MidwayLives
"What's your favorite scary movie...?"
It’d all seemed so perfect.
The Fell Dragon’s forces had been vanquished.
His minions and loyal acolytes fell by the wayside, accepting their demise as it were.
Sombron had finally been defeated and his evil put to rest once and for all. Though victory had come at last, it was not without it’s own cost in blood. For as long as she continued to live and breathe, Alear, the Divine Dragon, slayer of the Fell Dragon and hero of the day. None of it would bring her dearest mother back. Not to mention the ceaseless destruction to both kingdom and landscape. Villages had been burned to the ground or had their entire populace butchered like cattle. Monarchs, some beloved, others loathed, had lost their lives in the campaign.
Things would never be as they were.
But, if for just a brief moment, our weary heroine and her friends tried to live in the moment. Bask in it and enjoy it for all that it was worth.
For it wouldn’t last long…
(The Somniel (Evening) - Fire Emblem Engage OST (youtube.com)
“THREE CHEERS FOR THE DIVINE DRAGON!”
The sound of mugs clashing together filled the cafe. Rather than hold a victory ceremony at one specific kingdom, the party had decided to hold it above it all. Quite literally as a matter of fact. The Somniel was a floating island above the land of Lythos and it was only by the Divine Dragon’s blessing that those who were gathered could even gain entry to the island. It had enough utilities on it to hold and support a whole army.
From various shops ranging from buying the latest weapons to the most fashionable attire. One could even unwind and go for a pleasant swim or engage in some light fishing! Alear cherished it and was just as grateful that she’d found and made so many comrades she could share this space with. Having moved some of the tables around in the Somniel’s cafe area, everyone (with the exception of the children, they drank juice much to Anne’s frustration) raised a glass of wine in honor of the woman, the hero, they’d banded together around.
For her part, Alear did her best to remain as humble as ever. Raising her left hand and holding it over her face to mask her face as it turned a bright shade of red, she couldn’t help but smile. “Please, thank you everyone, truly. But this was a group effort. I couldn’t have succeeded without you! All of you made this possible!” Seated next to his younger brother Alycryst, the future king of Brodia, Prince Diamant leaned back in his seat and chuckled warmly. “Perhaps so, but your indomitable persistence in the face of just about anything that came our way certainly helped. When a threat came, you answered.” Alycryst was a touch more shy than his older brother but chimed in all the same. “D-Diamant’s right…B-Bravery is one thing but…I-I wish I had nearly as much courage as you do, Divine One.” The blush grew so strongly on Alear’s face it wouldn’t have at all been remiss to compare her current complexion to that of a freshly picked tomato. Still, she took a deep breath, exhaled, and composed herself before responding. “Both of you did so much. It’s a debt I’ll never be able to repay. Thank you both from the bottom of my heart and Alycryst? Can you do me a favor?”
That got the young lad to sit up straight in his chair and nod his head vigorously. “O-Of course, Divine One!!”
“Have a little more confidence in yourself! You were just as much of an asset as anyone else here. You put your life on the line just like everyone else. Besides, when you and Diamant return to Brodia, he’ll need you in his corner.” Clapping a hand on his younger brother’s back, Diamant nodded. “She’s right, Alycryst. We might….never be able to fill the void that father’s left for us. But I believe that the two of us together can lead our country on a path of prosperity.”
“W-Well…uhm….oh darn it! If the Divine Dragon of all people thinks I can be of some help then okay! I’ll do it!” Just then another voice chimed in. The bright-eyed and bushytailed leader of the self-proclaimed ‘Divine Dragon Fanclub!’, Framme! “From Brodia to Elusia, there’s likely dozens, not hundreds of new fans clamoring for a chance to just get it out there how much the Divine Dragon changed everyone’s lives. For the better even!!” As the crowd seemed poised to boil over into nothing but naked praise, a hand reached out and gently clasped Alear’s right.
The one who’d done so was Merrin. Princess Timerra’s attendant and a warrior in her own right that’d proved her skills time and time again in battle. Truth be told between her strength and poise and friendly personality, Alear couldn’t have been any luckier to have someone so wonderful by her side. Someone she trusted enough to give her precious Pact Ring to. Alear noticed the gesture and smiled back at her partner.
