Arcturus chuckled quietly. "Elvish names have a lot of meaning, and we take them pretty seriously. Thanks for understanding."
The Elf started counting off on his fingers. "Well, there are the Avari, the Noldor, The Silvan, the Half-elven, the Falmari… there are a lot of us." He chuckled at Bane's statement. "If all the Elves you've seen look the same, like me, then you've only seen Silvans. Tall, blonde, pale, right? The Noldor are even taller, fair skinned, but with black or dark brown hair, and more muscular than us. The Falmari are born tanned, with hair that is dark but bleached by sun and the seawater. They're shorter, and even lighter than us. The Avari have skin black as night, with white or black hair, no in between, and while they move like shadows, they're very strong. So there are differences. But we're all Eldar, the Elves."
He listened to Bane's explanation of why he thought the forests were open land.
"Well, we were the first people here. In many cases, we were here before the creatures, the animals. It is our magic that protects the trees and flowers, it's by our power that they grow. The Valar put us here to protect the woodlands from the ravages of Morgoth and others. So of course we have a king who leads us in that. And if you've never had reason to be reminded of your privilege, that's good! It means you've never been a problem. And we thank you for that."
He chuckled with Bane as the Hound reacted to being called tame.
"Helping souls is a very important purpose. We appreciate that you do it. And when I say tame, I mean you're not here to destroy. That's all."
He smiled as Bane expressed that he was glad he'd been a help. His expression turned more sympathetic when Bane talked about not wanting to ever deal with his clan again.
"I can understand that. And I certainly won't be one to push you. Just thought I'd ask."
Bane drew an umbra knife from inside his jacket. This umbra knife looked similar to his sword, a black blade with a hilt wrapped in leather. He drew intricate patterns in the exposed dirt, keeping himself occupied. “Yeah, I get it. My name means.” He paused. “Glorious defender or something.” Shrugging, he put the knife down, looking up at Arcturus. “It seems there are quite a few of you. Dad told me all elves were lanky and blonde.” Bane pursed his lips, picked up the knife, and started twirling it in his fingers. “However, dad told me many lies.” A smile fanned across his face. “If I were an elf, would I fit in with any of the eleven types?” The hound tilted his head in curiosity.
The hound’s tail manifested, curling around his body. He smiled, running his fingers through the grass. Curiosity further sparked within his eyes. “So what you’re saying is Silvan power protects every living thing? Interesting. I found my path was to protect those who cannot protect themselves, although I haven’t been able to protect those who are… alive.” His tone lowered. He looked away, his smile fading. It seemed he didn’t want to just protect the dead, but didn’t have a choice. “You’re welcome. I am not very problematic. My father is the aggressor.” Bane perked his head up, angling his head, so his ears pointed in a certain direction. His shoulders tense, muscles twitching. He made slight eye contact with Arcturus, his attention quickly shifting to a slight growl.
"A good name, then." Arcturus said quietly. He nodded at Bane's conclusion about his father. "Unfortunately, this seems to be an area where he at least exaggerated how few of us there are. There are multiple Elvish Kingdoms across the world."
He chuckled and considered Bane for a moment. "You would most likely fit with the Avari. Maybe the Falmari, if you were shorter and lighter skinned."
The Elf listened to Bane's conjecture. "Well. It protects those who place themselves under it, and it specifically protects from the darkness. We can't grant immortality to every living thing, but… well, there's a lot we can do." He nodded along with Bane. "But you're seeking to protect, which is good. Even the dead need protecting." He spoke with a wry smile, indicating himself.
Arcturus watched Bane's reaction to even talking about his father, and he felt the tendrils of mist gathering. He couldn't tell if Bane was just having a moment, or was feeling threatened by something.
"Indeed, it would seem so." he said evenly. He locked eyes with the Hound, trying to understand what Bane was trying to communicate to him.
Bane smiled at the elf. He liked his name but figured the meaning didn’t suit him. He didn’t feel too glorious. “Father was not the brightest, but he is the meanest and brutal. However, I don’t think he’ll show up. If he did, we’d be in big trouble. You’d need a corporeal form, but you don’t.” Bane bit his tongue. There was nothing to worry about. He was sure. Father couldn’t track them down. Not here. Not with protected woodland. “Nice! However, I don’t think I would be a good elf. I don’t have the grace or guts.” He shrugged.
