Vivid dialogues and Dreamscape ventures

"=How has your day been, Seraphina?=" Lucas asked mid-bite, glancing at Seraphina briefly.

The green-haired elf answered with a low hum, her mouth full of food. She shifted in her seat, her expression turning slightly troubled. The glimmer of her oceanic-blue eyes focused on him as she seemingly subconsciously fixed the straps of her dress. Like their previous meetings, she wore a light one, but this one's color bordered between dark teal and green. Its upper line appeared slightly higher, too, ending just below her clavicles.

"=That bad?="

Seraphina sighed and shrugged as she swallowed. Her mouth grimaced, several memories no doubt going through her mind. "=I met your brother-in-law, Illan.="

"=Illan?=" Lucas's brow shot up. "=I didn't think he'd come around. How was the meeting?"

"=...a little strange,=" Seraphina put down the food, her expression turning slightly uncertain. "=Much like you, he doesn't smell foul.="

Lucas almost grimaced at the words. Inwardly, he felt his spirit swirl unpleasantly, realizing that a suspicion that lurked in the back of his mind was starting to be confirmed. Similarly, he sensed the voice in his mind nodding.

"=But he was repulsive in another way.="

Lucas tilted his head, the clear question written all over his face.

"=I still feel his gaze on me,=" Seraphina shivered, a faint sense of apprehension stirring in her eyes. "=He tried to make it covert, but it was obvious he was constantly undressing me with his eyes. It was like he wanted to eat me whole. Brrr,=" she made a sound, her hands crossing on her chest momentarily as though she wanted to hide herself. "=Most unpleasant.="

Lucas hummed. His violet eyes went sideways, a brief sensation of embarrassment surging within his spirit when he reminded himself of when his own gaze landed on her body.

"=But the most vexing part was that he wouldn't stop inquiring about everything,=" she suddenly pouted, a mildly angered expression showing. "=Oh Princess, do you have a fiance? Why not? How are you feeling? Oh Princess, do you enjoy magic? What's your class? How's your family? Do you like books? What food do you like? Oh Princess, blah blah blah...=" Seraphina huffed with annoyance before leaning forward and putting her head on the table. "=And I just had to keep a straight face because if I say I don't want to talk with him, Lis'te will have my head.="

Lucas snickered, just barely able to stifle his reaction. As Seraphina's eyes met his, he couldn't hold back, erupting in benign laughter. The woman pouted in response and got some hair out of her face.

"=Couldn't you have just said he's ogling you?="

"=Lis'te wouldn't have a word of mine. He's already annoyed with my attitude the last few days,=" Seraphina responded, putting a hand under her chin and watching as Lucas ate, her own hunger quelled for now. "=Besides, it's not like I can say 'he has ill intentions in his eyes'. Lis'te already said I'm overreacting with the mana.="

Lucas hummed, finishing his portion. He put the remainder of the food in a small basket and looked at the elf again. She immediately got up, understanding his intentions.

"=Let's go to the garden,=" she said.

"=I don't think that's a good idea,=" Lucas opposed. "=You know what it's been like the whole afternoon.="

Seraphina's mouth curved in a slightly daring smile. Her eyes glimmered as she raised a hand. Mana welled up, transforming into a ball of light that almost immediately spewed fire around its form, its hue going into reds and oranges. The fire spirit she summoned almost immediately flew around her, glowing fiercely to show its readiness.

Lucas squinted, his expression slightly startled. The presence in his mind chuckled.

-A few minutes later-

Lucas made himself comfortable on a bench. The chill and humid air caused a shiver to travel down his spine, but that was immediately combated by two spirits made of fire. Their small, orange forms circled him and Seraphina, giving them warmth.

The area around them was filled with the storm's aftermath. The grass bore droplets of water, which reflected the light from the Moon piercing through some thin clouds. In places where the silvery formations didn't cover, shimmers of stars peeked through, blinking in and out in turn. The faint breeze blowing felt damp.

"=Much better,=" Seraphina's voice pierced the mute atmosphere between them. She was rather close to him, so much so that with a simple move, she'd practically be rubbing her bum against his.

"=Still feels chilly, even with your summons,=" Lucas commented. "=It's best not to stay too long, lest you catch a cold.="

"=You don't have to worry that much about me, Lucas.="

"=Can't help it. Nimue got sick today. Probably ran some errands in this damn rain,=" the white-haired man sighed, his tone punctuated by faint irritation. "=I don't want to see you get ill, too.="

Seraphina's body immediately tensed up at the mention of the black-haired maid. Her hands, put on her knees, trembled, her fingers clutching. The spirits reacted as well, their fire burning more fiercely for a couple of seconds. The reactions, however, went unnoticed by the man who was turned toward the mansion. If his conversationalist could see his face, she'd know the emotion of longing cross his features before he turned to her.

