hide the tangled webs within

'cause I've been a devil, I've been a saint

Frey's Breath was beautiful, in its way, although Alys might have liked it better had it been closer to the surface.

The trip through the Burrows had been stiflingly hot, and when Alys finally arrived in the cavern that housed the hot springs, her dark curls stuck to her neck and face, which were both beaded with sweat. She'd worn her lightest clothes, and yet they still clung to her petite figure - at least until she started to shed them in favor of the bathing suit she'd worn beneath. Gods, this trip better be worth it.

Leaving her clothes laid out so that the heat might dry them (unlikely, given the humidity, but it was worth a try), Alys pulled a jar from the satchel she'd brought with her and slipped into the springs. The water was more comfortable than she'd thought it would be, and though she knew they weren't magic in the literal sense, it certainly felt divine against her skin. Since she was here, she might as well stay a while, and so she sunk into the water up to her shoulders, leaned her head back against the edge, and sighed contentedly. This would be nice - for a few minutes, anyway.

Alys

better get to diggin' while my body's getting cold.
i keep tryna fight it so just promise when i go, you'll bury me low

He had in fact taken the idea of visiting Frey’s Breath for a change of scenery in between visiting the Greatwood. It felt like he was hardly home anymore – but it felt urgent. To try and tackle the roses or lilies in order to take the Family out little by little. So far, though, he’s come up empty, and no news of anything coming to light had come his way. So, Frey’s demigod continues to try and scout and find, feeling awful for being idle for too long.

He doesn’t see Alys at first, nor the clothes with the way the mist and humidity is thicker here – traversing along the opposite edge of the hot springs. He sheds his shirt and shoes, figuring that wading within the springs was likely the best way to seek out the elusive lilies. He slips into the water easily, uncaring about the water that would get into his jeans, able to dry them with a flick of his magic – and he begins his search.

Sunjata makes it part of the way before he stops short, blinking at Alys in surprise. “Alys?” He asks, his accent flickering quietly above the surface of the water, letting a lopsided but easy smile of greeting grace his face as he rises in the water somewhat, letting the rivets of water flare down his shoulders and neck, leaving floral tattoos in their wake, turning his entire chest and neck a deep navy pattern.

SUNJATA

'cause I've been a devil, I've been a saint

It was nice and peaceful in the hot springs, and Alys felt the time slip by as she sat with her back against the wall of the springs, her head leaned back upon the ledge. She kept meaning to sit up and gather the water she'd come to retrieve, but in just one more minute. It was relaxing here, and as soon as she returned to the real world, she'd have to face the troubles that plagued them all. Here, now, it was easy to pretend that those trials didn't exist.

Alas, her solitude was not to last. A familiar, accented voice cut through the seer's daydreams, and she sat up a little straighter, blinking lazily. "Oh, hey, Sunjata," she replied, a friendly smile on her face. If there was any part of her that was embarrassed or uncomfortable with being caught lazing about, she hid it well. "It's good to see you. What brings you to Frey's Breath?"

Alys

better get to diggin' while my body's getting cold.
i keep tryna fight it so just promise when i go, you'll bury me low

Finding that he hadn’t surprised her is a relief to Sunjata, who still keeps a comfortable distance from the Fateweaver. Friendly, but not too close. He lingers in the water, nodding to her before he glances around the springs again. “You too.” Responding to the it’s good to see you, before he continues on. “I figured I could use a break from the Greatwood, so I’m looking for some lilies.” And seeing if he might finally get lucky in that regard.

Though, if you knew him and the stories about him, he was quite possibly one of the most unlucky people wandering around Caido. Lucky enough to stay alive, but not enough to keep his life from falling apart every few years. As was par for the course, not just in Caido either.

He wades a little closer, still scanning before he glances back toward her. “What about you?”

SUNJATA

'cause I've been a devil, I've been a saint

”I forgot that lilies grew here,” Alys murmured thoughtfully. She hadn’t come to look for flowers - and frankly hadn’t paid enough attention to even remember whether she’d seen any. She’d come for the water and stayed for the relaxation - and she could hardly fault herself for that, when life had been so… intense of late.

”I’m collecting water,” she told him. ”Mort gave me a quest to bring Sascha back to life, and this was one of the tasks.” She said it gently, unsure of his reaction. Knowing that he had lost a companion, would he react poorly to the news that she had the chance to get hers back? She didn’t think he was that kind of person, but the worry was there all the same.

Alys

better get to diggin' while my body's getting cold.
i keep tryna fight it so just promise when i go, you'll bury me low

“I feel like they’ve gotten more elusive over the years.” Sunjata admits to her having forgotten they grew there. A common mistake, he’s sure, but he certainly doesn’t hold it against her. Just as he doesn’t hold the idea of getting her companion back against her – if anything, his brows raise and he focuses on her a little more curiously, as if the thought of that happening had never occurred to him.

And then of course the wonder if he could get Haai back.. But it had been years and she’d always loved Nate more than him, and if he did bring her back would he be ripping her from living in Mort’s Realm with the memories and life of her favorite person? “Do you want help?” He asks, lifting a hand out of the water as ribbons of it sparkle around his head, bending a bit of the water of the springs to his will. If she had a jar he’d be happy to help her fill it up.

