Reincarnated (REMAKE)

[pudding]

Alright, Reincarnated Remake! I’ve got my sheets right here so lets get going:

 

Username: pudding

Earth Details

Name: James Price

Gender: Male

Age: 24

Appearance:

Personality: Rp'ed

History: Rp'ed

Tiadoria Details

Name: Viziel

Species: Veh'ishue Viziel was a member of an alien species not native to Tiadoria. Compared to native creatures of Tiadoria, it is easy to mistake the Veh'ishue for humans due to minimal external differences. Hailing from a planet with high-reaching trees, the Veh'ishue share many similarities cats. Retractable claws on their hands and feet give them exceptional climbing skills and the species as a whole is highly agile. While they normally stand on two feet for ease of using their hands, Veh'ishue are faster on all fours and will resort to sprinting away from danger on all fours if needed. Aside from their claws, other changes are more visible from the waist down. They all have extremely long tails that are about one to one and a half times the length of their bodies. The tails are thin and whip-like and act as a counterweight during more rigorous activities. Likewise, their legs end in larger paws instead of feet, with especially flexible toes that allow them to cling to objects more effectively. Veh'ishue have naturally occurring spots on their backs and shoulders which grow larger the closer to the spine they are. Veh'ishue naturally grow very little hair, with the exception of hair on the tops of their heads. Their teeth resemble humans at first glance, however, will continue to grow back if knocked out.

Species abilities:

-Veh'ishue are nocturnal by nature so Viziel had very good night vision. This also causes his eyes to appear to glow since they reflect any light. While not noticeable during the day, it is quite obvious in darker places.

-Viziel had very good climbing skills and was very agile. He could move much faster on all fours but can also move very quickly while standing upright.

-Viziel was able to use his tail as a third limb, able to grab things with it and hold them.

Appearance: Viziel was a tall creature, standing about 6'1". The hair on top of his head and on the ends of his tail were both black, matching the spots that run down his back. The hair on his head and on his tail was curly. Like his hair and his spots, his eyes were also dark to the point where they could easily be considered black and it is nearly impossible to distinguish where his pupils stop and his irises start.

Viziel's tail was about the size of his entire body and incredibly skinny. The spots from his back continued down onto the base of his tail but did not extend all of the way. His skin is on the darker side of olive and rarely burns, even in harsh light.

Other:

 

 

Username: pudding

Earth Details

Name: Thomas (Tom)

Gender: Male

Age: 24

Appearance:

Personality: Rp'ed

History: At a young age, Thomas moved from his home in Norway to Russia, following his father’s business. He spent most of his childhood there before returning to America at a later time, originally as an exchange student before eventually remaining there for a work study. During his time he eventually met up with James and eventually became friends with him. Currently they share an apartment together.

Tiadoria Details

Name: Larrsin

Species: Construct Chimera

Species abilities:

Larrsin

-Larrsin has an increased intelligence and knowledge of extensive alien technology.

-Larrsin is able to use several advanced forms of weaponry with extreme precision and accuracy. He is known for using primarily advanced guns and other projectiles, though he can wield a knife readily as well.

-Larrsin is physically very strong and easily able to lift objects heavier than him. However, this has a great deal to do with muscle density and so, he will sink in water very rapidly. In fact, he cannot swim at all.

Suit

Larrsin’s jumpsuit boasts several different technological advancements. Along with being weather and flame resistant, the blue circle over his chest monitors his vitals and heartbeat, changing colors to indicate if his hear rate has fluctuated too high or low, or if he has lost too much blood. Aside from this, a small band in the arm acts as a communications device directly back to the leader and the other side can be used to reach troops in the area.

Appearance:

Larrsin is the product of genetic tampering, combining the native human DNA with the alien DNA. As such, he has a shockingly human exterior with dark brown, wild hair that is medium length. He has very dark brown eyes and olive skin. He is fairly short by the standards of people, however standing only at about 5’1. Despite this fact, Larrsin is an especially dangerous individual.

Looking past general appearances, Larrsin wears a dark blue long coat, which is usually open to reveal a jumpsuit underneath. The white jumpsuit is fairly loose on his body and is white in color, usually zipped up to the neck. The neck and shoulder area is black and has several bands as well as a large circle in the center of his chest that glows blue. Underneath his jumpsuit, Larrsin has several unusual black markings.

History:

Larrsin is a mixture between a human and an extinct alien race. He was created artificially by the evil forces long ago and was synthesized to act originally as a scientist to contrast more weapons, along with several other identical clones that were created along side of him. However, Larrsin proved to be much more unstable than the rest of his peers and, barely five minutes into his creations, he single handedly slaughtered the other clones and devastated the devices used to create them. Impressed in some way by this aggressive display, he was quickly repurposed into a solider instead and easily moved from there to become a general.

Eventually, Larrsin became the second in command of the entire army, becoming the champion for the evil side. His name spread across the land and he became a symbol for the entire movement as the leader remained unnamed and mysterious. During the final stages of the war, Larrsin was caught in the crossfire in the final stand of the two heroes. Left to die, his soul was accidentally caught up within the spell and he was reincarnated into the new world as well.

Other: “Friends? Who needs friends when you can rule the world?”

 

 

 

 

 

Actual Post

 

James coughed up a small amount of green liquid into his palm with an absolutely ragged sounding cough. Glancing down at the watery liquid, he scowled before flicking it off and wiping his hand dry on the small towel he had been given. Apparently while they had been trying to get him out of that tank they had kept him in, he had swallowed a good deal of the liquid on reflex alone. Along with it tasting absolutely disgusting, it was probably a health hazard. Could he get pneumonia from this? And it wasn’t even like there was the benefits of modern medicine to help him out during this one. Generally speaking he was the sort of small, frail person who would catch every single illness under the sun. But this time around, he wasn’t even human. Maybe he wouldn’t get sick if it wasn’t his stupid body.

