Current Character Description - Stephy
A beautiful and young elf stands before you. Looking like any ordinary elves you could find in this real, you sense something strange about this particular one. She has a smile that kills, a body one would die for. She is often seen at the local bar, drinking, mostly alone. No one knows where she comes from and no one knows where she belongs. She is quiet and mysterious. Being undercovered for so many years, finally she has returned. Returned to serve The Empire.
Swallowing the Flood
Sanria had gone to the cottage and begun putting her belongings into a pack. She tried to pack as he followed her around the room, reminding her of their vows, their family, and the fact they were learning to love one another in the midst of all of it. He halted her packing and took her shoulders in his hands, vehemently decrying Colin. He laid every emotion bare, including rage toward Colin. He, above all, would not let Sanria leave.
Through the night, Gilean kept a sleeping vigil, his arm protectively around Sanria. When she woke the following morning, her bag had been unpacked and everything put back in the places from which they'd been taken. Gilean wouldn't even let her propose talking to Colin or going anywhere near him. When that night fell, Sanria was again in Gilean's vigilant embrace.
She stared into the darkness, frowning. Gilean said he would be the one talking to Colin, and he was desperate. When Sanria asked what he was going to do, the chilling reply through gritted teeth was, "That depends on Colin. I'll do whatever I have to to keep this family together."
Sanria's greatest fear now was that one of the two men would end up dead or very wounded. It would be her fault. It was her fault. From the moment she took Enmach's advice to give up on Colin, to the moment she married Gilean, to the moment Colin became himself again and began to put the unyielding pressure on her to return, to now... where a proclaimed pacifist was ready to do battle.
She moved and Gilean's arm tightened reflexively. From his sleep he shook his head. Tomorrow... there would be eyes on her. They would ask her what she wanted. At least she presumed they would ask. The unfortunate thing was that "peace" was an answer neither would likely accept.
Through the night, Gilean kept a sleeping vigil, his arm protectively around Sanria. When she woke the following morning, her bag had been unpacked and everything put back in the places from which they'd been taken. Gilean wouldn't even let her propose talking to Colin or going anywhere near him. When that night fell, Sanria was again in Gilean's vigilant embrace.
She stared into the darkness, frowning. Gilean said he would be the one talking to Colin, and he was desperate. When Sanria asked what he was going to do, the chilling reply through gritted teeth was, "That depends on Colin. I'll do whatever I have to to keep this family together."
Sanria's greatest fear now was that one of the two men would end up dead or very wounded. It would be her fault. It was her fault. From the moment she took Enmach's advice to give up on Colin, to the moment she married Gilean, to the moment Colin became himself again and began to put the unyielding pressure on her to return, to now... where a proclaimed pacifist was ready to do battle.
She moved and Gilean's arm tightened reflexively. From his sleep he shook his head. Tomorrow... there would be eyes on her. They would ask her what she wanted. At least she presumed they would ask. The unfortunate thing was that "peace" was an answer neither would likely accept.
Releasing the Dam
Bad didn't adequately describe the situation Sanria now found herself in. Bad was before - moments before - Colin simply trying to remind her of his love for her, trying to get her back. Bad had morphed into something akin to unbearable, uncomfortable, and blood-draining. Colin had now figured out Kaliadra's ruse, and because he was in such close proximity, made no qualms about coming to talk. Sanria had hoped it would be to say goodbye, or at the very least, give her space to breathe. Instead, it turned into her raising her voice, growing increasingly flustered and impatient.
She had said all she could say. She reminded him of Gilean's feelings, of Matinus, of Nioma, of her unborn. She reminded him of how she loved them and how going back to him would break that asunder. It would tear apart what little she had. Then: "I don't know how to let you go, Sanria."
"Can you? Eventually? Given time?"
"I can't. I don't want to."
From this answer, Sanria learned that it was never truly the black makou that drove Colin to madness when it came to her. It was his own heart. Knowing everything -all the ugliness that her leaving Gilean would cause, the pain for the children, the pain for Gilean - Colin had given his honest admission. He wanted her in his life and though he was the most family oriented man she'd ever met - he was willing to break a family to get his own back. To get her back.
The drive left her and Sanria lost the will to fight. She knew him, knew the relentless determination, knew Colin wouldn't stop. She agreed to leave Gilean, to rip apart what little they had built while Colin had forgotten everything. It didn't make her happy. It wasn't a conclusion that brought her joy. After Colin left, she wretched into a plant pot and sat sobbing on the floor.
