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Tweak says, "what are you? Mr. Teflon?"

Der Tod (touto_kaka) wrote in labyrinth_rpg,
@ 2009-07-02 20:19:00

Entry tags:

active, day fourteen, der tod, legolas greenleaf

WHO: Der Tod & Legolas
WHAT: Immortal Elf + Death = Fun Times?
WHEN: Day 14, early morning
WHERE: By the archery games
WARNINGS: PG-13
STATUS: Incomplete

Another day, another strange permutation to this already strange place. It was becoming almost routine. Der Tod wandered the new arraignment of streets, mind still mostly musing a way out of here, and barring that, a way to regain his own power and authority. The novels he'd picked up from the library had been pleasantly distracting enough, but he was restless. Stripped of everything, there was nothing left for him to do, and that was leaving him all too often alone with thoughts he still wasn't sure he wanted to deal with. Damn that woman... So he'd left his room early this morning, hoping the walk would be distracting enough.

The sun had just crested the horizon when a small goblin hand reached for the edge of his cloak. Offended that one of the creatures had dared such a thing he twitched the fabric out of its grasp with a warning hiss of displeasure. The sound didn't seem to phase the creature, which just pointed at a carved wooded sign that read "Archery". Der Tod glanced at the sign and back at the creature, one eyebrow raised. "This is more of your... sport, isn't it?" he asked. The creature nodded again and Der Tod sighed. Well, why not. It would be distracting, and maybe he could close his eyes and pretend something was actually dying.

He let the goblin set him up with a bow and arrows, and set about firing them, one after the other towards the set up target. They hit with a satisfying thunk, but even with eyes closed he could tell they had no appreciative effect. As the last one hit the target he sighed and opened his eyes, wondering briefly if he would have been 'allowed' to shoot the goblin instead. Five arrows sat in the target, none exactly on the bullseye, but all on places that had the target been human would have resulted in a killing shot. Der Tod allowed himself a small smile before he realized someone else had come into the little area. Normally he wasn't so distracted that he wouldn't notice... And then he took a better look at the man who'd entered and gave a slight nod. That would explain it. This 'man' was one of those odd presences he'd felt. The ones that weren't human.

"Good morning... sir" he said, with all his usual charm. "Come to play at hunting?" There was a healthy dose of derision in his tone, but also an honest question. He could tell the other man had seen death, had dealt death. And that always made a person more interesting.

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princegreenleaf
2009-07-15 07:05 pm UTC (link)

Well, that was an interesting question. He'd gotten an odd sense off Der Tod, that was certain. He didn't seem to be dangerous, though, just sort of... well, there was an aura about him. Not unnatural, not like Pandora, but still not human. Certainly not an elf, either. For the first time, he focused on the other male completely, trying to put a name to what he was.

In the end, it was pointless. With a shrug and a light little laugh, he admitted defeat. "No, not human. And not an elf, not a vampire, and like nothing I have seen in all the centuries of my life. So, then, what are you?"

He could be incredibly blunt, simply because he didn't always think before he impulsively acted. It wasn't malicious, in fact, it was anything but. It simply reflected a real, sincere curiousity about the things that happened around him.

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touto_kaka
2009-07-15 07:17 pm UTC (link)

"I am who, and what I said I was. Der Tod. Death." It was not an arrogant pronouncement, no more so than anything else he said. It was obvious, to him at least that death touched Legolas only lightly, unlike humans. They wore their mortality like a shroud, even the so-called 'immortal' ones he'd met. But this man, this elf, seemed unshadowed. It should offend his sensibilities. It was mildly annoying, but it was also incredibly fascinating.

"You are unshadowed by me" he commented. "Do elves not die like humans do?"

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princegreenleaf
2009-07-15 07:57 pm UTC (link)

Most people would be either horrified or disbelieving of what Der Tod had said. Legolas, however, was neither. In reality, he found it fascinating. Curiously, he moved gracefully closer and peered into his face. As an elf, Legolas could never truly understand death. When Boromir had died, that had been his first experience with it, really. So he couldn't really feel the full horror of it.

"Oh, yes! Of course, that is why you felt natural to me, because death is natural!" He sounded much more excited about it than anyone had any right to sound, full of youthful curiousity.

Remembering himself, he stopped staring at Der Tod's face and gave a light little laugh. "Elves do not die." He confirmed. "Instead, we sail in ships to Valinor when our time is up on Middle Earth." Which, he supposed, meant he'd live here forever. "The Gift of Men is death, and it is not given to the elves."

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touto_kaka
2009-07-16 12:03 pm UTC (link)

Der Tod laughed at the elf's excitement, but it was not a mocking laugh. At least no more so than normal. "Very few see it that way" he commented. Which was true. Most humans spent far too much time trying to avoid death, and cursing him when it came. And why? All would die in their time.

