Aso’s Tumblr

Page 1 Panel 1 - Wide shot as the Fun Gang walks across a barren, rocky expanse, still on their way through the dark world. Kris walks in front, with Ralsei just behind them, and Susie, Noelle and Cattington following behind. Berdly also flies overhead. Panel 2 - Closeup on Berdly as he looks down and notices something: “Hey, hey Kris! There’s water!” Panel 3 - Overhead shot as Berdly flies towards their destination: a deep pool of water in a clearing between the rocks. “Looks clean, too!” Panel 4 - Closeup on Kris as they say, “Finally. I am parched…” They look tired, but relieved that there’s water. Panel 5 - Wider shot as Kris runs ahead of the rest of the Fun Gang, towards the pool. All of the others follow, but further behind. Panel 6 - A small panel of Kris stopping at the pool’s edge. They get on their hands and knees, lean over and start to scoop water into their mouth with one hand. Panel 7 - High angle shot as the beasts continue towards the pool. “Hmmm. Thirsty,” remarks Catti quietly. Noelle turns to her and says, “It *has* been awhile since we’ve found clean water…”

Page 2 Panel 1 - Side shot as Susie and Ralsei continue towards the pool. Susie is focused ahead, but Ralsei instead looks to the side. Several cuptains are skittering nearby: harmless creatures, essentially wooden bowls with carved faces, walking on spindly insect legs. However, Ralsei narrows his eyes at them with suspicion. “Hmmm…” Panel 2 - Mid shot of Kris continuing to drink from the pool. They stop and look on in surprise as the water’s surface starts to bubble and ripple. Panel 3 - Kris’s reflection in the water continues to distort as more bubbles and ripples appear… Panel 4 - Only for a ghostly, watery figure to rise out of the water out of their reflection. The figure appears skeletal in the face, but otherwise appears made out of the same water as the pool, with dripping, flowing hair. Panel 5 - The water elemental, Miss Mizzle, reaches up out of the pool and grabs a shocked Kris by the shoulders.  Panel 6 - Kris then topples over, and is pulled into the pool with a SPLASH! Only their feet stick out of the water briefly. Panel 7 - Mid shot as the beasts see this and react with shock and surprise. Noelle, Susie and Ralesi all yell HEY!! / KRIS! As they vanish. Ralsei reaches out a hand towards them.

Page 3 Panel 1 - Mid shot under the water, as Miss Mizzle pushes Kris down. She says, “Brash and uncharitable human! You believe you are worthy of drinking from my pool without my express permission?!” Panel 2 - Closeup on Kris’s frightened face as they try and struggle against the elemental, attempting to pry her arms off. She keeps an iron grip, though. “My waters are pure and holy, and given only by my generous will!” she says. “You shall be punished for your drought of charity!” Panel 3 - Reverse shot of Miss Mizzle’s skeletal face as she continues to drag Kris down, a cloud of bubbles surrounding them. “I curse you! I curse you now and forever, human!” Panel 4 - Kris’s face grows more desperate as they try in vain to hold their breath. “For as long as the crystal water sings in my pool…you shall drown in my glory!” Panel 5 - Kris can’t hold on any longer. Their eyes roll up and a huge cloud of bubbles escapes from their mouth, indicating that they’ve drowned. Miss Mizzle finally lets go of their shoulders. Panel 6 - Wide shot as Kris, now drowned, sinks lifelessly down to the bottom of the pool. Miss Mizzle hovers over them, watching.

Page 4 Panel 1 - Wide overhead shot as the beasts and Ralsei all watch the pool carefully. There’s no sign of movement from the water. “They’re…they’re not coming back up…” Noelle says.  Panel 2 - Suddenly, Kris’s soul appears in Ralsei’s hand, glowing red. “Oh, no…they must’ve drowned!” Ralsei says.  Panel 3 - Full body shot as Ralsei waves his hand around Kris’s soul, causing thick magic smoke to surround it. His ability to bring Kris back from the dead is needed. “It’s fine, I’ll just revive them…” Panel 4 - Wide shot as Ralsei finishes the spell, and Kris pops back in front of him, alive once again. The beasts all surround them and look on, with Noelle and Cattington on one side, and Susie and Berdly on the other. Panel 5 - Mid shot as Ralsei claps Kris on the back. They shake a little bit, looking upset about something. Ralsei smiles and says, “Welcome back, Kris! What happened down–” Panel 6 - Ralsei’s interrupted by Kris suddenly lurching forward and coughing up a huge mouthful of water.