“Although I’m sure that the Divine One is immensely grateful for the outpouring of gratitude and cheers, there’ll be plenty of time to engage in further festivities in the morning.” Vander, one of the Stewards who’d stood by Alear’s side for many years, called out. He spared a brief glance over at Alear and Merrin. He wasn’t blind after all. He’d seen how much the two ladies had grown to care for one another. After everything that had transpired? Some privacy wasn’t too much to ask. “Thank you, Vander. I do believe I’ll be retiring to my quarters for the night. Tomorrow we can resume the activities! I’m looking forward to it!”
“Very well. If the Divine One and Merrin are to step out for the night, I humbly request to share my piece before they do so. ..If that is of course acceptable to both parties.” Panette, another attendant of Princess Timerra, asked. Her hands crossed over her lap as she stared over at her best friends. Both of them heroes in her eyes.
“Of course, Panette. Please don’t ever feel like you have to get my permission to speak your mind.” Alear replied with all the warmth and grace that Panette loved to try and emulate. “Thank you as always, Divine One. Ahem. Now then, I merely wished to put forward the motion of a toast.”
“Oh?”
“Indubitably. Throughout our travels together, we’ve faced countless threats. Our situation wavered from chaotic to downright perilous. Many a situation appeared to be utterly hopeless. But you didn’t let any of it deter you for a second and I’m…I’m simply overjoyed to realize that you’ve found a trusted companion in one of the closest people in my life prior to meeting you, meeting all of you. I wish nothing but the best for Merrin and you. You’ll make for amazing partners.”
Merrin sniffled.
“Thank you, Panette. Between you and Lady Timerra, no…Between all of you, I’ve never felt so loved!”
“Agreed. Thank you, Panette. Thanks to all of my friends that are gathered here today!” Everyone raised their glasses high. “For Alear and Merrin! Yeah!”
Anne grumbled and threw her cup to the side. Everyone was too busy cheering to notice. “We just saved the world and they can’t even afford to mix in a little alcohol in this stupid grape juice. What a rip…” As everything started to die down and others went to bed or moved on to work off their excess energy elsewhere, Alear walked with Merrin, hand in hand, towards her room.
“...Huh.”
“What is it, Alear?”
“I guess it’d be our room now wouldn’t it?”
“I….heh. I guess so.”
The two ladies shared a hug. “You go on ahead. I’m gonna go see if-”
(The Strokes - The Adults Are Talking (Official Audio) (youtube.com))
“Cute.”
The two froze at the unfamiliar voice. Alear had made it a point to try and get to know everyone who’d aided her in the battle against Sombron’s forces. Did she know every innate detail of every one of her companion’s lives? Maybe there were some details they preferred to keep privvy and of course Alear would respect that. But this stranger’s presence felt utterly overwhelming. To the point that it felt like a physical pressure was pushing down on her. They were just a few feet away, their shoes looking practically identical to Alear’s own. They didn’t appear to be touching the ground at all. Floating a few inches off it as a matter of fact. They wore a black cloak that served to obscure any visible facial features but Alear could see two glowing blue eyes leering out at her from inside the hood. “...Who are you?” She asked cautiously, careful not to make any sudden moves to reach for her sword. Everyone was still worn out from the last battle and starting a fight here and now? The risk for someone getting seriously hurt was far too high.
“I’m curious. What kind of wards did you have around this place? Initially, I tried to just waltz right in but some kind of invisible barrier stopped me. Dealing with it was trivial of course. But it piqued my interest-” The figure started to go on and on, having seemingly ignored Alear’s request for them to identify themselves. Merrin narrowed her eyes and reached for a knife. “Just tell us who you are and how you’ve found this place!” Nobody without the Divine Dragon’s explicit blessing should have been able to step foot on the Somniel..
“Ah.”
The figure raised their left arm.
Merrin and Alear both tensed up. The second this stranger made any hostile moves, they’d be on them in a second. End this quick and try to get some answers. “Merrin, watch my back. I’ll move in on the left, you move in on the right. Try to see if we can get a good idea of what we’re dealing with.” “Right. I’ll protect you no matter what.”
