[RQ] branch out

this is the reckoning

Trusting the constituents with him today were bundled up enough for the Deepfrost chill, rampant throughout the region at this time of year, Deimos had long since taken the rope within his jaws and hastened through the frigid world. Hellhound liberation and abyss had pushed him onward with justified ambition and speed, swift and certain across the layers of ice and rime, the sled bounding behind him. Missions clear and goals outlined, his sweeping strides made ample time and measure along the familiar pathways and deep snow, with enough time for any of the sleigh’s occupants to gaze out over the scenery – at where not too many days ago there’d been yetis striding through, and purple staining the desolate, stark scenery.

But not now, and hopefully not again, when their roles were complete.

Eventually, they wound their way towards the Greenwing, and only upon entering the much more opulent portions of the world did he cease the unrelenting pace. Shaking himself free of the rope, he howled once, to beckon both Sah and Rhiannon out of the sled, while he began to race towards some fallen evergreen branches nearby.

DEIMOS

wolf image credit

I have never feared the storm

Sah stepped out of the sled, perfectly content with the cold around him. He still wore a jacket to block out the worst of the wind, but it was mostly for convenience and visibility. Following Deimos, he jogged over to the closest evergreen and began to inspect the fronds. The Wild Thunder wasn't sure what dictated which would be preferable for the quest and elected to choose those that were the deepest, healthiest looking green.

Running a hand along one of the lower branches, Sah came to a fork. Using a quick, precise slash of air magic, he cut off the first bough. Taking the bundle, he used twine to secure it before continuing his scan of the tree. "How many do we need?"

Sah

Rhiannon

Rhiannon was dressed for the weather in layers of Halo-made garments built for the Deepfrost chill; as such, she was perfectly content as they made their way across the frigid tundra and into the Greenwing. Once there, she hopped from the sled and followed Deimos and Sah to the nearby trees. ”We could fill the sled,” she suggested, studying the evergreen boughs. ”Or is that too many?”

Deciding that her ursur form might be more well-suited to the task, she shifted, then selected a bough that was within her reach and began to scratch and gnaw at it with tooth and claw. Hopefully she would avoid any splinters in her gums.

No one likes a mad woman
What a shame she went mad

this is the reckoning

The inquiry nearly made Deimos roll his eyes – initial directions had been clear – but instead he merely kept the minor irritation inward and swept the same instructions through the Attuned bond. Enough to place around the borders of the Citadel. Which would mean quite a few, given the length of their walls. Filling the sled would be best. Branches upon branches, stacked and shoved and quartered within until they couldn’t possibly put any more – and even then, Deimos wondered if he could simply make another sled to accompany it. Having to potentially go back and forth if they discovered they didn't have enough wasn't efficient.

So while Rhiannon shifted and Sah utilized magic, the Sword was content with the former as well, quickly and efficiently snagging at the branches and boughs laden upon the forest floor; figuring those would be suitable before dismantling any nearby limbs. He scared a few birds, who eagerly puffed and swept upwards to the sky, before the massive hellhound shrugged and continued delivering the fallen portions to the sled.

DEIMOS

wolf image credit

center> A pale glow reflects off endless ice, revealing strange streaks in the snow. They almost look like finger marks, dragged in a perfect curve. You kneel to examine them, and a hushed stillness presses in. Suddenly, a raspy exhale sounds near your ear—but the air remains frigid, with no warmth anywhere. Spinning around, you find only silent plains and your own racing pulse.

---

This does not count as a Random Event for levelling or MP. There will be no further admin/re intervention.

I have never feared the storm

Sah grimaced as it came back to him. say]"Right. Sorry." He clipped the next bough as embarrassment and fatigue rang faintly though the bond. "I haven't been able to get the fingerprints I saw with the Titan out of my head. I'll try not to let it keep distracting me." The image and the accompanying voice had echoed in his nightmares for the past few days. At least it was over.

But a shiver suddenly went down the hybrid's spine as an all-too-familiar sound whispered. Eyes widening, Sah saw the same image yet again, as if he'd summoned it. "For fuck's sake." Glaring at the marks with the corner of his eyes, the hybrid gathered another bough. "Please tell me I'm not the only one seeing that."

Sah

Rhiannon

Rhiannon retrieved the first branch and started on another, only to be interrupted by a flash of something against the snow. Turning, her hackles rising at the sensation of being watched, she saw what appeared to be finger marks dragged through the drifts. It was too quiet, even with Sah’s muttered curse, and Rhi couldn’t shake the sense of someone out there with them, a threatening, silent presence.

Not the only one, she confirmed through the Attuned bond, forcing herself to mimic Sah’s actions and return to harvesting the boughs. But frankly, I’d rather you were. As the saying goes, Sah, better you than me.

