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Interludes of light - Hadama - 05-09-2025
Upon reflection, there were worse places to do a little amateur botany. Hadama made a note to leave an offering at one of Rae's shrines in thanks one of these days. It was always a balance of carrying his duty and taking the time to relax and recuperate. When he could combine the two it was preferable to the pragmatic King.
He had arrived early enough to do some hunting through the steam and hot water up to his thighs, casting about for any signs of white and turquoise. His search had left him empty-handed, however, so he accepted his fate with philosophic equanimity and moved to the landmark he and Ronin had agreed on. The upthrust of volcanic stone looked a little like a seahorse in the right light, seven feet tall where it reared out of the steaming waters.
Hadama sank down to his shoulders in the water at its base, letting out a sigh of contentment as the healing waters began their work upon his back muscles. His legs were already shifted into a dark, scaly tail that reflected the living night sky beneath the water, and he let his eyes half-close in much-needed relaxation while he awaited the arrival of his fellow demigod and friend.
RE: Interludes of light - Ronin - 05-09-2025
[say]"Hadama - hey,"[/say] Ronin calls out in greeting, the Knight emerging through the steam with a casual wave, barefoot and with a towel slung over his shoulder. Today his swim shorts are decorated with little octopi, not that Remi is anywhere to be seen to admire them, and after setting down his towel and stretching his arms above his head, he slowly slips into the steaming water. [say]"Gods, it's hot,"[/say] he says, clearly meaning the season in general rather than the springs, because, well, duh.
[say]"Still, at least you can expect it here, huh?"[/say] Grinning and settling himself against a jut of stone opposite the Tidebreaker, Ronin lets a combination of the water and the heated rock start to loosen perpetually tight muscles, offering Hadama a friendly smile and relaxing into the hotsprings. [say]"Alright, it was a bit of a flight here but I'll admit you picked a good spot,"[/say] he tells him. [say]"Anyway - what can I do for you?"[/say]
RE: Interludes of light - Hadama - 05-10-2025
"Ronin. Welcome." Hadama opened his eyes and raised a hand to the approaching Knight. His gaze found the pattern on his fellow demigod's swim trunks and contemplated it for a long moment before giving a solemn nod of approval for the merry octopi adorning them. "Indeed," he agreed to the traditional comment on the weather - or the water. They were often the same thing to a Mer, after all.
He gave an agreeable nod and a quiet: "Mmh", confirming the secondary observation as Ronin made himself comfortable and Hadama let his eyes drift partially closed again. "I find the Climb good for training my endurance. It is... challenging." But survivable, which was always a plus. He did crack an eye a little wider at the mention of a flight, however, tilting his head to the side curiously. He considered asking a question of his own... but he held his silence as he gave it further thought. Instead, Ronin's following question caused him to give a slight shake of his head. "Business," he admitted, and not without some regret. "As demigods of Vi and Safrin. Though I hope the springs make it more tolerable." He drew in a breath scented with a faint sulfurous odor mixed with the sweetness of mundane lilies and let it out slowly.
"The Void was beaten back from the Wilds for a time. But it has begun to spread again." He paused, seeking his words with care as he recalled the debt all of Caido already owed to the White Knight. "I do not mean to... push. You have already done a great deal. But may I ask your intentions in the fight ahead?"
RE: Interludes of light - Ronin - 05-12-2025
[say]"As if the world isn't challenging enough,"[/say] Ronin says with a soft laugh, though Hadama has a very fair point, and the Knight rolls his neck and takes a slow, deep breath in before letting it out again. The Tidebreaker isn't wrong about using the hotsprings for endurance training at all, and in fairness, Ronin spends the majority of his time here canoodling or otherwise splashing about. It makes a change to have to actually sit with the heat, to let it soak into his skin.
Talk of business further cements this as something to be solemn about rather than succumbing to his inclination to frolic in the water, and the Knight lifts his gaze to Hadama and sweeps his dark hair back off his forehead, waiting expectantly for the hammer to fall. When any conversation begins with as demigods of Safrin and Vi, he knows it's going to be largely unpleasant.
And it is, the Knight letting out a hard sigh that drags his shoulders down, his gaze flicking somewhere out into the steam rolling over the water. [say]"As far as intentions go, I have none. I can't have any,"[/say] he says simply. [say]"Dahlia has threatened the lives of my children should I fight against the void or The Family - and that goes for Remi as well. And with Flora unable to go behind the barrier in Haulani, my hands have been tied for some time. Not that my skillset was particularly useful to begin with."[/say]
RE: Interludes of light - Hadama - 05-12-2025
It was unfortunate that they could not simply relax and enjoy the afternoon. Hadama, too, would have preferred a world in which he could relax and spend time with his friend. Someday, hopefully, they would have the time for such days again. But for today he had to combine his business and his pleasure, relaxing within the steamy embrace of Frey's Breath while pursuing the challenges that Safrin had set before him.
