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Description
You just don't exist
youtu.be/jyqWjl7GkCE

Dante couldn't believe what he'd heard. He paced the hallway, tail lashing, ears twitching. Above anything - he longed to fix this. He longed to just make him see.

His eyes prickled with tears born in frustration. His first Council as a speaker - and he'd been shot down, cast aside.

Did his word not matter as the Young Lord of this city? He suspected the others thought him too young for the position.

And yet...

They'd listened to Giles, his twin brother.

He stopped moving, squeezing his eyes shut. A pair of tears escaped, wetting his cheeks. He curled his clawed paws into angry fists, and he shook. In the silence, he allowed himself a little sob as he leaned against the wall.

Lantern light filtered through the colored glass into the hallway. The humid air felt like a blanket, smothering him. Pushing him down. Just go away. You're not worth it.

Through his thoughts, no sounds reached him. The Runemaster's soft stride echoed gently in the hallway, but it all went unknown to Dante until he spoke.

"Young Lord?"

Andromeda's thin voice was enough to startle Dante into alertness, his pointed ears pricking to attention as he wheeled.

The Runemaster.

A Stoneborn from a century ago - maybe two. He stood before Dante in a buttoned shawl, head tilted curiously. His ringed tail brushed against the ground gently.

Immediately, all of Dante's anger flooded back to him. He remembered the Runemaster's decision - his refusal. He wasn't even supposed to be here. Everything inside of Dante's heart bubbled to the surface.

"Andromeda," The Young Lord's voice shook.

Immediately, the Runemaster's blank, white eyes blinked and flashed with expression. Surprise? Dante felt a strange satisfaction in seeing Andromeda's confusion over the lack of use of his proper title.

Whatever that emotion was, it quickly disappeared as Andromeda opened his mouth to speak. It was only a split second before Dante decided his word wasn't worth listening to.

"I- I was thinking about the Council meeting." Dante struggled to keep his voice level and professional, but it cracked around the lump in his throat.

Andromeda's gaze turned curious. His ears perked up ever so slightly. "Do you normally do your pondering out in the hallways all alone?"

"No." Then, he felt compelled to explain himself. "I was waiting for you."

A blatant lie, of course.

Andromeda tilted his head again. "Lucky for you, then, that I happened to choose this hallway over the other one. How did you know?"

"...I didn't." Dante finally admitted, turning away.

"Ah."

"You're not in your ceremonial clothing. Aren't you here to perform a duty, Andromeda?" His voice was accusing, suddenly, trying to divert the attention away from his slip up.

Andromeda hesitated in surprise, and sighed.

"Am I not allowed to walk the hallways on my own volition, outside of my ever-present duties?" He twitched an ear. "The uniform is far too warm for this weather, and, if I might say so, far too uncomfortable to be worth wearing at my leisure." The Runemaster passed an eye over Dante, then, though his lack of pupils made it difficult to tell what he was thinking. "You don't seem to share my grievances, Young Lord."

Dante didn't look down at his wrinkled and dishevelled getup. He still hadn't chanced out of his clothes from the meeting. He met the Runemaster's white gaze with his own fierce, blue eyes. "Apparently not."

He didn't look away, making Andromeda frown slightly as he turned away. "...I see." He cleared his throat. "As it happens, I was allowing myself a walk this evening as an opportunity to gather my thoughts. I hope you will not think me too bold if I bid you a friendly farewell and continue on my way."

He gave Dante a nod, and turned, his smooth stride making his tail sway slightly.

The Young Lord almost let him leave. He took a deep breath, steeling himself, and then turned, his voice projecting as an echo in the hallway. "No. I wish to speak with you." His voice shook, but he stood his ground. "Right this instant."

Andromeda paused, turning with his eyes wide. He curled his long tail around his body, and entwined his fingers. He didn't seem particularly enthused, but he was calm. It wasn't the first time Andromeda had encountered a grievance with one of the Lords.

He watched Dante with an apprehensive gaze, looking over the young Imemorian with a new eye. His assertiveness had apparently caught the Runemaster's interest.

"I'm listening," was all he said.

Dante found himself genuinely surprised - he'd only just met the Runemaster. It was his first Council meeting, and he remembered watching Andromeda's entrance to the Council-room - people had bowed, bobbed their heads in respect, and the Runemaster had given them passive acceptance in return. Dante had been standing next to Giles, told to be polite, be professional.

The Runemaster was the spokesperson of the Overseer. He was the highest of high priests.

