past the last horizon | viscet 2458 tryout | dnp

[Sunlitsecrets]

O T U S
"I'm not ever giving up."

>continue on?
>return home?

Who am I?
Hey! I'm Sunlitsecrets, avid character lover and owner of 10 beautiful viscets. This is my tryout for the legendary viscet 2458. I'm gonna be trying to write more than I've ever written for a form before, so we'll see how I do!

why am I trying for this viscet/why do I want them?
This isn't a question I usually see added to forms in impress me contests but I always like adding it to explain why I'm trying out.
. The viscet community is amazing, I love it here, and I've always been so excited to get new viscets to add to my group. I've been around for... about a year-and-a-half by now? And I've always stayed far away from the legendary comps, because in all honestly the crazy competition has scared me. But then I saw this beautiful viscet and fell in love. I don't care about the competition for this one, not when I find them so amazing. I'm going to do my best, write as much as I can, and have fun! No matter how this turns out I'll have a bunch of writing for either a current viscet or a future custom.

a small disclaimer;;
I got the name Otus from a game called Owlboy, and songs from that game are used in my playlist for this tryout. I only took the name from the game - all other characterization is from my own imagination.

table of contents

• introduction
• basic info/playlist/world info
• personality
• items
• relations

Notes for self -
Grew up in moonrise, saw firsthand the near destruction of the capital.
Became head of the moonrise guard as he wanted to help but always wanted something more
Gave leadership to setmet and sailed his way to the sky-edge
He and several others ended up going beyond the point no one else had ever dared to go
Re-discovered the dragons
Meeting with said dragons went very poorly
They barely escaped with their lives
When he got back he founded fort bravery on the northern edge of the world... in case the dragons ever came back.

[Sunlitsecrets]

name;; Otus
name meaning;; keen of hearing
nicknames? none

age;; 73
occupation;; warrior/guard
birthday;; December 8th

- - - -

playlist
Feel free to listen to these while you read! It's going to be a long story so you might as well have some background music. All these pieces are instrumental and I feel like each one represents a part of Otus's personality.
- Mesos
This first song, to me, is the beginning of this story. Where everything is still in relative peace and Otus is still at home, protecting his kingdom.
- Advent Under Attack
The second song is when things start to go wrong. Things are getting more and more complicated, and perhaps he's getting himself into danger he's not ready to take on...
- Sky Pirates
The journey. The adventure is on, things may be dangerous but they're also still fun. He's ready to have an adventure.
- Dirk Battle
And then, as things always do... it goes horribly wrong. The great battle, and the escape.
- Otus at Home
Finally, settling down at the north side of the world to keep it all safe. There's, perhaps, some small peace for Otus at last. For now.

- - - -

And finally, before we fully dive in, you'll need to know a little bit about my character world.
you can find the details here, but all you really need to know is that the world of Silvarum is a small world covered in islands, divided into three kingdoms - Moonrise, Sunglow, and Starheart. No one has ever gone past the edge of the world, the Skyedge... a place where the islands stop and endless ocean, for miles on end, is all that can be seen.

[Sunlitsecrets]

It's on a cold, snowy day that you decide to finally make the trek to Fort Bravery.
. You take a sleigh there, pulled by two stoic moose who say almost nothing to you outside of annoyed grumbles. They whisper to each other the whole ride up about how 'humans can't even get through the North on their own'.
. But at last, after the long ride, you arrive at the imposing fortress, the last defense at the edge of the world, and are let inside by a large bear who frowns at you as he motions you up to the highest tower - the place where Otus himself resides. Where he keeps everyone safe.
. You've heard many stories about the old, antlered viscet... and you really do want to hear if any of them are true or not.
. So you head up the stairs, and knock on the door.



