forum Revenge of The Forgotten// Private OxO with @FanfictionFanatic

Started July 04, 2021 by @StarkSpangledMayflower_Mad_Elder

tune

(Alright, here we go) (Also, Opariell is pronounced OH-ree-elle, and the pa is meant to be silent. I realized how weird it is to pronounce when my sister tried reading from behind me.)
__________________________________
Time was a fickle thing. In a world of magic, if you pissed off the wrong person, a thousand years could pass in the blink of an eye. In a library, however, if you didn't happen to find a story worth your time, time passed like a snail trapped in a hamster wheel. Cade felt like the snail. He had been trying to shake the minister from the noble party for the past two hours but he would not stop.

"Your Highness, please! Tis naught but a matter of severe urgency! The nobles will stage a coup if you do not appease them! They have simple demands, Simply remove the new taxation you presented them with and they will pledge their unwavering support." The minister shrieked.

Cade sighed and walked into his office, grabbing the cloak he hung beside the door. He strapped it on as the spindly man behind him continued whining.

"Lord McCallaghan I will do no such thing." He pointed with his dagger towards the man. "You may tell the noble houses of Opariell that if they have any concerns with the new taxation laws," he pressed a button to launch the dagger behind him to a wooden door covered in scratches and cuts. "They may come to me and present their concerns in person." Cade pressed the button again which retracted the blade. He placed it in its sheath and then hooked it to his belt. "Was there any–" he turned around to see the man had left. Cade sighed then jumped out the window, His cloak flowing behind him.

The stables were right below him and the stablehands had gotten used to his sudden appearances so they were too bothered when he appeared from behind a haystack. Muttered greetings were heard as the servants stiffened around him. He paid them no attention as he turned to his steed, a beautiful stallion he called Lord. The servants rushed to tack up his horse as he prepared himself with gloves and a saddlebag. Cade called to the nearby page, "Let my advisor know that I have gone. He may send me a messenger if he needs me." He instructed. Slinging himself over the horse, he gently led him towards the door and out of the town.

-~-~-~-~
A quick half-day ride led him to another nearby town. Cade went to the nearby library to recover some intelligence from his most loyal knight. Once he found what he was looking for, he led his horse to the nearby inn to rest for the night and uncover what his knight had found. He quickly ordered something to eat, then sat by the back corner to study his knight's notes. The background faded away into a monotonous murmur as he focused on the pages in front of him.

Emmeline let out a soft, barely controlled sigh. It wasn't that she was having a bad day. If anything things were going well, she’d had quite a few people buying her Maman’s flowers, even though her basket held more than it appeared able to, and they had all been polite. But it was monotonous. A part of her almost wished that someone would say or do something worthy of turning their rose into a red-hooded snake.
The thought almost made her smirk… but she quickly covered it with the practiced, serene, customer-friendly smile that she had to wear when she was out in public. She brushed a strand of her golden hair back as she wandered through the town, debating if the walk back to her little cottage would be worth the effort when she came to a stop in front of a simple inn. It was strange but she could have sworn she felt something. The inn wasn't very special but it was a well-run establishment and comfortable. But this… resonance was new.
She raised a finely arched brow, walked inside, and requested a room as she searched for the source of this strange trace of magic.

This… was unexpected. Apparently, the neighbouring kingdom had assumed he was joking around when he had asked for their support in nipping a mutual problem in the bud. While he had driven the cult of thieves out of his own kingdom, the next kingdom did not do as they agreed on and now the cult had become a religious following. They were now asking for his assistance in driving them out. The benefits they promised were not insignificant to say the least, no. Rather, they were very much so in his favour. This was frustrating. Running a hand through his dark locks, Cade groaned. He quickly scrawled a response to his Knight and placed it in his bag, he'd place it back in the library tomorrow.

As he ate his meal, a throbbing sensation appeared on his neck. "What." He hissed. A deep chuckle broke through his mind.

"Hello my dearest knight. What update do you have for me in regards to this month's quota? The days aren't getting any longer." the voice spoke.

"I said I'd get them and I have no other intentions." Cade felt the hair on rhe back of his neck rise. "Now quiet down [REDACTED], I sense something."

The voice cursed in ancient Greek and faded away. Cade looked around for the thing, or person, that made his hair raise.

