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  1. #21
    Althanian

    EXP: 8,146, Level: 3
    Level completed: 79%, EXP required for next Level: 854
    Level completed: 79%,
    EXP required for next Level: 854


    Professor Charles's Avatar

    GP
    1,050

    Name
    Charles Rivers
    Location
    Corone
    “Surprise, I am back,” I drawled sarcastically.

    There was a burst of bright laughter. Hemera fabulously came to life at my elbow, slipping her arm in with mine. As I glanced around I saw we were in his small round table room, and those who had originally been part of his advisory court, plus another human now, and without Geras were here. It seemed I had suddenly been promoted to Morningstar's inner sanctum.

    “Everyone sit, including you,” Morningstar growled as he strode.

    I found I was forced along. It also seemed that he did not want to go through my extensive conversations of wanting to be seated again at his table of close allies, for he looked at Hemera apologetically before physically grabbing my upper arm. Pulling me hard he urged me to the seat beside his throne, then shoved me back into it. I rolled my eyes, but stayed where I was - then was somewhat forced to stay as he shoved the end of the chain into the wood of the chair. Like a knife through butter it merged into the wood, and I was stuck there.

    “I agreed to be part of your 'destroy Morté’ community, not your inner party,” I frowned at him, though I relaxed back.

    He entirely ignored me as he took his place. And the others took their seats too - Vitus, Marlina and the human to one side and Hemera and Nyx to that which I was on. Morningstar looked at all of us, giving a general sweep of his eyes before he began.

    “Firstly, there is a fact to share that I have been made privy to.”

    “Sir, are you … sure about him?” Vitus frowned, gesturing at me, “this is, after all, your council. Your advisory court during the trade agreements was, admittedly, connected to this rogue, but this … you do not trust him.”

    “Yes, hence the very reason he is bound,” Morningstar growled, “I trust his silence, and that he hates Morté more than myself. I trust he will remain true to my deal with him, and his use to me, but I do not trust him in my court, or to use his powers against me. This is my decision to have him here, not his, not anyone's. Any more objections?”

    “Yes,” I threw my glare at him. “Me.”

    “Your opinion does not matter in this subject, Char,” he threw a hand at me.

    “Of course not,” I slumped to the side, towards where my hands were bound, and crossed one leg over the other knee. My brows raised and I prepared to listen to him.

    “Formal introductions,” Morningstar said, and gestured elegantly at the human I had not met. “Grimsaine, also known as Sir Fellden of Corone, meet Charon De’Erebus, also known as Charles Rivers, my … elder brother. Primordial of Destruction.”

    “That is the first time I have ever heard you make mention of the fact,” I said, surprised, and looked at the human. “Pleasure, I'm sure Sir Fellden. He forgets to mention I also have empathic qualities, for understanding what should be destroyed.”

    “I … greetings, Mr De’Erebus,” he replied, in a tone that was not bitter or rough. My brow rose slightly as she gave me a curt nod, and suddenly I was aware I had a sympathiser, if not, a friend. He gave me a small smile.

    “Firstly, there is information you should all be aware of.” Morningstar spoke, defiantly. Looking over, we saw him sit up straight and regard us with sincerity. I raised my brow at him but remained silent, knowing I could not get out of this, however much I asked.

    “My … bride, Selena, knows of the circumstances. As far as the court knowledge is concerned, we are married. As far as this council goes, we are not. There will be no formal ceremony, no requirements for consummation. She has agreed to keep up all appearance of a marriage.”

    There was no reply, just small nods.

    “For the other circumstance surrounding her,” he set his hands, clasped, on the table before him. He looked to me. “Charon, perhaps you should say.”

    Eyes fell on me. I pursed my lips as I stared back at him, my chest rising and falling uncomfortably. He held my gaze steady as I did not speak, and let silence extend in the room. In all honesty I was just pissed off at him bringing me into this little club of his

    “Char …?” Nyx asked, confused. “What is going on?”

    Morningstar paused a little, letting there be time for me to speak. When I made no move to look away he began to open his mouth.

