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+---- Thread: rest easy (/showthread.php?tid=11914)
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rest easy - Noah - 08-18-2025
It had been a long time since the two men had been able to sit over a drink together, and war not be on the horizon. There were no necessary bouts of strategy happening over half-tasted mead, or maps between drawn out between them with battlements placed. Instead, there was just warmth and laughter and merriment within the Kraai as Halo began to turn towards the coldest of seasons outside.
He sat in the corner booth the locals knew he liked best, idly thumbing the handle of his stein as he waited for Deimos. With peace in the world, but specifically with peace across and covering Halo, the two men might actually have the time for this. Noah could feel a familiar bit of unease twist in the bottom of his stomach, an anxiety that came with rebuilding what would never be what once was, but could be something new.
RE: rest easy - Deimos - 08-18-2025
Truth be told, Deimos had been surprised by the invitation. Maybe it was his recalcitrant instincts rising up again – eternally wary of all the things left behind. But he’d promised he’d be willing to try, as much as it sometimes made his jaw clench. Mindful of the hour, he’d painstakingly carved out portions of his schedule, made a little more daunting by Erebos toddling at his legs, or by chasing said youth throughout the morning, depending on the circumstances.
By the time the meeting hour came though, his son was solidly asleep in his arms, carried and hauled by the Sword as he made his way to the Kraai. Despite the raucous, movements, and noises surrounding them as soon as he opened the door, the fatigue must’ve settled well into the youth, for his head remained firmly ensconced in Deimos’ shoulder. It gave the Warden some opportunity to wave with his free hand to several others or nod his head in greeting, eyes sharply glancing to where Noah had selected a booth.
[say]“Sorry,”[/say] he apologized immediately. Waving down a server, he put in his order, before settling into the seat, Erebos remaining soundly asleep. [say]“How have you been?”[/say]
RE: rest easy - Noah - 08-18-2025
Noah settled into the quiet hum of the Kraai, his back to the fire as the warmth bled slowly through his shirt. The air was thick with the scent of smoke and strong liquor, the murmur of voices and easy laughter folding into the crackle of the hearth. It made him miss Weaver. She would have loved to see what had happened to her bar, no longer in the hands of Neron and a place where Halovians found solace (and debauchery, if they knew where to look).
He nursed the glass in his hand, letting the sharp burn anchor him while his thoughts wandered. His mind held the familiar caution, wondering how much of himself he could afford to give away. Still, when the door creaked open and cold air spilled in, Noah’s eyes lifted, a faint flicker of relief sparking within him at the sight of Deimos stepping through. Especially as he noticed Erebos asleep against the man's broad shoulder. He sat and Noah felt a wave of calm coming over him, pressing down the swirling nerves in the depths of his belly.
[say]"No, don't be."[/say] Noah said, palm up towards the warden. [say]"I understand."[/say] He chuckled, lips cocking into a half-smile that wrinkled the corners of his eyes. [say]"Been there...though my children tend to find their way towards Frey while I'm not looking. At least Erebos is getting that big all on his own."[/say] Noah paused for a moment, and gave a chuckle, [say]"Ravenna has aged nearly to an adult, and Marcus--well, that one I saw at least--both aged and hybridized. Margot, too, made her way to Frey shortly after."[/say] His half-smile opened wider over his features and he joked, [say]"I'm getting more grey hair from them than anything else--but I'm good."[/say] There, was the first set of news. There was more to come, but Noah did not want to bombard the warden--his friend--all at once. [say]"How are you? and Evie?"[/say]
RE: rest easy - Deimos - 08-19-2025
Adjusting the youth, Deimos tilted his head, listening, all that age-old reluctance carving its way through his bones. He was never certain how to feel about the fast aging along the work of shrines, the strange angles of adjustment it must be for so many, the way their minds might’ve had to play catch up with everything else.
But he’d seen Ravenna in the last few seasons, long since grown, though Margot seemed to keep herself scarce around parts the Warden frequented, or he’d simply missed her passing by. Marcus, however, had surprised him recently, so he unfurled a quieter snort. [say]“That explains things. Saw him the other day when Damien was making an outpost in the Greenwing. I did not realize he had wanted to attune.” [/say]
When the inquiry settled back upon him, there were only minor things to report. [say]“We are well – planning some kind of vacation in Deepfrost.”[/say] It’d taken him nearly the whole rest of the season to settle into the thought of peace and repose; adrift when suddenly there weren’t a thousand things to do outside the Citadel walls. The list of ongoing projects kept them busy, but certainly not to the levels of trepidation and apprehension he’d had over the last few years.
