DEAD ENDER.

isola affiliated.

[reapersluck]

EIZEN ( TALES OF SERIES )

pirate TM

is a malakhim ( or simply, malak ), a spiritual being that draws from the elements. he’s an earth malak.

are those eyebags or just well-done mascara ? maybe it’s maybell–

if you walk with the reaper, you’ll likely get inflicted with a bout of bad luck. its his curse

the effect really varies, but someone accidentally d*ed with endless hiccups because they bumped into him so …

because of this, he tends to stay away from others

edgy on the outside, but is actually a huge nerd on the inside. esp when it comes to history, art and antiques

you WILL know about how a previous civilization designed their buildings, even if it’s a little off the mark

has a little sister he adores very much. too bad he can’t send her letters anymore haha ... orz

he’s fated to become a dragon in the future from malevolence / corruption, but we don’t talk about that in this house :’)

[reapersluck]

mazhigigika​:

“You’re here for the special drinks. I’m here to kill some time.” Neither of these statements was entirely true, but Magilou would be damned if she gave up that easily. Yet Eizen just had to make it harder and harder for her to counter. A one-of-a-kind experience, was it? At least the light in their little corner was dim. Small blessings.

“The sun and the moon, huh? So it’s a matched set,” an annoying voice suddenly piped up. Of course. How could Magilou forget about Bienfu? The normin had appeared right next to her on the bench and taunted Eizen with a smug look.

“Right, I guess we’d best order one of each drink then,” Magilou threw in, with the cheerfulness of a casino winner. “Or maybe five of each. Oh, or how about ten?”

“M-Miss Magilou…” Bienfu diverted his attention to her. “Don’t you remember what happened the last time you drank too much?”

“Nope!” There was a moment of silence between them. ━ An understanding exchanged with looks alone. Eventually, Bienfu slipped off the bench.

“I’m not cleaning up your mess this time, bien!” Turning to Eizen, the normin added a quick “Good luck!” before running off, undoubtedly to hit on whatever girls he could find in this bar.

“Well, I suppose Bienfu does have a point. Eight drinks each should do the trick.”

The edges of his expression fall flatly into a vague shadow over his face, even in the low light. 

Eizen doesn’t respond immediately, not verbally, at least.  Instead, a sharp exhale cuts through the stretching silence as he fixes a rueful look upon Magilou.  He tries to hold her gaze, trying to piece together an answer from there, though it is futile.  Whatever exchange between normin and witch is none of his business, but the question still haunts him. 

What exactly happened last time? 

“So, you can’t hold your drinks ...”    He says, at last.  There is a hint of disappointment in his tone as his arms fold before him.  He expected this much and this sort of behavior to follow, too.  Still, Eizen sighs deeply and rubs at the space between his eyes.   “One.  You’re only getting one.  Don’t even think about arguing.”  

And one set of the paired chalices was requested and soon set before them, not without the server tossing them an inconspicuous wink, of course.  Eizen reaches for the glass encompassing a milky-blue liquid, the glass already frosting with condensation.  

The remaining is left for Magilou to take.

[reapersluck]

snowsacrifice​: 

The fairy creatures spring into action before Setsuna has the chance to utter a single word of protest. The cloud of magic quickly disperses, leaving some shimmering pixie dust glittering in the air. But the surroundings have radically changed, and there’s no point in trying to get back into the forest. She can only hope this ban won’t last forever.

Stuck on the outskirts of Cotes now, Setsuna’s attention inevitably drifts to the stranger who caused this mess. With no quarrelling and other distractions going on now, it’s much easier to focus on certain things that slipped her notice before. There’s something strange about this man, and it’s not the perma-scowl.

“Um…” There’s no easy way to bring this up. “You’re not…human, are you…?” It’s an observation more than anything. And he did refer to himself as Reaper before ━ maybe he does have more in common with Fides than just that name, after all. But there’s a more pressing question at hand.

“What did you━” No, that’s wrong. The man hadn’t done anything. Not actively, anyway. “Um, I mean, what happened? Those branches… I’ve never seen them break so suddenly like that before…”

What was believed to be impossible swiftly dissipates along with the fairy dust, making room for belief.  There isn’t even a need to test out the so-called ban. Eizen can feel the wall of magic humming at his back, invisible but evident in showing that the fae did not welcome them to the ward.

That’s right;  the girl had been dragged into this, too.  She paid the price for interfering with his business, either coupled with her own rotten luck or a product of his curse.  Of course, the malak has bets on the latter.

