Fantasy Character Castle Chronicles n.1
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“Lord Warin,” he greeted in Kith. “What’s going on here?”
Brendin regarded the man, surprised at the address. A Greycloak, and one of the Eya. He must have known Bren from Isernbarre then.
“Call me Brendin,” Bren replied in Kith, and explained both that he did not recognize the man and the current situation. “Don’t trust the dragon,” he added, grateful that Malvat had previously shown no indication of understanding other languages.
“I don’t,” Jango replied, casting a quick glance at the enormous reptile. He could sense malevolence radiating outwards from Malvat; he had no good intent for them.Suddenly the room shifted to a more open space as the cages and creatures within them vanished. Everyone (newcomers included) now stood in the middle of a vast hall with a vaulted ceiling like a cathedral supported by columns in orderly rows. The walls were lined with massive windows of stained glass, depicting various strange scenes of strange people; a record of every prior person’s death or fading. At the far end, behind them, stood massive stone double doors emblazoned with a bare white tree.
And at the near end, on a raised dais, was an altar of black marble. Runes and symbols crisscrossed the cool dark stone. Beyond it, behind the dais, was a small wooden door."Remember, you go nowhere by accident. Wherever you go, God is sending you." - Rev. Peter R. Hale
(@joelle-stone *snorts derisively* Evie is many things, but unable to guard her thoughts is not one of them. 😂Dominic, on the other hand… JK, Evie has a really strong block around her thoughts and Dom is completely incapable of guarding his. You may use this to your advantage… 😁)
Evie gripped her sword tighter. Had that girl just… disappeared?
Oh, and now that awful dragon was trying to read her thoughts. She smirked and let him have a tiny crack.
Evie. That’s my name. Oh, and I hate animals. All animals.
Dominic would not be fairing nearly so well. His inability to guard his thoughts was… very unfortunate.
And now there were two new people. One of them had a longbow.
Oh, now I do approve.
The other guy, the one with the keys and a clear distrust of the world in general, had a recurve.
That’s not going to match well.
Evie wished more than ever that she had brought her own longbow. She didn’t like carrying it around with her, but boy would it have been convenient.
There was now an exchange going on between various members of this strange group of people, and Evie didn’t even try to follow it. People were exhausting.
She put on her best scared little girl face, preferring to remain underestimated at the moment.
Dominic glanced at her. The look in his eyes told her she was definitely failing.
“Less glare, sis.”
I can’t help it, Dom. Shut up. He’ll hear you!
“Who?”
Stop it. I can’t say.
Dominic was clearly confused. And his thoughts were spilling everywhere. Evie really didn’t want her brother to be a casualty in the schemes of that dragon in the corner.
Suddenly the entire room warped and Evie found herself and her brother, along with everyone else, in a long, very complicated hallway. She wasn’t concerned about the pictures on the wall or the doors or the windows or anything.
Just that black altar right in front of them.
It looked disturbingly similar to something she had seen before…
"The darkness is seldom complete, and even when it is, the pinprick of light is not long in coming."
No. Nithel’s stomach twisted as the walls gave way, and different things took their place. He wanted to shut his eyes, but he didn’t think it was a good idea. Not when anyone could do anything.
Dragon. He had a faint remembrance of the dream that had put them in his knowledge. He’d told tales with the giant lizards as villains many a time since then.
And- Alessio. That was his name. Nithel sighed, glad he remembered the name for a reason he didn’t know. His shoulders relaxed a bit even as his chest tightened further. The place reeked of darkness. Images of Aden’s country split through his mind, abandoned children, maimed wives, charcoal the only thing left of homes. And altars… not unlike this one. He felt sick, and chills went up his arms.
He stood slowly, eyes running over everyone again, tense. He gave Alessio a cursory look; from what he remembered, the youth was a friend. In all the tales he’d told… The children loved Alessio. Remembering those firesides brought a touch of warmth inside him, but he mostly pushed it aside. This wasn’t the time. Nithel glanced around once more, wondering what others would do, then his eyes rested on the youth, wondering if he was a friend again.
