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[Just remembered I forgot to insert a quote that you guys commented a few chapters ago.]
[Super sorry, but uh, yeah. Oops.]
[ALSO KISSING IN THIS CHAPTER!]
×
"Huh? What do you mean 'we won't be prepared for what's happening next?'"
Echo spun around, eyes darting across all corners of the room. The sea of guests were staring at them now, more specifically Echo himself. The wisp ignored the attention, surveying the room sceptically.
Y/N blinked, staring at him. Though she couldn't hear what he was, the eyes glaring at her in her peripheral. She narrowed her own eyes, observing Echo's behavior and trying to decipher the feeling of an ethereal tongue crawling up her neck.
Though it's almost impossible to tell, Echo did have irises and pupils however they were only just a shade lighter than the rest of his eyes. If you were to squint and peer closely, you'd be able to see the pure white orbs darting around the room, surveying the crowd and the deepest cracks in the walls.
Goosebumps scraped their scythe up her arms, leaving trails of the ghostly bumps all up her skin. Y/N frowned, watching how the crowd glared daggers at not her, but her friend at her side. Echo was the only soul wisp here, the only pure magic creature here.
×
[And he's also player two.]
What?
×
A forced cough captured their attention before the glared blades could cut the boy's skin, rendering his own goosebumps to sit idly and leave the hairs on his neck standing alone.
"Do not fear, my glorious guests," the voice was flat and monotone but somehow conveyed more emotion with every word. "The problem shall be dealt with simply and swiftly. Do not let this spoil your evening, resume the music!"
Technoblade descended the stares slowly, and as the crowd's gaze shifted from the two in the centre of the room back to their own lives, Technoblade's sharp ruby of eyes didn't once leave Y/N's. As he grew closer, she couldn't help but notice how the pupils weren't an opaque black, but instead a dark marron hue that complemented the edges of his crystal hues.
Cheer and chatter became white noise once again, and the king now stood in front of the two. Finally, he took his eyes away from the girl, observing the soul wisp in front of him. He looked Echo up and down, then back to Y/N, and both parties could almost see the cogs turning in the King's head.
"He's your Soulwisp, isn't he?" Technoblade mumbled, "you're a mage, aren't you?"
Magic is an aura. It's the soul within projecting itself, however magic can grow in the wild. Its how wisps and sylphs are formed, when enough pure magic joins together to create a living being. Living magic.
Magic, spells, runes - anything of that sort gives off an aura, and said aura is incredibly difficult to conceal. It's why mages can sense one another's power level; the stronger the mage, the more prominent and potent the aura. Its almost like their magic is billowing from them, bleeding away as there is not enough space to hold it all.
It's invisible to the naked eye and has no smell, but it has a taste. It has a feel. It has the faintest of sounds.
If the room was entirely silent and if you had the best ears in the world, after straining for awhile, you'd be able to hear a low humming. The distant sound of clocks ticking, of crystals clinking. Of ice tapping glass, of ladybugs dancing across a hall of bells.
If you hadn't eaten or drunk anything with flavour and rolled your tongue out onto something of magic, of a powerful enough aura, onto a pure magic creature, you'd be able to taste the sound of crackling fire from an old cottage. The explosion of fireworks and clinking gemstones, raspberries and apples, smooth caramel and jagged dark chocolate, the harmony of indie and rock music.
If you tuned out everything, the feeling of your eyelashes batting with every blink, the soft tugging of the air pulling your hair, the saliva slithering through your teeth, you'd be able to feel the gentle caress of clouds. Tendrils of power billowing onto you from merely being in close proximity of the magic, mage, creature.
But touch them yourself? It's different to everyone. A regular human may be able to feel a soft warmth, maybe even the distant desired feeling of being weightless in water.
Another mage will be able to feel the drumming and the pulse of the magic, your heartbeat waltzing with your soul. They'd be able to feel your ambition, your sorrow, your desires. They'd be able to feel the soothing touch of mist, the gentle lick of a flame with no temperature. However, if you are so powerful that your magic has no rival, the feeling turns sour and those around you will only loathe your presence.
Other creatures feel different things.
An elf or fairy may feel the ghost of a spirit, a gentle warmth radiating from you.
A harpy or hybrid can feel a soft and faint thrumming, like pressing your fingertips against a ticking clock. Like a butterfly's caress, and a soothing hum.
Creatures on the more demonic side feel your soul more than the magic aspect of it, and it is more than simply comforting. Demonic magic is different to pure, it's hungry and greedy and can swallow the user whole if they get carried away.
That's why it's so tempting for them. Why imps love mortal souls, why demons love to meddle with mortal lives, why succubi love the mortal touch. Everything is graced with the faintest bit of magic - the soul - but only some can harness it and grow it.
