• Mature • Be Careful

[Llyr Llywelyn]

44th of Ashan, Arc 719, Sunset

On the beach near Marcovera, Zarik stared out at the sea. Vibrant colors of sunset lingered along the horizon, the last light of the trial before darkness would return. Here, granted by Alistair’s grace, he had reunited with the magnificent watery domain of U’frek and Chrien after so many arcs of separation and avoidance. That trial felt so lost in the past though it truly was only 33 trials ago. The events that had followed, the Saltfetcher attack on the nearby town, his initiation into Transmutation, everything… everything that had happened since then… there’d been so much and so great were the trials, packed full of memories, that Zarik didn’t understand why…

…why out of all the memories he had…

…he had forgotten Fridgar’s threat. Why had he forgotten the Solghannon that had lurked in the depths of the water when Zarik had gone swimming at night, only ten trials ago? Only breaks after he’d become lord of Marcovera alongside Alistair… how could he have forgotten? How?!

It didn’t make any sense to him. After Kaelrik and Fridgar had departed to Quacia that morning, he’d spent the rest of the morning and then the afternoon, wandering through the motions of what he had planned to do. But his mind was elsewhere, trying to sort through everything that had gotten released when Kaelrik had complimented the Protean, had called him terrifying as if that was flattery.

Fridgar wasn’t a kind man, not like how Zarik had been treating him. He wasn’t good to Zarik and he wasn't how he was acting. How he’d acted when… and none of it made any sense. Zarik struggled to align his memories with his beliefs. Fridgar had helped him, though, with his father and in Lair, and why had he done all of that? Especially on the heels of the divorce? Why had he done that when the last thing Zarik could now recall was the skeletal ax being drawn. And… and… other things that didn’t make any sense, that didn’t… the weapon and the threat of death and…

Zarik walked over to where he knew was the spot. He lowered onto his knees and closed his eyes. It felt so familiar, so true. The sand molded around his legs. He felt the cool dusk air lift from the nearby tide that was on its way out. He tilted his head up and opened his eyes. He could almost see Fridgar again – in a sort of haze – with the war armor and the axe and such certainty of death… and… what had happened next?

What had happened?

The biqaj gave a frustrated shout. He couldn’t remember. The next thing he could recall was… wasn’t images, wasn’t sounds, wasn’t anything but they had a nice time. How in Idalos did they have a nice time after that?! He ran his fingers through his hair and gripped the blond locks in desperation to find the paths through his mind to uncover it. They had a nice time after the death threat and… then he spent time with Alistair…. a lovely, romantic time on the beach even…

…and none of it made sense.

Zarik growled, covered his face with his hands, and cried from sheer frustration of not being able to command his own mind to remember for him. He didn’t have time for this. He had other things to think about, much more important than whatever this was. He needed to pack for the hike up to the cabin for tomorrow night with Alistair.

[Varthakh]

Zarik had been behaving strangely that trial, which Fridgar recognized. He'd ran from themselves and Kaelrik and declared last second that he would not be flying with either of them, all out of the blue. Why? They knew the smell of fear, and the boy reeked of it when they departed. Something was bothering him, and they didn't know what. So, Fridgar had decided to pay the boy a visit. Earlier that trial, they had flown Kaelrik over to the main island and were now heading back to meet with their rival, the biqaj that had stolen Alistair. They couldn't care less that Zarik was afraid, wasn't he always? There was something about this time that struck them as odd. For thus far, Zarik had been under the influence of the ring that had been used on Fridgar at some point.

That ring, they knew, wore off with time. The compulsions could be fought and the veil of whatever memories Alistair had enchanted him with would melt away to reveal the truth in time. Some part of them in the back of their mind suggested that to be the case, but they couldn't know for sure. They needed to know for themselves, so flew to meet him. Was that not what a concerned, caring Fridgar would do? The Fridgar that Zarik thought he knew?

Without passengers, Fridgar was able to fly at far faster speeds. They wore a rune of speed, linked with runes of endurance on both their wings, a rune of speed on their tail and a rune of speed on their torso and head. They were streamlined in their flight, traveling at speeds so fast that a thick trail of darkness followed behind them in the amber light of the sunset. Soon enough, the blur of the islands came into view, and with it, Zarik's scent. He wasn't in the village though, no. He was on the beach, quite near their cave... The same beach that it had all happened. Their blood ran cold at the realization. Zarik might have been revisiting the scene to try and jog his memories, it only made sense. What did that mean for them?

