Sep 13, 2021
This HAS to be intentional
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This HAS to be intentional
LW5 Spoilers -
“SMODUR!” I snarled, rounding on him.
“Commander,” he responded, meeting my gaze coolly.
“ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR GODS-DAMNED MIND!?” I bellowed, feeling my fur on end. I marched to him, tail lashing. The charr was quite a bit taller than me - as most were - but I locked into his eyes regardless, baring my teeth.
“Watch yourself, cub,” he responded evenly. “You may be the Commander, but I’m still the imperator.”
“NOT MINE!!” I spat. “AND NOT BLOOD’S! WHAT THE FUCK WERE YOU THINKING?!”
“We don’t need traitors. We don’t need Ryland or his gang of mangy skritt.”
“THAT WASN’T YOUR DECISION TO MAKE!” I shrieked.
“Calm yourself, cub.”
“DON’T YOU TELL ME--!” I spluttered, my arm shooting out to swing. But a paw grasped my wrist and stopped me.
I whirled around to face Gavril, and only just caught myself before swiping with my other. My nostrils were flaring and I could feel myself about to go wild.
Wordlessly, he began tugging me away from the group, and it was all I could do to control myself from wrenching away.
“THIS ISN’T OVER, SMODUR!” I called out.
He folded his arms and shook his head. Somehow, his calmness made me angrier.
Once we were out of sight and somewhere private, I suddenly leapt on Gavril. “YOU FUCK! YOU CENTAUR’S ASS! DON’T TOUCH ME! SKRITT’S BALLS!” I screamed, as we tumbled around in the brush, raking my claws through his fur and bunny-kicking. “FUCK YOU!! FUCK YOU!! FUCK YOU!!”
He kicked me off and rolled away, then held me at bay with his staff. After several attempts trying to get past, I started tearing and clawing at the ground, shrieking, screaming, and roaring. I would attempt to charge at him, but he’d catch me every time. My tail was lashing so hard that I whipped the ground several times.
Finally, I stopped, panting, spittle and foam dripping from my jaws. He snorted in satisfaction and dropped his staff.
“Well? You done?”
I didn’t answer, but turned my back to him instead, tail still lashing.
After a moment, I heard and felt him come to me. I growled and hissed when he attempted to put a paw on my shoulder. I heard him sigh in exasperation.
“What did YOU think you were doing, trying to test an imperator like that? Do you really think that was what anyone would need to see right now?”
“DON’T FUCKING TALK TO ME!” I spat.
He grumbled, but went quiet. I could practically hear the eyeroll, but... for a while, we were quiet.
After what felt like ages, I finally stopped shaking, and flopped to the ground gloomily. I felt him settle against my back, and I turned, nosing underneath his neck.
“Foolish ass.”
“Who? Me, or Smodur?”
I gave a small “heh” in amusement, and then we were quiet again.
“He really thought anyone would make him Khan-Ur, you know,” I said after a while.
“Oh, I know. But all imperators think that.”
“I guess... Do you really think any of them could, though?”
“Why? Don’t believe in Malice?”
“I trust her more than the others, but we’re Ash, and we know patience and timing.”
“Are you sure about that?” he chuckled, and I huffed in irritation.
“Anyway... no. I don’t think she could either. She’s not trusted by anyone who isn’t Ash, to start with. She doesn’t make an effort to connect to people either, but I guess that’s with the territory... But that all said, I don’t think any of them really should. I never really believed any one legion should be above others. I mean, we saw how well that worked with Flame, you know?”
“Uh-huh. But you’ve always been that type. You’re the more diplomatic side of Ash. Always been trying to make people play nice. But you invest too much, I think.”
“Yeah well, I didn’t ask,” I growled, then continued, “On that note... I used to think, maybe we could just work together. No single Khan-Ur. Does a parent value their cubs over one another? It never seemed to me that Khan-Ur was meant to rule alone above everyone. I never understood it, the answer seemed so easy.”
I sighed heavily.
“But now, seeing how they bicker, how they can’t even do a peace negotiation without someone dying, it’s... it’s impossible, isn’t it? Are we cursed to hate each other, forever?”
“You know I hate philosophy.”
“Take me seriously, Gavril. We have no hope, do we? The soldiers are talking about how things will never be the same after this. Smodur rules without forgiveness, who else will die as punishment? I hate this. I hate every part of this. I hate these people, I hate Bangar. Ever since I met him, I hated him, and now...”
