alluxerim

[alluxerim]

may activity check

status - passed total points - 7 → 8

skill point allocation: monthly: faith (C+ ½ → B)

acquired (faith b): aura

[alluxerim]

The words are spoken so easily, so full with her usual vivaciousness, that the whiplash hits all the harder.

"Serra..." It's hard to hide the stricken expression on his face as she speaks of her plan, an ache nestling its way into his chest at the casual cruelty Serra lashes upon herself in speaking of her past.

(He understands it, the deep despair of a past filled with loneliness and suffering. The feeling of being forever tainted by it, forever undeserving of kindness that could be freely given by others. He too had lived it.

...Even so, especially so, he would reach out and take her hand, so that neither of them would drown within it.)

"Why do you think Erk said he loves you?" Lucius asks, the pain in his expression softening into something gentler, "It isn't just because you dressed up tonight, right?" It doesn't even sound like it happened tonight, really. And while he doesn't know Erk enough to claim knowledge of his heart with any kind of confidence, he doesn't think the younger mage is the type to take such words lightly or to say them on a whim.

@serraic

with starlight upon you

⤷  ethereal ball 2025: continued from here

[alluxerim]

"It can be hard to put your wishes down into writing." The scrap of paper soars away, buffeted by the wind, and Lucius glances at it before turning his attention back on the stranger.

"What I wrote on my own slip is the same thing I already pray for each day," he admits with a soft laugh, "Maybe it's nothing too special for the occasion, but I'm happy with that."

Peace, for all who suffer. Joy, for those who are yet in need of it. It's not an easy wish, by any means — for how close is it, really, to being fully attained? — but it is a simple one. One that he could work towards, bit by bit, even with his own paltry efforts.

"You can start with something small," Lucius prompts, tilting his head up towards the other, attempting to see through the shadows to the man beneath, "I don't think it needs to be your grandest dream put out there on the water. Just one thing, anything, that you'd be glad to know the heavens have heard."

@unslake

dream unspoken

⤷  ethereal ball 2025: continued from here

[alluxerim]

It is a quiet society, you’ve come to learn. People keep to themselves unless they need something. This isn’t to say they aren’t wont to help one another out, mind you - many of the denizens here operate under the ‘scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours’ philosophy. So you decide to help with an errand, right? Great. Easy. Or so you thought... [Grants Authority +1]

"So we’ll need to find red and yellow dye for the candlemaker before he can give us the wax…" Lucius summarizes as they head out of the little storefront. And that’s for the scribe, who has something for the apothecary, who has something for the carpenter, who has something for… The list goes on and on.

He turns to Raven with a wondering expression. "I didn’t think an underground village like this would be so big," he says, "It has almost every kind of job you’d expect from a normal town."

And it seems like half its inhabitants had some request or other for the first willing helper to walk through their doors. Truth be told, when Lucius easily accepted the baker’s request for a ‘little favor’, hours ago in the early morning, he hadn’t expected the chain of errands that followed. And while he wouldn’t mind walking through the town all day if it meant fulfilling all the villagers’ needs…

His gaze flitters away from Raven, hesitantly landing in the distance, towards the direction the candlemaker had pointed them. "If you have something else important to take care of, Lord Raymond, I’m fine on my own for this," he says, voice soft with unspoken apology, "I wouldn’t want to hold you up longer than I already have, if you’re busy."

@peerlessscowl

gives this mouse a cookie. gives that mouse a cookie. gives that m

⤷  mission board: excavation — authority +1

[alluxerim]

There’s a relief that comes from hearing those words, and even though the student is unlikely to understand the reason behind it, Lucius’ expression relaxes a fraction, shoulders squaring in a semblance of the confidence he’d seen in the swordsmen he’d fought alongside. Some students learned best by example, and he is glad for this chance to teach.

"I’ll keep leading, then," he agrees easily, holding out a hand towards the other, "Please follow me and keep watching for the steps."

