DUNGEON - BELLMARE ENCLAVE (BELLMARE MOUNTAINS, PT 2)

[phantasmods]

The shadows are starting to grow very long as you crest his particular ridge - it's not night yet, but it will be soon. In the shadows of the afternoon, with a tall mountain already blocking the sun, lies a snow-covered valley that is different from the ones you've come across thus far in your investigation.

This valley is home to a town, and unlike all the settlements you've seen so far - Incendia, the Telovia mining town, and the manor - it's very much active. There are actual people in the streets, visible from above, going through their days on snow-free streets, bundled up against the cold.

Those of you who asked were told of the handful of people who didn't go into the slumber of stasis as the Fissure conditions of the world grew worse and worse, instead isolating themselves and trying to continue living their lives as they could. Now, it seems, you've found exactly such a group.

Welcome to the Bellmare Enclave, and enjoy your stay.

[[OOC: Welcome to part 2 of the dungeon! For the most part, interaction with the town's NPCs can be handwaved as described on the main information post. Worth noting are the following major things: The Bellmare Enclave isn't expecting visitors, though the people are generally friendly to the new arrivals. They don't know about the time dilation effect of their Fissure - to them, it's only been about eighteen years since the Slumber Plan was put in place and they withdrew from the world. And finally, by a similar token, they have no idea how far the Fissures outside of their own have grown - while it's not uncommon for them to find odd objects from time to time, they'll assume that the characters are just arrivals from other places within their own world, rather than outsiders, until told otherwise.]]

Comments

[hardbargain]

Somehow I didn't take you for a muscle car type.

It definitely would've changed the tone if you'd showed up in a pink vintage convertible.

[burninglight]

Oh, she was delightful. I did most of the maintenance myself, even.

...Frankly, I still think it would have been funny. But no, apparently it’s ‘unprofessional ‘ and ‘we’ve talked about this, Ardyn.’ Bloody Niflheim wouldn’t have known fun if it slapped them.

[hardbargain]

I dunno I think slapping them would've been a hell of a lot of fun.

[Ah there's actually a little bit of a growl in that. Sorry Ardyn. Drau- No Glauca is going to color him pretty violently against Niffs as a whole if the war hadn't done enough of that already.

Still the idea of just walking up to the Emperor during that gala and backhanding him is pretty delightful.]

[burninglight]

...Yeah, actually, that would have been pretty funny.

[No argument to be found here.]

They’re more or less all dead now, if that helps. Definitely Aldercapt and Verstael, at least. Ravus is around here somewhere, but...honestly, he’s more a dumb misguided child than openly hostile.

[hardbargain]

Good.

[The fact that Ravus is here though... that he's not sure how to feel about. The Imperial High Commander should be dead, deserves it really. But he's also Lunafreya's brother.]

So he made it out of the city? That- She'd be happy to hear that.

[burninglight]

Mm—wasn’t much salvaging that arm, I had to design a new one. But he mostly screwed his head on straight after that, even if it took a while.

[hardbargain]

Kinda sad it took that much to get his head out of his ass but at least he did eventually.

[Though the mention of what happened to Ravus' arm has Nyx flexing his left hand, the skin tight and strained under all the new scaring, still ashen despite all the potions. At least he's not that bad off.]

[burninglight]

Oh, there’s still a stick of considerable size up his ass. But he’s not all that bad past that.

[...]

That really was the impressive stunt you pulled back then. Out of all the ways I expected that night to go, that had not once crossed my mind.

[hardbargain]

I was as good as dead anyways. [He huffs a bitter laugh and gestures to the splint on his leg. There's a lot more bandages but no one can see them under the layers at least.]

Pretty sure I'm still on borrowed time.

[burninglight]

You’ll be surprised how much longer borrowed time can get with a stubborn medical team and the right technological knowledge.

Or, in shorter terms, ‘not on my fucking watch you aren’t.’

