#caelric

{Vibes}

I can still remember what it felt like to be free. To wake up in the morning excited about what the day would bring and whether it brought joy or strife, I knew that at the end of it I would lay my head down and still have people who loved me. Who were proud of me. Despite it all, that was what kept me going. If this is the last scrap of myself that I am able to identify, I wish to do so fully while I am still capable. I'll write my truths out for you; for all of you that I have loved with my soul of ash and wildfire. I am a villain. I am a murderer. I am a liar. I am a thief. I know all these things about myself and have never once blanched at their reality - I never apologized for what I'd become in order to survive in this world. I was given an empire, a throne and I reveled in being needed. Wanted. Worshiped. But when I met you, things changed. I didn't want you to know what sins my hands had committed - I didn't want you to look at me like I was anything other than someone who adored you, who would tear down the world itself to bring you home safely. I didn't want you to see a monster. You never did. None of you ever did and I will be grateful to you for that miraculous gift until time has lost its meaning. You stayed with me. We stayed with each other because we wanted to. No one forced us together and we looked at our crumbled lives shocked to see how easily they fit in with one another, how the other broken pieces filled in holes we had long ago learned to survive with. You made me feel alive for the first time in my entire life. My Pack. My family. That's what you became and remained. You gave me a reason to be better, to challenge myself every day, to fight for the opportunity to stand at your sides and to love you. You gave me so many reasons to love you. I fear that I am slipping and as much as I have cursed and clawed for a way out of this landslide, I can't deny it any longer; I am losing this war inside my head. More and more each day I feel a cruel carelessness growing within and there is going to come a day I can't fight it anymore.  I'm so tired. Please believe me when I say I tried, that I gave it my all and that there wasn't an ounce of strength I did not put into my efforts. This is not something that can be fixed with words or encouragement, this is not a disease or a sickness. This is something sewn into the fabric of my being and I can do nothing against it. It is clear to me where my path leads now and I wish that you could come with me - that we could be together again - but this is a hell I wouldn't wish on any of you.  I'm sorry that I had to break trust, to break hearts, but I would not see any of you like this and I know that seeing me... seeing me would make it all the more difficult to bear what is to come. The voices grow quieter when I think of you, when I write to you, so I shall try to do that until the end, so that you know none of you ever left my mind. I'll carry you within, your memories splayed throughout the cracks of everything I've become so that when I meet my fate, you’ll still be with me. The Nightmare cannot take from me that which it did not create. And you? You were my dreams given life. All My Love, Sunny Please don’t come for me. Even if you find me - you won’t find me.

Custom Prompt: Vielynne and Synne have come across the bodies of both Caelric and Revarik laying in the sands of the Thanalan heat. The land is battle scarred and thick with aetheric anomalies that suggest that the two had an unsettled conflict that became a war between two friends. Yet, the hand of each lay grasping the other as if to say their final farewell in an apology. How does Synne handle the scene before her?

The sweltering heat of the desert was beginning to fade as evening wore into dusk. Synne and Vielynne had been searching for the boys for three days now and it seemed they were getting closer. The landscape around them had changed from hills of rolling gold to charred pits of black glass and pillars of cooled molten sand that rose up like tendrils of an angry, ancient god. Everywhere there were tell tale signs that something catastrophic had happened here, forces had been at play that were beyond those of simple nature. This was the work of mortals with rage flowing through their veins and the power to harness that anger into a dangerous weapon. This was a disaster area.

A cold feeling spread throughout Synne’s chest the further they walked, the more detailed the destruction became. She was afraid there might not be anything to find of the two men. Perhaps their feud had obliterated both from the face of this world. The very thought made her feel ill and she reached out blindly to grasp Vie’s hand in her own tightly. Though the two had only been friends a short while, the strings that bound them were many and ran quite deep. The Seer was the missing link between her and Caelric as well as Revarik and she had silently thanked the gods the day the woman had opened her door to the broken blonde. They had a strange harmony between them that Synne found reassuring as well as sorely missed, as if she’d been searching for her thread sister all her life. If there was anyone she’d have at her side for what came next, it was Vielynne.

An indentation in the earth was where they found their mates, hands clasped together in what appeared to be forgiveness. Whatever rage had played out, brotherhood had been the most important thing in their final breaths. While it soothed her heart to know they’d found each other, that neither of them had departed alone, Synne’s soul shattered at the sight. Her knees wanted to give out but she remained standing, silver rimming her eyes as she looked towards Vie. Words wouldn’t come, the agony clawing its way through her chest making it difficult to breathe, let alone speak. So instead the Little Bird stood there and stared at the motionless body that had once housed the love of her life.