A few moments of silence, and then - "What do you want?" It's spoken by a gruff voice, and then the rough wooden door creaks open, and he's standing in front of you, in his full battle armor, quill pen in his claws. As you explain, you try to peek behind him and see a mess of a room, filled with maps and diagrams and ink-stained papers, as well as a rusted, well-worn sword leaning up against the wall. But then he speaks again, after a long sigh.
. "So you heard the rumors, and now you're here to see the legend for yourself. Well, I'm no legend, just a simple viscet hiding out in the middle of nowhere, preparing for a fight that might never come." He sighs again. "Come in, then, come in. I'll tell you a little bit about me."

- - - -

"Kid, I'm just so tired of this world. But I can't ever give up fighting, not while there's still something to fight for."
Otus is a fighter, a strategist, a viscet who only feels comfortable when he's sitting on the edge of danger. He's been a warrior his whole life - from the Moonrise guard to the journey past the skyedge to here, at Fort Bravery, he's always been trying to protect people, be it his friends or people he doesn't even know. He's had people ask him why he doesn't just retire, live a quiet life in some tiny town and have some peace at last. Oh, if only it were that easy.
. If he ever stopped doing what he was doing... all Otus knows it that he would feel lost. Without a purpose. When you live your life for others, it’s hard to take some time back for yourself.
. Now perhaps his fort is a bit strange, a bit confusing. Why build this mighty fortress for a threat that very easily could never arrive? He has a great many answers. The southern edge of the world has the lighthouse to keep travelers safe, but the North has nothing. Admittedly far fewer people would come out this was through the thick snowfall, but if anyone does come (and there have been a few stragglers, he says) the fort will be able to get them warm and safe again before sending it back home.
. Deep in his heart, however, he knows the real reason. He knows his fears are irrational, that the dragons will probably never return, but he’s still so scared. He still remembers that desperate fight, a thousand miles away from home.
. He still doesn’t forgive them for what they did to Willow.
. “Never again. That’s why I built this castle here. So it never happens again,” he tells you, and the silent fury in his eyes stops you from probing any further down that path.



”Yeah, I’ll admit I can get a bit too stuck in my own head sometimes. But just look around. All my late night scribbling has come to this. A well of ideas.”
If you were to peek in on Otus while he was alone, you would find quite the strange scene. He seems like such a down-to-earth, serious fellow when you talk to him. A quiet thinker. But then, on his own, he comes alive. Pacing through the room, muttering a string of thoughts out loud to himself, pausing every so often to write something down in barely legible text or scratch out a surprisingly decent drawing.
. It's as if Otus's mind never truly stops - he spends most nights in his room on top of the tower, writing down his ideas till well past midnight. Then he wakes up with the sunrise, back to his well-mannered, poised self. How he gets by on so little sleep is a question no one has been able to answer, but the near-permanent dark bags under his eyes show that he might just be hiding it. You question him about it and he gives a nonchalant shrug. "It's worth it."
. You ask what all these pages are for. He moves a stack of papers, pulls out one, and shows it to you. It's a diagram of an island. You can't read the notes. He goes on to explain how he's always thinking about possible threats and how to counteract them, or ways to become smarter, or better. "Nightingale might be the tinkerer, but I'm the brainstormer. This fort wouldn't get anywhere without me. So I can't stop dreaming up new things." For a moment you think you see him stifle a yawn, but then the moment passes. Perhaps you were just imagining it.

"Do you really have to keep asking me things?"
He's a very private viscet, not really wanting others to know everything there is about him. He finds it very awkward to talk about himself for any extended period of time, preferring instead to bring the conversation back to some other topic, like his friends or his drawings. After such an extended conversation, you find that you probably won't get much more out of him - despite his calm demeanor, his twitching tail gives away his nervousness.
. You decide to ask him about something else.

