ÉŽáŽáŽáŽ: Jayden Starcaller. Once went with the surname DeAmore but changed it to protect his blood relative from any mishaps he may cause.
áŽÊÉȘáŽs (ÉŽÉȘáŽáŽÉŽáŽáŽáŽs): Jay, Astral Wolf, Star Pup, âthe cute one with the muffinsâ
Sex:Â Male
áŽÉąáŽ: Difficult to determine, thanks to his biology and method of running around the multiverse. Seems to be somewhere in the equivalent of the mid-twenties.
ᎠáŽáŽáŽ áŽÒ ÊÉȘÊáŽÊ: âThe moment of a New Yearâ
sáŽáŽáŽáŽÉŽ ÊáŽÉŽÉąáŽáŽÉąáŽs: English, Draconic, Celestial, bits and bobs of others.
áŽáŽáŽáŽáŽáŽáŽÉȘáŽÉŽ: Multiverse Traveler
áŽÊÉȘáŽÉȘÉŽáŽÊ ÊáŽáŽáŽÊᎠ: Not that heâs aware of. While there may have been people against him in his travels and he may have dipped into other peopleâs plots more than he should, He is not personally aware of any warrents out for him. Even if he had them, those worlds are so far behind him he wonât be found.
ᎠÉȘsáŽÊᎠáŽÊs: Quite possibly on the Autism Spectrum (In no small part due to his Mun being on there)
áŽÊᎠáŽáŽÊáŽÊ: Starry Night Sky. Appears to lack any pupils.
ÊáŽÉȘÊ áŽáŽÊáŽÊ: Green-Teal at the moment.
Fur Color: Contains whites, purples, and a more balanced shade of teal than his hair.
ÊáŽÉȘÉąÊáŽ:   6'2"Â
sáŽáŽÊs: Not a one. Though he is covered in marks best described as constellations. The most prominent being one that goes from his right cheek to above his left brow in a continuous diagonal pattern. Others seem to fade in and out depending on power output.
ÊáŽÊÉŽs: No singed fur here.
áŽáŽ áŽÊᎥáŽÉȘÉąÊáŽ: Nada. Despite his very dessert-heavy diet, Jayden somehow keeps his weight consistently in the healthy range. Perhaps due to his whole astral being thing.
áŽÉŽáŽ áŽÊᎥáŽÉȘÉąÊáŽ: Nope. And he wonât let others have the issue if he can help it.
ÊáŽáŽ sáŽx: Correct, with (and as) males and females alike. No defined preference yet, just another thing heâs exploring.
ÊáŽáŽ sáŽx ÉȘÉŽ áŽáŽÊÊÉȘáŽ: Not something heâs going to explore anytime soon.
ÉąáŽáŽáŽáŽÉŽ áŽÊáŽÉąÉŽáŽÉŽáŽ: Not possible. Due to the way Jayden himself was âconceivedâ, even if he was female he canât be bred, nor can he breed as a male. Something he is quietly thankful for, truth be told.
áŽÉȘssáŽáŽ ᎠÊáŽÊ: Has. The first time was a bit more impulsive than others.
áŽÉȘssáŽáŽ ᎠɹÉȘÊÊ: Yeppers.
ÉąáŽáŽáŽáŽÉŽ áŽáŽáŽáŽáŽáŽs: The constellation marks on his body -look- like tattoos, especially if heâs in his human form, but they are just as much part of his natural being as his tail or big ears.
ÉąáŽáŽáŽáŽÉŽ áŽÉȘáŽÊáŽÉȘÉŽÉąs: Nope. Not looking into it either.
sáŽáŽáŽáŽáŽ /ᎠÊáŽÉŽáŽ/ᎠáŽÉŽáŽ ᎠÊáŽÉąs: Cannot stand the smell of smoke in this sense, and has not done drugs. He did however have a small stint as a barkeep and thus was pressured to taste the drinks to make sure they were good. He still doesnât care for the âsting of alcoholâ, but his magic touch still lets him make a good brew for those who ask nicely.
ÊáŽáŽ ᎠÊÊáŽáŽáŽÉŽ ÊáŽáŽÊáŽ: His heart has cracked several times as the nature of his adventures, but hasnât broken in earnest yet...
ÊáŽáŽÉŽ ÉȘÉŽ ÊáŽáŽ áŽ: Love is a hard concept to grasp for someone who can theoretically live past infinity. He feels care for others and forges friendships, but love is. Hard.
ÉŽáŽáŽáŽ áŽáŽ sáŽÊÉąáŽÊÊ: Technically part of how he was born. But as long as heâs been alive thereâs been no need to conduct such things on his person.
sáŽáŽÊáŽáŽ áŽáŽ ÒáŽÊ áŽáŽÊᎠáŽÊáŽÉŽ 24 ÊáŽáŽÊs: Jayden has stayed up not only 24 hours, but 24 days, and beyond. He doesnât necessarily âneedâ sleep like many other creatures do, but will often put himself into a dreaming state to take a break from the reality heâs in. Especially if life is being difficult.
ᎠᎠÉȘÊÉąÉȘÉŽ: Thatâd be a hard no.
ᎠáŽáŽáŽ ᎠÊáŽÊ: with certain individuals. The floof makes it extra comfortable for all involved.
ᎠáŽÉȘssáŽÊ: In moments of âheated passionâ he can end up doing this, but normal circumstances no.
sáŽáŽÊáŽáŽ áŽáŽsÉȘÊÊ: keen superhuman senses prevent him from being frightened by normal things, and thereâs only one deep fear he has. Granted, if thoughts on that fear latch too hard it can be mentally taxing for him...
áŽáŽáŽÊáŽáŽs áŽáŽsÉȘÊÊ:No. If anything whenever he ends up in a situation most people would be jealous, Jayden either questions what it would take for him to get there himself, or be happy for the person.
áŽÊáŽsáŽáŽĄáŽÊáŽÊÊ: To a fault. Itâs gotten him in trouble several times where someone with a bigger mind for caution would have walked away or stood their ground, but he trusts everyone fairly equally unless specifically given a reason not to.
SÉȘÉŽÉąÊáŽ: Never outwardly speaks of being in a relationship of any kind, at least.
áŽáŽÉŽsÉȘᎠáŽÊáŽáŽ áŽáŽáŽÉŽ: quite the opposite. Though be warned, just because heâs nice does not mean he is without âmean thingsâ. Such as snark on a soft level, and fury on a deeper one...
ÊáŽÊáŽáŽáŽ áŽÊáŽáŽsáŽÊᎠáŽs: Not Physically. Jayden can spiral into emotional or mental self harm depending on how his mind is spinning and his situation, but heâs never physically hurt himself on purpose.
áŽÊáŽáŽÉąÊᎠáŽÒ sáŽÉȘáŽÉȘᎠáŽ: Not yet.
áŽáŽáŽáŽáŽáŽáŽáŽáŽ sáŽÉȘáŽÉȘᎠáŽ: Hasnât thought of it, so he hasnât even thought of trying either.
ÒáŽáŽÊs: That moment where everything is gone, except him. Where the worlds he visited and the people that used to be there have rotted or been re-absorbed into space. Where entire universes either expand until they grow cold, or implode into a ball of fury and crush everything inside of them. Where speeches of armageddon and ragnarok and the end of all things ring out only for their end to silence the sounds. And Jayden is left in the Utterly EMPTY aftermath, alone. Forever.
áŽáŽÊáŽÉŽáŽs: A mother by the name of Ami, who claims there was no father in the process. This is by technicality, true; Jayden is biologically fatherless. His conception came about from the use of a soul as the ah, âmale substituteâ, essentially recycling a fading life into her own kin.
CHILDREN: None. Canât have them, doesnât seem keen on wanting them.
PETS: He has a Mercury Djinn somewhere. But it seems to fade in and out of his life on a whim. It tends to stick around more after heâs âhung outâ with certain individuals with a similar power flux around them, ie: rowan and felix and co.
tagged by: @mowseries
[[ Wow this is kinda late. and probably not done too hot so uh apologies for both things. XD But hey itâs done now~ and more insight into the space wolf, woo!!
