fly like a jet stream

SOHALIA

But you're untouchable, burning brighter than the sun

Svaturis Bay was, in a word, beautiful.

Hard, black sand reached towards the frigid waters of the ocean, dotted with miniature glaciers the size of boulders. The sky above was uncharacteristically blue for this late in Leafchange; from the research she'd done before coming this far north, Soh knew that it was more likely than not to be clouded with snow. Prepared for the cold, the Luminary was bundled in her warmest clothing from head to toe, her blond hair shrouded by a thick scarf wrapped around her head.

Someone in the Citadel had pointed her in this direction when she came looking for Deimos, and so here she was, hunting down the regional leader who she perhaps admired the most. She carried a dagger at her hip and a blade-tipped staff called a glaive in her hand, just in case she ran into something she couldn't outrun. At least this time, she would appear prepared, even if her heart was in her throat at the prospect of such an encounter.

Learning the use of the glaive had required all the remnants of her skill with a staff and then some; she'd found someone to teach her in the time since her reemergence into the world, and she felt confident enough that at least she wouldn't injure herself to carry it with her on her travels now. It made her feel better, even if only a little bit.

A figure loomed in the distance; shaping her eyes into an owl's, she identified the person as Deimos and strode purposefully towards him. Perhaps it was better that they were outside the Citadel. Out here, it was less likely they'd be overheard.

"Deimos!" she called as she approached, her eyes shifting back into their silver, human form. "How are you?"

And now that you're close I feel like coming undone

DEIMOS

Deimos was accustomed to trepidation and dread so much that it didn’t feel any different as he scoured his way through the blackened sand; just another gnawing edge at the pinnacle of his ribs. Pinpointing the totality of its reasons was a novelty itself – in between losses and revivals, healing and tenuous lines of Valkyrie exploits, the breadth of his shoulders felt heavy again, and now, with Sohalia’s letter and the ties of the unknown looming, more apprehension crawled down his spine. He’d somehow missed the story behind her disappearance, and simply wondered if it was just another loophole of grasping, tenuous lines. Or if that even mattered any longer; lost in the other measures and semblances of yesteryears.

He'd thought about bringing Erebos, then negated it entirely; the child would’ve been covered with the obsidian lacquer of the land, and it wouldn’t be fair to the boy to simply snag him as a means of distraction.

So sighing, he stared out across the vast landscape, glad, perhaps, that this one hadn’t been so drastically altered. Chunks of ice, occasionally crashing into one another with a larger wave, an overzealous wake of the churning earth – chaos he could understand.

Then thereafter there was only Sohalia’s call over the wind. He turned his head, otherwise stilling, watching her make her way across the surface. “Busy,” he mentioned when she came towards him – though for now it must’ve looked as if he was just trying to escape via the icy abyss. Which wouldn’t be far from the truth. “Yourself?”

think about this
you have the ability to survive anything

SOHALIA

But you're untouchable, burning brighter than the sun

Soh might have admired Deimos greatly, but gods if he wasn't intimidating. She'd forgotten just how out of her depth she felt in his presence until she stood before him once more, bearing the brunt of his one-word answer and what she perceived to be a judgmental stare. In her mind, everyone still blamed her for disappearing and allowing the Family to take over her city. Her friends were one thing; they could forgive her simply because they loved her. Deimos, however, was something else entirely.

"I'm well, thank you," she said in response to his query, hoping to channel some of the stoicism she had always appreciated from Hadama. "I appreciate you meeting with me. I hope I won't take much of your time. Is there anything I can help with while we talk?" she offered, tilting her head to one side as she considered. She wasn't exactly sure what Deimos was doing out here, but if there was anything she could do to repay the kindness of the man who had once saved her from the Ceffyl Dwr, she would do it.

And now that you're close I feel like coming undone

DEIMOS

Given his nonchalance and impassivity, there was no judgement brewing; for the moment, anyway. His features were caught and taut in their usual layers of stoicism, hiding all the brooding factions buried under the surface. Truth be told, he’d wandered out here for the silence and freedom, the liberation of being out of the Citadel and not chased down, of not being called to somewhere else – Sohalia couldn’t help with that. “No,” he shook his head, granting the barest crook of a smile, and released a long, slow breath that billowed out into the colder air. “Was just taking a moment.” One of those ‘breaks’ everyone told him to snag. They never quite stuck anyway – for a reason or another.

