enokvirkow

[enokvirkow]

But you are all around me You are stronger than the daylight Everywhere I see you it’ll be alright You don’t know how much I love you Wake up thinking of you Turning up the flowers

Cyberpunk Enok & Ariadne @rebelichor

[enokvirkow]

Enok let Noak do whatever he did. Even if he didn’t like it. Having his necklace snapped away from him, his beads and anklets. Rika, Ma, Pa, even Bo had made those for him. But by now Enok was quieter. He would have put up a fight back on their home island, if anyone had taken these things from him.

But here? No. Nothing here mattered. He didn’t understand what was happening, why these people and soldiers were so mean to them. And at least Noak was someone he knew. There wasn’t even much protest coming from Enok anymore when Noak took the little golden bracelet from him. Enok didn’t notice the way Noak hid it in his sandal. Everything seemed too much.

He just tried to nod and go on, after Noak instructed him what to expect.

He was right again, after all.

The woven poncho Enok usually wore was grabbed and pulled over his head. Discarded in the mud, where so much else already laid that looked like home. Like this, Enok only had his linen shirt and pants to fist his hands into. Walking on under the threats of the soldiers, with snot and tears wiped all around his nose and cheeks.

There was more yelling ahead. And some screams every now and then. They separated the Galahdans into different groups. Split them up. Enok felt some hand grabbing at his shoulder and shoving him to the left side. A brief glance back and he saw how Noak was turned to the other way.

No.

He had been quiet for now. Silent, even. As if his little spirit had been broken. But in this moment, Enok rebelled. He didn’t want to be alone, this was worse than all other. There was chaos around them anyway. So many people. And he was small. Little feet that carried him quickly, as he weaselled from the group and behind some crates and the guards. It was way too risky. Something only a little child could do and succeed at, out of sheer childish ignorance of the situation and danger at hand.

It could have only been a minute or two. But Noak would suddenly feel that familiar tug of Enok’s hand at the side of his shirt again.  The court they were led to was a sad place. Grey. Lifeless. Cobblestone, at least that was better to stand on. There were large metal basins at the sides, filled with rainwater. Orders yelled for them to clean themselves. To get rid of the fleas and parasites they surely all had.

Enok looked down into one of these basins and the various wooden buckets that swam in it.

“It doesn’t look as nice as Mahasra’s waters…”

There was little colour or decoration on Noak. He wasn't precious about his clothes and he didn't keep anything on his person that he might sorely regret losing.

In his daily life, he trained, and he trained hard. There was too much movement. The fighting style of Galahd meant keeping a fast and fluid pace which presented an abundance of opportunities for precious metals to dislodge into the sands.

That, and being adorned could harm a training partner. Rings and bracelets hurt. A dangling earring being caught on clothing and pulled free hurt even more. His students learned fast to leave their adornments at home.

Poor little Enok didn't have a reason to learn that lesson yet. He was only a child, brightly coloured, and now holding onto his most precious belongings in the world. The more that was stripped away from them, the more the little things meant.

"... here." Noak shrugged off his boring leather vest. It would probably be repurposed, or it would be burned. He wasn't sure of a lot. He laid it out on the mud and guided Enok to place his meagre belongings on it, so that he might feel a little better that it wasn't discarded into the mud quite yet.

But then he did something bold and reckless. A small act of rebellion. Deft fingers claimed Enok's small golden bracelet, removing it from the pile and hiding it briefly in the palm of his hand. He then made a show of reaching for the boy's necklace — it was a cruel, necessary thing as he snapped it off his neck to add to the pile.

Then Noak bowed his head and dared to reach for his own ankle. He slipped the golden bracelet into the sole of one of his espadrilles. The shoes looked like they belonged to a poor man, so hopefully they wouldn't have to be ditched too soon. Enok would be able to say goodbye to his bracelet, he hoped, they could hide it together or Noak could toss it. It was a stupid thing, but he didn't regret doing it.

When his hand pulled away from his leg, he pretended to discard one of Enok's woven bracelets as his own. Looked like he had gotten rid of his 'shit' good and proper.

His attention shifted onto Enok again in a sidelong gaze. It was their time to stand up, before they were turned around he wanted to catch one last look at the kid. After what he did? Could have been his stupid last look, if he wasn't smart.

"They might take some of your clothes, lad. Don't fight back."

[enokvirkow]

Sketches of Enok and Ariadne @rebelichor in that dark gritty Neon AU from their Cyberpunk Verse

[enokvirkow]

Enok in Clair Obscur setting - the Gestral-raised chaos boy

[enokvirkow]

Enok stood there, waiting, watching, listening.

