Shimmerline White

[Mini Magi]

Who would have thought that he would be the one to be a patient for once? Lying in his bed, he chuckled at the irony and looked around. He could already see some lights outside. Probably some early workers with their lanterns. The lighthouse too of course. Every harbor town had to have one of those. And that almost annoying light from the crystal aetheryte that came from the plaza was of course always on. Inside his room wasn't much in comparison. Just the bed he was pretty much bound to after his fight with "that monster". It was a draw as far as he was concerned by the way. He had a head wound and some holes in his memory, and his opponent a good number of wound. Outside of his room he could hear people talking, worrying about him. Him who still debated whenever he should acknowledge them or not. He chuckled at the thought and fuzzy feelings. 

It was then that his door opened quietly, and a short girl with just as white hair as his own, and red eyes peeked inside. "He's up!" She thought, her spirits lifted as she processed his status. Looking into the corridor, she smiled and went inside. "Sup?" He responded upon seeing her. She however wasted no moment to rush to his bed and wrap her arms around his chest as far as she could reach, and close her eyes so that if this was a dream she could dream a little longer. Again he chuckled. "What? Did I worry you this much?" She looked up to him, her ruby eyes teary, and nodded. "...Sorry." He put his hand on her cheek, and for the next few moments there was just silence and comfort. 

"We have to talk." He started. "Not because I have bad news. I feel fine, really. But... It's complicated." She got herself beside him by now, still hugging his body. This warmth always helped her calm down so far. "Is it because of those things you shouted?" Wait what?! He almost flinched! "You heard that!?" He kept his voice down, making it more of an angry whisper than a loud shout. But there was no way he wanted the others to hear them now. She nodded, her eyes not making contact with his. "Everyone did." Now that explained why people were outside his room. "Heh. Oh I can already hear a certain redhead make fun of me. But back on topic, kinda yes." He took a deep breath and put the hand of the arm she was laying on onto her head. "There is a lot people don't know about me. This includes you. Regarding some things I kinda like to keep it that way. But as for others... You know what? Since you like books so much, how about I just tell you a story? Feel free to fill in the gaps in between. Sound fun?" She smiled and nodded. Taking a deep breath, he began his side of the story. "Let's start with the protagonists first. Ideally the really cool one first since he is also older, and I wanna try and keep this chronological."

[Mini Magi]

It was... what, 10 years ago? Anyway. Long before he was where he is now, Yuel Euclid was just a simple villager like everyone else in Portvale. He grew up like pretty much everyone else, and at the time really wanted to help people. And since he was also smart, he decided to put his head to use and became an apprentice of the local doctor. "Those in need" could be defined as many people after all, and especially guards and adventurers had it hard in his opinion. And he got good at his job too. He learned how to treat the sick, take care of wounds, and both make and administer medicine. So one day when a group of adventurers came through with their lead wounded, they took interest in him. After all he was kind, young, somewhat able bodied too, and so they made him the offer to join him. And him being dumb after all took them up on the offer. 

(Her: But we wouldn't have met if things didn't turn out as they did.)
(Him: Not now. We're just getting to the gritty part.)

So they took him with them, taught him how to fight with a spear too, and all was fine until it wasn't. At roughly their second encounter with monsters, they were overwhelmed. The heroes did their job as well as they could, but were slowly pushed back. Retreat was really the only option, and that lead them to a bridge. What happened next was what changed little Yuel. The mage of the group, always a little piece of shit if you ask me, decided in his infinite wisdom to blod a part of the stone bridge up... exactly between him and Yuel. The bridge collapsed soon afterwards, the heroes were fine, and Yuel fell below into the raging torrents TOGETHER WITH the monsters. What happened next was just a blurry memory. All he knew next was that his clothes were drenched, he was fighting for his life, and there was no way out of what was basically a giant bowl since the river ended in a cave into underground routes. He killed the first monster and cut one of its legs off, then had to pull back however since the next monster broke his spear. He at least took the freshly cut leg with him for some panicked reason as he squeezed himself through a narrow cave. Seconds felt like hours at which the other monsters still tried to get to him, and hours? Well, they definitely felt longer. This stalemate turned into days until his hunger was maddening. So since he wanted to live, he ate the monster meat. And oh boy, was that a bad idea at first. 

