[RQ] in the dust

DEIMOS And in your darkest hour, I hold secrets flame King’s End held a distinct touch within Deepfrost as well; though not overly laden with snow as Halo was year-round, it still had a light dusting over the elongated, green hills, valleys, and flowers. Though Deimos and Rhiannon hunted the latter today – far easier to catch and snag than a corrupted unicorn or any of the other animals that might come bounding through the countryside. He'd already created a terrarium structure to hold the flora within; figuring they’d be able to pluck one out of the ground with all its necessary nutrients and accoutrements, and gave it to his fellow soldier to hold. “Figured we could find one of the infected daisies,” and that way no one else could come to harm from vicious onslaughts or attacks. They’d know better from a plant standing still. Looking for the telltale purple hues across a vast expanse of light white, the Sword finally opted to address the other machinations for their visit – away from the halls of Halo. “Why did you defy my orders during the titan fight?” master of nothing place; of recoil and grace

Rhiannon

Rhiannon had been less than excited to accompany Deimos to King’s End - not because it was King’s End, and not because it was Deimos, but because she was dreading the lecture that she knew was coming. Her abysmal failure during the titan battle was surely to be a topic of conversation, and she wasn’t entirely prepared to defend herself when her inability to simply aim was indefensible.

She took the terrarium. It was on the tip of her tongue to compliment the creation, but it was then that Deimos asked her about defying his orders, and any coherent thought went out the window. That was what he wanted to talk about? She’d thought she was in for a lecture on aiming the Rainbow Gate, or being abjectly useless in battle - but he wanted to know why she’d run to the top of the walls rather than hide behind them?

Rhiannon blinked, then turned her attention to looking for the infected daisies as she weighed her words. ”I wanted to defend my home,” she said at last. ”I couldn’t do that from behind the wall.”

don't get sad, get even

DEIMOS And in your darkest hour, I hold secrets flame The aiming notions would come later – Deimos was a pragmatic individual, and tended to go in order of the offenses. The first had been her outright defiance. He snorted at her response, not glancing her way, eyes going towards familiar, lavender glows in the distance, and long strides traversing across snow. “In fact, you could – following exactly what I asked you to do.” Pushing buttons to aim gates, far more precisely than what she’d delivered, guarding and moving citizens to safer places, ensuring no other lives were lost – he had multitudes of ideas other than standing upon a wall, directly in line of sight if it weren’t for Sah’s cloak. “Defending and protecting Halo is not only about being on the frontlines.” And while the Sword actively did both – he did it for the whole of his community, a role he’d taken up, a mantle he wore day in and day out. master of nothing place; of recoil and grace

Rhiannon

It wasn’t in Rhiannon to argue with her direct superior, but neither was it in her to sit quietly on the sidelines. And no matter how much truth there was to Deimos’s words, she couldn’t bring herself to be sorry for her actions. She had wanted to help, and she had acted from that desire, not from any wish to disobey.

”I just wanted to help,” she said, forcing her tone into one of contrition. ”I wasn’t trying to subvert orders.” She scanned the horizon, searching for the telltale gleam of violet that would give their quarry away. ”I’m sorry.” And though she wasn’t sorry for having tried to help, she was sorry that it had landed her in hot water. She didn’t like being the subject of Deimos’s scrutiny, and if nothing else, she would strive to avoid that in the future.

don't get sad, get even

DEIMOS And in your darkest hour, I hold secrets flame “I understand that, but losing you would not have been helpful either.” He glanced back her way, very clear and certain in his beliefs, gaze pinpointed on her, before sweeping back to the landscape. While all Shields had taken up that code of protection and defenses, it didn’t mean senseless and ineffectual sacrifices. What would’ve been the purpose of being in the direct line of fire, when she could’ve easily done so from around a defended corner? Or striving to ensure their citizens weren’t in jeopardy? If those walls had come down… His jaw clenched, and he moved forward. A nod of his head indicated he’d heard her apologies, whether or not she meant them would be clear in days and seasons to follow. Drawing closer to one of those damned and cursed daisies, he wrinkled his nose at it, staring at its existence from a safe distance away, as if its entity offended him. In a way, it did; but he’d have to manage his ire. Beginning to muster his earth magic to take root and hold of the plant, and its general surroundings, he circumvented attention and focus from one to the other. “What happened with the gate?” master of nothing place; of recoil and grace

Rhiannon

Ironically, given that she was a soldier, Rhiannon was not particularly skilled in the way of following directions. Oh, sure, she could follow something she agreed with, and that had never been put to the test before. But to follow a command she didn’t believe in? She wasn’t sure how to do that, and it had her questioning everything she’d ever known. But Deimos didn’t have to know that.

