hadriel | duel 6. ( video. )

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duel 6. ( video. )

「He's been stalling on this for a while now, not sure of how to address it any longer, back then, when he first had learned about it, he was angry, frustrated, but now, not so much, he just wants answers. Might as well do this before there is more people coming into the city.

He looks thoughtful, mostly, as he stares idly at the camera not caring to hide the Millennium Eye stuck in his left socket as he did when they took pictures at Delmar's home. If everything went right, this would be the last time he would be seen wearing that creepy eye.」

Since everyone seems to be on the topic lately, I might as well remind you that there is a murderer among us. One that remains unpunished.

「Or so he thinks. He cannot keep wondering any longer, he needs to know. He needs to make sure there isn't someone running around killing people just because they think it's right. If that's the case.」

You, the one who killed Yukari, he might have deserved what you did to him, you made him pay for what he did, but you don't have my gratitude for it. Don't think you can hide forever. I will find you, no matter what it takes. And I will make you pay on his behalf.

「The tiredness in his voice, the aloofness in the way he speaks, the passion lacking in his usually prideful speech, doesn't quite make up for a good threat, maybe it's is not intended that way, but, it doesn't mean he's less determined about it. He will find them, he will read every person's mind in this city with the Millenium Eye if he has to. He can, why not simply do it?」

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[ Curufin, of course, knows nothing about the Eye except what he remembers from the Dreamwalker event. ]

Maybe you can tell me? I'm not the one who has that thing stuck in my head, so I wouldn't know how it would affect you. But even if it's not the eye, then there is still something troubling you. Is it this responsibility you seem to be carrying, to find the murderer and figure out what to do?

「Fine, he'll take the invitation. All of those are questions that have no easy answers.」

Not over the network.

[ Good enough! ]

Where shall I meet you, then?

[ He grabs his jacket and pulls it on, and starts out the door, phone still in his hand. ]

「Hmm... Gods, he's so tired, he is comfortably sprawled on his couch while trying to catch the baddies...」

Where are you, I'll meet you half way.

[ And you're not moving! Just stay on your couch. ]

I'm at home, in Delight's Housing, near the Library. But you don't have to exert yourself, Atem. I know you live in one of the Imported Houses, and that could be a couple of miles away. Just sit tight and I'll come and find you.

[ He has a swift lope, and he covers the miles easily. In twenty minutes, Atem will hear a sprightly knock on his door. ]

「He's not gonna move until he knows where to go! But that does make him move okay!? Like a spring he pushes himself forward.」

W-wait...

「But he's gone! He doesn't have anything to offer visitors! Oops! The least he can do is get him a nice glass of water ready for when he gets there. Which he does.

When Curufin gets there he goes open the door and invites him in. It is, unfortunately, not any cooler in the inside as he's keeping his fiery salamander inside, right there in the middle of the living room (no worries, it's safe inside its fireproof cage).」

Hey. Make yourself at home.

[ Curufin smiles at him and steps in. He did have a feeling that Atem was going to try to keep from playing host, but Curufin really didn't want to make him walk all the way across the city. Atem is not looking well enough for the exercise to do him any good right now.

He blinks in surprise when he sees the salamander. ]

Efficient indoor heating system? [ Grin. ]

[ He sits down in the living room and takes the glass of water with a nod of thanks. ] So, tell me whatever it was you were going to tell me. I'm all ears.

「Atem follows close, and sits on the other end of the couch.」

It can be, it's nice to be around her during the hours without sun.

「Dear, he hates those miserable two hours, he prefers the heat even if unbearable at times, surely because of obvious reasons to this point, to Curufin, at least.」

I think this thing is starting to affect me. That's... all.

She's your brazier -- how kind of her!

[ He likes the salamander. And yes, Curufin remembers from when he was a highway robber in Atem's world in the Dreamwalker event, how the other thieves and murderers had explained to him that the Pharaoh was an incarnation of Horus, the sky god, or an emanation of him, or at least closely associated with him. Furthermore, the sun and the moon belonged to Horus, were perhaps a part of him, but he was mostly identified with the sun. And this being so, naturally Atem wasn't going to have much affinity for the true night hours here on this strange planet. ]

[ Curufin takes a sip from the glass of water and contemplates Atem, listening, though Atem has been chary of words. ]

This thing. Do you mean simply that there is a murderer at large, and that's unsettling? Or do you mean that it is troubling you because being endowed with your powers, you feel obligated to do something about it?

