@SadistPoet not sure if it’s mentioned anywhere, but about how long is the training leading up to graduation?
Bartimaeus Member
Femboy Gaming
STATUS: It's been three years since we lost Polymorpheus, a dear friend. It's felt like a lot longer, that time. I still think about Poly every so often, and how I miss them so very much. I won't forget them. 10 mos ago
- Last Seen: 1 hr ago
- Joined: 10 yrs ago
- Posts: 1672 (0.47 / day)
- VMs: 13
-
Username history
- Bartimaeus 10 yrs ago
-
Latest 10 profile visitors:
-
Most recent →
BurningCold,
shylarah,
Crimson Flame,
Snowdrops,
Yankee,
ctrlsaltdel,
Andre Valias,
Mixtape Ghost N,
Lemons,
NoriWasHere
Status
Recent Statuses
10 mos ago
Current
It's been three years since we lost Polymorpheus, a dear friend. It's felt like a lot longer, that time. I still think about Poly every so often, and how I miss them so very much. I won't forget them.
8
likes
10 mos ago
I like attention.
4
likes
1 yr ago
Tomorrow is post day. How unfortunate.
1 yr ago
I lost.
4
likes
1 yr ago
@LongSwordMain I can fix that, if you wish.
7
likes
Bio
uhhhh, hi there
I am here and I sorta exist so yes this is my ‘bio’ and it will probably be rather brief and suck and be sloppy, just like me.
So, without further ado..
• Most people call me Barti or Bart as well as a few other things since it’s just easier or meaner than the actual thing - I invite you to do so as well.
• I’m a 23-year-old (bday June 20th!) Texan who enjoys thunderstorms and rain far too much, and likes anime, running, metal music, and copious amounts of DRUGS candy, among many other cool things - like DnD and MTG.
• I enjoy group rps as well as 1x1s. For groups I have what I think is a decent array of interests, most of it being profusely weeb-y. I like Fantasystuffs (Modern especially), supernatural themes, pretty much all Japanese stuff - including historically accurate settings - as well as general dark/grim themes, comedic slice of life trash, academy rps, unique plots, etc. etc. As for 1x1s I pretty much do romance, but I can do non-romantic stuff too if you give me something to work with xP
The only genre I find myself not entirely comfortable with is really sci-fi stuff, but, if the plot/idea catches me enough it can hold my interest. Oh, and my writing level is high casual to low advanced.
• I’m a sarcastic, snarky, bipolar-depressed, degenerate garbage can, but generally people seem to like me (I don’t know why in the hot hell you would) - but if you would also like to be my friendo lemme know.
I don’t bite.
Usually owo xd rawr
Discord: ...
So, without further ado..
stuff about me
• Most people call me Barti or Bart as well as a few other things since it’s just easier or meaner than the actual thing - I invite you to do so as well.
• I’m a 23-year-old (bday June 20th!) Texan who enjoys thunderstorms and rain far too much, and likes anime, running, metal music, and copious amounts of DRUGS candy, among many other cool things - like DnD and MTG.
• I enjoy group rps as well as 1x1s. For groups I have what I think is a decent array of interests, most of it being profusely weeb-y. I like Fantasystuffs (Modern especially), supernatural themes, pretty much all Japanese stuff - including historically accurate settings - as well as general dark/grim themes, comedic slice of life trash, academy rps, unique plots, etc. etc. As for 1x1s I pretty much do romance, but I can do non-romantic stuff too if you give me something to work with xP
The only genre I find myself not entirely comfortable with is really sci-fi stuff, but, if the plot/idea catches me enough it can hold my interest. Oh, and my writing level is high casual to low advanced.
• I’m a sarcastic, snarky, bipolar-depressed, degenerate garbage can, but generally people seem to like me (I don’t know why in the hot hell you would) - but if you would also like to be my friendo lemme know.
I don’t bite.
Usually owo xd rawr
welppp...I guess that’s okay for now
thanks for reading, you potatoes
thanks for reading, you potatoes
Discord: ...
Most Recent Posts
The Dragon Slayer stood awkwardly as she waited for a response, resisting the urge to walk back to her cloak and throw it on to conceal herself despite their seclusion. She eyed the younger mage herself as he spoke, likely surprised to find her here of all places - and it seemed so, as he asked what exactly she was doing. Her own response seemed less.. measured than usual - it was a noticeably more comforting locale than what she was used to. She didn’t feel the need to throw glances over her shoulder as often as she normally did.
“Was just looking for a quiet place.. the guild has been hectic lately. As you know.” She explained, pulling her right arm behind her back and curling her clawed fingers into a fist. “What about you?”
Cloven eyed her for a second more. Her answer wasn’t suspicious at all and the red tree forest had, in a way, become a source of calm to him. It was home, for the time being. His gaze softened and the truth felt right to tell. “I’m staying out here now. Mostly because of our guildmates. The new ones anyway.”
Lies, he thought in a voice not his own.
His breathing became shaky, a shuddering fear threatened to rake itself out his mouth. He unclenched his hand and carefully placed it over his mouth. I gotta conceal it, gotta try.
Lilliana nodded to herself as she looked off to the side in a moment of thought - his response wasn’t exactly what she had expected - but what surprise was there didn’t show on her face.
“You have been pretty scarce around the guild lately.” She paused for a moment. “But I suppose I can’t blame you.” She said as her eyes moved back to the younger mage as his hand crept to his mouth. He seemed...off. More than normal. She spoke again, her tone retaining its lack of carefulness that it usually held. Despite the rumbling sound of it, she sounded oddly - softer. But not by much. “I can say from experience that covering your face is more comfortable with a mask than with a hand. But, why do you hide yours now?” She said, the latter part sounding more like a statement than a question.