At first, Dante was awed to be in the presence of Elcana's one and only Runemaster, finally speaking to an ear worthy of his views. But after the other Lords had given their input, Dante hadn't even had a chance to speak.

Andromeda had silenced everybody, his voice surprisingly weak for somebody whose words were so firm and definite. He'd refused the proposal. It might damage the trees.

The trees were sacred. The Lords had been told to find another way - or die trying.

Dante had been infuriated. Rather than find a simple solution to the revolution, Andromeda would rather the people of this city risk themselves in defense of nothing but a resource. And not just soldiers - common folk. Merchants, farmers, families. Dante had tried to speak up. He'd tried to argue. He'd tried to protect his people like a good Lord, like he'd been taught to do.

Not a glance in his direction. The Runemaster's decision was finite.

He didn't seem to care about the people of the city, and how much they were about to risk. Find another solution. Think of something better while the Bandits crept closer and closer daily with their war machines. Don't put the trees at risk.

And now, here he was.

Peacefully walking through the hallways in a city he'd doomed to an inevitable invasion.

How dare he.

Dante bristled, steeling himself with a breath. "...I disagree with your decision." It was all he was brave enough to say. "I... suggest... you change your mind."

The Runemaster watched him calmly, his expression unreadable.

"You... suggest I change my mind?"

"I do."

"And what are your supplications, Lord?"

Dante frowned. "Your refusal puts the lives of innocent people in danger. MY people."

"Is that all?

"IS THAT-" Dante almost shouted, but took a breath, steadying himself shakily. He closed his eyes for a moment. "Yes. That is all. It should, in theory, be enough."

"I see."

Do you? Dante thought to himself, trembling lightly. Can you see past your own judgements and limitations? Your own entitled authority? ... Can you even see anything with those blank, white eyes?

Andromeda sighed to himself, lowering his eyes briefly.

"Young Lord Dante..." He addressed Dante by name, taking him by surprise. "I hear your plight. I acknowledge and understand it - but you must have the same understanding of why I refused your father's proposal." His voice was slow and calm. "The decision would result in fire - you know this. I cannot allow it, as it puts our trees at risk. Your people will be weighed as a heavy loss, but their sacrifice was the preferable outcome. Please, try to und-"

Dante couldn't breathe. Everything was stifling hot. He trembled.

"No... NO- STOP! You'd rather keep the stupid trees safe- the- the things that aren't even alive-"

"Young Lord, with all due respect-"

"I SAID NO! I don't care about your stupid decisions, even if everybody else does. You're just an old man who thinks he knows everything, and- and I won't accept your answer. I won't accept it!" The more he spoke, the more he plucked up confidence. "And you WILL listen to my suggestion, and you WILL change your decision-"

Andromeda's voice cut through Dante's yammering with a sternness that couldn't be measured as a meter of volume, but rather one of intensity.

"YOUNG LORD DANTE-"

Dante almost petered out, but managed to gulp and answer him. "What?"

The Runemaster's face had changed. He no longer offered the kind, gentle respect he showed before. He raised his head and stared the boy down.

"You will NOT speak over me. Need I remind you exactly who I am, and what my job entails? I am the Runemaster. I make decisions for the good of all Elcana - not to satisfy a boy's every whim. Many people are sacrificed for the good of our world, and your people are no different than any others."

Dante trembled, his voice shaking. "Y-you're... you're not a god, Andromeda-"

"Do not equate me with a petty fantasy, Dante. Whether you like it or not, I am your superior, and it will be far easier to accept if you see me as more than a person. Consider me a force, Young Lord, like the wind or the rain - you cannot dictate for me what my decisions will be, the same way you cannot dictate where each raindrop will fall. I am not a person, and no, I am not a god - but, should it be necessary, I will enforce my authority as I see fit."

He spoke with a stern grace, head slightly raised. Dante gulped, not wanting to back down, but not brave enough to argue.

Andromeda paused, looking the boy over with his soulless eyes. He turned, indicating the end of the conversation.

"And, Dante-" He looked back at the Young Lord with a dismissive gaze. "You will, if you please, refer to me as Master Andromeda."

--

hi i'm dying i've been plucking away at this for a few weeks now
the background was always supposed to be blurry so I just 'painted' it without much attention to detail

FEELS GOOD TO ADD CONTENT TO THESE GUYS RATHER THAN JUST
ART
RANDOM VISUALS
HA Andromeda has a personality
and, if I might brag, pretty complicated psychology, too.

