The Northern Winds

Kol Monroe - Son of Boreas

[savioresque]

aleki would be lying if he said that dragon festival didn't spark any aspiration to become a dragon rider ; but that was a dream for another time. there was still so much to be done down here, and aleki always had a one track mind when it came to his duties and responsibilities. always training, always finding way to get stronger ────── the last thing he wanted would be to die again before being of any use. but if the ark were ever to obtain a dragon of their own to protect the island from possible invaders, there wasn't anyone else he trusted more than kol to raise it. " sounds very useful then. and it was written by erasmo himself ? " he wondered out loud. kiara and erasmo were probably the most knowledgeable people when it came to the dragons, so learning from one of them would probably be best preparation for any draconic endeavors. and if not in acoma, then the book should be close enough. " you should probably start learning their language, too, then. draconic, isn't it ? so by the time you actually come across one, you'll be ready to claim it. " aleki suggested as he began brushing his pegasus' mane after feeding her. " why dragons anyway ? there's griffons, kelpies and owlbears ... why dragons ? "

[aurorablooded]

"It was." Kol confirmed with a nod. He'd yet to delve too deep into the books pages, skimming over it briefly when he'd first obtained it with the intention to truly do his research and read it cover to cover multiple times if necessary, each night until he was confident he'd absorbed the knowledge. Academic pursuits had never been a particularly strong point for Kol, he'd left school early to join the army unlike his brother who had been destined for a path in engineering.

"Yes definitely, although languages were never my strong point in school - and that was a long time ago now." He laughed. Maybe draconic would be easier, though the son of Boreas doubted a mystical language would be ease to learn. But he wanted it badly enough, to claim a dragon and call himself a rider - so he would do what it took. "Not sure really, just always thought they were cool. Fire-breathing ferocious creatures that can fly? Just the stuff of dreams when I was a kid. But hey, if we find a griffon that needs a home or a baby owlbear, I'll raise 'em right too." He chuckled with a smile. Honestly, Kol just liked raising animals, and why he'd enjoyed ranch life so much. Raising life was far better than taking it, and he'd done a lot of that.

[savioresque]

generosity was not something that aleki ever hesitated on ; kindness was a tenet instilled in him from his time at the pasifika camp and when he thought that kol needed a few extra coins, aleki didn't need to think twice. and while he purchased a weapon and some charms, he couldn't help but be amused that kol bought a book of all things ────── and worth more than his brand new blade, too. books rarely ever piqued his interest, reading was almost always a last resort, but now he was curious. " so, the book you bought ... is it magical ? " he asked as he helped kol feed the pegasi in the stables. he didn't think he'd often find himself here, but the presence of the winged horses had certainly been comforting. especially throughout all the distress of his resurrection that he mostly kept to himself. they said that horses had healing powers, and maybe, just maybe, these winged ones were even more powerful. " i mean, it must be really special for being so expensive, right ? " @aurorablooded

[aurorablooded]

Kol was more than a little surprised when Aleki gave him the remaining coins he needed to get the item he'd been most intrigued by. He didn't expect anything from the other demigods, they seemed content amongst themselves while he was always a little more on the outside. It had never bothered Kol throughout his life, he'd protect them with his life, but they didn't owe him anything.

"Not that I can tell." Kol replied with an amused chuckle, looking over from where he'd been serving out the fresh hay for the pegasi. "I suppose that depends on what you consider to be useful. If you've an interest in taming and bonding with a dragon like I do then it's well worth the price." He smiled, offering a carrot to a rather insistent pegasus. Kol wasn't ashamed to admit he'd be honoured to join Erasmo one day as a rider and member of Acoma - but that was a dream for the future.

[abusabat]

“That's  commendable  at  least.  The  island  can  rest  assured  knowing  that  they  have  a  real  one.”  Giving  up  the  island  for  a  sky  city  with  dragons  was  a  hard  choice.  If  he  had  actually  bonded  with  any  of  them,  he  didn't  know  if  he  could  tear  himself  away.  Then  again,  he  didn't  know  the  bonds  the  man  had  to  the  island.

