Kaal
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PL: 17,850
Remnants Of An Ancient Race (x4P)
Tag: @kaal
Posts: 37 
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Post by Kaal on Mar 28, 2020 19:28:19 GMT -6
Kaal was being quite frank when he said that he was completely unaware of Ikra even having a sibling to begin with. In their conversations had the topic of her family just never really came up. That's not to say the Vangardian didn't find her having a sibling a bad thing, no not at all- in fact in their very first meeting he found himself quite charmed by the gentlemanly nature of the male shadow sibling. And the fact that he seemed just as magically adept as his sister (displayed by his magnified charm intensified by magical means) was also an intriguing fact indeed, considering this was now two people he knew that had magical skill akin to that of his own race's affinity to it. All of these facts strewn together of course meant that Kaal was quite interested in meeting with him one on one soon after the whole, palace debacle, not only due to the fact that he was Ikra's sibling but also since he stood as his own man, his own person, by himself quite solidly overall. Nor did he seem to follow Riis too blindly (one of the only shortcomings Ikra has) or completely write the fledgling noble off (Golgari's reaction to some bad first impressions), so he was in a neat neutral ground to discuss the younger of Konats' royals if necessary.
After making sure he was presentable in appearance, dressing himself in a white button down dress shirt with some black slacks, Kaal began to make his way into the inner parts of the capital city of Konats. Rolling his sleeves up, he began to look around for one of those telephones booths- as he had the shadow siblings phone number, but, had failed to acquire a phone of his own quite yet. It wasn't that he didn't have enough money, but more of the fact that he hadn't any time to purchase one just yet. Plus, he liked to research exactly what he was getting into before doing a more major action, and he also did not have any time recently to do any such researching to ensure he was making the best purchase possible. So, once he was able to grab a hold of an open telephone booth, Kaal punched the numbers of Babyl's phone number into it and waited for a couple moments.
A look of confusion came upon his face as a pre-recorded message was what greeted him on the other line, though after being instructed to leave his message after the noise prompt, Kaal spoke into the telephone, simply saying that if Babyl was interested in getting to know eachother a bit more that he could come meet him within the main square of the Konats' capital city. Once done, he placed the phone back onto the receiver, stepping out of the booth and immediately bee-lining it to the city square.
Thankfully, as this was one of the more popular places to stop, rest, and relax in, the city square had no lack of places to sit down- with many a table and bench adorning the square. Though, it seemed that today was a busier one for the square, and Kaal had to wait a bit before he was able to claim a table and two chairs for him and his incoming guest. Or at least he hoped that he'd be coming soon. Babyl didn't seem to be a man who would leave a person hanging.
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Babyl
Newcomer
PL: 37,250
Demonic Will (x2P) Makyo Star Power (x4P)
Tag: @xanderill
Posts: 48
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Post by Babyl on Mar 28, 2020 20:28:23 GMT -6
Babyl's PL: 26,000
Babyl was lounging around the castle waiting for any kind of order, request, or anything at all that would busy him for the day. Truth be told, he did like the freedom he had when he wasn't working for a prince. His work would no doubt be important... if only he was given any. Since Ikra's "Plan" was foiled not long ago, Riis hadn't asked him to lift a finger and he was genuinely quite bored. When his phone rang he let out a small sigh, for he did not recognize the number. Ignoring it, he expected nothing more to come of it. However, instead of being left with his boredom, a message was left on it- one from a familiar voice. He had only heard it on one occasion, but it was recent enough to be stuck in his head along with the others that were there at King Riis' informal coronation. He listened to the recording and smiled. An opportunity to stretch my legs AND get something done...? Intriguing. I'll take it. Dressing himself for the occasion in a black suit similar to what he wore on their first meeting, Babyl faded into the shadows and made his way to the main square of the city. He looked through the shadow of a nearby street lamp to see just what it was he would be encountering. A private meeting was preferred of course, and Babyl didn't assume this to be any sort of nefarious plot, but you could never be too careful, could you? It certainly seemed like Kaal was alone, which meant this meeting was legitimate and he merely wanted to talk. The small weight in his chest lifted immediately as he took this as a sign to make new acquaintances. Finally, he melded through the shadows once more and appeared on the other side in the realm of light. Babyl walked over to the table Kaal was waiting at and bowed his head gently. "I certainly hope I didn't keep you waiting, Kaal. Do you prefer Kaal or Mister Kaal?" He paused for a second, waiting for Kaal to answer with a grin. He then gestured to the chair across from him. "May I sit?" He paused once more, sitting once given the queue to do so. The chair was small compared to his normal height, but once he bent and sit in the chair, his body seemingly shrank to fit it better. As if it had always been that way, he looked just the right size for such a chair, like he filled the space it left perfectly. "So then. You wished to talk, yes? Get to know each other I presume? Where would you like to start? I didn't get to properly introduce myself last time, so for formality's sake, my name is Babyl. It's a pleasure to meet you, Kaal." He put his hand out with a polite smile, his face remaining as calm and cool as it always seemed to be. He was certainly the smooth kind of person who was used to speaking with others. His charm was palpable even when he wasn't purposefully exuding it. |
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Kaal
Newcomer
PL: 17,850
Remnants Of An Ancient Race (x4P)
Tag: @kaal
Posts: 37
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Post by Kaal on Mar 30, 2020 19:19:32 GMT -6
Kaal could already sense Babyl's energy signature even before he had entered the town square. While he was unable to pinpoint exactly where he was, a small smile appeared on his face as his gut feeling was proven true- the man was not one to simply pass up on an opportunity to make a good friend, and in the future, perhaps, a greater in-battle ally. Allowing his hands to fold together and rest behind his head as he leaned back within his seat, one leg draped on top of the other's knee, his eyes slowly shut themselves in a tranquil manner and remained closed as he sensed Babyl's energy quickly approaching. Once the denizen of the demon race made himself known and now addressed the Vangardian directly, Kaals eyes slowly opened. A friendly smile on his face as he waved a small greeting, saying, in a bit of an amused tone, "No need for such formality, my friend. Mister is not needed at all, no, please call me Kaal. If it's good enough for your sister I hope it is for you as well." He said that last part all in good fun, no malefic intent behind the words as his smile widened. This was a man he knew he could joke around with, a quality that would definitely come in handy as their relationship grew.
