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Post by Mise™ on Aug 1, 2014 13:18:25 GMT -5
”Illustrissima art nae thy real name I assumeth. So I ask thee again; who art thou?” When asking this Lian sounded a bit more pressuring than usual, trying to get the answer out of Illustrissima and he usually had very pressuring tone in his speech.
”What dost thou mean? I dost nae think that thou can define being among the living in very many ways. Either a man liveth or a man isth dead.” Lian stopped to ponder about this. He wasn't getting any straight answers from Illustrissima, but he could not really blame her as he was the same way, no one could get straight answers from him; unless it would be very beneficial to Lian himself to speak directly. ”Perhaps Tombrad isth among the living dead. A vampire or a being of spectral nature. Isth that what thou art telling me?”
Knowing Lian, the man of ultimate patience, who would be willing to spend hours in getting to the bottom of this Harlow might be wise to try to speed up the conversation a little bit if he could.
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Post by CJ on Aug 3, 2014 2:24:51 GMT -5
"It's not enough," Stohlz with wide, unblinking eyes. "You can't be trusted and now, I'll have to erase her memory of you and the others who came with you."
Meanwhile, M gripped her skirt tightly, listening closely to Arx's directions. It truly was a role reversal. Before this whole fiasco started, she comfortably lead the way, working closely with Arx to come to the best decisions. Here she was almost entirely dependent on him calling the shots.
"OK!" she said. "Don't underestimate him, please!"
Speeding out, she struggled to push open one of the iron doors and fled. It slammed behind her with a loud boom.
"Damn you!" Stohlz shouted with gritted teeth. "You have no idea how much pain and agony she went through every day knowing what happened here! Your folly has ruined my sister!"
Intent on killing Arx before seeking out M, he prepared yet another spell. Just as the Virtue of Diligence hit the ground, eight thick spikes shot up in all directions from the floor around him. They were simply made of earth, but hardened as they were, they could still do some damage. It seemed the intention was to test Arx's reputation for defense by attacking from all directions.
---
Outside, near the cliff, M looked out at the forest below. Wind swept her dainty curls, twisting them as they blew in her face.
"I have to warn Lian... Harlow..." she spoke timidly to herself. "If he kills Arx here... No, I can't let that happen..."
M produced the broken mask, her Sacred Treasure, Superbia's Mask, from her tiny dress pocket. It was far too big to fit in such a place, but it seemed all it took was simple fairy magic to keep it there. She held the two split halves up and stared at them painfully as her lip quivered.
"No more regrets," she said and fixed the masks onto her face with both halves. Rather than screaming painfully like she had before, the transformation was smooth and fluid. It seemed this ability was more a part of her than she realized and was now beginning to accept it, rather than fight it.
She transformed back into the translucent beast, like the ones who occupied the forest. Pulling her head back, she let out a howl so loud, it could be heard from every corner of that world. It was a calm sound, feeling as soft as someone speaking nearby and as gentle as a loving mother speaking to a child.
---
In the place where Lian, Harlow and their new friend conversed, M's howl vibrated throughout the area. It summoned someone from the forest brush, who stepped out into the clearing and looked up toward the castle on the high rock.
"That's no ordinary call," he said to himself. "It's a transformed fairy no doubt. After all this time searching... I hope Red heard it too..."
He looked to be some kind of hunter with an intricately designed metal bow strapped to his back and an array of colorful arrows in his quiver. From his tightly fitted black boots to his various pouches on his camouflage suit, he appeared professionally equipped for the environment. It was evident he didn't hunt to survive, but likely for sport.
His head slowly turned toward the group and he jumped back in surprise.
"GAH! What are you all doing here? This is our forest! You have no right to be here!"
Perhaps he wasn't that great of a hunter after all, given how ignorant he was of the three standing there.
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Post by Shark a' Pult on Aug 9, 2014 21:15:26 GMT -5
"I am not anyone, anymore. I had life once, but I gave up. Only charity matters now."
For once she seemed to actually sound annoyed, as though something about that line of questioning Lian pursued was strongly against her liking. Very much she wished to change the subject, and was glad when he moved on.
"I saw departure, on pilgrimage of sorts. I did not witness death, and was last I ever saw of, so is not up to me to say whether is living or dead."
She had a personal belief about what happened to Tombrad, but it was not her place to say as though it were a truth that she knew. Lian wanted the facts it seemed, and all she could offer was that to her knowledge she was the last person to have seen Tombrad still alive, before he departed on his journey. Whatever happened after that was only speculation, or in her case, faith.
When the new arrival to the scene, the hunter, seemed alarmed though she shifted her focus rather than just letting it drift over once she noticed as with Lian. She took a stand because she had a feeling she would need to act as she had done so many times before, as indicated by the decaying pile of weapons. Violence could not be allowed to disturb the sanctuary here, for the sake of those others who came seeking peace.