“Again, cute. But..”
Merrin and Alear went for it. Merrin hurled a knife and Alear raced in, drawing Liberation, and going in for a side swipe. It looked as though they’d easily outmaneuvered the stranger. But then something strange seemed to happen.
“What the-”
Merrin’s knife didn’t hit it’s mark. It hadn’t even gotten close. It was thought it’d been flung off course entirely and the stranger hadn’t done anything, at least not anything that Merrin could have visually observed. The knife crashed against a nearby marble railing and clattered to the ground, the blade severely chipped. Alear’s swipe didn’t fare any better. She nearly lost her balance and almost flung the sword away like a chatput player. The area that she’d intended to strike with her sword had just pushed her away and left her spinning on her heels.
“You won’t lay a finger on me unless I wish it.” The stranger let their sleeve fall down to reveal a gloved hand as they waved in Merrin’s direction. Steadying herself and trying to gather what exactly had just happened, Alear looked over to Merrin, her eyes widening in terror. “Merrin! Look out!!”
They exchanged worried glances and Merrin reached out. “Alear!”
Alear tried to meet the outstretched hand with her own. But it was to no avail.
Merrin was gone, having simply vanished into thin air.
“Much more quiet now.”
“Merrin….” Alear idly waved her hand in the empty space that her partner had previously occupied. “I imagine you’re awfully confused about what’s just transpired. That’s about what I expected. If you’ll stop and listen for just a moment, I can explain-” Alear didn’t give the stranger another second. Alear raised Liberation above her head and swung it down at the Stranger’s left shoulder with as much force behind the blow as she could muster.
*CRASH*
The force was enough to shatter the ground and send a resounding shockwave through the staircase splitting it open and sending debris this way and that.
“I asked you to stop. Now, it seems I'll have to make you."
The blade hovered inches away from the Stranger. It’d been pushed back and no matter how hard Alear tried, she couldn’t muscle past whatever force was impeding her. She held the grip of the blade so tightly her knuckles turned snow white under her gloves. “What…kind of magic….is this?!”
The stranger narrowed their eyes and then fixed their gaze on Alear.
*BOOM*
It felt as though a massive weight had been abruptly dropped on her back. The ground caved in under Alear’s feet and it took plunging Liberation’s blade into the top of the stairwell to keep from being drilled into the floor and possibly even through it. “ ‘Magic.’ Please. Swords? Knives? You really are no better than animals. I suppose to someone of your primitive ilk, my abilities would look like a magical spectacle wouldn’t they? Alas, I assure you there’s no trickery or sleight of hand here. Just raw indomitable power.”
The Stranger floated a bit closer and Alear’s right knee slammed into the floor hard enough to bloody her kneecap. “If I weren’t so utterly repulsed by your brutish attempts to ‘resist’ me, I’d almost be impressed that you think one knee is enough.” The Stranger slowly lowered their index finger on their left hand and that was it. Liberation remained where Alear had stuck it but she fell flat on her face, unable to so much as even twitch her pinky. “Still feel like going against the grain and putting on some petty attempt at resisting me?”
A grunt of exertion and pain was all they got.
“No? Good. Killing you by accident would have left me with quite the proverbial egg on my face, wouldn’t it? Especially after I had to force my way in..” The Stranger knelt down and Alear could feel those blue eyes boring a hole into her. “In order to avoid any more interference from your little menagerie, I’ve bent the space around us to keep both of us out of sight. To your little friends, nothing will seem out of the ordinary and they’ll proceed as they were. If you could scream, they wouldn’t hear any of it. Not that you’d want them to.” The Stranger laughed. “I’d have to kill them if they did. And I’d make you watch.”
“Wh….at……do…..you…….wan…t”
“What….do….I…..Want?”
The Stranger pointed a finger right in Alear’s face.
