lyrium'd ghost

"Now the battle awaits us. Na via lerno victoria. 'Only the living know victory.' Fight well." Affiliated with yinuo.

[furiage-deactivated20200421]

Despite the hand now tightly wrought around his neck, the magi couldn’t help but force a choked laugh and a warped "so what?” — low, gravelly, and mocking in nature. Something wild beneath his eyes took form as his gaze flit frantically around for any sign of this ground’s peacekeepers, all remaining attention gathering into both his hands in an attempt to free him from this houndish man’s grip. With no reason to deny the accusation that bore the absolute truth, a visible wrath grew within the boy who had taunted his would-be enemies so carelessly.

[muiryl]

His grip tightens in response. As much of a game this might feel like to the boy, the elf is sick and tired of being toyed with. The anger boiling within his veins comes out in clipped words, "There is nothing your kind is good for."

[ancientmaiden-deactivated201504]

lights in the dark

muiryl:

She was right.

It was nothing like what she’d imagined.

The land of eternal night, despite its title, was bathed in a constant, gentle, glow, thanks to the strange plants and glowing flying creatures—fireflies, they called them—lighting their way. She half wondered, amused, if she could raise bees that glowed in the dark as well. It would certainly help with battles.

Ahead of them, the merchant’s caravan led the way, flanked by the other two hired guards on horses. They were traveling at a leisurely pace, giving her sufficient time to observe their surroundings. She’d touched a few flowers here and there, fascinated by their light—and was surprised they did not give off heat like she’d expected.

Truly, a strange and wondrous place. And this was the land that belonged to their enemy? Would the ensuing war ravage these peaceful fields, those fragile blossoms? It seemed a pity, if that were true.

She looked around until she caught sight of her companion, curious as to what he thought.

"This must be very different from your pala—home," she corrected quickly. 

[muiryl]

The jianghu left him absolutely speechless. Never before had he seen such beauty, not where he had come from. To think that a place like this existed... He stared at the endless fields of golden flowers radiating like candles without the burning flames. Taking in a deep breath of crisp evening air, Fenris marveled at the white tower that stood behind them. That was Qing Niao, wasn't it? The merchant had told him as much. 

He kept a decent pace, never mind how distracted he was by all the sights, and made a soft 'ah' at Long'er's question. He hastened to her side and fell into step with her gait. "It is. Something like this... I've seen similar in glowing fungus - deep mushrooms - but those grow near rot and decay. This is different." There was no taint to fear in this world from what he could tell. Any attempt to bring up the darkspawn had earned him confused looks in Actuality.

His gaze flickered towards the caravan and the steeds that led it. Once the tower was beyond their gaze, they would have to be on the lookout for bandits.

"I wonder what sort of settlement they're taking us to. Did you have a chance to ask?"

[furiage-deactivated20200421]

"Hah! If I could use magic in this dusty ol’ hole of a neutral space, I’d show you some proper provoking, pointy.” Such a cocky tone despite the fact that they’d have to earn their abilities back through acquisition.

[muiryl]

What? Fenris doesn't even wait for an explanation; he pounces, hand thrusting out for the boy's throat, and spits in his face, "You're a mage?"

[betabloody-deactivated20150216]

    "Reckless schmeckless, it’s a ton of fun to do things blind!" She latched onto his arm and began walking off in the direction she assumed the mirrors were being housed. "We’re not gonna be boring negative dumbasses by asking around. Let’s dive straight in and wreck everything in our wake, there won’t be anything I can’t handle if you’re chicken!" The Fishman smirked. "We can get in gear super quick, find out what the deal is with these factions, fix things up, and then it’ll smoooooth sailing~!"

[muiryl]

Again with the touching! Fenris tore his arm out of Dellinger's grasp and let the limb fall uselessly back to his side; he failed to hold back a snarl and muttered between his teeth, "Keep your hands to yourself." He shook his head disdainfully and otherwise marched after his companion obediently. "Fine. Let's go."

[muiryl]

wanderlust ;; open

He had wondered what would happen if he ventured through another mirror. Curiosity had bested him, and he was eager to see what lied beyond Actuality's borders. (Apparently, it wasn't possible to swim through the rivers that had brought them all here thanks to the chilling cold.)

Thus, the elf now sat upon a paddy of rice, staring down at the terraces below him. From this vantage point, he could see fantastical beasts roaming around, looking for a meal. One was wreathed in flames and had the visage of a canine on the body of an antelope. A wretched sigh left his lips. How was he going to return to Actuality?

Find another mirror, of course.

