❅ Ergon

[Suhuba]

(Art by The Only Black Uke)

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Updated: Feb/07/18
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Simple Lance

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[Cornetified]

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[Cornetified]

Youngling - Journal entry
A Lonely Challenge

The emptiness was overwhelming. It was a feeling he couldn’t escape. Everywhere he looked, the blankness was there. The space. The barren hole in the air. It didn’t matter if there was a chair sitting right where he was looking. Nor did it matter if someone, anyone, walked through his line of vision. The invisible fissure was as real and solid and heavy to Ergon as the countertop he was standing at. The spot at his side.. where Kaygon was supposed to be.

Ergon wiped his eyes and resumed cutting up vegetables, focusing on making the soup for tonight’s dinner. He used a step stool to properly reach the counter for his use, climbing up and down as he prepared the meal. A shredded side of meat cooking in broth over the fire, add some hearty vegetables... Hopefully, mother would eat it. She was still having trouble with her appetite.

‘Dang it, Kay! Why did you die? Why?!’ Clenching his jaw, Ergon roughly pushed the veggies into the pot, accidentally splashing hot broth back on his arm. He yelped with surprise and the flinch of pain.

A high, strained voice called from upstairs, “Kaygon? Is that you? Are you okay?”

Ergon couldn’t help his tears turning hot with anger. He stomped over to the stairs and glared up. “Kaygon’s dead, mother!” he snarled. “It’s me! Ergon!” The sharp sob that came from upstairs instantly blew away Ergon’s flare. For a moment, he sat on the floor and hugged himself tightly, listening to the crying from the stairs as he fought to stop his own tears. He was so angry at Kaygon for dying and hurting the family... but he still missed his brother so much. Who was he to take time to mourn though? Mother had broken down, and father worked hard to keep income coming. Ergon knew a little of it was his father hiding from the loss as well, but he understood. He liked when his father was home, and though they never had long to visit, he appreciated those little moments.

Besides, it was better this way. Ergon had proclaimed himself ‘man of the house’ now, using the position to keep himself as busy as possible. He cooked breakfast, lunch, and dinner. He spent time talking and singing to his poor mother. Though the kitchen and bedroom were the only ones used every day, he cleaned all the rooms in the house regularly; washing floors, sweeping furniture, straightening knickknacks. No one else was going to do it! The doctor that came by every so often to check on mother told him that he was too young to care for the house like he was, but the old man was wrong! He was nearly of age to be a prentice! There was no one else to take care of his family now! He had to do it! He had to...

Kaygon.. Why did you leave us? Why did you hurt us? Come home..

Blinking quickly, he stood up and marched over to the fire. He ladled soup into two bowls and headed for the stairs with them. He would eat sitting at the small table with his mother in the bedroom. They would probably be silent the whole time.

Silence was like a sword. On the one hand, it was safe; it meant mother wasn’t crying. On the other hand, it was devastating; giving Ergon too much time with his own thoughts. They always wandered to Kaygon...

Ergon stiffened his back and headed up the stairs. Mother wasn’t going to come down to get the food herself.

(( word count: 1,096 = 3 points ))  

[Cornetified]

Youngling - Journal entry 2
Judging Books By Their Covers

Ergon sat in his bedroom, staring up at the ceiling. Outside, the winds were blowing hard; too hard to go out to the tavern or any other place. Inside, a small fire crackled and kept his room warm. Here, he dared to let himself be alone and think. For some time now, his thoughts had been filled with those not of Zena, and those who said they were from Zena but didn’t look it.

It seemed like he had been encountering a lot of them as of late. He’d always, always been taught that Zenan’s were the superior race, and he believed every word. However.. perhaps them being superior did not exactly make the other races bad? Others could be inferior and still worth acknowledgement, right? It was a tough question that Ergon was wrestling with.

