[Oc] Week 01: Routine

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Dojat

Mister Mayor
Jul 17, 2014
170
4
18
24
Canada
Latens
1,145✦
Exa
⏆487
Bounty
⏈0
Dahlitium (⏆50 per)
0⌯
Bigatium (⏆100 per)
0⍨
Auritium (⏆300 per)
0⍫
Vitatium (⏆1200 per)
0⌭
Caelitium (⏆6000 per)
0⌬
Routine

1,172

The man in front of her sunk his boots into the mud, the cart coming to a halt. In front of him rested the beasts hauling their cargo, and behind him jumped down the fellow members of Liberata Shipping Co. First was the new kid, the Enlil’s feathers matted down from the recent rain.

The other male held his hand out to help down the final member of the trio, the Laicar woman happily taking his hand and coming to the ground more gently than the others. Her robes were already slightly damp from the rain the previous night on the road, walking in the wet ground barely phased her.

As Juvo stepped back from lending her a hand, she threw him a thankful smile. Ivan, the oldest and longest working of the three folded his arms, seemingly bored of the wait. The ride from Avelyn to Terminus was a tiring one, for certain, but Ivan tended to take things in stride, never tiring and never letting up.

Ivan strode up to a Velen woman standing there. “Ervica, how’s it been?” The two shared a short embrace.

Melodia’s mind flashed back to memories of Ivan speaking of a family of Velen. The Spurii man was a quarter Velen, if she remembered correctly. The diversity of their team was often pointed out, but despite their differences, they never viewed how opposite they were as a downfall, more so as a trust of understanding. The others still did not know of Melodia’s…History.

As the Velen seemed to be guarding the first checkpoint into the city, she allowed them passage with little hesitance.

The interior of the utopia never ceased to amaze the young blonde Laicar. The slightly overcast day was interrupted as the clouds shifted to reveal the sun down, the first blink of heat they had felt since leaving for Terminus. Reveling in the sudden warmth, Melodia haphazardly wandered forward from the group, nearly tripping over her own feet.

The caravan managed to find its destination, Cisco’s Pawn. Upon entering, Juvo and Melodia stayed silent as almost always required. Ivan knew how to make deals and he had been in and out of this city more than almost anyone else in the company.

The deeply tanned Laicar man gave a deep hearty laugh.“Ivan! Didn’t know you were due today.” His vision wandered from Ivan to Juvo, then rested on Melodia. “Brought the young’uns, did ya?” He asked with a raised brow.

“Hardy-har, Cisco. We have your shipment for the month.” Ivan held up a clipboard he had grabbed on the way in. “We just need you to sign here, here, and here.” His finger traced up and down the clipboard as Cisco raced behind it with his pen, leaving his signature.

Not much later, Juvo and Melodia were bringing in the supplies due, and Ivan checked things off on some list.

Unsure of their delivery and why, Melodia turned to him after putting down a box beside the glass counter showcasing trinkets and other bits-and-bobs.

“I think that’s all, Juvo is bringing in one last box.” With that, the door was opened, and the silent Enlil left a large box near the pile of the others.

Juvo nodded lightly to Cisco, the man nodding back lightly.

Cisco waved the three over, a customer entering the store behind them. “Here, I know those wages aren’t priced too well.” He dropped 30 exa into Ivan’s now extended hand, “Split it amongst yourselves.” He smiled genuinely.

“Thank you,” Melodia spoke up.

Juvo just nodded along again, and Ivan held the door open.

“Generous as ever, Cisco. ‘Til next time.” The cart began to depart the city yet again. They would have to make it back to Avelyn by dawn.

The cart was faster, less weight to be carried caused the pace to quicken, and the basilisks in front dragging along the cart were always compliant on the way home. As they entered a forest, the beasts became aloof, stopping and shifting uneasily. Ivan tried to mush them, but no such luck.

