Post by Brendan on Sept 30, 2010 23:08:56 GMT -8
Ulrim softly closed the door, his heart growing heavy with the click of the bolt mechanism sliding back in to place. Turning, he gazed at his workshop, disheartened. The Eshu had not had good tidings. Ulrim's towering form moved along his forge slowly, touching a hammer here, the anvil there. He was silent, and this silence was different than the concentrated absence of speech that accompanied his smithing work... This silence was of a profound sadness.
During his time in on the outskirts of San Francisco, Ulrim Starbreaker had grown to love the area. He had found a freehold that benefited from his work, and more or less gave him the privacy he required. He had had a few acquaintances, few friends, and even an assistant or two along the way. But when someone as high as a count cashes in a favor...
Drawing up a stool, he examined his arm. Iron gears and wires shifted silently, and the magical prosthetic worked flawlessly. Even so, Ulrim carefully and meticulously applied oil to several of the joints. He knew that this forge would see little or no use once he left... He made a note to contact one of his assistants and gift it to them. A place not fulfilling its purpose was a tragedy.
"Well... no time like the present." His voice was gravelly and rough, shattering the ambient silence like one of his hammers. He stood and grabbed one of his travelling bags next to what passed for his bed... A sheet, two pillows, and a blanket on a twin matress. He began to pack.
-
"Jake? Jacob Patterson, please, pay attention!" His teacher's voice ripped Jake away from the golden red leaves painting a sharp contrast against the canvas of calm blue sky. His eyes refocused, and he turned to his teacher. Though he was only fourteen, Jacob had the look of someone who had seen more of the world than most who'd already passed through maturity. Care and compassion, as well as an inquisitive mind, was evident from his questioning blue eyes, the creases in his forehead from concentration, unkempt brown hair.
"Yes ma'am? Sorry, what was the question?" His voice was soft and calm, and very matter-of-fact. The kids around him laughed, but Jacob didn't so much as blush. What those other kids, with their mob mentality, thought of him was not just unimportant, it was irrelevant. He had no use for such casual conventions and social protocol.
"I said, Why did Montag take the book from the fire?" They had been reading Farenheit 451 in Jake's advanced placement class. The teacher's voice seemed tired and almost bored... herding children was worse than herding cats, and from the rumors that some of the students passed around, Mrs. Klein been doing it for a very long time.
He considered the matter for just a moment and then responded, "Because he was beginning to question his place in the world. Because what Clarisse had told him had opened his eyes a little. All he'd ever been taught was to destroy books... and being able to see another way shows that he was beginning to grow." Several of the students looked a little resentful that Jake had given such an insightful response, and Mrs. Klein, mouth agape, was thunderstruck.
The bell rang, and Jake stood to leave.
-
"So where are you going?" an accusatory voice came, from across the forge. Ulrim smiled. In his confusion, he had forgotten to greet his companion. He stood, picked up the stool and brought it to sit in front of the hearth. The flame inside seemed to have eyes, and an opening near the base that was a mouth. "You're packing. You taking a trip, Ulrim?"
"We both are, Cineris. Mr. K called... We're going to Seattle." He continued to fiddle with his mechanical arm, setting the bag beside the stool. Cineris had come to Ulrim shortly after he had chrysalized, and had been his loyal companion ever since. Cineris had either not talked to other Changelings who came in to the shop, or if he liked them, was a sarcastic and self righteous little chimera. Ulrim was the only person who could really cajole him in to working, or being pleasant.
"The hell I am, Ulrim. You go on your little trip, and I'll mind the forge while you're gone." Cineris was, as always, a little ornery.
"Well, if you want to stay here, you'll probably be working with Adahn. I'm giving him the forge. Cineris, I'm going in to a war time situation. I'm going to need you up there. And... I may not be coming back, bud. But if you want to stay..."
"No, no... I'm coming..." Ulrim knew that Cineris didn't like travel. Being a flame, the open road was a dangerous place to be. "As long as we stay there for a while, eh?"
--
"Hey, are you listening? You little shit, you think you're better than us? You ain't nothing, Jake!" Some of the bullies had caught up to him outside class, about two blocks away from the school. Jacob was slightly amused at the stereotypical taunting ring they had formed around him. So much so that he laughed out loud. It had given him an idea. He laughed harder. "What's so funny, you little shit?"
"Robert, why are you so scared of me?" Jake's laugh subsided in to a chuckle, and he looked at the bully square in the eyes. The mob stopped. All eyes turned to him.
"What are you talking about?" The mood had decidedly changed.