As he asked whether or not he could take a seat, Kaal gestured toward the chair in front of him expectantly. He would much rather have him take it than some other random, most likely much less charming, stranger take it. Once he took a seat, Kaal took note of his form shifting and changing in order to fit the chair given- his affinity for magic seemed to go beyond simple enchanting and mind/emotional manipulation. Such abilities were normally common in that of the more magically acclaimed beings of his race, and since his own family had a little bit of everything, he was somewhat familiar with such magic.
Once Babyl opened up the floor to discussion, Kaal leaned forward within his seat- elbows coming to rest upon the table as his head came to hover just above his hands. Folding said hands, his chin located just behind them, the Vangardian thought on it for a moment, nodding toward Babyl as he replied in a chipper tone, "Well, it is a pleasure to, officially, make your acquaintance, Babyl. As you've already heard, and I have already said, I go by Kaal- though my full name is Kaal Ko Na'an. In my language it translates roughly to 'Victor Over All', which is a bit self absorbed but it is a name I very much wear proudly."
Flicking up his right hand ever so slightly, Kaal conjured up some fire, a pure ball of it floating slightly above his hand as with the other he summoned a bit of sand from the nearby desert wastes. Placing both together for a couple moments, the Vangardian created two smoothly cut wine glasses from the two conjured forces- floating one over to Babyl as he began to fill the two cups with water, continuing as he did all of this with a contemplative voice, "As for where I would like to start, it would be interesting to hear of yours' and your sister's origins. If it isn't too prying of me, of course. I should know better than anyone that the past can be, a touchy, subject."
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Babyl
Newcomer
PL: 37,250
Demonic Will (x2P) Makyo Star Power (x4P)
Tag: @xanderill
Posts: 48
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Post by Babyl on Mar 30, 2020 21:22:59 GMT -6
Babyl's PL: 26,000
Babyl practically melted into his seat once the formality once thrown out the window. Babyl sighed and exclaimed "Oh thank the hells... It is exhausting always being so formal around the King and those who are 'offended by the stench of the informal.' I can't tell you how many sticks I've had to pull out of the asses of the rich. Your 'language' sounds roughly demonic, no? Are you of demon's blood?" Babyl's face was still calm as before, but much more relaxed, and it even had a small smile upon it. It seemed as though the staggeringly tall demon enjoyed chats just as much as the next person, if not more, but rarely got to do so comfortably. "A fascinating title, regardless of the language, if I might add. I was not given my name by anyone. Instead, I chose it myself. 'Babyl' in the Human's languages refers to a tower, though what the tower itself stands for has been highly debated for millennia. According to 'research' at least."Babyl trailed off for a second, appreciating the finely crafted glass he now had in his hand. As he touched the water the rim of the glass with a single nail and swirled it around in a circle, he picked up a bit of sand in his other hand and crushed it. Placing the hardened sand ball onto a napkin, he folded it gently as black sparks of magi came from his hand, surrounding the napkin. When it dissipated, a finely crafted tea bag stood in its place. When he placed it in his glass, he grinned gently and set the glass on the table in front of him. "Creation is a lot harder to pull off than transmutation. At least with transmutation, you have materials and catalysts. It hardly uses any magic at all. But creation... Creating something from pure energy! Something most humans find impossible. I have not mastered it fully, but I do have a bit of practice. Still, I prefer more practical ways of conjuring objects. Why use up all of your energy making something like this..." Babyl swirled pieces of his shadow in his hand, allowing it to take the form of a cellular phone, similar to the one in his own pocket. He placed it on Kaal's side of the table. "When you can instead use materials you already have available to make it so much easier? You can keep that one, Kaal. A payphone? Come now, you're classier than that." Babyl gave Kaal a friendly wink. "Anyway, it seems I've gone off track. I'll tell you of our past, but I'm afraid it's quite boring. A millennia in a realm opposite of this in almost every way where torture, pranks, and murder are the norm. I didn't quite fit in there, and it didn't help that coming out in the sun wasn't much of an option in my true form. I'd quickly dissipate or have to retreat to a shadow. Luckily, Ikra found a way to prevent that from happening. It wasn't hard to figure it out once she had. Her fascination with the realm of light turned out to be far more beneficial than it first seems. Ah, but forgive my blathering! Please, Kaal, how about you tell me about yourself? You seem quite close to Ikra and quite shocked when I arrived claiming to be her brother. Did my sister never mention me?" |
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Kaal
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PL: 17,850
Remnants Of An Ancient Race (x4P)
Tag: @kaal
Posts: 37
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Post by Kaal on Apr 12, 2020 2:49:35 GMT -6
Kaal immediately let out a chuckle or two as he saw his friend take on a much more relaxed demeanor as he realized he was no king or queen needing pampering behind his words. Who did he think he was? No friend of his was going to have to act in such a stiff and strict way on his watch. Especially not when the real him was so much more interesting than some facade put up to ensure the royals remained happy with his presence. Though, the Vangardian was curious as to who exactly identified with the 'stench of the informal'? He assumed Riis wasn't as much of a pompous ass to say such a thing, so he naturally assumed someone like Flip Fortuna would be such a man to speak such bogus sounding statements. What really surprised him though was when Babyl touched upon his needing to place the rich and royal back within their places, not believing initially that Babyl was that forward of a person! He was so gentlemanly within the palace, well, at least after Kaal managed to get him to calm himself for a cuppa. Speaking of tea, that was something he still needed to try with him and Boft, it would be quite the interesting meet up...
