Fantasy Character Castle Chronicles n.1
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What Alessio had meant by “sadistic” was that love seemed to involve a pointless amount of pain if there was no afterlife or purpose to life other than to enjoy yourself. For instance telling the truth instead of what people wanted to hear seemed to inflict unnecessary pain if it weren’t for the fact that love wanted the other to be their best, or caring so deeply about someone who tried to destroy you. But Nithel had given him the look like Who hurt you? which was a valid question and would take too long to summarize even briefly.
Alessio wasn’t sure if he should try to explain that or if it would just dig a deeper grave for him. Like jumping out a window. Was he ever going to learn to just shut up? Unconsciously he rubbed his jaw, all too clear memories of his father snapping when he spoke way too bluntly and he still never learned to get a filter. Stupid, completely stupid, he had to get a grip. If he could just stop talking and just stop drawing attention to himself. More than ever he wanted to get out of here, the place was too trapped and he couldn’t escape.
There were footsteps behind him as wary as if approaching a skittish animal. He winced, Nithel was going to kill him if he was anything like…well anyone he knew.
“I’m sorry…” He dug his nails in his palms to keep his hands from shaking, that was the last thing he needed. Nobody had to guess he was unstable, his father had been in and out of lucidity. What if he wasn’t entirely sane either anymore? Alessio shoved the thought away. He was still using the instincts that had kept him alive through his childhood but he couldn’t click out of it anymore. “I’m sorry, I…have trouble with…with places that you can get trapped in…”
Nithel probably thought he was crazy now, and maybe he was right. Alessio wasn’t sure how much sanity he had left after…To be a light to the world you must shine in the darkness.
“I’m sorry…”
Nithel’s heart rent, and he took another step closer.
Alessio was so tight, the pain and fear rippling off him making it hard for Nithel to breathe.
“I’m sorry, I…”
Kasiin. He was like Kasiin when he’d made a mistake. But memory was bittersweet. The man had cursed me. The man had been a dear friend.
“have trouble with…with places that you can get trapped in…”
Nithel stopped a few steps away, letting the youth babble a bit more until he was silent, head lowered.
“ant eaziz” Nithel whispered, soft, pain in his eyes. But that was probably too dark to see.
“I am sorry. I do not like cold or wet places.” The past had happened. There was nothing to change it. Nithel waited a moment. “Should we leave them, or search together,” eaziziun wahid? At the last two mental words, Nithel’s demeanor softened. He didn’t know how they could fix things, not easily, but it was easier to move forward if one was moving.
He had a plan. But, Nithel could not tell his friend to do anything.
___________
Jominkreesa
'Forth now! And fear no darkness!'
Ant eaziz,” Alessio glanced at him, not sure whether he was more perplexed by the odd language Nithel spoke in or his reaction. At the very least he’d probably anticipated a harsh lecture. “I am sorry. I do not like cold or wet places.”
Really? Alessio quirked an eyebrow, not sure he’d met anybody who’d admit as much. Nithel certainly was different from the kind of people he knew. Maybe he could risk trusting him, almost. But then the only other person who’d acted compassionate had only been using him. Was there anything Nithel could manipulate from him? Not unless he knew…?
“Should we leave them, or search together,” It was ridiculous to suspect Nithel like that, really. Alessio tried to shake off the thought it just amounted to bad experience. This time would be different? Maybe?
“It’s more logical to stay in the group there’s a greater safety in numbers,” Alessio half thought outloud and half verbalized his opinion for the benefit of his companion. “The sooner we start moving the more likely we’ll survive. One of the biggest priorities would be to find food and water. It’s also going to be important to get along with every member of the group to avoid unnecessary conflict,” His mind went straight to Commander Vulferym with the last statement. If he was going to make it through this he would have to maintain a rational degree of civility. And he could not afford to have a breakdown.
On an impulse, Alessio ran over the books on the shelves and flipped through a few, in case there might be some useful information there. “Help me find a map here, we might be able to get through easier with that.”
Setting the unproductive book on the floor beside him, Alessio looked up at Nithel hopefully. “Are there any strategies I’m missing? Any ideas?”To be a light to the world you must shine in the darkness.
