The Forge

[I think I am here. he/him]

23 hours ago, Sorana said:

“Are you alright? What happened to protect the people? Call a flaming bird to safe us all?"

“I’m fine,” Alask replied.

“All the people who need protecting, at least from this area, have been evacuated. I guess we can evacuate too, but when we discussed it earlier it wasn’t in favour. And now,” he shrugged. “PlasmaCore has fallen, thanks to us. And the guilds will take care of the invaders, as much as I’d like the Ambition to stop those guys too. Like the Ambition it took to think about using the Phoenix.”

He took another bite.

“I think we’ve done great work.”

[+Sorana she/her]

4 hours ago, I think I am here. said:

He took another bite.

“I think we’ve done great work.”

Lena continued to repair the bear and looked up now and then. It was good that he ate now.

"I never thought, you'd be happy that I poisoned someone."

She started to hum and held the bear up. The arm held. It wasn't exactly pretty, but it held for now. Mart took the bear happily and she smiled at him, watch him clutch the bear.

"I need a new place for him to stay. I doubt the school will reopen soon. Maybe I can find another one."

[I think I am here. he/him]

On 28/07/2019 at 2:40 AM, Sorana said:

“I need a new place for him to stay. I doubt the school will reopen soon. Maybe I can find another one."

“He can stay here,” Alask said.

“There are mattresses I can get out, Laonin kept spares for refugees.”

Laonin. Alask found himself thinking of the wise man for the first time in a while. Why would he think of this? Alask thought about it, and noticed he was thinking of himself as different from being just another pupil. He was a successor.

Laonin had left them, and now it was for Alask to bring back the Forge, with or without anyone’s help. The Ambition fueled him, and Shez hummed a little in worry.

[+Sorana she/her]

1 hour ago, I think I am here. said:

“He can stay here,” Alask said.

“There are mattresses I can get out, Laonin kept spares for refugees.”

Laonin. Alask found himself thinking of the wise man for the first time in a while. Why would he think of this? Alask thought about it, and noticed he was thinking of himself as different from being just another pupil. He was a successor.

Laonin had left them, and now it was for Alask to bring back the Forge, with or without anyone’s help. The Ambition fueled him, and Shez hummed a little in worry.

Lena nodded.

"Stay here as in, sleep here for a few nights, or as in, stay here permanentely?"

She asked directly and looked at him curiously.

[I think I am here. he/him]

On 29/07/2019 at 11:40 PM, Sorana said:

Lena nodded.

"Stay here as in, sleep here for a few nights, or as in, stay here permanentely?"

She asked directly and looked at him curiously.

“However long you need,” Alask said, looking at Mart. He wasn’t a super large child, he wouldn’t drain away any resources of the Forge. His eyes wandered to the shopping supplies that had been gotten and he smiled.

“We have enough for all of us. Would he be willing to help out with a few chores here and there?” he looked to Mart with a soft expression. “Nothing too strenuous.”

[+Sorana she/her]

18 hours ago, I think I am here. said:

“However long you need,” Alask said, looking at Mart. He wasn’t a super large child, he wouldn’t drain away any resources of the Forge. His eyes wandered to the shopping supplies that had been gotten and he smiled.

“We have enough for all of us. Would he be willing to help out with a few chores here and there?” he looked to Mart with a soft expression. “Nothing too strenuous.”

"That is up to him."

She looked at Mart who was playing with his bear, taco smeared over his face. With a smile she wiped his face clean. She doubted that a five-year old could help in any way but messing up the place, but in the end she didn't really care. As long as he had a place to stay, she was fine with him doing something.

Mart tilted his head to the side.

"Will you tell me stories?"

[I think I am here. he/him]

On 01/08/2019 at 0:11 PM, Sorana said:

Mart tilted his head to the side.

"Will you tell me stories?"

“I like this boy,” Shez said.

Alask smiled. He didn’t know many stories, but he could try.

“Sure,” he said. “What type of stories do you like?”

