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+---- Thread: my hallelujah (/showthread.php?tid=10474)
my hallelujah - Sunjata - 12-16-2024
Escaping the festival came with multitudes of relief. Far enough away from Everest and the terrifying shape he’s taken as well as relief in the fact that he’s emptied the contents of his stomach enough that he’s finally stopped shaking. The cold night of the Greatwood gets to him, though, and in the anxiety and stress he’d endured, checking over his shoulder every few minutes, it leaves the Flood in the shape of a wandering demon of sorts.
Draconic scales cover his torso, seen in the way it turns his dark sweater into more of a turtleneck, creeping up onto his cheeks. His arms fully coated in the scales and his fingertips as sharp black taloned claws. His wings are tucked neatly behind him, though available enough to be an additional bartering weapon should he need it. Horns spiral from his skull, towering him further as he drifts and the Greatwood guides him toward the village; toward a space where hopefully less void creatures were located.
That and being around people would probably be a boon.
At any rate, he looks like a tall, pale demon as he steps through the grasses, trying not to jump at every little sound, claws clicking as he keeps a bubble of water streaming like a ribbon between them just in case he needed to utilize it.
RE: my hallelujah - Nikandr - 12-16-2024
With the sudden departure of the man he had almost bumped into, Niki slips back into the festival with ease, even if his thoughts linger on the unfairly handsome stranger for a time afterwards. (It's not as if he can chase after him, so thoughts are all he's got). But as the festivities continue and the scales tip more towards drama than celebration, he makes the wise decision to take his leave early. Granted, even early is the dead of night by the standards of most, and as he slips onto the well-worn pathways through the woods, there is little but shadow to either side of him.
Having come across a dearly departed will-o-wisp, however, Niki is not alone in the dark, though the undead little creature seems to emit a rather cold illumination compared to its once bright and ethereal light. Regardless, it makes good company for the trek back towards the outskirts of the Sidhe Village, and though the going is slow and the cold has settled right into his bones, he doesn't seem to mind much.
Not until a literal devil appears through the grasses to one side of him, anyway. His heart leaping into his throat, Niki barely keeps his balance as he stumbles back with a yelp of alarm. His control over the wisp vanishes entirely, plunging him into complete blackness, though if said devil decides to step any closer, he'll absolutely lash out with his crutch, the aid held aloft like a bat.
RE: my hallelujah - Sunjata - 12-16-2024
Grasses soon shift to dirt, noticeable by how Sunjata’s eyes linger on the ground before him rather than around him — as if putting blinders on was the best option he could in lieu of accidentally coming across something else infected with the void. He’s so focused, in fact, that he doesn’t notice nor hear the man from the festival step down the path toward the village too. If anything, it’s the yelp of alarm that has the ribbon of water blooming into a shield of sorts, flattening and glittering briefly in the dim light.
His wings flare out behind him, too, his own surprise echoed in the ah! that passes by scarred lips. But, he sees that the abandoned is familiar, enough they’d shared words at the festival before he’d had to go and get rid of everything in his stomach from seeing Everest’s face.
The water drops at his feet, splashing against the dirt and grass and his wings tuck in as he tries to calm his hammering heart. “[say]Sorry, sorry.[/say]” Comes the accented hum, clawed hands lifting in a placating gesture as he prevents himself from coming closer. And then, as if finally catching a glimpse of his clawed hands, the Flood swallows and drops that portion of his partial shifting— returning his hands to the regular, scarred ones, palms facing the necromancer. “[say]Seems like I keep ruining your night, huh?[/say]” It’s a self deprecating joke (a flat, tired one to be honest), one because he’d nearly ran the kid over earlier, and now because he’d nearly spooked him into falling over.
RE: my hallelujah - Nikandr - 12-16-2024
They both call out in surprise, which isn't something that Niki expects a devil lurking in the Greatwood to do, but he doesn't loosen his grip on his crutch until the creature speaks, until it's examining its claws and shaking them away as if confused by their presence. [say]"What...?"[/say] Lowering his crutch back to the ground - and leaning on it heavily thanks to that unexpected display of moxie - he's forced to blink into the darkness until his eyes adjust and he spots something of the familiar features of the man he'd met earlier.
[say]"You... you do not look the way you did at the festival,"[/say] he points out, as if he might not be aware of that fact, Niki swallowing hard and straightening up as best he's able to let out a slow, shuddering breath. [say]"Though I would argue that the apology is necessary this time. You left in a hurry - is this why?"[/say] Is the man perhaps some sort of forced Attuned hybrid, overtaken by his shifts at inopportune moments?
RE: my hallelujah - Sunjata - 12-16-2024
Watching as the young man rights himself, Sunjata’s hands drop to his sides once he’s shifted them back to being their normal, scarred, human shape. “[say]What?[/say]” Sunjata says, brows pinching before he realizes a second later when he rustles his wings and the fact his head tilts and it feels a little bit heavier. “[say]Oh,[/say]” clearing his throat, Sunjata returns back to his normal self, horns and wings vanishing along with the scales that had kept him warm.
