#athlai

[halcyonmirage]

More doodles...Now featuring Athlai, based off an RP with Daryus from @undertalebeforethefall Daryus hit them with the iconic quote. They got emotional. Fuck, I did too. From Undertale to Dislyte, across different fandoms- the two Determination mages are reunited... And Daryus finds that child he met so long ago...now a broken mess of an adult. But Despite Everything...It's Still You. Right...? .... Athlai? ------

...Check reblogs for a screen shot of the RP. :) At @arcane-archives

[sun-citadel]

Attempting sprite art, this is an outdated version

[vault76]

hi there, this is my contribution to @officialtolkiensecretsanta for @athlai !!

i took some liberties with this and this was my first time writing this character so i hope you enjoy it! happy endings are my favorite so i hope this hit the mark for you. happy holidays!!

--

There was something therapeutic and calming about spending evenings outside despite the wind and chill. Being in nature and solitude allowed for thought and introspection; being alone allowed for memories to come and go without the need to mask them from his face, Maedhros found.

Himring had fauna and flora despite being so bitterly cold, and there was something hypnotic about watching the holly bushes sway and the tree branches bend to withstand the weight of new snow. It was like his own resolve – it changed to hold what it needed to. A mind had to be flexible after going through hardships, after all, or else things would simply snap and that wouldn’t do.

This particular day was a bit more mild than usual in the ever-cold. The sun hadn’t melted snow, but it had warmed up to a comfortable enough temperature that the layers generally worn by Maedhros and company weren’t necessary. He was in the middle of removing his glove with his teeth to flex his fingers when a small, pitiful noise caught his ear.

Following it – and it was easy to follow given the silence that usually surrounded his chosen walking path – Maedhros came to a large bush that was covered on the top with half-melted snow. The sound seemed to be coming from inside the branches.

He parted the branches carefully and slowly, wishing not to scare the creature within, and soon found the smallest kitten that he had ever laid eyes on. It certainly had to be the runt of its litter (the rest of which was nowhere to be found). Her eyes were big and golden, and she had soft patches of orange and cream decorating her black fur. A bright white chin and a single white foot distracted momentarily from the fact that one of her feet was gone at the first joint, leaving her paw-less on one leg in the front.

Without hesitation, the kitten climbed into Maedhros’ hand and made a sound of pleasure before curling up and falling asleep. He took pause for a moment, looking at the small creature who was curled up in a ball and asleep already, and then began his trek back home, not minding that his solitary walk was cut short.

-

Vailë, as the kitten soon was dubbed, quickly became a staple. She had taken to sitting on Maedhros’ shoulder like a bird and making mischief wherever she went.

Today he was consulting maps with others in order to plan patrol regimen and create more secure defenses. No one noticed that baby Vailë had wandered from her normal perch on his shoulder until they hard turned around to consult another map and saw her batting around figures on the map that had been designated as the enemy.

“Ah, we simply need a giant cat to stand watch,” Maedhros noted, and his consultants and generals were reduced to peals of laughter.

-

Sleeping was difficult after… everything. Usually sleep was against his will, brought on by exhaustion, and either dreamless entirely or full of nightmares, some of them fueled by memories and others by his brain allowing him no rest.

The first time that he had a nightmare with Vailë by his side, he was awoken by the smallest sandpaper tongue on his cheek and a distressed meowing and pawing at his face. She was standing there with her large eyes even wider than usual. He petted her carefully and she curled back into a ball, tucked between his neck and shoulder, and purred. He might not have had another dream that night, but at least it was not a nightmare.

This became standard – every time that he had a nightmare or unrestful sleep, he would be awoken or eased by her presence, either a small ball of fluff purring on his chest or her little tongue scratching him and her meows telling him to wake up.

Vailë had a tendency to demand routine of him as well. She accompanied him on all of his walks, never seeming to take notice of the spot that she was found in. In the event that she left his shoulder to investigate something, Maedhros would pause his walk and soon she would come back, usually with an animal squirming in her mouth, never biting down hard enough to injure or kill. He would thank her with scratches under the chin and then let her prey go, and continue on with his small companion.

In order to keep her disinterested in the local wildlife, Maedhros took to crafting toys for her. Her first and most beloved toy was a small bit of fur from an old scarf with fishing line tied carefully around it. As she had to learn to jump high to reach his shoulder, she honed her skills by leaping after and chasing his homemade toys, paws out and tail always at attention. When his brothers came to visit, usually for less social reasons and more for tactical and political reasons, they too brought gifts. Vailë lived like a queen, a beautiful collar made of a sturdy ribbon with a small golden charm that shown the star of Fëanor made her instantly recognizable to all who did not know her by her missing foot or her favorite perch on Maedros’ shoulder.

-

Some things are a gift from the Vala, you see. Vailë never grew old and never passed away as all cats must, and accompanied Maedhros safely always. When Maedhros cast himself into the fiery chasm, upon arrival in Mandos, he was awoken there by a small meow and a sandpaper tongue.

[arcane-archives]

*The younger mage flinches and quickly turns their head to look at the stranger. The darkness of the woods obscures the unknown figure's face, leaving Athlai frozen in place, not knowing how to react. However, it was clear that this new person was human. And so, the determination mage stays in place, welcoming the warm cloak.*

Athlai: Wh-Who are you...?

How...How do you know about- .....

*They shut their mouth. Best not to say anything about the resets, in case this stranger had mistaken their predicament for something else. Athlai shivers in silence, their mind buzzing with thoughts on what to say next.*

*They stare at the forest floor. Not knowing how to confront the stranger looming over them, they decide to follow their instructions.*

Athlai: It...It smells like wet leaves...?

Th-There's twigs and...Pinecones...

F-Five pinecones...

*They hesitate, baffled by why this human would want them to do such a thing. Fortunately, the confusion helps distract them from their horrid experience.*

Athlai: D-Do you...Want me to count the leaves too...? There's....A lot....but....

*Too many to count, they think. But they're too afraid to object.*

[undertalebeforethefall]

OKIE SO me and @waddledeeart wanted to do an art collab with Smol Athlai and Uncle Dary because they're a good pair! Having Jellybean visit the old coot really got him to lighten up for a while! XD

Also I gotta say I am extremely relieved wadds did the background because HOLY SHIT THAT'S SOME GOOD STUFF!

AlsoIcan'tgetoverhowgoofyourtwoartstyleslooksidebysidehahahahaasdfghjkjhgfdsjk^-^"

[sun-citadel]

Asset for uni

[sun-citadel]

Game Dev can be fun sometimes

[sun-citadel]

Dramatic cover for my midterm game