Isaac slung the pack from his back. Fiddling with the mechanism, he turned off the night vision system. He had no spares and it was too useful to lose. In the meantime, he carefully listened to Alessio and Nithel. The boy’s skill at detecting lies seemed to be as good as his. If he was too good, he might see through Isaac’s lies. If he was called out, the boy would become a liability.
As he listened, Isaac heard several surprising similarities. Alessio seemed to have been scarred like him. Like Isaac, the boy had cut himself away from any connections he had had. But unlike himself, the boy had only become more fearful. Alessio seemed to always think that whatever had wielded the whip to reappear. Isaac had avoided that somewhat. He had killed his tormenter. His scars had led him to becoming the Fenrir. He remembered a few of his kills, horrors that he had removed. Josef Mengele the killer doctor from Auschwitz, a monster he had bled to death. Oskar Dirlewanger, an SS officer that hunted partisans and whos atrocities had led to the Fenrir hunting him. What had been left of him when Isaac finished was as twisted as his crimes.
But those times were in the past. Isaac had seen his own injustices and begun to mend his ways. He was off the beaten path but he could see a light. Not a big light but still a light calling to him.
“Help me find a map here, we might be able to get through easier with that.” said Alessio.
Isaac laughed. Even if they found a map, this castle would never let it be that easy. Besides, the dragon was prowling somewhere. He still didn’t know how to kill it ether. While Isaac pondered that, he busied his hands, going over the material he had grabbed from the armory.
The Devil saw me with my head down and got excited. Then I said Amen
“It’s more logical to stay in the group. There’s a greater safety in numbers,”
Nithel nodded once, and was somewhat glad. He liked people. And he would be relieved, if not for the sweet man.
“The sooner we start moving the more likely we’ll survive. One of the biggest priorities would be to find food and water. It’s also going to be important to get along with every member of the group to avoid unnecessary conflict,”
Nithel’s brows lifted, and he stood, silent. Water, a necessary evil. But food sounded good. He said nothing, waiting.
The youth then charged the foreign squares and opened one. Nithel’s brows lifted, How strange. What was their purpose?
“Help me find a map here, we might be able to get through easier with that.” Alessio looked up from his square, and set it on the floor. The youth’s eyes touched Nithel’s. “Are there any strategies I’m missing? Any ideas?”
Strategies? Nithel was still stuck on ‘map’. He knew what those were, Did the squares hold them? Nithel’s brows lowered as he stepped to the shelf, and lifted a heavy one. He flipped through the leaves, fascinated, but there were no pictures. No images of land. At the same time, his mind was running over the last questions.
“Make friends.” The words sounded like he was only half focusing.
Nithel closed the square, and he felt the dust touch his nose. His nose flared as he parted the leaves of another thing. No pictures, again. Then he sneezed, cheeks puffing out, and keeping his mouth shut. Oof. He twitched his nose, looking back to his vessel.
This time he saw strange markings on every leaf. What were they for? Were they supposed to make an image?
He took a step back, squinting as he held the open square farther from himself, wondering if the many dashes and dots formed something. If only there was more light.
But no, they didn’t. He glanced down to Alessio. “What is the point of this?” Nithel touched the tip of one of his fingers to the leaf. He had never seen anything like it before.
But should he be asking these questions now? Probably not.
_____
@rusted-knight @this-is-not-an-alien @joelle-stone @beth20 @anne_the_noob14 @skylarynn @sylvain-alistairJominkreesa
'Forth now! And fear no darkness!'
Someone behind him laughed the moment he mentioned maps. Alessio nearly tensed and looked back. It was the wary one, Isaac? He reminded Alessio too much of his brother, but he pushed aside the thought and tried to refocus.
“Are there any strategies I’m missing? Any ideas?”
Nithel gave him a half bewildered look and seemed preoccupied with the books. Reading had been so much a part of Alessio’s everyday life he’d forgotten that most people were illiterate in his home. He bit his lip while Nithel turned over the leaves.
“Make friends.” he answered vacantly without glancing up. His reply stung just a little because Alessio had never had any friends before, any real ones that is. His brother was the closest thing to a friend he’d had but right now Leander was convinced he’d betrayed him. Maybe it wasn’t true that he didn’t have any friends, he loved his brother even if…
Shutting the book a little too hard, Nithel breathed a puff of dust and sneezed through his nose. Alessio smothered a smile at the same time wincing for him. The moment Nithel strained his eyes at the page Alessio glanced guiltily at his hands. Maybe he could–? No, he better not.
