Tales of the Betrothed (closed)

[Rada Han]

When I turned my head, to cry
I had to dry my eye
I saw the tortoise from the sea, bringing you back to me.
xxxxxx

"Well, whatever you all want to do, I suggest we do it as soon as possible." He said, tugging at his hair even more than before. Jean didn't know anything about that city, not even where to look in order to find the nearest pub. The castle in the distance was grand, though. Jean could only imagine what it must have looked like under the night sky. "C'mon, lets go--"

Then, as he lifted his foot to move forward, the ground shook. It was a dull, but intense quaking. Something was rumbling beneath them. It wasn't the earth, either. As if a switch had been turned on in the Prince's head, he made an about-face back toward the front gates.

"Nope," He exclaimed, almost in a sing-song manner. "Nope! I'm going home! It's not worth it! Nope, no way!" As he marched back toward those gates, he couldn't help but notice that the guards behind them were arguing. They were arguing with each other, and one of them was even gazing into the sands with wide eyes, like he was waiting for something. He made no move to open those gates, even though he saw the Zuleidan walking toward them.


Then, just like before, the quaking started up again. This time, it was more violent, like an actual earthquake. The sand swelled, like something crawled beneath it. On one side of the street, the gates swung open again and that one, staring guard rushed out, perhaps as a heroic effort to save them all. On the other side of the street, there was a lone elf who emerged from the Inn and urged the group of Royals (and others) to follow him back into the building. He yelled at them-- something Jean could not hear, for he had separated himself from the group quicker than they could follow.




It all happened so quickly. In between Jean-Baptiste and the others, a figure rose from the sands. It was a massive creature, thirty feet tall, hunched over the sands. Its body, to Jean and that lone guard, was silhouetted against the sun, so they could not see the details of its figure. The two froze in their tracks at the sight of it, and just a second later, that beast dove into them with an ear-piercing shriek that sounded like the cries of a hundred people.

It disappeared back into the sands like a sea-monster would after devouring its prey. In its place lay nothing-- the Prince and the guard were gone, with no trace of them left where they once stood. Then, the city was silent once again.

and there across the sky, I see what, makes the legend.
The legend is true , and its you
Yeah, you are the legend, the legend is true.

[Rada Han]

a t r i p i n t i m e

↘ all is lost again



Dradecus Underground

The urgency in which the group was forced underground was that of desperation. When the one man rushed from the building to direct them inside, five more followed. Together, they herded the group into the Inn-- which was as empty as the rest of the city-- and behind the bar. There, a door similar to the one from Bhegin was. It led underground as well, down into an elevator, which was operated using ropes.

The whole time, the men were yelling at them. "Are youse stupid? Them guards don't know what they doing! Lettin' kids out in the open... Get inside, get 'em inside! 'Fo the beast come back!" Their accents were thick and their appearances very grey. Some were elves, some weren't. They were all missing a tooth or two.

What could the royals do, instead of comply? They had seen the great beast of the sands. It had eaten one of their comrades, and they were in no shape to go fighting back. Hell, the lot of them weren't even properly armed. Crammed into that rickety elevator, they could see exactly how far into the earth they were going. Past about a mile of sand, dirt and rock, the underground sector of Dradecus could be seen. It was unchanged, unlike the main part of the city, dark like it was supposed to be. Its lights glowed like stars, a welcome sight for any Dradecan.

The only oddity that plagued the underground was the sheer volume of people forced into it. All who had lived above the ground had been crammed into the confines of the slums. The streets were packed with people from all castes. Guards were stationed at almost every corner. There was even an old man pulling along a wagon containing any of the dead that were found that morning. Without someone to rule them, the city had fallen into disarray.

After the elevator stopped, one of the wiry men-- a young one with a curly mustache-- seemed to finally recognize them. He immediately bowed to his Princes and the others, and the other men quickly caught on and followed suit.

"F-Forgive me, your highnesses! I don't know how I didn't recognize you! We were in a hurry, ya' see? We didn't have the--" Whack! The older man gave him a swift slap on the back of the head.

"Shut it, boy! They get the picture! Pardon me, ladies and gents," The older, fatter man bowed. He was the owner of the Inn above ground, and one of the most knowledgeable men in Dradecus. "I knew who ya' were as soon as I seent ya'. Wouldn'ta risked my life if it wasn't ya'. Call me Spartan." Then, he smacked the back of the young man's head again. "Quiet down, boy! If word gets that these is the royals, there'll be a ruckus. So, shut it!"

His attention went back to the group, who he led down a path behind all of the old, rickety buildings. There was garbage in their way, but the old man simply stepped on it with his boots without any thought. "We was wonderin' where y'all was when the refugees came pourin' in. It took so long for ya' to get here that we thought you was dead." After pushing through a small crowd of people who looked like they wanted to tear the flesh off of those royals and eat them up, the old man opened up a back door and let them all in.

"Let's see about gettin' y'all fed n' clothed," It seemed that the particular group had been preparing for their arrival, like the whole thing had been planned. Spartan's next statement confirmed that fact. "I was put in charge of gettin' ya' here, before you suspect me of anythin' foul. Didn't expect to see the beast, though, no siree." The group had been led into a place that looked suspiciously just like the pub from above ground, only it was below. The place was packed, but instead of having them sit at a table, the old man brought them to the back rooms, where there were beds and such, so they could recover and plan their next move.

"I'll get my wife to send up some food n' clothes, but I'll tell ya' a bit about what happened here." The whole time, he stood with his arms folded over his chest, while the younger man stood staring wide-eyed at the whole group, as if he'd never seen royalty so dirty before.

"The whole city fell sleepin' three nights ago n' woke up to that hell ya' see outside. Ta' boot, ya' can't even get into the castle, 'cause it's full a' sand. The King n' Queen is missin' and we got a monster out there eatin' people."

"The Gods have it out for us, they do." Whack!

"Shut it, boy! Them ol' legends ain't got nothin' ta' do with us!" He cleared his throat. "Anywho, I got this band o' elves that know how to get ya' out of here safely. Word's goin' round that Shazgard is the safest place to be right now. Welp, stay here, and don't make any trouble."

