forum Bound in Amber Flames [OxO // mature // closed]

Started May 16, 2023 by @ElderGod-Carrots

tune

The Under has seven layers. Seven layers of pain. Seven layers of torture. Seven realms.

The place was supposed to be cut off from the land of the living but someone has opened up the gates and the demons are flooding through. One at a time, the gates to the levels of The Under are creaking open and releasing the nightmares that haunt the Fae of Indrigos. The city of Starlight has never been more afraid.

It has started with the most basic level but the more death and destruction they cause, the stronger they become, the more they allow for the higher levels, the more deadly levels, to open and let their horrors escape. Ezekt, the God of The Under, is determined to be free. His followers are increasing in number, are becoming more powerful in order to let the demons they worship escape. People are dying. Death is on everyones doorstep and no matter what magic is used, nothing is strong enough. Nothing will ever be strong enough, not unless the gates are closed and locked for good.

Caeso Duria is the Captain of the Kings Guard, has worked and lived in the city his whole life, and is just as afraid as the rest of the people he protects. But he won't let it show, he can't let it show, because then even more chaos will ensue and the King certainly isn't doing anything to help.

But that is when he meets them. The man who had been marked by Ezekt himself. The man who wanted to close those gates just as badly because the longer they are open, the quicker his death will arrive. He needs those gates closed to protect himself from the God, because if Ezekt is freed? He is a dead man. Properly and utterly dead.

And Caeso sees it as an opportunity to set things right. With someone who is just as determined to shut the gates surely they can complete that goal, right? Right? They both get what they want if they team up, so why wouldn't they?

They just have to make it through all seven layers alive.

Alright this is a very loose concept because I really just want to flesh out Caeso for my book more than anything. And honestly The Under needs some work, too, so this is a win win for me lol plus a motivation to write something.

Anyways, if you know me you know my rules and what I'm looking for, but I'm gonna list them here again as per usual.

1. I'm looking for an EXPERIENCED RP'ER - please, for the love of God, don't ask to join if you know you only write one or two sentences per response. Don't ask to join if you're going to write paragraphs at the start and then simply just stop and go to one or two lines later on. It is infuriating and wastes both of our time, so don't bother if that is you. Multiple paragraphs/one long one. If you know my style of writing you know what I mean, if you don't have a look if you're interested but don't know me, but please, this is the most important.
2. This will also be a mature RP - there will be heavy gore and violence described and probably other heavy topics mentioned, smut potentially, too, so if you're uncomfy with that then this isn't the RP for you - take care of yourselves babeys <3
3. Andrew's rules
4. If I don't know you I will ask for a writing sample and if your style isn't what I'm looking for I have the right to reject you. This isn't anything against you as a person, it's just about the writing style
5. Don't be an ass - like, be a decent person… please

I can't really think of anything else for the time being, but if you're interested and want more information I am more than happy to provide. This will be high-fantasy adventure, too, if you haven't guessed already :)

(I’m a templates lad lol so here is one for you to fill out)

Name:
Gender:
Age:
Race:
Looks:
Tattoos:
Piercings/jewellery:
Scars/distinguishing marks:
Preferred style of clothing:
Personality:
Background:
Magic:

(And here is Caeso too so you get a feel of the type of man he is)

Name: Caeso Duria
Gender: male, he/him, queer
Age: 138
Race: Fae
Looks: Caeso has light brown hair with streaks of deep brown situated through his soft waves. It falls around his ears, maybe a little longer but definitely not anything more. He usually wears it down however when it gets longer and he is unable to have a haircut he ties up the top half to keep it out of his face in what he calls (what I call because I do this) a ‘ponkle’. His eyes are crystal blue like the ocean, strikingly so. They’re often compared to oceans and rivers with the storms they hold inside. It’s one of his main features that enraptures people. Caeso has no facial hair however sometimes he has light stubble, mainly during the winter seasons when he can’t be arsed to shave. He is tall, standing at 6’4 and has the build of a man who has seen battle, knows how to use a sword but is lean and toned rather than muscular and bulging. Caeso is tanned all year round, with the look of sunlight burned into his skin from the golden glow he has. His features are harder than most Fae, rather than the delicate jawlines and soft curves they are sharp and hard and defined which makes him stand out in the crowd.
Tattoos: swirls extending across his chest
Piercings/Jewellery: eyebrow piercing over his left eye
Scars/Distinguishing Marks: a birthmark that goes down his neck across his right shoulder - it’s a light brown colouring and is jagged and looks like someone has taken a bite out of his neck
Preferred style of clothing: Caeso is usually wearing some form of royal uniform, whether that’s simply a white shirt and black pants with the royal crest on his shoulder or a belt with the same there is at least one crest to be found. But if he is on duty he is wearing his full uniform with his sword strapped at his side
Personality: Caeso is hard-working and dedicated, he loves his job and what he does, loves his men and his friends and cares deeply and isn’t afraid to show it. As much as he is friendly in his general life, usually coming across as fairly relaxed, when he is on duty he is a different person. Not unfeeling and cold but down to business, straightforward and doesn’t tolerate crap. It makes him the perfect captain because he is kind and caring when he needs to be but also able to make tough decisions and be the leader that is needed in hard times.
Background: Caeso grew up as the son of the previous captain of the royal family and as such has been very acquainted with royal life. He was a few years older than the prince however they were very close despite this. Good life, good family life, he loves his job and loves the royal family and his men. He has a younger brother and sister who are twins, both his parents are still alive.
Magic: photokinesis, the ability to manipulate light

