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The Dragon of Mela must not rise

RY 830

After arriving at the Archipelago of Hesiesh's Fire, Auroponte's attention was quickly drawn to the High-enlightened Grandmaster Seli, the untouchable.   In just a short month, Their romance has bloomed and waned. It is a romance of passion and tears, with an end that everyone could see yet none dared voice.

Plot points/Scenes

Shortly after the Solar and Luna Exalted arrived at the Archipelago of Hesiesh's Fire, it was reported to Umesawa Garrel that the crystal vital to the completion of a Manse was stolen. Just reconnecting with her uncle Garrel, Auroponte immediately volunteered to chase down the thieves.   In the fight to recover the crystal stolen by the Fair Folk, all heroes on this mission fought valiantly. In the last stroke by a fair folk that would have injured Auroponte greatly, Seli, the untouchable used the last of his strength to defend her. Auroponte was immediately impressed by his skills and by the fact that a monk of the Immaculate Order would protect her, a Solar Exalted, Anathema in his religion.   Later that evening when they celebrated the success of their mission and the reawakening of Umesawa Saiku, Auroponte tried to gather more information about Seli, for her heart was already unwillingly moved to him. Initially, Seli showed restrained. Yet at her honest interest, Seli returned her feelings, which brough the seasoned warrior to flushing and runing away.   In the following weeks, Auroponte remained on the islands with her group, where she trained with Seli to further her martial skills. Ther intercations were always very crouteous, friendly and chaste. It doesn't stop Auroponte from dreaming that Seli would leave his order for her.  
  Soon, the Fair Folk attacked. Prior to the battle, Seli and Auroponte shared a moment together, wordlessly acknowledging each other's feelings. In a silent promise, Seli gave Auroponte a crystal, which she could use to summon him to her side, should she need his aid in battle.   During the battle, Auroponte gave into fury and fell into a battlerage. The crystal she carried shattered and feeling it's call, Seli rushed to her side. In their duel against the Fair Folk commander, Seli was mortally wounded. Blinded by the sudden onslaught of bloodlust, Auroponte brought unimaginable carnage to the battlefield. She slaughtered her enemies and defeated the commander in single combat, by ripping his head from his shoulder, with his spine still attacked to it.   After the battle, Auroponte rushed to Seli's side. At the intervention of the magical healers, Seli's life was preserved.   Wanting to impress him further, Auroponte prepared the head and spine of the monster she slew into a trophy and presented it to Seli at the following feast. The monk kept his composure and thank her, with no words whether he liked her gift.  
  The choice is now Seli's to make. Torn between his desires and his duty, Seli medicated slone. For to be with her, as husband and wife, Seli must abandon the path of faith, together with his cultivation of essence and chastidy. With the loss of all this, he would also loose the martials skills he so sorely needed to protect his home.   During the sunset prior to the victory celebration, Auroponte and Seli met on the very same cliffs they fought on. Seli came with heavy heart, Auroponte but came with a smile.   She did not expect what he said to her. Seli, as collected as he could, laid out his reason to her. That he cannot sacrifice what her love demands. His home is surrounded and enemies and he has the duty to protect it. He cannot give what she seeks, for he is old and jaded and she is still so young and firery. 230 years separate them in age, and Seli would not tie her done just to make her a widow soon.   The smile Auroponte had was frozen on her face. She heard only half of what he said, her heart pounding too loudly in her ears. She only knew that he turned from her, seemingly calm, and left her standing there, alone at a precipice.  
The Dragon of Mela must not rise.
— Seli the Untouchable
  Later, she was told that her tears were bitter. That in her heartbroken rampage, she ran into the woods. There, she asked her Lunar Mate Fang to punch her into unconsciousness, so she would not feel the pain in her heart.  
  However, Auroponte would not give up on Seli. In her heart, she is set to win his love. So she started to appear at his temple daily, wishing to see and train with him and somehow gain his attention.   Having had no romantic companions for ten years and ever awkward in social events, Auroponte's way of courting was to disrupt his classes with challenge of arms. Angered by her foolish attempts, Seli accepted.   Even before the spar began, which drew a large crowd, Seli disrobed himself, exposing his immaculate body blessed by the finesse of Mela to her sight. Autoponte dropped her weapon in wonder, so enchanted was she by what she saw. Seli was by far of superior skill, being 250 years old and master of three celestial styles. Auroponte had but ten years of mercenary work to season her prowess.   Growing increasingly frustrated, Auroponte gave up on wanting to impress him but fought to win. After several rounds, Seli won the duel by striken her chest with his chakram, stealing the air from her lungs. Once she recovered, Auroponte bowed and left.  
Master Seli, you are truly breathtaking.
— Auroponte Dii