Just like that, they were alone again and maybe-- just maybe even more confused than they were when they got there. One of the Royal's was missing. Now, they could choose what they wanted to do. Stay, and trust the old Pub owner, or follow their own judgment and wander the slums to find their own answers.

[Sierra The Captor]

тαкє α ℓєαρ σf fαιтн.

ï ќṉøώ ώε'll ṃαќε ïτ.

Anna "Annabel" Crowbers. 21 years-old. Laelie Bodyguard.

When Remus had spoken about his desire to see the note that they had in possession with them before they depart from the burnt city, Anna couldn’t help but felt highly suspicious of his actions. The inquiry probably brought nothing in particular but of curiosity, as Princess Kora mentioned it in passing to the conversation and the two were not present during that time of event. The feeling of suspicion was of more of distrust of their two new additions to the group than anything else, however. It was true that if it had not been for their readied supplies, Anna’s wound would’ve stung even worse than it is. But at the same time, she felt the food and medicine was more an act out of bribery than graciousness “You have no reason to see the note, good sir. It’s nothing but a bunch of redundancy of mythological tales,”

She realized her tone of voice was more of cold indifference than she had expected. She was hoping for her reply to be more of a compliance, but it came out as a retort instead. What is wrong with me? She found herself mulling over these thoughts for a while. The journey somehow got the best of her, and she had to get her act together if she were to protect princess Aine.

Anna listened quietly as the exchanges followed by the bodyguards to the Royals are contributing what happened to be their next agenda of the matter. At first Miyana had suggested going to the bar in search for some information in regards to the reason for Dradecus’ current condition, and then it switched to Prince Kunal mentioning that instead of asking for information to the bar, they should instead ask for the guards at the gate. A good plan, she thought, until she heard the sound of rusty clinking from behind them. Anna turned, and true enough; the gate was closing in far away from behind them. A good plan, opportunity wasted. There was only one thing left that end up being voted unanimously by the group, which is to go to the bar and ask for information.

Then the ground shook. Faint tremors at first, but then it eventually increased and soon Anna by reflex action went to the princess to see if she had suffered any minor injuries from the impact “Your highness,” she called out, somewhat exasperatedly as she floated towards the princess and gently holding her by the arms “You’re not hurt anywhere, are you, your highness?” she was perhaps a little too overprotective as compared to the other bodyguards, but the princess had suffered the worst wound from the fire, and it was her job, after all, to make sure that the princess is in one piece.

Worrying aside, she was becoming wary of something, a creature perhaps, crawling from underneath them, writhing. Being a fairy had its perks; they are more attuned to nature then the other kingdoms. As the others continued towards the bar as though nothing had happened, Anna stayed there, silently inspecting at the sand beneath their feet, waiting for the inevitable to happen, so intently, that she did not even notice that Jean-Baptiste had gone for the entrance of the gate in hopes of escaping. She called out for him, but her words were drowned by the sound of a shriek followed by a massive creature devouring him and the other guard whole, and an elf that had quickly ushered them into a building, leaving Anna alone outside.

Then, the air was dead quiet, and Jean-Baptiste was no more. It all happened too quickly. Anna could not even draw out her blade out of her scabbard in time to do anything. Feeling a pang of guilt and despair that another life was lost, Anna followed them, unable to say anything.

Once she was reunited with the others, they were trailed by five more people. Where did they come from? For all she knew the outside was devoid of life. Though she doubted it mattered now. Anna could hear the angry banter of the elves, but she didn’t feel like becoming a social butterfly anytime soon. Her face was abandoned of any type of emotion, but on the inside she was seething, a silent anger bubbling as they delved deeper into the underground through the elevator. She could see that the scorching hot desert was dimmed, replaced by Dradecus’ usual night sky. When they arrived at the underground, Anna was perturbed at the influx of people crowding around the area. They were even corpse shelved and carried by wagons. She shot daggers at any of the people who were capable of harming the Royals as the elf, Spartan, quickly directed them into a room.

His tone had Anna immediately alarmed at the thought that perhaps this was all a set-up, until he quickly reassured them that he and his group are indeed in charge of helping the Royals in particular. A few quick words of getting them clothed and account for future references about the situation at hand, he left the room, leaving them to ponder amongst them. Anna had no opinion; she leaned against the wall, sighing, and too busy indulging herself in guilt of her own. If she had felt this way, she could not have imagined the feelings of a guard, Adele, who had lost the one person she had meant to protect.

[V I V L I O N]

a d e l e x v a n a d i s
Bodyguard To The Prince of Zuleidi

Adele did not move from her spot until Jean had agreed to follow the others. No one else's opinions mattered. They could do as they liked but if her charge disagreed then they would find their own way (unless she knew that he was absolutely wrong, in which case, she would drag him along). She nodded her head as he urged the group to hurry forward. However, just as they were about to actually make progress, the ground began to shake underneath their very feet. Her breathing hitched for a moment. Generally she would have been quick to dismiss it as nothing more than an earthquake. But there was an overwhelming sense that there was something waiting, calculating its next move. The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end. And it seemed as if she weren't the only one who had recognized the new presence. Her eyes followed Jean as he quickly changed his mind on the plan and began to walk back towards the gate. "Jean, wait a minute!" The blonde called out as she looked after him.

That was when all hell broke loose. The earth began to shake once more, forcing her to stumble backwards in an attempt to retain her balance. Her eyes widened as the sands began to swell, a figure slowly emerging. She heard an unknown voice call out from behind her, urging the group into a building but her eyes were locked on the Prince, her childhood friend. "Jean! Run!" Adele screamed, the horror and worry clear in her tone. Her breathing and heart stopped in that moment, as the monster came into full view. She prayed to whatever higher power might be out there, begging that the creature would turn towards her. However, no mercy was shown. As the monster dove down upon Jean, the blonde ran as fast as she could trying to cover the distance and some how make it to his side. Though, as she came to the place where her friend has been standing, there was nothing left but sand. There was no sign that anything out of the ordinary had just occurred.