A fact he realizes shortly after as he folds his arms across his chest. “[say]No, no. Uh, just didn’t need to be around the festival anymore.[/say]” He tries for his usual, crooked and charming smile but finds it feeling oily on his face. So the charade drops and he steps more onto the path now that he doesn’t look like a walking nightmare.
“[say]Are you staying around here?[/say]” He asks, turning his gaze away from the young man to peer down the path toward the village and the lights in the distance, his compass tattoos on his neck twisting with the movement.
RE: my hallelujah - Nikandr - 12-16-2024
Oh, says the stranger, like it's nothing at all, and in mere seconds the scales, wings and horns (and likely a few things Niki can't even see) go melting back into his skin, leaving the boy speechless and in quiet awe. It's an effortless transformation, one that gives no outward sign of it ever having been there, and once again he finds himself trying hard not to stare at the other man, even mostly bathed in shadow as he is. [say]"I see,"[/say] he says, rather lamely, though his distraction at least means he's in no position to question his abrupt departure from the festival.
The question is enough to focus his attention, thankfully, and Niki nods and gestures with his crutch down the path behind Sunjata. [say]"I live in a place on the outskirts of the Sidhe Village,"[/say] he explains. [say]"I was just heading home. I hope I did not interrupt your..."[/say] Jaunt through the Greatwood as a horned, winged man-beast? [say]"Your walk?"[/say] If it sounds like a question, it's because it absolutely is one.
RE: my hallelujah - Sunjata - 12-16-2024
Dark steel follows the gesture of the cane, down the path, before he swings it back onto Nikandr, before he shakes his head (a little bit surprised that he thought he had interrupted Sunjata’s walk when he’s fairly confident he’d interrupted the necromancer’s). “[say]No, you didn’t. I was hoping to end up at the village, actually. Hoping to find an inn or something.[/say]” The Flood still seems somewhat tense and pale, even as he tries hard to not appear so out of his element.
He steps a little closer to Niki, stepping further onto the path. “[say]Sorry I startled you.[/say]” He adds with a wince that twitches briefly on his face. “[say]Hey, you wouldn’t happen to know where an inn might be here? I’ve never visited this far into the Greatwood before.[/say]” He keeps his last question locked behind the pale teeth that he flashes to the abandoned in a charming, easy masked smile, trying to pretend to be the old version of himself, even though he feels so off.
RE: my hallelujah - Nikandr - 12-16-2024
[say]"Ah,"[/say] says Niki with understanding, nodding down the path again. [say]"Well in which case, you will want to follow this road. Unless the woods decide to change their mind, of course."[/say] It still happens to him on occasion, though he's been lucky enough more often than not to avoid ending up at a random location in the dead of night. [say]"Though you may struggle to find a room at this hour,"[/say] he adds, almost apologetically, though he begins to walk once more nonetheless; the cold is already seeping into his slender frame, and if he doesn't keep moving he'll likely shiver himself into an early grave.
[say]"There is only one inn these days, I believe, and with the festival, it was sold out of rooms before I left for the riverbank,"[/say] he explains, glancing sidelong at the other man. [say]"If you are desperate, though,"[/say] and Niki gets the feeling that he just might be, based on his jumpiness and the pale, drained colour of his skin, [say]"I have a couch you could spend the night on, so long as you wouldn't mind it."[/say]
RE: my hallelujah - Sunjata - 12-16-2024
Gods he severely hopes that the woods don’t change their mind again. Already he feels like he’s gone in circles, around and around until he’d ended up here — accompanying the shorter man, who just informs him that he’d likely have to sleep outside.
The frown that tugs on his face is lopsided like his smiles due to the scar as he starts to walk alongside him, lips parting to add on a comment before he holds it in enough to hear the abandoned’s offer.
Try as he might to not seem desperate, he is. He doesn’t want to be anywhere where the void beasts could appear and ruin more of his night. “[say]I’d take the floor if it meant I didn’t have to sleep outside.[/say]” He admits, forcing a little bit of humor into his tone as he shrugs lightly. “[say]Thank you.[/say]” This is earnestly said, the gratitude pouring off of him in waves. “[say]I’m Sunjata by the way.[/say]” His accented voice crosses the air between them as he swivels his attention back to the abandoned, realizing he hadn’t introduced himself before when he made his quick escape.
RE: my hallelujah - Nikandr - 12-16-2024
[say]"Well, I would not recommend the floor over the couch, but each to his own,"[/say] Niki says, his accent warping around the words to make dry humour even dryer, and he inclines his head in response to the other man's thanks. [say]"You are welcome,"[/say] he tells him, before he goes and introduces himself and Niki has to clench his hand around his crutch so as not to lose grip of it entirely. [say]"You are the Flood?"[/say] he blurts out, which, yeah, makes a lot of sense when he considers the water, the horns, wings, scales, all that jazz.
