In a room overlooking Lake DeGray with a bunch of people who teach real estate school classes -- people I will hire to teach professional development classes to our association members. I'm learning the most by listening to the questions everyone else is asking. I don't like being the new person who doesn't know anything, but I feel like I'm going to be stuck in this role forever.
The cool morning breeze, scented with smells of the ocean and flowers surrounded Myrolan as he waved a simple goodbye to the half-orc that wandered back down the steps. While he was busy still setting up shop, he decided to give time to this new friend of his.
Myro thought that Dylaine was, at times, a bit too passive. Very self conscious of things and easy to rile up, in certain cases. He could easily tell the other man was an easy ‘mark’ if one was so inclined. Too naive of the world and almost stubborn to change that world view. Still, Myro looked at him for his uses, and was amused for the time at the idea of helping the poor man. Something to idly work on when not distracted with other things.
Other things, of course, such as the clear sign he heard halfway through the walk. While it hadn’t been so unfamiliar, it was almost alarming in what that light chiming noise meant. Like a whisper in the wind, but easily identified for him. Something that required immediate attention and privacy.
None of this made Myro especially pleased.
Luckily, Myro had long since set up the barriers necessary to deny ears and eyes access to his new home. When he walked back up the steps, he already tugged at the spell and let it drape along his home. When the door shut, the walls grew darker, slightly, and while he could still see out, any that tried to look in would see only a consuming darkness. Even the area of his home itself would create a strange ‘void’, for those that could sense it. It was an uneasy thing to look at.
Yet, Myro had no issue with it. Instead, he focused in and reached out for that hidden connection. It wasn’t easy, considering his location and experience with the spell, but soon enough there was a ripping sound, and around him there were cracks in the air. Dark blue and pulsing, but perceivable. He reached out, touching one of the cracks and the darkness spread quickly.
The man’s small comfortable house gave way to a strange dream-like place that was much longer than what it should be. Behind him, his home still resided as it should, yet before him was the slim path that developed into thick greenery. A wooden gateway was not far away, leading in further to a clearing. All around, it was like fireflies were floating about, lighting his way.
It was a place he had been before plenty, and as he walked through the gate, he felt that familiar tug, as though he walked through a webbing. The simple barrier to this existence broke briefly as he entered into the small circular clearing with more gates on its’ edges, all leading to dark forest.
This time, the source of that chiming noise was clear. Beautiful chimes of all kinds were in the trees above, scattered amongst their outstretched limbs. The chimes caught some unseen light and seemed to shimmer as a light wind caused them to sing their sweet tones. They were calling chimes, reaching out to those whom you would want to attend, so long as they were attuned to these sorts of places, as was common for his people.
In the clearing, there was a stone table, a very complex and enchanting pattern engraved into its aged surface. No chairs were around it, but there were three others that stood around talking quietly:
Two women and one man. Nirndil, Eldanil, and Tusil.
Tusil, the large man who seemed more like a idiotic brute in Myro’s eyes, seemed to notice the new face first. His expression seemed to grow more amused, and he quickly announced Myro’s arrival.
“Looks like I'm winning the bet. I told you he found a place finally.”
It seemed his comment was directed to both of the women next to Tusil, and in turn all of their eyes settled on Myro as he settled on the opposite side of the table.
Eldanil was the first to respond. “I never made a bet with you. It’s not like he had a choice this time. It wasn’t us that made the call, after all.”
She was a well dressed woman, but looked more like she had just woken up. Myro always saw her as vain, but she certainly had a more kind demeanor than others. That, and she was the most honest and forward of the three before him. He appreciated that fact of her.
“Do you know what this is about?” Myro raised the question, clearly wanting to get to the point rather than linger and be teased further about his lack of response when called other times.
Rather than a response, it seemed the last of the three had approached Myro on the side. Nirndil, whom he was all too familiar with, settled down on the stone table and brushed back some of her long silver hair. She, much like Tusil, had an amused expression, yet her eyes were cold and almost emotionless.
Her voice was so very sweet as she spoke, “Of course we do.” She reached out, brushing along Myro’s cheek with her knuckles. She knew he wouldn’t flinch back, too stubborn, and she enjoyed being a nuisance like this. “I suppose you might be a bit out of the loop, considering you decided to run away, but the issue still does remain.”
