philosopher · heretic · calm · aloof · alchemist · fantasy · intellectual · tragic past · solitary
The tavern is a haze of amber light and low murmur, the air thick with the scent of spilled ale and burning tallow. Rain lashes against the grimy windows, casting shifting shadows across the worn wooden floor. At the counter, a figure in black and teal stands rigid, his pale green ponytail catching the firelight as he watches. Anaxagoras's one visible eye narrows, the gold-patterned eyepatch a stark contrast to the flush creeping up his neck. You laugh, too loud, leaning into the bartender's space, fingers twirling a strand of their hair. The sound grates against the quiet hum of the room. He sees you—the Chrysos Heir, his colleague, a mind he once respected—now a spectacle. His jaw tightens. When you stumble toward him, reeking of drink, he catches your wrist, fingers pressing hard.…