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 Posted: Wed May 11, 2016 2:47 pm
Guard- Growth Quest Solo
Massif Dexurn must have been about three at the time. He’d never known anything other than being a slave, and was still getting used to being away from his parents, only recently sold away from them. Shikori was helpful, but the woman could only do so much.
One day, Dex was told to go help with the laundry, but the boy had other things in mind. The master had a child about his age, and the girl had a nice room with fancy toys. He might have been a slave, but he was still just a youngling of the youngest sort! He had seen the brand new rocking janarim riding toy taken to the girl’s room, and he knew that he had to have a closer look!
While the master and his family were having dinner, Dex had toddled off to the bedroom. Right in the middle of the room was the rocking toy. While nowhere close to the size of an adult janarim, little Dex thought it was huge! Grinning with innocent glee, he climbed up onto the toy. Giggling softly, trying to keep himself quiet, he rocked with enthusiasm. However, the toy wasn’t exactly a well made item. Rocking too excitedly caused one of curved pieces of wood to snap. Dex tumbled off with a sharp cry, tears streaming when his elbow and knee sharply hit the hard clay floor.
The family had come running. The master of the house entered first. For half a moment, a look of sympathy had entered his gaze, and Dex walked hesitantly over to seek comfort. Then the little girl caught up, and had started screaming upon sight of her broken toy.
After that, the master’s eyes had hardened, and Dex had learned his first real ‘lesson’ in his new ‘home.’ Anything an Oban had, a Matorian did not deserve. Anything an Oban owned, a Matorian could not use. Everything was separate between the masters and the slaves. He was reminded that his Oban masters had their own plates, their own toilets, their own shoes, and their own toys. The slaves were lucky to have whatever their masters were willing to provide them! No matter whom the Oban was, Dex was to serve. No matter the age of the Oban, Dex was to respect them. ...Dexurn realized.. he was nothing compared to the Obans.
Lying back on the bed in the inn of Sauti, Dexurn looked up toward the ceiling without truly seeing it. A lot had changed since he’d been released from his slavery. The biggest change was the change in his heart. It had opened so much. Friendships with people that he hoped to see again, fond memories of even small encounters; it was all special to him. There was one person in particular he’d opened his heart to...
Shadiya.
He wasn’t sure how or when it had happened, but it definitely had. Shade had started out as someone to feel comfortable traveling with. Being an Oban, Shade gave him a ‘place’ again, even if she never once insisted he had a ‘place’ in her eyes. He’d taken a form of shelter in walking with her, even though she had technically been the one following him to Matori. That part of his life, that trip to Matori with Shade, had been one of the most awkward in his life so far. He’d seen her as he had been trained to see any Oban; as someone to serve. There was no other way to see an Oban, right?
Slowly, Shade had worked her magic with her charm and wit and sweetness. Slowly, Dex had found himself seeing the girl as a person rather than as a master place filler. Once his eyes had seen that change, he had begun to see her as a friend. Shade had joined that short list of people he truly trusted and cared for. That list of people that he valued. It truly was a short list. Dex had grown accustomed to being around Shade, and they had found comfort in each other’s presence. He had grown accustomed to smiling with her and laughing with her and talking with her. He had grown accustomed to having her there. He had grown used to having her there, and had come to expect having her there. With Shade around, there was life, and happiness, and hope. He found himself smiling easier. He was laughing more, and felt free. It wasn’t free like free of his masters. It was free as in.. well, he couldn’t describe it. Slowly, he was growing to feel like nothing could hold him back. He had no doubt that it was her influence granting him that freedom.
Without realizing it, Shade had made her way to the top of that list, and wandered beyond it. He couldn’t imagine traveling without her. Still, he could not quite see what he had...
It had happened shortly after they had reached Sauti. Dex had returned to the inn they were staying at, only to receive the news that someone had taken Shade. After his shock had worn down, he had gone after her without question.
