Kisher's Writing Blog Thing

Hello! I'm Kisherprice, and you seem to have somehow found a way to my writing blog! You poor soul. Expect lots of shorter fantasy writings with some of my OCs mostly. Genre will be all over the place! ENJOY. (Icon by the amazingly talented spectral-fusion!)

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I finally got some art of Velis commissioned! Thanks to the amazingly talented spectral-fusion!

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Mysterious Gods, Part 13: Home Sweet Homesick

Velis and Cygni left BURGLARY BAGELRY, mulling over the events of the night. Masquerade had went their own way, saying they would meet them at the west gate of Faith the following afternoon.  They were at a bit of a loss for words.  Velis broke the silence, “So, what exactly WAS that magic that you did to defeat Delmont?  I don't think a god grants you that kind of power.”  Cygni thought for a moment. “Hmm...I guess you could say it was alternate timelines lining up? Each of them...me?...we all were in desperate need for aid at the point.  So we all reached out for any threads of time possible, and somehow, the timelines just sort of...layered on each other?  Though it seemed we only defeated Delmont in our timeline, we also helped other versions of us defeat Delmont on their timeline as well.” she said, with a bit of a shrug, “It's a bit hard to explain I suppose.”  

Velis put his hands on his head, nodding.  “I suppose so...” he replied,  “Though I am still curious, where did you LEARN something like that?”  Cygni shrugged, “Like I told you before, I was just kind of born with them.  I learned a bit of the basics from my grandfather, but the rest...I just kind of wing it I guess.”  Velis smiled and, with a slight chuckle, said “Seems you are very lucky then.  Your grandfather must be very proud of you.”  Cygni smiled as well, memories of her home filling her head.  I certainly hope so, Vel.

“My grandfather was a bit of an eccentric among my people, but he was certainly the only one who I thought understood me.”  Cygni said, as they reached the cove and began to unpack.  “But what about your father?” Velis asked, setting his bag down and taking off his boots.  Cygni contemplated for a moment.  She folded her now fairly tattered time-silk dress very carefully.  “Don't get me wrong, I do love my father, but he was much more by the books.  Thinking about it now, I guess that is equally odd for Sylph culture.”  Cygni watched as Velis build them a fire, trying to learn how he did it, so that she could try herself.  She continued, “Where my father wanted me to have strict training with no room for improvisation or using my magic controlled safe scenarios, my grandfather was just the opposite.  He fully encouraged me to take risks and to do my own thing.  'Magic comes differently for everyone.  You must learn how yours feels yourself!  No one can teach you that!' is what my grandfather would always tell me.  I think I only recently learned what he meant by that.”  

Velis listened intently as he tended to the flame.  He occasionally looked up at Cygni to let her know he was listening.  Velis paused for a moment when he saw her face turn more somber.  He apologized, “I'm sorry to have brought it up; you must miss them dearly.”  Cygni looked up, “No no, it's totally fine!  I just haven't really thought about them since I arrived here.  I miss them more that I thought.  But! Now I'm here, and I'm learning so much more now that I'm out here on my own.  The mountain was so small compared to this!” She tried to smile, but the homesickness still hung within her. Velis stared into the flames, having decided he would not continue to pry.  

After Cygni had fallen asleep, Velis took a moment to step outside, and get some air before he went to bed himself.  Talking to Cygni about her home caused memories of his last time home come flooding back. Nights in the tavern, a swim around the lake, the mountain air.  Each memory reigniting, burning within his mind with an intensity that he had not known for quite some years.  Hunting with his father when he was a child, reading books with his mother in her study.  Each one more near and dear to his heart than the last.  Velis reached into his pocket, and produced a small silver ring.  It shone brilliantly in the night, as if it was made of moonlight itself.  He clutched it tightly, holding it to his chest, and cried silently until the tears no longer came.

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Mysterious Gods, Part 12: Strange Allies

Cygni awoke to the sound of Badu bombarding someone with questions,  “What part of we're closed do you not understand?!  My guests need their rest, and I will not have you bothering them!”  Cygni looked at the visitor, surprised to see the masked one from the high rollers table at the casino.  She sat up quickly, “How...what are you doing here?” Badu, startled by her sudden awakening, turned to her, “Wait, you know this person?”  “Yeah, they were at the casino.  We played them in poker.  I don't think I ever got your name.”  The masked one turned to Cygni, “Masquerade.  You may call me Masque for convenience if you wish.”  Their voice was soft and calm, but had an unexpected musical quality to it.  “Mine's Cygni” she said and, upon seeing Velis enter the room, added “and he's Velis.” Velis, as perplexed as the others by their visitor, merely nodded and gave a small wave of recognition.

Masque nodded in return.

Cygni repeated once again, “So, what exactly ARE you doing here, Masque?”  Masque waited for Velis to take his seat.  Staring at him, they said “I understand that you two also witnessed Aureth's demise?”  The pair looked at each other, bewildered  Had there been another person in the room with them?  How could neither of them have noticed?  Velis spoke first, “How did you find out about that?  We were the only other ones in the room aside from Delmont.”  “My abilities allow me to go undetected.  You saw me, but you did not notice me.  Yes, even your enhanced perception would likely be unable to notice if you did not know to look for me in particular, Velis.”  Masque stated flatly.  “I was there to observe you, and if needed, step in to stop you had you tried to aid Delmont.”  Badu was not happy with this answer. “You would have let them die?!  Why did you not aid them in their fight!?” he shouted, clearly angry at the masked one's inaction.  “Had I stepped in, it would have only caused more chaos.  They handled themselves fine without my assistance.  If Diedra or Adal had tried to provide Delmont with backup, I would have stepped in.”  Masque turned to Velis once more, “Now, I ask you, what do you plan to do with Aureth's god-seed?”  Velis pulled out the stone from his pocket, the smoke within still swirling about.  “I planned on storing it someplace safe.  Aureth requested that we keep it safe from those like Delmont.”  Masque nodded, “Then we are in agreement.  I will aid you in protecting the stone, until a suitable replacement for the God of Greed has been found.”  

Cygni started blankly at the two of them, clearly confused by everything they had just said.  “Wait wait wait...start over?  Aureth gave you that, Velis?  And what is a god-seed?”  Velis handed Cygni the stone.  “A god-seed is...well...” he ran his fingers through his still damp hair, trying to explain it in layman's terms, “a bit like a god's heart?  I mentioned that gods are immortal, but not unkillable.  When a god is kill, they leave behind a god-seed.  When someone with the proper aptitude and characteristics is found, the seed will resonate with them, allowing that person to ascend to godhood.  But, if a person consumes the seed, they sort of...usurp the god's power? Let's just say, bad things happen when you cannot properly control a god-seed.”  Cygni thought for a moment, “Okay, I think I get it...but what happens if you destroy a god-seed?  Does the god die?” Masque took the reins this time.  “Yes.  But more than that.  When a god-seed is destroyed, all that it embodies is thrown into chaos, similar to an unworthy person taking on the seed.  In greed's case, everyone's greed would run rampant, consuming them at a rate far greater than it does to many now.”  “That sounds...really bad.” said Cygni, still trying to wrap her head around the whole thing. Masque returned to their conversation with Velis, “So, where do you plan on storing it?”  Velis thought for a moment, “Well, I honestly don't have a place in mind, besides in my bag.  Though I would think that is not the safest place.”  Masque nodded, “Yes. You both are capable combatants, but someone could easily swipe it from under your noses if you were not on your guard at all times.” Velis tried his best to read Masque, but their thoughts were shrouded, just as their presence had been in Delmont's office.  “Did you have something better in mind?” he asked cautiously. Masquerade stood.  “Yes.  I would have us take it to the Temple of the God of Masks.”  Velis' eyes widened, “Wait, it is real?  I always thought it a myth.  None of my readings have ever mentioned its location.”  Masque nodded again, “Yes, they have similar shrouding to myself, but on a far greater scale.”  “Wait, they? There are multiple of them?” Cygni asked, wondering if it was a silly question.  “Yes. There are many.  We will go to the one closest here.  The one I suppose you could call my home.”  Cygni looked to Velis.  Can we really trust someone who could have let us die?  Velis turned to Cygni, giving a reassuring nod.  “Fine, we will go with you,” Velis replied “but if I find the temple ill-suited, we're leaving and taking the stone with us.”  Masquerade bowed, “Yes.  Of course. I would not have it any other way.”  The two shook hands on the deal.  Badu looked at them, not entirely sold on the idea.  Cygni placed her hand on his shoulder, and smiled, “Don't worry.  We can trust Vel.  I think he knows what he is doing.”  Badu sighed, “I do hope so, my dear.”