Snapping back to reality as Babyl continued to speak within his daydreaming, Kaal simply chuckled once more, saying as he took a drink of water from his glass in a joking and sarcastic tone, "My dear Babyl- I am sorry as to exude such an atmosphere that reminded you of the royal and the rich whose heads are up their well wiped arses. I'll try my hardest in the future to refrain such a thing."
"But really, there truly is no need to be so stiff around me, in fact, that would most likely bore me to death, and that would be a demise quite unfitting of a warrior. To answer your questions though- no, I am not of demon blood. My race is completely unique in their origin, but.."
A darkened shadow appeared onto Kaal's features as he nearly delved into the topic of his race's demise, muttering, "...perhaps was is the better term. B-but enough about that." Changing his face back to one of serenity and relaxation, he continued, speaking in a more lighthearted tone once more, "Tower, you say? Well, seeing your full stature it is quite the fitting of titles, is it not? You are quite eloquent, and it does show quite well, even in your name it seems. If it's any consolation, I think it's a well thought out name."
The Vangardian watched with a fascinated eye as Babyl showed off a magical affinity again comparable to that of his own race's relationship with the arts- reminding him of his first meetings with Ikra all that time ago. Then again, it should, they were siblings afterall. He listened with a content smile on his face as the shadow sibling went over the concept of creating something out of seemingly nothing- creation magic simply being one of the finer arts his race had chosen to excel at, explaining Kaal's own relative difficulty at doing it from time to time and preference of using transmutation over creation (considering he was within the poorer part of the population who was never taught to use such higher leveled and, "finer art" magic such as creation). His eyes widened in surprise as Babyl conjured up a spare mobile phone out of nowhere, and knowing that his gentleman like persona would most definitely insist upon Kaal taking the device, the warrior knew that there was no point in declining, and so he took the phone with a saying of thanks, "While I'd say you didn't have to do that, I doubt it cost either of us anything. The wonder of creation magic, yes? You and your sister seem quite adept at it.
Kaal was quite caught offguard as soon as Babyl began to speak of his and his own sister's origins, not realizing that the demon would be so open to someone he had just met. In a way he felt quite honored, and so he listened intently as he described the interesting circumstances of which they had originated from.
"It sounds as though you speak of the Demon Realm, which is where I assume the two of you came from-?" Kaal assumed as he leaned backward into his chair once more. "It's a wonder how two such civilized people could come from such a maelstrom of chaos and hate. Back on my planet we rarely ever talked about the Demon Realm due to the inherently evil nature and connotation that comes with discussing such a place, so it's good to hear that we were indeed correct in not exploring that part of the universe's magical sources."
"Also, do not apologize for your ranting, my good sir-! I find it quite fascinating, all this information you happen to be shooting out at me. Do not worry, I can for sure keep up with at least most of it. As for Ikra and I's relationship, well, I had crash landed here on Konats after several millennia of cryo-sleep- a long story- and she had happened upon me stumbling from the wreckages in a tired frenzy. She cleaned me up and helped me out, and for that I am eternally grateful..."
A look on his face that very much went past simple gratefulness appeared on Kaals face as he touched upon Ikra, with the Vangardian immediately shaking it from his features as he realized what he was doing before continuing once more, "S-so, after finding me, she had taken me to the palace- and well, I'm sure you can assume what happened from there. Housing, clothing, food and water, I was quite content. However, due to her relations with Riis-" now an expression opposite of that when he was first talking about Ikra flashed across his face before being reigned in, "-and the fact that I had gone off-world for a few days left us with little time to formally talk with eachother. Which is a shame in many ways, one of which of course being, her unable to mention you, Babyl."
As Babyl inquired about the Vangardians own origin specifically, however, his composure shifted from relaxed to a more frail stature- a clear look of still growing grief within his eyes as he spoke in a quieter tone, "If you'd like, I could tell you, but I must say, it is not the happiest of tales, and I do not wish to dampen the conversation so soon.."
