you'll never miss me

Freedom never felt so light. A day or two after resigning, Wessex can be seen again in the settlement, walking with a purpose towards where she heard the new Monster Hunters Guildmistress might be found. There’s a sense of calm about her, of wrapping loose ends up and cutting ties where there really had only been loose ones before. The Guild had never needed her, and now that Ronin wasn’t leading it well - it’s nothing personal, in fact, she'd genuinely enjoyed sparring against the vulture - and she does wish the new guild all the best. But it isn’t an organization to which she’s contributed, and mostly vice versa (though she will find a use for the monster spray one day). Coming up to the random building that is definitely not the rebuilt MHG door, Wessex knocks and pulls back her hood to reveal her face, then steps back, and waits for the young woman to answer. Kiada WESSEX She whispered back, I am the storm

her wild feral stare, her dark hair

her winter lips

They had managed to put together enough of a building that could stand. But for the time being, there wasn’t much else. She hadn’t started the actual preparations, just the base bones of everything. And so she’s surprised, immensely, when there’s a knock upon the door – setting her notes aside while Auni lounges in what would hopefully soon become the meeting room. She’d been writing what things need to be done to actually reopen, to hopefully keep the name of it all as proud as Ronin would have it.

She feels as though she has huge steps to fill. She hopes she can keep up.

Making her way to the door, she’s dressed in naught much more than a sleeveless shirt, hair tied back, hands dirty from moving wood and her note taking, scars on full display as she regards the woman on the other side of the door. “Wessex.” She greets calmly, coolly, having never really spoken to her outside of a sparring match and the insanity of the Cloister. But she still steps aside, beckoning the ex-Queen in, before shutting the door behind the Wraith.

“What brings you by?” She asks quietly, iceberg eyes drifting toward Auni as the Luxere approaches Wessex with interest, head and antlers low to sniff at the woman’s calves.

as cold as stone

KIADA

“Guildmistress,” the ex-Queen replies with a nod before accepting the invitation to step inside. Standing to one side of the door as Kiada closes it behind her, she scans the bare bones of the building, but it’s actually Auni who catches her attention. As the curious creature approaches, Wessex crouches down and extends her hands out as a scent offering to the half-sized luxere. “A quick errand,” she offers, staying with the companion for a moment before standing back up. “You’ve got a good start. I’m impressed.” Not that her opinion means anything to the woman, but it should be said. Ronin likely made a good choice, but then only time will tell. “Anyway, I came to talk to you about my membership in the guild.” WESSEX She whispered back, I am the storm

her wild feral stare, her dark hair

her winter lips

A wry smile curls the corner of her lip up in a smile at the title Wessex calls her. It’s the first time she’s heard someone address her as such, despite the Notice Board announcement from Ronin, and something about it fills her with a sort of satisfaction. That yes, she is a guild mistress now, and yes, she has some sort of power when it comes to the guild and those within it.

Auni, having been created by strange circumstances, doesn’t have any qualms with half of the people he meets. Where usually Luxere would stray from those with deadly hands, with dark magics, Auni barges straight through those. And as Wessex reaches down to allow him to sniff, he greedily dies before aiming to brush his lip against Wessex’s outstretched hand, a small nibble attempt for scratches or food, before the Wraith stands again and the Harpy’s gaze lands on the woman before her.

“Thanks.” She says to the compliment, looking around at the bare walls, the beginnings of something new for her and the Hollowed Grounds. But Wessex’s comment on membership has her icy gaze drifting back to the woman with a soft, almost conspirator smile. “I don’t have a list of who the current members are, but you’re welcome to join if that’s what you want to do.” She says with an easy shrug. If Wessex was already a member? Oops. If not, the offer is there. Besides, they could use some Ascended for the prospect of Halo and its cold temperatures when it came to learning of or slaying the monsters within. “Could always use more help.” Her head tilts up slightly with the offer laid out.

as cold as stone

KIADA

Well. That wasn’t what Wessex had expected. Perhaps she’s misunderstood - or underestimated Kiada - which would be easy to do, given that the ex-Queen hardly knows the girl. Auni quickly wins her over (it isn’t hard, animals are better than people and the Ascended is somewhat starved for mortal affection), with Wessex making a mental note to bring him a treat or something to munch on if she ever comes calling again. And if the companion decides to stick around she will offer it absentminded scritches while she chats with the Guildmistress. “Well,” Wessex begins with a slightly surprised look. “That wasn’t the answer I was expecting. I’d come to terminate my membership, but you’re the boss and if you have a differing opinion…” spreading her hands in a semi-shrug, the Ascended woman begins to think a bit. “I haven’t done jack shit for the Guild in the past.” Not that she hadn't wanted to, but PQ spaces filled up quickly it hadn't worked out, timing-wise. WESSEX She whispered back, I am the storm

her wild feral stare, her dark hair

her winter lips

“Ah.” She muses thoughtfully. So they both hadn’t expected it at all, and Kiada snorts quietly at her mistake before she rolls her shoulders in a light shrug. “You can if you want to. I was thinking that the Ascended might be better suited for exploring Halo’s creatures. But it’s up to you, nothing is set in stone.” She shrugs lightly once again before her mouth forms a sly smile.

