25th Combo - Rune Crest

[redcladidealist]

Who: Lloyd Irving and castmates/CR who would be aware of the Rune Crest stuff going on
Where: Winespring Inn and forge
When: Today, morning and evening
Style: Either!
Status: Closed... ish? If you feel you have an IC reason to stop in, feel free!

Note: Please mark in the subject whether you are tagging before or after the making of the Crest. The actual forging of the Rune Crest is going to be handwaved to help simplify things.

Before

[Anxiety flutters in Lloyd's stomach as he carefully gathers his tools. Today is the day. He doesn't think he can prepare himself any more than he has. He doesn't feel prepared, though, especially not when he knows he's going to have to remove his own Key Crest. Before he'd become an angel, that wouldn't have been a problem. A Key Crest applied before an Exsphere was attached ensured that the Exsphere never rooted itself so deeply that the bearer's mana became irremovably entwined. He'd taken his Exsphere off before, to no ill effect, and if he'd wanted to, he could have removed the Key Crest after that. It would have hurt, sure. Key Crests weren't meant to be easily removed. But it wouldn't have done anything worse than maybe leave a scar or two.

Now, though... Now he can't remove his Exsphere, not without risking his already unstable mana going out of control. With his angelic transformation, the Exsphere has become too much a part of him. Unfortunately, the Key Crest has to come off so that they can attach the Rune Crest to it. For however long it takes him to do that, he'll be a ticking bomb. They'd made plans to help prevent the worst, but still! Worry eats at him. If the worst happens despite everything...

He swallows. I should go warn Mat.]

After

[One breath. Another. He's not sure if it's safe to feel relief yet. Sitting on the porch of the inn, Lloyd closes his hands. Opens them.

They're shaking.

Another breath. And then another. How will he know? How will he know if the Rune Crest works? Afternoon light glints off the newly forged metal, the runes carved in it both foreign and familiar at once. He knew a lot of the basic runes, learned from Dirk since he was three, but some of these he'd had to copy from Colette's crest, had to trust Dhaos's word that they were good. If even one stroke of a rune was off, though, how would it hold if he ever had reason to really put it to the test? What if something went wrong?

One breath. Another breath.

I'm scared.

At the same time, though, he was strangely elated. The advanced metalwork that he'd just done...

I made a Rune Crest myself!]

Comments

[redcladidealist]

You don't know that! You aren't there to see what they're doing. You don't know how hard they're trying!

[He drops his hand again, letting it slash through the air.]

I'm not defining life by just that! It's also the ability to love! Do you really want to live in a world where no one can love anyone else? What about Martel?

[martelapproves]

So long as nobody can take her from me again, it doesn't matter. Besides... we already have Cruxis Crystals.

[ In other words, 'We can feel but nobody else can.' ]

[redcladidealist]

[That- That just-

Something inside Lloyd feels like it just snapped.]

So it's okay if no one else feels, so long as you can?! Do you even care about anyone else? Why do you care if they're fighting if you don't?!

[martelapproves]

Because it proves they aren't even trying to change! They're the same hateful inferior beings I saved four thousand years ago! If they won't change themselves, I'll do it for them!

[ Not giving an inch, Lloyd. ]

[redcladidealist]

But you don't care about them! You don't care if any of them are happy! Only you and your sister!

[Nope, not letting this one slide.]

[martelapproves]

And why should I? They don't show half-elves the same courtesy.

[redcladidealist]

Because you should always treat other people the way you want to be treated yourself! How can you expect anyone to change and stop hating when you keep giving them reasons to hate you? When you keep doing things to them? Humans hurt half-elves, so half-elves hurt them. Then humans hate them and hurt them again. When does it end?

[martelapproves]

You think I didn't try that? I spent my entire childhood saving them, and they repaid me by killing my sister. They had their chance. Now I'm taking mine.

[redcladidealist]

But the humans you tried that with aren't the same ones that are alive now. None of the ones alive are the ones who betrayed you. [He tries to gesture persuasively.] Why do people who didn't do anything to you have to suffer? Why can't you give them a chance, too?

[martelapproves]

I already explained that.

[ He doesn't want to argue in circles. ]

[redcladidealist]

[Lloyd makes a frustrated noise in the back of his throat. It does feel like they just went in full circle.]

Then I'll just have to prove to you that not all humans are the same. I'll prove that we deserve another chance.

[martelapproves]

"Some of us" isn't enough, Lloyd.

[redcladidealist]

[Lloyd meets his eyes.]

No, it's not. But even a small light shines in the darkness, and you can't go anywhere without taking a first step. It may not be much, but it's something. Isn't that what you want?

[martelapproves]

Please don't give me that corny speech again.

[redcladidealist]

It's not corny. I mean it.

[And that makes it less corny... how?]

Look, just... just think about it. Okay?

[martelapproves]

... Fine, if it means that damn much to you.

[redcladidealist]

It does.

[Lloyd takes a breath, and lets it out.]

Thanks, Mithos.