[Sunlitsecrets]

the antlers
They started growing in when he was still a kid, and they've continued to grow until they've reached the size that they are today. Made of oak wood and covered in wildflowers, it makes for quite the impressive sight. It also means it's nearly impossible for him to get through doors without ducking.

the armor
Silvery-grey, it still has a decent shine to it. Out of all his objects, it's clear that this is the one he takes care of the most. After a polish once a week, it looks just as new as it did 20 years ago. It's his third ever set.



the cape
It's a sturdy piece of green fabric, old and grass-stained. It would be so simple to just get a new one, but he's had his cape since he was just a child - a gift from his father. He'll never be willing to give it up.
. He always forgets to wash it. But that's fine - it's magic infused, and permanently smells like pine needles.


the pendants
Two ropes of old, frayed string, with tiny emeralds tied to each. He smiles when you ask about them, and says something about an old friend making them for him. They both hum with some manner of magic, but you can't figure out exactly what kind.


the sword
Rusted. It's obviously seen many a battle, and while he's replaced his armor, this sword has stayed with him his whole life. He has others for backup, of course, in case anything goes wrong... but Otus is a creature of habit, and the old blade with the green gem laid in the hilt is like an old friend to him.

[Sunlitsecrets]

- - -

[Sunlitsecrets]

"but how did you get here?"

You ask the question in a well meaning way but he still takes a while to respond, and when he does it's with a look of slight confusion. "How do you mean? The full story? From the beginning? Well that's a tale that's going to take a while. Are you sure you have the time?"
. When you reply in the positive, he frowns, looks down for a moment to think, and then nods once. A short, decisive movement. "Fine. Fine. Might as well sit down... and I'll tell you about my journeys."

- - - -

Life began for Otus in Moonrise's capital. A dark, mysterious kingdom, as he was told during his early years. His father was the captain of the royal guard, a stern fellow with bushy eyebrows and a long sweeping tail. His piercing yellow eyes and strong voice meant that when Ventus said something, everyone listened. And the green cape he wore that fluttered in the breeze showed his high standing. In short, he was young Otus's hero.
. The people of Moonrise were prided on being brave warriors and gallant adventurers. Otus wanted to be both. He was learning how to swing a sword by the time he was five, and at the same age his antlers started to grow in. Tiny little nubs on the top of his head, they were barely noticeable... until he poked you with them.
. Younger Otus was a reckless, ever-curious child. He'd try to ambush members of the guard just for fun (and to practice his skills). His father encouraged this, and even gave him a gift to help him on his way - a set of armor just his size. "They can be extended to fit you as you grow older," he told him.
. "How?" asked Otus.
. "Magic," was the reply, and Otus wore the armor even when he slept, he was so excited to recieve such a precious gift. Ventus was a very encouraging father, even going so far out of his way as to teach his son how to spar, how to sneak past the other Moonrise guards, and many other important skills needed of a future guardsman. And, as the months went by, Otus grew up.



"You ready?" father asked son. Otus, at 8, was still proudly wearing the armor, and he nodded quickly. The two were standing about a mile out from the capital - the huge, imposing domes surrounded by the desert sands were quite the sight. But they weren't here for sightseeing.
. "Got your sword and everything?"
. "Mhm!"
. Ventus's yellow eyes shone bright as he stared towards the city ahead. "Very good. You know the route - try to get past all the guards. We'll see how much better you've gotten since the last time, eh?"
. Otus grinned a sharp-toothed grin. The hunt was on.

He had never gotten very far before. Trying to be quiet while lugging around a giant sword was no easy task. So this time, he was prepared to do his very best. In his excitement, he ran straight for the oasis. Time to see what he could do. Ventus watched him go, and Otus didn’t look back.
. Otus ran for quite a while, sand tripping up his paws. At last, however, the walls of the city loomed high above, casting a tall shadow over him. He knew the guards already knew he was there. Two of them were watching at that very moment. He looked around with a sly grin as he took a break, sitting in the sand as he scanned the surrounding desert for the thing he was looking for. He spotted it after only a few minutes. The one palm tree that led to his little secret.
. The child jumped back up, filled with energy once more, and trekked back away from the city, towards a sand dune. Only when he was out of sight from the guards did he sneak his way over to the lone tree in the middle of nowhere. A tree that would do a lot of good things for Otus.
. After his last failed attempt, he had gone wandering around the town’s surrounding desert, and had stumbled across a thing that gave him quite the advantage. Sand had been swept over it again, but he brushed it off - and revealed a stone door with a lock that Otus had the key for. He’d gotten it from a sleeping guard two weeks ago. The door creaked open, and he jumped down into the dark tunnel below.
. Step one? Done.