 

Clutching the cloak he had been given tighter around his body, he shivered slightly as he was guided to a chair to sit in. They had thrown some kind of fair in their honor but they had not even been told half of what was going on. Something about being called to this new place, being reborn and some ancient evil. The King had tried to explain but honestly, he was still frazzled from being dragged out of the tank and his brain couldn’t really wrap his head about what was happening. Well, at least whatever RPG style quest they had to go on could wait until morning. The King had been very particular about the fact they would leave at first light and not a moment before.

 

“This feels weird,” He muttered, looking over at the strange, bird-like creature sitting next to him. Despite being significantly larger than he actually was in reality, the bird still towered over him. Suulis, the King had called it. They hadn’t really had a chance to talk before so maybe now he could try to get to know this stranger. After all, apparently they had to go on this quest together. “I haven’t done anything to deserve this. I’m just some guy from Earth.” Breathing hot hair into his palms, he rubbed them together briefly before looking down at his own lap. Trying to talk to strangers was weird. If only Tom or one of his close friends was here. They were much easier to talk to.

[shadow_claw]

Username:shadow_claw

Name: Clarence Walters

Gender: male

Age: 29

Appearance: Clarence is of average height and height, with dark brown skin and black hair. His eyes are soft brown and warm.

Personality: Rp'd

History: Rp'd

Name: Suulis

Species: Spira

Abilities: Generally speaking, Spira are one of the most reclusive races within Tiadora. Native to the harsh deserts in the south, their dark skin keeps them well protected from the sun. Furthermore, large ears make for easy natural cooling. Capable of having 1-4 pairs of wings, these are a very mobile people. Their feathers are made of naturally generated metals (usually gold, copper, silver, or platinum) and should technically be incapable of flight. However, these sharp, metallic feathers are magically light and strong.

Other than this, an adult Spira stands at least six feet tall at shortest, with long, half digits grated legs and bodies to make room for their wings. Smaller pairs of wings are used generally to attract mates and navigate, where the largest pair of wings is used for flight.

Their true abilities, however, lie in their natural affinity for metals and minerals. Each Spira is born with an affinity for at least one metal and one mineral. Common minerals such as granite and slate are able to everyone, and make shaping the desert an easy task. More than this, Spira are able to transmute life into stone.

Appearance: Suulis is like any other Spira, standing at roughly seven feet tall. He has three pairs of wings, two overlapping one another and the other resting about at his hips. Because of this, he often goes shirtless. Shorts or tunics are his go-to clothing. Both ears are pierced with gold rings, as well as one ring in his nose.

Other:

 

 

---

 

He wasn't recovering very well. Not like the blurry figure beside him. Several people hovered about anxiously, their faces shaded by massive cloaks. One figure finally intervened, grabbing Clarence by the shoulders and hauling him into the table. They were surprisingly strong.

Coughing and sputtering, a few hard smacks on his back forced the young man to vomit up the liquid in his lungs. Not deemed well enough to leave, they instead encouraged him to rest.

 

It was difficult to relax with all this dead weight on his back. Heavy, wet wings lay uselessly on his back. The King's priests informed him that it would take a while to grow accustomed to wings. Wings. This wasn't him. This was a dream or a hallucination. He didn't have wings. He lived in an aviary with his parents.

 

Eventually, however, the strange-looking man returned back into the room. Clarence hadn't yet tried to sit up, so he instead remained flopped on one side.

"I..." He wheezed, stopping to cough once more. He'd never had bad lungs before. But it seemed as if the water within them had no bottom. "My family...Am I dead back there? In a coma? They...they must be devastated."

[pudding]

“You’ll do fine,” A cloaked priest replied, patting him on the shoulder. James nodded slightly but didn’t confirm this fact, instead keeping his gaze focused on his lap. Frowning, he focused on his fingertips, rubbing his fingers of one hand over the top of the fingers of another. There was no nail there. However, when he clenched his hand up, small claws seemed to emerge from the skin. There wasn’t any pain associated with the action, however, it was strange to look at either way. Like a cat, he thought to himself. Huh.

 

Looking up after a while, he focused on the festivities ahead of him. They were setting up still but a crowd had started to gather already. He felt awkward and weird about this still. Was he supposed to say something or would they just have a fair with him sitting at the table? Coughing again into his hand, he shivered slightly before looking up in surprise when something was placed on the table in front of him. Looking up in confusion at the man next to him, he blinked before looking at the mug.

“Water,” The man explained with a smile. Nodding back and whispering a hoarse thanks, he lifted the mug and quietly sipped from it. It was strange drinking from a wooden mug but the water was much appreciated.

 

 

In the gathering crowd, a hooded figure gently pushed his way through. Brown hair poked out from underneath the hood but his face was mostly shadowed by the fabric. Brown eyes focused on the table ahead of him where one individual was sitting. The other chair, however, was empty. Smiling slightly, the figure dipped back into the crowd, quickly disappearing from sight again and merging with the rapidly growing group of people.

[shadow_claw]

A gentle weight was soon felt on his wings. Clarence stiffened, but soon realized. Whatever someone was doing, it helped the stiffness. Soon, he was able to sit up without coughing too much. The face of the priest who had helped him was unseen, but yellow eyes flickered beneath the hood.

"That much...I do not know. None of us do. Perhaps there is another you, able to function just fine without your soul. It was not that body's to begin with." They spoke with a slight lisp, spitting only occasionally as they spoke. "Come now, let's get you dressed for the ceremony."

 

Gloved hands helped him to stand, and soon, clothing was being put on him. A sort of crop top was given to him, with just a thin enough back for his wings to have full motion. That was nice. Cotton shorts went over his legs. It was only when a roll of cloth was prestented did Clarence waver.

"I...This is fine." He decided with a frown.

The priest tilted their head, as if confused.

"It's traditional. Spira never wear shoes, they only wrap their feet. Here, allow me." Snugly did the wrap go around his feet stopping at his ankles. An ornate anklet of some sort then secured them into place. Clarence stood warily, but found himself able to stand with only minor balance issues.