The music begins a new verse, and Lucius repeats his earlier steps, the lightweight sword dancing through the air but never too close to his partner. Instead, he tugs softly at the other’s hand, guiding him into the appropriate positions with each of their steps.

your best foot forward

⤷  ethereal ball 2025: continued from here

[alluxerim]

Leif feels the gaze of someone on him. In a place like a ball, it's a given that someone will be looking at you at one point or another; it's difficult for that to never be the case with this many people in attendance. But this one felt more purposeful yet not as familiar. If it was someone who knew him well or had the clear intent to wish to talk to him, they would have already approached him, wouldn't they have? And it hardly felt discomforting enough to be someone more nefarious...

But it doesn't leave his mind, his attention equally held captive by it as much as he must have captured the attention of whomever this was. He casts glances around, trying to find them, until his eyes finally lock with the culprit.

“ You!! ”  He dashes then to catch the blond-haired man, wanting to get to the bottom of it. But as he grows nearer, the slight foggy feeling of recognition begins to set in. This man...

“ You were looking at me, right? ”  Leif accuses him, no judgment evident in his tone but instead genuine intrigue.  “ It's because... we've met before, right? Years ago... ”

The puzzle pieces snap into place, Leif grasping onto stray memories and forging them together.

“ Yeah! You were in that book with me. The... The... ”  Damn it. The name of the volume escapes him ever since the title and all the text had disappeared from his personal copy. But he knew his time there. He knew those trees.  “ We battled together against the tree. That was you, wasn't it? ”

It seems that meeting old friends is not a rare occurrence during this ball, or maybe just in Fódlan in general. He’d met a number of people who had traveled with Lyn and Hector back in Elibe, so when Lucius next lays eyes on a figure stirring a sense of familiarity within him, he’s initially unsurprised.

It’s only upon attempting to recall the other’s name, or at least the circumstances of their meeting, that Lucius draws a murky blank, gaze lingering on the other’s face with an increasing sense of confusion. He remembers most of the people he’d fought alongside, by face if not by name, and the number of people he’d interacted with after that had been few and consistent.

He’s spared any additional puzzlement by the young man’s quick approach, a supposedly similar familiarity followed by…

Years ago, in a book, fighting… a tree? Lucius racks his mind for any incident that might fit that description, either from the war or afterwards. It really doesn’t sound like something easily forgettable, but nothing even close to that comes immediately to mind. He can’t even make sense of what possible scenario that might be. Maybe he’d been wrong?

"I’m sorry for staring," he says, ducking his head in a light, apologetic bow, "I thought you looked familiar too, but… maybe we’ve both mistaken one another for someone else." Up close, the young man doesn’t look any more familiar than he did from a distance, though the same, odd feeling of déjà vu doesn’t quite leave the back of his mind. As though to assuage it, Lucius reaches for his wrist, taking a pearl and holding it out to the other.

"It’s nice meeting you, nonetheless. My name is Lucius, and I’ll be a professor of the Golden Deer." Maybe given an unfamiliar name, that weird feeling would finally dissipate.

[alluxerim]

“Lucius?!”

Surprise strikes at the center of her chest as she lays on the hay-haired priest, eyes lit like the lanterns flickering around them and on the surface of the ocean. This is one shrill name-calling that Erk, who has stepped away to get her drinks, could perhaps forgive her for. For who would have thought that Lucius would appear so suddenly, in the midst of a party, of all things?

“Lucius, is that really you?” She picks up the edge of her dress as she pounces towards him, and clasps her hands with his. In her part, Serra is transformed — pink hair in a bun, long, flowing dress, marks of light make-up. She looks like a totally different girl than the one that had fought aside him years ago.

“I can’t believe it! You’re really here! You look...” Exactly the same! He hadn’t even dressed up. “... Well!” Not even the storm of flat fashion can rattle the battlements of this girl’s castle. “And we both have pearls! Here, let’s trade! Lucius, you won’t believe who I’m here with, as my date. Guess. It’s a boy. You know him. Go on, guess.”

"Oh— Serra!" Lucius' voice is considerably quieter than hers, but no less warm, regarding the younger cleric with a fond look as he grips her hands back, "What a blessing of St. Elimine's that has brought us all here again. You look quite beautiful."

In the years since he's last seen her, Serra had clearly grown and matured, especially dressed up as she is tonight, though it seems her personality is as excitable as before. Smiling indulgently, he hands over his own pearl in exchange, though he pauses a little at Serra's next insistence. There hadn't exactly been time to keep up with the love lives of their younger allies during the chaos of battles and the marching in between. He does make an honest effort to recall whom Serra tended to spend time with.

