Spell Slinger

I pray she awaits my arrival in a better land. [ Member of the Outrealm Gates ]

[ettseru]

An Uncanny Resemblance | Canas&Etzel

[spectacledshaman]

"She most certainly is interesting, and my wife is as you say." He took his monocle back, fixing it on his face again

"They are indeed! Or..hm. Well thats more to say they were? Usually are? In the time in which I am from they are alive. But in this time I have every reason to believe that they are no longer with us. I would likely doubt even my son is but I cannot say that with as much certainty." It took a few moments for the notion to settle in, a small frown crossing his face.

"Hm…I can’t believe I’ve overlooked that until now…I was so excited about being in the future and all the things I could learn-….Oh no I’m terribly sorry, that all must have been incredibly confusing." 

[ettseru]

"No, no... Not at all." he replied, almost as though he thought he'd already figured everything out himself. "I too find that this is not my own land. It certainly resembles it, though..." He looked around to observe the similarities one more time before returning his attention to Canas.

"Your feelings are understandable. I too find the thought of a world absent of any acquaintances of mine to be... unusual. Unlike you, however, I have no one in my life who I hold dear to my heart. I suppose I couldn't feel the sadness you feel at the idea of them being gone even if I wanted to."

[theshortestmage]

"Hmm..." Etzel observed the smaller mage, raising an eyebrow in his direction. The boy had a certain familiar aura to him. He couldn't help but wonder if he was a relative of someone he might know. "You there. What's your name?"

"Huh? I’m Ricken! Who’re you? I don’t think I’ve seen you before." 

[ettseru]

"Etzel." he answered, removing his monocle and cleaning it with his sleeve. "From the continent of Archanea... I hear that such a place does not exist in your world, but I find such a presumption to be utterly foolish."

He raised his hand to his face, placing his monocle once again over his eye.

"You appear an intelligent lad... You remind me of one that I know. Tell me, have you heard of my land? I would like to hear it from someone else that I am correct."

[spectacledshaman]

An Uncanny Resemblance | Canas&Etzel

"Oh of course I understand perfectly! Ah here you could look at it if you would like-" Canas removed his monocle, unhooking its chain and offering it to the other man for examination.

"I received it quite some time ago from my wife while we were still dating as a cure for my poor reading vision. My mother wouldn’t get such a thing for me, she was convinced she could simply hex my farsightedness away, but whatever good she did was never for long."

"Oh but no I’m sorry! Anyway I am very fond of your monocle. The half glass look in my opinion looks so..educated and sleek. I always thought it looked much cooler than whole circle."

[ettseru]

Etzel took Canas' monocle into his hand carefully, holding it up in front of his own to inspect it. "Hm... It is a very good quality."

"A nice story behind it, as well. Your mother sounds like an interesting soul, and your wife the kind sort as well." He held the monocle back over to Canas. "Are they both still in your life?"

[battlefield-saint]

Deep Cover - Etzel&Libra

Ah, there he went again, speaking without using his head. But, the priest’s intuition had urged him towards approaching this individual. The man had an ephemeral presence, akin to mist upon a breeze, ready to fade away at any given moment. The monocled stranger’s response, however, confirmed the cleric’s suspicions. They were, at least, alike in that they had forsaken themselves.

"Forgive me… My words were careless, but I see now that they were not without reason," he murmured with a strained smile, only realising now the pain he felt from this man, and his casual self-deprecation. "The gods have bid you stay, even though you have lost hope. You still have a chance to walk the path to salvation. Would you forgive the musings of a priest, and allow me to hear your story?"

[ettseru]

Taken by surprise with the strange priest's reply, Etzel looked to him with mixed concern and curiosity. He had to take careful steps in this encounter, uncertain if this man truly knew of his woes, or if the sorcerer's slip of the tongue and reveal of his personal information was exactly what the stranger had desired.

"You have no need to apologize to me, sir." Etzel replied gently, though the suspicion in his eye remained. "I prefer to keep my stories to myself... but I will give you the benefit of the doubt in assuming that do wish for nothing but to assist my struggle. ...I will make it short."

