Tales of the Betrothed (closed)

[Lord_Lazlow]

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx---- »» prince of dradecusтнє ℓα∂ιєѕ

☽xxx ❶ xxx❷xxx ❸xxx ❹xxx ❺xxx ❻ xxx❼xxx ❽xxx ❾xxx ❿xxx ☾

"Are you not in awe at your bride-to-be Cin? Though she is dressed for war, it is impossible to look past her beauty." Elya asked as they stood listening to her speech. For a moment the eldest prince of Dradecus said nothing, just stared unblinkingly at Bashirah as she spoke. "Absolutely without a doubt..." he said finally. He continued to listen to her as Elya was looking around at the others in their party. When Bashirah finally stopped speaking Elya spoke once more. "Come on! Let's get up this mountain and save the big bad Gradians from the snow," she said with a grin. Cin quickly grabbed her hand before she skipped off after the rest of the group, his eyes still trained on Bashirah.

"Is there a way to fix this?" he asked. He turned and looked at her finally as their party began to walk off. "I mean I know there was almost no chance of the two of us working at all, but I'm... me! Women have been throwing themselves at me my entire adult life, but I'm pretty sure this one just wants to throw things at me..."

The party had almost all started up the mountain so he pulled his guard along with him so they weren't left behind. "You know, I'm not even sure I thanked her for being instrumental in my rescue back in Laelie... Where could I possibly go right?

"...Sorry, I don't exactly know where that came from. I need booze.." he said with a sigh. After a few moments Reriic walked up to join them.

“You’re sure excited to go, Elya. We didn’t somehow manage to misplace Cin inside the volcano, did we?”

"The day is still young brother!" Cin exclaimed happily, as if the previous conversation didn't happen at all. "Who know's what kind of shenanigans I can get into inside a volcano..." The look of mischief on his face probably made them both uneasy, but that's life when Cin's around.

▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃

[Rada Han]

H e l p e r s a n d G u i d e s

It took ages to reach the gates and when they did, the unconditioned were weary and their legs ached to hell, but to see the light of Gradius’ gates invigorated even the weakest of them. What the leaders saw when they reached the pillars was their prince standing tall before them despite the blistering cold. A shadow loomed over him like an omen, of a crouching entity atop one of the gate’s mighty pillars. Its golden-eyed stare bore into him and when the free Gradian people appeared at the summit, Nayak’s gaze silently swept over them.

It wasn’t long before one of the Asaph warriors noticed the snowy-furred creature. In alarm, the young soldier fired an arrow at the foreign animal. Bhakta shoved him in reaction to the misfire and he stumbled back, knocking down some other men in the process. Nayak didn’t take it well. He knocked the arrow away with his heavy club and lept down once more from his perch. The Asaph, Gradians, and foreigners were petrified by the ape’s presence. His existence perplexed them, as no one had ever seen such an odd thing before.

Though mildly bothered that they had fired upon him, Nayak understood them. Wiser than any standing there at that moment, he saw their plight and instantly cared about them as if they were his own children. Though ape-like in appearance, his eyes were filled with the knowledge gained over countless years and the tone of his voice reflected his endless experience in this world. The Asaph did not know what he was or where he came from, but they seemed to know that he wasn’t there to hurt them. Bhakta himself was not focused on the mysterious ‘man’ but at the opened gates. One could not see through to the other side, but a cold wind blew from within. Instantly, he predicted the worst had already happened, and despite the ape’s unexplained presence there, the hulking man tried to enter through the faintly glowing aura.

It was to no avail. There was magic behind those gates, acting like an invisible, impenetrable wall separating him from rescuing those desperate for help inside of Gradius. Their leader was distraught, but he did not show it as his fist met the barrier, then his spear, which only bounced effortlessly from it like a child’s toy. With a new wrinkle etched in his brow, he faced Kunal.

“Your highness, please explain to me why we cannot pass!”

Before the Prince could answer, if he even wished to in the first place, Nayak spoke instead, in a voice that dwarfed Bhakta’s authority. “Only the chosen may pass!” His upper lip twitched. Not even he could pass in his powerless state. The Asaph leader turned to survey his group, bewildered, as if he did not know who the chosen ones were. “Step forward!” The ape-man shrieked with wide eyes and bared teeth.

On their own, one by one, the betrothed and their companions emerged from the crowd. Most of their expressions were grave. Some suppressed their worry, some wore it on their sleeves and some didn’t feel it at all. They knew their role in all of this, ever since the beginning. It had been this way since Bhegin, it wasn’t going to end here. For some of them, the seriousness of the situation was finally catching up again. Looking around at each other, they wondered which of them would still be alive after this.

Bhakta was in denial. “They are merely children. They cannot undertake such a serious and dangerous task. They have already lost some of their own. I cannot allow this!”

“You have no choice.” Nayak sympathized, but there was no time for it. There were bigger problems they knew nothing of. “This is out of my control.” To humor them, the ape gave them a response that was more accurate than he let on. “Divine magic is at work here.”

Words were exchanged, but nothing was really said. Nayak wouldn’t give them his name, nor tell them why he was there, or why such things were happening in the world. It was endlessly infuriating for the Gradians whose families were still trapped inside of the mountain, but their exteriors did not crack. All the ape told them was that he was there to rescue his wife and do what he could to protect the chosen, but if they did not look out for each other, they would surely perish, and Yardis would crumble without their sons and daughters.

For the betrothed and their companions, the details did not matter. They had heard it all before and knew by now that they were the only ones who could save Gradius whether they wanted to or not. They passed through the gates without hesitation, with the existing knowledge that magic was present and dangerous, and that they needed to be strong enough to conquer it.

