Jump to content

[PP-F5] In the Wake of An Apocalypse


Recommended Posts

"Mmm..." Teion's mumbling wouldn't carry itself past the open doorway to Shield's ears. She wasn't susprised to hear that Shield had essentially mastered his profession. No, now that she thought about it, it was more surprising to realize that she was far from mastering her own. Blacksmithing, though not something that she would have thought herself drawn to, was a craft that she had become engrossed in early on. It was a shame that apathy had set in when it did, even before recent events, to slow her creative processes to a crawl.

She lay on her side, arm tucked beneath her head as the fingers of her other hand tapped gently and sporadically against the bedsheets. 'This is weird.' She thought to herself. After a few more moments in silence she urged her legs to swing over the side of the small bed. She couldn't help the yawn that escaped her, simply making an effort to stifle the sound of her exhale.. Teion rubbed at her eyes before carrying herself forward and around the corner. Getting a view of her shop's now interior now, Teion froze in place once she took in the sight in front of her.

Everything was...reorganized. The woman was normally meticulous with the placement of her tools and the appearance of her workspaces, but there was a noticeable difference in the level of tidiness between now and when she had rolled out of bed not too long ago. Her lips pursed into an unsteady line as she realized what the brunette had been up to since she had lost sight of him. For a moment, she wasn't sure what to say or how to say it, finally settling on a "You didn't have to do that..." In a small, slightly embarrassed voice.

Link to post
Share on other sites
  • Replies 60
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

"Little things add up," he said, knowing that Teion probably wouldn't be thrilled that he had cleaned without telling her. first. It was overstepping himself a little, but the gesture was well meant, if uninvited. "Your surroundings play a part in your mental state, so if you're stuck in a place, it may as well be clean."

He changed the subject by presenting a couple of small plates from his inventory. The sandwiches on them were light. He had a feeling she would not have much of an appetite, but meals, sleep, and any other shred of normalcy would hopefully help keep things steadier in a tumultuous time. Taking a seat, he turned his attention to his own plate and began eating, his scruff-lined jaw rolling from side to side as he chewed in silence. It wasn't that he didn't have anything to say, but for a while at least, he decided to let Teion do any talking if she felt the need to do so, and otherwise to let simple company suffice for the time being.

Just as long as she's not stuck alone with her thoughts. She already has to battle through that all night on her own. She needs a break during the day.

Link to post
Share on other sites

A thinly-gloved hand found its way to the back of Teion's neck and dragged gently over her skin. She couldn't argue the man's actions or his logic, and she didn't want to anyway. It was a bit surprising again, realizing that someone was going so far as to look after her, if only for a few days. Even that was longer than she would expect. Her gaze shifted over the contents of the room as she stood trapped in her own created discomfort at the situation before the motion in front of her caught her attention.

She blinked at the plate of food that had been presented to her and reached out to take the plate Shield offered to her. Food was something she hadn't given much thought in all the time between his last visit. In fact, Teion had never been one to much care about what she used to stave off the inevitible pangs of "hunger" during her time in the game. For one reason or another, meals seemed to be one necessity that reminded her of the reality of things without fail.

The tension she had felt slowly began to melt away and the corners of her mouth pulled up into a small smile at Shield's persistent kindness. "Thanks." She said softly. The woman took a couple of steps and seated herself behind the counter, pulling open one of the many drawers while she set the plate down in front of her. She populated the free space on the counter with several papers that held half-finished sketches of various designs. Twirling a pencil around in her right hand, she took a small bite of the sandwich. She would alternate between sketching more lines and slowly working through her food, likely at a snail's pace compared to the man who had no interruptions.

Link to post
Share on other sites

"You're welcome."

It was a relief to see a smile, and for the most part it seemed genuine, if not a little feeble, but it was something at least. He continued working his way through the sandwich in front of him. He took his time. Having already had a breakfast of sorts before coming over, he was hardly starving. If anything, sitting for the first time in a few hours reminded him of how little sleep he had gotten himself. Shield contemplated whether curling up in a corner to nap would be awkward before deciding the whole visit was probably awkward already, which meant getting a little rest could hardly make it worse.