He returned the elf's careful regard, studying the other's face for a long moment before replying to the last comment. "And few would term it a gift. Hmm. You say you do not die, but I wonder, can you be killed?" He did not, surprisingly enough, mean it as a threat. No, he was genuinely curious.

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princegreenleaf
2009-07-16 08:40 pm UTC (link)

"That is because the race of men has come too far from its roots. Those who had strong ties with my people knew it for the blessing that it was." He tilted his blond head to the side, still utterly fascinated with the other male. "And you are not ugly. You would think that that would put more at ease."

He laughed, at ease with this subject, as he was with most. "No, I cannot truly be killed. Hmmm, how to explain... Lord Elrond's wife, the Lady Celebrian, was attacked viciously by orcs. What was done to her could have killed a mortal, but it just sent her to the Halls of Mandos. There, she waited until the time was right, and travelled to Valinor. That is as close as elves come to dying. While in the Halls of Mandos, her body was healed. Now, she waits for her husband to join her in the land of the Valar."

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touto_kaka
2009-07-19 06:28 pm UTC (link)

"Then the men of my world are even further from their roots. It is rare to find any who consider my kiss as blessing. But then again, I do not consider it such. Death is. It is the way of things." He paused and gave Legolas a measured look. "At least it is in my world."

Der Tod laughed slightly at the elf's comment about not being ugly, but it was a bitter, sardonic laugh. "I fear I put few people at ease sir. Even the one I might wish to."

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princegreenleaf
2009-07-20 10:46 pm UTC (link)

"That is sad, but perhaps, in your world, as in mine, it is no longer the age of elves. Men will rule, as it was meant to be." He returned the look without fear, and with just a contiuance of the sincere interest he had in this being who looked like a man. "In my world, few humans see your kiss, as you say, as a blessing. Elves have a different perspective."

He frowned slightly. "That is sad. Am I to understand then that you love? It seems to me that you must feel strongly, to wish to put someone at ease." He was clever, intuitive, even if somewhat blunt, and all three of those traits were obviously in full evidence.

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touto_kaka
2009-07-25 06:53 pm UTC (link)

"I do not think my world ever had an age of elves. Though it is interesting that you who can not die would even acknowledge death as either blessing or curse." He shrugged slightly. While curious, he was loath to show too much interest in the elf.

At Legolas's question about love, Der Tod turned away sharply, with a mostly unconscious hiss. How dare he? How dare this man... elf, whatever even mention such a thing! It took him a long, long moment to compose himself again, it was very slowly and deliberately. "It matters not" he said, his words clipped and colder than usual. "She does not return my love, and thus" He tilted his chin up, and stared into the middle distance. "Thus, it does not matter."

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princegreenleaf
2009-07-27 03:34 am UTC (link)

Legolas didn't need much encouragement to start talking again. Pretty much the slightest hint of interest, or even just not being outright told to be quiet, was good enough. "Perhaps the age of elves was before your time. And elves, well... the race of Men is favoured of Iluvatar. It is hard not to feel envy that they are so blessed."

The perceptive elf winced slightly, hating that he'd obviously hurt Der Tod. "My apologies, I did not mean..." He looked at him anxiously before continuing. "Oh... oh, that is sad. I wish it were different." The irony didn't even occur to him, a deathless elf trying to comfort death.

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touto_kaka
2009-07-28 06:02 pm UTC (link)

Der Tod gave a short huff of laughter at the elf's sudden obsequiousness. He waved a dismissive hand and shrugged. It didn't matter right now, Elisabeth was further from his reach than ever. But he would win in the end. He had little doubt of that. This place would only hold him so long and the he would have his Elisabeth, one way or the other.

A self-satisfied smiled spread over his face, though it had little to do with the elf's words. It took a great effort to drag his attention back to the here-and-now. "I don't need your pity." he said, once again all cold smoothness. "But your concern is... noted."

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princegreenleaf
2009-07-29 07:34 pm UTC (link)

Legolas nodded and looked thoughtful for a moment, but, in the end, the smile just wouldn't stay off his face for very long. "I suppose you need not worry, for, unless the one you love is an elf, they will be with you in the end." Despite his cavalier attitude, he wasn't unintelligent, and he'd figured that out easily enough.

"Well, my friend, I have enjoyed our conversation, but I must now leave you. My stomach is empty, and this must be remedied." He looked at the other male with some concern still lingering in the depths of his blue eyes, darkening them slightly. "If you do wish to speak, I am here."

With one more bright smile, he waved and headed off. He was really hungry, and a little bit thoughtful, though excited. He'd met death! That wasn't something that happened every day, not to an elf. Definitely interesting.

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