"Ah... Is it Matthew?" he guesses, a little helplessly. They both served House Ostia, last he knew. Maybe that was enough for them to decide to travel together even after the conflict?

[alluxerim]

"That's everything." Lucius lets Karel draw in closer, remembering the swordsman's words from years ago, about how he could feel calm around him. Lucius would gladly be that soothing presence again. He also lowers his voice as he next speaks.

"There's something that ails all of us," he says, "I also suffer from a weakness of the soul, and I don't think I'll ever be able to be free of it completely. There may be good days and bad days, but I think... it gets better over time."

He hadn't been able to speak so much, so freely with Karel when they were on the battlefield, not just for the surrounding dangers but also with the other man's condition being as it was before. Now, though... it feels like there's a better connection. Lucius smiles.

"You're strong to be able to keep those urges under control as much as you do," he says earnestly, gentle eyes seeking out the other's gaze, "But it's not a burden you have to take on alone."

He reaches for his bracelet, unclasping one of his own pearls and holding it out to Karel, like an unspoken promise. I'll be here, if you should need me.

@otgolokh

storm's eye

⤷  ethereal ball 2025: continued from here

[alluxerim]

Any nerves Lucius might feel over asking a stranger to dance bleeds away at the clear enthusiasm from the younger man, and he smiles warmly.

"Alright," he agrees, and he takes one of the false swords — wood, much lighter than even a training sword, but painted over with a glossy sheen to emulate metal — offered to the dancers, before turning back and returning the bow. "My name is Lucius," he says, "I'm very glad to share this dance with you."

He raises the sword, and as the music next swells, feet begin to move solemnly in time with the beat, following the memories of the dancers he'd seen in the past. A swing of the sword, an outstretched hand, a quick step and a stab. It makes him think of his friends and allies in the past, how brave and heroic their deeds are, and the memory fills him with that strength as well. For a moment, Lucius feels like he could embody that knight, if only within the context of this song.

Overall, it is a dance with simple footwork, at least in its most basic form, with much freedom in the flourishes of the knight's sword. There's a pause as one segment of the music ends, intended for the dancers to switch partners if they so wish, and Lucius stops, holding the sword out hilt-first for the other to take.

"Would you like to try? I can do the other half of the dance meanwhile." Not that he relished the idea of playing the 'lady' in the dance, but given the other's eagerness, it might be more fun than embarrassing.

@bladeunbound

your best foot forward

⤷  ethereal ball 2025: continued from here

[alluxerim]

For a moment, Karel's breath gets caught in his throat.

He's past the point where he'd let his gaze wander at much of anyone with blond hair, out of some faint desire to see him again, but he still longs, somewhere. For that little shard of peace he thought he could never have, and the man who gave it to him.

It isn't at this party where Karel thought he would ever see a familiar face besides his sister, but, lo; his eyes shimmer in the lanturn-light, of such gentleness that they could be oceans in of themselves—

"Lucius?"

...Karel's gaze wanders a little, unsteadily, before settling back on the man before him.

"It is... Good. To see you again, I mean."

Lucius hadn't gotten far into the crowd when he hears his name called, a voice so close by that he only had to turn before being met with a familiar face.

"Karel!" The surprise takes only a moment to fade, and something a little like relief takes its place. "You look well," he says. Better, for sure, than when they had last seen one another on the battlefield, and maybe that's where the relief stems from. That the other is still alive, and here, instead of being consumed by the bloodshed that had seemed to light his very being aflame.

"What a blessing it is that we're able to meet again," he says, smiling. Lucius had kept the swordsman in his prayers, as he promised, though he hadn't exactly expected to ever see the other man again. He reaches out, places a hand on Karel's arm and looks into his eyes. "Have you... been able to find your peace?" he asks gently.

[alluxerim]

[ LANTERNS ] - Lanterns shaped like flowers decorate a large table alongside bowls of strips of paper and writing utensils. Guests are instructed to write a wish on the piece of paper and then roll it into the rim of a lantern, and once finished, to set them into the water. The result of everyone's wishes is a truly breath-taking sight of a hundred little lights on the ocean's surface.