Cloven shook his head slowly, his voice muffled “No reason.” Except that was far from the truth. There was something terribly wrong and it was poisoning him. Seeping into every bit of who he was. But he couldn’t let that be known and out here he had nowhere to run too. If he ran, it would just create concern or interest. Attention for sure. So he dug a hole inside his mind, shallow as it was, and buried his anxieties.
… So close, just hold out a little longer.
He was methodical when he moved his hand up his face and ruffled his hair. “Morning breath,” he answered. “And unfortunately I’m lacking a mask.” He fixed a smile on his face, kindly enough though weary.
Lilliana waited for a moment, her eyes gazing out from above her mask as if waiting for a better response from the boy. She wasn’t exactly sure if the attempt at a lind smile was genuine - but there was definitely a certain weariness to him. She turn and took a few steps to pick up her cloak, before turning back to the young mage. “I see.. well. If you would like one, I know a guy.” She said, her tone remaining unchanged as she draped the half-folded article of clothing over her right shoulder.
She wondered if he was just wandering the woods just before she revealed herself, or if he’d been returning to the guild. It’d be good for him to return; although it may have been somewhat hypocritical, Lil thought it was good for him to be around those who considered him family. That was the way of a traditional guild, afterall. Not that she thought she was quite ready to call him or anyone else in the guild ‘family’ quite yet, but there may have been a certain tiny degree of kinship creeping into her brain - whether she realized it or not.
She wasn’t digging? Not even prying? That was refreshing and to Cloven, a sign of someone worth their salt. A glimmer of hope twinkled for a moment. Could she be trusted to keep it to herself, cause it was becoming crippling trying to carry the secret on his own. So far away from The Son and Syra, he had no one to trust. Despite all the blabbering back at the Guild, none of them had ever felt like family, not even friends. Marduk maybe, he reconsidered.
But… admittedly shortsighted as he was at the moment, he could feel a kinship with Lilianna. She was ‘not’ human physically but in a way, she was raised to be one. One look at her face; which he had gotten a few times, rare as they were, and one could see the difference. That bright eye meant something and her voice. It’s a heated debate, Cloven bemused. A conflict between her humanity and her past.
That thought had made him realize he’d been thinking clearly for that split-second. Cloven smiled that same smile, only it had reached his eyes. I get it, just the thought, the hope of unloading this burden… The answer is right here in front of me, it's her. The void-above is marvelous.
But how to bring it up? you can’t just come out and say it. The smile was starting to fall, replaced by a thoughtful countenance. “That’s it!” he blurted out.
Then just as quick, attempting to catch the sudden outburst by the tail. “Lilly,” A bad habit of his when thoughtless or excited was shortening names. “How did you feel when you fought the dragon? Didn’t it seem off to you? And if so… how… did it seem weird?” His voice hardened near the end.
The older mage was a bit surprised by the short outburst, and for a moment thought the boy was going to accept her offer to procure him a mask, but he seemed to have his mind elsewhere. It was followed up by a line of questioning she wasn’t entirely prepared for, but one she had been thinking about for some time. She resisted the urge to correct his nickname for her, for the moment.
She thought back to that moment she had first felt the dragon’s magical reading. It was - oddly clean, in a way. Pure. She had felt it over and over again by memory since that day, trying to find out what it reminded her of. She had eventually found something. But it didn’t make sense. It felt similar to...Grasidia, in a way she couldn’t explain - a way she thought couldn’t make sense. She didn’t know why it felt that way - maybe she was seeing it wrong. But her eye had never failed her before.
“Yes,” She replied, a moment’s pause interrupting her before she continued. “its magical essence felt...pure. In a way similar to few things I have encountered. It didn’t feel like a dragon.” She finished, the thoughts that ran through her head over the past few weeks broiling up again. The Slayer pushed all the questions down - she needed to focus on Cloven for the time being. “Why do you ask?”
Cloven smiled again, the stonewall of his face and voice chipping away to gentle relief. Her question was ignored. “That’s right…” The cat was out of the bag and Lilliana had ushered it so close to the exit that his reveal was harmless; she would’ve figured it out on her own anyway. He fixed his eyes on her. “The dragon didn’t feel like a dragon. Your Dragon Slayer magic did little to nothing. It should have. You should’ve hurt it more.”
He guessed he should let that sink in but he was on a roll. He had courage built up and for once his mind wasn’t cluttering up his wants. A deep, prepping breath filled his lungs then filed out. He unclasped his cloak and stood straight in his battle gear; the black leather and brown gloves and boots he typically wore. “Look at me, what do you see, Lilliana?”
The Slayer was all too aware that she had been of little importance in the fight against the dragon - honestly it bugged her. But it wasn’t the only thing that tugged at her mind. As she watched Cloven stand to present himself, she paused. He was.. her mind scoured the surface of his energy, coming back with a measure of that feeling she had been playing back over and over in her head like a tape recorder. It was similar but somehow it felt darker. It felt.. sickened.
“A boy...with a similar reading. Once again similar, but...different.” She responded, her tone now shifting to one of part confusion, part meager realization.
Cloven searched her reaction. It was hard to pinpoint it, after all her mask hid a great deal of her expression but her voice, it had wavered with confusion? Maybe, he wasn’t all that sure. Yet, he could feel his shoulders slump and he plopped down to the ground, legs casually folding, arms falling between his thighs.
“I’ll tell you something secret, something that I don’t even understand myself… but apparently, I’m the same as that dragon. Same as…” No that’s not my secret to tell. He doubled down on his confession. “I’m a… an Etherious.”
“And Lilly I know it sounds crazy, unbelievable even but you got to believe me. Grasi told me herself,” his hands clawed at the soil. “And why would she lie.”
