Haha lol Ice Emperor goes Brrrr part 9
[Next time's arc finale, baybey]
Zane.
The name rolled about in his head as he watched Lloyd push a pawn two spaces across an ice chessboard. Julien’s bishop made its way to the center of the board. “What was he like?”
“Huh?” The boy’s spirits were higher now that he knew his brothers were coming, and he looked up at Julien with wide, shining green eyes. The same shade as meadow grass, a concept that danced between his fingers in mystifying circles.
“Your brother, I mean. Zane.” The name tasted odd on his tongue. Like winter winds and flaking wood. “You have told me some, but I imagine there’s more.”
Lloyd moved a knight to intercept his bishop, but couldn’t quite jump it. “Well, he’s kind.” A pause to watch Julien move a rook. “And he’s loyal, and he’s kinda weird.”
“Weird?” Lloyd took one of his pawns.
“Yeah, like Kai told me a story once that he followed this bird for like ever and they had to beat up these tree monsters.” The white pawn was lined up with two of its fellows on Lloyd’s side of the board. One had a chip in the side of its “head”.
I know who I am.
“That is strange.” Julien took Lloyd’s knight, placing it along the row of other such dynamic pieces that Lloyd had lost over the course of their game. Lloyd took another pawn with a bishop.
“A little bit, but we love him for it. He’s got a good… sense of things. Sometimes he knows what happens before it actually comes to pass.” A careful dance of shuffling pawns. Like the movements of his army. “He’s funny, though. He’s got a bunch of really old songs loaded into his stuff.”
Hello my ragtime gal—
“I think the big thing was his falcon, though. It went everywhere with him, but the Great Devourer got it… I think. It stopped showing up after that. I don’t think he named it, though.” Lloyd took the bishop he’d set up as an executioner. “Just called it ‘my friend’ most of the time.”
Its eyes gleamed blue as it took off, forest-sized emerald snake in tow as it dove and bobbed through the rocky plateau that made up the bulk of the desert. When it called, it was a harsh sort of shriek, but oh-so familiar, even as heat—hot. Too hot. Unfamiliar—bore down against his back. A hand made of metal but wreathed in flesh raised as if by some force of will, he could stop it.
Lloyd took Julien’s king with a pawn.
Like a blizzard, his mind erupted into theory and thought, each too quick for him to catch. Frozen claws dug into his spine as he rose, barely remembering to extend a hand for Lloyd as he swiveled, turning to the directions of the dungeons as if possessed. He thought Lloyd was speaking to him, but the squall of his mind was drowned any but the sound of his own systems in his ears.
He didn’t remember, even, which path he took to the dungeons, just that he stood in front of a black ice cell. Inside, beyond the bars, a broad-set young man stared at him. Purplish circles ringed his eyes, and exhaustion set heavy upon his frame. “I will not bow to you.” His voice was a growl low in his chest.
“I know.” The formling cocked his head, bear cap sliding just slightly on his hair. “Usurpers bow to no one. I expect nothing from you but an answer.”
“You would be a fool to think I would tell you anything.” The bear boy bared his teeth. Lloyd shrunk back against The Emperor’s chest.
“I want only to know the identity of the emperor before me. Before my original reign.”
His scoff echoed like phantoms in his cell. “Mad emperor, you are,” he snapped. “This is your first—your only reign. We lived in peace before you.” A hardened elbow of bread thunked against the bars of the cell. “You are the usurper. The emperor before you was Grimfax—a kind man. Far kinder than you.”
The Emperor knew of Grimfax. He was even a high-ranking soldier in The Emperor’s army. He remembered being told that Grimfax was the man who took his throne. Took his life. Took what he felt should occupy the echoing that filled his chest at times. “How would I know the truth of your words, assassin?”
The bear boy scowled. Julien thought he couldn’t look older than ten winters ahead of Lloyd. “What good would wasting my voice on a lie be? You and your men do little more than ignore me, anyway. May as well say something of worth.”
When he stared down at the prisoner for too long, Lloyd spoke up. “Julien?” The prisoner raised his head.
“I am fine.” He refocused on the formling. “Your testimony will be considered. For now…” his gaze slid around the dungeons, bare ice rising in sloping walls. Lloyd’s breath fogged just slightly when he breathed. “Let’s go get your brothers.”
