Welcome to Elenlond! |
| THE IMPORTANT STUFF
A good place to start... Rules Encyclopedia Additional Info Book of Lore Tutorial: Abilities Profile Skeleton Compendium FAQ Who's Who...? Evona (admin) Yorishine (mod) Sphynx (mod) Andromalius (mod) Guess (mod) |
10.26.09
08.24.09
08.15.09
|
BREAK IT DOWN
Welcome to Elenlond, an original medieval fantasy roleplaying forum! We strive for creative, free-form roleplaying, in the hopes of allowing each and every single member the power to achieve their potential.
|
| Welcome to Elenlond, an original medieval fantasy forum! We're always looking for new, dedicated members. Elenlond is composed of two continents: Soare and Esiria. Esiria, a land now isolated due to the efforts of the last remaining Goddess, is inaccessible to all beings and lies in the east. Soare, a continent in the west, is composed of three distinct nations: Ashoka, Soto, and Morrim. Lying between the two major continents are the Scattered Isles. Since the dissolution of the pantheon and the fall of the gods, these countries have existed in relative peace and prosperity. But how long will that peace last? Enter Elenlond; Turn the pages and tell your own tale. If you're already a member please log in to your account to access all of our features: |
| Reflections; (Nicola) | |
|---|---|
| Topic Started: Jul 21 2009, 05:35 PM (126 Views) | |
| Drake Aurelis | Jul 21 2009, 05:35 PM Post #1 |
The wielder of the Light that dispels the void.
|
Drake was flying, flying through the valley, feeling the wind, seeing the stars up in the sky shining. Then suddenly, he wanted to do something else... Wanted to be somewhere else. The temple of Life and Order, right over there... He had no idea why, but he did. He flew in that direction, and then into the temple, which was rather silent at this time, so late at night. He flew in, and then shifted into human form with a flash of light. Then, as he walked, his steps echoed on the stone, seeming to resound through the emptiness. Before he stopped, just ten feet away from the blade thrust into the stone. He closed his eyes, thinking... He wasn't even sure why he was here. Though he had a desire to protect people, he wasn't even sure what his beliefs truly were. What was the truth, really? Then again, perhaps the truth never could be known. No... It couldn't. That was one thing Drake knew for certain, the truth of everything was impossible to know. Existence was something that couldn't happen, and yet, things did exist.... But why was he thinking about this? Why was he here? Why was he looking upon this sword? Drake suddenly felt an urge to try and draw the sword from its stone... But that was stupid. He sighed, he had no idea why he sometimes got stupid ideas that he knew he'd never bother with, but he did sometimes. Sometimes, he really did have no idea whatsoever why he did things, or why he felt things... Why he was here... And one thing he wondered if he'd ever know... What was he? Why could he transform into a dragon, why did he have that strange black mark on his hand, why did his eyes change when he was angry...? So many questions, and none he had answers for... One more question echoed through his mind. How had he ended up being raised by who he had been? His "mother" was a witch who wanted to absolutely slaughter everything that wasn't human, and even was part of a cult dedicated to destroying them. His "father" was coward who was too scared to do anything but do exactly as that horrid woman wished. Drake would never be able to go back to them, now that he wasn't human... Nor did he want to. Drake didn't understand anything... Was he more human, or more dragon? He'd lived for sixteen years as a human, but he'd always had that mark, and now his eyes changed whenever he was angry... He had nothing in dragon form to connect him to the human, unless he was almost completely calm, and yet he always had that link to being part dragon in human form... He didn't know. He supposed it didn't matter that much really, but he still wished he could know the truth, have one less question to worry about... Drake didn't know how long he stood there, just staring at that blade which was buried into the stone in front of him. How long he resisted the strange urge to draw it, how long questions swirled around in his mind... But he continued to stand there, in the silence, where he could be undisturbed in his questioning of everything... He knew that it would never lead anywhere. Such things never did for him. But still, he continued... |
| Offline · Profile | "Quote" · Top^ |
| Nicola | Jul 23 2009, 04:42 PM Post #2 |
|
She always had been a bit of a night owl. Nico generally spent more time awake during the evening than she did during the day, though that was partially because of her line of work. As a professional dancer, at least to anyone that mattered, she tended to spend her evenings performing at social gatherings. Many such occasions went long into the night, or so she told anyone who caught her creeping back to the castle at two hours past midnight. Generally the guards who caught her, most of whom highly respected her father and their family, gave her a smile and a nod and bade her goodnight. Few questions were ever asked, but that was just the way that she liked it. This particular evening found her making her way towards the Temple of Life and Order. For one who spent half of her time helping to maintain order within Morrim, and the other half risking her life, the Temple had become a pleasant repast. She spent many free nights here, though ‘free nights’ weren’t something that came easy to this night stalker. Her visits to the Temple were one of the few occasions in which she wore white after dinnertime, and this evening was no different. Her gown was short sleeved, simple, for a noble, and as bright as the moon. On her head she wore a veil that only covered her face, falling just below the chin. She wore no jewelry, and even had simple slippers on her feet. She wasn’t here to play the part of a noble, and she didn’t want to look like one. She didn’t want to give anyone a reason to attempt to steal from a lone woman walking through the valley at night, but just in case she carried a dagger openly at her hip. There really wasn’t other place to hide it, nor was it all that important to her to conceal the weapon. Nico walked through the greenness of the Alastrine Valley, occasionally running her fingers across wide, green leaves of valley plants or picking wild flowers. Nature was so peaceful. It had an oddly calming effect on her, such that by the time she reached the stones that marked the Temple, her mood was pleasantly uplifted. And apparently she wasn’t the only one who had decided upon a nighttime stroll to the Temple of Life. When she approached the sword embedded in stone, she noticed that there was a man standing before it just staring. It was an odd sight; he wasn’t moving, barely even blinked. She wondered what types of thoughts would keep a guy like that in place before a solid sword, and she wondered how long he had been there. “I’ve heard that if you stare at it long enough, it might pull itself out.” Nico smiled and walked closer to the effigy, a bouquet of the wildflowers that she picked along the way in one hand. She took her place next to the man and looked down at the alter before them. Raising up her hand, she let go of the flowers and watched them fall gracefully towards the floor before the sword. |
| Offline · Profile | "Quote" · Top^ |
| Drake Aurelis | Jul 23 2009, 06:42 PM Post #3 |
|
The wielder of the Light that dispels the void.