For instance.. he’d had an interaction recently that left him questioning his beliefs. That was his surprise meeting with the... something claiming to be Zenan. He’d asked his father about the man, describing the white crystals and the icy colored eyes... His father had looked quite seriously at Ergon, and explained that it was probably a birth deformity. For one thing, no race known to him had white crystals; and while the pale eyes could be Sautian, it was more likely to him that whatever affected the man’s crystals had affected the eyes as well. The honor of the man’s actions, Grashni declared, confirmed the man’s status as a Zenan. Meanwhile, he overheard his father discussing the stranger with a friend, and the friend was quite adamant that the differing features made his Zenan birth of no consequence, and that the man should be run out of town if seen. Ergon wondered what was right.. traditional thought, or his father’s opinion.

Now that he was out at the taverns more, during his escapes from home, he was seeing a lot more non-Zenans and hybrids as well. Before, he had been focused on his brother and the other children they had played with. Now, he could see the rest of the world, and the people in it. Races from all over would stop in his town. It wasn’t as though his town was a central traveling hub, but it was one of the larger in Zena, and good for trading. There, he saw a few Sautians, some shifters, and even Obans! However, it was a shifter who added to his confusion. A young woman who had been there to comfort him when he had needed it. It was one of the last things he had expected to receive from an outsider. She had talked with him without being offensive, had not scorned him, and had not mocked him. She.. had treated him as an equal, and he had found himself doing the same. It wasn’t until after that meeting that he got flooded with embarrassment. Seeking comfort from a stranger of a different race?! If anyone who knew him or his family had seen... but he’d been unable to help himself. She had been what he needed right then. Despite his self-inflicted humiliation, he still found comfort in thinking back on that night.

Yet there were always people willing to confirm their inferiority as well. Many spoke without the Zenan formality. They dressed without elegance or fashion sense. And what kind of race could not handle the cold?! It was absolutely disgraceful...

By the time Ergon’s eyes started to droop closed, he still had no set answer for himself. It sure seemed to depend on the individual, but that was too hard to think about for him. If he met more like those who had helped him, he would make time for them. Otherwise, it was much safer and less confusing to base everyone else on the lessons he’d been taught.


(( word count: 636 = 2 points ))  

[Cornetified]

Prentice - Journal entry 1
Growing Pains

The missing presence was always felt, but the passing time eased the sharpness of the pain. Ergon was steadily training himself to focus his thoughts to keep them from straying to his memories, and to keep his emotions at bay. Unfortunately, the memory was pulled from the depths on the afternoon of his fourteenth birthday.

As younglings, he and Kaygon had spent time playing the various roles they could work at once they had grown. They had used wooden swords, shields and hammers, and leather gauntlets when they wanted to be fighters. Long walking sticks as staffs and shining crystals were used as runes when they wanted to be mages or healers. They set up a small table in their room covered with their toys, their clothes, and some food snatched from the kitchen when they wanted to be merchants. Once in a while, they would even use their father’s tools to be blacksmiths, or their mother’s scarves to be dancers and minstrels. The possibilities had seemed endless at the time!

Now, here he was, finally of age to begin real training... and he had no idea what he wanted. The topic had actually become a bit of a sore point between Ergon and his father. Grashni wanted his boy to follow in his footsteps and get into business. The man even put aside time to make a little speech about it. ‘It’s a man’s world out there, Ergon. Before you know it, it will be time to make an important decision for your future. I want to make sure you will be set once it is time for you to go out on your own. You need to find steady work that will honor you, honor me and your mother, and keep food on your table. Thanks to me, you and your mother have wanted for nothing. I’ve been at this ever since I was your age, and I do not regret a day of it!’ The elder man was quite put out when Ergon told him he wasn’t so sure.

Hearing his father’s disappointment only added to the weight that Ergon felt on his shoulders. Of course he wanted to make his father proud! He just.. was not sure he wanted to do the same work. Standing and sitting at a desk all day, parceling money back and forth, and talking stuffy business deals over trinkets. It.. it was honorable work, truly. It would be a secure life. It didn’t seem that it would be very difficult either. He was quite good with numbers and writing for his age. He just didn’t like the sounds of the work for himself. Did he truly have to decide so quickly? So soon?