Both him and Giles are just... messes
rip

and yes Andromeda's title is Master
I have no shame
Call him Master because I said so lol

Description
You just don't exist
youtu.be/jyqWjl7GkCE

Dante couldn't believe what he'd heard. He paced the hallway, tail lashing, ears twitching. Above anything - he longed to fix this. He longed to just make him see.

His eyes prickled with tears born in frustration. His first Council as a speaker - and he'd been shot down, cast aside.

Did his word not matter as the Young Lord of this city? He suspected the others thought him too young for the position.

And yet...

They'd listened to Giles, his twin brother.

He stopped moving, squeezing his eyes shut. A pair of tears escaped, wetting his cheeks. He curled his clawed paws into angry fists, and he shook. In the silence, he allowed himself a little sob as he leaned against the wall.

Lantern light filtered through the colored glass into the hallway. The humid air felt like a blanket, smothering him. Pushing him down. Just go away. You're not worth it.

Through his thoughts, no sounds reached him. The Runemaster's soft stride echoed gently in the hallway, but it all went unknown to Dante until he spoke.

"Young Lord?"

Andromeda's thin voice was enough to startle Dante into alertness, his pointed ears pricking to attention as he wheeled.

The Runemaster.

A Stoneborn from a century ago - maybe two. He stood before Dante in a buttoned shawl, head tilted curiously. His ringed tail brushed against the ground gently.

Immediately, all of Dante's anger flooded back to him. He remembered the Runemaster's decision - his refusal. He wasn't even supposed to be here. Everything inside of Dante's heart bubbled to the surface.

"Andromeda," The Young Lord's voice shook.

Immediately, the Runemaster's blank, white eyes blinked and flashed with expression. Surprise? Dante felt a strange satisfaction in seeing Andromeda's confusion over the lack of use of his proper title.

Whatever that emotion was, it quickly disappeared as Andromeda opened his mouth to speak. It was only a split second before Dante decided his word wasn't worth listening to.

"I- I was thinking about the Council meeting." Dante struggled to keep his voice level and professional, but it cracked around the lump in his throat.

Andromeda's gaze turned curious. His ears perked up ever so slightly. "Do you normally do your pondering out in the hallways all alone?"

"No." Then, he felt compelled to explain himself. "I was waiting for you."

A blatant lie, of course.

Andromeda tilted his head again. "Lucky for you, then, that I happened to choose this hallway over the other one. How did you know?"

"...I didn't." Dante finally admitted, turning away.

"Ah."

"You're not in your ceremonial clothing. Aren't you here to perform a duty, Andromeda?" His voice was accusing, suddenly, trying to divert the attention away from his slip up.

Andromeda hesitated in surprise, and sighed.

"Am I not allowed to walk the hallways on my own volition, outside of my ever-present duties?" He twitched an ear. "The uniform is far too warm for this weather, and, if I might say so, far too uncomfortable to be worth wearing at my leisure." The Runemaster passed an eye over Dante, then, though his lack of pupils made it difficult to tell what he was thinking. "You don't seem to share my grievances, Young Lord."

Dante didn't look down at his wrinkled and dishevelled getup. He still hadn't chanced out of his clothes from the meeting. He met the Runemaster's white gaze with his own fierce, blue eyes. "Apparently not."

He didn't look away, making Andromeda frown slightly as he turned away. "...I see." He cleared his throat. "As it happens, I was allowing myself a walk this evening as an opportunity to gather my thoughts. I hope you will not think me too bold if I bid you a friendly farewell and continue on my way."

He gave Dante a nod, and turned, his smooth stride making his tail sway slightly.

The Young Lord almost let him leave. He took a deep breath, steeling himself, and then turned, his voice projecting as an echo in the hallway. "No. I wish to speak with you." His voice shook, but he stood his ground. "Right this instant."

Andromeda paused, turning with his eyes wide. He curled his long tail around his body, and entwined his fingers. He didn't seem particularly enthused, but he was calm. It wasn't the first time Andromeda had encountered a grievance with one of the Lords.

He watched Dante with an apprehensive gaze, looking over the young Imemorian with a new eye. His assertiveness had apparently caught the Runemaster's interest.

"I'm listening," was all he said.

Dante found himself genuinely surprised - he'd only just met the Runemaster. It was his first Council meeting, and he remembered watching Andromeda's entrance to the Council-room - people had bowed, bobbed their heads in respect, and the Runemaster had given them passive acceptance in return. Dante had been standing next to Giles, told to be polite, be professional.

The Runemaster was the spokesperson of the Overseer. He was the highest of high priests.

