Sorrow's End?

[Lord Anglekos]

Closed to Silence Sei.

Bearing his cross-worn shield upon his back, a shrug set it more comfortably, which was more than he could say about himself at the moment. Stepping inside the cavern, he was somewhat astounded at the size of the humongous hall that somehow sat unknown under the trappings of Radasanth. That in itself was an incredulous fact to the lightning-bladed swordsman, as he turned his glacial eyes up to the smooth, earthen ceiling: He could just imagine the thousands upon thousands of footsteps that swept across it, ignorant to the fact that just under them lay tens upon hundreds of warriors armed to teeth in the ways of the blade and the ways of magic.

And now, he was one of those warriors.

Stepping down the smooth man-made stairway, Anglekos let the laughter and the conversation of the room's dangerous inhabitants sweep over him. Everywhere he saw, against the dark grey and brown of the walls, milled men, women, and other creatures without identity. Like ants, he thought to himself almost condescendingly. Like terrible, great, steel-bearing ants. Another somewhat uncomfortable shrug to fix the shield's insubstantial weight, and he took a few more tentative steps forward, even as a couple of warriors, both blonde and both much, much taller than he, took that time to brush past him as they chatted to each other. He coughed as he was pushed by their great bulk, but either they chose to ignore him or simply didn't hear him. Sighing, he didn't bother getting irritated at the two; it would probably be ages before he even saw them again, amongst this sea of bodies. There was no point in giving into rage at those who meant no harm to him. Turning sideways slightly, he slid through the masses of those in line for food as he made his way through the mess hall, looking for a place to sit.

Thankfully, he found a place easily enough, and to his relief, the table was empty. Well, at least empty enough; a woman with long red hair and a pair of short swords strapped to her back sat at the very end, consuming what looked to be noodles with some white, thick sauce out of a dark pan. Her face bore a thin scar across the nose, then up along to the tip of her ear, and her eyes bore an intensity the likes of which Anglekos had not seen in years. Especially, in himself. Giving a small nod to the woman, who in turn merely glanced at him, he took a seat at the other end of the table, setting both his mythril shield and his new blade, Pardolaes, upon the table softly. However, he kept his steel sword at his hip, letting his fingers brush over the blonde hair that was tied to the end of the hilt as a tassel. An unconscious gesture, but it was comforting to the black haired man. With his raven bangs hanging over his eyes, he brushed them to the side as he glanced around at the happy faces about him, the jokes, the laughter...besides the girl at the other end of his table, it looked like everyone was happy. Everyone enjoyed their life, who they were. They had purpose. So why, why, didn't he feel the same?

A growl from his stomach reminded him why he was here in the first place, and, leaving his pack on the table to save his place, he got up from the bench, composing his visage into a mask of dispassion once more, looking for a line to get into.

[Silence Sei]

"That is without a doubt, the most ridiculous enchantment for a weapon I have ever seen," Tobias Greenleaf, speed and dexterity trainer for the Ixian Knights spoke. Her comment was directed towards Sei Orlouge, leader of the knights and the reason they were all here. The enchantment she was refering to was that of one of Sei's two chakrams, specifically the one known as 'Neosaim'.

"You're just jealous because you do not posses such an enchantment," Sei retorted, looking down at his tray. While he had managed to gain a bowl of soup and a sandwhich (which was custom this day for most of the soldiers), he had a little added bonus to the meal. Two cupcakes sat just beyond the telepath's soup. One was covered with a white whipped topping icing and a bright red cherry, the other with chocolate icing and a strawberry. Sei smiled at the treats and Tobias stormed off from the line with her fopod, finding that Sei had, as usual, been correct in his assumption.

Sei, now without a meal partner, scoured the long tables of the Ixian Knights mess hall. The comraderie that had been forming among even the most common of his men was something to behold. People were telling jokes, sharing war stories, a few were even engaging in a rousing game of RazeRed, the card game Sei never truly grasped. It seemed as though the Ixian Knights were not just around to save Althanas from evil, but also people from lonlieness.