â....okay,â Issimo shrugged from where he lay on the floor, pinned down by Gospelâs smug, tail-wagging weight. âSo maybe trying to get the drop on him from above wasnât the best idea. Now we know.â
||âOriginââââââFlare of the Morning StarââââââNextâ>>
PART I: THE SHADOWS LENGTHEN
Looking back, it was easy to seeâŠ
All the little warnings, scattered over the years, pointing to the inevitable, and the years without a sunrise.
{Early 2016âŠ}
Felix: Iâm wanted on the entire continent I hail from, and especially wanted in her home village. Which, I might add, has been harassed by the Tolbi empire, who are all too eager to enforce the âdeadâ part of âdead or aliveâ.
{December 22nd, 2016TâŠ}
Felix: Iâve mentioned once before that I do not get along with Tolbi soldiers. That I live in hiding from them.
Felix: Thereâs a good reason for that.
Felix: If I were ever found, they have authority to -try- and kill me on sight. If they ever managed to overpower me, I would be publicly executed.
Felix: They control much of the continent where I was born and spent about half of my life⊠including Shebaâs home town.
They built on sacred ground, there, held her hostage to make it happenâŠ
Felix: My face will not be so easily forgotten.
{May 31st, 2017T}
Felix: As we continued our journey southeastward, we heard more and more about the Tolbi Empire⊠specifically, their soldiers.
Felix: They had placed tariffs and taxes to restrict and control trade⊠they were hinted to keep political prisoners⊠they maintained watchposts and waypointsâgates along the roads, and everything required official papers, if not a seal of approval.
[He looked up again, and his brown eyes seemed⊠dark.]
Felix: Babi was a man who stole, lied, kidnapped, and extorted. He sought eternal life and the power of conquestâexactly the sort of man that the people of Vale were sworn to give their lives to protect the world against. And exactly the sort of man who was our enemy.
Felix: I do not like Tolbi soldiers.
Felix: And that is, yes, one reason why it is necessary to avoid them. âŠBut thereâs more to it than that.
[He looks down at his hand again, silent. Eventually, he opens it, looking at the Douse Drop distantly.]
Felix: Isaac sealed my fate in the wake of Saturos and MenardiâŠ. There is a bounty on my head.
Felix: When we traveled to the LighthouseâŠ
[He clasped his hand again, and held his fist against his lips, a troubled look on his face, with his eyes closed. He is silent for a while.]
Felix: âŠWe came across Tolbi soldiers in the desert. I managed to save a few, but we had to take Sheba with us. There were soldiers in the wayâŠ
[He looks up, looking off into the sky.]
Felix: Isaac had tracked us all the way there. When word came of our location and the Proxansâ deeds, he named me to blame, instead.
Felix: Thus, it was my name and description that ultimately has been circulated among the Empire, all across my home continent.
Felix: Babi is dead. But the Tolbi Empire is not.
Felix: Should I ever be discovered, all the forces they can muster would be brought down against me.
Felix: Theyâve fought an Adept directly onceâAlex easily dispatched at least a dozen soldiers, and Saturos and Mendari killed just as many, if not more.
Ray: -...raises an eyebrow-
Felix: So they know that even a hundred would not be enough.
Ray: (Well, they're a little stupid if they just--I mean, I've seen him fight Countershade, I can guess just how strong he is. They're a little stupid for thinking they can actually kill him.)
Narrator: ((Ah, but youâre assuming the lives of the soldiers are valued over there))
Narrator: ((most likely not))
Felix: -Shakes his head- I cannot single-handedly defeat the army of an entire empire.
Ray: (...No, but I bet you could wipe out a good portion of it.)
{June 19th, 2017TâŠ}
Puelle: {What news do you bring, from the south?}
[Felix is quiet. EventuallyâŠ]
Felix: {I have taken to the wilds, and heard little of the world. But I know in heart and mind that the Tolbi Empire has been driven back beyond the Suhalla Desert. They are no longer a threat to Venus Lighthouse.}
Ray: .....
[Everyone seems a disgusted kind of âgood, they didnât belong thereâ kind of satisfied at this.]
Ray: -Snorts, heh-
Felix: -Absentmindedly causing nasty thorns to grow on the vines- {They shall regret it if they dare to go there again. Iodem seems more reasonable than Babi ever did, and is honorable compared to the others⊠though I do not know if coming into power would greatly change him.}
Felix: {The earth is changing, though⊠Prox must maintain vigilance against the return of Machines.}
[A lot of murmurs at this.]
Felix: {The ancient world was more than just the Lighthouses. I do not know how much of it has truly survived⊠but ruins may be unearthed as the years go by. Prox should prepare delegations with scholars to travel south and study the places where the ancient cities once were bold. But Iâm warning youâattempt conquest, and Iâll put a stop to that myself.}
Ray: .......
Felix: -Flatly- {Even with the damage to the native inhabitants aside⊠the wrong sort of display of might could draw Tolbiâs attention into conflict. You cannot afford to wage a far-off war with the Tolbi Empire. I would not have any here taken because of their own antagonistic ways.}
{October 30th, 2018TâŠ}
Felix: The people I will choose as Warriors will need to be strong of will and sharp of mindâand above all else, patient and... observant.
Felix: I do not wish to empower those who would inflame a mindset of conquest. The last thing Weyard needs is a return of the Psynergy Wars... and Tolbi is still a threat.
{October 18th, 2019TâŠ}
[Ă] //: It's your decision on where you want to live. The hell does anyone else have to say about that?
[Ă] //: I mean...besides Tolbi, but to hell with them--
Felix: -Curls his right hand into a fist, placing his hand against his mouthâ-
[He frowns at the reminder, his mood turning more grim.]
Felix: Iâm hoping Tolbi wonât be too much of a problem. Their forces were driven back beyond the desert, and they will be hard pressed to bring large forces over land. I expect Briggs will prevent them from making too much use of sea transport to that degree, either.
Felix: I have not discounted the possibility that something could go wrong, though.
Felix: It can always get worse.
Felix: -Closes his eyes and shakes his head- I may have full say where I live, but there are other factors that determine such matters. Duties in Prox to be attended to do mean that I need to maintain my property there, to give me somewhere to stay while Iâm there for long periods of time. Itâll be something similar with Gondowan.
Felix: If my responsibilities to others mean that it is more conducive to stay in Gondowan, then that is input I wonât ignore.
[Ă] //: Ugh, just thinking about the risks is enough to give me a headache.
Felix: One of the reasons why it would be Gondowan despite that is becauseâŠ
Felix: -Exasperated sigh- Regardless or not of whether we are there, theyâd still have their eyes on Venus Lighthouse.
Felix: Being in the area would at least make it easier to fight them.
{May 29th, 2020TâŠ}
Sheba: So what are your thoughts, given the meaning? You would need a stable to keep the horses somewhere, and once they are here⊠what is it you plan to do�
Felix: Well, breeding the horses to give a good stock of {[war/battle] horses} to provide for the resources to Lalivero as a communityâŠ
Sheba: Youâre planning to train Lalivero soldiers?
Felix: Iâd much rather the defense consist of more than two people.
[His look was quite serious.]
Felix: Prophecies or no, being so close to the Tolbi Empire is going to spell trouble. As people come realize that this place exists, eventually it will become more of interest. Population will increase. Better guards will be needed. Maintaining the defenses would be faster on horseback, if there were ever need to mobilize. The desert wonât shield you for much longer; the power of Venus will make this land green again.
Sheba: The Laliverans are a peaceful and timid people. The very idea is outright foreign to most of us. The customs, you realizeâtheyâre also much like the Tolbi.
Felix: There is a reason for that, and itâs because those things work. How else do you think he managed to build and maintain a massive empire with nothing but Fori to staff his elite? Horses will give better options, and I feel they will readily accept them.
Sheba: What makes you so certain? Are you going to lead them?
Felix: It will be necessary for me to instruct the defense, that is for certain. I have come to accept that.
