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You're Alive?! {Eckhart}

Started by Celegwen, December 10, 2017, 01:46:44 PM

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Celegwen

Emilia's exclamation when they reached the bottom of the stairs made Idryth's eyes practically roll back in her head. Of course she's never been down here, the dragoness thought with a sigh.

"Let's get a move on," she said tiredly.

Picking up an unlit lantern, Idryth's eyes blinked her vertical pupils. She took a breath and blew a stream of fire onto the wick inside, then extended it to Emilia. "Wouldn't want you hitting your head," she started, "as hardheaded as you may be."

Eckhart_Von_Musel

Emilia's eyes lit up as Qiosara lit the lantern. It was a very small display of power, but it was power nonetheless. She accepted it happily, choosing to ignoring the thinly veiled insult. "Thank you, Qiosara." she said curtly, beginning to walk down a seemingly random hallway. "I do appreciate it."

Without the light from the lantern, the two women would have been walking in complete darkness. Their footsteps echoed throughout the hall, and the dripping of water could be heard in the distance. "You know this castle was built for me?" Emilia said, breaking the silence. "My mother and father arranged it. It's actually one if the oldest structures in Le'Raana."

Celegwen

"Really?" Idryth said, pretending to be surprised. She already knew that. Before they all fell apart, the dragoness was something of a fanatic when it came to the Black-Hearth family.

As they walked, she admired the scenery. Despite them literally being in the dungeons - or servants' quarters - Idryth was legitimately impressed with the design. These lower levels were like a labyrinth, so she made sure to note every step they took. With her luck, Emilia would end up getting them lost down there.

"I'm shocked you haven't explored more of it," she confessed. "Despite these areas being lower than your status, I would think you'd want to know every inch of this place."

Eckhart_Von_Musel

"Don't be silly, Qiosara. Of course I've explored down here." Emilia lied. "It's just that, when I came back in this new body, my memories didn't all fit." The former dragoness sighed. "Humans really do have small brains."

Emilia traced her thumb on the hilt of her blade. "Tell me... Why do the naked apes put so much effort into things that won't last?"

Celegwen

How the fuck would I know? Idryth thought. You're closer to them than I am!

The dragoness took a look breath, giving an almost lazy shrug. "I suppose it would be for selfish reasons," she said finally. "If I had to venture a guess, it would be that they don't feel the need to make something that lasts beyond themselves. A dragon could potentially live for a hundred thousand years, while a human lasts a mere eighty. Why would they want to put the effort in to make something as incredible."

She narrowed her slightly. "There isn't much information on your family. There's plenty about you, but what of your parents and siblings? What's come of them?"

Eckhart_Von_Musel

Emilia sighed, tracing the letters that had been carved into the sword's handle. "It still doesn't make sense." she thought. "There's no purpose to this at all..." 

"What's come of them?"

Emilia froze. For a moment she was entirely still, then she continued walking as if nothing happened. "Mom and Dad are on vacation. Have been for the last few thousand years." she said matter-of-factly. "Eira is off doing Nevira knows what with her human friends. Aeizith is playing house in the woods with his disgusting elf girlfriend." 

The lantern cast strange shadows across Emilia's face. "Kaida is... Somewhere. Last I heard, she'd lost a fight to some some healer." The woman's head tilted downwards slightly. "Poor child must feel lost without me." The light from the lantern began to flicker, as if threatening to go out. "Electi... disappeared." Emilia finished darkly.

"Oh!" Emilia exclaimed, almost as an afterthought. "I did see cousin Oswald fairly recently- say two, three years ago? He was never the most ambitious, but he's doing quite well for himself. Has a gemstone hoard and everything." The human looked at Qiosara brightly, desperate to change the subject. "What about your family? How do they fair?"

Celegwen

Idryth nodded briefly. Hearing Emilia's explanation of what remained of her family was surprisingly disturbing for the young dragoness.

Eira, a human lover... Revolting... she thought to herself. Kaida lost a fight to a healer? I have to look into that more. And I probably shouldn't tell her that her mother is back, without her father.

"I have no family," Idryth said. "Grew up alone." She glanced around, noticing the flicker of the lantern. "Do you actually know where we're going? Because I don't feel like leading you around these halls in search of the buckets when that light goes out."

Eckhart_Von_Musel

"Of course I know where I'm going." Emilia said, running her hand along the wall. "You just need to trust-"

*click*

Emilia felt her hand sink into the wall, and the sound of stone scraping against stone filled the corridor. Up ahead, a bright light emerged through the darkness as a hidden door opened itself. Squinting so as not to be blinded, Emilia stepped forward to see...

"Wait a minute!" she yelled angrily. "This- this is the bottom of the mountain! You mean to tell me I could have just taken the stairs! That's entirely outrageous!"

Celegwen

This isn't happening.

A slight puff of smoke came out of Idryth's nostrils, as she squeezed her eyes closed. "Are you fucking kidding me?" She hissed quietly, eyes flickering to their reptilian state.

The dragoness stepped into the sunlight, spreading her arms wide as though she were soaking in the warmth. Idryth turned to face Emilia, shaking her head in frustration. She walked over to Emilia, standing slightly too close and locking eyes with the human woman. Yanking off the dragon necklace she was wearing, the dragoness held it in front of Emilia.

"I designed this - had it made - in your honor. At the time, it cost me everything had because it reminded me of what I could become. It has a little surprise in it so I always had a little surprise." She pulled the tail off of the little dragon necklace to reveal a knife. "You were my hero, my idol, in the darkest times of my fucking life. As they say, never meet your heroes, and I guess they're right because damn..."

Idryth dropped the necklace on the ground and shook her head. "Draw your own damn bath. I can't help you." Idryth backed away, shifting into her dragon form and lifting into the air with two flaps of her colorful wings.

Eckhart_Von_Musel

Emilia wanted to say something. The human stared at Qiosara with wide eyes, lips trembling. Emilia needed to say something. She opened her mouth, but no sound came out. Why wasn't her voice working? Emilia struggled, desperately trying to gain control...

And then Qiosara left, and it was over.

Emilia stared at the sky where the dragon had been, mouth ajar. "But..." she said, finally finding her voice. "I-I needed you..." Her heart raced as she sat down in sun, head clutched in her hands. Tears began to stream down her face, and she was soon sobbing uncontrollably. "No no no! You're supposed to keep admiring me! Damnit! Fuck!"

"It's empty. I don't want it anymore."

Emilia wasn't sure how long she'd been sitting before she decided she needed to leave. She stood up clumsily and started walk, each step seeming to require more effort than the last. She needed to escape, needed something new, needed... something. The citadel didn't have it. What was it?

Emilia would find it. They'd see. She'd show them all...

~fin~

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