Fantasy Skyheart - Little Feathers

[SleepyCreamy]

Location: The Marcellius' Home
Time: After the visit with the Ahkmets
Characters: Ezekiel, Caliban (and to those who wish to join 'em)

Spoiler: The Marcellius' House

I didn't commission or request any of these artworks, but I'm just gonna use them for references

Spoiler: The Entrance

Credit goes to Nastasia Khomyakova from Art Station

Spoiler: The Interior

Credit goes to Gerhard Mozsi from Art Station

Spoiler: Indoor Garden

Credit goes to Alexander "Minze" Thümler from Art Station

After Zeke excused himself away from the group, he exited the house and was welcomed with the warm satisfying breeze he was so used to. Little did he know, a curious Caliban caught sight of Zeke's exit. Of course, he politely excused himself before following the honey-eyed male, it was common courtesy of course.

As Zeke made his way towards his home, he noticed his heart beating a little bit faster than usual. He was excited to finally see his mother and throughout his walk, he was wearing a glint of joy in his eyes. However, as he speeds up his pace, he heard unusual and yet familiar footsteps behind him. He felt the hairs on his neck rise and it was a clear enough indication that someone was following him. After years and years in the thieving business, he picked up some skills along the way. And one of the skills was about to be put in use now. As he discreetly looked over at Stitt, Stitt's head immediately jumped. Stitt was Zeke's lookout every time he feels unsafe or perhaps... being followed. Stitt immediately flew on top of his head and from there, she saw Caliban's blonde hair. She was facing his direction and Stitt's lantern tail glowed brightly, meaning it wasn't a threat. If it glowed red, then that would be the signal for Zeke to run. It was a simple, yet efficient strategy Zeke came up with. Zeke himself took a peek behind him and for sure, Caliban was following him. Zeke smirked and decided to fasten his pace. His pace gradually increased and next thing you know, Zeke was sprinting. And he could clearly hear Cal's rapid footsteps as he tries to catch up.

Zeke finally had arrived at the entrance of his home and his eyes almost welled up with tears. It's still here. He thought as he eyed the lily pond he would always tend to since he was little. He loved it and it held a special place in his heart. He walked towards the walkway that would lead him to his main home. He didn't hesitate to knock, knowing it was either his mother or the assistant that the Headmaster mentioned. Zeke's heart almost jumped out of his throat when the door opened. To Zeke's surprise, it was a female with a lighter shade of skin and bright beige eyes.

"S-Sir... Ezekiel. You're back." She held the same surprise expression as Zeke's. "Welcome back!" Zeke gave her a brief nod before stepping inside his home.

"Do you know where my mother is?" Once Zeke asked that question, the female seemed to have hesitated for a moment and avoided any eye contact.

"Sir... I don't recommend seeing her no--" She was suddenly interrupted by Zeke.

"She must be over at the Indoor Garden." He muttered to himself, paying no mind to the worried assistant.

"But, Ezekiel! She--" Zeke interrupted her once more.

"She's fine! I just know it!" With that, he walked away. However, he stopped in his tracks and looked back at the female. "If anyone knocks at the main door, let them in."

With that, he was off towards the indoor garden, where his mother should be. He did feel awful after shouting at the very girl that took care of his mother while he was unable to. As he walks around his home, he feels the suffocating air around him loosen as he remembers the memories of his youth on these very halls. Zeke saw a doodle on a wall made by his younger self. Zeke saw the entrance of his mother's beloved place and he felt his hands shake with anticipation. He held his hands near his heart to prevent it from shaking, but Stitt flew over to his hands and hovered above it, giving it a pat with her paws. He smiled and carefully made his way towards the entrance.

Zeke saw a feminine figure from where he was standing, her beautiful ebony hair almost reached her knees, it fell gracefully like a waterfall. The last time he saw his mother, her hair reaches just above her waist. Zeke was about to take another step until his mother moved her head to turn around. He held his breath as his feet stayed planted onto the ground. She stood from her seat and turned around to face Zeke with her gray eyes. She looked confused for a moment before saying, "Do I know you?"

Zeke knew something like this would happen, ever since she survived Casseus' Wrath, she developed a number of problems with her brain, and one of those problems is forgetting things easily. It broke Zeke knowing that his own mother completely forgot about him, he knew it would hurt him, but he didn't expect to hurt this much. "Excuse me, are you feeling well?" Even her voice was as gentle and soft as he remembers. Zeke ignored his broken heart and finally moved his feet. He ran towards the woman, each step felt heavy to him but he still trudged on. Once he was in front of her, he pulled his mother into his arms and let out a sigh of relief.

"I'm feeling better now, Mother," Zeke said, using the most gentle tone he could muster. He felt his mother stirring and that was his cue to let go. However, Zeke only took a step back and placed a loose hair behind his mother's ear. She was about to say something and Zeke could only give her a smile. The type of smile that held nothing but pure relief. He moved her bangs away from her forehead and did something that Zeke would only do to his mother. He kissed her forehead.

It was his traditional way to show affection, he would only show it to those who he feels most attached to. Suddenly, he heard sniffling coming from his mother and she said something that took Zeke back. "My boy's back." It was as if his kiss on her forehead brought back her lost memories of him. It was as if it was magic. And for the first time, Zeke believed that there was some magic in him. Not the elemental type you were born with, but the type of magic that brings hope and excitement. His mother cried onto her son's chest and Zeke almost cried happy tears as well, but he expressed his happiness just by hugging his mother. He wasn't used to receiving or giving hugs, but when it comes to those he loves the most, he does it naturally. "Zeke, my boy. Where have you been? I've been worried sick. I-I've b-been... Zeke..."

"I'm here, Mother. You won't have to worry anymore."

"I... I t-thought you left just like he did."

"I'm not like him, mother. I promise I'll always come back."

Zeke panicked when she shed more tears. But his mother only laughed and said, "You and your cute promises." Stitt finally revealed herself and nuzzled her face as a greeting. "Oh! Stitt's back too! You've been taking care of my son now, have you."

"Your hair's messy again, let me fix it." Zeke urged his mother to sit down and she obliged. He brushed her hair first, and then he continued to braid her hair. As his fingers move accordingly, he started telling his mother everything that has happened to him, from his wake at a tent with ten other strangers to his most recent endeavors. His words held nothing but the truth. His mother only stayed silent and listened to her son's words.

