Tag: fantasy

Morning arrived like a dull blade instead of a clean cut. Arc became aware of consciousness in fragments — warmth first, then the dull throb behind his eyes, then the slow, creeping realization that he was not where he had started the night. Something soft beneath him, something even warmer beside him. The air carried…

They might’ve both been surprised if Calia even understood her own thoughts and motivations, but as it were, being close was as vital as breathing these days. Not alone on her own being adrift and lost out in the universe, and not a many bearing the weight of responsibility of hundreds of little lives. Only quiet company…

It seemed that once he had stepped cleanly out of the Etherion’s suspended hush, the tether remained—as one would expect. But thankfully it no longer bled through to give him that of her thoughts. If it tried, it was smothered beneath layers of distance so thick that his own awareness simply stepped around the oddity…

Immediately once the whole hawk diving princess begun to manifest ice to slide her way out of sight, Arc sighed out both in relief and a sense of exasperation. Mentally telling himself this is why he had always been against having an apprentice as a mage, and why he never wanted children in the same…

This was an entirely different sensation. Not the one that came from overtaxing the use of magic till he was nearly empty, or the fact that he had given just as much as he got from the other demon; but rather how the contract had worked in reply to him taking the shift against its…

The trek climbing up the mountain trails didn’t come with a lot of talking, at least not on Calia’s end. She might have done a little too much talking with all the thoughts swirling around in her head now, not that it was a bad thing. Somewhere in all the drama inside his tower, she’d settled into…

By all means he would take gratefully any night that wasn’t frought with dreams pulled up by his inner subconscious. Where it was blissfully blank and dark and silent. At least to recollection, there was probably some weird ones in there. The sort that were like only being able to walk around with a handstand…

The tower’s kitchen had the lived-in warmth of a place meant for people rather than spells. The long wooden table bore all its years in the scars carved across its surface—knife grooves, stains from ink and spilled wine, the ghost of burns where kettles had sat too hot for too long. None of it had…

The air broke apart as though the world itself had inhaled the moment her head touched the ground. Cold, snow, ruin, stone—gone in an instant, as if the wasteland had been nothing more than a fever dream. The rift sealed behind them with a soundless snap, its edges curling inward like the last breath of…

Sleep was both a blessing and a curse. Taking her far away out of the world to escape that weight in her chest, only to churn out the sort of nightmares that felt more prophetic than simply a dream. Sometimes the scene would change, a forest covered in snow. A flat ice sheet over water.…

When it seemed that her feast had come to an end and she may have successfully revitalized herself back to the biggest and baddest that all should tremble before, he grabbed her dumb little petal creature and tossed maybe another few coins onto the table. Just to give the elder woman that had served them…

Morning in Velmira brought with it a soft grey sky and the sluggish hum of rural life rising slow but sure with the sun. Mist still clung to the edges of stone walls and packed earth, curling like breath from the mouths of gossiping elders and half-awake merchants hauling wares into modest stalls. Arc sat…

That was probably some sort of fae magic to enter into dreams and that, or new aged magic that he didn’t care to learn. Regardless her suggestion had been met with a chuckling hum and a shifting to curl into shoulder without having his next tumble off into the ground. Doing that same sort of…

Thankfully as she finally managed to return to that of bedroll and guiding assistance from rodent fae; he wasn’t actually about to just separate away from her either. The whole reality that Calia had been whisked off when she slumbered –and how the distraction of haunting faces, memories and lashing psychic whips successfully distracted him…

That calm lasted through the night and into the next day, like a gentle embrace, and continued on without a worry or a fear for two more nights and three days. Despite the fact Calia said she didn’t much care about the fundamentals of magic, she always seemed to asked the questions anyway. For any…

When dusk made it’s appearance and fireflies were beginning to ignite everywhere in the forest to create a beautiful dancing glow, it was high time for them to search for a nice cozy spot to nest for the evening. With Calia glancing upwards at high branches before giving her demon companion that unspoken, feral fae…

Of course, Calia had been right. Especially regarding the kind involving troublemakers and demons in particular. If she’d asked outright, she’d have gotten her confirmation, but Arc would’ve probably only given it with a grin and a wink, leaving it up to interpretation whether he was telling the truth or just basking in the satisfaction…

What now indeed. Calia was angry, frustrated, defeated… he would not listen! He blamed her for everything, and she could not seem to break through his own barriers to get him to see her. To realize she was actually trying. They both wanted to escape, to die, but it wasn’t what they both really wanted…

Morning arrived in its usual, unbothered fashion—golden light creeping through the curtains as if it hadn’t interrupted anyone’s dreams or business. Nova took to it with quiet purpose, gently coaxing her guest—who had thus far behaved with the saintly restraint of a statue—to take advantage of the tub and wash up proper. She hadn’t expected…