“I’m the Reaper,”    he repeats, vaguely answering her question.  A hand sweeps across the lapel of his coat, Eizen busying himself in setting his clothing right as he explains further,   “I bring ill fortune to all those around me.  What you saw back there was only a taste of the ‘Reaper’s Curse’.”

He finally spares her a single glance, gauging for a reaction, and instead notes the tiny rivulets of blood from her forehead.   His scowl deepens at the sight of it.  Without invitation or question, he then splays a hand before her, channeling a healing arte to close the wound.  It’s the least he could do.

“Staying here puts you at risk of further danger.  Consider yourself warned.”

[reapersluck]

snowsaintess​:

     ❆ “Hasn’t changed while you’re here? Does that mean you have a ship here as well?” She certainly couldn’t fathom a pirate without a ship, so the harsh truth would likely end up leaving her disappointed. Then again, was it so different from a saintess without her religion? Not that Pramanix was not at all eager to, nor planning on, returning to her old role.

     Her eyes track the coin as it’s flipped. Currency was largely digital here, so the leopard couldn’t help but note its presence as a little unusual. A keepsake from home?

     “Anyone can? You say that, but not everyone’s life is so simple.” His reassurance actually seemed to deflate Anya somewhat. Struck a little too close to home, to the shackles that bound her in the realm she hailed from. “Perhaps you could here even without them, but there are things that can steal away your freedom against your will. And before you realize everything is gone, it’s already too late.”

“That’s when you fight back for what rightfully belongs.”

So he says, but there is minimal progress in recovering his own belongings.  Eizen can understand her reasoning and verily agrees, considering his kind’s subjection.  Except, the malak is simply stubborn about it.  Or, perhaps time has worn out the edges of his soul into something more complacent of similar ways, and the thought of it becomes a harsh sting under his skin.  

The glass cup in his hand begins to crack from a ( carelessly ) crushing grip, prompting him to let go before it shatters.

“To be fair, things are never straightforward when dealing with concepts of ‘freedom’.  But, you’re speaking from experience ━━ ”   He eyes her with a new stroke of concern.  Frankly, it’s none of his business, and Pramanix is free to deny gracing him with an answer.  Eizen won’t pressure any further.  

But, for now?  He feels it necessary to try and confirm, his tone a tad more gentle,   “Am I wrong?”

[reapersluck]

mazhigigika​:

It could be worse ━ how? Eizen had led them so far to the back of the bar that a downright ocean of people separated them from the entrance ━ or the emergency exit, as Magilou would call it instead. She took a seat on the free bench opposite his and reached for the drinks menu right away. There had to be something in here that could provide some solace in these trying times.

Unfortunately, this menu was mysteriously missing several pages, and whatever of the list remained didn’t quite fit Magilou’s tastes. Wonderful.

“Well, for all we know, those rumours might as well be true,” she commented and set the menu down, ignoring Eizen’s final remark entirely. “Maybe this is just some unfortunate coincidence. Rotten luck, as some people might say. Others might even call it cursed.”

Sure, he might’ve chosen the battlefield. That didn’t mean Magilou had to give up the fight right away.

“Anyway, I’m no expert when it comes to drinks, and this sad bundle,” she motioned to the menu, “didn’t help. Got any recommendations?”

“Heh, that depends.  But we’re here for the special drinks, remember?”   Eizen plucks the sad-looking menu and sets it on the other side of the table.  Yes, his curse is to blame.  After all, his seat is practically begging for mercy beneath him.  But there’s no need to consult a pair of broken sheets when he’s sitting right before her; an unfortunate fault as he takes on a teaching tone.   

“There are two unique blends only found at the Chalice:  Milky Moonlight and Seething Solar.  Some say the process is so singular, it cannot be replicated elsewhere.  Or, that maybe it’s even blessed by the gods.”   Eizen raises his shoulders into a nonchalant shrug.  Either one is a mystery to his palate, but they better be worth their weight in Dust.  

A round of hurried footsteps approaching their shabby table also notes that they should make a decision soon.

“Point is, this is a one-of-a-kind experience and the choice is yours.  As for me, I think I’m interested in what liquid moonlight tastes like.”

[inlovesuggest]

big dork energy

[reapersluck]

━━ Any tavern fills in with a natural pull as the hours turn, but this has to be far from normal.  Eizen grunts, taking in the presence of a large crowd from the threshold of the Chalice with a soured expression.  There is no business in having this many people here, but he won’t turn away, either. 

Thankfully, his broad stature helps to carve through the bodies, leaving a path for Magilou to follow in his wake.  And, he does so rather hurriedly, too.  After all, there is an empty booth in the far end of the establishment, one he will claim before anyone decides to cross his path foolishly.

