+- Court of the Fallen (https://cotf-rpg.com)
+-- Forum: Out of Character (https://cotf-rpg.com/forumdisplay.php?fid=26)
+--- Forum: Important (https://cotf-rpg.com/forumdisplay.php?fid=27)
+---- Forum: Archives (https://cotf-rpg.com/forumdisplay.php?fid=38)
+---- Thread: [SE] just out of reach (/showthread.php?tid=11067)
Pages:
1
2
just out of reach - Elizabeth - 04-03-2025
Despite the warming weather, Halo was still cold as ever. After returning from her many sessions across most of Caido, one might think Elizabeth would regret returning to the bitter cold, but she'd grown surprisingly used to the temperature - and its stoic people. She still craved cozy fireplaces and hot beverages, but those were best enjoyed where it was chilly with perpetual ice.
That didn't change the fact that she held a warm cup of tea in her hands as they made their way through the beach at low tide. Its warmth seeped into the thick gloves she wore as she walked next to Deimos over the sands. Smiling, she looked to the Warden. [say]"I was glad to hear you made it back safely. How was your trip?"[/say] She didn't expect him to fill her in on any of the 'sensitive' or gory details, but it only seemed right to ask how things had gone.
RE: just out of reach - Deimos - 04-03-2025
His return home had been liberating; pieces of repose, sanctuary, and shelter etched and carved back into his bones. Where others might have longed for trips across the vast arrays of regions and kingdoms, Deimos had wanted nothing more than the snow-laden landscape and his family – and drifting from place to place, from plot to plot, from barbarity to treachery, had been enough this season. The quiet, the known, the particles of his own tranquility were embedded into the ice and the Citadel walls, so as they traversed along the familiar outlier of shoal, surf, and rime, his strides were unyielding and his mind at ease, parallels of shoulders not notched so heavily or worn. He wasn’t yet on the after pieces; of which would likely soon collide.
But not now – not with his head held high and staring over the array of solidity. The question caused a snort though, uncertain whether to chase it into self-deprecating motions or just set into the honest, simple truth. [say]“Safely is probably a stretch,”[/say] he admitted, with half a smile. [say]“There were some precarious moments. And I would like to avoid caves for a while.”[/say] It had been a long, long while since he’d been damaged so heartily; perhaps not since the last war, which was why Zuriel hovered behind him now, making hoofprints in the shoreline. Hadama and Sunjata had been far worse for wear, and if they hadn’t been capable of mending and healing, all three would probably still be in those caverns – waiting for rejuvenation. [say]“The lily was planted, but the monster thwarted us. We could never finish it off.”[/say] He shook his head, but shrugged too – as if to say more was simply coming around the bend.
RE: just out of reach - Elizabeth - 04-03-2025
Chuckling softly at Deimos's admission, she nodded her head. [say]"I think that's understandable."[/say] She wasn't a fan of caves in general, but facing a dangerous monster in one seemed like a good bet to make her hate them altogether. Smiling again, she added, [say]"At least you made it out though. You should be proud."[/say] Because they needed to savor the victories, as they felt few and far between these days.
Elizabeth took a sip of her tea as she thought about the creature that still lurked in the caves of Starfall. A low hum of thought preceded her words. [say]"Hmm. What was the monster like? Are there any tools or strategies that would have helped against it?"[/say] She had no doubt the Warden wanted to escape the topic, but it might be smart to quickly determine if there were any arrangements that should be made before the next trip there.
RE: just out of reach - Deimos - 04-03-2025
The Sword’s casual run-ins with caves, and poison, had unfortunately been a series of patterns over the years. He might have been separated from particularly awful and heinous incidents by time and space, but certainly not memory – and though one notion of ‘gas’ had sent him into making masks and preparing for that stretch of potentials, they hadn’t been ready for the constant cataclysm of fighting off the environment well before the monster itself. But rather than sink into the doldrums of the what-ifs, frustrations, and irritations, he could at least follow Elizabeth’s lead in snagging at the positives – for which there were many. [say]“I am content that we made it and could be successful in several ways.”[/say] The lily was successfully planted, granting whomever was the next interval more respite for the danger to come. The void crystals had been taken for present and future guards. And they had survived.
