carrythetorch: (21 - mDiZzfb)
[personal profile] carrythetorch posting in [community profile] formmusebox


It had all gone wrong this time. In retrospect, Lio thinks maybe he'd been going too hard. He was on the brink of exhaustion, and his latest raid on livestock had been met with more resistance than it should have, almost as if someone had known he was coming.

He'd gotten away, thankfully, but not before he'd taken a number of blows -- arrows shot from crossbows with enough power that they'd pierced even through his scales. He'd ripped them out in flight and set the better part of a fallow field on fire before he'd flapped high enough to disappear into the cloud cover. That had been what saved him. It wasn't long before he couldn't keep himself aloft any longer, too much pain, too much blood lost.

Even maintaining his full draconic form is too much, and as he plunges to the Earth and tries to slow his descent with his wings, he fizzles back into his human shape, a lithe, slender man. His clothes are dark enough that the blood soaking them isn't obvious from a distance. He lands in a crumpled pile not far from a road through the woods, just off the trail in the underbrush. And that's the last thing he knows.

...

When he opens his eyes next, he's warmer than he expects to be. There's soft blankets beneath him and over him. He can smell something clean and earthy, herbal maybe, and light spills in setting the whole room in a comforting brightness and-- wait. He's in a room. The last thing he remembers is falling, and, oh.

He sits up all at once, hissing at the way his body protests the movement. Where is he? Has he been captured? Except no, if he'd been captured he'd be bound. Or dead. Maybe staked through to the ground. Not wrapped in soft blankets and tended to. "Where am I?" He asks the question mostly to himself as he blinks against his bleary vision willing it to clear, willing his eyes to focus.

Date: 2020-05-21 06:58 pm (UTC)
barenakedspirit: (pic#14010310)
From: [personal profile] barenakedspirit
It would have to be a necklace and earrings. maybe bracelets. Galo crosses his arms over his chest and nods. He could work on that while Lio was asleep. Tomorrow they'll go down and get the pieces he needs as well as supplies. "Jewelry it is! I'm better at making that stuff than anything else."

He doesn't care for shirts as it is why would he bother learning how to make his own? He knows the shape he wants for the center pieces of each piece. Proper impact must be made. It will be the first time a dragon has been treated as they are.

An elemental.

"I'll make sure it's more than clear we're a pair." He gives a thumbs up with a grin spreading across his face. "We can do this, Lio. As partners we'll put it all right."

Date: 2020-05-22 09:46 pm (UTC)
barenakedspirit: (pic#14011636)
From: [personal profile] barenakedspirit
Galo knocks his closed fist against Lio’s with his grin still on his face. “Okay, we have a plan! So, I got to check the traps and some of the healing areas of the forest. You can come with or keep sunning yourself.”

His grin turns sly as he says, “You can roll in the tall grass. It’s pretty soft. I nap there sometimes.” One day he will pay for teasing Lio this much. He slips off his rock and stretches, bending down to touch his toes.

Date: 2020-05-23 01:23 am (UTC)
barenakedspirit: (pic#13868528)
From: [personal profile] barenakedspirit
His smile only grows at the almost smile on Lio's face. "Can't wait to see it." He's made an unlikely friend and partner. Galo rolls his shoulders back and extends his hand. His staff settles against his palm and he lifts it, resting it against his shoulder.

Lio is watching him like he's seen predators watch a fascinating snack. Odd but he figures it has to do adjusting to being able to just be. "We'll follow the river and cross it before the west part of the forest. Come on."

He turns and walks into the forest, the branches and grass curling around him. He belongs to the woods and the woods will do the same for him. The word partner means a lot to the wild. Lio in a way, has gained a home in his pledges made today.

Date: 2020-05-23 04:43 pm (UTC)
barenakedspirit: (pic#14010311)
From: [personal profile] barenakedspirit
“Seven years. I’ve been hearing it for longer than that. Mom always told me it wasn’t my role to be simple fire mage.” She had known one day her son would be something beyond a fire mage. He hadn’t understood that at the time.

Galo tosses his head back and laughs, it’s light. “I camped on the edge and waited for it to tell me when it was okay to come in. At rations for three days and only tended to what was in reach of me. It opened for me at dawn of day four. Led me to the heart of the wood and gave me my staff. I took my oaths in that grove.”

