[RE] Hide Away

random event Wind whips up the snow in a small tornado of air, a glimmering glow within the Tundra that would distract those either coming or departing from the portal. It’s a dark night, illuminated only by the stars and the moon – and something else. As the wind around dies down, something emerges from the snow. Sharp tusks from a body of a pale bear, ghostlike in nature and glimmering with an almost transparent appearance, a growl reverberating from its ominous and sudden appearance. It begins to wander the Tundra. This is a rare animal sighting! You must post within 24 hours to have seen this creature!

DELPHiA

Did you say ghost ursur? Delphia was there in a heartbeat.

Tishy had been the one to alert her to the strange being off and far away. She meowed and hissed at the portal, thus drawing the demigoddess' curiosity. Deciding to indulge it (after grabbing warm clothes of course), she followed the cat sith kitten into the cold of Halo. Once there she too felt the strange presence, heading out into the tundra until the undead beast was clear as day before her. "Well, what have we here?" she muttered to herself, smiling at the ghost beast.

Spoiler Alert: Everybody Dies

Code blatantly stolen from Sky

Saiden hadn't actually been through the portals yet. But after speaking to Melita, who mentioned mageglass, and Weaver, who'd made Halo seem almost pleasant, the Hali had decided to check it out. He'd traded food for clothes appropriate to the climate. Even then, he found himself shivering almost immediately as he stepped through to the frozen land.

More food got him on a road. He began wandering down it, moving briskly to try and keep himself warm. However, his late start in Torchline served him poorly here: night fell before he reached some semblance of civilization.

Unfortunately, the stars weren't the only thing that emerged; there was something in the distance, some apparition wandering the snows, with an unfamiliar woman beside it. Hesitating for just a moment, he departed from the path, making his way towards the strange pair. However, when he saw it was a weird ass ghost bear, he stopped right where he was, making no move to approach further.

Coding base by Sky!

but i come to life, come to life

some princes don't become kings

Departing the bar in Halo was an easy task. It’s cold as per usual, but this time when he goes to the Kraai and returns, he’s not alone. Nate’s there, at his side as well while they begin to head toward the Portal under the cover of night to get back to Torchline and warmer weather and far less snow. He almost doesn’t notice it at first, not while Haai dives and spins above them in the chilled air. But a glimmer of light and some echoing roar has him pulling the furs that cover his body tighter, shifting to focus on the source of it. “Did you see that?” He says, glancing toward Nate – partially shifting his eyes to his panther shift to better see across the expanse of night.

even at the best of times,

i'm out of my mind

SUNJATA

there's light at the edge of the darkness

Loren heard the reports of a new creature roaming the Tundra almost immediately. Leaving the infirmary (and Astra) behind, he’d found an open window. Shifting into a goose, he’d leapt into the air, wings pumping and carrying him high above the Citadel and then out over the Tundra.

His eyes scanned the landscape below, though they weren't exactly suited towards this type of search. Thankfully, the creature wasn't making itself scarce. It was a ghostly looking Ursur. If this was a spirit of some kind, then Delphia's presence made total sense.

Descending, he landed beside the demi-goddess. Shifting back to human, he eyed the thing wandering the snows warily, but not with any hostility. "Any idea what this is?" He crossed his arms as he waited for her response.

loren

Coding base by Sky!

her eyes they know too much

Having visited the Arcane Academy and spoken with Zariah, Eloise was on her way back to the portal when...

..well. When all of this happened. Though she knew both Delphia and Sunjata, it was to Saiden that she promptly ran. Dressed ridiculously for the cold (Torchline wasn't known for its furs), she reached for one of the cook's hands, if only to warm her own. "Hey, something happened. I can't be healed, so don't let me die, yeah?" She laughed breathlessly towards him, standing on her tip-toes but still nowhere near his ear.

she'll treat you like somebody but you just can't touch

'cause karma's just a different word for bad luck &

Halo is a change from Torchline, and far from pleasant for the ascended, even without feeling the cold. At least he's not doing a walk of shame back towards the portal this time, at least he's actually come from something halfway decent. And the bundled up man at his side pushes the experience right back up to decent. He's in the middle of talking about nothing, trying to be more of a distraction from the cold when Sunjata stops him, and Nate turns to follow his gaze. "I see... something." He says softly, trying to focus on the glow. "Is that a bear?"

what if death is just another pair of handcuffs?

NATE

When we can’t control fire,

we name it “wild”

Alina had been continuing her scouting missions. Today, she'd misjudged the time, and was still flying above the Tundra when night fell. Cursing, she took a tighter grip on her spear and began flying back towards the mountains and their portal. As she did, though she spotted an unusual sight and an even more unusual gathering.