He had to feel his way through the darkness - the tunnel was dark as night once he closed the door behind him, but that was okay. Otus was a kid who didn’t mind accidentally touching spiders or tripping a few times. And luckily, he wasn’t prone to stumble. He made his way through and finally, finally! saw a crack of light. This door led into an abandoned hallway, rarely used, he knew. So it would probably be safe to open the door. One ear up to the stone, he listened. After hearing nothing, he took his key...
...and pried the door open...
...and came face to face with his father.
. “Key?” Ventus said simply, holding out a paw, and Otus, with a sigh, placed the silver object in his hand.
. “You knew about the secret tunnel?” Otus said with a sad sigh. He clambered out of the grey corridor and into the regal (but dusty) hallway.
. “Of course I knew. I found that passageway myself as a kid. That one lone palm tree, in the middle of nowhere like that... my younger self was drawn to it.” Ventus chuckled, and it was a wonderful sound. “I’m impressed, though. This,” he held up the key, “shows me that you’ve been thinking recently. You’re getting better at this, Otus. Don’t give up.”

And Ventus went back to his duties of leadership, and Otus went to talk to mother.

- - - -

Otus's mother Violet was a far more reserved woman, one who wasn't too fond of her husband and son's fighting but was willing to listen about all her son's adventures anyway. "Mom!" he said cheerily, barging into her room, his far too big sword scraping the ground behind him. "Guess what I did!"
. She looked up, smiled that smile of deep concern, and simply said, "What, dear?"
. That was all it took for him to launch into an hour of excited rambling about his little adventure, about how great his dad was and how cool it had been to sneak through the passage. He was so full of joy for the world, and so happy with what he had. Mother listened quietly, nodding along and sometimes making small sounds of concern, but in the end she really loved her child. And she was glad that Otus was having fun.
. At last he ran off to play with his friends and Violet watched him go with fondness in her heart. Kids sure do grow up fast.

[Sunlitsecrets]

He was dragged out of his mother's room by his friends and as they raced down the hall Petros said, "Otus! You ready to fly? We're gonna climb to the top of the city!"
. Petros and Melorin were always so excited and ready to do the most ridiculous, unsafe things. Otus knew how risky it was... but he also really loved being with his friends, and despite the inhibitions he held he grinned and nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah, I'm all set!"
. The two of these guys were wonderful - he'd known them both his whole life. Petros was a brown wolf with a sharp-toothed grin and the ability to make rocks levitate - he loved to fling them across the few oasises in the desert. No one could out-match his stone skipping skills.
Melorin, on the other hand, was a much quieter fellow. A viscet just like Otus, with red-and-yellow fur and sharp, curved horns. While he used to be a very outgoing kid, lately he'd been getting more... reserved. Otus hoped he was okay, but hey, Petros was Mel's best friend. He'd help Melorin out.
. The kids of the advisors and the child of the guardsman. They were the future of the Moonrise kingdom, and here they were, running away towards danger for the fun of it. Wasn't this exciting?