His luck, cursed as it may be, is all but finished.

“The rumors of this place being vacant at this hour are a pack of lies,”   Eizen huffs while slumping onto the bench, which creaks beneath his weight.  Any sudden movements and it might just give up the ghost; he’s doing his best to ignore it.   “But this spot is pretty decent.  We’re far enough from the crowd, and it’s all to ourselves ... could be worse.”  

@mazhigigika​​

[eiternal-deactivated20241227]

@reapersluck​

     ❆ “Are you being honest with me? You were a pirate?” The Saintess was rather keen on stories, largely because she had spent so much of her recent life cooped up. Even then, Terra was a world that knew no peace these days and hadn’t for such a long time. “Such things only exist in the storybooks I read as a child where I come from.”

     Pramanix wasn’t casting doubt on Eizen’s story so much as she was in disbelief that such a thing could be real, at least in a manner so traditional. But she had asked him for a story at the bar, even if she was just drinking juice for now. “That sounds awfully fantastical. How does it feel to do whatever you’d like, whenever you like?”

[reapersluck]

“Aye, am a pirate.  That hasn’t changed while I’m here,”   Eizen corrects.  Though he owns no ship and no crew to travel the seas, his heart remains longing for them.  He almost wishes they were back on the Van Eltia, where treasures and stories were plenty, and rich bottles of rum made them all the more sweeter.

Eizen huffs a frustrated noise and closes his eyes.  The gold coin burns in his pocket like a reminder.  So, he fishes it out and flicks it into the air, catching it into his palm as it tumbles back down.

“It feels ... like I’m alive.  I hold the wheel of my life in my hands, and mine alone.  Heh, I know, pretty ironic while we’re trapped in this forsaken island.”   He sets down the coin and drains his drink, settling with a sigh.   “But it’s not too bad.  What I’m getting at is that anyone can live freely━  that means you, too, Pramanix.”

[reapersluck]

snowsacrifice​:

Sidelined and ignored, Setsuna braces herself for witnessing the inevitable altercation, but her attention quickly shifts elsewhere. The cracking overhead is too loud to go unnoticed at this point, but neither the cheeky vendor nor the disgruntled customer pays it any mind.

“Watch out!”

Setsuna reaches the pixie just in time to push them out of the way as the branch hails down onto the stall. The small creature, though unharmed, seems far from happy. From among the rubble, it points a tiny finger at the (not as great as Fides)-reaper.

“You did this!”

“I’m sure he didn't━” Setsuna tries to intervene, but a second, even larger branch comes racing down, laying what little remains of the stall to waste.

“Guards!!!” the merchant howls. “We’re under attack! Remove this intruder!!!”

“No, wait! I’m sure there’s an explanation,” Setsuna attempts, pushing some rubble aside to get back on her feet. She gives the man a pleading look, hoping he’d have solid proof that this wasn’t his doing. But the pixie pulls on her cape to get her attention.

“Stop defending that bozo, lassie. You’re bleeding, y'know.”

“Huh…?” Now that they mentioned it, Setsuna reaches for her forehead, only noticing a slight sting now. “That’s fine I can heal━” The merchant wouldn’t hear it. They were too busy flinging more accusations.

“Don’t be ridiculous!”

It’s less of an attack and more so a chance of terrible luck, but who is to say the fae folk would accept a curse as an explanation?  Several ( larger ) pixies fly in from the thick of the trees and latch onto Eizen’s arms, attempting to drag him away.  

“I should have ye banned from this sector━ no, the ward!  That’ll teach ya to mess with us!”  The merchant continues their onslaught of threats and accusations, wagging their tiny hands around for emphasis.  

“That’s not something you can up and decide.”   He shoulders the grasping pixies off, resisting the urge to punch them into oblivion as they persist.  But doing any more damage is sure to bring upon a harsher judgment, and not only to himself.  He turns his attention to the redheaded girl, which the merchant swiftly follows like a hawk.

“Oh?  Don’t worry the lassie is included, too, for the price of interferin’.”

“Wait!  Don’t━ ”

But no protest would stop the cloud of magic that spreads from the pair of fairy hands raised high; a joined spell that whisks both malak and girl out of the shop, beyond the forest of Cotes and thrown onto the very cusp of the Golden ward with a temporary ban. 

[reapersluck]

mazhigigika​:

“My, my. First, you want to find a better use for the diamonds, now a better use of our time? Aren’t you just bubbling over with great ideas today.”

It wasn’t a question. It was instant-deflection — a skill well-honed after years of practice. Because in those few seconds gained, Magilou could come up with more nonsense, which was essential to block out the likely true nature of Eizen’s proposition.