“Who  knows,  maybe  by  the  time  you  come  back  you'll  have  something  else  to  bring  to  the  city.  A  dragon  of  your  own  perhaps?”  Waaiz  furrowed  his  brows  together.  He  was  well  aware  that  people  considered  them  to  be  endangered,  but  that  still  didn't  mean  there  weren't  anymore  outside  of  Acoma.  Including  the  one  that  was  stolen.

[aurorablooded]

Once the business was done with the ark, it would likely be Kol's first choice to return to Acoma and perhaps find a life for himself there. He couldn't go back to his old one - too many ghosts and too much pain and loss. Perhaps he'd stay at the ark if he found reason enough to do so. Bonding with a dragon felt like a dream or a goal to aspire to for the son of Boreas.

"Now that would be the dream." Kol chuckled. "To become a dragon rider myself and bond with my own dragon? Well perhaps I'll make that my mission." He smiled a little, looking up at the statues. "Looking forward to returning to the ark yourself or will you miss this place?"

[horrorphase]

august was glad that his words weren't perceived too seriously, considered it an early litmus test to gauge the other man's response to his kind of humor ────── and well, kol passed with flying colors. he could already tell some stark differences between even just at first glance, but august sensed such easygoing warmth ( how ironic ) from the other ; so palpable that he just knew it would be valuable to keep his company. he knew strength and presence of mind were important for survival, but it would be easy to lose their way in all the death and bloodshed without people to remind them of the good of this world. but maybe, august was already overthinking this before he had even wielded a blade against anyone. " i know just the thing that could make it even more compelling : i actually brought an espresso machine with me at the ark, and you look like a guy who enjoys a great morning coffee, " august clicked his tongue, still half-joking. but he didn't hesitate to take kol's hand, undiluted sincerity in his smile. " very new that i still think this is all in my head. and if it is, at least my brain is kind enough that make up such fascinating places and people. " he took a moment to look around them, still very much in awe that they standing on a floating island high above in the sky. his gaze fell upon kol once more, fingertips grazing against the frozen garlands just to feel the evidence of such cool powers. no pun intended. " you look like you're really enjoying yourself here. i take it you're a big fan of the dragons ? "

[aurorablooded]

"You're not wrong." Kol chuckled. He was used to early rises before the sun had broken over the horizon, ready to start a long and hard but fulfilling day's work on the ranch - something that couldn't be started without a cup of dark roast. Kol smiled in return when August took his hand, matching the other's sincerity. The son of Boreas' touch was cool, his fingers and palms always feeling icy, something he'd found could unnerve others, and even meant touch felt a little deadened to him, like his hands were constantly numb from the cold.

He found some of the hatchlings enjoyed the cool touch of his palms, as it mimicked their own cold scales, while the larger dragons he'd had the pleasure of meeting, who held a fire in their blood warmed him in a way he'd not felt for years.

"I'd say it eventually starts to feel like reality but then something new comes along and it all feels like some fanciful dream again." He mused, blue eyes following August's movements as he touched the frozen garlands. "Grew up on stories of them, always thought they were the coolest mythical creature. This powerful creature that could fly, spit fire or acid or frost. When I was a kid I used to pretend with my brother that I was a dragon rider, even made cardboard wings and scales for my horse once." He laughed. "So finding out they're real is pretty amazing."

[abusabat]

So  many  people  here  loved  dragons  apparently.  Waaiz  always  thought  that  he  would  be  the  biggest  nerd  in  a  room.  He  enjoyed  a  good  science  experiment  and  researched  filled  him  up  in  untold  ways.  Yet,  seeing  how  they  all  reacted  to  some  mythological  creatures  as  changing  his  own  perception.

At  least  he  wouldn't  call  them  nerds  to  their  faces.  Even  as  he  looked  over  at  Kol,  decorating  the  place  with  something  that  one  of  the  dragons  probably  would've  appreciated.  Wasn't  there  one  of  them  called  Frost  or  something?  “They  could  probably  just  the  extra  hands  if  you  really  don't  want  to  leave.  At  least  from  what  I've  picked  up  so  far.”  Which  wasn't  much.

