Perhaps Sam wouldn't see it since he wasn't looking at him, but Jigano nodded slowly in response to Sam's faith, hoping against hope that it wouldn't be betrayed (again and again). His own attention remained on the pillar, pulling it down slow and controlled so they didn't lose the very prize they had worked to create.
At last it came into reach, and the bard looked back to see what his friend had devised to safely carry the sparking metal, still sizzling with the aftershocks of the lightning strike. It wasn't perfect, but it was better than nothing, and the bard pulled the earth down a little further before stepping back to give Sam access to the bar, softening the soil around it as he did so.
The offer of a favor, and it's acceptance, had him drawing in a slow breath as he gave a thoughtful nod. "I would like some Ascended fluid, please. It doesn't need to be a lot. But after what happened with Wessex in the Spire... I'm trying to devise a way to prevent someone from biting me without permission." His smile was mirthless as he tilted his head at Sam. "I trust you and Rex to never do it without asking, but Wessex... well. We've got history, she and I, and suffice to say the bite is an intimacy I would never willingly share with her. Or most others, in truth." Amun was also questionable, in his book, and Lucas had likely stolen Ludo's mask from Remi, resulting in the loss of the alchemist's memories. Nor was there any guarantee that other Outlander Ascended who came through would be upright citizens, any more than Outlanders of any other race. The Devil's Advocates were proof of that.
At last it came into reach, and the bard looked back to see what his friend had devised to safely carry the sparking metal, still sizzling with the aftershocks of the lightning strike. It wasn't perfect, but it was better than nothing, and the bard pulled the earth down a little further before stepping back to give Sam access to the bar, softening the soil around it as he did so.
The offer of a favor, and it's acceptance, had him drawing in a slow breath as he gave a thoughtful nod. "I would like some Ascended fluid, please. It doesn't need to be a lot. But after what happened with Wessex in the Spire... I'm trying to devise a way to prevent someone from biting me without permission." His smile was mirthless as he tilted his head at Sam. "I trust you and Rex to never do it without asking, but Wessex... well. We've got history, she and I, and suffice to say the bite is an intimacy I would never willingly share with her. Or most others, in truth." Amun was also questionable, in his book, and Lucas had likely stolen Ludo's mask from Remi, resulting in the loss of the alchemist's memories. Nor was there any guarantee that other Outlander Ascended who came through would be upright citizens, any more than Outlanders of any other race. The Devil's Advocates were proof of that.