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@joelle-stone @this-is-not-an-alien @irishcelticredflowercrown @millennium @denali-christianson @skylarynnJominkreesa
'Forth now! And fear no darkness!'
Nithel grasped a sword at his side.
A sword…
He stared hard at him a while and Alessio’s heart skipped a beat. He doesn’t remember me… Not immediately, it’s fine it’s fine it’s…just calm down. What happened? Where was Nithel? It must’ve been years if not decades if he looked so much old, did that mean everything–?
“Hello.” His friend said warily, that was so different from–What happened to the innocence? Nithel looked away, but Alessio couldn’t stop staring, there was probably panic written all over his face. Something had happened, something had changed him. Experience and age of course but…
Suddenly Nithel darted a look back at Alessio as if realization had suddenly hit him in a flash. Alessio froze up, all he could think was how much he’d missed his friend but now everything had changed and he didn’t know if he had any reason to hope…Say something, don’t just stand there like an idiot say something. He mentally screamed at himself but nothing…he couldn’t think of anything to say..
Brendin was saying something like “don’t trust the dragon” but that was barely registering. Alessio awkwardly sorta cleared his throat, half almost thinking of something to say but all he did was whisper “Hi”–
—Before the Castle changed. Again.
By the time they appeared again Alessio had gasped an involuntary curse.
“Ah–sor…I’m sorry!” He just cursed in front of Nithel, Nithel who was still there who didn’t disappear with the Castle’s shifting-he wasn’t sure where to look and feeling very restless and anxious.
They were in a expansive hall like the design of the interior of the Temple, at least similar enough according to the descriptions in arcane tomes. Glass stained with paint…he’d only ever read about it.
“Wow…” He murmured outloud, and rubbed his arms uncomfortably, beginning to register he was giddy with excitement and he couldn’t quite recognize the feeling it was a little to foreign. Shut up, stop causing a scene…He glanced back from Nithel to the ornate walls and ceiling, biting his tongue. At the end of the room behind them was a massive set of doors with a white tree carved into pattern.
“It’s the Silver Tree.” Alessio thought outloud, and winced internally. He couldn’t stand still he couldn’t figure out what to do and he couldn’t stop talking. Everything in his mind had been drilled to never express his emotions and to hide but now he wanted to communicate he missed Nithel and he had no idea how to do that.To be a light to the world you must shine in the darkness.
The youth was clearly uncomfortable, unsure what to say or do. He was just a bit older than Nithel’s daughter, maybe the same age. Nithel’s lips didn’t change, but a partial comforting smile touched his eyes. Relax; it’s alright. All Nithel’s troubles still vied for attention in the back of his mind, and he didn’t know how he was able to give the smile. At least… you don’t have to feel flustered about me.
Then the room changed again. Nithel’s stomach flipped as his eyes widened. He stepped back, reaching for the wall, but the wall was moving too. He would have drawn his sword if he’d thought it would do any good. Nithel spun around, watching as it changed. And people. So many people. Beings. Threats, even he kept his eyes on them.
It stopped moving, changing, finally. Nithel set his jaw, and looked at it all. If this is a dream, I want to wake up soon. Even if to the despic- There were strange coloured lights coming through the walls. And… a tree, white like snow, or Avigail’s cow. Ornately carved doors. The opulence was stunning. He had the urge to touch it, go closer, the carpenter in him coming through. But… the fear won out, and he ran his eyes over everyone else. Waiting.
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@joelle-stone @this-is-not-an-alien @irishcelticredflowercrown @millennium @denali-christianson @skylarynnJominkreesa
'Forth now! And fear no darkness!'
Mayra
Mayra stayed close behind Alessio as she stared at the strange man. He looked so familiar. Similar colouring and hair to Nithel so maybe he was from-
Wait.
Mayra narrowed her eyes. It couldn’t be. Could it?
