Forums » Fantasy Roleplay » A Heavenly Hellfire Among Legends

A hand, a hand extended towards Seren. This hand would be the catalyst to a journey across the continent. But would hr accept his request? Seren's appearance was usually the first thing that threw most people off. If his crimson red eyes hadn't caught third attention then his dragon-like tail and sharpened nails and canines would. Yet this man, Rey-Lynn hadn't noticed in the slightest. Seren looked down at his hand, somewhat anticipated to shake it. No one else had shown up so he didn't have much of a choice. And besides, his request didn't seem like one he couldn't manage.

"I will be happy to oblige sir." Grabbing a firm hold of his he shook it shortly and vigorously. His mannerisms were obviously different than most people. Rei-stood not to much taller than Seren did, after all he did look older than him. After releasing his hand Seren realized he hadn't asked his name. "Now then sort may I have your name before we prepare for travel?

His eyes lightened up for a moment as he stood up straight, puffing his chest, and gives his best shot at what you assume to be is a powerful and hearty voice. "I, am Rei-Lynn Mayfuss! And w- ..."
And just as quickly as the change of mood came, it left. As if a solid wave of reality washed over his demeanor, he hunched back over, readjusting to a mumble. "Rei-Lynn... You can call me Rei-Lynn". Whatever had been missing or wrong, he hadn't taken long to ruminate on it.
Rei-Lynn perked back up as if nothing had occurred, giving a coy smile. "Well, if there's nothing else, lets get a move on!"
He says as his arm roughly pats Seren's back, walking ahead of him for a moment before realizing he has no clue where he's going.

Seren had taken a moment to think about Rey-Lynn's behavior. It was slightly unusual, first optimistic introduction, abruptly interrupted by a humble tone of voice. But he then discarded it like it was nothing. It was rather odd, but Seren had to room to complain here either. It was best deals didn't try and force any questions on his due to them just meeting. Shaking the miscellaneous thought from his mind he awoke back into the present, only to discover Rey-Lynn was paused in place a few details ahead of him.. "You do realize I have to explain were we're headed, correct?" He then sighed and pulled outhe a map from a brown satchel that he always carried by his side. After catching up with him he showing him the map. It was a map of the entire continent, all of Aizalos. "Alright, we're here in the city of Silverkeep. We're headed to abother major city all the way down here." He gestured towards the large city farther down the map. "We're heading toward Saiflance, which is quite the trip." He then folded the map back up and placed it in his pouch. "Now that we know where we're going I'll take the lead from here." Seren then begun to lead the way down the stone path. "Oh, and you may refer to me as Seren."

It seemed that the moment you had withdrew that map was the first time you had is full attention, as during the brief explanation his gaze was solely focused upon the scribbled parchment. To be blunt you weren't even entirely sure if he had been listening to you, going on no evidence of such besides a firm nod.
"Seren huh? Well that's a relief." He gives a slight chuckle "Back where I'm from everyone's name was a mouth full, "Oh my fair lady, what might your name be?" "Oh well I'm Marquisa-elenore s'abeth of the pompous nobody carsingtons! Pleasure to make your acquaintance!" Mocks Rei-Lynn, whom had just run through a scene like an old memory, even making up snide little voices for the other people. His laughter doesn't quite help the whole matter of him not fitting in, catching a few glaces from passers by. Once he calms down he looks to Seren with a quizzical expression, drawing a bit closer to him and speaking in a hushed tone
"Say, I've been meaning to ask. What's with all the Terakin? I mean, you're the only half-breed I've seen around this joint in who knows how long..."
Terakin? That was an unfamiliar term. And what did he mean by half-breed? He goes about it like it's a completely casual question, somehow.

Terakin, the wrong struck some form of nostalgia but it didn't ring any bells. But the wordrop half breed was enough to send him a bad vibe. "The word Terakin is not in my memory but I suggest you be carful when referring to me as a half-breed." As Seren said this his tail stuck against the ground like a bull whip. Draconians were especially sensitive when it came to labeling, their value as warriors included the their value of pride. Referring to one as such would he the equivalent of an insult, a racial slur to be more accurate. Gazing into the distance ahead of them he sighed. "Anyway, could you explain the term Terakin too me, I am unfamiliar with it..." He said this as he exhaled a small, thick cloud of black soot from his nostrils.

