Beauty and tragedy and all that lies between

[Quiet Souris]

A fantasy romance rp between @Serpentine and @Quiet Souris

 

[Serpentine]

Dark, swirling clouds appeared above the towering towers of the kingdom. A taller boy with a head of brown hair glanced up at the sky, furrowing his brow slightly. Aston Ire quickly strode into the palace, searching for his parents as well as the wise-lady. Finally, after minutes of searching, he found his father, who looked as cheerful as ever. Aston stopped, briskly walking towards him and putting a hand on his shoulder. "Father, we need to talk. The clouds above the kingdom...they are not normal storm clouds." he said softly, so that he wouldn't send the other workers into panic. Aston's father, the King, turned and raised an eyebrow, an amusing grin at his lips. "My dear boy, there's nothing to worry about! This castle is too powerful for some weakling to come barging through-" the King stopped and a dazed look passed over his face, as well as pain. Aston gasped and went to catch his falling father, some type of sick feeling arising in his chest, making him wince. Glancing up, he searched the room to find his mother, who was draped across her throne, unconscious. Aston cursed under his breath and stood, the pain in his chest growing bit by bit. Then, out of the corner of his eye, he saw the wise-lady, beckoning him to come near. Aston gently laid his father onto the floor and walked to the wise-lady. "They are under a spell...a poisonous sleep to be correct. Only you can go and find the only one to help break the spell. He is said to be to greatest sorcerer alive. Now, go, my dear boy. I'm afraid that if you don't hurry...they may not wake up." the wise-lady spoke quickly, ushering him out of the palace. Aston paused when the doors closed behind him, eyes wide in shock more than anything. "What..." he trailed off, the pain in his chest still there, moving like an animal under his skin. Despite his dislike for his position as prince and not exactly agreeing with his family too often, Aston felt like he needed to help them. He raised his foot and began taking the first few steps into the forest, the sound of his shoes on the dirt the only sound...

@Quiet Souris

 

[Quiet Souris]

Deep in the roots of the mountains, where the light rarely ever glowed, a shadow shifted as the wind whispered, it's cool presence a long known balm. Soft eddies and currents of wind flowed past the man's ears, telling him all they knew. Dark eyes opened into the gloom of the ruins, his home for many years and there was an anger in them that looked out of place on his youthful face. He stepped out into the cool night, his eyes watching the stormy skies and the magic he could feel settling over the castle to the south. He curled his lip in a sneer, neither overjoyed nor saddened by the events he could feel shifting into place. The magic was familiar as well, a Eshnikud, a fire walker.

But there was someone in his forest, something that did not belong. It was cursed too and with barely a thought, he shifted into the mind of Enumah, his familiar snake and watched the young man as he journeyed into the forest. Curiousity ran through Samael and he sent a light into Enumah, to light the way for the other and to give him a guide through the ancient forest.
(@Serpentine )

 

[Serpentine]

Aston sighed, glancing around the dark forest with violet eyes, his usual rough demeanor faltering as his mind started playing tricks on him. Just when he thought he was getting somewhere, he sensed something around him, placing his hand on the hilt of his sword. It wasn't human, that much was clear to him. Glancing around, Aston narrowed his eyes as he tried peering past the gnarly branches that looked like the fingers of an old brittle witch, only accomplishing in making the situation creepier. When he had finally made up his mind that he was just seeing things, Aston saw a small light in the distance. Immediately, his reflexes kicked in as he drew his sword from it's sheath, pointing it towards the light as he fell into a crouch position, eyes narrowed cautiously. For all he knew, it could just be someone stuck like him, trying to find help. As he continued looking at the light, he slowly inched forward, occasionally glancing around him just in case anything else tried to ambush him. "Who's there?" he called out, his deep dark voice echoing around him. Seeing as he didn't need to crouch any longer, Aston stood, keeping his sword drawn. There was no way that he would trust any being in the forest...the feeling of absolute darkness was prominent as it emanated from the trees. It only made Aston more sure that something would find him and try killing him, so he didn't let his guard down.

@Quiet

 

[Quiet Souris]

The boy, for Samael could not call him a man, at least had a fair head on his shoulders. He didn't rush towards the light he was sending into the pitch darkness not did he run in fear. It made him question why such a human was wandering into the domain of the wind walkers and shadow weavers. There was steel in his eyes from what he could tell, a determination to reach a goal and he could see that clear as day. "I am a friend of sorts. I assume it is me you are looking for after all?"
(Sorry, short.have to run.)