And so it excites them. It is conforting, it's exhilarating, it's freeing, it's unique, it's wonderful, it's euphoric. Imps love mage souls. Demons love witch wives. Succubi love anyone, really.
They don't always eat the soul. Sometimes they simply want to be around it. Sometimes they want to befriend it. Sometimes they want to kiss it until they're rendered breathless, lovingly staring into their eyes and wishing nothing more than for the moment to ever end.
Such a shame that they're known for being hopeless romantics, and more often get rejected for being what they are. What they were born being. Demonic.
For pure magic creatures such as Echo, its like a soft mist being layered between your skin and the air above. In fact, its all the feelings and tastes and touches and sounds previously described multiplied tenfold, feeling nothing but the truest and purest forms of aura. He can feel... you.
He knows you're there, you know. He always has.
But when Technoblade has said such things, figured things out so quickly, Y/N wondered if he was a mage. After all, who else would tell him about her aura?
Noticing her hesitance, Echo answered for her, "yes, and the best you'll ever find. I'm serious, you know. She's one strong b*tch. Don't do anything stupid."
Though it was a simple and banterful sentence, the king could feel a hidden message behind the wisp's words. Almost like... he wasn't only talking about Y/N.
Techno narrowed his eyes, but said nothing. He ran his coral pink tongue across his coral pink lips, and turned back to the elf in front of him.
"I need you to follow me," scarlet eyes drifted to glowing white ones, "without the bodyguard."
Echo scoffed, but didn't say anything. Though he wanted to ensure that Y/N wouldn't come to any harm, it wasn't fair to control her every action and watch her every move. If she was hurt, he'd feel it through the bond that chains them together.
"Alright, but you have to promise me something," Y/N said, crossing her arms and watching the man before her raise a brow.
"Hmm, maybe," he hummed, shifting his head to move a lock of flamingo pink hair from his face.
"I want you to make sure no harm falls upon my soul wisp," she instructed, placing her hand on Echo's forearm. The creature flinched, but showed no other reaction.
"Hmm," Techno hummed, inspecting the two with eyes alone. Though he couldn't be sure, Techno believed that the wisp was unnerved by something else. Pure magic creatures are rumoured to have a sixth sense - able to hear the gods, ghosts and omens. A fairytale, and a warning.
Techno nodded and held out his arm for Y/N to take. She hesitated and turned to Echo, who simply smiled with a flick of his ethereal tail. Y/N placed her hand on the King's arm.
×
"You know..." The male began, feeling his voice thrum in his throat lowly. "Humans are rare here. Do you know why?"
The corridor they walked in had high ceilings and dark wooden support beams. The occasional decoration was placed along the way; a potted plant here and a lamp there. A long maroon rug stretched beneath their feet, and only the pitter-patter of their footsteps accompanied by the clinking of Technoblade's chains could be heard. The air was fresh and a relief from the packed ballroom.
"Humans are problematic where I'm from," Y/N informed him, "elves are a minority. They have their cities spanning across the globe, and utilise our wildlife - phoenixes for fires, griffins for transport and dragons for war - whilst us elves are slaves, lower class beings. I was lucky to be raised in the countryside, unlucky to have parents who shared the human ideals."
Technoblade's eyes were as scarlet as ever - burning their ruby flames into Y/N's own [E/C] seas that flickered with charismatic hope and churning ideas.
"A similar story here. It wasn't that long ago when I was stuck with them, captured and taken with parents slaughtered and siblings tortured, any means of escape back to my homelands destroyed in front of me," he told the girl flatly, almost as if he had revisited the memory too many times to care anymore. "I remember one human, though, who showed kindness and compassion for young me. We're monsters to them, I'm a piglin hybrid, useless, ugly and weak looking at the time, and yet she still remained caring."
Y/N's lips parted with empathy. "Why are you telling me this?"
"Her name was Catriona. [E/C] eyes... [H/C] hair... she stopped me from starving. How old were we, eight? Such a strange being, looking so human and acting so selfless. She helped me escape, bandaged my burns, cleaned my cuts, nurtured my nails as they grew back..." he looked at the elf again, head turning curiously. "I don't know you that well, and you don't know me. You feel so familiar, you look so familiar... I don't want you to be a repeat of her. She died because her kindness turned to stupidity, and was punished severely. Tell me, Y/N, have you ever had your own 'Catriona'? Do you have someone so selfless it's stupid, someone who would do anything for you?" Clink, clank. His chains were made of ebony, steel and gold. "Do you know what it feels like; the hope in your chest for good in this world?"