"=So let's not do that, alright?=" he smiled warmly.

"=...if you insist,=" Seraphina replied, breathing in deeply and glancing upward. "=So, how was your day?="

"=It was rather fine, actually. The assembly went smoothly, and I think I like it there.="

The green-haired elf hummed. "=You've had fun, I see.="

Lucas smiled. A memory of the assembly reverberated. Yes, he still thought Dorothea, Arand, and Alisha had their quirks, and yes, he was still at a loss of words for what had happened between the former two. However, looking at it from a bit of a perspective, he understood that it was just the way they expressed themselves.

"=What about you? Did anything much happen besides Illan?="

Seraphina looked at him. There seemed to be something she held behind her gaze, almost like a feeling she didn't want to express as she shrugged. "=No. It was just me, getting bored out of my mind,=" she said, turning to the Moon for a blink.

"=Well, I suppose you'll be relieved to find that I got you a few books in Mins.="

The woman looked at him, surprise etched into her features. Her body moved slightly, exposing more of her skin as a few glimmers of moonlight shone down on her. The ethereal display of beauty lasted for a second or so before her mouth curved into a smile. The quiet appreciation was clear in how she nodded.

Then, silence befell the two. The slowly warming atmosphere was disturbed by a brief breeze that felt like an ice wave piercing through the wall of fire erected around them. Seraphina shivered. She sent Lucas a slightly covert gaze, but its nature was uncertain.

The man, in the meantime, stared at the clouds above. The shimmering stars in between appeared as unchanging as ever, accompanied by the Moon. His thoughts, however, lay elsewhere.

'I wanted to try Enter Dreamscape before this talk, but I couldn't even rest.' he huffed at his hair at the thought. 'Well, I think I know what it does anyway. Eamon did mention I entered Dreamscape when I classed.'

He looked at Seraphina. The green-haired elf appeared oblivious as he took in her pondering expression, faintly wondering what she was thinking. Turning to face the sky again, Lucas relaxed in his position.

"=So... you don't have a fiance?=" his voice broke the silence.

Seraphina immediately pouted, her brows corrugating as she looked at Lucas. "=Is that seriously the only thing you remembered me talking about?=" her tone turned displeased.

"=...Alright, maybe that was a stupid thing to ask,=" Lucas admitted, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. His gaze softened. "=I just… you know, I was actually a little curious about how relationships and marriage work within Inallel's nobility. Your people live for centuries, so I don't know if my human point of view will be valid.="

Seraphina released a sigh. She hugged her knees, pulling them closer to her chest. Her fiery summons danced lazily around them, their light reflecting off the droplets of rain still clinging to the grass. There appeared to be a flick of something in her eyes, but Lucas couldn't place the emotion.

"=Only if you also tell,=" she eventually said, her eyes focusing on him. As she noticed him nodding, her mouth parted again. "=Most elves only search for love when they turn at least a century old. It's said that only then can one make a sensible decision for themselves and avoid the consequences of hasty actions in heart matters. That being said, it's common for nobility to promise marriages when we 'come of age'. But it's more of political games than affection in play. Sometimes, it aligns, but not always.="

"=I see. It's very similar in human countries,=" Lucas nodded. "=It's common to have someone already chosen for you when you're a child. That's how Illan and Ophelia are together.="

"=And to answer your question, no, I don't have a fiance,=" Seraphina explained. "=My family, in particular, refused to follow that scheme. That being said, there were dozens of propositions already, but most of them just wanted to make a connection with my grandfather through either me or my brother. It's honestly quite tiring,=" Seraphina released an exasperated sigh, her expression souring.

"=I suppose it must be,=" Lucas nodded. "=At least your family understands that.="

"=...yeah. They were sure to always bash it into my head that marriage means commitment, and not so much as a kiss should be done without a thought. Not that I don't understand that. I do believe in that, too.="

"=Sounds a bit restrictive, honestly.="

Seraphina gave him a slightly strange look. "=It's all about loyalty. The kiss, in particular, is a strong gesture, because only once is it the first one. Therefore, it's a seal telling the other side 'I want to commit to you',=" she explained. "=That's why I find it poetic. Do humans not believe in that?="

"=I wouldn't say we don't, but just kissing and simple physical contact aren't taken as seriously. To us, the act of complete commitment is what we call 'proposing'. In our case, that's the final seal and a message that we want to spend the rest of our time with the other person. But then again, we rarely live to be a century old, and illnesses happen. I guess we just need to haste the process a little.="

Seraphina remained silent, visibly mulling his words over. Then, as she finished, she said, "=Then, I said what I said. What about you? Do you have a fiance?="

"=No. There was someone I was promised to marry one day, but things fell apart many years ago. First, I couldn't class, and then, my father passed away. Somewhere along the way, the promise of engagement was broken, and I never heard from their family again.="

"=...oh.="

Lucas shrugged. "=It's nothing much. It was a purely political marriage, frankly. Being a Marquis comes with a lot of perks... as long as you're classed and respected.="

"=Right... sorry. I actually forgot you're Classless...=" Seraphina said slowly. A visible sense of wrongdoing crossed her features.

