Character Castle 2.5
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“And I’ll call him Big Softie,” Leana’s brows furrowed at Alessio’s remark.
No one knows Father’s language. Leana’s mouth opened, both in shock, and to say something. Though, Alessio’s translation wasn’t completely accurate.
Alessio plowed on, looking at her. “You should braid your hair so it doesn’t get in your face when you’re fighting and it’s a smaller targe- uh…I mean…”
“Alright. Thank you.” If I find something to tie it with. *slightly reproving look, Alessio’s way* “Saeb Lyn means ‘Hard Soft’, roughly.” *slightly comforting look Saeb Lyn’s way* “It is one of the most beautiful and strong ironies in the world. To be able to be fierce, but also gentle.” *then comforting, toward Alessio*
*sad thoughts rush in, but she tries to push them down* My father’s all soft. Which… isn’t a bad thing… But… She pressed her lips together. Can one of you please do something? Lead somewhere? *tired of just standing around* *impatience is her worst flaw* Calm down. Slow down.
Jominkreesa
'Forth now! And fear no darkness!'
BURN
Who sprung a leak to the Endless Abyss?!
“We’re gonna die Search! We’re gonna die!”
Search just clucked my hand tighter. “Not yet we aren’t!”
“And I still haven’t figured out what a dragon is!”
“We’ll be fine!”
“I don’t want to die without knowing what a dragon is!”
“I don’t either!”
“In here!”
It’s so loud from the flood I don’t know who spoke but Search shoves me between the doors.
It’s dry.
“We made it! Ha! Not dying today!” I make a rude gesture to the ceiling and tell the Endless Abyss exactly what it can do to itself.
And then I remember Search is here.
“Heh. Don’tkillmeplease.”
This is about the moment I realize how stupidly cold it is.
“Search… do you have a spare change of clothes. Cause we all need a change.”
“I. am. The. Only. Woman. Here.” She says through grit teeth. “And the others are sighted.”
Oh.
“Yeah. That. Hm.” I think a moment.
“Well, I certainly hope there’s something warm around here.” Snake-Punk announces. I hear him swipe blankets off of surfaces.
I wiggle my toes in my stolen boots. I made the risky decision at the bar and it paid off.
Hope I don’t get any feet diseases from the guy.
Also wonder if Snake-Punk even noticed.
Cause, ya’know, a blind guy hobbling around in one boot kinda stands out – though I had bigger things to think of for a while…
“Mm.”
SEARCH
I start wringing my clothes out as best I can with them still on.
Fun times.
I also glare at all the men around me. Usually, I don’t notice the ‘demographics of the room’ but this is one of those times it pays to notice.
Realistically speaking, I’m pretty sure two of these guys are mostly chivalrous. Or whatever that word Grimme uses is.
Nathair, however, makes me uncomfortable. And I’ve ignored uncomfortable too many times to do it again.
Better to be a jerk and alive than a ‘nice girl’ and dead. (Oh look, something I agree with Mother on!)
Nathair has stopped ripping blankets off of things.
“Hey. If someone hands me a couple of those blankets, I can change under them.” I say.
I really don’t want to get sick. Because this is NOT home and I do NOT know how I got here and I NEED to be functioning.
“Mm…”
Nathair puts his hand on a mirror.
“Uh…” the world warps. “wat.”
Burn’s nose wrinkles. “Uh. Is there a abyss-bound mirror here?”
“Eh?!”
“I’mma punch Snake-Punk. I’mma punch Snake-Punk. I’mma punch Snake-Punk.” Burn mutters so softly I’m the only one who can hear him.
“WE FELL THROUGH ANOTHER HOLE IN REALITY!” Burn shrieks.
And then he lunges and Nathair is splatting against a cavern wall. “You! You traitor! You pushed us through another hole in reality! How could you! Why!”
@ethan-leonard, @this-is-not-an-alien, @rusted-knightWhen life knocks you down, wait 'til it passes over you and then attack it from behind.
Why was Leana staring at him like that he’d done something horrible he’d done something bad and she was going to hate him for being so rude he shouldn’t have called him a Big Softie even if he wasss.
