[Iskandar can see the moment the memories hit as a snap of muscles to tenseness. It's unlike the sudden flow of memories like the tide in as his and Zhuge Liang's consciousness joined, or the misty vision that came in a dream that wasn't a memory of Iskandar's at all, but a prophecy of what is yet to be. They throb through him, yanking him along to live Judar's life alongside him in fragments. A long silenced heartbeat.
To be loved by the World and the Rukh, the magic, for the purposes of shaping it. The role of a magi is to chose the King and guide him or her to the throne. To find the candidates, to guide them through the dungeons and trials, gathering power and wisdom and the hearts of the people, until one is ready and worthy to sit and rule. This is ordained by Fate.
There are supposed to be three that are meant to be these most important of guides in magic and kingship. But there are always those that would pervert the system to their own ends and abuse those higher callings and the power that comes with it. Waver fought them on his own battlefield. But the enemy is everywhere.
Waver snarls mentally in mounting fury as he watches the story of a child raised as a tool and conditioned and made dependent upon a group, upon a woman and made to do their will. He watches the fumbling attempts at friendship, the influences that make them fail, and a child reaching out, trying to fill a gaping hole in his heart as the corrosion rises and Waver's old friends bitterness and anger take hold.
"Because, as long as you're my King, I'm fine with just you!"
There's a hole there and Judar fills it however he can, and that includes with the people he's guiding. Candidates... not friends, never forget a magi attracts just candidates for kingship... but companionship is what he's truly desiring. There's one face in particular... Hakuryuu... that keeps coming up. Alcohol flows in some of the memories. Judar huddles in the dark in others, comforting himself with his purpose, as the dark bears its terrible fangs.
There's a peach garden like the one he owns...
He watches as Judar watches how it all came to be. The past reflected on the wall as Waver stands with Judar. His parents holding a happy child, his magic pure and without corruption, flickering around him in the form of butterflies. It's joyful, with hope for the future, and then it all turns to ash as those loving parents are murdered for their child, and that baby stolen.
Then it all turns to horror as he sees what's intended for that baby, the ritual to turn him into their tool. Waver's blood runs cold as he watches the woman blast the wailing infant with black and violent purple energy until the child's magic corrupts and those dancing butterflies of light turn just as dark as the spell. He watches, Judar eats a peach as he stares at the wall when the images all fade out, the stream of memories beat on.
If that woman appears before him, she's dead. Waver swears it upon his status as a Heroic Spirit.
Absorbing Magnostadt. Brushing past Sinbad, the King candidate he's never been able to ignore before. His determination to bring Hakuryuu to kingship. Belial's dungeon - Hakuryuu at his side... then staring down at the image of a burning country with Judar and another, Aladdin. An illusion... no a reconstruction of a memory. The country's name is Sindria and Judar's laid it to waste.
His guilt. Aladdin, the fragment of his mind made illusion, tries to say it's not his fault even though he's committed atrocities, that he was used ever since he was born. That they understand. But it's not that easy. Fuyuki burns in Waver's mind as he watches Sindria burn in turn. It's not that easy, as he stands with Judar in the memory, not that easy at all as he watches Aladdin urges Judar to cut ties to those who are using and abusing him.
Forgiving yourself is never that easy no matter the real level of responsibility in the matter though.
Cut ties. Waver watches Judar melt down. Sure he'll cut ties but why should he forgive - he can't forgive?! Robbed of his parents, life controlled without any choices! Why was it him and not any of the others - WHY HIM?!
Memory beats on and then they come to it. That final fight between Aladdin and Judar. It's a titanic struggle that shatters the landscape - akin to a battle between the Heroes on the Throne. There's another battle nearby - Hakuryuu versus another. The earth groans as things continue, flame roars. Hakuryuu falls, both legs burnt away. But the other is worse. He's won, and Hakuryuu commands Judar to hurry up and finish Aladdin and come to his side.
Who could ignore such an order from their liege?
Who would not become anything in order to fulfill that command?
Waver watches as Judar takes in more and more power to attack, but Aladdin is countering, and Waver watches a form strike and Judar is pushed up, and up, and up, and readying to counterattack even as he soars ever upward.
Hakuryuu is yelling for him and interfering. His King trying to save him, and ordering him to put up an isolation barrier. But it's too late. Judar breaches atmosphere and there's perfect black.
Not the way he wanted to go. Not the way Waver would have wanted for anyone, with their King watching.
It all goes dark and the visions fade. A heartbeat silenced, a candle snuffed...
And he's staring into Iskandar's eyes as the world reappears, eyes burning as he forces the mask to stay in place, forces himself to breathe calmly and not give anything away. He knows his King can read the signs that he's shaken, and right now he's taking a moment to get himself together and try to dispel the last ghosts of memory as Judar's life and death sink itself into him and grabs hold with claws.
He's incredibly steadying right now and Waver focuses on him and the guandao in his grip. Hakuryuu's weapon. ... h-ha. He recognizes this. Guan Yu carried this kind of weapon, he remembers from Zhuge Liang. Though. A glaive for a Caster. He's so totally not qualified for Lancer class. Somewhere he feels like Cú Chulainn might be raising a brow. How does he? Use this?
Um. Iskandar?
Thank fuck he's here.]
I'm good. It's been awhile since I've seen a guandao, though. Guan Yu, maybe?