RE: rest easy - Noah - 08-19-2025
Noah leaned back in his chair, the rim of his glass brushing his lower lip as Deimos’ words sank in. A vacation. Rest—real rest—was not something either of them often afforded themselves. His brow furrowed slightly as he set the glass back on the table, fingers tracing the condensation along its curve.
[say]“A vacation,”[/say] he echoed, his voice carrying a low, amused disbelief. [say]“I’m glad for it. You deserve time like that. Both of you do.”[/say] A beat, and then his curiosity surfaced, genuine and a little cautious. [say]“Where do you think you will go?"[/say] He pictured them back on the beaches on Torchline, letting Erebos play in the water and chase hels. He pictured them briefly in the Holloweed Grounds, but couldn't imagine they'd go to another place with snow.
Noah took another drink, and then set his stein on the table. He let his thumb run down the handle for a moment, quietly, and then be brought his hands to rest in his lap. [say]“Vi released me,”[/say] said, holding tight to his side of the attuned bond, [say]"I am attuned again.What I’d always been, beneath it all.”[/say] Forsaken no more, yet deeply bound in heart and honor to the god of life and his herald.
Glacier eyes flicked up, meeting his warden's. It felt strange, in this moment, telling someone for the first time that wasn't over a parchment sent miles and miles away. The anxiety roiled again the bottom of his belly. He held both restoration and loss in his hands, but in his heart he would never forget the mercy with which Vi regarded him. But his friend, Deimos, was something else entirely. He waited, uneasily, for some reaction, a hint of judgment.
RE: rest easy - Deimos - 08-20-2025
His beer eventually came, the great stein settled upon the table, and a platter of food to snack upon with a quick nod and gratitude towards the server; figuring at some point he’d either grow hungry or Erebos would smell something and awaken to snag at a small portion. But while the child slumbered on, unmoving other than the gentle rise and fall of his chest, Deimos watched and surveyed Noah, gauging reactions.
For once he could agree with the vacation sentiment, but he snagged at a ningo wing initially. [say]“We were thinking of something along the ocean.”[/say] Perhaps not Torchline itself, but the greater expanse of the Mundi sea. They had time to work it all out anyways – and he knew enough fishermen in their own expanse to be able to find some ship that might cruise them around for a couple days of freedom. King’s End was always an option with their cabins too – he doubted Hollowed Grounds would ever be a highlight for either of them again.
Taking a drink, he had no inclination of Noah’s next, impending words – so upon hearing it, he swallowed the burning alcohol quickly, ignoring the sudden ache and the near reaction of wanting to cough or sputter. Any of those actions would’ve awakened the youth in his arm. Instead, his eyes likely widened, caught outright and by surprise. He’d never heard of such a thing occurring, not in their lifetimes anyway – and save for Remi and Ronin changing gods, there hadn’t seemed to be any precedent for said situation. Arching his brow, he mused over the aspects carefully, before tilting his head, gaze narrowing in the uncertainty. [say]“Did he say why?”[/say] He couldn’t ascertain whether Noah was relieved, proud, or ashamed by the aspects.
RE: rest easy - Noah - 08-30-2025
Noah let the question linger, his fingers wrapped around the stein but not lifting it. He turned it slowly, listening to the scrape of wood against wood, gathering himself. He let out a breath. [say]“He did say why. Because the world is no longer at war.”[/say] There was peace, and it covered them. The words carried a heaviness that felt larger than the Kraai’s walls. Heavier than the snowfall outside. Heavier than the ice that clung to their region, years and years of evidence of hardships. [say]“What I was made for—war—it’s passed. And in the peace, He didn’t want me shackled to it anymore.”[/say]
His gaze dropped to the fire, watching its restless crackle. He kept his voice low, as if he could disturb the sleeping toddler with its volume despite the liveliness of the Kraai around them. [say]“Vi told me to live. For myself. For my children. For Halo.”[/say]
The attuned drew in a slow breath, leaning forward, elbows braced on the table, letting the golden light of relief slip over the attuned bond. [say]“And,”[/say] he breathed in, eyes closing for the briefest of moments, a prolonged blink, [say]”he made it known that I am no longer Forsaken, but the Sentinel I once was.”[/say] His thumb traced a scar along the crook of his thumb and palm, before he looked back up, glacier eyes steady despite the unease coiled inside. He let the words hang, then offered, still quietly, [say]“You’re the first I’ve told, in person. And I think it’s because you’d understand what it means—to be asked to keep living when every instinct still leans toward the fight.”[/say]
RE: rest easy - Deimos - 09-01-2025
Deimos deliberately took his time in snagging at the food and his drink, intending not to jostle Erebos but also listen, face kept inscrutable and guarded, head tilting vaguely as he took everything in. A number of inquiries sparked through his mind (like, what would happen to Ronin then – or were there different parameters for each demigod?) but he didn’t give them any voice, not until Noah had completed his statements.