She wasn’t sure how to respond. She was shocked. She knew there was something different about him but, being an Etherious? Not that she knew much about them, seeing as she’d never met one. But she did know that if anybody else found out, they might not be very understanding. The dragon slayer looked down at the boy sitting in the dirt, confessing something to her that he probably had never told anybody else. He didn’t seem non-human. He looked like, talked like, and acted like(mostly) anybody else.
She let a long uncertain pause permeate the air before she responded. “..I believe you. I don’t think Grasidia would lie.” She assured him, though wondering to herself how exactly Grasidia of all people would know. It got her thinking. “And I won’t tell anyone. Promise.”
An anxiety attack was sneaking up on him, the pause she left in the air was dangerous or it felt like it was. Somewhere inside, he wanted her to be okay with ‘him’, with his existence. Somewhere further down, he was sharpening his claws and preparing to defend himself.
Then when she replied, when her cool words had sunk in; he could see something beautiful, a hopeful seed being plunged into sickened soil. That image did something unnatural to him; a great mirth started to bubble inside.
It started slow.
He chuckled quietly while looking at his hands lose their tension. Then he smiled unapologetically at the ground, eyes watering and himself on the verge of crying. The reaction to this was unprecedented; a piece of him was manically searching for answers. He had been beaten and bullied into the shadows, then suddenly thrusted into the spotlight as a ‘monster’, only to come out to a stranger, a freaking stranger, and be accepted? Was that how the world worked? his past would have disagreed.
But here he sat, with a woman nearly as inhuman as him, accepting something worse and promising not to tell anyone else. It was unbelievable but it rested in front of him with neon lights framing it.
Cloven felt at peace for a moment. Yeah… peace was the perfect word. So he let his tears fall and boyishly, head tilted up at Lilliana, said, “Thanks, Lilianna. I needed that. Honestly.”
The dragon slayer responded with an awkward scratching of her head, averting her eyes as the boy cried what could only be tears of joy. It was an odd feeling to make someone happy - it had been a long, long time since she felt she had. And she also got the feeling that it had been a long, long time since this boy in front of her had been happy himself. But it seemed now that he was relieved by her acceptance. She couldn’t think of any other response she could’ve had.
Lilliana stooped and sat herself down in front of him, crossing her legs. She let another pause take place as her response, as she seemed to be deciding what she should say next. “So..” she began, sounding somewhat out of place leading a conversation, “..tell me something..”
It was some time later that Lilliana once again found herself shrouded in her cloak, walking down one of the many Crocus streets. She was alone, having left her guildmate to his own devices, but she expected to see him more often after the uncharacteristically long conversation she’d held with him. Gratefully she remained unbothered as she made her way into the alley that led to their guild, not pausing this time to check behind her. In recent weeks it became rather difficult to determine if someone misplaced was snooping around because, well, there were now way too many people to tell.
Even before entering the guild she found it too crowded for her liking. Approaching the doors, the cacophonous activity of the guild that she had hoped to escape earlier returned to her ears already. She let out a short sigh before she pushed the doors open with a hand and stepped inside. She scanned the room briefly as she walked straight to the bar, not bothering to hide under her hood anymore, and dropped herself onto one of the stools.
She needed a drink.
“Was just looking for a quiet place.. the guild has been hectic lately. As you know.” She explained, pulling her right arm behind her back and curling her clawed fingers into a fist. “What about you?”
Cloven eyed her for a second more. Her answer wasn’t suspicious at all and the red tree forest had, in a way, become a source of calm to him. It was home, for the time being. His gaze softened and the truth felt right to tell. “I’m staying out here now. Mostly because of our guildmates. The new ones anyway.”
Lies, he thought in a voice not his own.
His breathing became shaky, a shuddering fear threatened to rake itself out his mouth. He unclenched his hand and carefully placed it over his mouth. I gotta conceal it, gotta try.
Lilliana nodded to herself as she looked off to the side in a moment of thought - his response wasn’t exactly what she had expected - but what surprise was there didn’t show on her face.
“You have been pretty scarce around the guild lately.” She paused for a moment. “But I suppose I can’t blame you.” She said as her eyes moved back to the younger mage as his hand crept to his mouth. He seemed...off. More than normal. She spoke again, her tone retaining its lack of carefulness that it usually held. Despite the rumbling sound of it, she sounded oddly - softer. But not by much. “I can say from experience that covering your face is more comfortable with a mask than with a hand. But, why do you hide yours now?” She said, the latter part sounding more like a statement than a question.
Cloven shook his head slowly, his voice muffled “No reason.” Except that was far from the truth. There was something terribly wrong and it was poisoning him. Seeping into every bit of who he was. But he couldn’t let that be known and out here he had nowhere to run too. If he ran, it would just create concern or interest. Attention for sure. So he dug a hole inside his mind, shallow as it was, and buried his anxieties.
… So close, just hold out a little longer.
He was methodical when he moved his hand up his face and ruffled his hair. “Morning breath,” he answered. “And unfortunately I’m lacking a mask.” He fixed a smile on his face, kindly enough though weary.
Lilliana waited for a moment, her eyes gazing out from above her mask as if waiting for a better response from the boy. She wasn’t exactly sure if the attempt at a lind smile was genuine - but there was definitely a certain weariness to him. She turn and took a few steps to pick up her cloak, before turning back to the young mage. “I see.. well. If you would like one, I know a guy.” She said, her tone remaining unchanged as she draped the half-folded article of clothing over her right shoulder.
She wondered if he was just wandering the woods just before she revealed herself, or if he’d been returning to the guild. It’d be good for him to return; although it may have been somewhat hypocritical, Lil thought it was good for him to be around those who considered him family. That was the way of a traditional guild, afterall. Not that she thought she was quite ready to call him or anyone else in the guild ‘family’ quite yet, but there may have been a certain tiny degree of kinship creeping into her brain - whether she realized it or not.