Graav opened the door to Delmont's office slowly, careful to avoid the rubble.  As he walked over to Delmont's corpse, he could not help but smile.  “My poor poor Delmont.  I see your greed got the best of you.” he said, as he squatted to get a closer look at the body. “Don't worry, I'll take very good care of the town in your stead.  And I'm sure our friends Velis and Cygni won't be gone long.  After all, I still have need of them.” He picked up the daggers at Delmont's side, and laughed darkly, leaving the office behind.

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Mysterious Gods, Part 11: Relax and Recount

Lightning cracked across the sky, as Velis stumbled through the streets of Faith, carrying Cygni on his back.  He leaned heavily on his staff, barely able to keep on his feet.  His wounds and exhaustion had begun to take their toll.  Thoughts only vaguely floated on the edges of his consciousness.  The only thing he could hold onto was his destination.  Badu.  I must get to Badu. The pouring rains soaked him to the core, nipping at whatever warmth he could hold on to.

The memories of their encounter danced in his mind as he trudged through the seemingly endless maze of alleys and side streets.  Aureth's summoning, the burning pain of the wound on his chest, Cygni's...whatever she did.  What was that?  The speed with which  she moved...No, not speed.  That was something else all together. He mind spun, seeking an answer, but nothing came, just blackness. It was then that he noticed a familiar scent.  A warm, inviting one. He looked up, and saw the welcoming storefront of Badu's just down the alley.  Thankfully the place was still lit, though Velis had long passed the point at which he could still keep track of what time it was.

A loud, desperate knock snapped Badu out of his late night cleaning. He muttered under his breath “Damn drunks...Don't they know that I've closed up for the day?”  The knocking only got more desperate as he got closer to the door.  “I'm COMING! Goodness, can't you see that we are..” he opened the door, and saw the ragged form of Velis, clothes soaked in blood and rain, Cygni on his back. “...closed...”  Badu quickly helped the man inside, setting Cygni on the floor, her back against the wall, while he fetched them some blankets.  Velis collapsed in the closest chair and immediately tore open his shirt so he could examine his wounds.  A deep gash in this left pectoral, and another deep coin-shaped hole in this left forearm were the worst of them, not to mention a few cracked ribs and a lot of bruises.  His arms heavy with exhaustion, he attempted to raise them to mend his wounds, but it proved too much.  Tattoos glowing feebly, his arms fell.  He closed his eyes, hoping sweet sleep would embrace him, but he knew Badu wouldn't let that happen.  Not until he knew Cygni was safe at least.

Badu returned with a large basket containing thick blankets, towels, and a change of clothes for the both of them.  Setting them on the table in front of Velis, Badu grabbed one of the blankets and lay it gently over Cygni, resting her head on another one he had folded to use as a pillow.  “Thank goodness she is okay...” he turned to Velis, “What in the name of the gods happened to you two?”  Velis took a towel from the basket, and began to dry himself off.  Ruffling the towel through his short grey hair, he looked down at Cygni.  “Graav tricked us, or maybe he was trying to get us killed?”  A teapot whistled loudly from behind the counter, and Badu hurried back to retrieve it.  While Badu was getting the tea, Velis changed out of his now ruined suit, and wrapped himself in the largest blanket he could find in the basket.  His legs were still exposed from the knee down, but it was still a significant improvement.  Badu soon returned with two mugs of piping hot tea.  He poured a splash of whiskey in his, and on offering Velis, did the same for his.  Shivering still, Velis took a sip, the warmth flooding back into him.  It could only be described as tasting like the clearing of a lush forest.  Earthy, but floral, with hints of pine.

Badu let the man drink a few more sips before asking him again what had happened.  Velis recalled what happened as best he could.  The poker games, the ritual, Aureth, Delmont's plan, and the battle that ensued.  “It would seem you have been through quite a bit then.” Badu put his hand on Velis' shoulder, rubbing it gently.  “Thank you for getting her out alive. Though I am curious, how DID you manage to make it out?”  Velis took another long drink from his mug, “Seems that once they saw Delmont was out of the picture, they no longer had any reason to remain there.  Must have been paying them a pretty penny.”  Badu chuckled, “Not pretty enough I guess, if they wouldn't even try to stop his killers.”  The men both sat in silence for a moment, the only sound was the rain as it pattered on the roof, interrupted by the occasional crack of thunder.  Badu looked at Cygni once again.  “Hard to believe she holds such power...”  Velis nodded in agreement.  “I had no idea myself. I've never seen anything like it.”  She turned over in her slumber, the man wondering what she was dreaming about.

Velis gazed at the wound on his chest once again.  Badu stared, face twisting at the sight of it.  “Eck, that is rather deep.  Are you sure you will be okay?”  Velis raised his good arm to his chest once more, this time a small stream of golden light poured into the wound.  It did not seal, but the bleeding stopped completely, and the pain went away.  He did the same for the hole in his left forearm and his cracked ribs.  Badu stood up, and held his hand out to Velis. “Come, I will draw you a bath.  You seem like you need it.” Velis followed Badu, thankful for his courtesy.  Badu left Velis once the bath was prepared, making sure to leave some bandages and gauze on the counter.  Once Badu was out of the room, Velis settled down into the tub, the scent of the bubbles lulling him to a long needed sleep.

Badu adjusted the blankets on Cygni when he returned to her side, and smiling.  He began to pick up the belongings of his guests that were strewn throughout the store, drying them in on the heat of the ovens in the back.  As he returned to the storefront, he heard another knock.  Another guest? He opened the door once more, slowly this time.  Outside was a figure he had never seen before.  A figure wearing a peculiar mask.

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Mysterious Gods, Part 10: Greed Isn’t So Good

The figured looked around the room, examining its inhabitants, until its eyes settled on Delmont.  “I can only assume you are the reason I am here.” it spoke, its voice like coins falling into a hoard.  Delmont took a bow, “How did you know?”  The god's expression was one of boredom.  “Call it a hunch.”  Delmont grinned darkly and walked to up to the figure.  “Now now Aureth, is that any way to treat your most devout worshiper?”  Aureth yawned and sat in the chair behind Delmont's desk, “The most devout are always the most treacherous.”  Kicking their feet up onto the desk, it looked over at Velis and Cygni.  “I can only assume you brought them here as a sacrifice of some sort?  You know I don't take human sacrifices anymore, Delmont.  Or have you forgotten?”  Delmont put his hands in his pockets, and walked to Aureth's side.  “You think too little of me, Aureth.  I merely invited them here for the show.” he turned to the pair, “Once we're done here, I'll just need you two to scurry back to Graav and let him know that I am the real one in charge of this city.”  With a flick of his wrist, he produced an ornate dagger from the sleeve of his coat, and sliced across the throat of Aureth.