"=Don't worry about it, Seraphina,=" he gave her a reassuring smile. "=In the end, doesn't it mean we like talking?="

The green-haired elf responded with a light sigh. Her mouth curved.

"=Then, I wanted to ask you something. What is it like outside, Lucas?=" Seraphina turned to face the man completely. "=There is a city nearby, right? What's it like?="

"=Weydan... I don't know what to tell you. It's a city, like any other. Why do you ask?="

"=I've never been outside of Inallel,=" the elf princess admitted. "=Even ventures outside of Rigus were rare. I can't help but wonder what a city in Etnal looks like, especially if it's one that far from Inallel,=" her gaze turned expectant as she scrutinized his face as though searching for her answers there. "=Please, tell me about it.="

Lucas took a breath in. His mouth parted as he started slowly describing the city as a whole. He told Seraphina about the division into districts based on countries, about the river Cis flowing through the city, the tall walls with many guards, and much more. As minutes passed, Lucas droned on, describing in detail more and more structures, from the bustling marketplace to the orderly offices of Enforcers. He painted the Academy he attended, as well as many points of interest he liked to visit now and again.

With every next sentence, he could practically see Seraphina's eyes dilute with amazement. The silent encouragement bolstered his storytelling, and he even touched upon what he knew of every district and nation. He described Etnal's architecture in detail, from roads to buildings. His explanations of rituals performed in Melidan's chapels elicited a few gasps and thoughtful hums from the woman.

...

...

...

He wasn't even sure how long it took. It was no doubt at least a couple of minutes... no, perhaps half an hour, even. However, that was of little importance to either of them. What mattered was that they enjoyed it.

Eventually, Lucas took a deeper breath in, having finished speaking. He felt Seraphina's gaze intensely at him.

"=I wish I could go there,=" she said almost longingly. Her eyes went to the horizon, and Lucas imagined that she could already see the numerous buildings with her imagination. "=But alas, I'm confined here,=" a pout entered her face, her mood deflating.

Lucas sighed, scooting slightly closer. His shoulder rubbed against Seraphina's. "=I'm sorry it feels so bad for you, but you know it's for your safety, right?=" he said. Faintly, a memory of the previous day flashed in his mind. Perhaps, some people already knew of the situation in the far east, or maybe some people from Ureliar hated elves enough to attack them in public with the slightest provocation. Whichever the case, Lucas felt uneasy just thinking about it.

"=*Sigh* I know,=" Seraphina nodded. Shifting her position slightly, she rubbed her shoulder against Lucas's tenuously as though seeking comfort in the contact.

"=Well, but I can show you something about Weydan.="

"???" Seraphina's eyes lit up, faint expectation within.

"=One of the books I have for you is about the region we live in. Weydan is also described in vivid detail, as it is its capital. Should we go get it?="

Seraphina almost bolted to a standing position. Her hand wormed around Lucas's as she pulled him to his feet. The man could not help but chuckle inwardly at the sight. The first time they met, Seraphina was a person of dignity and restraint, careful in how she spoke and reacted. However, that attitude quickly changed as they interacted. Was it just that they found a connection through books? Or was it because he didn't smell bad to her? Perhaps... it was both, and some more.

He decided not to ponder. It was about time they parted ways.

-10 minutes later-

Seraphina's steps were rather steady and silent despite the numerous books she carried. Cileres trekked ahead of her, looking around each corner and telling her whenever it was clear to go through. As such, the two of them managed to get all the way to the floor where her room was.

However, just as she was about to turn the corner, Seraphina noticed that Cileres froze. His fur bristled, the dark spikes just barely visible in the dim atmosphere. However, she could feel it through their connection; he was on high alert, and the source was obvious.

Seraphina took a deeper breath in, preparing herself. Then, she stepped forth, taking the lead as Cileres carefully walked beside her.

The long corridor was fitted with an array of windows looking into the garden. Near one of them, a familiar maid stood, leaning ever so slightly on the windowsill, her jet-black hair cascading in a curtain that enveloped her voluptuous frame. Nimue's hands were crossed below her chest as she shot a look at the two. Her eyes seemed to almost shine in the otherwise dark corridor, focused on their movements. Her gaze appeared to not convey any particular emotion, her entire attention on Seraphina's actions.