[Rada Han]

a t r i p i n t i m e

↘ all is lost again



Gradius

The view over the city was staggering. Radiant, hot hues had been replaced by the silent stillness of ice. It’s once roaring lava flows were mere remnants, with solid, rock frozen in its place. Mountains of ice and snow stood where homes used to be and a thick layer of ice had risen so high above the ground that only the upper floors of the Mahapatra’s majestic onyx towers rose free overlooking the carnage. What was normally a vast staircase into the city was merely a shallow reminder of what it once was, descending onto that thick layer of snow instead of the sprawling pathway into the depths of the volcano. Gradius was unrecognizable.

When they ventured into the center of the floor, the snow slowly dissipated until they were standing entirely on ice. Remnants of a vibrant city shocked their senses. Iron statues of Gradian idols, which once circled the city’s central platform, were now looking up at them, suspended within solid ice, their lifeless eyes having glazed over with frost so thick that it was obvious that they had been that way for weeks.

Peeking above the ice was the peak of an altar that once housed a flame that was intended never to extinguish. It had, long ago. The golden torch was filled with snow instead of flame, a cruel metaphor for the fate that had befallen the great nation of Gradius.

Once their eyes recovered from the sight of that once-illustrious city, their ears would catch the chanting of ten thousand cracked voices, chanting their most holy prayers in the hopes that the Gods would spare them, and the flames would protect them from harm. The chorus of voices, though mellowed, echoed hauntingly throughout the volcano, but no one could see where they were coming from until they looked down.

Trapped beneath the ice lay the enter city and its many floors. Beneath their feet, there were eyes beginning to find them. Peering up through the thick layer of ice were Gradians, frail and weak, with half-lidded, dark eyes, which widened at the sight of the betrothed. The people trapped were incoherent, much too weak to fight their way through the ice that their weapons had also failed to chip away weeks earlier.

Hundreds of them, crammed into such a small space, stared up at the betrothed like their prayers had been answered. Despite it all, as always, their expressions were stony, but their pride struggled to shine through. It was not a side of the Gradian people that anyone had ever seen before. They were utterly humiliated, but with bodies rapidly failing and extremities blackened by frostbite, they were bordering on being too weak to care.

That wasn’t all of them, either. Thousands of Gradians were trapped in the many crevices of ice the calamity had created for them and they were rapidly running out of time. Despite the sorrow and worry that plagued the misty air, they continued to sing.

[V I V L I O N]

█████████████████████████

ADELE MARIE VANADIS

█████████████████████████

xxxxxThe training yard rang with the sounds of steel meeting steel. Passing castle attendants would slow their pace to watch the action, before continuing on their way. Unlike a good sized group of courtiers and children who had been attracted to the sounds and had long since taken residence around the perimeter. It was rare for the younger squires and hopeful knights to be allowed real steel in their hands. The only occasion that warranted such was an upcoming tourney. The captain of the guard never liked throwing the boys in without some practice with real swords beforehand.

They were all paired off in to groups of two according to their age. It was obvious to anyone watching that every one of them was trying their hardest to out due their opponent. However, one boy in particular looked more at ease with his weapon than the others, much to his intended opponent's chagrin. The one in question appeared to be lazy with his aim but threw all of his power into every slash. Whatever his plan was, it seemed to be working as his opponent was being driven backwards and it was all the poor boy could do to lift his sword up in defence. In a matter of moments, the spar came to an end. The winner didn't seem to be that surprised. In fact, his expression hardly changed as he turned his back on his opponent and crossed the court yard to where a younger, and happier, version of himself sat eagerly watching another pair. "You're supposed to be with your tutors." He commented, giving no hint that he was out of breath.

The younger of the two looked towards his brother with wide eyes. There was a short pause where he seemed to try and think up an excuse. However, he had never been a particularly good liar. "My mathematics teacher gave me the afternoon off!" An overly big smile came to his face. But all hopes of playing the innocent card was lost on his statue of a brother. After being given a stern look the boy cracked and immediately went into pleading mode. "I just wanted to see you fight, Vincent!"

"Father isn't going to take that as an excuse."

"Father isn't even here!"

"He will be in a few days time, with the king, in time for the tourney. You don't think that your tutor will let him know of your absence?"

The young boy huffed and crossed his arms over his chest. "I don't get why I have to study mathematics. We are going to be royal guards when we grow up! I should be focusing on swords like you. The tourney is coming up and I don't get to practice with real swords in my training!" He complained.

Vincent snorted at his sibling's obvious naivety. It was clear that mathematics wasn't the only discipline that he had been neglecting. But there was no point reminding his brother that only the eldest brother was selected for the formal title of royal guard. There was no point starting another argument over the pact. "There is no reason for you to train with real steel. You aren't participating in the tournament."

"I am too! I have just as every right as you!"

"You are too young. A tourney is no place for a boy."

"But you're fighting and you aren't that much older than me!"

Vincent was obviously losing his patience. He shifted his weight from one foot to the other and rested his blade on his shoulder, as he let out a sigh. "Sébastien, I am one and six. I am a man grown."

"A man grown who can't even talk to Anne Shae." The quip had come fast. It was only after it had left his lips that Sébastien realized his mistake. No one brought up the topic of Anne with Vincent. It was such a touchy subject for the eldest Vanadis considering, he had little to no experience with interacting with others unless they were at the other end of his sword. The younger brother didn't wait around to see what the other's wrath would behold. As soon as Vincent's eyes began to narrow, Sébastien bolted off like a rabbit.

Kicking up at the dirt at his feet, the eldest brother let out a small growl. [******** kids." He spat.


---

Adele gave an apologetic smile to Reriic as his expression seemed to sour at her choice of conversation topics. However, at his admission of have little experience with the weapon in his hand, she couldn't help but chuckle. Of course, she tried to play it off as just a cough to prevent from angering the elf farther. "Well, I'll be sure to keep an eye for you, in that case." Though, in truth, he probably didn't too much protection. If his magic was as strong as she suspected, he was probably more capable of doing damage to an enemy than her with a weapon.