Once Zeke was done, he sat next to his mother and waited for a reply. "It's a shame you forgot to show me your Skybeast, Zeke." She gave him a smile.

"I have him here, don't worry." Zeke pulled out his journal and showed a picture of Azurine to his mother. "He has beautiful blue feathers and has the bluest eyes I've ever seen. It's amazing." And so, Zeke continued to tell him about his own adventures. The people he met and what he thought of them. "They were so good, Mother. And me? I'm just a nobody."

Naberius

Text Colour: #008B8B

 

[Naberius]

Location: The Marcellius' Home
Time: After the visit with the Ahkmets
Characters: Ezekiel, Caliban

Cal followed quickly behind Zeke. He had no idea why he felt the need to chase after his friend, but something told him that there was a reason for sneaking off away from the group. With a flutter of leathery wings, Mushu alighted on his shoulders again. The chase was longer than he expected, winding through the city streets until he nearly lost sight of the man. However, he barely glimpsed him at a distance, disappearing into yet another massive and impressive home. His eyes widened, but he followed anyway. He came to the door, knocking quickly, awaiting a response.

A young woman, barely older than himself opened the door and hesitantly allowed him entry. Caliban inquired about where to find Zeke, but she seemed reluctant to give him much to go on. So, in true moronic fashion, as was his usual way of doing things, he set off on his own. He reasoned that he should keep his search down to places that weren't as rude to walk into. He was stay away from bedrooms, bathrooms, and those sorts of places, sticking to larger and more open spaces. Hopefully, he would get lucky. As he was searching around, he caught sight of his friend out of a window with an older woman that looked strikingly like Zeke. They were in the garden area, and he rushed down, staying back inside the house but unable to keep from overhearing the last bits of their conversation. But, his good nature won over against his caution and he stepped out, letting himself be known to them both, that brilliant smile in its usual place.

"That's not true at all. Zeke, you're a part of this team. And I told you already, we're friends. You are one of us."

SleepyCreamy

 

[kase9187]

Location: Marcellius Residence
Time: After Ahkmet Visit
Characters: Caliban, Ezekiel, Aldaf

Aldaf practically materialized from a crowd as Cal went by. He silently kept pace with his fellow Sudentarian until they came to the Marcellius home.

Cal disappeared inside and Aldaf walked to the door and knocked. The same woman answered the door and was just as cryptic on where to find Zeke and Cal.

After a few minutes of scanning the rooms and listening for people, he heard Cal say something in what looked like the garden. He stepped outside and saw what he presumed to be Miss Marcellius, Zeke's mother.

Aldaf stepped forward without making any sort of sound and passed by Cal before bowing deeply.

"Miss Marcellius? My name is Aldaf Joshen, one of Ezekiel's friends. He's told me about you, good things."

Aldaf stood up again and looked towards Zeke.

"He's saved my life on more than one occasion, helped us get through some tougher times and has been a delight to be around. I'm honored to call him my friend and equal."

While he spoke, Aldaf's body was turned towards Zeke's mother but never once did he look away from Zeke himself.

SleepyCreamy Naberius

008b8b

 

[Naberius]

Location: Marcellius Residence
Time: After Ahkmet Visit
Characters: Caliban, Ezekiel, Aldaf

Cal stepped forwards as well, still wearing that immaculate smile, sapphire eyes alight with cheer and joy.

"My name is Caliban, ma'am. Your son has spoken very highly of you to me as well, you'd be proud of the man he's become. No matter how hard he might try to hide it, there's a soft side to him that we can all appreciate. He can try to deny things, or hide behind a shell of grumpy attitudes and ill-timed sarcasm.."

He stepped further forward, placing a hand on Zeke's shoulder.

"He is a wonderful friend. When I was growing up, I didn't truly have any friends except for my sister. Now, I can happily say that I have a few good friends, and I'm delighted to include Zeke in that number. We've been through a lot together as a team, and we've all said and done things we're not proud of. But Zeke is as much a part of it as the rest of us are. I've fought by his side during our climb up the mountain for our proving, and afterwards. You can tell a lot about a person by how they act in a fight. He's not perfect, none of us are. Heck, I'm an idiot that's too optimistic for my own good. But when it gets down to it, Zeke is someone I feel we can depend on. He's even working as our guide here in To'bai, since none of us really know our way around yet. He's a great help and an even better friend."

SleepyCreamy kase9187

#008b8b

 

[YumenoTsukishiro]

Location: Westeros Academy
Time: Sometime during training
Interaction: SleepyCreamy Naberius Elenion Aura Lioness075 AncientBird kase9187 SilverFlight Elenion Aura Saturn_moon explosiveKitten

Ever since that first cup of coffee, Gerel had awakened to a new world full of wide-eyed wonder. Literally. Not a day passed by without an empty cup of coffee at his side and heart rates above normal levels. It helped him deal with the myriad lectures, training sessions, and crafting sessions in Targus' Workshop. Without the invigorating power of caffeine, he would've long drowned beneath the outpouring of homework and required readings. Needless to say the boon had its price. As Gerel chewed on a piece of Ord's delicious cake, he thought less on its deliciousness and more on its compatibility with coffee.

"Maybe I could have this with a cup of To'Bai Black, or the fruitier Sudentan Blend... Northarian beans are a little too strong for this cake, so that's out of the question," he muttered

Only Candour's arrival and the news he brought pulled Gerel away from caffeinated thoughts. Call him a naive boy from the countryside, but Gerel never encountered the issue of drugs before. He only heard some tales of it from traders and fellow herdmasters passing by their fields, mostly centering around a shadowy group rumored to exert great control over Ocris. Every time he tried to breach the topic with his parents, he was met with stern brows and stiff frowns. Eventually he learned to stop asking, and the idea faded from his mind altogether. So he couldn't entirely understand the gravity of the situation as the Headmaster described it, but seeing the thunder in Ord's face was enough to convince him that the situation was grave indeed.