"Are we meeting up with the others this time?" he asked as the three of them ran up the stairs towards the top of the palace.
. "Jinx and Nightingale are waiting for us," Melorin replied, jogging on ahead, tail swishing lazily behind him.
. "Yeah, Jinx says he wants to watch us to make sure we don't, well, die or anything." added Petros with a voice far too cheery for the subject matter.
. Otus nodded. "Well that sounds fun. He's staying out of it again? Poor guy's too scared to have a good time. You think some day we can just go exploring in a safer way so he can join us?"
. "Maybe," said Melorin, and they were there - at the door up to the roof. And they weren't the only people there.
. "Jinx! Nightingale!! How have you guys been?" cheered Otus, running up to the two and hugging each one. It was awkward with the sword still tied to his back, but he managed.
. "Good enough. I heard we're climbing the tower?" Nightingale asked with her usual non-chalant attitude. "I'm excited. Bet Otus's gonna be the first one to fall."
. "Hey!" Otus exclaimed. It was so annoying being the youngest in the group... he always was teased the most. "I'm the one with the antlers!"
. "Let's just go, guys," said Petros. Otus looked over and Petros had the door open. He was already making his way outside. Nightingale brushed past the group, scoffed, and leapt out onto the rickety scaffolding.
. Jinx sighed as Night left. "Sorry, Otus. She means well but she doesn't always... show it."
. "Don't worry, man, I know," said Otus, tightening his armor so it would stay on while he climbed. "Now come on! We've got an adventure to go on."



The wind was blowing, a harsh breeze that made it more difficult to balance on the unstable platforms that led to the top of the city itself. Otus knelt down and gripped the wood with all four paws, already feeling the risk. And here they were protected by one wall! How crazy would things get once they were at the top of everything?
. Jinx watched them all go from the doorway. “Good - good luck? Please don’t get hurt, guys,” he said, so quietly that Otus barely heard it. He smiled in his friend’s direction, then continued after the others. He wasn’t gonna get left behind!
. They climbed for what seemed like ages, fighting against the wind and simply putting one paw in front of the other. No one spoke as they ascended, not even Nightingale (Otus was shocked she wasn’t throwing any taunts). But finally, finally! They crawled up all the scaffolding and reached the top of Moonrise’s great dome. What a view it was from up here. Otus shrank himself down low to the ground so he wouldn’t be blown off, and then he let himself enjoy it all. They were so high up! He felt like if he tried, he’d be able to see all the way to Sunglow. “Wow.”
. “Yeah,” said Melorin. It was all that needed to be said. They sat in silence for a while longer before he heard a voice from below.
. “HEY! What are you kids doing up there?” Otus jolted in alarm, looked behind him, and saw one of the guards ascending the scaffolding. A small, armored mongoose, easily skipping up the old wood planks. “Get back down here!”
. Petros frowned at the world in general. “Oh dear.”
. Indeed.

Jinx shrugged in apology as they walked back through the halls and to some unknown destination. It was only when they were brought to the giant wood doors at the center of the entire building that Otus knew they were in trouble.
. This was the entrance to the great hall of the king himself - the proud, imposing Rakesh. “What -“ Otus started to say, but Nightingale hushed him.
. “Be quiet! Don’t make us have to bail you out when you say something stupid,” she whispered, and Otus, already terrified, decided he was not going to speak a word while they were in there.
. The sword on his back felt so much heavier.
. The mongoose guard knocked twice, then slowly creaked the huge door open. Inside was the king himself - but he wasn’t alone. He was sitting on his throne, talking with a very familiar figure... one with black fur and a long green cape.
. “Oh, blast it all,” Otus said under his breath. His father was here.

At the sound of the door opening, both of the conversing leaders looked up. Rakesh took one look at the five children, then up to the guard, and then he took off his dragon-skull mask, set it to one side, and asked, in a surprisingly kind voice, “What’s going on?” Otus was shocked by how much more approachable the red-cloaked king was when he wasn’t wearing the bones of his enemies. Well. That was a bit obvious now that he thought about it.
. “Otus?” his father Ventus murmured. the antlered viscet wished in that very moment that he could just become invisible.
. “Your majesty, captain,” the guard acknowledged each of his superiors with a bow. “I caught these five climbin up to the top of the dome. I thought you might want to give them proper punishment?”
. The room was silent for five seconds. Five seconds where he heard nothing but Jinx’s quickened breathing and felt the king’s piercing stare. Otus was sure that this was it. This would be how he would die. But then -
. - laughter, the kind that starts off slow and builds to an uproarious chuckle. And it was coming from none other than Rakesh himself. “McDougal -“ said the ruler between his laughs (that must be the guard’s name, thought Otus), “we’re a kingdom built on explorers and danger-seekers, and you want me to reprimand kids for following in their ancestor’s footsteps?”
McDougal looked very embarrassed, shuffling his paws and staring at the ground. “Well, you see, sir, I was worried about their safety. The wind’s big this time ‘o year, I was thinkin one of them could fall down.”
. “A very good point!” boomed Rakesh, slapping one paw down on the mask to him side in such a sudden movement that even Ventus flinched slightly. His attention returned back to the children. “Next time you climb up there, bring climbing gear, okay? Very good! Is that all?”
. “Y-yes -“ stammered the mongoose.
. “Well then go! Ventus here and I are talking about some very important business.”
. “Yes, your majesty!” McDougal nodded quickly, and as they were ushered back out, Otus saw his father grin at him.
. His dad was proud, and the world was perfect.