Then the Castle shifted, morphing into a strange temple-like room with an ornate ceiling and pillars. Mayra should have felt exhausted from all the changing. But she was used to it at this point. She just didn’t care anymore.
There seemed to be a door carved with a silvery tree. Alessio muttered to himself when he saw it, as if he recognised it.
Mayra felt a pang of familiarity too when she saw the tree pattern. “Tree – of life,” she said out loud. An old symbol from the nation of her ancestors. The nation whose language she spoke, but couldn’t understand because no one ever told her what the words meant.
Her gaze moved silently towards the man, who looked back at her with no hint of recognition. The facial structure, the kind eyes – it was definitely Nithel. Older, wiser and more world weary though.
She looked at Alessio, who had an expression like he had just been walloped in the stomach. She knew how close he was to Nithel – so the fact that his old friend didn’t recognise him must have been hard.
Mayra didn’t want to speak up – it was the last thing she wanted. But she found herself moving towards the now adult Nithel and looking up at him. Searched his face, but did her best not to look him in the eye. “You’re – Nithel. Yes?”
Lupa growled as the walls shifted and changed and she stared after her wolf friend as she was sucked away and reappeared in a cathedral of sorts with everyone else.
Huffing, annoyed, and wanting to go home, she shook out her fur and shifted back into a human. Tossing her dark hair over her shoulder she moved to the front of the gathered people and stared at the door with a silver tree carved into it.
“No idea what that means. Now, I need to get back. Which way is not here?”
@joelle-stone @this-is-not-an-alien @irishcelticredflowercrown @denali-christianson @skylarynn @kimlikesartOne day you'll be someone's favorite author.
Nithel’s brows furrowed when a girl approached him. Then he felt awful when she knew his name as well, and his eyes saddened. I don’t know her. Nithel nods once, slowly, “I am Nithel,” son of Father. I am the son of my father.
He wanted to ask for her name, but didn’t want to betray he didn’t remember her. “I-” He took a small step back, then looked from Alessio to the girl. Nithel looked the girl over for weapons, though he knew he wouldn’t harm her even if she tried to harm him. “What is your name, fatat eaziza?”
And then horror of horrors, just a few paces away, the wolf changed into a human. His eyes widened and he took another step back, watching it as his jaw tightened. No one else seemed stunned by the change. Perhaps it was normal?
And as for getting back, he had no idea.
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@joelle-stone @this-is-not-an-alien @irishcelticredflowercrown @millennium @denali-christianson @skylarynnJominkreesa
'Forth now! And fear no darkness!'
Mayra
“What is your name, fatat eaziza?”
Mayra didn’t so much as furrow her brows when he said this. She had already surmised that – that this was a different Nithel. One who couldn’t recall Alessio or her or even anyone. Not even the dragon. Not the same Nithel who spoke words of kindness and pure love to her.
She sucked in a breath. “May-ra. Camacho.”
Nithel looked shocked at the appearance of the werewolf. A small part of her felt sorry for him that he had to go through this not once but twice over.
Mayra looked back at Alessio, who was standing a distance from them. She didn’t smile at him. Not that she could anyway. But she met his sad gaze steadily with what she hoped was a soft-ish look. She could manage that right?
Nope. Not even that. Cross with herself, she wrenched her gaze away. Why was everything simple always difficult for her to do?
She met Nithels gaze reluctantly then looked away. “You – look well.”
He looked well? He chose not to debate that.
“Mayra…” Nithel repeated slowly, looking down, but also at her face. It was hurting her, his lack of remembrance. If it meant anything, the name was beautiful, the meaning as well. “Your name is lovely.” … “And I’m sorry.”
He glanced at Alessio, wondering if he was the youth he had at the back of his memory. Wondering if he gave him the leather. Absently he felt the strap, and the wood pieces hanging from it. Waiting. Unsure what to say, or if he should say or do anything.
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@joelle-stone @this-is-not-an-alien @irishcelticredflowercrown @millennium @denali-christianson @skylarynnJominkreesa
'Forth now! And fear no darkness!'
