[PQ+] there is a light that never goes out

Liam

And I feel like my castle's crumbling down
And I watch all my bridges burn to the ground

The morning dawned bright and clear, with golden sunlight filtering down through the multicolored leaves at the edge of Sidhe Village. It was enough to burnish a small clearing in varied reds, oranges, and yellows, setting the world aflame despite the early Leafchange chill. Stacks of boxes lined one edge of the clearing, and various tools leaned against the nearby trees. A nearby table held drinks and breakfast pastries, chosen to be filling, but light, so that those who chose to partake were strengthened for the task before them.

Liam had chosen this particular spot for their training grounds because it was open and relatively clear, so they wouldn't have to cut down any trees and risk angering the Greatwood or its fae inhabitants. He stood by the boxes with a stack of parchment in his hands, flipping through plans and designs meant to work with the surrounding forest. Once he was satisfied that he had a good idea of where to start, he tucked the plans into one of the boxes, where it couldn't be blown away by the wind, and turned to survey the empty clearing.

He'd put out notices regarding his plans, and he hoped that more than Maea would answer the call. It was going to be a hell of a job, getting a training ground set up here, after all, and they were just two people. Only time would tell if his efforts had been in vain.

---

This is a PQ+ for building a training ground in the Greatwood. Please post your character arriving and what they're bringing (items on profile will be assumed to be available if needed)

1. Liam
2. Maea
3. Kaisel
4. Remi

**This PQ+ is starting on July 7th, and will need to be completed by August 6th.

And you don't want to know me, I will just let you down
You don't wanna know me now

Maea

I am out with lanterns

"Good morning – " A yawn interrupted the sleepy greeting, belatedly hidden behind a pale burn-scarred hand. Squinting against the obnoxiously bright morning, Maea still looked half asleep as she dragged her feet towards Liam. If she'd bothered to comb her hair at all it had been with fingers only, and the simple shirt and wide legged trousers had a rumpled look about them, as though she'd slept in them - or possibly not slept at all. "Am I late, or are you way too early?"

Stopping by the table of refreshments, she poured herself a cup of strong tea, loaded with sugar and milk - anything that would help her wake up. Even Shii seemed drowzy; simply riding along on her shoulder, it murmured faintly in acknowledgement of Liam but didn't zoom around like they usually did.

---

Maea arrives together with Shii, wearing comfortable clothes suited for labor.

Looking for myself

Kaisel

"Fuck yeah, pastries!" Kaisel announces with no curtail of glee as he immediately pounces on the box, rising up with a different flavor in each hand and happily munching on each one bite after another. He lifts them up in acknowledgement, a sort of air cheers, towards both Liam and Maea in greeting. They have steadily become more and more familiar, and so despite having no great affection for these creepy AF woods and all the mindless circles weaving around them for flowers, he saw the call for help and decided to answer. He needed something to do anyway, which might sound insane since he very well could be moving back to Stormbreak. He would help that transition however he could, but despite feeling utterly displaced when he'd been removed from it, despite wanting nothing more than to return home, he's resisting a bit now that he can. A lot has happened recently, things begging him to review his choices more heavily than ever before, so running back to habit and familiarity feels... wrong, right now. He's kind of hoping for some clarity among change.

That, and work. Tire out his body enough to quiet his mind more, that's the theory anyway. Do some good to feel good.

"Who's gonna train all the way out here?" Kaisel asks around a mouthful, slinging his pack from his shoulders to be rid of the weight. He's in he's boots and some dark jeans, a sweatshirt pulled on over a King's End tourist shirt that boasts a half naked woman graphic—the least offensive thing he could buy from the House of Midnight.

---

Kaisel arrives with a pack of basic supplies like water, bandages, a pair of pajamas so he never has to sleep in board shorts or togas again, and a granola bar or two. He's wearing general out/work attire. He has his chakram and knuckle knives in the bag.

There's darkness in the distance
I'm beggin' for forgiveness
But I know I might resist it

Let's not get lost in the dark blue
But darling if we do, just find me and I'll find you

The hush of the morning is gently interrupted by a soft rustling in the canopy above, followed by the thud of bare feet touching earth. A small flurry of leaves drifts down in his wake as Remi straightens from where he’s landed just beyond the treeline, his curls wind-tousled and faintly dusted with leaves from his flight. Perched amid the unruly mess of them is a delicate spriggan no longer than his thumb, the little creature’s bark-hued limbs clinging easily to her perch as she peers about with wide, glimmering eyes.