Sei walked down the table, finding a more open one to sit down at. It wasn't until he set his tray down that he noticed the two warriors on each side of him, at near opposite ends of the table. The girl, realizing who Sei was, widened her eyes and bowed her head respectfully. Sei smiled and merely waved the gesture off. He hated being treated as anything more than a normal person. Sure, he was a top ranked strategist, and a well known warrior, but all he had ever asked to be known as was Sei, despite typically introducing himself with a number of nicknames he had been given.

Now the other person at this table, the male, seemed a bit preoccupied. Furthermore, his eyes seemed to hold a hint of sadness to them. Wishing to investigate why the soldier was so down, Sei slid down the table, holding his tray as he did so. The mute smiled and spoke to the quiet warrior.

"Why did the crown jump off the top of the citadel, but the GP did not?" Sei asked,a ttempting to break the ice and get the man's attention at the same time. Crowns were the smaller form of currency, several of them adding up to a gold piece, or GP. Before Anglekos could answer, Sei decided to reveal the punchline of the joke.

"GP had more cents." Sei smiled and extended his hand to the man.

((Man, pun jokes are never as effective when written.))

[Lord Anglekos]

At the voice echoing within his thoughts, disturbing them abruptly, Eric's head snapped up slightly in alarm. What greeted his vision was a stranger, smiling in a friendly manner at him. Orange hair, ridiculous looking to the swordsman, puffed from the other's head before it was pulled back in a bandanna, thus accentuating that friendly smile. He was about to ask this stranger just who he was when the man continued with the punch line to his bad joke, letting out a small mental chuckle that echoed not uncomfortably so within the confines of the swordsman's head before sticking out one scarred but strong hand for Eric to obviously shake. How he knew that it was this man emitting out the telepathic pulses, he didn't know; he just did. What he didn't know, however, was why; if he could speak, why did he communicate like that, and to Eric of all people, who was a total stranger? Resisting the urge to shake his head, he instead reached out and shook the stranger's hand briefly before letting his hand drop back to the tray before him, which he'd assorted with a variety of not-so-healthy foods. Hey, it'd been a while since he'd indulged.

He didn't know, really, what to say to the telepath before him. The man had obviously attempted to break into Anglekos's private little bubble of silence with a joke, and he guessed he could appreciate that; it at least showed that the soldiers had a human side besides their own achievements. But now that the bubble was broken, the warrior didn't know what to say to the friendly stranger. Should he say hello? Should he make a joke of his own? Afraid to admit his social awkwardness, Eric merely poked at his food a bit with his fork, biting his lip.

It took him a while, but amongst those thoughts of his he finally gathered up the courage to speak out. His voice was soft, and scratched with lack of use, and he had to clear his throat a couple of times before he felt his words would even reach the man across the table from him, and not lost in the crowd's mass of sound about them. "Not...a bad one." However, he winced as even he felt the words slide clumsily from between his teeth, and he edged closer to the table and away from the milling bodies at his back. Seeking to fix his blundering words, he waved one silent hand in the air briefly before stapling a false smile to his face; a mask for his conversational partner to look upon. "However, I have to say, I've heard better."

[Silence Sei]

"Yes, perhaps not the best joke to start off with, but one I enjoy none the less." The mute spoke with a smile upon his lips. Many of the soldiers passed Sei with a slight nod in his direction, respecting the telepath's wishes of not wanting any special attention. He looked back to the warrior before him catching a quick glimpse of the patch on his clothing.

It was a dragon's skull with two crossed spears behind it in an X formation. Sei had ordered all of his Ixian Captains to come up with an insignia to show off which team a soldier primarily belonged to. This would stop altercations in the future if two different teams sharing a warrior had gone on missions at the same time. Sei recognized the Monster Hunting insignia of William Arcus easily, and smiled to his new found friend.

"I see you're one of William's guys, huh? He's a good man. Has he put the fear of the Thaynes in you yet? I remember Jerrick's first day, he nearly soiled himself when William growled at him for making a slip up. Now he's the man's second in command. It's amazing how far we come in such a short amount of time, wouldn't you agree?" As Sei asked the question, he began to realize that he was rambling. Shaking his head, he calmed his interrogation.

"My apologies, I haven't had the pleasure of meeting you yet. I'm Sei."