“So, what did you have in mind then? Pickpocketing people at the Mermaid Cove Mall? A relaxing walk down Crimson Lane to join the frog races? Perhaps a trip to the Church of Onoma, to finally turn our lives around and become faithful and upstanding citizens? Or maybe sunbathing in the swamps in Cotes?”

Not only was she almost exclusively listing nonsense, but Magilou was doing it with her weird little wiggle, too. The message here was simple: ’Yeah, I’m not taking this seriously at all. Zero per cent, basically.’ Because if she were to take this seriously, well. She’d be the one in trouble.

“Since the stars or whoever seem so intent on ruining my masterly crafted plans, I don’t really have anything else to do right now, anyway.”

There is a faint hint of judgment reflected in his gaze as if to say, Are you done?  But, of course, she isn’t.  Magilou is ever whimsical, making bounds around anything that might seem too serious.  If he takes the bait, Eizen will spend most of his time countering against this nonsense.  

So he scoffs instead, purposely ignoring her list of ridiculous past times to get to the point.

“I’m thinking of a trip down to Dionysus’ Chalice,”   he says slowly, the traces of a smile creeping up on the corners of his mouth.  It should be able fairly easy to see through this line of thinking.  But that didn’t matter.

“I hear they’ve got a special blend found nowhere else in the city, and I can’t resist a good treasure.  Fancy joining me for a drink?”

[reapersluck]

stormswake​:

Familiar with seraphim? That’s… hm. His brow creases in concern, but he quickly forces himself back into neutrality. He couldn’t have met one of the other seraphim, could he? It could just be that seraphim means something different on his world. Still something he’ll have to look into.

He scoffs and rolls his eyes slightly at the jab. Okay, okay. He gets it. He’ll bundle up next time. The offered bottle settles him quickly, though.

“Yuan. And you are?”

“Eizen.”

His eyes narrow into pleased squints above a smile.  Eizen then sets the bottle down upon the glassy table, giving it a nudge with his fingertips to slide it down Yuan’s way.  It comes to a stop just before the other, hopefully as inviting as the following proposal. 

“Well, with the bottle in your hands and under these circumstance, how about a little drinking contest ?  You see, I don’t get to do this very often, seraph to seraph.”   He waves a hand around vaguely.  “I could use a change of pace.”

[rontieremodeled-deactivated2023]

*me flirting*

so… have you… learned anything interesting lately?

[reapersluck]

worldscutest-earthseraph​:​​

There he goes, straight into nerd mode.

Edna climbs onto the boat after Eizen. She can’t help but smile, looking up at how brightly her brother’s eyes light up as he speaks. As the boat bobs beneath her feet, she makes a note to sit down as soon as they’re off.

But for now, she stays standing, ready to watch her excitable brother get the ship ready. Edna is surprised he waited so long before inviting her out sailing, quite frankly. And even more surprised that he hadn’t gone himself by now. Perhaps there’s a shred of common sense in that skull of his after all.

She peers over the railing, studying that vast sea Eizen loves so much. Even when trying to exert caution, his patience can only run so thin. Like a child gone too long without his toys. So there they are, about to go out on the cold, late February seas.

It’s ridiculously off-season. But if it makes her brother happy, she supposes she doesn’t mind indulging him a bit.

“We’ll see about that,” Edna says. “Lead the way, Eizen. …And let’s just hope the ocean’s welcoming of us, too.”

“Heh, a good sailor doesn’t flinch at unwelcoming waters.  Just leave it to your good ol’ brother to show you how.”  His tone is rich with passion, just on the verge of talking academics if she dares to goad him.  And although there is a subtle caution behind the enthusiasm, knowing that it could take a mere second of bad luck to curdle this moment, Eizen entertains hope.

After a thorough inspection of all parts, he finally reigns in the anchor and rows the boat away from its mooring.  

The sail unfurls with a whipping sound, picking up the wind and giving momentum to the sailboat.  It surges forward in a gentle glide over the blue waters.  But the gust isn’t enough to get a reasonable distance away from the pier━━ just in time for a small lesson.

“Small sailboats require some manpower to get started. So, I’m going to need your help on this, Edna━━ you’ll be steering the boat for me.”   He points to a spot behind her, where the tiller’s arm lies within her reach.   “Just grab the tiller and pull to starboard.  I mean, your right.  That should put the wind on our backs.”

[reapersluck]

mazhigigika​:

The temptation to inquire about that ‘other use’ didn’t even survive the rest of Eizen’s declarations. Magilou made a mental note, posted under at least three others with the same content, never to let him join her comedy act ever again.