Emmeline kept a casual attitude about herself as she ordered a meal and continued searching for… whatever was causing this unusual magical aura. It was small, almost minor enough to not be of consequence, but considering how her day had been, she decided to investigate.
She had just sat down to eat when she felt the magic spike. It was under control but powerful and old and… hot. Not quite burning but definitely uncomfortable. Her eyes narrowed, flashing gold, as she rubbed her forehead and looked in the direction this power was coming from.
He was handsome, she noticed objectively as she took in the apparent source of the magic and nodded in his direction.

He scanned the room, looking for the source, and locked eyes with a girl. Gods almighty her eyes were stunning, an enticing liquid gold almost. It made the hairs on the back of his neck rise even more. Cade nodded back and finished his meal. Try as he would, there was something about her he could not ignore.

Something was pulling him towards her and he could not fathom what it might be. Before he knew it, he found himself sitting across from the girl. "Evening M'Lady." He spoke, changing his accent to fit the locale. Though he spoke the same common language, being raised with both Coronian and Oparielli cultures meant he learnt both dialects and could code switch with ease. While he normally spoke in the rich dialect of Corona, he felt it more suitable to use the Oparielli dialect while in the outskirt towns and provinces of his own kingdom.

“Bonjour, monsieur.” she smiled with practiced coyness, being careful not to show her teeth… at least too much, as the man joined her. She knew she was beautiful as many had told her… but not perfect, she reminded herself thinking of her two glaring flaws before clearing her head.
None of that was important… it never was, her Maman would remind her of that often. What was important was why this man decided to move from his table to hers and why he felt like sitting next to a roaring hearth. Did he know about the power connected to him?
“May I help you with something? Or simply interest you in a rose?” she offered, plucking a beautiful red rose that was halfway in bloom and holding it up to him.

"Pardon me, I didnt mean to intrude. I had sensed something unusual and followed it here but I can no longer sense it." Cade was curious. He knew the source of magic was exuding from her but whether it was from an enchantment, a protective charm or spell, or even a magical artifact. Of the three the artifact would be the most help in his plans. After all, the ruler of a kingdom doesn't just pretend to be a traveller for nothing.

The rose she offered was enticing. It was beautiful and he could smell it sweetness from where he sat. But something so young and lively would crumble and turn to ashes in his bare hands. One of the curses of being bound to the Lord of the underworld by a contract. He needed souls and even though a flower couldn't have one, it's life force would come in handy, however diminished it may be.

“Quelle coïncidence! I also sensed something in this building and came to look for it.” Emmeline admitted, almost feigning surprise at the news, as she set the rose down on the table. If she was able to sense this man’s strange connection then of course he would likely be able to sense her magic as well.

“It’s strange. I don’t believe I have sensed something like it before.” she added thoughtfully and with just enough shyness to add to the effect before raising a brow at the man. “Have you, monsieur? What did you feel?”

Cade narrowed his eyes slightly and tapped his fingers on the table. There was something off about the way she had responded. Whether it was her tone, her response, or even if it had been a long day for him, Cade found her answer unsatisfactory. "Whatever it is I picked up felt old, as though it has had roots here for some time. Based on my information on it, I can truthfully say that it doesn't merge well with me. It is almost unsettling." he chose his words carefully, wanting to encourage some sharing of information but also not wanting to hint that he knew for a fact that something was there.

Just as he opened his mouth to raise a question, a sharp whistle broke through. He jerked back, waiting. Two more similar whistles sounded and he clenched the fingers on the table into a fist. "Pardon me, M'Lady, I must take your leave. I apologize once again for interrupting your time. May the gods grant you a peaceful evening." He stood and stiffly bowed before putting his hood up and walking out of the inn.

Firstly he made sure that Lord was still present in the stable and gave him a snack from his bag to enjoy. Next, he grabbed his dagger, hooked it to the holder on his forearm, and rolled his sleeve down. Once all that was done, he walked swiftly to the library alcove where another of his trusted men was waiting. upon seeing him, he bowed and held an arm to his chest. "My Liege, I have news about your request. It can be done. We are rounding up our allies currently and having them prepare everything until your return to the palace. The guild will remain loyal no matter the issues you raise. Here is the information on the Coronian royals you requested. The Arendallian information is taking some time as our guild is having troubles there."