Besides... back when he had considered being in business like his father, he and Kaygon had promised each other that they would be working together. They would own their own business, make it flourish, and prove their worth to everyone. They would push each other to takes the risks, face new challenges, and to do their absolute best. Together, they would make themselves rich and powerful in Zena.

Here he was, looking forward to a future.. while his brother had none. His brother’s future had ended long ago. Why? Because they had been enjoying their day too much to notice that one little section of ice was thinner than the rest.

Now that he was facing going into business alone, it didn’t feel like it would be enough. It would be boring, and lacking in enjoyment or purpose. He could work with his father, but the business no longer held any flavor for him. There had to be something else he could do that would still be secure.

And then there was his mother...

During her moments of clarity, when she could remember he was Ergon and could see that he was growing older, her desire for his future was for him to find a nice Zenan woman and raise Zenan children of his own. ‘There are many young ladies out there, my son. Mind you, all the ladies of Zenan birth deserve a good man to guide them, but not all of them are of the same caliber to yourself. You must choose a woman of good breeding to ensure the continued success of this family. You will make a fine husband one day.’

At these times, Ergon could only sit quietly and listen, hoping that the clarity would remain in his mother this time. He didn’t want to think about women right now. How could he? The only woman important to him at this time was his mother.

After she was done, before she could sink back into her fantasy, she would cry. Usually, she was unable to tell him why she was crying for certain. He knew, though. She.. had much to be crying about. Those days of clarity in his mother were few and far between, which Ergon nearly felt thankful for. He wished she would make peace with herself, but there was nothing he could say and nothing he could do that would help. He felt like he’d tried it all.

Thinking about the future made his head spin. Everything was supposed to be done with his brother at his side. After the accident, his focus had been on the present; taking care of his mother and the house. He had worked hard to keep the house from looking anything less than respectable to keep the honor of his family intact. There wasn’t a moment as of late that he’d paused to truly think about the future since his world had changed. The future.. was so uncertain. For the first time, Ergon was nervous about the future.


(( word count: 954 = 3 points ))  

[Cornetified]

Prentice - Journal entry 2
Class Affinity

The shop had only a few weapons on display; a couple of each type to show what was available. Ergon’s golden gaze shifted back and forth along the shining metals and sculpted woods. He was getting older, he had a girlfriend, he had to care for his parents... and here he was, still undecided about what he wanted to do with his life. It seemed unfair to him that the rest of his life should be decided so soon, but he was in no place to argue the matter either. He certainly did not want to be one of those slobs who bounced from one type of work to another! There was no respect in being indecisive. ..yet, here he was, being the very thing he disliked.

‘You need to pick something, Ergon,’ Kaygon’s voice suddenly piped up.

Ergon closed his eyes, imagining his brother standing with him, a mirror reflection at his side. With such a huge decision to make, he wished more than ever for his brother to be there. ‘What do you think? Should I just go ahead and do as father wishes me to? Join the life of a merchant? Pass coin back and forth? Keep track of stocks, profits, expenses, and a whole shop? Sit in a stuffy room all day, watching people come through and either buy something or walk away with nothing in hand?’

Kaygon’s chuckle sounded warm... ‘If you want to be a merchant, what are you doing standing here and staring at these weapons? You know what you want, Erggie. Pick one of those weapons hanging there.’

Ergon snorted out loud. ‘You know I hate that name, Kayggie,’ he scolded with amusement, shoving his hands into his pockets. ‘How am I supposed to just ‘pick’ a weapon? I.. haven’t gotten to practice with any of them seriously.’

Kaygon’s voice sighed heavily. ‘Come on. You can do better than a puny excuse such as that.’

Glancing around the shop, Ergon quickly wiped at his eyes. ‘Okay, fine. It just.. it still feels weird without you here to work on it with.’

Kaygon’s voice laughed. ‘Brother, you sure have gone mushy. I am willing to bet that it is because of Riiiyaaa~’

Ergon’s cheeks flared. ‘Shut up.’ He looked up at the weapons, and he couldn’t help a small smile. Riya had given him something outside of his self-centered world to care about... He wanted to be able to protect- well- help protect her. After all, considering the spunk she had, he was at risk of being the one protected, and that was no way for a man to be! ‘I can be a merchant for things on the side, right? Have something steady while also doing this, right?’