The sorcerer cleared his throat before continuing. "I hail from a continent similar to your own-- known as Akaneia... I fear I do not know where it lies on the map in comparison to this one, though. It may sound foolish, but I'm quite lost... Ah, anyway, as I was saying..." he sighed.

"Some years ago war fell upon our land. My home was lost in an attack by the hands of the people of Doluna..." Etzel's words grew quieter as he continued, his eyes moving down and holding on the sight of the ring that remained on his finger. "With my home I also lost my dear wife... The only joy in my life. I know it to be my own fault that she is no longer of this world... I was foolish. I... couldn't protect her."

Etzel shut his eyes as he took a deep, unsteady breath. "Perhaps it's foolish of me to dwell on my loss. I've come to accept that she is in a better place now. One without the pain of loss and the destruction of war... I find it selfish that I continue to wish that I could hold her hand in mine through battle." he shook his head. "Foolish me... I simply can't move on. Not even for her own sake."

[ettseru]

"Hello sir! I'm sorry to bother you but I simply had to come over and compliment you on that wonderful monocle you're sporting! It's quite fetching and I dare say I really am a tad jealous!" Canas smiled, adjusting the books in his arms "I mean certainly mine gets the job done, but yours is really something else, if I do say so myself."

"Hm?" 

Etzel raised his eyes from his book only to be startled by the appearance of the man who stood in front of him. He eyed him up and down. He held a variety of tomes in his arms, wore clothes that were recognizable as those of a magic user, and oddly enough shared similar eyewear.

There was no doubt about it. The feeling that Canas gave off left it clear to the sorcerer that he too studied dark magic.

"Well, thank you for your kind words. I do appreciate them. However, I’m quite fond of your monocle. I’ve always been a fan of the rounder style. Not to say I dislike my own, but… you know how it goes.”

[ettseru]

"Pardon me, sir. I may be intruding, but I see a profound sadness weighs down upon your heart. My name is Libra--I am a priest accompanying the Shepherds. May I offer anything in the way of help?"

What an odd offer. Etzel stood in uncertainty as he priest spoke. Were his thoughts and emotions so obvious to those who passed him by? He had never desired to force his sadness onto others, and the idea that he may be doing such a thing struck him in an odd way.

"Sir? …I…" he grew silent again for a bit. "I appreciate your offer, but… I fear there is nothing that can be done for me. I am a lost cause."

[ettseru]

"She awaits your arrival in a better land? What's that supposed to mean? Let me guess, you're hung up on some pretty sweetheart of yours who lives in some rich port town."

"A typical assumption I would expect from one of your appearance. You believe you are the only logical thinker alive; perhaps that no one could possibly have a better explanation?"

"The woman I speak of is my deceased wife. I lost her in a time of heavy war within our land… and would like to believe that I will meet her again."

[ettseru]

there is too an other half. canas stole it. go beat him up and take it back

"Excuse me? I don't believe I'm familiar with one named Canas. However, I can assure you there is no missing half to my eyewear. I had this monocle custom made, and it looks as it did the day I obtained it."

[ettseru]

ur glasses are broken. wheres the other half

"Foolish. My eyewear is a monocle. Not a pair of glasses, and thus not broken. To simplify things for you: there is no other half."

[ettseru]

how's your wife

"What a discourteous question to force upon me. I'm certain you know the answer to this question already. But if I might answer with a bit of hopefulness, I will tell you that she is well."

"With any luck, she is doing even better up there than she would be down here amongst this continual fighting."

[ettseru]

WHAT MAKES YOU FEEL BETTER WHEN YOU ARE IN A BAD MOOD?

"Back when we had only recently met one another, Ursula and I would exchange our favorite novels now and then. We found it to be an easy way to learn a little more about one another through our preferred texts."

"When I am at my worst I sometimes pick one out from her old collection... They tend to bring a smile to my face."

[husiluanxiang-deactivated202601]

By: グレン