She wasn’t digging? Not even prying? That was refreshing and to Cloven, a sign of someone worth their salt. A glimmer of hope twinkled for a moment. Could she be trusted to keep it to herself, cause it was becoming crippling trying to carry the secret on his own. So far away from The Son and Syra, he had no one to trust. Despite all the blabbering back at the Guild, none of them had ever felt like family, not even friends. Marduk maybe, he reconsidered.
But… admittedly shortsighted as he was at the moment, he could feel a kinship with Lilianna. She was ‘not’ human physically but in a way, she was raised to be one. One look at her face; which he had gotten a few times, rare as they were, and one could see the difference. That bright eye meant something and her voice. It’s a heated debate, Cloven bemused. A conflict between her humanity and her past.
That thought had made him realize he’d been thinking clearly for that split-second. Cloven smiled that same smile, only it had reached his eyes. I get it, just the thought, the hope of unloading this burden… The answer is right here in front of me, it's her. The void-above is marvelous.
But how to bring it up? you can’t just come out and say it. The smile was starting to fall, replaced by a thoughtful countenance. “That’s it!” he blurted out.
Then just as quick, attempting to catch the sudden outburst by the tail. “Lilly,” A bad habit of his when thoughtless or excited was shortening names. “How did you feel when you fought the dragon? Didn’t it seem off to you? And if so… how… did it seem weird?” His voice hardened near the end.
The older mage was a bit surprised by the short outburst, and for a moment thought the boy was going to accept her offer to procure him a mask, but he seemed to have his mind elsewhere. It was followed up by a line of questioning she wasn’t entirely prepared for, but one she had been thinking about for some time. She resisted the urge to correct his nickname for her, for the moment.
She thought back to that moment she had first felt the dragon’s magical reading. It was - oddly clean, in a way. Pure. She had felt it over and over again by memory since that day, trying to find out what it reminded her of. She had eventually found something. But it didn’t make sense. It felt similar to...Grasidia, in a way she couldn’t explain - a way she thought couldn’t make sense. She didn’t know why it felt that way - maybe she was seeing it wrong. But her eye had never failed her before.
“Yes,” She replied, a moment’s pause interrupting her before she continued. “its magical essence felt...pure. In a way similar to few things I have encountered. It didn’t feel like a dragon.” She finished, the thoughts that ran through her head over the past few weeks broiling up again. The Slayer pushed all the questions down - she needed to focus on Cloven for the time being. “Why do you ask?”
Cloven smiled again, the stonewall of his face and voice chipping away to gentle relief. Her question was ignored. “That’s right…” The cat was out of the bag and Lilliana had ushered it so close to the exit that his reveal was harmless; she would’ve figured it out on her own anyway. He fixed his eyes on her. “The dragon didn’t feel like a dragon. Your Dragon Slayer magic did little to nothing. It should have. You should’ve hurt it more.”
He guessed he should let that sink in but he was on a roll. He had courage built up and for once his mind wasn’t cluttering up his wants. A deep, prepping breath filled his lungs then filed out. He unclasped his cloak and stood straight in his battle gear; the black leather and brown gloves and boots he typically wore. “Look at me, what do you see, Lilliana?”
The Slayer was all too aware that she had been of little importance in the fight against the dragon - honestly it bugged her. But it wasn’t the only thing that tugged at her mind. As she watched Cloven stand to present himself, she paused. He was.. her mind scoured the surface of his energy, coming back with a measure of that feeling she had been playing back over and over in her head like a tape recorder. It was similar but somehow it felt darker. It felt.. sickened.
“A boy...with a similar reading. Once again similar, but...different.” She responded, her tone now shifting to one of part confusion, part meager realization.
Cloven searched her reaction. It was hard to pinpoint it, after all her mask hid a great deal of her expression but her voice, it had wavered with confusion? Maybe, he wasn’t all that sure. Yet, he could feel his shoulders slump and he plopped down to the ground, legs casually folding, arms falling between his thighs.
“I’ll tell you something secret, something that I don’t even understand myself… but apparently, I’m the same as that dragon. Same as…” No that’s not my secret to tell. He doubled down on his confession. “I’m a… an Etherious.”
“And Lilly I know it sounds crazy, unbelievable even but you got to believe me. Grasi told me herself,” his hands clawed at the soil. “And why would she lie.”
She wasn’t sure how to respond. She was shocked. She knew there was something different about him but, being an Etherious? Not that she knew much about them, seeing as she’d never met one. But she did know that if anybody else found out, they might not be very understanding. The dragon slayer looked down at the boy sitting in the dirt, confessing something to her that he probably had never told anybody else. He didn’t seem non-human. He looked like, talked like, and acted like(mostly) anybody else.
She let a long uncertain pause permeate the air before she responded. “..I believe you. I don’t think Grasidia would lie.” She assured him, though wondering to herself how exactly Grasidia of all people would know. It got her thinking. “And I won’t tell anyone. Promise.”
An anxiety attack was sneaking up on him, the pause she left in the air was dangerous or it felt like it was. Somewhere inside, he wanted her to be okay with ‘him’, with his existence. Somewhere further down, he was sharpening his claws and preparing to defend himself.
Then when she replied, when her cool words had sunk in; he could see something beautiful, a hopeful seed being plunged into sickened soil. That image did something unnatural to him; a great mirth started to bubble inside.
It started slow.
He chuckled quietly while looking at his hands lose their tension. Then he smiled unapologetically at the ground, eyes watering and himself on the verge of crying. The reaction to this was unprecedented; a piece of him was manically searching for answers. He had been beaten and bullied into the shadows, then suddenly thrusted into the spotlight as a ‘monster’, only to come out to a stranger, a freaking stranger, and be accepted? Was that how the world worked? his past would have disagreed.
But here he sat, with a woman nearly as inhuman as him, accepting something worse and promising not to tell anyone else. It was unbelievable but it rested in front of him with neon lights framing it.