His whole body felt like it was pierced with lances everywhere, he screamed in pain, couldn't get rid of it, and was pretty sure that this was how he was going to die. "Why?" He thought. "What did I do wrong?" As if trying to make sense of his whole situation, he thought about what brought him there. "No! It was their fault. ALL OF THEIR FAULT!" His thoughts turned into rage. Where before was compassion was for some moments nothing but madness and hate. Pure, absolute hate. Hate for the mage, hate for the party, hate for the doctor, hate for his parents, hate for the world hate... Hate... HatE, HATE! His screams turned into roars, his body adapted to the pain and before he knew it he crushed the leg he still held in his bare hands. 

The air had changed at that moment. There was suddenly the feeling of danger. Bloodlust? Murderous intend? Madness? Whatever it was, Yuel's head was empty for a few moments. Basic instincts dominated his mind as he slowly came out of his hiding spot. One of the monsters came right at him as he was noticed, and Yuel in turn just ripped its arm clean off nearly instantly. He then bit its flesh off as the monster stepped back, and what followed... well. No one knows. Because Yuel wasn't all there, and there were no witnesses. But what definitely happened afterwards was that Yuel survived, and the monsters were turned into piles of limbs. He was covered in blood but didn't care and instead climbed up the stone walls with ease now that his fingers could just dig into the stone, and made his way... somewhere. He didn't know himself where he was headed by now. 

(???: Yuel.)

[Mini Magi]

A new voice had joined into the room. A not so little redhead who for once left her giant sword at home it seemed. "...You're been eavesdropping haven't you?" Yuel asked, turning his head with an amused expression. "Of course I did! You are worrying everyone! And now this? Why didn't you tell me?!" The redhead demanded answers it seemed~ Always so stoic, but basically a Marshmallow inside. "Oh I don't know. Maybe because you were the princess most of the time I knew you and weren't exactly... kind with criminals?" She paused. "Even so, I thought we were friends." It was now that the little girl with silver hair rose up to sit on the side. "You are his friend." Oh great. She was going to make it worse. "You're about to tell her something embarrassing, so don't mind me while I cover my ears." He did so, and the girl continued. "Master is complicated, I know that. But he always cherished the few moments you had with each other. And he trusts you. But... Knowing what we know now, I think you should be lenient with him. His whole life was taken from him by betrayal. I think... I think he just didn't want the past to repeat itself." The redhead paused again. She wanted to be mad at him for so many reasons but... It made sense. She lowered her head in shame. Here she was, ready to yell at him while she really was more than ready to solve her problems with her sword most of the time. The girl poked Yuel, who put his hands to his sides again. "Don't think I'm letting you out of here with just a bit of shame. You listened in to something private after all. So as punishment, how about you add to the story? Know which part I mean?" Still a bit angry with him, she got herself a chair, sad down, and cleared her throat before continuing.

[Mini Magi]

This is a story of humility. The story of Kyrie Regina Brendorn the IX, princess of the Brendorn Empire. At the time of this story, she had completed her training and got a squadron of knights assigned to her. Similar to Yuel, she was successful in her first few assignments. But the last one in that year was a close cut. She had stormed the camp of a self proclaimed bandit king, tore down his camp, and faced him in combat. And she underestimated him. He tore through her knights, and although she killed him, left a fatal wound on her and most of her men. Those who weren't heavily wounded were unconscious. There was no one who was left unscathed. Only she had the strenght to even stand after all was over. And seeing her men around her, lying in their own blood, it struck her that she had failed. It didn't matter that the bandit king died. What good was a princess that couldn't protect her people? 

Desperate to find help she dragged herself somehow out of the camp, and instead found... someone red. Covered in blood. He came right at her with a sprint, so she did what she could without her sword and punched him with all the strength she had left, and sent him flying against the next tree. But that was all she had left in her, so her body gave in.

(Yuel: Let me take over for a bit)

The hit felt so weird to him. Like a wake up call, even though he wasn't asleep. As if the lights up there finally turned on, he observed the figure that managed to hurt him a bit better. A knight? Oddly enough, a wounded one, and she still had the strength to knock some sense into him? It was then that she collapsed. A wounded person in front of him, his annoying kind side still being in there somehow. Before he knew it he had already decided to help her. And he suddenly had all the abilities he needed to do so. Starting with his strength and speed. He could effortlessly run all across the area to gather the needed herbs, and then picked her up to carry her from where she came. If she was tough enough to make it this far, she could afford some more blood loss. Yuel then saw what was the aftermath of a battle, and one by one treated every soldier. 

(Kyrie: You're skipping a part.)
(Yuel: You mean the one where you got up and wanted to help?)
(Kyrie: The one where you punched a patient!)
(Yuel: Said patient had just been patched up and got up despite being warned. I rest my case. Since you're so full of energy now, how about you take over again?)