[Thank fuck he sounds calm and normal. Iskandar needs to hear him too. Then he squawks to distract Judar from any thoughts of what he's seen.]
And... Hey! Those are my charm points, thank you. They're not that bad!
no subject
To be loved by the World and the Rukh, the magic, for the purposes of shaping it. The role of a magi is to chose the King and guide him or her to the throne. To find the candidates, to guide them through the dungeons and trials, gathering power and wisdom and the hearts of the people, until one is ready and worthy to sit and rule. This is ordained by Fate.
There are supposed to be three that are meant to be these most important of guides in magic and kingship. But there are always those that would pervert the system to their own ends and abuse those higher callings and the power that comes with it. Waver fought them on his own battlefield. But the enemy is everywhere.
Waver snarls mentally in mounting fury as he watches the story of a child raised as a tool and conditioned and made dependent upon a group, upon a woman and made to do their will. He watches the fumbling attempts at friendship, the influences that make them fail, and a child reaching out, trying to fill a gaping hole in his heart as the corrosion rises and Waver's old friends bitterness and anger take hold.
"Because, as long as you're my King, I'm fine with just you!"
There's a hole there and Judar fills it however he can, and that includes with the people he's guiding. Candidates... not friends, never forget a magi attracts just candidates for kingship... but companionship is what he's truly desiring. There's one face in particular... Hakuryuu... that keeps coming up. Alcohol flows in some of the memories. Judar huddles in the dark in others, comforting himself with his purpose, as the dark bears its terrible fangs.
There's a peach garden like the one he owns...
He watches as Judar watches how it all came to be. The past reflected on the wall as Waver stands with Judar. His parents holding a happy child, his magic pure and without corruption, flickering around him in the form of butterflies. It's joyful, with hope for the future, and then it all turns to ash as those loving parents are murdered for their child, and that baby stolen.
Then it all turns to horror as he sees what's intended for that baby, the ritual to turn him into their tool. Waver's blood runs cold as he watches the woman blast the wailing infant with black and violent purple energy until the child's magic corrupts and those dancing butterflies of light turn just as dark as the spell. He watches, Judar eats a peach as he stares at the wall when the images all fade out, the stream of memories beat on.
If that woman appears before him, she's dead. Waver swears it upon his status as a Heroic Spirit.
Absorbing Magnostadt. Brushing past Sinbad, the King candidate he's never been able to ignore before. His determination to bring Hakuryuu to kingship. Belial's dungeon - Hakuryuu at his side... then staring down at the image of a burning country with Judar and another, Aladdin. An illusion... no a reconstruction of a memory. The country's name is Sindria and Judar's laid it to waste.
His guilt. Aladdin, the fragment of his mind made illusion, tries to say it's not his fault even though he's committed atrocities, that he was used ever since he was born. That they understand. But it's not that easy. Fuyuki burns in Waver's mind as he watches Sindria burn in turn. It's not that easy, as he stands with Judar in the memory, not that easy at all as he watches Aladdin urges Judar to cut ties to those who are using and abusing him.
Forgiving yourself is never that easy no matter the real level of responsibility in the matter though.
Cut ties. Waver watches Judar melt down. Sure he'll cut ties but why should he forgive - he can't forgive?! Robbed of his parents, life controlled without any choices! Why was it him and not any of the others - WHY HIM?!
Memory beats on and then they come to it. That final fight between Aladdin and Judar. It's a titanic struggle that shatters the landscape - akin to a battle between the Heroes on the Throne. There's another battle nearby - Hakuryuu versus another. The earth groans as things continue, flame roars. Hakuryuu falls, both legs burnt away. But the other is worse. He's won, and Hakuryuu commands Judar to hurry up and finish Aladdin and come to his side.
Who could ignore such an order from their liege?
Who would not become anything in order to fulfill that command?
Waver watches as Judar takes in more and more power to attack, but Aladdin is countering, and Waver watches a form strike and Judar is pushed up, and up, and up, and readying to counterattack even as he soars ever upward.
Hakuryuu is yelling for him and interfering. His King trying to save him, and ordering him to put up an isolation barrier. But it's too late. Judar breaches atmosphere and there's perfect black.
Not the way he wanted to go. Not the way Waver would have wanted for anyone, with their King watching.
It all goes dark and the visions fade. A heartbeat silenced, a candle snuffed...
And he's staring into Iskandar's eyes as the world reappears, eyes burning as he forces the mask to stay in place, forces himself to breathe calmly and not give anything away. He knows his King can read the signs that he's shaken, and right now he's taking a moment to get himself together and try to dispel the last ghosts of memory as Judar's life and death sink itself into him and grabs hold with claws.
He's incredibly steadying right now and Waver focuses on him and the guandao in his grip. Hakuryuu's weapon. ... h-ha. He recognizes this. Guan Yu carried this kind of weapon, he remembers from Zhuge Liang. Though. A glaive for a Caster. He's so totally not qualified for Lancer class. Somewhere he feels like Cú Chulainn might be raising a brow. How does he? Use this?
Um. Iskandar?
Thank fuck he's here.]
I'm good. It's been awhile since I've seen a guandao, though. Guan Yu, maybe?
[Thank fuck he sounds calm and normal. Iskandar needs to hear him too. Then he squawks to distract Judar from any thoughts of what he's seen.]
And... Hey! Those are my charm points, thank you. They're not that bad!