The girl talked to who Enok assumed was the leader of the group. He looked grim and tall.  And he was really unhappy with how Enok acted, that was quite clear. The man slowly crossed his arms, scoffing.

Though then he went quiet and a moment later he nodded with a sigh.

“Fine. But if anything even just seems a little strange, you turn around and run. No curiosity, no trying to play the hero. Anything seems funny, you come back instantly. Or hide somewhere, I will find you.”

Enok had no clue what was said, but it seemed to relax the group a little. And the girl turned around to him with a smile and nod. Which in turn painted a big grin on his face – and he lost no moment to take her hand again and lead her into the village.

There seemed to be wood everywhere. Skyhigh constructions and walkways, which also served as stands for the market and bazar. Gestrals of all sizes and coloured brushes on their head walking about. Some smaller Gestrals raced by howling warcries.

Enok felt oddly proud.

Turning to the girl, he threw his arms wide open and turned around on the spot.

"Ĉi tiu estas mia hejmo!"

His home. He wanted to show off. He wanted her to see all. Of course the most important part… he lead her through the market right towards where one of the wide fields showed off large Gestrals fighting against each other. The tables and wares that curiously looked like trinkets from Lumiere at times? Enok had little use and thus little interest for them.

“He needed to show her all, before he could bring her to Golgra!

"Vi ankaŭ ŝatas batali, ĉu ne?"

Ariadne purposely glanced to the boy when she felt him looking at her again. She offered a twitch of a smile — how long had he lived here? Were there others in the village, just like him? He seemed to be in disbelief... what if... his family had been here... and he was the only one left?

She forced herself to look ahead. It wouldn't do any good trying to guess away, because it was only that, guesses.

It wasn't long before they had their first glimpses of the Gestral village. Ariadne visibly perked up and shot an excited little grin over her shoulder to Somnus. "It's real." she breathed. The boy had taken them straight here, just like that.

Though now that they stood at the outskirts he seemed to grow... nervous?

Then he 'pushed' the group back. He was asking them to wait. However, Ariadne didn't expect for him to point to her. She looked puzzled as she questioningly pointed to herself.

The expression persisted when Somnus was pushed back. Oh. This wasn't good.

"Wait!" Ariadne called for calm, wedging herself between the boy and her guardian before more tension could build. "Just... wait." She wasn't a genius who knew it all, and she especially didn't know what she was doing in that moment beyond preventing a fight on the doorstep to the Gestral village.

"Somnus, we're here now. It looks like we've got an express ticket inside if you will allow it —" Ariadne reached for one of his hands to squeeze. "Please make your decision as the leader of the expedition." Not as her guardian. "We could be saving so much time if you allow me to follow him. He didn't lead us astray, in fact he already saved us a day because we were about to make camp."

[enokvirkow]

Everyone is with me.

[enokvirkow]

Enok still felt his cheeks prickling red and warm. That was… unusual. Was he getting sick? He just knew he didn’t want to anger any of the older ones anymore. Somehow they… spoke and eyed him so differently. No. He would stick to the girl. At least she smile dat him.

Enok couldn’t avoid throwing curious glances towards her every now and then. As if he couldn’t believe he was met with someone who… looked so much like him. His fingers gently squeezing her wrist every now and then. Soft. Like his own body. Not like those of the other in the village. All Gestrals…

He wasn’t stupid. He knew that he was different from the Gestrals. They had explained it to him over and over again. He was more vulnerable. He wasn’t allowed to just jump into battles. He should hide. He could not be reborn…

And while Enok hated all that, he would never disobey Golgra.

 "Unue mi devas peti permeson...", he admitted sheepishly, when they stood between rocky cliffs that opened up toa  giant fence made of countless tree trunks. It was like a little fort. Some Gestrals resided outside, masked heads curiously turned to the arriving group.

They wouldn’t understand him.

So, Enok let go of the girl, lifted his hands up, showing his palms and pushing away as if he wanted to push them back. Then he pointed towards himself and… then to the silverhaired girl.

 "Mi ŝin prenos al Golgra. Golgra decidos, ĉu vi povas enveni."

He could see that the ravenhaired one was already raising his eyebrow and stepping forward again, but Enok shook his head, this time really shoving him back.

"Ne! Nur ŝi.", he insisted, again pointing at himself and the girl, giving her a helpless look, “Poste vi!”"

"Duelon..." Ariadne repeated thoughtfully. "He thought he was being challenged to a duel?"