Adele fell helplessly to her knees, staring blankly down at the grains of sand underneath her. Her expression was contorted into that of complete loss. It wasn't the sense of loss felt by that of a guard losing their charge and failing their one duty. It was the failure of an older sibling. A choked sob escaped her lips, as another grabbed her by the shoulders and helped her up, urging her backwards. The blonde put up a half hearted struggle, torn between the instinctive drive to immediately try and save Jean and to figure out what she was dealing with and go about things in a rational manner. Finally, she was rounded up into an elevator with the rest of their traveling group. Having given up fighting, she now stood motionless staring down at her feet.

She trudged after the group as they were ushered down the roads of the underground city. On a good day the young mind would have been intrigued by the sight, but at that moment in time, she could careless about the architecture and everything else around her. The horde of people didn't bother her out front of the pub and any threat of violence seemed empty. She didn't care if anyone tried to attack. The one person she deeply cared about protecting was missing, or worst. In fact, in that moment, she hoped that someone would attack her. In her mind, she deserved it. She probably wouldn't even put up much of a fight. A hit of any kind would be welcomed gladly.

It was only when their host made a comment about the the 'monster out there eatin' people', did her gaze shoot up. Her face was alarmed, hoping that that truly wasn't the case. As they were left alone in the back rooms of the pub, Adele looked towards those around her, her expression a collected mask hiding her true emotions. As a guard, she had always been trained to be stoic. Even if it killed her. "I have to go find Jean." Her voice was just a thread, and at the realization, she quickly cleared her throat and tried again. "I have to go find Jean. I won't ask any of you to come with me but any help would not be turned down."


" I will not bow. I will not break.
I will not fall. I will not fade.
I will take your breath away. "

[PhantasmicRose]

Everyone was confused, shaken to the core and rattled free of whatever comfort they hoped to find in the once-dark city of Dradecus. The world of night with a spirit free and wild had become a land of sand and despair, sun and terror. Beneath the feet of its people lurked a monster that shook the earth and churned the hot sands, its belly screaming with the lives it consumed. Yes, everyone was a bit lost, but perhaps none so greatly as Sonya. For as strong as she carried herself, the woman had a single flaw that quite literally kept her in the dark.

Sonya was blind.

The elf had many years to hone the skills she needed to survive with this disability. By touch alone she knew the difference between gold and silver pieces, her fingers tracing the shape and testing the weight of what she was paid. To cook she would smell her food, though she chopped slowly to avoid cutting herself. When she traveled she took her horse, whose footing was always true even when the terrain was rough, and at times when she needed to walk there was always someone at her side if the animal wasn’t. Her other senses were sharp and alert, guiding her where eyes failed her like when she smelled a brewing storm when no others could see it or when she caught the sound of a broken twig on a path despite never looking up. Being a prostitute was only made easier when you couldn’t see what scum you brought to bed. It was only when the sun hurt her sensitive eyes that Sonya found herself fumbling. Or when a monster she couldn’t see sent everyone scrambling.

The writhing beneath her feet was clue enough that something was going terribly wrong. The sand lifted and rumbled and she felt like a boat on rough seas. Her hand went out for the horse, but his placid nature could only go so far. The animal reared up with a cry of alarm and bolted off into the city leaving Sonya to guide herself. She stumbled as the quaking continued, dropping to her hands and knees when she found nothing to support herself on. And then came the screaming, like the whole city was dying at once. Horrible images passed through the blind elf’s mind. She couldn’t begin to imagine what was truly happening.

Sonya felt someone rush past her and she grabbed for them, yanking herself up. A voice called them into shelter while another lamented the loss of Jean. So there had been a death? But who was their attacker? Her heart raced in confusion but her mind forced her to pay attention. The worst thing a blind woman with no guide could do was lose her focus. So Sonya listened carefully and followed the voices that beckoned them, and soon the chaos subsided and she felt herself dropping, the familiar clink of an elevator gear reaching her. And then came the welcome, soothing darkness of the city’s underground.

It was only when the group reached the pub that Sonya’s heart stopped its frantic beating, but by no means was she feeling well. All of her supplies were gone with her horse and there was no retrieving them, not with some unseen horror lurking about the city. There was barely a penny to her name now and she owned only what she wore and carried, which was very little. At least the royals would have a home to return to where riches awaited them despite their dirty appearances now. To make things worse, Sonya was too disoriented from the run to know where she was. She had often frequented the pubs and knew their layout well enough, but she wouldn’t be able to find her bearings without tracing her hands along the wall, which would certainly give away the one thing she wished to hide. So while everyone else was planning, all Sonya could do was stand dumbly in the center of the room, her eyes following nothing but shadows and light, dancing around in confusion while a sense of loss gripped her.

All Sonya knew for certain was that Shazgard was hailed as the safest place to be, so that was her destination. And she’d do anything to get there.

[K33LA]

『 кυиαℓ ѕα'ιя мαнαραтяα 』
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx▶ ▷ Prince of gяα∂ιυѕ

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xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx❝ Without нσиσя I am ṉøτhïṉģ｡｡｡❞

▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃xx

What had that vile monstrosity been? Creatures like this had not existed in Yardis for a very long time. They didn't just simply wander into huge, populous cities and proceed to eat people! Although he was safe in the Dradecan underworld, the sight of it rising from the sand replayed in his mind - like a maggot from rotten flesh. A slight roll of nausea held his stomach, and he found he had to sit down. Maintaining his false clam was difficult, but Kunal took comfort in the fact that Bashirah had not been harmed. This alone gave him enough control.

"Sister," he said quietly to her, "I think it would be best for us to find transportation back to Gradius immediately. Entering this city was a mistake. There must be a way for us to get outside..." Adele's voice reached him as she spoke of rescuing Jean, asking for whoever would follow her; Kunal's thoughts shifted momentarily and he responded: "Why bother? He was an imbecile. An idiot. And now he's dead. You would be a fool for trying to save him, and even more of one for mourning him." It was something of a knee-jerk reaction, for him to be so negative. Even as he said it he realized how unnecessary it had been. Kunal looked Adele in the eyes only momentarily before turning and heading to the door. "Bashirah," he called as he walked, "I'll go collect information."

