#bladeleaf

[duskwatch-brothers]

[duskwatch-brothers]

[duskwatch-brothers]

The Bladeleaf Saga

Allidar: I've killed Bladeleaf.

Everyone: Why--

Allidar: And now he's back to life and I've let him go.

Everyone: Oh, okay, well if you say so.

Allidar: WHY IS HE BACK

Everyone: Maybe he's mad

Allidar: KILLING AGAIN

Everyone: Okay--

Allidar: Psych, letting him go. GTFO.

Everyone: So... Are you trying to be honorable or--

Allidar: Wait why am I captured

Everyone: Okay let's rescue him I guess.

Allidar: Splendid, the saberon have torn him to shreds.

Everyone: Now that that's done--

Allidar: Now he has mechanical legs and a robot arm.

Everyone: ...Okay -what-

Allidar: Killed him again.

Everyone: For good now?

Allidar: Nah, Lin said to revive him, so he's back.

Everyone: This is a bad idea.

Allidar: It's okay, he's under my mental control.

Everyone: He just fu

Allidar: HE JUST FUCKED MY WIFE WHAT THE HELL

[duskwatch-brothers]

Oops! (Bladeleaf!)

(4!)

Bladeleaf glanced over from his spot in the guard showers, but didn’t seem to care. He was busy washing his hair with one hand, avoiding his metal arm and the tangling it would bring. Thanks to his return to civilization, his blond hair was getting the care it needed and once again had a brilliant, platinum sheen. Droplets of water glittered across the metal making up his legs and arm; the water on his skin managed to obscure a few of his scars. 

[duskwatch-brothers]

Oh, don't be such a baby. You cauterized your own severed limbs, you hypocrite.

Niccolai

[duskwatch-brothers]

(Late to the Ask parties, here) Shot of whiskey, for whomever you feel would have the best time with this.

Cirrus staggered and grabbed the door frame as he followed after Lin. “Hey! HEY! I said I wanna talk, you bastard!” He took another drink from his bottle of whiskey and attempted to take another step. He then fell over, a clatter of metal and with a thud of his head. “Wanna… Talk!”

Linthael looked back at him and shook her head. “Honestly, I don’t even look like Allidar! How much have you had?” She hurried back over to him as he wallowed on the floor. “Give it. Give i–Cirrus Bladeleaf, give me that!” She finally wrenched the bottle away from him, a splash exiting the bottle and falling onto the floor. 

[linthael]

In her waking hours, Linthael vowed she would never return.  Conscious, she recognized the alluring danger of that place: silvery moonlight shining upon rose petals, evening air spiced with their delicate scent.  Ancient stone archways spread above her, and worn gray flagstones were smooth and cool beneath her feet.  A fountain burbled in the center of it all, water rippling outward, deceptively deep.

It was all a deception.  The roses sought blood; their scent was a lure to bring her deeper.  Within that place, she began to lose who she was, transformed into someone that sickened her when awake.  “A place for contemplation and regret,” he'd told her, but she didn't need to add any more regrets to her list, and nothing he had to offer was worth contemplating.

No, she would not go back.

The moment she closed her eyes, she was standing before the black iron gate.  The moon was half-full above her: a waxing gibbous, promising things to come.  Lin's hesitation was so brief, even she barely noticed it.  In the next moment, the scent of roses drifted past her nose and she desired only one thing, one person.

“Cirrus,” she said longingly, and the breeze carried her words into the labyrinth of iron and roses.

He was waiting for her by the reflecting pool, as he always was.  She went to him eagerly, wasting no time with words before her lips were on his skin, her fingers winding through silvery blond strands of his hair.  They sank into the water, down, down, down until her feet touched the bottom.  She shouldn't have been able to breathe; she could.  She shouldn't have been able to see the moon from so far down; she could, hanging heavy and distorted beyond the water's surface.

They made love in that impossible place, and when they were through, they floated back to the surface and lay together, floating as easily upon the water as if it were only inches deep.  

“Linthael, my love,” Cirrus murmured, fingers trailing down her side.  He caressed her gently, reverently, as though she were the moon and he was there to worship.  

But she sighed.  “Cirrus...”

“I know, I know.  Just--”

“No.” She brought a finger to his lips, raising up to look upon his beautiful face.  “Allidar is my light.  You know that.

...But you are my shadow.  And I cannot exist without them both.”

[duskwatch-brothers]

Allidar gently guided her to stand in front of himself, her back to him. He lifted the rifle. "Here, this against your arm, hold it under this part. Fingers off the triggers until I give the word, dear."

Thandwen watched the interaction and frowned. Was he seriously going to have her shoot him?

"What...what are you asking me to do?"

"Follow my instructions. Hold it like this..." He adjusted it in her arms a bit. "It will kick back into your arm." 

Bladeleaf watched in trepidation. "You can't be serious... You can't do this, Allidar!"

"Allidar, I can barely see straight.  You -bombed my carriage.-"

"I'll help." "Duskwatch you coward! You can't!" "Now, close your left eye and look down the sights..." 

"Allidar! You don't understand! Stop!!"

"Master, is this really necessary? Making Linathel shoot him?"

"Just take a deep breath, Linthael..."

Lin did as he said, focusing on the half-frozen man tied up before her.  He deserved this. He deserved to die, if for no other reason than for killing that guard and threatening the lives of everyone in this settlement.  And yet...of all things, a sermon from Confessor Paletress sprang into her mind.  Lin murmured the words along with the memory:  "'The challenge is in looking beyond appearances and understanding our similarities. Through this understanding, you can feel compassion for the losses others have suffered...'  I can't do this..."

Allidar nodded. He slid his fingers over the trigger and pulled it himself. The hammer clicked harmlessly. "Nor would I make you." 

Bladeleaf stared at the rifle. "Wh... What..." Allidar walked over to him. 

Thandwen sighed heavily with relief... Lin wavered where she stood, hands shaking.

Allidar leaned over to him, the rifle on his shoulder. "The secondary contract will be destroyed. Keep my father's shares for all I care." He looked the trussed man over. "I'm going to show you mercy for the last time. Let this be the end of our feud, for Linthael's sake if nothing else." He walked around behind him and whipped out his sword, cutting through the man's bindings. "...You are free to leave. Take a rylak, don't return."