things that haven't happened yet

This scene feels like what I once saw on a screen
I searched 'aurora borealis green'

Perhaps one of Liam's favorite places in the Greatwood was the Crimson Cataract, and not just for its beauty. It was the first place that Frey had spoken to him, his inauguration into the realms of legends and folklore. It still astonished him that the deity had deemed him worthy, and he came back often, if only to leave small offerings at the shrine: small handfuls of seeds, a wreath of wildflowers, a carving of a bluebird - just little things, tiny gestures of gratitude and well wishes.

Today he'd brought some fresh herbs: mint, and parsley, and a pinch of saffron, all bartered and traded for in the market. Liam might have grown them himself, except he'd never had much of a green thumb. His wife did, and he remembered their little garden fondly, though she'd always teased him that it was a good thing he was a soldier, for he'd make a terrible farmer.

After leaving his offering and saying a little prayer, Liam turned to wander along beneath the floating river, aimless and meandering. He didn't really have anywhere to be or anything to do aside from assist Maea in her search for roses, and today, it grated on him. He should be out there doing something. Helping people. Fixing things. Anything. And yet, he hadn't the faintest idea of where to start.

I've never seen someone lit from within
Blurring out my periphery

Liam

This scar I can't reverse, when the more it heals the worse it hurts

Remi moves through the Greatwood with quiet steps, the dappled sunlight filtering softly through the canopy overhead. He's dressed simply, comfortably for the warmth of Flowerbirth, sleeves rolled to his elbows and the collar of his loose-fitting linen shirt open at the throat. Despite the fresh brightness of the season, the Bastion wears visible shadows beneath his eyes, evidence of many restless nights and worries that seem to stretch beyond him, coiling beneath his skin.

He had no particular destination in mind when he set out—only the need for movement, for distraction from thoughts that circled endlessly in his mind like vultures. He finds himself near the Crimson Cataract almost without meaning to, drawn perhaps by the quiet murmur of the strange river overhead, its waters red as blood, flowing impossibly above the forest floor.

It isn't until he catches sight of another figure that he slows, sea-glass gaze shifting from weary contemplation to cautious curiosity. Remi recognizes Liam—not well, perhaps, but enough for recognition—and pauses a moment before offering a quiet greeting. "It seems we're both wandering today," he calls softly, lips curving slightly into a weary but gentle smile. "If you'd prefer solitude, though, I can leave you be."

REMI

This scene feels like what I once saw on a screen
I searched 'aurora borealis green'

A voice called out a greeting, and Liam turned to see a man who looked vaguely familiar approaching. The soldier paused, torn between being friendly and suspicious. On the one hand, recent events had led to an influx of perfectly lovely people coming to the Greatwood in droves, and the stranger might be one of them. On the other, Liam was not so stupid as to think that the recent tourism would go unnoticed forever. This man could be an enemy as easily as he could be a friend.

In the end, manners won out, though there was a wariness in Liam’s gaze that wouldn’t quite go away. ”No, no,” he said. ”You’re very welcome.” Liam extended a hand to shake. ”I’m Liam,” he said. ”I live in the village.” Perhaps the familiar stranger would divulge something of where he came from and why he was here - or at least share enough that Liam could get a feel for who he was.

I've never seen someone lit from within
Blurring out my periphery

Liam

This scar I can't reverse, when the more it heals the worse it hurts

Remi notices the wariness in Liam's expression and can't help the quiet, understanding smile that forms on his lips, though it never fully reaches his eyes. The Bastion had been the Lullaby not terribly long ago, and his arrival normally brought death with it, so he was more than used to not being greeted with warmth. So it is that Remi approaches calmly, movements deliberate but relaxed, making it clear he's not here to cause trouble. Reaching out to take Liam's hand, Remi's grip is firm but gentle, his palm calloused from years of work, and his magic carefully held back to avoid sharing the weight of his own emotions.

"Remi Taliesin," he replies simply, sea-glass eyes meeting Liam's gaze directly. "I used to live in the Greatwood, but it's been a long time now." He pauses, his smile turning faintly nostalgic as he glances up briefly at the crimson river flowing overhead, before returning his gaze to the soldier. "These days I spend most of my time in Torchline, but it's good to visit now and again. I hope your village isn't overwhelmed by all of us outsiders." His tone remains light, though there's a subtle seriousness beneath it, acknowledging that the influx of visitors probably isn't entirely welcome.

