Elsword is pretty sure he just got a harp. A big one. That means there's something Suspicious here. Logic dictates that this is not his harp. This cannot be his harp.
...
But what if it is and he forgot what his harp looks like. Hhhh. How did it get here... whose instrument is this? His? Someone else's? It is a harp and he just got one and this is a weird coincidence.
Elsword picks up the harp and feels an extremely ominous presence all of a sudden. This bodes well for him... he doesn't like it, but he's on an adventure to find who the harp belongs to. Surely he'll find Caoimhe first instead of one of the other residents of the Grove, right... r-right...]
[ Yay you win! Caoimhe happened to be coming back from her daily scavenging that day. Her eyes seem to light up immediately when she sees Elsword in the distance, holding a strange item - a Harp? ]
Elsword, what are you doing out here? Are you well? Is this... The new instrument I recall you speaking about?
I got a harp, but I think [he THINKS] it's one of those big ones that sits on the floor. This one is too small, unless I somehow shrunk it?
It was out in the middle of the Grove, and it feels kind of weird when I touch it. Kind of spooky? Like when you're anticipating something. I don't think this is mine, so I'm trying to find who it was meant for.
Elsword! It could be cursed! Put it down! [ Caoimhe gasps instinctively squeaks! ] C-Can you put it down?? I'll cast - I'll cast a spell to see if I can understand what it can do but I doubt I will be able to tell if it is cursed or not...
[ Even so.. There is a strange pull she feels in her chest towards it, as if she should touch it. As if this was something she knew about in the first place. ]
Oh. I didn't even think about if it was cursed or not.
[Local man does not think, more at 10. Anyway, he puts the harp down on the ground, trying to balance it so that it's standing up rather than just laying sadly in the grass.]
[ Caoimhe pulls out a pearl from her bag, along with an owl feather, and settles before the Harp. Even as she sits before it, she is already looking at it curiously. Eyeing how beautiful it was, and how it was so evidently master crafted.
After about 10 minutes, with warm winds coursing around her and evident usage of magic happening! She looks up to Elsword with glimmering eyes, ]
This is... This is a powerful, powerful, magical weapon oh Goodness... I cannot tell if it is good or bad, but... [ Each spell listed for her seemed to surprise her outright, but further from that the invoked sense of power from it is immense. It almost frightens her, but she feels every time that she looks at it - that it is okay. Safe even, there is a draw that is gentle and warm like winds she remembers from her world.
Her World yes, she looks once again at the Masterly craft weapon and sees shapes of pictures she knows she has seen before along its edges. This is from her world. This is something that came from her own realm, her heart races nearly lurching out of her chest. ]
[He stands guard for those silent ten minutes, not entirely sure what she's doing, but not wanting to interrupt to ask. When she speaks and says it's a weapon from her world is when he finally speaks up, not managing to make the incredulity rise to his face.]
Really? I guess it's yours, then, right? You said it's powerful, so do you know how to use it?
[He creeps closer and peeks over at it, like they're two kids looking at an Interesting Bug and not a fucking Dangerous Magical Weapon. Normal.]
[ WHAT IS THIS DANGEROUS BUG ELSWORD MAYBE WE SHOULD RUN TO DADDY ADD??!?!? ADdy,,, add.... its in his name... ]
I-I... I do know how to use a focus ike this but...
[ Thinking that the warmth ebbing from the weapon, especially towards her regard, meant it could be safe.... And her, wanting with all her heart to believe in good things. She reaches for it, and immediately she can sense this feeling of belonging with it in her hands. ]
I... This is so..
[ AFter some moments, she gently plays a tune from the strings and finds herself almost tearing up at the clarity of every sound. ]
Ohhh... How divine... T-Thank you Elsword for bringing this to me... I will... I will have to spend some time over night with it, maybe if I attune...? I can learn more?
That sounds like a good idea. [He doesn't know anything about attunement or magical artifacts. That was more of a friend's thing.] And you're welcome. I'm glad I found who it belongs to, heh.
[Knock knock on the door frame, or if she's outside, knock knock on the nearest tree to get her attention. Wherever she is, Gnosis is now here too.]
I realise we haven't spoken much since the volcano. [Since the tragedy of finding out people died, especially Felicity. Gnosis has quietly not said a word about Shalem, either, because he hasn't seen the man since. Toge, too. But that's not what he's here for.] Let me cut to the chase. I promised to tell you about Kjerag, and by extension, more about myself. Let's just say I trust you enough to try opening up a little.
[ Oh! Someone came to visit her? Her little elf ears twitch and perk upwards, head turning to the door to hear the voice of Gnosis. Gently she rises from her seat, the harp she had taken from Elsword after he had found it. Was large in size now, being played only moments before by her own hands. Playing a soft gentle melody into the inn estate. ]
I am coming!
[ Open up? Tell her more about Kjerag?, she was actually excited about the prospect of hearing about other realms and what their world was like. She opens the door and greets him with a lofty expression. Inviting him in gently! ]
Please come! You can sit on the bed if you would like or anywhere else, there is another chair too.