Ronin's sigh weighed heavily upon the mermanta nonetheless, and all but his breathing stilled as he accepted being the cause of such weariness upon his companion's heart. He listened, as he so often did, in respectful silence as Ronin spoke of threats and constraints, hostages and magic bound to different purposes. And in the end he nodded, letting his eyes close as he finally allowed a flick of his tail to cast a few droplets away from them. "I understand." This time the sigh came from the Tidebreaker, softer but quietly weary. "I did not know the extent of the Family's threats. You have my condolences." That Flora's death had been from her own brave actions against the Void, he had known. That it was being used as collateral against her fathers, he had not, and Hadama squeezed his eyes shut tightly before opening them again, blinking sweat from his lashes.
"However, you are more than your powers, Ronin. You are a commander. A leader. Experienced in war. Can you provide advice? Recommendations for how others may seek to eradicate the Void from our world?"
RE: Interludes of light - Ronin - 05-13-2025
[say]"Yeah, it's been... rough, to say the least, to sit this out,"[/say] Ronin agrees, his apology heavy in his tone as he lets his fingers trail absently along the surface of the water, eyes dropping to frown at the ripples that warble out from his touch. He's heard it before, that he's more than what the gods have bestowed upon him, the Knight offering a small smile that doesn't really hit right, but nonetheless nodding. At least Hadama's follow up questions are ones he thinks he stands a chance at answering, and Ronin finally looks up at the Tidebreaker.
[say]"Our focus needs to stay on Starfall,"[/say] he says quietly. [say]"The Family are playing with us, as far as I can see, dragging our concentration away from that island wherever they can. The more we focus on playing tug of war with the void here, the less we're paying attention to whatever is growing under Starfall. If it were me, I'd be drilling down into that place every chance I got."[/say] He doesn't expect the words to come out as fiercely as they do, Ronin frowning and forcing himself to relax again.
RE: Interludes of light - Hadama - 05-14-2025
Hadama did not answer in words when he heard the apology in Ronin's voice, but he allowed a solemn pulse of understanding and acceptance to wash through the Attuned bond. "I do not wish to imagine being in such a position," he admitted quietly. He was not without his own levers, should the Family seek to move him, though many were already beyond their reach.
Ray. Harper. Seren.
Far too many lanterns to be hung this year already, and he sighed and sank further into the water until it lapped at his chin.
But Ronin's advice fell on alert ears, and Hadama listened with respectful intensity to the White Knight's wisdom. When the other man finished he made a rumbling hum of agreement that sent small wavelets rippling out away from his chest and throat, taking heart from the fight still within his friend. "Indeed. We have learned more of its... construction. Deep enough, and it taints even the waters of the Arclight, even before we reach its heart." A grim disapproval colored his voice, a tone that he reserved for the Family and the Void alone. But he paused then, a soft sigh escaping to ruffle the steam. "It is... not easy. Letting them hold other territory, however. Especially if it strengthens them on their home ground."
He fell silent for a time, but it was a weighted silence, heavy with the words he was still finding before he spoke again. "Its guardians are... Mmh. Intelligent, in ways I have not seen before. The last we fought retreated out of our reach and used the island itself as a weapon against us. We wounded it badly, but were unable to finish it."
RE: Interludes of light - Ronin - 05-16-2025
[say]"Oh?"[/say] Unused, clearly, to still being abreast of all the information regarding the void-ridden island, Ronin listens with quiet concentration to anything Hadama might have to say on the subject. [say]"Gods, but of course it does,"[/say] he grumbles, nose wrinkling as he imagines the waters beneath the meteor turning dank and violet with the void influence. [say]"Winning is never easy - I can say that from experience. You can still lose, even with victory. But it will be a lot more difficult to deal with a newborn god, or whatever it is growing down there, than to squabble over territories."[/say]
Also falling into a pensive silence after that, Ronin presses himself back firmly against the hot stone, as if the pressure of it might force away the sudden tension locking his muscles together. It doesn't really do much. [say]"I can't fault it for that,"[/say] he admits with a humourless scoff, well able to imagine Starfall's creations fleeing to its depths when things got tough, not to mention using the island to its advantage. [say]"It just means going prepared, and going ruthless, in my view."[/say]
RE: Interludes of light - Hadama - 05-17-2025
"Indeed," Hadama rumbled, even less pleased than Ronin was at the thought of the waters of his home, where his people lived, polluted by that corruption even if Vi's shield kept the worst of the creatures from their reefs. "Though at least in the waters, even tainted ones, I would be stronger." And far better suited to the battle than to the claustrophobic tunnels her had already faced once, and would soon face again.