Peace over war – and though the Sword permitted the repose to hang over his shoulders, he always kept his guard up, waiting for the next ax to fall. He figured Vi was much the same – but he’d never know the particular parameters of any of the gods.
Noah’s final portion though rang quite true, and he sighed, granting a light smile. [say]“So with this newfound freedom, how are you going to live?”[/say] For himself, his children, and Halo – spreading himself outward since Cordelia’s haunting death had left him as something else altogether.
RE: rest easy - Noah - 09-01-2025
Relief slipped through Noah as he caught the subtle curve of Deimos’ mouth. The smile—small as it was—was enough to break the taut wire wound in his chest. Instead of weight, there was air, and it left him steadier than he had been in seasons. He let the attuned bond slip looser, letting his emotions come through that were as they once were — there, steady, and not a barraging wave of grief.
Deimos’ question lingered, and Noah let himself turn it over in silence. He thought of a dozen things at once: of chasing luxere across the tundra, not for survival or duty but for the joy of the hunt; of flying with Marcus in his shifted forms until the sun burned out over the horizon; of helping Margot with her growing list of hobbies and tasks; of walking Halo’s streets talking with Ravenna without watching for the next shadow to strike. He thought of love, of friendship, of allowing himself to exist without constantly measuring his worth by how much he bled for others.
Freedom had always been a word for other men, never for him. And now—it was his.
When he finally lifted his gaze back to Deimos, there was a faint smile, too, tugging at the corner of his mouth. [say]“The first thing I want to do,”[/say] he said, voice steadier than he expected, [say]“is build a shrine. For Safrin. For Vi. In the Greenwing, near our lodge.”[/say] Noah’s hand brushed the stein idly, then he lifted it to finish the drink. His glacier eyes stayed fixed on his friend, calm and resolute now. [say]“After that…well. We’ll see where the path leads.”[/say]
RE: rest easy - Deimos - 09-01-2025
Perhaps that was why Deimos took his moments of freedom and liberation when he could. In his role and position, they weren’t frequent – so snagging instances where could unleash or unravel from stone proportions or warrior fixations were just scattered dominions – but deliverance in its own way.
Taking a drink of his beer, his brow arched at the first sentiment Noah seemed to hinge on. Something pulsed under the surface, a little nettled – and not because the Attuned had imparted a Safrin shrine to be added, but due to the fact that there’d been no consultation. Just a decision, without his own input. Deimos had to half-wonder if the Sentinel had forgotten about the many, many issues regarding the Grounds, and simply not discussing things over with provincial sectors initially. It gave more of a ‘doing what I want’ aspect rather than consideration for the territories and their overseers.
[say]“While I do not mind such a specific shrine here,”[/say] nodding his head and placing his stein down, as Deimos was more than biased towards Safrin, and they already had two shrines with Old God affiliations – but the political nuances could be tricky, finicky at best. [say]“I hope you consult with leaders in other regions if you plan on more in those areas.” [/say] The Wilds had no jurisdiction; but he could picture King's End or the Grounds, once more, being a little more than unimpressed if Noah were to do the same there.
RE: rest easy - Noah - 09-01-2025
The attuned’s jaw feathered some and he leaned back in his chair. He let out a slow, deliberate breath to calm and center himself. What little he had let slip over the attuned bond closed, and there was a hollow silence between them with the void of what Noah felt.
It ached to know that the man could not step beyond this. Forgiveness, mercy, growth—these things had been offered time and again, proven in deeds as much as words. Noah would never forget the way he had forgiven Deimos when a personal affliction had happened between them, yet Deimos held on to this until his knuckles were white and raw and bleeding.
Whatever Noah did, it would never matter. Deimos had said he would try, but right now in this moment Noah wasn’t sure if he could believe that. He sighed, [say]”Deimos, that is done and over. It has been, for a long time.”[/say] Noah had listened the first time to what Deimos had said, even as wounded as he was in the situation of it. He had hardly even stepped foot into the Hollowed Grounds since, and while nothing had ever happened, Deimos was too stubborn to let go.
Noah pitied Deimos in this. To carry such weight when release was within reach. As the waitress stepped up to refill his stein, Noah lifted his hand to give her pause and murmured a thank you to her as he politely refused more mead.