This wasn't a tradition that they had, at home, but the actions felt natural nevertheless – there was something of reverence to it, the structure and craft of the lantern, to put the words to paper and allow something intangible to exist in a space that was real again for the briefest moment in time.

Raven couldn't say that he had wishes to give, anymore. Had not for a long time. Could not even claim that he had things to say, necessarily – if he were asked, the words would not have come so naturally, and he might have shaken his head.

Still, finding the familiar head of sleek blonde hair in the crowd, glowing as though it were a halo of moonlight itself, Raven plucked two lanterns gently in hand, and nodded his greeting.

"This was never what these were like at home. I...don't think they would have enjoyed it much. Do you?"

He did not think he needed to clarify who he meant.

Despite his own wishes, Lucius gave Lord Raymond his space. Given the years the other had spent in this land, Lucius didn't doubt that he would have many friends and acquaintances he would like to pass a night of festivities with.

Far from any melancholy, it's a thought that brought him joy.

Things have improved, he had said in the letter. Ever closer to his peace, ever closer to his happiness. Lucius will always be there by his side. There was no need to hang onto him every single moment, even if they were now in the same place.

Still, his heart swelled fondly as Raymond approached with the lanterns. "Lord Raven," he greeted, aware of the crowd around them. His gaze trailed towards the water at the question.

"I think it's a beautiful sentiment," Lucius said softly, "A way for people to see their hope is being acknowledged. It takes a lot of courage to believe things will be better, sometimes."

He peered back at the lanterns in the other's hands, the warm glow a testament to that courage.

"Each of our own wishes will add to the sight, don't you think?"

[alluxerim]

as the ocean breeze

Lucius isn't unfamiliar with noble functions as these, having been in service to a noble house for years, though the knowledge only heightens his feeling of being out of place. With the party set so soon after his arrival in Fódlan, he hadn't had much of a chance to prepare in earnest. And while it had felt wrong to make extra expenditures on dressing up, it also feels wrong here, to be standing at the edge of the crowd, wearing his usual habit.

Still, it sets his heart more at ease to know that he does have a duty to perform here, with the number of students around. And also... here and there, familiar faces tell him that he is among friends.

So he slips on the offered bracelet, decorated with a ring of small, detachable pearls, and takes a deep breath before stepping forth.

May St. Elimine bless this night for everyone in attendance.

Seashell: Starfish: Lukas Anchor: Karel Turtle: Pearl:

[alluxerim]

Fingers find the edge of the letter tucked, close and warm, to his heart. Lucius takes a deep breath, stepping off the ship and onto dry land.

Travel by sea will never fully agree with him, it seems, but his own discomfort had been far overshadowed by the gnawing worry in his mind. He traces the outline of the parchment softly, recalling the words within.

Its reply had been written by candlelight and sent off so many moons ago, only to be followed by a silence that quickly stretched from unusual to concerning. And when he had gone to the harbor to ask, he'd received the alarming news that no letters have been delivered to or from the Fódlan continent at all for some time.

A crisis of some sort, they'd said. Mutterings, even, of the word war, and Lucius' heart leaps to his throat at the thought of Raven being embroiled in another conflict, when hard-earned peace had finally, finally settled over Elibe. Over his own heart, as well.

He had stepped onto one of the few ships still willing to make the trip to the distant, troubled continent before the week's end, prayers for his lord and friend's safety never far from his thoughts.

...

Signs of recent destruction are plain to see as Lucius heads towards the town surrounding the mountaintop structure. Everywhere, shops have been hastily rebuilt, rubble still piled in corners as far from the roads as possible.

The people here, too, will need aid in the days ahead.

He is pointed in the direction of the inn with little hassle, and though his breath thins by the toll of the long trek, it is nothing compared to the relief and fondness that floods him when he sees the familiar figure ahead.

"Lord Raymond!" A bright smile breaking through all his exhaustion, Lucius rushes forward until he is a mere arm's length away from the other, reaching out to clasp Raven's hands. "Oh, I'm so glad you're unharmed...!"

let me apologize, to begin with

[alluxerim]

what is this, a school for parkour?

