unprophesied_of_ages
The Lord Ruler is in his palace, when he sees a sight he hasn't seen in centuries. Trees, sunlight...is he hallucinating? The fact that there's a forest in his living room isn't the surprising part. The fact that there's a forest on his planet is. As soon as he walks through the door to where his living room isn't, it's definitely not a hallucination.
His stores of Allomantic metals abruptly disappear. They're still physically there, but the power is completely gone. He immediately turns to go back, only to see more forest.
At least his Feruchemy still works—he can tell because he's still alive—but that won't last him forever. He only has so much stored youth, and without both sets of abilities he can't replenish it. He hasn't been in so much danger since the beheading that one time. Returning to Scadrial is the highest and currently only priority. If spontaneous forests are a thing, he needs to find someone who can explain them and more importantly how to get back.
The next few hours are spent walking in an essentially randomly chosen direction, with the sun to his right. He's quite certain that suns are supposed to be moving across the sky, but that's not a pressing emergency. He already knew he wasn't on his own planet when he saw proper trees and plants instead of ash-covered monstrosities. Whenever he calls out, nobody responds. If it's an empty spontaneous forest, he's probably doomed.
After some time, he hears his stomach growl. He hasn't seen much that looks edible, but possibly that's just because he's not used to real plants. Berries. Berries used to exist. Those berries look tasty, and if they're poisonous it's not like he needs to worry about it. As always, he has a truly ridiculous amount of stored health in his gold jewelry. Tapping gold just in case, he eats a handful.
His stores of Allomantic metals abruptly disappear. They're still physically there, but the power is completely gone. He immediately turns to go back, only to see more forest.
At least his Feruchemy still works—he can tell because he's still alive—but that won't last him forever. He only has so much stored youth, and without both sets of abilities he can't replenish it. He hasn't been in so much danger since the beheading that one time. Returning to Scadrial is the highest and currently only priority. If spontaneous forests are a thing, he needs to find someone who can explain them and more importantly how to get back.
The next few hours are spent walking in an essentially randomly chosen direction, with the sun to his right. He's quite certain that suns are supposed to be moving across the sky, but that's not a pressing emergency. He already knew he wasn't on his own planet when he saw proper trees and plants instead of ash-covered monstrosities. Whenever he calls out, nobody responds. If it's an empty spontaneous forest, he's probably doomed.
After some time, he hears his stomach growl. He hasn't seen much that looks edible, but possibly that's just because he's not used to real plants. Berries. Berries used to exist. Those berries look tasty, and if they're poisonous it's not like he needs to worry about it. As always, he has a truly ridiculous amount of stored health in his gold jewelry. Tapping gold just in case, he eats a handful.
unprophesied_of_ages
Lack of poison, great! He eats some more, tapping a tinmind to heighten his sense of taste. The berries are suddenly even better.
He then resumes walking. This is as good a time as any to try for people. "Hello! Anyone here?"
He then resumes walking. This is as good a time as any to try for people. "Hello! Anyone here?"
unprophesied_of_ages
"As compared to what?" asks the seven-hundred-year-old human.
"More importantly, how can I get back to my planet?"
"More importantly, how can I get back to my planet?"
unprophesied_of_ages
Ruin take everything if that's happening. The Lord Ruler hasn't even used a name in centuries, and before that it was a fake one.
"Rashek," he answers.
Ruin take everything.
"Rashek," he answers.
Ruin take everything.
unprophesied_of_ages
Rashek follows without thinking twice. Or for that matter, once. When he figures out what's going on, this yellow coward is going to regret this.
unprophesied_of_ages
Neither does the human. Convincing his captor that he needs to get back or he'll die in months can wait until he has some idea of what the yellow man has in mind and whether it'll even matter to him. Besides, this way he gets to imagine in great detail how he'll retaliate when he gets a chance.
He does start storing weight in one of his ironminds. It's not a revenge plot, it's just easier to walk while only weighing two thirds of the usual.
He does start storing weight in one of his ironminds. It's not a revenge plot, it's just easier to walk while only weighing two thirds of the usual.
unprophesied_of_ages
"No to both.
As for what to do with me, send me back of course. There are hundreds of thousands of lives depending on it; it's kind of unimaginably important."
As for what to do with me, send me back of course. There are hundreds of thousands of lives depending on it; it's kind of unimaginably important."
unprophesied_of_ages
"Because if you don't then unless it gets extraordinarily lucky my universe will stop existing in three hundred years."
He taps zinc to draw on his supply of stored mental speed. After what is probably no pause at all, "You seem pretty happy to acquire a mortal even for no particular reason. Send me back and I can send you as many mortals as you like and I will consider it a favorable trade."
He taps zinc to draw on his supply of stored mental speed. After what is probably no pause at all, "You seem pretty happy to acquire a mortal even for no particular reason. Send me back and I can send you as many mortals as you like and I will consider it a favorable trade."
unprophesied_of_ages
"I'm not. On my world people call me the Lord Ruler, I got that way by saving the universe and I intend to do it again, and my title is used as an interjection.
If I tell some of my subjects to serve you, they will."
If I tell some of my subjects to serve you, they will."
unprophesied_of_ages
So gates are common enough that the first person-who-needs-destroying he finds happens to have a vassal who can make one. Good.
"I have no intention of doing that. And that intention would not be changed merely by returning to my world. I don't exactly have a shortage of subjects."
"I have no intention of doing that. And that intention would not be changed merely by returning to my world. I don't exactly have a shortage of subjects."
"Leaning towards 'deluded'," sighs the fairy. "Maybe I'll sell you to somebody. In the meantime, don't leave the house, don't drink the lakewater, tell me if you get hungry, if you get thirsty you may take water from that basin over there, don't go swimming or break anything or make a racket..." He taps his chin. "Don't get creative with anything missing from that list," he finishes, and he goes into another room of the house.
unprophesied_of_ages
If the yellow man is stupid enough to pass up that offer, maybe the next person-who-needs-destroying won't be. Demonstrating powers beyond the human is probably a bad idea, and wouldn't prove world rulership anyway.
He drinks from the basin.
He drinks from the basin.
unprophesied_of_ages
With the person who can make gates back to Scadrial? Rashek is very definitely going to try. The slaver, on the other hand, he has no desire to talk to.
imeanforever
Eventually she comes home.
When he hears the door open, Yellow emerges from his room. "Promise! I've caught this mortal - mortal, pick a nickname."
unprophesied_of_ages
He can't very well go by "The Lord Ruler" here.
"You're Promise? Alendi."
"You're Promise? Alendi."
imeanforever
"Hello," says Promise.
"I'm probably going to sell him but it'll take me a while to find a buyer, probably," says Yellow negligently. "Keep an eye on him. Alendi, don't do anything Promise tells you not to."
And then Yellow goes out.
Promise looks assessingly at Rashek and goes to put her bag down in a different room of the house, then comes back out and sits and peers at him thoughtfully.
"I'm probably going to sell him but it'll take me a while to find a buyer, probably," says Yellow negligently. "Keep an eye on him. Alendi, don't do anything Promise tells you not to."
And then Yellow goes out.
Promise looks assessingly at Rashek and goes to put her bag down in a different room of the house, then comes back out and sits and peers at him thoughtfully.