"I mean, what are you guys going to say? It took all eight of you to beat up weak little Jacob? Man, your friends will be in absolute awe. The last group took twelve!" He laughed again.
"Screw you, you little shit. I can take you on my own!"Jake's gamble had paid off. Robert, the head of the bullies, rushed at him with a roar. Jake let his first punch connect with his face. 'Not a lot of strength... just a big mouth.' The punch did have enough to cause his lip to bleed... "See? Haha, you're nothing!" The rush made him foolhardy.
Robert threw another punch, this one a wild haymaker to the side of his head. Jake easily blocked it and forced the hand aside. Robert rushed in to swing again, but Jake had already dropped in to a crouch. As the punch flew over his head, Jake launched himself up in to the man's nose, and he could feel the sickening crunch of bone. Robert stumbled back, and Jake sent a kick in to the boy's groin. Robert fell.
Jake looked at what seemed to be the next strongest bully in the crowd, and said softly, "You can all probably jump me and kick my ass. You'd probably win. But I promise I'll make one of you feel worse than Robby there. So me? I'd let me pass." Jake didn't wait for an answer, he simply pushed his way out of the stunned circle and kept walking.
--
An old 1990 Nissan pickup truck trundled up the I-5 interstate. Inside was a fairly cramped looking eight foot troll, with dark blue skin and horns that curved back along his hair. To the enchanted, it was a fairly amusing sight. In the passenger seat was an insulated metal box with no lid. A crackling flame with a very annoyed looking expression, sat inside. Every once in a while, Ulrim lifted a small stick from the floorboards of the passenger side and put it in the box, while Cineris munched on it merrily.
As they passed Sacramento, after Cineris had finished his newest wooden snack, he said, "So... it's probably for the best that we don't go back there. Too many memories, eh?" Ulrim remained silent. Ulrim already knew what Cineris was talking about. "I mean what with Aislinn..."
"Quiet, Cineris."
"Come on, Ulrim. It's been two years since she left. You need to move on, man." Cineris knew that Aislinn was a sore subject even now... It was one of the only ways to get a rise out of Ulrim... and now that they were stuck in a truck on more than a twenty hour drive, Cineris was getting bored.
"Cineris, I swear I'll stop feeding you for three hours if you don't shut up." Ulrim's voice was deadly serious, without a hint of mirth.
Cineris considered for a moment, then said resignedly, "Yeah, boss. Sure thing."
--
Mrs. Amber Klein walked away from the boy, Robert, as the nurse and another teacher escorted him back to the school. Following the directions of the other children, she found Jacob in a nearby alley, crying softly. She brushed her blonde bangs out of her face and sat beside him. Jacob looked up at her, eyes shining bright.
"I didn't wanna hurt him, Mrs. Klein! Honest!" His voice was earnest and true, and Amber knew it. She also knew something else about little Jacob. Something he himself didn't know... and wouldn't, probably, for a little time more.
"It's alright, Jacob. It's okay. I know... They didn't give you a choice. But sometimes, Jake, sometimes you have to fight some battles to avoid others later. Don't you think?" Jake looked up at his teacher with a new sense of admiration, and for a moment, through his tear streaked eyes, Mrs. Klein seemed to grow even more magestic, and her ears seemed to have a point to them. Confused, he blinked... And it was gone.
--
Portland, Oregon, was raining when Ulrim stopped and pulled over on the road. He tossed Cineris another stick, and lit up a cigarette. Gazing out over the cliff, Ulrim let his thoughts drift back to Aislinn despite himself. She had left town three years ago, but still, her visage haunted him. She had been probably one of the most important people in Jacob or Ulrim's life.
As the smoke played its way up the short streams of rain, Ulrim let his thoughts drift back. Sentamentalism wasn't something that Ulrim harbored often... It was useless to keep old memories alive... They just held you back. At least, that's what Ulrim wanted to believe. The truth of the matter was that Ulrim still felt too much guilt over that indiscretion.
Aislinn had abandoned him... And it had been all his fault. Without meaning to, his mind brought the memory to bare. Again he could see her smile... her brilliant red hair...
--
Aislinn had long red hair that played easily across her shoulders. Those shoulders were bare in her strapless black dress. She looked classically sexy, without being overly revealing. She had an average build, and a pale complexion. She was, in essence, a beautiful daughter of the irish.
Aislinn, unlike Jacob, looked like she belonged in formal clothing. The suit she had picked out for him seemed to contrast fiercely with his wild hair and rugged demeanor. Others found him attractive, he found it awkward. It was his twentieth birthday, and Aislinn had spared nothing to make sure he had had a good time.