Ruby red blood ran down Aureth's neck, the sapphires in its eyes, cracked and dimmed. Seething with rage, Aureth croaked “W...where did you g...get th...that dag...ger?”  Delmont whispered in Aureth's ear, “I have my sources, my lord.  Don't take it personally.  I just think it is time for a change in leadership.”  Cygni turned to Velis, “W-what is he doing?  I don't understand!  Aureth is a god, shouldn't they be immortal?”  Velis was in shock, his thoughts rushing past, a thousand a second.  “No, but that can wait until later, Cygni. Now, we NEED to stop Delmont.”  Velis dashed at Delmont, arms glowing with divine energy.  He brought his staff down on the desk, smashing it cleanly in half.  Delmont side stepped out of the way, and flourished another dagger from his other sleeve, slashing at Velis.  Velis quickly crouched, sweeping at Delmont's legs with a kick, pivoting off his staff.  Delmont flipped backwards, landing a few feet away.  “Not bad for a man your age.  That goddess of yours has treated you well I see.” Delmont said, throwing his coat in the corner.  Velis did the same, rolling up the sleeves on his button-down shirt, Sorry Veera, looks like we may ruin your hard work after all.  

Cygni snapped out of her stupor at the sudden fighting.  Okay Vel, I'll trust you on this one, but you owe me an explanation later. Streaks of silvery blue flowed through her dress, the chrono-silk providing a conduit for her magic.  She moved with speed and grace that she had never been able to achieve before, and in an instant, she was on top of Delmont, chakrams swiping at his chest.  Just in the nick of time, Delmont was able to deflect a harsh blow with his own weapons, and with a swift kick, knocked Cygni back.  Clutching at the shallow wounds on his chest, Delmont spat.  “Seems I have underestimated you both.  Good to see that Graav finally got some good help.”  He staggered back slightly, “But I have a few tricks of my own.”  He produced a coin from his pocket.  Delmont closed his eyes, and flipped it; the coin glowed with power.  As it rose into the air, it replicated and shattered in every direction and with immense speed.  Cygni was able to tumble out of the way, time still distorting around her, but Velis was not so lucky, and took a shot to his left arm.  The coin wedged in Velis' left forearm, and began to glow.  It was white hot to the touch, but did not burn in the wound.

Delmont smiled madly, rushing at Velis, blades raised.  Velis attempted to deflect the blow, but the force of Delmont's left blade proved too much, leaving a deep on the left side of Velis' chest, the wound burning as he frantically tried to use his divine magic to staunch the bleeding.  Velis screamed in pain as the wound only burned hotter the more he tried to mend it.  His breath ragged Velis' asked “W...what did you do?”  Delmont laughed, “Burns doesn't it? These daggers are quite handy at dealing with divine magic.  The more you try to mend the wounds they inflict, the more pain you will suffer.”  Velis looked down at his wound.  It had sealed, but it still burned with a pain more intense than when the wound was still open.

Cygni took Delmont's moment of gloating to rush in for another blow. Delmont deflected it with ease.  He laughed again, “Don't think that I've forgotten about you, girl.  You may not use divine magic, but you are still far less experienced in a fight than your friend there.  I can see it in your eyes.” Cygni glared at Delmont, “I don't need experience to beat an idiot like you.”  She rushed in again, trading blows with Delmont.  He smiled, his eyes mad, “You're quite the feisty one! And so quick!”  The sound of metal on metal filled the room.  “Let's just slow you down a bit then!” Delmont pulled another glowing coin from his pocket, and this time, slung it at the ground.  The coin rattled on the floor, before it began to swirl, slowly pulling in everything in the room.  As the vortex pulled, Cygni found it harder and harder to keep track of the objects in the room, stumbling over debris as it flew to the center.  Velis pulled himself up with the help of his weapon.  He could feel the strength draining from his left arm.  Greed magic. Draining my strength, consuming the room, replication.  And we're on his turf.  Velis charged at Delmont, running with the pull of the vortex to get some extra speed. Delmont turned back to him again, just barely parrying Velis' staff with a swipe of his own.  Stagging from the parry, Velis took a hard kick to the chest from Delmont, sending him crashing back into the wall.  “Sorry, Velis.  Looks like your devotion is no match for a god in the making.”  Delmont walked over to Velis, and kicked him in the stomach.  Velis clutched at his stomach, pain still searing through the wound on his chest.  Delmont kicked him once more, before stepping on his chest.  He turned to Cygni, grinding his heel into Velis.  “Well, any last words to your friend here?  I don't believe he is going to make it out of this alive after all.”

Cygni look at Velis on the ground, his eyes burning with determination, despite his inability to fight back.  She closed her eyes, and thought desperately.  Cygni pleaded in her mind, Please. There must be someone out there who can help us. It was in that moment, that she saw them.  Threads of time, leading to other timelines.  As she reached for them, and pulled, she could feel a pull back.  As she opened her eyes, she saw herself.  Many of herself.  The Cygni of other timelines, in this moment, also pleading for help.  She looked at herselves, and they looked back at her. Together, they nodded, and in the blink of an eye, swarmed Delmont. Delmont screamed with rage, “HOW?  HOW DID YOU DO THAT?  WHAT GOD GRANTED YOU SUCH POWER?”  Cygni said nothing, as she dealt blow after blow to not only the Delmont of her timeline, but the Delmonts of the others as well.  With a final slash across his chest, Delmont fell.  As his body fell, Cygni's vision blurred for a moment, and the room shook in her head.  It was only a moment before she too collapsed from exhaustion.

Velis slowly stood, laying Cygni down with her head on his jacket.  He limped over to Aureth.  “H...hey, you still...alive?”  Velis gasped, his wounds no longer burning.  Aureth looked up at him, “So...you're one...of Lynaea's chosen?  Good to...see she has...one so devout.”  It turned to look at Delmont's body.  “Should have seen...this coming.  I...suppose I'm...done...for now.”  Aureth turned back to Velis.  “You...keep it...safe...from people like him...”  Aureth closed its eyes, its body shimmering, as it turned to gold dust.   In the middle of the dust was a small ruby, filled with a milky smoke.  Velis grabbed the stone, and placed it in his pocket, before returning to Cygni's side.

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Busy Weekend!

Hey everyone! Just giving a quick update!  I’ve got a super busy weekend, so I likely will not have time to write anything of worth until late Sunday, but most likely Monday!

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We love you. We love you so very much Carl. I am really proud to have been able to sit and chat with you at Gencon. You were an absolute delight and the entire group that was there would agree. You're a very wonderful person I'm glad to have met you.

Thank you so much! :) It was great to meet you too!

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Depression and GenCon

Today I'm doing something a little different.  No story today, at least not in the traditional sense?  Instead, I am going to talk about something that honestly got me started doing this and really set me on the path that I am now on in life.  It's kind of just going to be a jumbled mess, and have no structure, but it is something I feel I need to get out. Maybe it will help someone else too?

It all started somewhere between three or four years ago, if I had to make a rough guess at the exact time.  I had an okay job, working with a good friend of mine, and plenty of people at said job who I also became friends with, but things were a bit off for me.  Things that I normally did for fun were starting to lose their joy and color so to speak.  I would just get up, go to work (on days that I did), go home, watch TV/internet/video games, go to bed, and repeat.  With the exception of the occasional outing with people from work to a local bar, this was my life, and I started to feel pretty crummy, and things did not seem like they were going well for me.  I thought maybe it was just that job or the fact that I had been single for such a long time (basically ever since I came out).  I never told anyone about this, because I didn't want them to think less of me or some other illogical thing that my brain thought at the time.

Aside time, I am the kind of person who bottles things up.  I try not to vent to people, because I don't want to be a burden on them.  I want to be the person who is always there to lend a hand, but never asks for help when I need it, because I don't want to inconvenience people. I'm not outwardly emotional when things bother me, so when I DO finally get to the point where I can't hold it anymore, it is one massive tidal wave.  Anyways, back to the story.