A man of concise and succinct mannerisms, he went past the politeness and down into the crisp foundations of why she’d arrived at all. “What did you want to discuss?”

think about this
you have the ability to survive anything

You know how sometimes you step outside and the cold just catches your lungs? And you cough and gasp and desperately try to inhale more oxygen?

Congratulations! You probably just wandered into a breath snatch!

Yeah, that glittering cloud of glittering frost wasn’t friendly either. Who knew?

---

You’ve encountered a Breath Snatch. This counts as an uncommon creature encounter for the purposes of levelling, but does not count as a Random Event for levelling or MP. There will be no further admin/re intervention. If you choose to follow this creature, you do so at your own risk, however, just having it in this thread is enough to satisfy your levelling requirements. (You may not kill this creature without admin permission. )

Breath Snatch (uncommon) - A minor Halo nuisance, the Breath Snatch is a small elemental spirit that lingers in open areas on cold days. They're easiest to notice on bright days, a concentrated cloud of glittering frost lingering in the air, but if not noticed and walked into, the elemental will disperse in a puff of freezing air, often freezing the breath in the lungs of whomever was unlucky enough to come across it. It doesn't seem to possess enough sentience to be truly malevolent. Large groups of the spirits are rare, but potentially deadly if walked into unknowingly.

SOHALIA

But you're untouchable, burning brighter than the sun

Well, if that didn't make Soh feel guilty. Here Deimos was, wanting a moment of privacy, and she was invading it. If his leadership was anything like her own had been, she would guess that he had precious few moments to himself. "I'll be quick," she started to say, and then was overcome with a moment of coughing, spluttering as the cold caught in her lungs and she struggled to catch her breath. Glaring at a little cloud of frost merrily floating away from them, she took a moment to gather herself, waiting until she could breathe properly again to continue.

What a great impression she was making.

"I'm not sure if you've heard how the Family took over Stormbreak?" she said finally, ignoring the wandering breath snatch and keeping her silver gaze firmly on Deimos. "The short version is that they kidnapped and imprisoned me, and when I escaped to the Greatwood, the Void nearly killed me." She paused, unsure how to word her request and finally deciding that it would be best to be blunt. "I wish to retake Stormbreak. I'm here because... well, I was hoping for an alliance."

And now that you're close I feel like coming undone

DEIMOS

“Breath snatch,” he explained – coughing away his own inflections and inhalation of the nasty little elemental spirit. Had Zuriel been nearby, he would’ve called upon her for healing measures and to clear it all off – instead, they were left sputtering through the bombardments. Thereafter, he snagged a fuller breath of air that didn’t result in crackling pain, making a mental note for the unicorn to snag at him when he had an opportunity.

But then there were explanations, and his machinations had to spiral away from pondering how to remove such irritating vices across Halo, and down to the brief actions that had resulted in the loss of Stormbreak. He hadn’t known, because across the landscapes all he’d heard was Sohalia’s disappearance, and Dahlia filling in the role. He’d presumed it might’ve been out of overwhelming proportions, not an abduction.

That he could understand, right down to his soul.

His jaw clenched, a thousand inquiries contorting through his mind. “I am sorry that happened to you. We were not told anything.” Halo, anyway, and maybe that had been safer. It was difficult to know, and too far in the past to make a difference. “How did you escape?” Because that might’ve been helpful for those, especially nowadays, under the Family’s scrutiny.

And then a sigh, and another long breath at her last announcement. “And what do you mean by an alliance?” For he wouldn’t be offering things that would put a sight on his own kingdom, and the safety of his people.

Head tilting vaguely, he persisted on that same subject. “Koa came to me recently about your prior statement. Have you two discussed it together?”

think about this
you have the ability to survive anything

SOHALIA

But you're untouchable, burning brighter than the sun

Sohalia bit her lip, looking out to sea. This was arguably the hardest part of the conversation: the admission that, ultimately, she had done nothing to merit a return to leadership. That she had given up hope of standing against the Family and allowed that hopelessness to drive her. "They let me go," she said, her voice small. "I don't know why. I don't remember much of my imprisonment, but when I was released, I left Stormbreak. I wanted to buy time to figure out a plan, but I hadn't realized how much the Void had spread, and I went to the Greatwood. I was very ill, but a Fae nursed me back to health. When I realized how much time had passed..." She trailed off. She hadn't known what to do or what she wanted or how to achieve it, and it had been paralyzing.

"Anyway, I don't know if they just didn't think I'd be much of a threat, or if they figured if they'd abducted me once, they could do it again if I became a problem." Both were true, in the end, but she was here to change that. Even if it meant she was hurtling headlong towards her death - which she hoped very much was not the case.