"If it's help you need, I'm more than happy to oblige," Gerel said. Doing a good deed was always worth the effort, but there was another reason why he was keen on going with Ord. He glanced at the leather bracer lying atop his bedside table, copper pieces and gears gleaming in the firelight. His time at Targus' Workshop hadn't been for naught, and he was eager to see the results of his tinkering.

color=#8f206d

 

[SilverFlight]

Location: Westeros academy
Time: Sometime during training
Interaction: YumenoTsukishiro AncientBird kase9187 Naberius Elenion Aura Saturn_moon

Ord frowned deeply, ordering the answers to their questions.
"One of the gangs that lurk in the less savoury parts of the city, they call themselves The Desert Fangs. Most lowlifes know to stay away from our students, they must have changed leadership recently, its the only reason they would try again."
Ord looked like he really didn't want to discuss 'last time'. "Suffice it to say they got to another student last time. The drug is addictive, getting off it again is...difficult. Its begins to run your life in a matter of weeks, run it and ruin it...I will not let it come back to the academy."

Caliban's question was a good one.
"There might be more, which is why I am going to take this problem at the root."
He smiled at Matthias' cryptic pledge. "That. Is exactly what I am asking of you. But there is a catch: we cannot let our faces be seen. This can't be traced back to the academy, because what we're about to do is...not precisely within the rules of the city. Candour knows nothing of this, and he will not. If we get caught...well, we will not get caught."

He started for the corridor. "No skybeasts this time, they are too easy to recognize, and no magic unless absolutely necessary. Get some dark clothing, face coverings, weapons and meet me in the alley across the street."

~*~*~

Kari was probably more excited than she should have been, but their lessons, coupled with their healing ability and their victories over the deathborn had her feeling almost invincible. Beating up a few drug runners shouldn't be an issue at all. She had never seen Ord so angry. It wasn't a loud, raging anger, but a quiet promise in his eyes, she felt afraid for their targets.
She couldn't see the serious expression on Ord's face now, because it was covered by midnight blue cloth. Only his eyes, stony and set, could be seen in the gloom of the ally.
"Ready?" He asked.

~*~*~

He lead them through the shadows of the city, which grew thicker about them. The buildings taller and closer together, boards had been wedged into place between them for people to walk on and that covered the street in even blacker darkness. People lay in the alleys here and there, sleeping or humming quietly to themselves and Kari wondered if they were victims of Solace too.
She really wanted to know how it was the Ord knew exactly where to find these people.
Outside a small building Ord stopped and turned to them.
"This is one of their production rooms, we'll need to get information on where their new leader is from one of the lackeys pushing this stuff. Surround the entrances, and we'll move on my signal."

Inside they could hear voices. There was a strange, planty smell emanating from the boarded windows. There was something going on in there for certain. Kari felt the tingle of anticipation brush her spine. She chose an entrance on the far side of the building, waiting for anyone else to join her.
"This beats homework any day of the week." She whispered happily.[/colour]

 

[kase9187]

Location: Academy, Desert Fangs production room
Time: Sometime during training
Characters: Open

Aldaf prepped his gear for this excursion, replacing his definitely recognizable Seregios Arrowheads with normal serrated arrowheads and putting on dark clothes and mask. If it weren't for him talking, he'd practically have vanished.

He was with Kari, tapping her lightly on the shoulder to announce himself quietly.

"Don't I know it."

His voice was hushed and lacked any of his jovial tendencies. His emerald eyes glinted with determination, apathy and a hint of bloodlust. This wasn't a covert operation, this was a hunt. One he intended to complete.

SilverFlight

 

[AncientBird]

Location: Westeros academy
Time: Sometime during training
Interaction: Open
Current: Ord(NPC), Matthias, Aldaf, Marylka, Serik, Kari, Gerel

After Ord instructing the group of what to do with this case of drug dealers, Serik and the others went back to change their gear for this 'special' mission. Serik replaced his cloths with a black attire and covered his face with cloths so much only his eyes were the only thing visible. He also armed himself with his dagger, scimitar and his trusty bolas.

As they arrived at the place Ord claimed to be the hideout of the Desert Fangs, their instructor told them to cover the entrance and wait for Ord's signal. Kari and Aldaf moved to one entrance while Serik chose another, the middle one. Looking around, the environment and scene around him gave Serik an uncomfortable feeling and he kept flinching every time there was a noise, whether from the people lying around, presumably stoned from the drug, or some random alley cats snarling in the darkness somewhere. Was this really a good decision? He could be lying on his soft bed, sleeping safe and sound and it wassn't like he doesn't have anything to do tomorrow and could spend the night using his precious strength... However, who was he to refuse when there was a threat looming over the academy and children were being at risk. This academy had given Serik so much and he would eagerly give back any support he could, even if it meant making a questionable move on an illegal mission...

Featuring: SilverFlight kase9187 Elenion Aura Saturn_moon YumenoTsukishiro
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[Saturn_moon]

Location: Westeros
Time: Sometime during training
Interaction: YumenoTsukishiro AncientBird kase9187 Naberius Elenion Aura Saturn_moon

If Marylka thought the streets of To'bai were confusing before, navigating it at night took it to a whole other level. The buildings, tight together, loomed over them like a forest of stone. The narrow alleyways, now shrouded in darkness, twisted and turned back on itself, first going to the right, then to the left... or was it left then right? Despite this, Ord seemed to have no issues finding his way around even in this more unsavory part of the city which people typically avoided. It didn't take long for them to arrive at a building which Ord stated was one of the gang's production rooms. She noted his use of the phrase 'one of'.

Marylka briefly wondered how it was that Ord knew so much about The Desert Fangs. Remembering the anger she'd felt from him before and considering that they were now about to attempt a possibly illegal drug bust, she guessed that this was something deeply personal for him.

As she slipped by one of the boarded windows, Marylka's nose suddenly picked up on a pungent, herbaceous, heady scent that hit her right at the back of her throat. She quickly clasped her hands over her mouth, resisting the strong urge to cough. A moment passed and so did the itch in her throat. Whatever this drug was, it was certainly strong. Positioning herself in the shadows by the entrance to the right of the building she withdrew her kindjal. Looking down, she saw her hand shaking ever so slightly, partially from the adrenaline and partially from fear. "You've literally fought off a hoard of deathborns. What's a group of bad guys holed up in a dark room making drugs?" She softly chided herself. Taking a deep breath to steady her nerves, she tightened her grip on her blade and nervously waited for Ord's signal.