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Babyl
Newcomer
PL: 37,250
Demonic Will (x2P) Makyo Star Power (x4P)
Tag: @xanderill
Posts: 48
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Post by Babyl on Apr 13, 2020 16:56:31 GMT -6
Babyl's PL: 26,000
Babyl took a deep breathe and sighed, relieved that he wouldn't have to worry about such trifles with his new companion. It certainly seemed as though Kaal were knowledgeable about a variety of things, most of which involved magic lost to most other races. "We are demons, yes, but we do not reside in the same... realm as most of the other demons. Instead, we exist in the Shadow Realm. A realm opposite to this in most ways. It is not a perfect replica, but many of the natural and artificial structures you can see on this planet are also present there. Instead of a sun, however, our sky is filled with a hole so perfect and black that it stands out against the purple sky like a drop of blood in the snow. I have learned many skills in honor of this... 'black hole sun.' We have spent over a thousand 'years,' as the Konatsians say, mastering techniques involving the conjuration of objects through 'energy transfusion'. It isn't the same as simply creating something from nothing, as that is simply impossible. Instead, we take the fabric of the universe, that which you call energy and infuse it into the matter already present in the realm. Even air has matter in it, it is simply spread further apart than the dirt is."Babyl paused before continuing, thinking to himself that perhaps a visual presentation might be easier to understand. He scooped his hand through the air rapidly, compressing it and creating a small vortex that momentarily creates a black hole, which then immediately closes and stabilizes. Where there was nothing before stood a block of what looked like a mostly invisible substance. Light vaguely shimmers through it as Babyl places it on the table. "What you see before you is still very much air, but I have infused it with energy, or 'Ki' if you prefer. Just enough to give it shape. This is the very base of transformation magic. I can show this to you without worrying about others stealing such secrets, for even if they tried for their entire lives, they still could not grasp it. You, however, come from a bloodline which allows you to manipulate this form, yes? All that creation magic is, all that you can make with it... it is just advanced transmutation. At one point, all that exists came from 'nothing'. So the possibility and the future of all things can come from this same idea. Nothing IS something. All you have to do is command it. Give it a try, Kaal."Babyl smiled, waiting for his friend to attempt to transfigure this block of air into anything at all, before realizing that those expressions he let off when speaking about Ikra were telling him more than Kaal's words were. Oh dear, this is interesting... He took a long sip of his tea with a smile on his face, waiting for the perfect moment to speak the questions he was just dying to ask. The moment Kaal was finished forming whatever it was he would make, Babyl stopped sipping his tea and spoke. "So then, you have interest in my sister, yes? Your facial expressions and how you speak about her are all too familiar to get past me. How do you really feel about her?" Babyl's face twisted in a devious smile and a small fit of laughter as he watched Kaal's face carefully. If even a simple eye twitch or glance away occurred, he would know for certain what the true answer was. Though he already had his suspicions about what the answer was, he was curious as to whether his friend would be honest about his feelings. |
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Kaal
Newcomer
PL: 17,850
Remnants Of An Ancient Race (x4P)
Tag: @kaal
Posts: 37
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Post by Kaal on May 1, 2020 1:02:21 GMT -6
Kaals head tilted in slight confusion as his assumption of as to where the shadow siblings had originated from seemed to be quite off the mark, with Babyl instead saying that they came from a realm differing from that of the traditional home of the denizens of the demon race. The Shadow Realm? Well this was indeed a strange change of pace, and the Vangardian leaned in closer, interest peaking as Babyl continued his explanation, An entire realm filled with what people who have lived in light their entire lives as pure, unadulterated shadow. It did make sense, though- back within the palace walls during Ikra's attempted takeover of the kingdom, her composure has seemingly been all but shattered, and her form had dissipated into something that was indeed reminiscent of what one would call pure shadow. How Babyl continued to describe it though further enticed his curiosity. In honor of this black hole sun? It sounds as though his people had worshipped it at one point as though it were a higher being of sorts. Not that he was, judging, or anything, but still quite unheard of to someone like he. Either way, Kaal would keep on listening, soaking in every bit of information that he had heard.
It sounded as though Babyl was describing basic sciences- of which he only knew through the very limited home schooling his parents had given him throughout his hundreds of years of being under their roof due to poverty disallowing him to truly "leave the nest". All things were made up of matter, of energy, and said energy could not be destroyed nor created. Only changed. One of the many solidified laws of the known universe. He found it incredible that such a law also applied to a realm that was so starkly in contrast to the one that they called home currently.
Seems as though Kaal knew more than he allowed himself credit for.
"I, believe I understand this concept better now," Kaal replied in a still unsure but evermore confidently growing tone, his eyes screwing a bit in concentration as his mind began to try and wrap its head around the simple yet at the same time complex topic. "One of the base laws of the cosmos is how all matter is made out of energy. That same energy being unable to be destroyed nor created, only changed. So, from what I gather at least, you use your own life force- your Ki, in order to infuse and then manipulate this pre-existing energy in the universe around you to your own usage, yes? Please do correct me if I am wrong, and if I am, I apologize for being a bit dull-headed. I never did have any outlet of formal teaching- my family wasn't the most well off of people, and so they could not afford to send me off to be schooled. It is very enlightening to hear about your people though. You say you had learned such skill in honor of this black hole of sorts? Did you treat it as your deity, or, something of the like? Not that I am judging- but from how you had spoke of it, it did strike me as that."