Cade nodded, placing a hand on the man's shoulder, "You did well. I do not doubt that our aims will be successful. I have a message for my knight which I would like to be hand-delivered to him. Be certain that none except he reads it. It is vital to our efforts." Cade held an arm to his chest. "For the King." The man reciprocated the action and the words then disappeared in the next second. Cade clenched a fist. For the sake of his mother, everything had to fit into place soon or it would all be for nothing. He winced as the all too familiar piercing headache returned. The night brought the Knight out and was not much longer until the sunset. Cade took a piece of parchment out and scrawled some important things for him to know.

Emmeline was impressed with how the man seemed skeptical of her reply. Most would just go along with it because of how she looked, and that was often very beneficial to her. But it was also fairly boring. This on the other hand was much more interesting.

She nodded as he explained, taking in the information. Her magic was inherited from her Maman, so she supposed it could be described as old though she had not heard it phrased that way before. She was about to ask what he meant by it merging with him and why it was unsettling… when they were both interrupted by three sharp whistles.

“Oh, no. It was a pleasure to speak with you.” she assured as the man left, having noticed his reaction to the signal. He clearly had some business to take care of. But due to the unique feeling of his magic, she would be able to find him later. Though she was curious about his parting phrase. She didn't know too many people who referenced the gods in such a way.

Finishing her meal in thoughtful silence, she reached into her basket, further than what appeared to be possible, and pulled out a small simple red book. Until she unfolded it to four times its original size, hoping there would be some kind of information about the new magic in the old spellbook.

(Sorry its so short, I'm at work and my break is only 30 mins 🥲)
(Also, do you have any ideas for how you want this to progress?)

The evening's interaction paired with the headache that had now become unbearable had made Cade feel, very not good. A sudden bought of dizziness made him hold onto the wall of a nearby house for support. As it worsened, Cade prayed for the best, though that would be fruitless. He let go of the wall and took one confident step forward… then immediately collapsed in a pile on the road, dots clouding his vision as he blacked out.
-~-~-~-~-~

Ace brandished his sword and whistled a sorrowful tune as he swung it around. The darkening sky made him smile wistfully as he continued to swing it around. He read over the instructions on the piece of parchment and sneered. Before he could form a thought about this ridiculous situation, the door on the left swung open and lively music poured out. He grinned, it was hunting time.

(It's ok. I understand that situation.)
(Not really… but I'm looking forward to seeing Emmeline interact with Ace!)

Emmeline had been searching through the tome for some time now and found nothing that was particularly helpful… But as much as she knew the importance of research, right now she had a headache from reading. And the music from the musicians wasn't exactly helping either… So she decided to step outside for some fresh air.

A quick flare of heat and a new tune being whistled caused her to look around with a raised brow. She could still sensed the magic from the man from earlier and found herself walking in the direction of it. The magic was stronger than earlier and she felt a sense of urgency to find him. Fortunately, it didn’t take long to before she came across him but and there was a different look in his eyes… Not to mention the way he was swinging that sword around. “Monsieur? Are you well?” she asked carefully, readying a spell at her fingertips.

(I was rereading this RP and oh my god I was so bad at rping back then 🤦‍♀️) (Also quick TW)

Ace snuck up behind the intoxicated individual who had just stepped out. As he swayed here and there, Ace used his knife to quickly cut the man's hand. The man turned around and immediately Ace used a quick summoning of Hades' magic to immobilize him. Once the man was unable to move, he used the sword to cut the man down where he stood. Using the underworld sword to impale victims and enemies gave Ace a rush that nothing else could. He returned to his spot by the tavern door and resumed swinging the sword when he sensed magic.

Taking a deep breath and then exhaling loudly, Ace grinned. If he could manage to subjugate its holder he knew that the magic, the life force, and the soul would all manage to fill this month's quota and maybe even next month's. Ace blinked his silvery eyes to hide the eager glint in them that he knew would be visible.

She spoke in a tone that told Ace she was familiar with the coward on the other side. He closed his eyes and relished the sound of those words in her accent and licked his lips, raising them into a smile. "I'm doing great Madame, How are you? What are you doing out so late…alone?" Ace sheathed his sword and began fiddling with a knife, twisting it between his fingers as he slowly took a few steps closer.

Emmeline narrowed her eyes. The man looked similar but she knew that certain magic could change a person in more ways than one. And this was clearly not the same man she spoke to earlier.
“Attendre!” she commanded firmly, raising her now glowing hand, casting a simple but strong spell to keep the man back and paying the dead body no mind. He could still speak and move a little, but he just could not get any closer to her. “I may be alone, but as you can see, that does not mean I am weak.” she pointed out as she raked her gaze over him. “So, you are what I sensed earlier and why he could sense my magic?” she said somewhere between a question and a statement. “You are not just a spell, though… a channel perhaps? The magic around you is too old to be simply human.”