{June 12th, 2020TâŠ}
[But that was not the only thing that was going on. There were other things at play, which stood in stark contrast and, in the worst of cases⊠direct conflict.
The Colosso was underway, and the widespread effect that had made it difficult to ignore the aggression and disgust and resentment that the oppressive and tyrannical people in Tolbi had for anyone who wasnât like them and didnât submit to them. That was the main thingâand while it was always something that was in the background⊠during the Colosso, it was so much worse.
He had been tense; this year had been plagued by unrest in the north, and particularly in the Tolbi Empire. He had been reluctant to leave for central Angara out of worry that Lalivero would be attacked while they were gone, but he had accepted the risk for the sake of the greatest need he had ever known. It had been too dangerous to travel south after he had finally made his peace, and they had been stranded for months before they could make their way back; he hadnât been well enough of mind to use Teleport, and the Wilderness would not bring them back to Lalivero, because heâwhose influence on the nothingness was the strongestâjust couldnât focus on the distant town.]
{June 13th, 2020TâŠ}
Darzul: {The lands below the Northern Reaches have changed, but we have not yet had the capacity to send out Scholars beyond our borders. Even if you had recognized candidates into Warriors the moment the alchemical mayhem dawned⊠itâs only recently that we have the population to support such lengthy trips.}
[The look in his eyes became harsher, his voice growing sharp.]
Darzul: {And thatâs JUST the trip. You might not remember, since you were forced to travel without proper aid⊠but it takes dozens of people just as SUPPORT to a main party, to travel to waypoints in preparation of the main group, that they may have fresh supplies. That takes months, and quite a lot of resources⊠but these days? There is something going wrong, alright, and Loho is being picked at by buzzards now that the dwarves have finished excavating.}
Felix: {You mean they LEFT?}
Darzul: {We were unable to convince them to stay. They had finished what they set out to do and garnered as much as they cared to bother out of it; as best I understand based on the records submitted to the council, the EVENTUAL general consensus was that it was not worth the cost and not worth the RISK to stay so close to Tolbi in the context of being a buffer. Not that once can blame themâŠ}
[Felix growled in frustration and sat up in full, looking alert.]
Felix: {Is there NO ONE guarding the placeâ?}
Darzul: {Not full-time, no. Again with the resources thing.}
[Felix put a hand to his face, growing stern in thought as he continued listening.]
Darzul: {With them gone, trade there has dwindled. There are not enough yet who see Loho as being of interest enough to travel there out of appreciation⊠and Tolbi has not yet bothered to expend the resources to turn it into a bastion.}
[Felix spoke in a cold, flat tone.]
Felix: {We cannot afford to have the Tolbi Empire on our doorstep. Least of all in a bastion that controls the best landing point in the Western Sea.}
-=-=-
Darzul: {If it werenât for the problems that they probably have with us, I would suggest that you seal Venus Lighthouse off and move the people of Lalivero here. Even diaspora is better than what would happen if they were overrun by the Tolbi Empire. The Tolbi could not enter the Lighthouse if YOU sealed it, no matter what they may tryâand I doubt that even the traitor would work with them to do so. Because your sister certainly wouldnât allow it.}
Felix: Mmmng.
Darzul: {I have several guesses as to what paths of brooding thought you are sifting through before picking one of your choosing, but allow me to say this: if the people of Lalivero were willing to do such a thing, even if only temporarily? They would be given land under your authority, though you would become responsible for maintaining it.}
Felix: {What exactly gives you the impression in the first place that such drastic measures would be necessary?}
[The Proxan frowned.]
Darzul: {We do not have enough evidence to suggest it would NOT be necessary, thatâs what.}
Felix: GahâŠ
Darzul: {It is not beyond the realms of possibility, Felix. They have already expended a great deal of power in the past to overtake the people who lived there, and it is likely that they will try and use it as a port to guide ships deep into the heart of the Eastern Sea.}
-=-=-
Felix: If the Tolbi make a move on Lemuria, I am absolutely positive that the Lemurian fleet would not be enough to stop them. The Lemurians donât understand the danger, and Piers was exiled! Even if he found it in his fibreâout of utter desperationâto break obedience and violate the banishment⊠theyâd never listen to them in time! Curse the oppressive voices that have taken over their council!
[The other man frowned deeply at this, but couldnât process quickly enough for an immediate response before the Venus Adept continued.]
Felix: Piers is a valiant man, and a Warrior in his own rightâbut he doesnât burn with the⊠mmmnâŠ
[He slipped back into Proxan, unable to express it without the proper precise terms in the other language.]
Felix: {He doesnât have the [dragonâs/Hunterâs/vicious motherâs] instinct. The people of Lemuria are pacified, and havenât even ventured outside of the Sea of Time en masse for any reason for centuries! Not even the wrath of the sea has brought out the combat instinct! He fought well beside me, but he could notâgah, you donât understand⊠heâs very powerful, and astonishingly intelligent, but his heart and mind are anchored in order, which is very different than the burning drive to defend the peace.}
Darzul: {Are you saying you donât think he could handle the situation if the Tolbi Empire decided to set out for Lemuria?}
Felix: YES! {Even the likes of us can be overpowered, eventually! He cannot take on an entire fleet of ships alone, not if they had enough numbers.}
Darzul: {To confront a WATER-son in the OCEAN? Oh, get REAL, Felixâ}
Felix: {Iâm serious, Darzul! You donât understand the COMPLETE disregard for Life from the oppressive forces that dominate Tolbi; you may think you do, but you donâtânot the way I do.}
{Later that same dayâŠ}
Brand: {...you mentioned something about the threat of Tolbi, though...}
Brand: -Concern ping-
[The other two look more serious at this, and Felix frowns somewhat.]
Felix: {They're dangerous and the forces in power can be ruthless.}
Felix: {I don't know what happened to the one Isaac insisted was reasonable⊠but I fear he may have been⊠deposed.}
Felix: {Permanently.}
Darzul: {They sought to use Alchemy to their own ends. That never died off, even if their tyrant did.}
Felix: {With Venus Lighthouse lit, they could navigate the Sea of Time, in theoryâŠ}
Felix: {They've always been a threat to Lalivero.}
{Thursday, June 18th, 2020TâŠ}
Felix: -Looks over to Puelle- {The chaos of the south is a threat to Venus Lighthouse. And that in turn is a threat to the Eastern Sea, Lemuria in particular.}
Felix: {Venus Lighthouse must not be compromised. The malevolence behind the violence would not have any mercy, nor any qualms about doing anything to drink from the mythical fountains.}
Felix: {Which, I go on record to point out, do not cure all ills and do not grant immortality, but having tyrants around as long as Babi was is bad enough as it is.}
Felix: -Turns to address the crowd- {It is for this reason that I find it of the most urgency to also make sure Prox is fully prepared as well.}
Felix: {It has been high time for Prox to have Mars Clan Warriors again for years, but now IS the time, it is the hour that is right!}
Felix: {I cannot be in two places at once, and the people of Lalivero do not have the Warrior [spirit/mentality/culture/training] as we of Prox do; they need me more.}
Felix: {For that reason, I choose to work in the south now, so that I will not have to be there in the future.}
Puelle: {Your choice is a noble one, and well-Seen. But it must be noted, FelixâŠ}
Puelle: {That is where the threat to you is the greatest.}
Felix: {I acknowledge the truth that given the chance, my lack of surrender would have the teeth of Tolbi rend me on sight.}
Felix: {That is a price to which I am forced to submit and accept the doom sealed within my fate.}
Felix: {It is true that it puts me close to the source of the peril, and the seat of maliceâŠ}
Felix: {âŠBut I shall not abandon the task set before me for want of my own life.}
Felix: {I lived too long in that kind of wretched misery! I will not now actively CHOOSE cowardice, even when that is choosing a secondary nobility instead.}
Felix: {I shall have both, or neither!}
{SATURDAY, June 20th, 2020T...}
Felix: ({Last night was the night for choosing a successor; itâs too late now to do so the normal wayâŠ})
Felix: ({On the other handâŠ})
Felix: ({I do think he has promise, and this is going to be VERY dangerousâŠ})
[He was filled with a distinct feeling of steep dread. A sickening, smothering feeling that left one drowning in sudden submission in the face of death.]