The offer of an alliance was tricky. She wasn't a queen anymore, and she had very little to offer. And in truth, there was very little she wanted aside from an assurance that Halo did not stand with the Family. She took a breath. "I don't have much to offer yet," she said honestly. "But I don't ask for much - I understand that your duty is to your people, and that means protecting them above all else. I just..." How much could she reveal without sharing what Ronin had told her? She had no desire to jeopardize his plans just to further her own ends. "I fear that war is coming to Stormbreak," she said carefully. "And though I don't ask you to fight with us, I would request that you don't fight against us. And perhaps, after this is over, if we are successful, something more formal could be put in place that could benefit both our regions."

Koa was a surprise, but not an unpleasant one; after all, hadn't she sent a letter to him recently to discuss this very thing? "I've reached out to Koa," she said, hoping she sounded more confident than she felt that the Dragoon would return her missive. "I hope to hear from him soon so that we can coordinate, but in the meantime... anything I can do for Stormbreak, I will."

And now that you're close I feel like coming undone

DEIMOS

Though Sohalia would remain unaware of his prior circumstances, Deimos would be amongst the many who wouldn’t judge the experience of abduction, lack of evasion, and waiting for the finality of others. He too had once been imprisoned for political maneuvers, and though he’d desperately tried to escape, it’d only been the exchange of hostages and captives that had granted him any freedom. The designation of her release meant they’d only wanted her seat of power, and nothing else, which some could say was a boon and a benefit to all the other harsher potentials and outcomes – but still a grating, horrific noose to always wear. “I think we were all shocked when things started to unravel.” At least to appease the situation was difficult for everyone.

Whether or not she’d be an easy target again remained to be seen, given how much more alert they were over the situations at hand. Though, with Flora’s recent escapades…the Sword clenched his jaw, fighting over the possibilities and nuances that no one truly felt safe. “Sitting idle and waiting it out has done us some good, but now that we have cleansed the Wilds…,” there remained Starfall, Pierce and the rapier, and the unknown itself. “I am not certain if there is better timing nowadays.” Or when other opportunities would arise. They’d chiseled their way out of so many things – with legions to go. “Have you kept up with training?” Relying on others to win one’s leadership for them still didn’t strike him quite as right, but seeing as where they all were nowadays…

His brows furrowed, however, at the reeling of potential war – never taking it lightly. “I am not certain why you would believe I would be for the current occupants holding the region, but I would not fight against those trying to gain Stormbreak back,” came out careful and measured; because Halo was first and foremost, he wouldn’t be dragging anyone else into a potential mess, and he had his entire family and citizens to think about. “More can be discussed when you are successful.” In agreement there, for a start.

As far as Koa, if they were on the same pathway of snagging the kingdom, it would best to coordinate all their endeavors. “I would start with him, and anyone else you want to bring into the fold, for your region specifically. Allies from within.”

think about this
you have the ability to survive anything

SOHALIA

But you're untouchable, burning brighter than the sun

There was so much about this plan that could go wrong. For one, her reliance on Ronin and his vendetta against the Family left, perhaps, something to be desired. But what was she to do? Attempt to take on the Family on her own? The very idea was laughable. She wouldn't last five minutes in a war. Still, she hated to let others do her fighting for her, so she'd determined to do something. And this was the best she could think of to do.

And what if Ronin failed? If she returned to Stormbreak, began to work with her people in preparation for an inevitable attack of some sort... she'd be putting a target on her back, and if her friend was unsuccessful in whatever schemes he was plotting... she wasn't sure the Family would let her go a second time.

But she had to try. Her people deserved the best she could give them, even if it wasn't very good.

"Yes," she said of her training. "I've done my best to, anyway. I'm still not exactly a warrior, but I'll do my best in whatever battles are to come." And if her voice trembled a little bit, well, who would blame her for being scared?

While she hadn't expected Deimos to be for the Family, his reassurance was nonetheless welcome, and she relaxed tension she hadn't realized she'd been holding. It was a risk, wasn't it, to come here and speak openly against the Family when she wasn't sure who or where they might have under their control. But with Halo's work against the Void, she'd been fairly sure she wasn't walking into a trap, and it was a relief to hear her assumptions verified.

