Solo The Ten Vassals

[Fiora Di Angelo]

Residence..?

...​

"Coming in..."

It was her only warning before stepping in. The door wasn't locked, dormant ever since... So why should she assume whoever lives here is awake in the first place?

That notion died off soon enough as she walked across an infinite corridor filled with windows every ten or so steps, the light from the outside giving the inside a rather brown tint. Beyond the glass it was autumn, and yet there seemed to be no end to the gardens laid through the mirrors, other than the faint greys at the distance, almost like a sidewalk from this angle, yet no matter how long she waited, not a single person would walk through it.

"A little late for introductions I'd say. Did he sent you..? Or I suppose it's 'her' nowdays." She sighed, a hand pressed against her temples as her drowsy eyes finally begun to open themselves up to the idea of waking up once more.

"He..?"

"He, she... They change forms depending their victim." She explained, stepping aside as she extended an arm right behind her; Where there was once an empty spot, now a set of chairs and a table all were waiting for the duo, of elven origins much like the rest of the architecture within this 'room'. "Feel free to, I rather not be the only one taking a seat at the moment."

"You are awake and that's that, don't see a reason to stick around." She glared, poised to leave already as she spun on her heel

"At first it was anything with pointy ears and goldilocks, but now you just don't know who to be mad at, do you?"

That alone stopped the greennette on her tracks, curiosity taking over as the old elf spoke with certainty- The kind that told her this was not some bluff, but a fact rather. Pensive, Fiora finally sighed her surrender and made her way over to one of the chairs, opposite of the lady owner of the residence, unclasping her cloak in the process.

"Planning to give me a scolding for that?" She perked a brow, yet the vitriol in her expression didn't fade away just then

"Child, I'm already dead, I don't even care about your moral compass or who you sink your teeth into." She shrugged, crossing her legs as she leaned against the backrest "I do wonder why you let your anger point you towards her."

"How much you know?" Baffled, yet all the more bothered by how the geezer spoke like she knew just about everything there is to be for a spectator

"All of it, and I believe the rest too have seen it through your eyes while they slept. Still, you didn't answer the question." All the more inquisitive now, this time being the one to give the stern look at the greenette

"She's as much of a reason for my problems as the lot that chose to let that monster live. All the stress and fear I feel every night for Ronja is... Is all because of them."

"Yet for some reason she gets the worst of it. Because she was your friend, and you expected her to do what's right for your sake and her friend's" She tilted her head to the side, pressing her open palm against her chin for support "And what makes you think she didn't?"

"The mind controlling calamity is still alive, isn't she. They didn't even try, which is the only thing I wanted of them both. I suffer, Ronja suffers, and all because of a gamble to see if they can fix the murderous robot overlord; That's not how this world works."

"Yet killing her will only make the one you care for the most suffer the same sorrow you had. It will make him come after you, and both of you will abandon reason and kill eachother. And then it won't matter who lived or died, she still suffers the same."

"I see why you feel the way you do, but aiming your wrath at your friends will only make it worse for the both of you. You know who you should point your sword at instead. Don't let your emotions hold you back."

"..."

"Come back tomorrow, will you? I'm pretty tired right now."

"...Didn't you just woke up, geezer?"

"Talking to you is a job of it's own, I suppose. I'll have tea to offer next time, if that helps. Real one, unlike what that fiend's mushed cocktail of herbs must taste like."

 

[Fiora Di Angelo]

The Starlight Gazer

...​

Royal blues and gold-lining were the first colours to greet her as she made her way through a rather long spiraling staircase, tapestry cushioning her every step. A quick examination over the ivory walls revealed countless frames from countless artists, all depicting familiar, washed-up scenery. With every twist she would find a new one. From Tertoria to Zalra- Through the jungles of Tangleweaves, all the way to the peaks of Falderen's castles, exposed like a museum of sorts.

All that would cease as crystal would replace the walls as she reaches the summit, the ceiling gone and replaced with an otherwordly view of the cosmos, it's tingling stars barely swimming by the ocean of galaxies put in display, none which seemed to match what she had seen outside of Terrasphere. Either this was how it looked like within the game, or it's a mere projection to fit someone's wildest whims. Plenty of space was left unused, a large dinning table spread itself for more than half the room, right infront it's center, were something else caught her eye, and it was not the blonde locks of the man, but the piece of art he faced towards. That rather imposing statue... She's seen it before.

"Oh come in, I just finished 'fixing' her looks." He turned his head back at his guest, smile poking through as he begun walking backwards without once taking his eyes from the statue.

"Wasn't this statue supposed to be unbreakable?" She questioned, eyeing over to the rather obvious gap where a hand should be "Don't think that's what fixed means either."

"Maybe it is. Maybe she just -chose- to break." He hummed, a hand pushing his silver coat back as he begun to spin the clock's hands on his grasp until they both reached midnight, before stashing it away. "She gave up everything for others before, and yet she still finds a way to do so again. What's a hand anyways for someone who gave up their life? I'd say that's rather inspiring."

"Or maybe it means someone just tore it's hand off and the statue was a cheap knock off." Blunt stare set on the vassal as she excahnged glances with him and the statue. "I'd say that's closer to what happened than it is for an unbreakable statue to 'allow' itself to be vandalized."

"Well we can't ask her, so I guess we'll never know! I do agree she looks better with both hands though~" He mused, spinning on his heel to face her, hand outstretched towards Fiora as he took a rather flamboyant stance, "Call me Rev, it's a pleasure to meet the latest, future member of our little club."