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[V I V L I O N]

a d e l e x v a n a d i s
Bodyguard To The Prince of Zuleidi

As soon as the words began to fall from Sparky's lips, the guard closed her eyes and clenched her hands into fists, trying to calm the sudden overwhelming hatred that over came her. Adele tended to be a very light hearted. True anger was rare for her and fighting was only born out of the desire to protect those that she cared about, not for the sport or for the glory. Some would care to debate that that was a sign of weakness in her character and maybe it was. After all, Zuleidi could hardly brag about their most skilled swordsman when she refused to even step out on a battle field, unless it was by Jean's side, of course. It was a personal decision that coincided with her morals. But in the instances when the blonde felt like someone truly deserved some form of physical repercussion, you could safely bet, that she would act in a heart beat.


And right now, Sparky deserved it.

Oh God, did he deserve it.

As the prince finished his claim, her eyes shot open, her brows furrowed in pure disdain. Her blue eyes met his in a challenging manner, wondering how he could ever think that saying those things was a good idea. Adele's gaze remained locked on him as he turned his back to her. The blonde didn't even give the other enough time to get to the door. She instantly broke out running as fast as she could to gain as much momentum as possible before launching herself onto the back of the male. The fact that he had a good five inches and nearly forty pounds on her never even crossed her mind. She was never the kind of person to judge her opponents on physical traits. If her mind was set on a fight, there was no changing her mind and she'd throw her entire being into it (quite literally, in this case), no matter her opponent. There was no time for hesitation or fear.

One of her arms wrapped tight around the Gradian's neck while the other began a barrage of attacks against his skull. "He has a name. It's Jean!" Whack! "And he is not dead!" She growled through clenched teeth. Her words more so trying to ease her own nerves than to convince the fire prince. "And just because you ********' Gradians-" Whack! "can't feel a single ********' emotion doesn't mean-" Whack! "that the rest of us don't!" The blonde choked back a sob as she stubbornly continued her assault. "As much as you might hate him, that's someone's son!" Adele didn't even realize that she was beginning to cry, as her tone continued to get louder with every hit that was delivered. "That's my friend! He's basically my little brother!" If one listened close enough, they could hear small crunching noises every time her fist came impact with Kunal's skull. However, her fist just kept throwing hits and showed no intent on stopping any time soon. She didn't plan on stopping until someone dragged her off, even then, that might not even do the job. "I'll never give up on him. Don't even think of asking me to!"


" I will not bow. I will not break.
I will not fall. I will not fade.
I will take your breath away. "

[Triple Extra Large]

Lucian Gaska Igalios
Location: Dradecus
Company: The Survivors, Sonya, Remus
"Headlong into the future"

Lucian was comforted in knowing that Aine had supported him from the get-go, but had someone else spoken in his stead, he figured the support would be shifted to someone else. It was a welcome thought, comforting and sincere, but Lucian was afraid the faerie princess was either too simple to comprehend the picture at hand or too sheltered to know otherwise. The elf prince knew the group of royals to not be a lot of fools, but what intrigued him most was Aine's childlike innocence throughout the entire ordeal. Not once has she thought about herself, but rather, for everyone else around her. When in pain, the princess thought only of being a burden to everyone else. Was she the incarnation of the ideal royal, then, if she does not place her goals before others'? "Thank you, madame Aine. I appreciate the thought, but in times like these, I can't quite say I'm sure what to do other than the obvious..." Alternatives were not present at the time.

He listened, then, as Remus spoke. He first asked to see the note that Kirche had mentioned, then he imposed a time limit to the group's actions. Like Anna, the faerie guard, Lucian grew weary of the supposed merchant's intentions, not because he just seemed suspicious, but because Remus seemed knowledgeable to recent events. He spoke as though he knew what was going on. The subtle arrogance was picked up by listening ears, and it revealed a man to be hiding something. "You offer very valid points, sir Remus, what with the limited time and such. But I implore you, aren't you afraid?" The elf himself was feeling shaky and helpless. He could excuse Miyana for her behavior because of his constant contact with her. What made Remus, then? Was he like Miyana? Remus only spoke when Miyana spoke, leading Lucian to believe that the two knew each other somehow. Lucian dismissed that as a chance occurrence at first, but the more and more he reflected upon Remus' behavior the more the 'merchant' seemed out of place.

His thoughts about Remus soon died as the earth rattled and the ground beneath them shook. Out of nowhere, a monstrosity no less than twenty feet high blocked the sun. Events afterwards soon became a blur to the elf as his mind went numb. Helplessness, doubt, and inactivity flooded the elf prince's senses. "...What?" He murmured, as the towering monstrosity disappeared almost as soon as it had appeared. Lucian then found himself within the tunnels of Dradecus, alongside a barkeep named Spartan and a child. The child spoke to the group and immediately recognized the survivors as royalty. As Lucian regained controlled of his actions, he took a headcount and realized Jean was missing. "...What?" He restated, once more. The elf prince felt more at home in his environment, but the loss of a charismatic leader sunk a hole in the elf's heart. He made a mental note to mourn his loss later and to recuperate from losses made now.

When Adele advanced to find Jean, Lucian figured the woman must still be in denial. There's no way the seafolk prince could last under three-hundred plus pounds of sand on top of him, let alone as prey for the towering monstrosity. "Adele... no." The elf said, simply. Kunal then spoke, disgracing Jean in reaction to Adele wanting to look for the fallen prince. "Sir Mahapatra, there's a time and place for everything. Now and here are neither of those. Respect him as a living being. I ask for nothing more." It was then, Adele professed her relationship to Jean: like brother and sister, and there was no way the two could be separated. Lucian turned a blind eye to the beating to follow, relating her experiences to his. Events then got out of hand, and the elven prince tuned it out. The elf disregarded any notion of Kunal leaving. If there's one thing Gradians had about them it would be a common sense; even if pride were to overtake all action, in time, the Gradius twins would return out of necessity.