“What is the point of this?” Nithel pointed to the writing on the leaf and Alessio peeked over his shoulder, returning one book to its shelf unread because it could wait. It was hard to skim over the letters in the dim light, he glanced up at Nithel thinking he might have noticed something important there. But he looked more inquisitive than ever as if he’d never seen written words before. Never even heard of them??
“I’m sorry,” Alessio stammered, reddening as he realized he’d paused enough to maybe embarrass Nithel. “It’s…a form of communication for people to leave what they’ve said or thought or learned for other people to find so even if they can’t meet or live thousands of years apart there’s still a way for one of them to learn from the other. Here, I’ll teach you–” Alessio took one corner of the book and ran a finger under one of the lines but furrowed his brow an instant later. “Well…it’s too dark here I…”
Alessio faded off. Was now really the best time to teach someone to read? Right now, seriously? He weighed his options; a) he could focus on trying to keep himself and his companion alive or b) he could waste precious time teaching him to read. So, there was no contest; he was teaching Nithel to read.
“First we need some candles to…” Alessio froze for a second noticing for the first time that he was holding the same book Nithel was and he wasn’t used to being in such close proximity with anyone, much less being somewhat comfortable with it. He was very touch-starved and it have been years since he’d been in any real contact with any person. He blinked, his eyes fixated a little past the book, struggling a moment to reprocess.To be a light to the world you must shine in the darkness.
Alessio stared at Nithel a bit. As if he couldn’t believe the man didn’t know what writing was. Nithel’s brows furrowed moreso. Perhaps Alessio came from a place where the leafed squares were common, and the symbols on them.
Nithel felt a strange feeling wash into his heart, and he rinsed it quickly. I don’t need to know everything, if Alessio knows I don’t know, that’s fine. He won’t judge me as Gabrel, but even if he does, tis fine, for I would deserve it.
“I’m sorry,” His friend’s face blushed, and Nithel smiled the smallest bit inside at the innocence.
“It’s…a form of communication for people to leave what they’ve said or thought or learned for other people to find so even if they can’t meet or live thousands of years apart there’s still a way for one of them to learn from the other. Here, I’ll teach you–” Alessio grabbed one corner of the square.
But Nithel was still stuck on the explanation. Communication? Did they not just tell the son, of father’s son not share all these things without ‘writing’? Up to the thousandth year and beyond? Did they not already do this in Lanark, and all the Ten?
Did this place not pass down the truths from generation to generation? But surely, surely they remembered all that was spoken. But Alessio was already moving on, and Nithel didn’t interrupt to ask his questions. How long did it take? Surely not too long.
“Well…it’s too dark here I…”
Just tell me what it says, and I will remember.
“First we need some candles to…” Alessio stopped mid-sentence again, and Nithel looked to his friend.
Are you alright?
After a moment of nothing, Nithel whispered, though the whisper had a tone, “I’m sorry.” And left it at that a time.
______
@rusted-knight @this-is-not-an-alien @joelle-stone @beth20 @anne_the_noob14 @skylarynn @sylvain-alistairJominkreesa
'Forth now! And fear no darkness!'
“You seem to be in charge, sir. My name is Virtus, son of Fidus. I am a soldier in Lord Delernious’ army. I was curious if you might tell me where I am?”
Vulferym looked down his nose at the man – Virtus – who stood before him. Seem to be in charge, eh? Seems this man has more manners than the others.
Vulferym drew in a breath to answer, but the lad from earlier spoke up.
“Hypothetically you’re in Baron Javier Vulferym’s castle, which said castle is an activist in plotting our demise.”
An expression of something like terror came over the lad’s face, and he was down a row of shelves and out the window before anyone else could speak. But then – there he was, back in.
“So the only potential way out is up, the height of the castle would estimate…seven or eight days to reach taking into account the winding nature of the…” he trailed off, turning red. Then bolted back down another row of shelves, disappearing from sight. The lad with the sling followed.
In the somewhat awkward silence that followed, Vulferym smiled, and returned the man’s salute as close as he could manage.