But one's enemies rarely allowed one to chose a comfortable battlefield.
The White Knight's reminder of just why they were braving those tunnels, however, drew a slow nod from the mermanta as he idly flicked his flukes through the steaming waters, feeling the healing of the springs seep into his scales and skin alike. "This is also true." A balance of power, and what they might have to sacrifice in one area in order to make gains in another. There were simply not enough warriors to tend to all of the trouble arising around Caido, though the willingness of so many to seek flowers was heartening.
"Fault, no. But I will rest easier once it is slain. The next area will have its own guardian. And facing both together will be... Hm. A difficult test." An understatement that was mild, even by Hadama's dry standards as he contemplated the half-lucid illusions formed by the steam.
RE: Interludes of light - Ronin - 05-19-2025
[say]"Well, rest easy in the knowledge that out of the water, you're still a lot more effective than I am against these things,"[/say] Ronin says with a shrug of his shoulders, though it's been long enough now that he's doing his best to swallow down any bitterness that has tried to grow in place of his lack of effectiveness against the void. Running his fingers through his hair - and glancing around hopefully for any sign of a lily, before letting that thought go again - the Knight lets out a long sigh and sinks more deeply into the waters.
[say]"Sounds like fun,"[/say] he quips, as dry as the Tidebreaker as he considers the monumental task ahead for those who have to venture into Starfall's belly. [say]"Well,"[/say] he adds, [say]"while I can't fight, if the worst should happen and you can get back to Torchline, I'll be on hand with any magic I can use to help. I'm stronger now than I was last year, when it comes to being able to provide a second chance at life."[/say] Three times per year still feels like a pitifully small amount, but... well. It's something.
RE: Interludes of light - Hadama - 05-19-2025
"Mmh." Strange to contemplate, that Ronin - most experienced of Caido's current demigods - was less effective against the Family than he was, but Hadama could not deny that the Void's strengths and weaknesses had an unfortunate ability to neutralize Vi's chosen. He chose not to linger on the thought, and talk of the Wyrm that remained soon drew his full attention.
The gift that Ronin offered - of resurrection - was still something beyond miraculous to the Tidebreaker, however common it seemed to have become. "Thank you," he rumbled quietly. "That is... a gift beyond price. Have you needed to use it yet this year?" Because Hadama did not know how many times it could be done. But it seemed unlikely that the White Knight would make it through the year without using that most blessed ability.
RE: Interludes of light - Ronin - 05-20-2025
[say]"Of course,"[/say] Ronin says, his response warm and immediate. With a gift like the one he possesses, the idea of keeping it to himself goes against everything Vi has asked him to stand for, however difficult it might be at times. He is, regrettably, still only human when it comes to matters of the heart, and not being able to bring back Seren at Longnight is going to be a welt on his soul for years to come. Nevertheless, it's with a slow, grounding sigh that he tunes back in to Hadama's question.
[say]"Not yet,"[/say] he says, sounding all too relieved about that. [say]"I can use it up to three times now, as far as I know. And so far, thankfully, things have been quieter than they were last year."[/say] No tournaments gone badly awry, no pale, still Ancients showing up at the healing fountain in Haulani, no dead daughters. [say]"Let's pray they stay that way, yeah?"[/say]
RE: Interludes of light - Hadama - 05-20-2025
"From your heart to Vi's ears," Hadama murmured, adding his own prayers to Safrin for good measure. The gods, unfortunately, were not the ones in full control of Caido's territory at the moment, and every battle came with risk.
But for the moment, at least, things were quiet. Perhaps for only a few hours. A day or two at most. But the Tidebreaker had learned to take such respite whenever and however he could, and he grasped it in both hands. "I will not speak of shadows any further." A promise he was glad to make as he tilted his head back, letting himself relax until his ears were only barely above the water so he could still hear Ronin's responses. "Your barbecue on the beach was a success." At least until the food fight had broken out. Ah, youth. "Would you be willing to consider making it an annual tradition...?"
Questions of how family fared, the state of the flowers upon the Northhaven, the fishing off the Coast, and the quality of the recent molten pineapple harvest were much lighter topics, better suited to the healing steam of the underground hot springs. And if the time could not stretch as long as they might wish, it was still enough for Hadama to renew himself in preparation for the descent ahead of him.
~Fin