At first, Dante was awed to be in the presence of Elcana's one and only Runemaster, finally speaking to an ear worthy of his views. But after the other Lords had given their input, Dante hadn't even had a chance to speak.

Andromeda had silenced everybody, his voice surprisingly weak for somebody whose words were so firm and definite. He'd refused the proposal. It might damage the trees.

The trees were sacred. The Lords had been told to find another way - or die trying.

Dante had been infuriated. Rather than find a simple solution to the revolution, Andromeda would rather the people of this city risk themselves in defense of nothing but a resource. And not just soldiers - common folk. Merchants, farmers, families. Dante had tried to speak up. He'd tried to argue. He'd tried to protect his people like a good Lord, like he'd been taught to do.

Not a glance in his direction. The Runemaster's decision was finite.

He didn't seem to care about the people of the city, and how much they were about to risk. Find another solution. Think of something better while the Bandits crept closer and closer daily with their war machines. Don't put the trees at risk.

And now, here he was.

Peacefully walking through the hallways in a city he'd doomed to an inevitable invasion.

How dare he.

Dante bristled, steeling himself with a breath. "...I disagree with your decision." It was all he was brave enough to say. "I... suggest... you change your mind."

The Runemaster watched him calmly, his expression unreadable.

"You... suggest I change my mind?"

"I do."

"And what are your supplications, Lord?"

Dante frowned. "Your refusal puts the lives of innocent people in danger. MY people."

"Is that all?

"IS THAT-" Dante almost shouted, but took a breath, steadying himself shakily. He closed his eyes for a moment. "Yes. That is all. It should, in theory, be enough."

"I see."

Do you? Dante thought to himself, trembling lightly. Can you see past your own judgements and limitations? Your own entitled authority? ... Can you even see anything with those blank, white eyes?

Andromeda sighed to himself, lowering his eyes briefly.

"Young Lord Dante..." He addressed Dante by name, taking him by surprise. "I hear your plight. I acknowledge and understand it - but you must have the same understanding of why I refused your father's proposal." His voice was slow and calm. "The decision would result in fire - you know this. I cannot allow it, as it puts our trees at risk. Your people will be weighed as a heavy loss, but their sacrifice was the preferable outcome. Please, try to und-"

Dante couldn't breathe. Everything was stifling hot. He trembled.

"No... NO- STOP! You'd rather keep the stupid trees safe- the- the things that aren't even alive-"

"Young Lord, with all due respect-"

"I SAID NO! I don't care about your stupid decisions, even if everybody else does. You're just an old man who thinks he knows everything, and- and I won't accept your answer. I won't accept it!" The more he spoke, the more he plucked up confidence. "And you WILL listen to my suggestion, and you WILL change your decision-"

Andromeda's voice cut through Dante's yammering with a sternness that couldn't be measured as a meter of volume, but rather one of intensity.

"YOUNG LORD DANTE-"

Dante almost petered out, but managed to gulp and answer him. "What?"

The Runemaster's face had changed. He no longer offered the kind, gentle respect he showed before. He raised his head and stared the boy down.

"You will NOT speak over me. Need I remind you exactly who I am, and what my job entails? I am the Runemaster. I make decisions for the good of all Elcana - not to satisfy a boy's every whim. Many people are sacrificed for the good of our world, and your people are no different than any others."

Dante trembled, his voice shaking. "Y-you're... you're not a god, Andromeda-"

"Do not equate me with a petty fantasy, Dante. Whether you like it or not, I am your superior, and it will be far easier to accept if you see me as more than a person. Consider me a force, Young Lord, like the wind or the rain - you cannot dictate for me what my decisions will be, the same way you cannot dictate where each raindrop will fall. I am not a person, and no, I am not a god - but, should it be necessary, I will enforce my authority as I see fit."

He spoke with a stern grace, head slightly raised. Dante gulped, not wanting to back down, but not brave enough to argue.

Andromeda paused, looking the boy over with his soulless eyes. He turned, indicating the end of the conversation.

"And, Dante-" He looked back at the Young Lord with a dismissive gaze. "You will, if you please, refer to me as Master Andromeda."

--

hi i'm dying i've been plucking away at this for a few weeks now
the background was always supposed to be blurry so I just 'painted' it without much attention to detail

FEELS GOOD TO ADD CONTENT TO THESE GUYS RATHER THAN JUST
ART
RANDOM VISUALS
HA Andromeda has a personality
and, if I might brag, pretty complicated psychology, too.

Both him and Giles are just... messes
rip

and yes Andromeda's title is Master
I have no shame
Call him Master because I said so lol