Might give her some time to herself, if nothing else. She's hardly a social butterfly, so it might give her a break from feeling like she's being watched.

He glanced over at her, for a moment forgetting to look at her as a successful DPS and blacksmith and seeing her as a kid who got stuck in a game. Returning his eyes to his plate, he fought back a scowl. With the atmosphere as tense and raw as it already was, the added negativity was hardly warranted.

Damn the lunatic who doomed these kids to this fate. It's like Lord of the Flies, but on a scale unimaginable by the author's imagination.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Teion continued to alternate between sketching and eating until the plate beside her was empty. She had seemed content letting the silence hang over them, but after a couple more minutes she placed the pencil down on the counter and began to nudge it back and forth with her index finger. She rested her chin in the palm of her hand, fingers curled against her cheek while she wore a solemn, bored expression.

"I don't know what I want to do." Her voice finally filled the air while she stared down at the utensil as it rolled across the wooden surface. Ever since she lay down in bed last night, the same question started to nag at her: "Now what?" Whenever something weighed down on her in the past, Teion was the type to 'just deal with it' and continue on like nothing was the matter. But now, with the void that Beatbox had left with his sudden passing, she couldn't determine what she should--or even what she wanted--to be doing anymore.

"I didn't understand it, but he always seemed to have a drive that never burnt out." She began to spill her thoughts out into the space between them. "He told me about the people he was fighting for. It feels...wrong for his purpose to just come to an end. Is that just the way it works?" Accepting Beatbox's death seemed impossible. What he had done, the way he'd left her his farewell, it almost felt like he had a mantle that needed to be passed on. Like in a storybook, someone would rise to continue his legacy, just as he'd done for others in the past. But Teion did not see herself--nor anyone else--as that person.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Teion's words hung in the air for a while. Shield turned them over in his head, thinking through them carefully. It was not a matter to be taken lightly no matter which direction he cast his answer. He kept his eyes forward, feeling as if it was kinder to keep them there in order to avoid any feelings of scrutiny they may cause his company should they linger too long.

"That depends," Shield said, his words slow and deliberate. "Sometimes, that is the way of things. In this case, you are in a position where you can decide. If those aims were important enough, you can pursue their completion. If they are better being put to bed, then you can find your own aims. If they're people who need saving or protecting, I think that's a worthy cause, but it may not be yours. Then again..." he leaned back, his stoic expressions changing little as he mulled over the rest of his thoughts. "If there is nobody else who those responsibilities can fall, then that could end up being a waste of life. We've seen enough loss lately. If more can be avoided, it should be."

The more immediate words addressed, the older player let out a breath, thinking over the sentiments Teion had mentioned before the ones he had answered. It was a much more relatable one, at least to him. Listlessness was not a stranger to him.

"In the mean time, you don't have to do anything," he said matter of factly. "Your primary responsibility is to yourself. If you need to be outside, go outside. If you need to be around people, we can find an inn. If you just need to vent, I'm far better at listening than I am at talking, so feel free. If you need activity, I can pull out a chess board for us."

In the back of his mind, Shield knew how they needed to end their week. So far, Teion had only heard messages and received items from just before Beatbox's death, not to mention that the only posthumous confirmation she had received was from more or less a third party. For real closure, there was only one place to go.

The Monument of Life. That's going to be a difficult journey for her, but it's probably a necessary one.

Link to post
Share on other sites

In between long silences, Teion and Shield would occasionally fill the air between them with conversation about life, death, and moving on--things that were all relatively foreign to her until now. The next few days were similar, though they found different things to occupy them now and again. Sometimes Shield would bring her another meal, and at one point Teion took him up on that offer of a game of chess. More often, their topics of conversation drifted to more trivial subjects. The days passed by whether she wanted them to or not, and each morning her emotions would dull a little more.

As sunlight spilled through the window in her side-bedroom, Teion lay staring at the wooden rafters. Was today the last day? The woman wasn't sure if the bittersweet feeling that carried through her after the thought was appropriate or not. She let out a long exhale through her nose before lifting herself upright and swinging her legs over the edge of the bed. She stood up, lazily opening her menus and navigating to her inventory before staring at all of the icons nested inside of it. She hadn't been much of one for vanity clothing, and usually wore whatever her go-to battle equipment happened to be at the time. Since it was light armor, she never usually thought much of it, save for the very rare occasions she had visited the venue for an event that called for different attire.

Poking around at a few items, she downgraded her leather bodice and tight-fitting leggings for a pair of brown slacks and a green knit sweater. Her violet hair spilled over her shoulders, and she twisted a section between her fingers while lazily dismissing her menus. She eyes dropped down to the violet color coating each strand of hair. Something she had done on a whim after her appearance was first reverted had stuck with her for so long. 'Should I change it?' She pondered for a moment before shrugging off the thought.

Link to post
Share on other sites

As the simulated morning sun crept higher into the sky, there came a knock at the front door. On the other side of it, Shield stood, looking back on the little town that was the forge's home. In general, Teion had not kept him waiting as long as the first morning of his stint, but he occupied himself regardless. His eyes drifted skyward. At the edges of the horizon, there were hints of haze, indicating that sand storms were passing through different parts of the floor.

"I get that it's a desert, but I think the dev team overdid it with the sand," he sighed aloud, scratching the back of his head. "If it's not storms, it's just regular winds, both of which always bring more sand. If this were real life, everyone here would constantly be crusted with the stuff."

Today was not going to be another quiet day in. There was some closure to be had with the message Beatbox had left and with the items he had gifted to Teion, but that closure needed to extend into the world beyond the fifth floor. He blew out his cheeks and closed his lids over the dark irises of his eyes.

"This is going to be an interesting day."

Link to post
Share on other sites

Just as Teion had decided against dyeing what had become her signature purple hair color, the same knock that she'd heard for the past week sounded at the door. She went to answer without delay, offering the man on the other side of the doorframe a small smile in greeting. She stepped aside to allow him inside, swinging the heavy door shut once he had done so. The howl of the occasional gusts that blew through the city dropped in volume while they stood in the shelter of the smithy.

Teion had been doing better, all things considered. She had been eating without fuss and her nights slowly became a little less restless. She found herself becoming more easily agitated and angered, although she had done well to control her outbursts since Shield's initial visit. Most wouldn't see it as an improvement, but Teion was slowly starting to drift closer to her previous demeanor: reserved and independent.

After the wooden door swung shut, she crossed the room and began to gather some loose sheets of paper laying around on her workbench. She began to organize the drafts and sketches, putting some away in a drawer while leaving a couple out that she planned to finish later on. "Any plans for today?" She asked plainly without looking up from her task.

Link to post
Share on other sites

"Yeah," he said, though he didn't quite know how to present the idea just yet. Teion seemed to more or less have a handle on herself during the time he spent with her, and the visit would undoubtedly be difficult.

There's always that risk that she'll feel like she's losing progress, but this is something that probably needs to happen regardless.

"Take your time getting ready, but we are going out for a bit," Shield said, trying and failing to be matter of fact about it. He was avoiding looking directly at her and shifted his weight from one foot to the other, not quite able to keep himself still. "No need to prep for combat, but I'd at least look presentable."

That last part was probably more telling than he might have hoped, but he supposed that it would be cruel to not tell her where they were going until they were already there. She would need time to prepare herself mentally for the experience. The dark brows above his sharp brown eyes wrinkled themselves as he floundered internally for better ways to present the information, but much like when he had first broken the news, he was forced to conclude that drawing it out was pointless.

"It's time we went to the Monument of Life."