But even the notes lost all their appeal when the diamond shard in her hands started to… thaw.

It was happening all around them. The piles Bienfu and her had collected earlier, the layered sheets of diamonds that made up the ground, the crystalline clumps that had gathered on the winter-worn tree-remains; they all were melting. The diamonds dripped away with such speed, not even regular ice shards held over a flame could compare.

There was a moment of silence as Magilou rubbed her hands together to wipe off the leftover diamond juice, though there was no need for it. Once reduced to a liquid state, the formerly-known-as-diamond puddles flickered out of existence fast enough to make the whole ordeal seem like little more than an elaborate daydream.

“Did you just upgrade your curse just to make that 'joke’ work?”

In the span of a blink, the diamonds are all gone.  Eizen draws his hand back, reflexively wiping it against his coat despite no trace of the crystal water.  Perhaps with one phenomenon, another must bid it farewell;  this strange climate did come as quickly as it has gone.  Though there are some doubts about Magilou’s implication. 

“No,”   he says; however, his tone suggests a question more so than a statement.  He might have believed the fault if it were just one shard.  But the entire city’s supply of diamond snow melting away is too uncanny for the curse’s doing━━ right ?  

Eizen averts his eyes, staring at the space on the ground beside them empty of shards, before accepting the loss with a huff.  He wished to have preserved a few items in crystal, but there’s no use sulking over it now. 

“Well ... I think our team bonding activity is officially canceled,”   he starts, crossing his arms over his chest in a grand gesture.  The term is still unfitting, and Eizen clears his throat in a dismissive sound.   “Better now than halfway into the work.  What say you we find a better use of our time ?”

[reapersluck]

snowsacrifice​:

He wants to use force? That’s the exact opposite of de-escalation! Besides, the pixie’s threats aren’t merely empty words. They’re known to make sure that people who cause trouble in their playground will get banned from entering the entire ward. Certainly, that wouldn’t be in anyone’s best interest?

“Violence is not a solution,” Setsuna says with emphasis, as she positions herself right between the feuding parties. “Please be reasonable,” she addresses this other ‘reaper’, who seems to think his scowl is enough to intimidate anyone. It’s not.

“And you, too.” She turns to the pixie merchant now, who’s busying themselves with glaring daggers at the man. “Surely, you don’t want to lose a good customer, right…? Can’t you at least partly reimburse the cost? ━ Or offer something else to make up for what’s lost,” she adds, as the fairy is already twitching to point at the 'no refunds’-signs again.

“Well,” the merchant folds their tiny arms in front of their chest now, “that depends on that bozo’s attitude. We don’t give refunds, but maybe we can make another deal.”

Somewhere overhead, some branches are creaking suspiciously loudly in the wind, but neither Setsuna nor the pixie pays it any mind for now.

"Stay out of this,”   he dismisses the girl, this time, not sparing a single glance in her direction.  The malak is being reasonable━━  this is the best course of action towards a scheming, lying thief.  His glare remains locked with the merchant’s, a crackle of energy between them from the intensity.

“Oh ?  Real full of yourself thinking I can trust another deal from you.”  Eizen grunts in misplaced amusement.  Much alike the element of earth, his decision remains unrelenting.  He takes a slow step forward, flexing a wrist.   “Maybe I should teach you a lesson in customer service.  Free of charge.”

A loud snap resounds from above as a limb finally tears away from its tree, seemingly from the wind alone.  His eyes draw upward in attention to the noise, but the descend is too quick and unnatural for a proper reaction.  

Eizen only manages to turn and shield his head with the length of his arm as the branch crashes into the side of the pixie’s stall, kicking up dust and splinters of wood into the air.

[misty-reeyus]

[reapersluck]

Though the winter chill remains persistent, nipping away on exposed skin when a breeze blows, it has settled enough to thaw out the marina partially.  The boat rentals have resumed their services promptly after the diamond disasters, and Eizen swooped down on the chance like a hawk.

“There are some ice floes further out, but we’ll be fine,”   he assures, hoping to smooth out any doubts Edna may have.  Sure, the weather isn’t best suited for an outing in the middle of the ocean.  The summer months would have been a better option, but there’s no time like the present.  

He steps aboard the black sailboat, which bobs gently over the water beneath his weight.  Getting his sealegs again after being landlocked for so long will take some time, but Eizen relishes the moment━━ one he wants to share with his sibling if it meant spending more time together.

“This here is an opportunity like no other!  I’ve waited a long time to sail these waters━━ trust me, you’ll understand once you come on board.”

@worldscutest-earthseraph​​