Page 5 Panel 1 - Full shot as Kris leans over, continuing to cough and hack up water. They clutch at their chest and stomach. “Yikes, I guess you still had some left!” Ralsei says, a little surprised. Panel 2 - Closeup as Ralsei pats Kris on the shoulders. “Don’t worry, Kris, just cough it all out…” Kris does so, continuing to cough up water. Panel 3 - Wider shot as the beasts peer in closer at Kris and Ralsei. There’s an awkward silence as Kris bends over, continuing to cough out water. It’s starting to pool at their feet.  Panel 4 - Closeup on Kris’s stricken, horrified face. Water is pouring out of their mouth, and now out of their nose and eyes. They can’t stop coughing and gagging.  Panel 5 - Closeup on Ralsei, who now looks concerned. “...Kris?...” he asks cautiously. Panel 6 - Kris collapses onto their hands and knees, water pouring out of them ceaselessly, as their coughs and gags grow more ragged and desperate. Panel 7 - In the foreground, Kris continues to hack up water without stopping. Susie looks at them with worry and confusion in her expression. “What’s happening…”

Page 6 Panel 1 - Full shot as Kris finally collapses into the puddle, unable to hold themself up anymore. Even their coughs become sad, desperate gurgling. Ralsei leans back in shock as Noelle and Cattington look on from behind. Panel 2 - Closeup on Kris as they finally stop moving, their eyes once again rolling up. Water continues to drip from their face as they stop breathing altogether. Panel 3 - Wide shot of Kris as they lie dead in the puddle of water. Their soul rises up out of their body as Ralsei and Susie look over them. “They just died again?!” Susie says in disbelief. Panel 4 - Closeup as Ralsei yanks the soul back and holds it in his claws. “I-it’s fine, I’ll just…just revive them–” he says, but his expression is full of confusion and anxiety.  Panel 5 - Full shot as Ralsei again brings Kris back to life. Their body vanishes from the ground with a *poof* and then reappears in front of Ralsei with a POP! They’re alive once again. Panel 6 - Mid shot as Ralsei cautiously hovers over Kris. Kris looks miserable, and is still shaking. “Kris? Are you–” Panel 7 - They’re not okay. Before Ralsei can finish his question, they again spew out a mouthful of water and begin coughing. 

Page 7  Panel 1 - Noelle rears back, her expression horrified. “They won’t stop drowning!” she says aloud.  Panel 2 - Mid shot of Ralsei and Kris. Kris is once again on their hands and knees, and once again coughing and hacking up seemingly endless amounts of water. “This…this shouldn’t happen!” Ralsei says, his expression anxious. Panel 3 - Closeup on Kris as water once again pours out of their mouth, their nose, and their eyes. “H-help…me…” they manage to whisper between bouts of coughs.  Panel 4 - Noelle turns towards Cattington, stomping one hoof. “We gotta do something!” she says. Panel 5 - Up in the sky, Berdly flying overhead offers his thoughts: “Uhh…maybe it’ll stop if they die some other way?” “I can do that!” says Susie, and she opens her jaws wide over Kris, who is still on their hands and knees coughing up water in the foreground. Panel 6 - Susie snaps her jaws shut over Kris with a sharp CHOMP! Ralsei, who was still attempting to comfort Kris, looks up at her with an angry expression. “HEY!”