Perfect! Okay, out of curiosity, a) are supernatural characters allowed (or should I be human?) And b) what are somethings that might piss the God of the Under off so much that he's marked for death?

Supernatural characters are MORE than welcome, I encourage - go fucking nuts (within reason lol) like this is gonna be high fantasy so go crazy mi amigo

And honestly, at this point, I don't really care lol, I'm tryna flesh Caeso and The Under out more hence the RP so, at this point? Whatever you feel works best - whether that be your guy worked for him at one stage and rebelled, committed an act of violence against Ezekt himself that has him marked, fucked him over in some way or another, it literally does not matter as long as your guy has both done something to piss him off and has a motivation to want the gates shut

Thank you thank you! Just wanted to make sure.

pauses This might fit with the character, but what if in one way, my character managed to get to the top or something, had a one-night stand (didn't realize that it was Ezekt) proceeded to rob him of something valuable, and then ran off? Just spitballing lmao

aksjdsj That would both be brilliant and funny actually, I lowkey love it - the characters that work best with Caeso would be the ones who are kinda crazy, don't care for rules and just are kinda insane since Caeso is a stickler for rules, so he needs someone to be able to balance that out lol

Perfect! I have just the bean then!

Question is, what's so valuable that my character stole (ex. he's an alchemist, just to spitball) to get on Ezekt's shit list?

Oh! I’m thinking off the top of my head here however, if your character stole one of the keys to the gates of The Under - let’s say the most important one that keeps Ezekt locked away - then that gives Ezekt a major reason to want him dead

Perfect! I'll get my character up then!

Beautiful! Looking forward to it!

Name: Rowan "Jinx" Viren Ambrose
Gender: Male, He/Him/His, Bisexual disaster with a male lean.
Age: Unknown, been around for a while. Looks to be around 24.
Race: Born from a human witch and a succubus.
Looks: Rowan appears very androgynous, and impish. Rowan has long black hair that reaches down to the small of his back. He usually keeps it in a neat half-up, half-down braided style, with items such as precious jewels and flowers woven into his hair. When it is freed from its confines, it's fluffy and has natural waves to it. He has paler skin, with only a slight tan, but his skin is completely covered in freckles. They spray along his cheeks and neck and get thicker along his shoulders and thighs. His ears are pointed and pierced in multiple places, with gold jewelry hanging from them. His eyes are a bright gold color, like the color you would see with honey or amber, mixed with flecks of green. When using his abilities, they shift to a soft pink color that mixes in with the gold. He keeps himself well-groomed, and clean-shaven. He has a softer figure in a slim pear shape, with a smaller waist and thicker hips. He's pretty average in size, coming to about 5'7.
Tattoos: Has ivy leaves swirling up his arms
Piercings/jewelry: His ears are completely pierced. His tongue is pierced, along with the middle of his bottom lip, and then his nipples. He likes to wear various necklaces, but his favorite is just a simple, delicate gold chain that rests along the base of his neck. He also wears an anklet occasionally.
Scars/distinguishing marks: Has a nasty scar on his inner thigh, and then two jagged scars along his shoulders. These are usually hidden by magic. As for distinguishing marks, probably his eyes when they change color. He also has a birthmark shaped like a heart on the small of his back.
Preferred style of clothing: He likes flowy, loose clothing that shows off just the right amount of skin. Usually, they're colors that accentuate his skin. He likes colors like deep purples, blacks, and dark greens.
Personality: Rowan is someone who, while stuck in a stereotype, makes the best of what he can. After being considered an 'abomination' for a while, he became incredibly crafty. He uses his charm to impress. He's overly flirtatious, and zealous, and barely goes into life without a plan. He's brilliant in mind, but he usually uses it to get what he wants and then leaves before he gets caught. He acts incredibly cocky to cover up the fact that he is wildly insecure. Despite having connections, despite being around people- he doesn't have anyone he can truly trust. He's incredibly lonely, and angry, and doesn't do well with opening up. He's just a mess overall.
Background: Created out of the magic of a succubus and a human witch, he was kind of fucked in general when it came to life. He was raised by the witch for the most part, learning how to make potions, and how to help people. He loved that kind of life until his "mother" was hunted down and killed when he was around the age of 16. He was placed into the slave trade at about 17 after a year of torture. When he was 19, it was the first time he killed someone by using his seduction. He stole what they had, and ran for it. The adrenaline was addictive and he continued this pattern until he inevitably fucked up- and here he is now.
Magic:

• Charm, once he has made eye contact with someone he can 'enchant' them. He becomes more appealing to the eye of the beholder.
• Is faster, and stronger than the average human.
• "Kiss of Death", through various activities and physical contact, can steal energy from any being and use it for themselves.
• Basic Magic, can do low-level spells

(Ah he's so cute! Here is le starter)

On a whole, if Caeso was to describe the state of the world at the present in one word, it would be fucked.

Because that was exactly what they were. Completely and utterly fucked considering the gates to The Under were open. From what he could tell, it was only the first couple. He wasn't well versed in the levels of the Death's God's realm because it was supposed to be impossible, really, to open those gates. There was a reason they were locked, because the destruction that followed in Ezekt's name was difficult enough to deal with let alone having to deal with the God himself. Locked away for good reason, Caeso knew, because the stories and legends of the Gods told of stories of his downfall. The guard presumed that it had only missed the God off enough to bide his time before he could make his return to the over world.

And for some reason, that was going to be now.

The destruction that had been plaguing the city had started out small. Unresolved, gruesome deaths to start, missing people, parts of the city burning down in the night with not a clue as to who committed such an act, no trace but the blood and bodies that had been left behind. But they had become careless with time. The more death they caused, the stronger the monsters and demons became, the stronger their connection with The Under, and the greater their ability to open those gates.

How they had slipped through the gates to begin with was an entirely different issue but wasn't important considering they were already through the gates. The first level was open, that much was clear. Ezekt's followers were even growing in number, making themselves more prominent, even during the day. No one knew who they were, why they were helping a God that would undoubtably kill them the moment they were no longer of use to the God, but again, it wasn't the most pressing matter or issue that needed to be dealt with.

No, the most pressing issue was trying to figure out how to shut the gates. Because the longer they were open, the harder it was going to be to shut.

The king wasn't helping matters, had practically instructed his Captain to figure out what was going on himself because he was too scared to do anything. As much as Caeso loved the man, his incompetence irked him more than he let on. It was made worse considering his people were dying and he only seemed to care about keeping himself alive, and had pretty much demanded Caeso be the one to shut the gates. Whether or not he died in the process, it seemed his king didn't care. But the guard was more worried about the people than anything else. Even his strongest men didn't want to step foot anywhere near anything related to The Under. It was almost certain death stepping into that realm. But Caeso didn't exactly have a choice in the matter. It was let the city, the Fae inside, perish, and let the kingdom crumble, or find out how the fuck he was going to stop Ezekt from escaping The Under.

The only problem was, well, the main issue he was facing at that moment, was his lack of knowledge on the area. He couldn't go in alone, surely, but he would if he had no other choice. It was how the guard had ended up in the extensive archives of the city library, pouring over the less than great selection of books and history related to The Under, to Ezekt, and hoping to find something.

There was little light this far down into the archives, and the Fae guard was using his abilities to conjure as much of the candle light into a singular point above him, leaving the rest of the place shrouded in darkness. In the near silence, his thoughts were just as loud as his frantic turning of pages.

(Aw, thank you! I love him XD)

Rowan had made an oopsie- no… It was a royal fuck up. How had he managed to do something so stupid and managed to get away with it? Except he hadn't gotten away with it. Oh, he was so fucked.

So. Fucked.

In his defense, Rowan hadn't realized who his victim was. He was drunk, he was having a fabulous time- and it just kind of happened- he didn't mean for it to happen. But he did his usual of sleeping with someone and then robbing them blind the next morning. It was his thing, his adrenaline that kept him going. And now? He was forever screwed with a guillotine on top. So Rowan figured he would run. That's what he usually did anyways- he ran. He ran as far as he could. But that wasn't enough.

The gates to the under were open. Did Rowan have something to do with it? Absolutely not. Maybe- sort of. But he was terrified to put it simply. And he needed to find a way to make this mess end. The key that rested on his chest burned not with heat, but with guilt. He had fucked up, and now people were suffering for it. He didn't really care much for the people-but he had definitely fucked up and that was bad enough as it was. He never fucked up like that. How could he? He never made those kinds of mistakes. He was always the one in control. And the one time he had let himself go- it basically wrote the end of the world for everyone and left him with a death sentence on his head. He felt terrified. And he needed to find a way to stop it. The faster he stopped it, the faster he could go back to fooling old, stupid, rich men, and live his life normally… or as normally as he could manage for the time being. But with the mess of under creatures taking over everything- that was impossible.