|
Drake barely noticed when he heard someone else coming, steps on the temple's stone floor. He could hear them, especially with his enhanced senses, but he didn't pay attention, too lost in thought. What was he? Why was he here... As in, why the heck was he in this temple? He truly had no idea, he had just randomly decided to come here for no reason really. However, then he heard a voice, a woman's voice, startling him out of his thoughts. She made a comment which Drake chuckled at very lightly after a moment of slight surprise. He looked over toward where the voice had come from. He saw a woman standing there, obviously the one who had spoken. She looked a bit pale, and was wearing a white short sleeved gown. Her hair was very light as well, and in the dim light here, he couldn't quite tell if it was actually white or simply a very light blond. She was holding some flowers, and he watched her walk over to the sword and drop them to land directly in front of it. Drake stood there for a moment longer, and then suddenly said, "You know... I don't know why, but I keep... Just thinking about things. I'm not sure why, the kind of stuff I've been thinking about are the kind of things that thinking never seems to help with..." Then, his hand came up to his face. "Such as why I suddenly start speaking to someone who I don't know who probably has no idea why I'm talking either..." He felt ridiculous, and he sighed, before saying awkwardly, "I guess I'll just be quiet now..." He had no idea why he had started talking... Maybe he should just go on and leave, it wasn't like he had any real reason to be here... Except that for some reason, he didn't feel like leaving. It was as inexplicable as how he sometimes wanted to be in one form over another... He just felt like it. Actually, the reason he wanted to protect people was the same way, he just wanted to, he wasn't sure why... He realized that really, he knew nothing even about himself. Sure, he knew what had happened in his childhood, but not how he'd been adopted by that one horrid woman... |
| Offline · Profile | "Quote" · Top^ |
| Nicola | Jul 25 2009, 05:21 PM Post #4 |
|
Obviously this man was lost in thought before she interrupted him. She hadn’t meant to distract him from his own thoughts, but maybe that was just what he needed. Anyway she at least got a bit of laughter out of him. Nico turned towards him as he started to ramble. One of her hands went to her mouth; to help hide the chuckle caused his confusing banter. Honestly, she really had no idea what he was talking about. “I think what you really need is a couple of deep breaths and a good night’s sleep.” Sometimes it helped to take a step back from your thoughts, let them figure themselves out. Nico looked at him critically before smiling once more, offering a hand for him to shake. “My name Nicola Trevett of Kinaldi. And don’t worry about the rambling. I have no idea what you are talking about, but I’ve heard stranger.” She gave him a wink and even began to laugh, a sound that was light and musical. In her line of work, getting to travel all around Soare and often in some of the seediest of places, she truly had heard stranger things from stranger people. Nico didn’t even ask for his name, as she hoped that he would offer it voluntarily. He looked strangly familiar, yet she couldn’t place where she had perhaps seen his face before. Generally she was fairly good at remembering details, but she just didn’t remember where she had seen him before. Inwardly she shrugged, though she kept the smile on her face when she talked to him. “So do you mind if I ask what you were talking about? You don’t have to tell me, but I’ve been told that I’m a fairly good listener.” Nico turned slightly, still keeping him within her sights as she walked around the sword in the stone. It really was an interesting thing, and no one was sure how it had come to be. There were many rumors of course, each one as ridiculous as the next. |
| Offline · Profile | "Quote" · Top^ |
| Drake Aurelis | Jul 25 2009, 06:11 PM Post #5 |
|
The wielder of the Light that dispels the void.