[ She will gently shut the door when he enters in, and move to pull the other chair out from where it was settled. ]
I am most welcome that you found some time to come! I have been thinking long about what Kjerag was like. It must be a grand place!
[He will politely sit in the other chair, thank you. He isn't here for a sleepover, he's here for a talk. Gnosis doesn't easily make friends... maybe the loneliness is starting to wear on him a little. Not having a trusted confidant even in things that are personal is psychologically troublesome.
"Grand"... he manages a half-amused snort.]
Compared to the rest of Terra, it's quite backwards. Whereas other nations quickly evolved on a technological scale, Kjerag was always a closed-borders nation until recently, and it set the country back decades on development. That said, with the lay of the land, commercial electricity and cell phone towers would be difficult to establish anyhow. The country only recently began such ventures to ease an expanding infrastructure...
[Clears his throat.]
But I digress. I think I told you this before, but Kjerag is a cold, wintery, religious nation. Kjeragandr is our patron Goddess, and the Saintess — the woman who represents Her will — lives atop Mount Karlan, a sacred peak. I've only been a scant few times in my life.
You have said such wonderous things, I know so little about what this Tek - no - lo - gee, is but it sounds so exciting! I wonder if it is like Magic? [ So she says, sitting back in her spot and letting her hands move back to her harp. She is gentle and does not play too loud. Just enough, to fill the air between them with a soft tune. ]
Ah, she sounds like our Lady Heilagur - she who focuses on dances and gives herself often to the Gods in long trances. I was going to be one myself long ago, but it did not work out to my people's favor. What is your Goddess Like and this Saintess, do you know her name?
[The hilarious part about Kjeragandr is Gnosis literally knows her but doesn't know that she's God. She is also probably fingerbanging the Saintess.]
I know the Saintess personally, yes. Her name is Enya Silverash. She's the younger sister of Enciodes, my partner. [Partner, vague, business-aligned.] She's a woman I would describe as headstrong and extremely sick of her older brother's antics.
[He's pretty sure Enya was about to bonk Enciodes over the head with her ceremonial bells one time.]
As for Kjeragandr, it is commonly believed that She is the Goddess who sculpted Kjerag's mountains and valleys, and made the soil fertile so that Her people could farm on it, as well as blessed the land with animals for hunting. It is also believed that She is the one who sent a miracle from the heavens to stop the Snowcap Incident, alongside Enya herself. The Snowcap Incident being...
...
In short, Enciodes and I attempted to overthrow the Tri-Clan Council, Kjerag's rulers, to give full control of the country to Enya herself, as dictated in ancient scrolls depicting the Saintess being the one in charge.
[ At first, Caoimhe smiles and finds herself charmed by the personalization between Enya and her brother. It warmed her heart, and as she learned about this great Goddess who sculpted the Kjerag's mountains and made their lands fertile. She found herself impressed and in thanks to the Goddess Gnosis spoke of. However, he spoke on other things such as politics. It made her brow raise as she listened with clear respect and intent, and her smile softly began to fade. ]
I see... So your lands were war-torn? What... What happened?
[How does he say this without outing himself as someone slightly more unhinged than previously thought. Hm. Unlike in Kjerag, he has a reputation to uphold here.]
...I think I should give additional context as to how the Incident began in the first place. Do you particularly mind if I start from the very beginning?
[He may as well open up about what brought him here, right?]
My family, the Edelweisses, were historically known as record-keepers for Kjerag. Kjerag until recently has been governed by the Tri-Clan council, made up of the clans of Silverash, Browntail, and Paleroche, and further governed by the assistance of the Saintess and the Great Elder. Thus, it fell to the Edelweisses to keep the history in check as something of a neutral faction. Eventually, the Edelweisses and Silverashes began to work closely together, which is how I met Enciodes. We were children, but most of our studies were done together at his estate. He is a noble's son, and I'm simply the son of historians, but we got along well all the same.
With that being said, the three clans are well-respected families in Kjerag. To slight one of them as a minor family is to bring shame to the family name for the rest of time, or at the very least, until the nation as a whole forgets and moves on several generations later. This all leads me to my next point: One night, the matriarch and patriarch of the Silverashes were murdered, and the blame fell onto the shoulders of my parents. I'm not sure how or why other than blatant conspiracy, but the rest of Kjerag didn't want to hear it. We were ostracized and forced to flee the country.
[So, you know, off to a great start.]
That was well over twenty years ago. Luckily for me, Enciodes did not buy into the allegations that my parents were responsible for offing his. As I moved to Victoria, he soon followed, and as we grew up there, he began to devise a plan for how to — in layman's terms — improve Kjerag's economy, infrastructure, and revise the closed-borders policy, as well as make the people rely less on the Tri-Clan Council and more on the Saintess for a ruler.
[He pauses there to take a breath. Enjoy that tragic tale—]
A whole people... Even when the Son of who was lost - they did not... They still thought you were to blame?