 I met someone, who I really liked and wanted to be friends with.  (It is only in hindsight that I realized what a large crush I had on them)  He was the kind of guy who was super nice to everyone, very respectful, but very VERY private.  If he wanted to hang out, he would contact you. My younger self couldn't really grasp that someone could be more introverted than I, and asked him to come get a drink/to lunch at every opportunity.  One day, he finally got upset at my constant asking and kind of snapped.  Needless to say, I was hurt (We later reconciled, and agreed we both could have handled things better).   I would say this was probably the lowest I had ever felt.  About a month or so after this incident, things had only gotten worse.  I would just lie on my bed in my room, by myself, and feel...empty.  Or cry myself to that feeling of nothingness, and I almost NEVER cry. Don't cry at weddings, don't cry at funerals, don't cry at sad movies, you get the idea.  It was a really nasty spiral.  Part of my was saying “WHY ARE YOU SAD? YOU HAVE NO REASON TO BE SAD.” and that would just make me feel even worse. It eventually got to a breaking point for me.

I came within inches of attempting suicide.  I had my feet out the window, ready to dive head first.  It was then that I got a call from some random number that I didn't recognize, but it did make me look at my phone. I got down, picked up my phone, and called the Suicide Prevention Lifeline.  It was thanks to the amazing person on the other end that I got back to a point where I only felt like nothing, instead of nothing that also wanted to not be alive.

It's funny, I have never actually told anyone that I tried to kill myself, at least not until now.

Needless to say, I knew that I needed help after that point.  I knew I had depression, and started not bottling my feelings.  At least, trying to less.  If something really upsets me, now I try and say it, instead of letting it fester.  It was only after this that I decided to make a change in my life.  I moved to a new place, got a new job, (which I am still at!) and most importantly, found a new passion in life.

It's about two or so years ago at this point.  Some friends of mine are really getting into TTRPGs and want me to get in on it with them, (You know who you are.)  I started playing D&D and Pathfinder, and writing characters (like Velis!).  That led me to writing more in general, which is something I never thought I would enjoy, because I certainly never did in high school.  I started playing more board games, and this all reignited a passion for making up and designing games like I always did when I was a little kid.  My whole world was made so much brighter thanks to those very special people in my life.

Though they live far away, I got to hang out with them so much, and it made me feel so wonderful, and I feel so good about myself now.  And through them, I have met so many more friends from all over!  This, of course, as some of you know by now, is what led me to going to Gencon 2016, where I got to meet an ever LARGER AMOUNT OF AMAZING PEOPLE.  To everyone who I met there, you all are amazing, and you keep doing the amazing things you do!  And to those who were there who I didn't get to meet, I will see you soon hopefully!  

In summary, if you have depression, or even thing you might, seriously, talk to someone you trust.  I can almost guarantee, it will make things better.  It will take awhile, it certainly did for me, but it will.  I don't think it ever truly goes away, and I certainly have my less than wonderful days, but I am so much happier now, than when I tried to isolate myself and bottle everything up.  This is the true story of how I became a huge nerd who plays TTRPGS, gets too excited about anime, went to Gencon, met SO MANY PEOPLE LIKE ME, and in a few short months, am going to move across the country to live with some of those same very dear friends in a completely new city, to try and follow my passion in life for games and writing into hopefully a wonderful new job and life.

Thank you to everyone who read this!  I'm not really sure what spurred me to write it, but I guess I felt like this was as good and place as any to say it.  We'll be back to our regularly schedule debauchery and silliness soon.  Love you all!

[kisherwrites-blog]

Mysterious Gods, Part 9: Delmont’s Desire

The back halls of THE DELMONT were no less impressive than the main hall.  Certainly quieter, but still gorgeous.  “I must say,” said Diedra as she led the group to Delmont's private floor, “your powers are quite formidable.  Have you considered going pro?”  Cygni and Velis looked at each other nervously, “W...what do you mean?” Cygni asked.  Diedra couldn't help but laugh, “No need to be so coy.  Or did you think we wouldn't notice you both cheating?  I admit, it was subtle.  You'd have certainly gotten away with it at a normal casino, but then again...I'm sure you knew that.”  Every door they passed by looked similar to the last.  The pair had no idea where they were going through the labyrinthine back halls of the casino.  Adal chimed in, “Don't you worry your pretty little heads.  I'm sure Mr. Delmont will gladly provide you with an escort when he no longer requires you.”  These words did nothing to calm their nerves.

The continued walking for what seemed like at least half an hour.  “Geez, just how large IS this place?” Cygni whispered to Velis.  “It's an illusion; distorts distance. We haven't actually gone very far.”  he answered, though clearly still distracted.  Cygni got frustrated at his distant tone.  “So are you ever going to clue me in on what you've figured out?  You've been acting weird ever since we got here.  Clearly it must be something important if it has you this wary.”  Velis looked ahead at Diedra and Adal, before he leaned to whisper in Cygni's ear, “A summoning.  I don't know what though, which is what is making me really nervous.  You don't need a ritual to summon something, unless it is large or powerful.  Worst case, it is both.”  Cygni's stomach dropped.  She wished she hadn't asked.  This is bad.

“And here we are.” Adal said, as they stopped by a door that looked identical to the others they had passed, perhaps a bit more well kept.  Diedra motioned to the door, “You'd best not keep Mr. Delmont waiting.  He has been so eager to meet you since that pummeling you gave his minions.”  Velis and Cygni nodded to each other once more, and entered.

Delmont's room was surprisingly plain in comparison to the rest of the casino. The only game that was there was a roulette table.  There was a small stage in the back, which was currently empty, with heavy red curtains that matched the red of the carpet on the floor.  Delmont's desk was off to the side, and had a small brown leather chair behind it, from which he stood.  “Velis and Cygni.  So good to finally meet you.” Velis stepped forward, “How did you know we were coming?” Delmont smiled darkly, his black hair pulled back in a tight ponytail.  “Please, do you think Graav is the only one with eyes in this city?  Not to mention the beating you gave to those overly anxious thugs of mine.  They did that of their own volition, I promise you.”  Cygni crossed her arms, “Sure they did.” Delmont shrugged, and walked towards the roulette table.  “Oh, I don't care if you believe me or not.  It matters little in the end. What truly matters is why you are here.  I know Graav had something to do with it.  Do you care to explain?”  Cygni, clearly already annoyed by Delmont's nonchalance, replied “That's exactly why we're here.  Graav sent us, saying you had acquired a large amount of money through illicit means, and we were to show you the error of your ways.”  Delmont's dark laugh echoed in the empty room.  It was an unsettling tone that unnerved the already rattled pair.  “Let me ask you a question.  What is the one thing in the world no one can truly live without?”  Velis and Cygni looked at one another, baffled.  “We're not in the mood for riddles.” Velis interjected, bluntly.  “Fine, fine.”  Delmont took a small glass from a cabinet behind his desk, and produced a small bottle of brandy, pouring himself a glass.  He swirled the brown liquid gently, wafting in its aroma.  “You see, the answer, is money.”  Velis interrupted, “You're a fool.  Many people live perfectly happy lives without a large sum of money.”  Delmont took a sip of his drink, and grinned.

“That is exactly my point.  They still need at least a small amount.  That small amount leads to a desire.  A burning desire that will drive a person to greater lengths than anything else.”  Delmont slowly made his way to the roulette table.  “You see, that desire is a never ending cycle.  You get money, and then you spend it, only wanting more.  That desire turns to greed, and greed takes control out of your hands and puts it into the hands of others.  The hands of those WITH money.”  Cygni broke his monologue, “Where are you going with all this?  What do you even want?”  Delmont traced a finger along the rim of the wheel, giving it a slight spin.  “My desire, is to use that greed.  Funnel it.  DRINK IT.”  The wheel spun, picking up speed, the black and red blurring together.  “That is why I built this casino.  It is not just a place for the greedy to gather, but a place of WORSHIP.  Their ritualistic burning of their own souls for that greed is a prayer.”  Velis pleaded, “No.  No you can't do that.  You can't seriously mean to do that.”