 

"At the ceremony, your usual piercings will be reinstated."

Piercings?? He didn't like the sound of that.

"What...what all will be going on at the ceremony?"

 

"It's a celebration of you, Suulis. You and your lover. The two of you valiantly saved us so long ago."

Lover...oh boy. That meant that other person...

 

Who was going to break it to him?

 

Clarence shook his head, his large ears flopping about as he did so. The priest took his arm and began to walk towards the door. "There will be a grand feast, hosted in your honor. And then...we will leave you and Viziel be. Work will begin tomorrow. For now, we celebrate."

 

The bustle within the castle was dizzying. Everyone had somewhere to go, and no time to stop. A soft roar of an excited crowd could be heard beyond the castle walls. "How...how many people are here?"

"Why, the whole kingdom! Even the Elder Spira, Daem, has come to present her thanks. It's a day of peace. Every race is welcome today. And for ages...I'll be able to walk without my hood. I-I...my apologies, your Greatness. It has been too long since I have felt sunlight."

 

"Then...let's go." Clarence's expression softened at the priest's words. Everyone seemed to be excited. But this Viziel...he wasn't so sure about meeting again. It was quite literally plunging into a relationship neither of them knew. Clarence's ears angled backwards as he was led towards an empty seat. The only empty seat, right next to Viziel himself. Dark skin flushed with anxiety. This wasn't some non discreet way to keep them together, was it? As he sat, he shuffled uncomfortably to avoid eye contact. If what the priest had said was true, they would have plenty of time alone.

[pudding]

James only looked up again from his nails....claws? It didn't matter either way, only that he stopped paying attention to them when someone sat down next to him. Someone much larger than him. Turning to stare at the dark-skinned, winged creature, he slunk down slightly, trying to regain the short stature that he originally possessed. Offering up a small smile to the man, he tried his best to seem civil. Lover, they had said. Well, that was going to go over fine and dandy when they were basically two strangers. Although, it wasn't as if his smile counted for much since the man seemed to be doing his darnedest to avoid eye contact. Well, at least they were on the same page there. Dropping all pretenses, he leaned forward and rested his chin on his hand, choosing to look towards a distant corner of the castle and try to avoid both the person sitting next to him and the crowd of people busying themselves with setting up for the festival. It would start any minute now, right? Then there would be even more people, looking up at him like some sort of celebrity.

 

Really, was this entire mess necessary? He could go on their stupid quest and pretend this whole thing was some kind of video game like an RPG. But deep down in his gut he was afraid. What would happen if they failed? Were killed? Would their souls return to their original bodies? Would he ever see his friends again? What about his original body? Was Tom just going to walk in on him collapsed on the floor? That was going to be a huge mess, wasn't it? Coughing loudly into his hand, he reached for the mug of water and drank as much as he could to try to settle his queasy stomach.

It's just a game. Pretend it's all just a game.

[shadow_claw]

Golden eyes flickered to the stranger as he coughed. Clarence watched in silence as the other seated man gulped down a cup of water. Water...For whatever reason, he was very far from thirsty. That green gunk still clung to the back of his throat, however. A cup of water would cleanse his pallet.

 

"You aren't how you're depicted, you know." A young woman stood before them, her dark bangs shading her forehead and eyes. If it wasn't for the fact nobody had stopped her on her way over, it would have been hard to tell she was a princess. It still was hard to tell. She wore boots and trousers, as well as a man's tunic. Her hair was tied back into a dark bun, making her round face look even more childish. Freckles dotted her nose and cheeks.

 

"The ancient art makes you two look...I dunno, powerful? Like actual heroes?" For a princess, she really didn't have manners. Her pale blue eyes flickered over both men, and a grin spread across her face. "I'm Luci. The King wouldn't let me talk to you earlier, so I just waited until she left." As the young girl approached the two heroes, she glanced about. Nobody was looking. Good. Everyone was too busy to notice. Luci reached into her satchel and pulled out a bundle of cloth. Both were extended. "Here. Consider it a welcome gift. The priests said you weren't supposed to eat, but..." She shrugged. "The feast isn't for another two hours. This should keep you from starving...Oh! and look for me at the festival. I can show you around the citadel."

 

Clarence reached out and took one of the parcels. He unwrapped it carefully, in fear that his long nails would tear the fabric. Inside sat two cherry tarts, still warm and gooey. He looked up from them, only to see the girl had left. She walked casually down the marble staircase, past the guards, and out the door. Who was that kid? Surely not anyone could get into the castle like that. Carefully taking one of the pastries, he extended it to the other man. He was starving. It felt as if he hadn't eaten in years. This man-Viziel-must feel the same way.

[pudding]

James looked up, staring at the rude girl who had approached them. Actual heroes. That was a joke. If they had wanted actual heroes, they probably should have gotten someone else. He was hardly hero material. Sure as a kid he had delusions and things like that of being some cool, important person. But he had long since settled and settled hard. Adventures were dangerous. Being brave was dangerous. If he wanted to be adventurous, he could play World of Warcraft.

 

"Two hours?" he echoed softly, looking down at the bundle of cloth. As it was opened, he eyed the small tarts before taking the one that was offered to him by the large, winged man."Thank you," He mumbled softly, taking the tart carefully. Eying it up for a moment, he took a small bite. While the tart had looked delicious, he couldn't actually taste it much at all. Normally something like this would be sweet but he couldn't taste it all all. It was just.... texture. Well, at least it wasn't horrible tasting. Just bland. And with his hunger moving him, it was easy to shove the rest of the tart in his mouth and eat the whole thing. Even then, however, the tart barely satisfied him. He had once gone over twenty four hours without eating on accident and this... this just didn't even compare. He was starving. And they had to wait two more hours?