[Sunlitsecrets]

Otus grew to be more comfortable in his own skin with every passing year. By the time he was 16, he was a tall, lanky fellow and his antlers were large enough to be dangerous. He spent his days wandering the desert with his friends and practicing his skills for his future life as a guardsman. The others were working on preparing for their futures too, he knew. Nightingale was always tinkering away, making new inventions as her parents before her. Petros was getting more refined every day - he carried himself with a proud air of importance now, and seemed to know the answer to every question. Jinx was - well, still good ol' Jinx. It was Melorin Otus was worried about.
. The dark-furred viscet had been getting more distant lately. Talking to himself, sneaking out at night... Otus tried to confront him one night but Melorin got... very oddly angry. So Otus watched and listened, keeping an eye out for anything strange. Petros sensed it too, he knew, but neither of them could find out what was truly going on.
. So instead of being forever fearful, Otus threw himself into his studies. He fought harder, ran faster, pushed himself to his limit. It was always worth getting his father's praise at the end. And it was worth it when he thought of all the people he'd be able to help defend.

- - - -

He drew his bow and looked out across the desert for something to aim at. Sunlight, barely showing beyond the horizon, fell into his eyes as the morning arrived. Squinting, he tried to see even though the light was blinding. A good warrior wasn't bothered by anything. There was a palm tree about fifty feet out. It looked like a decent target. A raise of the bow and he prepared to let loose his arrow -
. "Otus! What you doing up there?" called a familiar voice from below. The antlered viscet looked down and smiled, concentration broken.
. "Night! Jinx!" Otus reattached his bow to his back and leapt down from the column he'd been perched on, landing with near-perfect grace from years of practice. "I was practicing my bow skills. Father said I needed to keep improving, after all. And a good high spot helps me see where I'm aiming."
. Nightingale scoffed, as was her way. It didn't bother him anymore - it's just how she was. "Your father is a bit obsessive, if you ask me. You've been training day in and day out for years! And it's still not enough?"
. "Of course not! It's important. One day I'm going to be in charge of keeping this kingdom safe, and when that day comes I need to be at my very best."
. "This place hasn't been attacked in fifty years! What are you defending us from?"
. Otus sighed, and plopped down in the sand. "From whatever comes our way. Someone needs to do this, Night, so it might as well be me."
. "I - I think Otus is being really brave. He's willing to put out a lot of effort to help everyone," Jinx muttered from the side. "And besides, you spend all day making mechanical butterflies and the like! Otus can do what he wants."
. "I know, I - I know," Nightingale said, suddenly sounding a lot sadder. "I just miss the good days. Where we all ran around and just had fun. Now it feels like we're all doing our own thing. Petros and Melorin changed so much, and you're out here every day... I wish we could all be back together again. The old gang, adventuring again."
. "You always said you hated having to hang out with us," Otus said, tilting his head in sympathy.
. "I was lying and you know it. I never like talking about - feelings -" Night tried to say, but Otus stopped her.
. "It's okay. I get it. I'm just glad we're all still here. If you like you can hang out for a bit while I practice my aim?"
. "I'd like that!" Jinx immediately said.
. Nightingale hesitated, but then she smiled. It was a wonderful sight. "...Me too."