Valentians claim that saints well-versed in faith magic are able to traverse through even poisonous swamps and deadly terrain unaffected. Hoping to help train themselves and others to gain a similar immunity, a few zealous students have taken to covering hallway floors with all sorts of obstacles— pathways made of the hottest fires, routes made of the coldest ice, and lanes full of tiny toys with protruding parts! Kick off your shoes and try your luck! …or be the poor sap who has to clean it up. [Grants Faith +1]

     Settling back into the daily schedule of the monastery felt a little like the first few days after their battle against the Fire Dragon, back in Elibe. Disorienting, as though something of that caliber shouldn’t have been followed by such an easy shift back into routine. Like something should’ve changed, rather than their days marching ever onwards. If the whispers around the monastery were to be believed, he wasn’t the only one with such sentiments.

     Then again, everyone found their own ways to return to their daily schedule, and Lucius took up the lesson plans left untouched on his desk from the moment he’d stepped into the storybook. A night of re-familiarizing himself with their contents did little to quell the nerves he already felt from the teaching position, and it’s only with a prayer for strength that he felt some manner of confidence in his steps.

     ...Until, that is, he reached the final stretch leading towards the Golden Deer classroom, where the monk paused, blinking in alarm at the sight before him.

     The entire hallway was covered in an assortment of what he could only assume were traps; holes drilled along the walls that shot out spikes at random intervals, patches of ground cracking and bubbling with heat, and what areas that didn’t look like lava were instead littered in a multitude of small, colored objects. None of this looked at all safe.

     He’d stood there in dismay for only about a minute, when approaching footsteps behind him had Lucius looking back to see a familiar figure.

     “Ah...” he remembered the student from the mission; one too willing to throw himself into danger in a life-threatening situation. One could only hope to find a way to avoid danger for both of them here, if possible. Lucius smiled nervously at the other.

     “Do you know if there’s another way to get to the classroom? I’m afraid I’m not very familiar with the layout of the monastery, as of yet...” From what he did vaguely remember, the answer was no, but it couldn’t hurt to ask...

@diadic

[alluxerim]

Their surroundings splinter and crumble around them as the great tree's vines assault them, but it is when a blast of light emits from an ally's outstretched hands and destroys the enemy that the world truly begins to shatter, pieces of earth and sky alike drifting away as though in a strong breeze. Cruel laughter rings in the air, an omen of what they might yet face ahead.

But Lucius turns with something else on the forefront of his mind, seeking out the companion that has been with him from the very beginning, ever since he stepped foot in the book and even long before that, if his illusion-given memories serve. And she, of course, is close by, as loyal and steadfast as he's ever known her. "I believe this is the end of our journey," he says to Khalkós, a bittersweet smile on his lips, "It's time for farewells..."

He's not naive enough to believe that this storybook's inhabitants will continue to exist in their own little world after the magic has left it. The moment they're gone, it's likely her consciousness, her very being will cease to exist. But despite that... no, because of that... he wants the spirit to spend her last moments knowing that she is appreciated. Cared for.

Lucius reaches out, grasping one of her hands in both of his. "Thank you for everything, Khalkós," he says, looking up at her with eyes shining — with sadness, yes, but also with gratitude, with affection and with a trust that parallels what he would give for a real, flesh-and-blood ally on the battlefield. A trust that she's more than earned.

"You were a wonderful partner, and a dear friend. I'll never forget you."

The spirits and creatures that dwelled in the world always outlived humans. Immortal, save for weaknesses that could destroy them, they viewed humans as lesser beings. The way mortals spare hardly a thought to the fruit fly, whose life is but a grain of sand compared to theirs. Even those shackled by bonds with human companions would continue existing beyond their master’s deaths, neither mourning nor celebrating them. Khalkós had witnessed such severances before, and knew from the moment it was extended to her that one day her contract with Lucius would end.

But she had thought it would be in death. Somehow, it was easier to accept the withering away of a mortal life. It was inevitable. Volition, though, was different, and there’s a sharp ache near her sternum that she laughs over - a pulled muscle or an injury from their harrowing battle against the horrific tree, no doubt.