|
Drake chuckled weakly at what the woman said. Yeah, maybe he did need sleep, but he didn't really feel tired actually. The woman then introduced herself as Nicola Trevett, and held out her hand. Drake took her hand and shook it slowly and slightly awkwardly. He said, "Ah, I'm Drake Aurelis, also from Kinaldi, though really I mostly wander now." She seemed familiar, he could have sworn that he recognized her from somewhere... But he couldn't remember. Nicola then asked him what he'd been talking about, offering to listen. Drake let go from the handshake and let his hand rest at his side, before he then said"Well... Mostly I was thinking about how I have no idea why I feel stuff sometimes, and also stuff about my past which I doubt you're interested in hearing me go into detail about... And yet..." Drake sounded unsure of himself. He suddenly wanted to let it all out... Drake then began speaking again, "To make a long story short, I was raised by people who aren't my parents... And I'm glad that they aren't they're so horrible. My mother even tried to kill me last time I saw her now that she knows I'm not human..." He stopped there. He felt like he'd said a bit too much already. "Er..." Drake said, not sure what else he could really say. However... Then he realized where he recognized this girl from. "Oh! Nicola, actually, I think I've met you before..." he began, "About six months ago, there was some formal event. I stood off at the side, I'm too awkward and not really interested in such things but... I remember seeing you there." This was the first time he'd seen someone he recognized from before he left home that hadn't tried to kill him... Well, then again, there'd only been one other person, his mother, so... Drake suddenly realized that he had no idea what Nicola would have heard about him after he flew off. He wouldn't put it past his mother to announce that he was dead instead of admitting that she'd raised a non-human... And force everyone else who had witnessed the transformation into secrecy on pain of death. She was arrogant, prideful, and hated him because he wasn't human... Come to think of it, Nicola might be confused when he said that he wasn't human. Drake involuntarily hid his right hand behind his back, so his mark couldn't be seen, as he waited for her to say something. |
| Offline · Profile | "Quote" · Top^ |
| Nicola | Aug 4 2009, 02:33 PM Post #6 |
|
Nico shook his hand before continuing to circle the central structure while he talked. The moment that she heard his full name, she froze; a curious expression on her face. “Aurelis? You are related to the Aurelis’s; the noble family? That must be why you look familiar. My family belongs to the court as well, though I rarely attend formal functions if I can help it.” She couldn’t help but chuckle, though it wasn’t a laugh that lasted very long. It wasn’t as though she didn’t like dressing up and going to parties, actually that part she didn’t mind at all. But she tried to stay away from the court if she could because of all of the questions. Her job kept her away from a lot of social functions anyway, and there were always questions as to where she had been. Plus having a gypsy as a mother also attracted many disapproving stares. But Nicola wasn’t one to talk about herself anyway, and she was more than happy to let him talk all he wanted. It seemed as though he had something that he wanted to get off of his chest, so she was more than pleased to offer him the chance to do just that. His brief statement actually told quite a bit about himself, even if it left her with more questions than answers. From what rumors she had heard about the Aurelis’s around court, they didn’t seem to be the kindest of people, so perhaps it really was a good thing that he wasn’t truly related to them. Already he seemed far nicer than the couple had ever been to her. His recognition sparked her own memory of the event; actually that party was one of the few that she had been able to attend this year. “I think I remember seeing you there as well. Unfortunately with my father’s military fame I meet far too many people for me to remember all of their names.” She gave a sheepish sort of smile as if already asking for his forgiveness at that slip in her memory. Her sharp peripheral vision noticed as he pulled one hand behind his back, though her gaze didn’t even need to shift in that direction. She took note of the fact that for some reason he desired to keep his right hand out of sight, but she wouldn’t dwell on it. Now that there seemed to be a break in the conversation, she wanted to get some of her questions out in the open. She started with the more obvious and would go from there, if he seemed receptive enough to more questions. She couldn’t help her own curious nature. “What do you mean when you say that you aren’t human?” |
| Offline · Profile | "Quote" · Top^ |
| Drake Aurelis | Aug 4 2009, 04:51 PM Post #7 |
|
The wielder of the Light that dispels the void.