Remi is dressed in a soft chambray shirt with the sleeves rolled to his forearms and the buttons mostly done up over a fitted undershirt. His usual sweatpants are swapped for old, worn trousers smeared with paint and earth from some earlier project, and his smile as he approaches the trio in the clearing is easy and warm.

"Morning," he greets, his voice carrying a low, pleasant lilt as his sea-glass gaze passes over the group. His attention lingers briefly on Maea with fondness and gentle concern, then shifts to Liam with casual familiarity. "As soon as I saw you were the one organizing this, I thought I'd lend a hand," he says with a crooked smile, offering both a greeting and a subtle nod before his gaze lifts to the figure by the pastry table.

Remi’s brow arches at the sight of Kaisel and the graphic shirt in particular, but it only earns a quiet huff of amusement. "The Greatwood has a way of rearranging itself," he remarks, his accent soft and lyrical, "so while it might feel like the middle of nowhere now, someone looking for these training grounds might find themselves here whether they meant to or not."

With a tilt of his head and a curious gleam in his eye, he steps closer to the younger man, offering out his hand. "Remi," he introduces simply.

the bastion

Styling stolen from Sky (obviously)

Liam

And I feel like my castle's crumbling down
And I watch all my bridges burn to the ground

Liam chuckled as Maea arrived, smiling at her affectionately as she entered the clearing with Shii at her heels. "I think you're right on time," he told her. "Not sure what that makes me." He might have said more, or perhaps done something romantic like reach for her hand to tug her into a hug - but at that moment, Kaisel appeared and went to town on the pastries, leaving Liam to watch the young dragoon with a bemused expression. He shot Maea a wink before making his way over to greet Kaisel - and, when he appeared, Remi.

Nodding in agreement, the soldier added to Remi's explanation. "And if you're wondering who's going to visit the Greatwood in general to train, then you haven't been paying attention," he said wryly, but not unkindly. "It used to be that people could stay in their home region and train there - but these days, we're all a lot more mobile. If you haven't gotten used to different climates and terrain, you're at a disadvantage."

With that lesson offered, Liam stepped back from the table to size up their group. "Thank you all for coming," he rumbled, rubbing the back of his neck uncomfortably. He'd never been one that aspired to a leadership role, and was much more comfortable following orders than giving them. Still, this had been his idea, and he was going to see it through to fruition. "As you know, we'll be building training grounds today. The trick will be making it one with the forest - we don't want to piss off the trees or the Fae. That means we're working with what we have and adding to it. No chopping down trees or digging up roots.

"The clearing should work well, but right now, it's covered in leaves and rocks. Let's start by clearing that away. There are rakes over there -" He gestured towards a pile of tools. "And I thought we could stack the rocks over here, in case we can make use of them later. So, er - whenever you're done with breakfast, let's get started."

---

Let's start by clearing the ground! Two people can rake up leaves, and two people can collect stones. No post order!

And you don't want to know me, I will just let you down
You don't wanna know me now

Maea

I am out with lanterns

Offering subdued waves to Kaisel and Remi as they joined up to work on the project, Maea sipped her tea and was still composing a witty retort for Liam when the topic moved on. The subtle wink he shot her drew a flush of color to her face, far too conscious of the presence of others; she hardly knew how to act around him in private, lately, let alone with an audience. Torn between relief that he didn't try to do anything and vague disappointment for the same reason, she buried her awkwardness in the flaky layers of a pastry until they were all had eaten their fill and were ready to begin.

Picking up a rake from the pile of tools, she picked a spot at random and began to clear the ground of fallen branches, twigs and leaves until the dirt beneath became visible. Leaving roots intact would encourage careful footwork while sparring; clever and practical, just how she liked things. 
"What do we do about these saplings?" she asked, as she neared one end of the clearing where young trees had begun to encroach on the open space. If left completely alone thr forest would eventually swallow the area... but by the sound of it Liam likely had some ideas.
Piling the leafy mulch into a fluffy perimeter, she started over and began raking her way across to another side, continuously shuffling the accumulated litter ahead of her.