“All right, you’re working yourself up. Don’t think. Put on your Commander helmet now. Just do what needs done now.”
My only response was to shovel myself underneath him in a plea for weight. With a sigh he allowed me, and we laid quiet for a moment.
“But the first chance I get, I might kill Smodur.”
He chuckled.
---------------------------------------------
I stared down at Smodur’s corpse.
“Well, that’s inconvenient.”
Is that all anyone had to say?
I shook my head, hearing them talk about who to lead Iron now. I didn’t think Iron would listen to Efram, if I had to be honest. Smodur ruled Iron a lot harsher than I had realized, and I was truly pissed at him when we stood around the table, but I put on my Commander helmet to deal with it. After all, to my shock, he did think Braham’s plan wasn’t bad, which showed he could be reasonable. Sometimes.
“I’ll meet you there, Commander,” said Braham. I nodded. Somehow, I’d gone through a conversation without really meaning to. I mean, I knew what was going on, but it seemed like background noise at the same time.
It was a quick trip on Sand Jackal, though Braham of course beat me there, since I took a second to get a drink and wash my face. As he spoke to me of his plan, and what he would need me to do, I still felt only half present. He didn’t seem really sure of his presence either, which was still something I wasn’t used to.
But if I’m going to be tested (again), I needed to get my tail from between my legs.
I sat down outside, a distance aways from the cavern, and put my head in my claws.
What were we doing? I couldn’t help but think of my earlier conversation with Gavril. Future of the charr? What future? Dominion was seemingly willingly giving themselves to Frost Legion. I overheard the beach patrols. The “Legion to end all Legions”. But how could I be surprised? Being the legion on top was always the goal when I grew up. Who should be the Khan-Ur, and everyone viewing us as “Ash trash” who couldn’t be trusted, even though we were all charr together. And even the charr I was raised with had turned on me.
What was the point, of any of this?
A teardrop fell from my nose.
It tickled enough for me to open my eyes.
Beneath my feet, I saw the small blooms of a purple flower.
The early spring orchis.
Tears welled up in my eyes.
“Oh, Trahearne...” I said to the flower, overcome with sorrow. But when I wiped my eyes, sniffling, I caught sight instead of Caladbolg next to me.
I stared for a moment, then grasped the hilt. I suddenly felt energy coursing through me, closing my eyes, smelling the flowers on the breeze instead. I touched my forehead to the hilt.
Wrong. I’m wrong. I was so damned caught up in missing you, Trahearne, wishing for the past again, I missed what I was supposed to see.
A flower crawling through the corruption, breaking the rock and defying the frost. Valorous, resilient, vigilant. And it will grow.
It will grow.
“And you can always be strong...” I whispered, standing and wielding Caladbolg.
We’ll finish this.
Dandy Graspheart has finally reached level 80 and has her permanent armor skins.
Dazzle Gleamheart has reached level 80 which means PERMA ARMOUR SKIN TIME!
Mallyx: I will consume you from within. You can not hope to contain me. You will--
My Sylvari: Hey do you think chickens can actually understand us, but pretend they can't?
Mallyx: I-- What??
My Sylvari: Speaking of chickens, did you know sometimes humans put pants on chickens? It's hilarious and adorable.
Mallyx: ...I'm...
My Sylvari: They also make little dresses for geese. I think sometime I should try doing that. Making clothes for little creatures.
Mallyx: Do you just, like, talk without listening to yourself?
My Sylvari: But returning to the topic at hand, if chickens are truly ignorant, why would Zhaitan make Risen out of them?
Mallyx: Risen don't think--
My Sylvari: It's all a conspiracy, I think. After all, it feels like a lot of people of history are assumed ignorant just because we think they don't understand us. I like to live a life where I assume everyone has something of value.
Mallyx: ....
My Sylvari: Anyway, the sky looks ridiculously blue today, don't you think?
Mallyx: I can't physically see much of anything.
My Sylvari: Well, I'll describe it to you. It's very brilliant, like someone plucked the perfect blue from the reflections of a calm sea in the most precious of gems. Red's my favourite colour, but sometimes blue is just so wonderful...
Marcellus Beesknees also reached level 80 and earned his perma skins.
Speaking of charr, I’m trying to take more pics of my other charr characters to buff up their Toyhouse entries with.
So here’s some of Gavril Foxheart, resident grumpypants.