|
Nicola apologized for not remembering him, saying that she met too many people to remember all their names. Drake smiled and said back, "I understand. I don't think we really talked with each other anyway, and I probably wouldn't have left you with much to remember except excessive awkwardness even if we had talked." He chuckled weakly and then sighed. He'd never been the best at conversation... Nicola then asked him what he meant when he said that he wasn't human. "Well..." he began, unsure of what to say. "He took his hand out from behind his back, and held it up to show the mark. "See this?" he asked, "I've always had it. It doesn't look natural, that black color..." He shook his head, "Although I've always had it, and that's not all." He paused for a moment. Suddenly, he had an idea. He closed his eyes, focused... And he felt them change. Drake opened his eyes. The irises were now a golden color, and the pupils slit, appearing to be looking into endless flames. He'd never deliberately changed them before... He said "Since my sixteenth birthday, two months ago, my eyes change into this when I'm angry. And as I just discovered, I can cause them to change as well. There's more though..." He sighed, "This may be surprising..." He stepped away from Nicola, and there was a flash of light, which when it faded, showed a dragon floating in the air directly above where Drake had been. Drake continued, I can turn into a dragon. And slowly, I've been gaining powers, that weren't spell I learned. My senses and reflexes are far beyond that of a human being, I can focus magic power through myself to increase my strength and speed... I was never taught those spells. Drake set himself down on the ground, and looked up toward her, By the way, what did they tell people about my disappearing? I lost myself and flew away when I first transformed. Did they tell people I was dead, had just disappeared, what? ...Maybe no one noticed, it wasn't as if I've ever been involved enough in things for people to care... Drake made a noise that was obviously a sigh. For some reason, the idea of his never being brought up again after he disappeared made him slightly depressed. Though reasonably, there wasn't any reason to expect it, he'd tended to keep to himself and read books when he wasn't learning how to fight with his swords or do magic, and he'd never gotten that involved in formal events or anything... |
| Offline · Profile | "Quote" · Top^ |
| Nicola | Aug 7 2009, 08:21 PM Post #8 |
|
She was glad that he didn’t seem too put out at her not having remembered him, though he didn’t seem like the type to care about that type of thing anyway. She knew too many nobles who did take it as personal insult though when one couldn’t remember their full name and titles, but half of them had so many titles that it was impossible to remember anyway. Nico could care less though about trying to remember them all; she had much better things to do with both her time and her brain power. “I probably wouldn’t have been much fun anyway. I always have to ‘catch up’ with all the old noblewomen, and it gets to be such a bore.” She found herself making a full circle around the central structure, and she stopped now at his side. Apparently she wasn’t going to have to ask what it was that had caused him to hide his hand before. He withdrew the hidden hand and showed her the dragon silhouette marked there much like a black tattoo. Impulsively, she reached out her hand and took his, running her soft fingertips along the marking. Part of her wanted to try to rub it away, but she refrained and finally dropped her hands back to her sides. The dragon looked too realistic, too detailed, to really be there in his flesh, but there it was all the same. His comment about the marking not being all there was to his mystery caused her to raise her eyes from his hand and instead focus on his face. It took her a moment to realize what else about him hand changed, but the sight of a completely new set of eyes caused a raised eyebrow on her part. Eventually she would have to learn something like that; it could come in handy in her line of work. But he didn’t seem as pleased about it as she would probably have been. He warned her that there was more, but she barely had time to react before the flash of light. Instantly her hand went up to her eyes, but she was still blinking back stars by the time the light had subsided, not having blocked her sight quick enough. What she saw, when she could actually see again, stunned her. He had turned into a full dragon, and still had a way to communicate with her. “It must be a lot to deal with.” It was quite amazing actually, and if he didn’t seem so disheartened about the new found transformation, she probably would have peppered him with questions about it. As it was, she smoothed over the look of surprise with a plain smile. “The story I heard was that you ran off; left the people who were good enough to take you in and raise you as their own like the ungrateful wretch that you are. Their words, not mine.” She shook her head sadly at him, feeling sorry for the entire torrent of emotional upheaval that he must be going through, first to find out that he had such a powerful ability, then to be rejected from his family for it. It was a lot for one person to deal with. “For the record though, I never believe any of those court rumors.” |
| Offline · Profile | "Quote" · Top^ |
| Drake Aurelis | Aug 9 2009, 01:32 PM Post #9 |
|
The wielder of the Light that dispels the void.
|
Drake heard Nicola say, "It must be a lot to deal with." He replied, Yes... It is. It shouldn't really matter, but I can't help wondering... What am I? Where did I come from, how did I end up being raised by those horrible people... He shook his head and sighed once more. Nicola then told him the story that his parents had fed people. That he'd run off, completely ungrateful for everything they ever did for him... Wow. Nicola then said that she didn't believe court rumors anyway though. Drake would have let out a sudden laugh if he'd been in human form. In dragon form however, it seemed somewhat closer to a growl, though it still managed to get across what it really meant. He sounded slightly bitter as he spoke, Raise me as their own? Ha! Really, they avoided having anything to do with me. Mostly, what little I actually wanted was provided by servants, and anything else, my mother would give only so she wouldn't have to hear my voice. Drake sighed once more, They weren't there... They didn't care, especially my mother. My father was too afraid of that witch to do anything other than what she wanted, which evidently included avoiding me. Drake obviously was unhappy just thinking about his past with them. I don't want to go back with them... Actually, my discovery that I'm not human may very well have freed me if anything. It let me learn more of the truth of those who raised me... Drake paused for a moment, debating if he should mention it. Then again... How much could it really hurt? The truth is... My mother seems to be part of a cult, dedicated to destroying anything that isn't human if they can't otherwise use it in some way. I'd hardly be surprised if she was leading it! I barely survived the last time I saw her... He shook his head at this point, But I'm just going