“And you expect me to accept a goodbye with a piddling handshake like this? Hah!” And before Lucius can protest, she scoops him up with all four of her arms, lifting him off the ground and squeezing hard enough to hear his back crack. “I’m not gonna let you leave yet. Without me, you’re going to go off and get yourself killed, and I’d never have a clean conscience after that. So sit tight.”

And within an hour, Khalkós returns with a little wooden carving of a beetle. Grinning, she kneels down to place it on Lucius’ shoulder. “There. It’ll be like I’m there with you!”

[alluxerim]

august activity check + event rewards

status - passed total points - 4 → 7

skill point allocation: monthly: faith (C → C ½) knowledge gem x2: faith (C ½ → C+ ½)

acquired (unscripted 2022): quiet wood (book) acquired (unscripted 2022): nevermeltice acquired (unscripted 2022): zealotry

also acquired (unscripted 2022): lil beetle!khalkós carving

[alluxerim]

awaiting them at journey’s end, eternal mourning for this land

pridelessdaydreamer​:

His allies move quickly, and the Executioner’s blade and bloodthirsty eye is taken out of the battle before it gets the chance to harm anyone (save for that redhead girl, but she’s not dead, is she?)

Linhardt takes a closer look at her and the way she curls up into a ball to avoid the tree’s roots.

Definitely not dead.

Hang on a second…

His eyes snap to the tree suddenly, its roots reaching for all of them, and the thought occurs to him that earlier he climbed one to avoid the rot. Now the tree was the rot, wasn’t it?

Melanthios uses [Root of the Grudge]!

Roll [1d20 - 4]: 4 - 4 = 0. Miss!

[Linhardt HP: 10 / 10]

It’s a thought that occurs to him later than it should, but the presence of his allies makes him lighter on his feet than he would normally anticipate, and so the roots completely miss (that and he ran as far as he could in that minute time frame).

When his eyes scour the battlefield, he sees only a handful of allies got injured, but the sound of a gentle flute seems to fix that. It’s fascinating — the power of music — ah, but that’s not what’s important here!

Only one person remains injured: a man with long red hair (that’s, admittedly, somewhat unevenly cut) who directed a fox-like spirit earlier. Linhardt supposes that’s his target.

Linhardt casts [Heal]!

Roll [1d20]: 10 = +2 HP!

[Arvis HP: 9 / 10]

It’s not the best he’s done this battle, but it does the job well enough — he nearly looks as good as new! (Still a tad bloody, but—)

The battle, at least, seemed assuredly theirs.

     The pace of the battle might be quick, but St. Elimine’s blessing still smiles upon them, for even after tangled roots shoot from the great tree to sweep his allies off their feet, gentle flute-song is there to soothe wounds and revitalize their spirits. Another enemy is defeated in an impressive show of magic, and it seems that, for the moment, everyone is safe, even in the face of a great enemy as this.

     Lucius breathes easily again, though concern is still bare in his expression as he looks around at his allies, ready to soothe if necessary. He watches Linhardt approach the professor, who alone still looks to be injured, a pallid, sickly sheen to his skin suggesting more than just physical wounds alone may be responsible for his current status.

     He reaches out to the other in turn, touching the other’s arm lightly as a soft glow emerges from his fingertips, closing the last of the man’s cuts and bruises. He might not be able to help with the more serious, underlying condition, but he can at least ensure physical wounds do not cause the other anymore harm.

lucius activates selflessness! +1HP to arvis arvis hp: 10/10

     The moment’s respite is brought to a close as the remaining, deadened soldier draws near, gleaming axe brandished in hand. Before Lucius can even react, however, Khalkós steps in front of him, all four arms swinging at the ready. “Oh, no you don’t!” she shouts, before charging at the enemy.

khalkós attacks (10, 6, 9, 8): 4 damage soldier b hp: 5/10

     The enemy is knocked back and retreats, Khalkós crossing both sets of arms as she elects to stick close to her partner rather than chase the soldier down. “Try not to get hit, ok?” she says, “We didn’t come all this way just for me to watch you get axed by some random guy in the middle of the woods!”

     She’s said as much to him over the years many times, Lucius can remember, as the memories of the storybook life continue to trickle into his own mind. He knows, trusts, that she’ll be there to protect him, all the same.

@avemaera​