---

Maea chooses to rake leaves and gets to work.

Looking for myself

Kaisel

His attention shifts from the butter-flaked perfection of pastries to the tree-tousled man that the forest deposits. His 'brows lift a bit in surprise, and he glances towards the still quivering boughs above as he greets the others. When he approaches though, with a hand and a name, Kaisel's face visibly brightens. "REMI!" he repeats with gusto, passing off the pastries to just one hand to free up his other, wherein he promptly dabs Remi up. His open palm slaps Remi's with a thumb hold, and he leans in for a quick half hug of their chest and shoulders. "My man," he says with genuine appreciation. "I did not know Flora's dad was like that." Clearly meaning, down to dab.

As for the lesson on the trees, which Liam only adds to, Kaisel finds himself vastly outnumbered by tree huggers here. The Greatwood has a way of rearranging itself is not what Kaisel likes to hear as the catch phrase of a forest. "Training to get creeped out," Kaisel mutters barely under his breath, the culmination of his take away from Remi and Liam's words. He feigns a cough to help cover it up, and polishes off the pastries as Liam doles out directions.

Licking off the butter residue and wiping the remnants on his pants, Kaisel sets about to moving rocks, careful to use the OSHA approved safe lifting position. This feels like training, or punishment, moving rocks from one location, to another, to just maybe move them again. "At what point is a rock considered a boulder," he thinks aloud as he struggles with one in particular, opting to roll it like the worlds saddest snowman base.

---

Kaisel moves rocks!

There's darkness in the distance
I'm beggin' for forgiveness
But I know I might resist it

Let's not get lost in the dark blue
But darling if we do, just find me and I'll find you

Remi raises a hand in a casual greeting toward Maea as she waves, offering her a small, knowing smile in return. Though he doesn’t comment aloud, he notices the way her cheeks flush after Liam ’s wink, and his expression softens just a touch—fond and quietly approving. He likes seeing her like this, tethered by something more than history or heartache. At least that's what he assumes it is.

Liam’s words earn a quiet hum of agreement. "Mobility does seem to be the name of the game lately," Remi murmurs in agreement; his voice carries a subtle weariness, like he’s been playing that game longer than most and is a bit over it. Still, as instructions are given and the task becomes clear, he rolls his shoulders and gives a cheerful nod.

And then—then he is very suddenly dapped up.

Remi’s hand is taken in a slap-grip before he can withdraw it, and he finds himself pulled into a strange shoulder-bump-hug that leaves Oria chittering indignantly and retreating deeper into his curls. Blinking, Remi glances down at the connection and then back up at Kaisel with bemused incredulity. "Ah. Okay? he says, uncertain whether he’s being greeted or inducted into a cult, though the magic that swirls out of his palm and filters through Kaisel's emotions very much suggests it's the former. At the shout of “REMI!” and “Flora’s dad,” however, he laughs aloud.

"Flora’s dad," he repeats, still chuckling, clearly more amused than affronted. "That’s new. I suppose I’ll take it over ‘Oh no, you must be here to kill me'." His voice is dry but good-natured, his smile crooked as he rubs at the back of his neck, wishing either Flora or Mateo were around to explain what had just happened.

Fortunately—or perhaps unfortunately—Kaisel does not linger on it, and Remi is free to step back, flexing his fingers once before casting a glance toward the rocks with mock solemnity. "Alright then."

Rather than walk toward the nearest pile, he extends a tentacle—and then a second, and then a third and fourth, all of them sprouting from his sides, shoulders, and back like a myth come to life. One emerges from the small of his back just to reach behind him for a drink, lifting it easily to his lips while the others begin scooping, sorting, and stacking.

Where Kaisel struggles with a stubborn stone, Remi drifts beside him and lifts it easily with two tentacles, hoisting it overhead like a piece of driftwood. "I think the boulder threshold might begin around here," he muses, straight-faced. "But I could be wrong."

the bastion

Styling stolen from Sky (obviously)

Liam

And I feel like my castle's crumbling down
And I watch all my bridges burn to the ground

Thoroughly bemused by the entire greeting between Kaisel and Remi - though not, it appeared, as bemused as poor Remi himself - Liam glanced at Maea with a look that clearly said, what the fuck just happened? in not so many words. Still, with introductions made and instructions given, it seemed that things were off to a good start. At least they all seemed content to help out, and that was all Liam could really ask for.

