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Magic...

Thats all Maximos could say in a stunned, almost empty tone that fell flat on the floor just as weighted as Teira'a jaw.

He's - he's just magic.

And there was silence. Not awkward silence, but silence none the less. A sort of aftermath silence. Like the pause after a streak of thunder tears the sky and interrupts your conversation.

Maximos turned. He looked at a Teira. He looked at the door, then Teira. Then the door. And then he said.

Now that your fully awake. I know this excellent shopping center that just opened in Durem. Aaand I just happen to need supplies.

He turned away, tapping his chin, as if obviously hinting something and equally obviously pretending he wasnt, before he cracked and said.

....Care to join me?

His face went blank! Dumbfounded for a moment. Whats a Durem?! She looked so honest, so so....adorable! Her innocent and absence of experience was something he took for granted! But times like this gave him a welcome reminder.

An emotive returned to his face. He folded his arms across his chest and began tapping his chin.

A Durem...

He said softly. This was a tough question you see. Explaining the metaphysics that made several thousand tons of rock float in the air, kept a house in place and dark, that was all easy. But people often take for granted the obvious, everyday things. Like a city. How could he describe a city to someone who only knew one house?

A Durem is...

He looked clear into her eyes, mismatched eyes meeting gold.

She was blind.

No not really. But Maximos reflected on how impossible it would be to describe a Sunset or Sunrise to a blind person as they have never seen color or imagery that would never understand. Teira was blind in that she had nothing to reference anything he said against, she would never understand.

Is...

The only true way to show a blind person something is to give them sight. So thats what he would do! A bit of a eureka expression spread across his face. And he said.

Nevermind that, of course you can!

He reached out patting her shoulder in a sort of motivational, gentle, brotherly shove in the right direction.

Go get dressed. Get your favorites, and dont forget your jacket, its getting cold out there! Go!

Yes, she was dressed. Because people on Shadow Island do indeed walk around fully dressed even if they've no where to go. But everyone had favorite outfits. And she had a huge walk in closet full of them! Not to mention while she may not understand winter, due to the islands single constant climate, she understood cold. And hopefully would just snag the jacket on faith.

He'd linger to watch her go, if she went. At which point he would add on, before she got out the door.

Meet me in the main hall!

Too many smiles!

Way, way too many smiles than for Max to do anything other than smile, and laugh with the sort of excitement that simply bounced from Teira off the walls and through the room.

She squeaked! His eyes opened wide in surprise, until her arms were flung around him and squeezed! Without a thought his arms flung out in equivalent fashion, around her midsection and squeezed her close. It was all, he would realize later, very un-Maximos-esque behavior, but it all felt so right. It was a series of instinctive reactions that came from a place the Shadow simply did not recognize. Or understand. But enjoyed for reason inexplicable.

He watched her leave with a warmth in his heart, and a smile on his face. And then the door shut, his smile was invaded by something serious. He reached into his breast pocket, and pulled out a small square of paper that seemed crudely cut from some sort of newspaper. He looked at it deeply, concerned, and then folded it up and placed it back in his pocket and made his way out of the room.

Max would be first into the hall. His Reaper attire didnt seem to fit the situation at all. No neither did his vest and shirt. Max entered wearing a long black formal jacket, its coat tails out behind him, its neck high. Beneath was infact a black vest, and a white dress shirt, as well as a black tie. He looked exceedingly formal, especially with that cane in hand, and glasses atop his nose. Though to finish the ensemble, a black top hat adorned his navy blue hair, and a black scarf was wrapped around his neck.

Behind and to the side of Max was a Skullie. Skullies performed the more menial duties around the manner when Walter as preoccupied. It was entirely black with a humanoid outline and no defining features what so ever, save for a mask. The mask was that of a skull, although only from the top jaw up to the hairline, from which two intense violet eyes shone forth. Skullies came in various shapes and forms, this was one of the nicer kind.

Max smiled, checked his pocketwatch and waited ever so patiently. Good things come to those who wait.

Six in the evening, the sun was just beginning to set and as true in each and every day the darkest and most beautiful of things come out to play.

He heard her, heralded by a musical footsteps that gracefully and beautifully traced the hard wood floor. Eager, yet not so rushed as to betray his gentlemanly attire and form Maximos turned to the main entryway. Both hands rest over each other and in turn over the head of his cane. Which was infact, as to be expected, a skull. Fingers played over each other as a grin played at his face, and in a beat of a heavy heart, there she was.