The roulette wheel continued gaining speed, beginning to glow, as golden wisps of energy were pulled into it, a whirlpool of power.  “Yes, Velis.  That is exactly what I plan to do.”  Delmont stood over the roulette, and held out a single gold coin.  With the flick of his thumb, it twirled into the air.  For what seemed like an eternity, it fell.  Cygni asked, her voice fill with panic, “What, what is he trying to do Velis? TELL ME, PLEASE!”  The coin hit the pool, and the spinning stopped.  From the pool, a portal opened and from it, a hand reached out.  A golden figured rose, adorned in the finest jewelry, with a crown of rubies, and robes made silk lined with chains of platinum.  The figure stepped lightly from the table to the floor, staring at them with eyes like sapphires.

Velis whispered, almost inaudibly, “He's summoned a god.”

[kisherwrites-blog]

Mysterious Gods, Part 8: High Stakes, Higher Tension

The high-rollers table was a completely different beast than the previous one. Everyone there meant business, and business was booming.  Cygni took her seat, and looked around at her new foes.  A person in a sharp black tuxedo and a smooth white mask with a single thin black line splitting it vertically.  Another man with lavish royal purple silk robes, and a large number of rings on his long crooked fingers.  A woman with a red cloche adorned with golden leaves, and a simply long champagne colored gown.  All intimidating in their own ways.  Cygni looked up at Velis, who only seemed more on edge now than he was before.  Cygni grabbed his hand and pulled him down to her.  “Listen, this isn't a game anymore.  I don't know what you sense, but it isn't our priority right now.  I need you to FOCUS.” she whispered, her voice had a seriousness Velis hadn't heard before.  He blinked, and nodded, “You're right.  I'll be your eyes in the skies, so to speak.”

The first hand was dealt.  Pair of 10s, not bad.  I'll test the waters with this round I think.  Cygni slid a chip in.  The masked one and ringed man did the same.  The woman at the far end of the table took a hit of her long cigarette, slowly exhaling, the smoke forming a wispy wreath around her face.  She gently slid in her chip, and raised another.  Velis nodded to Cygni, who called in response.  The others at the table did as well.  They all threw back their unwanted cards and looked a their new ones. Hmm, she only  threw back two.  The rest of us went for three or four... Cygni looked at her new cards quickly, Okay, three 10s now.  Not bad. She decided to raise again, putting the pressure on her opponents. The masked person put their gloved fingertips together, seemingly in thought, then folded.  The ringed man played with his jewelry, and raised.  Interesting, he threw back four...Did luck turn his way?A smile curled onto the edges of the woman on the end's mouth.  She raised further.  Cygni turned to Velis once more, but his expression was one of confusion. He leaned down and whispered, “She's confident in something, but she's hard to read.  I don't know if she has a good hand or knows someone is bluffing.”  Cygni thought for a moment, pushing her hair behind her back.  She decided to call.  The ringed man did as well. At the reveal, Cygni had managed to pull off a win.  Turns out the ringed man had been bluffing, and the smoking woman had called his bluff, but her three of a kind was lower in the end.

The next few hands went by similarly.  The one in the mask seemed to play very poorly.  They folded often, and when they did bet, it was almost always on poor hands.  They were out before long, and without much resistance.  When they lost their last chips, they calmly stood up from the table, and left, never saying a word.  Velis watched them go before leaning down and whispering to Cygni, “Is it just me, or did they seem to lose on purpose?”  Cygni looked back for a moment, “Yeah, it almost seemed like they was just here to...observe?” she replied.  Velis agreed, “My thoughts exactly. It's a good thing though, they were nearly impossible for me to read.”  

The pair turned back to the table, and prepared for another round.  Cygni examined the chips in front of each player, happy that theirs was the largest, though not by much.  The table was quiet, the only sound was the soft flick of the cards as the dealer threw them.  Cygni turned to Velis once more.  The stress of the situation was starting to take its toll.  Clearly, something was bothering him, and she was sure her constant need for him to scan with his magic was not helping.  Okay, my turn.  Cygni closed her eyes, her dress shimmering in the light, the world slowing down around her. She watched carefully as the dealer threw the cards.  Lucky for her, he had a habit of throwing them a bit high.  Normally, this would be a non-issue with the speed at which he threw them, but she was not your average gambler.  The cards slowly twirled through the air, allowing Cygni just enough time to catch glimpses of the face of the cards.  Okay, I think I caught that. They don't have anything.  She closed her eyes again, the world returning to normal.  I can't keep that up while I look at my cards. I haven't gotten the hang of moving slowly enough to hide the time alteration. She picked up her hand, Okay, three of a kind again.  We have this one.  Cygni was right, they did have it.  “Impressive.”  Velis whispered to her, “Slowing down time to look at the cards as he throws them?  We should have done that earlier.”  It was an easy victory for the pair.  Cygni winked at Velis.  I can't keep this up for long, we need to end this quickly. For both our sakes.

The rounds continued, each time, Cygni would glimpse the cards as they flew, and each time, she pulled off a win when the cards allowed. One more round, and we have this.  This is it. Once more, she slowed time, and once more, she read the cards. Perfect. They have nothing again. Cygni looked at her own cards.  Okay, not bad. Cygni looked up at her opponents, but much to her surprise, they were both staring back at her.  They both look at one another, and the woman on the end nodded to the dealer, who nodded in return, and took his leave.  The ornate woman smiled at her, having another long drag on her cigarette.  With a voice dark and rich, like the red of her lips, she spoke.  “My goodness babe, you are certainly good. So nice to finally have someone with real motivation at our table. It's been so long.  I'm sure Mr. Delmont would love to meet our newest member, don't you think, Adal?”  She turned to the ringed man.  Adal smiled, his teeth as bright as the gems in his rings.  “I agree, I do think he would, Diedra” he rasped, his voice deep and dry.  Cygni's heart began to race.  Had they noticed their magic? Was the whole game a ruse?  She looked to Velis for reassurance, but found none.  He seemed lost, his was scanning the room, frantically. “Hey, hey, calm down.  What is it?”  His voice trembling, he said “I...I think I know what's going on.”  Cygni's eyes widened, and she turned back to Diedra and Adal.  Diedra spoke, “Well? We best not keep Mr. Delmont waiting.”

[kisherwrites-blog]

Mysterious Gods, Part 7: It’s All Skill

The exterior of THE DELMONT was impressive, but the interior was on a whole new level. Red carpet lined the floors, the walls gilded with dark mahogany and white-gold paint.  Slots, Roulette, Poker, Blackjack, and games the pair had never even seen before covered the casino floor.  They couldn't help but be awestruck by the scale of it all.  “I don't think I've ever seen anything like this...I mean, I've never been in a casino before anyways, but...wow.” Cygni said, Velis nodding in agreement.  “Same, I've been in one or two in my life, but this is definitely something else.” he replied.  

Velis scanned the room, formulating a plan on attack.  Bodyguards lined the walls, vigilantly watching the floor, and more patrolled the rows of games, keeping an eye out for cheaters or hustlers.  “This may be even harder than we expected...” Velis whispered as a guard walked by.  

“Yeah, I didn't think security would be so tight...” Cygni replied, “I can so some really subtle magic, time isn't particularly flashy as long as I'm not sprint around.”  

Velis thought for a moment, “Well, Lynaea grants me a pretty wide range of powers.  I can do some basic healing and holy energy stuff, but my real specialty lies in Truth magic.  Detection, calling bluffs, keen perception, things of that nature.  Not to mention that all of that is not particularly flashy either.”  Cygni stared at him with an annoyed expression.  Velis, confused at the look, said “What?” “You mean to say, your specialty is LITERALLY IN CHEATING AT CASINOS, AND YOU DIDN'T MENTION IT UNTIL NOW?!” Cygni whispered, almost verging on shouting.  

