Prologue: Remember,
"- when two lines walk side by side, seldom does one have the innate ability to differentiate between what is real and what looks real."
A firm Voice echoes through the void.
A long, long time ago…
"You stand trial before Three, due to transgression of role as the Fourth."
Four Deities roamed the vastness of Space.
"How do you plead?" The Voice insists.
Names of whom were lost to time
Silence.
are remembered by their Final Will,
A sharp manic laughter reverberates sharply through the in-betweens of time and space, before continuing in deep maddening thought, "You. Fucking. Fool. Should had invited me in your fun."
Inanis.
"I would have been a great Senpai of Destruction. Would have never let my cute Kohai of Idiocy get caught like the fucking bird brain you undoubtedly are." The Second Voice continues incoherently into chortles and chirps of insanity. An air of amusement unhampered by the seriousness of The Event.
Those whom traveled our unreachable Stars
Till a Third raspy Voice breaks through their mirth and the darkness into a heavy cold, "Tell us P̸̨̤̹̱̤̪̯̚͠h̴̠̙̥̗̤͎͙̦̥̐o̶̢͕͔̰̳̫̜̳̝̓e̸͕͗̀͗n̴̺̦̤̈̽͐̽̓̀͘̚ĩ̶̡̨̦̟͉̦̔̀̑̚x̴̡̬͑, why have you involved us with specifically the World of Soe?"
With the gift to bend our story's might.
Silence.
Together, brought forth the Golden Era.
"After all this time, why now?" It pushes.
Not be their heroic ventures, nor by benevolent means.
They push "What you've done can't be undon-", and they pull "-sy. Bird brain that's what you are.-" and as the coldness sets, "How do you plead." your fire burns.
Rather, by foregoing their Gifts.
"How long … how long have we been together," each word soaked in layers of tiredness and age; contradicting the soft youthfulness of your voice as you continue, "how long have we endured in the emptiness of space?"
Until One of Four, broke code and Law
"As we watched everything live and die around us?" heavy with the coldness of where you've ended up,
Threatening to shatter the Veil, with a Single Poisonous Thought,
"How many times have we bared planets, cared for them, nurtured them, to just walk away?", of what you're belief has brought you.
U̷͉͖͋͗̎͠n̶̹͖̤͚̉b̸͙̥͑ó̵̡̲͓́̒͋u̴̮͎̥̾̀͌n̵̡̼̒̀͜d̸͕͌͋̈͠ ̸̡͚̥́̒b̸͙̒̔ỹ̸͔ ̷̫͖̤̔̄͜t̷̮̹̰̖̓̀h̵̝͔̜̫̊̇̌̚e̷̱̱͂̔ ̴̢̦̀̅r̸̨͒̌̂u̴̢͍̣͓͒͠l̶̖̃e̵͙͋̋͌͝s̸̡̤̰̹͒ ̶̧̮͈̃ͅǫ̵͎̱̃f̸̖̖̹̎͌͝ ̶̥̞̬̳̂̾͂͝ḇ̴͈̯̙̓a̴͙͔͂͝ļ̴̬̝͕́̂̔̚å̷̗̣̌͐̿n̵͕̖͔͊̊ć̸̝ȇ̶̙͍̰̚,̴̣̿ ̶̭͒̔͘ͅc̴͖͔͒̈́̈̚ǫ̸̯̼̑͑́̚ǘ̶͎̝̟l̵̨̠̓͜ͅd̶̜̯͙͑͝ ̶͙̂͝I̷̲̱̽ ̵͈͇̊s̸̖̼͍̉͋̕å̴͕v̴̢̨̺̯̍̊͒e̷̪͖͌̈́͜ ̴̨̰̭̭͑̌͂ý̷͍̥̳͒̈͌ö̴͍́ŭ̵̓̔̚͜ ̶̖̯̀͛̍ÿ̷̰́̈́o̶̱̫̅ụ̶͕̞͔̈́r̵̻̂̉̋̃ ̸̱̞̲̞͛s̷̗̿͌̓͠ȗ̴͕̳̆͜f̷̧̩͈͗f̷̨̲̭̎̋̈́ȩ̴̖̰͝r̵̮̤̬͇̈́͐͘i̶̲̦͒̐͊̉ǹ̶̩̠̯g̴̖̹͎̋͐̐.̵͍̜̥̥́̌
"How many times can we do this? Freely bring life into a space where chaos and ruin so freely run rampant."
So, the Three bound the Fourth in their power,
"For once in your existence, won't you just trust m-"
and tore them apart.
"ENOUGH." The 3 voices echo in unison shattering the cold, and you feel hot.
Weaving their essence through the tears in the Veil.
The First Voice replies sharply, "It is not our right to govern the flow of the universe, despite our power and might." There's an uncontrollable heat in your chest.
Penance, it is said. Some whisper, Extortion.