But the broadcasts given during their tenure, and everything else, still ground and clawed. The desert was another fallen portion, and would need tending sooner rather than later. And while he would have preferred several more days of respite and repose before falling into plotting, his mind persisted at her inquiry; even as he glanced away, watching as Zuriel snorted at the surf and swell and gave a kick at the cold snap of a breeze. [say]“Picture a gigantic wyrm but with no eyes.”[/say] And its lack of sight certainly hadn’t deterred its capabilities. [say]“We all hit it well, but it must have known better than to come up again, and used the underground to its advantage. We could not get to it. And it kept using the cave itself to hit us with rocks or gas.”[/say] No matter the potency of his elemental magic – it simply couldn’t stretch that far into the depths. [say]“I think our timing was off. We had the necessities, but could not figure out how to lure it back to us before we had planted the lily.”[/say]
RE: just out of reach - Elizabeth - 04-03-2025
She didn't want to linger on the uncomfortable topic too long, but Elizabeth found herself extremely intrigued by the monster. If she was face-to-face with the beast herself, she wouldn't have been quite so eager to know, however, from the safety of leagues between them, she found her scientific curiosity getting the better of her. [say]"I wonder how it navigates without eyes... maybe scent or vibrations? Or sound?"[/say]
Sighing, she shrugged her shoulders. [say]"Either way, that sounds tough. At least you have time to think it over and come up with other strategies - if you plan to return, that is."[/say] There were plenty of other people who could step up to fill his place, to do their part for Caido. He didn't have to be the only one risking his life.
Off in the distance, Elizabeth spotted a pair of purplish frost foxes leaping and twirling around each other in the sand. They were a little too far off to see if the purple was a trick of the light or something more sinister, so she kept her eyes on them, but chose not to comment, choosing instead to ask, [say]"How's the family?"[/say]
RE: just out of reach - Deimos - 04-03-2025
Given that he’d fought the monster – and was still bothered that it hadn’t met its demise – the only scientific theories he wanted to infuse were hypothesizes around ‘how quickly could they make it die’. He shrugged; figuring no matter how they came in the next time, they’d still be making noise, vibrations, and carrying a scent. Invisibility could do the some good; but only to certain extents, and in the end, likely wouldn’t much matter. [say]“Probably all of those.”[/say] It’d be enough to place down in his guild journal and notebooks though, for future study or avoidance disparities.
They hadn’t discussed a ‘next time’ – but the group was likely aware that it would come back again to them. The chance there were many capable, or eager, to step up in other teams would’ve been a relief; but he hadn’t heard much conversation surrounding it, save for maybe Koa, and he wasn’t quite ready for it yet either. Moreover, Deimos didn't want to ask or compel anyone else to risk their life by launching into the fray. [say]“Depends on if there are others willing,”[/say] and he shrugged in response too, watching as Zuriel went stock still and witnessed the frost foxes over the horizon. His own eyes narrowed to sharpened fixtures, bothered that one of the favored creatures of their region had been corrupted, but not willing to rend them to pieces when they were far away and not bothering anything. Yet. Making no mention of them, he sent some fortitude through their bond, and the unicorn gave a loud, haughty snort, making her way back over to him. [say]“We need more flowers before we can go again anyway.”[/say]
As for his family, he gave a soft smile. [say]“They are well.”[/say] Evie held things together while he traversed, Erebos was becoming a social, walking, talking agent of mischief, and Amhran was content with his plants, and potentially discussing matters with Rae in the future. [say]“How have you been doing?”[/say]
RE: just out of reach - Elizabeth - 04-04-2025
Elizabeth found it highly unlikely that there was no one else who might be willing to brave Starfall, especially when taking into account the sheer volume of glory-hungry young men existed in the world. It was more a scientific certainty than optimism that made her say, [say]"I'm sure there have to be others out there. Perhaps they just needed to know that it was possible before stepping forward."[/say] After all, sometimes people just needed a nudge before taking the leap themselves.