Lucian then turned his attention to the barkeep named Spartan. "Sir, what you have suggested would be best. Rest and cloth would be more than welcome. But, before you depart, I must ask, do you have a key I could borrow?" Lucian had no intention of leaving his city to die. He did not wish to run. As prince, and for that moment, as acting king in place of his missing father, action had to be taken to restore Dradecus to its former glory. A barkeep's key would get the elf prince far into the tunnels and into the cellar of the Dradecus castle, where all tunnels eventually lead.

It did not matter if the note held the truth. It was a hope, and Lucian clung to that small metaphoric thread with a vice grip. The note foretold of a some form of power hidden in each of the kingdoms. What mattered to Lucian, then, was getting to the power and acquiring it. He had intended to use the barkeep's key to access the castle, then to make way for his parents' quarters. Surely, if the two disappeared, then there would be some modicum of existence left behind in their private sanctum. A note, a piece of parchment, anything: two people don't go missing without a reason only to have a monster appear in their place. The elf prince also felt guilty for not apologizing to Jean for basically scolding him for his childlike behavior in the face of despair. It was on further reflection that Lucian realized that Jean was a godsend; he alone was the salt of the earth, making the trip all that much more bearable.

"I ask again, sir, may I borrow your keys?"

UPDATE !!:
Location: Dradecus Underground Network
Company: The Survivors, Sonya, Remus

[Cappucine Glittersnicket]

☪xADORA ZHADDAGH
xxxxxxxxxxxxCrown Princess of Shazgard
✧✧✧✧✧✧✧

"All hair their princess, fair regent of the night"

It wasn't her room back at the palace of Shazgard, neither was it a room in a grand inn, but light, it felt good to be able to be in an actual place and not just sleeping on the ground and wearing the same clothes day in and day out. Adora Zhaddagh, crown princess of Shazgard, never thought she'd see the day that she would feel so grateful to be in a dirty common room of an inn. They had gathered at the common room, trying to figure out what to do. While the others argued, Adora had taken a seat near the back, putting her elbows on the table and burying her face in her hands. She did not fully understand what had happened. One moment she was in her room... the next... the next had been pure chaos. She couldn't recall most of it, everything had been a blur. The next thing she knew, she was already trekking the damned forest with the other royals, all in their best clothes, looking like the strangest group the forest had ever seen. And there were other people...All the way on the journey, she had been too stunned to speak.

Light, Adora, get a hold of yourself... Adora berated herself as she winced into her hands, not sure whether she wanted to cry or to throw something at the wall. The words held no strength. No one could 'get a hold' of themselves after what they had gone through.

Be as it may, Adora, you will be queen one day. You cannot afford to lose your head. That voice. That silent voice in her head that always, always told her to do right. It was the voice that told her not to scream in frustration whenever the ceremonies of the palace got too long. It was the voice that told her not to eat until everyone was served at royal dinners with dignitaries until everyone had been served. It was also the voice that told her not to overthrow her father from his throne when he announced the damned marriage. Of course, she really wasn't going to try and stage a coup, but it had crossed her mind. At the moment, she wanted to strangle the voice. She scrubbed her hands across her face--it had never felt this grimy before, but now it felt as though she had dunked her face in mud, and not the kind that her mother used to beautify her skin. She realized her knees were still shaking so she reached down and stopped them.

Light, Jean, you had to go get yourself killed, Adora thought shakily. What had happened when they entered the city had shaken her to the core. Jean, always so full of himself--the way he carried about, it did not seem like he was going to die any time soon. But the creature.... Adora pushed the thought away. The prince had been uncouth, rude, and had he been a subject in her kingdom, she would've hanged him right away, but that was all. He did not deserve to die because of that. Taking a deep breath, she raised her head, watching Jean's body guard and the Prince of Graduis argue. This was not helping, not one bit. Slowly, she could feel herself regaining composure. Straightening her back and tucking back a few stray strands of her hair, she was about to ask them both to stop arguing when the prince of gradius announced that he would gather information. She glanced at him wondering if she should stop him, but then she decided not to. He was a prince after all. This was not the collection of generals she was used to holding meetings with. It was important that they stayed together, but she could not tell a prince what to do. Suddenly, Jean's body guard, Adele, launched herself onto the prince. Adora's jaw dropped open at the display. It was pure madness. It only took her a second to recover. Squaring her shoulders, Adora marched up to the two, careful to avoid Adele's flailing arms.

" Get down from there this instant! " Adele said firmly. She never raised her voice--she certainly had never had to, but usually, the firmness in her voice was enough to make others obey. Usually. The blonde body guard was beginning to cry, which somehow, for some reason, annoyed Adora. The elven prince cut in, speaking in the same manner as she had, respectful, yet firm. Okay, maybe a tad bit more respectful than she had done herself. She didn't think Adele would listen to either of them though, so she caught one of the woman's flailing arms and held it firmly in her hand.

" Get down from there, Adele, we'll find Jean," Adora said in a slightly kinder, more pacifying tone. It sounded like a promise to Adora, but that was what rulers were for, right? They were supposed to pacify people, to keep them safe, in exchange for the people's service to them. She herself did not know if she believed the prince to be dead, there was something about the way the prince that made him immune to death. Even though the facts were against it. BUt right then, she didn't have to figure out if the prince was dead or not. She had to say whatever she needed to say to pacify the woman and get them all to start working together. She had a feeling in her gut that it would be the only way to survive this ordeal

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OOC: I'm putting a summary here for those who need quick recaps. And hi guys, glad to join your rp, it seems so action-packed!... the post is alright, right? if not, please do tell me if anyone wants to change it. EDITED: don't worry, all I edited was the start, since I didn't realize that we weren't given rooms yet.
Place: Inn at the Dark City, common room
With: No one in particular
Mood: Trying to make the best of it
Summary:

[K33LA]

『 кυиαℓ ѕα'ιя мαнαραтяα 』
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx▶ ▷ Prince of gяα∂ιυѕ

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xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx❝ Without нσиσя I am ṉøτhïṉģ｡｡｡❞

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Kunal was so shocked at being mounted by Adele that at first he did not react; the blows to his head didn't help either. It was strange, really, to be engaged for a fight in this manner - Kunal had never been in a battle provoked by emotions. Once full realization flooded in, however, the Gradian prince was ready for a fight.