#8f206d

 

[Elenion Aura]

Location: Westeros academy
Time: Sometime during training
Interaction: Ord, Matthias, Aldaf, Marylka, Serik, Kari, Gerel

Matthias especially did not like this. It was one thing to bring these worms to justice. It was wholly another to do so under the shroud of night, with their identities concealed, as if they were the criminals, as if they were the ones who ought to hide. Why did they not breach their wretched hive of scum and villainy in the daylight? Why not do so under the banner of the city guard? Ord had said that what they were going to do was not strictly legal... Matthias thought, if the law of Westeros was not on the side of punishing those who commit heinous crimes, then it was not a law worth following.

Matthias felt that sneaking through alleyways was a dishonorable way to mete out justice, to say the least. And yet, he spoke not a word of these feelings. For now, he'd keep them suppressed, if only out of trust that Ord knew better. He seemed to know better, at least. In fact, he seemed to know a great deal about these so-called Desert Fangs himself. Matthias wondered... No. The thought was so far outside the realm of possibility as to almost be laughable.

Matthias took up position by Marylka, palm resting on the pommel of the blade strapped to his waist. He nodded to her. An assurance, of sorts. Together they waited for Ord to give the word.

YumenoTsukishiro AncientBird kase9187 Naberius SilverFlight Saturn_moon

color=#8f206d

 

[YumenoTsukishiro]

Location: Westeros academy
Time: Sometime during training
Interaction: Ord, Matthias, Aldaf, Marylka, Serik, Kari, Gerel

The night wind sang an ominous tone as it blew through the dark alleyways of To'bai. Led by Instructor Ord, their party walked quietly through shadowed streets. Gerel glanced here and there, seeing silhouettes against lamp light dancing to a sinister tune. He paid them no heed, focusing his mind on the task ahead. His black cloak swished as he walked, the hood covering his head, and a brown scarf hiding the rest. Thrill and nervousness shot through his nerves. All senses were on edge. And as they approached the place Ord brought them to, Gerel could hear the blood pumping in his ears. Fighting deathborn was one thing, sparring against his fellow students at the Academy was another. But actually fighting other humans? With the intent to harm? What if he made a mistake? What if others got hurt because of his actions?

What if he accidentally killed someone? Was he ready to accept the burden of taking someone else's life?

Then he saw Serik waiting by the middle entrance, fidgeting, and suddenly he calmed down. It wasn't just him here. There was Ord, Matthias, Marylka, Serik, Aldaf, Caliban... and Kari. Before the anxiety came back from thoughts of how Kari was enjoying this too much, he stepped close to Serik and quietly tapped him on the shoulder.

Yes, he wasn't alone. His comrades were there with him. No matter what happened, he only had to think of keeping them safe. He flexed his left arm, hearing the small clinks of machinery on the gauntlet. His other hand fingered the Damascus dagger hanging on his belt. Using a bow in this place was impractical, so he left it behind at the Academy. Close-quarters combat wasn't his strength, but he'd spent enough time sparring with others that he was confident of his skills, if it came down to it.

He hoped it didn't come down to it.

Elenion Aura AncientBird kase9187 Naberius SilverFlight Saturn_moon

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[Naberius]

Location: Westeros academy
Time: Sometime during training
Interaction: YumenoTsukishiro AncientBird kase9187 SilverFlight Elenion Aura Saturn_moon


Caliban listened intently to the older mans words, already having decided that he would be tagging along for this particular mission. He was never one to let innocent people be in danger when he could do something about it. Whether that danger came from undead monsters or something much more mundane but no less wicked, like drug pushers and their ilk.

"Sounds like this will be a bit more covert than our usual fights. And I guess we only have one shot at this, so we'd better make it count."

He met back with the others as they regrouped, now clad in dark travel leathers and a midnight blue cloak, so dark it might as well have been black. He had donned a head scarf of similar color, wrapping it all the way around his face and head leaving only his eyes visible. His spear would stand out too much and so he had opted for a shortsword. He had been putting in quite a lot of practice with blades since returning to the academy, and he felt at ease with them enough for this trip at the very least.

Seeing the others taking up positions in pairs, he made his way around to the right side of the building, noticing some of the others were already in place. He moved low, it was much easier being quiet on sand than it was through the jungle brush and overgrowth. He took up post on one side of the door, hand on the hilt of his blade, nodding at Marylka and Matthias, awaiting the signal to burst through. This was going to be an interesting change from their usual tactics. A night raid certainly wasn't something he had ever done before. Or at least, something he ever remembered doing before.

#8f206d

 

[SleepyCreamy]

Location: The Marcellius' Home
Time: After the visit with the Ahkmets
Characters: Ezekiel, Caliban, Aldaf (And to anyone who wishes to join them)

The moment he heard voices enter the room, Zeke returned to his stoic face and snapped his journal, filled with drawings, to a close. Zeke doesn’t want them to think that he’s becoming soft, which he is, but Zeke just refuses to acknowledge the good in being soft. His mother’s eyes widened in surprise, Zeke, of course, knew why, since he rarely brings home any friends or even acquaintances. He wondered how much they had heard of his conversation with his mother.

“Oh, this is wonderful Zeke! Not only did you come back to me alive and well, but you also brought your friends! I’m proud of you, son.” She smiled and Zeke could only shake his head, whilst he hides his smile. He very much likes it when he makes his mother proud. He may look mature, but inside, he’s just a kid at heart. “My name’s Edith, please address me with just my first name.” She turned to Caliban and Aldaf, addressing them with such a kind smile. “You’ve made some wonderful friends, Zeke.”

“Oh mother, you know me, always making friends left and right.” He rolled his eyes sarcastically and his mother laughed at her son’s antics.

“One more sarcastic tone from you, and I might be tempted to embarrass you with some stories of when you were little.” She delivered her words with a sweet smile and this got Zeke to straighten up a bit. “Now, let’s all have a cup of tea while I embarrass my son.” She got up and led Aldaf and Caliban out of the beautiful garden. He was soon followed by Zeke, but she suddenly halted, as if her brain turned a switch on. She looked left and right once again, staring at Caliban and Aldaf with worried eyes. As she took a couple of steps back, Zeke held onto her shoulders and tightened his grip, knowing full well that the two men in front of him were about to witness something he’d rather not discuss. “Zeke… Who are they?” She said in a bare whisper and Zeke only patted her shoulders gently.

“They’re just my acquaintances, mother. Our guests. Let’s fetch you some herbal tea and then you can tell them anything and everything your heart desires.” Zeke led his mother towards the living room, near the main door and sat her in one of the many loveseats in the room.