 

"This is ridiculous," He said with a frown, gripping the edge of the table and looking around. "They expect us to just... sit here? For two hours?" However, he did not stand up, instead choosing to extend his arms and rest his chin on the table. Sighing, he looked ahead towards the walls surrounding the castle. Well, at least the festival would start before the feast. It looked like they were almost done setting up the booths and the roar of the crowd from outside had increased drastically as more and more people gathered around the walls, waiting to be let inside. There weren't any clocks to actually tell but in the next few minutes or so they'd probably open up the gates to let people inside and start celebrating. Or at least, that was what the priest who had dropped him off at the table had implied. There was a chance he was lying but he had no way of really knowing that. "I don't know what they told you but my name isn't Viziel or whatever. My name is James."

[shadow_claw]

Although hungry, Clarence has some restraint. He used to go camping a lot. Tried to bring his friends with him, but nobody liked the idea of catching their own food and sleeping in a tent. He was used to being hungry on those long trips. So, he took a few nibbles. Slow eating was the key. Sugar kept one running for quite some time. After nibbling on half the pastry, he folded it back into the cloth.

 

James? The name made him think of his friend, back on Earth. They'd just been messaging one another when he started to feel ill. What would James think of him not replying? Clarence was always quick to reply to texts.

Another glance over at the James guy, and he flushed lightly. A rather...blunt thought popped up in his mind, one that seemed oddly foreign.

I should kiss him.

No. No! Ears angling backwards, he squeezed his eyes shut. Stupid idea. Stupid, stupid idea! Coughing awkwardly to clear the air, he lifted his head.

"They said I was going to get my ears pierced." He muttered in response. "I've never had my ears pierced. My friend Tom, he tried to convince me to get a belly button ring once. I...I wonder how my friends are doing..." Sadness filled both his eyes and voice as he spoke. "I'm Clarence. I'm sorry we had to meet in such unfortunate circumstances."

[pudding]

Oh he wasn't any good at comforting people. Emotional issues were always the worst ones because he couldn't just put a bandaid on them. They required actually talking and discussing things and even then, it wasn't easy resolving issues. Sometimes people near him got emotional and he never knew how to respond to that. Looking to the side, he rubbed his shoulder before biting his lower lip and holding out his hand. "It's nice to meet you too, Clarence." Huh. What were the odds of that? A guy named Clarence had a friend named Tom? Well, they were pretty common names so it wasn't that surprising, was it?

 

"My roommate's name is Tom," He replied with a small smile. Tom was a riot. He couldn't remember exactly how they had met but rooming with him was the best decision of his life. Between Tom and Clarence, he had all the friends he could possibly want and some of the best people int he world supporting him. But now he was here instead. Without them. "That sounds like something he would do. He's a really great guy but he can be a bit over the top sometimes. To be entirely honest, I wouldn't be all that surprised if he was secretly involved in some kind of major criminal things. He's just... that sort of person."

 

A trumpet suddenly cut through his thoughts. Looking up, his attention was drawn to the gate as a few people scrambled around in front of it, clearing the way. The metal gate began to rise slowly, allowing the people that had gathered outside the castle to enter the main area and flock to the stalls. The tablet hey were sitting at was far enough away and surrounded by enough mages and guards that they were not immediately swarmed, but it was still a lot of people to take in all at once. Slinking down slightly, James grabbed at his empty mug and held it tightly, digging his nails into the wood to try to alleviate his anxiety. Oh boy, this was going to be an absolute nightmare. He could already feel people staring at them.

 

Slipping in along with the crowd, the cloaked figure narrowed their eyes as they stared at the table near the castle. The two heroes. Compared with the humans that largely dominated this area of the world, it was obvious who they were. Sure one of them looked human enough but the other's massive wings were like a beacon. Well, this would be easy. With a huge crowd gathered he had all of the hostages he could ever need and the heroes were practically put on display for him. His hand drifted down to the inside of his cloak, drawing a long, thin knife that was clearly alien in design. Strange patterns glowed faintly along the blade and the entire knife itself was completely black and looked like no normal material or metal. Thankfully, due to how small he was, it was easy to pass through the crowd unnoticed and make his way closer to the table. He'd wait for the festivities to begin before making a move. He wanted everyone's eyes to be focused on the table when he finally made his strike.

[shadow_claw]

She'd never been to a festival like this before.

 

Sure, there were the ones that happened annually, but this...this was one of a kind. So much to loot and pilfer than ever before! And with everyone so excited, it was easy to snatch up trinkets and baubles.

 

She didn't steal to make money. She wasn't even really sure why she did it. Only a select few knew of her hordes of useless objects, and all of them said the same thing: she was seeking attention. Being the only sister to the King made her feel...invisible. But she didn't want to be treated like royalty. She wanted to have friends rather than consorts. She didn't want the apprenticeship she was given rather than selected for. But that wasn't how it worked.

 

She rode a lot. Horses, mostly. Sometimes she rode the wilder beasts presented to her. They reminded her of herself. Angry. Caged. Full of energy but never able to truly be set free. She "lost" them a lot.

 

And these heroes...what were they going to do? They had more power and influence than the King and any estates around. Would they unite the races? Try to repair the land's hostility towards one another? Or would they simply vanish, trying to hide from all the attention? That's what she would do. That's what she already does. Hide her sorrows in gold and glittering things.

 

 

---

 

Tom...James...That wasn't some coincidence, was it? James and Tom were roommates. But those were common names. Surely this wasn't the James he grew up with.

 

People by the thousands soon poured inside, each one holding something or another. Holy...were those gifts?! What were they going to do with all those? He couldn't take all that stuff! Not from people he didn't even know!

 

"I...I'm not sure about all this. These people are enamored with who they think I am...but I'm not a hero. I'm not 'Suulis". I'm just...me." He admitted with a sigh.

[pudding]

It didn't take that long for the festival to kick up. The stands that had been set up all around the huge courtyard were offering food and trinkets and other types of things all in honor of the heroes. A dance floor had been set up near the front of the castle by the table and several people had started to play instruments, encouraging liveliness and people to dance. Beer, or at least some kind of alcoholic beverage was being offered near the front to just about everyone except the small children. It didn't take very long for the party to pick up.