[ Caoimhe took it in, but this was the surmount of her first question - it appalled her at first but, in leeway to her own circumstances. A whole people grasping at a truth shared among them. Did not exactly surprise her. Fingers still caress each string gently, she is mindful of him speaking. ]
Correct. I'm still unsure why, and the actual assassins were never uncovered. Enciodes and I were but children then — no older than ten.
[So, you know, framing the parents of a child for a murder was pretty cool.]
Victoria is a far more developed country than Kjerag. I developed an interest in technology and how it can further society, and he took after his father and became a businessman. We started Karlan Trade together in pursuit of the same dream. [Sounds gay.] Which leads me more to what I told you earlier, I suppose.
We returned to Kjerag together twenty years later, and there, started on our plans. Karlan Trade gave the Silverashes heavy economic influence by bringing in additional money to the country, and I was able to drive some level of technological advancement. Enya was nominated as candidate to be the Saintess. Unfortunately, his youngest sister Ensia contracted Oripathy — a disease native to Terra that is, sadly, always terminal — and was sent to Rhodes Island for treatment. This did, however, give Karlan Trade a way to work with Rhodes Island directly and open further avenues for business.
[He's conveniently leaving out the fact that Enciodes himself nominated Enya for Saintess, a role which she detests, but has anyway. Just gonna... skip over that part.]
As you know, I work with Rhodes Island now, though more in the technological development department — but I have a small amount of medical expertise due to it. It's not as much as Add, though.
[Moving on—]
The Tri-Clan Council simply isn't fit for Kjerag, is what Enciodes and I decided. Their closed-borders policy prevents progress, and prevented us from connecting with the outside world. Thus, we worked to dismantle the council from the inside out. In so doing, I offered myself as scapegoat for the blame — we even went so far as to fake my own firing from Karlan Trade so that I may infiltrate the other Clans and kick our plans into action. In short, this is what lead to the Snowcap Incident, though it only lasted for a single day before Kjeragandr's miracle occurred and the people saw their faith in Her restored.
The Saintess now rules Kjerag, as she was meant to in the scriptures, and the closed-border policy is abolished, and Kjerag's people and economy are better for it. [Notice how he skips to the end and doesn't go over several things here, yeah. He trusts her, but not that much.] A far better outcome than letting three tyrants rule forever.
[ALSO LEAVING OUT THE PART WHERE ONE OF THOSE "TYRANTS" IS ENCIODES SILVERASH HIMSELF, WHO ALSO HAS PARTIAL CONTROL OVER THE COUNTRY, why is Gnosis like this.]
[ Caoimhe listened to every bit he said, and took it all into account. She starts to link some thoughts together, finding Gnosis's actions remind her of things Godwyyn himself had said to her long before. She never understood what it means, to rise to power.
For Godwyyn, he had told her: I had nothing better to do, so, I started information gathering. From there, I established a grounds to build an empire and flourished it did.
When she recalls thinking and reflecting on his want for power, was it because he lacked it himself? Or did not like that the world around him, was not moving at the pace he himself wanted?
There were many similarities that Caoimhe thought, unspoken as the sounds of the harp played their music into the air.
After a moment she sings, ]
♫( There will come a soldier Who carries a mighty sword He will tear your city down, o lei o lai o lord O lei, o lai, o lei, o lord He will tear your city down, o lei o lai o lord
There will come a poet Whose weapon is his word He will slay you with his tongue, o lei o lai o lord O lei, o lai, o lei, o lord He will slay you with his tongue, o lei o lai o lord
There will come a ruler Whose brow is laid in thorn Smeared with oil like David's boy, o lei o lai o lord O lei, o lai, o lei, o lord Smeared with oil like David's boy, o lei o lai o lord
O lei, o lai, o lei, o lord He will tear your city down, o lei o lai ) ♪
[ She gently lays the song down into its ending, and plays the harmony once again, then says - ]
In this story it was Encidoes the Ruler, you the soldier, and the poet the Saintess or Lady Enya.
[Gnosis sits back and listens, hands folded in his lap and legs crossed at the knee. He's unsurprised to hear her start singing a ballad of a sort, though he's not entirely expecting it to be connected to the tale he just told. He contemplates the melody, affords a smile, and nods.]
How apt. Your prowess over music never fails to impress.
[He means that, genuinely, and that's all the commentary he has to offer. He did indeed become something of Enciodes' soldier during that whole thing. "Let the son of a sinner take the fall," is what he said, just to preserve the man's reputation. Everyone in Kjerag hates the Edelweisses for "what they did", so it was easy enough.
Gnosis thinks for a moment, and then his face falls from its smile, and his head shakes.]
There is one other thing, [he begins,] I once had a friend named Monch. While Enciodes and I were concocting our plan, we didn't tell anyone else, not even his bodyguards, what we were doing. Monch had no idea my departure from Karlan Trade and wrath at Enciodes was all faked, naturally, and I suppose everything we did was taken quite seriously by her.