There appeared to be a ghostly version of the creature that Weaver had described to the Fae, an Ursur. Eyes narrowing, Alina descended to a lower height so she could get a better look at the spirit. However, she didn't land. Instead, she gave it and everything below a careful berth.

when we can’t control God,

we name it “war”

ALINA

Base Code by Sky!

my whole life is mine, but whoever says so will deprive me,

for it is infinite.

Although they'd finished their explorations of Halo, Amun still visited every now and then. He'd set up a lively trade between his studio and some of the merchants there. After dropping off his latest delivery and accepting the furs he'd asked for in exchange, he turned to head back out home, the night not a deterrence or a barrier to him.

Of course, on his way home there was unsurprisingly a disturbance. Peering into the distance, he saw something weird was going on, some spirit or other wandering the snows. He also spotted more than a few familiar faces. Walking up to Nate and Sunjata, the potter winked at the doctor. "Is that a ghost bear or are you just happy to see me?"

Then Amun turned to face the bartender. An uncharacteristically solemn and sympathetic look appeared on the potter's features, and he laid a gentle hand on Sunjata's shoulder. "I'm sorry for your loss. I miss her too." Maybe Amun's eyes glittered with fluid, or maybe it was just a trick of the moonlight.

by being moved I exert my empire,

making the dreams of night real

AMUN

you and me on this frozen sea we slide

Tonight was not an unusual night for the hunter. He was on his way back to his home from a day of scouting. Having not been hunting, with no game to bring him, he moved easily along in his reindeer form. He descended from the Fangs with keen eyes, knowing that danger still lurked behind every turn. As he moved along, alone, a deep, bellowing growl reverberated in his ears. He lifted his head, suddenly. He could barely believe what he saw, but it surely was there. The glimmering figure was unmistakable to the natural Halovian.

He shifted back into human form, standing tall as the others gathered to marvel at what they had just seen. He stood just a little off from them, but he scanned the forming group for familiar faces. None thus far.

NOAH OLSON

Weaver spends a lot of time in the Tundra. Whether it is trekking between the portal and the Citadel or hunting, she is no stranger to the wasteland of her home. There is something different about tonight though. For starters, it is not as quiet as it should be. Second, there is something off. She can feel it long before she spots the reason.

Descending The Fangs with her scythe on her back and her black cloak on and the hood pulled up, Weaver spots the growing crowd of people. One does not see crowds in the Tundra. Not unless there is something going on, which would explain the prickle on the back of her neck. Weaver makes her way to the group, eventually spotting what they see. It’s an ursur (of course it’s a damn ursur), but it’s ghostly in its form. Keeping to the back of the group, Weaver slides up next to Noah. She knows many of the faces here, but right now, she only trusts another Halovian. ”Well I’ll fucking be,” she mutters to the other hunter.

weaver

-- ask no questions, and you'll be told no lies --

Quote by Charles Dickens

EVIE Evie does not often explore the uninhabited regions of Halo, but when she does well. She has a habit of running into large crowds and interesting sights. Last time had been the genie, and now? Well, she still isn't quite sure what she's seeing even as she approaches the gathered crowd. It's a gossamer sort of creature, lumbering and slow in a way she recognizes, but with an ephemeral form she can't trace to any living being. So perhaps, then, it's not living? Evie only knows one or two people scattered about, so she stands off a little to the side, keeping to herself as she watches the slow traversal with a quiet sort of awe. Please don't ever become a strange whose laugh I could recognize anywhere

coding by sky!

Each day you wake up with an aching
For something to set you apart

Ah, another day another ridiculously spontaneous gathering of people around some strange phenomenon. Hotaru isn't one to sit things out and be left behind so of course she's bright-eyed and bushy tailed as she approaches the crowd, but the reality of it all is that the creature is...well...

Boring.

It moves with a slow purposeful stride, and is quite beautiful in an untouchable sort of way. But not nearly so fun as curse-giving genies or cannibal groups. Nevertheless Hotaru joins the watchers for a moment, watching the odd creature voyage over the snow and onward to a plane of existence they cannot reach.

Strip the scales from your heart
(It never comes, it never comes)

The trail of people was impossible to miss, so though Jigano had been on his way to see Loren his curiosity led him to follow in the wake of so many others before him. A white fox against white snow in the night, he was a silent witness for the moment as the many gathered to watch the shimmering specter that began to roam.

Most of those already there he knew, though some strangers stood among them. He padded in delicate paws to Evie 's side, blinking wry blue eyes up at her before settling his fluffy warmth against her leg, wrapping his tail around her feet to help keep them warm while they stand their voiceless vigil.