There was silence for a moment, and then Kaygon laughed. ‘That sounds more like you, Ergon. You can do whatever you set your mind to. You always have. Do not do that just for father though. It is your future.’

Ergon paced another minute before he walked to the counter and asked to see the lances. Soon enough, he was out in the practice yard, making sure that he’d made the right choice. The long weapon swung around, whipping through the air to thud against the log targets. More often than not, the lance only managed to knick the wood, and he never knicked the same spot more than once. Still, he smiled. It gave him enough space to generally keep his fingers out of harm’s way, while still giving him an offensive edge. ’What if I don’t get the hang of it?

Kaygon’s voice laughed again. ‘By the gods, what has happened to you? Stop doubting yourself, Ergon. Since when are you afraid of a challenge?’

“Damn it, Kaygon! I was unable to help you that day!” he shouted out loud.

“Ergon? Are you well?” a concerned voice asked.

Ergon looked over at the weapon salesman and then back down to the lance with a hot purple face. “Yes, I am fine. I suppose I just got a little worked up. My apologies for disturbing you.” He gave the older man a bow, and waited until the man was back inside before sighing.

‘You were so young, Ergon,’ Kaygon said gently. ’We both were. It was not your fault. Nor was it father’s fault. ..Nor was it mother’s fault. Let it go, Ergon. Mother already will not move on. You cannot stay stuck in the past with her. You cannot stay stuck in the past with me. You know I love you too much to want that.’

Hands gripping the lance tightly, Ergon took a few deep breaths. ’When did you get all smart and noble, Kaygon?’

His brother’s sweet voice laughed. ’Ergon, I am just telling you what you already know. I am just a voice from your own mind, after all!’

Wiping at tears one more time, Ergon nodded firmly. “Yeah. You always did like stating the obvious.”

’Shut up! Kaygon’s voice scolded with a laugh. ’Hey. Take care of mother and father; and yourself.’

Ergon looked at the lance in his grip again, allowing his fingers to relax. He had to stop thinking about what he would have done with Kaygon. The memory would always have that ache, but he knew that what his own mind was telling him was true. Kaygon would not have wanted him to dwell on the past and the loss. He had told himself that he wouldn’t linger on the incident, but, apparently, it had been an anchor... He did not want Kaygon to be remembered as an anchor.

After picking through the various lances, he carried one back to the shop and put it onto the counter. “I will take this one, please.”

The shopkeeper looked at the weapon and smirked. “This one is taller than you are. Are you certain you want it?”

Ergon grinned confidently. “I still have time to grow.”


(( word count: 989 = 3 points ))  

[Cornetified]

Prentice- Growth Quest Solo
Lancer

“Ergon, you had better turn right around and take that weapon back to the shop!” Ergon’s father stormed, standing to hover over his son.

Ergon stood as tall as he could and tapped the butt of the lance against the floor of the main room. “No. I earned the money to purchase this, and I want to learn how to use this better.”

Grashni threw his hands up into the air. “There is no money is using a weapon! There is no stability!” The older man’s eyes narrowed sharply. “What are you going to do with it, anyway? Do you plan to become a mercenary? A killer?! Are you going to walk around taking jobs to murder other earthlings for profit?!”

Ergon clenched his jaw. Such an attitude seemed quite narrow minded.. “Father, a weapon is for more than just killing.”

“No!” Grashni shook his head. “Weapons are for violence. They are for war. They are for taking the lives of others. They kill men, women, and children alike. Do you truly wish to leave someone else missing their brother like you did?”

Ergon gawked slightly. “That is too far, father!” he shouted back. “A blade wielded by another earthling was not what took Kaygon from us. That was an accident. A natural killer did that; something with no sense other than eat.” He gestured to the blade of his lance. “This is not going to be utilized by some Sautian with more muscle than sense! I will be wielding it. Does that not comfort you?”