[hardbargain]

[He'd met part of the "stubborn medical team" so he wasn't surprised by that sentiment but the last bit definitely has him tilting his head at Ardyn, surprised and a little unsure why all these damn royals are so protective of him.

Izunia and, to a lesser extent, Regis at least had guilt as a justification but why in the hell would Ardyn care?]

Not that I don't appreciate everyone's determination but I don't care how many potions I chug, I've still got a gut full of shrapnel.

[He's just trying to be realistic here.]

[burninglight]

[Ardyn shrugged, waving a hand almost dismissively without noticing Nyx’s confusion.]

You’re still alive. That’s as good a start as any, the rest we can figure out.

[hardbargain]

You guys must have a hell of a facility.

[No one's told him he's going to have to let an MT android work on him yet though.]

[burninglight]

It’s definitely leagues above what I’ve seen back in Gralea, at least. You’ve a better chance than you think.

[hardbargain]

[He nods slowly, still not sure he wants to get his hopes up too high.]

Hopefully that means things will work out alright for His Majesty.

[Clearly the real concern here.]

[burninglight]

Oh, you don't need to worry about that one bit. I'll take care of him to the best of my ability.

[Beat.]

That--that sounded less ominous before I said it, that's not what I meant at all.

[hardbargain]

[There's a moment where Nyx's gaze goes hard and steely, his left hand sliding back to the hilt of the kukri at his back.

And then Ardyn is tripping over himself to clarify and the tension bleeds out of him.]

Right... Just for clarification you're not doing a damned thing to him without me there.

[He'll never be a Shield but like hell he's leaving his King with either of the twins unaccompanied.]

[burninglight]

[Ardyn held up his hands defensively, shaking his head.]

O-of course. I didn't--

[He took a deep breath and sighed, running a hand through violet hair and trying to collect himself.]

Look, I...can't make up for any of what I've caused. You know that, I know that, anyone who has ever heard of me knows that. I won't pretend I can just brush aside all of it and carry on as though it never happened.

...But no one else is going to suffer and die because of me and the shit that I've pulled. I won't allow it; not you, not Regis, or anyone else.

[hardbargain]

[Nyx lets out a slow breath and does the same, smoothing his hair back, gliding his fingers over Selena's braid.]

Sorry. [Paranoid? Him?]

It's... not just you. [How can he trust anyone after his own captain betrayed them? Men he'd trusted at his back for years, friends he'd shared meals and drinks with. His breath comes out a little too harsh, the sound of Pelna's body shattering against the wall beside him haunting him for a moment and making his stomach roll.]

I don't think I'd trust anyone with him right now.

[burninglight]

I get it--whether you believe that or not, I do.

[He recognized the sharply defensive note--he saw it time and time again in his own family, after all.]

I don't have anything to hide, and I only want to help. Of course I won't argue if you want to keep an eye on things yourself.

[hardbargain]

From what I've heard you might be one of the few people that could get it.

[The depth of that kind of betrayal is one thing that he actually expects Ardyn to understand. Maybe even better than himself. ]

We'll have to talk about it with His Majesty but... if nothing else I do believe you mean well. [He shrugs a little. Not that it means things can't go wrong but intention makes up for a lot as far as Nyx is concerned. Doesn't mean he trusts you but he believes you.]

[burninglight]

...I appreciate it. Really. It's up to him how much he even wants to deal with me, but the offer's always going to be open regardless.

[hardbargain]

And... just so it's out there.

If he decides you can't be trusted or are a threat in some way. I will do whatever my King commands.

[He gave Leonard the same warning. If shit goes down and Regis decides Ardyn needs to be dead... well. Nyx will see it done, one way or another. So hopefully it doesn't come to that.]

[burninglight]

I'm no more a threat to anyone than my useless brother is, and I don't intend to change that.

...But if things should come to a fight for whatever reason, you should know I'm not going to merely stand down. I promised someone I wouldn't die anytime soon, and I'm going to keep my word.

[hardbargain]

I wouldn't expect you to. I don't foresee it being an issue. But we do have three kings in one place. Who knows how fucked up things could get.