It was around then that a familiar voice caught her attention. She looked up from the elf and desperately searched the surrounding area. When Grimm confirmed that it had been her charge's voice, the blonde nodded her head in acknowledgement. "Thanks for your help. I'll see you around." Adele walked around the fire, careful not to get in the way of any of the Asaphs. She followed the sound of her friend's voice, only to find him once again engaged in conversation with the dancer they had picked up in Dradecus. And that was not company she wanted to be with. As much as she wanted to clear the air between Jean and her, she didn't want to interrupt a conversation for fear of irritating him. It would have to wait for a later time when they were in private.

Adele begrudgingly hung back from the two as the camp proceeded to the gates of Gradius. She glared daggers into the back of the dancer and ground her teeth in a mixture of irritation and to keep them from chattering. But she would never utter a word of complaint. A guard's role was of action, not of talk. However, that didn't prevent her from mimicking the other female with the snip bits of conversation that carried back to her. "I shall dance for you." The blonde sneered quietly, putting on a mock nasally tone. In all honesty, she didn't buy the whole 'cute and innocent' act. There was no way that someone from Dradecus could be that naive to the world. The guard had no idea what game the other was playing, but if she so much as hurt one hair on Jean's head, there would be hell to pay. Rolling her eyes, she tried to turn her attention else where.

As the group reached the gates, Adele looked around to survey the scene. However, an inconspicuous figure on top of the gates attracted her attention. She narrowed her eyes in an attempt to make out the shape. Nervously, she slowly reached behind her back for an arrow, so that she'd be prepared to loose at a moments notice. But when someone else fired at the figure and the creature leapt down from his perch, the Zuleidian was thankful it hadn't been her. The creature was unlike anything she had ever seen before. And yet, she did not find herself surprised. There had been too many other peculiar sights on their journey. This just seemed to be one other incident to add to the tale. But though the beast appeared to be harmless, she would not let her guard down.

Soon enough "the chosen" were called forward, as only they could pass through the gates. Adele took in a deep breath and let out a sigh. Of course it was up to them again. Why would anyone else be able to share in on the task of saving the world? Without the least bit of pride or sense of arrogance that she was part of the group, the Zuleidian emerged from the crowd. In comparison to some of the others, she didn't seem the least bit scared or nervous, having already accepted her fate. In fact, the blonde appeared almost indifferent to the whole situation. As Bhakta protested against their group, the guard shrugged her shoulders to show that she knew no more than him as to why they had been the ones chosen. But it was decided and there was no way they were going to get out of the responsibility.

Stepping through the gates, Adele was met with the complete opposite of how she had always imagined Gradius to be. In a way, the frozen wasteland had it's own type of haunting beauty. The hues and colours that surrounded them reminded her of the seas back home. And yet, she had a foreboding feeling that even though the ice around them was just water in a solid form, it would not treat her as kindly as when it was in its other state. Her blue eyes took in the statues that looked upon them with glassy eyes. However, what unnerved her the most was the sound of distant chanting. Her brows furrowed in confusion as she scanned open area for the source. She slowly circled, not finding anything in any direction. Her gaze lift towards the ceiling of the volcano and once again found nothing. And it was at that point, a shiver ran up her spine. She had an inkling of what she was going to find when she looked down...

Hesitantly, her head tilted down to the ice beneath her feet. Despite the fact that she had had an idea, she was not prepared for the actual sight of the hundreds of faces peering up at them. Her eyes went wide, her face draining of colour. "They- They're below us." She said in a small thread of a voice. Unsure if anyone had actually been able to hear her, Adele forced herself to speak louder. "They're below us, under the ice." The disbelief still clear in her voice. She looked up at the royals and their followers for a brief moment, before she knelt on one knee and shifted her gaze back down, frantically beginning to search for some weakness in the ice.

I want to go back.
To when I knew who I was.
To when I knew who you were.
And where we stood amongst this wreck.

[Overlord Gizmo]

x x x x x x x x x ✗ K o r a x Z h a d d a g h

Chosen... The word echoed in her mind for a long moment as they each stepped forward in turn. It was strange hearing it put that way. Up until then they had all gone with the tide, and did what little they could. But chosen? The word frightened her. It shouldn’t have and she was ashamed to admit it, even to herself, but it did. It solidified the impression that no one else could do what they had to do. It also meant that aside from each other, they were alone in this. Zaara was proof of how fragile they all really were. It was with a steeled expression and purposely squared shoulders that she walked through the gates of Gradius. It was the best she could do to conceal any signs of the twisting knots in her stomach.

Upon walking through the gates, they were met with a bitter wind that seeped into the bones. Strangely enough, she recalled how endlessly fascinating magic had seemed to her as a child. Where she would memorize her favorite stories, and pretend her earth powers were more than they were. But now, given the current events, she couldn’t help but wonder if perhaps their world would be a better place without magic. Though she supposed that with or without magic, people would just find other ways to hurt each other.

Gradius itself was a devastating thing to see. What she knew of it had only been what others had told her, or what little she had read related to the kingdom. Completely frozen over, everything was so still that she found herself holding her breath. There was so much ice... It was unlike anything she had ever seen. It covered absolutely everything. Just as she had suspected and feared, the ice separated her from the earth and stone of the volcano; at the very least severely weakening her abilities. She felt disconnected and strange, as though she were floating instead of standing on anything solid. The muffled singing and chanting haunted the once magnificent city. After everything that had happened, Kora would not have hesitated to believe that the voices belonged to the ghosts of Gradius. "Those voices...."

Kora was as frozen as the ice beneath her feet when her eyes fell on the huddled masses trapped beneath the ice. “Oh Gods...” she breathed, hardly believing what she was seeing. It was Adele’s voice that snapped her out of the fog. It was less than a moment before she joined the woman in looking for a way through the ice. Crouching down, the tip of her short sword tapping against the ice. Her hands brushed away frost and snow, only to be caught in the eyes of more Gradians. Looking up at Adele, there was an urgency tinged with fear in her voice, “Fire? Maybe one of our Gradians can melt the ice?” Though as she said it, there was doubt lacing her words. All Gradians could use fire magic. So why hadn’t the ones below them tried to melt the ice? Had something stopped them? Was the ice too thick? Or was it something else? “At the very least, it’s worth a try.”






▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

[Ariiadne]

▐░ℬasℎiraℎ░▌
『 ℘rincess oƒ GRADIUS 』

It seemed like only hours before she had seen these gates shrinking behind her, imposing, grey, and sturdy. The only things that had changed were the fact that now they grew as she steadily approached, and that they stood out even more prominently from the bleached, frozen landscape. From afar, Bashirah could already make out the silhouette of her brother standing motionless, waiting for them. With a sharp whistle and a brief hand gesture, a nearby soldier scuttled to her side and nodded when she spoke. Without another word he was off, and by the time the party could make out the prince’s features, Bashirah pushed through the crowd with a fur cloak and the same soldier carrying a select few pieces of light armor.

Steps ahead of everyone else, the princess could not shake the feeling that the hard eyes of her brother were not the only ones watching. She didn’t have much time to investigate before an arrow winged through the air, the archer scolded, and a massive form dropped from one of the high pillars. Bashirah’s stride hiccupped out of shock and caution. Kunal did not even flinch. His unwavering gaze drilled into her almost hatefully, attention not once distracted. Only when the hulking ape’s look fell upon her did she feel any confidence in continuing towards her brother; his amber eyes was weighted not with malice but with some odd brand of understanding, empathy even.

As the Asaph made his way to the enchanted gateway, Bashirah finally made it to Kunal. Frost coated his hair and parts of his skin, as if the winter was trying to claim him as its own. Holding out the cloak to him, he refused (or, perhaps, was unable to) move. Without much thought, Bashirah slung it around his shoulders herself, in turn reaching for one of several small flasks dangling from her belt, each one tucked beneath a colorful scarf both to hold them in place, and protect them. Ripping it off, the Gradian princess dumped the oily contents into her palm, letting the empty flask fall into the snow. With a firm clap, her hands instantly ignited. A pair of flint and stone rings made this feat possible.

Guardedly she lifted her hands towards Kunal’s face, placing them to his cheeks – an act to be perceived merely as thawing him out, but in a sad sort of way, she wanted to comfort him. Gradians, however, were not prone to using physical touch or comforting – the twins were no exception. As awkward as the gesture was, Bashirah hoped he could sense her intentions. Nevertheless, she could not get over the feeling of hatred that poured from Kunal in her direction. Her memories zipped back to Laelie, to the tent. She was losing him, if he hadn’t already been lost to her. Her hands then made their way down to his, small flames lingering on his cheeks. Each finger felt like a separate icicle. If he wasn’t there standing before her, upon touching him, Bashirah would assume him dead. Death was the only time a Gradian was cold.

When the Asaph failed to pass the magical barrier, the white beast made it known that only the “chosen” could pass. These words came as no surprise to the group. It had been proven in both Dradecus and Laelie that they were the chosen – a title that sounded more regal and better than it really was. As did everyone else, Bashirah stepped forward slightly to acknowledge her duty. Her eyes swept across her companions. They all seemed to be trying to steel themselves just as much as she was, heavy coats, armor, and weapons adoring their bodices.

Regardless of the Asaph’s protests, the betrothed and their guards eventually stepped through the barrier with relative ease. The few bits of skin that were exposed on Bashirah’s body tingled as they passed, the magic alive around them. The path through the gates towards the city was defensively long, so she took this time to take a deep, steadying, silent breath. Between what happened to the people of Dradecus beneath the sand and the people of Laelie transformed into insects, her imagination was running rampant with terrible ideas and scenarios. Unfortunately for Bashirah, her ideas were not far from the truth.

When they should have poured into processional road leading to Gradius’ central square, only a glacier greeted the betrothed. It leveled the many-floored volcanic metropolis. Tips of building, statues, and altars are all that managed to escape the hold of the ice, as well as the utmost tower of the Mahapatra’s own home. Bashirah, at the head of the group, searched the volcano for any sign of life or hope. Her eyes wide, she made her way to the frozen flame altar. It was then that her ears picked up a strange, familiar sound. She was more than accustomed to the Gradian prayers, and her heart leapt in joy at the sound. But when she found the source below her, she, like everything else, froze.

Caged within an icy tomb was a majority of the Gradian population. But these were not the people she left. No, these figures were worn thin and ragged, their bodies blemished by darkness that looked eerily similar to burns.

Burns.

Never in her entire life had Bashirah seen a Gradian with anything close to a burn. They were fireproof after all… weren’t they? The princess began to pace the ice, gaze glued to her people below her. It was only moments before their heads turned upwards and noticed her, noticed them. A muted wave of energy flowed through the masses. Blackened faces and blackened fingers, young and old, looked and pointed to them. Bashirah could have sworn she heard her name screamed a few times, voices cracked and tired and desperate.

The comments of the others in the group eluded Bashirah, and she was halfway through enacting Kora’s suggestion before she even finished it. Ripping another dangling flask from her belts, Bashirah slammed it onto the ice floor along with her fists, the sparks from her rings quickly detonating the oil as she angrily tried to break and melt the ice simultaneously. But as seconds went by and nothing happened, the only thing melting was Bashirah’s stoic expression. The people below watched her diligently, hoping that maybe she would have more success than they. However, as more time passed, Bashirah’s knuckles beginning to bleed and the oil drying up, the Gradians’ gazes fell away listlessly, knowing it was no use.

The princess watched this with increasing frustration. Had they no confidence in their future queen? Grabbing one of two katar at her hips, she began stabbing its thick, sharp tip into the ice as well. It barely made a dent. Regardless, she continued, her movements becoming more aggressive and, incredibly, poignant. She threw another flask at the area of scratches she managed to make, flames surging up, feeding off of her violence, emotional and physical. No progress was being made, and yet she persisted. Bashirah fought off tears, her panting laced with fragments of grunts and screams.