Cloven felt at peace for a moment. Yeah… peace was the perfect word. So he let his tears fall and boyishly, head tilted up at Lilliana, said, “Thanks, Lilianna. I needed that. Honestly.”
The dragon slayer responded with an awkward scratching of her head, averting her eyes as the boy cried what could only be tears of joy. It was an odd feeling to make someone happy - it had been a long, long time since she felt she had. And she also got the feeling that it had been a long, long time since this boy in front of her had been happy himself. But it seemed now that he was relieved by her acceptance. She couldn’t think of any other response she could’ve had.
Lilliana stooped and sat herself down in front of him, crossing her legs. She let another pause take place as her response, as she seemed to be deciding what she should say next. “So..” she began, sounding somewhat out of place leading a conversation, “..tell me something..”
It was some time later that Lilliana once again found herself shrouded in her cloak, walking down one of the many Crocus streets. She was alone, having left her guildmate to his own devices, but she expected to see him more often after the uncharacteristically long conversation she’d held with him. Gratefully she remained unbothered as she made her way into the alley that led to their guild, not pausing this time to check behind her. In recent weeks it became rather difficult to determine if someone misplaced was snooping around because, well, there were now way too many people to tell.
Even before entering the guild she found it too crowded for her liking. Approaching the doors, the cacophonous activity of the guild that she had hoped to escape earlier returned to her ears already. She let out a short sigh before she pushed the doors open with a hand and stepped inside. She scanned the room briefly as she walked straight to the bar, not bothering to hide under her hood anymore, and dropped herself onto one of the stools.
She needed a drink.
I wonder how Nyx feels about Daemon doggos.
*starts chanting*
Punish, Punish, Punish!
Punish, Punish, Punish!
I may be here
The past three weeks had been...hectic. With the news of a previously-unknown guild showing up out of nowhere and saving the council from assured destruction, so did come the wave of mages that were aspiring to join said guild. Lilliana wasn’t exactly fond of all these random people running around the area where she slept, but there wasn’t exactly much of a choice in the matter. She was now contemplating buying some sort of earmuffs though as she lay in her bed, staring up at the ceiling. There was simply too much noise meeting her ears, her enhanced senses surely not helping.
She scowled and grabbed her pillow, pushing it against her ears as she rolled onto her side. It wasn’t usual for her to try and sleep at such a time, but she really didn’t want to leave her room to be bothered by those who wanted to ask her questions about the “dragon” fight. Especially since she’d been rather useless against it - something that itched at the back of her mind every other minute. It wasn’t a dragon. It didn’t feel like a dragon. Where did it come from, then? She sat up and threw her pillow to the side, looking out the window above her desk. She would’ve preferred it be a bit later, but sitting still in all this thought and noise wasn’t doing her any good.
She sighed and stood, grabbing her mask of the beside table and putting it into place on her face. She then grabbed one of her longer cloaks, flipping up the deep cowl to conceal her face, and tucking her right arm away, as she opened her door silently and slipped out. The smell of food and a small sea of people grew stronger as she descended the steps to the bottom floor of the guildhall. She looked around from under her cowl, seeing a few familiar faces in Gwendolyn, Marduk, and a few others. And there were definitely many faces she didn’t recognize. She stepped aside to let someone pass by before continuing her path towards the doors, weaving through the crowd of people as unnoticed as she could be.
She let out a small breath of relief as she pushed the doors open without having been bothered by any of the newcomers. She wasn’t out of the woods yet, but at least she could murder stave off the lesser crowds outside were they to bother her. She continued at a moderate pace for some time before she finally found herself approaching the edge of the town. She could see the tree line in the distance as she walked. It was already a lot less noisy in this area, but if she was going for quiet she might as well go all the way.
She walked until she was surrounded by trees, making sure to leave the occasional scratch mark on a tree with her claws to make sure she didn't get lost. The only sound around her was that of birds singing to one another. She approached one of the trees, looking it over and resting a hand against it as she watched its leaves sway on the wind. She lowered herself to the partially grassy floor of the forest and rested against the tree, taking in a deep breath of the forest. It was already more relaxing than she expected it to be.
She took a second to remove her cloak, folding it and placing it in her lap as she sat in a lotus-like posture. She closed her eyes.
It was a few minutes before she felt the energy of her magic gently ignite, rolling over the cloak upon her lap. It remained still, a small, quiet, white flame resting spread-out over the top of the article of clothing. She redoubled her focus upon it, urging the energy to progress further. There was a moment of increased pressure before she felt the flame flicker. She tried to hold it, adding more energy - only for the flames to surge slightly before falling apart and dissipating. She allowed herself a moment of recollection before she sat in concentration once more.
Just as she began again she heard a slight, distant 'snap' from deeper in the trees. She was immediately on her feet, the cloak being disposed onto the ground beneath her as she moved, her footsteps light and quick, yet calculated as she positioned herself behind a tree. She listened again as she stood still. The footsteps where casual - not rushed, nor heavy. She afforded a slow peek around the tree. Her realization of who it was snapped into place almost at the same time as his unique magical signature had.
Cloven? Why was he out here? Come to think of it, he’d been rather scarce around the guild during the last few weeks. Maybe he was trying to escape from all of the commotion, like she was. She’d never really talked to Cloven much - not that that was unusual, she remained to herself a majority of the time - but he seemed...distant. It kinda reminded her of her own behavior, but his seclusion seemed more.. effortless then hers did. She wondered why. Maybe it was because he was surrounded by people he couldn’t really relate to? With Felix as his only option for someone his own age, maybe it wasn’t a stretch to say that he just felt too different from the rest of the guild members. Then again, there’d surely been plenty of mages his age joining the guild over recent weeks. Many it was just too much for him?