The second he was unable to move towards her, the smile dropped from his face and a scowl replaced it. "Bloody witch." Ace spat, his face straining as he attempted to break free of the spell. "I knew your magic seemed familiar." He listened to her questions and dropped his head, shaking with laughter. Well, we know who the stronger one of us is now.

Ace was surprised, he knew he could call up the undead with one simple gesture to aid him, but he didn't. This was interesting. It seemed as though something was preventing that. As the witch in front of him ceased her barrage of questions, Ace looked at her with dark eyes. "I'm not a spell, though I'm hurt you would think so low of me. I am not a channel, but simply a victim of the decisions made in the past. He–" Ace rolled his eyes, "is responsible for all this. You're welcome to ask him, however I'll warn you now, as much fun as I'm having with you, he may want your head." He bit his lip and grinned again, dark hair falling into his eyes.

Emmeline held her head up and continued to give the man a cold stare. “I take that title as a compliment.” she admitted, not adding that if he had called her a fairy there would be more serious consequences. Though she raised a brow at his second comment. Was her magic familiar because this personality shared the same body as the first and he felt it then too? Or was it something else?

“I do not think lowly of you.” she corrected as he confirmed her first assumption. But she still wasn't convinced that he was not a channel. “Which do you mean? Your other side or the source of your power?” she pressed, taking a step towards him.

"Other side, alternate persona, whatever you may call it. I remain naught but a victim. You will have to wait to ask him. I appear with the moon and he returns with the sun." Ace tousled his hair and began to whistle the same sorrowful tune as he waved his hand. An undead Knight appeared near the body of the recently departed. It saluted to Ace and Emmeline before grasping the 2 parts and melting into the ground.

Emmeline nodded at the information, a little disappointed that she would have to wait that long to get answers. Though she raised a brow as a guard of the dead appeared to claim a corpse nearby. “Well, can you explain that, perhaps? And tell me what I am to call you since we will be spending some time together?” she requested with a slight gesture toward where the body and soldier had been.

With a grin, he waved his hand and xalled up another undead knight. As it rose from the ground, Ace looked at the witch and grinned. "Oh this? Just one of many knights in my army. One of the perks of this job." He commanded the knight to do a few simple rasks before making it do a little dance. He watched it move around for a bit before returning it back to the ground. "Ace Knight at your service. And you?" He bowed dramatically.

Emmeline didn't really care for the way this man kept grinning at her but refused to let it show since she had given others a rather predatory smile before as well. She watched carefully as the man commanded the new soldier and even giggled a little as it danced before it was dismissed and returned to the ground. "I am Emmeline. Un plaisir de vous rencontrer." she curtsied, politely but matching his dramatics. "What brings you, your army, and the other you to this little town?"

"Hmmm, I dont know if I should tell you. Not just because I don't see why I should, but also because it's more his plans. I'm just along for the ride. And to fill my monthly quota, y'know, he just leaves the dirty work to me." Ace rolled his eyes. He turned his inquisitive eye towards her. "How about you? What would the daughter of the famed Enchantress be doing, lurking about in this place? He may have been too stupid to realize why the magic seemed familiar, but I'm just the Jiminy Crocket living in his ear." He shrugged.

Emmeline nodded thoughtfully at the point Ace made, seeing his unfair perspective of the situation. “May I ask what you mean by ‘monthly quota’?” she inquired as a slight suspicion about the two of them started forming… though she would have to talk to the other to verify it.
“Oh! So you do know me. How nice.” she grinned. However, the fact that he recognized her brought up more questions. “To answer, I visit many towns for various reasons. I only play the part of a simple flower girl to pass through and appear normal to them.” she explained. “But… in what way does my magic feel familiar?”

"Well, I am employed and my employer requires me to deliver materials to him for my benefits to remain as they currently are." A sudden pain in his head made him frown as rubbed his temple. Already? But it was so early! Ignoring it for now, Ace narrowed his eyes and looked away as he tapped his fingers on his chin. "It seems your magic was used in our past. As a result, we are as we are. I suspect, however, that someone may have acquired a special spell or potion from someone who had used your magic to concoct it."