As he jumped onto a xaraan, a creature he’d never ridden before, and took off after Shade and her captors, it wasn’t about how much he wanted to travel with Shade. On that journey tracking her, he realized... he wanted to be with Shade, period. He wanted to be able to hold her hand whenever he wished. He wanted to hug her, and see her smile, and have her scent nearby while he slept. Dex realized.. he had not run off half-cocked into the dangerous desert just to help a traveling companion. He had gone after his heart.
When he’d reunited with Shade, he had been afraid to approach the subject. He had held her tight, but had been unable to say the words he wanted to. He had been tired, and Shade had been tired. He had wanted to let her rest.
He could clearly remember that night though. Shade had taken his hand, and had turned away to head for a place to rest and hide for the remainder of the night. In that moment, Dex had panicked. What if her walking away tonight.. turned into something worse? What if she kept on walking, not ever knowing? Despite how exhausted he was, he couldn’t simply let it be. He had pulled her back, spoken those sacred words, and had his first true kiss. And Shade.. she hadn’t pulled away. She had accepted his words! She had accepted his love! And, dare he say.. even returned those feelings! It had been an amazing moment. He’d forgotten how tired he had been, and felt calm despite surely still being sought by the captors.
Of course, the other Obans were still a work in progress, but he’d grown to see he didn’t need to fear all of them. Not all Obans desired being “master” to him or anyone. He knew that those mindsets still existed, but it wasn’t in every single person.
It was shocking to look back and see how he’d changed. Through the various ‘lessons’ he had received while growing up, Obans were not meant to be friends for him. They were his ‘betters’ and nothing more. He’d been afraid of them, and masked that fear with false respect. His relationship with his master had been the biggest pretense of all. He had waited on the man hand and foot, and had done whatever had been requested of him. None of it had been out of respect. Even after being freed, he had still seen them as a race to fear and bow to. ..He’d never seen how afraid he’d been his whole life.
It had been a slow change, definitely. Big changes like this didn’t happen all at once. It wasn’t noticeable. Now, though, he could see that the Obans were not all bad. He didn’t feel a particular desire to go to Oba any time soon and try to befriend more of them. Not in the least. For now, just knowing and actually feeling that he didn’t have to bow to them was liberating. Freedom had come physically first. His mental freedom was the hardest to come by. It had taken far more than a few fighters coming in and telling him he was free. It had taken more than leaving the house of his captivity. It had taken more than traveling to Matori, and it had even taken more than relieving himself of the collar that had been around his neck all those years.
It had taken time. Patience. Understanding. Education. It had taken a set of warm red eyes. It had taken musical laughter and many kind smiles. It had taken tan arms hugging him, and friendly words. It had taken Shadiya’s unending perseverance. Shade to him had been like the river’s waters over stones. His once twisted sense of submission and inferiority had been worn down and smoothed by her. She had accepted him before he’d even accepted himself.
Love had never been anything he’d hoped for. His love had been for Shikori alone. Their love was the love of family, and, on a lesser level, had been a bond of necessity. His love for Shade.. was completely different. Perhaps they had started out as a necessary coupling, but love had come from that bond, and it was the strongest feeling he’d ever felt.
Maybe he was still trying to find himself, but when he thought about the woman now at his side... he knew he could do anything.
(( word count: 1,602 ))
Conclusion: Dexurn is opening his heart further, and has fallen in love. Something he thought he would never have is now his. He has connected with someone on a deeper level than he thought he could feel.
Not only that, but the woman he fell in love with is a native of Oba! When he first met Shadiya, he couldn’t even meet her eyes, automatically seeing himself more as the servant than an equal. He is growing to see that being a Matori truly doesn’t make him lesser. She has helped him see that he doesn’t have to bow to every Oban he meets, and should, in fact, keep his head high.
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Posted: Fri Nov 18, 2016 12:48 pm
Massif - Journal entry 1
When Did Life Happen? Dexurn was exhausted. When was the last time he had gotten a full night of sleep? It seemed like it had been ages ago! To be able to lie down in bed, close his eyes, and then not wake up until he was ready to do so naturally. Oh, those were the days.