  Instead of taking this as discouragement, Auroponte trained hard and returned several days later, demanding another duel. Once again Seli accepted. During this duel, Auroponte's rash improvement in skills were felt. They fought longer this time, harder and more fiercely. Until Seli locked Auroponte in his arms, crushing her. Auroponte but tired to kiss him. Infuriated and scandalized, Seli did not hold back his strike and threw her cross his yard onto the beach.   Then, he banished her from his island.  
  Only then did Auroponte realize her mistake. Shamed and devastated, she ran from the island with bitter tears. Found by her uncle-in-law, who rushed close having felt Seli's emtions through their brotherhood bond, Auroponte pored her heard to him. Even then, Saiku could only comfort the young girl with words.   Later, still unable to deal with her pain, Auroponte sought our her companion Shifting Silver Eyes, asking her to use her magic to remove her memory of Seli. With without knowing who he is, she would not be tromented by this anguish. Moved by Auroponte's miseray, Silver agreed.   In the days that followed, Autoponte returned to her old stern self. Without knowing, her feelings for Seli had make her more compassionate, more friendly to deal with. Without this love to soften her, all her friends agreed, Auroponte was not the better woman.   Not remembering who Seli was proved to be an issue. She wondered out loud why the Brotherhood would keep an Immaculate Monk as their ally, one who follows a religion that brands all Solar Exalted Anathema. Her distrust of his order proved to be a hurdle in their negotiations. After all, Auroponte was still the representative of Nexus.  
  Without Seli, there was a hole in Auroponte's heart. She attempted to fill it with violence and training. Although her skills improved daily through her vigorous training, the destruction she left behind on the training field was a testament to the hurt inside.   Unable to bear further witness to her suffering, the Night Caste Don Narunar who himself had found love on the island, deviced a plan to heal her wounds.   Under false pretenses he lured Auroponte to the Temple Island, knowing that Auroponte would not set foot there otherwise, due to her contempt for the Immaculate Order. He set in her heart the idea that she could finally face a monk and show him who was the better Exalted. To Seli Don promised that waking her memories of him would be a great service to the growing alliance.   Once there, Auroponte introduced herself to Seli as if this was the first time they spoke and asked him for a spar. The eagerness to fight and win was evident on her face. In just these few short days, Auroponte has grown again as a warrior. Remembering much what she knew in a previous life, she has taught herself the basics of the Solar Hero Style.   She was brutal and fearless as she fought, putting into her strikes the ferocity of an avenging warriors. In her mind, this duel is the ultimate fate between every Solar Exalted and the Wyld Hunt, of which Seli was once a part. With every punch she landed against him, she was taking vengeance for her slain kin. Without her affection for Seli there to distract her, Auroponte almost won.   In the end, Seli experience preserved him. With grace and dignity, he caught her in his arms, a tender embrace she could not escape. As she struggled, he whispered into her ears, his voice soft and full of hurt.
Why? Were our hearts not true? Were our love not real? Why would you abandon it?
— Seli the Untouchable
Confused by the tenderness and affection in his voice, yet outraged that he dared lay hands upon her in this manner, Auroponte struck him with her head and punched him with all her might that the Untouchable was slammed against the temple walls.   Flustered by both passion and battle, Auroponte fled the scene.  
  Upon the beaches, Auroponte pondered alone. When her friends found her, she finally admitted that even without the memory, she still felt his love. He laments her own foolish and rash decision to forget everything about him and wished that had she the chance, she would perhaps decide differently.   Silver then broke the crystal in which Auroponte's memories were stored and returned them to her. Seeming them again, and with a clearer mind, Auroponte saw the tragedy that foreboded their love. She then asked Don to break into Seli's chambers and steal something of his for her. She rewarded the theif handsomely.   In the days without Seli, Auroponte and her Lunar Mate Fang, the raging moonshadow had at last formed some kind of relationship, despite already having fought side by side. Now, under moonlight, as she held one token from each man in her hands, she set out to make her decision between Seli and Fang.   One of them is a Dragon Blooded of the Realm, a monk of the Immaculate Order, sworn to forsake all worldly pleasures to serve. Their love was short and doom to be fruitless. Yet it was true and passionate.   The other is her Lunar Mate, an immortal Celestial Exalted just like her. Her husband in a previous life and a warrior who would fight every battle on her side. A loyal and honest man, who wanted to rekindle their relationship because of a bond set by Luna herself.  
  The Next Day, Auroponte rose early and appeared at Seli's morning training. With humility and grace, she asked for a place among his students. She trained deligently, and accetped his teaching with respect.   After the training, she sat with Seli on a bench close to the temple and there, she said her good bye. She apologized for her foolishness and asked for his forgiveness. Yet both of them knew then that the damage to their heart had but one cure.
Perhaps once day, we could be friends.
— Auroponte Dii

Themes

Romantic & Dramatic
Plot type
Drama
Related Characters

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