Spooky Scary Skeletons [Halloween Event]

The streets of Era had grown colder over the recent weeks, the last warmth of summer gradually giving way to the chill of autumn that would, in time, undoubtedly transition into the frigid cold of winter. The cobbled roads, normally so impeccably maintained, were sprinkled with irregularly distributed scatterings of brown, orange, and red leaves where vegetation framed them, the trees they had once adorned becoming more skeletal with every passing day. A phenomenon as old as time, certainly, yet a beautiful sight to behold time and time again. Still, even now, at this time of year, Shen could find very little joy in this display of nature at its finest. The cold reminded him of that mountain pass, though the air was not nearly as freezing. Most things, in much the same way, had lost their spark, had lost all flavor that had made it enjoyable in the past. While he had experienced a stark and noticeable betterment when it came to his vices, namely his habit of absorbing himself entirely in his work, while his friends had still been around, that was no longer the case, and every passing day would mercilessly remind him of this fact. Shen, now General of the Rune Knights' Combat Division, got out even less than he used to, trying to distract himself by working day and night alike. And why wouldn't he?

Everything else was gone.

His friends and his squad had been gone for months now, he had seen them die with his own eyes. His sister, Lilith, had vanished mysteriously. There was no information at all that could indicate her whereabouts, even today. It was as if she had simply vanished from the face of this world, making the young man painfully aware of all the things that had been said between them, all the things that had been left unsaid, and the fact that, if she wouldn't return, he hadn't even gotten to say goodbye. The young man swallowed. It was all he could do to prevent choking on the emotions that rose from deep within his chest.

Despite that, though, his work could only get him so far. Most days were limited to monotonous and repetitive tasks that felt redundant at worst and draining at best. Now that Shen had gotten his will, had gotten the thing he had desired so much back in the day, everything else was gone, leaving the Rune Knight without purpose. With a singular exception, of course, though this would not be something he would busy himself with today.

Indeed, the young man was wandering the streets of Era today because he had heard of the festivities the people were organizing, deciding that he would well and truly lose his mind if Rune Knight work was the only thing to busy himself and waste time with, the prospect of drinks contributing greatly to his eagerness to leave and drown it all in a glass of alcohol ... or, well, several.

The festive atmosphere was something lost on the young man, celebration being the furthest thing from his mind, and still, more to blend in with the crowd than anything else, the Rune Knight General had donned a "costume" of sorts, consisting of a traditional Dongxian garment he had acquired last-minute. It would do the trick well enough. He hadn't come to win awards, after all.


"I'll have 3 glasses", Shen said to the vendor in a monotonous voice, his tone tired. The vendor, however, responding with a "Sure, right away!", gave the man a beaming smile as the Rune Knight placed some jewels on the counter of the small stand, the words "Halloween Punch!" adorning it in large, amber-hued letters. He hurried off to the side before filling 3 large plastic cups, shaped like pumpkins, with a liquid that was not dissimilar in color to the containers it would fill, placing them on the same counter with a grin. "Hope you and your friends enjoy the little prank involved with the punch! Don't worry, it'll go away after a little while. Just a small party trick, that's all". Shen did not respond to the man's mischievous warning immediately, barely glancing at him with a disinterested "... Sure. Thanks" before making off with the glasses towards a nearby table.

There were no friends to share the drinks with, of course, not anymore. He had gotten one for Sherman and one for Bradley regardless of that fact, drinking from the first cup almost as soon as he had arrived at the spot he had picked out for himself.

He would find himself blinking a couple of times, then lowering his head with a sigh. So this was the "party trick" involved with this punch, huh? Shen's vision had gone entirely red, the world now reflected in his eyes in a variety of sanguine shades. Apart from that, though, it didn't seem to do much. At least it was sufficiently boozy, the Rune Knight thought before continuing to drink from the first cup, finishing it in no time, though already bringing the second cup to his lips right after that. Slowly but surely, the creeping sensation of warmth would spread through his limbs and his stomach. He took another gulp from the second cup before setting it down, taking in a lung-full of air before exhaling, his breath forming a small puff of faint mist in the cold evening atmosphere. This wasn't much better than being inside, Shen concluded, the Rune Knight taking the second cup into his hand anew, mumbling something barely perceptible to himself under his breath.

"What a shitty day".