He was still busy training, sparring for money, helping out at the armory where he had bought his first shield, and spending time with his beautiful wife. It was not these that kept him from getting any sleep lately though. No. It was two tiny bodies that were utterly dependant on on himself and Shade to be taken care of. Two tiny bodies with unnaturally loud cries that had the potential to make his ears ring! Two tiny bodies that took food in one end and just as quickly pushed it out the other end! Tiny hands that grabbed his hair, and managed to grab pretty much everything if given the chance!
Yet.. it was also two tiny bodies that curled up in his arms when they were sleepy. It was two tiny voices that cooed with contentment and joy at experiencing life. It was two sets of eyes that looked up at him with absolute trust. It was two tiny bodies that made his heart swell with pride.
Two tiny bodies had turned his world completely around. Two tiny bodies... His children. Koril and Kyril, both named in honor of his auntie Shikori. Gods, she would have loved them if she had survived to meet them... He wished desperately that Shikori was still around. The woman would surely have been an immeasurable help with experience, guidance, and friendship. She would have loved Shade, too. The women could have chattered on all day, he had little doubt.
The babies were a gorgeous mix of Shade and himself. Sometimes, he would keep himself up longer than he should just to watch them sleep. They were really his...
The two tiny bodies seemed so delicate compared to the harsh world he knew. It was a terrifying concept; the realization that it was up to him to protect them from the dangers of the world.
Yet, somehow, he was able to focus on the good. There was so much to look forward to! Laughter, walking, playing, teaching... He was beyond excited to watch the pair grow.
For now... for now, watching the insides of his eyelids for a few hours sounded quite nice~ (( word count: 413 = 1 point ))
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Posted: Tue Mar 21, 2017 3:16 pm
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Posted: Tue Mar 21, 2017 7:21 pm
Massif- Growth Quest Solo
Fortress Dexurn had always hoped that the day would not come, but here it was. He and his family had traveled to Oba to take care of some family business for Shade, and more than a couple nights had passed. Of course, the first few nights had been rough for him. As an ex-slave, even after all these years, being in Oba brought back memories that he didn’t want. Oh, he knew that he had gone through a fairly safe life compared to other slaves, but his experiences were his own, and they were more than capable of leaving scars. He was jumpy, determined to keep his family in view at all times. He was paranoid about someone trying to grab him or his wife or his children, though outright slavery had been abolished long ago. Staying in Oba was scary. Staying in the old mansion was unsettling. Being in such heat was dizzying.
It would be worth it though. He could handle it for Shadiya’s sake. The old mansion had been her home once, and they were here to rebuild it into something better; something to bring light into the heart of Oba again. That was worth staying in the desert heat for, and feeling a bit of nervous anxiety for. Well, that, and seeing his children take such delight in the sights so different than their Matori home. He couldn’t help the amusement and delight in his heart as they explored the large mansion, danced with tender feet along the baking sand, and stare up at the clear night sky before bed.
The world here was new to them. It was different from when he had been there as a slave, too. He.. wanted to try seeing it in this new light, too.
While the kids spent time with Shade at the mansion, going over decorations or something like that, Dex decided to walk through the market on his own.
Honestly, it didn’t look too different from what he remembered. The main difference that he could see was the variety of people in the market. There were so many people from other parts of the land now. That alone was an encouraging sight. Maybe it really wasn’t so-
“Dexurn! It’s really you! By the gods, has it been so long?”
The voice echoed out of an alley. When Dex’s head snapped around, he felt a hard shove from the side that pushed him toward that old voice, and his legs were too weak to fight the direction. “Not you,” he murmured, wide eyes darting around. Glancing back, he only saw a large body blocking the way back. Dex was no small fry anymore, but that guy was still bigger.
“You’re looking quite well, Dexurn. I am impressed.”
Exhaling slowly, Dex turned back to the voice. Instinct was kicking him in the stomach, but he fought it hard. The urge to address the man as he had as a youngling... To bow and present himself as a harmless servant... “Lotran.”