"I suppose this is what it must have been like for the fae all those years ago, when everyone started to wander into the Greatwood."

REMI

Orbs of light beckon and call from the darkened angles and shadows of trees. Were those whispers of your friends? Family? Fallen allies?

Was that a scream? Could they be in trouble?

Is it all in your head? Just your imagination?

Or something else altogether – because what if it’s true?

---

You’ve encountered a Will-O-Wisp. This counts as a common 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.

Will-O-Wisps (common): Glowing orbs of light that dance and weave between the branches, despite their usefulness, these creatures are not to be trusted. Mischievous and loyal to no one, they will lead travellers astray at a moment's notice.

This scene feels like what I once saw on a screen
I searched 'aurora borealis green'

The man's handshake was firm, but gentle, and Liam returned it in kind. He certainly seemed like the kind of person who could be a threat, but wasn't at the moment - an opinion that was only confirmed with his introduction. Remi Taliesin was a familiar name across Caido, and Liam relaxed almost imperceptibly to realize that he was in the presence of Mort's demigod.

"Welcome back, then," he said easily. "It's been a busy season, that's for sure. You picked a good time to visit, although I must warn you - the inn is full to bursting." And the Fae weren't thrilled by the influx, although Liam suspected this was more on principle than out of actual dislike. In fact, all the tourism was lining quite a few Fae pockets, and that could never be a bad thing. "Does the Greatwood remember you, if you lived here before?" he asked, curious. It had taken a long time for the forest to recognize him as one of its own and stop twisting his path every time he left his cottage.

I've never seen someone lit from within
Blurring out my periphery

Liam

This scar I can't reverse, when the more it heals the worse it hurts

Remi’s gaze flicks toward the trees, as if listening for some answer in the rustle of leaves above them. The crimson shimmer of the Cataract reflects faintly in his eyes as he considers Liam’s question. "I think she remembers me," he says at last, his voice thoughtful, low. "Though I am not entirely sure if that's a good thing or not." There’s a flicker of something dry and self-deprecating in his smile—too many battles, too much blood in too many places. The Greatwood had once called him a Guardian and he'd failed her spectacularly.

The mention of the full inn draws a chuckle from him. "Ah well. I’ve slept in worse places. The Wildwood’s forgiving if you know where to lie." It also helped if you were able to shift into something small and fluffy.

His hands slip into his pockets, shoulders easy despite the exhaustion still shadowing his face. "Do you mind the crowd, Liam?" Remi asks, brows raising slightly. "It must be strange, to have all of Caido suddenly setting up camp in your backyard, looking to take the rarest bits of the Greatwood home for themselves."

REMI

This scene feels like what I once saw on a screen
I searched 'aurora borealis green'

Liam tucked that information away, not quite sure what to make of it. Remi was not exactly what he might have envisioned for Mort's demigod, nor for a previous Guardian of the Greatwood. He thought of his recent conversations with Maea, and wondered if the next Guardian - if there was one - would stick.

As for the crowd, Liam shrugged, smiling easily. "I've spent the last several years living the life of a hermit," he said drily. "The crowd is taking some getting used to, but I have to admit that it's been a welcome change - at least for me." The Fae might be another matter, but at least for Liam, the return of Caido's people heralded a drastic shift in mindset - one that was sorely needed.

I've never seen someone lit from within
Blurring out my periphery

Liam

This scar I can't reverse, when the more it heals the worse it hurts

Remi’s lips curve faintly at that, a flicker of shared understanding lighting behind his tired eyes. "A hermit, hm? There’s something to be said for the quiet," he agrees, his voice low and companionable, carrying the cadence of someone who’s both sought solitude and been wrecked by it. "I suppose I wasn't quite a hermit because I was with my husband and our companions, but after the war we moved to the Cordillera and lived where no one could find us for a year or so."

He shifts slightly, gaze drifting again to the blood-bright river overhead. "Still, I’m glad it’s been welcome for you. Most fae I’ve spoken to seem… wary, at best. And with good reason, I suppose."