Link to post
Share on other sites

Teion made idle movements to tidy her desk while Shield approached the subject of what he had planned for them today. When he finally broached the detail of where they would be going, Teion faltered and her hand hovered in the air a moment before she continued the movement to retrieve a stray pencil. She had contemplated the memorial on the first floor often, wondering if she would see Beatbox's name crossed out on the massive stone slab. Would she also see the username of his killer? The thought caused a small tightness in her chest. Just what would she do with that information, she wondered?

Some days it still didn't feel real. Losing herself in thought, she wondered if that would no longer be the case after she had the proof of the monument staring back at her. The edges of the papers in her hand tapped against the top of the wooden workspace a couple of times as she straightened her notes and sketches--the product of her loose thoughts as she tried to provide herself with distractions related to her craft from time to time. She placed the short stack in a drawer, the sheets falling on top of other buried designs before she straightened up and ran her fingers over the front of her knit shirt as if to smooth the loose garment over her abdomen.

"Honestly?" Her tone was even when she replied, and a small puff of air left her lungs after the word. "I'm ready as I'll ever be." She said, continuing to keep her gaze lowered and distracted.

Link to post
Share on other sites

"Are you sure about that?" Shield asked, a note of incredulity in his voice, though more firm than derisive. "Because you're not doing a good job of convincing me that's the case."

His gaze had not left Teion, studying her movements carefully to try to assess her mental state. She had definitely reacted to the subject, but she had glossed over it and avoided his gaze the whole time. It was like being back home and watching his daughters insist that they weren't tired despite the fact that even as they spoke, their heads were trying to nod into sleep. His gruff looking features were not arranged sternly. If anything, they wore a look of concern as they held Teion in their vision.

There's definitely plenty going on under the surface, but whether she's unaware of it or whether she's just trying to pretend it's not there, it's bound to come out once there are no longer any safe refuges left to which to retreat. Seems like this whole trip might be more trying for her than he had anticipated.

Either way, now was a time to build her up and prepare her for what was ahead. Slowly, he reached forward, cupping his rough fingers around the back of her arm and giving a light squeeze to bring her out of wherever she was.

"Hey," he said, calling her attention up to his face. "I warned you it wouldn't be easy. But you're not having to face it without backup. I can't tank the hits for you, but I can play support if need be."

Shield tilted his head, more to center himself in her vision than anything else. The matted hair that topped his head slid to the side with the shift of its angle, and he paused to let the message reach her.

"I'll be right there if you need someone to lean on, or I can give you space if you just need to take a moment on your own. Whatever you need."

Link to post
Share on other sites
  • 2 weeks later...

The doubt that carried in Shield's voice made her feel like she had been caught red-handed, and she had almost flinched as she felt his words pair with his eyes still trained on her. She wondered for a moment how he--and the other frontliners, for that matter--did it. How they kept on fighting despite the death and the fear. Losing touch with the Endilix brothers, watching this world begin to change them from their cores had already rocked the foundation of what Teion felt had been keeping her sane in this game. The real-world tethers she had clung on to had thinned and frayed, but perhaps what she had left was still more than most.

The feeling of a careful squeeze on her arm pulled Teion back to reality, and her chin finally pulled up to meet Shield's concerned eyes with her own. She suddenly felt a pull in her chest, once again as if she had been caught in a lie. The tightness slowly unwound itself, however, as her temporary caretaker's words of support reached her ears. A passing thought came to mind, and she briefly wondered what kind of state she would be in if the brunette hadn't happened to stop by for a visit seven days prior.

Before the unpleasant thought could bring her to shudder, Teion focused again on his reassurance. In reponse, a breath entered through her nostrils to fill her lungs before it was promptly dispersed in a small sigh. The corners of her lips pulled up to form a sad, but grateful smile while she faced Shield. "Thank you." Her voice was soft, but carried clearly through the still air of the smithy.