She must have felt betrayed. I explained everything to her and gave her time to process it, but she was quick to run off into the wilderness, and I haven't seen her since. She left a gift I had given her on the table. ...sometimes, I wish I knew where she was.
[ The melody continues more muted between them but plays all the same. ]
My people... We have a phrase for moments in life like this between links bound by the soul...
The serpents tail ends where its mouth begins.
[ Caoimhe says it first in elvish, then repeats it in the language that is common for them both. ]
It isn't just that endings create beginings, and beginings always have an end. It is also the idea that the cycle of all things ever churns in a circle. You may think it had ended, but what remains connected always is.
I am certain, [ She smiles a bit warmly. ] even if she feels herself wronged and does not wish to see you again. She had given back to you this gift, meaning perhaps one day. You could give it back to her again, when it is, you trust her enough that she is deserving of it. Afterall, I am sure she felt that way when the long tale of your story had happened. She must not have felt deserving of this knife.
[It's all he says, but his shoulders relax, and he looks the least bit comforted. How long has he needed to get that off his chest? Five years? It's been a long time since that day. Running off into the Kjerag wilderness like that, one might question if she's still alive, but Gnosis knows she is. He has no reason to believe otherwise.]
Thank you for speaking with me about this. I haven't told anyone. I had no reason to, I suppose.
[ Caoimhe listens, and she offers the other a smile. The sound of harp filled in for whatever silence lay between them. ] I am happy you shared so much of yourself with me, I will not forget it.
For now, if you want to relax and just be in the moment, you can. Sometimes it takes time to process even the emotions of comfort, or peace, that come upon us after holding so much in for so long.
[At the end of the month, Caoimhe will return to her room at the inn to find an ornate, velvet box on her desk. If she opens it, it contains... a hunting knife from the general store. It looks a bit like it might've been modified from what the Shopkeeper actually sells — there's a small, handmade floral charm hanging off the end of it. Not practical, but cute.
A note within the velvet reads,]
Thank you for being a dear friend. May this gift find you well, Caoimhe.
[ Whatever Caoimhe might be doing, she's getting tackled with a hug. In her room? That's fine. He'll squeeze himself under the door like a cat and still go to hug her. He's going to be a menace about this.
He is also Not Happy. He's trying his best to not be sad because he doesn't want the pain share to spread that to everyone, but the usual smile isn't on his face. ]
[ She was doing the laundry in the inn!! She took a lot of the extra sheets and washed them, something she decided to do for the community. As she was going about folding every sheet to set them aside - she felt Mizuki's weight on her! A little singsong hum escapes her throat, quizzically - she only thinks she swore the door was locked when she last checked but she must not have at all! She feels silly. ]
Mizuki~? Are you okay?
[ She can hear it in his voice, that something was off! ]
…I messed up. [ He's not sad, he's not sad, he's not— ] C-can I talk to you about it a little bit? You don't need to help, I think I just need someone to listen…
Mizuki... What happened, is everything okay? [ She places the blankets she was folding onto the bed, turning herself so she can give Mizuki a big hug. Holding him tightly. ] You can tell me anything, I will listen.
[ How does he say "I'm a colossal fuck up" without saying those words exactly? ]
…You know how Elsword is dating Doctor Add? [ Maybe not a great way to start this. ] Elsword and I were just… hanging out. And I accidentally kissed him, and now I feel really guilty…
[ Her own eyes light up for a moment, full of excitement - but they soon dim upon realizing this was real and not a fictional novel. ]
Ah, well I am most certain you know why it happened - I did not know you were also polyamorous like most of my people. [ She just kind of assumes - - ? ] Oh, but do you mean that... Ah! Does ADD not know? Oh that I see... [ She is following her own train of thoughts somehow... ] That is quite the predicament - it is not unfortunate though, but it is something I can imagine hard for you.
[ She pats his head. ]
How do you feel about it all...? I know... I know you said guilty, which I understand why - perhaps you can speak to ADD then? As Elsword is his partner, is he not?
I was sort of hoping… this could just go away and I wouldn't have to talk to Add about it at all…? But I don't know how to just… erase it. I didn't mean to do it or anything. [ He is just… wildly impulsive, and apparently has feelings for those boys. ] I even told Add recently that he has my full loyalty, a-and now it feels like I broke that, but I don't know how to tell him I didn't because— I wouldn't! A-and it wasn't what I was trying to do and—
[ Huffs. ]
…I guess I should tell him before he finds out somehow, huh…?
If they are your feelings, you mustn't try to push them away. [ Caoimhe shakes her head, and red locks of hair bundled at her side in braids begin to bounce. As she speaks, she already begins to play with the one long lock of hair tied behind his head. She starts to thread it into a braid as she looks at him. ] It is okay that you feel them, I am most happy that you do! Mhm, but what is most important, is what you do with them now. You cannot push them away, and that said... If Add is hurt and in pain, its okay... He may be if you tell him this, but it is better if these words come from your mouth then it is another.