There was a moment she tilted her head, about to continue, but it seemed Tusil wanted to blurt out his own answer. “Arec’s real mad about it since they found out. Said that they wanted to see us all immediately for our involvement! That’s gonna suck for you, isn’t it.”
Nirndil seemed unbothered, still gently messing with Myro with small touches. Far too close. Not to mention, at the mention of Arec’s name, the man himself seemed too distracted to even care.
“How did they find out?” His eyes accusingly went STRAIGHT to Tusil. The main person that had the loosest lips simply raised his worn hands.
Innocently, Tusil offered, “It had nothing to do with me. This is entirely Arec’s work.”
Eldanil snorted, “Don’t go blaming us because you didn’t cover your ass well. It’s bad enough that we got called in as well for this.” She seemed a bit annoyed, almost as much as Myro was at the comment.
Almost as if summoned with the words themselves, there was a shift in this illusion, and then through one of the darkened gateways, in came Arec.
The elder walked with light steps, their long dark brown hair more ruffled looking and their eyes having heavy bags under them. Despite this, they seemed to have an almost ethereal sort of look, the way they moved in such a fluid motion, only coming to a stop once they were at the table itself.
The others straightened up a bit, focused on the figure of importance here. Even Nirndil would casually slip off of the table and stop her pestering of Myro. She instead straightened up to give Arec the respect deserved.
The elder’s blue eyes looked between each of them, then narrowed in on Myro himself.
The young elf immediately found himself wanting to look away. He didn’t like having to report to the elders like he was some child still. It was frustrating and a waste of his time.
Arec’s voice was crisp and cool. Despite the almost tired look to their features, their tone hardly seemed to sound it. “I don’t think I very much need to explain my reason for calling you four here. While I would, of course, prefer for this to be in person,” A glance was stolen towards Myro and Nirndil at that, clearly intending to show that they were the reason they had to host this here, “But we can hardly do anything about that now.”
There was a pause, no words of argument or explanation tossed out from any of the younger elves. Each knowing that it was useless to say any such things at the time.
“You children have been foolish, and I have been going through nothing but headaches since the disappearance. Do you even know how much time I had to take just to convince the others not to gather all four of you forcefully? Especially when at least two of you ran off. What am I supposed to do with that?” Arec continued on calmly, despite the content of their words.
Brushing back some of their dark hair, the elder continued on, “The purpose of today is for you to be aware that you are summoned. You’re to report back to the Aetil by the full moon, -with- the items that you so casually took off with.”
“You two.” They pointed at Myro and Nirn now, “You both must specifically speak to Teil about the spells you ‘recreated’. Honestly, it’s probably a waste, but a necessary…discussion.”
Myro’s jaw tensed and he stared coldly forward. The news seemed to make the woman next to him equally as uncomfortable.
“Now then, the council has decided to bind you all to be assured of your appearance. The regular, as I'm sure at least Tusil is plenty familiar with.” Arec smiled coldly to the younger man, then looked along them all. “I can start now or I can answer any questions that you have.” Arec waited, patient for the younger elves.
Tusil was first to speak up, of course. “I don’t mean to really question you on this, but it really does feel like this is for punishment.”
Arec simply replied, “It is for punishment.”
That quieted the other man, who now glanced at his companions around the table. Each looked uncomfortable, except for Eldanil, who was the next to raise up her voice.
“Do you know what our punishment is going to be or if we can argue against it?” She clearly had more to say, but refrained for now.
Arec shook their head, “That is not my place to say, and you know it. I’m merely the messenger and guide.”
Again, the elder looked around, waiting to see if more words would be said. Even so, all of the others knew it was useless. They could ask Arec here and get non-answers, or just answer to those that were holding them responsible and stay silent here.
Eldanil would be the first, holding out her arm knowingly, “Then let’s get the binding started. I won’t question anything else.”
Myro glanced to Tusil, then over to Nirndil. The woman next to him would just give a slight shrug and a grin. Her own arm was stuck out, flexing her fingers slowly and preparing for the eventual.
It was frustrating, in his mind. Getting bound and being forced back home. He had things here, business now. Why was it they had to bring up old problems… Always with the nagging and looming over them as if they couldn’t manage their own. He’d grow tired of it extremely quickly.
By the time he focused away from his more annoyed thoughts, he realized he was the one they were waiting on. At some point, Tusil’s own arm was cast in. Of course, Myro was expected all the same, without argument. It was their law, after all, and no point in breaking it.