on and on again, aren't I? He chuckled slightly, which once again was a deep rumbling noise that was somewhat reminiscent of a growl, though it still came across as what it really was. I guess I've just been lonely. I've been a wanderer ever since I left home, and since I'm so lonely, I want to talk when I meet someone even though I'm bad at it... Drake sighed once more. And I'm doing it again... I never can stop going on and on. He laughed once more, and waited to see if Nicola was going to say anything else, since he really wasn't sure what else to do. He realized that his eyes were still flaming golden, and he decided to have them change back to green again. He didn't feel any real anger of frustration right now, so they would stay green... Or rather, any he did have was drowned out by the sudden rush of loneliness he felt again. Drake realized that though he had someone to talk to right now, soon, he'd be alone again. Drake continued to look up at Nicola as he rested on the floor, his front claws together in front of him, with his chin resting on them. The loneliness he felt would no doubt show in his eyes. Even though you wouldn't think his face would be expressive in dragon form, it somehow was. It wasn't quite something you could put your finger on, but he would still manage to look lonely, or sad, or angry... Right now, he was both lonely and sad. He was wondering about if there really was any point to anything he ever did... It all just felt so hopeless. Existence felt completely pointless... He couldn't stop trying to protect people, it wasn't in him, but he also felt like everything he did never really helped a thing sometimes... Or even like he did the exact opposite of what he wanted to... Drake's emotions were confused, and he suddenly felt frustrated that he couldn't even understand his own thoughts. Why did he suddenly start thinking about this stuff for seemingly no reason at all?! His eyes turned flaming golden once more, but all of his confused emotions showed through. Sadness. Loneliness. Frustration. Utter confusion and pure chaos. These were all in his heart, and he didn't know why. His thoughts were going to dark places now, for no reason. He winced as he basically shouted in his own head NO! For suddenly, thoughts of just destroying everything he could were coming. Why did they appear?! It didn't feel like his own thoughts... There were all kinds of strange things that he couldn't understand. Thoughts of senseless evil and destruction... He hated when they just came out of nowhere. He had no idea why... They were hardly anything he'd ever give in to under any circumstances, but they were incredibly annoying... And they had led Drake to occasionally actually question his own sanity when they came. |
| Offline · Profile | "Quote" · Top^ |
| Nicola | Oct 8 2009, 10:53 AM Post #10 |
|
Nico looked over at him as he spoke; trying to understand what it would be like to learn that the family she had always known was a lie. She had always gotten along well with both of her parents, so it was difficult to understand what it would be like to hear that she didn’t actually belong with them. Maybe it was easier for him, after hearing how his parents weren’t exactly perfect. Still, she couldn’t help but think that even as she listened to him talk about what it was like growing up with people that basically ignored you, that they were his parents for most of his life. Learning that this wasn’t true was likely still difficult. And the lies that they were feeding everyone else about him running away probably didn’t make it any easier. But if they weren’t his real parents, then who were? That seemed to be the question of the hour. Nico moved herself to the floor in front of one of the benches around the outer edge of the shrine and made herself comfortable, smoothing her white skirt as she sat down. Hearing that his mother seemed to be the member of a cult whose desire it was to destroy any nonhuman creature was almost shocking. She found it difficult to believe that people like that truly existed in this world, let alone her own home country. Perhaps this could be a matter that she looked into the next time she found herself in the capital city, but for now Nico was content to sit and listen to whatever Drake had to say, as it seemed to her that he needed it. If she reached out a hand she could just touch him, yet she wasn’t sure what made her do it. She had only known this man a short time, and yet she already felt comfortable in his presence, both human and dragon. Slowly her hand moved forwards and rested on top of his scaly head for a moment. His flesh was cool to the touch and she drew her hand away after only a short moment, hoping that he didn’t think she was treating him like some pet by practically petting his head. In reality she simply didn’t know how to show comfort to a dragon, but she hoped that small motion would get the message across. She found herself smiling at him, trying not to laugh as he kept trying to get himself to stop from rambling on, even though she didn’t mind one bit. One thing she prided herself on was knowing when to talk and knowing when to shut up. It was a talent that she’d learned simply by spending time with her father, and now it appeared that it was her turn to do some of the talking. “Well first of all, I don’t mind if you want to talk my ear off. I do have two of them.” She smiled at him once more, hoping that her attempt at a bad joke would so something to lighten the mood. He seemed to grow gloomier by the minute, his eyes changing colors as often as they were. His eyes also showed hints of emotion that she couldn’t quite pinpoint, as she wasn’t used to reading the eyes of a dragon, but she could tell that they weren’t exactly happy. After her first joking comment she knew it was time to get a bit more serious. She didn’t like to see people with such sadness in them, even if they were people that she hardly knew. Though she wasn’t the best at cheering people up, she knew that she had to try. “Drake, I can’t imagine how difficult this all must be for you, to find out so many new things about yourself and your family in such a short period of time. From the way I see it, you can close your eyes and pray for things to go back to the way things were, or you can embrace your new path as an adventure towards finding your true self.” It sounded a bit corny, but the words were full of hope all the same. Aside from wanting to help put his mind at ease, she also had about a million questions floating through her head. She tried to start with some of the easy ones, so as not to overwhelm him right away. “If they aren’t your real parents, do you know why they took you in to begin with? Maybe that could lead you to a clue as to discovering who you really are. If you want any help searching for answers or ever just need someone to talk to again, I would be more than pleased to assist you.” There she went, offering assistance to a man she didn’t really know, and not for the first time either. It was probably one of her weakness, her heart. Nico couldn’t stand to see someone in need without trying to do something to help their situation. |
| Offline · Profile | "Quote" · Top^ |
| Drake Aurelis | Oct 8 2009, 04:49 PM Post #11 |
|
The wielder of the Light that dispels the void.