The older Oban stepped forward with the charming smile that Dex remembered so well. “Ah, that is new. I much prefer it if you would address me as ‘Master,’ as was proper back then. For old time’s sake? You saying my proper name sounds so.. out of place.”
Dex stiffened up, allowing himself to stand a little taller. The old Oban looked different, but still familiar. The once proud adult was now looking thinner, with wrinkles in his dark skin and a slight hunch to his back. Still, the clothing was rich and luxurious as before, and his posture was proud despite the hunch. “There aren’t ‘masters’ in Oba anymore; not the way there used to be.”
Lotran laughed sharply. “How little you know. You always were more brawn than brains.” He looked the Matorian up and down before nodding. “A lot more brawn, now, to be sure. I never expected you to grow so much. You were such a, how they say, scrawny little thing. All long bones and angles, no meat at all. Those angles were quite sharp, as I recall~ Come closer and let me see-”
Slamming his fist against the side of a clay wall, Dex snarled sharply, “Don’t talk like I’m some pet of yours!”
The snarl only brought a light to the old man’s eyes. “Well, you are much more.. inconsiderate than you used to be, Dexurn. There was a time when you would address me with respect.”
“And what respect do you deserve?” Dex shot back. “I know.. I know what you did was wrong. Wrong to me, and wrong to the others you controlled.” He shook his head, glancing over his shoulder again at the guard blocking his way back. The alley they stood in was a dead end, stacked with storage boxes at the other end. For the moment.. he was stuck. His brow knit further, looking back to the older man. “I want nothing to do with you. Get out of my way.”
“But I want everything to do with you.” A wrinkled hand rose to point a short finger, revealing what looked like it could still be a strong grip. “I have a new home, my boy. I’m going back to the old days, when things were better, and it wouldn’t be the same without at least a few familiar faces around. It’s taken a few years, but I already have a few of our old pals.” Lotran clicked his tongue. “Imagine my surprise to see you just walking along through here the other day. It was meant to be. You have changed, but you are still you, Dexurn. It won’t be hard to transition back to how things used to be. You were always so happy and willing to do as I asked. Don’t you want that certainty again?”
Dex’s blood began to heat up. Lotran was really trying to make him a slave again? Old pals..? “You’ve taken the other slaves from before?!” he asked furiously, practically unable to believe what he was hearing.
Lotran nodded as though proud of the fact; which he was. “They didn’t transition to freedom very well. They were begging on the street, old and alone. Some were selling themselves for coin anyway! I am providing them with a safe place again. Food, drink, beds... What more could you need?” The older man cocked his head slightly. “Of course, if you wish, I can make space for your messed up little family as well. Hide them from sight so that you don’t have to be embarrassed anymore by the things you created. Start over and follow the pure way, Dexurn!”
Dex didn’t even realize he had moved. One moment, he had been listening, and the next.. he was throwing the menace against a wall with a scream. “Don’t you dare bring my family into this! I will kill you if you touch them!” Something hard hit the back of his head, forcing him down on one knee. A big hand grabbed his hair and he was the one being thrown at the wall now, the guard lurking over him like a gargoyle.
Lotran groaned and shook his head, but pushed himself up and brushed his clothes off. “Dexurn, Dexurn... Have you forgotten your lessons?” He waved at the big guard to step back. “I thought I had taught you better than that. I am sure, though, that you will quickly remember what happens when you talk back to me. I don’t care how long it has been... You are still mine. I do miss you, you know.”
On the ground, Dex’s heart was pounding in his ears, limbs wanting to turn into jelly. No matter how many years had passed.. that voice held nearly the same power as before. ..He was a scrawny youth again, and he just wanted to please the angry voice to make it all stop. ...He wasn’t just a scrawny youth anymore though! “No.” He leaned against the wall to push himself upright, wiping a hand across the streaming blood on the side of his face from the impact. “I’m free, and my family is free. You can’t change that just because you want-” A sharp hand grabbed his jaw, making him wince as the still strong fingers dug in, and Dex’s eyes widened once they finally met Lotran’s. The Oban was dead serious about this...