Felix: -Somewhat ominously, darker in aura and tone and certainly a bit louder than he intends- There is Death on the horizon.
[Silence. An uncomfortable and almost full-stop horrid silence from all of the guests.]
Felix: -Coldly, with an oppressive aura fitting for a son of Death- Standing up to tyrants comes at a price.
{Later That Same DayâŠ}
Brand: {I must thank you in particular, once again, for the gifts that you've bestowed on us.}
Brand: {They truly did make a great difference.}
Brand: -Bows-
Felix: -Returns the gesture- {They are for you to use in your time of need and many of them in your own personal pursuits, my friend. I am glad you find them wellâŠ}
Sheba: {âŠand have the chance to practice with them in a time of smaller need, in light of the Sun, before greater need comes in darker times.}
Kalora: {You speak with great Insight, Lady d'Lalivero. Do you see shadows in the days ahead?}
Sheba: -You know Felix and you're asking this question?-
Kalora: -Ah, right, point taken-
Felix: -Shrug pose-
Felix: {I have no intention of landing in a disaster so soon after such excitement, I assure youâ}
Felix: {It'd take a tyrannical invasion the likes of Tolbi to cause me to rush out headlong into trouble!}
{July 18th, 2020TâŠ}
Darzul: {Donât dismiss your own suffering so easily. You do that far too much, and itâs part of why youâre afflicted with this undying torture to the [soul/mind/being].}
[He stood, jabbing a finger somewhat accusatorially in Felixâs direction, a clear gesture of challenge.]
Darzul: {Youâre like this because you FEEL like you have no one else to stand up for you, and that youâre the only man out there willing to stand up for othersâbecause they wonât even stand up for themselves, and youâd rather die than see them conquered by tyranny. Thatâs a hopeless cause, and you KNOW it, Felix!}
[Felix gritted his teeth and put his hands near his head, rather mentally muted by the sheer truth in that statement.]
Darzul: {You donât see anyone else out there who has the fire you do, and itâs killing you from the inside to see everything and everyone you care about just massacred mercilessly by selfish, cowardly hatred and Pride!}
[Loud. Too loud now, but it wasnât stopping.]
Darzul: {You know full well that you canât do this alone, and that one voice against hundreds, thousandsâit will only end with you dying a brutal and painful death, made an example to others, with your body and your remains violated in the process! Because you know what happens when no one stands up to such evilâit murders out of hatred alone.}
[Felixâs energy traced words in the air, as he was FAR too stressed to vocalize.]
Darzul: {Because you refuse to ACKNOWLEDGE what youâre up against, Felix! You might to others, but not to YOURSELF, and thatâs where it matters!}
[He drew closer, flickering with Mars energy that was cautious but undaunted.]
Darzul: {Youâve spent so long out in the harpiesâ fields that youâve come to realize the horrific depths of depravity that such hatred is not merely capable of, but aspires to and ADVOCATES for. Youâve spent FAR too long doing so in silence, out of the pain that they inflicted upon you!}
[He bought up a fist out in front of him sharply, holding his stance.]
Darzul: {And I see how being hewn at the roots has inflicted immense damage to the rest of your being. You devote yourself freely and entirely; having that devotion gutted without remorse has caused you such intense agony that you feel damned to an inevitable martyrâs end. For there can be no other closure, in your mind, to your infamously âterrible fateâ than for evil to continue to grow, and grow, and grow, with you left alone, abandoned to a miserable demise because no one else would stand up to it, and you cannot and will not change who you areâLord Felix of Prox, Warrior, Hero, and Dragon Slayer!}
[Felix closed his eyes at this, his tension dropping somewhat in some form of resignation.
It was true, it was all true.
These were the nightmares that plagued him, again and again.
And not just metaphorically, either; literal ones, too.
He could find no comfort even in the folds of sleepâfor he could feel pain even in his dreams, and he suffered the torture, even the death that would be inflicted upon him as such heartless forces closed in.]
Darzul: {Speak it to me now, Felix! Tell me the truth!}
[Felixâwho still had his eyes closedâresponded in turn.]
Felix: {People just stand by and watch, if they arenât joining in. I have heard the threats against me, and seen them carried out on others who werenât even being assertive. Iâve heard of those who do stand up for themselves then being treated as traitors.}
[He clenched a hand into a fist.]
Felix: I know, I know from experience, that there EXISTS such cowardice in this worldâand such malice that has been allowed by those who came before me to grow out of control. Such brutality does not stop at symbols. It carries a twisted bloodlust.}
[He gritted his teeth, and opened his eyes to a glare.]
Felix: {And I know that if they come any closer to me and those I care aboutâŠ}
[He suddenly blasted the night with an INFERNO of an aura, Venus and Marsâ]
Felix: {I WONâT STEP ASIDE AND SURRENDER WITHOUT A FIGHT! EVEN OVERPOWERED, I WILL NEVER, EVER BE COERCED INTO VIOLATING WHAT IS RIGHT, EVEN IF IT COSTS ME EVERYTHING!}
[His friend grinned at this, but Felix wasnât done yet.]
{Because in the endâeven if I must stand aloneâI will NOT abandon the people who need me, AND I WILL DEFEND THEM AGAINST MALICE AND GREED!}
[The fire of an enriched Venus spirit infused with the passion of Mars radiated from him in his fierce determination.]
Felix: {They mean more to me than anything. Whether the price be my injury, captivity, torture, or deathâI am in no way deterred.}
[He narrowed his eyes.]
Felix: {Quite franklyâŠ} Virtutes potius obsequia.
[This earned a pleased look of strong satisfaction.]
Darzul: {Thatâs right, Felix. Because thatâs the real you.}
[He came closer and placed a hand firmly on Felixâs right shoulder.]
Darzul: {You donât surrender to injustice. In fact, the only reason you havenât gone out to challenge it on the offensive is because there ARE people who need you, so you keep silent for their sake since, given you know you canât fight it alone.}
[But Darzul gave a bold grin, his Mars energy burning with loyal fondness.]
Darzul: {But you donât give yourself enough credit, Felix. And youâve spent FAR too long alone. So long, in fact, that youâve forgotten just how much you INSPIRE others, granting them courage and determination to face the darkness.}
[He brought up his free hand in a fist yet again, shaking it slightly as if firmly grasping onto victory.]
Darzul: {You inspire others in their darkest moments, in times of peril, in times of fear. The fire in your [spirit/heart/soul] NEVER diesâjust that you all too often donât give it enough to eat, making it so troubled that you can no longer see it.}
[He placed both hands on Felixâs shoulders, nowâhe looked the Venus Adept right in the eyes, and Felix merely crossed his arms as he continued to listen.]
Darzul: {But I see it. Iâve seen it ever since you showed up here as a scrawny, still half-drowned twig all those years ago, and I see it now.}
[Darzul grinned brightly.]
Darzul: {And I can think of a lot of people who would stand by your side in such a moment of need.}
[The Proxan let go and took a step back, bringing up both fists wreathed in flame with an undaunted grin of fierce loyalty.]
Darzul: {Like it or not, you are a LEADER, Felix! Sometimes, all it takes for people to stand up for what matters is to KNOW that they are NOT ALONE! Sometimes, all they need is to see just one, just one take a stand, to defy such brutality with nerves wrought of the heart of Sol itself! To see just one, just one who will reawaken the FIRE in their own hearts, AND BRING THEM THE LIGHT OF HOPE! There are a lot of good people out there, Felix⊠people who have been convinced they have no hope, that there is no one to be their champion and no way they could make a difference, that their oppression is inevitable, because there is no one they see they can turn to, that they can trust to never let them down and NEVER give inâŠ}
[He sweeps his arms apart, sending off flares of energy that trail like dragon wings.]