“Alright. Thank you.” She said and Alessio cringed under her look. He shouldn’t have told her what to do like that he shouldn’t have called him a big softie. This was stupid he was just being high-strung if he’d just calm down he wouldn’t blurt out something stupid again.
“Saeb Lyn means ‘Hard Soft’, roughly.” Leana added. “It is one of the most beautiful and strong ironies in the world. To be able to be fierce, but also gentle.”
Wait. It did mean Big Softie?? (But more respectful…XD)
Wait…wait was she willing to translate Nithel’s language. *Intense desire to know what Nithel kept calling him* Alessio bit his lip, they really needed to get going. Besides which he was too scared to ask…
He should find something for her to tie her hair with she seemed to be looking for something. Alessio tucked a little at his cloak, intending to rip off the bottom couple inches for…something like a ribbon. But…it was caked with mud…
Alessio glanced at the tablecloth.
Leana briefly cast him a kind look, beginning to get restless. Impulsively he ducked a little and hastily ripped a thin stripe of white tablecloth. It seemed about the right size.
She also needed a weapon even if she wasn’t likely to be able to use it. The knife wasn’t really going to help if someone got that close to her it was probably over.
So Alessio examined the thick, wooden leg of the table. It seemed sturdy enough, so he held it in place and kicked the end of it with his full force, snapping that leg of the table off with a loud, satisfying crunch.
It looked kind’ve like a club with a ragged murderously pointed edge.
“You should be able to fight with this fairly well, even with limited experience.” Alessio attempted awkwardly (No need to mention the fact that a jagged slab of wood looked barbaric enough most people would be intimidated by it enough to attack someone else first). She was staring at him like he’d just done something crazy lik…breaking a table. Right, devils, normal people didn’t do that did they…?
“Uh…h-here…” Alessio reddened and pushed the makeshift club and ‘ribbon’ to her. Then he retreated, flustered, and started to compile whatever foods looked easy to carry and keep reasonably fresh.
But…what was it Nithel kept calling him?
Alessio shook off the thought trying to focus. He had to talk to Arsene before they set off, he had to know how much he’d figured out about his past and how. They needed to pick a mirror though or…something.
“What’s Eaziziun Wahid mean?” Alessio finally blurted.
@kimlikesart @ragnarok @ethan-leonardTo be a light to the world you must shine in the darkness.
What to use for a hair tie? *considers just knotting it into a bun, with nothing* But that could still fall out, and she wanted to take Alessio’s advice.
Alessio ducked onto the floor, like he was afraid to be hit, and ripped a strip from the hem of the tablecloth.
Leana’s brows lifted. Her eyes widened when he snapped off the leg of the table. Woe.
Alessio pivoted back to her, talking quickly. “You should be able to fight with this fairly well, even with limited experience.”
“Thank you…” Honestly. I can whack people with a stick. BUT YOU JUST SNAPPED THAT GIANT-
“Uh…h-here…” Alessio blushed and shoved the thick staff, and strip of cloth, into her arms. He started to dart away, though she didn’t know where.
Leana scrambled to braid her hair, leaning the club against the three-legged table. She tied a knot around the end of the braid, with the cloth.
Alessio pivoted and blurted. “What’s Eaziziun Wahid mean?”
Her brows lifted, then furrowed, as she coiled the braid into a bun. You don’t know? How- He must’ve guessed. She used the leftover cloth hanging down on both sides, to tie the coil into place. Eaziziun Wahid… “It means ‘Dear One’ Or ‘Valuable’. ‘Precious’. ‘Beloved’. Eaziziun means those… and more. Wahid means ‘One’. ‘Singular’. ‘No other like it’.” Are you alright? *hopes she didn’t come across too frustrated, a minute ago…*
“How do you know those words?” *gently/curious, even as she picks up the club again*
——–
@ragnarok @ethan-leonard @this-is-not-an-alienJominkreesa
'Forth now! And fear no darkness!'
The world shifted into a hall of black and white tiles from the floor to the ceiling, dizzying sameness that caused an optical illusion of drowning in infinite squares. Blind Guy was grumbling under his breath.
“WE FELL THROUGH ANOTHER HOLE IN REALITY!” Burn shrieked, furiously. Actually angry enough Nathair didn’t feel like annoying hi – he was mildly shocked when Burn suddenly lunged at him hurling clawed hands at his face. “You! You traitor! You pushes us through another hole in reality!”
