Isuma paused a foot away from Ingrid, looking up at her with fearlessly curious wide golden eyes and a cheerful tilt of her head as she chirruped a quiet greeting. Jigano hid a smile as he saw how distracted his guest was by the little gryphon. He continued to speak, hoping that something he said would be useful, and it was - at least for him, as Ingrid confirmed Halo's name and added Caido's to his list.
"It's Safrin's book, not mine," he said mildly, amusement flickering in his eyes at her brash presentation. "And no, she didn't mention... them?" He wasn't clear on the pronouns, so for the moment he stayed neutral, trying to coax a little more information from the young woman from the land of snows. "But then, I still don't know your name, either," he teased gently, to see how she would react to it.
Her own brief history lesson meshed well with what he already knew and he nodded agreement of the war, though he hadn't realized the Ascended had been involved in Halo's extreme temperatures. Since he hadn't yet been there he found it fascinating, even if her vulgar descriptions tugged a smile from the corners of his lips, enjoying her down-to-earth manner. The smile faded as she continued and he exhaled a sigh, sitting back with a more sober expression. "We've suspected as much," he said quietly. "When Zariah and the others first brought the barrier down the Ascended moved into the Greatwood, the Fae forest to the north of us, and the Voice used them to spread a Blight - a sickness upon the land and people that twisted them... us," he amended with a wince. "Turning plants, animals, people... into monstrous shadows of what they had been, and sucking the life from the land beyond the barrier. It took Rae, Vi, and the sacrifice of a Wild Fae named Arduinna to counteract the infection and save those of us who had been attacked by it." His brows knit together in a frown as he looked at her soberly. "In their attempts to reopen the portals the Ascended, led by Wessex, have already killed Fae guardians and Rae's serpent who had been set to protect the portal here. So, yes, I can readily believe that things will be getting worse soon. I don't suppose your beliefs are common in Halo? Or will the Ascended be welcome there?"
"It's Safrin's book, not mine," he said mildly, amusement flickering in his eyes at her brash presentation. "And no, she didn't mention... them?" He wasn't clear on the pronouns, so for the moment he stayed neutral, trying to coax a little more information from the young woman from the land of snows. "But then, I still don't know your name, either," he teased gently, to see how she would react to it.
Her own brief history lesson meshed well with what he already knew and he nodded agreement of the war, though he hadn't realized the Ascended had been involved in Halo's extreme temperatures. Since he hadn't yet been there he found it fascinating, even if her vulgar descriptions tugged a smile from the corners of his lips, enjoying her down-to-earth manner. The smile faded as she continued and he exhaled a sigh, sitting back with a more sober expression. "We've suspected as much," he said quietly. "When Zariah and the others first brought the barrier down the Ascended moved into the Greatwood, the Fae forest to the north of us, and the Voice used them to spread a Blight - a sickness upon the land and people that twisted them... us," he amended with a wince. "Turning plants, animals, people... into monstrous shadows of what they had been, and sucking the life from the land beyond the barrier. It took Rae, Vi, and the sacrifice of a Wild Fae named Arduinna to counteract the infection and save those of us who had been attacked by it." His brows knit together in a frown as he looked at her soberly. "In their attempts to reopen the portals the Ascended, led by Wessex, have already killed Fae guardians and Rae's serpent who had been set to protect the portal here. So, yes, I can readily believe that things will be getting worse soon. I don't suppose your beliefs are common in Halo? Or will the Ascended be welcome there?"