Jacob had chrysalized five and a half years prior, becoming the troll known among his fellows as Ulrim Starbreaker. For a long time, Ulrim and Jacob's lives had clashed. Ulrim had a gathering at the same time as a date with Aislinn, or Aislinn had asked him to move on a date that just so happened to occur when a wyvern decided to terrorize downtown San Francisco. He'd managed well thus far, but Jacob had decided that it was time to let Aislinn see him as he was.
Mrs. Amber Klein, better known as Elisia of House Dougal, had warned him that bringing a mortal in to the knowledge of the world of the Dreaming could be dangerous, but had trusted him to make his own decision. His mentor had taken a very hands off aproach to his training, and now, Ulrim was pretty much independent.
"So, Jake, what's on your mind? The party's inside, sweetheart." Her smile was amazing... It would haunt him for years to come.
"Well... Aislinn, I wanted to talk to you about why I've been so flaky lately..."
"Can't we talk about this later?" She seemed patient and almost bemused. "It's not really important right now, hon."
"It is to me." Jacob's seriousness sobered Aislinn, and she looked at him, concerned. "Look, there's a part of me you don't know about. I want to tell you about it."
"Haha, are you going to tell me you're a superhero now? I didn't know you had a sense of humor..." Aislinn teased.
Jacob simply withdrew a beautifully crafted silver coin from his pocket. It had on one side a sword, and on the other, two olive branches lining the sides. He had carefully forged it, carved it, and shaped it, and infused it with the glamour needed to enchant a mortal. Aislinn was more beautiful than even some sidhe Ulrim had seen... And he wanted her to see this world too. He offered her the coin.
Taking it gingerly in her hands, she admired it lovingly. "This is amazing, Jacob! Can... can I keep this?" She seemed utterly enthralled by the token, her eyes embracing every detail of it. Then, she looked up and gasped.
Where Jacob had just stood, a rugged looking boy in an awkward looking suit, now stood an anachronistic beast from a story book. Ulrim towered over her at eight feet. He had horns that curved back over a mane of dark, dark blue hair. His skin had a bluish tint now, and what looked like fangs for teeth. He looked impressive and heroic now, even more than in his mortal seeming. But the shock of seeing him like this inspired in Aislinn a sense of panic... of raw fear. Tears streamed down her face, and she took a step back.
"Wait..." but it was too late. One of the only women Jacob and Ulrim had ever loved, ran crying from his birthday party, tearing through the crowd like she'd seen the devil itself.
He hadn't seen her since.
During his time in on the outskirts of San Francisco, Ulrim Starbreaker had grown to love the area. He had found a freehold that benefited from his work, and more or less gave him the privacy he required. He had had a few acquaintances, few friends, and even an assistant or two along the way. But when someone as high as a count cashes in a favor...
Drawing up a stool, he examined his arm. Iron gears and wires shifted silently, and the magical prosthetic worked flawlessly. Even so, Ulrim carefully and meticulously applied oil to several of the joints. He knew that this forge would see little or no use once he left... He made a note to contact one of his assistants and gift it to them. A place not fulfilling its purpose was a tragedy.
"Well... no time like the present." His voice was gravelly and rough, shattering the ambient silence like one of his hammers. He stood and grabbed one of his travelling bags next to what passed for his bed... A sheet, two pillows, and a blanket on a twin matress. He began to pack.
-
"Jake? Jacob Patterson, please, pay attention!" His teacher's voice ripped Jake away from the golden red leaves painting a sharp contrast against the canvas of calm blue sky. His eyes refocused, and he turned to his teacher. Though he was only fourteen, Jacob had the look of someone who had seen more of the world than most who'd already passed through maturity. Care and compassion, as well as an inquisitive mind, was evident from his questioning blue eyes, the creases in his forehead from concentration, unkempt brown hair.
"Yes ma'am? Sorry, what was the question?" His voice was soft and calm, and very matter-of-fact. The kids around him laughed, but Jacob didn't so much as blush. What those other kids, with their mob mentality, thought of him was not just unimportant, it was irrelevant. He had no use for such casual conventions and social protocol.
"I said, Why did Montag take the book from the fire?" They had been reading Farenheit 451 in Jake's advanced placement class. The teacher's voice seemed tired and almost bored... herding children was worse than herding cats, and from the rumors that some of the students passed around, Mrs. Klein been doing it for a very long time.
He considered the matter for just a moment and then responded, "Because he was beginning to question his place in the world. Because what Clarisse had told him had opened his eyes a little. All he'd ever been taught was to destroy books... and being able to see another way shows that he was beginning to grow." Several of the students looked a little resentful that Jake had given such an insightful response, and Mrs. Klein, mouth agape, was thunderstruck.