RE: rest easy - Deimos - 09-01-2025
Deimos had thought it a mild-mannered, reasonable request – and would’ve asked the same of anyone in his region. That there was a rapid alteration didn’t go unnoticed, and he fought the reaction to roll his eyes, and instead sighed inwardly, maintaining his neutral disposition. Accountability had been an issue the last time, and still prevailed, lofty and high in its wake as Noah sought to condemn him instead. The Sword took a long, long breath, careful not to disturb the still-slumbering Erebos. [say]“And yet, you did not ask me.”[/say] Maybe the Sentinel had presumed it’d be fine – but there’d been no question. No inquiry. Just a response about things likely already in the process of happening.
The Sword had promised to try, but he also still held his guard up – for occasions like these, and rightfully so. Was it stubbornness if the same things occurred? Or was it a pattern of behavior wrought on by one individual? Naught happened because the Sword and Theocrat had mended matters on Halo and the Grounds’ accounts. He would’ve been able to forgo and forget if things changed, if behaviors evolved, rather than slipping back into this. But maybe the warning would be enough for other areas – Deimos was to a point that if someone decided to overstep again, perhaps he’d just let results and parameters fall where they may. Let them have the comeuppance instead of the constant volley of caution he instilled.
He shook his head, clenching his jaw, striving to find a way out and around without it all unfurling again. [say]“I just do not want the same things to happen again.”[/say] Not now – not when all this freedom and peace had been promised. Because for all Noah’s current assurances, he’d already forgone an initial step. [say]“I would say that to anyone here.”[/say] Taking another drink, he steeled himself, still striving to overcome the irritation flickering through his mind. [say]“Your newfound freedom should be free of conflict.”[/say] Otherwise, then it wasn’t liberation at all – just another flare of old habits coming back to form, another picking and choosing of primordial scars. And hadn't they all had enough? [say]“Have you gone to anywhere in the Maria Mundi yet?”[/say] Because maybe exploration would do, serve him well, rather than ruffling feathers.
RE: rest easy - Noah - 09-01-2025
Noah held his breath as the words settled, his fingers curled loosely around the handle of his empty stein. His jaw feathered again for a moment, but then he eased, exhaling through his nose. He kept himself calm, steady. The lodge was Noah’s home, and he didn’t realize there was an office of permissions where he needed to obtain a permit to make additions, fortifications, or repairs of it. In his mind, the shrine was an addition to his home. He wondered if Deimos truly would say that to anyone who needed to build, repair, expand their own homes.
Though calm, composed, Noah could not help the thought that slid through him like a blade: just because Deimos could not open his eyes to what had changed, did not mean there was no change at all. [say]”I have shown you that it will not.”[/say] He was not the man who had made reckless choices in a world frayed by war. He was not clinging to patterns of secrecy or desperation. Vi had seen him, weighed him, and released him to a different kind of life.
Noah leaned back, letting the firelight soften the hard lines carved by tension. For all Deimos’ power, for all his loyalty and endurance, he seemed forever bound to suspicion, to scars that refused to heal. Noah pitied that—pitied that his friend could not, after all these years, allow grace and truth to loosen the grip of old wounds. Perhaps the Sword would never yield to such things. Noah would continue to hope.
For now, Noah simply moved on with the warden’s question. [say]”I have. I’ve been doing some flying in my griffin shift. I also have a bird shift too, some sort of falcon I’ve seen on the tundra and in other regions. Even without teleportation, I can still get across Caido in a good clip with wings.”[/say] It was something that Noah had always wanted as an attuned, and now he had it. Flying was exhilarating, and he remembered fondly when Deimos had introduced him to it by allowing him passage by way of his massive bakunawa shift. He let that slip over the attuned bond, softening it again.
RE: rest easy - Deimos - 09-01-2025
The Sword would beg to differ on the latest, but he tilted his head, kept quiet. No – Deimos would have no issues with any expansion of anyone’s home – but Noah had said near, not within the threshold itself. It’d be quite a spectacle to have travelers near and far coming to kneel and pray within the man’s home – but that was now going to be a Sentinel’s dilemma.
Unfortunately, Deimos treated the world with suspicion because he’d been betrayed, lied to, and at war a great number of times. There would be no end to the speculation once someone had maligned his trust; hence why everything still grated, touched on the nerves, stranded along the fringes. Many could attest to having never been forgiven by him at all. That he even bothered after this time was a testament to something, even if he was fighting a horde of eye rolls and confusion over the matter of Noah in general.
The topic change was a respite from him either brooding and brewing over or simply leaving, picking over some of the snack bits again as Erebos started to stir, then quietly settled back into the crook of his neck. Deimos hadn’t considered the lack of teleportation, though he knew about Noah’s compass. [say]“That is good.”[/say] At least he’d have the time to unfurl and roam elsewhere. [say]“Sunjata and I went back to Starfall recently, just to see what remained.”[/say]