“Oh, that’s right. How forgetful of me.” She gave him a sweet smile and Zeke only responded with a sad one. Zeke refrained himself from kissing his mother’s forehead as he knew full well that his guests must be watching his every move, which creeped him out a bit. “I seem to be forgetting a lot these days. Please forgive me. Please sit wherever you’d like.”

Zeke quickly fetched a nearby tea set and placed them next to his mother and poured some tea to give to his mother. “Thank you. Oh! Would you boys like some?” His mother offered the two boys with her signature smile as Zeke pretended to be busy with pouring his own tea.

Naberius kase9187
SilverFlight Saturn_moon YumenoTsukishiro explosiveKitten Elenion Aura AncientBird Lioness075
Text Colour: #008B8B

 

[kase9187]

Location: The Marcellius Home
Time: After Akhmets visit
Characters: Zeke, Cal, Aldaf (Open to others)

Aldaf paused for a minute when Edith forgot who they were, but remembered what Zeke had told him.

Aldaf sat relatively close to Zeke, nodding his head.

"Tea would be great."

SleepyCreamy Naberius
SilverFlight YumenoTsukishiro Lioness075 explosiveKitten AncientBird Elenion Aura Saturn_moon

008b8b

 

[Naberius]

Location: The Marcellius' Home
Time: After the visit with the Ahkmets
Characters: Ezekiel, Caliban, Aldaf

Cal took his own seat next to his friend, matching their hosts bright smile, seemingly unaware of the sudden lapse in her memory, or otherwise concealing any concern it might have caused him. He didn't want to ruin the moment for Zeke more than their presence already had. He would have a lot of apologizing to do after this, but for now he would simply play along and keep smiling with his usual good cheer. He found himself wanting to leave a good impression, if only for the sake of Zeke's pride and the words he spoke earlier.

"I've never been one to turn away hospitality, you're too kind ma'am. I would love a cup of tea. And you have such a beautiful home, I've never seen anything like it. Though we don't usually make anything like this in Sudenta to begin with, but it's absolutely marvelous."

SleepyCreamy kase9187

#008b8b

 

[Saturn_moon]

Location: Westeros
Time: After the deathborn chase
Interaction: Marylka, Ezekiel SleepyCreamy

The last of the sun's rays slowly drained away, taking with it the hues of the gold and purple that lit up city less than an hour ago, leaving barely enough light to cast a shadow. As the little party that had taken off in pursuit of the deathborn, slowly made their way back to the market square to rejoin their friends, there was a palpable sense of disappointment that lingered amongst the group. With all their recent successes it seemed almost silly to fret over the loss of one deathborn, and yet, it stung deeply and bitterly.

What a day it had been. Turning back, Marylka noticed Zeke trailing behind the group. He had been the most vocal about his disappointment which surprised her. She hadn't seen Zeke show much concern for anything besides himself, his skybeast, and his mother. Remembering that she still owed him her thanks, she pulled on Archie's reigns and quietly flew up next to Zeke and Azurine.

"Hey, thank you for saving me and the boy back at the market square. We probably wouldn't have been able to get out of there without your help." She said meeting his gaze. Then, with a resigned sigh she added, "And... I'm sorry I lost my temper with you back at the shop."

#9365B8

 

[SleepyCreamy]

Location: The Marcellius' Home
Time: After the visit with the Ahkmets
Characters: Ezekiel, Caliban, Aldaf

"What lovely people." She gave them a sweet smile as she took a sip from her tea. Zeke then gave Aldaf and Caliban their tea, avoiding any eye contact, of course. He sat near his mother, a habit he tends to do ever since he was a kid. Whenever he'd feel anxious, he'd fidget on his mother's garments. In this instance, he only took a seat to calm himself. The fact that his mother is well, is what's keeping him stable. If anything were to happen to her, Zeke would definitely lead a destructive path for the rest of his life. Zeke's focus soon returned back to his mother as she replied to Caliban's comment. "Ah! You must try it. It's very delectable and it's my son's favourite drink." She said with a smile and Zeke could only hunch his shoulders and silently drink his tea. "He's a shy one." She then caressed Zeke's hunched shoulders, which Zeke replied back with a gasp.

"Mother!" He soon heard a giggle and this made Zeke roll his eyes and hide his smile behind his cup of tea. "I'm not shy, I just refuse to be included in this particular conversation." He grumbled in one breath.

"You've finally brought me some..." She paused in search for a proper word, Zeke couldn't blame her, after all, he did engage in some loveless relationships with some indecent people in search of love in the past. "Some decent guests over, and you act all cute about them." Zeke facepalmed his forehead at the way his mother described him. However, it was this type of banter he missed from his mother.

"Mother, that's enough. Perhaps you'd like to share some of your old paintings of me when I was young." He said in a gentle tone, as he took her cup of tea away from her.

"That sounds magnificent!" She clapped her hands in excitement. "I'll be right back!"

After watching his mother vanish behind the door, he finally looked back to his guests. "You must have questions." He intentionally sent his mother away, so that she wouldn't hear their conversation. "I'm surprisingly open about her condition. So, I really don't care if the rest hears about this." As long as they don't bug me about it. He released a 'tsk' sound before continuing. "She tends to be forgetful and would always need someone to care for her. That's why the headmaster sent someone to tend for her during those years I've been gone." He continued to sip his tea calmly. "And for that, I will be forever grateful to him." He then took a deep breath before continuing to sip his tea. Looking back at them, waiting for a proper question, and also a little bit of teasing from Caliban.

Naberius kase9187
Text Colour: #008B8B

~

Location: Westeros
Time: After The Deathborn Chase
Interaction: Marylka, Ezekiel

Zeke's surprise was clear on his face. He looked taken aback by Marylka's statement. He felt disappointed at himself for not apologizing first, even though he was the one who caused such anger within her. Zeke reached the back of his neck and gave it a good scratch.

"You shouldn't apologize to me when I was the one who was at fault. It was my fault you lost your cool and... I... I'll try and be more considerate next time." He said as if a huge weight was lifted off of his shoulders. "You may be tiny, but I never knew you could evoke such rage," Zeke said in a joking matter, he chuckled at his own observation, trying to at least lighten up the mood.

