Resolve (Open)

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Time: Two days prior to the Morgg event.

Adrain had been spending great times in places of power, trying to scry for the answers using his gifts to view through time. The task that Ai had given him was not going well, Helena having secluded herself to her fortress and even he would dare not attack such a place or try to infiltrate with any expectation of remaining intact. The visions that he had seen varied slightly but no matter what the end was eternal blackness. Not even the power he had seemed to be capable of making a difference.

Frustrated, he made a journey to Heaven's Pass...site of where the original 'Deyu' was. He remembered what Deidric mentioned, that he was a 'Ku-Deyu', the progeny or successor to the mythical creature. He stares at the skull, massive in size even ancient as it was. The wind blew his black robe around, his hair drifting in the direction as he watched the skull with intense focus. He exhaled.

"What does one do when the world is at a risk of such a fearsome creature...it pales Helena in destructive power...I don't see how any mortal could stand against it.." he says dejectedly...leaning and looking at the ground on a rock face nearby. "For the first time I am afraid...of failing to protect those around me, who don't need to suffer for a deity's bruised ego..." he says, smashing his fist against the rock, his skin tearing in a few points and blood trickling down the size of his hand. "Even you were felled...it was likely only because you weakened the fallen Deyu that the Gods were able to stop it...Gods that I don't completely have faith that they are even willing to intervene directly...." he says, slamming his other fist into the rock, it too getting scraped and light bleeding.

"...Every scenario shows failure, a razed world and for what? No matter what device I make, what spell I cast no meaningful difference can be made. Only death.." he says, then turning to his back and slumping down, reaching ground with a small kickup of dust, looking at the skull. "...Deyu...if you were as mighty as they say, why are you only an obscure legend...what is Deidric's race doing that he says if they really are the progeny of this Deyu..." he says. Adrain's eyes close...exhaling.

"So...tired...I need to teleport..back.." he says, as fatigue from the last three days catching up to him with minimal sleep. The blackness of unconsciousness envelops him.

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Synapse Temporary Connection Established...

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Mysu Heart reiginiting...

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Mysu Aura established...

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Awaken...


Hours later, Adrain's eyes would open. His expression instantly turns to a scowl as he hops up and looks around, flexing his hands and stretching his body. His expression was a steady frown as he surveyed the area. He looks North, to the direction of Morgg and an anger surges through him, causing a faint shockwave of energy to rattle the area and stone nearby. "...I need to prepare...first..." he says, looking at his body and sighing, flinging the robe off and surveying his form.

"...The new life has let the body weaken...easily fixed I suppose. Alter: Restore!" he says, as an intensely bright yellow and purple flash erupts around him. Mysu surges through his body, his muscles and bones invigorated, his skin healing up rapidly and sign of scars gained disappearing. His musculature grew and swelled, reaching a combat fit but not exceedingly bulky condition. As the hair flows, it annoys him quickly as he in a quick movement, summoned a shadow blade with one hand and reached back pulling up his hair slicing through it several times, the long strands falling to the ground leaving him with a short, messy and spiky look to him.

"Hmph...I'll have to fabricate something for when I return to the darkness.." he says, looking defiantly to the North.

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Melda had gotten worried. Working as a professor at the Arch had brought her more time with Adrain, so her noticing his absence wasn't strange; in fact a few people had begun to worry. Iris, his guard, had mentioned he hadn't been sleeping much, if at all. She hadn't wanted to intrude, but Melda was growing more worried by the third day. She tried his office and his chambers, but both were empty; Iris hadn't seen him either. On impulse, Melda tried tracking his magic; something Aria had taught her.

Strangely enough it didn't take her long to pick it up, and Melda set out after changing into more appropriate clothing for the trip. Her silver hair was in a long and complicated braid, swinging softly over her left shoulder. Using the strength of her wind magic, she propelled herself at twice the speed of a carriage, following his magic.

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It had lead her to Heavens Pass... What was he doing out here? Melda was searching the area, trying to pin point where it was coming from, when something shook the earth, rattling the stones and rubble. Narrowing her eyes, she headed in the direction it came from. It didn't take long to find him after that, and her eyes landed in him just as his hands reached up and sliced off all his hair. Melda blinked in surprise; it was definitely a new look for him, and though it was startling to see, she couldn't deny she quite liked it on him.

She cleared her throat. Adrain. What on earth are you doing out here? She asked, eyebrows furrowed with worry.

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"Oh, the elf...Melda...right." Adrain says, slowly turning to Melda, his eyes glowing brightly to the point the white in his eyes wasn't visible. His speak now was a little sterner, and with an accent that is close to what you might call the British one but a little more sped up. Frowning, he looks to the North.

"I apologize, Melda. I am not the same Adrain that you have come to know. It is...incredibly complicated, but I have awakened to prevent my sister from being an idiot." he says, not moving his gaze from the North. Air around him almost bends within a certain radius. A falling rock that goes into his aura begins to fall slowly to the ground.