[SheIsCursedTea]

Elya || Meister
|| Royal Guard to the Princes of Dradecυѕ ||

__________________________________

When Cin answered her question, Elya turned to look at his face, her expression sobering up. As they began their ascent of the mountain, she sighed softly. "Cin, you need to have faith in yourself. But, you also need to face the truth. Most women throw themselves at you because you are a Prince. I'm not saying they aren't attracted to you, I'm not in anyway trying to insult your pick-up skills, but the first thing they see is a Prince." She turned her head, to navigate a particularly slippery section. Once passed, she turned back to Cin. "That isn't going to work with her. If you want to impress her, you're probably going to want to cut the heavy drinking and the wild nights and the sex with random women. She a Gradian. They're impressed by strength. And, maybe trying to just talk with her. Asking her how she is. The little things add up." She smiled. "I know you can do it. Now, you just need to believe it too."

That was the moment Reriic showed up, and she shot Cin a quick glance that clearly read 'We can talk more later' before smiling and chuckling at Reriic's comment. "Nope. Cin is still right here. And I intend for it to stay that way." She shot them both a meaningful glance. "Hmm, but maybe Cin should hold my hand, just to be sure he doesn't wander off again ... On second thoughts, maybe you should both hold my hand." She grinned widely at the two Princes. She was quite determined though. This time, she'd keep the Princes out of harms reach, even if she had to jump into the danger first, so they couldn't do it themselves. Then, the crowd had begun to thicken, and Elya realised they had reached the entrance.

-----

Elya followed the rest through the gates. Since the monkey had appeared, she hadn't spoken a word. Her eyes shifted across the scene before her. Gradius looked almost exactly as she had always imagined it would. Except for one critical little, insignificant detail. The Snow. As the voices chanting reached her ears, her head turned around rapidly, trying desperately to find the people, the living people. Then, Adele's words reached her ears. "They- They're below us. They're below us, under the ice." Elya froze, for a moment unable to bring herself to look down. Her hands balled into small fists, her eyes wide and frightened as she finally turned to look down.

The sight nearly broke her heart in two. Seeing all those people. The men and the women and the children. Huddled together, cold, broken and starving. Tears began to well in her eyes, her hands shook. " ... help them. We ... have to help them. We have to get them out of there ..." She grabbed her staff and began hammering into the ice. She put all of her strength into it. Each hit resonated loudly, but as hard as she tried, she couldn't even get a small crack in it. She, like Bashirah, continued on. Elya could see it wasn't working, but she couldn't stop herself. She continued on until she was blinded by the tears welling up once again in her eyes, but she refused to let them fall.

She simply rubbed her eyes with the back of her hands and continued on.

__________________________________

[Angst Werewolf]

Chandar was ready to the unexpected when the group reached the entrance of Gradius. The journey had taught him that there was clearly no such thing as "no such thing" and accepting that made everything just that much easier to deal with. That being said, a giant talking ape was still a little too much for the blacksmith. But Kunal did not seem to be least bit disturbed by the creature, so Chandar kept silent, despite the reactions of the others. Normally, yes, he would have wanted to attack the beast, but with the thousands of Gradians watching, he had to keep his composure.

Being the "chosen" ones to enter the city was hardly surprising. Chandar made his way into the volcano, one step behind Bashirah. Inside, it was even colder. Now the group was surrounded by the frozen ice on all sides- around, above, below... It was horrifying and far worse than he had imagined. Earlier, he had been convinced that the snow and ice had sealed the volcano shut on the outside and that insides had been relatively untouched. But Chandar was not about to let his panic show. He exhaled loudly, his breath frosting over in the air.

The chanting gradually caught his attention. It echoed off the ice but it was strongest from down below their feet. The sight that met his eyes was one Chandar was sure would haunt him until his dying day. The strong, perfect, Supreme people of Gradius were reduced to nothing but half-starved, frozen destitutes.

Chandar looked away, instead focusing his gaze on the torch in the center. But the flame was extinguished and the heroes covered in ice and it was hardly any better to look at. At a loss, the smith closed his eyes and listened to the chant echoing though the volcano. He mouthed along, whispering the lines under breath as he pulled himself together and tried to think.

Some of the others were already working on the ice, though none of them were effective in any way. Even Bashirah's flames did nothing to thin the ice. Chandar stepped over to where Adele was crouched over the ground. He briefly considered trying to melt the ice himself, but if Gradian fire couldn't do it, then he certainly couldn't.

"The ice is enchanted," he announced, leaning over to grab Adele's shoulder to catch her attention. She could bang on the ice all night long and nothing would change. "Don't waste your energy," he muttered, his grip tightening for a moment. He then stood, raising his voice to be heard above all the noise in the volcano. "It's just like in Laelie. We need the book!" He scowled as he swept his gaze over the group. "Who has it?"

[K33LA]

The whole of Gradius was upon him. Marching, stomping, storming. They crept up the mountainside in full alarm, colors flying in the deadly winter flurries. With each hulking step of the legion, Bashirah grew closer. Like the rays of the sun, Kunal could feel her burning down upon him. Hers was the only face he saw, shining like a beacon among the faceless masses. He stood as still as the ice around him, and the twins of Gradius were reunited on their doorstep. She came to him as a hot summer wind, though her fiery touch could not have chilled him more. Even thawed, Kunal was still cold.

He looked at her as if she was not present, the imposing gates of his homeland pressing against him. If there was any will to respond to Bashirah, it was long dead and gone. There was no brotherly impulse, nothing. The ice numbed him, and his memories and emotions had betrayed him too. Shutting down was easier than facing whatever dark whirlpool encompassed his mind regarding Bashirah. He donned the armor they provided him in a ghostly manner, hardly conscious of what he was doing.