Saturn_moon
Text Colour: #9365B8

 

[kase9187]

Location: The Marcellius' Home
Time: After Ahkmet's Visit
Characters: Cal, Aldaf, Zeke

"Thank you, ma'am." Aldaf was polite to Zeke's mother, making small talk up to the point in which she left. After she left the room, Aldaf's mouth twisted into a large grin.

"Acting all cute, huh?" Aldaf leaned in a bit towards Zeke.

"I remember what you said about her. It must've been difficult at times, wishing this would all just... poof! And be done." Aldaf drank his tea.

"But paintings! I never expected our dark and stormy night to be a muse!" Aldaf joked lightly.

SleepyCreamy Naberius
008B8B

 

[Saturn_moon]

Location: Westeros
Time: After the deathborn chase
Interaction: Marylka, Ezekiel SleepyCreamy

For a moment Marylka seemed offended by Zeke's frankness about her size, until a grin slowly spread across her face and she let out a chuckle. It felt strange to be laughing but as she did, some of the tension between them started to melt away. "I like to think that my emotions are just more compact than others." Even though she was almost twenty, people often still mistook her for a child. It used to bother her a lot more but she'd grown to accept it over time. Sure, there were times she wished that she was taller or that her chest was... fuller, but being small had its perks. If anything, the look of surprise on people's faces whenever she accomplished something they didn't think possible of her was satisfying enough.

After a brief pause, she extended a hand across the space between them and held it there. "I wouldn't say we're friends just yet, but we can always start somewhere." Glancing over, it was then she noticed the blood staining the edges of his palms and Azurine's feathers where Zeke had grasped them. "You're bleeding." She exclaimed grabbing his hand without hesitation and turning it over to check. His palm was covered with several long scratches and while it had already stopped bleeding, the wounds still looked rather raw. Holding Archie steady, she took out her water skin and drew the water from it to wash off the dried blood and dirt. "You should still get Katja to take a look at your wounds when we get back to the academy but that should prevent it from getting infected in the meantime."

#9365B8

 

[Naberius]

Location: The Marcellius' Home
Time: After the visit with the Ahkmets
Characters: Ezekiel, Caliban, Aldaf

Caliban really didn't know what to make of this situation, entirely, but he was rather enjoying himself. Zeke's mother was a lovely person, and he found himself drawn in by her positive nature and her smile. He could see where Zeke got his own softer side, and could just barely make out a slight twitching in the corner of his mouth behind the tea he held, and his own smile only grew brighter.

When his mother left, and Zeke addressed them, Cal sat quietly for a few moments. He knew what he wanted to say, but not how to say it. Finally he decided to just go for the direct approach and hope for the best.

"She's a wonderful person, Zeke. I can see why you'd be protective. Honestly.. I should apologize, really. I saw you skip away from the others and didn't know what was going on, so I followed you. If I had known you were just coming here to see your mother, I probably wouldn't have so readily followed you. That was supposed to be a private moment. But, I was... Worried, I guess."

He sat back, placing the half empty cup back on the table and leaning back. A low warbling followed and Mushu squirmed his way out from behind Cal, where he had curled up to rest on the chair. He plodded across the floor, and forced his head up under Zeke's elbow, demanding pets.

"And one more thing... Please don't ever talk like you're not our equal in every way. You're one of us, we are a team. None of us is more important or better than the others. That's just how it works."

He watched Mushu being his usual playful goofball self and chuckled a little, still smiling over at his friend with that bright, sunshine-like smile.

SleepyCreamy kase9187

 

[AncientBird]

Location: Westeros
Time: After the deathborn attack, trip back to the academy
Interaction: Open
Current: Serik

The group eventually rejoined and after parting way with the guards, they headed back toward the academy. Night had just rolled in, yet the street were still lightened with torches from each building the lined the side of the street. People of To'bai were all back inside their residence. It was rather quiet, unlike during the day where the noise would be heard from any corner of the city. However, Serik figured it wouldn't always be like this... The attack of the deathborn probably sent citizens into fearful state as they cowering inside their house.

Serik walked by the back of the group, not because he was tired or injured but he felt that Valkyrie who was still out walking behind him would feel more comfortable at the back of the band. The street was rather empty, so there was no need to bring her inside the amulet and also because the wounds on her body, Serik decided not to take a ride on her also.

The buzzard was still carried in Serik's arms. It kept squealing from time to time, begging for something that the young man couldn't understand. This was also another reason he decided to distance himself a bit from the group, to not annoy everyone after a long and tiring day. However, it soon started getting on Serik's nerve as well.

"Come on, what do you want? Are you hungry? Are you hurt?" He said to the bird, who stopped for a bit before resumed its sharp squealing spree. Serik gazed into its bright eyes which shone from the light of the torched around. "Maybe you want to go home, to your owner. But it's quite late now. Can't you wait for tomorrow?" Serik said. Again, the bird replied with a series of squeal.

Valkyrie watched with irritation as her rider spoke to the bird, the bird that was supposed to be her food. She found it fair and square... Why did Serik have to stop her from doing thing she love the most? She leaned her head over to look at the bird again. Serik looked up to the stork drake and signed. "It wouldn't stop crying, Valkyrie... Sorry, you are probably annoyed by it as well... But you can't really eat this one... It has an owner, who is probably really worried about it right now."

Serik then made his mind and he picked up his pace toward his teammates. "Err... Everyone." He said, calling their attention. "The buzzard wouldn't stop squealing. I think it might really miss its owner. I am going to go back to look for the butchery zone of the market and ask for the owner of the bird, that's where the guard said the bird was from... You all may go ahead, I will catch up later... Oh! And don't worry, I will take Valkyrie with me, in case there is still deathborn left..." Serik said and proceeded to turn around, then stopped for a few seconds before turning back again, with a sheepish smile.

"Well... I just realized... There is a problem. I don't know where the butchery zone is..." He said embarrassingly. His eyes fixed at his friends, Ezekiel the most.

Featuring: SilverFlight Naberius kase9187 Saturn_moon YumenoTsukishiro explosiveKitten Elenion Aura SleepyCreamy Lioness075
#EB6B56

 

[Saturn_moon]

Location: Westeros
Time: After the deathborn attack, trip back to the academy
Interaction: Open
Current: Serik

For the first time since they arrived in Westeros, the streets of To'bai were nearly silent. The deathborns had chased everyone indoors and the few people milling about were primarily merchants trying to salvage whatever wares of theirs that had not been damaged in the battle. Thankfully, no one in the group seemed terribly injured, although some looked a little worse for wear. Though, with their strange healing abilities and Katja and Rhyne present it wasn't a huge cause for concern.