"You filthy b***h!" he said as he began to struggle against her. Unfortunately for him, Adele had him by the neck, squeezing away his full capacity to breathe. The lack of oxygen made it all the more difficult to resist her, each punch pin-pricking his vision. Wildly, he flung her about on his back, trying to shake her off. If anything, Kunal could respect Adele for her prowess in battle... even if it had been demonstrated in such an ungraceful display.

Although both Lucian and Adora attempted to intervene, Kunal and Adele were in a world of their own. Soon, The Gradian began ramming Adele into the wall, a loud grunt accompanying each slam. After three or four times, Kunal felt her grip around his neck loosen slightly, and he took the opportunity to grab her by the arms, his hands tucked under her armpits, and flip her over himself and onto the floor. As she sailed over him, the quick-witted Adele grabbed a handful of his short, black hair; the force of his throw and the firmness of her grip also brought Kunal crashing to the ground with her. They landed with a sickening thud, the breath knocked out of both of them.

For a time, the two lay breathless on the ground, doubling over as their bodies tried to recover. And then they were off again, wrestling on the floor like a pair of fools. Each punch thrown from Kunal landed with a dull thwack against the Zuleidian woman's head, and he was somewhat surprised that she managed to receive them as well as she did for her small stature. It was as if she became more resilient each time he hit her, and he became more determined to put her down with each blow he received; they were like cockroaches.

"WHY. WON'T. YOU. DIE?!"

Although their fight was serious, a detached viewer would have seen this picture as comic - nothing more than a bar fight between two stubborn, seemingly mismatched opponents.

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[V I V L I O N]

a d e l e x v a n a d i s
Bodyguard To The Prince of Zuleidi

Any protests to her actions fell on deaf ears. There was nothing but the sound of her own heart pounding in her ears. She was dedicated to this fight and would not stop until Sparky felt guilty about his words or his body lay unmoving on the ground. Either way, it would end with him being sorry. There was very little that she could be certain of, but she swore upon that. There was a moment when her assault came to a stand still however. As she brought her hand back preparing for another hit, she felt her wrist get caught by another. Her gaze shot to Adora, her eyes narrowed in distaste. This dispute did not concern the other royal. Sparky was old enough to fight his own battles, he didn't need some one else to stand up for him. And if the two of them wanted to continue to fight, in her mind, it was their own prerogative. Anyways, Adele was under no authority to listen to another kingdom's royalty. She only answered to those of Zuleidian command. Any other time, she was a free woman with her own thoughts and emotions.

Breaking through the grip of the princess, Adele instantly turned her attention back to the oaf underneath her and brought her fist down on to his skull. However, it soon became apparent that he was no longer going to take the beating while just standing there. The woman kept a vice grip around his neck as he began to try and buck her off of his back, while she continued her onslaught of attacks. There was no one else in the room, in her mind. All of her attention was focused and directed at Kunal, running on nothing but pure emotion. A grunt escaped her lips as she was suddenly slammed against a wall. Her eyes scrunched closed for a minute despite a small smirk that tugged at the edges of her lips. In some twisted way, she was enjoying this. The blonde had hoped that Sparky would fight back, knowing that he would be able to give her a run for her money. She welcomed the sudden throbbing headache that came as her head was slammed against the wall for a second, third, and fourth time. The guard deserved it for losing the one person she was supposed to protect.

Her arm slowly loosened around Kunal's neck and within several seconds, she was being flipped over the Gradian's back. Instinctively, Adele reached out for anything that could be gripped. It was inevitable that she was going down, but he would come with her. Her fingers knotted in his hair just as gravity took over and their bodies made impact with the unforgiving ground. She was winded from the fall and for a short time, she laid on her back as a feeling of nausea passed over her. But there's no time for pity parties in war. Rolling to her side, she quickly found her opponent once more and set her fists soaring. This time, he was actually fighting back. She didn't bother defending against his fists. Her one goal was to cause as much damage as possible and that would not be possible if she wasted her energy trying to protect herself. The blonde clenched her jaw, letting her body take the full impact of every swing. This was what she had trained for and she would not show weakness in the face of her first challenge with the group. In between his attacks, her own were thrown, using as much power as she muster. Her fists hit any unprotected piece of flesh available. As he yelled, she couldn't help but let out a nearly hysterical laugh, knowing that she was mentally getting to him. "Because I'm taking you with me!" She snapped, as she dealt another blow.


" I will not bow. I will not break.
I will not fall. I will not fade.
I will take your breath away. "

[Rada Han]

a t r i p i n t i m e

↘ all is lost again



In the Belly of the Beast: Part One






When the monster came down on them, its mouth couldn't be seen past its mass of what looked to be giant clumps of matted hair, Jean closed his eyes and all went dark. Then, when he opened them, he was falling! Falling down into a pit, the Dradecan soldier at his side. They saw each other momentarily and both screamed before they were to hit the ground-- if there was one. There was a landing, but it wasn't a hard one. Looking around, Jean could see that there were several people that were already there, who all put their own hands in the catch the newcomers as they fell down into the belly of the beast.

There were dozens of people. They had torches set up and everything. The place looked like a cave filled with sand, lined with a cage of bone. It looked as if it were just another desert cavern instead of an actual stomach. It wasn't such a large place, but so many people were there that it made the room look smaller than it actually was. When the people sat the two newcomers back onto their feet, Jean gave them his thanks, eyes scanning the room, in awe of what he had stumbled upon.