"You are making this sound way better than it actually is." And with a surprising calm at that, which only made her tense up all the more, given his lack of care. "If I got it right, might aswell be the same to a deal with the devil."

"Is it? Hmm, well I do have a different perspective about it than the rest of the group, yet we all found our answers a little too late." He openly explained, never once letting the smile wash off from his features. "No fun in spoiling it this early though. We are just getting started with this friendship of ours." He shrugged, embracing his own non-chalance fully.

"That's just an excuse to make me keep coming back, isn't it?"

"Of course it is! As appealing as sculpting your own little piece of dreamscape sounds like, it's all pointless if you can't brag nor share it with others."

"And what if I don't? I got no obligation to humour any of you, do I. I'm simply doing as I'm asked."

"Then don't. Just sayin', that elven lady of the first floor is quite the tea brewer. You gonna be missing out." He chuckled, clasping his hands together, the sound echoing through his chambers."Now! I got a lot of work to do. Stars ain't about to chart themselves, and I don't take you for the superstitious sort sooo... As you starcalled sort would say: 'Get the fuck out of here' please."

"Tch."

 

[Fiora Di Angelo]

"Aren't we missing people for a tea party. I thought there were like ten of you? Not so much of a meeting if it's less than half the group." Fiora pointed out as she begun to close distance with the table closest to the window.

The living room the elven lady had designated as their 'tea time area' was a far more cozy experience to her than the endless corridors they met within. Eye-catching in detail and design, as if it were a subconcious slice of the crusty elf's life.

"Who knows? Maybe they are late to the party, took the wrong turn, went down the wrong alley..." Rev smiled crossing one leg over the other as he leaned onto the chair, setting two fingers on the table to mimic a person walking down on it to add some flair to his point.

"Three is better than two, is it not? Specially with such colourful personalities."

"They went mad. Became beasts, as they couldn't handle the burden of their actions. I'm saving you the long, drawn-out dance Rev would put you through to learn that." She cast a glance back at him, placing the tray on the table, where three cups triangulate a pot, the whole set painted white and adorned with cyan-ish vines across their circumference.

"I take pride on my fables. Primitive societies were fond of them to wisen up future generations. Examples are always good to convey a message." He added, picking up his own cup with both hands, blowing gently onto it as he waited for someone to take the first sip before partaking, "Tools of the trade I say, as this isn't the best for every soul out there. You and Fiora are too similar for me to sing my magic." His voice turned a little disappointed, really, at the lack of people to share that vision with.

"I don't think I want to hear you sing me tales of the statue girl in your dream room. I doubt she's gonna come back and give you a kiss for it." She smirked, taking a quick sip from her own cup, following by another, hooked in by not only it's warmth, but the rich taste of the honey, "What about the other two?"

"Lord Sigfried and Neraj Nightspark. You won't see much from either. Sigfried only benefits from his situation, and the oracle seems interested in what the waters tell her and nothing else. If you are not on her divination list, you don't matter to her." She put her cup down, reaching out for the rounder cup filled with sugar to drop a spoonful on her own.

"...I sensed him around back when you showed up to save our asses. It's hard to miss that much raw magic, specially inside whatever he is."

"Someone asked for a favour~" He giggled, left hand supporting his chin as he watched over their hostess with a whimsical but knowing look "It was a very glamorous and dramatic entrance, worthy of a lady such as yourself. I'm sure you impressed that sunshine of an elf after all the mystery you put her through."

"All that did is just turn her into more of a pain in the ass. Regardless, what's with hiding your wrinkles? Afraid of looking too much like a mom to her?"

"I'm far from my prime, girl. You think this old woman would fare well against magia? Last time I tried playing brute like you, I ended up buried with a city."

 

[Fiora Di Angelo]

"One thing before I leave-"

"So soon?" He chirped in, nonchalant towards what an interruption meant to the elf's short temper. "There's still some tea and rapport to be done."

A groan followed, and a simple "Yes." punctuated with as much vitriol as she could muster, right before she stood back up, hand extended infront of her, "I got some junk I'd rather not carry around anymore." Pixels begun to manifest into the empty space above her open palm, and a fragment of what seems to be the piece of a helmet showed up just then.

She gauged their reactions at first, with the geezer giving not much but a glance to the thing, recognizing it for what it used to be. Rev gave a smile, yet she could tell it's not joy but respect what oozes out of his expression, akin to a host accepting a gift despite their reservations about it.

"So?"

"For a moment you had me fooled, I didn't believe you capable of sharing!"

"Like I said, It's garbage. don't need it. Figured you would like it, given who it belongs to." She shrugged.

"Would a pair of socks turn heroic just because a hero wears them?" He giggled, stretching himself forth to reach out for the visor, "There is nothing of value other than sentimental here, and quite frankly I never shared a word with the lady in question to consider myself acquainted enough." He weighed the headpiece, passing it from hand to hand, "It is a gift however, and I intend to keep it as a token of our friendship instead. Thank you."

"Sure thing." Fiora nodded, pushing the chair back against the table, lifting her hand to both in a lazy attempt of a good bye as she begun to walk in the direction of the hallway, where an exit would expect her despite the unassuming nature of the endless dreamscape.

"Good riddance." Amisa chimmed in in-between sips, her eyes shifting over to the table as the visor was placed on it to fill in the empty space Fiora left.

"What do you think?" Rev clasped his hands together, his gaze intense over Amisa as the old ranger begun to appraise the visor from a distance, twitching her nose at the magical stench pouring out of it.

"I dread to imagine what else comes out of this. This here is not from our past. But it's not a replica, and that is concerning."

"Then I suppose we remain spectators until then!"