Even now, there are only embers...

[windandrain]

Who: Vegeta, Saori, and Cliff (and maybe a few others)
What: Fairy Tale RPG Adventures
When: During the 2014 Total Recall Event
Where: All over Luceti
Summary: Saori and Vegeta are stuck living out a Fairy Tale RPG adventure with Cliff as an overlord. Shenanigans ensue?
Rating: PG-13? Possible violence and language. Maybe.



Lazeria, a once peaceful barony, is a land under siege by dark forces and hellish magic. The baron, a noble and kind (if somewhat oafish) man named Cliff has been cursed by black magic during a feast. A sorceress appeared and transformed him into a beast-man and the once bright land fell into shadow. The streets darken, strange creatures randomly attack passersby, and the baron himself hasn’t been himself for some time.

Enter two strangers from another land, intent on completing a mysterious quest. A fortuneteller had directed the pair to Lazeria, telling them that if they could defeat the accursed lord of the land that not only would light return, but that wealth and power beyond imagining would be their reward. That draws them in like moths to a flame, and the duo arrives in the dead of night, eager to figure out how best to overthrow Cliff and claim their prize.

Comments

[misterbrief]

Vegeta doesn't bother to answer. He simply heads out, waiting outside as instructed. He keeps a well-practiced poker face as he strides out, but the Saiyan is smiling inwardly; everything was going according to plan.

He leans against the wall of the building, foot set up against it in his large brown travelling cloak around him, concealing his light armor underneath. It's not until Cliff reappears that he'll look up from his post, arms folded with a finger tapping against one of them impatiently.

[aerialassault]

Cliff arrived not long later, his noble fineries exchanged for dusty leather boots, worn trousers and tunic, and an aged green cloak that was starting to fray at the seams. His light, mobile armor was plain for all to see-- it was common to travel as such in the rural areas, where the monsters still roamed freely.

"So," he said in lieu of a true greeting upon arrival, "where does our path lead?"

[misterbrief]

Jerking his head, he lifts off from the wall and starts to walk in the direction of the location he'd be taking Cliff to.

"This way. And try to keep up." His pace is brisk, not liking to waste time- and marches northwest, arms folded. "It's at least a day's march, less if we pick up the pace. We're not going to rest, it's as I said; the longer we wait, the worse off we'll be."

[aerialassault]

Cliff bit back a smart-ass retort, tempted to intentionally outpace the man just to point out how foolish the order to 'keep up' had been. If anything, it should have been the other way around.

Instead, Cliff simply shoved his hands into his pockets and fell into step beside the man.

"What sort of artifact is it, anyway?" Cliff ventured, in a tone meant to convey his respect. "I know it's dangerous, but what else can you tel me about it?"

[misterbrief]

"A lot of it is lore, and a lot of it I'm not certain on," he says as he leads Cliff out of town, "but from what I've gathered it seems it was two objects at one point. Fused together when joined, to create some sort of yin and yang. What I'm guessing is that it was used to bring balance to this world, to undo that which was unsound in nature and to bring forth destruction when needed."

"And what's bothering me is that it's out in the open, according to this. Only the worthy may enter, but who's to say there isn't several worthy of it?"

[aerialassault]

And those who were worthy of it could still be removed from the picture by other parties once the artifact was retrieved, or the individual could be bought by another and convinced to use the item as a grand weapon should politics lean toward war. Cliff hummed in thought, growing more concerned about the artifact's presence in his lands with each footstep that brought them closer to the mountains.

"I hear ya on that. Sounds like a doozy of a piece!"

[misterbrief]

"Yes, it is." His eyes roll at 'doozy of a piece' but doesn't pursue that further. Every person has their own cadence and Cliff's just happened to be...different than Vegeta's.

"And with it, you just might be able to go back to normal. How embarrassing, letting yourself get cursed like that." Now that they weren't in his royal chambers, he speaks freely- and his arms fold as he shoots a sideways glance at Cliff.

[aerialassault]

Cliff bristled at the snide commentary from the traveller.

"I would've avoided it if I had seen it coming, you know. Things like that don't give you much warning."

He narrowed his gaze in reply, making his agitation abundantly clear. This was treacherous territory to cross.

[misterbrief]

Vegeta almost relishes in the glare he's receiving from Cliff. He must of pressed a button, good to know.

"That's why you keep a good man around to use counter curses. A leader of a barony such as this should have been prepared. Next time you'll know better," he says, "because old hags like that shouldn't be allowed to just do whatever they please to whomever they please."

He kicks the dirt in annoyance.

"They're a bit of a nuisance."

[aerialassault]

Too little too late. Cliff snorted at the advice, falling back into the prideful habits that landed him in this position in the first place.

"I didn't think it was necessary to worry about," he said, airily. "Magic is rare in these parts. Looking for countermeasures for something that isn't even a threat is aa waste of resources, you know."

[misterbrief]

"Hmf." He wouldn't argue, because he doesn't want to waste his energy. He thinks Cliff was a fool for thinking that way, but then Vegeta had grown up with magic at this point. He couldn't imagine what life was like without it.

"Don't expect it to stay like that forever. I think you got your first clue already."

[aerialassault]

"Yeah. No kidding."

His tone was stiff, and he ran a hand through his hair-- the memories of the affair were still embarrassing to him, and he didn't necessarily wish to speak of it. He had learned his lesson the hard way, and was determined to not make the same mistake again in the future.

[misterbrief]

He stays silent for the moment, letting that sink in for the other man. He concentrates on their path, driving on in the direction of their destination. The woods irritate him but it isn't too long that they finally reach the edge of it, a plain spread out before them leading to the edge of the mountain range.

"Look, it's about a few hours walk from here to where we're headed. Sorry the scenery isn't too interesting to look at." If anything he picks up his pace, even more than the quick pace he was keeping before. The realization that he had to walk with someone else for that long irritated him and he'd rather get there sooner rather than later.