Lilliana gave a short glance backwards before she allowed herself to step out from her cover and into the open, a few yards away from the young mage. There was an unsure pause before she spoke, her half-draconic voice masking the quiet discussion of the birds. “Um, hi. Cloven.”
She scowled and grabbed her pillow, pushing it against her ears as she rolled onto her side. It wasn’t usual for her to try and sleep at such a time, but she really didn’t want to leave her room to be bothered by those who wanted to ask her questions about the “dragon” fight. Especially since she’d been rather useless against it - something that itched at the back of her mind every other minute. It wasn’t a dragon. It didn’t feel like a dragon. Where did it come from, then? She sat up and threw her pillow to the side, looking out the window above her desk. She would’ve preferred it be a bit later, but sitting still in all this thought and noise wasn’t doing her any good.
She sighed and stood, grabbing her mask of the beside table and putting it into place on her face. She then grabbed one of her longer cloaks, flipping up the deep cowl to conceal her face, and tucking her right arm away, as she opened her door silently and slipped out. The smell of food and a small sea of people grew stronger as she descended the steps to the bottom floor of the guildhall. She looked around from under her cowl, seeing a few familiar faces in Gwendolyn, Marduk, and a few others. And there were definitely many faces she didn’t recognize. She stepped aside to let someone pass by before continuing her path towards the doors, weaving through the crowd of people as unnoticed as she could be.
She let out a small breath of relief as she pushed the doors open without having been bothered by any of the newcomers. She wasn’t out of the woods yet, but at least she could murder stave off the lesser crowds outside were they to bother her. She continued at a moderate pace for some time before she finally found herself approaching the edge of the town. She could see the tree line in the distance as she walked. It was already a lot less noisy in this area, but if she was going for quiet she might as well go all the way.
She walked until she was surrounded by trees, making sure to leave the occasional scratch mark on a tree with her claws to make sure she didn't get lost. The only sound around her was that of birds singing to one another. She approached one of the trees, looking it over and resting a hand against it as she watched its leaves sway on the wind. She lowered herself to the partially grassy floor of the forest and rested against the tree, taking in a deep breath of the forest. It was already more relaxing than she expected it to be.
She took a second to remove her cloak, folding it and placing it in her lap as she sat in a lotus-like posture. She closed her eyes.
It was a few minutes before she felt the energy of her magic gently ignite, rolling over the cloak upon her lap. It remained still, a small, quiet, white flame resting spread-out over the top of the article of clothing. She redoubled her focus upon it, urging the energy to progress further. There was a moment of increased pressure before she felt the flame flicker. She tried to hold it, adding more energy - only for the flames to surge slightly before falling apart and dissipating. She allowed herself a moment of recollection before she sat in concentration once more.
Just as she began again she heard a slight, distant 'snap' from deeper in the trees. She was immediately on her feet, the cloak being disposed onto the ground beneath her as she moved, her footsteps light and quick, yet calculated as she positioned herself behind a tree. She listened again as she stood still. The footsteps where casual - not rushed, nor heavy. She afforded a slow peek around the tree. Her realization of who it was snapped into place almost at the same time as his unique magical signature had.
Cloven? Why was he out here? Come to think of it, he’d been rather scarce around the guild during the last few weeks. Maybe he was trying to escape from all of the commotion, like she was. She’d never really talked to Cloven much - not that that was unusual, she remained to herself a majority of the time - but he seemed...distant. It kinda reminded her of her own behavior, but his seclusion seemed more.. effortless then hers did. She wondered why. Maybe it was because he was surrounded by people he couldn’t really relate to? With Felix as his only option for someone his own age, maybe it wasn’t a stretch to say that he just felt too different from the rest of the guild members. Then again, there’d surely been plenty of mages his age joining the guild over recent weeks. Many it was just too much for him?
Lilliana gave a short glance backwards before she allowed herself to step out from her cover and into the open, a few yards away from the young mage. There was an unsure pause before she spoke, her half-draconic voice masking the quiet discussion of the birds. “Um, hi. Cloven.”
Katsumi
Mentions: N/ALocation: Black Babel Plaza -> Other-Tokyo Café
Katsumi’s suspicions were quickly confirmed amongst the greetings as the members mingled and made brief introductions. The girl gave each of them a casual glance over. Tsukiboshi, Saejima, Smithe, Uda, Shinkai, their guide-cat- wait, guide-cat? Katsumi took a double-take as the feline announced its request for the freshly-gathered squad to follow it. It was a little odd that they were being led by a Daemon and not their squad Captain, but Kat always was one to keep an open mind.
It wasn’t long though before the creature in front of them explained the predicament. Hmm, a captain from London, was it? Exotic. Katsumi followed along with the group as the cat led them toward an apparent rendezvous point, half-covering a wide smirk with her hand at the antics of her new squad-mates. This was gonna be fun.
Soon enough the crew would reach their destination - though it appeared their contact had yet to arrive. Good. Maybe they could learn a little more about each other before jumping into what could only be described as a life-changing task. Katsumi crinkled her nose as they entered, the strong smell of coffee that permeated the air washing over her senses; she’d never liked coffee that much - likely because her sense of smell was so keen. She tried to ignore it even as her eyes watered a bit.
Her legs carried her to the counter behind Saejima as the rest of the group took places at a nearby table. She ordered herself a small cup of Amazake, and another cup of Sobacha tea. She deposited her money onto the counter and turned back to the others with a beverage in each hand, the Amazake brought up to her lips for a sip as she rejoined them. She gently set the Sobacha in front of the blue-haired Mitsumi before moving around the table to an empty seat across and taking it as the others spoke. She leaned back lazily, though her eyes were set on each of them as they spoke, her hands performing the occasional movement of bringing her cup to her lips. It was at least helping to block out some of the pungent coffee-smell.