Especially if you love him, and respect him. That is what we are taught, our words flow with warmth from the life of our hearts. What we speak unto others, or even into the air - has a weight... It's important... So don't... Don't forget that? Don't be afraid... It is normal from what I have seen, for instances like this to occur. Sometimes, people can make things right and sometimes - the pain someone feels... Makes things far too much to deal with.
But either way, you must face them and you mustn't run from them! They are your beautiful feelings after all!!
[ Caoimhe chimes with a slight singsong tone to her voice, when speaking the last sentence. As if she truly is proud, that Mizuki is coming into his own feelings and wanting to understand them! ]
I… [ Oh, she’s so excited about this, which does actually make Mizuki feel a little better, but he’s still just… a little guilty, and a little on edge. Especially because he’s getting pangs on jealousy from somewhere else. ] I don’t think you understand, Caoimhe. It was impulsive and stupid and I just really respect both of them. I don’t love them romantically or anything like that. That’d be weird, anyway…
Mizuki... But you have this habit of putting yourself and your feelings down, if you can't think that they are beautiful even if they are bad - how will you come to learn more about yourself? [ She is still braiding his hair. ] It's like a water spout - or a river... And a beavers damn. Rather than let it flow naturally, you are building a wall to contain it - where else will it go?
[ Mizuki is absolutely leaning into Caoimhe while he braids his hair because Rubie forgot to include this last time because mobile tags are HARD. It reminds him of when Susie would braid his hair, giving him the occasional trim and making sure his hair never got too unruly. She would do well here, he thinks. She could help him cut those budding white leaves from his hair, too… ]
I'm not— No, this is different, Caoimhe. That's the problem. I'm not… [ Huff. ] I'm not bottling up anything. I'm being honest, and… at least… I think I am?
… It's hard to explain. I love a lot of people here at the Grove, it's just that my respect for Add and Elsword is a little bit higher because they're heroes. I-it's a bit like having an idol or looking up to a mentor, you know? That's all it is.
Hmm... Is that so[ She is looking at the leafs we totally forgot they are there. She wonders why they are there - those shouldn't be there. SHe is a little more concerned than usual. ] Are you sure?
[ Is her question, to place a sense of finality to it. Then, after he's given his answer she will say: ] Do you want to go talk to him together? I can come with you, if you are nervous.
…No. I don’t know what I would tell him. Besides I-I think this is really fresh, and I don’t know what I would tell Add if he tried to ask me why I did it.
…
Is it okay if I just stay with you for a bit? I can help you with chores or… we can just cuddle or something?
I understand. [ Caoimhe gives him a little head pat. Taking the understanding that Mizuki wanted to try to move on from it, and think about other things. She begins to look over to the unfolded pile of sheets she was in the middle of tidying away, ] Do you want to? I just have to finish folding these and then place them away.
[ Mizuki will be leaving a present at Caoimhe's door! Upon opening it, she'll find a strange compass-like object and a note. ]
This is old Aegirian technology. It's called the "Pulse of the Ocean". It won't work unless you're in the ocean, but it shows you the direction of the tides and flow of the ocean.
[ She knows he may not remember it which is okay - but will maybe make something now with that in mind. She loves it, obsessed with it. Not like BB, but it goes in the bag of holding ALWAYS! ]
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in which elsword has a harp
Elsword is pretty sure he just got a harp. A big one. That means there's something Suspicious here. Logic dictates that this is not his harp. This cannot be his harp.
...
But what if it is and he forgot what his harp looks like. Hhhh. How did it get here... whose instrument is this? His? Someone else's? It is a harp and he just got one and this is a weird coincidence.
Elsword picks up the harp and feels an extremely ominous presence all of a sudden. This bodes well for him... he doesn't like it, but he's on an adventure to find who the harp belongs to. Surely he'll find Caoimhe first instead of one of the other residents of the Grove, right... r-right...]
harpharpharp
Elsword, what are you doing out here? Are you well? Is this... The new instrument I recall you speaking about?
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It was out in the middle of the Grove, and it feels kind of weird when I touch it. Kind of spooky? Like when you're anticipating something. I don't think this is mine, so I'm trying to find who it was meant for.
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[ Even so.. There is a strange pull she feels in her chest towards it, as if she should touch it. As if this was something she knew about in the first place. ]
no subject
[Local man does not think, more at 10. Anyway, he puts the harp down on the ground, trying to balance it so that it's standing up rather than just laying sadly in the grass.]
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H-Here... Give me a moment.....
[ Caoimhe pulls out a pearl from her bag, along with an owl feather, and settles before the Harp. Even as she sits before it, she is already looking at it curiously. Eyeing how beautiful it was, and how it was so evidently master crafted.
After about 10 minutes, with warm winds coursing around her and evident usage of magic happening! She looks up to Elsword with glimmering eyes, ]
This is... This is a powerful, powerful, magical weapon oh Goodness... I cannot tell if it is good or bad, but... [ Each spell listed for her seemed to surprise her outright, but further from that the invoked sense of power from it is immense. It almost frightens her, but she feels every time that she looks at it - that it is okay. Safe even, there is a draw that is gentle and warm like winds she remembers from her world.