“We could bring them back,” she finally murmured, voice breaking at the final word. It was quite possible - the two women possessed such talents - but it came with a price. Sunny looked up at her friend and sister, a sad smile forming at the corners of her mouth. They both knew what that price would be, but was it truly worth it if they’d not live to see their men’s smiles again? Was it even what they would want?

Synne knew the answer to that and she could almost see the livid expressions both her love and the Lion would be wearing. For Sunny and Vie to cease to exist in order to restore breath to their lungs would have Rev and Ric in the same miserable position.

It was like a veil fell over them as they stood there, the air growing thick as it wrapped around the four. “Or we could just lay down next to them, hold their hands and I’ll… I’ll send us off to sleep. We can dream it all up again, find each other and stick together.”

Vielynne stilled as the suggestion was made, eyes still set on the brother’s she’d loved dearly. Fate had been cruel in showing her everything but this, but she could be cruel to it in turn. The future shifted in an instant to something clear and within her control: an ending, and with it, peace.

“It’s time.” She agreed, and when violet eyes slid to Synne they were brimmed with tears offset by her well worn smile. She moved first, the mantle of acceptance deceptively light as she knelt between the bodies of friend and lover. Her hands settled over their clasped ones momentarily, ink bleeding together as a tear splashed against the canvas, followed by the feather-light touch of her lips in silent farewell. “See you soon.”

The Seer stepped aside to allow Synne her own goodbyes before she stretched out next to her. Without looking her fingers fitted with those of her living companion, head tucked neatly beneath the chin of the man once known as the White Lion as her lips found their favorite nook. Arm was pulled around herself in a recreation of a position they often found in sleep. Perhaps even in death, he could lend her his strength.

Synne moved to kneel between Ric and Rev, pressing a kiss to each forefinger before gently brushing them across their foreheads, making certain they were both given a parting token of her lasting affection and respect. The blonde then lay herself next to Ric, head resting atop his outstretched arm, making certain he was still grasping the Praefectus’ hand. Her cheek pressed to his chest and while there was no life there, her memory delivered her what she wanted to hear - a beautiful, strong heartbeat. That was the last song she wanted to hear.

The girl stretched a hand out behind herself, positioned close enough that Vie could easily lace her fingers with Synne’s. A gentle sigh escaped Sunny’s lips and the wind around them changed again, carrying the sweet fragrance of flowers and midnight. It was a kind poison, one that slipped into lungs unnoticed, slowly shutting down a body from within. There was no pain, no struggle and it would feel much like falling asleep.

As her eyes grew heavy and her breathing slowed, Sunny stared up at the faded violet atmosphere above. Fireflies flitted in and out of her vision, circling over their heads like shooting stars.

“Next time I’ll find you quicker,” she promised all three of them, the living and the dead. A final kiss was pressed to the Coyote’s cold chest, just above his heart before her eyelids grew too heavy to remain open. The pumping of blood was slow, her heart graciously giving in to the pull of the poison. Synne Tove’s final thoughts before the darkness claimed her was of forest hued eyes, crooked smiles and boys with broken souls whom she had loved all too much.

Next time we’ll get it right.

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Mentions:

@charm-in-spades

@valanthius-xiv​

West On Ric

VISUAL ATTRACTIVENESS: 💗💗💗”His Blue suit strangely works for him- that denim look fits. Nice thick hair - haven’t thought much on him aside from that. He let my sister paint his nails. That’s pretty great.”

FRIENDSHIP LEVEL: 💗“Employee. It is good to see Mir and him getting along somewhat, though.”

SEXUAL DESIRE: 💔 “Just from what I see through the crowds, he has enough women problems already.”

ROMANTIC INTENT: 💔 “Employee.”

West on Gerald

VISUAL ATTRACTIVENESS: 💗💗💗”I’m not sure I’ve ever seen him out of a suit and tie. That’s alluring, but just like Braddock a bit too straight edge. ”

FRIENDSHIP LEVEL: 💗“Of course we do try to keep on good terms with Crescent’s Investors, but that’s as far as it goes.”

SEXUAL DESIRE: 💗“He’s got an interesting allure but again, not around enough to have any preference.”

ROMANTIC INTENT: 💔 "Investor.”

Rawkin cocked a brow as the only slightly smaller man slipped into the medium sized tub of the crescent garden bath with him. He had been taking up most of the middle of the tub with his legs out at about middle depth and his arms stretched out to either side resting on the lip of the tub’s edge. “Don’ see you roun’ere much these days, Ric... “ 

Rawkin was faily unperturbed by the addition of the other man, his head leaning back and eyes closing as he soaked in the heat and took in the smells of the perfumed room. It wasn’t until he looked back up towards the engineer that he noticed something was off. Or rather....that something was still on. 

