[OPEN] If I don't move

[bearshermark]

Who: Eleven and OPEN
What: El being irresponsible
Where: Places
When: June, anytime
Warnings: Woops, angst and tragic backtories happened.
TW: mentions of: murder; abuse; suicide
Notes: Action or prose is fine!



A. Any library

[Humans, enslaved by dragonkind. Since hearing of it, an odd, morbid curiosity has taken hold until the thought of it wouldn't leave him.

But why? What would dragonkind need from humans?

It's enough to pull him from Raida's temple to seek more information in Diatu and Anastara's greater libraries.

He doesn't have as much time to devote to the research as he'd like, but still he crams in time to read the most relevant and interesting passages in the various tomes he can find. They're largely ancient history books to offset the class he isn't taking- focused on that particular period of time, how it came about, and how it ended- to an extended curiosity about the breadth of the race of dragonkind itself.

Already loaded down with an armful of books he doesn't really need, Eleven catches a glimpse of an eye-catching binding set with runes and his fingers itch for it]

Maybe if I skip training today, I could still have time to study..


B. Somewhere Open

He did it once, in a burst of wild anger, summoned lightning through his veins and threw it out of his fist in a blow meant to blister. Not again since.

Eleven turned his wrist over, staring at the mark of light tattooed on the back of his hand. It had yet to glow once since arriving, but now as storm clouds loomed, darkening with the setting sun and getting closer, his arm stretched out to greet them- as though he might grasp them when finally they arrived.

Afire with nervous anticipation, a word to a spell on his lips, he threw his hand skyward.

"Zap!"

Lightning flashed and flickered in a nearby cloud, but failed to strike anything in particular. No strong scent of ozone played on the breeze.

..Coincidence, he wondered- or simply the wrong word?


C. Edge of Anastara

The Sword of Light.

Lain across his lap, Eleven decided that sitting on the edge of a floating island was a lot like sitting on the edge of the world. His feet hung suspended over an abyss of sky and low-flying clouds. Eyes on the horizon, he would occasionally glance down for that low-swooping feeling in his chest. A breeze pulled at him- at once encouragement and warning.

A tiny part of his heart wanted to throw the fabled weapon out into the endless sky and never gaze upon it again, but his hands held it fast as though afraid of that very impulse.

He still wasn't used to staring out across a clear sky in all directions, unable to make out even the silhouette of one particular floating tree. Right now, he only wished to see it in order to feel like he was being heard.

"I'll do it!" Eleven snapped at nothing in particular, dropping back into the grass only to glare and yell at the empty sky above. "I never said I wouldn't! I just wanted to be normal for awhile!"

His arm dropped to shadow his face on a sigh as he pulled the sword of light to lay at his side. "..But it looks like that doesn't matter at all."


D. Wildcard!

Comments

C. Edge of Anastara

[unswervingcompanion]

Hendrik had gone out for the day and wandered around as far as he could since he had a lot on his mind. And he'd thought and thought so much that he didn't realize how far he'd walked until he heard what sounded like the Luminary yelling. Was someone attacking him and he hadn't been present to intervene?

Immediately spurred into action, the knight kept moving until he saw his charge just sitting there, light glinting off of a sword. Moving faster once he realized exactly where the boy was, Hendrik moved a lot faster.

Eventually, he came to stand a few feet from the Luminary who still had his back to him.

"What in the world are you doing Eleven?"

He's not going to throw himself off of the edge, right?

[bearshermark]

Eleven craned his head back at a near-comical angle to find his guardian there, towering above him like some sort of giant statue if only he were still enough. It hit him that it didn't really matter what Hendrik called him, after all- that it didn't change anything, really.

But what to say? That he was yelling at an absent goddess whose divine power had both left him and found its way to his hands all at once? He let himself lay back again, eyes closing.

"Relaxing, I think. The weather is nice. I could almost doze off.."