 

However, just as soon as it did, it was suddenly cut short. A loud, whistling noise filled the air as a blade flew out of the crowd and embedded itself in the stone just in front of the table the heroes were sitting at. Immediately, James drew his feet in, practically jumping on the table in surprise. The knife was a strange looking weapon. Not only did the unusual symbols on the side glow blue and pulse with power, but attached to the end of the blade was some kind of stiff paper. And drawn on the paper was a bright red symbol that resembled a stylized M.

 

The music screeched to a stop and the crowd gasped, quickly pushing away from the front table. However, one figure remained, instead choosing to slowly step forward towards the table. In one fluid movement he pulled off the cloak he had been wearing and tossed it aside, revealing the strange, obviously futuristic jumpsuit he was wearing underneath. At his left side was a pouch filled with several identical knives and on the other side was a magnificently large gun. However, instead of reaching for either of these, the man flashed a cocky smile and clapped his hands together, staring at the two heroes sitting at the table. How foolish, they all were. It had been so easy for him to simply stroll in and it would have been even easier to kill them. He choice not to was exactly that-a choice. And even beyond the symbol that had frightened most of the people backwards, his face was enough to send them all reeling. The crowd fell silent, leaving his sarcastic clapping behind as the only noise in the deathly quiet castle.

[shadow_claw]

Only the two heroes remained, sitting in stunned silence. Was it an attack? A threat? He wasn't sure. A foreign feeling churned in his gut. He wanted to fight. To leap from the table and tear the man apart. He couldn't even talk why. He just felt such...rage.

Images of this stranger's face flickered in the back of his mind. Different places. Different times. All of them sneering, spitting, mocking him.

 

Clarence would have likely attacked the small man, if another hadn't beaten him to it. Screeching with rage, the girl from before raced forward to the cloaked man. Her gloved fist connected with his jaw, but the man was seemingly unharmed. Her hand, however, crumpled as if it was made of paper. The girl shrieked, staggered backwards, and drew her arm to her chest.

 

"Get out! Get out of this place! You have no right to show your face here!" Red-faced and practically spitting, tears welled in her eyes from pain. She felt like her arm had completely shattered. It felt like mush. And she wanted to cry. It was the worst feeling she has ever experienced, even worse than the time she had fallen from her horse and gotten run over.

[pudding]

The formerly cloaked man smiled at the feeble attempt to attack him, having made no move at all to dodge or even retaliate. His clapping stopped, however, as his gaze temporarily locked on the girl. Cold, brown eyes stared at her silently before he sighed and turned away, almost as if her attempt to attack him had been a complete waste of his time. And, well, it absolutely had. The crowd was still frozen in fear but, stirred by her movement, the guards near the heroes swarmed forward and the man quickly found half a dozen spears aimed at his throat. While his smile faded, he made no movements from his original spot aside from slowly raising his hands in the air.

 

"Relax," He purred. Immediately, it was obvious the man was not from the city at all. A thick accent unlike any other covered his words. To the individuals in the castle, the accent did not have any clear origin as no where on Tiadoria sounded quite like it. However, to those from Earth, it was a very clearly familiar sound as the blending between Russian and Nordic accents was very specific sound. Sighing soft, he looked at the spears aimed at his neck briefly before looking ahead at the table again. The one hero looked absolutely enraged, though silent. The other one looked more surprised and, perhaps, just the slightest bit scared?

Good.

"I am not here to fight, yes? If I had wanted to kill you all, this castle would already be destroyed." He didn't move as the spears were thrust closer to his neck, his hands still raised up to be about level with his chin. Clearly, he was still very relaxed about this entire situation. "Don't press me to unnecessary violence. You know your weapons can't hurt me. Or maybe my time in the abyss has made you forget."

[shadow_claw]

What violent animosity Clarence had felt in his heart dissolved as soon as the stranger spoke. He knew that voice. The nigh-incomprehensible accent was far too familiar to be a coincidence. In a bout of panic, Claremce leaped from his seat and volleyed over the table.

"Wait! ...Wait, please."

All six wings were flared out in an attempt to shield the knife-wielding man. If not for the sheer panic on his face, it would've been quite the regal stance. Hostility that wasn't his own burned like acid in his gut, but Clarence choked it down. When nobody moved, he gave his wings a hard beat. The blast of air alone was a message enough.

"I know him! He's...Tom...He's my friend from Earth. You attack him...and...And you've made an enemy out of me!"

Edited April 18, 2016 by shadow_claw

[pudding]

Tom's smile faded away quickly as the winged hero practically threw himself away from the table and lunged towards him. The guards panicked slightly and, taking that opportunity while they all stared at the hero, he quickly grabbed another alien knife at his side. Flicking it up in the air, he neatly caught it in one quick movement before ducking down, slipping under the ring of spears to kick one of the guards in the chest. It was almost too simple to take down the guard, and even more simple to jump on top of him and press a knife against his throat. In a split second the odds had been overturned as the guard struggled to breathe. Despite the fact Tom was fairly small in size, the fully grown man pinned under him could feel his ribs cracking under a huge weight.

 

However, Tom paused when he seemed to realize that the hero that had jumped over the table was not actually intending to attack him. Looking up at him in surprise, he quickly turned his head aside, shielding his eyes from the blast of air and the dust it stirred up. Looking at the winged creature carefully, he tilted his head to the side, knife still loosely pressed against the throat of the guard. "Hallo?" He asked after a moment, sheathing the knife back at his side and pushing himself off the guard, letting the poor man be pulled away. Brushing dirt off the knees of his jumpsuit, he stared up at the man, looking him over carefully. "Clarence?" He asked, looking more than confused as he stared up at him. "Ah, but that would mean-" He started to add before he was practically smothered under a large, thin frame. James wrapped his arms tighter around the small man's chest, kneeling down next to him so that he could properly hug him and not just give him a choke hold.

"TOM!" James yelled as Tom stiffly stumbled backwards, more than a bit surprised by the sudden hug attack.