She had wanted at last to do something right. She had tried hard to make things work between herself and Gilean, and just when she had set her course, it was pulled away. The guilt was excruciating, but she'd have to bear it. Or so she thought. She had assumed that the mild-mannered pacifist she'd married would accept defeat and let go easily. That is, however, when unbearable, uncomfortable, and blood-draining dipped even lower than she thought it could.
She had said all she could say. She reminded him of Gilean's feelings, of Matinus, of Nioma, of her unborn. She reminded him of how she loved them and how going back to him would break that asunder. It would tear apart what little she had. Then: "I don't know how to let you go, Sanria."
"Can you? Eventually? Given time?"
"I can't. I don't want to."
From this answer, Sanria learned that it was never truly the black makou that drove Colin to madness when it came to her. It was his own heart. Knowing everything -all the ugliness that her leaving Gilean would cause, the pain for the children, the pain for Gilean - Colin had given his honest admission. He wanted her in his life and though he was the most family oriented man she'd ever met - he was willing to break a family to get his own back. To get her back.
The drive left her and Sanria lost the will to fight. She knew him, knew the relentless determination, knew Colin wouldn't stop. She agreed to leave Gilean, to rip apart what little they had built while Colin had forgotten everything. It didn't make her happy. It wasn't a conclusion that brought her joy. After Colin left, she wretched into a plant pot and sat sobbing on the floor.
She had wanted at last to do something right. She had tried hard to make things work between herself and Gilean, and just when she had set her course, it was pulled away. The guilt was excruciating, but she'd have to bear it. Or so she thought. She had assumed that the mild-mannered pacifist she'd married would accept defeat and let go easily. That is, however, when unbearable, uncomfortable, and blood-draining dipped even lower than she thought it could.
Discussions with Heucuvas and Beginnings to Ends
The skeletal figure that sat across from Sanria did not frighten her at all, but he did give her a moment's pause. It wasn't every day that one saw one of the undead licking an ice cream cone as it dribbled down his hand. Their conversation, however, was nice and Sanria felt that Kaz would certainly be a welcomed addition to the clan, provided he met with one more member to solidify the steadily prevailing opinion. The gentle conversation removed Sanria from the news she had been given the night before -Kaliadra had lied about her pregnancy, and Colin was sleeping in the castle.
She parted ways with Kaz and went immediately to her office. There, she buried herself in work transcribing parts of an ancient tome onto a piece of parchment. She felt a comfort in having to focus so heavily on each word. She couldn't think when she had to restrict her thoughts to ensure that she was writing the correct symbols, the correct phrases, the - "Um, Mom... you busy?"
How much time had passed? Sanria looked up into the eyes of Orn with a smile. "Orn, come in. Please. No, just... making a mess." Hours? She cleared her desk, and offered Orn a seat. "What did you want to discuss?"
Sanria was prepared for anything. She'd assumed Orn had also met with Kaz, or had questions about the clan. She wore a smile as she thought about her son and how he'd become a wonderful man. It warmed her heart even more that Mirin and he were so happy. Still, something was tugging at her. There was embarrassment on her son's face. Why?
"Well, uh..."
"Everything alright?"
"Yeah, yeah... uh, Dad asked me to come talk to you. Well, I guess more to see if you would talk to him."
Sanria's eyes narrowed ever so slightly. Colin had dragged Orn into the middle of things. Unfairly so. "Orn... I'm sorry he asked you to do that. I'll make sure he knows not to involve you or put you in the middle of things."
"No, Mom. It's ok. I would have told him no if I didn't want him to ask. It's just, weird, you know."
"Yeah, I know." More than she cared to admit. "Just... yes. Send him in. I'll talk to him."
She had to dismiss Orn, apparently Colin had even made provisions for their son to sit in on what Sanria expected was going to be yet another proclamation of his undying, unyielding devotion. She was going to make this stop. She had said her goodbyes. Colin would simply have to accept them.
She parted ways with Kaz and went immediately to her office. There, she buried herself in work transcribing parts of an ancient tome onto a piece of parchment. She felt a comfort in having to focus so heavily on each word. She couldn't think when she had to restrict her thoughts to ensure that she was writing the correct symbols, the correct phrases, the - "Um, Mom... you busy?"
How much time had passed? Sanria looked up into the eyes of Orn with a smile. "Orn, come in. Please. No, just... making a mess." Hours? She cleared her desk, and offered Orn a seat. "What did you want to discuss?"