In reply to Babyl's edging on, Kaal looked into the currently empty spot of air in front of him- and using both his pre-established knowledge of conjuration magic now coupled with Babyl's newer knowledge planting its seed within his mind, the Vangardian reached out into the open air, seemingly grabbing and swiping at nothing before all of the sudden something formed within the now closed hand of his after the third or fourth swipe.
Reopening it, the two would find that he had conjured up a simple and smoothed gray stone- a satisfied smile on the warrior's face as he said, "A bit, simple, perhaps, but I wanted to start out lightly- I don't wish to exert too much of my stamina and then leave you without a person to accompany, yes?"
After that short, yet quite knowledgeable lesson from his shadowy friend, now was time to address the elephant in the room- partially his own fault considering he had made it so blatantly obvious- and while he was thankful that Babyl didn't push too much into his past after he had said he felt uncomfortable doing so, talking about what he felt for his sister was oddly enough proving to be just as difficult to do.
However, even if he did have any thought of keeping his feelings to himself, Kaal knew that was not at all the best thing to do. This was her brother, afterall. He, above everyone else, had a right to know. Hell, perhaps it would be better if he did know. Maybe he'd even offer his assistance in some way-
Shaking his head immediately, attempting to rid his thoughts of the deviousness that had overtaken it for a couple seconds, Kaal chuckled in an amused manner as he spoke in a guilty tone, raising both his hands up in mock surrender as he said, "Ah, you've got me, Babyl- though I don't suppose I made it particularly difficult to see, yes? I..."
Once he was able to find the right words, and had mentally psyched himself up to say it, Kaal continued, "..I am, interested, in your sister in that manner. That is, to say, I have a romantic interest in her. And you would have my utmost gratitude if you were to keep such a fact from her."
A bit of a crestfallen look now overtaken the male's boyish expression as he explained why, talking in a bit more quieted tone, "I barely have been able to speak to her as it is, and, if she were to find out about such a fact, I am afraid that it would drive her away. Not only that, but she has also already made it clear who her heart currently belongs to- and who am I, an outsider of all people, to get in the way of Ikra's happiness with Riis?"
Again, another jealous flinch of the facial features flashed across Kaal's face for just a moment before he was able to calm himself down. He truly held no ill will toward Riis, but, he had something that he also wanted, and that in it of itself frustrated, and deflated him.
"So, yes, I do like your sister in that way, but, I don't expect it to go any further than that..."
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Babyl
Newcomer
PL: 37,250
Demonic Will (x2P) Makyo Star Power (x4P)
Tag: @xanderill
Posts: 48
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Post by Babyl on May 18, 2020 13:42:48 GMT -6
Babyl's PL: 26,000
"You've gotten quite a grasp on this matter, Kaal. Impressive for someone who just moments ago barely understood it. You're quite a bright lad, aren't you?" Babyl said in a playful tone. It had been some time since he could speak so frankly and relaxed with someone other than his sister, it was a nice change of pace. Kaal seemed like a good man, and his interest in Babyl's sister came not even the least bit to his surprise. "My sister has had many potential suitors, and many more whose interests were far more primal. I'm grateful that you are the former instead of the latter. She is a delicate woman, despite her strength..." Babyl looked off into the distance gently before continuing. "Then again, she's been away for long enough that perhaps something has changed in her. She can be obsessive about things, but whenever she's passionate about something, she doesn't stop pursuing it until something else takes her attention away from it. She was the only one there for me in the Shadow Realm, as all of my other siblings were far too... how do I put this... demon-like in nature? They were trouble makers, thieves, liars, and some even murderers. She had an interest in different things, as did I of course. Where most of my siblings were interested in causing pain in misery, we wanted only to spread joy. We bonded. We were close. And then she left me all alone... with nobody."There was a sadness in Babyl's eyes. A longing for something. "Worry not, Kaal. I won't speak a word of it. But if I might offer some advice? You'll never win her affection if you simply let others take it from you. I won't force you into anything you aren't ready for, but just a thing to consider." Babyl straightened himself and sighed slightly. "Besides, if I am to speak frankly, I'm not sure King Riis is the right fit for Ikra. I took a spot by his side to support my sister as well as him, because I believe he has potential but in his current state, he's shown no reason for me to believe he is deserving of my sister's affection. Perhaps I do not see what she does, but looking from the outside, he is not the man of action that my sister deserves. I fear he will never truly appreciate her worth." |
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Kaal
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PL: 17,850
Remnants Of An Ancient Race (x4P)
Tag: @kaal
Posts: 37
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Post by Kaal on May 19, 2020 15:32:26 GMT -6
A bemused, and amused, expression soon blossomed onto the Vangardian's face at the demons choice in words- a single eyebrow being raised questioningly toward Babyl as he had called him a "lad" before Kaal realized that the topic of their age hadn't at all come up into conversation just yet. He quickly mentally berated himself for not doing so- as his appearance was indeed of that of a man just entering the realm of adulthood, perhaps within his early to mid twenties upon first glance. However, it was most definitely the contrary, the reason behind his boyishly good looks being that his own race was gifted with god-like longevity akin to that of the race of the Shinjin (Of which was a race that they were aware of, though, with them being isolationists, they steered clear of them like the rest of the races that they knew about). He could understand the confusion, though, not many races were blessed with an indefinite life expectancy, and even less were gifted with the ability to take their prime physicality along with them well into their years. So he wasn't at all offended. To make sure that there would be no future confusion, however, and to make sure that he was right in his thinking that they were pretty close in years (He'd find it, weird, to say the least, if someone as technically as old as he was attempting to win over someone potentially hundreds of years younger than he), Kaal flashed him a knowing wink, speaking now in the voice only an aged veteran would be able to speak within as his gaze was overcome by a thousand yard stare,
"Lad-? Ah, Babyl, I never did mention how old I was, did I? My mistake, I apologize- and there's no need for you to do so either if you were thinking about it. My race was blessed enough to be given the gift of longevity in terms of physicality. While my body reflects that of a young man who's just entered his prime years, I am actually around fifteen hundred years old, give or take a few years stolen from me during my time frozen, floating through space. And with you and your sister being that of the demon race, as well as coupled with what you have already told me, I would come to assume that we aren't actually that far off in terms of age, am I correct?"