The King had been utterly useless the majority of the time he had been trying to deal with the monsters. Rowan wondered how on earth the poor kingdom had been landed with such a cowardly king. He had noticed the violence. At first, he had just put it off as kingdoms being kingdoms. They were always brewing with death, illness, poverty… All while the rich sat comfortably in their castles while the people suffered. It disgusted Rowan to no end. But when the demons started making themselves more… presently known, Rowan knew that he needed to keep a low profile. There was no doubt that there was a bounty over his head. No doubt that Ezekt had a bounty on his head. He knew that there was a possibility that if he was caught with the key to the final gate, he'd be ever so fucked. He was terrified out of his mind.

He knew a little of the under, considering he was the spawn of a witch and a succubus, both considered to use demonic pathways- not really his mother but he knew that there was some dark magic involved if she summoned a succubus and created him- That was a mess that he really didn't want to think about. So his mind wandered to how he might be able to stop this himself. He could run from a god, so there might be a way to stop that god. Either that or he was completely dead. And he didn't want to be completely dead. He had lived long enough on this planet, the adrenaline was still there. He could still live and see the rest of what the world had to offer if he could just clean up this God mess.

So he wondered. Where might he find the kind of information he would need? He knew that he needed everything he could get his hands on. He couldn't count on his mother for… various reasons- and the succubus that had created him was nowhere to be seen since he was a kid. So- his best bet was probably the archives within the city's library. He knew that was a risk, but he needed to find a way to clean this mess up somehow.

Wrapped in a cloak, with his face tucked into the shadows and his steps light, he hurried from his current hiding hole. With a bit of magic to make sure that people didn't notice his presence - a type of magic he wasn't used to, he was more of a 'draw attention' type- he made it to the archives, searching desperately for clues that he could use. It was dark, but he had always been able to see in the pitch black. The only thing noticeable was the faint glow of his pink eyes as he scanned the various shelves for the information he might need.

(Small idea, but what if since Rowan fled the gates, it's his fault that all the demons managed to slip out? And then add to the fact that maybe it was Ezekt's plan for Rowan to take the key so that the demons could break him free? Just an idea, spitballing and whatnot)

(Spitball all you want dude. Again I only really have a basic plot in mind so any and all ideas are welcome! But I like that idea - I guess then it would be guilt that would be causing Rowan to want the gates shut then, which is still chill)

Caeso had grabbed every and all book he could find on The Under from the shelves and had them scattered around him in a circle. From a certain angle it probably looked as if he was attempting to summon one of the demons themselves, but he was only looking for information. And so far, he had found jack shit on ways to close those gates.

It showed in the way he flipped the pages of the books with little care anymore, how he grew frustrated and annoyed with the lack of information. You would think that being the city library there would be some useful information, some documentation on how the gates could be shut, even if it was just an old tale or myth or something that would give the captain a clue on what to do, but so far? He was coming up short. Why couldn't the librarians be competent? Well, he had no doubt they were, but any information of the God had either been lost to time or not documented at all.

Considering Ezekt with literally the Death God, Caeso was concerned with the lack of information that he was pulling up, and he practically slammed the covered of the book in his lap shut as he picked up another. The sound rung throughout the near silence of the library, along with his annoyed sigh. He needed something, anything, a fucking sign at least. The ball of light above his head burned slightly brighter with his annoyance, but the captain was keep to get his emotions under control. Well, sort of. He was still pissed off, but no one else was going to be doing anything to help, so he had to be the one to make things right.

(I was thinking that he was still marked for death, just add on the pain and guilt to make it worse lmao)

Rowan was completely confused. Most of the books regarding the hells of the Under that he knew were down here- were missing. He had come down here a few times before for some light reading regarding the Under and what people knew… but he wasn't sure as to why the books were missing. Did someone come and steal them- those were the kinds of thoughts that were running through his head as he scanned the shelves of the archives until some light caught his eyes. He knew they were far down in the archives, so there shouldn't be any light unless…

Unless there was someone else down here as well.

Rowan's curiosity piqued and he moved slowly and stealthily towards the light. The last thing he wanted to do was get into a squabble with a possible demon- could demons even read? He wouldn't put it past them though- He shook his head and looked over to see a fae sitting in a massive pile of books. Rowan watched with curious eyes as the man- he looked to be a captain at least- flipped through various pages and gave frustrated groans. It barely looked like he was reading at this point, just scanning and then discarding the books. Rowan spared a glance down to the books and his eyes widened slightly. Those were exactly the books he was looking for. He spared a glance at the captain for a split second. He seemed distracted enough. Rowan vaguely wondered if a) he should risk showing himself, or b) stay in the shadows and use his magic to grab at the books.