As they made their way back to the academy, Serik suddenly spoke up from the back of the group, the bird he had found still squawking in his arms. "I am going to go back to look for the butchery zone of the market and ask for the owner of the bird, that's where the guard said the bird was from... You all may go ahead, I will catch up later... Oh! And don't worry, I will take Valkyrie with me, in case there is still deathborn left..."

"I think the butcher's is just a couple of shops down that way. I remember passing by it on our way to the seamstress' this morning." She said, pointing to the street at the far end of the market square. "Couldn't it wait till tomorrow though? It's getting dark and I really don't think any of us should be wandering off alone."

AncientBird

 

[SilverFlight]

Location: Westeros academy
Time: Sometime during training
Interaction: YumenoTsukishiro AncientBird kase9187 Naberius Elenion Aura Saturn_moon

As they got into place, the air about them took on the tension. Inside they could hear low voices, and the bustle of their work. Ord took a breath...and then, someone opened the door just beside him. The man was stick-thin with a gaunt face, but even in the gloom he caught Ord's outline, though his face was covered. The man gave a shout, which Ord could not stifle in time.
A rush of wind circled the building, in no way natural. The signal.
"Let's go!" Kari shouted and darted inside through the door after Ord.
The room lit up with a spurt of flame, but this one was aimed at Kari and Ord. Kari rushed forward, reacting on muscle memory she didn't know she had. She threw out her arms and deflected the magic.
Mages...they had guards that were mages.
The workers scurried for cover while four shadowy figures stood up, leapt from the second floor balcony or came out from a small side room.
One of them formed a spear of ice from a nearby bucket of water, a second twirled a tiny cyclone in the palm of her hand.
This was going to be a fight.
"Guard the doors!" Ord called, and cracked his knuckles, and just like that, the fight begun.

Kari rushed the fire mage, sending a fist flying at his head, which he deflected, pushing her hand sideways and aiming a kick to her stomach. Kari rolled with the deflect and followed through, avoiding the foot and whirling to stand behind him. She threw her shoulder forward and sent the mage flying forward, hopefully into the attack of one of her friends.

Ord was squaring off against two men with knives. There were a series of wooden pillars, standing like trees between him and them, restricting movement. They went in, Ord followed. He wove about the pillars with the speed and elegance of a dancer, his feet shifting his weight in perfect balance. He blocked the first two strikes, hitting the wrists of his attackers and avoiding the blades, then he took a strip of cloth from a sack of rags, catching one blade in it, wrapping it about the hand deftly and wrenching the covered blade free. The second attacker then found an opening and went in, and Ord was forced off balance. He only barely recovered, but didn't notice the third man in the shadows, waiting with a large knife.

In the chaos, one of the workers made a run for a window, prying it open and trying to climb through.

 

[kase9187]

Location: Westeros academy
Time: Sometime during training
Interaction: YumenoTsukishiro AncientBird SilverFlight Naberius Elenion Aura Saturn_moon

Aldaf followed Kari and Ord, narrowly dodging the fire from the mage. He noticed the worker trying to escape and used his magic to push him back into the room and shut the window. Then, after throwing the worker away from an exit, Aldaf squared off against the wind mage.

"Hope you're ready for a world of hurt, because I'm about to deliver." Aldaf practically flew across the room with his daggers at the ready, sliding underneath the mage and stabbing upwards to slice their wrist. A swift kick sent the both of them apart just in time for Aldaf to see the fire mage go flying. A quick increase of magic and suddenly Kari's shoulder charge turned into a launch into the roof, smashing their face into the rafters.

"Ord!" Aldaf called, throwing a few darts and maneuvering them to strike sensitive parts of the arms of the two attackers Ord was squaring off against.

8F206D

 

[AncientBird]

Location: Westeros
Time: After the deathborn attack, trip back to the academy
Interaction: Open
Current: Serik, Marylka

To Serik's surprise, it was Marylka who seemed to notice the butchery along the way during their stroll in the market. "Couldn't it wait till tomorrow though? It's getting dark and I really don't think any of us should be wandering off alone." Said the girl after she told Serik of the location. "I wish, but I wouldn't want to leave the bird in state like this... It won't just stop squealing... Don't worry, it won't take long. Come, Valkyrie. Let's get this bird home." Serik said as he departed from the group.

It wasn't long until Serik's nose could catch the fainted smell of blood and meat. The butchery stalls were all empty but the blood stain was still all over the place, pointing that the butchers must had been very hurried to get inside before properly cleaning their stalls. Valkyrie searched around to find any scraps to eat while Serik walked over to a house locating next to a stall. He knocked the door and waited.

"No!!! They found us! Run away, dear! I will hold the monsters off! I might die but our love will remain forever!" A panicking sound came out of the house.

"Oh, would you old fool stop freaking our?!! No monster'd knock the door to be asked in!" Another sound, a woman, replied.

There was a footsteps toward the door and as it swung opened, there stood a middle age woman. "See?! It's just a young fella!" She shouted back inside and then turned toward Serik. "What are you doing here at this hour, nephew? Aren't there any monsters rampaging around." She asked, seemed a bit irritated to be disturbed.

"No, ma'am. The guards had already taken care of them... Anyway, are you the butcher?" Serik asked the woman. "That would be my husband." Said the lady.

"I am sorry to interrupt, but is this bird by any chance, yours?" Serik said as he lifted the buzzard up. The woman's eyes widened as she called her husband. "Dear! It's Shrill! A boy found him! Come quickly!" After that there was a series of crashing noise and hurry footsteps, then appeared a large, plump man with dense beard and mustache who seemed really alert. "Shrill! There you are, you little rascal! We were wondering where you had been, you didn't show up for dinner!" The man spoke loudly, he seemed really joyful to see the bird. The butcher and his wife then invited Serik inside. Valkyrie tried to follow but Serik halted her and had her waited right at the door instead. "I will be back before you even notice it, Val..." Serik said and tried to calm the stork drake down after seeing him going inside with strangers she didn't know.