No one likes a mad woman
What a shame she went mad

this is the reckoning

In Sah’s defense, it did keep happening. The next bout caused the fur on his back to rise, hackles raised as he sniffed at the nearby claw marks in the snow. When there was nothing to turn around and snap at, the Warden lifted his nose, trying to catch some scent on the wind – naught more than the chase of the void and whatever else threatened along the frigid eaves. He tried to settle the apprehensive multitudes leaping to his pulse, but in the end he settled for a muted growl, irritated in the trepidation.

I wonder if it occurs in places not yet guarded by the void. It reminds me of the static we felt when we were testing Seren's orb, he offered through the bond, continuing to gather boughs in his mouth and dragging them over to the sled – action through the machinations. That is both King’s End and Halo, so far.

DEIMOS

wolf image credit

I have never feared the storm

Sah almost regretted that it wasn't his sanity slipping. He nodded sharply, hand tightening around his most recently harnessed bough. "Maybe. It'd be useful to know if was happening in Stormbreak especially." From his understanding, although the region was under the control of the Family, it was still habitable, unlike the other void-claimed regions had been.

Although the Wild Thunder had been there recently, he hadn't gone far enough into the region to determine if such anomalies were occurring. Sah and Elizabeth had hardly left the shadow of the Skyship during their mission. It was too dangerous.

The pile of boughs at Sah's side was tall enough that the hybrid paused and brought them over to the sled with telekinesis. After ensuring that they were secure, he chose a new tree and returned to slicing boughs off with air magic. Maybe it didn't matter with boughs, not that he would know, but Sah didn't want to overharvest from any one tree.

Sah

Rhiannon

Rhiannon listened to all of this in silence, with nothing to add to the conversation other than a growing sense of trepidation. If things like this were happening all over, then what did that mean? They didn’t have anything to go on other than the creepy but seemingly innocuous things happening, and a vague sense of being watched.

Instead, she mentally shrugged and went back to work, gnawing and scratching at the next bough she’d selected to harvest. With each branch gathered, she dragged it back to the sled between her teeth and settled it so that it wouldn’t fall off, then returned to the trees once more.

No one likes a mad woman
What a shame she went mad

this is the reckoning

Deimos hadn’t been to Stormbreak in several seasons, avoiding it entirely as the void and Family’s influence pressed harder into the earth. They’d all been busy forging against that particular stronghold, that he figured making an appearance there wouldn’t be the wisest of choices. But he listened too, gaze flickering back and forth between Rhiannon and Sah, before the canine stare would sweep over to more branches along the ground.

More than once he grabbed a handful and dragged them towards the sled, somewhat amused by the movement, but otherwise, tended to the potentials of machination in his mind. For now, we should probably keep heading to the Greatwood and Frey’s Breath. Any flowers found will be beneficial. And potentially hold off whatever was brewing and brooding in the midst of all their justified paranoia. And ask those from other regions if they have had the same experiences.

DEIMOS

wolf image credit

I have never feared the storm

Sah returned to the sled and secured another batch of boughs. "Sounds like a plan." A loose one but any strategy was better than wallowing in paranoia and anxiety. Every step that they took towards protecting their home and families was worth it, no matter how small, or how rough the terrain.

The sled was steadily filling up and the hybrid returned to harvesting with renewed motivation. His air magic made his progress efficient, and he was able to slice off the next few boughs with ease. It was hard to estimate exactly how many it would take to line the Citadel, but surely, they were getting close? At least, nearly halfway?

Sah

Rhiannon

Rhiannon made a sound that, in ursur form, sounded like a grunt, but might have been a noise of agreement. The best that they could do was hunt down additional information and move to protect what was theirs - as they were already doing.

The sled was filling up, and Rhiannon paused to look at it as she considered how much more they might need to collect. Would they need to make two trips? Shrugging to herself, she returned to her task. Her cuts were not as clean and precise as Sah’s, but she supposed they didn’t need to be. Whatever the method, as long as they had enough boughs, she assumed they would be fine.

No one likes a mad woman
What a shame she went mad

cover you when the sky comes crashing in

With plans in place, the Sword continued, and eventually the sled was filled to the brim with boughs. Contemplating, he pondered if he’d be able to pull two on his own – the branches themselves wouldn’t be particularly heavy, and he could tie off the second vessel to the first. It’d be worth the effort…and maybe Sah would be able to keep it steady with his own incantations as they rambled back through the Tundra.

Shifting back to his human form, Deimos tilted his head, mind still mulling through the calculations. “Just a moment,” he called back to his constituents, eyes narrowing as his hands began to spread outward, and the gilded glow began to form – pressing lines and details of creation into existence, unfurling, unfurling, unfurling until a second copy of the sled appeared. Stepping away, he shrugged. “We can fill this one too, and I will tie it to the back of the first.” And went to do just that, before it became encumbered with wood.

DEIMOS