She listened intently as Saejima and Kokoro introduced themselves, giving an acknowledging nod as each one finished in turn. When it came around to her turn she rested her beverage on the table and gave another friendly smile, revealing a slightly elongated canine tooth more akin to that of a vampire than a human.
“Katsumi.” She said simply. “Though some call me 'The Nishimura Black Dragon'. You lot may call me whatever you fancy~” She continued with a wink.
It wasn’t long though before the creature in front of them explained the predicament. Hmm, a captain from London, was it? Exotic. Katsumi followed along with the group as the cat led them toward an apparent rendezvous point, half-covering a wide smirk with her hand at the antics of her new squad-mates. This was gonna be fun.
Soon enough the crew would reach their destination - though it appeared their contact had yet to arrive. Good. Maybe they could learn a little more about each other before jumping into what could only be described as a life-changing task. Katsumi crinkled her nose as they entered, the strong smell of coffee that permeated the air washing over her senses; she’d never liked coffee that much - likely because her sense of smell was so keen. She tried to ignore it even as her eyes watered a bit.
Her legs carried her to the counter behind Saejima as the rest of the group took places at a nearby table. She ordered herself a small cup of Amazake, and another cup of Sobacha tea. She deposited her money onto the counter and turned back to the others with a beverage in each hand, the Amazake brought up to her lips for a sip as she rejoined them. She gently set the Sobacha in front of the blue-haired Mitsumi before moving around the table to an empty seat across and taking it as the others spoke. She leaned back lazily, though her eyes were set on each of them as they spoke, her hands performing the occasional movement of bringing her cup to her lips. It was at least helping to block out some of the pungent coffee-smell.
She listened intently as Saejima and Kokoro introduced themselves, giving an acknowledging nod as each one finished in turn. When it came around to her turn she rested her beverage on the table and gave another friendly smile, revealing a slightly elongated canine tooth more akin to that of a vampire than a human.
“Katsumi.” She said simply. “Though some call me 'The Nishimura Black Dragon'. You lot may call me whatever you fancy~” She continued with a wink.
Lilliana let out a groan.
It felt like minutes she’d been laying there - maybe it had been? She couldn’t tell. What she could tell though was that somebody was trying to help her get back on her feet, at least. She squinted at the shape of one of Leon’s pixies as it fluttered nearby. It wasn’t long that it stayed, but she felt the odd sensation of some of her wounds and scrapes sewing together by the creature’s restoration. She’d always thought healing magic was.. weird. Not that she’d had it applied to her a lot - but when it had been it felt...muted to her. As if it should have done more but didn’t. She chalked it up to her own magic somehow interfering with it.
It wasn’t long before she gathered the will to prop herself up on her elbow, feeling the soar spot in her side where the fairy had managed to un-break one of her ribs. It also wasn’t long before the fairy returned to its master, soon replaced by the sensation of wet drops falling from the sky. The Dragon Slayer tried to shake the blurriness from her skull. Had she hit her head? There was a sore spot on the back of her head - but she doubted it was bleeding, thanks to Leon’s aid. Her gaze shifted up as she saw sparkles of light in the corners of her vision. Was that- it was the dragon. Scratch that - whatever it was that looked like a dragon. Her guildmates had killed it. She let out a breath of relief. She’d have to figure out what the hell that thing was. Because it definitely wasn’t a dragon.
She sat up, pulling her legs underneath herself to get in a kneeling position. She paused for a moment as she felt the drops of rain pattering down around her. One hit her cheek. Her face immediately changed to one of dreadful realization as she realized she’d dropped her mask. Her feet were immediately under her as she stood, her eyes moving to the ground and the various bits of debris that cluttered the street. Her scaled hand moved up to rest over her mouth as she looked around for the oh-so-vital accessory. He heart fluttered as she spotted it amongst a pile of debris and her hand quickly grabbed it before she replaced it onto her face. Now she let out a breath of relief.
She turned and looked around at what was remaining of the street. Her guildmates were scattered about - bruised, but not beaten. She felt an odd hint of pride. She shook her head. Must be the hit she took.
She shifted her feet and began walking towards where she’d seen Leon, her gaze passing over the shape of the stranger she didn’t have the pleasure of meeting. She’d been too occupied. She came to a halt a few yards away from the fae-summoning mage, finding a sizable chunk of stone debris and lifting herself up with one arm to sit on it.
She remained silent for a moment before her half-draconic voice penetrated her now-recovered mask. “Leon.” She said, her gaze scanning over the remnants of the city. “Thank you.”
It felt like minutes she’d been laying there - maybe it had been? She couldn’t tell. What she could tell though was that somebody was trying to help her get back on her feet, at least. She squinted at the shape of one of Leon’s pixies as it fluttered nearby. It wasn’t long that it stayed, but she felt the odd sensation of some of her wounds and scrapes sewing together by the creature’s restoration. She’d always thought healing magic was.. weird. Not that she’d had it applied to her a lot - but when it had been it felt...muted to her. As if it should have done more but didn’t. She chalked it up to her own magic somehow interfering with it.
It wasn’t long before she gathered the will to prop herself up on her elbow, feeling the soar spot in her side where the fairy had managed to un-break one of her ribs. It also wasn’t long before the fairy returned to its master, soon replaced by the sensation of wet drops falling from the sky. The Dragon Slayer tried to shake the blurriness from her skull. Had she hit her head? There was a sore spot on the back of her head - but she doubted it was bleeding, thanks to Leon’s aid. Her gaze shifted up as she saw sparkles of light in the corners of her vision. Was that- it was the dragon. Scratch that - whatever it was that looked like a dragon. Her guildmates had killed it. She let out a breath of relief. She’d have to figure out what the hell that thing was. Because it definitely wasn’t a dragon.