"Oh dear," Tom muttered, looking between the two heroes. His two friends. "This...could be bad." The guards and crowd seemed horrible confused and many people had started to whisper. His eyes narrowed immediately as his hand drifted towards his gun, ready to start shooting if the crowd turned against them or the guards tried to attack him. "It is good to see you both. But....ah, we may need to cut this very short."

 

Almost as soon as he said that, he suddenly stiffened and pushed James off of him. The taller man fell to the ground rather roughly as Tom grasped at his shoulder, looking behind him. A guard there, sweating and shaking, had decided to plunge a spear into his shoulder blade. It hadn't actually managed to break through all the way but had still burrowed its way in fairly deep before his muscles had stopped its momentum and his bone prevented it from moving forward any more. Turning around sharply, he the wooden shaft snapped off from the metal spearhead, leaving the metal embedded in his back. The glowing, blue circle embedded in his jumpsuit changed color to a faint yellow as his expression grew cold and disinterested. Drawing his gun in one fluid movement, he aimed it at the guard's face and pulled the trigger. Half a second later the guard hit the floor and moved no more, the broken shaft of the spearhead rolling away from him. The crowd grew quiet again as the man frowned ever so slightly before turning his attention to his shoulder, running the tips of his fingers over the broken jumpsuit and the bright purple blood running down his back. Sighing softly, he looked out towards the crowd and aimed his gun squarely into the masses.

"Okay," he said, his the sides of his gun glowing blue as it charged up another shot. "Let's try this again, yes?"

Edited April 19, 2016 by pudding

[shadow_claw]

Something broke in the young man at the sight of Tom. At the spear lodged in his shoulder. While initially relieved that the violence had stopped, it started back up again like nothing had happened. Tom was bleeding. His friend. One of his best friends. And a guard was killed. Crimson pooled on the floor, soon soaking into his wrapped feet.

 

Was this Tom, or was this...that other, horrible thing? That burnin hatred grew once more, scorching through his stomach and clawing up his throat. Something wanted out. It was white hot with rage and fighting like hell. A faint noise soon echoed in the back of his mind.

Let me out let me out LET ME OUT!

It quickly because too much to bear. His wings felt too heavy and his body felt wrong. Clarence staggered briefly, his vision swimming, before dropping to the floor entirely.

 

It took mere seconds for him to stand again. This time, however, something was different. Something was wrong, no, not wrong. Different. His gaze was no longer soft and caring. It was hard. Feral. Blazing with contempt for the world. When he snapped his wings open, it wasn't the warning issued before. Meal feathers, sharp as knives, flew as projectiles around the room. Most hit the walls and floor and shattered. Others were scraped or pricked by the thin blades.

 

If this was not enough, he stamped one foot on the ground. The stone floor rose in a neat, circular wall around the trio, pushing away all else. The rock rose and shifted to create a guarded path to the exit, and one fragment of the circle dropped down to open the newly created hallway.

 

Satisfied, the man stopped and extended both hands to James. That burning hated in his gaze subsided when his eyes were on the alien.

"Viziel."

That wasn't Clarence's voice. He spoke in a faintly foreign accent, one Clarence had never harbored. Smooth as honey but sharp as a blade. The way he said that ancient name was a thick purr, full of undeniable adoration. When he looked up at Tom, however, all softness vanished.

"There. Here is your chance. I will not make an attempt on you life this time." He glanced away from Tom, ears angling back. He wasn't happy with this, but he would allow it. The boy wanted him alive.

[pudding]

James did not immediately rise upon being thrown to the ground, instead watching in shock as Tom attacked the guard to had stabbed him in the shoulder. While the attack had not been Tom's to make first, still killing a man so easily was not okay. Right? This wasn't at all like the Tom he knew. And it seemed like even Clarence was under the same effect as with no warning whatsoever, he suddenly flared open his wings and fired several dozen small knives into the crowd and at the guards. His eyes wide, James raised a hand to cover his mouth, quickly curling his knees up to his chest as the floor rose up in a massive wall around them, separating them from the people Clarence had just attacked. What the hell? Looking around quickly, his eyes were drawn back towards Clarence as the feathered man held out two hands to him.

No....

This wasn't right.

This wasn't his friend.

 

Slapping his hands away, James frowned up at the stranger, his claws fully extended and slowly digging into the floor. "What the hell is wrong with both of you?" He asked, looking absolutely pissed. Immediately, Tom turned and looked at him, holding his own injured shoulder and squeezing to apply pressure and stay the flow of blood slightly.

"I think we've upset him," Tom muttered, closing his eyes. "You're upset about the guard?"

"You killed him Tom!" James yelled before rounding his gaze on Clarence. "And what was that about? Nobody even attacked you, why did you attack them?" His tail, having been exposed at some point instead of safely wrapped around his waist like a belt, smacked against the ground like a whip as he glared between the two of them. "What the hell is wrong with both of you?"

Tutting softly, Tom looked away, instead choosing to focus on Clarence. Immediately, his gun was back in his hand, making a small buzzing noise as it charged up. In half a second, he had the gun trained on James, a small, red laser sight aimed between his eyes. The man immediately stiffened as a shiver passed through his body, his eyes wide. However, Tom's eyes were not even looking at his target. Instead, they were trained on Clarence.

"A sweet gesture but worthless all the same," Tom replied with a shake of his head. "Which reminds me, I never got to share my message before. I guess I'lll have to just tell you two instead." He paused before smiling, the corners of his mouth rising to reveal sharp teeth that fit neatly into a smile despite their triangular shape.

"We have returned. His Majesty requests your immediate and unconditional surrender. Failure to comply will result in the global eradication of the Spira species. Failure to comply after these measures will result in only more death. If you care anything about the creatures of this planet, turn yourselves in."

[shadow_claw]

The man immediately took a step back upon being swatted at, startled and rather hurt. His ears flattened completely against the sides of his head. What? What has he done wrong?