“It seems the lad answered your question for me, my good Virtus. You are indeed in my uncle’s castle. I am, as you presumed, ‘in charge’. My name is Commander Olavir Vulferym. I regret to say that I have not heard of this Lord Delernious. Is he stationed in Ikarial, perhaps?”
“No, sir, he isn’t.” Virtus seemed to hesitate a moment, as if he was thinking about adding another sentence, but he remained silent.
“Mmm. I must remember to ask my uncle if he knows of him.” Vulferym lifted a hand gracefully, studying his fingers.
“Enough! Be quiet! I can’t hear myself think! I can’t hear my teeth chatter!"
“I’m sorry.” The words hung in the air and Alessio didn’t move to several seconds. Had anyone ever said that to him? Maybe Leander had at some point…probably not but it would’ve been because he’d thought it was best for Alessio to ‘tough it out’. No, nobody had ever actually apologized to Alessio and meant it, except now…?
Alessio stared up at Nithel uncertainly. He shouldn’t have frozen up, he’ll get in so much trouble for taking so long and–…but Nithel wasn’t going to snap at him, he wasn’t at all like them, he didn’t mind asking questions like Alessio used to be made fun of for doing. For a crazy second Alessio wanted to tell him everything and maybe Nithel’d help him or wouldn’t leave him or wouldn’t tell him it was all his fault. Unless maybe it was, maybe he brought it on himself and not even Nithel would accept him if he knew.
Alessio was still holding the book but he didn’t want to back away.
“Nithel…there’s a lot of different people here,” he paused, trying to formulate the question “I was just wondering why…What..somewhat warped, train of thought brought you here instead there?”
That was about the worst way to phrase that question and Alessio knew it. He hoped his friend didn’t take it as an insult, it just seemed so highly irrational to him that anyone would willingly be with him. He winced, feeling his cheeks burn yet again.To be a light to the world you must shine in the darkness.
Alessio was quiet a long time, and Nithel waited, moving his eyes from the youth’s face to the open square.
“Nithel…there’s a lot of different people here,” At Alessio’s words Nithel glanced back to him. Alessio close beside him. “I was just wondering why…What..somewhat warped, train of thought brought you here instead there?” More blushing, innocence.
Nithel was silent a moment, getting past the figure of speech, and going with what he knew. The train didn’t matter. What warped thought brought you here, and not with the others? “None did.” Nithel still spoke in a whisper, and his lips remained parted after his words, brow crinkled. “My thoughts were not warped.” Nithel waited a second more, staring steady into Alessio’s eyes.
Then he blinked once and continued. “I don’t know why I chose you over the man who calls himself our leader. But I did. You are my friend.” Nithel’s eyes still stayed on Alessio, more thoughts going through his mind, and he meant them.
_____
@rusted-knight @this-is-not-an-alien @joelle-stone @anne_the_noob14 @skylarynn @sylvain-alistairJominkreesa
'Forth now! And fear no darkness!'
Brendin stood silently as those around him conversed and went around the room. He decided he trusted Virtus – the man seemed eager to befriend others, and had an earnest demeanor. He did not like the Commander. The man was obviously a liar. It was easy for Brendin to see he was just as lost and confused as any of the others, yet he put on an air of superiority and leadership.
Brendin caught his gaze for a moment. “You must have practice, to lie so easily.”
Vulferym raised a brow. “You sound like the lad. Brendin, was it?”
“It was.” Brendin still stared at the man. It was beginning to make him uncomfortable, Brendin could tell. Eyes were the windows of the soul after all, and Brendin’s looked out upon something dark. Something bruised and bleeding, twisted. Something mutilated until it turned feral and vicious.
“And who are you?” Brendin asked. There was a dangerous thread in his voice.
________
@anne-the-noob14 I hope I did Vulferym okay
"Remember, you go nowhere by accident. Wherever you go, God is sending you." - Rev. Peter R. Hale
* @anne_the_noob14 sorry
"Remember, you go nowhere by accident. Wherever you go, God is sending you." - Rev. Peter R. Hale
“It seems the lad answered your question for me, my good Virtus.” The man turned to him with a smile. Virtus was still puzzling over the young man’s outburst. Caution would probably come in handy here. He sighed. He hated caution. “You are indeed in my uncle’s castle,” the man continued. “I am, as you presumed, ‘in charge’. My name is Commander Olavir Vulferym. I regret to say that I have not heard of this Lord Delernious. Is he stationed in Ikarial, perhaps?”