"Oh, there is no doubt about that." Ji-eun answered. Her smaller form was easily overlooked, especially when hulking giants like Jayce and Leander stood in front of her. She floated silently to Somnus' side and rested one of her forearms on his shoulder. "Every Gestral merchant we have come across won't offer their best stock unless we beat them in a duel. This whole forest is crawling full of Gestrals protecting their home, and also looking for any excuse for a fight." Her finger gestured in a flick. "Then you blasted him into next week. He looks human but he thinks Gestral." She glanced Somnus with a small grin. "But that disappointed elder look is universal. Well done."

Ariadne almost looked around sheepishly. Suddenly she was feeling like a kid again, whenever the adults all grouped closely she started to feel her place in the hierarchy. At the bottom.

When she glanced to the boy again, she couldn't help but offer a little smile and a shrug. Words couldn't convey to him how many times she had gotten such a look — she had never thrown a spear, though.

He held her wrist again and she looked over her shoulder. "Come on, let's follow. Who knows what we'll find in the village?"

[enokvirkow]

Finally, he could look at all of them more closely! They definitely all belonged together, they wore the same warrior uniforms. But from what tribe were they?

The adults around her definitely seemed… confused. Mostly the guy who had shot him to the ground.

“Gestral boy?”, the man asked and two more appeared from the foliage. The smaller one perching up right away as he saw Enok – and Enok just had a broad smile for them all. They talked with each other, back and forth, it seemed like an argument.

“He is a human. What is he doing here?” “What do you mean, Gestral-“ “He clearly wears their stuff… was he raised by them?” “That’s impossible. He is just a teenager.” “Are there more humans on the continent?” “Maybe they live with the Gestrals.” “That would… change so much…”

And Enok didn’t even understand one word.

He just looked back and forth between them all. Then he gripped his stave tighter and without further warning, he tried spearing at the older man – who had the perfect reflexes to catch that attack. Even if he wore a bewildered expression bordering anger.

"Kio? Vi atakis unue! Mi meritas matĉon! Duelon! Aŭ ĉu vi estas malkuraĝulo?"

Enok tried getting his spear back, but the man held a firm grip on it – and somehow the look in his eyes made Enok… slow down. And feel… shame? That was new…

It was the knowing look of a guardian, who had spent the past 13 years raising twins Enok’s age, though the Gestral boy didn’t know that, of course. He just felt the sudden onset of parental pressure.

“Pardonu…”

“Well, I understood that.”, the man said with a still warning tone, before finally letting go of Enok’s stave. The boy retreated a little, before putting the stave back on his back. His blue eyes seeking those of the girl for a moment, before he, very careful this time, grippe for her wrist again – to continue his leading to the village. Maybe Golgra knew what to do with these strange people?

That trail of laughter followed them down the slide and danced around them as the boy half-twirled them. For a brief moment in time, Ariadne felt her age again. More than that, she felt... happiness. Only happiness. Without the burdens of fear, guilt, or sorrow.

She barely got the time to compose herself before a flash of familiar blue magic exploded between them. She reacted with a gasp and flinched back, before turning with widened eyes to Somnus hurtling down the very same slide.

She turned again, taking a small step closer to the boy to help him up — but her guardian was quicker, his hands already grabbed onto her arms and checked her. "I'm fine. Really, I am." she reassured, trying to diffuse the situation.

Thankfully the boy sprang up just fine too. Ariadne exhaled a breath of relief, that had been a pretty rough hit. It was a wonder he didn't have any wood splinters in his chest from the impact. "This is the Gestral boy I was shouting about."

Her hand squeezed Somnus' shoulder and she stepped to his side. "He doesn't talk like us. And he's not like the merchants, who found a way to communicate with expeditions. But when I asked his about the Gestral village he took off running. I think he still might take us there... even if you just made him eat dirt..."

[enokvirkow]

She laughed – laughter was an universal language, they did not need to understand each other, when something was fun! Enok hollered his own laughter, as they slid down through the rustling leaves. Using his stave to slow them down at the end, he helped the girl to not land on her back -instead almost twirling her around to the small clearing.

It wouldn’t be far from he-

The flash of blue magic hit him like a hammer and tossed Enok face first down into the ground. Only a moment later there were several more voices.

“Ariadne!”, the loudest of them. Male. Older.

Enok groaned and turned around, dragging himself up – and holding his head for a moment, before he could take in what happened. A man stood beside the girl, holding onto her arms, checking her over. Another appeared behind them through the leaves – and a woman too.

More steps further down. The whole group was appearing.

Glancing at the blue sparks that slowly dissipated, Enok sprung back to his feet. A movement that caused the man to position himself in front of the girl, shielding her. Pfft!

"Ŭaŭ! Tio estis miriga! Kie vi lernis tian atakon?! Golgra certe trovus uzon por ĝi! Vi ĉiuj devus veni - sed nur se vi instruos nin!"