Despite his years, Kaal always remained much more, laidback, than most who would come to be around his own realm in regards of maturity. While he was still hesitant, and potentially fragile in terms of trust due to the trauma he had been put through in the midst of losing his people and being sent away against his will, the warrior remained relatively pure-hearted, something that helped to keep his youthfulness even throughout his lengthened years.
A small laugh accompanied his words once more as Babyl went on about Ikra's potential suitors, allowing for himself to pop a small quip, saying, "Ah, well, I would be lying to you if I didn't believe your sister was, ravishing, in nature, of course. But no, rest assured I wouldn't be attracted to her based upon such shallow intent. Your sister is much more than just a pretty face."
And while he was a bit concerned when Babyl touched upon Ikra's inherent fragility, he remained silent on the matter- with him rationalizing that he could either touch upon the topic at a later time, or, that it could very well be cleared up by Babyl himself soon. He was her brother, afterall, he knew exactly how to set the tempo when it came to information giving.
Moving on, the Vangardian wasn't exactly too surprised to hear from Babyl about Ikra's unyielding resolve when it came to attaining something that she had set her eyes upon- seeing as he's seen it before himself firsthand. What he was surprised to hear though was that there were more siblings of which the two had to contend with. Interesting, seeing as Ikra herself never spoke even of Babyl to him before this meeting, much less a whole nother' group of kin that he had no clue about.
Decided to ask about that first, he inquired, saying in an incredulous tone, "It sounds as though you two had the rough of it- and it's even more surprising that your fellow kin didn't follow your shown example. How many other siblings do you happen to have? From the looks of it, you speak as though you have quite a number of them."
"And, as for, leaving you alone- I am sorry that you have had to go without a source of light within such a dark place for however long you've needed to before being brought to this plane of existence, and I hope to ensure that neither of you suffer such a fate like that once more."
Another darkened look appeared on Kaal's face as he said this, this time a feeling of guilty hanging in the air around him as the thought of his own failure in the protection of his race and standing by them to the end. He couldn't afford to make the same mistake again. Who would stand by him then?
Snapping himself back to attentiveness, the musing warrior's eyes refocused themselves onto the shadow sibling in front of him, his ears soaking in all he had to say about how he was to approach his sister. A contemplative look on his face slowly appeared as he let out a sigh, saying in an unsure tone, looking upward at the sky, "As I said before, I'd want nothing but to tell her face to face how I feel- but I believe it would only do more harm than good. I'd want to get closer to her first, before I do something as bold as that.
With a thankfully more relaxed composure, Kaal said in a joking tone as he fired a wink toward Babyl, "Boyish good looks only get you so far."
Furthering feeling more validated with his feelings with Babyl's own slight discouragement of Ikra and Riis' becoming an item, a more relieved sigh left Kaal's lips once more as he continued, "You have, no idea, how reassuring it is to have the brother within my corner. I believe you and Golgari would get along well, you both see his lack of action as a big turn off. I only hope that I may be able to fill that prerequisite and more, if I am to be more, forward, of course."
To cap it all off, a much more sincere, perhaps one would describe wholesome, tinge now overcame the entirety of the Vangardian as he finished, saying, "And, if I can't do anything else right, I can at least make sure she knows exactly how much she's worth. I owe her, and you, at least that much."
In an attempt to try and pay back Babyl, perhaps, for the therapeutic release this conversation has given him, Kaal began to poke about in his friend's own lovelife, asking in a bit of a concerned tone after hearing the loneliness in his tone and seeing the longing for more within his gaze, "However, it seems you are struggling more with it than I am- is there something amiss, Babyl? You hold the gaze of a man who doesn't have yet an apple of his eye."