Serik put the buzzard down on a table. The bird quickly waddled awkwardly toward a bowl full of meat scrap and chopped bone before starting to dig in. "Where did you find him? Is he not able to fly back by himself?" Asked the butcher as he glanced over to the hungry bird. "He... He actually got into a fight with deathborns, sir." Serik replied. Both the butcher and his wife faces' turned pale and they heard the words. "Those undead monsters?! Shrill fought them??? Are you kidding, boy? That chicken doesn't even know how to fight a crow or catch any food by himself!" Spoken the butcher. "It's true!" Serik replied. "He attacked the monster to save my life. He was then thrown into a stall and and might got hurt somehow, he couldn't fly... But I did check his wings and they weren't broken, so it might be a sprain or something." Serik said.

Serik then received a cup of tea from the butcher's wife. "Anyway, thank you so much for bringing the bird back here." She said. "Is he really your bird?" The boy asked again. "Well.... Yes but actually, no..." The butcher said.

"What do you mean?"

"He tags around us and other butchers in the market but he's actually by himself most of the time." The Butcher said and paused a bit. "We found him many months ago, he was just a fletchling, still hadn't learnt to fly yet. A dog was carrying him in its jaws. We chased the dog away and nursed him from his injury, feeding the meat scrap from our stall. He had this little leather string worn on his leg so we figured he might belonged to someone, his name was even on the string."

"Wait, really?" Serik said and looked at the buzzard who just finished his meal and hopped to sit beside Serik, the small leather band on his leg was really engraved with a word 'Shrill', something Serik failed to notice earlier.

"Shrill soon grew up and eventually learnt to fly. He spent most of his time roaming the town and market, only came to us for food and some cuddle time, but aside of us butchers, he never actually let any other getting this close to him... I am surprised that he seemed to be really comfortable around you, nephew." The butcher said. "One strange thing he loves to do though, was to stalking random people on the street, usually someone with small stature and wearing turban... Sometimes even tackled them, just to look at them in the eyes then flying away... Weird. right? One of my nephew coming over to visit found this first hand." Added the wife.

Serik was amazed by the tale of this buzzard. Why does it have some weird behavior like that? During his stroll in the market, Serik did indeed feel like he was being followed, was it this bird too? That would explained why he could intercept the deathborn in time... But the other question was... Why did he help the young man?...

"I bet he was looking for its former owner, I heard bird of prey like this form a very tight bond with whoever raised it... But who know? I barely know anything about falconry." Said the butcher.

Then, like a raging gust of wind, an idea hit Serik across his brain... What if... What if he was the one the bird was looking for... It's owner. The young man knew that he used to be here in Westeros, in To'bai... He saw it in the vision, the life that he had lost most of its memory. What if during that time, he received a buzzard, raised it, pouring who know how much love and care to it, and had all of those erased from his mind... But the bird wasn't, what if it could remember it long gone owner... It was being nothing but really nice and friendly to him, even right now, it was perching right next to him, instead of the butcher that had been feeding it for months. The butcher said it couldn't hunt by itself or fight anything, yet it went out of its way to protect him, risking its very own life...

"Nephew? Newphew? Yoohoo...?" Called the butcher as he saw Serik froze to his thought. The young man snapped back to reality. "I am sorry, I just feel... Ord" Serik said. "About how the bird acts like you are its owner?" The butcher said.

"How do you know?"

"I didn't, but I was thinking about that the more I see to the bird's behavior toward you... Just look at him! He had never been this friendly to someone else! He chose to sit there next to you instead of us!" Said the butcher. "But that would be silly, right? If you are the bird's owner. You should have known." Said the wife.

"To be honest, you might actually be right..." Serik replied. "I... I used to live here a year ago... But I had lost my memory, I can barely remember anything..." He added. "Aww... Memory loss from accident, I presumed." The butcher's wife said. "I am sorry to hear about that, boy."

Serik looked back at the bird. "I don't remember owning this bird, honestly... But on the contrary, the bird seemed to..." He said. "What about this? You take Shrill with you." The butcher suggested. "Perhaps in time you may gain something back after spending time with him."

"But you raised him, took care of him for so long... Would you be alright with that?"

"Come on, it's not that we have anything to do much with him to begin with. Yes, we have grown fond of this bird but if it's to return to its actual owner then we will be glad to support." Said the butcher and his wife. The butcher then turned toward the buzzard. "What about you, chicken? You wanna go with this boy?"

Serik reached his arm toward the buzzard. Shrill immediately hopped on Serik's arm and gleefully nuzzled the young man's shoulder. "That would be his answer, I guess?" The wife said and she and her husband smiled softly at the sight of the bird connecting with the young man.

---------------

Serik, Shrill and Valkyrie eventually left the butcher's house. Serik was still shocked about what he learnt. He couldn't believe himself that he had left a pet bird here for all the time his mind went blank. How did it all start? Where did he get the bird? How did Shrill end up in the street, threatened by a dog? How would the bird feel all these time it spent looking for him? Questions clouded Serik's mind as he and his companions arrived at the academy's entrance. Shrill was silent all the way from the butcher's house... He wasn't missing his owner, just hungry or so it seemed, how could he miss his owner when he's being carried by that person all the way...

"I don't know what to do with you now, Shrill... But if I really am your owner, I promise I will not leave you alone again... Not literally, but you will not be abandoned to roam the street looking for me again." Serik said and patted the bird's behind his head as the buzzard made a soft coo. "Also, Valkyrie... Shrill is part of our band now. I know it's might be hard for you to resist, but please don't eat this bird alright? He had been through a lot, he finally got to be with the person he crave." Serik said and patted the stork drake on her bill. Valkyrie and the buzzard exchanged glare for a bit. Valkyrie then lifted her head and huffed air in displeasure while the buzzard just curiously looked at her. "And Shrill, this is my skybeast Valkyrie... You don't bother her, alright? She is a bit short tempered."

At the stable, Serik met a stable maid who was cleaning up stuff. She looked afraid as Serik sent Valkyrie walking pass her toward the stall. "Hello, miss... By any chance you know where I can put my buzzard here for tonight?" Serik asked her. "Well, we have a falconry room to keep trained bird of prey for the night, it's right behind the stable over there." Said the maid as she looked at Serik intensely. Serik thanked the girl and walked away, heading to the given direction. The stable maid watched after him.

"A new falconer? Oh... Shivali will be thrilled to know about this." She said to herself.

Featuring: Saturn_moon
#EB6B56