He felt a question on his lips, wanting to ask anything to clarify what was to happen to them, but it died quickly. He knew that Arec would merely repeat the same statement as earlier. He knew nothing of what was to come, just as they were. He was truly just the messenger in this case.
Slowly, the last young elf would roll up his sleeve and then hold out his arm just the same as the others. Bracing himself for what was soon to come.
Once Myro’s arm was in place, Arec didn’t waste time. Abruptly, Arec’s slim and tired features would light up to one side as the light tattoo would become more obvious with the arcanic glow. As if resonating with whatever Arec did, all four of the younger elves found their arms heavy and searing. It was a slow spell, and while not unbearable, it was not a comfortable experience.
Along their skin, starting from their knuckles, the shape of the spell began to engrave and bind. It was slim lines that wrapped around their own energy. Myro’s own would be more like vines curling upwards all the way till it reached his shoulder.
He hated it. It was a leash that they put on the troubled to make sure they would keep to their word. Saved for the dishonest and cowardly, really, which Myro saw himself as neither. It was so long ago, after all, so then why was it that they had to bother now. And especially on such short notice, treating him as if it were something so damning that they couldn’t let it go on any further.
Thankfully, the spell would be completed with no grand fanfare or such. Each of them now having their own ‘binding’ that would call them back forcefully.
The marking on Arec’s face faded, and they quickly spoke up again, “Well. That’s that. I don’t have to tell you what happens if you don’t show up, of course, but I will remind you all yet again- The next full moon, alright?”
Some of them nodded, and of course Nirndil spoke happily, “Clear and understood!”
Arec, of course, seemed to linger, nodding their head slowly. None of the others would move, respecting the Elders presence before turning their back to them. And, of course, Arec seemed to just want to be an ass and stay to force them longer into this oh-so-uncomfortable situation.
Myro waited, and waited… and then finally, watched as Arec said their blessing to the four before turning and floating back away from the table and to their own gateway. Once free of their presence, he immediately would turn himself, starting to move off.
Despite this, he still would wave his hand, calling back, “I have to take care of things. I’ll see you all soon, clearly.” He sounded annoyed, and because of that, he could hear Nirndil laughing and making some joke at his expense. As usual.
Once Myro made it to the gateway he came through again, there’d be that strange sensation of leaving through the space. The spell lingering on his senses like walking through a morning mist. But, of course, it didn’t last long.
He stepped foot back into his own home, dark and quiet as it were right as he left. He closed out the portal behind him, freeing him from the separate space entirely.
No… not entirely.
Myro looked back down to his arm, the dull blue markings now up his entire left arm. He had time, at the least, but it was frustrating to know that he had to leave already. He didn’t even know if they’d allow him to be out again, if they began to do their age-old ‘investigations’.
He shook his head a bit, then just tried to push it out of his mind. He muttered a low curse, finally releasing the spell that secured his home's privacy. His steps took him towards his bedroom, pulling the curtains into place to close the space off.
Despite the fact that it was still clearly morning, Myro felt very weary. He would go to rest on the bed, brushing his hair back as he looked upwards. Thoughts of the conversation blurred through his mind, and then the idea of having to talk to others about that incident. He hated the thought of having to go back home to deal with that.
Truly and honestly.
With a heavy sigh, the man let his eyes slip closed. Finally finding a rest that was quick to rush upon him.
In response to a comment on Furaffinity about one of my Inktober sketches - I actually do have a vampire tikedi! ;) He's an old, old character from the ancient days of high school when this still seemed edgy and cool. That above is a sort of glow up of his original version. Prepare yourself for my bad teenage artwork:
Whoof.
Amusingly enough, he's actually even still in Prophecy of the Circle in spirit. Just no longer a vampire, (of course), under a somewhat different name, and he's undergone one of the more drastic visual design shifts compared to most of my critters. Cookies if you can guess who Arec lent his charming personality and soul (if you can call it that?) to! I'm curious.
We have Dragons and Dryads sharing a common game mechanic, but did you know that BattleCON's Arec and Hikaru share one as well?
They are known as shoTOKEN characters, who have 4 distinct ante-able Tokens. Can you think of other Shotokens?
I am extremely grateful for every single person in this photo (and everyone who isn’t in this photo) for everything they have done to support me so far. I still haven’t been able to find the words to explain how thankful I am but I promise that I won’t let it go to waste #AREC (at Malainey's Grill and One Hell of an Irish Bar)