Darzul: {Felix⊠all that they need is to know there is someone like you. People need a champion, especially in their darkest hours!}
{September 11th, 2020TâŠ}
Felix: It doesnât have to be this way, and just resenting others and not even trying doesnât get ANYONE anywhere at all! Tyranny canât just be wished out of existence, {and you canât access the river if you donât even break a hole in the ice!}
[Mikhail could only raise an eyebrow at this. Obviously, it was some variation of âyou miss 100% of the shots you never takeâ and other similar adages.]
Mikhail: You say that as if I donât know that. But intellectually knowingâeven understanding it to be trueâand actually believing it are two very, very different things.
[That did help deflect the sense of frustration, but it didnât really help much beyond that. Felix held his hands in such a way that showed a clear sense of forlorn mental despair.]
Felix: How can I help people who hold such a degree of hopelessness that they canât even see that we can work together to improve their lives?! What am I supposed to do?!?
[Mikhail crossed his arms, speaking in a quiet tone that had a sense of sternness to it, as if issuing a sense of warning, challenge, or rejection to the attitude.]
Mikhail: Well, Felix, you have two choices, just like any other man. Either you discern and decide that you are needed to function in the role you have, with the influence at hand, and commit to the role even though you have to keep your head down, or. You decide that enough is enough, and you will put yourself out thereâdoing so ready to take on the consequences, which involve, among other things⊠endangering those near to you, and marking yourself as an enemy to those who will make your life a living Hell, possibly in a way that leaves you with nothing.
[He could tell Felix wasnât quite expecting such a response, and he chose to take a step forward, increasing the sharp edge in his tone to something quite fierce.
It was the context and behavior that truly spoke to his mindset and would actually get fully through to him, after all.]
Mikhail: Are you willing to sacrifice your personal comfort for âthe causeâ, or not? You donât make change for others by keeping to yourself. That level of sacrifice means giving up your time and putting yourself in danger of being ridiculed, mocked, mistreated, verbally abused, possibly even physically assaulted. It means being willing to be laughed at, slandered, disrespected for YEARS out to the line. It means NEVER being safe from having records of the scandal being thrown in your face after itâs all over, disrupting whatever peace you had chosen. On such a scale, that, and NOTHING less, is what it takes to make a difference.
[He took another step forward.
He didnât particularly enjoy the tone he was taking, but unfortunately the Adept really needed it.
And if that meant being the aggressor, then so be it.]
Mikhail: Well? Are you willing to do that, or not? If youâre so determined, if you really believe that your cause is just and worth sacrificeâif you really believe that people do or will see it your way, given the chanceâthen whatâs stopping you?
[âŠAdmittedly, he didnât quite expect the response that he got.
He had expected Felix to get defensive, and possibly aggressive, or at least sullen or humiliated, butâŠ
After a brief wince, Felix just looked down with a worried look on his face, holding his hands near his chest and looking down not out of a proper sense of being admonished, but out of dismayed confusion.
His voice was a bit strained too, and he sounded very resentful of his own perceived shortcomings.]
Felix: âŠI have absolutely no idea where I would even start.
[A pause.]
Felix: There are⊠there are good ways and stupid ways to go about doing these things, Doctorâand acting out of pure need with no thought is not a responsible way to deal with it.
[Mikhail loosened his own tension and ran a hand over his beard, frowning at this.]
Felix: If⊠if I had some idea of how to do so responsiblyâŠ
[He looked up, a clear sense of pain in his eyes.]
Felix: Wouldnât that be worth it? I think itâd be worth it. How can I stand by when people are suffering? Thereâs got to be something I can do, and⊠evenâŠ
[He looks away, his voice reflecting he was reaching his stress limits where he was still able to physically verbalize.]
Felix: âŠeven if I lost everything, there are⊠there are people I trust, who⊠I feelâŠ
[He was clearly forcing words now.]
Felix: âŠtheyâd⊠as long as I could⊠could get there, then at least I wouldnât be alone.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Have to believe
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not
                   đđ đ„
not again not again not again
                               đčđđ đđđđ đđđđđđ
hurts
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                                       đ·đ đ đ đ
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      đđđđ đđ đ«đźđ”đČđźđżđź
Felix: âŠbelieve, haveâhave to believe, they⊠would not. Not abandon. Real. Real this time. Not. Not again. Like before. Have. Have to believe that. They. At least would want to.
Mikhail: âŠ
[All aggression was gone from the Doctorâs eyes now. He almost felt a bit guilty, having forced this battle between hope and insecurity to come right to the surface.
And he was rather worried.
The people Felix was up against were certainly cultured, but hardly what modern society would call âcivilâ. While there wasnât a whole lot of difference in terms of motivation, technique, outlook, and methods between the modern tyrants and the ancient ones, it was enough to truly, truly, LEGITIMATELY fear what could happen to the young Adept if they managed to get their hands on himâ
With the average nobody, âmereâ assault, even to the point of violation and murder, was âenoughâ for the totalitarian cowards.
But with a leader? An inspiring, charismatic, powerful leader?
Oh, theyâd make an example out of him. And he really, REALLY felt cold with the unwelcome visual of what a Romanesque vindictive force would put him through.]
Felix: Why? Why does it have to be like this? Canât it be enough to worry about love and loss without TYRANTS AND MURDER?!
[He had suddenly started shouting at that last bit, and Mikhail had to wince ever so slightly and discretely take a step back. Felix was in a downright stormy mood, and this one was something he had more or less invoked.]
Felix: Solâs scales, Iâve just had ENOUGH of this! Weâre ALL absolutely FED UP with feeling fenced in, and I am NOT happy with being goaded into second-guessing anyone whoâs different! I DONâT BUY IT!
[He whirled around, glaring in aggravated disdain and defiance.]
Felix: Iâve traveled all over the world, lived in vastly different places, and when not being provoked, no one ever even thinks TWICE about it once the novelty wears off! I know for a FACT that there are good people everywhere, and even if they would prefer to be left alone, they donât deserve to be treated as aggressive threats!
[He advanced in a somewhat dominant way, giving a gesture of focus, accusation, and warning.]
Felix: And I will not be talked by my friends into believing otherwise! We all deserve better than this. I HAVE to do SOMETHING!
[Mikhail winced again, but grabbed Felix by the shoulders.]
Mikhail: Felix, pleaseâ! These people make a HABIT of invading their surrounding neighbors to BURN their cities to the ground! If you aggravate them, they WILL kill you!
[Felix knocked one of his hands away, speaking with a highly offended tone of disappointment.]
Felix: You think I donât know that?! Thatâs all I can think about most times, day after day, picturing that INEVITABLE end! I canât stand for this. I shouldnât have to!
Mikhail: ({Dear God, this wasnât at ALL what I was going for, DEEPLY regret itâ}) You said it yourself, so please donât do anything rash!
[Felix turned sharply so that his back was facing the Doctor. He seemed moody, and gave off a string of sentences in a language that the older man had never heard before. He couldnât even guess what an equivalent might be, which made him wonder where in Weyard it originated. Given Felixâs stressed state, it might even be his native language.
After a moment, Felix gave a frustrated sigh and put his hands in his hair.]
Felix: âŠI hate what this has been doing to me. I absolutely loathe being FORCED into focusing on combat, when all I want is to focus on a family life working as a blacksmith!
[He crossed his arms and glanced over at the Russian scientist, clearly unmoved and rather insulted by the latterâs attempt to admonish him into humble shame by calling out his (nonexistent) hypocrisy.
In retrospect, Mikhail thought to himself, he really should have known better than to guessâlet alone ACT so openly, even just to provoke honest scrutinyâthe erroneous idea that Felix wasnât willing to risk his comfort and his life for the sake of regaining a true sense of peace.
And in hindsight, hadnât he once felt the same? Hadnât he felt it worth crossing LightLabs, of all people, and all its industrial and academic power, just to defy the callous treatment of AI&As and secure a good life for his family, giving the world an alternative to the heartless and irresponsible regime?
Good Lord, had he really spoken thoughtlessly; that was a TERRIBLE mistake.]
Felix: I can see by your expression and your aura that you know exactly what I mean, and know youâve made a mistake.
[Mikhail put a hand to his face. Great, now he was being called out on it.]