    “She-”

    “It turns out Selena is, after all, my biological daughter,” I said quietly.

    There were two distinctive gasps - one high and ecstatic, the other lower and shocked. My two sisters stared at me as I looked up at them from the table, the mixture of emotions upon my face showing the anxiety, concern, confusion and hope. Hemera, who was closest to me, leant over and placed a hand on my arm. She had to lean rather far as my hands were bound some distance away.

    “I have a niece,” she said with a beam.

    “We have a niece,” Nyx reminded her, and she smiled at me. “Congratulations, brother. Or … commiserations. It's a shock, I know. I am here to talk if you wish.”

    “Thank you,” I said, sincerely, to both of them.

    “With this in mind,” Morningstar continued, “Vitus, your concerns over my brother can be satiated a little, as he has a firmer reason to be here now.” He smiled elegantly, and I tightened my jaw, glaring at him once more.

    My good mood was killed in a matter of seconds.

    “Just to confirm,” he said carefully. “Charon
    is staying, whether anyone likes it or not. Yes, it will be the first time I have ever had an individual who has not sworn loyalty to me on my small council, but neither have I had an individual so useful to me.”

    My brows were high with surprise. It was a compliment and a fact I did not care for. Therefore I felt a great many things about it. I began to murmur. “Morningstar …”

    “Back to business,” he leant forwards again. “It has come to light that Morté does not know about the impending apocalypse.”

    The reaction I had been expecting came. Various gasps came, as well as wide eyes. I watched their reactions, assessing them carefully, and was not surprised to find most of them were shocked. Nyx was more quietly considering than anything and her eyes came to rest on me.

    “Of course, there we have the advantage, as I began my own research into the prophecies some time ago, and the Morai, the three women of fate, happen to be my siblings with whom I had an understanding with, and was watching with care. Now, when they disappeared I had happened upon Charon and was keeping him, first as simply an interest, but now … we will get to him. Firstly,” he eyed the three advisors, the two elves and the human, then our two sisters, and deliberately left out me, “all of you will not speak of the apocalypse or of what research is being done, without careful consideration. I placed into the deal a note of information exchange specifically about impending doom, and so there is no reason to tell Morté."

    There was no answer. All of them simply blinked back, taking his word as command, and not needing to wait for him to ask them to do so.

    After a moment of silence he grunted, and waved a hand at me. “Charon,” he said.

    I paused, and raised my brow. “What?”

    “Tell them what you have discovered. What you have researched about the apocalypse, and the Calamity.”

    “How - how much?” I asked, with a small smile, “there's a lot of it, if you want me to go into the various theories, the histories, the social impacts, the scientific outcomes, the-”

    “Just the basics,” Morningstar interrupted, sharply. “What you have explained to me.”

    My eyes danced over him, studying his resolute and proud expression, before I pulled in my breath. I leant back, turning to the crowd before me and starting as I would a lecture.

    “Five millennia ago, the Great Calamity claimed much of our world. It destroyed much of what we know, most specifically the Old Gods, whom we were created to serve.”

    “So the stories go,” Morningstar commented.

    I shook my head at him. “No, Morn. So they state. I was one of the first to come out of Khaos, alongside Hypnos and Eros. We were given very direct instructions from Erebus himself.”

    Morningstar scowled, looked away from me and flourished his hand. I sighed, and continued. “The first civilisations blossomed, inclusive of the Neanderthals, the Svek-kal, the Marshpeople - but when the Calamity came they all were wiped from existence, alongside their gods who loved them dearly.” I paused, threading my fingers together. “Few remember it, but I have recently discovered that there were prophecies before it. The Svek-kal, a tribe from what is now northern Raiaera have friezes showing them dreaming of the end of the world, being guided on how to avoid it, and then surviving it. I found they went north, and am still trying to find their descendants.” I paused, and looked at Morningstar. “I need time for a trip to Salvar soon by the way. And some for the Raiaera forest. And another one south, into Tular.”

    “Char,” he snapped.

