitied any assassin who dared challenge him.


He shook his head, and proceeded to the throne room. He wanted to meet with his friend here, talk to him about business, and the future of this land. The pesky resistance needed to burn, and the only way to do that would be having the empire allied against them!


He strode into the throne room, not necessarily loud, but certainly he was going to be known when he came in. He was thinking about battle plans, assassination attempts, and what he might say to convince a stronger alliances between the empire and her people was a good idea. He came in, and saw this, some guy on his...throne. "Can I help you? Or are you helping yourself just fine?" He didn't want to do anything else, he didn't want too much disrespect, but he was a bit annoyed that his throne was being used in such a manner...and by that, he meant not him. @Enuky K
 
South Yunakai--


Prudence let out a satisfied sigh as Klaus's cold hands brought relief upon her feet. Her feet had been sore and swollen, but in no time at all the doctor had them feeling much better. "Oh, Klaus, you're the only one who knows how to take care of me", she said, reflecting on Yaro once again. Yaro hadn't taken the time to rub her poor feet in so long, or at least it seemed like a long time to her. Perhaps Pru was getting spoiled. 


She was only paying attention to the doctor's work as Syniad spoke, but once he finished Prudence looked up to him. She purred slightly in thought, "well, now, I don't need Yaro's permission to reach agreements with you", she said. In Prudence's mind the resistance could not pass up an opportunity to advance into Bathelon. With the help of the Order, the remaining Yunakai government would have a harder time stomping them out. 


"We accept your alliance", Prudence said and paused. A smile tugged at her lips. Oddly enough this was just the opportunity she needed. "...but I have one condition. I will require your assistance in locating the Umbra Carcerem", she said, expecting both Syniad and Shaz to be familiar with its history at least. The city was known to have once stood in what is now a Bathelonian lake, and Prudence felt the order could be a good place to begin her search for the infamous city. Prudence sighed and relaxed into her seat, still allowing Klaus to work his wonders. She added nonchalantly to all who were present in the room, "and none of you are to breathe a word of this to Yaro." Prudence didn't think getting Yaro involved would benefit her. She knew Yaro wouldn't be willing to risk the safety of Morganna to acquire the power of the Umbra Carcerem, but Prudence was more than willing. 


Bathelon--


Had Lance expected Cecile to be receptive of his teachings, he was in for slight disappointment. Cecile closed up as soon as he mentioned her curse, and seemed after that to avoid his eyes. She wasn't comfortable talking about it, or being spoken to about it. It was something she wished everyday did not exist. Cecile felt as though no one around her could understand what it felt like to lose all control, all sense of rationale. She failed to realize that as a werewolf, Lance could understand this. 


The young witch flinched at the sound of Lance's ice shards clashing into the magical barrier, at last shattering it. It finally brought Cecile's attention back to Lance and away from her inner struggles. Still though, her demeanor was changed now. No longer did she seem as eager to train; she was uncertain about using her magic. Cecile took a step back and looked downward to the left, "I don't think I feel up to it right now", she began, "I used most of my energy on that fire spell...", she added. She hoped it was good enough for Lance to accept. 


Yunakai--


Thornton's body grew tense as he became aware of another being entering the throne room. He immediately cursed himself, knowing very well who to expect in his company. It was the rightful heir, of course. He approached the throne and spoke to Thornton in such a way that Thornton knew he had overstepped his boundaries. The Rose King fumbled for an apology as he scrambled from the throne and bowed to the new king. Thornotn was having a hard time facing his new ally due to his own guilt, but he knew this meeting would have to take place. 


The Yunakai Monarchy before Ornis was working closely with the Rose Kingdom to assist it with its legalization of magic, but following the monarchy assassination Thornton placed a hold on all of these efforts. Now, Thornton was unsure of how the monarchy would assist during this important transition for the Rose Kingdom. He knew that he was willing to work with this new ruler as best he could... he felt he owed it to the Yunakai and its people. It was, after all, his fault that parts of the Yunakai was under resistance rule and Ornis was left with such a mess to clean.


"My apologies, your highness", said Thornton. He smiled weakly, hoping to alleviate the king's apparent annoyance. He wondered what order of business the man would want to tackle first. "I am Thornton Rose of the Rose Kingdom, and I hope we can discuss the continuatuon of our alliance. The Rose Kingsom is ready to aid your kingdom in whatever way necessary...", his voice trailed on; he was hoping the new king would better know what was most important to discuss. 


@Trombone Geek @Andraus


@DemetrioMachete @Inheritance
 
Last edited by a moderator:
:When men stop crying, they become monsters to push away the pain,: Kalamitat warned with a hiss, but Maeve ignored the demon and drew a small, elaborately carved knife from a pouch at her side. Inside where five more, and Maeve held up the small weapon clearly for Yaro to see. On it was carved small, delicate symbols in an ancient language, but one Yaro would probably have studied; it said 'Shiva.' A spirit revered by certain ice mages, anyone possessing the knowledge and means to summon a shadow of the spirit could harness its power temporarily, so long as they had the willpower to control it. It also left the user very vulnerable, though, since the summoning triggered an out-of body experience. The knives themselves were meant for lone missions or emergencies where someone might need a summon and wouldn't have the multiple mages required. Plant them in a circle, and do a fancy little chant, and with a lot of your energy gone the spirit would appear. Unfortunately, using it for too long would, in Shiva's case, freeze one to death.