"Thank you," she said simply. "I had hoped that the Family hadn't gained a foothold here. If their control is limited to primarily Stormbreak, perhaps we have a chance of ousting them." And as for the rest: "That is my plan. I'm working on contacting those who might support us, but I'm trying to be careful not to alert the Family. I go to Stormbreak next, though, to reestablish myself as a presence there."

And now that you're close I feel like coming undone

DEIMOS

Deimos knew about the consequences of plans going awry – from the cataclysmic to the beneficial, and it was rarely the latter. Which was why he often contorted different measures and calculations into almost everything he did; a constant state of opportunities, chances, and footfalls to line up potential success. But this all seemed very risky, and without knowing the actual plans behind it, he could only keep his brows furrowed, knotted in concentration and confusion.

And considering how difficult Ronin, and Remi, had found the battles with the Family respectively…”Do you have an actual plan in mind for taking things back?” Not wanting to know it per se, but perhaps to feel more at ease that there was one. As far as ousting went – because in his experience, it had always been easier said than done. Revolution and rebellion had all the bite and menace to it, and could be turned around upon them just as readily and efficiently. And if she wasn’t relying on her strength…his head tilted, confounded.

As far as re-establishing her presence within Stormbreak, there were other things to note. At least, in his wake of thinking. “And if you are discovered by them when you return?” What then? Would they no longer think of her as a threat, or be rid of her that much sooner, all over again?

think about this
you have the ability to survive anything

SOHALIA

But you're untouchable, burning brighter than the sun

Bold of Deimos to think she might have a plan.

To be fair, she had the outline of a plan. She'd wait for Ronin to send word, for Dahlia to be preoccupied or, better yet, leave Stormbreak altogether. Then she'd make her move, rallying the Dragoons and reclaiming her throne.

It was the details that gave her pause. What exactly was Ronin planning to do? Whatever it was, would the Family fall for it? Even if they did, what if Ronin was defeated? Even with the city's guards at her disposal, it would be all too easy for the Family to swoop in and depose her again... and she doubted she would ever get a third chance.

"Sort of," she said after a moment's pause. "Or, at least as much of one as I can without being able to see the future." If only things were that easy. "I'm not sure how much I can share," she added, her tone apologetic. It wasn't for lack of trust; it was just that her plan hinged on someone other than herself, and she didn't want to jeopardize his actions.

And if she was discovered, before or after... "I don't think the Family will let me live a second time, do you?" she asked with a wan smile. "I hope they won't think me a threat when I return. But if they discover my plans?" She shook her head. "All I can do is be as secretive as possible. I hope to have more concrete plans once I talk to Koa." Maybe the dragoon could help smuggle her in somehow, underneath the Family's noses.

And now that you're close I feel like coming undone

DEIMOS

Maybe Deimos presumed, given how things worked in Caido, that taking a region involved more than a hope and a prayer. Sort of wasn’t the most confident boosting, and he was left arching his brow through her entire speech. “That is fine,” it would be safer not knowing, at this rate. His involvement would be low and minimal – granting and giving advice – with no threat to his own region and citizens. “You should gain every advantage you can in the meantime.” Training, shifts, figuring out how to parse through particulars, outlining more than concepts and lines, but direct pathways to victory. Dahlia and the Family, especially since they didn’t know how many existed, were an ominous outlier. “Have you heard of their weaknesses?” He couldn’t recall how involved she might’ve been in the previous interim and discoveries.

And at least she could be honest – the possibility of her living a second time seemed minimal. “Laying low while gathering your people will be for the best. Perhaps an area not frequented often.” Or even outside of Stormbreak itself – because while they’d plotted in bakery basements within the Grounds, plans had been more in the forefront for rebellion entirely out of range. And maybe much less suspicious.

think about this
you have the ability to survive anything

SOHALIA

But you're untouchable, burning brighter than the sun

"Air and gravity, right?" Soh couldn't recall who had told her of the Family's weaknesses, but she thought she remembered them correctly. Not that it mattered much for herself - she couldn't use magic, after all, and she had no items or abilities that would be relevant if it came to a physical fight. She hoped very much that it wouldn't - for she would almost certainly perish, if that were the case.

As much as she hated to rely on Ronin and his plans, she had to admit that it made the most sense to do so.

As Deimos offered his advice, Sohalia bit her lip thoughtfully. She'd received the opposite advice from Ronin, who had suggested that she return home to rally her people. Neither man had any reason to lead her astray, and she was confident that they both offered what they felt to be the best advice they could. But who was right? What was her best bet for success? "Thank you," she said simply. "I will consider where is best to base our plans out of."

And now that you're close I feel like coming undone