Page 8 Panel 1 - Mid shot as Susie chews up Kris’s body, looking mildly pleased with herself. A single leg sticks out from her jaws, and blood leaks from between her teeth. Panel 2 - Mid shot as Ralsei yanks Kris’s soul back to himself with a bit of force. He looks frustrated at Susie’s brash move. “Susie, that’s *not* what we need right now!” he says. Panel 3 - In a full shot, Ralsei again brings Kris back to life with a POP! Kris looks truly miserable. Panel 4 - There’s a moment of silence as Kris shakes again, clutching their chest… Panel 5 - And they once again resume hacking up water. It seems unstoppable. Panel 6 - “Idiot,” Catti snarls in Susie’s direction, baring her teeth. From behind her, Jockington adds, “You, made it worse!” Noelle steps in to defend Susie, saying “She was just trying to help!” Panel 7 - Full shot as Berdly, still flying above, quips “Why does *Susie* always get to eat them?!” Susie looks on from below with a snarl, clearly unhappy that her idea didn’t work.

Page 9 Panel 1 - Susie backs down a little bit, and in looking away from Kris, notices the cuptains still scurrying around the edges of the pool. They chirp excitedly to each other: “Our lady! Our lady!” “Our lady has cursed the unchivalrous human!” Panel 2 - Focus on the cuptains as they skitter back and forth with each other, still chirping their praises aloud: “Blessed be our lady!” “May her pool never run dry!” “The human will drown forevermore, praise be to our lady!” Panel 3 - Susie glances back towards the pool, which is still crystal clear. Panel 4 - In the background, Ralsei continues to try and hold Kris up as they cough up endless water. In the foreground, Susie narrows her eyes at the pool…she’s gotten an idea. Panel 5 - Wide shot as Susie starts to walk to the other end of the pool. Ralsei and the other beasts are still focused on the drowning Kris.

Page 10 Panel 1 - Susie makes it to the other end of the pool, and says aloud, “Hey, miss beautiful water lady? You in there? I’m *sooo* thirsty…can I pretty please have a drink from your nice pool?” Her expression indicates that she’s clearly up to something.  Panel 2 - Closeup on the pool, as Miss Mizzle slowly rises out of a ring of ripples. Panel 3 - Susie watches closeup from the shore as Miss Mizzle appears, and speaks to her: “Great beast, your honeyed words show the deference due a princess. I am not so vain as to scorn due reverence.” Panel 4 - Closeup on the skeletal face of Miss Mizzle as she finishes: “You may sip until your thirst is slaked.” Panel 5 - Susie gives a quick “Thanks” before sticking her snout into the pool and starting to drink. Panel 6 - In the foreground, Kris still miserably coughs up water. Ralsei is trying to hold them still through the racking coughs. In the background, Susie sits at the pool’s edges and steadily gulps down water.

Page 11  Panel 1 - Closeup on Susie as she drinks from the pool without stopping. Panel 2 - Full shot as Kris lies dead once again in a pool of coughed-up water. Ralsei reaches out and catches their soul to once again revive them from the dead. In the background, Catti looks towards Noelle with uncertainty. Panel 3 - Susie continues to drink from the pool, but now, the water level has decreased quite a bit. Panel 4 - Wide shot to show that the pool’s water has decreased by almost a quarter. Susie has to lean further and further into the pool to drink, but she doesn’t stop. Miss Mizzle reaches out towards her from the center of the pool. “Wicked beast, you have deceived me! Do you intend to drink my pool dry?” Panel 5 - Closeup on Susie as she offers a wicked grin. “I’m. Still. Thirsty.” she responds inbetween continued gulps of water. Panel 6 - Mid shot of Kris and Ralsei, with Ralsei holding on tight to Kris. Kris is still hacking up water, but it’s not as much water as before.  Panel 7 - All through it, Susie continues to drink, and the pool continues to shrink.

Page 12 Panel 1 - Closeup on Kris and Ralsei, Ralsei still holding Kris tightly. Kris miserably hacks up water, but now there’s still less to cough up. They’re starting to get some wheezing breaths inbetween the coughs.  Panel 2 - Closeup on Miss Mizzle. She raises her hands in horror, her liquid form dripping from her anguished expression. “Wretched, bottomless creature! Cease! Cease your cruel assault!” Panel 3 - Full shot as Susie is now deep into the pit, still drinking. There’s only about a quarter of the pool left now, and she’s still going. “Is the whole of my glory to be washed down your gullet?!” cries Miss Mizzle. Panel 4 - Closeup on Susie as she continues to drink without answering.  Panel 5 - Overhead shot as Susie is almost done with the entire pool. She now stands in water that’s barely a foot deep, still drinking the rest. Miss Mizzle swims miserably in front of her in the shallow puddle that’s left. Panel 6 - Focus on Miss Mizzle as she raises her claws hands towards Susie drinking up the remaining water. “A hundred thousand curses upon you, beast!” cries the elemental. “Wicked, vile animal! I perish with only venom in my heart!”