[unswervingcompanion]

Once the Luminary laid down, Hendrik felt a little better, but he was still inwardly panicking. "Then might I suggest you move away from the edge before I pick you up and move you away from it."

This was said in his most authoritative tone, but there was just so much worry behind his words. He certainly didn't need anything to happen to his charge, because he'd toss himself off of the edge if that's where his charge was going to go.

[bearshermark]

Eleven's eyes snapped open, temper returning.

"You'll do no such thing."

Rationally of course, he knew Hendrik was worried. He wasn't deaf to it, but rather found himself just this side of intolerant to anything construed as a violation of his own will. He tried, without much success, to soften the edge of his voice.

"Yggdrasil above Hendrik, I'm not stupid. I won't actually sleep here."

[unswervingcompanion]

Sometimes having the Luminary as a charge was a pain, but one that he'd been more than prepared to deal with.

"Then get away from the edge. And know this, if you fall off, I am following after you."

The knight then stubbornly folded his arms across his chest.

[bearshermark]

Jaw clenching, Eleven twisted in the grass, pulling his knees up underneath him to stand. The sword came to his hand without thought, though held only at his side.

"I never wanted your life! I never asked for it! If not for my title, you wouldn't give one whit if I jumped off this island!"

[unswervingcompanion]

Blue eyes didn't miss the sword of light. And the knight had been just about to say something about it when he got the attitude.

"You are wrong though I dare say I could not convince you otherwise. I would still care for you even were you not the Luminary." He paused, wondering what had gotten into the boy. "And I helped people while we had no idea where you were."

His arms hadn't unfolded and his gaze turned stony. "But you cannot escape your fate, try as you may."

[bearshermark]

Eleven's gaze dropped, teeth grit and fingers curling at his side. Everything in him yearned to deny it- that Hendrik didn't care, that he didn't help anyone, and that he could still be whoever he wanted to be- but the thought of his mother and Gemma alive and well despite their utter unimportance to Hendrik stilled every one of his protests.

The sword in his hand, gleaming silver and gold in the sunlight, only proved his own defeat. Shoulders slumping, he turned heavy eyes to the gold and blue hilt. His anger cracked beneath the weight of it, hopelessly resigned.

"...I know."

[unswervingcompanion]

As the boy stood there, Hendrik thought back to the night at the Ball. This lost lonely kid who hadn't asked to be the world's savior had that thrust upon him whether he wanted it or not.

He sighed and uncrossed his arms, unsure of his next steps. But he remembered something he'd learned from Yotsuyu and knelt down in front of the Luminary.

And without another word, he moved his arms around Eleven's midsection careful not to touch the Sword of Light and hugged him.

[bearshermark]

In the moment Hendrik knelt before him, Eleven feared nothing more than another oath. It suddenly hurt to swallow, his voice turning hoarse and ready to protest.

"Don't-"

Only for arms to come around him in a gesture so unexpected that he could only stare, immobile and speechless. He tried to speak, but words remained beyond him. Even after several moments, the only response he could muster was a hand on Hendrik's shoulder.

[unswervingcompanion]

He held on for dear life, unsure if the other might still be thinking about throwing himself off of the edge of the island. Hendrik braced for a blow too, because he had purposely left that sword arm free to swing on him.

For several long moments which felt like an eternity the knight waited. At feeling the hand on his shoulder and since no blow came, he finally risked looking up. Silently he thanked Yotsuyu for showing him a different way, as foreign as it might be to him.

"I will always be here should you need me. You are not alone in this place."

That was the only oath the Luminary would receive.

[bearshermark]

It was an odd feeling, to stand there with the Sword of Light in hand, gazing down at a man with five times his own strength yet knelt before him and holding him fast like he might suddenly vanish if he didn't. At once, he felt the sun warming his back, breeze gently tugging at his hair and the edges of his coat.

An odd moment, as though he were on the edge of something more than just a floating island. Something higher.

"...I am the Luminary," he said for what felt like the first time since he'd learned of the title.