[Lord Anglekos]

The swordsman blinked in surprise, wondering briefly if the telepath before him could also read into his mind, before he saw the man's eyes glance to the new insignia upon his back; the one that marked him as a member of the Monster Hunting squad. Eric smiled slightly at the sight; despite not liking being marked differently, he did like however the fact that he at least belonged to something once again. Something organized, something that could benefit not only himself but those he did not know. Maybe, someday, he would go out there and do something great, but for now he was fine being stuck in the mediocre; restful in anonymity. Letting his thoughts drift away from his marking, he smiled somewhat lazily at the man who was getting so friendly with him, and noticed the way that some soldiers seemed to give him nods of acknowledgment. Well, he must be someone slightly important, at least... Eric thought to himself, pondering just who this "Sei" really was. ...But I guess it doesn't really matter. In the end, we're all just blades waiting for hands to wield us.

At that sobering thought he turned his gaze down to his food, where it still lay untouched. Realizing it would look strange if he didn't eat his food, despite his lack of appetite now, he reluctantly stabbed a piece of chicken with his fork and popped it into his mouth, chewing on it slowly before swallowing the dry meat down his throat. What he really wanted was something slightly alcoholic to drink; perhaps then he would feel more comfortable, once he'd gotten a couple drinks in. "I'm 'fraid to say I haven't had the pleasure of meeting this...'William' yet, so I don't really know what to say to that." Forcing a chuckle through his throat, he glanced over to the side of the table, expecting to see the redhead there, still eating her food intensely; however, he found it was to his chagrin when he saw she no longer occupied the end of the table. Eric, and this "Sei", were all alone. Trying not to let disappoint cloud his face, he covered it with another bite of chicken, chewing slowly as he pondered his own emotions briefly. Was he so lonely that he would seek out any female that crossed his path? Was he truly that desperate? Lifting his eyes, he saw Sei looking at him strangely, so he covered it with a small laugh and set his fork down with a resounding clatter, folding his fingers together in front of his face as he swallowed.

"It's been a while since anyone's said it's a 'pleasure' to meet me, Sei, but I suppose that if you say so, then it's true." He smiled briefly at the orange haired telepath. "Anyways, my name's Anglekos. Eric Anglekos, to be exact, but nobody ever calls me by my first name." Well, that was untrue, he thought to himself again, as Eros always called him by his first name. But, he felt that was a pleasure that only his real friends had, and hoped that this near stranger wouldn't try being all buddy-buddy now that he knew his name. He frowned as he noted his steel sword stuck between the leg of the table and the platform itself, and with a small jerk he tugged it out, checking it briefly to make sure the hairs upon it's hilt weren't damaged with the movement.

[Silence Sei]

Sei raised his eyebrow at the man, whom addressed himself as Eric Anglekos. Like the majority of the characters within William's Monster Hunting troupe, this man had his own eccentric quirks about him. Regardless, he seemed to be one of great potential. As Eric Anglekos looked over his sword, the mute couldn't help but notice the strand of hair wrapped around the blade.

The Obsessive Compulsive Disorder in the Mystic made him want to tug the strand away. Yet, Sei was sure if Eric saw it himself, he would pull it. He seemed to take great pride in how well kept his weapon was. Such a thing as a hair would not escape his view, surely.

So of course, the mute was taken aback when Anglekos stroked a single finger over the strand of hair. It seemed as though the thing had been purposefully placed around the sword, most likely by Eric himself. Sei was sure there was a story behind the hair and the blade, and he intended to get to the bottom of it. Taking his chocolate whipped toping cupcake, Sei placed it over on Eric's tray with a smile.

"I can't say I'm a fan of chocolate," the mute admitting, simply referring to his whipped toppings, and not the flavor in general, "It is yours if you'd like." The Mystic took one of the halves of his cut sandwich and brought it to his mouth. Sei's whole body seemed to warm up at the sensation of the toasted turkey, ham, and bacon mixed in with provolone cheese. TSN had remembered that the telepath did not like lettuce, and made a note to leave the green leaf off of the meal. He'd have to thank him later.

While chewing on the sandwich, Sei looked back to Eric. Though his mouth was busy with the food, he still talked, not thinking of how odd he must seem in doing so. "So, may I inquire as to the origin of your sword, particularly the hair?"