Nithel’s eyes softened to the gentle reassuring light that dissipated so much anxiety Alessio could’ve died. A small, hopeful smile flickered across his face. He had so much he wanted to say so much he wanted to ask but he was just so happy his friend was here. Which was probably a selfish thought…
“You’re – Nithel. Yes?” Mayra wasn’t looking at Nithel, and Alessio wondered why she was trying to talk to him, she’d seemed to keep her distance from pretty much everybody el…She wants to help me. But that…he still could hardly believe…He looked up at her gratefully, almost disbelievingly.
Nithel nodded slowly, but he was watching them both like he was just as confused but he didn’t want to hurt them. He doesn’t remember…That hit like someone had rammed a stake through his chest.
“I am Nithel,” He said, it was agony to look at him, Alessio knew he felt just awful being unable to remember them. “I–”
Retreating a step, Nithel took them both in again. More wary than he remembered his frie…
“What is your name, fatat eaziza?” Something about him reverting to some odd language was so comforting that he still had that quirk. He jumped back when Lupa changed, complaining. In answer to “which way is not here?” Alessio almost said “only any place we can’t find.” but he couldn’t pay attention enough to actually say anything.
“May-ra. Camacho.” Alessio looked up when she spoke and froze, catching her looking at him. What should he do, should he say something, wh–? Almost immediately Mayra glared down, frustrated. Wait, she’d been trying to comfort him, hadn’t she? Alessio bit his lip, irritated with himself for not noticing sooner, trying to figure out how to respond. He made a motion to touch her shoulder but instead dropped his hand, wincing. Maybe he should say something?
“You – look well.”
“Mayra…” Alessio couldn’t bear to look at him, he couldn’t think at all. “Your name is lovely.”
Alessio rubbed his arms, staring at the floor and trying not to look completely shattered.
“And I’m sorry.” Alessio darted a glance at Nithel, almost hoping he remembered. He was…Alessio’s eyes widened as his eyes fell on the leather strap around his friend’s neck. There was no mistaking it, Alessio knew every niche and scratch in the leather like his own mind. It was his, since he was a child, the mark of a warrior.
Nithel kept it.To be a light to the world you must shine in the darkness.
While the others were preoccupied with Nithel’s sudden reappearance, Brendin felt a sudden calm sweep over him. He looked down and realized with a start that he was fading, like Nithel and Jericho had. He wished to say goodbye, but he also didn’t want to interrupt the moment between Mayra and Alessio and Nithel…and he didn’t want to cause the boy more pain. So he stayed quiet. The only person to note his passing was Jango, who said nothing.
Bren woke with a start. He must have dozed by the fire – odd, he didn’t usually sleep much – and he had the strangest dream…something about a castle and a dragon? And there was a young boy….
It was so bizarre that he had dreamed, he had no idea whether or not it was even real. After all, maeres didn’t dream…did they?~*~
Brendin sighed as he leaned against a wall and massaged his left shoulder. The golem arm had done a wonderful job replacing his original after Cassius crushed it with a boulder, but it was heavy and put strain on his neck and back sometimes. He was lucky he was a maere; he might not have coped so well with the loss otherwise.
“You alright there, Bren?” asked Maili, his close friend and the surgeon who’d put him back together more times than he could count. They’d first become friends when he came to the University as a teen, before Ingor damaged Bren’s memories. But they’d rebuilt their friendship after when Ada brought Bren’s memories back.
“Sore is all,” Bren answered, smiling. “Joel and Torf wanted a spar.”
“So that’s why you’ve turned black and blue,” she ribbed lightly. “How did you and Fyrian do?”
We lost. Horrendously, Fyrian murmured.
“About as well as expected,” Brendin answered instead.
By which he means ‘failed completely and utterly’.
“Not well I take it?”
“Not at all.”
Maili was saying something, but for some reason it wasn’t processing. A wave of dizziness fell over Brendin and he closed his eyes. Everything was spinning.