    “Anyway,” I continued to my captive audience. “From their findings, and my own readings, I found they were warned of two things - fire from the sky and water from below. For those of us who remember the Great Calamity …”

    “Ash,” Hemera blinked. “Lots of it. Like black rain.”

    “Falling flames, and rocks,” Nyx nodded. “It destroyed buildings with one pebble-sized hailstone, that was not a hailstone.”

    “Exactly,” I grunted, “and lots of violence, war because of it, anger. Possibly you hid, but truly no one had any idea what was going on because the Old Gods we served were gone …”

    I breathed out and aimed the simple action of running a hand through my hair automatically in stress. I had forgotten the state I was in though, and ended up pulling on the chain. There was a fair bell sound that filled the air and I seethed as the power within my body began to protest loudly. Growling, I caused awkwardness to fill the room as I yanked hard on the chain, causing the wood to scream and begin to splinter as I forced more give.

    “Charon …” Morningstar warned.

    “Oh fuck off,” I scowled. “I just want more give. It's-” I broke off and gave up, adjusting my seat to deal with what I had. “Anyway. The Old Gods went, leaving the Thayne to rise up, and after them other pantheons and so on. But it seemed that people forgot about the fact that there were some cultures that had forewarning of the Calamity and acted on it. They knew what was coming and when, they knew what to do when it did. They, supposedly, survived, even as it reached through some gaps of the hells and touched Hadia.”

    I nodded my head at Morningstar, “with his insistence, I have been following up on the old and the new. The new prophecies seem to be closely identical to the old, suggesting that the same thing will happen. So far I know is that a massive meteor, or comet will pass overhead, and either could fall or pass us by. What is definite to happen, however, is the world's largest super eruption that has been seen in years. 'Nyotamkia.’”

    “Meaning …” Morningstar impatiently said.

    “Volcano,” I replied. “And two days I figured out where it will erupt.”

    His lips parted. He sat up immediately, staring. “Where?”

    “Morningstar, before you go on, I need to make these journeys. They could be vital in the survival of many people.”

    “Where, Char?”

    I twisted away from him and focused in the centre of the table, where all waited on me with baited breath.

    “Lornius,” I quietly said.
    Last edited by Philomel; 08-03-2018 at 12:09 AM.

  2. #22
    Althanian

    EXP: 8,146, Level: 3
    Level completed: 79%, EXP required for next Level: 854
    Level completed: 79%,
    EXP required for next Level: 854


    Professor Charles's Avatar

    GP
    1,050

    Name
    Charles Rivers
    Location
    Corone
    “You see why I have to keep him,” Morningstar was muttering in the corner, facing Vitus, Marlina and Grimsaine. I could hear him perfectly, and he was making only the most limited attempt to talk quietly.

    “Of course, my lord,” Grimsaine replied, softly, eyes on me, “he could be what saves us all.”

    “Though I still disagree with the decision I bring him into your small council, sir,” Vitus murmured, “You are correct. He is one particular being you cannot let out of your hold.”

    I leant back, staring at the finely patterned, white washed and chandeliered ceiling. Still, I was attached to the thrice-damned chair, and after my exploit Morningstar had dug the chains harder in, so that there was no give at all, just the manacles and the side of the seat. With my legs up on the table I gazed upwards, breathing slowly and counting the seconds go for the time by that we had said we would be back for Selena. So far we were at an hour and fourteen minutes.

    “All you said was true?” Hemera whispered.

    Glancing down I saw her, fingers wrapped around a mug of tea. She was on the edge of her seat, eyes wide in her pretty features. For a moment I paused, hearing Morningstar respond to his more mortal advisors before I answered her.

    “Yes, I am sorry to say I believe it is,” I nodded, “I'm not sure when still, or where the best place to go is, but I believe my research trips will allow that.”

    Hemera pursed her lips, before nodding. “I'll persuade Lord Morningstar that they should,” she smiled. “Nyx and I will.”

    “I want to get out of here,” I grumbled. “Get back home.”

    She smiled slightly, “brother, you're smarter than all of us. You could be the single most important thing that has ever happened to any of us. We could survive an apocalypse because of you … why do you think brother is so passionate about keeping you around?”