Y/N could feel the bounce of her heartbeat in her fingertips as she held onto his arm, as they walked along the hallway, as the fabric of her dress clung to her skin.
"Yes," could it be Echo? Is it... only Echo? Y/N felt a sudden sadness at the realisation of how lonely she may just be. "I suppose I do have my own 'Catriona', though I'd do the same for them. I guess we're Catrionas for each other."
Technoblade nodded thoughtfully, and the corners of his lips twitched as a smile dwindled at the edge of his mind. "That dress suits you."
They stopped before a grand wooden door. It had markings and elven shapes engraved into the wood, and Y/N wondered how Technoblade could have gained power to be king in an Elven castle.
His large hand pushed against the door, revealing a wonderous world that was previously concealed.
A shy breath escaped her lips. "Wow."
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Echo stared at the room in awe. Of course, he knew that this probably wasn't the best thing to do, but it was the best use of his time and that was what matters.
He was actually looking for the library so that he could find more answers, but his mindless wondering and phasing through walls had led him to here.
A study, perhaps? A couple bookshelves here and there, desks and drawers lined neatly to the side, but also pots and jars filled with mushrooms and elixirs and an empty cage filled with ashes.
A phoenix?
Echo floated forward, continuing to inspect the room. A fish tank with an eel that looked like some sort of cyber punk creature - neon accents, glowing eyes and long, sleek fins.
After passing a wall, the rest of the room was revealed. A blackboard with scribbles of equations and notes, and there was a larger cage at the end which remained empty. Echo approached the blackboard.
'For tales to again be told,
Revenge to return,
Skies of eyes to seek what once was old,
For time to be taken,
Undo the forsaken,
Reverse the making of meanings once blazen,
Cry tears of poison,
Harness horns of--'
The chalk smudged but the words were already spurring Echo's mind to life with ideas and theories. "The beginnings of a spell...?"
The soul wisp jolted as the door slammed open.
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The bookcases were taller than houses, rope bridges hung from ledge to ledge and connecting to platforms that had tables and chairs, corners with sofas and hammocks, with long dangling lights that glittered like dandelion pixies. Truly another world.
"Beautiful, right? This isn't even the start," he grabbed her hand and pulled her along, startling the young elf. It was like the cold, narcissistic king she had first met had cracked, a chip had fallen away to reveal someone new beneath. At least only a glimpse of it.
"What's gotten into you?" Y/N grinned, amazed at the scenery of the astronomical room.
"I may have drunk just enough to be tipsy," he mumbled, "but I swear that's not the reason."
"Alright, alright," she giggled, "but it is weird seeing you like this."
Technoblade straightened. "Well forget that. Right now, look at this- though I know it will be difficult as I am quite the sight myself."
Y/N rolled her eyes but walked until she was abreast him. It was a balcony onlooking a waterfall, mountain walls stretched in the distance leaving a ginormous gorge with an enormous pond at the bottom. Vines with blossoming flowers crawled up the walls along with pixies zooming across the air. Though they were high up, Y/N could've sworn she had seen the glittering shimmer of an aquatic creature swimming below.
The waterfalls shone with a yellow-blue hue under the light that shone through the gaps in the trees that hunched above, as the hole had no ceiling. The pair stood upon one of the many balconies that overlooked the scenery.
"Welcome to the Palace gardens," Technoblade had pride lacing his half monotone voice, "the Castle is built on the side of the mountain, leaving no room for a proper back garden. However, when it was being built, the construction workers broke through the rock and revealed this - Awe's Abyss. There used to be a waterwheel here and people used to call it Achilles' Wheel."
Y/N chuckled and rested her hands on the wooden banister. Her eyes drifted to the stacks upon stacks of books, "You never finished your story."
"Hm?"
"Why there are little to no humans. What happened with Catriona," she faced him, "how you became king in an Elven Palace."
"Ah, of course," he turned away from Awe'e Abyss and leant against the banister, looking up at the skyscrapers of books wistfully. "Now now, what would I get in return? Why should I tell you that story?" He smirked as he turned his head to face her, "the story is probably in one of these books."
There had to have been millions of books there. Tens of millions.
"To be fair, your majesty," she crossed her arms, "I was taken here against my will. Perhaps it would be the least you could do..."
Technoblade scoffed and stood up properly before slowly walking towards the girl. Instinctually, Y/N took steps back in turn. That was until she felt the cold, hard banister against her back.
The king leant in close, staring deep into her eyes with his own vibrant ones, allowing her to be enraptured in them, like gazing into two firey, red portals with flames of rose petals and the blood of love to drip into your darkest fantasies. The tender claws of vulnerability crawled up her back as his hot breath trickled on her face. Wine and roses.