When called forth, Kunal and Bashirah stepped forward as one, though two could not have been more divided. Together, they headed their band of chosen few to breach the arcane barrier. Whatever expectations Kunal held for Gradius were quickly shattered and melted. His nation had transformed to a horrifying mockery of its former glory.

Desperate eyes clung to him like wet robes, and the howl of his people's failing chant drummed savagely in his ears. All thoughts ceased, and Kunal was suddenly far away. He saw all and heard all, yet somehow it could not touch him. He was safe. The crisp air and icy smells filled his lungs completely, but Kunal was not there to feeling the expanding of his lungs. Life slowed, stilled, and muted, and as his companions broke into a frenzy, the Prince of Gradius could do nothing but look on in silent shock. As the situation became more desperate, their group of nomadic royalty launching into fruitless action, the blood began to move through his veins again.

Hot and red, anger hit him in such a rush as he had never felt before. It slammed against his gut, his eyes, his lungs, his heart. Despite the frigid air, Kunal began to sweat. Shaking, his stance widened as if to gain stability, and his arm moved to massage an ache in his right shoulder. At once he saw Bashirah in her mounting panic, and his compulsion to protect her fired to life despite everything. She needed to be stopped, and so did the rest of them. Their efforts would yield nothing save exhaustion. When Kunal opened his mouth, his voice clapped like thunder.

"ENOUGH," he bellowed, the sound splitting the air. His shaking turned violent. The tome of Laelie held firmly in his hands was shoved into Chandar's stomach upon request, and the Dradecan tome followed. Striding to Bashirah, he grasped her firmly beneath the arm and yanked her upward, hoping the jarring motion would bring her to her senses. "We are wasting precious time! We continue." Kunal released his sister suddenly, and swept onward with aggravation. He did not intend to wait for anyone when his honor and his homeland was at stake.

◤xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx◥

❁ There is ℓσνє in your вσ∂у but you can't get it out

It gets ѕтυ¢к ιи уσυя нєα∂, won't come συт σf уσυя мσυтн

Sticks to your тσиgυє and it shows on your fα¢є

That the ѕωєєтєѕт σf ωσя∂ѕ have the вιттєяєѕт тαѕтє ▶ ▷

◣xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx◢

xxx

[Musical Stereo]

Dalena xxxxx Snow

xxxxxxxxxxxxSomething ＡＬＷＡＹＳ brings me back to ( ｙｏｕ )
xxxxxxxIt xn e v e rx takes too long...
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx⊰ No matter ⊱ what I ｓａｙ or ｄｏ
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxI'll still feel you here, 'til the xＭ x Ｏ x Ｍ x Ｅ xＮ x Ｔx I'm
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxg
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxo
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxn
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxe

Bashirah's speech had still made an impression on Dalena, it had empowered her- even if she was not even Gradian. The blonde had been trailing behind the group, far enough to still see them through the flurries and blizzard weather- and she wouldn't have had it any other way. The cold was now starting to take its toll on the girl, and it was actually starting to bother her. It was weird though, because at home- she knew she would not have been so affected. It must have been something magical, or perhaps it was the brand new climate of the frosty Gradius. Regardless, she continued to trek along, eyes blinking as her mind seemed to flash and she was busy remembering something said such a long time ago.

Her mind was shattered as she heard Adele's horrified voice ring through her ears. Hundreds of people, stuck under the ice. Shakily, the blonde glanced down, and saw them all, the men, women and children huddled and losing all hope as death was starting to claw at them. Death, the same thing that had claimed Alexi- and it made her choke up. They were innocent beings, and although they were not shouting out for help- she had to try and calm herself down.

After wiping her stinging eyes, she heard the noises of a few who tried to break the ice. Elya with her staff, Kora with her sword and Bashirah with both her hot flames and katar. It hurt to stand and do nothing, but none of their little motives could even make a dent. After Chandar spoke, she felt as if she herself was the one who was sustaining all those injuries. Dalena had to try once, even if it would end in failure.

With her red, cold hands she conjured a small little ball of light, one that beamed brightly through the blizzard and cold cutting winds. The Salorite placed herself on one of her knees, and tried to melt the ice her way- but sadly, it did not work. That hope was already taken from the Gradians, and it stung. Stung very badly, perhaps it even burned through her heart. Quietly, the blonde walked up to Elya, who seemed very hurt by this view. Before she could say a word, she heard Prince Kunal shouting, his voice definitely bellowed through the harsh winds.

"Elya." She paused for a moment, her quiet voice ringing softly as she placed an arm around her shoulders. "I'm sorry... We have to move on." She didn't want this, Dalena had wanted to stay and held the poor people trapped in that thick ice. But nothing would work- like Chandar said, the ice was enchanted. "We will come back for them, and free them." All Dalena wanted to do was to comfort the elf, because that's what she deserved right now.

"I promise that we will save them, okay?"



ＩＴ ＮＥＶＥＲ ＴＡＫＥＳ ＴＯＯ ＬＯＮＧ xxxxxxxxx ｉｔ ｎｅｖｅｒ ｔａｋｅｓ ｔｏｏ ｌｏｎｇ
ＩＴ ＮＥＶＥＲ ＴＡＫＥＳ ＴＯＯ ＬＯＮＧ xxxxxxxxx ｉｔ ｎｅｖｅｒ ｔａｋｅｓ ｔｏｏ ｌｏｎｇ
ＩＴ ＮＥＶＥＲ ＴＡＫＥＳ ＴＯＯ ＬＯＮＧ xxxxxxxxx ｉｔ ｎｅｖｅｒ ｔａｋｅｓ ｔｏｏ ｌｏｎｇ
ＩＴ ＮＥＶＥＲ ＴＡＫＥＳ ＴＯＯ ＬＯＮＧ xxxxxxxxx ｉｔ ｎｅｖｅｒ ｔａｋｅｓ ｔｏｏ ｌｏｎｇ