Ikarial? Where is that? “No, sir, he isn’t,” Virtus replied slowly. He took another breath, intending to say, Actually, he was headed for the Outer Realms last I knew, but I haven’t technically been in on his plans for a few weeks. But he decided against it, and remained quiet.
“Mmm. I must remember to ask my uncle if he knows of him.” The man lifted an elegant hand up, studying his fingers in a way that Virtus remembered clearly. It was a kind of dismissal without actually dismissing someone. It was saying, I’m sick of this conversation, and bored too. Why don’t you move along so I can get back to my life?
Virtus took the hint. He bowed stiffly. “Thanks. Permission to leave? Sir?” It was getting harder and harder to be polite.
Vulferym nodded imperiously, not taking his eyes from his slender fingers. Virtus noticed the rings glittering on three of them, and wondered which peasant had lost their year’s crop to pay for them.
With another half-bow, Virtus spun on his heel and marched away, mulling things over in his brain. The young man had said Vulferym’s unce was in on “plotting” the “demise” of everyone in here. It was something to keep in mind, whether or not that proved true. Perhaps Vulferym wasn’t in on his uncle’s schemes? Somehow that seemed unlikely. The man’s… everything grated on Virtus’ nerves, just like Delernious did. From the aloof speech and body language to the words full of more loopholes than a fisherman’s knot. Virtus would keep an eye on him.
Right now, he wanted to talk to the young man who had ventured to say such things.
——————————-
Ack, I have sinned, neither Alessio or Nithel would know what a train is! I’ve used a modern colloquialism in a medieval fantasy 😛
“None did.” he said softly “My thoughts were not warped.”
Alessio guiltily dodged his gaze for second before looking back at him. It still seemed too new to him, he need to step back and analyze. Maybe distance himself for a while to think.
“I don’t know why I chose you over the man who calls himself our leader. But I did. You are my friend.”
A horrible decision, really. At least Alessio knew better than to say that outloud this time. He didn’t know what to do with that, he was sure Nithel would eventually regret befriending him. But maybe it would be alright, just maybe. He just might be able to start a new life if he were far enough away. After all, he still wasn’t convinced this was real. If it wasn’t real then the only person he could hurt was himself with this.
“I’ve never had a friend before,” Alessio said warily “how does it work?”
Nithel was about to reply when Alessio caught the gaze of someone over his shoulder. Virtus? The one who’d lied about still being a soldier in Lord…Delernefarous’? army. He used to be able to remember things better, now there were just empty patches where the memories wouldn’t stick. For a hopeful moment Alessio almost thought he could ignore him because one new person was hard enough, but he needed to stop avoiding this.
Because the confused look Nithel gave him when he bowed was still filed in his head, Alessio nodded to the stranger instead determined to not draw any more attention to himself than he already had. But Alessio wasn’t good at ‘fitting in’. At all. He looked at Nithel for help, it had always been so hard for him to interact with people he wanted to follow his friend’s lead.To be a light to the world you must shine in the darkness.
“I’ve never had a friend before,” Alessio said warily “how does it work?”
Nithel’s chest ached in a yawn. His jaw tightening the smallest bit. How awful.
I will not leave you. But before he could say it, and so much more, Alessio’s gaze was focused behind him.
Nithel turned his head, neck stretching and following. It was a man. Virtue. Nithel straightened some, and pushed the square back onto the shelf. The man had caused Alessio to tense.
Nithel’s chest tightened. But Virtue wouldn’t be a foe. With just a bit, he could be a friend.
We are to make friends, remember? Nithel glanced over to Alessio.
The youth’s eyes begged Nithel to take the first step. So he did, sighing in his mouth, and looking back to Virtue.
Nithel nodded and lifted his hand in greeting, where one would lift it before saying an oath. “Virtus, Virtue; son of Fidus, Trustworthy. I am Nithel, son of Father.” His face was smooth, kind, and his eyes smiled. He waited for the return, hoping this man was from his country.
But even as he said this, he moved to a position where he was closer to Alessio, partially shielding him, but not blocking him from the conversation. You are my friend. My charge. I will not leave you.
__________
@this-is-not-an-alien @joelle-stoneJominkreesa
'Forth now! And fear no darkness!'
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