[Lord Anglekos]

With the chocolate-rich dessert placed upon his tray, the young swordsman gazed upon the delicious looking treat in surprise. Perhaps it was his own nature that made him so untrustworthy of others, and thus simple acts of kindness, such as this, made him both on edge and jumpy. Forcing his reactive nature down to the nagging depths from whence it came, he nodded at the telepath before him with an appreciative smile. "And I have to say that I absolutely love chocolate. So I thank you." Waving his fork over the rich dessert, he chuckled lightly as the orange haired man dove into his sandwich, almost moaning 'aloud' at the taste of the meat and cheese.

Glancing down at the cupcake momentarily, he pushed his shield and mythril sword off of the table and to the side, so that they didn't take up the entire space. Despite having 'heard' this Sei's unique telepathic ability, he was still surprised when the man's voice echoed within his head, despite the fact the man's mouth was filled with food. Even more surprising, however, was the nature of the man's question; regarding not his mythril weaponry but the simple steel blade at his side. Eric looked down at the object in question as his heart caught in his chest; not many would ask about such a simple weapon. And he wasn't sure if that tale was one he wanted to tell.

Swallowing down a lump in his throat, he feigned a casual smile that felt false even upon his own face. Stabbing his metal fork into the cake, he popped a piece of the chocolate dessert into his mouth and chewed on it for a few seconds, contemplating quietly. He didn't know the extent of this man's abilities, and no normal man would ask about a simple weapon like his own; his first guess was that Sei's telepathic abilities somehow caught a glimpse of his secrets, within the recesses of his mind. The feeling was frightening, and instantly put him on guard against the other's abilities. Close your mind, close your mind... He frantically told himself, trying to form a partition in his mind; just as he was taught. The man wasn't a magic user, he thought, but a psionicist; a natural user of the brain's enhanced abilities. So he didn't know if his technique would work or not, but it was worth a try. Testing out his theory, he mentally tried to send out a message; to see if the telepath's conduit to his brain went both ways. "I can't believe you don't like chocolate."

However, after he didn't get a response from the telepath, he mentally let out a breath of relief. Perhaps, he was wrong. Perhaps the man had just seen the blade, and for some odd reason questioned about the hair tied to it's hilt. Sticking to this theory for the time being, he reached down and brushed the hair with his fingertips, gathering mental strength. "There's not much to tell about either." He shrugged, still with that false smile upon his face. "Just a sword, and some hair."

[Silence Sei]

Sei looked at the facial cues of his new found friend. It seemed that the mute had struck a chord with his question. He hadn't meant to, it just seemed odd to have a string of hair attached to the hilt of one's sword. While Sei could have pried into Eric's mind and simply found what he had wanted, he was not the kind to pry into people's personal matters. So while Eric had sent his 'message' out to Sei, the mute had indeed picked it up (as it was specifically directed at him) but gave no indication that he had heard it.

Sei took another bite of his sandwich, a deafening silence falling over the two of them for a moment. Soon, an idea struck the Mystic, and he soon placed a single gold ring upon the table. A smile crept across his face as he looked at Eric's confused features.

"I named this after a friend. It's called the Rafanas, perhaps you have heard of Yari Rafanas? It possesses an ability that allows me more fortuitous gains during my ventures, but that's not all." Sei slipped the gold ring on and closed his eyes. When he did, a sharp spike of magical energies emitted from the top of the accessory. It was an odd weapon known as an emei piercer, made solely out of Sei's focused magical abilities. The mute twirled the weapon in his hand a few times before it retracted, and Sei slipped the ring back into his pocket.

He hoped opening up a little would make Eric more comfortable. Before he could put any more of his vast weaponry on display, Tobias Greenleaf soon sat beside the Mystic, a grin on her face.

"Heya Sei. Who's the fresh meat?" Tobias asked, blowing a few strands of her green hair behind her elven ear. The mute smiled to his friend and explained everything to Tobias, letting Eric hear every 'word' of the conversation.

"Well, that's nifty. I'm Tobias Greenleaf, I teach speed and agility courses for our slower members. Nice to meet you, Eric," The elf woman extended a hand, one full of confidence, and steady. It was like a man's hand shake rather than a usual dainty woman's handshake. "It seems you've been having quite the chat with our prestigious leader, huh?" Tobias laughed, not realizing she just revealed that Eric Anglekos had been talking to the head honcho, his boss, this entire time.