He pinched the bridge of his nose. Unlike the merchants who traversed between realms on a regular basis, his foolish actions had cost him. Zhu Que was vast beyond measure. All he could do was head towards the sun and hope that civilization was to the north.

The crisp autumn air - hadn't it been winter when he left Tevinter? - tasted of apples and honey. The passage of time in this land was indeed strange. Perhaps it wasn't the season he'd been led to believe; what if the trees in this realm were always bright reds and oranges?

Fenris hopped up to his feet and plodded against the dewy grass. He was free.

[muiryl]

"So the sashes themselves are safeguards. A 'talisman' as they call them. Hmm..."

Dilong, the isolated fortress. As far as he knows, there are no provisions in place to prevent him from traveling to any of the known cities. He is fortunate, unlike those who wear the azure sashes. Supposedly, they will be dumped out in the wild should any try to enter the land of eternal night without special perissions.

[muiryl]

eyes on the ears

[ancientmaiden-deactivated201504]

She nodded happily, glad that he had accepted. Dragons were certainly all-knowing. This one had even realized she’d still follow him if he refused.

"I have not properly fought for a long time," Long’er admitted. "It will be good to hone my skills again." As the current Sect Head, she couldn’t afford to be lax with her skills. The reputation of her Master and the Grand Ancestress depended on it, and she would die before she sullied their names.

Though…what exactly were they expected to do, with this whole ‘protection’ business?

"Feng gongzi,” she said, brows furrowing. “I have a question, and you seem to have experience with these caravans.”

It was something that had been bothering her ever since the question of ‘fighting’ and ‘protection’ had cropped up. In the jianghu, there were no rules, and it was every man for himself. If there were enemies, you eliminated them—as simple as that. But if they were other people’s enemies, and you were the one killing them… Well. Certain proofs were required. The solid, squishy, kind.

"Those carts do not look very large," Long’er said, nodding towards the horses and transport. "We cannot possibly fit all the cargo and the heads inside. Do we have to carry them ourselves, the entire trip?”

[muiryl]

He regarded her for but a moment before approaching the gentleman who owned both the carts and the horses and the cargo. His sudden presence startled the merchant into a balking leap and the man clasped his hands together in apology. Amusement settled into Fenris' tone as he asked after the merchant's protection, whether he had thought to enlist any, or if there was room for two more. Words of the informative sort were exchanged and he thanked the man for his time.

"First come, first serve. He's already hired two before us and they'll be on the horses. We walk." Which he has no qualms about. He's slept under the stars before. The grit of the ground had never bothered his feet before; he could not fathom why humans were so fond of binding them. "The merchant is headed for Qing Niao. He says it's a beautiful place despite the lack of a sun. I can't imagine what it's like to be led by fields of golden flowers, but I guess we'll have to see it with our own eyes.

"He has a talisman that will allow us to traverse through the mirror unhindered."

Apparently, without such a ward, one could end up deposited just about anywhere in the jianghu. Direct travel to any of the capital cities had to be limited, of course, if one was allowed to use their fearsome strengths and magical abilities outside of Actuality. 

[furiage-deactivated20200421]

"Tch… fine, pointy-ears. I’m listenin’ now. If you’ve got a problem with what I’m saying, feel free to personally shut me up then. If you even can, that is.”   

[muiryl]

"If you provoke me, I will."

[muiryl]

eyes on the ears

[ancientmaiden-deactivated201504]

"I have never ‘worked’ in my life," Long’er said truthfully. She was self-sufficient: hand-sewn clothing, hand-grown food, hand-raised weapons and a literal tomb as a home. She doubted people needed her to grow vegetables or make clothes. And not many were in the market for moving underground.

Could she be a beekeeper? Jade Bee Honey was very nutritious, after all. But…it’d be hard to raise a poisonous hive around people, and she needed human contact to sell anything. So no, that wouldn’t work either.

Her only other outstanding skill would be fighting. A sword would offer her better range, if coupled with her sleeves, but she could be just as deadly without them. And also…

'…the Dragon King will join a caravan?'

Truly, a dragon with a noble heart. Even in a weakened state, he was going to risk his life to protect others. She couldn’t help but admire his resolve.

"Feng gongzi,” she said at last. “I believe there is much for me to learn from your kindness and courage,”

She fingered her sleeves. It was a daring question, but she wanted to ask anyways. And truthfully, it was an excuse for her to watch over him, as a safeguard.

"If I may be so bold…" a slight pause. "I believe, it may be safer for the caravan to hire two fighters instead of one." 

"…may I look at them with you?"

[muiryl]

Never worked a day in her life? Huh. She did resemble a noblewoman with the way she carried herself. Yet her demeanor and attitude weren't quite in line with what he'd come to expect from the rich and privileged. Something else was going on here and he couldn't puzzle it out.