They had no strategy in mind, but their interest had piqued. It was time to corner the biqaj and press him until he spilled his guts... Though only figuratively.

Overhead, where Zarik knelt, he heard the boom of the sound barrier as a silver Sohr Khal flew overhead, then slowed suddenly as rivulets of red ether poured from several parts of their body and into their core. If he recognized Hone at all, he would know it as the ability 'Dismiss', which drew the unused ether from a rune and restored a mage's reserves. They slowed quite quickly, then descended overhead while spreading their wings to slow themselves even further. Soon enough, they were beating their massive wings over the sand with enough force to kick up clouds of the granules, then dropped their heavy, robust form into the soft ground with a muffled thud. Their platinum coat and the burning trail of darkness bared the trademark of what, or who that Sohr Khal really was.

"Zarik," Fridgar's voice echoed from the beast while they stood before him. "You were acting quite strangely earlier, is everything alright?" They didn't want to press too hard just yet, so they offered him an out. "We're ashamed to say that we smelled something... Strange in your cottage earlier... We don't mean to snoop, but such potent smells are hard to ignore." They folded their wings against their back, then lowered to lay quite passively on their chest. "...Have you been taking drugs?"

[Llyr Llywelyn]

An unnatural sound thundered overhead. Zarik stared at the Sohr Khal that came into view across the darkening sky. He knew, immediately, who it was before the beast had even landed. Even with all the runes and platinum coat, knowing the form from when Fridgar had departed that morning and from their flight above Quacia, he recognized the intelligence between the beast.

He hurried to his feet, to stand instead. Zarik raised a hand to block the sand as it got kicked up by the avian landing. The blond squinted through the clouds, then took a couple steps up the beach toward the coastline where the sand turned to grass. He heard the echoing deep voice of the Protean say his name. Zarik paused.

Did he know? Did Fridgar know that he’d forgotten? Did he know that he now remembered? Did he… Why would he know? Had Fridgar forgotten too for some reason? Perhaps the memories weren't true at all, perhaps they were some sort of figment placed there somehow... by something... though he didn't know what or why. The frustration bubbled up into Zarik again. He quickly wiped away the escaped tear droplets, in the hope they weren’t seen.

“E-everything is fine,” he blatantly lied with a crack in his voice. He cleared his throat and tried to think of something that could further the lie, or allow him a quick escape without seeming too rude but… Fridgar would just chase him if he wanted to, wouldn’t he?

“Ashamed?” he asked, thinking that was a strange way to phrase it. Why would Fridgar be ashamed to smell something in the cottage? Zarik observed the Sohr Khal and then he laughed at the question. It was such a… question he didn’t care about. He almost felt a sense of relief when he heard it. Something he could use to avoid other conversation.

“Oh, that,” he said with another dry and scoffing laugh. “Ye-yes, you caught me.”

Zarik smiled slightly. He raised his hands in a surrender gesture and took another couple of steps toward departing from the beach.

“What you smelled was Kaelrik’s wine,” he explained. “We shared it last night.”

He hoped that was enough to distract the Protean, but he added, “That’s why I was sick earlier. My stomach can’t handle it, I guess. O-oh well, I didn’t like feeling that dizzy anyway. S-so, I better get back before night falls. I have matters to attend to. Did the flight to Quacia go well? Did Kaelrik find his brother alright? I hope so. You must be tired after such a long flight back and forth."

"Perhaps you should find Dosan and rest. I'm sorry about what I said earlier, also, I-I don't want to concern the Marcoverans with any additional worries if it can be helped. But maybe I worry too much for them than I should. A-and I need to get back now. There’s a lot I must finish before tomorrow. Busy trial tomorrow, busy trial, so I better get going now. Sorry.” The biqaj turned, then, after his rambling that hardly allowed for any room to respond. He started to swiftly walk along the path, to return to Marcovera.