Rei-Lynn raises a brow, pausing in a state of confusion before fully internalizing that he had struck a nerve. He raises his hands slightly in an apologetic gesture and shakes his head.
"You have my condolences Seren, I hadn't meant to offend" He begins to mumble, scratching the back of his head "Guess this place is bit more queer than I had originally thought..."
"But lets kill to birds with one stone, I'll tend to your question first." He says, letting his eyes shut while stroking his beard in an idle state of thought. "You see... where I come from, the term "Terakin" refers to the original people, although I suppose now it would be considered more of a race? It confuses me too, honestly. But the term Half-Breed on the other hand I am WELL acquainted with."
He chuckles under his breath, grinning ever so slightly. "Half-Breeds were... created, would be the way to put it, by unnatural entities which resided within my homeland for lord knows who long. Simply put, Terakin were given the traits of various creatures, which would go on to form their own societies and even interbreed with base Terakin. In some parts they were more common than actual Terakin, but..."
He goes quiet for a moment, sighing as a grim memory returns to him.
"Anyway... they're just a part of life where I'm from, the term was coined but never quite meant any harm in a derogatory sense. Hell, I myself am I Half-Breed" He admits, flicking his bat-like ears and doing his best to make his longer-than usual appendages clear, although it wasn't quite much to look at.
"There were people like yourself from my land aswell" He laughs a bit "Just as strong headed as you. Some things never change I suppose..."

During the explanation of the Terakin Seren slowly nodded his head. Opun hearing Rei-Lynn's opinion about Xucrutov Seren couldn't help but chuckle. "I would say queer is a understatement. Anyway I could see how you would assume I was a Terakin, your condolences are accepted. But I can assure you I am what most people here would refer to as a purebred. Both my parents were draconic and I was their offspring." Staring towards his pointed bat ears Seren moved his own hair slightly to reval his own pair of pointed ears. They were not long, nor wide, just pointed. Hearing Rei-Lynn's remark about being strong headed also prompted a shrort laugh. "Yes, I would day strong headed would be the right term, anyway back to traveling plans. When it comes to locomotion it can vary, I have a coin purse to rent a ride if needed. Otherwise we either walk or..." He trailed off before he could mention the alternative too walking. "Never mind, I will tell you when the situation prompts too. Anyway, are you ready? It's a large road ahead of us and I'd hate to waste time."

Rei-Lynn felt reassured by the mild laughter he had drew from Seren as he nodded
"Just about as ready as I'll ever be, pal." Without shifting in his demeanor what so ever, he began to speak again. "One last thing though. If worst comes to worst and it appears that I've fallen in battle, it'll be in your best interest to either run like hell or grant yourself a swift death on your own terms."
This, certainly seemed like an out of character thing for Rei-Lynn to say, but he continued on as if it had never been said at all. Something tells you that hoping for an explanation isn't exactly worth while either.

With a sudden demeanor change Seren responded to Rei-Lynn's comment. "If worst comes to worst I will make sure that neither of our blood shall spill, and hellfire will arise." Before showing the slightest of smiles he and Rei-Lynn were off. He didn't bother asking about Rey-Lynn's earlier remark, as it might stir up something be didn't with to know about. The first destination was a small trading city, Moegan. A place to recuperate and such. While walking Seren noticed a scabbard located on Rei-Lynn's back. "Oh, do you wield a sword?" He asked curiously. After all, he also used a weapon

This, drew a grin from Rei-Lynn. And as if this had been his natural response since birth, he drew his blade. It hardly made a sound as Rei'lin drew the weapon single-handed and allowed his body to rest in a fighting position, with ease only attainable of someone who's fought many a'battle and lived to bleed another day.
Although his execution was admirable, the weapon itself was admittedly less so. What met Seren's eyes was a rusty, heavily scarred hand and a half sword. In many ways it was fitting for the owner, but it caused doubt to raise. Could something like that even sustain a blow without crumbling?
Before you had a moment to finish the thought the blade was resting in his armored-hands, pushing the handle towards you, as if he could read your doubt and was gesturing for you to find out yourself.
"It's name is companion. It's hard to say how many years it's been with me."