[+Sorana she/her]

2 minutes ago, I think I am here. said:

“I like this boy,” Shez said.

Alask smiled. He didn’t know many stories, but he could try.

“Sure,” he said. “What type of stories do you like?”

"Stories of heros."

Mart nodded earnestly, then he took his bear and walked over to Alask, held out his free arm as a sign to be lifted up.

"My mum knows great stories."

Lena saw Alask smile, and so she got up, busied hereslf with cleaning the table. She'd wanted to cook something else. It was late, Mart should probably sleep soon, and she was hungry. And she needed to replenish her bag. The rain and the storm had most likely destroyed lots of its contents. Careful to keep the bottles out of Mart's reach she continued to sort through her bag, threw away what she couldn't use anymore. Some of the pulvers were wet, and she'd broken one of the bottles. With a sigh she washed her hand then put on gloves. Taking her time she cleaned the bag, then the bottles and made a list of what she would have to make, of the ingredients she needed. Humming to herself she smiled when she realized that she needed a lot, that she'd only had some basic substances left. Most of them more or less harmless. A high LD 50, or they needed a long time till the subject was dead.

[I think I am here. he/him]

17 minutes ago, Sorana said:

“Stories of heros."

Mart nodded earnestly, then he took his bear and walked over to Alask, held out his free arm as a sign to be lifted up.

"My mum knows great stories."

“I’m sure,” Alask said and lifted him up. He’d heard some of Lena’s stories himself, when he hadn’t been able to control Shez.

Control. It seemed that when him and Shez had been one, had been synced, it hadn’t been control so much as cooperation. Maybe the key was not viewing Shez as a savage creature, but as a being Alask could talk with, negotiate with.

“I know a couple of stories,” Alask said, looking at the bear. “Maybe not as many as your mum, but a couple.”

[+Sorana she/her]

32 minutes ago, I think I am here. said:

“I know a couple of stories,” Alask said, looking at the bear. “Maybe not as many as your mum, but a couple.”

"That's Toni."

Mart smiled brightly and held up the bear when he saw Alask looking at it.

"And he loves stories as well. Almost as much as I do. But he prefers horror stories, and I'm always afraid when it comes to horror. That's why I like those about heroes better."

He cuddled against Alask and looked at him expectantly.

[I think I am here. he/him]

15 minutes ago, Sorana said:

He cuddled against Alask and looked at him expectantly.

Alask nodded. Cute kid. He had his mother’s hair, that was for sure.

“I can tell you a story that’s both horror and about heroes,” Alask said.

“Not scary, I promise. And you both will like it. You and Toni.”

Shez rumbled.

“Do you think he has a bond with the bear? Like we do?”

No, Shez, Alask said. He’s just a kid. Kids like talking to stuffed animals.

He could sense Shez’s confusion.

[+Sorana she/her]

11 minutes ago, I think I am here. said:

“Not scary, I promise. And you both will like it. You and Toni.”

Mart nodded.

"If it's not scary."

He strightened and waved over at Lena, who was still writing her list, the contents of her bag scattered all over the kitchen.

"You have to come here and listen."

He told her and Lena laughed, but grabbed two apples and walked over to them. Smiling she caressed Mart's head, then settled on a stool next to Alask, offered him an apple.

"We're listening."

[I think I am here. he/him]

13 minutes ago, Sorana said:

“We're listening."

Alask accepted the apple with a grateful nod and looked to Mart.

“It begins with a little boy, who lived in a small town. His name was...” Alask quickly tried to think of something.

“Tom. Tom was a curious boy, and the town he lived in was next to a big, dark forest. A very scary forest. Tom would ask his parents ‘what is in the forest?’ And his mum and dad would answer: ‘Very bad things, Tom. Never ever, under any means go into the forest.’

“Tom understood. When he was a little bit older, he asked the priest: ‘priest, what is in that forest?’. The priest looked at Tom and told him: ‘Very bad and unholy things, Tom. Never ever, under any means go into the forest.’