"Viziel?" He repeated, hurt leaking into his thick voice. His weakened state quickly faded as a hurt expression hardened into hostility. "You are not Viziel." He declared, folding his wings neatly.

Choosing to ignore James from here on out, he straightened his back and turned to face Tom.

 

"This war has ended. You know this. This world has never been one I cared much for. I will remain out of your way, provided my people and I are left in peace. If not..."

 

He trailed off, golden eyes flashing with malice. He could bury them alive. Crush them. Trap them in a pit and close off air supply. This was even without him really fighting. He could engage in violence without a problem. "If not for the boy, however, I would have crushed you between these stone slabs seconds ago. It would bring me great joy to see your violet blood run dry."

 

"Go. Do your war making. Do not bother me with it, and I will remain neutral."

[pudding]

"You know you'll have to try harder than that," The man purred, the yellow light on his chest flickering slowly back to red. Smiling coyly, he tapped the wall gently, keeping his strength held back so he didn't crack it in half. There was no way any of these stupid creatures could kill him. Silent threats hardly worked on a creature like him. Alien. Strong. Designed to occupy minimum space with few, if any, weaknesses. He was designed to be strong. Why did he think the girl from earlier had broken her own arm trying to punch him? No lowly, commonly "bred" species could defeat him. Not even with their silly little abilities. "But I repeat, no conditions. I don't care if you've given up. Your actions have only delayed the inevitable. If you want to go crawl under a rock and die, do it. But I'll enjoy torching the rest of the world while you cower by yourself in the dark." He sighed softly, looking just a bit bored with this entire situation. "Honestly, I had hoped you would put up a fight. It's always more fun when they struggle."

 

The yellow light was almost completely red now and Tom paused to look down at his chest before focusing on James now. After a moment, he smiled and deactivated his gun, slipping it back into the belt at his side. "Well this has been a delight but I am afraid my time is almost up. Regardless if you choose to spread the exact wording around or not, the people outside have likely already sent letters of my arrival to neighboring civilizations. Within a few weeks, this entire planet will know we have returned." Taking James by the hand, he easily hauled the slender man to his feet before kneeling down himself, pressing his bloodied hand to his own chest and staining the white fabric there with a bright, violet handprint. "I have the honor of being your obedient servant," he purred, casting a slight smirk at Suulis before closing his eyes kissing the hand.

 

Half a second later, the blinking yellow light flatlined to red. Opening his eyes, Tom looked at the hand he was holding before quickly climbing to his feet, letting it fall away quickly. "Ah, sorry!" he said with a sheepish smile, looking around at the stone walls surrounding them. Holding his aching shoulder, he looked between James and Clarence for a moment, head tilted to the side. "Did something happen? How did we end up in a cave? I must've blacked out after that guard stabbed me."

"...Tom?" James asked, looking the shorter man over. Looking up at Clarence briefly, he frowned then focused back on the short man. "Is that you?"

"Of course!" Tom replied with a warm smile. "Who else would it be?"

[shadow_claw]

Eyes flickering between James and Tom, the man who wasn't Clarence scowled. He opened his mouth to reveal flat, horse-like teeth. In an instant, these teeth slid back, and a new row popped forth. Sharp, needle-like teeth dominated his mouth. Shifting his jaw about, the man's scowl deepened.

 

"You are not Viziel. And you-" his eyes narrowed on Tom. "Are waste of my time. I am Suulis. The boy was unable to cope with this situation. I will remain until he has recovered." He growled. His wings ruffled, stray feathers coming loose and hitting the ground with soft metal clangs. He wasn't afraid of either of them. Larrsin was strong, but heavy enough to have problems avoiding his swift attacks. It had been so pleasing to be dead. To be a new man. To be happy.

 

"Do not be mistaken; I do not want to be here either. My death was supposed to be permanent. These men...they know not the consequences of my revival."

 

It was at this time did Suulis stop on the ground. The walls shuddered and slammed back into the ground. The crowd startled, jostling backwards. Suulis stretched his wings to make himself a spectacle, and stepped towards the throne.

"All of you, hear my voice! You have returned me to the world of the living. Have I lived up to your expectations as a hero yet!? I am not a hero, men! The faster you realize this, the sooner you will accept the destruction of this world."

Suulis folded his wings and, with nothing more to say, began to walk to the exit. This was a waste of his time. He was going to find a nice place to settle and watch the world end.

[pudding]

James shifted slightly under the gaze of the man before his sharp eyes eventually turned to Tom. He remained silent as the wall slammed back into the ground, standing where he was. His teeth ground against one another, softly at first but growing more and more tense as time passed and the man continued to speak more and more. Tom had taken to standing slightly behind him now, having taken Suulis’s little rant as time to get a bit more cover. But James remained still, standing with his feet grounded on the floor. As Suulis finished speaking and walked away, the crowd began to murmur softly to themselves that he moved. Relaxing his hands slightly, he drew in a deep breath and exhaled sharply before stepping forward towards the crowd. When he spoke, his words were hardly as booming or loud as Suulis’s and he didn’t bother even making half of the spectacle that the feathered man had. He was quiet and soft.

 

“It’s alright,” He said, moving forward towards the crowd. A few people that had been caught in Suulis’s little outburst before were bleeding and those were the first ones he sought out. Climbing down the stairs and into the crowd, he took off the outer jacket he had been given earlier by the priests and carefully ripped a piece of it off. Gently grasping the arm of the man who had been injured, he began to carefully wrap the wound, a sad smile forming on his face as he worked. “I may not be the person you are looking for but I promise I will not look away from those who need aid. I spent enough time hurting others. It’s time I look after you all again.” Finishing wrapping the bandages, he patted the man on the shoulder before moving on to the others that had been injured, starting to wrap their injuries as well.