 

[Serpentine]

Aston snorted humorlessly as he raised his sword, hearing the voice. "A friend? How do I know if my 'friend' isn't an enemy, unless I see his face. There's magic here...whether it's good or bad, I've yet to conclude." he called out towards the small light, a slight smirk growing on his lips. "I take it you are the great sorcerer my wise-lady has told me about? Why do you hide in the darkness while calling me a friend. Surely, you aren't intimidated." Aston said, lifting an eyebrow as he lowered his sword slightly, standing upright in his normal posture. If he had to be honest, he could care less who the sorcerer was as long as he was willing to help. In a way, it sort of irritated Aston that the man wasn't willing to show himself, hiding in the shadows. If he wasn't trying to get help from the sorcerer, Aston would have called him out as a coward, even if the man was far from one.

@Quiet Souris

(No worries :))

 

[Quiet Souris]

Samael let out a sly laugh that echoed through the trees like a whisper, carried on the breeze and he felt Enumah move forward, his form almost as large as a man as he approached the prince in his territory. He was clearly visibly now, glowing blue in his magics hue through the eyes of his serpentine familiar. "I am not here, not in my flesh and blood. Perhaps you think me cowardly but I have learnt to never trust the words of men, no matterhow intimidating you believe those words to be." Back in his tower, he summoned his power and in a burst of power, replaced his physical form to where his familiar stood firm. His tall form face him height over the other, as he stared at the human prince whom was seeking his help. "You have asked for me and I have come. What aid do you seek, son of those who destroyed my people? Son of the family that ripped me and robbed me of my own family?"

 

[Serpentine]

The prince stood, slightly shocked as the form of the sorcerer took place in front of him. Aston straightened his back, replacing his smirk with a steely expression, eyes slightly narrowed. When the sorcerer started naming the different things Aston's family had done, it took all he had to hold back. "The aid I seek? Why, another magic user has placed a spell on my parents, the kind and queen. As we speak, they are in a poisonous sleep, unable to awake. I was told by the wise-lady of my kingdom to come to you. Now, I would appreciate if you would forget what happened in the past. It's long gone, and we're here...in the present time." Aston said, a slight growl of annoyance in his voice. Although he wasn't one to side with his parents, he didn't really like when the sorcerer started pointing out the awful things that they did. "That is what I seek help for, oh great sorcerer." he mocked, sneering as he bowed to the being in front of him. Aston was never one to hold his tongue, even though he tried. Now, he had let one of his qualities of being a prince shine through without knowing it. He was awfully arrogant and rude as if by instinct, at least, that's what his mother told him while he was growing up.

@Quiet Souris

 

[Quiet Souris]

Forget? This mewling, arrogant quim wanted him to forget? Forget his parents faces as they had been burnt alice, their screams as the flames slowly cooked their flesh and how he had watched as his siblings suffered the same fate. He lost what little control he had over his power in that moment, fury and grief swirling a tempest of pure power.
"Forget? You ask me to forget the screams of my tribe, of infants as they burnt and the screams of my family and friends?!" He growled in anger, a deep sound that shook the air and Enumah stiffened beside, fangs dripping poison in drops. "Take care, boy. I amnot your servant to be harried or ordered about. I could crush you and leave your kingdom to burn. You are human and I do not care for your world anymore."

 

[Serpentine]

Aston stood his ground, a chill running up his spine at the sorcerer's sudden anger. With his refusal, this only brought a sudden wave of fury over him. He opened his mouth and there was no stopping what he was going to say. "You are still going on about it? Let it go! Here I am, trying to save people still alive, while you refuse because of people who are dead, ashes and gone!" the prince shouted, throwing his sword down in anger, the hilt clattering on the ground first. "I may not understand what it is you are going through, but I do understand what is going on right now! You were upset with your family's death, but do not put the whole blame of my people on me! I didn't do such terrible things to your tribe!" Aston continued to shout, his voice ringing in his own ears, heart beating wildly. Taking a final deep breath, the prince crouched down and grasped his sword, putting it in it's sheath with a sour look on his face. He turned to look at the sorcerer, more words in his mind, but he kept them at bay for the time being. He had a feeling that he may have spoken too much, but he was feeling better after getting some of the anger off of his chest. "So go ahead, strike me down. When you do, I hope you feel guilt for the death of my people as well, for I am an innocent bystander, caught in the midst. Much like an innocent tribe member of yours." Aston snarled, narrowing his eyes into a glare as he held his arms out wide, beckoning the sorcerer to do his worst.