It was the sun that woke Kyrie up. It shone through a hole in the sorry excuse of a tent she was placed in. Her wounds were all bandaged up, yet it still hurt to move anything. Somehow, she survived that nightmare. "Lady Brendorn!" One of her soldiers had noticed her moving and rushed to her side. He was also in bad shape, but also treated. He then explained to her that they had luck. A doctor just happened to come here after the fighting was done, and every single one of her soldiers was still alive. Granted, some of them were in a worse condition than her, but hearing that they all were still up... it let at least some of her guilt fall off her shoulders. While moving still hurt, she got up carefully, and took a few steps outside. At the fireplace was someone she didn't know. White hair, long white coat. She could only see his back. When her other soldiers noticed her, he probably noticed who they were looking at. And with an incredibly cocky grin, he turned around and spoke his first word to her. "Sup?" His eyes were strange. Demonic as far as she was concerned. Out of instinct she wanted to reach for the sword on her back, but the pain stopped her. "Easy there. I know know, scary eyes and all that, but they are always like that, and I am not a demon or anything." Despite being surrounded by soldiers, albeit wounded ones, he was calm. "He is the one who treated us lady Brendorn." She still had a memory of the past day in her mind, but... if he saved her soldiers... She reached a hand to him. "You have my thanks sir." He laughed at her, but took her hand and gave it a gentle shake. "I already heard about you, but rather than "sir", just call me Yuel. And don't worry about your men. They are over the worst of it, and I even send one away to arrange an escort. But to make it clear, you owe me a favor knight." That much was true. But he was wrong about calling her a knight. Perhaps it was best this way however. "Your deed won't be forgotten. You have my word on it Yuel." A few weeks later, the princess, her knights, and the strange doctor made it back to the city of Brendorn, and she stood true to her word. Yuel was in a position where he could have asked for almost anything.

[Mini Magi]

His thoughts went back into the room rather than the story. "Anything you say? I didn't know you were in that deep." She smiled in pride. "Of course. Your feelings aside, your deed was genuine and saved many lives. Those of my knights, my own, and the lives of those we all could protect in the future. While I had no intention of becoming a bride, you could even have asked for my hand at that time. I am glad you did not however." He chuckled. "Yeah. Can you imagine how complicated things would have gotten if you started making mini Yuels?" The thought amused him greatly. Chances were good that they would have his eyes after all, so the whole nobility system would probably have cracked like an egg. 

The little girl perked up. "What did you ask for though?" Yuel let out a satisfied sigh. It was a bit of a miracle that he had thought it through this far. "A place to call home, and protection." Kyrie took over. "The house you lived in was given to Yuel, and he was placed under direct protection of the crown. This was to make sure people knew that he had the trust of the royal family, and to protect him from those who were superstitious about his eyes. And all in all, this is where my part in the story ends for now. And Yuel? I would appreciate if... well." It was difficult to put into words what she wanted. She wasn't used to ask for company, or the kind of bonding moments she felt she owed him. But Yuel raised his hand to stop her thinking about it too hard. "It's fine. I get it. Let's drink some tea or something once I'm up." She smiled at the thought and nodded. "I'll let the others know you are fine so you can continue undisturbed. Have a good rest." With that, Kyrie left the room to the two of them. 

Yuel took a little breather, then started. "Then about... I dunno. 3 or so years later, Yuel got an unusual patient. Someone with a very specific tattoo on his shoulder, and was not keen on telling him what it was about. So when Yuel exclaimed "So long as it's not about setting the world on fire, I don't care anyway ai guess", this patient decided to ask him questions after all, and told him about a cult. One that was planning to awaken the lost gods, rearrange the world, and bring back the rules of old. A bunch of nonsense if you ask me. So Yuel infiltrated them, and wrote a not so polite latter in their name to Kyrie, who responded by-" "Wait." That was a bit unusual. This was one of the very few times she had interrupted him. "It is unfair if only you share your side. It's not much, but I want to tell you what I remember." Ah, so she wanted her turn. Fair enough. "Go for it." He told her, and put an arm around her shoulder to squeeze her to his side a bit. This wasn't an easy time for her after all, and one she kept secret for many good reasons.

[Mini Magi]

This is the story of an unnamed girl. As far as her memories reached, she was always nameless, cared for by others, and resided in a cell. Her days and nights were both dark, illuminated only by lanterns when she was visited by those who called themselves her apostles. It was a word she didn't understand. The books she was given to, and told to read were odd. They spoke of a ritual and a vessel, and she found out eventually that she was that vessel. Something to give form to a god, created rather than born. 

(Yuel: Weren't you scared when you found out?)
(Her: No. At that time I didn't know emotions.)