The captain had inked him there with the rest of the circle standing witness. “Never worn a shirt unless I had to since. Shouldn’t! We are only supposed to wear robes when we come to judge. We don’t cover these.” He taps his chest with a closed fist and pauses to listen.

“This way.” He says and directs the to the edge of a river that flows almost hidden between the trees crowding its banks. “I should tell you how the judging process goes. Kind of something you should know before we even get ready for it.”

In his memory there hasn’t been a healer judging someone in hundreds of years. It’s of the old world and most people don’t bend the laws so badly a healer has to come visit retribution. He will permanently stain Kray’s reputation just from visiting his door ready to judge.

But the crimes are real and he will do what must be done.

Date: 2020-05-25 02:59 pm (UTC)
barenakedspirit: (pic#14011636)
From: [personal profile] barenakedspirit
He jerks his head up to look at Lio in surprise. Beautiful? Then he snorts and says, “Yeah. Pact tattoos always look incredible.”

Galo walks up to the tree closer to the edge of the river and lays his hand against it. With a creak the old willow lifts itself up and shuffles slightly to the left. He smiles for it and pats the trunk. “Thank you, promise I’ll come by and ask you to move back when we’re done.”

He steps into the water of the river as he says, “So, judgments work in that we wear neutral colors when we come to visit the accused. It’s representation in two ways. We are the voice but we have a more nuanced view than the world does. If we view judgment can be carried out another way we can do that instead.”

It’s written on his face this judgment will go one way. His eyes are hard and his jaw is set, as he stares straight ahead. He fords the river as fish move out of his way as if he were just another plant or fish in the water. “We leave our staff behind in our domain. For the judgment the earth gives you a staff once you hear the accused’s plead. If you deem judgment the old way is to be carried out, you’re unchained.”

He makes it to the far side and turns to face him. “Healers use the elements of their soul as a canvas to wield the rest. That’s why I always use water, earth, and wind. We’ll see if I’m unchained to use water or so. Or if the world will demand I use fire. It’s all in what staff it gives me.”

Date: 2020-05-26 05:45 am (UTC)
barenakedspirit: (pic#13835918)
From: [personal profile] barenakedspirit
Galo looks at him then he shuts his eyes. "Yeah. It'll be fire." He hasn't wielded fire itself since he was a small child. He doesn't know what staff will rise from the earth but it will be fire that is unchained.

He gestures for Lio to keep walking as he exits the river onto a small grassy knoll. He pauses, then nods. "We're almost there. Anyway, that's what happens. Supposedly it's special for a healer who works with an elemental. I don't know. No one has seen that happen in longer than there's been a judgment."

Date: 2020-05-27 04:56 pm (UTC)
barenakedspirit: (pic#14011637)
From: [personal profile] barenakedspirit
Galo freezes and stares at him in horror. The Lord of Dragons. His age doesn’t pass him by but it explains why he hadn’t understood how that changed things. Verbal agreement wouldn’t be enough. Proper respect has to be paid. “We...got to go to the grove!” He says and makes a hasty sweep of his hand. The trees move like a crowd parting to let them pass.

He shakes his head then straightens up and coughs. “We can work on the plants that need checked on in a second. You’re The lord of fire that means this partnership needs properly witnessed instead of verbal.” He gestures and the sigils on his staff ignite into the colors of the sunset. He turns and strides down the new pathway without a backward glance but he calls out,

“Never thought I’d get another pact tattoo but, life is full of surprises. Come on!” The trees all gently press at Lio’s back like a bunch of elders helpfully guiding a younger member of their ranks. Go on.

Follow the pretty man down the path.

Date: 2020-05-28 07:02 pm (UTC)
barenakedspirit: (pic#13844374)
From: [personal profile] barenakedspirit
"Yeah??" Galo says when Lio catches up to him. The pathway is straight and the plants around them seem thicker, the deeper into the forest they go. He looks straight ahead but his tone is gentle. Lio is as young as he is and dragons have been hunting for so long. "Lords govern their people, yeah. But when a healer works with a lord they're working directly with the strongest representative of that element's will on the planet. Working with you as a partner is making a pact with the element involved."