Burn actually landed a blow across his jaw. Nathair blinked.
“How could you! Why!” Burn screamed a couple octaves higher than usually like a betrayed, angry child. Nathair thought it best not to attack back but grabbed the guy’s hands with superhuman strength defensively.
“How could I have anticipated that would happen!?!” He protested. Great and now the side of his face was bleeding, that was just rude.
Before he could say anything else though Burn suddenly shot into the air, propelled by a silvery spectral force. That better not come for him next.
Nathair glanced behind him to see…the spitting image of a cleaner, more controlled Arsene. He had one hand in his pocket and the other extended in Burn’s direction assumably keeping him in the air (while the Blind Guy howled curses…)
“Well hello new person,” Nathair said, easily, quietly assessing “and who might you be?”
“Sherlock Holmes.”
He nodded. “Nathair.” He said “You actually remind me of someone who looks rather similar to you.”
He added that probingly and he could see the man’s mask of casual indifference suffer a blow cracked apart with barely concealed fury.
There was a loud, palpable silence.
“Arsene.”
“Yes I believe that’s the one. Fantastic wardrobe.” Nathair said, and that’s about the time a huge, ferocious smoke-encased monster started to grow around Burn.
That could be problematic.
@hannahrenner @ragnarok @rusted-knight @ethan-leonardTo be a light to the world you must shine in the darkness.
Leana scrutinized him quizzically a moment after he asked very abruptly, coiling her soft, red-brown hair into a bun as she considered.
“It means ‘Dear One’ Or ‘Valuable’, ‘Precious’. ‘Beloved’. Eazizun means those… and more. Wahid means ‘One’. ‘Singular’. ‘No other like it’.” She said, watching him with that kind, painfully compassionate look he got from Nithel so often.
That’s how he sees me…?
Alessio blinked a lot, not sure how to process. Maybe a small part of him had always still thought he was just a charity case for someone who compulsively helped people. It was hard to believe anyone truly cared about him.
But. Nithel did. He’d said it over and over in so many ways.
“How do you know those words?” Leana asked gently, staring up at him with soft, inquiring eyes.
“Um…Nithel, he’d say it a lot when…when I was upset…” Though, name a time he wasn’t upset… Alessio rubbed his arms, not sure where to look because he didn’t want anyone to notice he was blinking back tears. He’s almost been scared to find out what it meant but…it was beautiful.
A new, unfamiliar sensation of warmth washed all through him, one he didn’t even recognize. He smiled gratefully at Leana, the numbness he was so used seemed to melt away so fast everything was lighter.
“He was kind to me, even though I’m…difficult.” It wasn’t something he could earn…or even had to. It finally clicked, like the pieces of his mind had finally accepted the truth.
“That was the first time in years,” Alessio murmured almost to himself “someone treated me like a person.”
@kimlikesart @ragnarok @ethan-leonardTo be a light to the world you must shine in the darkness.
“And I’ll call him Big Softie,”
… Sigh. Why was he not surprised? Alessio vaguely reminded Hades of Venus. Granted, Venus was a lot younger and into anything that was cute and adorable. This quirk led to her bring home any and all small animals she could get her hands on (squirrels, birds, and hamsters).
Yes, there were similarities.
“You should braid your hair so it doesn’t get in your face when you’re fighting and it’s a smaller targe- uh…I mean…”
Changing the conversation quickly. That felt familiar.
“Alright. Thank you.” Leana answered a bit awkwardly.
She then turned to Alessio. “Saeb Lyn means ‘Hard Soft’, roughly.”
Leana then addressed Hades. “It is one of the most beautiful and strong ironies in the world. To be able to be fierce, but also gentle.”
… “Interesting.” Hades commented, “But I don’t believe I’ll ever answer to that name.”
And giving his real name would not help him in this situation. It was in that moment that Alessio snapped a support from the table, along with a part of the tablecloth.
Not that Hades could say that he hadn’t seen similar feats of strength.
“You should be able to fight with this fairly well, even with limited experience.” Alessio explained to Leana.
“Thank you…” Leana said awkwardly.
