depraved.

              ❛ The honor is mine own to have, truly, to be welcomed so warmly despite the suddenness of my arrival. I would not have expected tale of me to reach so far beyond my own lands, though I hope to prove worthy of such admiration. I would be more than happy to share my tale with those willing to listen, it is the very least I can do. ❜

1T W4SNT TH4T H4RD

TH3R3 1S SOM3 ONL1N3 D1R3CTORY OR SOM3TH1NG

BUT 1 DO NOT N3C3SS4R1LY H4V3 4NY STOR13S, UNL3SS YOU H4V3 4NYTH1NG SP3C1F1C YOU WOULD L1K3 TO H34R

W3 JUST D1D NOT G3T TO T4LK V3RY MUCH

"Haaaah so she was your mom, big bro? I don’t understand why such a mom would play with fire, hehehe well if she appeared to harm me I probably stab her eye like I did with my victims! I am a pretty strong ghost, big bro!"

          The Prince who had once been considered a close comrade of hers now stood in front of her, eyes cold as if he had never felt anything for her. It was hurtful, to see him like this. The last she’d seen of him it had been him walking away, unwilling to speak and here they were again in a similar situation, but he seemed different this time. As if he had resigned to that fact that he no longer walked in the light and it pained her to not be able to understand. A sharp inhale is followed by his words and hands now ball themselves into fists as she struggles to find the appropriate words to say. Eyes that were usually indifferent to most things here now looked up into his own, ❝ Why? ❞ is all she could manage at first.

          ❝ Why do you feel the need to isolate yourself from me? ❞

he had loved her. it was true, in the past, hakuryuu had seen his future in the famalis' eyes, he had known his heartbeat in her smile, had felt invincible at her side. perhaps he still did. perhaps he still would. though, he had changed. he knew, now, knew that what became of men in love was weakness. it was the weakness that crippled his father, his uncle, his cousin, the familial love that tied them together had left his sister complacent for song long, had let his empire rot.

it was because morgiana was once his light that hakuryuu knew she was to be extinguished. he watched her, again, from behind cold eyes and a scarred guise, watched her pupils shake and her knuckles go white, though her actions warranted no reaction, only stone still resilience.

"… And you confirmed that with a mere glance? You must have an eye for such a status that can only be found in those who live similar lifestyles. The overseers are especially arrogant in containing beings with such a potential under a single roof, stripping us of our ability as if that’s enough to discourage us from baring our fangs. Tch, a pitiful attempt at oppression."   

"Is that so? so big bro’s auntie was the one who made you that scar, big bro? And what happened to her? she got burned while playing with fire till she became ashes?"

beltrial

"That scar looks pretty bad, big bro..were you trying to play with fire or something?"

in their past experience, she'd have never found him looking down, not at her, not at anyone, from his height, from his position, and certainly not the pinnacle of his ego. yet, through narrowed eyes and along the straight curve of his nose, he dipped his pupils, lowered his gaze though his posture remained taught and tall. she was the lesser, an obstacle to be cut down and trodden upon as a means to his end. and for the first time in her experience, he looked down upon her.

beltrial

        “What an expansive scar. I do so hope you’ve gotten your revenge on whoever did this to you.”

        The woman didn’t pry. Mostly because she didn’t care much about the mortality of humans, or what appeared to be human. Other parts because, well, at least one hundred years of being the colour of the ocean certainly always had its moments of prying questions. She also knew how most people with afflictions such as that usually didn’t want to speak of it. Then again, there were those macho men with their war stories but he seemed not the type.

her comment upon his scar had certainly been far from curt, as all other questions had been, yet it was worded in such a way that the young emperor ceased his advance away from the blue-faced woman, holding himself still and proud as she wondered over the state of his revenge.

( indeed milady, i can confirm that i have taken such actions. )

   《۞》⁓ Comfort. There was genuine comfort in knowing that his candidate of choice—no, his brother in arms—was alive and well. While obtaining great success within the city walls through his own erratic, tyrannical outbursts, there was also great loss. Individuals he had known prior to being abducted within the city had blessed the warped metropolis with their presence before, including Hakuryuu, who probably did not recollect anything. Hovering cockily, Judar snickered in amusement.

"Oiii, get that stick outta your ass! You act as if these beasts are a match for me! You have nothing to worry about, Hakuryuu. All of my abilities are unlocked!"

among his forced company, the temper of a stoic prince had soared. in the presence of his 'priest's' insolence, hakuryuu found himself suffering even greater discontent, betrayed not by his posture or the flames in his eyes, but the way his fingers, even those wooden and void of warmth, closed and knit about the girth of his rudimentary pole arm. he remembered many things, this city and the insolence of his partner included.

he dressed in fineries reminding a young emperor solely of home. such was enough to draw the stare, if only momentarily, for a man hidden behind the guise of a dragon and the flaming flesh breathed from its open and arced nostrils. attention directed towards one arguable greater in renown than himself was ripped away, then, directed back to a focus and contempt of the others in the room. a greater gaze was paid to the events displayed relics and treasures than to those in attendance, a folly, for sure, for a royal to bequeath his subjects in such a way, but on such a night, he'd had no cares.

an unfamiliar feeling of being watched in turn brought his attention back towards a foreign familiarity, as his lingering attention had clearly been met and accepted. it was in that moment hakuryuu was joined in company by a king of kings, a man whose title he had yet to learn.

as was customary for his people, the emperor greeted the king with a bow of the head, curtained behind a fist meeting an open palm.

( forgive me, if my lingering gaze brought forth any offense. )

beltrial

♘ ; His eyes could not help but stare at the boy’s scar,lips tugged to a grin as he was curious about the story behind it. The city was full of unusual people from all over ; Lancer himself was just about as odd as everyone else. Weather was a little nippy when the winter breeze came along , but he didn’t feel too much from it though he was cold . " Mind if I sit here?" Diarmuid approached the boy who seemed to be enjoying himself; alone on the park bench. “No one ought to sit alone.” A warm smile and a court nod, a hand touched the back of the bench when he approached.

a scarred brow rose as the other approached, for the first feature of note was a warrior's physique, obvious even in the lithe way that future company approached. it was not the other's armor that gave him away, only the clear-cut view any bystander would have had of the way the man's muscles coiled and sprung with each movement. it was a body type similar to his own, the condition of one who practiced and excelled in use of a polearm, and it was that, initially, that attracted the young emperor's attention and intent.

it was lancer's courtesy that drew a soft smile from hakuryuu's lips, the general consideration of the gesture and honor in the intent that left hakuryuu bracing one fist against an open palm, shoulders arched as his upper body bent in slightly, head only so softly dipped in a bow, a traditional sign of thanks of his people. the warrior who formed the young man's audience made clear his honor, was well-versed in his chivalry, and such was greatly respectable.

( my thanks for your consideration. i would be quite the imbecile to turn away an offer of this kind from one of your honored station! it truly would be my pleasure to spend my time in the company of a fellow warrior. )