“You. Well, not specifically just you. This is just my first stop. I’m aware that this likely isn’t the ideal circumstances to hold a conversation but if you persisted in trying to futilely attack me, it’s either this or I’d have to break your arms and legs and that just wouldn’t do.” Clasping their hands together, the Stranger started to at least try to explain. “You see, I’m not exactly human. Well, humanoidish. From what I’ve gathered neither are you but you’ll excuse me if I fail to see much difference between you and the rest of you insects. In any case, I’ve been having something of an issue with, well let’s call him a peer of mine. He’s taken something of a liking to humanity. He’s even let one of them give him a ‘nickname.’ Ugh…” Even amid the intense pressure weighing her down, Alear could feel the waves of disgust rolling off the Stranger’s words.
They weren’t human and the way they spoke…It didn’t seem like they from ‘here’ at all. What were they…?
“...ar….you….wi…th….Som…bron-”
“Hm? Are you referring to that beast you and your troop took down? No, no…I don’t believe your people have even advanced beyond horses, this might blow your little primitive mind but I’m from up there…” The Stranger pointed upwards.
“...The….sky…?”
“Even further than that…..give or take some lightyears. I’m what you’d call a Mirroran.” It was at this point the Stranger pulled down their hood and Alear was flabbergasted. It was…. her! “Still confused, eh? I figured about as much. No, I’m not a clone. Or a homunculus born of your people’s sorcery. What you see is merely a reflection of you. Well, the idealized version of you. What you wish you could be.” The Stranger didn’t expect Alear to understand and quite frankly didn’t really seem to care either way, just dumping more and more vitriol on the Divine Dragon.
“M…Merrin…What…. What did you do……to her….?”
“Your mate? I removed her. She’s not dead if that’s your concern. I’ve simply removed her from play for the time being. Whether you ever see her or any of your friends again depends on how well you and some others do. You see…” The Stranger smiled and Alear felt disgusted hearing such hatred ebb out of a face that resembled her own with bright blue eyes, completely disowning her origins. “I want to see what my…ugh….’colleague’ thinks is so special about you people.”
“....go to….”
“Aha.” The Stranger mockingly waved a finger in Alear’s face.
“You’re free to refuse. That’s fine. I’ll let you go and be on my way. But I’ll leave this world in ruins before I do and I’ll do a much more thorough job than a ‘dragon’ and you’ll never see…what was her name again?”
“Merrin.”
“Yes. You’ll never see her. Ever. What a shame that’d be? I thought you two animals looked quite adorable together.” The Stranger stood up and pulled their hood back. “So, what’ll it be? Yes or no?”
“....yes.”
“Good.”
It didn’t matter what this monster did. Or whether they came from beyond the stars or from hell itself. Alear would do anything to protect her friends and she’d do anything to get her partner back!
~~~~
Hello! If you’re reading this then you’re already in the know about this RP/please don’t post if you’re not ‘in the know’ so to speak. This is my latest RP idea: TO DIE IS TO LIVE.
An all powerful alien, a member of the mysterious ‘Mirroan’ race, has been going from world to world. Plucking certain individuals for some twisted means. All of those gathered would likely have fared not much better than Alear did and the Stranger would have made very much the same offer. ‘Do as I say or I’ll let you go and leave your world a smoldering crater.’
I’m usually pretty chill as far as power-levels go. If you have a specific idea in mind that you’re possibly worried might mcgoof things up/potentially risk popping a hole in any perceived tension then feel free to get with me in DMs here on RPNation or Discord and we’ll patch things out!
If you have any questions at all, please don’t hesitate to ask!
EXAMPLE SHEET:
Name: Alear
Canon: Fire Emblem (Engage)
Abilities: Being a Divine Dragon and an
, Alear is much stronger than the average person. Capable of batting around heavily armored Corrupted many times her own size. Her draconic time crystal allows her a brief window in order to step back and try to fix past mistakes. She’s a born leader and possesses an innate ability to strengthen her allie’s motivation and give them a brief boost in strength.
Equipment: Liberation/
. Both swords that can only be wielded by the Divine Dragon
Bio: N/A (one of the players might still possibly play Alear’s game later on down the line and I don’t wanna write a whole essay of what Alear accomplishes beyond the broad strokes that I’ve done in the setup/intro post.
I was thinking this over and you can either keep it a secret to reveal what the Stranger had to do or threaten to get your PC to go along with them. Alear’s is solidly to keep safe the world her friends helped to preserve….and also y’know to get Merrin back. If you do choose to keep it a secret publically, I’d ask that you DM me at least. Could help with future plot stuff! Thank you in advance!
Fears: the undead/losing those she loves and cares about/that stupid fishing minigame.
The Fell Dragon’s forces had been vanquished.
His minions and loyal acolytes fell by the wayside, accepting their demise as it were.
Sombron had finally been defeated and his evil put to rest once and for all. Though victory had come at last, it was not without it’s own cost in blood. For as long as she continued to live and breathe, Alear, the Divine Dragon, slayer of the Fell Dragon and hero of the day. None of it would bring her dearest mother back. Not to mention the ceaseless destruction to both kingdom and landscape. Villages had been burned to the ground or had their entire populace butchered like cattle. Monarchs, some beloved, others loathed, had lost their lives in the campaign.
Things would never be as they were.
But, if for just a brief moment, our weary heroine and her friends tried to live in the moment. Bask in it and enjoy it for all that it was worth.
For it wouldn’t last long…
(The Somniel (Evening) - Fire Emblem Engage OST (youtube.com)
“THREE CHEERS FOR THE DIVINE DRAGON!”
The sound of mugs clashing together filled the cafe. Rather than hold a victory ceremony at one specific kingdom, the party had decided to hold it above it all. Quite literally as a matter of fact. The Somniel was a floating island above the land of Lythos and it was only by the Divine Dragon’s blessing that those who were gathered could even gain entry to the island. It had enough utilities on it to hold and support a whole army.
From various shops ranging from buying the latest weapons to the most fashionable attire. One could even unwind and go for a pleasant swim or engage in some light fishing! Alear cherished it and was just as grateful that she’d found and made so many comrades she could share this space with. Having moved some of the tables around in the Somniel’s cafe area, everyone (with the exception of the children, they drank juice much to Anne’s frustration) raised a glass of wine in honor of the woman, the hero, they’d banded together around.
For her part, Alear did her best to remain as humble as ever. Raising her left hand and holding it over her face to mask her face as it turned a bright shade of red, she couldn’t help but smile. “Please, thank you everyone, truly. But this was a group effort. I couldn’t have succeeded without you! All of you made this possible!” Seated next to his younger brother Alycryst, the future king of Brodia, Prince Diamant leaned back in his seat and chuckled warmly. “Perhaps so, but your indomitable persistence in the face of just about anything that came our way certainly helped. When a threat came, you answered.” Alycryst was a touch more shy than his older brother but chimed in all the same. “D-Diamant’s right…B-Bravery is one thing but…I-I wish I had nearly as much courage as you do, Divine One.” The blush grew so strongly on Alear’s face it wouldn’t have at all been remiss to compare her current complexion to that of a freshly picked tomato. Still, she took a deep breath, exhaled, and composed herself before responding. “Both of you did so much. It’s a debt I’ll never be able to repay. Thank you both from the bottom of my heart and Alycryst? Can you do me a favor?”
That got the young lad to sit up straight in his chair and nod his head vigorously. “O-Of course, Divine One!!”
“Have a little more confidence in yourself! You were just as much of an asset as anyone else here. You put your life on the line just like everyone else. Besides, when you and Diamant return to Brodia, he’ll need you in his corner.” Clapping a hand on his younger brother’s back, Diamant nodded. “She’s right, Alycryst. We might….never be able to fill the void that father’s left for us. But I believe that the two of us together can lead our country on a path of prosperity.”
“W-Well…uhm….oh darn it! If the Divine Dragon of all people thinks I can be of some help then okay! I’ll do it!” Just then another voice chimed in. The bright-eyed and bushytailed leader of the self-proclaimed ‘Divine Dragon Fanclub!’, Framme! “From Brodia to Elusia, there’s likely dozens, not hundreds of new fans clamoring for a chance to just get it out there how much the Divine Dragon changed everyone’s lives. For the better even!!” As the crowd seemed poised to boil over into nothing but naked praise, a hand reached out and gently clasped Alear’s right.
The one who’d done so was Merrin. Princess Timerra’s attendant and a warrior in her own right that’d proved her skills time and time again in battle. Truth be told between her strength and poise and friendly personality, Alear couldn’t have been any luckier to have someone so wonderful by her side. Someone she trusted enough to give her precious Pact Ring to. Alear noticed the gesture and smiled back at her partner.
“Although I’m sure that the Divine One is immensely grateful for the outpouring of gratitude and cheers, there’ll be plenty of time to engage in further festivities in the morning.” Vander, one of the Stewards who’d stood by Alear’s side for many years, called out. He spared a brief glance over at Alear and Merrin. He wasn’t blind after all. He’d seen how much the two ladies had grown to care for one another. After everything that had transpired? Some privacy wasn’t too much to ask. “Thank you, Vander. I do believe I’ll be retiring to my quarters for the night. Tomorrow we can resume the activities! I’m looking forward to it!”
“Very well. If the Divine One and Merrin are to step out for the night, I humbly request to share my piece before they do so. ..If that is of course acceptable to both parties.” Panette, another attendant of Princess Timerra, asked. Her hands crossed over her lap as she stared over at her best friends. Both of them heroes in her eyes.
“Of course, Panette. Please don’t ever feel like you have to get my permission to speak your mind.” Alear replied with all the warmth and grace that Panette loved to try and emulate. “Thank you as always, Divine One. Ahem. Now then, I merely wished to put forward the motion of a toast.”
“Oh?”
“Indubitably. Throughout our travels together, we’ve faced countless threats. Our situation wavered from chaotic to downright perilous. Many a situation appeared to be utterly hopeless. But you didn’t let any of it deter you for a second and I’m…I’m simply overjoyed to realize that you’ve found a trusted companion in one of the closest people in my life prior to meeting you, meeting all of you. I wish nothing but the best for Merrin and you. You’ll make for amazing partners.”
Merrin sniffled.
“Thank you, Panette. Between you and Lady Timerra, no…Between all of you, I’ve never felt so loved!”
“Agreed. Thank you, Panette. Thanks to all of my friends that are gathered here today!” Everyone raised their glasses high. “For Alear and Merrin! Yeah!”
Anne grumbled and threw her cup to the side. Everyone was too busy cheering to notice. “We just saved the world and they can’t even afford to mix in a little alcohol in this stupid grape juice. What a rip…” As everything started to die down and others went to bed or moved on to work off their excess energy elsewhere, Alear walked with Merrin, hand in hand, towards her room.
“...Huh.”
“What is it, Alear?”
“I guess it’d be our room now wouldn’t it?”
“I….heh. I guess so.”
The two ladies shared a hug. “You go on ahead. I’m gonna go see if-”
(The Strokes - The Adults Are Talking (Official Audio) (youtube.com))
“Cute.”
The two froze at the unfamiliar voice. Alear had made it a point to try and get to know everyone who’d aided her in the battle against Sombron’s forces. Did she know every innate detail of every one of her companion’s lives? Maybe there were some details they preferred to keep privvy and of course Alear would respect that. But this stranger’s presence felt utterly overwhelming. To the point that it felt like a physical pressure was pushing down on her. They were just a few feet away, their shoes looking practically identical to Alear’s own. They didn’t appear to be touching the ground at all. Floating a few inches off it as a matter of fact. They wore a black cloak that served to obscure any visible facial features but Alear could see two glowing blue eyes leering out at her from inside the hood. “...Who are you?” She asked cautiously, careful not to make any sudden moves to reach for her sword. Everyone was still worn out from the last battle and starting a fight here and now? The risk for someone getting seriously hurt was far too high.
“I’m curious. What kind of wards did you have around this place? Initially, I tried to just waltz right in but some kind of invisible barrier stopped me. Dealing with it was trivial of course. But it piqued my interest-” The figure started to go on and on, having seemingly ignored Alear’s request for them to identify themselves. Merrin narrowed her eyes and reached for a knife. “Just tell us who you are and how you’ve found this place!” Nobody without the Divine Dragon’s explicit blessing should have been able to step foot on the Somniel..
“Ah.”
The figure raised their left arm.
Merrin and Alear both tensed up. The second this stranger made any hostile moves, they’d be on them in a second. End this quick and try to get some answers. “Merrin, watch my back. I’ll move in on the left, you move in on the right. Try to see if we can get a good idea of what we’re dealing with.” “Right. I’ll protect you no matter what.”
“Again, cute. But..”
Merrin and Alear went for it. Merrin hurled a knife and Alear raced in, drawing Liberation, and going in for a side swipe. It looked as though they’d easily outmaneuvered the stranger. But then something strange seemed to happen.
“What the-”
Merrin’s knife didn’t hit it’s mark. It hadn’t even gotten close. It was thought it’d been flung off course entirely and the stranger hadn’t done anything, at least not anything that Merrin could have visually observed. The knife crashed against a nearby marble railing and clattered to the ground, the blade severely chipped. Alear’s swipe didn’t fare any better. She nearly lost her balance and almost flung the sword away like a chatput player. The area that she’d intended to strike with her sword had just pushed her away and left her spinning on her heels.
“You won’t lay a finger on me unless I wish it.” The stranger let their sleeve fall down to reveal a gloved hand as they waved in Merrin’s direction. Steadying herself and trying to gather what exactly had just happened, Alear looked over to Merrin, her eyes widening in terror. “Merrin! Look out!!”
They exchanged worried glances and Merrin reached out. “Alear!”
Alear tried to meet the outstretched hand with her own. But it was to no avail.
Merrin was gone, having simply vanished into thin air.
“Much more quiet now.”
“Merrin….” Alear idly waved her hand in the empty space that her partner had previously occupied. “I imagine you’re awfully confused about what’s just transpired. That’s about what I expected. If you’ll stop and listen for just a moment, I can explain-” Alear didn’t give the stranger another second. Alear raised Liberation above her head and swung it down at the Stranger’s left shoulder with as much force behind the blow as she could muster.
*CRASH*
The force was enough to shatter the ground and send a resounding shockwave through the staircase splitting it open and sending debris this way and that.
“I asked you to stop. Now, it seems I'll have to make you."
The blade hovered inches away from the Stranger. It’d been pushed back and no matter how hard Alear tried, she couldn’t muscle past whatever force was impeding her. She held the grip of the blade so tightly her knuckles turned snow white under her gloves. “What…kind of magic….is this?!”
The stranger narrowed their eyes and then fixed their gaze on Alear.
*BOOM*
It felt as though a massive weight had been abruptly dropped on her back. The ground caved in under Alear’s feet and it took plunging Liberation’s blade into the top of the stairwell to keep from being drilled into the floor and possibly even through it. “ ‘Magic.’ Please. Swords? Knives? You really are no better than animals. I suppose to someone of your primitive ilk, my abilities would look like a magical spectacle wouldn’t they? Alas, I assure you there’s no trickery or sleight of hand here. Just raw indomitable power.”
The Stranger floated a bit closer and Alear’s right knee slammed into the floor hard enough to bloody her kneecap. “If I weren’t so utterly repulsed by your brutish attempts to ‘resist’ me, I’d almost be impressed that you think one knee is enough.” The Stranger slowly lowered their index finger on their left hand and that was it. Liberation remained where Alear had stuck it but she fell flat on her face, unable to so much as even twitch her pinky. “Still feel like going against the grain and putting on some petty attempt at resisting me?”
A grunt of exertion and pain was all they got.
“No? Good. Killing you by accident would have left me with quite the proverbial egg on my face, wouldn’t it? Especially after I had to force my way in..” The Stranger knelt down and Alear could feel those blue eyes boring a hole into her. “In order to avoid any more interference from your little menagerie, I’ve bent the space around us to keep both of us out of sight. To your little friends, nothing will seem out of the ordinary and they’ll proceed as they were. If you could scream, they wouldn’t hear any of it. Not that you’d want them to.” The Stranger laughed. “I’d have to kill them if they did. And I’d make you watch.”
“Wh….at……do…..you…….wan…t”
“What….do….I…..Want?”
The Stranger pointed a finger right in Alear’s face.
“You. Well, not specifically just you. This is just my first stop. I’m aware that this likely isn’t the ideal circumstances to hold a conversation but if you persisted in trying to futilely attack me, it’s either this or I’d have to break your arms and legs and that just wouldn’t do.” Clasping their hands together, the Stranger started to at least try to explain. “You see, I’m not exactly human. Well, humanoidish. From what I’ve gathered neither are you but you’ll excuse me if I fail to see much difference between you and the rest of you insects. In any case, I’ve been having something of an issue with, well let’s call him a peer of mine. He’s taken something of a liking to humanity. He’s even let one of them give him a ‘nickname.’ Ugh…” Even amid the intense pressure weighing her down, Alear could feel the waves of disgust rolling off the Stranger’s words.
They weren’t human and the way they spoke…It didn’t seem like they from ‘here’ at all. What were they…?
“...ar….you….wi…th….Som…bron-”
“Hm? Are you referring to that beast you and your troop took down? No, no…I don’t believe your people have even advanced beyond horses, this might blow your little primitive mind but I’m from up there…” The Stranger pointed upwards.
“...The….sky…?”
“Even further than that…..give or take some lightyears. I’m what you’d call a Mirroran.” It was at this point the Stranger pulled down their hood and Alear was flabbergasted. It was…. her! “Still confused, eh? I figured about as much. No, I’m not a clone. Or a homunculus born of your people’s sorcery. What you see is merely a reflection of you. Well, the idealized version of you. What you wish you could be.” The Stranger didn’t expect Alear to understand and quite frankly didn’t really seem to care either way, just dumping more and more vitriol on the Divine Dragon.
“M…Merrin…What…. What did you do……to her….?”
“Your mate? I removed her. She’s not dead if that’s your concern. I’ve simply removed her from play for the time being. Whether you ever see her or any of your friends again depends on how well you and some others do. You see…” The Stranger smiled and Alear felt disgusted hearing such hatred ebb out of a face that resembled her own with bright blue eyes, completely disowning her origins. “I want to see what my…ugh….’colleague’ thinks is so special about you people.”
“....go to….”
“Aha.” The Stranger mockingly waved a finger in Alear’s face.
“You’re free to refuse. That’s fine. I’ll let you go and be on my way. But I’ll leave this world in ruins before I do and I’ll do a much more thorough job than a ‘dragon’ and you’ll never see…what was her name again?”
“Merrin.”
“Yes. You’ll never see her. Ever. What a shame that’d be? I thought you two animals looked quite adorable together.” The Stranger stood up and pulled their hood back. “So, what’ll it be? Yes or no?”
“....yes.”
“Good.”
It didn’t matter what this monster did. Or whether they came from beyond the stars or from hell itself. Alear would do anything to protect her friends and she’d do anything to get her partner back!
~~~~
Hello! If you’re reading this then you’re already in the know about this RP/please don’t post if you’re not ‘in the know’ so to speak. This is my latest RP idea: TO DIE IS TO LIVE.
An all powerful alien, a member of the mysterious ‘Mirroan’ race, has been going from world to world. Plucking certain individuals for some twisted means. All of those gathered would likely have fared not much better than Alear did and the Stranger would have made very much the same offer. ‘Do as I say or I’ll let you go and leave your world a smoldering crater.’
I’m usually pretty chill as far as power-levels go. If you have a specific idea in mind that you’re possibly worried might mcgoof things up/potentially risk popping a hole in any perceived tension then feel free to get with me in DMs here on RPNation or Discord and we’ll patch things out!
If you have any questions at all, please don’t hesitate to ask!
EXAMPLE SHEET:
Name: Alear
Canon: Fire Emblem (Engage)
Abilities: Being a Divine Dragon and an
Emblem
Equipment: Liberation/
Willie Glanz
Bio: N/A (one of the players might still possibly play Alear’s game later on down the line and I don’t wanna write a whole essay of what Alear accomplishes beyond the broad strokes that I’ve done in the setup/intro post.
I was thinking this over and you can either keep it a secret to reveal what the Stranger had to do or threaten to get your PC to go along with them. Alear’s is solidly to keep safe the world her friends helped to preserve….and also y’know to get Merrin back. If you do choose to keep it a secret publically, I’d ask that you DM me at least. Could help with future plot stuff! Thank you in advance!
Fears: the undead/losing those she loves and cares about/that stupid fishing minigame.