[Sunlitsecrets]

He had one more glorious year, one where he got even stronger and, slowly, became a viscet that rivaled even his dear father Ventus in power. They’d often spar up and down the halls in preparation for when the real fight came.
. In short, life was good. So when Otus found he couldn’t fall asleep one night out of some unknown worry, he felt like something had to be off. He slipped out of bed, strapped on his armor, and picked up his sword. Out to face the darkness.
. The dimly lit hallways were hard to see but Otus knew his way around the palace. Why did everything seem so off? Where was he even going?
. Melorin. Maybe he should check on Melorin. Make sure his friend was okay. Yes, that sounded good. Right turn, down the staircase, two lefts, stay quiet, stay quiet! His mind kept spinning and it was as if he knew what he would find when he reached Petros’s and Melorin’s room. Petros, sound asleep, several of the dog’s stones absentmindedly spinning by the ceiling. No sign of Melorin.
. Otus crept up to Petros’s side and gently shook him. It took a few moments, but then one of the stones fell on his head - or rather, was stopped from hitting his head by his antlers. Thank goodness for those things. Tired eyes blinked open and Otus found himself staring into Petros’s face. “Whaddyawant, Otus?” the red eyed dog mumbled, voice slurred from sleep. He was only really half awake.
. "Petros, Mel's gone."
. "Again?" he groaned, turning over to look at the spot where Melorin usually slept. "Gah, he's getting sneakier every day."
. "I'm worried about him, can you come with me to look for him?"
. "Yeah, I will." A stretch, a yawn, and Petros clambered out of bed. "I know he sneaks out through the kitchen, we can see if he's there."

Further down the stairs, through the halls to the darkened kitchen. Petros and Otus entered, looked around -
. - and saw Melorin in the shadows, fiddling with some strange device. “Mel, what are you doing?” Petros asked, taking a few steps closer. The viscet looked up in alarm and frowned at his two friends.
. “You should get out of here.”
. “What do you mean, Mel? We want to help you!” Petros insisted.
. A flick - the sound of lighting a match, and suddenly the room was illuminated. And Otus saw what was going on. Melorin was holding the match. Behind him was the stack of objects that would start the fire. “Come on, you don’t have to do this!” Otus pleaded, holding out a paw for a handshake. “We can all go back to bed and keep being friends. Keep preparing to make this kingdom great some day!”
. “No. I’ve made up my mind. Did a while ago. Moonrise dies tonight.”
. “Melorin -!”
. “Sorry, Otus.” He shoved the match into the pile, setting it ablaze. Petros lunged for him, trying to stop him, to reason with him, but Melorin ran, leaping over the both of them and dashing down the hall as the fire spread behind him. Both of them tried to catch up, but he had a head start - and Otus realized there was no catching up with Mel.
. “Petros!” he called to the wolf, who turned around, tears in his eyes. “We can’t save him! We’ve gotta go warn everyone else before this place burns down!”
. A moment passed, one where Otus was sure Petros would protest. But then he nodded. “You’re right. Let’s hurry, then.”