But Rowan had never been one for 'subtlety'. He had always been one to draw attention to himself, and hiding in the shadows was getting boring.

So he stepped out of the shadows, a hand on his hip as he glared down at the captain. His hands were folded over his chest. "Frustrated, Captain?" He coos, his eyes glinting slightly in the light. "It looks like you're about to tear that poor book in half." He nudged his head in the direction of the scattered books. "Need some help?"

Caeso practically jumped out of his skin at the sudden noise of another presence, "Fuck!" He hadn't been expecting anyone else to be down here. Most were either fleeing, joining the fight to try and do something to stop the carnage, or dead. The archives were the last place he expected someone else to be, "Do you get a kick out of silently creeping around in the dark and scaring people?"

His sword was discarded to one side, still in reach, but from the look on the mans face the way he offered help had Caeso keeping his hands to the book instead of reaching for it. If they had planned on killing him they wouldn't have made themselves known to the captain to begin with, not exactly the best tactic to announce yourself before a murder. At least that calmed his heart, but only slightly. It felt as if it had been sent to The Under and back within a period of two seconds. For someone of his nature, he scared too easily, it seemed.

The book in his hand was once again shut as he looked up at the man from where he sat on the floor. His glare was prominent, if only because he had been scared and was still upset about it. But the other wasn't exactly wrong when they said that Caeso looked to be about to tear the book apart. None of them had given him any clues as of yet, although due to his growing frustration, he wasn't looking as hard as he probably should have been. In any other instance he would have taken his time, but time wasn't on his side. There were demons of all kinds rampaging through the streets. Houses were burning down and no one was doing anything to stop it. No magic was strong enough, and it only resulted in more death and destruction of people like him. The king certainly wasn't caring as much as he should be, especially when he was- currently - safe in his palace.

"You come down here for a bit of light reading while the city burns or are you looking for something?" This far down in the archives really only meant one thing, that the man was looking for books on The Under, too, and they were currently all spread out around him in a circle that looked like he was trying to summon a demon to begin with. The collection was small, maybe even smaller than it should have been, and it was why the captain was so frustrated.

Rowan covered a laugh when he startled the poor captain, his eyes glinting in the soft light. "Ah, didn't mean to startle you." He shrugged nonchalantly at the question. "Maybe, maybe not." He chuckles into his hand before he moved to where the captain was, curiously examining the books. He took notice of the sword, though he didn't comment on it. He wasn't worried about a weapon being drawn on him just yet. From the view of the other, he was probably just some passerby looking for the same information.

Rowan didn't care for the glare, it didn't bother him in the slightest as he sat down on the ground casually and picked up a book before he moved his attention back to the captain. "Curious that the captain of the guard is down here all alone while people are being slaughtered," he replied offhandedly to the question of looking for something. He picked up a book and scanned through it quickly. No… this was just a legend about people seeing the under in dreams. That wasn't concrete evidence. "Light reading was never my fortitude. I preferred working with my hands, but I suppose a little research is necessary."

He knew faintly of the under. Having been in between realms a few times in search of the succubus that decided it was a good idea to spawn with a human witch. Considered an abomination- he had that luxury. But what had that luxury brought him? A death sentence to him, and a death sentence to everyone else in the world. He couldn't care less about the beings that squabbled about on this miserable earth, but he didn't want their blood to technically be on his hands. That just wasn't fair.

He glanced at the guard. "What is the aim you wish to achieve? Maybe I can help?" He didn't know enough about the under, since he had only seen bits and pieces in his search, but if the guard was looking for something in particular, and wanted to stop this mess just as badly as he did, maybe they could find common ground. That was the hope, at least. If the captain was down here to summon demons? He was fucked. If the captain was down here just to hide- well. Rowan might strangle the fae himself.

Caeso couldn't help the way his glare only deepened slightly at the man's comment about how he was alone down here when his people were being killed. Did he think he wanted to be down here? That was far from the case. He would much rather be up on the surface fighting with those that had decided to stay and try and defend the city. Instead, he had been forced to take up the near-impossible task of trying to find the keys to the gates of The Under, and then try and close them before anything else decided they wanted to escape.

So far, he had found nothing, and a random man with strangely glowing eyes, he doubted was going to help much. Unless he was somehow able to see something that Caeso wasn't able to, then being down here was just as pointless as making comments towards him about his lack of help towards those above. People were dying, and Caeso wanted to help all he could. Right now he was feeling useless that he was unable to find something, anything that would give him a clue as to where that first key might be. Squabbling wasn't going to get them anywhere, as much as, whoever this man was, had already started to get on the captain's nerves and they had only been in one another presence for a few moments.