Mikhail: Iâll admit, I was rather hoping that you were just voicing frustration and would âcome to your sensesâ by realizing you didnât want to risk the violence to yourself and others.
[Felix held his hands apart, speaking with an edge of irritation.]
Felix: Well, thatâs backfired, so Iâll have to speak with others to get an idea for an outreach project.
Mikhail: Felix, please be careful; our feelings aside, there are a LOT of people who are relying on you and would be in rather dire straits if you were abruptly eliminated. You truly underestimate the degree to which you are absolutely vital in your position. Donât do anything dangerous.
[Felix gave a strained snort, and then spoke with a heavily incredulous, almost amused tone.]
Felix: You say that like I ever have any choice in the matter. Letâs be a bit more realistic, mmmhh?
[Mikhail had to mirror the sentiment. It was rather ridiculous, given who he was talking to.
It seemed to have helped Felix calm down, though, and he placed a hand to Mikhailâs shoulder and spoke calmly, with a sense of gentleness.]
Felix: Iâm not out to cause trouble, and I can appreciate the art of subtlety. Maybe nothing will come of it except a long conversation that is thought provoking; I donât know. Not yet. But I will try. I will find a way to force myself not to be complacent. Standing by will only make the cost even higher, and in the end⊠with only one life to give, and knowing that I am doomed to suffering, is it not worthwhileâwhen forced to take a standâto do what is right so that others might live? Itâs not enough that they survive; they must truly, truly be able to live.
Mikhail: âŠYouâre a brave man, Felix. The world needs more like you.
{October 8th, 2020TâŠ}
Felix: I wish I could bring just six Proxans with me to be in Lalivero. I anticipate that the Tolbi will start advancing. Within weeks.
[Mikhail blinked at this, not having expected that. Felix sighed inwardly and stood, walking over to finish preparing tea.]
Felix: Theyâve burned much of the buffer in Northern Gondowan, and disbanded all native defenses. There really isnât anything left that stands between us at this point.
Mikhail: I thoughtâwasnât there one large city?
Felix: Suhalla? Itâs been utterly sacked. Razed to the ground. The cityâs been abandoned; itâs in shambles.
Mikhail: Youâre sure of this?
Felix: I havenât been there myself, but yes, Iâm sure. Only the desert stands between us now, and with enough supplies and ingenuity⊠they would be able to make it through.
Mikhail: But why now?
[Felix looked up.]
Felix: Havenât I told you? Autumn is the season of Venus. The power of Venus is at its strongest; if you wanted to harness its potential, this is the time to do it.
[He added some tea leaves a metal device, resting them over the cups.]
Felix: Theyâre out for plunder. The power of Venus is connected to the harvest, and it takes a great deal of food to supply an army of that size. Having burned so much of the surrounding land, theyâre looking for something that hasnât been razed yet. Any survivors are liable to end up forced into labor⊠to produce resources for their army.
[He looked up again.]
Felix: Iâm going to have to travel south to Venus Lighthouse, with a garrison that lacks fighting spirit. They will rely entirely on meâ
Mikhail: What about Sheba?
Felix: She has a more important job than I do. Sheâll have to stay in Lalivero to defend the actual entrance, should we fail at holding them back. Sheâs strong enough to raise violent storms to deter them, and theyâll listen to her as a voice of leadership. We canât leave Venus Lighthouse unprotected, but the entrance and the exit are in two different places. BOTH of them have to be handled simultaneously.
Mikhail: âŠ
[Felixâs eyes betrayed some mental exhaustion as he sat down again.]
Felix: I had hoped it would never come even this far. But it will take a true miracle now to avoid conflict altogether.
[He bowed his head, as if dragged down by the weight of responsibility, and rested his elbows on the table as he held his head in his hands.]
Felix: These people donât have the fighting spirit. Theyâre timid, and reliant on saviors. People like Shebaâand me. They donâtâŠdonât have that inner fire to stand up for themselves against tyrants, if their shepherds are struck down.
[He looked up, a flat expression peeking through his bangs.]
Felix: The garrison stationed at the Lighthouse is going to depend on my leadership. Theyâll look to me for the confidence to be courageous, and the strength to take a stand against brutal oppression.
[He lowered his hands.]
Felix: The people of Tolbi have made their way to Lalivero in force before. They are better equipped now to do so, and have experience. This is not something they are going to leave alone; itâs been their goal for a very, very long time. We⊠probably will not end up facing the entire army; I anticipate them sending a scouting force out instead. And I donât⊠I donât think that they will be willing to peaceful negotiation. Not after what theyâve done in the region, and how they look down on other people as sub-human.
[His hands curled into fists.]
Felix: I canât ask for help from Prox because Lady McCoyâs forces are a very dangerous threat to the region. She has her own army and is actively expanding her territory. Not only is Mars Lighthouse in need of defense⊠but Kalt Island has requested that Proxan forces join with them to station in Loho to preserve the key beaches that grant easy access to the Western Sea. Our forces in the Northern Reaches will be stretched rather thin. Canât afford to weaken the lines of defense that protect Prox and Contigo.
[He looked up again.]
Felix: And before you ask⊠no, Piers canât help, either. Heâs bound to patrol the Sea of Time, to protect Lemuria itself. Briggs is doing likewise in Champa waters with his son, whoâs more or less captain of one of the other vessels in their fleet. No⊠weâre on our own, with this one.
[He shook his head.]
Felix: I canât place any of you in the path of war. Itâs not your place, and I would not subject you to such peril. I cannot ask them to risk their lives, let alone in the context that could demand the death of the aggressors as the only means of stopping their invasion.
[He laid his hands flat again, running them across the table somewhat.
There was one person, of course. One person who had the spirit of Mars and the willingness to take lives. Even to the point of striking terror into the hearts of the enemy.
But Rayâs greatest strength lay in tandem with a healer, and the strain of Time put her well-being far too much at risk for front-lines combat in a group setting, even if he could handle it. And he anticipated that his supernatural strength would be stretched rather thin, if he committed to using restraint and fighting defensively.
If he were being proactive, then it wouldâin some waysâmake it so much easier. Much simpler, that was for certain.
But he felt so uneasy. Itâd been years since heâd taken a life, and that wasnât willingly. Heâd held funerals for Tolbi soldiers before, out there in the desert; he could still smell the sickening smell of the pyre turning the corpses into ashes.
The prospect of doing so a second time was not pleasing in the slightest.
He swallowed.]
Felix: There is Death on the horizon.
[Mikhail felt his blood run cold. All around them, the temperature in the room took an abrupt nosedive.
Felix had said such things before. And each time, without fail, it had come to pass⊠with multiple casualties each time, so far.]
Felix: This will not end without great sacrifice and suffering.
[Felix closed his eyes, taking in a deep breath before looking up again.]
Felix: People will be looking to me for confidence.
[He interlaced his fingers, not breaking eye contact.]
Felix: If they see me afraid and conflicted, or certain of defeat, then they will internalize a sense of despair. I have to be entirely undaunted and confident, and⊠Iâm filled with absolute dread at what could happen if we lose. What will become of our people, our land. The thought of the torment in retribution, let alone the life of captivityâŠ! How do I maintain unshaken confidence when that is what I am up against, when ill-equipped to do so? Until now, it was easily dismissed as a distant paranoia, but now weâre living it as a grim reality!
[Mikhail felt a pang of sympathetic worry. It was certainly his urge to stay and fight, and to rain down the fury of General Winter on all threats of such caliber. But he, too, was subject to fear, and forcedâfor the sake of not drawing attention to himself and his family, for the sake of his daughterâto cower against it.
To see Felix now trapped, boxed in into a role he never wanted, forced to take up arms to defend his people (and indeed, most of Weyard), cornered by his enemies in a way he could not escapeâŠ
âŠand especially knowing Felix may not survive it, if the worst came to passâŠ
âŠMikhail had a hard time feeling altogether unshaken, himself.]
Mikhail: FelixâŠ
[He had to put in incredible effort to avoid getting lost in memories, and tried his best to force himself to talk through it.]
