#infernonetwork

2024 is almost over / @infernonetwork.

𐕣 ⊹ ࣪ ˖ *͟ █ ▌ @infernonetwork ( ISA ) closed starter .

For  the  briefest  of  moments,   any  other creature  might have worried that they were intruding   —   that  they  were  unwelcome  within  these  chambers,   where   crystal windows   overlooked  so  much  starlight.   But Abra is not like most other creatures, and so she does not worry about bothering the prince or interrupting anything of any particular importance.

Quite  the  contrary.   When  finding  herself  in  either  the  throes  of  curiosity  or  boredom,  she plays the seeker.   Even  if  it  means  distracting   or   being  a  potential nuisance.    She  likes  listening  to  stories  and  learning  new  things.   That  is  exactly  what  she  does  now.  She listens.

Drako's  voice  carries  a  low  tenor   —   modulated  pleasantly,  worn with a weariness likely reaped from many sleepless nights. Eyes like fresh honey flicker between the outline of Drako's profile as he speaks to the aged pages of the tome. The Book of the Stars.

Even   hearing the name   draws goose bumps along her arms.   Abra's  curious  eyes  peer  to  the   pages   —   the  ancient  impressions.

A relic beyond her own understanding,   for certain.   Though  sometimes  she  felt  as  if  she  herself  was  created  with  such  things  in  mind   —   as  if  she  were  drawn  on  the  same  canvas,   as  if  she  might   find herself   in those very pages.

Abra  sighs  with  so  much  interest.   At Drako's words  —  her golden eyes lift, owlish, watching him.

    ❛   —   If  it  found  its  way  to  you,   it must be for a reason.   ❛    Abra says in earnest.   Sincerity strong in her voice.   Her gaze lowers, then.    She remains nearby.     His words have her thoughtful, quiet for a moment.

Suddenly, she pipes up.

"AND WHY THE HELL NOT, HUH?" it comes out of his mouth before he knows what's up or down, LEFT OR RIGHT . . . his lips curling upward, drawing curtain back from crooked teeth and revealing squinted eyes that harbor resentment spilling through his cracks like WATER BATTERING AGAINST A CREAKING DAM, and trickling out whatever break it can find . . . STRENGTH RIPPING HOLES WIDER.

"all i've ever done is try to save this god forsaken ranch, over and over, even when it's to my own fucking detriment. even when the people i'm saving it for fucking hate me!" side of his hand is pummeling opposite palm, A DESIRE TO THROW HIS FIST AT SOMETHING, ANYTHING, OVERWHELMING. "but that's never been an issue for you has it? not when it came to any of us!"

ARMS RAISED TO HIS SIDES COME BACK DOWN, BUT HIS CHEST STILL FEELS TIGHT WITH PENT UP RAGE. don't you understand? you're fighting a war you can never win, on the opposite end of the battlefield to a man whom never loved you. YOU WERE ONLY EVER A FAVOR. "hey, -- why don't you tell me somethin', dad? . . . why even bother? if you were always gonna undermine everything i ever did, -- hell, if you were never gonna listen to my perspective on anything?" he shakes his head. IT'S A LONG TIME COMING, stopping short of what he really wanted to ask. "when the moment i have a different perspective on things, which i was under the impression you needed, -- you throw your goddamn hands up." look at me, scoffing like i'm an idiot for even suggesting an alternative solution. HOLDING LAND'S SALVATION, WHICH YOU CONTINUOUSLY SMACK TO THE GROUND.

he's stepped forward somewhere in his tirade, a depth of pain in ocean blues . looking to his father for answers of questions buried in his cowardice. AS IF HE WERE SEARCHING FRANTICALLY WITH THE HANDS OF A STARVING MAN, FOR ACCEPTANCE. why did you take me, if you could never love me? why did you make me into what you hated? WHY WOULD YOU DOOM ME FROM THE START? OH FATHER, I'M DROWNING, AND ALL I WANT IS FOR A FAMILY WHO LOVES ME -- WHO . . . "you know, you told me once that i could be a great lawyer, but yet you suffocate in me any ambition i ever had!"

THE PITIFUL CREATURE REPRESENTS, IN A WAY, THE WILL OF HIS SHRUNKEN SPIRIT. his failure to destroy sauron in any lasting, meaningful way. the first time it was folly of the unknown, though the second was out of his hands and into the line of which the deceiver feared most of all. THE LINE OF NÚMENOR. he is a being needless of physical forms, capable of many things. EVEN WITHOUT THE ONE.

the orcs of adar's legions, amongst the eldest lines of such creatures, were left without a home once more. THE EYE EVER WATCHFUL FROM ITS PLACE IN BARAD-DÛR. FILLED WITH TORCHLIGHT THAT ECHOES ITS DARK LORD. NO LONGER SERVANTS OF SHADOW, he has not been able to entirely fulfil his promise . . . as mordor becoming lost to him required a fresh invasion of land. NO LIFE TO RETURN TO UNTIL HIS CUNNING PROVIDED FOR A SECOND TIME.

and as the long years passed, he felt the power gathering since before the whispers of THE DRAGON DREAD, spreading great wings over lake-town. a servant beast of MORGOTH spelling nothing but FOREBODING. and now that he nears ever closer to the black gate, his beasts mix with the moral crimes of creation, bringing fatherless children into the world from the towers of isengard. the fool saruman handed the full extent of his power to the already dreadfully powerful MAIAR OF VALINOR. however, he does not regard the small and shrivelled creature with anything less than pity. mind broken beyond all that which adar had ever experienced. though the hint of a wry smile lives on his mouth. IT IS A FACT HE HAS LONG KNOWN. "and what will you be painted as, when this age has settled into memory?" is all he asked in turn, with a soft cant of his head and deepening of expression. THE TIME OF THE GREAT RACES IS COMING TO AN END, and the fates have yet to decide where the tide will turn. does he even have the wits left about him to choose?

"he must see you now," he speaks, voice now a husky whisper through reeds. thin and strained. "and even if you manage to reclaim what you seek, he will only take it from you." there's a soft shake of his brown-topped head, and with that, he looks deep into the shrunken face as if to extract the reasoning from the fractured mind.