Day in and day out, she spend her days in a routine. But something did catch her attention one day. White hair. The same color as her own rather than fading out from age. Even if it was shorter, it felt familiar. A few days after that, nights in red armor raided the church of the lost gods, and since she wasn't told to do anything, her apostles busy with the knights, she remained motionless in her cell. While all of that happened, the person with the white hair somehow snuck into her cell. 

(Her: Master? How did you sneak past everyone by the way?)
(Yuel: Invisibility potion. Rare and expensive, but I did get one just in time, and while I... "like" the knights, they aren't really the brightest. No way they would have let me through with normal means.)

"Sup?" Was how he greeted her, and her eyes and head turned to him. "..." But she didn't know what was expected of her. "Oh right. Uh... I dunno, speak? Or can you speak?" He probably thought that because she was always silent that she had no voice. But now that he gave her something to work with, she replied. "I can. But why are you here?" Something about him made her curious. She wanted to know more about him. He was different. His eyes were different. "Oh nothing special. It's just that the red knights are currently slaying every apostle they can find and will probably make their way here soon enough, and I kinda want you for my own. Oh, but without all that god nonsense." She was... curious yet again. He wanted her? Not the gods she was meant for? "Why?" she asked. It looked like he thought about how to phrase himself, and she gave him the time to think. "The way I see it, we both could use some company. Or heck, at least I could. And you didn't get out of this room much, did you?" She nodded, and he continued. "The world out there is a lot more interesting. Lush green fields, tasty food, some good people in between too. And sure, it isn't perfect, evident by how you are being locked up and all, but I'm gonna do something no one has ever done to you before. I'll give you a choice. You can either sit here and wait to find out what the knights will do to an albino locked into a cultist church, or... you could be my little pet project. Someone I can care for, dress up, pamper and lewd. How does that sound?" He reached with his hand to her, offering to take hers, and she had so much to think about. She had a choice? The concept was foreign to her. "By the way. Do you have a name?" While still thinking through the chaos in her head, she shook her head. "Then as an extra: Your name will be... Sion." She repeated it in her head a few times, as if trying to memorize it as fast as possible. "Sion?" He called out to her, she turned her head to him, and with a grin he proclaimed "Ha! Got you~ It's decided~"

[Mini Magi]

Back in the room, Sion hugged Yuel as she remembered that moment. "That was your first of many presents to me." Sion. Even now it felt like a little spell, because most of the time she heard it, it was filling her with joy. "Thank you." Again there was this fuzzy feeling. Bleh! Ah but if it was for her he would bear with this wool like emotion. "You make it sound way big- ...It was noth- ... ...You're welcome." With just a few words, she broke his cool. Apparently all it takes is 2 words from this little albino to crack the shell he had build so carefully. 

[Mini Magi]

What followed were days of bliss. Yuel first got Sion to his home. It was originally a guard barrack and had a single prison cell on the second floor. It became Sion's room. But it wasn't actually a cell anymore. Yuel had laid out a large carpet, installed a bathtub, brought a double sized bed in with soft pillows and sheets, a table with 2 chairs, even a dresser with a mirror on its front, and turned one wall into an extra large sized bookshelf. It was already somewhat filled, but left much space open for Sion to store her own interests as well. "Do you mind?" He asked her when they arrived home. She shook her head once they were in. This felt more familiar to her than a normal room. And it was nothing like her old one. And it suited her still attached collar. Yuel didn't have the key to it, but at least could cut off some of the chains. But it didn't bother her. She was used to it anyway, and made one of Yuel's orders more plausible. When they were in public, she was to address him as master. When alone, she could call him Yuel, or master depending on her personal preference.

Over the next days, Sion was given many gifts. Good food, clothes, comfort, sweet joys, books, so much kindness. She wanted to give back at least something. But he only asked for her to remain a polite little girl. Even so, over time she became restless.

(Sion: Master? How come you didn't attempt doing lewd things to me when I moved in with you?)
(Yuel: Oh I definitely wanted to, but you weren't exactly at peak health being kept in a cell all your life, so I wanted to make sure it doesn't end badly.)
(Sion: So... Since when did you want to?)
(Yuel: Well, if it weren't for health concerns and the audience, I'd have fucked you in front of the apostles.)

...T-Then came the day the duo went to the guild. It was then that Sion had noticed that people looked at her master differently from normal people. Fearful, hateful, sometimes both. "Don't mind them. They are just jealous they cute little girl with a collar." The girl blushed at the compliment, but could tell there was more to it. It was because of his eyes.