“Ric.... why’re yah wearin sunglasses...inside.... innah tub....”

Caelric

Hands, put your emptyhands in mineAnd scars, show meall the scars you hideAnd hey, if yourwings are brokenPlease take mine soyours can open, too‘Cause I’m gonnastand by you.Even if we’re breakingdown, we can find a way to break throughEven if we can’tfind heaven, I’ll walk through Hell with youLove, you’re notalone, 'cause I’m gonna stand by you.I’ll be your eyes 'tilyours can shineAnd I’ll be yourarms, I’ll be your steady satelliteAnd when you can’trise, well, I’ll crawl with you on hands and knees'Cause I… I’mgonna stand by you.

[Well, here we go.]The quiet of the forest had a comfort all its own, one that she had missed greatly in her time away. Originally, she had been intent on going to see her family, speaking to them after years of separation, telling them of her mistakes and asking that they forgive her, but that idea was quickly stamped out when she’d seen the outline of her parents’ home. She couldn’t say rightly what it was that kept her from going up to the front door and knocking, she knew only that it didn’t feel right. This was not home, nor had it been for a very long time - she wasn’t going to find the solace she was so desperately seeking here. This was a place she’d known in another life and her parents were better off thinking her dead than her pulling them into what had quickly become an inescapable hell. There was no going home.

The blonde had wandered through the familiar trees and hills of the Shroud, eventually finding her way to the small shrine she’d erected in memory of Frank. The stones remained exactly as she had placed them and the sprigs of holly hadn’t wilted in the slightest. It was heartwarming to see that at least one thing she’d created had not yet been torn down. She drew the dark cloak she wore around her shoulders and knelt in front of the stones, pressing her brow to the dewy grass beneath her and taking a moment to honor the man with her silence.

When she lifted her head, the cool kiss of a blade pressed against her bare throat, stinging as steel bit into skin. Sunny didn’t move.

“Down on your knees where the sinners pray. A means to believe that is where the sin stays. You’re too involved to make this go away, so convince me now before rest becomes an eternal sway. A life need not be taken if I do not have to take it, but wolves in sheep’s clothing bring no guilt to the throat slit.”

Silence greeted his words, Sunny remaining still on her knees, her hands loose and resting in her lap as if this were just a simple conversation. A soft breath was taken in, careful not to move too much and encourage that blade to bite any deeper. Already crimson blood had pooled to the surface, a thin line of garnet making a lethargic trail down the gentle pillar of her throat. “Do the sins of the father also stain the children? Is there no redemption from that which made me the wolf?” Her gaze was lifted to the heavens above, each star that hung there a treasured friend, a memory of a childhood that had slipped away all too quickly.

“There will come a time when all of us are dead. All of us. There will come a time when no one remembers the Collective or the Jackal or the Raven Father. They will not remember what we thought or built or destroyed. We will become nothing more than myth and legend, but if he remembers me, I don’t care if everyone else forgets. I’ve no desire to continue on a legacy of bloodshed and agony, I’ve no desire to be a Queen. All I want out of this life, all I’ve ever wanted was for this pain to seem purposeful. If you believe me to be a liar, do me a favor and make it quick. I’ve been waiting on this judge and jury for far too long.”

“Your lips move, but your heart does not. Agony has not a voice, only a throat in knots. What we do is not for recognition of the mass. Not a word will be spoken of who we are; not even marked on caskets, alas. You speak of no reason to live beyond the circumstance of one. Who are you? What are you? You are meant to be second to none. If you die now then what accomplishment had you made? The reality of your dream only subject to fade. If that is how you see it then there is no point to cut the line. Punishment to live in an emptiness like me… but, at least your own was not induced through a bloodline.”

“Two weeks from now I will return anew… If your hope has not arisen by then the perspective is not all I’ll skew. Rule one, lovely, listen close. No alcohol for the throat, or medication to dose. Rule two comes with pride. Lustful acts and virtues will lead to a shattered drive. Rule three… The worst of them all. If you say the words, ‘I can’t”… Even hell won’t catch your fall.“

There was a moment where she was certain he’d slit her throat and be done with it, but the dagger was lifted away, his feet not even making the faintest murmur of sound as he moved backwards.

“Mutter the words of denial to a task and the definition of horror will be unmasked. Think the words as you may, but say them at all, to your own dismay.”

The girl had seen this play out far too many times in the past, and though she despised being tied up in rules, she also knew that this was one game she needed to play by the book if she cared to live to see three weeks. “Very well, then. Let the games begin.”