wizardseason | The Princess' Dream Citadel

The Princess has chosen not to invite any of the good-allured knights. On this night, the only two people in the Dream Citadel are Luka and the Protector.

The Protector can be found on the roof, stargazing and listening to the sounds of the waterfalls around the tower. Luka will arrive near the base and have to climb, but at least he'll be surrounded by the sounds of the waterfalls.

As Luka drifts into comfortable sleep that night, he suddenly finds himself jolted awake and standing at the foot of a winding staircase. The smells and sound of rushing water fills the air all around him, and though he can't place his location or how he got there, he's overcome with a sense of belonging and ease.

He feels a strong pull upwards, urging him to climb the stairs, and he begins the ascent with a sigh.

"Stairs, really?" He whispers to himself, trailing one hand along the wall. It takes him a good while to reach the top, and when Luka finally does, he's out of breath. But he feels the presence of another, and the calming aura is stronger than ever.

"Ah... h-hello?" He inquires into the void. Not his proudest introduction, but the stairs took a lot out of him.

Unfortunately this tower can't change, it's a fixture in the universe that had assisted with making everything possible. Though even if the Protector had the power to change it, he probably wouldn't. This place is exactly his aesthetic. He felt Luka's arrival and slow ascent up the tower, so when he finally arrives there's nothing surprising about it.

Except, perhaps, the exhaustion.

Some Princesses were very fit, capable of tackling the stairs without so much as blinking in the face of the daunting task. Others had taken numerous breaks, sometimes still failing to make the whole climb. Luka fell somewhere in between both types.

"Hello, fortieth Princess." He turns, calmly looking Luka over. "I'm pleased to meet you face to face. I am the Protector."

For once, Luka finds himself feeling humbled.

"So I've heard. I mean, I heard your voice. When the monster attacked."

Luka was kicking himself internally. Now was not the time to get nervous and make a fool of himself in front of the Protector. He'd already beefed the first impressions, anyway. This wasn't like him at all. He searched for any topic to distract from his fumbling words.

"Where are we, exactly, anyway?"

"That you did." He confirms, wanting to leave nothing to the imagination. Luka hadn't imagined a voice in his head. It was fortunate that he seemed to understand and run with things right away, rather than question it as some others had.

"We are where it all started. The Dream Citadel." He explains, rummaging in a pocket to pull forth a white metal smoking pipe with a long stem.

"It is from here that it all started. The companions. The monsters. The Wizard. Myself."

He's silent for a moment, considering the Protector's words carefully. It's a lot to take in, and Luka needs to consider which of his many questions he's going to ask first.

"All of it? Here? When? Why?"

Okay, that was more than one question. But he can't help himself.

Fortunately the Protector's here to answer questions, to provide the Princess with the information needed to do the right thing. It was the only way to save the world, after all. He can answer Luka's many-questions with a story, an explanation of how it all started.

"Forty years ago, it began over a wager. A bet to save the world. Power in exchange for a contract." He begins, slowly preparing his smoking pipe as he speaks.

"On that day, the world was on track to be destroyed. We knew it would happen, we chose to intervene. We bought a year of safety. Each year, we buy another." He snaps his fingers, a flame flickering into existence on a fingertip that he uses to light the pipe. The smoke smells more of incense than it does tobacco, filling the air with a flowery scent.

"So the world keeps turning."

"Who's 'we'?" He asks. "You and the Wizard? Or is there more involved in this?"

"The Wizard and I, yes." He nods, confirming as he brings the pipe up to his mouth. A moment later, the scent of the smoke hanging in the air is stronger. It doesn't get overbearing, though, the movement of the water wisping it away.

"There are no others who hold the power we do."

"So... the Wizard doesn't want to end the world, then?"

The Protector pauses, looking thoughtful for a moment before shaking his head.

"No, she most certainly does." He takes another puff from the pipe, filling the air further.

"She'll succeed if she's not stopped."

Edited 2019-03-17 21:40 (UTC)

"So... if she wanted the end of the world, why did she intervene? Why wouldn't she just let it happen?" he asks. "I guess maybe it's not on her terms?"

"She has a particular goal she wishes to achieve." He says, thinking for a moment how he wants to elaborate on this.

"We disagree. Entirely." He sighs, they would never see eye to eye.

"And are you at liberty to say what that goal is?"

The Protector gives a little chuckle, he knew that question was coming and he's going to sound a little amused as he answers it.

"It's no secret, she wants to kill me."

"Oof," is all Luka manages at first. "I mean, I've had scandals and feuds before and you know, I'm sure some of them wanted to kill me too. You're lucky you're not on social media, ugh. They'd be taking ALL your tweets out of context."

"Perhaps." He answers calmly, intrigued by Luka's words but choosing a reassurance rather than dwelling on the past.

"Unfortunately she cannot succeed. It would mean the end of the world and I will not accept that."

"Mm. So..." He pauses for a moment, trying to put his thoughts into words. "If you die, the world goes with you? Instantaneously? Or are you just the only one who can stop her from destroying it. If that makes sense?"

"I am the pin holding it all together. If I am not there to halt it, the world falls when her hammer falls." He clarifies, denying that the world will just pop when he pops. Little reassurances, perhaps, for what they were worth.

"She is insistent and wouldn't pass up the chance."

"But why? Did you do something to make her hate you?"

He tilts his pipe, making a 'tsk' sound as he taps some ashes from his pipe out onto the floor.

"She would rather see the world end than let it continue, it is as simple as that." He answers, flatly, something clearly annoying him about that reality. He can't keep the emotion out of his voice. Was it disappointment? Anger? It wasn't really clear.

"Ugh. How stupid, and not to mention boring. Not juicy at all."

Luka streches his arms and yawns.

"I'm not really concerned about our ability to defeat her this year, anyway. At least not yet."

"She'll cast a spotlight to stand in, I'm sure." He adds, folding his arms as he considers what to tell Luka about all this.

"And she will try new, clever ways to defeat all of you."

Edited 2019-03-19 04:14 (UTC)

"Are you concerned? I know some years it's been kind of dicey."

"No." He answers immediately, but it doesn't sound panicked or nervous at all. Just an immediate response. He knows that isn't enough, though, so he elaborates.

"You have all always succeeded and you will succeed again. You must."

Day 1: Evening

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