#firesflicker

[airsfly-blog]

survival  is  being  stronger,  faster,  never  caught  off  guard.  it  isn’t  as  warm  as  estrid.  doesn’t  have  kind  eyes  and  twisting  smiles  that  never  sit  with  eun  quite  right.  there’s  something  in  her  eyes,  her  voice,  the  way  she  looks  at  him  while  talking  about  something  that  is  not  more  than  the  dream  of  vagabonds  and  revolutionaries. still  -  he  wants  to  listen.  it  makes  something  quiet  and  long - ago  buried  stir  in  his  chest.  eyes  flicker  to  the  bowl  of  stew  and  he  makes  no  move  to  take  it.

“just  like  that?”  his  voice  is  flat  and  hard - edged.  no  one  helps  for  free.  no  one.  not  the  other  soldiers,  who  would  save  you  from  certain  death  and  then  look  at  you  blankly  with  the  understanding  that  you  owe  them,  now.  not  the  generals  with  their  unkind  stares.  certainly  not  elemental  revolutionaries.  “i  have  lived  without  you  before.  why  would  that  change?”

@firesflicker from here.

[landchosen-blog]

"believe me"

𝙮𝙤𝙪    𝙘𝙖𝙣'𝙩    𝙝𝙚𝙡𝙥    𝙩𝙝𝙚    𝙨𝙘𝙤𝙛𝙛    𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩   𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙨.    you    are    still    on    the    road    to    trusting    each    other,    and    while    there’s    a    part    of    you    that    knows    to    trust    them,    but,    you    aren’t    sure    if    your    relationship    with    estrid    is    THERE    yet.    after    all,    you    two    were    opposites    in    ever    sense    of    the    word.    being    born    in    infierno    glen    and    maelstrom    bay    made    who    you    were.    ❝  sorry,    i    need    a    little    more    than    a    believe    me.  ❞

                                                                                                                        TWO WORD STARTER.    |    ACCEPTING!

[watersrise-blog]

tentative bullet list of elemental details : 

the lands (maelstrom bay for water, the farmlands for earth, inferno glen for fire, the gusting hills for air) chooses the elemental.  there is no genetic / ancestral component though sometimes, as with iain’s family, there is already magic there with witches or sorcerers. 

elemental powers grow and can be drained before an elemental themselves reaches the height of their power.  using powers for too long can incapacitate an elemental.  this is easier to manage if they are in climates / environments that do not contain natural sources for their elements;  therefore, it is much easier to drain / debilitate the water and fire elementals until they are at their most powerful, able to draw heat and water from anything living. 

elementals’ eyes flash with specks of colors connected with their element when they use their powers;  eventually, the colors become permanent accents in their eyes. 

ex:  turquoise for iain, red-gold for estrid, per @firesflicker . 

when elementals choose to use their powers in questionable ways (ex:  draining water or oxygen from humans, wrecking whole environments, etc.) they become easier to corrupt, possibly leaning towards darkness, given the dangerous potential of their abilities. 

more to be added w/ help of @firesflicker ,  @earthsbreak ,  @airsfly ! 

[watersrise-blog]

“I got drunk and now I’m sitting on the ground.” (...well)

𝑱𝑬𝑵𝑵𝑨  𝑴𝑨𝑹𝑩𝑳𝑬𝑺  𝑺𝑻𝑨𝑹𝑻𝑬𝑹𝑺    / @firesflicker .

“ i can see that. ”   sighs.  estrid cannot do anything by halves.  sets down the water he fetches for himself at the castle wells  —  good practice, he tells the witches and sorcerers who ask with furrowed brows and impatient glances;  does not know how to be taken care of, not yet, in actuality  —  and moves to sit at her side.  one knee pulls to his chest, the other leg stretching out as he leans back against the wall, curls resting against the warm stone. 

“ they’ll come  —  the others.  they’ll make it here  —  make it to us.  patience. ”   patience  —  as foreign to estrid as forgiveness is to iain.  patience  —  hasn’t she waited long enough?  forgiveness  —  hasn’t he shouldered enough burdens?  when can they breathe easy?  when? 

[watersrise-blog]

“Do I look like someone who wants to hurt your feelings?”

𝑱𝑬𝑵𝑵𝑨  𝑴𝑨𝑹𝑩𝑳𝑬𝑺  𝑺𝑻𝑨𝑹𝑻𝑬𝑹𝑺    / @firesflicker .

“ quite possibly. ”   almost laughs.  doesn’t quite remember what that sounds like from his lips.  has not really laughed since childhood with maira.  even then, such is rare enough. 

“ don’t you like teasing me?  what if you’ve been meaning it seriously all this while? ” 

[watersrise-blog]

‘ you owe no one your forgiveness ’

𝑷𝑹𝑰𝑵𝑪𝑬𝑺𝑺  𝑺𝑨𝑽𝑬𝑺  𝑯𝑬𝑹𝑺𝑬𝑳𝑭  𝑰𝑵  𝑻𝑯𝑰𝑺  𝑶𝑵𝑬    / @firesflicker .

forgiveness.  not easy for him  —  not ever;  not before, not now.  could never really forgive his father;  cannot and will not try to forgive the gusting hills soldiers for all they did to him;  all they did to his family.  he misses his sister;  misses his father, fool that he is.  they took so much from him… 

“ i have no wish to forgive them  —  not any of them. ”   cold.  ice. 

[watersrise-blog]

firesflicker replied to your post: well i’m trying to stay awake and keep writing...

ok but SAME

# struggle 

[watersrise-blog]

‘ i may not believe in fate , but i believe in you ’

𝑷𝑹𝑰𝑵𝑪𝑬𝑺𝑺  𝑺𝑨𝑽𝑬𝑺  𝑯𝑬𝑹𝑺𝑬𝑳𝑭  𝑰𝑵  𝑻𝑯𝑰𝑺  𝑶𝑵𝑬    / @firesflicker .

“ why?  why would you believe in me? ”   eyes harden like the ice that can split and shift in his veins.   “ i’m not like you, estrid. ”   he is selfish;  he is a monster;  he is heartless and broken and scarred  —  what good can he be to and for anyone?  could not protect his sister, could not truly help or heal his father  —  the only people he has ever loved.  what can he do for this world, for his people? 

“ i’m a blacksmith.  i’m not some lordling or warrior or rebel leader  —  i’m a blacksmith. ”   the land chooses you  —  why?