The fire grew and grew, quickly overtaking the entire palace. Otus and Petros barely made it out themselves... and few others did, either. Nightingale and Jinx met Otus at the place the survivors were gathering - a small pool of water about a mile and a half from the city. Otus was so relieved they were both okay, that they had made it out with only minor burns. But as the crowd of people grew and the fire burned on, there were two people Otus desperately hoped to see. His parents. Night turned into dawn before Ventus was carried in by two guards, badly burned and barely breathing.
. Otus rushed over as soon as his father was laid by the water, tattered green cape and all. “Dad! Dad, you’re okay!”
. Ventus sluggishly opened his eyes at the sound of his son’s voice. “Otus... I’m glad you’re alive...”
. “Yeah, and you are, too!” Otus said hopefully, looking past the burns and trying to think positively. There had been several others who had been carried out but had died shortly after, but he refused to think about it happening to his father. Ventus was strong, brave, brilliant - a fire wouldn’t keep him down! Right?
. Ventus, staring deep into his son’s eyes, seemed to know what he was thinking. “Otus, I’m not gonna make it out of this,” he breathed raspily. “So stop... fooling yourself.”
. “No - please no, I’m not losing you -“
. “You’ve been training all your life to take over for me one day, haven’t you? Today... is that day.”
. “I’m not ready to lead the guard, please don’t make me -“ Otus was protesting, panicked, not wanting to lose the man he looked up to so much.
. “It’s okay. You’ll do great... I know it. Just... keep getting better. For me. You promise?” Ventus gasped out.
. “Yeah - I - yeah,” Otus said after a few seconds, but it was already too late. Ventus, captain of the guard, proud father and master swordsman, was dead.
. Otus cried into his father’s cape until the sun was well over the horizon. His friends couldn’t comfort him. No one could. He was lost in his own sadness.
. When all the tears were gone, he just felt numb inside. With trembling fingers, he unhooked the ash-dusted cape from Ventus’s shoulders and draped it around his own. And then he sat, and watched as the world moved on, as if nothing had ever happened.

[Sunlitsecrets]

Mother didn’t make it out either.

He received the news with a simple nod and went back to staring out to nowhere. Sometime when he hadn’t been paying attention, the king himself, Rakesh, had arrived, burnt but alive.
. Of course he was alive. Everyone cared about the king but not about the bravest soldier in the land. (Of course they cared about Ventus, said a voice in his head, but he wasn’t in the right state of mind to listen to any sort of reason.)
. “I’m sorry,” he heard Petros say, but it didn’t mean anything. Petros hadn’t done anything. Melorin was the one who decided to destroy everything Otus knew, so why was Petros apologizing? Otus didn’t answer besides a faint grunt. He was oblivious to the world. It took the king coming over to jolt him out of his thoughts.
. “Otus,” the ruler said. “Otus!”
. He looked up to spy the king, wearing the dragon-skull mask and somehow managing to look compassionate underneath the imposing look of said mask. And he spoke the first words he’d said since Ventus passed.
. “Why are you wearing the mask now?” He was curious, yes, but mostly trying to put off the conversation he knew had to happen.
. Rakesh grinned ruefully (or at least Otus thought he did, underneath the mask). "I fell into the flames. Got out okay but I don't think my face will ever look the same. Right now I've got it all bandaged up -" he lifted his head and indeed, Otus could see the white fabric, "but I don't want anyone worrying about me. Other people have it worse."
. It was strange how conversational the ruler was, how relatable. If Otus was in a more energetic mood he would have asked about that, too, but as it was he silently nodded and resigned himself to whatever would happen next.
. "Come on, now, walk with me. We need to talk about the future away from prying eyes." Rakesh padded away, flicking his tail in beckoning. Otus gripped his cape tighter, and begrudgingly followed after him.

When they had gone quite a ways out into the sand, Rakesh sat himself down, sighed, and said, "I'm sorry about your father."
. Otus glared at him half-heartedly, but he couldn't quite pull up enough emotion in himself. "Just get to your point."
. Rakesh paused, then nodded. "He made you the leader of the guard, I heard. We need to talk about how you plan to lead. You're younger than most of the guards, after all, and while you have quite the good reputation, you're going to need to be braver and stronger than ever to keep everyone together after... what has happened."
. "You think I don't know?" his numbness had turned into anger at everything, anger at the world. "Don't worry about it, Rakesh. My whole life I've been preparing to save people and tonight I failed. I'll gladly spend the rest of my waking days keeping your people safe." Otus held the cape and fidgeted nervously with it again. He felt like he'd been changed, in ways that could never be taken back.
. Rakesh looked like he wanted to say more, but he stopped himself. Instead, the old king stayed with Otus. The two watched the remains of the capital smolder away.
. Nothing would ever be the same.