Never mind that. He liked her all the same.

"You wish to accompany me?" came the startled response.

Surely this wasn't the whim of a naive lass itching for an adventure. Long'er wouldn't have offered unless she knew how to handle herself. Right? In which case, he had to admit, he was curious to see how she'd fare in battle.

Fenris observed her a moment longer before cocking his head to the side and chuckling. "It's not like I could dissuade you from coming with me. Very well. Though we're of different factions, we'll offer our skills to an honest man.

[furiage-deactivated20200421]

"I swear I just heard someone talking smack, but… ah. Must’ve been somethin’ in my ear."

[muiryl]

"And he's hard of hearing. How convenient. Little boys should keep to their mothers' skirts."

[muiryl]

ghrina

"Another human who loves to mouth off at others. Wonderful."

[muiryl]

eyes on the ears

[ancientmaiden-deactivated201504]

For the first time, Long’er sorely felt the lack of her powers. So not only was Feng trapped in human form and using precious energy to sustain himself, he was ill as well? She couldn’t be sure, but judging from his symptoms (long-term aching, tiredness) and appearance (dark-tinged skin), it sounded like Feng was suffering from a chronic case of yin-yang imbalance. 

"I am sorry to hear that," she said genuinely. "If I could, I would help release your excess yin qi.” With her abilities, it would be child’s play to guide the energy out via his meridian points. As it was, Long’er vowed to keep an eye out for the appropriate plants. Some chili peppers should help him. As would ginseng, onions, and garlic. Perhaps she could make a soup with all four and have him drink it.

And hmm, did he say work? Long’er had learned a little about that. Apparently you did ‘jobs’ for people, and they ‘paid’ you bits of gold and metals in return, which were used to ‘buy’ things. 

"Feng gongzi," she said, an idea growing her head. "What kind of ‘work’ are you looking for?" 

Maybe, instead of hunting for the appropriate plants, she could ‘buy’ them instead? After doing some of this ‘work’? It would be much quicker and truthfully—she was a little worried about Feng. That sword of his looked pretty heavy. Suppose he grew too weak to carry it, and one day it crushed him beneath its weight? (Not that she’d ever voice the thought out loud. Dragons were prideful creatures, and she didn’t want to stir up his ire.)

Yes. She really need to make that soup. An entire potful, to start off, and soon.

[muiryl]

What sort of work, indeed. His options were limited by his skills. The best he could do was throw himself in with a lot of sellswords at this point. Which, in all honesty, wasn't so bad. 

He cleared his throat and made his plans known, "I suppose I'll fight. Not everyone knows how to defend themselves so they'll look to me for protection. It's only a matter of finding a caravan that's ready to set off." His eyes scanned the plaza. Horses and carriages abounded. 

"What about you? Have you thought about how you'll secure an income?"

Long'er had a good head upon her shoulders and her eyes looked bright. Whatever experience she lacked, he could tell she would make up for with her intelligence and resourcefulness. He was fortunate to have met her and not someone else - someone who looked down upon him.

[betabloody-deactivated20150216]

    Nodding and fixing his cap down securely on his head, he teased the ends up his poofy hair. 

     ”Yup! I became a pirate before I was even one year old!” Boasting was one of his favorite things. Dellinger stuck close and squinted, leering around the pathway for anyone to interrogate. “Why do we even have to do that talking crap? If we go now and make it there on our own, it’ll go quicker and we can learn what’s going on along the way. Better than relying on some stranger.”

[muiryl]

"I'm not in the business of being reckless," he claimed, despite the fact that he had been prepared to rampage through a mansion to take down his former master. Here, where his anger was subdued, Fenris thought twice about charging in without some sort of plan. "Surely you can understand that, Dellinger."

[muiryl]

eyes on the ears

[ancientmaiden-deactivated201504]

Fenris.

A mysterious, mystical name. To Xiaolongnü, it sounded like Feng-Ru-Si.

風如颸。Or, in literal terms, 'wind like the cool breeze of autumn.' Trust a Dragon King to have a noble-sounding alias, even in disguise. Though, Xiaolongnü realized she had made a mistake. This was no ruler of the sea.

He was an emperor of the skies. A dragon who danced amongst the clouds and blessed the lands with life-giving rain.

She nodded when he asked her to keep his secret. That kind of promise was one she’d take to the grave. But his next words troubled her. What sort of strange land was this, if it could even lock away the powers of divinity?

"I am but a lowly human, Feng Ru Si xiansheng,” she replied, adding a respectful 'sir' to his name. “This place has indeed sealed my abilities, but the form you see before you is my only one.”