The bell rang, and Jake stood to leave.
-
"So where are you going?" an accusatory voice came, from across the forge. Ulrim smiled. In his confusion, he had forgotten to greet his companion. He stood, picked up the stool and brought it to sit in front of the hearth. The flame inside seemed to have eyes, and an opening near the base that was a mouth. "You're packing. You taking a trip, Ulrim?"
"We both are, Cineris. Mr. K called... We're going to Seattle." He continued to fiddle with his mechanical arm, setting the bag beside the stool. Cineris had come to Ulrim shortly after he had chrysalized, and had been his loyal companion ever since. Cineris had either not talked to other Changelings who came in to the shop, or if he liked them, was a sarcastic and self righteous little chimera. Ulrim was the only person who could really cajole him in to working, or being pleasant.
"The hell I am, Ulrim. You go on your little trip, and I'll mind the forge while you're gone." Cineris was, as always, a little ornery.
"Well, if you want to stay here, you'll probably be working with Adahn. I'm giving him the forge. Cineris, I'm going in to a war time situation. I'm going to need you up there. And... I may not be coming back, bud. But if you want to stay..."
"No, no... I'm coming..." Ulrim knew that Cineris didn't like travel. Being a flame, the open road was a dangerous place to be. "As long as we stay there for a while, eh?"
--
"Hey, are you listening? You little shit, you think you're better than us? You ain't nothing, Jake!" Some of the bullies had caught up to him outside class, about two blocks away from the school. Jacob was slightly amused at the stereotypical taunting ring they had formed around him. So much so that he laughed out loud. It had given him an idea. He laughed harder. "What's so funny, you little shit?"
"Robert, why are you so scared of me?" Jake's laugh subsided in to a chuckle, and he looked at the bully square in the eyes. The mob stopped. All eyes turned to him.
"What are you talking about?" The mood had decidedly changed.
"I mean, what are you guys going to say? It took all eight of you to beat up weak little Jacob? Man, your friends will be in absolute awe. The last group took twelve!" He laughed again.
"Screw you, you little shit. I can take you on my own!"Jake's gamble had paid off. Robert, the head of the bullies, rushed at him with a roar. Jake let his first punch connect with his face. 'Not a lot of strength... just a big mouth.' The punch did have enough to cause his lip to bleed... "See? Haha, you're nothing!" The rush made him foolhardy.
Robert threw another punch, this one a wild haymaker to the side of his head. Jake easily blocked it and forced the hand aside. Robert rushed in to swing again, but Jake had already dropped in to a crouch. As the punch flew over his head, Jake launched himself up in to the man's nose, and he could feel the sickening crunch of bone. Robert stumbled back, and Jake sent a kick in to the boy's groin. Robert fell.
Jake looked at what seemed to be the next strongest bully in the crowd, and said softly, "You can all probably jump me and kick my ass. You'd probably win. But I promise I'll make one of you feel worse than Robby there. So me? I'd let me pass." Jake didn't wait for an answer, he simply pushed his way out of the stunned circle and kept walking.
--
An old 1990 Nissan pickup truck trundled up the I-5 interstate. Inside was a fairly cramped looking eight foot troll, with dark blue skin and horns that curved back along his hair. To the enchanted, it was a fairly amusing sight. In the passenger seat was an insulated metal box with no lid. A crackling flame with a very annoyed looking expression, sat inside. Every once in a while, Ulrim lifted a small stick from the floorboards of the passenger side and put it in the box, while Cineris munched on it merrily.
As they passed Sacramento, after Cineris had finished his newest wooden snack, he said, "So... it's probably for the best that we don't go back there. Too many memories, eh?" Ulrim remained silent. Ulrim already knew what Cineris was talking about. "I mean what with Aislinn..."
"Quiet, Cineris."
"Come on, Ulrim. It's been two years since she left. You need to move on, man." Cineris knew that Aislinn was a sore subject even now... It was one of the only ways to get a rise out of Ulrim... and now that they were stuck in a truck on more than a twenty hour drive, Cineris was getting bored.
"Cineris, I swear I'll stop feeding you for three hours if you don't shut up." Ulrim's voice was deadly serious, without a hint of mirth.
Cineris considered for a moment, then said resignedly, "Yeah, boss. Sure thing."