With Kaisel and Remi moving the rocks into a neat pile - which, with Remi's tentacles, took considerably less effort than anticipated - that left Liam and Maea to rake leaves. The soldier collected one of the rakes from the pile and got to work, moving the leaves from the center out to the edges of the clearing. No doubt they would blow back in at some point, but at least they could see what they were working with now.

"Right," said Liam when they all met back up at the tools and supplies. "Now we can take care of those saplings Maea found -"

But he was interrupted by a flock of birds that landed in the middle of the clearing. Seemingly their freshly cleaned area had attracted Whispershore Waders, which were now searching for their breakfast - and several of them were trying to steal what still lay out on the table housing the pastries and drinks.

"Okay, new plan," Liam said, shooing at one. "We need to get rid of these birds, but without pissing off the forest or the fae, so nothing violent. Any ideas?"

---

Oh no! We've got some unexpected visitors. How do we get rid of them? Discuss and/or give it your best shot!

The Whispershore Wader (Leafchange/Greatwood/Uncommon): is a long-beaked bird, not unlike a domestic chicken in stature and it is named for its beautiful, thick feathers which are coloured like the gemstones of Whispershore. They are most commonly found in the reeds along The Stonesong during LeafChange and are intelligent, persistent, and cursed with an insatiable appetite. This greedy creature is easily charmed with freshly caught fish and has a tendency to follow fisherman (or anyone), and raid their catch.

And you don't want to know me, I will just let you down
You don't wanna know me now

the bastion

I had a dream about a burning house
You were stuck inside, I couldn't get you out

The flock descends like a gang of jewel-toned hooligans, and Remi watches with open amusement as one particularly daring Wader makes a beeline for what’s left of the breakfast spread. The table rocks slightly under the bird’s weight, and Oria lets out a distressed tchhht! from her perch in his curls as a beak comes far too close for her liking.

"Well," Remi murmurs, smiling as if he’s just been invited to play a very old game, "that didn’t take long."

Without further warning, his form begins to shift. Feathers erupt where flesh had been, fur rippling down his spine as his bones stretch and fold and reshape with the ease of long practice. In a breath, the man is gone, replaced by the gleaming, winged shape of a lion—the pixui—its coat the soft gold of dawn and its wings vast and dappled like sunlight through leaves.

Oria quickly scrambles to a new perch between his shoulders, chittering in what sounds suspiciously like glee.

The lion gives a single, impressive shake of its mane and then surges forward with the fluidity of a much younger creature, wings flaring as he bounds toward the birds. He doesn’t roar so much as bellow—a rolling sound that echoes off the trees and sends leaves fluttering in panic. It's not aggressive, exactly, but it is the kind of noise that makes one deeply reconsider the quality of one’s choices.

---

Remi shifts and chases the birds!

I lay beside you and pulled you close
And the two of us went up in smoke

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!

Maea

I am out with lanterns

Catching Liam's eye, Maea could only shrug at the unspoken question. Because while she might look like she was the same age group as Kaisel, she belonged to the older generation, completely out of the loop when it came to 'hip' and 'trendy' lingo spilling from the youths mouth like an abstract fountain.

Leaning on the rake once the first step was completed, she was absolutely taking the opportunity to openly admire Liam in this leadership role when the colorful birds descended upon their breakfast. Liam darted for the leftovers, Remi shifted, and after quick consideration Maea called on her favorite magic, birthing a handful of fiery moths that she began to guide towards the table. Hopefully the fire itself would discourage the Waders from getting too close; she didn't try to hit them so much as establish a perimeter around the food. If that didn't scare them off, Remi's bellow might; it made her jump, and she'd seen this particular shift in action before.

With nothing immediately attacking her, she cast a quick glance towards Kaisel. Most likely he could take care of himself, but just to make sure...

---

Maea uses Scorch to send moth-shaped flames out to guard the table.