She was an elf. That would of course add to her natural beauty. But Maximos saw beyond such things. He saw the way the shimmer at the high and bright points of her crushed red velvet brought out the red in her hair, spun like rubies and placed against skin so pure it made snow cry out in jealousy. It spoke of her skill with color and form, to have picked wear so well fitting. He saw how she stood. Her form balanced, and graceful, how she walked to him like a ghost floating above the ground. She had poise and form, qualities that delved so much deeper than simple looks and forced them to pale in comparison to the whole of her being. She truly was lovely, Maximos' mismatched eyes smiling bright and wide, with no small measure of pride looked into hers as she spoke.

"Will this be warm enough, do you think, Nii-chan?"

Warm? No no. Warm wasnt the word. She was positively radiant! As most, Maximos found himself moved to graceful words not his own, but proved over the ages to bear nearly ageless beauty.

Oh! She doth teach the torches to burn bright.

Driven by the flow, the stately shadow took it on himself embellish the moment. His arms crossed his chest, as a few fingers played at his chin.

Did my heart love till now?

His white right eye ignited dimly as he rushed forward as if chasing after some illusion. Some impossible thing that lay before him and yet defies all he knew and was. His hands quickly scooping up one of hers.

Forswear it, sight!

A hint of desperation on his smooth voice, his fingers squeezed hers. His eyes moved from her soft laced hands, and slid slowly up her arms until finally resting on her face. One hand slipped free, as it moved to clench at the air as he called out to his "sight" for having gifted him with such a beautiful vision. Rose played at his cheeks, a grin at his lips. Something burning in his dark and light eyes.

For I ne'er saw true beauty till this night.

And in a fluid motion, Maximos bent dropping to one knee as he brought her delicate hand up to his face and blessed his lips with a gentle kiss to her flawless skin.

It is the right and honor of every brother to make a sister feel like the most precious and beautiful thing in all the world.

Oh my.

Maximos found himself something a bit more than speechless. Even his mind found grasping a complete thought as difficult as trying to keep a ball still on a slope.

Just when he thought he had a grasp on who exactly it was that was before him, she turned or performed a grace pirouette of an act and was revealed to be something else. Something more, something he didnt see or expect, a new shape to something already more precious than he knew how to express. And with each new shape, became something, and someone that fit it and filled a part of his heart and life that had here to for he had not realized or accepted was voidant, and longed for exactly this.

He had expected blush, mayhaps surprise. But her words...he never expected to hear such quotation returned. He never knew her to have known! And the way she gently, gracefully, even beautifully drew the shadows to her and detailed the scene with their presence...

In a moment, Maximos found the smile on his pale face accidentally replaced with blush, and a look of honest surprise. He was dumbfounded and it showed, stunned silence escaped him. Then as suddenly as surprise reached him, did it melt away, softening his mismatched eyes as a smile spread back across his face. His free hand moved to rest against her cheek, as he brought forth words to define what he saw before him. They barely fit the scale of emotion that birthed them, but still he spoke them.

Absolutely beautiful my dear. Absolutely beautiful.

A small chuckle escaped him as his smile stretched, it was just entirely too much to keep in.

You, Lady Teira, have been getting into the east corner of the library.

There was a section for science, for magic, for history, as you traveled deeper into the maze there was philosophy, informative books, the story books and adventurous tales and series. But at the far side, the farthest east where yonder light bre--ahem. In the east, most covered in dust were the books of love. Love stories and tales, the philosophy of love, and of course tales of tragedy and beauty. Though very few if any as sorrowfully eloquent as that from which the earlier quotes had come. His chuck slowly faded as his head shook.

You know? You never cease to amaze.

I...

As anyone might imagine there were words to fill the pause that followed that opening. No gentleman simply opens his mouth and lets it hang agape. His chest was heavy, and tight, and something stirred his stomach as if he was on a roller coaster that had just taken its first plunge. It was scary, warm, and yet fantastic in every sense.

As Maximos opened his to try and express what feelings were swirling around inside of him, himself not at a loss but cursed with an overabundance. His words rushed to his mouth like several people trying to exit a slim door and none escaped, and in his failure the tightness in his chest rose to his throat. He felt he should know this feeling, maybe recognize it like an old friend. But it was a childhood friend who had come back so many years later, so very much matured that he no longer knew its face.

...I...

His gazed directly into her eyes. His efforts to suavely respond, stolen away by simple, honest, and yet brilliant smile. He felt warmth in her cheek, and saw the jovial tongue peeking from her lips, and just as the welling is his throat cleared enough for him to speak.

Ahem.

A throat was cleared, and a gloved white hand moved away from pale elderly gentlemanly lips. Not Max, but Walter, some few feet to Max's rear. He stood side by side with the unmoving Skullie. And then Walter spoke with all the perfect sort of poise and properness one would expect of the butler.

My apologies sir...