Page 13 Panel 1 - Closeup on Susie as she finally slurps up the rest of the water. Miss Mizzle’s form loses cohesion and becomes a writhing mass of splashing water. “Cure yooou…eeeeeeee…” rings out from the water. Panel 2 - Susie throws her head back, and finishes off the rest of the water with a final gulp.  Panel 3 - Wide shot as Susie stands at the bottom of the now-empty pool, trying to catch her breath. The cuptains scurry down into the dry ditch, helpless to do anything. Panel 4 - Susie goes to climb back up out of the ditch. And she does, the cuptains skitter around the pool bottom, bemoaning their lost princess: “Our lady…” “It has killed her…” “Drank up our lady…” “Our lady…” Panel 5 - Susie climbs carefully up to the top of the pool, her expression tired and annoyed. “Uugh, stupid water lady…” she groans. “Now’m all sloshy inside…feels gross–” Panel 6 - “SUSIE! Susie, you did it!” Noelle runs up excitedly to Susie and declares. Her appearance shocks Susie, and she almost loses her grip and falls back into the pit.

Page 14 Panel 1 - Full shot as Noelle turns back to the others, and says, “Kris stopped drowning!” Berdly and Cattington watch on and Ralsei holds Kris by a large puddle of water. Panel 2 - Focus on Ralsei and Kris. Ralsei holds them as Kris takes deep, gasping breaths. They’re exhausted and miserable, but they’re alive. Panel 3 - Susie finishes climbing out of the pool and hurries over to Kris, with Noelle not far behind her. Panel 4 - Full shot as Susie hovers over Ralsei and Kris. “It…it worked?” she asks, as if almost unable to believe it herself. The other beasts also look to her. “It did, Susie!” says Ralsei. Panel 5 - Closeup on Kris as they shakily reach out a hand towards Susie… Panel 6 - And place it gently on her snout.  Panel 7 - "Th…th-thank…y-you…” Kris says, keeping their hand on her snout. They’re exhausted, but their expression shows genuine relief and gratitude. 

They beat everything out of each other daily. Brutal, unforgiving sessions that left them both dirty and breathless, neither willing to be the first to yield. It was less sparring than barely civilized warfare. A way to work out whatever restless fury drove them both without seriously hurting anyone.

The other Chrysos Heirs learned to stay clear as well as other spectators.

“You fight like an animal,” Phainon spat one afternoon, wiping sweat and grime from his face.

“Good,” Mydei replied, not even winded despite the vicious pace they’d set. “Animals survive.”

But savagery became routine. Routine became ritual. And somewhere in all that controlled violence, they started paying attention to things beyond who could hit harder.

The baths were a necessity—washing off dirt and sweat, tending cuts that would scar if left alone. At first, they barely spoke, just two warriors licking their wounds in silence.

Then Phainon, because he couldn’t help himself, started talking.

“Do you wake up with that braid, or is there some elaborate Kremnoan morning routine I should know about? Something your people do for you?”

Mydei’s response was characteristically flat. “I can braid it myself.”

“But I want to know how it feels,” Phainon said. The honesty slipped out wrapped in challenge, like everything else between them.

Mydei studied him with those predator eyes. Then, like accepting another fight, he muttered, “Fine.”

So Phainon learned the texture of warrior’s hair—coarse from weather and battle, still damp from their violence. Learned that Mydei’s breathing changed when calloused fingers worked near his neck. Learned that even Kremnoan stoicism had limits.

“These red markings,” Phainon said later, tracing the patterns with hands that still ached from gripping his sword. “What do they mean?”

“I might tell you one day,” Mydei replied, not flinching from the touch. “If you can keep up.”