Her World yes, she looks once again at the Masterly craft weapon and sees shapes of pictures she knows she has seen before along its edges. This is from her world. This is something that came from her own realm, her heart races nearly lurching out of her chest. ]
T-This is from my world?!
no subject
Really? I guess it's yours, then, right? You said it's powerful, so do you know how to use it?
[He creeps closer and peeks over at it, like they're two kids looking at an Interesting Bug and not a fucking Dangerous Magical Weapon. Normal.]
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I-I... I do know how to use a focus ike this but...
[ Thinking that the warmth ebbing from the weapon, especially towards her regard, meant it could be safe.... And her, wanting with all her heart to believe in good things. She reaches for it, and immediately she can sense this feeling of belonging with it in her hands. ]
I... This is so..
[ AFter some moments, she gently plays a tune from the strings and finds herself almost tearing up at the clarity of every sound. ]
Ohhh... How divine... T-Thank you Elsword for bringing this to me... I will... I will have to spend some time over night with it, maybe if I attune...? I can learn more?
no subject
post-wishing event, but before new moon
[Knock knock on the door frame, or if she's outside, knock knock on the nearest tree to get her attention. Wherever she is, Gnosis is now here too.]
I realise we haven't spoken much since the volcano. [Since the tragedy of finding out people died, especially Felicity. Gnosis has quietly not said a word about Shalem, either, because he hasn't seen the man since. Toge, too. But that's not what he's here for.] Let me cut to the chase. I promised to tell you about Kjerag, and by extension, more about myself. Let's just say I trust you enough to try opening up a little.
no subject
I am coming!
[ Open up? Tell her more about Kjerag?, she was actually excited about the prospect of hearing about other realms and what their world was like. She opens the door and greets him with a lofty expression. Inviting him in gently! ]
Please come! You can sit on the bed if you would like or anywhere else, there is another chair too.
[ She will gently shut the door when he enters in, and move to pull the other chair out from where it was settled. ]
I am most welcome that you found some time to come! I have been thinking long about what Kjerag was like. It must be a grand place!
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"Grand"... he manages a half-amused snort.]
Compared to the rest of Terra, it's quite backwards. Whereas other nations quickly evolved on a technological scale, Kjerag was always a closed-borders nation until recently, and it set the country back decades on development. That said, with the lay of the land, commercial electricity and cell phone towers would be difficult to establish anyhow. The country only recently began such ventures to ease an expanding infrastructure...
[Clears his throat.]
But I digress. I think I told you this before, but Kjerag is a cold, wintery, religious nation. Kjeragandr is our patron Goddess, and the Saintess — the woman who represents Her will — lives atop Mount Karlan, a sacred peak. I've only been a scant few times in my life.
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Ah, she sounds like our Lady Heilagur - she who focuses on dances and gives herself often to the Gods in long trances. I was going to be one myself long ago, but it did not work out to my people's favor. What is your Goddess Like and this Saintess, do you know her name?
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I know the Saintess personally, yes. Her name is Enya Silverash. She's the younger sister of Enciodes, my partner. [Partner, vague, business-aligned.] She's a woman I would describe as headstrong and extremely sick of her older brother's antics.
[He's pretty sure Enya was about to bonk Enciodes over the head with her ceremonial bells one time.]
As for Kjeragandr, it is commonly believed that She is the Goddess who sculpted Kjerag's mountains and valleys, and made the soil fertile so that Her people could farm on it, as well as blessed the land with animals for hunting. It is also believed that She is the one who sent a miracle from the heavens to stop the Snowcap Incident, alongside Enya herself. The Snowcap Incident being...
...
In short, Enciodes and I attempted to overthrow the Tri-Clan Council, Kjerag's rulers, to give full control of the country to Enya herself, as dictated in ancient scrolls depicting the Saintess being the one in charge.
[That is Not the only reason they did that.]
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I see... So your lands were war-torn? What... What happened?
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[How does he say this without outing himself as someone slightly more unhinged than previously thought. Hm. Unlike in Kjerag, he has a reputation to uphold here.]
...I think I should give additional context as to how the Incident began in the first place. Do you particularly mind if I start from the very beginning?
[He may as well open up about what brought him here, right?]
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[ Caoimhe nods her head, she will absolutely listen! ]
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My family, the Edelweisses, were historically known as record-keepers for Kjerag. Kjerag until recently has been governed by the Tri-Clan council, made up of the clans of Silverash, Browntail, and Paleroche, and further governed by the assistance of the Saintess and the Great Elder. Thus, it fell to the Edelweisses to keep the history in check as something of a neutral faction. Eventually, the Edelweisses and Silverashes began to work closely together, which is how I met Enciodes. We were children, but most of our studies were done together at his estate. He is a noble's son, and I'm simply the son of historians, but we got along well all the same.