[aurorablooded]

"Tempting. Very tempting, but I'm a man of my word." Kol chuckled adding another garland of frozen wild flowers to the statues. It wasn't much but it was something beautiful that he could create. All his life he'd been part of so much blood and pain and war, it was nice to give back something beautiful for a change.

"I agreed to fight for the ark so until that's no longer needed Acoma will sadly have to wait. Perhaps one day I can come back, if I'm not already dead by then." He shrugged, the wintery demigod never one to mince words, he was too old for games like that and had never been much of a person for that kind of thing anyway.

[horrorphase]

the mentors briefly talked to him about the other greek demigods that were part of the ark ; the people he might easily bond with, though he'd be lying if he wasn't a little wary. especially when he also heard that a malevolent daughter of zeus had nearly killed many of them. could he really trust the ones even in his own pantheon ? glory and gore ────── it was just in their blood, he supposed. but august wasn't going to cower from his own paranoia and neuroses, a smile like muscle memory curling his lips up as soon as he saw the man creating such frosty decorations — remembering one of greek demigods mentioned upon his arrival to be gifted with the ability to create ice and plummet temperatures to freezing levels. " would it make it easier if i said i need you ? " the weight of the words might be too heavy coming from a stranger, but at least it might leave an impression. and august didn't really care whether that was good or bad. but august chuckled anyway, just to underline that his words were lighthearted. " the mentors told me about an icy greek demigod that could help me settle in once we're back at the ark — i'm assuming that's you. otherwise, this would be really embarrassing, " august said as he approached the guardian statue, attaching the dragon scales, made from interlaced strands of gold paper, to the stone contours of the dragon. " i'm august, by the way. son of athena. "

[aurorablooded]

Kol offered up a smile and a soft chuckle at the other's words, not yet taking them too seriously considering his own had been a slight jest. Although the more time he spent amongst the majestic creatures the more he started to wish he could just remain in Acoma. "It's certainly a compelling argument." Kol teased as he selected another garland of wildflowers and encased them in frost ready to hang with the others.

"Good guess." He smiled, hanging the icy garland from a perfectly crafted stone horn before he offered a hand to the other demigod. "Good to meet you August, Kol son of Boreas." He introduced himself in kind. It was always nice to meet those from his own pantheon, a shared connection even if it was one of their own that had gone rogue. "I take it you're new to the ark?"

[aurorablooded]

Dragons. They truly were awe inspiring and a personal favourite of the wintery demigod. Kol had loved them as a child, when they had just been creatures in stories - now here they were, the real thing. It was the experience of a lifetime, wandering around Acoma, seeing the breathtaking creatures up close.

Standing before one of the huge guardian statues, Kol lay down his guarland of ice flowers, adding the intricately crafted decoration of pristine flora encased in a never-melting frost of his own making. And it seemed fitting to decorate with his own personal touch. "You know, it's going to be pretty hard to convince me to leave this place." He chuckled, offering an easy smile.

[savioresque]

it meant the world to aleki to hear kol be sympathetic, but there was a split-second recollection about one of their previous conversations ; military background and a dead husband, too. the older demigod wasn't a stranger to loss and aleki had half a mind to ask at which point would it feel easier, if it ever would. but he decided against it ────── didn't want the conversation even more difficult than it already was. he didn't want to burden kol too much with his shit. though, he'd probably be the most understanding out of everyone. he placed his hand over kol's, giving it a gentle squeeze as a soft smile of gratitude tugged at the corners of his lips. " i t-think i was also just really ... scared, " it was difficult to admit, especially with the reputation of someone who would always run into battles for a chance to prove himself and protect everyone. he wasn't supposed to be fearful of anything. there wasn't supposed to be anything in this world that could make him cower. " we lost ghatani. but reid was also missing and it just made me so terrified of all the worst things that might have happened — i couldn't just walk away, y'know ? i was desperate for if not both, then at least one of them to just be okay. i didn't want to fail them both. " aleki shrugged weakly, uncertain if he was even making any sense at the moment. but whether or not kol could comprehend his words, he was still grateful to be able to let it all out. " i don't know. i guess knowing when to walk away will always be a bitter pill to swallow ────── but enough about me... how are you ? "

[aurorablooded]

Kol let his hand linger for as long as Aleki wanted the comfort, nodding as the other spoke and admitted to his fears. It was no small thing for anyone to admit they were scared and Kol could tell it was particularly hard for Aleki. "Understandable given the situation. It looked real touch and go for us all at one point." Kol reassured. He wished he'd been able to do more - after all he was supposed to be the protector, keep these kids as safe as he could, take the heat himself because he could handle it - and he'd failed them.

