Wretched Aidan 455 Share Posted June 19, 2023 Spoiler The Final Verse TW: Attempted Suicide Sel Aldrych on his seventieth birthday, his staff resting in his grasp. c. 1929 Aldrych sat himself down upon his piano bench as was his habit and his common hobby. The aged pianist raised his pale, thin, sickly hands toward his vast collection of sheet music, flipping through the pages fervently before stopping upon the piece most beloved to him, ‘She Has Left Me My Golden Rose. by Henry Penton’. The piece had always been a place he resorted to in times of need of comfort, in times that he longed for peace. This day was another one of those days. “Soft dew on the ground rests on my weary eyes!” Aldrych’s hands glided across the piano keys as he began playing the old Orenian tune. Though as the first sentence of the piece left his lips, Aldrych was met suddenly with tears, his eyes beginning to swell with grief. The Lyric was ever true, the Knight was weary, broken, some might even say he was crushed under the weight of the world, the weight of life, and all of the grievances that came alongside it. Aldrych’s hands suddenly came to a pause, resting in their places upon the keys, the entirety of his home suddenly going quiet. As he began to ponder, “When was the last time I had joy? Peace?” He began to search through his mind, through his memory, in search of an answer, he was determined to find one. He searched and searched, but was only met with memories of grief. It had been over two decades since his beloved brother, Thomas, was discovered upon the road, bloodied, bruised, and lifeless, assumed to have been done at the hand of bandits. Ever since then his health had dove into a decline, making it impossible for the man to uphold his duties and responsibilities, robbing him of much joy as everyday was truly a fight. It had been nearly half of a century since he had last laid his eyes upon his mother, someone he had utterly adored before his perception of her was utterly crushed and diminished in the recent years. Though his ponderings were then cut short as his hands began to subconsciously move across the keys once more, the next sentence spilling from his lips. “Soft dew on my cheek as I make my goodbyes!” “I lack joy, peace, and purpose. I’m but a relic of old.. And it is my turn to be forgotten...” Aldrych mumbled as his hands left the piano keys, grabbing ahold of his staff - which had served as a trusty friend to him throughout the years - and rising from the piano bench, leaving his music open above the piano keys. Despite his hands leaving the keys, the song played on within his mind. The somber pianist slowly drudged his way across his home, reaching a closet. Aldrych swung the closet door open and stepped into it, rummaging through it before he found what he was in search for, a stack of letters he had prepared over the course of the recent months. He then set them upon his kitchen table as a tear sprung down upon his cheek. His goodbyes were made. “Our nights not forgotten. Our time has drawn closed. Although I may seem to you truly composed. My feelings of grief I shall never disclose..” The Door to Aldrych’s home then slowly began to open, the sick man emerging from it with his staff in hand, and his cloak upon his back, softly beating in the wind as he closed the door behind him, beginning his final trudge down the path. “It is all to be over soon.. I am coming home Thomas, I have waited long enough.” As he trudged down the path he began to reminisce upon the life he had lived, both joyful and grim moments alike. He thought back to the day he believed to have been the greatest day of his life. The day he was granted to take up his mother’s maiden name, Gendik. He couldn’t help but smile at the fine memory as he trudged on. Though just as the fond memories came to mind, so did the foul. He remembered it as if it had happened but a few days ago. The bird swooping down and landing upon his shoulder, bearing a letter that read. ‘Dear Brother, return home and make haste to the attic! We must further your training. - Charles Komnenos’ He remembered how quickly he had ran home, swinging upon the door of Ivonavich IV, with utter excitement and ignorant bliss. Ascending the stairs with such haste, and entering the lift, overjoyed that his brother found him fit to continue his apprenticeship. Though his blissful mood suddenly changed as he stepped out of the lift leading to the attic. He was met by a figure adorned in leather armor, from head to toe, the face of the figure unseen. Before he could think to react, to run, a dagger plunged into his neck. Aldrych went to let out a cry, but nothing sounded forth. In sheer panic he drew his blade, throwing it at the figure who delivered such a fatal blow, before holding at his own neck both of his hands quickly bloodying as the figure spoke. ‘I am sorry brother.. But you failed, you were not good eno… Aldrych’s reminiscing and trudging suddenly came to a halt as he found his gaze looking down upon the waters of Helious. It was time. “Now old and alone, I sit bitter and chilled. Sweet would be death, for you I am thrilled!” Aldrych’s eyes began to swell with tears at the beauty of the scene below, at the mere beauty of creation. Aldrych lifted up his hand, wiping his tears away from his eyes, before deciding to release his staff, allowing it to rest upon the ledge of the cliff. He reached into his pocket, pulling forth a folded handkerchief, a barely visible signature embroidered in it’s corner H.M. He quickly wiped his tears from his cheek, before unfolding the handkerchief, wanting to adore its craftsmanship a final time. Though as he unfolded the handkerchief, he was met by something unexpected. Wrapped up within the worn handkerchief was a ring, with sunflower jewels, glinting under the rays of the sun. Upon seeing the piece of jewelry, he smiled, though his smile was short lived as regret suddenly displayed over his features as he clenched the ring and handkerchief in his fist, “I don’t wish to depart!” Aldrych’s knees began to tremble due to the absence of the support that his staff provided. Before a mere moment could even pass, his knees gave out and he descended from the ledge, into the depths below. . . [!] Various letters were distributed to their respective recipients. Spoiler It’s been quite the ride my friends! I’m everso thankful for all of the memories created on this character over the past year! Special thanks to @MapleSunflower for helping me create Aldrych and for bringing me into such a wonderful group of people. More special thanks to, Alamo, Atomikal, Mail, Tada, Fawny, Josh, Aech, Frisket, JudgedKitty, WholesomeThomas, Sniper, Disklexia, Mykei, Vegan_Comedy, Turbo, Camo, Meteor Dragon, Rosey, Allien and Alien, and everyone else for making Aldrych such a wonderful character to play. @MeteorDragon & @MapleSunflower It’s my turn to join the club.. Who said this was a pk? :) Spoiler Coordinating Post With The Letters: 10 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tcs_tonsils_ 2829 Share Posted June 19, 2023 Thomas Komnenos cocked a brow, watching events unfolding from the sky. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts