Jigano smiled, understanding a little how Loren felt, if not as strongly. He had always been a shapeshifter from the day he’d been born, but gaining his second shift, the one with wings, had been a level of freedom even his previous teleportation couldn’t match. Unfortunately the smile quickly died as the Launceleyn man related his side of the story, noting the name and connection to a family that was infamous even on Caido now for its predilection for tyrants.
Mention of Zariah never led to anything good, and the bard’s frown deepened at hearing that she had been found – and in a position of power once more, it sounded like. ”I’m sorry to hear that,” he said quietly to the news that Loren had been disowned. For all that his opinions of the Launceleyns were tainted by Zariah and he had urged Loren to leave them, the other man had been adamant in reclaiming the name and turning it to something better. Having that name taken from him was a spiteful act from a selfish woman. ”I’m glad you’re still here.” He had no doubt that Zariah had meant her threats, but he’d also seen Loren capable of holding his own. It was more bad news to hear that Neron was another of the same cloth, and Jigano glanced to Deimos with a worried look.
Mountains might lie on the other side of the portal… but so, too, was drama of the sort no one needed in their lives.
Deimos was the rock in the flood, as always, and Jigano nodded gratefully to the bag man’s focus and suggestions as they looked over the task before them in the basement. ”Supports to brace the walls from further collapse, I think,” he said, offering a crooked smile to the General. ”You know how to stabilize unsteady stone and earth better than most.” Maybe better than anyone, though it might be a tie with Remi. ”Loren, can you start clearing the rubble using the magic you think best for the job?” The summoner knew his skills best, and what would be the most efficient use of his strengths. He’d done a good job of moving the rocks and debris before, though, and he was already familiar with the risks it might entail.
Jigano moved to those plants that had survived, laying his hands on one and humming softly to himself for a moment as he felt for how Remi had changed them from the towering, poison-spewing giants to something far humbler. He walked between the flora as he spoke, finding those places that withered or burned life had left unstable gaps, and he reached into the bag he’d brought to draw out a couple of large seeds to plant. White oak and walnut and a scattering of alfalfa in the areas where the most light penetrated from the opening left by Safrin’s descent, and he knelt to press his hands into the soil, reaching invisible fingers for the sparkling threads of his magic and plucking at them with increasing confidence as he drew inaudible notes from the green and brown of his earth magic and the gold of his healing magic to enrich the soil and help the plants grow to replace some of the stabilizing influence that had been lost. ”As soon as you and Adam went through the portal, Wessex attacked me,” he said, voice flat with leashed bitterness at her swift betrayal. ”She has some sort of… of pulse or emanation that can hurt and disorient. She refused to even try and negotiate once you were gone. I tried dropping her into a small pit to cool down but…” He trailed off with a grimace, flickering a glance to Loren. ”She summoned some sort of giant and used it to try and kill me… and she did kill the snake with it, before I knocked it into the portal to dismiss it.” He looked away again, voice fading as he focused on the task before him. I was… angry at the serpent’s death. Enraged. I had shifted into something… new. To face the giant. And when she came bounding up out of the pit to try and bypass the guardian I lashed out at her. He paused for a moment and then shook his head, turning his face away from the others. The Voice appeared and… bound me. She gave Wessex some… light. Some new power, I think. A reward for her killing of more guardians. There was a growl through the shame and guilt, an anger and bitterness that he had been helpless while the murderer had not only gone free but been further empowered.
Exposition along with your PQ, who knew? You have your tasks, time to tackle them and see how effective they are!
No posting order.
Mention of Zariah never led to anything good, and the bard’s frown deepened at hearing that she had been found – and in a position of power once more, it sounded like. ”I’m sorry to hear that,” he said quietly to the news that Loren had been disowned. For all that his opinions of the Launceleyns were tainted by Zariah and he had urged Loren to leave them, the other man had been adamant in reclaiming the name and turning it to something better. Having that name taken from him was a spiteful act from a selfish woman. ”I’m glad you’re still here.” He had no doubt that Zariah had meant her threats, but he’d also seen Loren capable of holding his own. It was more bad news to hear that Neron was another of the same cloth, and Jigano glanced to Deimos with a worried look.
Mountains might lie on the other side of the portal… but so, too, was drama of the sort no one needed in their lives.
Deimos was the rock in the flood, as always, and Jigano nodded gratefully to the bag man’s focus and suggestions as they looked over the task before them in the basement. ”Supports to brace the walls from further collapse, I think,” he said, offering a crooked smile to the General. ”You know how to stabilize unsteady stone and earth better than most.” Maybe better than anyone, though it might be a tie with Remi. ”Loren, can you start clearing the rubble using the magic you think best for the job?” The summoner knew his skills best, and what would be the most efficient use of his strengths. He’d done a good job of moving the rocks and debris before, though, and he was already familiar with the risks it might entail.
Jigano moved to those plants that had survived, laying his hands on one and humming softly to himself for a moment as he felt for how Remi had changed them from the towering, poison-spewing giants to something far humbler. He walked between the flora as he spoke, finding those places that withered or burned life had left unstable gaps, and he reached into the bag he’d brought to draw out a couple of large seeds to plant. White oak and walnut and a scattering of alfalfa in the areas where the most light penetrated from the opening left by Safrin’s descent, and he knelt to press his hands into the soil, reaching invisible fingers for the sparkling threads of his magic and plucking at them with increasing confidence as he drew inaudible notes from the green and brown of his earth magic and the gold of his healing magic to enrich the soil and help the plants grow to replace some of the stabilizing influence that had been lost. ”As soon as you and Adam went through the portal, Wessex attacked me,” he said, voice flat with leashed bitterness at her swift betrayal. ”She has some sort of… of pulse or emanation that can hurt and disorient. She refused to even try and negotiate once you were gone. I tried dropping her into a small pit to cool down but…” He trailed off with a grimace, flickering a glance to Loren. ”She summoned some sort of giant and used it to try and kill me… and she did kill the snake with it, before I knocked it into the portal to dismiss it.” He looked away again, voice fading as he focused on the task before him. I was… angry at the serpent’s death. Enraged. I had shifted into something… new. To face the giant. And when she came bounding up out of the pit to try and bypass the guardian I lashed out at her. He paused for a moment and then shook his head, turning his face away from the others. The Voice appeared and… bound me. She gave Wessex some… light. Some new power, I think. A reward for her killing of more guardians. There was a growl through the shame and guilt, an anger and bitterness that he had been helpless while the murderer had not only gone free but been further empowered.
Exposition along with your PQ, who knew? You have your tasks, time to tackle them and see how effective they are!
No posting order.