The sword his companion was holding don't look battle ready is the slightest. Surely he would have to pull back on his slashes if he were too notook break the weapon. Seren grabbed it by the hilt. He took a good couple of loons at the blades point. Guard and fuller. It looked easy easysurf.cc enough to wield, but it requires some strength to hold. "Not bad, I'm impressed you've kept the sword use able in this condition. I'll have to complement your on your seord tequinique considering it's still in one peice." Swinging it around his arm he handed it back toon Rei-Lynn. "No then as a fellow sword user I assume you are familiar with the longsword?" Seren then drew his own blade, intrested in his own reaction.

It was a double edged longsword with its edges and sides lined in a golden coloration. The hilt houseful a crimson red gem in the center gave offor a unusual heat, it seemed nearly sentient the way it gave of energy. The swords Fuller was slightly blackened, most likely from over sharpening. The Grove itself was smooth, like stones being his by the sea shore. The weapons guard was in the shape of two twin golden wing that acted as gaurds for the users hands, with small talons on the ends. The grip was two-handed, with a brown start wrapped around it. The blade itself ranged from a little over 5-5 3/4 feet long. It surely was a strange, yet alluring blade. "Draconix is his name, and no. I don't refer to him as a hike just for cosmetic effect. He's been with me since I was just a youngling." He turned the blade over a few times just to breath it in. He then mimicked Rei-Lynn's handle gesture, curious about what he thought about his longsword.

He took a moment simply to look over the blade that Seren presented to him, studying the details profusely. It came to the point where there was floating doubt about whether or not he would even accept the gesture.
Eventually, he did. However his reaction wasn't exactly something that could be prepared for. Rei-Lynn gripped the blade firmly, giving a few test swings at the air around him before lifting the edge to the exposed section of his forearm and pressing it into his pale skin. If you were to disregard the action, another thing stuck out. His blood.
Rather than the poignant red that would typically be expected.

What was seen, however, was a thin black substance which was more comparable to water and didn't bare the slightest hint of the typical crimson.
The substance showed no sign that it's flow would be staunched either, however Rei-Lynn paid it no mind as he passed the blade back to his companion and began fumbling through his bag.
"I've got to be honest, it looked better suited to be sitting on some nobleman's wall rather than in a warrior's sheathe. But he surprised me. Draconix certainly has a special feel to it"
You had expected some sort of explanation, but once again there was none to be found with him. He just went on bandaging the wound.

"I'll admit, gold isn't the typical color you would see on a sword. At first it seemed a little gauche for my taste but you learn to get used too it." After putting the overtly extravagant blade back into its somewhat maladroit sheath he couldn't help but notice the blood coming out of his forearm. It's coloration was darker than most, it wasn't thick like most blood. Rather it seemed more water like. Having kept a good portion of questions toor himself Seren couldn't help himself but to ask this time. But this one time only, he still hadn't been with Rei-Lynn long enough to start badgering him. "I would assume this is blood but it differs from most, is this how all half-breeds bleed or is this associated with you particularly?"

As you had already witnessed multiple times prior, this fell under the range or questions that caused Rei-Lynn to halt in his tracks.
A few silent moments followed as he stood still, and began unwrapping the freshly applied bandage. He presented the wound to you as he spoke, the thin black blood coarsing steadily down his arm just as it had before.
"Yaknow, I'd planned on dancing around this for as long as possible."
He said, still smiling faintly as his eyes rested over you.
Every detail on his face screamed exhaustion as he forced his lips to move, as if everything natural to him was restricting him from speaking of it.
"This isn't quite unique to me, no, I know of a few others who had been like me. You see, from birth... I was afflicted with ssomething referred to as "The Decay".
Just uttering the words appeared to be painful for him, but he still smiled, and he still spoke.
"To summarize it, powerful beings made corpses artificial souls in order to ressurect them in a sense.
They were mindless weapons, with no sense of morality or kinship. They were a method of keeping control over my homeland. Now if you were to fight one, if you were lucky they'd just tear you apart. If not, they'd just leave a small wound.
That's what gets you. Essentialy, if a conduit of the Decay can make blood to blood contact, you contract a variety of cancer which rots you from the core, causes tumors to hadren and form at joints and internal organs. Sometimes shoots of bone would even break skin and begin to protrude."
He chuckled at that. As if recalling an old memory.
"Once you finally meet the good grace of death, your corpse practically arises once more to add onto the army. Sort of anyway, they essentialy just went on killing sprees. But that was their purpose well enough. My mother had been wounded during a raid composed of Decay, and found herself blessed to have escaped with only a scratch. She had a baby on the way after all...
She suffered for months. Holding on against all odds before passing. My siblings and father were mortified. However... to everyone's surprise, there was a whimpering within my mother once she passed.
Lo and behold, the child was alive. It didn't necessarily look healthy, but it gazed upon the family just as my mother had. As the child grew, it became quickly apparent that something was wrong. Ironically, the child who had been a miracle was found to be a living curse. Am entity of Decay that had held onto it's soul. Everyone feared it. Everyone alienized it with the fear that it was just a trick, that one day it'd be responsible for their deaths. And one day, it was.
Now with the infectious properties of Decay blood, it is also acidic. I'd expected the blade to dissolve if it had been a lesser example of craftsmanship.
...
Now, any further questions?"