With that being said, the three clans are well-respected families in Kjerag. To slight one of them as a minor family is to bring shame to the family name for the rest of time, or at the very least, until the nation as a whole forgets and moves on several generations later. This all leads me to my next point: One night, the matriarch and patriarch of the Silverashes were murdered, and the blame fell onto the shoulders of my parents. I'm not sure how or why other than blatant conspiracy, but the rest of Kjerag didn't want to hear it. We were ostracized and forced to flee the country.
[So, you know, off to a great start.]
That was well over twenty years ago. Luckily for me, Enciodes did not buy into the allegations that my parents were responsible for offing his. As I moved to Victoria, he soon followed, and as we grew up there, he began to devise a plan for how to — in layman's terms — improve Kjerag's economy, infrastructure, and revise the closed-borders policy, as well as make the people rely less on the Tri-Clan Council and more on the Saintess for a ruler.
[He pauses there to take a breath. Enjoy that tragic tale—]
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[ Caoimhe took it in, but this was the surmount of her first question - it appalled her at first but, in leeway to her own circumstances. A whole people grasping at a truth shared among them. Did not exactly surprise her. Fingers still caress each string gently, she is mindful of him speaking. ]
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[So, you know, framing the parents of a child for a murder was pretty cool.]
Victoria is a far more developed country than Kjerag. I developed an interest in technology and how it can further society, and he took after his father and became a businessman. We started Karlan Trade together in pursuit of the same dream. [Sounds gay.] Which leads me more to what I told you earlier, I suppose.
We returned to Kjerag together twenty years later, and there, started on our plans. Karlan Trade gave the Silverashes heavy economic influence by bringing in additional money to the country, and I was able to drive some level of technological advancement. Enya was nominated as candidate to be the Saintess. Unfortunately, his youngest sister Ensia contracted Oripathy — a disease native to Terra that is, sadly, always terminal — and was sent to Rhodes Island for treatment. This did, however, give Karlan Trade a way to work with Rhodes Island directly and open further avenues for business.
[He's conveniently leaving out the fact that Enciodes himself nominated Enya for Saintess, a role which she detests, but has anyway. Just gonna... skip over that part.]
As you know, I work with Rhodes Island now, though more in the technological development department — but I have a small amount of medical expertise due to it. It's not as much as Add, though.
[Moving on—]
The Tri-Clan Council simply isn't fit for Kjerag, is what Enciodes and I decided. Their closed-borders policy prevents progress, and prevented us from connecting with the outside world. Thus, we worked to dismantle the council from the inside out. In so doing, I offered myself as scapegoat for the blame — we even went so far as to fake my own firing from Karlan Trade so that I may infiltrate the other Clans and kick our plans into action. In short, this is what lead to the Snowcap Incident, though it only lasted for a single day before Kjeragandr's miracle occurred and the people saw their faith in Her restored.
The Saintess now rules Kjerag, as she was meant to in the scriptures, and the closed-border policy is abolished, and Kjerag's people and economy are better for it. [Notice how he skips to the end and doesn't go over several things here, yeah. He trusts her, but not that much.] A far better outcome than letting three tyrants rule forever.
[ALSO LEAVING OUT THE PART WHERE ONE OF THOSE "TYRANTS" IS ENCIODES SILVERASH HIMSELF, WHO ALSO HAS PARTIAL CONTROL OVER THE COUNTRY, why is Gnosis like this.]
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For Godwyyn, he had told her: I had nothing better to do, so, I started information gathering. From there, I established a grounds to build an empire and flourished it did.
When she recalls thinking and reflecting on his want for power, was it because he lacked it himself? Or did not like that the world around him, was not moving at the pace he himself wanted?
There were many similarities that Caoimhe thought, unspoken as the sounds of the harp played their music into the air.
After a moment she sings, ]
♫( There will come a soldier
Who carries a mighty sword
He will tear your city down, o lei o lai o lord
O lei, o lai, o lei, o lord
He will tear your city down, o lei o lai o lord
There will come a poet
Whose weapon is his word
He will slay you with his tongue, o lei o lai o lord
O lei, o lai, o lei, o lord
He will slay you with his tongue, o lei o lai o lord
There will come a ruler
Whose brow is laid in thorn
Smeared with oil like David's boy, o lei o lai o lord
O lei, o lai, o lei, o lord
Smeared with oil like David's boy, o lei o lai o lord
O lei, o lai, o lei, o lord
He will tear your city down, o lei o lai ) ♪
[ She gently lays the song down into its ending, and plays the harmony once again, then says - ]
In this story it was Encidoes the Ruler, you the soldier, and the poet the Saintess or Lady Enya.
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How apt. Your prowess over music never fails to impress.
[He means that, genuinely, and that's all the commentary he has to offer. He did indeed become something of Enciodes' soldier during that whole thing. "Let the son of a sinner take the fall," is what he said, just to preserve the man's reputation. Everyone in Kjerag hates the Edelweisses for "what they did", so it was easy enough.
Gnosis thinks for a moment, and then his face falls from its smile, and his head shakes.]