The green-haired elf walked on, feeling the stare of Nimue's eyes on her back all the time. Not a word was spoken between them, but there was no need. Just the maid's presence sufficed.

-Later-

Lucas's eyes opened. However, unlike what he expected, it was not the ceiling of his room that welcomed him. Instead, a black blanket of the night sky, with a million glimmering points like stars and constellations, made its appearance in front of his eyes.

He moved. The motion felt slightly stagnant, but not enough for him to notice it immediately. Sitting up, the white-haired man looked over himself. He wore the same clothes he did when he went to sleep. Then, he looked around.

The entire space around him appeared to be an immaculate plane, made of uniform, meter-by-meter plates of some gray material. Its texture felt similar to smooth stone, and it was chill to the touch.

Looking around, Lucas failed to notice anything else. This space appeared... strangely empty. It was completely different from what he expected.

'...I thought I'd see my room and all...'

Deciding against pondering, he started walking in no particular direction.

What immediately hit him was the silence of the space. Aside from the faint rustling of his clothes, there was nothing. His heartbeat, slowly reverberating through his veins, served as the only way of measuring the passing of time.

...

'This emptiness feels eerie...' Lucas grimaced. 'Surely, there must be something I can do here...?'

Stopping, the man hummed quietly. A few ideas started brewing within his skull. One, in particular, shone.

'The class description itself said that this class is the architect of the Dreamscape... does that mean...?'

Lifting his hand, Lucas breathed out. He wasn't sure how to convey his feelings, his direction he wanted to imprint in this place. Therefore, the only thing he did was think. He wished for the thing he pictured to appear.

Suddenly, the space rippled. Like a figure emerging from a shadowed pond, a small ball of fire appeared. In an instant, the man felt the fire give out warmth toward him. However, even when he carefully approached it, that warmth remained consistent.

...

Lucas's mouth showed a smirk. He was content with the result. For it to have appeared on his first try, no less, made him feel at least somewhat proud.

He sensed something in his mind move. The ethereal presence, usually so covert and distant, now appeared virtually tangible, the stare of its violet eyes moving on the very edge of his vision. It was like it was in there with him, watching his actions with curiosity and almost parent-like company.

The white-haired Stormrider sighed, glancing toward where he last felt the presence. His mouth moved.

"Are you going to just stay there?"

There was no answer. Lucas felt a bit of frustration well up in his spirit. It was a feeling that felt almost out of place within his usually calm spirit. In a way, it didn't feel like his own.

"I know you listen. And I know you can answer me."

...

"I don't care who you are. A demon, a god, a 10th-circle Mage, or whatever else you are. Come out. We're due a talk, parasite."

Suddenly, something answered.

"Ha. I knew you'd figure it out."

'[Ha. I knew you'd figure it out.]'

He heard a voice speak. It was distinctly different from Eamon's, but it had a similar undertone of power. Its tone was slightly similar to Lucas's. Most importantly, however, he heard it both within his mind and with his ears. The double nature of it would've made him dizzy and confused any other time, but not now. Now, his eyes tracked as something in front of him moved.

"I'm glad. I worried ahjussi had lost his touch."

'[I'm glad. I worried ahjussi had lost his touch.]'

The air in front of Lucas rippled. With every second passing, the swirl was more and more apparent, until he could notice a shape of a leg stepping forth.

Lucas's heart pounded with a bit more power. Faintly, he could recall where he had last seen something like this happen. It was when Thines visited him.

"But senses of a strong Mage never dull."

'[But senses of a strong Mage never dull.]"

The shape of a man was starting to become more apparent as he came to a halt.

He was of a similar height to Lucas, perhaps a tinge taller. His white hair, not much different from his own, reached to the man's armpits, their slightly disheveled form suggesting they had not seen care in at least a few weeks. The man's face was somewhat proportional, with one of the distinct features being a partly cut-off ear and a slightly crooked nose. The violet of his eyes shone with wit, and his posture exuded confidence that no doubt could be backed with power.

The man had a strange set of clothes on himself, with a loose, gray shirt and wide, thick pants of brown color. His feet bore small, somewhat worn shoes. All in all, he seemed to have a mixed wardrobe. Perhaps he was in a hurry when he dressed, Lucas didn't know nor care.

...

A long moment of silence persisted. Lucas felt his veins pulse in a steady rhythm. Normally, he'd be nervous, or perhaps even frightened. However, too much had happened in the last few days for this much to shake him anymore. Therefore, he didn't shrink. Rather, he took a step forward.

Only three words pressed themselves onto his lips.

---

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