“Originally I was going to talk to my mother about it but seeing as she’s blind now until your goddess helps with that, I have nothing to talk to her about. Besides she’s likely busy with Queen things.” She offers easily, kneeling down slightly to brush her hands along Auni’s shoulders and guide him a bit further in, though he remains pressed as much as he can against the Ascended woman. “I wasn’t a member of the Guild until I offered my help to Ronin. And well? Here we are.” Hands splay out across the expanse of the new construction, a playful smile along her lips as she looks back to the older woman.

as cold as stone

KIADA

The guildmistress has her there, and Wessex nods in agreement at her assessment of her kind’s suitability to the harsh conditions of the land. “We are, indeed. From what I understand of Halo, the cold may be deadly even for Attuned in their fur and feathers. At least in Deepfrost and Leafchange.” Taking a moment to mull over what Kiada’s said, she smiles absently down at Auni and continues her ministrations of the companions head and ears. “If I may be bold, I think your mother could use a bit of a break from dangerous excursions,” she says with a wry tone, refraining from commenting how she called her mother a Queen. The Wraith didn’t think they’d named anyone Queen again, since that was what the group seemed to vote directly against. A leader, yes. Someone to perhaps head a council - and that was the charge she gave Rex, to figure out how to elect a council and be temporarily in charge. But another Queen? Maybe the wound is open just a tad, despite her protestations that she doesn’t care. “I suppose I’ll stay, then,” Wessex says suddenly. “I have some Monster Repellant that Ronin gave me, it would be nice to put it to good use.” Since it doesn’t seem to work against the LongNight monsters. And while she’s here… “Anything I can do to help now? Seem to have a lot more time on my hands.” WESSEX She whispered back, I am the storm

her wild feral stare, her dark hair

her winter lips

Kiada nods as well to that statement. “I went for a brief excursion not that long ago, and I can tell you my vulture shift hated it.” She hadn’t tried her caracal shift – a creature meant for warmer weather at the end of the day. Her ears might have frozen clean off of her head. But the thought still gathers a small wry smile to cross her face.

But the mention of her mother catches her attention again, and she snorts softly before she shakes her head and shrugs. “I suppose.” And besides, there had been no word from her mother since, about changes in titles or names, of councils put together or offered, it had become eerily silent. And so, Kiada, had chosen the last title that was given. Queen. From Wessex’s reign, to her own mothers. Until someone told her different.

She’s pleased, regardless, when Wessex mentions she’ll stay. A brighter smile crossing her face, though the anxieties of it still hinted in the way she smiles, certainly thinking that the Ascended woman would prefer to have her new freedom alone. “Monster repellant?” She repeats in case she hasn’t heard correctly, before she walks over to the counter and grabs a piece of paper and a quill. “Well, I’m almost ready to get people to come together to rebuild this place. But then I thought maybe we could use it as a means of gathering information. Not necessarily slaying, but studying… Especially the creatures that appear seasonally.” Since those were on a time crunch before they slipped away.

Her gaze lifts to Wessex then with that same small smile. “What would you say if I had you go and see about what kind of creatures lived in Halo and report back to me on what you find, what kind of excursions we could try to do?” It seemed simple enough.

as cold as stone

KIADA

“That’s what the bottle says,” Wessex confirms, “Usually forget it’s even in my bag.” A shrug. She’s old school, using weapons and bio-upgrades before items. And who has time to fiddle with strings and such while facing a monster? “Doesn’t work on LongNight monsters, though, I can tell you that.” Studying, not slaying? That seems to be more of a loreseekers thing than a Monster Hunting kind of thing, but Wessex can get behind not killing something if it doesn’t pose a threat and they don’t need to eat. They’re no longer starving and they have places to run, places to protect themselves in, and last resorts in other lands. Perhaps they need to redefine threat - and no, she’s not talking about everyone vs. Ascended. Maybe. Matching her small smile, Wessex casually reveals a lead-in to what could be considered another one of her secrets. “I’d say I don’t have to go to Halo to tell you about them. To find specifics and scout the environment, yes. But not to find out what lives there. Frost Giants, Ursurs, Dragons…” she taps the side of her head in a knowing way. “What would you like to know about first?” WESSEX She whispered back, I am the storm

her wild feral stare, her dark hair

her winter lips

A quiet snort is given to Wessex at the mention that she forgets it’s even in her bag, ready to make a quip at it until she mentions it doesn’t work on LongNight monsters and her amusement fades, her body stilling slightly as her icy gaze lingers on the woman. “A shame.” She acknowledges, a frown finding herself. Perhaps she could talk to Wessex about her task, about her opinions on what the creature had required, what options they might have. “LongNight monsters are something I’m absolutely interested in.” Unfortunately. As much as she really doesn’t want to be.