@Quiet Souris

 

[Quiet Souris]

Samael merely arched his eyebrow at the sudden anger, not allowing his emotions to be drawn into the trap laid down for him. "You may fight for those still alive, if you so wish. I do not fight for the living, they hold no meaning to me now. And stop being melodramatic, I never said I refused to aid you. And those ashes, you say? Those that are dead and gone? Their voices taunt me on the wind, snatches of their souls that haunt me." He lowered his arms placing a gently hand on Enumah's scaled head with a sigh. "As I said, I do not hate you. I do not hate humanity but neither do I love them. Part if this is my cause, so I shall help you rectify it. My long time... Friend is the origin of this curse, so I shall in turn stop her part in this."

 

[Serpentine]

Aston's fiery demeanor faltered when the sorcerer agreed to help him. He opened his mouth to say something, but ended up closing at as he crossed his arms across his chest. "I see. Well, it is in my nature to behave like this, so do not expect me to be any nicer than this. This is as great as it is going to get." the prince sighed, raking his long fingers through his shaggy brown hair. Although the anger was now gone, the prince couldn't help but feel a little pity for the sorcerer...as much as he hated it. Aston crouched down and felt the dirt, lifting his eyebrow slightly. "This forest seems to inhabit strong power...yet the dirt and trees look the same. Is it you who gives off the energy?" he asked, raising his violet eyes to the sorcerer, pure curiosity layering throughout his voice. Despite being an unlikable character to most, Aston had always been the curious type. He stood up from his crouched position and dusted the dirt from his hands, clearing his throat. "Anyway, what do we do now? Do you live not far from here?" Aston asked, his arrogant posture and attitude returning, ever so slightly.

@Quiet Souris

 

[Quiet Souris]

There was a deep streak of curiosity in the younger mans' violet gaze and he pondered on how complexly he could word his answer. "Yed and no. My people have imbued this forest with all their power over thousands if years, as this was our place if origin. The forest gives me power and I give it power in turn. The air is what gives off the power you feel to your bones. I'm a wind walker, after all."
He watched the younger man rise from the ground and stepped back, allowing Enumah to shift into a smaller firm and curl around his shoulders. "Yes, not far from here if we travel quickly and through the hidden ways. And I believe introductions are in order." He flipped off the glamour that had darkened his appearance further in the gloom and revealed his true face behind the magic, snake slit eyes and all. "I am Samael Ruachnikud, the last of the wind walkers."

 

[Serpentine]

Aston nodded slowly when the sorcerer explained how the power in the air was there. He understood, a million questions running through his mind. But, the prince stayed silent as he watched the snake shrink until it was around the sorcerer's shoulders. "Prince Aston Ire..." Aston replied after hearing the sorcerer's name. Samael. The prince nodded and started walking towards Samael, arms still crossed across his chest. "I believe I'll follow you. The directions sound a little confusing, so I do not want to get lost." he said, now standing in front of Samael, noticing that the sorcerer towered over him. Before they started heading out, the prince turned his head away from Samael, turning his gaze to the ground, a slight scowl on his face. He almost couldn't believe what he was about to say. "Thank you, I suppose, for helping me." Aston sighed, narrowing his eyes slightly at the ground. He didn't like apologizing as much as he disliked being nice to people...but here he was, forcing himself.

@Quiet Souris

 

[Quiet Souris]

"Well met Aston. And yes, if you followed me for the time being. The shadowy places of the forest are not kind to strangers but well do they know me." He noted the prince had approached him, and the fierce scowl emblazoned across his face as if he had just eaten something sour. The begrudging thanks surprised him but he didn't allow such shock to show on his face, nodding softly and letting his lips twitch upwards. "You are welcome, I suppose, if you will accept it." He respected the prince a little for his actions but there was an undercurrent of anger that still lay there even now. He nodded to himself before quickly looking for the correct path.Finding it, he gestured for the other to follow him and started along the well used path, hidden from those without the Sight. "Come, we must prepare for a long journey."