Link to post
Share on other sites

With that, Shield gave a slight nod and turned back to the door, open it and holding it open for Teion. Perhaps teleporting would have been quicker, but this was certain to be a shock already. no need to rush. The walk was considerable, and the conversation was not. The two had spent quite some time over the past week in relative silence, but Shield did not think he would have it any other way. He wasn't trying to impose himself in any way as a forced friend or anything of the like. If anything, he had intended to serve more as an anchor than anything else. As the winds and sands buffeted about them, he almost felt as if his presence was doing its best to keep hers from blowing away.

As they arrived at the teleportation plaza, Shield shook the sand from his boots and led the way to the pad from which he had come and gone so many times before. Both for his visits and for various quests. Now that he remembered, one of his earliest quests had been with Teion on this very floor, searching for lost cargo in the desert. With a brief breath in and out, he stepped onto the pad.

"Town of Beginnings!" he belted out firmly, watching as the fifth floor was whisked away, replaced by the even more familiar first floor arrival station. He took a moment to regain his bearings, allowing Teion some time to do the same before turning to face her. "Are you ready?"

Link to post
Share on other sites

The harsh temperatures of the desert were replaced with the calm weather of the first floor in an instant. Teion's brows were narrowed as she blinked away the haze before the world came back into focus in front of her. Shield's voice made its way to her again and she turned her chin to meet his gaze. She considered his question a moment, her expression softening once she had taken a few seconds to adapt to the new environment. Her chin dipped forward in a nod and her eyes shifted back to the city before them.

It wasn't the first time she had visited the Black Iron Palace, but today the Town of Beginnings felt foreign to her. She used to spend so much time on the first floor, but ever since she had set up shop in Fortaleza so long ago, those days quickly came to an end. Their footsteps echoed down the long hallway that led to the dimly-lit room, the hustle and bustle of the city gradually fading behind them. Soon the layered conversations that carried through the nearby plaza disappeared, and the two players were let out into what would have been called the Room of Resurrection. Illuminated only by the sunlight that poured in through the lined windows along the walls and curved ceiling, Teion stared at the massive stone slab that stood in the center of the room.

As could be expected, they were not alone. But the few players that occupied the area paid them no mind, quite obviously concerned with their own solemn exchanges. The mixed sounds of soft sobs, hushed condolences, and quiet conversation were all that filled the otherwise still air. Teion drew in a steady breath to steel herself as she approached the tall obsidian structure. Coming to a stop at the base of the stairs before it, her cobalt eyes drifted across its surface until she found the general area of player names she was looking for. She took careful steps until she stood directly in front of the monument, and her eyes trailed down the list of names. Her body lowered and her hands rested on her knees. Once her gaze fell on the letters she had been searching for, she froze.

Beatbox

She thought her tears had dried up days ago. She didn't think she would have had any left after the storm that raged in her heart seven nights ago. But before she had realized it, her vision blurred at the sight of his name and the moisture silently rolled down her cheeks. Her eyes just barely shifted to the text etched into the stone beside it, and she blinked past the tears to read what Cardinal had registered as his cause of death.

Player Killed by Death_Adder

"Death Adder..." She echoed the name in a whisper.

Link to post
Share on other sites

"We're not here for revenge," Shield said, a note of warning in his voice. It was not his anger that his tone was meant to prevent, but her own. "Revenge seems very attractive, especially in situations where you lack peace and closure, but revenge will bring neither. Set is aside for now." He opened his inventory and summoned out an item. It glowed in his hand for a moment, fanning out in space until its form settled into proper, observable pixels. He handed over a bouquet, a vanity item, but one that he had purchased as a token for their visit. In it were none of the traditional large white flowers one would expect in a funeral arrangement. Instead, a couple of different types of small white blossoms, some of which were still on thorned twigs, were set among larger blooms of gold and a spray of evergreen extended from its border. He handed the bundle over to Teion. "I had this one specially made. I don't like lilies for funerals. Feels like denial. They're mean to symbolize purity and the like, but people aren't pure, and trying to make them such posthumously cheapens the person's life. People are gritty and tarnished, like the rest of the world, but there's plenty of good that comes from that."