Showing Yaro the knife was a simple warning, but Maeve knew the day wouldn't end without a battle. She dropped the knife, and it landed blade-first and buried itself in the ground as if by magic. She didn't say a word to her old friend as she drew a second knife.

///

Lance felt guilty as soon as he saw Cecile retreat into a shell. He thought she would be overjoyed to discover a defense against her curse, but it seemed otherwise. He regretted mentioning it, but there wasn't anything that he could do now. With a sigh, he began walking back towards the castle. "Then you should rest. Come on; let's get back to the castle."  The king waited for her to follow, not willing to leave her by herself where she could get hurt, but when they reached the castle he would split and make his way to the library and probably look for any other books Bathelon might have had regarding curses. Unfortunately, the castle library didn't have much in that sense, and Lance had no time to grovel at the feet of Valpurnia's Grandmasters for access to their library.

He desperately wanted to cure Cecile. He also wanted to make the witch who had cursed her suffer dearly for their crimes, but he had a kingdom to run first. He disliked being useless, but it wasn't his fault! He sort of wished to be free from the burdens holding him back, but things didn't always go his way. He might as well settle into the role and figure something out.

When Lance looked up from the ground he'd been staring at in thought, he nodded a farewell to Cecile and turned to enter one of the castle's side-doors, a discreet route up to the library. They'd already reached the courtyard. Cecile was free to wander the castle as she liked while Lance was preoccupied, although the king had made it clear that his father's bedroom was not to be disturbed. The man still hadn't gotten over Varudian's death, and still kept to his old chambers versus moving into the main ones. He usually didn't go anywhere near that hallway in the first place.

As Lance reached the library after climbing up an exhausting flight of stairs, he made his way towards a distant corner where a table sat stacked with books. One, the books the king had gone through, was much larger than the other, but that didn't make his job any easier. On a second side-table was a single notebook, full almost to the brim of anything Lance had found. With a determined expression, Bathelon's king settled down to research.

///

Syniad nodded at Prudence's acceptance, and leaned forwards slightly to hear her terms, interested. What she said honestly had the Order leader shocked, and his head turned to face east towards Bathelon. "The Umbra Carcerem.." he murmured to himself, posture stiff as he straightened once more. "I... accept your terms." He forced there to be no hesitance in his voice. Shaz, however, reacted much more violently. In a flash she had drawn her sword and pointed it steadily at Prudence's heart, held in one hand, and quivering slightly not from lack of strength but from what could be fear, possible, judging from the sudden light in the woman's normally dull eyes.

"What do you want with that cursed place?" she asked in a low voice, almost growling. It seemed that she would step forwards and thrust her blade into Prudence's heart any moment now.

"Shaz! Stand down!" Syniad snapped. "Stand down or I'll send you back to where you came from!" The woman's glare intensified as she cut her eyes at Syniad, but she made no other movement towards Prudence. She simply sheathed her blade, turned away, and stalked off, giving a hard kick to a loose wooden post hard enough for it to fly out of the ground and hit a tree. 

"I apologize for that. She has her reasons for not sitting well with that place," Syniad explained helplessly.
 
Yaro closed his eyes as he saw the blade. He wanted so much just to drop his weapon's, to leave this battle. He didn't want to fight, he didn't want to hurt/kill his friend. But he knew he couldn't stop now, not when everything he worked for, everything he sacrificed so much for, killed so much for, was just within his reach. Opening his eye's, revealing them to now be blue, as forced his emotions down, he would just stand tall, before raising his fists. "Come now child, don't give me that frown. It's no use: I won't be talked down. Your determination is strong, so fight now, and stand your ground!" 


Yaro would then send out a pulse of magical energy towards her, intending of debilitating her. He would then begin sending out a large numer of sharp ice shards, trying to slowly cut up and bleed her, weaken her. "When I came back to this city, after the event's at Gallica Pass, I was still enraged by what I had saw, what Kuvira had done.....But what I saw was illness in the city running rampant, people crying out against the injustice, I found purpose. I saw the plague running through my home, and one of our hero's dead.....I swore I would rid this world of the monarchies that would leave us to die, in a fit of rage." He said, sending a blast of lighting towards her, jumping back.


Landing not to far, Yaro would then speak up. "Don't you get it, Maeve? When I came to this city, there was nothing here: No hope for a tomorrow, and no hope for any help coming. My desire, for the monarchy's demise? It filled them with the strength to survive!" Yaro said, 


Yaro was still him.


He became a monster, to SAVE his people.


Deep down, Yaro was still him, but Maeve could see: Yaro was not handling the stress of leading well: He was paler than before, and he looked exhausted. But there was still the fire of determination in his blue eyes: He was pushing his body past his limits for what he believed was the greater good: His mental/soul condition was also deteriorating. His position gave him the power to protect people.....


But it was slowly killing him.


@Trombone Geek


Lanister would approach Aizen, and kneel down. " I can teach you magic, But Aizen, first you must learn the basic principles of how 'we' use magic. Tell me something Aizen: What have you been taught about magic? Anything at all?" Lanister asked, Lanister needed to know where he needed to start with the magical arts with Aizen. If it was at the beginning, Lanister would need to start there: He couldn't miss ANYTHING with these lessons.


@DemetrioMachete
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 2 (members: 0, guests: 2)

Similar threads

Brianne13
ISO of RP Partner
Replies
2
Views
224
Brianne13
Brianne13
Back
Top