"You and Reid got a lot of history right?" Kol asked, not sure it was his place to go prying into the other demigod's personal lived - but when entanglements could cause issues for the whole team it was best to know what you were dealing with as a commander. "I ain't gonna tell either of you how to make your decisions out in the field, but you have to keep in mind that its all our asses on the line out there. If you two are going to priorities each other, the least you could do is make sure everyone knows where you both stand so that decisions can be made in the moment with all the information." Kol spoke, his words calm and controlled. He tried to put himself in the kid's shoes, how he might react if it had been Daniel missing, but he also had his training to fall back on which a lot of these kids didn't.

"It will - trust me, that never get's easier." Kol nodded solemnly. He chucked, offering an easy smile as the question was turned on himself. "I'm fine kid, of all of us I took the least beating - definitely something I need to work on. No good being the shield if enemies aren't going to hit me. So if anyone failed Ghatani out there it was me."

[dreidful]

"  I  don't  know  if  i'd  consider  myself  frosty,  but  I  am  a  son  of  the  underworld.  Some  people  think  of  it  as  warm,  but  it's  been  cold  whenever  i've  had  the  chance  to  be  there.  "  Reid  adjusted  himself,  finding  himself  a  comfortable  position  as  he  settled  in  right  next  to  Kol  without  allowing  him  the  space  to  kick  him  out  as  he  was  enjoying  the  chill.

"  Making  you  walk,  away?  C'mon,  you  can't  think  yourself  that  frigid.  I  can  be  fairly  eccentric  and  they  welcome  me  with  open  arms,  i'm  sure  the  same  is  the  same  for  you,  Kol.  "  Reid  shook  his  head  in  disbelief.  "  Besides,  as  long  as  you  don't  freeze  me  to  death,  they  say  cryotherapy  is  the  fastest  way  to  rejuvenate  recovery.  You've  been  good,  though?  I  don't  really  see  you  around  too  often,  unless  i'm  going  on  a  quest  and  you're  hiding  with  the  horses.  "

[aurorablooded]

"Hm interesting to know - at least I'll be acclimatised when my time is up." Kol chuckled. Death was the one thing he didn't fear, it came for everyone at some point or another and he'd faced it more times in his life than he'd wish on anyone. For Kol it would simply be the closing of a chapter and perhaps the opening of another...perhaps a chance for him to see Daniel again.

He gave an amused raise of his brow when Reid sat right beside him leaving little space - but was happy for the other demigod to enjoy the frost chill the son of Boreas provided.

"Perhaps, although we have a rather large selection of fire demigods who aren't going to enjoy my cold climate." Kol laughed. It didn't make much different to him whether people liked him or not, he'd protect them all either way. "Don't worry about me Reid, I'm fine. And what can I say - the stables are just the natural place for me to be. Besides if you ever want to find me we have phones - now I know I'm no good at that insta-graham or whatever, but the rest I can do."

[savioresque]

aleki felt embarrassed. aleki felt pathetic. and for someone who could barely hide what he was feeling at any given moment, he tried to avoid meeting kol's gaze despite being the one to approach the older demigod. he wanted to apologize, he wanted to express his gratitude, but one quick glance at kol's features and aleki felt a rare moment of being a little tongue tied — gaze lowered back to his hands, traces of graveyard dirt still caked underneath his fingernails. and it took another minute or two before being able to formulate his words. " i must have looked insane, huh ? " a self-deprecating chuckle escaped him, finally looking up to meet kol's eyes. his expression was sheepish, never wanted to make ghatani's death all about himself, but aleki had always been ruled by instinct and emotions — couldn't really contain how he felt at the time. " i think i would have kept digging until i passed out and hurt myself, so thank you for stopping me. and sorry for, y'know, being a pain in the ass. i just never know when to give up. " @aurorablooded

[aurorablooded]

Kol glanced up from where he was brushing down his pegasus after their return from the wild west. It had been...a lot, a cold reminder of the realities of war - something he was unfortunately already privy to. His gaze was fairly even, sympathetic if anything. Aleki was young, perhaps inexperienced with war and the loss that could come from it - Kol didn't judge him for his actions.