    “Because of my charming good looks and my excellent sense of humour,” I grinned.

    She laughed, “I missed you, brother.”

    The last time I had seen her was one my rare exploits out of the underworld of Rahl and into the mortal realms. I had seen her, Nyx and some others, at an impromptu family gathering in a secretive moment Sephora had managed to give me. I had seen Morningstar then as well, but only the back of him, before he moved away and I had had to go, back to my cruelty of a life.

    “Where do you live now, on the mortal realm?” I asked.

    She smiled. “Not too far away from you actually. Eluceliniel - Nyx and I share a home and manage a few operations within the city for Morningstar. We keep his favour within the court.”

    My brows rose as I looked from her to Nyx. My other sister was staring into a glass of wine. When drinks had been offered I politely refused, privately deciding so on grounds that I would look like an idiot, with my hands bound as they were.

    “Nyx?” I asked, “you alright?”

    She glanced up. “Hmm? Oh,” she stared at me, then shook herself. “Yes, I am fine. Sorry brother.”

    “You were staring into space.”

    “Oh,” she paused. “I was thinking about Geras actually.”

    I glanced back over to Morningstar, who was still talking, although lower now, and staring at me. My eyebrow raised at him, and he paused in his speech, before looking away.

    “Geras is strong,” I commented.

    Hemera nodded, agreeing. “He is indeed, he'll be fine, Nyx.”

    “Do we know anything about his intended … what was her name?”

    Keeping my eyes still on Morningstar's conversation, I paused. “Brigette. I …” smiling, I realised I could do something, “I can ask Selena about her.”

    Hemera and Nyx began to agree, with small gasps. “Oh that would be a good idea …”

    My concentration though had drifted to the other conversation. “Sir, it would be beneficial simply keeping him here, permanently,” Virus was leaning in, speaking in a low voice. “Forget the other work he does.”

    “Indeed, sir. He refuses to serve, he refuses to serve. Take back his powers, control him, use him.”

    My jaw tightened, heart beginning to thump hard. The magic within me, so long not in my body began to writhe, angry and violent. Swirling at my heart it hissed and growled, telling me that it would not go without a fight. I would not be a slave again.

    Morningstar looked over at me with a thoughtful expression. “It is … possible.”

    “Fuck this,” I hissed, and I pulled down my feet from the table, letting them land on the floor with a solid thump. I had made a deal with him - my power, and my freedom for teaching, in exchange for helping him. For saving his stupid world, and his idiotic ass.

    “Brother …” Hemera said, shocked, her eyes widening.

    “I'm fucking going home,” I spat, my hands twisting into fists, “before anyone else controls me. I'm not a fucking puppet and-”

    My anger came in a brilliant wave. Rising from my core it responded to my intense, sudden desire it flooded my system, yelling out to me as two lovers long lost, not reunited. Indeed, it had been within me already for some weeks, and I had called onto it when calm, but now my fury summoned it instead of my will. Unexpectedly it rose, the fine black darkness from which I was born, denied to me fully for a thousand years. First, Morté had taken a little. Then, more, and finally he had used his wretches to steal every core of divinity from me until not even my strange empathy, nor my strength. I had been so weak, so invalid, and it had taken me years - years! - to learn how to cope. But now …

    Now, I had more power than I had needed. Destruction indeed - unbidden, in a storm of power, it rose to my palms. BOOM! It exploded into life, small black pebbles of magical energy. My eyes widened as I said or willed nothing, and it fled right towards the source of my current anxiety - the restraints.

    The sound of chairs rapidly scraping away came from beside me as the magic slid underneath them, going into a liquid state. A second passed. Then there was a SMASH as the unbreakable manacles suddenly burst into a thousand pieces.

    “What the-”

    I was as much aghast as the rest of them. My heart pounded as I stood there, watching the smashed pieces fall to the ground, and then begin to disintegrate as they did. Fine metal dust floated upwards as I looked down to see still rivulets of fine, black, crackling energy that looked like it opened to a good encircling my wrists - just where the manacles had been. It was blinking out of existence, its purpose spent, as all my magic did. I left out a slow breath, my lips parting, and more importantly it seems, my anger subsiding.