Instead, as they located one of the infected flowers, Rhi winced at his next question. ”I didn’t realize how sensitive it would be to aim,” she admitted. This, at least, she was willing to accept responsibility for. ”Is there some way we could practice with it in the future? So that if something else happens, I could be better prepared?” After all, what use was such a defense if their citizens - all of whom could wield it - were unprepared?

don't get sad, get even

DEIMOS And in your darkest hour, I hold secrets flame If Rhiannon wished to remain with the Shields, she’d likely to have to figure out the structure of orders. Deimos didn’t call to his forces on an array of risks; prepared, as always, for some defenses, some action, some sieges and assaults – but he’d never command or demand someone not yet ready to go muster their arms to the frontlines. He would go well before any of them – standing amidst the clamor and defiance of dangerous, hazardous, and lethal leagues. He saw her wince though, and continued extracting the flower from the ground. It lifted and pulsed, the lavender vibrancy remaining as it clearly tried to detect the source of its motions; he tucked the soil underneath, leaving it to its own devices, bringing it amidst Air incantations to hover over the jar Rhiannon held. “We might be able to use it as a training exercise.” It couldn’t be a spur of the moment regard; not with something so potent and powerful. master of nothing place; of recoil and grace

Rhiannon

Rhiannon would either fall in line or she wouldn’t, and she had yet to determine which she was favoring. On the one hand, Halo and the Shields were all she’d ever known, but on the other… she was starting to think she wasn’t cut out for taking orders. Still, that was a consideration for another time, and perhaps a conversation for another person. She couldn’t imagine telling Deimos of all people that she didn’t want to follow his lead. And it wasn’t that, exactly - she admired the man, and his leadership - but a general restlessness that seemed to drive her beyond Halo more and more these days.

But for now, at least, Halo was home, and she really didn’t have a desire to change that in any concrete sense, so the conversation moved along and she went with it. With the flower extracted from the ground, Rhi held out the jar and waited for the cursed flora to be deposited. ”That might be helpful,” she agreed. Especially for people like her, who had little to no actual combat experience, so that they weren’t put on the spot the next time something like this happened.

don't get sad, get even

DEIMOS And in your darkest hour, I hold secrets flame Deimos couldn’t imagine many standing directly in front of a monster and thinking it would go well, but they had differing views about risk and reward. He wouldn’t offer more on the subject unless she wished to discuss it, so his concentration narrowed and pinpointed solely on the potential of trainings and exercises, eyes following the movements as the soil hovered over the jar. “Maybe once we get all these other tasks accomplished,” unaware that the potential of them being uprooted as well laid pending in the well of unfortunate circumstances. On another testament to the power and control of incantations, the cursed daisy and its equally horrific pile of loam descended the moment he contorted the earth and air – plopping delicately into the container – neither of them having to touch the horrid thing. “There. That should be fine.” His gaze eventually went back to Rhiannon, some pressure relieved across his shoulders. “Do you need anything else here?” Exploring King’s End always had its merits; and he wasn’t certain if she had intentions and plans along this region. master of nothing place; of recoil and grace

Rhiannon

Rhiannon watched with a detached interest as Deimos lowered the infected flower into the container, utilizing earth and air to manipulate the flora into place. What was it like, she wondered, to wield such power so effortlessly? She knew it wasn’t without cost - the years of practice to start - but it was still something to aspire to, one day.

In the meantime, with their task accomplished, she was eager to return home. King’s End was all well and good, but she had no business there on this particular day, and with everything that had happened lately in Halo, she was hesitant to be away for long. ”No, thank you,” she said. ”We can head back, if you’re ready.” Unless he had something to do, in which case Rhiannon could then decide whether to return alone or tag along.

fin

don't get sad, get even