Gathering Vex, a few essentials, and Boreal was a simple task. Boreal could cover entire forests in mere hours, so he had been resting at the stables already returned from his previous assignment. The Emperor, himself, was always primed to go on… adventures, a habit he couldn’t seem to break, so all that remained was allowing Vex to pack some items, and…
“Absolutely not.” Julien’s eyes landed on the slightly thicker winter coat Lloyd had acquired from… somewhere, and though swathed in it he looked something like a green marshmallow—the concept of the item vanished from his mind as soon as he thought of it—he was still, distinctly, miniscule. Miniscule creatures did not belong in the Never-Realm. He would freeze to death if he stepped outside.
Lloyd’s puffed cheeks did little for the “small fluffy thing” look. “We’re going for my brothers,” came the petulant whine. “I should be there! What if they attack you?”
“They would be fools.” Julien tapped his staff against the ground, briefly scanning for Vex before returning his attention back to Lloyd.
“What—what if I rode in your stomach—it’s insulated, right? I’d be fine.” Little mittened hands smacked at his faceplate. “I’ll be quiet, I promise—I just—it’s been so long since I’ve seen them.” Lloyd raised his eyebrows and tucked his hands as he stared at the side of Julien’s head.
He knew exactly what Lloyd was doing.
And he didn’t like that it was working.
When he caught footsteps returning from the vague direction Vex vanished off to, Julien sighed, looping a couple of titanium fingers around Lloyd’s waist as he raised the boy to his face. “Fine.” And that was the only warning he gave before shoving the child up to his shoulders into Julien’s mouth. He was a mouthful—Lloyd’s jacket added some bulk to a frame that usually had none, and it was somewhat of a challenge to even get the boy to the back of his mouth.
When the footsteps grew louder, Julien simply threw back his head and swallowed, catching Lloyd by the arm before the rest of him followed. The child—mostly his jacket—displaced some of Julien’s other functional components as he passed, a soft sort of ache setting into his wake.
Julien picked a piece of collar-fluff from his tongue just as Vex rounded the corner, and just as Lloyd dropped lightly into his stomach. Both of them, of course, quickly made themselves comfortable, with Vex hoisting himself upon Boreal’s back to rest against one of the dragon’s dorsal spines, and Lloyd finding his usual spot against the stomach wall nearest to Julien’s nervous column.
A quick huff through his mask, and The Emperor had vaulted up to rest upon his dragon’s shoulders. Vex called out to the guards manning the stable doors, and with a lurch and a jump that sent Lloyd sliding, all four of them were in the air, wheeling through snow-flecked skies toward the reports of colorful teenagers.
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@freedthedark asked: She had tried so hard to keep her eyes open but in the end the fatigue got to her, eyelids fluttering shut again and again. Thus, Freed had cautiously lifted her up in his arms for the rest of the way so she would soon be able to get proper rest, voice quiet when he spoke. "We're almost there."
THIS WAS A MISSION SHE COULD'VE DONE HERSELF. though she was glad at the moment that she had company with her. the quest was simple, she was needed to heal some people who were poisoned. and that was her specialty. the town was close to magnolia and she thought it was only a couple of people who needed her help. they didn't feel the need to share that it was the entire town. wendy got to work pretty quickly, examining the patients to figure out that it was a slow acting poison and it wasn't to late for them.
freed found the mage who did it to them. stopping them and handing them over to the authorities. while she used her healing magic from person to person. destroying the poison in thier body and returning them to normal. her magic has grown a lot over the years. but her healing magic took more than her dragon slayer magic. and this was too much for her. wendy finished, though exhausted she tried to pretend it was nothing wrong. that her magic decifiency that she experienced at the games didn't affect her. that they could walk home together.
she was able to get up and walk out of the town together, ignoring the light headedness she felt until about half way. when the sky dragon slayers vision became blurry and she dropped to her knees. she used up to much magic. freed dropped down to support wendy. who was trying to fight the overwhelming weakness she currently felt. she felt her body being picked up by freed. who shockingly didn't freak out about it. he must've known she thought. but he was kind to allow wendy to attempt to do what she wanted. she kept opening her eyes to try and look at the other mage failing each time.
❝ i'm sorry freed. . . i'm just so tired. but thank you for joining me and. ❞ wendy's exhaustion took over, and all that was left was silence, breathing. wendy was ok. she just needed some rest.
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