    I reached for my magic. It came to me this time at will, bursting out my palms in energy surges. It folded and condescended from my pores, and zoomed into one small ball that landed into my right palm.

    The same wrist was caught. Partly I was dragged as he yanked me away from the table, then pulled me around to face him. As shocked as I was he stared at the small, slowly rotating ball of energy at my palm, happily doing nothing.

    “That should not have happened …” he murmured.

    Folding my fingers around the energy I quickly yanked my hand out of his hold. The rest of the room was dead silent, I was not going to be. On his right palm, I knew, was a feature that looked like a wound. Through it he could steal people's life source, energy and magic, store it for his own use, or give it to others. It was what he had used to at first give me back my abilities. Give me back this oddity that had just struck.

    “Char!” he barked.

    I glared at him, “I don't know what the fuck just happened, to start. Secondly, you are not taking it from me, I've been too long without it.”

    “It's never … done that before?”

    I ran my tongue over my lips briefly, and then admittedly shook my head. “No. I was furious, and it just dealt with the matter at hand. Maybe you shouldn't talk so openly about going back on our deals and enslaving me again, like he did.”

    “Brother-”

    “No. And this time, Morningstar, I'm actually going to defend myself.” I seethed into his face. “You want me to save your multitude of little kingdoms. Fine. I will, but not as you slave. Currently I'd rather die than be what I was. Which was nothing.”

    Morningstar's lips pursed as he considered me. Slowly he breathed as around us the world was frozen, a framed painting, a view of one scene of time. I kept the ball of energy in my palm, ready to literally aim it at myself. Even though I'd be awake again in six hours, and in that time he'd be able to do what he wanted, he knew he would have the most reluctant part of me than has ever been.

    No more Charon used to being a prisoner. I would be cold, silent, frigid.

    “Everyone leave the room,” he said quietly.

    “But my lord …”

    “Just do it, Vitus,” he barked. “He cannot kill me. I am far more powerful still than he.”

    Of that I had no doubt. Steadily, I kept my eyes on him, and him on mine. We heard shuffling of feet, scraping of chairs. A gentle hand touched both of our arms and Hemera simply said:

    “You're both my brothers.”

  3. #23
    Althanian

    EXP: 8,146, Level: 3
    Level completed: 79%, EXP required for next Level: 854
    Level completed: 79%,
    EXP required for next Level: 854


    Professor Charles's Avatar

    GP
    1,050

    Name
    Charles Rivers
    Location
    Corone
    “So,” he said quietly.

    I sucked in my breath and turned my eyes away from him. Sliding back a foot I twisted, and began to take a few slow paces away, my hand still an upturned fist.

    “Charon, I cannot let you just … be around my halls as you are. These are my people I need to protect.”

    “Protect them from me?!” I replied, aghast. “Morn, you certainly don't know me if you think I would hurt them.”

    He paused. “Well, I was not sure of your personality anymore when I first found you again. You could have been a mass murderer waiting to happen.”

    “Oh it's been tempting, believe me. You're a real dickhead.”

    “And since then I have been in your company several times when you have your powers and you have never used them on me,” he was watching me carefully.

    I frowned at him, and shrugged. “No. Why would I?”

    “To be rid of me. To be free once more.”

    “Morningstar the whole empathy thing you don't get … I don't destroy just for the sake of it. My whole purpose was to destroy only what needed to be,” I glanced at my hand still before me. “Like Morté. Damn him being here. I could have ended hiim.”

    “You would have failed and pulled us into an unstoppable war,” Morningstar growled. Then he gestured at my hand. “Tell me exactly what happened.”

    I was silent for a moment before I unfolded my fingers. There lay the globe of power still, small and unmoving, resting into my palm. Frowning a little at it I bent my palm upwards, watching as it stayed, even when the gradient when allow it to roll, were it anything but a ball of energy.