Eleven stared down at Hendrik, his fingers moving briefly to the man's jaw, then bent to kiss his forehead. When he drew back, it was with a gentle smile that didn't quite manage to reach his eyes.

"Thank you, Hendrik. I'm relying on you."

[unswervingcompanion]

At hearing those words about being the Luminary, Hendrik looked up completely unsure as he had the day he first gave his oath back in Erdrea. Slowly though the knight let go of the boy, confused as to what that meant. Did this mean that the other had finally accepted what burden fate had placed on him?

Frozen, Hendrik wasn't sure what to do with his charge touching his face. And with the kiss to the forehead, the knight could've been knocked over with a feather. Something felt as if it had changed, though he couldn't figure out what it was.

Not knowing what else to do, Hendrik nodded and stood to his full height.

[bearshermark]

Eleven took a breath, the world returning to normal as Hendrik rose above him. Still, in accepting his role and Hendrik's oath in full, the man now felt more like an extension of his will rather than something separate and intrusive.

Meanwhile, everything he wanted for himself..

"..It's okay, if you want to use my title, now."

[unswervingcompanion]

Another nod. "And I would dare say it is about time since now you have your sword."

Hendrik felt like everything was slowly coming back to an even keel with this. "Though I am puzzled as to how you came about receiving it."

That part he's still confused on.

[bearshermark]

Eleven raised the Sword of Light between them, blade balanced on his upturned palm. It was still beautiful.

"Do you remember when I.." He stopped, remembering that he'd had Atem's artifact for so short a time that he hadn't mentioned it. Eleven shook his head, weight shifting.

"Some weeks ago, a few students found things that belonged to other people. I wasn't expecting the Sword of Light to appear, so I didn't think of it, but just a few days ago, I saw another student with it. Dust. He gave it to me once I explained its history.. And well, if this is Yggdrasil's will to lend me Her strength while I regain my own.."

[unswervingcompanion]

"An impressive and better way to achieve the sword meant to help you. This must be Yggdrasil's will."

The images of what happened with Jasper and King Carnelian at the Tree of Life had shaken him badly and left him with nothing but an immense sense of guilt. To see the sword back in the hands of the man meant to wield it was nothing short of impressive. And it sounded like the Luminary was once again at peace with who he was and what he must accomplish.

"Then I shall expect to see it when next we train."

[bearshermark]

He nodded and let the blade fall back to his side, then raised his eyes and met Hendrik's squarely.

"You weren't at fault for Yggdrasil either, Hendrik. Jasper and Mordegon were."

[unswervingcompanion]

Hendrik shook his head at the words.

"I was insistent and even should you be so kind as to excuse my ill-fated actions, I do not."

There's no anger or malice there just the knight being himself.

[bearshermark]

"You didn't know he was Mordegon," he returned, equally serious. "If you did, you would have died before allowing him near Yggdrasil. That deception was not your doing."

[unswervingcompanion]

The knight couldn't argue the logic, but he shook his head. The Luminary could forgive him all he wanted, but Hendrik wasn't going to let himself off of the hook at all.

"No I did not, or else I would have changed a great many things." That was totally true. "But it does not change the facts."

[bearshermark]

"No," he agreed, somber. "But we will both redeem ourselves when we return."

[unswervingcompanion]

Hendrik is about to say something about saving the world and bringing peace but remains quiet and nods.

"It will be good to get back."

If only Hendrik could get his heart to agree to that.

[bearshermark]

Eleven couldn't be sure of that himself, but he knew he needed to- and that Yggdrasil would send him back when it was time. When the mark on his hand shone again, he was sure.

Turning, he gave the Sword of Light an experimental swing. "I need to unlock its powers, too."

[unswervingcompanion]

Blue eyes looked over the Sword of Light and the knight nodded.

"I am sure that you will no doubt find out. It is a most fortunate find."

Hendrik didn't know if enemies would come now that the sword was here, but they would be ready, especially if the Luminary had his blade.