 

From the stairs, Tom watched as James stepped forward to help the crowd. Or was it Viziel? Frowning, he looked down at his bloodied hand before turning his gaze on the guards nearby. Despite him not moving since the stone wall fell, the guards were still rightfully on edge. “Relax,” He said, holding up his hands. “I am simply awaiting a response.” After all, James had never answered him on his choice. If he returned to the ship with him, he could try to spare his life. Suulis seemed like a lost cause at this point but if James joined Suulis in running away, he wouldn’t be able to spare his life as easily. Moreover, Suulis never really had that option in the first place. He wasn’t alien. There was little chance that the evil would spare him.

[shadow_claw]

He was furious. He didn't owe anything to men! In fact, they owed him. They were indebted to his people for the atrocities acted against them. The men here wouldn't suspect a thing. He could kill them all right with in the city's walls! Rage boiled within him the more he thought.

"Mister hero sir?"

It was a small voice that halted his thoughts. Suulis turned his head, opening his mouth to snap at the stranger. He stopped immiatedly when his eyes met the figure. A small child, with large ears and the faintest puffs of a set of wings. Their skin was light, and they were unusually short. A...a mixed race child. One of both man and Spira. The child held two dolls in their small arms. Suulis shut his mouth, instead crouching to look the child in the eye.

"Why are you sad? It's a happy day."

His ears angled backwards at these words. Were all those people inside...happy to see him? Or were they happy to see who they thought he was? When the child extended both dolls to him, he hesitated. Children never liked him in his past life. They were always frightened of him. No child had ever approached him before.

"My momma made these for me for when I'm sad...You can have them now for when you're sad."

Before he could protest, the child had already dashed back into the celebrations. Golden eyes drifted down to the dolls in his hands.

They were of him and Viziel. Made of feed sack and buttons, whoever made these did it out of what little provisions they had. They had likely been the child's only toys. And...they had given them to him. When Suulis stood again, he turned and began to walk back towards the castle. These people believed in him to save them. He couldn't leave them behind out of his own selfish spite. The times had changed. He needed to stop living in the past.

[pudding]

James did not immediately look back up when Suulis walked into the castle again. Instead, he carried on bandaging the few individuals who had suffered minor injuries with the shred of his cloak. Several seconds of silence passed before he finally looked up, giving the bird a small smile. Finishing the knot he had been tying to secure the bandages in place, he wiped red blood off his hands with the remaining scraps of fabric as he walked over to Suulis. Reaching up, he gently ruffled the taller man's fair, tilting his head slightly to the side. "All better?" He asked, giving him a knowing, familiar smile. Like someone old and kind was shining through. Someone who clearly knew Suulis very, very well.

 

Watching silently as James walked over to Suulis, Tom frowned. Really? So forgiving after such a huge freakout? This wasn't Clarence they were dealing with. This was a dangerous war criminal. His hands curled into tight fists before he turned away, focusing on the guards that had slowly surrounded him again, holding their swords out carefully but not attacking him. Good, they finally knew better. After the spear had been so ineffective, they probably wouldn't try again unless he moved first. Fine. But neither James nor Suulis had announced his ultimatum. Fine, he could tell them all himself.

"James," Tom said, moving forward slowly towards his friend. "I came here with a message and I need a response. If you both come with me now, you have my word that I will not harm you and I will make all possible efforts to spare this world from complete war. But if you do not, my orders have been made clear." The crowd and guards immediately went silent and stiffened, staring at the two heroes and the villain of their bedtime stories. Unable to resist a little dramatic effect, Tom's eyes narrowed slightly and when he spoke next, he could barely keep the growl out of his voice.

"This world will burn."

[shadow_claw]

Suulis sniffled softly as Viziel spoke, his wings drooping to brush the tiles gently. Even as a familiar voice shone through, his eyes remained on the ground. He was ashamed, and sad. But this just confirmed his suspicions. They were revived to die once more. And...he wasn't unhappy about it. In fact, he almost felt at peace. He would be in the blissful void once again. His only reget would be that, in turn, the boy that slept in the back of his thoughts would perish.

 

Raising his head, his grip tightened on the plush toys in his hands. "I will go." He declared. His posture straightened once more and his wings settled into a more natural position. If he had been made to die, then he would die. There were people, like the child, who believed in him. Whose lives rested in his choices.

 

"Hey! You can't leave just yet! You just arrived!" There was the girl again, her face waxen with exhaustion. Arm still hugged to her chest, she stood and bounded after the group. A robed priest raced after her, presumably worried. Stopped at the guards, she puffed out her scrawny chest and sighed. The robed acolyte's words cut her off.

"Your highness, you are forbidden by the King's orders to leave the city!"

[pudding]

Tom looked puzzled for just an instant before turning towards the sound of the voice. Looking at the girl, he raised an eyebrow, his head tilting to the side questioningly. "You...highness?" He echoed. That wasn't right. The only current living member of the royal family was supposed to be the King. If there was another one who carried the royal blood, that easily complicated things. Feeling a rising sensation, he frowned and quickly squashed the feeling back down again. Larrsin had his chance earlier when his guard had dropped in the split second he had been stabbed. He wasn't handing the reins over to him again so easily.

 

"Wait," He replied, holding up a hand. Listening to the voice whispering in his ear for a second, he frowned then pointed at the girl. "Little girl, what is your relationship to the King?"

"Tom, I'm tired," James muttered, walking closer to the shorter man and leaning down to murmur to him. After Tom's little...fit earlier, he didn't want them staying around any longer than they had to. He wanted to stay with his friends of course but getting out of this city would maybe help prevent any further magical or regular outbursts. Not that shooting a guard in the face was anything close to regular. "Can't we just leave now?"

"Shhh," Tom replied, raising a finger to his mouth and glancing at James briefly before smiling. "It's alright, we'll be gone in a moment. I just need to check something, alright?" Reaching up, he patted James on the head, ruffling his hair for a moment before looking over his shoulder at Suulis. "Just play with him for a moment and make sure he doesn't wander off, yes?" Sparing a glance at the guards and trying not to feel babied, James slowly nodded before walking over to Suulis, looking at the plush toy in his hands.

"Where'd you get that?"