Her brows furrowed slightly. If it took energy to maintain a human form and he was now trapped in it…

"Are you feeling unwell?"

[muiryl]

'But a lowly human,' she said. What a strange and backwards world. This must have been too good to be true. Much as he wanted to knit his brows, he refrained from expressing too much; Long'er would not take it well and imagine he'd placed yet another curse upon her.

The question earned yet another a raised brow. Why would she inquire after his health? Would an honest answer hinder their odd relationship? Decisions, decisions.

In truth, he was suffering from constant pain: The lyrium branded into his flesh burned and any contact worsened the ache. It annoyed him to no end that he could no use his powers yet still dealt with the agony. Just his damnable luck.

"It's funny you should mention that. My body aches, but it has felt this way for a long time, long before I arrived here. I've learned to cope, though, so your concern is unnecessary."

Whoever this girl was, she was too good for the world he came from.

"Hmm. If I'm to live like a human, I'll need work..." Fenris considered becoming a sellsword once more; the income wasn't steady, but it paid well if and when he could find a willing party.

[muiryl]

pointed lies ;; ɪɴᴛʀᴏ

[catch-34-blog]

they’re not so different, she thinks. fenris just angrier about it. hawke’s watched too many people impale themselves on their emotions. she won’t be one of them. 

(how many tears have you held in?)

"yaoguai" she says rather matter of factly. “from what i’ve heard, it’s got some great real estate”

[muiryl]

"It's a desert," he states, matter-of-factly. How will she handle a place like that? It's not as if the Free Marches are any warmer than the Imperium. "There's little worth in-- ah. A joke." He gets a little huffy, as he is wont to do, and starts for the gathering of mercenaries over by the merchant stalls. 

"Go on. Ask."

[pigtailpirate]

testing the waters | Fenris

[pigtailpirate]

Well, she hadn’t expected the warmest of greetings. But this stranger’s scowl does make her hesitate, if only for a moment. At least he didn’t try to swing on contact, right? Right.

"You’ve got one of those arm sashes so… didn’t they tell you to find the sacred mirrors back in that office?" Or had she been special and just ruined it by letting someone else in on the secret. Oh well. What was a good treasure hunt without a little competition.

[muiryl]

Oh, those. He let out a contemplative 'hmm'. "They did mention those." Clearing his throat, he looked towards the giant buildings where guards were posted and gestured towards them. "I suspect..." there was reluctance in his voice. "I suspect they'll be in one of those."

[muiryl]

eyes on the ears

[ancientmaiden-deactivated201504]

Oh. Oh.

Thank goodness, her ears were back!

Xiaolongnü had been getting worried because the silence had stretched for what seemed like eternity. She really must have done something terrible!

She quickly bowed again before retracting her hands, staring at the palms. Of course, her human eyes couldn’t see anything, but…

Without hesitation, she cupped her ears with her hands again, patting them down thoroughly. Yes. This would cancel whatever enchantment she’d gotten from the—the Dragon King, she decided. He had to be a king if he could do something so powerful as that with a few simple words.

She almost missed his next words and snapped to attention as he spoke them, making sure to absorb every syllable.

"Ah," was her first answer, before she covered that up with a formal expression. Yes, formal was good. She could do formal like the back of her hand.

"Ah—ahem.”

 ”O Sacred Sovereign,” Xiaolongnü spoke, and this time her words were clear and bright. “This one has no name, but—”

She paused, briefly.

"—but I was given one by my Master, the previous Head of the Ancient Tomb Sect and my teacher in martial arts."

She made a reverent movement with her hands.

"She called me Xiaolongnü, the Little Dragon Maiden. But—" Briefly, she dared a glance upwards.

"—there are some who call me Long’er. If it is your wish, O Sovereign, you may call me that, too."

[muiryl]

He really shouldn't have been enjoying this as much as he was. Feeling somewhat guilty for allowing this charade to continue as long as it had, he tucked his hand beneath his chin and murmured, "Long'er, is it? For the sake of maintaining my... anonymity, I ask that you call me Fenris. That's easier for you, isn't it?" He was no sovereign, no man of any power; a former slave being likened to a god was the last thing he had ever dreamed of.

He felt kindness towards her, if only because she allowed him a moment to experience something he had never known before. Taking pity on a young human, hah, this place was changing him rapidly. First the sealing of his powers, now this?

"I've been here scarcely a day and keeping up this, err, form of mine is taxing. I imagine you're feeling the same." If she asked after his ignorance, well, he could always play it off as her human legends getting some parts wrong.