Your chest like an hour glass, drips uncomfortable pain and heat into your gut as the Third Voice picks up, "It is not our role to correct the actions of every living creature, only to judge their end." Drip.
But without the Fourth, the Three could not return to what once was.
There is a sigh, and The Second Voice finally drops their glee fading back to the void, but not without punctuating each word "It is not our inaction that birth disaster, it is through our action that delivers consequence," with a dangerous blood thirsty smile. Drop.
Justice, it is said. Karma, it is whispered.
"And the consequences of your actions are most severe." Drip
And in their absence,
"Trust in that." Drop.
False Idols laid roots.
The soft sound of defeat punctuated the newly minted silence of the tall ceilings of a study, as the plush felt bottom of an aged ivory pawn chess piece made contact on a black spot of a marble chess board in checkmate.
The loser, immediately sat forward over the chess set in response; took exactly one minute of frazzled mental recollection of the last 15 moves before the young teen slumps back into his seat, the jolt knocking a few hairs from his head, and says not at all in a sulking manner, "I feel I may have been cheated." Failing (again) at blowing a piece of hair back into place, resulted in a quick shake of his head and the epiphany that none of his hair deserved to sit regally on top his head today.
A warm chortle comes from the winning side, as the young man across the board smiles mischievously. Reaching over to the young boy's head and quickly messing up his hair further with his hand. Before he quickly recoils as the young boy feeble attempts to fend off the attack (for the sake of his ego he supposes) and responds grinning, "And how do you suppose I did that?" And began to reset the chess pieces.
The young boy, groaning as he rocked back into a proper posture; one hand slicking his hair into a position in which he could at least see, and the other reaching up to offer a trade for his black knight for a white pawn said, "With that confusing verse you just recited, what is it? A lost draft verse from LOVELESS? Would it be possible to lose it again?" He mumbles to himself, "Ah, maybe I should have been clearer." Before continuing, clearly, "We should lose that prose. Immediately."
Accepting the trade, the young man gleefully takes the white pawn back returning the young boy's two knights, ignoring what the young boy's most recent words were, he says distractedly, "Ahhhh! Well you know. Lots of things are lost in translation. Especially when it's a translation of one of the earliest pieces of work yet found on Eos, even before the Starscourge was a thing. It's honestly a relief knowing that the pessimistic nature of humanity was even strong back then when we had it easy." He sighs again before laying out his hand towards his opponent his fingers curling in and out rapidly for his rook and bishop.
The raising silence paused the young man from his work of carefully fiddling in order to ensure that each piece he had were so that they were parallel with each other; just in time to meet the young boy's eyes at peak annoyance.
Sitting straighter in his seat, the young man drops his out stretched hand and bashfully clears his throats before going on to explain himself, "I'm serious Little Princeling. The excavation and translation of one of the earliest works of humanity, will reveals a lot about us and allows us the opportunity to further look into humanity without the friction of modern on modern thought action."
"And," the Prince draw out as he slowly reaching out for his teacup, "you've memorized it." Bringing it to his lips slower he says, "Already." Before taking a sip of his cold tea and winces before returning his cup to its saucer.
"Why Princeling you make it sound like a bad thing, my quest for knowledge of this rock we call home is an honest hunt for the truth nothing more." The young man pouts and places his hand up by his head palms towards the prince as if to showcase his honor but rescinds it as the Prince drops his incarcerated rook and bishop into the middle of the board. Snatching them up quickly, before placing them gently on his side of the board.
The Prince "It is a bad thing when my tutor easily gets distracted by every scholarly bout and bribes me to study more to cover for his daydreaming from his employer who just happens to be my father, The King."
The young man reaches forward with both hands and grip the Prince's cheeks and pulls them apart none to gently and says, "Little cheeky today aren't we loser." Then releasing them to return to his seat as the Prince glares pointedly at the young man before rubbing the side of his face. "No Little Princeling that was because you needed more time to study, I on the other hand am quite well versed in the art of multitasking." The young man stares purposefully towards the chess set and back at the Prince, referencing he had just won by multitasking. "But yes, I suppose I am lucky you like me so much."
The young man grins as the Prince scowls, crossing his arms before muttering, "I really do need to reconsider how I determine my friends."
Still grinning the young man throws his hands out as the chess board is set back up again and declares, "There. Already for another round." Linking his hands together and places his chin atop it he says, "Now Little Princeling you owe me a 6-page paper after that lost on a top of it being on a subject of my choice, how about double or nothing. I win I get a 12 page paper on the Inanis work, but if you win you don't have any homework for the next wee-"
Both occupants of the study, shivered as the black doors of the study were suddenly pushed aside. The warmth from the sun through the long draping windows on either side of the Tower's study quickly replaced by the Citadel's warehouse powerful ac blasts of cold air. Turning their heads to see who would interrupt the, both spotted a head of rich black hair barreled up the steps, a bit out of breath the two soon came face to face with the square face of Clarus Amicitia.