She sat up, pulling her legs underneath herself to get in a kneeling position. She paused for a moment as she felt the drops of rain pattering down around her. One hit her cheek. Her face immediately changed to one of dreadful realization as she realized she’d dropped her mask. Her feet were immediately under her as she stood, her eyes moving to the ground and the various bits of debris that cluttered the street. Her scaled hand moved up to rest over her mouth as she looked around for the oh-so-vital accessory. He heart fluttered as she spotted it amongst a pile of debris and her hand quickly grabbed it before she replaced it onto her face. Now she let out a breath of relief.
She turned and looked around at what was remaining of the street. Her guildmates were scattered about - bruised, but not beaten. She felt an odd hint of pride. She shook her head. Must be the hit she took.
She shifted her feet and began walking towards where she’d seen Leon, her gaze passing over the shape of the stranger she didn’t have the pleasure of meeting. She’d been too occupied. She came to a halt a few yards away from the fae-summoning mage, finding a sizable chunk of stone debris and lifting herself up with one arm to sit on it.
She remained silent for a moment before her half-draconic voice penetrated her now-recovered mask. “Leon.” She said, her gaze scanning over the remnants of the city. “Thank you.”
Heh. Honestly I just thought Koko was being a weirdo very friendly cx
Katsumi
Mentions: N/ALocation: Other-Tokyo Streets -> Black Babel Plaza
Katsumi had been waiting for this day for a long time. A long time indeed.
It felt like forever in her mind. All the training, training, and more training. She had to be ready for it. Right? Bah, of course she was ready. She was the latest-generation Black Dragon of the Nishimura family. If anyone was prepared for this day, it was her. At least that’s what she told herself. In all honesty, she didn’t know. In her family line one was normally assuredly prepared by her age, but her mother had...not been enthusiastic about continuing her training to its fullest. Katsumi didn’t know if it was right to blame her - but that was a matter to think about later, even if she had done so a hundred times over.
Now was the time to meet her new squad - and alongside them, prove that they were ready to become true Witches of Black Babel. This is why she was already walking the streets of Other-Tokyo. On the day-to-day, Katsumi lived in normal Tokyo, with her mother. It was a touchy subject with her - the vampire hunting - which is why they had an unspoken agreement that today would be a day of few words. In fact, the only exchange they’d made all day was their departing “I love you”s. Katsumi could’ve had a more thrilling conversation with the Black Babel gate. Which, speaking of...
The girl approached the gate as her right hand slipped into her pocket to retrieve her badge. Not that she needed it for entry - she was wearing the uniform and was a regular attendee - but it felt more professional that way. She flashed it towards the gatekeeper, who casually gestured her through the maw of a Daemon that served as the living gate to the Black Babel plaza. She stepped through, giving him a nod and a smile as her attention turned towards what was within.
It was fantastic every time. The many faces - all faces of her fellow Witches as they moved about, going along with their business. Be it studying, or training, or even preparing to go take a fight of their own - it felt great to be a part of it. There was meaning here. It was a part of her family, and had been for a long time. A slight content smile painted her face.
Her eyes scanned over the various witches in the plaza until they locked onto a group beginning to gather. As she laid her eyes on them she saw the faint bluish visage of her Daemon companion come into view and float airily in their direction.
Not a bad place to start, then. She thought to herself.
She followed her Daemon’s lead, strolling behind it until it stopped a few feet away from them, where she caught up to him as she watched a few of the Witches share a group hug. It seemed they were getting along pretty quickly already.
She cleared her throat playfully, letting a grin play across her lips.
“Hello there~ 176th, I’m guessing? I’m Nishimura Katsumi. It’s nice to meet you.”
It felt like forever in her mind. All the training, training, and more training. She had to be ready for it. Right? Bah, of course she was ready. She was the latest-generation Black Dragon of the Nishimura family. If anyone was prepared for this day, it was her. At least that’s what she told herself. In all honesty, she didn’t know. In her family line one was normally assuredly prepared by her age, but her mother had...not been enthusiastic about continuing her training to its fullest. Katsumi didn’t know if it was right to blame her - but that was a matter to think about later, even if she had done so a hundred times over.
Now was the time to meet her new squad - and alongside them, prove that they were ready to become true Witches of Black Babel. This is why she was already walking the streets of Other-Tokyo. On the day-to-day, Katsumi lived in normal Tokyo, with her mother. It was a touchy subject with her - the vampire hunting - which is why they had an unspoken agreement that today would be a day of few words. In fact, the only exchange they’d made all day was their departing “I love you”s. Katsumi could’ve had a more thrilling conversation with the Black Babel gate. Which, speaking of...
The girl approached the gate as her right hand slipped into her pocket to retrieve her badge. Not that she needed it for entry - she was wearing the uniform and was a regular attendee - but it felt more professional that way. She flashed it towards the gatekeeper, who casually gestured her through the maw of a Daemon that served as the living gate to the Black Babel plaza. She stepped through, giving him a nod and a smile as her attention turned towards what was within.
It was fantastic every time. The many faces - all faces of her fellow Witches as they moved about, going along with their business. Be it studying, or training, or even preparing to go take a fight of their own - it felt great to be a part of it. There was meaning here. It was a part of her family, and had been for a long time. A slight content smile painted her face.
Her eyes scanned over the various witches in the plaza until they locked onto a group beginning to gather. As she laid her eyes on them she saw the faint bluish visage of her Daemon companion come into view and float airily in their direction.
Not a bad place to start, then. She thought to herself.
She followed her Daemon’s lead, strolling behind it until it stopped a few feet away from them, where she caught up to him as she watched a few of the Witches share a group hug. It seemed they were getting along pretty quickly already.
She cleared her throat playfully, letting a grin play across her lips.
“Hello there~ 176th, I’m guessing? I’m Nishimura Katsumi. It’s nice to meet you.”
© 2007-2025