Shaping the future.

The winds of winter whistled across Auster, a strange and unexpected departure from the southern continent's usual warmer climate. It didn't feel anywhere near as cold as the extended winter they had suffered through some years ago, but it was still different for these lands. A light snowfall had begun in the later hours of the evening, flurries of powdery white descending to begin coating the earth in a soft blanket. Artorias stood in the castle gardens and watched as the sparse snowflakes fell around him, the cold breeze rippling through his dense coat. It would be another chilly night tonight. They'd need to make sure all the castle fires were burning—especially the ones for Briar. The Aegis was a protective and compassionate wolf on a good day; the prospect of fatherhood only seemed to amplify those qualities even further.

Turning to head back into the castle, the dire wolf followed the cobblestone paths to the terraces and made his way to the castle doors. Walking up the terrace steps, Artorias saw the spotted form of his brother-in-law coming out of the castle and greeted the young man with a smile and a nod. Although he and Kotori hadn't spent much time one-on-one, he had seen the ambition in his sibling by marriage when he watched the Fatalis fight to stake his claim for a pack. Although the encounter hadn't gone the way anyone would have hoped, Kotori had come out standing tall and wearing his battle scars with pride. A true Fatalis, for better or for worse, he supposed.

"Good evening, Kotori," he greeted his brother, pausing in his stride only when his guest asked if he had a moment to talk. "For family, always. Come." Artorias led Kotori back into the quiet of the castle halls and out of the cold evening, making his way down to the great hall to feed the fire. As the Aegis, he was also the fire keeper for the Hallows, and as long as a Carpathian ruled, the fires would never stop burning. "What's on your mind, Ko?"

"Artorias Carpathius" | "Carpathian" | "Corbin" | "Eira" | "Argent"