"I'm trying to find information on the keys to the gates of The Under," Caeso ended up saying. Better to ignore the other comments when they weren't relevant to his goal, "But all these books are useless. I can't find anything of value." Half the pages were torn out, the ones that held the information regarding the more dangerous gates, and even then the middle levels didn't have much to them. It was as if someone had come down here and ripped out all of the pages before Caeso had been able to get here himself, trying to stop him from finding what he was looking for.

To be fair, he had been skimming half the pages because they were all on the first gate to Aerroium, and the same passage over and over, or more or less the same, but the captain hadn't exactly picked up on. Hadn't realised the riddle that was right under his nose, "You have a name, at least?" He said to the stranger. If the other wanted to help he at least needed to know what he was called.

The glare didn't deter Rowan in the slightest, his eyes bright as he watched the other carefully. Rowan was never one to back down from a challenge, and if the Fae guard was going to glare at him, Rowan figured death could wait. Rowan studied the guard for a moment and shrugged as he moved to scoop up a book, though his eyes moved to the book in the guard's hands. The key on his chest burned, reminding him of why he was here in the first place. It was tucked neatly out of sight, but it felt like a heavy weight around his neck… like a noose slowly tightening.

Rowan could give a rat's ass about people dying above him. If anything he believed that humanity didn't really deserve a chance. Not when he had been treated like a monster his entire life. "The keys? I suppose that makes sense considering the gates are open. But how you do plan to go to the Under, make it through all seven layers and shut every gate, and make sure you get back out alive?" Now he was curious as he settled across from the guard and carefully read over the pages. Unlike the impatient man in front of him, he decided to take his time. Going into lizard brain would only make it harder to get the answers he sought. "Or perhaps you're not looking at the books from the right angle. You're simply reading them for what they are. Books. Not using them as tools. Simply reading them on a page doesn't help solve the problem. You're fae, use your magic." He huffed at the guard. "Maybe then you'll find something of value." Like the Under, Rowan figured there were layers to discovering the answers they were looking for.

Rowan barely looked up when the other asked for his name. His fingers were flipping through two books and comparing the passages. He looked oddly relaxed for someone who was most likely going to die the moment that final gate was opened, death hanging over him like an inevitable omen. He hummed, "I'm called Jinx. You are welcome to refer to me as such." He flipped through another few books, slowly starting to put them together like a puzzle to compare. "What about you?"

Jinx.

Bad luck.

He figured that name suited him now. He had always been called that, along with various… unkind words. A mistake. A monster. Well- he supposed he lived up to that nickname. Rowan… He couldn't remember the last time he had introduced himself as that. Rowan was the name his 'mother' had given him. Throughout the years of pain, it was one of the few things he held onto. He had never let anyone see that vulnerability in him. So he adapted to the name Jinx. Used it to his strength. Flaunted it proudly- even if it felt wrong. But no. He deserved that title now. He might as well continue using it.

Did the stranger- Jinx - not understand how Fae magic worked? His powers weren't exactly trained in the art of uncovering secrets. He didn't do charms or spells, he wasn't a Witch. Caeso couldn't help but frown at the comment. Who did this man think he was? Seemingly above him and everyone else as the world around them burned. This was his home. These were his people. He had sworn an oath when he had been appointed the role of Captain, one that he stuck to day in and day out. That no matter what happened, he would protect his city. The King, yes, that was his main priority, but the people, too. All of them were under his protection and there was nothing he wouldn't do to keep it that way.

At least that gave Caeso a clue as to eliminating who Jinx was. Not Fae, not a spirit. It may only have been two options out of the many that it could have been, but it was something. Those strange glowing eyes kept catching his attention, and he was tempted to ask about his race, and where he came from, but there were more important matters at hand than whether or not the stranger that had slunk into the library was a demon or not. He guessed not.

"Caeso." His answer was short and simple and for the time being the Captain ignored the other questions. He left his title out of the mix deliberately because right now it wasn't needed. It wouldn't do him any good, bring him any favours or have Jinx leaning in his own favour, at least. It didn't matter. None of it mattered, not right now.

He would admit that the man had a point that he was probably not looking hard enough. As much as he couldn't use his magic to unveil whatever was hidden on the pages beneath, he could still try manually. Under one of the pages was a passage of text, a riddle, that he noticed, and claimed;

If the key to Aerroium is what you seek, heed these words as you follow the creek. Rivers of black and oceans of night, the dark contains the passage of white. Follow them down to the depths below, the reflection contains Ezekt's deepest woes.

And then there was a shimmer on the page that had Caeso trying to look deeper. It almost didn't want to. But, supposed to distract himself for a moment, he looked up from the page and to Jinx, "No one else is trying to stop Ezekt. I'm not going to watch my people die and not do anything. How I get through all the layers is something to figure out later. But sitting around and doing nothing- or running - isn't going to help matters."