REMI

This scene feels like what I once saw on a screen
I searched 'aurora borealis green'

"The Cordillera?" Liam asked, brows raising in spite of himself. "The dragons left you alone, I take it?" They must have done, mustn't they, for Remi to be standing here chatting with him? Still, he could understand the urge to run away from it all, to spent time with one's loved ones in near-solitude. If his wife and children weren't gone already, he might have been tempted to do just that with them - to run and run, until they were hidden so far away that they'd never be found again.

But they were gone, and he was here, and it was far past time for him to stop running from their ghosts.

Liam laughed at Remi's assessment of the Fae. "'Wary' is a good word for it," he agreed. "Honestly, for the most part we've just coexisted. I trade with them every now and again, but they've left me alone, and I've tried to do the same for them."

I've never seen someone lit from within
Blurring out my periphery

Liam

This scar I can't reverse, when the more it heals the worse it hurts

Remi chuckles softly, the sound low and warm in his chest. "Oh, the dragons left us alone," he confirms, lips quirking with something wry. "Though not for lack of curiosity. There were a few who made their presence known, but they quickly learned what a poor idea that was." The memory draws a subtle flicker of fondness across his face, brief but unmistakable, as he imagined both his husband and the Knight's tiny dragon out scouring the hills for dragons to slay.

His fingers twitch in his pockets, not from discomfort but from restraint, a quiet current of restlessness that never fully leaves him these days. "That was part of the appeal though. Being somewhere wild enough that even we could get lost, for a little while." A pause, thoughtful. "Of course, the trouble with hiding is that you still carry everything you’re trying to escape."

He lets his gaze return to Zavien, the crimson shimmer of the Cataract painting warm highlights along his features. "Seems like you’ve managed a balance, though. Solitude without isolation." A faint nod follows, one of quiet respect. "That’s no small thing."

REMI

This scene feels like what I once saw on a screen
I searched 'aurora borealis green'

Liam wondered what it must be like, to wield such power that even dragons feared one's wrath. As much as it might be useful, he was sure that it came with its own burdens to bear - a weight of expectation that could not be shirked.

The soldier shifted his weight, finding a more comfortable way to stand. "It's far more balanced these days," he agreed with a laugh. "But for a long time, I kept to myself out here. Perhaps for too long, with everything that's been going on." With the Family and the Void and all of it, if he'd been more proactive, would it have made any difference? Or would he just have been another name on a broadcast?

I've never seen someone lit from within
Blurring out my periphery

Liam

This scar I can't reverse, when the more it heals the worse it hurts

Remi watches the subtle shift in Liam’s posture with a quiet sort of attentiveness, not invasive, just the natural pull of someone used to reading others in silence as much as in speech. His head tilts slightly at the mention of time spent alone, the corner of his mouth tugging in a faint, sympathetic smile.

"There’s no shame in taking time," he says after a moment, voice quieter now, less like conversation and more like a confession. "After the war, after all the fallout from it...I don’t think I spoke to anyone outside of my family for nearly a year. Even now, most days, I’d rather be somewhere quiet. Somewhere I can keep the people I love close, and the rest of the world far away."

He glances again to the red-glowing river, a shadow flickering in his expression before it's softened by something warmer. "Truly, were it not for Ludo giving me up, so to speak, to Mort, I think I might have found my way back there."

REMI

This scene feels like what I once saw on a screen
I searched 'aurora borealis green'

Perhaps there was no shame in taking time under normal circumstances, but Liam was a soldier and Caido was at war. It was not, perhaps, the same as the last war - their enemy moved more covertly, things were happening more slowly - but there was no question that it was still a war, and Liam, in his opinion, should have been involved far sooner than this.

But that wasn't the kind of thing that one delved into with a near perfect stranger, so Liam turned his attention instead to Remi. "Ludo gave you up?" he questioned, tilting his head to one side in curiosity. "What does that mean?" Then, as though realizing his blunder, he rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "Sorry, that's probably rude." And the demigod certainly didn't have to answer if he didn't want to.

I've never seen someone lit from within
Blurring out my periphery

Liam