 

[Serpentine]

The prince lifted his gaze slowly to the sorcerer, a feeling of slight surprise running through him, keeping his scowl strong. Aston simply nodded and dropped his hands from his chest, putting them in his pockets now. He watched as the sorcerer started walking on a sort of path that Aston had never seen before. His shock was short before he started to follow the sorcerer, making sure to keep his distance. After a few more minutes of walking, Aston sighed and looked around him at the shadows in the trees. "When you spoke to me about the shadows not being kind to strangers...what did you mean by that, exactly?" the prince asked, raising an eyebrow as he attempted to peer further and further past the shadows he could see while following behind the sorcerer. If the shadows weren't kind like Samael had said, then the prince didn't want to stray from the path any time soon.

@Quiet Souris

 

[Quiet Souris]

The silence continued on as they walked, until he heard Aston question his words on the shadows. Another difficult thing to explain, once again. He stopped and turned to the prince, thoughtfully considering how to enlighten him to the true nature of the world around him. Cupping his hands, he blew gently through the gaps and let small globs of glowing light into the forest around them. At once, the shadows began to shift and move, the creatures that lurked just beyond them revealed to the light for a few moments before retreating further into the shadows. Twisted, deformed creatures with sharp teeth and snarling eyes, hiding beneath the leaves of the hidden path. "These are the Grendolai, the result of evil and ancient magic and the hatred of this world. They cannot stand the light and they cannot touch the path. As I said, the shadows are not kind to strangers." He began to walk once more, letting the floating lights follow them and hoping the prince was not too shocked by the nature of the shadows denizens.

 

[Serpentine]

Turning, the prince saw the light float towards the shadows, for an instant seeing deformed shadows with sharp teeth. The sight sent a shiver down his spine, one he had never felt before. "O-Oh, I see." he said quietly, for once letting his tough appearance drop as he imagined the beings eating him alive. Aston visibly shivered and closed his eyes, trying to push the image farther away from his mind. It made him think, after seeing those creatures. Aston, himself, carried more hate inside him than two other people in their lifetime. Could his hatred also create these beings, much like the other people's hatred has? The thought made the prince gulp in nervousness, but the action made him gasp silently. A sharp pain rammed inside his chest, and he suddenly remembered. Aston had been hit partially with that spell as well...even worse, he had no idea what the side effects would end up being. Aston grunted quietly and held a hand over his chest, following the sorcerer as fast as he could. There was no way that he wanted to pass out with these shadows around...

@Quiet Souris

 

[Quiet Souris]

The lack of toughness had shocked him, as he viewed the suddenly young looking man before him buy as he began to walk, he heard the sudden intake of breath and whirled around, stopping the other from going on any further. Aston's hand was gripped over his heart, face ashen and eyes hazy, unfocused as he kept walking. He'd forgotten the younger man been hit with a section if the spell, as he saw pain twist the noble features and sear across his gaze. He lay a hand on the others' shoulder, the first time he touched him in anyway and steadied him. "Dammit, I forgot you were cursed as well." He gripped both shoulders and had them both in the tower within seconds, as he made sure the other could stand and began running magic through his system to combat the curse.

 

[Serpentine]

The prince felt slightly unsteady as the sorcerer turned to look at him. Aston opened his mouth to say something, but cringed in pain. He could only watch as the sorcerer grabbed his shoulders before seeing castle walls around him. There was a strange sensation in his body, like soldiers fighting inside of his chest. It was painful, like Aston was being stabbed with needles every few seconds, making him flinch slightly and close his eyes shut. After a few moments, the pain seemed to die down as something started to swirl in his chest, rising up his throat. It was a liquid, but Aston swallowed the substance down, thinking that it may have been vomit. As it tried coming up his throat again, Aston attempted to swallow, only to receive what felt like a painful stab in his throat. The force of the substance trying to force it's way up made the prince gag slightly, holding a hand on his mouth as he clenched his eyes shut. A gurgled groan managed to squeeze out of Aston's mouth, past the liquid that felt like something moving in his throat. Finally, the prince couldn't stand it any longer, turning and walking to a corner, coughing up the strange substance from his throat. Looking down, Aston backed away quickly in surprise at what he saw. It looked like a green blob monster of some kind...making the prince shake in disgust. "T-That was inside of me?!" Aston asked, eyes slightly widened as he turned to look at the sorcerer.

@Quiet Souris