Rowan didn't understand fae magic in the slightest. He was someone that just knew that magic existed. He didn't understand that some were born with magic, didn't understand that some were limited to only a slight amount of magic. He had always taken magic. That's how his mother did it after all. But he didn't give a flying shit either way. He was more focused on trying to move forward and understand how and what he could do to stop this madness so that the key against his chest would stop burning and he could just call it good. He didn't want to die. That was the only reason that he wanted to close those gates. He was marked for death, and the moment Ezekt got free, he was beyond dead. That scared him more than anything else. He had lived for so long, endured for so long- just to die because of a stupid mistake he made? No, no… He wouldn't take it.

Rowan was half tempted to ask what use the captain had then, since clearly, that magic was not finding answers. What was his magic? Was it just the glowing ball of light in front of Rowan? How on earth had he become a captain then? Rowan was slightly befuddled, but he decided not to push it since he didn't want people asking about his own… oddities. The glowing eyes, which were beginning to dim because of the Fae's light, melted into pools of gold. He chewed on his bottom lip, little fangs peeping from the upper lip. Demon? Maybe. But he wasn't fully demonic. There was still that "humanity" his mother had talked about. Could a child of a succubus and a witch be considered demonic? Most likely, now that he was thinking about it.

But he shoved it from his mind for now, he had a task to focus on for now, and that was going to be his priority. He needed that to be his priority anyways. His ears twitched and perked at the name, and he let out a quiet little hum. "Caeso…" He tested the name on his tongue and let out a satisfied sound. It was pleasing, he found. Some names were like chalk grating against a blackboard, other names were soft like silk, and some were cheerful, like a bubbling creek. He found Caesos to be warm, like the warm sun on a summer's evening.

But he did not let those thoughts distract him from what was important at the moment. He needed to make sure that they were finding solutions. He needed to make sure they were looking for something that could help them move forward. He glanced up when Caeso spoke and he paused. "I understand that no one is trying to stop Ezekt. It's because everyone is too busy dying to see what's happening. Not to mention that those that do have the power to do something about it are sitting idly by and watching it happen like it's no issue. Do you really think that in the end, anyone is going to care about those who have died? They're scrambling like rats trying to survive." His eyes were narrowed, clear with anger. This may have been his fault, but it only solidified his own feelings toward humanity. Then the anger melted and he let out a tired sigh.

"Getting into the under is part of figuring out how to stop Ezekt. Think about it. How useless is your mission if you die at the first gate? I understand you're determined to save your people. But just going in with a half-assed plan of "how I get through all the layers is something to figure out later" is not something to figure out later. They're the seven layers of the Under. Each layer is worse than the next. You don't go in with a plan or at least an idea of what torments are waiting for you, and you're as good as dead. And then what use do you have to your beloved king?" Rowan picked up another book and began to read through it. "If you fail, humanity will blame you for its fall. If you succeed, you'll be considered a hero."

Rowan flipped through a few pages before he stood and stretched. "Any luck with the book?" He moved over to where Caeso was and leaned over his shoulder, carefully inspecting the book curiously. "Interesting poem. How does it help us?"

Caeso didn't know what Rowan was, and was too focused on trying to find solutions to his little - well, major - problem of Ezekt to care or pay much notice. Right now the other wasn't trying to kill him, and he hoped that considering they had been together for a good few minutes and he had made no attempt at doing so, that Rowan wasn't going to try. At least that eased his nerves just the faintest. He didn't have to worry about the man standing in front of him ending his life. Otherwise, he may as well just of headed out into the middle of the street and tried to ward off any demons that came his way. Both weren't exactly great deaths, both were not warranted, and both meant that no one would stop Ezekt from freeing himself and raining fire and ash on the entire continent, let alone the Fae city.

And the captain took a steadying breath as he listened to the other talk. Anger and yelling with a stranger no less wasn't going to get them anywhere. Wasn't going to get him anywhere. The longer he pondered over the books or waited for an answer to fall into his lap then the less chance he had at saving at least one person, saving at least part of the city so there was something to come back to. At this rate, there was going to be nothing but blood and decay. It was seeping through the cracks and the vents in the archives and Caeso didn't want to think about what it was going to be like when he finally returned to the surface. If it was this bad now, how awful was it going to be if he made it out of this alive?

"I don't care if I'm blamed for the downfall of the kingdom, nor do I care if I'm considered a hero for saving it," That wasn't what he was looking for. Fame and glory weren't his thing. Caeso didn't care. He didn't want to be in the light of the public, good or bad, and it was why he stuck to his job as captain and only stepped in when he was needed. Whatever perception people may have of him at the end of it all, if anyone even knew what he was looking to do, bar the king, of course, he wouldn't pay any mind to it no matter the outcome, "Even if I die at the first gate, at least I tried, unlike some and that is what matters. Trying so those that do survive may have a home to come back to."