“I never thought of using them that way!  I tend to try and stay on the right side of the law.  Is that really such a bad thing?”  Velis explained, but his defense fell on deaf ears.

Cygni decided that Poker would be their best bet to start.  The pair scrounged up what money they could between the two of them, and started with a small pile of chips.  The low stakes table was their first target.  Their fellow competitors were two women that appeared to be on their honeymoon, a depessed looking man in a shabby tweed blazer, and what appeared to be a hyper intelligent sheep and what appeared to be his butler.  The cards were dealt, Cygni looked at their hand, hiding it from Velis.  “Hey, why can't I look?”  Velis asked, disappointed.

“Trust me, I have seen you flirt.  You are a TERRIBLE liar.  You'd do more harm than good.”  Cygni stated, ignoring Velis' protests that he wouldn't mess things up.

The first few hands went by without a hitch.  They decided not to press their luck, only taking sure bets.  Up about by about twenty percent of their starting chips, Cygni decided to go big on her next solid hand.  The dealer reshuffled, and dealt a new hand.  Not bad, she thought, two pair is a decent start. The standing woman in the couple to their left giggled, and slid in a few more chips.  “We raise.”  Cygni glanced at Velis as she reached for their own pile of chips.  His eyes glowing ever so gently, he gave a slight nod and continued scanning the table.  Good, they're bluffing.  Let's see if I can make them sweat a bit. Cygni raised herself, confident in her luck.  The sad man sighed, but called, as did the sheep.  BAHHHHHH.  Cygni threw back the sole non-matching card, and looked at the new one.  Nice!  Full house, we've got this. The couple folded, as did the depressed man.  The sheep stared at Cygni, stone faced, and went all-in.  She turned to Velis, looking for reassurance, but all she got was a look of terror and confusion. Cygni called, shaking, palms sweating. I will not be beaten by a farmyard beast.  

The dealer tugged as his collar, the air charged with the intensity of the game.  The players revealed their hands, and Cygni closed her eyes.  The sheep flipped its cards, one at a time.  10 of spades, Jack of Spades...their hearts raced.  Queen of Spades, King of Spades...the world seemed to come to a halt.  In what seemed like an age, the final card flipped...5 of hearts.  Cygni heaved a sigh of relief, as if the weight of the whole world were lifted from her shoulders.  Velis continued to stare, perplexed.  “Frankly, I'm still baffled as to how the sheep flipped its cards on its own.” The sheep hopped down from its chair, called for its butler and stormed out of the casino.

Cygni raked in their winnings, pleased with how the first round went, but she sincerely hoped they would not all be like that.  Lucky for them, the remaining two players at the table fell easily compared to the sheep.  Walking away from the table, Cygni counted their winnings. “Not bad, a little over double what we started with!  We'll be meeting Mr. Delmont in no time.”  Velis nodded distantly, but it was clear to her that something else was on his mind.  “What's wrong?  I don't think they're suspicious of.” she asked.  

“I don't know.  Something about this place...something is off.  I can't quite put my finger on it, but it feels...familiar?  Maybe I'm just imagining things...”  Velis kept scanning, looking for something to hint at what may be happening.  

Cygni pat his back, “Well, just keep your eye out and lets head to the high rollers table.  It's probably just nerves.”

“Yeah...nerves...”

[kisherwrites-blog]

Mysterious Gods, Part 6: Rain and Stars

“I honestly did not expect you to get so excited over a dress.  You didn't seem the type.” Velis said, as the pair made their way towards the casino. The clouds in the sky were getting fairly dark.  Rain was definitely coming.  “I have had those same clothes on basically since I got here.  It is nice to finally have something different on.”  Cygni replied, walking with surprising grace, despite her lack of experience in heels.  Velis conjured a small golden dome above their heads just in time for the downpour.  Cygni looked up at the rain running down the golden shield, then turned to Velis, “So, what's our plan of attack?  We just going to barge in and start beating people up?”

“I was hoping we could get by with a little fighting as possible.  I don't think either of us will be able to sneak in our weaponry anyways.”  The streetlamps around them slowly flickered to life, bathing the now soaking wet ground in a warm vermillion light.

“Actually, they are pretty lax about that.  I think they knew people would sneak them in anyways.  Maybe they think that seeing everyone armed might deter some amount of fighting?”  Cygni took Velis' hand, as he helped her over a puddle.  “I think we've got a few options.  First would be to just go in, and fight literally everyone.”

“Yeah, I don't think you and I win that fight.  He's bound to have some at least mildly trained guards I imagine.” said Velis, watching the lights in the windows of the shops they passed turn on.  The city looked almost peaceful in the rain.  Almost.

“Agreed. I think our best bet would be to either sneak into his office with some kind of distraction, or we could cheat.”  Cygni pulled up the sides of her dress slightly, trying to keep them from getting wet.

“Cheat? What do you mean?”  Velis' expression turned slightly worried at the thought.

“Win enough money, like an uncanny amount, and I bet the guards will take us right to him.”  Cygni said, careful not to let others on the street overhear her as they hurried by, trying to escape the deluge. “Shouldn't even be that difficult with our combined skills, if I'm being perfectly honest.”

“Hmm...it's not my favorite, but I think it is our best shot, sadly.”  He didn't like having to resort to dirty tactics, but he couldn't see any better option that wouldn't lead to an excessive amount of violence.

THE DELMONT was impressive, far more impressive than they had expected, given t he architecture of the rest of the city.  It was massive, with neon lights flashing up and down, creating a dazzling display on the cobbles below.  It was a shining beacon in an otherwise relatively dark town.  The pair gazed in awe.  Cygni was the first to speak, “Gotta hand it to Delmont.  He definitely has style.  Or at least can pay a whole lot of money to someone who can help him fake it.”  She couldn't help but shiver.  Nervousness was setting in. Maybe I've bitten off more than I can chew with this one. She stopped.  ““I'm sorry, this city, this job...this one seems different.  The others were just roughing some thugs up, or taking back what someone stole, but this one...I don't know if I can do this by myself.”  

Velis turned to her, and placed his hands on her shoulders.  He looked her in the eyes.  Deep in his eyes, she saw that same star as when she first met him, but it was different this time.  It was warm and inviting.  It was a golden sun to eradicate any shadows of doubt she had.  The stars sang, and he said  “Listen, I know you are nervous, maybe even scared, and you're right to be.  We have no idea what will happen in there.  And yes, this job is different from the others you've done before, but not in the way you are dreading.  On this job, you're not alone. I am here for you, just as you are for me.  Trust in me, Cygni.  We can do this.”  Velis held out his arm.

Tears welled up in Cygni's eyes.  “I...I'm so sorry.  You're right...  I have only had myself to rely on for what must be months at this point, but it is different now.  Neither of us are alone in this gods forsaken city.  We have each other.”  She grabbed his arm, and held on tightly.  She was still shaking, but it was only then, in that moment, that she realized he was as well.  The two looked at each other once more, and with a nod, entered the lion's den.

[kisherwrites-blog]

Mysterious Gods, Part 5: Passion for Fashion

“Why exactly do we need to worry about how we dress again?” Velis asked, as they wandered the streets of Faith, searching for the tailor Badu had recommended for them.

“Because it's a casino! You can just waltz in dressed like someone who just wandered in off the streets.  You need to look the part of someone who wants to just burn money.” she replied, leading the way, though she was not entirely clear on Badu's directions herself.

“But's that is exactly what we are doing.  Waltzing in like we just wandered in off the streets.”

“And we need to be as undercover as possible.  We don't want Delmont to recognize us the second we step foot in the door.  Neither of us blend in particularly well.”  The pair turned the corner into Faith's 'fashion district'.