"Forest does not belong anyone. If not pilgrim, should leave."
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Post by Hitotsumami on Aug 14, 2014 16:36:25 GMT -5
Arx was glad to see that M had escaped, but when spikes appeared on the ground below him, he flipped his shield around. He collided into the spikes hard, but his shield took most of the blow and came out unscathed. He stood up in the crater created by the blast and looked up at the Fairy King. "I gave you the option to erase her memory," he said. "You were the one who started this."
Seeing that the Fairy King had gone mad, Arx also made a dash for the doors, hoping to escape. He didn't want this fight, but if he had to, he'd fight.
---
At the camp, Harlow listened to Illustrissima. She didn't appear to have any solid answer on if Tombrad was alive or dead. He was going to ask more when he heard a howl and a hunter appeared.
"That's M," said Harlow, recognizing the howl. He looked at Lian. "Perhaps we should go make sure everything is okay."
He didn't appear to pay much attention to the hunter.
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Post by Mise™ on Aug 21, 2014 10:16:27 GMT -5
It would seem like Lian could not get the truth about Tombrad from Illustrissima. Lian could chase after Tombrad himself and no matter where he would have gone Lian believed that he would eventually find him. But would it be worth it? Did he really need to find Tombrad? Would he still be alive even if Lian were to find him? Would anyone Lian knew still be alive when he would find his answer?
”There art no place that art mine. Nae longer.” Lian did not seem too bothered by the hunter other than saying this he did not pay any attention to him.
When Harlow suggested that they should go check on M Lian was deep in thought thought for a moment and then agreed with him: ”I believe thou art correct. Thou and I shouldth go.” And so Lian made his way towards the fairy king's castle, but after taking a few steps he stopped and told this to Illustrissima ”I shall return here. I still wisheth to speak with thou. Standeth here untill the time for my return cometh... Or thou may cometh with us.”
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Post by CJ on Sept 22, 2014 20:07:41 GMT -5
As Arx sped toward the door, the ground below him moved yet again. It rolled up before him, speeding toward him like a wave, intending on knocking him away from the door. Still fluttering above him, the Fairy King's childish face was twisted in angry.
"You were the one who told her to run!" he retorted. "You shouldn't have let her go. She was finally happy and had friends! Why would you ever want her to remember her old life?"
---
The hunter nearly jumped out of his clothes. He was so surprised by the appearance of the Virtues that he almost fell over. He didn't seem like much of a hunter if he didn't notice three strange individuals and a giant pile of weapons.
"M? You don't mean the beast of legend?" the hunter asked Harlow with a cocky smile. "Oh shit. Are you serious? That thing. The thing that we all just heard. That's M? It's been alive this whole time? If that's the case, you'll be the ones wanting to get out of here. Not me."
Looking over the three, he let out a low laugh.
"No great amount of weapons is going to take out that thing. I can assure you of that. It takes skill What do you say? What to take it out together? I'll split the cost for the aurora pelt."
He started to rummage through his arrows and felt each feathered end for his intended weapon.
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Post by Hitotsumami on Oct 3, 2014 13:35:58 GMT -5
Arx saw the floor roll towards him, but he persevered. With his shell shield, he burst through the wave with ease. The door sat before him. He had no idea what the Fairy King meant. What was done was done. He attempted to burst through the door again.
---
Harlow gave the hunter a look. "We're not planning on hunting her," he said plainly. "Just attempt to calm her down. Arx was supposed to be with her. Something bad must have happened."
He started on his way towards the sound. "Feel free to come, but I won't let you harm her."
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Post by Shark a' Pult on Oct 6, 2014 1:05:54 GMT -5
"Waiting here is reward enough. Return after, to find more answers if such is wish."
It seemed all the talk of Virtues would have to wait for now, since there was some sort of threat of a beast. Of course she was not worried, since the honestly believed it would never come here. Thinking people had to try hard to find this place, so the chances of a mindless monster were less still. More importantly though, abstaining from violence was very important to her beliefs, and in this case the cause did not seem to be just. The hunter had interest in a pelt and splitting the reward, nothing which she sought to forgo her ideals for. If Lian wished to head out though, then she had no problem with that, or his potential return.
"Pelt will not bring happiness. Heading in one direction will only lead further from goal."
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Post by Mise™ on Oct 9, 2014 9:20:06 GMT -5
”If that is thy wish, then so it shall be... I shall returneth here before long.” Lian spoke to Illustrissima as he left her behind. Even though soon could mean 50 or so years for Lian this time he really did not plan to take what would be considered a long time, even for those who valued time more than he did.