“Uh…h-here…” Alessio stuttered, before handing her the improvised club.
Leana quickly set to work on getting her hair tied back. The now designated club was leaned against the table. It looked reasonably heavy. Perhaps it wasn’t that bad of a weapon.
Alessio suddenly blurted out loud. “What’s Eaziziun Wahid mean?”
With a puzzled look on her face, Leana paused.
…
“It means ‘Dear One’ Or ‘Valuable’. ‘Precious’. ‘Beloved’. Eaziziun means those… and more.” Leana stated, “Wahid means ‘One’. ‘Singular’. ‘No other like it’.”
A title, perhaps? She knew what the words meant, so the only explanation for her bewilderment was that Alessio knew the words.
“How do you know those words?”
The language could have cultural value to her people. The Artificials had whispered about an older written dialect that was often used by those in high positions of power to keep secrets. It was forgotten by the common people, when they forbid the teaching of it. Even to this day, many of the secrets the lords kept are undiscovered.
“Um…Nithel, he’d say it a lot when…when I was upset…” Nithel?
Alessio suddenly seemed more open, like an entirely different person for a few moments, as he spoke. “He was kind to me, even though I’m…difficult.”
“That was the first time in years,” Alessio murmured in a small voice, “someone treated me like a person.”
… … … Personhood… … Something that he had forsaken long ago.
Sherlock didn’t know where he was. He felt disoriented, as he stumbled in the cave. He started to recover his awareness, as he scanned the location. It was a cave, with many strange symbols. One of which he recognized. The symbol of the elven country and the dragon empires, both combined into one. His business emblem. A reminder of what he was. He wasn’t a dragon. He wasn’t an elf. He was just something in between, living in a society that was considered human. There were other symbols as well, such as a dice, a country flag and others that weren’t familiar to Sherlock. The area was brightened by torched on the walls, which were decorated with gold and silver.
“HOW COULD YOU?!” A betrayed voice shrieked.
“HOW WAS I SUPPOSED TO KNOW IT WOULD DO THAT?!”
There were people. It was that group again! HOWHOWHOWHOW!?!?
Wait, there was one missing. Nithel, wasn’t it? He was gone. There were also a few new people. Odd people. Perhaps he could get some information. Although better save the guy who was getting attacked.
Powering up, Sherlock held out on hand glowing with white, bright aether. He lifted the attacker off the guy, continuing to hold up the guy.
The victim of the attack, a man with silver hair, sent him a look. “Well hello new person, and who might you be?”
Something about this guy seemed off. But Sherlock needed information. He would lie, manipulate, and control, until he got his information.
“My name is Sherlock Holmes. I’m private detective.”
The person seemed human, but Sherlock looked mostly human too. The only give away was his mismatched eyes and his light skin color.
“Nathair.” the man introduced himself, “You actually remind me of someone who looks rather similar to you.”
What? How? Who could he be…? Wait a second. No, it can’t be. It couldn’t be. Right?
The prolonged silence seemed loud, until Sherlock spoke the one word he hated the most.
… “Arsene…”
“Yes I believe that’s the one.” Naithar stated with a smile on his smug face, “Fantastic wardrobe…”
“ARSENE!” Sherlock lost it as the scales on his right arm formed.
Full of renewed frustration, Sherlock smashed his scale-clad hand into the cave wall, shattering stone. His white scales shined in the fire light of the cave, as the slowly turned back into the elven skin.
Oh why? Why did he have to put up with this life?
“Arsene. What’s your connection to him?”
You can only come to the morning through shadows: Tolkien
“ARSENE!” This new person – Sherlock apparently – shouted and smashed the cave wall in the particles of dust. His scaled knuckles shimmered with fiery light as he slowly collected himself.
Nathair raised his eyebrow with a bemused smirk and the man turned to him, continuing in a much quieter, controlled voice.
“Arsene. What’s your connection to him?”
How much did Sherlock know? Probably not a lot considering his response, though he could know more than he was letting on. Nathair rolled the dice in his pocket between his fingers methodically.d
“Mere passing acquaintanceship,” Nathair assured, probing “he seemed to know an old friend of him, Alessio.”
He might turn up some useful information if Nathair played his cards right.