“No!” Grashni raked his hands through his hair. “Why are you insisting on such a lifestyle? Why are you insisting on putting yourself in harm’s way? What would your mother and I do if we lost you as well?!”

At that, Ergon paused. His father continued pacing and growling, but Ergon lost track of the words. That was why his father had been so worked up. It was about more than simple disappointment at him not following in the man’s footsteps. Lifting his chin, he leaned the lance against the wall, strode forward and grabbed his father into a firm hug with both arms. No one else was around, after all. “It was not a weapon created by any earthling that took Kaygon from us,” he said softly. “I did not buy it to hurt others, father. I want to be able to protect you and mother and myself and everyone I care for. Just having money is not going to protect us if something happens.” Taking a step back, he was surprised to see his father crying. “I feel like this is right for me. Can you understand?”

Grashni shook his head. “Kaygon.. he was too young for a weapon.. He could not have defended himself..”

Sighing, Ergon shook his head. “That is not what I’m saying. There was nothing... short of jumping into the water and possibly getting yourself killed as well, there was no way to save him. You barely got mother out in time.” There was something liberating about saying it out loud to his father. As many times as he told himself... he needed to make sure his parents, well, at least his father, saw it the same way. “You and mother are still alive though. I want to- I need to be able to fight back if anything happens. I will still learn the merchant skills, but you have that trade wrapped around your finger. Allow me to fill out this end of our needs.”

“Grashni!” The weary but content voice of Ergon’s mother rang out down the steps. “Tell Ergon and Kaygon to come inside. I want to get supper started soon, and you know how those boys are. They might stay outside all day if you don’t bring them in by their ears.”

Both men paused and looked at each other. Grashni looked over to the steps, eyes even sadder than before. “As you say, darling,” he called back. After a moment, he pressed the heels of his hands to his eyes and cleared his throat. “I am sorry, Ergon. Your mother reminds us enough that Kaygon is gone. I do not need to be doing the same to you, or myself.” He reached out to pat his son’s shoulder. “I still wish that you would reconsider. There are plenty of other able-bodied men learning their talents with weapons. You do not have to do it. ...However, I will respect your decision.”