[Varthakh]

Zarik continued to act strangely. When they landed on the beach, he moved away from them as if he was pretending that he hadn't seen them. Was he afraid of them? They echoed Fridgar's sense of smell and sniffed at the air he left in his wake. He was afraid, and they recognized the hormones. He was on edge, that much was clear in his posture, the way he walked, tried to escape Fridgar. That should have been enough to convince them that Zarik was steadily regaining his memories, as it was only a matter of time before the enchantment of the ring wore off. Perhaps its time was now? It certainly seemed so. They tried to grasp his attention for more evidence of his emotional state, and he stuttered, as he typically did while he was afraid. he brushed them off by saying that 'E-everything is fine', but they begged to differ.

When they offered him an out to the conversation, he bit hold of that and rode it to safety, all while making his way up the beach. Fridgar began to transform again and assumed their Lotharren form while Zarik gave his false laugh. he seemed awful content to leave the conversation there, but Fridgar wasn't quite so content. They followed after his scent as he tried to escape, and their long legs quite easily caught up to him despite his quickened pace. 'Oh?" They asked as the last of their transformation settled into place and they became the whole Lothar. "You should have told us, we love a good drink!" The protean said while they smiled warmly beneath their blindfold, then they gripped Zarik by the shoulder with enough weight to hold him in place.

"But on a more serious note," they said quite seriously.

"You should keep away from drugs, they muddle your mind, get you addicted. Before you know it, you're homeless and naked, scraping up coin for your next fix... Or worse, someone's whore..." Fridgar stared off with their blindfolded eyes then, as if they were reminiscing. They returned their gaze to Zarik then, their smile was gone. "We won't tell Alistair, but we think you should throw them in the ocean." With that, they drew him closer in a one-armed hug that rested over his shoulder. 'It's for the best," they offered their assurance, then let him go.

Zarik began to speak very quickly, tripping over his words and spewing excuses as to why he had to go. Fridgar saw through him. 'The trip was fi-" They managed before Zarik asked about Kaelrik. Fridgar furrowed their brow. he didn't want to talk to Fridgar at all, he just wanted to get away. They felt him as he walked onward, then furrowed their brow further, as if they were glaring beneath the bind. He claimed to be very busy, so why was he all the way out here? They could try to call him out, but then what would be the consequences of that? Would Alistair forgive them for shedding light on what had happened? They cast unleash and turned into the Llewnos, then ran for Zarik with all their incredible speed, then dashed in front of him and blocked off the path with their long, powerful body.

"You're avoiding us," they said with soft eyes. "Why? We've barely spoken since we helped you find Zalazar... Is it because we killed those people?" They asked. "We only tried to protect you, Zarik... Those people would have hurt you. They did hurt you..." They lowered their head to be level with Zarik, sunk their shoulder and made themselves look smaller. "You can talk to us, Zarik... We told Alistair nothing of what Zalazar did in Lair. If anything's wrong, we want to help."

[Llyr Llywelyn]

Fridgar kept near him, no matter how Zarik tried to evade and escape as politely as he could muster. He stared at the Protean, with obvious confusion, when the Lotharren form grabbed onto his shoulder. The weight placed on him forcibly stopped his walk. He looked at the blindfold, as if to make eye contact. Fridgar warned him about drugs, oddly enough. And it only confused him more. He wouldn’t have expected that sort of attitude from the Lothar, and his memories churned as if using the confusion to aid in their continual recollection since that morning.

He tensed in the one-arm hug. So close to the other man, he could easily smell the Lothar’s musk. His face heated, silvery-blue blush rose on his cheeks. His breath quickened. As soon as he was let go, he hurried to continue toward Marcovera. Zarik rambled in an attempt to distract, in hope that Fridgar – even if he noticed how the biqaj was acting – would simply let him be rude or awkward and disappear to the Mayor’s estate without fuss.

Zarik turned away from the blindfolded Lothar and walked as fast as he could without breaking into a run. The closer he got to Marcovera, the closer to other people he would be and while he knew it would do little, he liked the idea of having someone else he could use as an excuse to no longer speak with the Protean.

The biqaj hadn’t gotten far, however, before the pale Llewnos rushed in front of him. The giant cat, the first of Fridgar’s totems that he’d seen other than the Lotharro. He swiftly took a few steps away and held a hand up, though he knew not what he would even do with it. He just wanted to keep distance between them. Everything felt so muddled in his thoughts and he didn’t know how to treat the man: as an ally or as a threat.