Scorch (Ancient): Can generate and manipulate flames within a 30ft radius, pulling heat from the environment or their own body.
Type: Dark | Rank: Mastered

Looking for myself

Kaisel

Kaisel stares in open awe as Remi grows several more limbs, enough in fact, to sacrifice one for a casual drink like this is light work. Which, apparently it is for him. Extra hands would have been envy-earning enough, but they gather the stones like they're cotton balls, even the beginner boulder. It's tugged out of his hands effortlessly, and Kaisel's head turns as he tracks it like the remaining toy inside the crane game. "Awesome," he grins. "How big of one can you lift??" His eyes widen, already running some calculations in the back of his mind. "Oh, I'm Kaisel by the way, I forgot to say earlier. Pastry brain." Because that's a real thing and not because Blu fucking forgot.

He might have rambled on for ages with at Remi, but the sudden arrival of the technicolor flocks distracts everyone and everything. Tentacles are swapped for luscious locks and claws, and flaming shapes gather around the food in a PRETTY hot display. Given all he's really got is a loud voice, dwarfed by Remi's roar, and blades, Kaisel opts for one of the granola bars in his pack. Thankfully, they already come pre-exploded into a bunch of tiny pieces, so he just opens one corner and chucks it deeper into the woods, crumbs spilling out in a trail to tempt the birds elsewhere.

---

Kaisel uses a granola bar

There's darkness in the distance
I'm beggin' for forgiveness
But I know I might resist it

Liam

And I feel like my castle's crumbling down
And I watch all my bridges burn to the ground

Maybe Liam should have expected something like this from the Greatwood - that, or perhaps for new trees to spring up just as they started building, or for the Stone Symphony to spontaneously jump its banks. As the Waders descended on the clearing, the soldier sighed through his nose. But the others were quick to leap into action.

Remi 's bellowing roar sent half the flock back into the air, squawking their displeasure. As if the noise wasn't enough, the pixui's surging movement had most of the rest of the birds rethinking their life choices.

The particularly daring Wader that had decided to raid the breakfast table was promptly chased off by Maea's flaming moths; a few birds darted towards the table from overhead, but promptly decided not to pursue that course of action as the flitting flames began to guard the table.

Which left Kaisel and his granola bar, which did draw a couple of birds away from the clearing and into the woods. They returned soon enough, however, having sated only a bit of their hunger on the crumbs offered by the young Dragoon. Still, upon seeing Remi's shifted form once more, they, too, took to the skies.

With the birds dispatched successfully, Liam waited for the others to regroup. "Thanks," he said. "As I was saying, now we can take care of those saplings and get started on the training areas. I was thinking that we could start with targets and dummies over there." He pointed to the northern side of the clearing. "There are supplies in the crates. For the saplings, we should be able to dig them up and relocate them, since they aren't that big yet." Flashing the group (and Maea in particular) a smile, he grabbed a shovel. "Let's get started."

---

The birds are gone! Yay! Now it's time to start constructing the training grounds.

1. One person to build archery targets from the set of blueprints in the crate
2. One person to stuff target dummies with straw
3. One person to help Liam dig up saplings and move them

Let's gooooo!

And you don't want to know me, I will just let you down
You don't wanna know me now

Maea

I am out with lanterns

If nothing else, the surprise visit did manage to finally shake the last cobwebs from Maea's sleep deprived mind. Bright and awake now, she watched with satisfaction how the marauders darted away from her moths and followed Kaisel's train of crumbs into the woods. "That went smoother than I expected," she noted, giving the young dragoon a thumbs up and Remi a toothy grin. Liam, in turn, received a somewhat lingering scrutiny - just to make triple sure he wasn't hurt - and when she was satisfied with the assessment, the fires she'd summoned burned out.

Exchanging the rake for a shovel, she bounded up to Liam before anyone else could claim the spot by his side. Smiling came easy these days, bright and generous in a way not seen for years upon years. Maybe Remi would remember the fleeting period some ten years earlier when she'd been head over heels in love, and draw some conclusions, but to anyone else it would probably seem out of character.
"What if we place the trees along the edge of the clearing, and braid them together?" she suggested as they began to dig, making sure not to harm the roots. "They'd grow into a living fence, almost."

---

Maea suggest planting the saplings around the perimeter of the training ground and weaving them into a living fence.

Looking for myself