“I found one before the Guild burned down and wasn’t strong enough to take it down, had to make a deal with it.” She frowns a bit deeper, lines forming along the sides of her mouth as though she spent much of her time frowning. She does. Often.

But it seems Wessex is full of surprises, and her head tilts in an avian way. The information is a very pleasant surprise, and she almost beams to the Ascended woman, despite tightening her emotions down on the task. “Ooh, full of surprises.” She acknowledges, a quiet hummed laugh, as she turns to the desk and beckons Wessex closer to take a seat with her if she wished to. She reaches for paper and a quill, settling in and focusing on her writing. “I suppose let’s start with the Frost Giants?” Her eyes lift to the Ascended woman, ready to soak in the information, ready to add it to the start of the new guild.

as cold as stone

KIADA

The Wraith can’t help but raise an eyebrow as Kiada confesses she’s interested in LongNight monsters. Does the girl have a death wish? Almost everyone she’s known who’s taken an interest in the monsters have ended up dead. Not only that, but apparently she’s managed to do something similar to Wessex in regard to the nightmares. “Interesting. I was able to deal with them too, but as far as I know that’s a very recent development. Only within the past two years.” And she couldn’t go out and investigate the way she wanted to this year. Which was probably a good thing, given the near-death experiences many seemed to face. A brief pause as she tilts her head towards the Guildmistress. “Any particular reason for the interest?” Taking a seat on the other side of the desk, Wessex leans in a little, curiosity evident. She’ll come back to the Frost Giants in a moment. WESSEX She whispered back, I am the storm

her wild feral stare, her dark hair

her winter lips

“Hmm.” She muses at first, settling in her chair and letting her icy gaze linger on Wessex as she asks the next question, the Wraith’s head tilted with the inquiry, and Kiada frowns momentarily as she sets the quill down and her hand drifts down to scratch at Auni’s head between his ears, behind his antlers. “Last LongNight when I was out getting Auni and Isla died, my… I guess we would’ve been engaged now? My childhood love who arrived here before I did, despite dying in Helovia, tried to get into the Rathskeller and nobody had let him in.” She frowns slightly, eyes glazing at the memory as she scratches Auni for support.

“I talked to Ludo when I had the blight, I asked to see him if it were possible. But even Ludo didn’t know where his soul was. The LongNight monsters had him. So it tasked me with going out on LongNight and finding the monster that had his soul, and to kill it to retrieve the soul.” A brief sigh before she shakes her head and focuses back on Wessex, some fiery determination beneath her gaze. “Jigano went with me, but we weren’t strong enough. And I came back empty handed, miraculously still alive. It wants as many Ascended upgrades as I think equate to what his soul is worth.” Her head tilts slightly. “But I can’t equate his soul in worth, nor do I want to create another Spire Demon. So I want to try and lure it and kill it next LongNight.” It’s not a brief explanation, but the cards are on the table, and she lets her gaze land on Wessex further to see how the Ascended takes the information.

as cold as stone

KIADA

It’s a surprising story, one Wessex never would have expected. She listens attentively, pulled in by Kiada’s tale of love and loss and attempts to set a soul free. Nodding thoughtfully, the demi-god tries to tip-toe around a couple of things whilst still remaining helpful. “They want to be reborn. And I assume they think that if they collect enough pieces and parts that they’ll be able to do something with them - or the Voice will put them back together again.” She sighs. “It’s how I was able to make a deal with them. They could tell I’d been reborn. I don’t know if it conveyed a level of.. Respect or what. But they put Rory’s farmhouse back together again at my request, so…” A shrug, this time. Conveying that even she is guessing at the reality of why's and how's. Then she turns her gaze on Kiada, earnest and open. “If you want, I could come with you next LongNight. I don’t think they can ever really be controlled, but my… status might be helpful in making it give up his soul” Another pause and a brief, unnecessary breath. “Not just as the only Ascended ever reborn, but also as demi-god.” Fully aware that everything she’s just said is a massive gamble combined with a bomb that may not be taken particularly well, the ex-Queen also lays her cards on the table and wonders what kind of winning hand the two of them can make. Fierce women have to help other fierce women. It’s code. WESSEX She whispered back, I am the storm

her wild feral stare, her dark hair

her winter lips

Wessex remains silent through her story, and her icy gaze drifts up to linger on the Ascended as the older woman offers tidbits of information. And instead of jotting the commentary about the creatures of Halo, Kiada instead writes down small little notes from what Wessex tells her. About rebirth, piecing themselves back together, almost like children seeking attention from their mother, and she frowns slightly but nods.

But then she pauses, when Wessex offers her own help next LongNight, stilling slightly before she comments that she’s also a demi god don’t go unnoticed. “Congratulations.” She offers at first, lips pursing slightly as she thinks on it. “I want to bring more back up next time… We need Jigano and his lantern to hold the soul to get Ru’in to Ludo. I would like to bring Deimos too.” A brief pause as she considers and tilts her head. “If you’re still willing next LongNight I’d be glad to have your help too.” A small smile crossing her face.

as cold as stone

KIADA