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Melda arched an eyebrow at him as he mumbled to himself, hearing "the elf". She blinked a couple times, narrowing her eyes slightly. His voice was different. His hair was different... his attitude was different. Melda picked up on all the differences between the first and second time he spoke, so when he spoke the second times, her suspicions were confirmed.

Melda crossed her arms over her chest, taking in a deep breath. Surprisingly, its not that complicated. You're the Adrain from his original time, aren't you? Melda asked, a "matter-of-fact" tone in her voice.

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"Curious...and how do you come to a conclusion such as that? While true, I can't imagine how you might have gotten those powers, Melda." he says, exhaling a little. "If it's any consolation to you, the version of me you are enamored with will return after my purpose is done. I've no interest in existing in this state any longer than I absolutely have to." he says, stretching his right hand out as a glow manifests and scales dot the arm while the hand itself turns into a claw. He flexes it, feeling the grip and strength of the draconic arm, before letting the energy fade, returning it to normal.

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Melda smirked slightly; she hadn't expected to surprise him. The God within you reached out to me a while back. Melda spoke after clearing her throat lightly. Her smirk didn't last long; the next words out of his mouth had her flushing with colour. Her mouth gaped open and her eyes widened as she shook her head, waving her hands slightly in front of her. I haven't a clue what you mean by that! He's certainly a friend, and while I would like him to return, I know you're going to take him over permanently one day. Though thank the Gods it's not today... Melda crossed her arms over her chest, puffing her cheeks out slightly at the fuss. She watched both curious and intruiged by his arm altering, never having seen Adrain do that before. Original Adrain is just as attractive as the Adrain I know... in his own way of course. Melda mused lightly to herself, having grown mildly more comfortable with the fact that she held feelings for him; though she wouldn't admit that outloud.

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"God within me? Have you been hitting the Lunar Drops?" he says, a brow raised and looking at the elf, but as she blushed and stammered a little, he laughed a little openly. Though when she insisted that he take over permanently one day, his eyes narrowed slightly as he faced away.

"I have no intention of doing that. When I was at death's door, a part of me wished to just fade away, to have had a normal life without the weight of loss that has added up over a thousand years. It is perhaps a burden of every immortal, why the gods inevitably go insane after a certain point. What you've come to know...an alternate version, would you really want that to be gone?" he says, sighing a little.

"I awaken only because if the Deyu awakens, then greater power would be needed than that version of myself can pull forth...Mysu. The strength of will that transcends most limits. It may very well happen that he come across that later, curiously a version of my race exists on this world that isn't quite the same and a man has informed of Mysu, but Mysu being awakened without prior knowledge can be...dangerous...especially due to the raw potential of this body." he says, looking to Melda.

"...For what it's worth, I think you are appropriate." he says simply.

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Melda sighed; she had forgotten that neither Adrain knew about Kalonis. Nothing. Nevermind how I know, but I do. She shifted, blinking as he laughed at her. She made a sour face and her skin tinged a little darker. When he explained he had no intention or wish to ever take over permanently, Melda narrowed her eyes. Kalonis probably didn't give a rats ass what he wanted. When he asked if she really wished it to be gone, Melda shook her head. Of course not... He's important to me. And while you are him by all technicalities, it would never be the same. She admitted quietly, knowing she'd never say it to the persona she knew.

He continued on with something she only knew a little about but nodding anyways, knowing it had to do with the dream that had plagued the entire city. His last words had her blinking at him, stunned. I beg your pardon?

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"He hasn't been disillusioned out of his protector's complex...a mentality that because we are powerful we should take all suffering upon ourselves to keep the innocent safe. It's why you haven't seen him...he's been pushing his limits to try to train and strengthen to deal with the Deyu. Some of these abilities caused him to have some nasty wounds he had to heal, Lunar Drops are annoying when you use too many of them." Adrain says with a small shrug.

"It's because of this mentality that a romantic partner is hard for him, hard to justify romancing anybody when the world is about to end, and this is a world that will likely always have some sort of looming threat. A bit more directness may help your cause." he says, with little emotion evident in his voice. It was clear that this iteration of Adrain had little ambition romantically. A sort of loneliness might be evident in the way he distances himself from the other side. To Melda this would likely be obvious why.

"What do you plan to do if the dragon breaks free? Will you be cooked to a crisp or do you have some sort of a plan? By now, the gods have spread the dream to others." this Adrain states, looking at Melda for a moment before walking to the edge of the cliff and staring North once more.

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Melda frowned as he spoke of the things Adrain had been doing on his own; the injuries he had to heal. She wished she would have noticed sooner, at least then she could have tried to help. As he went on to explain that this was why he didn't get involved romantically, she flushed with colour. She knew that even though it wasn't him telling her this, it looked and sounded like him. That made it incredibly tense for her. Yes well. There's hardly a point in being direct over something you're unsure of yourself. She cleared her throat and ran her hands down her thighs, a nervous habit.