"Prince Regis. Master Oritia." Clarus rushed out in greeting, face slightly flushed.
"Easy now Clarus. Take a breath, a Crownguard must always look like everything is under control." Spouted the young Master from his seat.
Stretching to full height, Clarus indeed took a deep breath and forced his heartrate down before continuing, "My apologies Master Oritia, Prince Regis." Facing Regis, Clarus grumbled out in his best proper, but underneath it all annoyed voice, "I've been looking for you everywhere."
Looking a bit sheepish, Regis managed to reply, "Sorry Clarus, we were looking for a book for a paper and Master Oritia got distrac-" Oritia cried out a small 'Hey' at the poke at his character.
Which Clarus took as an opening to continue, "Lord and Lady Daegmund are on route to the Citadel and will arrive within 5 minutes."
Taking a moment to digest what was said Regis responded with a relaxed demeanor, "Oh, well I'm sure father has it all sorted it out, now really Clarus come watch I'm about to get my week back, and I'd lo-" waving Clarus over, but stopped when Clarus again interrupted him.
Deadpanned Clarus said, "They've brought their children with them."
"Ehg, yeah Father can handle it, I'd rather not see the twins. If I can help i-"
A loud thwack was created as Clarus slammed his hands on the corners of their table, sending Regis' cup of tea over the edge of the table to shatter on the ground, causing Regis to jump a bit at Clarus aggressive play and as the splatter got all over his pants and shoes.
Oritia having expected this outcome had already grabbed his cold coffee from the surface before Meteor Clarus annoyance got the best of him and had begun to drink it in anticipation for the finale.
Clarus slowly drawled out "Reg, they've brought Aulea."
Regis face of confusion at what Clarus' problem was, froze; and Oritia let a single bubble of laughter escape from his cup of coffee in hidden joyous amusement.
Suddenly the cheeky brat, became a broken record.
Stuttering Regis stare at Clarus, slowly transferred over to Oritia and after a moment managed to get out, "On second thought, Master Oritia. Perhaps," Regis coughs to clear his throat, "we could reconvene at a later time? Father will need my help on whatever Lord and Lady Daegmund need help with. Good impressions and a united front, as he always says."
…
Oritia in turn, perhaps, enjoyed the extra milliseconds of watching Regis squirm as he took a longer sip from his cup than usual. After a refreshing, "ahhhh" Oritia concluded, "Of course, Your Grace I think I'll do a little more research on the Inanis discovery,"
Regis all but leapt out of his seat at Oritia affirmation of Regis excuse of duties. Haphazardly gathered his things and joined Clarus down the steps of the study.
Raising his voice after the 2 boys Oritia called out after them, "I'll come find you afterword to work out the details of our last match."
But was made aware of his lonely presence as the door to the study were slammed shut.
Cup still in hand, Oritia chuckled and resting into his chair rose his cup in an imaginary toast to the chair across from him and said, "Much luck and many happy returns Your Majesty." Drowning out the rest of the cup.
He sat there for a moment.
Before rising quickly to the door to follow the boys and watch the obvious destruction of the little Princeling's ego by a pair of pretty blue eyes.
The sounds of laughter and feet were heard throughout the 27th east hallway of the Citadel.
Followed by the unrestrained voice of Oritia as he said in passing, "Rebecca darling, good to see you. 2 things: send one of your lovely grunts to clean a shattered teacup in Study 2751. Also meet me in the West side hall of the Throne room in 3, The Little Princeling is meeting the Little Lady and you do not want to miss this."
Author's Note: Hi there!
Soulzen here.
I've rewritten this chapter already because when I was ironing out my plans for the plot, I needed to clean up the set up a bit. I wanted it ambiguous and sort of foggy. But I needed to set up more character details and a bit of parallelism for later in the story. So here is my compromise.
Side note: I love writing dialogue, but it can get a bit boring and stale, and I always feel I need to flesh it out, describe what the characters are doing (the like), so I can spend a good 10 pages on a single conversation. This is me showing restraint and wanting to get the ball rolling. Will see how it goes.
Fanfic Suggestion: I Don't Want to Live on the Moon by Vroomian
"It would have been better if we never met." - Seven years is a long time to be stranded somewhere. Long enough to forget a lot of things — like the plot of a manga I read once.
Lovely bit of Yona of the Red Dawn Fanfic, you should be at least familiar with the plot of the story if you want to get into it. But it's got a real compelling SI/OC, and the relationship they build with the cannon characters and original characters is great. It's approaching the end so you should read it and suffer the wait with me ^^
Following Fic Chapter Update: Got the base of what I want in the chapter organized so now I'm just fluffing it up. Should be done within the month if stuff doesn't come up, which I hope it does since I'm job searching will see. If I post sooner than I expected. I'm probably in trouble XD. We see.