Mikhail: If thereâs one thing I know about your leadership capabilities, itâs that you ARE capableâfar more than you realizeâwhen you are properly focused. Itâs when you are overly indecisive that you become distracted and start to doubt yourself.
[He sighed, taking off his glasses and rubbing his face a bit.]
Mikhail: I recommend not doubting yourself. This is not a time for self doubt and âwhat-ifâ demons. Do what you can with what you have, and deal with reality as it chooses what challenge shall be testing your limits. You have thoroughly planned things out at this point; now you just have to wait.
[There was a pause.]
Felix: DoctorâŠ
Mikhail: Yes?
Felix: There could⊠be a way for me toâŠ
[Mikhail shook his head, holding up a hand to cut him off.]
Mikhail: Felix, Iâve heard about what happened the last time you tried to singlehandedly stave off disaster by using your considerable inner strength. That nearly killed you, and whatever it is you have in mind, I do not recommend it.
{October 13th, 2020TâŠ}
Felix: {The lands around the Karagol Sea have utterly destabilized.}
Felix: {There has been no word and no trade from Kalay in over a month. I can only pray that this is because most people have fled⊠though that would mean that other forces have taken over the city. Prior experience traveling those lands tells me that Xian would have closed the Silk Road entirely if Kalay fell and/or trade was no longer safe.}
Felix: {But I am not here for guesses, nor speculation. No⊠I am here to make an announcement.}
Felix: {Word has reached us from the north that Suhalla was razed to the ground. They no longer serve as a buffer between Tolbi and Lalivero.}
Felix: {I believe that the Tolbi Empire has already gathered the resources to march south, and I imagine they have already set out for the invasion. As such, I anticipate the soldiers will reach the garrison guarding Venus Lighthouse⊠within a few weeks.}
Elder: {So it truly begins.}
Puelle: {We have received word from Kalt Island that they were posing a threat to the West via Loho; are you certain you have accurate information on their movements?}
Felix: {I think you underestimate the sheer size of their military, Puelle. There are possibly somewhere between 84,000 and 125,000 people in their armyâ}
G.M. Blacksmith: {125,000!?}
Felix: {âand thatâs not really counting the non-combatants in a supporting role. They could send a legion to BOTH locations and still not make a dent in their overall forces.}
G. M. Blacksmith: {That has to be a lie. An exaggeration, at the very least.}
G. M. Dancer: {I rather doubt that. Remember just how much land they have under their power.}
G. M. Tailor: {How would they have the resources to spare in a time of such unrest? I should think they would be busy not falling apart at the seams.}
Felix: {Iâm sure they ARE busy, and I imagine that the torment of their victims serves as distraction enough to stabilize their own city just long enough to spare the forces to mobilize on their next targets.}
Felix: {They would not anticipate much resistance in Loho. If they do mobilize to the northwest, then you might see a few cohorts⊠but I doubt much more than that. Personally, I doubt they would set out for Loho at this time of year at all; spring is much more likely.}
Felix: -Shakes his head a bit- {I will review the matter of Proxan defense, but that is not the main reason I am here. The ice will prevent them from sailing before too long, so I am not as worried about Proxâs defense; nature will see to most of that. Few in the south can withstand the wrath of the winter in the Northern Reaches.}
G.M. Scribe: {You managed.}
G.M. Tailor: {Heâs equipped to deal with our winters. They would not be.}
Kalora: {Why did you call the council together if youâre not here primarily to discuss our defenses?}
Felix: âŠ
[He closes his eyes for a moment.]
Felix: âŠ
[He sighs and rests his hands on the table, his head bowed.]
Felix: âŠ
Felix: {I need to discuss⊠legal complications, particularly regarding the role of succession.}
Felix: {The greatest Seer of the modern age made a prediction years ago.}
Felix: âFelix bears a terrible fate, a burden I would not wish on any man.â
[He looks up, his eyelids lowered halfway.]
Felix: -Calmly- {Iâm not invincible, Kalora. If Tolbi does in fact send several thousand PROFESSIONALLY trained soldiers our wayâŠ}
Felix: {âŠWin or lose, thereâs a good chance that I wonât survive.}
{October 30th, 2020TâŠ}
Felix: Any advice?
[Darzul didnât look up from his journal, where he was recording some notes about the local wildlife.]
Darzul: Advice? No. Insight, maybe. What about?
Felix: âŠHow confident should I be about this?
[Darzul looked up, raising an eyebrow slightly.]
Darzul: Thatâs an odd question.
[Felix moved his pace a bit.]
Darzul: Why do you ask me? YOUâRE the leader.
Felix: I know that.
Darzul: It matters more what you think. And donât second-guess yourself. Base your thoughts on what you can observe, on reality.
Felix: âŠI donât think that the Tolbi will be able to overtake us, given how difficult weâve made it for large armies to pass through the forest barricade. Theyâd have to break formation, and theyâd be dealing with more monsters. Itâs easier to get lost, because the canopy is too thick to see much of the sun, and none of the stars. They could clear a path through the forest through brute force, but that would take a ridiculous amount of time. Food would be a big issue, as would waterâhaving just passed through a harsh desert, both will be in short supply. As long as we stand our ground should they manage to break through, we should be able to hold them back using the fortifications that are in place.
Felix: They are bent on destroying us, but they do still have an empire to runâand that requires a lot of resources and a lot of manpower. They donât have much of their force to spare to begin with. I know that I feel strong. The power of the season is amplifying the power from the Lighthouse, and I⊠I did hold the Star in my hands, resting with it above my heart for several days. I feel⊠feel a burning sense of need to hold them back, and⊠I donât think the people of Lalivero are as afraid, being able to look to a leader.
Darzul: Then base your confidence on that, on that knowledge that it IS possible and you are determined to make it happen.
Felix: What if Iâm wrong?
Darzul: You canât afford to think like that right now.
Felix: I canât just ignoreâ
Darzul: Felix. You wonât be able to rally to hope if you are focused on despair. Accepting defeat outright is setting yourself up for it.
Darzul: Thereâs nothing worse than a confidence thatâs been shattered by cruelty. To be left in despair, to see your only hope gone. And right now, Felix, you ARE that hope. So you need to be it for them.
[He stood up and walked over, placing a hand on Felixâs shoulder and looking him in the eye.]
Darzul: They need to know that you will never surrender, will never abandon them. That they can trust you, trust you to protect them and everything they care about, and be glad to do as you say to keep it a reality. You need to have real confidence in yourself. Remember, Felix; youâre the strongest Warrior alive. You are a dragon slayer! Champions of landsâand of entire worlds!âare forced to kneel in acknowledgement of your superior might!
[He could feel his spirit lifting as Darzul continued.]
Darzul: They need to see that you are confident, that you are strong enough to protect them! Put your trust in them as they have in you. If you will not abandon themâyou, their chosen leader, the defender of their hopes and dreamsâthen they will not abandon you, not even in the face of grave danger. For they know that they must hold their ground if they are to surviveâand there is nothing quite like the burning zeal of passion for oneâs homeland to bring fire to a manâs resolve to give in sacrifice.
[He placed his other hand (still partially holding his notebook) onto Felixâs other shoulder.]
Darzul: Now close your eyes.
Felix: âŠ
Darzul: Just do it.
Felix: âŠ
[He did so, and Darzul spoke a little more gently.]
Darzul: Venus⊠you see yourselves as the Tree, but Mars sees you as the Man. For the connection Venus has to {[humanity]} is beyond what words can say. You can feel them, canât you? All the others.
Felix: âŠ
Darzul: Well, focus. Focus on them. Focus on the thousands that gather to heed your words, to rally in force in support of your cause. Open your mind to how real they are, how staunch they are in defending what matters.
Felix: âŠ
[He opened his eyes, but they were distant in thought.]
Darzul: Trust. Trust in them as well as yourself. You are not alone. These are people who, by their own choice, would follow you into battleâto face Death with courage, because it matters more to defend their people, their home. Trust, Felix. Trust that that means something. And more than that? Trust your own resolve. Not your ability, but your resolve. For resolve and dedication matter a great deal more than ability in times of troubleâthose with great strength but no result will cave, but the weaker with dragons' spirit will burn with unyielding fire, unmoved and unbroken. Set your resolve, and do not let it go. Not even in the face of great fear⊠and I know that when it calls for it, you can do what you must. And that's all you need see.