    “Charon.”

    “Anger. I was angry,” I replied, furrowing my brow as I then willed the ball to rise into the air, and it did. Then it stopped exactly when I said. I removed my hand and it hung there in the air, like a globe of black light. I looked back over to him and saw immense discomfort with his body and his face, so I plucked it from the air.

    Turning around to him I folded my arms, the ball still in my clasp. “When your pet Vitus-”

    “He's not a pet, and I would ask you not to call him such.”

    “When the elf started speaking about taking my power away, reducing me down to nothing, taking away my job, anger built. Everything we had agreed on so far - I was furious. And my anger was directed mainly at what was frustrating me at the time - those lovely little manacles you like to have me in and …” I huffed and unfolded my arms to look at the ball again. “Apparently she has a will of her own when my emotions are high.”

    “'She’?” he quoted.

    “Well she has a personality now, so,” I stared at her and then looked over at a remaining cup on the great round table. It was metal, seemed to be empty. Twisting my body around to it I paused, before looking at Morningstar. “I'm just aiming for the cup.”

    He narrowed his eyes but stepped back. “So your volatile emotions can now affect your power to the point that it can be outwith your control.”

    “She's still within my control,” I said, knowing immediately for it to be true. I looked at the cup, and then willed the globe of dark energy to fire from my palm. No sooner had I summoned the thought that it flew out, noiseless and dark, like an arrow from a bow. It collided with the cup and there was a shattering sound as the metal exploded.

    I turned back to him as the cup was utterly destroyed, hunks of metal, not burnt or metal, just broken lying on the ground. “I wanted to go home. There was something stopping me. My magic reacted to that, to my desires, because some idiots were saying that they wanted to ruin my life all over again.”

    “Ruin your life?” he asked slowly.

    “Take away what power I have just gained back. Take away every freedom I've worked for.”

    Morningstar folded his arms. “I could still keep you here as a prisoner.”

    “But as a slave? Because that's where this is going now, Morn. That is what I will be to you,” I glared at him, pointed at him. “Isn't that one of your 'core laws’. No slavery?”

    His lips pursed. “It … is.”

    “Yet you want me to still work for you?!” I shook my head, “you're exasperating, and a megalomaniac, only wanting power for yourself.”

    “Power in the correct hands, is the term I believe I use …”

    “As in, mostly yours.”

    “Well someone has to oversee it.” He joked but he was still wary of me, and about what apparently I could now do. Perhaps his manacles had simply not been tough enough - but then after what had happened once in my office when I had easily snapped a chain, I was sure he would have made adjustments. It had been successful thus far.

    “I do not trust you,” he said, matter of factly.

    “Yet you trust what comes out of my mouth, my research. It's -” I broke off and shook my head, knowing that anything could happen now. He could kill me, still, on the spot, even with my apparent new application to my powers. That way he could see what had gone wrong, take the ability from me, throw me in that cell, cause my entire life I had built to fall apart once again.

    I breathed out, looking down with confusion and loss at my hands. I had become a father today, and I had discovered something new in my powers I had never experienced before. Why now? Was it because she and I had been reconnected? Was it a development, a change instigated by Morningstar's strange ways? A mutation perhaps, that had occurred over time, or an adaptation to suit what life I now lived. Being the man who would never bow his head to anyone ever again.

    “It seems we need to construct a new deal,” he said quietly.

    “Right now, Morningstar,” I looked at him, “I want to go and spend time with my daughter. I've given you all the information I have so far regarding my research - the trips I told you of may bring me more.”

    His lips pursed. “When are you going?”

    “In two, maybe three weeks,” I shrugged. “Raiaera first. Then I might head north from there, there's a ruin of a temple, possibly connected to Jomil.”

    “I might need you,” he said slowly.

    “Then come get me politely,” I shrugged, staring at him. “I'll work with you, Morningstar, not for you.” Slightly I smiled, “being your farcical father in law earns me some respect.”

    He watched me for a moment, then moved his hand. Out of his pocket he pulled a piece of white quartz, “this will get you home. Not back, however. I'm not giving you the location of this court.”