"Not really - wouldn't be the first time I've seen someone act like that after we lose someone." Kol replied, his tone almost parental. It reminded him of his own troop, his days leading them and how they had reacted the first time they'd lost someone in action. "You weren't a pain in the ass Aleki, you lost someone in action. It's a lot to take in, in the heat of the moment and I don't think any of us wanted to admit what that meant. I just got some experience with this stuff outside the whole demigod thing." Kol explained before placing a gentle hand on the other's shoulder. "Not giving up is a good quality to have, but you gotta learn when to walk away."

[dreidful]

Reid  walked  into  the  sauna,  towel  wrapped  around  his  waist  as  he  had  expected  to  hit  a  wall  of  heat  and  humidity  only  to  find  a  cooling  embrace  touch  his  skin  and  the  son  of  hinenuitepō  let  out  an  audible  gasp  in  both  shock  and  confusion.  His  eyes  darted  from  one  side  of  the  room  until  he  outlined  the  form  of  the  other  who  had  been  sitting  there  comfortable  with  the  frigid  chill  already  freezing  both  of  their  nipples  hard.

"  I  take  it  this  is  your  doing?  "  Reid  asked  curiously  but  without  really  needing  an  answer.  He  took  to  the  other  side  of  the  ice  bath  and  made  himself  comfortable  as  he  spread  his  legs  slightly  and  allowed  his  body  to  feel  the  chill  against  his  skin.  "  Who  knew  the  ice  would  be  a  welcomed  change.  "

[aurorablooded]

The gasp made Kol crack open an eye, looking over at the demigod who'd decided to join him - whether they would enjoy the cold they found themselves in or not remained to be seen. For a second he debated on easing off the cool temperature before chuckling when Reid decided that it actually made for a nice change.

"Guilty. And I'd be a liar if I said I didn't come here with the intention to make it so frosty people might reconsider joining me." He joked. Kol wasn't looking to drive others away, but he also hadn't been looking to play accommodating either - after all the majority of the time he kept his icy aura to himself for the comfort of others. "Glad you're open to it instead of making me walk."

[savioresque]

aleki had always been interested in the lives of the other demigods before they discovered their divinity, endlessly curious about all the mundane things he never had. he never really had a blossoming career or mortgage to pay, never got to worry about taxes or going to college after finding himself at the pasifika camp as soon as he graduated from high school. and nine years later, he was here at the ark with everyone else. interest was impossible to hide as he found it amusing that kol seemed to have lived an entire lifetime worth of experiences in comparison to him. and while he wasn't exactly looking for a mentor to show him the ropes of life, abso-fucking-lutely not, aleki wanted to hear more nonetheless. " sounds like you had a great life after the whole military stint, " he shrugged, a smile tugging on his lips. he had never really thought about what kind of life he could have had if the other polynesian demigods had never found him, but he imagined that it would be something similar to working on a ranch. " i think i would have liked something similar. a quiet farm, making my own food, have a few dogs and a pet pig, " aleki mused out loud and his thoughts wandered for a moment, thinking about a previous relationship and wondering whether it could have worked better if only they had a more quiet life. but he shook those thoughts off, focusing on kol once more. " i know we all have our duties to our pantheons and the world, but why did you leave it behind ? it couldn't have been easy ────── i mean, i love fighting, don't get me wrong. but ranch work must have been way easier than this. and y'know, less possibility of death, too. "

[aurorablooded]

Kol didn't mind the curiosity, he couldn't blame others at camp for wanting to know more if they did. They were all from different walks of life, all various ages and experiences, anyone would be interested to know more about the people they were expected to save the world with. "Well, I liked it - but I'm biased." Kol chuckled, one hand running through wayward strands of dark hair. His life had never been particularly easy, so much loss, but there was so much of it Kol wouldn't trade even though it came with all that grief.