Max had to practically peel his eyes away, but turned over shoulder to look. Walter would not interupt without good reason.

...If I may be so forward as to remind the Master, his chosen mode of transportation is temporary in nature.

Max cocked an eyebrow. His mind on other things, he looked at Walter with a sort of confusion on his face. The butler returned an unflinching proper face which gave Max the feeling he was staring at a wall and couldnt find the door despite the fact everyone else was already inside. And then...

Oh! Oh my!

He quickly spun back, his hand slid down from Teira's face and quickly moved to her hand which he cupped in both hands, meeting her eyes again as he said.

I nearly forgot! We've got to go!

One hand slid free, grabbing the cane that had been propped against his leg and flipping it so that rested under his arm, the other hand maintained a soft hold on Teira's unless she chose to break it as Maximos moved forward at something a bit quicker than a standard walking pace. A bit of the flow and grace of it all was lost, but he would keep the sort of pace that would allow her to maintain herself while not losing their deadline.

Knowing Maximos, if he sacrificed any level of presence it was only in payment to a greater form of the above. But there was no telling what grand thing Maximos was in such a hurry for. Couldnt both he and Teira fly, in their own methods? Regardless, in moments, Maximos would have tossed Walter a nod, and moved to exit the very large main doors of the manor. The Skullie keeping steady pace behind with puppet-like mannerisms.

Your going to love this...

He said, to Teira though not meeting her gaze. With any luck she was still beside him.

Whoosh!

Rock face blurred by, and the homely scents of the Shadow Manor quickly gave way to the semi damp scent of a cave, which was before a breath could be swallowed consumed by the beautiful scents of a well tended garden.

Max and Teira's footsteps beat out a high pace drum beat that would seemed like a slow marching rhythm compared to the beat of Max's heart could he hear Teira's thoughts.

And in blur that passed all too fast they were atop the spiral stairwell with only a rickety wooden door between them and the outside world. Here Max paused, sunset orange and twilight purples poured through the spaces in the doors design as began to fall. Max was savoring the suspense. He placed a hand on the door, which as they both knew would give at the slightest push...but then pulled the hand away. His face half feigned apprehension. Half, there was always a bit of apprehension in revealing a surprise, born of the mysterious nature of your victims reaction. He turned to Teira and said.

Are you ready?

But before she could answer, there went the door with a single wide swing of his hand. It made a wood on stone clack as it struck the side of the windmill.

There they stood before Teira, in all their glory. The product of ours of preparation, design, practice, and spell crafting. There were two of them, both stood roughly 7ft tall, and 8ft long, making them quite large. Their size matched by equal amounts of muscle, making them quite fit.

They required no introduction really.

The first of the two sways his head left then right letting his mane flush out, then clopped out a beat on the grass with his large hooves. The second took the opportunity to whinney, and let out a sort from its large equestrian nostrils. The snort escaped filling the air in front of it with soft black smoke.

Both horses were blacker than the night quickly falling. Their bodies were cold to the touch, and hard as if they were hewn from stone. Gentle cracks passed their their forms like veins spilling out brilliant indigo blue glow. The cracks reached a crescendo at their feet were the rock hard black had simply crumbled away and from the halfway point between knee and hoof down was simply brilliant indigo blue essence which had been formed into the shape the rest of a leg and hooves. Hooves which left glowing footprints in the grass.

No blinders covered the indigo blue glowing eyes of these fearless beasts. But in each of their mouths did lie a bit. And both horses were attached to reigns. Black leather reigns led backwards and came to rest in the riders seat of a majestic carriage. The center of its four wheels were of course skulls. Again, it was black of course, with silver trim on all metal bars, blue plush seats with enough space for two, and indigo velvet lining. It was the sort of thing built for a lord and lady in eras long past to which Maximos' heart and soul still belonged.

In what Maximos hoped would be a moment of surprise and perhaps speechless shock for Teira, the Skullion, (Skullie for short) stepped forward. Its form moved as if a puppet hovered over it guiding it with strings. Its body was made of a whispy black with only the top half of gray skull mask from which two violet glowing spots which served as eyes peered out. From its "pockets" or where pockets would be, it pulled forth two white riding gloves. The sort of thing that protect a riders hands...for a creation that had no real skin or hands to worry about protecting. But that was simply not the point, it was the show of it all....And without a word, it climbed into the riders seat and manned the reigns.

Meanwhile Maximos let his hand gently slide from Teira's he suavely scurried up to side of the carriage with all the swagger of nobility which no longer existed and said.

Our carriage has arrived, if I may? Ladies first.

And he took a very formal bow, pinning his gain with the side of his arm and then reached out a hand to help Teira into the carriage. Not because she needed it, but because the situation demanded it.