There had to be information he was missing. Had to be. It didn’t go from a near-death threat to being rescued in Lair. It couldn’t. Something had to have happened in between those two aspects of Fridgar. Had he hallucinated one? Or the other? Was he losing his mind? Zarik could barely focus on the echoing voice that spoke from the Llewnos. And it was true, under it all, he had something much more important to spend his thoughts and time on.

He nodded, eager to take the out that the reason for his avoidance was due to the several beheadings the Protean had performed in front of him. The following comment about protection though, only increased his confusion.

“Th-that’s fine,” he answered. Zarik knew he needed to regain his composure. He struggled, though, as the images kept repeating in his mind – as if held back for so long that they refused to be ignored. “I… I told Alistair. He knows.”

Zarik rubbed his eye, then turned so he wasn’t directly facing the panther-like cat. He muttered, “He already knew anyway. About my father that is and his immortal worship. Di-didn’t tell me, though. He knew and didn’t tell me…”

“I... I truly should be going, though.” He added. “I have to- Tomorrow is important. Apologies, Fridgar, but I don’t have time for you. I appreciate what you did for me… I won’t forget it.” – well, unless he did for some inexplicable reason – “Ma-maybe I can repay you one trial. So nothing’s wrong. We can talk another time?”

[Varthakh]

So it was because Fridgar had killed all those lair crawlers? While they would have believed so for any other biqaj, Zarik had seen far worse in service of his father. They knew such things didn't truly frighten him. Besides that, they were speaking just fine earlier that trial, and immediately after the extraction of his father. That wasn't the case, which they knew. He was avoiding them for another reason and chose to take the out that was the easy explanation, just as he'd chosen to cling to the drug excuse, instead of telling them the truth. Something deeply troubled him, and they knew what. Would Alistair think the same?

When they declared that they hadn't told Alistair of Zalazar, it was an attempt to remind the boy that he could trust the Lothar, that Fridgar wouldn't speak a word of whatever he said. He didn't take that suggestion though, he was terribly afraid, probably not thinking straight. Regardless, it seemed that Zarik had told Alistair of the happenings. Alistair apparently already knew of the immortal worship, and hadn't told Zarik? Interesting. By the boy's tone, it almost sounded as though he held some sort of resentment because of that.

He added that he really needed to go, and the large feline sullenly nodded. He claimed that the next trial was important and that he simply didn't have time for them, and perhaps that was true... But that didn't explain his nervous posture nor scent of fear. Regardless, they seemed to have calmed him a little by talking to him, perhaps they had him doubting his memories? Perhaps they'd helped reinforce the enchantment somehow? Whatever it was that calmed him, Alistair needed to know before this got out of control, and they could manage to visit him in just a couple of trials. Dosan commanded their attention the next trial, and they would be occupied with him.

The giant feline nodded their head in acceptance, then stepped out of the way of the Biqaj so that he could pass. "You have nothing to repay us for, we're simply glad to help." Zarik offered to talk another trial, and Fridgar nodded as their form changed again, they returned to their Sohr Khal form, ready to take flight. "Another time then, remember what we said about the drugs and take care." With that, they turned and walked back along the path Zarik had traveled, toward the beach where he'd been kneeling when they flew close. There, they lowered their nose to the sand and took a brief sniff with Fridgar's echoed sense of smell. They weren't looking for anything in particular, more just curious of what he'd been up to on the beach. That was when they smelled his salty tears.

The great avian looked up from the spot and squinted toward Zarik's direction to make sure that he'd gone, but saw little more than blurry shapes and colors. With a hard exhale, they spread their wings, then took off into the evening sky.

[Mads]

ZARIK

15 points

Deception: Harder to accomplish when anxious.
Deception: Agreeing with any easy explanation offered by the other person.
Detection: The intuitive sense that something is wrong.
Psychology: Too many confusing thoughts causes anxiety.
Psychology: Returning to the place it happened to recall memories.
Psychology: Familiar triggers to unlock repressed memories.
Psychology: Frustration can lead to crying.
Psychology: Repressed memories due to trauma.
-
Fridgar: Warned me about drugs.
Fridgar: Acts like nothing happened.