“Tom nodded, because he had his answer. Then, when he was a little older and a young man, he went to the librarian. He was still a curious young man, and he asked the librarian: ‘librarian, what is in the forest?’ And the librarian, she gasped and told Tom: ‘Very bad, unholy and scary things, Tom. Never ever, under any means go into the forest.’”

Alask took a break by biting into his apple.

[+Sorana she/her]

"He goes into the forst?"

Mart asked excitedly.

"They always go into the forest."

His hands clutched his bear tighter, suddenly his voice broke and he pressed himself against Alask's body.

"But he won't die? Not like Mercy?"

[I think I am here. he/him]

3 hours ago, Sorana said:

His hands clutched his bear tighter, suddenly his voice broke and he pressed himself against Alask's body.

"But he won't die? Not like Mercy?"

Alask didn’t know who Mercy was. He looked to Lena.

“...no,” he said.

“But one day, just like you predicted, Tom went into the forest anyway. He was curious, and he wanted to see what was in the forest himself, because he was brave. So he walked, through the bushes, and through the tress, and he toiled on his hike until, finally he met the monster that haunted the woods. Everyone he had talked to was right, it was bad, it was unholy, and it was scary.”

Playfully Alask growled and clawed his freehand as if he was a monster, to really get the point across.

[+Sorana she/her]

Lena mouthed, 'was killed today' when she Alask's questioning glance. She'd seen the corpse of the girl somewhere in the entry hall of the school. She reached over for Mart, but he seemed fine for now, looked at Alask with wide eyes. That was good she guessed. She took a bit of her own apple, but left her hand on Mart's shoulder.

"Thanks."

She said quietly to Alask and waited for him to go on with his story.

[I think I am here. he/him]

2 hours ago, Sorana said:

"Thanks."

She said quietly to Alask and waited for him to go on with his story.

Oh, so Mercy was a real person. With new sympathy Alask looked at Mart. No child should have had to see something like that.

He answered her thank you with his eyes and continued the story:

“So Tom brought out his sword, and the monster brought out its big, bad claws, and the two began circling each other in epic combat.

“Tom would strike with his powerful sword and say: ‘You cause my village to live in fear!’

“And the monster would say: ‘Most of your village have never even met me but still keep sending people to kill me!’

“And as they continued to talk and fight Tom realised that the monster was making sense. That his village had just assumed the monster was evil and never allowed anyone to go there.”

[+Sorana she/her]

44 minutes ago, I think I am here. said:

“And as they continued to talk and fight Tom realised that the monster was making sense. That his village had just assumed the monster was evil and never allowed anyone to go there.”

"But the monster survives?"

Mart asked, all concern regarding Tom forgotten.

"If it's not evil it has to survive. Not like those, like those, like the ..."

He started to cry quietly, muffled his sobs with his bear, still clinging to Alask.

Apologetically Lena looked over to Alask but let Mart stay where he was. No need to hurl him around needlessly.

"I can take him?"

She offered.

Edited August 18, 2019 by Sorana

[I think I am here. he/him]

14 hours ago, Sorana said:

“I can take him?"

She offered.

“It’s fine,” Alask said, looking down at Mart. Poor kid. He put a hand on his shoulder comfortingly. The monster had to survive. Quickly Alask tried to rework the story.

“Yes, the monster survives.

“After a while Tom and the monster stopped fighting, realising each other’s differences. The monster could help expand the knowledge of the village, of what lay beyond those walls, and Tom could bring apples and foods to the monster, so it wouldn’t starve. Together, the monster and Tom worked together.

“After a couple of years, the village people asked Tom: ‘We see you leave the village with apples, and come back with knowledge of the outside world. What happened?’ And Tom would smile and the monster would come with him. The village was amazed, they had judged the monster purely on his looks, and hadn’t realised that a hero’s greatest strength was not always his sword, but also his companionship and empathy. The end.”

He smiled and looked down on Mart. “A happy ending,” he said.

[+Sorana she/her]

1 hour ago, I think I am here. said:

He smiled and looked down on Mart. “A happy ending,” he said.