On the topic of flowers, Elizabeth clasped her hands around her warm tea, wondering if she might be of any help. She didn't think her lack of direct involvement would make her a good addition to the search, but she wouldn't intentionally ignore the efforts. Nodding her head, she offered an encouraging smile. [say]"I see. I'll do my best to keep my eyes peeled whenever I visit the Greatwood."[/say]
In the meantime, she was glad to shift her focus away from the purple-hued foxes towards the beauty of families. Grinning, she raised her eyes to Deimos. [say]"That's good to hear. Erebos looks like he's getting big."[/say] At least from the glimpses she'd caught around the Citadel. It was crazy to think how small he'd been when she first came to Halo, so she couldn't imagine what that must be like for his parents. She could have talked about the kid all day, but then the Warden was asking after her. Nodding her head, she gave a warm smile. [say]"I've been good. Work has kept me busy, but not in a bad way."[/say] New clients could be difficult to navigate, but she enjoyed the challenge, the opportunity to learn more about someone and the inner workings of their mind.
RE: just out of reach - Deimos - 04-04-2025
Deimos snorted, arching his brow; not nearly as optimistic. Yes, he knew there were hordes that would be intrigued or interested, but it had to go beyond the realm of the simple yearning to be heroic. They should be capable and with enough tools, magic, armor, and means under their belts to snag at success, rather than be immediately decimated by what lurked within the horrendous island. [say]“We went before too,”[/say] he reminded her, so others would’ve known the possibility was there – wondering if maybe multitudes simply waited because it was easier to do so. He couldn’t say he blamed them – he just was never afforded the luxury or opportunity.
He nodded at the thought of more eyes open for flowers, grateful there were still scores of individuals perusing amidst the undergrowth or springs for signs of petals and blooms. His gaze went directly towards Zuriel again, as she snorted and stomped across the blackened sands, before arching his brow at the indication of Erebos’ size, eventually invoking a light chuckle through his throat. [say]“Agreed. Every week or so it seems he has grown.”[/say] He and Evie liked to joke about that trait Deimos had clearly passed on. [say]“And he is far more social than I will ever be.”[/say]
Work being busy made him snort again – he wouldn’t be surprised at the influx of activity for therapy’s sakes – not with how the Family had struck at every turn. [say]“I can imagine you will have hordes of new clients before this whole thing is over.”[/say]
RE: just out of reach - Elizabeth - 04-04-2025
She couldn't recall many of the specifics from their first trip, but she faintly remembered hearing about it. Taking a sip of her tea, she nodded before giving him a humorous smile. [say]"True. Then maybe they just needed to see it done twice. Or maybe the people interested just don't have the means."[/say] With how rare the flowers were, that would also make sense.
Laughing at his assessment of Erebos, Elizabeth shook her head. [say]"I find that hard to believe. You may not like socializing, but you seem to have a wide network of people. He has a lot of catching up to do."[/say] That came with the territory of being a leader, and having decades on the young boy, but Deimos needed to give himself more credit. Not everyone could do what the Warden did, especially not as well as he did, with a growing family to top it off.
It was hard to argue with his logic, not with all the drama and chaos of the recent world, but she still gave him a bittersweet smile. [say]"I wouldn't necessarily be happy about that, but if I can help people cope with whatever events transpire, I'll be satisfied."[/say] Whether that was justifying actions or managing loss, Elizabeth would be a willing guide for anyone who needed the extra support.
RE: just out of reach - Deimos - 04-04-2025
Did more have the means now? Or was it the growing interest? The desperation? He didn’t have the answers, and the rampant speculation only drew another faint snort from him. He wouldn’t argue the points; there was no sense in it, but a casual and cool reminder that too many things were up in the air.
Her own assertions about his social claim – or lack thereof, drew another arch to his brow. He did have a wide network of individuals – some trusted, some cherished, some he wouldn’t hesitate to throw down a ravine at the slightest opportunity. But meetings, danger, and all the ill will unsettled amidst the world just made him crave his home and family more than ever, and how, had he not been the person he was now, it easy it could’ve been to slide into the cold landscape and be left alone. [say]“Well, he is only one,”[/say] he regarded instead, shifting his eyes across the horizon, the brush of void fox fur long gone. [say]“I will give him a few more years,” [/say]he added with a wrinkle to his nose, a sign of self-deprecation and juvenility, rather than any seriousness.
