05-17-2018, 08:39 AM
Erik sighed as he took in the fresh mountain air, he and Brynhild arriving in the tombguard necropolis. While the architecture of the city was nice enough, a vast majority of it was either white, grey or black, and the only decoration was the occasionally skull mural. He couldn't help but miss the twisting, unpredictable style that his home temple city had.
The few people walking through the streets of the small city barely noticed the pair as they rode in, most of them being used to seeing mindbreakers in their city and the remainder simply not caring. Stabling their horses, Erik and Brynhild made their way to the great temple at the heart of the city, the meeting place Marcus had arranged for them. A pair of tombguard stood sentinel at the main entrance.
“Erik Vrell and Brynhild Havard, here to see the high elder.” Erik said. The guards looked uncertain for a moment, before one cracked the door open and called inside.
“A pair of mindbreakers here for you, high elder. One says he's a Vrell.”
“Let them in.” A low voice called from within. The guards obeyed, opening the doors up for the psychics. The pair entered the temple, coming face to face with the high elder of the tombguards. Marcus Augur was unnaturally tall, surpassing 6’6”, and freakishly thin, looking appropriately like an oversized skeleton. His face did nothing to change his appearance, his eyes sunken with dark circles under them, and his face thin. He wore all black, even his hair, as if he were attending a funeral, a common custom among the priesthood of the death God. Despite all this, Marcus considered himself a lady’s man for reasons that escaped Erik. The only the he had going for him was his age, only two years above Erik, making him the youngest high elder in tombguard history. Unfortunately, the position of tombguard high elder had been reduced to little more than a title.
“Ah, Erik Vrell. Always a pleasure.” The high elder drawled derisively.
“Now now, Marcus, don't forget that we are of the same rank.” Erik chided, a small grin crossing his face. Marcus’ expression darkened at the comment. The fact that the mindbreakers held more sway over his cult than he did was a sore subject for him.
“Hmph. Ah, Brynhild, a sight for sore eyes after seeing this one.” Marcus said, both ignoring Erik’s comment and motioning to the priest simultaneously.
“Hello, high elder Marcus.” Brynhild sighed, cautious to contain her annoyance at the tombguard’s flirting lest Erik start harassing him harder.
“I assume you both know why you're here?” Marcus inquired.
“Of course.” Erik responded. “We’re here to protect your sister.”
“Indeed. It is of utmost importance that she stays safe. I don't know what I'd do if I lost her…” Marcus said, a splash of worry creeping into his expression. “You haven't met yet, have you? Minerva! The mindbreakers are here!”
“Coming.” A female voice called from a side corridor, followed by the tapping of feet on black marble. The tombguard priestess turned the corner and speed walked over to the psychics, shaking their hands. Erik’s first impression of the girl was nothing like her brother. She was a little younger than Erik, by no more than half a year by his estimate, and shared the pale complexion and pitch black hair, of Marcus. Her face was fairly normal looking, barring slight dark circles under her eyes, and her expression was surprisingly cheery for a servant of the death God. While her height was fairly normal, she seemed short compared to her freakishly tall brother. She wore black, just as her brother did, but Erik couldn't help but notice a splash of colour in the bracelet she wore, breaking the dreary monotony. The first word that came to Erik’s mind was ‘pretty’, but he quickly shoved those thoughts away. If not because of his celibacy, because he just couldn't get along with her brother.
“A pleasure to meet you.” Minerva grinned as she vigorously shook the hands of the mindbreakers.
“And you too.” Erik said as he mentally contacted Marcus
“Does she know she's being targeted?” Erik asked telepathically.
“She does.” Marcus silently replied. “But she refuses to let it dampen her spirit.”
Erik couldn't help but find her endurance admirable as she shook Brynhild’s hand.
“So, Minerva, just do what you'd normally do today, and these two will protect you.” Marcus said, pulling his sister into a brief hug. “Please, stay safe though.”
“I will.” She replied, waving her brother goodbye as she left the temple, her new bodyguards in tow. The trio walked in silence for a moment before Minerva turned back to Erik.
“So you're Erik Vrell, huh?” She asked.
“I am.” The priest responded, a little confused about where it was going.
“My brother has told me a lot about you.” The tombguard said brightly, causing Erik’s stomach to drop. What lies had Marcus fed the girl? “Like how you use the crippled as fodder when you go into battle, and that you're romantically involved with your sister.”
“Don't believe him!” Erik almost shouted, not wanting to girl to think he was a little too close with Freya. It wouldn't be the first time Marcus had tried to circulate that rumour.
“Don't worry.” Minerva giggled. “I know he's making stuff up. Like the building he said you burned down, we all know that was just a rogue fire.”
“Yeah.” Erik laughed nervously. “Of course.”
“And I've heard a lot about you too, Brynhild.” Minerva said, turning to the retainer.
“Eh? You have?” Brynhild said, surprised.
“Yeah. You probably don't want to hear what he said about you, though.” The tombguard said, shuddering slightly.
“Was it that bad?”
“No, he only said good things about you. Too good…”
Erik and Brynhild shared a disturbed look, while the retainer quietly resolved never to be left alone with Marcus.
“So, what do you do?” Erik inquired, curious about where he would be following the girl.
“Well, first I need to go perform some final rites, then do some grave digging, then pray, then I go home to eat, then sleep.” Minerva said. “Normally I have more time, but you got here a little late, so I’m getting no time off today until I finish my prayers.”
“Oh, my apologies.” Erik said, feeling guilty about robbing the girl of her time.
“No matter, it gave me time to sleep in this morning at least.” She said, smiling cheerfully. “Come on, the graveyard is right up ahead.”
The few people walking through the streets of the small city barely noticed the pair as they rode in, most of them being used to seeing mindbreakers in their city and the remainder simply not caring. Stabling their horses, Erik and Brynhild made their way to the great temple at the heart of the city, the meeting place Marcus had arranged for them. A pair of tombguard stood sentinel at the main entrance.
“Erik Vrell and Brynhild Havard, here to see the high elder.” Erik said. The guards looked uncertain for a moment, before one cracked the door open and called inside.
“A pair of mindbreakers here for you, high elder. One says he's a Vrell.”
“Let them in.” A low voice called from within. The guards obeyed, opening the doors up for the psychics. The pair entered the temple, coming face to face with the high elder of the tombguards. Marcus Augur was unnaturally tall, surpassing 6’6”, and freakishly thin, looking appropriately like an oversized skeleton. His face did nothing to change his appearance, his eyes sunken with dark circles under them, and his face thin. He wore all black, even his hair, as if he were attending a funeral, a common custom among the priesthood of the death God. Despite all this, Marcus considered himself a lady’s man for reasons that escaped Erik. The only the he had going for him was his age, only two years above Erik, making him the youngest high elder in tombguard history. Unfortunately, the position of tombguard high elder had been reduced to little more than a title.
“Ah, Erik Vrell. Always a pleasure.” The high elder drawled derisively.
“Now now, Marcus, don't forget that we are of the same rank.” Erik chided, a small grin crossing his face. Marcus’ expression darkened at the comment. The fact that the mindbreakers held more sway over his cult than he did was a sore subject for him.
“Hmph. Ah, Brynhild, a sight for sore eyes after seeing this one.” Marcus said, both ignoring Erik’s comment and motioning to the priest simultaneously.
“Hello, high elder Marcus.” Brynhild sighed, cautious to contain her annoyance at the tombguard’s flirting lest Erik start harassing him harder.
“I assume you both know why you're here?” Marcus inquired.
“Of course.” Erik responded. “We’re here to protect your sister.”
“Indeed. It is of utmost importance that she stays safe. I don't know what I'd do if I lost her…” Marcus said, a splash of worry creeping into his expression. “You haven't met yet, have you? Minerva! The mindbreakers are here!”
“Coming.” A female voice called from a side corridor, followed by the tapping of feet on black marble. The tombguard priestess turned the corner and speed walked over to the psychics, shaking their hands. Erik’s first impression of the girl was nothing like her brother. She was a little younger than Erik, by no more than half a year by his estimate, and shared the pale complexion and pitch black hair, of Marcus. Her face was fairly normal looking, barring slight dark circles under her eyes, and her expression was surprisingly cheery for a servant of the death God. While her height was fairly normal, she seemed short compared to her freakishly tall brother. She wore black, just as her brother did, but Erik couldn't help but notice a splash of colour in the bracelet she wore, breaking the dreary monotony. The first word that came to Erik’s mind was ‘pretty’, but he quickly shoved those thoughts away. If not because of his celibacy, because he just couldn't get along with her brother.
“A pleasure to meet you.” Minerva grinned as she vigorously shook the hands of the mindbreakers.
“And you too.” Erik said as he mentally contacted Marcus
“Does she know she's being targeted?” Erik asked telepathically.
“She does.” Marcus silently replied. “But she refuses to let it dampen her spirit.”
Erik couldn't help but find her endurance admirable as she shook Brynhild’s hand.
“So, Minerva, just do what you'd normally do today, and these two will protect you.” Marcus said, pulling his sister into a brief hug. “Please, stay safe though.”
“I will.” She replied, waving her brother goodbye as she left the temple, her new bodyguards in tow. The trio walked in silence for a moment before Minerva turned back to Erik.
“So you're Erik Vrell, huh?” She asked.
“I am.” The priest responded, a little confused about where it was going.
“My brother has told me a lot about you.” The tombguard said brightly, causing Erik’s stomach to drop. What lies had Marcus fed the girl? “Like how you use the crippled as fodder when you go into battle, and that you're romantically involved with your sister.”
“Don't believe him!” Erik almost shouted, not wanting to girl to think he was a little too close with Freya. It wouldn't be the first time Marcus had tried to circulate that rumour.
“Don't worry.” Minerva giggled. “I know he's making stuff up. Like the building he said you burned down, we all know that was just a rogue fire.”
“Yeah.” Erik laughed nervously. “Of course.”
“And I've heard a lot about you too, Brynhild.” Minerva said, turning to the retainer.
“Eh? You have?” Brynhild said, surprised.
“Yeah. You probably don't want to hear what he said about you, though.” The tombguard said, shuddering slightly.
“Was it that bad?”
“No, he only said good things about you. Too good…”
Erik and Brynhild shared a disturbed look, while the retainer quietly resolved never to be left alone with Marcus.
“So, what do you do?” Erik inquired, curious about where he would be following the girl.
“Well, first I need to go perform some final rites, then do some grave digging, then pray, then I go home to eat, then sleep.” Minerva said. “Normally I have more time, but you got here a little late, so I’m getting no time off today until I finish my prayers.”
“Oh, my apologies.” Erik said, feeling guilty about robbing the girl of her time.
“No matter, it gave me time to sleep in this morning at least.” She said, smiling cheerfully. “Come on, the graveyard is right up ahead.”
*The emperor of mankind yeets erik into a sun*
[Today 08:03 pm] Erik Vrell : Bruh
[Today 08:03 pm] The emperor of mankind : don't worship gods
[Today 08:03 pm] Erik Vrell : Bruh
[Today 08:03 pm] The emperor of mankind : don't worship gods