|
Drake laughed weakly at Nicola's joke. He just couldn't bring himself to really laugh right now. He was just too confused... This happened a lot really. Was what he did really the right thing? It was true, he only killed the most vile of scum, remorseless murderers... And yet, he couldn't help wondering sometimes... While there were some things he just knew were essentially woven into his being, even those came into doubt. Was he anything more than a monster? At this point in his thoughts, he heard Nicola speak again. He lifted his head up and looked more closely at her as he listened. Once she seemed to finish, he was about to speak again, but then she resumed talking. Once he was sure she was done, he responded, I honestly have no idea why they took me in. It's strange... My mother... No, I should stop calling her that. Not sure why I have been in the first place. Estressa always seemed somewhat suspicious with the way she treated me... Granted, she wasn't especially nice to anyone else, but in my case... Drake trailed off, and then resumed speaking, Anyway, thank you. It would be perfect if you could help me, since going back into Kinaldi myself with her around isn't a good idea. She'd be quite likely to try and kill me on sight... Not to mention that she probably found a way to pin the death of that man she killed on me... Probably bribed witnesses to say that they saw me kill him or something when really she just used some kind of death spell on him... He then responded to her first comment about looking forward or wishing for things to be the way they were. As far as whether I want to go forward or not... I do. I have no desire whatsoever for things to be the way they used to be. Honestly, what I'm truly concerned about... He paused. Well, it's that... I want to help people, but... It sometimes feels like I end up doing the exact opposite by accident. And most of what I do... I have to wonder if it's the right thing anyway... He trailed off once more, this time not resuming speaking, but instead waiting for Nicola's response again. |
| Offline · Profile | "Quote" · Top^ |
| Nicola | Oct 28 2009, 12:03 AM Post #12 |
|
His laugh made her smile, if only a little. Some people said that laughter was the best medicine, but some pain ran too deep for laughter alone to cure it. She was almost overwhelmed with the truths that he was now sharing with her; only because it seemed like a lot to deal with and she couldn’t imagine how he was getting through it. To have to stop calling the woman you grew up with ‘mother,’ and so many other things that she couldn’t even imagine. So when he said the he would appreciate her help, she thought that she could have hugged him. Though she certainly didn’t mind lending an ear or even a shoulder if needed it, Nico was also a girl of action. Being able to physically go and do something or help him find the answers he was looking for made her feel like she was actually doing something to help him. “If you want to go forward, then I’m right behind you. Which question which you like answered first?” She grinned again, as if it would only be that easy. Of course there was more to it than that. It wasn’t as if she could simply bang on Etressa’s front door and then, when the woman answered, casually ask her where she had found the boy that she’d raised as her son and what she knew of his past. No, this situation called for a much more delicate approach. Fortunately, delicate was something Nico specialized in. As for his final statements, well at least that she could sympathize with. She spent the majority of her life as a spy under the Empress, and even though she didn’t agree with every assignment that she got, she liked to think that each one of them was for the good of the whole country. Sometimes she simply had to trust that those with more knowledge of the country than she were making the right choice, and other times she had to make split second decisions and hopefully not look back on them later and wonder. It was always hard to deal with, and it never seemed to get any easier. Her secret double life wasn’t something she could exactly explain to him, but there were other ways. She gave him a slow, almost sad smile. “I actually think I understand what you mean…about helping others. It sounds like the same position any decent person is in. I know I try, as a noble, as someone born into privilege…I want to be able to help those who can’t help themselves. But maybe not everybody deserves help, and what if I help the wrong people or help the right person but in the wrong way. Sometimes I leave myself with more questions than answers. It seems like the world is too big for just one person to fix it.” As she spoke her gaze drifted off towards the valley that surrounded the alter. Various scenes drifted through her mind as she spoke, all of them instances that she still questioned, still wondered if she had truly done the right thing. “Sometimes I don’t think anyone can know what the right thing is to do.” Her eyes found his again as she finished, the same sad smile on her face. There really wasn’t anything more that she could say on the topic, but hopefully he would understand that she truly felt what he was going through. |
| Offline · Profile | "Quote" · Top^ |
| Drake Aurelis | Oct 28 2009, 10:29 AM Post #13 |
|
The wielder of the Light that dispels the void.