No one in the world could be surly and sour around Nova, that was for sure. The woman had such a comforting peace about her, it likely was the better idea for Calia just go and leave it to Nova to be sure Arc stayed in bed and ate something proper. It wouldn’t take more…

The morning light filtered in through the wide-set windows of the tavern, catching dust motes that drifted lazily through the air like tired dancers. The scent of old embers, dried herbs, and spiced mead still lingered faintly, clinging to the worn wooden beams overhead. It was a quiet time—the hush that came after a night…

Come morning there was still no Archimedes and it was starting to irk her just a little. Unsure if it was time for her to be worried or to be pissed off. Did she even have a right to be pissed off! Regardless, she bid goodbye to the man at the bar on her way…

One couldn’t have expected to have found a dark crowned human slumped on the forest floor, her breathing steady but unconscious. The near afternoon light filtered through the towering trees, casting dappled shadows across the young woman’s form. With the crashing sound of ocean waves not too terrible far away, it took one look around…

As morning began to break, he’d open that Arcanum Hollow once more. Pulling out a few things that made travel light and useful for meal prep. His hands, deft and practiced, pulled out a few basic tools—a knife, a small pan. The wildness of the forest was ever present, and he had been taught how…

Said demon had travelled a good portion away. Managing to find himself a stable looking root lifted from one of the grand giants and plunked down there. The redwood roots formed a strange cocoon around him, half sheltering him from the world, half exposing him to the ancient forest that stretched for miles. Arc’s eyes…

Upon the next day, Calia was up at the crack of dawn, taking full advantage of the palace household having spent last evening staying up late drinking and making merry to get done what she needed without running into anyone. Making a quick run to the village to pick up the few items she’d commissioned…

Thank all the gods that the next few days came and went without disaster, mayhem, or further strife. Archimedes seemed to need his time and Calia let him have it. Not without luring him into a new game of catch this magic ball at completely random moments when she did spot him, but it was as far…

“Calia… Princess Calia.” The soft gentle words called up and the mountain princess grunted with the intent to roll and curl herself up in her blankets. Only that roll had her nearly tipping out of her cozy nook, and an empty bottle slipping out of her hands to land down below on the soft ground…

As for the mountain princess whose name seemed to be on the lips of half the kingdom, she was naught but a dead body sprawled in a field. Alright, not dead, though she was imagining herself as so. She’d walked a good distance away from the palace, taking a winding path that led away from…

By the time morning had properly come, he had evaded invading Calia’s space. Staying out and away worked fine. It gave him a chance to meander around the immense palace anyways. Liable to be so practiced at navigating it that he could become a tour guide should the whole demon on a pet leash didn’t…

And so she did. Stayed in that tree until Nysia had come blustering through, for a moment getting distracted by blooming waterfalls of blue blossoms, until she was shouting at Calia to come down to get dressed for dinner. Ignoring Calia’s complaints of GO AWAY and wonderfully done mimic of Arc’s FUCK OFF, until she…

Surprisingly, Calia was fine to leave him to his own thoughts. Not too fussed about needing to fill silence with endless back and forth conversation. Even if she had finally come to the realization that she did prefer having company compared to always being by herself. Traveling with Rhelic had given her a chance to…

Alone at her leisure to do as she pleased. Truly that was one of the better gifts he could have given her. Even if she wasn’t entirely alone, and was still all too aware of the demon basking in the sunlight nearby where no one was going to notice or care about a single gleaming…

As confident as the queen was about the methods of their dungeon and keeping corralled that of a obvious injured demon, Calia had been in fact wise to the reality that the beast would hardly stay there! Only long enough that one’s form could have been dumped and to listen to the conversation flipping back…

Managing to arrange hair back into a state that wasn’t bordering on crazed wildling having just recently run through the woods with not a care in mind, summoning mother back to the Queen’s court was both easy and unnerving. Although she hadn’t come alone. Something he had wished she would have. To spare Liriel or…

Calia was full on into her brooding as Nysia led her through halls, chattering away about all the different paintings and pieces of arts they crossed. Of what each room was for, whether they were guest suites, cozy dens, a library, and other things she really wasn’t listening too. Trying to figure out what it…

Smoothing lapels down as eyes flickered to that of the drow woman, her hands busying themselves with adjusting the bridle that had been placed upon the black horses features. Nervously glancing around considering the fact that Rhelic had expressed this morning that they and Calia had gone out to mingle amongst the masses. Save that…

Once the prince had made it clear after dinner that he was intending to retire as there were still things he had to manage in the form of duties, they were given the verbal allowance to freely pass through the home. To the outside even in which she was personally a fan of. Removing the…

They rose early. Long before the means of the breaking of sun over the horizon. The forest still bathed in a pale twilight of mist and towering timbers cradling them amongst its hold. Offering a frail sense of security while the means of tasks had been promptly doled out to each separate accompaniment of soles.…