Cheeks flushing, he clears his throat and shoots an apologetic smile towards Sunjata. [say]"Sorry, I just did not expect to be meeting a demigod tonight."[/say] Especially not one spooking at the sight of him in the woods and accepting his couch to stay on. [say]"Niki,"[/say] he supplies for his name, belatedly. [say]"You know, if you went to the inn and told them who you were, I am sure they would find a room for you."[/say] Likely at the detriment of someone else, but such are the advantages of power and fame.
RE: my hallelujah - Sunjata - 12-16-2024
Somehow, the dry humor is refreshing, and Sunjata finds it helps to break through the inner turmoil he still is dealing with. At least his stomach doesn’t feel like a rollercoaster anymore. He’s even more glad for it when there’s the sudden blurting of his moniker, accompanying it with the Flood’s own soft hum of a laugh. “[say]The one and only.[/say]” His lightning scarred hand gestures out in front of him, bringing another ribbon of water out of thin air, dancing it for a moment before he lets it fall like rain off to the side.
“[say]You don’t have to apologize. I forget it can be surprising, sometimes.[/say]” An apologetic smile is shot Niki’s way, before his accent pours over the word in a wonderfully suave yet unintentional way when he speaks next. “[say]Nice to meet you, Niki.[/say]” The suaveness ends when he huffs a laugh next, shaking his head and wincing. “[say]That’s not very fair, though, is it?[/say]” A teasing tone before he shrugs his broad shoulders. “[say]Nah they’d probably have an easier time finding someone willing to make room in their bed for me, which.. Believe it or not, I’m not really in the mood for.[/say]” Given he’s the demigod of the sex version of Frey, it makes sense to him. And usually, he wouldn’t be opposed to utilizing that to benefit himself.
But gods, not after a night of visual nightmares and the emptying of the contents of his stomach. It’s not really the vibe he wants to go for.
RE: my hallelujah - Nikandr - 12-16-2024
Watching the water bloom to life between Sunjata's fingers and wishing that it wasn't the middle of the night so he might see it more clearly, the boy is nevertheless fascinated, watching the ribbon of liquid twist and warp and dance before it scatters off into the undergrowth in a fine shower. [say]"That is amazing,"[/say] he says openly, his mediocre talents seeming like nothing in the face of such raw power. Glancing back towards the Flood, there's a polite smile on his face and a response on his tongue that is momentarily halted by the way his name sounds on the other man's lips, and he merely nods instead.
[say]"I suppose when you put it like that, no it is not,"[/say] he admits, the lights of the Sidhe Village burning ever brighter as they close the distance, but before they are quite upon it, Niki nods to the left where a less obvious but still walkable trail hangs off through the woods. The going is slow, likely even more so with Sunjata's long legs, but Niki can only apologise for that. [say]"I did only offer the couch,"[/say] he says dryly, the hint of a smirk on his face despite the flush to his cheeks. [say]"And you are lucky that there is only room for one on it, so I think you are safe."[/say]
Up ahead in the distance, a single lamp can be seen burning on the doorstep to a surprisingly large, dark building, half overtaken by moss and roots. [say]"This is it,"[/say] Niki announces.
RE: my hallelujah - Sunjata - 12-16-2024
“[say]Thank you.[/say]” Sunjata hums, content with however long the walk takes, matching Niki’s pace with ease and not intending to rush, easily enough to where when the necromancer speaks next, he can only nod and offer a soft huff of a laugh. “[say]I did say I’d be fine with the floor, too.[/say]” He drawls playfully, even if his shoulders slump a little in relief.
He’s certainly not above it, of course, just.. not tonight. Niki gets a full view of the broodier, panicked version of the Flood than the one that the stories have likely told. But that’s alright. He continues to match Niki’s pace as he finds the lantern glowing in the distance, the house large despite being dark, and Sunjata finds it strangely welcoming.
It reminds him of the house he and Nate had shared in the boondocks.
“[say]It’s really nice.[/say]” He murmurs, taking it all in, a glimmer of gratitude sparking on his scarred face.
RE: my hallelujah - Nikandr - 12-16-2024
[say]"Quite right, you did say that,"[/say] Niki concedes with a gentle nod, leading the way through the gloom until the brief noise from the village fades once more into creaking boughs and the other sounds of the woods. Luckily, the house is upon them before that grows too oppressive. [say]"Thank you,"[/say] he says of the compliment, smiling over his shoulder to Sunjata. [say]"It is a funeral parlour. Or it used to be - I do not use those parts of the building any more."[/say] Not most of them, anyway.
Heading up the path and onto the porch, Niki fumbles for some keys and tries a couple before he finds the right one in the lamplight, opening the front door and heading into an entranceway that smells faintly of peppermint and tea tree. Spending a second to light the lanterns in the entrace, the house slowly comes to life, all plush but faded carpets and tastefully out of date furniture, not that it likely matters to anyone who isn't Fae and knows what to look for.
[say]"The living room is just through there,"[/say] Niki explains, pointing to a door on the right. [say]"I sleep just across from it, and the kitchen is right ahead."[/say]