The only response from him was silence. The Decay itself sounded savage, barbaric and inhumane. Seren's body signs were showing mixed emotions, his tail begand to tremble in slight anger while he just stared into Rey-Lynn's eyes. "You know, we've only been traveling for less than a week and I already know so much about you. I guess it's just your nature, but this Decay you speak of is slightly sickening. I should apologize for making you relived such a terrible memory. Hell if anything I shouldn't have asked." His voice then started to rise a tad but. It was obvious he took this too a personal standpoint. "But I doubt you of all people would pity yourself from something that happened in the past. And I'm not the one too pity. Yes, by your rather vivid description of The Decay it was not endured easily. Yes, you have this infectious ailment has been feared for as long as you know. But I doubt you of all people would let Thai stop you living, after I I do have living proof here don't I? I have no further questions about this, all I can say is Etohr is watching. And he will watch over you for as long as you remain here on Xucrutov." Seren then gestured a let's keep moving gesture as he continued down to their next destination. Self pity nor regular pity was not a option right now, neither washould ignorance on the situation. All he could do now is keep away from personal questions and such until further notice.

And he took no issue with this. Rei-Lynn had learned well that self pity and fear were both elements leading to a pathetic life, so he had no other reaction but to nod and follow his companion.
He had given his word to Seren that he would help in any way his body would allow. And he intended to keep it. If he was lucky, he might even find what he was after too.

For the first time in years Rei-Lynn had felt comfortable and at peace, to an extent. Travelling a long road,compan with nothing but good company, was his life.

"You know, you remind me a lot of an old friend..."
An awkward silence followed.
"Anyway... I suppose we've been lucky not to get caught in a snag so far huh?" He chuckled.
"What's so dangerous about this land anyways?"
He questioned, raising a brow.

A friend, that was truly a odd comparison in Seren's mind. Usually he traveled by himself, brining others along would either slow him down or he would slow down others. And friendship wasn't exactly on his top priority lists, due to him being able too do most objectives on his own.

When a question about hostiles arose Seren just pointed up too the sky. "You may not be able to see it as clearly as j can but the skies are where most threats occur. I usually don't run into any brigands or such, and if so I dispatch of them quickly. But the sky houses slightly more dangerous aninals. But I doubt we will encounter anything too large, I'm more concerned about getting blood in my sword if we run into any brigands..."

Although he had internalized that there likely wouldn't be too much to see, this caused Rei-Lynn's eyes to become glued to the sky above him even as he continued the idle banter
"The sky huh? Ya don't say..."
He murmured, stumbling slightly over his own feet due to not noticing a slight incline, but continuing to gaze above regardless
You barely catch what comes out of his mouth next, unsure of whether you were meant to hear it or not
"Seems the world has gotten a bit more tame in my absence..."
He perks up again, breaking his gaze from above momentarily
"Yaknow it just now occurs to me, we've been travelling for what, four or so days now? To think I still haven't seen you in action..."
Rei-Lynn smirks at this.
"You up to spar?"

Tame, that word was one not spoken so often. Usually the first signs of conflict would occur by now, too think it's been four days and Seren hadn't been in combat yet. And he was also curious about Rey-Lynn's combat prowess. After all, that sword if his needed to be started by a blade of equal or better strength, and draconix was on par with that. As he looked up the end of day for was nigh. As Seren heard the word spar the slightest of grins hit his face. "Well since Saiflance is fairly close to hear and the sun is starting to go down why not? Besides I could say the same for you." Seren then gripped the grip of his sword. He used his other hand to toss his things to the ground. Using his right hand he unsheathed his sword and tossed it's scabbard away. Taking a stance for combat he tilted hit head back a bit, enticing him too battle. "I'm ready when you are."