This…I remember this… Fyrian whispered.Brendin stood in a room like a cathedral. There were others in the room, familiar faces…
The castle.
Memories of a strange dream returned. Or at least, he’d thought it was a dream. Evidently it wasn’t. He knew these people; Alessio, Mayra, Malvat (he reminds me of Cassius), Lupa, Nithel and…Jango?
Jango exchanged a long look with Brendin, assessing. Then he smiled, and Bren returned it. “You were here earlier,” Jango said in Kith, “but it was you from years ago. Before Ingor’s death.”
“I remember.”
Jango made a subtle gesture towards the others crowding around Nithel. “He’s just done as you have; come back older. But he doesn’t remember the castle very well,” the bowman explained in Kith.
Brendin remembered his first time in the castle. He was glad the others hadn’t yet noticed him – or, more accurately, noticed his arm.
The golem arm began at his shoulder, an almost-exact replica of his original arm but made of burnished argil. It was stronger but less dextrous, and, thanks to Maili’s gifted spellwork, he could feel touch with it.
This is going to be interesting, Fyrian told him. Brendin agreed.
@this-is-not-an-alien @kimlikesart @joelle-stone @irishcelticredflowercrown @millennium[Author’s Note: I’m retconning and decided the Jango in the castle is of the same time period as Bren now is, so they’re on the same page]
"Remember, you go nowhere by accident. Wherever you go, God is sending you." - Rev. Peter R. Hale
Alessio couldn’t believe Nithel had really forgotten him. After…everything. Is this just another sick joke the Castle decided to play. ‘See how crazy Alessio gets when his only friend doesn’t remember him’
Whatever, it’s not going to do anything good to get angry or…Just stop, calm down. Thus says the Lord who created you…Star Breather, wasn’t that what Nithel had called…Did he still remember that? How much did Nithel remember?
“Do you…” Alessio was trying to formulate an intelligible question to gauge how much in general Nithel remembered but all he could think about was the leather cord. How could he have kept it if..? Focus, it didn’t matter just, how much could Nithel remember? Ask about his life before or after the Castle?
“Do you remember where you got that?” Alessio blurted instead, still staring at the strap.To be a light to the world you must shine in the darkness.
Nithel can see the pain and rushing in Alessio’s eyes struggling. Staring at the strap around his neck. Abni, I do remember you. Not much, but- Images flash through the back of his mind. But mostly, he remembers the emotions he had when with the youth.
Alessio blurts out, his eyes begging likely more than he wished, “Do you remember where you got that?”
Nithel glances down to the strap, the beads of wood moving as he fingered it. His eyes lifted, and he nodded slowly. “From a friend.” You, I’m almost certain. Nithel’s eyes lingered on Alessio’s face, sorry he was causing pain. My only friend, then. “My children know of him, too.”
The hairs on Nithel’s arms are standing up, and his blood is cold as he thinks about where they are. But is going to follow other’s lead, on whether they should be moving or not. And not what the dragon said. Perhaps Alessio and Mayra, though.
______________
@joelle-stone @this-is-not-an-alien @irishcelticredflowercrown @millennium @denali-christianson @skylarynnJominkreesa
'Forth now! And fear no darkness!'
“From a friend.” Nithel said, holding his gaze for a long time. He’d forgotten how much it seemed like his friend’s eyes could stare into your soul in such a way it didn’t feel like an invasion and Alessio couldn’t understand why. Did he remember or…? Alessio could barely take it but he didn’t dare ask any more, he was afraid it would completely crush his hopes. “My children know of him, too.”
“Children?” Alessio repeated faintly before he caught himself. You have a family? Wait..of course he had a family, it’d been years for him and…it was really stupid but Alessio felt homesick even though he hated his home. It was…easier to lie and say his family was dysfunctional instead of an endless string of abuse and manipulation. The idea of Nithel having children…Alessio loved kids…
To be a light to the world you must shine in the darkness.
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