It became clear that no one had actually been killed by the monster... They were only trapped. Jean was one of them, but he wasn't exactly the most important person in the room.

As the people went back to sitting on the sand, against the walls of the pit, or wherever they insisted on standing around, one voice rose above all the rest.

"You look familiar, kid."

The blond's head whipped to the left to see a man and a woman-- both elves, lounging atop a pile of sand, looking just as dirty as the rest of them, but so much more refined. They reminded Jean of the Igalios brothers, the way they were dressed. Little did he know at the time, he wasn't far from the truth. The young man replied breathlessly, not in a haughty manner as he usually spoke, but in a way that showed his surprise regarding this recent turn of events.

"I.. am Jean-Baptiste, the crowned Prince of Zuleidi," He said, looking back at the man with some amount of confusion on his flushed face. Some of the other people stuck in the pit nodded to themselves, and even the woman who had been leaning on the regal-looking man exclaimed, 'Oh!' The Zuleidan continued. "I--I'm sorry, I don't recognize you." Jean seemed genuinely shell-shocked, as did that Zuleidan guard, who was currently rocking in the corner in a sort of fetal position. There were chuckles among the others at the Prince's comment.

"Are you dumb or something?" A rather pretty young elf girl laughed. "You're speaking to the King and Queen of Dradecus."

Caught by complete surprise, Jean gave a short, pathetic bow, and muttered. "Forgive me, sir--" Before he was interrupted by the man, who light-heartedly shot a comment at the young girl.

"We're all going to die, so I would consider us all of equal standing in this place, don't you think? He's no idiot. Just... Zuleidan." He laughed, and gestured toward the Prince. "So you're the Laurent kid, are ya'? Sit, boy, sit." The whole time, the woman leaning against the King was grinning at him with a genuinely amused expression on her face. "Let me introduce myself. My name is Ashcroft, and this is my wife, Penelope." She waggled her fingers at him.

"Err, nice to finally meet you," The Prince slowly stated, finding it endlessly ironic that they would meet in such strange circumstances. "I suppose that you should know that your sons are safe--" When he was interrupted again by the King. "Of course they're safe! They're strong boys. I didn't raise them to be pussies." The Queen pat his leg and scoffed, but he continued. "Eh, we're going to die, so I can say what I want."

Jean was beginning to find these people very strange and yet somehow, he wanted to party with them. "How long have you been in here?" The Zuleidan stared at a man who appeared to be sleeping somewhere off to the side.

"Two days," Ashcroft said. "I went out for a walk one night and didn't know what hit me. I wasn't even the first one here. She was," He explained, flicking his head in the direction of some unidentifiable lady in the back. The Queen spoke again. Her voice was just as mature and humorous as her husband's was. "It got me while I was in the garden. Those poor dandelions... Oh, that man over there is dead. He fell on his head on the way in." ..and Jean stopped staring.

"You know, kid," The King was talking again. He seemed to have a lot to say that didn't include any explanation of what had just happened. "I expected you to look more like your father. He's more... Uhh..."

His wife intervened. "...Tall, strong, handsome..."

"Right, you look more like your mother."

"She was very pretty."

"She sure was."

...It would be a very, very long wait.

[Insanity Renaissance]

ɴᴏᴛʜɪɴɢ I s a y comes out right
I can't love w i t h o u t a ʇɥbıɟ
No one ᴇᴠᴇʀ knows my n a m e
When I p r a y for sun, it suıɐɹ


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║████❚❚❚ ℳιγαηα ❖ Жεℓƒσяиѧї❙❙ ███x║
╚════════════════════════════╝

⟹ ❡✯ ❴ δяαδεͼυϛ βσδγɢμαяδ ❵

I'm so ʞɔıs of w a s t i n g time
But n o t h i n g ' s moving in my ᴍɪɴᴅ
Inspiration c a n ' t be punoɟ
I get up and fall but...xxxxxxɪ'ᴍ ᴀʟɪᴠᴇ ❦

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Miyana was about to speak when Jean stated that he was getting the hell out of the group. 'p***y,' She watched as he began to leave, and the ground trembled. As soon as it began, she could feel it. Rising. Coming. A man emerged from a building and shouted at them to go with them, and then it emerged from the sands. Adrenaline flushed into her system as the smell of death filled the air, and everything seemed to go in slow motion while she remained in normal time. Jean, staring up in horror as the creature from the depths of the sand snatched him away. The shocked faces of the other royals as they saw him go. The monster was... massive, to say the least, but different that she expected. 'Here I was thinking it would be more... worm-ish. Oh well.' The creature then disappeared underneath the sands, only visible for a few moments. But the never-forgetting eyes of Miya had seen all. Standing next to her two princes, she ushered them indoors as the elfin men were also doing, even going to help operate the elevator. Her gaze had fixated on the fallen Sonya, curious. They way she moved... 'She couldn't be..' Blind? The idea had never crossed the heterochromatic before, but now that it occurred to her, pieces seemed to fit together like a jigsaw puzzle. The silver-eyed elf now seemed to pique her interest, and the assassin was sure she would ask questions to her in the future. But for now, there were more important things to attend to.

The one who called himself Spartan led the group down the alleyways that Miyana knew too well. Every street had its own memory, its own moment that the half-elf could never forget, even if she wanted to.

'Please daddy, don't! I'm sorry! I'll be a good girl!'

Shaking away unwanted thoughts, she adjusted the position of her katana's sheath on her back and continued on her trek. As they entered the inn, Miyana caught the gaze of a guard, and motioned him to come over with a flick of her wrist. The guard, and older elf with youthful green eyes, approached her, and she spoke a few, quiet words to him. With a nod and a salute, the guard left, off to carry out whatever orders she had given him. One of the benefits of guarding the two princes personally was her ability to command the rest of the guards of Dradecus. Even the captain listened to her orders.