The hound pulled his tail closer to his body, creating warmth. “So, when someone seeks asylum? They will be protected. And all darkness will be warranted away?” His heart pounded against his chest. The muscles in his face twitched, and he fiddled with his beaded necklace. The hound seemed on edge. “Yes, I am looking to protect, quite like a dog. Those who cannot defend themselves, young and old. Dead or alive.” Bane tilted his head again, listening for something. He swallowed harshly, lifting his head. “S-so, how do you feel about potentially meeting father?” The hound’s composure broke as a louder growl could be heard.
"You've got the guts, friend." Arcturus said it gently. It was true, as far as he was concerned, Bane was as brave as any Elf. A bit dumb in his decisions of who and where to challenge, but gutsy regardless.
He nodded at Bane's question about asylum. "Yes, essentially. You talk to one of our nobles, and they grant you particular protections. Obviously, they can't keep you from dying-" he looked down at his ghostly form "-but they can keep the dark at bay for you."
The Elf stood, the mist writhing around him. That growl was distinctively not Bane. "I guess it doesn't matter how I feel about meeting him, does it…" He watched the door, though he addressed Bane's last point quietly.
"If I have anything to say about it, you'll get that chance to be a protector, and not just a ferryman for the dead. I'll do my best to help you, as you have helped me."
The tendrils sharpened to points as he waited, and the ghostly Elf stepped just in front of Bane, between the Hound and the noise.
Bane rubbed his arm, anxiety wearing his body down. He shook his head and whispered. “I don’t have the guts.” He couldn’t face his father. It pained him to know the large hound approached quickly. “No, you don’t have a choice in the matter. Darkness will push its way through protections. There will always be a balance” The hound muttered, pulling on the hilt of his sword. With the flick of his hand, a blade of solid shadow formed. Bane watched the treeline, listening for any discrepancies that alerted the enemy approached. The low, snotty growling continued, and Bane could spot two red eyes. “No matter how safe you think you are, it is never enough. They will always find me. Dark could not be kept at bay when I attract it.” He mumbled.
The hound stared at the eyes for a few. The shadows produced by the forest were grueling, almost sickening. Something presented a cold and uninviting presence. The eyes glowed redder as they crept closer. Bane was on edge. His shoulders tensed, and the grip on his sword tightened. A figure stepped forward, shadows wafting off of him. He carried a glare and nonexistent smile. This new hound had sharp features, black shaggy hair, and amber eyes. A small mark of a crescent moon with an arrow through it populated his left cheek. He was tall, around 6’7 and heavily scarred. It was clear, this figure was Bane’s father, Cerberus, for he resembled the hound closely.
Cerberus laughed at the readiness of the elf and his son. “Just so you know, I am not here to forgive the traitor. I am here to kill him.” With the wave of his hand, shadows formed around it, creating a broadsword. “However, I suppose we could talk this out, elf” He spat.
(Sorry! Been a bit swamped)
Bane was wrong, and Arcturus knew it, but the young Hound was hard to argue with. 'Balance' didn't mean light and dark in equal measure. It meant day an night but even the night is lit by moonlight. And the Elves had largely maintained that in Mirkwood. The recent incursion of the workers of darkness was unfortunate, but to say 'there is no choice' was both fatalistic and false.
However, that Bane attracted the dark? Of that, the Elf was sure.
Arcturus glared at Bane's father, before lashing out with the mist. The tendrils slammed the Hound back through the trees, and out of the small glade Arcturus and Bane had been resting in. Arcturus immediately pursued him, not waiting for his enemy to recover.
"Why talk when you're not going to listen?" he whispered, his voice a sibilant hiss.
(You're good!)
Bane bit his tongue. He wanted this nightmare to be over. He didn’t want to be a source of evil. Bane wanted to move on with his life. Upon seeing his father, he whimpered. This hound, once upon a time, had Bane wrapped around his thumb. He had beaten and manipulated the moldable hound. Bane had come out victorious, but with ridicule and death threats in return. He wasn’t ready to fight this monster, and Arcturus probably knew it. However, he needed to stand up and fight. He needed to fight for his cause, for his healing. Cowering in a corner wouldn’t help anyone.
Cerberus hissed at the elf, the mist burning his skin. It seared sizable burns on him. He slammed into a tree, groaning from the impact. Cerberus quickly got to his feet, noting Arcturus had pursued. And so did Bane. Cursing under his breath, Cerberus laughed. “Why listen when you protect a traitorous monster?” The alpha hound growled, eyeing his son. Bane would die one way or another.
(hey friend. no telling if you'll see this or not, but I'm going to have to drop this. I've lost the plot :/ I'm sorry about that, but I've also not been super active anyway. My apologies)
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