Being perched up above the battle field had its perks but today he was out with his SMG, snagging an enemy scout and continuing to walk around as quiet as he could. Something seemed off by his teams calls though – mentioning an odd child on the battlefield. He snatched his riffle from his back, setting in his grip and letting the barrel slip against the wall and letting a shot ring, hitting a soldier before he heard a voice.
A spy? No, that fancy wuss wouldn’t sound so young…
He took the risk, letting eyes glance to what was on the other side of the wall to be absolutely confused for a moment. His team wasn’t kidding. When one of his came rushing around the corner, he grasped them, looking to them, saying something in a matter of a whisper before they were sent off and he begun to do his work.
Once again pulling the submachine gun out, standing in front of the kid, he motioned to run to the right, wordless as he continued to listen for anything behind them. It was a safer spot but any of those damn BLUs could be on their way here to capture their point. “Get goin’ kid, ya’ ain’t got all day unless ya’ want to die.”
That cold voice that escaped him annoyed his very core, grasping onto the younger looking and beginning to tug him along, keeping near cover as he kept his hand on the trigger, ready to fire at any one else who dare come his way. “Why the bloody ‘ell are ya’ even out here kid– this is a war zone.” He grumbled, freezing as he looked directly to the kid. Odd clothing for sure. Not from Russia, Ireland or Australian and like hell from America so… Where could this kid have come from?
Mind was over working before he shook it from thought. “Just keep yer head down low and keep quiet. We’re almost outta’ range.”
Artillery shells rained like hell on the field, Emil’s fingers finding his ears to silence the sharp ringing cacophony of noises. Pinging, panging, sharp noises that were almost like successive pelting rocks against the metallic surfaces he hid behind, ( or, for that matter, any of the people who passed him, )languages[ dialects ] spitting past lips, code-words making contact into speakers on their shoulders, fronts, somewhere to give a response to someone. Emil was able to discern teamwork between the players, large and bulky pushed out in front, a man behind ( why were they mispronouncing medicine every once in a while? ) careful to provide aide appropriately.
Emil watched all of this. Trying, ( with careful movements ) to move around, and he did for the most part. He avoided fire from their weaponry ( except once, a long, thin line of blood dripping down his cheek from when he had glanced up one too many times ) when a person caught his attention. Voice dripping thick with another of those accents he’d heard plenty of around, his eyes blinked. A bit … disoriented from all of what he was taking in.
It had been in the Guinnungigap that this had happened. He’d activated it, due to his own thought process ( Ratatosk would be in charge of any strange happenings there, after all ) and tried figuring out what was wrong, when he had been taken … well, here.
At first he’d been rather dizzy, but certain things
don’t wait for you to get back on your feet.
Staring at the man in strange attire, he dully recognized the term kid. His face flushed, the vibrant shade of red something rather entertaining in retrospect. The cold tone was not registered, instead he glanced back once more, looking over and then back at the man, eyeing his weapon. Unfortunately, that didn’t quite seem to cut it. A hand wrapped around his wrist and he was pulled along. Being scolded for coming out here when he hadn’t even meant to!
Part of him wanted to point that out, apologize, say he didn’t know what he was walking into, but then he was told to just keep silent. So he nodded appropriately. Silent, Emil could do. Being quiet was a lot easier than talking, anyway. His fingers moved, once again lingering idly on his own weapon of choice, the longsword at his back ready for whatever ( if they came to close ) to take.
“Uhm…I know you s-said to be quiet, b-but…” Emil’s voice mumbled, eyes glancing backwards. “…where am I?”
––And there, a sound reminiscent of a sigh. ”…M-my apologies.” (Was he shaking a bit? Perhaps. Would he do his best to hide it? Of course.)
It’s a rule. You [ never ] lie to Emil. Not when you’re upset. Not when you’re his friend.
He notices the trembling fingers, hidden by bandages notices the attempt of an apology, trying to hide away what should be embraced.
So his hands reach, collecting trembling digits within his own, a smile, so soft and understanding touching his lips to let the other know he does not need to tell him anything.
Because he will be there anyway. "Neh, neh! W-what’s a friend for, if n-not this?“ And there was his smile again. Hands a comfort to embrace the assassin with, to let fingers steady themselves silently.
“Orion? Oh, that is a nice name! I haven’t heard one like it before.” And there, a little smile adorned cowled features, blond head tilting to the side in a rather curious manner.
Emil nodded in agreement, a hum following his thoughts, the other seeming to be quite … well, content?
"I th-thought so too! It’s not his real name th-though. But we’ve gotten so used to calling him that, I think he and I would both get confused if I tr-tried using his actual one.“
Ludger blinked as the other claimed to not know of the Allium orb, a technology he had been told originated from a Rieze Maxian design. “It’s the upgraded version of Lillium orbs,” He offered helpfully, wondering if maybe the knowledge just wasn’t widespread in Rieze Maxia. Ludger himself hadn’t heard of it until a year after the schism dispelled after all.
“Um, you don’t have to have one, but they help develop your potential and allows two people with allium orbs to link. Which means it lets you know what your partner’s intentions are, so it helps two people fight together.” This was actually really hard to explain. “I’d really recommend getting one if you know you’re going to be fighting.
"We can get you one from the accessory store if you want, and I have a few extractors I’m not using anymore you can have.”
Truthfully, Emil was a bit surprised with the sound of these ‘orb’ things. That humans had come so far in cooperative fighting … and it sounded like it’d be helpful later on too! His head canted to the side curiously, watching Ludger’s words and trying to seem a bit more knowledgable on the subject (him pretending to be a 'Rieze Maxian’ … or whatever they’re called) while he thought along it. “Oh…”
"Well … i-if it’d help you and I fight together,“ Emil gave a side-smile, ”Sure! I’m … e-erm … k-kind’ve counting on you to take me there though.“ He gave a little laugh, hand clasping behind his head. He’d have no way to know how to do this, or how it would react to him.
He just knew that he didn’t want to cause Ludger any problems. So, if it would make it any easier for him, than it’d be a good thing. Emil himself was rather open to the idea of trying new things. If it made different worlds easier to look through, to meet and see … oh, it’d be absolutely fantastic! ”Please take care of me!“ He bowed his head real quickly before looking back up. ”Th-though you don’t have to worry about the extractors … I’m … p-pretty certain I’ll be fine without those.“ Whatever they even were.
“Wait a minute, you can’t do what anymore?” the silverette asked, staring at the blonde with quite the bewildered expression. As usual, he hadn’t the slightest idea what was going on.
"This.“ He stated, arms opening to encompass all of him. ”Living, watching a-all of you die, see people, love them, like them g-grow close to them … I’m feeling so l-lost, so terrified, but I can’t do anything, I’m j-just helpless to help anyone and I can’t…I j-just can’t. Not anymore.“ He had not meant to shout, had not meant to draw attention, but when asked, his mouth had started moving, his words spilling past lips to show his pain and how much he hurt.
Leaning in, Ludger glanced at Emil’s monster book as the kid flipped through it. his information was…extensive, full of creatures Ludger hasn’t seen despite his travels over all corners of the known world. He got only a quick glimpse of each page before it finally settled on Simoriah. Ludger read through the description with a quick grimace, imagining a giant spider that could could spit fire, on top of what you’d normally expect of a monstrous spider.
It didn’t help when Emil put its size into perspective next to him, and Ludger could only imagine the kind of chaos it would cause if it got anywhere near a populated area.
“Yeah, I don’t think having it wander around here will end well. I know this area pretty well, mind if I tag along?” It’s not like he can just leave some kid and his pet wolf to deal with this on their own after all; this sounded dangerous.
Emil stuffed the book into his pack, making sure the room for it worked well before looking in surprise to Ludger’s offer. He had been going to ask if the other had seen him, but he hadn’t thought of asking for legitimate help from another person. His cheeks slowly began darkening in color as eyes widened– “O-oh my! If you want, I-I mean, I don’t … r-really know my way around, but …” Worried eyes flickered back, then forth…
"I mean…I d-don’t want you getting hurt on my account…“ There was an earnest plea in his voice. ”You don’t have to … if you d-don’t want to.“ He was not one to accept things so easily, which was strange, but mostly here it was the fact he didn’t know what brought upon such a question.
That and what if he’d seen this ‘beastcraft’ before? For all Emil knew, he might distinguish between what Emil did and beastcraft! His fingers were smoothing through Orion’s fur, the animal giving a whine and licking at Emil’s cheek, procuring a half-smile. ”…well, Orion’s f-fine with it …“ And if Orion could behave, then he supposed it wouldn’t be too bad…
Emil smiled, ”Just d-don’t push yourself, okay? I’ll deal with a-any front-line fighting.“
Creature. Thing. Ungodly. Beast. Nowhere to turn, nowhere in a village that you know to have been your home. It is fixed, the water runs smoothly as you keep the world balanced.
It is you who helps them. You fix e v e r y t h i n g. Yet Monster is what they call you.
Monster is how they see you.
So in silence you go. Walk through them quietly with the barest hint of a smile, and when a stone is thrown that hits your head, show no hesitation to keep moving forward. It hurts. You feel crimson beginning to drip, heart trembling, unsure if whether now you exist from heaven or hell.
{ Martel, save me… }
He prays to the goddess, for years of strain cling to his body. Years, despite innocent and young nature. No scars can be seen that are not new. Void stared into, flickering, fluttering, leaves grow old, whither die, again and again, new season upon new season, rain, ice and snow, rebirth, heat, rain, ice and snow, rebirth, heat…
You stand through it all, head lowered, blood dripping down his head, warmth accepted for it is the pain that reminds you: you are alive.
There was no comfort however to remind you of your feelings. This was good, that was important. For if you felt the comfort of another person, you would begin to break again and again.
Watch a grave crumble as the years crush upon nature until it nothing but mounds of dust.
"Emil, are you alright?”
An old woman, a phantom of imagination, someone who looked so similar to you, blue eyes swimming in compassion. { you do not exist }
”I am a monster.”
These are the first words now spoken with no stutter, green oculars uplifting to the children who had thrown the stone, the phantom dispersing as you walk through it without flinching. The children’s fingers now begin to shake, and you know they do. You can hear it, bones creaking with strain only to follow through with thumps, padding of feet running away from him, rocks to the ground.
And you wish … they had thrown just one more stone.
—
”H-hey!“ There y— he is. Green hues smiling down at you as he offers a hand. “Are you alright? Y-you were spacing out there.” His fingers gently incase yours, as if he was handling something precious. As he always did…
“I’m sure nothing’s wrong with my hair, so what exactly are you doing?”
Emil’s cheeks brightened with red, eyes ducking as he continued to gently fiddle with Mithos’ hair. ”U-uhmm…“ he said quietly, ”J-just… s-something…“ Which basically included brushing Mithos’ hair as well as threading strands together, braiding pieces while including a flower nearer to the end.