    “Yet,” I replied.

    I waited until he held it out, a smile on my lips. My brother looked at me, uncertain, for the first time in his recent existence being encouraged to construct a relationship where he could not be a dictator. One that was mutually beneficial.

    When the quartz was close enough to me I reached for it, and smiled briefly to him. “You have your spies anyway around me. That Sandoran Adar for one.”

    “Do I have your word you won't go making alliances with others,” he said, holding onto the tail end of the white stone. I tried to pull it from his fingers, but his hold was tight on it. “You won't tell anyone of your research.”

    “I will be careful of whom I speak about it with, if that is what you mean,” I replied. “But we are talking of the literal apocalypse here.”

    “Yes, and when we have enough information, I will be the one to lead an exodus to safety.”

    I shrugged. “Sure. Fine. You can play god, as per the terms of our original agreement.”

    “And …”

    “And, I won't work with anyone else. Alright?” With that final word he allowed me to wrench the quartz finally from him and I balanced it in my hand, waiting for his final reply.

    “Good,” he told me. “If I find out you did …”

    “Then I'll spend eternity in your dungeon. I know,” and I curled my fingers around the stone. I poured into it my will, and I was transported away from that place.

    I landed in my kitchen, to the scent of sweets and the sound of a boiling kettle. In a small flash of light I appeared, and I heard a small gasp, then saw a figure. She came to about my shoulder, and had silky, long black hair. Pale horns, similar to mine, curled back and slightly upward to the ceiling

    “You're back,” she murmured.

    Breath rushed out of my lungs. Shaking myself I looked around the kitchen, assessing the stove, the heavy clay sink, and the cupboards. Beyond that was my living room with its many books, the reading chair and where Morningstar had taken me. Where I had begun the short section of this chapter.

    “Yes,” I grunted.

    “Are you … okay?”

    I paused for a moment, and took in a breath. After all she had last seen me being led away in chains.

    “I'm fine. I … discovered new things. He took me to his small council, which was different.”

    I looked at her, wondering if I should enlighten her about the impending apocalypse. If Morté had known nothing, then it was likely she did also. Naturally, I would protect her come what may, even if that meant never telling her what was going on. In some ways I agreed with my brother's decision to keep the truth of the apocalypse from the masses - what I was discovering, after all, was based on the Calamity, and prophecies that were loosely worded at best. Interpretation of them was a whole art in itself, an one wrong word could mean an entire city destroyed. I had to be certain to avoid mass panic, and keen before I made any rash decisions. Slowly I breathed, and I looked away, my eyes moving to the kettle as I watched it come to the full boil.

    “I was wondering while you were … indisposed.”

    “Mmm?” I grunted, reaching for mugs.

    “Can I …” she smiled slightly. “Can I move in?”

  4. #24
    upon the cheek of night

    EXP: 224,444, Level: 20
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    Breaker's Avatar

    GP
    38,725

    Name
    Joshua Breaker Cronen
    Age
    30
    Race
    Demigod
    Gender
    Male
    Location
    Corone
    Thread Title: How To Process Emotions When Faced With Your Worst Enemy
    Type: Basic Rewards

    Professor Charles receives 2100 EXP and 300 GP

    Congratulations!
    "The breeze did not stir. The stars did not twinkle. The trees did not sway and the brook did not babble.
    For the world did not turn when Am'aleh wept, and a tear had tumbled down her cheek."


  5. #25
    upon the cheek of night

    EXP: 224,444, Level: 20
    Level completed: 0%, EXP required for next Level: 0
    Level completed: 0%,
    EXP required for next Level: 0


    Breaker's Avatar

    GP
    38,725

    Name
    Joshua Breaker Cronen
    Age
    30
    Race
    Demigod
    Gender
    Male
    Location
    Corone
    Rewards added.

    Professor Charles reaches Level 2!
    "The breeze did not stir. The stars did not twinkle. The trees did not sway and the brook did not babble.
    For the world did not turn when Am'aleh wept, and a tear had tumbled down her cheek."


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