If it wasn't burnt to the ground by then. If it wasn't over run by demons by then. If Ezekt hadn't taken over by then. Too many what-ifs and possibilities. Too many variables. But one thing at a time. One thing then the next and one set in front of the other until maybe he completed his goal.

"The Under has seven layers, and each key, along with unlocking the gate that it is designed for, grants access to the layer underneath and probably the clue to finding the next," He lifted his gaze to meet Rowans, "Find the key to Aerroium and consequently, find the clue as to where the key to Eositent and so on and so forth. So, I do have a plan, but there isn't much to it if when one can only find one clue at a time."

And the poem he was looking at was exactly the clue he had been looking for. With a small flick of his wrist that ball of flickering candlelight moved from where it was above them and condensed into a smaller, more concentrated light source as he brought it over the book. It was then that the page reacted to the magic, as if by default, revealing an image underneath of a mirror, the first key.

My apologies for not writing back sooner, life has been incredibly busy-

Rowan found that this interaction with Caeso was actually rather soothing for his trouble ridden mind. He knew that there was going to be some issues, but he was grateful that Caeso wasn't going to run after him and attack him. Might as well stay alive for the time being. Anger wasn't going to get either of them anywhere, so the best idea for the time being was to relax and try to keep calm. He wanted to solve this problem just as much as Caeso, even though the reasons behind as to why they were trying to stop Ezekt were completely different. His was much more selfish, though he could admire what Caeso's reason was. So he sucked it up and returned his attention to the task at hand.

He glanced up when Caeso spoke and paused. "Fascinating, truly." He chuckled faintly. "You're quite foolish." There was no judgement behind that statement however. "Thinking that getting to the first gate is enough. It isn't. There are many layers of the under. Seven layers, seven keys, many tests of body, mind, and spirit. I will join you, I suppose. We both have this goal to close the gates." He sighed deeply and ran a hand through his hair. He looked stressed beyond measure, but he knew that it was needed to make sure that he could survive. He needed to get past those gates and shut them completely. He wanted to live, and in order to do that, he had to help this fae close the gates and make sure that they stayed close.

He let out a breathy laugh - one could not decipher if it was one of relief or desperation - but based on the terrified look in his eyes it could be said of both. "So you have a half assed plan that we can use to our advantage. I suppose that should work. One clue at a time, and maybe, just maybe this can work." It was unlikely, but it was a start. A start that could be useful. A start that could save his hide from possible death because of his early mistake. He let out a slow breath and ran a hand through his hair. He glanced up when he saw the flicker of light and looked down to see the first key. He let out a faint splutter of disbelief before shaking his head. "That's absolutely ridiculous. The first key, hidden down here in the books? Such tight security."

He stood and stretched. "Well. I suppose that this is where we start. We start with the basics and we go there." He glanced at the blood soaked walls and swallowed thickly. He was going to help. "Shall I let you take the lead, Caeso?" He said the others name with relaxed purr. Even though he was terrified out of his mind, he was set on making sure that those gates were closed for good. He'd swallow the keys if he had to.

(Heya, sorry for also disappearing, i've been on holiday for the last month but I'm back now!)

Caeso didn't know how he took to being called foolish. But, on the one hand, he supposed that Rowan wasn't entirely wrong about that. It was a fair comment to make, all things considered. One man trying to take down the Death God with nothing but the clothes on his back, one sword and a bunch of books. Yeah, foolish was definitely the word for him.

The other offering his help took him by surprise. Well, it was less of an offer and more of a statement. Rowan was helping whether he liked it or not. Rowan was coming with him. Into The Under. Why anyone would want to willing go down there was beyond him. Caeso didn't want to go, but he was going simply because there was no other way and no other option. The other? He had a choice, and he had seemed to make that choice within a matter or one conversation. It probably wasn't safe to trust him, it wasn't safe to trust anyone anymore. There was little that could be done about that. Any living person who wasn't torn to shreds could be working for Ezekt himself. There was no way of knowing what was going to happen. If they were going to make it out alive or even in one piece.

But the most that they could do was try. Try and get there. Try and lock him away once and for all until there were no more keys, no way for the God to leave his realm. It was an almost impossible feat.

Someone had made all those keys for a reason. It wouldn't have been Ezekt because why would he make keys to lock himself away? He would want them open, as obvious as it was considering he was overtaking the world as the two of them spoke. No, someone had known and created a way to stop him. If someone else had done so before, or at least attempted to do so, there was a chance that Caeso would be able to do so, too.

The captain closed the book, grabbing at his discarded sword, "We'll need supplies," He said, standing, "We go to the palace first." That way he can grab some necessities.