Boutique after boutique, all proclaiming to have the next 'it' look lined the streets; dresses with as many spikes attached as possible, pants that left almost nothing to the imagination, a shirt with a smiling piece of toast on it, which Cygni quite liked.  LOOKS OF LARCENY was their destination, and it seemed they had arrived.  'Steal the gaze of everyone you meet!'; another horrible slogan, another chuckle from Velis.  “Are there any stores here not named after some form of theft?” he added, “You'd think that would be bad for business.”

Seemingly endless walls of fabric towered in the shop, everything from leathers to silks, and everything in between.  The number of colors and patterns was even more overwhelming.  As they approached the counter, a squat woman with bright red hair pulled back in a large bun waddled out. “May I help you?” she asked, with a voice almost as deep as Velis', and with an equally heavy accent.

“Oh! Hello miss, we're here to purchase some new clothes.  Badu's recommended your shop to us.”  Velis answered, with a warm smile.  Cygni was enthralled by particularly light and soft bolt of blue silk.

“Oh, yes, he mentioned you vould be comming.  Name is Veera.  Vell, off with zhe old clothes.”

“Huh?” Velis wasn't quite sure he had heard her right.”

“Your clothes. Remove dem.  I cannot get your measurements vhile you have zhem on. I do not understand vhat is zo hard to understand?”

“Well, it's just...a little sudden, I...” he glanced at Cygni, “Do you have a changing room?”

“No.”  Velis turned as red as the rose colored cotton he stood next to.  He walked behind another shelf, hoping to keep some minimal level of privacy. Veera waddled after him.  “Yes. Zhose off as vell.”

Cygni, finally freeing herself from the silk she was so enraptured by, looked around.  Upon seeing Velis' head over the shelf, she began to wander over to him, asking “Sorry about that, I got a bit distracted.  Did you find the shop...Nope.  Back to the silk.”  The moment she turned the corner, Cygni pulled a 180 turn without missing a beat. She buried her face in the cloth, hoping for some ounce of comfort. A single tear rolled down Velis' face.

“Oh quit being baby.  You are grown man.  You have nice body, have some confidence in yourself.”  Veera finished sizing Velis in minutes.  “Okay, you are done.  Girl, your turn now. Clothes off.”  They both froze, and exchanged terrified glances.  Velis walked out the door as quickly as he could.  Veera rolled her eyes, “I do not know vhy he is so veird about zhis.”

Velis re-entered the shop, once Veera went to get him.  The two avoided looking at each other.  Without words, they agreed to never speak of this incident again.  “Okay, I zhink I have an idea for each of you. Girl, sparkly, flowy, but not too long.  No shoulders.  I zee you like zhat silk.  Eet is voven from zhe cocoons of chrono-moths.  Eet is zaid zhey veave lost strands of time into silk.  Zhat vill be your fabric.”  Veera turned to Velis,  “And for you, somezing vith lots of structure.  Hmmm, vest, shirt VITH SLEEVES, bowtie, slacks. Perhaps scarf and peacoat?  Yes, yes zhat vill do I zhink.”

Far faster than either of them could imagine, Veera had returned with their new formal-wear, immaculately tailored.  They each ducked behind their respective side of the diving shelf to change, which Veera rolled her eyes at once again.  “Puh.”

Cygni's eyes sparkled more than the blue cocktail dress when she saw her reflection in the mirror.  “I'M SO PRETTY!  I'M NEVER TAKING THIS OFF.”  She stumbled in her new heels as she scurried over to hug Veera.  “HOW DID YOU DO THIS?”

“A good designer never reveals her tricks, Cygni.  You vould do vell to learn zhis.” Veera said, trying to wriggle out of Cygni's crushing embrace.

“How do I look?” Velis asked, emerging from his side of the aisle.  Cygni immediately dropped Veera and turned to face him.  Cygni's eyes almost turned to stars as she looked at him.

“SO GOOD. WE'RE SO HOT.”  She flailed wildly.  Velis smiled widely.

“So...how are we supposed to pay for this, Ms. Veera?”  Velis asked, while Cygni struck as many different poses as she could in the mirror.

“Do not vorry. Badu has already taken care of zhat.  I owed him vone anyvays.”

“Oh, well, thank you so much for all your trouble.” Velis shook her hand, bowing his head slightly.

“Now go, and don't do anyzhing crazy.  I don't vant you ruining my hard vork at zhat silly casino.” Veera waved them out of her shop.

“We will do our best, madam.” Velis replied, with another quick bow.  “Now, if we have no other stops to make, onward to Delmont's!”

[kisherwrites-blog]

Mysterious Gods, Part 4: Let’s Get Bagels

Velis woke even earlier than he usually did the following morning.  He didn't want to keep his guest waiting while he finished his morning swim.  While he never stayed in one locale for long, he always made an effort to stay near water, to keep this one constant.  Besides the obvious physical benefits, he found it helped clear his mind of nagging worries, and in today's case, a slight hangover.

Cygni awoke soon after his return.  “Wow, I'm surprised to see you're up already.” she remarked, wiping sand and sleep from her eyes.  “We hit the sauce pretty hard last night.”

“Heh, speak for yourself.” he said, rubbing a towel through his salt and pepper hair.  “You don't hold your liquor well AT ALL, my dear.”

“Hey, I can hold it plenty well!” Cygni replied, trying her best to not stumble as she stood.  “Can't say the sand-bed helped the situation out much. How do you even sleep like that at your age?”

Velis frowned. “Hey, I'm not THAT old! I'm barely over 40.”  Velis did a handstand, as if that was the test that could prove his youth.  “I've still got quite a few years good years left ahead of me!  I just grayed early, runs in my family.”  While Velis finished packing up his things, Cygni made sure to display her flexibility whenever he was watching.  He stuck his tongue out at her after she did the splits, “Showoff.”  Throwing her bag at her he asked “So, what exactly is our plan to 'rough up Delmont' so to speak?”

Cygni caught her bag with grace, sticking her tongue out back at him.  “Well, first, breakfast.  Next, the casino.”

“Wait...what?”

The balsa wood boardwalks of the coast slowly gave way to the city proper.  The familiar layer of grime and dirt seemed to coat everything building slowly thickened.  “So where are we going again?” Velis asked, stumbling over one of the many uneven cobblestone bricks that paved the side-street.

“A friend's shop! It's the closest thing Faith has to nice local cuisine.”  She pointed out a rather small, shabby door on an equally shabby building.  Above it was an overly ornate sign that read BURGLARY BAGELRY.  The slogan read, OUR PRICES ARE A STEAL. “It's more of a name than anything.” she groaned, rolling her eyes at the pun.  Velis couldn't help but grin.  He had a weakness for even the worst puns.

Velis had to duck to get through the door frame of the small shop.  The interior was as small as he expected, but far more inviting than most establishments in Faith.  The machinery in the back popped and hummed as it launched golden rings into the various baskets behind the counter, each sorted appropriately by type.  A man popped out from behind the machine when he heard his guests enter.  “Ahhh, Cygni, my dear girl! How are you today?”  The whites of the man's dark eyes popped against his dark skin.  He scurried up to the girl, embracing her, blowing kisses on either side of her face.  “Oohhh, and who is this fine gentleman you have brought along?”

Blushing slighty, Velis attempted to straighten his hair and puff out his chest, though his rather tight leather breastplate didn't leave much room for showing off.  Reaching out his hand, Velis shook the proprietor's, “V...Velis.  A...and yours?”

“Badu,  a pleasure I'm sure.”  As Badu turned around, he grinned at Cygni and rolled his eyes. “So what, besides my delicious food of course, has brought you here today?  You rarely come here without an ulterior motive, my dear.” Badu questioned, handing each of them a golden brown bagel with some spinach and artichoke spread.