"A pig huh? They're interesting creatures, smarter than people give them credit." He smiled. Pigs had never been a big focus on the ranch - cattle and horses mostly. He wondered what like Aleki had come from before the ark, city living, country life, neither? "What was your life before all this demigod business?" Kol asked curiously.

When the question came of why he was here, why he'd given up his old life to pursue one of potential death, the easy smile on Kol's lips faded some, replaced by a sombre look. "When my husband died there wasn't anything left for me on that ranch - joining my pantheon felt like a purpose. Otherwise...I'd probably be some ghost somewhere."

[aurorablooded]

starter for: @dreidful location: saunas

He really was starting to get sick of the tropical climate. Kol had never liked the heat - probably unsurprising given who his father was, and while he'd put up with it for a while, the son of Boreas could only stand so much warmth before he just had to create his own deep freeze for a while.

Maybe the saunas hadn't been the best choice, but it was empty, quiet, and he figured no one would bother him for a while there. It had started out hot, but the longer Kol had remained the quicker the temperature had dropped to a frosty climate, far more enjoyable to him compared to everywhere else on the island.

[vivienvalentino]

MICHIEL HUISMAN Wild, 2014

[sundisc-deactivated20240702]

"When you were young?" Gabriel repeated it with a raised brow and a mischievously curved smile. "You make that sound like that wasn't two years ago, three max." Talking like this came as natural to him as breathing. He'd say it had something to do with his lineage but he was like this long before having that potential unlocked fully. If that was the case, then he was a natural.

The offer, though, that was enough to knock him off his game. The son of Inti was new to all of this, sure, but he knew he could pack a punch if the stars aligned- and the stars tended to align for him kinda often. "You sure? Don't wanna accidentally catch you on fire while I'm still learning how to control this shit."

[aurorablooded]

Kol chuckled with a shake of his head. "Flattered, but it was definitely longer that three years ago." He said with an easy smile. While he was hardly old or past his prime, Kol knew he could easily be one of the oldest at camp. "I'd ask how old you think I am out of pure curiosity but something tells me you'd low-ball me to be kind." He joked.

He wasn't a seasoned warrior like the mentors, but Kol had been part of the Greek camp before coming to the ark, so his powers weren't new to him. He was comfortable with his father's domain, the ice and frozen winds of the North were his strength. "Don't worry, I run cold." He smirked, activating the glacial armour that enveloped his leathers, a frosted layer of ice strengthening them.

[vivienvalentino]

MICHIEL HUISMAN — Game of Thrones, 4.07

[sundisc-deactivated20240702]

He'd heard that phrase a couple of times, especially while growing up. It was a reminder of just how restless Gabriel could be, despite how laid back of a persona he tried to give off. The man might try to look like he wasn't affected by much but he did like to be actually doing something. This? This felt like just waiting around to do something. That was frustrating as hell. He couldn't do anything about it, though. And that meant only one thing.

“Guess you're right.” Gabe admitted, sounding somewhere between defeated and bored out of his gourd. “Maybe that's the damn lesson they're trying to teach us- or at least me.” A small laugh left his lips as he shook his head, looking over at the other. “You always been patient or did you have to do a lot of sitting around and doing nothing to learn it? Name's Gabriel, by the way. ”

[aurorablooded]

"I wouldn't put it past them, the trainers can be pretty cryptic with their lessons." Kol mused. He couldn't speak for all of them but those that had come from the greek pantheon he had some experience with. When asked if he'd always been patient Kol chuckled and shook his head. "Hardly, I was definitely a hot-hot head when I was young." Ironic given his icy birthright. "Took at least a year in basic before I'd calmed down and figured out that sometimes waiting around is preferable to being in the thick of it." He answered before hopping down from where he'd been sat in the stands watching.

"Nice t'meet you Gabriel. Kol." He introduced himself in return, casually making his way over. "If you're eager to get some practice in, I don't mind giving you a target for a while." Kol offered. He didn't mind taking a beating, it was what he was there to do after all. Be the first line of defence for his team, the proverbial ice wall they can hide behind.