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Babyl
Newcomer
PL: 37,250
Demonic Will (x2P) Makyo Star Power (x4P)
Tag: @xanderill
Posts: 48
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Post by Babyl on May 19, 2020 16:17:20 GMT -6
Babyl's PL: 26,000
Babyl sighed and shrugged at the playful prodding Kaal released upon him, his mouth forming a polite smile and his eyes growing slightly distant. "Once upon a time, perhaps. But now... well I suppose you're right about one thing, and that is that we are of a similar age. Before coming to this realm, I had never heard of such a concept as time. The sun simply rose and set in sequence over and over. I have learned much about it since then, and through my memories recounting how many times that has happened, I would wager myself to be approximately fifteen hundred as well, give or take a few missed sunrises. There have been times I have peered into this land, and even entered under cover of darkness for a quick peek at what it had in store. I never set foot in the light, and yet there was one Konatsian I watched grow up. She never feared me. Not even the one time, before I was gifted the manners you're accustomed to, that I tried to embrace the frightening nature of a shadow demon." Babyl's eyes focused again as he looked up at the night sky. By this point, the stars were brighter than the lights could cover, and Babyl's eyes adjusted quickly to the darkest parts of it. For all his time in the shadow realm, he had become quite accustomed to darkness in all of its forms. His eyes sparkled gently as he remembered the ages that past since the moment he met the one woman he's ever loved; Claudia. He had watched her grow from an infant to a beautiful woman, and he protected her from the truest of creatures that go bump in the night. "She was a sweet girl. I suppose age doesn't matter for most shadows, since we have no real solid form unless we give ourselves one. It was perhaps two-hundred years or so after my creation that I found her. My curiosity about the realm of light had peaked, and at the time I was ready to pursue the true nature of demons. I was ready to sew chaos, though even back then I think I knew what we do was wrong. It never felt right to me. Still, begging for recognition from my creator, I went through with their training and planning. When I saw her, I had planned on simply standing there to make her feel uneasy before bestowing true terror... but even as I did, she never batted an eye. She had this... lost look on her. Like she had seen true loss. Or like she had little to live for... which at such a young age... well I felt kinship with her. Instead of trying to see her filled with tears, something came over me and instead I taught her what laughter was... and her laugh was like the soft sounds of a summer night. It could comfort even the most enraged beast. Seeing her eyes sparkle like that gave me a reason to exist. And so for years, I accompanied her every night to protect her from truly horrific things. Things I could never repeat."His eyes grew cold as he looked directly at Kaal now, his smile entirely disappearing at this point. This subject was clearly far closer to his heart than he would normally be comfortable with sharing. "...But time is a cruel mistress. Konatsian lives only last so long, after all... and she... I never got to say goodbye. One day she was just... gone. And I was left empty. I no longer had a reason to pursue the realm of light. Hundreds of years passed, and Ikra was the second of us to be created. Hundreds of years later, and there were thousands of my clan now roaming the shadow realm. Many of them were born without the same gifts as me and Ikra. Ikra was the only one who gave me back my interest in the shadow realm." Babyl sighed at realizing what truly happened. He never really cared about this realm... just the people in it. "Perhaps my interest was never this realm at all. Perhaps it was her. I thought that once Ikra and I figured out how to go out into the sunlight, I could finally visit her and gain some closure. Then Ikra left alone. Without me. Without saying goodbye. She, too, was gone. Eventually I made it as well, But when I came here... I could find no trace of the girl. Nowhere on the entire planet." Babyl shook his head one final time as his focused cleared again. It all came out so easily, like Kaal had opened the flood gates to his soul. Perhaps it was because nobody before him cared enough to even ask. "Since then I have found nobody who has made me feel the same. Though I haven't been in this realm for very long, so I don't suppose I've had the time to do it. So no, I do not yet have an 'apple' as you call it. I'm not entirely sure I have any reason to be here at all. But at least now, I have something to busy myself with." |
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Kaal
Newcomer
PL: 17,850
Remnants Of An Ancient Race (x4P)
Tag: @kaal
Posts: 37
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Post by Kaal on May 21, 2020 2:26:23 GMT -6
In all his years, well, weeks, seeing as he's only been recently conscious, Kaal would never have expected to hear a such a story from someone who had seemingly done nothing to deserve such fate. Although he was a little surprised that the gentleman in the past had attempted a life of inducing hurt and suffering- something told Kaal that such topics could be inquired about at a more appropriate time. For now, the Vangardian was there to sit and listen to his friends past pains- something that, he believed, any decent friend, should do. As Babyl illustrated the rollercoaster of emotions he had been introduced to when he first met the woman he was originally meant to torture- from confused surprise to concerned kinship, Babyl's way with words shone true, and Kaal truly felt that he was experiencing the story right with him.
And as Babyl recounted his woes, and the pain of his first love's loss, he himself felt the stabbing pain within his heart as well- the thought of losing his people all over again, and the thought of losing Ikra as well formed as Babyl spoke of the pain of his loss.
Once the shadow sibling had finished, Kaal stood up, walked over, and patted him gently on the back- saying in a bit of a guilty yet comforting tone as he said, "I, apologize- for both being perhaps insensitive to your pain by attempting to be comedic, and also that you had to go through the pain of loneliness twice over. Once with your first love, and again with your sister, Ikra."