SUNJATA

'cause I've been a devil, I've been a saint

It truthfully hadn't occurred to her, either, until Mort had made the offer, and even then, it had seemed too good to be true. Her quest thus far hadn't been easy; she had questioned her path many times over, wondering if it was the right thing to do. But after having talked with Zavien, Maea, and Ronin, she felt confident that as long as Sascha wanted to return, that giving her the choice was the best thing she could do in this impossible situation.

At Sunjata's offer, Alys smiled. "Sure, that would be great," she agreed readily enough, hoisting herself out of the water just enough to reach for the bag that she'd brought over to the side of the springs. From inside it, she pulled a large jar. After unscrewing the lid, she held it out to Sunjata, waiting for him to fill it.

Alys

better get to diggin' while my body's getting cold.
i keep tryna fight it so just promise when i go, you'll bury me low

The water continues to warp around his head in the small glittering ribbons like a halo – like it suddenly somehow makes sense of his moniker as the water clings to his long lashes and brings out more of the freckles on his face that have been hidden away with the colder months. His steel gaze, not unlike the cool grey hues of the water in the springs, watch her curiously as his offer is made and when she smiles, he smiles back to her.

While he wouldn’t find himself comfortable with doing it, he certainly could help her with it. His own little contribution of help for a friend. So as she hoists out to grab the bag she’d brought and produces a jar, Sunjata lets the ribbon of water fall in order to grab a larger portion of it with his magic – guiding the spring water into the jar with utmost ease until it was full enough to cap off with hardly any room to spare. He doesn’t know how much she needed so he banked on everything they could fit within the jar, before he loosens his magic and lets the water fall back in amongst the warm springs they’re settled in. “Hopefully that works for you.” He murmurs softly, offering her a small yet crooked smile, hopeful she would get her companion back.

SUNJATA

'cause I've been a devil, I've been a saint

Water floated gently around Sunjata’s head, not unlike a halo, droplets clinging to him like a second skin. Alys suddenly understood why he was called the Flood, and as she held out the jar, he demonstrated a certain mastery of the element that, in her younger years, might have made her jealous. Back then, she’d thought that those who could wield the elements were the strongest of them. Now, she understood that there was more nuance to magic than that, and wouldn’t trade her own for the world.

The jar was filled to the brim in no time, and Alys carefully put the lid on before setting the container aside almost reverently. One more task down. Now she just needed a few more things before she could return to Mort and get Sascha back. ”That’s perfect. Thank you.”

She sat for a moment in a comfortable silence. Then, hesitantly, she shifted the conversation to less pleasant things. ”I had another dream,” she offered, shifting uneasily in the water. She wasn’t sure what good it would do, but she was willing to share it if Sunjata was willing to listen.

Alys

better get to diggin' while my body's getting cold.
i keep tryna fight it so just promise when i go, you'll bury me low

In his own younger years, it would have been impossible. Magic and gods weren’t a thing in the slightest where he came from – and sometimes, if Sunjata really admits deep down, it still feels like a bit of a fever dream – everything that’s happened here. For now, though, he lives day to day, collecting the water easily with his magic and filling her jar to the brim until she caps it, and once she has, the Flood sinks back into the water.

He tries to let it loosen some of the soreness in his muscles, eyes shutting comfortably in turn – at least until she says she had another dream and his brows pinch and he looks back at her as he tries not to let the frown cross his face. “What was it?” He asks, already preparing himself for needing to pass it along – hopefully before the plans got out.

SUNJATA

'cause I've been a devil, I've been a saint

Alys felt his trepidation and winced; she really should find someone else to confide her dreams in, but if she couldn't share them with her Archon and Frey's demigod, then who could she share them with? Other names and faces swirled through her mind, but she dismissed them quickly, not wishing to add to their respective burdens. Not that she wanted to add to Sunjata's - but such was the mantle of leadership, she supposed.

In any case, she let one of her hands float to the top of the water, playing with the ripples along the surface. "I saw Starfall," she explained softly. "And I felt it - or something deep within it - move. Like... like something underneath rolled over in its sleep."

Alys

better get to diggin' while my body's getting cold.
i keep tryna fight it so just promise when i go, you'll bury me low

He doesn’t mind, not when he could share them along with the rest of the group that’s aimed for Starfall – just as he had with her last message. So he gladly takes it, even if it’s with the trepidation given from his recent infection and the difficulties he still harbors in regards to anything of a more purple nature.

For now, he listens, nodding as he works his jaw – the muscles feathering through his temple. “A few people had a dream awhile back about.. some kind of god growing in it.” He sighs – because he’d been infected then and hadn’t thought anything of it, but he’d had the dream too. He’d chosen to ignore it in that time. Now, though? Especially with heading toward Starfall in the near future, it was a little nerve wracking. “I’ll pass it along, though, like I did the last one.” He reassures her, trying for a softer smile on his face. “Thank you for telling me, though. It’s been helpful to have the information to share.” To help them be more prepared.

SUNJATA

'cause I've been a devil, I've been a saint

Alys wasn't sure exactly how useful it was; in truth, it was very little to go on, and she knew that all too well. If she had more to share, she would, but instead, she could only watch Sunjata ignore his emotions and attempt a smile for her sake - one that she returned hesitantly. "If I see anything else, I'll let you know," she promised, shifting to settle more deeply into the water.

With her task complete, she had a little time to spare, and she looked to Sunjata. "I think that's enough doom and gloom," she said. "Why don't you tell me how Hotaru is doing instead?" And so the pair spent time chatting comfortably, until at last they parted ways.

fin

Alys