As if from nowhere, a large avian being with sharp talons dove down from the sky, grabbing one of the Basilisks and hauling it into the sky, the car being picked up a few feet before detaching from the beast and plummeting to earth. Ivan grasped for something in the back of the cart, before pulling forward his rifle, the beast was gone, along with their basilisk.

The three stared on in horror as it seemed to disappear into the sky, Ivan mushing for the second to go, they would easily make it back to Terminus faster than Avelyn.

Exiting the forested area, it seemed as though the large bird had not given chase, only taken the one basilisk and been on its way.

Entering the city again, the Velen woman was there yet again, and the concerned look on the Spurii’s face shocked her. “What’s wrong, Ivan?”

Her adoptive son explained the situation.

“We were meant to be back by dawn, but those birds seem to have a taste for Basilisk.” He explained, clearly frustrated, as Ervica waved a male Enlil over to take over her position so she could walk them inside. Upon re-entrance of the city of Terminus, the lights and towering architecture dazzling Melodia yet again. Ervica and Ivan continued their conversation: they needed somewhere to stay for the night, the evening sun dispelling most of the clouds in the sky. The basilisk was clearly spooked, so going back with it anytime soon was unlikely.

To her knowledge, they didn’t have any real need to go back, Melodia’s family lived in their cottage in the northern mountains, where they would not be disturbed, so it wasn’t as though she had anyone to go back to. Shrugging, the Laicar woman followed along, as Ervica offered to let them stay with her, her family had since grown and moved out, she was a single mother after a vistra claimed her husband’s life.

The three exchanged glances, and Juvo spoke up this time, his slightly deep voice taking Melodia slightly off guard. “We’d be honored.” He shook her hand, and she threw all three members of the caravan a motherly smile.

Alleys and roads away, they arrived, a small but portly house stood in front of them. They tied up the basilisk outside, and entered the home. Ivan had a smile plastered on his face, clearly glad to be in his childhood home yet again. “Thank you for this, Ervica. Really.” She smiled back. “Stay here as long as you’d like.” She replies, heading off to her bedroom, lights suddenly being dimmed as night set upon them.

Juvo and Melodia shared a room for the night, separate beds, of course, and Melodia grabbed a locket from her breast pocket. Inside was a tiny gemstone, engraved upon it was the crest of her family, a spear behind two shields overlapping each other. She gripped it tightly before closing her eyes and letting herself drift to sleep.
 
Last edited:

Dojat

Mister Mayor
Jul 17, 2014
170
4
18
24
Canada
Latens
1,145✦
Exa
⏆487
Bounty
⏈0
Dahlitium (⏆50 per)
0⌯
Bigatium (⏆100 per)
0⍨
Auritium (⏆300 per)
0⍫
Vitatium (⏆1200 per)
0⌭
Caelitium (⏆6000 per)
0⌬
[Oc] Week 01: Reflection

Reflection
1,133​
Her arm moved with grace through the air before lighting up with the thrust of her wrist, the tips of her fingers becoming alight in a light blue glow. Instances later, a wave of air ripped through into existence, slicing down her target, as it slipped to the ground, spilling its innards. Melodia stepped back to admire her masterpiece, but was quickly disrupted.

A man drew near her, applauding, and breaking the still silence of her training. “Impressive, impressive.” He stated to her, and she couldn’t quite make out the face of the man, his face and hair masked by a large red cloak. “The name’s Scriptus.” He said, as though he knew exactly what she was thinking.

Melodia placed her hands in front of her, intertwining them in a defensive manner. “I…I had myself registered for training for the hour, but if you’d like to share--” She was cut off by the man’s voice.

“Ohoho, young one, I’ve not come to practice magics. I’ve come for you.” His blocked out face dipped to acknowledge the young Melodia. “Melodia Cidarim.”

Melodia’s eyes widened, the man spoke her name, but not her cosmetic name, her noble name. She shook her head, raising her hand slowly, as if to ask him to stop. “What do you want?” She asked him quietly. She was well respected among the Arcanum for the months she had begun her training, and didn’t wish to risk the relationship with this man revealing her past, especially with the news of her parents being in hot water because of their weapon malfunctions in recent battles.