”As he hath spoken; we hath nae planneth to partake in a hunt... Nae dosth I allow thee to do so...” Lian spoke assertively to the hunter. ”This dost nae concern thee. If thy seeketh to hunt the grandest of beasts this art nae what thy wanth... Chasing this wouldth only lead thee on a road of misfortune... Only with patience may thou find what thy really seeketh for.” And with this, rather hard to understand, warning Lian left the hunter behind and now made his way towards M to see what was really happening there.
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Post by CJ on Oct 26, 2014 13:52:21 GMT -5
Arx busted through the door, but he didn't make it back outside. It was as though the door had never lead there in the first place. Instead, he saw a terrible sight, set in a sterile, dull courtyard.
He couldn't be blamed for assuming that M was before him, wounded and maimed. The lumious texture of her fur had dulled into gray, leaving only the color of red blood. She wasn't moving and was clearly dead.
Then came the sobbing. Further inspection would show that the beast wasn't M... or at least the M he knew. But there his friend was, clutching onto the beast. Her pink dress was stained from its wounds. Her tiara was lopsided on her face.
Any attempt to call out to her or touch her would yield no response. It was as though they were ghosts or apparitions.
"Do you know who the girl you call M was?" the Fairy King asked. His voice suddenly came in through the illusion. It seemed to emanate through the walls.
"We called her a princess, but her true title was Superbia, Queen of the Forest. She was pompous and arrogant. Instead of ruling peacefully, she openly challenged dominions in contests of prestige and power.
"M was the only one she ever cared about. She never called anyone by their names. She said only she was worthy of a name. M was the only one who received enough praise to be called but a single letter. We put our hope in the warrior, who my sister saw as her pet. There were brief, rare One day, in a show of pride, she commanded M to lead an army against an oncoming attack from the dwarven kingdom. Her unending pride blinded her from the possibility of failure. M was the only one of her party to return, but was not long before she succumbed to wounds.
"My sister agonized for years, never leaving this courtyard with the incorruptible corpse of only friend. She did nothing but mourn. She cursed her pride and struggled with the appropriate means to take her own life as retribution.
"Instead, I gave her an option. To forget her old life in favor of a new one. In it, she would be inspired to seek out justice the way her friend once did. The pain of loss would transform into a victorious march. All was going well until you ruined it!"
The illusion broke apart, leaving Arx in a black void of nothingness. Before him floated M, the leader of the Heavenly Virtues, just as he had always known her. But like everything else he had said, she was an illusion.
"Help me get her back to how she was. If you really love her, you'll know that it's the only way she'll ever be happy again."
---
"The pelt won't bring happiness, but the money will."
The hunter began to walk away coolly toward them. He didn't seem in a hurry or in any sort of distress. It seemed he didn't take the Virtues very seriously.
"No one can befriend one of those beasts, especially not M. The thing's a monster. What exactly are you lot trying to pull? Shut up with the patience talk. What are you trying to cover up here? What are you doing here?"
Up close, the Virtues would be able to see that the man was dressed in a variety of pelts. They were vibrant hues with many stripes and colors. His metal bow was decorated with tiny skulls, all from different animals.
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Post by Hitotsumami on Oct 27, 2014 19:39:59 GMT -5
Arx had no idea what was going on. When the vision faded, he said, "Ask her if she wants her memory erased, and if so, do it!" He had no interest in this conflict. His original goal all along had been for M to go back to the way she was, but now it had always been her decision to go through with it and still was.
---
Harlow did not feel interested in telling the hunter why they were in the forest. He already looked like a threat to M, and any more information could be detrimental.
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Post by Mise™ on Oct 29, 2014 8:15:24 GMT -5
Lian remained patient with the hunter, despite the fact that he did ignore his threats. ”Befriend...? Nae quite...What I wisheth for isth to converse with M, that isth all...” Lian remained quiet for a moment and then tried to bargain with the hunter, all he wanted was for him to not get in his way. ”Let me meet with the beast. If my attempts were to be in vain I shall slay it for thee and thy shall have the pelt thou seeketh..."
After another moment of silence Lian continued: "Nae mortal, be it of man, beast, fairy or demon, couldth defeat me... However if thou were to stand in my way, thou couldth never claim the pelt nor the riches that cometh with it.”
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Post by Shark a' Pult on Nov 2, 2014 16:06:29 GMT -5
In just a sentence the hunter confirmed to her everything she needed to know about him, and Illustrissima gradually returned to her practice of introspection. There was talk of a beast, and M, and pelts and wealth, but all those things were beyond the reach of the grove. These were not the first people to come here, but she had already distanced herself from that kind of world, that kind of life that their talk meant as much to her as the talk of how best to cook a steak or paying taxes. She kept a perceptive ear on the strangers, but otherwise simply waited for Lian to make good on what he said. There were things he needed to take care of, and then he would return about the issue of the Virtues.
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