As for Elizabeth’s own impending and growing business, it said much for the state of the world. [say]“At least some will have support then,”[/say] which was far more than what they’d had merely years ago. [say]“Do you get many from other regions?”[/say]
RE: just out of reach - Elizabeth - 04-04-2025
Her mouth gaped open at the news, looking to Deimos in shock. [say]"Is Erebos one already? Wow. That's hard to believe."[/say] She shook her head, a disbelieving laugh leaving her. [say]"I'm only twenty-three. I shouldn't feel this old."[/say] If she had to guess, it would only get worse, but it was insane to think the feeling started so young. Next thing she knew, she'd be getting body aches and talking about the 'good old days' with her clients.
Elizabeth took a sip of her quickly cooling tea, shrugging her shoulders at the question. [say]"Honestly, most of my clients are from outside of Halo. I end up spending a lot of time on skyships to meet them wherever they are. I don't mind though; it gives me a chance to see more of Caido."[/say] Plus the added benefits of visiting her parents or friends. She may have seen a lot of the world growing up, but she was still finding places she'd never seen before, meeting new people every day. She never tired of it.
RE: just out of reach - Deimos - 04-05-2025
He nodded in accord, still watching Zuriel leap and cavort along the threatening swell of waves and the blackened harbor; snorting much the same. [say]“Mm. In Deepfrost.”[/say] As for her age credentials, he could only arch a brow in return – at that point in his life, he’d already lost so many things and people and livelihoods, and hadn’t been pulled to this world yet. [say]“Because it is not,”[/say] and he rolled his eyes in a cheeky, amused endeavor. [say]“Though Caido likely makes us all feel that way in some capacity.”[/say] Because these were not easy lives that they led – for even those who managed to escape and evade the ongoing battles likely couldn’t avoid or elude the travesties and aftermaths that bellowed and followed. There was always something. [say]“The gods still consider us infants,”[/say] he shrugged in reply.
Her clients coming outside of Halo didn’t surprise him; their citizens tended to be a more closed-off, deal-with-it sort of bravado. Or perhaps that was just him, and he was projecting. [say]“Nothing wrong with traveling,”[/say] and seeing the world – though in his case, he’d argue he’d like to spend time in the region he reigned. And if not as many were keen to come to Halo, he didn’t much care either; a natural protection built into the ice and rime.
RE: just out of reach - Elizabeth - 04-05-2025
The confirmation of age just made her head shake, still not quite grasping how much time had passed. It felt like only yesterday that she'd moved to Halo, and she still felt like she was gaining her footing in the region; but at the same time, she could relate to Deimos's assessment, certain that Caido aged people in a strange way, making young people feel old in no time at all. Perhaps that also had something to do with the gods. Elizabeth let out a light laugh at his words, shrugging her shoulders in acquiescence. [say]"True enough, not that I've met any of them."[/say] No bitterness or animosity laced her words as she smiled at Deimos, trusting his own experiences enough to believe him. Time must be a strange construct for something that exists outside of it.
Elizabeth took a moment to watch Zuriel's playful demeanor with a soft grin, nodding her head on the topic of travel. [say]"Definitely not. It gives me a good idea of the state of the world and what people are dealing with."[/say] How was she supposed to understand her clients if she didn't know what was going on? Although, that might also be her nosey nature showing.
RE: just out of reach - Deimos - 04-06-2025
Deimos had once been that same individual who didn’t seek out the heralds at all. Too embittered by their animosities and hostilities, too rancorous over deities from his own worlds, and indifferent towards their habits and ways, and unashamed of the blood that flowed through his veins. Then, of course, Caido happened – and after bowing his head towards shrines and receiving no replies, save for catty remarks or silence, he figured nothing much would ever occur. Safrin had righted those wrongs in her own way; but he also wouldn’t begrudge Elizabeth for not requesting guidance from them. She had her path – and whether it meandered towards gods or not would alter or delineate over time, or not at all. [say]“Well, should you ever be interested, we have quite a few who could help.”[/say] The offer was extended anyway, but held no requirements.
He managed another laugh – and wondered what it would be like to travel again without any plotting or planning on the sidelines. Perhaps he hadn’t had the opportunity since he and Evie’s honeymoon those years ago – unless he counted smaller occasions, like festivals. [say]“And likely without a large stack of mail to show for it.”[/say] Which had been the Sword’s misfortune lately; details strewn about from region to region, kingdom to kingdom, and he having to do the same for multitudes. His mind parsed through the areas he’d been through recently – each with their own biting critiques and occurrences – as Zuriel extended her antics with an elegant gallop tearing across the scenery.