She did understand it all. She was the same way a lot of the time. It made perfect sense; but she also meant what she said. She cared for him, more than she'd cared for anyone in a long time- that was something she only admitted to herself in dreams. But he was the Headmaster, a newly appointed Duke, a mage that Noku was still wary of. To get involved, politically, may not be the best idea for her... but a large part of her was starting to care about those facts less and less, and it scared her.

When he spoke again she blinked, coming out of her thoughts. Well, I would do what was done last time we were attacked. Band together with the warriors of the city and do what we can to protect it. I fought front lines during the Red Mist, and I would do it again. I'm aware that a dragon is quite different, but I wont abandon my home or my King. She was quite confident in her answer.

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Adrain closes his eyes and smiles, shaking his head. "As you wish." he says, clearly not fully believing her words. "Hesitation is the bane of desire." he says cryptically, but apathetically, looking forward to the horizon seemingly obsessed with the horizon. "Ahh yes...the invasion of Helena. Odd how this iteration is so different, I actually had some degree of hope for her once.." he says, shaking his head ever cryptic.

"If you wish to support your king then you should get him on board with a plan to rapidly evacuate the city when the Volcano blows. Nothing you have in that kingdom will save anyone save a deep enough underground position." he says, exhaling a sigh.

"Equipment...Mysu Preparation...Rehearsal...Execution.." he muses, seemingly going over a checklist of items needed to combat.

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Melda ignored his comment, her decision already made. When he made his suggestion, she nodded in thought. There may be no convincing him, but I'll do what I can. She said quietly, watching him as he went over his list.

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After a moment of thought, Adrain turns to Melda. "Melda, I'm...sorry. The situation with me is complicated. But since you came out here to check on me, even if its sort of not me I do feel I owe you some sort of appreciation. You are a lovely woman in truth. I don't know how much you think you know, but I will at the very least answer any question you have if there isn't any problem in doing so." he says, his hair swaying as his radiant purple eyes seem to stare into the elf's being.

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Melda blinked as he suddenly apologized. Look, I'll only say this once, because I trust you when you say that you being here is temporary. This is you. Whether its the you I've come to know or not, its still you. You don't owe me anything, I would do it again in a heart beat. She shrugged, flaring in colour and turning her head to the side, huffing lightly. She flushed harder hearing him call her lovely.

Any question. While she knew now that he didn't know about Kalonis, she wasn't sure what to ask him. She knew Adrain was guarded about himself, and wanted to well, not exactly save the world, but help keep the peace. That meant love for him was complicated, even if he didn't remember all of his past heartbreaks. She turned her head back to face him, eyes meeting his right away. She couldn't break the contact, like his eyes had been stitched to hers somehow. Is he happy? Or is he always searching for who he's supposed to be? She blurted out. She wasn't sure where it had come from, but she supposed it was a good a question as any.

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"As you wish." he says simply, allowing Melda to shift the subject. The question seemed to make him have to pause as a brow raised, the male bringing two fingers between his eyes and closing them in contemplation of how to best answer that question.

"Happy is...subjective. He finds joy in the works he does and the bonds he has with the many people he's come to know, help, and witness grow. Such as Yuki going from a wreck to a confident woman and mage, to giving the fallen angel flight once more, to putting a decisive end to high stakes conflicts quickly so the innocent will not suffer. He...I...whatever you want to think of it as, are the sort to take the burdens and pains of the world unto oneself because on some level there is the belief that those with power are obligated to aid those who do not have power. This is what is taught in the Arch, and what is lived by day in and day out." he says, looking south in the general direction of the Arch.

"You see it never stops with him. People have asked him why a town has been built for the Arch, people who still think the Arch is a secret despite the fact many mages in Noku's employ owe an education from the Arch and that any theoretical attack will be successful for that. It's not like intelligent mages would forget how to get to the largest tree in the woods, fly above the treeline.." he says, shaking his head. "Thus..he wanted the Arch to be a part of culture and the world, to be accountable to the world so mages can find a place, and to have the world accountable to such a wonder." he says, then looking to the coast line.

"The mana farm project approaches completion which will be a boon in foodstuff. Then he has had an idea of building a port city such to expand Noku's reach, provide a second haven in case of...I dunno scary dragon destroying Nova, and to provide housing and employment for fated to reduce the tensions in theory....granted that hasn't gone beyond planning and a conversation with the King is the second step after an initial draft." he says, turning back to Melda.

"There must always be something to look forward to. Something to keep busy. He worries about his past, that something could haunt those he cares about which is a major reason for slowness to relationship. He knows he is a Ku-Deyu...but he doesn't have confidence he can control the inner dragon since during the siege against Helena, it nearly took hold when he was deeply wounded in the effort to repel her. Strangely, despite the fact that Helena is the one causing the newest problems, he wants to try to save her since he knows that it would throw off the balance of the world if she were to somehow die." he says, then looking to Melda.

"Does that help?"