There is one other thing, [he begins,] I once had a friend named Monch. While Enciodes and I were concocting our plan, we didn't tell anyone else, not even his bodyguards, what we were doing. Monch had no idea my departure from Karlan Trade and wrath at Enciodes was all faked, naturally, and I suppose everything we did was taken quite seriously by her.
She must have felt betrayed. I explained everything to her and gave her time to process it, but she was quick to run off into the wilderness, and I haven't seen her since. She left a gift I had given her on the table. ...sometimes, I wish I knew where she was.
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My people... We have a phrase for moments in life like this between links bound by the soul...
The serpents tail ends where its mouth begins.
[ Caoimhe says it first in elvish, then repeats it in the language that is common for them both. ]
It isn't just that endings create beginings, and beginings always have an end. It is also the idea that the cycle of all things ever churns in a circle. You may think it had ended, but what remains connected always is.
I am certain, [ She smiles a bit warmly. ] even if she feels herself wronged and does not wish to see you again. She had given back to you this gift, meaning perhaps one day. You could give it back to her again, when it is, you trust her enough that she is deserving of it. Afterall, I am sure she felt that way when the long tale of your story had happened. She must not have felt deserving of this knife.
[ The elven woman thinks longingly. ]
Or so, that is what I would like to think.
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[It's all he says, but his shoulders relax, and he looks the least bit comforted. How long has he needed to get that off his chest? Five years? It's been a long time since that day. Running off into the Kjerag wilderness like that, one might question if she's still alive, but Gnosis knows she is. He has no reason to believe otherwise.]
Thank you for speaking with me about this. I haven't told anyone. I had no reason to, I suppose.
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For now, if you want to relax and just be in the moment, you can. Sometimes it takes time to process even the emotions of comfort, or peace, that come upon us after holding so much in for so long.
GIFT DELIVERY
A note within the velvet reads,]
Thank you for being a dear friend. May this gift find you well, Caoimhe.
~Gnosis Edelweiss
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He is also Not Happy. He's trying his best to not be sad because he doesn't want the pain share to spread that to everyone, but the usual smile isn't on his face. ]
Caoimheeee…
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Mizuki~? Are you okay?
[ She can hear it in his voice, that something was off! ]
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…I messed up. [ He's not sad, he's not sad, he's not— ] C-can I talk to you about it a little bit? You don't need to help, I think I just need someone to listen…
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…You know how Elsword is dating Doctor Add? [ Maybe not a great way to start this. ] Elsword and I were just… hanging out. And I accidentally kissed him, and now I feel really guilty…
I didn't mean to, I don't know why it happened?
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Ah, well I am most certain you know why it happened - I did not know you were also polyamorous like most of my people. [ She just kind of assumes - - ? ] Oh, but do you mean that... Ah! Does ADD not know? Oh that I see... [ She is following her own train of thoughts somehow... ] That is quite the predicament - it is not unfortunate though, but it is something I can imagine hard for you.
[ She pats his head. ]
How do you feel about it all...? I know... I know you said guilty, which I understand why - perhaps you can speak to ADD then? As Elsword is his partner, is he not?
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[ Huffs. ]
…I guess I should tell him before he finds out somehow, huh…?
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Especially if you love him, and respect him. That is what we are taught, our words flow with warmth from the life of our hearts. What we speak unto others, or even into the air - has a weight... It's important... So don't... Don't forget that? Don't be afraid... It is normal from what I have seen, for instances like this to occur. Sometimes, people can make things right and sometimes - the pain someone feels... Makes things far too much to deal with.
But either way, you must face them and you mustn't run from them! They are your beautiful feelings after all!!
[ Caoimhe chimes with a slight singsong tone to her voice, when speaking the last sentence. As if she truly is proud, that Mizuki is coming into his own feelings and wanting to understand them! ]
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because Rubie forgot to include this last time because mobile tags are HARD.It reminds him of when Susie would braid his hair, giving him the occasional trim and making sure his hair never got too unruly. She would do well here, he thinks. She could help him cut those budding white leaves from his hair, too… ]I'm not— No, this is different, Caoimhe. That's the problem. I'm not… [ Huff. ] I'm not bottling up anything. I'm being honest, and… at least… I think I am?
… It's hard to explain. I love a lot of people here at the Grove, it's just that my respect for Add and Elsword is a little bit higher because they're heroes. I-it's a bit like having an idol or looking up to a mentor, you know? That's all it is.
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[ Is her question, to place a sense of finality to it. Then, after he's given his answer she will say: ] Do you want to go talk to him together? I can come with you, if you are nervous.
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…
Is it okay if I just stay with you for a bit? I can help you with chores or… we can just cuddle or something?
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Christmas Gift!
This is old Aegirian technology. It's called the "Pulse of the Ocean". It won't work unless you're in the ocean, but it shows you the direction of the tides and flow of the ocean.
I hope you like it, onee-san.
~ Mizuki
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Christmas Day
Hi Ca
I don't know how to spell your name and I'm not gonna try because it's gonna be embarrassing
I made you something though!
[It's a sheep! Because he couldn't figure out how to make a yak!]
eats it