Ergon smiled softly, raising his free hand to pat his father’s hand. “Thank you, father.”
That conversation had gone better than expected! While he did not believe his father would have disowned him, he had been concerned that that air between them would continue to be spoiled. He knew there would be a little tension still, but things would be better now. Now that he had his path, and now that he understood his father. “Do not worry. I will still be around to keep the house in order, for a little while anyway,” he said lightly.

~~~

Some hours later, Ergon was walking back from the weapons shop. He had returned to the shop, but only to ask for a recommendation for who the best teachers were. The shopkeeper smirked again, but this time was polite and talked openly about the trainers out there. They spent quite some time talking about the lance, the trainers, the uses for the weapon, and the opportunities out there for someone with a weapon. He may have toppled head first into the trade, but the longer the decision sat on his mind, the more he liked it. To be a fighter. Someone strong and capable. Someone that others could look up to and depend on for more than just a clean house..

He thought back to his younger years, playing with toy weapons with his brother. Come to think of it, he had tended to grab the spears more than the swords or the shields. Walking with it along the road, using it a bit like a cane with the pointed end in the air to keep from accidentally poking someone from swinging it around, Ergon felt stronger already. Adults carried weapons. Real men carried weapons. A man whom others could count on carried weapons! Looking up at the point of the lance, he smiled lightly. The foot races and eating contests and bolstering were in the past. Now, he was really going to prove himself.


((Word Count: 1,079 ))

Conclusion: Ergon has seen a lot of personal growth as of late. He is ready to branch out from home and face the world as an individual, rather than constantly unconsciously holding himself back in wishing to have his twin alive. His stubbornness is maturing so that he takes himself a little more seriously, and can focus more on goals that will accomplish things rather than simply add to his list of victories. His confidence continues to border cockiness, though it is now more actual confidence than hot-air boasting. The moody teenager is making way for a strong young man.  

[Cornetified]

Lancer - Journal entry 1
Silver and Gold

Ergon had a knack for the trade, to be sure. His eyes absorbed all of the information in front of him, calculating and strategizing how to use the information to the best of his advantage. His hand swiped swiftly, leaving dark lines behind with his pointed tool. Arguing and bargaining with others in the field were common, and he was not known for losing. He was smart and powerful, and able to control the directions of others lives with the nod or shake of his head.

It was too bad that being an accountant was utterly boring to him.

Within the warm shelter of the building, Ergon put his ink pen down and shook out his sore hand. It had been a long day of counting and analyzing and budgeting for his father, and he was ready for the day to end. Then, the real fun could begin.

His yellow eyes slid over to the window, smiling at the falling snow. He could get home, change out of his nicer work clothes, and go out into the yard behind their house. He had set up a small training area there just a few weeks ago; good for privacy from judging eyes, and free from the idle chatter of those who were usually loitering around the public training grounds. Oh, he would go there from time to time, but he preferred being able to practice without being heckled. Admittedly, he was not the most proficient user of the lance.. but that would change with practice. He was still new to it, after all! For the competitive youth though, showing even a beginner’s weakness was something that he got embarrassed by. Ergon was not exactly heavy or built either, so the heavy spear could yank him around when he got any real momentum going. Learning to balance it proper was not something he was easily catching on to.. As soon as that got under control though, he would be making so many scenes in front of his peers!

Yet, that was for later. Sighing, he looked back at the coins stacked in front of him. They shimmered in the firelight, a fireplace and multiple sconces keeping the building well lit as the day outside darkened. A proud Zenan always took care of his coin~ Of course, he couldn’t help comparing it to the silver sheen of his lance, reflecting spots of firelight from the yard torches while it spun and jabbed against his training dummies. He made sure the head was always close to a mirror shine. He might not be very skilled with the weapon yet, but he was certainly proud of it.

“Ergon, it’s about time to wrap up for the- are you daydreaming again?”

Ergon sat up sharply at the familiar voice, cheeks heating just a bit when he blinked blurry eyes at his father. “I was just really focused on my work, father.”

Though he sighed heavily, Grashni could not help but to smile at his son. “You always did enjoy dreaming about what your future could be. Well, I will tell you; your future will be nothing but exhaustion and angry customers if you get those orders wrong and have to stay up all night to correct them. Let us finish up quickly. Your mother said that she wanted to try cooking today, remember? We should get home before she starts that up.”

“Of course I remember mother saying that,” Ergon assured, a tiny smile lifting his features as he watched his father head back to his own work. His mother.. was doing some form of better. She was present of mind more than before, though was still more often than not in the mental world where both of her boys were alive and running around as younglings still. When she was with the present, she no longer spent the whole time crying for her lost son. Most of the time was spent crying.. but if it lasted long enough, she would run out of steam and focus on what was in front of her. She was reading again, and doing very light work around the house. That morning, she had expressed the urge to cook dinner! It was a tossup on whether or not she would actually be able to, but hearing her voice the urge to do it.. that alone was enough. Of course, the in-house nurse remained, tending to his mother when he and his father were not home, so she always had someone with her. It was a relief to both men, and allowed them the space they needed to keep the household running with their own sanity intact as well.

Shaking his head, Ergon started to sort the coins and bag them appropriately. His father was right; losing focus could cause a mistake, and even a small mistake could have big negative consequences. It would reflect poorly on him, and, by extension, his father and the business. He would absolutely not be the one to tarnish his family’s business! The bags were put away neatly, the books set into their proper places, the fires put out, and the shutters over the windows pulled.

Walking out of the building with his father, he felt like he could walk tall and proud. His life was going somewhere. It might not have been what he had dreamed of as a youngling, but it was grand for him. He was doing well in business, getting stronger with his lance, enjoying the company of a pretty lady, his parents were proud of him, and even they were doing well despite their trials and aging... Without a doubt, Ergon was looking forward to the future.


(( word count: 947 = 3 points ))  

[Cornetified]

Lancer - Journal entry 2
World Event Solo Reply

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