As they entered the room, Spartan left them, but not before Miya could slip in a request for a bucket of water. She knew nerves were frayed, and she knew that such a bucket would come in handy. It wasn't the guard's first time dealing with traumatized people. The room was quiet for a moment, as people began to try and get a grasp on what just happened. Again, the Blade Mistress was eerily calm, almost amused even, and she wasn't hiding it. A knock on the door and the guard she had spoken to earlier entered, holding a large backpack over his shoulder. He set it down in front of Miya, bowed, and then exited, saying nothing, and making eye contact with no one. The young girl then sat down, opening the bag, and proceeded to take out contents in a search for something in particular.

The more items the young girl removed from her bag, the more concerned one would become on what exactly the one called Miyana Kelfornai did in her free time. What first began as simple survival gear turned into smoke bombs, poisons, an array of daggers fasted on a leather belt, brass knuckles with spikes on the end (one for each hand, it seemed), butterfly knives... the list seemed to go on until she came up on what she was looking for, which was, surprisingly, something normal: a piece of paper and some charcoal. With her said paper and writing utensil, she began to furiously sketch, ignoring the beginnings of an altercation between Adele and Kunal. Her hand was fast, and in a few minutes, she was done with her sketch, which was the spitting image of the monster that had attacked earlier. She even had done measurements, placing a small scale person next to the beast. At this, a person knocked, and a bucket of water was handed to her by a very confused young man.

“Ah,” Miyana finally spoke, “Just in time.” Picking up the bucket of water, she waltzed over to Kunal and Adele, who were on the floor fighting like they were drunks in a bar. Then, with the most friendly smile humanly possible, she emptied the ice cold liquid onto the pair. With a soft smile and an almost sympathetic look, she apologized to the two of them. “I'm terribly sorry for interrupting you both, but I'm afraid there are more important things to take care of at this moment.” She then dropped the bucket with a loud clang, walking back to her stuff and tossing them haphazardly into her bag (save for the brass knuckles, which were slipped into her pockets). However, when she had turned, she shot Kunal a murderous glare, as if to give him a message that she would not mind dragging him into a quiet alley and slitting his throat in the slightest. She then pulled out an extremely long string of black beads on a metal wire, fastening it to her waist. While they were old and held no glow, they seemed to be of significance to her. While there was no personal sentiments for them, they were a simple message for anyone who knew the slums: they were her kill count. If one didn't want to be messed with, one would wear black beads, one for every kill that person had made. However, there was another side to this wager; it wouldn't be surprising if someone wanted to see if your skills were genuine. If you were found to be posing as a professional assassin, you'd be killed by the real ones. Satisfied with the current flow of events, she went for the door, not before passing by Remus. In a low voice that only he could hear, she whispered to him “Accompany me if you don't want to get revealed to the rest of the group.” She then stood in the doorway, her class Miyana smile doing its work.

“Now, if anyone would like to get a look at the city and do some investigating, then come with me. Because almost all of you have no idea what to do.” Again, she sounded like a freaking tour guide. “If you wish to recuperate, then stay here. The inn will take care of you. However, might I suggest to leave no royal unprotected? We're not in exactly the best place in town.” Without waiting to see who would follow, she began to head down the hall, knowing exactly where she was heading.



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I'm ǝʌıןɐ, oh y e a h
B e t w e e n the good & bad's where ʏᴏᴜ'ʟʟ find me
buıɥɔɐǝɹ for h e a v e n!
I will ғɪɢʜᴛ, and I'll s l e e p when I die!
I live! My life! ɪ'ᴍ ᴀʟɪᴠᴇ ~


「ʟᴏᴄᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ✦ The Inn Room」 「ᴄᴏᴍᴘᴀɴʏ ✦ The Survivors (as well as Remus and Sonya), minus one Jean.」 「ᴍᴏᴏᴅ ✦ Irritated」「ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜᴛs ✦ F. M. L. Hey, at least Jean got eaten.」「ᴡᴏʀᴅ ᴄᴏᴜɴᴛ ✦ 1178 words」 「ᴏᴏᴄ ✦ xDD Adele and Kunal. I love them. 」

[Cappucine Glittersnicket]

☪xADORA ZHADDAGH
xxxxxxxxxxxxCrown Princess of Shazgard
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"All hair their princess, fair regent of the night"

Adora gritted her teeth and balled her hand in a fist as Adele wrenched her arm away from Adora's grasp. It was all she could do not to dig her nails into the woman's wrist. She could understand that grief made people do foolish stuff sometimes, but this was just down right idiotic. The two continued to fight like children and Adora did not know what appalled her more--the servant hitting the royal, or the man hitting the woman. Adele might have been a body guard, but she was still a woman. She was still deciding which when one of the strangers that had accompanied them to the city, Miyana, walked over to the two and emptied a bucket of water on the two, then announced that she would be going around the city and investigating. She stood, watching the woman leave, so sure of herself. Adora wondered when she would feel that way again. She looked down at the two, wondering if they would stop fighting.

This is not the time for thinking. Taking a deep breath, she stepped around the two and followed the woman.

" Wait. " Adora said as she jogged a bit to keep up with the woman. It was a stupid thing to do--to walk around looking like she did in that tattered dress, but the woman would not wait for her to get cleaned up. Suddenly, she thought of Kora, her sister. Even though they were not exactly close to each other, Kora was the only one in the place who she knew best. She thought of going back for the girl, but thought the better of it. The girl could handle herself. She had certainly handled herself well without Adora all these years. A few more hours would do, she thought, with a pang of guilt. She reached the woman's side and slowed down to walk beside the woman.

" What is there to investigate? You saw it--that thing took Jean. Do you believe he is still alive? " Adora asked, looking at the woman for any sign that she was lying. Although the woman had not done anything to her, Adora did not trust her. Something about the woman would not let Adora trust her.

So why did you follow this woman without anyway to defend yourself? A small voice in Adora's head asked her tauntingly. Adora ignored it. She did not trust the woman, but this was better than sitting back there inside the inn, watching Kunal and Adele have it out. The others were of no use either, at least this one was getting somewhere.

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OOC: short post is short, sorry. >.>
Place: Inn at the Dark City, common room
With: Miyana
Mood: Trying to make the best of it
Summary: