Mount Othrys, or should I say the last stronghold of the Bronze Sea. What was once a barren and forgotten yet sacred mountain is now a hustling and bustling settlement created by the united forces of assassins, marines, bronze legion soldiers, pirates alike. The capital of the settlement is right in front of the sacred statue of Poseidon himself.
Somewhere deep in the mountains, where the trees rustle and the ever-pouring rain drips down lies a wood cabin. Outside lies a sign that says the words:
Sage’s Cabin
In that very cabin was a girl, sitting on a couch deeply lost in thought. The fire that was once in an optimistic girl was extinguished, replaced with soulless eyes. Yet she still lives, still carrying on that hope that one day, all her efforts will not be in vain.
A cloaked man appears outside the cabin, carrying a fruit basket. He peeks at the girl in the cabin through a window, she’s still staring at the fire. He walks over to the door, releasing a sigh.
“Hey Ju-” His sentence was interrupted by a few bolts of wood magic that nearly impaled him. The girl turns around, realising it was just him. She released him from her sprouts of wood. Despite this, she still had her eye locked on him.
“Jeez Jules, why do you have to greet me like this everytime?” Tobin places the fruit basket on a table. He taps his feet, waiting for a response.
“Sigh, I’d prefer to not be assaulted by atlanteans thank you very much.” Juleon spits out a sentence. She goes back to staring at the fire yet again.
Tobin walks over. He sees Juleon had given him a vacant seat, which he gladly accepted. He too stares at the fire, curious as to why his friend loves it so much. He looks at Juleon as the embers of the fire lit the room up.
“What’s a Dawnblazer doing here?” Juleon spoke. Tobin could feel how weightless that question felt. She’s still like how she was those months back, still trying to lighten up the mood even in the darkest times. Even if she’s the one having a bad time.
“Just visiting my dear friend.” He said, winking. Juleon didn’t even bother looking at him. He gets even more concerned once he sees her face.
An eyepatch over her right eye. Tobin knew she doesn’t wear an eyepatch, and usually you’d only wear it when you’re sailing on a boat. But those days were over. His next question just slipped out of his mouth.
“What’s with the eyepatch?”
Juleon can’t help but turn her head slowly. They awkwardly stare at each other, with Tobin hoping that she responds, and her hoping he’d just forget asking the question. And yet, he continued.
“Just… just tell me your problems. I know what you’ve been thro-” More words slipped out his mouth.
“You know?” Juleon cuts his sentence short. She suddenly stood up and started shouting. “YOU KNOW? YOU SERIOUSLY THINK YOU KNOW WHAT I’VE SEEN? WHAT I’VE BEEN THROUGH? YOU HAVE ALL OF THOSE IN THE SETTLEMENT TO CARE ABOUT YOU AND I HAVE NO ONE.” She stutters, before she bursts into tears. “No… one…”
“Hey hey come on, I didn’t mean it…”
Tobin was glued to his seat. He felt helpless, unable to help her recover from this state. He was curious, how a kind and cheerful girl became such a depressed clump of emotions in the span of 4 months. It’s true, he has no idea what she’s been through, especially after saving her from a bunch of atlanteans from Palo Town.
Palo Town, the place where both their traumas lie.
Juleon eventually stopped sobbing, returning back to her seat. She’s back to her usual lost-in-thought state. For a moment, only the crackling of the furnace made the room lively.
“What happened before we saved you?” Even more words slipped out of Tobin’s mouth as curiosity took the lead. This odd question was enough to attract her attention. Perhaps it was the first time someone asked her that question. The mage was inevitably expecting another tantrum from her, but instead she answered with her optimistic tone.
“I’ll tell you, since you want those answers so badly.” She sighs.
“Cirrus Island…
There Juleon sat, her eyes laid on the gravestone wrapped with a tattered blue scarf. Beside this gravestone was one with an iron sword stabbed in it, the other having a white sweater laid on it. She chanted prayers, wishing they would pass on peacefully.
It was almost as if she could see themselves, walking through the town without a care in the world. Another peaceful day in Palo Town. Oh how horribly wrong she was.
Most just thought it was bad weather. Dark purple clouds start to plague the Bronze Sea, descending the inhabitants into a dark abyss. However, those who have been through the insanity one too many times knew what it was. Those who knew warned everyone on the streets while under the acidic downpour of the violet rain. Many didn’t care, including her crew. They waited in their humble abode, waiting for the storm to pass. Little did they know, this was a nightmare they couldn’t wake up from.
Some thought it was the Reckoning. Those fishes who were once the prey were now the predator, flooding through the town. With each predator they struck down, even more took its place. With each prey they struck down, their hunger still yearned for more. There she was amidst the chaos, striking down atlantean by atlantean. She wanted to escape, but the sense of duty kept her will from cowardice.
She thought it was the Wrath of the Gods. Her captain enforced an order to retreat to his entire crew. She was among the stubborn ones, refusing to leave him behind. Yet in the end, she was dragged out the chaos, on their way to the nearest safe haven. She could still hear them, those gurgling screams and the sound of blades cutting through flesh seared into her mind.
And yet there she sat, amongst the headstones of those who contributed to the evacuation of the town and longevity of this community. She even made a few more gravestones, just in case she would ever kick the bucket. A hand reaches out to her as she tries to get up.
Beach Solus, one of the members of the crew she’s in, brings Juleon back on her feet. She pats her pants, making sure it looks as clean as possible. Beach takes a better look at his comrade, feeling a bit concerned about their recent actions.
“Juleon, you alright?” He asked, trying to act tough as if he wasn’t crying a few moments earlier.
“I’m alright Beach, let’s get going.” She sniffled, pulling a handkerchief out of her pocket. And yet she continued, which prompted Beach to speak with her no further. They left the cemetery, but they know they’ll return again.
Today was the 6th expedition Cirrus Island has taken towards claiming Palo Town for their own. They sent a crew of navy men, guided by both Beach and Juleon. The previous solo expedition failed miserably, so they hope to recover the body, or atleast confirm his death. The two guiding this small group however had other plans. To confirm the death of their fellow mates along with their captain.
The departing went rather smoothly. A few explosive barrels dropped from the sky wiped out most of the beasts while the stragglers were slain one by one. The boat they stole in order to ride to Palo Town was also in good condition. Albeit on the way were some random atlanteans climbing up the boat, it was smooth sailing. Once they were near Palo Town, an atlantean started shooting the ship down with explosive cannonballs. Juleon, being reckless as ever, had her right foot blasted off when the first cannonball hit the ship. It was painful, but she knew shouting would only attract even more atlanteans. They abandoned the ship. Unfortunately, the scent of blood attracted the atlanteans underwater, turning the escape into a bloodbath. She wanted to help them, yet all she could do was swim forward as they were dragged deeper into the abyss. Once they reached the shore, only three of them were left.
They didn’t even have time to rest their minds. One of the survivors had their arm scratched, signs of infection have also started to appear. He begged for them to kill him. Beach gladly accepted, loading a pellet into his flintlock. He ensured he would get a painless death. Juleon could only watch as her friend aimed his weapon at a comrade.
It was too late. An atlantean, its entire body covered in green crystals, leaps out the forest. It grabbed the infected marine’s head with an arm. The crystals that covered the arm pierced through his flesh, causing blood to spew everywhere followed with a gurgling scream. Beach shot it a few times, but all it did was scratch the atlantean’s crystal armour. Even after imbuing his flintlocks with metal magic, it didn’t even bother looking at him. The blood spewing eventually stopped, instead being replaced by the crunching of bones. And all she could do was watch, that wretched feeling in her gut begging to be released.
Beach gave up on shooting, seeing the atlantean was distracted he carried the injured Juleon to town. She watched as the headless corpse dropped to the ground, the atlantean returning back to the forest never to be seen again.
The two avoid the gaze of the executioners, now a pair of mindless pawns protecting the weeping orca. Juleon couldn’t continue with a missing foot, so they hid in a house temporarily. She disinfected the wound using her medical skills, later covering it up with bandages. Beach breaks the leg of a table, handing it to Juleon once she’s done.
“Hey Jules.” Beach asked, his mouth twitching with his hands in his pockets. Juleon gave him the look of approval as she was busy making a peg.
“I don’t feel like this is the best time but… if we went back to Cirrus alive could I… marry you?” He pulled his cloak over his face.
“Y-Y-Y-Y-Y-Y-” Her ears turn red as she stutters even more.
“I’ll-I’LL THINK ABOUT IT.” She turns her head away from Beach, trying to hide her embarrassed face.
“In that case, I’ll patiently wait for your answer.” Beach lowers his arm for Juleon to grab onto.
There he stood as moonlight entered the window from behind him, amplifying his radiance. The moment of silence concerned him. What if I’m not up to her standards, what if I can’t satisfy her, is this really the right time to propose?
Juleon turns her head to face Beach. She goes to reach Beach’s hand but stops midway. A question flashes through her mind, one that desperately needed an answer.
Why is there moonlight if the moon isn’t present?
The anglerfish atlantean snaps its jaws, taking Beach’s life with it. She paused as the headless corpse fell beside her, its hand on her lap. It starts swallowing his head, making gurgling sounds that could easily be interpreted as a sickening laugh. A million thoughts went through her mind, with only one being as clear as day to her.
That was the very day she awakened her magic.
The sudden outburst of magic energy in the air attracts the atlantean’s attention. Roots start sprouting from the ground, coiling the atlantean rendering it immobile. Juleon marches towards it, her eyes now fueled with intense hatred. The helpless atlantean tries to blast her away with lightning magic, in which she swiftly dodges it before landing a jab to its guts. Those gurgling screams it made were music to her ears, and she wanted more. She imbued her fists with splinters as she punched it in the chest, slight bone scrunching was heard from it. The more she punched the more bones were breaking and the more screeches it made, it was like a grand orchestra.
The door creaks open. While Juleon was lost in the insanity, a man watched from a few metres away. Once the crunching sounds have ended, the warlock, her entire face and body covered in atlantean blood collapses on the floor.
“That’s how I met you…” Tobin was speechless. “What’s with the eyepatch then?”
“One of the kids misused their magic and blinded my eye. Along with the fact that I didn’t get treatment at the time resulted in this.” She sighed, showing genuine regret. “Before you start crafting a healing elixir in secret, I will not drink it.”
“Read my mind.” Tobin can’t help but giggle a bit. He can’t help but notice his friend smiling for a brief moment.
“I know you’re here for something else.” She switches to a grimmer tone. “What’s the bad news?”
Tobin reaches into his pocket and pulls out two small letters. He tosses it to Juleon as she barely catches it. She opens it up and reads the first one carefully. Her eyelids twitch the further she read.
“I can tell this is Matthew’s handwriting. Out of every person he could possibly ask for help, he sends his horrid handwriting for me and pleading for my assistance?” Juleon throws the first note into the furnace.
“That’s why there’s a second note.” Tobin points to the other letter in her hand.
She opens the second one. Her eyes widened and her breathing became heavier. She looks at Tobin, he gives her a serious face.
Juleon got up from her seat. She sighs, crumpling the second letter in her hands and putting it in her pocket. Tobin tapped his feet, anxiously waiting for her response.
“I’ll do it.”
A Conquest of Othrys self insert
(thanks @Goopman for letting me borrow your oc :3)
oh yeah this is how she looks like during COO (originally was a warrior but became a warlock just for this story)
Thank you Crimson, for creating such a beautiful piece of work on the forums, as I too wish to learn how does one write such an artwork one day