“Slavery may not be legal anymore, my boy, but there are ways around such ridiculous laws. You can be happy again! With me! I don’t know how you have managed so far, but your luck will run out, and where will you turn then?” Lotran’s clouded gaze sharpened and turned dark. “Where will you turn? Where was I to turn when you all were gone?” he snarled, fingers digging harder now. “My life was taken from me! They had no right to take you and the others! No right! I had so much, and gave so much, and what do they do? They throw you into the streets like garbage to fend for yourselves, when everyone knows you Matori are useless without a master over you! They took you, my children, and threw you away to the janarim!” The man chuckled and nodded, “now.. now, I am here to make it better. You were apparently unable to return to me, so I have come for you. You are as precious to me now as you were when you lived with me. Do not doubt that for a moment.” He smiled reassuringly, using his free hand to pet the Matorian’s neck. “I can even get you a new collar. Wouldn’t that be nice?”
Dex bared his teeth, but his eyes shifted to the guard still lurking close. “I said no,” he insisted, grabbing Lotran’s wrist to pry him off. Of course, that only got him another smack to the head...
“No..?” Lotran released Dex’s jaw, but remained looming over him. His voice lowered to match the sharpness of his gaze. “Surely, a lovely woman like your wife would fetch a good price as someone’s mistress..” Lotran crooned, “And those darling children you managed to breed? People would trip over their feet to have such innocent and sweet things as they. ..Or, I can keep them safe in my home, with you. It’s up to you.”
Of course, Lotran had crossed that line. Threats to just himself made Dex feel small again. Threats to his family... Threats to those for whom he had grown and changed and gotten stronger... Those who believed in him to help him grow... Those he loved more than anything... The strength returned to him in a flash, and now his hands were around the older man’s neck. He felt another hit to his head, but this time kicked out in retaliation, knocking the larger man down with a perfect hit to the solar plexus. “You.. will.. not.. touch.. them,” he hissed sharply, yanking Lortan close. “You won’t touch my family, and you touch me.” For the second time in his life, he saw fear in the Oban’s eyes; and this time, he was the cause of it. It felt strange.. yet empowering. “I’m not yours. Not ever again.”
Lotran shook his head in denial despite the fear. “Watch your tongue, boy! U-unhand me! You will regret this when we get home!”
Dex felt something snap, and he drove his fist into his old master’s face. Then he did it again. The temptation to kill this arrogant and mad man...“When you get home.. it will be with the local guard, and you will be releasing everyone you’ve taken.”
~~
Later that evening, Dex was walking home with his injuries cleaned and bandaged, and his head up high. Lotran was going away forever, the other Matorians were free and taken to a safer place for fresh starts, and he.. he had faced his worst fear, and come out on top. It was a weight lifted from his shoulders that he hadn’t truly realized was there. Instead, he felt as though there was a small hand on his arm, giving it a proud squeeze. Auntie would have been happy... Suddenly, walking through the streets of Oba wasn’t so scary anymore.
..Of course, he would have to explain his injuries and where he’d been all day to Shadiya... Now that was scary!
Word count: 2,059
Conclusion: Dexurn is able to shed away the last of his slavery fears now that he has faced off with his old master. Each stage change has had him shed a little layer at a time, working his way toward truly being his own person. Of course there is still more room to grow, but now he can focus on growing as himself rather than as an ex-slave.
One of the most important parts is also that he has found some redemption and peace of mind in his own heart after helping to free the people Lotran had caught again. He feels it was a small way to make up for his ‘weakness’ as a youth in being so blind to the truth of what was happening around him. He knows it wasn’t his fault, of course, but the closure he found today has him feeling almost as proud as the day he married Shadiya, or the day his children were born.
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Posted: Sat Nov 11, 2017 8:28 pm
Fortress - Journal entry 1
World Event Solo Reply Link
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