[Lord Anglekos]

Glancing from the elven woman to the man whom he now knew to be the "leader" of the Ixian Knights, he tried to keep the shock away from his face. He'd known that the man had been someone important, but the entire head of the Ixian Knights? He didn't know how much more of this he could take; it seemed that every turn brought with it another surprise, more information for him to face, to deal with. Even as the man had showed him his ring, the 'Rafanas' as he called it, Eric had watched the lithe weapon the accessory had protruded with little interest. He didn't know why the man would have bragged and boasted about his little item there, as this Sei had not struck him as that type of man, but before he could voice such a petite but energetic peridot-haired elf had bounced up to the two of them and inadvertently spilled the news that his conversational partner had just happened to forget to mention.

Anger rose up in the young swordsman's chest like flame, threatening to burn away his senses at being deceived. Quickly and silently, he cut it off at it's source, dousing the flame with cool logic. Staring in silence at the telepath, he figured that the man must have had his reasons, and whatever they were, they didn't seem harmful to the warrior. Besides, who was he to talk about hiding things? He was practically a professional at keeping secrets. He couldn't fault Sei for doing so without being a hypocrite.

The man didn't look like a leader of an organization dedicated to protecting the innocent from "evil". His spiky orange hair, tied back by his headband, made him seem more like an entertainer, despite the man's body that told the tale of his struggles. And his cheerful, almost playful demeanor only added to that appearance, in a disarming, and somewhat disturbing way. The only thing that Eric could think now was that he wouldn't want Sei as an opponent. Ever.

To keep from revealing his momentary surprise to the peppy, happy Knight trainer, he grinned somewhat disarmingly at her, his bright blue eyes glowing quietly in the dim cavern lit only by the torches upon the walls. "You could say that." He spoke to her, and he had to remind himself not to be flirtatious with the tomboyish elf as he took her hand and shook it, not entirely shocked at her tough grip. After all, she was too a warrior. Letting go after a couple of seconds, he nodded to Sei with a small smile that said everything and nothing all at once, before his eyes returned to Tobias. "Speed and agility, huh? I've never really had a problem with either of those, but that's just my own opinion." He shrugged lightly. "If Sei here or you think I need some training, I'd be happy to join up though."

[Silence Sei]

"Oh, no no no, nothing like that," Tobias said, shaking her head and her hands at the same time towards Anglekos, "I'm sure you're speedy enough. I was just introducing myself. Of course, if you just wanted to come by for a session and see what my lesons are all about, I could do that too. I also teach Tae Kwon Do, it's a form of fighting using your legs. I could go into more detail but---"

Tobias cut herself off form the conversation instantly once Sei lifted a hand to the girl. Standing up with a smile, Sei simply nodded to Anglekos. By avoiding the questioning about the hair, Sei could easily assumed that the gesture was a dedication to a loved one, and he would not delve further into it. Perhaps Anglekos would see how silly a thing it was himself and release the strand from his weapon. Sei was unsure if that would ever happen.

"I've lost plenty of loved ones in my life," Sei said, deciding to end their conversation here and go attend to other duties among his troops. "I do not remember them by small gestures, I remember them through dedications, and through my own actions. Perhaps that is something you should think about yourself. It was quite nice talking to you Anglekos, I look forward to more conversations with you." Sei nodded to the man and smiled once more before he went to go put his tray up.

Tobias blinked at Sei's words and looked back to Anglekos. It seemed that whatever the two had been talking about it, the elf's abrupt entrance had now ended it. There was only one real subject Sei had issues discussing in front of the green haired woman, perhaps because he knew of her feelings for him. "I assume that your talk was about Ryoki, then?" Tobias pried as she looked at Anglekos.

[Lord Anglekos]

Soon enough, Anglekos was left alone with only the company of the leader's parting words and the green-haired elven trainer, who had seemed just as confused as he'd been. For a brief moment, he quietly contemplated Sei's words. A loved one. He should have known that for all of the other's casual appearance and demeanor, the man would use his telepathic abilities to his advantage; or perhaps, Anglekos thought to himself as Tobias began to speak, he was indeed just being paranoid. The pale blue eyes darted down to the hilt at his side where the strands of blonde hair remained tied to the hilt, a constant reminder for over five years now of his failure. His failure to protect, to defend; all because he'd simply been too weak.