Mart nodded, wiped away his tears.

"I like happy endings."

He said and fell silent, rested his head against Alask's chest.

Gratefully Lena smiled at Alask and finished her apple. She had no real idea what to do with Mart, how to help him. Probably it would be best if she looked for a professional to step in and talk to him of whatever they did. Pondering where she could go, she threw the remains of the apple away and looked over at Alask. Mart yawned and she smiled when she saw him like this, gald that at least for now he had a place to stay.

[I think I am here. he/him]

1 hour ago, Sorana said:

Mart yawned and she smiled when she saw him like this, gald that at least for now he had a place to stay.

Alask continued patting Mart’s shoulder, taking a bite of his apple with his other hand. When Mart yawned Alask looked down at him, and then to Lena.

“Could you take him?” He mouthed. “I’ll set up a mattress.”

Looking back down on Mart he smiled. “Today’s been a long day,” he said quietly. “Time to rest.”

[+Sorana she/her]

2 hours ago, I think I am here. said:

Looking back down on Mart he smiled. “Today’s been a long day,” he said quietly. “Time to rest.”

It told more than words ever could, that Mart nodded. Lena stood up and picked him up, stood him on his feet for a moment.

"Thank you."

She told Alask and then looked at her child.

"Let's get rid of those cloths."

She told him quietly, as his pants and shirt were starring from mud and dried blood. Cloths. She would have to fetch him a new set of cloths as well. Thankfully at least his underware could be counted as more or less clean given the circumstances. Gently she wrapped him in the blanket from the mattress Eve had used earlier and then sat down again, held him close. He snuggled against her, his hands still holding the bear.

"Sing me a song?"

He asked and Lena tightened her grip around him, burried her face in his hair for a moment. She hadn't seen him for so long, this was the first night in years he would spend at her place. Of course she would sing him a song.

"I don't know where i belong, I got no place to call my home, All the people all around me, Just can't see the things that i can see..."

She started one the few songs she figured more or less suitable for the situation. At least it was slow, and without the music, she could maybe add a calm touch to the lines.

[+Ark1002]

Quote

Am I going to have to start a ship any time a pair of you characters interact?

Because I ship this so. Hard.

 

[I think I am here. he/him]

On 19/08/2019 at 11:38 PM, Sorana said:

She started one the few songs she figured more or less suitable for the situation. At least it was slow, and without the music, she could maybe add a calm touch to the lines.

Alask went upstairs to the rustic upper levels of the Forge. The flooring was fortunately stable up here and he didn’t worry he would collapse onto the floor below. From one corner he brought out a mattress - the one that Ishek had slept in, back in the day. He took a clean cloth and beat the dust and rust out of it, and placed a new bedsheet. Groaning he tried to drag it downstairs, he didn’t want poor Mart to sleep upstairs where all the insects and little creatures lay.

It was heavy. Alask called for Shez. For some reason, it seemed they could never get in sync like they had in the AlleyStorm. But they could try. With small, localised regions, like Lena had suggested. They communicated, and with one gesture Alask’s arm was suddenly aflame with black tendrils and a smoky appearance. He held back a laugh, he was awed.

Grabbing onto the mattress with ease he hauled it downstairs with barely any effort. The withering only destroyed biological objects so the mattress remained unharmed. Alask followed the mattress downstairs just as his arm shifted to normal. He placed the mattress next to the table.

“There you go,” he said.

[+Sorana she/her]

1 hour ago, I think I am here. said:

“There you go,” he said.

"Thank you."

Lena set Mart down and pushed the mattress over to the wall, out of the way to the kitchen. Mart was more or less sleeping already, but she still took the time to form a pillow out of her jacket and make sure he was covered by the blanket. He curled up, his bear pressed to his chest and his breaths deepened. Lena stayed next to him, waited for him to fall asleep, but then he suddenly sat upright, stared at Alask.

"You will stay?"

He asked intensely and Lena felt a stab when she realized, that he was expecting her to be gone. Just as she always was.