{November 1st, 2020T}
[Felix used the brooch that Ky and Ray had made for him to contact all the others.]
<FLX to ALL >: > -Ping!-
<FLX to ALL >: > -Victory-
<FLX to ALL >: > I don't think this is over, but it is over for nowâŠ
[MN-ALL] //: -Rush of relief/victory/joyous data!!-
[...on top of what was PROBABLY going on at Halloween night, it was more like another wave rather than just a burst.]
[Ă to FLX] //: -Huge sigh in relief data, safe....-
<DLN-000 to FLX>: > You know this isn't over.
<FLX to DLN-000 >: > Not nearly enough of a force⊠and quite a lot of scholars, actuallyâŠ
<DLN-000 to FLX>: > Scholars??
<FLX to DLN-000 >: > Cardinal, I'm tired, and very distracted thinking about how grateful I am that⊠mmmn⊠I'll explain later.
-=-=-=-
<FLX to Ă>: > Returning to Lalivero for now. So⊠so eager to this to be over, to⊠make my request, my celebrationâŠ
[Ă to FLX] //: ...
[Ă to FLX] //: Soon. -Almost there-
[Ă to FLX] //: -And we will help you get there-
[Ă to FLX] //: -Soon- -Soon you'll have your day in sunlight- -You deserve that much-
But they all ought to have known better.
For Felix bears a terrible fate, a burden one would not wish on any man.
||âOriginââââââFlare of the Morning StarââââââNextâ>>
So this is what Owen meant. Suddenly, it made a LOT of sense as to why she was sidelined for SO long. And apparently, so was Snow in some mannerâŠbut even in the midst of all this alien invasion and evils being vanquished, that was the least surprising thing to her.
Of COURSE Enigma would prioritize his family first, and leave everyone to more or less fend it off themselves.
Lovely.
((Chorus: -Technically, that was our fatherâs idea, not Enigmaâs-))
codedhopes
ââŠMn. Well, I am glad you are safe, David. Iâm not too surprised that Felix managed to get himself into the jaws of troubleâŠagainâŠâ Goodness, that man really can survive anything. And it WAS saying something coming from her, from doing THAT for so long. âI assume thatâs all said and done with, thenâŠ? No more space alien nonsense to worry about?â
Snow: âŠ
Snow: I⊠I donât know⊠[?]
Snow: There was something really weird that happened, and we donât know what it was. Something about blue fire⊠a big stone that turned intoâŠ
Snow: âŠblue fire, or somethingâŠ
Snow: I know the⊠space overlords are gone, but I just donât think I can be sure itâs over until we know what the other thing was that fell down, too, anâ what it was doing with the other space debris if it wasnât working with them.
Snow: LikeâŠ
Snow: I donât know. I think Shadowâs seen something like it before?
Snow: I think WEâLL be okay, butâŠ
Snow: I donât think itâs over for Shadow just yet, anâ Iâm not sure itâll go too well if the blue fire comes back.
((Yeah, nah, abject MORTAL TERROR is more like it
rust in pings, space ninja
you AND your sensei both))
codedhopes
ââŠSpeaking of Felix, though, what was it you said that you wanted his help with?â
[At this, Snowâs demeanor shifted back to its usual cheerful self.]
Snow: Oh boy oh boy! Itâs super great! I found something thatâs ALMOST like ceratanium! Itâs super strong and durable and FIREPROOF! It floats in lava, even!
[He pulled a bar out of his coat pocket and held it out to her for her to observe.]
Snow: Yes! I brought the one with extra! I did the thing the nice Italian shiny lady taught me, hee!
Snow: -Dances in place a little bit- I knew it was going to be for you, so when they asked me what meat I wanted, I said âyesâ!
[He giggled slightly at the memory, a sense of pure glee across the data feed, clear as a bright winter day.
He plopped the pizza box down in front of her; the largest size that was commercially sold.]
Snow: Iâm so glad to see youâre okay!
Snow: When everything got super scary in June, I was worried you might be caught up in it! I think things are okay for right now, even if it probably isnât overâŠ
Snow: But thatâs okay, because everyoneâs been repaired and the Wilderness isnât all jungle anymore. And thatâs a good start!
[He brings out a certain dual-colored sphereâŠ]
Snow: Oh, thereâs so much to talk about! I need to think of baby present ideas and everything! And maybe Felix can come back so he can make something shiny for you with the new thing I found!
[ Ă ] - That is. So much new information at once that Ray has to take a moment to even parse through it properly. The VERY first thing she does out of hunger, though, is flip open the pizza box and grab two of the largest slices for her.
There clearly WAS much to talk about, it seems. (We might need more snacks.)
At the mention of June and trying to push back the unfavorable cross references that were tied to that month in general, Ray let out a hum of concern. Right. That. âYes, I was...concerned about that, when that strange meteor shower showed up right at the height of that eclipse...I assume THAT is what you are speaking of?â She asks. â...Iâm afraid I donât know what happened after that, I was, ah...quite literally pulled to the sidelines.â
"Miss Raaaaaay! Miss Ray!" || [Ah, an incoming, energetic signal.] || "Miss Ray, I brought a pizza and a story!"
[ Ă ] -Â â...?â
Ah--Ray flicks her head up at the small, approaching figure. She gives off a blip of surprise, herself--she hadnât been expecting the DCN to just suddenly find her so easily, much less be allowed to DO so.
Nonetheless, she gives the ice child a tired, but fond smile.
âHello, David...â Itâs good to see them again. âPizza, you say? I was just thinking about getting some, so thank you for that.â A story, though? Interesting...
As she settles into a sitting position, she tilts her head at him. âStorytime it is, I suppose.â
Another message followed shortly, containing a familiar set of coordinates.
[OXN-002 to DLN-000] //: As for VikingâŠmmmmaybe, maybe not.
[OXN-002 to DLN-000] //: Heâll be there, for sure, but heâs been reallyâŠintrovertedâŠsince we got loosed unto the world again.
[OXN-002 to DLN-000] //: Iâm not sure if thatâs something he got from me, or if thatâs all him.
[OXN-002 to DLN-000] //: He sure didnât get it from âKat.
[OXN-002 to DLN-000] //: And yeah, totally!
[OXN-002 to DLN-000] //: After all, theyâve been letting Gospel in for years~
[DLN-000 to OXN-002] //: -Amused- Baronâs an organic, not a construct.
[He did frown a bit at the mention of Viking becoming withdrawn.]
[DLN-000 to OXN-002] //: âŠMaybe itâs none of my business, but in my experience with my brothers and a number of friendsâyou includedâ
[DLN-000 to OXN-002] //: When a Combat construct becomes more withdrawn than usual, itâs generally a sign theyâre really, really stressed out.
[DLN-000 to OXN-002] //: Geez, I hope heâs okayâŠ
[He warped over to the coordinates provided.]
[He wore a long-sleeved jacket despite it being the middle of summer, but that was primarily to keep his scarf tucked out of sight and less noticeable.
Sure, Shade had a point about it being an iconic way of getting the wrong kind of attentionâespecially with that dart he had pinned to itâbut there was no way heâd take either the scarf or the dog tag off. Same with the dart from the scarf.
So subtlety it was, and he was glad for a change of pace.
As much as he loved Kansas City, the city just hadnât been the same for months; it used to be (relatively) safe, especially compared to the (even more relatively) nearby Chicago, but⊠it had reached a point where it was dangerous enough to worry him.
And it said a lot that a world with rogue Reploids and shady double-agents working for tyranny ,with a war of some kind going on in the backgroundâor else having happened not long ago, he wasnât clear on the detailsâ
âwas SAFER than HIS world.
But then again, his world was always the most dangerous. Even the General wouldnât go there.
On the bright side, it did mean that everywhere else he went was an improvement, which was always nice.]
[DLN-000 to OXN-002] //: As okay as it gets for the likes of us, at any rate.