FRIDGAR

15 points

Investigation: The reasons someone might return to a scene of trauma.
Investigation: Using your sense of smell to search for clues.
Investigation: The reasons someone might be afraid.
Investigation: The reasons someone might be avoiding you.
Investigation: People who lie have something to hide.
Investigation: Leftover tears are usually in wake of strong emotions.
-
Zarik: Possibly regaining his memories
Zarik: Avoiding you
Zarik: Lying to you
Zarik: Claims to be on drugs
Zarik: Afraid of you again

notes

Nice conversation thread. Both of you wrote your characters, and it was an interesting read. Zarik's internal struggle and outward fluster was sad and cute and was an engaging approach to having one's memories overwritten.

After conferring with Oracle, "Endurance: The speed of sound" and "Flying: The speed of sound" won't be rewarded for this thread. When you link up runes, it helps to stabilize them but also reduces their effectiveness. Though he's definitely going fast, it doesn't seem like it would feasibly be fast enough to break the sound barrier. If you have any questions, please feel free to direct them to Oracle.

[Oracle]

Contested Review Results

Alright so I've reviewed your use of Hone myself just to clear the air for everyone. First off , I'd like to point out that according to your CS your Flying skill is only at competent. Flying with Runes of Speed in a form that you are barely decent at flying in would likely spell disaster for your character. A Rune of Speed is a very powerful thing, and is best used in short bursts since it's very hard for your mind to keep up with an accelerated body. Trying to do so while flying with Competency in Flying would very much preclude you to crashing and damaging your Becoming Form even with your impressive skill in Strength and Endurance. I'm not stating that speeds that you suggested are not possible, if you were a master or grand-master of flying and you had perhaps had a Lucis Hone mage grant you a Rune of Focus then more than likely you could manage it.

So first off I'd like to remind you that overplaying your skill is against the TOU. Try and remember to keep your limitations in mind in the future. Also understand that Hone is a very dangerous magic when it comes to putting your body at risk. You are giving your body or Becoming Forms far more power than they are accustomed to handling. That's going to come with some hard lessons from time to time, but that's just the nature of being a mage. Sometimes things just don't go like you planned and that's alright, because you will learn from it.

In an effort to give you something to work off of I'm going to be giving Fridgar some things to work through. Consider this an opportunity to explore the relationship between Becoming and Hone.

Hone Totem Corruption:
Fractured Flight:
From this point forward, starting on the 44th of Ashan, your Sohr Khal form has changed. It's body now appears as if it's skin has been fractured by the light of Fridgar's Runes. Fragmented, non functional Runes of Speed and Endurance now permanently dot it's body. These Runes will corrupt the totem and make it impossible for Hone Runes to function on the body of the Sohr Khal until Fridgar has managed to undo the damage done to his totem. This can be done by bonding with the passion for flight that all Sohr Khal's possess and improving his understanding of Flying. This does not mean that he simply needs to learn to fly better, this is about learning what is truly means to live and breathe in the body of a Sohr Khal. I'd love to see him find that joy and passion that the creatures of the air have when in flight. I'd expect you to spend a few threads exploring this at a minimum. Once you feel that you have completed the work necessary to bond again with your totem please pm me and I'll approve the work you have done. I'd like to mention that really exploring this spiritual journey could see your character rewarded in a unique way.

Physical Consequence:
Damaged Wings
Also it will take until the 25th of Ymiden until this form can even attempt to fly again as it's wings have been damaged by the raw power of the Runes you used. You may attempt to heal this damage faster either by use of Becoming or by seeking outside aid to heal the fractured wings. If you have used this form since this date then that is considered retconned until they are healed or heal naturally.

Knowledges:

"Endurance: The speed of sound" and "Flying: The speed of sound" is being replaced with another knowledge since I agree with Mads that this should not apply.

Your new knowledge is the following.

"Flying: Be aware of how Runes impact your ability to handle flight."


Comments:
Hey love, so I'd like you to look at this as a chance to further explore your relationship with this totem and this form. Also it should really give Fridgar a deeper understanding of the interaction between using Hone with Becoming forms. I don't want you to think of this as a punishment, but rather a new path to explore. Please feel free to pm me if you have any questions.

Oracle