|
Drake listened to Nicola. And once, she was done, he responded, The same position any decent person is in? I suppose so. It really is impossible to know what the right thing is sometimes... Why is the world like this? Why is there so much confusion, so much suffering... Everything is so twisted... No one person can possibly fix the world, but neither can any larger number Unless reality itself could somehow be rewritten, the world will always be like this... Drake trailed off, not sure what else to say. And his eyes fell upon his claws. Was it just his imagination, or were they still slightly tinged red? Stained with the blood of those he had killed... It wasn't as if he'd even had the choice to restrain them in most cases, and yet... Other times, that choice had indeed been there. And he'd just killed the scum anyway... Should he have at least given the law a chance to deal with them? These questions haunted him now more than ever. After a moment, Drake remembered the first part of what Nicola had said. And as far as what question I want answered... I believe that the only thing that is relevant is my past. However... He paused, The most important thing is to stop her. My past is something I wonder about, but it's really just curiosity. Drake paused again, thinking about something. After a moment, he said, Could you try to find out how it might be possible to stop her? We can't just let her keep killing... Maybe it would be best to try and figure out who else is in her cult... Once more, Drake stopped for a moment, before continuing, Er... Sorry. This all might be a bit much... But I don't really have anyone else to turn to... Drake was about to wait for her response, but then he said, By the way, thank you Nicola... Even if you can't find anything out about Estressa, thank you for listening to me. I get so lonely sometimes, and I'm glad to have someone to talk to, even for just a little while... And finally, he waited for her to say something else. Various questions about different things still went through his mind as he waited, but most of them were quite irrelevant, and pointless to think about. |
| Offline · Profile | "Quote" · Top^ |
| Nicola | Nov 2 2009, 11:05 PM Post #14 |
|
At his first response, and the questions that he followed up with, Nicola couldn’t help but chuckle. “Those are some of the same questions that I’ve been asking myself for years, and I don’t have an answer to any of them yet. I don’t even know if there is a right answer. And yes, the world is full of suffering, but it also holds a lot of good in it. Never forget that, Drake, or you may start to lose sight of what you are fighting for. One person may not be able to change the whole world, but if that one person makes a part of it even a little bit better, then isn’t it worth it?” It seemed like he needed some words of encouragement now, someone to remind him that there was always hope. Nico thought about what the trip would be like to pay his mother a little visit. She could always make up a reason to drop by, given that they are both born of noble families in the same city, but maybe it was easier to try to run into her someplace. Either way, just starting a conversation with the woman would be the easy part. From there she had to tread carefully in order to try to get the information that she desired while still leaving the reasons behind that line of questioning a mystery. It would be difficult, and not something she tended to specialize in, but she was more than willing to try as the answers could be of great help to Drake. “Alright, I don’t think it would be difficult to start a conversation with her, and even though I’m not quite sure yet how I’m going to bring the topic up, I will try to get her talking about her cult.” Just saying the words out loud made her feel slightly ridiculous, but she was just the type of person who found it difficult to believe that such prejudices existed in this world. “I want to help you, Drake. I’m not exactly sure as to why, but I believe that in this case, that is the right thing to do.” And as he thank her for her time, she couldn’t help but smile, and even a light blush graced her ever pale cheeks. She never minded spending time listening to the troubles of another. She felt that she wasn’t always the best at talking or giving advice, but she knew that she was a decent listener. “I’m glad to help, really. I don’t know if you go back to Morrim all that often anymore, but you are more than welcome to stay in a room at my house next time you return. It feels like the least I can do, especially if I can’t get anything out of Estressa.” Part of her wanted to hug him, but another part of her held back. This was only their first meeting, and she wasn’t quite sure how he would react to such a physical display. Instead she settled with giving him another of her classic smiles, and hoped that it would convey all that she wanted it to. |
| Offline · Profile | "Quote" · Top^ |
| Drake Aurelis | Nov 3 2009, 01:01 AM Post #15 |
|
The wielder of the Light that dispels the void.
|
Nicola essentially echoed his thoughts on the first part. I know there's a lot of good in the world. Drake responded, And I know, that's what I want to protect. It's just... Sad, that there is suffering to begin with, even if I can help relieve some of it... He let out a slight laugh, Well, this conversation doesn't seem to be turning out any different than when I just think to myself about the subject. However, then Nicola mentioned how she'd get the information about the cult from Estressa. He looked up in alarm, No! I don't think you should try that. I know her, she won't simply talk about something if she's trying to hide it, and I'm relatively sure that she won't want to mention it. He shook his head, I don't know how she can recruit new members without talking about it, perhaps she does talk about but considering what I know of her, if she realizes that you're trying to investigate her, she'll most likely try to get you killed in some way that won't implicate her. Drake looked up at Nicola with genuine concern in his eyes, Talking with her about the cult is NOT the way to go. Actually, I have a better idea... He paused, It's far less risky than confronting her directly, but I'm also not sure where it will lead. However, I think it would probably be the best idea if you do want to help me. He took a deep breath, and then paused, clearly thinking about something. He was trying to recall... He then shook his head, I can't remember the exact specific place, but I know that it's in the first hall to the left as soon as you enter her mansion. Oh, you should do this when she's not there, no one guards it while she's gone. On the left side of that hall, one of the decorative candle holders on the wall will have a candle with a slightly... Odd