look upon a ruin

Deimos He knew the ripples and rivulets of the Stonesong; not like the Fae, who might’ve memorized it like a book, traced over its patterns and whirls, its currents and stark contrasts with sharpened rocks and nettled knives, the cold, chilling expanse, the rush of strength and oblivion stretching over soil. But he’d submerged himself once, with Ronin, playing fool’s games and applying their own power into the manifestations, daring, provoking, seething and simmering on the never-ending, eternal rush of water and where it might have led – laboring muscles until there were dull aches and inflated egos, testing limits, fortitude and might in the swing of arms swimming upstream. The temptation might have been there today, had it been any other nuance, any other season, any other notation – but the world had been punctured again, and he had too many other things to do, too many other duties to partake. So he drew away from the enticing shoreline, the call of some ancient, primordial, sea-laden foam echoing past his lungs, glimmers of tides and shoals like ghosts in his veins and in his eyes – gaze laden upon Zuriel nearby, as she inspected leaves, nettles, and thorns. She shook her head, snorted, at once irritated he’d distracted himself from the task at hand, and he pressed into the wake of the forest again, too many elements scratching, clawing, and gnawing at his skin, at his surface, at his soul. Bag over his shoulder, the other leaves he’d snagged resting within, he continued on his search, bending down to inspect a particular leaflet and its withering fronds. Out of sight and out of mind Make everything alright So let the sky and sea collide Just not in our lifetime

you may say that i'm a dreamer

You're sitting in the crook of a tree, covered in mushrooms and moss, when the man walks by. The first adjective that occurs to you is large - indeed, you have never seen a human so large, though perhaps you have seen taller. It makes you blink, this specimen - is its side an evolutionary advantage? He must make a great predator, you think.

The second adjective is focused. He seems very focused on something, his attention fixed on the leaves on the ground. Is he tracking something, maybe? Stalking his prey? You cannot help it: curious as ever you rise up from your accidental camouflage, quietly stepping over to stand in some level of proximity to the large man (not close enough for him to grab, in case he is feeling very predatory, but close enough to peer at the ground in front of him).

And then you wait, content for the moment to simply watch what he'll do next, to observe a hunter at his work.

Deimos With the roar of the Stonesong behind him, out of sight, out of mind, his attention remained on the depths of leaves and fathoms of shadows instead. The particular frond he was looking for had to be around the middling contortion of wither and decay, perhaps half assembled in green, while the other had already been touched and scorched by demands of death. He hadn’t even given it a second thought as to others wandering the grounds, used to partaking into the woods on his lonesome without a care, without a rhyme, without a reason – so deliberately intertwined and honed in on his search, that he failed to notice the blending of another in the notches of trees. Zuriel had though. Her head shot up from where it’d been pushing past thorns and nettles, nares widening in a similar quest for the Shield, puncturing gaze segmenting, striving to pinpoint where she’d heard earthen nuances, noises, sounds, too soft, too delicate, perhaps for the Sword’s senses. A snort of warning and alarm traced through her motions, and only then did Deimos turn his attention towards her, tilting his head a fraction, curiosity and concern lacing through the silence. Her cranium inclined forward, a toss of her regal crown, to which he followed, and his own gaze was suddenly upon another’s: brown and unfamiliar, as if they were meant to be furtive, secretive, in their camouflage and distinction. Bewildered, surprised, and a little irritated that he’d been caught so easily, his jaw clenched, his heart beat between ribs and chambers, and his brow furrowed. But on what to otherwise do or say, he was entirely lost. The youth didn’t appear threatening (it would’ve been simple to unwind magic and contortions, pummel and blast away at a supposed enemy). “Who are you?” He settled for a different strategy and method to the foretold madness. Out of sight and out of mind Make everything alright So let the sky and sea collide Just not in our lifetime

you may say that i'm a dreamer

It doesn't take long for you to be noticed - not that you were doing very much to hide. You hadn't expected to surprise him so thoroughly, though (must not be as good a predator as you thought if he didn't see you coming), and your bashful expression communicates as much, appropriately chagrined at setting him so ill at ease. "I'm Kai," you answer honestly, because what's the point in lying? "Who are you?"

Your bare toes squish in the fallen leaves as the two of you face off - him tall and muscular, you small and slight. Reaching a hand out in customary greeting, you careen your neck up to look at the stranger's face. "What're you doin'?"

Deimos Kai, nothing more, nothing less, a dweller of brush, fronds, and trees. He pondered what to do next, until the question was prospered back in return, eyes narrowing, speculation cast into silence. “Deimos.” Naught else to signify either; hands extended, a shake, and then reeling back from his prior movements and motions. It wasn’t a surprise, despite any prior bewilderments, to see and hear the other insisted on knowing what he was doing – bizarre and strange under normal circumstances. He wasn’t sure what this constituted now. “Looking for leaves,” which sounded utterly all the more ridiculous, except not when concerning who and what it was for. “On a quest from Safrin.” A shrug, before he rumbled directly back to where he’d been before, glancing around for a significant leaflet with a brush of decay and strokes of life still remaining, not yet gone, not yet full either. Out of sight and out of mind Make everything alright So let the sky and sea collide Just not in our lifetime

you may say that i'm a dreamer

If Deimos expected you to be dissuaded from your curiosity by the declaration of looking for leaves, he is in for an abrupt, rude surprise. And the fact that it's for Safrin! Well. Your brown eyes widen in childish delight. "Leaves? What kinda leaves? An' why for Safrin? I never met Safrin- why does she want leaves?"