「That gets a little hearty chuckle out of Atem, Curufin seems to do that a lot. But it's nice. She is his brazier, come to think of it.
But while Curufin might not be wrong about Atem's supposed status, the truth is, he just likes the heat because it reminds him or home, the body might not be his, but the soul remembers fondly, and it does not like those cold hours of the night, nope.」

I've always felt obligated to do something about injustice, with or without powers, 「Which is a problem in itself but...」 but--no, I meant... this thing. 「He touches the golden eye (ew).」 It's... complicated...

[Everybody should have a salamander for a friend! But Curufin can understand that Egypt is a hot country and that one whose spirit originated there might miss the warmth. ]

You do strike me as one who has such a concern. [ And he would think that even if he hadn't met him in the Dreamwalk. ] But as for the eye? [ And here, he looks curiously at the strange object that Atem is stuck with for the time being. ]

Tell me about it?

Edited 2018-01-16 08:07 (UTC)

「Of course, only one here knows the whole story, no matter if Curufin was in that dream, he never knew what was behind the whole show. He has the right to know. Besides, what is there to lose?」

It's bad news. 「He says with a resigned smirk.」 The Millennium Items were created by my uncle when we were at war. He said he had discovered a way to win, to drive our enemies away from our doors and stop anyone else who would dare try to take our peace again. And they did, they gave my father and his priest inimaginable power. But... he never said what he had done to create them until a long time had passed. A dark spell was performed, and many lives were lost...

「He makes the slightest pause, merely remembering how that ignorant mistake had costed him his father's life and Bakura's (his now roommate) family and friends. Just thinking about it still makes him sick.」

I guess I don't need to tell you what happens when you use human souls to create anything. Some of the Items hold more darkness inside them than others, but as it turn out, I'm stuck with one of those.

「Curufin might or not remember which one he was wearing, but it's definitely not the eye.」

The Millennium Eye... drove my uncle to do things that... I'm sure he would have never acted on if he hadn't been wearing it. He wasn't evil, he was just... human. I knew... what I was getting into when I made the deal. It's been okay. 「He hadn't noticed until Delmar mentioned it to him, until Ravine came herself to advise him against it and yet, he couldn't see it, he still cannot see it.」But, I've been told I'm not...

... I thought I was stronger than this.

「Admitting it is not easy, it's a blow to his pride and it shows, somehow. He does not mention that it's not just the Eye alone, it is a plethora of happenings that have been driving him mad already, the Eye, of course, just digs into that darkness, but someone like him can only take so much hurt and pain from others while trying to stop their destructive behaviour, he's just a kid trying to play king, it's bound to exhaust him at some point.」

Edited 2018-01-16 20:21 (UTC)

[ Curufin listens intently. He has been wondering about Atem's story, and he feels honored to be entrusted with it. ]

The Millenium items were originally conceived as power objects, eh? That illuminates a mystery! [ There is an awful parallel between Atem's tale and Curufn's. Objects crafted originally for the best of purposes; dire decisions taken in order to protect family and clan. The slow and awful corruption of that idealism; grief and horror the result of the destruction wrought by it. ]

I can well imagine what happens when human souls are used to create things of beauty or power. My father used his own soul to make the Silmarils -- well, at least it was his own! -- but there was forever afterwards a darkness about those shining jewels, and in the end, they carried a curse of hatred that nigh destroyed the Elvish race in Middle-earth. But never mind, we were talking of your situation, not mine.

[ Curufin remembers two significant items, the dreadful golden Eye that one priest was wearing and the Ankh that another was toting. But he wasn't paying attention to what Atem himself was wearing, other than that he was dressed in the sort of blazing embroidered, gold-encrusted, jeweled finery that royalty was apt to sport. ]

Yes, we all think were are stronger than we are, when we take on the weight of decisions made by our forebears. You are strong, Atem, very strong indeed, but nobody has infinite durability in the face of pain and responsibility.

But what were you told? That others have perceived that you suffer from bearing a Millennial item, and they are concerned about you?

Edited 2018-01-18 07:16 (UTC)

「Atem listens to Curufin's totally weird alike story, but he stops and he's found himself with the thirst of knowing more. Maybe later, when he's not taking up the spotlight as he usually does.

But Curufin speaks the way he exactly thought back then, that his reign would be even greater than his father's, that he'd keep that peace they struggled so much to obtain and make Kemet great again, and he did, only for so long. How is it that history is bound to repeat over the age, transcending dimensions and time? Curufin is not even human, and yet, can suffer from the same darkness that resides in a human heart.

At the question, he loosely nods.」

Someone pointed out I've been acting different... That's all.