He gestures to the forest. "I can't just go 'I'm working with Fire's Voice', I have to show proper respect. I should have thought of it." He'd been busy being hurt and betrayed. He'll do better. Galo shakes his head. "We really are young guys." He mutters as green motes of light dance in the air and the plants and roots around them glow as they draw nearer to the heart of the wood.

"I dunno how this goes. I think you just follow your instincts. Place it where anyone looking can see it. Maybe you can ask the other elements or fire itself." Galo pauses at the end of the path. Ahead of them the air is filled with green motes of light dancing with gold and blue. A vast grove stretches out ahead of them. Thick green grass lines juts up between the roots of trees so old they seem timeless. The tree roots are banded with lines of green light. As they watch more motes are exhaled and inhaled by the trees. The river they'd been following flows in a curving path around the grove and ends in the heart in a pool of clear blue water surrounding a wide flat stone.

Date: 2020-05-29 05:33 pm (UTC)
barenakedspirit: (pic#14011636)
From: [personal profile] barenakedspirit
His staff slides from his shoulder as he lets go of it. The symbol of his role in the balance of the world falls and unravels, the end of it turning to the roots of a tree, sinking in the dirt, grass grows up around it. The staff of it becomes the trunk of a tree as the top turns to branches, spiraling up and spreading over them, delicate blue petals fluttering down as Galo only nods.

Lio's hand on his skin is warm and he can feel the faint shape of the flames, hear them like he used to before he shut his ears to it. Grief and trauma, he knows that but he can't help the way dips his head to acknowledge them and Lio. "Course I'm okay with it. We serve the same thing and...you've been trying to help me even though you could have just let me burn."

The forest whispers around them as he says, "I'm Galo Thymos of Burning Circle, caretaker of this forest!" His voice rings out loud and clear. "Bound to wind, water, and earth. I thought my burning soul was enough to serve as the harmony with the other three. But," His eyes fix on Lio's. Lio knows his story. Lio has suffered too. "I'm done holding that wound open. It needs to close. In the earth, in me. I'll heal myself to heal the world we're all part of," He lifts his left hand and flames burst to life in his palm.

"You okay with take this ember of my life into your fire? Carrying it with you long past the time I pass from this earth?"

Date: 2020-05-30 02:51 am (UTC)
barenakedspirit: (pic#14011639)
From: [personal profile] barenakedspirit
Heat floods into him but he isn't afraid of it. Galo keeps his eyes locked on their fire as flame's mark spreads over his skin. He can feel it weaving between the vines on his back, over and around the twisting of wind and earth, through the curls of water.

When he glances down at his chest his tattoos feel complete. Lio's hand lifts from his skin and he misses the warmth of it. "The pact is made." He breathes out, as sparks of red light join the blue, gold, and green already in the air. Red flowers bloom among the grass like embers of a fire spreading out in all directions.

The temperature in the grove increases and he can feel fire running under the earth. Galo blinks then blushes and says in a whispery fast tone. "That was the first fire I've lit in years!"
Edited Date: 2020-05-30 02:52 am (UTC)

Date: 2020-05-30 04:16 am (UTC)
barenakedspirit: (pic#14010309)
From: [personal profile] barenakedspirit
His gaze snaps to Lio and his blush travels to his ears. "What?" Galo coughs and forces his embarrassment down. Steady. He's a healer and this shouldn't be anything new. "Just forgot how nice it feels." It felt fucking great to light a fire.

Better than it should be. He crosses his arms over his chest and says in his normal tone, "And why would I ever go back. Pacts are important! Made it knowing what was gonna happen."

Yes, he had. "...why you confused anyway? That's part of my soul you're holding there! It's an amazing little flame!" Cute? How. "...and how are flames cute." What the fuck, Lio. His own expression shifts to confusion.

Date: 2020-05-30 02:56 pm (UTC)
barenakedspirit: (pic#13844370)
From: [personal profile] barenakedspirit
The flame flicks out of his awareness like a candle being blown out. It belongs to Lio now within his greater flame. “That’s what I was thinking about when I lit it.”

He glances down at Lio’s hand on his chest tracing over the dragon. It tingles a little. “I wanted a flame that would give you some strength when you needed it. Since we’re partners now.”

They’re bound together. He and the lord of dragons. “You good to go?” He doesn’t want to examine it but he really doesn’t want Lio to stop touching him.

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