Sanria was prepared for anything. She'd assumed Orn had also met with Kaz, or had questions about the clan. She wore a smile as she thought about her son and how he'd become a wonderful man. It warmed her heart even more that Mirin and he were so happy. Still, something was tugging at her. There was embarrassment on her son's face. Why?
"Well, uh..."
"Everything alright?"
"Yeah, yeah... uh, Dad asked me to come talk to you. Well, I guess more to see if you would talk to him."
Sanria's eyes narrowed ever so slightly. Colin had dragged Orn into the middle of things. Unfairly so. "Orn... I'm sorry he asked you to do that. I'll make sure he knows not to involve you or put you in the middle of things."
"No, Mom. It's ok. I would have told him no if I didn't want him to ask. It's just, weird, you know."
"Yeah, I know." More than she cared to admit. "Just... yes. Send him in. I'll talk to him."
She had to dismiss Orn, apparently Colin had even made provisions for their son to sit in on what Sanria expected was going to be yet another proclamation of his undying, unyielding devotion. She was going to make this stop. She had said her goodbyes. Colin would simply have to accept them.
Checking on Progress
Aneh sat deep in thought as the last of her team left the lab for the day. She had felt whispers of... something from the materia as they tested it. Maybe she was just imagining it. Sometimes she thought she was imagining things. Strange feelings she would get. This one though, she had been so sure.
Aneh let her eyes stray to the glass case that held the materia, now two identical pieces, though one obviously stronger than the other. She slowly walked to the case and placed her fingertips on it, caressing the curve of the glass. She thought of where this project was going and a smile came to her lips. She felt a surge of something that was not of her thoughts and took a small step back from the case, expelling a harsh breath.
"Well. Hello there," she murmured with a chuckle. She pushed a button to raise the glass and placed a hand gently on each stone. She curiously channeled her energy into the stones and felt the warmth from deep inside as a response. It enveloped her with its glow and she regretfully released the stones. Tomorrow. They had done enough tonight, and she didn't want to push too hard. Tomorrow she and her team would experience this together. Leaving the lab, Aneh's thoughts trailed towards the mechanical side of things. The plans has been finished and she had approved them. They had started creating the pieces and Aneh had periodically checked in on them. It was like a giant puzzle that she saw no possible solution to.
Springs and wires and gears and plates all made of types of durable metal, and each crafted with extreme care. All for one purpose. She whistled a little tune as she entered the room where the suit was being assembled. It looked almost like a skeleton, the way they had it right now, with funny looking chains and wires connecting different parts. The legs were assembled, their sleek polished surface gleaming bright and metallic. She studied it from afar, critically thinking about how the joints would be able to move. Her thoughts slipped to Ror, and a smile came to her face. He would be pleased. They had fallen a little behind but things were moving smoothly now, and tomorrow would be a big test to see how far they could push in a short time they had left in the deadline she wanted to reach. There were still some major walls to scale and she couldn't let her mind wander too far into other matters just yet.
Aneh let her eyes stray to the glass case that held the materia, now two identical pieces, though one obviously stronger than the other. She slowly walked to the case and placed her fingertips on it, caressing the curve of the glass. She thought of where this project was going and a smile came to her lips. She felt a surge of something that was not of her thoughts and took a small step back from the case, expelling a harsh breath.
"Well. Hello there," she murmured with a chuckle. She pushed a button to raise the glass and placed a hand gently on each stone. She curiously channeled her energy into the stones and felt the warmth from deep inside as a response. It enveloped her with its glow and she regretfully released the stones. Tomorrow. They had done enough tonight, and she didn't want to push too hard. Tomorrow she and her team would experience this together. Leaving the lab, Aneh's thoughts trailed towards the mechanical side of things. The plans has been finished and she had approved them. They had started creating the pieces and Aneh had periodically checked in on them. It was like a giant puzzle that she saw no possible solution to.
Springs and wires and gears and plates all made of types of durable metal, and each crafted with extreme care. All for one purpose. She whistled a little tune as she entered the room where the suit was being assembled. It looked almost like a skeleton, the way they had it right now, with funny looking chains and wires connecting different parts. The legs were assembled, their sleek polished surface gleaming bright and metallic. She studied it from afar, critically thinking about how the joints would be able to move. Her thoughts slipped to Ror, and a smile came to her face. He would be pleased. They had fallen a little behind but things were moving smoothly now, and tomorrow would be a big test to see how far they could push in a short time they had left in the deadline she wanted to reach. There were still some major walls to scale and she couldn't let her mind wander too far into other matters just yet.
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