flame. It doesn't seem to flicker as much as normal... He paused to chuckle, This all sounds so cliche. Anyway... There should be a painting directly across from that candle. It looks suspiciously like Estressa herself. What you need to do is toss that candle at the painting. It will pass right through. Trust me, it has to be THAT candle, and THAT painting. Then you'll be able to walk through the wall like it wasn't there... He paused again, I know this sounds absurd. But this ISN'T a game, and I certainly wouldn't be saying this if I hadn't seen it myself. Anyway... I've tried this all different ways, and it has to be done precisely like that. Anyway, inside, at the bottom of the stairs, there's a desk... She keeps it locked, so I don't know how you'll get it open. But there MIGHT be some incriminating evidence there. After all, I'm not sure why she'd go down there if she wasn't hiding something. He finally finished lamely, Erm... Yeah, that's it. A bit much, but... He let out a sighing noise. When Nicola said that she didn't mind helping, he somehow became visibly more happy (it's not entirely clear how a dragon does that...) Thank you. I'll be sure to visit if I do come back. Of course, doing so at all would be highly risky if we can't stop Estressa... |
| Offline · Profile | "Quote" · Top^ |
| Nicola | Nov 12 2009, 10:02 PM Post #16 |
|
Nicola merely shrugged at Drake when he expressed his thoughts on her trying to talk to Estressa about the cult. She was more than willing to try it, and confident in her abilities to keep herself alive that she wasn’t too concerned about the consequences. But if he thought that he knew the woman well enough to be that alarmed about the idea, she was open to trying something different. Actually, she was even a bit touched at the concern that he showed for her wellbeing. It surprised her a little, as they had only known each other for a short time, but it also made her want to smile on the inside. The spy listened intently, and with growing enthusiasm, as Drake explained his idea. It turned out that his idea was much better than hers, and it was something that she would be much better at completing than the idea of starting a conversation with the woman. Stealth was a specialty of hers, and she had plenty of tricks up her sleeve for just such an occasion. By the time he finished telling her of his plan, Nico was practically shivering with anticipation, though she did well to hide it. What good would it do her if her secret got out? In all reality, she assumed that any normal noble lady would be terrified at the idea of having to sneak into another noble’s manor, let alone then have to then jump through hoops to find hidden information. Nico put a nervous look on her face and took her time in replying. She didn’t want it to seem like she had made the decision too quickly. “Alright. I am willing to try all that you suggested. Though you are right, it does sound a little insane.” She even managed a nervous little laugh. Damn, was she good at her job or what? “It sounds like the most difficult parts will be to get in the mansion when she isn’t there without attracting attention, and then to get into the desk, but I’m sure I can manage.” The weak smile on her face was also a bit of a lie. She had been picking locks since she was a small child, and there were plenty of disguises she could think of that would give her a perfectly good reason for walking into the building. All in all, it sounded like a fairly simple job to her. “Don’t worry, Drake. I’ll try my best, and I’m sure it will all work out.” His mood seemed to have brightened considerably now that they had a plan. It was true she was more than happy to help him, and she found herself hoping that they could stop Estressa simply so that he could visit her once in awhile without having to worry about getting caught. This time she really did give him a hug, though she drew away somewhat quickly, having no idea how he would respond to such an action. Also his scales were cooler than she had expected. Her cheeks tinged the lightest pink after she had pulled away, for it wasn’t a very ladylike thing to do. “I’m sorry, I just…I’m glad that there was something I could do to help brighten your mood.” |
| Offline · Profile | "Quote" · Top^ |
| Drake Aurelis | Nov 12 2009, 11:03 PM Post #17 |
|
The wielder of the Light that dispels the void.
|
Nicola looked nervous, as she seemed to be thinking about the idea he'd had. But then, she finally replied that she would try it, but she noted that it would probably be difficult to get in while she was away. Drake wasn't sure how to comment about that, but he somehow doubted that it would be all that difficult. The mansion was far from heavily guarded, and what ones were there had often seemed less than enthusiastic about their jobs... Most likely they'd have LOVED to see Estressa get robbed or something. After she said not to worry, she hugged him, which startled him slightly, though he didn't have a problem with it. However, she then apologized, saying that she just wished there was something she could do to brighten his mood. No, it's fine, responded Drake, Thank you. And... I think I do feel a little bit better, knowing you're here for me. I don't think there are that many people who would help a stranger with something like this... Drake then said, On that note... If you need help with something, I'd be willing to try and help as well. I mean... It's the least I could do, what with your trying and helping me. He chuckled slightly, Though I can't guarantee that I'd be a very good help. |
| Offline · Profile | "Quote" · Top^ |
| Nicola | Nov 13 2009, 11:20 PM Post #18 |
|
Drake seemed to be in a much better mood than when she had first met him, now that they had a plan. And in fact, she was too, though she wasn’t in a bad mood to begin with. It just felt good for her to be helping others like this, and she was glad to be using her talents in such a way. When he offered to help her in return she merely smiled at him. “Thank you, Drake. That is very kind, but I can’t think of anything that I need help with at the moment.” Everything seemed to be falling into place for her. She had no complaints. The night was running on, and soon the dawn would break. Nico looked wistfully at the skyline, knowing that she shouldn’t be here by the time the sun rose. She should have been safe in her bed back in the capital, but she couldn’t resist getting out on a night such as this. “I’d best be getting back now. My father will start to worry if I am away for too long. Thank you for your friendship, Drake.” She gave him a parting nod before making her way back home. |
| Offline · Profile | "Quote" · Top^ |
| 1 user reading this topic (1 Guest and 0 Anonymous) | |
| « Previous Topic · Temple of Life and Order · Next Topic » |