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Post Word Count: 938
Personal Word Count Total: 938 / 2,000
Thread Word Count Total: 938 / 4,000

@Dela

The world still steeped in red, Shen let his eyes wander, first upward, then back down to the container of sufficiently alcoholic liquid. Honestly, what was the point? Why was he even here to begin with? To cling to the hope, the naive illusion that distraction would bring himself some kind of temporary relief from an ever-aching heart, ... or indeed, even the faintest bit of clarity. No matter what he did, no matter how hard he hoped, no matter the course this world, the people around him, and his own life would take, ... there would be no salvation. He was sure of that. With such thoughts in mind, he, his expression twisted into a desolate frown, brought the second cup to his lips, downing its contents, too, in one starved gulp. The brief burn, the tingling sting of ethanol had grown familiar by this point, a small remedy that ever-so-slightly numbed the ache of guilt. The warmth in his limbs would spread steadily and with each breath drawn, a little color returning to his face. The cold was, slowly but surely, drowned out, muted as his mind and thoughts would dull. It helped a little, helped take his mind off things, something that was as much enjoyable as it was addictive, a fact that brought the young Rune Knight dangerously closer to a certain kind of dependence every time he gave in and drank.

It was something else, however, that would help move his thoughts away from the two empty cups before him, the last cup now in his hands as he was distracted by the shifting of a figure before him, a person, in a single, determined motion, placing themselves at the opposite side of the table. His eyes wandered upward, though the redhead moved his head only slightly upward, disinterest reflected in his dull eyes for a brief few moments before he realized just who exactly the person sitting down across from him was.

"Oh ... it's you", the reply came almost involuntarily, his voice monotonous and devoid of emotion, though a hint of surprise would find its way onto the man's expression, his eyebrows raised slightly. This was, of course, the fault of her decidedly laissez-faire-style approach concerning what exactly constituted a costume, the thin strips of a suspiciously recognizable, albeit simple material barely covering the more dangerous regions. Honestly, her getup was just the slightest bit worrying, but that was not what caught Shen's attention. The girl, without question, was more than just vaguely familiar to the young Rune Knight. "Long time no see, Dela. Don't bother with the whole Rune Knight thing. We're off the clock, remember. You said it yourself", he followed up swiftly.

The two had met before, naturally. Not only were both of them officers in their respective Rune Knight divisions, the two had also met at a seasonal festival like this one, though that one had been centered around a theme that still made the young man cringe in regret to this day. It had been at this same Valentine's Day celebration where Dela had more or less stolen his first kiss from him, after all, the scenario that had led to that turn of events being something that some men certainly fantasized about, while others, on the contrary, would consider it borderline harassment. Shen didn't know where exactly he would place his own opinion between these two extremes, but it was certainly a memory he viewed with mixed feelings. Still, he had almost forgotten about that day as part of a time when things had been decidedly easier, carefree, almost, and definitely happier.

"I'm not-", the young man began speaking anew, taking the pumpkin-shaped cup and raising it slightly in a gesture of emphasis, "-but I didn't wanna miss the grand occasion". He had to work to suppress a sigh, bringing the cup to his lips, though this time, now in the presence of what could reasonably be considered an acquaintance, he drank with a little more moderation, taking first one, then a second sip before setting his drink back down. "Interesting choice of costume", he commented idly. He would have preferred being alone, if he had been forced to be honest, but he welcomed the distraction from the previous train of thought. At the same time, however, the young man couldn't help but return her comment from earlier in a similar fashion, marking a striking difference to the attitude he had displayed all this time ago when they met for the first time, his eyes sinking back to the drink before him, half-closed as he took in a dejected breath.

"So, why did you come here? You celebrate stuff like this?"

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Post Word Count: 784
Personal Word Count Total: 1,722 / 2,000
Thread Word Count Total: 2,558 / 4,000

@Dela

The young man had to consciously stop himself from wincing when the woman addressed him as her "husband", one corner of his mouth twitching downward visibly as he did. Well, at least she appeared as though she enjoyed her teasing, and Shen didn't really care either way. What was done was done, could not be changed, and actions couldn't be taken back once one found that they regretted them. It was a painful lesson to learn. He took another slightly larger-than-normal sip from his pumpkin cup, in that sense mimicking the actions of the blonde who had unexpectedly joined this drinking session.