「Not that anyone here knows him enough to tell, or maybe they do, he doesn't know. But he, indeed would have never brushed off their concerns. He had before, overlooked what was important to impose his will, but hadn't he learned to be kinder?」

[ Ah, how true it is! -- that history repeats, respecting none of the boundaries of time and space, and that darkness exists in the hearts of many if not all sentient beings everywhere. Curufin will tell Atem whatever he wants to know about Curufin's life and his people's story, only not now, of course, as right now he's trying to help Atem. ]

[ With gentleness. ] Acting different is not a crime, but what did that person perceive as being different about your actions? What was the worry?

「The way Curufin says it makes him wonder if he's not fretting over ridiculous things. But he had never thought that of his friends' opinions, but he does, now, doesn't he?

He kid shakes his head, he's not sure how to explain it.」

Edited 2018-01-28 05:29 (UTC)

[ Curufin has no intention of making Atem feel he's fretting over nothing. Quite the contrary. If Atem is worried, he may be worried about something real. And if it would help for him to talk about it, the Elf will listen. ]

Do you want to tell me about it? I'm your friend. But if you don't, then it's okay too.

It's not... that, Curufin. I trust you. I just...

「Siiiigh.」

I think I'm just really tired.

I believe you. Bearing the Millennial Eye cannot be easy. And I believe that you have been through much, though in fact I know little about what passed in your life before you came to Hadriel. But the things that have happened since then would try the spirit of any person.

[ Again, his manner is gentle and curious. His face clearly shows that he believes that if Atem is suffering, it isn't over anything frivolous. Whatever it is, it's important. ]

It's not... but I chose to do it.

「He's not good at all at this opening up thing, he might actually be missing the whole point of this, but he really appreciates Curufin worrying anyway. Not that he likes him worrying, that's just another thing he does, he doesn't like worrying people, so, no matter how tired, he still manages a minuscule smile, trying to assure him he will be fine. It's what he does... It's what he was taught, what good king would show any kind of weakness after all?」

Enough about me... Have you been well?

[ Curufin nods. ] I understand that you have taken on a responsibility, and it means much to you. So much that you cannot choose to do otherwise.

[ Curufin understands Atem's reluctance to open up. It stems from another kind of responsibility that Atem cannot refuse to carry -- that of being a leader. And a leader must stay strong; a leader is suppose to look after the welfare of others. Even when he does not feel strong, he has to deflect others from perceiving this, or at least from focusing on it. Curufin's not easy to deflect, but he can see that Atem is not comfortable with further focus on himself. And so he smiles back in response to Atem's little reassuring smile and lets him change the subject. ]

I'm well. I've had my problems, but on the whole, things are working out. And I've got a whole heap of scrap metal to melt down and forge into useful items for the community. [ Dead Null carcasses, that is. Material for his craft, yay! ]

「He gets it... It was, great not having to explain himself in such detailed way when your friend gets where you're coming from.」

Useful things huh... Sounds good. 「Ew, this small talk, it's not like him but... oh well.」

And... Yukari? 「He's still unsure why he even cares about that guy, truth to be told, it's so complicated.」

[ Curufin does get it, and will not push Atem to explain when he plainly wants to change the subject. And small talk is not like Curufin, either, but he understands its purpose. And so he just nods encouragingly. ]

Well, you know of course that he fought on our side instead of the Null's side. He was badly injured towards the end of it. The two of us were fighting some of the largest of the Null types, and one of them came up behind me and was about to slash me with a couple of whip-like steel arms with blades at the ends. Yukari sprang forward to get between us, and he took a blow that was meant for me. I killed that Null and then carried Yukari to the Hot Springs clinic location and they saved his life. He's still healing, but he's doing all right.

It's kind of you to ask. [ Curufin's eyes are gentle, looking at Atem, who must still be suffering the effects of his encounter with Yukari when the mercenary had murderous intentions. ]

Edited 2018-03-20 22:21 (UTC)

「Badly injured? Atem's eyes seem to narrow slightly as Curufin tells the story.」

He was already injured before he did that... 「So much for keeping it a secret... But Yukari had blown up cover in the end, what was the point?」

Hardly, he still owes me a jacket... 「He says with a bit of a pout, no, he's not worried! For sure, that was not enough of an excuse to ask about him, but he'll go with that. It might be easy to see that Atem still struggles with his feelings towards Yukari.」

Edited 2018-03-20 22:41 (UTC)

[ Curufin sees those narrowing eyes. ] He was already injured? [ Hell with secrets. He wants to know. ]

If he owes you a jacket, I'll see that he pays his debt! I've been bringing him fabric to work with, to pass the time.

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BAW YOU'RE BACK! missed you buddy!

Thanks, I missed you too!