Zavien
Guiding them away from the Celestine, Zavien looked to the city, appreciative of the distraction Soh provided, the one that kept him from imaging each building crumbling from the sky, the screams of Breakers echoing in the city. Instead, he caught glimpses of places where he'd laughed and smiled, places he'd made friendships and memories.
A ghost of a smile formed, his tone and green gaze distant as he waded through different past moments and experiences. "There are a lot to pick from. This is where I grew up, raised by a community of people who cared so deeply for one another, who showed me what true strength looks like. It's where I became a Dragoon and bonded with Sol, gaining opportunities to fight for what I believe in, to fight for the people I care about. It's where I fell in love..." The smile darkened a shade, the brush of remembrance tender against the grief before he was sweeping it away to offer Soh a brighter expression. "It's always been about the people I care for, and I think all my favorite memories of Stormbreak are of them."
He looks ahead again, conscious of Sol trotting close behind, of the wind carrying the scent of smoke and dried earth, of the sun's fading heat. It feels like a dream, like he's wandering through a moment that hasn't quite solidified. Zavien knows distantly that it's the shock, the reality attempting to catch them as they try desperately to keep ahead of it.
Tilting his head, he keeps pushing on, reminiscing to keep the image of Stormbreak strong in his mind. "I remember my mom smiling when she caught me feeding the stray cats what little food we had. And Erika filling my life with so much warmth when she passed - with equal parts hugs and delicious food. And Koa helping me with my fear of heights as much as my lack of confidence, becoming the brother I'd never had. And the kids in the Silk Houses reminding me that we're never too old to play and never struggling too much to laugh." A wisp of a laugh escapes, recalling the bright grins and chiming giggles that surrounded him as they formed adventures in their mind.
Zavien shakes his head, the airy laugh fading to a humored smile. "I don't think I can pick just one. Do you think we can make a memorial big enough for all of them?" His eyes are teasing when they find Soh next to him, even as he wonders how they might honor the city and it's people when it's gone.
Feeling like he's doing too much of the talking - and unashamedly curious - he asks, "What's yours? Your favorite memory?"
A ghost of a smile formed, his tone and green gaze distant as he waded through different past moments and experiences. "There are a lot to pick from. This is where I grew up, raised by a community of people who cared so deeply for one another, who showed me what true strength looks like. It's where I became a Dragoon and bonded with Sol, gaining opportunities to fight for what I believe in, to fight for the people I care about. It's where I fell in love..." The smile darkened a shade, the brush of remembrance tender against the grief before he was sweeping it away to offer Soh a brighter expression. "It's always been about the people I care for, and I think all my favorite memories of Stormbreak are of them."
He looks ahead again, conscious of Sol trotting close behind, of the wind carrying the scent of smoke and dried earth, of the sun's fading heat. It feels like a dream, like he's wandering through a moment that hasn't quite solidified. Zavien knows distantly that it's the shock, the reality attempting to catch them as they try desperately to keep ahead of it.
Tilting his head, he keeps pushing on, reminiscing to keep the image of Stormbreak strong in his mind. "I remember my mom smiling when she caught me feeding the stray cats what little food we had. And Erika filling my life with so much warmth when she passed - with equal parts hugs and delicious food. And Koa helping me with my fear of heights as much as my lack of confidence, becoming the brother I'd never had. And the kids in the Silk Houses reminding me that we're never too old to play and never struggling too much to laugh." A wisp of a laugh escapes, recalling the bright grins and chiming giggles that surrounded him as they formed adventures in their mind.
Zavien shakes his head, the airy laugh fading to a humored smile. "I don't think I can pick just one. Do you think we can make a memorial big enough for all of them?" His eyes are teasing when they find Soh next to him, even as he wonders how they might honor the city and it's people when it's gone.
Feeling like he's doing too much of the talking - and unashamedly curious - he asks, "What's yours? Your favorite memory?"
A flower cannot blossom without sunshine,
and man cannot live without love.
and man cannot live without love.