--
Mrs. Amber Klein walked away from the boy, Robert, as the nurse and another teacher escorted him back to the school. Following the directions of the other children, she found Jacob in a nearby alley, crying softly. She brushed her blonde bangs out of her face and sat beside him. Jacob looked up at her, eyes shining bright.
"I didn't wanna hurt him, Mrs. Klein! Honest!" His voice was earnest and true, and Amber knew it. She also knew something else about little Jacob. Something he himself didn't know... and wouldn't, probably, for a little time more.
"It's alright, Jacob. It's okay. I know... They didn't give you a choice. But sometimes, Jake, sometimes you have to fight some battles to avoid others later. Don't you think?" Jake looked up at his teacher with a new sense of admiration, and for a moment, through his tear streaked eyes, Mrs. Klein seemed to grow even more magestic, and her ears seemed to have a point to them. Confused, he blinked... And it was gone.
--
Portland, Oregon, was raining when Ulrim stopped and pulled over on the road. He tossed Cineris another stick, and lit up a cigarette. Gazing out over the cliff, Ulrim let his thoughts drift back to Aislinn despite himself. She had left town three years ago, but still, her visage haunted him. She had been probably one of the most important people in Jacob or Ulrim's life.
As the smoke played its way up the short streams of rain, Ulrim let his thoughts drift back. Sentamentalism wasn't something that Ulrim harbored often... It was useless to keep old memories alive... They just held you back. At least, that's what Ulrim wanted to believe. The truth of the matter was that Ulrim still felt too much guilt over that indiscretion.
Aislinn had abandoned him... And it had been all his fault. Without meaning to, his mind brought the memory to bare. Again he could see her smile... her brilliant red hair...
--
Aislinn had long red hair that played easily across her shoulders. Those shoulders were bare in her strapless black dress. She looked classically sexy, without being overly revealing. She had an average build, and a pale complexion. She was, in essence, a beautiful daughter of the irish.
Aislinn, unlike Jacob, looked like she belonged in formal clothing. The suit she had picked out for him seemed to contrast fiercely with his wild hair and rugged demeanor. Others found him attractive, he found it awkward. It was his twentieth birthday, and Aislinn had spared nothing to make sure he had had a good time.
Jacob had chrysalized five and a half years prior, becoming the troll known among his fellows as Ulrim Starbreaker. For a long time, Ulrim and Jacob's lives had clashed. Ulrim had a gathering at the same time as a date with Aislinn, or Aislinn had asked him to move on a date that just so happened to occur when a wyvern decided to terrorize downtown San Francisco. He'd managed well thus far, but Jacob had decided that it was time to let Aislinn see him as he was.
Mrs. Amber Klein, better known as Elisia of House Dougal, had warned him that bringing a mortal in to the knowledge of the world of the Dreaming could be dangerous, but had trusted him to make his own decision. His mentor had taken a very hands off aproach to his training, and now, Ulrim was pretty much independent.
"So, Jake, what's on your mind? The party's inside, sweetheart." Her smile was amazing... It would haunt him for years to come.
"Well... Aislinn, I wanted to talk to you about why I've been so flaky lately..."
"Can't we talk about this later?" She seemed patient and almost bemused. "It's not really important right now, hon."
"It is to me." Jacob's seriousness sobered Aislinn, and she looked at him, concerned. "Look, there's a part of me you don't know about. I want to tell you about it."
"Haha, are you going to tell me you're a superhero now? I didn't know you had a sense of humor..." Aislinn teased.
Jacob simply withdrew a beautifully crafted silver coin from his pocket. It had on one side a sword, and on the other, two olive branches lining the sides. He had carefully forged it, carved it, and shaped it, and infused it with the glamour needed to enchant a mortal. Aislinn was more beautiful than even some sidhe Ulrim had seen... And he wanted her to see this world too. He offered her the coin.
Taking it gingerly in her hands, she admired it lovingly. "This is amazing, Jacob! Can... can I keep this?" She seemed utterly enthralled by the token, her eyes embracing every detail of it. Then, she looked up and gasped.
Where Jacob had just stood, a rugged looking boy in an awkward looking suit, now stood an anachronistic beast from a story book. Ulrim towered over her at eight feet. He had horns that curved back over a mane of dark, dark blue hair. His skin had a bluish tint now, and what looked like fangs for teeth. He looked impressive and heroic now, even more than in his mortal seeming. But the shock of seeing him like this inspired in Aislinn a sense of panic... of raw fear. Tears streamed down her face, and she took a step back.
"Wait..." but it was too late. One of the only women Jacob and Ulrim had ever loved, ran crying from his birthday party, tearing through the crowd like she'd seen the devil itself.
He hadn't seen her since.