To be a light to the world you must shine in the darkness.
So this happened fast.
I can’t write Burn in character for this. There is no way, no how he’s sitting in the air howling curses while Nathair and Sherlock hold polite conversations. I could have made it work if it weren’t for that one detail. Can I change it?
When life knocks you down, wait 'til it passes over you and then attack it from behind.
Change it how you need it 🙂
To be a light to the world you must shine in the darkness.
They’d need to get moving, Alessio thought. But he felt relieved, lighter than he had in so many years. He kind’ve just wanted to talk about Nithel, Leana would know more about him and that was something he’d like to hear more of. What was it like, a kind loving person as a father?
They didn’t have time to talk though, the sooner they made it through the trails the more likely they’d find Nithel.
Also he was very awkward and had no clue what to say anymore, especially because Leana was so kind and he didn’t know how to *do* ‘interacting with genuinely wholesome nice people’.
“We should be leaving soon,” Alessio attempted “gather anything that seems reasonable to you, I’ll be back in a moment I just have to,” Confront Arsene about how the devil he knows Nithair. “see to a few things.”
He bowed to her politely (falling back on his royal training in etiquette which he should probably avoid doing because it drew too much attention…) and retreated. He’d started to walk away when he paused and touched the corner of his hood. What was he hiding from anyway – everyone already kind’ve knew who he was by now. It wasn’t any less safe to stop hiding so much…
After a moment he flicked back his hood, feeling very odd and uncomfortable but almost…safe. A strange, warm sensation surge through him – he almost freaked out because it felt too similar to his powers.
He glanced around for Arsene – how was it humanly possible for him to look so cheerful all the time!?!? Alessio grabbed him by the arm and pulled him out of the way of most people looking on. Then he pinned him to the wall stubbornly.
“How did you know Nathair?” He demanded, it took an effort to even say his name.
@ragnarok @kimlikesart @ethan-leonardTo be a light to the world you must shine in the darkness.
(Leana stuck her tongue out at Hades, if only a moment, when he refused the nick-name… She’ll still use it.)
As she listened to Alessio… Leana’s heart warmed and bubbled like a brook. Father loved Alessio. He knew him. He named him.
He… always seemed to make people feel valuable. Be they a senator whose carriage lost a wheel. Or a begger who wandered to the house, for a meal. He treated them equal, but loved. Like he couldn’t think of a higher honour than serving people, and reminding them they were seen…
Her eyes burned. Missing Nithel’s strong arms around her. His nervous laughter, when she’d do or say something strange. His stories of song… that would stretch long into the night, until all the kids were cuddled against the parents and sound asleep… She didn’t want to cry. Wouldn’t. If she thought about her mother, she would. Or Dom, or Bethan, or Herman, or even Grandpa…
One step at a time. I have to find Father. If Nithel stuck by this boy. If he refused to abandon or give up on Alessio, Leana would stay with him, too. Come what may.
“We should be leaving soon,” Alessio swallowed, but spoke steadily. Leana nodded quickly, lips pressed together. “Gather anything that seems reasonable to you, I’ll be back in a moment. I just have to… see to a few things.”
Leana’s brows quirked at that. When he bowed, they quirked a bit more. It seemed like a goodbye. She would have followed, if he hadn’t just said he’d be back. As he walked away, Leana put an open palm on her chest.
Alessio stopped, and tugged at his hood a moment. Then he jerked the fabric and the hood fell away. Leana cocked her head. She’d wondered why he kept it on. Now she wondered why he took it off. He glanced around, then darted away.
Leana sighed, and turned back to the table, after casting Saeb Lyn a tentative glance. She pulled a tablecloth from a table, being careful not to let anything fall off the board as she did so.
Next, she strode to the well-dressed-servant-fellow, who still hung around. “I need bread, unleavened if you have it. Enough to last four people, a week, if leavened. Three weeks, if unleavened. If you have water skins, or something that would work like them, I need four of those. All filled with clean water.” She pulled her shoulders back and held his gaze by lifting her chin. “Lead the way.”
She followed him, bringing the club and tablecloth. Even if they don’t have the bread on hand, it won’t take too long to make.
———–
@ragnarok @ethan-leonard @this-is-not-an-alienJominkreesa
'Forth now! And fear no darkness!'