But Mydei had his own fascinations. The golden sun across Phainon’s neck drew his attention like a target. His scarred fingers would map its rays with surprising tenderness.

“This suits you,” Mydei said one evening, palm covering the tattoo’s center.

“The sun?”

“Warmth and radiance. But also blazing heat.” A pause. “Something that can burn everything it touches, but also brings new life.”

When Mydei looked at him again, his golden eyes were glimmering. “Fire. Heat. Light. Sun and flame both.”

Phainon laughed softly. “And you think you can master that?”

“Not master,” Mydei said. “Match.”

Their public interactions stayed vicious, competitive. All teeth and claws and barely contained violence. But alone, steam rising around them, something shifted. Challenges became something else. Something neither of them wanted to name.

“You’re staring,” Mydei said, not looking up from cleaning blood from under his nails.

“Your markings,” Phainon replied. “They move when you breathe.”

“And?”

“And I’m wondering how many there are.”

Mydei smirked. Phainon let his fingers wander, tracing each marking slowly, deliberate and thorough, as if tallying them by touch alone, refusing to leave a single one untouched.

The first kiss happened because they were testosterone-fueled men who’d been fighting desire as fiercely as each other and finally gave in.

They’d been fighting over something stupid. Pride, challenge, whatever. It ended with both of them in the dirt, Mydei’s hand at Phainon’s throat, close enough that Phainon could see every red marking on his skin.

“Yield,” Mydei demanded, all controlled fury and barely leashed strength.

“Make me,” Phainon whispered back, and then Mydei was kissing him like another kind of fight. Desperate, claiming, brutal in its honesty. Phainon’s hands fisted in Mydei’s hair, pulling him closer, deeper, tasting copper and sweat and something that was purely him. Mydei’s grip tightened on his throat, not choking but possessive, like he was trying to brand the moment into both their memories. When they finally broke apart, it was only because they needed air, both of them panting like they’d been drowning.

They broke apart stunned, breathing hard like they’d just gone ten rounds.

“Huh,” Phainon said.

“Training tomorrow?” Mydei asked, already pushing himself up.

“Obviously.”

They didn’t talk about it. Just picked up their weapons the next day and kept trying to beat each other like nothing had changed.

Except everything had changed.

Now when Phainon worked war-knots from Mydei’s hair, his hands lingered with intent. When Mydei traced the sun burning across Phainon’s neck, it felt like claiming territory. Their tension carried new weight, loaded with want neither would voice.

“You’re thinking loudly again,” Mydei said one evening, both of them still bleeding from fresh cuts.

“I’m thinking about you,” Phainon admitted, like confessing to a crime.

“Good,” Mydei replied, pulling him close with hands that could break necks, fingers spreading possessive across the sun. “I was hoping.”

The second kiss was a choice. Deliberate. Mydei’s palm against Phainon’s jaw, Phainon’s fingers tracing red markings, both of them finally done pretending this was anything but what it was. This time it was slower, deeper. A claiming rather than a collision. Phainon melted into it, into the careful way Mydei’s thumb traced his cheekbone, the way strong fingers tangled in his hair. When Mydei’s tongue swept across his lower lip, Phainon opened for him without hesitation, letting himself be consumed by heat and want and the taste of pomegranates on Mydei’s mouth. They kissed like they had all the time in the world, like they were memorizing each other, until Phainon was dizzy with it.

“Why do you look at me like that?” Phainon asked afterward, voice rough from fighting and other things.

Mydei considered the question like he considered everything—seriously, completely. “Because you make all control feel like a wild mess.”

“And you like control?”

“I do,” Mydei said, pressing their foreheads together, thumb brushing over golden rays. “But I also like this.” His grip shifted, steady and grounding, as though daring anyone to take Phainon from him. “You.”

They still fought each other every day. Still competed and drove each other past every limit. But now there were also moments between the violence. Hands braiding hair, fingers tracing skin, pomegranate seeds shared between kisses that tasted like copper and want.

Now there was this: Mydei’s warrior hands mapping sun-gold lines like battle plans, Phainon’s fingers following red paths across skin like claiming victory.

Two men circling, not to destroy—but to keep.

____