Ariadne hummed. She didn't understand the boy, but she could understand his tone... he knew that the Paintress was important, even though he had probably never witnessed a gommage in his life. The Gestrals weren't affected by the monolith, but there was still... sadness.

Her head tipped again as she considered his reaction to her questions. The village seemed familiar, if nothing else. Then he suddenly grinned and spoke more words that felt like a jumbled mess in her head —

— and suddenly she was bring dragged across the river at running speed.

Ariadne yelped a sound of surprise, especially when her boot slipped and she would have landed face first into the water if not for the momentum of the boy pulling her along. Like a newborn fawn she stumbled some awkward steps before she gained her footing and her bearings again.

Was he taking her to the village? Now?! But! "Somnus!" Ariadne yelled. "The Gestral boy knows where the village is!" Hopefully, hopefully, he would hear enough of her voice clearly to understand she wasn't in danger. Because she wasn't, right?

Another yelp would echo from her, this one chased by shocked laughter as the boy hauled her down what was her very first slide. What in the world??

[enokvirkow]

Enok watched the girl, still so curiously, though his grin slowly faded. He still seemed to have a positive attitude, though now he tried to listen better. Some words sounded familiar… Paintress.

He watched her tossing a stone towards the Paintress – and he understood. They weren’t soldiers coming from her. They were against her. Attacking her.

“Ĉi tio ŝajnas kiel... tre granda batalo por entrepreni.”, he mused, trying to imagine a fight of that scale. The giant sitting figure of the woman had always fascinated and scared him in a certain way. He was happy the red leaves often hid them away from her.

Thought her next words seemed to ring more of a bell for him. He could vaguely guess what she wanted. And he gave her a measuring amused look, as if he was trying to weigh her worth to be allowed to the Gestral village. He had seen how they had fought some of the Patates. They were worthy. And they had tried to… be peaceful. Strange, who would deny a good fight?

Though suddenly he shrugged and nodded, that familiar grin returned: “Mi montros al vi!”

A hand grabbed for the girl’s wrist and Enok simply started to run, dragging her along to jump across stones to the other side of the river and into the thick undergrowth, where there were logs to balance across, marked with red feathery brush – and of course a wooden slide that would take them further towards the village!

It was almost unsettling. Ariadne didn't think that the boy had ill-intentions, because he could have simply led with an attack if that were the case. But. The way that he grinned. And continued to grin. It sent a small chill up her spine.

Somehow it reminded her of Getsrals who had painted on faces. Their expressions could never move and it was like the boy imitated that.

"I'm sorry, I don't know what you're saying." she admitted. Noco at least sprinkled in a few familiar words. She could understand him quite well, it was like he spoke in a way that expeditioners would understand.

Then a paintbrush was pointed at her. Followed with a gesture to her golden armband.

Ariadne lowered her head to look at it. Then her hand reached across to gently touch at the golden threads. This would mark her success... or her failure... it was a heavy number to carry. Her lips pressed into a line before she looked to the boy again.

"I'm an Expeditioner. We're on a mission to fight the Paintress." Though her words... didn't seem to have any impact. Sighing, she looked around, and grabbed for a river stone. Then made a point to point at the monolith. "See her?" Her arm reached back and she lobbed the river rock as far as she could. "Arh!" Which wasn't very far at all. "... one day I'll hit her."

Then she looked to the boy. "You're dressed like a Gestral. Village? Is the Gestral Village near us?"

[enokvirkow]

@rebelichor | X

The other one stood up again – a littels urprised maybe to see him. And she spoke. Words that vaguely sounded like his language, like an echo he should remember… but he could not. It intrigued him. Enok tilted his head a bit, like she did, before he dared to slowly wade through the river towards her.

He didn’t lose his grin even for one moment, instead he stood across from her shortly and pointed his paintbrush towards her: "Mi ne komprenas vin... vi parolas amuza.“

He did not seem to mind that there was a language barrier, his curiosity won out. And thus he pointed to the golden armband wrapped around her uniform.

“Kial vi havas la numeron de la Pentristino sur via brako? Ĉu vi estas ŝia soldato?“

[enokvirkow]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY @rebelichor / @holyguardian / @madeofthreads !

[enokvirkow]

You're the best thing to ever happen to me But also the worst thing to ever happen to me On that day when I met you, maybe I would rather That it never happened to me (To me) The worst of all blessings The best of all cursеs I should stray away from you But as the saying goes "Bettеr than alone, is to be in bad company"

@rebelichor

[enokvirkow]

Ariadne & Vergil @rebelichor & @stratagemichor

[enokvirkow]

@rebelichor