He listened with cold expression as she spoke of her friends, his eyes only occasionally lifted from the rim of his cup, and even when he did his eyes seemed to convey no emotion other than blatant apathy, seemed to stare into a far distance to a somewhere that was not here. "Yeah", he really couldn't do anything but agree. Of course, he didn't necessarily envision Dela's friends, he didn't know anything about them, naturally, apart from hearing about the guy Dela was interested in that one time when they had been forced into a faux wedding. What Dela had said had struck home, even for the young Rune Knight General. He used to do things like these with his friends, as well, drinking, laughing, being stupid. They even went on vacation in Desierto, Shen's first time outside of Fiore. Now those simple days spent seemingly without any care in the world were irreversibly lost forever. "I know what you mean", he reminisced for a couple of seconds when Dela had finished her explanation before the emotion started rising once more. Maybe it really was true that alcohol only amplified one's mood instead of extinguishing undesirable feelings? There was only one way to find out. The redhead took another sip, his cup almost empty. Maybe the girl was right? Maybe he should've stayed home, as well...

That was when Shen looked up, one eyebrow raised in surprise. Was that... Dela's voice? For a moment, the young Rune Knight didn't know what to say, or even what to think. How did that-... Ah, the drinks. That must've been it. At Dela's metaphor, Shen couldn't help but chuckle, a low, short sign of amusement, but it was there nonetheless. Interesting to note that this drink could've had more than one effect, and silently, the Rune Knight was glad that the change of pitch had not befallen him. Well, it could've been worse. What if one's voice suddenly rang to the tune of a retro video game centered around stacking blocks? No, that would be ridiculous.

In any case, getting drunk sounded like a plan that aligned with Shen's original intentions for this evening either way, and while he didn't necessarily enjoy the prospect of carving pumpkins as pastime entertainment, he welcomed the distraction. Shen drank the last of his punch with a single gulp. Perhaps this was the effect of the alcohol? He felt himself relax just a little. He took another deep breath, standing up. "As long as you don't try to do what you did last time. Sure, let's go. Lead the way".

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Post Word Count: 535
Personal Word Count Total: 2,257 / 2,000
Thread Word Count Total: 3,700 / 4,000

@Dela

Not quite as tipsy as Dela, although still aware of the familiar sensation of warmth that spread from his core to his limbs. He was aware of this physiological effect, of course, the substance in and of itself would cause dilation of blood vessels, but on a much more mundane level, he simply enjoyed the feeling. He followed Dela, pocketing the candy corn with a somewhat overt mix of confusion and indifferent acceptance before they arrived at the pumpkin carving station. It wasn't long before he, too, would be provided with his own piece of fruit and a knife.

"I'll try my best", he would reply curtly to the woman's command. To be honest, it was hard to muster the motivation to perform the act of turning this pumpkin into something that equated to presentable Halloween decoration, but he was here now. Perhaps it would be a good way to train a few fine motor skills involving bladed weapons, the young Rune Knight General picking up the piece of sharpened metal before beginning his own work in spite of his colleague.

He took a breath, focussing his attention on the sensation of the cold steel in his hand and the object before him, before the tool, with almost surgical precision, was moved swiftly, methodically, separating piece from piece in what almost appeared like a frenzy to the ordinary onlooker. It didn't take long to produce a perfectly stereotypical carved pumpkin, its mischievous eyes and pointy teeth giving it a decidedly ordinary appearance. That was when the young man peered over to Dela to see, well, something he had definitively not expected to see. Her ... attention to detail was impressive, though sadly, that much would be the only positive that Shen could assign to her creation, the nature of the object in question causing the young Rune Knight to stare at it with wide eyes for a few moments, mouth slightly agape, before turning to Dela, an eyebrow now raised in overt concern for her mental well-being. He'd thought that he was the crazy one, but alas, it seemed as though he had been proven wrong. "You have a very, uh ... distinct taste in art, Dela".

Happy for the opportunity the blonde provided to swiftly leave this setting, Shen sought out the next-best destination. Anything but staying here under the heavily scrutinizing gazes of all witnesses. "Alright. Let's go there", he would say before basically dragging Dela along and away from the fruity piece that had been built in such a way to make even the most talented of classical sculptors rage with envy, both receiving a candy corn for their "trouble". Of course, it would have been decidedly more tasteful if it had been attached to an actual pumpkin body of similar make, but such was life.