[Cherzooka]

tab The walk to the entrance to the city had felt long and arduous, made only worse by the bite of the cold air. Though the air seemed to warm as they scaled the mountain, he had a feeling that it was just him who felt it. Growing numb and used to the frost. And finally upon reaching the top, they found the Gradian Prince, accompanied by what could only be described as a foul beast. Something so distinctly un-human, but spoke like one nonetheless. His feelings of fear and apprehension were accompanied by a desire to learn why such a thing existed. How had it learned human speech, what knowledge did it know? A curiosity he stifled to prevent making a fool of himself among so many people.

tab Eventually, after much talk he struggled to really hear from where he stood, they headed inside. They being the group he had arrived with, the army remained outside. For the briefest of moments he hesitated in going inside. The chill of the air returned, or perhaps that was the shame of being back in the city he deserted eating away at him. He had no choice though, he had to keep moving forward.

tab The inside was so starkly different from all his memories. He had to wonder if this was really the land he grew up in, it held so little familiarity to him right now. He almost felt like he should be feeling more from this. Seeing his home city, and his previous people, in such despair and ruin. He should feel something. Others were struggling to break the icy floor, it seemed like the right thing to do after all. To save the ones that were in danger. But he couldn’t find that drive in himself. He didn’t know them, they were mere strangers of a society he was not a part of. (When had he grown so cold hearted? Years ago he would have done anything to save people in trouble like this.) The people here were of no concern to him, not unless he saw his parents faces among them.

tab He told himself to do something, anything. To just feel something for these people. The moments passed, and nothing came still. He heard the voices of the others, loud from the way the room made even the smallest noise echo. As well as vaguely aware of what they said, that they had to move on. He silently agreed.

tab The little he felt for the people trapped below worried and frightened him.




▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃

[jadeshaw88]

۪D۫۰۪a۫۰۪n۫۰۪i۫۰۪k۫۰۪a۫۰ "۪D۫۰۪a۫۰۪n۫۰۪i۫۰" M۫۰۪a۫۰۪r۫۰۪t۫۰۪i۫۰۪z۫۰xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Mischief Makerxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Beware she's schemin'xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
she'll make you think you're dreamin' xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
You'll fall in love and you'll be screamin' dreamin'"xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The rest of the trip up the mountain was spent in silence, at least for Danika. Jean was a fool. What did he possibly think to accomplish by holding this over her head? Did he mean to intimidate her or somehow make her grateful to him for allowing her to stay? Sad little creatures like him needed to feel dominance over creatures they believed to be their lessers. How often had she seen it more times than she cared to count. That was why he had seemed so "protective" of her when she mentioned spending the night with Reriic. Possessive was the better word. He couldn't give two figs what happened to her so long as no one else could have her but him. Perhaps she would be doing the world a favor by ridding it of one Jean-Baptiste.

Her seething done...for now anyway, she went over the different dance moves she remembered in her head and attempted to form some semblance of the dances her sister had done. She should have just melded with the little brat instead of killing her. That took time and a decent spell work and Danika had never been strong at spells. No doubt it would have backfired on her or she would make herself crazy with a constant internal battle with the girl. Not that she would be hard to dominate. The girl was always so weak.

She supposed that the sight of Kunal standing at the entrance to the city was supposed to look impressive and heroic. It didn't, not to her. He just looked cold and sullen. The creature beyond him was impressive though. She had never seen anything quite like it and she couldn't remember the mention of a creatures such as this in her studies. How curious. Was it perhaps a god like the ones that had helped the royal party in Dradecus? She couldn't remember any monkey gods either. How very strange.

When the creatures spoke of the chosen, she hesitated for only a second. She wasn't a royal and she wasn't a guard but she was a companion nonetheless and she was pretty sure that meant she could tag along. She had been allowed to enter Laelie. So she stepped forward as well and entered along with everyone else. She wondered briefly what would have happened if she hadn't been accepted as a chosen. Would she simply have been denied access or would she have been killed in some terrible way. She almost wished one of the cattle that had followed them would try it, just to see. No one did though, at least not so far as she could tell.

The frozen volcano was disheartening. She had hoped for even a small bit of warmth but of course that had been silly. If everything else was frozen it only stood to reason that the volcano would be frozen too...at least the top anyway. The sight of the frozen and Gradians below was...interesting. She wished they would shut up. All their singing really did was make them even creepier than they already were and the fact that they were staring at them with such hunger was unnerving. The thought that they could be peering up her skirt humored her. They were freezing. If a little pervy peeking gave them their jollies, she could hardly deny them. She wasn't completely heartless.

The reactions of several of their party was a lot less calm and she reminded herself that she should be horrified. It was easy enough to fake when she saw them trying to break the ice. If there was still an active volcano below them somewhere, disturbing the surface could have disastrous effects. Of course the Gradians wouldn't be worried about such at thing but Danika wasn't as flame retardant as they were. "Should they really be doing that?" She whispered nervously to Jean. "I mean...won't breaking the ice this way...um...cause an erruption? I...I think I read that somewhere." She bit her lip to hide her nerves and was grateful when Kunal and some of the others tried to stop the crazies. The sooner they moved on from this particular spot, the better.





~*~ That girl is poison ~*~xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

[XSenkoX]

Ice inside the volcano was something that he assumed no one was expecting. The chill was still there, perhaps even worse than outside, and it cut through his furs like a knife. Drawing the coat closer around his shoulders more out of reflex than use, Reriic gazed silently at the frozen interior of Gradius, truly seeing the damage wrought for the first time since their arrival. Everything that his eye met was covered in a shimmering layer of ice that would have been beautiful in any other context save this one, yet even that was lost on the elf. His lips set a grim line on his already dark features as he listened to the chants of the trapped Gradians. Foreign prayers to foreign gods, but still heart-wrenching when paired with the people that the cries came from; the once proud Gradians had been reduced to frostbitten shells of their former selves. They still managed not to show fear on their faces, but to look in their eyes was more than enough to understand what they were feeling.