After far to many seconds, his hands landed on the banister behind her and trapped the elf in place. Though she could certainly cast a spell or kick him where the sun doesn't shine, something compelled her to wait and see what he has to say.
"I'm king, love, and you are in my lands now. You're my pawn, my servant and my property - don't forget that," his eyes were half lidded and siren like. Y/N could see the traces of his dark eyeline along his waterline complimenting the dark golden-maroon eyeshadow that complimented his face and palette. "I own you."
"Do you now?"
Their faces were centimetres apart, and Y/N could feel strands of his bubblegum pink, wavy hair brush against her soft skin. One of his many golden rings tapped against the banister.
"Of course. I can't stand it - what you're doing to me. You've bewitched me, I tell you - I can't tell if this is some spell or if I'm really so infatuated that I want to make sure every single guest out there knows you belong to me," his eyes flickered to her lips, and Y/N smirked. "The least I can do, she says. I'm king. I never give the least."
Y/N didn't regret what she did next.
×
Echo panicked. His eyes darted around, and he desperately searched for a quick hiding place, but ultimately came up with nothing before eyes were laid on him.
A hybrid. She had fluffy cotton hair, so fluffy it looked to be made of clouds, along with the bottom of her nose and top lip being tinted slightly brown. Chocolate, doe eyes and a formal posture, along with dark ebony nails that clung onto the files and documents in her hands.
"Well would ya look at that," she muttered, loud enough for the boy to hear. "You're a strange thing, aren't ya?"
It didn't take long for the sheep girl to put the clipboard with files down on the desk and approach the mystical creature.
"Do you have any common sense, Lady?" Echo blurted, "Don't just walk up to a wild- magical creature like that! I could kill you, you know! I could... I... I'm dangerous...! I..."
"Handsome face," she placed both palms to the side of Echo's face, tracing his jawline and pressing her palm to his cheeks. "So rare... you're a beautiful one, aren't ya?"
A red hue flushed across his face, and Echo found he couldn't form words. "W-well... u-u-uh..." Stammering incoherent nonsense, his tail swished furiously as he tried to form a response.
"Wow, a real life Wisp! No.. you're a Soul Wisp! Where is your master? Who do you belong to, pretty boy?" The hybrid stepped back, folding her arms.
Echo gasped. "I-I don't belong to anyone! Nope! We're on equal grounds, y'know?"
"Hmm, I think I get it," she nodded, "you're the mage's master! Switching it up! Alright, where is your... servant? Pet? Mage? Yes! Where is the mage that belongs to you?"
Echo huffed. "The mage that belongs to me is not here right now. Speaking of, I shall take my leave."
As Echo began to move, he felt something tug at his jacket.
"Wait! You can't go yet, I need to study you!"
×
The elf leaned forward, pressing her lips against the piglin hybrid in front of her. Why? She wasn't sure. But the gentle touch of their soft lips against one another, the feeling of his smooth tusks against her skin was worth it.
A short, impulsive kiss that had ended too soon to be considered anything but innocent.
Moments passed, and it wasn't long before this time Techno leaned in to chase after what had just ended.
Lips against lips, pushing against each other gently and tenderly, whilst his tusks brushed against her. His breath sent tingles along her skin, and their eyes flickered shut in unison.
It was a sweet kiss.
At first.
The hybrid leaned in further, pressing against the elf as she brought her hands up to his hair. Each strand was like woven silk, and they slithered through her fingertips like string and a needle.
His tusks pointed upwards, but as he leaned and pushed further, they began to gently push against her top lip. It didn't hurt. Quite the opposite, actually.
Each touch sent electric tingles across skin, dancing along her pores and edging her mouth open to take in more.
She felt one of his own hands against her back, pulling her closer until their chests touched and a squeak of surprise left the female. It didn't hurt. Quite the opposite, really.
Y/N pulled against his hair, tugging at the roots ever so gently, feeling the woven threads against her fingertips tighten upon the pressure. His head tilted back ever so slightly, and a tender and semi quiet sound bubbled up from his throat. Not a groan nor a sigh, something inbetween.
"Would you look at that," she whispered.
His earrings sparkled almost as much as his eyes when he gazed upon her, dazed. "I think I am, indeed, infatuated enough with you."
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[SORRY FOR TAKING SO LONG, LOL, IM TRYING TO PUBLISH MY REAL BOOK (lol x2, very hard)]
[Anyways, make sure to vote and share yadayada]
[It's kinda late so I'll see if I can feature the comment next time]
×[FANART]×
[I can't find who made this but well done to whoever did!]
[It was what they envisioned Y/N looked like]
[Anywayssss seee ya next time!]
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