@this-is-not-an-alien, @ethan-leonard, @rusted-knight
SEARCH
“How could I have anticipated that would happen!?!” Nathair says from the ground.
I lunge at Burn, knocking us both to the ground. “Stop! Punching! People! Without! Warning!”
He’s still howling curses though. Well. At least he recognizes me. Otherwise, things would have gone from bloody to deadly!
“Shut up!” I shove my elbow between Burn’s shoulder blades.
Then I see stars as Burn rams his head under my chin.
At least he didn’t break my nose this time.
“Gah! Search!” he shoves me off. “Stop ruining my fun!”
“Ruining … how is this fun?!”
“I finally got to claw his face off!” Burn snarls.
“No. you punched him.” I grab his arm before he can ‘properly’ correct this mistake. “Stop. And. Think.”
“No.”
“Would you just…” deep breaths. Use simple survivalist logic. “We have a better shot of getting home with allies. Okay?”
“Except for when our ‘allies’ are dumping us through more holes in reality.” He pauses and then starts chewing his claw. “Unless … that’s what Crazy-Voice-Punk wants. To drive us apart so that we can’t get to him.”
“What are you talking about?”
“No. It makes sense…”
“ARSENE!”
I flinch and turn to see a male human? With some kind of lizard-based talent finish punching the cavern wall.
Um.
“Who’s that?”
He takes a deep, shuddering breath slowly returning to ‘normal.’
“Arsene.” He grits through clenched teeth. “What’s your connection to him?”
“Mere passing acquaintanceship,” Nathair assured, probing “he seemed to know an old friend of mine, Alessio.”
BURN
I rub my battered ribs and huff. Search is always ruining my fun.
I listen to the voice of the newcomer.
“Oh great. It’s Angry-Punk.” I grumble. “Wish I could forget him.”
And then I realize “Uh. Why are our clothes dry?”
Search is silent.
“And … isn’t this my old pair of boots?” I tug at them. “From when I first fell into a hole in reality?”
I poke my finger into the sole where the glass had cut through.
Punk, ain’t that the strangest thing?
Tempting fate, I pull off my boot and feel my foot – the bandages are still there but it feels half-healed.
“Uh…
“What happened to your foot.” Search states calmly.
I don’t really want to answer that.
“Details. Now.”
When life knocks you down, wait 'til it passes over you and then attack it from behind.
Arsene locked eyes with Alessio, who grabbed him by the arm forcefully.
“I see you’re done talking with your girlfriend.”
Alessio sent him a lovely frown, before shoving him against the wall.
“How did you know Nathair?”
Oh, it was this again. “After you knocked me out, I had a nice time in dreamland with Old Snake. He told me a nice fairytale about a certain Prince Alessio and even showed me a few memories.”
Arsene was smirking, up until now. His expression quickly changed to that of concern. “Very vivid memories. Got something to say?”
“No.” Alessio said bitterly.
Well, information gathering wasn’t going to be easy. But while it was on his mind, Arsene had something to ask. “Have you seen Sherlock around here?”
The wildcard thief had a guess on what Alessio’s reaction would be.
You can only come to the morning through shadows: Tolkien
“I see you’re done talking with your girlfriend.” Arsene smirked. Alessio gasped and turned completely red, any retort completely fried from his brain. Leana was…she was… He slapped Arsene into the wall harder than he otherwise would’ve.
“How did you know Nathair?” He demanded.
“After you knocked me out, I had a nice time in dreamland with Old Snake.” Arsene chirped “He told me a nice fairytale about a certain Prince Alessio and even showed me a few memories.”
Arsene’s face changed, worried? No it…he actually did care…
“Very vivid memories. Got something to say?” He said, seriously. Alessio tensed, oh he could just imagine what kind of memories Nathair could’ve twisted or…
“What did he show you?” Alessio managed in a low growl.
“Have you seen Sherlock around here?” Arsene asked abruptly. What did Sherlock have to do wi – Where was Sherlock?! That was the last person they needed out of their sight – Alessio glanced around for him. Then glared at Arsene. You’re not getting away that easy!
“I said, what did he show you?”
To be a light to the world you must shine in the darkness.
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