You're already staring at the ground, investigating for leaves with all the dedication and thoroughness of one given the task themselves, rather than a random interloper. Bending at the waist, you emerge with a bright gold oak leaf clutched in your hand. "This one reminds me'a the sun. Whaddya think?"

Deimos He might’ve been hoping for the youth to simply be bored enough to flee the scene – leaf discussion wasn’t a worthwhile experience for everyone – but it seemed to have the opposite effect. Ebullience and excitement followed instead, and Deimos had to reel in the natural instinct to fetter right back into the shadows. The questions were some he’d already answered other friends and companions, but to anoint them upon a stranger felt somewhat daunting or problematic; tempted once more to shift away from the scene; reserve drawn up, walls threatening to heighten. He wasn’t even sure where to start. Biding his time, the General’s hands sifted through a variety of fronds and leaflets curling along some brush, Zuriel eyeing the entire scene nearby, an enigmatic dash of humor coiling its way through their connection. He thought about rolling his eyes in her direction, but she would’ve already sensed his mood. “I need one almost midway through decomposing,” came on a rumble, his gaze not lifting from the verdant growth. “I asked her for help in healing someone.” Amalia was more than someone, but he kept everything as hidden and tucked away as he could, when peering too deep into the unknown. However, Kai seemed either not to care about any of the latter; since he was already embarking along the ground anyway. His findings were quick, like the sun, and the Sword had to admit the brightness, the hues, were like incandescent rays. “Yes,” nodding, tilting his head a fraction while he calculated. “Can you find one similar, but still with a tinge of green?” As if its life was slowly being eclipsed by the vivid blends, by the march of time and derision. Out of sight and out of mind Make everything alright So let the sky and sea collide Just not in our lifetime

you may say that i'm a dreamer

Using leaves to heal someone does not faze you in the least. You nod as though these were all very straightforward, run of the mill sort of tasks. "How many d'ya need altogether?" you ask aloud, but you're already hunting for the requested foliage.

The bright yellow leaf is not perfect, apparently; this, too, fails to bother you overly much. Tucking the sunny leaf into your pocket, you return to hunting over the ground, more than happy to help. "Why does the person need to be healed?- ah!"

Rising up, you display a second leaf, this one lined with veins of green. "Is this right?"

Deimos At least the youth didn’t ask how the leaves were meant to heal, mend, or soothe, because Deimos had absolutely no idea. Assuaging had never been in his realm of occupations anyway, much less tempted to unravel or obliterate than tend to another’s wounds. Except perhaps it’d been all he’d been conducting as of late – either through infirmary visits, counseling friends, or pulling beams out of companion’s chests. The notions scrape down his spine, and he flickered them away, damned and desisted, meant to diffuse elsewhere, suppressed beneath the cover of their other chaotic realms. “Five. But this is the last.” Which meant he was closing in, crouching down in front of brush, hands sifting through fallen leaves or ones destined to wither, fade away in time. Soon enough some portions of their lives would be back to normal. Whatever that was anymore. The curiosity hadn’t ceased though, and while he poked through another pile of leaf litter, his eyes never quite leaving the collections, the inquiry curled and contorted against him. The rumble and ricochet in his chest was naught more than that. “She was paralyzed from the waist down.” And no amount of Abandoned healing fruitions had been able to fix it. But Kai was quick, swift, fast, for while he was wandering in the midst of fronds never fitting what he required, the boy had found another. His gaze flicked over the proffered object, glancing at its adornments, the yellowing patterns with green bounding from within, exactly what he needed. He swallowed down something in his throat (relief?), hands reaching for it. “Yes. Thank you.” And he meant it, no matter how neutral or reticent his vocals, clambering and roaming around consolation, reassurance, and comfort in the final leaflet. The beast grabbed hold of his bag once more, opening up the satchel to grab the remaining jar, intending to place the leaf within, for it to join its brethren. Out of sight and out of mind Make everything alright So let the sky and sea collide Just not in our lifetime

you may say that i'm a dreamer

Apparently you are a particularly good finder - not surprising, given that you're definitely somewhere on the Hufflepuff spectrum. The leaf appears to be suitable indeed, and you beam with pleasure at your success, impressed by the delicacy of the huge man as he takes it and places it into a jar.

"You're welcome!" you answer lightly, brightly. "I hope your friend is better soon." Then you return to investigating the ground, taken with the bright yellow leaves. They're beautiful as the sun, and would be a great thing to line your basket with, you think, not looking to see if the giant man is remaining nearby or walking away.

Deimos And then like that, it was over – perhaps one of his more simplistic and successful endeavors. Brief, succinct accomplishments, and then nothing more. He shook his head, registered a quiet smirk, acknowledging the lad again with short, efficient tones. “Thank you. We shall see.” Because faith in the people around them, in those who’d helped and assisted, in those who’d been willing to simply search for leaves, soil, or bones, meant more than hope. He’d continue to see it through, to ensure Amalia was healed, to see there were intervals and chapters after this latest, devastating, tragic one. He lifted his gaze to Zuriel, and the unicorn took the hint, as they disembarked, as they aimed and intended to stride back towards settlements and ruins, piece by piece. {-FIN} Out of sight and out of mind Make everything alright So let the sky and sea collide Just not in our lifetime