One at a time, he extended his leather clad finger and pointed to the different parts of the bundle. He slowly explained each.

"Honeysuckle - it symbolizes love, but more so than that, a generous love. Your relationship was a private one, but from the little you've shared, that seemed to fit. Marigolds - Grief. I think it's fair to say we've all felt it, but none quite so heavily as you. Plus, the color reminds me of his hair. I figured that wouldn't be lost on you. Cedar -" he went on, pointing to the evergreen around the edges. "Strength. Both a recognition of his and a hopeful wish for some of your own. And finally, hawthorn -" he pointed to the white flowers that extended from the thorny pieces of green wood. "Hope. Though like those blossoms, that hope will need to be taken at the expense of the wounds it no doubt takes to harvest such flowers. Maybe not the most aesthetic arrangement, but one with more meaning."

A heavy hand rested on Teion's shoulder. Turning his eyes back to the surface of the stone in front of them, he let silence resume between them. It was part of how they communicated these days, which seemed to suit the both of them well enough. Besides, his own eyes were no longer dry. He had held it together for an awfully long time, only letting it out in private moments without witness, but the monument was the ultimate finality, and this was the first time Shield had known the name upon which his dark eyes gazed. Teion was hardly the type to seek physical comfort, but he left his hand on her shoulder regardless, hoping to keep her tethered to their purpose and to the name that had been crossed out, not the one written next to it.

Edited by Shield
Link to post
Share on other sites

As if listening to the faint whispers in her heart, the tone in Shield's voice pulled her away from the named engraved in the dark stone. She turned her attention to him, or rather the item that he held out to her. She blinked in surprise at the arrangement of flowers hovering in the air in front of her, and her hands raised almost subconsciously to try to wipe away the blurriness of her vision. Her shoulders had turned, and as she reached out to take the bouquet she carefully listened to all of Shield's explanations.

Her eyes followed along as he pointed out each type of plant and what it represented. Even before smithing had become a heavy focus in her digital life, Teion didn't know the first thing about the language of flowers, and it came as a slight surprise how knowledgeable Shield was throughout his clarification. The edges of her mouth pulled up into a weak smile and her gaze lifted to the man's face as if to offer him a silent thanks before she turned her attention back to the monument standing in front of them. She held the arrangement between both hands over her knees for a few moments as her eyes shifted back to the name with a neat line pulled through it. Carefully, as if she was handling some small creature she was afraid her hold might damage, her arms straightened and she placed the bouquet at the base of the monument beneath the column that contained Beatbox's name.

She felt the weight of Shield's gloved palm resting on her shoulder while the two players silently grieved. Fresh tears had already spilled to reform the lines along her cheeks and her mind grew distracted among its own thoughts. She thought about the few pieces of Beatbox's life that she had caught a glimpse of during their time together, and even more about the blank spaces in between. She thought about the message he had left her. She wondered if there was anything that she--or anyone else--could have done to stop him from walking down the path of retribution that he had chosen.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Shield looked away to avoid Teion's gaze. As soon as he felt her eyes on him, he felt the lump in his throat begin to expand and the hot liquid that had been slowly pooling in his eyes threatened to spill over the edge. It was one thing to be with her in a time of need, and even to listen as they two of them dueled. This was something else. Even considering all of what he had seen and heard in the last week, the glance was by far the most vulnerable he had seen her.

Too much. She was on guard before. Bandaging scraped knees and chasing away the monsters that lived in the closet didn't properly prepare me for that.

Still, staring straight ahead at Beatbox's name, he nodded in acknowledgement of her silent thank you. It was the only 'you're welcome' he could offer while still keeping himself together. They stared together for a while longer. Shield knew that her brain had to be overwhelmed with thoughts that she had been holding at bay or altogether avoiding for the last seven days. He did not interrupt. She had taken time to rest and put some food flavored pixels in her stomach. If she was going to mourn, now was the best time. The wound was still fresh, but there had been time to build strength and prepare. It was time to let her really wrestle.