The place that Shen took her was a small and, in its own disheveled kind of way, ominous tent, the sign that was more or less haphazardly displayed at its apex reading "Fortune Telling". Perhaps instinctively he had been drawn to this place, despite its appearance. There was something about the possibility of bringing light into the darkness of his future, illuminating the doubts and uncertainties that clouded his mind and thoughts every day. Without hesitation, he would push aside the folds of fabric that separated the inside of the space from the outside. The scent of dust was permeating the air, giving it a stale quality that was hard to ignore, but something else directed Shen's attention away from the swirl of smells. At a long, thin table on an equally constructed bench, an elderly woman was sat, her azure blue eyes, the hue of her oculi almost appearing ashine with the mystifying glow of pure sapphire. Her face, though wrinkled, was thin, framed by strands of long and curly grey hair that caught what little dim light was produced by candles within this space. On the table before her was placed a perfectly spherical ball of transparent material ...  glass? Crystal? Shen could not immediately tell.

"Welcome, welcome, young ones... I've been waiting for you!", she said quickly, the wrinkles on her face twisting into a grin. She certainly didn't lack presentation, the Fortune Teller leaning forward as she beckoned the two to come in, and immediately after, the first one to take a seat. Shen took the initiative, sitting across from her at an empty chair readily provided for this exact purpose. In principle, Shen had not believed in such things before, divination, that was, but ever since he had discovered his own abilities, something not far off from the field of magic that this woman appeared to be proficient in, his unreserved curiosity for such things had been awakened.

"What can you tell me about the future to come?", he asked, staring into her own mystic gaze. The old woman smiled, a charismatic laugh escaping her lips. "An impatient one, aren't we? Very well, let's get straight to the point, then. Place a hand on the crystal ball, young one". Shen did as she asked, touching the side of the orb that faced him. The woman performed the same motion, her palm now on the opposite side from Shen's own. With a flash of arcane spark, her eyes appeared to glimmer briefly as they gazed into the object, its surface shifting from the clear and spotless translucence it had displayed to a foggy haze in an instant. The woman appeared lost in thought for a few seconds, the seconds turning into a minute, the seconds passing slowly and with the strain of expectation before finally, she exclaimed an audible gasp, hastily pulling her hand off the orb. Her gaze, now piercing, the expression within growing distant and cold, rose, firmly affixing itself to the Rune Knight General.

"Just what are you?!", the Fortune Teller followed up hastily and in apparently genuine confusion and distress, her eyes, however, never leaving Shen. "I'm not ... sure what you mean?". A trace of uncertainty found its way into his question. "You ... there is great, very great darkness waiting for you! All I see is ... anger. A trail of blood that follows you wherever you go. You ... you must change your fate! This, whatever this is, this is a path that will bring only pain!". As she spoke a frown would twist Shen's face into a grimace that made clear this verdict was anything but the one he had hoped for, and indeed, contradicted all of the expectations he had put in the visit to this place. After what had happened to him, to his team, these were the last things he wanted to hear.

He rose, slowly, turning to walk away from her in visible displeasure before being stopped by the woman's voice once more. "You hear, young one?! You MUST change this fate!". Shen looked back, the images of a certain day once again flashing through his mind as he replied with a curt voice.

"No worries-". He turned again, heading for the exit to the tent with swift steps. "-I won't let fate dictate my future". How had he ever arrived at the conclusion that this could be a good idea? Was this some kind of unknown power trying to stop him, trying to corrode his determination? There was no way. He would never permit that. Not after what happened. Not after that day.

He would stop only briefly to talk to Dela, his entire interaction with her following this little debacle following the same curtness as before in disregard of any plans she might've had with the Fortune Teller. Dela had, of course, noticed that the young man had changed, and so had his temper.

"If you're looking for me, I'll be getting some more drinks". With those words, he would simply leave, walk away back to the stall where he had run into the toilet paper-clad girl in the first place, undoubtedly to obtain more of that Halloween-themed booze. Perhaps the night was yet young, but Shen was about ready to end it, truly reminded why he hated these kinds of occasions, indeed, repeating his earlier assessment of the hours he had spent here with a dejected sigh.

"What a truly shitty day".

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Post Word Count: 1,379
Personal Word Count Total: 3,636 / 2,000
Thread Word Count Total: 5,610 / 4,000

@Dela