“Guess.” Cygni said, taking a bite of her bagel.

“Did you take another one of those jobs from Graav?  I tell you, he is dangerous, my dear.  He never tells you the whole story.  You can't trust people like him.  Doesn't he have proper grunts?  The big burly types with arms like...well...” He motioned at Velis, who did his best to flex in Badu's general field of vision.

“I know, I know. At least I've got some help on this one.”  Cygni looked at Velis, who was trying his best to not stare at Badu while he ate.  “Vel, you have cheese on your chin.”  Velis scrambled for a napkin, turning even more red.

Badu laughed; it was warm and inviting, like a warm spring day.  “I think you may have found a good one here, Cygni.  Make sure you don't lose him! Now, as for your job, let me guess.  He wants you to hassle some leader of one of those groups of ruffians?”

“Delmont.” she answered.

“Of course, Delmont.  Could be worse I suppose.  At least there is plenty of public eye in that casino of his.  You'll need a change of clothes though.  As much as I love your sense of style, neither of you will get in there wearing those dirty things.  I know just the person; tell them I sent you.”

“Thanks, Badu.  I promise, I'll be careful.  We'll be sure to swing by once we're finished.”

They finished eating their meal in relative quiet.  The pair soon stood up, pushed in their chairs and made their way to the exit.  “Give Delmont my regards, my dear.  And don't make too big a mess of his fancy new casino!”

As Velis turned around to thank Badu for the meal, Badu grabbed his shoulder, whispering in his ear, “Please, keep her safe.  She is far too good for this city, as are you.”  Velis nodded, and put his own had on top of Badu's.

He jogged to catch up with Cygni, “You saw that, right?”

“Your horrible attempts at flirting with a man who has a wife and four children? Yes, yes I did.”  she laughed.  Velis snapped his fingers in disappointment and crossed his arms.  “Oh relax, he has that effect on most people the first time you meet him.  I think he may have some fey in his blood.  Charismagic takes a long time to dilute.”

“Ahh, that would make sense.” Velis nodded.

“Oh man, I cannot WAIT to see how he does in a casino.” Cygni whispered to herself. “I'm sure he's a natural.”

[kisherwrites-blog]

Long day at work, so probably no new story today, instead, here is art of Cygni from two years ago! All credit to Kial D.!

[kisherwrites-blog]

Mysterious Gods, Part 3: A Quiet Evening

Velis stared at the moon that flooded the cove he called home with light, feeling the water ebb and flow beneath his bare feet as the waves hit the shore. The events of the past few days swirled within his head.  His run in with various gangs, a brawl on the beach, leading into a rude awakening on how this city worked. His unexpected new companion, and the job that lay ahead of them.  It was a lot to take in, so Velis decided no to dwell on it too much; there would be time for that later.  For now, he would just enjoy the scenery and a moment of peace.

His reverie was broken by the sound of Cygni waking up in the cave behind him.  He quickly pulled on a shirt, he had taken it off when he was catching some fish for their dinner.  “Do you own ANYTHING with sleeves?” Cygni asked, as he dressed himself.  Velis turned, and with a quick wink, flexed one of his biceps.  Rolling her eyes, Cygni looked out of the cave, noticing the moonlight.  “Oh geez, I must have been more tired than I thought.  You should have woke me!” Velis shrugged, and rotated the fish on the fire.  “Seemed like you needed the rest.  It was already late when I finished up, so I thought we'd just wait until morning.”  Cygni grunted in reply, and seemingly in reply to the scent of baked fish hitting her nose, her stomach let out an audible growl.  Velis let out a hearty chuckle, making Cygni blush.  She crossed her arms and avoided his gaze.  “Ha, oh no need to be like that.  I was hungry too.  Made plenty for the both of us.  No side dish though, don't really trust the produce here.”  “Yeah, I wouldn't either.  It'd probably taste a lot like the fish, but with a distinctly fermented aftertaste.”  She shuddered slightly, remembering the apple from yesterday.  Brushing the hair from her face, Cygni pulled her long dark hair into a high ponytail, before getting up to go wash her face and hands before their meal.  

After a few quiet moments stuffing their faces, Cygni was the first to break the silence.  “So...I've been wondering...where'd did you get those?” she asked, pointing at the tattoos on Velis' arms.  “Are they from your goddess or something?  Or are they more for show?” Tracing one of the swirls idly with his finger, he replied “Something like that... Let's just say they were given to me by someone I cared for deeply.  I'd rather not go into it more than that at this point, my apologies.  It's a bit of a...long story I suppose.  One I'm not ready to share quite yet.”

“Oh, yeah, totally get you.  I mean, we did only just meet a few days ago. Was just curious.”

Velis nodded, “As for their purpose, I guess they help me focus.  They aid me in channeling my spells, but not by any significant means.  I guess they are for show, now that I think about it.”  He let out a light laugh.  “Never really thought about it much before.  They just have a lot of sentimental value to me.”  Velis looked at the markings on Cygni's skin, thin blue lines that coiled and danced around her brown skin, ranging from her forearms to her neck, with a few flecks beneath her eyes.  “I'm sure there is a story behind yours as well.”

“These?” Cygni stretched her arms in front of her and then above her head. “Nah, just a sylph thing.  Elemental heritage and all.  Nothing magic about them!  Bloodline's been mostly human for generations now, so I don't have power over the wind or anything really.”  She put her arms down behind her back and propped herself up with them.  “Not that I'm complaining, with the time magic and all.”

“Ah, so it's time that you weave into those little motes you have.  Would explain the clock pattern on your chakrams.”

Glancing over at her weapons, “Huh, I guess so.  Kinda cheesy if you ask me.” she said with a laugh.  “Enough about all this serious stuff.  So, where ya from? Any family?”

“Small village called Holhaven, deep within some mountains pretty far from here.  Only child; parents died some years back.  That was the last time I was there.”

“More sadness. Let's try this again, any boyfriend?”

Cygni couldn't help but laugh as Velis spit out his drink and turned beet red.  “A-ha! Seems I've uncovered something!” she said with an impish grin.

“Nononono...I uh...no, not recently anyways.  Wh...why do you ask??”

“Oh, just call it a woman's curiosity..  Also, I caught you trying to sneak glimpses at any handsome gentlemen that happened by us on our way here.”

“You sly little...” Velis laughed harder than he had in a long time, eyes watering.  “My turn to ask the questions, same to you.  Any family? Lovers?”

“Only child as well.  Mom died when I was real young, don't remember her much.  I was raised mostly by my grandfather and dad.  I haven't seen them in who knows how long.  Last I heard they were still alive and kicking.”

“And my OTHER question?” Velis asked, returning an equally impish grin, hoping for an equally flustered response.

“Nope! Nothing serious at least, and nothing right now.”  Cygni was far more level headed about it.  It upset him a twinge.

“Bah, you're not fun.”  Velis rummaged through his bag and produced two small cups, and a rather large bottle of wine.  “Best local stuff I could find.  It's not so bad...once you had a cup or two and can't taste it anymore.”  He poured a cup for each of them.  “Cheers! To new friendships!”  Cygni took the cup and smiled, raising it in agreement.  “To new friendships!”  The pair finished their meal, and exchanged stories until well after the fire had died down and the wine had run dry.  As Velis threw some sand over the cinders, and readied himself for bed, he couldn't help but smile.  I guess there are some good folk in this damn city afterall.

[kisherwrites-blog]

katrani replied to your post: Mysterious Gods, Part 2: Likely Allies

for what it’s worth, i think your vocab’s fine, just the pacing throw me off a little. your conversations feel really condensed. still enjoyable, just. very fast and doesn’t give a good sense of each character’s voice.

Thanks Kat! Yeah, I’m still trying to figure out where I want the overall story of these two to go.  They’re still somewhat fledgling characters in my head, but it is definitely something I will work on!