And in the mean time, he could wrestle in silence as well. For a moment, he stopped to wonder how well he would fare if it had not been Beatbox but Beat who they had come to bid farewell. Even as he thought it, his eyes strayed up to Beat's name, only a few spaces above Beatbox's. Without meaning to, he imagined that same line crossing out that name as well. He immediately changed the subject in his head.

Link to post
Share on other sites

The words contained in Beatbox's farewell message rang out in her head, as if the crystal was really floating in front of them and playing back to fill the somber air. And once again, resentment began to permeate her heart. Whether she was mistaken or not, it was no longer possible for her to believe that his death wasn't self-orchestrated--it was simply the lengths he had gone to prior to confronting his murderer that she wasn't sure of.

Her lungs filled with a new breath of air. It did her no good to hang on to the bitter feelings, despite how persistently they nagged at her. This was her time to let go. Move on. Convince herself that she had to keep fighting in order to one day wake up from this very, very bad dream. If only it was so easy to follow through with the advice from those more positive voices in her head.

A few more minutes passed, and the moisture no longer flowed from her cobalt eyes. There was a lingering tightness in her chest, but she did her best to ignore the discomfort and brought the back of her hand up to wipe her cheeks dry. Once her fit of emotion had subsided, her eyes began to wander. They caught on another that she recognized, one that Shield had also been focused on. "This is your friend, right?" Her fingers reached out to the name 'Beat', the etching untouched by the single strikethrough that marked the death of so many others on the stone monument. Her tips hovered over the surface beside the text for a few moments before retracting, and Teion urged her knees to straighten as she raised to stand back up. She found herself gazing over the massive list of names, nearly all of which were foreign to her.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Shield was grateful that Teion had taken some time in silence before pointing out Beat's name. If she had done so a minute beforehand and prompted Shield to speak, the frog in his throat would have been ten times worse. He cleared it out without too much difficulty and addressed the question at hand.

"Yeah," Shield said with a nod. "He and I knew each other before. We were actually rivals in the last game we played, but we were never able to settle our grudges. We each maxed out our skill trees, and it was still a dead heat between us. Word started circulating the internet of a new battleground to test our rivalry, so we came running. As soon as Kayaba did what he did, we latched onto the only other person we knew." The topic was tender at the moment. Beat had been gone for some time now, and although Shield knew he was alive, that was about all he knew. "People used to call us the Unstoppable Force and the Immovable Object. Top tier tank versus top tier DPS, and the leaders of our own guilds. We thought those things mattered. Then suddenly we were stuck in an MMO, and priorities... changed."

He glanced over at Teion before returning his eyes forward. It was hard to know what to say. There had been a lot said between them, and a lot of even more meaningful silence. Still, this was where Teion's healing journey was really going to start.

"It's up to you now how to live," Shield finally said. "I've been here, and I will continue to be here as you need me, but I won't force my presence on you any more than I already have. If you need to quest or to seek information... or even just to talk. I know that's not your strong suit, but I think you've seen by now that it isn't always mine either, so at least you'll be on even standing." He turned to face her properly. "In any case, you know where to find me. If you'd like to join me for regular quests or anything, I am more than willing."

With that, he opened his arms and wrapped them around her shoulders. Actual embraces had been rare between them. A hand on the shoulder was not uncommon, and there had been moments of weakness when she had needed someone on which to cry. This was different, and he had a feeling Teion would find it uncomfortable. Still, it seemed necessary.

It's time that both of us start being a little more open to the people around us and a little more kind. There's not nearly enough kindness to go around these days.

He held on for a few seconds and then stepped away.

"Take care of yourself, alright? And don't be a stranger."

With that, he gave her a light cuff on the shoulder and turned towards the exit.

The leash is cut. It's up to you to figure it out from here.

Link to post
Share on other sites
Guest
This topic is now closed to further replies.



×
×
  • Create New...