“Relax. Your parents sent me.” Scriptus revealed to her, and she suddenly relaxed. The masked man stepped forward into the light, revealing a slit in the middle of his mask, only on the left half of his face, the entirety of the right side still unseen beneath the cloak. The glow of his eye revealed him as Demvir.

“Why?” She raised an eyebrow, hoping this wasn’t some kind of a trick. If he knew of her parents and what they had done to gain profit, who is to say he wouldn’t get even? Trying to remove the memory from her mind, she hadn’t realized she had been staring off into space.

“They don’t believe you are well protected here. They would rather be certain you are safe.” He pulled a roll of paper from within his long jacket. “Here.” He handed it to her leisurely, as though it had been rehearsed a thousand times over.

Upon further inspection, it was a contract, signing her to a company for shipping. Her parents really didn’t trust her enough to take care of herself? She was about to place the paper into the man’s hands again, before a note near the bottom caught her eye. Her parents had left a small message.

Melodia –
Take the offer, we need to keep you safe. Things have only gotten worse, we can’t risk losing you. Remember, we can cut the funds from your studies.
Mother and Father.

Frustrated with the last statement after the first two were almost heartwarming, she rolled her eyes and took a deep breath. “Alright, where do I sign?” Her parents had taught her to read the fine print, but her frustration had already consumed her mind, so there was no thought in her mind of doing so. Letting the pen glide across the paper, she handed it back to the man with masked grace. “If it’s not too much to ask, Sir, may I see your face?”

The Demvir in front of her let out a sigh, stating almost as warning, “If you insist.” He reached for the scarf wrapped around his head, pulling it apart revealed a large tear through the left side of his head, including ripping through the left eye. It was a wonder how it happened, but Melodia could guess. “Story for another day, Melodia.”

She nodded her head lightly. It wasn’t polite to stare, but once the male robotic man in front of her began wrapping it up again, she could shake the trance. “Thank you, for coming all this way…Where are you from?” She tilted her head to the side slightly.

“Avelyn, in the west; where you will be working for me.” He finished tying the cloth off behind his head, the slit for his one working eye being the only seen feature. He stuck his hand out, looking between it and the young Laicar woman.

She reached forward gladly, wrapping both hands around his, and shaking lightly. The deal was solidified, and with a small nod, he was gone, leaving Melodia alone in the room of the Arcanum with a torn up sack of grain and the return of brisk silence. Some part of her, some thirst for more had been answered, she would receive her freedom per request, but of course, knowing her parents, it had to be upon their terms, or not at all.

The fingers of the young woman lit again, this time a piercing red, as a stream of flame slipped forth, lighting the wood in front of her, and beginning a small fire which grew quickly. Turning around to see if anyone remained, the room was full, excluding the head of the Caravan. The door opened and closed suddenly, snapping Melodia to its attention.

Ivan came in, just shaking his head, practically throwing two letters at Juvo and Melodia.
Ervica and Juvo’s hushed conversation interrupted, the woman stood and moved to see what was wrong with the elder of the trio as he stormed away.

Melodia sat down in her place on the furniture, opening the letter marked with her name. Inside was a long message about thankfulness and service, then a short paragraph about damage of property. The basilisks life had gotten them ruined, the letter insisting upon the resignation of the blonde Laicar, which was just a formal way to say they got canned.

“F…Fired?” The words seemed to echo throughout Melodia’s mind as she repeated the statement. Caravan IV of Liberata Shipping Co. had been officially sacked. The floor seemed to shift around her, her mind spinning at what was next for her.

Juvo didn’t speak, but the clenching of his fist revealed he too, was none too pleased with the news.

Melodia walked out of the home, not sure what to do. She had to clear her mind, and the night sky always relaxed her when she needed it. Walking along alleys and roads she really let her mind wander. To start she would try to write to her parents again. Hopefully this time they would send her back a message. Her legs seemed to carry her as she gazed up into the dark sky alit with a tide of stars.
 

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