Glancing over to his newest companion, he examined her briefly before giving her a smile smile. Had to keep up appearances, after all. "Ryoki? No, he never mentioned anyone like that." Shaking his head, long raven hair tossing across his visage with the movement, he reached up and brushed it aside casually before leaning forward and having another bite of the cupcake that Sei had so graciously given to him. Chewing the delicious, soft chocolate cake slowly, he watched out of the corner of his eye with some small amusement as the energetic Tobias frowned in momentary frustration, her curiosity not sated with his brief answer. Swallowing slowly to prolong the moment, he set his fork down before he scratched his head and gave the elf a second once over.

She seemed easy going enough, and attractive. However, he didn't feel any real sort of connection between him and her, and that's all he really saw when he looked at her. Pretty, but not beautiful. Fun, but not enjoyable. Looking back down at his plate, he poked the cake with his fork, now picked up again, a couple of times. Bah... He thought to himself somewhat bitterly. Probably not a good idea, anyways, to get too close to your superior. Don't need any more drama.

Before Tobias could open her mouth and inquire any further about his and Sei's conversation, he spoke first, bringing up a topic that had momentarily interested him. "So." He forced a positive note into his throat. "This...art. You called it 'Tae Kwon Do'?" Looking over, he raised a black brow to physically signify his interest. "Tell me more, if you would."

She frowned visibly, obviously put off by his reluctance to discuss the conversation between Sei and himself, but within moments seemed to shrug it off and that peppy smile returned upon her sharp features. "I think it would be better if I showed you. Come on!" Laughing easily, she popped up from her seat and began walking swiftly away through the crowds in the mess hall. Eric raised an eyebrow at her retreating form, before he glanced longingly at the rest of his cupcake before sighing and pushing it away, grabbing his blade and shield before hurriedly jogging after the elf's retreating form.

He did, however, spare a glance in the direction that Sei had left, and he wondered truly just who the leader of the Ixian Knights was. Eric knew that he'd been bestowed with a truly rare moment, and he doubted that he would have such an opportunity later on. But for all his doubts, at least one thing could be confirmed as he muttered apologies and excuses as he pushed past the mass of people to try and make his way from the mess hall.

His career in the Ixian Knights was just beginning, and he didn't see it ending anytime soon.

No spoils requested.

[Zerith]

Sorrow’s End?

Hey there, guys. Sorry for the wait, I was planning on having this up a few days ago but I was distracted with getting to spend some time with my daughter. Though I doubt either of you want to hear about my weekend. So let’s get straight to what’s brought us all together, eh? Bring on the rubric!!

All in all, this thread was really fast paced tale of our dear friend Eric getting a bit more used to life with the Ixian Knights, encountering Sei Orlouge while the mute tries to be nice to the swordsman and tries to help resolves some possible issues of one of his newer recruits . I got the sense that this was more so about Eric’s development, and while there may have not been a substantial amount of ground being gained, I felt like you guys really achieved this objective on the end.

The one major thing I would have added would have been a little more explanation of how Eric exactly became a member of the Knights. A flashback of some form would have been a easy way to achieve this. As the thread seemed to start with him already in the order, and I had forgotten he was a member.

While the thread was a short, enjoyable read, I didn’t think it really pushed either of you in terms of your writing. While it’s awesome to just have fun and write for the hell of doing it, I couldn’t help but ask myself a few times, “just what are they wanting to get out of writing this?” I didn’t get the impression that either of you were trying to push your limits at telling a story. Instead, it seemed like you were both just trying to play it safe.

Like I said before, the thread was a good read. I just feel like it had quite a bit of potential to stand out a bit more.

Either way, Eric isn’t the only one looking forward to seeing how his time spent in the Ixian Knights turns out. You can add my name to that list.

As always, should either of you have any questions. Please feel free to send me a PM anytime.



STORY - 16

CHARACTER - 14

WRITING STYLE - 15

WILD CARD – 3

TOTAL SCORE – 48!!



Rewards:
Lord Anglekos receives 677 EXP and 86 GP!!
Silence Sei receives 1666 EXP and 72GP!!

[Silence Sei]

GP-Exp added.