Allowing for himself to linger a bit within his spot, hand still remaining reassuringly on Babyl's back for a few more moments, the Vangardian then turned and returned slowly to his seat. Once seated, he sighed, beginning to add his thoughts soon after, saying, "I feel I need to somehow thank whomever this woman was, for enlightening you to an existence beyond that of causing nothing but pain and senseless suffering. They seem to be the reason you are the way you are today, and were it not for them, I would not have found myself such a good man to call a friend."
"Many people in their life, have a loss, and sometimes all it takes is the right person to help them out of their rut. They were lucky to have someone like you by their side to help them through it. I shan't pry the details of your relationship, nor whatever struggles either of you had to go through together- while I would be honored, if you were to ever share it with me, I don't want to reopen any more old wounds for you. You've been through enough, as it is. It also hurts to hear, that you never had a chance to say goodbye to your beloved. That, is perhaps why nigh eternal youth is a double edged sword. The ones we truly care about aren't always so lucky to inherent it. And I am further sorry that you had to endure as well the momentary loss of your sister's company. It doesn't sound like her to leave without a reason, so I hope that she, of course, has since cleared up whatever her reason for leaving was."
And as his consoling of his demon friend began to wind down, something within him felt obligated to tell Babyl of his own past as well. If Babyl held enough trust within Kaal to tell him something of such private matter, then it was only fair that he also tell him of his own past.
So, after clearing his throat, and readjusting the collar of his shirt for a moment, Kaal looked up at Babyl with a pained yet readied stare, saying, "I assume then, it is my turn, to tell you of my own history, yes? It is only fair."
"...My race was called the Vangardians, named after our homeworld of Vangard. While we were a reclusive people, we were still a proud, prosperous race nonetheless. We thrived for millennia, and when I had been born, we were within what many would consider the our peak performance."
"Despite that though, I was born into a less than fortunate family of four. My mother, my father, and, my younger sister, Eurus. Even though we weren't as, lucky, as many others, we still managed- my father, working as a butcher, and my mother remaining at home to take care of us children. You wouldn't believe it at first, but, I was quite the rowdy child, heh. Along with my sister, I am still to this day unsure of how my mother tolerated us."
A, nostalgic, expression managed to slip itself onto Kaal's face as he spoke. Recalling the happier moments within his past, allowing him to relive what he had so recently, and swiftly, lost.
His expression shifted to a neutral one as he continued, "Once a millennium or so had passed, the three kingdoms that ruled and worked together upon the planet held a one hundred man tournament- the winner of which was promised riches and rewards worthy of the man who was able to best the other ninety nine. Of course, seeing as I wished to alleviate the burden my parents had taken upon themselves in taking care of us for so many years, and, to prove to myself, that I was worth a damn at all- I entered the tournament, ready to pay whatever price to achieve victory."
"And, I did, miraculously."
"...but I never had the opportunity to enjoy the fruits of my labor."
"What I wasn't told, was the true reason behind the tournament being held. Which was to find the perfect specimen of our species to send off into the stars- a means to ensure that there would be a last vestige of our great, and proud race. Once the tournament concluded, they sent me and my family to live within our capital city's palace walls- a sort of, congratulatory gesture, so to speak. Shortly afterward, I was then sent to a private location just outside of the city's main walls, where I was told that I, as the winner of the tournament, would be given the privilege of introducing the rest of my race to the rest of the universe. I was informed that I would be sent to a planet not too far away from our own in order to begin our expansion there. A, simple operation, they said. Simply, see if there was any intelligent life, and if there was, attempt to befriend them on behalf of the Vangardian race."
"But, as I was sent off-world, and overcome by the lulling of sleep, I was quickly cryogenically frozen- a means of preserving myself, it seemed, seeing as my own supplies in terms of food and water weren't at all suitable for the type of journey they had in store for me. As the ship shifted course from its original destination, my home-world, Vangard, within an instant of colliding with an asteroid, was destroyed. My race, and most importantly, the family I had fought and cared for, for so many years, gone, within an instant."
"The only reason why I know this is from records and updates found within my ship's database, after I had initially awoke from my nearly five hundred year slumber. Everything that I had worked for, all that I had come to live for, done away with in an instant."
"I never had the chance to comfort my family, my little sister, through the impending doom. I should have been there to reassure them through it all. I should have died along with them. Yet, I never even got to say goodbye."
Once he finished, Kaal took several moments to himself- a silent tear or two passing down his face, before he was able to face Babyl once more, clearing his throat as he spoke now in a recomposed yet still wobbly tone, "I hope, that, I didn't dampen your mood further. But I supposed that if you were able to retell your past, then I should be able to as well, as sign of goodwill within our friendship. Perhaps, it was also to try and motivate the both of us, perhaps moreso me, forward- that no matter the loss, we must find it within ourselves to trudge forth. That while the world may seem to have no home, no place for us at all, that it is for the people we've come to care about, that we must live for."
"And while you haven't found your reason yet, and I am still attempting to win over mine, I hold faith that, the both of us, will one day come to find something to truly live for, once more."
And with that, Kaal remained, silent, for a couple moments. Due to the fact that he had nothing left to say, and wished for his words to truly sink in.
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