The Linear Thread

[Channelknight Fadran]

"Can you explain that in normal language?"

[xinoehp512 he/him]

"Y was taking it to a super secret important place and now you have to do it instead."

[Channelknight Fadran]

"That seems redundant. What's so different about me?"

[xinoehp512 he/him]

"Y had her own plans with the amulet at the Forge that involved a substantial increase to her personal power. You taking the amulet there essentially eliminates the possibility of Y gaining power from it as planned. In short, it's not taking the amulet there that matters, but what happens afterwards."

[Channelknight Fadran]

"Okay." Ellis pocketed the amulet, resisting its tug at his mind. "So where is that, exactly?"

[xinoehp512 he/him]

"Home," said Fate mysteriously, and vanished.

[Channelknight Fadran]

Ellis blinked. "Ooookay. I guess we'll be keeping this for awhile then."

[Mystic Syn she/her]

“Keeping––” Q stopped herself, shaking her head. “I don’t even want to know.”

[Channelknight Fadran]

"Alright!" Ellis said, looking around. After a brief moment's hesitation, he asked, "what now?"

[Mystic Syn she/her]

“Well, let’s see.” She brought out a hand to count. “We never picked up Melody’s scabbard, unless you did while I was gone, there’s still that whole Chosen One thing you guys have that nobody figured out, Melody’s sword in general, and now the rock that’s in your pocket.” Q folded her arms, looking back to where she’d been with Highness earlier. “But I think that you guys would be tired after the whole… ordeal you just went through.”

[Channelknight Fadran]

"Yeah. Pretty much." Ellis reached back to scratch his neck. "But shopping sounds like a nice breather."

I can't remember if we bought Melody her scabbard so LET'S GO DO THAT

@Condensation @xinoehp512 @Mystic Syn

Edited August 23, 2021 by Channelknight Fadran

[Mystic Syn she/her]

Q let out a soft sigh. “If you say so.” She gestured towards the unknown. “Lead the way. I have no clue where I am.”

[Channelknight Fadran]

We're in the city.

"Alright! Let's go find a scabbard shop."

[Mystic Syn she/her]

Don’t mean that Q knows where we at :pp

“Lead the way,” she repeated.

[Channelknight Fadran]

Ellis held out his arm for her like the absolute gentleman he always was.

[Mystic Syn she/her]

At first, Q hesitated. She considered for a moment, then rolled her eyes, fighting off a smirk as she took his arm. Q looked back. “Melody, Gerald, you coming?” she called out.

@Condensation @xinoehp512

[Channelknight Fadran]

"They'll come." Ellis said, starting at a slow stroll with her at his arm. "I... missed you. A lot."

[xinoehp512 he/him]

Gerald followed. Didn't we have a scabbard at one point? he wondered. Oh well. He was probably misremembering.

[Mystic Syn she/her]

51 minutes ago, Channelknight Fadran said:

"They'll come." Ellis said, starting at a slow stroll with her at his arm. "I... missed you. A lot."

"I can tell," she replied softly, seeming distracted.

[Channelknight Fadran]

"What were you and Ness talking about?"

[Mystic Syn she/her]

"'Ness'? Oh, Highness." She shook her head. "Just talked about home and family."

[Channelknight Fadran]

"That's good." Ellis replied. "Where is your home?"

[Mystic Syn she/her]

"My home?" Longing appeared in her eyes, but was quickly smothered. "It's... far away from here. I doubt you've ever heard of it."

[Channelknight Fadran]

"If you recall, I haven't heard of anything; or can't remember hearing about anything, anyways." He smiled at her. "Tell me about it."

[Mystic Syn she/her]

She didn't say anything for a while, thinking about what to say. Q walked in silence, not really wanting to talk about it, but wanting to at the same time. She considered, before words formed.

"Meide, a smaller island off the coast of the mainland of Zvso," Q said wistfully. "The green hills rolled as far as you could see, the grass the softest thing I've ever touched while the Hijed Forest full of oaks and cherry blossoms that blanketed the island. From my family's private manor on the adjacent hill, you could see the capital at the foot of the sleeping volcano: Mount Huo. Tiankong is the grandest city I've ever been, not including Odhak in Medietas. The red arches leading to the Emperor or Empress' palace is the most iconic piece of architecture in all of Meide. Not as tall as a skyscraper, but it seemed that way when I went last, years ago. Everything was so tall and beautiful, but they'll most likely be smaller now that I've grown.

"The palace itself had so many rooms, my brother and I running everywhere to explore it all. The marble floor was the most polished thing I've ever seen. The workers there made it seem effortless, not to mention they always enjoyed working there. When I was younger, there was an Empress, and she always treated the people as if they were on the same social level as she was, or as a friend. To me, she treated me like she was my mother, spending time with me when she could while making sure my brother and I didn't destroy everything while we were there. The Empress was one of the kindest leaders the nation had ever seen, especially after her father's rule, where he only focused on Tiankong than any of the villages or cities, to make it wealthy and prosperous. The Empress made it one of her main priorities to care for the whole nation, and that's what she did. As I grew, the Empress' brother claimed the throne when the Empress passed during a factory explosion.

"Everyone knew that he was not like his sister in personality, but he ruled the way she intended: looking after his family and the people before anything else. He and the former Empress always said that when the people were happy, they tended to look after their families and the cities they lived in better than if they were to rule with an iron fist. And the Emperor did, going from village to village, city to city, making sure that the people knew that he was there to take care of them. After the former Empress and Emperor's father's rule, the people weren't sure about the them making sure they were content and making sure that the poor's needs were fulfilled. What they did was untraditional, but as the Emperor continued to do so, they grew more comfortable and ended up prospering. One of the greatest leaders in the whole nation, and his sister."

Q didn't meet Ellis' gaze, a few tears tracing their way down her face. "It was beautiful, Ellis," she said, her voice down to a soft whisper, "more beautiful than I could ever describe."

Edited August 24, 2021 by Mystic Syn