Reriic didn’t look on them long, nor did he fall to his knees in an attempt to smash the ice that separated the party from the citizens of Gradius like some of the others. He watched Elya try to smash the ice for a moment before his gaze shifted to Bashirah and the tongues of flame that she conjured in an attempt to penetrate the shield that kept her from her people impassively. It was possible, had it not been day and had this been normal ice, that Reriic could have done something with his magic to punch a hole in the crystalline structure, but the arc of the sun sapped his strength and the ice was obviously enchanted. Chandar said as much, so the elf kept his mouth shut on the matter. He didn’t trust his voice at the moment anyway. All around them, the potency of the magic that had turned the whole of a volcano into an ice block hung in the air like a fog only he could see, and it chilled his blood more than any gust of wind could ever hope to do. He hadn’t noticed it until they’d passed through the barrier, but now that he was standing in the middle of it, Reriic was practically floored. Even at his peak, he wouldn’t have enough power to remotely reproduce the residual energy that he was feeling right now. The young mage was tempted to see if he could harness the energy around them, manipulate it to his will, but he was also not a huge fan of suffering the backlash should he not have the strength to rein it in. Something else was bothering him, too, but he couldn’t quite put his finger on it and simply chalked it up to their surroundings.

This was the power of their enemies. Only a taste, if the problems in Dradecus, Laelie and now Gradius were anything to go by. Reriic shivered, but not from the cold, and cast around the icy chamber again.

Finally, Reriic’s gaze settled on Sonya and the bruise from where he had hit her the previous night. The mottled flesh broke her otherwise attractive countenance and he momentarily wished that he had at least had the opportunity to heal it. Not because she hadn’t deserved it, but because the elf was certain she had told someone who was responsible for the bruise and increasing his likelihood of getting pushed into the volcano once it was thawed. That aside, he watched her from a distance until Kunal broke the frenzy of people trying to break the ice by shouting. Jolted from his own musings, Reriic crossed the group to reach Sonya, fingers brushing her shoulder before any words announced his presence.

“Will I suffice as a guide, or would you rather I find you another arm?” he asked quietly, though completely unapologetic in tone. If Sonya wanted an apology, she was talking to the wrong person; if she wanted someone else, she needed to speak soon before the blustering of Kunal drew all of the others away and he was all that was left. In spite of the gravity of their situation, a smirk flashed across Reriic’s face and he glanced over his shoulder at the retreating figure of the fire prince in all of his finery.

[Ariiadne]

▐░ℬasℎiraℎ░▌
『 ℘rincess oƒ GRADIUS 』

He gripped her arm in such a way that could only be described as callous. He jerked her up with enough force to send a pop through her shoulder, and then he let her fall like a piece of discard. Bashirah before had imagined it, feared it, but now it was obviously true: Kunal had lost any semblance of respect for her. Gradians did not touch. They fought with poisonous words and passive aggression. They were Supreme in and of themselves; having the authority to abuse another diminished that belief, therefore it was unacceptable. But now, having stumbled awkwardly to the ice once more, Bashirah whipped her fury-soaked gaze to her brother, knowing that to him, she was no longer his equal, his sister. Some disturbed snow from her descent revealed even more distraught and suffering faces below.

“Don’t you ever touch me like that,” she hissed, lowly at first, getting to her feet. Her stance screamed danger. Motionless ferocity seeped out of her like a choking miasma. It undulated in waves around her. “You keep your hands off me!”

At that point, her voice shook loosened snow from nearby crags and slopes, sending it whispering to the ground. Bashirah’s eyes narrowed as she watched her brother attempt to continue on without any regard to the others whatsoever. She had half a mind to let him do so. The Gradian princess’ sight swept across the rest of the group. Her… display had been less than appropriate, and undoubtedly her brother’s brusque handling of her roused red flags. What were they thinking? How did they see her? Bashirah felt her chest tighten. She needed a distraction and found one with Chandar’s idea.

“Who has this book?!” she roared.

[Angst Werewolf]

The books hit Chandar's chest with enough force that the smith had to take a step back to keep himself from being knocked off balance. Kunal stormed away, leaving Chandar to fumble with them. Despite his best efforts, he couldn't keep the flicker of annoyance off his face as he eyed Kunal's back. There had been a part of him that had hoped being back in Gradius would help him keep up his charade, but it was clearly not working. In fact, it seemed to be making it worse.

Chandar scowled and opened the tome from Dradecus. He had no clue what he was looking for- just something like had happened back in Laelie. The book had shown him what they needed then; with any luck it would do the same again. But it didn't. The smith muttered angrily and snapped it shut, sticking it under his arm as he turned his attention to the second one. The helmet slid down over his eyes at the motion, only serving to aggravate him further.

"It's too damn cold," he stated to no one in particular as he readjusted the helm. The top of the helmet was already starting to ice over and Chandar wondered momentarily if wearing it was going to be even worth it. The last thing he needed was his ears to freeze off. But if his ears froze, then maybe he wouldn't have to listen to all the chanting...

Stop it, he told himself and focused instead on the second book. He flipped through the pages, eyes narrowed. Nothing. Chandar's lips drew back in a snarl as he slammed the book shut. Now what were they-

Bashirah's shout tore through his thoughts and the Gradian looked up in alarm. Kunal was storming off (again) and he had to wonder what had happened between the two of them while he'd been glaring at the books. He was terrible at this guard thing, that much was clear. But really, how was he supposed to protect the two of them from themselves?

The princess spoke up again and Chandar latched on the chance to actually be helpfully. He nudged Adele with his boot one last time in the hopes of getting her to stop beating on the ice before heading over to Bashirah. "I have both the books from Dradecus and Laelie, Your Highness," he said once he had reached her. Both the tomes were held out for her to take. "I have checked both for some sort of spell, but they did not reveal anything... to me." It was possible Bashirah would be able to find something.